tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70700448783561003452023-12-12T05:31:17.378-08:00Abby & Sam's KitchenSam loves to cook. Abby likes to eat what Sam cooks. Here are pictures of our culinary life together.Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12732753839650189316noreply@blogger.comBlogger250125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7070044878356100345.post-71565496416771977422012-11-27T17:00:00.000-08:002012-11-27T17:00:05.352-08:00Montreal: Au Pied de Cochon<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Our last meal in Montreal was at <a href="http://www.restaurantaupieddecochon.ca/index_e.html">Au Pied de Cochon</a>. This was restaurant was really the main reason for our trip to Montreal. Au Pied de Cochon, or PDC, is a temple of excess. Any single dish on the menu probably has more fat and cholesterol in it than a normal person would eat in a month. This place is not healthy. It is, however, damn tasty, and it is a really fun environment. Its the sort of restaurants where you walk in and everyone is absolutely excited to be there. Eating at this restaurant is an event, but it isn't an event like, say, eating at Alinea, where the atmosphere is formal and subdued and the food is precise and refined. PDC is loud; it is sloppy; and it is decadent.<br />
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PDC is located on a street where there are a number of pretty bad, touristy restaurants. Before PDC took over the space, the restaurant was a pizza place, and PDC puts the pizze oven, above, to good use. I'm not sure if you can see it without zooming in on this picture, but a whole pig head is sitting in the mouth of the oven. This roasted pig head dish is served on a big platter, with a knife sticking out of the top of the head, and a whole lobster coming out of the mouth of the pig. It's a pretty crazy presentation. If you google "PDC pig's head" you should be able to see a ton of images of this dish.</div>
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One of the drawbacks of this restaurant is that, because everything is so rich you can't order as many dishes as you would at a "normal" restaurant. With three of us at the table, I picked out a few appetizers and main courses, just like I would at any other restaurant, but as I was ordering, our waitress stopped me and warned that we were ordering way more than we could handle. We went ahead and ordered all of the dishes we had in mind anyways, and made a pretty good dent in everything.<br />
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The first dish that we go was called "Plogue a Champlain." This was a really nice dish. It consisted of something like a pancake, topped with ham, aged cheddar, a big slice of foie gras, and a maple syrup sauce. It's a strange combination, but it all worked really well together.<br />
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At Francis' recommendation, we also ordered something light. The tomato salad that they were serving as a special that night was excellent, but I wished that we had asked to have it served latter in the meal. It would have been nice to have a nice, light salad at the end of a very heavy meal.<br />
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We also ordered the stuffed pied de cochon with foie gras. I mean, when you're at au pied de cochon, you should order the pied de cochon, right? For this dish, they debone the pig trotter, braise it, remove the meat and chop it up and than stuff it back into the trotter with mushrooms and foie gras. The whole thing is the breaded and roasted and served on top of mashed potatoes that are just loaded with cream and cheese curds. It isn't the most photogenic dish, but it's an impressive presentation and it is really tasty.<br />
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We also order the "Canard en Conserve," or duck in a can. This one is a really fun presentation. The server brings you a plate with a dollop of mashed potatoes on the bottom,<br />
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then she opens the can and dumps out the contents </div>
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which include a duck breast, a pig lobe of foie gras, braised cabbage, and a balsamic sauce. Everything is cooked together in the can, letting all of the flavors meld together. </div>
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Our last dish was a cured foie gras tart. The has a really light, flakey crust, topped with slices of blood sausage and torchon of foie gras. The blood sausage was the highlight of this dish. Previously, I had only had blood sausage as part of "english breakfasts" at places that you go to for the soccer viewing instead of the food. It was never really that great. This stuff, though, was amazing.<br />
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After all of these dishes, we were all totally defeated. <br />
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Next time, I'll have to bring more people so I can try more dishes.</div>
Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12732753839650189316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7070044878356100345.post-28032305366256859522012-11-26T17:00:00.000-08:002012-11-26T17:00:02.337-08:00Montreal: La Chien Fumant<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Right around the corner from where our friend Francis lives, there is a great little restaurant called <a href="http://lechienfumant.com/fr/">Le Chien Fumant</a> (The Smoking Dog) that is run by a guy that used to cook at Joe Beef. Like Joe Beef and Liverpool house, this place focuses on big flavors in fairly simple, homey dishes. At least that was the sense I got from a few of the dishes we tried out for brunch. Here are a couple of pictures that Abby took. One nice thing about brunch - at least from the photographers perspective - is that you get much better pictures than at dinner, where you often find yourselves in a dimly lit dining room, as was the case the night before at Liverpool House.<br />
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<br />Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12732753839650189316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7070044878356100345.post-6644165516764837212012-11-25T14:01:00.000-08:002012-11-25T14:01:12.690-08:00Montreal: Liverpool House<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Abby, Francis, and I went to <a href="http://www.joebeef.ca/">Liverpool House</a> on our second night in Montreal. Liverpool House is owned and operated by the chefs that run Joe Beef, one of Montreal's more well known restaurants. Since I couldn't get a reservation at Joe Beef, Liverpool House was the next best thing. The setup at the two restaurants are very similar. The only menu is written on a big blackboard in the dining room, and a lot of the menu items are the same at both restaurants.<br />
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Like a lot of good restaurants these days, Liverpool House and Joe Beef serve dishes that are seasonal, locally sourced, and simply prepared. I thought that the meal had some hits and misses, but was pretty solid overall.<br />
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This dish below, their bone marrow presentation, was the highlight of the meal and this dish alone makes this restaurant a place you have to visit as long as it is on the menu. I'm not exaggerating when I say that this is one of the best things I have ever eaten.<br />
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<span style="text-align: left;">The marrow bone is split lengthwise, roasted, topped with big chunks of raw albacore tuna in a caviar sauce. Bone marrow alone is pretty decadent. Topping it off with tuna and caviar is just totally over the top in a very, very good way.</span></div>
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In addition to the bone marrow, we tried a fried anchovy starter</div>
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and another appetizer of cavateli and pork belly. Both were good, but not spectacular.</div>
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For the main courses, we tried a "Pintade" or guinea hen that was served in two preparations. The legs were braised and served with pasta,<br />
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and the breast and wing were pan roasted and served over whipped potatoes with a pan jus.</div>
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This was a really nice, homey dish, and I like the idea of breaking a bird up into two preparations like this. I might have to do something like this for a dinner party in the future. This dish also came with a really nice salad. I have been to a couple of restaurants recently that served salads that, while simple, were among the better dishes on the menu. This was one of them.<br />
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The second main course that we ordered was the lobster spaghetti, which is a mainstay on both the Liverpool House and Joe Beef menus. Read any review of either of these restaurants and this dish is mentioned. I don't get it. It's good, but not great, and certainly not worth the $50 price tag. If I went back, I would try something else, as this dish is something that you could make at home with similar results.<br />
