Cecelia Heer's Culinary Corner

CRAB SALAD SANS MAYO

2011-07-06T06:33:00.000-07:00

This is a crab salad that is made without mayonnaise. Hard to believe, but it can be done…and tasty, too

2 garlic cloves, smashed and chopped (minced, actually)
1 shallot, chopped
1 tomato, peeled, seeded, and cut into chunks
1 cup of basil leaves (no stems)
¼ cup of evoo
2 tablespoons of sherry wine vinegar
1 # of crab
Combine the garlic, shallot, tomato, basil in blender and chop some more. Add oil and vinegar. If you’d like to, add a pinch of salt (Kosher only, please)/pepper. Dressing is set now.

Add about ¼ to ½ cup of the dressing to the crab to moisten it.
That’s it. Be creative. The salad is mayo free and healthy. Enjoy!!

Put this on a bed of lettuce, romaine, watercress, whatever you feel would go well to create a healthy dish.

CECELIA’S HERB- CITRUS ROASTED CHICKEN

2011-07-06T05:59:00.000-07:00

• 1 (2 1/2 to 3-pound) chicken

• ½ cup butter, melted

• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, fresh

• 2 tablespoons chopped sage, fresh

• 2 tablespoons chopped rosemary, fresh

• 2 tablespoons chopped thyme, fresh

• 4-5 garlic cloves, smashed and chopped

• 1 lemon quartered

• 1 lime, quartered

• Dash of black pepper, preferably butcher block

• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 2 celery stalks, stripped of the fine threads and cut into long strips

• 2 carrots, peeled, and cut into long strips

• 2 onions, yellow, peeled and sliced into ¼ inch rounds.

•

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Fill a large (more than 5 quarts) pot with water. Bring to a boil. Let the boiling water sit for about 5-10 minutes. Place the chicken into the pot to “cleanse”. Let chicken stay in the warm water bath for about 5 minutes. Remove chicken and pat dry. All of the “elements” would be removed at this point and you will have a very clean chicken.

Take the herbs and mix with the melted butter. Rub the butter-herb mixture under the skin of the chicken and inside the cavity. Also, add the lemon and lime quarters and garlic inside the cavity. Let the chicken rest for a few minutes while you prepare its roasting pan bed of mireproix

Make a mirepoix bed in the roasting pan, consisting of the celery, carrots, and onions. Then, Place the rested chicken on top of this. Drizzle olive oil and Pepper on top of chicken and inside the cavity.

Place chicken (in the roasting pan) in the oven. Then, after every 15 minutes, turn chicken’s roasting pan one-quarter of the way --clockwise. Until done. About 1 hour and 15 minutes. After chicken is roasted, remove from oven and let sit for about 20 minutes. This has to be the best chicken you’ve ever eaten. Clean, fresh, nutritious and full of flavor.

Home Fried Potatoes With Herbs

2011-03-24T08:03:00.000-07:00

Home Fried Potatoes With Herbs

I ate breakfast at one of my favorite restaurants in the City and enjoyed the best-tasting home fries that I’ve ever eaten. I asked the server what was the underlying component of the dish that offered the unique taste. He said that the potatoes were cooked in “duck fat.” Since then, I’ve devised my own recipe for, what I believe, is the best home fries on this planet (sorry, Jersey Diners, but…I am bias…also, I am a born soul from Jersey…not the shore).

I’ve tried this recipe several ways; Either using purchased duck fat or sautéing duck bacon first, then making the potatoes in the amount of duck fat renderings from the duck bacon, which is very good and a nice supplement to the dish. I remind you that this isn’t something to eat every day. It’s more of a treat than anything else. But, well worth it in the long run.

Home Fried Potatoes With Herbs

4 Idaho Potatoes – about 7 oz. each

½ Teaspoon salt

½ cup of duck fat – could be purchased or the duck fat rendered from duck bacon. Both work well. I like using the bacon which could be used to add a protein to the dish.

6 pieces of duck bacon (if not using purchased duck fat)

1 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter (if needed)

1 tablespoon of Herbs De Province*

Rosemary sprig for garnish (optional)

Directions:

Peel potatoes. Dice into ½” pieces. Rinse. Add to pot with salt and enough water to cover. After water comes to a boil, lower heat and let potatoes cook in salted water for about 7 minutes to soften slightly, but do not overcook.

While potatoes are cooking, make the duck fat, either of two ways:

1) Melt the ½ Cup of purchased duck fat; or…2) cook (and render the duck fat from) about 6 pieces of duck bacon. If using duck bacon, after completion of cooking, remove duck bacon and let drain on paper towels. Keep warm.

When the duck rendering is ready, turn off heat and prep the potatoes.

Drain the potatoes really well—as dry as possible.

Turn on heat again for the duck fat and then slowly add potatoes. Cook on a low heat. If the mixture is dry, add a few pieces of unsalted butter. Sprinkle with Kosher salt and Black Pepper. Turn potatoes as they brown on each side. Add Herbs De Province on each side as potatoes continue to cook. After potatoes are golden brown, remove from pan and let drain on paper towel. Transfer to serving plate. Add spring of rosemary and top with duck bacon (if using).

*Herbs De Province – An assortment of dried herbs that are used in Southern France. Typically, I wouldn’t use dried herbs, but in this instance, there is an exception to my rule. I make my own HDP, which consists of dried: basil, fennel seed, lavender, marjoram, rosemary, sage, and thyme.

Sea Beans – The Mysterious Green Algae of the Sea

2011-03-24T05:55:00.000-07:00

While perusing the produce section at the Whole Foods one day, I noticed a basket filled with dark green sprigs that looked like spindly, miniature cactus, sans needles. I picked up one of the crisp, brightly colored sprigs and walked over to the gentleman dressed in the Whole Foods Chef’s jacket as he was moving shiny red peppers from a cart into one of the bins on the top shelf. “What’s this,” I asked. “Sea Beans,” he responded. Since I’m always looking to try working with ingredients that I haven’t used before, I decided to buy some “sea beans.”

Sea Beans are commonly know as samphire. There are two edible very similar plants. One grows along the coast of northwestern Europe and is referred to as rock samphire, or crithmum maritimum. The other type of samphire that is available in the U.S. is known as salicornia. It grows in abundance along both coasts. Fresh sea beans are typically found on supermarket shelves from summer through fall. They are most tender during the summer months.

What should I do with these newly discovered green algae of the sea? A salad. The sea bean is best when eaten raw. It has a crunchy and crispy texture and an abundant taste of saltiness from the ocean with a slightly fishy flavor. To me, the perfect salad companion for this new green was to combine it with arugula. Since arugula has its own natural pepper flavor, I thought the combination would work well together. It did. The ultimate effect was two natural ingredients coming together to create a bursting flavor of salt and pepper. For some sweetness, I added slices of freshly roasted red pepper and created a great dish for a newly discovered natural product.

Sea Beans and Arugula Salad

1 cup of sea beans

1 bunch Arugula, stems removed

Rinse sea beans and dry.

Discard stems from arugula and wash sell. Dry leaves in salad spinner.

Toss both together. That’s it. Well, if you’d like to add some slices of roasted red pepper for sweetness, go ahead. It works. How easy is that?

TurDuckEn Lasagna

2011-02-21T12:24:00.000-08:00

TurDuckEn Lasagna

There are several components to this dish. REALLY! SEVERAL! First, we’re making duck stock and braised duck legs separately. Then, we make braised turkey legs and chicken thighs. We then make a recipe of wild mushrooms; and, finally, a béchamel sauce. In the middle of it all, we’re making the lasagna noodles. Or are we “cheating” by purchasing the dry lasagna noodles, which are acceptable according to one of the—if not the—top Italian restaurants in NYC? Finally, all is assembled and baked in the oven to make an incredible dish. Whew! I’m tired just writing about it. Here goes…

To make the duck stock and braised duck legs:

One 4 pound duck, discard excess fat from body cavity
One leek, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 medium onions, one roughly chopped and one ready to chop
1 medium carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
1 quart water
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1parsnip
1 tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon grape seed or canola oil, divided
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup parsley, freshly chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

First, become a duck butcher, or ask your local butcher to cut off the legs, wings, and breasts from the duck. Cut up carcass and cut the wing tips off from the wings. The carcass and wing tips will be used for the duck stock. Remove any bones from the duck breasts, leaving the skin on. Chill the legs, wings, and breasts in a sealable bag. Use the breasts for another dish. We used it for seared duck breasts with cherries and a port sauce (another recipe). Now, let’s get back to the turducken lasagna.

Cut and wash the leek. Then put the leek in a stock pot (about a 6-8 quart-sized one) with the cut up duck carcass, the wing tips, the chopped onion, the carrot, the water, the salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and gently simmer, uncovered, skimming foam occasionally, about 1 hour. Skim off and discard fat and strain stock through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl. That’s the duck stock to use for the braising of the duck legs. I know. It’s a lot of work. But, someone has to do this; unless, you’d rather go to a restaurant, but then you won’t have a story to tell your friends about how you made “fresh duck stock” from scratch. Okay, let’s get back on track here...

In the mean time, while all of that is going on....preheat oven to 350°F with a rack in the middle.

Coarsely chop remaining onion. Peel parsnips and cut into 3-inch batons (1/4 inch thick). Remove legs and wings from the fridge and pat them dry. Season them with salt and pepper.

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a wide 6- to 7-quart heavy pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers, add duck legs and wings and brown them, turning over once, about 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

In that pot, add the onions, parsnips, lemon juice, the salt and pepper and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and pale golden, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add 2 cups of the freshly made duck stock (save remainder for another use) and nestle in the duck legs and wings into the vegetable mixture. Bring to a boil. Cover pot and braise in oven until meat is tender, about 1 hour. Remove and let stand, uncovered, at room temperature for 1 hour. The “duck” part of the “turducken” is now done….There are other components to the dish. Yes, there are. Here we go:

To make the turkey legs and chicken thighs:

· 2 whole turkey legs

· 4 chicken thighs (or 5 or 6 – whatever is available)

· Dash of salt and pepper – about 1/8 of a tsp total

· 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh thyme

· ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil

· 4 cups chicken stock (home-made, of course, or use any “leftover” duck stock to make a total of 4 cups chicken/duck stock)

· 3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar

· One 3 inch piece of ginger

· ½ cup soy sauce, preferably Tamari

Place turkey legs and thighs in a shallow baking dish and sprinkle with salt, pepper and fresh thyme. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours. Remove and brush off any excess salt, pepper, thyme.

Heat ¼ cup of olive oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown turkey legs and chicken thighs in batches, if necessary, on both sides. After the legs/thighs are browned, add the chicken stock, light brown sugar, ginger and soy sauce to pot and simmer for 1 ½ hours, skimming foam as it rises to the top of the liquid. Remove turkey and chicken thighs from pot and let ‘em all rest. The “turkey and chicken components” of the dish are now done. Whew…is this Thanksgiving? No. It’s just a day in my kitchen. Anyway, this could be made a day In advance. Actually, either of the poultry parts could be made a day in advance.

To make the wild mushrooms:

· 12 ounces of baby portabella mushrooms, stemmed and cleaned

· 6 ounces of shitake mushrooms, also stemmed and cleaned

· 2 Tablespoons of black truffle butter – (Or regular unsalted butter with a dollop of truffle oil…well…no)

· ½ cup olive oil

· 4-5 cloves of garlic, chopped

· 2 sprigs of rosemary

· 1 tablespoon of fresh thyme

· 1 tablespoon of freshly shredded sage

· 2 tablespoons of fresh parsley

· Salt and pepper – about 1/8 teaspoon in total (I measure dashes and pinches)…

Heat butter and oil. Sautee garlic briefly. Add mushrooms and stir. Let them soften. Add the rest of the ingredients. Stir until it all becomes aromatic. Then, let the mushrooms rest a bit while you make the béchamel …..

To Make the Béchamel Sauce:

· 4 Tablespoons butter

· 4 Tablespoons arrowroot (I prefer arrowroot versus any flour product – better on the digestive system, I’m told)

· 1 cup milk

· 1 cup heavy cream

· Salt and white pepper—a dash, or pinch, or 1/8 tsp

Melt butter in saucepan; add arrowroot, stirring with whisk until well blended. Slowly, add milk and heavy cream, while stirring briskly with whisk. Add salt and white pepper. Stir until thick and smooth. Lower heat and cook, stirring occasionally. When done, add this mixture to the mushroom pan full of love.

