-Dish-trict

A Roasting.

2010-01-06T15:14:00.006-05:00

My excitement over being allowed to post on a food blog is overshadowed by one simple fact: I'm here for the comic relief. Not so much funny haha but rather, "funny, you don't cook." What I have going for me is the zeal of a beginner, and a good friend and neighbor who enjoys teaching me things like egg-boiling and chicken-breading.

I'm pleased to meet you, blog readers.

Lisa and I ventured into new territories this fall by signing up for Arganica Farms. I'm doing it mostly so that I have no excuse but to eat my vegetables. I was scared to order any meat, being an ex-vegetarian who still dabbles, but I ordered an organic chicken. At $4, this is a steal.

Unfortunately, at $4 it also had...a neck. Gobble gobble.

I called my mom for help, who told me to chop "it" off, but I just couldn't bear it. I pretended "it" did not exist. I added a little olive oil, some salt and pepper and threw that bad boy in the oven with some butternut squash and potatoes. It came out great - super juicy and delicious. I immediately took every scrap of meat off the bone and threw the...um...carcass out. So what? (This is where Lisa heaves a sigh at the loss of a beautiful pot of chicken stock).

Mara's Badass Chicken (with Neck)
1 organic chicken, about 4 lbs.
1 neck (ignore)
4 white potatoes, peeled and chopped large
1 butternut squash, peeled and chopped large
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 425. Rub everything with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the chicken, breast side down, on a rack in a roasting pan. Roast 15 minutes. Lower heat to 350, add chopped veggies to the pan, and continue roasting until chicken is cooked, about 45 more minutes, or until the internal temperature is 165 and juices run clear. Rest for 20 minutes before carving. (...like I did that).

Snow Cookies

2009-12-21T22:09:00.020-05:00

Please don't blame me. I take no responsibility for the following recipe. Blame the 16.4 inches of snow and the resultant three days I was stuck in my house surrounded by naught but butter, sugar and chocolate.

On Saturday, chocolate chip cookies sounded like a tasty prospect; gooey chocolate brownies were a necessity on Sunday, but an attempt that was left half baked and in an unattactive, over-gooey heap thanks to an unexpected dinner escape to Commonwealth. But come Monday night, I was standing over the pan eating the crumbly bits (no calories!), feeling not a little sad at the prospect of throwing away such delicious, if undercooked brownies, when I realized that the bits looked an awful lot like chocolate chips. Hey, chocolate is chocolate, right? So with a little further crumbling, a lot more baking, ~~and the promise of sexual favors if my husband would run to the store for more sugar,~~ brownie cookies were born.

Crazy? Maybe. Overly decadent? Perhaps. Worth being stuck in our itty bitty apartment for three blizzard-filled days? You bet.

Brownie Cookies
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 cups sugar
3/4 cups light brown sugar
1 cup butter flavored Crisco
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 cups leftover brownies - the more underbaked the better - crumbled into bits (homemade recipe below, but box versions would be just as good)

Set the rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375.

Mix the flour, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl. In a large bowl or mixer, beat together the butter, both sugars and the vanilla until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time. Add in the flour, a cupful at a time, until fully incorporated. Stir in the brownie bits by hand.

Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake 11-12 minutes (cookies will be slightly underdone but will firm up as they cool).

Outrageous Brownies
Recipe from The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook
1 pound unsalted butter
1 pound plus 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate
6 extra large eggs
3 tbsp instant coffee granules
2 tbsp pure vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3 cups chopped walnuts, optional

Preheat oven to 350.

Butter and flour a 12x18x1-inch baking sheet.

Melt together the butter, 1 pound of chocolate chips, and the unsweetened chocolate in a medium bowl over simmering water. Allow to cool slightly. In a large bowl, stir (do not beat) together the eggs, coffee granules, vanilla and sugar. Stir the warm chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and allow to cool to room temperature.

In a medium bowl, sift together 1 cup of flour, the baking powder and salt. Add the cooled chocolate mixture. Toss the walnuts and 12 ounces of chocolate chips in a medium bowl with 1/4 cup of flour, then add them to the chocolate batter. Pour into the baking sheet.

Bake for 20 minutes, then rap the baking sheet against the oven shelf to force the air to escape from between the pan and the brownie dough. Bake for about 15 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Do not overbake! Allow to cool thoroughly, refrigerate, and cut into 20 large squares.

Hail to the Sheep

2009-08-03T17:05:00.007-04:00

I have long been turned on to the magic that is goat's milk cheese. Whether its fresh chevre in a salad or the tangy hint of goat cheese in a luscious berry topped cheesecake, call me a fan. But though I frequently peruse the myriad cheese plates gracing our local restaurants' menus, I didn't fully appreciate just how darn good sheep's milk cheese can be until this weekend.

While wandering around the Dupont Farmers Market - my favorite Sunday morning pastime - I saw a stall I hadn't really noticed before, Everona Dairy, where they were handing out delicious samples of their farmstead sheep's milk varieties left and right. Not only did I walk away with a hefty hunk of nutty Piedmont, their signature cheese, but I also got a tub of their Rapidan spread, a tapenade-style dipping 'sauce' that's got the Piedmont cheese mixed right in. Dolloped into a pot of hot orzo with some fresh basil and chopped heirloom tomatoes thrown in for good measure, we had one of my favorite meals of the summer. Yay sheep.

Skinny Beach Fare

2009-07-14T21:05:00.008-04:00

Here's a super quick weeknight dinner that's easy and - surpise! - actually kinda healthy. Well, maybe not healthy, per se, what with the mayo-based dunking sauce, but I figure baking and not frying the shrimp allows for some wiggle room. Add a big, summery salad and you've got a beach-worthy feast - sans the guilt.

Unfried Shrimp

1 lb medium shrimp, cleaned and deveined

1 cup cornmeal

1/4 cup flour

Salt and pepper

Cayenne pepper

2 eggs

Preheat the oven to 450. In a shallow bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, and salt, pepper and cayenne to taste. In another shallow bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Toss the shrimp in the cornmeal first, shaking off the excess, then dip in the eggs and back in the cornmeal, again shaking them off. Place the shrimp on a lined and oiled baking sheet and bake directly under the broiler for 5 minutes. Turn each shrimp over, cook another minute, then pile on a platter, sprinkle with salt and serve hot with the remoulade.

Spicy Remoulade

1/4 cup mayonnaise

2 tbsp ketchup

Several dashes of hot sauce

Several dashes of Worcestershire sauce

Juice of half a lemon

Salt and pepper to taste

Whisk all ingredients together.

What Are You Doing for Labor Day?

2009-07-03T18:26:00.009-04:00

Nothing like planning for the last summer holiday before the first is even behind us.

In addition to its ever popular Oyster Riot, Old Ebbitt Grill is launching another annual soiree - its First Annual Labor Day Block Party, to be exact. From 6-11 PM on Saturday, September 5, the swath of street in front of the historical restaurant (and down the street from the White House) will be roped off for food, libations, and live blues by Mudcat and headliner Bruce in the USA, the #1 Bruce Springsteen tribute band. Wonder if Obama is a Boss fan...

Pre-sale ticket price is $65 ($75 after July 31), which includes admission to the event, five of Ebbitt's classic menu items (think crab cakes, shrimp cocktail, bratwursts & burgers), and five drinks.

For more info or to purchase tickets, visit http://www.ebbittblockparty.com/.

Crust Convert

2009-06-30T09:19:00.020-04:00

I have never been what you would call a "crust person." Though the delicious berry and fruit pies of summer sit near the very top of my favorite desserts list - second only to an ooey gooey chocolate cake, of course - I've never been able to get excited over the requisite bland casing holding my slice together. Frankly, it's never tasted like much to me, and - as I've always told myself - if I skip all that fat and flour, pie is downright healthy!

Enter Julia Child.

If you've been reading this blog for awhile, you know that Baking with Julia has been my go-to baking bible. And lo and behold, when I returned home from the 14th and U Farmers Market with a fridgeful of glossy cherries and an intense desire for a big slice of freshly made cherry pie, a quick flip through her pages revealed what Ms. Child declares as "the classic dough that earns blue ribbons at country fairs and stars at esteemed pastry shops." Skeptic though I was, I gave it a try. And you know what? It was buttery and flaky and tender and awesome. Count me among the Crust Converts. (And so much for my healthy pies).

This recipe makes enough dough for four 9- to 10-inch tarts or open faced pieces, or 2 double crusted pies. It's super easy, too - just remember to keep everything cold and not to overmix. It also freezes beautifully for up to a month, so you might as well make the whole batch - after all, there are a lot of summer fruits to look forward to.

Perfect Pie Crust
from Baking with Julia
5 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp kosher salt
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 3/4 cups solid vegetable shortening, chilled (I used butter-flavored)
1 cup ice water

Mix the flour and salt together in a large bowl. Add the butter, and using a pastry blender or your fingers, cut the butter into the flour until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs (this will take a little while). Break up the shortening and add it in bits to the bowl, working it in with the pastry blender or your fingers until small clumps and curds form. Switch to a wooden spoon and add the ice water, stirring to incorporate it. Turn the dough onto a work surface and fold it over itself a few times, just til it all holds together. Don't overwork it!

Divide dough into 4 equal pieces, shape into flat disks, and wrap tightly in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or as long as 5 days. The dough can also be frozen for up to one month - just thaw completely in the fridge before using.

And, because I can't show you this delcious pie without giving you the recipe...

Best Ever Deep Dish Cherry Pie
2 dough disks, recipe above
1 cup sugar
3 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp salt
1 quart whole pitted sour cherries
1 quart whole pitted sweet cherries
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
1 tbsp milk

Position rack in lower third of oven and preheat to 425. Whisk sugar, cornstarch, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Stir in cherries, lemon juice, and vanilla; set aside.

Roll out one dough disk on a floured surface to a 12-inch round, lifting and turning frequently so it doesn't stick. Transfer to a 9-inch deep dish pie dish by wrapping it around your rolling pin, and gently work it into the pan - don't pull or stretch it. Trim dough overhang to 1/2 inch. Chill crust while you finish preparing the pie.

Whisk sugar, cornstarch and salt in a large bowl. Stir in cherries, lemon juice and vanilla; set aside.

Roll out the second disk to a 12-inch round. Using a pastry wheel with a fluted edge, cut ten strips from the dough round.

Transfer the cherry filling to the dough-lined dish, mounding slightly in center. Dot with the butter, then arrange the dough strips on top of the filling, forming a lattice. Trim the dough strip overhang to 1/2 inch and fold the bottom crust up over ends; crimp the edges to seal. Brush the lattice crust (not the edges) with the milk and sprinkle lattice with a tablespoon of sugar.

Place pie on rimmed baking sheet and bake 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375 and bake until the filling is bubbling and the crust is golden brown, about an hour longer. (During baking, cover the edges with a foil collar if browning too quickly). Transfer the pie to a rack and cool completely. Cut into wedges and serve with vanilla ice cream.

Shrimp Noodle Curry

2009-06-23T19:07:00.000-04:00

As I'm sure I've mentioned before in this space, Regent has long our hands down favorite Thai restaurant in DC proper. The food is great, the dark wood and tinkly fountains are lovely, and - thank goodness - we can walk to it in ten minutes. Although the menu features a long list of delicious options, we always find ourselves ordering the same comfort-inducing dishes - red curry for Rory, drunken noodles with seafood for me. So when I was trying my hand at homemade Thai, I decided to mix our two favorites. (Although I admit that, having nothing but somen noodles in the house, the dish took on a decidedly Japanese accent). Do try to make it with Thai-style rice noodles if you can...or nix the noodles altogether and just serve it over rice. Rory would approve.

Drunken Curry Noodles with Shrimp
2 tbsp vegetable oil, divided
1 lb. large shrimp, shelled and deveined
2 tbsp chopped fresh ginger
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 green onions, finely sliced, white parts only (reserve a few tablespoons of chopped green tops)
2 tbsp red curry paste
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 14-oz can coconut milk
1 28-oz can whole peeled tomatoes
4 heads baby bok choy, rough chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Handful of chopped fresh cilantro
Lime wedges

Add 1 tablespoon oil to a large pot or dutch oven over high heat. Add the shrimp and saute until almost cooked through, about 2-3 minutes. Remove shrimp; set aside. Lower heat to medium. Add the second tablespoon of oil and when hot, add the ginger, garlic and green onions and sweat for several minutes until softened and fragrant. Add curry paste, coconut milk, fish sauce, and tomatoes, along with half the tomato sauce from the can, and stir to incorporate, mashing the tomatoes as you go. Season with salt and pepper to taste, bring to a simmer, then add bok choy.

While the bok choy is cooking through, cook the noodles according to package instructions, removing 1 minute before complete cooking time. Add noodles to curry sauce, then add shrimp just before serving to finish cooking through. Serve with chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lime.

Happy Birthday!

2009-06-18T20:00:00.010-04:00

Well how about that - Dish-trict turned 1 yesterday! How time flies.

To celebrate, I thought I'd share with you some of my personal favorite dishes over the past year.

Fresh Pasta with Asparagus, Ricotta, and Hazelnut Gremolata

Chocolate Chip Cranberry Cookie Bars

A Tale of Two (Potato) Pancakes

Pastina

Fig Galette with Blue Cheese, Caramelized Onions and Pancetta

Goat Cheese Stuffed Squash Blossoms with Curry Powder

Thanks so much for reading. Here's to many more delicious dishes!

Brainfood Grill-Off - Tickets Still Available

2009-06-10T00:00:00.006-04:00

Attention all food lovers: there's still time to get your tickets to tomorrow's Brainfood Grill-Off.

Brainfood, a DC-based non-profit that uses food and cooking to teach healthy living and life skills to DC youth, is hosting its third annual competition tomorrow, June 11th, at the Decatur House from 6:30-9:30. This is a high spirited event in which top local chefs - including Tony Chittum (Vermilion), Cedric Maupillier (Central Michel Richard), Shannon Overmiller (The Majestic), Bryan Moscatello (Zola), and The Next Food Network Star finalist Teddy Folkman (Granville Moore's) - will team up with amateur cooks and Brainfood graduates to compete against one another in a grilling showdown. In addition to the grill-off, there will be hors d’oeuvres, an open bar and a live auction. Tickets are $75, all of which goes to Brainfood's after-school and summer programs.

A Trifling Dessert

2009-06-01T17:15:00.000-04:00

Ah, late spring/early summer. It's one of my very favorite times of year. And for me, one of the happiest places to be at this exact time of year is at a farmer's market. Walking through the throngs of smiling Sunday morning people, my thought process goes something like this - "Strawberries! And asparagus! And peas! And strawberries! And green stuff!...And strawberries!"

Yes, with row after row of those insanely sweet smelling and juicy strawberries on display right now, I would be remiss if I didn't offer at least one sigh-inducing dessert showcasing these little beauties. So, other than suggesting you eat them right out of the carton in the middle of the market, I give you Strawberry Trifle Cake, a riff on a delicious trifle my parents like to serve. You can make it quick with box mixes and ready-made pudding, or you can go old school and make each part from scratch. Either way, it's one of the best desserts I've ever had. (Seriously, I'm thinking about making another one right now). So enjoy, and please share any favorite strawberry dishes you have with me - I will try to keep my hands off my newest batch long enough to try yours out!

Strawberry Trifle Cake
1 box yellow cake mix
1 pint fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced, divided
2 tbsp sugar
2 8-oz packages cream cheese
4 3-oz cups vanilla pudding
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tbsp vanilla extract

Pour cake batter into two greased 8-inch cake pans. Cook according to package instructions. Turn out onto wire racks and cool completely. Meanwhile, place half the sliced strawberries in a bowl. Sprinkle with sugar, stir to combine and place in fridge while cake is cooling.

For the icing: In a stand mixer or large bowl with a handheld mixer, beat together the cream cheese and pudding until smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar, being sure to break up any lumps. Add the vanilla extract; stir to combine.

Place one cake round on a cake plate. Smooth a cupful of icing over the top. Cover with a layer of the unsweetened sliced strawberries. Top with second cake round and finishing icing the top and sides of cake. Let chill for several hours.

To serve: Mash up the chilled sweetened strawberries with the back of a fork until a thick sauce forms. Slice the cake and serve with the strawberries.

For Your Consideration

2009-05-27T10:46:00.016-04:00

As we are all quite aware, now is the time to get your hands on some delicious spring asparagus. The farmers markets are overflowing with them - literally - and the freshly picked local stuff is so much better than the supermarket version trucked in from who knows where that you'd swear you're eating a totally different vegetable. Steam it, nuke it, roast it - you can't go wrong. I particularly love mine folded into fresh pasta. And while you certainly don't need to go to the trouble of making your own pasta from scratch, it is totally worth it in the taste department - and the pat-yourself-on-the-back department, once you see that your golden strands can hold their own against most of the area restaurants' "house-made" versions.

While this pasta/asparagus combo would be equally good dressed simply with melted butter and a dusting of parmesan, I decided to go the robust route. Gremolata sounds awfully fancy, but it's really just a pretty word for a chopped herb condiment, usually made from parsley, garlic and lemon zest - all things that I happen to find delicious in my pasta bowl. Gremolata is super versatile, too. While its traditional purpose is to accompany a big plate of osso buco, it's also great with fish and seafood, and even sprinkled over crisp french fries, a la Cork's version. While the raw flavors of gremolate can be a bit assertive, I find that the smooth creaminess of the ricotta balances them out nicely.

So here's a slew of ideas for you, all in one little post. Put them together, try each out on its own - just get that asparagus!

Fresh Pasta with Asparagus, Ricotta, and Hazelnut Gremolata

1/2 cup ricotta cheese

Hazelnut gremolata (see recipe below)

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 lb of fresh fettuccine noodles (see recipe below)

1 lb. fresh asparagus, washed and chopped into 1-inch pieces

Salt and pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. In a large bowl, mix together ricotta cheese, gremolata and olive oil. Set aside.

Drop pasta into rapidly boiling water. Stir to loosen strands. After 2 minutes, add the chopped asparagus to the water. Cook for 2 more minutes, or until the pasta is done to your liking. Remove the pasta and asparagus and transfer to the bowl with the ricotta mixture; add 1/4 cup of the cooking water to the bowl. Toss the noodles to coat in the cheese sauce. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if necessary.

Fresh Semolina Pasta

2 1/2 cups semolina flour

4 eggs

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp water

1/2 tsp salt

In a large bowl, pour the flour into a mound, making a well in the center with your fingers. Add the remaining ingredients to the well. Using a fork, slowly begin incorporating the flour into the eggs, until a rough dough forms. Place the dough on a floured surface and knead for 4-5 minutes (you can also let the dough hook of your stand mixer do this for you). When the dough is smooth and elastic, cover with a damp towel and let rest for 30 minutes.

