noelle@noellecarterfood.com

Los Angeles, CA

424-249-9094

los angeles / las vegas / sacramento 424-249-9094

Make this now: Shrimp skewers with charmoula

May 29, 2019 NOELLE CARTER

Shrimp skewers with charmoula. (Noelle Carter)

Ever heard of charmoula? The spice blend — actually, it’s more of a paste — is a North African blend of fresh herbs and spices which works well as everything from a marinade to a dipping sauce. Use it as a quick flavoring for fish — it’s especially good with shrimp and shellfish — or as a finishing sauce for grilled meats or vegetables. I’ve even served it alongside grilled or toasted bread as a dipping sauce. Best of all? It’s simple to make, coming together in minutes.

Make this now: Weeknight herb-roasted spatchcocked chicken

May 23, 2019 NOELLE CARTER

Herb-roasted spatchcocked chicken. (Noelle Carter)

Looking for a fun alternative to a traditional roast chicken? This herb-roasted spatchcocked chicken is one of my favorite go-to methods, both because it saves time (cooking a spatchcocked chicken takes much less time than a traditional roast chicken), and it browns all pieces evenly.

Cooking for one? Renowned chef Anita Lo shares some tips, and a recipe

May 8, 2019 NOELLE CARTER

Chef Anita Lo’s recipe for Pork and squid glass noodles from her cookbook “Solo: A Modern Cookbook for a Party of One”. (Noelle Carter)

Cooking for one. As with a handful of other activities — eating out at restaurants, going to the theater, catching a new film — cooking for ourselves isn’t something most of us plan for, let alone celebrate. Still, we’ve all been there. Because everyone has to eat, right? In her excellent new cookbook, “Solo: A Modern Cookbook for a Party of One,” chef Anita Lo tackles the stigma and challenges when it comes to fending for ourselves in the kitchen.

Kitchen tip: Roasted garlic 101 (and use it to make this hummus recipe)

April 25, 2019 NOELLE CARTER

Roasted garlic hummus with baked flatbread chips. (Noelle Carter)

While you can find roasted cloves at the store, but the flavor pales in comparison to what you can easily make at home. The method is simple: Cut the top of the pointy tip off a head of garlic (no peeling necessary!), then lightly drizzle a little olive oil over the exposed cloves, along with a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Wrap the garlic head in a sheet of aluminum foil and roast at 325 degrees until the cloves are softened and aromatic, 40 minutes to an hour. That’s it.

Make this now: Grilled salmon with lemon and dill

April 24, 2019 NOELLE CARTER

Grilled salmon with lemon and dill. (Noelle Carter)

It may only be April, but here in Southern California it sure feels like summer. So much so, I’ve been doing a lot of grilling — it’s just too nice outdoors to spend my time in a hot kitchen. I love grilling salmon, particularly on a weeknight, because it cooks in almost no time — I can have dinner ready in about the time it takes to set the table. Put together a simple salad to go with it, and the meal is ready to go. Boom.

The only hard-boiled egg recipe you'll ever need

April 19, 2019 NOELLE CARTER

Perfect hard-boiled eggs. (Noelle Carter)

There are endless methods for making hard-boiled eggs — even a simple online search will turn up countless options. All of which can make the whole exercise frustrating and leave you wondering, which method should I trust? Years ago, when I worked for a high-end restaurant group in Los Angeles, I hard-boiled dozens of eggs a week. There was one method I used, and it’s never failed me:

Kitchen gadget: Spiralizer (and use it to make this chilled zucchini "pasta" recipe)

April 16, 2019 NOELLE CARTER

Chilled zucchini “pasta”. (Noelle Carter)

If you’ve never heard of it, a spiralizer quickly and easily turns your favorite vegetables and fruits into noodles and other spiral cuts. Whether you’re eating low-carb or gluten-free, or simply trying to keep your calories to a minimum (it seems my partner and I are always on some sort of diet), a spiralizer is a fun — and colorful — way to turn all sorts of produce into healthful “pasta" alternatives.

Go cheezy crazy with this recipe for National Grilled Cheese Day

April 12, 2019 NOELLE CARTER

Grilled cheese with marinated tomatoes. (Noelle Carter)

While I’m not normally one for making a big thing about food holidays, I have to make an exception when it comes to grilled cheese. I mean, who can resist something so gloriously rich and unapologetically messy? A great grilled cheese is comfort food perfected. One of my favorite grilled cheese sandwiches combines a great melting cheese with marinated tomatoes.

Make this now: Ultimate beer ‘n’ bacon burger recipe

April 8, 2019 NOELLE CARTER

Ultimate beer ‘n’ bacon burger. (Noelle Carter)

Could it possibly get any better than burgers, bacon and beer? Probably not. Except when you combine them in what I like to call my “ultimate” burger.

Make this now: Browned butter banana nut bread recipe

April 8, 2019 NOELLE CARTER

Browned butter banana nut bread. (Noelle Carter)

It’s hard to find a good banana bread recipe. I can’t tell you how many recipes I went through when I first tried baking the bread. Some were too tough, others too dry. And still others, despite the number of bananas they might called for, lacked flavor. This recipe, adapted from an older Joy of Cooking recipe, is my favorite.