I Hate You, Lidia Matticchio Bastianich!

I caught an episode of Lidia's Italy and saw a great recipe: breadcrumb tomato spaghetti.  She drizzled olive oil and breadcrumbs over tomatoes, baked them for 25 minutes, and later added it to spaghetti, basil, and ricotta salata.  I googled it later in the week and somehow downloaded the win32/patched.gb virus (thank you AVG).  I've owned a computer for 20 years (way back to the Commodore 64) and never downloaded a virus (and all I did was click on a website). I've worked on the problem for most of the week, but today my poor netbook won't start up (not even in safe mode).  I'll keep researching the problem, but I may have to reinstall Windows XP (which should be a challenge since netbooks don't have a CD drive).         

Best Thing I Ever Ate: Sushi @ Sushi Yasuda (204 E 43rd St, New York, NY 10017)

Sushi Yasuda is the Taj Mahal of sushi.  Reservations are hard to come by, so we took the first time slot available.  We went for a friend's birthday and went with the omakase (chef's choice).  We sat back as plate after plate of amazing sushi came out.  The server named each piece like a zoology lesson and we slowly savored each piece like New York Times food critics (discussing the viscosity of each fish, followed by grunts).  The toro (fatty tuna) melted in our mouths like butter, we had multiple varieties of mackeral / yellowtail (who knew their were up to 7 different varieties of each), tried the arctic char and uni, and ordered more eel like Henry VIII.  The rice is like no other and the chef adds soy sauce and wasabi to each piece (putting wasabi into soy sauce is a cardinal sin there).  This place isn't for the sushi newbie - you might be thrown out like the Soup Nazi for ordering a California Roll or Shrimp Tempura.  You should go in with an open mind and wallet (it isn't cheap, but well worth it for their mastery, knowledge, and overall religious experience).                  

Smashed Potato Pancakes

I religiously eat the same thing for breakfast during the week (Kashi GoLean Crunch), so I look forward to cooking breakfast on the weekends.  The Recipe Hunter (AKA my gf) struck again and found a recipe for latkes (potato pancakes) based on what we had on hand.  These came out pretty damn good - I dolloped some sour cream on the side, an over easy egg on top, and toast to soak up the goodness. 

Ingredients

3lbs - Red Potatoes (peeled and diced)

1 - Clove Garlic (minced)

1/2 tsp - Salt

1/2 tsp - Fresh Ground Pepper

1 3/4 cups - Panko Bread Crumbs (divided)

1 - Egg (beaten)

2 slices - Bacon (cooked and minced)

1/4 cup - Cheddar (shredded)

1/4 cup - Scallion (chopped)

1/4 cup - Butter (room temperature)

1 tbsp - Sour Cream

3 tbsp - Canola Oil

1) In a large pot, add the potatoes and cover with water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and simmer until tender.

2) Drain and add to a large bowl.

3) Mash the potatoes and add the garlic, salt, pepper, 1 cup of panko, egg, cheese, bacon, onion, butter, and sour cream. 

4) Form the potato mixture into 3-inch patties. 

5) Put the remaining 3/4 cup of panko in a shallow dish and dredge the potato patties in the crumbs.

6) In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat and cook 3-4 minutes on each side.

Realignment of the Zodiac

First, Pluto is no longer a planet and now they've shifted the Zodiac sign system due to a shift in the Earth's alignment.  They've also added a 13th sign: Ophiuchus.  What is a Ophiuchus you ask?  Its name is Greek for "serpent bearer" and it is represented by a man grasping a snake.  I wonder if I go from Cancer to Gemini or if its based on what your horoscope sign was when you were born.  Here are the new dates:

Capricorn: Jan. 20 - Feb. 16
Aquarius: Feb. 16 - March 11
Pisces: March 11- April 18
Aries: April 18- May 13
Taurus: May 13- June 21
Gemini: June 21- July 20
Cancer: July 20- Aug. 10
Leo: Aug. 10- Sept. 16
Virgo: Sept. 16- Oct. 30
Libra: Oct. 30- Nov. 23
Scorpio: Nov. 23- Nov. 29
Ophiuchus: Nov. 29- Dec. 17
Sagittarius: Dec. 17- Jan. 20

Spiced Pork Chops with Honey Balsamic Glaze

Just like T-Pain, I'm in love with a Skillet.  I got mine recently and all I want to do is cook everything on it (and spoon hot oil over meat like I'm competing on Iron Chef). I wanted to make my typical garlic and rosemary pork chops, but the gf found a recipe that will definitely go to the top of the queue the next time we host a dinner party.  Once you try the glaze, you'll want to spoon it over everything (just like T-Pain).  

