Passion Project: Lemon-Parmesan Cod “En Papillote” with Braised Leeks

I grew up eating a lot of cod. It’s a house favorite, or at least one of my parents’ favorites. It didn’t use to be one of mine at all though. As a matter of fact, I really didn’t like it for a long time. Cod is a very lean kind of white fish and it can honestly be quite bland in taste. At home, we typically have it with some side of steamed greens (as if the fish wasn’t healthy enough on its own). Now I do love a good side of veggies, but let’s just say that this didn’t help me appreciate the fish any more. Yeah… definitely not one of my favorites. At least not until this recipe came along!

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Passion Project: Spaghetti Carbonara with Pancetta

I don’t care much for bacon… Never have, and probably never will. I didn’t grow up with it, and though I enjoy the occasional strips that come with my scrambled eggs at hotel breakfasts, I have never bought a single pack. It’s not like I have anything against it, but it simply never crosses my mind. What I do love, however, is “pancetta”. Think diced Italian bacon, a.k.a the perfect addition to any pasta sauce. The most famous of them all being “Carbonara”.

Passion Project: Spaghetti Squash with Pork Sausage

Hope you all enjoyed learning about chicken through my passion project week! Now that we’re done with the bird, we’re switching to the hog. Pork is an incredible animal! It’s rich, full of flavors, and starting to steal the show on restaurant menus again. Since it’s less practical for me to buy a full pig, I won’t be posting through the week like for chicken. I will, however, select a few cuts to explore and post these.

Quattro-Mushrooms Risotto

I don’t know about you, but we’re freezing here in Philly! I mean, quite literally, as ice puddles took over the streets. With the temperature dropping to new lows, nothing screams warmth and comfort like a big bowl of delicious mushroom risotto! I’m serious. I just got home from a long day of classes and as my fingers partly defrost (while typing these very words), the only thing that keeps me going is the delicious risotto-perfume emanating from my kitchen. And not just any kind of risotto, but a mushroom risotto to the power of 4!

Zucchini Noodles with a Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

This past week-end was an amazing one! I just got back from a great trip to Montreal, where I got to visit a friend of mine over break! I had only been there once before and had forgotten most of it, so it felt really good to go back and rediscover the city. I really enjoyed the beautiful crisp weather, the fall color palette of the trees on Mont-Royal, walking across old city and chinatown, and obviously lots of Canadian delicacies.