Waste Not, Get Pickles

Cuban sandwich with pickles

I think every sandwich should have a pickle.  It could be the classic kosher spear or small slivers of tart circles, but pickles must be there.  When I say pickles, mind you, it doesn’t have to be cucumbers.  It could be as creative as pickled green beans, okra, beets, capers or even peppers.  Whatever the case is, a sandwich always needs a little bit of acid, a splash of sour brightness to cut and balance it properly.  A hamburger will always need a slice of pickle, a crab cake a drop of lemon juice and even a ham and cheese sandwich requires a dollop of tangy mustard.  Without the zest, there is no zing.

Imagine my surprise when I was recently told that my grilled chicken sandwich did not include pickles.  In fact, at this particular restaurant, they no longer carried pickles and only served toppings like lettuce, onion and tomato when requested.  According to the server, there was so much waste occurring (customers discarding toppings) that management decided to do away with the toppings in order to reduce costs.

Now let’s be honest: food costs and waste can destroy any food business.  But how did this problem come about in the first place?  If a menu clearly stated that a sandwich came with onions, lettuce and pickles — a customer should be able to request these items be left off if not desired.  But a savvy restauranteur would also train their staff, instructing the servers to ask questions while taking orders. And the same restauranteur would train the kitchen staff to be on the lookout for tickets with special orders and requests, helping to minimize waste and reduce food costs.

I shared this conundrum with my friends and Michael intuitively pointed out the existence of the “I paid for it” syndrome.  In his opinion, there are customers who choose to waste, simply because they paid for it.  That is, they paid for the sandwich, so they want the option to discard with whatever as they please.  What a bunch of bull.  If you subscribe to this type of entitlement mentality, please, get yourself some help.

The main factor to consider in this scenario is the product as presented.  Does it make sense to offer ingredients like lettuce, pickles, tomatoes and onions?  If you don’t know, poll your clientele.  Ask your staff.  But whatever you do, don’t make blanket decisions that impact operations and results in less service, not more.  Customers go out because we want to be served.  We want to be asked how our dishes should be prepared — and the answer always is: to our liking.  And above all, we want our pickles, damn it.

Warm Vinaigrettes: Making a Splash

Raspberry Vinaigrette from Food with My Friends, the cookbook

There’s something so refreshing about a vinaigrette — especially when the weather starts to warm up.  As the days get longer and the temperatures start to rise, our eating habits change too.  Gone are the thick sauces and heavy stocks, as we opt instead for small squirts of citrus, freshly chopped herbs and smokey dry rubs.

I happen to have a fondness for warm vinaigrettes.  There’s nothing wrong with a room temperature vinaigrette on a salad, but when I’m at the grill or doing a quick pan saute, I like to finish with a warm vinaigrette.  In my opinion, a little bit of heat intensifies the flavor of the vinaigrette, which means you can use less and taste more.

A basic vinaigrette is an emulsion of acid and fat.  Most of us know and love olive oil and balsamic vinegar, but if you’re feeling more experimental, use ingredients like freshly squeezed fruits, spicy mustards, creamy butter, chopped herbs, sweet preserves or tangy shallots.  For a warm vinaigrette, I like to start with a hot pan (preferably the one that you cooked your proteins in) and your chosen fat (for me, that’s typically olive oil).  I like to create an infused oil, adding chopped herbs or fruit zest to warm oil so it really takes on the flavor of the featured ingredient.  I take the infused oil off the heat and let it cool.  Then I whisk the warm oil with freshly squeezed fruit juice or vinegar, salt and pepper to taste and immediately brush it onto grilled vegetables or chicken.  Just a little goes a long way — and it really makes a splash on your tastebuds!

Lemon Tarragon Vinaigrette

3 tablespoons fresh tarragon, chopped
1 cup olive oil
2 lemons, zested and juice reserved
Salt and White Pepper to taste

1. In a warm pan, heat the olive oil.  Add the tarragon and lemon zest and remove from heat.  Allow the ingredients to infuse the oil as well as cool down, about 10 minutes.
2.  With a reamer or similar juicing tool, add the juice from the lemons.  Use a whisk or jar to shake and create a creamy emulsion.  Salt and pepper to taste.
3. Use on grilled poultry or vegetables.

Linguine with Garlic and Clams: Slice and Dice

Linguine with Garlic and Clams

Stop the garlic abuse!  When it comes to garlic, it seems we have a dysfunctional relationship.  We say we love it, but we beat it, chop it, mince it and even pulverize it into paste.  I realize I’m exaggerating a bit, but honestly, is there any reason to smash garlic as much as we do?

