Mr. Bijoy Writes

I first had a variation of this dressing in a Chicago eatery. The flavors are very subtle, yet rich, while at the same time light. I know, that may sound a little contradictory, but that’s just how it works out. It took me a while to build a version of this dressing that suited my needs for ease and flavor, but it worked itself out. This works great on a salad but for a fresh twist, warm it up for a few minutes and drizzle it over some halibut or salmon. Ingredients: 10 Heirloom tomatoes 4 tablespoons of sea salt 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar 1 tablespoon of minced chives 1 tablespoon of minced shallots 1 teaspoon of ground fennel 1 clove of minced garlic Table salt and ground pepper to taste Ok, so: In a blender, puree the tomatoes and the salt until smooth. Strain this puree through cheesecloth, saving the water. In fact, the water that comes through the cheesecloth is all you want to keep. You may want to no

Yeah, you read that right- Pork Gumbo. It takes about an hour from start to finish, so it's quick. It tastes wonderful, so there's that. Give it a shot! What ya need: * 1 pound pork loin, cubed * 1 tablespoon butter * 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour * 1 cup beef broth or homemade beef stock * 1 15oz. can stewed tomatoes * 10oz sliced okra * 10oz frozen succotash * 1 teaspoon Frank's Red Hot sauce * 1.5 teaspoon black pepper * 1 bay leaf Ok, so: You're gonna want a dutch oven for this one. If you don't have one, a large pot works too. So, spray your Dutch oven with cooking spray to prevent sticking. Heat up the oven over medium heat and as soon as the pan is hot, add the pork. Cook the pork for about 4-5 minutes, or until it's lightly browned on all sides. Now, using tongs, take the pork out of the oven and set aside. Then add the butter to the oven. Once the butter is half-way melted, add the flour and start stirring. In a

I like shrimp. Fresh, well prepared shrimp are always welcome at my table! If you're like me, and have a limited amount of time but want to create a nice shrimp preparation for you and a few friends, I have something for you! What ya need: 3 pounds of fresh, unpeeled shrimp 1 stick of butter 3 tablespoons of chopped garlic 4-5 tablespoons of freshly ground black pepper (I like Tellicherry myself) Ok, so: Preheat your oven to 450. While the oven is heating up, wash and drain your shrimp, as to free all the sea debris from the food. Place the shrimp in a shallow baking pan and set aside. Now, in a small saucepan on medium-low heat, melt your butter. once the butter is melted, saute your garlic for about 3 minutes. When the garlic is nice and soft, pour it over your shrimp and toss to evenly coat the shrimp. Use 1/2 of your pepper to coat the shrimp and bake the shrimp for about 5 minutes. Then turn the shrimp, and use the rest of the pepper to coat that side of the shrimp.

Having lived in many a situation with dozens of roommates over the past few years, I have grown to learn one thing; the strength of a relationship between friends is often tested through co-existence in a common space. This is a quick, hearty soup dedicated to all of those friends I’ve lived with who I now am honored to consider brothers. This is a feel-good recipe for those feel-good moments. It also works great as a great pre-study meal. Ingredients: 1 medium chicken breast (cut into chunks) 10 ounces of chicken broth 10 ounces of water 2 teaspoons of uncooked rice 1 egg ½ stick butter or margarine ½ teaspoon ground black pepper ½ teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon lemon juice Ok, so: In a medium sized pot, or saucepan if you wish to use such terminology, over medium heat, throw in the butter, salt and pepper. Allow the butter to melt and mix the contents of the pot. Place the chunks of chicken into the butter carefully, as to ensure no butter spatters onto you

My variation of hummus. Just try it. What ya gonna need: 1 can of chickpeas 2 cloves of garlic 3 tablespoons of tahini 3 tablespoons of olive oil (you don't need EVOO) 1 teaspoon of curry powder ------- Ok, so: Drain up to half of the liquid out of the can of chick peas. Put all the ingredients into a mixer and mix on high, stirring occasionally until it is a creamy, paste consistency. Garnish with extra-virgin olive oil and fresh mint.

It's eatin-outside season! Fire up the grill, get that lemonade just right, make sure that beer is cold and the charcoal hot, and get to eatin! But an entire meal can't be sustained ONLY on the grill. Wait, yeah it can, but it can be a serious pain in the ass. So, today I've decided I'd give you a recipe for dip. Chili and cheese dip. A hot dip, so you don't have to worry about it being outside. Sound good? Ok, let's go! What ya need: 15 oz. of chili (you can make your own or go canned, it's all up to you) 16 oz of cream cheese, softened (that's 2 standard 8oz packages) 2 cups of finely grated sharp cheddar cheese 3 finely chopped green onions Ok, so: Get your oven going at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grab a saucepan and heat your chili at medium to medium-low heat (so it doesn't overcook) until warm. That should take about 5 minutes. Then grab a medium-sized (1.5 qt) casserole dish. Take your cream cheese and press a layer down onto the bott