At some point during the middle of this trifecta workload of creativity, boil the lasagna noodles. Then drain them. After draining the noodles, sprinkle them with some truffle oil (or unsalted butter) to prevent sticking…….

FINALLY, the combination: Whew! Really!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Butter a 9” x 13 ½” x 2” glass lasagna dish with black truffle butter…or unsalted butter or with truffle oil or whatever. The goal here is to prevent it all from sticking to the dish.

Shred the meat from the braised duck legs, the braised turkey legs and the braised chicken thighs. That’s a lot of fun to do. Make sure that the meat isn’t piping hot when you do this. Mix all of the meat together. After the trio of meat is ready to assemble, line the bottom of the lasagna dish with the béchamel/mushroom mixture; then sprinkle the combo of turducken meat, then top with a layer of the lasagna noodles; then continue with another layer of the mushroom mixture, the turkducken combination, the noodles, etc. until you’re done. Finish with a layer of noodles on top; then dab with the black truffle butter/oil. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes.

Remove from oven. Let rest for about 15 minutes. Cut into pieces and serve and have your guests drool. They will. Guaranteed!

Macaroni and Cheese

2010-11-15T15:17:00.000-08:00

Macaroni &Cheese

I could say that there are as many Mac & Cheese recipes out there as there are recipes for roasted chicken, meat loaf, or chicken soup, to name a few. These are considered some main comfort foods and have been appearing on many restaurants’ menus during the past several years. Although I grew up as a child consuming the “mac & cheese” from a blue box that used to cost $1.00 for three boxes – I never made a home-made dish. Something I didn’t really think about ever making at all. Actually, not at all. Until yesterday.

After spending a day at the International Hotel, Motel, and Restaurant Show at the Javits Center in NYC, and after enjoying lunch at Spice Market in the late afternoon, come evening, we were hungry. And, since I was out all day, I didn’t replenish the proteins or produce in the fridge. So, what should I make? Okay…after looking in the fridge at the cheddar cheese, milk, butter and two black truffles in a jar that were left over from another meal, I thought about mac & cheese, with truffles, of course. And the cabinet held a half a pound of egg noodles left over from last week’s chicken stock and soup. Perfect. So, I pulled out my yellow Gourmet Cookbook and modified a classic with ingredients that I had on hand…and it was unbelievably good.

For the topping:

1 Tablespoon of unsalted melted butter

1 cup of panko (Japanese bread crumbs)

1 cup of extra sharp cheddar cheese, grated on the traditional stainless steel hand held grater—avoid grating knuckles.

For the cheese sauce and macaroni:

2 tablespoons of melted unsalted butter

1 tablespoon of arrowroot (arrowroot is better than flour, IMO, as a thickening agent to make a roux; also, better to digest, I’ve been told)

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 cup milk

½ cup of cream cheese (yes, cream cheese, which is always on hand for a bagel…and since I had no heavy cream on hand)

2 cups of coarsely grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, coarse, country style—my favorite. Not that yellow stuff they put on hot dogs.

Dash of salt

Finely ground crushed fresh black pepper

2 truffles, finely chopped

Truffle oil – about 2 tablespoons, for drizzling

½ pound of egg noodles (or whatever is in the cabinet left over from a pasta dish or any macaroni-type meal).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a shallow baking dish. A two- quart dish worked for this recipe. Adjust accordingly for the amount of m&c that you are making.

For the topping: Stir together the butter, panko and grated cheddar cheese in a bowl until well combined.

For the sauce: Melt butter in a heavy pot. Whisk in arrowroot and red pepper flakes and cook, whisking for a few minutes to make a roux. Whisk in milk slowly. Bring sauce to a boil, whisking constantly. Simmer for three minutes. Stir in cream cheese, cheddar cheese, mustard, chopped truffles, salt and pepper. Remove from heat.

Cook the macaroni in salted water until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of pasta cooking water and drain macaroni.

Stir together macaroni, reserved cooking water and sauce in a large bowl; transfer to baking dish.

Drizzle truffle oil over macaroni and sprinkle topping evenly over macaroni.

Bake until top is warmed through….not tough or dry….about 20 minutes

Spinach Salad

2010-10-05T10:31:00.000-07:00

This is a recipe that was included in a teakwood salad bowl set I received as a wedding gift in 1978 (I was 19). Needless to say, the marriage didn’t last. However, the recipe is still in its original “paper” (paper? what’s that?) form and tucked away in a 3” x 5 ½” plastic recipe box that I still have from when I was 13 years old. I modified the recipe and made it for years and always received many compliments. That was “back in the day” during the time period way before I started started experimenting and creating cuisines from “around the world.”

Recently, after purchasing a beautiful bunch of fresh spinach from the produce market, I revisited the recipe. I don’t use bacon, so it’s vegetarian friendly. Instead, I use red onions (yes, red onions), which are finely diced into ¼ inch pieces, then rinsed under cold water and drained and squeezed through paper towels to remove the water. This takes out the “tartness” of the onion but still keeps the flavor.

1 pound of raw spinach

Dash of Kosher salt (my dash = 0.0125 grams)

3 cloves of garlic, minced or smashed – whatever you like

2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

6 Tablespoons olive oil

Freshly ground pepper

½ pound of raw button mushrooms, sliced (if you want to, get exotic with the mushrooms, then go for it) -- I you don’t like “a lot” of mushrooms, use about a cup of sliced versus the ½ pound

½ cup of red onion- finely chopped into ¼ inch pieces. Rinse onions under water and drain with paper towels.

Wash spinach well. Of course, we know this today; this is from 1978. Cut away tough stems. Drain spinach leaves and chill in damp clean cloths—again circa’78. Today, we use a salad spinner and then let spinach sit in the fridge to chill.

Sprinkle bottom of the salad bowl with salt and then rub with garlic. Keep garlic in the bowl if you’re bold. If not, remove it. This will just give a “hint” of garlic flavor. Add lemon juice and olive oil and chill the bowl for about 30 minutes. Tear spinach leaves into bit size pieces. Add spinach to chilled bowl. Add sliced mushrooms and red onion. Toss lightly. Serves 4.

Wasabi Mashed Potatoes

2010-09-25T22:21:00.000-07:00

With the influx of “fusion” cuisine during the past decade, or more likely almost two decades, it’s amazing to experience the robust and unique flavors that many talented chefs have incorporated into certain foods that were once only a standard side dish at the dinner table. I know, we’re getting tired of the term “fusion,” but let’s look at the simple side dish of mashed potatoes, which are now available in a variety of flavors. Who would have thought that an effortless combination of potatoes, milk and butter would turn into a worldly cuisine incorporating ingredients such as ginger, jalapeno, eggplant, spinach or chocolate (well maybe not…or maybe so)? The list is endless as to what could be added to this “simple” side dish that was once only “dressed” with gravy, typically from a can, nonetheless. Remember that? Anyway, after eating basic mashed potatoes (sans gravy) for many years growing up as a child, today, one of my favorite “flavored” mashed potatoes is made with wasabi root. I can’t even count the number of restaurants that started serving this alternative exotic-sounding starch on their menus after the Nobu invasion in the late 1990’s. It is very good. If done well.

The potatoes should be made with the real wasabi root, however. NOT the powder, which could cause the potatoes to have a “plastic, artificial taste.” If real wasabi root is unavailable, then the paste would suffice (sort of). Again, stay AWAY from powered wasabi. Here goes…

Wasabi Mashed Potatoes:

2 pounds baking potatoes (russets), peeled and cut into 2 inch dice

½ cup milk – warmed

4 ounces butter, cut into pieces

About 1 ½ - 2 tablespoons freshly grated wasabi root (alternatively use about 1 tablespoon of wasabi paste; don’t use powder)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cook the potatoes in salted, boiling water until done. Pass through a food mill or ricer. Whisk in warmed milk and butter. Stir in freshly grated wasabi root (or wasabi paste). Stir until well incorporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

2009-11-06T09:59:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, Michael Symon was in New York for a cooking demonstration and promoting his new book, “Michael Symon’s Live to Cook.”

Michael told the audience that his mom was of Italian and Greek heritage who loved to cook, always from scratch. His dad’s roots are from the Ukraine. So, his cuisine has a Greek, Italian, and Slovakian flair. (The Slovakian explains his expertise at pierogi, I guess). He is a supporter of cooking with salt and more salt, pork, and fresh ingredients. He made a breaded pork chop with a side of fresh greens dressed in a lemon vinaigrette.

After his demo, I chatted with Michael as he signed his book for me. Also, I had brought along the brochure from the Scottsdale Celebrity Chef Golf Invitational which was held at Greyhawk Golf Club (Phil Mickelson’s place) in April 2003. Michael was one of the celebrity chef golfers playing in that tournament.

We rode together in the van transporting the golfers, chefs, and spectators (I was the latter) from the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort at Gainey Ranch to the golf club. I had always remembered Michael’s deep laugh and that he had a restaurant in Cleveland. Back then, I had “no clue” who he was and the only celebrity chef’s name that I recognized was Bobby Flay, so I followed his foursome. (Tom Colicchio also played in that tournament and had a full head of hair at the time). Again, this event happened way before Top Chef, Iron Chef or Chef of the Future (well, Chef of the Future is from the old Honeymooners). Anyway….getting back on track. Yesterday, I learned that Michael “took all of Bobby Flay’s money that day.” He smiled as he told me that while signing the golf brochure. I also learned that Michael has a nine handicap in golf. I followed Bobby’s foursome for several holes, and now I know “why” Michael took all of Bobby’s money that day.

So, after the book (and golf brochure) signing yesterday, I perused the golf brochure some more which featured recipes from each Chef who participated in the tournament. Michael Symon’s recipe for Lobster Pierogi is in the golf brochure.

Lobster Pierogi

½ cup sour cream
6 Tbs. unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 Tbs. minced chives
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 large Yukon gold potato (1/2 pound)
2 Tbs. half-and-half or heavy cream
4 oz. cooked lobster meat, cut into 1/4 –inch pieces

In a medium bowl, combine sour cream with 4 Tbs. butter, egg, chives, 1 Tbs. of salt and 1 tsp of pepper. Using your hands work in the flour. Turn dough out onto work surface and knead until smooth and elastic. Shape dough into two 6-inch disks. Wrap in plastic and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

In a medium saucepan, boil potato in water until tender, about 20 minutes; drain. Peel and press through ricer or sieve into medium bowl. Stir in remaining 2 Tbs. of butter and half-and half, then add the lobster meat. Season with salt and pepper and cool.

On a lightly floured work surface, roll out 1 piece of dough to a 15-inch round about 1/8-inch thick. Using 3-inch biscuit cutter cut out 12 to 15 rounds. Brush each with water and spoon 1 scant Tbs. of lobster filling in center. Fold dough over to form half moons, pressing out air; press and crimp edges to seal. Arrange on baking sheet with wax paper.

Bring pot of salted water to boil. Drop sealed pierogies into boiling water. Remove once they float. Saute’ boiled pierogies in butter until golden brown.

Garnish with chopped chives and sour cream.

Vong Restaurant NYC is Closing on Nov 7

2009-11-03T10:27:00.000-08:00

I am deeply saddened to hear that the Vong restaurant in New York City will close its doors on Saturday, November 7. Jean-Georges Vongerichten took on the City by storm when he opened the Thai/French Fusion concept 18 years ago. Another flagship restaurant becomes a victim of the ailing economy.

I remember first dining at Vong in 1999. My favorite dishes were the Black Plate and the Chicken and Coconut Milk Soup. Also, we cannot forget the Sticky Rice Wrapped in a Banana Leaf. All of which, I replicated at home after purchasing the “Jean-Georges Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef” cookbook. The pages are worn and frayed and stained. That’s how I first got introduced to Thai (and Fusion) cuisine and it’s been non-stop for the past decade.

I’ve also had the pleasure of meeting both Pierre Schutz, executive chef at Vong, and Jean-Georges at classes each taught at Degustibus and The New School, respectively. When I mentioned to Jean-Georges that I replicated the Black Plate at home for a New Year’s Eve party, he stepped back and commented, “And you were able to find all of the ingredients? I am very impressed.”

