Evenings With Peter

Lazy Beans

2012-02-07T11:54:00.000-05:00

This is such a festive soup and great to make with leftovers found after rummaging through the refrigerator and freezer. Why not throw a little kale or Swiss chard in to finish? We did!

This is how our lazy soup started, simmering bones and broth and whatever else we had on hand to make a fine stock.

Lazy Pasta and Bean Soup
Serves 10
Ingredients
2 quarts of stock, any combination of chicken, pork, and beef
1 lb. sweet sausage, casings removed
1 carrot, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 medium onions, diced
1 28 oz. can of diced tomatoes
1 lb. bag of Hurst 15-bean mix, soaked overnight and drained
1/2 lb. tubetti pasta, or any small tubular pasta such as elbow macaroni

Simmer the stock for one hour with one handful of dried soup greens (such carrots, garlic, celery, onions) and any bones you might have from the freezer. Liberally season with sea salt and ground black pepper.

Brown sausage in 4 quart pot with 1 TB olive oil, breaking it down as you go. Set aside and refrigerate.

In same pot, cook carrot, celery and onions until translucent, not browned. Add can of tomatoes with juice. Let simmer 3-5 minutes. Add beans and stock and let simmer further for 2 1/2 hours. Add sausage and continue simmering for 15 minutes. Stir in pasta, cover, turn off flame and let sit for 20 minutes.

Season with grated Parmesan and serve.

Do enjoy!

Super Bowl Snacks

2012-02-06T07:52:00.009-05:00

Although I really have no affiliation with football at all, I loved Madonna during half-time and was sorry to see my home-based Patriots lose. But the Giants defeat over the Patriots had nothing to do with our mercurial girrlll!

We supported our compatriots with this:

In anticipation of the kick-off, Baby and I made a Layered Chicken Three-Cheese Enchilada from a recent Williams-Sonoma catalog as well as a batch of Classic Margaritas to er, get the ball rolling. Both are simply executed and well suited up any time of year.

Do enjoy!

One Pot Meals

2012-02-04T18:54:00.000-05:00

A simple chili dinner for a friend turned into somewhat of a bacchanal when our neighbors dropped by last Friday. As always, a judicious scattering of elegant serving ware is prudent with some fine napkins to accompany, whatever the event and however unexpected it may be. My relatives used to speak of boiling an extra potato in case a friend or a hobo dropped by. Throw everything onto the table! Of course! With our one pot meals prepared beforehand, this was all such an easy delight.

A little unleashed ambiance created by candles will pull together any meal.

It was a total blast, as we also reheated some recently braised pork to add to the proverbial pot, poured a few more accompanying Fritos on our plates...

and cracked open at least a few more bottles of wine.

Do enjoy fully prepping beforehand--as well as embracing the unexpected!

Shouldn't You Just...?

2012-02-03T11:35:00.001-05:00

Find a few old Simplicity patterns and use them as centerpieces and runners for your table, if only for a while? Adding a favorite cookbook to your table top works as well with perhaps a fanciful Nancy Drew mystery novel.

Further set your table by adding dishes, utensils and accoutrements...

And make Kalua pork with sriracha aioli! I don't have a slow cooker as the recipe suggests, so I just used an ample enamel Dutch oven. The oven temperature didn't go over 200 degrees and it cooked slowly overnight, about 12 hours.

Observe the gorgeous hue of preternatural blue from the black lava salt, and the fat cascading off the bone!

The pork turned into Frito pie!

Do enjoy!

Kalua Pork Sliders with Sriracha Aioli
Adapted from foodista.com
Ingredients
Kalua Pork Ingredients:
5-6 lbs pork butt
2 tbsp black Hawaiian lava salt
1 1/2 tbsp liquid smoke
Slider buns
Dill pickle slices
Lots of time (16 - 20 hrs)
Sriracha Aioli Ingredients:
2 egg yolks
1 cup canola oil
2 tbsp Sriracha
Juice from one lemon
Pinch of salt

Preparation:

Take your pork butt, poke a bunch of holes in it with a knife and rub with the Hawaiian salt and liquid smoke.

After you thoroughly rub your pork but with the the salt and liquid smoke, put it in a crock pot on low for 16-20 hrs. It's a fantastic meal to start the night before you want to eat it. Let it cook all through the night and all day at work and you'll have a great surprise when you get home from work the next day.

After 16-20 hrs in the slow cooker, the kalua pork should be finely pulled apart. It's easy to pull apart by grabbing two forks and just getting to work. Mix the meat up with all of the delicious simmering sauce and keep it on warm.

Now it's time for the aioli. Simply add your egg yolks, Sriracha, lemon juice and a pinch of salt to bowl of your food processor and blend until the eggs are slightly frothy, about 1 minute.

Once the eggs are beaten, slowly add your canola oil while the mixer is running.

Garnish your slider buns with pickle and the aoili and serve!

Modern advice on etiquette for the not-so-new millennium.

Flan-tastic!

2012-02-03T10:45:00.001-05:00

My friend from college loathes flan, and has even recently launched iwishilikedflan.com, where, among many other things that irritate him, he hilariously blogs about his discontent with the Spanish eggy confection. There are a range of foods that people wave away of course (my list is very small, including pretty much only brains, pickled snake, and crickets), but usually I tell these persnickety naysayers that if they don't like something, it's probably because they've never tried a proper preparation. So I assume that what my flan hating friend doesn't like about flan is the wiggly, syrupy consistency. I daresay this old-world recipe that I got from my Spanish neighbor might just change his ways. It's rather more like a granular, ricotta cheesecake and is the best I have ever tasted. Flan Hater is putting his wife to work to try it out and I anxiously await the details! And btw, congrats on the new website!

Flan
Ingredients
3 eggs (full)
3 yolks
2 cans condensed milk
2 can evaporated milk
Vanilla
Sugar

Method
Turn on oven at 375 degrees.
Turn 1/2 cup of sugar into caramel. When ready put in mold.
Put the 3 full eggs in blender with 1 can of condensed milk, and 1 can of evaporated milk. Blend and put aside.
Put the 3 yolks in blender and blend. Add 1 can of condensed milk, and 1 can of evaporated milk. Blend and add to the previous mix. Add a little bit of vanilla.
Put all this mix in the mold with the caramel.
Put this mold in a bigger one to do a Bano Maria (Bain Marie) in the oven.
Cook for one hour. Ready when a stick will come out clean.
When cooled down, turn mold upside down.

Do enjoy!

Covered in Treacle

2012-02-02T12:18:00.007-05:00

It seems like I have been baking like mad recently, partly I suppose because all the freshly baked cookies and cakes are so comforting in these dreary months (no matter how warm they might be). While I was searching for a recipe for molasses cookies, an image of Lyle's black treacle popped up.

Baby had actually brought some of this stuff, akin to gasoline, back to the states from a recent business trip to London. With some trepidation, I wrested open the can and curiously peered inside before setting to work to make what turned out to be the most delicious cookies! If you don't happen to have black treacle skulking around your kitchen cabinets, dark molasses will do. What I suggest doing: bake the cookies somewhere around 8-10 minutes and then press each cookie once with the back of a spoon before putting them back into the oven for another 5 minutes. This dries them out a little, and makes them harder, turning them into more of a crisp pantry cookie than the soft-ish variety.

Conversions courtesy of me, in italics.

Black Treacle Cookies
Black Treacle Cookies adapted from Chew Treacle Cookies by Karin Christian on All Recipes UK
Makes: approximately 72 medium sized cookies
Ingredients
305 grams unsalted butter (beurre doux) 2 1/3 sticks
400 grams caster sugar (sucre semoule) 2 cups of superfine sugar in the states; take granulated and throw it in your food processor for a few minutes until dusty
120 ml black treacle 1/2 cup
2 eggs (oeufs frais)
500 grams plain flour (type 55 farine) 4 cups
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (2 cuillère à dessert cannelle)
1 teaspoon nutmeg (1 cuillère à dessert muscade)
1 teaspoon ground ginger (1 cuillère à dessert gingembre)
1 teaspoon salt (1 cuillère à dessert sel)
granulated sugar for coating (sucre cristal)

Instructions
1. Melt the butter then let it cool to room temperature.
2. In a large bowl, beat together the melted butter, sugar, eggs, and black treacle. (Tip: Lightly grease your measuring device with vegetable oil before measuring out the black treacle so that it will slide out more easily.)
3. In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients.
4. Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture in thirds, beating well after each addition. Chill dough for at least 3 hours.
5. Form the dough into walnut-sized balls and roll each ball in granulated sugar. Place on a greased baking sheet (or silicone baking mat) approximately 5 cm apart.
6. Bake cookies at 190 Celsius (375 degrees) for 8 to 10 minutes.

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Scones

2012-02-01T08:38:00.003-05:00

Going through our kitchen cabinets, I found a can of pumpkin puree. As I am always trying to use things we already have on hand, I thought this would be a great opportunity to make pumpkin bread! Alas, I also discovered we hardly had any flour, which surely must signify end of days. There was a bag of whole wheat flour though and as I traipsed along the internet, I found this recipe for whole wheat pumpkin scones from adashofsass.com that was perfect to utilize a number of ingredients filling our kitchen shelves. As you can see above, I prepped most of my ingredients beforehand--baking powder, vanilla, the wheat flour and a blend of four spices in one ramekin, as they were all going in the mix together at the same time.

Cubed butter is seen here. Note to self: buy more butter!

Get a solid pastry blender to work the butter into the flour and spices, until it is granular, like sand.

Mixing the dry ingredients that I had prepped, along with the wet ingredients such an egg, the puree and vanilla extract. I also incorporated some chocolate chips that were lurking about in the refrigerator and formed all into a 7'x7' shape, about an inch thick. This was then cut into pieces, glazed with an egg and topped with turbinado sugar.

Et voila, scones hot out of the oven!

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Scones
From adashofsass.com
Ingredients
2 cups white whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup fine baker’s sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 eggs
1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 tablespoon heavy cream
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cubed or grated, then placed back in refrigerator until needed
3/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted
Raw sugar or sparkling sugar (optional)
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips or raisins or dried apricots (optional)

Directions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a cast iron scone pan or line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium-sized bowl, stir together the pumpkin, cream, vanilla and one egg until combined. Place bowl in the refrigerator while preparing the dry ingredients.
- In a large bowl, sift together the flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar. Stir in the cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves.
- Using a pastry blender, two forks or your fingers, quickly work the cold butter cubes into the dry ingredients. Work until the mixture resembles a crumbly, sandy mixture.
- Add the cold wet ingredients to the crumbly mixture using a rubber spatula. Only stir until combined.
- Carefully add 1/2 cup of the chopped pecans and any additional add-ins (chocolate chips, raisins, apricots). Reserve the remaining 1/4 cup chopped pecans to sprinkle on the top of the scones. Knead the dough briefly, if needed.
- Pour the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Shape into a 7 inch square that is approximately 1 inch thick. Using a large knife, carefully cut the square into quarters. Then cut each quarter into four even pieces. Place on lined baking sheet or prepared cast iron pan.
- In a small bowl, beat the remaining egg with a fork. Using a pastry brush, brush each scone lightly with the egg. Sprinkle with raw or sparkling sugar and the remaining pecans.
- Bake for 16-17 minutes. Be careful not to overbake or the scones will dry out. Remove from pan to a wire rack to cool. Serve warm or store in an airtight container for up to a week.

Spring Fling!

2012-01-22T22:39:00.009-05:00

My brilliant cousin gave me a beautiful vintage table cloth with bouquets of muted pink and teal flowers against a bordered pale blue and white background. When she saw it at a flea market it struck her because she remembered from a recent visit that we had set of hand-embroidered floral napkins that would match perfectly. She also paired this with a set of blue candlesticks to wrap up the whole thing, suggesting it would be an idyllic spring table setting. But who can wait? I hastened to set up a somewhat wintry table with the promise of spring just bursting through and launched my Spring Fling!

Behold this woodland creature who stopped by!

An issue of Gourmet magazine set the stage for this one, from January of 2008. The fabulous menu for eight is quite extensive and looked absolutely exhausting and impossible to execute without staff! I just cut down on the outrageously overwrought menu and corners as well to make it as simple as I could. I prepped the sugared blackberries days before, planned my table, braised the pork in advance and had the pots and pans I would need at the ready the day of the party. Don't forget to chill lots of white wine! Biscuits were courtesy of Pillsbury.

Champagne punch was served first before we moved to the dining table for my Night and Day Souffle and hot biscuits with butter and honey. Pork hash accompanied sumptuous shrimp and grits, followed by a respite of winter lettuces with warm bacon dressing. Ambrosia, sugared blackberries and biscuits ensued with a bread pudding of sorts until we were all appropriately flung!

THURSDAY:
Sugared Blackberries
This was so nice--do take the three days to macerate your berries though, and take them out of the refrigerator to tend to them once a day by briefly stirring.

FRIDAY:
Made Braised-Pork Hash
Adding homemade vanilla extract at the end was my own invention, otherwise I would have tossed in a split vanilla bean at the start, had I not thought to do so too late. It was a great idea--and if only fortitude had won over timidity, I would have added more.

SATURDAY:
Double-checked my lists and chopped/sliced/diced whatever I could.
Made "Bread Pudding" with cubes of a Betty Crocker orange cake, added in Jell-o banana pudding, later to be drizzled with chocolate sauce and topped with fresh strawberries.

SUNDAY: Spring Fling!
Champagne Punch
This was so good. Can be chilled up to 3 hours before serving; Champagne bubbles in at the end.

Night and Day Souffle
I couldn't be bothered with the timing of the creamed eggs with spinach and country ham found here. It looks really wonderful, just too much. My Night and Day Souffle is much easier. For this version, I just beat 8 eggs together with heavy cream, chopped bacon and chives, salt and pepper and a little grated Parmesan on top. It goes into a 350-degree oven for 40 minutes or so and DONE. Serve it quickly though while it is puffed up and strutting; soon it naturally does collapse. Put up a side of Pillsbury biscuits with honey and butter.

Lowcountry Breakfast Shrimp
Prep your onions (just slice them and ignore the worry-work of a fine dice), garlic and scallions the night before. Cook them in butter ahead of time and add in the shrimp later, just before serving. Dredge half of the shrimp in flour and work in to create a nice creaminess that won't overcook the shrimp. Threads of thyme are a recommended (by me) addition.

Creamy Stone-Ground Grits
Use instant grits instead of all the folderol and add heavy cream, milk and butter to your liking. Enough already.

Braised-Pork Hash
This is not difficult at all. The braising just takes a lot of time so just move on to other things like laundry while the meat simmers down and falls off the bone.

Winter Lettuces with Warm Sweet-and-Sharp Dressing
Again, couldn't deal with all of this--oy, boiling vinegar, reducing? Ugh. I adapted my go-to Shallot and Champagne Vinaigrette courtesy of Michael Lomonaco, found here. And I made it the day before in the food processor and kept it in the refrigerator instead of huffing and puffing over an oven. I subbed cider vinegar for Champagne vinegar; brown sugar for regular sugar; 1/4 cup melted bacon grease with 1/2 cup olive oil instead of just 3/4 cup olive oil to create an entirely new, hassle-free dressing. Crumbled bacon was thrown in over the salad and a little extra bacon grease (warmed from the microwave) too. Jaws dropped.

Ambrosia
So easy and delicious--from jars of Del Monte supremed white and pink grapefruit and oranges, no apologies! I wasn't about to supreme 8 navel oranges. The only thing that takes any time is the chilling of this dessert in the fridge. And no, I did not roast a whole coconut in the oven and hack it apart. A bag of shredded coconut is quite serviceable. Please.

Sugared Blackberries
Served with a pillar of more biscuits, cold this round.

Our Orange Cake and Banana "Bread Pudding" is seen below.

Do you know how to spring fling?

Soundtrack: Lawrence Welk, Champagne Time; Art Van Damme Quintet, Manhattan Time; Stephan Grappelli, Shades of Django; Bossa n' Madonna; Combo; Fleetwood Mac and Annie Lennox lingered on

Apres-Ski Fondue Party

2012-01-21T11:25:00.007-05:00

We felt it was time to haul out our Le Creuset fondue pot and Revere ware in order to snuggle down with a few friends on a blustery evening and pretend we just got off the slopes! Fondue is such a fun throwback, all the rage when so many of our parents made it as we were growing up. As hosts, we proposed to make a night of it, with three fondue courses--and of course wine. Baby and I greeted our guests in sporting black lounging pajamas, and a turtle neck, slim-fit pants and cozy slippers, respectively. Because of the 60's score, as much as our dress I suppose too, our friend commented that she felt like she had just walked onto the set of Bewitched. If I could only just do that twitching thing with my nose...now go buy your cans of sterno to get started!

So, off we go, apres the snow--with some wine pairing suggestions.

Apres-Ski Fondue Party

Cheese Fondue
Wine: crisp, fruity Sauvignon Blanc
Serve with: cubes of crusty country bread

Our fondue made in Switzerland a few years back is here. What I remember learning the most is to not only put kirsch (cherry brandy) in the cheese fondue mixture, but to also have little glasses of it at the ready for dipping the bread chunks with skewers before plunging into the bubbly cheese. Not only is kirsch very good (and very strong, mind you), it more importantly assists in the digestion.

The four basic components of fondue involve the cheeses; liquid (wine or kirsch) to avoid burning; a balancing acid (such as lemon) to avoid curdling; and starch (cornstarch) to bring it all together in silken unity. Cutting to the chase, we tried something less involved this time--a bag of Emmi fondue with gruyere and Swiss already shredded together and cornstarch added in. Easy instructions are on the back ("just add wine!"). Most likely any prepackaged variety will suggest adding just white wine, but if you can find kirsch, add both. Rub your pot with half a clove of garlic first to impart further insidiousness.

Beef Bourguignonne
Wine: Pinot Noir with cherry notes, perfect to ride off of the kirsch
Serve with: the meat acts as the dipping component

Use grapeseed or peanut oil as it has a high smoking point, more tolerant to heat than olive oil for your meat fondue--and you'll want sirloin or tenderloin for this. Do not crowd your simmering pot with a lot of skewered meat at the same time--the oil gets angry and let's you know it! Sauces on the side such as blue cheese, steak or mustard are requisite. These are found on the link here as well as the recipe itself.

Chocolate Fondue
Wine: sensually dark Cabernet Savignon
Serve with: an easy-to-make Betty Crocker orange sheet cake, allowed to dry out a little, and then cubed; fresh bing cherries

This we did on our own. A bag of Nestle's milk chocolate morsels will melt nicely over medium low heat, before being thinned out with milk, or heavy cream, if you're feeling outrageous. Throw some Godiva chocolate liqueur in there as well and stir before introducing all to the pot on the table suspended over the can of sterno.

Stay warm and do enjoy!

Soundtrack: Martinis with Mancini; Mike Flowers Pops; Austin Powers Soundtrack; Sergio Mendes and Brasil '66, Foursider; Ultra Lounge Selections

Shouldn't You Just...?

2012-01-20T22:46:00.003-05:00

Repurpose an old ladder to use as a rack for pots and pans, hanging them from its rungs on the ceiling?

Modern advice on etiquette for the not-so-new-millennium.

