Yes, I am trying to simultaneously avoid going to the grocery store and clean out the fridge. And Dad, I'm sorry, but this is way better than pulling out all of the leftovers in the fridge and showing us the microwave. The whole idea came from reading Mike's Facebook post about the delicious soup he was eating. I wanted some, and was going to pretend this was it.
So, here's who was sitting on the bench. (Did some of you just fall over now because I used a sports reference? I did play basketball in school. What still on the floor? I wasn't very good....ok....now you feel the earth readjusted, right?) Ok, enough of the chit chat. Back to the ingredients:
Merguez (sausage)
Onion
Garlic
Chicken stock
Potato gnocchi
Bok choy
White wine
Salt
Black pepper
Thyme
Oregano
Olive oil
If you ever read the recipes on my blog by now, you know the drill. Saute the onions in olive oil first. Next, add the merguez. I probably should have cooked these in separate pans, but if I wasn't in the mood to go to the store, I certainly wasn't in the mood to wash a bunch of dishes later. When the merguez is almost cooked, add the garlic. A minute after you throw in the garlic, put in the chicken stock, salt, pepper, oregano, thyme, gnocchi and white wine. When the gnocchi is cooked, add the chopped up bok choy (in appealing looking pieces, not massacred), cover for a few minutes, just enough for it to wilt a little and serve.
It looked really pretty in a big white bowl, and tasted delicious!
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Onion Soup
So, my throat was starting to hurt. I was tired, and all I wanted was soup. Unshowered and not wanting to leave the house, I immediately rummage through the kitchen to see what I can find. Frozen beef stock, half an onion, one drop of olive oil, garlic, a tiny bit of shredded Parmesan cheese and half of a bottle of red wine. Yup, that'll do.
So you've got the ingredients already. Chop up the onion into tiny pieces, and saute them in olive oil until they are translucent. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute. Add beef stock and a drop of red wine, salt and simmer.
Spoon into a bowl and top with shredded Parmesan cheese. Not bad for cooking from what's left in the kitchen!
So you've got the ingredients already. Chop up the onion into tiny pieces, and saute them in olive oil until they are translucent. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute. Add beef stock and a drop of red wine, salt and simmer.
Spoon into a bowl and top with shredded Parmesan cheese. Not bad for cooking from what's left in the kitchen!
Monday, September 6, 2010
Pulino's
282 Bowery
NY NY 10012
212-226-1966
(Lower East Side)
From Times Square, take the Downtown F train and get off at 2nd Ave., exit near the intersection of E Houston St. and 2nd Ave, and go west on E Houston, then turn left onto Bowery....about 25 minutes.
September 3rd-
So I was watching TV one day, and happened upon a story about a pizza place called Pulino’s. Ok, another pizza place, yeah, yeah. They’re all the same in New York, all thin crusted, and all claiming they are indeed the best, or the first, or some other claim to fame. I wasn’t too hopeful, but then, they started showing me things like breakfast pizza. Yes, breakfast pizza......and I don't mean the cold slab you pull out of the fridge the morning after. I was intrigued. At my first opportunity, I was there. I wanted to experience this first hand. After all Nate Appleman is the chef, and he is supposed to be oh so fabulous. I decided to give him a chance. Why not?
We get there and are greeted by friendly staff, and taken into a very bistro looking dining room, airy, with tiled walls and a high tin ceiling. It has the same kind of feel as Schiller's or Pastis, which I personally like. It's pretty full for being 2:30 on a Friday afternoon. Maybe everyone else saw the show on TV, too?
As we peruse the menu, we see some of what is so unique about this place in particular......the creative combination of upscale, gourmet toppings. They list toppings which include things like grana, pork strutto, pickled chiles, pancetta, smoked ricotta and prosciutto. This is pizza for foodies. Yeah! I'm in the right place. They have various combinations already laid out for you to choose from, or you can customize your own. We decided to start with one of their suggestions and tweak it. We ordered the prosciutto and arugula pizza with mozzarella, pecorino and garlic, and added tomato sauce and an egg. I mean, it was, in fact, the breakfast pizza that had drawn me in here in the first place. You didn't think I would go home without trying an egg on my pizza, did you?
They did have other things on the menu besides pizza. There are several versions of bruschetta, some salads and even a cheeseburger, but the pizza definitely takes center stage. By the way, there is no better compliment to pizza than sparkling wine. They have this, and actually also possess quite a unique, fun, cocktail menu with drinks called the Aranciata Amara, an Aperol and vodka concoction, and the Journalist, which is gin based. Maybe I will try these next time when I come back for dinner.
I have to say, I very much enjoyed my lunch at Pulino's. It was more than a meal, it was an experience, and that is always what I am in search of.
NY NY 10012
212-226-1966
(Lower East Side)
From Times Square, take the Downtown F train and get off at 2nd Ave., exit near the intersection of E Houston St. and 2nd Ave, and go west on E Houston, then turn left onto Bowery....about 25 minutes.
September 3rd-
So I was watching TV one day, and happened upon a story about a pizza place called Pulino’s. Ok, another pizza place, yeah, yeah. They’re all the same in New York, all thin crusted, and all claiming they are indeed the best, or the first, or some other claim to fame. I wasn’t too hopeful, but then, they started showing me things like breakfast pizza. Yes, breakfast pizza......and I don't mean the cold slab you pull out of the fridge the morning after. I was intrigued. At my first opportunity, I was there. I wanted to experience this first hand. After all Nate Appleman is the chef, and he is supposed to be oh so fabulous. I decided to give him a chance. Why not?
We get there and are greeted by friendly staff, and taken into a very bistro looking dining room, airy, with tiled walls and a high tin ceiling. It has the same kind of feel as Schiller's or Pastis, which I personally like. It's pretty full for being 2:30 on a Friday afternoon. Maybe everyone else saw the show on TV, too?