Ingredients

Pork Chops

1/4 cup - Olive Oil
4 - 8oz Boneless Pork Chops
Kosher Salt

Freshly Ground Pepper
1/2 tsp - Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

Glaze

1/2 cup - Balsamic Vinegar

1/2 cup - Honey

2 cloves - Garlic (minced)

1/2 - Yellow Onion (minced)

1 tsp - Rosemary (chopped)

1/2 stick - Unsalted Butter (divided and at room temperature)

Kosher salt 

Freshly Ground Pepper

1) In a skillet, heat the olive oil over high heat.
2) Season the pork chops with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
3) Add the pork to the pan and cook until brown on both sides (spoon the hot oil over the meat and pick it up with tongs to cook the sides).
4) In a small saucepan, bring the vinegar, honey, garlic, onions, and rosemary to boil over medium-high heat.
5) Stir occasionally until the honey has dissolved and simmer for 9 minutes.
6) Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the butter.
7) Season with salt and pepper and drizzle the glaze over the pork chops.  

Mushroom Stuffed Baked Red Snapper

My gf is on winter recess so we've been cooking up a storm. She wanted to make a baked stuffed fish and I was a little hesitant since I'd only grown up with 3 basic meats (chicken, pork, and beef) and had never cooked a whole fish before. She went to the fish market, picked out a nice fat red snapper, and found the recipe on Food Network. We hungrily devoured it and only left behind the head and bones (perfectly intact).

Ingredients

4oz - Baby Bella Mushrooms (chopped)

2 tbsp - Unsalted Butter (divided)

2 1/2 tbsp - Yellow Onions (minced and divided)

1/4 cup -Flavored or Italian Bread Crumbs

1 - Egg (beaten)
1/2 tbsp - Soy Sauce

1/2 tbsp - Parsley (chopped)
Kosher Salt
Freshly Ground Pepper
2lb - Red Snapper (whole, gutted, scaled, and cleaned)

1/4 cup - White Wine

3/8 cup - Water

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2) Clean and chop the mushrooms.
3) In a small skillet, melt 1 tbsp butter (you should have 1 tbsp left) and 1 1/2 tbsp of onions (you should have 1 1/2 tbsp left) and saute for 4 minutes.
4) In a large bowl, combine the sauted butter/onion mixture with the mushrooms, bread crumbs, egg, soy sauce, chopped parsley, salt, and pepper.
5) In a glass pyrex, spoon as much of the mixture into the fish and secure the openings with toothpicks.
6) Sprinkle both sides of the fish with salt and pepper.
7) With the remaining mixture, make a bed under the fish and add the remaining butter, onion, wine, and water (to create a water bath).
8) Bake for 50 minutes.

Pancakes from Scratch

I'm literally convinced that you can make anything out of flour and eggs: pasta, bread, cookies, cupcakes, etc.  Nothing is more satisfying than making something good out of such simple ingredients.  I came across the recipe below and I've been playing around with different variations: plump raisins and walnuts, dark chocolate chips, cheddar with minced bacon, and dry fruits.  They come out fluffy, the crust gets nice and buttery, and they'll make you toss out your instant pancake mix (sorry Aunt Jemima).

Ingredients

1 - Egg

1 cup - Flour

6oz - Carnation Evaporated Milk

1 tbsp -Sugar

2 tbsp - Canola Oil

1 tbsp - Baking Powder

1/2 tsp - Kosher Salt
1 Tsp - Vanilla Extract
Zest of 1 Orange
Unsalted Butter

Serving: 4 6-inch Pancakes

1) Mix the ingredients in a bowl until the batter has no lumps.

2) Put unsalted butter in a hot griddle or frying pan.

3) Use a laddle to put the batter in to get uniform sized pancakes (perfect for stacking). 

3) Flip the pancakes when they start to bubble in the middle and the edges appear cooked.

