Lentil Kofte

Say it with me now....KUF-TA. Lentil Kofte's two main ingredients are red lentil and fine ground bulgar. I know what you're thinking, blech! But believe you me, these little fellas are so delicious you'll wonder how something so good for you can also be so tasty, yet so easy to make.
Koftes are commonly eaten in Turkey and I was turned onto them by a good friend who has spent a good amount of time there. Kofte literally translates to 'cigar' and refers to the shape, but honestly could be shaped however you please. Feel free to experiment with say maybe a french lentil and herbs de provence. I chose to keep it authentic but go ahead, exercise your creative license, I won't tell a soul.

Winter Chicken, (or Spring or Summer or Fall)

One-pot dinners are popular because they are simple to prepare AND budget-friendly. Are you thinking casseroles circa 1977? Campbell’s condensed soup, exit stage left. Combine fresh herbs, savory spices, fresh meat and vegetables in season and voila-you have a simple/affordable meal in as little as an hour. 

Braised Short Ribs w/ Creamy Polenta

More often than not, the simplest of dishes are the most delicious. Simple dishes don't have lots of ingredients to hide behind and their true colors, (and flavors!) shine through! These short ribs are braised, meaning cooked at a low temp for many hours, covered with liquid. The result? Meat that melts in your mouth. A slow cooker is perfect for braising, although the oven works fine too. The preparation makes them ideal for dinner parties, where you want to enjoy your guests and they'll still think you slaved away in the kitchen all day. Just go along with it-they won't suspect a thing. It'll be our little secret. 

Winter Root Vegetable Lasagna & Butternut Squash Crostini’s w/ Herbed Ricotta and Fried Sage

Roasting vegetables brings out the natural sweetness and simultaneously preserves essential vitamins and nutrients. What better way to prepare simple and healthy vegetables, oil isn’t even necessary, despite what you may have heard, particularly if you’re using a Silpat, but parchment paper works too. Making a simple marinara from scratch and using fresh pasta sheets makes all the difference in the world when putting together lasagna that will wow your nearest and dearest. They’ll think they’re eating in their grandmother’s kitchen, if they’re Italian, that is.

I roast yams, butternut squash, celery root, parsnips, eggplant, and zucchini on the same sheet pan and store them in the fridge for later use. Roasted vegetables are so versatile-they can be used to make a variety of different dishes.

Hanger Steak w/ Wild Mushrooms and Cumin Spiced Parsnip Puree

Where do I begin? No, seriously. With a hanger steak you get the best of both worlds….tender, succulent meat without a coronary. The hanger literally hangs off the underside of the cow near the diaphragm and kidney, hence the name. Some say the kidney imparts a flavor all its own. I say, get your ass over to the butcher and tell the butcher you need, want, can’t live without, the hanger steak!

Due to it's relatively low fat content, a Hanger is best when cooked rare to med-rare, otherwise it will get tough. If you like it mid-well to well-done, Hanger steak is not for you. Period.

Always ask the butcher what his/her favorite cut is. He/she wont “steer” you wrong, I promise.

Hanger steaks have a subtlety that is easily overpowered…here is a Roasted Hanger w/ Wild Mushrooms and a Red Wine Sauce, over a Cumin Spiced Parsnip Puree. The smoky flavor of the cumin compliments the hangar and sweetness of the red wine sauce.