I am recipe developer by trade, so friends and family often ask me to recreate favorite dishes from local restaurants or food businesses. I always try, with varying degrees of success. These requests become more frequent, and more urgent, when a place closes. A favorite, classic lunch place in Memphis closed not too long ago, and several friends have since asked me how to make … [Read more...] about Shrimp Ravigote
capers
Liptauer
Many years ago, as a kid, I saw a recipe and photo for Liptauer in a cookbook or magazine, and I remember that it looked impossibly elegant and sounded so exotic and sophisticated to me. I didn’t understand all the ingredients –capers and caraway sounded foreign and out of reach. The picture showed a fancy mold surrounded by intricate garnishes – carved radishes and celery … [Read more...] about Liptauer
Mom’s Dilled Potato Salad
Every once in a while, I get stuck. I feel like I’ve run out of recipe ideas, so I look everywhere for inspiration. I was recently stuck like this, right before summer, and I whined about it to my mom. She simply said “make that potato salad, it’s so good in summer” as if I know exactly what she meant. I didn’t, so she had to explain it to me, and pull out her recipe card box. … [Read more...] about Mom’s Dilled Potato Salad
Greek Shrimp and Orzo Bake with Lemon and Dill
A good casserole is pure comfort food. And there are, I know, a million versions of casseroles out there, so coming up with new and unique versions is a welcome challenge for a recipe developer. So here’s my process for creating a recipe like this. I wanted to do something different – still a rich, creamy casserole, but with a twist. First I thought rice or noodles? … [Read more...] about Greek Shrimp and Orzo Bake with Lemon and Dill
Artichoke, Goat Cheese and Lemon Spread
Creamy artichoke dip has long been a staple a parties and gatherings. Lots of mayonnaise and marinated artichoke hearts and gooey cheese. It has never been a favorite of mine, because it is so rich and always tastes more of mayonnaise than anything else. I set out to create a dish everyone would be intrigued by, but surprised to find it veered so … [Read more...] about Artichoke, Goat Cheese and Lemon Spread