Perfect Breakfast / Brunch Idea: Mini Frittatas

The gf and I had a huge brunch fetish at one point - we were scratching off places off on our "to do" list every weekend: Sarabeth's, Clinton Street Bakery, Locanda Verde, Buttermilk Channel, etc.  Each time we would wait for 45 minutes, order the best thing Yelp, Best Thing I Ever Ate, or Unique Eats recommended, and critically review each spoonful like Siskel and Ebert.  Some of the places were good, but we were mostly disappointed and felt that we could do it better. Each weekend we took turns making breakfast / brunch, trying to secretly one up each other.  Recently she came up with the idea of making mini frittatas - I've always found them to be dry and boring (so I was a bit hesitant heading into it).  Since we made them in a cupcake pan, they came out flavorful, moist, simple, and looked too good to eat.  Here's the recipe - enjoy (I'll probably experiment and add red onions, peppers, and creme fraiche):

Ingredients

4oz - Shredded Cheddar Cheese

3 - Slices of Thick Cut Apple Smoked Bacon (minced)

3 tbsp - Chives (chopped)

8 - Eggs

2 tbsp - Butter (room temperature)

Fresh Ground Pepper

1) Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

2) Cook the minced bacon until ready and put aside to drain on a napkin.

3) Beat the eggs in a bowl.

4) Mix together the cheese, bacon, chives, and a few grinds of pepper.

5) Take a napkin and spread the butter over the 12 muffin tins.

6) Put a spoonful of the cheese, bacon, and chive mixture into each tin equally.

7) Ladle in the beaten egg into each muffin cup and bake for 12 minutes until golden brown.

Best Thing I Ever Ate: Meatballs @ Meatball Shop (84 Stanton Street, New York, NY 10002)

You have to love a place confident enough to only have one thing on the menu.  At the Meatball Shop, you get the menu and a black marker to check off what you want.  Going through the menu is like listening  to Bubba (from Forrest Gump) talking about the different ways of cooking shrimp, except its nothing but meatballs: classic beef, spicy pork, chicken, salmon, veggie, in tomato sauce, in mushroom sauce, on a hero, in a slider, in a bowl, etc.  The possibilities are endless!  The Meatball Shop helps make the Lower East Side a viable foodie neighborhood with Stanton Social and WD-50 nearby.  Be sure to save room for dessert (they make customizable ice cream sandwiches). Anyway, I came across their pork meatball with spicy sauce recipe and had to share it (with a few of my modifications):

Ingredients

Meatballs

2lbs - Ground Pork  

1 1/3 tbsp - Kosher Salt
4 - Hot Cherry Peppers (minced)
2oz - Pepper Pickling Liquid
4 - Slices of Potato Bread (minced)*
3 - Eggs
2 tbsp - Olive Oil

1/2 - Red Onion (minced)**

* The original recipe calls for white bread, but I prefer potato.

** This is not in the original recipe, I prefer the taste of red

Spicy Meat Sauce
1 - Red Onion (diced)***
1lb - Ground Pork
2 tbsp - Olive Oil
2 tsp - Chili Flakes
2 tsp - Kosher Salt
2 tbsp - Tomato Paste
2 - 28 oz Cans of Tomatoes (chopped - preferably San Marzano)

*** The original recipe uses yellow onions

Meatballs

1) Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
2) Combine all of the ingredients except for the olive oil in a large mixing bowl and mix by hand until thoroughly incorporated.
3) Drizzle the olive oil into a large baking dish (9 x 13), making sure to evenly coat the entire surface (use your hand to help spread the oil).
4) Roll the mixture into round, golf ball-size meatballs, making sure to pack the meat firmly.
5) Place the balls into the oiled baking dish so that all of the meatballs are lined up evenly in rows and are touching each of their neighbors in a grid.
6) Roast until firm and cooked through (about 14 minutes).
7) Allow the meatballs to cool for five minutes before removing from the tray.

Spicy Meat Sauce

1) Cook the onions and pork with the olive oil, chili and salt over a medium heat in a large pot , stirring constantly until the meat is thoroughly cooked and the onions are soft and begin to brown (about 15 minutes).
2) Add the tomato paste and cook for five minutes.
3) Add the canned tomatoes and stir constantly until sauce begins to boil.
4) Continue cooking for 35 minutes, stirring every four or five minutes so that the sauce does not burn.

Penne with Brown Butter, Nutmeg, & Parmesan

I came across this recipe on www.food.alltop.com - it was on the Amateur Gourmet's blog.  Pasta is best when its kept simple.

Ingredients

8oz - Penne

3 tbsp - Unsalted Butter

1-2oz - Pasta Water

1 cup - Freshly Grated Parmesan Reggiano, plus more for shaving

Freshly Grated Nutmeg

Kosher Salt

Canola Oil

1) Bring the water to a rolling boil, add canola oil, salt, and penne (in that order), and boil for 10 minutes.

