Spicy Pasta with Arugula and Anchovy

Normally I do not start with a picture, but this dish is gorgeous!

This is another great summer dish that is so easy to make since it only has a couple ingredients: pasta, arugula, garlic, anchovies, olive oil and crushed red pepper. I call this a summer dish because although you can buy arugula in the grocery store year round,  the fresh arugula that you will get in the summer (particularly at farmer's markets) is far superior.

Start by chopping up your arugula (you need about 2 cups), and thinly slicing about 2 cloves of garlic.

In 1 tablespoon of olive oil, sauteed the garlic and anchovies. Depending on your taste preferences, use about 6-10 fillets. I am partial to the anchovies packed in oil at Eataly. I really like the different versions with parsley and red pepper flakes. Since they come packed in oil, I pour in some of the oil to the pan. Saute until the anchovies start to liquefy, just a couple minutes.

Next transfer your pasta (spaghetti for this dish; 1/2 to 3/4 of a box) that you have cooked in salted boiling water for 7-10 minutes to the pan. Add in the chopped arugula and a few pinches of red pepper flakes. I think the spicier the better! The anchovies are pretty salty so you do not need any additional salt with this dish. Enjoy!!

Lycopene Party

AKA homemade tomato sauce! Making tomato sauce (or gravy) should always be the preference over jarred. It is SO easy and SO healthy. Cooking tomatoes increases the concentration of lycopene, supposedly a major disease fighter (cancer, cardiovascular, diabetes) so making sauce is a no-brainer. Tomato season peaks in the summer so that is when you are going to get the best supply.

Start with softening onions and some garlic in olive oil. Lycopene is fat soluble, so the oil helps your system absorb it. I have seen recipes with other vegetables (carrots, zucchini), so I think you can add vegetables to your liking.

Next, slice up your tomatoes. I used 6 large and that yielded enough sauce for several servings for two people. How beautiful are these??

Slice the tomatoes into chunks and transfer to your deep pan. Turn the heat to low and stir occasionally, constantly monitoring. Every now and then you can mash up the tomatoes a bit.

It takes quite awhile to cook, at least 30 minutes. Once done, you can thicken it up if needed. I do not use tomato paste, but I have found that a tiny bit of butter does the trick. I also add in a few sprinkles of brown sugar, plus salt and pepper to taste.

Tomato sauce stores well in the freezer if sealed up correctly, but nothing betas eating it right away. Rather than freeze it, I prefer to use up all of the sauce across different meals within  a week or so. This sauce is really yummy. It is sweet and tangy, and there is something to be said for making it from scratch!

Gastronomic Adventure: NOLA

My husband, aka Mr. Needy Chef is a proud Tulane alum. One of the first things he talked about on our first date was the city of New Orleans. He has a deep deep love for that city and we would love to one day own a second (or first) home there. Two years later he finally took me, and the city was still showing the effects of Katrina. Happily, we went again in 2010 and were pleased to see it bustling.

Even though I have only been there twice, I too have a huge affection for New Orleans. I think a main reason for this is because food is arguably the biggest element of the culture. And they do food WELL. If you ever go, forget any diet you have ever been on and indulge your balls off. While there we experienced both the touristy and the local, high end and dirt cheap. Since it has been awhile, I have probably forgotten some of the details in these dishes, but really who cares. The pictures are enough to make you salivate and book your ticket.

I regret that I have no pictures of one of my favorite meals, but I will do my best to describe it. Cooter Brown's is a dive. It also serves the best oysters I have ever eaten, at $8 a dozen (damn inflation, says Mr. NC). Picture oysters that are literally the size of your hand. Creamy, briny, juicy, salty. The fixins bar is phenomenal. Nothing is pre-made. You make your own cocktail sauce with ketchup and horseradish so you can give it as much bite as your want. There is also vinegar to make mignonette. All washed down with your favorite Abita.

Touristy as it is, you can't go to New Orleans without a visit to Cafe du Monde. Do yourself a favor and wait on line as long as it takes. Order the delicious beignets, with some chickory coffee and enjoy the fantastic people watching.

