Oy

This, is a fridge:

[Note the picture of the adorable Beagle whom I miss so very much]

This, is the fridge of a busy, busy girl:

How embarrassing is this?? I have a food blog, but all I have in my refrigerator is a half dead bell pepper and something I got at the food Russian store that I won't describe because it will gross people out. I don't even have any alcohol... I have reached a new low.

I vow to return from my week in Seattle with renewed energy and time to actually buy and prepare food. So looking forward to eating in Seattle (I loooove Seattle) and writing about it. I promise some very pretty sushi pictures.

~AK

Back in the Saddle Again

Here I am! Here I am! Oh, wait, Anna has done such a good job maintaining the blog, no (too tame for the wonderful stuff I've been reading about her culinary adventures) - taking the blog further - that it may take me a while to get back into the swing of things... But, I feel the best place to start is with a Sunday night dinner...
The primary reason for my extensive hiatus was moving - mostly it was caused by the subsequent loss of my digital camera cord, because really, who wants to read posts without pictures? But, I'm always up for an excuse to feast, so to celebrate my new kitchen (diswasher! disposal!), my new porch (grill!) and my new roommates (Claudia! Lisa! Emma!) I decided the best summer fiesta would be GRILLED FISH TACOS! (ok, now I'll lay off the exclamation points - I swear)
So, fish tacos, as I am used to them in sunny Southern CA, usually consist of a breaded, fried filet of white fish, green cabbage, pico de gallo and sour cream all on a corn tortilla. The thing about them that I like the least is the fried... every once in a while I come across a grilled fish taco and it is always such a treat - more it's own entity then just leftover fish 'n chips slopped into a tortilla. So, after poking around on the internet and much heated conversation with CA friends and family, I decided on Tequila-Lime marinated tilapia for the fish, slight variations on the condiments, rice, beans and guacamole for the celebration menu:

The best part of the evening was introducing old friends to new ones and being able to take the time to learn excellent grilling techniques from new roommate Lisa:

After charring the tortillas over the gas flame and grilling the fish to moist, flaky goodness (in a marinade most referred to as an alternatively tasty margarita), tacos were built up with shredded red cabbage, farmers cheese, chopped cilantro, creme freche thinned with light cream and spiced with cumin and cayenne, charred tomatillo salsa (yay Whole Foods!), guacamole and freshly squeezed lime. Some were creative and piled the black beans and rice inside as well. The meal was perfectly capped with fruit salad (thanks, Nadine) and roommate dessert creations, peach cobbler (yumm Claudia) and lemon cheesecake (no words for the tasty goodness, Lisa). In all it was the perfect way to welcome summer and new friends into our new home.

Tequila-Lime Marinated Tilapia (adapted from Epicurious)
- this recipe will work with 1 1/2 lbs. seafood (scallops and shrimp would also be good) as well as chicken

1/4 c. vegetable oil
3 T. fresh lime juice
3 T. tequila
2 T. triple sec
1 large jalapeno chile, seeded and minced
1 1/2 t. lime zest (I just used the zest of one lime)
1 t. chili powder
1 t. sugar
1/2 t. coarse salt

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl. Let mellow and blend in refrigerator for at least 15 minutes before adding to meat or seafood (but can be made up to one day in advance). If using chicken, add to poultry and let marinate for 1-3 hours; if using for seafood, let fish marinate for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Then, grill away!


Smokey Black Beans (very adapted from Cook's Illustrated)

1 lb. dried black beans (washed and picked over for stones)
1 package turkey bacon (I think a package is a pound), sliced into small strips
1 green bell pepper, chopped coarsely
1 medium onion, chopped coarsely
6 medium cloves of garlic, minced or pressed
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 t. table salt (or to taste, I added more than this)
12 c. water
(optional: 1-2 T. cornstarch, as needed for thickening)

1. Bring all ingredients to boil over medium-high heat in a heavy-bottomed soup pan, skimming the surface as necessary to get rid of foam and fat. Reduce heat to low and simmer for approximately 2 hours until the beans are soft, but not falling apart. Add more water if it reduces to the level of the beans while simmering. When beans are soft, use immersion blender (my favorite) and blend beanpot ingredients thoroughly, leaving some texture of ingredients there to your liking. Continue to simmer for 30 minutes to an hour to reduce and thicken the beans further. If, like me, you needed more thickening (I wasn't trying for bean soup in this circumstance, but a thinner version - without the cornstarch - of this would be good as a hearty soup in the winter), whisk in 1-2 T cornstarch until the desired consistency is reached. Serve wtih chopped cilatro, scallions and sour cream (cheese would be good as well).