2) In a frying pan (over medium-low heat), add the butter and grate nutmeg over it.

3) Before draining the pasta, take a mug and fill it with 2oz of pasta water.

4) Drain the pasta.

5) Add the pasta water to the pan of brown butter and then add the pasta (add more butter or nutmeg to your desire).

6) Toss the pasta and add the parmesan.

7) For dramatic effect, take a potato peeler and shave parmesan over the plated pasta.   

Holiday Hangover

So the holidays are finally over and the tree is bagged and sitting on the curb.  After an entire year of cooking (I promised to cook 2 new things a week) and hosting for Thanksgiving, it only made sense to try to complete my kitchen stadium for Christmas.  Here are a couple of things that I received:

- Lodge 12-Inch Cast Iron Skillet: all year I've been hearing / reading about the benefits of cooking on cast iron (even heating, browning, and the ability to put it in the oven).  My test run of fried buttermilk chicken came out noticeably better (crunchier and cooked faster).

- Lodge Grill Pan: I'm guilty of taking pictures of food and nothing says "food porn" quite like grill marks.  I make a lot of tuna and pork chops, so I should get a lot of use out of this pan.

- Lodge 5-Quart Dutch Oven: Notice a Lodge theme?  They are the only domestic maker of cast iron cookware, they're reliable (they've been in business for over 100 years and I've read numerous reviews on other celebrity chef's cookware's enamel peeling after a few uses), the top cover doubles as a skillet for browning meat, and its reasonably priced.  I've already used it to make risotto and short ribs and was happy with the results.

- Good Eats: The Early Years and Good Eats 2: The Middle Years: Alton Brown is one of only a few Food Network personalities that I actually like (don't even get me started with Sandra Brown, Bobby Flay, or the Neely's).  He's quirky and scientifically knowledgeable about food.  These two cookbooks contain episode recaps of his show Good Eats with recipes, techniques, his side notes, and a short food history lesson.    

Amsterdam - Bikes, Coffee Shops, & Canals, Oh My!

Nothing says Amsterdam like bikes, coffee shops, and canals.  Bikes are literally everywhere!  In the streets, parked everywhere, and darting in and out of traffic like kamikazes.  No one wears a helmet, there weren't many baby seats (I saw a ton of babies riding in the front basket/handlebars), and people can text / smoke / hold groceries, all while riding.  Coffee shops are on every other corner and there is a significant difference between coffee shops and cafes.  I had 'coffee' at a number of places and couldn't find any strong enough (I even tried the coffee baked brownies and nada). My 3 favorite places were 2e Kamer, Barney's and Stone's Cafe. Last but not least are the canals - nothing says, "welcome to being lost" like trying to read the names of the canals in the dark: Oudezijds Voorburgwal, Oudezijds Achterburgwal, or Prinsengracht.  The best way to explore a city is by getting lost - you discover things that you would not have ordinarily found (like the "all you can eat" cheese samples).       

Paris - The Foodie Mecca

The whole cafe scene in Paris is a culture all of its own.  You sit down, order a drink, and watch life pass by.  Good luck trying to get a check/bill (AKA l'addition) after asking two or three times for it (it was amusing the first few times, but my New York patience ran thin).  A 15% tip is already included in the price of food/drinks which would explain the slow service.  Aside from that, we had a number of great meals.  Here is the rundown:

Day 1
- Laduree
- Malakoff
- Chez Andre

Day 2
- L'Alsace
- Symposium

Day 3
- La Flamme Cafe
- La Bonne Franquette
- Tutti Sensi
- Le Mere Catherine
- La Galette Des Moulins
- Le Relais De L'Entrecote

Day 4
- Le Pure Cafe
- Amorino
- Les Deux Magots
- Le Flamme Cafe

Day 5
- Bostrot de la Tour Eiffel
- Boulangerie
- Le Fumoir
- Le Grand Colbert

Day 6 
- Laduree
- Le Comptoir
- Le Relais De L'Entrecote

My main discovery in Paris were macaroons from Laduree.  I've had coconut macaroons before (which are no where close to related), but these were addictive from the first bite.  The worst part about it is that they make them in every possible flavor: vanilla, pistachio, raspberry, dark chocolate, lemon, etc. Luckily, I was able to find them in NYC at Bouchon Bakery (the pumpkin macaroons can inspire a new religion).

