Baguettes & Wine in Beantown

Ah, the couples weekend. More precisely, the blending of two friends, and the either blending or counter-blending, of their significant others. This is a sink or swim situation. A headfirst march into the battlefield, or the soothing feel of a summer’s breeze.

That is why one must pick the adjoining couple wisely, gravely, and thoughtfully. In fact, use every last “-ly” you can think of before penciling in this date and weighing your travel options.

Fortunately, I have been privy to this for some time. And fortunately, I gather friends, and keep friends close to me, based on the following unwavering criteria:
­- A love of cooking
- A love of baking
- A voracious appetite
- An admirably unquenchable thirst for any/all alcoholic beverages
* I must add that all of my friends hold at least one of the above attributes. I am not that picky. I can’t afford to be. I need somewhat to eat what I cook.

And so it was, that for my first couple’s weekend with Mike, we eagerly make a date with Becky and Matt. A bit of background, below.
Becky: Roommate and unfailing comrade through the dazing halls of college dorm existence, sorority sisters, and Chicago nightlife. Since then, she is a teacher to the Boston musical greats to-be and an excellent maker of barbecued ribs and blueberry pancakes.
Matt: A friend from college, as well as Becky’s longtime amour. Currently an architecture student, Matt is a Frank Lloyd Wright in the making (let it be known that I am the first to say so). Matt has an eager palate and a swift aesthetic skill for plating foods.

Now that the cast of characters for the weekend were in order, the setting was selected:
Becky and Matt’s eclectic and design magazine-worthy apartment in Cambridge. Aero mattress; Check. Champagne in the fridge; Check. Cheese platter; Check. Needless to say, Becky knows how to make me happy.

With Becky and me in the kitchen, Matt as DJ and master of décor, that left Mike as trusty bartender. And he did not miss a beat.

We all settled on a simple, appetizer-friendly menu so that we could nosh and chat, chat and nosh. Along with the usual suspects of cheeses, salami, and olives, we made a white pizza with truffle salt, parmesan, and lots of black pepper. Uncomplicated and tasty, leaving the apartment with the luxurious aroma of truffles.

Mike whipped up festive round(s) of Mortonis, courtesy of Danny Meyer. Crisp, brightly colored, and perfect for the holidays. The clean bite of Negroni paired nicely with the richness of the pizza. One slug in, and the staunch, troubling memory of the bus ride from Manhattan was forgotten.

Each of us had a role in this meal, made even more enjoyable by the company and by the creative and innovative décor in Becky and Matt's apartment. A few board games later, and I felt reminiscent of my college days. Only this time, dorm life in the waysides, my kitchen fever fit right in.

Couple's White Pizza with Truffle Salt (serves 4 hearty eaters)

1 (8 oz.) piece of store-bought dough (we bought ours from Whole Foods, but you can also usually purchase dough from any local pizzeria)
2 tablespoons truffle salt (expensive but worth it – try it on popcorn!)
4 tablespoons good quality extra-virgin olive oil
handful of flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
freshly-ground black pepper
¼ cup freshly grated parmesan

-Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
-If you don’t have a pizza stone, as we didn’t, take a medium-sized sheet pan with ¼ inch walls, and coat with olive oil.
-Drop dough on the pan and stretch with fingers until it fits the shape of the pan.
-Sprinkle with truffle salt, black pepper, and parmesan.
-Drizzle generously with olive oil.
-Bake in oven until browned and at desired doneness, about 12 minutes.
-Remove and sprinkle with parsley and more parmesan, if desired.
-Slice into wedges and serve.

Danny Meyer's Mortoni, makes 1 drink

Ice
1 oz. vodka of choice
1 oz. Campari
1 oz. tonic qater
1 lime wedge
1 orange wedge
2 lemon wedges

-Fill a rocks glass and a cocktail shaker with ice.
Add the vodka and Campari to the shaker and shake vigorously.
-Strain into the glass, top with the tonic water, and squeeze the juice from the lime and orange wedges and 1 of the lemon wedges into the drink.
-Garnish with the remaining lemon wedge and serve.