Divide the dough into four pieces. Pass each piece through the widest setting on a pasta maker, or the pasta sheet attachment of your stand mixer. I do about 10 passes, folding the dough a few times at the beginning to get it uniformly smooth. Switch to the next smallest sheet setting and pass the pasta through another 10 times. Repeat on the next setting. The dough should be about 1/16th-inch thick. Dust the sheets with plenty of semolina flour to prevent sticking, then fold them over themselves and place on parchment paper while your finish the rest.

Switch to a fettucine attachment to cut the sheets into strands. Place serving size mounds of pasta on parchment. You can either cook the pasta right away, or chill it overnight. (I place the extra in plastic baggies and store in the fridge to use later in the week)

Hazelnut Gremolata

2 tbsp crushed toasted hazelnuts

2 tbsp minced garlic

2 tbsp lemon zest

1/4 cup chopped parsley

Salt and pepper to taste

In a small bowl mix gremolata ingredients and season with salt and pepper.

Welcome Back

2009-05-11T16:07:00.008-04:00

Gah! Where have I been? A looong vacation + no internet access sure makes for a dull blog. Sorry about that.

I hope with this tasty posting you'll welcome me back with open arms. This is the perfect dish for a lazy day - the kind that requires minimal prep time, few ingredients, and a long, lazy soak in the oven, during which you can lie on the couch and catch up on missed American Idol episodes. Oh, and did I mention beer is involved? Pair it with something creamy and something green (I went with polenta and swiss chard), and you've got one of the best - and easiest - comfort dishes around.

Beer Braised Beef Short Ribs
2 pounds beef short ribs
Salt and pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
1 11 oz. bottle of your favorite beer (mine is Hoegaarden)
2 cups of beef/veal stock
1 large onion, chopped

1 sprig of rosemary
4 large garlic cloves, crushed

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. In a Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over high heat. Sprinkle the ribs on all sides with salt and pepper. When the oil shimmers, place the ribs into the pan. Sear on all sides until deep brown, about 3-4 minutes per side. Pour the beer into the pot and stir to loosen up any browned bits. Let the alcohol cook off for about 1-2 minutes, then add the stock. Stir to combine, add the rosemary and garlic, then place in the oven, uncovered. Braise for about 3 hours - covering halfway through - until the meat falls off the bone.

Remove the meat; set aside. Discard the rosemary sprig and puree the sauce, if desired. Serve short ribs over polenta or mashed potatoes and drizzle with sauce.

Celebrate Spring at Poste

2009-04-13T13:08:00.006-04:00

FINALLY. The chill of winter is (slowly) dissipating, the flowers are blooming, and (yay!) restaurant patios are opening once more. Why not thank the good earth for the return of spring with a garden party at one of the best restaurants in town?

On April 22 - Earth Day - Poste Brasserie will officially re-open its popular courtyard, dubbed "The Garden," with an outdoor soiree honoring FRESHFARM Markets. A $5 admittance fee lets you enjoy wine tastings from regional wineries (Poste is launching an all-Virginia wine list in The Garden - very exciting), cheese tastings from Cowgirl Creamery, a host of tasty punches, and samples of the truffle frites and warm gougeres from The Garden's new small plates menu. The cherry blossoms are great and all, but free food and outdoor drinks are pretty hard to beat.

Sweet and Tart

2009-04-02T14:30:00.010-04:00

Do you like going wine tasting in Virginia? I sure do. And do you find yourself in the same predicament as me, in which you get so caught up in the fun of wine tasting and the atmosphere of wine tasting and the, well, wine of wine tasing that you find yourself back at home that evening with a bunch of wine you wouldn't normally have bought and you don't really know what to do with? Good, I'm glad it's not just me.

This particular predicament is the cataylst behind this posting. I have gone to Linden Vineyards more times than I can count. I love the place, the people, and, usually, the wines. Linden makes a wonderful dessert wine, the Late Harvest Vidal, and while I am not really a dessert wine person - they usually taste like syrup to me - this one is extremely good (Linden says it has "dense, opulent and warming flavors of sweet nectar and persimmons"...ok). What's more, in the past they've served a gorgonzola tart alongside the wine to showcase how different it can taste when eaten with a more savory, cheese-focused dessert. It was a bit of a revelation to me, realizing how un-syrupy and complex a dessert wine can be when paired with the right foods. So of course I had to buy a bottle. And of course it's sat on my counter for a year, because when am I going to make a gorgonzola tart to un-syrupify it?

Well, I finally got motivated after another trip to Linden several weekends ago and tried my hand at a cheese dessert to go with my dear old Vidal. I added a bit of fig jam for sweetness, a bit of ricotta to mellow the flavor, a bit of pecans for crunch, and presto! A delicious pairing...though I don't think I'm going to wait for another dessert wine to collect dust on my shelf to make this tart again.

Gorgonzola Fig Tart

For the crust:

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

1 cup very cold unsalted butter, cut into 1 tbsp pieces

1/4 - 1/2 cup cold water

For the filling:

1/2 cup gorgonzola

1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese

2 large egg yolks

Dash of pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup dried fig jam

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a food processor, add the flour, salt and sugar and pulse a few times to mix. Add in the butter and pulse a few times until the mixture looks grainy. Slowly, while pulsing, add the water until the mixture becomes dough when pressed between your fingers. Press the dough into a buttered tart pan and bake for 15 minutes, until lightly golden. Remove and let cool.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the cheeses, egg yolks, and vanilla. Fold in the nuts. Set aside. Spread half the dried fig jam over the bottom of the cooled pie crust, then pour in the cheese mixture, smoothing the top. Drop dollops of the remaining jam in several concentric circles over the top of the filling. Then, using a knife or toothpick, drag through each circle in alternating directions in order to form a pretty patten (see above). Bake in the middle rack of the oven for about 25 minutes, or until the filling remains firm when jiggled. Let cool, slice and serve.

The Art of Compromise

2009-03-24T09:02:00.002-04:00

My dear husband is a bit of a mystery to me. If you forced him to pick a favorite food, there is no doubt in my mind that he would say cheese. (I’m betting that spending some formative toddler years in cheese-snob Switzerland has something do with it). Gooey brie, smoky gouda, creamy mozzarella – we’re talking a serious cheese love affair here. And yet, impossibly, he hates, HATES my childhood favorite, macaroni and cheese. How there isn’t a special place in his heart for that blue box is beyond me…though I suppose it has something to do with appreciating real cheese versus mystery powder. Whatever.

In any case, I decided to employ that time-immemorial tool of a happy marriage and compromise: make macaroni and cheese, but fancy-style, sans box and neon orange glow. It may not look or taste like the mac I know and love, but after a bowlful (or two or three) I’ve decided there’s room in my heart for the grown up version, too.

Grown Up Mac and Cheese
2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. flour
3 cups whole milk
1 tsp salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Dash cayenne pepper
¼ tsp nutmeg
4 oz. fresh goat cheese
4 oz. gruyere, cut into small chunks
6 oz sharp cheddar, cut into small chunks
1 1b. elbow macaroni or cavatappi
½ cup panko bread crumbs
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large pot, bring salted water to boil. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add the flour; whisk to incorporate and cook the flour, about 2 minutes. Add the milk, salt, peppers, and nutmeg, and continue to cook, whisking often, until the mixture thickens to the point where it coats the back of a spoon. Reduce the heat to low and add in the three cheeses. Stir often to fully melt and incorporate.

While the cheese is melting, add the pasta to the boiling water and par-cook, about 5 minutes. Drain the pasta and pour into a large casserole dish. Pour the sauce over the pasta, stirring to fully coat each noodle. Add salt and pepper to the panko crumbs to taste and sprinkle over the top of the pasta. Place on middle rack of oven and bake til heated through and the top is golden and crispy, about 20 minutes.

Care for Some Light Reading?

2009-03-14T14:48:00.003-04:00

Check out the interview I did recently with Meredith Adams, freelance journalist and writer of brand spanking new blog Platypuss.

Calling all Oyster Lovers

2009-03-12T10:47:00.008-04:00

It's ba-ack! On Saturday, April 18, Hank's Oyster Bar will hold its second annual Oyster Fest, this time at both the DC and new Old Town locations. From 11 AM - 3 PM, party goers get to enjoy all they can eat East and West Coast beauties (including Virginia's own Rappahannock) as well as fried and BBQ'd oysters, onion rings and fries, and lots of fancy beer. Guests from local oyster farms and beer brands will also be on hand to discuss tasty oyster-and-beer pairings.

Tickets are $65 per person and are available for presale at both locations, or by calling 202-462-4265. Get yours before they're gone!

Egg-tastic

2009-03-10T15:35:00.012-04:00

Remember that cooking class I told you I was taking - the one that focuses on mastering the basics of "serious" cooking? Well, last week's session was All About Eggs. "Eggs?" you say, "but eggs are...just eggs." Well yes, I admit, eggs are pretty darn basic, but that was the whole point - that eggs, in all their humble glory, are one of the main building blocks of many celebrated French dishes. Think satiny creme brulee, light-as-air merengue, decadant hollandaise. And on the other ends of the fancy-shmancy spectrum, eggs all by themselves are the beloved star of many a breakfast/brunch spread. So, since eggs are such a ubiquitous ingredient, I thought rather than giving you just one recipe, I'd share a bunch of tips I gleaned from class that are already paying off big time for me. I hope you find them helpful, too - and if you have any tried-and-true egg tips of your own, please share!

Egg Cooking Tips

A nonstick pan is for cooking two things. Eggs is one of them. (Fish is the other).

Cook sunny side up eggs on medium-low heat for a tender, delicate white.

Cook over easy eggs on medium-high heat for a white sturdy enough for flipping.

Cook omelettes over high heat. Yes, high.

Speaking of omelettes, here's how to make a perfect one: add a little butter to a hot, nonstick saute pan. Pour in lightly beaten eggs (enough to completely cover the bottom of your pan). Immediately scramble your eggs with a fork to help them cook through quickly. When they are halfway set, pat them down with the fork to create an even layer on the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle in shredded cheese and any other filling ingredients. With one hand, hold the pan's handle like a dagger (i.e., at a sharp angle) and with your other hand, use a spatula to slowly roll the omelette out of the pan onto a heated plate. The whole process should take about a minute tops. Ta-da!

When a recipe calls for whipping egg whites, like for a souffle, do it slowly. Think of blowing bubbles with a straw into a glass of milk. If you do it fast, you get big bubbles that disappear quickly. If you do it slow, you get tiny bubbles that stick around for awhile. You want those small bubbles for sustained lift.

Older eggs are best for hard boiling - something about how they have more space between the shell and the goo, making for easier peeling.

When cracking eggs, always do it on a flat surface. Though washed, egg shells are where bacteria can reside, and cracking on the side of a bowl makes it easier for the egg itself to come in contact with the outer shell. (Trust the chef on this one. No one likes salmonella).

Back to the Kitchen

2009-03-03T11:17:00.014-05:00

How's that old saying go? "When the going gets tough, the tough order takeout." Something like that.

If you haven't noticed, I haven't been doing much cooking lately. I'm the first to admit that when schedules get hectic with work and family and friends and - bleh - the gym, cooking often slips off my to-do list. But I'm putting a stop to that this week, and reminding myself that cooking isn't just another item to be checked off, but my time to unwind and engage in an activity that I actually enjoy doing. Take last night - risotto, while definitely not difficult, is not just a phone-it-in type of dish. It is, however, some serious gastro-therapy, and just what I needed to remind myself that a little time in the kitchen is always worth the effort.

Risotto with Mushrooms and Prosciutto

2 tablespoons of butter, divided

1 shallot, finely chopped

3 tablespoons dry white wine

1 1/2 cups arborio rice

4-4 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable stock, hot

1 cup sauteed mushrooms (recipe here)

3 strips prosciutto, chopped

1/3 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Salt and pepper

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt one tablespoon of butter. Add the shallot and sweat until the shallot is translucent, about 3 minutes (do not brown). Add the white wine, stir to deglaze the pan, and let the wine cook off til the pan is nearly dry. Add another tablespoon of butter, melt, and then add the arborio rice. Stir thoroughly to coat each grain with butter. Add a cup of hot stock and stir often until the stock has soaked into the rice, about 5 minutes. Repeat this process until the rice is soft and creamy and you've used about 4-4 1/2 cups of stock (it should take 20-25 minutes).

Fold in the grated cheese, then add the mushrooms, prosciutto and salt and pepper to taste.

Update on The General Store

2009-02-24T16:44:00.004-05:00

Good news, folks - The General Store in Silver Spring is now a sit-down in addition to a carry-out restaurant. Breakfast, lunch and dinner will now be available in the dining room it took Chef Gillian Clark and partner Robin Smith over two years to build. And they promise that wine and beer are on the way. (Check out WP's recent write up on the place here).

Culinary Epiphanies 101

2009-02-19T10:44:00.020-05:00

So I'm taking this cooking class - well, cooking course to be more accurate, seeing as it's every Thursday night for the next 6 months. And come every Thursday, I'm tired, crabby, and don't really feel like hauling myself out to Gaithersburg for 3+ hours of social interaction after a long day at work. But I still go, begrudging my decision and my husband's support of me having an "activity."

And you know what? As soon as I get there, I remember why I decided I needed this activity to begin with. It's not your average sit-and-watch-the-chef-cook demo, or even one of those themed classes with three courses and a bunch of wine (though the wine would be nice). Instead, each week is focused on the techniques around approaching a particular type of food (i.e., stocks, soups, vegetables, grains, poultry). No detailed recipes are shared, and we only get mere tastes of each dish the chef demos before we have a go at them ourselves, but that's the whole point - to try in class, then to go really internalize these techniques by practicing on our own back at home. And the stuff we learn is amazing! Hey, it may not be the sexiest cooking class around, but having weekly culinary epiphanies is pretty darn cool.

Take last week for example: I always wondered why mushrooms at good restaurants always have such a firm, delicious, mushroomy flavor and texture, and why the mushrooms I cook never measure up. And now I know!

1. Clean off your mushrooms with a damp towel to remove any dirt.
2. Chop your mushrooms to the desired size.
3. Heat a saute pan over high heat - DO NOT ADD FAT.
4. When the pan is hot, add your mushrooms; sear for about 5 minutes, until they take on color.
5. Add a few tablespoons of water or wine to the pan - this will help soak up all the browned bits that have stuck to the bottom (called deglazing). You can also just add a few pinches of salt to the mushrooms - the salt leeches out the water in the mushrooms and they deglaze the pan all by themselves.
6. Ta-da! Gorgeous, firm, mushroomy mushrooms.

So, tired and crabby though I am, I'll go tonight, donning my little chef jacket and the knife set they made me buy, looking every bit the Top Chef wannabe I am, and looking forward to more little epiphanies to share.

Brabo Opens Tomorrow

2009-02-11T14:44:00.011-05:00

Attention Brasserie Beck lovers - Brabo, the newest restaurant from Chef Robert Wiedmaier (pictured in foreground) is set to launch in Old Town tomorrow. Located at 1600 King Street, the Belgian-inflected breakfast, lunch and dinner menus will highlight Virginia products and eco-friendly farmers.

Next door is the Brabo Tasting Room - a bit of a misnomer, as this is the more casual outpost of the two - which will feature a wood burning oven churning out charred goodies like tarts stuffed with smoked duck and braised pork belly. Guests can also share charcuterie and cheese platters with housemade marmalades, breads, and, of course, those addictive frites and mussels Beck is known for.

Photo: Washington Post

My Fishy Valentine

2009-02-10T11:32:00.008-05:00

If, like me, come V Day you avoid fancypants restaurants with overpriced menus in favor of a relaxing meal at home with your spouse/sig other/bff/dog, I have a simple menu suggestion - try serving a whole fish. It's impressive looking, relatively cheap, and, if you can get past the whole head-on, googley eyes thing, it's actually quite romantic to be sharing a meal in the truest sense of the word. Throw some pork and potatoes in there, and what's not to love?

Whole Snapper with Sausage, Potatoes and Olives
Inspired by this month's Saveur magazine
2 large baking potatoes, scrubbed and chopped large
2 spicy, pre-cooked sausage links, sliced on the diagonal (I used red pepper/garlic chicken sausage, but chorizo or andouille would also be great)
1 whole cleaned snapper, about 2-3 lbs
1 lemon, sliced thin
2 tablespoons olive oil
Several sprigs both fresh parsley and thyme
Salt and pepper
2 handfuls pitted Kalamata olives
1/2 cup dry white wine
Zest of an orange/clementine, optional

Preheat oven to 450. Place the potatoes in a large pot of cold salted water, just enough to cover, and simmer covered until fork tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside. Add a dash of olive oil to a large skillet over high heat and add the sausage; saute until browned on both sides, about 5 minutes. Set aside.

Place a large sheet of heavy duty aluminum foil on a large baking sheet. Pat the fish dry and make three shallow slits on each side; stuff each with a slice of lemon. Place remaining lemon slices and the herbs in the cavity of the fish. Sprinkle all over with salt and pepper. Lay the fish on the baking sheet and surround with potatoes, sausage and olives. Drizzle the olive oil over the fish and then pour the wine around it. Place another layer of heavy duty foil over the fish and crimp up the edges to form a packet (this will allow the wine to help steam the fish). Roast for 30-35 minutes.

To serve, slice open the foil, remove fillets and place each skin side down on a plate, topped with potatoes/sausage/olives and an extra drizzle of olive oil.

A Little Sunshine

2009-02-05T10:05:00.025-05:00

The avocado - definitely on my top ten list of Favorite Foods Ever - and definitely not locally grown. So when Rory's old roommate Oliver came to visit us from San Diego, I did quite the happy dance when, like a buff surfer Santa, out of his suitcase he pulled the best housewarming present ever - a sackful of beautiful avocados, grown on his FAMILY'S LAND, from trees he planted HIMSELF. That's about as local as it gets, right?

Aaand, if that wasn't enough, he made us his world famous guacamole (super secret recipe below). We ate it every way we could think of - on eggs, stuffed in burritos, smeared on chips, licked off our fingers. Thanks to O, we got a much needed dose of gold and green sunshine, right in the middle of a very dreary winter.

Big O's Guac
Flesh of 4 ripe avocados, mashed
1/2 red onion, diced small
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 ripe roma tomato, chopped
1 green onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
Few dashes of hot sauce
1/2 tsp chili powder
Salt and pepper to taste
Juice of 1 lime

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl and serve.

PS - According to Oliver, if you leave the seeds of the avocados in the guacamole, it keeps it from getting brown. I don't know if it was the seeds or all that lime juice, but either way our guac stayed beautifully green for two whole days.

The Locavore's Dilemma

2009-01-30T00:32:00.014-05:00

I’m all for trying to be a locavore – you know, shopping at my neighborhood farmers markets, not eating strawberries in January, that sort of thing. If you asked me why, it’s probably equal parts feeling it’s the ‘responsible consumer’ thing to do, and also believing that local, season-specific food just plain tastes better.

