Marco Canora Night – Part 2

Marco Canora’s ribolitta is made with a type of kale called cavolo nero (aka black cabbage, or Lacinato) and served with lots of parmesan cheese and crusty bread. The recipe can be either made with a meat stock, or with water to make it vegetarian. It’s so comforting, but extremely healthy as well.


I don’t think I had ever tried cavolo nero before. It’s a sturdy green that’s actually kind of funky smelling when raw. The recipe calls for it to be chopped extremely fine, which is not easy when you’re trying to chop eight cups worth! We read that one of his tricks is to freeze it overnight and then simply crumble it into the soup. Unfortunately, we didn’t think that far in advance. The results, though, were totally worth the effort.

Ribolitta

Ingredients


Olive oil
3 c. each carrots, celery, and onion, finely diced
1 small head (or half a large head) of savoy cabbage, chopped
1/3 c. + 1 Tbsp. tomato paste
8 c. finely cavolo nero, very finely chopped
5 c. cannellini beans, 3 c. pureed and 2 c. whole
10 c. water or meat stock

Instructions


Start by sautéing the carrot, celery, and onion in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil until soft but not browned. Be patient - this takes a little while. The pot should be covered for most of the time.


Next, add the savoy cabbage and cook for just a few minutes until it wilts.


Then add the tomato paste and stir until combined.


Add the cavolo nero.


Cook for about 20 minutes.


Add the water (or stock) the whole beans. When it comes to a boil, add bean puree and simmer away. I’m not sure if there’s an exact simmer time, but we let it go for about an hour.


Top the soup with parmesan cheese, olive oil, and crusty bread or toast points and there you have it: a yummy, comforting bowl of soup perfect for the winter.

Marco Canora Night – Part 1

Matt and I are huge fans of Marco Canora, his restaurant Hearth, and, mostly, his wine bar Terroir. Terroir is probably what I miss most about living in the East Village.

Anyways, Matt bought his cookbook recently and has been making a lot of the things that we usually order at his restaurants. His tomato and egg bruschetta is probably what we order most at Terroir. One time the bartender joked that they started firing up the bruschetta when they sat Matt and me walk by.

The best thing we’ve tried at Hearth has been the pan-roasted hen of the woods mushrooms. They sound like a simple side dish on the menu, but they are to die for. We more recently discovered his ribolitta - a Tuscan kale soup topped with a generous amount of parmesan – which is also a favorite.

We made all of these things for dinner on Sunday night: the tomato and egg bruschetta and mushrooms for appetizer and the ribolitta for main course. I’m splitting the entry into two parts because I took a lot of pictures of everything!

Tomato and Egg Bruschetta


You would never believe how good the simple combination of eggs, tomato sauce, olive oil, and bread is.

His technique involves mixing the egg whites into the cooked tomato sauce and then lightly poaching the egg yolks on top of the sauce until it’s warm, but still runny. At Terroir, you can’t actually see the pieces of egg white in the sauce. When Matt first made this recipe, we found it had too many whites. We reduced the number, but I think we still need to work on our technique. We also modified it a little bit by putting dried oregano in the sauce and fresh basil on top, which I think is done at Terroir.

The key to the whole thing is using really good ingredients: the best canned tomatoes (see note at the bottom), fruity extra-virgin olive oil, high-quality dried oregano (Marco Canora suggests Sicillian oregano), flavorful bread, etc.

Note: Not all canned tomatoes are created equal! I had always used San Marzano tomatoes, but Serious Eats did an interesting canned tomato taste test and found that Trader Joe’s brand are the cheapest AND the tastiest.

Ingredients
Four 1-inch-thick slices of country bread
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
4 large eggs
1 small garlic clove, thinly sliced
Pinch of crushed red pepper
One 14-ounce can whole tomatoes with their juices, crushed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of good, dry oregano
Fresh basil, for garnish

Instructions
Preheat the broiler. Brush the bread on both sides with olive oil, arrange on the baking sheet and broil for about 3 minutes, turning once, until golden and toasted. Place the toasts in 4 shallow bowls (note: we used 3 slices of bread and just ate the extra sauce!).

Arrange 5 small bowls on a counter. Crack the eggs: Reserve 1 of the whites in one of the bowls and one yolk in each of the other 4 bowls. Refrigerate the remaining 3 egg whites for another use.

In a medium nonstick skillet, heat the 1/4 cup of olive oil with the garlic and crushed red pepper. Cook over moderate heat until the garlic is golden, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and oregano, season with salt and pepper and cook over high heat until the sauce is thickened, about 5 minutes.

