The Amateur Chef

Linguine with Sage-Walnut Butter and Herbed Ricotta

2012-02-15T18:08:00.000-05:00

The best meals in our house start with really inspiring raw ingredients. And this dish was born from opening the fridge and going: oh my god, how do I get that into my mouth??? and... I want to eat that- Right now! I also have to say, it is one of the few dishes that is truly an amalgam recipe- it is partly based on a recipe from the cookbook 'A Year in the Vegetarian Kitchen', partly based on a recipe from the internet- and partly based on my own sense of what would be tasty.

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups fresh, not that polly-o shiz, real-deal Ricotta
3/4 box Linguine (or make your own... that would be excellent)
Rosemary, chopped
Basil Leave
Sage Leaves, chopped
Parsley, chopped
olive oil
salt and pepper
parmesan cheese
carmelized onions (if you have some lying around... as I was lucky enough to!) or a shallot
garlic- a few cloves (poached, or raw)
1/2 stick butter
chopped walnuts
lemon

Directions

1. Drain the ricotta in a sieve in the sink. Let sit for a while.

2. Prep every fresh herb you can find in your kitchen- I think I omitted the basil, but added chive, and thyme to the mix- and chop them as finely as you can. Mix the herbs into the ricotta cheese, and salt and pepper the cheese to taste. Grate some parmesan cheese into the ricotta, and mix in. Set aside. Try not to eat all of it while you cook. Save a few sage leaves for later.

3. Put the water for the pasta on to boil. Salt it well.

4. While the pasta water boils, either smash the poached garlic in the bottom of a skillet with some olive oil, OR sweat the raw shallot and garlic over low heat in the olive oil for as long as you can stand it, and until they are very fragrant and translucent.

5. Then, melt the butter in the skillet over medium heat. When the butter is fragrant, add the remaining sage and walnuts to the butter, and continue cooking it until it smells incredible. Splash some lemon on it.

6. Drain the pasta, reserving the water. Add the pasta to the skillet with the butter sauce, adding some pasta water to moisten as needed, and stir to coat. If using carmelized onion, mix those in at the last minute. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

7. Serve the pasta in the sauce with a large dollop of the herbed ricotta on top.

Pasta Class!

2012-02-05T19:02:00.000-05:00

In my journey to make everything from scratch, handmade pasta was my next step. And the lovely and fantastic Ronna Welsh of Purple Kale Kitchenworks was on hand last Saturday- along with our good friends, Kristen and Craig, to show us how it's done.

#1: Making the dough
Ronna introduced us to italian Double 00 flour- which creates a better texture than traditional 'all purpose'.

Ingredients: 2 1/4 cups of flour and 3 large eggs.

The Technique:

On a dry, lightly floured cutting board, scoop (do not pack down the flour or shake to settle- it's all good to let it stay fluffy in the cup) the flour into the center. Make a well with nice high walls and crack the eggs into the middle.

Begin to slowly and lightly beat the eggs, and then start to incorporate the flour into the egg. Continue to do this until the dough is just barely a solid, and then abandon the fork and finish adding in the flour by hand, using a kneading motion. Ronna explains this as using the palm, rather than fingers, and a press, followed by a pick up and turn. Once the flour is no longer combining with the egg, scrape all the remaining flour off the cutting board as well as your hands- this will not incorporate into the ball and will ruin the texture- and then get ready to work hard- kneading !!

#2:Knead the dough

This is about a 10 minute process. Lightly flour the surface and your hands, and continue with the same kneading motion used above. Ronna recommended adding a lunge into it- but prepare for a workout, no matter how you approach it. Keep kneading until the dough is soft and workable!!

Rest the dough
Wrap the dough in saran wrap and set aside for 30-60 minutes and use this time to make some fillings and prep ingredients for sauces and sides.

Fillings & Sauces:

We made several delicious fillings- braised leeks, carmelized onion, seared trumpet mushroom, fresh ricotta, and poached garlic. We also reduced some heavy cream in preparation for a cream sauce.

In the future I'd love to try some sauteed spinach and ricotta, or beets for fillings, but really, the possibilities are endless!!

Stretch the dough

When you're ready, it's time to stretch the dough. This is where a little hand-crank pasta machine is going to come in handy. According to Dean & Deluca and Vecchia Nonnas everywhere, it is possible to keep on by hand and use a rolling pin, but the machine helps to process the batches a bit more quickly- once Kristen & I got the hang of it, we were able to process the whole batch in about 20 minutes.

Begin by using the rolling pin to flatten out the ball into a round. Cut it into 4 pieces, wrap 3 of them tightly in saran wrap. Begin by folding the first piece into 3 parts, like an envelope, and pass it through the machine at least 3 times on the widest setting.

Then, pass the piece through two times on each setting, from 1-6. Then repeat the process, folding it back into an envelope and starting on setting 2 or 3, and passing it through once per setting. Once it is silky smooth to the touch, you are ready to make some pasta!! Wrap the pressed pasta if not cutting immediately into shapes.

Make Pasta!

We used cookie cutters to create raviolis, and we pinched pockets for tortellini, too.

Craig was the master pasta-maker, making tortellini's like he was born to do it, and cutting pappardelle ribbons by hand!

We finished the pasta in a braised leek and butter sauce and sampled our creation!

A very busy, delicious, and productive day!!

Apple Crisp

2012-01-29T22:06:00.000-05:00

Sometimes, I just want an easy, tasty dessert! And the last two weekends, when it is cold and snowy, this one is just right!!

4-6 medium size apples, cut into slices any kind good for baking
1/2 stick of butter
3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Layer the sliced apple into a baking dish. In a bowl, mix the flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, and half of the butter. Sprinkle the crumble on top. Cut up the rest of the butter and put on top. Bake for about 50 minutes, until topping browns and crisps!

Ryan's 3 Bean Chili

2012-01-15T18:50:00.000-05:00

Ryan makes fabulous chili. And since he has so much love for me, he has developed a vegetarian version! And when it is cold outside, like it is here this weekend in VT, nothing is better!!

Ingredients:
Red Kidney Beans
Black Beans
Pinto Beans
1 "2 Alarm Chili Kit" (This has all the spices in pre-packaged amounts, but you could collect the seasonings yourself as follows: red pepper, corn masa flour, cumin, oregano, ground chili pepper, onion, garlic, paprika, and salt)
1 medium white onion
4 cloves garlic
olive oil
16 oz can tomato sauce (8 oz)
1 8oz can-fulls of water
1 8 oz jar salsa
handful of cheddar cheese for chili
sour cream and cheese to top
cilantro
lime
tortilla chips

Cook onions and garlic in olive oil until translucent. Then add in the beans, seasonings, tomato, salsa, water, and a handful cheese. Cook for 30 minutes and then add in masa flour to thicken. Allow to simmer, garnish with a wedge of lime, sprig of cilantro, sour cream and sprinkle of cheese on top!

Stuffed Shells

2012-01-08T21:17:00.000-05:00

One large container of Ricotta (we use part skim)
2 bags shredded mozzarella cheese
2 eggs
salt and pepper
garlic powder
herbs- oregano, red pepper flakes, marjoram, basil, parsley, or 1 packet italian seasoning
1 package jumbo shells
2 large jars of tomato sauce (See our recipe for some easy sauce!)
spinach (optional)
half cup grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350.

Boil the shells, drain, and separate. Allow to cool.

Pour 1 bag of shredded mozzarella in a large bowl. Add in the ricotta and parmesan and two eggs, all the herbs, salt, and pepper. Mix well.

Pour a layer of tomato sauce into the baking dish. Stuff the shells and place them in the sauce in the dish. Use the second bag of mozzarella to top the shells, and spoon additional sauce over the top.

Cover trays with tinfoil. Bake for 30 minutes.

A note: this recipe will yield two very large trays of shells, enough to feed a small army. This is great if you are having a party, or, make some and freeze one of the trays for later!!

Julia Child's Chocolate Souffle

2011-12-28T11:17:00.001-05:00

Ryan and I get the itch to make an epic meal every now and then. Christmas Eve seemed the perfect excuse for just such a cooking feat. We started with appetizers- stuffed mushrooms, then moved on to a delish entree, pasta with mushroom and white wine and butter sauce- and of course, for the finale, decided to attempt the piece de resistance, chocolate souffle!

Now I love to bake, so souffle seemed a challenge, but nothing beyond the pale. I will caution, however, that the dishes are not few, and the time and effort is intense. But the end product? Does it RISE to the occasion? Well... see for yourself!

Chocolate Souffle: A recipe from the one and only Julia Child herself!

Ingredients:

To coat the souffle dish:
Sugar
butter, softened but NOT melted

For the chocolate flavoring:
7 oz. Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate
1/3 cup strong coffee or espresso

For the base:
1.3 cup flour
2 cups milk
1/3 cup sugar
4 egg yolks
3 tbsp butter softened, not melted
1 tbsp vanilla
salt

For the whites:
6 egg whites
1/2 cup sugar

Directions:

1. Prepare the souffle dish by generously coating it with soft butter and sprinkling in sugar. Tip the souffle dish to coat the entire inner surface with the sugar, and tap out any excess.

2. Place the rack in your oven to the lowest third and preheat to 425 degrees.

3. In a small saucepan, melt 7 ounces of semi-sweet baking chocolate with 1/3 cup of coffee.

4. In a separate, larger saucepan, heat up 1 cup milk and whisk in the flour, blending well. Slowly add in the rest of the milk and 1/3 cup of sugar. Bring to a slow boil and whisk for 2 min. Remove from heat.

5. Beat in 3 tbsp butter, 1 tbsp vanilla, a pinch of salt, 4 egg yolks, and the melted chocolate mixture.

6. Whip the 6 egg whites to stiff peaks. Add in 1/2 cup sugar once they are foamy.

Now, let's talk seriously about this "whip to stiff but not dry peaks' business. It is a terrifying instruction in any recipe, wrought with problems and causing of much angst, but no worries, it can be done!! Here's how:

In a large bowl, the best is of copper, (if you have that kind of fancy stuff lying around), but I use ceramic or pyrex- have the 6 egg whites reserved and ready to whip.

A. Start with room temperature eggs.

B. Use a long-handled whisk and any bowl, so long as it is not aluminum or plastic. The eggs react best with copper, but poorly if there is any grease in the bowl or on the mixing elements, so clean everything well.

C. MAke sure the bowl is significantly larger than the eggs you start with, as they will gain volume as you whip them.

D. It would take approximately 900 strokes- or a little over 6 minutes- to whip 6 egg whites by hand. Trust me, the first 100 feel fine. It's the next 800 that will suck. Also, in the beginning, you can be slow and relaxed- until it's foamy, but to finish the job, you are going to have to get some seriously fast whipping on, and for a sustained period of time. *Insert pervy joke here* Remember, once you start, you cannot stop.

E. Here's what we did: We started off by hand, and then once they were foamy (see photo), I switched to my magic wand cuisinart stick using a whisk attachment*. This was THE way to go. This is also the time to start slowly adding in the sugar, as it will help the peaks to form.

*This is by far my favorite and most used kitchen gadget- if you do not own one, you can use a regular hand held beater with whisk attachment too.

F. You will know you have reached the correct level of 'stiff peaks' when they stand up, and do not wilt back down. Stop as soon as this effect is observed- it is a myth that you should whip them until they are SO stiff that the bowl can be inverted- this is too much in the case of the souffle!! If for some reason they just wont stiffen up (sigh, can't get away from the innuendo),then a pinch of salt or splash of lemon might do the trick.

7. Combine the base with the whipped eggs by ladling the base sauce into the whipped egg bowl, and combing and folding rapidly until thoroughly blended together.

8. Pour mixture immediately into mold, and put in oven. Turn the heat down to Bake @400 for about 40 minutes, or until the puff rises (hopefully). DO NOT OPEN the oven door during the first 20 minutes. Walk lightly as you pass by. Test for doneness with a toothpick or skewer inserted at 45 degrees, it should come out clean. Dust with powdered sugar and serve- the 'puff' will only last about 3 minutes or so once it is out of the oven, so snap a photo and quick serve it! (with homemade whip cream, of course!!)

Stuffed Mushrooms

2011-12-22T20:55:00.000-05:00

I love this appetizer! Ryan and I made this as our first course for our Christmas Eve Dinner. It goes great with champagne!

Ingredients:
24 White stuffer mushrooms
1 large bag Spinach
1 medium-size block Gruyere cheese, cut into small, thin pieces
1 Shallot
3 cloves garlic
Bread crumbs
Olive oil
1 tblsp Butter
Stock
Lemon
Chive
Salt and pepper
White wine

1. Clean the mushrooms, removing the stem, and carefully preserving the shape of the cap. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. In a large saute pan, melt the butter and olive oil together over low heat. Add in shallots and garlic, and cook until translucent and aromatic. Add in a splash of chicken or vegetable stock and white wine, and allow to cook off.

3. Add in the spinach and stir to wilt. Add in salt, pepper, and lemon.

4. Add in cheese and herbs and melt together.

5. Place mushroom caps on baking sheets. Spoon the spinach and cheese mixture into the caps and sprinkle some bread crumbs on top.

6. Bake 10 minutes, allowing the cheese and bread crumbs to brown on top!

Tofu Masala

2011-12-20T20:24:00.000-05:00

I didn't make the sauce for this recipe, but I really hope to learn how soon. But after a long day, it's niiiiiice to make a meal with only 3 ingredients and a 25 minute cook time, and in just one dish.

The important lesson I learned from this recipe is how delish baked tofu can be! I had no idea it could be this easy!

Ingredients:
1 jar butter masala or tikka masala sauce
veggies: carrots, asparagus, etc
tofu

Step 1: Drain tofu and cut into thin square blocks. Pat dry. Set in a baking dish. Sprinkle veggies on side.

Step 2: Get a jar of this yummy butter masala sauce, or similar, from your local grocer, and pour it all over the tofu. Splash a little water or a add a small amount of oil or butter. Mix it up and coat the top well.

Step 3: Bake for about 25 minutes.

Voila!

Dumpling Soup

2011-12-17T15:34:00.000-05:00

The Mr. Dever made this happen, and wow! Delicious. I craved it for days. Winter Classic!

For Soup:

3 cups Chicken or Veggie Stock
3 Cups Water
Carrots, sliced
Celery, sliced
Red Skin potatoes (cut into small pieces)
1-2 shallots
poultry seasoning
salt & pepper to taste
butter

For dumplings:
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 egg
chives
parsley and other fresh herbs, as desired

1. Combine stock and water in large pot. Add potatoes and bring to rolling boil.

2. In separate small saute pan, sweat the shallot in butter, cooking until transparent and aromatic over low heat. Add in the celery and carrot, salt and pepper and poultry seasoning and cook until soft.

3. Once potatoes are tender, add in vegetable mix to stock and cook 12-20 minutes on a simmer.

4. In a small bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt.

5. In a measuring cup, crack the egg and add enough water to equal 1 cup. whisk.

6. Gradually combine the egg and water mixture into the flour, mixing the dough until it is smooth and no longer sticky. Fold in the chives. Add additional flour or water as needed to adjust the consistency.

7. When the soup is ready, make sure it stays at a simmer, and spread the dumpling batter out on a cutting board. Hold the board over the water, and using a pizza dough scraper or knife, cut in strips of the dough. Use a slotted spoon to float them toward the top of the soup. Cover the pot and cook, about 8-10 minutes. Test for doneness by bringing to side of the pot and using a fork to see if the dumpling is firm.

Deglaze the veggie pan with a little water and mix into the soup right before serving.

'Chicken' Dijonnaise: A Vegetarian Recipe!

2011-11-14T16:28:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite recipes every fall, back in my meat-eating days, was chicken dijonnaise. Ryan also makes it with pork sometimes, too. But now, to surprise me, he came up with a vegetarian version using tofu! What a guy, what a guy!

mustard: at least 1, up to 3, dijon, honey, grainy, spicy, champagne, whatever you like.
white wine
salt & pepper
heavy cream- for sauce

A. Press tofu under a cutting board. Cut into long rectangular pieces. Brown tofu in a saute pan in a small amount of peanut oil.
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. In a lipped baking dish, cover tofu with mustard. Pour white wine around tofu, and salt and pepper.
3. Bake 30-40 minutes
4. When tofu is done, carefully pour juices and mustard into saucepan. Put tofu back in oven to stay warm. Pour some heavy cream into mixture, and a little more wine. Reduce over medium heat, salt and pepper. You will know it's good to go when it turns a darker color, and by the smell. You should be able to smell the wine cooking through the cream.

Serve the tofu and pour the sauce on top.

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

2011-11-13T14:34:00.006-05:00

So, after I cooked up a whole pumpkin, I had... whole lot of pumpkin. I used some of it for pie, I used some of it Curried winter squash soup (check it out here), and I still had some leftover. So I did the only other pumpkin-y thing I could think of. I made bread!!

You can use any squash or sweet potato in place of the pumpkin!! Preheat to 350 degrees.

In a medium-sized bowl combine & whisk, then set aside:

1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp allspice

In a separate bowl combine and set aside:
1/3 cup milk
1/2 tsp vanilla

Cream in a large bowl by beating until fluffy:
3/4 stick of butter (6 tblsp)
1 tsp mayonnaise (seriously- keeps it moist for-ev-er!)
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar

Beat in one at a time:
2 large eggs

Then beat in:
1 cup pumpkin or other squash puree

Then add in the flour mixture slowly, and drizzle in the milk each time. Fold in 3/4 cup of chocolate chips at the very end.

