foodie nyc

Strawberry Tomato Gazpacho

In what seems like an eternity ago, I went to 11 Madison Park and had an amazing strawberry lobster gazpacho to open our meal.  It was a confounding gazpacho to say the least - I could certainly taste a shellfish reduction, but the strawberry puree balanced seemlessly with the pureed tomatoes.  Little chunks of lobster and vegetables provided the only texture in the soup.   

While I found the shellfish reduction interesting, I left this technique behind while making a strawberry tomato gazpacho at home.   I found bursting at the seams heirloom tomatoes, which would serve as the base of the soup.    I pureed the tomatoes with some chopped carrots, red onion, a nugget of ginger, celery leaves, salt, pepper, lemon juice and a few chopped strawberries.  The strawberry to tomato ratio is the entire key to success for this dish.   One and a half large tomatoes took only about a handful of  strawberries.   I generally thought about the strawberries as I would an herb.   You don't want to overwhelm the tomatoes with strawberries, so add less and keep adding after tasting. 

An unexpected technique that made this dish was straining the puree.  After removing all of the pulp and chilling the remaining juice, I garnished the soup with a very fine dice of each of the ingredients in the puree to garnish the gazpacho.  I also added some chopped smoked almonds, a nice wedge of avocado and a drizzle of olive oil to finish.

Whatever you do, don't toss the puree pulp once you strain.   I brought it into work and served it as a salsa with chips.   Gazpacho salsa?  Totally works.

Kafir Lime Steamed Halibut, Arugula Ginger Shells

You may remember my recent experiment with lavender infused cod.  On a night when a light dinner was sorely needed, I thought about that lavender steamed fish and decided to steam halibut with a few aromatic leaves of kafir lime.

Kafir lime leaves have perfect qualities for steaming.  Their flavor profile is distinct and potent, yet also lend almost a light, refreshing, floral quality that matches perfectly with a white fleshed fish like halibut.

Steaming with kafir couldn't be easier.   Start with some boiling water, drop a few kafir leaves in, place your seasoned halibut filets in a steam tray above the water (I used a mesh strainer) and a covered lid.   That's it.   

The kafir lime literally permeates every single morsel of the halibut, which ultimately necessitates for little else to  accompany the steamed fish.   I was looking to accent the kafir with herbaciousness and a peppery sharpness.   

I blanched some argula leaves and a few whole chunks of ginger, then juiced them in the juicer I talk about frequently.   After the pasta was cooked, I mixed it with the arugula ginger juice, creating a light yet explosive bed of  pasta for the fish.   I fried some leeks for some  much needed texture. 

In the future, I will consider pairing steamed kafir fish with a very simply flavored pasta or grain.   Maybe nothing  more than a nugget of butter, an herb and a spicy citrus note.   The steamed kafir flavor can certainly be the star of the show - it's that remarkable.

My Underwear Drawer, Pressed and Neatly Folded

Sorry for the delay in getting the results of my recent summer menu experimentations posted.   I've been drinking heavily and pondering the wonders of the legend that is Kenny Loggins.   (If you haven't listened to Foot Loose recently...um...don't.)

So, where were we.   I gave you the results of a brainstorm I had before making dinner for friends, with the goal of showing you how I developed a menu, and how the final results would compare with my original plans.

As expected, I had to adjust my menu based on ingredients available at the market, additional ideas I had while cooking, and finally, the reality that I needed to dial back my own ambition in order to get dinner out before midnight.

My original brainstorm ideas are located here.   All in all, I was happy with where I landed.    Pretty much all of the dishes were tasty, but what I generally look for when cooking spontaneously is to land on a core concept that can be tweaked and refined in the future.   Below is a recap of each dish and how/why the final dish evolved from my original intention.

Bloody Mary-ish Gazpacho 

My original idea was to express a single fruit in four ways.   I went with the tomato, which I realize was sort of obvious.   But the morning of the dinner party, I had a Bloody Mary on my mind.    I decided I would make a gazpacho as the base of the dish, with tons of fresh horseradish, celery and black pepper.    My second texture of tomato would be a yellow tomato gelee.  I'd make a puree of tomato, celery, horseradish and mix it with gelatin and let it cool for a few hours.   Finally, I made a tomato confit, which was essentially sliced tomatoes simmered in olive oil at 200 degrees for about three hours.   Hiding underneath the yellow tomato gelee is a slice of smoked mozzarella.  The smoky creaminess really brought the dish together.   In retrospect, I would have added cayenne to the dish for a spicier note.

Shiso Juice Ceviche 

This idea came to a grinding halt when I  became  beyond pissed and frustrated that I couldn't buy lobster anywhere near my apartment.   So I bagged the shiso, which would have required effort I couldn't muster at the time.    I decided to create little bites of ceviche as canapes for the guests as they arrived.   After buying some fresh salmon and tuna, I went completely off-the-cuff on this one, only creating the combinations in the kitchen just before serving.    For the salmon, I aimed for refreshing.    Salmon and avocado was a natural match, as was a bit of diced cucumber for texture.   Olive oil and lemon juice rounded out the flavors.   

For the tuna ceviche,  I wanted to pair the fattiness of tuna with a drizzle of truffle oil, a sprinkle of Parmigiano Reggiano, and a dice of celery.   I had never seen or tasted these flavors paired with raw tuna, so I was going with instinct on this one.   Italians all over the world most likely rolled in their graves as I presented this dish, but the cheese and tuna really worked.  I thought this was a bit of a breakthrough combination, at least in my world.

