bridges, burgers & beer

cooking : brioche french toast

noreply@blogger.com (brian) — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 00:09:00 +0000

I have never made french toast before. If you can believe that...

This past weekend I finally made an attempt and it turned out well! I used a brioche pan loaf from Amy's Bread in the Chelsea Market.

Brioche French Toast
Serves 4 (about 2 slices each)
Adapted from Martha Stewart

-6 large eggs
-1/2 c light brown sugar
-4 c milk
-1 tsp cinnamon, ground
-1/8 tsp vanilla extract
-pinch nutmeg, ground
-brioche pan loaf, stale and sliced into 1" thick slices
-stick of butter, at least half a stick (4 tbsp)
-powdered sugar
-maple syrup

Preheat oven to 200° with a baking sheet inside.

Whisk together eggs, sugar, and milk in large bowl. Add cinnamon, vanilla, and nutmeg.

Heat large pan over medium-high heat and melt butter to coat bottom.

Take a slice of brioche, dip in mixture for 30 seconds, flip. After another 30 seconds, place in pan.

Cook for 4-5 minutes, until bottom becomes golden brown. Flip and cook for another 4-5 minutes. Once both sides are golden brown, place slice on baking sheet in oven to keep warm.

Repeat with the remaining slices of brioche. Remember to butter the pan between slices in order to promote browning and add flavor. The times in the pan may vary. Check the color of your brioche occasionally to make sure you don't burn it.

Serve with a light dusting of powdered sugar and a drizzle of warm maple syrup.

Enjoy!

brooklyn brewery

noreply@blogger.com (brian) — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 11:55:00 +0000

Finally! I made it out here. If you're not aware, I love a lot of the Brooklyn Brewery brews, especially Local 2, their Belgian Strong Dark Ale.

The brewery is located in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn. Just northwest of the Bedford stop on the L. They offer tours hourly from 1pm - 5pm Saturday and Sunday and a happy hour on Fridays starting at 6pm. Me and a couple friends went to the brewery for a tour and to hang out. They clear out a large room during the weekends and place chairs and tables as well as a bar.

The tour was interesting, though not quite what I expected. For the tour, they bring you to a room with a bunch of the machinery and tanks they use for brewing the beer. I was expecting more of a walking tour of the facility, but it's no big deal, it was still interesting. The guide spoke about the history of the brewery, the current location, the different beers, and so forth.

beer tokens
Afterwards we hung out in the large room with the bar. You have to buy tokens in order to get beer. Each token is good for one beer, unless stated (Locals 1 & 2 were 3 tokens each). Tokens were $4 individually (I think) and $20 for 6.

beer menu

meg enjoying a brooklyn blast
I got to try out a bunch of different kinds of beer that day. I started off with Blast, a double IPA. It was pretty fantastic. Probably my favorite of the day (aside from Local 2).

brooklyn local 2, i know you're not surprised
Aside from Blast and Local 2, I had some Summer Ale and a Weisse. They had some beer for sale behind the bar too. I was eying up a bottle of Sorachi Ace, but passed. Dammit, why didn't I buy it. I've been wanting to try it for a while now...

chris & chris
Currently their Oktoberfest and Post Road Pumpkin Ales are out! I've gotta try em soon. Also, Local 1 & Local 2 have hit shelves in the Philly area, or at least by me. Go get your hands on a bottle of Local 2, sit back, and enjoy!

Brooklyn Brewery
79 N 11th Street
Brooklyn, NY 11211
718.486.7422

cooking: lamb steak over polenta w/ oven roasted veggies

noreply@blogger.com (brian) — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 15:30:00 +0000

What to do when you're feeling bummed out? Eat a great meal of course...or at least one that you know will make you feel better!

After work, I made a quick stop at Wegmans to pick up ~~lamb sausage~~ a lamb steak, and a couple veggies. I also attempted to try to find the Vosges Gianduja Bar to no avail. Wegmans please carry this variety soon please? It may be my favorite Vosges bar.

Anyway, during my drive home the dish came together in my mind. Serve the steak medium over polenta with a side of roasted tomatoes and mushrooms. Perfect.

Lamb Steak over Polenta w/ Oven Roasted Veggies
Steak serves 1; Polenta and Veggies serve 1+

-1/2 lb. leg of lamb steak
-vegetable oil
-salt & pepper

-1/2 c polenta
-1 c milk
-1 c water
-1/2 c pecorino romano, grated
-salt, to taste

Preheat grill.