I found myself wondering about this while making a plate of linguine with clams.  I stopped myself from mincing the garlic — instead, I opted to do long, thin, teardrop slices.  Because clams and garlic compliment each other so well, I decided it would be much better to slice the garlic then dice the clams.  The resulting dish was simply fantastic.

Sliced garlic

I have since re-named my recipe Linguine with Garlic and Clams.  The trick is to simply saute the garlic, to the point where it becomes fragrant and do no more.  Raw garlic is pungent and strong, so you do want to cook it.  The best technique is to sweat the garlic — simply stir it into a hot environment and keep stirring.  Don’t allow your garlic to brown or caramelize as this will result in a bitter taste.  When garlic sweats in a little bit of oil then simmers in white wine, it turns buttery, soft and rich, a perfect match for salty sea flavored clams.

If you need to chop something, chop the clams.  While clams in shell are lovely visuals, they don’t actually do much for me at home.  I suggest shucking the clams first and chopping the meat, then creating the creamy sauce.  If you only have access to canned clams, you may certainly use them, but I find fresh seafood to be the best.  Use a good, drinkable, dry white wine when cooking and serve the same chilled wine with the pasta.  Of course, you should have a glass (or two!) while cooking.

Linguine with Garlic and Clams
Serves 2

Littleneck clams in garlic, parsley and wine

1/2 pound linguine noodles (I like a trio of whole wheat, spinach and semolina)
1 cup chopped clams (I recommend littlenecks or razors)
1 tablespoon clam juice
1/2 cup diced pancetta
4 garlic cloves, sliced thin
1 leek, white and light green parts only, sliced thin
1 shallot, sliced thin
1 1/2 tablespoons creme fraiche
1 cup dry white wine
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and White Pepper to taste

1. Bring a pot of salted water to boil for the noodles.
2. Cut the leek in half and wash thoroughly.   Slice into thin semi-circles and separate.  Do the same with the shallot.
3. When the noodles go into the water, heat a large saute pan with the olive oil.  Over medium heat, add the pancetta and allow to brown and crisp, about 2-3 minutes.  Add the leek and shallots and allow to sweat, but do not brown.
4. Add the garlic slices and chopped clams.  Stir frequently, until the garlic becomes fragrant, about one minute more.
5. Lower the heat and add the white wine and clam juice.  Loosen any brown bits from the bottom of the pan.  Stir in the creme fraiche until incorporated, then cover and allow to simmer over low heat, about 2-3 minutes.
6. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.  Using tongs, remove the linguine noodles from the boiling water and add to the pan.  Fold into the sauce until well incorporated.  If more sauce is needed, use some of the leftover salted pasta water.

Perla NYC: Dining in the West Village Gets Even Better

Alain and I at Perla NYC

When Alain Joseph says he wants to visit a restaurant, I instantly smile and take his arm.  Alain will never steer me wrong when it comes to food.  He’s been a chef for nearly 20 years (14 of which are and currently still with Emeril Lagasse) and when I’m with Alain, I know I’m going to enjoy whatever is put in front of me.

Without objection, he and I set off Saturday night into the West Village and walked through the doors of Perla, the latest creation from the team behind great restaurants like Joseph Leonard, Fedora and Jeffrey’s Grocery.  Led by Executive Chef Michael Toscano (of Eataly and Babbo) Perla is a modern take on old-world Tuscan cuisine.  Small and narrow, with a wood burning brick oven, open kitchen, booth tables and bar stools, it’s cozy and un-pretentious.  The staff is warm and friendly and the candlelit dining room creates a very relaxed environment.  However, all of the warm snuggly feelings do very little to prepare you for the hurricane of flavors that will come rushing at you through the food.

The wonderful rabbit entree

We tempted our palates with a trio of Island Creek Oysters.  While Alain and I talked about how boring mignonette sauces have become, Chef Michael surprised us by delivering the oysters with an Italian styled kim-chee.  The savory herbs mixed with pickled brine and gentle spices enhanced the beautiful oysters and we cherished every bite.  To our delight, Chef Michael treated us to a foie gras tramezzini, which is his playful rendition of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.  Between slices of soft white bread, was a generous portion of rich foie gras, topped with sweet cherry preserves and a nutty pistachio spread.  It was by far the best finger food I have ever experienced.

A glass of champagne was sent to cleanse our tastebuds, then a hearty plate of emerald green brussels sprouts with mushrooms, charred scallion and goat’s milk ricotta cheese reminded us how much we love darkly roasted vegetables.  Alain ordered a bottle of Vermentino to join our tasting of the linguine with razor clams, prosciutto and ramps, followed by the house specialty meatballs, and the special of the day: head-on, tail-on rock shrimp, served in a chilled tomato cream sauce.  To say we were in a food lover’s paradise was to put it mildly!