Just last weekend, our lovely Beantown host tried out making the entrée we enjoyed that evening, braciole, and it was a huge success! See below, from La Petite Chef's dear friend and sous chef, Becky Fisher:

Dear LPC,

I am a very lucky lady to have you in my life. Not only do I get a great friend, but I also get a myriad of recipes that even I can execute in my tiny kitchen here in Cambridge. Your recipes are two things that I love. Simple and delicious. Now don’t get me wrong. I’m not talking simple as in throw some milk and cereal in a bowl and call it gourmet. I’m talking simple as in perfect for the non-chef who loves good food. Perfect for someone like me, who needs a little guidance in the kitchen, but is willing to experiment and try new things.

LPC, you have taken the guesswork out of yummy meals by creating perfect recipes! I wanted to share with you a recreation of your delicious flank steak recipe that you so graciously cooked for us in November! I mixed sun-dried tomatoes, oil (from the sun-dried tomato jar), sautéed spinach, basil, and breadcrumbs to create the delicious filling. I wrapped the steak up with the extra string have left over from our November feast, and seared all four sides in the cast-iron. After that I popped it in the oven and let it hang out there till it was ready to eat.

As a side, I made oven-roasted brussel sprouts just like you taught me! Olive oil, salt, and pepper. The secret to delicious veggies!

You are an amazing chef and teacher and I can’t wait to learn more recipes that I can cook here at home! You keep cookin, I’ll keep readin! Thanks LPC!

With Much Love, Your Original Sous

Naughty & Nice: Lasagna Rolls

It’s difficult to imagine lasagna as a more perfect synthesis of sauce, pasta, cheese, and filling. A steaming casserole of bubbling parmesan and bright tomato chunks feeds many a mouth, and only the very few can resist carving out a second gooey wedge.

This is a dish you want to serve to your family; for those who love you and who don’t judge your plating skills or your tendency to acquire a red perimeter around your mouth. But what if you could have it all and feel comfortable serving this dish for a crowd that extends beyond your forgiving kin? What if lasagna could go from homey to haute?

I am here to tell you that you can have it all. Next time you’re looking to impress, keep your cornish hens in the freezer, take that truffle oil out of your basket at the gourmet foods shop. Call the boss over for dinner, and get out a Pyrex, because lasagna rolls are lasagna’s trim and dapper cousin, flavor untarnished.

The idea of a lasagna roll is to boil your noodles, as usual. (I use the boiling water to first rehydrate dried porcini mushrooms for the filling. That way, the noodles take on a more intriguing flavor). Next, you stir together your filling of choice - get creative! And lastly, you whisk together that creamy nutmeg-flaked béchamel sauce, like old times. The rolling comes into play when the filling is spread in a generous layer over the noodles and then rolled up and placed in the casserole dish, seamside down, to bake into bubbly, elegantly-partitioned parcels. Once cooled a bit, the rolls can be easily plated as a main dish or as a side dish. No fuss, same flavor.

And let’s face it: Taking the naughty messiness out of lasagna, and cleaning them up for a first date dinner, or a classy lunch is ideal. The simplicity of this dish is hidden in the nice, gift-like parcels that will make your guests feel like an Italian emperor, and will let you keep your choicest napkins sauce-free.

Serves 8 (based on Giada De Laurentiis's recipe)

For the béchamel sauce:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 tablespoons flour
1 1/4 cups whole milk
pinch of ground nutmeg, or a few grates of fresh nutmeg
salt and freshly-ground black pepper

For the lasagna filling and assembly:
1 15 oz. container whole milk ricotta cheese
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
1 10 oz. container whole leaf spinach, frozen and thawed out
¼ lb. prosciutto, thinly sliced
handful of dried porcini mushrooms
1 egg
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and freshly-ground black pepper
1 box lasagna noodles (about 12 pieces)
1 cup marinara sauce, homemade or store-bought
½ cup shredded mozarella

