Ok, this is definitely not your grandmother’s gravy. Hedonistic, decadent or 1% doesn’t even begin to describe this recipe… because you are not just shaving half an ounce of white truffles on top of something but you are using a whole pound of solid white truffles for the base of the gravy. Both the recipes…
Author: Bogomil Balkansky
Thanksgiving turkey
Thanksgiving is my favorite American holiday – I fell in love with it ever since the first time I celebrated it in Mechanicsburg, PA in 1991. When it comes to the Thanksgiving dinner, I am a traditionalist, so the turkey I make is, well, very, very traditional.
Coq au vin
Slowly braised stews are my favorite kind of dish, and fall / winter is the season for them. Coq au vin is a French bistro classic – it is both be homey and comforting, and sophisticated. Stews are best a day old. If serving at a dinner party – you can cook it the day…
Squab glazed with port reduction with creamy polenta
Squab is one of my favorite meats – it is dark and a little bit gamey, and because these birds are so small – it cooks quickly. Like other game, squab goes well with sweet sauces – and in this case I made my favorite port reduction that has been already featured in previous posts:…
Black cod over tomato-saffron risotto
Black cod is my new favorite fish – it is very delicate, flaky and simply delicious. And the tomato-saffron combination is one of the most versatile accompaniments to any sea food dish – such as black cod over with tomato-fennel-saffron broth or the Saffron tagliatelle with tomato, fennel, saffron sauce and pan fried shrimp
Squid ink pasta with tomato-fennel-saffron sauce and pan fried shrimp
I am still learning how to make pasta but this one turned out all right :). I am fascinated with squid ink because of its ability to make food black, and there aren’t too many black things we eat. And there is also the deep sea flavor. This is the second squid ink dish that…
Tarator – chilled yoghurt and cucumber soup
Since I am in Bulgaria right now, there is hardly a better tribute to Bulgarian summer than the tarator (таратор). When I was a kid it was a fixture of our summer menu – for lunch and dinner. Incredibly simple and fast to prepare – it can bright up the summer menu.
Chilled English peas soup
English peas are one of my favorite spring ingredients, and this recipe is another re-incarnation of the English peas puree with mint. If you simply thin the puree with some liquid – voila! you have got a soup.
Black cod with caramelized fennel and Manila clams in tomato-fennel-saffron broth
Black cod is a very delicate, flaky fish and is one of my favorites. The tomato-fennel-saffron broth is something that I have been making for a long time, and it is one of the best accompaniments for any kind of sea food. This is a luxurious dish – perfect to impress at your dinner party.
Agnolotti dal plin stuffed with English peas and ricotta
For the longest time I had a phobia from anything that involves dough (so no bread or any type of baking) but recently I have been getting into pasta making with increasing success. Agnolotti dal plin (agnolotti with a pinch) is the first pasta I learned in a cooking class, and this is the second…
