Wild Orata and Roasted Asparagus

As I expand my culinary knowledge, I look to those around me for help. For right now, the people I'm around 50+ hours a week are my co-workers at Esca. I am constantly asking our current Chef d'Cuisine for advice and easy techniques I can practice and master at home. Also, part of my job is being able to answer the most obscure questions guest might have about the food. For example, "Is there any garlic in the preparation of the whole fish? I'm extremely allergic to garlic." or "How exactly does the Chef prepare this fish? I would love to try it at home." Maybe these aren't the best examples, but I need to know the ins and outs of all our dishes. For that reason, I have become extremely interested in preparing whole fish - something that is on our menu daily.

One fish we have 80% of the time is an Orata or Mediterranean Sea Bream. It is a mild fish that is a little denser, meatier and less sweet than a Cod (for all you folks in Maine). I didn't have to work tonight and spent all day fileting Orata so I figured I'd come home and try roasting one for myself. I went to the fish market on 40th and 9th (by far one of the best in the city) and had the fish guy scale and gut a small Orata.

The nice thing about whole fish is that it has the head and bones in so it adds a ton of flavor. All you have to do to season it is put a little salt, pepper, lemon, garlic and rosemary in the cavity and you're ready to go. Here is a picture of tonight ingredients (I'm doing roasted asparagus with Parmegiano Reggiano as the side).

As you can see, an Esca-esc dish only takes 9 ingredients - most of which you should always have on hand anyways. The only purchases needed are the fresh fish (and any fish would work really), some good cheese and the veggie of your choice.

My ingredients included:

- 1 whole Orata (about 3/4 pound)

- 1 lemon, thinly sliced

- 3 cloves of garlic

- 10 spears of asparagus per person

- 1 large sprig of rosemary

- Salt and pepper for seasoning

- Olive oil (I use Primo which is what we use at Esca to finish off our whole fish dishes)

- Parmegiano Reggiano to shave on the roasted asparagus

The first thing you need to do is oil a sheet pan with some olive oil (I use off the shelf extra virgin olive oil) and place the whole fish in the middle (see below).

Next you want to stuff the cavity so the flesh can absorb as much flavor as possible while roasting. It might be hard to see, but the picture below shows the fish stuffed to the brim. First, sprinkle the inside liberally with salt and pepper. The cavity isn't huge and you want the flavor to get all over the inside so I slice the lemon as thinly as possible (thank you good knives!), rip the rosemary off the stem so it is in small pieces and crush two or three cloves of garlic so they are also as thin as possible. Layer all the aromatics in the fish starting with lemon on the bottom, then some garlic and rosemary and finishing with lemon on top (a lemon sandwich inside the fish).

At this point, pre-heat the oven to 325 degrees. Cover the fish in olive oil, more salt and pepper and put it aside until the oven is ready. Next is the roasted asparagus. I bought a bundle from the Westside Market yesterday so I'm cooking it all at once. Cut the bottoms of the asparagus off and lay them flat in a sheet pan. Cover in olive oil, salt and pepper. Shake the pan back and forth (carefully) in order to cover the entire asparagus in the oil and seasoning.

Once the oven is preheated put both sheet pans inside. The fish should be on top with that shelf in the middle. The asparagus can go right below. Cook for for 25-30 minutes (depending on your oven and its calibration).

And the finished product right out of the oven and on a serving platter. The meal is delicious, is sure to impress dinner guests and is so easy and fast, I just wrote this blog in the 30 minutes the two dishes were in the oven :)

The only thing left to do is filet the fish to remove bones before eating or to just tackle the fish and make sure you chew slowly so you can catch any bones before you swallow them. Enjoy!

(Sorry for not writing a step by step recipe. Hopefully, this is easy to follow... If not, leave a comment and I can write it out step-by-step. I just need to run because my fish is getting cold!)

The Ultimate Chopper

My mom kicked butt with my birthday presents this year. I've noticed that as I get older (and don't worry, I know I'm still a baby - at least that's what my co-workers tell me on a daily basis) I become more practical. I guess I knew it would always happen but now that I'm 23, living on my own and living frugally thanks to student loans and credit card payments, I appreciate the little things in life that make my hobby easier. As you all know, I love to cook. The down side to living in New York is kitchens are small. For all my Richmond friends- most kitchens, although bigger in size, have about a quarter of the counter space that UFA apartments had while we were in school. This makes things hard because gadgets are what make cooking fun and less labor-intensive.

Since college, I have collected a few kitchen essentials: measuring cups, a nice wooden cutting board, a micro-plane, a steamer and good pots and pans. However, I have been lacking in the chopping, cutting, slicing department. As I said, my mom kicked butt and got me the ultimate combination of all things chopping, cutting and slicing: a 7-cup Cuisinart Food Processor and three knives! I now own a 5 inch pairing knife, a 7 inch utility knife and a 9 inch chef's knife. I cannot tell you what a difference they all make. My first recipe to try with my new arsenal of equipment? Potato Leek soup that required a lot of chopping, thin slicing, cutting and pureeing.

