encore Paris

Some opportunities are just too tempting to pass up. When the invitation to visit Paris was dangled before me, from a friend renting an apartment there for a month, I jumped. With only a weekend to spare for such a venture I decided to make the most of my short time in a city I love just about as much as New York.

Last week's Parisian weather was less than ideal. I emerged from the RER station at Chatelet-Les Halles greeted by a hail storm. Dragging my luggage down rue de Rivoli (and celebrity spotting Donald Sutherland!!! Looking dashingly handsome, btw) I found my way to a most adorable apartment in the heart of the Marais district. After a loving welcome embrace from my dear friend and my luggage safely unloaded, I was off and running.

The beautiful courtyard of the apartment I was visiting. So French!

Some things you just never get tired of.

During my visit the French presidential elections were going on. These campaign posters were strung outside a voting site. Nicolas Sarkozy's poster looked as if he were starring in a movie, with its soft focus and dreamy horizon. A fantasy film perhaps, from the results of the election, sorry Nick.

At the flea market on Sunday I went wild for these Majolica plates. WILD! I have a real thing for them. They were marked 120 euros. Each! Ouch! Even in dollars I would have thought twice. No plates for me.

What I could afford were vegetables. The organic market at Boulevard Raspail had much to tempt me and I shopped freely, knowing I had an actual kitchen to bring it all back to.

Cute garlic with tails! Or perhaps it is long skinny necks?

After the market, a walk through the Luxembourg Gardens, glorious in full spring bloom. The sun managed to shine for a brief moment.

Even on a gloomy day Paris looks AMAZING.

The highlight of the trip was cooking a meal with the vegetable goodies bought at the organic market. The artichokes were sold with long stems and leaves still attached. They were handed to me wrapped like a floral bouquet. Stunning! And I had to have those cute French Breakfast radishes with the distinctive white tips, too. I ended up sauteing some of the radishes in butter and using the rest raw in a salad.

The artichokes got boiled in lemon water after I cleaned off the leaves and peeled the stems a bit. Once tender, I drained them, quartered them, removed the choke and then sauteed then in butter and garlic for a little extra shot of flavor. Oh so delicious!

 The heirloom tomatoes went into the makings of a salad, along with a disc of aged goat cheese and some baby arugula. This made a beautiful starter course and was easy to put together.

- r e c i p e -

Warm Goat Cheese salad with Arugula and Heirloom Tomatoes

•Make a bed of arugula leaves on a plate and arrange sliced tomatoes on top.

•Slice the goat cheese into 1/2" thick discs and stick them in a microwave for about 30 seconds to warm them a bit. You want the cheese soft and warm but not melted and runny.

•Place the warm goat cheese on top of the salad.

•Dress the salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette.

Balsamic Vinaigrette- I like to add a squeeze of lemon juice to this dressing to keep the balsamic vinegar from being too insipid.

2 garlic cloves, finely minced

1 teaspoon mustard

1 teaspoon salt

several grinds of fresh pepper

1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon of lemon juice

Mix ingredients in a small bowl and whisk rapidly to combine. While whisking slowly drizzle in:

3/4 cup good quality extra virgin olive oil.

Spoon vinaigrette over salad to taste.

bon appetit!
(and Merci Beaucoup Dawn!!!!)

re-ramp

Springtime! The farmers markets are finally beginning to stir. A walk through Union Square on Wednesday yielded some perky young spinach piled high in ruffly mounds, being sold by the pound at whopping prices. Fill a small bag, enough for a salad; it wont weigh that much and you will get a preview of the best tastes of the season.

I was on a mission to find ramps, but did not have much hope of success as I was hitting the market just before closing and those onion-y treasures with a garlicky kick were long sold-out for the day.

Ramps are like that. They can only be harvested wild, they have a very short season and they are scooped up by knowing foodies anywhere they make an appearance.
Each spring my friend Marc, an excellent home cook, waxes poetic when he reveals his swoon-y devotion to the elusive ramp. Last year he served up a ramp bruschetta that was indeed swoon-worthy and I wrote up his  recipe as a post for Edible Queens.

