The Persnickety Palate

Lahmahjun - Indian Style

2017-12-30T20:47:00.000-05:00

My first job out of college was in midtown Manhattan and opened up a whole new world of food for me. During those years, I was able explore so many cuisines and restaurants and thus began my love for food. My boss was of Armenian heritage and had also lived in Egypt and France and introduced me to foods that I'd never even heard of. Every year, her mother would visit from California and would make something called Lahmahjun (pronounced Lach-maa-joon). It is a thin flat bread topped with a thin layer of ground lamb, tomatoes and spices. It was delicious and something I will always remember.

Thirty years later, as I planned my annual holiday party menu, I thought of the lahmahjun and decided to give it a try, but with my own twist of course. During a two hour drive for work the following week, I came up with this recipe which modifies the original into a more Indian version. It was a huge hit, but I couldn't give out the recipe because I had just made it up in my head as I went along. So, I made it again the following week for another dinner and this time wrote down the recipe. With success a second time around, I decided it was a keeper and worth posting

Ingredients

1 lb ground lamb (you can substitute beef or chicken also)

1 medium red onion grated

2 -3 cloves garlic mashed to a paste

1 inch piece of ginger grated

2 thai green or red chiles finely chopped (seeds can be removed for less heat)

2 Tbsp finely chopped cilantro

2 Tbsp finely chopped mint

1/2 tsp turmeric

1 tsp garam masala (I make my own but store bought is fine too)

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1 tsp sea salt

10 tandoori naan (available at Indian markets but can also substitute pocket-less Greek pitas)

Recipe

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a bowl, combine all ingredients except the naan and mix well. With a spoon spread a thin layer of ground lamb mix onto each naan and place on a cookie sheet. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove and cut into strips and serve with a cucumber & yogurt raita or with a small dollop on plain yogurt. If you prefer a more crispy result, bake for an addiitonal 5 minutes.

Unfortunately I took no photos of my dish but here's a photo of traditional Lahmahjun so you have an idea of how it looks. Enjoy!!

Guest Blog : Nori’s Bread Pudding with Vanilla Bourbon Crème Anglaise

2017-10-23T10:08:00.002-04:00

Dear Readers,

This is my very first guest blog. A big thank you to my contributor & friend, Nori, who was kind enough to share this recipe with us. Hope you will try it and let us know what you think.

The first time I ever had bread pudding was at an all-you-can-eat buffet in Reno, Nevada. I was about 12 years old, and from what I recall, I was not impressed. I didn’t understand the appeal of the almost mushy texture that was occasionally interrupted by the chewiness of the raisins that were mixed in. I was convinced that I strongly disliked bread pudding from that day onward.

Fast-forward to my early 20’s, when I was in college and officially allowed to hang around the casinos for late night food with friends. One night, something strongly called me to order the bread pudding that was being offered as a special at Hash House a Go Go, and I succumbed. I think that’s one of the best 2AM decisions I’ve ever made as that marks the start of my affinity to this deliciously dense dessert. This recipe is one of the many versions I’ve created, based on some of my favorite flavors.

INGREDIENTS

Bread Pudding –

1 ½ cups 2% milk

½ cup heavy cream

¼ cup bourbon

¼ stick butter (melted) (+more for greasing pan)

½ tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp pure maple syrup

¼ cup sugar

¼ cup brown sugar (+ more for sprinkling on top)

1 pinch salt (I use Jacobsen Vanilla Bean Sea Salt)

½ tsp cardamom

1 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp fresh ground nutmeg

1 small loaf of day old crusty bread (I use Grand Central Piccolo Como), cut into 2-3 inch cubes

2 eggs, beaten

Vanilla Bourbon Crème Anglaise –

1 vanilla bean

1 cup milk

1 cup heavy cream

¼ - ½ cup granulated sugar

5 egg yolks

¼ cup bourbon

PREPARATION

Bread Pudding –

· Heat oven to 350 degrees

· In a small saucepan over low heat, warm milk, butter, vanilla, sugar and salt – stir until incorporated

· Let cool

· Butter a 2-quart glass baking dish

· Add eggs and spices to cooled milk mixture and whisk

· Slowly whisk in bourbon

· In a large mixing bowl, pour mixture over bread and let soak for 10-15 minutes

· Pour everything into the baking dish and sprinkle with brown sugar (I like to paint a little melted butter on the mixture before sprinkling the sugar)

· Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until custard is set but still a little wobbly and edges of bread have browned

· Make Crème Anglaise

Serve warm with Crème Anglaise

Vanilla Bourbon Crème Anglaise –

· Split vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape the seeds into a non-stick saucepan before putting in the entire pod

· Pour in milk and cream.

· Over medium heat, stir with a wooden spoon

· Before the milk is brought to a simmer, whisk the sugar and egg yolks in a bowl until the mixture is fully incorporated

· Slowly pour a little of the hot milk into the yolk mixture while whisking to slowly warm the eggs and sugar (be very careful not to do this too quickly so you don’t end up with scrambled eggs!)

· Slowly do this until all the warm milk is incorporated into the egg mixture

· Slowly whisk in bourbon

· Pour everything back into the saucepan

· Turn the on low and continue to cook, stirring with the wooden spoon and making sure to scrape the corners of the pan

· Keep stirring over low heat until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of the wooden spoon (about 2-3 minutes)

· Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve back into the bowl

· Fill a larger bowl with a few inches of ice water, and set the bowl of Crème Anglaise on top of the ice bath to cool for a minute

Serve warm with bread pudding (if possible, right away—but you can store this in an airtight container for up to 3 days and reheat gently before serving. Make sure to place plastic wrap directly on the liquid before placing the top of the container in order to prevent a skin from solidifying on the crème anglaise)

What is Curry?

2017-08-13T18:10:00.001-04:00

Maharashtrian Lamb Curry

“I don’t like Indian food because I don’t like curry.” This is a statement I’ve heard all too often and perturbs me each and every time. Sometimes I will go on to challenge the statement and other times, I don’t bother. It’s like saying I don’t like Italian food because I don’t like pizza, or I don’t like Mexican food because I don’t like salsa. What I’ve also come to surmise is that most people don’t really even understand what curry is, including some famous chefs on TV shows.

Last night, my friend and I were trying to decide what to do for the evening after determining that there were no movies playing of interest to either of us. Since there was a potential of rain, we decided that we would spend our evening making Beef Rendang, a Malaysian curry that takes several hours to cook after quite a bit of prep time. Rendang has a blend of Indian and Thai flavors and is deliciously rich. It was well worth the time and we had fun talking and drinking wine while we cooked together.

On my long, delayed flight to the West coast this morning I began to think about curry and that statement I’ve heard so many times, and decided to demystify the concept for you. So let’s start off with the most important concepts you need to understand about curry:

Curry is NOT a spice – Indians and Southeast Asians do NOT use anything called curry powder in their cooking. This is very much a concept adapted by the British and popularized in the West Indies.

Curry is NOT one universal dish – Curries come in many forms, colors and flavors so to dismiss them all as one thing would be a huge injustice. The Malaysian rendang we made last night is very different from a Thai green curry or a Maharashtrian curry or a Goan fish curry or an Indonesian curry or Rogan Josh or Vindaloo or Laksa or Kofta curry. Each of these is made with very different ingredients and each has a flavor all its own. North Indian curries are heavier with their use of cream and butter while South Indian curries tend to be lighter and sometimes use coconut milk. The spices and other ingredients used vary also.

Curry IS a synonym for sauce or gravy. So a dish with no gravy should NEVER be called a curry. Curried vegetables or curried chicken salad are American in their roots. No such dishes exist in India so if that’s the flavor you don’t like, I suggest you try real curries from the various countries before deciding you don’t like curry as a whole.

The word “curry” is derived from the Kari leaves that are used in many Indian sauces. In Hindi they are called Kadhi Putta. The Western interpretation of the word used an “R” instead. And soon anything with a gravy was referred to as a curry. It is very much an English word not used by any of the Indian languages

Indian food is NOT just curry!!! Neither is Thai or Malaysian food.

Even if this post doesn’t convince you love curries instantaneously, I hope that it will at least open your mind a bit and make you think about exploring the world of curries before dismissing them all because you were served curried chicken salad once and didn’t like the flavor of “curry”. For the record, I don’t like the flavor of the curry powder spice either.

Please feel free to comment or ask questions below. I’d love to hear about your experiences or thoughts on the subject.

Recipe: Orange-Cardamom Panna Cotta

2017-04-05T13:40:00.003-04:00

Last weekend, I invited a couple of friends over for a last minute dinner. With my travels, I don't get much time to entertain any more so spur of the moment plans are easier.

I wasn't sure I would make a dessert but then thought of Panna Cotta since it's a fairly easy and quick dessert to make. As I started pulling out the ingredients, I decided to put a twist on the classic recipe. The end result was a huge success and got rave reviews from my guests and my son, who ate it a day later. I hope you will try and make this one and let me know how it turns out in comments below.

Ingredients

2 Cups Heavy Cream
1 Cup Coconut Milk
1/3 Cup Sugar
Grated Zest of 1 Orange
Juice of 1 Orange
1 Tbsp unflavored Gelatin
6-8 pods Cardamom - slightly smashed to open
1/2 tsp Cardamom powder
1 tsp Vanilla

Recipe

In a heavy bottom sauce pan, heat the heavy cream, coconut milk and sugar until just hot (do not bring to a boil) stirring often. Add orange zest and cardamom pods and allow to steep for about 20-30 minutes. In a small heat proof pan, add the juice from the orange and sprinkle the gelatin evenly over it. Allow to stand for 1 to 2 minutes. Heat the pan over a low flame constantly moving the liquid until the gelatin has melted. Do not allow to boil or overheat. Set aside. Reheat the cream mixture on medium high to just under a boil stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Add the gelatin mixture to the cream and stir well to combine. Strain into a large measuring cup through a fine mesh sieve to remove the pods and zest. Add cardamom powder and vanilla and stir well. Divide evenly into 8 ramekins and chill for at least 4 hours. When ready to serve, you can certainly eat right out of the ramekin but for a great presentation and to show the flecks of orange & cardamon as in the above photo, place each ramekin into a larger bowl of hot water for 30-45 seconds. Invert onto a serving plate to un-mold the Panna Cotta.

Enjoy!!

Mushroom "Pappardelle" w/ Sundried Tomato Pesto

2017-03-01T11:47:00.000-05:00

Last weekend, a friend suggested we walk over to our local winter farmer's market since it was a beautiful day. It's not quite as large as we have in the summer months, but it's a good way to support some local businesses. The winter market is housed in one of the many churches in our little suburban town where if you walk around, you're bound to run into someone you know.

First we stopped at the farm stands outside to pick up some interesting produce like Hannah Yams which I'd never tried before and some watermelon radishes which I generally only see served in restaurants. We moved inside and perused through the many offerings of prepared foods like kielbasa, pastas, and baked goods eventually winding up at The Foraged Feast stand which highlights all different kinds of mushrooms. I discovered mushrooms late in life, and today absolutely love them. I was eyeing the King Oyster Mushrooms and began talking to the gentleman at the stand. He suggested that I could cut the stem to resemble pappardelle pasta and make a healthier version of any dish where it is used. So of course I was on a mission because I'm always looking for healthy recipes. I love pasta but only eat it as a rare treat any more. The next night, my son wanted steak and since I try to avoid too much red meat, I decided to treat myself to the mushrooms instead. I would roast the Hannah yams as a side for us both along with some sauteed broccoli.

So here's the recipe of what I made. It came out delicious and I didn't feel overstuffed after eating. I kept the mushrooms a bit firm so the texture wasn't quite like a pasta, but they can be boiled a minute or two longer if that is your desired result.

