Chicago Sun-Times

Grapes turn into super, savory sauce

Tue, 01 Oct 2013 15:35:19 -0500

SARA MOULTON: The big flavor in this sauce comes from uniting grapes and mustard. Pure pleasure aside, grapes are also a terrific source of resveratrol, the powerful antioxidant found in wine. So, in one quick, economical and widely adaptable recipe you get big flavor, good health and a pan gravy.

Two of Chicago’s top toques to compete on ‘Top Chef’

Tue, 01 Oct 2013 16:15:07 -0500

Aaron Cuschieri, executive chef at River North’s Slurping Turtle, and Carlos Gaytan, chef-owner of Michelin-starred Mexique, are among 19 hopefuls competing on “Top Chef.”

How about a loaf of French toast?

Tue, 01 Oct 2013 15:51:00 -0500

How do you make a big, bold, savory French toast even bigger, bolder and more savory? Instead of building it a slice at a time, you build it by the loaf.

Fall flavors fill pound cake

Tue, 24 Sep 2013 16:13:05 -0500

We’ve taken a classic French pound cake and infused it with citrus zests and warm fall spices.

Tips from the toques

Tue, 01 Oct 2013 16:15:07 -0500

“Top Chef” contestants Aaron Cuschieri and Carlos Gaytan offer up this suggestions on what to order at their respective eateries: SLURPING TURTLE 116 W. Hubbard Slurpingturtle.com WHAT TO ORDER: Don’t pass up the duck fat fried chicken marinated in soy sauce, executive chef Aaron Cuschieri said. Ramen is another specialty. His favorite is the spicy Tan Tan Man with its rich, miso stock, house-made noodles and plenty of pork meatballs. MEXIQUE 1529 W. Chicago Mexiquechicago.com WHAT TO ORDER: Chef/owner Carlos Gaytan’s personal favorites are the pan-seared skate wing and the herb-crusted rack of lamb. When Gaytan is looking for a …

Taste of Chicago turned 1st profit in six years

Sun, 29 Sep 2013 02:32:01 -0500

Taste of Chicago turned a profit in 2013 for the first time in six years — thanks to a recipe that included perfect weather, a popular music lineup, celebrity chefs and food trucks — turning Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s revised, bumped and abbreviated format into a keeper.

LET IT POUR: Vicaris Tripel-Gueuze

Tue, 01 Oct 2013 16:06:00 -0500

If you pucker at the taste of sour beers, or have yet to try one, Vicaris Tripel-Gueuze ($9) is for you. This beer features the beautiful tartness of a fine Gueuze from Girardin Brewery along with the fuller body and richness of a Vicaris Tripel from Dilewyns. It’s like the old Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup commercials: “You got your Gueuze in my Tripel…” It’s a beautiful, delicious combination. Try a 9-ounce draft at Bangers & Lace, 1670 W. Division. —Michael Austin …

White chili boasts deep flavor

Wed, 25 Sep 2013 16:38:46 -0500

The first time I ate white chicken chili, it was wrapped in a burrito. And I fell instantly in love. Of course, I’d always been a fan of tomato-based red chili, but the white version — flavored with green chile peppers and thickened with sour cream — struck me as cleaner. And I didn’t miss the sometimes cloying sweetness that tomatoes bring to red chili. So here is my lightened-up version of white chicken chili. It can be eaten straight up by the bowl, over rice (preferably brown), or spooned into a whole-wheat tortilla. To make this dish creamy without …

Game-day chips & dip a winner

Mon, 30 Sep 2013 15:24:34 -0500

Still on Cloud Nine after the Bears’ victory Sunday night? Planning a viewing party for next Sunday’s game vs. Detroit? Try these recipes for warm artichoke and bacon dip to add kick to your store-bought pita chips. WARM ARTICHOKE AND BACON DIP (Yields 6 to 8 servings) Dip Butter, for greasing the baking dish 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, optional 5 strips thick-cut bacon 2 shallots, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 (8-ounce) bag frozen artichokes, thawed 1 1⁄2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided 1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 2 cups (16 ounces) mascarpone cheese 1⁄3 cup sour cream 1⁄4 cup …

