I can’t believe theses posts have gotten so far away from me! My spring semester cooking with kids started in late January.  This semester I am upping our International flavors which I’m very excited about. One of my fifth graders figured it out the smarty: “Are we cooking around the world? Last week we cooked Indian, now we’re doing Japanese.” Answer: Yes! As much as I can, I am.

I’m also introducing (some) meats and fish this semester. Overall with allergies, religions and dietary restrictions, it’s far easier to keep the cooking vegetarian (why haven’t schools figured that out?). On the other hand, I also think it’s important to expose young people to working with meats and fish, especially when raw. I know too many adults who are terrified to touch raw meat or fish– it’s horrible! How can you eat something if you can’t even bring yourself to touch it?! I have a few students with texture issues, but overall, most of them have been great with what we’ve done so far. If they begin to freak out I tell them to take a deep breath and imagine clay.

Another item is expanding our whole grains. The kids are totally fascinated with exploring these grains and connecting the dots– “Wait, chickpea flour, like the hummus bean?” “Yes!” Some folks (not my students) still don’t get it: “You know you could have just used rice there.”

“Right, but they know rice. They don’t know farro or bulgar.”

“Neither do I.”

“Exactly.”

I’m also pleased to introduce mystery fruit and vegetables. So much suspense and the kids eat it up, literally. It’s not something I do every week, but if we have something I know will take a good 15-20 minutes in the oven, or if I have some time to kill towards the end of class, I’ll bring in a mystery item. I try to keep it local and in season, and have often brought in items from my own CSA winter share to explore. Students get really excited if they can guess it, or at least recognize it. Celeriac brought shouts about a father’s favorite salad item. Watermelon radish brought total astonishment of the world’s smallest watermelon (which, is a radish, not a watermelon). One of my students even stopped by last Friday with his father before he went home: “Wait! We didn’t do a mystery vegetable this week?!” “I know, we didn’t have time we were so busy, I think we’ll do something next week.” “YES!” I had an admin in the other day observing my class and as we put our dish in the oven and I turned around with, “time for a mystery vegetable!” and my kindergarten/first grade class erupted in cheering the admin looked at me totally astonished. I’m not saying the kids chow down on everything but they love trying to place these sometimes foreign items and often will complete the whole sample plate I set out for them.

On to our foods, recipes at bottom.

Kibbeh with Black Cherry Sauce
Our semester started in the Middle East with lamb-beef kibbeh with a black cherry sauce. “Kibba-wha?” A sort of Middle Eastern meatball I explained, only instead of bread crumbs, like in Italian meatballs, we’re adding bulgar. We served these with a black cherry reduction (literally frozen cherries boiled down with a touch of lemon juice). These were a huge hit. We made extra for our end of the semester party and the kids are really excited to share these with their parents.

Banana-Coconut-Oat Bread
Because of so many allergies I don’t cook with nuts. It kills me sometimes! For example, I LOVE peanut butter cookies and muffins and I LOVE walnuts in my banana bread. I get my kick by adding ingredients like oats, or seeds with nutty characteristics, like flaxseed or pumpkin seeds to get that nutty flavor. This bread was a hands down hit and the best part was it wasn’t overly sweet at all. The bananas are upped so much in this recipe that a true banana flavor really shines through and the sweetness of the banana makes up for the huge amount of sugar that’s in most recipes. We made ours with raisins I soaked overnight, but this could easily be made with chocolate chips, dried strawberries, blueberries, cranberries, or any other fruit-nut combo you can think of that you like with banana.

Chicken Soup with Farro & Buttermilk Chive Biscuits
There is only one kind of week when I’m thankful for cold, rainy weather. It’s any week we’re making soup in class! I remember this week started and ended dreary and I was so happy all week everyone must have thought I was totally twisted. (Really though, I love soup in any weather!) We used chicken thighs and wings for the broth and my students got a huge kick out of it– everyone wanted a wing in their soup. Instead of celery for our base flavor we used fennel. This turned out great since the week before fennel was our mystery vegetable. My students overall loved it so I turned a basic chicken soup into an Italian twist. To bring it back to the States, we made mini buttermilk biscuits.

Timing here was perfect for our one hour class: get soup simmering, make biscuits, bake biscuits, strain soup, add sliced carrots and fennel, biscuits out, divy up soup and biscuits. I cooked the farro at the beginning of class and allowed everyone to taste it before it went into the cups where our broth was going. I also threw some cranberry beans in because I found out during our arepa week that my students are a sucker for beans. The best part was when some of my students turned those biscuits into dumplings after a few slipped biscuits floated and were made better soup-soaked.

Moong dal Chilla (Indian Lentil Pancakes)
This week could have been a huge disaster. It luckily turned into a huge success. Even the admin was skeptical: “Lentil pancakes, good luck on that one.” And every student walking into the classroom: “Yeah! pancakes!” “No guys, look, lentil pancakes, these are savory pancakes.” That statement often received not too enthusiastic grumbles. In the end, these were a huge hit. I soaked moong dal beans (split hulled mung beans) in water overnight. Blitzed those to a paste and cut it with chickpea flour. We added some Indian flavors and in the interest of time, poured these into a half sheet pan, brushed them with olive oil and baked them (as opposed to cooking up 15 pancakes on a skillet). We also made a quick raita to eat these with and I’d say in the end I received about 90% thumbs up reviews.

Nori Wrapped Cod Cakes (pictured above)
I found out that before I started teaching someone had made vegetable sushi with the kids to rave reviews. I couldn’t understand why at first. But sushi is so hot these days, even kindergardeners will eat up the basic veggie rolls. What surprised me though was when someone told me it was the seaweed they loved. What? Most of my students will snack on sheets of nori like crackers (and did throughout class– I had to put a snack bowl out!). They love the subtle saltiness and crisp flakiness of it. So I couldn’t wait to work seaweed into a dish this semester.