Bake in a loaf pan, about 1 hour, or until a toothpick comes out clean!

Pumpkin Pie: Updated for 2011!

2011-11-12T15:55:00.000-05:00

I've been making pumpkin pie for several years now. It's been a pain sometimes, but I've learned how to make it easier over the years- and I am embarrassed that I once said canned was just as good- I'm NOT going back to Libby's.

So, here is the new and IMPROVED 2011 pumpkin pie recipe!

This time I decided to try a local Long Island heirloom pumpkin variety, known as the cheese pumpkin. The name is not a comment on flavor, but on the shape and color- which resembles a wheel of cheese. (Sure, if you squint.) So we'll see how it turns out!

To make the Pumpkin Puree:

Step 1: Cut it- Cut the pumpkin in half, and scoop out the seeds and stringy bits. Cut into several (4-6) large chunks. Use a fork to punch some holes in the skin. Lightly oil and place on a baking sheet, flesh up or to the side.

Step 2: Cook the Crap out of it. I roasted it at 400 degrees for about 40 minutes. You want to be able to peel off the skin and easily scrape out the flesh with a spoon. Make sure it is nice and soft before you pull it out. I know it is possible to steam it, too, but I have never tried. And I think roasting adds a little flavor.

Step 3: Peel out the goo. Sexy.

Step 4: Puree with blender. I use a magic wand, but the goal of a smoother, silkier texture can be achieved with a regular blender. (HIGHLY recommend the wand, such a major time saver!!)

Step 5: Let sit in a fine-mesh sieve over a bowl for about 30 minutes to drain off any water.

Step 6: Make the pie

Crust:
1 1/2 cups pastry flour
1 tsp salt
1 stick unsalted butter (softened)
5-6 tablespoons ice water

Combine flour & salt with a whisk. Add in butter and combine with a fork until crumbly. Drizzle water and shape into a ball. Refrigerate in Saran wrap for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. (My oven runs HOT. Some folks do this @ 425)

Filling:
2 eggs (no clue why I ever used 4 in the past- way too many!!) Whisked
2 cups pumpkin puree
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup honey
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar

(Tip: If it's dried out, moisten your hands and hold for a minute and it will soften up! Or for a larger quantity, moisten a cutting board and let the dried out pieces sit on top for a few minutes!!)

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground clove or allspice (Or 2 1/2 tsps of pumpkin spice)
1/2 tsp salt
Splash of Vanilla

Mix the ingredients together with a hand blender or beater. Line pie shell with dough. Make sure to use any extra dough around the edges- for this particular pie, they tend to burn more easily. I taste the batter at this point, and adjust seasonings if need be. Pour batter into the pie shell.

Bake for 45-55 minutes @400 until a toothpick comes out clean from the middle.

If you still have some extra crust, which I usually do, go ahead and make some 'crust cookies'- mine are usually heart shaped- and throw them in the oven to get golden and crispy for the last 20-30 minutes the pie bakes. Then serve the pieces with fresh whipped cream and a crust cookie. Yeah. That's where it's at.

Pickled Peppers

2011-11-11T13:39:00.002-05:00

1 pound fresh jalapeno, italian peppers or sweet peppers, washed
2 1/2 cups water
2 1/2 cups vinegar (I used white distilled vinegar, it is definitely pucker-y, next time I might try cider)
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons coarse salt, such as kosher
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons whole coriander seeds
3 cloves garlic, peeled
2 tablespoons black peppercorns

1. Stab each pepper several times with a sharp paring knife or cut into slices and place them in a large glass preserving jar.

2. In a non-reactive saucepan, bring the other ingredients to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for five minutes.

3. Remove from heat and pour the brine over the peppers. Place the lid on the jar and let cool. Once cool, refrigerate for at least a week before using, if possible.

apple ginger spice cookies

2011-10-25T17:59:00.001-04:00

I wish I could take credit for this recipe, but I really did follow it right out of vegetarian times!! I highly recommend their publications- many of my recipes are inspired from them!!

Makes 20 4-inch cookies

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup oil
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup molasses
3/4 cup sugar, plus 1/2 cup turbinado for rolling cookies
1 large apple, peeled and finely diced (1 cup)

Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter baking sheets.

2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in large bowl.

3. Whisk together oil, applesauce, and molasses in separate large bowl. Whisk in 3/4 cup sugar. Stir in flour mixture with spatula. Fold in diced apple.

4. Place remaining 1/2 cup sugar in bowl. Roll 1/4 cup dough into ball, then roll ball in sugar. Repeat with remaining dough. Place balls on prepared baking sheets. Don't be sugar shy- this makes the cookies less tacky and easier to roll, in addition to tasting deeeeelicious.

5. Put baking sheets in oven, and bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until tops of cookies are dry and bottoms are golden brown. Transfer to wire rack to cool.

Couscous Salad

2011-10-18T09:50:00.003-04:00

1 box Near East couscous (I like the parmesan and olive oil)
olive oil
lemon
red wine vinegar
parsley
oregano
cherry tomato
shallot or red onion
red pepper
broccoli
(optional: tofu, feta, cucumber)
salt & pepper

1. Prepare the couscous according to the package. Fluff with a fork.
2. Combine in a bowl the couscous and vegetables.
3. Toss in the olive oil, red wine vinegar, and lemon
4. Let sit for about an hour!

Chipotle Chive Cheddar Cheese Dip

2011-10-17T17:36:00.001-04:00

1/2 cup greek plain yogurt
1 tblsp mayo
2-3 tblsp sour cream
squirt of lime
1-2 small cloves of garlic
pinch salt
1 cup cheddar chive cheese (cotswold)
1 adobo pepper
1 chipotle pepper
(If dried, heat @ 400 for 5 minutes, remove stems and seeds and soak in hot water)
small drizzle of pepper soaking water

1. Heat the peppers, remove stem and seeds for soaking.
2. Put small chunks of the cheese in food processor and blend.
3. Blend in the yogurt, sour cream, and mayonnaise, and garlic.
4. Slowly add in a small piece of chipotle and adobo pepper. This part needs to be done to taste as the pepper can get quite spicy.
5. Adjust heat with lime, add more sour cream if need be.
6. puree to desired smoothness!!

We served it with diced radish for dipping and it was delish!!

Apple Pie

2011-10-15T09:39:00.001-04:00

Ah, apples. What other symbol of fall is more awesome or delicious?? And apple pie... well that's just heaven, isn't it?

Crust:
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 stick unsalted butter (softened)
5-6 tablespoons ice water

Combine flour & salt with a whisk. Add in butter and combine with a fork until crumbly. Drizzle water and shape into a ball. Refrigerate in Saran wrap for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. (My oven runs HOT. Some folks do this @ 425)

Filling:
5-6 large apples, peeled and cut into wedges (about 2 lbs)
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 1/2 tblsp flour
squeeze lemon juice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
pinch brown sugar, too

Roll out dough, add filling to center, and top with dollops of butter. Then complete with lattice crust. Place a baking sheet under the pie and Bake @ 400 for about 30 minutes, checking crust to make sure it is not burning.

Turn down to 350 degrees for an additional 30 minutes. Basically, over an hour, let the pie cook, removing the baking sheet for the last 20 minutes or so if the pie is not yet bubbling, turning the heat down farther if the crust starts to burn. Sprinkle with turbinado sugar on the top right before the end of baking.

Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream!!

Concord Grape & Pear Pie

2011-10-12T19:17:00.001-04:00

Our latest CSA pickup included some concord grapes, which I decided to turn into a pie. I thought about jelly, but then figured... I have some pears, and a dinner party to go to... so... why not pie?

The process has a few extra steps, but it's well worth it!!

Crust:
1 1/2 cups pastry flour
1 tsp salt
1 stick unsalted butter (softened)
5-6 tablespoons ice water

Combine flour & salt with a whisk. Add in butter and combine with a fork until crumbly. Drizzle water and shape into a ball. Refrigerate in Saran wrap for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. (My oven runs HOT. Some folks do this @ 425)

Filling:
5-6 bunches concord grapes*
4 pears
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 1/2 tblsp cornstarch
squeeze lemon juice
Generous Sprinkle of Cinnamon

*First, separate the skins off the grapes. A light squeeze at the end opposite of the stem should be enough to pop out the pulp. Keep each in a separate bowl. Heat the pulps in a small pot, until boiling, for about 5 minutes. Then, mash in a strainer to remove the seeds. Combine the mashed pulps with the skins.

Add in the pears, and then add the sugar, cornstarch, salt, and lemon to this mixture, let sit in the fridge for about 10 minutes.

Roll out dough, add filling to center, and top with dollops of butter. Then complete with lattice crust. Bake @ 400 for 20-30 minutes, checking crust for burning. Some folks brush butter or milk on top of the crust, this works too. Then turn down to 325 degrees for an additional 30 minutes. Basically, over an hour, let the pie cook, and turn down the oven when the crust burns at that degree. This is an art and not a science, and so I suggest checking the pie about every ten minutes!

Serve with ice cream or whipped cream, and garnish with sprigs of mint!!

Pasta with Mushrooms in a White Wine Sauce

2011-10-08T13:43:00.013-04:00

An amazing savory sauce for any type of stuffed pasta (butternut squash or portobello raviolis, etc) or for Ryan and other carnivores, on top of chicken or beef!

Ingredients:
baby bella, hen of the woods, shitake, portobello mushrooms, or other, cut into small pieces
Asparagus tips
butter
white wine (2/3-3/4 cup or so)
1 tbsp lemon juice (I'm squeezing a wedge...)
1 or 2 shallots
3 large or 5 small cloves garlic
chicken or vegetable stock (3/4- 1cup)
olive oil
heavy cream
pecorino & parmeggiano cheese
rosemary, chive, parsley, sage (your choice of blend!)
salt & pepper

1. sear & brown mushrooms in small amount of butter over very high heat. (optional: press with bottom of a pan to get a crisper texture)

2. Turn down heat to low and add in shallots and garlic. Add a small amount of olive oil to the butter, add additional butter if need be. (Don't be shy here.) Sweat the onion and garlic slowly so they turn translucent.

3. Add in parsley, rosemary and any other herbs to pan and crush with spoon into the oil/butter/garlic/shallot mixture. Cook until greens are soft and wilted.

4. Add in fresh lemon juice and dry white wine to mixture, and allow wine to reduce off until down to about half of the original amount. Add in chicken stock and continue to reduce. Add in asparagus tips now as well.

5. Add in cream, slowly, to desired amount (I go light on this, actually) and grated pecorino and parmesan cheese, and add pepper & salt to taste. Here it becomes all about tasting the flavor and adjusting as desired to create a balance between the cream, garlic, wine, and stock.

6. To adjust the texture of the sauce, thin with pasta water or thicken with a little flour.

7. Drain pasta (saving water for thinning and for storage of any leftovers!) And toss 2 servings of pasta right in the sauce in the pan, allow to cook for a minute or two before serving.

8. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve over whatever pasta you'd like!!

Sidewalk Cafe

2011-09-18T13:17:00.000-04:00

Sometimes amazing meals sneak up on you. Not just the food, but the fun. A bite to eat with friends from work turns into an evening of laughter, and the food just matches the mood. Sidewalk Cafe-recently reopened and remodeled- offered an amazing menu with a ton of veggie-friendly choices. A special of Cauliflower Curry soup, several great salads, a quinoa veggie burger,truffle mac and cheese and veg nachos, a house-made mushroom ravioli, tuna melt and grilled tilapia entrees.. it was a treasure trove of good things.

The happy hour from 5-8 makes prices just right- and a really decent glass of chianti was only $4.

We started with 3 appetizers, shared by the table- nachos, mozzarella sticks, and truffle mac. The nachos were really yummy- with large, fresh cuts of avocado, a light crema cheese on top, and the right ratio of topping to chips. The mac was super delish, with a hint of truffle and crumbled barbecue chips on top for an added flavor and crispy texture.

My entree was great- the mushroom ravioli- with fresh asparagus spears and pecorino cheese. It bordered on being close to too salty, but it packed a ton of flavor and was truly flavorful.

Everyone else was really happy with their picks too- my meat eating friends sampled sandwiches of pulled pork and turkey burgers.

In a town where sometimes its tough to find a place just to have dinner- this was the perfect neighborhood stop!!

Salad Provencale

2011-09-17T12:11:00.000-04:00

Ever since our trip to France this past spring, I have been fixated on my new favorite salad- the salad provencale. (The C should have that little squiggly goat beard-shaped line underneath, but I'm not sophisticated enough to know how to create that). Anyhoo, It is delicious, and for me, the equivalent of a power lunch.

Ingredients:
mixed greens
tuna in water
haricots verts (french green beans), steamed
tomato
potatoes, boiled and cooled
cannellini beans
egg, hardboiled
parsley
capers or olives
salt and pepper

Dressing:
I'm sure the french didn't make it this way, but here's my cheat:

1 capful of creamy caesar from Newman's mixed with a dollop of dijon mustard, a little of the water the tuna came in, and the juice from the tomatoes.... Add a tiny bit of olive oil as well.

Directions:
Combine the vegetables and toss in a bowl. Lightly top with dressing.

Pancakes: A Dear John to Aunt Jemima

2011-09-10T13:57:00.001-04:00

Jemmy,

We both knew this day would come. Don't blame your difficult to pronounce preservatives and mystery ingredients. It's not your fault you aren't the natural woman I need you to be. We've had a long, long, wonderful thing here, spanning childhood memories and college nights. But it's time we go our separate ways. It's not you, it's me. I just need something more real, something I've made myself from scratch. I hope you can forgive me.

XO
Lora

So good. Pre-make ziploc bags with the dry mix to save time in the morning!!
Serves 4!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon white sugar

1 1/2 cups milk
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1 tblsp vanilla

Directions:

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. We double sifted to make the pancakes fluffier.

In a separate bowl, whisk the milk and butter into the egg.

Make a well in the center of the dry mix and pour in the milk, egg and melted butter; mix until smooth.

Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

Grill that, too

2011-08-01T12:04:00.000-04:00

My new mantra for pretty much everything, especially as summer continues to heat up, is: "I think we can grill that". The result is that we have shifted many food items that we traditionally made in the oven to the grill- and with results so delicious, I think the transition might be permanent. It also is really fun and satisfying to turn the grill- so long the land of MEAT MEAT MEAT into a tool for veggie heaven. A few things to try:

Grilled Quesadillas

Check out my quesadilla post from last summer for a recipe for zucchini quesadillas- but really, the filling doesn't matter, it's the grillin'! I used to slave over a pan on the stovetop to make these, but a little tinfoil and a trip to the grill adds a ton of flavor and saves a lot of time! Watch carefully so they do not burn, and flip them once or twice to get an even cook on both sides!

Grilled Pizza

A friend of ours (Brian!) introduced us to the idea of grilling pizza over a year ago, but for some reason we held off on trying it ourselves until this summer- and wooooaaah nelly! Forget the 500 degree oven I call for in my red pepper pizza recipe- and use the grill instead. It's so simple: prepare the dough for the crust on a piece of oiled tinfoil, and then complete with your chosen sauce and toppings. Grill open-faced until ingredients soften and cheese melts, again, checking the bottom to make sure it does not burn. I found it develops a flavor that mimics the wood-oven taste of many artisinal pizza shops, so I'm going this route even when there's snow outside!! (SOme folks will try and sell you a pizza stone for your grill, I'm sure that is good, too, but tinfoil works juuuusst fine).

Grilled Potatoes

Forget oven roasting! Dice red/white/purple creamer potatoes into equal-sized, small pieces, then place on tinfoil. Generously season with olive oil, sea salt, pepper, fresh sprigs of rosemary, and garlic cloves, and bundle in the foil. Grill until the potatoes are tender.

Grilled Corn

Again, I will never stick corn in a pot of boiling water ever again. My original recipe for grilled corn calls for the slightly fancy-pants technique of partially peeling back the husk, removing the silk, and then leaving on for grilling. For a more simple approach, simply remove the husk and silks completely as normal, wrap in tinfoil, and throw it on the grill. Some recipes also call for soaking, but we skip right over that too, and the results are darn good!

Onion Jam

2011-07-29T16:53:00.000-04:00

Yes, you read right. Onion. Jam. If you like carmelized onions, then this recipe is for you. Basically taking carmelization a little further and deeper, and you come upon this deliciousness. I cannot take credit for finding this fabulous treat myself- as always, the fabulous Ronna Welsh of Purple Kale Kitchenworks deserves all the credit.

Try it. Then put it on toast. Then blend it in soup. Then put it on sandwiches. Then mix it in brown rice. Try it on a pizza with goat cheese, zucchini slices, and arugula.

The recipe:
a bag of onions
balsamic vinegar
salt
sugar
vegetable or chicken stock
1/2 stick of butter

Cut up the onions into thin strips. Add the butter to the pan over very low heat. Allow to melt and coat the pan. Super slowly cook the onions "sweat", being careful to never allow them to burn. Frequently make sure to stir them so they do not stick. When you see that they are starting to turn translucent and creamy, you know you are headed the right direction. Slow cook them like this for as long as you can take it- I usually put it on while making other things and try to go at least 40 minutes. Once they start to get a slight color to them, splash with balsamic vinegar and a little stock, and allow to simmer. Taste and flavor with salt. Use the sugar if you find they are not quite sweet enough or if they are not getting a nice brown color.

Trust me, this is the stuff gourmet dreams are made of!!

Toasts

2011-07-28T20:53:00.000-04:00

You can mix and match your own ingredients, but I always like to start my toasts- my take on bruschetta- with a garlic butter and onion jam. However, there are many ways to make these little open-faced bites, I've made a few suggestions below, but I'm sure you'll come up with your own!!

