gingerly grandiose

Ember Room - Photo Essay

2012-05-18T07:17:00.000-07:00

I love having friends who work in food journalism because I get to go to restaurant menu tasting events. Love it! My friend Will who works with The Daily Meal as a recipe editor and invited me last night to a menu tasting at the Ember Room in Hell's Kitchen, NYC. Chef Pongtawat "Ian" Chalermkittichai invited a few publications to come taste their new menu items. Despite having just arrived back in New York after a visit to Thailand and waking up super early to do a morning show on CBS, Chef Ian was gracious, welcoming and nice enough to by our table a few times to talk about his food and travels. Ember Room is not his first restaurant in the city, his first restaurant, self-titled Kittichai, is actually one of my favorite places in the city so I had high hopes for the food. I certainly wasn't disappointed.

Crispy Rock Corn Shrimp - tempura battered shrimp, roasted melting eggplant, sweet tamarind dressing, shredded hard-boiled egg

Thai Tacos - shredded chicken, bean sprouts, chives, peanut, tofu, coconut, sweet chili sauce

“Yum Hoi” Pomelo Scallops - seared “diver” scallops, chili jam glaze, pomelo salad, roasted pepper-lime dressing

Koi Tuna Tartare - fresh tuna, roasted ground rice, crispy tortillas, chili-lime dressing

Had Yai Volcano Chicken - oven-roasted turmeric-coconut marinated chicken, green chili sauce (IT'S ON FIRE!)

Korean BBQ-Beef Fried Rice - wok-fried rice, kimchee, bbq beef, topped with raw egg.

Crispy Whole Striped Bass - whole fish, sweet/sour/spicy sauce, crispy basil

Red Curry Crispy Duck - lychee, pineapple, cherry tomato, eggplant

Mango with Sticky Rice & Toasted Coconut Ice Cream

Pandan Pot de Crème with Waffle and Pandan Ice Cream

Bun Rieu - Vietnamese Crab Tomato Soup

2012-05-09T13:38:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

5-6 pounds tomatoes
2 tablespoons dried shrimp
2 tablespoons garlic, chopped
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup tamarind paste (dried and condenses with seeds)
1 small can minced shrimp with spices
1 large can minced crab with spices
6 eggs

Directions:

In a small pot, add tamarind and add 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. In large (6 or 8 quart) stock pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add dried shrimp to hot oil and fry for for 2 minutes, then add garlic for another minute. Strain the liquid from the boiling tamarind into the stock pot. (The seeds of tamarind pods are dried with the flesh, but the seeds are bitter so we only want the tamarind flavor in the liquid.) Add more water to the seeds and bring to a boil again. Continue this process of extracting the flavor from the tamarind until the water start to run more clear and you've extracted as much flavor as possible. (This process goes much more smoothly if you have already hot/boiling water on hand, i.e. in a kettle.) When you've finished with the tamarind, dispose of the leftover flesh/seeds. Add more water to the pot until about 3/4 full and bring to a boil.

Quarter the tomatoes making sure each quarter has a part of the head attached to it. This keeps the tomatoes from completely falling apart. When the broth approaches a boil, carefully add the tomatoes. (Don't splash yourself with the hot broth, I've done it once or twice. Not pleasant!) Simmer for an hour.

Empty both cans into a mixing bowl and beat together with eggs. Turn the heat on the stock pot to low and pour the egg/spiced seafood mixture into the pot slowly in circles making sure the mixture has room throughout the pot. Slowly simmer for another 30 minutes. Serve over vermicelli, traditionally accompanies with a spread of Vietnamese herbs, lettuce, lime, bean sprouts, and other unidentified items. So good and a great way to make use of tomatoes when they are in season, ripe, and cheap!

Chinese Watercress Soup

2012-05-03T07:45:00.000-07:00

I grew up on soup. My mother made sure we had soup with every dinner. On the days when we wouldn't, dinner seemed incomplete. The slow-cooked taste of simmer low-fire Cantonese, or lou fo tong (老火湯, lǎohuǒ tāng), is a smell and flavor that brings me back to my childhood. Some people have chicken pot pie, others have roast beef. Cantonese soups are my comfort food, this being one of my favorites.

Ingredients:

1 lb pork neck bones
2 bunches watercress, washed and drained
3 dried honey dates (蜜枣)
6 dried red dates (红枣)
3/4 cups Chinese South Almonds ( 南杏)
Salt to taste

Directions:

Take your soup pot and fill three-quarters (3/4) full with water and put it over high heat. Bring a second (smaller) pot of water to a boil. Put the pork neck bones into the water and let it boil for 5 minutes; this helps get rid of all the bloody water and any excess fat and discharge from the meat. Your end product will be a clearer, cleaner broth.