One of the more touristy things we did was go to Emeril's. I was prepared for good, but cookie-cutter fare. A franchise that popular and long standing was probably good, but predictable. So happy to say that I was wrong. The food was elegant, adventurous and delicious. I started with angel hair pasta, with smoked mushrooms and homemade tasso cream sauce. I had never had this before and it was really good. Tasso cream sauce is made with garlic, shallots, cream, onions, lemon juice, hot sauce and tasso, which is a spicy smoked pork. It was so rich and creamy. It was probably one of my favorite dishes of the trip.

Mr. NC started with a rabbit remoulade. I ate rabbit for the first time when we went in 2007 and I ashamed to say it was adorably delicious.

For my main course I had Saffron-Chili Dusted Jumbo Shrimp with Sweet Potato-Smoked Corn Grits, Skillet Beans, Benton's Bacon and Mango Chow Chow. I loved the sweet and savory flavor combination.

Mr. NC had quail. I think it was a special that night since I do not see it on the current menu. I am not a quail fan, but he seemed to enjoy it.

I do not have a picture of dessert, probably because I was too stuffed at that point to lift my camera. I got Emeril's classic banana cream pie. It was HUGE. Thick, creamy, with an amazing graham cracker crust and fresh mounds of whipped cream.

Switching gears to a local place and the best sandwich I have ever eaten. I actually kissed this sandwich and had legitimate tears in my eyes upon my last bite. My profile picture on this site is me, mid-bite. Crabby Jack's is a local sandwich joint. I ordered the shrimp remoulade and fried green tomato po' boy, dressed (lettuce tomato and mayo). What really helps make this sandwich is the bread. It manages to soak up all of the juices, while staying so chewy. I dream about this sandwich.

A well known place we headed to was Port O'Call. They are known for their burgers and baked potato and you will see why in the pictures. The wait there is usually pretty long so for our "starter" we headed to the convenience store across the street and had some Cajun Crawtator Zapps (Zapps are the best chips ever. The only store I have seen them in up here is Wegman's), a Hubig's apple pie, washed down with some Abita. Now that our digestive system had a sufficient warm-up, we were ready for the main course. If you can make anything out beneath the sour cream, you will see a burger covered in shredded cheese, and a baked potato also loaded with butter, bacon and cheese. So healthy.

Another great local place is Mandina's. The area it is in is a little sketch but worth the trip if you have a rental car. This is one of those meals where your stomach is begging for mercy at the end, but that won't stop me from ordering the exact same meal the next time I go.

We started with turtle soup. Yes, actual turtle meat. The best part of the soup is the shot of sherry they pour in at the end.

Next we had a roast beef po' boy, dressed. I will say that if you get the soup, two people should probably split the po' boy, but sweet Lord is it good.

All washed down with a few bottles of Amber, of course.



We end with what is by far my favorite restaurant in New Orleans, Jaques-imos. There actually used to be one on 77th and Columbus. It is now a Shake Shack which both saddens and infuriates me. I can't go north of 59th Street on the West Side without having phantom tastings of their alligator cheesecake (yep, that's right). Whenever we head to New Orleans, Jaques-imos is a must.

We always get the same two appetizers, alligator cheesecake and fried green tomatoes. The alligator cheesecake is really more of a quiche, with tender alligator meat, a crumbly crust and the most decadent filling/sauce that I can never accurately explain. The fried green tomatoes are served with prawns and are amazing as well.

For the main course, Mr. NC stuck with his trusty rabbit. Mentally, I know it is hard to get past the idea of eating rabbit. But you know, there is a food chain and human beats bunny. And rabbit is amazing. More than anything it is so tender. You won't regret it.



For my main course, I had scallops and poached pear, in a red wine sauce with chopped walnuts and crumbled blue cheese. I talk a lot about my love for sweet and savory, and combining different textures and this dish personifies all of that.

You will not have room for dessert at Jaques-imos.

I have shared only the smallest sample of what this city has to offer your taste buds. Beyond the flavors and ingredients, what really makes this food special is the love and pride that goes into it.

