Frittata – the Perfect Last-Minute Dinner

By Zoe McLaughlin

This dish is as simple as it gets. With just a few pantry staples, you'll have a delicious and satisfying meal in minutes.

Growing up in a household where both parents worked outside the home, this dish was perfect for the nights when we all got home late. We served it with a simple green salad.

A frittata is essentially an open-faced omelet. It's prepared in one pan so clean up is easy. I used a nonstick sauté pan but you could also use a cast iron skillet and finish the frittata off in the oven at 375°F for about 10 minutes, instead of cooking it on the stovetop.

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Dirt to Dish

By Andrew Hunter

As our kids grow, we realize the importance of teaching them how food gets from the dirt to their dish. It’s not just about developing healthy eating habits, but also learning about seasonality, ripeness and sustainability in a fun and experiential way.

We’re teaching them that dirt to dish means striving for a shorter distance between the farm and home, and that if they eat seasonally, their food will be ripe, fresh and at the height of flavor during its natural harvest time. This week’s lesson is radishes. They grow underground with just the leafy tops sticking up, and if you pick them in early spring, they’ll be small, sweet and crunchy – perfect for a child’s palate.

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Bata Yaki with Ponzu Sauce – an Easy way to Entertain

By Sandy Hu

Until Sunday night, Special Fork is holding a sweepstakes, giving away a prize package of a year’s supply of delicious Kerrygold Butter and cheeses, imported from Ireland, courtesy of Kerrygold! It’s easy to enter the sweepstakes. Our recipe below is a novel – and scrumptious – way to use Kerrygold Butter.

A one-skillet meal cooked at the table is an easy way to entertain a few friends. If you don’t have an electric skillet, gather your guests in the kitchen and cook while you chat.

“Bata” is the Japanese word for butter, and “yaki” describes cooking on direct heat. This recipe calls for ½ cup of butter, which may seem like a lot, but remember there will be butter left in the pan and in the serving dish so all of it isn’t consumed, unless you choose to.

Since butter is a key component of this dish, be sure to use a high-quality butter, such as Irish butter, for the best flavor. The ponzu sauce, a combination of soy sauce and citrus juices, adds a fresh counterpoint to this rich dish.

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A Culinary Adventure in Ireland

By Sandy Hu

I’m posting late today, after a marathon 24 hours of air travel from Ireland, via Heathrow and LAX. I just returned from a five-day trip, meeting Ireland’s top food stars and sampling their outstanding fare.

If you’re imagining boiled dinners or corned beef and cabbage, think again. Today, the best of Irish cooking is sophisticated and vibrant, and easily holds its own on the world stage.

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