Beat the egg whites with a fork and gently fold them into the tomato sauce. Cook over moderately high heat just until the whites are set, about 1 minute. Using the back of a spoon, make 4 indentations in the sauce. Slide a yolk into each indentation and cover the skillet. Cook over very low heat just until the yolks are warmed but not set, about 1 1/2 minutes. Spoon the sauce and yolks over the toasts, drizzle some extra-virgin olive oil on top, garnish with the basil, and serve right away.


Mmmmmm…runny egg yolk.



Pan-Roasted Hen-Of-The-Woods Mushrooms


Hen-of-the-woods mushrooms (also known as maitakes) can be expensive, but they’re so worth it when cooked like this. We found these beauties for about $20/lb at Formaggio.


This recipe basically calls for searing the mushrooms on both side in some olive oil and then basting them in butter, rosemary, and thyme. They turn out a little crisp on the outside, and soft and buttery on the inside.

Ingredients
1 pound hen-of-the-woods mushrooms
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1 sprig fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons unsalted butter (I think you’ll notice that Matt snuck in way more butter than the recipe called for)
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons fresh-cracked black pepper

Instructions
Turn mushroom over to expose the stem. With paring knife, remove the core of the stem.


Using your hands, gently break mushroom into 8 pieces. In a 12-inch sauté pan, heat olive oil over medium flame. Season mushrooms with salt and pepper.


Place them in the heated oil, taking care not to overcrowd the pan, and cook for 3 minutes. When the mushrooms have a golden-brown surface, flip them with a spatula and continue cooking for 2 to 3 minutes.


Add butter and herbs, and baste mushrooms for 1 minute. Drain on paper towels to remove excess oil, and serve.

Next we made the ribolitta. To be continued…

Pan-Roasted Cod with a Spicy Seafood Bisque Sauce

My mom picked up some amazingly fresh cod and Portuguese corn bread from the fish store on Friday night. After wrestling with what to make, I pan roasted the cod and concocted a seafood bisque inspired cream sauce to go with it.

I started the sauce with pancetta, shallots, and garlic, and then used a sweet cream sherry that's sometimes used in lobster bisque. I added hot smoked paprika and cayenne into the base of seafood stock, cream, and tomato paste for some spice, and a dash of Vietnamese fish sauce to finish. I really love using fish sauce; I think it gives it extra depth to the sauce, or “umami” as they say now. I spooned the sauce over the roasted fish and toasted some of the bread for dunking.

I was cooking in a hurry so I didn’t exactly measure ingredients, but I wanted to get down the rough recipe. We were both surprised at how well it turned out. It’s seriously a keeper!

Pan-Roasted Cod with a Spicy Seafood Bisque Sauce

Ingredients
Pancetta
Olive oil
Cod
Salt and pepper, to taste
Shallot, chopped
Garlic, chopped
Tomato paste
Cream sherry
Seafood stock
Heavy cream
Smoked paprika (hot)
Cayenne pepper
Vietnamese fish sauce
Chives, chopped
Bread

Instructions


I first sautéed some pieces of pancetta with some olive oil. When crisp, I transferred it to a paper towel lined plate, leaving the grease in the skillet.


Then, I seasoned the fish liberally with salt and pepper and then cut into two big pieces. I placed it in the cast iron skillet (with the pancetta grease and olive oil) over medium-high heat until the bottom started to brown. Then, I transferred to a 450 degree oven and cooked until it was flaky. It took no more than 10 minutes once in the oven, but the time totally depends on the thickness of the fish.

When the fish was done, I took it out of the skillet and covered with foil to keep warm. I immediately put the skillet back on the stove and added some chopped shallot and garlic. When these started to soften, I added a little bit of tomato paste and then a splash of cream sherry. After about a minute, I added probably equal amounts of seafood stock and heavy cream along with some smoked paprika and cayenne. I let this reduce for a few minutes and added just a dash of fish sauce.


As the sauce was cooking, I just sliced the bread and toasted under the broiler. This type of bread is new to me. It’s a little bit sweet, but not sugary sweet like the cornbread you’re probably used to. It’s also very dense, so it’s perfect for sopping up the extra sauce.


To serve, I spooned the sauce over the fish in shallow bowls and topped with some chopped chives and the crisp pancetta. I totally forgot to add the pancetta until after we dug in, but I highly recommend it!

Brussels Sprout Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette

I talked about this brussels sprout salad that my friend Katie and I had at Hub 51 in Chicago in my very first blog post. For some reason, I thought to Google it the other day to see if there was a recipe for it online. Sure enough, I found it here and I made it on Friday night. I plan on turning a lot of people into brussels sprout lovers with this recipe. It is that good.

I had to adapt the vinaigrette recipe slightly based on what I had (like apple cider instead of apple juice concentrate and figs instead of dates). I should also note that the vinaigrette recipe makes over two cups of dressing. It’s a really great dressing though, so it’s not a bad idea to make a lot.