This year Marc's seasonal offering is a vinaigrette made with an entire bunch of uncooked ramps pureed directly into the sauce. He drizzled the vinaigrette over a salad, splashed some on his cooked vegetables, served it as a dip for toasted crusty bread, and then had to keep himself from drinking it straight out of the bottle. Goodness! Sounds like a winner.

Super frustrated by my late arrival to the market I settled on these stunning purple scallions as a ramp substitute. The color beguiled!

Following the spirit of Marc's recipe, I was pleased with the results. The vinaigrette is thick and aromatic and combines nicely with spinach or baby arugula in a salad.

Marc's ramp version is for those who like a robust experience. His young daughter, who at age seven is quite the gourmand in her own right, found it a bit too fort for her tastes. So, forewarned, I am dousing my greens gently as I serve it up to my own family.
Ah springtime!

Ramp Vinaigrette

Note: if you are substituting scallions for the ramps, add a clove or two of raw garlic as well. 
Use good quality extra-virgin olive oil. I occasionally splurge at Fairway, spending time at their olive oil tasting bar to find the most fragrant, unctuous liquid I can find. A good quart bottle can run to $20 or more.

1 bunch of ramps, roughly chopped
4 anchovy fillets
1/4 cup champagne vinegar
2 teaspoons salt
8-10 grinds of fresh pepper
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
2 teaspoons honey
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

In a food processor add all the ingredients except the olive oil. Pulse the mixture several times to mince up the ramps. Then, with the machine running slowly drizzle in your olive oil and puree until the mixture comes together. You will have a thick, delightfully green sauce. Taste for seasonings and adjust.
 Can be stored in a jar in the fridge for up to two weeks.

somethng spicy for spring

Little flowering surprises are starting to pop up in my garden. Everywhere I look tiny buds are showing up; all over Central park, in window boxes, sidewalk planters and community gardens. New York city is beginning to get all powder puffy as the trees bust out in their floral frenzy. Sublime!

The weather is still cool and damp, like a typical spring, in fact, more spring-like than our strangely wimpy winter which definitely lacked in winter-ness.

There are really no crops ready for the market yet at this time of year so winter comfort food will have to continue to soothe and comfort while we wait for the robust growing season to kick in.

One of the simplest ways to bring a lot of flavor to food is to use curry spices. A tablespoon or two of good curry powder added to a vegetable saute will do the trick. Lots of bang for under a buck of spice powder. I like to source curry powder from Indian stores. We have several good options in the city. There are an abundance of spice stores in the "curry hill" neighborhood of Manhattan on Lexington avenue and 28th street, and then there are the multiple shops in Jackson Heights, Queens. Caribbean cooking also uses curry blends with those tending to be a bit milder than the east Indian varieties. For the milder spice blends I feel freer to be a bit more heavy handed when adding it to a recipe.

Small Yukon Gold potatoes combine really well with leafy greens in a curry preparation. Saute some onions and garlic, fry up cubed potatoes, add the curry powder and handfuls of washed greens. Let the mixture cook down till the vegetables are tender and serve.  Consider adding a dash of something sweet like raisins or a dollop of mango chutney to the mixture to round out the flavor.

This Saumur 2010, Val de Loire, Chenin Blanc is an excellent option to pair with a curry meal. It has a slightly tart, pineappe-ly overtone that brings a tropical fragrance to the forefront. It works well with the aggressive spicing of a curry. This wine also had a lovely woody back note that helped give it some depth and character.