Inspiration came when I thought of making a fish stick with a Japanese bent. Flaky, neutral cod (with some seasonings), rolled into panko crumbs and wrapped with nori. We even stuck little skewers in it so it was not just a fish stick, but fish on a stick. My students loved it. It reminded them of the sushi they made before, but opened them up to a delicious fish.

Green Mac N’ Cheese (pictured above)
I try to stick with a few holidays during the semester. St Patrick’s Day is one I figured I could have a little fun twist with– something along the green eggs and ham motif. I’m from Chicago where St Pat’s was a day when not only the River got dyed green, but every piece of toast and milk along with it. So in class, I thought, why not green mac n’ cheese!

This day was another hilarious introduction to our menu: “We’re making green mac n’ cheese!” “I don’t get it– We’re using food coloring?” “No! We’re going to make our mac n’ cheese green by pureeing spinach into our sauce.” “What?! That’s so unfair!” I love how things so easily become unfair with young people.

What’s hilarious here is that the spinach was gross (for the younger students) all the way into the sauce, but once that immersion blender smoothed it out it was suddenly “cool, like a green milk shake, but smells like mac n’ cheese!” In the end I had students coming back for more and more of the green stuff. At home, D and I have been known to make a few mac n’ cheeses. Our favorite is a fig-bacon-mushroom mac n’ cheese, but I could see this one at home with some shrimp or better yet lobster tossed in! Yum!

NOTE: The picture above are of some of my fourth/fifth grade students. A few weeks ago I started letting them take the reigns more while I supervise. Essentially they get into class and form their small groups, we review the ingredients together and they take over from there, following the recipe on their own. They’re loving their new responsibilities in the kitchen and I’m loving that they’re capable (almost) solo chefs!

*****

Kibbeh with Black Cherry Sauce (aka Middle Eastern meatballs)
10 servings, appetizer

Kibbeh:
3/4 cup onion (about 1 large onion), rough chopped
1 cup fine-ground bulgur, cooked
1/2 pound ground lamb
1/2 pound lean ground beef
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon allspice
2 tablespoons olive oil

Puree the onion in a food processor or blender. Transfer to a bowl. Add cooked bulgur, lamb, beef, salt, pepper and allspice. Mix until thoroughly incorporated. Roll into small meatballs, about 1-inch in size. Add olive oil to a sauté pan set over medium high heat. Cook until browned on both sides. Serve with Black Cherry Sauce (recipe not included).

*****

Banana-Coconut-Oat Bread
1 loaf

1-1/4 cups whole wheat flour
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup brown sugar (substitute: honey)
1/4 cup shredded coconut, toasted
1 tablespoon flax seeds, finely ground
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, in 1 tablespoon pieces, room temp
1/4 cup coconut oil, in 1 tablespoon pieces, room temp
1-1/2 cups ripe bananas, (about 3 large bananas)
1/4 cup buttermilk (substitute: plain or coconut yogurt)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs, beaten
1 cup raisins (substitute: dates, currants, 1/2 chopped walnuts, chocolate chips, etc)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9”x5”x3” loaf pan, set aside.

In a large bowl whisk together the flours, oats, brown sugar, shredded coconut, flax seeds, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and allspice. Add butter, coconut oil, bananas, buttermilk, vanilla and eggs. Using a potato masher, smash and mix the ingredients together until fully incorporated. (It’s okay to leave some larger pieces of banana). Stir in raisins. Transfer to loaf pan.

Bake the bread on the middle rack approximately 1 hour 15 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes on a wire rack before removing from pan.

*****

Moong Dal Chilla (Indian Lentil Pancakes) with Raita
8-10 servings

Moong Dal Chilla:
1 cup moong dal (split yellow mung beans found in Indian food section. Can substitute yellow split peas)
1 carrot, shredded
1/2 red onion, shredded
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1 cup chickpea flour
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup whole cooked chickpeas
ghee (clarified butter) or olive oil

Rinse moong dal and soak in a water bath overnight (minimum 4 hours). Blitz drained moong dal in a food processor with 1/4 to 1/2 cup water, until a smooth paste forms.

Warm 2 tablespoons olive oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add carrot and onion, sauté 5 minutes until softened. Add salt, cumin, ginger, garlic powder and turmeric, sauté 2 minutes more, until flavors are released. Transfer to a medium bowl.

Heat oven to 450 degrees F. Stir in chickpea flour, cilantro, whole chickpeas and 1 cup water, mixing until well combined. Set aside for 15 minutes. Transfer batter to a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and lightly oiled (jelly roll pan with 1 inch sides). Bake 10-15 minutes, until just golden at the edges. Serve with raita, fruit chutney or chopped tomatoes.

*****

Nori Wrapped Cod Cakes
8-10 servings

2 pounds fatty white fish like cod, pollock, haddock or salmon
2 eggs
1 cup cooked brown rice
1/3 cup chopped scallions, whites and light green only
1/4 cup chopped cilantro, stems and leaves
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon fish sauce
nori (seaweed), cut into 1/2-inch strips
panko crumbs (Japanese bread crumbs)
grapeseed or other neutral oil

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and brush with oil,

In a food processor, puree fish with eggs until a smooth paste forms. Transfer to a bowl and fold in brown rice, scallions, cilantro, pepper, salt and fish sauce. Place about 1 cup of panko crumbs on a plate. Dampen hands with cold water, then shape fish batter into balls, about the size of a golf ball. Roll in panko crumbs then wrap the nori strip around the formed fish ball. Place on baking sheet, seam down, and flatten slightly to about 3/4- inch thickness. Continue with remainder, spacing about 1 inch apart. Bake 10-15 minutes until lightly golden. Serve with soy sauce.