One of the best gifts I have ever received was "The Joy of Cooking" cookbook from Nick for our one-year anniversary. I had seen this recipe in there before and had always wanted to try it because of a wonderful Potato Leek memory I have from my childhood. Digress to Morgan as an 11 year old. We used to go to this restaurant in Amsterdam that focused on South African cuisine. I cannot remember the name but I distinctly remember walking down a dark, cobble stone street and seeing the South African flag waving above the door. The memory I have is of our whole family sitting around this table and, I am pretty sure, there was no one else in the restaurant. If there was, the food was so good I didn't notice. I remember not knowing what a leek was but knowing that I loved potatoes so I tried this mysterious soup. It was love at first bite. Before my birthday presents the thought of thinly slicing potatoes by hand and having to use a not-so-great and not-so-accessible blender to puree the soup was daunting. I was determined to try.

Here is the recipe:

Potato Leek Soup

Makes 8 cups

3 T. unsalted butter

8 large leeks, cleaned thoroughly and chopped (white part only)

3 medium or 2 large baking potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced (1 1/2 pounds)

6 cups chicken stock

Salt and pepper to taste

Melt the butter in a soup pot over low heat. Add the leeks and cook over low heat until tender, but not brown … about 20 minutes.

Add the potatoes and chicken broth. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat. Simmer until the potatoes are soft … about 30 minutes.

Puree mixture until smooth. Season with the salt and pepper.

Thin if necessary with additional stock or water. Reheat gently to serve.

The scary parts of this recipe to me where the leeks being chopped and the potatoes being sliced thinly. I like being in the kitchen but knife skills are not my strong suit. I try so hard but nothing ever comes out the right size or thinness. I am getting better and every recipe helps improve my skills and my new knives make the job infinitely easier. The food processor took out all the stress. I just roughly cut my leeks into 2-inch long pieces and fed them through the feeder into the chopping blade. In 20 seconds, I had 8 perfectly chopped leeks. I had the butter melting while I did that so it was just a matter of detaching the top part of the processor and using a spatula to pour all the leeks into the melted butter.

While those sweated out a bit, I cleaned the chopping blade and replaced it with the slicing blade. After peeling the three potatoes, I used my chef's knife to cut them into roughly equal sized "cubes" of about 1 inch by 2 inches long. I turned on the slicing blade and fed the cut potatoes into the processor. In 30 seconds, I had three perfectly (and more importantly evenly) sliced potatoes to cook in the chicken stock.

Once everything was added together and cooked until tender, the last step was pureeing everything together. I had to divide the soup into three different batches to puree because, after all, it can only hold 7 cups and I had about 9 cups of un-pureed soup. When I was done, all I had to do was clean the food processor (which is dishwasher safe- I just don't have one), the chef's knife, the cutting board and the pot. Easy as pie. I cannot wait to try another recipe in the food processor again soon!

_________________________________________________________________________

Currently Eating/Cooking: I am not sure why but I have been craving chicken nuggets lately. It might be the colder weather and the need for comfort food but I just want them all the time. In an effort to be a little healthier I have been getting Morning Star Farms Meatless Chicken Nuggets. They are delicious and only 190 calories for 4 nuggets -the perfect amount the curb a craving. Truth: I had them for dinner last night and lunch today...

Currently Craving: Pizza! The comfort food is killing my attempt to be healthy right now. I made dinner plans with a friend for tonight and as soon as she mentioned a pizzeria in her neighborhood I got so excited. Can't wait for a New York slice (or two) tonight.

Currently Reading: The Wine Bible by Karen MacNeil. I am really trying to expand my wine knowledge and palate so reading my way through this "bible" is helping me with that. Definitely worth checking out for any food and/or wine lovers.

Currently Obsessing Over: If this blog didn't make it obvious... my food processor. I truly do not know how I lived without for so long.

Writer's Block

I have so much to write about but, I must apologize, I am having so much trouble getting my thoughts down on paper (or guess it would be on my keyboard). I have sat down four different times and can't seem to get my ideas to sound the way I want them to. I promise a post is coming soon. Here is what you have to look forward to:

- The Chelsea Chocolate Show from November 13th

- My birthday goodies my mom got me for my kitchen!

- My attempt at Potato Leek soup

- A surprise dinner out on the town (happening tonight!)

I hope to find my groove again soon! Keep suggestions coming!