Guacamole
Everyone I know has their own take on this recipe. Mine came from my mom and is a bit untraditional (we like a little extra creaminess, you'll see), but it's always a hit - 7 avacados worth was gone by the end of this night.

2 ripe avacados (give slightly to the touch when squeezed gently, not collapsing under your fingers - no brown spots when opened)
1/4 c. plain yogurt or sour cream
2-3 medium cloves garlic, minced
1 medium tomato, finely chopped
1 small sweet onion, finely chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped finely
juice from 1-2 limes (to taste)
salt (to taste)
pepper (to taste)

Mix all together. I usually mash the avacados together with the yogurt or sour cream first to get the right consistency before adding all the mix-ins. Serve with tortilla chips and margaritas :)

So, I'm back in blogging land, finally. I have so many entries in my head, and, thankfully, off of my camera and on to my iPhoto, so there will be much more to come... Have a great weekend!
~Lissa

There's No Wrong Way To Eat... a Truffle

Truffles have long been synonymous with luxury, decadence, and perhaps excess. Although all those adjectives are well deserved, I am happy that this trend of exclusivity is coming to an end. Truffles are no longer only found shaved around wild quail with beluga caviar, foie gras, and whatever other fancy ingredient you can think of – they can now be used to elevate a simple plate of french fries to something extraordinary.

Lisa and I had lunch at The Squealing Pig. Despite the off-putting name, it’s actually a pretty neat Irish pub with rough hewn wooden tables, a menu of toasties (pressed sandwiches) written on a chalkboard, and pretty good gin and tonics. The Pig is a hangout for Med students and the like - we spent a fair amount of time there our first year, so to be honest, my memory of the gin and tonics is hazy at best. But I digress. Back to the truffles.

This unassuming Irish pub with a funky name serves fancy fries. To be more precise, they are french fries (skin on, of course) with porcini, truffle oil, and parmesan. Oh so good. I could smell the truffles before the server even got to our table. One would never guess the heights that a simple plate of fries can reach when topped with truffle oil. The oil soaked into the fries, imbuing them with woodsy, smoky truffle flavor. The parmesan worked with the truffle oil surprisingly well – it’s sharp flavor was tempered by the woodsy-ness of the truffles, bringing out the rarely seen creamy side of parmesan. This is only slightly visible in the picture, but the fries were sprinkled with little black dots which I assume to be dried porcini dust, which doubt helped to deepen the truffle flavor. Being the truffle junkie that I am, I could have used a bit more of the truffle oil, but I was happy happy as it was.

Although secondary to the fry experience and not the reason we went to the Pig in the first place, I cannot omit the toasties. The toasted sandwiches offered ranged from Cheddar (spelled Chedder on the chalkboard - heehee) Tomato and Onion to Cubano, back to Brie and Cranberry. I ordered a Turkey Rueben toastie while Lisa had a Roast Chicken Toastie with red onions, smoked gouda, and tarragon mayonnaise. How’s that for pub food? Lisa switched sandwich halves with me because I couldn’t decide which I wanted to order. Thankfully, she is nice to me even when I am being annoying.

I would now like to raise a glass to the wonderful creation that is truffle oil, helping bring the wonders of truffles to the eager masses. And by eager masses I mean me.

~AK

For Another Day

I don’t know what made me decide that turning on my oven when it’s hotter than hell outside is a really good idea, but I did. Decide, that is. I turned on my oven and I ran out of the kitchen. It was all worth it because I made something pretty, without following a recipe (!) – mushroom stuffed zucchini.

