Sweet. Sour. Sticky. It’s a trifecta of sorts that will not fail you, especially when slathered on ribs grilled low and slow. Uh, pass the napkins, please.
Dan Kraan, Recipe Tester
A list of all the recipes Dan Kraan has tested.
Dan Kraan has been in the kitchen since he was a child growing up in the ‘60s, armed with a box of instant cake mix and an oven mitt that went up to his elbow. Despite his love for all things food, he majored in electronics and metrology because that’s what pays the grocery bills. Kraan dabbled in catering before discovering Leite’s Culinaria in 2004. He leapt at the opportunity to become a recipe tester and worked his way up to the title of senior tester, which led to testing for David’s book, The New Portuguese Table. In Kraan’s eyes, “the whole world’s a pantry, with so much variety out there.” He lives with his wife/sous chef Jan in Mississauga, Ontario. He enjoys “cooking Canada” and tries to take advantage of wild and local commercially available ingredients whenever possible.
Creamy Coleslaw
Sweet and simple. Nothing but cabbage, cider vinegar, sugar, mayo, a little onion, salt, and oil. Just like you’d find at a BBQ shack.
Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream
This nifty little number has all the uber richness of cheesecake and all the luxe creaminess of ice cream but with barely any effort. No ice cream maker required.
Homemade Sriracha Sauce
The traditional and incendiary Thai condiment has incited quite the following. Here’s how to save yourself a trip to your local Asian market.
Warm Arugula Salad
Caramelized red onions. Pancetta. Pine nuts. A dribble of balsamic vinegar. Peppery arugula. Convinced yet?
Dandelion Greens Sautéed in Duck Fat
This recipe for dandelion greens sauteed in duck fat is a definite Weeknight Winner™ around LC. Use any sturdy greens if you’re not a dandelion dandy.
Chicken Wings With Garlic and Paprika ~ Pollo al Ajillo
These Spanish-inflected, heart-achingly outstanding chicken wings are our latest lazy weeknight crush.
Lamb Burger ~ Bifteki Arniou
Definitely a nonconformist, this beauty of a burger melds lamb, pork, grilled onion, mustard, parsley, dill, fennel, cumin, lemon, and scallion. We dare you.
Lemon Israeli Couscous
These pearl-like couscous are cooked in chicken stock for extra flavor and tossed with peas, mint, parsley, and lemon zest. A simple, yet elegant, side dish.
Grilled Flank Steak With Chile Rub
If you can master this über basic recipe, you can grill a steak waaaaay better than any of your friends. Promise.