This is one of the most versatile condiments you can make to add a combination of flavors that include spicy, sweet & sour, and savory. This spreadable jelly has bits of pepper suspended in it and is equally good with a variety of cheeses from cream cheese to aged Cheddar, as it is on hamburgers, grilled chicken, slathered on smoky ribs or pork chops, or paired with crab cakes. Continue reading
Nothing you can purchase in a store tastes like homemade kapusta. Nothing. The irony is that the basic preparation contains only 2 ingredients: cabbage and salt, and very little salt at that. Commercially prepared sauerkraut contains additives that combine to produce something that isn’t quite right. The real thing tastes as if it’s been marinated in white wine, is crisp, and has a tang that compliments a wide range of foods. Besides showing up on a Reuben or served alongside sausages, it can combine with other fruits and vegetables in soups, salads, in dumplings, pastries, and stews. Continue reading
These pickled cherry peppers are filled with shredded salami and bound together with cream cheese. Spicy, salty, and creamy flavors burst with every bite. Add them to an antipasto platter, on a buffet, or serve as a game-day snack with crunchy bread sticks for a contrasting texture. Continue reading
I intended this to be an appetizer, but if you’re like me you might make a meal of them. Lighter than crab cakes and served with a dollop of warm, slightly spicy red pepper jelly, these cakes combine the briny flavors of the sea with the toothsome qualities of sweet corn. Serve these cupcakes with mixed greens or baby spinach and lemon wedges. I like a glass of Prosecco with these flavors. The tiny bubbles and citrus quality of Italian Prosecco enhance both the crabmeat and the red pepper jelly. Well-hopped India Pale Ale works with this dish for the same reasons. Continue reading
6 servings
Chicken marinated in a basil sauce, grilled, and then dressed with a spicy peach salsa is a true summer meal. A Chardonnay fits perfectly with this combination. If you’d rather have a brew try a slightly sweet porter that will bring out the fruity flavors of the salsa. Continue reading