The Artist's Way (Of Eating) - Fred Schneider's Italian Style Soba Noodles

2012-01-18T19:02:00.031-05:00

The B-52's have been my favorite band ever since my cousin squirreled a burgeoning New Waver away into her older sister's bedroom and showed me that first iconic yellow album cover, long before their tremendous success with Love Shack. When I told her I hadn't ever heard of them she put the album on straightaway and after hearing the sounds of interplanetary signals that open Planet Claire before the Peter Gunn riff kicks in, I fell in love immediately. Fire alarms, toy pianos and bongos filled the album--I was out of my mind. We did all sixteen dances from Dance This Mess Around and shrieked during Rock Lobster and even tried calling 6060-842 on the telephone. It was only later (after she let me borrow the album) that my sister-in-law explained to me the ribald implications of Lava too. Fred's instantly recognizable voice, Kate and Cindy's exuberant, tightly entwined harmonies (oh, those girls!), and Keith's propulsive drums all worked together in such blatant originality with silent genius Ricky, who was lost way too soon. I've followed The B-52's through all the years--from albums, to tapes, to cds, and have seen them in concert innumerable times.

Here Fred goes solo, with a favorite dish that he sent to me for Evenings With Peter. Imagine? Just combine ingredients to taste and do enjoy.

Italian Style Soba Noodles
"Hey Peter. My go-to quick meal is soba noodles, Italian style. Soba, olive oil, garlic powder, soy sauce, basil, spike [a.k.a. Accent], and Parmesan. Good with chickpeas or other beans!"

Such as butter beans, Fred?

Lobster Bisque Dip

2012-01-11T14:07:00.009-05:00

What's that quote about not knowing something from Shinola? It appears that Dave's Gourmet [note: I'm not including the link to the website] didn't care much for my wonderful, original lobster bisque dip when I entered his sauce/dip/salsa/or whatever contest, in hopes of earning a whole bunch of purported royalties. Just the same, I'm pretty sure you will enjoy my concoction, as a number of friends did, when I rolled it out New Year's Eve.

This dip is a twist on the old classic lobster bisque—think of it as an elegant cousin to clam dip. It would get any cocktail party started, delighting an intimate number of guests, when served with kettle-cooked potato chips or something of the lattice variety for dipping. If you’re not inclined to toil over the bisque, skip all that and simplify by purchasing a can of the stuff, incorporating one cup into the cream cheese. Do mix freshly chopped lobster meat into the dip and finesse the rest of it with a lobster garnish should you choose, along with the other optional toppings.

Lobster Bisque Dip
Ingredients
1 ¼ lb. cooked Maine lobster shell carcass, broken apart, with meat chopped
1 TB Old Bay seasoning
1 14.5 oz. can of diced tomatoes, strained
1 TB each garlic, thyme, rosemary and sage, chopped
2 TB olive oil for shells, 1 TB olive oil for herbs
Black pepper and white pepper to taste
1 8 oz. package softened cream cheese
1/4 teaspoon sriracha (or more, if you like it hot!)

Garnishes (optional)
1 small can of corn, strained
½ mango, ¼” diced
Chopped lobster meat
1 minor tin of paddlefish caviar

Method

Set oven to 425 degrees.
Toss the broken lobster shells with the Old Bay and sauté them stovetop with olive oil in a hot skillet, turning every now and then until your shells are warmed, fragrant and raring to go, about 15 minutes. Set aside.
When oven is up to heat, roast the tomatoes until they wilt, roughly 10 minutes.
Back to the stovetop burner, gently sauté garlic, thyme, rosemary and sage in the oil in their own pan, stirring occasionally, on medium heat for about 5 minutes until wilted and duly fragrant as well.
Return the pot of shells to the stovetop, add the sauteed herbs, roasted tomatoes, dashes of black and white pepper to taste and cover with cold water, simmering on medium heat for about an hour.
Discard the shells and strain the broth, pressing down on the solids. Take two cups of the liquid and reduce it to one cup. Let cool before putting in the refrigerator for at least an hour, probably two, so everything can have a good chat.
While the broth is cooling, do this: dry roast your corn in a separate skillet for a few minutes, cool and refrigerate; take care to chop your mango and refrigerate; mash the sriracha into the cream cheese.
Mix together the cup of simmered down broth and cream cheese mixture and add in half of the lobster meat. Let sit in the refrigerator overnight.
Find a fine, uniting serving bowl, carefully put the dip into it and top with a small blessing of the mango, a dash of the corn kernels over that, the rest of the lobster meat and a little spoonful of inexpensive paddlefish caviar over that. Give it time to adjust to room temperature and then enthrall your guests!

Asian Coleslaw

2012-01-10T12:04:00.011-05:00

My friend told me about this recipe and as I was to bring something to my former musical comedy teacher's open house (more on that later, I'm sure), I thought this was ideal and an instance of perfect timing: to put it delicately, she is at odds with dairy and so, here we have a perfectly suitable dish to serve not only her but everyone else. The guests devoured it! An addition of sesame oil is more than a reasonable suggestion and I even ventured to cut up a few toasted seaweed sheets with abetting kitchen shears to finish the whole thing off. My friend also advised me to skip the red bell pepper and the cilantro, and rightly so, as they are hardly needed anyhow. I forgot about the julienned carrots on my own, but it didn't matter--I rather suppose that is mostly for color. This is a delish dish not to dismiss!

Asian Coleslaw
Ingredients
6 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
5 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger root
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
5 cups thinly sliced green cabbage
2 cups thinly sliced red cabbage
2 cups shredded napa cabbage
2 red bell peppers, thinly sliced
2 carrots, julienned
6 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Method
In a medium bowl, whisk together the rice vinegar, oil, peanut butter, soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, and garlic. In a large bowl, mix the green cabbage, red cabbage, napa cabbage, red bell peppers, carrots, green onions, and cilantro. Toss with the peanut butter mixture just before serving.

Scallops and Red Cabbage

2012-01-10T09:35:00.004-05:00

A dish of scallops and red cabbage wasn't intentional at all. I was just messing about with haphazard ingredients in the house--but when such happenstance intervenes, mere coincidence and alchemy do find themselves to be quite amiable companions in the kitchen.

Toasting the fennel seeds is the first part, a dry tablespoon for 10 seconds in a heated skillet; when you can smell their fragrance, they are done. Add in a thinly sliced half head of red cabbage and toss now and then with two tablespoons of olive oil while cooking down on a lesser flame. Add in about 1/4 cup maple syrup and when your cabbage has wilted further, add more syrup. Although the procedure is simple, it is patient work, not to be hurried.

Meanwhile, get your scallops going--just around half an eager pound will satisfy four people when accompanied by other dishes featured in a light buffet. Start by simmering a cup of white wine with 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar and a tablespoon of Penzy's Shallot Pepper until reduced down to about 3 tablespoons. Take off heat and whisk in a few tablespoons of European butter such as Lurpak to your liking and whisk in 1 tablespoon dried chives, a little salt and pepper as well. Heat up two tablespoons of olive oil in a separate skillet, add salt and pepper to your scallops and quickly sear them on both sides. Douse with juice from half of a fresh lime, and then in certain vessels, top the wilted red cabbage with our little scallop friends.

Do enjoy!

Thanks for the scallop inspiration from David Bazirgan, from The Fifth Floor restaurant in San Francisco.

The Artist's Way (Of Eating) - Scott Parkinson's Cookie Trio

2012-01-09T09:06:00.003-05:00

Surely these cookies may be enjoyed year 'round! Maybe not the Christmas trees. Scott writes:

"While I am normally suspicious of traditions and rituals, around the holidays I find myself shamelessly giving over to them, taking comfort in the continuity and meaning they provide. One of our family traditions is the Christmas cookie. Out of the many kinds my mother has made over the years (and in recent years my sister has often taken up the baking mantle when we get together), three kinds stand out as yearly favorites: the Gingersnaps, the Peanut Blossoms, and the Christmas tree-shaped “Spritz butter cookies”. The family planned to get together at my parents’ house in North Carolina for the holiday, but my sister and I would not be arriving until late on Christmas Eve. On the morning of December 23rd I called up my Dad and asked if Mom had made them. He said that she had not made any this year, which led to a split-second decision to make the cookies myself. With my sister’s supervision and the last-minute assistance from the Safeway down the street, I was able to make a batch of each of our favorite cookies before we headed out of town the following afternoon (the only substitution was a Chinese Five Spice replacing the ginger in the Gingersnaps, which were quickly dubbed “Ginger-less Snaps”). The making of the cookies helped me get more into the spirit this year and the cookies were enjoyed by all! Here are the recipes, complete with instructions from Mom (we substituted butter this year wherever shortening appears)."

Gingersnaps
Ingredients
¾ cup shortening 1 cup sugar
¼ cup molasses (dark or light will do)
1 egg
2 cups flour
¼ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon ginger

Method
Cream shortening and sugar, add molasses and egg and beat well. Blend dry ingredients and add to egg mixture slowly while blending well. Roll into balls and then roll in sugar (teaspoon size balls). Make sure you have enough flour in mix for good form – dough will pull away from the bowl into one large ball. Place cookie ball on greased cookie sheet and bake. (original recipe calls for 8- 10 minutes @ 375 – I made a note of 9-10 minutes @ 350. I like to remove them while soft).
Watch carefully and remove from oven while light colored. Cool till just slightly warm – then I place them in Tupperware with sheet of wax paper in-between layers. Store while still slightly warm.

Peanut Blossoms
Ingredients
Cream:
½ cup sugar
½ cup shortening
½ cup packed brown sugar
Blend in:
½ cup peanut butter
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Work in:
1 ¾ cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt

Method
Chill dough, roll into balls and bake in 350 oven for about 9 mins. Remove from oven while light tan color. Push a candy kiss in center while still warm. Cool completely before storing.

Spritz Butter Cookies
Ingredients
1 cup of butter or margarine (I always used butter)
2/3 cups sugar
1 egg
1 tsp PURE almond extract (I put a little bit extra)
1/8 tsp salt
2 ½ cups flour
Cream butter and sugar then add extract and egg. Mix thoroughly. Blend sifted dry ingredients together. Add to cream mixture slowly (you will probably have to blend the last amount by hand unless you have a really powerful mixer). Pack dough into cookie press and make shapes on ungreased sheet. I lightly grease the sheets. Bake @ 400 for 8-10 minutes. You can sprinkle color sprinkles on before you bake them. Or you can melt 1 bag of red or green candy melts (found in the baking section of a grocery or party store) – I set a glass pyrex bowl of about ½ the bag of candies on a pot of boiled water (remove the hot water from stove then place the bowl into the hot water) over heating is not good. Stir the candies until they melt. I dip ½ side of the cooled trees into the candy mix and then put them on cooling racks until the candy sets up.

Glazed Carrots

2012-01-08T10:40:00.000-05:00

This is easy: glazing carrots or other root vegetables as described below is a simple yet utterly charming (and delicious) addition to almost any meal. I cooked and chopped bacon for a crispy topping and in a fit of fancy, subbed herb oil found here instead the butter suggested.

"Start by cutting vegetables into uniform pieces and arrange them in a single layer in a saute pan. Add a few tablespoons of butter, a dash each of salt and pepper, and a pinch of sugar. Add water to nearly cover the vegetables; lay a piece of parchment paper on top; and simmer. As the water cooks off, fat from the butter combines with the vegetables' starches and sugars to form a rich glaze; a shake of the pan distributes it throughout, transforming humble vegetables into elegant side dishes."

Do enjoy!

Thanks to Saveur magazine, issue no. 144.

The Artist's Way (Of Eating) - Bernard K. Addison's Twice Cooked Duck!

2012-01-04T09:48:00.018-05:00

Back in the days when I was a theatrical agent, I was fortunate to represent the wonderful actor Bernard K. Addison. I recently discovered he's as equally at home in the kitchen as he is on stage. Heeeere's, Mr. Addison!

"It was a pretty long day in the kitchen. I made turkey/chicken stock with leftover turkey carcass bones and chicken necks so I could make the wild rice in the broth. For the duck, it's a Twice Cooked Duck with Asian spices. Make sure that the equipment must be large enough to steam the duck, otherwise not enough fat will be rendered."

Twice Cooked Duck
Adapted from The Cook's Illustrated Complete Book of Poultry
Ingredients
1 duck
4 whole star anise
1 cinnamon stick
8 Schezwan peppercorns (I didn't do that, just peppercorns) 2 T kosher salt
1 cup cilantro
4 pieces unpeeled ginger root
Black soy sauce

Method
Puncture the duck in the breast in all the fatty places, making sure that you don't puncture the flesh, so the fat can be sweated/rendered out during the first cooking. Heat the spices (not the salt) in a dry skillet until it smokes; then grind it to a powder. Add salt and rub half the mixture in the cavity and on the outside of the duck. Fill the cavity with the cilantro and ginger, and place on a rack in a cool, dry place for four hours.

Using a large wok, bring water to a boil. Place duck on a rack one inch above the water, cover, and steam for 50-60 minutes, adding boiling water as needed. Skin should pull away from the legs by this point. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place duck on rack in roaster, brush with the soy sauce, and cook until brown and skin is crispy, around 40 minutes.

Make the wild rice in 2-1/4 cups broth, 1 cup rice, bring to a boil and then cover and simmer for 50 minutes. For the asparagus, use 1/3 c broth, 1 T butter, and enough asparagus to cover the bottom of a pan, with pressed garlic added, and boil down the broth and brown in the remaining butter/garlic.

Recipes Of Our Mothers - A Tale of Two Cakes

2012-01-03T14:38:00.008-05:00

This delightful newspaper clipping sent from my friend Bill is a wonderful article about his mother who also moonlighted as an elegant party hostess at her own home in Pennsylvania. When word got out, she was featured in the Cook of the Week column back in 1971, as seen here.

Thank you so much for sharing, Bill and love to your sweet mother who I have the privilege to know, Mrs. Richard Conklin! What a treat!

"Mom's crab cake recipe has been in the family for many years. Mom originally got the recipe from an dear family friend. The claim to fame of the recipe is that my brother's restaurant actually adopted this recipe for their crab cakes. The cake is 99.9% Jumbo Lumb crab meat!!! The black walnut cake recipe has been in the family for at least four generations. This cake is know for its interesting complement of textures and flavors. The cake is dense, a bit sweet that is nicely contrasted by the walnuts. Make sure you use BLACK walnuts. This recipe was written up in the local newspaper in 1971. I hope you enjoy these recipes as much as we have."

Crab Cakes
Ingredients
1lb jumbo lump crab meat - sprinkled with lemon
1/4 C cracker meal
1/4 C mayo1 large egg - well beaten
1T minced onion
1/4 t Worcester sauce
1/4 t dry mustard
1/2 C butter mixed with oil to fry
1/2 C bread crumbs to coat cakes

Method
Mix ingredients together and form into 4 generous cakes. Fry about 5 min a side or till brown.

Black Walnut Cake
Ingredients
3/4 C Crisco
2 C sugar
3 eggs
1 C milk
3 C sifted flour
2 t baking powder
1 t salt
1 C floured
BLACK walnuts

Method
Preheat oven to 350. Cream the shortening and sugar together with an electric beater at medium speed. Add the eggs, one at a time, to the shortening and sugar mixture. At low speed, beat in alternately the dry ingredients and milk, making sure some of the milk is added last. Flour the nuts slightly and add to the batter. Bake in a greased and floured tubular pan at 350 degrees for about 1 hour.

What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?

2012-01-01T11:41:00.005-05:00

My friend's birthday coincides with New Year's Eve, so what else to do but throw a New Year's Eve Birthday Around The World Buffet Party! Baby and I had invited somewhat of an international roster and folks from out of town were also coming, so we planned on a buffet where our friends could come and graze as they pleased instead of cramming in around the table. This was a great idea as people really did filter in and out through the evening, arriving at different times. As far as the menu was concerned, we knew we wanted to make French onion soup which served as the base before we ventured further across the globe. We also had planned to serve a different course every hour on the hour, leading to a midnight Champagne toast but things rarely work out that way.

Classic prawns in pints from England were actually easier-to-procure shrimp and the Lobster Bisque Dip I whipped up, with chunks of lobster, grilled corn, and a diced mango finish was simply from New England (more on that later). It was served with kettle crisps but the shrimp also found its way in the dip too!

The French onion soup enriched with Cognac was ladled out from a marvelous tureen with individual gruyere cheese toasts to top our guests' little cups. For our Italian pasta course, Sam Sifton's Mushroom Lasagna from the New York Times was an absolute time-consuming chore--thank goodness I made it the day before--but it should sit in refrigeration over night anyhow. I feel it was worth it though, nearly blushing over the ensuing compliments. There was barely any left and what was went to other homes, sealed in Tupperware. Baby used a recipe for ragu from Saveur to complete the course. This meaty sauce with beef chuck and pork shoulder also incorporated chicken livers and pancetta. He even made his own ricotta cavatelli for a perfect pasta foil!

Here it all deliciously came together, with a judicious shaving of Parmesan cheese:

Behold the octopus!

We wanted something lighter to serve after all that pasta, so Baby tackled this slimy sea creature with abandon to create a Greek dish, with red wine and sliced wild fennel. The olives in the dish were salty to be sure but even the squeamish amongst us tried it and I believe we had a few converts.

Before midnight we served a simple marble bundt cake to celebrate our friend's birthday. We had planned on Swiss chocolate fondue but we were just too exhausted by that point and everyone else was too tipsy to care.

Blow out the candles and make a wish...!

Snow Pudding

2011-12-30T06:15:00.012-05:00

My Nana used to make Snow Pudding years ago. Although I never tried it growing up, my crazy cousins always loved it as children. Fortunately, so many of her recipes were compiled in a treasured family cookbook and this dessert is also among its pages. As we were all getting together for Christmas, I thought I would try my hand at making the fluffy confection. The recipe itself is fairly simple, but making something from other people's memories is not. All the same, I set to work anyway and the eyes-closed reverie when my cousins tasted it after dinner was sweet confirmation that I had done something good--they also told me it was just perfect.

Do enjoy and Happy New Year everybody!

Snow Pudding
1 T unflavored gelatin
1 c sugar
Juice of 1 lemon
3 egg whites

Soak gelatin in 1/2 c cold water. Dissolve in 1 c boiling water. Add sugar and lemon juice. Let cool, stirring occasionally. When thick, beat until frothy. Beat egg whites until stiff. Add to lemon mixture. Beat all together. Pour sauce over pudding when serving.

Sauce
3 egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
1/8 tsp salt
2 cups milk, scalded
Vanilla
Beat yolks slightly. Add sugar and salt. Stir mixture while adding scalded milk. Cook in double boiler until thick. Cool and flavor with vanilla.

Thanks to whitegadget.com for the photo!

A Friend Writes...Peppermint Fudge!

2011-12-21T15:02:00.003-05:00

Just right for the holidays!

"I made this last night for my co-workers - it was a big hit today at the office - super fast and easy, and looked really nice in little 4"x4" white bakers' boxes with silver parchment paper, very festive!"

Peppermint Fudge
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup evaporated milk
2 tbsp butter
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups mini marshmallows
1 1/2 cups (one bag) chocolate chips - I made two batches, one white chocolate and one dark chocolate
1/2 tsp peppermint extract
1/2 cup crushed candy canes or peppermint hard candies

Method
Line an 8x8 square baking pan with foil.
Combine sugar, evaporated milk, butter and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a full rolling boil over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Stir in marshmallows, chocolate chips, peppermint extract and crushed candy. Stir vigorously until marshmallows are completely melted. Pour into foil lined baking pan. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Remove from pan, remove foil, and cut into 1" square pieces.

