autoFOODography

ALL can have fun with the over 100 of my original recipes listed below in its full interactive capabilities. For all, I hope this inspires you to try some new dishes and tell me what you think of them.

Breakfast

Asiago & Jalapeño Scrambled Eggs

Baked Eggs

Fried Egg Sandwich

Greek Baked Eggs

Olive and Tomato Frittata

Salads, Snacks, Appetizers, Sides and Bite Size Food

Apple, Citrus Green Salad with Maple Vinaigrette & Shaved Parmesan

Asiago Cheese Puffs

Baked Ziti Cups

Black Bean Crunch Salad with Garlic Olive Vinaigrette

Black Beans and Rice

Bruschetta Fresca

Cheddar, Sage & Tomato Puff Pastry Amuse-Bouche

Chicken Caesar Dipping Skewers

Dijon Mustard Popcorn

Famous Crunchy Asian Salad

Famous Panzanella

Homemade Corn Tortilla Chips

Insalata Caprese Skewers

Italian Roasted Fennel

Mini Pizzas

Mini Quiches with Cheez-It Crust

Mushroom Mascarpone Naan Pizza

Panzanella

Puffed Pigs in a Blanket

Pineapple Cream Cheese Wontons

Pretzels and OJ

Roasted Tomatoes

White Wine Mushroom Medley

Whole Wheat, Oven-Baked Onion Rings

Wild Mushroom Soup

Wild Mushroom & Soy Crumble Asian Dumplings

Winter Vegetable Mash

Accoutrements

Tangy & Sweet Fruit Dip

Tomato Baba Ghanoush

Wonton Wrapper Chips

Wonton Wrapper Noodles

Main Dishes

Arugula, Mushroom, Cheddar and Gouda Quesadilla

Bagel Panzanella

Black Bean Sliders with Tangy Slaw

Buckwheat Noodle and Sesame Nori Pasta

Chicken Vegetable Wrap

Chili-Corona Chicken Skewer Tower

Chicken and spicy lentils

Crispy Asian Empanadas

Crispy Italian Rice Patties over Salad

Feta Leek Stuffed Tomatoes

Fresh Tostadas

Ginger Sticky Rice

Heirloom Tomato Pie

Homemade Pasta with Zesty Truffle Sauce

Leek Burgers

Lobster Sticky Rice

Margarita Pizza with Homemade White Crust

Mediterranean Lentil Salad

Mushroom Risotto

Pork Tenderloin Sliders with Tangy Slaw

Quick Trick Ravioli with Polenta

Red Onion & Goat Cheese Tart

Roasted Pork Tenderloin

Seared New York Strip Steak

Slow-Cooked BBQ Pork Tenderloin

Slow-Cooked Indian Sweet Potato Soup

Slow-Cooked Soft Polenta with Hot and Cold Toppers

Spinach and Kalamata Cannelloni

Stuffed Avocados

Stuffed Bell Peppers (a la Jamie Oliver)

Super Spaghetti

Tangy Toastadas

Truffle Butter & Leek Linguine

Ultimate Black Bean Soup

Vegetable Wonton Wrapper Potstickers

Vegetarian Chili

Vegetarian Scampi

Whole Wheat Veggie Pita Pizza

Wild Mushroom and Arugula Pizza with Homemade Whole Wheat Crust

Wonton Wrapper Raviolis

Desserts

All Natural Sweet Tart

Birthday Cake Ice Cream

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Milk Shakes

Chocolate Shot Trio

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

Chocolate Tapioca Pudding

Cinnamon Toast Quesadilla

Cinnamon and Powdered Sugar Homemade Doughnuts

Marzipan

Mexican Drinking Chocolate

Mini Cinnamon Rolls

Mini Jelly Rolls

Nutella and Banana Paninis

Salty Fruit Salad

Drinks

Soda Lite

Strawberry Smoothie

Going Coastal

noreply@blogger.com (~~BT~~) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 14:31:00 +0000

I've been hearing people hype and buzz about Fairfax's Coastal Flats restaurants for several months now. Notably Julia. And her co-workers. And the Arlington V. Fairfax rap battle on YouTube (yes I'm encouraging you to click the links and watch them and laugh). Yesterday, I finally got to experience the phenomenon first-hand at the Tyson’s Center installation of Coastal Flats.

The menu at Coastal Flats is polished and bold American, and it's a very casual atmosphere, no fancier or less busy than mall staple California Pizza Kitchen. The difference is the selections are mouthwatering and memorable: fresh (1.25 pound) lobster roll with grilled corn on the cob, sesame crusted ahi tuna salad, (supposedly dynamite) crab cakes amidst a large number of spectacular-looking fresh seafood dishes. The meat was even tantalizing, with my (eventual gotta-have-it) order of the falling-off-the-bone, absolutely divinely finger-licking outrageous beef ribs with a divine mustard BBQ sauce being the star of the show.

Ok I was going to save talking about those for later but I just can't. These ribs were absolutely show stopping. I can't get over them. Two stacks of four huge, juicy ribs (yes that's EIGHT in total). The crust was crispy and perfect and the meat was so moist, buttery and exploding with flavor, I only stopped eating them to rave about them. Served with some thin and crispy fries (how I like them and can never get them), their famous Aussie rolls for the table and a curious slaw that tasted like it had a hint of cinnamon in it, the ribs were the star but the meal was wonderful in its entirety. Do you think I fell in to the Coastal hype?

I DID, OH YES I did! But I don't care. This place can flat out mesmerize you with taste. I haven't even gotten started on Julia's very authentic and delicious lobster bisque and her favorite crispy goat cheese salad. But did I mention the Coastal hype is only HALF about the food?

There are lots of places with great and interesting menus. Maybe not as good as this one as casual places go, but still. Coastal sets itself apart with its out-of-this-world service – and man that didn't disappoint either. From its swarm of friendly meeters, greeters and seaters to the two or three or four knowledgeable and excitable wait staff who combine to perfect your meal, I couldn't believe the service. Not to mention the managers who are radioed in to every problem in the dining room so they can swoop in and make life wonderful again for any and all distressed patrons. Not bad by my book. Ice teas came with long mixing spoons for stirring under the ice. Ribs came with a wet napkin afterward. Crumbs were brushed off the table several times. And great care was taken for even the slightest of details: did we need our check quickly; in what order would Julia like her salad and soup to be served; and of course delectable descriptions and recommendations of the menu items upon request.

This is not your typical $35 quick dinner out type meal experience. Normally you sacrifice SOMETHING in the food or service compared to, say, a fancy restaurant. Nope. Not at Coastal Flats. They wowie kazowied me with their charm, value and unique flair. I promised Julia this will not be just her “lunch with coworkers” spot any longer. I will be back for the service and hurry back to try yet more of their tempting menu marvels.

Frittata King

noreply@blogger.com (~~BT~~) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:23:00 +0000

I'm not sure I know of any other dish that can be as perfect of a light, easy, yet immensely satisfying dinner as the lovely frittata. That's why I made it last night after a filling (and expensive) dinner out the night before.