... and a sneak peak from the Chocolate Show

Chocolate is a Girl's Best Friend

Sorry for the absence! It's been another month of craziness. Last time I wrote, I was still on a high from my meal at Le Bernardin. I had a plan in mind for my next blog - the Chocolate Show - but was so sick the weekend after my fantastic Friday night meal. From there, I went into a crazy week of work, then my mom was in town, then Thanksgiving and my birthday in one week and, now, here I am.

Now- the Chocolate Show. One of my co-workers had been talking about the show for weeks and, honestly, I was a little let down. I was extremely excited to go to the show on my day off (Friday) but woke up so sick that morning. I spent all day in bed but was determined to make it the next day. I worked the lunch shift that Saturday sicker than a dog and was exhausted and wanting to go home but I made my way to Chelsea. Perhaps my mood and health at the time affected my feelings towards the show but here are some of the highlights.

Before I explain my two favorite things about the show, I'll give a little background on the show.The Chocolate Show has been around for 13 years and takes place at the Metropolitan Pavilion on 18th Street in Chelsea. It runs for four days in November(Thursday-Sunday) and is open to the public for $30/person. The point of the show is to bring together lovers of everything chocolate related. This year, the booths included everything from chocolate tea, chocolate literature to dessert wines for the perfect pairing. Also, it is not just for New York. Although it includes a lot of local, small businesses, larger international chocolatiers participate as well.

Now picture this. You're sick - fever, no taste buds and the chills- and you get to fight your way through thousands of chocolate enthused New Yorkers... Ok, my mood and health that day definitely ruined the experience for me... Although I was not in the best of spirits, I'm glad I got to see what the Chocolate Show is all about. Now for the highlights.

NibMor Chocolate. This is a chocolate to taste before learning all the ins and outs of this New York-based chocolate company. NibMor is luscious, silky, and sweet but not overwhelming. Although it looks and tastes just like any other chocolate bar, it is different. NibMor Chocolate is completely dairy and gluten free, organic, raw, vegan and contains no refined sugar! I know, crazy. They feature tons of different chocolates from milk to dark, almond filled to bittersweet. The perfect gift for a health nut who loves chocolate!

The other highlight of my short trip to the show was the beverage selections. Below is a picture of a tea booth that offered every mixture of teas imaginable- including, of course, chocolate tea. Although the tea was nice it was no where near as nice as the dessert wine booth -and tasting- at Quady Wines. There were four dessert wines to taste - Essensia, Electra, Starboard and Elysium. All offer different aromas and pairings from pound cakes to dark chocolate. My favorite was the Electra. Although my taste buds were not working 100%, I was able to taste the subtle sweetness of this wine made from the orange muscat grape. Here is the websites description- a) because I don't trust my sick taste buds and b) it was almost a month ago:

With the first sip you feel the wine; light as springtime, delicately sweet, refreshingly crisp, a bouquet of flowers with the taste of peach and melon. Electra is electricity for the mouth!

I actually enjoyed the dessert wine so much that I purchased a bottle on the spot in order to take advantage of, not only a discount, but free shipping as well! I chose this wine for the taste but also for its pairing ability with the numerous desserts I know would be at my family Thanksgiving in Connecticut. I excitedly opened the wine while pies and cakes were being cut but, unfortunately, I was the only one who enjoyed the pairing of homemade apple pie and the sweetness of the orange muscat dessert wine.

Overall, I am glad I made my way to the show. I am definitely going to check it out next year in an effort to change my mind about the show as a whole. Anyone interested in a November trip to NYC in 2011? Keep me posted!

Another Take on Seafood

Last Friday night I was craving crudo. I went into Esca extremely early hoping to grab a quick drink and some crudo while picking up my paycheck but was promptly sent away by one of our managers. Still craving crudo and seafood in general, I decided to try out one of New York City's only 4 star restaurants - Le Bernardin. I had been updating my blog earlier in the day and had stumbled upon another blog that was raving about Eric Ripert's take on French seafood so I figured I would give it a try despite the price tag.

I walked from Esca to Le Bernardin (only about 10 minutes) and asked for a seat at the bar. I was there shortly after opening but the restaurant quickly filled up. The restaurant only offers a prix fixe menu for $112 of four courses: almost raw, barely touched, lightly cooked and a dessert. I began my meal with my favorite drink - a straight-up, dirty Hendricks gin martini.

There are about 12-15 options for each of the four courses and it was hard to decide. I was, however, immediately drawn to the almost raw Vietnamese-style hamachi. Not only do I love anything Vietnamese but Esca does a hamachi crudo and I was interested in seeing the difference in preparation between the two chefs. For my barely touched course I chose an octopus. I have only recently been interested in this eight-legged creature and have only tried it twice - once at Esca and another time at Cafe Colette. For lightly cooked, I chose the black bass with hoisin-plum jus.