Back then, obtaining the “unique” ingredients was via the Internet or by visiting the Asian Market downtown (which I learned was easier than the Internet). My local A&P did not sell lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves or nam pla. Still doesn’t.

The Black Plate consisted of crab spring rolls with a tamarind dipping sauce; prawn satays with fresh oyster sauce; lobster and daikon rolls and a rosemary ginger dip; quail rubbed with Thai spices served atop a crunchy cress salad with fried shallots; and raw tuna and vegetable rolls wrapped in rice paper.

Another favorite was the chicken and coconut milk soup that is made with lemongrass, thick slices of galangal, shiitake mushrooms, and kaffir lime leaves.

Finally, one can’t go wrong with the sticky rice steamed in a banana leaf. The steamed glutinous rice is tossed with nam pla and coconut milk then wrapped in a banana leaf and steamed again.

All recipes are in the cookbook and are very easy (I know) to prepare at home. The only drawback is that I have dishes to wash afterwards. Oh, well, guess we all have to pay the price for something.

Bar Boulud and the NYT Review -Two, Stars or Too Stars?

2008-03-11T21:49:00.000-07:00

For the past several months, I anxiously awaited Mr. Frank Bruni's reviewof Bar Boulud. It's here! It's after midnight on the eve of food-day (Wednesday) when his review will be published in print, and I'm reading it on-line and taken aback by his comments but also am quite pleased.

Apparently it's the charcuterie that swayed Mr. Bruni into giving the casual off-shoot restaurant from a four-star chef's new attempt at a gig into receiving the two stars versus the "other food selections" on the menu which, according to Mr. Bruni, are "not quite losers, but definitely snoozers."

Furthermore, Mr. Bruni states that Bar Boulud is "better during the day." Also, he finds more glory in "lunchtime sandwiches than in dinnertime lamb stew."

Need I say more?? Note my last comment in my review below. To reiterate, need I say more, or need I say more??

Bar Boulud – Better the Second Time Around

We visited Bar Boulud the first week after it opened and it was not a pleasant experience. The place was crowded and the service was poor. The food was not prepared very well. The escargot was unclean and gritty and accompanied with greasy undercooked potato croquets. The skate was overdone, shriveled and desiccated. My companion’s veal chop was cold. Since the restaurant was brand new, we figured there were several kinks that needed to be worked out.

Last week, we revisited Bar Boulud and were quite pleased this time. The restaurant was not overly crowded and the service was much improved. We had a better table selection, as well. During our first visit, we were seated in the crowded front of the restaurant. Our server had to maneuver between patrons waiting for tables and diners sitting in such close proximity that they had to move in their chairs so he could get through with our plates. This time, we were seated in a booth at the back of the restaurant closer to the stairway that leads into the kitchen. No cold food expected this time.

Pre-fix lunch, which includes an appetizer and entrée, was $29. First, we each started off with a weak bloody Mary. Then came the appetizers. I ordered a shrimp salad. My companion selected the pate grand-pere, which was a duck pâté, from the charcuterie menu. My shrimp salad consisted of an entire head of bib lettuce leaves, which looked extremely clean and fresh, bright green without any dirt or grit. In between all of the foliage, were several dime-size scatterings of tomato confit, which tasted like they were marinated in sherry vinegar, and four medium-size shrimps, which were not chewy or overdone. Along the outer layer of leaves, there was a slight drizzle of tasteless vinaigrette. My companion indicated that his pate was much better—more mature—than last time, where the pate tasted “young.”

Typically, I’m a bit hesitant about ordering certain fish dishes—salmon, in particular because if it’s not prepared properly, it becomes cat food. Hesitantly, I ordered the salmon scaloppini served with broccoli rabe and a ver jus. To my surprise, the salmon was prepared rare enough to my liking where the fish glistened and literally fell apart. Slivered almonds and the ver jus balanced the underlying sweetness of the salmon.

My companion enjoyed his entrée of duck hash that was made with potatoes, onions, and chunks of duck meat and a confit served under a soft-boiled egg. I tasted the hash and although it had a nice combination of flavors, thought it was a bit greasy. He didn’t.

In conclusion, Bar Boulud was much better the second time. And, to me, offers better service at lunch.

Two Seafood Pasta Dishes

2008-03-07T16:44:00.001-08:00

I love seafood..so here are two seafood/pasta recipes that I came up with. They are fun to make and flavorful. Great for a crowd gathering or a Sunday.

Lobster and Crab Ravioli in Marinara Sauce

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp of sweet butter
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
5-6 minced garlic cloves3-4 anchovy fillets
2 28-oz cans whole tomatoes, preferably San Marzano, drained
1 28-oz can of tomato puree1 cup of full-bodied red wine, such as cabernet sauvignon
1 cup of water
2 Tablespoons fresh oregano
1/2 c. cut fresh parsley12 lobster ravioli
12 crab ravioli
½ cup shredded basil
½ pound medium shrimp
2-4 Alaskan king crab legs – steamed and cooked

Preparation:

Make Sauce: Combine butter and oil, add garlic until fragrant, then anchovies and allow them to dissolve. Add tomatoes, puree, wine, water, oregano, and parsley. Mix together and cook until boiling, then simmer for about ½ hour. Add shrimp and cook until done, Add crab legs and cook until heated through. Toss in shredded basil.

Separately, boil both the lobster and crab raviolis. Drain raviolis and combine on plate; top with sauce & shrimp and crab legs. Left over sauce can be frozen.

Serves 4-6

Pink and Black Pasta Di Mara

We're using a combination of two flavored fettuccines--one is black (squid) and one is pink (salmon). The sauce is a spicy pink vodka sauce, topped with lobster claws, lobster tails, shrimps and Alaskan king crab legs and some peas for garnish.
Servings: This could serve 4-6 people.

Ingredients:

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
4-5 minced garlic cloves1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes1 28-oz can crushed Italian plum tomatoes
1 28-oz can tomato puree1/2 c. vodka3/4 c. light cream 1/2 c. cut fresh parsley1 lb. jumbo shrimp2 1- 1 1/2-lb. lobsters 2-4 crab legs – steamed and cookedl lb. black fettuccini or linguini1 lb. salmon fettuccini or linguini (home-made or store bough or use plain)
1 cup cooked peas (from frozen or fresh)

Preparation:

Make Sauce: Combine oil, garlic, crushed red pepper and cook until garlic is golden. Add tomatoes and puree. Mix together and cook for about ½ hour. Then add vodka and cream and heat. Add lobster first then shrimp and cook until done (about 4 & 3 minutes).
Make Pastas. Cook both pastas in separate pots, until al dente'. Also, cook crab legs separately in boiling water until heated through. Drain pastas and combine on plate; top with sauce & lobster & shrimp and crab legs. Garnish with parsley and peas.As a variation, could also add scallops / clams.If salmon fettuccini cannot be found, then plain fettuccini could work here, but it is important to keep the black fettuccini as the base.

Choucroute Garnie at “Tony’s” Place*

2008-02-06T09:47:00.000-08:00

This past weekend we stopped in for lunch at Brasserie Les Halles*, which I always call “Tony’s Place” (Tony Bourdain). After placing an order for the perfect cold-winter-day cocktail, a Maker’s Mark Manhattan—stirred, not shaken, we noticed that a “February Specials Menu” was sitting atop the regular menus on the bar (I prefer to eat only at the bar at Tony’s Place). The special menu featured "Choucroute Garnie dishes along with a suggested pairing of Alsacian wines."

I didn’t know exactly what “Choucroute” was, but for the past several months have been (slowly) trying to delve into the French cuisine arena. For example, last month it was the “Carcuterie” at Bar Boulud, which I learned was a meat-lover’s paradise. My companion seemed to think that “Choucroute” was a special menu of pate’ a’ la’ the Carcuterie at Bar Boulud. However, I believed otherwise since sauerkraut and potatoes were the common denominator in every dish. (later I learned it was another meat-lover’s paradise). Now I grew up having sauerkraut virtually every week (I’m Polish) and haven’t eaten it since 1984, but figured what the heck—let’s give it a try. Since the Choucroute de Poisson dish included only seafood, I opted for that selection. My companion ordered the Choucroute de Canard (aka duck).

First, we started with an order of what I believe are the best escargots in the City—tasty, melt-in-your mouth, and free of any grit. And a glass of Alsatian pinot noir was recommended as the wine selection to accompany our meals.

The dishes of choucroute arrived; and yes, the main focus was sauerkraut. A pile of it braised in Reisling in the middle of the dish—mine surrounded by the seafood sausage, smoked salmon sausage, monkfish medallions, sea scallops, smoked herring, salmon caviar and steamed potatoes. My companion’s choucroute was sauerkraut slowly cooked in Gewurztraminer wine and surrunded by foie gras and duck sausage, duck leg confit, duck gizzards and steamed potatoes. I didn’t taste the duck, but my seafood combination was very light and tasty. The sauerkraut tasted the same way it did in 1984.

As I did after dining at Bar Boulud last month and learning about charcuterie, I also performed some research about choucroute garnie following the experience at Tony’s. In addition to the dishes that we enjoyed, others that were featured on his menu were the more traditional preparation of choucroute:

Traditional Choucroute Garnie
Smoked pork loin and veal breast, sausages, steamed potatoes and
sauerkraut slow-cooked in Pinot d'Alsace

Choucroute les Halles
Smoked ham hocks, pork loin and belly, blood sausage, steamed potatoes
and sauerkraut slow-cooked in Alsatian beer

About Choucroute

Choucroute garnie is a famous Alsatian recipe for preparing sauerkraut with sausages and other salted meats and charcuterie (I know about this one now) and potatoes.

Although sauerkraut is a traditionally a German and an Eastern European dish, French annexation of Alsace and Lorraine following the Peace of Westphalia in 1648 brought it to the attention of French chefs and it has since been widely adopted in France.

In principle, there is no fixed recipe for this dish - any preparation of hot sauerkraut with meat and potatoes could qualify - but in practice there are certain traditions, favorite recipes, and stereotypical garnishes that are more easily called choucroute garnie than others. Traditional recipes call for three types of sausage: Frankfrut sausages, Strasbourg sausages, and Montbeliard sausages. Fatty, inexpensive or salted cuts of pork also often form a part of choucroute garnie. Other recipes call for fish, goose or duck meat, but this is far less typical. Note: These particular types of choucroute are available on the menu at Tony’s place.

The sauerkraut itself is usually heated with Riesling or other dry white wines or stock. In some recipes, it may also be cooked with chopped onion and sliced apples. In addition to the wine, a traditional recipe would include black peppercorns, cloves, garlic, juniper berries, onions, and bay leaves. (Source: Wikipedia)

So for my past two experiences at French bistros, I learned a lot about some food that I would not have otherwise ever been exposed to. Since I eat mostly fish and fowl, it’s not like I go out of my way to learn about meat and it’s certainly unlikely that choucroute or carcuterie items will be featured on the Food Network or Take Home Chef.

What’s next? Let’s wait and see.

Charcuterie at Bar Boulud

2008-01-22T12:08:00.000-08:00

Someone once said to me a long time ago, “The more you learn, the more you realize what you don’t know.” After having dinner at the new Bar Boulud last Saturday, I learned about a whole new world: Charcuterie. Or, more specifically, as that section on the menu stated: Charcuterie Gilles Verot.

Since I had no clue what “this” was, and being a person that consumes only fish and fowl as proteins, as I perused that part of menu I learned quickly that I probably should look somewhere else. Some of the listings were Pâté Grand-Mere which included chicken liver, pork and cognac; Pâté Grand-Pere was made with, pork, foie gras, truffle juice and port; Lapin De La Garrigue consisted of rabbit, carrot, zucchini and herbs; and Tagine D’Agneau was made with leg of lamb, eggplant, and sweet potato. Other items were prepared using beef cheeks and sweet breads. Although I did see a few selections made with duck foie gras—which I do eat, the addition of other animal parts, such as sweetbreads, caused me to look away. I realized that Charcuterie is not for the vegetarians or semi-vegetarians in the crowd.

After Saturday’s experience, I wanted to delve into the Charcuterie arena and learn more about it. Later, I discovered why I was unfamiliar with it at all, and that I might never enjoy the full experience of selecting any items from the Charcuterie Gilles Verot section of Bar Boulud’s menu. It’s all about pork and meat. And maybe sometimes “their parts” a’ la Tony Bourdain.