Curried Potatoes and Greens

1 bunch of leafy greens (spinach, mustard, kale, chard, collards would all work well)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups of cubed potatoes
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 inch piece of ginger, minced
2 tablespoons curry powder
1/2 lemon
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup of raisins

•Wash the greens, chop into bite sized pieces and set aside.
•Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the potatoes and fry on all side till they are a bit crispy. Remove the potatoes from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.
•Add the onions, garlic and ginger to the pan and saute for a few minutes on medium heat until the onions soften.
•Add the curry powder and mix well to get the spice completely coated with the oil from the pan. Cook for another minute to allow the spice flavors to develop.
•Add the potatoes back into the pan and the leafy greens. Stir to combine all the ingredients. Cover the pan and allow to simmer for about 10 minutes till the greens have wilted. Add a splash of water to the pan if it gets too dry. You want the vegetables to be loose, but not swimming in liquid.
•Add the raisins and squeeze the juice of the half lemon into the pan and stir again. Let the contents of the pan come back up to a simmer uncovered. Cook for about five more minutes until the vegetables are tender. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Serve immediately.

egg season

As spring draws near the social calender fills up with semi-formal occasions; brunches, baby and wedding showers, Passover and Easter dinners, and graduation celebrations. The events tumble on until we can finally bust outside and start the party outdoors.

With new beginnings as the general theme of spring, my thoughts turn to eggs dishes. Eggs are the universal symbol of rebirth and immortality. They are part of a Seder plate at Passover celebrations and the central motif of Easter baskets. 

I usually start stock piling my egg shells this time of year, carefully blowing them out by pin-pricking each end and forcing out the contents with exerted breaths to preserve the fragile casing for decorative dying. This delicate task becomes monumental as the days to Easter get closer. I hate to have to blow out a large quantity at one shot - as I begin to tire the pin holes get larger and my cheeks begin to ache. The demand for eggs to dye shrinks and swells from year to year with the amount of children gathered in my home for the decorating activities.

This means having on hand a ready supply of recipes that require beaten eggs, to use up all the contents. An artichoke frittata is a simple dish that can be made ahead for a party- chilled, sliced and served as finger food.  Presented tapas style with a dollop of Romesco sauce, you have a perky and very tasty little morsel.

 Serve the frittata in bite sized pieces as a light nibble while sipping wine.

I recently can across this brilliantly blended white wine: Nautique Esprit de Blanc from Peconic Bay Winery on the North Fork of Long Island. The wine has a fresh fruity crisp flavor that is perfectly balanced, complex and fun to drink. It makes a very nice pairing for any spring meal. The jaunty label evokes a brisk breeze on the bay and it you find yourself yachting this spring, the artichoke frittata travels well.  

As a hardcore land lubber I will be sipping my Nautique from the comfort of home as I take a rest from blowing out egg shells, a task that gets me a little hyperventilated.

Artichoke Frittata

2 cups of artichoke hearts- they can be canned or frozen

6 eggs

1/4 parsley, finely minced

salt and pepper to taste

4 cloves garlic, finely minced

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

•If the artichokes are frozen, run them under warm water till thawed, and then drain. If canned, rinse under cold water and then drain. Chop the artichokes roughly into bite sized pieces. Add salt and pepper to taste.

•In a small bowl combine the eggs and parsley and whisk to combine.

•In a nonstick pan heat the olive oil on a medium flame, add the minced garlic and saute for about 2 minutes.

•Add the artichoke hearts to the pan and stir often, coating the artichokes with the garlic and oil. Continue to saute for about 7-10 minutes till the artichokes begin to get touches of brown spots.

•Lower the flame slightly and add the butter, allow it to melt down through the artichokes to the bottom of the pan

•Spread the artichokes evenly across the pan and pour the egg mixture over them. Allow the eggs to seep through the artichokes without stirring.  Continue to cook on a low even flame and let the egg mixture set. 

•Using a spatula gently push the edges of the frittata towards the center as it is cooking, continuing to allow the egg mixture to seep down through the vegetables. When the frittata seems to be well set on the bottom, get a plate the same size as the pan. Lay the plate on top of the frittata and quickly flip the frittata onto the plate. Gently slide the frittata back into the pan and allow it to cook until the egg is set on the bottom side, for another minute or two. 

•Slide the frittata out of the pan and on to a serving plate. Allow the frittata to cool to room temperature before cutting into small serving sizes. 

Sever 4-8 at room temp.

