foodie nyc

Fresh Scallops in the Shell

Citarella is by far one of my favorite sources for fresh fish here in NYC.  Sure it's pricey, but where else can you stumble upon beauties like these live scallops in the shell? After cleaning the scallops and leaving them on the half shell, I decided to dress them with leeks sauteed slowly in butter, a few capers, some ricotta salata cheese, olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice. I broiled them for about 3 minutes, giving them a nice crusty exterior. The only thing that would have made this dish better would have been larger, meatier scallops in their shells.  Now how practical is that?

First Ramps of the Year

An event worth noting - our first meal with ramps for almost a year.  Ramps are very hard to find in NYC on a consistent basis.  In fact, I was challenged to find them at all last year.  After peeling off the transparent outer layer, I like to place them in garlic and chili infused olive oil for only a few mintues a side.  After a sprinkle of sea salt, pepper and a shot of lemon juice, they were in great form.  I added them to a pile of blanched fava beans and topped them with steamed lump crab. 

Morels and Asparagus

The combination of buttery morels and roasted asparagus is a pairing that I begin thinking about in March.  The first few weeks of April are usually all about looking for morels and the purple highlights of freshly picked asparagus. This recipe is by far the most enjoyable way for me to begin a two month overdose of spring treats.

Check out the full recipe for this dish below.....

 

A Must Try: Shishito Peppers

A reader sent me an email letting me know that the elusively sweet, small, and relatively unspicy green peppers that I must have had at Tia Pol were most likely Japanese Shishito peppers.  As I note in an old recipe over at Gothamist, I tried to make these little blistered peppers with Serrano chilis but needed to laboriously clean out the insides in order to keep the heat manageable.  Emily (our knowledgeable reader) notes that the Shishito doesn't need to be cleaned as it's very mild.  She also notes that Shishitos can be found at Sunrise Mart here in the city.  I must track these down....

Monsieur for a Hangover

Melted Gruyere.  My favorite pesto of the moment. Spicy suppressata and Black Forest ham. A crusty and soft fresh bread.  It's enough to make me long for the gym, but after a long night of wine drinking I could justify this Croque Monsieur treat.  Although maybe I should have cracked an egg on it, like the Croque Madame from one of my new favorite brunch spots...

Check out my full recipe over at Gothamist....

Craving...

...a rich, bubbly, tangy, cheesy pot of creamy fondue.  I am all about the traditional Swiss recipe with a twist. I blend Emmental and Gruyere with some white wine, rubbed garlic and a singular yet magical ingredient -  curry.  The curry creates a yellow hue to the melted cheese, but it ultimately adds an earthy depth that is beyond luxurious.

Best yet, the simple addition of curry makes the range of dippings even more varied and interesting.  Spring makes the best fondue dippings for me.  Roasted whole asparagus.  Creamy morels.  Potato and herb.  Simple cubed bread.  Crunchy fiddlehead ferns.  Garlic Spanish-style shrimp.  OK, ok.  I'll stop this mindless dreaming and publish a recipe soon, as I can't get a curried fondue with Spring dippings anywhere but at home. (Too bad - I'd pay top dollar for one!)