Selections from the Studio: Week of April 18

I have discovered a bunch of new blogs this week, and with so much great content in my Google Reader now, it has been a challenge to come up with just five recipes for this week's Selections from the Studio.  It never seizes to amaze me just how much quality content is out there in the food blog world, but without further ado, here is my recipe roundup for this week:

First on my list is Roasted Hen-of-the-Woods with Corn Pudding from Leite's Culinaria.  I have made a fine corn pudding, but I'm sure adding in some hen-of-the-woods mushrooms would not hurt one bit.  I have been to Blackberry Farm in Tennessee, from which this recipe comes, and I can attest to the amazing food that is served there, so I have little doubt that the recipe is a winner.    

Moving across the globe, I would also like to add this recipe for Bombay Chicken Curry from Amateur Gourmet to my repertoire.  The thought of curry can be intimidating as curry dishes often require a long list of ingredients and a lot of time to cook and develop those robust flavors, but this recipe requires neither and could probably be a relatively easy weeknight meal. 

It would be nearly blasphemous of me not to include a spring pasta in a late-April edition of Selections from the Studio, a Food52 post for Pasta with Prosciutto, Snap Peas, Mint and Cream made it easy for me to meet that quota.  It's hard to go wrong with those five ingredients. 

I end this edition of Selections from the Studio with two fruit pastries that are simple enough for this baking-challenged blogger to try.  New Yorkers have at least another week before rhubarb will be prevalent in the Farmer's markets (unless you arrive at the crack of dawn right now, the limited supply will be sold out), but I will make sure I have all of the ingredients for Straight from the Farm's Rhubarb Napoleons so that I can make them immediately when rhubarb becomes readily available; the tarts seem like the perfect showcase for my favorite spring fruit.

My second dessert pick of the week is The Wandering Eater's Fruit Tart recipe.  There are just five ingredients in these beauties; five ingredients is definitely my kind of dessert.

And with that, you have five delicious recipes to keep you full for the rest of the week.  Happy spring!

Selections from the Studio: Week of April 11

With spring vegetables such as asparagus, ramps, pea shoots, and rhubarb finally beginning to make a dent in the real estate at the Union Square Greenmarket (see ya later root veggies!), this week's Selections from the Studio is focused on making the most of the mid-April bounty. 

Kicking it off, we have Ramp and Parsley Pesto from Simply Recipes, which I think would be best served spread on crostini while picnicking at Central Park.  Like the season for ramps, the picnic season in NYC is far too short, so you've got to make the most of it while it lasts. 

When you come back from that picnic too worn out to cook, why not heat up a batch of this Cream of Asparagus Soup from Chez Us?  I'm usually not a fan of cream-based soups as I find that the richness of the cream masks all other flavors, but with 2 lbs. of asparagus in the recipe, something tells me that the asparagus is the dominant flavor here. 

Speaking of leftovers, Momofuku for 2 has a cool feature called "Leftover Fridays" in which the author makes dishes based on her reader's suggestions.  This week's entry featured Stir-Fried Pea Shoots with Garlic; I couldn't think of a better way to cook pea shoots.  And did I mention that the photos look amazing?

Of course, a recipe does not have to be seasonal to catch my attention.  Food52 featured Luciano's Porchetta.  I have a feeling I'll be a hero among my male friends if I cook them a big hunk of pork using this recipe. 

Finally, I did a little jump for joy at the office when I saw this recipe for The Spotted Pig's famous Gnudi on The Paupered Chef.  Pasta is not my strong suit, but I can't resist giving this one a try; the amount of time it takes to master the recipe might even beat the time it takes standing in line at The Spotted Pig.

And that's a wrap, folks. Cook well and eat even better this week!

Selections from the Studio: Week of April 4

It's been a beautiful, warm weekend in New York, and I've spent most of it outside of the studio.  I finally purchased a digital SLR, so be prepared for some improved photos at Culinary Studio once I get the hang of how to operate the thing.  Between playing with my new toy and getting some much needed R&R outdoors, I've waited until the last minute to write Selections from the Studio this week, but I promise the recipes I have picked are just as delicious-sounding as ever. 

As the tulips along Park Avenue begin to bloom and Central Park turns from brown to bright green, I find myself thinking about weeds rather than flowers because ramps are in season.  I missed the first weekend of ramps at Greenmarket, but I made up for the lost time this week by purchasing two bunches.  Still a novice to ramps, I scoured some of my favorite blogs for recipes.  Queenie Takes Manhattan came to the rescue with her recipe for Fresh Fettucine with Ramps, Bacon and an Egg.  I made this one for myself, as you can see in the photo.  Mine was not quite as nice-looking as Queenie's, but I can vouch for her recipe being absolutely delicious.  The best thing to do to ramps is not to do too much, and her recipe is simplicity at its best.  I'll be using her philosophy when I cook my second bunch of ramps this week. 

