Ember Room - Photo Essay

I love having friends who work in food journalism because I get to go to restaurant menu tasting events. Love it! My friend Will who works with The Daily Meal as a recipe editor and invited me last night to a menu tasting at the Ember Room in Hell's Kitchen, NYC. Chef Pongtawat "Ian" Chalermkittichai invited a few publications to come taste their new menu items. Despite having just arrived back in New York after a visit to Thailand and waking up super early to do a morning show on CBS, Chef Ian was gracious, welcoming and nice enough to by our table a few times to talk about his food and travels. Ember Room is not his first restaurant in the city, his first restaurant, self-titled Kittichai, is actually one of my favorite places in the city so I had high hopes for the food. I certainly wasn't disappointed. 

 Crispy Rock Corn Shrimp - tempura battered shrimp, roasted melting eggplant, sweet tamarind dressing, shredded hard-boiled egg

 Thai Tacos - shredded chicken, bean sprouts, chives, peanut, tofu, coconut, sweet chili sauce

 “Yum Hoi” Pomelo Scallops - seared “diver” scallops, chili jam glaze, pomelo salad, roasted pepper-lime dressing

 Koi Tuna Tartare - fresh tuna, roasted ground rice, crispy tortillas, chili-lime dressing

 Had Yai Volcano Chicken - oven-roasted turmeric-coconut marinated chicken, green chili sauce (IT'S ON FIRE!)

 Korean BBQ-Beef Fried Rice - wok-fried rice, kimchee, bbq beef, topped with raw egg.

 Crispy Whole Striped Bass - whole fish, sweet/sour/spicy sauce, crispy basil 

 Red Curry Crispy Duck - lychee, pineapple, cherry tomato, eggplant

 Mango with Sticky Rice & Toasted Coconut Ice Cream

 Pandan Pot de Crème with Waffle and Pandan Ice Cream

PUBLIC Sunday Supper - Photo Essay

 Chilled Diver Scallop, Fried Shallots, Cucumber Yuzu Dressing

 Oyster Rampafella - Baked Hama Hama Oyster, Ramp, Parmesan

 Tasmanian Sea Trout with Spring Cassoulet -  Braised Artichoke, Fresh Fava Beans, Garbanzo Beans & Peas

 Long Island Duck, Foie Gras Butter, Ash Roasted Ramp, Buttermilk Puree, Pickled Bean Sprouts

 Cinnamon Waffle, Nutella Crema, Chocolate Spiced Ice Cream, Banana Caramel Sauce

Hunger Games - Lamb Stew with Prunes

I think this is perhaps the most famous recipe from the Hunger Games books - probably because Katniss said it was her favorite thing about the Capitol and readers of the book all know that she is no fan of the Capitol.

While reading the description of this dish in the book my initial reaction was definitely more skeptical than excited. Prunes? That's what my grandfather would eat if he felt... you know. Dried fruit has never been of particular interest to me. Why eat it dried when you could have fresh grapes, plums, apricots, cherries? After a little research, I saw that dried fruit is really prevalent in north african cuisine like tagines and heavily spiced rustic stews. My rendition is inspired by the flavors of that cuisine but fused with ingredients I thought made this dish more appealing to me.

Ingredients:

2 lbs lamb
2 cups onion, sliced
1 cup carrots, diced
1 can tomatoes, diced
1 can chickpeas
1 cup prunes, halved
2 tablespoons plum brandy
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 bay leaf
Salt & Pepper

Directions:

Mix the dry spices together in a bowl. Coat the lamb in half of the spice rub, season with extra salt and pepper and let it sit for 30 minutes. Heat a pot on the stove over medium high heat. Add vegetable oil to the hot pan and sear all sides of the lamb.

Take the lamb out of the pot and set aside. Add the onions and carrots to the lamb drippings in the pot. Saute for a few minutes until onions begin to brown on the edges. Add garlic and cook for another minute. De-glaze the pan with plum brandy; add the tomatoes (with all the juices) with the other vegetables. Season with salt and pepper.

Nestle the lamb back into the pot and add water until the lamb is covered. Turn the flame down to a low and let the lamb simmer for 1.5 hours. 