As we peruse the menu, we see some of what is so unique about this place in particular......the creative combination of upscale, gourmet toppings. They list toppings which include things like grana, pork strutto, pickled chiles, pancetta, smoked ricotta and prosciutto. This is pizza for foodies. Yeah! I'm in the right place. They have various combinations already laid out for you to choose from, or you can customize your own. We decided to start with one of their suggestions and tweak it. We ordered the prosciutto and arugula pizza with mozzarella, pecorino and garlic, and added tomato sauce and an egg. I mean, it was, in fact, the breakfast pizza that had drawn me in here in the first place. You didn't think I would go home without trying an egg on my pizza, did you?
They did have other things on the menu besides pizza. There are several versions of bruschetta, some salads and even a cheeseburger, but the pizza definitely takes center stage. By the way, there is no better compliment to pizza than sparkling wine. They have this, and actually also possess quite a unique, fun, cocktail menu with drinks called the Aranciata Amara, an Aperol and vodka concoction, and the Journalist, which is gin based. Maybe I will try these next time when I come back for dinner.
I have to say, I very much enjoyed my lunch at Pulino's. It was more than a meal, it was an experience, and that is always what I am in search of.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Fennel and Orange Salad
It couldn't get any easier and any more refreshing than this! Now, really, you should eat local, but in the heat of the summer, when it feels like the Tropics, I think an occasional orange here and there is just fine.
Ingredients-
I Fennel bulb
1 Orange
Organic cold pressed extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Black pepper
Chop off the ends of the fennel bulb and discard. (If you bought one with the fronds still attached, you can keep those for later.) Chop fennel into long, think slices and put in a bowl. Now, take your orange and cut the round tips off of both sides(where the stem attaches). Now you can sit your orange up and it won't roll around. Carefully trim off all of the outside. Don't leave any of the white pith on the orange. Then, slice around the middle, so you just have this square "core" remaining. Squeeze the juice from the core into the bowl and discard. (It will be full of pith.) Take the remaining juicy orange segments and slice thinly. Add to the fennel. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper, and combine. This salad actually benefits from a few minutes of marinating before you serve it. The anisey crunch of the fennel, the juicy sweet orange, the richness or the olive oil and the bite of the pepper together create a wonderful combination- yum!
Ingredients-
I Fennel bulb
1 Orange
Organic cold pressed extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Black pepper
Chop off the ends of the fennel bulb and discard. (If you bought one with the fronds still attached, you can keep those for later.) Chop fennel into long, think slices and put in a bowl. Now, take your orange and cut the round tips off of both sides(where the stem attaches). Now you can sit your orange up and it won't roll around. Carefully trim off all of the outside. Don't leave any of the white pith on the orange. Then, slice around the middle, so you just have this square "core" remaining. Squeeze the juice from the core into the bowl and discard. (It will be full of pith.) Take the remaining juicy orange segments and slice thinly. Add to the fennel. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper, and combine. This salad actually benefits from a few minutes of marinating before you serve it. The anisey crunch of the fennel, the juicy sweet orange, the richness or the olive oil and the bite of the pepper together create a wonderful combination- yum!
Friday, August 20, 2010
Fresh Summer Salsa
I know tomatoes are nightshades and all, but I love them so! Ok, I am not talking about the reddish round things you find in the supermarket in the middle of January that they call tomatoes. No! Those are a depressing travesty! They have no taste whatsoever, and barely any nutrients, either. You may as well eat rubber. I am talking about heirloom tomatoes from the farmers market....or better yet....your own garden in August! My favorite are Brandywines....Black Brandywines especially. If you can get your paws on some of these....do! They are really great for things like tomato, basil and mozzarella salads or anything that you want a nice, juicy, gorgeous slice of tomato. Last weekend at the farmers market I found some beautiful grape and cherry tomatoes in all colors....red, orange, pink with green stripes....so fantastic! One of the things I like to do in the summer is make fresh tomato salsa. It goes great on a nice whitefish with some guacamole- the perfect dinner in the summer heat! Here is my salsa recipe:
Ingredients-
Organic farmers market tomatoes
Red onion
Garlic
Cilantro
Salt
Chop tomatoes, garlic, onion and cilantro and combine. Salt to taste. Yup- that's really it. Sometimes, I don't even add the garlic. You could add a touch of honey if you want it to be a little sweet, or a touch of tabasco for a bit of a kick. The most important thing is to get good quality tomatoes, because they are what provides all of the flavor.
Ingredients-
Organic farmers market tomatoes
Red onion
Garlic
Cilantro
Salt
Chop tomatoes, garlic, onion and cilantro and combine. Salt to taste. Yup- that's really it. Sometimes, I don't even add the garlic. You could add a touch of honey if you want it to be a little sweet, or a touch of tabasco for a bit of a kick. The most important thing is to get good quality tomatoes, because they are what provides all of the flavor.
PESTO!
Ok....its the end of the summer and all the basil is being harvested. Go....run to your local farmers market and buy it all up. Make pesto, and save the leftover basil by chopping it up and mixing it with organic extra virgin olive oil. Then, fill ice cube trays with the basil mixture and freeze. After they are frozen, pop out the little basil cubes and store them in the freezer to use all winter long. Here is an easy pesto recipe:
Ingredients-
Basil
Garlic cloves
Organic cold pressed extra virgin olive oil
Pine nuts
Parmesan cheese (raw)- grated
Salt
Chop basil leaves and garlic very finely, or put in a food processor, and combine with olive oil. Add cheese and salt. Combine. Everything is to taste. I usually add two medium sized cloves of garlic to a small two person food processor and fill the processor half way up with the pesto mixture. Then I taste and add. You can always add, but you can't take it back out. Add the pine nuts in when you are happy with the pesto. They look better whole. That's it!
Enjoy!
