Juicy Couture

Few drinks are as pure, invigorating and refreshing as freshly juiced fruits and vegetables - they are scintillating chalices of nutrient filled deliciousness.
Here a lovely ripe cantaloupe was juiced whole with some purified water and just a slather of lemon juice to counter the sweet with acidity. A snack in a glass with the pulp so you can enjoy the whole fruit in each bright quaff of the liquified melon.


Vegetable juices get a bad rap as they are generally relegated to the more obvious versions like tomato juice or carrot juice. Nothing better showcases the leafy greens than a good juicing in which all that chlorophyll shines through like a viridian cascade of flavor and nutrients. Along with a bunch of fresh kale, some apple was added for balance as well as a bit of ginger and a slice of jalapeno - a verdant elixir

Great Rack! of lamb that is...

One of the classic mainstays of French country cuisine is the Roast Rack of Lamb. The rack of lamb is the entire rack of ribs, dressed and prepped to remove most of the fat and gristle leaving the most tender and marbled select bits. An old-school Italian butcher here in Brooklyn prepared these for me and even notched the bones for easy carving later on.

The lamb was prepared as follows. The entire rack was peppered then pan-seared on high heat to provide a nice brown finish and seal in the juices. Then the rack was coated in honey to make it sticky, on top of which was layered a crust of breadcrumbs and ground almonds. It was place into a pre-heated oven at around 375 degrees with several garlic cloves and roasted for about 25 minute or until meat thermometer shows an internal heat around 140 degrees for rare lamb.

While we waited for the lamb to finish roasting we enjoyed an appetizer - some broiled Buna-Jimeji mushrooms drizzled in melted butter, garlic, parsley, pepper and sea salt. The browned butter roasted up and brought out a fantastic earthy richness to the tiny mushrooms which we served with slices of focaccia.

The lamb was removed, cooled and the chops separated. A sharp knife is helpful here so you do not break the crunchy crust that has formed. I definitely prefer my lamb as close to rare as possible in order to enjoy the moist tenderness and clean flavor.

The lamb chops were served on a root vegetable confit (parsnip, turnip, carrots, potatoes slow roasted in olive oil with rosemary and smoked paprika) and chard greens wilted in white wine and soy sauce. It was a grand dinner served with a traditional style full bodied red.

Desert was no slouch as we served Tres Leches ice cream with slices of coconut cookie and sprinkled with raw coco-nibs. Again, yum.

Thatsa! Spicy!...etc, etc, etc

Meatballs are tricky dish as many consider them Americanized Italian food while others trace their origins to late 18th century Italy in which they were a "secundi" all their own. Regardless of their lineage they, like any dish done properly, are a splendid food product to have on a cold night.

Like many recipes, this is a creative amalgam from many sources and some person twists. I started with the class triumvarate of italian ground meats found, luckily, in many Brooklyn groceries stores where there is an Italian contingent, a combination of ground beef, pork and veal (sorry, not really my choice but is standard) in equal parts in one container.

To the meats I added chopped garlic, couple eggs, breadcrumbs, chopped walnuts (instead of pine nuts), ground Parmesan cheese, some golden raisins, chopped parsley, red pepper flakes, and some olive oil - i mixed this intensely with my hands and formed into golf-ball sized spheres.

I then browned the meatballs in olive oil until dark and crusty which would be a base form my red sauce. I removed the meatballs, added garlic, onions, and more red pepper flakes then deglazed the pan with white wine. Then I added a small can of italian cherry tomatoes which I REALLY recommend for making sauces. I crushed the whole tomatoes, added some water and brought to a simmer for about 1/2 an hr. I re-added the meatballs and simmered until tender. Then seasoned with black pepper and ground sea salt.

The hearty balls o' carne and intense sauce were served with a long fusilli pasta and plenty of parmesan cheese and some diced scallion.

Such a yummy and fulfilling treat. The tangy sauce flavored by the meat drippings on a bed of toothsome pasta, a great meal. A medium-bodied Sangiovese accompanied it wonderfully.

Borscht Belt

Ah borchst! The classic eastern European soup in which there are as many recipe variations as there are peoples who regularly eat the glorious scarlet stew. This particular version has a somewhat Ukranian influence as that is our closest and most familiar source for Borscht recipes.

A proper borscht involves a solid stock made with either chicken, pork, or beef bones and the basics of European soup standards: onions, carrots, celery, garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns.

Once a sturdy stock base is made, strained and set to simmering on the stove, then the heart & soul of the borscht is added - grated or sliced beets! The earthy and sugary tuber is a wonderful vegetable and this recipe highlights it depth of flavor and ability to create a hearty but simple meal.

Added to the simmering stock and beet base are the other essentials of proper borscht: cabbage, onions, carrots and, ideally, some white beans. Some tomatoe paste or sauce is added for body. Some sugar to bring out the sweetness and some vinegar for balance.

Simmer until ingredients are tender then remove from heat and add the gloriously bright flavor of dill.

The intense and wholesome stew is served in a bowl and garnished with a generous dollop of sour cream and sprinkle with more fresh dill. The ideal accompaniment to this soup is some hearty pumpernickel or other brown bread soaked in butter. A lovely salad, like the cucumber and onion salad we had, makes a satisfying and rounded meal.

Brandade de Bacalao

After hitting Portugal & Spain as stops on our honeymoon, we officially decided we loved bacalao (Salt Cod) in its many forms. Bacalao is an amazing thing as it takes a basic white fish and preserves it allowing for more intense flavors to evolve as well as becoming more versatile in a number of great dishes.