Note: Make these Fish Balls Thai flavored by adding red or green Thai curry paste. To make these Norwegian or Spanish, remove fish sauce and scallions for some parsley, garlic and red onions. Thai-style can be served with a little sweet-sour sauce, Spanish with some sofrito (tomato sauce), New England-style with tartar, etc.

At twenty-six years old, my grandmother ran from her country under the protection of the night’s sky. She ran with four children under the age of seven, her husband, and a lifetime of recipes tucked away in her mind. That night they left behind their friends, livestock, farm, language, family, country and way of life, in an attempt to gain freedom. It was a process that would take five years in a refugee camp before being adopted into the United States. A process where they would not be able to return to their homeland or speak with relatives for forty years.

During her life in Latvia, well before women held jobs out of the house, my grandmother was head chef at an all-girls boarding school—those lucky girls. There, she cooked up piradzini (soft, doughy crescent-shaped rolls stuffed with bacon or mushrooms), kotlettes (ground meat patties), and my family’s all-time favorite nac rita atkal.

Nac rita atkal translates as “come back tomorrow.” “In the old days,” my grandmother, now ninety-two, will say in her still broken English, “parties lasted days, with friends sleeping between dancing and eating, close to the fire.” One has to imagine, in a country that can get so cold, where winter nights go on for days, a party that lasts until the one hour of sun-up isn’t a party, it’s a way of life. Snow is not a wispy blanket, but coats the ground in a waist-high thicket. “At those parties,” my grandmother still remembers wistfully, we made nac rita atkal.

My brothers and I know them simply as Latvian Pancakes. They are beyond a treat in my house. They are so good, that even in the six years of my noble vegetarianism, my grandmother knew to make me a veggie version of the savory snack to keep the household peace.

This is a recipe that must always be secretly doubled. One batch goes onto the table for immediate consumption (if it can make it to the table), while the other gets whisked away quickly and quietly, carefully hidden in an odorless, opaque, non-conspicuous container on the other side of the house until everyone is good and stuffed. Even then, it’s whereabouts and contents must be kept unknown except to the privileged few.

To this day, Latvian Pancakes are the one food my brothers and I still fight over to take home frozen. I ration mine down to the week, knowing precisely how many I can eat to keep my addiction at stasis before the next batch will grace my plate.

Unfortunately, it is impossible to write any of my grandmother’s recipes down. They are stored neatly in her brain, now getting a bit foggy, so my uncle has taken to video taping her kitchen movements. She moves quickly. Too fast to measure anything beyond how many eggs are used– which also varies depending on her mood, the outside temperature, the position of the sun, and countless other variables. “Grandma, how much flour?” I’ll ask. “This much,” she says thrusting her fist into the flour and tossing a handful into the mixing bowl. She stirs. “So… one cup?” I question. “No, more!” she declares adding more bit by bit until the batter is to her liking.

While I do not have my grandmother’s exact recipe for this pancake, I am able make a butchered version that is pretty good. After all, I have come to realize, it’s my grandmother’s touch and bittersweet memories of her home that make them truly perfect.

The pancakes are minced meat, always leftovers, usually beef, stuffed inside perfectly folded golden crepes. Turkey makes a decent filling, especially useful with Thanksgiving leftovers and roasted vegetables with mushrooms can pass as edible. Traditionally served with sour cream, apple or cranberry sauce, though also excellent plain, I argue there is no finer dish.

Nac Rita Atkal (Come Back Tomorrow or Latvian Pancakes)
About 25 pancakes
Crepe:
1-1/4 cups flour
1/2 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
8 eggs
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup melted butter

In a medium-sized bowl, sift together dry ingredients. Create a moat in the middle, add remaining ingredients. Whisk together, smoothing out lumps. Refrigerate at least 2 hours, ideally 8 hours minimum. Note: If batter gets too thick, thin lightly with water.

Warm a dollop of butter on a 9-inch skillet over medium heat. Ladle in the batter, tipping the pan quickly to spread evenly, paper-thin. Brown one side golden, 2 to 3 minutes, then flip onto a plate. Continue with remaining batter.

Filling:
3-1/2 cups roasted beef (recommended: leftover brisket), roughly chopped
1/2 cup roasted mushrooms, chopped
1/2 cup chicken or beef stock
1/4 cup chopped onions, sautéed golden
1/4 cup sour cream (or 1/2 sour cream 1/2 gravy)
salt, to taste

Working in batches, pulse all ingredients in a food processor until chopped to the consistency of wet ground beef. Add salt if needed.

Working with the crepes golden (cooked) side up, place two heaping tablespoons in the center. Fold the bottom up over the filling, then the top down, then sides, forming a small tight, square pocket. (The uncooked side of the crepe acts like a glue to hold crepes together lightly.) Transfer seam-side down to a plate. Repeat until all crepes are filled.

Return the skillet to medium-high heat, warming a large dollop of butter. Place a layer of stuffed pancakes seam down. Cook 3 minutes until golden, turn and cook another 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a plate, continuing to cook assembled pancakes.

Serve with sour cream, apple and/ or cranberry sauce.

Just look at it. Isn’t it lovely? Okay, so it could use a real slice of tomato, but who cares? It’s grilling season! Alright, so it’s been grilling season for a while, but it’s only recently D and I picked up our very own $10 hibachi.