Crispy french or italian bread, such as a baguette, cut into thin round slices
olive oil or butter of choice (See garlic butter, below)
gruyere cheese (strong and melts really fabulously) (can also use goat, cheddar, etc)
tomato
roasted squash
roast or fresh red pepper
carmelized onion (see next post!)
mushrooms
arugula
slices of apple
parsley
cappicola or other high-quality ham

Combo A: garlic butter, onion jam, tomato, arugula, and gruyere cheese
Combo B: garlic butter, onion jam, apple, arugula, cheddar
Combo C: garlic butter, onion jam, roasted squash, gruyere
Combo D: Garlic butter, cappicola, gruyere

Stack the ingredients on the toast, placing the cheese on top. Heat oven to broil, and cook about 3 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Garlic butter: cut 8 cloves of garlic into slivers. Boil for about 10 minutes, and remove from water with slotted spoon. Mash with fork into fine pieces. Combine with a stick of butter at room temperature, add a pinch of sea salt, and return to refrigerator. Smear on everything. Mix in mashed potatoes. Use it to finish off sides of cooked carrots or green beans. Enjoy.

Bars of the Burg: 2011 Edition

2011-07-25T12:15:00.000-04:00

One less hot and more lovely summer evening, not so long ago, Ry and I found ourselves on a bit of an impromptu bar crawl in our beloved Williamsburg. Since, we have checked out several other new places as well, and they all seem to follow one of two uber popular trends: beer hall or old-timey cocktail mixology. It's made for some good drinking!

Maison Premiere

This cocktail and raw bar is by far the most visually stunning of them all- with a backyard that looks like a total New Orleans French Quarter fantasy! We sat in the front bar, where many mixologists ran around, crafting drinks that often took 5 minutes or more to make. All were southern-inspired gems, such as a champagne julep, served in the silver cup with hand stacked sno-cone like ice cubes, and with fresh mint. Ryan had a Belfour's Hurricane, which looked a bit girly- it was a bit pink- but was by no means light in the punch. Made with Four Roses Bourbon, apple brandy, aperol, and strawberries, Ryan declared it delicious.

Dram

A little further south, Dram is another bar specializing in classy spirits, but this time with the added fun of ordering a "Bartender's Choice" from the menu for $11. I asked for a champagne-based drink, and received a super refreshing champagne, gin, cucumber, and mint concoction. Ryan tried a Mai Tai, and our friends ordered the drink pictured above, which in addition to tasting great, was really beautiful!

The Post Office

This bar has the greatest chairs, situated next to adorable picture windows that open on pleasant sunny days. The bar reminds me of a man's man's bachelor pad, with lots of dark wood and a few touches of antler here and there. The drink menu specializes in whisky and bourbon, yet surprises with a wine menu that is really wonderful (One of my favorite glasses of alberino!) The food menu- snacky- but with delicious things (so says Ryan)- such as a spicy pork taco that was devoured in seconds. I sampled a pickle platter that must have had 10 different vegetables on it and all were lovely to pair with the white wine. We've already been there twice, and will definitely be back again and again!

Berry Park

Just another beer house, but not: a fabulous roof affords amazing views of manhattan, a caesar salad comes with a surprisingly tasty house-made lemon caesar dressing, and best of all: the huckleberry lemonades! Served in mason jars and made with a 44 huckleberry vodka and a splash of citrus, they are not too sweet, and just strong enough. Delicious!

Picnic Potato Salad

2011-07-24T19:06:00.006-04:00

1 bag baby red potatoes
handful of cilantro
1/4 cup diced red onion
mayonnaise
dollop of dijon mustard
1/4 cup red wine or rice wine vinegar
pepper to taste
green or yellow string beans (optional)
cherry tomatoes, cut in half

Boil the potatoes and allow to cool well before making the salad. Dice the potatoes into bite-sized pieces. Combine the cherry tomatoes, green beans, cilantro, and onion. Pour on the vinegar, and then add in the mayonnaise to taste- I usually put in about 3 tablespoons, but it fluctuates. Finally, a bit of dijon. Allow to sit in the fridge for several hours, or overnight, and taste and adjust flavors as needed prior to serving!! It really changes the longer it sits- the acid will begin to break down the potato, and it is delicious!!!

The Brooklyn Smorgasburg @ Brooklyn Flea

2011-06-27T11:34:00.000-04:00

Yesterday Ryan & I ventured over to the Brooklyn Flea for lunch. We'd heard a lot about this little party by the river, and it definitely was fun! There are many local and artisinal food stands, including a few we sampled- and some that we will be back for in the near future. Highlights:

I love donuts- and this little treat, from DOUGH, did not disappoint! Light and not too oily, and covered in delicious cinnamon sugar, I am embarrassed to admit to eating... well... most of it in about a minute or less. Next time I might branch out into some of the more exotic flavors- there was one that was hibiscus flavored, and chocolate.. and glazed... and... oooooh donuts!

In addition to the donut, we added a chilled carrot apple ginger soup and a toast with some fresh cheese and carmelized onions ($8), and Ryan went money with the Lobster Rolls from the Red Hook Lobster Pound. We were both super happy with our choices- the soup was mildly spicy from the ginger, but with tons of flavor, and Ryan was loving the fresh lobster. (If only they weren't $16 each?!?)

As you can see from the photo evidence, we enjoyed our lunch. Ryan was very excited by the many choices, the picnic-style eating nearby on the grass and benches, and the beautiful skyline views. Me too! Next time, we're thinking of trying wings from the meat hook stand (Ryan), and I could be tempted by the homemade seitan stand.....

ABC Kitchen

2011-06-25T13:30:00.000-04:00

ABC Kitchen: Jean Jorges latest and most highly acclaimed restaurant since... Spice Market? Mercer Kitchen? A while. We've had some good from this guy, and we've had some bad (Vong- yuck). But ABC just sounded like my kind of place- a market table menu, relying on seasonal produce and the Union Square Farmers Market for inspiration, and all that jazz. We had a few tapas-sized bites to begin: I tried a roast beet dish with a fresh yogurt sauce and herbs- and it was really, really good. The earthiness of the beets, mixed with the green herbs, and the creaminess of the yogurt made for a great combo.

We also tried an heirloom tomato toast, which, I have no idea how they got them, but featured tomatoes that tasted like REAL tomatoes. and SMELLED like real tomatoes!! It was sooo wonderful to get this preview of things to come!!

Ryan also tried a crab toast with lemon aioli, which he enjoyed, though I found a little bland.

For our entrees, I ordered a pasta dish with fresh sugar snap peas in a light creamy sauce of ramps, and Ryan had a piece of sea bass. We both were neither displeased nor impressed, as we found them to be slightly less flavor-forward than we typically enjoy. I love the idea that the flavors are kept pure and simple, but Ryan & I are also, as I've written before, big fans of savory flavor, and it just wasn't there. I was not disappointed, but I also wasn't wowed.

The winners for me were the market table bites- coming in around $8 each, they were flavorful and delicious. There is food service at the bar, which at 9:30 on a Saturday had seats readily available, and I could definitely see this being a pleasurable drink & snack meal stop right off of Union Square!!

Banana Bread: Now with more... mayonnaise!

2011-06-13T19:45:00.002-04:00

I originally posted this recipe two years ago- and it remains a favorite (and a stand-by for when I let bananas over-ripen). But since I first started whipping it up, I have made a few teensy changes- the most important being I now add in a spoonful of mayo to keep the bread soft and moist. It works like a charm. Heard this one from a southern boy I met @ Harvard, and though at first it sounded gross, it makes sense- fat, in any form, is a fabulous thing.

From the original post:

Ah, dessert breads. I love them all- pumpkin, banana, date, zucchini, nut, carrot.... There is just something really great about a warm slice of bread with butter on it (and I like to pretend that it is somehow less of a treat because of the word 'bread' in the title)..... Also, it is THE best way I've found to use up my bad bananas. So, banana bread galore:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

grease loaf pan

1. In a small bowl, whisk 1 1/2 cups flour, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, and 1 tsp of salt.

2. In a larger bowl, mix together 3/4 stick of butter (6 tblsp), an egg, and 2/3 cup of sugar. Add a dollop of mayonnaise. Add in 2-3 ripe bananas. The older, mushier, and blacker, the better. (no, really!)

Add in nuts, splash of vanilla, and chocolate chips if desired.

3. Beat the flour into the banana batter. Pour into the loaf pan. Bake for approx 1 hour.

My Last Supper

2011-06-10T18:49:00.001-04:00

Great chef's and not so great chef's alike play a game where they dream up their last meal- and Ryan and I enjoy ruminating on this topic at times as well. We even have the coffee table book pictured above- which I love- that asks 50 super chefs to describe their last meal, and then accompanies each description with fabulous photographs. Each Chef answers the following questions, and here is my take:

What would be your last meal on Earth?

A picnic. For sure. French Country Boule, really good Mustard, Cheeses- many kinds (blue... goat... sheep... cow...), the ripest, reddest, dead-of-summer, eat-it-like-a-peach tomatoes, an entire bunch of fresh basil, the creamy, salty, harder on the outside and softer on the inside mozzarella, roasted red peppers, olives and super green olive oil (the good 'lacrima' stuff!), really ripe fruit... strawberries and peaches, juice-runnin'-down-my-elbow good... maybe a few bites of dark chocolate....

What would be the setting for your last meal?
Somewhere beautiful. A nice vista over some city, or perhaps out in the wild with a crystal blue lake and mountains... or next to the ocean... It would definitely be summer.

What would you drink with your last meal?

Champagne, of course.

Would there be music?
Maybe. I really like it when buskers play good jazz or classical music, like in the subway.

Who would be your dining companion?
Ryan... my life companion.

Who would prepare the meal?
We would. We'd go shopping at an outdoor market and pick things up here and there as we see what we like. Maybe get some fresh flowers, too.

Macondo

2011-06-09T11:21:00.001-04:00

I have now been to this spot three times- and have always really enjoyed myself. The drinks are awesome (My friends SWEAR by the white sangria, if that is your kinda thing), the mojitos kick butt, and the cava is lovely and poured tall.

But more importantly, the tapas-style food is awesome. I've tried several veg plates, including the patatas bravas, which are not soggy at all and served with a nice spicy crema sauce. My favorite dish is a quinoa beet salad with mint and a little cheese. The mint flavor is super refreshing, light, and makes for a great flavor to contrast with the brown crunchy grain and the beet. I also really like the flatbread with spinach, cheese, and golden onions. Again, the combo of texture and flavor is incredibly satisfying!!

Friends have tried dishes of fish and meat and enjoyed them all- but I think the creative veg-friendly cuisine is what really impresses me in this spot (and the drinks!!)

Like ALL tapas experiences, always pricier than you think at first. Sigh, what can I say to this other than... tapas, you entice my palate and steal from my wallet!!!!

The 'Lini' Salad (Broccolini & Cannellini Salad)

2011-06-08T19:01:00.004-04:00

This one is quick easy and delicious.

1 Can Cannellinni Beans- Rinsed
Cherry Tomatoes cut in half (Or sliced red pepper)
broccolini- steamed for a few minutes, then shocked
red onion- handful diced fine
balsamic & really yummy olive oil
salt & pepper

Roughly chop the broccolini and combine with the cannellini, tomatoes and onion. Season to taste, mix and serve. YUM.

France

2011-05-17T20:37:00.000-04:00

Ah France! Our vacation was dedicated to fine food and wine- and there was definitely plenty of that! To start, we visited Hediard and Fauchon, two boutique retailers of delicious gourmet goods. My french came in handy as I ordered un pain au chocolat, et un pain de campagne.... and then asking for du vin blanc.. and some amazing fraises!! We did our picnic in two parts- one in the Luxembourg gardens and then later on the champs de mars by the Eiffel tower. Life did not suck.

For dinner, we tried Au Vieux Comptoir (not to be confused with the millions of other bars and restaurants by the same name- this is the 'old' one. It got to the point where we saw one 'comptoir' restuarant a day, all across france....even in the airport!) (It means 'counter'...)

We shared a plate of white asparagus in a delicious dijon butter thing, and then I had a creamy porcini mushroom risotto, one of the hardier meals I had on our trip. Ry had a steak which he enjoyed with some super creamy mashed potatoes!

And for best lunch, this lovely spot by our hotel- in a pretty little square in the marais- had an awesome salad provencale- complete with egg, tuna, green beans... so delicious!

And of course... the drinking! Our first stop was Champagne- and even the streets are painted with these handy graphics and an _____> to point the way. We tried 3 different brands: Mercier, the most popular in France, Moet Chandon, the most popular... everywhere else, and De Castellane, holder of no significant moniker, but in a 'charlie and the chocolate factory'-esque building. Who could resist?

Very classy tour featuring video with voice over by Scarlett Johanson.

'The people's champagne' with some crazy cool cellars.

Charlie wasn't home.

Then it was off to St. Emilion, Home of Bordeaux. First, a walk through the vineyards outside the city:

Then a little wine tasting... .

Followed by some wine buying..

WARNING: You too may 'storm the castle' after drinking this much wine (kidding...)

Coffee is always better in Europe...

We then spent a day in the Chateauneuf du Pape in Provence, tasting straight from the foudre (big-ass barrel) and checking out the very old vintages (1926!!)

The word is that 2010 is gonna be a good one.

Old (the wine, of course... I would never say that about Ryan!)

For lunch, we had perhaps one of our most outstanding meals at Chez Serge. Truffles, a piece of beautiful fish in a lemony butter sauce, and Ryan had more meat, and of course a really good baba rum cake with berries....

And later, in Avignon, this cute spot- though the food was just ok amongst our many meals, the location and interior had me charmed!!

A great trip, and a lesson learned- next time I will have to blog more as we go so I remember more of each meal!!!

So I was cleaning out my fridge...

2011-05-09T15:12:00.000-04:00

And came up with this doozy of a delicious treat!! I recently attended a cooking workshop that encouraged me to go "off book" and cook with inspiration. So, I had 1 medium onion, a can of artichokes, some leftover goat cheese, and at the way way back of the fridge, some herb butter I made for.... Thanksgiving (It still smelled ok, so no judgment!) And this was my creation:

Ingredients:
goat cheese
herb butter
sauteed onions
artichokes
arugula
salt & pepper
french bread
olive oil

Spread the butter and goat cheese on the bread. Top with the onions, artichokes, and arugula. Put a drop of olive oil and salt and pepper on top. Broil- Just a mere half a minute. (Notice mine is quite black- whoops!)

I served open-faced with a big salad of arugula in a lemony-olive oil vinaigrette.

Delicious!!

Pickled beets and eggs

2011-05-08T13:08:00.001-04:00

A favorite treat and after school snack:

-Hard boil 1/2 dozen eggs and place in large container. Combine:

1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup water
1 can red beets

Let sit overnight, and let the feasting begin.

Mis En Place Party!

2011-05-07T09:38:00.000-04:00

I needed to spice up my cooking life- and Ronna (of Purple Kale Kitchenworks) was just the lady to set me on my next steps. I, like many people I know, struggle to 'throw something together' on a weeknight- and often end up ordering out instead from the pizza joint across the street.

Ronna's theory is simple: forget life by the recipe and cook each individual ingredient as far and as well as you like- and then use these ingredients to make quick and delicious meals throughout the week.

The principle that struck me best was that if I could cook each item unto itself, the worst that happens is I stand at my fridge, fork in hand, and eat a little of this and a little of that, and get a strange, yet satisfying meal.

So, when the challenge came up of putting together a luncheon menu on super short time (I was going to be out of town the day and morning before!!), I decided to put the theory to the test.

I knew I had only about 2 hours the day of to put everything together, so I spent some time the Thursday night before doing the real prep. I ended up using 3 pots and 1 small saute pan, and it took me 2.5 hours, including time to wash the dishes. At the end of the night, here is some of what I now had on hand:

Steamed Broccoli
sauteed shallots
cut radishes
cut orange pepper
Seared Portobello Mushroom
Crispy browned garlic
herb butter

I walked in my house Sunday at noon, and by 2pm, had the following dishes on hand:

Pasta salad with orange pepper, jarred summer tomatoes, steamed broccoli, crispy browned garlic, and an olive oil, oregano, salt, and pepper dressing

Spinach salad with seared portobello mushroom, roasted red pepper, radish, and balsamic vinegar

Crostini with herb butter, broiled baby artichoke, parmesan cheese, and sauteed shallots.

Everyone was impressed by the goods- but really, it wasn't such a cooking masterpiece as it sounded!!!

I'll be preparing my Mis En Place again next week, ready to eat a little of this and that again!!

Otto Enoteca

2011-04-01T19:13:00.001-04:00

I recently checked out Otto with my dad. Part of Mario Batali's NYC Italian empire, it reminded me a bit of Eataly (see review: http://amateurchefofbrooklyn.blogspot.com/2011/02/eataly.html) in both decor and menu, but that's a good thing. The bar area has high marble table tops to stand at and sip wine, and the view to the open pizza kitchen is an excellent visual appetizer. The train station theme was both entertaining and maybe a bit much at the same time- the hostess hands a slip of paper with the name of an Italian city on it, and instructs each guest to watch the board for our 'departure' to know when the table is ready. Seemed like extra work to me, but I could imagine kids thinking it was the coolest.thing.ever. But it still felt a bit forced....

