Charlestown Culinary

Let Them Eat Cupcakes

2009-07-12T22:46:00.008-04:00

Cambridge’s Bastille Day celebration proved to have better food than the typical street festival. At this event - hot dogs, cotton candy and fried dough were replaced with Crème Brûlée, Macaroons, Paninis and pastries - served up by local french bistros and cafés. Although Holyoke Street would have by no means passed for the Champs-Élysées, its lively music and great food visibly made many local Parisans proud.
Sweet – Improper Bostonian’s 2009 winner of the Boston’s Best Cupcakes sold creamy Madagascar Vanilla Bean and Dark Chocolate cupcakes topped with butter cream frosting and decorated on-theme with red, white and blue sprinkles. Chez Henri took street food to the next level, with their version of vanilla bean Crème Brûlée - with sugar crusts being burnt to order. The dessert was the perfect combination of rich and creamy, with a thin and crunchy crust.

French or not - Bastille Day (July 14) is the perfect excuse to make your own Crème Brûlée. I am posting a copy of my favorite recipe to make at home. This recipe replaces the typical vanilla bean with fresh ginger, and is paired with a warm fruit compote. Bon appetit!!

Alfred Portale’s Ginger Crème Brûlée with Warm Plum and Raspberry Compote

2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh ginger
6 large egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
4 6-ounce ramekins

Position a rack in the center of the over and preheat to 325 F. Place the ramekins in a large baking pan. In a medium saucepan, bring the cream and ginger to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce the heat to very low and simmer gently for 30 minutes.

In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar. Gradually whisk in the cream. Strain through a wire sieve into a bowl, and discard the ginger. Place the baking dish with the ramekins in the oven, and carefully ladle or pour the mixture into the ramekins. Using a teaspoon, skim off any foam on the surface of the custards.

Pour enough hot water into the baking pan to come ½ inch up the side of the ramekins. Bake until the custard sets firm (the centers will be slightly loose), 40 to 50 minutes. Remove from the water bath and cool completely. Cover each Ramekin with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Warm Plum and Raspberry Compote

2 tablespoons butter
3 ripe dark-skinned black plums, pitted and cut into sixths
2-3 tablespoons sugar, depending on the sweetness of the plums
¼ cup fresh orange juice
½ pint fresh raspberries

In a medium saucepan, heat the butter over medium-low heat. Add the plums and sugar. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the plums begin to release their juices, 3-4 minutes. Add the orange juice and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook until the orange juice is slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and fold in the raspberries.

To serve:

2 tablespoons brown sugar

Position a broiler rack about 6 inches from the source of heat and preheat the broiler. Rub the brown sugar through a wire sieve to cover each custard with a dusting of sugar. Put the ramekins on a baking sheet and broil, watching carefully to avoid scorching, until the brown sugar has caramelized, 1-2 minutes. On a large plate, place a Crème Brûlée and a small dish of the compote.

Eat Fresh, Buy Local

2009-07-01T22:46:00.013-04:00

On Saturday June 20, Mr. Charlestown Culinary and I made a day trip down to Westport Rivers Winery for the Taste of Westport, an event to support local farming initiatives. At the event, Mr. Charlestown Culinary and I enjoyed a variety of food and beverages provided by local restaurants, caterers, farmers, breweries and wineries – while listening to a local blue grass band.

Here are some of the highlights of the event:

Starfish Bakery's Cupcakes

Starfish's chocolate cupcakes were rich and moist, with a delicious buttercream frosting. Mr. Charlestown Culinary and I were so impressed with the little treats that we left the event with a purchased blueberry pie. (Which was sooo good it was devoured before any photos could be taken!!)

Shy Brothers Farm's Lavender Bud Hannahbell Cheese

Shy Brother's Farm shared a variety of their thimble-size artisan cheeses in 4 different flavors: Classic French, Lavender Bud, Rosemary and Shallot. All four flavors were creamy and delicious. My favorite was the Lavender Bud! Travessia Urban Winery Unoaked Chardonnay

Travessia sampled three varieties of wine: Rosé, Unoaked Chardonnay and Vidal Blanc. My favorite was their Unoaked Chardonnay, which was very reminiscent of Chablis – my favorite white wine. Coming in close second was their Rosé – one of my favorite wine varieties for the summer.
Hope Amber Ale

New to East Coast beer scene is Hope Ales (so new their beers are not yet available in stores), which sampled three beers: Prudence American Wheat, Hope Amber Ale and Patience Condensation Ale. Typically I am not a fan of darker beers, but their Amber Ale was terrific – refreshing with a hint of sweetness. We are looking forward to seeing it in stores in July!

A Berry Merry Birthday

2009-06-29T19:09:00.015-04:00

In my culinary mind, a 'momentous birthday' deserves more than the typical layer cake. With Mitti - the birthday girl in-mind, I decided to go to a recipe from Gourmet magazine that combines summer’s ripe berries, zesty candied ginger and puff pastry. The combination is fresh, sweet and a little spicy…hmmm…the birthday girl 'to a T'!

NOTE: This patriotic-looking summer dessert would also be a great treat for the 4th of July.

Charlestown Culinary's Berry Tart with Ginger Lemon Cream (Based on recipe from Gourmet)

1 large egg yolk
2 (17 1/4-oz) packages frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed
8 ounces neufchâtel cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Zest of 1 lemon
1/2 cup crystallized ginger, chopped finely

2 tablespoons water

1/4 cup seedless raspberry jelly

1 pint strawberries, halved
1 pint blueberries

1/2 pint red raspberries

Whisk egg yolk in a small bowl with a fork. Cover a chilled cookie sheet with parchment paper. Unfold the pastry dough, covering the cookie sheet. Prick the entire surface evenly with a fork. With the remaining dough, cut 1-inch-wide strips and place them along the border of the pastry (border should be two layers thick). Chill dough in freezer for 10 minutes. Remove dough from freezer. Make 1/4-inch-long vertical cuts through double layers of edge about 1/2 inch apart (to help sides rise evenly).

Bake dough in an oven at 450° until puffed and deep golden brown, about 15 minutes. Allow pastry to cool completely. In the meantime, blend the neufchâtel cheese, vanilla, zest and sugar in a food processor until smooth. Add ginger and pulse until finely chopped and mixture is combined well.

In a small bowl, microwave jelly with water for 60 seconds. Toss strawberries and blueberries in mixture. On the cooled pastry, spread the ginger cream. On the cream, arrange the berries in a decorative pattern. Serve within 3 hours.

Summer, Summer, Summertime

2009-06-22T20:04:00.011-04:00

'Time to sit back and unwind...'

I don't think Will Smith had a dreary and drizzling 60 degree day in mind when he wrote that song. But weather be damned, Mr. Charlestown Culinary and I were not going to be deterred. Despite the lack of sun, sand and waves – we blasted some tunes (alas no Will though) and fired up the grill for our first official summer meal.

For our dinner, we kept the meal simple - grilled vegetables, corn on the cob and steaks. For the meal I relied on my favorite trio of olive oil, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Grilled Peppers, Zucchini, Yellow Squash and Onions

Grilled Corn

Charlestown Culinary's Grilled Corn
4 ears of corn, husked
3 tablespoons of olive oil
Sea salt
Freshly ground pepper

Bring 3 cups of water to a boil in a large pot. Add the corn and cover. Turn heat down to medium and steam for about 5 minutes.

Remove corn from heat, coat with olive oil, salt and pepper. Place corn on the grill, over medium heat, turning frequently until evenly charred.

NOTE: If you do not turn the corn every minute or so, you will end up with popcorn.

Grilled Filet Mignon Steaks

‘…There’s an air of love and of happiness
And this is the Fresh Prince’s new definition of summer madness.’

Happy B-anniversary!!

2009-05-27T23:06:00.007-04:00

On Saturday night, Mr. Charlestown Culinary and I celebrated 2 momentous occasions: His parent's 39th wedding anniversary and his father's birthday. I would love to say I made the celebratory cake we had that night, but alas we purchased it from Konditor Meister in Braintree, MA. I don't think anyone minded though...

Vanilla cake soaked with Grand Marnier, with white chocolate mousse and fresh strawberry filling, butter cream frosting and chocolate covered strawberries

Feeling Crabby?

2009-05-17T21:35:00.006-04:00

I WAS. The weather was reminiscent of a late fall day – rainy and chilly. My latest golf game was miserable (‘I spent more time on the sand than David Hasselhoff’), the living room was waiting to be vacuumed and I had a big pile of shirts waiting to be ironed.

Fortunately for me AND Mr. Charlestown Culinary, there was a cure. And of course this cure involved food! With three key ingredients - golden ripe champagne mangoes, a tub of fresh crab meat and a mint bush growing on the fire escape – I was able to turn my blues around with a vibrant dinner of ginger crab cakes with a mango mojito salad. Now if only I could figure out a recipe to improve my golf game...

Charlestown Culinary’s Mango Mojito Salad

2 ripe champagne mangoes, diced
½ lime, juiced
¼ cup red onion, diced
¼ cup cucumber, diced
10 mint leaves, shredded
Red pepper flakes
Sea salt

In a large bowl, combine mangoes, lime juice, red onion, cucumber and mint leaves. Stir well. Add red peppers flakes and salt, to taste. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature at least one hour before serving.

HINT: Check out this link, for great instructions on how to dice a mango.

Charlestown Culinary’s Ginger Crab Cakes

8 ounces cooked crab meat (for best results DO NOT use canned)
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated
1/3 cup panko crumbs
¼ cup mayonnaise
½ lime, juiced
½ teaspoon lime zest
Chipotle Tabasco sauce, to taste
Sea salt, to taste
Freshly ground pepper, to taste

In a large bowl, combine crab, ginger, panko, mayonnaise, lime juice and lime zest. Mix gently. Add remaining ingredients to taste and mix gently. Dived crab mixture into four equal portions. Using a ramekin or round cookie cutter, form crab mixture into round cakes, and place on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper. Bake in a preheated 400°F oven until crab cakes are golden brown, about 25 minutes. For best results, flip over crab cakes halfway through cooking.

Kiss Me, I’m Portuguese

2009-05-14T20:43:00.004-04:00

I am sure you have heard of kissing the Irish – but the Portuguese? The next time you visit Cape Cod, head to the Portuguese Bakery in Provincetown and you will see why. Here you can buy freshly fried malasadas – the Portuguese version of fried dough.Don't let the grease-stained bag scare you off. Just think of it this way – the more the bag soaks in – the less you are consuming. HINT: Buy an extra while you are there, the eggy fried dough tastes great the next morning cold with a hot cup of coffee.

P.S. They also pair perfectly with a trip to the gym!

The Secret Ingredient is PEPPERS

2009-05-08T16:52:00.007-04:00

It’s been over a week since the last time Mr. Charlestown Culinary and I stepped foot into a grocery store, and our refrigerator showed it. Its highlights included 4 different kinds of salsa, a bag of carrots, 2 green peppers, a couple stalks of celery and various other vegetables leftovers. In an impromptu Iron Chef moment, I decided to make couscous and vegetable stuffed peppers. I served these with a warm loaf of French bread and salad.

