America

Chicken with Spanish Chorizo & Olives

We are thrilled to bring to you one of our favorite dishes from our friend, Dale Gray, the beloved cook behind the Instagram account @thedaleyplated and her amazing blog, and her beautiful new cookbook South of Somewhere. This dish is inspired by classic Spanish cuisine which first sears the chicken in olive oil and then, when the chicken is removed to rest, the hot oils are joined by the garlic, onion and chorizo, and simmered until aromatic and turning a rustic red from the paprika in the chorizo.

Crawfish Etouffee

I had a close friend who was Cajun and he once took me to a small village in southern Louisiana where he grew up, not too far from the town of St. Martinville, famous for the statue of Evangeline, the High Priestess of myth and poetic legend among the Cajun and a powerful symbol of the Acadian diaspora. (The real person’s name was Emmeline Labiche, and the truth is better than Romeo and Juliet, but that’s a story for the next cookbook.) I had written about the Cajun people in a novel so I was familiar with their culture, food and society. One reason for my passion for Cajun food is that my mother’s side of the family has roots in the French Canadian community of Acadia and thus are the remnants of the Acadian people, who were cast out of their homes and lands by the English army in 1755 to wander unwanted along the Eastern seaboard of America for decades. They finally found a home in the bayous of Louisiana, so it’s completely understandable that traditionally the Cajuns are a people who wanted to be left in peace.

Baby Potatoes Wrapped in Prosciutto with Creamy Cheeses

This insanely umami side dish is simple yet sumptuous, and it’s perfect for snacking, parties, family dinner or as a side dish for special family gatherings.  And it’s so quick and easy… just gather up a bunch of baby Yukon Gold potatoes, smash them with a kitchen mallet so that they are slightly broken and a little bit flattened, to better soak up all the luscious creamy cheesy umami sauce, and then wrap each one in strips of Prosciutto.   

Roasted Chicken Thighs with Orange Slices

This is a dish we love to make for its gorgeous look and amazing flavors.  We use olive oil, Porcini mushrooms or cremini mushrooms, Giant Beans from Greece for their incredibly dense creamy flavors, red, yellow and orange bell peppers, Cara Cara oranges for their unique flavor, Spanish chorizo with its smoky paprika flavor, and we sometimes use Cajun Andouille sausage for it’s immense smokiness and depth of Cajun flavors.   

Gumbo Ya Ya

The Cajun people of Louisiana have a long, proud and emotionally powerful history and tradition… and they are a strong part of my Mother’s side of the family. She was French-Canadian, and was born within the bloodline of the Acadian people.

Kielbasa Sausages and Sauerkraut with Potatoes

When we think of the Oktoberfest, we always think of Smoked Kielbasa, seared on the grill and then simmered in sauerkraut with caraway seeds. This is Grandmother approved as the real deal.  On a hot buttered bun with mayo and/or mustard it is umami bombi.  This feast causes a kind of crazy desire in the crowd for more… until food coma ensues.  If the weather at your home is getting colder, rainy, blustery, snowy or just kind of lacking any sunny stuff… this is the ultimate comfort food.  If you want to enjoy an October feast at home, this one is so much fun. Don’t forget the beer!  Enjoy! Ingredients… 2 pounds Kielbasa sausage (grilled or broiled until charred)2 pounds sauerkraut (purchased in a glass jar or from a deli)1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes (steamed or boiled until just slightly tender)1 tablespoon caraway seeds (slightly ground)1 tablespoon light brown sugar1 teaspoon salt1 teaspoon black pepper2 ounces unsalted butter Cooking… Steam or boil the potatoes until just slightly tender, cut into quarters and set aside. Grill or broil the Kielbasa sausages until charred and juicy, cut into halves or thirds and set aside. In a stockpot or large pan, on medium heat, simmer the sauerkraut until it just begins to bubble. (Please don’t drain or rinse the liquids that come with the sauerkraut, they are wonderfully tart and packed with nourishing probiotics and umami flavors.) Add the caraway seeds, brown sugar, salt, black pepper, butter, potatoes and the Kielbasa sausages. Simmer on low heat for at least 20 minutes, we prefer to simmer for a least an hour. This is how Grandma makes this legendary meal. She approves!