Thanks to totalbeverage.net for the photo!

Tonight's Menu - Seared Sea Scallops with Buerre Blanc

2011-12-19T11:07:00.002-05:00

Saveur has enthralled me yet again with their last two issues. I was duly moved to make seared scallops in a buerre blanc sauce with finger limes from the November issue--but after a little research, there aren't any such limes in the city and ordering them would have set me back $200 for six pints (I only needed four limes) plus $50 shipping to send them here from L.A. Taking a cue from the restaurant Crispo in our relative neighborhood and how they remarkably pair fresh grapefruit with skate, I sought out pink grapefruit. I supremed one palish orb and enveloped the richly pink interior in the buerre blanc sauce while plucking out the little pearls of another for garnish with the scallops. Divine!

As tarragon was part of the sauce, I wanted something similarly resonant to serve alongside and voila, popovers with chopped rosemary emerged from the December pages of Saveur. I didn't have time to seek out goose fat or render my own as the recipe suggests, so I used bacon fat that we already had in the fridge. These I made early and just before it was time to eat, I popped them back into the oven to warm up. Here's how they started out:

I was so engaged with the evening I never had the chance to take more pictures but the menu is below of course and the recipes are linked below just the same where applicable. Thyme, by the way, completed the herbal threaded trinity of this meal when lacing our lemon sorbet. Do enjoy!

Tonight's Menu
Rosemary Popovers
Brussels Sprouts with Pearl Onions & Herb Butter (microwavable, courtesy of Fresh Direct) with Fire-Roasted Tomatoes and Chopped Prosciutto
Scallops with Grapefruit and Buerre Blanc
Lemon Sorbet (courtesy of Sharon's) with Thyme

Shouldn't You Just...?

2011-12-18T13:12:00.005-05:00

Have a happy holiday season? Be well, everybody and take care of each other. Thanks for reading.

Advice on modern etiquette for the not-so-new millennium.

Photo credit: Howard Kaden

Recipe Box - Harvey Wallbanger Cake

2011-12-17T09:43:00.004-05:00

I'm just wild about Harvey! Remember that little guy? Although I wasn't drinking (much) in the 70's and left that era behind when I was about 13 years old, I did have a towel with Mr. Wallbanger on it that I took to the neighboring Ramada Inn pool every day in the summers. Bars and restaurants have recently revived the Galliano and vodka fueled Harvey Wallbanger cocktail but then a recipe for Harvey Wallbanger cake came from Baby's Aunt Elsa and I howled with laughter--and of course had to make it. Part of the is recipe below but click here then for a link from about.com--do enjoy!

If you tilt your head you can see Aunt Elsa's recipe card!

Tonight's Menu - I'm A Sole Man

2011-12-16T14:20:00.023-05:00

When Baby and I last visited friends in Ocean City, NJ, we went to one of our favorite new found places, The Crab Trap, which is a sort of maritime shanty that has been around for years. It's a sprawling, bustling place with lots of great seafood (love the lobster!) and good martinis. We even bought a bunch of paper place mats and appropriated a few bar napkins as well, all emblazoned with the logo. We happened to mention this dining adventure to other friends and so surprisingly, they too know about and love The Crab Trap and have family dinners there, steeped in tradition. So, a dinner menu of fish was set, as was the table, with our somewhat ill-gotten booty: the place mats and napkins.

Our British neighbor had been talking about an old classic lot of steamed prawns, served in beer mugs, so as he and his wife were also our guests, I suggested he bring a bunch over! The sauce is a secret but I do believe Thousand Island dressing is involved.

I'd wanted to make my Wicked Good Clam Chowdah again, so that was a perfect starter, with my father's clams, pulled from the shores of Maine's Muscongus Bay. Crab cakes carried on and then we dove into a heap of Lemon Sole Meuniere. Paula Deen's most delicious Chocolate Bread Pudding was made the day before and acclimated in the refrigerator before being reheated and served to make a very satisfying conclusion to our dinner. My comments about that are in italics.

Stephen's Prawns
Wicked Good Clam Chowder
Crab Cakes
Sole Meuniere
Chocolate Bread Pudding (I didn't make the pecan rum flambe sauce and used Godiva chocolate liqueur instead of coffee liqueur)

Per usual, I got busy with all the cooking and didn't have time to take more photos!

Fishy Soundtrack: Esquivel, Christmas album; Bananarama, Deep Sea Skiving; Cafe del Mar; Beatles, Yellow Submarine; 50's Personal Christmas collection.

Next Magazine - The Twelve Days of Dining

2011-12-16T13:44:00.003-05:00

Here’s a different sort of carol—no partridges snatched from pear trees or a feast of geese-a-laying (although I might have tried a few French hens), but these twelve places sent me out singing just the same.

Oh, the Provençal fish soup! And ooh, the frog legs in garlic cream at La Promenade des Anglais (461 W 23rd St, 212-255-7400, lapromenadenyc.com)! Monsieur Alain Allegretti brings the breath of the Mediterranean and an air of the periwinkle-blue-colored Cote d’Azur to the western corridor of Chelsea.
Although the locale near Port Authority is unlikely, Qi (675 Eighth Ave, 212-247-8991, qirestaurant.com), has an elegant interior and the fare is excellent, influenced from Pichet Ong’s upbringing in Bangkok. Fully flavored tuna tartare with a bunch of fragrant herbs and minty Burmese tea salad with chili lime dressing are our favorites.
Jellyfish is done right at Wong (7 Cornelia St, 212-989-3399, wongnewyork.com) with scallops, crispy duck tongue and cucumber. Resounding lobster egg foo young waltzes with leeks, dried shrimp and duck egg yolks.
Bento box-sized Hakata Ton Ton (61 Grove St, 212-242-3699, tontonnyc.com) has a whole lot of Japan going on. Simmering, unnamable aromas wafting about reveal garlic fried rice with pork and Hakata’s motsu hot pot with a stunning broth flavored by Kobe beef motsu, otherwise known as intestines. Sesame chanpon noodles are a requisite accompaniment.
Carefully detailed, gorgeous Duo (72 Madison Ave, 212-686-7272, duonewyork.com) is wonderfully delicious, too. Poached Maine lobster salad with Champagne mango “caviar” is a clever exercise in molecular gastronomy and glazed duck with lentil and caramelized peaches notably suit the décor.
There’s a phenomenal brunch at Greensquare Tavern (5 W 21st St, 212-929-2468, greensquaretavern.com). The Benedict with fatty smoked salmon is served on a spongy English muffin topped with eggs filled with rich, sunny, runny yolks and bright hollandaise sauce. The screwdrivers with fresh-squeezed orange juice ain’t half bad, either.
Get quickly acquainted with the fried chicken at Andrew Carmellini’s homey tavern The Dutch (131 Sullivan St, 212-677-6200, thedutchnyc.com). Pair it with the Asian white boy ribs and settle down to a slice of devastating peach pie.
The beautiful steak tartare at Goat Town (511 E Fifth St, 212-687-3641, goattownnyc.com) is richly red with verdant parsley, and simple radishes with sea-salt butter make for perfect starters. The Goat Town Chocolate Torte with bourbon and crème fraîche is a remarkably good finish, with a “dip” of salted caramel ice cream.
Northern Spy Food Co. (511 E 12th St, 212-228-5100, northernspyfoodco.com) delivers a kale salad with a harmonious blend of clothbound cheddar cheese, sumptuous kabocha squash and slivered almonds lightly dressed with lemon and pecorino. Potato gnocchi are ideally matched with an order of huge, saucy meatballs.
It’s a sumptuous symphony of meat at E&E Grill House (233 W 49th St, 212-505-9909, eegrillhouse.com), particularly filet mignon with chive blue butter. Both mashed and twice-baked potatoes are a must, as is grilled asparagus with a perfectly soft poached egg perched on top. Kermit’s brownie sundae includes an onslaught of cheesecake scoops and coffee ice cream.
The legendary Peter Luger (176-178 Broadway, peterluger.com) in Brooklyn, famous for its steaks, is more of a reasonably raucous German beer hall than dryly outfitted steak house. Porterhouse steaks for two, four or forty get thrown around the table and the “Holy Cow” hot fudge sundae is worth the trip alone.
La Silhouette (362 W 53rd St, 212-581-2400, la-silhouettenyc.com) neatly closes out the year with its fabulousness. The duck, lamb and wild mushroom risotto are sensational when prefaced by a farm-poached egg with truffled polenta and foie gras with mustard-seed–kumquat compote—insist upon the layered pumpkin cheesecake if available.

First featured in Next Magazine.

Sunday Luncheon

2011-12-11T18:18:00.003-05:00

I've always been fascinated by high teas and casual luncheons with coffee service, so I decided to serve one of my own in honor of those grand ladies from long ago. We didn't play bridge or wear hats or anything, but we did wile away a lovely Sunday afternoon with a few good friends over recipes from the 50's, 60's and 70's--and at least a few bottles of white wine, namely Pouilly-Fume, Sancerre, and Viognier.

Sunday Luncheon Menu
Rum Punch--What is lunch without punch? I concocted this on my own. Get a good rich rum and ply it with pineapple and orange juices. Throw in a splash or two of lemonade to balance it out as well as a liberal dose of maraschino cherry juice. Gild with scoops of good old orange sherbet.

Beef Consomme--This was extraordinary, gaspingly good, from an old copy of Reader's Digest's Secrets of Better Cooking.
Ingredients
2 quarts cold strained beef stock
1/2 pound lean beef, chopped, not ground
1 chopped carrot
2 chopped cleaned leeks
2 egg whites, lightly beaten

Method
Add beef to stock with vegetables and egg whites. Bring slowly to a boil while stirring. Reduce heat and simmer for 50 minutes. Skim and then strain through a sieve lined with several layers of cheesecloth. Return to boil and serve, with chives as garnish.

Ham & Cream Cheese Tea Sandwiches--Nothing but cream cheese lightly slathered on white bread with the crusts removed. Do buy nice, thinly sliced French ham from the deli.

Deviled Eggs with Caviar & Olives--Baby's recipe; mashed hard-boiled yolks with a little mayo, mustard, and Sriracha sauce. Inexpensive paddlefish caviar and sliced cocktail olives make a gorgeous adornment. The secret to making perfect hard-boiled eggs may be found here. Boil the eggs as instructed but you needn't bother about all the ice; just rinse them in cold water for a while and let them be before you peel them.

Green Beans with Anchovy Dressing--Michael Lomonaco's Shallot Champagne Vinaigrette linked here, with a few teaspoons of anchovy paste and topped with chopped prosciutto.

Madeleines, Orange & Banana Pudding Cake, linked here.

Before I started futzing with the powdered cake:

And after, draping it with simmered apricot jam, and some chocolates around the base and Entenmann's madelines petite butter cakes close by:

With all due respect to Stephen Sondheim, here's to those ladies who lunched!

Soundtrack: Donna Reed's Nick at Night Dinner Party; Lawrence Welk, A-Wunnerful; Personal 50's Christmas Collection; Bing Crosby, White Christmas; Rosemary Clooney, Blue Rosie.

In The Kitchen With...Rob Vance - Coubion Sauce

2011-12-07T11:00:00.006-05:00

“Here is a classic Cajun recipe that has been sorely neglected in the last couple of decades. It works well with damn near anything, but the classic version involves braising catfish fillets in this sauce for about 2 hours--or try redfish, snapper, or cobia. The classic side dish would of course be steamed white rice. Enjoy!”

Thank you Rob!

Coubion Sauce
Ingredients
1 large yellow onion
5 ribs celery
2 large green bell peppers
8 oz. AP flour
8 oz. unsalted butter
7 oz. chicken stock
1 #10 whole peeled tomatoes (1 6 lb., 9 oz. can, hand crushed)
2 tbs minced garlic/shallot mix
3 tbs kosher salt
2 tsps cayenne pepper
4 bay leaves

Method
Finely dice the onion, celery, and bell pepper. Add the butter to a heavy gauge sauce pot and melt over medium flame. Add the flour and stir to combine. While constantly stirring, cook the flour and butter until the color changes to a medium dark brown. You will smell popcorn about the same time as the roux gets to the right color. Add the onion, celery, and bell pepper and stir to combine. This will be very thick, add the chicken stock to loosen it. Allow this to reduce by half, then add the hand crushed whole peeled tomatoes. Add the salt, cayenne, and bay leaves and stir. Allow this to simmer for about 45 minutes.

Rob Vance is the Executive Chef at La Bayou Restaurant (208 Bourbon St, 504-525-4755, New Orleans, LA, labayourestaurant.com).

Gingerbread Martini

2011-12-07T10:47:00.002-05:00

Now I'm not one for sweet drinks, ladies and gentlemen but this cocktail does sound awfully good. Despite the fact that Sandra Lee also makes a version, try serving it anyway, perhaps as dessert over your holiday dinners--and thanks again Crystal for the recipe!

Gingerbread Martini

Ingredients

1 part Hiram Walker liqueur

1 part Captain Morgan spiced rum

1 part Dekuyper butter scotch schnapps

2 parts vodka
1 to 1 1/2 parts half and half
Ground cinnamon
Ginger snaps

Method

Add all to a shaker with only a little ice as too much tends to dilute. Shake and pour into a martini glass, top with a sprinkle of cinnamon and serve with a ginger snap or two.

Betty, Please

2011-12-07T09:21:00.000-05:00

We experimented with this recipe for Apple Brown Betty, trying apricots instead of apples just for kicks and giggles, but I didn't think it turned out so well. If you have any betty recipes, please send along, thanks!

Apple Brown Betty
SERVES 6
"For the best betty, we consulted SAVEUR contributor Marion Cunningham, author of The Fannie Farmer Cookbook (Knopf, 1990). She passed this along with the advice that you won't need the lemon juice if your apples are flavorful."

Ingredients
2 cups fresh dry bread crumbs
5 tbsp. melted butter
1 1⁄2 lbs. tart apples, peeled, cored, and cut into
1⁄4" slices
1⁄2 cup brown sugar
1⁄2 tsp. cinnamon
Juice and grated rind of 1⁄2 lemon (optional)
Heavy cream
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Butter a 1 1⁄2-quart casserole or a 9" baking dish, preferably with a lid. 2. Lightly toss crumbs and melted butter together in a medium bowl. Spread about one-third of the crumb mixture in the baking dish. 3. Combine apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, and lemon juice and rind (if needed) in a medium bowl. Fan out half the apple mixture over crumbs. Add another layer of crumbs, a layer of the remaining apples, and a final layer of crumbs. 4. Pour in 1 cup hot water. Cover with lid or with foil, and bake for 25 minutes. Uncover and bake 20 minutes more. Serve with heavy cream.

Tonight's Menu - Frittata with Ricotta & Peppers

2011-12-06T09:23:00.001-05:00

To celebrate a friend's transition (ie. moving on from a post he'd held for about 12 years), I made dinner! When asked what kind of food he'd like, he suggested something Italian. But instead of merely breaking out a box of spaghetti, I ventured toward something more adventurous and made a fluffy frittata with ricotta cheese and peppers from Saveur magazine, prefaced by an old Martha Stewart recipe for crab cakes with saffron vinaigrette that I hadn't revisited in years. What for dessert but his Mama's sour cream pound cake that I surprised him with. None of it was too difficult but all of it was oh so delicious!

Tonight's Menu
Crab Cakes with Saffron Vinaigrette
Ricotta and Roasted Pepper Frittata (Frittata con Ricotta e Peperoni)
Sour Cream Pound Cake

Do enjoy!

Thanks and credit to André Baranowski for the photo from Saveur.

Recipes Of Our Mothers - Ollie's Pumpkin Pie

2011-12-05T06:08:00.005-05:00

Crystal Creasser and I met in Turks and Caicos on our recent respective vacations, and naturally our conversation turned to pie. She was kind enough to send me this recipe, which wholly suits the season. So dig in—and thanks Crystal, what a great picture!

“This photo is of me, my grandmother, mother and daughter. I have been the appointed one to make the pies for all of our family gatherings but it was passed down from my grandmother, to my mother and then to myself. The recipe is very simple but I am disappointed every time I try another. I have been enjoying this pie for 40 years and still look forward to every piece. It is my daughter’s favorite desert so I am sure we will continue enjoying this for many years to come.”

Ollie's Pumpkin Pie
1 can of canned pumpkin (or fresh pumpkin if you have the time. I personally like to mix part fresh and part can to equal 1 can)
1 can of condensed milk
1 cup of sugar + 1 tsp of cinnamon combined (so cinnamon will not clump when added alone)
1 tsp of vanilla
1/4 stick of melted butter
3 eggs beaten
Add all ingredients together and blend well. Place in 2 pie shells and bake at 400 for about 45 min.

*I normally pre-bake my pie shells for only about 5 min. because I like a crisper crust in the bottom center. You could place in 1 deep dish but it is my preference to have a thinner pie. *Great served warmed with lots of whipped topping--that is my preference also!

A Friend Writes...Mushroom Lasagna

2011-12-04T08:32:00.014-05:00

"I made this recipe for mushroom lasagna yesterday (including the herb oil - I used herb oil for the sauteeing and for the bechamel in place of olive oil/butter) - it is spectacularly delicious! It was in last weekend's NY Times magazine."

Thanks Moose, sounds good to me!

Home/Made Mushroom Lasagna with Herb Oil
Adapted from Sam Sifton's Recipe in The New York Times
Ingredients
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil or herb oil
6 large shallots, peeled and minced
1 ½ pounds mushrooms, wild or best available (oyster, shiitake, cremini), trimmed and
sliced
1 cup dry white wine
1 softball-size head of radicchio, halved, cored and cut into ½-inch slices
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, or herb oil
3 large cloves garlic, peeled and minced
4 tablespoons flour, ideally instant or all-purpose
3 cups whole milk
½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
1 cup Gruyère cheese, grated
1 cup Fontina cheese, grated
2 tablespoons best-quality truffle oil (optional)
2 9-ounce boxes of no-boil lasagna sheets
1 baseball-size ball of smoked mozzarella, sliced
1 cup fresh Parmesan, grated.

Herb Oil
Ingredients
1 bunch fresh thyme
½ bunch fresh rosemary
1 bunch fresh sage
5 cloves garlic, peeled
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 ½ cups extra-virgin olive oil.

Method for Oil
Put herbs, garlic and salt into a food processor. Add a splash of olive oil, and pulse to combine. Place mixture into a jar. Add the rest of the olive oil. Store in the refrigerator. Lasts about a week.

Method for Lasagna
Preheat oven to 350. Place a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and add ¼ cup of the olive oil or herb oil. When it begins to shimmer, add half of the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent. Add mushrooms and toss to coat, then cook until they begin to color but are still plump, approximately 12 to 15 minutes. Add white wine to deglaze pan and allow to cook down into a syrup, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Put the mushrooms into a large bowl and reserve.

Meanwhile, in another bowl, toss the radicchio with ¼ cup olive oil or herb oil and season with salt and pepper. Spread the strips out onto a baking pan and place in the oven until the strips are lightly browned around the edges, approximately 15 minutes. Combine with mushrooms and reserve.