I learned that Charcuterie is a word derieved from the French word chair cuite, which is cooked meat, or another French word, cuiseur de chair, which is cooker of meat. It is the branch of cooking devoted to prepared meat products, such as sausage and confit, primarily from pork. The practice goes back to ancient times and can involve the curing, or chemical preservation, of meats. Since charcuterie can greatly extend the lifetime of meat, it is a means of using up various meat scraps that would have otherwise been wasted. All cured meat hams, whether smoked, air-cured, salted, or treated by chemical means, are charcuterie products. Sausage making is also part of charcuterie.

The main techniques of charcuterie include the standard kitchen repertoire of poaching and baking, as well as salting or dry curing, brining, air drying, and smoking with and without heat. The room-temperature treatments involved in air drying and cold smoking introduce a host of food safety issues, and so curing are often used to prevent the spread of dangerous pathogens.

The French word for a person who prepares charcuterie is charcutier, generally translated into English as "pork butcher." This has led to the mistaken belief that charcuterie can only involve pork. The Food Lover's Companion, however, says that "it refers to the products, particularly (but not limited to) pork specialties such as pâtés, rillettes, galantines, crépinettes, etc., which are made and sold in a delicatessen-style shop, also called a charcuterie." And the 1961 edition of Larousse Gastronomique defines it as: "The art of preparing various meats, in particular pork, in order to present them in the most diverse ways." The word can also refer to a delicatessen, a meat shop that specializes in primarily pork products, or that part of a supermarket that specializes in meat products such as hams and sausages. (Source: Wikipedia)

I also learned that Gilles Verot is a renowned maker of Charcuterie maker from Paris and was the primary source behind Boulud’s menu and he has an exclusive chef devoted to Charcuterie.

If I really wanted to learn more, there are several books available, one of which is called, “Charcuterie: The Craft of Salting, Smoking, and Curing,” written by Michael Ruhlman and Brian Polcyn and forwarded by Thomas Keller.

I don’t think that I’ll be clicking on the order section for this book. However, I do feel that I know enough about it for now, so that the next time that I’m in a French bistro and see a section on the menu that lists Charcuterie, I will make a selection from the Soupes et Salades.

Much Ado About Nothing...

2008-01-09T14:18:00.000-08:00

It’s been several weeks since I visited the blogger site, and now that the holidays are over, I’m back. First, I’ll talk briefly about some food that I made during the holidays; then reminisce a little about a “food and golf” experience of days past; and then briefly mention a word or two about some restaurants that I visited in late 2007. Remember, I’m no four-star chef, golfer or New York Times food critic, but here goes. I’ll call this one “Much Ado About Nothing.”

First, the Food:

The holiday weeks were exhilarating in a culinary sense. I made a number of complex and simple, fun and flavorful dishes. I don’t know what I enjoyed more, actually making the food or shopping for the ingredients in Hell (Hell’s Kitchen, that is—not Macy’s during the Christmas shopping fiasco), or at the Japanese market in Edgewater, or at the Whole Foods Market, or at my local fishmonger. Okay, it was all fun!

The complexity of making Coq Au Vin and Confit Byaldi (aka Ratatouille) comprised most (actually, all) of my Sunday afternoon. It’s true what “they” say about French cooking—it’s complicated, but well worth the effort. The Coq Au Vin was so tender and fell off the bones while the sauce was complex and flavorful. The Ratatouille was full of flavors and melted in your mouth and lingered a long time thereafter. It’s amazing what we can do with pure vegetables!

For Christmas Eve, I made a tuna tartar topped with a raw quail egg, a smoked salmon bruchetta, and the famous Italian fish soup, Soupa De Pesca. I used San Marzo tomatoes, fresh herbs and garlic, and filled it with shrimps, scallops, clams, calamari, and mussels. Yum oh! WAIT! I didn’t actually “SAY” that! Did I?

On Christmas Day, I roasted a goose, which I steamed the day before and let it dry, uncovered, overnight in the fridge (ala Jacques Pepin’s method). I made a covering of cracked allspice berries and pink peppercorns in melted butter to coat the goose, and stuffed it with dried figs, prunes and apricots. I also threaded the dried fruits on skewers and placed them in the pan with the goose. I also prepared a port gravy. As a side, I roasted chef’s potatoes in goose fat, and served them with a medley of vegetables—carrots, haricot verts, corn and lima beans (Okay—I “cheated”—the veggies were from a bag—the antithesis of the ratatouille that prior Sunday. Hey, I was getting tired).

The New Year’s Eve weekend cuisine consisted of broiled Alaskan King Crab Legs with a creamy, spicy mayonnaise that I put together using Mirin and Tabasco sauce. I also prepared red ruby jasmine rice that was first steamed in the rice cooker, and then stir-fried with fresh ginger and scallions. I topped each serving with fried shallots and a poached egg. Yum oh! AGAIN?? I HAVE to STOP this.

Since I was feeling more of an Asian flair versus French the prior week, I decided to go “Viva la Vong” and revisited the Chicken Satay recipe with peanut sauce, and the Crab Spring Rolls wrapped in butter leaf lettuce, garnished with fresh mint and garlic sprouts. However, this time I used purchased pre-wrapped egg roll wrappers versus the Thai-style dried rice paper rounds that are soaked in warm water. Did I “cheat” again? Not really. Cheating would be purchasing "everything" already made from Trader Joe’s.

During that week, some of the simpler things that I prepared were hard boiled quail eggs (the simplest, obviously—boiled eggs—quail, though); slow roasted Atlantic salmon drizzled with scallion oil and served on a bed of mashed potatoes; and a steamed red snapper smothered and stuffed with fresh ginger, garlic and fresh coriander. I also prepared sushi rice to go with the snapper. Very good. Yum oh—no—Very good!

Finally, I ended the culinary experience by preparing a “classic” fondue using grated Emmenthaler and Gruyere cheeses, a dry chardonnay, and Chambord (versus Kirsch)!
Whew!!

“The Next Iron Chef” Episodes Piqued My Memory of a Food and Golf Excursion:

After all of that (food) shopping and cooking, I took “off” one day to watch the replay episodes of the “Next Iron Chef.” Actually, I met two of them—Bobby Flay and Michael Symon (the newest Iron Chef)—back in April of 2003 in Scottsdale, Arizona (Wow—a long time ago!).

Back then, I traveled to Scottsdale, Arizona, to play golf on a “real” golf course; attend a Celebrity Chef Golf Tournament as a spectator; and go to the Best of the Southwest Grand Tasting cuisine gathering. Food and golf were/are two of my hobbies. Well, food more than golf, and what a better way to enjoy both—chefs playing golf and then sampling their cuisines later. I had been cooking for a long time but had taken up golf the prior year. Actually, the extent of my golf was hitting golf balls at a local driving range and being coached by a lousy driving range pro every week. I had never played golf or set foot on a golf course, so that year my goal was to play on a golf course. The food and chef thing was an added bonus, so after reading about those events in Bon Appetite Magazine, I headed to Scottsdale!

That weekend, I stayed at the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort at Gainey Ranch. The Celebrity Chef Golf Tournament was held on Saturday morning at the Greyhawk Golf
Club nearby. The Grand Tasting event was held later that evening at the hotel, and the next two days were booked for my golf playing lessons.

The morning of the event there was complete chaos at the hotel because the staff knew nothing about the van that was supposed to transport us to the golf course. Finally, it was located, and I ended up being a passenger in a nearly empty van with two gentlemen—one who won a contest to play golf with the chefs and the other was Michael Symon. I recall Mr. Symon telling me about his golf game and that he was a chef from Cleveland (Lola Bistro). Since I was neither a chef or a golfer, I told him that I was a spectator. That’s what I was.

Now I had no idea of what to expect when I got to the golf course. Again, at that time, I was never on a golf course, let alone a huge popular one in one of the best golf cities in the country. Where were all the spectators? Was I the only one? Later, I learned the answer to that question.

After looking at the roster that listed the “celebrity chefs” and their partners, I decided to follow Bobby Flay’s foursome because he was the only “celebrity” chef’s name that I recognized. Sorry, Michael. You weren’t an Iron Chef back then. I don’t even think Bobby Flay was, but I knew his name from New York City restaurants and the food shows. Again, sorry Michael. We have all come a long way!

Anyway, it was hot and I had no clue where I was. I walked among the cacti and sands of the dessert golf course in the blistering sun for the first four holes, following the golf carts transporting Bobby Flay and his group way ahead of me. I also sampled a few unusual dishes on the way, one being fried cactus. Needless to say, since I was the “only” spectator at the tournament, it was time for me to head back to my hotel. I decided that a cocktail by the hotel pool was a nice alternative to lagging behind the golf carts for next fourteen holes. That was it for the spectator part.

The Grand Tasting later that evening was another story. I met Tom Colicchio there, who wasn’t a superstar judge on Top Chef at the time, but well known for his Gramercy Tavern restaurant in New York City. Finally, I ended the day sampling various foods from restaurants of the southwest. At least there were people in attendance at the food event.

The next day two days were comprised of golf playing lessons at the Gainey Ranch Golf Club. I won’t go into details about those episodes, and just remind myself that I’m much better in the kitchen then I am on the golf course. And, I must say, that my cooking has improved tremendously during the past five years, but my golf hasn’t budged. Oh, well! I may not ever be a scratch golfer, but I can certainly cook a meal for any golfer any time!

Lastly, A Food Critic—Not:

Recently, I sent an e-mail to one of my former colleagues, who is a true food connoisseur (notice I didn’t say “foodie”) to wish him a Happy New Year and also tell him about several of the restaurants that I visited late last year:

Brasserie Les Halles – Always a good place to go “anytime” for good food, good service, and no attitude. They have escargot that melt in your mouth, literally. Besides, it’s Tony Bourdain’s place. And, better yet, Eric Ripert cooked there with Tony one night not too long ago. Wish I were there for that one and some of the tequila that they drank afterwards!

Mai House – Good Asian cuisine; I’d go back…maybe.

Centro Vinoteca – The place is casual and the Italian food is pretty good. I like it more as a “drinks and tiny plates at the bar” versus a “full-fledged meal” at the table. Also, it’s fun seeing “Mario Batali’s Iron Sous Chef” hanging out.

Centovinni – Lousy!

Butter – Really lousy! I read that Tiger Woods eats there. Too bad.

A Voce’ – Food was okay, but not a “do-over.”

P*ONG – Truly a dessert place. Stay (far) away from the burnt-tasting cheese soufflé’—I guess that’s why they gave it to us “on the house.”

Bouchon Bakery at Time Warner – I figured this is the “closest” I would get to Tom Keller’s food – still haven’t gotten to Per Se. Can’t get an answer on the reservation line.

Annisa – By far, my favorite on this list. The food was excellent – got one Michelin star recently.

And, later this week, we’re off to Le Bernardin for dinner. I’ve been there several times before, and recently stopped in with my companion for a shot (actually doubles) of tequila (Patron Platinum). After a shocking bar bill of $169 before tip--just for the drinks, mind you, he reminded me of my saying that, “I don’t like cheap booze or cheap men.” I don't.

Finally, next week we have reservations at the new Bar Boulud. Yes, Frank, We have Reservations! Do you need one?

http://dinersjournal.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/01/08/sorry-right-number-2/

Paulie D., the Christmas Bird

2007-12-23T19:06:00.000-08:00

We’ve all heard the Christmas songs about animals:

“Chrissy, the Christmas Mouse,” who lives in the bottom of Santa’s house. “Rudolph the Red-Nose Reindeer,” who guided Santa on that foggy Christmas Eve, and “Dominick the Donkey,” who can climb the hills of Italy. That’s just a few.

I have a story about a Christmas bird, named Paulie D. (not to be confused with the actor, please). Paulie D. bird is a mitred conure that was hatched on July 15, 1999 at a bird ranch in Colorado. We named him “Paulie” because he is almost the same type of conure that starred in the movie “Paulie” (although that bird had a blue head). The movie was about a “talking bird” that was searching for his owner who he was separated from when she was a child. Never mind, let’s not get into that now. The “D” comes from a famous actor. Anyway, my Paulie D was transported for sale to the PETCO at Union Square in New York City some time during the fall of 1999 and was living in a cage with about 10 other birds where he aggressively ruled the feathered flock.