Ingredients-
Basil
Garlic cloves
Organic cold pressed extra virgin olive oil
Pine nuts
Parmesan cheese (raw)- grated
Salt
Chop basil leaves and garlic very finely, or put in a food processor, and combine with olive oil. Add cheese and salt. Combine. Everything is to taste. I usually add two medium sized cloves of garlic to a small two person food processor and fill the processor half way up with the pesto mixture. Then I taste and add. You can always add, but you can't take it back out. Add the pine nuts in when you are happy with the pesto. They look better whole. That's it!
Enjoy!
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Guacamole is so easy to make!
Everyone loves this dip when I make it, so I thought I would share....just in case you've never tried this at home. Guac never seems to be good when you buy it at the store, and its so inexpensive and easy to make, that it is almost ridiculous to go to a restaurant to get it.
Here is what you need:
1 avocado
1 clove of garlic
1/2 of a lime or lemon
Salt
Choose an avocado that isn't hard, but isn't mushy. You want it to just give just a little when you touch it. Cut the avocado down the middle, divide into two halves and remove the pit. Take off the skin and discard. Chop the insides into chunks. Put the chunks in a bowl and mash until it is the consistency you like. You can mash it into a smooth paste, or keep it more rustic and varied.....whatever suits you. Next, finely mince the garlic and add it to the bowl. Squeeze about half of a lemon or lime into the mixture a little at a time, so you don't overdo the citrus, mix and taste. Add more citrus as needed. Some fruit is stronger than others, so you never know exactly how much you will need unless you try it. The same goes for the garlic. Season with salt and serve with chips.
See? How easy was that?
Here is what you need:
1 avocado
1 clove of garlic
1/2 of a lime or lemon
Salt
Choose an avocado that isn't hard, but isn't mushy. You want it to just give just a little when you touch it. Cut the avocado down the middle, divide into two halves and remove the pit. Take off the skin and discard. Chop the insides into chunks. Put the chunks in a bowl and mash until it is the consistency you like. You can mash it into a smooth paste, or keep it more rustic and varied.....whatever suits you. Next, finely mince the garlic and add it to the bowl. Squeeze about half of a lemon or lime into the mixture a little at a time, so you don't overdo the citrus, mix and taste. Add more citrus as needed. Some fruit is stronger than others, so you never know exactly how much you will need unless you try it. The same goes for the garlic. Season with salt and serve with chips.
See? How easy was that?
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Caesar Salad
Melanie Ferreira taught me how to make Caesar salad and it is the best one I've ever had!
Ingredients-
Anchovies- the ones in the jar, not the can
1/2- 1 lemon for freshly squeezed juice
2 large cloves of garlic
Romaine, chopped into large pieces
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (raw)
1 egg yolk
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
Chop up garlic. Using a mortar and pestle, mash the garlic, about three or four anchovies (to taste) and salt. Put mash, egg yolk, a drizzle of olive oil, Parmesan cheese, black pepper and the juice from one lemon (to taste) in a bowl and mix together. Taste and re-season if necessary. You might need more salt, more pepper, more lemon, etc. When you are satisfied with the dressing, add romaine and mix well. Serve immediately.
Ingredients-
Anchovies- the ones in the jar, not the can
1/2- 1 lemon for freshly squeezed juice
2 large cloves of garlic
Romaine, chopped into large pieces
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (raw)
1 egg yolk
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
Chop up garlic. Using a mortar and pestle, mash the garlic, about three or four anchovies (to taste) and salt. Put mash, egg yolk, a drizzle of olive oil, Parmesan cheese, black pepper and the juice from one lemon (to taste) in a bowl and mix together. Taste and re-season if necessary. You might need more salt, more pepper, more lemon, etc. When you are satisfied with the dressing, add romaine and mix well. Serve immediately.
Di Fiore Marquet Cafe
Ok.....I have to confess something. I am obsessed with Eggs Benedict. I've perfected it at home, and every time we do brunch, I feel compelled to order it. I could eat it for breakfast, lunch or dinner. I could eat it for breakfast lunch AND dinner! I keep a mental log of how each restaurant fares in its execution of this dish. Yesterday, in the village, I found the best one I've ever had! Every part of it was made perfectly......PERFECTLY! The English muffin was just the right combination of soft, yet crunchy. The hollandaise was buttery and lemony, with a touch of mustard, and I was able to taste all of the flavors. Nothing overpowered anything else. The egg yolk was a beautiful rich shade of orange and was runny, but not too undercooked. Even the salad on the side was fresh and properly dressed. It was a dish in its own right, unlike the gob of greens I usually get thrown on the plate. And......wait for it......the bacon was crunchy! Yeah! I found someplace that can actually cook bacon! To top it off, the service was outstanding, and the restaurant was darn cute! Original artwork that was for sale covered the warm yellow walls and gave it a cozy, yet hip feeling. The rest of the menu looked fantastic, too. I just had to order the Eggs Benedict. GREAT place!
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Watermelon and Heirloom Tomato Salad
Nathan and I went to the farmers market in Union Square this afternoon, and I must say......it is on the same level as shoe shopping.....actually, I may have even liked this better! A cornucopia of pure food, full of color and fragrance and energy. Everything was so beautiful to look at and had the most amazing fresh smell! we bought so much- eggs, pasta, cilantro, maple syrup, etc. We would have bought more if we were headed straight home. I would have loved some raw cheese and some fish! We found the most beautiful basket of tiny heirloom tomatoes.....yellow and red and pink and orange, some round, some oval, some tiny, some larger. I popped one in my mouth when we got home, and it tasted like sunshine....all warm and delicious. We also bought some red onions....the most beautiful purple color with their green stems still attached. I put them in a bowl when I unpacked them after our outing and they look like art just sitting there- amazing! So.....here is a salad we are making tonight using these newly acquired treasures....
