Food Writer, Cook, Enthusiast, Adventurer.
Hi! I’m Amanda and I love to cook.
Through years of working Front of House in Michelin Star NYC restaurants, I honed my skill at illuminating the rapture of a sunchoke and the rarity of a ramp, all the while clamoring back to my East Village-sized kitchen to emulate plates and develop my own recipes. As the descendent of Sri Lankan and New England heritage, I’ve cultivated a palate for archival treasures (tomato aspic!), spicy curries (the hotter the better), and gastronomic adventure. Now, I hope to experience a kaleidoscope of cuisines, make infinite dishes, and write about it.
Great loves (amongst others): all cheeses, anchovies, asparagus, avocados, bacon, bread, (esp.) burrata, butter, capers, cilantro, chilies, citrus, curries of all sorts, eggs of all sorts, eggplant, hot sauce, mangosteens, marmite, mayonnaise, paté, pickles, potatoes in all forms, prosecco, rambutan, rhubarb, smoked fish, toasted nuts, tomatoes, and truffles.
Certificate in Food Writing, Maine Media Workshops (2019).
Food Writing
For The Takeout:
The 10 Best Snacks for Holiday Travel
For The Kitchn:
11 Groceries My Sri Lankan Aunties Always Have on Hand
10 French Groceries I Reach for When I Want to Relive That Je Ne Sais Quoi
Agostina Recca: These Little Fishies Might Change Your Mind About Anchovies
6 Favorite South Asian Snacks in Honor of AAPI Month
Celebrate Summer with Ketchup’s Kickier Cousin
10 Things You Should Know Before Shopping at Lidl for the First Time
Take a European Holiday with Lidl’s Croissants
Trader Joe’s Miso Ginger Dumpling Soup
This Simple TikTok Solution Will Help Organize Your Skillets (and More)
(Images below styled and photographed by Amanda Marikar for The Kitchn)
My Cooking
Ina Garten's "Anna's Tomato Tart"
Julia Child's Boeuf Bourgignon
Sri Lankan Fish Cutlets with Chili Sauce; Sri Lankan Rice and Curry: Chicken Curry, Dahl, Tempered Green Beans, & Mango Pickle
Mingy's Tomato Aspic with Horseradish Cream
Marinated Grilled Summer Squash with Toasted Hazelnuts & Mint
Shrimp Cocktail with Ina's Cocktail Sauce
GeeGee's Stollen (Click on photo for our family recipe!)
Lou Fassum (French Whole Stuffed Cabbage)
Melissa Clark's Asparagus, Goat Cheese, and Tarragon Tart
"Red Pepper Martin" with Salt & Pepper Rim
Julia Child's Coq au Vin, with Roasted Potatoes & Sautéed Spinach
(Never Enough) Hot Sauces
Tomato, Peach, & Burrata Salad with Basil, Crispy Prosciutto, & Toasted Pecans
Butter-Basted Steak
Ina Garten's Perfect Baked Beans
Don Angie's "Lasagna for Two"
Seared Duck Breast with Cherry Gastrique & Fondant Potatoes
Caesar with Brown Butter Croutons
Lobster BLT
No-Knead Bread
Seared Arctic Char with Yogurt, Spring Onions, & Soft Herbs
Burrata Caprese
Chilled Pea Soup with Crème Fraîche & Crispy Prosciutto
Spiked Watermelon Cooler
Almond-Crusted Cod with Fennel, Orange, & White Beans
Café Gitane-Inspired Avocado Toast with Smoked Paprika & Soft Boiled Egg
Crispy Pork Belly
Marinated Grilled Vegetables
Emily Blunt's English Roasted Potatoes
Superiority Burger's Charred Broccoli Salad with Eggplant Purée, Candied Cashews, Cilantro, & Chilies
Breakfast Sandwich
Blueberry Pie
Ina Garten's Herb-Roasted Onions
Ramen with Jammy Egg
Pumpkin Pie with Black Pepper
Ginger Garlic Baby Bok Choy
Mashed Potato Cakes with Runny Egg
Homemade Pasta with Maria Gentile's Bolognese
Homegrown Tomato
Coquilles St. Jacques
Ramps <3
Khao Soi
Crispy Chicken Livers, Creamy Polenta, Madeira, Bacon, & Crispy Sage; Balsamic Roasted Beets & Sautéed Beet Greens
Snow Day Pie with Sopressata, Olives, Spring Onion, & Burrata
Roasted Cauliflower with Dijon, Coriander, & Gremolata
Ina Garten's "Company" Pot Roast with Horseradish Mashed Potatoes
Skillet Extra-Hot Buffalo Chicken Pizza with Blue Cheese
Poached Eggs, Polenta, & Homemade Chili Oil
Seafood Pepperpot (with Homemade Lobster Stock)
Samin Nosrat's Buttermilk-Brined Roast Turkey
Gazpacho with Sherry Vinegar
Stuffed Mushrooms
Marion Grasby's Spicy Braised Eggplant with Homemade Sichuan Chili Oil