While I subscribe to this food philosophy, my husband doesn’t really care so much where or when he gets his food, so long as it tastes good – although, seeing as I do 98% of the cooking in our house, he kind of ends up on the locavore bandwagon by default. So you can imagine my dilemma when my dear husband arrives home from the grocery store with…bananas. Bananas! The forbidden fruit, that abhorred, anti-poster child of the local food eatin’, Barbara Kingsolver lovin’ tribe. (It has something to do with each bunch requiring a small country’s annual supply of gas to reach us Americans, I think).

So what to do? I can either: 1) go all preachy on his ass and tell him such evil is not welcome in MY kitchen, or 2) accept that we may have different views when it comes to our food choices – and that's ok. Seeing as we’re only about 4 months into our union, I figured I’d hold off on the banana diatribe and save the preaching for a more worthy cause – like who should take the trash out (him), or the merits of still watching Grey’s Anatomy (it's getting good again, really!) And, if I'm being honest, that forbidden fruit does make a wicked batch of muffins. I mean, the real sin is letting a perfectly overripe banana go to waste after it came all that way. I think even Barbara would agree with that.

Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins
1 ½ cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 ½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup sour cream
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 very overripe bananas, mashed
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, cut into small pieces (or ¾ cup chocolate chips)
Turbinado sugar, optional

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line 12 (1/3 cup) muffins cups with paper liners. Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl. In a medium bowl, melt the butter. Stir in the sour cream, egg and vanilla, then fold in the mashed bananas and the chocolate. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry until just mixed – it will be very thick. Divide the batter into each muffin tin (a small ice cream scoop works very well for this). If you like that sugary crunch on top of your muffins, sprinkle each with a tablespoon or two of the raw sugar. Bake in the middle of the oven until golden and a tester comes out clean, about 20 minutes.

More Potatoes

2009-01-27T11:18:00.010-05:00

After our potato-induced frenzy the other day, I decided I needed to make another scalloped potato dish - partly so you get to see the final shot of a delicious potato casserole, and partly because it was so darn good we needed a repeat performance.

As you can see from comparing these two dishes, the recipe is just meant to be a guide. You can add or forgo the ham, switch in any cheese you want, double up on the root vegetables...there are lots of yummy possibilities here.

And by the way, if you're wondering what the different between au gratin and scalloped is, apparently, the answer is not much. Some say au gratin is simply French for "with cheese" - though it's usually based in a cream sauce - whereas a scalloped dish is an American term for any casserole with a creamy sauce, cheese or not. If anyone knows the final word on the great au gratin vs. scalloped debate, please do share.

Scalloped Potatoes and Carrots

4 large red skinned potatoes, sliced 1/8 inch thick*

1/2 onion, sliced thin

4 carrots, halved and sliced into 1 inch chunks

Salt and pepper

For the sauce:

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp flour

2 cups whole milk

3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 tsp kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Leaves from 5 sprigs of thyme (or 1 tsp dried thyme)

Preheat the oven to 400. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the flour and whisk constantly for a minute or two to incorporate. Add the milk, salt, pepper and thyme. Raise the heat to medium high and continue cooking, stirring often until the mixture just begins to boil and is thick enough to coat a spoon. Add the shredded cheese and stir to combine. Set aside.

Butter the bottom of a large shallow casserole dish. Arrange half the potato slices, onions and carrots on the bottom. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Repeat with the remaining ingredients, sprinkling again with salt and pepper. Pour the sauce over the vegetables, cover with aluminum foil, and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 15 minutes.

*If you slice the potatoes ahead of time, you can keep them covered in cold water so they don't turn brown. Just be sure to dry them thoroughly before using.

The General Store Opens Saturday

2009-01-23T09:34:00.004-05:00

It's official - two years in the making, Chef Gillian Clark of Colorado Kitchen fame is set to finally open The General Store this Saturday at 1:30. One of several new restaurants in the works for the popular DC Chef, The General store is located in Silver Spring (at the corner of Forest Glen and Capital View) and will be serving "American road food." Just one catch - until a pesky parking issue is resolved, dining will only be of the take out variety. Clark promises dine in serve is soon to follow, though.

Still Tingling

2009-01-21T21:15:00.008-05:00

Happy day-after-Inauguration-Day, everyone! Is it just me, or is the city still tingling a bit in the afterglow of all that hope and happiness?

Speaking of tingling...I have this problem. I'm not really big on super spicy food, but every time I try to make a spicy dish at home, something in my brain goes haywire. Instead of thinking, "Hey, this chili garlic sauce I bought is made from the hottest chilis on earth. I better use just a teaspoonful," I think, "Hey, I'm making a spicy dish - I better use half a cup of this chili sauce." And every time, lo and behold, I end up ruining an otherwise delicious dish. Like tonight for example. As enticing as that bowl o' noodles, shrimp, and broccoli may appear, the truth is it was a suicide mission for our taste buds. So no recipe today, just an offer to learn from my oft repeated mistake: reach for the tablespoon and not the measuring cup when it comes to chili sauce. (Unless you enjoy culinary suicide missions - and singed lips).

Mmmm, Pork

2009-01-15T21:06:00.001-05:00

This is one of my go-to fall/winter dishes. It's so easy to make, pairs perfectly with all the seasonal produce that's available right now (think Brussels sprouts, potatoes, parsnips), and comes out great each time - which makes it a great choice for entertaining, btw. This pork is also delicious when cooked on the grill, but since our condo association frowns upon open flames in the living room, I content myself with the oven-made version.

So any other favorite pork recipes out there? Please share!

Balsamic and Honey Mustard Marinated Pork Tenderloin

1 pork tenderloin, approximately 1 lb, trimmed of excess fat and silver skin

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup honey

3 large tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 sprigs of rosemary

2 large cloves of garlic, crushed

Place all ingredients in a large plastic baggie, squish around to mix everything together, and marinate overnight. (If you only have a few hours, that's fine, too, but the longer the better).

Preheat the oven to 400. Remove the pork loin from the baggie and let the excess marinade drip off. In a large nonstick skillet over high heat, heat a tablespoon of olive oil. When the oil is shimmering, add the pork loin and sear until nicely browned, about 2 minutes. (Do not move the pork during these two minutes - this will keep it from getting a nice crust). Repeat on each side.

Leave the pork in the skillet and place in the oven. Cook for 13 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest on a cutting board for 5-10 minutes. Slice and serve.

Love Dish: Scalloped Potatoes with Ham

2009-01-11T21:21:00.015-05:00

I meant to show you a picture of these beautiful scalloped potatoes we had recently, all hot/bubbly/cheesy out of the oven and unbelievably comforting. Honestly I did. But we, um, ate them all before I remembered to take a 'final' shot. So instead, I leave you with this semi-artsy pic I took pre potato-high, and recommend you simply make them and see the hot bubbly goodness for yourself. Enjoy!

Scalloped Potatoes with Ham

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp flour

1 1/2 cups whole milk

3/4 cups mild shredded cheddar cheese

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

2 1/2 lbs potatoes,* sliced thin (about 1/8 inch)

1/2 onion, diced

1 lb diced ham

Preheat oven to 375.

In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the flour to the butter (creating a roux), and whisk to dissolve the flour and cook it through. After a few minutes of whisking, add the milk, thyme, salt and pepper. Increase the heat to medium high and cook, whisking often, until the mixture just begins to boil and the sauce gets thick. Remove from heat and stir in the shredded cheese.

In a large and shallow sprayed/buttered casserole dish, spread a few spoonfuls of the sauce. Layer a third of the potatoes on the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle them with a third of the ham and the onions, then a third of the sauce. Repeat two more times - potatoes, ham/onions, and sauce, then cover and bake for an hour, or until the potatoes are tender.

*I've used just about every kind of potato for this (red potatoes, Idaho potatoes, fingerlings, new, peeled, not peeled) and they've all worked great, so just use whatever you've got.

Note: make sure you use a shallow dish; otherwise your potatoes will take hours to cook through.

Quick Dish: Sweet and Sour Sauce

2009-01-07T11:23:00.012-05:00

Never before have such seemingly incongruous ingredients come together so quickly to make such a delicious quick dish. It's no wonder the recipe for this ridiculously easy, perfectly balanced sweet and sour sauce comes from my dad's mother, who, other than her fabulous brisket, always believed there were more important things to do in life than waste one's time in the kitchen.

My mom, though tending to agree with her mother-in-law's view of kitchen duty after a long day at work, is still one heck of a cook. Way back when, she tried adding her family's Italian meatballs (recipe here) to my Jewish grandma's sauce, and voila! - the perfect blending of my heritages was born.

Of course, you can add this sauce to just about anything that needs a sweet and source kick - spooned over baked chicken for example, or as a dipping sauce for egg rolls or satay - but I'll always be partial to the classic pairing my mom so greatly improved upon.

Sweet and Sour Sauce
2 cans whole cranberry sauce
1 can crushed pineapple in juice
1 cup ketchup
½ cup water

Heat all ingredients together on stove. If making sweet and sour meatballs, add meatballs to sauce and simmer on medium low until the meatballs are cooked through, about 20-25 minutes.

Buttercrunch Toffee

2009-01-04T13:21:00.011-05:00

The original name for this post was "Buttercrunch Toffee Ice Cream." However, I got in a bit of a fight with my new ice cream maker, and the ice cream maker won. So rather than treating my friends to buttercrunch toffee soup, I decided to just serve the candy on its own. And you know what? None of us missed the ice cream one bit.

All you need is a candy thermometer - I got mine at the grocery store for $5 - and you're all set to make the best, most chocolately, buttery, crunchy candy you've ever tasted. As for the ice cream...Ben and Jerry's makes a lovely vanilla.

Buttercrunch Toffee

From The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz
Makes 2 cups

1 cup almonds, toasted and finely chopped

1 tablespoon water

4 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons packed light or dark brown sugar

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup bitter or semisweet chocolate chips

Using half the chopped almonds, form an 8-inch circle in an even layer on an ungreased baking sheet.

Fit a small, heavy-duty saucepan with a candy thermometer, then add the water, butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar, mixing them together. Have the baking soda and vanilla measured and ready. Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring as little as possible. When the mixture reaches 300 degrees, remove the pan from the heat and immediately stir in the baking soda and vanilla. Mix just until combined; don't overstir.

Right away, pour the hot toffee mixture over the circle of almonds, covering completely. Scatter the chocolate pieces over the toffee and wait 2 minutes to allow them to melt. Use a spatula to spread the chocolate into an even layer, then scatter the remaining chopped almonds on top, pressing them into the chocolate. Cool completely, until the chocolate is firm. Depending on the temperature of your kitchen, you may need to cool it in the refrigerator. Remove it once the chocolate has hardened.

Note: Toffee can be stored in an airtight container for up to two weeks in the freezer or at room temperature.

A Tale of Two (Potato) Pancakes

2008-12-29T09:57:00.021-05:00

Some people wait all year for sweet spring asparagus. Some for the fruits of summer. I wait for potato pancakes.

Now granted, I am aware the potatoes are available much longer than a few precious weeks - heck, you can buy a 20 pound bag of them at the grocery store anytime you want. But growing up in a healthy home where 'frying' was pretty much a dirty word, the holiday season was always our small, indulgent window for such decadent preparations.

Being lucky enough to grow up Jewish and Italian, that means I have not one, but two different potato pancakes to look forward to each winter. Of course, there are those deliciously light and crispy latkes, the requisite shredded potato pancakes doused in sour cream and applesauce that grace our table come candle lighting time (though being a good red-blooded Midwesterner, I always preferred mine with ketchup). But in addition to this jewel of the Jewish culinary landscape, my mother also continues her family's post-Thanksgiving tradition, Italian potato pancakes (pictured above). Packed densley with leftover mashed potatoes and lots of parmesan and parsley, these cheesy, emerald-specked beauties couldn't be more different than my father's version. And yet, I love them every bit as much. What a nice little metaphor.

The holiday season may be over, but that's no reason that potato pancake season should be. I hope you try both. Ketchup is permitted. Just don't pick sides.

Italian Potato Pancakes
Leftover mashed potatoes (about 6 cups worth)

2 eggs

1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

1/4 cup dried basil leaves

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

2-4 tbsp flour, depending on how firm your mashed potatoes are

Flour, for dredging

Olive oil, for frying

Mix all ingredients by hand in a large bowl, adding less flour if your potatoes are stiff, more if they're creamier. (FYI, this dish is best with stiffer mashers, ones made with starchy potatoes and less milk). Form poatoes into patties, about 4 inches in diameter. Fill a large saute pan or an electric skillet with olive oil, at least 1 inch deep. Heat oil over medium high heat, 375 degrees for the electric fryer. As the oil is getting hot, dredge the pancakes in flour to coat; dust off excess. (It is best to do this right before frying, because if they sit too long the flour soaks into the potatoes). When the oil is hot, add the pancakes in batches, being careful not to crowd the pan. Fry until golden brown on one side, about 3-4 minutes, then flip and repeat. Drain on paper towels. Serve immediately.

Potato Latkes
6 medium potatoes
1 small onion
1 tsp salt
1 egg
3 tbsp matzoh meal or breadcrumbs
½ tsp baking powder

Wash, peel and grate potatoes, then squeeze dry with paper or regular towels. Grate and add onion to potato, then add salt and egg and mix well. Mix in remaining ingredients. Drop by spoonfuls into hot oil that is deep enough to almost cover the latkes. Brown on both sides, drain and serve with applesauce and sour cream (or ketchup).

Love Dish: Citrus-Rosemary Roasted Chicken

2008-12-28T18:17:00.012-05:00

Welcome back, everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful, relaxing, food-filled vacation. I spent the majority of my holiday sitting around my parents' kitchen making some of our favorite family recipes (and taking meticulous notes), and I'm excited to share them all with you soon. In the meantime, though, here's a simple dish that I made last night. After all the feasting of Christmas was behind us, we wanted a dinner that required very little effort. A few chickens in the freezer, some oranges in the fridge, and the hardy rosemary bush in the backyard were all we needed.

Citrus-Rosemary Roasted Chicken
2 5-lb roasting chickens
2 oranges
6 rosemary sprigs
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 450 degree.

Remove the giblets from the chickens and either save for another use or discard. Wash the chickens inside and out and pat dry. Sprinkle the cavities with salt and pepper. Cut each orange in half; squeeze the juice of both halves over the skin of one chicken and stuff the cavity with the rinds. Repeat with the other chicken. Place one rosemary sprig in each cavity. Pull the leaves off the remaining sprigs and chop finely. In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, rosemary, and salt and pepper. Spread evenly over both chickens, rubbing with your hands to coat evenly.

Place both chickens in a large roaster and place in oven. Immediately lower the heat to 350 and roast for 1 1/2 hours, or until a meat thermometer placed in the thickest part of one of the chicken's thighs reaches 175. Remove from oven; tent with foil and let rest for ten minutes. Carve and serve.

Love Dish: Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

2008-12-21T19:13:00.002-05:00

As I mentioned in a previous post, I believe some of the very best fall/winter desserts are made with some very humble vegetables. After all, who can think of a more season-appropriate dessert than carrot cake? Moist, crumbly, and full of holiday spice, you have to actually make it yourself to believe that a whole pound of healthy, crunchy carrots are in there. And honestly, this version is so perfect on its own, you could almost skip that fluffy, decadent layer of cream cheese frosting on top...almost.

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Adapted from January 2009 issue of Food and Wine magazine.

Cake
2 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp salt

1 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup milk

1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

4 large eggs

2 cups sugar

1 pound carrots, peeled and shredded

Frosting

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

2 8-oz packages cream cheese, softened

1 tbsp pure vanilla extract

2 cups confectioners' sugar

Preheat oven to 325. Butter two 9 inch cake pans. Line with parchment paper and butter again.

In a bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, milk and vanilla. In your stand mixer (or in a large bowl using an electric mixer) beat the eggs and sugar at high speed until pale, about 5 minutes. Beat in the liquid ingredients, then beat in the dry ingredients just until moistened. Stir in the carrots. Divide the batter between the pans and bake the cakes for 55 minutes to 1 hour, until springy and golden. Let the cakes cool on a rack for 30 minutes, then remove from pans and let cool completely.

To make the frosting: Beat together the butter and cream cheese on high speed until light, about 5 minutes. Beat in the vanilla, then the confectioners' sugar; beat at low speed until incorporated. Increase the speed to high and continue mixing for another 3 minutes, until the frosting is light and fluffy.

Peel the parchment paper off each cake. Place one layer, upside down, onto a plate. Spread a rounded cupful of the frosting on the top, then sandwich the second cake on the icing, right side up, . Spread the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting and refrigerate until chilled, about an hour. Slice and serve.

Love Dish: Chocolate Chip Cranberry Cookie Bars

2008-12-18T02:21:00.002-05:00

Hello, my name is Lisa and I'm a recovering Starbucks addict. I'm proud to say that the siren call of the cafe mocha rarely has even a weekly pull for me, much less the daily one it used to command. However, come wintertime, sneaking away from work for a warm shot of comfort and caffeine is ever present in the back of my mind. And, thanks to a delicious treat this fancy shmancy coffee chain features each holiday season, it's even harder for me to resist right now.

The cranberry bliss bar beckons to me from behind the glass display. I don't even notice its espresso and toffee crunch cousins sitting nearby who used to tempt me so. A blondie brownie base, topped with a snowy drift of creamy icing and a festive sprinkling of tart cranberries...it really is just that - bliss in a little brown bag.

Come January, it's always so sad to see them go; as if the end of the holidays isn't depressing enough. So, I figured, why not recreate this divine concoction at home so I can enjoy them anytime I want? (And, of course, what sweet creation couldn't be improved upon by adding a little chocolate?) The result: definitely blissful, and the perfect holiday treat - no $4 coffee required.

Chocolate Chip Cranberry Cookie Bars

For the cookie base:

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 sticks unsalted butter

1 tbsp pure vanilla extract

2 eggs

6 oz (half a bag) of semi-sweet chocolate chips

For the icing:

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

1 8-oz package cream cheese, softened

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 cup powdered sugar

3/4 cup dried cranberries

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, salt and baking soda. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, or in your stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, sugars and vanilla together until light and fluffy. Add each egg one at a time, beating well after each. Add the flour in three shifts, mixing fully after each addition. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Spray a cookie sheet with nonstick spray. Spread the cookie mixture evenly across the sheet, about 1/2 inch thick, leaving an even amount of space around the edges (the cookie with expand when cooked). Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until the cookie/bar is firm and cooked through, but not too brown. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for a few minutes. Loosen from the pan using a rubber spatula and transfer cookie bar to large cutting board (you can cut in in half to transfer it if that makes things easier).

For the icing: Beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla together until light and fluffy. Sift the powdered sugar and add it to the bowl, beating for about 3 minutes until shiny and smooth. Spread the icing over the cookie bars, sprinkle with the cranberries and refrigerate for about an hour. Cut into squares.

Love Dish: Meatballs from the Motherland

2008-12-17T10:57:00.011-05:00

Is there anything more supremely comforting than the sight of a big bowl of spaghetti and meatballs greeting you after a long winter day? If you're Italian (or Italian at heart) the answer is most likely no.

