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Posts from the ‘Features, Articles and Recipes’ Category

Jul 31

8 Comments

Voting has begun-Fire On Ice Challenge

Light and Dark Spicy Chocolate Panna Cotta

 

Just an update, voting has begun for the Fire and Ice chile pepper challenge from Marx Foods. There are 19 bloggers competing and I am proud to announce that I am one of them. I had so much fun with this challenge and want to thank Marx food for the delicious assortment of chillies and the opportunity to hone my skills and creativity.

If you are so inclined and would like to vote for my Spicy Panna Cotta you can do so by clicking on this link for Fire On Ice.  You can vote until midnight, Thursday August 2nd. Thank you so much if you like my recipe enough to vote for me and if not, I still thank you for checking it out. Thanks again everyone!

 

Jul 25

17 Comments

Food52 Cookbook Volume 2

Food52 Cookbook Volume 2

I feel just terrible that I haven’t posted anything for a while. First work became so busy I was just too tired and barely cooked at all. Then the heat, well, it was just way too hot to cook. I stayed away from my kitchen only making food for my dogs and something that required little to no heat for me. Summers in NYC can be brutal, I don’t have central AC and live in a 100+ year old home with very high ceilings, my window air conditioners barely cool it off. So the kitchen for me was almost off limits. During the last heat wave, notice I say last, we have already had 4 and summer just started a month ago, my Nando got sick and I ended up in the Veterinary Emergency Hospital. Last Friday when I was taking Nando for a follow up appointment I started to lift him and felt a searing and horrific pain in my back and literally could not move, I got him to the hospital with help from my neighbor but have spent the last few days almost immobile. I am feeling better now, after days of pain meds, muscle relaxants and bed rest, so this is my feeble attempt to catch up.

I am so excited that in November the second Food52 cookbook will be available. My recipe for Flank Steak on Texas Toast with Chimichurri will be in the book and I can’t wait to get my copy. The book is available for pre-order on Amazon. I love the first cookbook and use it all the time. Food52 is such a great resource, I have made so many friends, home cooks and professionals alike post recipes, enter contests and offer advice.

I hope to be able to post some recipes but it looks like we are in for another heat wave and as far as I can see we will be having hot, humid weather for the coming week,  so my time in the kitchen again will be limited, I think I’ll make ice cream!

Nando

Jun 9

16 Comments

Featured Restaurant-Pilar Cuban Eatery, Brooklyn Small Business

Pilar

Living in Brooklyn is great, and one of the most wonderful things about the neighborhood are the small businesses that have opened. They are part of the fabric of the neighborhood that makes it interesting, friendly and in the case of restaurants and food shops, delicious. One of the restaurants is Pilar, a Cuban restaurant at 393 Classon Ave in Clinton Hill. The Chef/owner is Ricardo Barreras and his wife Lizbeth Moreno, he moved here from Miami and opened this wonderful little bistro. I am a big fan of Cuban food and a real sucker for a good Cuban sandwich and I was not disappointed, it’s really everything a Cuban sandwich should be, thin Cuban bread encasing tender perfectly spiced pork, ham, swiss cheese and pickles pressed and grilled to perfection.While waiting for my food I watched the parade of great dishes going past me and I wanted to order everything. Rice, black beans, plantains and egg (YUM), hand made empandadas, stewed vegetables and rice. Everything cooked to order, homemade and utterly delicious.

Posted outside

i hope to feature local small business from time to time here, in my opinion it’s a great opportunity to spread the word and hopefully send business their way. I have great respect for these entrepreneurs. Ricardo and his wife take great pride in their work, they love what they do and thats evident from the moment you walk into their restaurant. I ordered a Cuban sandwich and 2 Empanadas, spinach and picadillo (ground meat, sofrito, cheese,potato) Ricardo told me he makes his own chorizo and gave me a sample (Delicious!!) I found a great NYT review of Pilar

NYT photo of Cuban Sandwich

Empanadas Spinach and Picadillo

If you live in Brooklyn or are just visiting drop by Pilar and enjoy some truly delicious and authentic Cuban food. You will love it as much as I did, and they deliver!!