Executive Chef Michael Toscano

As we rested to relish and recover from every delicious bite, Chef Michael encouraged us to order an entree.  Who were we to argue with the chef?  A plate of rabbit tenderloin wrapped in pancetta was placed in front of me, while a New York strip with parsnips, escarole, mushrooms and bone marrow agrodolce arrived for Alain.  I couldn’t believe how tender and flavorful the rabbit was, complimented ever so delicately by the pancetta.  Alain warned me I wouldn’t be ready for the steak — and he was right.  It was cooked perfectly, tender and moist, but it was the flavor — the powerful rush of the bone marrow gravy coating my tongue and creating the softest mouth sensation — that had me swooning.

As if that wasn’t enough, Chef Michael asked us to try a pizza from the wood burning oven.  Before we could object, a beautiful pizza, with golden brown cheese, bubbling crisp crust and buttery yellow mushrooms arrived in front of us, and we knew we would be foolish not to partake.  Although we could have done without dessert, I insisted we celebrate Alain’s birthday.  So we did, with a polenta apple cake and after dinner cocktails to boot!

I told Chef Michael that when chefs don’t want to leave his restaurant, it’s to be taken as a compliment.  He laughed and said it was duly noted.  I also congratulated Chef Michael on his James Beard nomination for Rising Star Chef (oh yes, folks, take notice!) And to the birthday boy, my good friend Alain, I can’t believe we have shared in another wonderful meal together.  I’ll be talking about this for a long, long time to come.  Happy Birthday, dear Alain!

Cooking for the Stubborn and Sweet

“I do not like Green Eggs and Ham. . . I do not like them Sam I Am!”

Whenever Eric and I talk about food, it feels like our conversation comes straight out of a Dr. Seuss book.  We go back and forth, up and down, over and over about what he will eat and what he won’t.  He has an opinion on everything.  He says he loves seafood, but he hates crab, lobster and other shellfish.  He wants breakfast, but he won’t eat eggs.  He loves the idea of a grilled steak but it can’t be any kind of strip steak.  The list goes on and on.  When we have these conversations, Eric speaks and all I hear is: “I would not, could not, in a box.  I would not, could not, with a fox.  I will not eat them here or there, I will not eat them anywhere!”

Eric aka the Grinch

Before I go further, let me clearly state  that Eric is a great friend for anyone to have.  He’s funny, he’s sweet, he’s awesome to watch sports with and definitely one of my most favorite beer drinking buds.  But he also loves to give me grief.  He’s constantly reminding me that I never cook for him. . . and even though my whole life is focused around food with my friends. . . I have never made him anything.  Not even a frozen pizza!

The truth of the matter is, when I cook for my friends, it’s typically because I’ve spent considerable time thinking about it first.  I create dinner parties centered solely around my friend’s tastebuds and preferences.  For example, I know Korey loves fresh fruit. Which means a breakfast of buttery crepes and fresh berries is the perfect way to start a morning together.  Jen and John love Italian food, so a rustic dinner of pan roasted chicken flavored with fresh sage and handmade pasta was the way to go.  Michael and Tyler love deep, full bodied wines, and therefore, a steak au poivre, cognac pan sauce and richly buttered herb popovers turned into a feast we’ll never forget (and fun with Cory and Erin too!)

With Eric, however, I scratch my head a lot.  I’ve mentioned the idea of grilled lamb chops and he said he liked it.  Then he proceeded to tell me about a time that he didn’t like the lamb he was served.  So that idea was quickly scratched.  I happen to know that after a night out, Eric loves nothing more than a bowl of pasta with melted butter and tons of cheese.  Which makes me  suggest an alfredo dish. In true Eric fashion, he proceeds to tell me about the way his dad makes seafood alfredo — and how much Eric doesn’t care for it.

I can’t help but giggle as I write this. Because Eric is such a good friend, the back and forth between us is pretty funny.  As soon as I think I’ve figured out a menu plan, I become a cheerleader for it, I become Sam I Am.  That, of course, means Eric is the Grinch.  As we all know, at the end of the book, the Grinch learns to love Green Eggs and Ham.  I may not have figured out the winning formula (yet) but when I do, I’ll make a believer out of Eric.  Until then, it’s going to be many more hysterical conversations . . . and lots of hockey games.