Season steak with salt and pepper on both sides. Next, rub oil over both sides of steak.

Start making polenta.

In a saucepan, whisk together polenta, milk, water, and salt. Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, whisking occasionally. Once boiling, turn the heat down to low and shift the lid over so it's cracked. Leave for 15 minutes.

Place the steak on the grill. You should hear a nice sizzle. If not, your grill is not hot enough. Close lid of grill. If you want to achieve grill marks, rotate the steak 45° after 2 minutes. After another 2 minutes, flip the steak over and repeat.

Once finished and cooked to your desired doneness (I was going for medium), set aside to rest, covered with foil, for about 10 - 15 minutes.

Whisk the pecorino into the polenta and mix well.

Place a serving of polenta on a plate, then top it with the steak. Serve with roasted veggies.

Enjoy!

central park brunch picnic w/ h&h bagels & zabar's cream cheese

noreply@blogger.com (brian) — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 19:47:00 +0000

It was a gorgeous Saturday morning in NYC and we were hungry. Meg has constantly raved about H&H Bagels and I've always wanted to try em. I've also read a lot about H&H and they definitely have a following - they were mentioned by Dwight Schrute in The Office! So we decided to take a run (literally) to H&H then stopped by nearby Zabar's to pick up some scallion cream cheese (since H&H's cream cheese selection didn't look too appealing).

We took our food to the northern section of Central Park to bum out and have brunch in the beautiful weather. I slathered some scallion cream cheese over my H&H everything bagel. It was yummy, but I feel that it did not live up to the hype. I can't quite put my finger on what it was missing though. Sorry Meg and other H&H faithfuls, but Murray's Bagels is still my go to place for bagels in the city.

H&H Bagels
2239 Broadway
New York, NY 10024
212.595.8000

Zabar's
2245 Broadway
New York, NY 10024
212.787.2000

sahara grill

noreply@blogger.com (brian) — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 14:45:00 +0000

A couple weeks ago I joined a Lebanese friend and another for dinner at Sahara Grill in Center City Philadelphia.

I let my friend order the appetizers and we started off with a fattoush salad and pita with hummus and baba ganoush.

This was the first time I had fattoush. The fried pita pieces with the greens and veggies tasted pretty good together. Soft and warm pita arrived at the table with homemade hummus and baba ganoush. The hummus was pretty fantastic as well as the baba ganoush. I'm still trying to warm up to baba ganoush though, since I'm a recent eggplant convert. I'll always choose hummus over baba ganoush anyday.

I was craving falafel all week so my entree choice was a no brainer, the falafel platter. The falafel was cooked perfectly too..the inside was perfectly moist and the outside had a nice crisp. They served it alongside a salad, tahini, and more of that delicious hummus!

If only I could produce the same results making falafel at home..

Sahara Grill
1334 Walnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107
215.985.4155

cooking: blueberry compote

noreply@blogger.com (brian) — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 14:47:00 +0000

Blueberry Compote
Yields 1-2 cups
-1 pint blueberries
-1/3 c water
-1/2 c sugar
-1/8 tsp vanilla extract

In medium saucepan, place 3/4 of the pint of blueberries and cover with the water. Heat over medium heat until it starts to boil and some blueberries "pop".

Reduce heat to low. Add remaining blueberries, sugar, and vanilla. Stir to combine.

Simmer over low heat until thickened and coats the back of a spoon.

Serve over waffles (see above photo), pancakes, or stirred into your favorite Greek yogurt!

cooking: five cheese mac & cheese with roasted tomatoes & mushrooms

noreply@blogger.com (brian) — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 23:44:00 +0000

Last weekend, Meg, from Runner's Kitchen, and I made the BEST mac and cheese. EVER.

We were inspired by a Saveur recipe and messed around with the cheese types and the quantities of each. Also, since we wanted to make a side, we decided to roast some tomatoes and mushrooms. There were a ton of leftovers and I had them for lunch for the next two days. Unfortunately, I didn't bring home a lot and experienced some withdrawal on day 3...

grating the cheese
Anyway, here are the recipes...

Oven Roasted Tomatoes and Mushrooms
Serves 4 as a side

-6-8 roma tomatoes, halved
-10 oz. pack of baby portobellas/crimini mushrooms, quartered
-olive oil
-salt & pepper, to taste
-fresh basil leaves, chiffonade

Preheat oven to 475°.