May 25

10 Comments

Featured Recipe:Vegan Chocolate Cake And Almond Joy Ice Cream (Vegan)

Vegan Chocolate Cake

I have never really attempted vegan baking before, flourless chocolate cake, yes, but never egg or dairy free. I saw this recipe on a wonderful website Go Bake Yourself, Choc Chip Uru, a very talented  young Australian cook and blogger participated in a Virtual Vegan Potluck and adapted this recipe making a few minor changes. Uru provided a link to another beautiful blog Not Quite Nigella also from Australia.The author is Lorraine Elliott, who by the way has a cookbook coming out this year.  I was really impressed with the beauty of her website, she is an amazing photographer and her posts are engrossing and beautifully written, and of course her recipes are amazing. I had to make this dessert, and I was thrilled that a vegan friend of mine happened to be coming over for dinner. I followed her recipe making only one minor change, instead of adding water I used coconut milk. I am in love with this cake, if I didn’t tell you it’s vegan you would never know. The cake is tender, rises beautifully, has a gorgeous crumb. Instead of making a cake I used my mini bundt pan and made individual bundt cakes. Thank you Lorraine for such a great recipe and also to Choc Chip Uru for introducing me to her website through your wonderful blog.

I also wanted to serve ice cream with the cake and again had never made a vegan ice cream, sorbet yes, but never dairy free ice cream. I used coconut milk both canned and Silk brand in a carton, I added toasted coconut, brown sugar and a generous chocolate swirl. When I tasted it, I was reminded of an Almond Joy candy bar, so thats what I called this ice cream. Since there are no eggs involved I used the method Jeni of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream uses, making a pudding, using  cornstarch as a thickener for the coconut milk. It’s genius and absolutely amazing ice cream.

The dessert was a huge hit, so I asked if I could post the recipe for this amazing cake and Lorraine generously gave me permission. Please visit both websites. These Aussie girls really have wonderful blogs and fantastic recipes.

Chocolately Rich Vegan Chocolate Cake (Egg & Dairy Free)

An Original Recipe by Not Quite Nigella

  • 1.5 cups plain or all purpose flour
  • 1.5 cups brown sugar
  • 6 tablespoons cocoa, sifted
  • 1.5 teaspoons bi carbonate of soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1.5 cups water
  • 1/2 cup mild flavoured vegetable oil (eg. canola oil)
  • 3 tablespoons white vinegar
  • 4 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 75g/2.5oz dark chocolate (dairy free) finely chopped
Chocolate syrup or icing
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 cup icing or confectioners sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cocoa
  • 100g/3.5ozs dark chocolate, roughly chopped

1. Line a 20cm round baking tin with parchment and preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix together. In a jug mix the water, oil, vinegar and vanilla. Stir in chocolate and then pour into the prepared tin. Bake for 25-30 minutes until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

2. While it is baking, prepare the syrup. Heat the water, icing or confectioners sugar and cocoa until boiling and syrup – this may take a few minutes but you do want this syrupy. When thick add the chocolate and then whisk to remove any lumps and melt the chocolate.

3. When the cake is ready, take out of the oven and leaving it in the tin, poke tiny holes with a skewer. While it is still warm, gently pour the syrup over the cake and allow to cool completely before taking it out of the tin. Alternatively, if you allow this to cool and partially set, it takes on the consistency of icing and you can spread it out over the top which is what I did (who knew that inattentiveness would pay off?