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By the time our meal ended, we were the last people left in the restaurant, but, rather than rush us out so they could close up shop, our waitress brought out a couple of complementary desserts (which we forgot to take pictures of).</div>
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All in all, this was a really good meal, and as long as that marrow dish is on the menu, I would highly recommend it.</div>
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Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12732753839650189316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7070044878356100345.post-33361815147890202632012-11-25T13:13:00.000-08:002012-11-25T13:14:01.118-08:00Montreal: Farmers market<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
On our second day in Montreal, Francis took us to an amazing market in Montreal. I wish we had something like this in DC. One of the butchers had everything from foie gras...</div>
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...to horse meat (you can see the silhouette of the horse below). Evidently that's something that some people eat north of the border. I didn't see it on the menus of any of the restaurants I went to, though. Not that I would have tried it na<br />
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Of course, the market also had a number of stands selling maple syrup<br />
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and there was a dizzying array of beautiful produce.</div>
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<br />Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12732753839650189316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7070044878356100345.post-2950904145861953582012-11-25T12:59:00.000-08:002012-11-25T13:14:01.117-08:00Montreal: Random pics<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This past August, Abby and I took a mini-vacation to Montreal, where we got to try out all sorts of great restaurants and test out Abby's new camera - a Canon 5D Mark III. We had been wanting to visit the city ever since we saw a No Reservations episode filmed there, and when a friend of our recently moved back there, conveniently, we were able to have a local guide show us around. Between all of the amazing food and the public art, Abby was able to get some pretty good pictures. Above and below are two of my favorites. We spotted the Batman poster in an alley we walked by, and the mural below takes up the entire side of a building in the Plateau neighborhood where our friend lives.</div>
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Walking around Montreal, there were a few things that reminded me of other cities I had been to. Something about the style or vibe of the city reminded me a lot of places like Portland and Austin...only French. Other things were sort of like New York, only different. For example, Schwartz's is a Jewish deli that makes a version of a smoked meat sandwich that is sort of like the pastrami sandwiches at Katz's,<br />
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and Montreal also has there own version of bagels that they contend is better than any New York bagel. Personally, I thought Schwartz's was over rated. The line to get in took 30 to 45 minutes, and I don't think I would wait in line for it again. It was good, but not great. The bagels were really good though. I don't know if they are better than the best NewYork bagels, but its a valid argument.</div>
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Montreal is also filled with all sorts of cool little restaurants and bars like the <a href="http://www.brasseriereservoir.ca/">Reservoir</a>, which makes their own beer</div>
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and had a pretty good looking menu.<br />
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There were also a bunch of little cheese shops, butcher shops, and places like this chocolate shop that we walked past<br />
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Probably the most famous Montreal export, though, is poutine, which you can find all over the place. On our first night in Montreal, we tried out a place called <a href="http://www.labanquise.com/">La Banquise</a> that was open late and had an extensive array of poutine dishes on the menu. The next day, we tried a place called Patati Patata.<br />
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While La Banquise was large, loud, and at the time we went, filled with drunk people, Patati Patata was very quaint and quiet, with just a few seats at the bar. The poutine at both places was very good, but I think that Patati Patata was slightly better.</div>
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<br />Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12732753839650189316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7070044878356100345.post-44399838200041359412011-09-05T14:51:00.001-07:002011-09-05T15:08:34.495-07:00Ad Hoc Buttermilk Fried Chicken<div><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0o1Qi09Jj_s/TmVEcqpOqfI/AAAAAAAAFLk/nqMZo0k4xC0/s1600/P1150120.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0o1Qi09Jj_s/TmVEcqpOqfI/AAAAAAAAFLk/nqMZo0k4xC0/s400/P1150120.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5648996566880397810" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a></div><div>I've cooked a lot of dishes out of Thomas Keller's Ad Hoc At Home, but, until yesterday, I had not tried to make the book's signature dish, buttermilk fried chicken. I had some buttermilk leftover from a cobbler that I made last week, so the half empty carton provided the perfect excuse to give this recipe a try. It's good. In fact, this recipe produces the best fried chicken I have ever had. I can see why this is the signature dish. The key is the super lemony brine that infuses the chicken with flavor. I also really like how Keller cuts the chicken breast into quarters, so you get a better crust to meat ratio. </div><div>
<br /></div><div>If you aren't afraid of deep frying (something I am reluctant to do at home since it makes the apartment smell like frying oil for a few days afterwards), try this recipe. It's been posted about a million times on other blogs and websites, so I won't repeat it here.</div>Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12732753839650189316noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7070044878356100345.post-14483483611874761932011-09-05T10:24:00.000-07:002011-09-05T11:29:53.022-07:00Hurricane Dinner Party<div style="text-align: left;">It's been more than six months since my last entry here....I've been busy, and, when I have been cooking, I've mostly been repeating dishes that I've already posted here and/or forgetting to take pictures. Last week, the confluence of friends from grad school coming into town (some moving here, others passing through for a conference) and a hurricane provided the perfect excuse to stay indoors, cook lots of food, drink lots of good wine while we waited out the weather. The theme for this dinner party was Asian, or, more specifically, the Momofuku cookbook, which I have been reading a lot of but not cooking a lot of. Two of the four courses for this dinner were directly from the cookbook, one borrowed an ingredient from the cookbook to jazz up an old favorite, and the fourth dish involved me just cutting up some super fresh fish from Black Salt.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>We started out the meal with a trio of raw fish. Here's an action shot of the dishes being prepared. </div><div><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tvhnHchhbDs/TmUIgt3GvoI/AAAAAAAAFKg/JipjFe5g6Ck/s1600/P1150068.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tvhnHchhbDs/TmUIgt3GvoI/AAAAAAAAFKg/JipjFe5g6Ck/s400/P1150068.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5648930665765715586" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></a></div><div>Here's a finished plate.</div><div><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zArTx09G2xU/TmUIgu2PmvI/AAAAAAAAFKo/PQvUm5l9slM/s1600/P1150073.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zArTx09G2xU/TmUIgu2PmvI/AAAAAAAAFKo/PQvUm5l9slM/s400/P1150073.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5648930666030537458" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></a></div><div>In the foreground are slices of ivory salmon (which I had never heard of before I walked into Black Salt looking for fish earlier that day) and king salmon. Being late August, king salmon are at their peak. I love the bold striations on this salmon. The ivory salmon was soaked in lime juice for a couple of seconds, then topped with a Spanish olive oil, smoked salt, and a lime zest. The king salmon was simply topped with some nice grassy tuscan olive oil and a bit of cracked pink peppercorns. The third dish, in the little bowls in the background, was an Ahi tuna poke. To make the poke, I cut the ahi into cubes (about 1 cm) and let it marinate in a mixture of soy sauce, sesame oil, and scallions with a dash of rice wine vinegar, and pinch of red pepper flakes. Just before serving, I tossed in some sesame seeds and then topped the poke with some strips of toasted nori.