Turn off the heat and drain the water from the bones. Rinse several times with water until the water runs clear and all the grit is off the bones. Then add the bones to the large soup pot. Add the dried honey dates and the Chinese south almonds to the pot. Wait for the pot of water to come to a boil. If the pot is already boiling, give the ingredients 5-10 minutes in water before adding the watercress.

Lower the flame to a medium/medium-low heat and simmer the soup for 30-40 minutes. The watercress will turn brown and less appealing than the vibrant green when it first enters the pot but the soup you are left with is full of earthy flavor and super delicious!

PUBLIC Sunday Supper - Photo Essay

2012-04-30T09:14:00.000-07:00

Chilled Diver Scallop, Fried Shallots, Cucumber Yuzu Dressing

Oyster Rampafella - Baked Hama Hama Oyster, Ramp, Parmesan

Tasmanian Sea Trout with Spring Cassoulet - Braised Artichoke, Fresh Fava Beans, Garbanzo Beans & Peas

Long Island Duck, Foie Gras Butter, Ash Roasted Ramp, Buttermilk Puree, Pickled Bean Sprouts

Cinnamon Waffle, Nutella Crema, Chocolate Spiced Ice Cream, Banana Caramel Sauce

Picnic Garden - Korean BBQ Buffet

2012-04-25T07:26:00.000-07:00

Shinbashi

2012-04-23T12:39:00.000-07:00

Lunch in midtown usually comes in a bag and is eaten at my desk in front of my computer screen. My coworkers often ask me why I don't leave the office and the answer is usually because its just more convenient to eat at my desk and continue working. But every once in a while I will treat myself to an actual lunch hour. And when those occasions come up, I try to make the effort and spend that time outdoors if possible.

Last Friday was one of those glorious days - perfect weather, outdoor seating, great company, and delicious food. Shinbashi is a little gem in the middle of crowded midtown. When spring comes around, all the restaurants in the city that have the sidewalk space bring out chairs and tables. The insides of their restaurants clear out and the patios are packed to capacity as New Yorkers try to get as much sun as they can in the few warm months we have.

Ladies' Set Lunch

Dahsi Kabocha Pumpkin, Charshu, Random Avocado Concoction on a Ritz Cracker?

Chawanmushi

Mini Chirashi

Caramelized Onions

2012-04-17T11:58:00.000-07:00

I truly do not understand when people say they don't like onions or garlic, both add the most wonderful flavors to food. One of my favorite condiments is caramelized onions. Slowly cooking onions over a low heat brings out all the sweetness and takes away the bite. They are great in sandwiches, pizzas, pastas, and I'm willing to try it on most other things too. Always make more than you need and bump up the flavors in your food for a week.

Ingredients:

2 lbs onions, sliced
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup white wine
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
salt & pepper

Directions:

Melt the butter in a pan with the olive oil over medium low heat. When the butter melts into frothy goodness, add sliced onions to the pan. Add salt to the onion to draw moisture out. As the onions begin to soften, lower the heat to low to prevent browning.

Cook the onions over the low heat for about 30 minutes. Stir the onions every 5 minutes or so to make sure they are cooking evenly. When the onions get a slight caramel color to them, turn the heat up to medium. Add wine to de-glaze the pan and season with salt and pepper.

As the wine evaporates, cook for another 5 minutes. Add the balsamic vinegar and cook for another 5 minutes over medium/medium-high heat. This gets the sugar to have maximum carmelization at the end without burning over the long cooking time. Turn off heat and cool the mixture. Store in an airtight container and keep for up to a week in the refridgerator. (I don't think they will last that long though.)

This recipe multiplies easily so make as much as your heart desires! Happy cooking!

La Biblioteca

2012-04-12T14:07:00.000-07:00

By 4:00pm on any given weekday I'm just about ready to leave work and the first thing on my mind is.... happy hour. Where is the best place around here to meet up with a friend for a quick drink and small bite of food before heading home and relaxing? It's a weekday so you can't stay out too late with work in the morning. Working in midtown manhattan means there are a lot of nice restaurants around and plenty of bar choices but not necessarily good happy hour options that have good drinks and food at a reasonable price.

I have a few favorites but my top-choice at the moment is a little basement bar, La Biblioteca. It's a discreet little bar tucked underneath Zengo that specializes in tequila. Anyone who knows me at all knows tequila is NOT my drink of choice, but the seductive charm of this place is undeniable. The dim lighting, the plush leather chairs. The antique shelves full of labeled tequila that composes their 'library' and even the 'librarian' of their collection, a leggy blond who knows more about tequila than I would ever want to. Their short happy hour menu keeps me happy and satisfied after a long day at work.

