280 Ninth's Profile
Graffiti - East Village - quick review
Thanks for the reco, iaba. Just checked the menu, which appears nicely eclectic....think I'll give it a shot, myself!
Leg of lamb-- best way?
dimsumgirl, forgive me for not having replied earlier, but I was, well, preparing the lamb yesterday after posting. Mine was an 8 lb. bone-in leg. I've done leg of lamb only several times, but I prefer bone-in to boneless since it provides flavor from the marrow and better moisture. With this leg, I prepared a dry marinade of salt and fresh rosemary, and studded the meat with garlic, done on Wednesday for a Saturday meal. Just wrapped it in plastic and kept it in the refrigerator. Took it out, brought it to room temperature, and created a marinade with dijon mustard, olive oil, rosemary, sage, and parsley, and baked it at 350F for just under 2 hours. I chopped onion, carrot, and celery to place under the meat, with some olive oil, and added a little chicken stock (it's what I had on hand). I took out the leg, deglazed the pan with some red wine, added about a cup or a cup and a half more red wine, a cup of veal demiglace, and reduced it.. I strained the vegetables into a pan, and served the reduction with the lamb. I think it turned out well.
Leg of lamb-- best way?
I've got a leg of lamb on my dining room table right now, coming to room temperature before I bake it at 375F, about 15 minutes per pound. Can also do it at 325F for 20 minutes per pound. Can also grill it, of course....depends on what is your particular taste.
MY KINGDOM FOR A PIE PUMPKIN
Just bought two today at Manhattan Fruit Exchange on 15th and 9th.
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Manhattan Fruit Exchange
75 9th Ave, New York, NY 10011
Getting engaged in NYC this winter. Need a cozy restaurant (not too fancy) to go afterwards!
Of the choices on your list, I'd go with Savoy...it's comfortable and has good food/wine without being uber-fussy about itself.
Starting to despair about Thanksgiving dinner for picky family
brighton312, here's an option that might work: Order the mains already cooked from a reputable vendor like Fairway or Whole Foods or some such place, make a few side dishes, and host at home....that way you have the pleasure of the meal without overly much expense or work.
Starting to despair about Thanksgiving dinner for picky family
The price point is perhaps the biggest drawback. I wonder if the places you've identified will offer a sub-$20 menu on T-giving Day? Places like Friend of a Farmer that kathryn mentioned offer T-giving Day dinner at an "all-inclusive" price typically higher than their typical non-holiday menu and over $20 pp. including tax and tip. I'm not sure of viable options beyond ehar has already been mentioned, but be sure to check if the places you consider are restricting their menus for T-giving. Good luck, both with food and with family!
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Friend of a Farmer
77 Irving Place, New York, NY 10003
Thanksgiving - your BEST side dishes
What a lovely outcome (and report!), It really is a terrific starter that I intend to use this T-giving....glad it worked out so well!
In Need of FIsh Heads for Stock
Try the Lobster Place at Chelsea Market....they filet fish all the time and should have some available.
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The Lobster Place
252 Bleecker St, New York, NY 10014
Super Expensive House Brand Cookies at Eataly
Well, my discretionary income for the month (ha, ha...) would be sorely challenged by the purchase of $19 tubs o' cookies of any variety ($19 tubs o' wine is another thing...). If their cookies are anything like the pastry I sampled there about a month ago they will be memorable for the disparity between price and quality...which is to say they probably won't be worth purchasing.
