Author: Chef M

“Chicken on the grill” may sound plain, but this dish is so perfectly seasoned you’ll never think grilled chicken is boring again. The color of the cooked chicken is also exquisite and makes for a beautiful, delicious meal you can cook on any busy weeknight. Make a double batch to have leftovers for salads!

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Peanut blossom cookies first gained notoriety at the 1957 Pillsbury Bake-Off. They’re simply a peanut butter cookie topped with a Hershey’s Kiss. We started with the original recipe and made tweaks to it with the goal of achieving a more robust peanut flavor. Adding more peanut butter didn’t do the trick. We tried swapping chunky peanut butter for the creamy, but tasters disliked the craggy texture it gave these cookies. We got the best peanut flavor when we replaced a portion of the flour with roasted peanuts, which we ground finely in the food processor so they wouldn’t compromise the…

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Like salmon, trout is a supremely healthy protein thanks to its abundance of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals. Since we wanted to eat this oily fish more often, we needed a different method than the typical pan-frying, which doesn’t add much nutritionally. Instead, we baked the fish whole for a dramatic presentation. Spacing them out on a rimmed baking sheet permitted good air circulation, which allowed the exterior to crisp without retaining too many juices that would cause the fish to steam. Trout has a rich taste that works best with other potent flavors, so we stuffed the fish…

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I call this a ceviche rather than sashimi because the vinaigrette ‘cooks’ the salmon a little. In our household, Colin prepares it this way so the ceviche step is just for him. For myself I just add extra virgin olive oil and salt flakes as I love the fish totally raw. While I’ve used salmon here, another wonderful fish to eat raw is Hiramasa kingfish, which is also readily available as a farmed fish. As ever, you have options too so just make it the way you like it.

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This traditional dessert from Limousin (in the centre of France) is really popular in France. It’s so simple to make, you don’t even have to remove the cherry stones. They actually add some extra flavour to the clafoutis mix. But don’t forget to warn your guests about them!

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The preparation of these tender chops is another example of complex flavor building. Crisp the bacon, then brown the chops in the bacon fat, next brown the leeks, then add the chopped fresh tomatoes, using their juice to scrape off any stuck-on brown bits in the pan. Serve it all up over creamy polenta or mashed potatoes essentially, your favorite carb that will soak up the delicious sauce. To guarantee perfectly cooked chops, take the internal temperature with an instant-read thermometer: They are done between 140 and 145°F.

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This is a take on one of the most popular dips of recent time. it’s perfect alone or with additions of grilled red pepper strips, Italian sausage, pepperoni, chicken, mushrooms, or prosciutto or a combination. It’s also a great spread for a grilled chicken or turkey panini or for slathering on bruschetta.

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I was never a huge fan of garlic knots. The amount of raw garlic would not only annihilate my taste buds, but anyone in my path would be blasted with garlic-scented dragon breath. But then there’s roasted garlic. Sweet roasted garlic cloves, caramelized to perfection, are folded into this sourdough with fresh thyme for a light and tasty twist. About the Dough: A blend of all-purpose and bread flour makes the dough light yet gives it enough structure to create that essential chewy texture. Once fully risen, the dough is chilled overnight to deepen the flavor and make shaping easier…

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