Radio Kitchen

There always seems to be a lot of dinner parties and get-togethers in the winter months. People like to sit around munching on appetizers before dinner, and usually one of the most popular is a pâté of some kind. Chef Jerry Pellegrino will tell you, as good as they are, they are something we can have fun making at home for ourselves.

For those of us who love a good steak, our list of go-to cuts is pretty short: New York strip, rib-eye, and sirloin rule the roost. But Chef Jerry Pellegrino would encourage folks to try out a few of the less well-known cuts. Al has embraced them and has been happy to widen his repertoire.

This time of year, it’s easy to get stuck in a rut with heavy stews, thick soups, and ponderous roasts. Much to the chagrin of many, salads seem to take a back seat, mainly because folks associate salad fixings with warmer times. But Chef Jerry Pellegrino reminds us that opportunities abound for winter salads.

The world of food is often a world of fads, some of which actually stick around for quite some time One of the best and most welcome developments is the rise of Korean Barbecue, and Asian take on an All-American tradition. Chef Jerry Pellegrino, a fan of Korean Barbecue, wants to get the word out.

Years ago, a group of boastful friends who lived in Federal Hill decided to put their culinary talents to the test. The task set down for them was to produce the best Cassoulet ever seen in Baltimore. And both Chef Jerry Pellegrino and I were there to witness the outcome.

Even though we are in the dead of winter, most of Maryland’s orchard farmers still have fruit from last season on hand. That’s why we can still see a lot of apples in the market as well as a few pears. We’re always on the lookout for new ideas for preparing local food, and Chef Jerry Pellegrino has a great idea to share with us.

Dyed in the wool Marylanders don’t need to be told that these chilly winter months are prime time for our great specialty, Chesapeake Bay oysters. I happen to love them shucked right out of the shell, but being clever cooks, generations of Marylanders have conjured up dozens of outstanding recipes. Chef Jerry Pellegrino has uncovered a few of the most tempting oyster dishes from the Old-Line State...

We’ve been talking about big festive winter dinners, and although some sort of roast is likely to take center stage, we can also whip up so pretty impressive side dishes. And Chef Jerry Pellegrino likes to take a simple ingredient like our Maryland potato and dress it up a bit.

I was lucky enough to spend the holidays in New Orleans, which meant a lot of good eating. Naturally, I gravitated to some of the classics: beignets at Café du Monde, shrimp étouffée, and lots of gumbo… or was it jambalaya? So, I’m asking Chef Jerry Pellegrino to help me sort out what I was enjoying so much.

It’s the season for festive dinner parties and there are few main courses more extravagant that a Standing Rib Roast. This is perhaps the premier cut of beef, and getting it just right is something of a noble obligation. I asked Chef Jerry Pellegrino to give us some tips on preparing this showstopper.

When I was in Italy a few weeks ago I had a marvelous dish that was nothing more than a simple white bean stew in a creamy white sauce. And as I told Chef Jerry Pellegrino, it was memorably tasty.

When I was in Italy a few weeks ago I had a marvelous dish that was nothing more than a simple white bean stew in a creamy white sauce. And as I told Chef Jerry Pellegrino, it was memorably tasty.

My wife sometimes refers to me as The Sauce King because I am adept at whipping up a good sauce.  But I think one key to my success has been that I manage to get it to the right thickness.  As Chef Jerry Pellegrino points out, there are any number of ways to make that thin little broth thick and luxurious. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

My wife and I must go out for breakfast every other week when our housekeeper comes in the morning.  And because of that I’ve discovered how much I like having some kind of potato with my ham and eggs.  And Chef Jerry Pellegrino agrees, there are a few classics we can talk about, and a few new ideas. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Although some of my rowdy friends might consider it to be an improper use of an otherwise fine beverage, beer is also good for cooking as it happens.  Chef Jerry Pellegrino has some guidelines for approaching this savory technique.  We can use beers in three different ways:  as a leavening agent in baked goods, to tenderize as in a braise, or to add flavor. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy...

With the holidays coming up quickly it might be a good idea to plan a few dessert ideas.  In my experience nobody passes on a piece of apple pie, and anyone who goes to the trouble of making one will make a lot of friends.  And as an apple grower, Chef Jerry Pellegrino takes pie making very seriously. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Anyone who has watched a baking show on TV knows the bakers all come armed with an arsenal of tricks and hacks.  For those of us who want to better our baking skills, it might be useful to learn something new.  And Chef Jerry Pellegrino is just the guy to teach us.  Here are a few ideas for better baking. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

 It’s Halloween, and all over town people are putting out pumpkins.  And why not?  It’s the perfect season for them.  Although Jack O’Lanterns don’t make for very good eating, a lot of others do.  We asked Chef Jerry Pellegrino, what can we do with these amazing vegetables? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

 I was eating at an Indian restaurant recently, enjoying some naan bread with a dollop of tabbouleh.  Since the main ingredient is parsley, it occurred to me that this is one useful herb.  And Chef Jerry Pellegrino will tell you, parsley shows up in a lot of things, and we’re lucky that it grows so well in Maryland.  You’ll see it in every herb stand at the farmers markets. See omnystudio.com/list...

Of all the ways of cooking food, using water is probably the most basic.  Before we had ovens and ranges, we had water and fire, and for early man, that was all it took.  Chef Jerry Pellegrino can tell you, there are some tricks to cooking with water we need to know. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is my favorite time of the year, especially for food.  The Maryland harvest is in full swing, and our markets are loaded with all kinds of great food.  And as Chef Jerry Pellegrino suggests, you’d better take a big basket to market these days. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Since most cooking is about applying heat to food, it’s sometimes beneficial to think about all the variations on that theme.  Chef Jerry Pellegrino has boned up on this and can tell us what our options are when we haul out the old skillet? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When people travel, they not only dine in fine restaurants, but they also eat a lot of what we call “street food”.  A few decades ago, visitors to Mexico discovered that the beloved taco had undergone some changes.  And Chef Jerry Pellegrino will tell you, it was a great decision to incorporate deep fried fish into the classic taco. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sometimes when I am peeling an onion, I play a little mental game:  name one cuisine around the world that doesn’t depend on onions.  The only one I can come up with, and I’m not certain about it, are the Innuits of the snowy north.  Chef Jerry Pellegrino thinks it’s fair to say the onion is universally important. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I haven’t been shy about chowing down on fresh Maryland corn this summer.  Although I’ve been enjoying corn on the cob, I keep reminding myself that there are a lot of other ways to enjoy an ear of corn.  And Chef Jerry Pellegrino agrees, if you can scrape those kernels off the cob, there’s a lot you can do. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.