In large bowl, toss tomatoes and mushrooms with olive oil until coated. Season with salt and pepper and toss once more.

Spread out tomatoes and mushrooms in a single layer onto a sheetpan. Place in oven for 10 minutes.

Sprinkle with basil and serve.

Five Cheese Macaroni and Cheese
Serves 6-8
Adapted from Saveur's Four Cheese Macaroni and Cheese

-1 lb campanelle pasta
-6 tbsp unsalted butter
-3/4 c panko bread crumbs
-1 c parmesan, grated
-1/2 tsp paprika
-2 shallots, minced
-1 bay leaf
-1/4 c ap flour
-1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
-3 c milk
-10 oz sharp white cheddar, grated
-8 oz gruyere, grated
-8 oz fontina, grated
-3 oz gorgonzola, crumbled
-salt & pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 375°.

In large pot, cook pasta according to package directions only HALFWAY. This is important since you want the pasta to finish cooking in the oven while absorbing some of the flavor of the sauce. Once halfway cooked, drain and set aside.

Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a medium saucepan. Add the panko breadcrumbs and parmesan. Toss to coat. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a medium to large pot, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add the shallots, paprika, and bay leaf. Stirring often until shallots soften. Add cayenne and flour and stir until thickened, about 1 minute. Whisk in the milk. Whisk often until the mixture has thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and discard bay leaf.

Whisk in the cheese slowly (reserve a handful of gruyere for the top), ensuring all the cheese melts together nicely. Take the pasta and stir into the cheese sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Place the macaroni and cheese in a 9" x 12" baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining gruyere across the top. Next, sprinkle the bread crumb mixture across the top till evenly distributed.

Cover a sheetpan with foil and place the baking dish on top. Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. The dish is ready when the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly. Let rest for 10 minutes.

Serve and enjoy.

For more mouthwatering photos, check out Runner's Kitchen.

hill to hill bridge

noreply@blogger.com (brian) — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 03:38:00 +0000

The hill to hill bridge is located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. The bridge carries PA 378 over the Lehigh River and connects the north and south sides of Bethlehem. It was built in the 1920s and is made up of a concrete arch (pictured above) and a truss (barely seen to the right in the photo).

Just upstream of the hill to hill bridge, there's an old railroad truss bridge (still active, I believe).

-Pictures taken from the north bank, west of the hill to hill bridge.

street sweets

noreply@blogger.com (brian) — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 12:12:00 +0000

Ever since Amy of Amy Blogs Chow posted about the Street Sweets hazelnut gelato sandwich, it has been a goal to try it. Unfortunately it took a lot longer than I had hoped.

A few weeks ago I finally got to try it! Me and my partner in crime both got hazelnut gelato sandwiches. I got it between chocolate chip cookies (pictured above). She got her gelato between coconut cookies.

It was sooo good. Though I took a bite of the coconut sandwiched one and I think I liked that more! Well, actually, I think I would have liked the choco chip one if the cookie itself was softer (Note to self: get there earlier when the cookies are JUST baked).

Like many food trucks, their location changes daily. Check their twitter for their current location.

Oh, and their gelato sandwiches aren't on the menu...so you're gunna just have to ask for em!

Street Sweets
New York City
212.888.6633

cooking: seitan stir fry

noreply@blogger.com (brian) — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 02:44:00 +0000

I've always heard about the many things you can make with seitan. I just never got around to making anything until recently. It's fairly easy to make a stir fry, so that's just what I did using a couple summer veggies.

Seitan Stir Fry
Serves 5+ (w/ white rice)

-2 8 oz. packages of seitan strips
-2 tsp light soy sauce
-1 tbsp shaoxing
-2 tbsp light soy sauce
-1 lb baby portobella mushrooms, sliced
-1 med zucchini, med - large dice
-1 med yellow zucchini, med - large dice
-2 large green bell peppers, large dice
-1/4 lb sugar snap peas
-3 scallions, greens only, sliced at steep angle
-1" piece of ginger, minced
-2 cloves garlic, minced
-1/4 c. peanut oil, plus more for sauteing
-white rice

Marinate seitan in bowl with 2 tsp of light (or regular) soy sauce.