Making chicken broth from bones
bshee et al., my two cents on broth, for what it's worth: First, there's no one way to make a good broth, but I can tell you (as others have) that using bones alone will not provide the kind of taste you desire. You can make a quick broth by placing bones, chicken parts like wings, drums, and backs, and vegetables, along with aromatics like bay leaf and thyme, into a pot of boiling water for an hour or two, and then straining same. Or, you can do a slow-cook method with same. Or, you can roast the chicken parts and vegetables in the oven first and then place the items in a pot and boil, for either a little or a long while. Depends on the kind of broth you're looking for. Fortunately, making broth need not be a high-stakes venture, so worrying about whether to break bones before boiling is troubling details that need not be troubled. I've had good success using the following recipe, and altering it as need be: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Mothers-Broth-234279
I roast the chicken parts and vegetables before simmering, and I let the simmering occur overnight. First thing in the a.m., I strain the solids, and voila, a delicious, rich, and very usable broth.
Thanksgiving - your BEST side dishes
Fortunately, it is great. I live in an apartment building, and I've had neighbors come over to ask what I'm cooking because they can smell the aroma in the hallway...and then there's the taste! Try and enjoy!
Culinary Arts Degree in NYC
From the "if it were me" department: Before I invested in something quite as expensive as a culinary arts education, I'd be sure to find chefs who've been in the business for a while to get the existential "lay of the land" before plunking down the huge chunk-o-change for school. You'll want to know what is the experience and demands of being a chef, the career ladder, what is valued in kitchens and what is not, blah, blah, blah. Be certain that your energy level and passion for the work is there because the grunt work involved will surely test your enjoyment, not to mention the attitudes of certain chefs who are far more fond of themselves then those who work for them. This is all part of doing homework for the test you're giving yourself....by all means, if you love doing the work and think you have the energy and humility to take on a mid-life career change, by all means, go for it!
last minute...
gutsofsteel, how's about Picholine?
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Picholine
35 West 64th St., New York, NY 10023
Thanksgiving - your BEST side dishes
Terrific! With savory dishes like this, exact amounts aren't necessary...glad you enjoyed, and even found a way to alter the recipe to your satisfaction!
Beef cheek?
I'd try Ottomanelli's n Bleecker. I know they sell pork and veal cheek, so I imagine they also sell beef cheek. Or possibly Esposito's on 9th Avenue.
Cheap-ish Birthday Dinner Tomorrow, please help
Try Rocking Horse Cafe, maybe, for Mexican, or Le Zie for Italian, both in Chelsea.
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Le Zie
172 7th Ave, New York, NY 10011
Rocking Horse Cafe
182 8th Ave, New York, NY 10011
Where to eat near Chelsea?
Welcome to nyc. As you dodge the doddering near the Chelsea Star Hotel (not a garden spot, but then, it's only a spot), head southwest to Blossom, a vegan restaurant that will satisfy your collective fussiness.
Favorite restaurants for meals/drinks under $100 for 2?
A shout-out for Le Zie, Italian in Chelsea. Get there early, though, since it fills up quickly and can get loud after 7:30 p.m.
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Le Zie
172 7th Ave, New York, NY 10011
Quiet, private restaurant in Chelsea area
Lots of possibilities, among them Klee Brasserie, Blossom (if you like vegetarian), Trestle on Tenth, Suenos (pan-Latin), La Luncheonette, Gascogne....that should be enough to get yu started.
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Trestle on Tenth
242 Tenth Avenue, New York, NY 10001
Suenos
311 West 17th Street, New York, NY 10011
Fresh, high quality meat in Manhattan?
Welcome to nyc! Having spent time in Paris this summer, strolling rue Montorguiel for example, I have a little inkling of what you're missing! Gosh, I'd miss Monoprix, for that matter!
Fortunately, there are high quality butchers in nyc. In addition to the ones already mentioned, I frequent Ottomanelli's on Bleecker. Doesn't have the same polish and presebtation as in Paris, but you'll get good quality at a reasonable price.
Best of luck! At least in nyc, you can get good coffee easier than Paris!
