foodie nyc

Analysis of Iron Chef America

There are two things you need to understand before reading further.

Iron Chef proper is without a doubt my favorite food show of all time.  I've seen virtually ever episode they've released in the States.

All previous attempts at importing Iron Chef were, to me, low budget and low quality Americanized bastardizations of the original.  You know - Flay electrocuting himself at Webster Hall.  The Zagat family judges.   Flay.  William Shatner. Flay.

Needless to say, I had relatively low expectations for the new Iron Chef America.  After I stumbled across my first episode of Flay v.  Bayless, I have to tell you....I think it's pretty good.  The overall quality of the production - from timing, commentary (Alton Brown fills the know-it-all food geek role well) and dedication to developing a forum for high-end cooking is overall well done.

I am generally encouraged by Iron Chef America, but have these four areas of improvement that I'm going to monitor moving forward......

Leftover Love: Bacon Squash Bucatini

After I recently made a squash soup, I had a little less than a 1/2 cup of acorn squash puree leftover.  We were looking for a quick and easy meal on a work night, so a pasta seemed like a great idea.  While boiling the bucatini to al dente, I browned three strips of bacon in a non stick pan.  After draining the fat (and chopping the bacon into small pieces), I lightly coated the bottom of the same pan with EV olive oil, added two cloves of chopped garlic, a pinch of chili flakes and gently heated. I then added the squash puree and a small handful of chopped rosemary and the bacon.  I then scraped the bacon bits that adhered to bottom of the pan from browning and added a touch of water to thin the mixture out a bit.

After adding the drained bucatini to the squash mixture, I grated some Parmigiano Reggiano onto the pasta, tasted, seasoned with salt and pepper, and served with a side salad. 

The squash added a creamy texture to the pasta, but it wasn't at all as rich as a cream sauce.  It was more like the texture of a carbonara. The squash added a touch of sweetness that was a nice foil to garlic and bacon.  Note to self: leftovers are only as boring as you make them. 

Tahini, Apple, Spinach Spring Rolls

It's so cold outside in NYC that for dinner, we just wanted to use whatever we had in the apartment. I keep dried spring roll paper in my cabinet at all times.  I found a random jar of tahini (all natural ingredients, thankfully), sauteed some fresh spinach in olive oil, and finely chopped matchstick size pieces of fresh apple.  I rolled the ingredients tightly in the rice paper after reviving them in warm water and briefly fried them in vegetable oil.  I tried them both fried and raw, and really liked the crunchy texture of the fried version best.  We also had a blood orange handy, which I juiced and whisked with some olive oil for an acidic dressing. 

Thoughts on Bouchon

I was lucky enough to receive Bouchon, the new cookbook from Thomas Keller, as a Christmas gift over the holidays. 

I've had plenty of time to go through it in detail and generally recommend it. 

It's Keller as you'd expect - excruciating detail in preparation, with detailed thoughts on technique that are critical to master and hold as a standard.

It's also completely unapproachable to the 30 minute a meal world we live in, which I also like. Let's face it, cooking at Keller's level, even in bitro terms, is labor intensive and doesn't just fall out of the sky. 

But it's set up exactly like the French Laundry Cookbook, which I find to be a drawback.  Why? Well, Bouchon presents itself to be an unfussy Keller instructing on the day to day comfort food he loves.  But to me, it's still ultra-fussy Keller minus the unique pairings, ingredients, garnishes, serving ideas, oils, stocks, etc. that made the French Laundry Cookbook so vital.  So, no reason to make it look and feel like French Laundry 2.  It's just not.

However, the beauty of Keller's detail and elaborate pursuit of perfection is the main takeaway from Bouchon.  It's impossible to go through this and not feel inspired to hit the kitchen and immerse yourself in the French bistro classics.  I already have.  The cauliflower gratin is fantastic.  Keller adds a cauliflower puree made from the stems that takes it to another level.

Plenty of great tips and techniques here for the ambitious.  I'd consider this a must have.

Can't Stop Thinking About....

....a recent entree that I had at one of the best new restaurants I've been too, Porcupine. It was tender braised veal that had been formed into a patty, coated with flour, and then fried.  Upon description (there isn't one on the menu, just braised veal), it sounds pretty nasty.  Even nastier is the analogy I'm getting to.  It reminded me of a chicken patty from McDonald's.  But plumper.  Minus the bun and whatever else they put on it.  And filled with tender braised veal.  With an excellent mustard sauce.  Bizarre.  Yummy.  Going back to get it soon. 

A Golden Soup...