Charlestown Culinary's Couscous Stuffed Peppers

4 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup Israeli couscous
2 large bell peppers, top cut off and diced, membrane removed
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 stalks of celery, diced
1 carrot, diced
½ yellow squash, diced
½ onion, diced
Fresh thyme
Sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
Chipotle Tabasco sauce, to taste

In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add couscous and stir until lightly toasted, about 3 minutes. Add 2 1/4 cups of water and cover. Once water boils, turn heat to low and cook until completely dissolved. Scoop couscous into a large bowl and set aside. Rinse the same pot and add about 2 inches of water. Place whole peppers in pot, cover and steam for about 7 minutes.
In a large skillet, heat remaining olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic, and saute for about 10 seconds. Add remaining vegetables and saute until soft. Salt and pepper to taste.
Add vegetables and cheese to couscous. Add salt, pepper and Tabasco sauce to taste. Fill the drained peppers with the couscous mixture and bake in a preheated 350°F oven for about 15 minutes.

Cinco de Mayo-MY!!

2009-05-05T20:50:00.011-04:00

If only Tuesday night dinners always came out THIS GOOD! I think it helped that I had great inspiration - Cinco de Mayo and a golden ripe champagne mango. With this, I made chicken fajitas with onions, peppers and a spicy mango salsa.

Charlestown Culinary’s Chipotle Mango Salsa

1 champagne mango, diced
½ red pepper, diced
½ cucumber, diced
½ red onion, diced
1 chipolte pepper, diced
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Pinch salt

Combine ingredients in a bowl. Let sit at least 30 minutes before serving.

Charlestown Culinary’s Chicken Fajitas

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound chicken tenders, cut into strips
1 green pepper, sliced thickly
½ onion, sliced thickly
1 tablespoon grill seasoning
Half cup water

Heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken, peppers and onion, stir until well coated. Add remaining ingredients and turn heat down to medium. Stirring occasionally, cook about 10 minutes until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender.

To assemble the fajitas, I warmed a tortilla in a hot skillet. To the tortilla, I added a generous spoonful of chicken, peppers and onions. I then topped this with a spoonful of the mango salsa and a dollop of sour cream. Mr. Charlestown Culinary (my most interesting man!) and I enjoyed this meal with a cold Dos Equis. ¡Buen provecho!

Does Your Stimulus Package include Filet Mignon?

2009-05-02T21:05:00.008-04:00

Nowadays it seems everywhere you look, some sort of stimulus package is being offered. The government has one, your favorite restaurant probably has one – but did you know that butchers have them too? Why YES – that is what Mr. Charlestown Culinary and I found out two weeks ago when we stopped at the Hilltop Butcher Shop in Weymouth, MA.
Fortunate for us, our timing was impeccable. Walking into the refrigerated ‘room of meat’, we stumbled upon a sign advertising Filet Mignon at $4.99/pound. We were even more lucky when one of the butchers rolled out a cart with freshly cut filets and handed us the best looking of the bunch.
That night we seasoned those steaks with Hilltop’s blend of salt and spices and cooked them to a perfect medium rare. With these steaks, we had grilled vegetables, mashed potatoes and a chilled rose wine. It was a perfect start to the grilling season.
Note: Hilltop publishes their weekly specials on its website every Wednesday. (This week's specials include beef tenderloin for $3.99/pound!)

La Cucina Italiana

2009-04-14T22:00:00.026-04:00

Imagine walking into a restaurant with a warm Tuscan feel, wood-fired oven, background conversations in Italian and Executive Chef Marisa Iocco in the kitchen. I am sure you are thinking you are in Boston’s North End. Now - what if I told you that you were able to park out front and on the way to the front door you walked past a large stone patio with outdoor seating? Perhaps that is when you would realize that you were envisioning Needham’s newly re-opened Spiga Trattoria Italiana.

Spiga's wood-fired oven, visible to diners in the restaurant's open kitchen

Through a friend, I had an opportunity to visit Spiga the night before their grand re-opening. It was then that Nick (General Manager) and Carmelo (Owner) walked me through the restaurant's face-lift and Chef Iocco’s exciting new lunch and dinner menus. This made it very easy for me to imagine sitting down to a four course meal paired with a nice bottle of wine. My vision included the following:

Antipasti: Carpacchio of prosciutto and bresaola with arugola, parmigiano and lemon cream
Primi: Parmigiana of eggplant with crispy pasta sails, tomato and fresh mint condiment
Secondi: Sesame crusted trout with striped beets, fresh poblano pepper, kiwi insalata, rice and zenzero vinegar reduction
Dolci: Chocolate trilogy of chocolate budino, gianduia gelato and truffle bacio

Parmigiana of eggplant with crispy pasta sails, tomato and fresh mint condiment

After visualizing my future dining experience, I perched myself at the bar, where I had a front-row seat to watch the extremely energetic Jose train the front-of-the-house lunch staff. As I looked on, he demonstrated everything from the proper technique for frothing milk for a cappuccino, to the importance of maintaining a clean bar area, to his expectations for the reaction to dropped silverware. I could tell that his audience of trainees, (like myself) was soaking up every word he was saying.

A trainee's cappuccino, made under Jose's watchful eye

Having lived in the North End prior to moving to Charlestown, fortunately, this is not the first time I have walked into one of Chef Iocco’s restaurants. Bricco and Mare were favorite dinner locations for authentic pasta and fresh seafood. When I worked downtown, Umbria was a favorite lunch-time meeting place. With these dining memories – and the experience I had last night, how could I not be looking forward to going back for my four course meal?

‘Uno non può pensare bene, amare bene, dormire bene, se non ha mangiato bene.’ ~ Virginia Wolf

Rascally Rabbit

2009-04-13T21:36:00.013-04:00

Unfortunately, the Easter Bunny did not visit Mr. Charlestown Culinary and I on Sunday morning. SO-- we tried to lure him to our home with a dinner menu that we thought no bunny could resist:

Golden Beet Salad
Carrot Risotto
Lemon Roasted Chicken with Mushrooms
Hazelnut Lemon Meringue Tart

All dishes were made from scratch with my own recipes. But-none-the-less, that chocolate-carrying bunny was a no-show. If he only knew what he missed... Charlestown Culinary’s Golden Beet Salad

8 small golden beets, remove and reserve greens
1 orange
¼ shallot, finely chopped
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh chives
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste

Rinse and dry beets. In bunches of 4, wrap beets in foil. Roast in 425°F oven for 45 minutes. Meanwhile, peel and segment 1 orange, squeezing excess juice into a bowl. To the orange juice add the shallots, mustard, lemon juice, olive oil, chives, salt and pepper. Removed roasted beets from oven, cool, peel and quarter. Toss beets with orange segments and vinaigrette. Plate on beet leaves. Charlestown Culinary’s Carrot Risotto

3 cups carrots, peeled and diced
4 tablespoons olive oil
¾ shallot, finely chopped
½ onion, diced
1 ¼ cup arborio rice
1 cup white wine
6 cups chicken stock
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon chives, chopped

In a 10 inch sauté pan add chopped carrots and 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add water until carrots are just covered. Cook until all water is reduced and carrots start to caramelize, remove from heat. In a blender, puree 1 cup of carrots with ½ cup hot water. Set remaining carrots aside. In the meantime, bring chicken stock to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer.

In the same pan used for the carrots, heat the remaining olive oil and sauté shallots and onions until soft. Add rice and stir until translucent. Add wine and stir until evaporated. Add carrot puree and 1 cup of stock. Stir until evaporated. Repeat process, stirring a cup of stock at a time. Towards the end of cooking, add the caramelized carrots, salt and pepper. Garnish with the chives.
Charlestown Culinary’s Lemon Roasted Chicken with Mushrooms

4 chicken drumsticks
Juice of 1 lemon
1 cup vermouth
8 ounces baby bella mushrooms, halved
1 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon corn starch
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon chives, chopped

Combine first 3 ingredients and marinade for at least 4 hours. Combine chicken and marinade with mushrooms, and bake at 350°F for about 40 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and carefully pour the lemon, mushroom sauce into a pan over medium heat. Turn oven up to 450°F and continue baking chicken until skin is crispy. Meanwhile, add chicken stock and corn starch to sauce and whisk until smooth and thickened. Season with salt and pepper. To serve, pour sauce over chicken. Garnish with the chives.
Charlestown Culinary’s Hazelnut Lemon Meringue Tart

½ cup hazelnuts, toasted, peeled and finely ground
¾ cup whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 pinch salt
2 tablespoons cold water
1 cup sugar
¼ cup corn starch
¾ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
½ cup cold water
4 eggs, separated
½ teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons sugar

For the crust, combine the ground hazelnuts, flour, brown sugar, olive oil, salt and water. Press into a deep 8 inch tart plan. Bake tart crust in a 425°F oven until golden, about 15 minutes. Remove crust and cool.

For the lemon filling, over medium heat, combine sugar, corn starch, lemon juice and water. Whisk in yolks, 1 at a time. Continue whisking until lemon mixture comes to boil. Pour thickened lemon mixture into the cooled tart crust.

For meringue topping, beat egg white with cream of tartar and vanilla until soft peaks form. Slowly add sugar and continue beating until shiny, stiff peaks form. Cover lemon mixture with meringue topping. Bake tart crust in a 325°F until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Ménage à Trois

2009-04-05T21:05:00.009-04:00

Who knew the suburbs were so exciting? On Saturday night I joined 2 girlfriends at Bon Vivant, a wine shop located in Randolph, MA that was celebrating their first anniversary with a Spring Fling Grand Tasting. The tasting featured over 25 varieties of wine, beer and port. With them were passed hors d'oeuvres and a cheese selection that included an addictive cranberry cinnamon Chevre. Amongst the selections at the tasting, were three that scored very highly with our group:

1. Jockey Club Reserve Porto: A spicy tawny port that paired very well with the cranberry goat cheese.
2. Lindemans Framboise: A sweet Belgian beer fermented with raspberries.
3. Ménage à Trois Red: A fruity wine made from a mix of Cabernet, Merlot and Zinfandel that is very reminiscent of a French Beaujolais.

Interested in checking out Bon Vivant, our selections and other great wines? Fortunately, they hold weekly tastings on Thursday nights between 5 and 7. À votre santé!

When Life Gives You Lemons...

2009-04-02T20:25:00.009-04:00

...make lemon chicken.

As described in my post The Boston Dollar Menu, a trip to Haymarket on Saturday yielded a bounty of lemons and sweet peppers for under $4. These ingredients were used to liven up a comfort meal of roasted chicken and rigatoni. Charlestown Culinary's recipe for Lemon Roasted Chicken

3 split chicken breasts (with bones and skin)
6 lemons (4 juiced, 2 thinly sliced)
Sea salt
Pepper

Marinade the split chicken breasts in the juice of 4 lemons for at least 4 hours. After patting dry with a paper towel, season the chicken with salt and pepper. Layer the lemon slices on a roasting rack and place chicken on rack, skin-side up. Roast chicken in oven at 425°F for about 40 minutes.
I served the chicken over rigatoni that I tossed with a mixture of roasted peppers, garlic, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper and fresh thyme.