Library Cards

Tequila Lockers for those who buy bottles - free storage until your next visit

Mahi Mahi Tacos - 2 for $5 during happy hour

Tuesday Tequila Tastings - every week a different distillery

Muk Eun Ji

2012-04-09T08:46:00.000-07:00

As seen through my recipes, a love all my food with a little spice. I have to say that there aren't any cuisines that master the art of spiciness better than Asian cuisines and Korean food is among the best along with Thai, Vietnamese, Sichuan and others. Whenever I feel the least bit poorly I know that a hot bowl of spicy broth, chili noodles, or hot pepper fried rice will clear up all my issues.

I was feeling a severe need for spicy food all of last week and finally on friday that need was satisfied. I got off early from work because of 'Good Friday' and headed to the Korea-Town neighborhood of New York on 32nd St between 5th and 6th Avenues.

“Muk Eun Ji,” one of over 400 different kinds of Korean kimchi, gets the title when kimchi is fermented over a year at the minimum. This Korean traditional aged kimchi, has fed since ancient generations till now with its unique and rich flavor which is almost addictive once tasted. At Muk Eun Ji restaurant in the K-town neighborhood of NYC, one can experience the authentic Korean aged kimchi that the restaurant is named after. They directly and exclusively imported from Jinan Maisan in South Korea. We got there around 2pm so it was still their lunch special hour.

Ban Chan - Korean Appetizers

Seafood Soondubu

Kimchi Jjigae

Signature Kimchi Stews using Muk Eun Ji

With plenty of options for under $10, I wanted to order everything on the menu. Will definitely have to come back for their JjamPong (spicy seafood noodle soup) and JajangMyeon (Noodles in Black Bean Pork Sauce) combo. Also after staring at what other tables were trying their kimchi stews using the Muk Eun Ji is very popular as well as Korean BBQ options. So many things to eat, so little time...

Nice Matin

2012-04-04T08:17:00.000-07:00

After a day at the museums or central park, your legs are usually tired and your belly is ready for some FOOD! A great French restaurant on the upper west side to take a break and have a nice meal is Nice Matin just blocks from the Natural History Museum. With the weather warming up, I'll be spending a lot more time in that neighborhood so expect more posts! I recalled a great night I spent here with friends last summer for restaurant week. It would be a great place for a date night and there are larger tables for groups. It gets a little noisy with all the chatter but its a lively place and I would recommend it for those in the area.

Sweet Corn Risotto

Seared Ahi Tuna Steak and Grape Caper Compote on a bed of Heirloom Tomatoes

Rhubarb Strawberry Crisp topped with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

Philly in a day... Photo Essay

2012-03-26T07:05:00.001-07:00

Reading Terminal Market

Dutching Eating Place's Apple Turn Over

Dutch Eating Place's Open Face Turkey Sandwich

Dinic's Oven Roasted Pork

Dinic's Pulled Pork Sandwich with Broccoli Rabe

Independence Hall

Liberty Bell

Frozen yogurt on a cold day

Jim's Philly Cheesesteak

Townhall

The Hunger Games Recipes

2012-03-22T09:20:00.001-07:00

With everyone gearing up for opening weekend for Hunger Games which starts midnight tonight, I have rounding up all my Hunger Games recipes from the past few weeks into one giant post. Hope everyone liked them because I definitely enjoyed eating them. Give these recipes a try and let me know how they turn out!

This would be a great time to have a potluck with friends before heading to the theaters this weekend. Enjoy some Panem inspired food with a few drinks before the movie and watch Katniss kick butt.

Fish Stew with Greens

"The fish and greens are already cooking in a stew, but that will be for supper. We decide to save the strawberries and bakery bread for this evenings meal, to make it special we say." Later..."I imagine my home, with its shutters drawn tight. What are they doing now, my mother and Prim? Were they able to eat supper? The fish stew and the strawberries? Or did it lay untouched on their plates?"

Carrot Soup with Lamp Chops

"The supper comes in courses. A thick carrot soup, green salad, lamb chops and mashed potatoes, cheese and fruit, a chocolate cake. Throughout the meal, Effie Trinket keeps reminding us to save space because there's more to come. But Im stuffing myself because Ive never had food like this, so good and so much, and because probably the best thing I can do between now and the Games is put on a few pounds."

Chicken in Orange Beurre Blanc

"He presses a button on the side of the table. The top splits and from below rises a second tabletop that holds our lunch. Chicken and chunks of oranges cooked in a creamy sauce laid on a bed of pearly white grain, tiny green peas and onions."

Beef Carpaccio

"Haymitch shows up just as dinner is being served. It looks as if hes had his own stylist because hes clean and groomed and about as sober as Ive ever seen him. He doesnt refuse the offer of wine, but when he starts in on his soup, I realize its the first time Ive ever seen him eat. Maybe he really will pull himself together long enough to help us. Cinna and Portia seem to have a civilizing effect on Haymitch and Effie. At least theyre addressing each other decently. And they both have nothing but praise for our stylists opening act. While they make small talk, I concentrate on the meal. Mushroom soup, bitter greens with tomatoes the size of peas, rare roast beef sliced as thin as paper."