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Next came the veggie course: pan roasted asparagus and grilled king oyster mushrooms with miso butter and slow poached eggs. </div><div><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZwPbQNn2xpI/TmUIhJ4-3rI/AAAAAAAAFKw/UiX8KGe0TLc/s1600/P1150080.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZwPbQNn2xpI/TmUIhJ4-3rI/AAAAAAAAFKw/UiX8KGe0TLc/s400/P1150080.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5648930673289780914" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 316px; height: 400px; " /></a></div><div>Although I don't really like mushrooms, I really like the look of this dish. For some reason, the combination of the mushrooms and asparagus piled on top of the miso butter with the whole eggs has a really rustic, "farm to table" look to it. To make the slow poached eggs, you need to let the eggs sit in 140F water for around 45 minutes. If you were plating these individually (as they do in the Momofuku cookbook), you would spread out a bit of miso butter, artfully arrange the asparagus, and then place the poached egg across the top of the asparagus. In this family style preparation, the eggs would have all slid off to the side of the plate and, when serving, the yolks surely would have broken on the serving plate, leaving all of the yolky goodness behind. When served this way, everyone gets to crack their own egg, which is much cleaner and, besides, its fun.</div><div><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LI5yL60Wq_o/TmUIhPSmCPI/AAAAAAAAFK4/wYEZL02brx0/s1600/P1150099.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LI5yL60Wq_o/TmUIhPSmCPI/AAAAAAAAFK4/wYEZL02brx0/s400/P1150099.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5648930674739382514" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></a></div><div>The third course was miso and sake marinated sea bass with scallions, sunchoke puree, and bacon dashi. Sea bass is something <a href="http://abby-n-sam.blogspot.com/2009/12/few-meals-from-this-fall.html">I've posted before</a>. It's a great dish for a dinner party since all the flavor comes from letting it marinate for a long time (in this case, 48 hours), but it is really quick to cook. While we were eating the second course, I just stuck the fish under the broiler for about 10 minutes. You will need to flip the fish about half way through so it cooks evenly and the sugar in the marinade doesn't burn too much. The bacon dashi is a pretty straight forward (and brilliant) recipe from the Momofuku cookbook. Just steep some konbu in water for a few minutes, remove, then simmer some smokey bacon in the broth for about 30 minutes, chill, skim off the fat, and reheat before service. For the sunchoke puree, just peel the sunchokes, boil until tender, and puree in a food processor with butter. Season with salt and pepper. If you wanted to make this really rich, you could simmer the sunchokes in cream.</div><div><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ylw5braDltc/TmUUUogq5wI/AAAAAAAAFLY/7hVqMRDOEkI/s1600/P1150100.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ylw5braDltc/TmUUUogq5wI/AAAAAAAAFLY/7hVqMRDOEkI/s400/P1150100.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5648943652310542082" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 363px; height: 400px; " /></a></div><div>For the last course, we had steamed Chinese buns that Abby had made earlier in the day (see the freshly formed buns, waiting for the steamer below) with roasted pork belly, quick pickles, and other accoutrements.</div><div><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FPf7Nl1Nbjo/TmUIgfpoHXI/AAAAAAAAFKY/-GZ57nPTvKM/s1600/P1150062.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FPf7Nl1Nbjo/TmUIgfpoHXI/AAAAAAAAFKY/-GZ57nPTvKM/s400/P1150062.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5648930661951085938" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></a></div><div>Like the fish, the pork belly is a dish where all of the work is done ahead of time. I cured the pork belly in salt, sugar, pepper, and five spice powder for 24 hours, then roasted it at 450F for 45 minutes followed by another 3 hours at 250. Then, I chilled the pork belly over night, sliced it, and reheated it just before serving. Here's a finished pork belly bun.</div><div><div><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WN4p7bj-8Nk/TmUUUTpPGXI/AAAAAAAAFLQ/5JdXcJT-AGg/s1600/P1150111+%25281%2529.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WN4p7bj-8Nk/TmUUUTpPGXI/AAAAAAAAFLQ/5JdXcJT-AGg/s400/P1150111+%25281%2529.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5648943646709324146" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 273px; " /></a></div></div><div>
<br /></div>Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12732753839650189316noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7070044878356100345.post-43432241345945843332011-02-26T07:57:00.000-08:002011-02-26T08:17:20.237-08:00Asian style snapper baked in parchment<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gEQfHsnZVQQ/TWkjBGCZy-I/AAAAAAAAFJo/iFZoZgIlzLA/s1600/fish.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gEQfHsnZVQQ/TWkjBGCZy-I/AAAAAAAAFJo/iFZoZgIlzLA/s400/fish.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5578028115182603234" /></a>Baking fish in parchment is a great way to infuse a lot of flavor into the fish. It's also really easy to make, which is an added bonus. Just throw in the ingredients you want, wrap everything in a parchment envelope and roast for about 30 minutes. You can be pretty creative with the ingredients, but keep in mind that the whole concept of this type of cooking is that moisture released from any of the ingredients or generated from any liquid that you add will steam the fish. As such, more aromatic ingredients will probably do a better job of flavoring your fish. For this dish, I added lemon slices, ginger, garlic, cilantro, jalapeno and scallions. I also drizzled the fish with a little soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, and sesame oil. Because you don't have to do any complicated prep work, this is the sort of dish that you can have done, start to finish, in under an hour.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12732753839650189316noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7070044878356100345.post-19468636651961378242011-02-19T12:34:00.000-08:002011-02-19T13:07:06.495-08:00Valentine's Day Dinner for Abby<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><u>
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TF5LWykDHr8/TWAwuYbuJhI/AAAAAAAAFJU/L9Ahf7aYa_Q/s1600/duckbreast2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TF5LWykDHr8/TWAwuYbuJhI/AAAAAAAAFJU/L9Ahf7aYa_Q/s400/duckbreast2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575509912075511314" /></a><div style="text-align: left;">Seared muscovy duck breast is one of Abby's favorites, so this was at the center of our dinner on Valentine's day. I made a blackberry, rosemary and ginger gastrique to go along with the duck breast, and served roasted sunchokes and roasted brussels sprouts with maple syrup, pine nuts, and shaved parmesan as side dishes.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>DUCK w/ BLACKBERRY, ROSEMARY, AND GINGER GASTRIQUE</div><div><ul><li>Muscovy duck breast</li><li>1/4 cup blackberrys</li><li>Ginger (just cut a couple thin slices)</li><li>1 sprig rosemary</li><li>1/2 cup sugar</li><li>1/4 cup red wine vinegar</li><li>1/4 cup balsamic vinegar</li><li>salt, pepper</li></ul></div><div>Score the skin side of the duck breast, season both sides with salt and pepper. Preheat a pan over medium heat, and add the duck, skin side down. Cook for about 6 or 7 minutes, lowering the heat if the rendered fat begins to smoke or the skin begins to char. The duck will render a lot of fat, so you may have to drain some of it midway through. Turn and cook until done. You can begin checking after it has cooked on the second side for three or four minutes. You can test by feel or, if you just make a little incision into the middle of the duck breast, you can test by sight. The middle should be rare. Let rest for 5 to 10 minutes and slice.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>To make the gastrique, add the sugar to a saucepan with a splash of water over medium heat. Eventually the sugar will melt. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally until the sugar just begins to turn a golden brown color. Quickly, add the vinegar and stir to recombine everything. Add the black berrys and rosemary and let the mixture continue to cook for a few minutes over medium to low heat. Add the ginger and let the mixture simmer for another five minutes or so. Remove from heat and pick out the ginger and rosemary. The gastrique should thicken up a little as it cools down, but if it is still thin, just reduce everything until it gets to the desired consistency. Reheat before serving. The gastrique should keep in the fridge for a few weeks and would probably go really well with something like a roasted pork tenderloin.</div><div>