I liked the menu which had options of pastas, pizzas, cheese and meat plates, and a wide array of vegetable sides/appetizers. We tried two- cannellini beans, which were awesome and seasoned with sage and celery, and tasted, as my dad put best, "just like Grammy's stuffing", which was what I was thinking too. We also had some red and yellow roast beets, and accompanied by the fresh baked bread, it made a nice start to the meal.

For my entree, I had my 'usual'- pasta with red sauce and eggplant. I love this dish and order it at many restaurants- Otto's version was tasty, but I must say the pasta was about as al dente as it gets without actually being undercooked- it was a little underdone for my taste, but the sauce was amazing and I cleaned the bowl anyway, so obviously it did not ruin it for me, lol. My dad tried a different pasta with a sauce that included braised pork shoulder which he really loved.

I knew from other reviews to save room for dessert- and I was sooo glad I did- because the gelato was as good as rumored. I tried the hazlenut straciatella, which is a combo of two of my favorite things anyway, and it was delicious. They give a nice large cupful which I could barely do justice to, but it was totally worth it.

Perhaps the service was the only part I did not love, it seemed a bit scattered, but the check was another nice surprise- with the pastas super reasonably priced at $10 each, and the antipasti at $5, it was by far the cheapest Batali meal- and one I can easily afford on a regular basis and for any old weeknight. What a nice discovery- and I so will be back!!!

Sweet Potato and Turnip Mash

2011-03-29T18:32:00.000-04:00

Some recipes are just so gloriously simple and quick, and this is one of them! Ryan creates this one whenever we have turnips- it's really the only way I like them. They have a subtle broccoli-like flavor to me when mixed with the sweetness of the sweet potato!

Peel 2-3 small/medium turnips and 2 large sweet potatoes. (You definitely want a ratio of more sweet potato to less turnip.)

Cut into medium sized chunks and boil until tender with a fork. Add about 1/2 stick of butter, salt and milk to taste and desired creaminess. Mash and whip with a wooden spoon.

Voila!

Anella

2011-03-28T16:39:00.000-04:00

We recently tried this lovely new restaurant in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. The NY times review made it sound awesome, and the menu had lots of tasty veggie dishes, so it seemed like a great place to try!

The bread is of note; it arrives fresh-baked in a flower pot!! Warm and soft, the way it should be.

We shared an appetizer of the roasted broccoli with watercress, parmesan cheese, and lemon. It was ah-maze-ing! The tartness of the lemon and the parmesan topping was so delicious!

The other appetizers sounded equally awesome- a sunchoke salad and a roasted beet salad- and I'd love to try them both sometime.

For my entree, I tried the gemelli pasta, a homemade pasta with roasted squash, sage, brandy and ricotta cheese. Super savory and rich, it was over the top.

Ryan had the roast chicken with an arugula and gorgonzola salad, and fingerling potatoes. Ryan doesn't normally order chicken when we're out, but he loved it.

The bar was good too- I had a few glasses of prosecco and Ryan sampled some cocktails. Definitely going back soon!!

Carrot Bisque

2011-03-15T18:43:00.004-04:00

Another fabulous recipe that we found in the vegetarian time's- and put a Lora & Ryan spin on.

Olive oil
2 tbs grated ginger
2 leeks
1 yellow onion
garlic
1 tbs curry powder
salt to taste
pinch cayenne pepper
4 cups carrots, peeled and cut into rounds
1 can coconut milk
2 1/2 tbs lime juice
2 cups water
2 cups stock

Heat oil in bottom of deep pot. Add onion, leeks, and garlic and saute about 5 minutes. Stir in ginger and cook until fragrant. Add curry powder, cayenne, and 1/4 cup stock. Cook a few more minutes, stirring to coat onions with mixture.

Add in carrots, the remaining 1 and 3/4 cups stock and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer until carrots are soft enough to pierce with a fork.

Puree soup in a blender in batches. Return soup to pot and stir in 1 cup of coconut milk and lime.

Simmer remaining coconut milk in small saucepan about 10 minutes, until reduced by about half.

Serve in bowls, swirling coconut milk into soup and topping with homemade croutons, if desired.

WD-50

2011-03-06T10:34:00.000-05:00

This post is about to break my heart. Wylie Dufresne, of top chef and world fame for his modern cooking- called 'molecular gastronomy'- a weird mash of science and food fiction- did not deliver. Well, not entirely. I was soooo excited to go check this place out- having watched Wylie on TV, and read the NY Times reviews, I knew I was going to have a unique meal. The point, I understood- was to take the ordinary and turn it into something more concentrated and playful... but where did the flavor go? Let me break it down...

The appetizers were by far a highlight- though they took quite some time to arrive. The service was nice, but slow. And we skipped the drinks, as the prices were really stiff.

Ry started off with aerated foie groie with pickled beets and a currant jelly- he declared the beets the best part of the plate, and I agree. They tasted pretty much like... beets. The foie was rich, and came in a sizeable portion. It was good, and 'interesting', says Ryan, though I doubt he would get it again.

I had the famous Eggs Benedict- though mine were technically florentine, since I skipped the bacon and substituted spinach. I must say, this was the highlight that it has been made out to be in so many articles- read this one from the NY times for a run down of the technical process and revelation in form that this dish is: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/05/dining/reviews/05rest.html

In short, it is pretty amazing. The yolks are turned into a gel- reminding me of the texture of the custard part of a lemon meringue pie- and the deep friend hollandaise was.... well, mind blowing. This dish was definitely pretty awesome, and when the bites mixed together- really exquisite.

For my entree, I had the vegetarian special- a forgettable and bland quinoa-based dish that was super disappointing. It did not do justice to the turnip or other veggies on the plate, and the portion seemed insubstantial. Even the baby bok choy was uninspired. It was dry, and lacked really any flavor.

Ryan had a coconut fish dish that tasted more like hand lotion and also had muted, bland flavors. I felt urges to reach for the salt like never before, and I just couldn't believe this was the guy everybody raves about!!

The best bites of my meal by far were the eggs benedict appetizer and the tiny complimentary dessert of an amazing freeze-dried ice cream rice krispy treat, which was heaven.

All in all, we left shaking our heads, wondering if it was just a mismatch of flavor palates- we like savory, earthy foods- or truly a disappointing meal. I don't know if I can say for sure, but I definitely left feeling let down, hungry, and unsatisfied.

Eataly!

2011-02-13T10:26:00.001-05:00

Italy is Eataly says just one of the many signs throughout this megastore and restaurant that is perhaps a one of a kind. Mario Batali, famous chef of Babbo, occasional TV chef star, and his partner, Lidia Bastianich, have opened this gourmet grocery, food market, and restaurant to bring not only good food to the city, but also their philosophy- which they have emblazoned everywhere. If the food wasn't amazing and the spectacle mind blowing, I might have found the signage a bit irritating. Every stand had a mantra, advice to spare, and just for a dash of 'authenticity', subtitles in italian. But who cares about the words? Can we get to the good part- the food, the wine, and the food, and the wine, and the food?

Ryan and I decided to head to the heart of the store first for a light lunch. The Piazza, as it is called, is in the central rotunda, and tables- no chairs, just standing height- are spread throughout. We started with wine- I had a glass of barbera d'alba, which was earthy, vegetal, and a little funky, and really wonderful. Ryan had a dolcetta d'alba that was purple in color, and tasted fruity, with cherry and raspberry.

We ordered the meat and cheese plate sampler, as well as a tricolore salad. The salad was delish, with radicchio and arugula, nice and peppery, and topped with shaved parmesan and an aged balsamic vinegar. We tried several types of cheeses, an aged parmesan, a taleggio, and a gorgonzola, as well as a creamy and light fresh ricotta, and Ryan tasted a few types of prosciutto as well. Complimentary loaves of bread and olive oil and honey complimented everything wonderfully.

But can I mention my favorite part??! When it was time to go shopping, we ordered a second glass of wine- to go! I had a really wonderful glass of prosecco and then off we went- glass in hand- to look at all the wonderful items for sale.

The produce section is really wonderful- they carry all different kinds of mini vegetables, as well as lots of harder to find items.

We also picked up some imported olive oil, fresh pasta, house-made mozzarella, a bunch of fresh basil, and my all-time and impossible to find favorite, pecorino peppato- an aged pecorino cheese with peppercorns...

I was too full from our lunch to try the coffee bar, gelato bar, or the bakery, but I will not make that mistake twice. Everything looked so good!! And rumor has it later this spring they are opening a roof top bar... I'll be there!!

Sel de Mer Act II: Dinner

2011-02-11T10:26:00.000-05:00

So, as mentioned in my previous post about brunch at Sel de Mer, we were so impressed, we wanted to give dinner a shot ASAP. So, the other night, cold and windy and icy, seemed perfect for some fish n' chips and other hearty sea fare. And Sel de Mer did not disappoint!

We had some really lovely glasses of wine- Ryan tried a special Beaujolais, and I had one of the tastiest glasses of Albarino I've come across in some time. Albarino is a light spanish white wine, almost a little bubbly, and this one had really nice citrus notes.

For appetizers, I ordered a warm beet salad. I have to admit I am a sucker for this dish: if it is on a menu, I am pretty much going to order it. Usually it contains all my favorite things- beets, arugula, spinach, or field greens- and often goat cheese. I've had my fair share of good, and I've had my fair share of meh. This one comes out near or at the top of the list. The beets were sweet and delicious, and the greens nice and peppery. My only complaint was there was a bit too much cheese, but it was easy enough to leave it on the plate.

Ryan ordered the lobster mac n' cheese- it was delicious, but very rich. I am not a fan of lobster, and though I did not try the meat, I tasted the noodles and it was delicious. The flavor was great.

For our entrees, I ordered the fish n' chips, which was awesome. super light and flaky and the batter was just right. The best part of course was the malt vinegar. Ryan had the mussels in white wine and garlic, and they were "really good. Really good." Locally, Ryan has declared them the best in the 'hood"- high honors.

Overall, the tab wasn't bad- not cheap, but in step with what we see for dinner for 2 with appetizers and drinks. $85.

White Wine and Garlic Mushroom Polenta

2011-02-10T19:43:00.003-05:00

Polenta always brings back childhood memories of my Great Grandmother's kitchen. Unfortunately, I did not enjoy the polenta then, but I sure do now- and sorta wish for a gourmet time machine on this one. The irony is that Ryan definitely does not like polenta, then or now, and so I rarely make it. But, it was freezing, I was hungry, and there was a bag of shiitake mushrooms going to rot. So, in a moment of... what can I make in 5 minutes for dinner? I reached for a box of polenta. Below is the recipe, for the next time you get a comfort food calling!!

1 box instant polenta (the one I used made... a massive quantity...)
Directly to the polenta I add in chicken broth, butter and olive oil, and grated pecorino cheese, salt and pepper to taste.

For the mushrooms:
1/4 pound shiitake mushrooms
1 clove garlic, chopped
white onion
olive oil
white wine
chicken stock

Heat the oil in a skillet. Slowly cook the garlic and onions. Add in the mushrooms, stir. Add in the stock and wine and cook off. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve the mushroom mixture over the polenta and adjust seasonings to taste!!

Shang

2011-01-29T11:50:00.000-05:00

Last night Ry and I ventured out in the cold and post-snow slush to celebrate what might be considered my favorite holiday: Restaurant Week. This time we tried Shang- Chef Susur Lee's NYC spot at the Thompson Hotel on the LES. After watching him on Top Chef and reading up on the restaurant, I was prepared to try some amazing things, including the dish in the photograph- Singapore Slaw.

Singapore Slaw is a salad with 19 ingredients, and though I could not follow as the waiter rattled them all off, my tastebuds were tickled and thrilled-really- by every last one. I don't know if I can name every flavor I came across, but the basics: a crispy, crunchy mee-krob style noodle, with lots of ginger, plum dressing, daikon radish, edible flowers....and at this point, I'm going to have to cheat and google for the rest.

Ohhhh yes: post, googling, I totally remember tasting the pickled onion, the peanuts, the microgreens, and the carrot.

Ryan ordered the restaurant week menu, and his appetizer was a satay trio of chicken, shrimp, and steak. The skewers were topped with a spicy massaman curry and a mint chutney. Ryan thought it was really good, though he enjoyed the shrimp the least.

For our second courses, Ryan ordered the hanger steak which came with wasabi mashed potatoes. Ryan wasn't blown away, and declared it tasty, maybe a little salty, though not the best he's ever had. I tried the mashed potatoes and was disappointed- they were a bit cold and not creamy.

I on the other hand really liked my entree- cantonese wok fried pearl noodles with vegetables. The veggies were crisp- asparagus and pepper and spicy peppers. The noodles were a little heavy and greasy, but it didn't ruin the overall effect of the dish. (Though between the slaw and the noodles, I waaaaay overate.)

Washed down with some sake for Ryan and cava for me, we finished off with a chocolate cake dessert that was actually pretty tasty for a few bites.

I think next time I'd sit at the bar, have a glass of wine and the slaw, and perhaps sample the sushi or other appetizers...

Sel de Mer

2011-01-27T18:49:00.001-05:00

A few close friends of ours have been singing the praise of this spot for quite some time. I have been a bit reluctant, as the menu is seafood heavy- but decided to try their weekend brunch. The atmosphere is super cute- it reminded me of the cape, with blue walls and pictures of crusty old sailors on the wall. I ordered the blueberry pancakes, which came with fresh whipped cream and syrup, and Ryan had the french toast, which was made from crusty baguette. The coffee was equally wonderful, and we enjoyed everything. I'd love to try some of their other menu items in the future- a vegetable omelet sounded amazing, as did the tofu scramble. Ryan was interested in the lobster mac n' cheese, and of course, we will be back to try the fish and chips. With weather like we've had of late, I think I can see an amazing meal here in our future!

Chicken/Veggie Pot Pie

2011-01-25T17:39:00.000-05:00

This is one of my all-time favorite middle of winter dishes! And given the sub-zero weather... it seemed perfect for tonight.
HOWEVER... as I started making this masterpiece of a food, it dawned on me about an hour in why I only make it ONCE each winter. So reader, be warned: it's a bit of a beast to make, involving several steps and a lot of dirty dishes, but the payoff is a homemade comfort classic that is amazing!!

Ingredients:

Crust:
1 1/2 cups pastry flour
1 tsp salt
1 stick unsalted butter (softened)
5-6 tablespoons ice water

Combine flour & salt with a whisk. Add in butter and combine with a fork until crumbly. Drizzle water and shape into a ball. Refrigerate in Saran wrap for 30 minutes.

Ingredients for Filling:

3-4 carrots
3 stalks of celery
2-3 red potatoes
1/2 can of peas
1/2 can of corn
1/2 large white onion
2 cloves garlic
mushrooms- we had white button on hand, I'd use baby bella too
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 can milk
1/2 can chicken stock
dill, thyme, rosemary, parsley, poultry seasoning
salt and pepper
1/2 stick of butter

Steps:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cut potatoes and boil until tender
3. While potatoes are boiling, cut the onion, garlic, celery, carrots, and mushroom into small pieces.
4. In a pan over medium heat, melt the butter and add in the veggies. Saute until soft and onions are translucent, careful to not brown.
5. Once veggies soften, add in the can of cream of chicken, the milk, and stock. Season with the herbs and salt and pepper. Be generous with the herbs and pepper (except the rosemary, use that sparingly). Allow to cook over medium heat.
6. In a casserole dish, layer the veggie mix, the potato, the peas and corn. If needed, add in more stock. Top with additional seasonings and then roll out and cover with the crust.
7. Bake in oven for about 40 minutes.

If using chicken:
Cut the chicken into cubes and cook in butter. Shred and mix in with veggie mixture and filling.

Al Di La

2011-01-16T11:22:00.000-05:00

We've been hearing amazing things about this place for years. So you can imagine my excitement to finally try it for myself! We have only just begun to explore the restaurants of downtown brooklyn and park slope, and it is high time!

I started off with the Winter White Salad, which had turnip, leek, jerusalem artichoke, salsify, and many other things which I could neither really distinguish nor identify, but truly enjoyed. The salad was lightly dressed with a champagne vinaigrette and topped with a little cheese. It was light and really flavorful.

Our friends, Brian and Kenzie, were with us, and they shared a plate of the polenta with oxtail. Though I did not try the oxtail, the polenta was creamy and savory. Ryan had the mussels in a white wine and garlic sauce, which he really enjoyed.

For our entrees, I had the cosunziei- ravioli pockets filled with red beets and topped with ricotta cheese, which came in a buttery sauce that I mopped up with some bread.

Ryan and Brian had a hanger steak in a balsamic reduction with a side of arugula. Kenzie had the winter white salad and a special Farro soup with winter vegetables. Everything was delicious- and for italian food, pleasingly light.

For dessert, I had the cheese plate, Kenzie tried the homemade sorbet and gelato, and Ryan had the fritoles with chocolate sauce.

If you have a chance, check out this great spot!

Challah French Toast

2011-01-15T14:10:00.000-05:00

Ryan is the breakfast master in our house- I make eggs, and can even whip up an omelet, but when I want my breakfast carbs, Ryan is the man. Here is his recipe for challah toast:

Challah Bread (alternate: french white)
4-5 eggs
milk
cinnamon
vanilla- generous pour

Beat the eggs, milk, cinnamon and vanilla together.
Cut bread into even slices.
Soak in egg until well coated.
Put on heated griddle with butter
cook for a few minutes on each side, flipping 3-4 times.
Finished when lightly browned, make sure cooked through!

A craving fulfilled: Pan Fried Tofu "wings"

2011-01-11T12:18:00.000-05:00

Thank you, Buffalo Cantina. Thank you for curing a year-long craving. Thank you for being brilliant. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Thank you for making delicious pan fried tofu and dousing it in your "hotter" sauce.