My basic frittata is incredibly easy, and that's what I love most about it. I take 6 eggs and 2-3 tablespoons of milk and beat them together like scrambled eggs. Then I add a pinch of salt, fresh cracked pepper, a few dashes of hot sauce and the toppings/ingredients. Yesterday I chopped four small Campari tomatoes and 15 or so standard green olives with pimiento. I also finely grated a large handful of sharp cheddar cheese and sprinkled it into the mixture. I mixed the entire very hard together so that the cheese and all the spices incorporated amongst the egg and ingredients.

I sprayed a glass, round baking dish with non-fat cooking spray and poured the entire mixture inside. I sprinkled another small handful of cheddar on top and carefully placed the dish in the oven at 350 degrees and baked for a little under 25 minutes – until the top was golden, the frittata had puffed up a bit and most importantly, that a toothpick stuck through the center came out clean.

The end result was lovely and golden, fluffy and inviting. I cut it into four, each piece with only 1.5 eggs and served one to each of us along with a couple pieces of toast. We both enjoyed it immensely; the egg had become perfectly fluffy, and the ingredients had just the right tangy, salty and savory elements that were ideal and satisfying. For a dish that can be prepped in 5 minutes and baked in another 25, the frittata is about as good as it gets. The fact that it gave dinner for TWO nights was just icing on the cake, or cheese on the frittata.

Lentil Leftover Delight

noreply@blogger.com (~~BT~~) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:22:00 +0000

The other night I had no idea what to make for dinner. I had some leftover lentil salad that had been delicious but looked a bit cold and tired. I also had two nice boneless chicken breasts. I thought, “how about spicy chicken and lentils?” Like a non-Asian stir fry. And that is exactly what I did.

I started with some olive oil in a pan and heated it to medium. I then cut the chicken breast into chunks so it would cook faster and more evenly in the stir fry. I seasoned the chunks with some kosher salt, pepper, small drizzles of olive oil and white wine vinegar and a sprinkle of paprika. When the pan was hot enough, I turned it down slightly and added the chicken in. I sautéed the chicken for 8-10 minutes until the internal temperature of the chicken was just around the mark used to judge cooked chicken (165 Fahrenheit). I deglazed the pan with several tablespoons of white wine vinegar, scraping little bits of flavor off the bottom. As the vinegar sizzled, I added three heaping cooking spoons worth of lentil salad to the pan.

What was in the lentil salad, you may ask? It was small black lentils, chopped tomatoes, chopped onion and feta cheese mixed with a homemade mustard vinaigrette, salt and pepper.

Before even mixing the lentils in I added another tablespoon of Dijon mustard, a little more paprika and some chipotle powder on top. These additions married the chicken with the lentil salad and also added that smoky, spicy kick I was going for. Only then did I mix the lentils, the chicken and all of the flavors together for another minute or two. By then, the chicken had nice color and the lentils were warmed up and looking far livelier than they had in their cold leftover state.

The pan made enough for two meals or a little more, so I portioned a nice plateful for myself and then packed up the rest.

It turned out to be a delicious little dinner. As random as the dish may have been, the chicken and lentils married together beautifully and they both really popped in the presence of the other and the nice tangy, spicy flavors binding them together. The chicken was juicy, and the lentils flavorful and not overcooked despite their reheating. Of course I could have done this with fresh lentils and fresh lentil salad, and I may in the future, but it's always a small victory for me when I can rebrand some boring leftovers into an exciting and tasty dinner.

There's still more lentils left over. And now there's some wonderful chicken and lentils too. I bet you know which one I'll be reaching for first.

Easy 'Za

noreply@blogger.com (~~BT~~) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 13:30:00 +0000

Sometimes the easiest and most satisfying dinners are the result of a major assist from a store-bought item. I, for one, fell in love with these personal-sized, thin pizza crusts. They are (coincidentally) named Mama Mary's Gourmet Thin & Crispy Pizza Crusts and I just started noticing them at our local grocery stores. They taste delicious and are made with honey. Plus, each 7-inch crust only has 8 grams of total fat, 1 gram of saturated fat, 300 mg of sodium and absolutely no trans fat or dietary cholesterol. Not a bad line for such a tasty and store-bought item. Plus, they were far cheaper than those more-prominent and less healthy other pizza crusts. Boboli anyone?

But the key to making these into a shining dinner was adding a few quality ingredients to the mix. These added taste, depth and sparkle to the crusts that really made them shine.

I brushed the crusts with an extremely thin layer of high quality extra virgin olive oil to help them crisp and add some beautiful flavor, and then sprinkled a tiny pinch of sel de guarande to add a little texture and marry all of the flavors together. I used a ladle of my favorite jarred tomato sauce (a spicy red pepper marinara sauce) for the sauce and some chopped onions and sundried tomatoes for some flavor-packed toppings. Finally, I finely grated some extra sharp cheddar cheese and put a small handful atop each pizza.

I baked the crusts in a 450 degree oven for 10 minutes until the crusts were crisp and the cheese browning and bubbly. And the resulting pizza was absolutely delicious. In less than 15 minutes, start to finish, we got pizza that tasted no less than gourmet. We gobbled as much as we could alongside a little salad, and we still each did not even eat one personal crust's worth. So those crusts certainly aren't skimpy either. The most wonderful part is how crispy and golden the outer crust became while the inner part was still chewy, providing that satisfying “real pizza” quality. These are surely to become a staple for us now. Because what could be better than cheap, easy and healthy pizza? Can't think of anything.

Stream of Pastaness

noreply@blogger.com (~~BT~~) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 13:12:00 +0000

One of the fastest homemade dishes is the pasta. You boil up pasta in a pot while sautéing some vegetables and/or meat together with some flavors in a side pan. At the end, you deglaze the pan with some acid and scrape the bits of flavor off the bottom. You drain the pasta at al dente simultaneously, saving the slightest bit of pasta water and pouring the pasta into the sauté and cooking everything together briefly to marry the flavors of your sauté and your little pan sauce together through the magic of the acid and the pasta water. This also crisps the pasta slightly while keeping that al dente inner texture intact. You've now got a nice hearty meal, tasty to all, customizable to most and scalable to one or many. It even will make remarkably consistent leftovers and can be eaten hot or cold. You can be as creative as you desire. You can use whole wheat pasta and olive oil or nonstick cooking spray to help make the dish as healthy as you'd like. Or you could add a little extra sparkle and marry the main meat with a spicy sausage version of itself like chicken and chicken chorizo, or turkey breast with turkey Italian sausage – you get the idea. Deglaze with vinegar to get a peppery finish, or with wine to get an aromatic and subtle finish. It's whatever you like, whatever your mood, a thousand different versions. I could go on, but I think you get it.

(Plus, I wrote this as quickly and efficiently as I could, and I still think I could have made a delicious pasta dinner for four for you in less time. So I guess I should shut up and leave you to it.)

Gee, Street Food?

noreply@blogger.com (~~BT~~) — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 13:12:00 +0000

When a new lunch opens near the White House, it generates a decent amount of buzz, and generally crowds for at least a little while. Lots of folks work around there, and top lunch places are in high demand. As such, there was definite excitement when it was announced that a mediocre lunch place (Ecco Cafe) was being rebranded as a great-sounding “street food” place, featuring street foods from around the world.