Make the béchamel. Place a saucepan over medium heat and melt the butter. When it foams, add the rest of the shallots and cook until they begin to turn translucent. Add the garlic and stir to combine, then cook until the garlic has started to soften. Sprinkle flour over the top and stir to combine, then cook gently until the mixture has turned light brown and gives off a nutty scent, approximately 10 minutes. Add milk to the mixture, whisking all the while, until the sauce is thick and creamy. Add the nutmeg and ¼ cup of grated Gruyère and ¼ cup of grated Fontina, then stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Reserve a cup of béchamel. Pour the rest over the mixture of mushrooms and radicchio, and stir to combine. Add truffle oil, if using.

Assemble lasagna. Spread plain béchamel across the bottom of a 9- by-13-inch baking pan. Place a layer of lasagna sheets across the sauce, being careful not to overlap. Spread a generous layer of mushroom mixture on top of the pasta, and follow with some grated Fontina and Gruyère. Put another layer of pasta above the cheese, and top with smoked mozzarella. Repeat until the pasta is gone and the pan is full. Top with remaining cheeses and a generous amount of grated Parmesan. Cover with a buttered sheet of aluminum foil and place in the oven for 45 minutes. Remove foil and cook until top is golden and bubbling.

Serves 6 to 8.
Adapted from Monica Byrne, Home/Made, Brooklyn.

Thanks to mallorcaphotoblog.wordpress.com for the image.

Mean Mr. Mustard

2011-12-01T09:25:00.005-05:00

Time for mustard! And this is a spicy one for sure. Baby is nothing if not persistent--he'd wanted to make his own mustard for years, and finally did over the weekend, having ordered a variety of fine quality mustard seeds from The Spice House. With the assistance of our Vitamix, he ground the spices to a powder and used our Cuisinart to mix everything together. Instead of just using only 1 1/2 cups of the brown mustard seeds listed in the recipe however, he incorporated 1/2 cup yellow, 1/2 cup brown, 1/2 cup black, 1 tsp. Asian with the spices, as seen here:

After the mustard sat in refrigeration overnight, we added in a swirl of white wine (Viognier in this case, about 1/4 cup) and a drizzled tablespoon of honey for perfection!

Spicy Guinness Mustard
Adapted from Saveur Magazine
Ingredients
1 12-oz. bottle Guinness Extra Stout
1 1⁄2 cups brown mustard seeds (10 oz.)
1 cup red wine vinegar
1 tbsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1⁄4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1⁄4 tsp. ground cloves
1⁄4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1⁄4 tsp. ground allspice

Method
1. Combine ingredients in a nonreactive mixing bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 1–2 days so that the mustard seeds soften and the flavors meld.
2. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a food processor and process, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, until the seeds are coarsely ground and the mixture thickens, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a jar and cover.
3. Refrigerate overnight and use immediately or refrigerate for up to 6 months. (The flavor of the mustard will mellow as the condiment ages.)

Makes 3 1/2 cups.

First published in Saveur magazine, #117.

Turks & Caicos Conch Festival 2011

2011-11-26T21:53:00.013-05:00

While vacationing in Turks and Caicos, our timing was right that we were lucky enough to attend the 8th Annual Conch Festival in Provo. Just across the road from the beach in the Blue Hills area, we stuffed ourselves with a number of conch dishes, including the Princess conch from Bay Bistro, filled with mushrooms and a garlic cream sauce, and topped with Parmesan cheese, red pepper pesto and a sprinkling of parsley. It was easy to understand why the clever conch concoction was the winner of the year!

We also enjoyed a sampling of the classic island Friger-Gie stew, with coconut, milk, and plantains. The glorious Grace Bay Club's Anacaona restaurant provided a spicier, reinvigorated ancient-style conch stew, made with Scotch bonnet peppers and lime juice in a rich red sauce.

Here's the cavorting conch-loving crowd inside the tent!

Chef Eric Vernice from the Regent Palms was kind enough to provide us with his recipe for:

Corn and Conch Chowder with Saffron
Serves 6

Ingredients
1 lb tapped conch
1 turnip
2 onions
2 fresh ears of corn
2 garlic cloves
1 Yukon gold potato
2 TB flour
1 cup heavy cream
1 tsp sambal oelek
1 tsp saffron
1 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 cup white wine
salt and pepper
1/2 lb butter
3 TB olive oil

Method
Tap the conch and place it in a pressure cooker with one turnip sliced in half and one onion sliced in half. Add 1/2 cup of water, salt, and cook for 20 minutes.
Dice the remaining onion, garlic. Take the corn off the cob, add the butter and olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add all the vegetables. Once the conch is pressure cooked, dice it and add to the vegetables. Season with salt and pepper, then add all the spices, the flour, white wine, and cooking liquid from the conch. Add the cream and simmer for 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, outside there was a mojito contest afoot...Bay Bistro took the honors for their cocktail as well.

And here's Baby clowning around with a conch shell across the road!

Needless to say I suppose, when we left, we were quite conked out!

Turkey in Turks!

2011-11-24T23:36:00.037-05:00

Baby whisked me away to Turks and Caicos islands for an incredible Thanksgiving vacation this year. We stayed in Provo with friends for a few days and also shacked up at the breathtaking, sprawling Grace Bay Club resort. While our hosts assumed their respective posts working on a holiday that is not necessarily celebrated there, Baby and I hit the supermarket for groceries and set to work ourselves, to create our Thanksgiving candlelit midnight supper! The chalkboard with the menu above is my handiwork, and the price per person listed on the lower right hand corner was merely foolishness.

Here's our table in the glorious sunshine garden, before we set up and descended for the feast.

While our neighbor created Jamie Oliver's Dinner Lady Carrots and Soldier Leeks with Bacon next door, Baby injected our 22 pound turkey with sherry and melted butter and stuffed it full of onions, oranges, lemons, tangerines, rosemary, parsley and thyme. I got a good handful of softened butter and gently rubbed it underneath the skin and yes, I tore a bunch of parsley apart and further placed it under the skin as well to form a heart shape.

We trussed our Tom with kitchen twine...and into the oven it went to ruminate for a few hours!

Having acquainted ourselves with the kitchen and putting out plates, utensils, serving ware and the cooking tools we'd need ahead of time, I made my usual Sweet Potato Tipsy and went out to set the table, while Baby made his mashed potatoes with herbed butter and Alouette creamy cheese and amazing cranberry-cherry-orange compote.

When guests arrived, Baby served a sentimental platter of Pigs & Blankets, the way his mother used to make, with the dogs wrapped up in Pillsbury puff pastry. Yellow and grainy mustards went alongside with a sort of ketchup sauce that I made up from a carton of sensuously red Kumato tomatoes that also veer toward black pearls in color, some balsamic vinegar and crystallized pineapple that was on hand.

Behold the beast with the parsley heart gracing its proud breast!

How quickly it was ravaged! And it was so tender, I daresay it was the best turkey I ever had. For me, the injection of sherry and butter is essential, and the bird also must be monitored with a meat thermometer.

Our table at night! And what a flurry it was!

The tryptophan clearly kicked in somewhere around here.

Our guests delighted in lemon and coconut Pepperidge Farm cakes, the old store-bought dressed up with some fresh blackberries and raspberries.

For leftovers the next day, we pored over turkey sandwiches wedged into local rolls and I pureed the Lady Carrots and Soldier Leeks with gravy and heavy cream for a marvelous soup.

And somehow we managed to keep Coco away from raiding everything until it was time for her to have leftovers of her own, which she devoured!

Shouldn't You Just...?

2011-11-22T09:37:00.002-05:00

Take the time to research a little about where your newly wedded friends are spending their honeymoon and give them a gift certificate at an exquisite restaurant there to create a memorable evening for them while they are away enjoying connubial bliss?

Modern advice on etiquette for the not-so-new millennium.

Play Reading and Chili Party

2011-11-21T16:37:00.024-05:00

Bringing back a tradition of something my friends and I used to do years ago, as passed down by our respective parents, Baby and I threw a play reading party of The Bad Seed and served three kinds of chili. Over the course of the week leading up to the evening, I made and froze my usual Chasen's chili, made a riff of a Mexican posole (found as Swamp Chili in the pages of this year's Food & Wine issue from October) the night before with cans of Great Northern and kidney beans subbing for the chicken and pork, which was truly amazing. I also made an inspiring pumpkin chili--a new recipe for me that I'd recently been told about. It would be a fun surprise for Thanksgiving, don't you think? Baby made a basket of delicious mini cornbread bundt cakes, from a box of Jiffy mix with a can of creamed corn as a clever, secret ingredient. We all played our parts to the hilt and then dug in to the feast of chili!

Serve any of these over Fritos and put ramekins of sour cream, shredded cheeses, and chopped scallions all about your table.

Chasen's Chili

Swamp Chili (Poblano-and-Spinach Posole)

Pumpkin Chili
Serves 6
Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
2 jalapeños, seeded and finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 pound ground white or dark meat turkey
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with their liquid
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin purée
1 cup water
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained

Method
Heat oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add onion, bell pepper, jalapeños and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add turkey and cook until browned. Add tomatoes, pumpkin, water, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and add beans. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes more. Ladle chili into bowls and serve.

Roasting peppers!

Lancashire Lamb Hotpot

2011-11-15T02:27:00.000-05:00

Whilst Baby was in London, he happened to see an episode of Lorraine, the British talk show hostess where her guest was fellow countryman and chef Dean Edwards cooking up a lamb hotpot. Once Baby told me about Mr. Edwards' recipe, we were both thusly moved to make it ourselves for a few friends.

My comments and conversions are in italics along with the hearty, outstanding recipe below.

The table was set with an air of festivity and reasonable aplomb...

With the candles lit, the wine poured and the guests seated, Baby dug in to the meat pie!

Lancashire Lamb Hotpot
Adapted from Dean Edwards
Serves 4
Ingredients
2 lbs. lamb pieces (such as neck fillet), diced and seasoned
Vegetable oil
2 onions, sliced
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
2 large carrots, peeled and diced
1 tbsp plain flour
500-600ml lamb stock 2-3 cups
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper
3 large maris piper potatoes, sliced ½ cm thick 3 large baking potatoes will suffice, sliced to about an 1/8th of an inch. We used our highly efficient Cuisinart Elite Collection food processor with thin slicing blade to make short work of it
30g unsalted butter, melted Roughly 2 TBS or to taste

Method
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius/ gas mark 4. That's 350 degrees
In an oven proof casserole dish add a splash of vegetable oil then brown the diced and seasoned lamb pieces, this may have to be done in batches. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Add the sliced onion, thyme, bay leaf and carrots and cook until browned and softened - this will take approximately 5 minutes. Add the flour and cook out for a minute or so then add the stock and Worcestershire sauce. Bring up to the boil and season with salt and pepper. Return the meat to the pan and stir. We used an additional pan, lined it with potato slices and returned the meat and added the vegetable mixture into that before layering the potatoes on top in as described in the next step here
Layer on the potatoes in an overlapping fashion and season. Place a lid on top and cook in a preheated oven for 1 ½ hours.
After this time, remove the lid and brush with the melted butter. Return to the oven for 20-25 minutes or until the potatoes are crisp. Serve with some seasonal vegetables.

Do enjoy!

Savor Borgata's Taste of American Classics

2011-11-14T14:36:00.054-05:00

Behold Bobby Flay!

Baby and I went to Atlantic City last weekend to cover the Savor Borgata food celebration which also included, perhaps not so incidentally, several extracurricular activities. We stayed at the lovely and totally fun The Water Club at Borgata hotel and apart from having a drink spilled on me from a balcony high above at MIXX nightclub, trying a dreadful cheesesteak and an egregious Italian Special at the legendary White House on the Boardwalk, wickedly bruising my thumb that got caught in a door, and not winning a dime in the casinos the whole weekend, over all I had a most delicious time. Although I realize that what happens in AC is supposed to stay there, I still would like to share.

We tried our collective hands at gambling on Friday evening before tossing about a few martinis and stuffing ourselves full with Porterhouse steaks, asparagus with hollandaise sauce, and creme brulee at Old Homestead. Guest chef Bobby Flay indeed threw it down over an intimate Lunch & Learn cooking demonstration Saturday afternoon at Bobby Flay Steak, in the adjoining Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa. He instructed us on how to make a sumptuous, down home three-course dinner which consisted of: shrimp and grits with bacon and scallions; chicken cutlets with Kentucky ham and arugula enveloped in an American triple creme cheese; and a bourbon praline profiterole with buttermilk ice cream for dessert. It was fantastic and naturally there was wine too. These recipes may be found in Bobby Flay's Bar Americain Cookbook.

After having a Mai Tai or two in Geoffrey Zakarian's Sunroom located in the hotel (and a dip in the pool!), we went to meet the man himself Saturday night at Savor Borgata's Taste of American Classics in the event center featuring a host of Borgata's chefs. He started us off with a Short Ribs Sloppy Joe with Gingered Cole Slaw, then we delved into the following and washed it all down with a few sips of Raspberry Juleps made with gin and even a plastic cup of good old Michelob brew. Here are the other tasting delights that the Borgata chefs prepared:

Marc Vetri (Vetri Ristorante) - Seafood Fritto Misto with Clams, Fluke and Squid
Michael Schulson (Izakaya, A Modern Japanese Pub) - Maine Lobster Roll with Celery, Tarragon and Brioche; Classic Chicken Pot Pie w/ Mushrooms, Peas and Puff Pastry
Romeo DiBona (Old Homestead Steak House) - American Kobe Beef Hot Dog with Apple Slaw and Beef Chili; Maine Lobster Mac & Cheese
Michael Mina (Seablue) - Cioppino with Dungenous Crab, Clams, Shrimp, Black Bass, Thyme-scented Oyster Cracker; Chillen Kumomoto Olive with Tabasco Emulsion, Crushed Avocado, Mussel and Crisp Bacon shooter
Wolfgang Puck (Wolfgang Puck American Grille) - American Wagyu Beef Meatloaf with Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Onion Rings; Shrimp Pasta with Spicy Tomato Sauce
Bobby Flay (Bobby Flay Steak) - Mustard-Molasses Glazed Pork “Chop” with Green-Chile Apple Butter and Sour Mash Sauce
Stephen Kalt (Fornelletto Cucina & Wine Bar) - Sausage and Pepper Hero; Arancini; and Eggplant Parmigiana; Cannoli

Here's master Wolfgang Puck serving up the masterly pasta in rich, classic red sauce:

Raise a glass and a fork to Savor Borgata--and thanks to the wonderful folks at Nancy J. Friedman PR for all!

A Friend Writes...

2011-11-10T10:40:00.015-05:00

About easy dinner recipes prepared in no time. Thanks, Melissa!

The majority of people try to do as much as possible everyday. When you have a very demanding career, getting through the task can be very demanding. With a list full of all that we have to do, getting home and immediately relaxing can be very tempting. Still, there's no escaping from having to prepare something to eat, especially if you have kids at home. Finding easy dinner recipes that can be prepared quickly seems to be the perfect solution!

Keep Pantry Foods
You can never go wrong when you stock your home with the most basic staple foods such as hamburger meat or macaroni and cheese. These classic favorites are available almost anywhere in your local supermarket and groceries. What’s the best thing about them? You can prepare them in a variety of dishes in a few minutes! It is common knowledge that hamburger meats are one of the most excellent protein-rich foods. Working and strenuous activities will drain your energy and spend all the calories of energy that you consumed. What’s good about having hamburgers around the house is that it takes less effort to prepare. They’re very convenient for moms who don’t have a lot of time. For more variety in preparing hamburger meat, try making meatballs, pepper cornbread, and hamburger stroganoff.

As for the macaroni and cheese, this one is a classic favorite among children and adults alike. It works like magic, especially if you try to experiment and add in different herbs and sauces. This can be rosemary, garlic, or pesto. If you prefer a healthier version of macaroni and cheese, try adding carrots as recommended by Food & Wine in order to trim down its fat content. You can also try adding hamburger meat, shrimp and scallops, hot dogs, and lobster.

Grocery Store Meals
If you would like to avoid the kitchen, you can always go check out your local grocery store and observe what sort of meals they have to offer. Sprouting like mushrooms almost everywhere, it is never hard to find a grocery store that offers a variety of products. It's easy to find mouth-watering and fresh food prepared on the spot as well as gourmet products on high-end stores.

When time is of the essence and there's not much of it to spend on cooking, pop into a local grocery store and buy a delicious rotisserie chicken. This goes well when accompanied with some green beans, potatoes, and pasta salad. In the mood for some vegetables? Salads are definitely a good choice. For dessert, serve some ice cream with sliced fruit on the side. It won’t take a long time to prepare but it goes a long way! With grocery stores, just follow the aisles, buy, and serve.

You may contact Melissa at melissa@blogcontentguild.com

A Very Special Peter Luger Birthday

2011-11-08T15:39:00.014-05:00

Someone very near and dear to me (okay, it was me) had a birthday recently and a bunch of my friends and I packed into several cabs and made our way to Brooklyn, to celebrate with meat at Peter Luger. This joint tucked under the bridge has been around for over 100 years and is more German beer hall than stuffy steakhouse. The charming waiters carefully instruct/demand what to order and in what size shared portions. Plates and silverware are flung about on rustic, ancient tables and the whole experience is completely marvelous.

Martinis and bottles of Pinot Noir went 'round the table as we sampled a platter of sliced tomatoes and onions, a salad of mixed greens that we doused with a gravy boat of gorgeous blue cheese dressing, and swooned over dazzling, thick slices of Luger's own sizzling bacon.

Here are our Porterhouse steaks, enough to feed an army! It was served with a side of German fried potatoes, similar to hash browns.

After our sprawling dinner, Luger's special "Holy Cow" hot fudge sundae had us simply mooing! Just look at it! Can you imagine? I never got to snap a shot of the cheesecake--it was devoured so quickly!

What a joyous celebration, surrounded by friends!

Recipes Of Our Mothers - Barbara Darmstadt's Pound Cake Recipes

2011-10-25T14:09:00.009-04:00

Some deliciousness from my friend Frank!

"When I was little my mother and Nanna encouraged me to learn how to cook for myself and to do other things in the kitchen such as doing the dishes (and putting them away!) and keeping things clean. These chores were not just chores as such but also ways to create a foundation of independence for myself. If I was hungry, cook something! If the dish is dirty, clean it and put it away! And if you invite someone over to your home, make sure you know how to make him or her feel comfortable, like back at home. I will always be grateful for that from two of the most important women in my life."

MY MOTHER’S POUND CAKE RECIPES
Regular Pound Cake
Ingredients
2 ¾ cups, sifted flour
2 ¼ teaspoons, baking powder
1 ½ to 1 ¾ cups, sugar
1 teaspoon, salt
1 cup, butter, melted or very soft
¾ cup, milk
1 teaspoon, vanilla
4 eggs, unbeaten
1 cup, chopped nuts
Confectioner's sugar (optional)
10-inch tube pan
PAM or additional flour and margarine to grease pan

Method
Sift dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Add milk, butter, and vanilla. Beat 2 minutes. Add eggs. Beat 2 more minutes. Pour mixture into a greased and floured 10-inch tube pan. Spread nuts on bottom of pan. Pour the batter in the pan (batter will be thick) and bake at 375 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes. Optional: when cake is cool, sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar.

