wasabi's Profile
Albuquerque - All Stars?
Thanks everyone for the replies.
jjdot - I guess we're mostly hovering around downtown and the University. But we'll have a car so any place is accessible.
Albuquerque - All Stars?
I'll be in town for a couple of days and am interested in restaurant hopping. Any suggestions on ABQ's must-eats? All types of food, all levels of dining are welcome.
Plus, any cool food shops in town I can check out?
Advice - Frontera or Topolobampo?
thanks to you both for the feedback.
When I called to make the advanced ressie and to see if Topo was available, I lucked out. The receptionist said they had availability for Frontera and Topo.
Based on time availability, we went with Frontera. Plus, we'll be in suits all day and would definitely looking forward to being more casual for dinner. Can't wait!
Advice - Frontera or Topolobampo?
I have one night free in Chicago and would like to check out either venue. Any advice on which I should go for?
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Topolobampo
445 N Clark St., Chicago, IL 60610
Chef't Table, Orem, UT
not for a while. if i'm in the area, my restaurant of choice is Pizzeria 712.
What to do with tons of fresh basil and parsley?
For the parsley make tabbouleh or a batch of gremolata (essentially, a garlicky, lemony parsley pesto) that's great with grilled meats and soups.
For the basil, post pesto, I like to make basil simple syrup for poached fruits and cocktails. Really lovely with pineapple, especially. Make a batch of simple syrup (1 part water to 1 part sugar) bring it to a boil, bring down the heat. Give it a stir and let it simmer until the sugar is dissolved. Turn off the heat and take off from the stove. While it's still hot, add a bunch of fresh basil (stems and all) to the liquid, submerge it and cover the pot. When it's cooled, strain out the leaves and place the syrup in a bottle to use whenever you need it. Mine usually lasts two weeks.
Favorite Cabbage ideas
Two things...
1.) Minty chicken slaw. Been testing it out to post on the blog, and it's a winner. Think of it as a more streamlined coleslaw b/c it isn't creamy, and it's perfect for hot weather.
Marinate thinly sliced red onion (i use half a large one) in 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, juice of 1 lime and its zest as well. Let it sit for at least half an hour. This lets that funk that afflicts your breath to go away. Combine the liquid and onions with 2 teaspoons sugar, 2 tablespoons fish sauce, and some freshly grated ginger and combine to make the vinaigrette. Then, shred up some cooked chicken breast (leftovers are good here) and add it to the vinaigrette. Thinly shred up cabbage, a good bunch of fresh mint (torn up) sliced carrots (optional) and add to the bowl and toss together. Eat within a day or two.
2.) South Indian cabbage stir fry...have 1/4 head of cabbage thinly sliced and ready. also, wash about 1/4 cup worth of moong dal (mini looking yellow lentils) and drain. Chop up 1/4 cup of peanuts. Have these all on the side while...
Heat a large sautepan. Add some ghee or veg oil. Then toss in 1/2 tsp EACH brown mustard seed and black onion seed and a dried red chili. Keep it moving so it doesn't burn. It'll pop, but after 30 seconds, you'll start smelling the aromas. Then tip in the washed/drained lentils, chopped peanuts. Stir and cook about 1 minutes until the peanuts are browned. Add the cabbage and stir fry until the seasonings are interspersed and the cabbage just barely begins to wilt. If you have fresh curry leaves (from the Indian store, refrigerated section), throw in about dozen leaves, whole, in at the same time you add the cabbage. Season with salt. I love it with basmati rice on the side.
Food Shops & Seafood in St. Augustine
Trolled through restaurant recs for St. Augustine. We're headed there the last week of August and will have a kitchen...wondering where the best places are to pick up some fresh produce and seafood?
Also, any more recs on kick ass seafood places? Low end, high end, anything. But really, we dig the places where we can be sloppy.
chard ...
I like to saute it with butter and extra virgin olive oil with a few oil-packed anchovy filets in there. A dash of hot pepper flakes. Squeeze of lemon juice and some zest along with the salt and pepper.
I also like it as a quiche filling. It has more body than spinach and a good toothiness for the rich stuff.