For the "Pasta":

1/2 lb of King Oyster Mushrooms cut lengthwise into thin slices. I removed some of the outer cap to make this work and saved them to use in an omelette for breakfast

Bring a pot of water to a boil adding salt to taste. Once the water is boiling, add the mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes. Drain and place into a serving bowl. Add 2 tbsp pesto (recipe below), stir to coat and serve.

This recipe makes one serving

For the Pesto:

4 ozs Sundried tomatoes (not packed in oil)
1 clove garlic roughly chopped
1/4 cup raw Walnuts
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
5 basil leaves
Olive Oil

In a food processor combine all ingredients except olive oil and pulse until it is coarsely chopped. With the food processor on low, stream in olive oil through the feeding tube and continue until you have the desired consistency. While I like my traditional pesto to be fairly fine, I prefer this one a bit more chunky. It's entirely up to you. Leftover pesto will last in a jar in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. This one works well as a spread on whole grain bread with some cottage cheese too.

The Complete meal - "Pappardelle", Hannah Yams & Broccoli

Recipe : Wild Mushroom & Polenta Casserole

2016-12-27T22:10:00.002-05:00

For Thanksgiving this year, I started off planning to make a spoon bread recipe that I saw Michael Symon make on The Chew. As I contemplated how I would execute it and also manage to make it in advance, I realized it just wouldn't work from many angles. So upon much debate with myself, I decided to change the concept to more of a casserole that could be heated and added some greens to it to make it healthy.

Unfortunately, it was not such a big hit with the Indian crowd at the Thanksgiving table because most people of Indian origin tend to not like mushrooms. Also, there was far too much food. I came home with most of the pan untouched. Luckily, I was entertaining at my house the next day and even had some vegetarians in the bunch. After getting permission from my guests, I reheated my casserole and it was such a big hit that the pan was empty and I was asked for the recipe. So this post is keeping my promise to post. It is tough for me to remember the proportions so please excuse the lack of any measurements on this one. Also, I made it to feed a crowd of 25, but hopefully anyone who normally cooks will be able to figure out what works best for the size of the casserole pan they are using. I made a 15 X 12 X 4 casserole dish and used 4 lbs of mushrooms, 3 bags of greens, and two cups of dry polenta.

Essentially I made this in three layers - Sauteed wild mushrooms, sauteed baby greens & polenta. Next time I make it, I would change it to 4 layers by adding a thin layer of polenta at the bottom so as to hold the pieces together better during serving. Thus, I will write the recipe this way.

Recipe (Sort of)

Sauteed Mushrooms

Sliced assorted Mushrooms - I used Shiitake, Oyster & Baby Bellas - sliced
Olive Oil
Chopped shallots
Chopped garlic
Crushed red pepper
Dry white wine
Salt & pepper to taste

In a saute pan, heat the olive oil on medium heat. Add shallots, garlic and red pepper and stir to make sure garlic doesn't burn. Add mushrooms. You may have to add them in batches and allow them to reduce before adding more. Raise the heat to medium high and stir occasionally until all liquid from the mushrooms has evaporated. Add white wine and deglaze the pan stirring until most of the wine has evaporated such that the mushrooms are moist but not liquidy or overly dry. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Sauteed Greens

Assorted baby greens - I used Spinach, Kale & Swiss Chard - roughly chopped
Olive oil
Chopped garlic
Nutmeg - preferably freshly grated
Salt & Pepper to taste

In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil on medium heat. Add garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Add as much of the greens as you can fit and stir with tongs. Continue to add greens in batches until they have reduced to fit in the pan. Add nutmeg, salt & pepper. Saute just until all leaves have wilted but remain vibrant green in color. Set aside

Polenta

Prepare polenta per package instructions by determining how much you need for the casserole pan you will use to assemble. As you finish the polenta, stir in some grated parmesan cheese.

Assembly & Cooking

Butter your casserole dish. While polenta is still hot, pour and spread a thin layer (about 1/4 inch thick) in the casserole dish as a base. Then layer on the mushrooms, followed by the greens and then the remaining polenta. You can make it up to this step in advance and refrigerate until you are ready to serve. If refrigerating, bring to room temperature for 1 hour before. Pre-heat oven to 350F. Add grated parmesan and gruyere cheeses on top and bake for: 30 mins if all is freshly made, 45 mins covered followed by 15 minutes uncovered if the casserole has been previously refrigerated. Allow to rest for 15 minutes before serving.

Buon Appetito!!

California Road Trip : Yosemite Valley & San Ramon

2016-09-19T10:42:00.003-04:00

From Riverside, we headed to Yosemite National Park and if you’ve read my previous post on Los Angeles & Vicinity, you know that it was quite an adventure to get there. Thank goodness for In-N-Out burger which was our dinner on the road for the evening. We arrived at our destination, Inn the Woods Suites, at 2am and tiredly unpacked the car before crashing for the night. We loved this well-appointed and pristinely maintained inn. There are only three suites available and each suite has a kitchen, two rooms, private patio and a BBQ grill. There is a game room and beautifully maintained grounds outside. Though, it is located 30 minutes from the south park entrance in the town of Ahwahnee, CA and quite a drive to Yosemite village, I was very happy with my decision to stay here.

Knowing restaurant options in the Yosemite Valley are limited and require some long drives, I had come prepared to cook meals during this stay. A little research on Google ahead of time told me that there is a Vons in the town of Oakhurst about 10 minutes away so I knew I could pick up perishables after arriving. The quick trip I had made to Cardenas Mexican market before leaving Riverside allowed me to be more creative in my meals. This market, which is a chain all over Southern California was an incredible experience for me. I was like a kid in a candy store as I walked through the aisles, staring at all the specialty foods and produce we don’t get to see on the East coast. The highlight however was their fresh tortilla counter which produces and packages fresh corn, flour and other varieties of tortillas all day long. I couldn’t resist picking up a package of large, thick, handmade corn tortillas along with some avocados for guacamole and some fresh salsa. I had a plan for them.

The Inn provided some fruit, muffins and oatmeal for breakfasts along with coffee, tea and creamers. We packed our lunches to go in a backpack cooler since we planned to hike most of the day and ate on the trails. Lunch on the first day was simple sandwiches, water and bananas. On the second day, however, I made use of my corn tortillas by making spicy chicken burritos in the morning which I wrapped in aluminum foil. They were so good and much better than boring sandwiches. I simply grilled the chicken the night before alongside our dinner. I also grilled some onion and a serrano chili. The next morning, I simply cut everything up and put it on a roasting pan in the convection oven to reheat and then wrapped it all in warm tortillas with some fresh cilantro, sliced avocado and tomatillo salsa (also from Cardenas). I did go a bit overboard on the serrano chile apparently, as my son (who can usually handle some heat) was unable to finish his burrito after biting into several of them. But he did admit it tasted good which is really all that matters.

We grilled some prime ribeye steaks and asparagus for dinner the second night and picked up some fresh sourdough bread at Vons to go with it. I used an herb and pepper rub on the steaks and seasoned with sea salt. The asparagus I simply grilled with some olive oil and sprinkled with salt & pepper when cooked. A simple yet satisfying dinner paired with a lovely petite syrah from Tobin James ended the day on a very relaxed note. On our last night, we had done far more hiking and returned fairly late. So we decided not to cook as originally planned and instead picked up some cheeses, salami, more bread, grapes and steamed some broccoli in the microwave. We ate this all “picnic style” while chilling out in front of the TV.

We loved our days at Yosemite National Park. We hiked the Bridal Veil Falls trail but took it to another level by climbing on the rocks where the falls would normally flow. My son even found a clear lake at the top since he went much higher than me. In the summer, the falls dry up significantly leaving this “trail” made of large boulders open for the more adventurous at heart. We also hiked to the top of Vernal Falls which is a 1000 foot vertical climb within a distance of 2.4 miles, the Mirror Lake trail with lots of wildlife present & more rocks to climb, and the Sentinel Dome trail. To this day I can’t believe I actually did the last one. It’s not a long trail at 1.8 miles but the steep final climb up the dome is quite daunting and even more so on the way down. But I made it and the 360 degree view from the top made the journey worth it. We also walked around the base village area but the true beauty of Yosemite is off the beaten tourist path. This was my second visit and again an incredible experience especially since I got to share it with my son.

Once again, we felt as if we hadn’t spent enough time but it was time to continue and as I drove the windy, hairpin turns through the mountains to San Ramon, the sunset made me wish I could freeze time for just a little while.

We stayed with friends in San Ramon who I’ve known for a long time and recently relocated from the East coast to California. Yes, I know people everywhere!! We were only there for two nights and one full day which was actually a work day for me full of meetings, but my son had a great time touring around with my friend’s brother and his family who were also visiting from New Jersey. Honestly, it was fun to just sit around and do nothing but enjoy the conversation with some great wines from their collection after our three days of hiking. I cooked again one night and made chicken burritos with the remaining corn tortillas. Since we were traveling with two coolers and freezer packs, it was easy to transport the food to each destination. This time I added some bell peppers and a couple of other ingredients. I also made some fresh guacamole while dinner was cooking. The wonderful thing about eating in, is that conversations are always more comfortable and open. And since there were other kids around, my son enjoyed a little time to escape the adult world.

The next day we got a relaxed start after breakfast and a long walk to burn of some calories. We made plans to see our friends again in San Francisco when we returned toward the end of our trip and hit the road again towards Napa Valley and Redwoods National Park

California Road Trip : Los Angeles & Vicinity

2016-09-15T18:58:00.001-04:00

After a short 2 hour drive from San Diego, we arrived in Rancho Cucamonga, which is about 45 minutes East of Los Angeles. I have a good friend who lives there whom I’ve known for nearly 30 years. Interestingly we met on a tour bus in Italy and have stayed in touch ever since, gone on vacations together, attended each other’s weddings, etc. Despite all of this, she had never met my son. I was working for the first two days and so we spent most of the day indoors. It was a blistering 108 degrees in the shade outside so this wasn’t a problem. It gave us a bit of rest in between adventures too. In the evenings though we ate well.

On our first night, I asked my friend who is of Mexican descent, to take us to her favorite hole in the wall Mexican restaurant. I love California Mexican food so I had to introduce my son to it. We went to Las Cerritas near their home and as expected, the food was delicious. I had Chicken with Mole which was really good something I haven’t had in a while. My son loved his Carne Asada, but wasn’t crazy about the refried beans which he’d never eaten before. Okay, it’s an acquired taste.

The next night, I promised to cook Indian for my friend and her husband. Since the rest of the trip would involve many stays in hotels with kitchens, I traveled with many of my important spices and masalas so this was pretty easy to do. A quick trip to the grocery store and I pulled off a pretty good Chicken Curry, sautéed some Zucchini from their garden, along with a coconut & cilantro rice. Her husband contributed Tangelo Margaritas made from tangelos in their garden and a self-aged tequila. The added excitement of being really close to the Blue Cut fire that was raging nearby made the evening even more unforgettable as we ate and also planned our evacuation strategy.

The other two restaurants we visited during these days were Ludo Bird in Universal Studios on our visit there and Bardot in the small town of Claremont. Ludo Bird is a fast food restaurant that serves only Fried Chicken with a few different options. Chef Ludo started in a food truck in Los Angeles and now has made a name for himself. All I can say is that the Fried Chicken sandwich, while likely not the healthiest of meals, was really really good. It was perfectly crispy and served with a cabbage & fennel slaw that was very tasty. I added a bit of hot sauce of top for extra flavor. We ate at Bardot that same evening after walking around quite some time to burn of the calories from lunch. Despite that, I was not very hungry and opted to get asparagus soup and a tomato salad. Others ordered their food and the only two meals that we liked were my tomato salad and my son’s burrata salad. The rest of the food was unimpressive and I can make better cream of asparagus soup in my sleep.