Pasta with Spinach Cream Sauce

"While they make small talk, I concentrate on the meal. Mushroom soup, bitter greens with tomatoes the size of peas, rare roast beef sliced as thin as paper, noodles in a green sauce, cheese that melts on your tongue served with sweet blue grapes. The servers, all young people dressed in white tunics like the one who gave us wine, move wordlessly to and from the table, keeping the platters and glasses full. About halfway through my glass of wine, my head starts feeling foggy, so I change to water instead. I dont like the feeling and hope it wears off soon. How Haymitch can stand walking around like this full-time is a mystery."

Lamb Stew with Prunes

"'So, Katniss, the Capitol must be quite a change from District Twelve. Whats impressed you most since you arrived here?' asks Caesar. What? What did he say? Its as if the words make no sense. My mouth has gone as dry as sawdust. I desperately find Cinna in the crowd and lock eyes with him. I imagine the words coming from his lips. Whats impressed you most since you arrived here? I rack my brain for something that made me happy here. Be honest, I think. Be honest. 'The lamb stew,' I get out. Caesar laughs, and vaguely I realize some of the audience has joined in. 'The one with the dried plums?' asks Caesar. I nod. 'Oh, I eat it by the bucketful.' He turns sideways to the audience in horror, hand on his stomach."

Hunger Games - Lamb Stew with Prunes

2012-03-19T08:20:00.000-07:00

I think this is perhaps the most famous recipe from the Hunger Games books - probably because Katniss said it was her favorite thing about the Capitol and readers of the book all know that she is no fan of the Capitol.

While reading the description of this dish in the book my initial reaction was definitely more skeptical than excited. Prunes? That's what my grandfather would eat if he felt... you know. Dried fruit has never been of particular interest to me. Why eat it dried when you could have fresh grapes, plums, apricots, cherries? After a little research, I saw that dried fruit is really prevalent in north african cuisine like tagines and heavily spiced rustic stews. My rendition is inspired by the flavors of that cuisine but fused with ingredients I thought made this dish more appealing to me.

Ingredients:

2 lbs lamb
2 cups onion, sliced
1 cup carrots, diced
1 can tomatoes, diced
1 can chickpeas
1 cup prunes, halved
2 tablespoons plum brandy
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 bay leaf
Salt & Pepper

Directions:

Mix the dry spices together in a bowl. Coat the lamb in half of the spice rub, season with extra salt and pepper and let it sit for 30 minutes. Heat a pot on the stove over medium high heat. Add vegetable oil to the hot pan and sear all sides of the lamb.

Take the lamb out of the pot and set aside. Add the onions and carrots to the lamb drippings in the pot. Saute for a few minutes until onions begin to brown on the edges. Add garlic and cook for another minute. De-glaze the pan with plum brandy; add the tomatoes (with all the juices) with the other vegetables. Season with salt and pepper.

Nestle the lamb back into the pot and add water until the lamb is covered. Turn the flame down to a low and let the lamb simmer for 1.5 hours.

Drain the chickpeas from the can and rinse with water. Add the prunes and chickpeas into the stew (with a little more water if it looks dry). Simmer for another 30 minutes. Serve over a bed of wild rice or couscous and enjoy Katniss's favorite Capitol meal.

Hunger Games - Noodles in Green Sauce

2012-03-16T07:25:00.001-07:00

How perfect that it is St Patrick's Day weekend because my next Hunger Games recipe is from the same meal as the paper thin beef carpaccio, noodles in GREEN SAUCE!

"The servers, all young people dressed in white tunics like the one who gave us wine, move wordlessly to and from the table, keeping the platters and glasses full. About halfway through my glass of wine, [Katniss] head starts feeling foggy, so [she] changes to water instead." Well let me tell you something, I will NOT be changing to water this weekend. And hopefully there will be young hot people dressed in GREEN keeping my glass full.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
3/4 cup onion, finely diced
3 cups milk
10 oz. frozen spinach
1/2 lb pasta
salt & pepper

Directions:

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Salt the water and add pasta. Follow directions on package; cook until pasta is al dente.

Melt the butter in a pan over medium-low heat. Put onions in with butter and sweat them for 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add flour to the pan and cook for 2-3 more minutes.

Whisk in 2 cups of the milk slowly. I use skim milk to keep it a little healthier but any milk you have on hand will do. Simmer for 5 minutes while the sauce thickens. Season well with salt and pepper.

Add the frozen spinach to the sauce and stir together. Simmer for another 5 minutes until everything is well combined and the sauce takes on a green hue. Stir in remaining last cup of milk until the sauce thins out a bit and reaches desired consistency. Taste and season with more salt and pepper.

Drain the pasta and add to the sauce. Toss together and give the pasta a few minutes before serving.