<br /></div><div><meta charset="utf-8"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nqzcj9S9TQ8/TWAwulR1tmI/AAAAAAAAFJc/scVGqacaJWM/s1600/jerartichokes.jpg"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nqzcj9S9TQ8/TWAwulR1tmI/AAAAAAAAFJc/scVGqacaJWM/s400/jerartichokes.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575509915523724898" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 324px; " /></a></div><div>ROASTED SUNCHOKES</div><div><ul><li>Sunchokes</li><li>Oil (grapeseed, canola, or olive)</li><li>Salt and pepper</li><li>Rosemary and thyme</li></ul></div><div>Cut larger sunchokes in half. Toss with oil and season with salt and pepper and herbs. I used some garlic oil that is the byproduct of garlic confit, which I regularly keep in my fridge. Roast everything at 425F to 450F for 45 minutes to an hour.</div><div>
<br /></div><div><meta charset="utf-8"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D8i8p0ZCu2U/TWAwuPHBKbI/AAAAAAAAFJM/62frEJNaUa0/s1600/brusselssprouts.jpg"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D8i8p0ZCu2U/TWAwuPHBKbI/AAAAAAAAFJM/62frEJNaUa0/s400/brusselssprouts.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575509909572757938" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 373px; " /></a></div><div>ROASTED BRUSSELS SPROUTS WITH MAPLE SYRUP, TOASTED PINE NUTS AND SHAVED PARMESAN</div><div><ul><li>Brussels sprouts (~16)</li><li>Maple syrup (2-3 Tbsp)</li><li>2-3 Tbsp pin nuts, toasted</li><li>Oil</li><li>Salt and pepper</li></ul></div><div>Cut the brussels sprouts in half, lengthwise. Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper. I used garlic oil, but you can also just throw in a couple of chopped cloves of garlic. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil, and place the sprouts, cut side down, on the backing sheet. Roast at 425 to 450 for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and drizzle the maple syrup over the sprouts, using tongs to toss everything together. Return to the oven (the sprouts don't need to be cut side down anymore) and roast until they are done (another 15 minutes or so, depending on the size of the brussels sprouts and the heat of the oven). Once the sprouts are done, toss in the pine nuts (candied walnuts would also be a really good substitute) and then top with shaved Parmesan.</div><div>
<br /></div>Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12732753839650189316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7070044878356100345.post-25554873265762480412011-01-23T07:56:00.000-08:002011-01-23T08:15:13.892-08:00Crispy, braised chicken thighs with oven roasted tomatoes, olives, and garlic confit<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TTxPtPE9KwI/AAAAAAAAFI4/eq_DiahaEkw/s1600/DSCF7241.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TTxPtPE9KwI/AAAAAAAAFI4/eq_DiahaEkw/s400/DSCF7241.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565410878083115778" /></a>This dish utilizes a couple staples that I like to have in my fridge at all times: garlic confit and oven roasted tomatoes. To make garlic confit, just buy a bunch of peeled garlic cloves at the grocery store, throw them in a small pot, cover with canola oil, and simmer over very low heat until the garlic cloves are very soft and a knife or fork easily slides through them. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up a month.<div><br /></div><div>For the oven roasted tomatoes, cut a bunch of roma tomatoes in half, lengthwise, place them cut side up on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and then scatter some fresh thyme over everything. Roast in the oven over very low heat (~250F) for 8 hours. Store these in an airtight container, covered in oil, for up to a month.</div><div><br /></div><div>Now, on to this dish.</div><div><br /></div><div>INGREDIENTS:</div><div>(2 servings)</div><div><ul><li>4 chicken thighs, bone in, skin on.</li><li>8-10 oven roasted tomato halves.</li><li>6-8 cloves garlic confit.</li><li>1 cup assorted olives.</li><li>2 tsp sherry</li><li>1 Tbsp garlic oil (from the garlic confit)</li><li>1 shallot, minced.</li><li>1/2 to 1 cup white wine.</li><li>2 sprigs thyme</li><li>salt and pepper.</li></ul><div>Preheat a 10 to 12 inch skillet over medium to medium high heat and preheat the oven to 350F. Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Add oil to the pan, and once the oil begins to shimmer, add the chicken, skin side down. It is important to make sure the pan and the oil are adequately preheated before adding the chicken, otherwise the skin will stick to the pan. Let the chicken cook for a few minutes. Periodically, check the chicken by seeing if you can move it around without getting any resistance. At first, the skin will stick to the pan, but once it is cooked enough, the cells in the skin contract and, magically, almost, they stop sticking to the pan. If you try moving the chicken to early, you'll get burnt skin stuck to the bottom of the pan. No good. Once the skin is nice and crispy, turn the chicken thighs and cook for another minute on the other side. Remove to a plate, drain the oil and accumulated fat, reserving about 1/2 Tbsp. </div><div><br /></div><div>Add the shallots and garlic confit. Cook until the shallots become translucent, then add the wine, sherry, tomatoes, olives, and thyme sprigs (you can leave these whole and remove before serving). A little smoked paprika might be a nice addition to this dish as well, if you happen to have some lying around the pantry. Let this mixture simmer for a couple of minutes.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>Add the chicken back to the pan along with any drippings that have collected on the plate. Place the whole thing in the oven, covered, for about 15 minutes. Remove the cover and blast the chicken under the broiler until the skin crisps up again. Alternatively, you could just leave the chicken uncovered in the oven. </div><div><br /></div><div>This dish goes well with roasted potatoes.</div>Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12732753839650189316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7070044878356100345.post-73846643314405197822011-01-23T07:46:00.000-08:002011-01-23T07:55:26.968-08:00Christmas Dinner<div>Our Christmas Day Dinner menu featured a prime rib roast, garlic smashed potatoes, brussels sprouts with bacon and apples, and a beet and orange salad, along with some really nice wine from <a href="http://www.matthewsestate.com/index.php?node=the_wines">Matthews Estate</a>, provided by family friends.</div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TTxNlx_RLAI/AAAAAAAAFIs/5MuEpIgl4eA/s1600/IMG_1009.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TTxNlx_RLAI/AAAAAAAAFIs/5MuEpIgl4eA/s400/IMG_1009.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565408550992292866" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TTxNlzKvRXI/AAAAAAAAFIk/1FcbLlkclF4/s1600/IMG_1020.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TTxNlzKvRXI/AAAAAAAAFIk/1FcbLlkclF4/s400/IMG_1020.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565408551308838258" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TTxNlQs92zI/AAAAAAAAFIc/zkTMeN1vDHo/s1600/IMG_1010.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TTxNlQs92zI/AAAAAAAAFIc/zkTMeN1vDHo/s400/IMG_1010.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565408542057159474" /></a>For the rib roast, I followed the advice given <a href="http://www.goodeater.org/2009/12/18/the-food-lab-how-to-cook-a-perfect-prime-rib/">here</a>, and was pretty pleased with the outcome. I let the roast sit out on the counter, covered, for a couple hours to bring it up to room temperature (this helps ensure even cooking), then I cooked it at about 250F until the center reached the desired temperature (about 5 hours), followed by a 15 minute blast at 500F to brown the outside. This approach helps ensure more even cooking and I would highly recommend checking out the link above next time you make a roast.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TTxNlP6yRhI/AAAAAAAAFIU/wjTtCTM4iE4/s1600/IMG_1043.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TTxNlP6yRhI/AAAAAAAAFIU/wjTtCTM4iE4/s400/IMG_1043.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565408541846685202" /></a>Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12732753839650189316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7070044878356100345.post-79809558631412678322011-01-23T06:45:00.001-08:002011-01-23T07:45:22.371-08:00Christmas Eve Dinner<div>For Christmas Eve, my sister and I put together a number of different dishes for a buffet style dinner. Here are a few of the dishes that we served.</div><div><br /></div><div>Deviled eggs.</div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TTxMPU3HQqI/AAAAAAAAFII/tMQSBYdHK-s/s1600/IMG_0852.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TTxMPU3HQqI/AAAAAAAAFII/tMQSBYdHK-s/s400/IMG_0852.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565407065704710818" /></a>Brie en croute.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TTxMPHXdGhI/AAAAAAAAFIA/V4JMqNNaL9Q/s1600/IMG_0853.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TTxMPHXdGhI/AAAAAAAAFIA/V4JMqNNaL9Q/s400/IMG_0853.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565407062082263570" /></a>Mushrooms, sauted with butter, garlic, and thyme.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TTxMO_Mlc1I/AAAAAAAAFH4/OiO9Qn9BQz8/s1600/IMG_0856.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TTxMO_Mlc1I/AAAAAAAAFH4/OiO9Qn9BQz8/s400/IMG_0856.