Before I talk about any of the food, I must say the service was impeccable. Attentive but not over bearing. Informative but not pretentious. And most importantly, right where they needed to be when I need them. There were two bar tenders - a French man and a French woman. They took equal responsibility of my dining experience but the male bar tender helped me make some great decisions about the meal; he recommended the black bass and a wine for pairing.

My hamachi was unbelievable - much better, in my opinion, than Esca's preparation; however, very different. The hamachi was cut extremely thin and used as if it was the seaweed in a sushi roll. In the middle (instead of cucumber, avocado and imitation crab) was a roll of crispy green lettuce, cilantro and spinach. Once presented in front of me, the server poured - ever so delicately- a nuoc mam sauce around the roll. Nouc mam is served with every Vietnamese meal and is something I have grown to love and crave whenever I am eating something as fresh as this hamachi and greens. It is made of fish sauce, sugar, citrus juice, water and, usually, it is finished off with some fresh red chilis, carrots and daikon radish. The flavor of the nuoc mam complemented the fresh hamachi so well and gave the fish a light coating of sweet, tart goodness. Needless to say, my "almost raw" course was gone rather quickly.

Next was my octopus. I hate to say it, but it didn't do anything special for me. In fact, it left me rather disappointed. The dish reminded me of everything a diner is afraid of when ordering octopus - it's going to be too rubbery and chewy. The octopus was served in four or five small pieces instead of as one, intact tentacle - visually disappointing. There was a little purple basil on the plate as well as some very thin apple slices. Once again, after being presented with the plate, a sauce was put around the dish. This time is was a fermented black bean and pear "salsa" of sorts. The flavors were nice but not something that really stuck in my mind and definitely not something I would order again.

I finished my cocktail while eating my octopus so I asked the gentleman behind the bar to pick a wine that would complement the rest of my meal. He brought me a Barbaresco - a bigger, fruitier wine similar to a Barolo that is also from the Piedmont region of Italy. I loved it from the second it hit my lips and it worked well with the octopus.

Shortly after the octopus was gone, my black bass arrived. A plate of bean sprout risotto with a perfectly seared piece of bass was placed in front of me. Once again, a small portion of sauce was poured around the fish - this time a hoisin-plum jus. This dish was perfection. The fish balanced so well with the acidity and flavor in the jus and the risotto added the perfect texture and creaminess needed for the dish. Every bite sent me into sensory overload because the smell, taste, feel and touch of every ingredient met perfectly on the palate. Definitely a dish worth trying. Also, a great pair with the Barbaresco.

Dessert was next and I selected one that had a few of my favorite ingredients in it - goat cheese, fig and bacon. The menu described: "Caramelized Mission Fig, Red Wine Caramel, Hazelnut, Goat Cheese Fondant, Bacon Ice Cream." Yeah, bacon ice cream! It was amazing. The figs were roasted perfectly and the goat cheese fondant was in beautiful little rounds all over the plate. Getting a bite with the creamy goat cheese, yummy, yet subtle, bacon-flavored ice cream and a sliver of the fig was one of the best flavor combinations that have ever hit my palate. It might sounds strange and different but this is a strange and different worth trying!

Over all my experience at Le Bernardin was unforgettable. The space is majestically beautiful with fresh flowers every where, high ceilings and a spacious dining room. I will be going back as soon as I can rationalize anouther $215/person meal. My birthday is in a few weeks...

______________________________________________________________________

Currently Eating/Cooking: Zabar's Yellow Curry Thai Chicken with leftover rice from Margot. Absolutely unbelievable and I will definitely be buying this again some time soon.

Currently Craving: Barolo. In Italian wine a Barolo is king. Barolo is made from the Nebbiolo grape and is grown in the Piedmont region in Northwest Italy. The wine is the

traditional pairing for white truffles - also a specialty of Piedmont. It is full bodied, usually fruit forward and needs rich and heavy foods to stand up to. I bought a bottle of 2004 Barolo Fontanafredda today and I cannot wait to try it tonight.

Currently Reading: Edible Manhattan. Esca is one of the restaurants that carries this magazine. It covers food and wine around the city and is a great read on the subway!

Currently Obsessing Over: Sea Urchins. The urchin season begins in early fall. As soon as they are available, we have them at Esca as crudo - our Italian-style sashimi. So far this season, the urchins have come from Maine and have been about the size of a tennis ball. Customers would get three to an order for their crudo. This urchin (on the right) was one of a group of 30 or so that came in today from Santa Barbara - our first from the west coast this season. As you can see it was HUGE! I originally took the picture without the lemon next to it but there was no size reference. I asked our sous chef, Katie, for the lemon as a reference. Everyone in the kitchen was afraid to cut it open (aka kill it) but Katie finally did it and we all took turns taking pictures of it. Personally, I don't like urchins but if you do come to Esca!