There are many levels of commitment you can choose from when making this bastion of Italian comfort food. You could make your own meatballs, buy a can of of sauce and a box of pasta, and call it a day. Or, for all you Barbara Kingsolvers-in-training out there, with space and time for such things, you can use that tomato sauce you canned last summer. (Lucky ducks). OR, and here's where things get serious, you could go all out and make your own pasta, too. I should point out that this third, industrious option should be reserved only for lazy weekend days, not hungry weekday nights, and I freely admit that late on a cold, rainy Tuesday I went with the first choice. (However, stay tuned for many upcoming posts on homemade pasta - mommy just got a new KitchenAid attachment).

Whatever level of commitment you choose to devote to this dish of love, making the meatballs yourself is the baseline. And to be sure, though every Italian family has their own cherished recipe, my version - or, more accurately, my great grandmother's - though supremely simple, is pretty tough to beat.

Motherland Meatballs
1 1/2 pounds ground beef (90 percent lean)
1/2 cup bread crumbs, preferably fresh,* but from the can is fine
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tbsp kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs
2 jars (28 oz) of your favorite spaghetti sauce

In a large bowl, combine everything but the sauce. It is best to mix with your hands to make sure everything is full mixed together, but not overworked.

In a large stockpot, add one of the jars of spaghetti sauce. Add about 1/2 cup of water to the jar, swish around to get the last bit of sauce, and add to the pan. Mix together.

With your hands, roll the meat mixture into uniformly shaped balls. Do this by cupping the meat, a little less than a 1/4 cup's worth, between your palms and quickly moving your hands in opposing concentric circles while applying gentle pressure (it sounds harder than it is). Add the meatballs one by one to the pot of sauce.

Cover with the remaining jar of sauce. DO NOT STIR. Raise the heat to medium. When the sauce begins to bubble, cover the pot, lower heat to medium low, and let simmer for 30-40 minutes, giving the pot a few good twists now and then to "stir" the meatballs. (To check for doneness, remove a meatball and slice in half).

Boil a pot of water for your spaghetti. When the spaghetti is al dente, remove from heat, drain, and add some of your sauce to coat the noodles. Serve with the meatballs and lots of freshly grated Parmesan. Manga!

*To make fresh breadcrumbs, cut the crusts of a few slices of white bread and pulse in a food processor until you have coarse crumbs.

Shrimp and Two Potato Chowder

2008-12-14T13:27:00.003-05:00

This quick dish is an easy twist on a classic winter soup. I originally had a hankering for New England clam chowder, but 1) I had no clams, 2) I can't really eat cream - well I can, but I suffer dearly for it - and 3) I had an overabundance of multi-hued potatoes that needed eating. So, no, it's not clam chowder - not a thing like it really, except that I'm calling it a chowder - but it is delicious, and that's what matters.

Shrimp and Two Potato Chowder

2 tbsp olive oil

1 large sweet onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp garam masala, optional

1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut in large cubes

3 or 4 small red or new potatoes, or 1 large russet or Idaho potato, cut into large cubes

Salt and pepper

1 tsp dried thyme

1 quart vegetable stock (Kitchen Basics is my favorite)

2 cups whole milk (or cream, or 2 percent, whatever you have on hand - just don't use skim)

1 pound large shrimp, shelled and deveined

In a large stock pot over medium high heat, heat the olive oil. When shimmering, add the onion and saute, stirring often, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and all the potatoes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste, and the garam masala, if desired. (It's not necessary, but it gives the soup a certain something - a special depth of spicy, earthy flavor. A little curry powder would also work well). After a few minutes, add the vegetable stock, scraping the bottom of the pot to loosen any browned bits; add the milk, thyme, give the whole thing a stir, and then simmer on medium heat, until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Just before serving, add the shrimp - they'll cook through in 1-2 minutes. Ladle into bowls and serve.

Great Dish: Lamb Sliders at Zola

2008-12-12T16:51:00.001-05:00

To be sure, there is many a delicious little burger gracing the ‘starters’ and bar menus of DC restaurants these days – the Matchbox’s minis, The Source’s kobe beef concoctions, the tuna tartare sliders at PS7. I love this trend, not just because I love burgers in general, but because they're an economical and judicious app choice when dining with friends (everyone gets their own)! After dining at Zola in Penn Quarter this week, I have a new addiction to add to the list. Zola's seasonal slider offering features juicy lamb meatballs on house made sticky buns, each topped with grilled romaine, a fiery pepper slaw, and a dollop of creamy goat cheese aioli. Savory, spicy, crunchy, sweet – what else could you ask for in a first bite?

Quick Dish: Calzone with Swiss Chard and Mozzarella

2008-12-11T13:27:00.006-05:00

Remember that beautiful pizza dough I told you about a few posts back? Remember how I said it takes a little time to make, but then you'll have extra dough ready at a moment's notice for a delicious dinner? This is that delicious dinner.

Calzones are uber Italian comfort food. Warm, puffy dough folded around your choice of hearty filling, with the requisite ooey, gooey, melted mozzarella spilling out...Hot Pockets have nothing on these babies. I took the dough out of the freezer last night, it was ready for me when I got home from work today, and we were eating calzones in 20 minutes flat. Faster than Pizza Hut, and waaay better.

Calzone with Swiss Chard and Mozzarella
1 ball of pizza dough, preferably homemade, but store bought is fine
1 bunch of swiss chard, washed and chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper
2 small balls fresh mozzarella, sliced
Olive oil, for brushing
Cornmeal, for dusting

Place a baking stone on the middle rack of your oven and preheat it to 450 degrees.

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add a tablespoon of olive oil; when hot, add the swiss chard. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Saute for about 5 minutes, until wilted and tender. Remove from heat.

Rub a pizza peel with cornmeal. Separate the dough into two pieces and stretch each to form a uniform circle, about 6 inches across. Place each disk on the peel and brush each with a little olive oil. Divide the swiss chard and the mozzarella between the two calzones, arranging them on the top half of each circle. Fold the bottom half of the dough over the filling. With a fork, crimp the edges together to seal. Lower the heat in the oven to 400 degrees. Slide the calzones onto the baking stone and bake for 10-15 minutes, until golden and firm. Remove from the oven and serve warm, dipped in the tomato sauce you preserved this summer (or the can of Prego you have in the cupboard).

Quick Dish: Cranberry Chicken Salad Sandwiches

2008-12-10T16:21:00.012-05:00

Ah, lunch.

Such an important meal of the day. And during the work week, "going out" for it saves you from a whole host of of bothersome things - hunger, boredom, a stuffy office, an annoying co-worker. But as fun as going out to lunch is, it definitely does not save you money, or time. If you're short on both, I'm guessing your brown bag it most days. And though in doing so you're being oh-so-good, I'm also guessing you open that bag feeling a wee bit grumpy about what a great meal you could be having. Hrmph.

Sufferers of lunch remorse, this quick dish is for you. When I brown bag it, I try to pack a meal that I would actually want to order somewhere, not just the usual hum drum home fare. So, whenever I make chicken for dinner, I cook extra so I can make this lovely salad the next day. (It's also a great use for the uneaten half of that store-bought roast chicken you couldn't resist). It couldn't be simpler to make, and this time of year, those lovely specks of celery green and cranberry red are very festive, no? I prefer it on hearty pumpernickel, but any old bread will do. So make chicken tonight and no more boring lunch tomorrow. Voila!

Cranberry Chicken Salad Sandwiches
Makes enough for two sandwiches

One leftover chicken breast (about 6 ounces)
2 ribs of celery, diced, green leaves included
A handful of dried cranberries
3 tbsp mayo
2 tsp honey mustard
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix together ingredients. Make sandwiches. Pack sandwiches.

Eat at work. Ignore annoying coworker.

Happy Birthday Muffins

2008-12-07T16:34:00.013-05:00

Today is December 7 - a date which will live in infamy. It also happens to be my birthday. When I woke up this morning, Rory, my newly minted husband, asked what I wanted to do to start off my day. My first inclination was to go to the Dupont Farmers Market, like I do most Sundays, and then stop by Starbucks or Teaism for a cup of something warm and a delicious morning treat. But looking out the window I determined that I was entirely too wimpy to venture out into the frigid day. If I wanted a sweet treat, I was better off making it myself. The clear choice - muffins.

I am a life long muffin lover. I'm sure I get this predilection from my father, who not only would bring home batches every weekend from Perkins, our favorite local bakery in Cincinnati, but has also been known to do his fare share of muffin experimentation. I love them all - bright lemon poppies, tart cranberry-orange, nubby oat bran. But, if we're all being honest here, I think we can agree that nothing compares to a blueberry muffin, all crumbly golden and speckled with luscious pockets of purple-blue. My absolute favorite muffins are those treated to the added decadence of a shower of crunchy, sugary streusel. And seeing as it's my birthday, I figure I get a calorie pass today.

So, here's my little birthday present to myself, a combination of versions I've tried over the years. It doesn't have to be your birthday for you to enjoy them, too - just a day in need of a little sweetness.

Blueberry Muffins with Brown Sugar Streusel

1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup butter) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 cup sour cream

1/3 cup milk

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1 cup frozen blueberries

1/2 cup dried blueberries

Streusel Topping

1/4 cup rolled oats

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 tbsp butter

Note: this recipe makes 9 large or 18 regular muffins.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place paper liners in muffin tins.

In bowl of electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low, add the eggs, one at a time, and then add the vanilla, sour cream and milk. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat on low until just mixed. Remove the bowl from the stand and fold in the blueberries.

In a small bowl, mix together streusel ingredients with a fork or your fingers, until crumbly.

Scoop the batter into prepared muffins pans, filling each cup just to the top. Sprinkle streusel mixture evenly over muffins. Bake for 30 minutes for large muffins, 18 minutes for small muffins, or until lightly browned on top and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Best Pizza in DC = Your Kitchen

2008-12-03T10:55:00.003-05:00

Yes, DC has a lot of seriously good pizza parlors. And now there's even an outpost for buying fancy pies you can bake at home. But who needs all that when you can make your very own kitchen the best spot in town for a slice? While making your own pizza may sound like way too much work for a weeknight, trust me, with a little advance planning and some fun kitchen gadgets, you - yes, you! - can be turning out beautiful, crispy/chewy/bubbly vessels of Italian goodness. Talk about an ego trip. Here's all you need:

A Pizza Stone - Truly, the only way to get that deliciously crispy bottom crust.

A Pizza Peel - The only safe way to get your pizza onto said stone.

The Toppings - Right now I'm particularly fond of spicy sausage, olives, kale and mozzarella (pictured), but, of course, whatever your heart desires.

The Dough - As any pizza conouisseur worth her crust knows, when it comes to good pies, it's all about the dough. Nowadays, nearly every grocery store in the land offers ready-made pizza dough, and that's all well and good. However, if you've got a sturdy mixer, I urge you to make your own. The store-bought stuff really just can't compare, and the recipe below could give 2 Amy's a run for its pie-making money. This dough also freezes well, so one night of work equals multiple nights of pizza enjoyment.

Pizza Dough
Recipe from Baking with Julia

The Sponge
1 1/2 tsps active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups tepid water (about 80 degrees)
2 tbsp olive oil
2 1/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour

Place yeast in a medium bowl (you can use the bowl from your mixer) and add the water, stirring to dissolve the yeast. Allow the yeast to rest for about 5 minutes, until it turns creamy. Stir the oil into the mixture and then gradually stir in the flour, mixing until well incorporated.

First Rise: Scrape down the sides of the bowl, cover, and let the sponge rest in a warm place for about 1 1/2 hours, or until the sponge is very bubbly and has risen to about double its volume.

The Dough
The sponge (above)
2 to 2 1/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour
2 to 3 tsps salt, depending on your taste

If you didn't make the sponge in the mixer bowl, transfer it to that bowl now. User a rubber spatula to deflate the sponge, which will be sticky and loose, and fit the mixer with the dough hook. Add 2 cups of the flour and the salt to the sponge and mix on low speed for 2 to 3 minutes. Increase the mixer speed to medium and, if the dough isn't coming together nicely, sprinkle with a little more flour by spoonfuls. Continue to knead on medium speed for another 4 to 5 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic.

Second Rise: Place the dough in a lightly oiled large bowl, turn the ball over so that its entire surface is coated with the oil, cover, and allow to rest in a warm place for another 1 1/2 hours, until is has doubled in bulk.

To Make the Pizza
Position a rack in the lower third of the oven, and fit the rack with a baking stone. Preheat the oven to 475. Rub a baker's peel with cornmeal and set aside.

Shaping the Dough: Turn the dough ont onto a lightly flour work surface and divide into two pieces. Keep one piece covered as you work with the other. (If you do not want to make both pizzas now, wrap one piece of dough tightly in plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator for a day or two or freeze for up to a month. Thaw frozen dough in the refrigerator overnight and bring chilled dough to room temperature before shaping). Shape the dough into a ball and then flatten it into a disk. Turn and streth the dough, or roll out with a rolling pin until the dough is about 1/4 inch thick. Transfer to peel.

Topping and Baking: Top with the ingredients of your choice, leaving a 1-inch border around the rim, and slide the pizza into the oven. Bake for 13-15 minutes, or until the topping is bubbling and the uncovered rim is puffed and golden.

Love Dish: Butternut Squash and Apple Casserole

2008-12-01T15:13:00.009-05:00

Well, several cities and 1500 miles later, we have safely returned from our Great Midwest Thanksgiving Tour. And I can I safely say I am officially Thanksgivinged out.

Not that I didn’t enjoy all that intensive cooking and feasting – that’s what I live for. And it was great to see both sets of parents and extended family, not only because I honestly like them, but because the newlywed “why-we-should-visit-my-family-and-not-yours” game is not actually as fun as it sounds. It's just that re-entry into everyday life is a lot more jarring following a 14-hour, drizzly, trafficky return road trip. So I'm thinking maybe Thanksgiving can be at our house next year.

Whining now concluded, allow me to offset my crankiness by sharing a dish I am especially thankful for each Thanksgiving – my mother’s butternut squash and apple casserole. She’s been making this since I can remember, since the days it seemed exotic to me for anything labeled a vegetable to go into a something labeled a dessert. But, as many of us are well aware nowadays, butternut squash lends a wonderfully creamy, autumnal sweetness to anything it’s paired with, making it a fine addition for any stop along a meal – dessert included.

Note: there are many butternut squash and apple casserole recipes floating around that call for simply cubing the squash, cubing the apples and tossing some brown sugar on top before baking. Ignore those. Yes, this recipe's a little more involved, but I'm betting it's the best butternut squash dish you've ever had. Really.

Butternut Squash and Apple Casserole

1 medium butternut squash, halved lengthwise

3-4 large Granny Smiths, or other good variety of baking apple

2 tbsp butter

1/8 cup sugar

Dash of pure vanilla extract, optional

For the topping:

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 tbsp butter

Preheat the oven to 400. Place the two squash halves, cut side up, on a foil-lined baking sheet. Roast in the center of the oven until a fork passes easily through the flesh, about 45 minutes to an hour.

While the squash is cooking, peel the apples, core them, and cut into smallish cubes. Heat 2 tbsp of butter in a large saute pan over medium high heat. When melted, add the apples and the sugar and saute, tossing occasionally, until the apples are softened, about 8 minutes. Set aside.

When the squash is done, remove from the oven and lower the heat to 350. Let the squash cool slightly before peeling off the skin. Mash flesh in a small bowl, adding a tablespoon or two of brown sugar if you think it needs to be a little sweeter. If you're a vanilla fan, add a dash of vanilla to the squash. Fold the apples into the squash and pour into a 9x9 buttered casserole dish.

In a small bowl, mix the topping ingredients together, using your fingers or a fork to incorporate the butter until you have a crumbly mixture. Sprinkle evenly over the squash and apples. Bake the casserole uncovered in the center of the oven for about 25 minutes, until heated through.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-24T00:04:00.006-05:00

Dish-trict is on vaca right now, kicking off the Great Midwestern Cities Thanksgiving Tour (2008 edition). I hope everyone has a relaxing and delicious holiday, and I hope to be back soon with some wonderful new Heartland- and in-law-inspired recipes to share.

Love Dish: Heart Break Cake

2008-11-18T00:00:00.001-05:00

I am not the least bit ashamed to admit that I am completely in love with Nigella Lawson (at left). I mean, besides reminding scores of women that being a domestic goddess is awesome, thank you very much, it’s also pretty easy to assume that the term ‘food porn’ was coined just for her – not because she’s gorgeous (which she is), but because the dishes she blithely threw together on her myriad cooking shows always looked so absolutely, indecently delicious. Her cookbooks are no different. In my favorite, Nigella Bites, she shares a recipe for a chocolate cake with pictures so enticing you’d be hard pressed not to lick the page.

Seriously though, looks notwithstanding, this is the best chocolate cake I've ever eaten. And that's saying something.

The title of this post is what it is, because, as Nigella says, “This is the sort of cake you’d want to eat the whole of when you’ve been dumped. But even the sight of it, proud and tall and thickly iced on its stand, comforts.”

Chocolate Fudge Cake
Serves 10. Or 1 with a broken heart.

For the cake:
2 2/3 cups all purpose flour
¾ cup plus 1 tbsp granulated sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar
¼ cup best quality cocoa powder
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
3 eggs
½ cup plus 2 tbsp sour cream
1 tbsp vanilla extract
¾ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
½ cup corn oil
1 1/3 cups chilled water

For the fudge icing:
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, minimum 70% cocoa solids
1 cup plus 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1 ¾ cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 tbsp vanilla extact

Preheat oven to 350.

Butter and line the bottom of two 8-inch cake pans.

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugars, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another bowl whisk together the eggs, sour cream and vanilla until blended. Using a standing or handheld mixer, beat together the melted butter and the corn oil until just blended, then beat in the water. Add the dry ingredients all at once and mix together on slow speed. Add the egg mixture, and mix again until everything is blended and then pour into the prepared tins.

Bake the cakes for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool the cakes in their pans on a wire rack for 15 minutes, and then turn the cakes out onto the rack to cool completely.

To make the icing, melt the chocolate in the microwave for 2-3 minutes on medium, or in a bowl sitting over a pan of simmering water, and let cool slightly.

In another bowl beat the butter until it’s soft and creamy, and then add the sifted confectioners’ sugar and beat again until everything’s light and fluffy. (Nigella says she knows that sifting is a pain, but you have to do it or the icing will be unsoothingly lumpy). Then gently add the vanilla and chocolate and mix together until everything is glossy and smooth.

Sandwich the middles of the cake with about a quarter of the icing, and then ice the top and sides, too, spreading and smoothing with a rubber spatula.

Quick Dish: Fall Hash

2008-11-13T20:29:00.017-05:00

If you have some leftover salmon that needs eating, here's a Fall-tastic, 5-ingredient quick dish for you (well, technically it has 8 ingredients, but I figure the s+p and the olive oil are a given). It's oh-so-easy and works great for dinner or brunch. The salmon makes the hash plenty filling on its own, so I suppose the poached egg isn't really necessary, but who wants their hash without that lovely yellow trickle of goo? Not this girl.