Before leaving Rancho Cucamonga, we stopped for an early taco lunch at Tacocino where my friends insisted we must go. Well, they were indeed right – best tacos I’ve ever had!! It’s a small place in a mall with a few tables, but the tacos they serve on warm corn tortillas with fresh cilantro and salsa are incredible. I had the fish tacos because one can never have too many, while my son opted for the carne asada. Mind you, we were not really hungry but devoured our tacos nonetheless. A quick stop at BevMo for some wine & tequila and we were off to Riverside to visit more friends.

It’s always great to visit with people I’ve gotten to know through various aspects of my life, but don’t see very often. These friends just had a baby and I loved spending time with their 5 month old daughter. My son got spoiled with hot breakfast every morning from homemade waffles to scrambled eggs along with fresh fruit and all the milk he could handle. I even got hot oatmeal each morning to start my day. What more could we ask for and proclaimed this to be the best B&B in California. Immediately upon our arrival and though we’d eaten our tacos only a few hours earlier, I asked my friend to take us to Asahi for sushi. Just like the Mexican food, I find sushi in California to be much fresher. My son has recently discovered sushi & sashimi and I wanted him to experience it in California. He loved all of it and we ordered far too much food including albacore tuna (my personal favorite), salmon, shrimp tempura, spicy tuna and so much more. Mind you, I don’t eat sashimi very often but here I ate it all. The albacore tuna is my favorite.

Other culinary highlights from the stay included my son’s very first In-N-Out burger following an afternoon/evening at Laguna Beach. He loved it and had several more Double Doubles before we left the state. We also ate at a very nice restaurant in Santa Monica in the Casa Del Mar hotel called Terrazza Lounge after our second day at Universal Studios. One nice thing about the West coast is that most restaurants will let you in even if you’re not exactly in the right attire for their ambiance. This makes it easier to go from tourist destinations to dinner without trying to negotiate a clothing change. We sat by a window overlooking the beach and enjoyed some quiet time with good food and wine after a hectic day. What was originally planned as lunch became dinner due to traffic but we didn’t mind because we were on no schedule. After our food, we walked on the beach goofing around and finally made our way to Venice Beach to goof around some more before heading back to Riverside to our temporary home.

As we were leaving for our next leg of the journey, my friend realized that we hadn’t yet had Korean BBQ, something else my son had never eaten. And so it was declared that we couldn’t leave the LA area without having Korean BBQ for lunch. I knew it would set us back for time as we had a long drive ahead of us, but later in the evening I would be thankful we did as an accident on the I-5 had us at a standstill for 2 ½ hours, and didn’t get us to our rental in Yosemite until 2am. Leaving an hour earlier would have made little difference, but the decision allowed us to spend more time with friends. Yet again, far too much food was ordered between the shaved beef slices and kalbi (marinated short rib) and all the sides of kimchi, pickled cucumbers and rice. If you’ve never had Korean BBQ, the true fun is that you cook your food right on the table over a grill, and then enjoy it with all the side condiments which makes for a very interactive meal. My son thoroughly enjoyed the experience and will not forget it soon especially since we ate with friends of Korean descent making it all that much more authentic. Stomachs full, we said our reluctant goodbyes and started our journey north.

Though we stayed in the LA area for 5 days, I could have easily spent five more. We are already planning a return to our friends in Riverside as we didn’t get nearly enough time together because they were hosting us and a couple from Holland also. What an amazing food and travel adventure this was for my son as he discovered so many foods for the first time. For me, it was fun and different to enjoy it through his perspective and was so happy that I could make the introduction. I can’t wait to return again soon…..

#californiafoodadventures #koreanbbq #losangelesfoodie #calmex

California Road Trip : San Diego

2016-08-16T14:57:00.000-04:00

The last few days in San Diego area have been fun and delicious and this is only the start...

We spent our first day with a morning walk along the Pacific coast in La Jolla Cove watching the seals and snorkelers and enjoying the beautiful weather. Our stomachs still on the East coast, we were hungry by 10:30am and decided to stop in for a snack at George's by the Cove where my son enjoyed his first real Fish Tacos. What makes them different than what we find on East coast? Well, they're made with grilled mahi mahi and topped with cabbage not shredded romaine lettuce. Lime, guacamole and hot salsa are a requirement. And the most important thing of all is that they are served with handmade, thick corn tortillas not store-bought flour or thin corn ones that fall apart as soon as you take the first bite. They were delicious!!

The rest of the day was spent at the harbor and walking around Seaport Village and the USS Midway. After a break and nap at our hotel, we headed to the Gaslamp Quarter for some dinner. We looked through a few menus and my son decided on The Hopping Pig which is a divy looking bar but had some great cocktails and food. He had the sausage flat bread and I opted for the carnitas tacos with a sazerac. We also ordered a side of roasted Brussels sprouts which came with big chunks of pork belly & a balsamic sauce. All was delicious and plates were empty.

Our second morning was spent at the San Diego zoo. Since we got there early, we were able to beat the crowds and cover all the exhibits in 4 hours. Food options in the zoo are your typical junk foods, but I had a plan in advance for lunch. We packed enough snacks to keep our stomachs at bay and then headed over to Liberty Public Market afterwards for lunch. This is a large area with stores and restaurants next to the San Diego airport. One of the building houses a giant food & beer hall with multiple vendors selling their products. The variety includes fresh pasta made to order, Argentinian empanadas, raw bars, sushi, and so much more.

My son opted for a stuffed burger which was gigantic, juicy & delicious and I opted for a Thai spicy basil rice with chicken. We found a table, I grabbed a local beer on tap from the beer hall and enjoyed an amazing but affordable meal. My Thai rice was actually spicy and they provided additional hot sauce if I needed. Thai food on the East coast is always so mild that it makes it taste unauthentic. This had real Thai chilies and basil along with the flavors of fish sauce.

For our final meal in San Diego, we returned to George's in La Jolla, but this time to their fine dining restaurant called California Modern. We opted for the four course dinner and I also indulged in their wine pairings. We loved the food and service at this restaurant and had a very relaxed meal. There is too much food to describe here but suffice it to say it was all delicious. I'll let the pictures do the talking....

"Fish Tacos" - rolled ahi tuna with spices

Strawberries & Figs w/ Burratta & Basil

Posole

Venison Loin w/ Spaetzle & Vegetables

Striped Bass w/ Yogurt Mint Cream & Roasted Carrots

Mocha Slice w/ White Chocolate Ice Cream

Coconut Ice Cream within a Coconut "Cloud"

Next stop Los Angeles, Rancho Cucamonga & Riverside..............

Foodie Road Trip Through The Golden State

2016-08-12T19:02:00.001-04:00

It has been nearly ten years since I have been on a real trip to California. Sure I've gone for a few quick weekends, but this time I'm doing a road trip for three whole weeks with my son. I'm so very excited about seeing some friends, catching some sun, showing my son some sights, and eating lots of great food. Workouts will be a must.

We will start in San Diego and work our way through the state North to the border of Oregon, winding up in San Francisco. Fun trip planned with lots of food adventures thrown in. Love the freshness of California cuisine, the authenticity of Cal-Mex (can you say Baja fish tacos?) and all the amazing Asian flavors throughout the state. I plan to hit food halls & farmer's markets, breweries, distilleries & wineries. And so much more......

So come along with me over the next few weeks as I dive into food & beverages of all varieties all over the Golden State!

Impromptu Entertaining

2016-07-18T20:32:00.000-04:00

Last week I hosted a last minute evening of cocktails and nibbles for some friends in the neighborhood. My son is away camping which usually allows me with some free time that I otherwise wouldn’t have. I didn’t expect everyone to make it since it was very impromptu but ended up with a few yeses, a few maybes and a final count of four. What I hadn’t thought of was what to serve, and I didn’t have much time to shop with my work schedule. Luckily I generally keep a stocked pantry and freezer for just such occasions. Here’s what I was able to pull together without going to the store:

Yellow squash sticks & Pita chips with store bought Hummus
Mango & Nectarine salsa with Tortilla chips
Grilled Shrimp marinated with chilies, lemon zest, cilantro & turmeric
Belgian Endive with a filling of Greek yogurt, radishes & watercress

I even whipped up a very light cocktail with gin, homemade watermelon juice (I had made some earlier in the week with watermelon, ginger, mint & lime juice), cucumber soda (I order the RW Knudsen brand which is not sweet) & lime juice. It was refreshing without going to our heads since I only used ½ Cup of gin for the pitcher. There is always wine & beer in my house in case someone didn’t want the cocktail.

How did I manage this?

I always have most of these ingredients on hand. Shrimp can be frozen and thaws out in minutes which makes for quick last minute scampi with linguine in a pinch. I always have yogurt, limes, lemons, chilies, cilantro & various kinds of fruit for my daily meals. Watercress, endive & radishes were in my fridge for my salads that week. I mix up different salad ingredients each week. It could have easily been arugula, cucumber & sprouts. Since I eat veggies and hummus for an afternoon snack, I usually have those on hand too. I only had one ripe mango and one not so ripe nectarine. Combining the two gave me enough quantity on the salsa and the mango helped tenderize the hard nectarine by the time I served it.

So here are a couple of the recipes:

Mango-Nectarine Salsa

1 ripe mango cut into small cubes

1 nectarine cut into small cubes

½ red onion chopped finely

¼ cup chopped cilantro

½ jalapeno chopped finely (remove seeds & veins to reduce heat level)

Sea salt to taste

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir well. Serve at room temperature with tortilla chips.

Grilled Shrimp

1 lb jumbo shrimp

½ jalapeno finely chopped

½ cup cilantro finely chopped

Zest of one lemon

Juice of ½ lemon

Sea salt to taste

Freshly ground black pepper

½ tsp turmeric

Peel, devein, wash & dry shrimp thoroughly. Combine remaining ingredients and add to the shrimp in a bowl and mix well. Allow to sit for 20 – 30 minutes but not longer. Heat the grill (indoor or outdoor) and cook the shrimp for approximately 1 minute on each side till it just turns pink. Do not overcook as it will get tough. Serve immediately.

Gin-Watermelon Cocktail – I don’t have exact proportions for this as I usually taste and add ingredients to taste until it’s what I’m looking to achieve. But here are approximate quantities:

½ cup gin (I used Tanqueray Rangpur)

2 cans cucumber soda

2 cups watermelon juice (Juice has ginger & mint in it)

Juice of 1 lime

2-3 mint sprigs

Muddle the mint in a pitcher with a wooden spoon. Add all other ingredients to the pitcher. Add ice just before serving. Stir and serve in martini glasses garnished with a slice of lime.

So, it's true what they say - when you have lemons, make lemonade. What can you pull together for an impromptu evening with friends?

Recipe : Banana Bread w/ Flax & Bourbon Soaked Raisins

2016-06-09T12:11:00.000-04:00

Ingredients

3 1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour
4 tsps Baking Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 Tbsp Ground Cinnamon
1 tsp Ground Allspice
1/2 tsp Ground Cloves
1 tsp Salt
1/4 Cup Ground Flax Seed (optional)
2/3 Cup Canola oil
1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
4 Eggs
4 overripe mashed bananas
1 Cup Raisins
1/4 Cup Bourbon (you can also substitute dark rum or brandy)

______________________________________________________________________________

Recipe

Preheat oven to 350F degrees.

Prepare two loaf pans or bundt cake pans by spraying with non-stick spray. I use the spray made specifically for baking. You can also coat with a layer of butter instead.

