Wine-ings: Insolia-Grecanico Ramí COS 2009 Sicily Italy

On Friday night, I got to see the love of my life again... and by "love of my life" I'm referring to New York City, epicenter of my universe.  I went in to celebrate a belated Father's Day and the end of a school year with a dinner at Colicchio & Sons followed by the play Food and Fadwa.  (The play was SPECTACULAR.  For more information about it, please see the end of the post.)

Duck confit with pickled cherries, haricot verts, and polenta

Colicchio & Sons was amazing- as always!  The meal began with freshly made sesame bread bread that is baked on premises and served warm.  (I try not to dig into the bread baskets at restaurants to save room for dinner, but at Colicchio & Sons I can't help but go back for seconds... so good!) As an appetizer, I ordered a radish salad with bacon bits and sherry vinaigrette.  My entree was a duck confit with pickled cherries and haricot verts.  Every time I visit, C&S is pickling something new: watermelon, radishes, cherries.... The cherries were a nice accent.  The bitterness of the brine balanced the sweet cherry, making it appropriate for a main meat dish.  For dessert I had Stephen's cookie jar and a side of caramel popcorn.  Yum!

Insolia-Grecanic Rami 2009

Although everything about the meal was memorable, the wine was the true discovery of the evening.  I ordered something I had never had before, a wine listed as "Insolia-Grecanic Rami COS 2009 Sicily Italy."  I have tried numerous wines and varietals, but I confess I was unfamiliar with Insolia and Grecanic.  The wine's color was truly unique; it could have been mistaken for a mead.  It was a rich golden brown.  At first glance the server described it as "straw," but we all agreed it was more complex than that.  It certainly had honey tones.

*Side note from a dork: I am in the process of settling into a new apartment.  As a result, I happen to have Sherwin Williams paint samples in front of me.  If memory serves, the wine is like a SW 6677 a.k.a. Goldenrod, but it was a few days ago and this is a piece of cardboard paint sample I'm looking at... haha

The taste was indescribable, but I'll try!  The flavor crept on me.  At first, it tasted like a thick water... then whoa!  There was nothing fruity or sweet about it.  Nothing grassy or herbal either.  It was stone.  And nut.  And earth.  Some internet searches revealed that the wine is aged in conrete and fermented in cement.  That certainly accounts for the distinct taste!  I was- and still am- bewildered in a good way.  I would not call it run of the mill or easy drinking, but it certainly left an impression.  I am always on the quest for unique wines.  I kind of loved it.

After describing the Rami to a friend of mine, he guided me to a Satrico 2010 Lazio Bianco for comparison.  It's 34% Chardonnay, 33% Sauvignon, and 33% Trebbiano Giallo.  While it was tasty, it was only a bit reminiscent of the Rami.  To get the Rami from that bottle, you would have to darken the color, strip away the sweetness (there's not much in the Satrico, but you'd have to do away with it all), and amp up all of the minteral/earthy notes that hit you at the end.

Open note to Colicchio & Sons: Please keep a bottle of the Rami on hand for when I'm in next!  I'm still trying to wrap my head around it... in a good way... and it will take at least one more visit before I figure out what all that complexity is!

The cookie jar... complete with a special message!

Caramel popcorn

And now for notes on the play...
Meet Fadwa Faranesh, an unmarried, 30-something Palestinian woman
living in Bethlehem in the politically volatile West Bank. Known for her
delectable cooking and deep-seated sense of duty to her family and aging father, our kitchen maven insists on continuing the preparations for the
wedding of her younger sister, despite constraints of daily life under
occupation. Politics blend with family tensions to create a sometimes
humorous and sometimes heartbreaking meal. Story by Lameece Issaq
and Jacob Kader and directed by Shana Gold, this new play melds the
fight a Palestinian family wages to hold onto its traditional culture with its
need to celebrate love, joy and hope. NYTW teams up with company-in-residence Noor Theatre to present FOOD AND FADWA.
http://www.nytw.org/food_and_fadwa_info.asp

Dining by Design: Fishtail by David Burke

When life hands you lemons... run away to New York city?!

After a particularly difficult couple of days, I decided to get my happy back by visiting my favorite place on earth... New York City.  My plan was simple: behold the diamonds at Tiffany's.  Find a sunny rock in Central Park where I could lay back and read a good book.  Get a little work done at the Starbuck's in the Trump Tower.  Try on some sparkly headbands at Bendel's.  And have drinks and appetizers at the end of the day at a good restaurant.  I selected Fishtail by David Burke, a favorite of mine and a place where I knew I could get some much-needed fun and relief.  (I also won some facebook contests there recently!)