Goan treasures

Isn't it great when someone else does the cooking? My dear friend Ilene was eager to share some Ayurvedic recipes she had mastered on her recent trip to Goa, the small island state in India.

Ayruvedic recipes? According to one website I consulted:
 Ayu is life and Veda means knowledge. Knowledge of Life is Ayurveda. Pretty straight forward, no?

The basic concept of Ayurveda is to create meals that help balance our systems and encourage good health; all good things!

The stage is set for an evening of spectacular eating.

Ilene's cooking event was designed to showcase the amazing flavors of Goa with ingredients she had carefully stowed in her luggage and brought home. Most of what she served I had never seen before, but everything tasted beyond wonderful; oh, how fun to try new dishes!

 Pani Puri anyone? These cracker puffs were the first step of our appetizer. To prepare, you poke a hole in the center of the puff with your finger and fill it with a mixture of chickpeas, potatoes and spices.

Next, top each filled puff with a dollop of plain yogurt.

To finish, each puff gets a drizzle of tamarind chutney, cilantro chutney and a sprinkle of some type of topping that resembled crushed shredded wheat. The result was something unfamiliar, but delightfully tasty. Crunchy, savory and subtly spiced. A perfect meal starter!

 The recipe for this gorgeous cauliflower calls for a topping of raisins soaked in red wine vinegar, and then pureed with white chocolate and a hit of chili powder. 

The show stopper of the meal had to be the whole roasted cauliflower. I had never seen a presentation quite like this before. It is not strictly Goan or even Ayurvedic for that matter, but Ilene felt it worked nicely with her meal and it had the right amount of surprise and drama to impress. Indeed!

The dinner guests quickly dove in! Check out the recipe 

not exactly "easy" but certainly worth the effort.

 

 This red was perfect with the robust flavors of the cauliflower.

The wine, a delicious 2006 Chateau Cap de Faugeres Cotes-de-Castillon, was flowing and it was hard to keep up with the multiple dishes that kept coming out of this tiny Brooklyn kitchen. Ilene is a fearless cook who makes her guests feel pampered and cared for. We left the table smiling and more than satisfied. Perhaps even a bit more balanced and closer to good health too!

The cook of the evening emerges from the kitchen in SEQUINS! and we share a hug.

return to spice island

This past week I revisited the Caribbean island of Grenada, the beloved subject of a swoon-y blog post I wrote last year.

Grenada is a magnificent volcanic island dominated by an extensive rain forest and surrounded by crystal clear water.  This small, beautiful country is a visitor's paradise. The people of Grenada are kind and proud of their home, the weather is warm with cooling gentle sea breezes, the rolling hills are dramatic and the vegetation is lush.

 A bread fruit tree heavy with fruit grows in a front yard garden.

 

Tamarind grows all over the island.

Known as The Spice Island, Granada is famous for it's nutmeg, cinnamon and cocoa beans.

 These large coral colored cocoa pods are used in Grenadian chocolate and cocoa tea.

Almost everywhere you go on the island you are greeted by the fragrance of freshly ground spices. The Grenadian people are justifiably proud of their fertile land where everything grows in profusion.

Some spice crops of Grenada:

 Ginger root

 

lemon grass

 

annatto seed

I visited the spice and vegetable market in the harbor capitol of St. Georges on a busy Saturday and went crazy purchasing island specialties like the instant pain relieving spray made from nutmeg oil known as Nut-Med,  a product my husband swears by for his muscular aches and pains.

 The busy scene at the Saturday market.

 

A wonderful variety of root vegetables are part of the tropical cuisine.

Coconuts still in clusters cut from the tree.

It was hard to know when to stop shopping and within no time my basket spilled over with spice blends, jams, fragrant soaps, hot sauces and whole spices.

It is inevitable that all good things come to an end. Returning home last night I slunk past the customs official at JFK with my suitcase wreaking of Grenadian scents, hoping they would not feel like confiscating my chocolate bars and Tamarind BBQ hot sauce. This morning I surveyed my spicy loot and made a simple tribute breakfast to the warm, hospitable and deliciously welcoming Island of Grenada.

