Forcing Spring

Posted on 4 . 25 . 2013 by Marina Chotzinoff

“Go home Colorado, you’re drunk” is a common phrase making the rounds these days. Slurring, telling the same old stories over and over, falling asleep mid-sentence, Denver in springtime is a mess. After what seems like a fairly boring, but long winter decorated in dead grass and bare trees we experience a schizophrenic frenzy of promising warmth and t-shirts followed by a foot of snow. Usually on the same day. Packing for my kid’s day at school requires layers of short sleeves, long sleeves, two pairs of socks, snow pants, gloves and boots. I have photos in May of our … Continue reading →

From Chinese New Year to Chowdah

Posted on 2 . 13 . 2013 by Marina Chotzinoff

We feasted at our house again this Chinese New Year and while the meal and company was delicious, the leftovers were the bonus treat. Aside from a platter of soup dumplings (which still tasted good but had absorbed their soup), tofu fritters, tasty riblets a friend so kindly brought, tangerine fried ribeye and crab noodles was a vat of jellied, gingered fish stock. Once the guests had left, we had thrown the remains of the picked-over yelloweye which had been steamed with chilis, ginger, garlic and green onions into a pot to simmer with some remaining aromatics. Once strained and … Continue reading →

How Homemade Ice Cream Leads to Salt-Crusted Snapper

Posted on 8 . 28 . 2012 by Marina Chotzinoff

A few days ago I made a batch of ice cream that required 9 egg yolks. This left me, of course, with 9 egg whites. My mom always froze them in perfect little containers for later use, but I am pretty sure I would just end up with old, frost-covered frozen egg whites that I would throw away. At first I thought I’d try my hand at macarons, those perfect little circles of crisped, fluffy, chewy meringues stuffed with a complementary flavored goo. But having just made the ice cream and a batch of caramel, I was not too keen … Continue reading →

Sake-Steamed Fish with Eggplant and Broccoli

Posted on 8 . 23 . 2012 by Marina Chotzinoff

The newest inspiration, or should I say, requirement, for cooking these days is whatever I am forced to grab from the garden before it rots. I am not complaining, mind you. Just trying to keep up and not feel like a jerk for failing to use this end of summer bounty. So yesterday it was a huge haul of broccoli, several eggplant (to add to the ones I had recently picked that were slightly wilting), basil, chilis and green oniony things. I had some mahi mahi in the freezer which I pulled out while I got the rest ready. It … Continue reading →

BLT Salmon Salad with Herbed Dressing

Posted on 7 . 14 . 2012 by Marina Chotzinoff

It seems to be the season for little kid birthday parties which lately means early lunches of hot dogs, cupcakes and ice cream. And this might seem alarming if today’s party didn’t feature Denver’s famous Biker Jim himself serving up elk, venison, veal and pheasant hot dogs followed by tiny, luscious chocolate and hazelnut ice cream cones from Little Man Ice Cream. Not too shabby for a three year old’s shin dig. Nonetheless, I was needing dinner to involve something green, raw and crunchy and settled on a blt salmon salad. Ok, so it has bacon and crispy salmon skin, … Continue reading →

Nine Years of Marriage Deserves a Mighty Feast

Posted on 5 . 12 . 2012 by Marina Chotzinoff

Yesterday was our anniversary. Often this means we’re headed out to a swanky restaurant. But lately (or I should say this whole year), Ryan has been crazy busy building some fabulous pieces for his clients. His dad came out for a week to help out and has already been put to work painting at the shop, putting up tile in the bathroom and fixing things around the house. So it seemed fitting that we all celebrate at home together. At the last meeting of WAS-SOUP, a group of mom’s who make and swap soups for their kid’s lunches but really … Continue reading →

Almond Crusted Mahi Mahi with Basil Coconut Sauce and Mango Salsa

Posted on 5 . 1 . 2012 by Marina Chotzinoff

Last weekend we were invited to a friend’s house for a Thai dinner. The wife half of this couple has a Thai sister-in-law who has schooled her well in her home country’s ingredients and assembly. I stood by sipping a beer and watched as 8,000 piles of mise en place were skillfully pulled together. They resulted in a wonderful range of intensely spicy to sweet dishes all built with what amounts to a complex depth of flavors. The finely chopped beef dish (laab?) had an eye-opening heat that spread slowly but intensely until it was cooled and elevated to a … Continue reading →

A Day in the Life of My Cooking Brain or Sake Glazed Salmon with Garlic Chive Egg Noodles

Posted on 4 . 26 . 2012 by Marina Chotzinoff

Once again, it began with a Food52 contest: Your Best Spring Alliums. As our yard is overrun with garlic chives right now, that seemed the place to start. So from morning until sitting down to dinner, this is the menu monologue that ran continuously in the back of my brain yesterday: A flan or custard. I can steep the white bulby parts in the milk, blanch the greens and line the ramekins with them. Some parmesan. Some toast. I don’t want to buy or eat heavy cream. But I like a good egg custard. Maybe a chawan mushi? A delicate … Continue reading →

Lunch for Dinner, or, Salmon BST

Posted on 9 . 2 . 2011 by Marina Chotzinoff

My husband has been crazy busy lately which is good for business, but can get tiring for me coming up with dinner every night. Occasionally I end up just pulling together some kind of glop that I know I can be happy with because it’s easy, quick and uses all the little remnants in the fridge. And while Ryan is happy to have a hot meal to dig into at 10pm (or whenever he makes it home) I’m sure the various “veggie gnarl with egg on top” dishes are his least favorite to come home to. Though last week I … Continue reading →

A Week of Soup, Day 2

Posted on 8 . 25 . 2011 by Marina Chotzinoff

All day long I considered the cantaloupe. It was going to be the star player in a soup that night and never having made cantaloupe soup before I was weighing my options. Prosciutto or pancetta seemed like natural pairings in some sort of crispy state, though I didn’t have any so I’d have to buy it if I went that direction. I thought about smoked paprika, shrimp, maybe even a cotija sprinkle. On the way home I stopped to get some pancetta and decided I’d grill some giant shrimp and have them lounging on the edge of the soup bowl. … Continue reading →