Let it pour: The ‘Greeanpeace’ smoothie at Peeled

Mon, 30 Sep 2013 15:24:34 -0500

Dubbing itself a “micro-juicery,” Peeled whips out made-to-order juices and smoothies, along with multi-day cleanses and detoxes. All manner of fruit and vegetables are available in liquid form but for a smoothie treat you could do worse than the Greenpeace ($6.50). The taste begins with subtle sweetness from coconut water and mango. From there it moves into an earthy fresh blast of cucumber followed by the back-of-the-mouth bite of cilantro. There’s also lime for acidity. Try this well-balanced drink at Peeled, 1571. N Sheffield. — Michael Austin …

What to do with: chitterlings

Mon, 30 Sep 2013 15:24:34 -0500

If you were born up North, it’s unlikely you’ve ever had chitterlings, which are pig intestines — thoroughly cleaned and, usually, boiled. Earlier this year, I’d sampled andouillette, the notorious French chitterling sausage, at A La Traboule, a traditional Lyonnaise bouchon. Edouard Herriot, a former mayor of Lyon, summed up the sensory profile of this food quite accurately, comparing it to politics: “It should smell a little like s---, but not too much.” In the ’70s, I lived in a student commune at 49th and Ellis in Woodlawn. Poor scholars and inept in the kitchen, we pooled funds to hire …

Baked apple’s perfect for cool days ahead

Wed, 18 Sep 2013 11:34:08 -0500

It’s apple season again, one of the few times of the year I’m sorry I live in the city, without a car. If only I lived near an orchard, I’d pick my own apples and be happy.

Cold Crunch — pickling isn’t what it used to be

Wed, 18 Sep 2013 11:50:01 -0500

Fennel? Ramps? Radishes? Carrots? None of these vegetables are strangers on restaurant menus, but for one little word: “Pickled.”

Chili unites Asian, Latin flavors

Wed, 18 Sep 2013 11:35:45 -0500

A robust chili that’s on the table in just 30 minutes? Thanks to a blending of Hispanic and Asian flavors, it’s easy.

Beekeeper’s busy sharing honey recipes

Fri, 20 Sep 2013 11:13:13 -0500

About four years ago, 62-year-old Charlie Linnell’s first 3 pounds of bees were delivered to his Naperville home. Those about 15,000 bees now number about 60,000. They provide him with a steady supply of golden honey. During one prosperous year, his two colonies provided him with 120 pounds of honey.

FOODIE FOR THOUGHT: Sara Gasbarra

Wed, 18 Sep 2013 11:48:01 -0500

You probably don’t give the leaves atop the lemon tart at Floriole Cafe and Bakery a second thought, but Sara Gasbarra does. The Ukrainian Village resident knows they’re edible nasturtium leaves and seeing them gives her a little thrill, because she’s the one who grew them. As the owner of Verdura, Gasbarra designs and tends gardens for Chicago restaurants, among them Acadia, Nellcote, the Palmer House Hilton and Floriole, her first client. Her office for the past two years has been on rooftops and sidewalks, in soil and under the sun. Gasbarra, 36, has gardened since she was a kid, …

Bits & Pieces — Food News

Wed, 18 Sep 2013 11:50:01 -0500

Roll over In honor the football season, Ra Sushi bar and restaurant is serving up the “The 12th Man Roll” at all three locations (Gold Coast, Lombard and Glenview). The roll ($11.25) is a combo of spicy lobster and cucumber wrapped in rice and seaweed, topped with salmon, avocado, spicy mayo and black sesame seeds. A same-day Bears game ticket stub takes $2 off the price. Visit rasushi.com/chicago. For the love of chocolate Chef Jove T. Hubbard, the executive pastry chef at David Burke’s Primehouse, has been selected as the American representative for the 2013 World Chocolate Masters Finals in …