Chris Nordquist
Inspired by trips to India, I used to make elaborate Indian dinners — back in my single, childless days. I would research recipes and shop for ingredients during the week and spend a full Saturday cooking a series of elaborate dishes for my dinner guests. It was great fun, and I learned a lot, but […]
When I was a kid (in the 1970s), my mother made a dessert that involved avocados, lime Jello, and something creamy –I think mayonnaise. It sounds odd (and it was, a little), but it was also very good, and I’ve always remembered how much I liked rich creamy avocado in a sweet, fruity dish. From […]
We’re on a little ski holiday in Deer Valley, Utah this week with good friends from San Francisco. In truth, it could be more accurately described as an apres-ski holiday since our group is probably more interested in dining by the fire than schussing down the slopes. (Julia’s too young to ski, but she’s having […]
Ground turkey always seems like a good idea — it’s lean, nutritious and economical, a virtuous substitute for beef, pork and (gasp) veal in dishes like hamburgers and meatballs. I can never get very excited about actually eating it, though. In my hands at least, the turkey version of the meat dish usually ends up […]
After about a six-month hiatus, Julia’s into eggs again, so I went looking for some new ways to prepare them for us. I’m new to this way of cooking eggs, and, frankly, I’m a little irked that I haven’t been eating this dish for the last 45 years. It’s astoundingly delicious. The creamy, soft-centered eggs […]
When I picked a jar of smoked paprika out of the spice drawer in our New York apartment and noticed a sticker that read “Best before 2/2007,” I realized I had, as they say, an opportunity for improvement. Our spice drawer was a messy jumble of mismatched jars and tins, most of which I had […]
I never tire of eating simple roast chicken, but it’s come to my attention that others can. (Lately Julia’s been pushing away plates of it. At first I figured it was some childhood food aversion, but now I think it’s just boredom.) Here’s a dish to wake up your palate and get you excited about […]
I know this dish sounds like something from the menu at a Victorian orphanage. (I suppose I could call it “Braised Cavolo Nero with Grilled Bread,” but I just can’t write that with a straight face.) It is what it is, but it’s also a big flavored, delicious, warming winter dish that I love to […]
This is a side dish that’s worth building a meal around. In fact, it’s a simple dish that turns a straightforward plate of roasted pork, lamb or chicken, or grilled fish, into something special. The ingredients are few, inexpensive and easily obtained, and the preparation is uncomplicated, but the flavor is extraordinary. The braising takes […]
Don’t let the name fool you. This isn’t a mid-century American canned tuna casserole (although there’s nothing wrong with that) or even a reinterpretation of that beloved everyday dish (although that’s not a bad idea). This is a delicious way to cook a tuna steak that’s a nice alternative to the grilled or pan-seared preparations […]