Peach Mac and Cheese

I stayed very true to my original idea with the peach mac and cheese.   I made a bechamel with Parm Regg, half and half, a bit of white wine and flour.  After the bechamel came together,  I folded in a fresh peach puree.   I simply combined the mac with the bechamel, covered the top in bread crumbs, more Parm and broiled before serving.   I was incredibly behind schedule at this point, so I didn't give the crust enough time or attention.    The peach added a fruitiness that cut through the richness of the bechamel, but didn't cross the line of sweetness that one would imagine when picturing these flavors in their head.     A crustier texture on the mac and cheese would have added another level to to the dish and made it an ace, in my opinion.   

Lobster Wellington

My original intention was to stick very close to the Wellington in appearance.  I was going to wrap pastry around large pieces of lobster, corn kernels and a lobster mousse.  But again, I was behind schedule and needed to improvise in order to expedite dinner.    I decided to eliminate the construction of the Wellington and do everything a bit free form.   I'd bake the puff pastry separately, make a raw corn tarragon puree, eliminate the mousse and juice corn to act as a sauce for the dish.     The lobster was steeped in boiling water, shells removed, then finished in a bit of butter and wine.   Overall,  the dish was excellent but I was disappointed that I didn't get to experiment with the Wellington presentation.   But like all ideas, being nimble and open to progression landed on a dish that I thought was worthy of the effort.  Corn and lobster is a perfect pairing to me.

I enjoyed showing you the before and after of the planning and cooking process in my bizarrely unorganized world.    Hopefully I can do another post based on this theme before the summer ends.

(PS - Thanks to Laren, Frankie and Mere for the pictures.  I was too involved to shoot the dishes as I usually do).

Original and Related Post:  Showing You My Underwear Drawer

Showing You My Underwear Drawer: Pre-Dinner Menu Brainstorm

I'm feeling a bit feisty today, so I thought we'd try something new on this site.

I recently brainstormed a few interesting  summer focused menu ideas, many of which I've never made, seen or tasted before.   Since these ideas are the results of a brainstorm, they weren't researched at all.   My goal was to let my creativity and instincts form rough menu ideas that could be fleshed out in the future.

For your amusement, I thought I'd show you the output of my brainstorm in advance of me actually making these dishes.   

This Sunday, August 12, I plan to actual make these dishes for the first time.   I'll post pictures and results of the dishes next week.

I think this could be an interesting way for you to see how a dish goes from concept to reality in my world. You'll be able to see how I start thinking about a dish, then see how it evolves into a finished plate.  For instance, you'll see that I may need to make adjustments as I research my preparation techniques and cooking plans.   I will most likely be inspired by other ingredients at the markets.  As I actually cook and prepare the dishes, I may decide to make adjustments based on instinct. 

My hope is that giving you a peek at my starting point will make the final dishes I post even more interesting for you.

Foodie NYC  Menu Brainstorm
A Random Summer Sunday Dinner
August 12, 2007

Four Textures of Fruit

This idea would feature four expressions of a single fruit.  I picture a Napoleon of sorts, with a layer of the raw fruit, a layer of the fruit in the form of a gelee, and then a roasted slice of the fruit.  I'd then create a sauce or loose vinaigrette of the fruit, which will finish the dish.   I will most likely add elements of accenting flavors in the gelee, and maybe garnishes of flavor throughout the dish.  Herbs, maybe a cheese, nuts are all possibilities.   I'll play that by ear as the dish progresses in the kitchen.

Ceviche in Shiso Juice

I want to try and turn fresh shiso into a vibrant green juice as a base for a ceviche.   I love the herbaceous flavor of shiso, and think that a bit of olive oil, citrus and spiciness would be an excellent counterpoint to a mild, super fresh, fatty fish.

Peach Mac and Cheese

Some of you know that I love to make fruit pastas.  It sounds weird, but it makes for a nice dish if executed properly.   My idea is to make a peach bechamel.  The bechamel would be the base for a mac and cheese.   I'm hoping the peach flavor will infuse itself into the pasta and create a fresh, bright, subtle flavor that plays off the creaminess of the mac and cheese.

Summer Lobster Wellington

I want to create a light and modern version of a Beef Wellington.   I envision a layer of charred kernels of corn, then a layer of a creamy lobster tarragon mousse, followed by large whole pieces of lobster.  The entire thing would be wrapped in pastry, with a bit of a lobster and corn sauce around the plate.  This dish has drool worthy potential, but also high potential for error.  Especially concerned about making sure the lobster doesn't overcook when the whole Wellington goes into the oven.

Check back here sometime early next week to see the results.

Goat Cheese Smoked Paprika Wonton, Pear Horseradish Sauce

I had previously been an advocate for using purchased wonton skins as a last minute replacement for pasta dishes like ravioli or tortelloni.

But a few weeks ago, I had my last limp wonton skin pasta dish.   No mas.  In my opinion, the wonton skins are too delicate to treat like pasta and a double layer of wonton skins overwhelms the filling.   I guess there is no cheating dough from scratch.

Wonton skins are still useful, however.   Like, for making...urrr...wontons (it's hard being this smart, people.  Don't be intimidated - you'll get there one day).

I look for a simple burst of focused flavor in a wonton.  I chose to go the creamy, smoky route on this day.  I made a goat cheese, smoked paprika puree by simple adding the ingredients to a food processor, along with a touch of olive oil, a bit of cream and a squeeze of lemon juice.  After forming the wontons, it's really just about frying them for a minute or two until golden brown.

The fun for me came while making a dipping sauce condiment.  On this occasion, I had the wontons already made and in the freezer.   I went to the corner store, looking for a few ingredients for the dipping sauce.   I had $5 on me and wasn't in the mood to visit the ATM, so I  limited myself to only a few inexpensive ingredients.  I saw a perfectly ripe pear and thought I'd make a creamy puree, with the pear providing a base flavor of sweetness.   I figured the texture of the pear would also give the condiment some body.

