Over the past few years, Braised Oxtail has been featured more frequently in our San Francisco Bay Area restaurants, gastropubs, and on TV cooking shows. So, of course our curiosity got the best of us, and we had to see what all the fuss was about! This recipe is perfect for any home chef looking to impress their guests with a succulent and flavorful dish. Oxtail isn’t anything new to the culinary scene — there are many Oxtail dishes, with variations originating from all over the globe. But what is it? Well, just as the name implies, it’s the tail of an Ox, though now it primarily comes from beef…
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Braised Turkey Necks with Buckwheat Recipe
We became intrigued by the idea of Braised Turkey Necks after spotting a package of necks at our local butcher shop. Completely forgetting the original purpose of our visit, we grabbed it and quickly ran home with them, eager to give our exciting new find a try. We discovered Braised Turkey Necks are much more flavorful and meatier than we expected. And with a simple buckwheat side dish to go with it, it made for an easy, fun (and filling) meal. Little did we know, this unusual new recipe would become a delightful addition to our rotating dinner menu. So let’s get started with the braised turkey neck recipe, and…
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Quick and Easy Pan-Fried Sand Dabs
One of the many benefits of living in California is the State’s 840 miles of Pacific coastline. So, needless to say, finding fresh seafood, including Sand Dabs and Crab, is a pretty common thing. Whether you go out and catch it yourself or pick it up from the market, freshly caught fish is relatively easy to come by. Our neighbor, who occasionally takes chartered fishing trips out of our local Monterey Bay, often shares some of his catch with us. Fresh-caught Ling Cod, Rock Fish, and Halibut are always thoughtful and appreciated gifts. Recently, he surprised us with a big bag of Sand Dabs and two Crabs. We made a…
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Best Ever Crab Bisque Recipe
Sometimes we get spoiled with the abundance of fish and seafood in California. And there is nothing better than to cook a catch of the day, like Crab, fresh off the boat! Crab Bisque, anyone? Thanks to our neighbor, who enjoys taking fishing trips in the Monterey Bay, just under an hour away from the San Francisco Bay Area, we got two beautiful Dungeness Crabs after his recent expedition. These were especially fun to prepare since we had never cooked Crabs at home. Fun Facts In California, Dungeness Crab season runs from November through early June (although the official commercial fishing periods vary from year to year due to whales…
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Quick and Easy Baby Bok Choy Recipe
This quick and easy baby bok choy recipe makes a great side dish with virtually any main protein, especially when the main dish requires a longer time and more effort to cook. Ready in 10 minutes, this sauteed baby bok choy is easy to prep and impossible to mess up (trust us — we tried 😊). By the way, bok choy is a cruciferous vegetable (like cabbage, cauliflower, or broccoli), tracing its origins to China. Low in calories, it packs a TON of good stuff in a small package: vitamin A, C, K, B6, E, calcium, folate, and beta-carotene. Bok choy is at the top of multiple lists of ‘healthiest…
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Barnyard Cutlets
A few years ago, we traveled to Kyiv, Ukraine, and thoroughly enjoyed exploring the City history, culture, and of course, the food scene! One of the dishes we tried there was called курячі котлети (or kuryachi kotlety). When translated, it means ‘chicken cutlets’ — tender, juicy, flavor-packed mini meatloaves! But for now, let’s just call them cutlets. In the San Francisco Bay Area, California, there are a few stores that carry ingredients and food (including home-made) from Eastern Europe and former Soviet Union Republics, including Ukrainian and Russian. One of the stores we frequent offers borscht, caviar, and these round chicken cutlets, just like the ones we had in Ukraine.…
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Spanish Tapas: Chorizo Al Vino
One of the perks of living in the San Francisco Bay Area is the exposure to so many different cultures and cuisine. In our particular area, we have some phenomenal Spanish restaurants that serve great authentic tapas. (Shoutout to our all-time favorite spot, La Catalana in San Jose – you’re awesome!) Even before traveling to Spain, Chorizo Al Vino (also known as Chorizo Al Tinto) was always our first choice when it came to tapas. On our trip to Barcelona, we literally ate this dish on a daily basis, and from every place that had it on their menu. Though each restaurant had its own take on the recipe, they…