Almond Joy Vegan Ice Cream

Almond Joy Ice Cream
1 can full fat unsweetened coconut milk (13.5 oz)
2 cup Coconut milk (I used Silk all natural in a carton)
1/2 cup light brown sugar (lightly packed)
4 tsp cornstarch
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
3 tbs corn syrup
1/2 cup toasted coconut
1/4 cup chopped toasted almonds
Chocolate Swirl
4 oz dark chocolate chopped
1/4 cup coconut milk
3 tbs corn syrup
Preheat oven to 325, spread coconut on half sheet pan and toast in the oven until the coconut is lightly browned. Move the coconut around occasionally so that it browns evenly. This should take about 15 minutes.
To medium size saucepan add the coconut milk, sugar and cornstarch, whisk until smooth and cook over med/high heat until mixture thickens, it will coat the back of a spoon, swipe your finger making a line that will remain intact, it will be slightly thick. Remove from heat and add the vanilla and toasted coconut. Pour into a heat proof container, let it come to room temperature and then refrigerate for at least 4 hours, overnight is preferable.
When you are ready to process in your ice cream maker stir in 3 tbs of corn syrup, this will help it to be a bit softer so it’s easy to scoop. (You can also add 2 tbs vodka this also helps it not to be hard when frozen, I added both the corn syrup and vodka) Add to your ice cream maker following manufacturers instructions. Just before ice cream is ready add the chopped nuts.  Remove to freezer container when it’s the consistency of soft serve ice cream.
While ice cream is churning make the chocolate swirl, heat the coconut milk in microwave for 50 seconds, add the chopped chocolate, let sit for a minute or two until chocolate is soft,(if the chocolate is not completely melted put back in microwave for 10 seconds)  stir in the corn syrup and stir until its smooth and silky.
To make the chocolate swirl, drizzle some of the cooled chocolate mixture on top of the ice cream and using a butter knife swirl it around, you can do this adding chocolate until you are satisfied with the amount of chocolate swirled into it.
Place in freezer for several hours until it reaches a scoopable consistency.

May 20

8 Comments

Palm Plates- A Review for Marx Food

Large square plate

I volunteered to review Marx Foods Eco Friendly Palm Plates for them. I received my plates and am very excited to give them a try. They are very attractive, rustic looking plates, here is the write up on Marx Food website:

These environmentally friendly square palm plates are made from a natural, renewable, and biodegradable raw material. Naturally discarded sheaths of the leaves of the Adaka palm tree are collected, which in the course of its biological life cycle, dry, fall and regenerate. No trees are cut down. The palm sheaths are then cleaned in fresh spring water and molded into shapes (read How Palm Plates are Made for more info).

Palm leaf plates are durable and leak proof, able to withstand hot and cold temperatures without getting soggy or flimsy. They are tough enough that you can cut steaks on them, standing up to both the serrated blade and the pressure required to cut the meat.

Even though these are disposable plates, each durable piece is unique with an attractive wood pattern finish that fits into both rustic and elegant events.

Test #1- Durability

The plates feel sturdy, are very attractive and my initial reaction is that these are more than a step above your usual disposable plates. So I am going to really put them to the test and heap some serious useage on them.

I received two sizes the large square plate and the smaller square salad plate. I received the package as I was preparing dinner for my dogs, I do cook for my dogs!! Izzy eats beef so the first test was on the small salad plate, Instead of using a cutting board to cut her meat I decided to use the Palm Plate, I heaped the beef on the plate juice and all and cut it with my very sharp serrated knife. We have all, I’m sure been in a situation at a BBQ or outdoor event when we have meat on a disposable plate and it can be challenging (a nightmare really) to cut on flimsy plates. If you use a palm plate the nightmare or challenge is a thing of the past. I cut beef and it held up beautifully. The plate, came through with flying colors, not a nick or scratch, no leaking. I love it! But i didn’t stop at that, I left some meat in the juices sitting on the plate and cut again a little later, the plate remained hard and again no leaks.

Meat cut on Palm Plate

I was determined to really test the durability of this plate, truth be told I was already very impressed. I decided to give it another test, I microwaved some vegetables on the plate on high for 35 seconds. The plate came through really pretty well, it warped ever so slightly but was still hard and strong, I then mashed the vegetables on the plate and it came through the abuse with flying colors.