Soak the raisins in the bourbon in a bowl and set aside turning from time to time.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, cloves and salt. Mix in the flax seed. Set aside

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer or stand mixer beat together the canola oil & sugar until frothy and well combined (about 3 minutes) on medium speed. Add the eggs and beat on high until light and fluffy and soft peaks form. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture and beat on low speed just until combined. Add 1/3 of the bananas and beat on low speed until just combined. Repeat with remaining flour and bananas 1/3 at a time. Do not overbeat else the bread will be tough. Add the raisins and bourbon and fold in.

Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 45 mins to 1 hour. Bread is done when a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Cut into slices and enjoy!! Makes two loaves.

Note: if you choose to leave out the liquor but include the flax meal, you will need to add an extra banana as the flax will dry out the bread without the additional moisture from the bourbon. If you aren't concerned with making it healthy, cream together 2/3 Cup of softened butter with the sugar instead of canola oil for an even more yummy bread!!

Weekday Chicken Curry

2016-06-01T23:12:00.001-04:00

I have several different ways to cook Chicken Curry. There's no one recipe that I use and typically it depends on what I have on hand in the house and how much time I have. This particular recipe is quick enough to make for a weeknight meal, but can be made over the weekend and eaten during the week. It will only get more flavorful over time.

As I've likely explained before, a curry is anything with a gravy. The gravy is the curry. It is NOT a spice as many believe in the West. Real Indian cooks never use curry powder. We do use different masalas (spice blends) which are added to various other ingredients to form a curry.

I took this pot of chicken curry to the office with me and it was a big hit so I promised to post the recipe on the blog.

Ingredients

6 - 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1/2 cup lowfat Greek yogurt
2 Tbsp Patak brand Madras Curry Paste*
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
3 - 4 large cloves garlic, finely chopped or mashed
1 Tbsp fresh grated ginger
3 Tbsp Canola oil
1 large cinnamon stick
1 medium onion finely sliced
1/2 cup unsweetened grated dry coconut*
1 large onion finely chopped
2 bay leaves
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp red chile powder* (not the kind you use to make Texas chili)
2 Tbsp garam masala* (I used the Rajah brand. If there's time I will make my own)
1 Tbsp salt
2 cans unsalted tomato sauce
Water as needed
1 tsp Sriracha sauce
Chopped cilantro for garnish (optional)

*Available at most Indian markets

Recipe

Wash and dry the chicken thighs and place in a large glass bowl. Combine the yogurt, Madras curry paste, black pepper, garlic and ginger in a bowl adding a little water to thin out, if needed, to make the marinade. Add the marinade to the bowl of chicken and mix thoroughly. Set aside for at least one hour or refrigerate overnight if possible. If refrigerating, remove and bring to room temperature one hour before cooking.

In a large dutch oven, heat the canola oil on medium high flame with cinnamon stick. When cinnamon starts to sizzle, add the sliced onion and cook until it is golden brown being careful not to burn it. Reduce heat if needed. Add the coconut and stir quickly. It will brown within 10 seconds. Immediately add the chopped onion and stir and cook for 2 minutes until the onion is translucent. Add the turmeric, chile powder, garam masala, bay leaves & salt. Stir well and cook until the oil starts to separate - about 3 to 4 minutes. Turn heat to high flame. Add the chicken thighs in one layer. Allow to brown on one side for 2 mins, then turn and brown on the other side for an additional 2 mins. Add the tomato sauce, Sriracha and enough water to just cover the chicken and stir well. Bring to a boil, turn heat to simmer and cover. Cook for 40 - 50 minutes until chicken is tender. Taste to adjust seasonings adding more salt, chile powder or sriracha to suit your taste buds and heat level.

Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve over Basmati rice.

To Ski or Après Ski - Adventures in Whistler BC

2016-03-18T12:16:00.000-04:00

Blackcomb Glacier

I fell in love with skiing many years ago after a week of lessons in Canada at a resort called Gray Rocks and have enjoyed the sport more and more each year. I am not a “lay on the beach person” and don’t find it at all relaxing and thus opt for more active vacations. Much of my vacation time is used up each year at ski resorts. There is something very satisfying at the end of the ski day where one has conquered a challenge or two never before undertaken such as a particularly difficult run or interesting new terrain. Even more fun, after a tough day on the slopes, is the concept of après ski which basically involves food and drinks and fun (three of my favorite things), preferably with a group of friends in a slope side bar, restaurant, or your own condo.

Whistler Village

This past week, I went skiing at Whistler-Blackcomb in British Columbia with some friends. My last trip to Whistler was more of a family trip with my son, and two other families who joined us. It was equally fun but very different than this trip which was adults only. This time I had the chance to après in a very different way, stopping for a beer or a drink and some light snacks before heading back to the condo; sometimes alone and sometimes with others. I didn’t have to rush or worry about meeting someone or finding my son. We each had our independent days and met up if we could without pressure. My daily life revolves so much around a tight schedule that not being on a schedule is a wonderful treat. That is when I feel like I’m on vacation – something I really haven’t had time to do for over a year between work and a construction project.

Whistler has a lovely village at the base with many restaurants and bars from casual food to upscale establishments. The nice thing is, one can walk into most of them with ski boots on. In fact, one evening, we didn’t leave the mountain until after dinner still in our ski clothes. The base of Blackcomb is a bit quieter if you prefer to be away from the hub bub, with a few restaurant options and base area bars of its own.

We started our vacation by meeting in Vancouver arriving at the Pinnacle Marriott at different times and met up at breakfast the next morning. After some smoked salmon on English muffin and tea – so very Pacific Northwest - I went for a walk along Vancouver harbor to take in the beautiful morning sunshine. We picked up our rental car, stopped at Whole Foods for some provisions for the week and then headed to Whistler which is about a 2.5 hour drive from Vancouver.

Vancouver Harbor

Nita Lake

We arrived in the early afternoon and since our condo was not yet ready, wound up at Nita Lake Lodge on the recommendation of the front desk for some lunch. Though their restaurant was not open, we got a nice table overlooking the lake in their lounge and ordered some sandwiches and beer. I opted for a grilled chicken with a side salad and a local lager which was simple and yet everything seems to taste better on vacation in beautiful surroundings. We took our time with our meals and then went for a walk along the lake enjoying views of the mountains and the beautiful houses built along the water’s edge. After checking in and unpacking, we set off to collect our ski passes and rental equipment before settling down for the evening. Still full from our late lunch, we opted to snack on some cheese and bread with some local wine and skipped dinner.

Our first day on the slopes was challenging but fun with poor visibility on the mountain which did not stop us from having a full day of playing in the snow. We ventured all over Blackcomb mountain that day, stopping for breakfast at Glacier Creek lodge and lunch at the Roundhouse lodge, and wrapped up our day around 3:30pm when our legs were feeling tired. Choices for breakfast and lunch on the mountain are far better at Whistler than what I’m used to at other ski resorts and go beyond the usual burgers, fries and chicken fingers. Most of the lodges offer Noodle bowls, Pasta, Soups, and more. The first full day on the slopes is always tiring and even more so if it’s in challenging conditions, and so we decided to cook in that evening. We had picked up some beautiful halibut in Vancouver and decided to make Thai green curry along with some Jasmine rice cooked in coconut milk and a salad. I wouldn’t say it was my best effort but it wasn’t bad considering I had to make do with minimal ingredients, an electric stove, and basic cooking vessels. Sadly, in my rushed packing efforts, I forgot to include my normal stash of spices and other ingredients that I like to carry along on most trips. But we were so hungry after our day on the slopes that we managed to finish it all any way along with a bottle of wine.

Skiing the Bowls

Made it through these trees

The next day, we signed up for “The Camp” at Whistler which is a ski coaching program that breaks you up into groups according to your ski level and provides a coach for four days. I can ski quite well on groomed trails but don’t have much experience off-piste (ungroomed terrain). So I was placed in a more advanced group at first, but after a very humbling day of skiing on very steep slopes and through trees, I was moved to a group more my speed the next day, though I must say I was proud to have conquered the trees for the first time. The next four days were grueling, challenging, exhausting and the most fun I’ve had in a very long time. I skied on a glacier, rode a T-bar without falling, skied in fresh powder as deep as my waist and became a better skier thanks to my coach, Kim. We worked hard but also played hard. We made new friends and après’d with them to discuss the day on the mountain, later meeting up with our own group for dinner. Each day was a new adventure on and off the mountain. Here are some of our après highlights including some amazing meals.

At the top of Blackcomb Glacier

Après Ski

View from Black's Pub

Manhattan at Milestones

I don’t drink beer very often, but something about a nice cold one just hits the spot after skiing. Black's Pub, GLC and the Brewhouse are all great places to get some good local brew. The younger crowd tends to favor the Longhorn Saloon at the base of Whistler with its heat lamps, hip vibe and music playing all day long. Milestones at the base of Blackcomb is a bit more refined and good for cocktails and some interesting snacks too like the warm goat cheese with roasted garlic served with grilled flat bread. I accompanied it with a Manhattan while sitting under a heat lamp and watching the skiers come down the slope in front of me. One evening we continued the fun in the condo and my friend made a baked brie with garlic and white wine which we scooped up with pieces of baguette.

Whistler Dining

We dined in twice - once on the Halibut curry mentioned earlier and another night I cooked chicken with maitake mushrooms and white wine served over a rice pilaf with steamed asparagus. I find cooking very relaxing after a long day and enjoyed preparing both meals. We had two very memorable dinners at Elements and Trattoria di Umberto and one not so memorable one at Legs Diamond.

Pork Belly on Bacon & Rosemary Bread Pudding

Elements is an urban tapas restaurant serving nothing like your typical Spanish or Mediterranean style tapas. The food is very good and while there isn’t much of a wine selection, there are some interesting cocktails on the list. We shared Duck Confit Sliders, Seared Scallops, Bruschetta, and an amazing slow cooked Pork Belly served over Bacon & Rosemary Bread Pudding with a Maple Glaze and Apple Butter. For dessert we ordered Sticky Toffee Pudding and the Peach Cobbler. At the end of this very satisfying meal, we unanimously decided that we would have all been perfectly content with one order of the Pork Belly and one of the Sticky Toffee Pudding each. That is how much we enjoyed these two very memorable dishes. So much so that we went back on my last evening for the Sticky Toffee Pudding for dessert in an effort to try to coax the recipe out of the chef. We did not succeed and so I will now be on a mission to experiment with it on my own.

Sticky Toffee Pudding

Kitchen at Trattoria di Umberto

Trattoria di Umberto is the less formal cousin of Il Caminetto di Umberto. If this is on a lower scale, I’d love to see what the more formal restaurant is like because this was a very nice experience in terms of ambiance, wine list, food and service. The Sommelier recommended a nice Cabernet Sauvignon from the Okanagan region of British Columbia which was more fruit forward than most cabs I’m used to, but very good nonetheless. I ordered a Caesar Salad and the Roasted Half Chicken which were both excellent. My friends ordered a Tiramisu for dessert of which I tried a spoonful and can honestly say it was one of the best I have ever eaten.