Heat wok to high heat. Add 1/4 c of peanut oil. Just when it starts to smoke, add seitan and quickly add 1 tbsp of shaoxing and 2 tbsp of light soy sauce. Stir fry for 3 minutes then remove seitan and set aside.

Add a couple more tbsp of peanut oil to wok. Add the mushrooms and stir fry until the water has cooked out. Set aside.

Add peanut oil. Stir fry zucchini, pepper, and peas for about 2-3 minutes. Set aside.

Add peanut oil. Stir fry garlic and ginger quickly, not allowing it to burn. Add all ingredients that you set aside. Stir fry for 5 minutes.

Serve with white rice.

My apologies if this is very, "saute then remove, saute then remove." I just couldn't fit all the ingredients in the wok at once. If you are using less veggies you can probably combine a lot of the steps.

barcade

noreply@blogger.com (brian) — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 20:23:00 +0000

Barcade is another place I've been meaning to go to for a while. I love video games and beer...therefore, Video Games + Beer = Barcade = Happiness.

They have a ton of great beers on tap and a pretty awesome atmosphere. The walls are lined with vintage arcade games. There were also two ridiculously cute dogs roaming around. I ended up playing fetch with one of them for at least 10 minutes...yeah, I just said that. It was awesome.

I did see Marble Madness, a game I was fascinated by growing up. Why I didn't play it? No idea. There were also several other ridiculously awesome games. (Sorry, my inner geek is coming out)...I just didn't get around to playing any. I packed a ton of quarters too...it's a shame a barely used any. Someone did play some Donkey Kong though...i won't get into the results of that though...

self proclaimed donkey kong champion, runner's kitchen
I will be back...this place is TOO awesome.

Can't wait for the Philly location to open up, but I'm sure it won't feel the same as going to the original.

Barcade
388 Union Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11211
718.302.6464‎

cooking: blueberry waffles

noreply@blogger.com (brian) — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 14:23:00 +0000

I was feeling pretty bold and decided to make a sweet breakfast...something I rarely do. It came out pretty well and I got to use some fresh Jersey blueberries!

Blueberry Waffles
Serves 5
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

-2 c ap flour
-1/2 tsp salt
-2 tbsp sugar
-1 1/2 tsp baking soda
-1 3/4 c buttermilk
-2 eggs, whites & yolks separated
-4 tbsp butter, melted & cooled
-1/2 tsp vanilla extract
-nonstick cooking spray
-powdered/confectioners sugar, to taste/preference
-blueberries, to taste/preference
-freshly made whipped cream, to taste/preference
-maple syrup, warmed

Whisk dry ingredients well in large bowl.

In another bowl, mix buttermilk and yolks. Add vanilla and butter.

Preheat and grease waffle iron.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix/fold a couple times, should still be fairly lumpy.

Whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form. Fold egg whites gently into batter.

Ladle batter onto hot waffle iron. Based on your iron you may use a different amount of ladles than I did. I used two and then some.

It also might take a little bit longer for you to cook. It took me 5-7 minutes.

Once golden brown, remove and plate. Spread desired amount of whipped cream in center, place blueberries on top, and sprinkle powdered sugar across.

Serve with warm maple syrup.

Enjoy.

crumbs

noreply@blogger.com (brian) — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 23:04:00 +0000

After lots of hype from NYC friends and other fellow foodies I had to give Crumbs a try. I swung by their Midtown location on Broadway and got 4 different varieties...

(listed clockwise from top)
Madison Avenue: vanilla cake, chocolate ganache, raspberry preserves, almonds

Cookie Dough: vanilla cake, cream cheese frosting w/ choco chip cookie pieces

Peanut Butter Cup: chocolate cake, pb cream cheese frosting, pb cup topping, crushed peanuts, chocolate chips

Red Velvet: red velvet cake, cream cheese frosting, red velvet crumbs, white sprinkles

Favorite was the red velvet...I'm a sucker for red velvet and cream cheese frosting.

Crumbs Bake Shop
(multiple locations)
1675 Broadway
New York, NY 10019
212.399.3100

shake shack

noreply@blogger.com (brian) — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 00:07:00 +0000

It was an absolutely beautiful summer day on Wednesday. I met up with two college friends in Madison Square Park to mark my second visit to Shake Shack.

shack burger
On my previous visit I ordered a Shack Burger, so this time around, I got a Shroom Burger (have I mentioned I love portobella mushroom burgers?). The Shack Burger consists of Black Angus beef with American cheese, lettuce, tomato, and Shack Sauce. The Shroom Burger consists of a crisp fried portobella, filled with muenster and cheddar, and topped with lettuce, tomato, and Shack Sauce.

shroom Burger
To show you how good these burgers are, I attempted to take a photo of my friend making love to her burger (taking bites of it with such pleasure)...but she caught me and gave me a look of disgust. (Sorry Kathleen...)