I thought the spiciness of horseradish would be a natural counterpoint for the pear.   I went home and pureed about half the pear, a heaping tablespoon of horseradish, and a touch of dijon together with a streaming drizzle of olive oil until  the condiment thickened.   The dipping sauce has a bit more body than an aioli or mayo, but it still had a thick enough texture to cling to the wontons when dipped. 

I think the pear horseradish combo is a winner, one I'll certainly explore again sometime down the road.   In fact, this would be a killer spread on a sandwich.   Ah....the beauty of leftovers.

Dreaming of a Tuscan Zucchini Sformatino

Around this time last year, I was wandering Tuscany and Umbria on the culinary tour of a lifetime.  I feel guilty that you haven't seen much of it - from the olive oil tastings, local cheese makers, and fantastic wine producers I visited - there's almost too much to post on this site.

But as I long for those extraordinary experiences in Tuscany, I'll start to sprinkle in a few Italian inspired posts here and there over the rest of the summer.

One of the restaurants we visited for lunch was Osteria Volpaia in the town of Volpaia, near Chianti.   It was a scorching hot day, so we needed to eat light.   A primi that we ordered was a Sformatino al Zucchini, which is essentially a steamed/baked custard made with a puree of zucchini.  The kicker was the beautiful zucchini blossom that encased the custard.   While the dish was rich, the fresh garden flavor of the zucchini made the sformatino a perfect dish for a warm summer afternoon.

I'll never forget our experience meeting the chef after the meal.   Chef Francesco Sabbadini was leaving the restaurant at the same time we were, as he was heading home for the afternoon.   We stopped him and told him how much we loved our meal, especially the zucchini sformatino.  Not only did he talk to us for about twenty minutes, but he took us back to the restaurant, gave us a tour of the kitchen, then wrote the zucchini sformatino recipe down for me to take home. 

After we both got into our cars and drove off, we saw him a few miles later at a stop sign.  He waved back to us with a genuine sincere happiness, as if we'd just bonded over an appreciation of food and his efforts.  Doesn't sound much like the over-hyped, chef driven world we live in today, does it? 

In tribute to this little moment I shared with Chef Sabbadini, I'm passing on Osteria Volpaia's recipe for sformatino al zucchini, which you'll find below.

I would recommending making this sformantino with some toasted country bread, a side salad, and possibly a shaving of parmigiano reggiano to garnish the custard.

Watermelon, Gruyere, Charred Jalapeno, Mint Salad

I started experimenting with fruit and cheese summer salads while cooking in Umbria last year.  On multiple occasions, I decided to refresh myself in the summer heat by playing with perfectly ripe fruit salads, paired with cheese, herbs and a lingering spicy note for balance.

At a recent cheese focused dinner at Artisanal, a friend openly scoffed at a watermelon, olive and feta cheese salad appetizer, thinking the salty flavors of olive juxtaposed with the sweet, refreshing flavors of watermelon would be a stretch.  I was in the mood for snails in puff pastry on this given night, so I'd have to prove that a savory watermelon salad was worthy some other time.

At the market the next day, I was reminded of those perfect summer days in Italy - watermelon salad, spicy peppers, a bite of cool fresh mint, an unexpected, salty, creamy cheese.  A drizzle of fine extra virgin olive oil, maybe a squeeze of lemon juice rounding out the flavors.  Those satisfying days in Italy were calling at me, thanks to a random reminder from a Manhattan bistro.

I decided to experiment with my choices of cheese and peppers.  Peperoncino was an obvious ingredient while in Italy, but I went with jalapeno on this occasion.  I simply blistered the pepper on the gas flame of my stove for a bit of extra flavor. I wanted a firm cheese, so I went with a cave aged Gruyere.  You know, the kind with those crunchy, crystallized salty bites I love so much.   I decided to make fried ginger slivers, which added a subtle backbone of flavor and texture to the dish. 

The presentation needed to be simple, but at least slightly thoughtful.  I wanted to feature layers of the ingredients, so I chose to serve three neat stacks of the salad on a plate for an appetizer.  A thin slice of  the sweet watermelon is the first explosion of flavor in the mouth, which is quickly followed by the creamy, firm cheese.  The fresh blast of the mint hits the palate and bursts with flavor, while the heat of the jalapeno hits you right at the back of the throat to conclude the bite.   A squeeze of citrus and the fruity drizzle of olive oil is a nice condiment to the dish.

If you're interested in trying these flavor combinations, it's important to consider the temperature of  both the cheese and watermelon. Obviously, the watermelon is best served cold.  Thin shavings of the cheese is slightly important for proportional balance, but it's critical to properly ripen the cheese at room temp.  As we all know, a cold cheese is no one's friend. 

Charred Halloumi and Peach Salad with Crispy Ginger

One of the challenges of being creative in the kitchen is finding inspiration.  After you've been cooking for a while, you'll realize that limiting your channels to the obvious sources can actually limit your creativity.   Restaurant menus, blogs, cookbooks and TV shows are great and all, but sometimes it's the everyday conversations that strike a chord and open new paths.

This is a learned trait, trust me.  Everyone and their mother gives me food and cooking tips.  Mainly, they know I love to chat about food, so it's a welcome topic.  But back in the days of my arrogant youth (2006?), I'd rarely internalize them.  But I realized the obvious.  There's a nugget of inspiration in most things around me, they just need to be extracted properly. 

Take for instance, a recent chat with new blog crush, ACB.  She was telling me about grilled halloumi cheese, which I recalled reading about long ago.  The old Joe would have tried to internalize it, but the halloumi would have slipped into the back ether of my brain moments later.  The new Joe pursues its possibilities straight away, as it might lead to an idea that could motivate me to keep it top of mind.