The Boston Dollar Menu

2009-03-30T21:03:00.015-04:00

Sure it has its share of expensive parking, high-end restaurants and pricey theater shows, but not everything in Boston will leave your wallet empty. On any given Friday and Saturday throughout the year, wander over to Haymarket and you will be amazed at what a dollar will get you. An open-air market located between the North End and Fanueil Hall, Haymarket is where $1 will get you everything from 5 apples, to 3 avocados, to 2 melons, to 5 pounds of potatoes -- it is a mecca for the produce and seafood-wanting bargain shopper.

This past weekend, Mr. Charlestown Culinary and I walked the Freedom Trail from Charlestown over to Haymarket. 20 minutes and $3.50 later, we left with 5 dozen sweet peppers, 4 bunches of scallions, 5 lemons and a bunch of spring asparagus (recipes to follow in future posts). With the photos below (taken by Mr. Charlestown Culinary) are some hints for visiting and surviving Haymarket.

Hint 1: Do not buy anything before walking the entire market. Quality and prices can vary significantly by stall. Also, stalls on the outskirts tend to be priced higher. Hint 2: Unless you want to be yelled at by an Italian man 3 times your size or refused a sale, do not pick up the produce. Being allowed to pick out the exact 5 oranges is a privilege that you can enjoy at the supermarket or your local farmer's market. But NOT at Haymarket.Hint 3: Be prepared to eat your purchases within a couple of days, trim them or flat out throw them away. The produce at Haymarket comes from wholesalers clearing their inventories for their next delivery. Often times produce is at or near peak. This is perfect for making a large fruit salad for under $10, roasting vegetables or making large vats of stock. This is not good for the strawberry shortcake you want to make on the following Thursday.Hint 4: For the best selection, go early on Fridays. For the best prices, go after 2 on Saturdays. Hours vary with the weather and supplies, but tend to be between 7am and 3pm.

'Chef's Table' at Olives

2009-03-28T10:55:00.021-04:00

On Friday night Mr. Charlestown Culinary and I decided to join the tail end of Boston Restaurant Week and ended up at Olives in Charlestown, sans reservation. When we showed up, the restaurant was fully booked. Although after a little back and forth whispering, we decided to stay – we figured we could always elbow for a meal at the bar or have a drink and go someplace else for dinner. We were not expecting that the hostess would come over to us shortly to offer us the two best seats in the house – the 'Chef’s Table' .

At Olives, the 'Chef’s Table' is two seats at a counter that directly look into the kitchen. On the backside of the pasta station, these seats gave us a birds-eye view of Bobby making order after order of Sweet Pea Angnolotti, the new girl making countless orders of Seared Scallops (with Chef Joe Brenner very close by her side), and the rest of the action on the line.

After conversing with the line on their favorites, Mr. Charlestown Culinary started with the Beef Carpaccio (pictured below), which was served over a gorgonzola potato cake and mixed greens, topped with scallion aioli, balsamic drizzle, onions and shaved Parmesan cheese. My choice of the Sweet Pea Angnolotti was driven by being able to watch Bobby make my dish directly in front of me. For this dish, he cooked the stuffed fresh pasta in a butter broth, plated it on a Fontina cheese fondue, topped it with sauteed fava beans, peas and asparagus, then finished the dish with greens dressed in olive oil.
For our entrees, Mr. Charlestown Culinary chose the Wood Grilled Bass. The fish was served on horseradish whipped potatoes and finished with bacon, fennel, green beans and a lobster salad. From recommendation of the kitchen, I had the Seared Sea Scallops (pictured below), which were served with a spinach pesto cous cous, bacon, tomato-based sofrito and smoked paprika.

While we ate, Chef Brenner came over periodically to talk about everything from spring onions (‘Spring means no more turnips and carrots!’) to NCAA picks (sorry Chef about Gonzaga…) to Gordon Ramsay's show Hells Kitchen (completely staged) to Todd English’s visit to the Charlestown location (always visits the kitchen first) to the ribs on my blog (better than Red Bones). Mr. Charlestown Culinary and I couldn’t get enough. When our dessert was delivered (a flourless chocolate cake served with mango and sour cherry sauces), we were both slightly disappointed that our meal was coming to an end. Fortunately though, our server and the kitchen encouraged us to stay, which we did until the kitchen closed.

Iron Chef Charlestown

2009-03-26T20:50:00.007-04:00

Disappointed with the quality of produce at the local grocery store, Mr. Charlestown Culinary and I decided to try Boston Organics, a Charlestown company that specializes in weekly deliveries of organic fruits and vegetables to your door. The concept of the company is simple: pick the size of your delivery, select the ratio of fruit to vegetables you want, pay the fee, wait for your box to arrive, then determine how you are going to use your produce bounty.

One of the items we received in our first delivery was an eggplant. Lacking some of the key ingredients for caponata, my favorite eggplant dish (the challenge of this method of shopping), I decided to make rolled eggplant. NOTE: For this recipe, I made my own tomato sauce, although jarred sauce would work as well.
Charlestown Culinary's recipe for Rolled Eggplant

1 eggplant, sliced lengthwise
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt
Pepper
2 cups ricotta cheese
1 egg
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
3 cups tomato sauce
Parmesan cheese

Salt eggplant slices and let sit for 30 minutes. Rinse slices under cold water and dry with a paper towel. Brush slices with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Bake in the oven at 425°F for 20 minutes, turning over halfway through. While cooking, mix the cheese, egg and spices in a bowl.

In a baking dish, spread one cup of tomato sauce. Spoon a generous amount of cheese onto the eggplant slices and roll up. Place rolls a dish and cover with remaining sauce. Cover and bake at 350°F for 30 minutes. Finish with Parmesan cheese and serve with crusty bread.

MEAT me in St. Louis

2009-03-22T18:05:00.014-04:00

Other than braising short ribs, I admit I was always scared of making ribs at home. From the way I saw it, I had three strikes against me:

Strike 1: I do not own a smoker (Trade-off for living in the city with no back yard)
Strike 2: I do not own a grill (See above trade-off)
Strike 3: Raised in Massachusetts, I am a card-carrying Yankee (Not to be confused of course with a NY Yankees fan!)

In the grocery store on Saturday I saw hickory smoking bags that were meant for the oven. Right next to them was a case with thick St. Louis style ribs. It was enough to give me a confidence boost. I started thinking - maybe a Charlestown Yankee can make ribs??? Fortunately, Mr. Charlestown Culinary, who thinks with his stomach, was quick to add the extra encouragement I needed.
I started my ribs adventure by trimming off the excess fat and pulling the membrane off of the backside of the ribs. Thanks to some hints from youtube, this was fairly simple. I then rubbed the ribs with a dry rub that I made out of a combination of sea salt, black pepper, red pepper, garlic powder, celery seed, paprika, onion powder and brown sugar.

After bringing the ribs to room temperature, I placed them in the smoking bag and closed it tightly. I put the bag on a baking sheet in a 450°F oven for 15 minutes. I then turned the oven down to 200°F and cooked the ribs for an additional 4 hours.
As a dinner insurance policy, while the ribs were slow-cooking, I mixed up my recipes for buttermilk cornbread and mashed potatoes. Both are favorites of Mr. Charlestown Culinary, and could have easily been turned into his full meal (in case the ribs didn't turn out edible). Once the cornbread was done baking, I basted the ribs in a chipotle pepper honey sauce that I made earlier in the day. I then finished the ribs under the broiler for 6 minutes per side. The results? The ribs were so tender, the meat fell off the bone. They had a subtle smokiness from the hickory, spiciness from the rub and sweetness from the sauce. To quote Mr. Charlestown Culinary, 'These are the best ribs I have ever had'.

Famous Trios

2009-03-19T20:35:00.010-04:00

Rice Krispies could never be without Snap, Crackle and Pop. Likewise for nursery rhymes and the Three Blind Mice, Saturday Night Fever and the Bee Gees, Christopher Columbus and his three ships, AND Charlestown Culinary and olive oil, salt and pepper. Thursday night, these three ingredients were front and center to a meal of green beans, roasted potatoes and chicken.
The green beans were blanched for 5 minutes in salted boiling water before serving.
The potatoes were par-boiled for 15 minutes, then tossed with peeled petit onions, olive olive, salt and pepper. They were then roasted in the oven for 45 minutes at 450°F until crispy on the outside and tender in the inside.
The chicken was coated in olive oil and then generously seasoned with salt and pepper, then roasted in the oven at 450°F for an hour. The result was tender chicken with a crispy skin.

From You, Our Readers

2009-03-16T15:48:00.003-04:00

Ken George, of Boston's Public Radio station, is the mastermind of Public Radio Kitchen. Described as: 'Recipes and cooking tips & opinions on all things edible served up by You, Our Listeners. From locavores to omnivores, professional chefs to local food bloggers, all are welcome!', this is a great resources to get updates on the latest in Boston food and food writing.

This past Sunday, Ken featured my recent post on Biscotti. Check this post out, as well as other great cooking from local foodies and bloggers. Enjoy!

The Luck of the Irish Soda Bread

2009-03-15T17:36:00.014-04:00

If you followed Charlestown Culinary back in January, you may remember my post We All Make Mistakes. In this post, I recounted my disastrous attempt at making oatmeal bread. I am not sure if it was because my second homemade bread attempt was yeast-free, or if it was because it was Irish Soda Bread. Whatever the reason, this bread came out wonderful and was completely gone only hours after baking. Traditional soda bread is plain, however I chose to use a recipe that called for the addition of raisins and a little bit of sugar. Hints: The recipe I used, from epicurious.com, called for white flour, but I chose to substitute whole wheat flour. The other change I made that I would recommend, was to use a pastry blender to incorporate the butter in the dough. Using this little tool made mixing the cold butter with the flour mixture very easy.

Bon Appétit's Recipe for Irish Soda Bread with Raisins:

Nonstick vegetable oil spray
2 cups all purpose flour
5 tablespoons sugar, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3 tablespoons butter, chilled, cut into cubes
1 cup buttermilk
2/3 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray 8-inch-diameter cake pan with nonstick spray. Whisk flour, 4 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in large bowl to blend. Add butter. Using fingertips, rub in until coarse meal forms. Make well in center of flour mixture. Add buttermilk. Gradually stir dry ingredients into milk to blend. Mix in raisins. Using floured hands, shape dough into ball. Transfer to prepared pan and flatten slightly (dough will not come to edges of pan). Sprinkle dough with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar.
Bake bread until brown and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool bread in pan 10 minutes. Transfer to rack. Serve warm or at room temperature with butter.

Charlestown Culinary gets Saucy

2009-03-13T21:28:00.007-04:00

Unfortunately, an end-of-winter cold has put my cooking and dining adventures on hold. Unable to fathom spending the day in front of the TV or glued to my laptop, I used my day home from work (despite my best efforts as Charlestown Culinary, I am required to also hold a real job) to pick up the David Paul Larousse’s The Sauce Bible: Guide to the Saucier's Craft.

True confession, I enjoy reading cook books. I am not talking about picking up a book and sifting through for a specific recipe, I am talking about picking up a book and reading front to back every page. In addition to giving great inspirations, this has also helped me understand basic cooking techniques, while giving me a perspective on how to create different variations of the same dish.