There was plenty of good quality elsewhere around the Web this week.  New Yorkers still have some time before rhubarb hits the markets, but when it does, make sure you keep The Wednesday Chef's recipe for Country Rhubarb Cake in mind; I certainly will.  If rhubarb isn't your thing, then try making this Lemon Yogurt Cake from Ideas in Food.  Tart baked goods are just what I'm craving in the spring. 

On a more savory note, Michael Symon's recipe for Pork Cheek Chili, courtesy of Amateur Gourmet, is something I would love to make for my weekday lunches at work, if I can get my hands on pork cheeks, that is.

Finally, I'd love to try Smitten Kitchen's recipe for shakshuka, a traditional Israeli dish consisting of eggs poached in tomato sauce.  I've seen shakshuka cropping up on brunch menus in the City, and something tells me that this recipe will save me a few dollars and taste much better than anything I can order out. 

And that's a wrap for this week's edition of Selections from the Studio! Have fun cooking this week!

Selections from the Studio: Week of March 28

Another week by, and plenty of great new recipes have popped up on the blogosphere. While a spicy braise might not be very spring-like, it's always the right season for food from Fatty Crab and Fatty 'Cue's Zak Pelaccio, and his recipe for Beef Short Rib Rendang, courtesy of Serious Eats, sounds well worth the effort it will take to procure some esoteric ingredients.  Moving onto more seasonal fare, this recipe for Spring Greens Tortilla from Straight from the Farm, would be perfect to served with a crisp Spanish white wine for a brunch party.  Speaking of brunch, if you're still scrambling (stupid pun very much intended) around for Easter ideas, why not bake a batch of these Hot Cross Buns from Simply Recipes? For something more ambitious, I have to give kudos to Homesick Texan for curing a ham and giving such an easy explanation for how to do so.  Finally, once the weather gets a few degrees warmer, I will be cooling down with Michael Ruhlman's Red Snapper Ceviche with Red Onion and Jalapeno.  And with that, it's time to head over to the store, as I've got lots of cooking ahead of me. 

Selections from the Studio: Week of March 21

Each week, I spend more time than I care to admit salivating over content in my Google Reader from some of my favorite food blogs.  I'll often make a mental notes to try a recipe that I come across, but five minutes later, I'll forget about it and will be onto the next post in my reader.  In an effort both to save the best recipes I see each week for my own use and to share them with my readers, I have decided to start a new weekend feature on Culinary Studio, "Selections from the Studio."  In this new feature, I will post links to my five favorite recipes that I have come across in the week prior.  I would love to have some more content to add to my reader, so please do send me the links to your favorite food sites so I can include them in my weekly survey!

And to kick it off, here are my favorite recipes from the week of March 21:

Milk Bar Compost Cookie from Momofuku for Two: Who says you have to save dessert for last?  Any Momofuku recipe is bound to grab my attention, but it's the gorgeous photographs on Momofuku for Two that made me realize that I have to try making my favorite Milk Bar cookie.  Trust me: chocolate chunks, potato chips, coffee, and pretzels do make one amazing cookie. 

Grilled New York Cheddar Cheese Sandwich from Leite's Culinaria: Leite's Culinaria is one of my favorite sites for finding cookbook recipes.  I love Amy's Bread almost as much as I love good grilled cheese sandwich, so for me a grilled cheese recipe from the Amy's Bread cookbook is a must-try.

Polenta with a Leek and Mushroom Ragu from Serious Eats:  It must be a really good vegetarian recipe for me to include it in my top picks for the week, and this is no exception.  This recipe had me at gorgonzola, a cheese that will make this meat-lover forget about meat any day. 

Grilled Pork Chops with a Turkey Sausage Barbecue Sauce from The Food Addicts: I came across The Food Addicts for the first time this week, and I am most impressed with their photography skills.  While this recipe for grilled pork chops only makes me sad to be grill-less, I will definitely be giving it a try with pan-roasted pork chops; the recipe seems like the perfect weeknight meal.   

Milk Chocolate Hazelnut Panna Cotta from The New York Times: Although this recipe was published in The New York Times a few weeks ago, it gets credit from me this week because I only noticed it on their website this week.  I loved the looks of it so much (who doesn't like nutella?!) that I made it this weekend with excellent results.  It is easily the creamiest and most delicious panna cotta I have ever had, and so simple to make.