What I’m cooking this weekend.

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Here are a few outrageously delicious recipes that I keep returning to, and plan to return to again this weekend. Tried (and in some cases, tried and tried and tried) and true.

Try them yourself and let me know what you think.

Happy weekend!

Kathleen Claiborne's Hot Cakes: I first heard of these in a New York Times article about the weekend activities of Paul LeClerc, the president of the New York Public Library. The pancake recipe is from Craig Claiborne's mother. Mr. LeClerc said they were the "best pancakes I've ever had in my life", and I absolutely agree. A staple on Sunday mornings in our house.

David Chang's Momofuku Napa Cabbage Kimchi: I could not put down the Momofuku cookbook from the first time I opened it. Somewhat surprisingly, since I hadn't had much experience with Korean ingredients, and primarily decided to check out the book simply because Chang and I went to the same culinary school. But I have found the book to be full of accessible inspiration, and incredibly delicious recipes. I am going to make the Bo Ssäm feast (also in the cookbook) for six friends who are coming up from the city for the weekend in a bit, and this kimchi, after it ferments for a while, will be a stunning accompaniment.

Jacques Torres' Chocolate Chip Cookies: Chef Torres also happens to be one of the deans of where I went to culinary school, so unwittingly it will be an FCI weekend all around. I made a big batch of these earlier this week after my husband sounded particularly frazzled on the phone during a work day, with the intension of not only having the house smell like warm cookies when he got home (um, when did I become June Cleaver?), but also to bring a significant portion to our awesome neighbors/sheep-sitters across the street. Well, let's just say they are so good that I am not only making them for a second time in one week, but they have yet to make it across the street.

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Cornmeal Crusted Soft Shell Crab with Buttermilk Apple and Chive Coleslaw

This remarkably quick meal is a colorful and crunchy way to use the insanely good soft shell crabs that are coming into season right now. I made this for my husband and I a few nights ago, and was so pleased with the speed to wow ratio. But in addition it was so so so good that we craved the exact same thing for dinner the following night with the extra crabs I bought to photograph for the blog.

Though the crabs need to be served immediately after pan-frying, they take just minutes, and so still could be a great alternative for a small group BBQ, turning out crabs as you would burgers off the grill. You can also skip the rolls and just serve them atop a salad of greens and slaw.

I also highly recommend trying the same recipe using thick green tomato slices in place of the crabs later in the summer. Oh, how I love cooking during these months...

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Chew on this.

"Crustacean flesh develops delicious aromas and flavors simply by spending a few minutes in boiling water. Most meats can't achieve such high levels of smell and taste without the application of flame or intense heat, and there are a couple of reasons for this. Crustaceans counteract the osmotic pressure of saltwater with an especially tasty and concentrated array of amino acids, particularly the same sweet-tasting glycine found in mackerel. Crustacean flesh also contains a high concentration of sugars. With the application of a little heat, these amino acids and sugars react with each other, creating the same sort of delicious and aromatic molecules produced in the meat of mammals and most fish, only at much higher temperatures."

- Trevor Corson, The Zen of Fish: The Story of Sushi, from Samurai to Supermarket

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Technique Tuesday: How to Clean Soft Shell Crabs

It's soft shell crab season! From mid-May to early September for the east coast, and longer if you are near the gulf coast, we are in the time of year when these sweet, oceany delicacies are popping up practically all over.

Soft shell crabs are regular crabs who have outgrown their current hard exoskeleton, and have shed it as most crustaceans do. Within a few hours their new, soft under-skeleton starts to harden if they remain in the ocean's cold water. But if caught during that precious window, the shell is soft enough where the entire animal, shell and all, is tender enough to be consumed. Not only are they plump and sweet and briny, but you get all of that delectable crab goodness without having to deal with cracking and mallets and bits of flying shell. It also allows for pretty cool whole crab presentations.

There are a few small bits of the crab that need to be removed (or cleaned or dressed) before cooking and eating. Your fishmonger can generally do this for you, but ideally it should be done right before cooking to maintain maximum freshness. It is just four simple steps, and worth trying yourself. (more…)

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"If you don't start with something beautiful, you will not end with something great. Seek out the best ingredients you can."

- Penny De Los Santos, food photographer extraordinaire
CreativeLIVE seminar, May 13, 2011

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Catie Baumer Schwalb is a chef, food writer and photographer, who splits her life between the city and the country. Not too long ago Catie was a New York City based actress and playwright for more than a decade. She has her Master of Fine Arts from the National Theater Conservatory, and her Grand Diplôme in classic culinary arts from the French Culinary Institute in New York City. ... Read More ≫

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