I was very determined to make the zucchini. I didn’t need to insist on making something that called for the oven but I so wanted to break out of my no-cooking routine and make something interesting. I braved stifling heat and oppressive poster deadlines, all for stuffed zucchini. So determined was I, that I actually made these at 7:30AM on a Sunday morning, before going to lab (I promise to stop complaining about lab very soon. Many people endure it with far greater grace than I possess right now. Then again, it’s so so hot in my apartment, so I get to whine). Was it worth all my struggle? Yea, but I think I would enjoy the zucchini (and the oven) far more on a ummm… cooler day.

The baked zucchini shells were crisp tender and the mushroom filling was creamy from the cheese and breadcrumbs, making for an interesting texture contrast. They make a light side dish. I will definitely make them again as the recipe is quite conducive to variation. I am already having all kinds of thoughts - using tomatoes and lots of basil and... oooh capers in the stuffing and maybe serving the zucchini cold... That may have been the solution to my heat problem this time around.

Mushroom Stuffed Zucchini (may be best to save this recipe for another day, unless you are brave like me)

2 zucchini, halved and hollowed, insides chopped – I found that a teaspoon post a trip down the disposal did the scooping and hollowing job marvelously.



8 oz white mushrooms, caps only, finely chopped
1 large shallot, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tsp ea fresh basil, oregano, thyme, chopped
2 tbsp breadcrumbs
2 tbsp freshly grated parmesan
olive oil

1) Sauté shallot and garlic in olive oil until slightly softened.
2) Add chopped zucchini insides and mushrooms, season with salt and pepper and cook until liquid from the mushrooms has evaporated.
3) Add the herbs and stir around a bit longer, till the herbs have softened, transfer all to a bowl and allow to cool.
4) Stir in breadcrumbs, until the mixture is dry and comes together (add more breadcrumbs if you need to). Stir in grated cheese.
5) Brush zucchini shells with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Spread filling evenly in zucchini shells, sprinkle top with more breadcrumbs and cheese.
6) Bake at 375F for 30 minutes, until the zucchini are tender to the point of a knife. QUICKLY turn off the oven and sit down in front of the A/C. Oh wait. That was just me…
~AK

No. 9 Park

Jonathan is moving away from Boston proper. Luckily, he will still be close enough to pad the Tavern’s profit margin every weekend. We are terribly sad to see him go (it will all be worth it once he gets his prescription pad!). A nice dinner and an occasion to do dress up was the perfect way to send Jonathan off to the dark side (med school) in style. Being the Barbara Lynch devotee that I am, the decision to go to No. 9 Park was an easy one (fair warning kids – settle in because this is going to be a long post).

In my mind, restaurants of a certain caliber have to walk the line between posh and snooty. The distinction is a fine one but makes a world of difference in the dining experience. Snooty restaurants are easy to describe – nothing is done to make you feel welcome and/or good enough to be there and the food is too architectural and too involved - I don’t like my food to be cleverer than I am. I have been to a number of such restaurants but because I am a gracious person (occasionally), they shall remain unnamed.

Posh restaurants are a different creature entirely. Subtelty is key here. The servers are warm, not averse to conversation, and are eager to describe not only the composition of the dishes but also their origin and method of their preparation. A posh space is inviting and not stuffy but is clearly a step above the routine dining room. One can feel relaxed and included in such a room while eating creative and well-prepared food. No. 9 Park is happily such a creature.

No. 9 Park is Barbara Lynch’s flagship restaurant, located in a beautiful Beacon Hill brownstone off the Common. The dining room is sparse enough to avoid sensory overload yet sufficiently decorated to ensure warmth. The khaki-colored walls were lined with large black and white photographs with large flower arrangements underneath. The pleasant and very knowledgeable servers were attentive but never hovered (hovering servers are another unmistakable characteristic of snooty restaurants).

As is the norm for someone of my caliber of dork, I had decided what I would have for dinner a week before getting there – prune stuffed gnocchi with seared foie gras and Vin Santo glaze and day boat scallops with sorrel puree and sea urchin. It turns out that the prune-stuffed gnocchi are the house specialty, as we were informed by our super friendly (and not at all snooty) server. The gnocchi dough is rolled out flat and the prune stuffing is spread on top. Circles of dough are then cut out and folded onto themselves, forming not the typical gnocchi shape, but something resembling free-form ravioli or agnolotti. The sauce was a foie gras and butter emulsion with a hit of Vin Santo. Wow. I patted myself on the back for this selection. The dough was light and soft and coated the tongue. The prune stuffing was smooth, thick, and sweet – a wonderful complement to the seared foie gras. Along with a great 2000 Bordeaux, the house special gnocchi were a near perfect way to start the meal.