Mashed peas

Not stopping there, I washed the plate with soap and water, rinsed well and proceeded to cut a mango on the same plate. Again, no leaks, sturdy as ever. Imagine at your next BBQ or outdoor party and your guests are able to comfortably eat, cut and re-use their plates. It’s good for you and the environment.

Cut mango

Test #2- Strength

Now let’s see how strong this plate is, can it hold up to that all you can eat, heavy food that is piled high on your plate. I have a cantaloupe weighing just over 4 pounds, so I thought it would be fun to see if that heavy melon would break the plate so to speak.

My big cantaloupe

I placed the melon on the large square plate and lifted it, I was a little worried about this test that melon was heavy,there was no sagging, it felt secure. You won’t have to worry about your plate collapsing even if its loaded with food.

The plate doesn’t even sag

I gave the used plates to my friend who has a compost bin, the jury is still out about the bio-degradeable quality of the plate.

General Overview:

Palm Plates are strong, attractive, eco-friendly.

Would I buy them? Most definitely, I love that I am using a product that is good for the environment and high quality. I would recommend these without hesitation.

May 17

17 Comments

Featured Recipe-South-Of-The-Border Chocolate Cookies

Don’t these look good!! Photo by hardlikearmour

Today’s featured recipe is from Sara, her cooks name on Food52 is hardlikearmour. She is a Veterinarian, experienced and prize winning cook and a cake decorator, her cakes are amazingly beautiful and professionally done. Her recipes are approachable, comforting and so very delicious. This recipe for her soft, spicy chocolate cookie is just one of her 110 recipes on Food52. She has been a finalist and/or won prize after prize on both Food52 and Whole Foods. Her Pear and Rosemary Danish is unbelievably delicious and won the contest for Best Recipe for Pears on Food52. Her prize winning recipe for State Fair Cream Puffs is so wonderful, you will think you have died and gone to heaven and the Bourbon Chocolate Whipped Cream filling is truly heavenly. It’s not just sweets that Sara specializes in, her savory dishes and drinks are amazing also, try her incredibly complex and delicious Chili El Pastor one bite and you will understand that she is a master at blending and balancing spices. I am also including my favorite summer drink that she developed. I triple the recipe every time I make it, Sara’s Lime in the Coconut Float is made with a delicious lemongrass and Lime simple syrup. The simple syrup makes an outstanding drink when added to seltzer or make the float, either way it’s absolutely delicious. Please visit Food52 and peruse her recipes, you will want to make each and every one, they are all so good you will have a hard time deciding which to make first and many of her recipes I make over and over, they are just that good.

Makes 40 to 50 cookies

1 ¾ cups sugar (12.25 oz)

1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), room temperature

2 large eggs,room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon almond extract

2 cups all-purpose flour (10 oz)

1 cup dutched cocoa powder (3.25 oz)

1 tablespoon aluminum-free baking powder

2 ½ teaspoons cinnamon

½ teaspoon cayenne – see cook’s note at end of recipe

½ teaspoon fine sea salt

½ cup turbinado or sanding sugar

Preheat oven to 350º F with a rack near the middle. Line 2 to 3 baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpats.

Cream sugar and butter using a stand or hand mixer, until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add eggs and extracts, and beat until well-combined, about 1 to 2 minutes. In a separate medium sized bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking powder, cinnamon, cayenne, and salt. Add them to the sugar and butter mixture, and mix on low speed until the flour has been incorporated. Increase to medium speed and mix until well-combined, another minute or two.

Roll dough into 1- to 1 1/4-inch diameter balls, then roll balls in sugar. Place 12 to 15 balls on prepared baking sheets – stagger 3 rows each of 2 and 3 balls to get 15 on a sheet. Flatten balls slightly, so they are about ¾-inch thick . Bake one sheet at a time for 9 to 9 ½ minutes, rotating the baking sheet after 5 minutes. The cookies will look puffy, and may seem like they’re not done, but they will be perfect! Allow to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing the cookies to a cooling rack. Once cool store in a sealed container to maintain perfect texture for at least several days.