Drain the chickpeas from the can and rinse with water. Add the prunes and chickpeas into the stew (with a little more water if it looks dry). Simmer for another 30 minutes. Serve over a bed of wild rice or couscous and enjoy Katniss's favorite Capitol meal.

Hunger Games - Noodles in Green Sauce

How perfect that it is St Patrick's Day weekend because my next Hunger Games recipe is from the same meal as the paper thin beef carpaccio, noodles in GREEN SAUCE!

"The servers, all young people dressed in white tunics like the one who gave us wine, move wordlessly to and from the table, keeping the platters and glasses full. About halfway through my glass of wine, [Katniss] head starts feeling foggy, so [she] changes to water instead." Well let me tell you something, I will NOT be changing to water this weekend. And hopefully there will be young hot people dressed in GREEN keeping my glass full.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
3/4 cup onion, finely diced
3 cups milk
10 oz. frozen spinach
1/2 lb pasta
salt & pepper


Directions:

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Salt the water and add pasta. Follow directions on package; cook until pasta is al dente.


Melt the butter in a pan over medium-low heat. Put onions in with butter and sweat them for 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add flour to the pan and cook for 2-3 more minutes. 

Whisk in 2 cups of the milk slowly. I use skim milk to keep it a little healthier but any milk you have on hand will do. Simmer for 5 minutes while the sauce thickens. Season well with salt and pepper.

Add the frozen spinach to the sauce and stir together. Simmer for another 5 minutes until everything is well combined and the sauce takes on a green hue. Stir in remaining last cup of milk until the sauce thins out a bit and reaches desired consistency. Taste and season with more salt and pepper. 

Drain the pasta and add to the sauce. Toss together and give the pasta a few minutes before serving.

Hunger Games - Lamb Chops with Carrot Soup

My second Hunger Games inspired recipe is Katniss's first meal after volunteering as tribute. She never got the chance to eat her fish stew with greens. Tearful goodbyes and nerves of steel must take a lot of energy because Katniss was able to chow down a big meal of thick carrot soup, green salad and lamb chops on board the Panem-bound train. 

After teetering on the edge of starvation most of her life, this was her first 'Capitol' meal and the sheer volume of it had her mind whirling. Hunger Games, the movie, is actually working with non-profit organizations - Feeding America & World Food Programme - to bring attention to issues of food shortage and those who don't have enough to eat on a daily basis.  

This meal is actually not that difficult to make. In order to minimize cost and effort, each component of the meal is 5 ingredients or less (water, oil, salt & pepper not included).

 Ingredients:

Carrot Soup - 
1 lb baby carrots
1 can (14 oz) diced carrots
1 small onion
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1 bay leaf
3 cups of water
salt & pepper


Lamb Chops - 
1 lb lamb chops
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
salt & pepper


Kale Salad - 
2 cups kale, chopped
1 tablespoon shallots
2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
3 tablespoons olive oil
salt & pepper

Directions:

Mix garlic, balsamic vinegar, and soy sauce in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Place lamb chops into the mix and make sure each one is coated in the marinade. Set aside while you prepare the carrot soup.

Heat a pot with 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Add onions into the pot and season with salt. Sweat the onions for a few minutes and add the carrots and tomatoes. Cook for another 10 minutes. Add water to the vegetables; season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 15 minutes.


Mix the shallots, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard and olive oil into the vinaigrette for the kale salad. Rinse and chop the kale into small pieces. Since kale is a tough green, it can withstand being dressed a little early. You can toss vinaigrette into the kale now or later if you prefer.


Heat a skillet or grill to a high temperature. Dry off excess moisture off each lamb chop and place onto the grill. Cook for 5 minutes before flipping and give the second side another 4-5 minutes for a medium rare chop. If you prefer it more well done, adjust time accordingly. Give the lamb chops 5 minutes of resting time before serving.

Turn off heat under the carrot soup. Pour contents into a food processor or blender. Puree the soup until smooth. If the soup seems a little chunky, add a bit more water until the contents reaches desired consistency. Taste and season one last time. 

Serve the soup with the lamp chops and green salad & enjoy Katniss's first 'Capitol' meal!

Hunger Games - Fish Stew with Greens

Like a growing percentage of the country, I am a Hunger Games fan. No surprise either, USA Today just gave the top three spots for February 2012's best-sellers to the Hunger Games trilogy. The action, the drama, the love triangle, and of course the kick-ass female protagonist Katniss Everdeen.

