New blog!

Hi all,

This will be my last post on this blog. For various reasons, I have decided to create a new blog which you can find here:
marenellingboe.wordpress.com

I hope you will follow me and continue reading!

Dumbo Art Fair

Saturday afternoon was supposed to be rainy and cold. However, lucky for the residents of Brooklyn the Indian summer has held on for another week and Dumbo was humid and hot. I went to the art fair with a few friends, and not only was there plenty of art, food, and things to buy, there were also wrestlers in the style of Lucha Libre. This meant that there was a giant cage and 15 or so large men fought to be the last one standing. While wearing spandex and extremely colorful masks.
However, as it is an art fair there were also many artists who had their studios open for the weekend. My favorite was a photography exhibit in which the artist had traveled for several years throughout the Americas and lived with cowboys, documenting their way of life. The photographs were all black and white, and many were poignant portraits that looked like they were from a different age.
Of course, this is a food blog, so I will have to talk a little about the food. Of several food trucks, I decided on Schnitzel & Things. They have several options of schnitzel, including veal, cod, pork, and chicken. While not exactly traditional, I decided on a chicken schnitzel sandwich with Sriracha mayo. The sandwich wasn't bad, but I wanted more schnitzel and less bread, and the meat was a little on the bland side. This may have been because I ordered chicken. However, the side of french fries was quite delicious, particularly when you eat them standing up watching Mexican wrestling (it was a new experience).
After we had had enough art, we decided to check out Dewey's, a candy store. It reminded me of the candy stores that I used to go to in Park Rapids, MN , every summer as a kid. Jars of colorful jellies, jawbreakers, and licorice lined the walls, and they had a few kinds of old-fashioned chocolate. I opted for peach gummies, and I must say that they were some of the better ones I have had.
After seeing some excellent light projections on the Manhattan bridge, we ended the night at 68 Jay, a bar with live music and big open windows. Good beer, art, and a warm night in September -- the weekend wasn't so bad.

Restaurant Review: Dell'Anima

After hearing many rave reviews, Ari and I decided to go to Dell'Anima in the West Village to celebrate the two year anniversario. I had been here once before to try their apertivo, a lovely Italian tradition in which the price of a drink also buys you free appetizers at the bar. I didn't take advantage of it nearly enough when I was living in Bologna, but luckily New York has a few places with the same tradtion. Dell'Anima offers apertivo from five to seven Friday through Sunday, and at the time I went, they had a lovely salad with a light, acidic vinaigrette and a frittata. Surprisingly, the salad stuck in my mind more than the frittata, which I remember being rather ordinary and room-temperature. The drinks however, were excellent, especially if you are a fan of Aperol, the orange-rhubarb flavored Italian spirit, as I am.
In any case, we had heard fabulous things about the pasta and I had been wanting to try their dinner offerings for a while. Of course, at eight fifteen on a Monday night, the place was packed. Such is New York. We didn't have to wait long for our table, but unfortunately it was sandwiched in the very back corner between the wall and another table. It was actually easier to hear the guys next to us talking than my own voice. Next time, I think I will sit at the pasta bar and be able to see the dining room. However, our server was very affable and I decided to start off with a white lambrusco. I was very fond of lambrusco, the lightly sparkling red wine, while in Bologna, but in the States it is much harder to come by the good stuff. The white however, was like a slightly sweeter prosecco, not quite as dry and just slightly effervescent.
We began with the five types of bruschetta and the quail noci e bacche. The bruschetta came wih a basket of toasted bread and ricotta, lily confit, cannellini bean purée with lemon and aleppo, rapini pesto, and octopus panissa with lemon. Each topping came in little bowls so that you could mix and match or put on as much as you liked. My personal favorites were the octopus and the cannellini beans. The finely-chopped octopus was perfectly seasoned, and had little bits of lemon and spices mixed in. The cannellini purée was slightly smoky and spicy, and was really delicious with the lily confit on top. I thought that the confit was just a bit oily, but had a nice mellow flavor, and neither the onions or the garlic were too overpowering. The rictotta was very creamy, albeit a bit bland, but it complimented the other toppings well. The rapini pesto was a bit bitter for my taste, but I did like it together with the ricotta. We then had the quail with frisée, dried cranberries, and pistachios, which was quite good although I might have liked something a bit lighter after all that bread. I hadn't really tried quail beforehand, and this had a nice, interesting flavor which was set off well by the sweetness of the cranberries and teh acidity of the sherry vinaigrette.
We both then decided that the seafood pastas sounded too good to pass up, even though much of what I have read about Dell'Anima praised their fearlessness of offal. I ordered spaghetti with scallops, sea urchin, chives, and parmigiano reggiano. Ari chose the garganelli neri with rock shrimp, sepia, scallops, tomato and octopus reduction. Mine was divine, if only slighltly fishy. The sauce was lovely, buttery and light and it set off the creamy scallops very well. Ari's was also very good; the seafood wasn't overcooked and the octopus reduction was delicious with the tomato sauce, although I thought that the pasta itself was just slightly tough. We also ordered a side of polenta, which was divine. Creamy, cheesy, and not overseasoned, it probably would have been a better accompaniment to the venison loin, but was delicious nonetheless.
For dessert we ordered the almond cake with caramel sauce and sea-salt ice cream, which I think was my favorite part of the meal. Of course, I have an incurable sweet tooth, but the almond cake was really nice and not overly cloying. The sea salt ice cream was a perfect accompaniment to the sweetness of the caramel, and had a reall interesting flavor on its own as well.
In conclusion, I would reccommend avoiding the crowded tables altogether and going for the pasta bar where you can watch all of the action. Next time, I would like to try the more carnivorous offerings, including a venison tartar which sounds wonderful. On the whole I was quite satisfied with the food, service, and wine selection. It is certainly not a place to go if you are trying to have a real conversation, but hopefully in the summer they will have some tables outside. Overall, Dell'Anima is a great place to enjoy some people watching, a glass of wine, and some serious pasta.