Sloppy Joe’s

This bad boy is not your momma’s Sloppy Joe’s… no ketchup, yellow mustard or chili powder.  This version is super umami, with wonderful complex flavors and by far the best one we’ve ever tasted.  

Cuban Sandwich

I go deep-sea fishing in Key West just about every year and that’s where we first discovered one of the greatest sandwiches on planet Earth… the Cuban Sandwich. Since the 1800’s, there were a great many Cuban workers in Key West in the cigar factories, and this was their favorite go-to lunch. And since Cuba is only about ninety miles away, families sailed back and forth with ease to Kew West for more than a hundred years. Most folks in Key West claim the Cuban sandwich originated right there, although the folks in Tampa and Miami would probably beg to differ. But one thing is for sure… I often heard an old expression… “the Cuban sandwich was born in Cuba and educated in Key West”.

Homemade Pizza!

Every once in a while we like to look back at some of our favorite savory homemade pizzas and share them. We love homemade pizza, it brings the family together like no other meal!

New Orleans Oyster Po’ Boys

We usually wolf down our po’ boys right there in the kitchen near the stove, hot and spicy, the oysters crunchy on the outside and creamy on the inside, and the tartar sauce all over our fingers.

Shrimp Scampi

This dish is a real classic and very popular in restaurants all over the world. As always with Italian dishes, Scampi requires the highest quality ingredients to be really memorable. Here in our wild savory kitchen, we are always looking to find the most umami flavors possible, along with the most authentic ingredients. We have always felt that the usual Shrimp Scampi you would be served in a restaurant… which is generally just lots of butter, garlic and Italian parsley… wasn’t explosive enough in taste. We wanted to make a memorable version… and this is it.

Potatoes Au Gratin

This extravagant and decadent umami bomb feast is simple and quick to prepare but fantastically savory… for us, this is the ultimate comfort food. We have combined the cheesiness of Au Gratin with the creaminess of Scalloped Potatoes, along with smoked meats, wild mushrooms, and herbs of Provence like tarragon, thyme and rosemary.

Lobster Pasta & Ravioli

Some meals are simply perfect. This light pasta is amazing on a lazy summer day with ice cold champagne, or a romantic warm evening with rose. Actually, it’s wonderful any time and any place on Earth, because this little feast will make it a special event.

Clay Baked Chicken or Duck

For years we have returned again and again to this simple savory feast… it’s like an old trusted friend.  We just tossed this chubby duck inside the clay pot along with tons of veggies, stuck it a cold oven, set it to 475 degrees and got back to the family fun.  An hour later, time to feast.  It’s that simple.  

Corn and Crab Chowder with Smoked Bacon & Chanterelles

For us, the intensely fruity and haunting flavors of this wild mushroom called Chanterelle, which we hunt for in the mountains, combines magically with the fresh corn cob kernels and the smoked bacon umami flavors. And then we add the sweet briny rich crab taste of the sea, all in a creamy Sherry and Tarragon herb broth. It’s one of the most savory and umami packed chowders we’ve ever made.  

Seared Halibut Wrapped with Prosciutto in Garlic Cream Sauce

We love the delicate finessful flavor of halibut, but there was always something slightly missing in its depth of flavor. Without the powerful umami flavors of tuna or swordfish, the rich exquisite oil-rich salmon, or the dense flavorful flakes of snapper, sea bass or mahi mahi, halibut seems to need some umami richness.  Usually in restaurants, halibut is drowned in creams or butter to avoid its tendency to dry out.  This little feast solves all those problems… with Italian prosciutto!  

Red Bell Peppers Stuffed with Smoked Sausage, Garlic Seared Spinach, Feta and Rice

These crunchy juicy sweet red bell peppers were stuffed with lots of savory stuff like spinach seared in tons of garlic and Italian olive oil, smoked sausages, lots of feta cheese along with two other cheeses like Pecorino Romano grated inside with smoked Provolone or Gruyere on top, which got all melty and aromatic, held together with our own spiced Jasmine rice… all made really creamy with roasted red pepper and tomato sauce.   They are crazy tasty awesome wonderful.