Oh, it was a magical evening. A friend told us about these "wings"- and Ry and I immediately went home and ordered up some wings- real for him, tofu for me- and licked our fingers for about ten glorious minutes. It was awesome.

I can swing a veggie lifetime now!

Ryan's 30th Birthday Feast: Wild Mushroom Shepard's Pie

2011-01-10T20:24:00.000-05:00

In honor of Ryan's birthday, we put together a midwinter's night feast. Wild mushroom shepard's pie with a pinot noir sauce, roast winter vegetables, and a mixed green salad. I hadn't intentionally designed a vegetarian menu for Ryan and our friends, but I was excited to pull it off. Again, this recipe was adapted from Vegetarian Times, with help from our CSA box, the mushroom seller at the local farmer's market, and my own kick-ass techniques for carmelizing onions (courtesy of my class with Purple Kale Kitchen Works).

Wild Mushroom Shepard's Pie
Makes about 8 servings

For potatoes:
-3 lb (about 6) yukon gold potatoes- peeled & quartered
-1/2 stick- 1 stick butter
-1/4 cup heavy cream
-fresh chives
-6 tablespoons grated parmesan and pecorino cheese

For the filling:
-1/2- 1 lb wild mushrooms *
-3 portobello mushroom caps
- 3 white onions- halved and sliced
-balsamic vinegar
-salt and pepper
-pecorino and parmesan cheese
-fresh parsley
-2 cloves garlic

*"wild mushrooms"- this can mean so many things. I originally planned to use a blend of dried porcini and cepe mushrooms, but the mushroom stand at our farmer's market had so many awesome fresh mushrooms to offer, I changed plans. I ended up using piopinni and shiitake mushrooms, which were recommended for their hearty flavors that would stand up nicely to the mashed potato.

1. Boil the potatoes. Drain and return to pot. Add in butter and heavy cream and mash. Season with salt and pepper, chives, and handfuls of pecorino and parmesan cheese.

2. While the potatoes boil, clean the mushrooms with a quick rinse of water (yes, I rinse them with water, no, I do not think this ruins them in any way). Toss them with olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic. Place on a baking sheet, portobellos gill side up. Roast them at 375 degrees for about 25 minutes or until tender. Take out and cool.

3. While potatoes boil and mushrooms roast, heat olive oil in a pan for the onions. Saute over medium-low heat, sweating and not allowing to brown. Salt and pepper, splash with chicken stock, and then cover and cook. After about 40 minutes, once onions become sticky, sprinkle with balsamic vinegar.

4. Slice the portobello thinly. Chop the wild mushrooms and toss with remaining cheese.

5. In casserole dish, create a bottom layer of portobello mushrooms. Add a layer of carmelized onions, then a layer of mashed potatoes. Put wild mushrooms in next layer, the rest of the carmelized onions, the fresh parsley, and top with remaining mashed potato. Grate additional cheese on top layer of potatoes.

6. Bake 40 minutes or until golden. Let cool before serving.

Pinot Noir Sauce:

For a little finishing touch, make this delicious sauce:

1/4 cup pinot noir
1 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon flour
splash tamari/soy sauce

1. In pan, reduce wine and chicken stock over medium heat. Pour liquid back into measuring cup, melt butter and whisk in flour. Slowly pour back in wine/stock liquid. Add salt and pepper, and tamari, and reduce, about 10 minutes.

Serve sauce over shepard's pie!!

Food Hall @ The Plaza

2011-01-03T14:26:00.000-05:00

I seem to find myself at the Plaza hotel quite a bit lately, lol. This time, Ryan and I returned to check out Todd English's new venture, the Food Hall. Based on the food halls of Harrods and other European Capitals, this space is more restaurant than lunch counter- but as a theme, it's super fun. First come, first served seats at a variety of counters- including a raw bar, wine bar, sushi table, and grill, offer diners a fun view of the chef's at work. We ended up sitting in the middle of it all, at a communal table. The menu is quite large, and we really wanted a little of everything- artisanal flat breads, pastas, tapas, and more. We finally settled on two menu items and a special. We shared a black truffle, taleggio cheese, and sweet onion flatbread which was outrageously good. My love- our love- of truffles has appeared on this blog before, and the flatbread did not disappoint- thinly shaved slices of truffle melted on top of the cheese and onions- sweet and savory and aromatic. Perfect to share (And fairly priced at $30).

Next up, Ryan ordered the prime rib sliders- which was a large plate, the sliders were not so much bite sized but really decent sized sandwiches- and a plate of three- topped off with a delicious pickle. Ry saved one for a snack later and was quite happy.

I ordered the goat cheese ravioli- served with arugula, roasted red beets, and topped with a little lemon- the arugula and beets were awesome, peppery and sugary and tart, and the ravioli creamy and rich- making for a super well-rounded dish.

Ryan tried a glass of Bordeaux- a 2004 that was really nice.

We enjoyed the atmosphere, we loved the food, and my only regret was being too full for dessert. The couple sitting next to us had "wandered in by chance" and I could only wish to be so lucky for lunch!!

Of final note, a daily happy hour from 5-7 offers several glasses of wine at reduced price as well as a few plates, which seems like a great way to round out an afternoon of shopping or a stop by after the park once the weather gets warm!!

The Year in Food

2011-01-02T12:04:00.000-05:00

Last year, I posted 122 times on this blog- which really is amazing, seeing as the year prior I topped out at 26!

I remember Fish tacos- one of my favorite summer meals-paired with margaritas- yum!- and springtime pesto, as well as rosemary sugar cookies- top my list of new recipes, though apple sauce and pickles were a blast as well, and delicious, too. One of my send off meals into vegetarianism, Julia Child's Beef Bourginon- was as fun to make as it was to eat. As for restaurants, our trip to Austin offered up some amazing memories, as did probably the best meal I've ever had- At Craigie on Main in Cambridge.

To celebrate the past year in food and posts, A few of my highlights, with the links to the original article:

http://amateurchefofbrooklyn.blogspot.com/2010/01/fish-tacos-with-adobo-mayo-and-slaw.html

http://amateurchefofbrooklyn.blogspot.com/2010/02/mastering-art-of-french-cooking-beef-la.html

http://amateurchefofbrooklyn.blogspot.com/2010/03/austin-texas.html

http://amateurchefofbrooklyn.blogspot.com/2010/05/craigie-on-main.html

http://amateurchefofbrooklyn.blogspot.com/2010/06/food-porn-garlic-scape-pesto-csa-week-1.html

http://amateurchefofbrooklyn.blogspot.com/2010/09/lemon-rosemary-sugar-cookies.html

Traif

2011-01-01T14:19:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year! I spent the last meal of 2010 with close friends and Ryan, sampling the 4-course pre-fixe at Traif, a new(er) Williamsburg spot on the south side. (Shout out to Becky who will be proud of me for knowing that 'traif' refers to forbidden foods in Judaism)- and forms the theme-as the website sums up best- as "A nod to shellfish, pork, and soul food". Perhaps you might wonder what I was doing there, seeing as I don't eat any of that either, lol. Well, turns out they can muster up some love for us vegetarians, too, and I have to say, my courses were damn tasty. (Though I fear my kosher friends will have to seek elsewhere to eat...)

First course- for me, a mixed green salad with a round of goat cheese rolled in nuts, which was nice, and included some fruits and pomegranite seeds that added a much needed acidic bite. The goat cheese was too large for the small plate of greens, but was nice and creamy.

Ryan had a plate of tuna tartare and bone marrow, served with a puff pastry- Ryan liked the tartare, but found the marrow undercooked.

The second course, however, picked up steam and was an all-around favorite. I had a curried plate of potato, pineapple, green bean, and brussel sprouts which was sweet and spicy and delicious. The flavors reminded me of sweet and sour sauce in Chinese cooking, a touch of thai hot sauce, and perhaps a bit of a curry flavor like that in Indian dishes- an impressive mix of spice and flavor. I loved it! Julie, our friend, had the same dish but topped with prawns, and she too was really into it.

Ryan and our friend Mike both tried a kobe beef burger with lobster, and a side of truffled french fries. They both marked this as the highlight of their meal, saying the lobster and beef was great, and the fries decadent.

The third course I had was savory- wild mushrooms, brussel sprouts, eggplant in a creamy sauce. I enjoyed it, but wished for some type of grain or starch- perhaps a little pappardelle pasta, or even rice- just to cut the richness of the flavors and to add a contrasting texture to the vegetables on the plate.

Julie had a duck dish wrapped in pork cheeks, and Ryan and Mike tried the short ribs. All enjoyed, but shared in the feeling that the dishes were very savory and salty.

The winners for dessert were definitely the boys- both of whom wisely chose the nutella sundae- which was like a pudding, sweet but not sickening, and a really creamy, smooth texture. Julie and I had selected cheese plates, which included a really nice blue cheese and a triple creme brie, but after the third savory course, we felt cheese was not the right follow up, but wished we had the sweet treat too!!

Overall, I tasted a lot of great flavors, and the second course and nutella dessert make me want to come back and explore the a la carte menu.

Krispy Kale

2010-12-30T15:12:00.001-05:00

I have no love for kale. Well, let me rephrase that. I HAD no love for kale. Bitter and chewy, the first time I cooked it at home, it tasted like rubbery, scratchy seaweed. (Yuck!!) However, I have recently learned to turn this hardy green from yuck to yum- and even Ryan likes it! I wouldn't bother so hard, but in winter, it is in all of our CSA boxes, and one of the few greens at the markets, so Kale, we're all yours.

Cut the leaves from the stems and discard the stems.
Rinse well under water to get rid of any sand, and do NOT dry. Let the water drops stay- this will help with the cooking and the krisping.
In a pan, pour in a bit of olive oil, and dice up a clove of garlic. Once the garlic sweats into the oil, add in the kale, sprinkle with sea salt, and cook down. Once Kale begins to wilt, splash with a capful or two of vinegar- red wine, cider, or balsamic will all work well- and season with pepper. Turn up the heat, and take another, smaller pan, and use it to crush the leaves. Gather them all under the bottom of the pan, and press down so leaves start to crisp. Do this until leaves brown a bit on end and reach desired "krispy" consistency!!

Tea @ the Plaza

2010-12-29T14:19:00.000-05:00

What better way to celebrate the holidays than with the perfect NYC afternoon? And what better way to start off a holiday tour than with tea at the historic Plaza Hotel?

It might sound like a silly excuse to overpay for finger food- but Ryan and I- about once a year- really enjoy it. Not to mention how beautiful the classic tea rooms look!!
We started off with teas and champagnes. The tea- we sampled afternoon blends, and even some decaff- and everybody really enjoyed it. I didn't even bother with cream and sugar!

Our plates arrived, and between all of us, we tried three different menus: The classic, The New York, and a special Vegetarian tower for me.

Ryan's classic included a smoked salmon on wheat toast, which he liked, a cold lobster salad with caviar, which was "great- very delicate and yet decadent at the same time". The roast beef was his least favorite, not rare enough for his taste.

The New York plates included several similar sandwiches, but also had a roquefort cheese and grape, and a prosciutto, mozzarella and pesto.

My vegetarian tower had an amazing cucumber sandwich- a tea time classic, but here, more delicate, with extremely thin slices of cucumber and just a bit of cream cheese. A mozzarella and pesto sandwich was light and delicious, and a truffled egg salad was to die for. (Is there anything with truffle that is not??!)

The scones were lemony and raisiny and warm and soft.

But the best part, of course, is the desserts- mini black and white cookies, cheese cake, fruit tarts, hazlenut napoleons- every last one delicious!

After our tea, we headed to Radio City to see the Rockettes, and then to the Tree at Rock Center.

The perfect snack

2010-12-28T14:01:00.000-05:00

Mesclun greens with a lemony-olive oil dressing, marinated olives, slices of a sharp gruyere, a piece of toasted french bread with garlic buttter.... and a glass of white wine.

No, it's not wintery. But with all the soups and chili's and baked sweet potatoes, this super light and refreshing meal seemed just right.

Dressing:
Olive Oil- go with the good stuff
Lemon
salt
pepper

Garlic butter:
Boil 8 slivered cloves of garlic in water. In room temperature butter, mix garlic in and mash well. Sprinkle with sea salt, refrigerate to harden up.

Labels?

2010-11-12T20:01:00.003-05:00

Hi, My name is Lora, and I had my last piece of meat 9 months ago. (HI LORA!) Since then, I've tried on a few labels- but none of the couture seems to quite fit. Vegetarian? hmm.. but I do still use chicken stock- and have looked the other way while eating squash slathered in bacon fat- oh, and let's not forget the bone marrow I unapologetically devoured at Craigie on Main. Plus, I still eat a small and picky amount of fish. So, ovo-lacto pescatarian? riiiiight. Or maybe... ovo-lacto-osteo-lipo pescatarian?

Flexitarian?

locavore?

ummm... In the privacy of my own home I jokingly prefer the term 'vegetablarian'- but just yesterday came across a new word, which might come closer still to getting it right: vegivore. I mean, herbivore would work too, but vegivore sounds far more fun, and less like I'm now a type of dinosaur.

So what exactly is this vegivore creature that roams the earth? Well, according to an article in the latest New York Magazine- vegivore's are vegetable lovers who still might eat some meat or meat products, but relegate them to the sidelines, and glorify vegetables in all their forms.

This sounds about right to me. I mean, here I put on display the extremely complicated food rules I now find myself living by, which, well, probably only make sense to me:

I do not eat cuts of meat- pork, beef, chicken, etc. as a norm.

I do, however, make exceptions for locally sourced, sustainable verified 'happy' animals, but really, this is only happening once- and it will be for Thanksgiving. (We are paying big bucks for a happy turkey that lived twice as long as most on a mennonite/amish farm in Lancaster PA and was allowed to live outside, eat grass, and scratch in the dirt.)

I apparently have no issues with foods made from bones. Don't ask me why. But chicken and beef stocks are ok, as is marrow.

I will eat tilapia, tuna fish salad, only the stuff from a can, and occasionally fried cod, or a piece of sashimi or tuna tartare, and the occasional crab-stuffed mushroom, only when covered in cheese.

I will eat vegetables cooked in bacon fat, though I myself would not cook in this manner.

I will eat around meat in dishes- IE, I'll taste the broth of a chicken soup, or the sauce of a dish.

Mortadella is always on the table. All other cold cuts are out. Except when in country of fabulous origin. (See Italy, France)

I'm pretty sure while on vacation, I will taste some meats, but am unlikely to order them.

I now request veg meals for flights.

Dairy and Eggs is all good, though I prefer happy dairy cows and will really only eat free-range eggs these days, preferably from my local CSA.

So, call me what you will, but I'm 9 months deep into this thing- and it still just feels good. I guess for now, the best word I can come up with for me as an eater is happy!

Curried Roasted Winter Squash Soup

2010-11-08T18:28:00.002-05:00

My house smells fabulous right now. I am a huge fan of cooking by my nose- there is such a strong connection between the sense of smell and taste, and I find my best cooking happens when I trust my nose to know what my mouth will like. Tonight's creation- like so many- relied on my nose. If you are looking to move away from cookbook recipes and further into your own tastes, I recommend following your nose to this tasty delight!!

Ingredients:
1 large butternut squash, acorn squash, sweet potato, or pumpkin, seeded (about 3 cups of puree)
olive oil
3 tblsp butter
3 shallots, or 1 small onion
3 cloves garlic
small piece of ginger, peeled and grated (about a tblsp)
1 can coconut milk
2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
2 tsp curry powder
dash cayenne
salt & pepper
cilantro

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut the squash down the middle, stab all over with a fork, and rub with olive oil. Roast 30 minutes to an hour, until the squash is tender and begins to peel from the skin.

2. Meanwhile, melt the butter over medium heat. "Sweat" the onions and garlic, allowing them to turn translucent but not to brown, stirring. Grate the ginger after a while, once the garlic and shallot aroma is strong. Allow to cook a few more minutes.

3. Season onions, garlic and ginger with curry, cayenne, salt and pepper. Stir in stock and coconut milk.

4. Allow to simmer for 15-20 minutes.

5. Scoop the squash out of the peels and add to soup. Allow to cook an additional 15-20 minutes.

6. Puree in a blender, taste, adjust flavors, and garnish with cilantro to serve!

Homemade apple sauce!

2010-10-26T13:57:00.000-04:00

Ryan and I decided to go apple picking while visiting Western Mass for a wedding. It was a beautiful day, and the apples were calling our name.

We scored a nice variety of red delicious, granny smith, and Macintosh.

Ryan came in handy- with his height and long arms- to get the good ones at the top.

So, the question soon became what to do with our apple bounty? We decided to make some applesauce!

Ingredients:
Apples (I think we ended up using a hearty 6 cups or so)
Water (Apple juice or cider- we used cider, it gave the apples all the sweetness they needed!)
cinnamon
brown sugar (if needed)
pinch salt (always)

Wash, core, and cut up the apples. No need to peel if you plan to use a sieve and grinder to mash them up.
Put them in a pot, and cover with water/juice/cider.
Cook the apples down until they get nice and sticky-season to taste.
Pour into a jar, and refrigerate or can properly to keep on the shelf!!

Happy Apple picking & eating!!

Purple Kale: A cooking extravaganza!