Fishtail has two sections: an upstairs dining room and a downstairs that serves as a bar/late night area.  The downstairs has the seats at the bar, a corner table, and several booths complete with cushioned seats, candles, and fluffy pillows.  The downstairs was what drew me to Fishtail on that  night.  I wanted somewhere I could have a sophisticated, yet somewhat intimate and casual experience.  Someplace I could fly under the radar in a chic setting.  Many restaurants blend the regular dining space with the bar, but Fishtail's two levels give it a whole different vibe.

In keeping with the theme of the day, "getting my happy back," I ordered a cocktail named "habitual happiness."  The drink is a blend of St. germain, cointreau, rose water, prosecco, and wild hibiscus flower.  The Middle Eastern studies major in me found this appealing.  I'm not sure if the eclectic American chef intended it to be a throwback to my visits to Egypt and Dubai, but the rose water and hibiscus flavors brought me back there instantly.  The cocktail was the perfect combination of sugar, florals, and acidity.  It had fruity qualities, but the drier prosecco and carbonation balanced the sweetness.  It was refreshing and had a slightly feminine touch... perfection for me :)!

As an appetizer, I ordered the shrimp roll.  "Shrimp roll" sounds traditional and simple, but anyone aquainted with David Burke knows that is never the case.  This shrimp roll came with pinapple inside and a side of lemon harissa.  The ratio of pinapple to shrimp was wonderful: a sweet kick without consuming the palate.  The lemon harissa was a great touch and added spice and acid to the protein and fruit.  (Side note to David Burke: Between the harissa and the cocktail, have you been journeying into the Middle East lately?)

That was what I ordered... but the meal was far from over!!!  The crew had remembered my facebook wins and were sooo kind!!  (Maybe they and/or the universe had also sensed my need for some enjoyment....)  Joel and the general manager Peter, made the experience extra-special by serving us additional David Burke specialities!  The first dish to arrive, the pretzel crusted crab cake, turned out to be my favorite of the entire evening.  Again, the phrase "pretzel-crusted" is deceptively simple.  What we got was not pretzel crumbs over a protein and fried, but actual pretzel sticks on top of delicious crab!  The crab meat was almost pure... not oven-fried or mixed with mayonaisse beyond recognition.  I love salt, and the pretzels gave the appetizer a slightly salty profile that I enjoyed.  The presentation resembled a small raft... so cute :)! 

Pastrami salmon

We also recieved the Burke interpretation of smoked salmon.  The creative twist on this dish was pastrami.  They disguise it on the underside of the salmon, so the pastrami taste hits you as an unexpected suprise at the end of the bite.  The dish comes with potato cakes and horseradish creme fraiche.

I guess the kitchen got the memo that one of my mottos in life is "Life is short... eat dessert first!" because they brought us cheesecake lollipops.  My date (a.k.a. my dad, who has an office in NYC!) pretty much devoured those, but it was all good because I'd saved my "dessert pocket" for the David Burke peanut brittle that they place on the counter instead of those silly after-dinner mints.  ("Dessert pocket is a term I coined at age 2.  Apparently when I used to eat a lot at dinner and still request dessert, I would tell my protesting mother that I had a "dessert pocket" reserved exclusively for dessert that never got full from dinner.)  Yummmm!!!

The night was exceptional in all regards.  The crew was so nice and generous.  The food was both creative and delicious!  I left the restaurant with a full belly... and my HAPPY BACK :)!

Cheesecake lollipops: Bubble gum (front) and chocolate (back)

Fishtail by David Burke
135 East 62nd Street
(Park & Lexington Avenues)
New York, NY 10065
http://www.fishtail.db.com
Phone: 212.754.1300

Dining by Design: The Great Googa Mooga!

People line up for food at the Great Googa Mooga

"What the heck is googa?!" my confused friend asked after I relayed my Sunday plans.  "Googa Mooga," I answered.  Based on the look on his face, I realized that I had just made the whole thing sound even crazier.