Fajitas

This feast is a charred meat umami bomb straight out of West Texas, originally made in the 1800’s with beef strip steaks… in fact sometimes cowboys were paid in meat and not money.  Those were tough times, and it was a harsh rugged job.  So if you want to cowboy up, or just enjoy a real fiesta, this is the real deal. This time we switched it up and used seared chicken!  You can also use shrimp! Serve with tons of salsa, sour cream, cilantro, guacamole, hot sauce and warm tortillas.  And several ice cold beers.   Enjoy!

Mexican Casserole with Black Beans, Rice, Melty Cheeses and Spicy Sausages

This meal is real soul food from the heart of central Mexico and very different from the familiar restaurant style Tex/Mex cooking. Rebekah and I have been making this little feast for at least twenty five years… I think a good portion of our four kids’ DNA is made up of this family favorite. We always make two or three casseroles at once, and it makes endless lunches and dinners, and if frozen in the glass casserole dish, is an easy dinner for four any time you need it. It is hearty, healthy, spicy, addictive and deeply satisfying, a comfort food that is a real protein bomb… in which the flavors are both separate and yet married in a magical way.

Salmon Yakitori on Pineapple Planks with Salsa

We love wild Sockeye salmon for its intense flavors and deep orange-red color. Happily, with this Yakitori feast, Sockeye filets are just the right size for pineapple planks and the wonderful full flavor stands up well to the intense umami flavors of the Yakitori sauce. And the bright crisp tropical flavor of the pineapple is a perfect contrasting flavor sensation to the salmon and the intense Japanese sauce, causing a delicious tension in the taste. With the pineapple salsa piled on top, it’s a really delightful feast.

Creole Red Beans and Rice with Andouille Sausage

In many way, the Creoles of New Orleans may be the most quintessentially American society of all, the original American fusion. Comprised of the descendants of the French and Spanish who were born in Louisiana, it later came to include all races and cultures that shared this general background. They were always a highly sophisticated people, many educated in Paris. The Creole opened the French Opera house in 1859, and the city of New Orleans became the opera capital of America. When we think of this meal, Red Beans and Rice, we imagine the steamy languid Sundays of the Creole world of New Orleans in the 1800’s, ham on the table and French wine to accompany that. And then on Monday, which was called Laundry Day throughout the South, they used the scraps and bones from Sunday’s ham feast, tossed in some Red Beans and seasoning, and as it bubbled for hours, the tedious laundry work was accomplished along with a savory lunch.

Turkey Thighs with Thyme Butter

Thanksgivings in our wild savory kitchen have been a memorable feast for many years, always featuring our Tandoori turkey.  Sometimes twelve folks, sometimes eighteen or more, we always had two Harvest Tables that were eight feet long each.  Side by side, we feasted with family and friends every year.  And many times we had single guests with no families nearby, and sometimes new friends in need… it was all a joy, and we always have an attitude of gratitude.  

Shepherd’s Pie with Mushroom Cream Gravy

We first tasted this classic New England meal, appropriately enough, in the food hall of Harrod’s in London, many years ago. It was a revelation. This feast has a timeless wildness to it, that speaks of a life lived outdoors and long ago, and of the fireplace and hearth, the warmth of home in a rugged country. This is a meal created by rural working folks and those who hunted and labored in the outdoors and in the garden.

Italian Sausages with Peppers and Onions

The first time I had this classic Italian-American delight was in New York at the Feast of San Gennaro on Mulberry Street in Little Italy. It was a savory revelation, an umami bomb inside some awesome hot toasted and buttered buns. I was hooked for life. And this is that recipe, Italian grandmother approved!

Cioppino

Beginning in the late 1800s, the commercial fishing fleet out of San Francisco’s North Beach and Fisherman’s Wharf was dominated by Italian fisherman, usually from the port city of Genoa.  But some boats were manned by a mix of fisherman from many other nations.  Working side by side with the Italians were Portuguese from Lisbon, Mexicans from Baja, Spaniards from Barcelona, Frenchmen from Marseille, Chinese fisherman who had been in the city for many years fishing for shrimp, and there were even some highly skilled long range seafarers from Basque.  Cioppino became so popular among the families in the bay area that it began to be served as street food for laborers along the wharf and by 1906, after the devastating earthquake, it was served in several restaurants in town.  It is a classic San Francisco feast and always eaten with the wildly popular local crusty sourdough bread.