Sour Cream Pound Cake
Ingredients
¼ pound, butter (very soft)
1 cup, sugar
2 eggs
2 cups, sifted flour
1 teaspoon, baking powder
1 teaspoon, baking soda
½ pint, sour cream
1 teaspoon, vanilla
A mixture of ½ cup, chopped nuts
1 teaspoon, cinnamon
½ cup, sugar
Bundt pan
PAM or additional flour and margarine to grease pan

Method
Cream butter. Add sugar and eggs and mix together. Add sifted flour, baking powder, baking soda; alternatively with sour cream and vanilla. Spread half the batter in a bundt pan that is already greased and floured. Sprinkle a little more than half of the “nuts” mixture evenly onto the batter. Add the remaining batter and sprinkle the rest of the “nuts” mixture and 1/2 cup sugar. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. The batter should be thick enough to spoon it into the bundt pan and spread it all around evenly.

Steak and Stilton Pie

2011-10-23T08:25:00.028-04:00

When Baby returned from London after an over-extended two weeks away for business, I thought, "What else to do but make Steak and Stilton Pie to welcome him back?" The latest Saveur magazine has had me in fits wanting to make every recipe stuffed into its contents. As this particular recipe is such a part of British tradition neatly tying in to my borderline obsession with making pies of late, I figured it would be just perfect to welcome him back home. I did change it up though: I purchased pastry shells instead of making my own dough or filling a pie tin and topping it with pre-made puff pastry as the recipe suggests. While the cubes of London Broil (instead of beef chuck), chopped vegetables and cheese slowly simmered stove top, I baked the shells in the oven and then covered them with my stuffing. The result? Abso-bloomin-lutely delicious! And it's hearty enough not to require any accompaniment, except for loved ones of course.

Here's the proud London Broil soaking in the seasoning while I chopped the vegetables...

and after too, having gone under my knife, browning in a little olive oil!

The gorgeous latticework of sliced onions with thickly cut carrots, celery, and rosemary stewed things over before the stout beer was poured in, and the beef was added back, simmered with beef stock, dried mustard, bay leaves, quartered browned mushrooms, frozen peas and crumbled Stilton.

Enjoy, mate!

Steak and Stilton Pies
Adapted from Saveur Magazine
Serves 4
Ingredients
¼ cup olive oil
1 ¼ lb. beef chuck, cut into 1" cubes
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 large yellow onions, sliced
2 ribs celery, thickly sliced
2 small carrots, thickly sliced
2 tbsp. minced rosemary
1 12-oz. bottle stout beer
¼ cup flour
2 cups beef stock
2 tsp. mustard powder
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp. unsalted butter
10 oz. mushrooms, quartered
6 oz. English Stilton, crumbled
1 10-oz. package frozen peas
1 14-oz. package puff pastry
1 egg, lightly beaten

Method
1. Heat oil in an 8-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat. Season beef with salt and pepper, and cook until browned, 10–12 minutes; transfer to a bowl. Add garlic, onions, celery, carrots, and rosemary to pan; cook until soft, 10–12 minutes. Add beer; cook until almost dry, 18–20 minutes. Add flour; cook, stirring, until smooth. Return beef to pan along with stock, mustard, and bay leaf; bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Cook, covered partially, until beef is barely tender, about 1½ hours; set aside. Heat butter in a 10″ skillet over high heat. Add mushrooms; cook, stirring, until browned all over, about 8 minutes; stir into beef mixture along with cheese and peas.

2. Heat oven to 375°. Divide beef mixture among four 6" pie tins (12 oz. each). Roll pastry into a 14" square; cut out four 6" circles. Brush tin edges with egg; place 1 circle over each; press to seal. Cut slits into pastry; brush with egg. Bake until browned, about 40 minutes.

Recipes of Our Mothers - Mrs. K Writes...

2011-10-10T11:45:00.020-04:00

Perhaps you might remember reading about my love of pork pie? I was at a most celebratory wedding reception for my dear childhood friend Tina late this past summer when the mother of the bride happened to tell me of her pork pie recipe, as such things often do come up in cocktail conversation.

As the weather has started to change and we are all dressing for fall, I set out to make Mrs. K's pie while Baby was out of town on business. I already had a ready made crust to use as her recipe suggests, but I also made my Nana's pie crust to drape my pie with a comforting blanket. While I worked on the crust and then rolled out the dough with Baby's great-grandmother's rolling pin (the sole thing she held on to when she escaped from Russia, over a hundred years ago), I wondered what both might have had in their thoughts years ago while baking and turning out dough with such quiet patience.

Alone with my own thoughts, fashioning the pie, I further mused of generations: my old friend rollerskating with me in my parents' basement when we were children, her new husband who is a chef, her mother cooking in the kitchen, my Nana's cradling hands, Baby too far away, and the fleeing image of a woman who left Russia with only a rolling pin smoothly hewn from burled wood. Fine company indeed.

Slowly simmering the ground pork and beef with onions, salt and pepper...

peeling the potatoes before heading to the stove top to boil them for about 45 minutes as the meat cooks...

and here's the meat mixture about to be combined with the potatoes that I mashed once cooked.

Take it away, Mrs. K!

Mrs. K writes, "Here's the Pork Pie Recipe that I use. Got it from my sister-in-law many years ago. It looks complicated, but it is the easiest Pork Pie Recipe that I've ever used."

My comments in italics as usual.

Pork Pie Recipe
(Makes two 9 inch pies)
Ingredients
2 pounds ground pork
1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper Lots of it
1/2 tsp. sage
1/2 tsp. cinnamon I used less
1/8 tsp. ground cloves I would use less or add tarragon as a different spice
1/2 tsp. allspice
1 med. onion chopped fine
2 cups water
3 large potatoes
2 9" pie shells with top crust (I use Pillsbury ready made)

Method
Combine ground pork, beef, onion, salt, pepper and water in a deep fry pan. Mix and cook slowly for 45 minutes. DO NOT DRAIN! Add spices and cook 15 more minutes. Let stand a bit so flavors will blend. Peel and cook potatoes until done. Mash while hot and mix with meat mixture. Let cool about an hour. Place in pie shells. Bake at 350 degrees on the middle rack for about 30 minutes or until crusts are browned. You can prepare pies, but wrap one in Saran Wrap covered with aluminum foil and freeze for another time. Defrost before cooking.

Do enjoy!

Apple and Sage Pork Chops

2011-10-09T12:13:00.016-04:00

One afternoon while in the grocery store, I spied a packet of McCormick's Recipe Inspirations. Pre-measured spices are neatly assembled and a recipe for a dish utilizing them is on the back! Too tremendous! All you need are a few additional items, such as in the case of the Apple and Sage Pork Chops, well obviously the apples and pork, but also basic things such as flour, brown sugar and onions that you might already have around the house. I had some apricot wheat beer from the Ithaca Beer Co. and substituted that for the apple juice listed in the recipe below. It turned out to be a grand idea. With a salad of parsley, pancetta, buttermilk and lemon via tastingtable.com to start and Ciao Bella's blood orange sorbet to follow our perfect pork chops, there was a ribbon of summery fruit flavors that were evenly balanced with the savory suggestions to welcome the fall.

Apple and Sage Pork Chops
Makes 4 servings.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
1 package McCormick Recipe Inspirations Apple and Sage Pork Chops
1 tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon salt
4 boneless pork chops, 1-inch thick (about 1 1/4 pounds)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 red apples, thinly sliced
1/2 cup apple juice
1 tablespoon brown sugar

Method
1. Mix flour, all of the Spices and salt in small bowl. Sprinkle both sides of pork chops with 1 tablespoon of the seasoned flour.
2. Heat oil in large skillet on medium-high heat. Add pork chops; brown on both sides. Remove from skillet. Add onion; cook and stir 3 minutes or until tender. Add apples; cook and stir 2 minutes.
3. Stir in juice, sugar and remaining seasoned flour until well mixed. Return pork chops to skillet. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 5 minutes or until desired doneness.

Jay's Apple Pie

2011-10-08T12:59:00.009-04:00

I hated making this apple pie but I sure loved eating it. The whole peeling and coring (without a corer) of eight apples felt like it took hours. There are apples available that are all prepped to pop into a pie, so next time I might just do that when there are a decent variety of these ready-to-go apples on the grocery store shelves. Or proceed as you may. As Jay suggests, I used pre-made dough too which I have also always found to be quite good and certainly less tedious. Adding a scoop of vanilla ice cream is quite a good idea, but you might want to try a slice of melted Grafton cheddar on top--or both!

Do enjoy and thanks to Jason 'Jay' Prince for his adaptation of the recipe with his comments--and a shout out to my dear TD for sending this along.

Jay’s Apple Pie
Variation of Joy of Cooking Apple Pie recipe
"I’m too lazy to make a crust by hand, so I just use the pre-made rolled-out crusts. It’s a better pie if you make a real lard crust, but turns out surprisingly well with a store-bought one."

• Position a rack in the lower third of the oven.
• Preheat oven to 425-degrees
• Peel, core and slice about 6-8 medium/large apples.

"I like using 2-3 Macintosh cut up into chunks approximately 1/2” by 1.” Macs turn pretty mush but have such a great flavor that I like them in the pie."

Slice 3-4 Cortlands or Braeburns into 1/4” thick, but long slices.

"These keep a good texture in the pie. Fujis and Galas work well, too. I also like a couple of Golden Delicious apples for a little variety in texture."

• Combine the apples in a big mixing bowl with
2/3 cup of sugar
1 tablespoon of honey
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg
• Let everything stand for about 15 minutes to soften the apples so they fit into the crust better. Stir every couple of minutes to keep it all coated.
• Fill the crust and put on 6-8 pats of salted butter before covering with the top crust. Seal the edges and cut several steam vents, then mix together.
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon to sprinkle all over the top of the crust.

• Bake the pie for 30 minutes -- "I use a crust-saver ring for the first 30 minutes."

• Slip a baking sheet under the pie and reduce the temperature to 350-degrees for another 30 minutes.
• Cool the pie on a rack 3-4 hours for the filling to completely thicken properly.

"Enjoy with French Vanilla ice cream and to reheat, put the pie in a 350-degree oven for fifteen minutes"

Sage's Sweet Sixteen

2011-10-04T05:44:00.014-04:00

We try to do what we can, and at best, inspire. When my sweet cousin turned 16, (my, children grow up so quickly, don't they?) she came into town for a visit with her mother and Baby and I threw a party for her all weekend, whisking her about all over the city.

What to do but have a Croquet Lawn Party upon their arrival, even though we don't have a lawn or a croquet set! I had been itching to make recipes culled from a Gourmet magazine issue all the way back from 1994 but never really had the proper moment. So here it was for our celebration: A few pitchers of Southside vodka cocktails with mint were served, but I didn't squeeze my own limes or make simple syrup--adding Simply Limeade did the time-saving trick! We made a dried sour cherry and cream cheese spread with pecans and bought a jar of salmon rillettes (sort of a salmon pate) for starters. Chicken salad tea sandwiches (recipe below) were absolutely fabulous with crushed smoked almonds. Cheddar chutney tea sandwiches and minted radish tea sandwiches with lemon mayonnaise further fed our small crowd.

To celebrate the sweet event, we set a Peppridge Farm lemon cake afire with blueberries, edible flowers and sparklers, as you do. Cheers, girl!

Chicken Salad Tea Sandwiches with Smoked Almonds
Adapted from Gourmet Magazine
Ingredients
3 cups chicken broth
2 whole boneless chicken breasts with skin (about 1 1/2 pounds), halved
1 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup minced shallot
1 teaspoon minced fresh tarragon leaves
24 very thin slices Pepperidge Farm bread
1/2 cup finely chopped smoked almonds (about 2 ounces)

Method
In a deep 12-inch skillet bring broth to a boil and add chicken breasts in one layer. Reduce heat and poach chicken at a bare simmer, turning once, 7 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and cool chicken in cooking liquid 20 minutes. Discard skin and shred chicken fine.
In a bowl stir together chicken, 1/2 cup of mayonnaise, shallot, tarragon, and salt and pepper to taste.
Make 12 sandwiches with chicken salad and bread, pressing together gently. With a 2-inch round cutter cut 2 rounds from each sandwich. Put almonds on a small plate and spread edges of rounds with remaining 1/2 cup mayonnaise to coat well. Roll edges in almonds.

Sandwiches may be made 2 hours ahead, wrapped in plastic wrap, and chilled.

Makes 24 tea sandwiches.

Shouldn't You Just...?

2011-10-04T05:33:00.002-04:00

Spread out gourds and apples on your table in an attractive vessel, befitting autumn's harvest?

Modern advice on etiquette for the not-so-new millennium.

Tonight's Menu - Saturday Roast Beef Dinner

2011-09-26T11:41:00.018-04:00

For those of you that keep up with me here on Evenings With Peter, you know of my love for Saveur magazine--and every now and then, an issue appears on my doorstep filled with recipes where I want to make every single one. The October issue is a prime example of just what I'm talking about. Apart from the feast I threw together heralding roast beef, I want to pickle baby vegetables, make challah knots for the High Holidays, serve up steak and Stilton pies and toast to it all with a host of whiskey cocktails found in Saveur's fall pages.

The medium-rare roast rubbed with rosemary and garlic was so easy, and a showstopper. I suggest doing the rub the night before you plan to serve it and let the flavors sink into the meat, wrapped under refrigeration. English pork pie was exhausting (it took about 8 hours, imagine toiling at midnight, ladling gelatinous stock into our pie as it was absorbed!), but we were ultimately breathless with each savory bite--and it got full approval from our British guest, even though I used store-bought dough instead of making my own. Have your butcher cube your meat as much as possible according to the recipe to save time. Roasted potatoes were from a can and a delight, sharing the pan with our beef toward the end of the cooking time. Grilled green beans with a basil-celery leaf-parsley pesto (subbing for bean-leaves that I didn't have time to search out) were pulled from a recipe on tasting table.com and Baby's wonderful honey cake indeed took the cake for dessert, draped in chocolate glaze from Gourmet Live on epicurious.com. Use at least double the coconut milk suggested for your glaze and add a little lavender extract for good measure. Links are below. Do enjoy!

Tonight's Menu
English Pork Pie
Rosemary-Rubbed Beef Tenderloin
Roasted Potatoes
Charred Beans with Bean-Leaf Pesto
Steamed Asparagus
Honey Cake

Soundtrack: Sweeney Todd, original Broadway recording. I was serving a meat pie, after all--just look above!

Photo Credit: Todd Coleman

Recipe Box - A is for Apricot

2011-09-21T11:03:00.003-04:00

As in apricot squares! Baby's aunt Elsa is actually an old family friend, but as we do if we are so lucky, we embrace precious, beloved ones to complete our families. Going to her house in Brooklyn years ago over the Jewish holidays, Baby remembers the house being filled with the wondrous aromas of her baking upon entering. As a boy, he particularly looked forward to her apricot squares then, and would ask his mother to make them at home to fill the other months, which she did. The tradition had disappeared for years and just over the summer when we were visiting aunt Elsa in upstate New York, Baby requested the recipe--after some digging, Elsa found the recipe card pictured here and we were delighted to make them ourselves, together. Do enjoy this sweet reminiscence.

Aunt Elsa's Apricot Squares
Ingredients
1/2 lb. butter
1 cup sugar
2 egg yolks
2 cups flour
1 cup crushed nuts
1 12 oz. jar of apricot jam

Cream butter and sugar. Add yolks. Fold in flour and nuts. Divide in 1/2. Press one 1/2 into 13x9 pan. Spread jam on top. Crumble remaining dough on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Cool. Cut into squares. As you can see, they don't last for long!

In The Kitchen With...Chef Luis Arce Mota

2011-09-19T15:07:00.007-04:00

Chef Mota, who helms the fabulous restaurant Ofrenda, was kind enough to pass this scrumpdilly recipe for tuna steaks along to Next magazine--and in turn, I am further sending it along to the readers of Evenings With Peter! Do enjoy!

Atún Adobado a la Parilla con Chile Pulla y Salsa Mexicana con Espinaca
(marinated, grilled tuna with Mexican salsa and sautéed spinach)
Adapted from Luis Arce Mota’s menu at Ofrenda ~ Cocina Mexicana

Ingredients
Marinated Tuna
2 6-8 oz. yellowfin tuna steaks
1 pulla chile
2 pasilla chiles
1 ancho chile
1 tablespoon coriander seed
16 cloves garlic
1/8 teaspoon cumin
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
5/8 cup canola oil
1/8 teaspoon ground chile de arbol

Mexican Salsa
2 large, ripe and firm plum tomatoes, diced
½ small red onion, diced
½ Serrano pepper, minced
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Juice of 1 lemon
4 cups baby spinach

Method
Remove seeds from the pulla, pasilla and ancho chiles. Toast chiles lightly for about 2 minutes, taking care not to burn them. Tear the chiles into small pieces and add them to the coriander seed, 6 cloves of garlic, cumin, black pepper and 1/8 cup canola oil and put into blender and blend to a slightly textured consistency. Rub sauce into tuna steaks and refrigerate for 3 hours.

To make the Mexican salsa, put diced tomatoes into a bowl and season with salt. Add diced red onion, minced Serrano pepper, chopped cilantro, and lemon juice. Let rest for 10 minutes at room temperature, and then mix all ingredients together. Cover and refrigerate.

Take ½ cup canola oil and remaining 10 cloves of garlic, making sure the garlic is immersed in the oil and put in a small pan. Cook at low temperature until the oil is infused by the garlic,and the garlic has become very soft, taking care not to burn the garlic. Strain the oil and put aside. This will be the oil used to sautée the spinach. About 15 minutes before serving, remove Mexican salsa and tuna from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature.

Pre-heat a grill until very hot. Place marinated tuna steaks on grill and grill each side for 1-2 minutes. The outside should be seared and the center should be warm and rare. Sautée spinach with previously infused garlic oil with a pinch of chile de arbol for 30 seconds. Put spinach in middle of the plate and the grilled tuna on top of the spinach, and garnish the tuna with the Mexican salsa.

Serves 2.

First published in part in Next magazine.

Spaghetti Squash and Kale Gratin

2011-09-14T13:17:00.007-04:00

Here's a recipe from trufflehead, the first app for iPhone and iPad to feature me! Check out the site's video here.

Spaghetti Squash and Kale Gratin
Courtesy of trufflehead.com

Isn’t spaghetti squash utterly beguiling? Years ago, after foraging through the innards to discover those miraculous, sinuous strands that unfurl like the pasta for which this gorgeous gourd is named, I was completely hooked! Add kale, the most nutritious green there is into the mix, and here is indeed a recipe quite worth making. Any variety of Swiss Chard would work well for this too.

Behold the innards!

Any sort of gourd is not easy to cut through, so use the knife with the most heft that you have in the house. Heat the oven to 350 degrees while removing the seeds from a medium spaghetti squash, about two pounds, and then send to the microwave for 15 minutes until soft, cut side up. Let cool. Use a fork with abandon to scrape out the spaghetti-like strands of your squash into a rather capacious bowl. Toss out the rind.

Isn’t it amazing?

I shirked the suggested skillet, thereby cutting out the middle man by using only an oven-ready gratin pan and a medium bowl: into the gratin pan went the one yellow onion (roughly one cup or more), five cloves minced garlic, several thyme stems (to be pulled out before serving), salt and black pepper with more than the tablespoon of olive oil that the recipe requires. Cook and stir now and then for five minutes until the onion becomes soft. Grab hold of the stems of your kale and pull off the leafy fronds with your other hand. Discard the stems. Wilt a ½ bunch of kale leaves (about four cups) for at least five minutes more and then remove from heat.