A month ago I was just as clueless as he was.  When I first heard the word, I had no idea what the strange cacophony referred to.  It turns out that "The Great Googa Mooga" is a festival in Brooklyn, New York that ushers in the summer season.  Rockers and chefs collide to offer a unique experience for foodies, fans, and people looking to spend the day in Prospect Park.  Think Woodstock meets Food & Wine Classic.  Hippies meet Locavores.  Awesome meets even more awesome.  (And even though I was still rocking my boot and getting over my fractured heel, I wasn't about to miss it!)

This year, Googa Mooga featured over 75 food vendors from quality New York City restaurants.  Two Tom Colicchio restaurants, Colicchio & Sons and Craft, drew enormous crowds. Culinary heavyweights Marcus Samuelsson and Daniel Boulud also had booths from Red Rooster and DBGB respectively.  The food lines grew to epic lengths as the day progressed.  My plan was simple: hit all of the best places and consume the most food upon arrival.  Some may percieve me as a small girl, but I love food and have confidence in the capacity of my stomach :).  So I set to work.

Pork belly taco and spicy watermelon juice from Colicchio & Sons

The first thing I tried, and my favorite dish of the entire day, was the pork belly taco from Colicchio & Sons.  The outer tortilla was perfectly crisp.  It also made the dish portable, a crucial detail in the festival setting.  The pork belly was succulent, moist, and warm.  On a hot day, the warm protein could have been off-putting.  However, Colicchio & Sons artfully counter-balanced the pork with shredded cabbage.  It provided texture and instant refreshment.  C&S served a "spicy watermelon juice" with the taco.  The iced beverage had a slight jalapeno kick.  Summertime perfection.

What amazed me most about the C&S booth though was how hardworking the crew was.  It was an all-hands-on-deck effort; I recognized the faces of the manager and the Food & Wine nominated pastry chef enthusiastically handing out tacos to the crowd.  Tom himself even made an appearance- a highlight of my day!  Although he was only scheduled for a demo in the special area of the festival, Extra Googa, he still jumped in with his crew and got his hands dirty cooking with them.  I have no idea how they kept it up all day!

Tom Colicchio takes time to talk to a dorky fan... me :)

Plantains at El Olomega Pupusas

I got the chance to taste some other dishes that morning, including the Dirty Duck Dog at Craft and plantain chips from Red Hook's El Olomega Pupusas.  Both were good.  And I always save room for dessert!  I paid a visit to legendary Momofuku Milk Bar for birthday cake truffles and a cornflake marshmellow cookie.  The birthday cake truffles were A-MA-ZING.  Momofuku served them cold too, so it was like eating cool cookie dough on a hot summer day.  Forget the concept of "birthday"...you don't need a special occassion to partake!

As you know, I am an avid fan of wine.  I certainly enjoy drinking it, but I mostly like approaching it from an educational perspective.  The nerd in me loves learning about the idiosyncrasies of the regions, varietals, and winemakers.  Googa Mooga was the perfect setting for that.  They had a large tent devoted to wines with representatives ready to pour tastes or glasses of high quality bottles.  I went for the tasting option so that I could explore wines I might not encounter otherwise.  One of my favorites was a Chardonney from Scribe.  The Chardonney was fermented in its skins.  Usually skin imparts the red color to red wines, but in this case that was avoided.  The wine retained the character of the skins, but the light familiarity of Chardonney.

After what I experienced, I can officially say that Googa Mooga is the Mecca of the NYC food world.  And I will certainly be making by haaj again next year :)!

For more information, visit the website: http://www.googamooga.com/about/

Dining By Design and Cooking Creations: Barcelona Spring Tapas with Mommy Couture *Special Guest Blog*



Bartender DJ and Chef Scott

This past Saturday afternoon (April 28^th) I had the good fortune to substitute for my injured foodie daughter as a student at Barcelona’s “Spring Tapas” cooking class.

We students were greeted by Bartender DJ, who offered us a cocktail invented earlier that day and as yet unnamed.  Concocted from G’Vine Gin, other spirits, and accented with fresh mint leaves, this refreshing beverage proved the perfect starting point for our celebration of spring flavors.  Throughout the afternoon DJ also offered us white (Alborino) and red (Sangiovese) wine.