It's a shame that I have never tried their shakes, custards, or concretes yet. I'm just never THAT hungry... Hopefully one day..

Shake Shack
Madison Square Park (Madison Ave & E 23rd St)
New York, NY
212.889.6600

cooking: vegan paella

noreply@blogger.com (brian) — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 16:17:00 +0000

I FINALLY got around to making a dish from a vegan cookbook I bought a few months ago, The Conscious Cook, by Tal Ronnen. I'm not vegetarian or vegan by any means, but I respect the lifestyles and am intrigued by the recipes. Reason why I haven't made anything from this cookbook yet is the prep and ingredients. Most of the recipes I'd say require a reasonable amount of work which I unfortunately don't have too much of nowadays. Luckily, Meg from Runner's Kitchen was totes down for making this.

Vegan Paella
Adapted from Tal Ronnen's The Conscious Cook
Serves 7-8

ingredients for rice
-sea salt, ground
-4 tbsp, extra virgin olive oil
-1 red onion, diced
-3 cloves garlic, minced
-2 tbsp italian parsley, chopped
-2 tomatoes, diced
-1 red bell pepper, diced
-1 green bell pepper, diced
-1 1/2 c medium grain rice
-4 cups vegetable stock (we used Pacific Organic Vegetable Broth...LOVE this stuff)
-pinch of saffron
-1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground

ingredients for topping
-sea salt, freshly ground
-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
-3 Field Roast Italian Style seitan sausages, cut on bias into 1/4" thickness
-2 lbs, oyster mushrooms
-1 (14 oz.) can of artichoke hearts, quartered and drained
-1/2 c white wine
-juice of 1 lemon
-1/2 c thawed frozen peas
-1 lemon, cut into wedges
-1/2 fresh baked french baguette, sliced

Making the rice...

Start with a large (>12" or a paella pan, ideally) and place over medium heat. Add 2 tbsp of the oil and heat for about 30 seconds.

sofrito
Saute onion, garlic, and parsley for 5 minutes. Stir frequently. Add diced tomatoes and a little water. Cook for about 10 minutes or until liquid has evaporated and the sofrito is thick. Transfer to a bowl and wipe pan clean.

all mixed in
Place pan back over medium heat, add 2 tbsp of oil and saute the peppers for about 5 minutes. Add the sofrito mixture that was set aside and the rice. Mix well and cook for 2 minutes. Add vegetable stock, saffron, 1 tsp salt, and pepper. Mix well and bring to a boil. Once boiling, cook for 10 minutes. Turn heat down to simmer and continue to cook for an additional 15 minutes.

meg preparing the mise en place
Making toppings...

Take another saute pan and place over medium heat. Heat 1 tbsp of oil and saute the sausage until browned and crisp on both sides. Transfer to bowl and wipe pan clean.

Place pan over medium heat again and place 1 tbsp of oil. Season the mushrooms with salt and pepper. Saute the oyster mushrooms until the water has evaporated and slightly browned, about 7 minutes. Transfer to bowl and wipe pan clean.

Once more, place pan over medium heat with 1 tbsp of oil. Saute the artichoke hearts. Season with salt and pepper. Saute for about 3 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add wine and cook about 10 minutes until evaporated. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice.

Increase the heat of the rice pan to high and cook for 3 minutes to get the rice to crisp on the bottom. Remove from heat.

Scatter peas across the top of the rice and cover with foil. Leave for 5 minutes.

Remove foil and arrange the toppings over the rice: sausage, mushrooms, and artichokes.

Serve with lemon wedges and baguette slices.

beautiful, finished end result

oh, foodies...
Check out Runner's Kitchen for more pictures!

vosges haut chocolat/brooklyn brewery tasting

noreply@blogger.com (brian) — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 03:30:00 +0000

Due to some (easy) convincing/pressuring from Meg at Runner's Kitchen, I gave in and got myself a ticket to go to the Vosges Haut Chocolat/Brooklyn Brewery tasting at the Vosges boutique in SoHo.

