Radio Kitchen

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.

I was doing some cooking last weekend and I found myself perusing my spice rack looking for ways to kick up my stew. And I had to ask myself, “how often do I really use all these herbs and spices?” Not often, I had to confess, and then I remembered something Chef Jerry Pellegrino once told me: spice blends are a very efficient way of handling your spices.

Every now and then I feel ambitious in the kitchen and I buckle down to try something a little challenging. One dish that I’ve been able to pull off is the soufflé. And as Chef Jerry Pellegrino has pointed out, a soufflé does need to be made “just so” but no single step is really all that hard.

One of the simplest foods we have is also one of the best-liked and most useful. Butter has been around a very long time, and it’s no surprise that over the millennia we’ve figured out a million ways to use it. So we asked Chef Jerry Pellegrino, just what exactly is butter and what can we do with it?

With all the delicious red wine we’ve been drinking this winter, it’s always nice to have a little cheese on hand to top off the meal. While I do have lots of favorites, I have to admit that few things go with red wine as well as blue cheese. Chef Jerry Pellegrino told me, blue cheese is one of the more complicated cheeses to produce.

As winter slowly slips away, a lot of us are looking for ways to keep from going crazy during these final weeks of cold and darkness. One traditional outlet has been bread-baking, but even I’ve gotten discouraged by all that proofing and kneading that lead all too often to disappointing results. But Chef Jerry Pellegrino has a counter-proposal: quick breads.

The original version of goulash was created in the frozen fields of Medieval Hungary when hard-working shepherds, known as “goulyas” created a simple stew out of beef and onions. And as Chef Jerry Pellegrino will tell you, this is a simple enough dish, but when a spice called paprika arrived on the scene it was transformed into the dish we know today.

I don’t think I ever get tired of eating chicken. One day it might be fried chicken for lunch, then next it’s a Moroccan chicken and couscous casserole for dinner. But Chef Jerry Pellegrino tell me, good old fashioned store-bought chicken is only the tip of the iceberg. The whole world of poultry is a pretty interesting place.

There are two cuts of meat that have nothing to do with steaks or roasts, but are the heart of some of our heartiest meals. We’re talking about ham hocks and lamb shanks. And as I told Chef Jerry Pellegrino, I clearly remember him serving me lamb shanks at Corks, way back in the day, and I was blown away. Jerry recalls them well, because they were a very popular dish.

With Valentine’s Day rolling around again in a couple of days, like many people I’m going shopping for chocolate for my wife. Standing in front of the counter at Wockenfuss, I’m always amazed by the sheer variety of chocolates available. And as Chef Jerry Pellegrino has suggested, you could say that chocolate is a romance unto itself.

I've gotten into a healthy habit this winter. At least twice a week I've been having oatmeal for breakfast, and I must say I'm enjoying it. As I asked Chef Jerry Pellegrino, how many variations on oat meal are there?

A couple times in recent weeks I’ve seen a dish on the cooking shows that captures my imagination. It’s called “Porchetta” and yes, it is an Italian specialty. And Chef Jerry Pellegrino is a big fan of this dish. He offered to explain it for us.

As long as there has been a winter-time people have looked to beef up their meals with hearty ingredients and steaming pots of comfort food. And Chef Jerry Pellegrino, nothing fits that bill better than a good old fashioned beef stew. Fortunately, there is more than one way to whip this up.

‘Tis the season of New Year’s resolutions, and by far the most common is the pledge to lose weight. So to help give you some ideas about how to shed a pound or two, Chef Jerry Pellegrino is going to offer a few helpful tips.

As the New Year starts, a lot of people are looking forward, trying to figure out what’s likely to happen. Food lovers are not immune from this. And so Chef Jerry Pellegrino and I are going to look into out crystal ball and try to discern what lies ahead for us and our kitchens.