In mid December of that year one Friday evening while on our way to the Park Avenue Café, we went into the PETCO in Union Square and visited the aviary section. We noticed “Paulie D” and thought he was a good-looking bird (he is – see photo). He was mostly green with cherry red patch on his forecrown, lores, cheeks and sides of the neck. He had a little dusting of red speckles on his green chest, and dark green, shiny wings. Since I love birds, my companion asked if I wanted him. I said, “no.”

On December 23 and one week later, Paulie D. was hand-delivered in a cardboard box with holes punched out all over it. “Paulie’s in the box.” And he was. We set up his cage, and then played Frank Sinatra songs while the bird sang—well, not really.

I kept Paulie D. with me until Memorial Day, when we transported him to my friend’s house, which was much larger then my tiny apartment. Since I was there virtually every weekend, I saw Paulie D. constantly and played with him all the time. His cage was in the kitchen, and he liked watching me cook and I always enjoyed giving him fresh peppers, snow peas, or peanuts (the bird, that is).

Then almost one year later, on the Saturday morning after Thanksgiving, the bird started flapping his wings profusely and trying to fly “in the cage.” He then fell to the bottom of the cage and was stilled in a “stargazing” stance. He looked almost paralyzed. Since we couldn’t figure it out, we decided to bring him to a local vet. Local vets in my town don’t typically treat “exotic” birds. That’s what Paulie D is considered. Exotic? Like the actor? The vet couldn’t figure out what was wrong with the bird, and suggested that we take him to the Animal Medical Center in New York City, the largest animal hospital in the U.S.

So we brought Paulie D. to the hospital in New York. After a series of tests and extracting blood from him (and more than $400 later), the doctor prescribed a medication that we picked up at the pet pharmacy at the hospital.

Twice every day, Paulie D. was wrapped in a blanket and fed via a bottle just like a baby. As the week progressed, his condition became worse.

Then on the morning of Christmas Eve, Paulie D was lying on the bottom of his cage. We thought it was over. We moved him out of his cage into his carrying case and brought him to the back bedroom so he could “rest.” We left that afternoon for a Christmas Eve dinner and thought that when we returned, he would be dead.

After we arrived home later that evening, we walked into the back room and heard noises coming from the case. Paulie D. was moving around, eating seeds, and drinking water. Later, we moved him back into his cage and, although he was still a bit week, he was alive. Ah, the miracle of Christmas. Since he was a Christmas gift and his colors are red and green, he will always be the “Christmas Bird” (also known as Paulie D)

Eight years later, he is still alive and doing very well! He likes to scream, chirp, bark (yes, bark—dogs live in the apartment downstairs), and loves doo whop music. Also, he still sings to Frank Sinatra songs—not really.

Merry Christmas to all the Christmas animals!

Some of My Favorite Chefs

2007-12-20T11:18:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago, I attended a book signing at the Borders bookstore in Columbus Circle and met up close and personal several of my favorite chefs – Daniel Boulud, Tom Keller, and Eric Ripert. All are four-star chefs and were featured in the recently released book, “My Last Supper” by photographer Melanie Dunea. It’s an interesting book for the food person (aka “foodie”) who has (just about) everything. Fifty chefs are photographed and discuss what their last meal would be. http://www.amazon.com/My-Last-Supper-Portraits-Interviews/dp/1596912871/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1197401250&sr=1-1

I sat in the front row and across the table from where Ms. Dunea, the chefs and the moderator, Mr. Friedman, were seated. Having all of their cookbooks, which have been used profusely, it was thrilling to be seated right across from such talented individuals. Two of my other favorite chefs, Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Anthony Bourdain, were not present at the book signing but are also featured in the book.

Prior to the panel discussion, Mr. Friedman asked us to write on index cards what our last supper would be. I selected Eric’s Tuna Tartare; Tom Keller’s Ratatouille (aka Confit Byaldi); and Daniel Boulud’s Coq au Vin. After the formal panel discussion was over, Mr. Friedman started to read the audience choices for their last supper. Mine was the first one he read. Each chef smiled and thanked me for selecting “their” dishes. Chef Boulud said they were good choices and suggested that I add the “killer chocolate” from London that Ms. Dunea talked about during the discussion. Several audience members did not provide “serious” answers or their names. For example, one person wrote that their last supper would be a naked man covered with chocolate syrup. Well, I guess that is a serious answer, as I think about it again.

Asian Tuna Tartare

1/4 cup corn oil
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1 pound sushi-grade tuna
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon minced jalapeño
1 1/2 teaspoons wasabi powder
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
1 tablespoon finely chopped scallion
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice, plus half a lemon
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tomato--peeled, seeded and cut into 1/8-inch dice
20 best-quality potato chips
In a bowl, combine the corn oil and ginger and let stand at room temperature for at least 2 hours. Strain the oil. With a very sharp knife, cut the tuna into 1/8-inch dice. In a large bowl, combine the tuna with 3 tablespoons of the ginger oil, 3 tablespoons of the cilantro and the jalapeño, wasabi, sesame seeds, scallion and lemon juice. Mix gently and season with salt and pepper. Stand a 1 1/2-inch-tall and 2 1/4-inch-round mold or a biscuit cutter in the center of a salad plate. Fill the mold with tuna tartare, pressing gently. Lift off the mold. Repeat with the remaining tartare. Drizzle the remaining ginger oil around each tartare and sprinkle with the tomato, the remaining tablespoon of cilantro and a squeeze of lemon juice. Stand 5 potato chips in a circular pattern in each tartare and serve immediately. Recipe from Le Bernardin Cookbook: Four-Star Simplicity http://www.amazon.com/Bernardin-Cookbook-Four-Star-Simplicity/dp/0385488416/ref=pd_sim_b_title_2

Confit Byaldi (aka Ratatouille)

This recipe appeared in the July 13, 2007 issue of “The New York Times” in a story about Tom Keller and his dish called “Confit Byaldi” (aka “Ratatouille”). http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9505E0D8173FF930A25755C0A9619C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=2

For Piperade
1/2 red pepper, seeds and ribs removed
1/2 yellow pepper, seeds and ribs removed
1/2 orange pepper, seeds and ribs removed
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 cup finely diced yellow onion
3 tomatoes (about 12 ounces total weight), peeled, seeded, and finely diced, juices reserved
1 sprig thyme
1 sprig flat-leaf parsley
1/2 a bay leaf
Kosher salt

For Vegetables
1 zucchini (4 to 5 ounces) sliced in 1/16-inch rounds
1 Japanese eggplant, (4 to 5 ounces) sliced into 1/16-inch rounds
1 yellow squash (4 to 5 ounces) sliced into 1/16-inch rounds
4 Roma tomatoes, sliced into 1/16-inch rounds

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

2 teaspoons olive oil

1/8 teaspoon thyme leaves

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For Vinaigrette
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
Assorted fresh herbs (thyme flowers, chervil, thyme)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

For piperade, heat oven to 450 degrees. Place pepper halves on a foil-lined sheet, cut side down. Roast until skin loosens, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest until cool enough to handle. Peel and chop finely. Combine oil, garlic, and onion in medium skillet over low heat until very soft but not browned, about 8 minutes. Add tomatoes, their juices, thyme, parsley, and bay leaf. Simmer over low heat until very soft and very little liquid remains, about 10 minutes, do not brown; add peppers and simmer to soften them. Season to taste with salt, and discard herbs. Reserve tablespoon of mixture and spread remainder in bottom of an 8-inch skillet.

For vegetables, heat oven to 275 degrees. Down center of pan, arrange a strip of 8 alternating slices of vegetables over piperade, overlapping so that 1/4 inch of each slice is exposed. Around the center strip, overlap vegetables in a close spiral that lets slices mound slightly toward center. Repeat until pan is filled; all vegetables may not be needed. Mix garlic, oil, and thyme leaves in bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle over vegetables. Cover pan with foil and crimp edges to seal well. Bake until vegetables are tender when tested with a paring knife, about 2 hours. Uncover and bake for 30 minutes more. (Lightly cover with foil if it starts to brown.) If there is excess liquid in pan, place over medium heat on stove until reduced. (At this point it may be cooled, covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Serve cold or reheat in 350-degree oven until warm.)

For vinaigrette, combine reserved piperade, oil, vinegar, herbs, and salt and pepper to taste in a bowl. To serve, heat broiler and place byaldi underneath until lightly browned. Slice in quarters and very carefully lift onto plate with offset spatula. Turn spatula 90 degrees, guiding byaldi into fan shape. Drizzle vinaigrette around plate. Serve hot.

http://www.amazon.com/French-Laundry-Cookbook-Thomas-Keller/dp/1579651267/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1198168419&sr=1-1

Coq Au Vin

I modified this recipe slightly, using a chicken in lieu of a rooster and turkey bacon (Sorry, Chef).
For Marinating
1 750-ml bottle Red Burgundy
1 large onion, sliced

2 celery stalks, sliced

1 large carrot, peeled, sliced

1 large garlic clove, peeled, flattened

1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 chicken legs and 4 chicken thighs

For Cooking

1 tablespoon olive oil

Turkey bacon cut crosswise into strips

3 tablespoons flour

2 shallots, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, minced

4 large fresh thyme sprigs

4 large fresh parsley sprigs

2 bay leaves

2 cups chicken free range chicken broth
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter

1 pound assorted fresh mushrooms
1 pound of one-inch pearl onions, or boiling onions, peeled
Chopped fresh parsley

Combine wine, onion, celery, carrot, garlic, and peppercorns in large pot. Bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer 5 minutes. Cool completely; mix in oil. Place chicken pieces in large glass bowl. Pour wine mixture over chicken; stir to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 day and up to 2 days, turning chicken occasionally.

Transfer chicken pieces from marinade to paper towels to drain; pat dry. Strain marinade; reserve vegetables and liquid separately.

Heat oil in heavy large pot (wide enough to hold chicken in single layer) over medium-high heat. Add bacon and sauté until crisp and brown. Transfer bacon to small bowl. Add chicken, skin side down, to drippings in pot. Sauté until brown, about 8 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to large bowl. Add vegetables reserved from marinade to pot. Sauté until brown, about 10 minutes. Mix in flour; stir 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in reserved marinade liquid. Bring to boil, whisking frequently. Cook until sauce thickens, whisking occasionally, about 2 minutes. Mix in shallots, garlic, herb sprigs, and bay leaves, then broth. Return chicken to pot, arranging skin side up in single layer. Bring to simmer; reduce heat to medium-low. Cover pot and simmer chicken 30 minutes. Using tongs, turn chicken over. Cover and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes longer.
Meanwhile, melt 3 tablespoons butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat.
Add mushrooms; sauté until tender, about 8 minutes. Transfer mushrooms to plate. Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter in same skillet. Add onions and sauté until beginning to brown, about 8 minutes. Transfer onions to plate alongside mushrooms; reserve skillet.
Using tongs, transfer chicken to plate.

Strain sauce from pot into reserved skillet, pressing on solids in strainer to extract all sauce; discard solids. Bring sauce to simmer, scraping up browned bits. Return sauce to pot. Add onions to pot and bring to simmer over medium heat. Cover and cook until onions are almost tender, about 8 minutes. Add mushrooms and bacon. Simmer uncovered until onions are very tender and sauce is slightly reduced, about 12 minutes. Spoon off excess fat from top of sauce. Season sauce with salt and pepper. Spoon sauce and vegetables over chicken. Sprinkle with parsley.

http://www.amazon.com/Daniel-Bouluds-Cafe-Boulud-Cookbook/dp/068486343X/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1198168062&sr=

Shopping in Hell

2007-12-07T05:15:00.000-08:00

About a month ago, I saw a write-up about “Food Shopping in Hell” on a website called The City Cook (www.thecitycook.com). It’s a great website that offers information about anything and everything for home cooks in New York City (the City). The article discussed a number of the food stores located on 9th Avenue behind the Port Authority Bus Terminal, which is in the middle of Hell’s Kitchen.

Actually, a friend who grew up in the City introduced me to the food markets on 9th Avenue about ten years ago. Since then, I shopped in that area for many years—more so when I worked in the City (I’m from Joisey—I know, part of the “bridge and tunnel crowd”—but, not really). During that time, my mode of transportation to and from work was via the bus at the Port Authority. And having worked most of my career in the City, I’ve become so accustomed to virtually everything that it has to offer and now frequently go there to shop or to dine or to shop or to dine, or to shop. Recently, I resumed shopping in the City more frequently and have become spoiled that I don’t want to shop anywhere else!