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565407059889189714" /></a>Braised kale with smoked ham hocs.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TTxMOvcL6iI/AAAAAAAAFHw/SjNsomtRBLQ/s1600/IMG_0862.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TTxMOvcL6iI/AAAAAAAAFHw/SjNsomtRBLQ/s400/IMG_0862.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565407055659657762" /></a>And braised short rib sliders with homemade cucumber and onion pickles.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TTxMOn70qMI/AAAAAAAAFHo/d6wh54Cdm3o/s1600/IMG_0887.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 243px;" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TTxMOn70qMI/AAAAAAAAFHo/d6wh54Cdm3o/s400/IMG_0887.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565407053644867778" /></a>Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12732753839650189316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7070044878356100345.post-20373527617246018392010-12-31T08:41:00.000-08:002010-12-31T09:12:10.978-08:00Braised oxtail with gnocchi<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TR4H0f8YsyI/AAAAAAAAFHM/nqwnT8OQKsg/s1600/P1140010.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 347px; height: 400px;" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TR4H0f8YsyI/AAAAAAAAFHM/nqwnT8OQKsg/s400/P1140010.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556887588731138850" /></a>Braised oxtail is soooooo good, and it's pretty easy to make. Gnocchi, on the other hand, is a bit more difficult. There are a number of gnocchi recipes on the web, so I won't put anything specific here, although there are a couple of things worth noting when it comes to gnocchi making. One of the objectives of making gnocchi is to have it as light and "cloud like" as possible. This, I found, involves a trade off in structural integrity and appearance. Basically, the lighter the gnocchi, the more you have to coddle it as you prepare it.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TR4H0IykNsI/AAAAAAAAFHE/bBuRyi5vU_o/s1600/DSCF7237.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 302px;" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TR4H0IykNsI/AAAAAAAAFHE/bBuRyi5vU_o/s400/DSCF7237.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556887582515934914" /></a>The basic ingredients in gnocchi are potato, flour, and egg. Egg is a binder that helps all the ingredients stay together. More egg, along with kneading the dough more, will give the gnocchi more structural integrity. It will also make the gnocchi heavier. Less egg and less kneading will lead to lighter gnocchi. I tried adding a minimal amount of egg (real pros can get away with no egg) and kneading, and while the gnocchi was very light, the first batch basically fell apart or was squashed into flat little discs when I tossed it in the pan. <div><br /></div><div>Here's the recipe for the rest of this dish.</div><div><br /></div><div>INGREDIENTS:</div><div>-oxtail (~3 lbs)</div><div>-1/2 bottle red wine</div><div>-1-2 cup veal or beef stock</div><div>-1 carrots, diced</div><div>-1 stalk celery, diced</div><div>-1/2 onion, diced</div><div>-1 small can crushed tomatoes or 1/2 small can tomato paste</div><div>-1-2 bay leaves</div><div>-1 Tbs black pepper corns</div><div>-1 clove</div><div>-2 cloves garlic, smashed</div><div>-1 sprig rosemary</div><div>-2 sprigs thyme</div><div>-canola oil</div><div>-flour</div><div>-salt and pepper</div><div><br /></div><div>Season the oxtail with salt and pepper and dredge in flour. Heat up 1 Tbsp of canola oil in a heavy pot or dutch oven large enough to hold all of the oxtail in a single layer. Sear the oxtail on all sides at medium high heat. Remove the oxtail and add the onion, carrot, celery and garlic. Cook the vegetables, over medium heat until soft. You don't want to brown them. </div><div><br /></div><div>Add the wine, stock, tomato, rosemary, thyme, bay leaf, clove, and peppercorns and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and place a cheesecloth over the top of the braising mixture. Put the oxtail on top so that it is partially submerged in the liquid, but separated from the onions, etc.</div><div><br /></div><div>Cover and place in a 250F oven for 3 hours. Remove, the oxtails, strain out the solids in the braising liquid, and then reduce the braising liquid until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. While the braising liquid is reducing, use a fork to remove the oxtail from the bone and break it into small chunks. Toss with the reduce braising liquid and let simmer.</div><div><br /></div><div>While the oxtail is simmering, heat up a nonstick skillet, add butter, and the gnocchi. Brown the gnocchi, then add the oxtail. Toss everything together and let sit in the warm pan for a minute or so. Place in a serving bowl, garnished with grated parmesan cheese, parsley, and olive oil. </div>Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12732753839650189316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7070044878356100345.post-27235510146823893842010-12-31T08:18:00.000-08:002011-02-27T20:47:03.152-08:00Ramen noodles with ginger scallion sauce, ginger-honey-soy glazed pork belly, and stir fried broccoli and carrots<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TR4CwtMj0-I/AAAAAAAAFG4/2x-GSFaWso4/s1600/P1130950.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TR4CwtMj0-I/AAAAAAAAFG4/2x-GSFaWso4/s400/P1130950.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556882026011022306" /></a>This dish is pretty straight forward. For the noodles, I followed this <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Momofuku-David-Chang/dp/030745195X">recipe</a> from the Momofuku cookbook, and the veggies were just stir fried over high heat with a little ginger. Here's the recipe for the pork belly:<div><br /></div><div>INGREDIENTS</div><div>1 lb pork belly</div><div>1 c soy sauce</div><div>1 c honey</div><div>~2 inch piece of ginger, grated.</div><div>5 spice powder</div><div><br /></div><div>Preheat oven to 225F</div><div><br /></div><div>Remove skin from the pork belly, rub five spice powder over the surface, and sear on medium high heat on all sides in an oven proof pan. Remove the pork belly and pour off most of the fat. </div><div><br /></div><div>Add the grated garlic. You may also want to try throwing other aromatics such as garlic, bay leaf, or cloves. Cook for about a minutes, then add the soy sauce and honey. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring to make sure everything is combined.</div><div><br /></div><div>Put the pork belly back in the pan and place everything in the oven and let roast for 2.5 to 3 hours, turning and basting occasionally.</div><div><br /></div><div>When the pork belly is done, remove it from the oven and reduce the soy-ginger-honey mixture over high heat until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Add the pork belly to the glaze, and turn in the pan so it is thoroughly coated.</div><div><br /></div><div>Slice and serve with the noodles and stir fried veggies.</div><div><br /></div>Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12732753839650189316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7070044878356100345.post-9380626971388243562010-12-19T08:00:00.000-08:002010-12-19T08:48:07.445-08:00Pickles galore<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TQV2JEcPQBI/AAAAAAAAFGo/C0gJGFZMxgs/s1600/pickles.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 297px;" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TQV2JEcPQBI/AAAAAAAAFGo/C0gJGFZMxgs/s400/pickles.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549972013987086354" /></a>Finally, a post from DC. A few weeks ago, Liz and Zach came over to make tons and tons of pickles. While it was a fun operation, it left my apartment smelling like vinegar for several days afterwards.<div><br /></div><div>I've actually only opened up one jar so far, but that one turned out OK. Most of the veggies we used came from the farmers' market, which were in their closing weeks here in DC at the time. The checklist of pickles includes typical cucumber pickles, green beans, red peppers, onions, hot peppers, carrots, fennel, radishes and garlic. We also made some jars of mixed vegetables along with some preserved lemons. Hopefully these pickles will make appearances in meals throughout the winter.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TQV2IRPnApI/AAAAAAAAFGg/CCvnBFMMsNk/s1600/pickle1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 308px; height: 400px;" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TQV2IRPnApI/AAAAAAAAFGg/CCvnBFMMsNk/s400/pickle1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549972000243909266" /></a><br /></div>Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12732753839650189316noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7070044878356100345.post-77409628787002813022010-12-13T17:00:00.000-08:002010-12-13T17:00:00.612-08:00Last dinner in my Chicago kitchen<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TQVw6M4xBiI/AAAAAAAAFGI/eciF4D3FCiM/s1600/tomatoes.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 308px;" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TQVw6M4xBiI/AAAAAAAAFGI/eciF4D3FCiM/s400/tomatoes.