Also, a simple gratin. I quickly blanche it (or ifyou've got leftover saute) into a casserole dish, cover with a bit of heated cream, grated nutmeg (or even lemon zest is nice for the summer) and top with a cheese and breadcrumb mixture. I like some sultanas/golden raisins with the greens, too.
What to do with a jar of black truffles?
You've probably got a jar of preserved truffles in your hands. They won't be as aromatic as the fresh ones, but hey, these last a while.
You might want to punch them up with truffle oil.
But if you want them to go solo, use them mostly for texture.
Or Truffle Butter:
Chop them finely and saute in a bit of butter (truffle and fat go well together) just enough to saute. When you start getting some fragrance remove from heat and let cool. Then mix this into some softened/room temp butter (salted is good, if unsalted, just add some to your seasoning preference). You can stash this in the fridge or freeze a bit. It'll last a while.
Favorite summer salads (beyond trad. pasta)
Thickly sliced watermelon (rind cut off) with thinly sliced (or crumbled) feta. Sprinkle with chopped fresh mint and a drizzle of extra-virgin.
Also, when melons are around...
Scallop, Bacon & Honeydew Salad
http://shecraves.typepad.com/my_weblog/2007/08/post.html
And for whole grain option (I second the tabbouleh, awesome)
http://shecraves.typepad.com/my_weblog/2007/08/farro-roasted-v.html
Mustard Seed what was I thinking?
Get a basic Indian daal (lentil) recipe from a cookbook or recipe site. When it's done cooking add the following:
Melt a small sautepan with 1/3 stick of butter. When hot, add a whole cinnamon stick, 1 bay leaf and 1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds; also if you've got it, some dessicated coconut, about 1/4 cup is awesome, but optional. Stir often so that everything is moving and doesn't have a chance to burn (over medium high heat).
Everything will be really fragrant, toasted. YOu can see it especially if you're adding coconut. While it's still sizzling, turn off the heat and tip this aromatic butter, whole spices and all into your pot of Indian lentils. Stir to combine and season with salt to your preference.
Need creative pie ideas
Fresh Strawberry Pie with Mint Cream
1.) Blind bake a short crust. Pate sucre would be all right, tho the final result is just fine with basic pie crust.
2.) Make a pastry a mint infused pastry crust.
3.) Fill the crust with cooled mint pastry cream and top with sliced fresh strawberries that have been macerated with a bit of sugar and minced fresh mint or tarragon. Rocks.
I riffed on this recipe. I find the mint plays much better with strawberries alone. Plus, I go for more mint. I actually double it.
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Summer-Berry-Mint-Cream-Tart-12306
dinner date wine pairings
You could always do an assortment of grapes, strawberries and... candied ginger. My favorite thing to chocolate dip and eat. Then extra fruit lying around the house is always nice. http://shecraves.typepad.com/my_weblog/2006/01/sassy_easyjust_.html
I love seafood, so the more there is the better. Plus, ceviche you can make ahead and will save you sometime. Make it the morning of, the same time you make your chocolate-dipped treats.
As for wine pairings: You could keep it really simple and stick to a bubbly the whole meal. That way you don't have to buy three or four bottles. Prosecco (I like Jeio Bisol) or Cava (Marques de Gelida is a great price point). Local sparkling from Jeriko is mighty tasty and decent in price point, too.
Otherwise, stick to bubbly for first two courses (even if you do a soup, which btw, may be great with a little seafood garnish -- i.e. cuke OR pea OR whatever lovely and green soup with a shrimp or crab garnish. just a bit)
Then for the risotto I concur on the previous Chablis rec. Also consider a good dry Riesling. Not the sweet stuff. A friend turned me on recently to a Helmut Hexamer Quartzit Riesling. Complemented sweet tender shellfish. And prob wouldn't clash with aspragus, which is notoriously hard to pair.
Sounds like a marvelous feast. Eat well!
Rice Pudding Recipe Question
Agree with goodhealthgourmet -- no need for flour. That's the starch quotient there.
Another option may be doing a coconut rice pudding. Meaning, you use already cooked Jasmine rice (according to package directions). You stir this into a pot of heated coconut cream, heavy cream and any sort of aromatics with granulated sugar to taste. I have a soft spot for straight vanilla or a bit of cardamom steeped into the cream mixture. Star anise is good as well. It's always creamy. Leftovers are good cold, too.