Cook’s notes: 1.) 1/2-teaspoon cayenne gives a pleasant warmth to the back of your throat after eating a cookie or two. If you’re not a fan of heat, feel free to scale back or omit the cayenne. 2.) If you prefer to use regular cocoa powder just add 1 teaspoon baking soda and decrease baking powder to 1/2 teaspoon.

Lime In The Coconut Float

Lime/Lemongrass Simple Syrup

2 limes
1 stalk lemongrass
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
Thinly slice lemongrass and set aside. With a vegetable peeler remove the lime zest in strips trying to avoid getting much white pith. Set aside. Juice the limes and set juice aside for making the soda.
Combine water and sugar in a small saucepan. Heat on high, stirring or swirling occasionally to dissolve sugar until it boils. Boil for 30 to 60 seconds.
Remove from heat. Add the lemongrass and lime zest, cover with a tight fitting lid, and allow to cool to room temperature. Pour through a mesh strainer into a glass jar. Cover and store in the refrigerator.
Float
1 to 1 & 1/2 tablespoons lemongrass & lime syrup1 tablespoon lime juice2 scoops coconut sorbet (about 1/2 cup total)seltzer, cold Combine syrup and lime juice in a 12-oz glass. Add sorbet. Slowly pour seltzer over the sorbet, it with froth up pretty fiercely. Stir gently after glass is about 2/3 full. Continue to slowly fill glass with seltzer. Serve immediately with a straw.

I want to leave you with a picture of just one of the beautiful cakes that Sara designed.

Gorgeous isn’t it!!

May 2

8 Comments

Pickles And The Grinding Truck-Brooklyn Small Business

Clinton Hill Pickles

I love where I live, row after row of historic homes, Mom and Pop businesses, a real sense of community and pride in our neighborhood. Brooklyn, NY, specifically the Fort Greene and Clinton Hill neighborhoods were a well kept secret, not so much anymore, people are moving in by the droves, housing prices have skyrocketed and with that many of the small shops we cherish are no longer able to stay in business because of high rent. I decided to feature two small businesses that still hold onto time honored traditions and offer products and services as they did in bygone days.

Pat in her tiny shop, see all the barrels!!

Clinton Hill Pickles is a tiny shop at 431 Classon Avenue. The proprietor, Pat is surrounded by barrel after barrel of pickles, pickled beets, sauerkraut and other wonderful products that she either makes herself or has other artisans make for her. She greets you with a smile, offers you a pickle to taste and remembers who you are. You see, Pat has been in the pickle business almost all of her life, some of you may know about the lower east side of Manhattan and the wonderful array of foods that you can purchase from pickles to bialy’s to knishes. Pat ran the family pickle business, the famous Guss’ Pickles on Orchard Street until she had to close shop, so she decided to make the move to Brooklyn. The pickles and pickled vegetables are in barrels, reminiscent of old times, I always think of the movie “Crossing Delancey” and the pickle man (great movie!). I remember the shop on the lower east side, it was so charming and I was happy to find her so close to where I live. After looking in each barrel, containing sour pickles, half sours, hot pickles, fresh pickles (very crisp), it was hard to decide, but I finally chose some sour pickles, beets, sauerkraut, homemade sweet pickle relish and some real deli mustard. I can’t believe how good it all is, each item home made no additives and everything is made with love and care.

Sour pickles,beets sauerkraut,deli mustard and sweet pickle relish

If you live in Brooklyn or are just visiting stop in and see Pat, you’ll be glad you did!

