Blog / Recipes

Recipes to share, tinker with, improvise, and make your own

Don’t Throw Roses, Throw Endive!

Jackie Gordon Singing Chef - Don’t Throw Roses, Throw Endive!

“Springtime in Paris” was a fun theme for the New York Women’s Culinary Alliance spring potluck. I decided to riff on a classic bistro frisée salad with bacon lardons and the riff got a little wide by the time I made endive stuffed with an asparagus, radish and cucumber salad and topped with bacon lardons, egg, tiny croutons and a mustard-tarragon vinaigrette. The idea was sparked by a bouquet of endive.

I’m Dreaming of a White Salad

Jackie Gordon Singing Chef - I’m Dreaming of a White Salad

As Billie Idol sings, “It’s a nice day for a white salad, Yeah!” My mom had lunch at A Di La, a wonderful restaurant in Park Slope, Brooklyn, the other day. When she got home, she was still licking her chops over the roasted vegetable ravioli with a browned butter and sage sauce and she said, “I had a white salad.” Want a salad that will make your guests GASP!!! when they see it?

Creamy Parmesan Dressing

I needed a white dressing to go with the White Salad, so I whipped this up out of a few things I had in the fridge. White food can often equal BLAND food and I definitely did not want that.

I wanted an umami punch from the Parmesan cheese. I wound up with a one-two punch. First the cheese, followed by the garlic. Or is it the garlic that comes out swinging first. I’m a garlic freak—maybe that’s why I don’t like vampire movies, books or TV—I put a lot in and LOVE IT.

If you are not-so-much of a garlic fan, put in less because it’s STRONG!!!

Garlicky Tomatoes: Saved From The Winter Tomato Blues

Jackie Gordon Singing Chef - Garlicky Tomatoes: Saved From The Winter Tomato Blues

I never post seasonally because let’s face it, I’m not that organized and methodical. The only thing that is predictable about me is that I resist predictability. This was supposed to be my post for Valentine’s Day, but that did not work out. BUT, that’s OK because the heart still makes sense since I’m in love.

BUT… it’s not unconditional love. It’s highly conditional. Or should I say seasonal. [SINGS: This is no ordinary love] I’m singing the praises of garlicky roasted tomatoes because this recipe saves me all winter long. Let’s just say if it weren’t for this recipe, I’d be singing the blues…

Networking? Give Me Some Skin—Salmon Skin

Jackie Gordon Singing Chef - Networking? Give Me Some Skin—Salmon Skin

Salmon Skin San Choi Bow is a team-building game of a dish. It’s an ice-breaker and a conversation-starter that gives guests a chance to play with their food! A fun to eat dish, it also handles four food considerations with one swoop. It’s gluten-free, pescatarian and, if they leave off the salmon skin, it’s vegetarian and vegan. SUPER DISH!!! I think it needs a cape.

All I Want for Christmas Is a Shrimp Tree

Jackie Gordon Singing Chef - All I Want for Christmas Is a Shrimp Tree

MIND BLOWN! In early December, I was surfing the Twitter, as I do, with too much regularity and I saw this tweet by @thewayweate aka Noah Fecks:

BATTLE OF THE SHRIMP TREES!!! @bonappetit vs. @thewayweate #whoworeitbest

I click on it and I’m all WHAAAAATTT!!!!!!?!?!?!??!!!! A miniature Christmas tree decorated with SHRIMP!!!!!

I’d never seen anything like it before.

Nobody Know The Truffles I’ve Seen

Jackie Gordon Singing Chef - Nobody Know The Truffles I’ve Seen

How do you get what you want? I ask. Sometimes that involves buttering folks up or “chocolate-ing” them up as part of the request. Sometimes I give chocolatey rewards for getting what I want. It doesn’t feel WRONG because I’m giving people what they want. The chocolate truffles work a treat for making easy work of getting what you want.

Mac and Cheese? Thank You Please

Jackie Gordon Singing Chef - Mac and Cheese? Thank You Please

Do I really need to write a compelling story about macaroni and cheese or the macaroni and cheese birthday cake I made for my niece when she was two? I think not.

Macaroni and cheese are three magic words that spark instant reaction usually including, but not limited to: Sounds like oooh and ahhh, delight, heart rate increasing, mouth moistening, the welling up of excitement and anticipation, feelings of warmth, coziness, safety, tears of joy, eyes lighting up,  the “juxtapositioning” of immediate gratification, pure pleasure and future guilt, the sweats, jealousy from the people who are not present and many more.

The Taming of the Radish

Jackie Gordon Singing Chef - The Taming of the Radish

I could marry an anchovy. I LOVE THEM! I like radishes, but we we’re not talking nuptials… until now.

I was searching for antipasto ideas for my Chocabaret Success!!! party and I came across a recipe for cold radishes in an anchovy and garlic paste. It sounded good, but I forgot to buy the radishes and I ran out of time.

When I was racking my brain, two days later, for tapas ideas, the radishes popped up. BUT, I thought how much better it would be to roast the radishes. Roasting softens the flavor and makes them sweeter which would contrast well with the saltiness of the anchovies. So I whipped up this recipe.