Saveur, May 2009

Yup, still behind in my food mag summaries. I just can't seem to catch up with anything these days.

• Pasta with Fried Peppers and Bread Crumbs (or Pasta con Peproni Cruschi e Mollica Fritta) -Want now. Will have to find a friend to smuggle in peperoni cruschi di Senise from Basilicata.
• Stewed White Beans (or Etli Kuru Sasulye) - I love stewed beans. And I love lamb. Enough said. Wait, not quite. There's chiles de arbol and Aleppo pepper too. This recipe alone makes me want to live in Turkey.
• Stir-Fried Iceberg Lettuce (or Shoon Chow Saang Choy) - I know I keep saying it, but cooked lettuce is surprisingly good.

And then, almost the entire Vietnamese section:

• Catfish Simmered in Caramel Sauce (Cá Kho) - I keep reading about caramel sauce. I want!
• Sizzling Rice Crepes (Bánh Xèo) - I think I want to try these at a restaurant first before attempting my own. But damn, they look good.
• Pork Hocks Simmered with Bamboo Shoots (Giò Heo Hàm Măng) - The last two times I had bamboo, I couldn't breath very well for a while (stupid allergies). But this looks so tasty, I might have to try anyway.

Saveur, April 2009

April's issue of Saveur didn't have too many recipes that jumped out at me. Here are the 2 I've bookmarked:

• Puerco en Mole Negro - I love mole, but have never made my own from scratch. Time to remedy that.
• Canlis Salad - Seasoned croutons, vinaigrette, lettuce, veggies, cheese, and, most importantly, bacon. I'm not sure about the method of cooking the bacon - simmering in water until the water evaporates, then cooking until crisp - but you never know.

However, this was meant to be a special restaurant issue. And at that, they've definitely succeeded.

Check out the book review piece, which covers The Big Fat Duck, Eat Me: The Food and Philosophy of Kenny Shopsin, Au Pied de Cochon: The Album, A Day at El Bulli, Alinea, Under Pressure: Cooking Sous Vide, On the Line, A16 Food + Wine, A Platter of Figs and Other Recipes, and Urban Italian. All of which I want. Seriously.

Then there's the 9 Signature Dishes article, showcasing, you guessed it, nine signature dishes of famous restaurants around the country. House Smoked Salmon Pizza from Spago, Chicken for Two Roasted in the Brick Oven from Zuni Cafe, to name 2.

And 12 Restaurants That Matter, including Joël Robuchon, Topolobampo, and Gramercy Tavern (I love their gingerbread). I wish I was independently wealthy so I could travel to all 12.

So, maybe I didn't bookmark a ton of recipes (which is probably a good thing anyway), but this issue is definitely drool-worthy.

Saveur, March 2009

The cover of March's Saveur looks soooo tasty! Ribs, ribs, and more ribs. But, the ribs aren't what caught my eye once I opened the magazine. Here's what I've bookmarked:

• Gulyás - Real Hungarian gulyás (or goulash). I've watched my Hungarian friends^* make it, and this recipe comes really close.
• Skirt Steak with Artichoke and Potato Hash - I'm not sure I'd call this hash, as the pieces of potatoes and chokes are rather large. But it does sound tasty.
• Greens and Artichokes Stew - The poppy seeds and sumac is what got me on this one. The serving suggestion is rather strange, however - "serve remaining broth on the side". ¿Qué?
• Hijiki Namasu - or pickled seaweed salad. I love seaweed salads. Especially with octopus. But, erm...I guess that would be a totally different recipe than this one.
  

As always, if you make any of the above, let me know how it turns out!

^* I've been friends with these folks for about 8 years, and my Hungarian still sucks. However, I do know that "szia" is hi, "sur" is beer, and "szalonna" is bacon. What more do you need, I guess.

Saveur, Jan/Feb 2009

Because I was lucky enough to win Elle's birthday giveaway, I am the proud owner of a year's subscription to Saveur. This came just in time, as I had let my previous subscription expire in an effort to save some cash. Thanks Elle!

Typically I only summarize recipes, but you have to check out the article on the Mangalica (pronounced 'mangalitsa') pig from Hungary in this issue. They're so cute and furry! Also don't miss "Better Than Butter", a short essay on why bacon fat rules. And much more - this issue rocks!

So here's a roundup of the yummiest looking recipes from my 1st issue:

• Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Raclette, Herbs, and Prosciutto - I love me some stinky cheese, even better when there's prosciutto next to it.
• Spicy Guinness Mustard - I've been meaning to make my own mustard for a while now, this recipe may just be the clincher.
• Zuppa di Grano Cuturru (Sicilian Greens and Bulgur Soup) - because the weather has me wanting stuff like this.
• Cassoulet - Two words: Duck. Fat.