As the kale conspired with the other ingredients…

In a medium bowl combine cottage cheese, ¼ cup grated Parmesan, and two egg whites (¼ cup). Stir to blend together.

Gently stir squash into the kale mixture; blend in the cheese mixture. Even it all out and top with remaining ¼ cup Parmesan or as much as you’d like.

Here we go then, all ready for the oven.

Bake 35-40 minutes until achieving that golden, breathless perfection. Although the recipe doesn’t call for it, I’d add some freshly grated nutmeg the next time I make this wonderful dish.

Voila! Spaghetti Squash and Kale Gratin!

Tonight's Menu - Tilapia

2011-09-08T19:58:00.008-04:00

Courtesy of Fresh Direct!

Among my many excesses I now list Fresh Direct, the food delivery service that brings the goods right to your door, if available in your neighborhood. I've probably bored my friends enough with my love/borderline obsession but suffice to say, the food is fresh (it arrives chilled!), ordering is easy and the prices are entirely reasonable. For those of us who don't have cars, ordering cumbersome items or planning a dinner party with a lot of items is a snap because you don't have to lug the stuff home. And their customer service is speedy and efficient.

We had ordered tilapia and microvaveable fresh asparagus and had Red Jacket plums from Fresh Direct's summer promotion--with every order they dropped some free produce in! Sadly, that ended when September arrived all too quickly, but just the same, a meal was born.

Tonight's Menu
Baked Tilapia with Major Grey's Mango Chutney
Roasted Plums and Blueberries
Steamed Asparagus

Preheat oven to 375. Slice your plums and roast them for about 25 minutes (with a shallow pool of white wine!). Slather a little chutney (with a dash of sriracha sauce) on your tilapia filets and bake them on another rack about halfway through the roasting of the plums, roughly 13-15 minutes until flaky. Throw the blueberries with the plums for a few minutes more until softened. In the midst of this, put the package of asparagus into the microwave for 2 1/2 - 3 minutes. Top your fish with the roasted fruit and voila, dinner is served!

Tonight's Menu - Sole Meuniere

2011-09-02T07:33:00.031-04:00

It worked! It worked! After several miserable attempts at making Sole Meuniere, this one was a triumph. Check out here, here, here, and here. Below is the recipe to follow--at last what was once my Waterloo turned out to be wondrous. What I've learned: make sure you have a cooperative, conducive pan (fairly shallow, and well-heated--an All-Clad skillet is great), a sizable cut of sole filets, not too thin, and the best European butter you can find. And don't let the fish linger once you've floured it; cook it right away.

Lemon sole was the star, served with a reasonable cucumber bisque as a starter, before moving on to a frisee salad with a ton of chopped parsley freshened with a mustard bacon dressing and whole potatoes roasted in olive oil to accompany our main.

Classic Sole Meunière
Recipe adapted by Molly Wizenberg via Bon Appetit magazine
2 servings

Ingredients
Fish
1/2 cup all purpose flour
4 lemon sole fillets (each about 3 to 4 ounces)
Coarse kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil or canola oil
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter sauce 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Lemon wedges

Method:
Fish
Place flour in pie dish. Rinse fish; pat with paper towels. Sprinkle both sides of fish with coarse salt and freshly ground pepper. Dredge fish on both sides with flour; shake off excess. Place on platter.

Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until oil is hot and shimmers. Add butter; quickly swirl skillet to coat. When foam subsides, add fish and cook until golden on bottom, 2 to 3 minutes. Carefully turn fish over and cook until opaque in center and golden on bottom, 1 to 2 minutes. Divide fish between 2 warmed plates; tent with foil. Pour off drippings from skillet; wipe with paper towels.

Sauce
Place skillet over medium-high heat. Add butter; cook until golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in parsley and lemon juice (sauce may sputter). Spoon sauce over fish. Serve with lemon wedges.

Thanks to manhattanpug.blogspot.com for the image!

Next Magazine Review - The Hurricane Club

2011-08-27T13:55:00.003-04:00

The Hurricane Club
260 Park Avenue South (@ 26th St)
212-951-7111
thehurricaneclub.com

Set a course for adventure at The Hurricane Club! When my 16-year old niece came to New York for the first time, amidst a flurry of activity, I took her to the splashy, exotic supper club cum tiki bar then newly arrived, on Park Avenue South. Looking for something Manhattan-sized to show her, we certainly found it at this sprawling scene—and lady, can it ever get loud! The conceit proposes a modern retooling of glamorous watering holes like Trader Vic’s with such things as a tiki hut fashioned from glass beads presiding over the capacious bar as evidence.

We sought respite from the storm under towering palm fronds and while I tugged away at a #12 ($14), a beautiful cocktail, similar to a Mai Tai, comprised of Hurricane rum, lychees, and homemade orgeat, garnished with mint, pineapple, an orchid and an umbrella (‘natch), my niece sipped on something fruity and non-alcoholic.

The Imperial Pu Pu Platter ($33) for two featured our chosen selection of cunning chipotle-laced BBQ Cones, crispy Peking Duck with sriracha mayo, fresh Hamachi Poke with avocado, French breakfast radishes, sweet yuzu, and P.B. & Guava Jam with prosciutto and powerful Thai basil which I would just order for dessert.

A Table Salad of Tuna Carpaccio ($27) was well composed, with flowery red and green oak lettuces and avocado tossed with an unobtrusive lemony aioli miso.

When we dabbled with the Wok-Seared Filet ($31), a signature main offering of medium rare shaking beef and crisped watercress, my niece informed me it was the best steak she’d ever had! Ziran Paigu ($24) a.k.a. “stolen” Shanghai spareribs were really good, with the full, fragrant flavor of lemongrass riffling through the nose. Delicious Hawaiian Fried Rice ($16) served in a sizzling hot stone bowl is surely a must have as a side, with a soft fried egg on top and chunks of pineapple all mixed together tableside.

Desserts being part of the maelstrom, I suppose, good Chocolate Kill-Devil’s Food Cake ($14) is proportioned to be shared, with a showering of Valrhona chocolate pearls, awash in a caramel rum sauce.

First published in part in Next magazine.

Fried Green Tomatoes, While We May

2011-08-24T22:28:00.018-04:00

There she sat in the crisper in all her gracious, green plump beauty, taunting, tempting me to have my way with her, aching to be consumed: the last Aunt Ruby's German Green Tomato from my friend's Secret Garden. But what to do? Pickles? Sweet relish, perhaps--or simply relish some fried green tomatoes. I dove into the latter and never looked back. I suggest going forth as well and make the most of these obscenely succulent wild fruits while the season is upon us. The recipe below is certainly quite suitable but I can hardly take any credit for the particular dish I served. I merely stepped aside and let nature in her simple, resplendent beauty astound.

Per usual, my comments are in italics.

Fried Green Tomatoes
Adapted from saucemagazine.com
Ingredients
1 cup cornmeal
1½ Tbsp. Cajun seasoning I used Old Bay seasoning to marvelous effect.
1 tsp. kosher salt, plus extra for sprinkling
¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
½ tsp. red pepper flakes
½ tsp. dried thyme
Canola oil for frying
3 medium-sized round green tomatoes, sliced ½-inch thick
Grated Parmesan cheese to taste (optional) Absolutely no need for this.

Method
Shake the cornmeal and seasonings in a plastic bowl with a lid (or use a large plastic storage bag). Yes, just like Shake n' Bake.
Heat about 1/8-inch canola oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Who can measure that? Just coat the skillet with the oil, placing the tomatoes in when oil is just about smoking and then add more oil around them, just enough so oil reaches half of the tomatoes slices and aren't submerged when it's time to flip them.
Add 4 to 6 tomato slices to the breading mix and shake to coat.
Fry the slices in the hot oil until the cornmeal browns, turning once, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. I think it takes longer, so plan on that.
Remove from the oil, transfer to a paper towel-lined plate or baking tray, and sprinkle with salt while they are still hot. Great idea! And repeat with the rest of your tomatoes.
Top with grated cheese before serving, if desired. No! Don't strangle it!

Thanks to pamsmidwestkitchenkorner.blogspot.com for the image.

The Secret Garden

2011-08-20T11:40:00.011-04:00

How I loved reading Frances Hodgson Burnett's book The Secret Garden when I was growing up. I couldn't help but be reminded of it over the past weekend. Baby and I went to my hometown in NH to celebrate the wedding of my childhood friend. At the after-after-after party the next morning, we were invited for Bloody Mary's where we beheld a breathless, wondrous garden that was exuberantly, extraordinarily tended by our friends' neighbor next door. Once invited over, Baby and I went hog wild, plundering the wealth of vegetables and set to thinking immediately just what we would do with all of our shameless bounty! We knew we had to work quickly while everything was achingly fragrant and fresh. Relying mostly on our imagination, this is what we chopped, grilled, juiced and pureed.

Rosie Daley's Grilled Vegetables
This recipe was a perfect foil as it utilized so much of our finds, including sliced yellow squash, eggplant, red onions, and a chiffonade of basil.

Zucchini Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce
I love this zucchini bread recipe but I didn't use enough butter or flour or both in the pan and some of it stuck, so to make up for the mess I cut the bread up into cubes and covered it with the whiskey sauce so it would appear it was all quite deliberate and intentional. The friends and co-workers that we shared it with were none the wiser. I didn't have any walnuts as the recipe suggests, so I added some chocolate morsels to give it some body--it turned out to be a little sweet, so I appropriated Jamie Shannon's (Commander's Kitchen in New Orleans) whiskey sauce recipe on epicurious.com for balance. He uses 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, 2 tablespoons cold water with 1/3 cup sugar and 1/3 cup bourbon. As he writes, "bring the cream to a boil, combine the cornstarch and water, and add the mixture to the boiling cream, stirring constantly. Return to a boil, then reduce the heat and cook, stirring, for about 30 seconds, being careful not to burn the mixture. Add the sugar and bourbon, and stir. Let cool to room temperature." Then pour it over your pudding!

Cucumber Cocktail
We juiced a bunch of cucumbers for improvised soda which is perfect to serve with Hendrick's gin on the rocks. Boil a 2:1 ratio of water and sugar until combined. While this is happening, juice 4 or 5 kirby cukes or 2 medium sized cucumbers to yield about 3 cups of juice to make several cocktails. Each cocktail should have a decent amount of gin suited to your liking, with a TB of the simple syrup, 2 or 3 TBS of cucumber juice, a brisk spray of lemon or lime and a liberal splash of soda water. The simpler version is to just order a case of Mr. Q. Cumber's cucumber soda from thirstmonger.com and mix one 7 oz. bottle with a scant cup of Hendrick's gin; either way, the drink should be stirred with fervor and served on the rocks and or gently shaken and served straight up to slake the summer thirsts of two people.

Marinara Sauce
For our Eggplant Pizzas courtesy of the brand new iPhone app trufflehead.com! While we sauteed a chopped onion, 2 crushed garlic cloves and a small green pepper in a little olive oil, we pureed ten cherry tomatoes, two beefsteaks, and a single yellow gem that were all bursting at the seams for sauce with a slice of a small hot red pepper for some heat. The yield was about 6 cups and we cooked down to 3 cups in a reduction pan and added a thread of chopped basil upon finishing before composing the eggplant dish with our sauce that tasted ripe off the vine. And did I mention we fried slices of a rotund green tomato (with outrageous orangey yellow innards) and poured the sauce over the beauty as well for good measure?

Purple Cabbage Salad
To pair with a Puerto Rican roasted pork (Pernil al Horno) that we were planning, we thinly sliced a beautiful head of cabbage, and tossed it with a simple dressing based on a Michael Lomonaco recipe: 1/4 cup red wine vinegar, 1 TB Dijon mustard, 1 TB sugar, several chopped shallots, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, 1/4 cup each (or so!) of blood orange olive oil and chipotle olive oil. Process all of the ingredients except for the oils, which are to be slowly drizzled in at the end until combined and silken. The dressing yields 1 cup.

Who says it ain't easy being green?

Tea Total

2011-08-17T15:47:00.007-04:00

Suitably stunning for summer-stuffed coolers, I'd like to present a few beachy recipes featuring the new line of 100% Natural Lipton Iced Teas. Teetotalers are welcome to try naturally, but with the inclusion of some boozy goodness, these invigorating refreshers are at least a different view on what Grandmama used to sip back in the day—and whether or not she added liquor to her iced tea was entirely her own business!

White Citrus Sangria

Serves 4
Ingredients
1 bottle Lipton 100% Natural Diet Green Tea with Citrus
1-3/4 cups white grape juice (or try a crisp and fruity white wine!)
1/4 cup orange juice 1 evenly sliced orange, lemon, and lime

Method
Pour Lipton 100% Natural Diet Green Tea with Citrus and grape juice or wine in a large pitcher. Toss in the fruit and stir it around with a cocktail spoon of choice. Chill at least two hours before guests arrive and serve in chilly glasses filled with ice.

Watermelon-Cucumber Refresher

Serves 3
Ingredients
1/2 cup grated cucumber (use a microplaner for this or simply puree a peeled and seeded cuke)
1 bottle Lipton 100% Natural Diet Green Tea with Watermelon

Method
Combine Lipton 100% Natural Diet Green Tea with Watermelon and cucumber in a 1-quart glass measuring cup or pitcher. Strain after 30 minutes, once the mixture has acclimated to room temperature. Refrigerate until the spirit moves you. Serve in frosty ice-filled glasses and complete the cocktail with slices of cucumber and fresh mint leaves after perhaps throwing some vodka into the mix.

Pina Tea-La Da
Serves 3
Indredients
1 bottle Lipton 100% Natural Iced Tea with Lemon
1/2 cup pineapple juice (a can of Dole will do)
1/4 cup cream of coconut, such as Coco Lopez fresh pineapple wedges (optional)

Method
Put all of the ingredients in a blender until smooth. Pull out a few tall glasses and serve over ice. Consider garnishing with wedges of pineapple freshly pulled from a tree. Light rum would be a natural enhancer here with a dark rum floater.

Dog Days of Summer

2011-08-15T12:29:00.007-04:00

Put on the dog as you continue to pursue your barbecue with a few recipes to serve along with your hot dogs, adapted from Bark in Brooklyn. I sniffed ‘em out and promise they won’t bite!

Bark
474 Bergen Street, Brooklyn
718-789-1939
barkhotdogs.com

To make a really top dog, this is a great topping.

New York Style Sweet & Sour Onions
Serves 20-25 hot dogs
Ingredients
4 large white onions, thinly sliced
1 tsp. vegetable oil
½ tsp. salt
1 12 oz. can of whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes
¼ cup plus 2 T. red wine vinegar ¾ cup white sugar 1 T. salt, to taste, with 1 T. on reserve

Method
Heat a large wide pan over medium heat and add oil. When just smoking, add onions and salt and cook them until softened. While the onions are cooking, puree the tomato, vinegar, sugar, and add additional 1 T. salt in a blender until smooth. Add this mixture to onions and cook down until completely dry, about 25 minutes over low heat. Let cool overnight.

Who doesn’t love a side of slaw?

Bark Cole Slaw Dressing
Ingredients
2 ¼ cup mayonnaise
2 T. cider vinegar
¾ cup pickle juice
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. celery seed

Method
Mix all ingredients together in a bowl and set aside.

Slaw Ingredients
3 cups cabbage, thinly sliced
½ cup carrot, shredded
1 tsp. salt
¼ tsp. sugar
½ cup cole slaw dressing

Method
Mix the carrot and cabbage together and toss with 1 tsp. salt and ¼ tsp. sugar. Let sit for at least 4 hours, then drain and squeeze out liquid. Mix the dressing and drained vegetables together and serve.

Thanks to thelmagazine.com for the photo!

Tonight's Menu - Saffron Risotto with Sea Urchin

2011-08-10T20:10:00.009-04:00

It all started because Baby brought home a cunning container of sea urchin with saffron spread from O & Co. one day. As he was soon to have a birthday, I decided to start a pre-celebration incorporating the unique, subtly briny, caramel colored paste into a pasta dish using Todd English's sea urchin sauce as a road map. He even tosses in lobster! Choosing not to venture outside and not having lobster on hand I went a simpler route. I looked to the cupboard and found a packet of Knorr risotto with saffron looking back at me--if you cannot find this prepackaged, just toss in a few crumbled saffron threads yourself. Risotto is not as difficult to make as you might imagine and these packets make it even easier when following the ready-made directions on the back. Simmer this arborio rice in the appropriate amount of water required to cook and do look after it but once the rice is al dente (or tender according to your preference) it is ready to be served.

I needed to use a cucumber that was lurking in the fridge and as I love the crunchy cucumber summer salad addressed below, I thought that would be a good starter; incorporating ingredients such as ginger, rice wine vinegar, and sesame oil that are used in seaweed salads seemed an ideal preface to the sea urchin risotto. The idea of such exotica led me to concoct an old world Bamboo Cocktail first created in Japan to get the party underway--and we continued on to celebrate Baby's birthday for an entire week!

Bamboo Cocktail
Adapted from Saveur magazine
Makes 1
"This elegant drink was created in the 1890s by Louis Eppinger, the manager of the Grand Hotel in Yokohama, Japan, to slake the thirst of visiting dignitaries. Two kinds of bitters, orange and Angostura, add an aromatic dimension to the sherry."
1 1⁄2 oz. dry amontillado sherry
1 1⁄2 oz. Noilly Prat dry vermouth
2 dashes orange bitters
1 dash Angostura bitters
Twist of lemon
1. In a mixing glass, combine sherry, vermouth, bitters, and cracked ice. Stir ingredients for 20–30 seconds until well chilled and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Add a twist of lemon and serve.

Smashed Cucumbers with Ginger
Adapted from Saveur magazine
Serves 4
Ingredients
4 kirby cucumbers
Kosher salt
1 1" piece fresh ginger, peeled
1 tbsp. sugar
1 1⁄2 tbsp. rice wine vinegar
1 tsp. sesame oil
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

Method
Cut cucumbers into irregular chunks about 2" long and 1⁄4" thick. Transfer cucumber slices to a medium bowl, sprinkle with 2 tsp. of kosher salt, mix, and set aside at room temperature to extract excess liquid and let them soften, about 1 hour. Meanwhile, julienne ginger; transfer to a medium bowl and set aside. Drain and gently squeeze cucumbers to extract more liquid, then pat dry with a towel. Add cucumbers to the bowl of ginger along with sugar, vinegar, sesame oil, and garlic. Toss to combine and season with kosher salt, to taste. Let rest at room temperature for at least 15 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to come together.

Sea Urchin Sauce
Recipe Courtesy of Todd English; translated into English by me
Ingredients
2 tablespoons shallots, minced (about 2)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon (pinch) crushed hot pepper flakes
1 teaspoon of dry oregano
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup of sweet vermouth (a perky white wine is preferable)
1/2 cup chicken stock
4 ounces sea urchin (12 to 18 whole urchins)
1/2 cup butter, cut into chunks
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1/2 pound shucked and cooked lobster meat

Method
In a 9-inch saute pan over medium-high heat sweat shallots, garlic, hot pepper and oregano in the olive oil. About 2 minutes, until limp. Add vermouth and chicken stock, reduce this by half. Add sea urchin, cooking for 30 seconds. Whisk in butter, chunk at a time, breaking up urchins as you mix. Add parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Add lobster at the last minute. Toss in sauce, and the pour over spaghetti. Toss with spaghetti.