Typically, my “Shopping in Hell” consists of a trip to several of the stores that have been there for close to a hundred (if not, more) years. One of my favorite 9th Avenue locales is Esposito’s Meat Market for poultry products. Last Saturday, I bought some plump duck legs, which I transformed into an Asian duck confit (sort of) on Sunday. After the butcher, it was off to the International Grocer for some spices sold loose by the half-ounce, ounce, pound, or whatever; robust coffee beans in any flavor imaginable, also sold loose by the pound; and a variety of oils from around the world. A few sacks of spices, rice, coffee, and a tin of oil almost always complete that stop for me. Next, it’s the Sea Breeze Fish Market, which carries a wide variety and some of the freshest seafood around, and I could never leave that place empty-handed, so I carried some fresh skate under my arm upon leaving that store (again for Sunday’s meal). I asked the fishmonger to pack it in ice, although it would have held up well to the 32-degree temperature outside. Finally, I ventured into Stile’s Farmers Market, where I was taken aback by the prices of produce. I purchased fresh red peppers, yellow peppers, romaine lettuce, carrots, scallions, garlic, celery, onions and jalapeños – and a bottle of Italian balsamic vinegar – all for under $10. The toll to get through the tunnel is worth it (remember, I’m from Joisey). When my companion asked me which place I preferred—Stile’s Market on 9th Avenue or the Union Square Green Market, which I visited two weeks prior—my response was that it is a tough choice and similar to asking a parent which child they preferred. I couldn’t answer that question.

All of that “Shopping in Hell” made us hungry. Where should we eat? Since it was 3:30 p.m., and many restaurants were closed between lunch and dinner service at that time, there was only one place that immediately came into my mind—“Tony’s place.” Well, that’s what I call Les Halles, one of my favorite restaurants that I wrote about in October. Since Les Halles has service non-stop, it was a perfect time to visit for a “quick” bite. We ventured to Park Avenue South—out of Hell’s Kitchen to “dine.”

And the food was great, as always. I ordered my traditional favorite amuse of escargot in garlic butter, and a café platter, which consisted of duck confit shredded in duck jus, truffle oil, mushroom puree, mashed potatoes and fresh herbs. My companion ordered sautéed foie gras with apple, walnuts and Calvados sauce and a rib eye steak. A bottle of Cotes de Francs, red Bordeaux accompanied the meal—which worked well on that late cold, blustery afternoon. As the sun disappeared, so did the lights at the restaurant. Les Halles depends upon tiny candles to light the restaurant during the evenings.

After dinner and on our way back to the car, we passed by Primehouse New York, Steve Hanson’s slick, new steak house. We looked inside and noticed the spacious white moderately lit bar area, and decided to venture in for a Manhattan (after all, it was cold outside). We sat at the bar for a while and chatted with the bartender/ writer who was originally from Detroit. Of course bartenders always have amusing stories to tell, particularly those who are from the mid-west and relocate to Manhattan. After we finished our drinks, one of the servers escorted me downstairs and showed me the special “Salt Room” where cuts of beef are set to age. I was told that Primehouse has its own bull, named Prime, who produces the beef cattle specifically for the restaurant. That’s one busy bull!

After we left the Park Avenue South area, we ventured to the Village for a quick dessert stop at P*ONG, the relatively new place opened by Pichet Ong of Spice Market. When we arrived, we learned that Pichet was out sick with the flu, but his partner was there and offered hospitable service just the same. We enjoyed a cheese plate and a Stilton cheese soufflé smothered in walnuts with basil ice cream as an accompaniment. That was an excellent “dessert.”
Finally, it was time to call it a day and/or night of shopping and hopping (not really “hopping”). Again? Maybe it was. Whatever you call it, there’s nothing better then spending an afternoon shopping and/or hopping for food in the City. What City is that?

Next Food Network Star -- Wishful Thinking

2007-11-28T18:02:00.000-08:00

Well, with Mario and Emeril off the main stream of things at the Food Network, they need a new "star"....the heck with spending millions of $$$ on month-long competitions. Here she is!! Well, "wishful thinking" : )

Hopping, Shopping and Turkey

2007-11-23T07:34:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday was a fun-filled day of restaurant hopping around town and also a little bit of shopping thrown in. It was the start to a busy week.

First, we started off having brunch at The Little Owl, Joey Campanaro’s place in the west Village. It’s funny because we saw him on a chef’s thanksgiving competition show that aired on the Food Network Sunday afternoon. Obviously, that was an older show because he was performing construction on the restaurant. He won the competition and $10,000.

There has been a lot of hype about the Little Owl and now I know why. It’s a nice, intimate size with only 27 seats for a small, neighborhood restaurant. It was a crisp, fall day, and my seat was next to the heat vent, so that added to the cozy feeling of the restaurant.

Since the menu was very limited, and brunch usually consists of dishes that include meat, bacon or ham, my choices were limited to two choices. So a white omelet with spinach and Portobello mushrooms is was what I enjoyed. My friend had poached eggs on a sausage brioche. The service was attentive and the food was very good. I would like to try and have dinner there one night because brunch is brunch.

Since we opted not to have a cocktail at The Little Owl, we walked to 7th Avenue South to CentroVineteco for one of my favorite weekend brunch drinks, a Bloody Mary. My rule is that the only appropriate time for a bloody Mary is between 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., and it was 1:45 p.m., so we were within the time constraints. We sat at the bar, and relaxed as we planned (sort of) the rest of the afternoon. I’ve been spoiled by the drinks made at home, so observing a “pre-mixed” tomato solution poured into a glass of vodka was somewhat disappointing. However, the taste was “sort of” there.

Bottlerockets was offering a Thanksgiving workshop that afternoon, so we opted to drive toward Union Square and check out what was going on at the store. The setup was traditional dishes and wines offered as pairings and suggestions for Thanksgiving dinner. There was roasted heritage turkey, vegetables prepared from the Union Square Green Market, and desserts prepared by The City Bakery. Chefs from Dani, Gramercy Tavern and Mas Farmhouse were available to answer questions. We sampled a few wines and had a tasting of heritage turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and dessert nuts. I bought a dessert wine, and some spicy nuts.

Given that we had gotten parking space in front of the store, we kept the car there and decided that venturing on foot is what we would due. Next was a stop at Coliccio’s Craft Bar for a Manhattan. Since it was cold outside, that was a nice pick me up. After leaving Craft, it was off to do some shopping at the Union Square Green Market. I enjoyed shopping where the chefs from the NYC restaurants go. After buying about 15 pounds of various produce, it was off to the car to drop the stash. At this point, we decided to head over to Craft for some oysters.

As we started to venture toward Craft, we noticed a Japanese restaurant called Haru on Park Avenue South. The menu looked good, so in we went. We did not want to eat a lot of food, so soup and a quick appetizer did it for us. I had the lobster miso soup, and my friend had the lemongrass hot and sour soup, which smelled and tasted like the soup I make at home. Anyway, a quick appetizer for each of us, then we were off to Craft for oysters.

After finishing kumomoto oysters at Craft, we decided to head to the meatpacking district to visit Morimoto’s, “if” we could get parking. We did, so a quick stop there completed the City hopping for the day. But we were not done yet.

It was time to head back to Jersey, but I wanted to make another stop and check out a Cuban Cigar Bar in Jersey City (right outside the Holland Tunnel). We parked the car, and then ventured into a place called Azucar. That place was hopping. The first floor had a Spanish band playing music with a crowd of folks dancing. We went upstairs to the “cigar” lounge. Actually, it looked like two or three living rooms with a “bar” in the middle. Service was extremely slow. After waiting about 10 minutes, we left to find a server. I also wanted to buy a Remy Martin cigar.

After smoking our cigars and enjoying a Mohito, it was time to head home. It was a long day of hopping and shopping and now we were heading into a busy week ahead—The Big Smoke and Thanksgiving.

The Big Smoke – Tuesday night we attended The Big Smoke at the Marriott Marquee in New York. There were about 1,500 guys in attendance, four other women and me. What a night! I’ve been to the Big Smoke before, and was surprised to hear that they still are allowed to run the show in light of the new non-smoking laws in the City. Obviously, they could. So a $200 ticket for admission gets you 35 cigars from major manufacturers, and the opportunity to sample every cognac, rum, bourbon, scotch and beer on the planet. Needless to say, they allowed smoking during the show…and the guys smoked…and smoked…and smoked. It was a good start to a long holiday weekend.

Thanksgiving was a fun day of cooking good food, having good wine, and being with a good friend. We started our gathering first with a cold, spicy Bloody Mary as I continued with my preparation of the meal. Then it was lobster cocktails as an appetizer. My final menu decision turned out rather simple. I decided to make a citrus roasted turkey with shiitake mushroom gravy. I bought a fresh kosher organic turkey, so I didn’t have to brine it the day before. The stuffing was a combination of mushrooms—shiitake, cremini, and porcini, with Asian spiced nuts that I bought last Saturday. Sides were roasted white organic yams, sweet and sour cipollini onions, and a medley of vegetables, including turnips, Belgian white carrots, red carrots, and salsify. No green bean casserole here.
After dinner was over, it was time to relax and smoke one of the 35 cigars gathered from the Big Smoke the other night. Also, watch one of my favorite Hitchcock movies, The Birds. No football here, either.

Thanksgiving Menus from the Past - Nothing Yet for Next Week

2007-11-16T17:29:00.000-08:00

Still no bird plan yet for next week...and it's less than a week away. I thought I'd pull out some of my menus from "Thanksgiving past" to give me some ideas, and maybe replicate a few of the dishes...nada...

All recipes below were very good and turned out really well, but I'm not anxious to get behind the stove and rattle those pots and pans to any of them, again. I'm bored.

Thanksgiving Menu 3

Baby Romaine Salad with Pears, Oven-Dried Grapes and Roasted-Shallot Vinaigrette

Herb and Citrus Glazed Roasted Turkey with Chardonnay-Wine Sauce

Stuffed Acorn Squash with Wild Rice and Mushrooms

Honey-Glazed Oven-Roasted Sweet Potato Wedges

Steamed Edamame with Lemon, Garlic and Parsley

Cranberry Sauce

Thanksgiving Menu 2

Baked Stuffed Mushrooms with Crab

Boisenberry and Citrus Glazed Roasted Turkey with Port Wine Sauce

Wild Rice, Apple and Dried Cranberry Stuffing

Brandy and Orange Pureed Sweet Potatoes in Orange Cups

Snow Peas with Lemon Herb Butter

Cranberry Sauce

Thanksgiving Menu 1

Stuffed Mushrooms

Tower of Roasted Red Peppers, Fresh Basil, Tomato Confit, Mozzarella Cheese and Marinated Eggplant

Roasted Turkey with Pear and Port Wine Sauce, and Wild Rice Stuffing with Pearl Onions, Dried Cherries and Apricots

Pureed Sweet Potatoes with Brown Sugar and Sherry

Green Beans with Shallots, Rosemary and Roasted Hazelnuts

Fresh Cranberry Sauce with Dried Cherries and Cloves

White Pepper Ice Cream & Assorted Fruits

Mai House Restaurant - No Hopping Afterwards

2007-11-13T08:22:00.000-08:00

This past weekend the idea was to do “restaurant hopping” in the City, so we had planned to visit several restaurants Saturday evening. That morning, it was working out and getting the normal weekend errands out of the way, then getting ready for the evening. It did feel odd not purchasing any food items when I visited the store earlier that day. Nonetheless, I would make up for it on Sunday.

We had dinner reservations at Mai House, a Vietnamese restaurant in TriBeCa and part of Drew Nieporent’s Myriad Restaurant Group. Drew’s famous flagship restaurants include Tribeca Grill and Nobu, to name a few, all of which are located within one city block. I like to eat dinner early, so the reservation was for 5:45 p.m., and since we were about 45 minutes early, we headed to Tribeca Grill for a cocktail first. I was surprised that the bar at the Grill was so crowded, but it started to clear out after 5:30 p.m. After enjoying a quick cocktail and watching a group of people finish a tour of the restaurant, we were off to Mai House.