2010-10-25T19:04:00.006-04:00

A few veggie-minded friends & I decided to take a cooking class from the fabulous Ronna Welsh of Purple Kale Kitchenworks- an amazing woman who founded a company that teaches at-home cooks how to improvise and 'play' like the pros. Check out Ronna & her website here at:
http://www.purplekale.com/

We decided to treat ourselves to a private cooking lesson- there were four of us, and so we received tons of personal attention from our chef-teacher. Not to mention the feast we ate!

Ronna came up with a fall produce menu- featuring 3 vegetables: kale, kuri squash, and fennel. Now, I am by no means a fan of fennel OR kale, and so I have to admit that though I went in with an open mind- I had some reservations about whether ANY recipe could make me love these fall/winter foods.

Well, of course, Ronna blew my socks off!! First off, she made me LOVE kale- 2 ways- sauteed and crispy with garlic, olive oil, and red wine vinegar (the vinegar really balanced off the bitterness of the kale), and also with garlic, lemon, and salt.

Ronna also got me to taste some fennel that I didn't hate, braised in a little white wine and garlic- and also with mustard. Can't go so far as to say I was converted, but came close. There are a few items I am permanently adding to the repertoire- super-slowly carmelized onions, herb and garlic butters, freekeh grains (pronounced 'freak'), and kuri squash, garlic butter, and gruyere on toast. (Can I get a hell yes to this!!) We also learned how to make a fabulous vegetable stock which we then turned into two kinds of soup: kale, freekeh and onion, and onion soup with gruyere and fresh croutons!!

I can't wait to learn more from Ronna- and I highly recommend taking her classes if you live in the NYC area!!

An Ode to Squash: The Red-headed Stepchild of the Produce Aisle

2010-10-09T14:53:00.006-04:00

Why has that *other* everyday staple of traditional american cultures, the squash, become the unloved stepchild of the produce section? It's brothers- corn and potato- are rocking the world, one recipe at a time- but poor little unloved squash is relegated to the 'gourmet's and snob's only" column? Since when? And why?

Now, I will admit that I myself had never had squash probably until I was an adult- which is a tragedy. It is soooo good, and easy to make- and cheap, to boot. I suspect that the fact that it cannot be eaten raw might work against it, but then again, corn and potatos need to be cooked too, and nobody looks at you like you have three heads when you say they are on the menu for dinner...

I have used yellow squash and zucchini in many recipes now and love them all- and as summer turned to fall, the time for heartier squashes- acorn, butternut, spaghetti, and buttercup- made me want to find new recipes and ways to enjoy this odd-looking, yet delicious fruit.

Spaghetti Squash:

This squash, named for the stringy flesh that comes out after cooking- is slightly sweet. My favorite way to serve it is with red onion, cheese, fresh black pepper and salt. I know a lot of folks who like butter and cinnamon- not my personal taste, but if you are a fan of sweet/savory combos with cinnamon, highly recommended. The most fun way, perhaps, is to top with mozzarella cheese, basil, and tomato sauce- just like real spaghetti!

Butternut or Acorn Squash

I love roasting either of these squashes with a bit of butter and brown sugar in their "bowls"- and then spread this over the finished squash!!

Pumpkin:

Last but not least, good ol' pumpkin. I have not yet made this at home- but always look for curried pumpkin soup on menus in the fall.

What's fa Supper?

2010-10-05T21:08:00.001-04:00

Supper is a classic NYC restaurant in the fall for me- and one of those spots that is just all about memories. Good memories. And good food. We came here with Ryan's mom & aunt, my grandparents, and lots of our friends. We've had date night here- sat outside when it was chilly with our coats on- inside by the kitchen (and then I spilled water ALL over my friend)- in the back, and in the front.

What's so good at Supper? Ryan is a devotee of the priest stranglers- a handmade pasta that is long and skinny, with fresh tomato sauce and soft ricotta on top. I have tried many different dishes- ravioli with pumpkin and sage, and most recently- a grilled vegetable platter that was just soooo amazing. Everything was super fresh. Roasted beets, red peppers, tomato, eggplant and zucchini. I am also a huge fan of the wine selecetion and the bread and canneloni beans that they serve before your meal. The last time I also tried the grilled polenta with sweet gorgonzola cheese, totally awesome.

I've also had some darn good tiramisu here- this place is what memories and good food are made of!!

watermelon, lime and jalapeno salad

2010-10-02T10:26:00.000-04:00

Before the summer season completely fades from memory, I wanted to share this recipe. I made it for our labor day party- and though the picture shows pink watermelon, I used a yellow melon instead. Ryan declared the salad to taste like a "lime-lemon ice pop"- and indeed it was extremely refreshing! A great palate cleanser or interesting side for a picnic!

Ingredients:
3 tbs. lime juice
2 tbs olive oil
2 cups seedless watermelon, cubed
1 jalalpeno chile, seeded and sliced
sprinkle salt
basil

Whisk together the lime juice and oil, and set aside.
Place watermelon cubes in a dish and pour lime mixture over top. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Place 5 jalaoeno rings at the bottom of serving dish. Place watermelon on top, and divide marinade. Garnish with a sprinkle of salt, and a piece of basil.

Haab

2010-10-01T12:25:00.002-04:00

The newest mexican restaurant in Williamsburg- and wow, the best. Finally, a place with fresh ingredients and non-gentrified flavors. My constant complaint about Mexican food in NYC is that it all tastes anesthetized- no spice, no seasoning- just tons of heavy nacho cheese, stale tortilla, and microwaved beans and chewy bits of rice. At the other end, we have some very upscale mexican joints- but come on, who really wants to pay $30 every time they want a decent enchilada?

Compared to the flavors and freshness of mexican food in California and Texas- it's really just unacceptable.

So, you can imagine my joy at finding a spot committed to creating good, authentic mexican food at a reasonable 'neighborhood' price point.

Ryan has tried the chicken, pork, and steak tacos. He loves the chicken- they spice the chicken itself, and each taco comes in a double shell (According to Anthony Bourdain, the sign of the real deal). The salsas are all amazing- and there is definitely some spicy heat to them all.

Ryan has also tried the chicken enchiladas with red sauce, which he really liked. I've had the vegetarian enchiladas- which impressed me, because they weren't stuffed with cheese- but actual vegetables! Spinach and mushrooms, topped with a tomatillo green sauce, and several different salsas. I found the same was true for a vegetarian quesadilla special- full if veggies, not cheese, and lots of flavor.

I've also tried three soup special- all of which were soooo good! A chilled avocado soup, which was creamy, rich, and full of 'green' flavor, a cauliflower soup that had a slight curry flavor to it- really interesting and unique- and a squash soup that tasted a little like stuffing at thanksgiving- lots of sage, celery, onion, and butter flavor- and all that tastes gooood.

Finally, we tried the flan, which was tasty, too!

This is such a welcome addition to our subway stop, and to the city in general!! Can't wait for my next order....

Apple Ladybugs

2010-09-30T10:10:00.000-04:00

I just had to share this adorable recipe that I made with my students. This month, we are celebrating apples as our fruit of the month. I did a 'cooking demo' class for them, and the girls loved it! This treat- while being cute, also is quite tasty.

Ingredients:
1 red apple per 'ladybug'
thin pretzel sticks
peanut butter, other nut butter, or honey
raisins

Directions:
Cut the apple in half and remove the seed and core.
Dab the peanut butter on several spots on the back of the apple.
Place a raisin on each peanut butter spot.
Stick some peanut butter on the end of each pretzel, add a raisin, and attach to the front of the ladybug.

Snack away!!

Roasted Pears

2010-09-29T18:09:00.000-04:00

Pears are not my favorite fruit- you wait around for days until they are ready to eat, and then in what seems like a minute, they are over-ripe and gross!! I had a batch of too-ripe pears, and thought I'd try this recipe to save them. After all, it only requires 2 other ingredients, so it seemed fairly no-risk. Well, what came out of my oven tasted more like candy than fruit, took no time at all to prepare and make, and was delicious hot and cold!! I could imagine pearing (haha, get the pun?) them with a peppery arugula salad and a little goat cheese, or in a sandwich with brie and a splash of truffle oil. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
Pears- as many as you want, I used 3 slightly over-ripe ones
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Cut pears in half and core them.
Place pears in a baking dish, drizzle with olive oil, and salt and pepper generously.
Bake about 30 minutes, until pears are soft.

Eat hot or cold!

Buddha Bodai

2010-09-23T21:38:00.003-04:00

Oh, vegetarian heaven. I have been here several times- but this past time, almost 7 months in to my vegetarian goodness, this vegetarian-kosher spot tasted better than ever before. I am not the world's biggest fan of fake meat- I usually opt for real tofu or for all-veggie dishes- but this chinese restaurant- which I'm pretty sure is the real deal- I was one of the few english speakers on my last visit- is no joke. My veg friend, Stacey, joined me, and declared it "the best food ever". It was like two hours of pure chow down.

So, what delights did we try? We split an order of the sesame chicken- actually tofu, not fried, with the most perfectly steamed bright green broccoli ever. It pretty much cured every chicken craving I've had in the past months- and reminded me that the best part is the broccoli anyway. The sauce was sweet and tangy, not overly syrupy or thick, and just pretty much made the fresh broccoli taste amazing.

We also had the Buddha's delight crisp noodles- a massive plate of crispy ramen noodles in sauce with bok choy, mushrooms, tofu, and more broccoli. I ate far too much of everything.

As a final compliment to the awesomeness that is this spot, on a previous visit, even my totally skeptical of veg food husband was impressed by the cuisine!

If you are in chinatown and want vegetarian heaven, seek this spot out!!

Lemon Rosemary Sugar Cookies

2010-09-18T11:27:00.000-04:00

These little cookies were to-die-for. Ryan was reluctant at the thought of rosemary in his cookie, but in my brain, this made sense to my sweet-salty-savory loving palate. I also could imagine a childhood in the italian countryside - and the smell of these cookies coming out of Nonna's oven. The recipe yields about thirty small-bite cookies! PS: this recipe is another winner from vegetarian times- Simple, great tasting- I highly recommend it!

1 stick butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. finely chopped rosemary (fresh!)
1/2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
2 egg yolks
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup flour
1/3 cup corn flour (this was a little tricky to find- I'd look in advance!)
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup turbinado (sugar in the raw) or decorative crystal sugar for decorating

DIRECTIONS

Beat butter, sugar, rosemary, and lemon zest with electric mixer 3 minutes, or until creamy. Beat in egg yolks and vanilla.
Whisk together flours, baking powder, and salt in bowl. Add to butter mixture, and beat until just combined. Shape into 2 1-inch-wide logs. Wrap in wax paper, and chill 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray 2 baking sheets with cooking spray. Slice cookies into 1/3-inch-thick rounds. Place turbinado sugar in bowl and press one cut side of cookies into sugar. Place sugar-side up on baking sheets. Bake 15 minutes, or until golden brown on bottoms. Transfer to wire racks to cool.

Pasta Sauce: One Year Later

2010-09-14T10:08:00.000-04:00

One of my earliest posts to this blog was a recipe for homemade sauce- and that was over a year ago! In that time, I've learned so much- and even that recipe has evolved and changed. The original is still up on the site, if you are curious, but here is the one-year-later take on how to make some good ol' Italian Gravy:

Ingredients:
2 28-oz cans of peeled tomatoes (I prefer san marzano imported)
2 28-oz cans of a different brand, sometimes I use wood-fired for different flavor
2 healthy handfuls of freshly chopped basil
1 healthy handful of fresh chopped parsely
1 handful of fresh oregano
Dashes of marjoram, thyme, and rosemary
3 garlic coves peeled & minced
1 shallot minced
stems of celery, minced
olive oil
up to 1/2 can of water
splash of wine
sea salt & pepper- black and red
Pecorino & Parmeggiano cheese to grate on top
Pasta of preference

1. Coat bottom of a sauce pot with olive oil. Over low heat, add in garlic, shallots, and celery. 'Sweat' the onions and garlic- stirring frequently, and NOT allowing to brown. Cook until they begin to break down softly.
2. Add in herbs. Continue to cook over low heat, stirring and crushing ingredients against the sides and bottoms of pot. Add in more olive oil if it starts to dry out. Wilt greens into the oil, releasing flavors.
3. Once herbs have wilted into the oil, add in the 4 cans of tomatoes. Stir and crush some of the larger tomatoes with wooden spoon. Turn up heat and allow to boil briefly, then turn down to simmer.
4. Salt & pepper, allow to simmer, the longer, the better, but at minimum, an hour. If simmering for longer times, you may need to add in more water.
5. Stir occasionally, and after first hour, smell and taste, adjust flavors.
6. Prior to serving, pour in a splash of a dry red italian wine.

This sauce freezes up really well!! We usually have enough to make 4 1-lb boxes of pasta with this recipe. We've also used it on pizzas and in our eggplant & chicken parm!!

Braeburn

2010-09-13T10:27:00.001-04:00

I love it when spontaneity pays off! Ryan & I were out for drinks with friends, and a bit hungry- and decided to head off to find some food. On our way somewhere else, we walked past Braeburn- a restaurant I had heard of for its organic, local, fare, and intimate neighborhood vibe. They also have a menu with multiple vegetarian options- which makes them already a hit on my list. So, we popped in, asked if they had space- and to our pleasure, they did!

Ryan had an Old Fashioned cocktail which he said was made just right. A complimentary amuse bouche- a bite of watermelon in mint oil- was light and refreshing. We tried a poached & panko-crusted farm egg for our appetizer, which was both savory and light at the same time. There were pea shoots in the egg that were delicious, as well as mushrooms, making it a great start to the meal.

I tried a second appetizer- which was fettuccine with black pepper, preserved lemon, and ricotta cheese. I am often reluctant to order fettuccine dishes when I'm out because more often than not they are extremely heavy and gooey- but I had high hopes for this spot, and they delivered! The pasta was actually light- the lemon flavor giving it a really nice, clean taste, and the portion size was perfect. A few cherry tomatoes made a nice acidic contrast to the pasta.

Ryan tried the steak, which was a really impressive piece of meat, both in quality and quantity for the price. Ryan, who has had a few steaks in his day, actually declared it one of the better ones he's come across of late- perfectly cooked medium rare throughout with a nicely flavored and seared outer crust. Topped with 'blistered' tomatoes, zucchini and carmelized onions, the dish was really well seasoned and prepared!!

We were both really happy with the atmosphere, cocktails, food, and service- and not to mention the price point! Appetizers were around $10-$12 each, and most entrees were around $22-$25, with the steak at $33. Dinner for two with a shared appetizer and a cocktail in the city that clocks in at the $70-$80 range and tastes this good deserves to be celebrated!!!

Lime-Cilantro Dressing

2010-09-12T10:25:00.002-04:00

Oh man, a new favorite. I am so sick of oil and vinegar and even balsamic vinaigrette- and this is a light, summery, refreshing dressing! We served it with an arugula, spinach, and mesclun salad, topped with cherry tomatoes, and it complimented the bitter greens perfectly.

The recipe is adapted from Frontera Kitchens- a Rick Bayless Restaurant/ product line- and it is just amazing. Check them out!!

2 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

2 small cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped

1/2 of a fresh hot green chile, such as chile serrano, seeded and roughly chopped (I used jalapeno)

1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

2/3 cup olive oil

Mix together in a food processor or blender, shake well, and voila!

Washington, DC

2010-08-21T19:10:00.001-04:00

I always forget- until I'm back- how pretty our capital city is. The grand marble columns... the wide boulevards... the perfect vistas. The glory of planned cities! On our last visit, we got to do some tasty touring as well as eating, and I wanted to feature two restaurants, one new, one a classic- that we sampled!

Masa 14

The concept of this restaurant is latin-asian fusion tapas- an interesting idea, and one which produced many tasty dishes, though I had two fairly consistent comments: too much salt, and too much sauce. Everything was just slightly saltier and "wetter"- for lack of a better term- than was really necessary. And this is a tad bit a shame, because otherwise, the food was really delicious- and this seemed unnecessary!! So, overall, good stuff, but perhaps ask them to hold the salt and sauce on the side....

We tried a sampling of dishes, not even sure if this covers them all- and accompanied them with tasty margaritas and mojitoes.

The baby spinach salad with mushrooms, red pepper, and black bean dressing was fresh and featured great flavors, but as mentioned previously, had waaaay too much dressing.

The wild mushroom flatbread with oaxaca cheese, red pepper and avocado was actually one of my top favorites- the flavors balanced nicely and it was not over-seasoned. I also was surprised to like the crispy crab wonton rolls with cream cheese, corn, mushroom, shiso, truffle, and spicy ponzu- I think the cream cheese and crab combo for me works well. Finally, the wok seared cauliflower with ginger and an (extremely spicy) chile de arbol was another top favorite, as was the fried tofu with spinach, and sweet and spicy sauce.

Less successful as a complete dish was the green tofu curry with potato, carrot, and cortija cheese. The curry itself was tasty, and creamy- but I found the cortija cheese to seem forced 'fusion' flavor where perhaps a splash of lime would have served better. The feta-like cortija cheese and creamy coconut curry seemed completely at odds, and luckily was easily picked off.
Ryan also tried the pork belly steamed buns, which seemed like the perfect combo of all of his favorite things- but was disappointed by the pork and the bun- which instead of looking like a traditional asian-style steamed bun, looked more like a pita-bread taco shell... Finally, the yucca fries with chimichurri and garlic- lime aioli dipping sauce should have been amazing, but was sooo salty, that the flavors of the delicate yucca were hard to detect.

Overall, my feeling is that as at many tapas restaurants, it is a process of finding the small plates that you like. I'd try this spot again in the future, but I'd also make sure to tell them to lay off the salt.....

