Radio Kitchen

There is no better time in the year for going to the Famers Market than right now. The harvest is rolling in, the stalls are groaning under the weight of all that fresh produce, and the sheer beauty of Maryland agriculture is on display. And Chef Jerry Pellegrino agrees with me, there’s no better time to throw together a few vegetable-centric than right now.

Back in the 19th century France was famous for having hundreds of types of cheese and thousands of varieties of pears. We may not have quite that many here in Maryland, but we’re not doing too bad at all. And as Chef Jerry Pellegrino will tell you, this is a perfect time of year to enjoy our pears.

Walking around town it’s not uncommon to spot a gyro stand with the familiar cylinder of mysteriously compressed meat being sliced off to make a sandwich. There’s no doubt that a gyro is a fabulous sandwich, but I never dreamed it could be made at home. Well Chef Jerry Pellegrino is here to tell us exactly how to do it!

I think a lot of us have a love/hate relationship with pork chops: yes, they are delicious but boy, do they dry out easily. Recently I surfed the web looking for ideas and I came across a video by a fellow called Otis Granger. I told Chef Jerry Pellegrino his idea was based on the approach of an old Granny he knew who used a cast-iron skillet and a bunch of onions as the key to her cooking.

Since we live in a great seafood state it only makes sense that we should be grilling fish this summer. But a lot of people shy away from doing it because of a few irksome problems. On Radio Kitchen, Chef Jerry Pellegrino tell us that grilling fish can be very easy and satisfying if you learn a few tips.

We’ve all been grilling for months this summer and I think some of us are running out of ideas. I love to toss a steak on the grill as much as the next man, but there’s undoubtedly some other things I could try. Sure enough, Chef Jerry Pellegrino came up with the excellent idea of whipping up a proper kabob and its close cousin the kofta. Radio Kitchen has some ideas.

Summer is the best time of all to whip up a salad with all manner of fresh veggies to go in it. It’s fun to improvise and throw together a salad with whatever the market has to offer. Chef Jerry Pellegrino and I wanted to talk about a pair of famous salads that are fun to make and so easy to enjoy: the Salad Niçoise, and the Cobb Salad.

A few times this summer I’ve been hanging out with friends on a hot summer day and we all managed to work up a thirst. Now as I’ve matured I’ve become prone to taking a big nap after downing as little as one drink in the afternoon. So Chef Jerry Pellegrino has a great solution for reluctant drinkers like me, and it’s catching on like crazy: it’s the Mocktail!

By now we’ve all heard about the massive frost we had in April and how it devastated our fruit trees. Well, Mother Nature has compensated and given us a really good berry year. So Chef Jerry Pellegrino, since blackberries are still in season, we’re in luck. And as Jerry added, “ Yeah, it’s kind of a blessing. I have an orchard and yes, we did get clobbered, but those people who raise berries did m...

One thing you can count on during a Maryland summer is that we are going to have a crazy abundance of melons floating around. Radio Kitchen takes stock, and gives tips on picking the right melon.

Phyllo is this paper thin, unleavened pastry dough that produces exquisite flaky wrappings for a variety of foods. And because it has almost no fat in it, you have to add your own, often by brushing melted butter on it. There’s also a couple tricks you need to know about working with phyllo. First, if you’re taking it out of the freezer, let it thaw carefully. I would place it in the refrigerator...

We’re all doing a good bit of entertaining this summer and no good dinner would be complete without a good dessert. Problem is, we all want to stay out of a hot kitchen, so what should we do? Well Chef Jerry Pellegrino has some ideas for desserts that don’t involve baking, but turn out just fine any way. Jerry has two approaches in mind: Ice-Box Desserts and No-Bake Desserts.

Radio Kitchen returns with recipes for summer soups. Hotter weather demands colder soups, and as Chef Jerry Pellegrino says, it’s not hard to master the art of making chilled soups.

With barbecue season in full swing we think it makes perfect sense to take a close look at one of our favorite meals: barbecued shrimp. Like anything else there are does and don’ts that we all may not be aware of. Chef Jerry Pellegrino can fill us in on some of the best hacks for throwing a little shrimp on the barby? Shrimp are small, aquatic crustaceans (shellfish) with elongated, semi-transpare...

With The Fourth of July upon us now we thought it might be a good idea to look at some of the things that might go along with our grilled food. When it comes to roast beef, for instance, a lot of people will swear by that old standby, horseradish. And as Chef Jerry Pellegrino told me, this tangy condiment has a long history and there’s little wonder why it’s so popular here in Baltimore. So here’s...

It’s no secret that Latin American cuisine has had a huge impact on our way of eating. Tacos, burritos, salsa verde, and the Cinco de Mayo all underscore this point. As a big fan of Hispanic and Caribbean food, there’s one dish I will always order if I see it on a menu.

I saw a bunch of pickles at the market last weekend, and it occurred to me that pickles accomplish two things. First, they preserve some of our extra produce to use later, and second they add such a kick to any plate you dish out. So I asked Chef Jerry Pellegrino, is pickle-making something any of us could try? His reply: “Of course, nothing could be easier!” Pickling is nothing more than a techni...

For those of you dedicated to baking there really is no off-season. You’ll keep at it all year round. And why not? Since lots of us have become aware of gluten-free baking, we thought it might be a good idea to explore this subject a little more deeply. And Chef Jerry Pellegrino has noticed, America’s baking flour companies have answered the call. For instance the well-respected King Arthur Baking...

We’re really starting to see our markets in full swing these days, and a stroll past the produce stalls will fill your head with menus galore. One thing that keeps catching my eye are the strawberries, and Chef Jerry Pellegrino knows quite well, these little red jewels hold a lot of possibilities for Springtime desserts. Here are a few ideas Jerry wants to pass on. Strawberry Shortcake For the bis...

Because Italian cuisine is so popular in the States, you don’t have to travel to “bella Italia” to enjoy its many manifestations. One of the most popular dishes that we have comes at the end of the meal and is a welcome treat. It’s called “tiramisu” and Chef Jerry Pellegrino knows all about it. Tiramisu is a popular no-bake Italian dessert featuring layers of coffee-soaked ladyfingers (savoiardi)...

A trip to the farmers market this time of the year always turns up the Holy Trinity of Spring: strawberries, asparagus, and rhubarb. And of the three, rhubarb is perhaps the one that is most often overlooked. But Chef Jerry Pellegrino thinks we may be doing this distinctive vegetable a disservice.

I happen to be an avid gardener and this year I intend to have a champion garden out back. As much as I love having a wide variety of flowers, there is one category I have never considered planting. And as Chef Jerry Pellegrino points out, a family’s garden isn’t limited to the great outdoors… you can put it on a plate and bring it in for dinner.

We’ve got a bag of corn meal in our pantry that gets used not all that often. But when we do use it, it’s ordinarily for that delicious side dish polenta. As simple as polenta is, it can be amazingly versatile. We wonder what will happen when Chef Jerry Pellegrino gets it in his hands.

The warmer Spring weather has us thinking ahead to all the barbecue dinners we want to have this year. While burgers and hot dogs certainly have their place, sometimes we want something a little more substantial. And Chef Jerry Pellegrino has a very solid idea in mind, the good old pork shoulder.

The phrase “gluten-free” has become thoroughly commonplace these days, but what does it mean and who should be paying attention? And if you have to pay attention to it, how do you cook around it? These are questions I think Chef Jerry Pellegrino is prepared to answer, so let’s give a listen.