As G Street Food (located on G near 17th NW in DC) opened recently, the buzz was still with it, and we quickly decided we needed to make it a priority to go there at lunch to try it out. When we arrived it was moderately crowded, but nothing more than Ecco ever got.

There's a big menu board when you first walk in to G Street Food and get in line. This contains specials, rotating features and staples. All of the stuff looked reasonably interesting, but we all agreed that there were not a lot of jump-off-the-page items and also not much that was very recognizable as street food. They have a sausage of the day with the highly recognizable Chicago hot dog on Tuesday, but the other days had bratwurst with kimchi and chorizo with an Indian-like sauté in a Middle Eastern saj bread. I find it hard to believe that those combinations actually exist somewhere on the street, as they seem a bit too cross-cultural.

There were lots of breakfast pastries, including tiny Montreal bagels, a tatine and pizza of the day, the Vietnamese pork sandwich bahn mi and a variety of other tatines, sandwiches and salads. Again, only several items really seemed like they would lend themselves to being street food (who gets salad on the street?). And absent were street food classics: burrito, quesadilla, crepe, Middle Eastern halal bowl, Asian dumpling and potsticker, Indian curry, samosa, Philly cheesesteak, Po Boy, Korean ba bim bop. I could go on. Instead what was there was eclectic if not esoteric, and just NOT ringing of street food to me. Even the presentation, in awkward paper bowls with no lid made portability – a street food must – very difficult and awkward.

What I ordered – the chorizo in saj – was actually very tasty. The chorizo was spicy and very flavorful, and served in the thin crispy saj bread with a terrific sauté of greens, paneer-like cheese, spices and chickpeas served with very good fries. It was a delicious meal, and the flavors melded together wonderfully in each bite. I was not complaining about that. Nine dollars for a sausage is a bit much, but it was tasty. But even this seemed like a combo of three cultures and a bit contrived for street food. Unfortunately, my compatriots weren't quite so pleased with the taste and preparation of what they ordered.

But for now, I'll say the taste and quality is good at G Street Food, but executing the key design – the design that's going to bring me and many others back again and again – is failing right now. Bring me AUTHENTIC street food treasures that I've never heard of from all around the world and dazzle me, but also keep me coming back with some of the street food that we know, love and identify with. Make me know – and not question – that its “street food” on “G” not just “food” on “G Street.”

Woe is Breadline

noreply@blogger.com (~~BT~~) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 13:40:00 +0000

I totally foresaw Breadline's tragic fall from fortune. And there are witnesses. Or just the fact that I boycotted one of DC's formerly hottest lunch spots more than four months before its temporary August closure for health code violations. Only 2 months before my boycott, I even endorsed and lauded Breadline on this very site (see below).

My newfound complaints at the time were due to inconsistency in ingredient quality, taste and preparation. Sometimes the ham, turkey and Russian dressing tasted as divine as Breadline's high quality reputation and price tag prescribed. Other times the ham was gelatinous, the turkey full of gristle and the Russian dressing, well, rancid-tasting. I gave it more than enough chances before privately deriding the establishment to all the Breadline fans I knew, and ceased my patronization. But none of the other devout Breadliners (the witnesses I alluded to above) heeded my warnings, and before long I thought I was the crazy one.

Turns out Breadline didn't refrigerate its food properly. Among quite a number of health code violations. Whoops. Crow was eaten. My palette screamed for joy that its reputation was justified. And I was no longer the nut who thought Breadline was not worth its weight in, well, bread.

To Breadline's credit though, it took the wakeup call in stride. Its doors were closed for a month or so, the familiar manager/expediter seemed to have been replaced, and most noticeably, there were no more premade sandwiches and other items lining the prep tables behind the counter. All of the sandwiches are now prepared fresh. What a concept! I feel lucky the improperly-stored meat, cheese and dressing that I had previously eaten hadn't gotten me (or anyone I knew) sick. It sure tasted like it could have.

About a month after its reopening, I was finally convinced to return to Breadline – nearly 6 months since my last visit. I was pleasantly surprised by the changes I noted above. I ordered one of my classic favorites, the French ham and Swiss sandwich on baguette. They made it fresh right then – something I had never seen before with this cold sandwich – and the result was wowing. It was actually good again! Same ingredients – high quality ham, cheese, butter and bread – but completely different story, as these were fresh, plentiful and tasty. I went back again and got the same sandwich a week later and it was good again. What a start!

Now my third time back was just yesterday and I was finally ready to order the fresh turkey sandwich with Russian dressing, a sandwich I once declared a dream sandwich, but also one that nearly made me sick several times prior to my boycott. I believe it is the only food that I am repulsed by due to a bad experience. Unfortunately, while the sandwich was colder than before and did not taste rancid, that once-beautiful, fresh roasted turkey meat still contained ungainly fat and gristle and still REMINDED me of the rancid-tasting turkey sandwiches that I may forever associate with turkey or at least Breadline. The Russian dressing was still awful, though again, not rancid. I'm starting to think they have a bad recipe. The bread was good. As usual.

Breadline didn't lose me this time. I'm all for giving more chances, and I'm convinced that their violations are behind them and that they are still capable of making good food. Their turkey sandwich and its fall from fortune will perhaps be the lasting personal scar that Breadline will never be able to make go away for me. But the bigger scar for Breadline is the scar of the closure itself. Yes, diehard fans may have forgiven and forgotten, but when I've been in there recently the line has been noticeably shorter, the tables not close to the crammed-full of old, the crowd not even close to as dense an hour before or an hour after the main noon rush as it used to be. There used to be a line out the door practically from 11 to 3. No longer. We customers are fickle. Especially when their sky-high prices of old have not fallen a penny. Perhaps Breadline isn't off everyone's list, but it certainly isn't at the top of many anymore either. It's hard to get to the top in the crazily competitive lunchtime market in a large downtown area. Breadline was there in DC and they blew it. But kudos to them for lifting their heads back up and trying to grind away once again, this time the right way. It's what will likely keep them on my list at all in the future.

The Hunt for Brigafood

noreply@blogger.com (~~BT~~) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 13:21:00 +0000

Every 100 years, out of the deep mist, appears an enchanted Scottish village, or Indian food cart. And if you miss this magical moment, it shall be lost once again for 100 long, foodless turns of the calendar…

Call me Ishmael. Call me Tommy Albright. As long as you can find me Fojol! Fojol Brothers of Merlindia that is: a traveling Indian street food cart that bears the fictional moniker and serves up some incredible Indian grub to the working folks of Washington DC every hundred years when they appear out of the mist. Or so it seems.

This cart frustratingly bounces around DC, seemingly in a longer and more erratic orbit than I originally inferred when I was first told of the wonder of Fojol's food. The only clues as to their whereabouts are their extremely inconsistent and sparse updates of their Twitter page (on the day of only). Yet wherever their colorful truck, blaring hippie anthems to the surrounding streets and their patrons alike, happens to be, the word spreads like wildfire and the patrons arrive in swarms. The line quickly gets 20 or 30 deep or more and stays that way for the duration of that day's lunch.