The night started with a couple hors d'oeuvres:

prosciutto, arugula, fig & butter on a baguette

dark chocolate w/ chorizo on a baguette

Brooklyn Brewery Brewmaster Garrett Oliver was in attendance and spoke about the brewery as well as the featured beers in the tasting.

rosey caramel w/ brooklyn local 1
Brooklyn Local 1 - Belgian Strong Pale Ale
Rosey Caramel - dark chocolate caramel w/ rose water, pink peppercorns, and red rose petal

tarte caramel w/ brooklyn local 2
Brooklyn Local 2 - Belgian Strong Dark Ale
Tarte Caramel - dark chocolate caramel w/ blood orange, hibiscus, and campari

red fire tortilla chip w/ brooklyn ipa
Brooklyn IPA - East India Pale Ale
Red Fire Tortilla Chip - organic corn tortilla chip in milk chocolate w/ ancho chilis

blues truffle w/ brooklyn black ops
Brooklyn Black Ops - Russian Imperial Stout
Blues Truffle - milk chocolate with applewood smoked bacon

My favorite was the Local 2 & tarte caramel pairing, followed by the Black Ops and Blues truffle.

Huge thanks to Maggie Marion of Vosges and Garrett Oliver of Brooklyn Brewery. The event was a lot of fun and I'll definitely be checking the website for new events.

Check out Meg's recap of the tasting at Runner's Kitchen.

Vosges Haut Chocolat
132 Spring Street
New York, NY 10012
212.625.2929

miller's twist

noreply@blogger.com (brian) — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 02:07:00 +0000

Miller's Twist is located in the Reading Terminal Market in Philly. They make some pretty delicious pretzels. Soft. Salty. Buttery. Delicious.

They also have other varieties like sausage/hot dog pretzels and cheesesteak filled ones too. We got to try a sampling of the cheesesteak filled pretzels and they were pretty good...though I prefer a simple pretzel.

As with the other Amish merchants, they're not open Sunday - Tuesday, so make sure you come on a day they're open.

Miller's Twist at the Reading Terminal Market
12th & Arch Streets
Philadelphia, PA 19107

taim falafel & smoothie bar

noreply@blogger.com (brian) — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 01:05:00 +0000

Taim offers a choice between three different falafel flavors, the green (parsley, cilantro, mint), red (w/ roasted red pepper), and harissa (spicy).

I ordered a green falafel sandwich and it was mighty tasty. The falafel was cooked perfectly. The salad and hummus were in just the right amounts and complimented the falafel well.

Definitely making my way back here for more falafel!

Taim Falafel
222 Waverly Place
New York, NY 10014
212.691.6101

cooking: dan dan mian (擔擔麵)

noreply@blogger.com (brian) — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 04:11:00 +0000

So I spent 6 weeks in Shanghai, China for a study abroad program back in school. It was easily the best 6 weeks of my life and I got to try some pretty amazing food while I was out there. Only then, did I first get to try and realize what Sichuan food was really like. Shanghai is not in the Sichuan province, but in China, they have region specific restaurants all over and you can experience foods from the different provinces when you’re in a big city.

Anyway, what I’m trying to get across… I went to a Sichuan restaurant and my mind was blown. Sichuan food uses hua jiao, the Sichuan peppercorn, which gives Sichuan food it’s tingly, numbing mouthfeel. Not only did I become addicted to hua jiao, I also became addicted to Sichuan dishes such as dan dan mian (a spicy noodle dish) and mapo doufu (a spicy tofu dish). The entire time I was there, I couldn’t get over that the Chinese food served in the US is nowhere near as awesome as the food in China. Within weeks of being back in the US, I was China obsessed and craved some of the food I was eating just weeks ago. Luckily, I stumbled across Fuchsia Dunlop’s Land of Plenty and ordered it immediately.

hua jiao, sichuan peppercorn
Back in college, I cooked a lot from this book and her Hunan cookbook, Revolutionary Chinese Cookbook. I learned a bunch about the ingredients used in Sichuan and Hunan dishes and had many fantastic meals. Unfortunately, I haven’t been making Chinese food as of late. No real reason, I just kind of forgot about it I guess. Luckily, I had a hankering for dan dan mian the other day and I pulled out Land of Plenty and came up with a recipe which is kind of a mix between two of the dan dan mian recipes she has in her book.