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549966260998047266" /></a>Here's the last dinner I made in my Chicago kitchen. Tomato salad, braised greens, grilled corn with chile and lime, and grilled steak. It was a bit of an eclectic mix. But it used up the last of the vegetables in the fridge.<div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>The tomato salad was pretty straight forward. Just slice up the tomatos, mix with thinly sliced shallots, capers, olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TQVw5-mB4fI/AAAAAAAAFGA/R83c1tmMuTI/s1600/greens.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 324px; height: 400px;" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TQVw5-mB4fI/AAAAAAAAFGA/R83c1tmMuTI/s400/greens.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549966257161363954" /></a><div style="text-align: left;">The greens (purple kale) were braised in some pork stock and a smoked ham hoc that had been sitting in my freezer. I also added some red pepper flakes and raisins. The raisins add a nice bit of sweetness and they soak up a lot of the savory flavors from the braising liquid. To make this dish, you want to start by sauting one bunch of sliced up kale along with a few cloves of sliced garlic. Add the stock, ham hoc, raisins, red pepper flakes, and maybe a tablespoon of cider vinegar. Let this simmer for a while (until the greens are very soft), remove the ham hoc, pick off the meat and toss this in with the greens.</div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TQVw40EuhjI/AAAAAAAAFFw/32rFawxtOnQ/s1600/corn.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 312px;" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TQVw40EuhjI/AAAAAAAAFFw/32rFawxtOnQ/s400/corn.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549966237157459506" /></a>I served the corn with a chile lime spread. I made the spread by mixing melted or softened butter with mayo in about a 1 to 3 ratio, and then adding lime juice and Mexican chile powder. Slathered over some grilled corn, this stuff is really, really good.<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TQVw5AyLrMI/AAAAAAAAFF4/QlEaAa7KeZ8/s1600/dinner.jpg"></a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TQVw5AyLrMI/AAAAAAAAFF4/QlEaAa7KeZ8/s1600/dinner.jpg"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TQVw5AyLrMI/AAAAAAAAFF4/QlEaAa7KeZ8/s400/dinner.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549966240569339074" style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 270px; " /></a><div><br /></div></div>Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12732753839650189316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7070044878356100345.post-51198129205429404712010-12-13T09:00:00.000-08:002010-12-13T09:00:00.719-08:00Eggs in purgatory<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TQV0Y9FrEjI/AAAAAAAAFGU/uMGxnDcrV6Y/s1600/eggs.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 248px;" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TQV0Y9FrEjI/AAAAAAAAFGU/uMGxnDcrV6Y/s400/eggs.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549970087868043826" /></a>I made this as an appetizer for a going away party Abby and I had back in Chicago. It's a crowd pleaser that's easy to make. Start with a basic tomato sauce recipe, such as the one used for <a href="http://abby-n-sam.blogspot.com/2008/02/bucatini-allamatraciana.html">this dish</a>. Add a healthy amount of red pepper flakes to make the sauce nice and spicy.<div><br /></div><div>Once your done with the sauce, pour it into an oven proof serving dish, crack some eggs on top, and bake until just done. Serve this dish with bread. I think it's best when you can brush the bread with some olive oil and throw it on the grill until it gets some nice grill marks on it. </div>Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12732753839650189316noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7070044878356100345.post-85372853456832568692010-12-12T16:56:00.000-08:002010-12-12T17:00:37.198-08:00Grilled pork tenderloin with apple cider reduction, grilled sweet potato with rosemary, and wilted escarole with garlic chips<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TQVvRCWB8VI/AAAAAAAAFFk/cGlUTEofzk8/s1600/porkpotatoes.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TQVvRCWB8VI/AAAAAAAAFFk/cGlUTEofzk8/s400/porkpotatoes.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549964454281736530" /></a>Here's another dish from back in Chicago. It's been a while, so I don't remember all the details, for the escarole, tenderloin and sauce. The sweet potatoes couldn't be easier though. Just chop up some rosemary, mix it in with olive oil, and toss this mixture together with some sliced rounds of sweet potato. Grill until finished. This is one of my favorite side dishes for summer grilling.Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12732753839650189316noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7070044878356100345.post-27507296880305787862010-12-12T16:41:00.000-08:002010-12-12T16:55:05.672-08:00Catching up<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TQVrxgoPfAI/AAAAAAAAFFY/PJYKShjkpjI/s1600/carrotssteak.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 285px;" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TQVrxgoPfAI/AAAAAAAAFFY/PJYKShjkpjI/s400/carrotssteak.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549960614120487938" /></a>It's been more than three months since I moved from Chicago to DC, but I still have a few photos from Chicago. Most of the dinners I cooked last summer were pretty straight forward preparations of ingredients I would pick up at the Wicker Park farmer's market (btw, I am shocked at how much more expensive the farmer's markets are here in DC). Here is one of those meals: a grilled lamb shoulder chop and roasted carrots with dill. I had made roasted carrots from one of the stands at the Wicker Park market <a href="http://abby-n-sam.blogspot.com/2010/07/roasted-chicken-carrots-spring-onions.html">earlier</a> and they were soooo good. Here, I just tossed them with a little dill, olive oil, and salt.Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12732753839650189316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7070044878356100345.post-83279510346863649322010-08-06T10:14:00.000-07:002010-08-06T10:14:00.533-07:00Tasty, tasty goat at Birrieria Zaragoza<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TFrzcOlxGXI/AAAAAAAAFEY/7FsAn9fEcsQ/s1600/P1120854.JPG"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TFrzcOlxGXI/AAAAAAAAFEY/7FsAn9fEcsQ/s400/P1120854.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501977561064872306" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 397px; " /></a></div><div>Last weekend, we inadvertently did a tour of Yelp's top Chicago restaurants. That Alinea would be near the top of Chicago's Yelp ratings is obvious, but we had no idea that (as of this posting) Birrieria Zaragoza would hold the top spot. A lot of people have issues with Yelp, and Zaragoza's perch on top of the Chicago Yelp scene has a lot to do with these issues: namely, small, self-selecting samples can hardly be expected to yield reliable results. Leaving aside the sampling issues, though, one fact remains. Birrieria Zaragoza makes some damn tasty goat. And it's a good thing they do, because that's really your only option if you choose to dine there. The menu consists of large plates of goat, small plates of goat, and goat tacos. If you aren't in the mood for goat, you can order quesadillas or tortillas and salsa, but if you aren't in the mood for goat, I have no idea why you would make the trek down to this place.</div><div><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TFrzbtCRJfI/AAAAAAAAFEQ/EjYrslSov50/s1600/P1120852.JPG"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TFrzbtCRJfI/AAAAAAAAFEQ/EjYrslSov50/s400/P1120852.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501977552057607666" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 340px; height: 400px; " /></a></div><div>Zaragoza is a family run place, and everyone working there is super nice and clearly enthusiastic about what they do. So, while the food is great, the friendly service may be even better.</div><div><br /></div><div>Birria is a stewed meat dish, typically made with goat, that hails from Central Mexico. Zaragoza's version is absolutely delicious. It's not too far away from Midway airport, so it's definitely worth checking out if you need to go there for any reason. The birria (pictured above) comes in a variety of different textures - from crispy to falling apart tender - depending on the particular cut. A plate of goat is served with freshly made tortillas, and it's a good idea to order a side of their salsa</div><div><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TFrzbXqMpTI/AAAAAAAAFEI/-FG7lOHROs0/s1600/P1120845.JPG"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TFrzbXqMpTI/AAAAAAAAFEI/-FG7lOHROs0/s400/P1120845.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501977546319504690" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 310px; " /></a></div><div>You can eat the birria alone or you can make your own tacos. I recommend the later because the fresh tortillas are so good. </div><div><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TFrzcrQFJBI/AAAAAAAAFEg/3DlKJiXSKXc/s1600/P1120860.JPG"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TFrzcrQFJBI/AAAAAAAAFEg/3DlKJiXSKXc/s400/P1120860.