The next course were the day boat scallops. “Day boat” means that the scallops were caught and brought to shore the same day and were not treated with preservative agents (such as bleach) to extend their life, as is (disturbingly) common practice. [Lesson here – don’t trust a sparkling white scallop.]

It may be difficult to tell from the picture, but these scallops were gigantic. The painfully fresh, gigantor scallops were caramelized on the outside and perfectly rare on the inside. They were served with a sorrel puree and turnips. Sorrel is a tart green that brings back all sorts of memories for me – the stuff grows wild outside of Moscow and is the base for a cold summer soup that my grandmother used to make. The bright tartness of the sorrel played off the muted creaminess of the scallops. Perfect.

Oh and then the dessert. I had espresso creamsicle with beignets, almond praline, and sweet milk ice cream. The chocolate covered creamsicle (complete with popsicle stick) was more like a frozen milky espresso than ice cream - not too sweet and with a potent coffee flavor. The beignets (resting on cacao nibs) were, and I quote a dining companion, “The best donut I have ever had.” That’s as accurate a description as anyone could give. They were warm and airy, not too sweet and not too greasy… It was like the beignets had found the correct-sized bed in the bears’ house – a happily perfect fit in both taste and texture.
I could go on - we all know I could go on. But I will exercise self control and wrap this up with some pictures of what Jonathan and Lisa had that night. I won’t go into descriptions because that could take another week to write and I have only three days to put together a poster for the meeting. No fun.

Cinnamon-scented braised short ribs with oven dried muscat grapes and fingerling potatoes.

Rack of wild boar with carrots, blackberries, and Indonesian long pepper.

Fleur de Marie with berry coulis and lemon verbena ice cream.


Oh, and in case anyone is wondering, I already know what I will get the next time I am there – roasted squab with morels. I so hope it stays on the menu for a little while longer!

~AK

P.S. The picture of Barbara Lynch was, sadly, not taken by me but was instead stolen from her website.

Reasons To Go To Wisconsin

Every year my lab attends a week-long international conference specializing in the subject that we study (being intentionally vague here so as to not gross out random readers). The location of the meeting is different every year. One meeting was in Australia, last year's was in Finland. Please take a guess as to where I went for the one meeting that it has so far been my pleasure (read : obligation) to attend? Oh yes, Wisconsin. I may be forever bitter about this.

I hear from many people how wonderful Madison, Wisc is. A number of my friends really love it there. I so don't get it. I am a city person and always have been. I spent the first third (I'm aging!) of my life in one of the largest cities in the world and the lifestyle stuck. I don't do well in non-cities (still trying to forget undergrad). Madison, by all definitions and descriptions is not a city. So, no, I am not planning on moving there any time soon (or ever) but some good things have come out of Wisconsin and I now wish to do pay them the attention they are due. The most notable product of Wisconsin is, of course, Lisa. I realize that not everyone can have a Lisa of their very own, but don't despair - there is also beer and cheese curds.

I had cheese curds for the first time while in Madison, one of the few places one can actually get fresh cheese curds in the country – they are only available at cheese factories (oh how I would love to have a cheese factory down the street!!). Cheese curds are what milk becomes before it is allowed to mature into cheese. I guess that makes them prepubescent cheese :) Yes, I know I am a dork. Cheese curds are quarter-sized nuggets that taste like a milder, saltier form of the cheese they will one day become, crossed with the freshest, most fragrant milk you have ever had in your life. The texture is entirely different from that of aged cheese. Curds are more elastic and less creamy than cheese, reminiscent of string cheese but juicier and more delicate.

