jiro ono.

Jiro Dreams of Sushi is a beautiful documentary about the first three-michelin starred resto, owned by an 85-year old chef at a Tokyo metro station. This just came out for one week only in London! A big thumbs up from me.

anticipation...

I am so excited that I will be spending New Years Eve in New Orleans with the lovely Gigi!! I already have a few recipes I am dying to try for our sequins and bubbles dinner.

We could start the night with this yummy Holiday Pear Margarita? 

I had this Beet and Goat Cheese Salad with Pistachios at Rosebud and think it is the most simple and elegant starter. 

Vanilla Clove Panna Cotta with Honeyed Persimmon for dessert- why not?

I can't wait to see what Gigi has in mind. She is a culinary wonder! Can we just skip Christmas and get straight to ringing in 2012? 

AT update

Per Bebe's request, here's my latest Apartment Therapy post. It's about methods for recipe organization. Yay!

southern dinner!

Even though I grew up in the South, my parents are both Yankees and therefore I didn't really get to experience great southern food until I was older. To think of the years I missed eating grits, greens, and jambalaya. 

For my southern themed dinner party, I made summer succotash, deep fried chicken, and greens with cornbread dumplings. 

Summer Succotash

1 bag frozen lima beans

 olive oil
red wine vinegar

1 small Vidalia onion chopped
1 large garlic clove, minced
3/4 pound cherry tomatoes (about 1 1/2 pints) Fresh kernels from 4 ears corn
fresh basil leaves

To prep I grilled the four ears of corn until done, then cut the kernels off into a small bowl.

 Then I cooked the lima beans as directed, and placed them aside as well. That way I had all my ingredients prepped for when my guests arrived. 

To put it all together, cook onion over moderate heat, stirring, until just softened. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add tomatoes, corn, lima beans, and vinegar and cook, stirring, until tomatoes just begin to lose their shape. Remove skillet from heat and add more vinegar/ oil to taste with salt and pepper, fold in chopped fresh basil leaves. I was lucky enough to have fresh baby cherry tomatoes and basil from my friend's garden- yum! 

Greens with Cornbread dumplings

1 (1-pound) smoked keilbasa

1 medium vidalia onion

8 cups chicken stock

1 large bunch mustard greens

1 large bunch turnip greens

1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

2/3 cup yellow cornmeal

2 teaspoons packed brown sugar

2 teaspoon baking powder

2 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 cup whole milk

some fresh kernels from the succotash recipe

Chop kielbasa into small cubes. Cook kielbasa in olive oil with onion on low for around 10 minutes, until all fat is rendered and onions are soft.

Discard any coarse stems from greens and coarsely chop leaves.

Add greens, 2 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk together flour, cornmeal, brown sugar, baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt, then blend in butter well with your fingertips. Stir in milk until just combined. Let dough stand 5 minutes.

With wet hands, roll rounded tablespoons of dough into balls.

Gently place dumplings on top of greens. Cook, covered and undisturbed, over low heat until greens are very tender and silky and dumplings are puffed and cooked through, about 20 minutes.. Season with salt and pepper.

Buttermilk Fried Chicken Recipe

for this recipe I used a slightly altered version of the Simply Recipes recipe; we had 7 people do I made two chickens

2 (3 pound) fryer chickens , cut into pieces

 1 liter buttermilk

 a teaspoon each parsley and thyme, dried

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

several cups flour

two cups cornmeal

1 teaspoon garlic salt

1 teaspoon onion salt

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon cajun seasoning

Salt and pepper

 vegetable or peanut oil to cover

 Soak chicken overnight (at least 8 hours and up to two days) in buttermilk with herbs, paprika, cajun seasoning and cayenne pepper. 

 In a large bowl combine flour, cornmeal, seasonings.  Meanwhile, heat oil in a large, heavy-bottomed dutch oven or other hearty pot (I used my marmite creole from La Reunion).  

  

Coat chicken with flour and lay on a baking sheet. Let sit for at least 15 minutes. Before adding to oil, toss chicken one more time in flour mixture. 