So here I was, inspired by recently reading about Jacques Pepin’s experience as a saucier in France, reading about the basic recipes for hollandaise, beurre blanc, béchamel, béarnaise and veloute sauces. It was not surprising that at one point I was craving asparagus with hollandaise instead of the minestrone soup Mr. Charlestown Culinary had brought me. In addition to the hundreds of sauce recipes, the book also covers other food compliments such as marinades, chutneys and salsas.

Although on the traditional side, and perhaps a bit heavy with the butter and cream, this book gives a solid foundation for understanding the chemistry that goes into creating a sauce. It also had an interesting chapter on Sauce Arabesques, how to artistically 'paint' sauces for dishes. Overall, I see this book building upon my cooking repertoire and OF COURSE translating into future blog posts.

Twice-Baked

2009-03-10T21:11:00.011-04:00

Every week Mr. Charlestown Culinary and his friends go to a bar in Somerville for trivia night. A few months back, in the category of 'Food', they were asked 'What Italian dessert translates to twice-baked?'. Unfortunately, he was not channeling his wife that night and was unable to answer the question correctly. The answer, as he now knows, was 'Biscotti'.
In one of my first blog posts, I posted my recipe for Pistachio-Cranberry Biscotti. This time, I chose to follow a recipe from Bon Appétit. Although I love my recipe, I could not resist trying the combination of chocolate with hazelnuts and candied ginger.

Hints: To prevent crumbling while slicing, make sure to let the 'logs' cool completely and use a sharpened chef's knife instead of a serrated one. To make these breakfast friendly, I chose to cut back slightly on the sugar and omit the white chocolate drizzle. Also, to bring out the nuttiness of the Biscotti, I also added a teaspoon of almond extract.
Bon Appétit's Recipe for Chocolate, Hazelnut and Ginger Biscotti

1 2/3 cups all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips (about 8 ounces)
2/3 cup hazelnuts, toasted, husked, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger
6 ounces good-quality white chocolate (such as Lindt or Baker’s), chopped

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line large baking sheet with parchment paper. Sift first 5 ingredients into medium bowl. Add 3 eggs and vanilla; beat until blended. Stir in chocolate chips, nuts and crystallized ginger (dough will be firm). Turn dough out onto floured surface. Gather into ball. Divide dough in half. Roll each half into 12-inch-long log. Transfer logs to prepared baking sheet, spacing 3 inches apart. Flatten each to 2 1/2-inch-wide log. Whisk remaining egg in small bowl to blend. Brush logs with some of beaten egg.

Bake logs until golden and firm to touch, about 35 minutes. Cool logs on baking sheet 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F. Transfer logs to cutting board. Using serrated knife, cut logs crosswise into scant 1/2-inch-wide slices. Place slices, cut side down, on large baking sheets. Bake until firm, about 15 minutes. Transfer Biscotti to racks and cool completely.

Stir white chocolate in top of double boiler set over barely simmering water until melted and smooth. Remove from over water. Place Biscotti on rack set over baking sheet. Using spoon, drizzle melted white chocolate decoratively in zigzag pattern over Biscotti. Let stand until chocolate is firm. (Can be prepared ahead. Store Biscotti in airtight container at room temperature up to 2 weeks or freeze up to 1 month.)

Chicken Soup for the Soul

2009-03-09T20:49:00.008-04:00

Growing up, my mother was the cook in the family. Every night she would make multiple dishes from scratch and we would always sit down and eat together as a family. The last night of our stay in Taos, Mr. Charlestown Culinary and I had dinner with my parents much like during my childhood. This time though, my meal at home was slightly different. This time, the kitchen I walked into - the one smelling of homemade chicken noodle soup, had Dad Culinary in an apron and behind the stove. Fortunately, a camera was at hand. Dad Culinary's homemade chicken noodle soup with crusty artisan bread.

P.S. 'Hello' to all of my Charlestown readers. Thank you for your support. I had no idea my little blog would ever be 'all the rage'.

And the Award for Best Chef Goes To...

2009-03-07T09:51:00.044-05:00

In the weeks before our trip to Taos, the semifinalists were announced for the 2009 James Beard Awards. Often referred to as the ‘Oscars of the Food World’, the James Beard categories include Outstanding Restaurateur, Outstanding Chef and Outstanding Restaurant. Included in the nominations for Best Chef in the Southwest is Damon Simonton of Chef Damon’s in Taos, New Mexico. Knowing my love for food (and frankly Mr. Charlestown Culinary's love for eating food), my mother suggested we add a visit to our Taos itinerary.

So on a Friday night in February, my parents, Mr. Charlestown Culinary and I found ourselves enjoying a meal at Chef Damon’s, which from start to finish was excelent. We started our dinner with a dish of warm olives and a bottle of 2006 Duck Pond Pinot Noir.
Following this, we all ordered the apple curry salad. The salad topped baby greens with golden raisins, dried cranberries, pistachios and a julienne of apples and celery root with a mild curry dressing.
For an entrée, we each chose a dish off of the ‘small plates’ menu. With so many tempting dishes to choose from, each of us ended up with a different dish. Mom Culinary ordered the chipotle BBQ lamb ribs.

Dad Culinary ordered Chef Damon’s ‘Award Winning’ Lamb green chili with a flour tortilla.
Mr. Charlestown Culinary ordered the pulled pork sliders, which were topped with more of the curried apple and celery root.
Rounding out our entrées, I ordered the Pueblo squash tart, which was finished with a salty and creamy feta cheese and sweet Marcona almonds.
The nice things about ordering the ‘small plates’ for an entrée was that it left plenty of room for each of us to order our own dessert. Dad Culinary had a decadent Kahlua chocolate torte, that was finished with a dark cherry sauce.
Mom Culinary had a rich ice cream made with milk chocolate and hazelnuts.

Mr. Charlestown Culinary had the lemon walnut tarte.

While, I finished my meal with rich Crème Brulée made with duck eggs and Grand Marnier.

After finishing our meal, we had the chance to talk with Chef Damon to thank him for the wonderful meal and wish him luck with the James Beard Awards. To follow Chef Damon and the other nominees, visit the Announcement Website on March 23 - for the Nominees Announcement and May 4 - for the Awards Announcement.

It is ALWAYS Christmas in New Mexico

2009-03-04T21:55:00.013-05:00

After getting twelve inches of snow in an early March storm, Charlestown reminds me of the wintry holiday that comes only once a year...or so I thought. In New Mexico I learned that snow, rain or shine, 'Christmas' can truly can come every day... all you have to do is ask.

During one of our first nights in Taos, Mr. Charlestown Culinary and I went out to dinner with my parents, Mom and Dad Culinary, to Orlando's, a small and colorful restaurant specializing in New Mexican cuisine. When we showed up, there was a small wait, which we easily tolerated sitting in front of the fire pit outside.
Once seated, the Tecate beer came quickly and was soon followed by our dinners. For my meal, I had the soft shell tacos with chicken and fresh salsa.
Mr. Charlestown Culinary had the chicken burrito, smothered with chile sauce. In New Mexican cooking, there are two predominant chile sauces, 'Green' and 'Red'. 'Green' chile sauce is made of roasted chilies, while 'Red' sauce is made of dried chilies. Ordering a dish 'Christmas' as Mr. Charlestown Culinary did, means getting half of each.

Course 4: Valrhona Chocolate Ebelskivers

2009-03-04T19:45:00.009-05:00

Sometimes a meal is so filling, you need a break in between the entree and dessert. In my case, the delay between courses 3 and 4 of the 'Wine Scavenger Hunt' was due to a trip to visit my parents, Mom and Dad Culinary in New Mexico.

With the wine pairing and dessert my responsibility, I first started with my favorite dessert wine, Moscato d'Asti Nivole. Nivole, is a lightly sparkling wine from Italy that is crisp and fruity without being overwhelmingly sweet. Mr. Charlestown Culinary and I have enjoyed this wine numerous time, twice on very special occasions - the night we got got engaged and at our wedding. To complement the sweetness of the wine, I made ebelskivers filled with Valrhona chocolate. To balance the sharpness of the french dark chocolate, I served the dessert with a raspberry chambord sauce and freshly whipped cream.

Course 3: Coq au Vin

2009-02-25T22:24:00.013-05:00

Prior to Saturday night, the best Coq au Vin I have ever eaten was while wine-tasting in France with my friend Marije. We had the Coq au Vin for dinner the first night of our week-long trip at a little inn in Beaujolais. I remember the dish as being extremely tender, rich and flavorful.

Although made with chicken, versus the traditional rooster, I believe Saturday night's entree, as part of the 'Wine Scavenger Hunt', rivalled the dish I had 3 years ago in France. The dish was based on a a recipe from epicurious.com, and was served with a fruity and spicy Haut-Medoc that was paired by the 'Passionate Salter'.

Charlestown Culinary's Recipe for Coq au Vin, adapted from Epicurious.com:

Chicken Marinade:
1 750-ml bottle French Burgundy or California Pinot Noir
1 large onion, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 large carrot, peeled, diced
1 large garlic clove, peeled, flattened
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
4 chicken thighs, 4 drumsticks

Combine wine, onion, celery, carrot, garlic, and peppercorns in large pot. Bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer 5 minutes. Cool completely. Place chicken pieces in large glass bowl. Pour wine mixture over chicken; stir to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 day and up to 2 days, turning chicken occasionally. For cooking chicken:Using tongs, transfer chicken pieces from marinade to paper towels to drain; pat dry. Strain marinade; reserve vegetables and liquid separately.

To Finish the Coq au Vin:

6 ounces thick-cut bacon slices, diced
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 large shallots, chopped
4 large garlic cloves, chopped
4 large fresh thyme sprigs
4 large fresh parsley sprigs
2 small bay leaves
2 cups low-salt chicken broth
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
1 pound baby bella mushrooms sliced in half
10 cipolline onions, peeled
Chopped fresh parsley

Heat oil in heavy large pot (wide enough to hold chicken in single layer) over medium-high heat. Add bacon and sauté until crisp and brown. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to small bowl. Add chicken, skin side down, to drippings in pot. Sauté until brown, about 8 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to large bowl. Add vegetables reserved from marinade to pot. Sauté until brown, about 10 minutes. Mix in flour; stir 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in reserved marinade liquid. Bring to boil, whisking frequently. Cook until sauce thickens, whisking occasionally, about 2 minutes. Mix in shallots, garlic, herb sprigs, and bay leaves, then broth. Return chicken to pot, arranging skin side up in single layer. Bring to simmer; reduce heat to medium-low. Cover pot and simmer chicken 30 minutes, skimming off fat as the chicken cooks. Using tongs, turn chicken over. Cover and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes longer.

Meanwhile, melt 3 tablespoons butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add onions, cooking until nicely browned. Transfer onions to bowl. Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter in same skillet. Add mushrooms and half of bacon, sauté about 8 minutes. Transfer mushrooms to a bowl and set aside.

Using tongs, transfer chicken to plate. Strain sauce from pot into reserved skillet, pressing on solids in strainer to extract all sauce; discard solids. Bring sauce to simmer, scraping up browned bits. Return sauce to pot and add salt and pepper to taste. Return chicken to sauce. Cool slightly. When ready to serve, skim off fat. Add onions and bacon mushrooms and rewarm over low heat.