We were the first patrons to arrive—and were the only diners in the restaurant for the first forty-five minutes. I’ve noticed that the one drawback of eating dinner early in a New York City restaurant is that the only “people watching” going on is the servers watching us. I guess it’s different in the theater district where they’re used to having more of a crowd early in the evening.

The restaurant’s entire menu was very appealing. They have a listing of specialty cocktails called “Mai Cocktails,” where they do a take on the traditionally named drinks, such as a Mohito or a Manhattan. An ‘jito is where they add lemongrass, kaffir lime juice, and curry leaves to the rum (versus the traditional mint); or the ‘hattan includes hibiscus, ginger and palm sugar with the bourbon. I couldn’t resist the ‘jito.

Since I have done a lot of Asian cooking, I recognized virtually every ingredient as it described the various dishes on the menu, including the drinks discussed above. For example, I’ve worked with kaffir lime leaves, tamarind pulp, lemongrass, ginger, chilies, pandan juice, quail eggs, and glass noodles… the list goes on—you should see inside my kitchen cabinets. Getting back to the meal. For an appetizer, I ordered the barbecue quail with sticky rice, kaffir lime and crispy shallots—Again, things I’ve made in the past—the quail, the sticky rice, and crispy shallots. (Currently, I have quail in my freezer—as I like to say, “quail on call” for when I’m in the mood for it at home). My friend ordered the wild boar nem sausage with a tamarind sauce accompaniment. Since I don’t eat anything that has hooves, I didn’t taste the boar.

Prior to bringing our appetizers, the server brought over an amuse bush, compliments of the chef. The muse was an order of seared scallops smothered in a citrus, yet spicy, vinaigrette. It was a nice start to what would become a very good and tasty experience.

For my entrée, I enjoyed roasted black cod, which was served smothered in a sweet miso glaze. The accompaniment was heart of palms, pickled watermelon and a kumquat vinaigrette. To my surprise, the fish was prepared perfectly. The cod glistened and the layers fell apart as I sliced each piece. Lately, I’ve been getting overdone fish at restaurants, so this was an extremely flavorful, pleasant and enjoyable dish.

My friend ordered the kaffir lime duck, served over a daikon pancake with an order of duck hash. I tried the duck (ducks don’t have hooves), which was prepared very well and tasted great. As a side, we ordered the duck fried rice, which was spectacular. The rice was made with a combination of duck confit, smoked duck, and a scrambled duck egg. We also had the sautéed water spinach and sautéed chayote as two side dishes, which were also compliments from the chef.

When finished with the main meal, we ordered the Vietnamese coffee. The coffee was served in individual glasses with a sterling silver single cup slow drip filter that slowly dripped the hot coffee into the glasses, where the bottom contained cream and sugar. A complimentary tart was served, so we finished the meal on a sweet note.

After leaving the restaurant, we made the mistake of moving the car out from a perfect parking space right outside of Nobu. (That’s one of the positives about going into the City early for dinner on the weekend—parking spots could be found on the streets—sometimes). There were two other places that we wanted to visit. First, we drove to Annisa, the latest restaurant to gain a Michelin star, on Barrow Street. After noticing the crowd, we didn’t bother to pull into the parking lot across the street that cost $45. We then drove to Ninja on Hudson Street. Ninja is the latest in “theme restaurants” where Ninjas jump out at the patrons while dining. There was more of a crowd lurking in the lobby waiting for the elevator, and that crowd most likely had kids attached to it. Let’s pass on that one.

It had been about 40 minutes in the car since we left the nice parking space in TriBeCa, and I was getting restless (and a bit tired). It was time head home and call it a night.
That was it for “restaurant hopping” this weekend. Although we didn’t visit three or four establishments, the two places that we did go to were fun. Then, again, there’s always next week!

Next Week is Thanksgiving, and Still no Bird Recipe

2007-11-12T17:39:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is next week and I “still” haven’t decided on my final bird recipe and menu. Actually, I’m a bit “bored.” The television and cable stations have been bombarding us with celebrity chefs preparing turkeys utilizing various methods of cooking—roasting, deep frying, smoking, or poaching. Poaching? They’re also making a variety of stuffings ranging from the simple bread, celery and onions, to exotic bird fillers that contain $2,000 per ounce truffles. Well, I haven’t actually “seen” this but I’m sure it’s out there! Or, they are constructing so many different side dishes, mixing up unique drinks, and creating the typical and, in some instances, atypical desserts. The list is endless. Also, the Internet and newspapers have been overflowing with articles and recipes doing the same thing. The November issues of the food magazines that I received last month seem old and out of date now. But I’m still bored.

I am someone who loves food—I love to read about it, watch it on TV (that’s all I watch on TV) go shopping for it, really love to cook it, enjoy eating it, and (sometimes) love to dine out to eat it (that’s another story – see other postings).

Since I have a full time job, my extensive cooking is limited to the weekends where I could spend hours researching, shopping, prepping in the kitchen and then cooking the actual meal. Sometimes I spend the entire weekend just cooking. Many dishes I prepare involve a number of various ingredients and extensive prep work. Looking back on some of those meals and the work involved in preparing them, makes the thought of preparing a Thanksgiving dinner seem like making a peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwich. Nonetheless, I still chuckle about the numerous articles depicting that the preparation of the Thanksgiving dinner is a major undertaking. But I’m still bored.

I grew up enjoying the famous “Butterball” frozen turkey every year. I never even knew what a fresh turkey was. How times have changed since then. Today, we have fresh or free-range or egg-free or grain-free or wild, or tame, or a bird whose bloodline dates back to the Mayflower days. Well, that’s what “they” say. Not my mother’s turkey.

Every year, my mom would buy a frozen turkey the weekend before Thanksgiving and keep it in the freezer until Monday morning when she would take it out and move it to the bottom of the fridge so it would thaw in time to be stuffed on Wednesday afternoon. Yes. Wednesday. (Don’t EVEN think about doing that today!). We did not have an oven large enough, or one that worked, so the turkey was not roasted at home. It was roasted at a local bakery every year. My mother would stuff the turkey Wednesday afternoon. She always made a traditional stuffing with bread, celery, onions and the turkey giblets. After the bird was stuffed, she would place it in the black-speckled traditional turkey roasting pan that had it's own cover. Later that evening, my dad would transport the turkey to the bakery that “roasted” Thanksgiving turkeys for customers. At first, the cost was $1.50, then the price gradually rose to $2.00 throughout the years. On Thanksgiving morning, my dad would pick up the perfectly-roasted bird. The end result was that we “always” had a “clean,” oven, although it never worked. My mom prepared the side dishes (the stove top worked), which consisted of turnips, mashed potatoes, peas/carrots, and cranberry sauce, one of my “favorite” items.

Cranberry sauce was always Ocean Spray, which continues to be “popular” today. I still believe that the "only" way to serve cranberry sauce right out of the can in one whole piece, sliced with a knife. But, there was a “trick” to this method. After opening one side of the can and discarding the metal top, the can would have to be turned upside down and, using a channel-knife opener, two openings would be made on the bottom. This was done so the suction could help release the glob of cranberry sauce. Then, the can would have to be gently shaken up and down until the jellied cranberry glob slowly eased out of it. It would land on the plate with thump and slide around and continue to jiggle for a few seconds before finally settling in one spot. To serve it, we would simply “slice” it with a knife. I never understood why we used a serrated steak knife, but we did. No one ever ate it.

Both parents have long passed on almost 30 years ago. Since then, my Thanksgivings have been a discombobulated series of “events.” During a period of time, I was married for a while but never prepared Thanksgiving dinners. My ex-husband only ate animals with hooves. I, on the other hand, only ate fish and fowl (still do). So, for the five years that we were together, I never cooked a Thanksgiving dinner. Then, for many years to follow, I would cook meals, but never made a full-fledged turkey dinner with all the trimmings. That was then. About ten years ago, I started a new tradition of preparing a Thanksgiving dinner (almost) every year now. Since then, I “cheated” a few times where I bought “prepped” meals, but the bulk of the past decade was making a full Thanksgiving-type of meal.

I must admit that first it was frozen Butterball turkeys, usually a free one from the supermarket. Then two years ago, I discovered the Whole Foods Market and the fresh, free-range bird. What a delightful and flavorful turkey. Last year, the newly-discovery world of having a fresh bird came from Esposito’s, the butcher who has been around for over 100 years, on 9th Avenue in New York City. Butterball will never be the same.

Enough said about the bird. Let’s not forget about my other favorite item, the cranberry sauce. Since I commenced making my own “traditional” Thanksgiving dinner a decade ago, I still buy the Ocean Spray cranberry sauce every year and continue to use the same technique to release it from the can, and present it on the plate with a knife (not a serrated steak knife). But, no one ever eats it.

About five years ago, I was extremely creative and made cranberry sauce from scratch using real cranberries and spices. Since no one ate that either, I reverted back to buying the Ocean Spray cranberry sauce since then. However, last year I got bold (again) and decided to try the “365” brand of cranberry sauce from Whole Foods. Although I opened the can the same way, it just “wasn’t the same.” Or...maybe it was. No one ate that either.

What gives for this year? Should I buy the traditional Ocean Spray, make cranberry sauce from scratch, or go for the 365 Whole Foods brand, which is piled up in a big display section at the Whole Foods Market in Edgewater?

I Don't know what do do. I still don't have a recipe that excites me for a bird. I really am bored this year. Maybe I should call the bakery?

"Restaurant Hopping" at Home

2007-11-07T21:21:00.000-08:00

I had another fun weekend of “restaurant hopping,” one of my favorite things to do. However, it wasn’t in the City but in my own kitchen where, for both days, I prepared dishes from Spice Market, the Union Square Café, Vong and Le Bernardin. I also enjoyed them without having to get dressed up or travel anywhere. Consequently, I had to wash pots and pans and load the dishwasher.

On Saturday, I made two of the dishes served at Spice Market that were featured in Jean-Georges’ new cookbook, Asian Flavors of Jean-Georges: “Black Pepper Crab Dumplings” and “Lime Noodles with Vegetables, Basil, and Sesame.” I also prepared the “Grilled Marinated Fillet Mignon of Tuna.” This is one of the most popular dishes served at the Union Square Café since the restaurant opened in 1985. The recipe was from Danny Meyer’s and Michael Romano’s cookbook, The Union Square Cookbook. Typically, I make three courses per meal (no dessert).

Since my friend bought over two pounds of tuna on Saturday (two pounds for two people), I would have one pound left over for Sunday. NOTE: Whenever an Italian goes food shopping—they always overbuy. Also, my request to “pick up ½ pound of shrimp” turned into a pound of jumbo shrimp being delivered—again just for two people.

Anyway, on Saturday, I started by making the marinade for one pound of the tuna which I cut into two 3” by 3” squares and placed it all into the fridge. Then I made the crab dumplings. I prepared the crab mixture for the filling, which was a béchamel sauce folded into the crabmeat—quite different from any other crab dumplings that I’ve ever made (or have eaten). I filled the mixture into store-bought wonton wrappers using my new dumpling press for the first time. The press makes preparing dumplings a snap (literally). I also made the spicy, black-pepper oil and a sweet-soy reduction sauce to accompany the dumplings. Both complimented the creaminess of the crab filling.

The lime noodles were also fun to make and were very good to eat. The recipe consisted of making a simple lime syrup (fresh lime juice and sugar) and putting together a “pesto” which consisted of fresh basil, fresh mint, garlic, grape seed oil, and toasted white sesame seeds. I softened dried ¼-inch wide rice noodles in warm water, boiled, drained, and then sautéed them in butter and the lime syrup. The pesto was then folded into the warm rice noodles and everything was mixed together. I shredded carrots, shredded parsnips, thinly sliced raw red peppers and shredded broccoli stems as a combination of vegetables for the noodles, which I garnished with toasted sesame seeds. A crisp glass of Beringer Sauvignon Blanc complimented the spicy, sweet, creamy flavors of both dishes—which were served together, a la’ Spice Market style. Having dined at Spice Market, both dishes tasted identical to the restaurant.

The next dish was the Union Square Café tuna. I had marinated the fish in a combination of sherry, soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, fresh ginger, scallions, garlic, cayenne, black pepper and lemon juice for more than three hours. After removing from the fridge, the fish was brought to room temperature, which I then added to a very hot grill pan for about 30 seconds per side, cooking it to perfection (we like our tuna very rare). For plating, I placed several pieces of pickled ginger on the top of each piece of tuna and served soy sauce as an accompaniment for dipping. Louis Jourdan St. Georges red burgundy wine went well with the fish. (Okay, it’s not a white, but does it matter?)