Another part of the story that caught my attention was the food. The dish descriptions were so detailed it made me hungry. So naturally I began to make plans to attempt some of these dishes. I will be making some creations inspired by the Hunger Games, but these recipes will be MY interpretations. Since I'm the one who has to eat the product, I want it to be tasty... here we go!

With the movie coming out in less than 3 weeks (WOOHOO!!!!!!)  I thought I should try my recipes in chronological order from the novel. The first scenes of the book is Gale and Katniss hunting in the woods past the fence of District 12. After collecting their bounty and trading in the hob, she uses the remainder of their fish and greens to make a stew. Here is my version of that.


Ingredients:

1 lb white fleshed fish (cod/halibut/sole)
1 lb spicy Italian sausage
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 potatoes, diced
2 cans low sodium chicken stock
6 cups water
1 cup cream
4 cups kale, chopped
salt & pepper

Directions:

Heat a pot over medium heat.  Put the vegetable oil into the pot and add the spicy Italian sausage. Brown the sausage for 5 minutes. Add onion, garlic, and crushed red pepper flakes into the pot with the vegetable oil. Cook for another 5 minutes until the onions become translucent.

Add the chicken stock and water to the pot and bring to a boil. Add the potatoes into the boiling broth and adjust stove to medium-low temperature. Simmer for 15 minutes.

While the broth is simmering away, get the kale and fish ready. Take the kale off the stem and chop into bite-size pieces. Take skin off the fish (if there is any) so you are only left with the flesh of the filet. Cut the fish filet into one inch pieces. Season with salt and pepper.

Add the fish and kale into the soup. Simmer for another 5-7 minutes until the fish is cook all the way through.

Turn the heat off and pour in the cream. Taste and season one last time and serve immediately.

Stuffed Zucchini

When things come into season and produce is really cheap at the supermarket I can't help myself. A trait I inherited from my mother, if it's on sale and fresh, buy it! However, it can lead to an overstuffed refrigerator and ten pounds of zucchini that needs to be consumed.

When you have too much of an ingredient, that ingredient needs to become the main component of a meal, as to use as much of it as possible. Luckily, I love zucchini so I made delicious stuffed zucchini boats and had it for dinner and lunch the next day.

Ingredients:

4 zucchinis
1 cup onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup tomatoes, chopped
1 tablespoon of olive oil
2 cups panko breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons Italian parsley
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
Salt & Pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut the zucchini length-wise and scoop the inside out of the halves. Chop the flesh of the zucchini into similar sized pieces like the onions and tomatoes.

Heat the skillet over high heat. Put oil into the pan. Add the chopped zucchini, onions and garlic in with the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper while letting the vegetables soften. After 5 minutes, the onions start to look translucent; add tomatoes to the pan and cook for a few more minutes.

Line an oven safe sheet pan with aluminum foil and place emptied zucchini halves onto the baking sheet. Fill the zucchini boats with the zucchini, onion & tomatoes. Stir together the panko breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese and Italian parsley in a bowl and top the zucchini halves with the mixture.

Place in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until breadcrumbs are golden brown. Serve with a side salad for a light meal or add a pasta or protein for a more filling dinner.

Ultimate Romantic Dinner - Fondue

In lieu of Valentine's Day tomorrow, I was thinking about a truly romantic dinner. What should that entail exactly? Is it having someone cook you a great meal? Is it cooking together? Should it be extravagant and complicated? I think there needs to be a delicate balance between cooking and enjoying on a sensitive day like V-day. Someone cooking for you is nice but that would require spending some time apart. Cooking together and doing it well is a romantic notion to me but it can go awry when trying to do something overly complicated.

The answer... FONDUE! It's simple to prepare and it just requires 15-20 minutes of prep work. While one person melts the cheese into a sauce, the other can prepare all the dippers. Team work people!

Ingredients:

1/2 lb Swiss
1/2 lb Gruyere
1 cup white wine
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg (optional)

Suggested Dippers:

Bread
Apples
Chorizo sausage
Baby potatoes
Broccoli

Directions:

Grate the cheeses into a bowl and toss with the cornstarch.