Time to find a new go to cookbook. Looking for suggestions.
I received Mark Bittman's "Best Recipes of the World" volume and have really enjoyed all the recipes. He's simplified everything in his no-nonsense.
Bought Italian Tuna packed in oil - now what?
I meant simple tuna sauce. Sheesh. Sorry!
Bought Italian Tuna packed in oil - now what?
Simple tomato sauce is always good. I rub a serving bowl (or bowls) with a cut clove of garlic and put the tuna with some (okay, all, but that's just me) of the oil. Grate the zest of one lemon, juice it into the bowl as well. Add some capers, loads of chopped parsley and mix together. Sometimes, a pinch of dried chile flakes. You can make it pretty uniform and smooth or leave it pretty chunky. Then I tip in some just-cooked pasta (about 1/3 of a box. I like mostly meat in the pasta), steaming straight out of the colander and toss with a bit of the pasta water.
Boulder, UT [New place to eat] Burr Trail Grill
I frequent this part of Southern Utah and have enjoyed many a meal at Hell's Backbone Grill.
But I'm always stoked to know that I've got options, especially in such a small, isolated town. So here's another for anyone in the area: Burr Trail Grill.
The venue itself has been around for a few years, but it's under new ownership with a menu that's more interesting than the I one I tried last season. The food is made-from-scratch and covers some culinary ground without being contrived.
The owners came here by way of Louisville, KY and cool folks, they are. Enjoyed a Kentucky Hot Brown, Chicken Enchiladas, a range of fantastic burgers (especially the Red Rock with guac and pepper jack). Price point is great.
Planning on hitting it up again on my next trip down. Will post again about upcoming meals.
Stupid easy recipes you really love
Sounds weird, but a total nostalgia-saturated dish for me consists of nothing but: Cooked short grain white rice, the scarlet juices from a kim chi jar (napa or "paechu" kim chi in Korean stores), and some butter. Mix the three up and it's like some crazy, spicy-savory, bastardized risotto. That was my comfort food. Of course, you've gotta have the jar of kim chi which I get from time to time at the Korean store. Even saw a jar of it at the supermarket. though, that stuff I would give at least a few weeks in the jar. The funkier the sauce, the better.
Maybe on a more practical note, I have a sweet tooth so two ri-dunk-ulously easy recipes I make often:
1.) Whole raspeberries mixed with maple syrup and cocoa powder. Put the berries (about a cup per person) into a bowl (you can use frozen, they'll lose shape, but you'll have more juice) sprinkle about a teaspoon of cocoa powder (I'm Mac Daddying it out with Valrhona) and a tablespoon or so of maple syrup. The real stuff. Stir it round and it's pretty nice over ice cream, Greek yogurt, ricotta cheese, or by its lonesome.
2.) Chocolate crostini.
The key here is using a chocolate bar that's the right thickness. Typically, I find that Bernard Castelain and the new Valrhona bars are perfect. You need a warm oven, not a hot one. So if you have the oven on, great, if not turn it up to 250 and when it reaches temp, turn it off.
On a baking sheet, line with baguette slices. Top with a square of dark chocolate. Stick the sheet in the oven just until the chocolate is glossy and holding it's shape, not melting all over the place. Then remove the sheet from the oven. Immediately, lightly drizzle your best bottle of extra-virgin olive oil over each crostini and sprinkle each with coarse sea salt.
Sounds odd, but by god, it satisfies. A link to it below.
http://shecraves.typepad.com/my_weblog/2005/11/chocolate_crost.html
Cleaning fish - tips appreciated
I agree with those who say to not bother filleting anything less than 1 1/2 to 2 pounds. I have a fondness for whole fish and these little guys are great. Gut first, obviously. Otherwise, you'll have all that dank bacteria mucking about with the precious flesh.
The gizzards (guts and such) are usually pretty easy to pull out. You can make an incision on the belly side, reach with in your index and middle fingers and pull out the organs which usually are in one big membrane. You can even slide the belly on down and wash the cavity out completely.