Fish Stew
Garlic & Yogurt Dip with Herb Jam, Apricots, & Almonds
Rainbow Fruit
Hungarian Mushroom Soup
Scallops & Shrimp with Miso, Lime, & Coconut
Ina's Cacio e Pepe Roasted Asparagus
Julia Child's Filets de Sole au Beurre D'Amandes (Sole with White Wine, Butter, & Almonds)
Andy Baraghani's "New-and-Improved" Greek Salad
The Bird
Mushrooms on Toast with Sherry & Crème Fraîche; Rachel Roddy's "Rich and Creamy" Beans
Giada De Laurentiis' Gnocchi alla Romana (Semolina Gnocchi)
Mussels with Pernod, Cream, & Leeks
April Bloomfield's Sautéed Ramps with Eggs & Banyuls Anchovy Vinaigrette
Homemade Ricotta Gnocchi with Asparagus & Mushrooms
Qaliyeh-e-Khorma (Spicy Sweet-and-Sour Salmon with Dates)
Gordon Ramsay's Coffee & Chili-Rubbed NY Strip with Roasted Fingerlings & Mushrooms
Pappa al Pomodoro
Savory Oatmeal with Tomato Confit, Crispy Shallots, & Bacon
Swedish Meatballs with Lingonberries
Chilled Cucumber Soup with Fresh Herbs from "Dishing Up the Dirt"
Grilled Swordfish
Burrata Panini: Tomato, Caper, Basil/Peach & Red Onion
Sous Vide Steak with Bordelaise, Buttered Parsley Potatoes, & Roasted Baby Cauliflower with Pine Nut, Raisin, & Caper Vinaigrette
Bibb Lettuce with Radishes & French Vinaigrette
Milk-Poached Cod with Potatoes and Leeks; Yotam Ottolenghi's Asparagus with Buttered Almonds, Capers, & Dill
Grilled Romaine Wedge Salad with Buttermilk Blue Cheese Dressing
Margherita Pizza Dip with Burrata from "Half Baked Harvest"
Ina Garten's Parmesan Chicken with Arugula
Dredge* Pizza with Parmesan Chicken, Cherry Tomatoes, Roasted Garlic, Ricotta, & Basil (*crispy, chewy crust made from blitzed leftover seasoned breadcrumbs & flour dredge)
English Fish Pie
Sri Lankan Pol Roti Spicy "Pot Pie"
Marion Grasby's Vietnamese Caramel Chicken
Charcuterie Board with Rogue Creamery's Smokey Blue ("Best Cheese in the World") and Truffle Chicken Liver Pâté with Sherry & Brandy Aspic
Yotam Ottolenghi's Roasted Butternut Squash & Fondue Pie in Phyllo with Pickled Chilies
Mas Paan (Sri Lankan Spicy Curried Beef Buns)
Grilled Balsamic Carrots
Homemade Pickle "Dirty" Martini
Cremini and Porcini Risotto
Radishes
Hong Shao Rou (Red Braised Pork Belly)
Indian Pudding
Spring Asparagus Pizza with Crème Fraîche
Charred Arctic Char with Lidia Bastianich's Mustard Sauce
Smashed Green Bean Salad with Fish Sauce & Crispy Shallots
Tom Kha with Chili Oil
Homemade Tomato and Bacon Jams
Savory Pumpkin Risotto with Goat Cheese & Cranberries
Elote-Style Carrots
Marion Grasby's Pork Bun Cha
Bigos (Hunter's Stew)
Braised Lamb Shank with Pomme Purée
Prime NY Strip with Roquefort Butter
Yotam Ottolenghi's Roasted Asparagus with Buttered Almonds, Capers, & Dill
Brown Butter & Sea Salt M&M Cookies
Bacon-Wrapped Blue Cheese-Stuffed Mushrooms with Balsamic & Soy Lacquer
Lobster & Avocado Toasts
California Salad with Strawberry, Avocado, & Pecans
Canapés
Scallion Pancakes with Chili-Ginger Sauce
From-Scratch Green Bean Casserole
The Capital Grille Truffle Twice-Baked Potatoes
Petite Chicken Pot Pie
Roasted Broccolini
Blue-Cheese-Stuffed Burger with Whiskey Sauce, Guinness Mornay, & Frizzled Onions
Candied Orange Peel
Ina Garten's Chicken Thighs with Creamy Mustard Sauce
Tantanmen Ramen
Spring Asparagus Soup with Lemon & Parmesan
Alison Roman's Buttered Salmon with Red Onion, Capers, and Dill
Ramp Tart in Phyllo with Goat Cheese, Ramp Pesto, and Parmesan
Ramp Kimchi and Spring Onion Pizza with Gochujang on Homemade Cauliflower Crust
Borscht
Serious Eats' Beef Wellington with Horseradish Sauce
GeeGee’s Christmas Stollen (Cristöllen)
Adapted from the Gourmet Cookbook Vol. 2
Yield: 2 Large Loaves
The Night Before Baking:
FRUIT:
⅔ C Sultanas
⅔ C Raisins
¼ C Currants
⅓ C Dried Cranberries
⅛ C Dried Bing Cherries, unsweetened
⅛ C Dried Tart Cherries, unsweetened
½ C Brandy, Cognac, or Bourbon
METHOD:
Soak Sultanas, Raisins, Currants, Cranberries, Bing Cherries, and Tart Cherries in Brandy, Cognac, or Bourbon, overnight (or up to a couple of days in advance), covered, on the countertop.