Coq au Vin

Coq au Vin served with Blanched Asparagus and Roasted Baby Yukon Gold Potatoes

Course 2: Orange Fennel Salad

2009-02-24T19:44:00.017-05:00

As previewed in Sunday's blog entry, the second course of the 'Wine Scavenger Hunt' was a salad course that was paired with wine brought by the 'Zumba Yogi'.

The salad was a combination of Moto blood oranges with endive, fennel and mint. This was dressed with a blood orange vinaigrette.

Charlestown Culinary's Recipe for Blood Orange Vinaigrette:

Juice from one blood orange
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon fresh ground coriander
Pinch salt
Fresh ground pepper

Mix well and serve with salad.

Sliced Fennel

Blood Orange Salad

With this course, we enjoyed a pinot noir paired by the 'Zumba Yogi'. The Pedroncelli Pinot Noir, from California's Russian River Valley was velvety and bright, with hints of berry.

Course 1: The Cheese Course

2009-02-23T20:04:00.008-05:00

'Age is something that doesn't matter, unless you are a cheese' ~ Billie Burke

As previewed in Sunday's blog entry, the first course of the 'Wine Scavenger Hunt' was a cheese course that was paired with wines brought by the 'Armenian Princess'. For cheeses, I selected the following:

Pecorino Gran Cru: A hard sheep's milk cheese with a sharp and nutty flavor
Sottocenere with Truffle: A creamy cow's milk cheese with an earthy truffle flavor
Bucheron: A semi-soft goat cheese with a mild lemon flavor
Brie de Meaux: A soft cow's milk cheese with subtle nutty flavor

The cheeses were accompanied with: orange fig spread, dried apricots, candies pecans, honey with pine nuts, freshly baked bread and rosemary crackers. With this course, we enjoyed 2 wines that were provided by the 'Armenian Princess':

Pierre Sparr Extreme Riesling: A zesty white from Alsace with hints of lime, white grapefruit and green apples
Frutezia Orchard Blend: A lightly sparkling white wine with hints of green apple

The Hunt was On

2009-02-22T17:15:00.022-05:00

On Saturday night I had 3 friends over for a 'Wine Scavenger Hunt'. For The Hunt, each person was assigned a course of a set menu - I did the cooking and the assigned person paired it with a complimentary wine. For a group of competitive and wine-loving foodies, this added a little extra fun to our ladies night.

Over the next 3 days, I will post pictures of each course and the wines we enjoyed them with. In the meantime, enjoy these 'prep porn' pictures.

Course 1: Cheese Course, paired by the 'Armenian Princess'
Pecorino Gran Cru, Sottocenere with Truffle, Bucheron and Brie de Meaux -accompanied with: orange fig spread, dried apricots, candies pecans, honey with pine nuts, freshly baked bread and rosemary crackers

Dalmatia Orange Fig Spread

Pine nuts

Course 2: Salad Course, paired by the 'Zumba Yogi'
Salad of blood orange, endive, fennel and mint with a blood orange coriander vinaigrette

Blood Orange Cross-Section

Blood Orange Sections

Course 3: Entree, paired by the 'Passionate Salter'

Coq au vin with roasted potatoes and blanched asparagus

Diced Bacon, Chopped Garlic and Fresh Herbs

Cipollini Onions and Mushrooms

Marinated Chicken and Vegetables

Course 4: Dessert, paired by 'Charlestown Culinary'
Valrhona chocolate ebelskivers with raspberry chambord sauce and freshly whipped cream

Chopped Valrhona Chocolate

Frozen Raspberries

Preparing for Ladies Night

2009-02-19T21:03:00.005-05:00

I confess, dinner tonight will consist of a pre-made meal I picked up while grocery shopping at Whole Foods today. There are a couple reasons why I do not feel too bad though. Tomorrow night I am having friends over for dinner. My planned menu includes: a cheese course, orange and fennel salad, coq au vin with roasted potatoes and a dessert (still to be determined). The second reason is because just a few nights ago I had made a delicious chicken marsala. The dish was flavorful, but straight-forward: chicken with mushrooms, garlic, marsala wine, chicken broth, thyme and parsley, served over pasta.

Oompa Loompa Doom-pa-dee-do

2009-02-16T19:19:00.004-05:00

Have a chocolate craving? Mr. Charlestown Culinary and I found your cure. On Valentine's Day, we followed up our meal at Casablanca's with a walk around Harvard Square and dessert at L.A. Burdick Chocolate Shop and Cafe.

Although crowded with couples, the experience was amazing. We both ordered their famous hot chocolate, which was amazingly rich and creamy. That alone, could have been dessert. But our eyes and stomach had their say and we ended up sharing a slice of their Linzer Torte. A combination of almond, hazelnut and raspberry - it paired phenomenally with our chocolate beverages.

Here's looking at you, kid.

2009-02-15T10:55:00.011-05:00

For lunch yesterday, Mr. Charlestown Culinary and I went to Casablanca for lunch. Did we discover a non-stop jet to Morocco? Not quite... more like a restaurant in Cambridge's Harvard Square. The restaurant describes their menu as 'creative Mediterranean cuisine' and has dishes ranging from Turkish stew to North African cous cous.

We started our meal with fresh pitas and a creamy mushroom soup.

From there, Mr. Charlestown Culinary had the grilled Mahi-Mahi which was served on top of braised greens with a yogurt sauce and fried green tomatoes. On top of the grilled fish was a charmoula, a Moroccan marinade made from a mixture of herbs, garlic, lemon and spices.

For my entree, I got the Turkish Meze plate. The dish came with muhammara - a spicy dip made from red peppers, carrot salad with olives and feta and musabaha - a course hummus.

Happy Valentines Day

2009-02-15T10:38:00.010-05:00

For Valentines Day I made Mr. Charlestown Culinary carrot cupcakes. In my mind - nothing says 'I love you', like making someone their favorite food.

For the mini carrot cakes, I followed a recipe from Martha Stewart. With a few additions (extra carrots, freshly grated nutmeg, cinnamon and raisins), the results were spicy, moist and delicious.

Even better, I left half the cakes unfrosted and we enjoyed them for breakfast this morning.

Birthday Cake Goodness

2009-02-14T10:19:00.004-05:00

Mr. Charlestown Culinary has such pressure this time of year. His wife's birthday followed the next day by Valentine's Day. Fortunately for him, my friend Mitti helped relieve some of the pressure by baking this delicious birthday cake -- which we devoured last night.

Red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting and pecans. Mmm...

Ebel-sk-what?

2009-02-08T19:16:00.008-05:00

A trip to Williams-Sonoma last weekend led to a new chef's knife and an Ebelskiver Pan. The knife was for me - the pan was for my husband. Mr. Charlestown Culinary had just finished watching a special on the Food Network that featured the Danish stuffed pancakes and couldn't wait to have his own.

I followed the batter recipe that came with the pan. For the filling I used mashed bananas, chopped macadamia nuts and chocolate chips. Finished with powdered sugar and syrup, these stuffed pancakes were decadent and delicious.

Williams-Sonoma's Recipe for Ebelskiver Batter:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
4 eggs, separated
2 cups milk
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. In a small bowl, light beat the egg yolks, then whisk in the milk and melted butter. Whisk the yolk mixture into the flour mixture until well combined; the batter will be lumpy.

In another bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites on high speed until stiff but not dry peaks form, 2-3 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, gently stir the whites into the batter.

Directions for Cooking Ebelskivers:

Put 1/4 teaspoon butter in each well of the pan. Set over medium heat and heat until the butter begins to bubble. Pour 1 tablespoon of batter into each well. Put 1 tablespoon of the filling in the center of each pancake then top with 1 tablespoon of batter. Cook until the bottom is golden brown and the pancake starts to bubble. Using wooden skewers or chopsticks, flip the pancakes over and cook for an additional 3 minutes until golden brown. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining batter and filling. Makes about 40.

BEEF, It's What's for Dinner

2009-02-07T21:18:00.007-05:00

In the 2009 food trend survey I did in January, braising placed second (More about the winner in a future post). Last night I jumped on the braising trend with beef chuck, mushrooms and squash.
Emily's Braised Beef with Mushrooms and Squash:

1 1/2 pounds beef chuck, cut in large cubes
Salt
Pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 tablespoons butter
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced onion
3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 cup brandy or whiskey (I used Makers Mark)
4 sprigs fresh parsley, stems separated from leaves, don't discard stems
2 bay leaves (not California)
2 cups beef stock
2 cups red wine
2/3 butternut squash, peeled and cut in large cubes
1 pound baby bella mushrooms, sliced

Preheat oven to 250° F. Season beef cubes with salt and pepper. Brown in over medium-high heat in vegetable oil and half of butter. Set aside. In same pan add celery, carrots, onion and garlic. Sauté until tender. Add brandy and cook until absorbed. Add parley stems, bay leaves, beef stock and wine. Cook until liquid is reduced by half then season to taste. Strain liquid. In a separate pan, melt remaining butter. Add mushrooms and saute until tender.

In a braising pot, layer squash with browned beef and mushrooms. Add strained liquid. Cover pot and braise in oven for 2 1/2 to 3 hours until meat and squash are tender. Serve with rice or mashed potatoes and garnish with chopped parsley. (I served this over a risotto that I made with the remaining 2/3 of butternut squash.)

Friday Night Frittata

2009-02-07T11:09:00.003-05:00

Roasted sweet potatoes, vegetable frittata and warm rolls. Our Friday night meal was delicious, although reflective of a need to use up vegetables before they went bad.
Emily's Recipe for Vegetable Frittata:

6 large eggs
salt
pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 onion, diced
1 red pepper, diced
2 cups spinach, roughly chopped
Parsley, chopped

Preheat broiler. In a bowl, whisk 6 eggs and season with salt and pepper. Set aside. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a non-stick skillet. Add onions and peppers, sauté until tender. Add spinach, stir until wilted. Salt and pepper vegetables to taste. Fold egg mixture into vegetables. Cook until almost set. Broil until frittata is puffed. Garnish with chopped parsley. Cut into wedges and serve.

'C' is for Cookie

2009-02-01T21:15:00.007-05:00

While flipping through a copy of Cooking Light, my husband's eyes and stomach lit up for their Espresso Crinkles. Being the sport that I am, while he watched the Superbowl, I baked up a batch. The end result reminds me of the edge of a brownie. Even better, relatively speaking, these chocolate cookies are actually healthy...
Cooking Light's Recipe for Espresso Crinkles

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar, divided
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
5 1/4 teaspoons canola oil
1 1/2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 teaspoon instant espresso granules
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons light-colored corn syrup
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large egg whites

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, 3/4 cup powdered sugar, cocoa, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl; stir with a whisk. Combine oil and chocolate in a small saucepan over low heat; cook until chocolate melts, stirring constantly. Add espresso granules to pan; stir until blended. Remove from heat. Pour chocolate mixture into a large bowl; cool 5 minutes. Stir in brown sugar, syrup, and vanilla. Add egg whites, stirring with a whisk. Add flour mixture to egg mixture, stirring gently just until combined. Cover; chill at least 2 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350° F. Roll dough into 1-inch balls. Dredge balls in remaining 1/2 cup powdered sugar; place balls 2 inches apart on 2 baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes or until tops are cracked and almost set. Cool cookies on pan 2 minutes or until set; remove from pan. Cool cookies on a wire rack.