Love the sign

Every month or two the green grinding truck arrives on my block, ringing a bell, announcing that he is here to sharpen your knives, scissors,or even lawnmowers. Bob’s Grinding Services has been in business, using the same truck for years and years. He rings his bell to let you know he is there and stops mid block so people can bring their items for sharpening. His name isn’t Bob, I actually think it could be Henry, he greets everyone with a smile and happily sharpens whatever you bring to him, you can tell he loves what he does and it makes me smile when I see and hear his truck moving slowly down the street. We are all so busy with our contemporary lives, and seeing these businesses that are basically doing things the same way they were done many, many years ago makes me want to slow down and remember kinder, gentler times. He was here on Saturday and sharpened my chef’s knife and paring knife and did such a great job, I could split a hair!!

Bobs Grinding Service

Apr 26

13 Comments

Featured Recipe: Green Garlic Stuffed Mushrooms

Green Garlic Stuffed Mushrooms photo by In Pat's Kitchen

Who doesn’t love stuffed mushrooms and what an ingenious was to use the bounty of beautiful spring vegetables that we are so fortunate to have this time of year. I think Pat hit the nail on the head with this lovely recipe. What a great appetizer and the flavors are so perfectly balanced and delicious. The bi-weekly contest on Food52 is all about alliums and I saw this submission and instantly fell in love! You can use white or brown for appetizer size but I was thinking how wonderful this would be as a vegetarian main course using big, meaty portobello mushrooms. You can find Pat’s recipes on her wonderful blog, In Pat’s Kitchen or on Food52 where you can see an abundance of delicious recipes. You might want to use some tender celery to make Roasted Celery Soup which just recently won the contest for best celery recipe or her utterly delicious A Tribute To Woody (Homemade Gingerale Float).

Makes 24 stuffed mushrooms

Green Garlic Confit (Molly Wizenburg’s method):

1 1/2 cups quarter inch sliced green garlic stalks (I had about 14 medium)

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup  water

1/2 teaspoon salt

In a small sauce pan with a lid, melt the butter and add the sliced green garlic, water and salt. Cover and gently cook the mixture over medium-low heat, stirring often until the liquid is almost all evaporated. This should take about 20 minutes. Set aside to cool a bit while you prep the mushrooms.

For the mushrooms and stuffing:

24 white or brown button mushrooms, caps about 1 1/2 to 2 inches in diameter

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

4 ounces softened cream cheese

3/4 cup panko bread crumbs

2 tablespoons finely grated parmesan cheese

The green garlic confit

Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling

Remove the stems from the mushrooms (save for another use) and then clean the mushrooms with either a mushroom brush or wipe them with paper toweling.

Place the mushrooms in a bowl and toss them with the 2 tablespoons of olive oil and then place them, cap side up on a baking sheet. In a pre heated 425F oven, roast the mushrooms for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and turn them over. Lower the oven temp to 350F.

In a small mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, panko, parmesan and green garlic confit. Distribute the filling into the mushroom caps and then drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil over each mushroom.

Roast the filled mushroom caps at the 350F temp for about twenty minutes or until the filling just begins to brown. Let cool for a minute or two before enjoying warm.

Apr 5

6 Comments

Featured Recipes: Finger-Lickin Finger Lakes Chicken and Some Hard Lemonade

Finger Lakes Chicken photo by wssmom

This is probably one of the most delicious recipes for grilled chicken that I have ever tasted. I made this several times and you know the food is really really good when everyone at the table goes completely silent, not a word, only sometimes you can hear a low mutter almost inaudible, “this is so good”, well thats what happens when I serve this chicken. This is a recipe from one of my good friends on food52, Virginia also known as wssmom (her cooks name on food52), is a fantastically creative cook, take at look at her 72 recipes on food52, her recipe, A Bowl of Red was runnerup in the chili contest as was her New Years Day Fresh Ham in the Best Holiday Roast contest. She manages to make each recipe approachable and absolutely delicious.

I have also included one of her many amazing recipes for drinks. She is an inspired mixologist, this is one of many delicious drinks that she has created. Bobby Flay Inspired Hard Lemonade incorporates the best of summers flavors (lemons and strawberries and packs a punch with some silver rum. Try it you will love it! It’s really pretty too. If you are not in the mood for lemonade, try her Peartini and I will personally attest to the greatness of this drink, she brought it to the Food52 cookbook party. One more, I can’t help it I love her recipes, Kicked up Egg Cream how can you go wrong with a delicious chocolate egg cream with some chocolate liquor.