My buddy Eric and I started searching for Fojol every day at lunchtime at least a month ago after we saw them one day in Farragut Square with an insane line. We were fools enough to bypass this alleged amazing experience and went elsewhere. After realizing our blunder we vowed to keep searching, every day at lunch, until we were as maniacally committed as Captain Ahab was to his quest for Moby Dick. But it would not elude us. Fortune struck just last Thursday when we were least expecting it. Fojol had returned to Farragut! Plus, we had noticed early and were able to get in line even before the word had completely spread. And NOW the magic would finally happen!

So simple though, was this magic. Fojol has four (seemingly variable) Indian dishes. Our day, it was chicken curry, buttered chicken, chickpeas and pumpkin. You can pick 1, pick 2 or pick 3, and they heap large amounts of each over basmati rice in successively larger biodegradable containers (with biodegradable plastic forks even) depending on your selection. I picked all but the pumpkin (sorry, had to play it safe: no gourd today) and was highly satisfied and impressed. It really was high quality Indian food, exploding with flavor, and in this context is just fantastic. It tastes amazing – it's why they're so highly reputed – but it's at least in part due to that sweet taste of victory for even making a Fojol lunch happen.

And the buzz was certainly in force. As the line grew and grew, we were hearing the whispers on the street, in our building, everywhere. Everyone wanted some of that hype. Did they desperately want one of their famous mango lassi popsicles? Did they yearn for some of the delicately flavored Indian fare, piled high? Or were they secretly and perhaps insanely obsessed with finding that little, musical street food truck before it faded into the mist of Farragut Square for another 100 years, or possibly forever? Or perhaps their nickname was Ahab and that was enough?

Severely mixed literary metaphors or not, there IS something to get excited about this lunchtime experience. So hunt with me. Mine starts again today.

…Or you could miss out on THE experience of well, the next HUNDRED years.

Meatball Quest

noreply@blogger.com (~~BT~~) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 17:56:00 +0000

So I'm just slightly obsessed with tasting different homemade meatballs. Be they in homes, be they in Italian restaurants or American restaurants or Middle Eastern restaurants or wherever, the obsession is in full force. I don't think I even realized how much I enjoyed trying these delicacies until I noticed how rare it can be to find an especially good one, and how much I love when that happens.

The meatball is a true rock star of Italian and other cuisines. Typically a combination of several high quality ground meats (beef, pork, lamb, veal, sausage itself are possibilities). They are bound together and prepared in mysterious and varying ways, such that no two meatball recipes ever yield the exact same meatball. A perfect meatball can be fluffy and savory, crispy and sweet or dense and spicy. Or you can jumble those adjectives up a different way and you'd be right. The perfection comes from that feeling deep down you get when the meatball has IT. Too dry, bad spice combo, too greasy or not held together well and the meatball can quite easily flop.

To taste a meatball I really don't need to bother with a whole plate of spaghetti with it. That is nice, but often I'd rather just try the meatball as a little appetizer or tasting or tapas. Maybe just one or two meatballs too, depending on the size. Of course a little sauce and maybe a little cheese is needed, depending on the cuisine. And I don't look for anything but that “ooh” and “aah” factor that the meat and the spices and the consistency and the heat and the warmth and the sauce and the oil and the texture and the love bestow upon my tongue. Nothing more. But that's asking a lot. They aren't always easy to find.

This weekend I was lucky though. At one of my favorite restaurants, Chef Geoff's Downtown in Washington DC, with Julia and my parents, not only did they have homemade meatballs, but they had a small taste portion (and rightly with sauce but not pasta). Of course I ordered this tasting and I was surprised to receive a little plate with as many as eight or ten little meatballs covered with a thin layer of tomato sauce and Grana Padano. I was certainly more suspicious than usual, as I was sharing the table with one of the great meatball makers, my very own Mom. She makes one of the lightest, fluffiest, most delicate, yet extremely tasty Italian meatballs that I've ever encountered. So that example tends to be my personal standard bearer. To their credit though, Chef Geoff's makes a mean meatball as well, though quite different. These meatballs are small and a little denser than most. But they were incredibly tender and moist still and brimming with flavor and a nice spicy kick. The sauce and cheese just added to the overwhelming savory gush that each bite entailed and I found my self savoring and gobbling simultaneously. These were quite worthy. And my Mom, after a couple enthusiastic tastes, agreed.

I'll continue to be on the lookout for awesome homemade meatballs and fill in from time to time on the most noteworthy and taste-worthy.

Village Gem

noreply@blogger.com (~~BT~~) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 18:54:00 +0000

During our New York visit last weekend, I made it a point to go down to my old stomping grounds – Soho and the NYU/west village area – from when I spent a summer living in Manhattan. There are just so many tiny spots in these neighborhoods to eat and drink well in countless cultures and styles. Italian cuisine is foremost though; it's only 5 blocks from Little Italy. I love this part of New York! On MacDougal Street, between Bleecker and Houston, there's one of my favorite hidden gems: Focacceria. It's a tiny little place, split between perhaps 6 tables outside and 6 inside. The menu is simple: Italian classic entrees and fresh made pasta dishes along with an assortment of wonderful classic hot and cold Italian sandwich combinations on the gorgeous tomato or rosemary focaccia bread that is made fresh in the store each day. They'll give you some bread for the table no matter what. So even if you order primavera or melanzana or gamberi or vodka or 1 of their other 25 pasta sauces/dishes over 1 of their 8 pasta types – or get chicken or veal parmesan, picatta or marsala or ravioli, you'll still get to try the focaccia.

Their entrees are fantastic and fresh, but for me I need more than just a little hunk of focaccia. I need the full Italian sandwich on focaccia and the light green mesclun green salad that accompanies it. From combinations like fresh mozzarella with tomatoes, roasted peppers and olive oil to prosciutto, sopresseta, fontina, tomato and greens to sandwich versions of eggplant or chicken parmesan, I cannot and never was able to resist getting ANYthing from Focacceria that was not squarely situated in between two pieces of that lovely focaccia. It's pillowy and warm, crusty on the outside with zings of flavor from top to bottom. Throw in my personal favorite salami, prosciutto, provolone, tomatoes and greens and I'm in heaven. Every bite has tang and salt, crunch and softness. Makes my mouth water just sitting here. If you've ever been in this neighborhood, you might have walked right by the tiny Focacceria. But if you have, you just walked by the delicious sparkle of this village gem – the unrivaled focaccia.

Streets of New York

noreply@blogger.com (~~BT~~) — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 14:16:00 +0000

I get three whopping days in New York City this year. Not nearly enough time to do everything I want to do, see everyone I want to see or eat everything I want to eat. From a foodie's perspective, I certainly had to make it count while we were there over Labor Day. While the island of Manhattan is loaded with restaurants, bars, dives, joints and haute cuisineries, there is no better way to know you're in New York than to go to a cart and get some unbelievable street food. There is lots of competition in this market, so these places have to be good to survive. And they're good. The street food in New York is unparalleled in quantity and quality on the east coast and perhaps the world, so I need to take advantage when given the chance.

Take something basic yet beautiful I did for lunch on Saturday. I found a cart with gorgeous Italian sausages on the corner of 33rd and 7th avenue. We're talking nearly foot-long, and with beautiful color, texture and caramelization. The guy takes one, splits it lengthwise down the middle and throws it inside-down on the scorching hot grill and presses it with an equally scorching hot iron. After its fully grilled and smoking, he puts the split sausage on a bun half its size and squirts it generously with spicy mustard. That's it. The sausage is crispy and juicy, spicy and tangy, and just oozing with incredible grilled flavor and juices. Mixed perfectly with the spicy tartness of the mustard, each bite is a fabulous morsel worthy of savoring. Just a pleasure to eat, devour rather.