Hunger Games - Paper Thin Beef

2012-03-13T10:36:00.000-07:00

During Katniss's prep time before the Hunger Games, she decided that she would eat as much as possible. The few extra pounds would be an advantage to her during the games. However, I don't need the extra pounds so one of her dinners is the same amount as a week's worth of dinner for me.

After the fiery entrance Katniss and Peeta had at the opening ceremony, the District 12 team (Haymitch, Effie, Cinna and Portia) have a fantastic dinner with their tributes. I've decided to try out a couple components from that meal, the first being "rare roast beef sliced as thin as paper." When I read this, my mouth starts to water with one thought --- carpaccio! A simple but delicious and decadent appetizer. When paired with a little bread (which is a MAJOR theme in the books) and wine (which Katniss tries for the first time at this meal) it is my quick and easy Monday night dinner!

Ingredients:

1/2 lb fatty beef tenderloin
2 cups mixed salad greens
1/4 cup crème fraîche
1 teaspoon horseradish
1 lemon
olive oil
Parmesan cheese shavings
salt & pepper

Directions:

Heat a skillet over high heat. Season the whole tenderloin with salt and pepper. Drizzle a little oil into the pan and quickly sear all sides of the beef; 1-2 minutes per side. Take the beef out of the pan; wrap in plastic wrap and put in freezer for an hour.

When the beef is just about ready, mix the crème fraîche and horseradish together and set aside. Take the beef out of freezer; while it is still semi-frozen, try to slice as thin as possible. If it is not as thin as you would like, place slices between wax paper and pound thinner.

Mix the juice of a lemon and 3 tablespoons of olive oil together with some salt and pepper. Toss the mixed greens into the vinaigrette.

Arrange the thin slices of beef onto a plate. Drizzle horseradish crème fraîche on top of the beef and top with the dressed mixed greens and shavings of Parmesan cheese. Serve with some toasted crostini and have a great meal!

Hunger Games - Chicken with Orange Beurre Blanc and Caramelized Peas and Onions

2012-03-12T12:00:00.000-07:00

During her first meeting with Cinna, her stylist, Katniss has a meal of chicken in orange sauce with peas and onions. As she watched this perfect plate of food rise from within the table at the push of a button, Her life had been so hard all her life and with the slightest effort, Capitol residents had a first class meal brought before them. She imagined herself trying to recreate this meal back in District 12. Katniss realizes that after a hard day of hunting. gathering and trading, her version would still be a lesser version of Cinna's lunch. With that realization, Katniss's hate for the Capitol grows.

Though the book does not specify what type of orange sauce is used, I'd like to think it was a decadent buerre blanc usually used with fish and seafood.

Ingredients:

1 lb boneless chicken thighs, cubed
2 oranges
1/2 cup white wine
2 teaspoons shallots, minced
1 stick unsalted butter
1 cup couscous
2 cups frozen peas
1/2 cup frozen pearl onions
Salt & Pepper

Directions:

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat a pan over high heat and brown the chicken pieces and remove from pan.

Saute shallots in the chicken drippings for a minute. Add the juice of 1 1/2 oranges (save last half for orange segments) and white wine to the pan. Lower heat to medium and reduce the liquid to half its original volume. The sauce should be syrupy by this point.

Lower the heat of the pan to low and slowly whisk in little pieces of the butter. Stir continuously to avoid the sauce breaking and do not let it boil. The result should be a smooth pale orange sauce that can easily coat the back of a spoon. Add the chicken back with the remaining orange segments and allow the chicken to finish cooking over low heat.

Using the water-couscous ratio reccommended on your package, allow the couscous to cook and fluff with a fork. Place the peas and onions in another pan and let them heat up with a dab of butter. Season with salt and pepper. Serve chicken over a bed of couscous with the peas and onions as a side.

Hunger Games - Lamb Chops with Carrot Soup

2012-03-07T12:41:00.000-08:00

My second Hunger Games inspired recipe is Katniss's first meal after volunteering as tribute. She never got the chance to eat her fish stew with greens. Tearful goodbyes and nerves of steel must take a lot of energy because Katniss was able to chow down a big meal of thick carrot soup, green salad and lamb chops on board the Panem-bound train.

After teetering on the edge of starvation most of her life, this was her first 'Capitol' meal and the sheer volume of it had her mind whirling. Hunger Games, the movie, is actually working with non-profit organizations - Feeding America & World Food Programme - to bring attention to issues of food shortage and those who don't have enough to eat on a daily basis.

This meal is actually not that difficult to make. In order to minimize cost and effort, each component of the meal is 5 ingredients or less (water, oil, salt & pepper not included).