Ingredients-
Watermelon
Heirloom tomatoes (grape and cherry sized) of varying colors/shapes
Red onion
Cilantro
Lemon
Extra Virgin olive oil
Salt
Black pepper
Cut tomatoes in half and put them in a colander, with salt. Mix and let sit. Finely chop onion into very thin half moon shapes, and soak in lemon juice and a little salt. Let both of these sit for about half an hour. Cut the watermelon into bite sized squares and put in a bowl. Chop up cilantro and mix in with watermelon. Add the tomatoes and the onions. Next, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Mix all together, and taste. When you are happy with the seasoning, serve. Delish!
Tip- never EVER put tomatoes in the fridge. It compromises their flavor.
Ingredients-
Watermelon
Heirloom tomatoes (grape and cherry sized) of varying colors/shapes
Red onion
Cilantro
Lemon
Extra Virgin olive oil
Salt
Black pepper
Cut tomatoes in half and put them in a colander, with salt. Mix and let sit. Finely chop onion into very thin half moon shapes, and soak in lemon juice and a little salt. Let both of these sit for about half an hour. Cut the watermelon into bite sized squares and put in a bowl. Chop up cilantro and mix in with watermelon. Add the tomatoes and the onions. Next, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Mix all together, and taste. When you are happy with the seasoning, serve. Delish!
Tip- never EVER put tomatoes in the fridge. It compromises their flavor.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Marvelous Miso Soup
This is by far the best miso soup I've ever had! Once I made this soup, I think I continued making it and eating it for breakfast for months! I always make enough for several servings. I learned this from holistic health counselor, Marian Buck-Murray. Although, it might not be her recipe to a tee. So, not only is it delicious, its really, really healthy! This soup is so good for your immune system, a great thing to incorporate into your diet when cold and flu season comes around, or for any day you want a good, quick, nutritious soup.
Ok, back to the recipe. Here are the ingredients:
Organic sweet or white miso
1 onion
1-2 cloves of garlic
Extra virgin olive oil
Kombu (seaweed)
Salt
White pepper
Filtered water
Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Heat olive oil in a pot and add onions. Cook until translucent and add the garlic, salt and pepper. Cook for about another minute. Be careful....don't let it burn. After the garlic is cooked, add water until it almost fills the pot. Add a piece of kombu.....don't be afraid. It's just dried seaweed and it is really good for you. I promise you won't even taste it. You can get this at an Asian grocer, or someplace like Whole Foods. Next, cover and let simmer. (You will have to play with the quantities a little bit here. The bigger the pot, the more of each ingredient you need.) After it has simmered for a few minutes, its ready.
To serve, put a spoonful of miso in your soup mug. (You can put more if you want. This is totally to taste.) Pour in a little bit of the soup.....just a little bit. You do this so that you can mix in the miso. Otherwise, you will have unmixed clumps of miso in your soup, and that is so not appetizing. Also, do not put boiling soup on the miso, or you will kill all the good stuff in there. Let it cool down a bit first. After that is well mixed, fill up the rest of your mug, and enjoy.
You can vary this, too. Once, I added leftover brown rice to mug, for a heartier soup. I've also made a more "oniony" soup, by using a ridiculous amount of onion. That one was good! You could add tofu and eat the kombu like they do in Japanese restaurants. Play with it! Have fun!
By the way, if you chose not to eat the kombu, and you have dogs, you can chop it up and add it to their food. It's super healthy for them, too! My dog, Elie, really likes it. Of course, I give them a little miso paste, too.
Ok, back to the recipe. Here are the ingredients:
Organic sweet or white miso
1 onion
1-2 cloves of garlic
Extra virgin olive oil
Kombu (seaweed)
Salt
White pepper
Filtered water
Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Heat olive oil in a pot and add onions. Cook until translucent and add the garlic, salt and pepper. Cook for about another minute. Be careful....don't let it burn. After the garlic is cooked, add water until it almost fills the pot. Add a piece of kombu.....don't be afraid. It's just dried seaweed and it is really good for you. I promise you won't even taste it. You can get this at an Asian grocer, or someplace like Whole Foods. Next, cover and let simmer. (You will have to play with the quantities a little bit here. The bigger the pot, the more of each ingredient you need.) After it has simmered for a few minutes, its ready.
To serve, put a spoonful of miso in your soup mug. (You can put more if you want. This is totally to taste.) Pour in a little bit of the soup.....just a little bit. You do this so that you can mix in the miso. Otherwise, you will have unmixed clumps of miso in your soup, and that is so not appetizing. Also, do not put boiling soup on the miso, or you will kill all the good stuff in there. Let it cool down a bit first. After that is well mixed, fill up the rest of your mug, and enjoy.
You can vary this, too. Once, I added leftover brown rice to mug, for a heartier soup. I've also made a more "oniony" soup, by using a ridiculous amount of onion. That one was good! You could add tofu and eat the kombu like they do in Japanese restaurants. Play with it! Have fun!
By the way, if you chose not to eat the kombu, and you have dogs, you can chop it up and add it to their food. It's super healthy for them, too! My dog, Elie, really likes it. Of course, I give them a little miso paste, too.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Mediterranean Rice and Beans
Here is another concoction inspired by what was left in my kitchen..........
Ingredients-
1 can of organic chi peas/garbanzo beans
1 container of grape tomatoes
1 small container of mixed green and black pitted olives
2 cloves of garlic
1 small red onion or half of a giant one
Extra virgin organic cold pressed olive oil
Real/raw butter
1 cup of brown rice
2 cups of organic chicken or vegetable stock
Oregano
Black pepper
Salt
The rice-
Heat olive oil in a pot, add the rice, season with salt and pepper and stir. Yes, I swear, add just the rice without the stock. This really flavors the rice and makes it taste much more delicious.