On Baking Day:
ADDITIONAL FRUIT and NUTS:
¾ C Blanched Almonds and Hazelnuts (Skins Removed), roasted and chopped
⅛ C Dried Lightly-Sweetened Pineapple, roughly chopped
¼ C Candied Orange Peel, cut into small pieces
¼ C Candied Lemon Peel, cut into small pieces
⅛ C Candied Ginger, finely chopped
METHOD:
Stir Roasted Nuts, Pineapple, Candied Citrus Peel, and Candied Ginger into Brandy-Soaked Fruit Mixture. Set aside.
DOUGH INGREDIENTS:
1 C Milk, scalded
½ C Sugar
1 tsp Salt
6.5 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
1 Package Dry Yeast (2 ¼ tsp)
¼ C Warm Water
4 C Flour, divided (1 C + 3 C)
2 Eggs, room temperature
1 tsp Vanilla
Zest of ½ Lemon
Marzipan (7 or 8 oz. tube, we use Odense)
Cinnamon Sugar (Approx. 1 Tbsp of Cinnamon per ¼ C of Granulated Sugar)
Confectioners’ Sugar, for dusting
METHOD:
Scald 1 C Milk (warm in a saucepan until just below boiling, 180-185 F)
Add ½ C Sugar, 1 tsp Salt, and 6.5 Tbsp Butter. Stir until butter is melted. Let cool to lukewarm.
Proof Yeast: Dissolve Yeast (1 envelope or 2 ¼ tsp) and 1 tsp Sugar in ¼ cup warm water (100-110° F). Proof in a warm place for 10 minutes, until bubbly and doubled in size.
Add proofed Yeast into the Milk, Sugar, Salt, and Butter mixture.
Stir in 1 C Flour. Let batter rest in a warm place until it is bubbly. (Approximately 30 minutes-1 hour. A cool oven works well.)
Beat 2 Eggs. Add Beaten Eggs, Vanilla, and Lemon Zest to batter.
Stir in about 3 C Flour, a bit at a time (enough to make a light but not-sticky dough).
Knead in Fruit and Nut mixture. Continue to knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic, sprinkling and incorporating more flour as necessary (you will very likely need to add more flour at this stage).
Cover dough loosely with a clean tea towel. Let it rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk. (Back in the cool oven.)
Punch down the dough. Divide into two parts, and let the halves rest for 10 minutes.
Flatten each half into an oval, about ¾ inch thick.
Brush each half with melted Butter.
Sprinkle each half with Cinnamon Sugar.
Divide Marzipan into two halves. Roll each half into a rope slightly shorter than the length of the dough ovals. Position a marzipan rope in the center of each oval.
Fold the ovals not quite in half (like large Parker House rolls), pinching the ends firmly together. Tuck in any protruding or loose pieces of Fruit, so that they do not burn.
Cover an insulated baking sheet(s) with parchment paper. Place the loaves on the baking sheet(s), making sure they have space to rise. Brush loaves with melted Butter. Lightly cover with a clean tea towel.
Let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 350° F.
Bake the loaves for 35-40 minutes until golden, checking constantly, rotating baking sheet(s) when necessary, and tenting with foil if the tops brown too quickly. Tap loaves lightly with your fingers: a hollow sound indicates that they are done.
Dust warm loaves with Confectioners’ Sugar. Allow to cool. Dust again with a thick layer of Confectioners’ Sugar to finish. Decorate with pieces of fruit and nuts, if desired.
Enjoy immediately, or wrap tightly in parchment, then foil, then plastic wrap, and cure at room temperature for 1-2 weeks, allowing flavors to develop. Opt.: Toast under the broiler until lightly golden around the edges. Apply a generous pat of salted butter, allowing it to melt and pool in the crannies of the warm slice.