When oil is very hot and bubbling, add chicken to oil carefully. Fry until coating is golden brown and chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes for small pieces and 20-30 for large breast pieces. 

mmmmm dumplings bubbling and chicken frying...

Drain chicken on paper grocery bags. Salt and pepper the finished pieces while hot. 

And voila! A Southern dinner!

And for dessert? Grilled peaches over vanilla ice cream of course...

Summertime pork tacos

Do you ever read a recipe and you just can't wait to make it? That happened to me when I came across this recipe for cranberry chili street tacos. Luckily the stars were aligned, because Gigi was coming to visit and this is the perfect dinner to make when you aren't quite positive when your visitors will arrive. You make the pork in the slow cooker so it can heat all day, and the garnishes come together at the last minute because they are all raw. For Gigi I grilled some corn as a side but the tacos themselves make a lovely meal alone.

To make the pork filling, take a pork loin and place it into the slow cooker with a can of cranberry sauce and a jar of asian garlic chili sauce. I used these:

Cook on low all day- I let it go for about 9 hours. An hour before serving, shed the pork and then replace it into the sauce in the slow cooker to get nice and coated.

Two things: I trimmed most of the fat off of the pork loin, and in retrospect I shouldn't have because it turned out a little dry. I also tasted the pork at the shredding faze and added a healthy dose of hot sauce to the mix.

Also I wish the cranberries had made the pork a little more sour. Perhaps homemade cranberry sauce would be better?

For garnish I used:

shredded cabbage

red onion

fresh cilantro

avocado

salsa verde

sour cream

lime wedges

Heat up some fresh corn torillas, load 'em up, and eat! Yum! 

the 'i told you so' meal

This meal is close to my heart, because when I spent a year on a pirate ship in the Indian Ocean my dear roommate brought it to the table. I read the recipe, which she had cut out of a magazine, and promptly dismissed it as sounding like a "I am so high and this is what is in the pantry" recipe. However, she got to say "I told you so" because it is really delightful and I make it for a lovely lunch often. It is good hot and fresh but also as a cold salad the next day. What follows is my recipe per Momma Bomba, with my alterations in red. Enjoy!

Peanut chicken noodles:

1 tbsp peanut oil (or whatever)

1 lb chicken, cut (or half chicken and half mushrooms, as I usually do with meat stuff, or shrimp if ya like)

3 cloves garlic

1/2 onion sliced

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

2 cups water

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

4 tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp crushed red peppers

2 packs ramen noodles, chicken flavor

hearty dashes of tiger sauce

1 cup frozen peas

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Heat oil, fry chicken and garlic, then onions. Remove from pan. Whisk peanut butter with water, vinegar, soy sauce, red pepper, and 1 seasoning packet from the ramen noodles. Bring to a boil and add the noodles. Re-add the chicken and frozen peas, and cover until noodles are cooked. Season heavily with tiger sauce and top with fresh chopped cilantro. 

Delicious! An economical tasty thai knock-off that comes together in 20 minutes. Now if you excuse me, I am going to go dive in to the left-overs. 

amazing.

I learned something incredible yesterday.

To keep fresh herbs all the time, you can store them in an ice cube tray and leave them in the freezer.

How did I not know this before? I watched it on Barefoot Contessa, but this blog also has a thorough explanation.

You're welcome!

three impossible cocktails for spring

ONE
 I love this ginger cognac called Domaine de Canton, but I wasn't sure what to mix it with. So I thought- what do I like ginger with? Ginger lemon tea, and ginger pear pie came to mind. So I created this cocktail; I couldn't think of a good name for it. Any suggestions?

Start with a shaker filled with ice, half of a lemon, ginger cognac, and pear vodka. Put one shot cognac and two shots vodka into the shaker with the juice of half the lemon (with a sliver reserved for garnish). Shake it like a polaroid picture.