Note- if you know ahead of time that you are going to make this, soak your rice in water overnight and drain it before you use it. This will make the rice more nutritious. Of course, I wasn't planning on making this, as this was another one of my "shop from my kitchen" meals, so I didn't do this. Even perfection in moderation.
After a minute or two, add the chicken stock, cover and bring to a boil. You can use water, of course, but it won't have as much flavor. Once it boils, turn the heat down very low and simmer. Do NOT take the lid off! Nope.....don't do it. (A pot with a glass lid is best for this, because you can see what is happening inside the pot without lifting off the lid.) Tunnels will begin to form in the rice and you will see the liquid still bubbling inside those tunnels. When the liquid is gone, turn off the heat and let the rice sit for about ten minutes. No.....don't you take that lid off yet. Let the rice sit for a bit to finish cooking. Otherwise, it is going to come out undercooked, and your jaw will hurt if you try to eat a bowl of it. (Trust me, I know. I've done it!)
The "beans"-
While the rice is cooking, you can tend to the beans. Open the can of chic peas and rinse really well. Of course, it would be optimal to buy these dried in a bag instead of a can, and soak them overnight before attempting to cook them. (Refer to my previous statement regarding the way I shopped for this meal.)
Wash the tomatoes, give them a rough chop and put them in a colander. Salt the tomatoes and mix them up, so the salt is distributed. The salt will pull some of the water from the tomatoes, causing the tomatoes to become more concentrated in flavor. Ok, if this sounds like a pain in the ass, skip it, but I learned this on Jamie Oliver's show and I swear, it really works. The man is a genius!
Note- I don't cook with tomatoes very often, because they are nightshades. Nightshades aren't something you want to eat regularly, if you want to be healthy, but they are less harmful if you cook them. Do you know in ancient times they thought of the tomato as ornamental, like a flower? They didn't eat them. Interesting, huh? Are you going to google that now? (I so would if I were reading this.)
Next, dice your onions and mince your garlic. Heat olive oil and butter in a pan and add the onions. It was a favorite of Julia Child, after all....so pay homage. (By the way, you can't get real/raw butter from the grocery store. To find out how to get it, go to www.realmilk.com.)
When the onions are translucent, add the garlic. Be careful not to burn them. Season with salt, pepper and oregano. About a minute after you add the garlic, add the beans. Cook on low heat for about fifteen minutes, then add your tomatoes and cook for another five and add your rice. Taste and re-season. Last, roughly chop the olives and mix them into the dish. (I like using a mixture of black and green, because it adds more color to the dish.)
Eat.
Ingredients-
1 can of organic chi peas/garbanzo beans
1 container of grape tomatoes
1 small container of mixed green and black pitted olives
2 cloves of garlic
1 small red onion or half of a giant one
Extra virgin organic cold pressed olive oil
Real/raw butter
1 cup of brown rice
2 cups of organic chicken or vegetable stock
Oregano
Black pepper
Salt
The rice-
Heat olive oil in a pot, add the rice, season with salt and pepper and stir. Yes, I swear, add just the rice without the stock. This really flavors the rice and makes it taste much more delicious.
Note- if you know ahead of time that you are going to make this, soak your rice in water overnight and drain it before you use it. This will make the rice more nutritious. Of course, I wasn't planning on making this, as this was another one of my "shop from my kitchen" meals, so I didn't do this. Even perfection in moderation.
After a minute or two, add the chicken stock, cover and bring to a boil. You can use water, of course, but it won't have as much flavor. Once it boils, turn the heat down very low and simmer. Do NOT take the lid off! Nope.....don't do it. (A pot with a glass lid is best for this, because you can see what is happening inside the pot without lifting off the lid.) Tunnels will begin to form in the rice and you will see the liquid still bubbling inside those tunnels. When the liquid is gone, turn off the heat and let the rice sit for about ten minutes. No.....don't you take that lid off yet. Let the rice sit for a bit to finish cooking. Otherwise, it is going to come out undercooked, and your jaw will hurt if you try to eat a bowl of it. (Trust me, I know. I've done it!)
The "beans"-
While the rice is cooking, you can tend to the beans. Open the can of chic peas and rinse really well. Of course, it would be optimal to buy these dried in a bag instead of a can, and soak them overnight before attempting to cook them. (Refer to my previous statement regarding the way I shopped for this meal.)
Wash the tomatoes, give them a rough chop and put them in a colander. Salt the tomatoes and mix them up, so the salt is distributed. The salt will pull some of the water from the tomatoes, causing the tomatoes to become more concentrated in flavor. Ok, if this sounds like a pain in the ass, skip it, but I learned this on Jamie Oliver's show and I swear, it really works. The man is a genius!
Note- I don't cook with tomatoes very often, because they are nightshades. Nightshades aren't something you want to eat regularly, if you want to be healthy, but they are less harmful if you cook them. Do you know in ancient times they thought of the tomato as ornamental, like a flower? They didn't eat them. Interesting, huh? Are you going to google that now? (I so would if I were reading this.)
Next, dice your onions and mince your garlic. Heat olive oil and butter in a pan and add the onions. It was a favorite of Julia Child, after all....so pay homage. (By the way, you can't get real/raw butter from the grocery store. To find out how to get it, go to www.realmilk.com.)
When the onions are translucent, add the garlic. Be careful not to burn them. Season with salt, pepper and oregano. About a minute after you add the garlic, add the beans. Cook on low heat for about fifteen minutes, then add your tomatoes and cook for another five and add your rice. Taste and re-season. Last, roughly chop the olives and mix them into the dish. (I like using a mixture of black and green, because it adds more color to the dish.)
Eat.
Best Bean Soup Ever!
Ok, I know what you're thinking....bean soup....how boring. I promise you, this was anything but boring. Nathan and I just got back from spending a few days in a hotel and eating out the whole time, which was not very healthy to say the least, and I just felt like poo. Food really has a huge effect on how you feel! I wanted to cook something, so I could control the ingredients, and control how I felt. However, I wasn't feeling very motivated to make the trek down the six flights of stairs it takes to leave the apartment.