I used this recipe, making adjustments here and there for what was already in the house. So: Make risotto, add saffron if need be--follow sauce recipe, adding in two or three TBS of the surprisingly sweet sea urchin spread in the sauce instead of actual sea urchins listed. At end, add sauce to risotto a few minutes before risotto is done and let it all get acquainted, throw in an extra pinch of pepper flakes and 1 TB of spread and blend just before serving for a really good balance of flavors.

Scoops of Sharon's Mango Sorbet followed for dessert.

Thanks to dereila.ca for the image!

Soundtrack: Charles Mingus, Mingus Ah Um; Frances Faye, The Capitol Years; Lennie Tristano Collection, disc three

Shouldn't You Just...?

2011-08-09T15:31:00.003-04:00

Sprinkle kosher salt over sliced cucumbers for about an hour before wringing out their liquid with a fine flour sack towel in anticipation of cooking dinner? Reserve the cucumbers as you will while the fragrant, damp towels serve to refresh your hands as well as your cutlery.

Modern advice on etiquette for the not-so-new millennium.

Recipes Of Our Mothers - Mama Benizzi's Lasagna

2011-07-20T14:48:00.007-04:00

Len Evans, owner of NYC-based Project Publicity often wonders how he manages to remain so svelte. His mother is Mama Benizzi, an Italian cook whose mouthwatering lasagna dish can make any man discard his diet. She shares her recipe with you here on Evenings With Peter and we double dare you to try it.

Mama Benizzi's Lasagna
Sauce
3 cans of crushed tomatoes
1 chopped onion
Garlic to taste
Fresh Basil
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 can of water

In a pot, sauté the garlic and onion in olive oil until golden brown, add 3 cans of crushed tomatoes, salt & pepper, 2-3 leaves of fresh basil and then add the 1 can of water. Simmer on low heat for 4-5 hours. Stir every 15 minutes.

Lasagna
1 box no boil lasagna
1lb. ground turkey
1 package of Italian sausage
32oz. of whole milk Ricotta
16oz. whole milk Mozzarella Cheese
8 oz. of Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
Pecorino Romano cheese, grated
Italian flavored bread crumbs
1 egg
Fresh parsley
Salt and a pinch of pepper

In bowl mix the ground turkey and sausage (taken out of casing). Add about a cup of bread crumbs, 1 egg, chopped fresh parsley, salt and pepper, grated Pecorino Romano cheese, mix together and fry it loosely in a large fry pan with olive - Now, you'll need a deep glass baking tray to assemble the Lasagna...Start by putting enough sauce in the bottom of the tray, then start layering with the lasagna noodles, put more sauce on top of noodles, add the meat mixture and then spoon in the ricotta , grated cheese, the sliced mozzarella cheese and shredded mozzarella cheese. Repeat to make 3 layers, do not put cheese on the top layer. Cover with foil and bake in 350 degree oven for about 1 hour. It's done when knife goes through it. Let sit for about 10 mins. before serving and...enjoy!

An Invitation to Murder

2011-07-16T14:02:00.002-04:00

My friend Bear loves a good murder and over the last few years endeavored to tackle all of Agatha Christie's novels (totaling somewhere around 80) and did. So when he had a recent milestone birthday (he'd kill me if I told you exactly which), Moose and I conspired together to create a celebratory murder mystery weekend. Basically I'm talking about a fiendish bar crawl plotted out over the course of a Saturday afternoon.

The affair began with a mysterious letter on Nancy Drew stationery that he received in the mail a few days ahead of time that held clues we wrote of where it was all to begin...
"Sidecar, Mainbrace, Between the Sheets, all of the above or none
Be on the sundeck for the noonday gun
Remember monsieur, everywhere there is Evil Under The Sun."

This was the first of the clues that would lead him to the various venues that tapped upon Christie's extraordinary canon and where the "murder weapons" awaited him. We started out at my apartment with a vintage Clue board game spread across the coffee table and then onto the sundeck, where Evil Under The Sun inspired we murderous hosts. I had classic, chilled cocktails at the ready, which included a White Lady, Sidecar, Mainbrace and Between The Sheets, as referenced in the film. An utterly bizarre platter of appetizers including some smoky dogs and maraschino cherries were stabbed with skewers and canapes were thrown about outfitting half of an orange, in my attempt to recreate the cocktail party scene in the film too, as seen here.

No time to linger! Bear cleverly figured out the next location, one of his favorite haunts, The Rusty Knot with this clue:
"Sometimes the ropes that are tried to be tied are better left undone
And with so many knots still quite tangled, we find in time they're loosed one by one
To discover...And Then There Were None."

And what do you imagine he should he find there as a murder weapon? Well, a copy of Alfred Hitchcock's Rope on dvd of course!

Hudson Bar & Books provided respite after discovering the secret in this message:
"Who would suspect these days with everybody being so arbitrary
One picks up a drink while stopping to think
Only to find The Body In The Library."

The weapon revealed was the Beatles' Revolver cd!

The following confounding bit of collusion proved to be the most difficult destination, as Bear had never heard of the joint and we had to clue him in to find Bell Book and Candle--but it proved to be one of the funnest places we went!
"It's Pyewacket that's causing such a racket but don't go searching just for smidgens
Grab a thing to ring, to read, to light
And find the culprit Cat Among The Pigeons"

We were going for a candlestick here as a weapon, a blunt instrument so often found at the hands of a murderer, but we resorted to something less dastardly, a dvd of the film Bell, Book & Candle starring Kim Novak and Jimmy Stewart.

We ended up at the Jane Hotel lounge for more cocktails, in honor of the greatest female sleuth, Miss Jane Marple, as created by Agatha Christie with this clue as evidence:
"Although on the water, it's not quite The Botel
Find clues from the first lady of crime, when trying to find the reason and rhyme
At a place such as Bertram's Hotel."

There Moose handed over the final weapon to the birthday boy, an engraved pocket knife from Tiffany's with his initials as well as proof to commemorate the date. But unlike so many mysteries, we gleefully confess that there were many witnesses for this particular prosecution--which ended up being very well executed!

Peg O' My Heart

2011-07-12T11:30:00.018-04:00

I hadn't seen my dear friend Peg in 8 years! We finally arranged a visit that lasted only about 24 hours but what a visit! I won't go into all the details but I will tell you this--it involved karaoke, swimming and Champagne on my sundeck.

Peg is a physical trainer and naturally follows a regimen involving dietary restrictions (Champagne is not necessarily one of them). We needed to chat our heads off, so I had a healthy breakfast and lunch that I wanted to mostly prepare at home the day before that wouldn't require a lot of kitchen time and impede on our conversation. Otherwise I made dinner reservations at Blossom, a local vegetarian joint. So the challenge was what could we eat? My thoughts immediately went to Joy Bauer's Slim & Scrumptious cookbook that I featured here recently on Evenings With Peter and also an old mainstay, In The Kitchen With Rosie, written by Oprah's former chef, the spa-trained Rosie Daley. So here are recipes for Apricot Almond Oats and Grilled Vegetable Sandwiches (I omitted the bread and just spread the veggies out on a plate). Although there were just the two of us eating and these recipes supposedly serve four and six people, respectively, make the whole lot even if it's just a meal for one because this is food where availing yourself to further helpings is the only option. Wash it all down with fruity iced tea!

My comments in italics.

Apricot Almond Oats
Adapted from Joy Bauer's Slim & Scrumptious Cookbook
Serves 4 (Serving Size: 1 cup)
Ingredients
1 cup steel-cut oats
15 whole dried apricots, roughly chopped
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract (or substitute vanilla extract)

Method
Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add the oats, chopped apricots, and salt. Reduce the heat to low and cover the pan. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the oats are soft and creamy, about 30 minutes. Just before serving, stir in the brown sugar and almond extract.

Grilled Vegetable Sandwich
Adapted from In The Kitchen With Rosie by Rosie Daley
Serves 6
Dressing
1 cup plain nonfat yogurt I pureed extra firm tofu instead
3 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons nonfat cottage cheese
1/8 teaspoon Tabasco sauce I used Sriracha chile sauce
2 tablespoons minced shallot (1 small shallot)
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 small eggplant, trimmed and cut into 1/4 -inch rounds
1 medium yellow squash, trimmed and cut into 1/4-inch rounds
1 medium zucchini, trimmed and cut into 1/4-inch rounds
1 red onion, trimmed and cut into 1/4-inch rounds
3 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Light vegetable oil cooking spray I ran out halfway through so I splurged with extra virgin olive oil
2 roasted red bell peppers To do this yourself, halve the peppers, core and remove the seeds and broil for 5 minutes or so until the skin blisters, throw in a tightly sealed plastic bag and when cool, pull off the skin and quarter them
2 baguettes Entirely optional
1 large tomato, cored and sliced
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons chopped jalapeno pepper I omitted this
8 fresh basil leaves and 8 arugula leaves Roll up and cut on the bias for a chiffonade

Preheat the broiler.
Put all the dressing ingredients in a blender and mix at low speed until smooth. Set aside.
Arrange the eggplant, yellow squash, zucchini, and onion in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle the Italian seasoning and cayenne pepper over all of the rounds. Spray the vegetable oil over to coat lightly. Broil the vegetables for about 5 minutes, until brown, turn the rounds over, and brown the other side. Remove the cookie sheet, leaving the broiler on.
Toast halved baguettes if you wish 2 minutes per side. Layer your vegetables either on the baguettes or on a platter, drizzle your dressing, gussy it up with your chiffonade and do enjoy!

Tonight's Menu - Outstanding Rib Roast

2011-07-10T19:18:00.024-04:00

Baby and I did a little rearranging not so long ago (well actually I did, one night when I couldn't sleep) and removed our dining room table. But then we were having guests over for dinner in a few days, so what to do until the new table arrived? Well, gougeres at our apartment for appetizers and wine and then move across the hall to our friends place for a proper sit-down! I set their table the evening before and prepped as much as I could ahead of time so our migration would be quite effortless. Here is what was on the menu, with links:

Tonight's Menu
Serves Six
Gougeres - serve with an inspiring red wine
Yorkshire Puddings with Lobster in a Vanilla Chive Sauc e - a little bit of a twist here; I used the sauce to pour over the Yorkshire Puddings instead of the Bread Pudding the recipe suggests
Standing Rib Roast (four bones), unwrapped from packaging and let dry for 2 hours in fridge sprinkled with salt, pepper and Bavarian seasoning from Penzey's, cooked until internal temp was 135 degrees--let stand for 20 minutes
Boston Cooking School Brownies and slivers of Harvey Wallbanger Cake topped with homemade Pistachio Ice Cream

What an outstanding evening we had indeed!

Soundtrack: Dexter Gordon, Ballads; Stanley Turrentine, The Spoiler; Miles Davis, Birth of the Cool; Horace Silver and The Jazz Messengers

Pucker Up!

2011-07-08T12:44:00.004-04:00

Beam Global has amped up Pucker (yes, that Pucker) featuring a line of brand new vodkas. Mixologist Stephanie Schneider from Huckleberry Bar in Brooklyn paid us a visit to show us how to shake up the following clever concoctions. She brought the hooch, the mixers and even the glasses and exquisitely crafted cubes of ice! The whole affair was a lot of fun and the actual Pucker itself a surprising pleasure and far more civilized than we expected. After a sip or two of these elevated cocktails, you may even be able to separate yourself from images of overwrought, excessively inebriated girls doing shots of the stuff at rodeo bars with their tops off.

Note the random magazine caught in the background that presumes to have Mr. Tony Bennett tending bar as well.

Sweet & Sour Apple
2 parts Pucker Apple Flavored Vodka
¼ part Maple Syrup
1 part Lime Juice
¼ part Anisette Cordial
Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Shake ingredients and strain into a cocktail glass. Spray Anisette Cordial on top of cocktail.

Citrus Mist
2 parts Pucker Citrus Flavored Vodka
½ part Lemon Juice
½ part Ginger Cordial
1 Egg White
1 Lemon Peel
Combine and dry shake first four ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake vigorously several times. Double strain into a cocktail glass. Squeeze oils of lemon peel on top and then discard peel.

Main Squeeze
2 parts Pucker Citrus Flavored Vodka
½ part Ginger Cordial
½ part Lemon Juice
5 parts Lemon Thyme
1 part Q Tonic
Lemon Wedge
Muddle the herb with a few cubes of ice. Combine Pucker Citrus Flavored Vodka, Ginger Cordial and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker and shake with more ice. Strain into a highball glass over fresh ice, top with tonic and garnish with a lemon wedge.

First published in part for Next magazine.

Pea Soup and Mint Jelly

2011-07-06T09:46:00.000-04:00

Marc Veyrat, a French chef who was on the Martha Stewart show about ten years ago once made Pea Soup and Mint Jelly. I've never forgotten it and have recreated it many times since myself. Using bouquets of fragrant, fresh mint leaves and peas, it's completely refreshing, stunning in appearance and perfectly suited for summer--and it's a soup to be sipped out of a glass! Although the recipe calls for pouring hot pea soup over the firm minted jelly, suspended above in a separate layer, I like to chill the soup first before topping the jelly and then serving it with a long, elegant spoon for my guests to combine as they may. Set up a humble arrangement of chairs on a shady back porch and do enjoy!

As always, my comments are in italics.

Fresh Pea Soup and Mint Jelly
Adapted from marthastewart.com
Serves 8
Ingredients
6 1/2 cups Marc's Vegetable Broth (or resort to using cubes)
60 mint leaves
2 tablespoons creme de menthe
1 sheet gelatin (the equivalent of roughly two gelatin packets)
1/2 medium leek, well washed and thinly sliced
2 teaspoons unsalted butter
4 pounds fresh peas, shelled Coarse salt

Method
In a medium saucepan, bring 4 cups vegetable broth to a boil. Cook until reduced to 1 1/3 cups. Add mint and creme de menthe. Using a handheld immersion blender, puree to break up the mint leaves. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve.

Soak gelatin in cold water to cover for 4 minutes (just dissolve as below if using packets). Remove, and squeeze out excess liquid. Add gelatin to broth mixture, and stir to dissolve. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into eight 5- to 6-ounce heat-proof glasses. Each glass should be one-third full. Transfer glasses to freezer, and chill until just set, about 10 minutes (I find it takes more like 20 minutes or so).

Combine leek, butter, and peas in a medium saucepan. Add remaining 2 1/2 cups vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, and simmer until peas are tender, about 10 minutes.

Using a handheld immersion blender, puree soup until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve (and let chill n the refrigerator if you like!). Season with salt. Remove glasses from freezer. Pour hot soup over minted jelly. Wait 4 minutes, and serve immediately.

Thanks to allherbaltea.com for the image.

A Friend Writes...

2011-07-03T11:46:00.008-04:00

About Shrimp and Fish Creole! She didn't have all the ingredients at home and added some things here and there, but as I told her, improvisation is a wondrous thing.

"We didn't have tomato sauce or whole tomatoes but we did have tomato puree (we make lots of pizza) so I added that and water to thin it out with some chopped fresh cherry tomatoes we had on hand. I added a lot more Tabasco cause 6 drops ain't nuttin'. For the shrimp, we had less than 1 lb so I decided to also add some frozen talapia we had to make up the pound. I'd add chicken next time. Also, it didn't say if you should simmer lid on or off so I started lid on then off after I added the shrimp and fish so it would thicken a little. The cook times were actually shorter than the recipe called for, so just keep an eye on it. I browned white rice in oil, added water to cover and a little tomato puree and some chicken bouillon for seasoning. Reduce heat cover until rice is done. In the future, I will use a more mild fish and maybe cayenne pepper would be a nice addition."

Shrimp and Fish Creole
Ingredients
1 1/2 C chopped celery
1 1/4 C chopped onion
1 C chopped bell pepper
1- 8oz. can of tomato sauce
1- 28oz. can whole tomatoes
1 clove garlic
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
6 drops of Tabasco sauce
1 lb. raw shrimp, peeled

Saute in olive oil the celery, onion, and bell pepper until still a little crunchy
Add the rest of the ingredients except shrimp
Simmer 30-40 mins.
Add shrimp and simmer 30mins.
Serve with rice

Thanks Beth!

A Friend Writes...

2011-06-25T16:24:00.007-04:00

Oh, fudge!

News of Velveeta Fudge was shocking to me. And sounded all too delicious. Do continue on, gentle readers.

"I am a child of the easy-preparation meal generation. Yeah, that one, where Swanson TV dinners came in to providence. However, I also am a Midwesterner, where we call our casseroles “hot dishes” and most of those revolved around easy-to-procure processed products from the inner aisles of the grocery. The tuna hot dish had a layer of crushed ruffled potato chips as a crust. Sloppy Joes started with a can or two of Manwich sauce. Bisquick founds its way into a mix of leftover chicken, as in chicken & dumplings. And there was always a brick of Velveeta cheese in the back of the fridge, which could take you from mac & cheese to a Frito chip dip made with RO*TEL tomatoes to classic grilled cheese sammies (sometimes with deli ham slices for a more hearty meal). And Velveeta even made it into dessert. Velveeta fudge. My aunt Carole likes to make this recipe around Thanksgiving and Christmas. Once you get past the fact that there’s a whole lot of yellow-orange processed cheese in this beast, you’ll really like the texture and moistness of this. Most of my extended family loathes walnuts, which is a perfectly good nut, but we prefer pecans. I’ve also made this fudge with chopped honey-roasted peanuts, which adds a salty-sweet profile to the fudge."

Thanks Thom! Check out his website here.

Velveeta Fudge
Ingredients
3/4 lb. (12 oz.) Velveeta, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine
6 squares Baker’s Unsweetened Chocolate
2 Tbsp. light corn syrup
2 pkg. (16 oz. each) powdered sugar (about 8 cups)
1-1/2 cups chopped PLANTERS Pecans
1 tsp. vanilla

Method
Put Velveeta, butter, chocolate and corn syrup in large microwaveable bowl. Microwave on high for 2 min.; stir. Microwave an additional minute; stir until well blended. Add chocolate mixture, in batches, to sugar in large bowl, beating with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended after each addition. Stir in pecans and vanilla. Pour into greased 13x9-inch pan. Smooth top with spatula; cover. Refrigerate several hours or until firm before cutting into 1-inch squares to serve. For longer storage, wrap tightly and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw in refrigerator overnight before serving.

Thanks to ireallylikefood.com for the photo.

To BBQ Or Not To BBQ

2011-06-19T10:31:00.013-04:00

I say do!

Whenever I can't sleep, I don't just lie in bed and stare at the ceiling. I get up and set to work. Indeed many of my posts here at Evenings With Peter have been written by the hands of my insomnia. And yes, I nod to the irony. Recently, I was wide awake around 2 a.m. and decided to make a host of barbecue sauces. The latest Saveur had newly arrived in my mailbox and the entire issue is almost entirely dedicated to the stuff.

Now, this was premeditated--I'd ordered the ingredients from Fresh Direct (an incredibly handy online service that delivers food right to your doorstep if available in your area) two days prior with plans on making my 'cue; I just didn't know I would be doing it in the middle of the night. The good thing is you don't need to get too many ingredients as the foundation of most of the recipes are the same: ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, onions and garlic. Much of the rest of it is probably to be found already in your kitchen, such as dry mustard, chili sauce or powder, salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and bourbon! Should you find yourself without all the goods, a little improvisation is a wondrous thing.

