Netflix + Chocolate = Chill

My recent documentary binge has lead me to Netflix foodie heaven. If you haven't you need  to check out Chef's Table, Cooked, Somm, and Crafting a Nation. 


 "Chef's Table" hooked me within the first 20 seconds, needless to say, I powered through the six episodes in a way that only Dexter Morgan has been able to compel me to do before.

Each episode profiles a single chef [ Season 1: Massimo Bottura, Dan Barber, Francis Mallmann, Niki Nakayama, Ben Shewry, and Magnus Nilsson]. The show does a masterful job at making the viewer feel that they understand the chef, and their philosophy in a very personal way. Each of the chefs that were featured were so incredibly different from the others, each of them made a unique impression and at the conclusion of each episode I was forced to consider a different issue. Bottura challenged the norms that have been so often associated with Italian cuisine.  Barber posed the question of our own agency when it comes to our consumption of food and the responsibilities that poses. Mallmann in particular made an indelible impression on me. I've never seen a person so free, and so committed to the romanticism of their life. Mallmann says, and I'm paraphrasing here; "you don't grow on a secure path... growth requires work and risk.. in order to grow you need to be at the edge of uncertainty." Mallman emphasized the concomitant need for change and uncertainty in order to create growth. Nakayama presented with an incredible strength and showcased how important relationships are. Shrewry's narrative created a juxtaposition between the idea of success and what it actually takes and both he and Nilsson shared a sense of coming home at last. when they stopped trying to cook or force cuisine to be something other than it was supposed to be.  

I highly recommend it.

The final episode focuses on Magnus Nilsson and his restaurant Fäviken. Nilsson has created a restaurant with Fäviken that thrives on an intense Nordic authenticity using primarily local ingredients. 

The idea of seasonal cooking and the utilization of better produce was echoed by each of the chefs and has made me more conscientious about trying to source my produce as locally as possible.  
As Nilsson says, "a dish will never be better than your produce."

 I was excited to see Nilsson's name pop up in Saveur's Instagram feed along with the chocolate cake recipe listed here:

Ingredients

10 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus more for greasing

¹⁄₄ cup plain bread crumbs

1 cup sugar

7 tbsp. natural cocoa powder

2 tsp. vanilla extract

^1⁄₄ tsp. kosher salt

2 large eggs

1 cup cake flour, sifted

Heat the oven to 400°.

Grease a 9-inch springform pan with butter and coat the bottom and sides with the bread crumbs, discarding any excess.

In a medium bowl, whisk the 10 tablespoons melted butter with the sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, and salt until well combined.

Add the eggs one at a time and whisk until smooth.

Fold the flour into the batter until just combined, and then scrape the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top.

Bake until the cake forms a thin skin on top but the batter is still loose in the center, about 10 minutes.

Transfer the pan to a rack, let cool completely, and then chill for 1 hour. Unmold the cake and serve.

I decided to make this cake to celebrate my brother's birthday, needless to say, the cake got rave reviews. The only additional feedback the boys had was that this cake should always be served with a glass of cold milk. 

 I also didn't have unseasoned breadcrumbs available so I used Panko bread crumbs which gave a pretty nice crunch. 

If I were to make this recipe again, with the same pan, I would double the recipe. 

Fried Egg with Minutina, Japanese Turnips, & Jerusalem Artichoke

I had never heard of Minutina before I saw it at the market. i looked it up when I got home and found that it goes by other names, including Buckshorn Plantain, or herba stella. 

I decided that for my first time cooking with it I would try it quickly panfried with Jerusalem Artichokes and turnips. 

Minutina tasted a little sweeter than baby spinach and had a baby kale-like texture. If you cannot find minutina, you can replicate this recipe with kale, dandelion leaves,  or spinach. 

If you were to replicate the recipe with dandelion leaves, I would par-boil them first before beginning to sauté them.

After washing and patting dry, I cut my minutina into 1 inch pieces. 

I pan fried the jerusalem artichoke and turnip with paprika in olive oil. 

After the root vegetables have gained the crisp that I wanted, I added the minutina and sautéed for 1-2  minutes until the leaves became a vibrant  green. I then fried an egg and served that egg on top of my greens and root vegetables. 

Reach Out

This evening I had the distinct pleasure of attending the Cooking Live NYC fundraiser for Family Reach.

-A very, very, big thank you to Auntie M and Mr. E for inviting me this evening -

Family Reach assists families who have a loved ones living with cancer.  

Among the services they provide, Family Reach provides financial assistance helping families to manage their mortgage or rent payments, utilities, and uncovered medical expenses. Family Reach also provides additional support through education or outreach to these families during their time of need.

I was incredibly moved this evening. 

As each of the speakers told their story about what Family Reach means to them, the love in the room was palpable. 

It truly was a privilege to be there tonight.

Cancer is something that we don’t understand, and though we are learning more about it every day, it is still something that requires the energy not only of the person battling it, but also the energy and support of the entire family.

 Family Reach CEO Carla Tardiff said something in particular that captures the spirit of Family Reach so perfectly that I have to share it with you, “This isn’t charity, this is humanity.”

If you can give a little bit of your time, energy, or would like to make a donation to Family Reach to help a family in need, or simply would like to learn more about Family Reach please click here.

If you or someone you know is living with cancer, or has a loved one battling cancer and could use a helping hand, please click here.

Now, about the party…

Tonight’s dinner had four courses prepared by incredible chefs; Chef Ming Tsai,  Chef Masaharu Morimoto, Chef Shaun Hergatt,  and Chef Todd English.  