Ingredients:

Carrot Soup -
1 lb baby carrots
1 can (14 oz) diced carrots
1 small onion
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1 bay leaf
3 cups of water
salt & pepper

Lamb Chops -
1 lb lamb chops
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
salt & pepper

Kale Salad -
2 cups kale, chopped
1 tablespoon shallots
2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
3 tablespoons olive oil
salt & pepper

Directions:

Mix garlic, balsamic vinegar, and soy sauce in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Place lamb chops into the mix and make sure each one is coated in the marinade. Set aside while you prepare the carrot soup.

Heat a pot with 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Add onions into the pot and season with salt. Sweat the onions for a few minutes and add the carrots and tomatoes. Cook for another 10 minutes. Add water to the vegetables; season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 15 minutes.

Mix the shallots, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard and olive oil into the vinaigrette for the kale salad. Rinse and chop the kale into small pieces. Since kale is a tough green, it can withstand being dressed a little early. You can toss vinaigrette into the kale now or later if you prefer.

Heat a skillet or grill to a high temperature. Dry off excess moisture off each lamb chop and place onto the grill. Cook for 5 minutes before flipping and give the second side another 4-5 minutes for a medium rare chop. If you prefer it more well done, adjust time accordingly. Give the lamb chops 5 minutes of resting time before serving.

Turn off heat under the carrot soup. Pour contents into a food processor or blender. Puree the soup until smooth. If the soup seems a little chunky, add a bit more water until the contents reaches desired consistency. Taste and season one last time.

Serve the soup with the lamp chops and green salad & enjoy Katniss's first 'Capitol' meal!

Hunger Games - Fish Stew with Greens

2012-03-06T12:23:00.000-08:00

Like a growing percentage of the country, I am a Hunger Games fan. No surprise either, USA Today just gave the top three spots for February 2012's best-sellers to the Hunger Games trilogy. The action, the drama, the love triangle, and of course the kick-ass female protagonist Katniss Everdeen.

Another part of the story that caught my attention was the food. The dish descriptions were so detailed it made me hungry. So naturally I began to make plans to attempt some of these dishes. I will be making some creations inspired by the Hunger Games, but these recipes will be MY interpretations. Since I'm the one who has to eat the product, I want it to be tasty... here we go!

With the movie coming out in less than 3 weeks (WOOHOO!!!!!!) I thought I should try my recipes in chronological order from the novel. The first scenes of the book is Gale and Katniss hunting in the woods past the fence of District 12. After collecting their bounty and trading in the hob, she uses the remainder of their fish and greens to make a stew. Here is my version of that.

Ingredients:

1 lb white fleshed fish (cod/halibut/sole)
1 lb spicy Italian sausage
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 potatoes, diced
2 cans low sodium chicken stock
6 cups water
1 cup cream
4 cups kale, chopped
salt & pepper

Directions:

Heat a pot over medium heat. Put the vegetable oil into the pot and add the spicy Italian sausage. Brown the sausage for 5 minutes. Add onion, garlic, and crushed red pepper flakes into the pot with the vegetable oil. Cook for another 5 minutes until the onions become translucent.

Add the chicken stock and water to the pot and bring to a boil. Add the potatoes into the boiling broth and adjust stove to medium-low temperature. Simmer for 15 minutes.

While the broth is simmering away, get the kale and fish ready. Take the kale off the stem and chop into bite-size pieces. Take skin off the fish (if there is any) so you are only left with the flesh of the filet. Cut the fish filet into one inch pieces. Season with salt and pepper.

Add the fish and kale into the soup. Simmer for another 5-7 minutes until the fish is cook all the way through.

Turn the heat off and pour in the cream. Taste and season one last time and serve immediately.

Stuffed Zucchini

2012-03-05T12:05:00.000-08:00

When things come into season and produce is really cheap at the supermarket I can't help myself. A trait I inherited from my mother, if it's on sale and fresh, buy it! However, it can lead to an overstuffed refrigerator and ten pounds of zucchini that needs to be consumed.

When you have too much of an ingredient, that ingredient needs to become the main component of a meal, as to use as much of it as possible. Luckily, I love zucchini so I made delicious stuffed zucchini boats and had it for dinner and lunch the next day.

Ingredients:

4 zucchinis
1 cup onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup tomatoes, chopped
1 tablespoon of olive oil
2 cups panko breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons Italian parsley
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
Salt & Pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut the zucchini length-wise and scoop the inside out of the halves. Chop the flesh of the zucchini into similar sized pieces like the onions and tomatoes.

Heat the skillet over high heat. Put oil into the pan. Add the chopped zucchini, onions and garlic in with the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper while letting the vegetables soften. After 5 minutes, the onions start to look translucent; add tomatoes to the pan and cook for a few more minutes.

Line an oven safe sheet pan with aluminum foil and place emptied zucchini halves onto the baking sheet. Fill the zucchini boats with the zucchini, onion & tomatoes. Stir together the panko breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese and Italian parsley in a bowl and top the zucchini halves with the mixture.

