Hearty Lentil Soup

13. February 2008 Soups, Stocks + Sauces 0
In Michael Pollan’s latest book, In Defense of Food, he summarizes his lecture on the first page: Eat food. Not too much. Mostly greens. I love greens, but I also love all kinds of meat. And you know how I feel about bacon, right? But there are days when I do crave vegetable-only dishes. I ...

Rack of Lamb with Apricot-Lime Chutney

07. January 2008 Lamb + Veal, Soups, Stocks + Sauces 0
We went crazy in Central Market when we were in Austin. Every produce aisle should look like theirs. After Cameron pushed the cart to pick up the ingredients she needed for her salads, we bought a $50 rack of lamb. I knew I wanted something savory for our New Year’s Eve dinner, so I went ...

Mandu Gook, Korean Soup with Dumplings

03. January 2008 Soups, Stocks + Sauces 1
I had a dozen dumplings in the freezer and a cold, so I could only think of making myself a big bowl of hot and spicy soup to combat the sniffles. I was too lazy to go anywhere to buy ingredients. I had to make do with whatever I could rummage in the pantry. Arugula? ...

Subanik, Guatemalan Stew

Who’s in the kitchen? I asked the bartenders in La Lancha restaurant after only my second meal during my trip to Guatemala. Ezekiel, they said. He’s been the chef here at La Lancha. I wanted Ezekiel to know that I liked what he had been serving the past two days. While traveling Central America, I’ve ...

Pork Sinigang, Filipino Sour Soup

05. September 2007 Pork, Soups, Stocks + Sauces 0
What would be your last meal on death row? It took me a while to answer that question, but the more I eat pork sinigang, the more I stick with it as the last thing I want to eat before I go. It’s my comfort food and it’s the dish I request from my father ...