Lazy Summer Days

Yes, I know I have been remiss in updating the blog.   Rest assured, it isn't because I gave up cooking or eating.  I've travelled a bit and have taken the lazy days of summer to heart.  I remember my trip based on what I ate, Mussels and pomme frites in Brussels (of course), Raclette in Geneva, Thumper in Prague, and "Cosmopolitans" in Bratislava. 

I have to recommend Mussels in Brussels.  There are plenty of places to get good mussels in the States.  I think the difference in Belgium is that even the sketchy eateries know how to perfectly cook a mussel so they are flavorful and don't taste like a rubber band.  Just instinct, but I think the local beer helps a lot.  I am not a french fry gal, but the pomme frites in Brussels converted me.  I was confidentially told that the secret is frying the pomme frites twice resulting in a crispy exterior and creamy interior. 

Our hosts weren't too excited about having raclette for dinner in the middle of summer, but lucky for me they acquiesced. Raclette, a type of Swiss Cheese, has a fairly strong, but pleasant, flavor.  Traditionally, the swiss mountain men would take a wheel of raclette and melt it on the fire and then scrape off the melted cheese and serve it over potatoes or pickles.  The modern version is "raclette a gogo," or a basket of potatoes and cornichons and pickled onions, and of course cheese.  It's a gogo because as soon as you finish one plate of cheese another miraculously appears.  I think I literally ate a pound of cheese.  If you can find raclette in the States, I highly recommend trying it.  If you don't have a raclette maker (they sell them at Williams Sonoma), melt the cheese under the broiler.  Serve it with boiled fingerling potatoes and pickles.

The Kitchen Klutz Enjoying A Bratislavan CosmoThe rest of the trip was just as satisfying.  The rabbit in Prague was delicious.  It was served with a honey bacon reduction.  The sauce was actually very light and perfect with the rabbit which truly does taste like chicken.  In Bratislava, I ordered my "Cosmopolitan" by pointed to the table next to me and, using universal food language, motioned that I wanted what she was drinking.  The Slovakian version of the Cosmo is SO much better that the US version.  It tasted like a mixture of sour cherries (not the robitussin cough syrup version of cherry liquor, but real sour cherries) and subtle layers of Chinese five spice powder.  I wish I got the recipe.  I did buy some Slovakian Cherry liquor so I might try to experiment at home.

Anyway, back to the real world and real American cuisine.  I bought a duck at the farm market yesterday as well as some fresh figs.  I'm going to experiment roasting the duck with the figs.  Stay tuned for the results...

Looks Can Be Deceiving

ok, I'm not talking about myself here folks.  I really am talking about food.  But sometimes "fancy" food, really isn't that fancy.  I made two meals recently that look time consuming, but truly weren't.

paellaWe had some good friends over on Saturday night.  I wanted to make a dish that didn't require too much work while my guests were here so that I could entertain.  Paella requires some attention while the guests are here (about 15 minutes), but you can do all of the prep work beforehand.  I based my paella after a Culinary Institute of America recipe.  The Spanish probably wouldn't consider it "real" paella because you cook the dish in a Dutch oven, not a traditional paella pan, and in a regular over rather than an open flame.  It really is delicious, however.

The theme Saturday was Spanish Tapas, so I also made "Pisto and Anchovey Bocadillos"--little crosatinis with ratatuoille and anchovies on top--and sweet filo crisps with manchego and blue cheese.  I made way too much ratatuoille and I had leftover filo dough, so I decided to experiment.  I went a little overboard in the fish market--by overboard, I bought so much fish it wouldn't fit in my very larget dutch oven-- so I also had left over sea sea bass in a packetbass (As a side note, if you live in the DC area, go to Slavin and Sons.  The sea food is top quality and a wide selection.  It's not cheap, but I always think that high quality seafood is worth paying for.  A lot of the local restaurants get their fish from Slavin's its both a retail and a wholesale fish market) so they turn over the fish quickly). 

Only a crumb was left!I layered the sea bass with fresh tomatoes, ratatouille, basil, and triple cream goat cheese (I was going to use regular goat cheese but my husband came home with the triple cream instead.  It was a great mistake.  I would use it again). I then wrapped the stacks in filo dough, brushed the layers with butter, and baked the packets in the oven for 18 minutes.  Sea bass is a rich fish and it stood up to the filo dough, sauteed vegetables, and melted deliciousness of the goat cheese.  It was easy, elegant, and incredibly delicious.

Mary Had A Little Goat

One of the things I like best about cooking (and eating) is trying new foods.  I might have to draw the line at Sweetbreads--to my credit I tried it and did not like it--but you never know what something is going to taste like until you try it. 

5 Hour Goat from the NY TimesI first tried goat a couple of years ago.  I but most of my meat at our local farmer's market and Forest, the meat guy, had a leg of goat.  I prepared it the way I usually prepare a leg of lamb--covered with Julia Child's mustard, garlic and herb coating and roasting in a 325 degree oven.  The flavor was delicious.  It's similar to lamb, but actually more mild and sweet.  The only problem is that goat meat is leaner than lamb and much more tough.

I was really excited a few months ago when the NY Times Food Section featured goat including a recipe for 5 hour roast leg of goat.  I just happened to have a leg of goat in my freezer, so I decided to try the recipe yesterday.  It is amazing!  It is basically Osso Bucco--a braise with onions, garlic, wine and spices--but with a goat shank and lots (10 cloves) of garlic.  The meat fell off the bones and was juicy and flavorful.  If you can't get goat, try this recipe with a leg of lamb.  This is a great recipe for dinner parties because you can prep it before hand and it cooks with minimal monitoring while you hang out with your guests.

Easy Entertaining

Fish with tomatoes and mushroomsI had an ultimate kitchen klutz moment this week.  One of my best friends was visiting from New Mexico.  I was really excited to see her, but I had a long day at work and I was kind of flustered.  I pulled together a last minute meal--cheese (my new favorite, pierre robert) to start, followed by a trio of fish roasted with tomatoes, mushrooms and parano cheese.  I decided to make rice to accompany the fish.  I just poured a delicious glass of Starry Night Zinfandel (another favorite) and indulged in a single sip.  I'm not certain about the exact sequence of events but somehow the rice jumped out of the cabinet, crashed into the cutting board on the counter, which flew into my glass of wine sending the glass and its precious contents onto the floor.  I was covered in wine and glass shards and ran upstairs to let my guest clean up the mess I made.  Martha Stewart beware; I truly am the most gracious host ever.

Italian Influences

Grilled Veal Chops with Caprese SaladWhen I was growing up, I didn't really like Italian food.  This was probably because I never had "real" Italian food; the heavy, gloppy, flavorless masses called "Italian Food" in the US are a poor substitute.  Italian food is remarkably light, simple, and very flavorful.  Ingredients, however, are key. 

Sadly, we got back from Bermuda yesterday.  After six days of eating fish, I craved red meat.  I seasoned a couple of veal chops with olive oil, fresh garlic, salt and pepper and grilled them over charcoal.  Veal is very tender and the meat didn't not require a true marinade with vinegar.  However (and this is a trick I learned in Italy) I drizzled the chops in a little more olive oil and high quality Balsamic Vinegar before I served them.  The tangy sweetness of the vinegar enhanced the meat.  I served the chops with a tomato and mozzarella salad.  It was a delicious meal!