Mother's Day Brunch

Last Mother's Day, I was lucky enough to cook for both my mother and my mother-in-law. I love brunch. In one of Anthony Bourdain's books, he has some not so nice things to say about brunch (leftover ingredients, leftover chefs), but I disagree. My favorite part about brunch is that anything goes. Appropriate food ranges from eggs to sweets to fish to cheese. And of course any meal that encourages copious amounts of delicious cocktails is a clear winner.

I am not a big sweets for breakfast person, I definitely prefer savory protein. I decided to make scrambled eggs with grilled steak, bacon and grilled tomatoes. A last minute passive aggressive request by my father in law for my stuffed french toast added one final dish :) I do not have exact measurements for most of this, but I made a meal for 6 people.

I have to admit, since it has been a long time I can not remember exactly what kind of steak I used, but I think it was bone-in, possibly sirloin or strip.  I made up my own steak marinade last summer that my mother in law loved so much she has been using it exclusively. Since I made this marinade up, I don't have exact measurements but I will approximate. If you decide to make it, just make sure you continuously taste it. To make the marinade, mix together about a cup of olive oil with about 3 tablespoons of honey and 2-3 tablespoons of soy sauce.. Add a tablespoon or so of crushed garlic and about 2-3 table spoons of FRESH chopped rosemary. Mix vigorously and season with salt and pepper to taste. Coat your steak with the marinade and marinate overnight if possible. If not, get it in the fridge, covered, for at least an hour.

Fire up the grill and when it gets super hot, load on your steaks. To cook medium steaks, it is about 7 minutes per side. More or less depending on how done you want it. There should be a nice char on it. Toward the end, sprinkle on some more fresh rosemary.

Also using the grill, I made grilled tomatoes. I sliced the tomato pretty thick, only about 3, maybe 4, slices per tomato. Brush them with olive oil and salt/pepper and grill til slightly charred and nice and juicy. Tear up some basil and sprinkle over the finished tomatoes.

Scrambled eggs are super easy to make but you need to pay attention. I hate dry eggs so I prefer them to be a little gooey. Whisk together all of the eggs and a little bit of milk. I also add a couple slivers of butter along with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. In your skillet, melt about a tablespoon of butter. To keep this dish super savory, I chopped up two cloves of garlic and browned before I added the eggs. Using a non-metal spatula, gently push the eggs around the pan constantly, never allowing them to really stick. Cook to your desired consistency.

Bacon is very simple to make. I prefer mine crispy, so my biggest challenge is just timing everything right so that the rest of my food doesn't get cold while I am cooking the bacon. I am lucky enough to have a brother in law that provides me with FRESH, non-store bought bacon. It is unreal. Absolutely no additional fat is needed to cook the bacon. Your first couple pieces may initially stick to the pan, but the natural fats will soon come out. One little trick that you can add about 30 seconds before the bacon leaves the pan is the slightest drizzle of maple syrup.

 

I have to say, my stuffed french toast is pretty incredible :) I am really proud of it because I made it completely on instinct and it turns out delicious each time. Start with challah. I don't think any bread compares when it comes to french toast. Slice your challah THICK!! Don't forget, you are going to have to stuff that baby. On each piece of bread, take a very small, sharp knife and make an incision along the side, about 3/4 the way through. Stuff the slices with strawberries and bananas.

In a bowl combine eggs, milk, vanilla and cinnamon. Again, taste this to your liking. I prefer a heavy vanilla flavor. Dunk each slice and transfer to your heated griddle (melt some butter on it first).

Cook each side for about 2-3 minutes or until very nicely browned.You want to make sure all of the egg cooks and the bread is moist but not soggy.

I do not think this french toast needs any syrup so instead I served it with more fresh strawberries and bananas, plus blueberries, along with warmed nutella.

This was a lot of food and a challenge to time everything. But looking at all of the food together, it was a really nice selection.

I was really proud of this meal. I thought there was something for everyone, the flavors were varied and everyone left the table feeling stuffed and happy!

The Mussels From....Gramercy Park

I LOVE MUSSELS! They are one of my favorite things to eat. The dish that I made was traditional with a white wine sauce, but the thing I love most about them is that they translate well with some many flavors. There are two mussel restaurants in the city that I love: Flex Mussels and The Mussel Pot. The variety of flavors is intense: Spanish, Cajun, Southwestern...all fantastic.