some of the ingredients you may need (clockwise from bottom: noodles, scallions, sesame paste, shaoxing, peanut oil, chili oil, sesame oil, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, ground roasted sichuan peppercorn)

Dan Dan Mian 擔擔麵
Adapted from Fuchsia Dunlop’s Land of Plenty
Serves 2-4

-1 lb. chinese noodles (I like to use Twin Marquis lo mein noodles
-6 scallions, chopped

ingredients for meat
-1 tbsp peanut oil
-1/2 tsp ground roasted hua jiao
-4 oz ground beef
-2 tsp light soy sauce
-1 tsp shaoxing

ingredients for sauce
-1 tsp ground roasted hua jiao (can be adjusted to spice preference)
-1/4 tsp salt
-4 tsp sesame paste
-1 tbsp light soy sauce
-1 tbsp dark soy sauce
-2 tbsp chili oil

Before you start, make sure you have everything ready to go. When you cook in a wok, you have to move quickly, so it's important everything is at hand.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Let this come to a boil while you follow the next steps. Do NOT place the noodles in the water until you're done making the sauce.

Heat up the peanut oil over med-high heat in a wok. Just before it starts to smoke, toss the hua jiao in and stir fry quickly until fragrant. Immediately add the ground beef followed by the shaoxing. Once the meat has been separated, add the soy sauce. Stir fry until a little crispy, but not dry. Set aside when finished.

Next, whisk together all the sauce ingredients in a medium sized bowl until smooth. Make sure the sesame paste is no longer clumpy. Take about half of the scallions and toss them in the bowl. The result should look similar to this:

Once the sauce is finished, place the noodles into the water and cook for about 4-5 minutes. Drain noodles and immediately place into the bowl with the sauce. Top with ground beef.

At restaurants, the dish is served like so, sauce on the bottom, noodles, and topped with the meat. Of course, you have to stir it all up. This is why I use the large bowl. It can get messy if it's placed in a smaller bowl.

dan dan mian
Once mixed all together, sprinkle remaining scallions on top.

Enjoy!

This dish keeps me sane between visits to Han Dynasty.

taste of the nation 2010 - philadelphia

noreply@blogger.com (brian) — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 01:58:00 +0000

This marks my third ever Taste of the Nation event, and second Philly one. Taste of the Nation: Philly 2010 was held this past Monday at the Loews Hotel on Market Street, the same location as last year.

Above photo: Jen Carroll, Chef de Cuisine at 10 Arts by Eric Ripert

I impulse bought a VIP ticket over a standard ticket since I remembered how much fun I had last year. Last year, I went on my own, and still had a great time. This time around, I coaxed one of my friends to tag along.

These events can be a bit pricey, but they're a ton of fun and 100% of the ticket sales go towards child hunger. If you've never gone, you've gotta try to make it out next year, it's worth it.

herbed goat cheese w/ mango salsa from westend bistro by eric ripert

cauliflower bisque w/ ham foam from marigold kitchen

mixologists from the franklin mortgage & investment co.

Again, my experience at the event is better explained through pictures...

meme

beef tartare from meme
It was my very first time trying beef tartare (finally!) and I must say, it was pretty good!

yhanne's house of cheesecakes

assorted cheesecake bites from yhanne's house of cheesecakes
The red velvet cheesecake was fantastic!

truffled mac and cheese from varga bar

amis

pork liver terrine w/ rhubarb from amis
I haven't had terrine too many times in my life. Just based on previous experiences, I'm not a huge fan of terrine, but this was delicious! Definitely changed my perspective on terrine...

chicken liver mousse on homemade sourdough and topped w/ pickled red onions from fond
Fond's chicken liver mousse was probably my favorite dish of the night. I had maybe three...umm..four...maybe more...I'm not saying. It was oh so good.

chef pierre calmels from bibou

chicken liver custard w/ tomato & green olive sauce from bibou

pastry chef monica glass from 10 arts by eric ripert
yogurt panna cotta w/ black sesame pearls & raspberry from 10 arts

chef jen carroll from 10 arts

salmon ceviche (suh-veech)...sorry jen, i had to haha.

thoughts at the end of the night:
-why have i not gone to amis or bibou yet?
-must go to 10 arts again (hopefully soon).
-can i have that chicken liver mousse from fond for lunch...like weekly?
-jen carroll is awesome.
-taste of the nation events are so much fun.