Brussels Sprout Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette

For Mustard Vinaigrette:
2 Tbsp whole grain mustard
6 Tbsp white wine vinegar
3 ½ Tbsp sugar
1 tsp. chopped garlic
1 tsp. Kosher salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper
½ c. apple cider
2 c. Canola oil

For Brussels Sprout Salad:
2 ½ cups Brussels sprouts
2 Tbsp dried cranberries
2 Tbsp slivered almonds
2 Tbsp dried figs
2 Tbsp manchego cheese, grated
1 Tbsp parmesan cheese, grated
¼ cup Mustard Vinaigrette (see recipe above)

Instructions:

For Mustard Vinaigrette:
In a mixing bowl, whisk together mustard, vinegar, sugar, garlic, salt, pepper and apple cider. Slowly whisk in the oil.

For Brussels Sprout Salad:
Trim the leaves off around the stem of the Brussels sprouts and then peel apart each leaf. Bring 6 cups of water to boil. Place peeled Brussels sprouts in boiling water for 6 seconds (really, just 6 seconds). Quickly remove and place in ice water. When cooled, place on a tray to dry. In a mixing bowl, add the Brussels sprouts, dried cranberries, almonds, and figs. Toss with mustard vinaigrette. Place in a salad bowl and top with manchego and parmesan.


Aside from being delicious, it’s so bright and colorful. I think it might even be a new addition to our Thanksgiving dinner table!

Restaurants: Tupelo

Tupelo has been on my list of places to try for awhile now. My mom has been there before and has described it as “like Hungry Mother, but not as good…but still good.” Therefore, whenever we’re craving some southern comfort food, we end up down the street at Hungry Mother.

Last night we tried to get into Hungry Mother, but they were full! We then tried our luck at Tupelo and were able to get a table within 15 minutes.


Tupelo has a cozy atmosphere. The space is small, but not uncomfortably so. We were immediately given complimentary corn bread with butter. The bread was moist and sweet – a great start to the meal.

Our server told us about the fried alligator special on the appetizer menu. My mom, being from Florida, was skeptical about getting good alligator in the Northeast. When she asked if it was any good, he cringed a little and said “well, it’s alligator.” Assuming he was just a wimpy eater, we went ahead and ordered it. At least he was honest, I guess?


I haven’t exactly eaten a lot of alligator in my life, but I thought it was pretty darn good. The meat was actually very mild tasting and the batter was nicely seasoned. The remoulade was amazing. It was very spicy and a little tangy. It also came with some pickled cucumber, carrot, and ginger. I’m a huge fan of homemade pickles and these were superb.


I ordered the Texas brisket special, served with red beans, barbecue sauce, slaw, and more pickles (!). I thought it was good, but wasn’t blown away by it for some reason. My mom, on the other hand, loved everything on the dish. Maybe I'm just not be a huge fan of brisket and beans in general. The barbecue sauce was very good though, and we all know I loved the pickles and slaw.


My mom ordered the pan-fried catfish with cheddar grits, collard greens, and jalapeno remoulade. It was a simple but really well executed dish. The fish was perfectly cooked, the grits were rich and creamy, and the collards were sweet with a nice acidic bite.


We were totally full by the end of the meal, but the desserts sounded too good to pass up. We went with the chocolate bread pudding. I think it was made out of cinnamon sweet rolls, which was a nice surprise. It probably didn’t even need the chocolate, but it didn't hurt either.

I’m not sure it’s right to compare Tupelo with Hungry Mother; I think they’re totally different. Tupelo is more casual and a little less refined, but not necessarily in a bad way. I’m looking forward to coming back and trying new dishes.

Tupelo
1193 Cambridge St.
Cambridge, MA 02139

Crosnes

I stumbled across these funny little tubers called Crosnes at the Union Square Greenmarket last weekend. I grabbed a handful before even looking at the price ($20/lb – yikes!).

I did a little bit of internet research and found out that they are a member of the mint family. They can be sautéed, fried, pickled, and even eaten raw. They’re originally from China and are sometimes called “Chinese Artichokes.”

When I showed them to Matt, he started calling them mealworms. I found a better nickname for them online: “butter sluts.”

I decided to sauté them to go with our dinner on Sunday. I put them in some piping hot butter and olive oil with a sprig of rosemary for just a few minutes and sprinkled liberally with salt.

They were very good! They had a similar texture to a potato, though not quite as starchy. The best way I can think to describe them is a cross between a potato and an artichoke. I think they would be really, really good pickled. I’m going to have to try that next.