This was one of the most incredible meals of my life. 

The first course, prepared by Chef Ming Tsai, comprised of a Caramelized Shallot Poached Norwegian Salmon served with Thai Basil-Cauliflower Fried Rice and a Patron Ginger-Yuzu Rita that was prepared by Bryant Gumbel. 

The second course, prepared by Chef Masaharu Morimoto was  Laksa Tan Tan Noodles, served with TYKU  Black  Junmai Ginjo Sake.

The third course, prepared by Chef Shaun Hergatt, comprised of a slow braised oxtail served with hazelnut and black truffle. This was paired with a 2011 Chateau Greysac Medoc,  from Bordeaux France.

The fourth course, prepared by Chef Todd English, comprised of a seared New York Club Steak, braised short rib polpettina plated with a squash- taleggio polenta and charred Broccoli-Parmesan Salad. This course was paired with a 2011 Col d’Orcia Brunello di Montalcino,  from Tuscany, Italy.

At this point, I was almost ready to call “uncle!” I couldn’t pick a favorite course even if I tried. BUT Just when I thought I couldn’t eat anymore, they served dessert.

 Dessert was a marvelous spectacle prepared by Chef Philip Medora and Chef Alan Dancyger.

I meant to photograph it… but, I ate it too fast. 

With the holiday season fast approaching, please keep Family Reach in mind. 

Sweater Weather Musings

Every autumn, I fall in love with the Northeast all over again. 

The dwindling light of the afternoon casting shadows, and highlighting textures that normally go unnoticed. The crispness of the air, the way it smells of earth, and sleep, and smoke. The languid sounds of summer give way to the rush of people hustling, heads down to their destinations. No longer having the luxury of late days filled with sunshine, they are propelled by chill to accelerate. Autumn adds a solemnity to the world. Much like life, it is that added gravitas that allows the colors to pop in brighter contrast to the greying world around it. 

Would beauty be appreciated without ugliness? Would pain be tolerable without joy? Is it not the pervasive presence of opposites that make life so rich? Maybe it is the fleetingness of this season that makes us so crazed for it. 

I know autumn makes me quiet, it makes me reflect on what is, and what I want to be. Autumn makes me consider the fragility of our temporal surroundings; the constantness of change. Change, with its certainty, a dual tragedy and miracle, that nothing will ever be as it was before, nor will it ever again be as it is now. 

"Taco" Cannellini Chili

Post Taco-Tuesday I was left with extra taco meat and some of the fixings. I used these left overs to make chili. 

I added 1 1/2 cups of chopped tomatoes with 1 tsp. of garlic and 1 tsp of olive oil.

I then added the left over taco meat (2 cups) that I had left over and one cup of water. 

When I prepared the taco meat originally I used 3 lbs. of lean ground beef, 2 large caramelized onions, and a package of taco seasoning. 

I allowed that to cook down for about 20 minutes and start to reduce. 

I took the leftover shishito peppers that I had prepared as a snack and added them to the chili along with 1 can of strained cannellini beans. 

I allowed this to cook for an additional 15 minutes. 

About 5 minutes before I was going to serve the chili, I added 2 cups of baby kale to the chili. 

Shishito Peppers

I had Shishito peppers for the first time this summer at a cocktail party in the Hamptons.

Mostly sweet, the sign warning against the occasional spicy pepper resulted in a Russian roulette-esque game among the guests that was a great icebreaker. 

I've been trying to clean up my diet, so, when I saw them at the market I knew they'd make the perfect snack!

1 Teaspoon coconut oil

Shishito Peppers (2 cups)

Himalayan Salt

Wash your peppers, leave the stems on, pat dry. 

The stems will serve as a handle to eat the rest of the pepper. 

If you plan on serving them at a party, be sure to have a container for the discarded stems. 

Heat your pan to a medium heat and add your coconut oil. 

Do not allow your oil to start smoking! 

If your oil is smoking your pan is way too hot. 

Add your washed shishito peppers, sauté over medium heat tossing them every so often until they develop a nice char. 

The smaller the batch of peppers the faster they will cook. A large batch of peppers would require more oil and take longer to cook. 

Finish with some Himalayan sea salt and enjoy!

Taco Tuesday with Zach's Refried Bean Dip

Every other week I have my brothers over for dinner. They requested that we have tacos this week and I happily obliged. 

The boys love tacos. 

For one of them in particular, I'm looking at you L, I think tacos actually qualify as a food group. 

In order to make the meal a little special I made my mom's bean dip recipe, "Zach's refried bean dip."

This dip has been a staple in our house at almost every family party.
We never did learn who this Zach character is, but we owe him... big time.

It's not the most glamorous appetizer, but the ooey-gooey deliciousness cannot be denied. 

During dinner, the boys decided to add it to their tacos and a whole new level of scrumptiousness was discovered. 

Preheat the oven to 375° F.

Zach's Refried Bean Dip: 

1 16 oz. can of refried beans

1 package of taco seasoning

1 8 oz. bar of Philadelphia cream cheese 

1 4 oz. can of diced jalapeños 

1 4 oz. can of chopped olives

1 8 oz. package of shredded Mexican cheese

[Optional: 1 8 oz. container of sour cream]

Mix all of the ingredients together. Pour into a baking pan, bake at 375° F until bubbling, usually about 45 minutes. I then like to broil it for a few minutes to get the top crispy. 

Serve with chips and enjoy! 

Or, as the boys did, add to your taco for an additional pop of flavor.