Seasonal

I dined at Seasonal for the first time on my birthday last year. My boyfriend, Nick, had done PR for this new Midtown Austrian Weinbar and Restaurant and, actually, single-handledly worked towards helping them earn a Michelin Star in their first year - needless to say, my first experience was amazing. Actually, one of the best meals of my life.

Last Friday night Nick decided to take me back to start out a night on the town. We were seated immediately, greeted by one of the chefs, Eddy, and presented with some champagne. It is a small restaurant (maybe seats 35-40?), clean, white interior with amazing art on the walls. It is a very calming space that almost sucks you in - a rarity in NYC. The minute you walk in, you forget you're in Manhattan and you feel as if you are in an upscale restaurant on a small street in Vienna. The pace of life slows and your two hour meal passes without a hitch. The moment - or even a second before - you think "I wonder when the entrees will come out", the chef or server is there with a piece of culinary art.

I selected the pork belly with chestnut foam and chanterelle mushrooms along with duck with faro and beets for my main course. Nick chose an appetizer of beets, goat cheese, pumpkin seeds and elderflower and an entree of wiener schnitzel.The pork belly (left) was unbelievable. It just melted in my mouth and was covered in the perfect amount of sweet, tart sauce. The chestnut foam was a nice touch but, personally, I don't quite understand foams... The chanterelle mushrooms were delicate and balanced the flavor of the fat on the pork belly nicely. Definitely a dish to try and definitely one I would order again.

The duck (right) was amazing. I love, LOVE, love duck and Eddy knows how to do it well. I also love, LOVE, love beets so when I saw this dish I knew it was for me. The duck was cooked to perfection and the pureed/extremely finely chopped hazelnuts were a nice touch. My only complaint about the dish was the over powering flavor of beets. They were stewed down with black cherries and the compote on its own was delicious - just a bit much with the delicate yet flavorful and rich duck breast. The faro (cracked wheat) was a nice textural difference on the plate and really brought the whole dish together into one amazing bite.

We chose a red to enjoy with out meal. Nick wanted a Pinot Noir but I wanted something a little heavier. He discussed our preferences with the sommelier and, honestly, I have no idea what they decided on. All I know was that it was delicious and it was a bit heavier than a Pinot. The entire meal was great, yet not as unforgettable as our first trip there almost a year ago.

The highlight of my night was Eddy allowing me to go into the kitchen and see how it is run. I was able to walk back, introduce myself to the line cooks, compliment their food and discuss food in general. It was a nice touch to a great evening at Seasonal that would not have been possible with out Nick's past professional relationship with Eddy and Wolfgang.

Eddy (left) and Wolfgang (right) are the chefs and owners of Seasonal

Overall, Seasonal is worth a visit. The food with not disappoint you, as long as your are willing to try some different things. The wine list is extensive and the staff is knowledgable.

____________________________________________________________________________

Currently Eating/Cooking: Zabar's Butternut Squash Soup with sour cream and parmesan.

Currently Craving: Zabar's Thai Chicken (dinner later this week)

Currently Reading: The Food Lover's Companion

Currently Obsessing Over: Zabar's (as if that wasn't obvious...) This amazing food emporium is a westside staple. Located at W 80th and Broadway, it is a stop I make often on my way home from work. The downstairs has several departments including: cheese, pastry, meat counter, bread/bakery, seafood, produce, coffee and pre-made meals. Some items are a bit pricey but, in general, it is extremely reasonable. Upstairs is a home goods store. I would spend my whole day and paycheck there if I could...

Taglierini Piemontese

I don't know why but blogger wouldn't let me upload a picture with the last post so here is Taglierini Piemontese in all its beauty.

Midnight Meatballs

Two in one day!

I go to restaurants that I hear about. I'm not sure if I said this already but here is my theory on NYC restaurants:

1. You will never go hungry - there is at least 5 restaurants on any NYC block.

2. Of all those restaurants only a few are standouts.

3. It is easy to wander into a bad restaurant and because of that don't just leave your hotel, apartment or work and wander in to the closet place.

4. NYC is expensive. If you are going to spend money on eating out, make sure its worth your time and making a dent in your wallet (and by dent I mean spending $15 on nachos or a burger). There is nothing worse than leaving a mediocre meal and wishing you had just had a $1 slice instead of what you just ate.

5. Only go to restaurants that have been talked about. It doesn't matter by whom - the New York Times, a co-worker or a friend. This way you will know something about the restaurant and, chances are, it will only be on your radar if what was said peaked your interest.

With that said, my dad was in town two nights ago and there is a place I have been hearing about that I wanted to try out. My favorite manager at work was let go about two weeks ago and has since started a blog. He tried this place and loved it. I mentioned it to his replacement (my new favorite manager) and her response, "I used to manage there! You have to try it." Like I said, any recommendation is good, but two from two different Esca managers? I knew I had to try it.