Carrot Cake Cupcakes

If you can't tell, I am a little obsessed with the Ad Hoc cookbook. Pretty much everything I have made has been amazing, and these cupcakes were certainly no exception. The cake itself is moist and carrotty and not overly sweet, and the frosting is perfection. Now, I am a very strong advocate of cream cheese frosting in any form, and this was certainly no exception. In fact, I would encourage you to go and make these cupcakes as soon as you can.

Carrot Cake Cupcakes (barely adapted from Ad Hoc at Home)

1 cup cake flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 large eggs
1/8 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 cups finely shredded carrots

Frosting:
3/4 pound cream cheese, room temperature (I used reduced fat to little difference)
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter at room temperature
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 12 cupcake cups with liners. In a large bowl, beat the eggs, milk, vanilla, and both sugars with a mixer until smooth. Add in oil. Slowly add in all dry ingredients and beat until smooth. Mix in carrots.
Divide batter evenly among prepared cupcake cups. Bake for 20 minutes, rotating halfway through, until a tester in the middle comes out clean. Remove cupcakes from tins and let cool on rack.
Meanwhile, with an electric mixer, in a large bowl beat cream cheese at medium speed until smooth. Add butter and mix until smooth. Add powdered sugar, then vanilla and mix until competely incorporated. Scrape excess frosting down sides of bowl and beat for 30 seconds on high.
Spread frosting on cooled cupcakes. These can be refrigerated for up to two days, but will probably be gone by then. Makes 12.

Fazzoletti with Arugula Pesto

I think my mom makes the best pesto I have ever had. Which is surprising, considering our very Scandanavian and distinctly non-Italian heritage. However, I look forward to it every summer without fail, when it dresses up the simplest pasta, or is equally delicious smeared on a slice of crunchy baguette. I had been thinking about pesto for several days when coincidentally, one of the articles in the New York Times happened to include a recipe for "Fazzoletti with Chunky Pesto" and I knew I had to make it that very evening. Of course, my grocery store did not have basil this time of year, but luckily they did have arugula, which is nearly as good. Ari and I also decided to try out the new pasta maker(!), to excellent effect. I don't know that it is all that much faster than rolling out the dough by hand, but with this recipe you could also mix the dough in a food processor, which was fantastic and removed a lot of the kneading.

Fazoletti (Pasta Handkerchiefs) with Arugula Pesto (adapted from Mark Bittman)

For pasta:

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed

1 teaspoon salt, plus more as needed

2 whole eggs

3 egg yolks

For Pesto:

3 cups loosely packed arugula, rinsed and dried

3 cloves garlic, peeled

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, or more as desired

1/4 cup pine nutsor walnuts

1/2 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for garnish

Pepper.

1. Pulse flour and salt in a food processor once or twice. Add the eggs and yolks, and turn the machine on. Process just until a ball begins to form, about 30 seconds. Add a few drops of water if the dough is dry and grainy; add a tablespoon of flour if the dough sticks to the side of the bowl. Turn the dough out of the food processor, sprinkle it with a little flour, cover it with plastic or a cloth, and let it rest for about 30 minutes. (At this point, you may refrigerate the dough, wrapped in plastic, until you’re ready to roll it out, for up to 24 hours.)

2. Meanwhile, in a food processor or blender, combine the arugula with a pinch of salt, the garlic and about half the oil. Process, stopping to scrape down the sides of the container if necessary, and adding the rest of the oil gradually. Add the nuts and cheese, and pulse a few times. The pesto should be well combined but still chunky.

3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it. Divide the dough in quarters, and follow directions for pasta maker, if you have one, until dough is around 1/8 of an inch thick. Otherwise, to make it by hand, turn one half of the dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll it into a large rectangle no thicker than 1/4 inch and ideally closer to 1/8 inch, adding additional flour sparingly as necessary. Repeat with the rest of the dough.

4. Cut into squares no larger than 4 inches across. Drop the squares into the water and cook until tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain, reserving a little of the cooking water. Toss the handkerchiefs with the pesto, some salt and pepper, and a spoonful of cooking water, if necessary, to thin the pesto. Serve immediately, garnished with Parmesan.

Yield: 4 servings.