To get the mussels started throw some olive oil into a DEEP pot. Slice 1-2 onions and a few cloves of garlic and saute under a low flame until tender but not brown.

Add the mussels! I usually buy about 2 pounds. Here in New York, you can't beat Chinatown for seafood, but Whole Foods is a good, albeit pricey, alternative. Add the mussels, cover the pot and steam until the mussels are opened. If any mussels do not open, or open only a sliver, that means they are bad so throw them away.

Next you need to add some liquid. I use a combination of white wine and water (about a 3 to 1 ratio). How much liquid is subjective; I use a lot. You don't want to make a mussel soup, but you definitely want enough to slurp up with the mussels, plus sop up with bread. I also like to squeeze a whole lemon over the pot. Spoon over all of the mussles so that none get too dry. Chop up a bunch of parsley and season with salt to taste.

The only side dish I feel is necessary is some good crusty bread :)

Getting Excited for Spring (...in 4 months)

I made the dishes here late last Spring. There is something about them that seem so light and fresh that just thinking about them makes me excited for farmer's markets and warmer weather. Given that we are only 7 days into Winter, I probably need to get excited about something else in the meantime...

This pasta dish came from Food and Wine Magazine and was actually courtesy of Gwyneth Paltrow. Say what you want about her, any time I have ever read Gwyneth/food articles I am really impressed. She seems to have an innate sense of what tastes good so I will definitely try some more of her recipes.

I love this pasta dish because of it's simplicity. There are just a few ingredients: pasta (I used spaghetti but linguine would also work fine), zucchini, flour, olive oil, lemon, grated Parmesan cheese and black pepper.

Salt a pot of water and bring it to a boil. Add the pasta. A full box should serve 4-6 people and maybe give you some leftovers. I cook pasta about 10 minutes to keep it slightly al dente. Slice the zucchini ( to serve four people, I'd use two). Coat the zucchini in flour and fry in about a quarter inch or oil until browned on both sides. About halfway through you may need to start fresh with the oil so that your remaining zucchini doesn't get overly browned.

Once done, add the zucchini to the pasta, squeeze some lemon over it (I also put some lemon wedges in the bowl), sprinkle with the grated Parmesan (it will start to melt which is amazing), lots of freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste if needed.

Tomato season peaks July-September, but when I made this meal they were starting to look good so I did a simple bruschetta. Slice up a loaf of Italian bread, brush with olive oil and broil til lightly browned and crunchy. Cut the tomato into small chunks, put in a stainer and let the juices drain. Add to the tomato chopped garlic, olive oil, salt and basil and top the bread. There are probably tons of ways to make this dish but my version is easy and tastes great.



And now for what it probably my favorite dessert to make, my blueberry tart. I actually prefer this later in the summer when I can add peaches to it, but either way it is phenomenal.

There are three components to this dish: the crust, the filling and the crumble.

First, preheat the oven to 350. To make the crust you need 1 cup flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, 1/4 teaspoon baking powder, 1/4 cup cold butter (or smart balance), 1 egg and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract. Place flour, sugar and baking powder in a medium size bowl. Add the butter and mix til crumbly. Add the egg and almond extract and combine until the dough will form into a ball. Flour your hands and press dough into the bottom and up the sides of a pie dish.

For the filling, wash blueberries and pat dry. If using peaches, peel, pit and slice them. You want 3 cups of fruit total. Combine fruit, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of sugar and pour over crust.

Finally, for the crumble topping combine 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg and 6 table spoons butter or smart balance. Once it is nice and crumbly, sprinkle over the tart and bake about 35-40 minutes until it is golden brown. This dessert is rich and refreshing at the same time.

All of the food here is super tasty, light and seasonal. I hope the next four months fly by!

The Lazy Chef?

It's been a LONG time. Blame the summer, blame the Upfront, blame the holidays.....the bottom line is a backlog of a whole bunch of posts that are coming your way! Some may seem rather unseasonal given it is December 28th, but I hope you enjoy and they make you long for some of the other seasons.