Roasted Chicken with Veggies and Demi Glace

Tiramisu

Albacore Tuna Carpaccio

On my last day, the weather was wet, the snow difficult to traverse and my legs were tired. After a couple of runs my non-waterproof ski jacket had allowed water to permeate to the inner layers and I was no longer a happy skier. So, I decided to head back to the condo, changed and went for a walk in the Village. I’m not much of a shopper but sometimes it’s fun to browse around for interesting items that you wouldn’t find in your day to day life. After a stop to pick up some Aero bars for my son (he recently discovered how awesome they are) and a few browsing stops, I was hungry for lunch. I walked around to check out all the options and wound up finding a recently opened wine bar. Basalt Wine & Charcuterie is a small but inviting space with a long bar in the front and about a dozen tables. I took a seat at the bar and the bartender, Gil, immediately greeted me with a friendly smile. After some conversation around the food options and trying a few different wines, I ordered the Albacore Tuna Carpaccio to start, paired with a Marsanne from New Zealand. The tuna was presented beautifully over arugula & avocado puree, and topped with roasted peppers, pickled red onion and fried capers. It was so good that I finished it in about five minutes. Still hungry, I ordered the chicken liver mousse to follow which was served with toasted bread and mustard and topped with a berry jam. This too was absolutely delicious and I was glad that one of my friends had joined me part way into the meal because I was full and hated to see it go to waste. I paired the mousse with a Nero d’Avola which was a light refreshing red that worked perfectly with the dish.

Chicken Liver Mousse

The food at Legs Diamond, which is at the base of Blackcomb, was not bad but it wasn’t great either. My salad was overdressed and nothing special, my one friend’s fish was way undercooked and the Beef Wellington was not quite what we expected – slices of beef with a biscuit on the side. It was a bit underwhelming compared to the other restaurants we ate at and not one that I would likely revisit.

Overall this is was an amazing and memorable trip from all aspects – phenomenal ski conditions & experience, meeting new friends, wonderful food and a truly relaxing vacation.

So the next time you’re faced with the dilemma of “To Ski or Après Ski”, just do both!!

Recipe : Lemon Dijon Chicken with Chinese Five Spice

2015-09-29T20:46:00.000-04:00

For the next two weeks I am helping out some friends by staying with their two kids while they celebrate their 15 year anniversary in Bali. In return they are providing a more convenient place for me to stay while my house is in its final stages of construction. Luckily both the kids eat a lot of different foods and aren't too picky so I've been doing a bit of cooking on their professional range and taking advantage of an extra couple of guinea pigs at my disposal. No complaints thus far I must add.

Tonight I made this recipe which they loved so much that my son asked me to write it down so I don't forget and can make it again. You see I'm notorious for making up recipes and then never remembering them and he has now figured this out. The house really did smell amazing and my friends' six year daughter even commented on the smell when she entered the house while the food was cooking. Every plate was wiped clean at dinner and the boys even took second servings.

I hope you try this. It is quick, easy and delicious.

Ingredients

2 Lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs

2 Tsps Kosher salt
1 Tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp Five Spice powder
¼ Cup Canola or Vegetable oil
4 – 5 cloves garlic – minced
1 medium onion – finely diced
3 carrots – peeled and cut into small dice
3 stalks celery – cut into small dice
2 sprigs fresh Rosemary
Grated zest of one lemon
2 cups chicken broth
Juice of one lemon
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 can (15 oz) chick peas or garbanzos
Salt & pepper to taste
Fresh Italian parsley to garnish (optional)

Recipe

Rinse and thoroughly dry the chicken pieces. In a bowl combine the salt, pepper and five spice powder. Season all the chicken pieces on all sides with the spice mix. Heat a large braising pan on high heat and add the oil. When the oil is very hot, sear the chicken on both sides until browned (about 2 minutes per side). Brown the chicken in batches so as not to crowd the chicken keeping pieces in one layer. Remove chicken to a plate and set aside. Once all the chicken has been seared, reduce heat to medium high and add the garlic and lemon zest. Quickly stir and immediately add the mirepoix (onion, celery & carrots) and stir so as not to burn the garlic and zest. Add the rosemary sprigs and allow the vegetables to become soft while stirring occasionally. You may add a touch of salt to draw out some of the moisture. After about 5 – 6 minutes, add the chick peas and heat through about 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth and lemon juice and Dijon mustard and stir well. Now add back the chicken pieces making sure they are mostly submerged in the liquid and bring back to a boil. Cover and cook on simmer for 20 – 30 minutes until the chicken is cooked and tender. Season as needed. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve over steamed rice.

Summer in the City : Part 3 : Portland Maine

2015-08-12T15:42:00.000-04:00

With my home under construction this summer, I have not been able to travel as much as I’d like. Last week I had to pick up my son from camp in Portland Maine and decided to take advantage of the opportunity to rent an apartment for the week prior, and work from a different city instead of my mother’s kitchen table which has been my temporary office for the past few months. There are advantages and disadvantages to working from home. Being able to move my office to varied locations is certainly a wonderful perk.

I started early from home and was prepared for my six hour drive. Unfortunately I didn’t realize the extent of the traffic from Connecticut to Maine which is only exacerbated on the first day of August as it is the day that the monthly rentals turnover. By 3pm I had barely crawled into New Hampshire with only one quick bathroom break and a growling stomach. As I came upon the exit for Portsmouth, NH I saw the completely stopped traffic heading to the Maine border and decided I’d had enough. I took the exit and went on a mission to find some food. I wanted to sit outside since it was a beautiful day and wound up at Martingale Wharf on Bow Street. Though they didn’t have any seating available outside, their bar was open to the outside and looked like a good place to hang my hat while the traffic subsided. I ordered a salad with grilled chicken and a light beer and hung out for an hour or two chatting with some other tourists and the bartenders. After walking around a bit, I grabbed a coffee to go and hit the road. Traffic gone by now, I arrived in Portland within two hours.

My apartment was quite nice but was a third floor walkup so by the time I had unloaded my car, I had gotten enough exercise to make up for the car sitting I had done all day. After getting myself organized and unpacked, I headed to Trader Joe’s and Hannaford’s to pick up some necessities including a frozen pack of Chicken Tikka Masala (how great is Trader Joe’s?) for dinner that evening. I was too tired to go hunt down a restaurant.

It was a wonderful week with near perfect weather. I spent Sunday biking around Portland with a group to visit five lighthouses, and took Monday off to visit Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park where I hiked the carriage roads. I walked the Back Cove Trail every morning before starting my work day which is a 3.5 mile walking trail around a beautiful cove. I walked into the port area every evening either for dinner or just to have a glass of wine if I planned to cook dinner in. I even managed to catch up to a work colleague from Boston for a business lunch in Kittery, MA with a stop in Kennebunkport on the way back. Of course the week consisted of some wonderful food and here are some of the culinary & other highlights.

Within Portland

Summer Feet Cycling – 5 Lighthouse Bicycle tour

I found this company on Trip Advisor and booked in advance. This was such a well-organized and fun way to get to know the city. The lighthouses were very interesting and something that I’m fascinated by as I’m not sure how much longer many will be in existence. Our guides, Norman and Mike, were friendly & knowledgeable and made the day a lot of fun. Summer Feet also does tours in Canada and Europe and I would definitely book another bicycle tour with them in the future.

Bite into Maine – Fort Williams Park

One of the stops along the bike tour was Fort Williams Park where we ate our tour provided lunch which was touted to be “the best lobster roll”. I can’t say that I’ve had very many to compare. In fact I’ve only had one other lobster roll in Boston and I didn’t like it. I’m not really a fan of lobster anyway, but the roll in Boston had way too much mayonnaise and not much flavor. But I didn’t want to leave Maine without giving this local staple another chance. I chose the Picnic Roll which was a butter-toasted frankfurter roll, spread with a bit of cole slaw at the bottom and then piled high with fresh steamed lobster. A drizzle of melted butter topped the whole mound. All I can say is that this was the best lobster roll I’ve ever had – the lobster was sweet and perfectly cooked, the cole slaw added a nice crunch, the roll itself was buttery and crispy and how could you possibly go wrong with melted butter? I didn’t dare try another that week and so it will hold the status as “the best” for me. They also have options with mayo or wasabi mayo or just butter. The line of people waiting to get one is likely a good indication of its ranking in the lobster roll wars.

Standard Baking Company – Commercial Street

All I have to say is awesome Molasses cookies!! The bike tour served them for our dessert after the lobster roll and I loved them so much that I went and bought more to take home. I rarely eat cookies but these are soft and chewy and spicy and perfect with an afternoon cup of tea. The Bakery also has amazing breads, tarts and croissants which my son had later in the week after I picked him up.

Vena’s Fizz House – Soda shop with Mocktails & Cocktails – Fore Street

I spent a few hours one afternoon working from here as they had wifi available for me. What was great was that I could drink non-alcoholic beverages and eat some small bites while I was working and then switch to the most special gin & tonic I’ve ever had after 6pm. While I sat I chatted with other visitors and tourists which is always a lot of fun and a great learning experience. I also had some great conversations with Steven, who co-owns and operates Vena’s with his wife. A former school teacher who was a victim of budget cuts, he now specializes in mixing cocktails and mocktails using the 150+ types of bitters, shrubs and syrups he stocks and sells from the front store. The mocktail I had was called a Kundalini-tini made with Raspberry shrub (normally made with a raspberry syrup but since I wanted something not too sweet, it was switched to a shrub), blood orange, ginger & ghost chili bitter. It was refreshing and tart with just a hint of heat at the end from the ghost chili. A shrub, by the way is equal parts vinegar, fruit juice and sugar whereas a syrup would not have vinegar. To make a gin & tonic, Steven uses Back River Gin from Maine which can only be purchased in that state, elderflower tonic syrup, lavender/hibiscus bitters, lime juice and a bit of seltzer. This really brings out the true taste of the gin and the tonic rather than the overly sweet taste one gets from commercial tonic waters. The other flavors only enhance the experience of this wonderful summer cocktail.

Note: If you go across the street to Sweetgrass Distillery, you can do a tasting of Back River Gin along with some other spirits including a fine sipping vermouth which makes a killer martini when combined with the gin. The vermouth has just a hint of cardamom flavor which I found very unique.

Emelitsa – Congress St – Upscale Greek Cuisine

I almost did not eat here due to the snubbed service I witnessed (see note at end) when I walked in to make my reservation. I’m glad I opted to overlook the typical New England aloofness from wait staff and enjoyed a really delicious meal here. I ordered their lamb sliders, some whipped goat cheese with grilled pita and an asparagus salad. To accompany I had a crisp glass of Moschofilero. I’ve had a few friends traveling to Greece this summer and seeing their photos on Facebook had me reminiscing of my own travels there, but mostly just craving the amazing food of the Greek Isles. This restaurant came as close as it could to transport me for a few hours. The actual service was a bit better and the owner, who stopped by all the tables, is very friendly. He even thought I was Greek.

MJ’s Wine Bar – Free Street

This is a great place to go hang out after work for happy hour or even later in the evening to just relax. They have a nice selection of wines by the glass along with cheese plates and other small bites. Many evenings they have live music and host wine tastings. It’s clearly a friendly neighborhood wine bar as I noticed many of the patrons appeared to know each other and the owner. This was the only place in Portland I went to more than once….but then again it IS a wine bar.

Sebago Brewery & Pub - Fore Street

We stopped here for an afternoon snack and drinks because we had just walked out of Central Provisions where the service was non-existent and we were left waiting for over 15 minutes with no attention, menus or even a smile. I wanted to sit outside and have someone friendly take care of me for a change and Sebago was just the right place. Our server was great and very personable. I ordered a flight of four beers to try while my son had an Arnold Palmer which has now become his drink of choice. We also ordered beer battered halibut bites and a lobster & brie flatbread. I wasn’t so sure about the flatbread but it was quite good. We had the energy we needed to go explore more of the city for the rest of the day.

Timber Steakhouse – Exchange Street

My son’s camp had him biking from Boston to Bar Harbor in a period of three weeks. He carried all his own gear, shopped & cooked for his own food and camped at campsites each night. With no refrigeration options, the food was limited and for someone with a palate like my son’s I’m amazed he survived. When I asked what he wanted to eat for dinner the day I picked him up, his first response was “Indian food” but knowing that wasn’t going to be very possible till we went home, he immediately said “steak”. Our waiter at the Sebago Brewery Pub recommended Timber to us. While not inexpensive, the food and service here are very good. I had a steak tip salad while my son had the full plate of steak tips with the works and dove right in when the plate arrived. He actually wanted a filet but it was quite a large portion at 10oz. and so the tips were a good compromise.