Buttermilk Fried Chicken

This post is a bit overdue, but for Thanksgiving this year, Ari and I decided to make fried chicken rather than the traditional turkey. Of course, who could we turn to for guidance on fried chicken but the master, Thomas Keller? I was first introduced to him when I stumbled upon the French Laundry Cookbook when I was 13, and I had never seen anything like it. It was more like art than a cookbook, with massive pictures of stunning fruits and vegetables and sculptural plates. His Ad Hoc cookbook is a little more accessible, but just as beautiful and the recipes are always incredible.
Making fried chicken included a few firsts for me, like cutting up a whole chicken, brining, and deep frying, but luckily Chef Keller was with me every step of the way. Mostly. The cutting up was a little tricky, but it worked out in the end; and though very time consuming, the brining made a huge difference in the flavor and moistness of the chicken. I also didn't have a candy thermometer, so the fried exterior got a bit darker than I would have liked, but overall this is a really excellent, albeit extensive, recipe.

Buttermilk Fried Chicken (adapted, just barely, from Ad Hoc at Home by Thomas Keller)

Chicken Brine
2 1/2 lemons, halved
6 bay leaves
1/2 bunch parsley
1/2 bunch thyme, or 1/4 cup dried thyme
1/4 cup honey
1/2 head garlic
1/8 cup black peppercorns
1 cup kosher salt
1 gallon water

Combine all ingredients in a large pot and bring to a boil. Boil 1 minute, and stir to dissolve salt. Remove from heat and cool completely before using. Can be made up to 3 days ahead.

For Chicken:
One 3-pound chicken

For Dredging and frying:
Canola oil for deep-frying
1/2 quart buttermilk
kosher salt and black pepper

Coating
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/8 cup garlic powder
1/8 cup onion powder
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons cayenne (or more for more spice)
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Cut chicken into 10 pieces: 2 legs, 2 thighs, 4 breast quarters, and 2 wings. If you are not practiced at cutting up birds, I would highly reccommend looking at a diagram or how-to video. I had a bit of difficulty, especially separating the breasts from the ribs, but it worked out alright, even though it wasn't as nice as it could have been. Add the chicken to the cooled brine, and refrigerate for 10-12 hours (no more, or it will get too salty).

Remove chicken from brine, discard brine, and rinse chicken under cold water, removing all of the herbs and spices. Let rest at room temp for an hour or so.

Fill a large pot with at least 2 inches of oil (no more than 1/3 of the way up the side) and heat to 320 degrees. Set a cooling rack over a baking sheet.

Combine all coating ingredients in a large bowl. Transfer half to a second bowl. Pour buttermilk into a third bowl and season with salt and pepper. Just before frying, dip chicken thighs into first bowl of coating, shake off excess, then dip in buttermilk, then dip into second bowl of coating.
Carefully lower thighs into hot oil. Fry for two minutes, then carefully move around and continue to fry, monitoring oil temperature, and turning pieces to ensure even cooking, 10-11 minutes, until chicken is deep golden brown and crispy.
Transfer to wire rack, and sprinkle with salt. Continue cooking pieces two at a time, 10-12 minutes per piece. For breasts, turn up heat to 340 degrees and fry for 7-8 minutes until cooked through. For wings, cook at 340 degrees for 6-7 minutes. Let chicken rest for ten minutes before serving. Arrange chicken on a serving platter and enjoy!
We liked this with a little sriracha sauce on the side, but it is pretty delicious all on its own as well.

Magic Bars

These bars may actually be magic. Also known as dream bars or seven-layer bars, they are extremely easy to make and DELICIOUS. I had been craving them for months, and turns out that they are very hard to find in New York City. Thus, I had to take matters into my own hands. These are best straight out of the oven, when the chocolate and butterscotch are all melted together, but they keep in the fridge for a few days as well.

Magic Bars (adapted from Allrecipes.com)

1/2 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 (14 oz) can of sweetened condensed milk
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch chips
1 1/3 cups flaked coconut
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 13x9-inch baking pan with butter. Combine graham cracker crumbs and butter. Press into bottom of prepared pan. Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over crumb mixture. Layer evenly with chocolate chips, coconut and nuts. Press down firmly with a fork. Bake for 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool. Cut into bars or diamonds. Store covered at room temperature.