The place is called The Meatball Shop. It is in the Lower East Side at the intersection of Stanton and Allen. The concept is simple. Pick a meatball. Pick a sauce. Pick a side. Choose if you want that "side" under the meatball and sauce or actually on the side. They don't take reservations and are pack from the second they open at noon until last call at 4am. There is a communal table in the middle of the restaurant surrounded by tables for two on two sides and a bar on the other. Take-out is also available.

I went with the special meatball - a bolognese - with a parmesan cream sauce on top of rigatoni. My dad went a non-Italian route. He got the classic beef meatball but chose a mushroom gravy on top of mashed potatoes. Both were unbelievable. The meatballs were so moist (I hate that word but it's the best description), the sauces were rich, flavorful and bountiful. My rigatoni was ok but my dad's mashed potatoes were perfection. Fluffy, airy and buttery. To go along side our meal, I ordered a side of their broccoli which was good but nothing special. Both dishes came with foccacia - used, of course, to get every last drop of the sauces once the meatballs were gone.

As for drinks. They don't have a wine list - just a few options written on a blackboard - or extensive beer list but the choices they have a good. I had two different whites - a verdicchio and a soave. Both are Italian white varietals that I am somewhat familiar with from the restaurant so I thought I'd give them a try. The verdicchio, which is a light, crisp wine, was too light for the meal but nice to enjoy while waiting. The soave, on the other hand, was a nice balance to the beef and pork meatballs and parmesan cream sauce. It is medium plus in body and had a little fruit to it but finished dry. It worked nicely to balance the rich sauce and the salt from the pork in the meatballs. Dad, as always, had a beer (Brooklyn Brown Ale to be exact).

All in all, the meal was great! I can't wait to go back and try another on the of the meatball combinations because the choices, literally, are endless.

____________________________________________________________________________

Currently Cooking/Eating: It's a lazy day today so I am making frozen or pre-made food (from Trader Joes of course). I love their refrigerated pulled pork! I'm toasting a white bun, microwaving the pulled pork, baking a few sweet potato fries and steaming a little broccoli. Nice and easy lunch!

Currently Craving: Ricotta gnocchi. We have award winning ricotta gnocchi at Esca and a lot of people have been ordering it lately. I can't wait until the next time I go in and get to have some!

Currently Reading: Nothing :(

Currently Obsessing Over: White truffles. We got our first truffles of the season last weekend and they were gone in two days. We got a few more yesterday and I am mesmerized. I always knew truffles were special and had a sort of mystique about them but I didn't, and still don't, completely understand. All I can say is I can't wait until I have an extra $100 to try our Taglierini Piemontese (traditional 40-yolk pasta, butter and white truffles shaved on top).

Dhall Delights

Last weekend was Homecoming at my alma mater (of six months), The University of Richmond. I took the Bolt Bus from NYC to DC and met up with some of my best friends, Nadine and Amanda, to drive down to Richmond, Virginia. It was my first trip back since graduation in May and it was the perfect reunion weekend. The weather was perfect, the company was hilarious (thanks to Meaghan and her STC friends - the UR improv troupe), and we won the football game! The real highlight though - it actually tops Richmond's new tailgating in the fraternity lots with good beer and liquor- DHALL!!!

While I was in college, I cooked in my apartment more often than I ventured across campus to eat buffet style on a meal swipe. However, Sunday brunch at 11am was a staple throughout my college career. We all decided that a brunch trip to Dhall (short for dining hall and the nickname you are told to use the second you step on campus your freshman year) was a must. And, man oh, man was it good!

As always, I got hash browns and my "signature" Dhall breakfast sandwich. It is simple and delicious and cannot be replicated outside of Dhall but here is the "recipe":

1. Walk to the grill guy and order two overhard eggs with two slices of American cheese.

2. While he is cooking them, go to the center island and toast a white bagel (you will have to send it through twice because the toasted machine sucks).

3. While the bagel is making the second trip though the toaster, walk back to the grill guy and get your eggs - they should be ready. ** Also, make sure he folds them in half. I think most Dhall grill guys do this but it makes the cheese extra gooey and makes it possible for the eggs to fit on the bagel.

4. Move one station to your right and pick up some triangle hash browns and two sausage links.

5. Pick up your perfectly twice-toasted bagel and head to your table to assembly.

6. Once at the table, open the bagel and place the eggs/cheese on the bottom half.

7. Cut the sausage links in half the long way so they are butterflied.

8. Put the two butterflied links on top of the eggs (the should fit perfectly).

9. Place top half of the bagel on the sausage and enjoy!

Nothing too extraordinary but it is delicious. Like I said, this cannot be replicated outside of Dhall. You have to have their sausage, the grill guy and their messed up toaster that requires double toasting to reach this perfection. But for anyone who reads this and is still in Richmond -Enjoy!