After making the sauces, I put them in plastic bags and stored them in the freezer to keep us up to our knees in barbecue all summer!

Here are the links to the four sauces I toiled over and suggestions for what to do with them:

Dr. Pepper Barbecue Sauce
Yep, that's what I said, bub. Dr. Pepper. Marvelous for baked beans.

Peach-Chipotle Sauce
Recipe courtesy of Elizabeth Karmel from Hill Country Barbecue Market in Manhattan, to be slathered over smoked prime rib. Sounds good to me!

Bourbon Barbecue Sauce
Try it with pork as Saveur suggests--why not go whole hog and make pulled pork? I ran out of Heinz chile sauce and Worcestershire for this one so I subbed Sriracha and shoyu, naturally brewed soy sauce, to lend some Asian flair.

Coffee Barbecue Sauce
From New York chef David Burke, this didn't yield nearly as much sauce as it was supposed to. Tasted good though. I don't know what I did wrong, but next time what I would do is skip the coffee beans and just throw in a cup of strong, full-bodied coffee as you simmer. Add this to your next chicken dish.

Do enjoy!

Photo credit: Todd Coleman

Being Slim & Scrumptious with Joy Bauer

2011-06-13T07:36:00.003-04:00

Who doesn't want to be slim and scrumptious? Joy Bauer, resident nutritionist on the Today Show, tells you how to get there in her health conscious guide to eating, Slim & Scrumptious. The New York Times best selling author's tome is filled with tips on budgeting (waistline as well as money), properly stocking your kitchen, essential kitchen tools such as sharpened knives (I couldn't agree more), flexible cutting boards (ditto) and the importance of having numerous measuring cups on hand.

The bulk of the book is cleanly divided into nine sections, including chapters on Breakfast & Brunch, Poultry Entrees, and Veggie Sides. Naturally, each recipe features nutrition information. I wish there were more pictures of each beautiful dish!

I set to work on a dinner for a few friends highlighting the aforementioned sections, after setting an appropriately spring table.

For an appetizer, I thought to make the Bacon-Wrapped Brussels Sprouts for everyone to grab around the coffee table. Sort of like classic old-school rumaki, but smoky turkey bacon is in charge here and although the wrapping process is slightly arduous and time consuming, it was well worth it. The leftover bacon was tossed about the plate and it all went very quickly!

We convened at the dinner table for a cleverly devised version of Chicken Cordon Bleu, which in this instance is not fried. Reduced fat Swiss cheese and lean Canadian Bacon played their part, wrapped in skinless, boneless chicken breasts and a touch of rosemary to simmer in low sodium chicken broth.

Crispy Kale was a delicious delight to make and not only was it so easy, kale is the healthiest vegetable you can possibly eat. Here the lightly salted kale was crisped in a 400 degree oven and served alongside our entree to much applause.

Even though the Strawberry Shortcakes with sweetened ricotta were listed in the Breakfast & Brunch, I wondered why we shouldn't have them for dessert? The shortcakes are really sumptuous pancakes made with whole wheat flour and topped with a mixture of part-skim ricotta and powdered sugar, and ripe strawberries.

Et voila! A Slim & Scrumptious meal without guilt. Joy to the world!

Duncan Hines Challenge

2011-06-07T10:19:00.014-04:00

This is not your typical bake sale. Bakers nationwide are sifting flour and cracking eggs to participate in the Duncan Hines 1 MILLION Cupcake Challenge in an effort to raise some dough for Share Our Strength’s Great American Bake Sale and help put an end to childhood hunger.

Put on your best apron, make cupcakes or other Duncan Hines desserts and get a shot at prizes that include trips for two to Los Angeles to take a seat on the Red Carpet at the 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards. Also on a weekly basis, the sweetest fundraisers who roll out the most cash from their sales will have the opportunity to garner a matching donation from Duncan Hines.

For information on how to have your own bake sale and entry details, go to duncanhines.com/cupcakechallenge and follow the few basic steps. The 1 MILLION Cupcake Challenge ends July 24th.

Go to duncanhines.com for recipes such as the Lemon Chocolate Cupcakes shown. We like our own version of this Orange Banana Cake:

Grab a box of Duncan Hines Classic Yellow cake mix and follow the directions on the back of it, incorporating eggs, water and vegetable oil (canola oil works as well). Zest an orange into the batter and add a packet of Jell-O Banana Cream instant pudding. After your cake has cooked in a 350 degree oven, remove it and let cool. Make a glaze with confectioner’s sugar and a little room temperature milk or more, to define the consistency, and drizzle it over the top of your cake. Do enjoy while doing your part to end childhood hunger!

First published in part for Next magazine.

Amazing Glaze

2011-06-05T11:48:00.012-04:00

A glaze is made with confectioners sugar, but is different from icing or frosting by the nature of its gently silken fluid quality. The simple recipe I've included here is for a glaze that my Nana used to make. The measurements are perfection and serve as a great base for whatever glaze you wish to make to outfit your cake, whether it be bundt or not. Try substituting lemon juice and lemon zest for the orange listed here and add a 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract--or whatever suits you. The possibilities merely await in your kitchen!

Nana's Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
4 tsp orange juice
3/4 tsp grated orange peel
Mix all ingredients until smooth.

Thanks to cooking-books.blogspot.com for the photo.

Murder, He Wrote

2011-05-31T11:16:00.022-04:00

I must confess that I seem to have murder on my mind as of late. When I discovered my old musical comedy teacher from college was to portray Miss Marple in Agatha Christie's classic play A Murder is Announced at the Cortland Repertory Theater, my own plot began to thicken. I offered to go over her lines with her on an afternoon, and then naturally what else to do? A picnic was soon announced as I set forth to compose a dastardly basket--of murder!

Recollections of years past and people poured forth, as we dined in her apartment mid-town, before getting to work on her lines. I first took out a heavy candlestick from the basket, as many murders require a blunt instrument. Here it was used just to eat by some inspiring candlelight. The actual menu began with sparkling cyanide (it was really only fizzy pink lemonade) and a drop of poison. For the latter, I filled an old apothecary bottle with Jim Beam Devil's Cut bourbon and labeled it POISON XXX with a marker and adhesive tape. Indeed 90 proof was in the poison! My Surprising Tuna with capers took their involvement in the proceedings as we were on quite a caper. Roasted sliced potatoes with parsley were served with mushrooms that we grilled for information. Fried chicken was executed as well because of course, it was a picnic. Pepperidge Farm Brussels cookies followed for dessert out of respect to our favorite Belgian detective Hercule Poirot, along with Ciao Bella blood orange sorbet for a particularly sanguine conclusion. A box of English Breakfast tea was left for the hostess to help her prepare for her role as she steps into Miss Marple's formidable shoes.

A great afternoon perfectly suited for a great lady! Thanks for the privilege CLB!

Next Magazine Review - Gascogne

2011-05-25T12:25:00.009-04:00

Gascogne

158 Eighth Ave (btwn 17th/18th Sts)
212-675-6564

Gascogne is one of my favorite places to eat, drink and hang out in New York. On a recent sunny Sunday afternoon, my fella and I took a special lady there to do all three things, while celebrating a certain holiday for all of our beloved mothers. As the weather was on our side, we took our seats happily ensconced in the leafy glade outside in the rear of the restaurant.

Orange juice, a Mimosa or a Bloody Mary is included as part of the Prix Fixe Brunch Menu ($22) but we cut right to the chase and ordered cocktails, straight up. A Bombay Sapphire Martini ($11) is a delight any time of the day, when served appropriately brisk and ever so dry. Same goes for a Belvedere Martini ($11.50), which I utterly adored. A Hennessey Sidecar ($9.50) was also perfect for my guy.

To the food! Young rabbit, a.k.a. Lapereau ($12.50) was outfitted as a terrine for our appetizer and it was quite good, spread upon hearty slices of rustic country bread.

While we eyed the plates of beefy Kobe Sliders ($14), and the Cotelettes d’Agneau au Romarin ($17.50)—lamb chops prepared with rosemary and thyme—and the Steak Tartare ($17.50) that whirled past us, we chose the Crab Cake Benedicte ($14.50) instead. It was nicely seared and thankfully not soggy as sometimes happens. Oeufs Benedicte ($12) with fresh gravlax (garlic sausage was the other option) fully featured salmon that was definitely swimming upstream! The revered Croque Madame ($12), a classic ham and cheese sandwich with a perfect egg on top, was a little salty, but indeed sizable.

We were delighted to find Profiterolles ($9) on the menu and ordered them straightaway. The three little balls of puff pastry stuffed with ice cream and dappled with chocolate suited our trio just fine. To further our boozapolooza, we put some Baileys ($8.50) in our coffee and had a glass of Armagnac ($10) or two to grandly finish our most celebratory meal on such a lovely day.

First published in part for Next magazine.

A Tempting Paella

2011-05-24T16:04:00.019-04:00

With George's shrieking mother from Seinfeld firmly in mind, I recently attempted Paella a la Marinera, which seemed to me to be the most traditional version of the Spanish fish dish served with rice. There are a thousand different varieties I'm sure. This all started because my dear friend sent me a packet with two grams of Iranian Sargol saffron threads, so what else to do? Make paella and use the largest pan you have to accompany the abundance of fish!

This paella was a good first try. The rice was perfectly cooked and the fish was not overcooked: that is indeed the goal, since both are on such intimate terms with one another.

We used red snapper fish heads and bones for our stock as that was what was available from our fishmonger; here we simmered them down with cubes of court bouillon and vegetable bouillon (or just chopped carrots, onions and celery) in the mix. Add enough water to cover. A few cloves impart a most elusive flavor. Strain it of course when you're through. Regrets to my fine fishy friends gazing heavenward from the pot.

Keep this stock excited for about 45 minutes and once it has cooled, place it in the fridge to reveal a most gelatinous consistency the next morning. Skim the fat before incorporating the stock into your paella.

While steeping the saffron which adds color as well as flavor, we sauteed the monkfish, head-on shrimp and squid in a generous amount of olive oil with sea salt and pepper.

The paprika, onions, diced tomatoes (canned), garlic, chopped peppers (jarred) all went into the pan once the large shrimp and monkfish were removed and set aside (these go back in later). Subsequently, the fervor was further brought to a boil with the fish broth added in.

Trust the rice. Once the grain is ingrained into the paella, don't fret over it, but do check in to see what's cooking. Do enjoy!

Paella a la Marinera
Adapted from Saveur Magazine, No. 128
25 threads saffron, crushed (a heaping 1⁄4 tsp.)
1 lb. boneless monkfish filets, cut into 2" pieces
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1⁄2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
8 langoustines or extra-large head-on shrimp in the shell
10 oz. cuttlefish or small squid, cleaned and cut into 1" pieces
1 tbsp. smoked paprika
4 medium tomatoes, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 green bell pepper, cored and chopped
1 small onion, minced
7 cups fish broth
2 1⁄2 cups short-grain rice,
preferably Valencia or bomba
1⁄2 lb. small clams, cleaned

1. Put saffron and 1⁄4 cup hot water in a small bowl; let sit for 15 minutes. Season monkfish with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a 16"–18" paella pan over medium-high heat. Add monkfish and langoustines and cook, turning occasionally, until golden brown, about 5 minutes; transfer monkfish and langoustines to a plate and set aside. Add cuttlefish, paprika, tomatoes, garlic, peppers, and onions to pan and cook, stirring often, until onions are soft, about 6 minutes. Add reserved saffron mixture and broth, season with salt, and bring to a boil over high heat.

2. Sprinkle in rice, distribute evenly with a spoon, and cook, without stirring, until rice has absorbed most of the liquid, 10–12 minutes. (If your pan is larger than the burner, rotate it every two minutes so different parts are over the heat and the rice cooks evenly.) Reduce heat to low, add reserved fish and langoustines, and nestle in clams hinge side down; cook, without stirring, until clams have opened and rice has absorbed the liquid and is al dente, 5–10 minutes. Remove pan from heat, cover with aluminum foil, and let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

SERVES 6 – 8

Next Magazine Review - Graffit

2011-05-20T08:45:00.004-04:00

Graffit

141 W 69th St btwn Broadway/Columbus Ave

New York, NY
646-692-8762
graffitrestaurant.com

Graffit may just be a case of style over substance. But is it art? Executive chef and founding partner Jesús Núñez spent a colorful past as a graffiti artist, and his fare reflects that with a fanciful reliance on such things as purple potatoes and a deftly designed palette of sauces poised to please the palate. The whole affair appeared quite fun from our perch in the graffiti-sprayed garden at the back of the restaurant.

While we considered wine, we tended toward The Upper West Side ($12) cocktail. Rittenhouse rye, ruby port, maraschino liqueur and brandy-soaked cherries were a perfect foil for the reluctant spring day. The Beet Goes On ($12) with gin and ginger, beets, celery, apple foam and a sprinkle of dehydrated beet powder was just like a brisk morning jog with booze.

Forego the familiar and seek adventure on the menu. We stalled over the Pulpo a la Gallega ($14), octopus with a spray of purple potato purée and a scribble of smoked paprika, but admired the street-art aspect. Kale Stuffed with Creamy Mushrooms and Vegetable Sauce ($13) was a savory bundle reminiscent of a rangoon with mushrooms, kale purée, cream cheese and a vegetable gastrique influenced by sherry vinegar. Not-Your-Average Egg ($15) was a wildly vibrant collection of stewed peppers, asparagus and peas. The crowning glory was the egg itself, stripped of its albumen, which was miraculously replaced by an orb of cauliflower purée forming the perfect alternate egg white. Beyond! “Fake Truffles” ($14) were an entertaining garden of falafels planted in “edible earth” comprised of olive and carrot powders, with hazelnuts and citrus yogurt sauce.

Filet Mignon ($27) was fine meat indeed, with a frolic of wild mushrooms, fragrant rosemary and then, disconsolate bone marrow ravioli. Duck Breast ($26) in a white wine fennel duck reduction was rich and excellent with a galette of white truffle potatoes and green-apple purée.

For dessert we eagerly drew upon the sexy Warm Liquid Chocolate Fritter ($10) experience with explosive kumquats to further color our world. Graffit isn’t cheap but then again, art has always had its price.

First published in Next magazine.

Tagliatelle con Ragu alla Bolognese

2011-05-19T13:30:00.009-04:00

Baby cut to the chase on this one, as we wanted to make Bolognese sauce with tagliatelle pasta for our guests but didn't have the luxury of over four hours to patiently labor over a gently simmering ragu. We did make the pasta, however. The process is very simple really when abetted by a KitchenAid mixer pasta attachment. We called our guests into the kitchen and all of us had a hand at making our own tagliatelle. It was quite fun! Otherwise buy fresh pasta to further save time and effort. But back to the sauce: we turned up the heat and fiercely cooked it down, evaporating much of the liquid, and the whole thing was ready in a little over an hour. Just lower the heat when adding in the milk. And so, we served a most delicious, fragrant and handsome short-version Ragu alla Bolognese!

Tagliatelle con Ragu alla Bolognese
Adapted from La Cucina Italiana
Ingredients
For the sauce:1 (14-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes in juice, preferably San Marzano
1 1/2 to 2 1/2 cups water
1 tablespoon tomato paste, preferably double concentrated
1 beef bouillon cube
1 celery rib, roughly chopped
1/2 medium onion, roughly chopped
1/2 medium carrot, roughly chopped
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 ounces sweet Italian sausage, removed from casing
2 ounces pancetta or slab bacon, finely chopped
3/4 pound ground beef (not lean)
3/4 pound ground pork
1/2 pound ground veal
Fine sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup dry red wine
1 bay leaf
3/4 cup whole milk
Freshly grated nutmeg

For serving:Fresh tagliatelle, or other pasta, cooked until tender in salted water
Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Method
Purée tomatoes and their juice in blender until smooth; set aside.
In a small saucepan, bring 1 1/2 cups water to a simmer; whisk in tomato paste and beef base. Remove from heat; set aside.
Make a battuto (the foundation for many Italian soups, stews and sauces) by finely chopping together (by hand) celery, onion and carrot.
Heat butter over medium-low heat until melted and foaming; add battuto, sausage and pancetta. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until sausage is broken into small bits, then continue cooking, stirring frequently, until vegetables are softened (do not brown), about 25 minutes.
Add beef, pork and veal; increase heat to medium. Cook, stirring until meat is broken into small bits, then season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly for 10 minutes more (do not brown).
Add wine; bring to a boil and cook until wine and juices in pot are mostly evaporated, 3 to 5 minutes. Add reserved puréed tomato, reserved beef base mixture and bay leaf.
Cook ragù at the barest simmer, stirring occasionally (making sure to stir into edges of pot), until meat is very tender and sauce is thick (as sauce thickens, add water, bit by bit, if necessary, to keep sauce moist and just barely liquid), about
2 1/2 hours.
Add milk and continue cooking for 30 minutes more. Stir in pinch nutmeg. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To serve
Toss the ragù with pasta using 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups of sauce per pound of pasta. Serve immediately with cheese.

Photo Credit: G. Giraldo

Kentucky Derby Pie

2011-05-11T18:03:00.007-04:00

Yes, that Kentucky Derby Pie hovering on a cake stand is one of the many things that I whipped up for the Derby party over the past weekend. It was eaten pretty quickly but still I managed to get a photo of this beauty. And don't wait for any particular celebration--serve it anytime of the year! Vintage tablecloths, sturdy cookware and carefully chosen items such as a fine pitcher always make an excellent table. Note the racing form in the background!

Kentucky Derby Pie
Ingredients
2 eggs, beaten
1 stick butter, melted and cooled
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup plain flour
1 t vanilla
3/4 cup chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans
1 9-inch unbaked pie shell

Method
Beat together eggs, butter, sugar, flour, until well blended. Add vanilla, chocolate chips, and nuts. Add to pie crust and bake at 325 degrees and remove after about 28 minutes so it will be a little bit gooey.

Thanks to grouprecipes.com for the recipe and Adrienne Hays for the photo!

Make Mine Mint

2011-05-05T13:42:00.001-04:00

If you've been reading Evenings With Peter you know of my long love affair with the Kentucky Derby. I've thrown a party for years now, barely have ever made a dime on a bet, but on the first Saturday of May I like to offer up a shindig in honor of the run for the roses. Once again we are ready to pull out of the starting gate! I've already started plotting what my table will look like, and shopping for ingredients that will make Mint Juleps, Benedictine Sandwiches, Shrimp & Grits, Corn Bread, Tomato & Biscuit Sandwiches, and Derby Pie for dessert.

As there are so many Julep recipes, here's another one to try out from the folks at Steinhauser, while we celebrate the two most exciting minutes in sports. I just found this tucked in the pages of my Martha Stewart's Menus for Entertaining cookbook that I have filled with other recipes, receipts and other remnants of Derby parties past such as pressed lilac leaves!

Mint Julep
Adapted from Steinhauser
Dissolve 1 teaspoon of powdered sugar and 2 teaspoons of water into a Mint Julep glass. Fill with finely shaved ice and 1 1/2 ounce of Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey, such as Jim Beam. Stir until the glass is heavily frosted and add more ice if necessary. Don't hold the glass while stirring. Garnish with 5 or 6 fresh mint sprigs. The tops should be about 2 inches above the rim of the glass. The mint is meant for fragrance, use a short straw so that you can bury your nose in the mint.

Please ride responsibly.