Posts by The Katz Tales
GRILLED PEACHES
I love peaches, but it’s really hard to get perfectly ripe ones here in New York without spending a fortune. One way I’ve found to bring out their flavor is to grill them. The heat helps bring out the juiciness of even the saddest peach. Here’s a recipe for a fun and easy summer dessert…
Read MoreSOMETIMES THE BEST MEALS ARE A SURPRISE
When I travel, my husband and I love to go off the beaten path to discover things many tourists might miss. We love the back roads and small towns where every day life just moves along in its normal flow. While in Hanoi, we wanted to get a sense of life outside of the city,…
Read MoreGRILLED EGGPLANT WITH TZATZIKI
During my college semester abroad, I made my way from Belgium all the way to Greece to meet up with my college roommate, Sarah. We spent a month on the southern side of Crete in the little beach town of Matala. We lived on grapes, chocolate cookies, and beer, but once a week we would…
Read MoreBLACK BEAN BURGERS
If you’re trying to cut back on meat, but miss the experience of burgers on the grill, here’s a vegetarian version that will make you wonder why you ever ate meat in the first place. Okay, that may be an overpromise, but these bean burgers are still pretty tasty. INGREDIENTS (Makes 4 burgers) 1 (15.0-ounce)…
Read MoreKOHLRABI SLAW
One of my favorite things to do is wander through our weekend greenmarket. I like to pick up unusual vegetables and figure out what to do with them. Kohlrabi, with its weird tentacles, is one of those challenging vegetables I just can’t resist. It’s part of thecabbage family, so it’s perfect for grating, and it…
Read MoreFIVE INGREDIENT MARINATED SKIRT STEAK
I’m not a huge red meat fan, but when I do eat it, I tend towards the cheaper cuts. If you marinate it, skirt steak is pretty hard to screw up. Because it’s such a thin cut, it holds the flavors of the marinade throughout, even if you over cook it. But try not to…
Read MoreTHE SPICE MARKET
It took me over four months to discover the most incredible spice market on full display just three blocks from my flat. I had been living and working in Singapore, but was so busy that I would often eat or pick up groceries near my office, rather than my own neighborhood. On a rare day…
Read MoreSTRAWBERRY MARGARITA
Sometimes the easiest things are the best. If you’ve got some ripe strawberries that are begging to be used, try this simple margarita. Just make sure you’ve got your Uber account up-to-date. No driving after downing one of these. INGREDIENTS 6 large (or 12 small) strawberries, de-stemmed and rough chopped 4 oz tequila 2 oz…
Read MoreDIM SUM DISASTER
There’s nothing better than a hot, steaming char siu bao to start the day. I’ve written about my love for them before, having consumed my fair share of these delectable barbecue pork buns while living in Singapore. It was common for me to pick one up with a cup of kopi on the way to…
Read MoreMARY’S GUACAMOLE
My next-door neighbor, Mary, makes the best guacamole in all of Brooklyn. It’s always perfect and no matter how many times I’ve made it, it’s never as good as hers. I think it’s a salt and cumin ratio issue. I tend to have a light hand when it comes to spices, but Mary is fearless.…
Read MoreLINK BY LINK
For years I’ve been passing by the local Polish butcher shop in my neighborhood. Through the window I could see long links of sausages dangling above the counter waiting for a chance to enhance a soup or stew. I could hear the Polish-speaking customers ordering oddly named meats as the men behind the counter wrapped…
Read MoreSIMPLE SALAD
I never think of myself as a great salad maker. Somehow I never get the oil and vinegar ratio quite right. This recipe, inspired by Patricia Wells’ Cheesemaker Salad, uses cream instead of oil, which gives it a lighter and richer flavor. I serve it with mixed greens, but you can substitute spinach or your…
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