I thought about a charred, thick hunk of halloumi with a hot, firm interior contrasting with a crispy exterior.  I thought about using the halloumi in a fun! summer! salad!, maybe contrasting the saltiness and creaminess with a charred, fresh sweetness (corn and mint came to mind).  I even envisioned the presentation - a thick circular hunk of halloumi overflowing with charred veggies.

Sure enough, the extra thought about halloumi during the initial discussion made the dish stay in my mind.  I went to the market with this rough idea, but became intrigued with peaches.  I would char peaches, toss them with a chiffonade of mint, and finish them with a squeeze of lemon juice and maybe a drizzle of a mint spiked olive oil to top the cheese.

The best method for preparing the peaches and halloumi would certainly be on the grill.  Since I'm grill challenged here in NYC, I used a flat, non-stick griddle pan.  Simply get the pan very hot, add a touch of olive oil and char the peaches on one side.  I didn't bother cooking them on the other side, as I wasn't looking for limp sauteed peaches.  Remove them from the pan, then do the halloumi in the same method, but charring both sides this time.  Don't season the cheese, as its pretty salty on its own.

I kept the cheese in the oven at 250 while I prepared a few garnishes.  I needed some texture, so I thinly shaved ginger with a sharp pairing knife, as if it were garlic and I were in Goodfellas. I toasted the shaved ginger in hot olive oil for a few minutes, until the slices turned crispy.   I also blanched a handful of mint and whizzed it in the food processor with olive oil, creating a mint oil to spoon around the cheese.  Simply strain the mint from the oil for a vibrant green, mint infused oil.

The saltiness of the halloumi was a perfect foil for with the sweetness of the peaches.  The crispy ginger added an interesting texture and burst of flavor, while the mint and the charred exteriors of the cheese and peaches tied the elements together. 

Corn Flan, Strawberry Mint Corn Salad

I know, I know.  As I write this, corn isn't really at its peak yet.  But looking through some of my photo archives, I noticed this unpublished dish from last summer and thought I'd give you a little taste of the sweet corn brilliance that lies ahead this summer. I'm all for turning corn into fuel, but as long as I can get my crack corn addiction satisfied late in the summer season, all is good in my world.

Savory flans were a go-to dish when I first started doing Foodie NYC events.  They are simple, easy to prepare and can act as a foil for any type of creative condiment.

As I look at this corn flan I made last summer, I've realized this may have been the last flan I made.  (I just had a tingle of EMO writing about a flan...wow, this is embarassing. OK, I'm over it.). That's so wrong.  I predict a few of you out there will be eating a savory flan in your not too distant future.

This corn flan is very rich and explodes with multiple textures of corn flavor.   A corn puree adds corn flavor into every bite, while the whole kernels add a bit of texture. (I've also made this dish with toasted, charred corn which I highly recommend). While I like the interiors of my flans creamy and soft, I like a broiled crusty top for a bit of depth.

There are so many ways to garnish this corn flan.  I wanted to feature corn again, but thought I'd pair it with the sweetness of chopped strawberries, chopped mint and some finely diced red onion.  Damn, this dish was tasty.  (Uh oh.  I'm starting to get a little flan EMO again.  Is this healthy?).

The full recipe for corn flan is below. 

The Bitchy Sweetness of Peperoncino Honey

I was recently thinking about the personality traits of the women I tend to gravitate towards.  One trait they seem to have in common is that they're sweet, yet have the tendency to turn on a witty brand of sarcastic humor on cue.  Maybe there's even a little bitchiness there.  Regardless, the balance of sweetness and bitchiness varies from one person to the next, but somehow, I enjoy that dichotomy in my life.

While I obviously prefer the balance to skew strongly towards sweetness, I like a bit of spiciness as well.  The kind of spiciness that hits me right in the back of the throat, slightly taking me by surprise after a burst of sweetness comes through.  Maybe there's a lingering tingle in my mouth, or even a little warmth under my collar.  A spicy balance can go a long way to keep things interesting.  But while a little kick in the ass is nice, too much heat overwhelms me. 

This need for the perfect balance of sweetness and spiciness is the inspiration behind a peperoncino honey I made as a summer condiment to drizzle onto fish, vegetables, figs, cheese....you name it.  Just add a cup of a neutral honey to a pot, along with a generous pinch of peperoncino.  When just at the point of boiling, pour the honey into a container and let it cool for a few hours.  The oils of the chili will have infused into the honey, creating a bottle of bitchy sweetness all your own.

Cherry, Avocado, Lemon Basil, Jalapeno, Corn Salsa

I spent the day in beautiful Greenport on the North Fork of L.I. this weekend.  One of the highlights was a salsa I made for a grilled swordfish dish. 

We went to Sang Lee farms, where we picked up a beautiful bunch of delicate, baby lemon basil.   For reasons unknown, I immediately wanted to use it in a salsa with cherries.   Cherries were on my mind due to my recent cherry vinegar experiment, but also because of the cherry picking that was happening at farms all around us.

To counter the sweetness of the cherries, I picked up a jalapeno for a spicy counterpoint.  Avocado would be a creamy textural note, and then felt the need to add a charred flavor from the grill.   I know corn is not at its peak right now, but I figured the starchiness and the charred flavors would add another complex element to the salsa. Charred corn it was.  The lemon basil was a fresh, herbal note that made the salsa pop with flavor.  A bit of lemon juice and a touch of salt and pepper tied the salsa together.