It’s a great little thing that has done us well. Friend’s gas grill line needs cleaning? No problem, we’ll carry over the hibachi. That’s right, it’s got legs that swing up to latch the top in place to make it a portable little bugger. We can grill in the front of the house or the side of the house. (We quickly realized our neighbors don’t think we’re burning the place down if grilling is done in the front.)

Nothing looks appealing in the fridge? Whatever, just throw it on the grill– everything tastes better grilled!

So D and I whipped up these little guys.

Right, everyone is doing burgers now and most know how to whip one together. So I’ll give no recipe, but ask you to try something new…

These are beef burgers with my own added secret seasonings (they’re secret because they change according to my mood). Many people will say that meat is best left untouched (D is one of them). Salt, pepper, heat, done. But seasonings can give meat a personality. It is no longer a burger, but something unique that requires its own flavor combinations.

Trust me. I once made my “secret seasoning” burgers stuffed with goat cheese at a party and people ate 3, 4, 5 burgers.  They told me to sell them and I could be bigger than McDonalds. Okay, they didn’t go that far, but they did say if I opened a restaurant with them they would be there to support and tell everyone about it… Was it just the drink in them? I like to think not.

I think Doug over at Hot Doug’s in Chicago exemplifies this perfectly with the hot dog– not that there is anything wrong with the traditional Chicago-style dog, but why not jazz it up with say… chorizo and manchego?

I do the same with my burgers, often stuffing them with cheese, fresh herbs and mixed spices. Not only did this one get an interesting array of spices, it was topped with a slightly more grown up condiment selection: olive paste; Dijon mustard; cucumbers; scallion spears and tomatoes.

The ingredients should be mixed according to mood, so there is no recipe to go by here. Some good additions, beyond salt and pepper, include:

garlic powder (also fresh)
onion powder (also fresh)
olive paste
fresh herbs (I like basil or rosemary best) (dried work too)
hot pepper flakes
celery salt
cumin
nutmeg (just a pinch)
paprika
cinnamon
Worcester Sauce
Tabasco Sauce
Soy Sauce
Fish Sauce
anchovies
1 egg, for binding
red wine
goat cheese (really any cheese works but I prefer the softer goat or mozzarella because of how they melt inside)

Of course, all of these at once would overwhelm. But next time you whip up some burgers, pick 3-4 from this list you think might go together. Experiment, experiment…

The Patina Restaurant Group (Sea Grill, Rock Center Cafe, Brasserie, to name a few) invited me to The Art of Steak Cooking at Nick & Stef’s a few weeks back. I don’t jump at these offers very often, but when I read steak, it was all I needed to get on board.

The event promised “steak connoisseurs” lessons in choosing the “right steak,” tips to cook like a pro in a home kitchen, simple sauces to accompany steaks, as well as tastings of various cuts of beef. While I am still unsure if I am a steak connoisseur, or what that entails, I know I like beef– I was psyched and salivating for the event and couldn’t wait to get my hands bloody.

We were told by the amiable Executive Chef, Steven Stamm, that an actual hands-on class would be pointless– he has a pro kitchen with infra-red burners and we have wussy home stove tops. Learning to cook a steak like a pro on his stove top wouldn’t do us much good, nor would it be safe with so many bodies in the kitchen. We gathered around his prep station, an enormous (for New York City standards) stainless steel platform and fought against a camera crew for viewing space filming future online segments.

(more…)

It was an event we had not planned for. We toyed with a grand feast but soon rejected the notion, it would be too much work, our friends work in the restuarant industry and would be occupied, it was too difficult to organize. We dropped it.

But we live in a neighborhood of many Greeks. Many religious folk, both Greek and non- alike. When Easter comes around, there is no stopping the call of lambs… Especially when two Easters fall on the same day.

We had heard stories: walking out the door on Greek Easter, following a trail of red to find it end in a slaughtered lamb being hoisted to the spit. We had seen the evidence: families roasting meats into the night for a celebration of Spring and birth, we could smell it all day in years past.

We retold these events Friday night to some friends, R and T, transplants from New Orleans. They wanted in and with a burst of emotion D invited them over for a feast. We didn’t realize what we had gotten ourselves into.

We pushed our way through the crowd gathered at the butcher to take our ticket and left to shop. We returned one hour later only to wait an additional hour for our number to arrive.

You could see people drooling for the blood: What number are you?

57.

Oh, I’m 80.

No, I’m I-57, see, you’re J-80. You have a long way to go.

He was defeated. But our ticket came up and somehow, we were fooled. We kept saying, just one lamb leg, just a leg. Only two people were confirmed, any more meat would have been too much. Yet somehow we left with half a lamb. A whole half, the right half– we let another customer take the head.

Was it the shopping carts of full carcasses, ready for the spit and our jealousy in their setup that got us buying more than we needed? Was it the utter craziness of people willing to wait hours for a piece of meat? Was it the recent viewing of the film Killer of Sheep? Was it the sly upsell to half a lamb when we saw half a leg and thought it looked a little meager?

We dragged our meat home and examined our bags– what had we done?

I planned the menu while D examined his different cuts and attempted to reassemble the animal. I think that’s a spine, oh look, marrow! These parts in the freezer for soup, random bits for kebabs, separating the chops. The main event was the lamb and the rest of the menu would follow a Greek-inspired theme as well as some leftovers we were looking to get rid of.

We started with a simple and savory appetizer platter. Figs in a Blanket (pictured above) were the highlight. Taken from a Martha Stewart appetizer cookbook my mother sent me. D exclaimed that this was definitely the best recipe in the book (he has never opened the book). These were a huge hit that D added would be our appetizer of choice here on out. We served our kebabs, marinated in a spice mixture and lemon juice and olive oil. A selection of cheeses R and T brought accompanied all this. When R and T entered the cheese shop and told the man behind the counter they were looking for cheese that would pair with wine braised figs wrapped in bacon the reply was, “niiiiiiccccce,” with half-closed eyes and a dreamy look. It was all very nice indeed.

