Blog Posts by foodandwine.com

By Steve Menter for Food & Wine

This fantastic version of guacamole gets smoky-sweet flavors from crushed chipotles and chunks of mango. Best Guacamole Recipes

Chunky Avocado-and-Mango GuacamoleSmoked-Chile-and-Mango Guacamole
INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 plum tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 shallot, finely chopped
2 dried chipotle chiles, stems discarded and chiles finely crushed
Kosher salt
2 Hass avocados--halved, pitted and diced
1/2 cup finely chopped white onion
1 serrano chile, minced
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 mango, cut into 1/4-inch dice (1/2 cup)
1 cup lightly packed cilantro, finely chopped, plus whole leaves, for garnish
Tortilla chips, for serving

DIRECTIONS
1. In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil. Stir in half of the diced plum tomatoes and add the shallot, crushed chipotles and a generous pinch of salt and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the chiles are softened, about 5 minutes. Scrape the mixture into a large bowl and let cool

By David Yan for Food & Wine

Coating the rim of the glass in powdered chile gives this fantastic fruity drink a fun kick.
America's Best Margarita Bars

Mango MargaritaMango Margarita
INGREDIENTS
1 cup ice
1 lime wedge
3 ounces silver tequila
1 small mango--peeled, pitted and coarsely chopped (3 ounces)
1 1/2 ounces fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon chile powder
2 ounces orange liqueur
1 1/2 ounces agave nectar
3 ounces grapefruit soda

DIRECTIONS
1. Spread the chile powder in a dish. Moisten the rim of a margarita glass with the lime wedge; dip the rim in the chile powder to coat. In a blender, puree the mango. Add the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth. Pour into the glass and serve.

More from Food & Wine
America's Best Margarita Bars
Fantastic Margarita Recipes
America's Best Taco Spots
Sangria Recipes
Best Cinco de Mayo Recipes

By Food & Wine

At New York City's Dos Toros, brothers Leo and Oliver Kremer offer amazing San Francisco-style tacos, burritos and quesadillas--simple, fresh and sustainable. America's Best Taco Spots

Grilled-Chicken TacosGrilled-Chicken Tacos
INGREDIENTS
3 medium tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
1 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon dried parsley
12 corn tortillas, warmed
Shredded Monterey Jack cheese, jarred salsa verde and chopped avocados, onions, tomatoes and cilantro, for serving

DIRECTIONS
1. In a blender, puree the tomatoes with the lime juice, water and salt. Transfer the puree to a large resealable plastic bag and add the chicken thighs. Seal the bag, pressing out the air. Refrigerate the chicken for 6 hours or overnight.
2. Light a grill or preheat a grill pan. Remove the chicken thighs from the marinade and pat them dry. Brush with the oil and sprinkle with the paprika

By Food & Wine

The perfect way to showcase beautiful Spring vegetables like peas, asparagus and leeks is in a delicious pasta dish. Here are five of F&W's best easy spring pasta recipes to take advantage of the season's outstanding produce.

Slideshow: Spring Pastas

Leek Mac and Cheese

Leek Mac and Cheese
Cooks usually reserve dark, tough leek greens for stock. Here, F&W's Grace Parisi sautés them until they're soft and supple, then folds them into a luscious macaroni and cheese made with nutty Manchego. The earthiness of this mac and cheese makes it taste especially good with a substantial red wine like Zinfandel.

INGREDIENTS
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 bunch leek greens (from 1 1/2 pounds of leeks), thinly sliced
Salt and freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups half-and-half or whole milk
10 ounces Manchego cheese, shredded (2 1/2 cups)
1 pound elbow macaroni

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet. Add the leeks and

By Food & Wine

Bake pasta shells with pancetta, porcini mushrooms and three different kinds of cheese for a deliciously earthy, gooey alternative to traditional macaroni and cheese. Best Mac and Cheese in the U.S.

Three-Cheese Baked Pasta with Porcini and RadicchioThree-Cheese Baked Pasta with Porcini and Radicchio
INGREDIENTS
1 ounce dried porcini (1 cup)
Boiling water
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 ounces sliced pancetta, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
4 large garlic cloves, minced
2 heads of radicchio (1 1/4 pounds total), each cut into 8 wedges through the core
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage
1 pound lumache pasta or medium shells
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 pound Asiago cheese, grated (about 1 1/3 cups)
6 ounces Fontina cheese, grated (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Butter a 3-quart baking dish. In a heatproof bowl,

By Food & Wine

Finely ground roasted almonds add terrific flavor to these crispy buttermilk waffles. Best Brunch Cities in the U.S.

Almond WafflesAlmond Waffles
INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup unsalted roasted almonds
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
4 large eggs, separated
2 cups buttermilk
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, melted and cooled
Vegetable oil spray
Unsalted butter and pure maple syrup, warmed, for serving

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat the oven to 300°. Set a rack over a baking sheet and place it in the oven. Heat the waffle iron until hot.
2. In a food processor, pulse the almonds until finely ground. Transfer to a large bowl. Whisk in the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites at high speed until medium-soft peaks form, about 1 minute.
3. In another medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the buttermilk and melted butter. Whisk the wet ingredients into the dry

By Food & Wine

Though it only cooks for half an hour, this dish has the satisfying, melded flavor of a long-simmered stew. The secret is that the garlic cloves are cooked whole and then mashed into the sauce. Chicken Thigh Recipes

Braised Chicken Thighs with Olives and BasilBraised Chicken Thighs with Olives and Basil
INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 chicken thighs (about 3 pounds in all)
1 teaspoon salt
Fresh-ground black pepper
1 onion, chopped
12 cloves garlic, peeled
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary, or 3/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup canned low-sodium chicken broth or homemade stock
1 cup canned crushed tomatoes in thick puree
1/3 cup halved and pitted black olives
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil

DIRECTIONS
1. In a large deep frying pan, heat the oil over moderately high heat. Season the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Put the chicken in the pan and brown well on both sides, about 8 minutes in all. Remove. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat.

By Food & Wine

This ultra-simple sauce is incredibly flavorful thanks to high-quality San Marzano tomatoes. Best Pizza Places in the U.S.

Perfect Pizza SaucePerfect Pizza Sauce

INGREDIENTS
One 28-ounce can whole San Marzano tomatoes
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Salt

DIRECTIONS
1. Pass the tomatoes through a food mill set over a large bowl. Blend the puree with the olive oil and season with salt.

Then, make the best Margherita pizza of your life:





Margherita Pizza with Tomato, Mozzarella and BasilMargherita Pizza with Tomato, Mozzarella and Basil
When topping pies like this Margherita, less is more, especially with sauce. Delicious Pizza Recipes

INGREDIENTS
Store-bought pizza dough, thawed if frozen
1/2 cup Perfect Pizza Sauce
1/4 pound thinly sliced fresh mozzarella cheese
10 fresh basil leaves
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, for grating




DIRECTIONS
1. Set a pizza stone on a rack in the top third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 500° for at least 45 minutes. Meanwhile, remove the dough ball from the