The uses for this cherry salsa are unlimited.    I went with a meaty piece of fresh grilled swordfish, simply seasoned with olive oil and salt, then a squeeze of lemon juice after grilling.   From swordfish to chips, this cherry salsa is going to be on my menu for the rest of the summer.  Now, if I only brought a big pot of that baby lemon basil back to the city with me.....

Lavender Steamed Cod, Cherry Chili Vinegar

I'm a bit of a condiment junky.   Siracha, mustards, olive oils top the list.  But this weekend, a friend made a vinegary, chili, herb laden condiment that I found inspiring.

I thought I'd riff off of the idea and create a white vinegar based cherry and chili vinegar.  I simply pureed fresh cherries with some serrano chili and lots of white vinegar.  I heated the mixture briefly, for only a minute or two to let the flavors bloom. I did not reduce at all, as I didn't want a thick, concentrated fruit driven reduction.  I wanted a loose condiment that balanced fruit, acid and spiciness all in one bite.  I  let the condiment cool and marinate for a few hours as well (of course, it was better the next day).

A natural companion could have been anything gamey or fatty, like duck, foie gras, lamb or pork.  But I felt the need for something simple and healthy and decided that cod would be a nice partner with the cherry chili vinegar. 

I ran into a beautiful bunch of lavender at the market and wondered if the aroma of steamed lavender would impart its floral flavors into a piece of cod.  I simply brought a little bit of water to a boil, added a ton of lavender and added my fish to the steamer.   A closed lid sealed in the aroma and infused the cod with a subtle, floral accent.

Dulce de Frozen Grapes

I am not accomplished in the dessert world.  As you've probably noticed, there are approximately zero posts or references to dessert around these parts. This is a dessert free zone.

I can do some basic desserts and make killer ice creams, but in general, my personality isn't suited to following detailed recipes or weighing out ingredients to exact measurements. 

A little bite of sweet at the end of a meal is certainly understandable, but to be honest, the idea of saving room for dessert is preposterous to me . I max out my stomach space on the savory side of the meal.   I have been known to save room for cheese, but that's about it.  Not that I don't appreciate the pastry arts, I just prefer a bubbly Muscato d' Asti and maybe a slice of creamy cheesiness drizzled with condiments.  Or maybe just the Muscato.

But since I'm a people pleaser at heart, dinner at my place these days concludes with frozen grapes.  Not only are they a refreshing and light way to conclude a meal, but the flavors of the grapes seem to concentrate when frozen.  The texture of the frozen grape is very satisfying and no doubt an excellent treat for the upcoming global warming summer that lies ahead.

As you've seen on this site before, I have stuffed frozen grapes with foie gras as a summer appetizer.  Over the past few weeks, I have been experimenting with frozen grapes as a simple conclusion to a meal.

I've attempted frozen grapes coated with Bliss Maple Syrup, which was nice but the maple was a lost on the grape (despite adjusting the amounts of maple used). 

Another frozen grape variety I've made (and eating as I type this) is coated in a cayenne pepper infused honey.  Spicy, sweet, floral flavors precede the frozen blast of grape flavor, which I found very intriguing.  I haven't received second opinions on this one (read: I horded these alone late at night, drooling, standing in my underwear in a pitch black kitchen with Hall & Oates playing in the background!?!?), so I can't confirm this would be a widely accepted opinion.

But the best combination I've made to date (confirmed by multiple sources, all of whom were fully clothed and within properly lit environments) are frozen grapes covered liberally with Dulche de Leche from Argentina.  The sweet, rich creaminess works perfectly with the frozen grape. 

Simply freeze the grapes in a single layer in your freezer.  After a few hours before serving, mix a few heaping tablespoons of the dulce into the frozen grapes.   The best method is to mix the dulce into the grapes with your hands, as you want a liberal coating of dulce on each grape.  I place the grapes back in the freezer for an hour or so before serving, just so the dulce and grape form into a single entity. 

I'm open to any other flavor combinations....send them in!

Ginger Steamed Sole, Jicama, Basil Juice

Yo ,Yo.

There is a person in my life who freakishly loves lemon sole.  I've pan seared lemon sole before, but since the fish is so delicate and flaky, it often presents presentation problems for me.  I decided to cook the sole en papillote - wrapped inside a sealed parchment paper with only a splash of olive oil, squeeze of lemon juice, salt, pepper, and plenty of large chunks of fresh ginger.  The sealed packet, which cooks in the oven for  roughly 15 minutes, allows the fish to pick up the flavors of the ginger while steaming to a tender juiciness in the packet.

I sliced jicama and tossed it with lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper and a bit of chopped basil for a crunchy accompaniment.  The big decision for me was how to add a burst of flavor to the dish while keeping it light.  As I've been mentioning, my new juicer has been a revelation to me.  I had a ton of basil, so I juiced a couple of bunches to create a vibrant, clear basil juice.  The juice exploded with basil flavor, yet would act as a simple condiment to the fish by simply whisking it with just a bit of olive oil, lemon juice and salt.

I have been making herb juices frequently.  In the above photo, I did not blanch the herbs before juicing, which created a darker basil juice.  I now run the herbs under very hot water for a few seconds before juicing , allowing for a brighter,  vibrantly green herb juice.  Hey - you juice, you learn.

Fig, Chorizo, Toasted Corn Tart

One of the best things about making a buttery pastry dough is the fact that the initial effort you put into making the pastry can continue to pay dividends in the future.  Pastry dough is easily freezable for an extended period of time.  After thawing it out for a few hours, it's ready to roll and bake for another dish. 

For this fig tart, I browned some chopped chorizo until just crisp in a pan.  I then toasted some fresh corn kernels as I discussed in another post.  I quartered large chunks of fresh black mission figs, thinly sliced some scallions, then tossed all of these ingredients with some salt, pepper, olive oil and lemon juice. 

