As self-described foodies, we spend a lot of time looking for interesting recipes and different ways of cooking food. Dan recently came across a photo of “Hasselback Potatoes” and was immediately intrigued. We’d never seen or heard of this type of potato dish before, but liked how they looked and decided to research some recipes. We were surprised to discover how easy they are to make, considering how complicated and fancy they appear. And they taste as good as they look — sort of like gourmet home-fries.
Month: April 2011
Tuna Salad
This is not your typical tuna salad. The difference that sets this tuna apart (in our opinion) is the addition of lime and horseradish. And there are no pickles in this dish, which is one of the main ingredients we think of when we think tuna salad. Not that we think about or make tuna salad all that often, but when we do, we like to use this recipe from Cook’s Illustrated’s American Classics cookbook. The ingredients are simple: solid white tuna (packed in water), lime juice and lime zest, prepared horseradish, red onion, fresh parsley, salt and pepper, mayonnaise and Dijon mustard. Simple but tasty.
Red Beans and Rice
We’ve mentioned before that one of our favorite places we’ve ever visited is New Orleans. When we were there last May, we wandered around looking for a good place to have our final meal of the trip, hoping to make up for a surprisingly mediocre plate of etouffee from lunch the previous day. (The etouffee was so bad that a local guy dining next to us said it was the worst he’d ever had and he didn’t want to have to pay for his meal as a result.) We found a great little place in the French Quarter that more than made up for the not-so-good lunch. Dan ordered the meal featuring a trio of famous Cajun dishes — red beans and rice, etouffee and gumbo — and finally got to sample what authentic etouffee is really supposed to taste like. The other two dishes were authentically delicious as well. Ever since that meal, we’ve wanted to try making these dishes at home. We’ve already tried Seafood Gumbo (with rather successful results, if we do say so ourselves – and we do), so we decided to give red beans and rice a shot. Success Number Two!
Weekly Menu (Apr. 2)
Saturday
- Out with Friends
Sunday
- BBQ Game Hen, Hasselback Potatoes, Broccolini
Monday
- Tuscan-Style Lamb Chops with Panzanella
Tuesday
- Take-Out
Wednesday
- Chinese Chicken Salad with Hoisin Vinaigrette (with leftover game hen)
Thursday
- Tortellini Soup
Friday
- Chipotle Shrimp, Rice, Salad
Skirt Steak Tacos
This might be the most simple and easy recipe we have ever posted. It’s so basic that it doesn’t even require an actual recipe. All you do is roast some onion strips in the oven and grill a skirt steak, then put those ingredients in a taco. But the end result tastes a lot more complex — as if you marinated the steak for hours and meticulously carmelized the onions. This meal is perfect for a busy weeknight, or even a last-minute dinner party where you can fool your guests into thinking you spent way more time cooking for them than you actually did. (We won’t tell.)