Panko Crusted Flounder with Dashi Air

Not only is dashi one of the most delicious things on earth,  it's necessary for many Japanese meals and cooking techniques.  Sure, you've heard of soy sauce, sake, and sushi-- but dashi, a kind of stock, is the real star of Japanese cuisine.  You like miso soup?  Well, that has a dashi base.  What about ramen (not the crap that comes in a bag)?  Dashi base.  Even the sweet egg sushi simply called tamago (egg in Japanese) has dashi mixed into it.

Duck Fat Tortillas Revisited

Duck Fat Tortillas w/ Skirt Steak

When I started this blog, the first video I made was for flour tortillas made with duck fat.

Well, like many first attempts, mine could've used some polishing.  For this reason, I've decided to do an update on my tortilla recipe.

I made an entirely new video that is much shorter and is completely devoid of background noise I somehow didn't seem to notice the first time.  The new video also has a little bit more info on how to get your desired tortilla dimensions.

Additionally, I converted the recipe to go by weight, so you can make a batch of any size without worrying.  While this isn't exactly a new recipe, I hope you still benefit from the revisiting of my most popular post.  The taste and texture of a homemade tortilla can't be beat!  Enjoy.

Levantine Salad with Meyer Lemon & Tahini Citronette

I promised you a salad dressing recipe using my super simple tahini, and not only have I delivered, I threw in a salad to go right along with it because I'm a nice person who cares.

Make Your Very Own Mustard

Mustard is an ancient and versatile condiment.  Originally meaning hot or burning must from the Latin mustum ardens, the seeds of the Sinapis hirta (white or yellow mustard plant) were likely first used as a condiment by the ancient Romans.  Nowadays, most of us just pick the stuff up in the grocery store, but the process of making mustard is rather simple, and when you make it yourself, you have a lot of options.

Practically any variety of liquids can be used to make an acidic bath for Indian (Brassica juncea), black (B. nigra), or white/yellow seeds to soak in.  Once they're hydrated and soft, all that's left to do is grind the mustard to your desired consistency.  Think you can do this?  You're right.

Valentine's Day Ideas

Valentine's Day is tomorrow and I'm sure you're looking for the perfect romantic meal to cook.  If you aren't, then think of these as an eclectic bunch of recipes for you try:

Walnut Parsley Lamb Chops w/ Pomegranate Gastrique

This is a recent post of mine that not only screams romance, but is a pretty safe bet, since most people like lamb chops.  Roasted curried cauliflower is the perfect compliment to this Persian influenced meal. 

Seared Duck Breast

Treat yourself or a date (if they're lucky) to a moist and delicious duck breast, with perfectly rendered, crispy duck skin.  An added bonus to this is all of the duck fat you can use for yourself once your date goes home.  Granted, if you make this, they may never leave.

Wild Boar Ravioli

Everyone loves Italian, right?  Serve these savory ravioli with a quick tomato cream sauce and who knows how the night will end up.  There's probably an aphrodisiac in there somewhere.

 Crème Anglaise

Take your dessert to the next level by adding this luxurious and velvety custard sauce to the mix.  Not only goes well with chocolate lava cake or ice cream, it is the base of ice cream! 

Easy White Chocolate Valentine's Hearts 

All this look great but you just don't have the energy by the end of the week?  Try these white chocolate rice crispy hearts that you'll be sure to love.  Feeling extra lazy?  Leave off the chocolate and just eat the rice treats-- I don't care.  

You still want more?  Follow me on Twitter @douevencookbro and on Instagram: http://instagram.com/doyouevencookbro/#

This work bydoyouevencookbro.blogspot.com is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

A Middle Eastern Staple: Tahini

If you're a fan of Middle Eastern food, then you've probably heard of tahini.  Maybe you've even gone out and bought a can of the stuff with Jasmine's dad from Aladdin on the front.  Because halva, baba ghanoush, and hummus all rely on this paste made from sesame seeds, maybe you thought you couldn't make your favorite Middle Eastern dishes without shelling out 9 or 10 bucks for the Sultan's brand, but the truth is, tahini is something that takes very little effort and ability to concoct at home. 

Walnut Parsley Marinated Lamb Chops with Pomegranate Gastrique

Valentine's Day is coming up and while I showed you a simple way to surprise someone special, maybe you're looking to put forth a little more effort come dinner.  A rack of lamb, perhaps?  While that makes for the perfect romantic meal, it can also break the bank.   Oh, but did you know there's a way to indulge in all the luxury and richness lamb has to offer that's actually healthier and a quarter of the price?  Any guesses?

Honey Harissa Brussels Sprouts

"Oh, no!  Not another harissa recipe," said no one ever.

This time I've combined my homemade harissa  with some honey in order to get some sweet and spicy action on roasted Brussels sprouts.

If you've seen my video and read the post on how to roast Brussels sprouts, this is still worth checking out, as the technique here is a little different.

Here the Brussels sprouts only take about 15 minutes to cook and we're going to get some really nice color on them by browning on the stovetop before they take a trip to the oven.

As always, use this technique to branch out and be creative.  The concept here is to make a sauce with a little sweetness, spiciness, and some acidity to make our mini cabbages really pop.  Try sambal, a little fish sauce, brown sugar, and lime for some Southeast Asian flavors.  Want something Mexican?  Honey, jalapeño, cilantro, and lime, anyone?

Super Easy Valentine's Day Idea: White Chocolate Rice Crispy Hearts

Aiming to please on Valentine's Day but short on culinary know-how?  Try these easy and delicious puffed rice treats topped with white chocolate.

Is It a Stew or a Pot? It's Both: Chicken Tajine

Spicy Chicken Tajine w/ Apricots & Walnuts

You know that harissa I had you make way back when on Tuesday?  Well, it'll come in handy if my take on a chicken tajine happens to tickle your fancy.

Spicy Harissa at Home

Originally hailing from North Africa, harissa is a fiery hot sauce as ever-present in the Maghreb as ketchup is on American tables.  That being said, any further comparisons to ketchup (other than noting that they're both condiments) are almost outright offensive.  

Varying not just from country to country, but one ethnic group to another, a sojourner in the region would encounter many different styles of the famed hot sauce.  However, mainstays at the harissa party include hot red chiles, coriander, and olive oil.  Easy enough, right?  So, why don't you give it a try?