2013 Opinion Archive Stories

Juicy pink salmon is topped with a sweet and spicy pear and red pepper salsa for a meal that takes only minutes to make. The salsa gives just the right sparkle to the rich salmon. Picking a ripe pear, or one that will ripen, can be tricky. Here are some hints. Always ripen pears in a bowl at room temperature. This will take four to six d

Lamb steaks drizzled with mint pesto sauce is a perfect dish for the Easter holiday weekend or any weeknight dinner. Slices of lamb are cut from the leg to make a steak 3/4- to 1-inch thick with a round bone in the center. They are sometimes displayed in the meat case, or you can ask the butcher to cut them for you. They make juicy and tender st

Neapolitan bistecca alla pizzaioli (Steak with Spicy Tomato Sauce) was originally used to disguise the poor quality of meat in this region of Italy. Today we can enjoy excellent meats with this sauce for a quick and delicious meal. Fennel has a large, pale green bulbous base with darker green stems and feathery, bright green leaves. It's

Poaching salmon in white wine produces a moist, flavorful result. Broccoli and carrots, poached with the salmon, add to the flavor and the resulting sauce. Sauteed grape tomatoes complete the dish. All that’s needed is a quick-cooking rice to finish the fast and easy dinner. I use brown rice that can be microwaved in 1 to 1 -minute

The Chinese New Year has begun — the year of the snake. To celebrate, cook up a one-pot dish, Hong Kong Steamed Fish flavored with ginger, soy sauce and scallions. Chinese food takes only minutes to cook, but the chopping and cutting to prepare ingredients can be time-consuming. This recipe has very little preparation time and few

Known as Pasta e Fagioli, this may be one of Italy's most famous soups. The combination of pasta and beans is heart-warming, and it can be served for two or a crowd. It's perfect to serve to friends. Leave the pot on the stove for everyone to help themselves. In Italy, they use the last bits of pasta left in various opened boxes —

Tomatoes, olives and garlic are staples for zesty Neapolitan cooking. This tomato-based sauce takes only a few minutes to make and goes well with fish, chicken or beef. I have used swordfish, but any meaty type of fish — such as tuna, halibut or grouper — can be used. I am often asked how do I know when fish is cooked. Fish t

A tangy Dijon mustard sauce flavors juicy, tender pork for this French-style dinner. Red peppers and tomatoes tossed with pasta complete this quick meal. Dijon is a small town in the Burgundy area of France in the heart of some of the most famous vineyards in the world. It also is where this famous mustard originates. For this re

Fish fillets topped with melted Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese can be made in minutes using a microwave. Penne pasta tossed with fresh basil is a simple side dish. The secret to this recipe is using best quality Parmesan. The recipe calls for cooking the fish in a microwave oven. It can also be sautéed on the stove. Simply place a lay

Sitting on a hilltop overlooking the vineyards of the Kurger-Rumpf winery nestled in the rolling hills of the Pflaz area of Germany, I was thrilled by the scenery and the sumptuous spread laid out before me. In this idyllic setting, I had a hearty and delicious frankfurter and lentil soup after a sunny morning of picking grapes for the harvest.

This simple dinner will help you get through the busy holidays. Spaghetti Bolognese with a side dish of herbed zucchini is a simple, satisfying Italian meal. The gastronomic city of Bologna claims the origin of this dish, although it seems that every Italian cook has a favorite recipe. While traditional meat sauce, or ragu, is usually le