Did anyone else go? What did you think of the event this year?

sometimes bridge inspection is dirty...

noreply@blogger.com (brian) — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 23:51:00 +0000

more than a foot of muck with pools of stagnant water around.

sorry, if you lose any appetite while browsing my "food" blog.

cooking: red velvet strawberry shortcakes

noreply@blogger.com (brian) — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 20:20:00 +0000

Came across this recipe on Serious Eats the other day and I instantly felt the urge to give it a shot. I unfortunately realized I didn't have any red food coloring in mid-prep already...

Red Velvet Strawberry Shortcakes
adapted from Cakespy's recipe.
serves 8

-2 c all purpose flour
-5 tbsp sugar, divided
-1 tbsp baking powder
-1/2 tsp salt
-2 tbsp cocoa
-5 tbsp butter, cold & cut as close to brunoise as possible
-red food coloring (optional)
-1 c milk
-2 c strawberries, sliced about 1/8"-1/4" thick
-1 tbsp, orange juice
-1 c heavy cream
-1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 425°.

Take chilled heavy cream and place in large bowl. Whisk until soft peaks form. Add 2 tbsp sugar and vanilla extract. Whisk a bit more then set whipped cream aside in fridge.

Combine flour, 2 tbsp sugar, baking powder, cocoa, and salt in large bowl. Mix in butter until mixture looks crumbly. Slowly stir in milk and form a soft dough. Add food coloring, if using, and mix until well incorporated.

Place dough into eight even "heaps" on a lightly greased baking sheet. Place in oven for 12-15 minutes until lightly browned. When finished, place on cooling rack.

In another bowl, combine orange juice, sugar, and strawberries. Toss to coat.

Split shortcakes. Place whipped cream and strawberries on bottom halves. Top and enjoy!

vosges chocolate - mo's bacon bar

noreply@blogger.com (brian) — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 01:12:00 +0000

I enjoy bacon and I also enjoy chocolate. Together? Not too sure.

You could taste both the sweetness of the chocolate and the saltiness of the bacon. Both were pretty delicious...though I couldn't quite get into enjoying both flavors together...

Maybe it's just me? Maybe I'm not into bacon as much as I thought? I'm sure there are people out there who love this sorta stuff. Anyone wanna share your opinions/thoughts?

You can find the bacon bar and more varieties at Vosges Chocolate.

cooking: vegetarian belt

noreply@blogger.com (brian) — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 23:48:00 +0000

The first time I tried egg on a BLT was at Friedman's Lunch at the Chelsea Market in NYC (read about it here). After that experience, I fell in love with the variation. Sometimes, I like to make BLT's using vegetarian bacon...

Vegetarian BELT
inspired by Thomas Keller's BLT Fried Egg & Cheese Sandwich
serves 1

-2 slices of multigrain whole wheat bread
-homemade mayo
-3 slices vegetarian bacon, cooked
-2 slices of smoked gouda
-3 slices of tomato
-iceberg lettuce
-1 large egg, cooked over easy

Assemble sandwich like so: bread, mayo, bacon, gouda, tomato, lettuce, egg, bread.

Slice in half if desired.

Enjoy.

cooking: linguine mushroom marsala

noreply@blogger.com (brian) — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 14:33:00 +0000

This recipe kinda came up spur of the moment and I didn’t follow a recipe so I was a little worried about how it would turn out. There’s probably a better way to make the sauce, but this turned out pretty well!

Linguine Mushroom Marsala
serves 4-6

-1 lb linguine
-olive oil
-1 lb portobella mushrooms, sliced
-1 1/2 tbsp shallots, minced
-1 c marsala
-1 c chicken stock
-2 c heavy cream
-salt & pepper, to taste
-3 tbsp Italian parsley, chopped

Cook pasta al dente.

In large skillet, place a few tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, toss mushrooms in pan. Cook for 3-5 minutes as mushrooms soften. Add shallots. Stir occasionally. Once mushrooms and shallots have caramelized, turn heat to high and deglaze with marsala. Bring to boil and reduce for about 5 minutes. Add stock and heavy cream. Reduce by half over high heat, about 10 minutes.

Season with salt & pepper to taste. Simmer on medium-low for 5 minutes. Taste and adjust as needed.

Toss pasta with sauce and parsley. Enjoy.