-Grease a casserole dish (glass or ceramic), with a tablespoon of butter
-Set a large pot to boil with water and a pinch of salt. Set out a sheet pan, lined with parchment, for when the noodles are pre-boiled.
-In the meantime, add butter to a medium-sized saucepan. Once melted, add in flour and whisk until combined. Pour in milk, stir, and bring up to a boil, stirring frequently. The sauce will boil for about 10 minutes, or until thickened. Off the heat, add in nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
-Once the water is boiling, add in a handful of porcini mushrooms. Let cook for about 2 minutes and remove with a slotted spoon. Next add lasagna noodles, about 4 at a time. Cook for about 6 minutes per group, removing with a slotted spoon and laying out on sheet pan. The noodles cook until almost al dente to prepare for further cooking in the oven.
-While the noodles are boiling, in a medium-sized mixing bowl, add in the filling ingredients. Make sure that the spinach is well drained of water. And add in the mushrooms that were boiled, slicing thinly. Mix until well-combined.
-To assemble: Ladle béchamel sauce into a greased casserole pan. Spread until the base is covered in a thin layer. Spread about 2 tablespoons of the filling onto a lasagna noodle and roll up. Place in the pan, seamside down. Do the same with the rest of the noodles. Ladle sauce over the rolls and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.
-Cook covered with foil for 20 minutes. Uncover and cook for another 20 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

A Spotlight on Salad

You see those greens there in the corner, peeking out from behind that looming breast of roast chicken? Excuse my tendency to personify food, but I just can’t hold back with this dinner from last night.

I decided to throw together something simple and crisp to go with the bird, which had been marinating in spices and citrus overnight. A quick toss, and I was done. A dainty portion alongside the hefty centerpiece of chicken, and we were seated. A small bite to cool down the pungent protein, and the something simple went from side dish to center stage.

The lovely lady I speak of is a balanced mixture of sliced celery, thinly sliced fennel, parsley and shaved parmesan. With a generous douse of fresh lemon juice and a slick coating of olive oil, this salad gives wintery produce a summertime outlook.

For years, I’ve roasted fennel until it's sweet and caramelized. I love preparing it this way for guests who shy away from this bulbous vegetable with long, furry stalks. But once raw fennel gets a quick trimming, its refreshing bitterness is a perfect foil for the richness of parmesan and good olive oil.

So imagine this: It’s the Eve of Thanksgiving. You are about to gorge yourself on an intimidating quantity of sweet potatoes, cranberries, corn pudding, wild rice, pumpkin lasagna, butternut squash salad…oh yeah, and turkey, if your holiday table looks anything like my mother’s. Give your stomach a fresh start with this simple but satisfying salad, and your palate - and stomach -will be ready for game day.

Serves 4
2 fennel bulbs, rinsed and patted dry
4 celery stalks, rinsed and patted dry
fresh parsley, roughly chopped
1 lemon, juiced
¼ cup olive oil
salt and freshly-ground pepper
fresh parmesan

-Slice fennel in half. Thinly slice each fennel half (about 1/8 inch thick). Slice celery into thin ½ moons, all the way down the stalk. Dump into a medium-sized mixing bowl.
-Roughly chop parsley and add to bowl.
-Squeeze lemon juice over salad. Pour in olive oil.
-Season with salt and pepper and toss. (Let sit before serving for 10 minutes, max)
-Using a veggie peeler, shave parmesan over salad, and serve.

Freezer 101-2: Red Sauce Joints

Eggplant parm, baked ziti, chicken parm, brasciole, eggplant rollatini, shrimp parm. What do these parms and other Italian American entrées have in common? Not too get all Sesame Street on you, but the glaring “ingredient in common” is our beloved marinara sauce, or more simply “red sauce.”