What's up, Doc?

2009-02-01T17:22:00.007-05:00

I spent most of my Saturday in Cambridge surrounded by knives, fruit and vegetables. Was I involved in a violent incident in the produce section of a grocery store? Not quite... More like taking a class to improve my knife skills.

I left the class with 3 pounds of practice carrots and a new-found knowledge of how to julienne, batonnet and brunoise.

Of course, unable to waste any of my carrots, my refrigerator is full or orange-filled tupperware. If anyone has any great recipes with carrots - let me know!

Freshly Baked Bread... Take 2

2009-01-30T21:55:00.007-05:00

A few posts ago I wrote about my worst culinary creation in a long time -- bread that was capable of wounding Superman AND Batman in one toss.

Tonight's bread was hands down a more masterful creation. Perhaps that was because I bought a par-baked sourdough loaf that only required baking in the oven for 12 minutes at 450°F. Hmmm... no measuring, no kneading BUT hot and delicious crusty bread... I think I may be onto something.

Rounding out tonight's meal, I made a corn chowder. Chicken broth based, the chowder combined corn with poblano chilis, onions and sweet potatoes.

So Meaty!

2009-01-29T19:50:00.006-05:00

Last night, while the storm was finishing(which by the way did not required a lifetime's supply of bread, milk and butter), ribs were going into a ziploc with a bottle of beer, chipotle peppers and lots of seasoning. 24 hours later, they were slow-cooked in the oven for 2 hours at 225°F. The ribs were then coated with a sauce made from the marinade, maple syrup and ketchup, then broiled in the oven until nicely browned.

The Calm Before the Storm

2009-01-27T19:50:00.010-05:00

Winter snowstorms bring chaos to the city on many levels. Before the first flake even hits the sidewalk, grocery stores are crammed with patrons buying tremendous amounts of food, cars are jockeying for spots safe from a potential parking ban and orange cones are lined up in anticipation of being used as 'space savers'.

In my mind - this 'chaos' called for simplicity. Tonight, simplicity was pasta with grilled eggplant and summer squash.
Prior to grilling, the vegetables were tossed with a generous amount of olive oil, sea salt and pepper. If tomorrow's storm traps us in the house for weeks, I may regret the decision to not stock up on excessive amounts of bread, milk and butter. However right now, with a safely parked car, I am standing behind my decision...

Happy Eating!

2009-01-25T21:22:00.017-05:00

Bon appetit!
Gudden appetit!
Selamat makan!
Καλή όρεξη!
Velbekomme!
慢慢吃！
Bil haná wal shifá!
T'boftë mire!
Vær så god!
Buon appetito!
Smaklig måltid!
The intention was for a simple, chicken and rice with seafood. Although a little more time consuming than anticipated, the result was a very delicious Sunday night meal. The cooking process was a whirlwind of chopping, baking and simmering. What follows is a translation of the process into a recipe.

Charlestown Culinary's Chicken and Seafood Rice:

2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 Tbsp butter
4 Chicken thighs
Salt
Pepper
Paprika
1 Onion, finely chopped
3 Cloves garlic, minced
2 Cups rice
1/2 Cup dry vermouth (or white wine)
4 Cups chicken stock
Pinch saffron
24 Ounces chopped tomatoes
1 Cup frozen peas, thawed
12 Clams
6 Shrimp
Cilantro (Or parsley)

Preheat oven to 375°F. Add oil and butter to a large saute pan over medium heat. Season chicken with salt, pepper and paprika and brown both sides in oil/butter combinaiton. Transfer browned chicken to a pan and bake in the oven for about 35 minutes. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, bring chicken stock and saffron to a simmer.
Pour off half of the oil in saute pan and add onion and garlic. Once soft, add rinsed rice. Stir until translucent. Add wine and stir, for about 2 minutes. Add warm chicken stock and chopped tomatoes and cook over low heat until most of the liquid is absorbed. Stir in peas, salt and pepper to taste. Nestle in clams and shrimp and cook covered until clams open.
Once liquid is absorbed and clams are opened, plate with chicken and garnish with chopped cilantro.

We ALL Make Mistakes

2009-01-24T10:49:00.011-05:00

1. Henry's Ford's lawyer telling him cars are a novelty, he would be better off investing in horses
2. Decca Records rejecting the Beatles in 1962
3. Michael Jordan being cut from his high school basketball team
4. CHARLESTOWN CULINARY'S Oatmeal Bread

The bread started out great. Some oats...

Added to that some seemingly innocent ingredients, including: yeast, molasses, butter, flour...

Some time on the fireplace mantle to rise...
A little kneading, some more rising and THE KEY FOR DISASTER, putting 2 loaves worth of dough into ONE bread pan...
It wasn't until I had baked the bread for over an hour - with a 'still raw' inside dough, that I had realized my mistake. Too stubborn to admit defeat (yes I am an Aquarius), I continued to bake the bread until fully cooked. 45 minutes later, I was the proud owner of a loaf of bread SO HARD, that my husband and I joked it could be used as a weapon in case of intruders.
I can only hope that like the others on my 'lessons list', this is just a small stumble on my way to something really amazing.

Boston Food Shots

2009-01-24T10:22:00.005-05:00

While doing my usual Saturday morning ritual, a cup of tea and Boston.com - in the RAW Photography section I came across my own pictures of Dawn's Birthday Cake, and my collection of pictures from our Armenian dinner from a few weeks back. Suddenly, my tea didn't seem so satisfying.

For those that love food photography, I would recommend checking out 'Your Food Shots'. There are over a 100 mouth watering pictures taken by fellow Boston Globe readers, such as these from MARK MENDOZA in Acton.

Even my Cat Watched Obama's Inauguration

2009-01-20T19:22:00.004-05:00

While I was at work, my husband and cat were at home watching Obama's inauguration. After finding out that my company blocked CNN radio, I had a bit of jealousy.We celebrated this historic day with a simple but delicious dinner - grilled hamburgers and for dessert - a Dunkin' Donuts Inauguration Donut. MMMM... Donuts.

Long Weekend Celebration

2009-01-18T21:08:00.012-05:00

In honor of the long weekend and due to the snowstorm that kept us inside most of the day, I made grilled beef and pasta with grilled artichokes and peppers.

I marinated the beef most of the day in a combination of wine, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, thyme, garlic, chili pepper, salt and pepper. Since we have 6+ inches of snow on the ground, the beef was grilled indoors using our counter-top grill (a wedding gift from one of my blog readers -- THANK YOU again!).

Along with the beef, I also grilled artichoke hearts and red peppers. These were tossed with extra virgin olive oil, sauteed garlic, finely chopped anchovies, salt, pepper and multi-grain spaghetti. The dish was finished with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Molto bene!!

Olive Me Loves Olive You

2009-01-18T16:47:00.006-05:00

Somebody once told me the best relationships follow the "olive and pickle rule", that is one person loves them, the other hates them. This rule makes dining out easy - the person who dislikes them throws them at the person who loves them, and they dine in perfect harmony (at least in terms of brined food).

I have been known to buy olives, and eat them out of the jar for dinner --Oh the things that were so much easier before marriage. Recently, I discovered Divina Olives stuffed with Sun Dried Tomatoes. Packed in olive oil, these olives are delicious by themselves or with aged cheese and crusty bread.

...And with all of this comes a confessions. As much as I would like to pretend this was not the case, one of my biggest vices is canned black olives. I know, I need help.

Boston's 50 Best Restaurants?

2009-01-17T10:15:00.005-05:00

Boston Magazine recently posted their list of the 50 Best Restaurants in Boston. Their top 10 was:
1. O Ya
2. L'Espalier
3. No. 9 Park
4. Uni
5. Clio
6. Aujourd'hui
7. Radius
8. Hungry Mother
9. Hamersley's Bistro
10. Oleana

Photo on the line at Craigie on Main (#11) by Bob O'Connor.

Having been to most of these, I would dispute the ranking of a couple. What are your thoughts on the top 10 - and the rest of the list?

Mr. Charlestown Culinary Makes Dinner

2009-01-16T17:58:00.004-05:00

When I opened the door last night, there was no mistake, my husband had made dinner. Mr. Charlestown Culinary made Trader Joe's Mandarin Orange Chicken with yellow peppers and rice. I am not a large fan of frozen packaged meals, however this chicken has become a staple in our freezer for easy 'no fuss' weeknight dinners. The preparation is simple - bake frozen chicken in oven for about 20 minutes, heat orange sauce and combine. We typically serve the chicken with steamed rice and vegetables. I love to top it off with a generous amount of Sriracha hot chili sauce.
If you have never tried it, -- Sriracha is a Vietnamese-style sauce made from Serrano chilies, sugar, salt, garlic and vinegar. It is great for spicing up everything from stir fry to BBQ to pasta.

Come on... Give Ginger a Chance

2009-01-14T19:50:00.007-05:00

Over the weekend I added a poll to my blog to encourage interaction from my multitude of readers (thank you large family!).

Here is my narrowed list of 'potential' 2009 trends and reasoning:

1. Braising: I am anticipating this technique for cooking tougher cuts of meat will become more popular as consumers look to tighten their grocery-budgets
2. Prix-fixe Menus: From local cafes to upscale eateries, I foresee restaurants looking for ways to get customers in the door during the weakened economy
3. Cheese Courses: This one was personal, I LOVE cheese. I would rather eat a plate of cheese after a meal then a gooey chocolate dessert.
4. Ginger: With the rise in popularity of Asian cooking, I believe ginger will amp up its appearance in food that does not traditionally use the spice -- APPARENTLY, I am the only one who believes in the potential of ginger

...And since I do not believe in posts without pictures - I am adding a picture of my husband's favorite food trend from 2008.
What do you think about my predictions? Do you have any of your own?

Happy Birthday Dawn - Part 2

2009-01-13T19:25:00.014-05:00

Yesterday's birthday tease turned into a multi-layer decadent chocolate cake with coconut frosting, chocolate butter cream, macadamia nuts and chocolate ganache. Diet food? Definitely NOT. Delicious? ABSOLUTELY!!

Chocolate Cake recipe, adapted from epicurious.com:

Nonstick vegetable oil spray
2 cups sifted cake flour (sifted, then measured)
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
1 1/2 cups (packed) golden brown sugar
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk
1/2 cup lukewarm water
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with nonstick spray. Line bottom of pans with parchment paper. Whisk flour and next 5 ingredients in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat brown sugar and butter in large bowl until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Beat in dry ingredients in 3 additions alternately with buttermilk in 2 additions. Beat in 1/2 cup lukewarm water. Stir in chocolate chips.

Divide batter among prepared pans. Smooth tops. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center of cakes comes out clean, about 22 minutes. Cool completely in pans on racks. Peel off parchment.

Emily's Coconut Frosting:

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup cream of coconut
1 cup shredded coconut, sweetened

Beat cream cheese until fluffy. Add butter and vanilla, mix until blended. Add sugar, cream of coconut and shredded coconut, mix until smooth.