I found these ginger chews and thought they would be perfect with this cocktail-- I am such a ginger fiend. Pour into cute glass and garnish with one ginger candy and a slice of lemon. Enjoy on the porch in New Orleans, fanning yourself with theater tickets. 

TWO

Unfortunately I did not take great pictures of this one, as I was too busy catching up with an lovely old friend while pouring away. I call it the coupe princesse-- But anyway, I didn't make up this recipe, I found it in a magazine several years ago. I think it was Gourmet? You need gin, pink grapefruit juice, rosemary simple syrup, and champagne or sparkling wine. 

To make the rosemary syrup, which is really the magic in this drink, just simmer some fresh rosemary in a simple syrup (sugar and water) for about ten minutes and leave to cool. You can later use this in your tea too! 

Use a shaker filled with ice and shake up two shots of gin for each glass and two splashes of pink grapefruit, with a dash of the sugar syrup.Shake it like a pom pom at homecoming.  Pour into sexy glasses and top with champagne. Should be garnished with a sugar-coated rosemary sprig (not pictured.) Enjoy on the beach in your bathing costume while reading a romance novel. 

THREE

This one came about because a friend of mine had blueberry vodka to get rid of, and she was having a bbq. This was my solution. You need: blueberry vodka, fresh mint, lemonade, fresh lemon, and soda water. I call it life's lemons. 

Muddle a few leaves of fresh mint in the bottom of a glass- it helps if you sprinkle some sugar on top to grind it well. In the meanwhile, place two shots vodka per glass and a healthy splash of lemonade in an ice-filled cocktail shaker and shake it like yo mamma told ya. 

Pour vodka and lemonade into glass, top with soda water and garnish with fresh lemon round. Enjoy in a cotton sundress at the barbeque before kissing in the shade of the dogwood tree. 

Seductive Meals, part deux.

Cioppino, Zuppe di Pesce, Bouillabaisse...a soup by any other name would still taste as briny and delicious and seductive. It also fulfills an important qualification of a pre-liaison meal by not filling you up too much! Beware if your beau or belle is allergic to shellfish...

Try this:

6 c home-made fish stock or chicken stock

1/2 lb mussels

1/2 lb clams

1/4 lb shrimp

1/4 lb calamari

1/2 lb firm white fish, cut into bite-sized pieces

1/2 onion or 2 shallots, chopped finely

3 cloves garlic, ditto

1 can good whole tomatoes, squished through your fingers into bite-sized pieces

1 pinch saffron, if you wish, you yellow-fingered temptress!

Saute garlic and onion in olive oil, add your favorite herbies--rosemary, thyme, herbes de provence and cook until translucent. Add tomatoes and fish stock and bring to a quiet and ladylike boil. Wait until you're just about ready to sit down to add the fish and shellfish to the stock. Cook until mussels and clams part their luscious lips and the calamari has curled its tentacles in ecstasy. Spoon into bowls and let it dribble down your chin.

seduction dinner

So I have certain dishes in my repertoire that I call my seduction dishes, and I like to make them for pretty boys and sexy girls. One of my favorites is bacon-wrapped shrimp with saffron risotto. I made this particular one for Care for valentine's day, and I have made it for Peach for V day as well! Gigi? Your turn. 


I nicked this recipe from a restaurant where I used to host in Marietta, GA called Simpatico.  Lets just say I ate a lot of saffron risotto during the two summers I worked there. And it was worth it. 

I start by cooking the bacon for just a few minutes in a saute pan and then set it aside. Use the bacon fat to cook a scallion and toast the aborio rice. (eeerrr, I don't use measurements for this recipe, as you may have noticed with my others... but I think it is ok to wing it.) Splash in some white wine - making sure it has been sampled several times beforehand- and simmer for a minute, then add (a lot of) saffron and start cooking it as a normal risotto- adding warm chicken stock until absorbed and constant stirring until done. 

In the meanwhile, wrap the shrimp with the semi- pre cooked bacon and broil until done. As the risotto comes near finished, sautee some spinach with garlic and butter in another pan. Remember to salt and pepper both the risotto and spinach! The only seasonings I use here are salt, pepper, and the saffron. 