The next course was a “palate cleanser.” Salt and peppered lamb chops quick seared accompanied some freshened up leftovers. I know, that whole “leftover” thing doesn’t sound that great, but it was rich and decadent: D and I bought a duck the other week (pictures to come) and part two of the duck was braised duck legs in red wine. We added potatoes and parsnips to the braise and had plenty leftover. We mashed the wine-infused potatoes and parsnips up, added a good heap of butter and some milk, fresh scallions and voila. A totally decadent side that had traces of duck fat and wine.

The next part of “The Grand Tasting Menu,” as the event was soon called was the lamb legs (plural). Half a lamb gives us 2 legs, both butterflied by the butcher. These were marinated a few good hours in a spice mixture I made heavy in garlic and fresh ground coriander. D seared them on our largest Le Creuset and threw them in the oven for about 1 hour. Served with a simple Greek salad.

We were bursting when the meal ended. Luckily, for all members of the party this was the only meal of the day. Still, when a meal reaches past the 4 hour mark, Gluttony may be knocking at the door.

We took a needed walk where R decided he needed a taco from our beloved man that sells out of a truck down the street. We returned for dessert.

I knew this meal would be heavy and chose a light angel food cake for dessert, baking them in cupcakes and stuffing each one with a fresh strawberry (pre-cooking) for individual servings. While we were on the walk, we decided ice cream would pair nicely with the light cake and picked up a quart. Somewhere along the way, the dessert also jumped the shark (although you could really say the meal jumped the shark with the purchase of the lamb). The leftover syrup from the braised figs was kept on reserve and rum was added with strawberries around the appetizer section of the meal and left to soak. Angel food cupcakes stuffed with strawberries, a hefty scoop of vanilla ice cream and a heavy dose of strawberries soaked in a balsamic-wine reduction with rum.

I would say the meal on whole was a long, dreamy, eyes closed halfway nnniiiiiiccccce. We wish we could have shared it with more– although there is a good amount of lamb leftover if you want to bring the wine.

Recipes to follow shortly.

I know it’s a little vague to use the term “Asian Inspired” when describing this, or any, dish. Possibly Asian fusion works better, or simply, fusion braise (to go along with all the fusion restaurants we have these days).

For a few weeks now, D has been eyeing the 4-inch thick cuts of beef chuck at the butcher. They called out meat-protein overload to him, so when I finally okayed the purchase he was in heaven. As we headed next door to the vegetable stand and D picked out a few potatoes for the braise, he eyed me warily as I bagged up chestnuts and shiitake mushrooms. More than once I was told not to “ruin” his beef.

Last summer I was in China finishing up a Masters degree. Between tastings of dehydrated “rope” pork, emperor banquets of delicately crafted dim sum, ogling beetles and snakes on a stick and falling in love with the velvety sweet pulp of mangosteens, I became enthralled by the vibrant offerings of vegetables. Each dish was a still life: Broccoli was reshaped into flowering blossoms, mushrooms became lotus roots and lotus roots became dragon scales. I was constantly amazed by the care that was put into presentation, regardless of the establishment.

It was in these dishes that I came to re-appreciate the texture and versatility of the shiitake mushroom, amazed how it holds up in cooking. And it was here that I learned to love the chestnut– popping up to add a rich flavor and thick creaminess to dishes I hadn’t known before. Used sparingly, mostly as a holiday embellishment (accordingly with their season), I don’t think the chestnut receives its fair exposure.

This dish is in some ways a remembrance of China, but more so, a way to incorporate the ingredients I came to appreciate in a succulent braise. We ate the braise bare at first and on the second and third day cracked an egg on top and enjoyed it baked. The egg adds another wonderful depth of texture and fabulous richness once the yolk is broken. And those little potatoes D gathered for the braise? Perfect for sopping all the juices up.

ASIAN INSPIRED BEEF BRAISE
Serves 6 persons. Active time= 20 minutes. Inactive time= 3-½ hours (depending on thickness of meat).
* 1 pound chestnuts, roasted and shelled
*5-6 pound cut of beef chuck (or other inexpensive cut)
* ½ pound shiitake mushrooms, cut into quarters
* 1 medium onion, sliced (or 2 bunches scallions)
* 3 tablespoons soy sauce
* 1 tablespoon sesame oil
* 1 teaspoon dried chili flakes
* ½ bottle red wine
* water
* ¾-1 pound (small) new potatoes, red or white, left whole

1) Roast the chestnuts before beginning. I apparently did not slice into the shells deep enough and a few exploded in the oven. Preheat oven to 350F. Carefully slice an “x” into the bottom flat nub of the chestnut. Place on a pan and roast for 30 minutes, until shells begin to peel away (or blow up in my case). Allow to cool and remove shells. Place meat aside in a bowl (okay if meat breaks apart).
2) Warm a dutch oven over medium high heat with a 1 tablespoon butter-1 tablespoon olive oil combination. Once warm, rinse off beef and pat dry. Salt and pepper both sides of the beef. Once pot of hot, add beef and brown on all sides, about 4-5 minutes each side. Remove meat from pot, set aside.
3) Add mushrooms, chestnuts and onion to pot. Sauté until onions turn translucent, mushrooms brown and chestnuts break down slightly; about 8 minutes.
4) Add soy sauce, chili flakes and sesame oil, stir to incorporate.
5) Push contents of pot to the sides and replace meat in the pot. Add red wine and enough water to come just below the top edge of the beef (depending on how thick your meat is, you might not need any).
6) Place potatoes around the top, but not in the liquid. Cover tightly, turn heat to low and allow to braise (slow cook) for 3-½-4 hours. Check on the pot once an hour. Turn heat down if liquid is boiling. Add more water if all liquid evaporates out. The dish is done when meat easily falls apart and sauce has thickened.
7) Enjoy warm as is or with a baked egg on top (see below).
8) With baked egg: Preheat oven to 350F. Dish up a portion in an oven safe bowl. Create a small divot and crack egg into the space. Place dish on cookie sheet for easy transport and place on middle rack in oven. For a runny yolk, bake for about 10 minutes, until yolk just begins to form a white covering.