Pulled Pork Sliders

Anyone who enters the fray about which region in America has the best Pulled Pork is in dangerous territory. Passions run high about BBQ and smoked meats, and from region to region, there is fierce competition. That being said, we’ll dive in anyway! We’ve always liked salty sour tangy flavors more than sweet, so we’re naturally drawn to the vinegar based marinades and rubs of Eastern North Carolina versus the sweeter stickier tomato based BBQ sauces of Kansas City or Texas.

Crab Cakes

For this classic Americana feast, we use chunks of Blue Crab or our local Dungeness Crab, juicy red bell peppers, Dijon or Cajun mustard, capers, Italian parsley, and aromatic herbs and spices with a Cajun twist. These babies are Umami Bomb! And perfect for all family gatherings, weekend events and holidays. This is one of our most popular dishes. And everyone who loves crab cakes eventually gets to the big question… which are the best ones in America? For us, it comes down to two candidates… Commander’s Palace in New Orleans… and some dive we stumbled into along the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland. They are very different but both were so incredible that the memory of them is indelible.  

Cajun Crawfish Pie

I had a close friend who was Cajun and he once took me to a small village in southern Louisiana where he grew up, not too far from the town of St. Martinville, famous for the statue of Evangeline, the High Priestess of myth and poetic legend among the Cajun and a powerful symbol of the Acadian diaspora. (The real person’s name was Emmeline Labiche, and the truth is better than Romeo and Juliet, but that’s a story for the next cookbook.) I had written about the Cajun people in a novel so I was familiar with their culture, food and society. One reason for my passion for Cajun food is that my mother’s side of the family has roots in the French Canadian community and thus…

Jambalaya

Jambalaya is illusive at its heart. It is, in essence, a rice meal… but that’s just the canvas the Creoles and the Cajuns use to paint one of their masterpieces. The rice is there to absorb all the umami juices of the meats and shellfish and seasoning, and in some ways, this meal is the coming together of the two traditional factions of the Cajun people, the Rice Cajuns and the Bayou Cajuns. The Rice Cajuns are those folks who, early on in their resettlement, were able to acquire slightly higher land in the interior, on which rice flourishes. For the folks living on these farms, pork and chicken were just as likely to be on the dinner table as Mud Bugs, turtles and shrimp, which the Bayou Cajuns netted for a living. So Jambalaya is a meal that combines all the traditional strengths of the Cajun people, and finding the authentic ingredients is crucial.

BBQ Salmon on a Cedar Plank

When we were searching for a caterer for our wedding, we looked no further than our own savory kitchen and backyard BBQ. Inspired by a traditional Mediterranean marinade for fish that features many fresh herbs, olive oil and lemon, over time we have discovered that this is our favorite marriage of garden and sea. ​

Wild Rice with Roasted Duck and Smoked Sausage

This feast comes from the heart of the North Country pines… northern Minnesota, the place where I did my real growing up, from boy to man, hunting and fishing in the wilds.  This iconic feast, legendary among the native peoples who live there, is the essence of wildness.  When you prepare the ingredients, and then feast on it, you can almost hear the cry of the loons out on the lake, in the dusk… and again at first light, as you ease your boat into the lily pads, casting for large mouth bass and northern pike.  It is so deep in my heart that every scrap of my DNA cries out to be there again, one day. 

Boston Clam Chowder and California Dreamin’

On a winter’s evening in Central California, with the fireplace warming the house and lighting up the dining room, a creamy clam chowder is deeply satisfying. And the California twist on the meal, the baby asparagus, gives it a garden fresh quality that cuts against the density of the cream… while the oven roasted garlic and the smoked bacon brings the umami flavors to a sumptuous natural high. It’s like riding a 50 foot wave from Mavericks Beach… right into Boston Harbor.

Annie’s Deviled Eggs

One of the Father and Daughter rituals that Annie and I have in our wild savory kitchen, on special events and big family feasts, is to make Deviled Eggs as an appetizer. They were easy to learn to make when she was a girl and we both really love them.