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Ottomanelli's Cafe
1626 York Ave, New York, NY 10028
Thanksgiving - your BEST side dishes
Without further adieu, here's the swiss chard gratin recipe:
Ingredients:
2 Tbl. butter, softened
2 - 3 Tbl. breadcrumbs
1 Lb. swiss chard
1 Tbl. EVOO
medium shalllot finely chopped
2 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp. salt
pepper
SAUCE:
2 Tbl. unsalted butter
2 Tbl. flour
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 tsp. salt
1 bay leaf
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
2 Tbl. fresh oregano
2 tsp. fresh thyme
1/2 cup Gruyere cheese
TOPPING:
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup Gruyere cheese
1. Prepare the dish: Coat the interior of a 1 1/2 qt. gratin dish with the softened butter. Spoon in the bread crumbs and tilt the dish until they adhere to the buttered surface. Preheat oven to 400 deg. F.
2. Chard: Slice the chard stems and leaves with ribs attached into 1 1/2 inch pieces. Wash in a colander but don't dry. Heat olive oil in 6 qt. dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add shallot and garlic and cook, stirring constantly until softened but not browned, about one minute. Add chard, sprinkle with salt, and cover tightly. Let chard steam for 2 -3 minutes, until abt. 1/2 its original volume. Remove lid and stir, until water is evaporated, 3 - 5 minutes. Season with pepper and set aside.
Sauce: Melt butter in small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the fliour and mix until mixture bubbles up and turns lighter in color, about one minute. Pour in cold milk all at once and whisk vigorously. Add the salt and the bay leaf and continue to whisk until it comes to a boil and thickens. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 2 minutes. Stir in oregano, thyme, and cheese. Remove and discard bay leaf.
Combining and baking: Stir the sauce into the swiss chard in the large pot. Taste and add salt or pepper as necessary. Sprinkle bread crumbs and cheese evenly over the top. At this point you can cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for up to 1 day. Bake the gratin until it bubbles over the entire surface and the top is browned, 25 - 35 minutes. If you wish, you can finish in the broiler for the last minute or two. Serve hot.
OMG!
Suggestions for Restaurant - Birthday Dinner Group Dinning
"Fun" and what price range....?
Thanksgiving - your BEST side dishes
I'm at work now (shh....) but will post when I'm at home with the cookbook. Absolutely awe-inspiring bisque is all I can say. All you can hear at the table are the sounds of slurping and moaning from the greatness of the flavors.
Thanksgiving - your BEST side dishes
Congratulations on getting help with the cooking!
I make two things that generate the greatest oohs and aahs (and disappear promptly), one being a pumpkin shrimp bisque and the other a swiss chard gratin, both of which appear as recipes in a terrific cookbook, The Herbfarm Cookbook by Jerry Traunfeld. They are not simple preparations, insofar as they require a number of steps, but they are unquestionably delicious. If you'd like, I can post the recipes.
Crepes for Brunch?
Le Grainne on 9th and 21st serves good, comparatively inexpensive crepes, as well.
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Le Grainne
183 9th Ave, New York, NY 10011
looking for good braised pig's cheeks or veal cheeks recipes
I've read some very simple preparations for these, but I'm looking for some diversity in their preparation, hence the query to one-and-all. A dinner of braised pig's cheeks that I enjoyed last year in Italy will stand as one of my all-time favorite meals, and while I do not expect to duplicate the sublime character of that experience, I think there's still a good chance of making something special. Any recs, anyone?
In and around Soho---interested in any good neighborhood spots for dinner/lunch
Savoy Restaurant is a good dinner choice, I think.
For next week- Eleven Madison Park or Del Posto- Birthday dinner
Were it merely a matter of which I would personally prefer, it'd be EMP, but I think you need to take into account things like preference for cuisine, service, and ambience.
looking to buy PIG CHEEKS in nyc area
Interesting. One year ago I went to Esposito's and asked and the butcher said they didn't,so this is new (and good) news.
Also I can confirm that Ottomanelli's on Bleecker carries both fresh pig's ($6/lb.) and veal cheeks ($11/lb.).
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Ottomanelli's Cafe
1626 York Ave, New York, NY 10028