When the risotto is tender and creamy, I stir in a big dollop of sour cream just to finish it off. Butter is never a bad idea either- and what is more seductive than butter? To serve I pile the risotto in the middle of the plate, top with the spinach, and surround with the shrimp. Like Simpatico, I add drops of sriracha  sauce to give a little kick to the creamy rice. Serve with white wine in whatever stage of undress you prefer. 

lazy spanish tortilla

 A good hostess should always offer breakfast to her overnight guests, expected or not. 

What about when you are dreadfully low on ingredients? The other day I found everything needed to make a lazy spanish tortilla while digging through the pantry as he snored away. 

Got potatoes and eggs? You have tortilla. I throw whatever other veg I have in as well. I started by cooking potatoes and shallots on medium heat until done, with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper. 

The mushrooms I had picked  up the other day went in the pan after a little cooking, and I beat 4 eggs in a bowl, which i then added to the cooked veggies. 

Why is this a lazy Spanish tortilla? Well for one thing, I cut my potatoes in chunks instead of nice flat ovals. But more importantly, I don't flip my tortilla. You are supposed to let the eggs cook on one side and then flip it over several times to get a nice omelet pie in the end. 

Because every time I try to prepare a proper tortilla I end up with scrambled eggs, I cheated: lowered the heat, coated the top with cheese, and covered it until it was cooked through. This results in a soft center and overcooked edges, but it saves your dignity after losing the tortilla battle too many times. 

I like it with creme fraiche on top and tabasco, both sorely lacking in my kitchen this day. Some nice green onions on top wouldn't hurt either. 

spicy veggie chili for a crowd

I had my first dinner party in the new digs last week and was stoked to be able to prepare one of my favorite dinner party staples, veggie chili based on this recipe from Simply Recipes. The best thing about this is that it is so beautiful, can be made in advance, and feeds a small army easily. 

My version contained an eggplant, yellow onion, red onion, yellow pepper, green pepper, red pepper, chili peppers, canned tomato, white beans, kidney beans, garlic, and corn for some sweetness. 
The biggest inspiration from the original recipe was the roasting of the eggplant before adding it in.

After I make the chili I let it sit and throw together a mango salsa and a guacamole for appetizers. The mango salsa is perfect with this because it is fresh like a little salad with the heavier stew. 

I didn't have all the normal spices so I seasoned my chili copiously with cajun seasonings, salt, coriander, and cumin. Leaving it on the stove all day, no heat, really marries all the favors together and it can be easily reheated when company arrives. I just let it simmer away while we snacked on the dips and it filled the whole apartment with yummy smells. 

I served each bowl with a dollop of creme fraiche and there was not a bean to be found at the bottom of the pot when the party was over. Success! 

cheesy grits with veg

So excited to be able to share recipes now! 

I'm moving out of the playhouse and trying not to go to the grocery. Luckily I found all the ingredients for one of my favorite brunches right in the cabinet! 

My darling aunt was kind enough to bring me grits from Georgia when she came to visit. If you don't know what grits are then I feel bad for you. Come on  over and I'll make you some!

Cheesy Grits with veg:

Saute one shallot in some olive oil with one clove smashed garlic. Add one diced tomato and continue cooking until onions are translucent and the tomato has a stewed consistency. Meanwhile start preparing your grits according to package instructions. I use 5 minute grits, so I boil 2 cups of heavily salted water and then add 1/2 cup of grits, cover and reduce heat until done. 

When the grits are nice and firm, add 1/2 cup canned corn kernels to accent the maizy flavor of the grits. Throw in cheese to your taste (luckily I still had some amazing cheddar from London), some spices (I use cajun seasoning), and the contents of the saute pan.

A hefty portion for one or a reasonable portion for two. If I was feeling fancy I would throw some sausage or shrimp on top, but for now I am perfectly content! 

Watermelon Gazpacho

Watermelon Gazpacho from Bebe on Vimeo.