Salmon and Sweet Potato Hash

1 bunch of Brussels sprouts, ends and loose outer leaves removed, halved

1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed

1 medium sweet onion, diced

2 fillets (or about 8 ounces) leftover salmon

2 eggs

Salt and pepper

Olive oil

Preheat the oven to 400.

Toss sprouts in a little olive oil and s+p, arrange in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet, and roast for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to caramelize evenly.

While the Brussels sprouts are roasting, heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large nonstick saute pan over medium high heat and add the sweet potato cubes. Saute for about 10 minutes, until tender but still firm and beginning to brown. Add the onions and saute until soft, about 5 minutes, adding a little more olive oil if the pan gets too dry. Add the Brussels sprouts and the salmon and cook until the fish is warmed through. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Keep the hash warm while you heat a pan of water for poaching the eggs. (Adding a few drops of vinegar will help the eggs hold together). When the water is simmering, gently slide in the eggs and poach for two minutes, longer if you prefer less runny yolks. Remove with a slotted spoon and dry on paper towels. Divide the hash between two plates and top each with a poached egg.

Quick Dish: Marie's Salad

2008-11-12T21:09:00.002-05:00

Marie is my lovely mother and this is her, and my, favorite salad. Whenever I go home, it's pretty much a given that I'll find feta in the fridge and dried cranberries in the cupboard, ready for that night's dinner. We alway sprinkle in some toasted pine nuts for crunch, but pecans are another great option; dried cherries are a delicious stand-in, as well. And here's our little secret - soak the dried fruit in some good red wine for about 15 minutes before tossing everything together. It plumps them up and lends a wonderfully deep flavor to the salad...and drinking the cranberry-sweetened wine isn't half bad, either.

Marie's Salad
1 head romaine lettuce
1/2 cup crumbled feta
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup good red wine
1/2 cup pine nuts

Vinaigrette
3 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp. honey mustard
Salt and pepper
5 tbsp. olive oil

Soak the cranberries in the wine for about 15 minutes. Drain and set aside. Drink the wine when no one's looking.

Chop the romaine roughly and arrange in a big salad bowl. Sprinkle the feta, cranberries and pine nuts. Set aside.

To make the vinaigrette, whisk together the vinegar and mustard in a small bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste. While whisking, add the olive oil in a slow and steady stream until emulsified.

When ready to serve, give the vinaigrette another quick whisk to combine and drizzle over the salad.

Quick Dish: Chicken-Tomatillo Enchiladas

2008-11-11T17:14:00.007-05:00

Got a craving for Mexican? One jar o' salsa to the rescue! This tastes as good as most of the enchiladas you can get around town, and you don't have to change out of your pajamas to enjoy them.

Chicken-Tomatillo Enchiladas

1 lb. chicken tenders, chopped into small pieces
1/2 onion, chopped
1 16-oz. can tomatillo salsa
Dash of cumin
Dash of cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
6 whole wheat flour tortillas
Shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 ripe avocado, optional

Preheat the oven to 350.

In a small bowl, mix together the chicken, 1/2 cup of the salsa, cumin, cayenne pepper and salt and pepper to taste. Let marinate for 15 minutes.

Scoop the pulp out of the avocado into a small bowl. Add salt, pepper and a little garlic powder and mash with a fork. Set aside.

In a nonstick saute pan over high heat, add the olive oil. When the oil is shimmering, pour in the chicken mixture and saute, stirring often, until the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Set aside.

In a shallow baking dish, pour about 1/2 cup of salsa on the bottom and spread to coat. Add a few tablespoonfuls of the chicken filling down the center of each tortilla, sprinkle with a handful of cheese, and roll tightly. Place each tortilla seam-side down in the baking dish. Pour the remaining salsa over the enchiladas, covering completely, and sprinkle with additional cheese. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the enchiladas are warmed through and the cheese is melty. Serve the enchiladas topped with some of the mashed avocado.

Love Dish: Soup's On

2008-11-10T14:06:00.019-05:00

What with all the chopping and simmering, I admit that making a big pot of beef vegetable soup doesn't really constitute a quick dish. However, if like me, you spend the majority of your Sunday evenings cooking a big meal to last through the week, come Monday and Tuesday you'll be able to enjoy this hearty meal 5 minutes after you walk in the door.

What's better, vegetable-based soups are excellent vehicles for using up any surplus veggies you have on hand, particularly all those wonderful root varieties that are in abundance this time of year. Just take into account their respective cooking times - i.e., potatoes take awhile to cook, mushrooms don't - when tossing into the pot.

Beef Vegetable Soup

2 tbsp olive oil

1 lb. beef (look for "stew meat"), cut into 1-inch cubes

2 lbs. (about 10) small new potatoes, quartered

1 lb. (about 6) carrots, chopped large

2 sweet onions, chopped large

1 can whole peeled tomatoes

Freshly ground black pepper

1 quart beef stock

1-2 cups of water

2 bay leaves

1/2 lb. green beans, ends snipped and cut into 2 inch pieces

6 ounces button mushrooms, cleaned and halved

Salt and pepper to taste

In a large stock pot, heat the olive oil until smoking. Add the beef and brown on all sides, about 4 minutes. Add the potatoes, carrots, and onions; sprinkle with black pepper and stir to combine. Add the peeled tomatoes, squeezing between your fingers to break them up. Add the beef stock, bay leaves, and 1-2 cups of water if necessary so that you have a good amount of broth. Cover and let simmer, stirring occasionally. After about an hour and fifteen minutes, add the green beans. Ten minutes later, add the mushrooms. Let simmer another 10 minutes, until the mushrooms are cooked through but still firm. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed. Serve with crusty bread for dunking.

Quick (Comfort Food) Dish: Pastina

2008-11-09T19:26:00.018-05:00

When I have a cold, or a crappy day at work, or pretty much any kind of bad experience that justifies some serious comfort food consumption, most often I find myself looking to my Italian roots for inspiration. And while most creations in the comfort genre require a considerable amount of time to prepare - think pot roasts, homemade spaghetti and meatballs, chocolate cake - my favorite is also one of the quickest, and classic Italian comfort food at its very best.

My grandma calls this dish pastina - literally little pasta. (Technically, that's the name of the tiny pasta used, not the milk/pasta/butter mixture she created, but hey, who's going to question Grandma?) She made it for my mom whenever she was sick, and Mom always used it as an antidote for pitiful children, whether they were the result of illness, lost soccer games or mean boys. So when I sit down with a warm bowl of pastina, I don't know which I owe it to more - the soothing starch or my childhood memories of these two wonderful women - but either way, I can't help but feel very comforted.

Note: While both ladies always used pastina/acini de pepe, these particular types of pasta can be hard to find. Orzo (pictured above) works just as well.

To make pastina: Fill a saucepan with water, salt liberally, and bring to boil. Add a cup of pastina (or orzo). Cook until al dente. Drain the water from the pan and add 2 cups of milk. Heat through, add 2 tablespoons of butter and mix to melt. Serve warm, adding more salt if desired.

Mmmmm, Focaccia

2008-11-05T19:13:00.012-05:00

Now I'm not expecting you to be nearly as nerdy/masochistic as I am and spend two days making your own homemade focaccia. But hey, if you have the mixer and the patience, let your bread freak flag fly. Because the focaccia recipe below, courtesy of Baking with Julia, is some of the best bread I've ever eaten. Which, by the way, only strengthens my credo that olive oil makes everything, everything, better. Gotta love those Italians.

In addition to Katie's purist version of focaccia enjoyment above, these loaves are also excellent for sandwiches. The old man particularly loved when I sliced a big piece in half, smeared it with hummus, and topped it with chopped olives, fresh mozzarella and greens. (In fact, I believe his exact words were, "This is the best f-ing sandwich ever.")

So go forth and bake, my friends, and let me know how it turns out. And please, send along any favorite bread recipes you have, as this nerd is going to need her fix again soon.

Focaccia
2 ¼ to 2 ½ cups tepid water (about 90 degrees)
2 tbsp active dry yeast
¼ cup olive oil
6 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour (I love King Arthur’s brand)
4 tsp salt

Mixing the dough: Whisk ½ cup of the water and the yeast together in the bowl of a mixer. Set the mixture aside for 5 minutes, until the yeast dissolves and turns creamy.

Meanwhile, pour 1 ¾ cups warm water into a large measuring cup, add the olive oil, and whisk to blend; sets aside. Whisk the flour and the salt together in a large bowl and set this aside as well.

Pour the water-oil mixture over the yeast and stir with the whisk to blend. Add about half of the flour and stir with a rubber spatula just to mix. Attached the dough hook, add the remaining flour, and mix on low speed for about 3 minutes, or until the dough just starts to come together. If the dough appears dry or a little stiff, add a few drops of warm water, scraping the bowl and hook if necessary to incorporate the water and create a soft dough. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and continue to mix for about 10 minutes, scraping down the hook and sides of the bowl as needed, until you have a soft, slightly moist, extremely elastic dough that cleans the sides of the bowl.

First rise: Transfer the dough to a work surface and form it into a ball. Place the dough in an oil bowl, turn it around to cover it with oil, and cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rise at room temperature until doubled in bulk, about 1 to 1 ½ hours.

Second rise: Fold the dough on itself to deflate it and let it rise again until doubled and billowy, 45 minutes to an hour.

Shaping and resting: Fold the dough over on itself again to deflate it (as you do this, you can hear the bubbles squeak and pop) and turn it out onto a work surface. Using a metal dough scraper or a knife, cut the dough into 3 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball.

The dough needs to be refrigerated for between 24 and 36 hours. (It is this long refrigerated rest that gives the focaccia its characteristic chewy texture and surface bubbles). Place each ball into an oiled gallon-size zip lock bag and refrigerate.

About 1 ½ hours before you plan to bake, remove the dough from the fridge and gently take the balls out of the bags. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface, dust the tops of the balls with flour, then cover loosely but completely with plastic wrap to keep the tops from getting crusty. Let rest for 1 hour, until the dough reaches a cool room temperature.

The Topping:
Olive oil
2-3 tbsp chopped fresh herbs, such as rosemary and/or thyme
Coarse sea salt

Position an oven rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 450. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and sprinkle with cornmeal.

Shaping the dough: Use your palm to press down gently on each piece of dough, causing bubbles to appear on the sides, then slit the bubbles with a knife. Gently pull and stretch each piece of dough int a square about 10 inches across, taking care not to overwork the dough. Let the dough relax, covered, for about 10 minutes.

Baking the bread: Transfer the focaccias to the baking sheets. Brush the focaccias with oil, sprinkle with herbs and sea salt, and put them in the oven. Bake the breads for 15-20 minutes, or until they are golden with heavy speckling of small surface bubbles. (If you have a water bottle, spray the oven three times with water during the first eight minutes of baking. This creates steam which helps the focaccia bake properly. FYI – like most people, I don’t have a random spray bottle just lying around, so I skipped this step). As soon as you remove the focaccias from the oven, brush them with a little additional olive oil and transfer them to a rack to cool before serving.

Storing: The focaccias are best the day they are baked, but once cooled, they can be wrapped airtight and frozen for up to 2 weeks. Thaw the breads, still wrapped, at room temperature and warm them in a 350 oven before serving.

Quick Dish: Macadamia Nut Crusted Halibut

2008-11-04T23:21:00.005-05:00

I am ridiculously tardy in posting about all the wonderful food I got to enjoy whilst honeymooning in Maui, and I promise, it’s coming. But in the meantime, since I’m too lazy to do the full write up, but too antsy what with this election going on to just sit here, I’ll tell you about the so-simple-yet-so-good dinner I made last night, thanks to a package of macadamia nuts I picked up in the duty-free store on the way home.

This is a unique little riff on the ubiquitous pecan-crusted trout, but, if I do say so myself, I think even better. In Hawaii, of course, mahi mahi was the chosen fish, but any flaky white version will do. Just don’t feed the leftovers to your dog. Apparently macadamia nuts are poison to their little systems. Who knew.

Macadamia Nut Crusted Halibut
2 6-ounce filets halibut or other flaky white fish
3/4 cup dry roasted salted macadamia nuts
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
Freshly ground black pepper
1 egg
1 tbsp olive oil

Preheat the oven to 350.

Pat the fish filets with a paper towel. Crack the egg into a wide, shallow bowl and beat lightly. Set aside.

Place the macadamia nuts into a zip lock baggie, seal, and pound lightly to crush. Pour the nut pieces into another wide shallow bowl, add the cheese and freshly ground pepper to taste, and stir to combine.

Dip one side of the filets into the egg and then press into the nut/cheese mixture, patting down gently to adhere the coating.

Place a large nonstick sauté pan over high heat and add olive oil. When the oil shimmers, add the fish, nut side down, and sauté for about 2 minutes, until the crust is golden brown. Flip the fish over and transfer the pan into the oven. Cook until the fish is flaky white, but not overdone, about 6-8 minutes.

Serve with a leafy green salad, preferably with balsamic vinaigrette.

A Bread Odyssey

2008-11-04T09:56:00.002-05:00

Behold, I have made….bread.

Ok, so it wasn’t very good bread – kinda tough, not very tasty, and with a conspicuous lack of those lovely little air bubbles all the stupid baking books keep telling me about. But still, it was homemade bread. That I made. With yeast and flour and hours and hours of impatience while it rose in a ‘cool dark place.’ Hey, it’s no artisan sourdough ciabatta loaf, but it’s a start.

So, despite my mediocre first attempt at the domestic goddessness that is bread baking, I’m not giving up. Because there really is something incredibly gratifying about creating that delicious bread baking smell in a city apartment approximately the size of a loaf pan. (And more importantly, because my brand new KitchenAid mixer is taking up over half my counter space and I have to justify its presence somehow). So bear with me, dear readers, as I continue on my bread odyssey. If nothing else, I should have pretty pictures to share.

Oh, and don't forget to vote.

Slurp Soup for a Good Cause

2008-11-03T12:29:00.001-05:00

When chilly weather arrives and gray, icky sweater season is upon is, there's nothing better than a warm bowl of soup after a long day of slushing through the cold. Now, there are no shortage of options around town for this bastion of comfort food, so why not get your dose while also supporting a good cause? For the enitre month of November - National Diabetes Month - the menu at Oceanaire will feature a heart-healthy version of beef barley soup (pictured at right), the proceeds of which will be donated to the Capitol Chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) to support research aimed at curing diabetes and its complications.

This is the eighth time that the popular downtown seafood spot has dished out a soup to benefit JDRF during National Diabetes Month. Kudos to Oceanaire and Chef Rob Klink for supporting a great mission with great food.

Love Dish: Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting

2008-10-30T10:15:00.010-04:00

There are many things I love about Molly Wizenberg - her blog, of course, her witty writing, her fabulous pictures, her delicious recipes. But what I think I may love most about Molly is that she decided to share this recipe for cinnamon rolls a few months ago in her Bon Appetit column. They are perfect - light as air, intensely moist and cinnamon-y, and deliriously decadent. And if, like me, you have a brand new, fancy-shmancy KitchenAid mixer and have sworn to bake every bakeable thing your little heart ever dreamed of baking, these definitely need to be near the top of your list.

Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting

Dough:

1 cup whole milk

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 1/2 cups (or more) unbleached all purpose flour, divided

1/2 cup sugar

1 large egg

2 1/4 teaspoons rapid-rise yeast (from 2 envelopes yeast)

1 teaspoon salt

Nonstick vegetable oil spray

Filling:

3/4 cup (packed) golden brown sugar

2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

Glaze:

4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1 cup powdered sugar

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

For dough: Combine milk and butter in glass measuring cup. Microwave on high until butter melts and mixture is just warmed to 120°F to 130°F, 30 to 45 seconds. Pour into bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Add 1 cup flour, sugar, egg, yeast, and salt. Beat on low speed 3 minutes, stopping occasionally to scrape down sides of bowl. Add 21/2 cups flour. Beat on low until flour is absorbed and dough is sticky, scraping down sides of bowl. If dough is very sticky, add more flour by tablespoonfuls until dough begins to form ball and pulls away from sides of bowl. Turn dough out onto lightly floured work surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, adding more flour if sticky, about 8 minutes. (*Or, just switch to your dough hook attachment and keep kneading in the bowl). Form into ball.

Lightly oil large bowl with nonstick spray. Transfer dough to bowl, turning to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, then kitchen towel. Let dough rise in warm draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 2 hours.

For filling: Mix brown sugar and cinnamon in medium bowl.

Punch down dough. Transfer to floured work surface. Roll out to 15x11-inch rectangle. Spread butter over dough, leaving 1/2-inch border. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar evenly over butter. Starting at 1 long side, roll dough into log, pinching gently to keep it rolled up. With seam side down, cut dough crosswise with thin sharp knife into 18 equal slices (each about 1/2 to 3/4 inch wide).

Spray two 9-inch square glass baking dishes with nonstick spray. Divide rolls between baking dishes, arranging cut side up (there will be almost no space between rolls). Cover baking dishes with plastic wrap, then kitchen towel. Let dough rise in warm draft-free area until almost doubled in volume, 40 to 45 minutes.

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 375°F. Bake rolls until tops are golden, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and invert immediately onto rack. Cool 10 minutes. Turn rolls right side up.

For glaze: Combine cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat until smooth. Spread glaze on rolls. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Quick Dish: Gnocchi. Yes Gnocchi.

2008-10-27T15:25:00.007-04:00

Ok, I know when you want to throw together a quick meal, your first thought isn't, "Hey, I think I'll make pasta from scratch!" But hear me out. All you need is a potato, an egg and a little flour, and in about 20 minutes you too can be enjoying your own fresh little pillows of heaven.

Here's all you need to remember:
1 large russet potato
1 lightly beaten egg
¼ cup flour
Salt and pepper to taste

Easy right? That's the basic ratio, and it will give you 1-2 healthy servings' worth of gnocchi. Just multiply this amount by the number of servings you want to end up with.

(FYI - I originally got this no fail ratio from a certain too-skinny, too-smiley Italian Food Network star. I wish I could hate her, but heck, this is a great recipe).

Here's how to make them:

Pierce the potato all over with a fork. Microwave the potato until tender, about 6-8 minutes. Cut the potato in half lengthwise and scoop out the flesh into a large bowl; discard the skin. Using a fork, mash the potato well, then mash in the salt and pepper. Mix in 3 tablespoons of the egg; discard the remaining egg. Sift the flour over the potato mixture and knead just until blended – do not over knead.

Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces. Roll each piece between your palms and the work surface into a 1/2-inch-diameter rope (about 20 inches long).

Cut the dough into 1-inch pieces. If you have one of those fancy, ridge-making doohickies that give your gnocchi their trademark ridged look, by all means, now’s the time to bust it out. Rolling the pieces over the tines of a fork works just as well, too. To be honest, though, I usually skip this step: time consuming + unnecessary = not a quick dish.