Once all the students had arrived and gathered at the beautifully set bar, we were ushered into the kitchen by Chef Scott, who began our lesson with “simple” crostinis.  (Note:  while all these dishes are likely “simple” for chefs like Scott and foodies like my daughter, I was amazed at the steps and artistry that went into each dish.)  Scott began by offering us samples of ramps he had already pickled, then showing us how to “cook down” the tops of the ramps over medium heat with olive oil.  He then assembled the final dish in layers -- from bottom to top: a toasted crostini, a thin slice of pungent “cana de oreja” goat cheese, the ramps tops, olive oil and spices, and the pickled ramps – and passed it around for our enjoyment.  Our class size of five students in total allowed for wonderful “up close and personal” interaction with Scott, the food, and each other throughout the afternoon.

Scott also took us through preparation of two more dishes:  asparagus topped with spring vegetables and a sunny sideup fresh farm egg, and a warm fiddlehead fern salad with spicy meat and more spring vegetables.  In the process, he deftly and engagingly showed us how to get to the heart of an artichoke.  And throughout our time in the kitchen, there was fun and lively conversation about food in general, cooking techniques, and good sources for buying fresh springtime ingredients, like the Tarry Market in Port Chester and Grade A in Shippan. Scott is fortunate to also have local contacts who bring some of the more obscure products right to him at the restaurant.

The last phase of the afternoon took place back out at the bar, where we were served the delicious dishes we had watched Scott prepare, along with an incredible gnocchi dish and fresh bread to round out the meal.  I loved every minute of the entire event, even with my somewhat limited food/cooking expertise.  For anyone more knowledgeable, I’m sure the experience would be even better and richer.

 Please visit the Barcelona calendar for information on upcoming cooking classes and events at: http://www.barcelonawinebar.com/calendar.htm

Cooking Creations: JW BBQ

I love to barbeque!  Our condominium has a smaller-sized, wooden deck, but that never prevents me from cramming friends and family outside around the grill.  (If you'd like a visual: one must place the grill strategically.  If it's too close to one side it burns the wooden fence and if it's too close to the other it gets the side of the house.  There's no extra space to negotiate in- only one specific spot will do.)  If all that doesn't stand in my way, there's no way I was going to let a fractured heel deter me.  Spring-like weather signifies the beginning of bbq season.  End of story.

Salsa verde

I wanted to cook another meal from Jonathan Waxman's Italian My Way, but with a BBQ spin.  I decided to prepare two of his signature sauces: the salsa verde and the JW roasted tomato sauce.  I chose to serve them alongside some chicken off the grill.

My dad graciously took care of the fire.  Normally I would do that all myself too, but that was hardly safe while balanced on one foot.  He did, however, position a chair next to the grill so that I could monitor and grill the chicken myself.  I was at the mercy of the wind since I could not reposition myself when it blew the smoke in my direction, but I didn't really mind.  I am a savant of grilled chicken breasts.  I don't brag about much and there's little I'm completely confident in, but I will stake my pride on perfectly cooked grilled chicken.  I use wood chips- in this case Jack Daniel smoked chips.  I prefer hickory chips, but those were the ones on hand.  We have a charcoal grill (and in my opinion that's the only way to BBQ!).  For chicken, aim for 5-6 minutes a side.  Another tip: lie the breast so that the long way is perpendicular to the metal grill slots.  That way you get the pretty brown lines on them!

The salsa verde was a doozy to prepare.  I don't want to give away the recipe itself, but I'll give you the general premise.  It requires many fresh greens: chives, basil, rosemary, arugala, sage, and tarragon.  If you've got an herb garden you're good to go, but if not that can run up the grocery bill.  You also add capers.  And anchovies.  Which is where my struggle began.

Jonathan Waxman's recipe instructed me to debone the anchovies with tweezers.  It sounded simple, but there were a lot of little bones in those anchovies!  I sat there for at least a half an hour trying to debone 4 tiny anchovies.  It's possible that I did not have to take out all of the bones I did; some were so tiny that they probably would have been undetectable by the time they were ground into the salsa.  It's also possible that there's a way to debone them that is faster (such as going in a particular direction).  In any event, it wound up taking a lot longer than anticipated and dinner got started later than intended.  I have reached out to Chef Waxman via twitter to see if he has any suggestions, but so far I have yet to get a reply.  In any event, the salsa verde was a crowd-pleaser.  It seemed to be worth the extra time!

JW roasted tomato sauce

(PS. You may not tell my father there are anchovies in the salsa verde!!  He loves the salsa verde, but will swear up and down that he hates anchovies.  I'd rather not give him a heart attack or have him stop eating the salsa verde, so I have been disguising the truth.)