Tags: beef braise, braise, beef, Chinese cooking, baked eggs, comfort food, chestnuts.

This past weekend was the annual Big Apple BBQ in New York City. D and I were just coming off our sickness, placing our desire for large amounts of BBQ low. After a few hours, we were craving ribs. Knowing the lines would be killer, we took our newfound hunger into our own hands.

We headed to the butcher and upon arrival asked for beef ribs. Short ribs were brought out and we quickly sent them back. We were thinking Texas style and therefore needed dinosaur ribs. A plastic wrapped package was carried from the back recesses and undone. Ribs longer than my forearm tumbled onto the butcher block. D licked the drool from the corner of his mouth.

6 hulking ribs were purchased for 3 people, a watermelon, and a few supplies for coleslaw. Though D himself is from Virginia, his father is a born and bred Texan. D took the reigns when prepping this slab of meat and gave them a basic dry rub of salt and pepper, covered them, and sent them in the oven on low heat for 3 hours.

The result was succulent, juicy ribs that defied any size and flavor ever purchased before in a restaurant. Dripping with moisture the well marbleized meat fell right off the bone, making it all the easier to fill our mouths.

Every dry rub rib recipe I have had before left small amounts of tough, dry meat to be pulled off the bone. These hulking ribs were brimming with flavor, juice and meat– an overall success.

Dry-Rubbed Beef Ribs
6 ribs (not short ribs) serves 4 with leftovers. Prep time= 5 minutes. Cook time= 3 hours
* 6 beef ribs (not short ribs); have the butcher remove the cartilegde from the underside and crack the ribs but do not separate ribs. Your butcher can also diamond cut across the meat so the dry rub can be rubbed into the meat more easily.
* 3 Tbl salt
* 4 Tbl fresh-ground pepper

1) Preheat the oven to 350F. Place the ribs in a large baking dish, meat up, and amply salt and pepper; rub into the meat.
2) Cover with tinfoil and place on center rack in the oven. Turn heat down to 300F. Cook for 3 hours.
3) To brown, remove foil and replace in oven for 10-15 minutes.
4) Meat will have pulled back from bone and be extremely juicy. Slice and serve.

D and I are gearing up for what we are dubbing The Epic Voyage. We leave next week and my mother is a doll to fly in from Chicago (okay, she was already coming for a short visit), but will be extending her stay to care for the cats, my plants and my little City Garden (I don’t think she actually knows the extent of her duties!). As D and I begin to get our trip in order, tie up loose ends, put in extra hours at work, finish open projects—don’t even mention packing—we are trying to clear out some perishables my mother will probably not use, e.g. the dregs of a cola bottle.

While D and I do some last minute scrimping, we figured a good cheap braise was in order. It would clear out our refrigerator and last us through the beginning of next week. So when I told D to just grab “whatever” in the fridge, he pulled out the soda: “Coke?” I thought for a few seconds before, “of course, soda can go in BBQ, marinades, and you can put juices in a braise, so why not soda? Dump it.” D splashed the remains into the pot and took the last swig for himself.

When I was younger, all sodas– or colas, depending on where you are from, I referred to as, “coke”. My family would go to a restaurant and I would ask: “What kind of cokes do you have?” I received one of two stares: “idiot,” or “smartass.” In the Chicagoland area, “coke” came in diet and regular. I was supposed to ask for soda.

It was not until later that I found out that “coke” as a term for all carbonated beverages really is common. It is mostly used in the south, especially Georgia, where the Coca-Cola Company has their main headquarters. Still later, I found out that in my home state’s almost-neighbor, Ohio, cola was the proper term when discussing carbonated drinks, but they also say crick, begel and ruff (instead of creek, bagel and roof), so I don’t know if it is optimal to use their “cola” term.

Phraseology varies all over this country—don’t even start on the world. It is interesting, whether through travel, or everyday encounters, to find these idiosyncrasies. So as we creep ever closer to Memorial Day and the official start of summer travels, keep an ear out for these cultural flare-ups.

Oh, and the braise was pretty darn good. The sauce was not too sweet with an overall robustness that was quite delicious when paired with the meat. The carrots and celery especially took on the soda very well, turning into sticks of caramelized goodness. The new potatoes were perfect—a last minute decision to purchase these instead of using up some russets we had. Because the new potatoes were left in-tact, they held together nicely, took on the broth and were even better when dipped in a dab of sour cream.