Daniel

After a very long hiatus (I know, I really have not been as good at keeping up this blog as I should have been. My apologies to all readers), Ari and I went to a magical place that I knew I had to write about. Restaurant Daniel is one of four restaurants in New York City that boasts three Michelin Stars -- certainly no easy feat. We had the inspired idea to go there last Wednesday to celebrate my birthday, and I think that it may have been the most incredible meal I have ever had.
The dining room itself is lovely, adorned with paintings on the walls and designed so that each diner can see all of the others. It reminded me more of a ballroom than a restaurant. The staff was so considerate, polite, and wonderful it felt like being in a dream. For dinner, you have three options to choose from: three courses, six courses, or eight courses. We chose the three course with wine pairings, and I was still so full by the end I couldn't finish the desserts (which is saying something).
Our first course was an artichoke velouté, perfectly complemented with roasted chanterelle mushrooms. This was followed by a single scallop with broccoli tempura and fava bean purée. I then had the duck terrine with pistachios and apple gelée, which was so creamy and delicious I immediately wanted more. Ari had a trio of Spanish mackerel, which was served warm with carrot purée, sashimi-style with caviar, and white-wine poached. My favorite was the sashimi, which was incredibly fresh and light. We then got our main courses, mine a perfect and flaky Black Sea Bass with Syrah sauce and leek-potato , and Ari had a leg of rabbit with bacon, truffles, and foie gras (if you can believe it). The bass may have been the best fish I have ever had, and the rabbit was very lovely as well, roasted until it fell off the bone.
The desserts that followed were just as impressive. I ordered a warm chocolate coulant (similar to a chocolate lava cake) with warm caramel and milk sorbet. Ari got a carmelized hazelnut sablé with dulce de leche and horchata ice cream, which was my favorite. Because it was my birthday, they also sent a gingerbread cae with poached pears, perfect for November. These were followed by warm madeleines (perfect) and tiny chocolate truffles.
The wine pairings were also wonderful and a good idea for a couple of novices. Restaurant Daniel's wine list looks more likea novel and boasts several bottles upwards of $1000, so this option allowed us each to try several wines without having to wade through the endless names of vineyards. My favorite was a 2008 Resiling from J.J. Prüm which accompanied the duck terrine. Ari also had a very nice dessert wine from Hungary's Château Pajzos called Tokaji Aszú.
For a girl from the midwest who eats rather more simply most of the time, Restaurant Daniel was like something out of a dream. I would highly reccommend it to anyone who is looking for a way to celebrate a very special occasion, and though it is certainly not cheap, I think that it was well worth the money for such an incredible evening. I feel so lucky to have been able to have experienced such an amazing restaurant, and I can only hope that there will be more Michelin stars in my future. Though I may have to wait another 23 years.

Peach Cake Tatin

I know, I know. I have two recipes on here that are very similar to this recipe (apple tarte tatin and peach ricotta tart), but I saw this on the Barefoot Contessa the other day and decided we HAD to have it. She used plums, which would also be great, but when peaches are in season I try and eat them as much as possible, so we used those instead. I think I might like this version better, in fact. It is also simpler and uses quite a bit less butter than the other Tarte Tatin recipe, so its not quite so hard on the arteries. I think that this could also be used with other fruits to good effect. Pictures will be up soon!


Peach Cake Tatin (adapted from The Barefoot Contessa)

Ingredients

nocoupons6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for greasing the dish
3 mediu-sized peaches, pitted and quartered
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar, divided
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/3 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Confectioners' sugar

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously butter a 9-inch glass pie dish or cast iron skillet and arrange the peaches in the dish, cut side down.

Combine 1 cup of the granulated sugar and 1/3 cup water in a small saucepan and cook over high heat until it turns a warm amber color, about 360 degrees F on a candy thermometer. Swirl the pan but don't stir. Pour evenly over the peaches.

Meanwhile, cream the 6 tablespoons of butter and the remaining 3/4 cup of granulated sugar in a large bowl with a whick or electric mixer, until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Add the sour cream, zest, and vanilla and mix until combined. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt and, with the mixer slowly, add it to the butter mixture. Mix only until combined.

Pour the cake batter evenly over the peaches and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool for 15 minutes, then invert the cake onto a flat plate. If a peach sticks, ease it out and replace it in the design on top of the cake. Serve warm or at room temperature, dusted with confectioners' sugar.

Pies 'n' Thighs

I am finally back in the world of wireless, after a long, long summer of only dial-up internet connection. I am sorry if anyone checked this blog for new posts, only to find the same old recipes. However, I am hoping to update it much more frequently, now that I have moved to NYC for the forseeable future.
A few nights ago, Ari and I ventured to Williamsburg, Brooklyn, home to the largest population of hipsters in the metro area, and thus, where many Wesleyan graduates live as well. (I actually wouldn't mind living there myself). We had both heard about this place called Pies 'n' Thighs, famous for their pies and of course, fried chicken. The menu is simple, with a few main dishes, including pulled pork, catfish, burgers, and of course, the ubiquitous fried chicken. When we arrived, around 8:30 on Wednesday night, it looked like there was going to be a long wait, as the place was packed and there were around 15 people waiting outside. However, a few minutes and a little smooth talking from Ari's friend Osama, we were soon seated in a covered outdoor space at the bar. Personally, I would always prefer to eat outside rather than inside, so this was a great option for me.
Ari and I both ordered the fried chicken box, which came with a biscuit and a side. Osama, who had been there before, ordered the chicken biscuit, which just consisted of a biscuit with barbecue chicken inside. For sides, I got the special summer salad, with corn, pickled green beans, and red peppers. Ari decided on the grits, and we all split some collard greens. The chicken itself was perfection, crispy and perfectly seasoned without being greasy. The biscuits were also excellent, light and buttery and firm. I would have liked some honey to go along with them, but they were great plain nonetheless. My salad was also good, it was nice to have something fresh to go along with the heaviness of the chicken and biscuits. However, the grits were wonderful, and I don't even like grits. They were topped with a little cheese and hot sauce, and they tasted creamy and salty and wonderful.
Even though we were all quite full, we decided we couldn't leave without trying some pie. We decided on the lemon blackberry, which was actually more like a tart. The lemon curd filling was tart and strong, and complemented the sweet blackberries and buttery crust wonderfully. It was an excellent end to a great meal, and I will certainly be returning. On second thought, that potential move to Williamsburg could be dangerous.