What does that mean? Well, I went shopping in my kitchen! I found some beans, an onion, garlic, chicken stock....why not try to make bean soup? No, as simple and easy as this sounds, I have never made bean soup before. That wasn't going to stop me. Did I look up a recipe? Nah! Here is what I came up with:
Ingredients-
1 red onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 can of organic butter beans
Half of a 1 quart box of organic chicken or vegetable stock
organic extra virgin olive oil- first cold pressed
Oregano
Black pepper
Salt- Eden or any kind of good real sea salt
First a note about the ingredients. Good ingredients are essential for good food- period. Don't get the cheap stuff, just because its cheap. It will have less flavor and contain less nutrients. Get the highest quality ingredients you can find. If you can do local food from the farmers market, or better yet, fresh from your garden, that is fantastic! Do organic if you can. Buy real salt. I mean the salt that looks like real salt. I like Eden's Sea Salt, but there are a lot of others....just not the one with the girl in the raincoat on the container, please. Buy the pepper that you have to freshly crack. Make your own chicken stock, and freeze it for later. You see what I'm saying? I cannot stress this enough. Now, having said this, my beans were from a can, but they were organic. I bought my garlic and onions from the grocery store, and I didn't make my own organic chicken stock. So....we can't be perfect all of the time.
Ok....now for the cooking part. This was so easy that I did it in the morning when my eyes were barely open! First, open the can of beans and rinse them very, very well. See all of that foam? That will give you gas, so rinse away! Next, dice the onion. I had a giant red onion, so I only used half of it. Now, heat the olive oil in a pot, and throw the onion in. While the onion is cooking, mince the garlic. If you see any green stem-like things in the middle of your garlic, take it out and throw the "stem" away. When the onion is translucent, throw the garlic in and cook for about a minute. Pay attention, because if you burn the onion or the garlic, you will have to throw it all away and start over again, and that will suck. Next, put the beans and stir everything together. Add salt, pepper and oregano to taste. ALWAYS TASTE!
Remember when you read any recipe, that it's hard to say how much of something you will need. It always varies. You could have a large onion or a small onion, fresh or dried oregano, the taste of your produce can be great and flavorful, or not.....always taste and use a recipe in cooking as a suggestion. Of course, I guess, this doesn't apply to baking, but that's why I don't bake. It's too precise and unforgiving for me. I like to improvise along the way.....feels more creative and fun.
Back to the soup.....add the chicken stock, taste and re-season, cover and simmer on the lowest of low heat for three hours. You may not have to do this for three hours, but I'm sure any amount of simmering will help improve the taste of the soup.
That's it! I made this in the middle of a heat wave in July, which is not the most appropriate thing to do. I bet this would taste even better on a cold winter day.
What does that mean? Well, I went shopping in my kitchen! I found some beans, an onion, garlic, chicken stock....why not try to make bean soup? No, as simple and easy as this sounds, I have never made bean soup before. That wasn't going to stop me. Did I look up a recipe? Nah! Here is what I came up with:
Ingredients-
1 red onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 can of organic butter beans
Half of a 1 quart box of organic chicken or vegetable stock
organic extra virgin olive oil- first cold pressed
Oregano
Black pepper
Salt- Eden or any kind of good real sea salt
First a note about the ingredients. Good ingredients are essential for good food- period. Don't get the cheap stuff, just because its cheap. It will have less flavor and contain less nutrients. Get the highest quality ingredients you can find. If you can do local food from the farmers market, or better yet, fresh from your garden, that is fantastic! Do organic if you can. Buy real salt. I mean the salt that looks like real salt. I like Eden's Sea Salt, but there are a lot of others....just not the one with the girl in the raincoat on the container, please. Buy the pepper that you have to freshly crack. Make your own chicken stock, and freeze it for later. You see what I'm saying? I cannot stress this enough. Now, having said this, my beans were from a can, but they were organic. I bought my garlic and onions from the grocery store, and I didn't make my own organic chicken stock. So....we can't be perfect all of the time.
Ok....now for the cooking part. This was so easy that I did it in the morning when my eyes were barely open! First, open the can of beans and rinse them very, very well. See all of that foam? That will give you gas, so rinse away! Next, dice the onion. I had a giant red onion, so I only used half of it. Now, heat the olive oil in a pot, and throw the onion in. While the onion is cooking, mince the garlic. If you see any green stem-like things in the middle of your garlic, take it out and throw the "stem" away. When the onion is translucent, throw the garlic in and cook for about a minute. Pay attention, because if you burn the onion or the garlic, you will have to throw it all away and start over again, and that will suck. Next, put the beans and stir everything together. Add salt, pepper and oregano to taste. ALWAYS TASTE!
Remember when you read any recipe, that it's hard to say how much of something you will need. It always varies. You could have a large onion or a small onion, fresh or dried oregano, the taste of your produce can be great and flavorful, or not.....always taste and use a recipe in cooking as a suggestion. Of course, I guess, this doesn't apply to baking, but that's why I don't bake. It's too precise and unforgiving for me. I like to improvise along the way.....feels more creative and fun.
Back to the soup.....add the chicken stock, taste and re-season, cover and simmer on the lowest of low heat for three hours. You may not have to do this for three hours, but I'm sure any amount of simmering will help improve the taste of the soup.
That's it! I made this in the middle of a heat wave in July, which is not the most appropriate thing to do. I bet this would taste even better on a cold winter day.
New Focus!