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501977568758539282" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 342px; height: 400px; " /></a></div>Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12732753839650189316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7070044878356100345.post-71023655808064460692010-08-05T09:13:00.001-07:002010-08-05T09:27:33.770-07:00A couple Alinea pics<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TFrjuFNY5uI/AAAAAAAAFD8/dkZOLVVbuUc/s400/kitchen.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501960275598304994" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 174px; " /></span></div><div><div style="text-align: left;">While we didn't take pictures of most of the meal, we did manage to grab a couple of snap shots...they aren't great, but I might as well post them. A shot of Alinea's impeccably clean, calm, quite kitchen. It seems like more of a lab than a kitchen.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Here is a picture of the English Pea dish that I liked so much. The dark spheres are "sherry caviar" that explode in your mouth when you eat them. Very cool.</div><div><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TFrjliqBPyI/AAAAAAAAFDU/MLYOn358zOo/s1600/IMAG0125_edit0.jpg"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TFrjliqBPyI/AAAAAAAAFDU/MLYOn358zOo/s400/IMAG0125_edit0.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501960128884195106" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 358px; " /></a></div></div><div>And here are some shots capturing the process for the chocolate dish that they finish with. They start by laying out a rubber or latex table cloth, painting it with white chocolate sauce and arranging chunks of meringue, some type of coconut pudding or mousse, and chocolate disks (in the cups) </div><div><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TFrjl8edeMI/AAAAAAAAFDc/GspsbtJLNPg/s1600/Chocolate1.jpg"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TFrjl8edeMI/AAAAAAAAFDc/GspsbtJLNPg/s400/Chocolate1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501960135815035074" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a></div><div>Then they spread chocolate cookie crumbs around the table and place these big, freeze dried chunks of chocolate mousse in the center</div><div><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TFrjmhq8rxI/AAAAAAAAFDk/qUp3ZK3eGX4/s1600/Chocolate4.jpg"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TFrjmhq8rxI/AAAAAAAAFDk/qUp3ZK3eGX4/s400/Chocolate4.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501960145799524114" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></a>They smash the mousse into smaller pieces and then add chunks of menthol that are very, very intense....like Altoids on steroids.</div><div><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TFrjnODxEyI/AAAAAAAAFDs/dabEj94GCo4/s1600/Chocolate2.jpg"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TFrjnODxEyI/AAAAAAAAFDs/dabEj94GCo4/s400/Chocolate2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501960157714780962" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></a></div><div>And here is the finished product. Quite a complicated dish for something that the menu calls "Chocolate, coconut, menthol, hyssop." <a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TFrjndcK2tI/AAAAAAAAFD0/nmsPCltNnPI/s1600/Chocolate3.jpg"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TFrjndcK2tI/AAAAAAAAFD0/nmsPCltNnPI/s400/Chocolate3.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501960161843665618" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div>Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12732753839650189316noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7070044878356100345.post-287195232695388412010-08-04T16:45:00.000-07:002010-08-04T17:27:41.033-07:00Alinea<div style="text-align: left;">Last weekend, we finally went to Alinea. We didn't get any pictures of the meal, but they probably wouldn't have done the food justice as the light in our dining room was pretty low. Here's a copy of the menu, though.</div><div><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TFn-PEroh5I/AAAAAAAAFDI/KdP1VQ0wOts/s1600/Alinea_Aug1.jpg"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TFn-PEroh5I/AAAAAAAAFDI/KdP1VQ0wOts/s400/Alinea_Aug1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501707954718017426" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 309px; height: 400px; " /></a></div><div>Each course has such a simple name that belies its sophistication. For example, "Tomatoes" included a number of different types of tomatoes, cut into different shapes with a variety of accompaniments such as a caramelized, balsamic onion, bits of grated parmesan, basil seeds, and crushed pine nuts, to name a few. However, the dish doesn't stop with the food on the plate. The plate is served on top of a pillow filled with air that is infused with the aroma of fresh cut grass. The air slowly escapes as you eat the dish, which manages to combine the summery, fresh taste and texture of tomatoes with a scent that is unmistakably summer. This might sound pretentious, but it works. The level of thought that went into this dish is typical of each course we had. </div><div><br /></div><div>While it is hard to pick a favorite, I think the standout dishes were English Pea, King Crab, Hot Potato, and Black Truffle. The pea dish was incredibly creative, and I loved how each bite had a different combination of ingredients and flavors that worked together beautifully. The potato and truffle dishes were both single bites that were overwhelmingly flavorful. The King Crab dish was interesting because it presented the main ingredients - crab, rhubarb, lilac, and fennel - in three different preparation: one cold, one room temperature, and one hot. Each one was incredibly flavorful and completely unique. </div><div><br /></div><div>While I'm typically not a dessert person, the Chocolate dish was also really impressive simply because of its presentation. The chocolate dish is prepared directly on your table, and resembles something like a cross between a moonscape and an edible Jackson Pollock painting. We were fortunate enough to have Grant Achatz assemble the dessert for us. I think my favorite part about the dessert, though, was the fact that they paired it with a port that was older than I am.</div><div><br /></div><div>I've eaten at a number of really nice restaurants, and it is rare that I have a dish that surprises me. Usually, a dish impresses me because it represents a precise execution of familiar flavors. I know where the dish came from and, given enough practice, I might have been able to come up with something similar in my own kitchen. At Alinea? Not even close. Every single dish introduced completely different flavors and flavor combinations prepared in ways that I never would have dreamed of. </div><div><br /></div><div>A meal here can be prohibitively expensive, but if you care about food, this is a place worth saving up for. If you're a sports fan, you shell out for tickets if your team makes it to the finals; if you're a food fan, you go to Alinea. This place serves the most interesting, if not the best tasting, food that I have ever had.</div>Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12732753839650189316noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7070044878356100345.post-63333460737029536662010-07-20T08:48:00.000-07:002010-07-20T08:58:03.717-07:00Grilled leeks with basil vinaigrette and grilled Mint Creek Farms ham steak<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TEXFhFoxRTI/AAAAAAAAFCc/zqixsAdRK9w/s1600/DSC_1484.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TEXFhFoxRTI/AAAAAAAAFCc/zqixsAdRK9w/s400/DSC_1484.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496016092515091762" /></a>Here's another meal from the farmer's market. This is a fairly simple dish, so it was a good week night meal. For the leeks, just cut off the dark green parts, cut a slit, lengthwise, down the leeks, leaving a half inch intact near the base, and rinse the leeks. Braise in water with some bay leaves and peppercorns for about 15 minutes to soften them up. Remove the leeks, finish cutting them in half, and then grill for a few minutes on each side until they are slightly charred. Top the leeks with any vinaigrette and let sit for a few minutes to soak in the flavors. I made a vinaigrette from red wine vinegar, olive oil, basil, garlic, and mustard. While the leeks are marinating in the vinaigrette, grill the ham steaks for a couple minutes on each side. Since the ham is already smoked and cured, you only need to grill it long enough to warm them up and add grill marks. As with most other pork dishes I make, I finished them off with some fennel pollen.Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12732753839650189316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7070044878356100345.post-44155202180427874022010-07-16T12:08:00.000-07:002010-07-16T12:37:35.109-07:00My "Go-To" Pasta Dish<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TECwquywOtI/AAAAAAAAFBY/EeYM2m9BLMY/s1600/final.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 309px;" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TECwquywOtI/AAAAAAAAFBY/EeYM2m9BLMY/s400/final.