Pad Thai

I could eat Thai food every day, and as I have made this three times in the last month it could work out. I have tried a couple of other pad thai recipes that haven't even come close to this one, and it is really easy and comes together very quickly, so it's perfect for a fast dinner. I would also recommend adding a healthy squirt of Sriracha hot sauce (my absolute favorite) at the end. No pictures, sadly, as I couldn't find my camera, but next time I swear. I also had to make some adjustments due to the availability of the small store on campus, but I thought they worked pretty well as is.

Pad Thai (adapted from the New York Times)

4 ounces fettucine-width rice noodles, or 8 ounces udon noodles (I tried regular fettucine as well, and it is not as good)
1/3-1/2 cup peanut oil
2 tablespoons tamarind paste or hoisin sauce
1/4 cup fish sauce (nam pla)
1/3 cup honey
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
1/2 cup chopped scallions
1 garlic clove, minced
2 eggs
1 small head napa cabbage, shredded (about 4 cups)
1 cup mung bean sprouts
1/2 pound peeled shrimp, pressed tofu, or a combination
1/2 cup roasted peanuts, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 limes, quartered

If using rice noodles, put them in a large bowl and add boiling water to cover. Let sit until just tender, check every 5 minutes or so to make sure they don't get too soft. If using udon noodles: cook in a large pot of boiling water for 8-10 minutes until tender. Drain, drizzle with one tablespoon oil to keep from sticking and set aside. Meanwhile, put tamarind paste or hoisin sauce, fish sauce, honey, and vinegar in a small saucepan over medium low heat and bring just to a simmer. Stir in red pepper flakes and set aside.
Put remaining 3 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. When oil shimmers add scallions and garlic and cook for one minute. Add eggs to pan, once they begin to set; scramble until just done. Add cabbage, bean sprouts, and tofu or shrimp and continue to cook until the cabbage begins to wilt and tofu or shrimp begins to brown. Add drained noodles and sauce to pan, and toss everything together to coat with sauce. When noodles are warmed trhough, serve, sprinkling with peanuts, cilantro, and lime.

Serves 4.

Peach, Ricotta, and Gingersnap Tart

I had to make several adaptions to this recipe due to the limited stock of our small grocery store, but I think it turned out well anyways. It originally called for nectarines and mascarpone rather than peaches and ricotta, which I'm sure would work just as well. I love a good cookie crust, and the sharp ginger taste was a perfect accent to the creamy filling and sweet peaches. Make sure to start this several hours or the day before serving it.

Peach, Ricotta, and Gingersnap Tart (adapted from Smitten Kitchen)

Crust

37 gingersnap cookies, coarsely broken (about 9 ounces; about 3 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons of pieces)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Filling
1 8-ounce container ricotta cheese (or mascarpone cheese)
6 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup greek yogurt
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon grated lime peel (or lemon)
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon finely chopped crystallized ginger (optional)

Topping
4 to 5 small peaches, halved, pitted, cut into thin slices
1/4 cup peach jam, warmed
2 tablespoons finely chopped crystallized ginger (optional)

For crust: Preheat oven to 350°F. Finely grind gingersnaps in processor. Add butter and blend until crumbs are evenly moistened. Press mixture over bottom and up sides of 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Bake crust until color darkens, pressing sides with back of spoon if beginning to slide, about 8 minutes. Cool completely.

For filling: Beat first 6 ingredients in medium bowl until smooth. Add crystallized ginger and mix well. Spread filling in prepared crust. Cover loosely and refrigerate at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.

For topping: Overlap peach slices atop filling in concentric circles. Brush with jam. Sprinkle with chopped crystallized ginger. Serve, or refrigerate up to 6 hours.

Betelnut

On my last (!) spring break possibly ever, I went to the Bay Area in California with Ari, where he is from. Of course, anyone who is from there would argue that it is the best place on earth and has the best food. While I am a loyal midwesterner, I must say that I have had some of the best food I have ever eaten in that area. It was my second time there, and we went back to many of the same restaurants, because they are just that good. However, Betelnut, on Union Street in San Fransisco was new. The food is somewhat Asian-fusion, and the decor reflects that, lots of Chinese characters and red, black, and gold. I loved the palm fans waving from the ceiling and the huge open windows at the front so you could people watch and enjoy the breeze.
But most importantly, the food. Apparently Ari and his mom, Roberta, always get the same things when they go so we stuck to their old favorites. The calamari was perfect crispy and well seasoned without being greasy, and served with fried chiles and a sweet chile sauce. The chicken and lettuce wraps were good as well, though I would have liked them a little spicier. Last, the short ribs were wonderful, finished with a spicy-sweet glaze and basil leaves. Messy, but so delicious. I would love to go back and try more dishes -- they had some noodle dishes that looked particularly good. However, Betelnut was a great place to go for appetizers and watch the city go by.