After rolling the tarts thinly and placing them in a buttered ramekin, I blind baked the shells until brown and golden.  Just before serving, I added the figs, corn and scallion mixture into the tart and just warmed it in the oven.  I didn't want the ingredients to be piping hot, but just warmed through.  I think figs are especially tasty when warm and juicy, but not cooked or overjammy.  The richness of the chorizo, the sweet juiciness of the figs and the fresh crunch of corn is offset by the flaky, crisp pastry shell.  I only hope I make this again before fig season ends.

Related:  My Fig Rockefeller dish froim last season.

Toasted Corn, Sausage, Curry Coconut Milk

I love to experiment with the textures and flavors of corn - sweet raw corn, corn milk, corn purees are a few of my favorites, but I've also been toasting corn kernels to add a touch of depth to the flavor of the kernels. 

I take the kernels off the cob, then throw them into a smoking hot dry pan.  After a few minutes, I'll get some browning and even hear some popping action. I only bother to toast one side of the corn, as I still like it al dente and not soft or mushy. 

This dish is very simple.  I toasted the corn in advance, then chopped some ginger, garlic and lemongrass and satueed them with a touch of olive oil and a sprinkle of ground curry.  I added some coconut milk and let the mixture simmer briefly, allowing the flavors to come together.  A squeeze of lemon juice finished the sauce.  (I strained the ingredients out of the sauce before serving).  I simply roasted and sliced sausage, which made a great pairing for the sweet corn and the rich curry milk sauce.

Corn Juice, Pancetta Potato Hash, Fried Mint

My new juicer means that I am juicing everything - herbs, vegetables, fruit...and now corn.  I recently had dinner at Blackbird in Chicago, a favorite restaurant of mine that I've been lucky to enjoy twice in the past year.

We shared a corn bisque with fried oysters and pancetta on my most recent visit.  The corn was rich, silky and bright yellow in color, untainted by seemingly any other flavors.  I thought about the corn milk I used to make, back when I was psychotic - I used to barely cut the kernel tops off a juicy ear of corn, and with the back of my knife, juice the milk from the corn into a separate bowl for sauces and such.  My $100 juicer is much more efficient.   

I simply tossed the raw kernels into a juicer (about 6 or 7 ears gave me soup for 4, with a usable corn puree for another dish).  I warmed the corn milk gently when it was ready to serve.  The result was a rich, buttery, corn juice that tasted like fresh cream had been mixed into it, even though it was dairy free. Now what to pair it with?

I liked the idea of  the pancetta in the corn soup at Blackbird.  After cubing and crisping it, I slowly cooked cubed potatoes in the same pancetta pan until soft and browned. To add a bit of crunch, I fried mint leaves in canola oil for only about 1 minute - the mint shatters and crisps, adding a nice fresh, herbal contrast to the rich corn juice.

Cucumber Ice, Seared Tuna, Ginger Oil

I've been hanging onto this dish (as well as a full series on corn, coming soon before the season passes) for a few weeks now.

I've since been to a wintery Buenos Aires (ok, not that wintery) followed by showers back in NYC. I even bought a winter coat while eating asado in Argentina.  Looking at the cucumber ice I made a few weeks ago, it's now hard to remember the humid summer night which I made this dish. 

The cucumber ice is the work of my spanking new juicer. I've been cranking out light, rich, vibrant vegetable and fruit juices ever since.  I've been using the juicer for soups, sauces, and the cucumber ice that I paired with seared tuna, arugula and a drizzle of ginger infused olive oil (just ginger simmered in warm olive oil for a few minutes, then cooled). 

The cucumber ice is simply the juice of a cucumber, seasoned with some lime juice, salt and pepper - then frozen with an ice cream machine.  If you didn't have a machine on hand, you can also make this granita style. In fact, a granita is certainly just as easy. 

I definitely considered serving the tuna raw with the cucumber ice, but based on the dish that preceded this during a meal, I thought a seared fillet of tuna would be a better fit.  If the ginger oil is not your speed, I would consider a chili infused oil for a bit of heat.

Coconut Poached Lobster, Peach, Avocado, Pluot, Ginger Oil

When I feel the need to spoil myself, I start thinking about ribeye, lobster, and/or an amazing bottle of wine.

I had the Sunday blues recently and decided lobster could be an effective, if not temporary, cure.  I wanted a rich lobster experience, but I also wanted to weave in the summer fruits I've been focusing on lately.   I prepared the lobster in a style that I've outlined for you before on this site.  I briefly boiled the lobster, removed it from the shells, then poached it in coconut milk.  The richness and flavor of the coconut permeates the lobster meat, yet it does not overwhelm the lobster at all.  I chose to perch the lobster on layers of raw peach, avocado and pluot (a plum/apricot hybrid).  I gave each layer of fruit a splash of the coconut poaching liquid, a squeeze of lemon and a touch of salt and pepper.  I finished the lobster salad with another spoonful of the coconut poaching liquid, a squeeze of lemon, then garnished the plate with a ginger oil I made a while ago. 

Lobster can be a chore to prepare, but with minimal effort needed for the accompaniments, this dish made my Sunday blues disappear pretty quickly. 

Seared Duck Breast with Blueberry Shells

My impromtu series featuring fresh fruit pastas winds down today with my initial inspiration - the blueberry pasta Ann featured on her blog, Chicken in Every Granny Cart.  The blueberry seemed like an excellent fruit for a pasta dish - for some reason the blueberry has a savory, fruity flavor but also a touch of tartness and acidity.  I was also intrigued not only by the history of blueberry pasta that Ann details,  but coincidentally a friend told me about a blueberry pasta he tried recently at an Italian restaurant in the East Village (I will ask him for the name and post in the comments...sorry!).  Despite what you see sometimes on this site, I enjoy creating dishes based on time tested ingredient combinations and techniques, so I felt reassured in experimenting with blueberry pasta.