We all love these dishes. They’re satisfying, they feed a hungry crowd, and the steaming portions urge the inner Italian out of you, and before you can say “baci!” you’re eating with your hands. Take a look through any recipe in the “red sauce joint” category, and marinara sauce is a likely add-in. The recipe will often call for store-bought marinara, but with a few stirs and some good canned tomatoes, your kitchen can be stocked à la nonna for whenever the Italian Stallion in you calls!
The sauce gets simmered over the course of about an hour – the perfect opportunity to pick out your outfit for the next day, chat with a friend, or set the table. Simply ladle it into, around, or over just about anything you can think of, or let it cool and stash it away in your freezer for the parm in your near future. Next time you’re reading over recipes before family night is at your house, you’ll be grateful that homemade marinara is tucked away in your home kitchen, rather than shelved in the supermarket. Believe me, this will make all the difference in your Italian dishes, and will make you the master of your own Red Sauce Joint.

For this post, a special grazie goes out to my sister Julie, whose inner-Italian overrides any Francophilia I might hope to obtain. And to her freezer, which is stocked to a height greater than her five foot frame.

2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
2 yellow onions, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 dried bay leaves
1 pinch red pepper flakes, if desired
¼ cup red wine
½ cup olive oil
salt and freshly-ground black pepper

-In a large stove-top pot, drop in olive oil and bring up to medium heat.
-Add in onions and garlic and let sauté for about 4 minutes, or until cooked through.
- Drop in carrots and celery and stir with a wooden spoon.
- Once the veggies are softened (about 10 minutes), add in crushed tomatoes. Lower the heat to a simmer, and stir to incorporate veggies and oil with tomatoes.
- Add in red pepper flakes if you like a bit of spice.
- Let simmer for about 15 minutes. Add red wine and let simmer for about half an hour more, or until reduced and thickened.
- Taste for seasoning, and add in salt and pepper.
* To defrost your sauce, place in the fridge overnight and then bring to room temperature when ready to use.

Where there’s smoke, there doesn’t have to be fire

It was 7pm, my pre-dinner hour, and I gazed hungrily upon my kitchen and its tools. I realized that I was in dire need of some sort of Italian-style grill dish. I had some lovely eggplant on hand and plenty of basil, but I couldn’t think of how to produce that smoky flavor I hungered for. Too cold to call my one friend with an illegally-located outdoor grill, and too obviously without an indoor griddle, I paced as far as my studio apartment would permit and took an inspirational sip of Syrah.

And then it hit me. The grill, in all its fiery glory, does not have to be the sole deliverer of smoky cuisine. The ingredients themselves, and your humble oven, can harness just the same delectably-charred flavor.

So I dashed out, around the corner, and picked up some smoked mozzarella from Union Market. And before I had the chance to unwrap this salty, auburn-flecked fromage, my oven door was agape, and eggplant was headed yonder for a long waft of high heat, baba ghanoush-style. These two ingredients – smoked mozzarella and eggplant, sliced thinly – were the keys to the Italian-style grill I yearned for, without all the charcoal fanfare. By extracting the bitterness out of eggplant and importing mellow smokiness through roasting, I had some gorgeously charred veggies on hand. Paired with thin tears of the smoked mozzarella and some basil, this untraditional caprese is really a nice contrast in texture and flavor.

And while I was up to this kitchen mischief, I thought why not whip up an unexpectedly light main course to go with this strongly-flavored salad. That’s just what I did here with whole wheat spaghetti with leeks and calamari. The filling spaghetti gets a light coating with olive oil sautéed with leeks, garlic, and crisped up calamari, along with a good handful of chopped parsley.

Next time you gaze longingly upon a recipe, while remembering that you lack this kitchen tool or that, take a good long stare at what actually lies tucked away in your kitchen drawers…or a sip of Syrah! Before you know it, you’ll be controlling the flavor output in your kitchen, not vice versa, and your guests will taste the benefits.

Serves 4
2 small eggplants (smaller eggplants are better in texture and cook up faster)

2 large tomatoes, red or yellow
1 large ball of smoked mozzarella
fresh basil (a couple leaves)
olive oil
balsamic vinegar
salt and freshly-ground black pepper

-Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
-Line a sheet pan with foil. Slice eggplant ¼ inch thick.
-Dump eggplant slices into a colander and sprinkle salt over them. Place in sink and let eggplant sit for about ½ hour. The salt will drain out the bitter juices in the eggplant, which will allow them to better soak up the oil when in the oven.
-Next, dump eggplant onto sheet pan and drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Let cook for about 35 minutes, turning once, or until cooked through and slightly charred.
-Meanwhile thinly slice/tear mozzarella.
-Roll up basil leaves and slice thinly.