Outside Portland

Jack Russell’s Steakhouse – Bar Harbor

This is a nice little local, off the main drag, restaurant that I walked to from my hotel. Most notable items I had were the hand cut fries (and I rarely eat fries much less finish them) and the excellent Manhattan that Michelle behind the bar made for me.

Robert’s Maine Grill & Bob’s Clam Hut – Kittery ME

Robert’s Maine Grill isn’t anything special and the mussels I ordered came half inedible as they had not opened but they do have a nice deck upstairs and when the weather is nice and you have good company, it’s ok to overlook the food once in a while. My colleague’s lobster roll was apparently quite good. If you like fried clams, go to Bob’s clam hut. They are perfectly cooked, crispy and not greasy with lots of flavor. I stopped there before I left Kittery (still hungry after only eating half my mussels) and got a small order upon the recommendation of a contributor on a food group I belong to on Facebook. Thanks Rajeev!!

Rococo Artisan Ice Cream – Kennebunkport ME

Much like lobster and cookies, I don’t eat a lot of ice cream. Let’s face it, the older you get, these foods go directly to the gut and so I’m careful and only indulge when it’s truly worth it. This ice cream was truly worth it and I made it a point to do a second lap of the Back Cove Trail that evening to burn it off. I tasted all of their interesting and unique flavors and settled on half guava and half avocado/cayenne on a sugar cone. I can’t eat ice cream in a cup. There’s something about the messiness of it dripping down my hand in the hot sun that just signifies summer for me. I ate this so fast that there were no drips and no time for photos. I didn’t care for the touristy town of Kennebunkport but a detour to Rococo is definitely worth it if you are in this area.

Some restaurants I wanted to try in Portland but didn’t get to: Boda Thai, Fore Street, Back Bay Grill, Duckfat, Ono and Little Tap House.

One note on restaurant service in Maine that I posted on Facebook is that it is generally aloof and cold. There are some places like Vena’s, Timber and Sebago that are exceptions but for the most part I found that I needed to practically beg to be noticed. No one smiles when you walk in, if you sit at the bar you have to send up smoke signals to get the attention of the bartender and some places like Central Provisions are just plain rude. They act as if they’re doing you a favor by providing what little attention they muster up. The hostess at Emelitsa’s rudely turned away an older couple at 5pm telling them that they were booked for the evening despite many open tables. She also told them that they didn’t serve food at the bar though when I returned for my dinner later that evening, the bar was packed with diners. All I can say is this may be the way in New England but in comparing to the Portland on the west coast, which I frequent, I’d rather have a smile and good service any day of the week. It was the single thing that put a slight damper on the whole week, but I still made sure I had a good time. It was too beautiful not to.

I cooked two meals while I was in Portland – a fusion fried rice with chicken and vegetables and a lobster and preserved lemon fettucine for lunch the day I picked up my son. I had carried the preserved lemon with me from a jar I recently made. I will post these recipes for you in the coming days as both were delicious if I do say so myself.

I would really enjoy going back and spending more time in Bar Harbor and do more hiking at Acadia National Park.

Summer in the City - Part 2 : Lancaster PA

2015-07-13T14:49:00.000-04:00

I originally planned this series to reflect only New York City but have since changed my mind after realizing that I would be traveling to quite a few surrounding cities this summer also.

This weekend we traveled to visit friends in Lancaster, PA. The trip had been planned for a while and had a twofold purpose – take my son to visit Gettysburg National Park and hold an Indian food cooking lesson for my friend, H, who is a huge foodie. Since this is a food blog, I will focus on the latter rather than provide any history lessons.

The planning started with a trip to an Indian Grocery store in Edison, NJ (I went to Patel Bros) to buy packets of all the common spices and ingredients that we would need not only for the dinner, but also for my friend’s pantry since they’re not readily available to them. I also prepped and marinated cubes of beef round to make a vindaloo. I opted for beef since they preferred not to have lamb which would be the normal choice of meat. I sent my friend a list of things to get that wouldn’t travel well and we were set with a menu:

Appetizer : Maharastrian style spicy Shrimp with Puff Parathas & Papadum

Dinner : Beef Vindaloo, Sauteed Ivy Gourd (aka Tindora or Tondlee), Cucumber Raita & Basmati Rice

Dessert : Gulab Jamun (cheated on these and bought canned)

Ivy Gourd, Beef Vindaloo & Basmati Rice

We got a later than anticipated start on Friday afternoon and spent some time in traffic before arriving in Lancaster three plus hours later. It was late but since all were in agreement we proceeded with the cooking lesson. It was so much fun as I unpacked all the spices and explained their use over a glass of Lillium Pinot Noir. I got started on the papadum to quiet the hungry stomachs and then continued on with the remainder of the meal. When finished we had a delicious dinner and a lot of laughs.

The Star of the Show

Lancaster Central Market

We awoke early on Saturday and made a trip to the Lancaster Central Market which is the oldest and longest running market in the U.S. I loved walking through the aisles drooling over all the local produce and other foods. We made a few purchases and walked around the downtown area for a bit before returning to watch the Wimbledon match. The remainder of the day was spent at Gettysburg National Park with my son which was a very interesting and moving experience. If you haven’t been there recently, I highly recommend it.

Slabs of bacon at Central Market

When we returned, my friends had prepared for us a wonderful dinner of grilled bone-in pork chops (bought at the market earlier) simply seasoned with salt, pepper & Italian seasoning, asparagus sautéed with garlic, lemon zest & parmesan cheese. My student had also decided to attempt to make the shrimp appetizer learned from the evening prior which turned out equally delicious. She even elevated it a bit by using cookie cutters to make smaller parathas and placed one shrimp with a bit of sauce on each. Tired after a long day, we all turned in early with satisfied stomachs.

It had been a memorable weekend of wonderful food shared with friends. After another Wimbledon match on Sunday, we said our goodbyes and headed to Frenchtown, NJ for a bike ride along the Delaware-Raritan Canal Towpath to burn off some of the calories.

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Here are some of the recipes we made:

Maharashtrian Style Spicy Shrimp

Ingredients:

1 lb extra large shrimp – peeled and deveined

¼ tsp turmeric

¼ tsp red chili powder

2 cloves garlic – finely chopped

½ tsp salt

½ tsp fresh ground black pepper

¼ cup tamarind pulp (see below)

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp canola or vegetable oil

1 tsp mustard seeds

5 or 6 kefir lime (curry) leaves – cut into strips

1 medium onion – finely chopped

½ cup diced tomatoes (recommend grape tomatoes if you can’t find ripe Romas)

Small bunch cilantro - chopped

Recipe:

Place shrimp in a non-reactive bowl (stainless or glass). Add turmeric, chili powder, garlic, salt & black pepper and mix to coat evenly with all the spices. Allow to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Heat a skillet or fry pan over medium high heat. While pan is heating, add 1 Tbsp of the tamarind pulp to the shrimp and stir to coat. Once pan is hot, add the olive oil and allow to heat for a few seconds. Once hot, use tongs to add shrimp to the pan one at a time. Sear on each side for no more than 20 seconds, remove onto a plate and set aside. Do this in batches if cooking more than 1 lb of shrimp so that each one touches the pan bottom.

Keeping the pan on the heat, add the canola oil and the mustard seeds. Once the mustard seeds start to sizzle and pop, add the kefir lime leaves and quickly step back as they will splatter. When they stop splattering, add the onion and stir fry for 1 – 2 minutes until it is soft and translucent. Add the tomatoes and stir for another 30 seconds. Add the remaining tamarind pulp and stir. If the result appears too dry, you can add a bit of water one Tbsp at a time to get to a thick gravy consistency. Reduce heat to a simmer and add the shrimp. Cook for another 1 – 2 minutes until shrimp are cooked through. Do not overcook as shrimp will get tough. Garnish with cilantro.

Serve with parathas, French bread or nothing at all. We served ours with Puff Parathas that were frozen and cooked over skillet. The brand I buy is Mirch Masala. You can also serve this as a main course over rice.

Note: For added heat to this dish, you may add 1 or 2 finely chopped Thai green chilies with the kefir lime leaves.

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Tamarind Pulp – Dried tamarind can be bought in blocks about the size of a deck of cards. For this recipe, I took a quarter of the block and put in a bowl of boiling hot water and let it sit for 30 – 45 minutes until very soft. Then I passed it through a sieve/strainer to remove all the pod solids with the paste as an end result. Leftovers can be used to marinate other meats or fish before grilling. Tamarind is high in acid and a great tenderizer. It flavors seafood like nothing else adding a sweet & sour punch.

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Basic Cucumber Raita

Ingredients:

1 large English cucumber – grated (I don’t peel mine)

1 garlic clove – mashed into a paste

1 Tsp salt

Pinch of sugar

½ tsp ground black pepper

¼ tsp cumin powder

¼ tsp coriander powder

1 Cup yogurt – if using Greek yogurt, you may need to thin it out with water

7 – 8 sprigs cilantro finely chopped

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and chill until ready to serve. Adjust seasoning to taste.

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Beef Vindaloo

This recipe is similar to my CKP Style Lamb recipe which has been previously posted. The only thing different is the marinade for the beef. For 2.5 pounds of beef round cubes, I used the following proportions for the marinade:

3 Tbsp white vinegar

2 Tbsp red wine (use any leftover drinking quality wine)

1 tsp red chili powder

1 tsp salt

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp fresh ground black pepper

1 tsp Sriracha sauce

Combine everything in a large Ziploc bag, seal and mix to coat beef thoroughly. The rest of the recipe is the same as the lamb recipe including the garam masala which I made fresh.

Recipe : Mango Cole Slaw

2015-06-28T09:42:00.001-04:00

I came up with this recipe about seven years ago when I hosted a BBQ at my house for 80 people. It was a hot day and I needed to make sides that would hold up without spoiling in the heat over a period of five or six hours. I really enjoy cole slaw with BBQ but it's often too gloppy and is most certainly not heat friendly when made with mayonnaise. A good cole slaw must be crisp, fresh and dressed just right, but does not necessarily need mayonnaise. And so I remembered an Indian cabbage salad (koshimbir) that my mom sometimes makes and decided to use that as my base. The result was a big hit and I've made it for many summer parties since then to equally rave reviews.

Last night I was pressed for time and was asked to bring a side to a BBQ and made it again. This time I decided to finally write down and publish the recipe since several at the table asked me for it.

Ingredients:

1 head Cabbage
1/4 head Purple Cabbage
2 Carrots thickly grated
1 large Mango - peeled, cored and cut into small dice
1/4 cup Champage wine vinegar (sometimes I will use Verjus instead)
2 Tbsp Lime juice
1/2 Tsp Sugar
1 Tsp Sea salt (or to taste)
Freshly ground Black Pepper
1/4 Cup Extra virgin olive oil
1 Tsp Cumin seeds
1 Tsp Black Mustard seeds
1 Thai green chili - finely chopped
15 - 20 Kefir Lime leaves or Curry leave (if leaves are large, chiffonade them)
1/4 Cup Cilantro - chopped

Recipe:

Remove outer leaves of cabbage and cut into quarters with core at the base. Remove the core from each piece and halve each again vertically. Thinly slice each piece with a sharp knife into a fine shred. Repeat with purple cabbage. You may do this in the food processor but I often find that the shred is too fine resulting in a mushy rather than crisply slaw. If you're really pressed for time, many markets sell a bagged cole slaw mix. It's not quite as fresh but will do in a pinch. Combine shredded cabbage into a collander and thorough rince under cold water and leave aside to drain while grating carrots. In a large bowl combine green and red cabbage & carrots. Add the Champagne wine vinegar, lime, sugar, sea salt & pepper and mix thoroughly (generally easier with your hands). Place a small skillet over medium high heat and add olive oil, cumin seeds and mustard seeds. When the seeds start to sizzle & pop, add the chillies. Once the chillies stop sizzling (about 10 seconds), add the kefir lime leaves all at once and quickly and immediately step back as they will pop & splatter vehemently for about a second. Once the popping stops, pour the hot oil over the cabbage mixture and mix thoroughly (if using hands, be careful of the pockets of hot oil). Add mango & cilantro and mix again. Allow to sit at room temperature for an hour mixing occasionally until the cabbage has "cooked" in the marinade.