SODA-BRAISED BEEF
Makes 6 servings. Active Time= 20 minutes. Cook Time= 3 hours.
* 6 pounds of beef, left whole (or in 2-3 pieces to fit in pot)
* 3-4 cloves of garlic, crushed
* 2 stalks of celery, cut 1-2 inches in length
* 2 carrots, cut 1-2 inches in length
* 10 white button mushrooms, cut in half
* 10 pearl onions, left whole (or 1 medium onion, sliced into 1 inch cubes)
* 15 new potatoes, washed well and left whole
* 2 cups beef broth (or water and bouillon)
* 2 cups Coca-Cola (Pepsi, Tab, Dr. Pepper or other dark soda)
* salt/ pepper to taste
* 2 bay leaves
* fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme, tarragon, parsley work well)
* 3 Tbl butter or oil

1) In a dutch oven, or other pot with tight fitting lid, warm the butter on medium-high heat. Rinse the beef and pat dry. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add to pot and brown on all sides. Add garlic.
2) Once meat is thoroughly browned, remove from pot and set aside. Add celery, carrots, mushroom, onions and potatoes. Sauté about 8 minutes, until onions are translucent.
3) Return beef to pot, add beef broth, soda, bay leaves and fresh herbs. Cover and bring to a boil. Remember: this is not a stew, it is a braise. Liquids should come just under the top of the beef.
4) Turn heat down to medium-low, leave covered and cook for 2½ - 3 hours, until meat falls apart.
Note: Served with fresh crisp bread or a good salty cheese this makes a great dish.

For all the herb lovers out there Kalyn’s Kitchen hosts WHB. My herbs this week: rosemary, parsley and thyme in this braise.

In non-food related activities we have WCB over at Eat Stuff. I really attempt to capture Kitty BoJangles in action. It is not that it is so rare, but it is true, she is often asleep. Her fun time is what I call her “night crazies.” Just after dinner when she bolts the length of the apartment a few dozen times. There is no use getting a shot of her then, because frankly, if you get in her way it is damaging. Instead, I took a picture of her on a box post-night crazies. Shortly after this picture was taken, the box was thrown away. She had grown quite attached because she stared at me viciously as I removed her cooling pad.

And then there is the usual tormentor, Whiskey. He looks very innocent here, be warned, it is all a cute cover.

Spring is a fabulous time to slow down a little before the summer hustle. It is the time when we come out of doors with welcome arms. Everyone seems happier, more active and generally more excited to be alive. With this in mind, it is also a great time to celebrate. Be it any occasion: holiday, birthday, the weather itself, friends or engagements, now is the time to invite your loved ones into your home.

It was the combination of a traveling actor friend in town and two recent engagements of marriage that my friends would dine with me tonight. Their task was simple: a few bottles of wine. My task was to prepare an ideal spring feast. I believe we all accomplished our set duties.

While mulling over menu options I was torn between chicken, pork or lamb. Chicken seemed too average and easy, pork was, you know, the other white meat. Lamb seemed exotic. But while many people take great fear of lamb, I figured my friends were the adventurous types and I would forge ahead.

Sure enough when we sat to the table my friend DR voiced his concern: “You know Stacey, I’ve never eaten good lamb. I’m kind of afraid. It’s all been slightly… barnyardy?”

“That’s okay,” I reassured him, “I’ve never cooked lamb before, so we’re kind of even.” With that, he finished off his glass of wine. DR’s fiancé then voiced her concerns, “I’ve eaten lamb in kibe (Middle Eastern lamb balls with other spices) and on kebabs, but any roasted lamb I’ve ever had has been terrible.”

“Well, I’m glad you’re in for an adventure.” I returned.

No sooner was the lamb brought to the table that forks were rearing to stab at it. Across the board the meal was a success. DR and his fiancé were reassured the merits of good lamb, and I was reassured that I can cook lamb. The spices were a great compliment to the sauce, and with the millet side, everything was the colorful festive spring feast I sought.

DR mentioned his barnyardy objection to lamb. I would have to agree that lamb, like any meat is easily spoiled if a few rules are not met: freshness and cooking time. Freshness is key. If kept in the refrigerator (or meat department of your grocery store) too long the meat will begin to spoil (obviously). In the refrigerator, it will pick up the odors of food around it. Make sure to check dates and grade of meat to ensure freshness. Overcooked meat is depressing. This is easily done if a good meat thermometer is not utilized, or placed incorrectly. It is important to know what cut of meat you have, how it’s best to prepare that cut, and the ideal temperature for the outcome you desire.

With that, a fabulous spring meal, perfect for the upcoming holidays…

ROAST LAMB w/ MANGO-MINT SAUCE
Makes: 6 servings. Active Time= 30 minutes. Inactive time= 5 hours to 2 days. Cook Time= depends on size of meat; about 40 minutes.
ROAST LAMB
* 6 pound leg of lamb, ask your butcher to crack the bone and butterfly the cut**
* 3 Tbl fresh rosemary, chopped
* 3 Tbl fresh mint, chopped
* 3 Tbl fresh sage, chopped
* 2 head of garlic, 1 crushed, 1 whole
* 20 pearl onions, 10 crushed, 10 whole
* 1 Tbl ground cumin
* 1 Tbl ground cardamom
* ½ Tbl ground cinnamon
* salt/ pepper
* 4 Tbl olive oil

1) Bring the meat to room temperature before cooking. Mix the first 3 ingredients, 1 head of garlic and the ten crushed pearl onions with fresh ground pepper. Rub 2 Tbl olive oil over the lamb and rub the herb mixture over the leg of lamb; between the cuts, top and bottom. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate 5 hours up to 2 days.
2) Preheat the oven to 300F. Remove the lamb from the refrigerator, brushing off about half the rub. Sprinkle with cumin, cardamom, and cinnamon. Amply salt and pepper both sides and between the cuts. Tie securely with twin to hold the meat together.
3) On the stovetop in a large skillet on high heat, warm 2 Tbl olive oil. Sear the leg on all sides. Apply a fresh sprig of mint and rosemary under the twine. Chop the top off the second head of garlic, just to expose the tips and place it on the skillet. Add the onions around the lamb.
4) Place on rack, fatty side up. Insert a meat thermometer deeply, almost to the bone.
5) The meat is done when the thermometer reads 125 for medium-rare.
6) Remove from oven and allow meat to rest on cutting board for 15 minutes before slicing.