Place in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until breadcrumbs are golden brown. Serve with a side salad for a light meal or add a pasta or protein for a more filling dinner.

Whole Wheat Pasta with Arrabiata Sauce

2012-03-01T11:43:00.001-08:00

Most people like their spaghetti with normal marinara sauce... tomatoes stewed into a thick sauce with some basil for aromatics and carrots for sweetness. I personally like my sauce with a little more KICK! My go-to sauce for pasta would definitely have to be the fiery spice of arrabiata sauce. This easy sauce can be made with things in most pantries for a quick and easy meal.

According to wikipedia, arrabbiata (the Italian word for angry) is a Roman sauce of garlic, tomatoes, and red chili cooked in olive oil. Basil is sometimes used, although the majority of chefs in Italy do not use basil for this recipe. The dish is usually served with pasta and chopped fresh parsley sprinkled on top. That's how I like! SPICY!

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon garlic, chopped
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup onion, chopped
1 large can (28 oz.) whole tomatoes
1 tablespoon Italian parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese
1/2 lb whole wheat spaghetti

Directions:

Put a pot of water on the stove over high heat and bring to a boil.

Heat the olive oil in a heavy bottom pot over medium heat. Add red pepper flakes and garlic and infuse the oil with those flavors for 2 minutes. Watch carefully to not burn garlic or you have to start over. Add onions to the oil mixture and soften for about 5 minutes. Hand crush the whole tomatoes into the pot along with all the juices; this gives the sauce better texture.

Allow the sauce to simmer while preparing the pasta. Salt the pasta water and throw the whole wheat spaghetti. After the spaghetti is al dente (about 10-11 minutes for whole wheat), add pasta to the sauce pot.

Toss the pasta in with the sauce and turn of heat. Give the pasta a few minutes in the sauce and allow it to absorb the flavors of the sauce. (This would be a good time to prepare a salad to accompany pasta.) When ready to serve. Top the sauce pasta with parsley and give it one last toss before plating.

Twist the pasta with serving fork and place a heap of spaghetti on each plate. Top with a little extra sauce and sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the dish for a extra richness and flavor.

Veselka

2012-02-28T09:18:00.000-08:00

My favorite movie about New York City before I moved east was definitely Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist. A quintessential coming-of-age movie that is as much about the city as it is about the characters. The perspective of the shots, how New York looks from the inside of a taxi cab or conversations on a sidewalk with endless people passing by, make the city as much a character as Kat Dennings or Michael Cera.

The city gives the characters a whooping before all conflicts come to a resolution... where? Veselka Restaurant (where the story was originally penned) on the corner of 9th and 2nd. This eastern European diner, open 24 hours a day, is cranking out great breakfast foods as well as Ukrainian specialties like pierogis and borscht.

On my visit, I obviously had to get what Norah got! "Another meat plate! Keep them coming!"

MEAT PLATE $13.95 - 2 Meat, 2 Potato Pierogi; 1 Meat Stuffed Cabbage w/ sour cream, beet & horseradish salad, caramelized onions

The meat plate was very delicious, especially after a late night. Meaty stuffed cabbage and pierogis smothered in sour cream, spicy beet spread and caramelized onions really hit the spot on a late sunday breakfast. While everyone around us enjoyed french toast and pancakes, three messy haired smudged eyed girls stuffed their face with protein, carbs, and cream.

Matzoh Ball Soup & Ukrainian Borscht

Each plate comes with salad and soup; I had the borscht because of my obsession with beets. No brainer in my opinion. My friend had the matzoh ball soup which I thought wasn't as good as Katz's Delicatessen matzoh ball soup but still tasty. Veselka and another famous greasy diner, Eisenberg's Sandwich Shop in the Flatiron district, both use chicken stock as the base to their matzoh ball soup. Katz's uses a darker beef stock I believe. I prefer the heavy stock with my fluffy light matzoh balls.

Black Jack

2012-02-22T08:33:00.000-08:00

Under the managing group as Black's Bar and Kitchen, Black Jack is a bar in Washington DC that is owned by Black Restaurant Group. Upstairs from their sister restaurant, Pearl Dive (also owned by Black Restaurant Group), Black Jack is a whimsically goth/retro lounge. The dark wood tables tattooed with red complements the red ambiance lighting. Their main bar has movies projected onto the brick wall behind the liquor, during my time there they had Beetlejuice playing followed by Edward Scissorhands if that gives you any idea of the bar's atmosphere.

In the back of the bar the mood changes considerably. There are television playing sports games and two bocce courts for those interested in throwing around some heavy balls after a few drinks and riling up their competitive spirit. The cocktail menu at Black Jack is unique and innovative just like the decor and spirit of the bar. With cocktails like Peep Show and Bull's Blood (pictured to the right) the drinks are as exciting as the bocce ball games. My favorite of the night was The Cigar, a tequila concoction with a huge cube of smoked peach ice and proscuitto to accompany the cocktail. It was the epitome of delicious sweet, smoky and salty all in a cocktail. And honestly, how could I turn down a drink that had meat on a stick? I couldn't.