The roasted tomato sauce is super cool- it uses lavender!  Although I have seen many chefs use lavender, I have never incorporated it.  Now that I have, it is my new culinary obsession.  It is a dream for wine-pairing!  It wil highlight the floral notes of so many spring and summer whites.  (For example, I cannot wait to try it with my new Ermita de San Felices Rioja Blanco 2010).  It was delicious in the sauce.

It is important to note that Chef Waxman's recipe calls for 2 lavender sprigs.  I purchased dried French lavender from Williams Sonoma.  There were no conversions available for those quantities online, so here is what I found.  I guestimated (based on other herb sprigs) that 2 lavender springs would yield about 1 tablespoon of fresh lavender.  Websites could make a fresh to dry conversion: 1/3 units dried = 1 unit fresh.  So I wound up using 1 teaspoon of dried French lavender.  In my opinion it was the perfect amount.  It certainly imparted the floral flavor, but did not overwhelm the sauce.  This sauce is what I put on my chicken!

Bowtie pasta

My dad ate all of the remaining salsa verde with a spoon.  He loves that stuff.  Although I heaped the tomato sauce on my chicken multiple times, there was some leftover.  My mother and I decided to make new dishes the next night with the sauce.  We each made our own unique dishes based on our personal taste preferences.  She likes pasta so she heated up some bowtie pasta and used the sauce on top.  (I also suspect that our respective choices had a lot to do with our cooking skills.  Let's be honest: her meal ultimately only required her to boil water.  Love you, Mom!)

My shrimp "scampi"

I am not a pasta fan.  I do, however, love the shrimp on top of shrimp scampi.  I did a pastaless rift on shrimp scampi.  I sauteed the shrimp and added the tomato sauce, shallots, a bit more garlic, an assortment of the leftover herbs, and capers.  The rough recipe is as follow:  Spray large non-stick skiller with cooking spray.  Sautee shallots until just tender.  Add the garlic and cook 1 minute.  Add shrimp and cook for 2 minutes.  Flip shrimp.  Add desired sauce, herbs, and capers.  Simmer for 2 more minutes (or until shrimp are done), stirring frequently.  Simple, but yummy.

BBQ season has officially arrived.

Since posting this, I did hear from Jonathan Waxman via twitter. When it comes to the anchovies: Literally just yank off the filets, the bones will not stick. Glad you enjoyed!
Thanks, chef!

Dining by Design: Rodizio Grill- The Brazilian Steakhouse

A gaucho serves meat to the table

If heaven is anything like Rodizio's, I'll definitely have to rethink some of my more questionable habits.  Handsome gauchos stream toward your table ready to present you with delicious, rotisserie meats.  It's almost like a fashion show- but each model carries a high quality steak down the runway :P.  Every bite is mouth-watering and the choices are endless.

When you sit down at the table, the server provides you with three appetizers: banana frita (cinnamon-glazed bananas), polenta, and pao de queijo (cheese bread).  I did not care for the polenta, but the banana frita was delectable.

There is also a salad bar that you can visit whenever you want, and however many times you want, over the course of the meal.  The salad bar is so extensive that it warrants its own space in the back portion of the restauraunt.  The cold section contains traditional build-your-own salad ingredients, but also features a host of already created dishes.  My favorites included the cucumber salad, roasted edamame salad, the shrimp ceviche, and quinoa salad.  The quinoa salad had a unique flavor profile.  When I think quinoa, I think green-chic (Whole Foods, recyclable bags, hiking, trail mix, and hippies).  I'm used to quinoa with raisins, dried cranberries, or other hints of sweetness.  This quinoa was heartier, mixed with beans, corns, and peppers.  I enjoyed it.

Cold salad options. Counter-clockwise from left: shrimp ceviche, cucumber salad, edamame salad, quinoa, mushrooms, fruit, turkey pastrami

The hot section is at the end- don't miss it!  Make sure to try the feijoada, a traditional Brazilian stew made with black beans and meats.  It can be placed over rice and sprinkled with farofa.  Farofa, also known as yucca root, is a light Brazilian flour.  It enhances the flavors of the feijoada and adds texture.

If you order the Full Rodizio (as we did), you also have your choice of rotisserie meats.  You are given a wooden toggle with green and red ends.  When the green end is pointed up, the gauchos have the green light to come to your table with the meats.  They carry different types of poultry, beef, pork, and sausage on large metal spits.  They will let you know what they have, and you can indicate whether or not you would like to partake.  As they carve the meat from the spit, you reach out with a set of tongs and transfer it to your plate.