October

First of all, I apologize for the brief break in my posts. I have had a lot going on lately and I'm working a TON (50+ hours a week). Because I've been gone so long and I want to ease myself back into writing, I am going to do tid bits from here and there.

I finished Heat a few weeks ago and highly recommend it to anyone who loves food and wants to know more about kitchens, food education and exactly how much work goes into being in an NYC restaurant. The author, Bill Buford, was/is a writer/editor for The New Yorker when he was assigned to write about Babbo - Mario Batali's first successful restaurant in the West Village. Buford enters the prep kitchen and eventually works his way up to the line. On the line, he masters the appetizer station and even makes a successful run on the grill station. He leaves Babbo in order to learn more about the restaurant's roots and how Mario became "Molto Mario." His travels take him to a family know for it's pasta making in Northern Italy to "el Maestro" - a fourth generation Tuscan butcher. The book flows wonderfully and lends itself to easy reading. Buford is a natural writer and has a way of making you feel as if you were in Tuscany with him.

It was great reading about an NYC kitchen and picturing our kitchen and it's daily operation. The similarities are striking. On my way to work, I would read Heat on the train then walk in the cargo door and witness everything I had just finished reading. Buford describes Mario's stint with "Iron Chef America" and I got to picture an upcoming episode (I think it's airing in January) where Chef (my chef) battles Morimoto. Speaking of television appearances - I woke up three weeks ago today (October 1st??) before my alarm. This never happens so I decided to have a leisurely morning before heading to work. I made some coffee, got back into bed and turned on the Today show.

Before now, I have kept my restaurant anonomous for reasons I can't really explain. I just figured being ambiguous would be easy and keep people out of it but it's hard to describe things without connecting the name. Plus, any of you who are reading this know me and are aware of where I work, so I might as well say it. I work at Esca.

Back to the Today show. Chef David Pasternack was there to make our Linguine. Obviously I got extremely excited and when Matt Lauer (who I have waited on at Esca) said "I have to say this and it's not because you're here right now, but Esca is hands down one of my favorite restaurants in New York" (don't quote that but it was something along those line), I knew Chef would be in a good mood all day. I arrived at work an hour later and got to see Chef, say congratulations and here about how he spent the morning with Tony Bennett, who was also on the show that morning.

Now I am going to completely change course. I cried at work for the first time a few weeks ago. Restaurants in NYC are hard. Sometimes you have people who want to spend money, sometimes you don't. Sometimes customers are grateful, sometimes they're not. I had a table that I went out of my way to help over and over again and at the end of the meal, they complained about the service. I think it was a combination of being exhausted and knowing that they were the table I chose to focus on and give my best service possible. Since then work has gotten worse (realllllly bad) and is now on an upward turn. I hope it stays this way.

Now time for some restaurants. I am going to keep this short - my apologies.

Toloache- Great Midtown nuevo-Mexican restaurant located on 50th between 8th and broadway. I went here with my parents and had an amazing meal. Sam Sifton reviewed it for the New York Time recently and gave it one star. I agree with his rating - decor and other little details could be improved. The food, on the other hand, was perfection. I highly recommend the fruit guacamole and black truffle quesadilla.

Spice Market- My mom and I also went back to this Meatpacking district favorite while they visited a few weeks ago. I was excited to go back and try a few things to write about - seeing that Spice Market initiated my interest in writing a blog. I had the Red Curry Duck and Ginger Fried Rice. Both were amazing and, I believe, they are considered their signature dishes. My mom did the Bento Box - a lunch special with 5 small courses for $24.07. Her box included a squash soup, cod, an asian slaw, a chicken skewer as well as a dessert of Vietnamese coffee ice cream. Definitely a place worth trying.

Margot- This is a Dominican restaurant two blocks from where I live. Some friends of mine recommended it and I tried it this past week. I had it delivered because I was running late for work and did not have time to sit down for a meal. I ordered the Pepper Pork, rice and beans and tostones. Everything was amazing, but a little too greasy. I'm hoping that it only because it was delivered... I'm going to have to go back and try it for real sometime soon.

Balthazar- This French bistro is extremely well-known in New York. I have wanted to try it ever since seeing it on the Food Network's "The Best Thing I Ever Ate" a few months ago. THe show highlighted the french fries and I have to agree- they were amazing. I have oysters to start. Nothing special- just a dozen Blue Point oysters and minuette. Then, because I wanted to try the fries, I got the Moules Frites. As I said, the fries were great. The mussels weren't amazing and I wouldn't run back to have them again, but I am interested in seeing what else this place has to offer.

I feel like this blog is all over the place. Like I said before, I have had a lot going on. I promise to re-focus and get my posts back to where they were in the beginning. I was enjoying focusing on writing and got derailed for a bit, but I'm back. It is getting cold in New York so I look forward to writing about all that fall has to offer in New York.