I scale with a spoon or the blunt side of the chef's knife, with the fish in the sink under running water. If they're frozen or super cold, I do what my madre did -- scaling right onto a double layer of newspaper.
If filleting is still your thing, I suggest a thin, flexible and super sharp filleting knife. I got a pretty decent one at the Asian store for less than a brand at Sur La Table (even with my pro discount).
Good luck!
NY foodies looking for good food in Salt Lake City!
Second Red Iguana, Mazza, Settebello, Squatters, Wasatch and the Bayou.
Crown Burger I personally love, but it seems polarize people. I recommend it if you've never ad a pastrami burger. I like it after a day of hiking, or in your case, skiing.
Rodizio I find to be mediocre at best for food and actually more expensive than it should be. There are better places to cut a meat around here.
Red Rock's food and service is okay. last two times i went were a little patience stretching. Acme Burger really hasn't been the same since they changed chefs.
Genuine UT atmosphere? As in pioneer? mormon? My two cents: forego these places. They have kitsch value, sure. But for the love of God, I could not genuinely recommend Chuck of Maddox to anyone visiting. They're institutions, yes. But the kind that Grandma went to.
If you want UT atmosphere you want someplace casual, laid back and that attracts our numerous outdoorsy set. Given you're staying in Holladay and hitting hte slopes, check out Lone Star Taqueria. Fish tacos, rocking. Shrimp burrito...soooo bloody good. Mexican beer, too.
If you want sushi downtown, I agree with everyone else about Takashi. Go early or go late as it gets packed in between. If you are few in your party, sit at the bar. Better service and you get your food more quickly. I recommend sitting either Takashi Gibo's (the owner) or Tommy Nguyen's section. Really nice guys, excellent skills.
If you need something sweetish (I'm so sick of folks labeling us as the land of sweet -- most of middle of America has a large mid section b/c of cheap, bad sugar obsessions) on the sophisticated side, check out Tulie Bakery or Les Madeleines. Tulie tries emulate the bakeries in Portland and SF (most notably Pearl and Tartine, respectively) with good viennoiserie, savory items and panini. Modern spare look to it.
Les Madeleines does the cupcake thing, but really they're known more for their fab croissants, pain au chocolat, French macaroons (I'd put them up against Bouchon's any day; they do coconut ones Americans are more familiar with, too). They have nice lunches, too. They make their own pommes frits. They have a sesame c hicken salad wrap (in Vietnamese rice paper) a BLT with wild boar bacon and an open-faced poached egg, serrano, manchego cheese thing.
Visiting Ogden Utah
Can't say I would recommend Roosters, Union Grill or Maddox. Slim pickings in Ogden, sorry to say. One place though that hasn't been bad is a little Japanese place called Temari. They have weird hours, open for lunch and dinner.
Good udon and tempura. Sushi is homestyle, so don't expect something from a sushi bar. But I read about their specialty which is grilled mackerel filet. Pretty good stuff. No booze list.
Las Vegas must-do
Spending one night in Las Vegas and looking for an ultimate dining experience on the strip. We expect to pay a pretty penny. Any place known for their desserts/pastries as well? Traveling with pastry chefs -- we need inspiration!
Thanks,
Vanessa
Lake Tahoe eats?
Tahoe on the way to our final destination in California. Then hitting Reno on the trip back. So recs for both areas would be fantastic.
All three meals actually. A VERY drawn out trip.
Live Oak, CA?
Going to a wedding in Live Oak (north of Sacramento, by Yuba City).
Badly need recs for places to eat (anything goes) for a group of foodies who don't know what to do with themselves for five days.
Lake Tahoe eats?
On a mega road trip, passing through Reno/Tahoe. Any suggestions on what's worth a stop on our way to Sacramento?
Food blogs about SLC? [moved from Not About Food]
this is way after the fact but...
fyi, neither authors of kalyn's kitchen nor she craves are mormons.
Visiting Hound Seeks Good Cheap Eats
Three folks. One night in San Francisco. We have a car, but of course, we'd rather keep it street level with our feet.
We're seeking good a good cheap eats crawl. Would like everyone's take on what's good and worth exploring.
Any neighborhoods. Any cuisine. Bring it on! The more diverse, the better.