Cook the gnocchi in a large pot of boiling salted water until the gnocchi rise to the surface, about 1 minute. Continue cooking until the gnocchi are tender, about 4 minutes longer. Using a slotted spoon, remove the gnocchi from the water.

Now’s the time to add them to a pan of sizzling butter and thyme or sage, or you could simply toss them with olive oil and fold in some fresh mozzarella. Crispy prosciutto is also a good addition. So is basil. Oh, I could go on…

I Say Potato, You Say...Mash?

2008-10-24T14:00:00.008-04:00

The Washington Post's weekly restaurant review is up, and the focus this go-round (finally) is Commonwealth in Columbia Heights. Tommy S. is a fan of the place, particularly the assorted cured meats, innards and other unidentifiable meat creations offered on the charcuterie plate, as well as the hearty Sunday night roasts. Oh, and the scotch eggs (that's eggs rolled in sausage and then fried, people), pictured at right.

So what say you, readers? Are you a fan of Jamie Leeds' swanky take on British pub fare? Or is it just a little too British-y/offal-y for your tastes?

(Photo: WP)

Newest Guilty Pleasure: Chocolates at Locolat

2008-10-23T22:09:00.005-04:00

Is $8 too much to spend for 4 teensy little pieces of candy? Probably. But when they're lovely and artsy and from Locolat, the teensy little Belgian chocolate shop on Florida Avenue in Adams Morgan, you can almost convince yourself it's worth it. Almost.

Pictured above: pistachio chocolate - fresh pistachio paste covered with bittersweet chocolate ganache; feuilletine chocolate - crunchy, KitKat-like filling made with hazelnut paste and feuilletine and covered in ganache; and a vanilla macaroon (rose macaroon not pictured - willpower lost prior to photography).

Quick Dish: Brussels Sprouts

2008-10-19T20:25:00.014-04:00

Well, we're back. And weirdly enough, it feels like we never left. Rory and I have gotten right back into our pre-wedding/honeymoon routine, including sexy activities such as buying groceries and cleaning the bathroom. In fact, the only thing that really seems to have changed (besides my name and some pesky legal details, of course) is the weather here in my fair city. When we left at the beginning of October, the days were still fairly warm. Now, walking to the neighborhood Harris Teeter this Sunday, my requisite t-shirt and flip flops ensemble was just not cutting it. So apparently summer left while we were gone. Bummer.

The only cure for my the-honeymoon's-over-and-now-it's-cold-out blues? Fall comfort food, of course. Brussels sprouts are one of my favorite fall vegetables, and believe it or not, they're real comfort food to me (which probably has something to do with the amount of butter and garlic I always use with them).

Brussels sprouts are super versatile, both to cook and to pair with other fall flavors. One of my favorite ways to prepare them, which happens to be my mother's way, is a great verion for purists: simply boil the brussels spourts whole for about 15 minutes, then add butter, garlic powder - yes, I said powder - and s+p to finish. In recent years, though, I've been branching out in my cooking methods. Roasting, for example, brings out a wonderfully nutty flavor to the sprouts - just halve them and toss with olive oil and salt and pepper, place on a lined baking sheet, and roast at 450 for 45 minutes, and see for yourself.

Sauteing is probably the quickest and easiest way to cook Brussels sprouts. Tonight, that's the version I chose. I took a bunch of whole Brussels sprouts, about 20 or so, cut off the bottoms and removed their loose outer leaves, and sliced them finely. I added a tablespoon of olive oil to a hot nonstick pan and added two cloves of finely chopped garlic and 2 slices of finely crumbled fake bacon. (You could add real bacon, too; Ijust didn't have it on hand). After a minute I added the sliced sprouts to the pan and tossed to coat with the flavored oil. I sprinkled with salt and pepper, added 2 tbsp of butter to the pan, and continued to saute, tossing often on medium high heat, until the sprouts were tender but firm and beginning to caramelize. Served alongside some skin-on mashed potatoes, I was in my happy place - and definitely looking forward to the bounty of fall.

So, what's your favorite way to cook these little beauties?

Shameless Self Plug

2008-10-13T00:30:00.004-04:00

Shh - I'm still technically on my honeymoon, but I couldn't resist sending out a little shameless request for help. Check out the link below to EndlessSimmer's pine nut recipe contest, and if you are so inclined, please take a minute to vote for yours truly - but only if you're a fan of bacon-wrapped, cheese-stuffed goodness, of course.

http://www.endlesssimmer.com/2008/10/10/who-cooked-it-better-pine-nut-contest/

Dish-trict is Getting Hitched!

2008-09-28T23:02:00.002-04:00

My handsome groom and I will be out of commission for awhile - first in Ohio for the wedding, and then in Hawaii for some serious relaxing. Check back in a few weeks for write ups on our tasty travels!

Love Dish: Brown Rice with Butternut Squash, Wild Mushrooms and Salami

2008-09-24T10:42:00.004-04:00

Don't be fooled by the title. This love dish (i.e., a dish that take a little more time to put together than your standard quick dish) is not your typical, boring, "I guess we should use brown rice to up our fiber intake" health fare.

I buy a particular kind of long grain basmati brown rice that has a wonderfully nutty aroma and flavor and never ever gets gummy. Seriously, I actually like eating it. So when it came to what to mix in, I dug around my fridge for stuff that would work well with that nutty canvas. I knew the earthy wild mushrooms I needed to use up would pair well, plus the salty-smokiness of all things pork was a no brainer (hence the tad overzealous use of it in this recipe). Finally, to really celebrate the beginning of fall properly, I threw in some sweet and creamy roasted butternut squash for good measure.

So like I said, no boring brown rice here - we're talking serious comfort food. And if it happens to help you with your, um, regularity issues, well, that's just an added bonus.

(Note: If you wanted to turn this into a quick dish, you could always use white rice and buy one of those packages of cubed squash, but really, why spoil all the fun?)

Brown Rice with Butternut Squash, Wild Mushrooms and Salami

For the rice:
1 cup long grain basmati brown rice
2 cups water

For the rest:
1 butternut squash, about 2-3 lbs
1 tbsp olive oil
3 slices pancetta, chopped
3 shallots, sliced fine
8 ounces assorted wild mushrooms, such as shitake, crimini and oyster, cleaned and rough chopped
2-3 ounces salami, chopped into small pieces
1-2 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Grated parmesan, optional

Combine the rice and the water in a small saucepan over high heat. Bring to boil, stir once, then cover tightly and cook on very low heat for 45 minutes. Meanwhile, split the squash in half, place on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet and roast in the oven at 400 degrees for 45 minutes or until tender. Remove and let cool.

In a large saute pan, add the olive oil over medium high heat. When hot, and the chopped pancetta and let cook, stirring often, til it starts to get crisp. Add the shallots and cook until soft, about 2-3 minutes. Add the chopped mushrooms to the pan and cook until tender but still firm, about 3-4 minutes. (You can add a little more olive oil to the pan if the contents starts to look dry). Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat.

When the squash is cool enough to handle, remove the skin and chop the flesh into bite-size cubes. Return the saute pan to the the stove over medium heat and add the squash, salami and rosemary; cook to heat through. Add the rice to the pan and stir to combine. Re-season with salt and pepper if necessary. Sprinkle with parsley and grated parmesan and serve.

Food Mag Recipe of the Week: Cilantro and Yogurt Sauce

2008-09-21T20:24:00.015-04:00

This week's food mag recipe comes from the October 2008 issue of Food and Wine, which featured an entire spread of recipes from DC's own Vikram Sunderam (at left), head chef at Rasika. F&W created simplified versions of several of Sunderam's most popular dishes, including mango shrimp, lamb rogan josh, and this fabulous cilantro and yogurt sauce.

Now I just have to decide what to do with it...spooned over baked salmon? Tossed with steamed potatoes? Or just go all out and make Sunderam's chicken tikka, as well? Such a tasty dilemma...

(Photo: Washington Post)

Cilantro and Yogurt Sauce

2 cups cilantro leaves
1 cup mint leaves
1 jalapeno, seeded and coarsely chopped
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 cup plain whole milk yogurt
Kosher salt

In a blender, combine the cilantro, mint, jalapeno, garlic, cumin and lemon juice and puree to a paste. Add the yogurt and puree until smooth. Season with salt.

Sauce can be refrigerated up to 2 days.

Quick Dish: Skillet Potatoes and Green Beans

2008-09-19T10:06:00.003-04:00

Great with fish, chicken or beef for dinner and then folded into an omelette the next morning, there's never a better time to whip up this mix of potatoes, beans and tomatoes than September when the farmers markets are at their peak.

Skillet Potatoes and Green Beans

2 tbsp olive oil

3 slices of pancetta, diced small (optional)

2 shallots, sliced fine

3 cloves of garlic, chopped fine

1 large very ripe tomatoe, diced

1/4 cup water

1/2 pound green beans, trimmed

1/2 pound small new potatoes, scrubbed and quartered

Salt and pepper

Fresh parsley

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta and cook until getting crispy, about 3-4 minutes. Add the shallots and garlic to the pan and cook for a few minutes until soft. Add the diced tomato and the water and stir to combine. Toss in the beans and the poatoes, sprinkle with salt and pepper, toss to coat, and cover to let simmer/steam for 15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender but still firm. Remove from heat, sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve.

Great Dish: Wontons with Red Hot Sauce at Joe's Noodle House

2008-09-16T14:10:00.003-04:00

While the décor isn't anything to write about, and the service, while efficient, is minimal, it's the best Szechuan cooking in the DC area that keeps me coming back again and again to Joe's Noodle House in Rockville.

A perennial cheap eats lister, Joe's, which is located in a nondescript strip mall on Rockville Pike, has scores of devotees to back me up on this claim. Like a lot of Chinese restaurants, the menu is large and can be a bit overwhelming, so take my advice and 1) bring a friend who likes to share, and 2) when it doubt, ask for recommendations.

I’m still working my way through the menu, but so far there’s been many standouts – beef noodle soup Szechuan-style, chopped leeks with pork, garlic and black beans, salty crispy squid, and cellophane noodles with ground pork, just to name a few. However, it’s the wontons with red hot sauce that I have dreams about. They arrive at the table piled atop one another in a bowl, sauce on the bottom, just waiting to be mixed together into a slippery, delicious mess. The pillowy dough is delicate and gnocchi-like in texture, the pork filling is juicy and tender, and the rust-colored sauce is smoky, salty, and singes your lips just as you hope it would. No matter how many times I go or how many dishes I order, the red-hot wontons are always included, and often the star of the feast.

Just remember that whether sitting down or taking out, you order and pay first at Joe's. The cash register in the back has a large sign hanging above to inform you, but many a first-time visitor (including this one) has missed it.

Love Dish: Fig Galette with Blue Cheese, Caramelized Onions and Pancetta

2008-09-14T19:32:00.029-04:00

I'm the first to admit, baking has always been a bit of a challenge for me. It's all that pesky measuring and exactness that I have a hard time with. However, within that intimidating realm of breads and cakes and pastries (oh my), the humble galette is one of the easiest, and luckily for me, also one of the best recipes you'll find. Small wonder it's one of my go-to dishes.

A galette is a flat, open-faced, free-form pastry. I first discovered this deceptively simple confection as I timidly paged through Baking with Julia, an excellent book on the subject that my father-the-baker bequeathed to me (a book which, I should mention, has done much to dispel my baking apprehension). I was immediately encouraged by the dough's simplicity and versatility - only a few ingredients are needed, and it works equally well for sweet or savory fillings. And, as Julia says, "The cornmeal in this wonderfully buttery dough not only gives it a bit of crunch, it makes it crisp enough to stand up to soft and syrupy fillings and sturdy enough to be rolled to extreme thinness." Translation: it's hard to screw up.

I started out by making both the tomato/cheese and the berry galette recipes in the book, and have since branched out to whatever I have on hand, particularly when there's a surplus of fruit sitting on my counter. (Speaking of which, The Houndstooth Gourmet has a great peach and raspberry galette recipe you should check out). My most recent version actually mixes sweet and savory, showcasing beautiful figs I found at the market with a sprinkling of blue cheese and a bed of sweet caramelized onions and smoky pancetta (see photos).

So as you can see, the possibilities are pretty darn endless. Try it out for yourself, and let me know what delicious combinations you come up with.

Galette Dough (from Baking with Julia):

Makes enough for 2 8-inch galettes

3 tbsp sour cream (or yogurt or buttermilk)
1/3 cup (approximately) ice water
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
7 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into 6 to 8 pieces

To make the dough by hand, stir the sour cream and 1/3 cup ice water together in a small bowl and set aside. Put the flour, cornmeal, sugar and salt in a large bowl and stir with a fork to mix. Drop the butter pieces into the bowl, tossing them once or twice just to coat them with flour. With a pastry blender, work the butter into the flour, aiming for pieces of butter that range in size from bread crumbs to small peas. The smaller pieces with make the dough tender, the larger ones with make it flaky.

Sprinkle the cold sour cream mixtuer over the dough, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with a fork to evenly distribute it. (Note: I've never needed to add more than half the liquid before the dough comes together). The dough should be moist enough to stick together when pressed; if it's not add additional cold water, 1 teaspoon at a time. With your hands, gather the curds of dough together. You'll have a soft, malleable dough, the kind you might want to overwork.

Chill the dough: Turn the dough out of the bowl and divide it in half. Press each piece of dough into a disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

To make the galette:
Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Put the dough on a lightly floured work surface and roll it into an 11-inch circle that's about 1/8 inch thick. Since the dough is soft, you'll need to lift it now and then and toss some more flour under it and over the top. Roll up the dough around your rolling pin and transfer it to the prepared baking sheet.

Spread your desired filling over the dough, leaving a 2- to 3-inch border. Fold the uncovered border of dough up over the filling, allowing the dough to pleat as you lift it up and work your way around the galette. Dip a pastry brush in water and give the edge of the crust a light coating. You can sprinkle the dough with salt or sugar, depending on the filling.

Bake the galette for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the pastry is golden and crisp. Transfer the baking sheet to a cooling rack and let the galette rest on the sheet for 10 minutes. Slip a wide spatula under the galette and slide it onto the cooling rack. Serve warm or at room temperature, cutting the tart with a pizza wheel or a sharp knife.

(The galette is best if eaten the day it's made).

Love Dish: Bacon-Wrapped Date 'Cannolis' with Pine Nuts

2008-09-11T00:35:00.019-04:00

As I believe I have confessed before in this forum, I love stuffing things. So awhile back when I came across a recipe for Medjool dates stuffed with ricotta, I knew I'd love them. And then when I came across a recipe for dates stuffed with ricotta and wrapped in bacon, I knew I'd REALLY love them.

After I made them the first time, I was struck by how they looked a bit like mini cannolis, the Italian pastry which is also often filled with ricotta. Cannolis often come with pistachios or chocolate shavings - or pine nuts - pressed into the end for a flourish, so, what with my love of pine nuts in general, not to mention how well they would pair with the sweet/salty/smoky balance of the dates, I figured I'd try putting it all together. And not to brag or anything, but they're pretty freakin' awesome. (This also happens to be my entry into Endless Simmer's Pine Nut Recipe contest). I hope you like them, too!

Bacon-Wrapped Date 'Cannolis' with Pine Nuts

20 Medjool dates

10 strips of applewood smoked bacon

1/2 cup ricotta

1/4 cup dry roasted pine nuts

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Cut off the ends of each date and remove the pit (I do this by poking a chopstick through one end). Fill the corner of a sturdy plastic baggie with the ricotta, twist until taut, and snip off just the very end to make yourself a piping bag. Fill the cavity of each date with the cheese. Cut each of your bacon slices in half so you have 20 strips. Wrap a strip snugly around each date, securing with a toothpick.

Cover a cookie sheet with wax paper and spray with non-stick cooking oil. Arrange the dates on the cookie sheet so that one of the cut sides is facing up. Pipe a bit of the remaining ricotta onto the end of each date (the bacon will serve as a 'lip' so that the cheese will stay in place - see pic).

Press a few pine nuts into each end, and carefully place in the oven. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until the bacon is cooked through and is getting crispy. Serve warm.

Quick Dish: Ravioli with Sausage, Corn, Ricotta and Basil

2008-09-09T13:26:00.014-04:00

This post just goes to show you why all those food magazine cluttering your house are sooo worth the bitchy comments from your housemate. (Love you, Rory!)

So last night I was tired, broke and hungry. I needed to make something for dinner, but after a weekend away, all I had in the fridge was some corn from last weekend’s farmer’s market trip, two leftover chicken sausage links, some fresh artichoke ravioli from Trader Joe’s, and a half-eaten container of ricotta cheese. Slim pickins’ for sure, and definitely not ingredients I would normally think to toss together.

But then I remembered a recipe for pasta with corn, ricotta and roasted garlic I'd recently read about in one of the myriad food magazines gracing my coffee table. Pasta – check; ricotta and corn – check; and what do you know, the chicken sausage just happened to be ROASTED GARLIC chicken sausage. Kitchen karma. I threw it all together, tossed in some fragrant basil, crossed my fingers – and damn, did I make a good quick dish.

Ravioli with Sausage, Corn, Ricotta and Basil
1 10-oz package of your favorite fresh stuffed pasta – ravioli, tortellini, etc.
2 chicken sausage links, halved and sliced – preferably roasted garlic flavor, but a spicy sausage could work, too
½ cup ricotta cheese
Handful fresh basil leaves, chopped
Kernels from 2 ears of fresh corn
1-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper

Put a medium saucepan of salted water on the stove to boil. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, mix together the ricotta, basil and sausage links. When the water is boiling, add the pasta. (Fresh pasta only takes a minute or two to cook – you’ll know it’s ready when it floats to the top). Remove the ravioli with a slotted spoon and add to bowl with ricotta mixture; toss gently.

Add the corn kernels to the reserved boiling water and cook just to heat through, about a minute. Strain and add to pasta. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, drizzle with olive oil, and toss gently. Enjoy!

New Series: Food Mag Recipe of the Week

2008-09-08T22:41:00.011-04:00

Several tedious errands involving lots of waiting rooms meant I got to peruse my October issue of Bon Appetit within a few days of receiving it, rather than several months later as just one magazine in a pile of overdue reading. Which got me to thinking…I get waaay too many food magazines. The answer: no, not cancel subscriptions (as if!), but rather, commit to making at least one standout food mag recipe a week – and of course, share it with you. (By the way, The Bitten Word is a wonderful blog devoted entirely to this noble pursuit).

So, for my inaugural edition, here’s one for “leek confit” that I plan on making tonight, and most likely over and over again, courtesy of the lovely Ms. Molly Wizenberg (found in the October edition of her regular BA column).

Leek Confit

Makes 2 cups
Serve warm with fillets of salmon, in scrambled eggs or pasta, or on crostini with goat cheese.

¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter
4 large leeks, (white and pale green parts only), halved lengthwise, cut crosswise into ¼-inch-thick slices (about 5 cups)
2 tbsp water
1/2 tsp salt

*Pssst – for a video how-to on cleaning leeks, which are notoriously dirty creatures, click here*

Melt butter in large pot over medium-low heat. Add leeks; stir to coat. Stir in water and salt. Cover pot; reduce heat to low. Cook until leeks are tender, stirring often, about 25 minutes. Uncover and cook to evaporate excess water, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve warm.

Do Ahead: Can be made 1 week ahead. Keep chilled. Rewarm before using.

Calling All Paella (and Freebie) Lovers

2008-09-08T13:40:00.000-04:00

To kick off Taberna del Alabardero’s annual paella festival, DC’s premier Spanish restaurant is offering free samples at lunch this Monday, September 15, from 11 – noon.

Reason #38,491 I miss working downtown…

Speaking of Ray's...

2008-09-05T15:24:00.005-04:00

The Washington Post reports today that Michael Landrum, the man behind the Ray's restaurants, plans to open a fourth location, this time (finally) in the District. However, rather than opening in swanky Penn Quarter or the 14th Street strip, this new spot, dubbed Ray's The Heat, is slated to open in "restaurant starved" Ward 7 - more specifically, in a strip mall located at Minnesota Ave and Benning Road NE.

Here's hoping this will be the catalyst for another blossoming DC "food neighborhood."

Give 'Em Hell (Burgers)

2008-09-04T22:17:00.012-04:00

This just in from WP's Going Out Gurus - Ray's Hell-Burger in Arlington, that devilishly delicious, uber-casual outpost for juicy, cheese-gooey creations (like the one at left) will now be open for lunch on Fridays. Doors open at 11:45.

Read the details here, including updates on Ray's the Classics in Silver Spring (hint: Virginia won't be the only Ray's location where you can indulge your decadent burger cravings).

Quick Dish: Indian Curry Potatoes and Peas

2008-09-03T23:03:00.007-04:00

This is my version of a staple Indian side dish, though it’s so filling and flavorful it can make a meal on its own. You can nuke the potatoes instead if you’re short on time, but I prefer taking the extra few minutes for the texture steaming provides. Just don’t peel them – it’s healthieir (and easier) not to.

Ingredients:

2 lbs potatoes (I prefer fingerling) steamed and chopped large
1 cup frozen peas
½ cup sour cream or plain yogurt
1 tsp chili powder
1 tbsp garam masala
1 tsp curry powder
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 1/2 tablespoons ground coriander
1 tablespoon butter
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
Kosher salt
Optional:
2 tablespoons fresh parsley or coriander
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Combine sour cream/yogurt, chili powder, garam masala, curry powder, turmeric and ground coriander in a small bowl. Set aside.

Add the butter and olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium high heat. When hot, add the cumin seeds and fry until golden brown, about a minute or two. Add the potatoes and a generous sprinkling of kosher salt and sauté 3-4 minutes. Pour in the yogurt mixture and frozen peas. Gently toss to mix and continue cooking until heated through, about 3-5 minutes. When done add lemon juice and fresh herbs if desired.

Quick Dish: Presto Pesto

2008-08-29T12:32:00.002-04:00

Pesto is one of my all-time favorite go-to quick dishes. You can whip it together in literally 1 minute and use it a thousand ways: it’s great on hot or cold pasta, mixed into scrambled eggs, as a base sauce for pizza, dolloped on baked fish or as a ‘marinade’ for grilled shrimp…the list goes on and on. You can also feel free to vary the ingredients based on what you have on hand – walnuts or pistachios instead of pine nuts, parsley, cilantro and/or spinach for the green, etc. However, as an addict of the summery zing of fresh basil, I tend to stick with my basic version. (Though one word of caution: don’t use purple basil. Pretty as it is prior to blending, nobody finds brown gloop very appetizing).

Even better - pesto freezes well. I make at least a double batch each time, pour some into a baggie and toss it in the freezer for another night. (This is also a great way to have "fresh" pesto come fall when farmers' market basil is long gone).

Presto Pesto
1 packed cup fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
2 garlic cloves, smashed
Zest and juice of one lemon, optional
1/4 to 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, depending on your chunky/smooth preference
¼ cup parmesan cheese
Plenty of salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place all ingredients into a blender and process until smooth.

Quick Dish: Dried Figs Stuffed with Ricotta, Pine Nuts and Bacon

2008-08-27T20:58:00.005-04:00

In case you didn’t know, I’m a big fan of stuffing things – pasta, roulades, jelly rolls, turkeys...my face...you name it, I’ll fill it. So in the spirit of stuffing, here’s a quick appetizer that’s great for a party – or just for stuffing yourself.

Ingredients:
24 dried figs
4 ounces ricotta cheese
4 slices cooked bacon, cut into small pieces*
Handful of toaste pine nuts
Honey for drizzling
Several basil leaves, chopped fine

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Cut off the tops of the figs and use a chopstick or similar tool to hollow out a bit of the center. If necessary, squish the figs gently to make them stand upright for baking.

Fill the corner of a sturdy plastic baggie with the ricotta cheese, tie to close, and snip off just the very tip to create a makeshift piping bag. Fill the cavity you made in the figs with the ricotta, then stuff a piece of bacon and a few pine nuts into the cheese.

Bake for 15 minutes. Remove, drizzle with honey and sprinkle with basil. Serve warm.

*Try cooking the bacon in the oven: 425 degrees for 10-15 minutes, on a rack over a cookie sheet covered in aluminum foil. It’s much easier - and less splattery – than on the stove.

Happiness Is: Me at a Farmer's Market

2008-08-26T10:02:00.000-04:00

Few things making me as happy as wandering through a farmer’s market in August (except for maybe wandering through one in September). It’s just impossible to be in a bad mood surrounded by all those bright colors and smells. Here’s a pic of my recent bounty, courtesy of the 14th and U market.

Love Dish: Sunday Cupcakes

2008-08-25T23:44:00.002-04:00

Apparently following the mini dessert craze sweeping DC, the August edition of Food and Wine magazine included a great section called “Perfecting the Cupcake.” It featured two cake batter recipes (golden and chocolate), three frostings (white buttercream, chocolate and marshmallow), and a multitude of topping suggestions (including caramel-pretzel, rocky road and strawberry shortcake). I tried them out, and I can honestly say they’re some of the best cupcakes I’ve ever had.

My favorite version is below, and will henceforth be known as “Sunday cupcakes” because they made the end of the weekend a whole lot easier to take. Try them out yourself next Sunday, and if, like me, you feel a wee bit gluttonous making a dozen cupcakes all for your lonesome, just take them to work on Monday and spread the love.

Chocolate Cupcakes

4 tbsp unsalted butter
¼ cup vegetable oil
½ cup water
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
¼ cup plus 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
¾ tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
1 large egg
¼ cup buttermilk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper or foil liners, or coat with nonstick cooking spray.

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter with the vegetable oil and water over low heat.

In a large bowl, sift the flour with the sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Add the melted butter mixture and beat with a handheld mixer at low speed until smooth. Add the egg and beat until incorporated, then add the buttermilk and vanilla and beat until smooth, scraping the bottom and side of the bowl. Pour the batter into the muffin tins, filling them about three-fourths full.

Bake the cupcakes in the center of the oven for about 25 minutes, until springy and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool slightly, then transfer them to a rack to cool completely. Frost with white buttercream frosting.

White Buttercream Frosting
6 tbsp butter, softened
2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
½ tsp pure vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
2 tbsp milk or heavy cream

In a medium bowl, using a handheld mixer, beat the softened butter at medium speed until smooth. Add the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract and salt and beat the mixture at low speed just until combined. Increase speed to medium and beat until smooth. Add the milk or heavy cream and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Spread the frosting on the cupcakes. Sprinkle with semisweet chocolate chips. Sigh with pleasure.

Quick Dish: Goat Cheese-Stuffed Squash Blossoms with Curry Powder

2008-08-25T09:48:00.011-04:00

Much as I love squash blossoms, until this past weekend, I had yet to buy the little beauties this summer. A recent trip to the 14th and U Farmers Market changed that. One stall had pristine blossoms in plastic boxes, as well as the flowers still attached to baby squash. I stocked up on the former, and even got a free recipe to boot, as the nice man I bought them from shared his favorite preparation with me – stuffed with goat cheese, sautéed for just a minute in a little olive oil, and sprinkled with curry powder. No batter? “Never,” he said. “It ruins their delicate flavor.”

He was right - rather than simply being a vehicle for the gooey filling, the fresh, grassy flavor of the blossoms themselves could shine through. My only addition – a little chopped basil mixed into the cheese.

Love Dish: Best. Damn. Banana Bread. Ever.

2008-08-22T22:22:00.011-04:00

I was lucky enough to grow up in a house with two great cooks. My mom could whip up an excellent meal, even on a weeknight, with nary a recipe in site. My dad, in contrast, lived for recipes, and still does. Whereas my mother and I cringe at exact measurements, my dad reveres them. Not surprisingly, he’s a kick ass baker, and the crown jewel in his repertoire has got to be his banana bread.

He’s been perfecting it for as long as I can remember – the right mix-ins, the right temperature, the right timing. Its creation has truly been a labor of love. Luckily, the actual making of this delicious wonder bread takes a lot less effort.

And now, dear reader, I bequeath to you the best damn banana bread recipe under the sun. Or at least under my dad’s roof. (Only caveat – you have to be a chocolate lover).

Dad's Banana Bread

Dry ingredients:
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt

Wet ingredients:
2 medium overripe bananas (the blacker the better), mashed
¼ cup milk
1/3 cup oil
2 eggs, lightly beaten

Mix-ins:

1 cup dried cherries

2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350. Coat a loaf pan, preferably a glass one, with nonstick spray.

In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients and in a medium bowl, mix together the wet. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir to combine (be careful not to overmix or your bread will be tough). Gently fold in the cherries and chips. Pour the batter, which should be very thick, into the prepared pan, smooth over the top, and bake for 50-55 minutes, until the top is a light golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the bread comes out clean. (My dad would probably tell you to bake it for 53 minutes exactly, and he would probably be right). Let the bread sit for 15 minutes in the pan, then run a sharp knife around the outside of the bread to remove.

This banana bread is great warm or at room temperature, and will stay great for several days as long as you keep it covered with aluminum foil. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months - just make sure to wrap it tightly in plastic wrap.

The Dish on Commonwealth

2008-08-21T15:09:00.007-04:00

Commonwealth
1400 Irving Street, NW
202-265-1400

Although I live just three blocks away from Commonwealth, I’ve held off on visiting Chef Jamie Leeds’ (at right) new gastropub in Columbia Heights since it opened on August 6th. The reason: I desperately want to love the place. I’m a huge fan of Hank’s, and Leeds in general, plus our hood could really use some great new restaurants. But what if it doesn’t blow me away? Or worse, what if it’s just plain bad? Much like a blind date arranged by a good friend, despite the strong credentials I’ve been afraid the in-person version just won’t live up to the hype. However, after getting back to town late last Sunday and feeling way too tired/lazy to cook, I figured it was time to finally make my date with CWG.

First of all, let me say I love the space – from the red “phone booth” doorway to the ample patio seating to the overall mix of dark wood and modern steel…at the very least, this is definitely a bar I can see myself wasting spending lots of time in.

So – on to the food.

A Jewish rebel after my own heart, Leeds’ butcher’s plate is a great starter, and one to which she clearly gave a lot of thought. Beyond the usual charcuterie selections, choices are divided into hot and cold and feature some pretty unique options, including black pudding, house-made head cheese, stuffed trotters and deviled sweetbreads. I went for the latter, as well as the Surrey country ham and duck sausage. The ham and sausage were great, particularly with the grainy mustard and sweet jam, respectively, that accompanied them. The sweetbreads, however, were another story. The first bite was all the gamey tenderness that offal should be; the next bite, all the gamey chewiness it shouldn’t. Though the sherry-spiked sauce was a nice touch, I’ll hope for a better specimen next time around.

As for entrees, the “Sunday Roast” was tempting – for about $25, a pick between two meats (beef or pork when we visited) as well as vegetables and potatoes served family style. However, in an effort to explore more of the menu, my date (aka Rory, my fiancé) and I went our separate ways.

Rory ordered the fish and chips, a good choice: tender flaky cod with a crackly crust and big fat fries, just the way those Brits like ’em. However, as Rory so aptly pointed out, what makes Eamonn’s – our hands down favorite chipper spot – such a standout isn’t so much the fish or the chips, but the variety of sauces available for dunking. A few more selections on CWG’s menu other than the standard tartar would be a welcome addition.

I ordered the smoked haddock cakes and mash entrée which was…ok. The cake, though relatively mild, seemed to be made more of chopped vegetables than fish. The lemony tartar sauce offered a light, bright note to the dish, but overall I was jealous of Rory’s more traditional entrée.

And that’s where my concern for CWG lies – I worry most DCers will steer clear of the black puddings and various pig parts and seek out the “safe” choices on the menu – the aforementioned fish, the grass-fed burger and the roast chicken will most likely see a lot of play. But are those few standards, particularly with their steep prices, enough variety to keep folks coming back? Time shall tell.

As for me, return trips to Commonwealth will most likely focus on further exploration of the beer and apps menus (lemon stuffed fried olives, anyone?) and the occasionally scary pork product. Though there were no fireworks on our first date, this is still a new thing we’ve got going, and I’m hoping we can get to know each other better before I start making judgments.

Summer's Perfect Fruit: White Peaches

2008-08-20T20:15:00.004-04:00

Check out this excellent article on Saveur.com about the awesomeness that is white peaches. Here’s an excerpt:

“White peaches are low in acidity. Bite into one and you'll taste no tartness—only an aromatic, floral sweetness. A ripe white peach has an undertone of raspberries, and if it matures for a few days, the flavors deepen and it starts to taste a little like muscat grapes. Eating good white peaches is the real thing—a rare experience.”

If you haven’t already, you’ve got to get yourself some of these summer beauties before they’re gone. (Toigo Orchards’ white peaches, which I've picked up at the Dupont Farmers’ Market, have been especially luscious).

Love Dish: Goat Cheesecake with Balsamic-Basil Blackberries

2008-08-18T23:40:00.010-04:00

Goat cheese? Balsamic vinegar? Basil? That’s right, dear reader. The ingredients may be a little unusual, but this is a wow ’em dessert, and I guarantee it’ll be your new favorite summer cheesecake recipe.

(The cheesecake recipe was adapted from a version by Tyler Florence, and the basil-blackberry topping was inspired by a crumble dessert created by Jamie Oliver. Thank you, gentlemen).

Crust:
2 cups finely crushed graham cracker crumbs
1 stick butter, melted
¾ tsp cinnamon
Pinch of salt

Filling:
1 8-ounce package cream cheese at room temperature
8 ounces fresh goat cheese at room temperature
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 pint (2 cups) sour cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
Zest of one lemon

Topping:
2 pints fresh blackberries
1 handful finely chopped fresh basil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp sugar
2 tsp honey

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Set a sauce pan filled with water over high heat to boil.

For the crust:
Lightly coat the bottom and sides of an 8-inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray. In a mixing bowl, combine the crust ingredients with a fork. Pour into the pan and press the crumbs down into the base and about 1 inch up the sides, using the bottom of a flat glass or measuring cup. Refrigerate while preparing the filling.

For the Filling: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and goat cheese with an electric mixer until smooth and free of any lumps. Add the eggs, one at a time, and continue to beat slowly until combined. Gradually add the sugar and beat until creamy, for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the sour cream, lemon zest, and vanilla and mix briefly to combine. Don’t forget to scrape down the sides of the bowl often. Be careful not to overbeat the batter. Pour the filling into the crust-lined pan and smooth the top with a spatula.

Set the cheesecake pan on a large piece of aluminum foil and fold up the sides around it. Place the cake pan in a large roasting pan and pour the boiling water into the roasting pan until the water is about halfway up the sides of the cheesecake pan (the foil will keep the water from seeping into the cheesecake). Bake for 45 minutes. The cheesecake should still jiggle (it will firm up after chilling), so be careful not to overcook it. Remove cake from the water bath and let cool on the counter for 30 minutes, then chill in the refrigerator, loosely covered, for at least 4 hours.

Loosen the cheesecake from the sides of the pan by running a thin metal spatula or knife around the inside rim. Unmold and transfer to a cake plate. Pour the blackberries over the top (recipe below). Slice the cheesecake with a thin, non-serrated knife that has been dipped in hot water. Wipe dry after each cut.

For the blackberries:
In a small saucepan, add the balsamic vinegar, sugar and honey and stir to combine and dissolve the sugar. Slowly bring to a boil over medium heat; allow sauce to boil gently for 1 minute. (Be careful not to boil too long as the sauce will become a syrup). Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Pour over blackberries, add the chopped basil, and stir gently to combine.

Quick Dish - Thai Noodle Salad with Shrimp and Calamari

2008-08-13T22:22:00.009-04:00

Although the flavors in this quick dish are resolutely Thai, I’m a big fan of using kishimen noodles – a Japanese wheat noodle that’s slightly thicker and wider than udon. (I buy my kishimen at Daruma, a great little Japanese market in Bethesda that also has wonderful takeout. Check out Sietsema’s review of Daruma here). You can use whatever rice pasta you prefer; just be sure to check the cooking instructions on the package, as some noodles just need a quick soak rather than boiling.

3 garlic cloves
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup sweet chili sauce
Scant 1/3 cup fish sauce
½ cup lime juice
1 large tomato, rough chopped
½ small red onion, thinly sliced
½ cup chopped cilantro
8 oz rice noodles
1 lb medium shrimp (shelled and deveined)
1 lb calamari rings, thawed
½ cup unsalted dry roasted almond slivers
Extra cilantro for garnish

Bring a large pot of water to boil (do not add salt).

In a large bowl, add first five ingredients; stir to dissolve sugar. Toss in tomatoes, red onion and cilantro. Set aside to let flavors combine.

Add the rice noodles to the boiling water and cook until tender, about 4 minutes. Remove noodles from pot and transfer to bowl of cold water to stop cooking. Add the shrimp to the boiling water and cook just until firm, about 1 minute. Remove and transfer to a bowl of cold water. Add the calamari and cook just until firm, only about 45 seconds (be careful not to overcook – tough calamari is the worst). Transfer the calamari to the cold water bowl with the shrimp.

Drain the noodles and add them to the sauce. Add the seafood and toss to combine. Sprinkle with the slivered almonds and cilantro and serve.

Did You Hear?

2008-08-12T19:48:00.005-04:00

Tom Sietsema reported in last week’s Dish column that Chef Brendan Cox (at right) of West End’s Circle Bistro is packing up his knives and heading over to DC Coast, chef-turned-restaurateur Jeff Tunks’ flagship restaurant on K Street. (Tunks' restaurant group, Passion Food, is also the force behind TenPenh, Ceiba, and Acadiana).