** To butterfly meat is to slice it so the meat looks like a book with the bone as the book spine.

MANGO-MINT SAUCE
* 1 fresh mango, peeled and pit discarded
* 1 cup fresh mint
* 1 tsp Serrano pepper seeds
* 1 Tbl lemon juice
* pinch of salt

1) Use a hand-held or electric blender to purée all ingredients until evenly blended. Serve at room temperature to slightly chilled.

MOROCCAN MILLET
Makes: 6 servings. Active Time= 10 minutes. Cook Time= 25 minutes
* 3 cups dried millet
* 6 cups water
* 1 bunch spinach, washed well
* ½ cup dried cranberries or apricots
* ½ cup roasted pine nuts
* salt/ pepper to taste

1) Cook the millet according to package instructions. While it is cooking, sauté the spinach. Once done, leave on heat. Add spinach, cook about three minutes to reheat spinach; stirring to ensure the millet does not stick to the bottom of the pot.
2) Add dried fruit, nuts and salt/ pepper. Stir and place in serving bowl.

RUM PINEAPPLE w/ BABY ALMONDS
Makes: 6 servings. Active Time= 10 minutes. Inactive Time= 1 hour.
* 1 fresh ripe pineapple
* 2 Tbl butter
* 1 cup dark rum
* 2 Tbl brown sugar
* ½ cup baby almonds **

1) Slice top and bottom off pineapple; slice off skin. Cut into quarters. Remove center rind. Cut each quarter into 4 pieces lengthwise. Place pineapple slices in shallow dish and cover with rum and brown sugar. Refrigerate 1 hour.
2) On a skillet on medium heat, warm the butter. Sauté pineapple slices until lightly browned.
3) While pineapple is browning, in a small skillet on medium heat pour the sugar-rum mixture. Let it warm while the pineapple cooks. Serve pineapple slices with ice cream, coated in rum-sugar syrup with baby almonds sprinkled on top.

** Baby almonds are found usually around late March. They are immature almonds, still in their fuzzy pods, plucked before the almond has the opportunity to harden into the nut we love to eat. To use, peel off the fuzzy outer shell. The inner snow-white nut is the non-ripe almond you want to use in this dish. They are crunchy and contain a clear jell inside (that eventually hardens to white with maturity)

*** Remember to save your bones for soup!!! ***

Head on over to Sweetnick’s for today’s ARF round up!

Over at Kalyn’s Kitchen, check out some WHB action. Today’s herb? Mint.

Last night I took a little walk as I left one friend to meet up with D and his buddy uptown. I often find myself speedily walking the length of Manhattan island as it begins to warm, much more pleasant than the claustrophobic subway, watching as the people and their actions change with the neighborhood. On a weeknight, the walk is the best: the crowds have diminished, a few hardy souls stumble from bars attempting to make a last effort phone call, and tourists walk aimlessly, unaware of where they should be. In the spring, as night falls cool, a brisk walk is perfect to keep the blood flowing while appreciating time that can finally be spent comfortably outdoors.

My little walk turned into a 40 block trek and for one slight moment, a total of half a block, I smelled spring. It has officially arrived in New York City. It was a brief moment, just past a pile of garbage bags that the air lightened and suddenly Dogwood mingled with early purple violets. Blossoms are out; spring has arrived.

With the weather warming, D and I begin to think about our city escapes: camping. Just when the weather turns perfect, D plans our camping destination while I plan the (cheese) farms to hit up for produce along the way. Interspersed with our camping shenanigans are the precious city BBQs. Few and far between since outdoor space is a rarity, when they do come, they are perfect: on a rooftop, in a side alleyway, in a 5 foot plot of grass next to the front stoop, on the fire escape, and if you are lucky, on the coveted balcony.

So it is with these spring thoughts that D and I whip up our own little (indoor) BBQ. It is possibly the classic New York City diner meal (next to the corned beef sandwich): a burger with french fries and a black and white milkshake. The (best) black and white milkshakes, like the black and white cookie, are only found in the tri-state area [cough] — New York City. On a trip home to Chicago one year I entered a diner and ordered one. I received a confused look and returned it with a smitten: “vanilla ice cream with chocolate sauce!?” Geesh, how can you not know?! But attempted (and tasted) in diners west and north, the best are found in the City. The black and white milkshake has the delicate pleasures of vanilla ice cream with that extra sweet richness of chocolate sauce. Like the classic hot fudge sundae or chocolate milk, you can make it as subtle or rich as desired. An even better play on this drink? The beershake– really, it’s tasty. Or, the whiskyshake, which my New Orleans friend calls “milk punch.” The rest of the meal has received ink:

The Burger (made with caramelized onions and mushrooms; no cheese)
The Sweet Potato French Fries (made with salt, no cumin)

And without further ado…

BLACK & WHITE MILKSHAKE
Makes: 2 servings. Active Time= 5 minutes.
* 1-½ cups vanilla ice cream
* 1 Tbl chocolate sauce
* 2-½ cups milk

1) Blend all ingredients and serve immediately

THE BEERSHAKE
Makes: 2 servings. Active Time= 5 minutes.
* 1-½ cups chocolate ice cream
* 1 cup milk
* 1 pint good porter beer

1) Blend the ice cream with the milk.
2) Add beer, stir with spoon. (Do not attempt to blend the beer as it will produce a foamshake.

THE WHISKYSHAKE
Makes: 2 servings. Active Time= 5 minutes.
* 1-½ cups vanilla ice cream
* 1 Tbl chocolate sauce
* 2-½ cups milk
* 4 oz preferred whisky

1) Blend all ingredients and serve immediately