Brandade is a very traditional version of bacalao in which it is reconstituted, emulsified with milk or cream, garlic, boiled potatoes, egg yolks using olive oil as a binding agent. Then it is flavored with parsley & white pepper and can be served immediately or baked. In this version i decided to make a basic sofrito with ripe tomatoes, carrots, celery, garlic, red pepper flakes, white wine and olive oil that I cooked down for 15 minutes. I spread the Brandade in a baking dish suitable for direct heat then poured a column of tomato sofrito down the middle, then broiled it for about 20 minutes to create a crust with great texture. Served it with a toasted ciabatta and an endive and grapefruit salad - it was a taste of homey, comfort-food heaven.

Vietnamese Seafood Crepe

This is a dish we have loved for years and I remember fondly encountering it when travelling around Vietnam.

The key is the batter which is made by soaking yellow mung beans in coconut milk until soft then pureei

ng it with rice flour. The resulting batter can then fried into an amazingly thin but delicate and crisp crepe which is both toothsome yet yielding.

The seafood version is what I usually encountered in Southeast Asia so I like to continue that style. I diced up some shrimp and sauteed them with thai chillis, garlic, ginger and then added maitaki mushrooms, water cress and then bean sprouts at the end. Diced green onions are added and then stuffed into a freshly seared crepe and topped with more green onions. The heat wasn't enough from the chilis so we added a couple splashed of Sriracha sauce and then it was perfect, resulting in this yummy food carnage.

The Standard for NYC Pizza: DiFara Pizza

There are definitely areas of food debate that are particularly heated and usually they are regional in origin. Where is the best Mexican: Californian vs Texas vs Colorado? Who has the best BBQ: Chicago vs Carolinas vs Texas? What about Sushi: LA vs SF vs Pacific Northwest?

Without a doubt, the question of the best pizza is also a point of ardent contention. When you live in New York City, you have quite a few local contenders vying for that crown, even within the

immediate area. I, for one. classify all NYC pizzerias into three categories:

1. The run of the mill corner shops - fine for a quick, cheap greasy slice.
2. The grandfathered brick-oven and wood burning places (new and old) - great thin crust with quality ingredients suited for a night out.
3. DiFara Pizza - a classic and somewhat well known pizzeria in Midwood, Brooklyn. This, to me, is a whole other class of pizza experience.

As many know, DiFara Pizza is a classic family-owned pizzeria deep in the bowels of Brooklyn. Its known for its odd hours (in which the septuagenarian owner & sole pizza maker, Domenico DeMarco, takes a nap between lunch and dinner shifts), the long wait in a hot, steamy corner shop, and, undoubtedly, the fantastic pizza.

The amazing thing is that Mr. DeMarco makes every single pizza himself and to-order right in front of you. He has refused to ever accept commoditization in any of his ingredients, using only the best items including: San Marzano tomatoes for his sauce, real olive oil which he drizzles on himself, real Parmesano Reggiano that is grated from large blocks every 1/2 hr in front of you, and bushels of fresh basil leaves that he clips with scissors right onto each finished pie. Of course, the price is reflected in this ingredient premium in which a single plain slice is $5 - it is the best fiver you will ever spend. The pizza is dripping with flavor and intensity and makes you wonder how the hell those slabs of dough and cheese you have been eating all those years ever passed muster.

Good proof, I think, is just the look of the pizza. Here are pics i took at my last visit - notice the lovely pools of olive oil, the actual visible shavings of parmesan and sheared basil leaves draping

across the collective yumminess, see for yourself.

Barbecued Duck for Easter

Easter is upon us and we attended a wonderful dinner party at our friend's - Adrianne and Matt's - place in Park Slope. As always, Matt made a perfect leg of lamb & friends were encouraged to brings sides to compliment. It is a large gathering of over 20 people so it helps to have a second main course, which I volunteered for.
We have a rotisserie, which my wife and I adore, and we also love duck, ergo BBQ Duck for Easter - two to be exact.
I basically went in the tradition of classic Chinese Roast Duck, which I got fresh in Chinatown. Pics of the process are below.

First I trimmed the ducks and removed excess fat.



Then I poured boiling water on them to tighten the skin making them easier to roast and crispier later on.


Here you can see that the skin is more taught and better for roasting. I stuffed them with oranges, garlic and ginger and made sure to prick the skin to allow excess fat to cook away.



Then i made a glaze using the Chinese Five Heavenly Spices (they seem to differ depending on what source you find. Linda was my source as she introduced me to it years ago, but denies it vehemently). I used Szechuan peppercorns, star anise, cinnamon, ground ginger & cloves. I reduced the spices in cooking sherry, honey, soy sauce, orange peel, scallions and loads of garlic until it was a nice sticky glaze.



I put them on the rotisserie and let them go for 3 hours, removing all the excess rendered fat at the bottom periodically. Every half hour, I put a layer of glaze which cooked into the skin and made a fantastic crust.



I then chopped up the ducks and sprinkled fresh scallions and cilantro over them for the party. Everyone enjoyed them and I was extremely pleased with the result.

Mucho Momos!

The Momo - the traditional Nepalese dumpling I first encountered in Kathmandu about 10 years go. Little did I know that I would come across these exquisite delights in New York City (Jackson Heights Queens to be exact) - but, of course, NYC is generous in this way.

The Nepalese momo is more akin to the Russian Pelmeni in that it has a more starchy/yeasty dough covering, but the fillings & flavorings are distinctly Asian. When I came across this yummy momo house tucked inside & behind a Pakistani sweet shop, I was pleasantly surprised. I was glad I ordered the mixed momos which included: beef, chicken, vegetable & lamb fillings - hearty + fantastic!

The tables were adorned with bottles containing two sauces, one tomato-chili and one with very spicy, turmeric-laced chili sauce. Double spicy sauces + mixed meat momo = Nirvana...I am sure the Tibetans would agree.

-NAMASTE!