Jaleo

Probably well over 15 years ago- seriously- I had my first-ever taste of gazpacho at this DC classic spanish tapas restaurant. In my brain, the gazpacho here has yet to be paralleled in the states- for the traditional, real-deal thing. And, 15 years later, the memory proved true- it is indeed the best classic American take on this classic.

We also tried an eggplant and red pepper salad, as well as papas arrugas- potatoes with green mojo sauce- only like my favorite thing... ever. Sooooo good.I mean, how can a green sauce made with cilantro, cumin, and garlic ever taste bad? Oh, by adding some sherry? nope, still awesome....

If you are ever in DC, make sure to come by this amazing spot. Of course, now I know it is owned by the world-renowned chef Jose Andres, but that only makes me all the more proud to have such an advanced palate back at 8, lol.

Apricot Jam

2010-08-18T13:48:00.001-04:00

I am not the biggest apricot fan, but I had to do something with the 15 we got from our last CSA pickup.... so, I took my first attempt at jam. The hardest part is knowing when it is done cooking to the "jelling point". I pulled mine a bit early, and the jam is not super thick, but not watery, either. Probably should have let it go more like 50-60 minutes. I will continue to perfect the jelling method, and keep you posted..... but flavor-wise, this bad boy was the type of jam I've only dreamed of- sweet and tart, citrusy and summery, like a mouthful of sunshine!

Ingredients:
apricots- halve and remove pit
3/4 cup sugar, more to taste
juice of 1 lime
splash honey
splash orange juice
pinch salt

Bring ingredients to a continuous boil. Stir frequently, and taste and adjust flavors. Skim off foam. Test for doneness by dipping a metal spoon in and seeing if liquid slowly drips from tip. It took me about 40 minutes to an hour for a smallish batch- give or take. Pour into a jam jar, allow to cool uncovered at room temperature and then refrigerate!

Panzanella

2010-08-17T10:45:00.000-04:00

A tuscan classic!

Ingredients:
2-3 Extra ripe tomatoes
1/2 white or red onion
handful of basil
cucumber
bread- italian or french style, the older the better- if more than 4 days old, rinse or soak in water for a minute and gently squeeze
salt & pepper
olive oil and red wine vinegar

Mix ingredients in a bowl and enjoy!

Burgers, For you meat-eaters out there....

2010-08-16T10:20:00.002-04:00

My husband makes a mean burger. I remember from my meat eating days that even I enjoyed his handiwork, and I was never much of a fan of the form. So, for the meat lovers out there, this is how it is done!

1 lb pound- grass/veg fed beef, lean, or ground chuck
2 pieces white bread, no crust
4 dashes worcestershire sauce
salt & pepper
1/2 shallot
1 clove garlic
handful chopped chives
about a tablespoon of milk (add additional, if needed, just enough to moisten)
1/4 stick butter

1. Mix bread, worcestershire, salt & pepper, shallot, garlic, chive, and milk in a bowl.
2. Mash with fork into a paste. Crumble the meat in and form into patties.
3. Melt butter and brush on both sides.
4. Grill for 4-5 minutes per side, if that.
5. Toast buns and serve with your favorite fixin's!

Insalata Caprese: An Italian Classic

2010-08-15T14:38:00.000-04:00

This is such a great summer dish, and with heirloom tomatoes- heaven.

Ingredients:
Buffala Mozzarella-
(spring for the pricey stuff, totally worth it when featured in a salad.) We get ours from fresh direct- lupara Ovoli, imported- runs about $8.00 for a ball. Let sit out prior to serving to warm up.
Fresh Basil- get it as fresh as you can!
Tomato- red, yellow, and nice and ripe. Make sure you keep them on a counter to stay soft and warm, no refrigeration!!

Cut the mozzarella and tomato into thin slices. Layer on a plate with the basil. Sprinkle with pepper, fresh or dried oregano. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and aged balsamic vinegar.

If you want to fancy it up, serve a grilled peach or a few spears of asparagus with the dish- despite stepping away from tradition, totally delicious. Parsley and onion are other options, or even a splash of citrus in the olive oil. A small amount of salt can also be used, but tread lightly, as the mozzarella is naturally salty!

Grilled Corn

2010-08-14T13:01:00.004-04:00

Ah, summer corn. We've been getting a ton, and grilling it up. We've found the following method to be simple and produce some seriously delicious kernels, so enjoy!

Based off Bobby Flay's style!

1. Pull down the husk carefully without removing- and gently pull out the silks. Take off dead ends of husks, if any.
2. Pull the husks back up into place and wrap in tinfoil.
3. Cook about 20 minutes on a covered grill, turning every few minutes. Check for golden color to know when done!

Garnish with fresh lime or butter and serve! I Whipped up some garlic butter as a topping- just put 1/4 stick in the food processor with a clove of garlic, and whip into a ball!!

Make sure you use the garlic butter within a few days, or it will go bad!

Nantucket Zucchini Casserole

2010-08-11T17:23:00.003-04:00

This made the perfect hot dish for a picnic in the park- I served it with some fresh crusty bread and an arugula salad.

Ingredients:
2 medium zucchinis, one yellow, one green, if available
1 medium yellow or red onion, or 1/2 and 1/2, as I did
fresh thyme
cheddar, monterey jack, and mozzarella cheese
croutons or bread crumbs
chicken or vegetable stock
salt & pepper
Corn kernels
mushroom

Layer the ingredients in a casserole dish and top with the bread crumbs or croutons. Bake @ 425 for about 40 minutes.

Rustic Blueberry Peach Tart

2010-08-08T20:03:00.000-04:00

My first attempt at a tart! I was really pleased with this recipe- another one adapted slightly from Vegetarian TImes- and excited to put some super-ripe peaches to good use!

Crust:
3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 tsp salt
6 oz light cream cheese
1/2 stick butter
2-3 tblsp cold water

Filling:
5 cups peaches- peeled, pitted, sliced
1 1/2 cups blueberries
1/3 cup sugar
squeeze fresh lemon juice
2 tblsp corn starch
1/4 tsp cinnamon
pinch salt

For dough: mix dry ingredients with butter and cream cheese, splash with water and knead with hands until soft enough to form a ball. Refrigerate 30 minutes to an hour.

Prepare filling and allow to sit for about 15 minutes.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. We did 400, since our oven runs a little hot.

Place a piece of wax paper on a large baking sheet and flour. Using hands, roll out dough into 12 inch round and tuck up the sides to create a lip. Pour in the filling.

Bake about 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 325 degrees and bake 20 minutes more, or until crust is crisp and brown.

Tip: every time you open the oven door, 50 degrees escape! This could be good, if things are too hot- or bad, so try not to check things too often.

As always, tart is done when filling bubbles!

Coal Cracker Food

2010-08-02T18:27:00.000-04:00

So I presently have a full head of cabbage in my possession from this week's CSA batch, and it is time to revisit my roots, I think, and put these foods to work in some "Coal cracker" recipes (PA Coal region slang for miners).

I recently had some close Jewish friends in stitches over the foods I particularly enjoy- mainly eastern european and german in origin- that in NYC is more associated with Jewish culture than not. Take for instance the pickled egg- a thing of glory, if you ask me. Ryan was repulsed to discover me eating hard boiled eggs at a rather fancy and upscale wine bar one night, but hey, who can resist a nice salty egg with their booze? Clearly, this is an acquired taste, but one I am proud to have.

Ah, the glory of childhood classics, cooked up with some good memories.

I'll be toasting my Grandparents with these tasty morsels- and thinking of Coaldale, people who say "Jewalry" instead of jewelry, call the comics "funny pages", fireflies "lightning bugs", get "roochy" in the bed at night, and carry "pocketbooks" instead of purses! Hope you are brave enough to try these tasty morsels yourself!

Haluski

So my first attempt at old school cooking led me to realize a few things: holy butter, batman, and can I get a side of salt with that? All joking aside, it kinda dawned on me during this cooking exercise that the majority of the flavor in classic dishes come from fat and salt- so I definitely took a more modern approach. Therefore, the ingredients and techniques below are starred if they detour from the classic version! This makes about 2-3 servings, I paired it with some toast. PS: It is also quite bland looking with all the white... not pretty, but definitely tasty.

1/2 head of cabbage, remove outermost layer and core by cutting it out. Chop roughly
1/2 white onion
1/2 stick of butter* (original calls for WHOLE stick)
2 cloves garlic*
salt and pepper
paprika*
chicken or vegetable stock*
Egg noodles * (Broad noodles are traditionally used)

Bring water to boil and cook egg noodles, about 8 minutes, then drain. In saute pan, cook onion and garlic in butter. Add in chopped cabbage, stir together, and then pour in stock and allow to simmer, 5-10 minutes, until cabbage wilts and softens. Salt and pepper generously, add in pinch of paprika, and mix noodles in. Top with a little bit of butter, Serve!

Smoky Chipotle Corn Chow-DAH

2010-07-30T07:01:00.000-04:00

What to do with 7 ears of corn? Excellent question. Answer: Make Corn Chowder!!

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels (Or canned, in a pinch)
1-2 small dried chipotle pepper*
2 red potatoes
1 white onion, or mix onion and shallot
2 cloves garlic
cumin
fresh cilantro
shaved sharp white cheddar or mexican cheese
fresh chive for garnish
cherry tomato, for garnish
1 quart vegetable or chicken stock
capful of olive oil
pinch truffle oil, if on hand
dollop sour cream
splash of milk
1/4 stick butter
parsely
salt & pepper to taste

1. In large sauce pot, saute garlic and onion in butter. Sprinkle with cumin, and let the onion sweat, without browning, for a few minutes.
2. Add in vegetable stock, potato, corn, and chipotle pepper*. Bring to boil, let simmer until potatoes are tender.
3. Turn off heat and puree soup in blender or food processor and return to pot. Over low heat, add in olive and truffle oil, sour cream, cheese, salt, pepper, cilantro, splash of milk, and parsley. Allow to cook in.
4. Serve with chives and tomato garnish!

*Dried Chipotle Peppers:
To reconstitute, roast in oven at 400 degrees for approximately 5 minutes, until peppers puff up. Remove and immediately soak in warm water for 20-30 minutes, until soft. Split open and remove seeds and stem. Chop roughly!

Croutons!

2010-07-29T08:21:00.000-04:00

So easy to make and so darn tasty, I have no clue why we ever bought them from a store...

15 slices bread- a good peasant round with a nice crust works well
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 teaspoons garlic salt
Dash of Paprika

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Brush bread on both sides with melted butter. Cut bread slices up into small cubes. Sprinkle with garlic salt and paprika. Arrange cubes on an ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until browned. Let cool.
Serve or Store croutons in a covered container or plastic bag.

Vegetable Frittata

2010-07-28T07:34:00.001-04:00

Thanks to Lori for inspiring this take on a frittata! I wanted an easy, quick meal, that requires little tending, and would use up some past-prime veggies from our CSA batch. Besides, who can say no to an egg pie? Which is basically what a frittata is- I even made it in a pie plate. Similar to quiche, but minus the massive quantities of butter and sans a crust, frittata is the italian cousin! Enjoy!

Serves 4.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

6 Eggs, lightly beaten
salt & pepper
sliced zucchini
red onion
green pepper
shredded cheddar cheese and mozzarella
swiss chard or spinach
basil and oregano to top
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 piece of bread

1. Beat the eggs and shred the cheese into the mixture. Add in the veggies and toss to coat.
2. In a pie plate, tear up bread pieces and spread around. Pour egg and veggie mixture into plate.
3. Top with herbs, and if desired, more cheese.
4. Bake for about 35 minutes.

I like to top this with a little hot sauce!! Enjoy!

Pickle-OH!

2010-07-27T10:08:00.001-04:00

With so many little cukes lying around, I figured the time had come to learn about the picklin'! So, always a believer in doing everything in a grand fashion the first time around...I am going to make pickles three different ways. I settled on Dill pickles (inspired in part by 2 bunches of dill from the CSA), bread and butter pickles, and an asian-style pickle, just to kick it up a notch.

Now, being lazy, and seeing as it is 100 degrees out and standing over boiling water is not my idea of fun, I have decided to make refrigerator pickles- They'll still keep in canning jars, but only be good when kept in the fridge, and for a few months, compared to proper canning technique which would keep on a shelf for up to a year. That will have to wait for another (cooler) day....

Ok, ready, set... pickle!

Dill Refrigerator Pickles- 2 Quart- size jars worth!

Ingredients:
cucumbers, cleaned and quartered or halved, or even whole, 2-3, depending on size
1/2 tbslp Pickling Spice*
1 bunch dill
1/4 cup white vinegar
2 1/2 cups water
2 1/2 tblsp salt
1/2 tsp black peppercorns
Optional: 3-4 whole cloves of garlic

*Pickling Spice
Buy in stores, or, as I did, make your own:

1 tbsp black peppercorns
1 tbsp mustard seeds
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1/4 tsp red pepper- cayenne
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tbsp whole clove
1/4 tsp celery salt
pinch tumeric

1. toast the peppercorns, mustard seeds, and coriander seeds over low heat- make sure to put a lid on them, they will jump out of the pan as they heat up! Stir them a few times, and after a few minutes, remove from heat.
2. Crack the seeds with the flat end of a knife.
3. Combine all the spices in a bowl.

1. Put the bunch of dill at the bottom of the jar. Cut cucumbers and add into the jars. If using garlic, slide in between the cucumbers.
2. In a sauce pan, combine the water, white vinegar, peppercorns, pickling spice, and salt. Bring to a boil, and let boil for 3 minutes. Turn off heat and allow brine to cool to room temperature.
3. Pour brine into jars, seal, shake lightly, and put in fridge.

Wait patiently for....2-3 weeks...

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

Pickles- Asian Style

2 medium size cucumbers, cut into thin slices
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
little bit of water to dilute
2 tsp tamari soy sauce
juice of 2 limes
handful of fresh cilantro
1 shallot, rouchly diced
1 whole clove garlic
1/2 tsp red curry paste
dash siracha
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 cucumber, sliced into thin circles

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Layer shallot, garlic, cilantro in bottom of jar, then put in cucumber slices. Pour in the lime juice. In a separate bowl mix vinegar, sugar, and red curry paste, allow sugar to dissolve. Pour into jar to cover cucumber slices. Shake well and allow to marinate for a day or more!

Good news: Ready overnight, but flavors only get better with additional days!

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
Bread & Butter Pickles

2-3 medium cucumbers, sliced thin
1/2 white onion, sliced thin
1/4 salt
2 cups cider vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp celery salt
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp tumeric
1 clove garlic

1. Place a thin layer of cucumber and onion in a bowl and cover with some of the salt. Create a second layer and salt. Fill bowl with water to cover, and set aside 1-2 hours in fridge.
2. Rinse cucumbers and onion thoroughly with water and drain
3. In small pot, bring cider, sugar, spices, and garlic to a boil, and simmer 3 minutes. Let cool.
4. Layer cucumber and onion in jar, and pour brine over it. Seal and refrigerate.

Wait 2 weeks... and see what happens!

Grilled Zucchini Quesadillas

2010-07-26T07:14:00.002-04:00

This recipe was one of those creative moments: friends were smoking up some ribs, and I needed a vegetarian entree for myself that would still somehow make them all jealous of how delish MY food was. I was actually really pleased with how these turned out- a friend who ate both ribs and quesadillas was really into them, and quite surprised that they didn't taste "thrown together" or liked "second best". I totally agree- it's awesome when vegetarian food and flavor combine for something meat-eaters might pick to eat- OVER meat! Hehehe.

Vermont Sharp white Cheddar cheese, grated
cherry tomato
fresh zucchini, sliced thin
pickled jalapeno slices
cilantro
green bell pepper
wheat wraps

Layer the cheese and vegetables in the quesadilla, then fold in half and wrap in a piece of tinfoil. Grill, just about a minute or two per side, and then check to see that cheese is melted. Serve with a favorite hot sauce! The cheese was nice and melty, the veggie flavors really strong and wonderful, and the grill made the tortillas just the right amount of crispy!

Grilled Portobello Mushroom Burger

2010-07-25T08:10:00.002-04:00

When the days are this hot, there is but one cooking option: Grilling. Some essential recipes;

Grilled Portobello Mushroom Burger:

For 1-2 mushroom caps

Marinade:
1/2 cup Medium-bodied red wine, I used a french Syrah blend
1 garlic clove
1 shallot
hearty sprinkle thyme
6 whole black peppercorns
salt

1. Prepare mushroom by washing lightly, removing stem and scraping out the gills. Poke with a fork to create tiny holes all over surface, but be careful not to break the mushroom cap.

2. In sauce pan, combine garlic, shallots, wine, thyme, and black pepper. Season with salt, bring to a slow boil, and simmer for a few minutes until aromatic.

3. Add mushroom into marinade and let simmer until mushroom is tender. Then grill 5 minutes on each side, until browned and juicy.

4. Serve on a toasted bun with tomato, arugula, and red onion!

Jalapeno Pesto

2010-07-24T11:10:00.002-04:00

5 jalapenos-roasted*, seeded, peeled, chopped- (for god's sake, add to taste, don't be a moron like me....)
2 cups cilantro
1 cup basil
1 cup mint
2 cloves garlic
2 tblsp pine nuts
1/2 cup olive oil
salt and pepper
Parmesan & pecorino cheese, or even better, a mexican cheese like cortijo or oaxaca
1/4 lemon- sprinkle juice

To taste, TO taste, TO TASTE: this is the motto I am incapable of following.. Grr, argh. So, This recipe is definitely still in progress- I made it holy moly flaming hot, but we managed to salvage it with lots of olive oil, a little mint, more cilantro, cheese.... and it was still hot! BUT I really did think it tasted quite good- especially after hitting it with a little lemon juice.