...for the Golden Globes.  I made a light and clear ham hock stock and pureed it with roasted acorn squash.  Rather than the richness of cream or butter, I thickened this soup with a fresh goat cheese, which added a nice twang to the sweetness of the squash.  Curry is a spice that goes well with sweet and savory, and it works its wonders here for me again.  Unfortunately, this soup couldn't wash away the sour taste in my mouth after Hotel Rwanda or Don Cheadle did not win for best picture or actor.  What a sham.

See my full recipe on Gothamist.

Amazing Chianti for $20

A fantastic wine that I just had while eating at the bar at 'Cesca, Rodano Chianti Reserva Viacosta 1999, blew me away for $55/bottle.  Two nights later, a waiter at Pace offers me a glass of...you guessed it for an unfortunate $15 a glass.  But, thanks to wine-searcher, I've found it at PJ's, one of my favorite wine shops, for $20 a bottle.  This is a winner. 

New Favorite Brunch Spot

That whole breakfast, lunch thing can be tricky.  In fact, I never know what I'm in the mood for until I actually order it.  So it's important that my favorite brunch spot goes a step further than 'a little bit of everything'.  I need full lunch and full breakfast options, as well as brunch.  Huh? Isn't that brunch? Nope.  Great brunch menus have actual breakfast-lunch items like croque madame and scrambled eggs with lamb sausage. And one of the best cesar salads I've had in a long time.  And a five napkin burger.  And of course, a great bloody mary.  Nice Matin, this could be more than just brunch.  This could be lunch.  Or breakfast.  Or both.

Composed Cheeses

We put out this cheese plate for snacking and a night of cheap thrills, courtesy of Desperate Housewives and Boston Legal.   The cheese plate was more fulfilling that both, although Terri Hatcher is a hottie.  Check out the full recipe at Gothamist.

$15 Merlot I Drink Regularly

...is the 2001 Atalon Merlot.  In fact, I gave it to a few friends for gifts this holiday season.  Very big, long finish, excellent with steak and affordable.  I also think it will age well, but I tend to drink this on an everyday basis.  Great find  - read more from Robert Parker at my source, Wine Shop NYC. 

Pomegranate Mascarpone Dressing

A quick dressing for a spinach salad to accompany a night of lamb chops, made primarily of left over ingredients from a few days before. 

The mascarpone thickens the dressing and adds a sweet creaminess.  The fresh juice, a squeeze of lemon and walnuts round out a side dish made of leftovers.

Recipe follows.......

Scallops, Parsnip Puree, Hericot Verts

On a recent night in, we decided to play my version of Iron Chef. Whitney went to the market and brought home whatever ingredients struck her fancy. One of the results was this scallop dish. 

The combination of ingredients worked very well.  The seared scallops were placed on a silky smooth parsnip puree, made with butter and buttermilk.  The buttermilk adds a velvety texture and a bit of a twang.

The beans were blanched, adding a crunch and texture to the dish. A little more butter, chopped chervil, lemon juice and a touch of water deglazed the pan in which the scallops were seared for a quick sauce.

Yum.

Hen of the Woods

My first trip to Craft, almost four years ago now, came as part of a long and blissful lunch back in the boom of the advertising expense account days.  It will always have a place in mind thanks to my first experience to hen of the woods mushrooms.  More specifically, the mushrooms came roasted in a small pan.  The natural juices and probably olive oil were at the bottom of the pan, but what struck me most was the broiled and crispy texture of the layered leaves of the mushroom.  Their flavor is deep and lingering, but to me that was always enhanced by the roasting process.   I usually make these now at home and had them for the first time in a while last night (best sources are Fairway and Garden of Eden).  But rather than roast them, I broil them for a few minutes on each side after smothering them with olive oil, salt and pepper.  They are best served warm and toasty from the oven. 

$15 Super Tuscan Clone

I've had this wine before and loved it.  I even served it at our last foodie event in December.  But I recently had it a few nights ago with a salad of roasted hen of the woods mushrooms, baby spinach, fresh ricotta and honey glazed cashews.  This wine continues to demonstrate how it could be considered a rustic super tuscan clone. Oaky, tannic, with a deep long finish for $15? Brilliant.  This is a sangiovese from Emilia-Romagna that is imported by foodie friends Montecastelli and can be purchased from Sea Grape.

Lobster Gnudi

We hosted a dinner party for six friends on New Year's Eve.  My menu theme was Lux ingredients.  Foie gras, aged prime ribeye and this lobster gnudi dish based on a favorite from The Spotted Pig were great intros to a long night of partying and champagne drinking.

After the jump, full recipe and photos.