Some Thoughts on Cooking

I recently wrote this essay for a job application as an answer to the a prompt about a challenging situation in your life, but as it pertains to cooking and my experience working as a line cook, I thought I could post it here for your perusal.

I will be the first to say that cooking is no simple thing. Many people like to do it casually, but not as many realize that cooking in a restaurant is an entirely different prospect. I used to be one of these innocent people. When I was 18, I interned at a restaurant near my home in Minnesota for a school project, thinking that since I had cooked recreationally it would be “fun”. How wrong I was. Even though I was only working for a few hours a day, starting in the prep kitchen, I quickly learned that everything I thought I knew about cooking was wrong. At first, I was put to work chopping what seemed like endless vegetables and herbs, but eventually I was allowed to help out on the line at lunch, the slowest time of day. My first few attempts at throwing pizza doughs were miserable failures, but I still remember the first time I sent out a plate of food that actually looked presentable and tasted good.

All seemed to be going well until one day a cook didn’t show up for dinner service and the sous chef asked me to stay and help. Dinner often meant $3,000 in sales in one night, and there was only room in the kitchen for three cooks, sending out hundreds of plates in a complicated and frenzied dance. I was terrified. For the most part, I tried to stay out of the way as much as possible, and eventually we got through the night. That was the first time I made a successful beurre blanc, and the first time I realized I could do this – I could cook professionally. After that, I got hired for the summer and have returned every summer since. The food and the people change, and it is not always an easy job, but there is nothing quite like it. The feeling at the end of the night when you know you have done a good job and have given people a memorable experience is like nothing else. I have come a long way since that first night when I had no idea what I was doing, and have earned the respect of the all male kitchen and proved my own. I have learned how to make order out of chaos, maintain calm under pressure, organization, and most importantly, passion. While cooking is difficult, stress-filled, and exhausting, it is also the most rewarding job I have ever had.

Restaurant Review: Aldea

I can sum up this post in one sentence: at the end of the meal, I said to Ari, "I wish we had just gotten here so I could eat it all again". The food was unbelievable, it was definitely the best I have had in New York (although I haven't actually been to that many restaurants here). Located on 19th and 5th, at the edge of Chelsea, Aldea opened up about nine months ago and seems to be doing very well. Chef George Mendes is the son of Portuguese immigrants and has some pretty hefty credentials backing him up (Bouley, Lespinasse, Le Zoo, among others), and clearly knows what he is doing. The interior is modern and narrow, letting the food take full precedence. Next time I am definitely going to request to be seated downstairs next to the open kitchen, but the ambiance upstairs was still lovely. An eclectic mix of music played over the sound system, including the Shins. The entire staff was lovely and very informative.
But most importantly, the food. We had a hard time deciding on an appetizer, but ended up choosing the crispy pork belly with szechuan pepper, thin slices of apple, and a maple reduction ($9). The first bite was heaven. Think of the best bacon you have ever eaten, but then in addition to the crispiness, it also melts in your mouth with just a hint of sweetness and pepper. This set the tone for the whole meal, and we were both a little worried that the entrees wouldn't live up to the same deliciousness. Luckily, we were wrong and both were excellent. I had the scallops with farro risotto, cucumber, and blood orange ($28), and Ari had the Arroz de Pato ($24), a paella-like dish with duck and sausage. My scallops were perfectly seared, and the cucumber farro set them off nicely. A little yogurt provided a tangy contrast to the sweetness of the blood orange on top. Ari's Arroz de Pato was excellent as well, the sausage spicy and aged, the duck perfectly cooked and topped with duck cracklings for crispiness. Our waitress said that they snack on it all night long. We each had a glass of Aragonês & Syrah, Chaminé, Alentejo, from Portugal ($10), which was excellent. I haven't had a lot of Portuguese wine, and as expected, it was a perfect accompaniment.We finished the meal with a carmelized brioche, served with blood orange gel and creme fraiche pink-peppercorn ice cream ($10) and the sonhos ($10), or "little dreams". Which they were. The brioche tasted like extremely light French toast, its sweetness offset by the spice of the peppercorns and the sourness of the blood orange and creme fraiche. The sonhos were like the best donuts I have ever eaten, covered in sugar and served with three different sauces: chocolate, orange-mandarin compote, and apple cider caramel. However, somehow it all managed to not be overpoweringly sweet. Our waitress gave us each a glass of muscat from Greece to go with the desserts, which was really lovely and light without being cloying.
This is definitely a place for a special occasion (at least on my budget), but it was well worth every cent. They do have a three course lunch special for $20.09, which I will absolutely be returning for...and maybe someday when I have a real job I can try the fois gras terrine.

A look of complete satisfaction after the first bite of arroz de pato -- what more do I need?