-Slice tomatoes into 1/4 inch rounds.
-In a small dish, whisk together about 1/8 cup of olive oil with about 4 tablespoons of vinegar.
-When the eggplant has cooled just slightly, layer decoratively with mozzarella. Drizzle with vinaigrette and season with salt and freshly-cracked pepper. Garnish with basil.

Simply Steak

Peter Lugers, Primehouse, Quality Meats, Keens, Landmarc, Sparks, and Striphouse; New York City is rife with steakhouses. And the ever-growing supply is with good reason. The carnivore in you can’t help but be beckoned by these temples of seared meats. Whether outfitted in the classic design of leather banquettes and mahogany, or lit anew with minimalist lighting and artfully-aged wood, there’s a reason why today’s New Yorkers keep their dens of red meat around.

The dramatic décor of a steakhouse, so distant from many an apartment’s dining room table, appears as just the place to slice through a hefty wedge of iceberg, nestle into your chop of choice, and furtively slip your fork into a neighboring side of creamed spinach or mashed potatoes with crispy shallots. Forget about the last couple nights of grilled chicken and veggie burgers. A bountiful filet lies before you and a chocolate mousse is in your not-so-distant future.

But why not mingle luxe with daily living? A good steakhouse avoids all complications and focuses on the beef at hand, anyway, so bring home the beef chops, and create a steakhouse in your house. Steak was the go-to dinner in the 1950s and 1960s, à la Don Draper, and with good reason. What better welcome after a day at the office than a juicy, seared steak? And to the gratification of Betty Draper, is there any easier dish to prepare, when you don’t even know when to expect Mr. Draper’s Caddy to pull into the driveway?

Forget marinade and complicated sauces. Forget haute cuts like filet mignon, porterhouse, and T-bone and spring for the cheaper, but still tasty top sirloin or skirt steak. And ask your butcher if you feel lost amongst the glassed-in terrain of red meats. As long as these more frugal cuts have good marbleization, or plentiful stripes of white fat, your steak will turn out juicy and flavorful. By searing your steak, letting it sit to lock in its natural juices before slicing, and by serving simply prepared vegetables rather than starches as your sides, steak can be just as nutritious and balanced as any other weeknight dinner.

Just by adding a small set of steak knives to your cutlery repertoire, the drama of the steakhouse dinner can be at your doorstep. Your dining companions will revel in the innate pleasure of slicing through the caramelized exterior to the rosy interior, all without obsequious waiters standing attention.

Serves 2
2 half-pound top sirloin steaks
coarse salt and freshly-ground pepper
olive oil

-Rinse steaks in cool water and pat dry.
-In a small, shallow dish, mix together a very generous portion of salt and freshly-ground pepper. About 3 tablespoons of each. This will look like a lot, but this coating creates a delicious crust on the steaks.
-Dip steaks into the shallow dish and coat with salt and pepper on both sides.
-In a heavy skillet, drop in olive oil and bring to high heat. Sear steaks on both sides for 3 minutes, for medium-rare to medium (depending on thickness).
-Place into a 350 degree oven to continue cooking to desired doneness.
-Serve whole, or slice thinly on a bias, after letting steaks rest, covered with foil.

Have Your Wine and Eat It Too

It’s simply not enough for me to drink a glass of wine alongside my dinner. I’ve found that I seek out any which way to include wine, or any other alcoholic beverage, in the cooking process. A wise Food Network chef (I watch too much of this channel to pinpoint exactly which one) once said that wine imparts a subtle depth of flavor to your food. As a wine-doused sauce simmers, or as a dash of Cointreau inaugurates a dramatic flambé for your crèpe, the alcohol burns out (sadly), and your ingredients are left with a heightened sense of character and flavor.