The gauchos informed me that the Picanha (pea-con-yeah) is their most popular cut of steak.  It is a top sirloin that they describe as a "lean juicy cut of meat with a mild... flavor."  Personally, I preferred the fraldinha.  And when I say prefer, I mean it was the most perfect piece of steak I have ever had in my life.  I am a true carnivore- by elementary school I was ordering prime rib at restaurants- so I like to think my endorsement means something!  The fraldinha is also referred to as the beef tender.  It melted in my mouth.  I was so enraptured that the gracious gaucho gave me a pronounciation lesson ("fraw-jean-ya!") and held it up for me to see whenever he walked by.  Other memorable beef selections were the seasoned tri-tip sirloin ("maminha"), the pot roast ("assado"), and the whole sirloin ("alcatra".)

Coracoa (chicken hearts) and lime

As for the chicken... Rodizio's has a lot of heart!  Literally!  I went there on a mission to try the Coracao, or chicken hearts.  Chicken hearts are small- about an inch in diameter.  The texture and taste reminded me a bit of sausage.  They came with lime quarters that I squeezed over them for a zing of citrus.  I loved them!  The gauchos said that for Brazilians who frequent the restaurant, the chicken hearts are the second most popular dish after the picanha.  American patrons often steer clear of them, but I encourage you to try them.  Not only are they good, but it is a rare opportunity!

Make sure to snag some abacaxi, or glazed grilled pinapple.  Like the meats, it comes warm on the spits.  It tastes amazing on its own, but the juice brings out the flavors of the meat as well.

There are an abundance of pork and seafood selections, too.

If at all possible: save room for dessert!  Dessert is not included in the all-you-can-eat prix fixe, but it is certainly worth it.  The server will you bring you a large sample tray with about six desserts.  I love it when restaurants do that... I like to see what I'm choosing :).  I opted for the pudim de leite, or caramel flan.  I loved it!  It was not overly sweet, and tasted pretty authentic for a commercial steakhouse.  It came topped with a cinnamon-sugar wafer.  Open letter to Rodizio: if there is an extra box of just the wafers somewhere in your kitchen, please feel free to send them my way!!!
 

Pudim be Leite (flan)

Rodizio is fun for a meal out.  When I eat out, part of is just the simple pleasure of being with wonderful company in a festive place.  On the other hand, I also approach food with abounding curiousity.  Rodizio certainly satisfied my craving for new knowledge.  It gave me the chance to try various cuts of meat in succession.  The meats are only lightly seasoned, so the proteins themselves ultimately stand alone.  Unlike other restaurants where I choose one cut of meat, I got to taste the difference between a top sirloin, a bottom sirloin, and a whole sirloin in one sitting.  They are surprisingly different!  For example, I now know that I far prefer the tender bottom sirloin to the top cuts.

If you have food sensitivities, do not be deterred from trying Rodizio.  Rodizio is quick to offer an "allergies and intolerance" guide so that diners can navigate the salad bar and choose satisfying meats.  Rodizio prides itself on its array of gluten-free selections.  The guide will also alert you to the presence of nuts, dairy, eggs, garlic, onions, MSG, and corn.

In addition, Rodizio will accomodate you if you have a preference for how you like your meat cooked.  If you prefer your meat more well done, for instance, they will carve a piece from a more cooked section.  In general though, I would defer to them.  They know their meats and aim to give everyone a nice piece.

Rodizio is a great place for birthdays.  While there, we saw the gauchos serenade a birthday party with a round of "cumpleanos feliz" accompanied with tambourines and drums.  You are all invited to celebrate there with me next year.  It's 8 months away, but it looked like so much fun that it's already on my mental calendar.
 

Rabanada (Cinnamon pastry with caramel
drizzle and creamy center)

So if you're looking for heaven on earth, head over to 5 Broad Street in Stamford, CT.  For more information, check out http://rodiziogrill.com/stamford-connecticut .

5 Broad Street
Tel. 203.964.9177

Cooking Creations: Easter Dinner

The Easter Bunny wasn't the only thing hopping around last weekend... I, too, was hopping around my kitchen on my crutches!  I love cooking a big Easter meal, even though it's usually only my parents and me (and this year just my mom and me).  I wasn't about to give that up because of my foot debacle!  I still decided to undertake a relatively ambitious menu:  Ham with champagne and vanilla glaze, a roasted beet and fennel salad with orange dressing, and sherry-honey asparagus.