Wine 101: Brooklyn Wine Exchange

It has been a regrettably long time since my last post about wine (I have yet to expound on the charms of the wine section of Trader Joe's), but Ari and I ventured to Brooklyn this weekend for a little free wine. The Brooklyn Wine Exchange, in Cobble Hill, opened in December, and from all of the people in there on Saturday afternoon, seem to be doing pretty well. Even more excitingly, this week and next weekend they are offering free wine classes! I obviously couldn't pass up the chance. This week was Wine 101, a basic run through on the six most common grapes in the world. There were around 30 people in the class, first come first serve (we got there about half an hour early and perused their selection in the meantime). The instructor also talked quite about how wine is made in much of the world, the fermentation processes, and the role of terroir. The class itself lasted almost two hours, and there was an option to become members and buy the wine we tasted at the end. Anyways, onto the selections:

Elki Sauvignon Blanc 2008 (Elqui Valley, Chile): I'm not usually a big fan of whites, but this Sauvignon was very light and quite pleasant. The color was almost translucent, the taste quite acidic which I like, with an almost sparkling feel and lots of citrus flavors.




Francine & Olivier Savaray Chardonnay, 2006 (Chablis, France): This is one of the largest wine producing regions in the world, reknowned for their chardonnay. You could almost taste the chalkiness of the limestone earth, and there were definite mineral flavors, in addition to some peach and dried apricot.


Shelter Pinot Noir, 2006 (Napa Valley, California): I know there is a lot of talk about pinot noirs, especially after the movie Sideways, and I didn't really understand it until now. I guess I just haven't had good ones. This particular vintage, however, was wonderful. The color was a light garnet, and I immediately smelled raspberries and chocolate. The taste was even better, slightly acidic with a hint of floral notes, but even more chocolate taste and lots of fruit. Somehow, it escaped being too sweet, and the texture was really lovely and velvety. This was definitely the standout of the group for Ari and I, but at $30 a bottle it is also the most expensive. Worth it for a special occasion, however. (Or if you are not on a college student's budget)

Michel Torino Estate "Don David" Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 (Cafayete Valley, Argentina): Cabernet is not necessarily my first choice on a wine list; but this was a good choice to show a typical one. The color was lovely, very dark and opaque, and the smell was quite earthy and I thought I detected a hint of tomato. The taste was also rather earthy with a hint of oak and smoke, with just a little sweetness at the end. Since this is aged in oak barrels, it makes sense. It would be a great accompaniment to a steak with some chimichurri.


Marquis Phillips Merlot 2008 (South Eastern Australia): This wine was quite a bit sweeter, with definite floral and strawberry notes. The taste also had some apricot and peach tones, and was quite fruit forward. There was lots of body and it was very smooth.



Von Buhl Reisling Medium-Dry 2006 (Pfalz, Germany): This was my second favorite, a lovely pale gold and translucent reisling. It was not overly sweet, like some can be, but had just a hingt of lemon and citrus fruit, with apricot and a bit of a minerally taste. Perfect acidity.

Overall, this was a wonderful experience and I hope to go back soon. The staff is clearly very knowledgable and passionate about wine, and I thought they had a great selection. They have a really great space, with the section for classes set up around long tables in the back, surrounded by wine and books on wine. For more information go to: brooklynwineexchange.com.

Bar Jamón

This weekend was very productive, as far as blogging goes. I was lucky enough to get to see my friend Liz from high school who goes to the New School in New York, and works at Mario Batali's Casa Mono. We met at the wine bar next door, Bar Jamón, which serves tapas and has a very extensive wine list. This was my second time at a Mario Batali restaurant (Otto was the first, which I regrettably never wrote about. Perhaps that will be a future post when I go back), and I must say that both have been very excellent experiences. Bar Jamón is a little more casual and cheaper than its sit-down counterpart, and the menu is pretty simple. The space inside has a great atmosphere, but is very small so you will probably have to wait for a table or a space at the bar. (The above picture is at a rarity -- perhaps when it was closed) We left our fates in the hands of the waiters, who Liz knew, and they served us some very excellent red wine (semi dry, medium body) and we decided to get the pan con tomate (crispy baguette topped a tomato and garlic mixture) and a plate of jamón (fitting), served with more baguette. Even though I had already eaten dinner, it was a great midnight snack. I will definitely be returning, hopefully next time for more food and to try some different wines.

Tapas range from $3-$30, and wine ranges anywhere from $7 for a glass to upwards of $1000 for a bottle (maybe someday...). Located at 125 17th Street, Manhatten.

Picture from http://newyork.metromix.com/content_image/full/896998/560/370

Zucchini Bread

This was definitely the only way that my mother could get me to eat zucchini when I was little. For some reason, adding lots of sugar made it taste so much better -- and though I do eat zucchini now as an actual vegetable, I haven't lost my love for this moist, wonderful bread. I didn't have my mom's recipe, sadly, but I used one from one of my favorite blogs instead, which from the tastes of the batter I tried seems to be nearly as good.