So, carefully combine all the herbs, pine nuts, and garlic in a processor first, and then add in the jalapeno to taste, along with the olive oil. Adjust seasonings to taste, and add cheese- both into the pesto and as garnish. Voila!

*Roasting peppers:

Not as tricky as it sounds or seems. Place peppers in an oven-safe dish, fire the oven up to 400 degrees, and roast about 40 minutes, until the skins start to blacken and the peppers soften. It is optional to put a little oil on them and in the pan, but olive oil is of course delicious and adds flavor- same goes for roasting garlic alongside the peppers as well. Make sure to turn them every so often so all sides are cooked evenly.

BBQ Sauce & Ribs in a smoker....

2010-07-23T10:37:00.001-04:00

So my beloved husband loves his meat, as do, I know for sure, many of my readers. And so, here is one for him and his carnivorous friends to drool over! Though I did not try the ribs, Ryan exclaimed them more or less the 'best he's had'- short of a business trip down to Memphis a few years back. Thanks to our friend Eric, for using his smoker to make them even better.

BBQ Sauce:
1 cup ketchup
1 cup water
4 tablespoons molasses
4 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon or spicy brown mustard
2 tablespoons light/dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco®)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Whisk the ketchup, water, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar, mustard, brown sugar, salt, hot pepper sauce, garlic, and black pepper together in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan and place over medium heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and continue cooking at a simmer, stirring together, another 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely. Allow to cool and use, or better yet, pour into a glass jar and store uncovered in the refrigerator for 8 hours or overnight. This allows the flavors to blend and reduce any sharpness from the vinegar.

Banana Smores

2010-07-22T16:44:00.004-04:00

This past weekend in Vermont was a culinary free-for-all, and we made some amazing dishes. Roasted beet salad, grilled corn, zucchini quesadillas, smoked BBQ ribs for the meat-eaters, black bean and corn salad, tzatziki, jalepeno pesto pasta, fresh homemade french toast, and pudding pie- and then these little bad boys, Banana S'mores. It was glorious gluttony and my tastebuds were very, very happy. Many of these recipes have already, and will, appear on this site over the coming days, I've had trouble keeping up with posts at the rate I've been cooking. But We'll get to them all someday soon, I promise.

For today, the banana s'more. What is it? Well, this comes from my camping trip out to Western Canada a few years back- and though there are many things that make the Canadians sort of silly, this one is sheer genius.

Ingredients:
ripe bananas
chocolate of preference
graham crackers
marshmallows
tinfoil

Take a banana and slit it, through the peel, right down the middle. Stuff the banana with marshmallow, pieces of chocolate, and crumbled bits of graham cracker. Wrap in tinfoil, and throw on a grill, or better yet, in a raging campfire- and allow to cook for several minutes. Let cool, and then open and eat the gooey awesomeness that is basically a banana-split-s'more!

Roasted beet salad with Asian Vinaigrette

2010-07-18T18:18:00.006-04:00

This salad was an amazing addition to a summer picnic! So much flavor, and easy to make!

1 bunch of beets- I went for the small ones, delicate and tender
6 cloves garlic- leave whole
salt & pepper
olive oil- 2 capfuls, about 2 tblsp
red and green leaf or mesclun lettuce
almonds or walnuts
Asian Vinaigrette

Roast Beets & Garlic

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Trim and reserve greens for another use, and scrub beets. Cut off ends of beets.
2. Arrange beets in small casserole dish with cloves of garlic. Toss with the olive oil, and salt and pepper. Coat well.
3. Roast in oven on top rack for about 40 minutes, stirring vegetables every so often. Beets are done when they are tender and can be pierced easily by a fork.
4. Peel the beets and slice paper thin.
5. Mince the garlic.
6. In a bowl, combine lettuce, sliced beets, nuts, and garlic.

Asian Vinaigrette:

Olive oil
4 shakes tamari or soy sauce
Capful of apple cider vinegar
small amount of dijon or spicy brown mustard

Mix in bowl, beginning with the olive oil- then adding and tasting other ingredients, should be a light brown color when finished!

Refreshing Corn & Black Bean Salad

2010-07-17T07:01:00.001-04:00

We had some leftover black beans from enchiladas, and leftover grilled corn from tonight, and so this recipe was just calling my name. Super easy to throw together and clean and refreshing flavors make this an awesome summer salad!

black beans (1 can, or 1 cup)
2 ears grilled corn on the cob
green bell pepper
cherry tomato
1/4 cup red onion
1/2 jalepeno seeded and diced finely
handful cilantro
several splashes of your favorite hot sauce (I'm a devote user of Cholula)
generous shake of cumin
salt and pepper
1/2 lime

Dice up the veggies in a bowl. Season generously and add lime. Mix together well, and adjust lime and jalepeno to balance heat!

Thai Red Curry With Chicken

2010-07-14T22:10:00.002-04:00

One of my favorite meals, smells amazing cooking up on my stove! I've heard this version referred to as 'jungle curry'- it has more ingredients than a traditional red curry might, and is creamier. Ryan cooked this up last night for me- what a guy!

Vegetables:
green beans or snap peas
red pepper
squash/zucchini/eggplant
Several cloves garlic
1-2 tblsp red curry paste- We use Thai Kitchen, pictured above- or you can make your own (This too, coming soon...)
1/4-1/2 yellow onion
2 cans coconut milk (We like Thai kitchen or Taste of Thai)
fish sauce
1/2 lime or kaffir leaves
thai sweet basil/ regular basil
bamboo shoots/ water chestnuts/ baby corn
pinch sea salt
pinch sugar
handfuls fresh cilantro
(chicken breasts)
2 teaspoons olive oil/peanut oil
thumb size piece of grated ginger/ galangal
1- 1 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken stock

1. If cooking with chicken, cook the chicken first in butter and cilantro and reserve.
2. In large saucepan, pour in one can coconut milk and 1-2 tblsp red curry paste, depending on your tolerance for spice. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 20 minutes.
3. Add vegetables, spices and seasonings, then second can of coconut milk and continue to simmer another 15 minutes.
4. Add chicken, stir frequently, adjust seasonings to taste.

Serve over jasmine rice!

Asparagus Soup with Parmesan Crisp

2010-07-13T07:36:00.001-04:00

So, my new favorite source for recipes is Vegetarian Times. I also rely on Dean & Deluca, the Joy of Cooking, and AllRecipes.com pretty heavily, but of course, in the end, there are always tweaks. This recipe was really great almost as printed, which makes the magazine now..2 for 2 (See the recipe for Red Pepper Sauce Pizza- yowza yummy!)

We halved the original recipe to yield 3 servings vs. 6, so double it back if you want a larger amount!

1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
butter, softened
1 tbs. butter
1/2 medium white onion chopped
1 garlic clove
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 bunch fresh asparagus- reserve the tips, split and cut stalks into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/6 cup milk
1/2 tbs lemon juice
1 tsp grated lemon zest (We find this a palate killer in large quantities and actually put a little less than 1 tsp, maybe more of a 1/2 tsp? So lemon zest to your taste!)
salt and pepper

For Crisps:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Put dollop of butter on a baking sheet and then a mound of the grated cheese, and flatten with a spoon. Bake 3-4 minutes, until cheese melts into lacy rounds. Cool and remove with a spatula.

Soup:
1. Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until soft, then add in broth, asparagus and thyme, bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, and simmer 15-20 minutes, or until the asparagus is tender.

2. Meanwhile, cook tips in boiling water until just tender, about 2 minutes. (I may have opted to steam these). Drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking.

3. Puree soup in food processor, return to pan, and stir in lemon juice and zest and milk, Season with salt and pepper to taste, Serve with asparagus tips and crisps!

Cucumbers Every Way: Salad, Soup, and Dips from one tasty vegetable!

2010-07-12T07:15:00.001-04:00

I was never a big fan of cucumbers, but after a trip to Greece, I really fell in love with them. So, when we received three pounds of cucumbers from our CSA, I was actually pretty happy! I've been making cucumbers into salads, soups, and dips, and thought I'd share the recipes!

Greek Salad:
(I love to make this when I get tired of lettuce-based salads- it's a great break!)

tomato- the riper, the better!!
cucumber
red onion
green pepper
feta
fresh oregano- lots. Throw on some marjoram too, if you have it around...
salt
pepper
red wine vinegar
olive oil
Kalamata Olives (If you're feeling fancy now...)

Chop the veggies roughly and combine in a salad bowl. Top with feta and herbs, and then dress with red wine vinegar and olive oil. Voila.

Green Gazpacho:

Chilled soups are sooo refreshing on hot sumer nights. Not to mention, not needing a stove saves the house from heating up, too. Despite my heavy hand on the jalepeno, this went quickly on a muggy evening!

1 medium cucumber, peeled and seeded
handful of green pepper
1 cup onion (red or white- or a blend, as I did)
2 pieces of white bread or insides of french or italian bread, no crust
1-2 slices of jalapeno*

*(So of course, I put way too much jalapeno- which is my MO, and so I had one helluva spicy blend. I threw in half of a pepper- and left the seeds. Major no go raw. (I always forget the raw part really changes the intensity!) So the recipe now just calls for a slice or two. As always... to taste, is key....!)

1 large clove garlic
tomato- for the green version, just a sprinkle (could be garnish), or my substitution: a 5.5 oz can of V8
handful fresh cilantro
handful fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste
2 tblsp olive oil
splash of red wine vinegar
Dollop of sour cream (optional)
2-3 ice cubes

1. Start with the bread: run under tap water so it gets mushy, squeeze out excess. Beat to pulp in the food processor. Then add in the other ingredients and season and blend to taste. Don't think the bread bit is crazy- this is what gives gazpacho its consistency (Gazpacho is derived from the Arabic word for bread, so I've heard).

Once finished, chill for several hours with 2-3 ice cubes in the bowl. Serve! Top with more veggies, mint, sour cream, or radish!

Chilled Cucumber and Dill Soup

1 1/2 cucumbers, peeled and seeded
1- 2 tblsp fresh dill, chopped, to taste
1/4 cup onion- scallions are even better, if you have them on hand!
1 clove garlic
squeeze of lemon
2 tblsp olive oil
1/8 cup chopped walnuts or almonds
1 tblsp sour cream (to thicken, if desired/needed)
1 cup greek-style yogurt (I use Fage)
generously season with salt and pepper

Blend ingredients in food processor until smooth, adjust seasonings and chill for several hours. Garnish with mint, parsley, radish, or nuts.

Tzatziki

This is basically a dip version of the soup above, although if you use more sour cream than yogurt, it will have a thicker dip-like consistency (but at the cost of more calories- your call!) Another great gift from the Greeks- this is awesome with pita bread, or as a sauce for kebabs!

1 large cucumber- peeled or unpeeled, your call, but definitely seeded.
1-2 tablespoons fresh dill
1 tablespoon fresh mint
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper
2-4 garlic cloves, to taste
1 pint greek-style yogurt (2 cups)

In a food processor, blend up. Taste and adjust salt, pepper and garlic seasonings. Refrigerate!

Egg

2010-07-11T10:40:00.001-04:00

Brunch is one of my favorite meals, right up there with 'supper'- and luckily, Brooklyn is all about brunch! This week I went with a friend to check out the hot new brunch spot- Egg- which is famously good and notoriously a long wait. We decided to try it on a friday rather than the weekend, and we only had to hang out for about 20 minutes to snag a table. The restaurant is really cute and simple- and the food is the star.

Egg has its own farm upstate, and works with a local dairy and bakery, so everything is fresh and organic. The coffee comes in french presses- and damn it was good! (Pardon the french!) It was also nice to have a refill waiting for me when i wanted it. I ordered the french toast- which is made using brioche from Amy's Bread, one of the yummy bakeries in the city. I opted to top it with fresh berries- currants, blueberries, and raspberries. A big yes from me. My friend went with the eggs- she had them scrambled, and with a side of five grain toast, hash browns, and a carmelized grapefruit with mint. We really enjoyed it- and I spied my next order on the menu: Eggs Rothko- two sunny side up eggs with grafton cheddar cheese on a brioche roll. I'll be back for that, like, next week!

Cherry Pie

2010-07-10T10:22:00.002-04:00

The summer of pies continue. I am seriously considering switching careers... lol. Anyhoo, I decided to tackle cherry pie, a bit of a formidable foe thanks to having to pit the cherries. But with a partner, it was quick work- I used a tweezer to poke through the stem and find the pit and push it out, Ryan preferred a sharp knife. I've heard that paper clips work well- but didn't try it. We did try a chopstick, which was a major fail, so don't listen to that advice.

Crust:
1 1/2 cups pastry flour
1 tsp salt
1 stick unsalted butter (softened)
5-6 tablespoons ice water

Combine flour & salt with a whisk. Add in butter and combine with a fork until crumbly. Drizzle water and shape into a ball. Refrigerate in Saran wrap for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. (My oven runs HOT. Some folks do this @ 425)

Filling:
5 cups cherries, pitted and halved
3/4 cup sugar (Increase if using tarter cherries)
1/4 tsp salt
2 1/2 tblsp cornstarch
squeeze lemon juice

Roll out dough, add filling to center, and top with dollops of butter. Then complete with lattice crust. Bake @ 400 for 20-30 minutes, checking crust for burning. Some folks brush butter or milk on top of the crust, this works too. Then turn down to 325 degrees for an additional 30 minutes. Basically, over an hour, let the pie cook, and turn down the oven when the crust burns at that degree. This is an art and not a science, and so I suggest checking the pie about every ten minutes! It's done when the crust is a deep brown color and the filling bubbles through!

Red Pepper Pizza

2010-07-09T09:34:00.000-04:00

I should really call this Red Pepper Sauce Pizza, because that more accurately describes the yumness. Like most Brooklyners, Ryan and I are huge fans of pizza, but were looking for a new spin- and this recipe, from Vegetarian Times, hit the spot. No tomato sauce- crazy concept- but a red pepper coulis instead! It was a whole new pizza world.

Crust:
We use Fresh Direct's- but Boboli works too. Haven't tried making my own yet, but that is coming soon.

Topping:

2 large red bell peppers
1 small onion
3 cloves garlic
black pepper
fresh or dried oregano
mozzarella
2 small yellow zucchini
2 ripe tomatoes
capers
salt & pepper

In a food processor, zap one and a half of the red peppers, the onion and garlic until smooth. Strain over a bowl and discard the juice.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Grease two baking sheets and roll out dough. Top with the red pepper coulis mixture, and then pieces of pepper, zucchini, tomato, mozzarella, oregano, and capers. Ryan put Capicolla on his as well for the meat lovers out there.

Bake about 10 minutes.

Mode

2010-07-03T10:41:00.000-04:00

I was debating if the role of this blog should be to simply recommend and review the places I've enjoyed, or if I should also include a review of a place I would not suggest to others? I've already listed pros and cons of places, or said a restaurant might be better for just appetizers and drinks, or just dessert- but this would be my first out-and-out pan. Well, since I'm writing, I suppose I've decided that yes, the role of this blog is to record my eating adventures, and in this case, misadventure- and so here is my review of 'Mode'.

To start at the beginning: Ryan had read several early reviews of this new spot that said the food was great, and the live jazz spilling out from the bar area made it even more enticing. The interior is dark with a long bar, which features cocktails and several glasses of wine, nothing crazy- a pinot noir, a merlot, and a cabernet sauvignon were available by the glass, all tasty enough. (one early sign that things might be not quite right: the bartender had no idea how much our two drinks were supposed to cost...) Had we known otherwise, this was where our experience hit a high note, and should have come to an end. The original plan was to grab a drink and head elsewhere for food, but the menu- handwritten on a chalk board- promised tasty treats: mussels, peppercorn tuna, a mushroom and leek soup, and a goat cheese salad. These are things we like, so we decided to grab a table.

This is where mode went down the commode- the service was sllllloow: it took about forty minutes for my soup to arrive, and the wait staff had to be repeatedly waved down for water refills, more bread, etc. The mushroom leek soup was tasty, though heavy on the mustard, and the leek was overpowered. But maybe it was the forty minute wait and the fact that I was hungry, so it went down just fine. We then waited an additional half hour until the entrees came for the rest of the table, ironically with my salad not coming out with the other plates. The owner stopped by at this point to offer us desserts on the house! Which we thought was very nice, and made us feel slightly better. However, the food just didn't win us over. Ryan said the burger was just ok- and did not live up to some of the others in the area (dumont, le barricou, etc etc) My friend Liz had a pasta with fresh vegetables and a light cream sauce, which was at best... safe, but she enjoyed it. My salad eventually arrived, and though the goat cheese was nicely puffed in pastry, the greens were overdressed. (Seems picky, but after and hour and a half wait, it should at least be perfect....)

The free desserts, again, sounded good, but took an additional half hour to come to our table (Yes, for those of you doing the math, this dining experience was well over two hours....)There was a truly good raspberry coulis with vanilla ice cream which was a sleeper crowd pleaser, a decent creme brulee, a so-so apple pie, and what I felt was a less-than-yummy flourless chocolate cake, though I am not a fan of the genre to begin with.

To top of the tale, I ended up with a 24 hour, uh... stomach ache, we'll call it to be polite on a food blog- that pretty much sealed the deal for me on this place. But, an ever-optimist, I would say... the jazz was lovely if a bit loud at times- and a cocktail can't hurt anybody. But don't let the charming atmosphere and chalked specials lure you in!!!