As I've detailed in my previous fruit pasta posts, my objective was to keep the flavor of the fruit as the focus.  Ann made her blueberry pasta with red wine, but I just decided to puree the fresh blueberries to a smooth consistency, along with a stream of olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper.  I strained the blueberry puree through a chinois to make sure all the little stems were removed. I made my pasta as I normally would (al dente in boiling, well salted water), but then combined the pasta with the the blueberry puree that was warming in pan.  Sorry, don't have a detailed amount of blueberry per serving, but I recall using just over a 1/2 pint of blueberries for 1/2 lb of pasta shells. 

For my tastes, a natural combination for the blueberry pasta was something with a gamey flavor.  A crispy skinned, rich duck breast was an excellent combination for the blueberry pasta. You could fold in some parmigino reggiano (which i did) and some herbs (mint? chive?) as garnish, with fine results.   I hope I've convinced you to give a fruit pasta a try this summer....let me know if you have!

Pork Au Poivre, Cherry Pasta

After recently reading about a blueberry pasta via Chicken in Every Granny Cart, I've been experimenting with fruit based pasta for the last few weeks.  I know.  The idea of a fruit pasta makes your eyebrows scrunch together and, let me guess, your eyes are now squinting.... and maybe you're even wrinkling your nose in skepticism. 

I've seen it before.

But then I serve the fruit pastas I've made...and...they're a hit.  You may have seen the recipe for peach penne I made recently.  That inspired continued experimentation, this time with cherries.  My goal was to have a small bite of pasta explode with fresh cherry flavor, while avoiding an overly reduced cherry/syrupy pasta. Ick. To compliment the cherry pasta, I went with a boldly flavor meat.  I chose a lean pork loin, but decided to coat the pork in crushed black peppercorns to add a bold, spicy flavor to balance the fruity pasta.

The key to making this cherry pasta is to create a puree of the fresh fruit.  Remove the pits and the stems from the cherries, then puree them in a food processor with a touch of olive oil, a pinch of salt and some ground pepper.  After cooking the pasta as you normally would, place a conservative amount of the cherry puree into a pan on low heat.  Add the pasta to the puree and coat.  You want to generously coat the pasta but too much of the fruit puree will turn this idea into a mess. I used 1/4 lb cherries for about a touch under 1/2 lb of farfalline pasta. As in any pasta dish, the cherries are a condiment for the pasta, not a sauce. Start conservatively in terms of how much fruit you add to the pasta, you can always add more...just keep folding the puree in as you go. I finished the pasta with some parmigiano reggiano and a bit of mint.  More fruit pastas to come, I'm sure....

Sage Sorbet, Crispy Black Cod

While I was in Tuscany recently, I was taken on daily food and wine adventures with Bernie and Cristina from Shopping Safaris Tuscany.  Jo-Ann from Active Gourmet Getaways was the kind and thoughtful person who led me to Bernie and Cristina.  Much more on them in the future - no doubt you'll see plenty of posts about some of the amazing experiences I had in and around Chianti soon enough.

One of the outings they took me on was a morning of cooking in the kitchen of Ristorante Il Battibecco, an excellent restaurant in a town called Impruneta, right outside of Florence.  I had been cooking in a very traditional restaurant kitchen during my time in Tuscany, but this experience was very different.  The chef, Dante Del Bravo, gave classic Tuscan dishes a creative, modern twist.  One of the vivid memories I had of the few hours I spent there was a random taste of a sage sorbet the chef had us sample from his freezer.  All I can recall about it was the deep, earthy expression of sage captured in a simple, refreshing bite.

On a humid night in NYC, I remembered this sage sorbet and thought I'd experiment.  I decided the sorbet would not be very sweet, which then led me toward pairing it with fish.  Black cod was looking very fresh in the market and I went from there.  I decided to make a crispy crust for the cod, allowing a crispy texture to contrast with the moist flesh and the icy sage.  The key to the sorbet is to show restraint with the sage - it can really overwhelm the sorbet and whatever you pair with it.  I personally couldn't imagine it for dessert, even if much sweeter.  While I would certainly recommend this dish, I will definitely experiment with a raw crudo-esque preparation to accompany the sage sorbet - tuna, hamachi and salmon come to mind.   A very rough outline of my measurements for the sage sorbet follows the jump.

Strawberry, Mango, Chevre, Avocado, Balsamic

As you know, I become obsessed with certain ingredients and techniques over the course of a season.  This summer, it's been the combination of fruit and cheese as a light, satisfying first course at home.  This summer has also been about fruit with pasta, a theme you'll be seeing here over the course of the next week or so.

This salad couldn't be easier to prepare.  I sliced some ripe strawberries and fanned them across the bottom of a ring mold.  I piled a rich, tangy, grassy, creamy chevre from France on the strawberries as the next layer in the mold.  Then came a few slices of a juicy, dripping mango, followed by a thick, generous slice of a creamy avocado.  A bit more of the of strawberry garnishes the top, along with plenty of course ground pepper for a bit of spice and texture.  A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a high quality, 20 year old balsamic from Modena round out the dish. 