He also had some divine-looking kabobs that were thick and juicy, shiny and caramelized from whatever marinades they'd been cooked in. I was tempted to go back and get a grilled kabob, as they were so beautiful and the guy's grill was so perfect. As I walked on, I saw he had a longer line forming as it was rolling closer to lunch. I'm not surprised. I think I have a nose for quality. Or maybe you just get quality wherever you go in Manhattan.

BiblioFoodography

noreply@blogger.com (~~BT~~) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 16:16:00 +0000

It’s been a while since my last recap, and I figured my bibliomenu needs to be in full working order for when Mom and Dad visit next week. They need to be fully aware of what cuisine Chez Autofoodie is capable of in case they’re lucky enough to get a home-cooked meal. But perhaps they’ll get something brand new instead! Either way, ALL can have fun with the nearly 100 dishes listed below in its full interactive capabilities. For all, I hope this inspires you to try some new dishes and tell me what you think of them.

*!* If I Had To Eat One From Each Category Right Now

Breakfast

Asiago & Jalapeño Scrambled Eggs

Salads, Snacks, Appetizers, Sides and Bite Size Food

Apple, Citrus Green Salad with Maple Vinaigrette & Shaved Parmesan

Asiago Cheese Puffs

Baked Ziti Cups

Black Bean Crunch Salad with Garlic Olive Vinaigrette

Black Beans and Rice

Bruschetta Fresca

Cheddar, Sage & Tomato Puff Pastry Amuse-Bouche*!*

Chicken Caesar Dipping Skewers

Dijon Mustard Popcorn

Famous Crunchy Asian Salad

Famous Panzanella

Homemade Corn Tortilla Chips

Insalata Caprese Skewers

Italian Roasted Fennel

Mini Pizzas

Mini Quiches with Cheez-It Crust

Mushroom Mascarpone Naan Pizza

Panzanella

Puffed Pigs in a Blanket

Pineapple Cream Cheese Wontons

Pretzels and OJ

Roasted Tomatoes

White Wine Mushroom Medley

Whole Wheat, Oven-Baked Onion Rings

Wild Mushroom Soup

Wild Mushroom & Soy Crumble Asian Dumplings

Winter Vegetable Mash

Accoutrements

Tangy & Sweet Fruit Dip

Tomato Baba Ghanoush

Wonton Wrapper Chips

Wonton Wrapper Noodles

Main Dishes

Arugula, Mushroom, Cheddar and Gouda Quesadilla

Bagel Panzanella

Black Bean Sliders with Tangy Slaw

Buckwheat Noodle and Sesame Nori Pasta

Chicken Vegetable Wrap

Chili-Corona Chicken Skewer Tower*!*

Crispy Asian Empanadas

Crispy Italian Rice Patties over Salad

Eggplant Cheddarean

EVOO Polenta Salad

Faked Baked Ziti

Feta Leek Stuffed Tomatoes

Fresh Tostadas

Ginger Sticky Rice

Heirloom Tomato Pie

Homemade Pasta with Zesty Truffle Sauce

Leek Burgers

Lobster Sticky Rice

Margarita Pizza with Homemade White Crust

Mediterranean Lentil Salad

Mushroom Risotto

Pork Tenderloin Sliders with Tangy Slaw

Quick Trick Ravioli with Polenta

Red Onion & Goat Cheese Tart

Roasted Pork Tenderloin

Seared New York Strip Steak

Slow-Cooked BBQ Pork Tenderloin

Slow-Cooked Indian Sweet Potato Soup

Slow-Cooked Soft Polenta with Hot and Cold Toppers

Spinach and Kalamata Cannelloni

Stuffed Avocados

Stuffed Bell Peppers (a la Jamie Oliver)

Super Spaghetti

Tangy Toastadas

Truffle Butter & Leek Linguine

Ultimate Black Bean Soup

Vegetable Wonton Wrapper Potstickers

Vegetarian Chili

Vegetarian Scampi

Whole Wheat Veggie Pita Pizza

Wild Mushroom and Arugula Pizza with Homemade Whole Wheat Crust

Wonton Wrapper Raviolis

Desserts

All Natural Sweet Tart

Birthday Cake Ice Cream

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Milk Shakes

Chocolate Shot Trio

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

Chocolate Tapioca Pudding

Cinnamon Toast Quesadilla*!*

Cinnamon and Powdered Sugar Homemade Doughnuts

Marzipan

Mexican Drinking Chocolate

Mini Cinnamon Rolls

Mini Jelly Rolls

Nutella and Banana Paninis

Salty Fruit Salad

Drinks

Soda Lite

Strawberry Smoothie*!*

For heaven's sake: DON'T cook it thrice!

noreply@blogger.com (~~BT~~) — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 14:35:00 +0000

Perhaps my singular indulgence is my roughly monthly foray with a cheeseburger. No McDonald's or fast food; I mean a serious, high-quality, mouthwatering burger. Like from a pub, or a burger joint, or a grill. I have had some great burgers, with beautiful buns and cheese and other toppings, and I've had some lousy ones. But the absolute make-or-break quality I need in my burger is a perfect medium rare. I emphasize this every time I order a burger, by placing extra force on the word RARE. I would be infinitely more forgiving if they served me a rare burger than a well done burger if they were to get it wrong. And let me tell you how often THEY get it wrong. And when they get it wrong, I don't get a pink medium burger or even close; I get a chalky, dry well done burger! Ick! Look at the (bacon) cheeseburger in the picture. It was one of the most appetizing, gorgeous burgers I'd seen in a while. Yet the thing was cooked thrice, it seemed. Just awful; hideous. If this happens again at PR Grill in Pentagon City, I'm going to print its name. Whoops. And the same thing happened in July at Elephant & Castle in DC. And even in Vegas at a burger restaurant I can’t remember the name of. SO please, please, please, please, don't mess up someone's burger. Especially because it could be their monthly burger. And that's just not cool. So cook my burgers medium rare, rare if you have to, and leave the thrice-cooked burgers to my rare-meat-hating friend Cody. Because you'd get much more than a gentle Friday blog nudge from Cody if you served him an undercooked burger than me an overcooked one, so consider yourself lucky. I might just have to get a little nastier (in sly British accent) the next time my monthly burger goes to waste.

Surf & Turf with the Bunny

noreply@blogger.com (~~BT~~) — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 14:10:00 +0000

Surf and turf on a Monday night?

Blame the bunny.

With Julia gone this week on business, I had already decided to live the bachelor and non-vegetarian lifestyle and make myself a nice thick 10-ounce New York Strip that I had purchased last week in anticipation.

But then the bunny needed food too, and I went to the store. I got Coal some nice fluffy kale, some dainty dandelion greens and some luxurious parsley that would all be sure to make him a happy camper.

And then I passed nonchalantly by the fish counter and saw some awesome looking cooked lobster claws in the case for only $6 a pound with my VIC card. Not bad. I couldn't resist. Surf and turf it would be.

