When I was a kid I hated black licorice and subsequently anything anise-flavored. Fortunately I was too young to drink Ouzo, but my mother thought it was a darn shame that I didn’t like licorice. Like most people, as I aged my taste buds changed and I developed a passion for the flavor of anise. Ouzo, Sambuca, fennel, and yes…black licorice (mmm, Good N’ Plenty!)

If you’re a fennel fan (that alone is fun to say), you’ll love this easy and delicious coleslaw. To me, plain old cabbage slaws are too often boring, drenched in mayo, or both. This version has the lovely sweet crispness of fennel and the creaminess of Greek yogurt. For best results, allow it to macerate a bit in the fridge before the final dressing. But if the natives are restless you can serve it immediately and still earn two thumbs up.

Click below for the recipe:

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Barnaby loves himself a good kimchi. The stinkier and more sour, the better. I must say, I’m right there with him. After living in Japan and traveling in Korea I, too, developed a fondness for this spicy fermented cabbage dish. We’d never made it ourselves though and decided to begin the “stinky cabbage” quest.

We supplied ourselves with Napa cabbage, green onions, salt, sugar, ginger, garlic, and the pièce de résistance: Korean red pepper powder. The sweet flavor of this chili beautifully comes through without being overly spicy. We’re now so hooked on this blend of red peppers that we’re moistening it into a paste with a touch of cider vinegar and putting it on about everything from scrambled eggs to roast chicken.

We chopped the vegetables, mixed all the ingredients into a beautifully vibrant red concoction, and put it in an earthenware pot to “brew and bubble.” The longer it sits, the better, as the acids begin to break down and soften the vegetables, but after about a 24 hour period we tasted it and it was spectacular! The majority of it went back down to the basement for further “aging.”

For the complete recipe go to Foodista:

Note: We purchased Wang’s Red Pepper Powder at our local Uwajimaya. Check your local Asian market for this product.

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I know it seems strange to be sharing a chicken recipe with you the day before Thanksgiving, but I just couldn’t resist. It’s that good. Technically I suppose you could use turkey instead of chicken, but today let’s just stick with the chicken.

In this dish the chicken is cooked smothered in red cabbage. By the time the chicken has finished cooking the cabbage has broken down into a sweet, dense sauce. We served it over polenta and it was heaven.

Chicken Fricassee With Red Cabbage
Adapted from Essentials of Italian Cooking

1 cup onion sliced very thin
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon
2 garlic cloves, peeled and halved
4 cups red cabbage, shredded fine (about 1 pound)
3-4 pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces
1/2 cup dry red wine
Fresh ground black pepper
Salt to taste

Put the sliced onion, 1/4 oil, and the garlic in a sauté pan and cook over medium heat until the garlic turns a deep gold. Add the cabbage, sprinkle with salt, and stir thoroughly until well coated. Reduce heat to a gentle simmer and cover. Cook cabbage for about 40 minutes, turning occasionally, until it becomes tender and has reduced.

Wash the chicken pieces and pat dry. In a separate pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Once oil is heated add chicken skin side down. Once browned, turn to brown the other side. Transfer all pieces, except for the breasts, to the cabbage pan. Turn the chicken over in the pan with the cabbage, add the wine and pepper. Place the lid on the pan, leaving it slightly askew to allow steam to escape, and continue cooking at a slow simmer. Turn the chicken occasionally, sprinkling once more with salt. After 40 minutes ad the breasts. Cook for about 15 minutes until tender and the meat comes easily off the bone.

Transfer everything to a warm platter and serve immediately.

Serves 4

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Photo: makani5

On evenings when I’m alone, I love a simple dinner of rice with butter and kim chee, and I really like to pile it on.  The hotter the better.  Whether made with cabbages or radish, I love the tang, the heat, and the brightness of this beautiful, fermented creation.  My first taste of kim chee was at an excellent Korean restaurant in, of all places, Rome.  I was studying art, of course, and one night enjoyed an enormous feast and a night of karaoke.  Aretha was eating her heart out that night – yes, I felt like a “natural WOMan” – and I never forgot the food.  I returned later to the same spot, struggling to order in Italian, and have since always had a weakness for kim chee, and many other Korean delicacies.  One day, I hope to make it – so if any of you have a recipe you’d be willing to share, I’d love to hear it.

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On the eve of Saint Patrick’s Day, in order to miss the crazy crowds drunk on green beer (are we officially old!?), our friend kindly opted to prepare us a delicious, nay splendid, Irish-American boiled dinner.

This was not a throw-together dinner; this was cooked on the stove all day with loving care gooooood.

Corned beef, gently and thoughtfully seasoned along with boiled cabbage, carrots, new potatoes and turnips and a wonderful, crumbly, dense as-it-should-be Irish Soda Bread.

The luck of the Irish to ya!

Traditional Irish Soda Bread from Bakingsheet

New England Boiled Dinner from Simply Recipes

An interesting article on the history of Corned Beef in America.

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I always wanted to like these diminutive cabbages as a child, but the moment I popped one in my mouth it invariably found its way right back onto the plate (or napkin). Pretty. I’m amazed at how many adults still hold this same aversion. I believe it’s because for generations these little guys have just not been prepared properly. However, if done correctly the bitterness will disappear and the result will be healthy, buttery little beauties.

The first time I ventured back into the Brussel sprout world was about 10 years ago when I read an article promising (as I am) to deliver bitterless sprouts. The recipe (sorry, I can no longer recall who was the brave author) simply called for slicing them in half and double blanching. I’ve adapted through trial and error and here’s what I do: blanch in pure water, dump, then finish off in a fresh bath of salted water. Cook until al dente and toss with a little butter and salt and pepper, or a little parmiggiano reggiano.

I’ve also roasted, braised and deglazed them. Then I found a lovely little recipe on Orangette, one of my new favorite food blogs, that called for hashed Brussel sprouts. Hashed, now why didn’t I think of that?! I know it’s been done before, and you all are probably thinking, “well, duh” but it just never occured to me to slice them up! I mean, they’re so pretty, why would I have ever thought to spoil their beauty? But I think the hashing is just the out-of-the-box thinking that I need to be embracing. And I’m gonna go for it. Just watch me.

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