A bit of a hybrid episode, focusing mostly on how to make a pie crust, plus a little about quiche. There’s a lot of misinformation in pie crust tips and recipes — this episode covers all I’ve learned in three … Continue reading →

Cooking in Real Time

Quarantine Episode 8: Pie Crust and Quiche

Lentils with Moroccan spices are incredibly good and simple, and they stand up to a lot of substitutions. Alongside, a raw beet salad makes a sweet, crunchy counterpoint. Sound quality on this is pretty rough — our kitchen has been … Continue reading →

Quarantine Episode 7: Moroccan-Style Lentils and Raw Beet Salad

Schnitzel, cutlets, tonkatsu, milanesa: thin, breaded pan-fried cuts of meat are fun to make. Serve with a sweet-creamy cucumber salad and buttery potatoes (TBH, a little bit of an afterthought!). Yes, this episode is a sonic nightmare, and we’re slipping … Continue reading →

Quarantine Episode 6: Pork Schnitzel with German Cucumber Salad and Some Potatoes

A short episode focused just on the principle of ladhera — Greek-style ‘oil-cooked’ vegetables, especially green beans. A good side dish, or a simple, satisfying dinner with bread and cheese. NOT-Shopping List Fresh green beans Tomato of some kind (paste, … Continue reading →

Quarantine Episode 5: Greek-style green beans

Alevropita is a quick baked pie with feta, done in about 20 minutes, and marouli salata (lettuce salad) is a very simple, very springy complement. Together it makes a good light dinner or lunch that comes together in less than … Continue reading →

Quarantine Episode 4: Quick Greek Pita and Spring Salad

A special short episode on the simplest and best way to prepare artichokes, which are in season now. Accidental music credit: Peter Moskos, practicing his autoharp downstairs. NOT-shopping list Globe artichokes Salt Vinegar Butter Mayonnaise Garlic Lemon juice Simplest and … Continue reading →

Quarantine Episode 3: All About Artichokes

RIP, Southwest Airlines in-flight magazine, where I found this surprisingly delicious and easy pasta sauce recipe 20-plus years ago. Alongside: a very simple carrot-celery-almond salad. And DIY vinaigrette. It all takes a lot longer than it should, but hey, there’s … Continue reading →

Quarantine Episode 2: Midnight Meat Sauce for Spaghetti and Crunch Salad

By popular demand, Cooking in Real Time is back after nearly 11 years, with a pretty long and rambling session of cooking basic rice and legumes, with plenty of shortcuts and substitutions from limited pantries. NOT-shopping list rice, ideally basmati, … Continue reading →

Quarantine Episode 1: Fennel Rice and Semi-South Indian Dal, with Cucumber Raita and Cabbage Salad

This week, it’s a menu for winter doldrums. I’m nursing a light cold with some chicken soup–and adding chipotle chiles and garlic for extra health-giving kick. On the side: a baked sweet potato, packed with vitamin C. Shopping list 2 … Continue reading →

RERUN Episode 26: Chicken Noodle Soup with Chipotle Pesto, plus Baked Sweet Potatoes

This week, we cook a little risotto–it’s not as complicated or as fussy as you think. And it’s a very adaptable dish. On the side, we roast up some wee brussels sprouts and douse them in garlic and anchovies–what’s not … Continue reading →

RERUN Episode 25: Butternut-Squash Risotto and Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Anchovies and Garlic

This week, it’s a really tasty version of the much-maligned meatloaf, along with some delicate little potatoes and some sturdy greens. It’s a very meat-and-potatoes kind of dinner, but satisfying nonetheless. And you can make a delicious cold meatloaf sandwich … Continue reading →

RERUN Episode 24: Mmmm, Meatloaf with Pan-Roasted Half-Potatoes and Pan-Fried Dandelion Greens with Cheese

This week, I make a hearty soup that mixes kale, sweet potatoes and sausage–interesting spices give it a semi-Caribbean flavor. On the side, celery root and apple–both in season now–make an easy, refreshing slaw. Shopping list Andouille sausage (12 oz.) … Continue reading →

RERUN Episode 23: Allegedly Cuban Sweet-Potato Soup, plus Celery Root and Apple Slaw

This week, I make perhaps my most standard standby pasta, a mix of onions, tomatoes and bacon–great year-round, and totally doable with just pantry items. On the side, I boil a bit of kale and dress it up with chili … Continue reading →

RERUN Episode 22: Sorta-Pasta all’Amatriciana with Quickest Kale

This week, I make a fish tagine–essentially, fish cooked in a stewpot–with spices from a favorite Indian recipe. On the side: carrots with cinnamon, honey and red pepper…and some potatoes that take a damn long time to cook. Shopping list … Continue reading →

RERUN Episode 21: Indian-Spiced Fish Tagine and Sweet-Hot Carrots

This week, I talk about ways to get motivated for cooking in the fall. And I discuss my new [now 10-year-old!] cookbook, Forking Fantastic: Put the Party back in Dinner Party. Fall means back to school…so get back in the … Continue reading →