I know there are a lot of great ham recipes out there, but I swear the champagne vanilla ham is out of this world.  My love affair with vanilla beans began when I went to Craftsteak at Foxwoods about three years ago.  I ordered an apricot scallop dish that had strange little black specks on the plate.  I am ashamed to admit thatI initially mistook them for dirt.  Fortunately, the gracious server went on to inform me that vanilla comes as beans... not extract... oops.  Anyway, vanilla beans impart a great little hit of flavor.  At $13.99 for a 2 oz case, I don't use them often.  But when I do, it's always worth it.  The glaze combines vanilla bean, champagne, and apple jelly.  Adding the the sweet glaze with the savory/salty ham is divine.  Here is the recipe- thank you Cooking Light!  I rarely stick to recipes, but this is one that I do consult.  The only tweaks I make are for serving size:
http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/ham-with-champagne-vanilla-glaze-10000000521752/

This year, I purchased Hormel ham... and I plan to do it next year and the year after that!  I pretty much pick up whatever ham I can get between 3 and 5 pounds, and this year a Classic Hormel ham fit the bill.  It's boneless, fully cooked, and hardwood smoked.  It was salty in a beautiful harmonious way, not a mouth drying way.  I bake it in the oven with part of the champagne/vanilla sauce to bring it up to temperature, impart the flavor, and get the outside nice and glazed.

This year's Easter ham

I served a roasted beet and fennel salad with the ham.  For those of you unfamiliar with my cooking history: there was an extremely long beet embargo in our house.  Although I have made red velvet cake forever with no incident, my mother had it in her head that if I ever got my hands on beets our kitchen would be stained red.  One of her final acts before leaving to spend the summer in New Hampshire was to remind my father that beets were not allowed in the house under any circumstances.  Well, I finally got her to recant!  This past New Year's Eve, after a few glasses of champagne at Colicchio and Sons, I saw my oppurtunity.  She was chatty and happy, so I broached the beets subject.  She gave an OK before she realized what she'd done.  By then it was too late.  Now I regularly bring beets into the house.  (And there have been NO red stains for the record!!!) 

I created this salad by transforming a salad I saw featured on Food & Wine: Roasted Beet Salad with Orange Dressing http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/roasted-beet-salad-with-orange-dressing .  I find that beets and fennel are a match made in heaven, so I scratched the red onion and replaced it with fennel (cut into thin strips) that I roast along with the beets.  I make sure that the beets and fennel are chilled and the entire salad is cold before serving it.  I use 100% arugala as the base... the natural peppery flavor enhances the roasted veggies.  And I stick with red beets.  I change up the dressing: no oil, more vinegar, a touch of lemon juice, and a dash of water.

The asparagus is simple enough; I steam some asparagus and toss it with some sherry vinegar and honey.  With all of the rich flavors in the ham and salad, it's nice to have a plainer veggie to give the palate a break.  When purchasing asparagus, make sure to buy ones with tight heads.  I also prefer getting the fat ones rather than the thin stalks.

We paired our feast with Goose Watch Winery's "Melody."  Goose Watch is located on Cayuga Lake in the Finger Lakes... right near my beloved Cornell University.  We picked this wine up when we did the trail for my birthday this past December.  The "Melody" uses a grape varietal developed by Cornell.  It is a white wine that has notes of Granny Smith apple.  Although it has fruit flavors, the wine itself is relatively dry.  The apple accentuates the apple jelly in the ham.  For more information, check out the Goose Watch website: http://www.goosewatch.com/gsw6_detail.taf?pr_id=6.

One more note about vanilla bean: If you ever get a chance to eat at Les Halles in New York City, order the creme brulee for dessert.  They use actual vanilla bean that sinks to the bottom of the dish.  When you reach the bottom of the bowl, you find all of that vanilla bean and discover an arsenal of flavor.  At the time I was so blown away that I sent my regards to the chef.  The general manager went on to inform me that lots of patrons freak out; they get to the bottom, don't know what vanilla beans are (like me at crafsteak!), and think there are bugs in their bowl.   That creme brulee is one of the best desserts I have ever had in my entire life.  And dessert if my favorite course.  So that's saying something.

The creme brulee at Les Halles upon arrival...

...and how it went back!

So that was our Easter dinner!  It took about 4 hours of hopping around the kitchen, but Mommy Doody and I ate well!