____________________________________________________________________________

Currently Cooking/Eating: Nothing :( I'm on a bus to DC in route to Richmond for the weekend (homecoming!!!) and I was running late, so no breakfast/lunch for me :(

Currently Craving: My mom's Tuna Noodle Casserole. Look for the recipe and post in the near future!

Currently Reading: Since finishing Heat I have struggled to really dive back into a book. I started A Homemade Life: Stories and Recipes from My Kitchen Table by a New York based food writer Molly Wizenberg. I like it but, as I have now said three times, I've been busy.

Currently Obsessing Over: Knives! My birthday is coming up and all I want are a few good knives. Knives are really expensive so I have asked for one utility knife for my birthday to get me started.

Albarino Adventures - Part 2

I left Casa Mono with a little bit of a buzz but still determined to find my beets at the Union Square Green Market and to find skate, almonds and Albarino at Chelsea Market. My final menu for the night was going to be Crispy Skate with Red Beets and Almonds (if that wasn't obvious by the three ingredients I needed to buy). The only story worth telling about finding everything was that it was a beautiful day in New York, so instead of hopping on the L train to go from Union Square to 8th Avenue, I decided to walk. It was one of those low 70s, sunny fall days - perfect for a 20 minute walk.

I found all the things I needed without a hitch and even found special almonds - some that Conrad had suggested I tried. The Marcona Almonds were a little pricey ($8.02 for .62 lbs) but I guess all almonds are expensive. I headed home and prepared this meal.

Roasted Beets with Toasted Almonds:
(This is what I used to cook for three of us)

- 5 medium-large red beets with the greens cut off and stored for another use

- GOOD Olive Oil

- Sea Salt

- 1/4 cup of Almonds (I actually recommened just buying slivered almonds - the Marcona were a little too sweet for this recipe)

Recipe:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

2. Scrub beets to remove any dirt.

3. Line a cooking pan with foil and place the beets in the middle of the pan.

4. Liberally drizzle the beets with olive oil and move them around to cover evenly.

5. Sprinkle beets liberally with sea salt.

6. Pull the corners of the foil together and completely cover the beets - like a little package.

7. Place in the middle of the oven and roast for 45 minutes before checking (beets take a long time...)

8. Check the beets for tenderness. They should be fork tender but if not, place them back in the oven and cook for another 10-20 minutes.

9. Once fork tender, open foil completely and let the beets come to room temperature.

*The nice thing about this meal is that this part can be done in advance. I wasn't sure when my roommate was coming home last night, so I prepared the beets to this point because the rest of the recipe takes about 10 minutes.

Recipe Continued:

10. Heat about 1 tbsp. of olive oil over medium-high heat.

11. Place almonds in the heated oil and stir occasionally to ensure even toasting.

12. Continue until lightly toasted (4-7 minutes).

13. Add roasted beets and toss together until covered by toasted almonds.

14. Keep over low heat until ready to serve.

Crispy Skate:
(Again for 3 people)

- 1 pound skate (or as close to it- maybe a little under) in three seperate filets

- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

- 1 cup of whole milk (any milk with work but whole milk will add the most flavor)

- Olive oil

- Salt/Pepper

Recipe:

1. Heat 2 tbsp. of olive oil over high heat - until oil is really hot but not smoking.

2. While the oil is heating, put 1/2 cup of flour on a plate and pour milk into a bowl (this is for the dredging process). Use salt and pepper to season flour (two parts salt to one part pepper- as much as you think necessary)

3. When oil is ready, dip the first filet in milk so it is covered. Take milk-dipped filet and cover in flour making sure to shake off any excess.

4. Place filet in oil, turn heat down to medium-high heat and pan sear for 3 minutes per side(inital high heat is to get a nice sear and color of the filet - serve skate with that side up). Remove and place on an oven-safe plate in a 200 degree oven to keep the fish warm

5. Repeat step 3 on the remaining filets, adding more oil and heating thoroughly before adding the filets.

Once the fish is done, plate! Again, I hope this makes sense (?) I'm not well-versed in technical cooking terms - I do everything by sight, smell and sound. If this doesn't make sense, let me know.

I paired this meal with a 2009 La Cana Albarino also produced by Rias Baixas (same producer as my Zarate wine from Casa Mono). Very light, a little more citrus and fruit than the other Albarino and a great complement to the skate and roasted beets.

I also bought a bottle of Cava (Spanish sparkling wine) to have before the meal. The guy at the Wine Vault at Chelsea Market suggested a 2005 Juve y Camps "Reserva de la Familia" Brut Cava. Extremely light on the palate and a very light bead. Really a great way to start the meal - I paired it with Trader Joes Frozen Steamer Clams (5 minute cooking time in the microwave!)

Enjoy!