Ripe Summer Freshness....and Cheese

A few friends were coming over for dinner on a Friday night, straight after a long day of work. I was looking forward to creating a nice meal, mainly because I was surrounded by creativity all week and felt the need to express my own, if ever so briefly.  Of course, I needed to keep it simple.  Time and energy were not on my side.  Thankfully, the summer season produces ripe, juicy freshness that needs little enhancement.    For whatever reason, I landed on an idea to create small appetizer plates that featured a few different varieties of raw, ripe, fresh vegetables or fruit paired with complimenting cheeses.   To the right you'll see raw cucumber with layers of a very fresh, tangy goat cheese, lots of fresh ground pepper, fruity olive oil, tarragon and a bit of lemon juice. I thought about adding a spicy element but decided to restrain myself and stick with the black pepper.

On the same plate were two small, thin slices of watermelon.  I created a small hole in the watermelon slice and filled it with soft, oozing brie.   The runnier the better.  I simply garnished the cheese with fresh mint.  Finally, a single fig stuffed with a puree of fresh corn kernels, parmigiano reggiano and finished with a drizzle of truffle honey.  I decided to serve this raw, but I usually heat stuffed figs in the oven for a few minutes.  I serve them warm but I have enjoyed them after the figs sit around and come back to room temp.  Somehow, the flavors meld together better after a few minutes of heat.  (By the way, a recipe of mine for warm corn stuffed fresh figs can be found here). The truffle honey is a great combination for fresh figs - give it a try.

I wish I had a better shot of the entire plate to show you, as I thought is was a good looking presentation.  But those are the perils of shooting food while people are waiting to eat it!

The Earthy Sweetness of Truffle Honey

For those of you who have ordered cheese at Otto (part of the Molto Mario chain here in NYC), you know about the wonders of truffle honey.  It's nothing short of outrageously addictive.  Sweet, fragrant honey is laced with chopped black truffle, creating a balance of earthiness and sweetness that explodes in your mouth with flavor.

While in Montalcino, we were served an excellent, floral and fragrant local honey with a plate of cheeses.  But the menu called out the truffles in the honey, but I know truffle honey dammit, and there weren't any truffles to be found.  My mother loved the regular honey and purchased a few small bottles of it, but ended up buying the truffle honey instead. This mix up annoyed her for some reason, so she gave them to me.  We served a bottle a few days later with local cheeses at our villa in Umbria.  Seriously, this honey is so damn good that if Sandra Lee was covered in it, I'd even lick it off of her.

I'm down to my last small bottle but I know I will be a cracked-out mess once I run out.  Of course, I've contacted the producer Calugi via their website, begging them to tell me where I can get it in the States or whether they can send me a lifetime supply.  Nothing. I have found some other brands on the web but fear disappointment (average honey or lack of truffle flavor).  Does anyone out there have any truffle honey tips for me? Please? Where does Otto get theirs? Let me know and I'll be your bestie. 

Basil Ginger Ale

ed: Who's down with O.P.P? Yeah you know me! Sorry, that has nothing to do with this post or the fact that I'm on my last day of vacation and will be back posting soon.  Enjoy this ginger ale in the meantime...

I made a ginger syrup in order to make a homemade version of ginger ale.  The ingredient that took it to another level was fresh Thai basil.  The basil added a fresh taste that was perfect for a hot summer day.  This concept would work well with mint, or other varieties of homemade syrups.  Since the syrup is made with water and sugar, any ingredient that can impart a sweet and fragrant taste in the syrup could work.  I'm thinking I'll try a rhubarb syrup as well...

Check out my full recipe below.

Balsamic in Strawberries

ed note: This post was originally published July, 2005.  I'm on vacation, cut me a break.

I had been inspired by a recipe created by Chef Doc over at A Perfect Pear. His idea was stuffing a fresh strawberry with a tomato jam.  The presentation of this dish featured drops of a sweet balsamic, a traditional Italian condiment for strawberries that I've enjoyed during previous trips to Italy.  I have also become obsessed with gelees (see below) because they offer an intense blast of flavor without much labor.  They also seem perfect for summer fruit.

I played with the pairing of balsamic and strawberries by reducing balsamic to a sweet yet acidic syrup.  After combining the balsamic with gelatin, I refrigerated for a few hours to firm up.  I then created cubes and stuffed them into a hole I created in the side of the strawberry.  From a pure taste perspective, the combination and the texture contrasts really work. In retrospect, I would have made a cavity through the top straight to the bottom (like Chef Doc's recipe) and would have stuffed as much of the gelee as I could have fit in the berry.  The ratio of gelee to strawberry could have been enhanced in the above presentation.

Toasted Garlic Shrimp Tacos

ed: This is a recipe I made back in August 2005.  Right now I am probably eating lunch in a trattoria in somewhere in Tuscany.

I love being inspired by random and spontaneous food  encounters.  For the most part, I'm influenced by food blogs, inspiring chefs and/or restaurants, TV, etc.  But recently I was inspired by a random taco stand on a street fair in NYC. It was such a home grown operatation dedicated towards simple preparation of a few flavorful ingredients for their tacos.  It was 90 plus degrees outside, but this man was braising pork shoulder in a chili liquid in a vat on the street for all to see.  A grill man was toasting corn tortillas and a woman was accepting money and providing garnishes.  I created an heirloom tomato salad and made some Spanish-style garlic shrimp for a quick and simple summer tacos at home.

My full recipe is below.

Another New World Chard

ed: This post was originally published in July 2005. I'm on vacation, yo.

I tend to get obsessed with specific wine varieties or regions and focus on them for a while before moving on to others that grab my attention. 

Last summer, it was Rieslings.  The summer before, Viognier. This winter, it was Argentina.  Now it's new world Chardonnay.  My wine focuses tie directly to experiences.  We went to Sonoma recently, where I became enamored with comparing as many of the Chard and Pinot producers that I could (we also brought back a 1/2 case of wines as well).

New world Chards are offensive to French Chard lovers, mainly because they are