I came home and fed Coal to make him happy, and then I focused on feeding myself. I decided I would sear the steak to a nice medium rare and make lobster sticky rice and a little side green salad.

I shucked the lobster meat out of the claws, something I'm skilled at doing due to my great Massachusetts lineage. My $5 worth of lobster ended up being about 6 nice-sized claws and they yielded a nice amount of meat, which I broke into large chunks. For the claw joints, I decided it would be more worthwhile to use them as flavor than to actually extract their meat, so I threw the six claw joints into my rice as it was simmering with a little salt and Smart Balance. This imparted some nice subtle lobster tones into the rice.

Meanwhile, I heated a very small amount of olive oil and Smart Balance over a medium to high heat for my steak. I lightly seasoned each side of my steak with a little kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper. Then I placed the steak down in the pan without moving it, so it could sear. After a few minutes I flipped it over so the other side could sear. Then I turned down the heat somewhat and continued cooking the steak for another few minutes on each side. I didn't really time, since I was using a meat thermometer to gauge doneness. When the meat center was at the rare temperature, I removed the steak, put it on a plate and covered it with foil to rest for several minutes to lock in the lovely juices. This would also let it get a little more medium without overcooking it.

While the steak was resting, I took my shucked chunks of cooked lobster and put them in the pan that the steak had been in. I quickly sautéed the chunks for no more than 30 seconds, just to heat them but not overcook them, and to marry the flavors a bit. Then with a slotted spoon, I took the lobster out and placed it in the rice that was now finished (I had already removed and discarded the joints I used in the rice). I mixed the lobster into the rice, and a naturally stickiness developed as the rice and lobster melded.

The last thing I did was deglaze my pan, as it had lots of little bits of steak and lobster on the bottom. I cooked off some champagne vinegar on high heat, scraping the bottom of the pan, until it thickened slightly, and I drizzled it over my steak. I plated the steak and a large scoop of the lobster sticky rice and put my little side salad in a separate bowl.

There isn't much else to say: this meal was simply divine. The steak was cooked perfectly: a deep rose-pink all the way through, a nice, colorful crust all the way around and each bite bursting with flavor from the quality of the meat, my seasoning and the deglazed juices at the end. The lobster sticky rice was just heavenly: moist, rich, buttery, yet so simple. The freshness of the salad helped to complete the meal, and I was a happy camper. Just like Coal.

Surf and turf on a Monday, you ask?

Blame the bunny.

Salty Sweet

noreply@blogger.com (~~BT~~) — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 14:18:00 +0000

While I’m not a big fan of mixing sweet into savory, I much more often dabble in mixing savory into sweet. The most basic of savory ingredients – salt, pepper, olive oil, vinegar, spices – can often add an amazing dimension to a menagerie of sweet foods. A little tang, a little spice, a little acid can all be “magic touches” in sweet dishes. But they have to be used judiciously, tactically and sparingly for the effect to be ideal. But employed correctly, and the creativity and magnificence of these tricks are endless.

Yesterday Julia and I bought some gorgeous raspberries, Michigan blueberries and a couple kiwis. We were so tempted by the allure of this amazing fruit that we decided to make a killer fruit salad for dessert. Often people will put sugar over fruit to enhance the sweetness and bring out the natural juices of berries. For me, I think this can be far too much sweet and I start tasting too much sweet and not enough fruit. The juices are nice, but I’ve heard of other ways to render liquid from an ingredient. Don’t gasp. Yes, you guessed it: salt. I’m not talking about your acidic table salt or even kosher salt. I’m talking about sea salt for something as delicate as fruit. I actually pulled out some of my Fleur De Sel de Guerande, a sea-like salt with a mild, intricate, if not dazzling, flavor. I’ve heard it’s even referred to as the champagne of sea salt, and I can see why. Perfect for fruit. I added just the slightest sprinkle over my bowl of raspberries (half pint), blueberries (quarter pint) and kiwi (one, peeled and sliced). Then I tossed the fruit lightly in the bowl and served.

This may have been a bit of a risk – too much and it could have ruined all this perfectly good fruit – but instead it was a home run, clearly the best fruit salad either of us had EVER eaten. I’m not kidding. The de-emphasis on sweet, really emphasized the amazing flavors of the fresh fruit. The salt brought out of the deep richness in the fruits, most notably the raspberries which were just a joy to eat. The salt, rendered out some of the fruits’ juices, adding moisture and texture to the salad. Plus, there was that wonderful slight tang in between the lush of the fruit flavor. It was so delicate that Julia couldn’t even put her finger on exactly what it was, but couldn’t stop raving about my employment of this radical, but now welcome addition to the fruit. Maybe this isn’t for everyone, maybe it isn’t even for every time, but I’d be hard-pressed to find someone that wouldn’t be pleasantly surprised and rather delighted by my salty twist on the sweetness of fruit.

Z Pizza is 'z' pizza

noreply@blogger.com (~~BT~~) — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 16:15:00 +0000

If you're lucky enough to have a Z Pizza store near you, then you've encountered one of the premier pizza chains in the country. They aren't everywhere (sorry Mom, none in Michigan yet), but it seems like they have appeal to pizza fans of all types. Riding the organic wave, this eatery is filled with organic ingredients, but also healthy ones too. (Yes, organic does not equal healthy.) With items like the 100% certified organic Montana Winter Flour whole wheat crust, which is highly flavorful but even more highly fiberful, you can instantly replace some empty pizza crust calories with fiber and nutrients. They also have a gluten free crust available and one of the best white pizza crusts I've ever tried.

Their low-fat Wisconsin mozzarella is a charmer among their selection of at least six cheeses. This includes parmesan, feta, gorgonzola, ricotta and even soy cheese. The mozzarella for being low in fat tastes just as good as any other pizza mozzarella, which was a nice surprise.

They seem to care not only about health but about flavor. Their available sauces include a 100% certified organic tomato sauce which was delicious, along with barbecue, pesto (basil or chipotle), roasted garlic, and Thai.

And their premium pizza topping list is impressive to say the least, complete with all the regular toppings, but shining brightest with kalamata olives, three kinds of wild mushrooms, four kinds of chicken (grilled, barbecue, lime and chicken sausage), pine nuts, avocado, artichoke hearts, truffle oil and even veggie sausage. To make the pizza really pop, they will add fresh cilantro, basil, oregano or oil on to your pizza for no additional charge.

It is so fun to build a pizza at Z Pizza, because you can customize it to be just how you like it – as healthy or unhealthy as you want, as complex or simple as you want, as vegetarian or meaty or vegan as you want, even as gluten free as you want. And the pizzas look gorgeous and taste fresh every time. So maybe it's a few dollars more for our pizza nights now that we go to Z Pizza. But as Julia says, “I'll always pay a couple more dollars to get something that's exactly what I want...and perfect.” I couldn't agree more.

Cinnamon Toast Remix

noreply@blogger.com (~~BT~~) — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 15:00:00 +0000

Sometimes I just want a little dessert. And my favorite desserts are not chocolate-based or even fruit-based, but cinnamon-based. To quell this craving, the other night I whipped up a play on the classic cinnamon toast, with a little Mexican twist. And let me tell you one word to sum up this little recipe: heavenly.