The unique characteristic of cheese curds is the “squeak” against one’s teeth when biting into them. The squeak is lost if the curds are not absolutely fresh – two or three days past manufacture is enough time to lose the squeak and all the associated interesting texture and taste. Interesting factoid: cheese curds are huge in Quebec, where they are the star ingredient in poutine (described here and here) – fries topped with cheese curds and a gravy-style sauce. How’s that for a heart attack? I am happy enough eating cheese curds straight but my curiosity with poutine is at a fever pitch at the moment. Don't yet know what I can do about it...

The cheese curds in the picture above were kindly brought back from Wisconsin by Lisa just today (again, friends who know me well bring me food...). The ones you see are of the white sharp cheddar variety, but there are many other variations and flavors, such as traditional yellow sharp cheddar and even flavored with chives or dill. They are utterly addictive in that salty, chewy, juicy way. It is important to kepp in mind that they are still cheese, with all the glorious and generous fat content of cheese. I remembered this only after I had a heaping handful of them. I had to sit down for a while. I had to get my fill of them today as a) they will not be nearly as good tomorrow (they dry up and become crumbly), and b) I don’t have a cheese factory near me! One can order cheese curds online but no packing or shipping technology available today is sufficient to preserve the all-important freshness of the curds. Bummer. Looks like I may have to go back to Wisconsin after all.

~AK

P.S. Don't want to give the wrong impression here - I did enjoy my week in Madison. Friendships were made and/or cemented, and much much beer, cheese curds, and ice cream were consumed. Oh yeah. I guess there was some science there too.

Kanchan's Dal

Lentils are so good for you! They are a bit of a wonder food, really. I always knew this but only in general terms. The fact that the majority of the population of India lives on them was a good hint. I never knew just how nutritionally wonderful lentils are until I did some digging. While only 170 calories per serving (2 ounces, uncooked), lentils contain 27% of the daily recommended iron intake and 24% of the fiber intake. Not only that, but lentils have almost as much protein as beef with none of the fat (or prions :) ) : 14 grams of protein in 2 oz of beef; 11 grams of protein in 2 oz of lentils (!). Now, I fully realize that two ounces of lentils will never satisfy the same craving as a cheeseburger, but it’s just something to keep in mind for the non-craving days.


All of these nutrition facts are secondary to the fact that I love dal. Kanchan makes the best dal (a kind of lentil stew/soup) and was kind enough to share her recipe with me. There are so many different varieties of dal and so many different things that one can add to it (like spinach – that would be really good) that it becomes easy to see why it’s a diet staple of an entire continent. Kanchan also gave me a recipe for a slightly more involved moong and masoor dal (yellow and red lentil mix) that has ginger and tomatoes in it. That will be my next undertaking.

Dal is typically served with rice or bread. I had it with my new favorite (and slightly hippy) grain, quinoa. I can’t say that my dal was just like Kanchan’s (that may never happen) but it was pretty good in its own right. Maybe once I make it a dozen more times…

Yellow Moong Dal, courtesy of Kanchan (I only messed with the recipe a little. Did you think I wouldn’t?)

1 cup chana dal (yellow lentils)
5 cups water
½ tsp turmeric powder
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 or 2 green chillis, finely chopped
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp olive oil
salt
big handful of freshly chopped cilantro

1) Wash the lentils thoroughly and soak in lukewarm water for a few hours in order to expedite the cooking process. I sort of forgot about my lentils (read : went to the Tavern instead of cooking) so they sat for a whole day. Oops.
2) Bring dal and 5 cups water to a boil, remove froth as it forms.
3) Add the turmeric. Lower heat to medium and simmer, partially covered until the lentils begin to dissolve (~40 minutes). If the dal starts to become too thick at this stage, add boiling water to adjust to desired consistency. I prefer my dal on the thicker side, although I have had in many different consistencies. It’s up to personal preference.
4) Once dal is dissolved, turn off heat and prepare the seasoning.
5) For the seasoning: Heat olive oil, add 1 tsp cumin seeds and toast while stirring until the seeds begin to turn pinkish brown but do not burn (Kanchan instructed me to use 2 tsp of cumin seeds but I found the dal to be too cumin-y for my taste).
6) Add the garlic and chillis (this will smell incredible), cook until light brown.
7) Add the cumin/garlic/chilli mixture to the dal and stir well.
8) Salt to taste, add cilantro.

~AK