After a few drinks up front, my friends and I made our way back to the bocce ball courts under the Black Jack sign reminiscent of old Las Vegas. The majority of the crowd was young professional aged 25-35 all looking to have a few drinks and good company. If you're ever in the DC area, check it out because I had a blast. Have a good seafood dinner down stairs at Pearl Dive and make your way upstairs for after dinner drinks.

The Cigar - Del Maguey Vida Mezcal, Lemon, Smoked Peach Ice, Charcuterie

Black's Bar and Kitchen

2012-02-21T09:37:00.000-08:00

After three days of binge eating while visiting my friend in the greater Washington DC area, I am going to need a month of dieting to counter this gluttonous President's Day weekend.

On Sunday morning, we had a glorious brunch in Bethesda at Black's Bar and Kitchen. Their seafood buffet was one of the nicest brunch's I have had. This includes New York and Las Vegas. The quality of the food was unlike a typical buffet of mediocre food that is perpetually refilled. All of it had good flavors and fresh ingredients.

They had a wonderful raw bar that was full of oysters and clams, seasoned shrimp cocktail, and assorted seafood salads. The mignonette sauce that went with the oysters/clams was subpar compared to my favorite at Fish. I prefer the vinegar to be more prominent; the sauce should be tangy so it adds freshness to the seafood, not weigh it down. They had a nice smoked salmon with a spread of creme fraiche, cream cheese, capers, onions, and even caviar. My favorite from the cold section of the buffet was the duck liver pate with caramelized onions, spread across their parsley toast point... yum!

Around the corner from the raw bar was the hot food; grits, applewood smoked bacon, breakfast sausage, eggs Pontchartrain. Their omelet station was made to everyone's taste and my friend's omelet was perfectly light and fluffy. Grilled asparagus topped with a beet and grape salad, charcuterie, pasta salad, grilled mushrooms in balsamic vinaigrette, and assorted grilled vegetables were all delicious sides to the craving station. Thick juicy cuts of molasses-peppercorn crusted prime rib with the usual accompaniments - au jus, horseradish cream, caramelized onions; the horseradish cream was divine.

$36 for the buffet only and $48 if you want unlimited champagne cocktails with brunch. A little pricier than I usually aim for brunch but well worth it.

Winegasm

2012-02-16T11:19:00.000-08:00

My "go-to" bar in the neighborhood of Astoria, Queens - Winegasm. This quaint little bar which seats about 25 people has an note-worthy selection of wines from all around the world. Their staff is knowledgeable and enjoy conversing and educating their customers. Their candle-lit cozy atmosphere is perfect for dates and the long bar-height table in the middle of the bar is perfect for larger groups.

Cucumber Martini

They also have a very classic cocktail list; sidecars and vesper martinis included. Their new chef, Brian, hails from a two-Michelin star restaurant and has transformed their menu. Some of my favorites off the menu: Chicken liver pate, chick pea fries, cheese fondue, mushroom panini, and many more. Happy hour at my local watering hold is until 8:00pm and they also have a great prix-fixe three-course menu during that time for only $19. MUST TRY IF YOU'RE EVER IN ASTORIA!

Ippudo

2012-02-15T12:32:00.000-08:00

Ippudo. Momofuku. The rivalry between these two restaurants is legendary. Whenever you talk to someone in New York City about ramen, one of these restaurants will be mentioned. We got to Ippudo ten minutes before they opened and there was already a line of people waiting outside. My expectations at that point went up 100% because if people are willing to wait outside a restaurant on a freezing Sunday morning hours before the Superbowl (when the NY Giants are actually playing in) it must be pretty freaking good.I knew this place was popular but I had no idea the hype around Ippudo vs Momofuku was so intense. I swear I even got a couple side glances when I asked my friend if Momofuku was better.

Hitari Pork Buns

Shiromaru Chaschu Ramen

I thought the pork buns were phenomenal! Thick juicy pork belly slices with crisp lettuce and spicy mayo. The ramen soup was nice and savory without being overly salty (a common downfall with ramen broth). My friend's spicy soup was a little more to my taste and her noodles were normal thickness. I orderedAkamaru Modern had thinner noodles. Not my favorite but still good. The main reason I decided on this bowl of ramen was their signature "Umami Dama" paste they top the bowl with. It was a cross between miso and chinese bean paste. An additional seasoned soft bowled egg made this a pretty tasty bowl of soup noodles.

"Umami Dama" paste & soft-boiled egg

Akamaru Modern Ramen

Now I just have to try Momofuku (post to follow soon) and finally put this rivalry to rest. :)