Ok, I know this whole blog was originally devoted to its previous subtitle, "Mostly Manhattan Restaurant Reviews", but why limit myself? I've recently been re-obsessed with cooking food, not just eating it.....and cooking healthy, delicious food most of the time, so why not share that as well? I recently finished school, and am now a certified holistic health practitioner. I've been eating, and living healthier this last year, and it has changed my world. I stopped getting sick, I have more energy, and I went down two dress sizes. As I evolve, so does my blog. I want to share recipes and health tips, as well as give suggestions for great places to eat. I've renamed the subtitle, "Eat, Drink and Be Merry", because quite frankly, if you added shopping in there, that would be my ideal life. I make no apologies for this. Someone has to do it. Why shouldn't that someone be me? Enjoy!
Monday, February 15, 2010
Bar Boulud
February 14th-
We wanted to go out for Valentine's Day, but wanted to spend the majority of our cash on the actual meal and not on taxis, so that meant going out in our neighborhood, which is not known as being a foodie's wonderland. On top of that, we wanted to try something new, and of course, something good. Amazingly enough, there was such a place- Bar Boulud. We tried Chef Daniel Boulud's restaurant, Daniel, on the upper east side, but we had never been the the one closest to where we live, and since they had one reservation left, we took it!
The inside of the restaurant is shaped like a wine cellar. It's peaceful and surprisingly roomy. The bar is so long, when we saw it, we immediately began planning future outings for drinks here. Almost as soon as we sat down, they brought us some cheese rolls- yum. We weren't ravenously hungry, but wanted to try a lot of things, so we ordered several appetizers. First, we had the pate grand-mere. It was tasty. However, I had better pate at Citron, and it was free. (They bring it to your table with the bread and butter.) Next, much to my surprise and utter delight, we had the oysters. They were one of the special dishes of the evening, hence the surprise. We didn't get a run down of the daily specials and when we spotted them being escorted to another table, we immediately demanded to have them as well. They smelled and tasted just like the sea! They were so clean, and came with a nice very light vinegar, with went well with the oysters without overpowering them. I hate when oysters aren't properly prepared, and as you slurp them down, you end up with a piece of rock hard shell in your mouth. It just ruins the whole decadent experience entirely. Also, why do we serve them so often with nasty red sauce when it overpowers their delicate, amazing taste? Thank you Chef Boulud for knowing how to serve oysters! After the oysters came the escargot persillade. I loved them so much two days before at Le Gigot that I had to have them again. Once again, they were very good.....swimming in warm garlic butter and parsley......mmmmm......but the ones at Le Gigot were meatier. Finally, we ended our meal with the quail which came with pickled beets and arugula. I know, I know, I don't usually eat things that fly, but I figured if I was ever going to like any form of bird, it would be in a wonderful french restaurant. I was right. I really loved it! It was tender and moist and full of flavor and the pickled beets and arugula went so well with it. Delicious! We were both very happy with our experience and felt we made a great choice!
We wanted to go out for Valentine's Day, but wanted to spend the majority of our cash on the actual meal and not on taxis, so that meant going out in our neighborhood, which is not known as being a foodie's wonderland. On top of that, we wanted to try something new, and of course, something good. Amazingly enough, there was such a place- Bar Boulud. We tried Chef Daniel Boulud's restaurant, Daniel, on the upper east side, but we had never been the the one closest to where we live, and since they had one reservation left, we took it!
The inside of the restaurant is shaped like a wine cellar. It's peaceful and surprisingly roomy. The bar is so long, when we saw it, we immediately began planning future outings for drinks here. Almost as soon as we sat down, they brought us some cheese rolls- yum. We weren't ravenously hungry, but wanted to try a lot of things, so we ordered several appetizers. First, we had the pate grand-mere. It was tasty. However, I had better pate at Citron, and it was free. (They bring it to your table with the bread and butter.) Next, much to my surprise and utter delight, we had the oysters. They were one of the special dishes of the evening, hence the surprise. We didn't get a run down of the daily specials and when we spotted them being escorted to another table, we immediately demanded to have them as well. They smelled and tasted just like the sea! They were so clean, and came with a nice very light vinegar, with went well with the oysters without overpowering them. I hate when oysters aren't properly prepared, and as you slurp them down, you end up with a piece of rock hard shell in your mouth. It just ruins the whole decadent experience entirely. Also, why do we serve them so often with nasty red sauce when it overpowers their delicate, amazing taste? Thank you Chef Boulud for knowing how to serve oysters! After the oysters came the escargot persillade. I loved them so much two days before at Le Gigot that I had to have them again. Once again, they were very good.....swimming in warm garlic butter and parsley......mmmmm......but the ones at Le Gigot were meatier. Finally, we ended our meal with the quail which came with pickled beets and arugula. I know, I know, I don't usually eat things that fly, but I figured if I was ever going to like any form of bird, it would be in a wonderful french restaurant. I was right. I really loved it! It was tender and moist and full of flavor and the pickled beets and arugula went so well with it. Delicious! We were both very happy with our experience and felt we made a great choice!
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Le Gigot
February 12th-
I was in the mood for steak, a French bistro, and leaving the boring upper west side, so I made resies at a recommended restaurant in the village. I can't for the life of me remember who gave me the recommendation though. Did I read it in NY Mag? Was it on Gwenyth Paltrow's blog? Did someone I know go there? I decided I didn't care where the recommendation came from, because I was curious, so off to Le Gigot we did go.
It's a small restaurant with a very homey, warm feeling to it, and our server was very friendly. After we sat down, we were served warm bread and butter, which seemed like no big deal to me until I tasted the bread. I didn't know if this was magical bread, or if I was just really, really hungry, but it was definitely out of the ordinary, good bread......and I am not one of those bread fans. To me, bread is just something that holds a sauce of some sort, which is completely unnecessary to me at home, where I don't have to be polite, so I just eat the sauce with a spoon, passing up the bread entirely. So, if I say bread is good, you should believe me.
