Smorgasbord September 2021

by RogerSeptember 5, 2021

Image of plantains and Smorgasbord title

On today’s smorgasbord episode we take a look at the difference between bananas and plantains, talk about my favorite pan for college students, freezing soups, kicking up the flavor in semi-homemade meals and more!

Mentioned in this Episode

Hurricane Ida left a path of destruction in its wake from the southeastern to the northeastern United States. If you can spare anything to help, there are many organizations that could use your assistance in delivering relief to the region. World Central Kitchen works to cook and serve hot meals to local families, first responders and cleanup crews impacted by the storm. The American Red Cross is also a solid choice.

Have you cooked plantains before? Here are some articles that explain the difference between plantains and bananas, and several recipes to put them to use. Here is a great recipe for Maduros (fried sweet plaintains) from Bon Appetit, Mofongo from the NYT, and one for Dominican tostones (savory fried plantains).

Need an great all-purpose pan that can handle a multitude of cooking tasks? Maybe you are a college student and only have room (or the budget) for one item? A good stainless steel skillet and lid can make A LOT of recipes, both on the range and in the oven. This Calphalon Signature stainless skillet and lid would be an excellent pan that will last many years. Have room for two items? Maybe add on a good rimmed baking sheet (never know when you’ll need to roast some veggies or chocolate chip cookies!).

Great reusable containers for freezing soups and stocks.

Need to freeze some fresh herbs? Here are four simple methods.

I am loving The Food of Oaxaca by Alejandro Ruiz. It’s a fantastic look at the culinary heritage of Oaxaca, and is packed full of great recipes and images. Tortillas, moles, tamales; the book has them all and more.