Restaurants: Thai Terminal

Matt and I ate at one of our standbys in New York last night: Thai Terminal. It’s embarrassing how often I ate there back when I lived on that 12th street block, but it was so nice to be back. They have really fresh, reliable, and tasty food. I honestly wouldn’t have ever tried this place if it weren’t right on my old block because of the odd airport terminal theme. Fortunately, what the restaurant lacks in atmosphere it makes up in great food.

Clockwise from bottom- left: veggie dumplings, chive pancakes, spring rolls, curry puffs
When we’re really hungry, as we were last night, we start with the Deluxe Vegetarian Appetizer assortment. It comes with fried tofu, veggie dumplings, curry puffs, and chive pancakes. Since neither of us ever gets too excited about the fried tofu, we ask to substitute it with spring rolls. The stand-outs are the chive pancakes and curry puffs. The chive pancakes are like nothing I’ve ever had before so they’re hard to describe, but they’re very crunchy out the outside and creamy on the inside. The best way I can think to describe the curry puffs are that they’re like a Thai version of a samosa.


Matt almost always gets the drunken noodles, which are stir fried with egg, onion, cherry tomatoes, carrots, bell pepper, and basil leaves. The noodles are always caramelized but not overcooked, and the sauce always has the perfect balance of sweet and spice.


I’m not quite as predictable when it comes to my entrée, but one of my favorites is the Pad Phik Khing with beef. It’s stir fried with string beans and bell pepper in a spicy chili paste. I get really annoyed when I order a stir fry and the meat is sliced paper thin and cooked until it resembles cardboard. The meat in Thai Terminal’s stir fries is actually meaty and tender, but still charred on the outside. The vegetables are cooked through but still crisp. One of the other things I love about this place is that the “spicy” dishes are actually spicy. I like when my Thai food makes me sweat a little!

I forgot to mention that most of the menu costs under $10. That is a serious bargain, especially in this neighborhood.

Thai Terminal
349 E 12th St.
New York, NY 10003

National Deviled Eggs Day

I’ve been trying really hard to keep up with my blog, but this time I have a reason for being absent over the past few weeks. I’ve been sick! I ended up with a bad case of food poisoning, ironically. Now that I’m back to eating like a normal human being though, I can blog again.

I came across the fact earlier that today is National Deviled Eggs Day. Rather than go through my backlog of things I had wanted to blog about a few weeks ago, I figured I should definitely make some deviled eggs tonight.

I LOVE deviled eggs and am thrilled that they seem to be making a comeback with the whole southern-comfort food trend. They’re like the world’s perfect party food: easy, cheap, comforting, adorable, and – most importantly – delicious. They were always a staple in my house on Easter, but lately we’ve been making them for more and more occasions.

My family usually makes them simply with some mayo, Dijon mustard, and hot pepper relish. Sometimes we garnish with more pepper relish on top, and sometimes with some spicy paprika. My mom has been known to replace the pepper relish and paprika with some chutney and curry powder, which is also delicious.

I went with the pepper relish and paprika version tonight:


Let’s start with the hard boiled egg. Everyone seems to have their own method for making the perfect hard boiled egg. I’m not convinced that there’s one correct method, but the key is to not overcook them. No one wants hard, rubbery whites and that nasty greenish-brown ring around the yolk. I start the eggs in a single layer in a small pot of cold water. I make sure they’re covered with about an inch of water. I cover the pot, turn the heat up to high, and wait for the water to boil. As soon as the water boils, I take them off the heat and set the timer for 13 minutes. After the time is up, I transfer them to a bowl of ice water to cool.


I never measure the ingredients in the filling. I just add a spoonful of mayonnaise and a smaller spoonful of Dijon mustard and hot pepper relish. Then, I season with salt and pepper, taste, and adjust as necessary. After I fill the whites with the filling, I sprinkle some paprika on top. Voila!


There are also endless ways to class up the deviled egg. I don’t agree with additions that mask the egg too much, but there are certainly some that, I think, enhance the egg. You could add things like smoked salmon, cornichons, salmon roe, or bacon. Rather than making a bunch of different versions tonight (which I was seriously would have done if I didn’t have a late work meeting), I scoured the internet for some great sounding combinations for your reading and cooking pleasure:

• Sriracha, cilantro, and sweet pickled carrots


• Shrimp, caraway seeds, and dill


• Worcestershire and two types of mustard


• Smoked salmon, dill, and capers


• Crab and tarragon


• Wasabi and tobiko


• Kimchi and bacon


• Bacon and cornichons


• Caesar salad inspired

Here’s one final tip: I forget where I read this (Ina Garten cookbook maybe?), but someone suggested boiling one or two extra eggs when you’re trying to make, say, a dozen deviled eggs. Use the extra yolks in the filling mixture to ensure that you have plenty of filling for each egg.

Happy Deviled Eggs Day!