After dinner (and loading the dishwasher) it was time for a martini and a Monte Cristo cigar. That was Saturday.

On Sunday, another day of cooking, I “visited” Vong and Le Bernardin.
Recently, I started a tradition of making a soup every Sunday and wanted to keep the Asian theme going on, so I opted for a soup from Vong and one that I’ve made several times before, “Chicken With Coconut Milk Soup.” I used the one-pound of jumbo shrimp to make a “Shrimp and Bean Sprout Salad,” which was another Vong recipe featured in one of my older cookbooks, Superchefs by Karen Gantz Zahler, about New York City restaurants. And since I had to make another tuna dish to use up the one-pound of tuna left-over from Saturday, I decided to make the “Seared Tuna With Sichuan Pepper and Soy-Mustard Sauce” as the entrée, another Vong dish from the Asian Flavors book.

First, I made the soup, which was a combination of minced garlic, minced ginger, red curry paste, kaffir lime leaves, nam pla (fish sauce) and fresh lemon grass, all combined and cooked in an organic free range chicken broth purchased from the Whole Foods Market (I “cheat” with the broths). I altered the recipe a little by pounding the chicken with a mallet to tenderize it a bit more. After I added the chicken to the broth and it was cooked through, I added the coconut milk and chopped cilantro and fresh lime juice. This soup always tastes better after it sits for a while, or better yet, a day or two.

Next, I prepared the salad. I peeled, washed, dried and sautéed the shrimp. When done, I placed them on a bed of sliced chanterelle mushrooms layered in a light cream citrus sauce, which I made using light yogurt, cream and fresh lemon juice. The vinaigrette that I made consisted of fresh garlic, ginger, nam pla (fish sauce), soy sauce and scallions. I tossed this with the bean sprouts and placed the mixture on top of the shrimp and mushrooms. I used sliced cilantro as a garnish.

Cutting the Tuna into perfect 3” by 3” squares for the Sichuan dish yielded a lot of scraps (Additionally, I had “scraps” left over from the day-before dish which had to be cut into perfect squares, as well). I did not want to discard the remnants of tuna that cost $24 per pound, so I figured a “tartar” would work well and put together a fourth “dish.” I made the “Asian Tuna Tartar” from Eric Ripert’s Le Bernardin cookbook, another “favorite” of mine (the recipe, the chef and the restaurant, that is!). I minced the leftover tuna scraps and combined them with fresh coriander, diced jalapeno, wasabi powder, sesame seeds, finely diced scallion, lemon juice and sea salt. I then placed the mixture into a round mold and served it as an appetizer before the soup.

Finally, I rolled the tuna squares in the Sichuan spices and let them rest until reaching room temperature until ready for the (hot) pan. First, I cooked the tuna about one minute on one side and then 30 seconds on all other sides. Again, the fish was done to perfection (two days in a row!) I prepared the soy-mustard sauce using Dijon mustard, soy sauce, minced ginger, shallots, lime juice and grape seed oil. I drizzled the sauce around the tuna, which I served sliced on a nest of alfalfa sprouts. A bottle of Sancerre Sauvignon Blanc wine was the perfect accompaniment to the fish. Remember, the day before we enjoyed a red wine with the tuna prepared a different way. Ah…the beauty of tuna.
At last, it was time for coffee, chocolate truffles (that were purchased as a “treat”), and a good cigar. Sunday’s over and it’s time to start getting ready for the week. Uh oh – have to clean up first. Check, please? No. Not here. Have to load the dishwasher.

Taste the Bounty of New York State

2007-10-26T06:39:00.000-07:00

During the month of October about 70 of New York City’s finest restaurants celebrated the harvest and New York State’s agriculture bounty by featuring New York wines by the glass paired with special recipes and menus created with New York farm products. I enjoyed the pleasure of experiencing this a few weeks ago when I ate lunch at Brasserie Les Halles.

It was around 12:45 p.m. when I walked into the restaurant and it was crowded, of course. Typically, I’m not one who likes to dine in crowded places, but I decided to do it. The maitre’d greeted me and then walked with me towards the back of the restaurant towards a group of small, two-seater tables. My table was between two tiny two-seater tables, which were each occupied. I squeezed in between to get to the chair against the wall at my table while trying not to knock over the patrons’ water glasses. I sat down and looked around and started to feel claustrophobic. Suddenly, I realized that I did not want to sit by myself in between four strangers, particularly when the tables were so close. Quickly, I looked up at the maitre’d and said, “Actually, I think I’ll sit at the bar, instead.” I stood up and squeezed my way out from between both tables.

I walked over towards the bar where I had a choice to sit on one of five empty bar stools. The maitre’d reviewed the specials with me, highlighting that the roasted brook trout was fresh and very good. He did a very good up-sell, particularly since I am a fish person and do not need much convincing to order a fresh piece of fish.

After reviewing the entire menu, I decided I would go with the New York State featured products—both the food and the wine. I ordered the roasted brook trout with winter squash gratan and a beet reduction sauce and also a glass of the Millbrook New York State chardonnay.

The New York State chardonnay was very good--crisp, light and had a touch of a grassy sauvignon blanc taste, not an oak flavor. I sipped the wine, enjoying the spacious environment at the bar, and chatted briefly with the bartender in between her drink pouring service.

Then the food came out. The ten ounce portion of roasted trout was prepared extremely well, roasted perfectly—not dry or overcooked. The winter squash gratan and beet reduction sauce provided a perfect balance to the firm flesh of the fish. I enjoyed finishing my wine and briefly spoke with the maitre’d, thanking him for the recommendation and indicating that the food was excellent.

As I left the restaurant, it started to rain, so I ran into the closest subway entrance and started my journey home.

Restaurant Hopping Around New York

2007-10-09T17:25:00.000-07:00

To me there is nothing better than “restaurant hopping” around the City. I’d rather visit 3 or 4 places starting on a Saturday afternoon and work my way into the evening instead of sitting down at one restaurant for 2 or 3 hours–unless, of course, I’m dining at one of the four star establishments.

Last Saturday was my latest excursion around town. It started out by attending the Daniel Boulud book signing in Williams Sonoma at Columbus Circle. Of course, I purchased his book to add to my 150-plus collection and also spoke with Chef Boulud briefly about my culinary expertise in the kitchen as he signed the book. Later, a friend of mine caught up with me and it was off to get lunch.

Having been regular visitors to the Time Warner building, we knew of several places to consider. At first we thought about Café Grey but it wasn’t open for lunch that Saturday. Then we considered venturing to the Porter House, which is Michael Lomanico’s relatively new restaurant that now occupies the former Jean Georges’ V steakhouse space. As we started venturing toward that place, we noticed something we haven’t seen before (since we last visited the TW Building) in the center of the third floor—a French-looking cafe/patisserie and bar. We walked toward its reservation podium to see what it was about and, to our surprise, it was “Bouchon Bakery” – a Tom Keller establishment! Since we are both huge fans of Chef Keller, we put in our name for the “20” minute wait for lunch. Typically, I’m not one who likes to “wait” for anything, let alone a table at a restaurant; but to my surprise, we were seated in about twenty minutes.

We sat down and reviewed the menu, which had a nice selection of soups, salads, foie gras (yes, foie gras), sandwiches, and desserts. Also, there was a decent selection of reasonably priced wines. We ordered some wine, the foie gras to share, and we each ordered a sandwich (I know, “odd combo” foie gras and sandwiches). My friend ordered ham and cheese and I ordered the vegetable jardinière. I had to order the vegetable sandwich—what else would one order from one of the establishments whose chef consulted for, and had his vegetable dish replicated in, the movie Ratatouille. As we discussed this with our server, she told us that Chef Keller’s ratatouille dish was offered at Per Se, his flagship four-star restaurant upstairs. However, trying to get a reservation at that place is more difficult that booking a tee time at Pebble Beach with the President, adding on the fact that one would also have to mortgage their house to pay the bill. Consequently, this would suffice my craving for the Keller “ratatouille” dish for now.

Needless to say, the food was superb. The foie gras was warm. The vegetable sandwich was fresh and full with an abundance of distinct flavors that danced. My friend said that his ham and cheese sandwich was also excellent.

We left Bouchon and decided to go upstairs to the Porter House for a cocktail. Also, we were curious to see the restaurant’s new look. I had the pleasure of having lunch there when it was still Jean George’s V steakhouse before that closed down in December 2005. At that time, the restaurant’s décor looked more like a setting from a 1970’s porn movie rather than a steak house (which didn’t last too long). Now, after the renovations, Porter House looks like an authentic steakhouse with dark wooden banquettes and a soothing atmosphere well suited for the business crowd. They have a well-stocked bar with three flat-screened TVs. My friend ordered vodka, straight up, and I ordered a Manhattan—stirred—not shaken. At first, the bartender shook my drink and after realizing what she had done, poured it out and made a new stirred one.

As we sat sipping our drinks recalling the ambiance of the V Steak House, we noticed Michael Lomanico, the proprietor, was there speaking with the hostess. I waved at him, and he walked over to welcome us and say hello. We complemented him on the restaurant’s new look and said it is now an authentic steak house and not a cheesy bordello. He said that it has been opened exactly one year, and he was enjoying it. Chef Lomanico is an extremely nice and unpretentious person.

After we finished our drinks, we decided to leave the Time Warner and Columbus Circle circuit and start our journey back towards midtown. I wanted to stop by another one of my favorite places – Les Halles on 28th and Park. I call it “Tony’s Place” because Tony Bourdaine, the celebrity chef/traveler of "No Reservations," author of “Kitchen Confidential" and a judge on Top Chef, owns it. Les Halles has a quiet, subdue French-bistro-type atmosphere with very good food.

After a quick stop there, it was time to venture to another venue. “How about some oysters at Craft” (Tom Colliccio’s place), which wasn’t too far away from “Tony’s Place.” We arrived at Craft about 5:20 p.m. and it already had patrons seated at several tables. Having eaten there before, we fell in love with the food and the Kumomoto oysters, which were the best we’ve ever had anywhere (except the Pacific Northwest). To our disappointment, they didn’t have any Kumomotos (guess the Chef didn’t like the harvest that day) so we opted for the Wellfleet.

Next, let’s go to SoHo! We headed further down town towards Houston Street, this time for a cocktail at the Pegu Club. Again, a place that we’ve been to a number of times where we know the food and cocktails are always good. Of course, the Pegu mini martini is extremely well prepared. Although the drinks are quite small, they are all made with natural fruit juices and ingredients and the flavors are beyond reproach. As our appetites started to grow again, we decided to order the wild mushroom dumplings to go with our two-ounce drinks. After we finished our “appetizers” we left.

Then, while walking on Houston Street, we passed by one of the “new” hip restaurants in town, Centovini. “Let’s see if we can get a table,” said my friend. “Okay” and in we went. It was 8:15 p.m. and the hostess said that we “can sit” but she needed the table by 9:30 p.m. No problem.

I had heard that Centovini is known for its eclectic wine store, and there has been much hype about the restaurant that’s part of, or close to it. The entrees on the menu sounded very good, but the wine listing was somewhat limited and very over-priced. Wine servings are five-ounces and priced at $16 to $24 per glass. We each ordered a glass of wine. The server brought over two large cabernet glasses along with two miniature carafes, each holding our individual selections of wine. It was a bit pretentious, but I was enjoying it. I ordered the duck and my friend ordered the osso bucco special.

After a forty-minute wait and getting closer to the 9:30 p.m. “witching hour (or half-hour),” the food finally arrived. It looked very good and I was somewhat impressed. However, I started to realize that a major problem was surfacing as I started to try and cut the duck. The knife would not cut through the thinly sliced pieces of duck breast. Finally, after I was able to get a piece of duck on my fork, I placed it into my mouth and started to chew…and chew…and chew. Not only was it difficult to chew, it was extremely salty and had no taste. I could not attempt to eat another bite, so I sent it back and declined to order anything else. My friend finished the osso bucco, which, he said, was nothing to write home about. At that point, it was time to leave and call it a night. As we left the restaurant, my comment was, “Rubber duck belongs in the bathtub NOT on a dinner plate at a restaurant.”
Until next time.
Chao!