For our first course, we ordered the escargot.....beautiful, delicious, great texture and flavor......could have eaten twelve more. Then we split the duck confit with scalloped potatoes and the steak au poivres with frites. I never know if I am going to like duck or not when I order it. It is always a risk, but when I do like it, I love it. This time my risk paid off. It was my favorite of the two entrees. I'm not saying the steak wasn't good. It was awesome, in fact. Cooked perfectly, it had that slight char taste from the grill, and the sauce was quite delicious and complementary. I also preferred the scalloped potatoes to the frites, but that just goes without saying for me, since I look at the frites the same way I typically look at bread. It is only there as a vessel to carry the Bearnaise sauce to my mouth. I didn't eat many of the frites, because we had mustard instead of Bearnaise, and mustard, as you know, just cannot replace Bearnaise sauce.....ever.
All in all, it was a great meal in a pleasant setting with good service. I would definitely go back to Gigot again.
I was in the mood for steak, a French bistro, and leaving the boring upper west side, so I made resies at a recommended restaurant in the village. I can't for the life of me remember who gave me the recommendation though. Did I read it in NY Mag? Was it on Gwenyth Paltrow's blog? Did someone I know go there? I decided I didn't care where the recommendation came from, because I was curious, so off to Le Gigot we did go.
It's a small restaurant with a very homey, warm feeling to it, and our server was very friendly. After we sat down, we were served warm bread and butter, which seemed like no big deal to me until I tasted the bread. I didn't know if this was magical bread, or if I was just really, really hungry, but it was definitely out of the ordinary, good bread......and I am not one of those bread fans. To me, bread is just something that holds a sauce of some sort, which is completely unnecessary to me at home, where I don't have to be polite, so I just eat the sauce with a spoon, passing up the bread entirely. So, if I say bread is good, you should believe me.
For our first course, we ordered the escargot.....beautiful, delicious, great texture and flavor......could have eaten twelve more. Then we split the duck confit with scalloped potatoes and the steak au poivres with frites. I never know if I am going to like duck or not when I order it. It is always a risk, but when I do like it, I love it. This time my risk paid off. It was my favorite of the two entrees. I'm not saying the steak wasn't good. It was awesome, in fact. Cooked perfectly, it had that slight char taste from the grill, and the sauce was quite delicious and complementary. I also preferred the scalloped potatoes to the frites, but that just goes without saying for me, since I look at the frites the same way I typically look at bread. It is only there as a vessel to carry the Bearnaise sauce to my mouth. I didn't eat many of the frites, because we had mustard instead of Bearnaise, and mustard, as you know, just cannot replace Bearnaise sauce.....ever.
All in all, it was a great meal in a pleasant setting with good service. I would definitely go back to Gigot again.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
La Distileria
February 1st-
I did subtitle this blog "Mostly Manhattan Restaurant Reviews". I say this because my next very brief review is from a place that is so not Manhattan in the loveliest of ways. La Distileria is in Cancun, Mexico. Yes, it sounds touristy. Yes, it is touristy, complete with Mariachi, but then again, I was a tourist. They were right down the street from our hotel, Me by Melia, and were heralded as having an enormous selection of tequila, of which we had not indulged in thus far. It somehow seemed wrong not to partake in any tequila the entire time we were there. So, why not go right to the source? I have to say, I did have the best margarita......it was a Tamarind flavored. You didn't think I was going to have anything resembling the status quo, did you? It was like no drink I have ever tasted before, and now, I am afraid, I will be in search of ways to bring this drink to my apartment in Manhattan even in freezing cold February. Anyway......we didn't just drink. We ordered a few things.....some cheese dip, which came out like an unappetizing glob of stringy, not so melty goo, and steak, which was perfectly cooked, and had a wonderful just off the grill flavor. The steak was drenched in a guacamole and black bean sauce, which was tasty, and served with a side of boring white rice and really good re-fried black beans. We did get to eat this while sitting outside overlooking the boats bobbing on the dock of the bay, on a warm Cancun evening, and I can't tell how much my euphoric state of relaxation has affected this review, but an awesome time was definitely had.
I did subtitle this blog "Mostly Manhattan Restaurant Reviews". I say this because my next very brief review is from a place that is so not Manhattan in the loveliest of ways. La Distileria is in Cancun, Mexico. Yes, it sounds touristy. Yes, it is touristy, complete with Mariachi, but then again, I was a tourist. They were right down the street from our hotel, Me by Melia, and were heralded as having an enormous selection of tequila, of which we had not indulged in thus far. It somehow seemed wrong not to partake in any tequila the entire time we were there. So, why not go right to the source? I have to say, I did have the best margarita......it was a Tamarind flavored. You didn't think I was going to have anything resembling the status quo, did you? It was like no drink I have ever tasted before, and now, I am afraid, I will be in search of ways to bring this drink to my apartment in Manhattan even in freezing cold February. Anyway......we didn't just drink. We ordered a few things.....some cheese dip, which came out like an unappetizing glob of stringy, not so melty goo, and steak, which was perfectly cooked, and had a wonderful just off the grill flavor. The steak was drenched in a guacamole and black bean sauce, which was tasty, and served with a side of boring white rice and really good re-fried black beans. We did get to eat this while sitting outside overlooking the boats bobbing on the dock of the bay, on a warm Cancun evening, and I can't tell how much my euphoric state of relaxation has affected this review, but an awesome time was definitely had.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Knife + Fork
January 16th-
Nathan and I had dinner at Knife + Fork. It's a small, cozy restaurant in the east village. They have a six course special that is very reasonably priced. The chef picks each course, so even the waiter doesn't know what you will be served. It was a fun way to eat, and everything was delicious!
Nathan and I had dinner at Knife + Fork. It's a small, cozy restaurant in the east village. They have a six course special that is very reasonably priced. The chef picks each course, so even the waiter doesn't know what you will be served. It was a fun way to eat, and everything was delicious!
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