You can't go to France without eating frog legs (its like going to Spain and not having tapas).  And guess what?  They actually taste like chicken wings with less meat.  We had them at Le Grand Colbert (where they filmed Somethings Got To Give) and they were pretty good in their sauce (I practically drained the sauce with the bread).  The veal stew was amazing there too, which is surprising because you would think it would be a tourist trap. 

Same thing goes for french toast - you can't go to France and not have it (no matter how clique it sounds).  Laduree (again) made an incredibly perfect fluffy french toast - without cinnamon or eggs.

My favorite place was Le Relais De L'Entrecote.  There is always a big line outside, but it passes quickly.  The brilliance of the place is that they only serve one thing: steak au poivre.  You sit down and they ask you how you want your steak.  They serve you a salad and then comes the best part: 2 servings of crispy fries with steak and an amazing pepper sauce.  The concept is so simple, but if you do two things perfect, you can't go wrong.    

Notable places that I wanted to go to, but didn't have advanced reservations: L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon, Du Pain et Des Idee (closed because of holiday), Aux Lyonnais, and Frenchie.

An American in Paris

I finally made my foodie mecca to Paris in November for the gf's birthday.  We were originally supposed to go for my birthday, but the flights were super expensive due to the aftermath of the Iceland volcano.  The weather was surprisingly pleasant (mid 50's) and the people were not unfriendly as automatically presumed (people think the same about New Yorkers).  Here are a couple more of my observations:

• The Metro is easy to navigate and the trains come every 6 minutes (it beats walking 7 miles a day, taking expensive cabs, or collecting blisters/strawberries)
• Man + Dog = Homeless Man (it seems like every homeless man owns a dog)
• I'll never understand the half glass shower door - why can't it be a complete sliding shower door?  I always soak the floor, even with a towel on the floor.  
• Sauces and butter make everything better.
• In tight quarters, you can catch a whiff of the smelly underarm phenomenon - I guess that's why the French perfected perfume (but nothing beats deodorant).
• People are kissing everywhere (its hard to go 10 minutes without seeing a kissing couple)!
• Even in 40 degree weather, people still eat/drink at outdoor cafes.
• Beware of gypsy beggars - they'll try to swipe anything they can off of your table.   
• Everyone is well dressed - from young children to old people to men (I don't think they sell sweatpants in Paris).     
• Strangers take the absolutely worst pictures imaginable (nothing is ever centered, they never wait for people in the background, cut off your head, etc.).  I'd rather continue to take my own self portraits.

Working in Lower Manhattan, I pass a ton of tourist everyday and always wonder why they take pictures of random buildings, parking garages, and street traffic.  I'm guilty of the same offenses on vacation - I have quite a collection of churches, fountains, statutes, and buildings.

I actually had enough patience to wait until there are no people or traffic.... 

Luckily, a lot of people speak English because I butchered French with my made up English-Spanish-French mashup.

Hotel concierge: Bonjour!  (translation: Hello or Good Morning)

Me: Monsieur! (translation: Mister!)

I bumped into countless people and instead of saying "Excuse e Moi" or "Pardon!", I would say "Miso!" (which is half of 'permiso' in Spanish which means "excuse me")

I bumped into the legs of a waitress and hit her with every french word I knew (mumbled in a inaudible whisper): "Bonjour, cote de boef...." (translation: Hello, side of beef....)

Best Thing I Ever Ate: Oysters @ Aqua Grill (210 Spring Street, New York, NY 10012)

Prior to my "Oyster Renaissance", I've only had oysters a few times in my life (and each time it felt like I ate the bottom of the ocean floor).  It brought me back to my early childhood when I was forced to go with my mother to the women's room at the beach (that Fulton Fish Market smell completely traumatized me).  Anyway, my "Oyster Renaissance" happened after a trip to Montauk, NY in the early summer.  My girlfriend ordered a dozen Blue Points and I hesitantly dug in - the secret was in the condiments: a little squeezed lemon, cocktail sauce, and horseradish.  After that, I ordered oysters everywhere - I couldn't get enough of that "raw and shouldn't be doing this" feeling.  The absolute best (and I mean the best) place for oysters is Aqua Grill.  No other place compares in variety (over 30 different oysters) and freshness.  My favorites have been Blue Point, Kumomoto, Peconic Bay, Moonstone Belon, and Raspberry Point.  Go and order a mixed 2 dozen for yourself and you be the judge.