Heat your fondue bowl (read the directions on your specific fondue bowl, some can be heated on stove while others need to be transferred) or a pot over medium low heat. Rub the inside of the pot with garlic. Discard the garlic for a subtle garlic taste but I don't think there is ever enough garlic. I mince the garlic and put it into the pot with wine. Bring the wine and garlic up to a simmer.


Add cornstarch coated cheese slowing to the simmering wine a little at a time until all the cheese is melted. Add pepper and nutmeg. The cheese sauce should have the consistency of a thick sauce that coats the back of a spoon but drips smoothly. If the cheese sauce is a little thick, add a bit more wine. If too thin, sprinkle in some more cornstarch.

Prepare all the dippers into a good dipping size. Boil the potatoes until fork tender. Blanch the vegetables for a couple minutes before eating. 

Asian Braised Pork Belly

With my family background and my mother's love of home cooking, I grew up eating all sorts of food and a lot of it became a fusion of what she knew, what she liked, and what we had in the house. This braised pork recipe is my mom's, a mixture between filipino, vietnamese, and chinese maybe? Mostly made with things she always had in the pantry for an easy dish she could throw into a pot and leave for a few hours while she ran other errands.

 

Ingredients: 

1 lb pork belly

2 teaspoon vegetable oil

3-4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup soy sauce

2 tablespoons fish sauce

1 inch piece of brown rock sugar (1 tablespoon brown sugar)

2 teaspoons black pepper

Directions:

Take the pork belly and but into 1 1/2 inch cubes. 

Heat the vegetable oil in a small bottom heavy pan or dutch oven pot (with cover) over medium high heat. When oil begins to ripple, brown the pork belly in the pan for 2 minutes just to get the fat to soften a bit. Add garlic to the pan and continue to brown from another 2 minutes. Keep a watchful eye on the heat; do not like the garlic burn! 

Add the soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar and freshly cracked black pepper to the pot. Let the liquid come to a boil and when the sugar is completely dissolved, add enough water to cover the pork belly. Cover the pot and let the pork belly simmer for an hour. 

After the first hour, check the pork. If the pot looks dry, add more water to the pot and simmer for another hour. Turn off the stove and let the pork cool in the sauce for 5 minutes before serving. Best served on top of white rice with a little of the sauce spoon on top of it and a side of vegetables. 

One if by Land, Two if by Sea - Restaurant Week

Behold! Another restaurant week adventure! My goal for this restaurant week season was to go somewhere every week. Though is wasn't properly spaced out, I did get to go to four restaurants that were participating in this winter's restaurant week. Though I was really excited for Cafe Boulud, I have heard so many good things about One if by Land; I was glad to finally have the chance to go.

Many have said that One if by Land is the most romantic restaurant in New York City, I'm not a fan of absolutes but I will say that it was very comfortable and their candlelit tables gave the meal a certain ambiance. The room was mostly tables of two, though there were a few larger tables that came to enjoy restaurant week in a group. Since Sarah and I both had lighter entrees we paired our meal with a great German white wine. Riesling-Kabinett is a dryer version of a typically sweet wine. It was really delicious and went wonderfully with our food. Slam Dunk! 

Prinzsalm Riesling-Kabinett 2007

 Amuse Bouche - Aerated Celery Root Puree topped with Green Apple and Champagne Vinegar Meringue

 Honey-Jalapeno Butter & Roasted Red Pepper Butter for bread

Roasted Bartlett Pear with Maytag Blue Cheese, Endive & ‘Trail Mix’

 Chestnut Tagliatelle with Venison Ragout & Pecorino Ginepro

 Hake in Japanese Pine Broth, Shitake Mushrooms, Ginger Sticky Rice & a (perfectly) Steamed Egg

 Beech Mushroom Risotto with Castelmagno, Superfino Carnarolli & Chervil Oil

 Maple Ice Cream Sundae with Caramel Popcorn, Bacon-Infused Chocolate Sauce & Candied Bacon

 Complimentary Petits Fours at the end of our meal

Normally a meal at this restaurant would run you $80 dollars and though the restaurant week menu is more limited than the normal prix-fixe menu, the options were still delicious and I was completely satisfied (if not stuffed) by the end of dinner.