Serves 4

Fresh Herb Aioli:

1 large organic egg yolk, at room temperature

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1 cup grapeseed oil

1 minced clove garlic

pinch sea salt

1 cup champagne vinegar (yes, one cup)

1 tablespoon minced fresh sage leaves

1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary sprigs

1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves

1 teaspoon minced fresh oregano

some more salt

In a suitable bowl, preferably one that won’t spin around, whisk together the egg yolk, lemon juice and garlic. Add the oil a few drops at a time (or have someone do that for you), whisking until it emulsifies. Continue to dribble in the oil, whisking away, until all is incorporated.

Put half the aioli in another bowl, saving the remainder for another use. Whisk in the vinegar, add the herbs and add a tad more salt than you think neccessary, about a teaspoon in my case.

Finger Lakes Chicken:

2 whole organic chicken breasts, split so you have four nice-sized pieces

Freshly ground pepper

Fresh herb aioli

Liberally sprinkle the chicken breasts with freshly ground pepper, put them in a ziplock bag with the aoili, smush so they are covered, and let marinate for at least three hours, or preferably overnight.

Grill, bone side down and covered, over medium heat for about 15-20 minutes, then turn and crank up the grill to high to finish, so that the skin gets nice and crispy.

Chill and bring along to your picnic, and serve along with some lovely dry riesling.

Bobby Flay Inspired Hard Lemonade (Inspired by Bobby’s recipe for minted lemonade)

Serves 6

1 1/2 cups sugar

Juice from 10-12 lemons, about 1 1/2 cups

1 pint strawberries

silver rum

3 cups seltzer, chilled

1/2 bunch mint sprigs

Prepare a simple syrup by mixing the sugar with 1 1/2 cups water in a small pan; bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve, and let cool.

Stem the strawberries and puree with about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of the lemon juice. Put through a sieve to remove seeds and errant bits.

In a large, attractive pitcher, combine 3/4 cup simple syrup with the strawberry-lemon puree and the remainder of the lemon juice. Sample and if desired, add more simple syrup to taste.

Add the mint to the pitcher along with the rum (one ounce per serving) and chill in the refrigerator for an hour. Add the cold seltzer and serve over ice. Kick back and enjoy the fourth race!

Mar 29

12 Comments

Featured Recipes: Olive Oil Poached Fish/Shellfish and Lobster Diavolo

This week I am featuring two recipes, both seafood dishes and I am honored to have permission to bring them to you. The recipes are from Amanda Hesser and Merrill Stubbs the founders of Food52. I discovered food52 a little over a year ago and it has been life changing for me. Amanda and Merrill brought their brilliant plan to start a website celebrating home cooks (like myself) to life a little over two years ago,  and it’s now one of the most popular food related websites available on the internet. They have already published one cookbook,  with a second coming out in October of this year as well as an IPad holiday App. Check out Amanda’s recipes and Merrill’s recipes on Food52.

Poaching fish or shellfish in olive oil is simple, and delicious. Add your favorite herbs and aromatics to the oil. The fish or shellfish are tender and and flavorful. I poached some shrimp and lobster tails. I didn’t use whole live lobsters (phobia) instead,  I decided to poach lobster tails in olive oil a la Amanda for Merrills Lobster Diavolo. This is a variation of the famous Lobster Fra Diavolo.  The dish is finished with fresh mint (my mint went bad and I was only able to salvage a few leaves so I mixed it with parsley to garnish the dish),  which in  my opinion makes this such a stand out recipe, adding a fresh twist to a classic. I used canned tomatoes instead of the fresh since seasonal fresh tomatoes are not available yet. I poached half of the shrimp in the oven and the other half on the stovetop with the lobster. I set the oven to 200 degrees and it took about 20 minutes. Both methods turned out fantastic. I invited a friend over for dinner and he gave both dishes two thumbs up!