Serve chilled or at room temperature. Enjoy!!

Note : You can add more heat to this by using one more Thai chili or reduce the heat by using a seeded serrano or jalapeno. For anyone who may want to eliminate the salt, I do recommend adding at least some. Not only to bring out the flavor but also because it helps to cure and cook the cabbage along with the acids. Kefir Lime leaves or Curry leaves as they are often called can be found at most Indian markets. There really is no substitute for these in this dish. You can try adding lime zest but the taste will not be the same. Some day I'll have to blog about the word "Curry" which is so misunderstood, misused and completely butchered by most, including prominent chefs.

Summer in the City - Part 1 - New York, NY

2015-06-22T10:15:00.000-04:00

I have recently embarked on a project that is very exciting and daunting at the same time. It is, perhaps, my biggest undertaking ever – ok maybe having a child was a bit bigger. For the past several years I have been planning to finally put in the kitchen of my dreams in my house. What started out as just a kitchen renovation, quickly turned into something that involved excavation and gutting most of my home which meant that I had to dial down some of my kitchen dreams to shift the budget to other necessities like bathrooms. I moved out of my home several weeks ago and construction began two weeks ago.

My old kitchen

How it looks today

Given the extent (and expense) of this project, there are no major travel plans in my immediate future and most certainly not for this summer. So I’ve decided to take the time to go on some adventures in and around New York City and take you along with me. The plan is to try and find some new things to do that I have not done before. The City is always changing with new neighborhoods, restaurants and things to do cropping up all the time and so I thought it would be fun to do a little exploring.

Despite the gloomy weather yesterday, my son and I decided to head to NYC right after his morning tennis lesson. We headed in just around lunch time and took the PATH train from Jersey City to Christopher Street. We walked up Hudson St trying to decide where to eat. There are many well known restaurants in that area like The Spotted Pig or Barbutos, but I like to go to some of the more neighborhood type places instead of what’s rated on Zagat as many of the popular places tend to also be touristy.

Merguez with Hummus & Salad

Our walk led us to Meme (pronounced May May), a small Mediterranean restaurant with outdoor seating on Hudson Street just north of 11^th. The menu had brunch items like Shakshuka, Melawach along with some small plates and salads also. Everything looked and sounded delicious and we had some trouble deciding. My son opted for the spiced lamb burger and I ordered the merguez which came with hummus and a salad. The lamb burger was flavorful & juicy and served on a firm baguette instead of roll. It came with grilled onions & tomato, a small side salad & fries and was topped with feta cheese. My son said it was so good that he didn’t even need to add ketchup. My merguez was equally delicious with great flavor and just the right amount of heat. With the crisp salad, dressed only with lemon juice, and the smooth hummus, it more than satisfied my hungry stomach.

Lamb Burger w/ Fries

With our stomachs full and the sky starting to throw down a little drizzle, we started walking towards our one planned destination for the day – The Whitney Museum of American Art. The Whitney, as it’s often called, has recently moved back downtown to the Meatpacking district on Gansevoort St. The building, designed by Renzo Piano, is quite interesting and certainly depicts the theme of this museum which is contemporary art. I had acquired passes for us in advance which allowed us to skip the rather long line in front to get tickets. Honestly, I’m not sure I would have bothered otherwise.

Outdoor Space at The Whitney

We perused through all the floors of art work, each devoted to different periods throughout the twentienth century. I can’t say I understood or appreciated much of it, but we certainly found it entertaining. Like the artist who had cut a square of old wallpaper and framed it to look nice, or another who had stuck a whole bunch of “VIA AIR MAIL” stickers on a canvas board. I’m not sure how either is art but hey I subscribe more to the notion of “Art for art’s sake” than “Art is in the eye of the beholder”. Maybe I just don’t get it. Either way, we enjoyed the outdoor sculptures and making up stories about them, and taking photos from the outdoor areas on the upper floors which has some great vistas around NYC.

A View of the High Line from The Whitney

After the museum, my son devoured a crepe with Nutella & bananas from a street cart before we headed off to walk on the High Line for a little bit in the still drizzly weather. How that kid can eat so much and yet remain so thin is a mystery to me. From the High Line we made our way to Chelsea Market on 9^th Ave to see what we could scramble up for dinner. The market has gotten far too popular now and I’m not sure I like it as a tourist attraction. There are great food options and one can find some wonderful fish and meat there, but the prices now reflect the tourist trap feel and the crowds are unmanageble and off putting.

The sky threatened stronger storms and so we decided to make our way back to the PATH station and head home to hunker down in our temporary home with some bread, cheese and a movie. But not before stopping at Eleni’s for some Butterscotch Cookies – my child was hungry again!!

Restaurant Review : Pier 701 Restaurant & Bar

2015-06-08T15:42:00.000-04:00

Does a beautiful view and outdoor seating make up for mediocre food? I say not. Recently I was meeting friends from out of town for dinner and Piermont NY was a good central location since we were each in three different directions. I've been to a few restaurants in Piermont which I liked, but chose to try a new one as I thought it would be nice to give the out of towners a view of the Hudson and the Tappan Zee Bridge. With this in mind I made a reservation at Pier 701. I was feeling optimistic for a nice day so we could sit outside, but unfortunately it was not to be. We had a long, cold winter and spring seems to want to linger on this year. And so we were seated indoor which was fine.

We ordered our drinks and a bowl of mussels arrabiatta to start. The cocktails were good except that the bartender felt it was ok to substitute a wedge of lemon for lime in my friend’s drink and couldn’t understand why it made a difference. Really? She changed it upon our insistence. We were all quite hungry after a long day of work, and so when our mussels arrived, we dug in. The mussels themselves were just ok and quite small with too many shells empty, but the arrabiatta sauce was delicious with just the right amount of heat. We would have been happy with a bowl of sauce and bread and would rather have skipped the mussels. If I were the chef, I would take the mussels off the menu rather than serve sub-par quality ones to my guests.

For our meal, we all ordered the special entrée which was a fillet of sea bream described as served on a bed of coconut jasmine rice with a curried carrot puree and spring vegetables. When I order the special in a restaurant, I expect it to be a standout dish. After all, the chef has decided to present it more prominently than the usual menu which implies that this is something that he/she paid extra attention to developing for that evening. I couldn’t have been more disappointed. The puree was more like a soup and essentially covered everything in the bowl including half of the fish. The taste of curry powder overpowered the “soup” and essentially everything else in the bowl, the rice was buried underneath and the vegetables had gone to mush. The fish itself was good and fresh but under-seasoned.

Overall, we had a good time, but mostly just because we were in good company. While the food wasn’t awful, it certainly wasn’t something I would go back for. But it got me wondering if I would have noticed the flaws in the food had it been a beautiful day and we’d been seated outside with a view of the Hudson. I’m really not sure of the answer to that. So many factors play into a successful dining experience, but for me food is the one that is most important. I’ll have to think about this some more the next time I go to a restaurant with a great ambiance and see if I can evaluate the food independently.

Dim Sum, Pizza & a Party Cure the Winter Blues

2015-03-11T21:00:00.000-04:00

If you live in the Northeast, you know how difficult this winter has been. Last winter was pretty cold and snowy too so I think having two in a row has proved particularly trying for us. For me, working from home adds to the doldrums that have set in. But I am not one to complain (usually) and generally try to find something positive.

I have been religious about going to the gym every morning because it gets me out of the house at least once. I have been getting together with friends whenever possible, skiing whenever feasible, and making weekend plans to avoid being cooped up in the house too much. It’s really not that hard with all the friends and family I have nearby. This past weekend I made plans with some friends from Lancaster, PA to take a Dim Sum cooking class in Brooklyn and then just spend the day in the city doing whatever came to mind. I also had a party in the evening that I was invited to and so planned to stay overnight for ease.

I started my day on an early morning train into Penn Station and the train ride alone invigorated me despite the cold temperature outside. I switched to the subway and took the E train to my hotel to check in and collect my friends. After a quick breakfast, we headed to the Brooklyn Brainery in Prospect Heights for our Dim Sum class. It’s located in a neat little neighborhood of Brooklyn near Grand Army Plaza among old brownstones and local businesses.

The Brainery is a store front that looks like a classroom inside with tables and chairs and a kitchen at the back. There were about 15 students on this particular morning and our instructor was Diana Kuan, author of “The Chinese Takeout Cookbook”. We learned much and had fun making Steamed Pork Buns filled with rich roasted pork belly, Shumai filled with ground port and shrimp, and Chinese Broccoli in Oyster Sauce. We learned about the different sauces and ingredients used in Chinese cooking as well as when to use each one. I finally know the difference between regular and dark soy sauce. The best part of course, was that we got to eat what we cooked and it was delicious.

My first Shumai

Our group's Shumai in the Steamer

Chinese Broccoli w/ Oyster Sauce

Pork Buns ready to steam

After class was over, I had planned to get together with friends who live in the area. If you’re a regular reader, you know that I know people everywhere I go. So we walked across the farmer’s market in Grand Army Plaza and made our way to their house. The next two hours were spent sharing stories over some awesome cheese and a great bottle of Burgundy at the kitchen counter, at which point we decided it was time for some pizza and so we all headed off to Franny’s on Flatbush Ave.

Pork Cheek & Beef Tongue on Toast

Franny’s makes the kind of pizza you find in Italy; not the greasy, cheesy, thick crust pies you find on every street corner in New York City (my friend D calls those NY pizza). Luckily real pizza can be found in more places today than ever before at restaurants like Roberta’s, Pizza Fresca, Motorino, and others, but Franny’s is one of my favorites. We ordered a bottle of Conti, two pizzas, some salumi and a pork cheek & beef tongue terrine as suggested by D. Everything was delicious but that terrine, which was served warm, was exceptionally good and if you ever find yourself at Franny’s it is a must order. We ended our meal with a single cannoli because they looked too good not to at least try one and it did not disappoint. Our stomachs filled and satisfied, we headed back towards our hotel in Manhattan.

Holy Cannoli

We ended the evening at a friend’s 40^th birthday party in the presidential suite of a hotel in the Meatpacking District. Initially intending to only stop in for a little bit, we ended up having a lot of fun and staying till our feet got tired.

Presidential Suite at Dream Downtown

On my train ride home the next morning, I felt a twinge of guilt for shirking my responsibilities at home, but it was gone as quickly as it came because I knew I had made the right decision to escape for just one day to go out and have a little fun during this long winter season. It would carry me till the thawing of Spring.