While I’m not a big fan of the space or the service at CB, I am a big fan of Cox’s focus on pristine, locally sourced ingredients and his simple and elegant preparations. Here’s hoping the chef can breathe some new life into a restaurant group whose quality has, at least in my opinion, been steadily declining over the last few years.

Great Dish: Fresh Figs with Prosciutto and Gorgonzola Cheese

2008-08-11T14:19:00.012-04:00

In my opinion, one of the (only) good things about training for a marathon is the requisite carb binges that precede a long run. It was with this excuse, er, goal in mind that I headed to Sette Osteria in Dupont on Saturday night. Sette is one our go-to restaurants for decent, reasonably priced Italian food, and while I’m actually not too crazy about their pizzas, most of their pastas are pretty darn good (particularly the gnocchi with tomatoes and mozzarella and the cavatelli with spicy sausage and broccoli rabe).

Carb-driven though I was, the appetizer on the ‘daily specials’ page caught my eye – fresh figs with prosciutto and gorgonzola-slathered bread. I couldn’t resist my first taste this season of that delicious, summery sweet fruit, and its tangy/salty pairing was the perfect complement. Who knew such a little fruit could steal the show from all that pasta?

Love Dish: Lasagna Primavera

2008-08-10T14:58:00.022-04:00

While quick dishes are perfect for late nights and lazy days, sometimes you just feel like spending some time in the kitchen. Hence, Love Dishes - dishes that require a little bit of love (because in cooking, time = love. Just ask Grandma).

This lasagna is an excellent way to showcase summer's beautiful vegetables. Baking the cherry tomatoes in the lasagna gives the dish an unexpected, intensely tomato pop, and mixing goat cheese with the traditional ricotta provides a nicely balancing tang. The prep time is only 15-20 minutes, but it does need about 45 minutes in the oven. So toss it together, pour yourself a glass of wine, and get ready to enjoy the labors of your love.

Lasagna Primavera

1 package no-boil lasagna noodles (Trader Joe's has a good version)
1 jar good quality pasta sauce (or go crazy and make your own tomato sauce...but seriously, stick with me on the store-bought noodles)
1 package - about 3-4 loosely packed cups - baby spinach
8 ounces fresh button mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
3 garlic cloves
2 medium zucchinis, sliced in half lengthwise and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
Several handfuls of cherry tomatoes, halved
6 ounces fresh ricotta cheese
6 ounces fresh goat cheese
1 handful basil leaves, chopped
Parmesan cheese
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

For the bechamel sauce:
1 1/2 cups milk
4 tbsp butter
3 tbsp flour
dash of nutmeg
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add the spinach; sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Toss the spinach to evenly distribute the garlic. Turn the heat up to medium high and add the sliced mushrooms. Remove and set aside after all leaves are wilted, but not overcooked, about 2 minutes. (The mushrooms will still be very firm). Increase the heat to high, add another 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and add the zucchini and tomatoes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook, tossing frequently, until the zucchini begins to get a little color, about 4 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.

For the bechamel sauce, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk together, cooking about 1-2 minutes. Add the milk, and whisk again to incorporate the butter/flour mixture. Increase the heat to medium-high, and bring sauce to a boil, stirring often. (Boiling the flour/butter mixture will thicken it - you'll know the sauce is ready when it can coat the back of a spoon). Let cool slightly.

Spread some of the bechamel sauce on the bottom of a large lasagna dish, enough to fully cover. Place lasagna sheets on the bottom of the pan, overlapping slightly. Top with more bechamel sauce - about 1/2 cup - and some of the pasta sauce - also about 1/2 cup. Add the spinach/mushroom mixture, spreading evenly. Spoon the ricotta sauce in dollops over the vegetables and sprinkle with half the chopped basil. Top with another layer of noodles, pressing down gently. Repeat bechamel and pasta sauce, this time adding the zucchini/tomato mixture and dollops of the goat cheese. Sprinkle with remaining basil and cover with one more layer of lasagna sheets. Pour remaining pasta sauce over the top of the lasagna, coating evenly. Dust with Parmesan cheese.

Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake on center rack of the oven for 35 minutes. Remove, uncover and baked for another 10 minutes. Serve with basil sprigs.

A great accompaniment for this dish is a fresh, simple salad tossed in balsamic vinaigrette.

Quick Dish - Kitchen Sink Veggie Curry

2008-08-07T15:43:00.010-04:00

Ok, so this quick dish might not be ready in five minutes, but it’s totally worth the 20-30 it takes to prepare. It’s a great way to use up any of those expensive farmers market vegetables you don’t know what to do with, and while it requires a few unique ingredients, if you’ve ever attempted any kind of Asian cooking you most likely have all this stuff in your fridge anyway. Plus, you can stretch any leftover curry sauce into a second meal just by adding some cooked rice noodles (and shrimp if you’re carnivorously inclined). Think of it as two quick dishes in one. Enjoy!

For the curry sauce:
2 cups chicken stock
1 can (14 oz) coconut milk
2-3 tablespoons red curry paste – or more depending on your heat preference
¼ cup of julienned ginger
3 tbsp canned chopped lemongrass
1 tsp salt
1 lime
1 tbsp brown sugar
Few dashes of hot sauce

For the veggies:
Really, you can use just about anything you have on hand. Below is a random combo I tried recently and really liked. Sugar snap peas, eggplant, squash (think pattypan or zucchini), mushrooms and bok choy would work nicely, too.

Several handfuls of grape tomatoes
1 can o’ green beans
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled, nuked until cooked through but still firm, and cubed
1-2 handfuls of basil leaves, torn

For the rice:
1 cup jasmine rice
1 ¼ cups water

Place all curry ingredients in a large sauté pan. (For the lime, slice it in half, squeeze the juice into the pan, and then toss in the halves). Stir together, bring to a boil and let simmer for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, rinse the rice and add it to a saucepan with the water. Bring the rice to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and let simmer for 15 minutes, or until all the water is evaporated. When the 20 minutes is up on the curry, strain the sauce, return it to the pan and add the vegetables. Cook until heated through. Serve over the rice.

Commonwealth (Almost) Open!

2008-08-04T23:19:00.015-04:00

Chef Jamie Leeds' newest restaurant unofficially opened tonight, serving food and drinks to a packed friends-and-family-only crowd at the Columbia Heights outpost for British-y food. The official opening is this Wednesday, August 6th, when Leeds hopes to officially launch her movement to dispel "the myth that British food is bad." Jamie, if anyone can make black pudding and shepherd's pie sexy, it's you.

New Heights Bids Goodbye to Wabeck, Welcomes Cox

2008-07-30T18:59:00.006-04:00

Popular DC Chef John Wabeck (at right) is stepping down from the executive chef post at New Heights, the upscale Woodley Park restaurant at which he’s been dishing up his unique spin on New American cooking for the past two years. Wabeck is moving on to become the sommelier/mixologist at the soon-to-open Tysons Corner-based Inox, the brainchild of former 2941 chefs Jonathan Krinn and Jon Mathieson.

Taking Wabeck’s place is Logan Cox, returning to DC after a stint in South Carolina at Woodlands Inn and Resort. Before his work down south, Cox worked under celebrated Chef Frank Ruta just one stop up the red line at Palena.

A dual goodbye/welcome party of sorts will be held at New Heights this Saturday, August 9th, during which attendees can enjoy a four course meal prepared jointly by the out- and incoming chefs. Wabeck will take the first and second courses, and Cox will dish up the hors d’ouvres and entrée. Derek Brown, former sommelier at Komi, will offer the cocktail/wine pairings for the meal, and will also feature several gins at New Heights’ bar to start the evening.

$85 includes food and wine/cocktail pairings. For reservations, call 202.234.4110.

New Heights Restaurant
2317 Calvert St NW
Washington, DC

Vace Italian Deli

2008-06-30T15:07:00.005-04:00

In need of some great sandwiches for a picnic lunch last weekend, I stopped by Vace, the surprisingly authentic, 30-year-old Italian market in Cleveland Park. Vace reminds me of the shops scattered throughout the Italian Market section of South Philly, and much like those stores – and pretty much all specialty food shops I browse – I find it impossible to walk out without a bagful of unexpected treasures in tow.

One of the best reasons to go to Vace, besides their monster subs and killer pizzas, is the homemade pastas that fill the coolers along the back wall of the store. You’ll run out of money before you run out of choices – frozen pastas include pumpkin-filled agnelloti, veal tortellini, cheese ravioli; fresh cut versions range from capellini to paparadelle. Our Italian subs, overflowing with salami, mortadella, ham and mozzarella, were great, but the fresh spinach pasta we had for dinner that night (see recipe below) was even better.

Quick Dish - Fresh Pasta with Mozzarella and Tomato-Zucchini "Sauce"

2008-06-30T15:05:00.007-04:00

Fresh pasta is ideal for a quick dish because it literally cooks in about 3 minutes, if not less. Here’s a super easy summer pasta that’s a snap to make after a day of wandering through your local farmers’ market – and Vace Italian Deli (see above).

1 lb fresh pasta
Olive oil
2 cloves of garlic
4 tomatoes, chopped
1 tablespoon of tomato paste (optional)
1-2 zucchinis, depending on size, chopped
Fresh mozzarella, cut into cubes
A handful each of fresh basil and oregano, chopped

Set a pot of salted water on the stove to boil. Meanwhile, add a few swirls of olive oil to a large frying pan over medium heat and add a few cloves of chopped garlic. Let the garlic gently sauté for a minute or so, long enough to infuse the oil. Add the tomatoes and tomato paste, if using. After a few minutes add the zucchini to the pan. Toss the fresh pasta into the water and crank up the heat on the tomatoes. Once the pasta is done – it only takes a few minutes and should rise to the surface of the water; check often for your preferred level of doneness – drain and add directly to the tomatoes, which should be simmering by now. Add the fresh herbs and mozzarella, toss it all together, and enjoy!

ENO Wine Bar to Take Flight

2008-06-26T13:24:00.003-04:00

Good news for all you oenophiles still standing in line at Cork: the $35 million restoration program currently underway at DC’s Four Seasons Hotel in Georgetown, at right, will include – surprise! – a wine bar. Well, a wine, cheese, and chocolate bar, to be exact.

Attempting to capitalize on the current wine bar craze sweeping DC, ENO Wine Rooms (located in several high end hotels across the country), touts itself as “a sleek and sensual alternative to traditional wine bars…where you’ll experience a dazzling taste and sensory experience.” Wow, way to manage expectations.

ENO gives guests the option of choosing flights (i.e., sets of three) for each of these guilty pleasures. And it’s a good thing – with 300-500 types of wine, 35 types of cheese, and a multitude of chocolate selected from local chocolatiers being offered, getting through the menu will require a lot of, er, flight-ing.

No word yet on when ENO is slated for completion.

Colorado Kitchen to Close

2008-06-25T17:30:00.007-04:00

It continues to be a sad day for DC food news. Read about CK's impending closure here. A saving grace? Chef Gillian Clark assures us that her style of cooking isn't leaving the District just because CK is. "We're not done with this town yet," she promises.

Where is Tom's chat when you need it?

Barton Seaver Leaves Hook

2008-06-25T17:10:00.006-04:00

This just in...Chef/Hottie Barton Seaver has split with Pure Hospitality, the restaurant group that owns Hook and Tackle Box. Read Todd Kliman's breaking story here.

Adams Morgan is for Punks

2008-06-25T14:56:00.009-04:00

H Street NE, aka the Atlas District, (aka the “new U Street” for all you hipsters), is fast becoming a destination spot for District diners hungry for low key, “homegrown” restaurants. Check out the write up and picture show from WP reporter Jane Black, which includes vignettes of the popular mussels-frites mecca Granville Moore’s, coffee/wine bar Sova and the newly opened Sticky Rice. Black also talks with DC nightlife maven Joe Englert (who, besides being the man behind much of H Street’s development was also one of the contributors to U Street’s resurgence), and dishes on a slew of new spots we can expect to see popping up on H Street in the coming months.

Great Dishes

2008-06-24T14:27:00.019-04:00

I don’t know about you, but for me, visiting relatives = an excuse to eat myself silly. Below is a list of some great dishes I got to sample over the weekend, thanks to a welcome visit from Mom and Dad.

Foie Gras at Indebleu
Chef Michael Hartzer, formerly of Rays the Classics and the now defunct Viridian, has made a believer out of me. While I was skeptical that Indebleu, at right, could come back from the slippery slope of mediocrity it’s been descending for some time, the recently installed chef has created a strong yet playful menu that begs to be explored. While a coconut milk-poached halibut entrée and “spaghetti and meatballs” dessert (strands of saffron cardamom ice cream paired with gulab jamun) were memorable, several days later I still find myself thinking about the delicious appetizer I had – foie gras, resting on a lightly toasted slice of brioche, drizzled with a port wine reduction sauce and paired with “bruleed” oranges dusted with crushed pistachios. The smooth earthiness of the liver, the sweet citrus crackle of the bruleed orange segments…I know I'm supposed to feel guilty about eating this stuff but man was it good.

Strawberries at the Farmers Market
(Star Hollow Farm Farmers Market, held each Saturday from 9am-1pm at 18th and Columbia in Adams Morgan)
Intensely sweet and miles away from the carbon copies sold at your local grocery chain, these beauties were the perfect beginning to a casual brunch at home, mixed with some blueberries and peaches, sprinkled with some walnuts, and topped with a dollop of vanilla yogurt.

Fried Bay Scallops at Tackle Box
I will admit, much as I love the adorable Barton Seaver (at left), Tackle Box, the site of his restaurant group's new, much dressed-down outpost for sustainable seafood in Georgetown, needs a lot of work. On a recent visit, there was much to grumble about - a few pieces of grilled fish we ordered were embarrassingly skimpy, some overcooked, some overpowered by the wood-grilled flavor; the grilled corn cobs had clearly left contact with their heat source long before we arrived, and the potato salad tasted more of mayonnaise than potato. I'm guessing the recent chef drama is taking its toll. However, lest you think this mini-review is becoming a mini-rant, I will say that the saving grace of my first visit to Hook’s younger, rougher sibling – and the reason for future return visits - was anything dunked in the fryer. Oysters, shrimp and particularly the bay scallops were all fresh and sweet, with a crisp batter so flavorful that the many house made sauces we ordered, though tasty, were mostly left untouched.

Eggs Benedict at Vermilion
At Vermilion in Old Town, Anthony Chittum continues to do what he does best, and that is cooking great, locally sourced food in simple yet unexpected ways. The Sunday brunch menu is no exception, and may just be one of the best kept secrets around. Guests expecting the “usual” brunch fare will be pleasantly surprised to find a substantial showcase of Chittum’s delicious and playful approach to his new American menu – and at a fraction of Vermilion's dinner prices. Delicious = a soft shell crab starter with a side of root veggie “crudo.” Playful = many of the main courses come with your choice of pork and latkes (rebellious Jews rejoice). My favorite entrée, though, has to be the eggs benedict. Sounds simple enough, but slip under the perfectly poached egg a seared shrimp cake, drape it with a spiced béarnaise sauce, and add to the plate a few of those addictive latkes and you’ve got yourself quite a sexy little dish for a Sunday morning.

Summer Berry Pie at The Majestic
For those of you that don’t know, Nana’s Sunday Dinner at The Majestic in Old Town is one heck of a delicious deal. For just $78, the culinary couple behind Alexandria’s Restaurant Eve, PX and Eamonn’s provides a party of four with a three course, family-style meal, the details of which change monthly. And while the centerpiece of this month's summer-inspired menu was a seafood feast of blue crabs, mussels, clams, oysters, shrimp, house made sausage, and corn on the cob, the dessert – a sublime summer berry pie – was the real star of the show. Rather than the berry-dense, lattice-topped confection I was expecting, this pie arrived on our table looking like a cheesecake-pie hybrid, with a buttery graham cracker crust, a sweet cream filling, and a handful of deep blue and purple berries sprinkled throughout. Light and refreshing, sweet and tart, it was summer in a spoon – and the perfect end to a delicious weekend.

Quick Dishes

2008-06-20T15:41:00.004-04:00

You work late. You get home. You’re starving. We've all been there. But rather than waiting around for delivery or dragging your tired ass out to a restaurant, why not throw something together that’ll be ready in half the time and taste twice as good (and probably be a lot more healthy, too).

That’s the idea behind “Quick Dishes” – a regular series featuring weeknight dinner suggestions that take minimal effort but have a whole lotta taste. Not a ground breaking idea, I know, but hey, who can have too many good, simple recipes on hand? Enjoy!

Quick Dish: Greek Pizza
Note: This dish can be made with or without the chicken, but I highly recommend taking the extra 10 minutes – sooo worth it.

What you need:
Ready made pizza shell (These things are awesome, I use them all the time. For a shot of fiber, use the whole wheat ones - Trader Joe's carries a particularly good version).
Olive oil
Hummus
Roasted red peppers sliced thin
Olives
Goat or feta cheese
Basil leaves
Powdered chicken (recipe below)

Preheat the oven to 450. Brush the edges of the pizza shell with olive oil. Shmear the hummus all over the pizza to about an inch from the edge, then arrange the peppers and olives on top. Sprinkle with your choice of cheese and some chopped basil. Top with the chicken and in the oven it goes. Lower the heat to 425 and bake for about 10 minutes til everything’s heated through.

Powdered Chicken

This chicken gets its name from all the different powdered spices that give it its bright color and flavor. It's versatile, too - make a big batch and try it in a wrap or as the base for a funky curry chicken salad.

What you need:
1 chicken breast, thawed and cut into small pieces
Chili powder, cayenne pepper, curry powder, and turmeric…basically any red/orange spice powders you have on hand
Salt and pepper

Cut the chicken breast into small pieces. Place in a bowl and add salt, pepper and the powders. (Maybe about a ½ teaspoon of each...sounds like a lot, but don’t be scared). Mix well to give the chicken a good coating, and in a HOT skillet, add a little olive oil and toss in the chicken. Cook for about 3-4 minutes, depending on how small you cut your chicken.

Benefit Dinner at Colorado Kitchen

2008-06-18T15:41:00.005-04:00

Fried chicken AND a good cause? Sign me up.

Chef Gillian Clark (at right) of Brightwood’s delicious and quirky Colorado Kitchen will be hosting a Fried Chicken Benefit Dinner on Wednesday, June 25th. Similar to CK’s immensely popular Burger and Fried Chicken Night (which happens the first Tuesday of every month), for just $25 diners get a bowl of soup, that delicious fried chicken, bacon-laced collard greens, cornbread, and even a fancy beer.

Proceeds go to support mental health care for veterans, the Washington Peace Center and the Social Justice Scholarship Fund.

Doors open at 6. Make reservations by emailing david.thurston78@gmail.com.

Colorado Kitchen
5515 Colorado Ave NW
202-545-8280

Hi there

2008-06-17T22:47:00.000-04:00

Welcome to Dish-trict, your source for all things food-related in DC. Visit often for restaurant gossip and reviews, local food happenings and trends, cooking ideas, and whatever else comes across my plate.