Stovetop poaching

Olive Oil Poached Fish – By Amanda Hesser

To Poach Any Kind of Fish

Lay the fillets in a shallow, oven-proof casserole dish or skillet, just large enough to hold the fish in a single layer. Cover the fish with a 1/8-inch thick layer of olive oil (a good brand, but not your best), season with a flakey sea salt and any other herb or spice you like, then send it into a 275-degree oven, basting it often, until it’s cooked through. For a 1-inch thick fish fillet, it takes about 30 minutes.

To Poach Shellfish

I like to cook them on the stovetop. Place them in a single layer in a saucepan and pour in enough oil to just cover them. My default aromatics are thyme and lightly smashed garlic cloves (see photo above). Then set the pan over low heat, letting it warm enough so that tiny bubbles begin emerging on the sides of the pan, but none of the shellfish are bouncing around. Baste often and you’ll see the shellfish slowly turn opaque and constrict. When they’re cooked properly, they’ll be bouncy and light and not at all tough.

Lobster Diavolo

Lobster Diavolo- by Merrill Stubbs

Serves 2

2 pounds Roma tomatoes (or 28 ounces canned tomatoes with their juices)

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for finishing

2 fat cloves garlic, crushed

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Salt

2 1 1/2-pound live lobsters

1/2 pound spaghetti

1 teaspoon chopped fresh mint

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Core the tomatoes and cut a shallow “x” through the skin of the non-core end of each tomato with a sharp knife. Working in batches, gently lower the tomatoes into the boiling water for about 30 seconds, until the skin begins to peel away from the cuts you made. Remove the tomatoes from the water with a slotted spoon and set aside until they are cool enough to touch.

Peel and then roughly chop the tomatoes and set aside. Pour the olive oil in a shallow, heavy saucepan and set over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and cook for about 3 minutes, until fragrant and softened, but not browned. Add the chili flakes (start with half if you’re not sure about the heat – you can add more later) and cook for another minute or two.

Add the tomatoes and any juices, along with a few generous pinches of salt and stir through. Raise the heat to medium and let the tomatoes come to a simmer. Turn the heat down to low and simmer gently for 2 to 3 hours, until the tomatoes have completely broken down, adding water as needed to keep the sauce from drying out. When the sauce is ready, taste for salt and add more necessary. Cover and set aside.

Bring an inch of water to a boil in a large stockpot. Add the lobsters to the pot and cover. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until the lobster’s antennae can be easily pulled off. Remove the lobsters from the pot and set aside for a few minutes to cool a little

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until still quite al dente. Reserving about half a cup of the pasta water, drain the pasta in a large colander and set it aside while you finish up with the lobster.

To remove the lobster meat, twist both claws off the body at the shoulder joint. Use a lobster cracker or the back of a chef’s knife to crack the shell and remove the claw meat. Use a pick or a small fork to pry the meat from the knuckles, twisting at the joints to separate one knuckle from the next. Twist the lobster body from the tail and discard. Twist off the fans at the tail, and then gently insert your finger into the opening, pushing the tail meat out the other end (it should come out in one beautiful piece). Clean off any roe, fat and green goo, and remove the vein if you like by peeling back the strip of meat on the top of the tail.

Keep the lobster meat in a warm place while you finish up the pasta: Turn the heat to medium underneath the pan with the sauce. Add the cooked pasta and some of the pasta water, using tongs to toss the pasta in the sauce. Add a splash or two of olive oil if you like. When the pasta is well-coated in the sauce and warm, arrange it among two shallow, warm bowls. Slice the lobster tails into ½-inch medallions and arrange these, along with the claw and knuckle meat, on top of the spaghetti. Drizzle with a bit more olive oil and sprinkle generously with mint. Serve immediately.

Olive oil poached shrimp and Lobster Diavolo

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