Emily's Chocolate Butter Cream Frosting:

2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons milk
1/4 cup cocoa powder

Beat sugar, butter and vanilla until fluffy. Add cocoa and milk, beat until well mixed.

Emily's Chocolate Ganache:

8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate , chopped
1 cup heavy cream

In a small saucepan, heat cream to a simmer. Remove from heat. Whisk in chocolate until melted and smooth.

Emily's Cake Assembly:

Flat side up, place first chocolate cake on a platter. Spread with coconut frosting. Sprinkle with chopped macadamia nuts. Using a pastry bag, pipe chocolate ganache around the outer edge of the first cake layer. Layer on the second cake tier, flat side down. Spread with coconut frosting. Sprinkle with shredded coconut. Alternate butter cream rosetts and whole macadamia nuts around out edge of cake. Pour warm ganache over cake.

Happy Birthday Dawn

2009-01-12T23:38:00.006-05:00

One mess later, a birthday cake has been made. Here's a sneak peek... check in tomorrow to see the results.

"24" Dinner

2009-01-11T20:00:00.005-05:00

The following took place between 7:00pm and 8:00pm:

7:02--In Charlestown, The jasmine rice was put on to cook – a cup of rice with 2 cups of water.

7:16--Orange peppers, yellow peppers, broccoli, onions and zucchini were being washed and prepped for steaming.

7:28--Flash to New Mexico, where Charlestown Culinary’s parents were welcoming their new cat – Coco. She was making herself at home in front of their wood stove.

7:42--Back to Charlestown, the Thai Kitchen Red Curry was being heated on the stove when the phone rang. It was Charlestown Culinary’s mother-in-law. She said she wanted to slice something off of somebody if Pittsburgh lost to San Diego. Once off the phone, the cooked rice was mixed with sesame seeds, the steamed vegetables were mixed with the curry and both were plated.

7:59--The meal was a success (empty plates proved it)... 8:00--...and nobody was hurt (Pittsburg won).

Dinner Inspiration from Gucci

2009-01-10T19:55:00.010-05:00

A week ago my husband graciously brought my boots to the cobbler down the street for repair. With the spelling of his last name there was an instant bond. As it turned out both he and the cobbler were Armenian. It was worth a $1 discount on the repairs, grocery store recommendations in Belmont, and ultimately tonight's dinner.

For an 'appetizer' (I call it so as the bag of 12 was partially devoured on the drive back to Charlestown), we had cheorag. Cheorag is a braided sesame seed sweet roll.
Saved for when we actually got home was metch. A cousin to tabbouleh, metch is a combination of bulgar wheat, tomatoes, green peppers, onion, scallions, parsley and hot pepper.

With the metch we had falafel, a patty made out of spiced fava beans and chickpeas. We ate the falafel wrapped in lavash (Armenian cracker bread), with hummus I had made the day before, and a yogurt sauce made with shallots and spices.

To round out the meal we had Pecan Baklava, a sweat dessert made with layers of filo dough, chopped pecans, cinnamon and honey.

TGIF

2009-01-10T11:14:00.008-05:00

The first full week of work in what seems like ages - seemed like ages. Last night I ended the week with a simple dinner at home with my husband: sauteed sea scallops, spinach and baked sweet potatoes.
For the sea scallops, I seasoned them with salt and pepper, then cooked them in a combination of olive oil and butter over medium high heat for a few minutes per side.
The sweet potatoes were rubbed with olive oil and sea salt, then baked for about an hour at 425 degrees. The spinach was a quick saute with olive oil and garlic.

Sushi Capital of the South

2009-01-07T23:11:00.008-05:00

Six months after starting a job with a consulting firm, I found myself working at a client in Huntsville, Alabama - the ‘Sushi Capital of the South’. I was told Huntsville’s sushi fame was due to the demand of the large Asian population affiliated with the city’s NASA space center. With a sushi restaurant next to the hotel I was staying at, I think I had sushi at least once a week.

Since then, I have learned how to make my own sushi rolls. Although very simple (toro and tempura shrimp have yet to see my kitchen), they satisfy a sushi crave and are easy to make.

Emily’s Cucumber and Avocado Sushi Rolls:

2 Cups Japanese short grain rice
4 Tablespoons rice vinegar
2 Tablespoons sugar
2 Tablespoons salt
Nori sheets
1 English cucumber, seeded and sliced lengthwise
1 Avocado, pitted and sliced lengthwise
Wasabi
Tamari or soy sauce

Start by rinsing the rice grains in a colander under cold water until the water runs clear. After rinsing, add to a rice cooker with 4 cups of water. Meanwhile, heat vinegar, salt and sugar in a saucepan until fully dissolved. When the rice is done, gently mix with the vinegar. Spread the rice mixture on a baking sheet to cool to room temperature. Once cooled, cover with a damp towel to prevent drying out.

To assemble the sushi rolls, place a sheet of nori shiny side down on a bamboo mat. Using a rice paddle, cover evenly with a layer of rice, about ¼ inch thick, leaving an inch border on the top edge. Place the cucumber and avocado in a row, across the rice, about 1/3 of the way up from the bottom. Using the bamboo mat, tightly roll up the nori with gentle and even pressure, starting from the bottom. Using a sharp chef’s knife, trim the edges of the sushi roll and then slice into 6-8 pieces. Serve finished rolls with wasabi and tamari.

That's Amore!

2009-01-06T23:31:00.004-05:00

Fresh Ricotta, homemade tomato sauce, roasted eggplant, red onions, ...

I wish I could call tonight's dinner my own creation, but alas, it is the Melanzane pie from Regina Pizza in Boston's North End.

Oh My Darling

2009-01-03T15:37:00.005-05:00

It's that time of the year! Walk into almost any grocery store and you are opt to find boxes of sweet and aromatic clementines.

In our house these citrus fruits are usually eaten 2 or 3 at a time. The lack of seeds and easiness to peel make them hard not to!

If you haven't tried them yet, you better get to a grocery store soon. Clementine season only goes to the end of January...

James Bond and I Have Something in Common

2009-01-03T11:20:00.009-05:00

‘I drink it when I am happy, and when I’m sad. Sometimes I drink it when I am alone. When I have company, I consider it obligatory. I trifle with it if I am not hungry and I drink it when I am. Otherwise I never touch it, unless I am thirsty.’ ~ Lily Bollinger, manager of Bollinger Champagne house from 1941 to 1971

About 4 years ago, my friend Marije and I took a week-long road trip through the French country-side. Starting from the Netherlands, we drove to Beaujolais, then worked our way through Burgundy, Chablis and Champagne before ending up in Paris. Was it ‘coincidental’ that each of there regions were known for their excellent wine and cheese? Of course not!

The climax of our trip was in Ay, where a friend of Marije's was able to arrange for us a private tour of the Bollinger Champagne house, one the oldest champagne producers in the world. From the Vielle Vignes (old vines), to the underground cellars, to the tasting room, we spent hours learning all about the production (and taste!) of Bollinger.

... As for the James Bond reference? Bollinger Champagne has been featured as James Bond's Champagne of choice in Ian Fleming's novels, as well as the 007 movies.

We Ate Like it Was 1999

2009-01-01T17:07:00.023-05:00

Happy New Year!

My husband and I brought in 2009 with a bottle of champagne, a couple of movies and a fabulous multi-course meal.

We started with an appetizer of shrimp cocktail, followed by a salad of roasted pears, grapes, dried cranberries, sugared walnuts, gruyere cheese and a cranberry vinaigrette. For an entree, we had Beef Wellington, broccolini with pine nuts and baked potatoes. After the ball dropped we finished the meal with chocolate molten lava cake with fresh raspberries.

Having never made Beef Wellington before, my initial instinct was to find a recipe online. What I ended up doing though, was using a recipe by Gordon Ramsay to understand how to assemble the beef, but made up my own recipe for the duxelle (aka the layer in between the beef and the puff pastry).

Emily's Recipe for Beef Wellington Duxelle:

4 ounces butter

1 package cubed pancetta (Italian bacon)

1 shallot, minced

1 package baby bella mushrooms - diced finely

10 fresh thyme sprigs, with leaves stripped from twigs

1/2 cup Marsala wine

1/4 cup Maker's Mark Whiskey

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Over a medium heat, melt the butter and add the pancetta, stirring until crisp. Add the minced shallot and cook until soft. Add the mushrooms and thyme and stir for about 5 minutes. Add the marsala and whiskey and stir until liquid is absorbed by mushroom mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste. Spoon the mixture into a bowl and refrigerate until cool.

The below slide show shows our meal and the process for making the Beef Wellington (HINT: Scrolling your mouse over the slideshow will bring up the controls to pause or change the speed):

Harpoon 'Roasted Turkey' IPA

2008-12-29T20:20:00.003-05:00

For tonight's dinner I roasted a turkey breast that was brined overnight with a mixture of salt, IPA and chipotle. The result was a very moist turkey with a crisp skin and smokey hops flavor.
I paired the turkey with a side of parpadelle pasta made with roasted butternut squash, toasted pine nuts, caramelized onions, garlic, olive oil and sage.

Christmas Present

2008-12-27T22:16:00.007-05:00

This year, my husband and I spent Christmas with his family up in Vermont. We were joined by my two younger brothers. As you can imagine, there was lots of laughs, wine and food. Our Christmas Eve dinner featured foods from my husbands heritage: Italian Wedding soup made by my husband's mother and Lamejun (Armenian pizza), bought from Eastern Lamejun Bakers in Belmont, MA.
Photo from Eastern Lamejun's website.

Christmas day spotlighted a Brisket with Portobello Mushrooms and Dried Cranberries (recipe) made by husband's mother.Accompanying the brisket was roasted yams and mashed potatoes. In addition, I made an antipasto and an eggplant caponata.
The antipasto featured home-made roasted peppers, marinated artichoke hearts, mushrooms, herbed olives, pepperdews, cornichons, provolone and buffalo mozzarella.
The caponata was based on a recipe I developed for last Christmas' dinner.

Emily's recipe for eggplant caponata:

2 medium eggplants, diced in 1 inch cubes
Sea salt, to taste
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, small dice
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup celery
1 carton pomi chopped tomatoes
4 tablespoons capers, drained
1 tablespoon sugar
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon dried chili flakes

Preheat oven to 400°F. In a gallon-sized ziplock bag, combined diced eggplant with half of olive oil, sea salt and pepper. Shake bag until eggplant is evenly coated. Spread eggplant in one layer on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper. Bake eggplant for 30 minutes or until tender, flipping halfway through.

Meanwhile, in the remaining olive oil, saute the onions, garlic and celery over medium heat until vegetables are translucent (~5 minutes). Add pomi tomatoes and grilled eggplant. Continue to cook for 10 minutes. Add capers, sugar, vinegar and chili flakes. Cook for an additional 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Season to taste with sea salt and pepper. For best flavor, refrigerate overnight before serving with crusty bread.

ZINGIBER

2008-12-27T21:44:00.002-05:00

QUESTION: What is the common name for 'ZINGIBER', a spice often used in holiday baking?