The first thing I made was a cinnamon toast-like mixture. Three parts white sugar (could use Splenda) to one part cinnamon to one part brown sugar, with a sprinkle of kosher salt. Then I put in little bits of light Smart Balance (could have used butter), maybe a teaspoon at a time and mixed the spices into it with a fork. I continued adding bits until it had nicely “taken in” all of the cinnamon-sugar.

I next took six, small corn tortillas from the fridge and cut them each in half. My original craving was actually for a churro, so the corn tortillas came to mind as a way to make it a little crispier and churro-ier than cinnamon toast. I spooned a very small amount of the smart balance-sugar-cinnamon mixture onto half of each piece of tortilla and then folded the other half onto it so the stickiness of the mixture sealed it. I arranged all of the now quarter-tortilla-sized “churro quesadillas” onto a baking sheet and brushed them all with a tiny bit of olive oil and a sprinkle of sugar, cinnamon and salt. I placed them in a 350 degree oven for 11 minutes.

When I removed them from the oven, the house filled with the gorgeous waft of cinnamon and sugar. My creations looked delectable. They were a little caramelized on the bottom, crispy on the top and soft and gooey and delicious in the middle. It really was like a cinnamon toast quesadilla. I gave a few to a wowed Julia and gave a few to a ravenous Me. I would describe how incredible the taste was in deep detail, but I think I already told you everything you need to know. Heavenly.

The Simple Roast

noreply@blogger.com (~~BT~~) — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 14:46:00 +0000

Cooking only really requires a few basic techniques. One of the easiest, most prominent and all-around tastiest is the basic roasting of meat. Do it correctly and your meat will have an inviting crust on the outside, locking in juices and flavors galore on the inside. If you just stick it in the oven, the color, outer crust, inner moisture and overall flavor will be diminished. That's why it's all about the sear.

I employed this cooking method last week for basic roasted pork tenderloin. I did not marinate it, but I could have. And I could have done this with a variety of cuts of meat. I happened to have a pork tenderloin that I had bought on sale and wanted to make a quick dinner out of it, and then use the leftovers for a few more meals later in the week.

The two things I did first were to preheat the oven to 375 and to put a large pan dry over high heat. I wanted a scalding, “open the windows, open the doors” kind of hot for my sear. Make it quick and pain free.

I placed my pork in a prep bowl and then drizzled a couple teaspoons of olive oil over it, a pinch of kosher salt, some cracked pepper, a couple splashes of red wine vinegar and a large pinch of dried rosemary. With my two clean hands, I rubbed the dressing all over the tenderloin, making sure it got on and in every surface and crevice.

When the pan was hot, I placed my tenderloin in the pan, taking care to stretch it out full and not move it around once it had touched the pan. That would have messed up the beautiful color resulting from a perfect sear. I had it down for maybe 20 seconds before I picked it up with my tongs and turned it over completely, again not moving it around. The other side seared for another 20 seconds. The sear looked golden and beautiful as I grabbed the tenderloin and placed it in a baking dish with some baby portabellas that I had sliced up and sprinkled with a little salt, pepper and olive oil.

I placed it all in the oven for 20 minutes, at which point I used by digital meat thermometer to measure the internal temperature of the pork. I wanted it cooked no more than medium, as I am of the belief that pork tenderloin is best served at that level of doneness. My chart indicated that 160 degrees F was the proper temperature for medium pork. I took it out just below 160 and placed the meat on a board and covered it with foil for a few minutes. This technique allows the juices to settle into the meat without risking the meat turning out overcooked or dry.

Finally, I sliced the pork into thick one-inch slices, and as I expected, each slice was beautifully pink and juicy, just how I like it. The mushrooms were delicate and extremely flavorful over top, along with the slight jus that had settled in the pan with the pork. It was tasty, satisfying, yet so simple. Plus I had brilliant leftovers to use for several more meals (see: sliders from last week). That's how I like it: easy but delicious. Good thing I thought to get another tenderloin at the same time to keep in my freezer. Something tells me its freeze won't be too deep.

Little Wunder-sliders

noreply@blogger.com (~~BT~~) — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 16:09:00 +0000

I have, in the past, made fun of the modern slider. That is, when a restaurant gets “creative” and “upscale” by miniaturizing something, putting it between bread and serving you three. I even called Georgetown “Slidertown” once because nearly all of its world class restaurants served sliders as examples of their food at last year's Taste of Georgetown.

So maybe I don't think the slider is teeming with culinary creativity, but when it comes to home cooking, a slider can be a fun and easy way to eat (and even use up leftovers). I took advantage of this yesterday when I made dinner. I made three little pork tenderloin sliders for myself and three little black bean burger sliders for Julia.

The burgers I made by combining half a can of drained and rinsed black beans and a quarter cup of black bean & garlic dip that I got fresh from the Crystal City farmer's market. I then added a large pinch of shredded white cabbage, a tiny pinch of salt, black pepper, juice of half a lemon, a pinch of sugar and a couple little bits of brie cheese to give it richness and depth. I mashed this all together so it was all combined and roughly chopped. I then lightly sprayed a baking sheet and “pattied” up the burgers into small 2-to-3-inch-wide disks and placed them on the sheet. I then put them in the oven at 350 degrees for 15 minutes at which point I put a little bit more brie on top of each one and left them in for an additional five minutes to allow the cheese to melt. When they were done, they were a little crispy on the outside, with a nice bubbly layer of cheese on top. I let them cool for just a few minutes so they weren't falling apart and actually “stood up” like a burger.

While the patties were in the oven, I made a little slaw for the bottom of the sliders to add a little crunch, moisture and zip to both of our sliders. I mixed about a cup of shredded white cabbage with a couple tablespoons of light mayonnaise and half a cup of barbecue sauce. I also added some chopped Mediterranean green olives for a little saltiness and further tang, and a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. I mixed the slaw with a fork until all of the cabbage was well coated.

Finally, I put the sliders together. I laid out three lightly toasted mini burger buns on each of our plates. To each, I added a little pile of slaw on the bottom. For Julia, I added one patty on top of the slaw on each bun. For mine, I took three thick slices of leftover roasted pork tenderloin from the night before and added one on top of the slaw on each of the buns on my plate. I finished each of the six sliders with some arugula and a couple slices of Campari tomatoes.

The sliders were very attractive-looking – and not too messy considering I piled them a bit high. I thought the pork with the slaw was a perfect combination, adding some much-needed crunch and spicy, tang to the sandwich. I only tried a little of Julia's, but the meld of flavors was deep and very enjoyable. She was thrilled at how they tasted – but she was even more wowed at the surprise of a little plate of sliders for dinner. Maybe those Georgetown restaurants are on to something after all.

Luxe Ceviche

noreply@blogger.com (~~BT~~) — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 18:35:00 +0000

Every so often I find a perfect food for me. During our recent Las Vegas trip, I not only had my new perfect dish ceviche for the first time in many months, but probably the best version ever as well. I had this brilliant ceviche at the T&T (tacos and tequila) at the Luxor casino. It was a gorgeous triple ceviche combo, with small portions each of a beautiful orange-ahi ceviche, a lime-shrimp ceviche and a tomato-citrus-mahi-mahi ceviche. All three were different yet stunningly delicious.