Chicken Soup

2015-02-09T13:21:00.001-05:00

With very little time during the week after a long day of work, I've been trying to prep or cook my weekday meals on Sundays. The crazy weather we've been having here in the Northeast just begged for me to make soup yesterday. So I went through my pantry and refrigerator to figure out what kind of soup was in my near future. And here is what I made based on what I had on hand :

Ingredients

2 Cups chicken meat pieces (I used leftover thighs that I had roasted with lemon and garlic)
2 Cups chicken broth (I used the canned variety)
1 large onion chopped finely
5 ribs of celery - peeled and chopped finely
2 large carrot - peeled and chopped into small chunks
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 Tbsp chopped fresh dill
8 - 10 cloves roasted garlic (I used what was in the roasted chicken) - mashed to a paste
1.5 cups chick peas (I had dried, soaked chick peas that I had previously steamed. You may use canned but the dried ones hold up better)
Salt & Pepper to taste

In a stockpot, heat 3 tbsp olive oil on medium heat. Once hot, add the onion, celery and carrot and saute until onion is soft and translucent. Add the dry herbs, salt, pepper and roasted garlic and stir to combine. Leave on heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Add chicken, chick peas and heat through. Add broth and bring to a boil. Once it starts to boil, add the dill and turn heat to simmer. Simmer for about 20 - 30 minutes. Add seasoning as needed after tasting. Serve with crusty bread.

Note : This soup can be varied in many ways. You may use chunks of chicken breast, add barley or cannelini beans instead of chick peas or use different herbs. I found the roasted garlic really gave this soup an amazing rich flavor but if you don't have it and don't have time to roast some, I would add some a few cloves of chopped fresh garlic.

I also made Massaman style beef stew in the crock pot which I will post the recipe for after I modify it a bit. As my son said upon tasting - "It's missing something"

Stay warm and safe out there!!

Cream of Wheat Revisited - Indian Style

2015-01-31T09:02:00.001-05:00

I can honestly say that I have never once had Cream of Wheat as indicated on the box. There was never a need and besides it just doesn't sound very appetizing - no flavor unless you count sugar. I grew up eating cream of wheat in two, very different, and delicious ways – one savory, the other sweet. Both of these dishes are quick to make and are generally served for breakfast, brunch, lunch or afternoon tea. Indians usually don’t eat an early breakfast, opting instead for tea biscuits with their tea, and so both of these recipes are generally eaten for brunch or lunch.

There are probably many variations to the recipes below based on preferences. I have developed mine over the years based on my mother’s original recipe which has been modified quite a bit for my own taste.

The sweet version of Cream of Wheat is called Sheera. It is often served at special occasions and also made as an offering to gods during a pooja (prayer). I always have a container full in my fridge because my son will eat it at any time of the day. He likes to heat it up a bit and add milk before he downs a bowlful. Many will add chopped bananas or slivered almonds to this recipe but I choose to leave them out (child’s preference). Interestingly sheera is often served with something savory like batata wadas (fried spicy potato balls) or pakoras (vegetable fritters).

The savory version can be kicked up with as much heat as you desire and is called Upma (pronounced Oopmaa). It is very popular in the South of India and can be varied in many ways by adding nuts or urid dal (split black lentils). My version is fairly simple, with few ingredients and yet the end result is extremely tasty. It is something I crave on weekends and will often make more than I need so I can enjoy it for lunch during the week.

Sheera Recipe

1 Cup Cream of Wheat (not the instant kind)

2 Cups whole milk (lowfat or fat free is fine too)

8-10 threads saffron (optional)

3 Tbsp butter
1/4 tsp salt

1 ¼ Cup sugar

½ Cup golden raisins

½ tsp cardamom powder

Place the milk in a small saucepan and heat on low flame. Meanwhile in a heavy

Hot milk with saffron

bottom pot on medium heat, toast the cream of wheat until it just starts to turn golden brown stirring constantly to ensure it doesn’t burn. Once the cream of wheat is toasted, add the butter and salt and stir to combine until butter is completely melted. By now the milk should be heated to just under boiling. Turn off heat and add the saffron to the milk at this point and stir well. Reduce the heat on the cream of wheat pot and add the hot milk whisking as you add. Cover and simmer for 1 minute to steam. Remove cover and add the sugar and cardamom and stir until glossy and the sugar has melted. Add raisins, stir and remove from heat. Serve warm with or without milk.

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Upma Recipe

1 Cup Cream of Wheat (not the instant kind)

2 ¼ Cups of water

2 Tbsp canola oil

2 tsps black mustard seeds

2 – 3 Thai bird chilies (adjust to taste) cut in half – I don’t remove seeds or veins

10 fresh kefir lime leaves – I chiffonade mine but they can be left whole

½ medium onion chopped finely

1 tsp grated ginger

1 Tbsp salt

½ cup frozen peas

Limes and fresh cilantro for garnish

In a heavy bottom stock pot on medium heat, toast the cream of wheat until it starts to turn golden stirring constantly. Once toasted, remove from the pot

Toasting the Cream of Wheat

into a bowl and set aside. Place stock pot back on stove on medium high heat. Add the oil and mustard seeds. When mustard seeds begin to pop, add the chilies and kefir lime leaves. Be careful as they too will pop vehemently when they hit the hot oil. Once the popping stops, add the onions and ginger and reduce heat to medium. Do not let the onion brown by stirring for about a minute until it has softened. Add the water and salt and bring to a boil. Add peas and bring back to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and add the toasted cream of wheat in a steady stream to the pot stirring constantly to avoid clumps. Cover and allow to steam for about 5 minutes. Turn off heat and let stand covered for another 5 minutes. Serve with a wedge of lime and chopped cilantro.

The savory version is often eaten with plain yogurt on the side, particularly if the heat level is cranked up with more chilies or added cayenne. Some add heat by eating it with Indian pickles.

Note: Kefir lime leaves and Thai green chilies can be found in most Indian markets and often at Asian markets.

So whether you are sweet or savory or both, I hope I have provided some of you a whole new look at that box of Cream of Wheat in the cereal aisle. If you try either recipe, do let me know what you think. And remember you can increase/decrease the amount of liquid added to get a whole different texture to the end result. Adjust it for your own preference.

Happy cooking!!

Recipe : New Jersey Chili

2015-01-30T21:54:00.002-05:00

I've been making Chili since my first trip to Texas over twenty years ago where I had my first bowl. I find it to be such a great comfort food in the winter and particularly satisfying after a long day of skiing. My chili recipe has evolved over the years from initially using ground meat and packaged ingredients to the one I have provided below. I'm not sure if it's authentic Texas chili or not so I call it my New Jersey chili.

Definitions:

Chili - a stew usually made from beef such as the recipe below.

Chile - peppers such as jalapeno, thai bird, serrano are also called chile peppers. I suppose it's also the country. :)

Ingredients

2 lbs beef cut for stir fry or sirloin steak - cut into small 1 inch cubes
3 Tbsp canola oil
1 large onion chopped
1 yellow bell pepper chopped

Mise en place

6 cloves garlic finely chopped
5 jalapenos finely chopped (adjust for you own heat preference - I use the seeds too)
1 15 oz can of chopped tomatoes
2 8 oz cans tomato sauce
4 - 6 Tbsp Chili powder (NOT chile powder or cayenne)
1 tsp cayenne (adjust to taste)
2 Tbsp cumin powder
1 Tbsp corriander powder
1 Tbsp salt (add more to taste)
2 Cups water
3 cans (15 oz) red kidney beans
2 cans (15 oz) corn
2 Tbsp masa flour or finely ground corn flour

Recipe

Heat a large dutch oven on high heat. Sear the meat in batches in a single layer until it is browned on sides. Remove each batch onto a paper towel lined plate. When all meat is seared, remove all the liquid & fat from the pot. Reheat on medium high and add oil. Once oil is hot, add the meat back to the pot. Immediately add the onion, bell pepper, garlic, jalapenos, tomatoes, tomato sauce, chili powder (4 Tbsp to start), cayenne, cumin powder, corriander powder and salt. Stir to combine all the

ingredients. Add 2 cups water and stir. Bring chili to a boil and then simmer covered for 1 hour. After 1 hour, taste for seasonings and add more salt and chili powder as desired. At this point, also add the drained kidney beans and corn. Raise heat and bring back to a boil. While waiting mix the masa flour with enough water to create a thin paste. When chili comes to a boil, reduce heat to simmer and add the masa paste to the pot and stir well. The masa will help to thicken the chili. Cover and cook another 30 minutes. Serve hot with your favorite toppings such as cheddar cheese, sour cream, cilantro, avocado, or scallions. Chili tastes great served with rice, pasta or a loaf of warm french bread.

I like my Chili with cheddar, avocado and cilanto

Alternatives: Since some of my readers don't eat beef, you may substitute lamb instead. If you're vegetarian, you can make this with a variety of chopped mushrooms. Be sure to leave the mushroom pieces fairly large as they do shrink quite a bit when cooked. I have made a chicken chili before but that's a whole different recipe using white beans and other ingredients so I will leave that for another post.

Dig in and enjoy!!

2014 : A Year in Review

2015-01-07T20:24:00.001-05:00

Clearly the last few months of the past year were busy as I wasn't able to get a single entry posted. Between work related travel, my son's activities and life in general, there just wasn't much spare time to write. Apologies for the silence and Happy New Year!!

Well 2014 was certainly full of many travel and food adventures. I can never say I lead a boring life. Some of the most memorable moments/meals for me this past year included Raymi, Boqueria, The Harrison, Barbuto, OBAO, Bann and so many more in NYC; restaurants during my travels like The Silver Fork in Manchester VT and The Purple Pig in Chicago; a personal dinner invitation for me and my son to The North End Grill by Chef Floyd Cardoz; a chance meeting with Chef Naomi Pomeroy; a weekend long food romp in NYC to celebrate my birthday with friends; checked out the Umami Burger craze and quite liked it. I decided to throw caution to the wind in 2014 and eat some amazing scallops at a local restaurant despite my known allergy - They just looked too good, I had Benadryl, and I survived!!!!

Sake at OBAO

Meal at OBAO

The culinary highlight of the year of course, was the unforgettable and once in a lifetime meal at The Inn at Little Washington (see previous post)

Dumpling Pancake

Not only did I get to eat out at wonderful restaurants in 2014 but I also cooked many meals and enjoyed delicious dinners with family and friends. Some highlights included a Chinese New Year dumpling contest, making homemade pasta to go with the homemade sausage, a birthday pig roast and eating amazing homemade pizza in a brick oven imported all the way from Paraguay. I made a monster sized chicken biryani for a family celebration and experimented with many new recipes. I tried to blog my way through a diet to lose a few pounds but learned that it's harder than I thought given my love for food.

Making Fettucine

Homemade Brick Oven Pizza

Whiskey Soda Lounge

I ended the year with two weeks in Portland and a week in Park City, Utah. Some new restaurants that I loved this time around in Portland were the Whiskey Soda Lounge - amazing cocktails & chicken wings, The Yard House - a chain but the Korean short rib tacos had me go back twice more, the Vault martini bar - best martini I've ever had, and Tasty & Alder - a high note for the end of the year for certain. Park City was not as much of a culinary success so I ended up cooking in quite a bit, since no one wants to go out after a long day of skiing. We did find a great meal at Zoom on Main St for New Year's Eve and some unexpectedly delicious Tuna Tacos at the Legacy Lodge at the base of the mountain.

One thing I already knew but was reminded of yet again when I returned from all my December travels, is that no matter how many great restaurants you go to, and delicious meals you eat, the best meal in the world is always the one you cook and eat at home upon returning from those travels. And thus my first meal was a simple vegetarian Indian meal (that is MY comfort food) of Matki beans (type of lentil), stir fried okra, kadhee (yogurt based curry) and rice. And when I had that first bite, it simply screamed "welcome home" to me.

And so we ring in 2015 with a resolution from me to write at least one post per week. It is my escape from the craziness in everyday life and I haven't escaped enough lately. So please raise a glass with me to the new year and hope it brings us many delicious bites!!!