 My scent of Grenada breakfast: Toast topped with nutmeg jam, home fry potatoes seasoned with a Grenadian spice blend of sea salt, bay leaf, cinnamon and nutmeg and a batch of scrambled eggs jazzed up with a dash of passion fruit hot sauce.

A perfect way to extend the visit of a beloved place is to seek out the local condiments and give them a try. The defining aromas of a culture's cuisine can be captured in their spice blends and seasonings, giving an instant mini-vacation lift to an everyday meal. I leave a bit of my heart in Grenada every time I visit, but bring home equal measures of flavor and happy memories.

all in the crunch

The buds on my forsythia bush are starting to peek out, a sure sign of a change in season. Still, there is a long way to go before any local garden will be producing something to eat. Indoor amusements are getting me through these cold days.

With so little color in the landscape, these beets I had prepped for roasting beguiled me with their ruby striations. I grabbed my camera to capture their heart-shaped beauty, perfect for a valentine's day meal, if your loved one happens to be into beets. 

These golden beets, just pulled from the oven, retain their glow. It got my pulse racing a bit admiring these lusty root vegetables. So so pretty, but not my most favorite vegetable to eat, alas.

Sharing dinner this weekend with good friends at the cozy East Village restaurant Sorella, we were urged to sample the Broccoli Frito, a restaurant specialty our friends could not recommend more urgently. Sold! I am thrilled to try any dish so warmly recommended. 

The broccoli is doused in a hot pepper aoili and smothered with grated Grana Padano, the queen of Italian hard grating cheeses. The flavor of the dish was to die for, nutty, cheesy, with a fantastic spicy bite, but the killer tada! was the amazing crunchy texture that defied reason. The broccoli did not have a thick crust like tempura, and the vegetable itself was perfectly tender, but the resounding crunch, as if biting into a hard crouton, was somehow engineered into this little offering. I dissected a piece of the broccoli on the plate, searching for a clue, until our waiter graciously revealed that the chef uses rice flour to create the crunch. huh? cool!

So I am thinking, this could be done at home, no? I ransacked my cupboards today for rice flour, and found a bag of brown rice flour. Would the brown rice make a difference? I found other flour options while searching and thought, why not try them all and see if I can figure something out.

The flour contenders were: the brown rice flour, cornstarch, a gluten free flour blend, crushed rice chips and tapioca flour.

I mixed a bit of water into each flour to create a loose batter the consistency of infants baby cereal. 

 The gluten free flour from Bob's Red Mill is a blend of chickpea flour, potato starch, tapioca flour and fava bean flour.

Each flour absorbed the water differently so I had to adjust the liquid as I whisked the batters smooth.   A pinch of salt and a spoonful of grated cheese finished each batter off.

Next I cranked up my deep frier and prepped the broccoli. Oh this was going to be fun! Each piece of broccoli was dipped into a batter and fried for barely a minute. Out they came and the taste testing began. 

The brown rice batter had a soft crunch and a nice, mildly nutty flavor. Next up, the cornstarch batter came out with about the same level of crunchiness. The gluten free flour batter was the most "batter-like" and in fact tasted great, but it was a different experience than Sorella's crunchy masterpiece. The rice chips were a waste of time and the tapioca had such a non-flavor that it actually detracted from the flavor of the broccoli. I discarded the last two batters and tried the first three options again. 

I never got close to the astounding crunch offered at Sorella, but the brown rice batter had a pleasing flavor and is worth experimenting with further. The cornstarch batter is my old deep frying stand-by and there were no surprises here. The cornstarch does the job without interfering with the flavor of the food. The gluten-free blend was a nice option if you are going for a more obvious batter-like consistency and I will certainly use it when the occasion arises.

When the broccoli comes out of the frier smother it with more grated cheese. 

A deep frier can become an amazingly entertaining toy on a winter's afternoon. The conclusion of my trials is that broccoli tastes really good fried no matter what you put on it! I am fascinated to continue to uncover the mystery of the super crunchy broccoli and all suggestions are welcome.