Guinness Stew: It’s Good for You

If the thought of stringy corned beef with soggy cabbage sobers up your St. Patrick’s Day festivities, try making a Guinness Stew instead.  I happen to love the dark rich beer paired with soft, tender beef and blanketed in a savory broth.  My favorite way to serve Guinness Stew is over a bowl of buttered noodles with freshly chopped herbs — and a dollop of spicy mustard — how’s that for flavorful?  Makes me want a pint of beer right now!

Braising meat in beer is fairly common in European countries.  In Germany, fuhrmannsbraten is a flavorful pot roast made with a rich amber lager, while the French have carbonnade, made from caramelized onions, fresh herbs and tangy mustard.  Not to be outdone, the Italians do beef alla birra, with thick chunks of smoky bacon, smooth chicken stock and plenty of fresh thyme.

However, it is time for St. Patrick’s Day, and true to the spirit of the holiday, I will be cooking with Irish ingredients while raising a few pints as well (but no green beer for me, yick!)  Last year, I posted an authentic Irish recipe: boxty (potato pancakes) while reminiscing about my favorite kebab stand in Dublin.  Although I debated about another Irish recipe (colcannon) I am going with the dish that makes my stomach feels most welcome — a bowl of Guinness Stew has a way of kissing your tastebuds while bringing pure satisfaction to your soul.  My recipe aims to incorporate the best of all the above listed countries and their dishes, while allowing Guinness to be the star of the show.  It is indeed, comfort food for the Irish, but especially for those of us who love and appreciate that wonderful, magical country.

Sláinte chuig na fir, agus go mairfidh na mná go deo!

Guinness Stew
Serves 6

Ingredients:

3 pounds chuck roast, cut into large cubes (2 inches)
6-8 slices thick bacon, diced
1 onion, quartered and separated into large pieces
2 cups baby carrots
4-6 red potatoes (if large, cut in half)
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons flour
14.9 fluid ounces Guinness
3 cups chicken stock
6 fresh thyme stalks, leaves removed from stem
2 bay leaves
1 cup frozen peas
Oil for browning meat
Salt and Pepper to taste

Optional Garnishes:
Egg noodles, buttered and covered with freshly chopped herbs like parsley, dill and chives
Stone ground mustard
Freshly baked crusty bread

1. In a large cast iron enamel or heavy stockpot, add a little bit of oil and brown the meat on all sides.  Work in batches if needed.  Remove meat from heat and set aside.
2. Add the bacon and allow fat to render.  When bacon begins to crisp, add the onions. Sprinkle the flour over the onions and scrape up any bits from the bottom of the pot.
3. Add the Guinness and the chicken stock.  Return the beef to the pot and add the thyme and bay leaves.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer.  Cover and allow to cook for one hour.
4. Stir the stew and add the potatoes.  Continue to simmer, covered, for an additional 30 minutes.
5. Remove the bay leaves and adjust seasonings as necessary.  Add the carrots and cook for 15 minutes more.
6. Stir in the peas and cook for 5 minutes.  Serve hot with noodles or fresh bread and plenty of cold Guinness.

Fryday, Fryday, Gotta Get Down on Fryday!

French fries made from just a little itty bitty teaspoon of oil??  Come on, now. Guilt-free eating?  How can that be?

I’ll admit it, I’m a bit of a kitchen skeptic.  I see so many products, receive so many pitches and promotional pieces on the latest cookware and appliances that I put up a wall when it comes to new fads or trends.  When I heard about T-fal’s Actifry, I took it with a grain of salt.  But as Elie Krieger explained to me, and to quote her directly: “It really is awesome.”  Then Ming Tsai talked about the Actifry and Emeril Lagasse talked about the Actifry and even David Lebovitz wrote about it.

And yesterday, my Actifry arrived at my door.

Actifry is a revolutionary, new and healthier way of cooking.  It produces food with less fat and calories than traditional methods.  For example, everyone loves French fries (or if you prefer, chips, frites or crisps) but nobody loves the deep fat frying that goes with it.  Actifry allows you to make fries at home — with just a teaspoon of oil.  Nothing else needed, which means no added fat or calories.

Now, I’ve seen the fry demos on TV.  I’ve read a lot about how wonderful the food tastes, just like they came out of a deep fryer.  Since I’m a skeptic, I decided my first use of the Actifry would be a twist on regular fries.  I decided to do tater tots.  I emptied a two pound bag of frozen tater tots into the Actifry and drizzled one scant little half tablespoon of canola oil.  I closed the lid and pressed start.

