The Great Chef

The hight temperatures of the last days surely reminded us of the Summer still to come. Along with ice-cream, beach play-days, barbecues, or lobster by the sea, Summer also represents to me a time when very few things besides fresh salads, yogurts, and fruit can meet my desire for eating. The warmer it gets, the less hungry I get. Therefore, all new, nutritiously fresh ideas are more than welcome. This recipe for mackerel ceviche, by Chef Jean Georges Vongerichten, is this Summer's favorite. A ceviche is a dish characteristic from coastal Central and South America and it consists of raw fish marinated in citrus juices and spices. This process tenderizes the fish up to a point where it looks cooked; and it is actually partially cooked, thanks to the chemical reactions occurring between the acids and the proteins. Roughly all fish and shellfish can be used to make a ceviche so substitute as you wish. The only thing you should make sure is that the fish is absolutely fresh. For 4 serv...

Thanksgiving week. Finally a break on the apnea-like weeks that have filled the calendar lately. Finally an opportunity to get back to the kitchen (even if not as heavily as I would have liked) and to blogging. I bet most of you are super excited about next Thursday and I am sure you have already decided what you are going to cook. But if you happen to be as impulsive as I am and have yet to decide what to enjoy on Thanksgiving dinner, here is a suggestion that will fit the desires of those who are moderately traditionalists and who would not mind a twist on the Holiday's table - Roast pork with citrus caramel. I know! Thanksgiving means turkey not pork. Says who? Last year we had duck and it was no less Thanksgiving because of that. The Holiday is about gathering and sharing in peace and harmony. Does it matter what do you share at your table? Not for me. But even if you cannot enjoy Thanksgiving without  turkey (I can perfectly understand. Portuguese cannot have Christmas without...

How many times did you find yourself wishing for longer days, slow passing weeks, lingering months and years...? I bet you did it many times. Look outside. It is Fall again! From my window, this grey, rainy afternoon brightens up beautifully by the contrast of a tree already painted in orange and red. That is what make it worth it. Time is the command in chief of our lives and even though I have learned to look at it in a positive way, which actually lead me to accomplish more, there are moments, still, when I scream out loud "Stop! How am I suppose to do all these things while you, Mr. Time, are becoming shorter and passing at the speed of light?!". That is the life I have been living for the last couple of months - a running against Mr. Time. Please, do not read this as a complaint. I am happy! It is good, so good, to be back to school and into a system that, actually, values you as a thinker. The only thing I miss is to be the ruler of my time instead of letting it rule me...

This recipe, by chef Jean Georges Vongerichten, is one of my favorite chicken recipes because it is full of flavor, exotic, easy to cook, and reminds one of my favorite trips - Tunisia. To be honest, any recipe that uses cumin and harissa is half way through to be part of my favorites list. If you happen to be wondering what in Epicurus name is harissa allow me to tell you. Harissa is a hot, delicious North African spice paste made of  piri-piri, red chili pepper, and garlic. You can find it in any Middle Eastern markets and it is, generally, sold in cans. It keeps almost forever in your fridge. I like to transfer the paste into a plastic container with lid after opening the can just to prevent that the natural oxidation of the metal affects the flavor of the harissa. Personally, I find it really hot to eat by itself. Actually, one of the funniest episodes of our trip to Tunisia was exactly our first experience with harissa. It looked so good! We took a piece of bread, spread ...

Halibut is one of the finest fishes you can have. Its meat is white and flaky and its flavor is delicate. This recipe by Chef Jean Georges Vongerichten elevates even more halibut's qualities by combining it with a blast of freshness - capers, tomatoes and wine. To serve 4: Start by preheating the oven to 500ºF. Smear 1.5 tablespoons of butter in a shallow baking pan that will hold the fish without crowding. Sprinkle the butter with 1 tablespoon of minced shallots. Season 4 halibut steaks, on both sides, with salt and cayenne pepper and lay it in the baking pan, over the shallots. Peel, seed, and dice 1 lb of tomatoes and distribute them around the fish along with 2 tablespoons of capers. Pour in 1.5 cups of dry white wine and bring to the boil on top of the stove. Then, transfer to the oven and cook for 5 minutes, basting once with the cooking liquid. Turn the fish and cook for another 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh copped parsley and serve at once with braised vegetables such as as...

Lamb is one of those types of meat that is a delight all year long but for me Easter tastes even better with  a plate of lamb. While living with my parents I didn't get the chance of eating as much lamb as I would like because most of our family didn't like he exquisite and strong flavor of this meat (believe it or not!). So now, I don't wast a chance of eating it. That doesn't mean I cook it frequently, though. In fact, yesterday was my second time cooking it. The first time I cooked a rack of lamb I followed a recipe by Gordon Ramsay but I was not particularly happy with it. He suggests a crust of parmesan cheese and herbs but the flavor of the cheese ended up standing above everything else and turned the dish quite heavy. This time, I decided to follow my guts and try a recipe that came to my mind during last week. It also includes cooking the meat involved in a crust but this time I chose sesame seeds and instead of cooking the entire rack, I cut it in individual ch...