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494585793553906386" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">I probably make orechiette with rapini and sausage more than any other pasta dish. This is an easy dish to make, which may be why I turn to it so frequently, but it also has a really nice balance of flavors. Another nice thing about this dish is that you can leave the meat out without losing too much flavor, making it a nice option for vegetarians.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div><br /><div>You can make this dish with regular supermarket brocolli, and it is quite good, but I prefer the more bitter rapini, or broccoli raab. This is a classic dish that appears on numerous restaurant menus and on this blog <a href="http://abby-n-sam.blogspot.com/search/label/Pasta">here</a> and <a href="http://abby-n-sam.blogspot.com/2007/11/orrechiette-with-sausage-and-rapini.html">here</a>. Because I make this dish so frequently, I have had the chance to tweak the recipe several times. The main difference between this dish and the last version that I posted is the addition of oven roasted tomatoes. In my opinion, the "brightness" and acidity of the tomatoes is a welcome addition to this dish. I've made this iteration of the dish three or four times and am pretty pleased with it, so I thought I should include a step-by-step on how to make it.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>First, we'll start with the necessary ingredients. This recipe makes two large servings or four to five servings if it is served as the pasta course for a multi-course meal. If you gather and prep your ingredients ahead of time, assembly is a snap.</div><div><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TECwhI4pXrI/AAAAAAAAFBQ/OnbQ2Kll-X8/s1600/ingredients1.jpg"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TECwhI4pXrI/AAAAAAAAFBQ/OnbQ2Kll-X8/s400/ingredients1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494585628759252658" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 395px; " /></a></div><div>You will need 2 cups of dried orechiette, 1/4 cup walnuts (toasted), 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, 3 cloves of roughly chopped garlic, 2-3 oven roast Roman tomatoes, 1/2-3/4 bunch of rapini, 1 Italian sausage, 1-2 anchovy fillets, olive oil, and red wine or balsamic vinegar. You may also add 1/2 to 1 tsp of red pepper flakes if you want to add a little heat.</div><div><br /></div><div>Start by bringing a pot of water to a rapid boil. Salt the water and blanche the rapini for a little over a minute.</div><div><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TECxyu6yicI/AAAAAAAAFBk/wL9lbe6spaM/s1600/rapini.jpg"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TECxyu6yicI/AAAAAAAAFBk/wL9lbe6spaM/s400/rapini.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494587030538193346" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 268px; height: 400px; " /></a></div><div>Remove the rapini and rinse under cold water. Set the rapini aside and let it drain in a collander. Bring the water back to a boil and add the pasta (you can add a little oil to the water to reduce foaming in the pasta water). The pasta will be done in about 10 minutes, and you can use this time to finish the other ingredients. First, remove the sausage from the casing and break apart into small chunks.</div><div><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TECyfX4XT2I/AAAAAAAAFBs/3WfkhqvCGzA/s1600/sausage.jpg"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TECyfX4XT2I/AAAAAAAAFBs/3WfkhqvCGzA/s400/sausage.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494587797448118114" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 254px; " /></a></div><div>Cook the sausage with 1 Tbsp of olive oil for 2 to 4 minutes over medium high heat. When the sausage has browned, drain on a paper towel, leaving the oil in the pan. Add the garlic, anchovy, and red pepper flakes to the pan and cook over medium until the garlic just begins to change color.</div><div><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TECyf2c_X9I/AAAAAAAAFB0/lidzGv9HrQ4/s1600/garlic.jpg"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TECyf2c_X9I/AAAAAAAAFB0/lidzGv9HrQ4/s400/garlic.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494587805654802386" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 247px; " /></a></div><div>Once the garlic begins to turn golden brown, add the rapini and the oven roasted tomatoes. Before adding these ingredients, cut the rapini into 1 inch length, and cut the oven roasted tomato halves (you will have 4 to 6 of these halves) into quarters. (To make oven roasted tomatoes, just cut the roma tomatoes in half, length wise, toss with olive oil and salt, and roast in a 200F oven for about 8 hours). </div><div><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TECygq7U42I/AAAAAAAAFB8/MExGDwWLI6w/s1600/tomatoes.jpg"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TECygq7U42I/AAAAAAAAFB8/MExGDwWLI6w/s400/tomatoes.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494587819740685154" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 232px; " /></a></div><div>Toss everything together and let the mixture cook for another couple minutes.</div><div><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TECyhP8y8vI/AAAAAAAAFCE/NUUGc8ibPMg/s1600/walnuts.jpg"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TECyhP8y8vI/AAAAAAAAFCE/NUUGc8ibPMg/s400/walnuts.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494587829678961394" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 280px; " /></a></div><div>Next, you will need to add the walnuts. Make sure to toast the walnuts in a dry frying pan, toaster oven, or oven before using them. This brings out the flavor a bit. If you don't toast the walnuts, they can have a sort of stale flavor to them, so this step is key. Roughly chop the walnuts and then toss them in with everything else. </div><div><br /></div><div>When the pasta is al dente, add it to the pan with all of the other ingredients along with 1/4 to 1/3 cup of the cooking water. </div><div><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TECyh4FT1MI/AAAAAAAAFCM/D_7pQuRigg0/s1600/toss.jpg"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TECyh4FT1MI/AAAAAAAAFCM/D_7pQuRigg0/s400/toss.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494587840452089026" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px; " /></a></div><div>Toss everything together, then add the parmesan cheese, 1 Tbsp vinegar, and season with a pinch of freshly cracked black pepper.</div>Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12732753839650189316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7070044878356100345.post-49050365419489735002010-07-02T16:25:00.000-07:002010-12-12T16:55:55.197-08:00Roasted chicken, carrots, spring onions, and blue potatoes<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TC51tYNzdII/AAAAAAAAFAw/wvqq-bJkTeM/s1600/DSC_0805.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 262px;" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zqH58lUT0F8/TC51tYNzdII/AAAAAAAAFAw/wvqq-bJkTeM/s400/DSC_0805.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489454418266125442" /></a>A lot of times, you hear cooks say a key to good cooking is to buy good ingredients, and try your best not to mess them up. This was one of those dinners. The farmers markets here in Chicago are in full swing, and just about everything I used in this dish except for the olive oil, butter, and lemons, came from either the local farmers market or the community garden. What I love about the farmers market is that when you buy something like a carrot, you have a huge variety to choose from. The same goes for just about every other vegetable or fruit, including the onions and potatoes I used in this dish. While roasted chicken and root vegetables are typically thought of as a fall or winter dish, the way I look at it, anything I get at the farmer's market is, by definition, seasonal cooking, and it tasted just as good on a warm summer evening as it would on a cold winter night. <div><br /></div><div>Here's the recipe. It could not be more simple.</div><div><br /></div><div>Brine the chicken (look up your favorite brine recipe online).</div><div>Remove from brine, pat dry, and let come to room temperature.</div><div>Season with salt and pepper, put a lemon wedge, herbs, and some smashed garlic cloves in the cavity.</div><div>Truss the chicken.</div><div>Toss the vegetables with olive oil, salt, and pepper.</div><div>In a 12 inch skillet, arrange the vegetables and place the chicken on top. Add a few lemon wedges to the skillet.</div><div>Drizzle a bit of olive oil over the chicken or place a couple pieces of butter on top of the chicken.</div><div>Roast in a 450 to 475F oven for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 400F and continue to roast until the chicken breast is 160F.</div><div>Remove the chicken and let it rest on the cutting board for at least 15 minutes.</div><div>In the meantime, toss the vegetables in the pan to glaze them, and add any herbs. I used a bit of dill, chives, garlic scapes, and parsley. </div>Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12732753839650189316noreply@blogger.com0