Fifteen minutes later, I had hot, crispy, flavorful tater tots waiting for me!  I tasted the first tot and was amazed.  I decided to close the lid and let them go for another five minutes.  They were even crispier and the aroma of just made potatoes filled my kitchen!  I was so delighted I threw in a handful of mini corn dogs. This time, there was no oil, just the corn dogs as is.  Minutes later, I had steaming hot corn dogs that were toasted on the outside and warm and tender on the inside.

Because I can’t leave well enough alone, I decided to make the Actifry do a healthy dinner dish.  After all, it’s categorized as a multi-cooker appliance.  I took a pound of un-cooked, peeled shrimp and a handful of fresh snow peas and voila!  Dinner was made with just a teaspoon of sesame oil.  In the last minutes of cooking, I added low-sodium soy sauce and the results were fabulous — much less fat and sodium than take-out.

Since so many of us know we need to reduce fats and oils from our diet, the Actifry really is going to revolutionize our kitchens.  It’s not exactly a cheap piece of equipment, but places like HSN allow for monthly flex-pays which millions of shoppers love to take advantage of.  I will be demonstrating the Actifry as a representative for  T-fal on HSN on Saturday, March 10 and I’m super excited.  From now until next week, I’ll be creating healthy, low-fat, no-oil or low-oil recipes for everyone to enjoy.

So far, I’m thinking about a spring risotto (with peas and fresh herbs), saucy chicken wings and some kind of hearty and spicy jambalaya.  Any other ideas?  Let me know and I may just go on-air with your recipe!

Birthday Photo

Today is my birthday — and I’m exactly where I want to be!

Day 5: No Fear – Part 2

Don't mess with the chef!

“Es stupido!”  Chef Estela is saying sternly.  ”No one has ever harassed my students, and no one ever will again!”

She is stomping around the kitchen, angry at the turn of events that happened last night.  ”I will not stand for this,” she says over and over.

I am making tamales.  Chef Estela is on the phone with the Governor’s office. Look out!

Day 4: No Fear

Dirty cop - el bastardo!

I was all set to write about my lesson today on making Chiles en Nogada (the national dish of Mexico) however, it’s almost midnight, I’m somewhat tipsy, and the tequila in my system is the only thing that’s calming my anger right now.

Today, I ventured into the City of Puebla with two other travelers.  We had a great day of sightseeing and shopping at the markets.  We hired a personal driver to stay with us wherever we went.  When we decided we had enough, we asked him to take us back to Tlaxcala.  Just before we entered the ramp for the highway, we were greeted with a siren, flashing lights and instructions to pull over.

Our taxi driver immediately left the car and presented his license to the officer.  A verbal exchange took place, and the officer then went into his car and took out pliers, screwdrivers and a hammer.  Our driver continued to beg and plead with him.  Then the officer got back into his car and stayed there.  At this point our driver came to us and said: “Dinero….. CASH.”

Apparently, the officer wanted $400 for us to be let go.  Luckily, none of us scare easily.  Instead of paying him, I whipped out my mobile phone and took a picture of the cop, his car and his license plate.  My buddy opened his wallet and handed over 200 pesos, which is just under $20 bucks.  ”No more,” my friend sternly said, and the driver took the cash and handed it to the officer.

The officer then got mad, got in his car, sped around our car and practically hit us from behind.  The officer got out of the car and started to rip the license plate off of the taxi.  Our driver then pulled out his wallet and paid him more cash.  The cop quickly sped away.

While we were on the road, I showed our driver the photo I took of the cop.  ”Please, senorita,” he said to me, “do not make trouble for me.”  He explained that if I reported the cop to the authorities, he would have problems every time he went into Puebla.  He said that this is the way things are in Mexico, and that really, we should just forget about it.

Well, I couldn’t leave well enough alone.  I decided that our driver needed to learn English.  For the rest of the ride, he learned the words: Motherf*$cker, bull-$hit, @sshole and the phrase “don’t F*)(k with me!”  And when we reached our destination, we tripled the fare and paid him more than enough for the shakedown money.

Because I promised our driver I would not make trouble for him, I have not filed a report.  But I am left angry and saddened for someone who works so hard only to be stepped on by someone who is supposed to protect him.  I am also convinced that whenever and wherever I travel, I’m not going to be afraid.  I had every right to snap that picture of the cop and his car, and I’m not going to apologize for that.  My buddy Ted was right in saying “no more.”  Sometimes, you just have to stand your ground.

I maybe rolling over for my driver, but I’m not going to be afraid to share my story or my experience.  This kind of bullying isn’t going to stop my vacation.  There are more good people in this world than bad and I refuse to believe otherwise.  Whoever that cop is, I wish him a lifetime of heartache and hemorroids.  Tomorrow is another day.