Fortunately, the night before I made a batch of 'Zingiber' cookies for Christmas and was quite familiar with the spice. Even more fortunate for my husband's team trivia team, I had also joined them for their weekly game of bar trivia in Somerville. The answer was 'Ginger'.

Emily's recipe for Zingerbar Spice cookies, loosely based on a recipe from epicurious.com.

2 cups of flour
3 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup chopped crystallized ginger
1 cup dark brown sugar
3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 large egg
1/4 cup dark molasses
1 cup turbino sugar

Whisk flour, ground ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and sea salt in a bowl, until well blended. Add in crystallized ginger. In a separate bowl, with a mixer, beat brown sugar and butter in large bowl until fluffy. Add egg and molasses and beat until blended. Add flour mixture and mix just until blended. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Cover 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Pour turbino sugar into a small bowl. Using wet hands, form dough into 1 1/4-inch balls; roll in sugar to coat completely. Place balls on prepared sheets, spacing 2 inches apart.

Bake cookies until cracked on top but still soft to touch, about 12 minutes. Carefully transfer to racks and cool.

My Plan for a Lobster Bailout

2008-12-23T19:45:00.002-05:00

I read an article recently on USAToday.com about the severe impact of the economy on the lobster industry:

"Lobster prices fluctuate widely during the year depending on supply and demand. Still, it was a seismic jolt when the "boat price" -- the price lobstermen receive for their catch -- fell to as low as $2.25 a pound this month. Prices hadn't dropped that low since the days after 9/11, said Norton. But the hit lobstermen are taking this year is more painful than back then. That's because the cost of doing business is far greater now, with the high price of bait, rope and diesel fuel -- even after recent declines. The plunge in lobster prices comes at the time of year when fishermen are trying to put away money to last through the coming cold-weather months when they aren't pulling traps. Many lobstermen will have trouble making boat payments and paying bills this winter, said Bob Baines, a lobsterman in Spruce Head."

At the end of September, my husband and I hosted a lobster bake for family and friends. McGrath's out of Newport, Rhode Island cooked the lobsters the old fashion New England way - in a pit with muscles, clams, potatoes and corn, steamed for hours with seaweed. The unveiling of our lobster bake, photographed by Meg Belanger.

With the economic slowdown, I am sure not many of you are not jumping to host a lobster bake, BUT for the price of a few lobsters, you could both aide an ailing industry and have a wonderful dinner.

Recipe for Lobster Risotto from the New York Times:

6 cups of lobster stock (recipe)
¼ Cup butter
¼ Cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 Medium onions, finely chopped
2 Cups Arborio rice
Meat from 2 cooked lobsters, chopped
2 Tablespoons minced chives
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Salt, to taste
½ Cup grated Parmesan cheese

In a medium pot, heat the stock and keep warm. In a large, wide saucepan, melt the butter in the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and sauté until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add a large pinch of salt, then add the rice and stir constantly for about 2 minutes. Add 1 cup of broth and simmer, stirring until the broth is almost absorbed. Add more broth, a cup at a time, allowing each addition to be absorbed before adding the next. Stir often. Cook until the rice is tender and the mixture is creamy, 20 to 25 minutes. Stir in the lobster meat until heated through, then add the chives and ¼ cup of the Parmesan. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately with remaining Parmesan. (Serves 4)

Desperately Seeking STELLA D'ORO ANGINETTI Cookies

2008-12-23T18:00:00.000-05:00

Imagine the scene:

STELLA D'ORO: 'Desperate. I love that word, it is so romantic.'
CHARLESTOWN CULINARY: 'Everyone I know is desperate, except you.'
STELLA D'ORO: 'I'm desperate.'
CHARLESTOWN CULINARY: 'You? Haha.'
STELLA D'ORO: 'Sort of.'

Oh STELLA D'ORO, if only you knew how DESPERATE I am. I've grown up with the pineapple creampuffs made with your cookies every Christmas. Yet you are nowhere to be found. STOP & SHOP told me you have distribution problems. FOODMASTER has an empty hole on the shelf where you used to be. The Italian guy at J. PACE just laughed at me. Driving to 6 stores makes me DESPERATE. My husband calling 3 more makes it even worse. I am DESPERATE for you to figure out your distribution issues.

MMM... Doughnuts

2008-12-22T23:30:00.000-05:00

When I was a kid, we used to visit my grandparents in Fairhaven right before going back to school. During this visit we always did 2 things:

1. Back to school shopping at the outlet mall
2. The Feast of Our Lady of Angels

'The Feast' was one of our favorite things as kids, because it was there that we would get hot malasadas. Malasadas are Portuguese yeast doughnuts - (my mother is 100% Portuguese) - that are deep fried then coated with sugar. This is how much they were loved: For our wedding dinner, my husband and I had a 'surprise' malasada course in between the entree and cake...they were the size of a dinner plate, but that didn't stop my brother Nate from eating TWO of them.

Wedding malasada photographed by Meg Belanger.

Honeymoon Macaroons

2008-12-21T18:01:00.003-05:00

On our honeymoon in Hawaii, we ate macadamia nuts almost everyday. In pancakes, crusted on fish, covering desserts... when we left, with us came a few bags of the wonderfully delicious nuts. While looking for holiday cooking inspiration I came across a recipe on epicurious for 'Island Macaroons' - coconut and macadamia nut macaroons topped with chocolate. MMMM... I drizzled the chocolate on top instead of dipping, but otherwise the recipe is wonderful.

From epiurious.com:

3 cups sweetened flaked coconut
1 cup unsalted macadamia nuts, chopped
2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 egg whites
Pinch of salt
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped, melted

Preheat oven to 350°F. Place coconut and macadamia nuts on large cookie sheet. Bake until lightly toasted, stirring frequently, about 12 minutes. Cool. Maintain oven temperature.
Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper. Grease parchment. Combine condensed milk and vanilla in large bowl. Mix in coconut and macadamia nuts thoroughly. Using electric mixer, beat egg whites and salt until stiff but not dry. Fold whites into coconut mixture. Drop batter by rounded tablespoons onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake until macaroons just turn golden brown around edges, about 14 minutes. Cool completely on cookie sheets.

Line another cookie sheet with waxed paper. Dip cookie bottoms into melted chocolate. Place cookies, chocolate side down, on prepared cookie sheet. Refrigerate until chocolate is set, about 15 minutes. (Can be prepared 4 days ahead. Store cookies in airtight container in refrigerate.)

Eat, DRINK and be Merry

2008-12-21T17:00:00.002-05:00

At our holiday party last weekend we served up a festive drink that was both easy and popular with guests.

Emily's Raspberry Bellini Recipe:

Champagne (I supported local and bought Westport River's Sparkling Brut)

Raspberry Lambic

Frozen Raspberries

Fill a champagne glass 2/3 full with champagne. Fill the remaining 1/3 with Raspberry Lambic. Finish with a spoonful of frozen raspberries.

P.S. I learned the hard way that putting the raspberries in first is VERY MESSY.

J'aime sel!

2008-12-21T14:56:00.000-05:00

I love salt. My family loves salt. We put it in and on almost EVERYTHING. My husband is not a big salt fan (can you imagine?) ... and yet we stay happily married.

As part of a bridal shower gift, my friend Sue gave me a jar of Ile de Ré sea salt, which is hand-raked from marshes off a little island in France. The marshes date back to the 12th Century. I am trying to think of a way to combine a visit to these salt marshes with our next vacation.
http://www.sel-de-re.tm.fr/en/index.php

'Nicholas Cage' Pistachio-Cranberry Biscotti

2008-12-21T14:48:00.002-05:00

Yesterday I spent almost 2 hours shelling and pealing the skin off of a bag of pistachios -to get just under a cup of nuts. I think it was doing it in front of the Nicholas Cage movie my husband was watching that made it even more painful -- but the results were delicious!

I admit, I usually lose a couple slices in between the first and second bake. The ends and anything that crumbled during slicing is devoured. MMMM... hot cookies.

Emily's recipe for Chocolate Dipped Cranberry - Pistachio Biscotti:

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 stick salted butter + 1 tablespoon

3/4 cup sugar

2 large eggs

2 tablespoons grated orange peel

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon anise extract

3/4 cup shelled whole pistachios + 1/8 cup finely chopped
4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate

Preheat oven to 325°F. Sift first 3 ingredients into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in large bowl to blend well. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Mix in orange zest, vanilla, and anise. Beat in flour mixture just until blended. Stir in cranberries and whole pistachios. Divide dough in half. Roll each half into log. Carefully transfer logs to 1 prepared baking sheet, spacing 3 inches apart. Bake logs until almost firm to touch but still pale, about 25-30 minutes. Cool logs on baking sheet at least 15 minutes. Maintain oven temperature.

Carefully transfer logs to cutting board. Using a chefs knife and gentle sawing motion, cut logs crosswise into generous 1/2-inch-thick slices. Stand slices on baking sheets, bake until firm and pale golden, about 15 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks and cool.

Line another baking sheet with parchment paper. Put chocolate and tablespoon of butter in micorwaving for 30 second intervals, stirring in between each. Microwave until fully melted. (Be careful to no overcook!) Dip 1 end of each cookie into melted chocolate. Place cookies on prepared sheet. Sprinkle with chopped pistachios. Chill until chocolate is firm.

Christmas Past

2008-12-21T07:15:00.001-05:00

This year we will be going to Vermont to celebrate Christmas with my husband's family. Rumors are of an Italian-themed Christmas Eve and a Beef Wellington centerred Christmas.

Here is a look back at some of the goodies from last year's two days of eating:

Antipasto featuring roasted garlic, olives, marinated artichoke hearts, mushrooms, roasted peppers and prosciutto. Served with crusty bread and cheese (buffalo mozzerella and provolone) from the Fresh Cheese Shop in Boston's North End.
Toasted, sliced french baguette spread with garlic aoli, arugula, braised beef, braise reduction and caramelized onion. The braising liquid included: beef broth, chipotle peppers, pale ale, molasses, bourbon,... MMM...
Sicilian-style Eggplant Caponata
Sage-Butternut Squash Risotto. For a deeper squash flavor I roasted the squash in the oven with olive oil, salt, pepper and sage. I also reserved half the squash and mixed it into the risotto towards the end of cooking. This gave the risotto a mix of creamy squash infused rice with chunks of roasted squash. I finished the dish with fresh ground nutmeg.
Vanilla-Bean Bread Pudding with Golden Raisins. I used Challah bread...the egginess of the bread creates a dense and rich dessert. Also, for plump raisins, I soaked the raisins in Grand Marnier for 15 minutes prior to adding them to the bread pudding mix.Orange-Pistachio Florentines. I remembered cooking these vividly - I was out of almonds, and used pistachios on a whim. I knew I was either going to love them or hate them. Fortunately, they were LOVED...especially by my sister who couldn't eat gluten.

Italian Macaroons with Pignoli Nuts. Light, crisp and delicious!

Stella Doro Cream Puffs... Growing up my great aunt used to make these every Christmas. My siblings and I thought she was a cooking genius. Now I know that the shells were store-bought ANGINETTI cookies and the filling has kool-whip, cream cheese and crushed pineapple... but they are still genius, and in her honor I make them every Christmas.