You have to like raw or nearly raw sushi grade fish to appreciate most ceviche, as the fish is just slightly cured by the citrus that it is marinated and served in. The shrimp on the other hand IS cooked, so ceviche for non-raw-lovers will nearly always be shrimp-based. I'm a fish and shrimp fanatic, so that love might be the root of my affection for ceviche.

And beyond that is just the simple beauty of a classic dish that can only be messed up via a lack of quality of and respect for its components. But if it has very high quality fish, lots of fresh citrus juice, fresh onions, tomatoes, avocado, jalapeno, cilantro, olives (often) along with salt and pepper, the taste is aromatic, light and simply ideal. What a meal should be. Imagine the offspring of the freshest of salsas and the freshest of sashimis. Its name would be ceviche.

The Tacos and Tequila restaurant in Luxor caught me at a great time, as the overly heavy food one traditionally encounters in Vegas was starting to get a bit repulsive, and I needed something fresh and exploding with flavor. I instantly knew when I saw it that I was going to be ordering the ceviche trio, bypassing all of the excellent-sounding, creative tacos that were on the menu. Each little portion of this ceviche trio, presented wonderfully on a tri-sectioned long plate, had its own perfect flavor and character, each sizably different from the next. But they all still rang of that tangy, aromatic ceviche base that is crucial to the luxe of this dish. Whether you're at the Luxor or anywhere.

Housewarming Cooking: The Pictures

noreply@blogger.com (~~BT~~) — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 19:17:00 +0000

Finally! Well my Vegas Vacation came at a bad time for those of you waiting for the pictures from the party you’ve been reading about for weeks. Well, here they are. The chicken skewer tower, the slow-cooked BBQ pork, the panzanella, the homemade doughnuts and corn chips, the pineapple cream cheese wontons, the onion goat cheese tart, the pigs in blankets and the ziti cups are all there. Plus there are even shots of Julia’s incredible cupcakes, famous chocolate chip cookies and fabulous cheese tray. Enjoy!

Housewarming Cooking: Italian Influence

noreply@blogger.com (~~BT~~) — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 13:57:00 +0000

My series on cooking for our housewarming party continues today with the contributions from Italian food. I'm nearing the end (and the pictures will come soon), but you can still read about the chicken tower, the BBQ pork, the pastry appetizers or the fried food to get the full experience of what we were eating a couple Fridays ago.

One of the Italian dishes I made was my famous panzanella, an Italian bread salad. I've recounted the recipe on here on several occasions (in several forms even) and I can't say I changed much for the paarty. I just amped up the proportions, so I could make a big enough bowl. The dressed mixed greens with diced Roma tomatoes and red onions made a perfect base for those crispy, chewy, salty grilled bread croutons, which make panzanella so delicious when interspersed throughout the rest of the salad and dressing. This salad always surprises people when they taste it because it looks so simple (and people usually miss the bread visually), but when they taste their first crouton, they are instantly hooked and can't stop raving. That's why I make it, serve it and love to eat it over and over and over again.

The second Italian-themed dish I created was an appetizer take on the classic baked ziti: baked ziti cups. That's right – individualized little baked zitis in their own foil muffin wrappers. It was a (clever) idea of mine that Julia doubted would work. Since they DID work and she lost the bet, I get to harass her publically about it. We kid.

The dish couldn't have been easier. I made two boxes of small ziti or penne tube pastas by boiling them in salted water until just al dente. In this case, I mean three quarters of the cooking time max, but I always sample a piece of pasta every two minutes or so. I didn't make my own marinara for the party but instead warmed a jar’s worth each of regular marinara and spicy marinara sauces. After draining the pasta, I returned it to the pot and tossed it well in the warmed marinara sauce combination. Then I mixed and melted in an entire bag of shredded mozzarella cheese to be the “glue” for the pasta so it would be delicious and stand up in those cups.

To finish up, I filled two muffin pans with the foil muffin liners and then filled each of those 24 cups with a scoop of ziti, as neatly as possible and just over the top of the cup. Then I used another bag of shredded cheese to top each cup with a large pinch to create a melty layer on top. I put them in the oven until the cheese was golden and bubbly – this also helped to lock in the moisture in the pasta. The cups came out looking and tasting great and they worked quite well in the small packages. People thought they were a lot of fun: they could literally peel off the wrapper and eat it, eat it with a fork right in the wrapper or eat it like a cupcake. They were quite popular, especially once people realized what the heck they were.

Italian dishes are always popular among a wide group of people – and easy to make vegetarian – so they make tremendous party dishes. I could probably do an entire spread of easy Italian favorites. Maybe soon?

Housewarming Cooking: No Puff of Smoke

noreply@blogger.com (~~BT~~) — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 13:09:00 +0000

Welcome back to the longest housewarming party ever! In case you missed my posts from last week on not one, but two meat dishes, as well as some crunchy, crispy snacks I made for our housewarming party, you can still catch up. And you can be the first to read below about the fun I had with one of my favorite special party ingredients: frozen puff pastry.

I don't use puff pastry all that often but I like to have fun with it when I do because it’s so easy to use – and so delicious. It only takes a few minutes to bring the sheets to room temperature once outside of their packaging, and once they're thawed, they can be unfolded, rolled out, employed, baked and eaten all in short order. I used three sheets of pastry and made two different but delicious bites for the party.

The first dish was easy as…tart? Since I wanted to make sure that I had enough interesting food for vegetarians as well as meat eaters, I decided to make a little onion, goat cheese and herb tart. I rolled out a single sheet of puff pastry and placed it in my pie dish that I had sprayed with a little Pam. I pressed it around the edges to give it a rustically messy crust. I thinly sliced an entire red onion and loaded all of the pieces into the shell, so it was heaping. I then crumbled three ounces of goat cheese in and around the onions and added salt, pepper and some broken leaves of thyme and sage. Lastly, I drizzled a little red wine vinegar over the onions. I placed the tart in a 350 degree oven for about twenty minutes at which point it was perfectly golden and puffy. I sliced it in to bites before serving. The onions were crispy and tangy and the cheese added some further cool, creamy tang. The pastry brought it all together via the puffy crust that everyone loves. A very nice little vegetarian crowd-pleaser.

Now you want to talk about historically good crowd pleasers? Pigs in a blanket. That's what I used my other two sheets of puff pastry and two packages of all-beef kosher hot dogs (the thin ones) to make. Those crispy, salty, puffy, smoky comfort classics were definitely a hit. I laid seven hot dogs on each of two sheets of puff pastry that I had rolled out. Then I made little cuts in the pastry so that each dog had its own little parcel of pastry that I then wrapped each one in. I placed all fourteen on a sprayed baking sheet and baked in the oven for about twenty minutes until they too were golden and puffed up. I cut each pig in half and served them out with some pressed-dry sauerkraut and some spicy mustard. These condiments add a special zip to the pigs that make them amazing. As you can imagine, these were very popular and got snarfed off the table quicker than I can say “woof woof” or “oink oink” – or should I say they were gone in what seemed like a puff of smoke.

Both puff pastry dishes were simple, tasty and popular. You can't ask for much more in the realm of party food, which is why I don't. I just use more and more often.