Zucchini Bread (from smittenkitchen.com)
Adapted from several sources

Yield: 2 loaves or approximately 24 muffins

3 eggs
1 cup olive or vegetable oil
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 cups grated zucchini (if you have a BEAUTIFUL new food processor like Zoe does, this takes 10 seconds
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
1 cup dried cranberries, raisins or chocolate chips or a combination thereof (optional)
(Personally, I like the traditional bread with no additions)

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Grease and flour two 8×4 inch loaf pans, liberally. Alternately, line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk. Mix in oil and sugar, then zucchini and vanilla.

Combine flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder and salt, as well as nuts, chocolate chips and/or dried fruit, if using.As someone without a dishwasher and an inherent dislike for doing dishes, I only used one bowl and added all this after -- just make sure you mix very thoroughly.

Stir this into the egg mixture. Divide the batter into prepared pans.

Bake loaves for 60 minutes, plus or minus ten, or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Muffins will bake far more quickly, approximately 20 to 25 minutes.
This only improves over time, so it will be even better the next day!

Vij's

I look forward to the Dining In section of the New York Times every week. There are inevitably delicious sounding recipes (usually saved and of which most are sitting in a notebook, waiting for their turn to be made) wine reviews, and news about restaurants around the world. So imagine my delight today when the feature article is about Vancouver, and not only that, but about one of my favorite restaurants that I have ever visited! Vij's is a small family owned place, with new takes on traditional Indian cuisine. When I visited Vancouver with my family a few years ago, it was recommended to us by the owners of the bed and breakfast we stayed at, who went there all the time. The restaurant has two parts: a lounge and take out area and the actual restaurant. I don't remember exactly what I had, but it was some kind of portabello mushroom curry that was unbelievable. In addition, I particularly remember the mango lassi and the naan as being especially good, and my sister got a chai that makes one from Starbucks seem like watered down cinnamon tea. This was no ordinary chai -- you could taste all of the spices individually, while none of them overwhelmed the others. It was spicy and sweet and mysterious, exactly what chai should be and what I imagine it would have tasted like 200 years ago to the explorers who ventured to India. Of course, I had to get the cookbook. Regrettably, I have only made a few of the recipes as many of them call for hard to find spices and ingredients, but Vij's Family Chicken Curry is delicious. If you are anywhere near Vancouver, I would highly recommend this place.

From the New York Times:

"First is Vij’s, an extraordinary Indian restaurant that Vikram Vij opened in 1994. Vij’s is notable for its intricate regional interpretations of Indian food — grilled sablefish in a fiery mango reduction curry, for example — and for its all-female kitchen staff, as well as for its curiously non-maddening policy of taking no reservations (beer and free snacks in a pleasant lounge help) and its graceful, deeply efficient service. For food, try a plate of chickpeas stewed in star anise and date curry, served over grilled kale, and see if your universe doesn’t expand. Eat lamb popsicles in fenugreek cream curry and color yourself groovy. More naan to scoop that all up, another I.P.A. to wash it down? These come in a flash, accompanied by a smile." (Sam Sifton, "If Meals Won Medals", 3 February 2010)

and their website: http://www.vijs.ca/index_in.htm

images from http://www.scallywagme.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/Vijs.jpg and http://www.dmpibooks.com/get/img/book_image/XL-eh9zm8fp.jpg

Mushroom, Shallot, and Bacon Quiche

I haven't made quiche in ages, even though it is inevitably delicious and not very complicated. Ari and I decided to make this last night, and even though my camera is still broken so there are no pictures, I thought it turned out quite well. The great thing about quiche is that you can pretty much put in whatever flavors you want, so there is lots of room for moderation. We also had some carmelized onions left over from making pizza the other day, so we threw those into with excellent results.

Mushroom, Shallot, and Bacon Quiche (adapted from epicurious.com)

1 refrigerated pie crust (half of 15-ounce package) (you can of course also make your own but this is fine if you are in rush)
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
2/3 cup chopped shallots (about 3 medium)
5 cups sliced assorted mushrooms (such as chanterelle, stemmed shiitake, oyster, crimini, and button; 12 to 14 ounces) (we used portabella and shiitake)
4 slices turkey bacon or bacon
4 large eggs
2/3 cup half and half
1/3 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated or ground nutmeg
1 1/2 cups (packed) coarsely grated Fontina cheese (about 7 ounces), divided (we used Gouda, and you can also use gruyère)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 450°F. Unroll crust completely. Press firmly onto bottom and up sides of 9-inch-diameter deep-dish glass pie dish. Bake until light golden brown, pressing on sides of crust with back of spoon if crust begins to slide down sides of dish, about 17 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.

Meanwhile, melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots; sauté until beginning to soften, about 2 minutes. Add mushrooms; sprinkle with salt and pepper and sauté until mushrooms are tender and beginning to brown, about 8 minutes. Transfer to plate; spread out to cool slightly.

Cook bacon in microwave or oven until crispy (about 15 minutes).

Whisk eggs, half and half, milk, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and nutmeg in large bowl to blend. Stir in 1 cup cheese, sautéed mushrooms, and bacon. Pour filling into crust. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup cheese over quiche.

Bake quiche until puffed, golden brown, and just set in center, about 45 minutes. Cool 30 minutes. Cut into wedges.