So the next time you are slicing a pear for that salad trio we know and love and see on so many contemporary American restaurant menus: pear, Roquefort cheese, pecans – poach it!

If it be a chilly winter night, cloak your fruit in a dark shade of red, with a splash of syrah. If it be a summertime barbeque we speak of, hit the sauvignon blanc. Or if it’s girls’ night in, pour in some rosé, and before you’ve handed out a round of cosmos, your pears' flesh will turn light pink. I happened to have some chardonnay on hand, so that's what my pears bathed in, pictured above.

The technique is simple: In a large saucepan, you mix wine, water, and citrus peel for added freshness. Once about to boil, peeled pears are nestled in to poach. Once removed and cooled, they are a joyous salad mix-in, or as in the salad below, a showstopper when plumped up with blue cheese filling.

The pears’ texture completely transforms into something delicate and tender, and not your everyday fare. If you’re going to go for the greens, it’s got to have an extra something special. So next time you’re at a loss for inspiration, close your fridge and open wide that liquor cabinet.

Serves 4
4 pears, peeled
½ bottle of wine of choice
1 orange, pealed into strips
3 cups, baby arugula
2 endives, thinly sliced
¼ cup dried cranberries
¼ cup pecans
8 oz. Roquefort cheese, at room temperature
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
½ cup olive oil
salt and freshly-cracked pepper

-In a small sauté pan, toast pecans at low heat. Once fragrant, let cool.
-Pour wine and enough water to reach ¾ way up the sides, into a large saucepan.
-Add in orange peel, and bring up to a boil.
-Once boiling, drop in pears and let cook for 20 minutes.
-Once cooked, remove with tongs and let cool to room temperature.
-For the vinaigrette, mix together balsamic vinegar, honey, olive oil, and salt and pepper. Set aside.
-In a large mixing bowl, dump in arugula, endive slices, cooled pecans, and cranberries.
-Once cooled, slice pears in half. Remove core with a teaspoon and discard.
-Spoon softened Roquefort cheese into the pear cavity.
-Toss salad with vinaigrette before serving. Check for seasoning.
-To serve, plate one pear half. Surround with salad.

Build Me Up, Butternut

Growing up, I used to dread the fall. I equated fall with re-donning my helplessly nerdy backpack, and worst of all, to cafeteria lunch hour. Once the sixth period bell rang, most kids zoomed out of class, brown bag in hand or dollar bills ready and pizza-bound. Not I. I sheepishly headed towards the florescent lights and conveyer belts, found my place amongst my girlfriends of the moment, and slowly rolled back my mother’s carefully folded lunch bag. Within laid the only sustenance my picky palate would permit my poor mom to include. Accustomed to after school “snacks” of grandma’s lemon and garlic roasted chicken thighs; sliced fruit à la dad, using a surgeon’s touch; and mom’s lamb chops…well, you can see why my dismal Chewy bar and baggy of Triscuits just didn’t bring out the lunchtime smiles in me.

Nowadays, my palate remains spoiled, but my pickiness has abated. In fact, I don’t know which made mom more glad: the day I received early acceptance to college, or the day I caved and tried my first sandwich (11th grade). And with this change, fall has taken on new meaning and become my favorite season in New York of all.

Butternut squash, pumpkin, pears, apples, cinnamon, cloves, short ribs…oh, my! Before I break out into a Julie Andrews reverie, allow me to return to prose. As the weather grows chillier, an entire arsenal of fall-friendly comfort foods grows more bountiful. And no ingredient speaks fall more clearly than butternut squash. Its deep orange color adds an attractive hue to any dish, its transitional quality from sweet to savory gives it plenty of face time, and the substantial texture packed in every bite of a roasted chunk gets you through the cooler temps.

These chunks are perfect on their own, or cooled down and mixed into a spinach salad. Using the pre-peeled and pre-sliced packages that are available everywhere in supermarkets this time of year, the process couldn’t be easier. And when butternut squash chunks are folded into a simmering risotto, their added texture and color makes the dish pop. These days, my 1pm “sixth period” is worry-free, with packed-up remnants of salty-sweet butternut squash risotto…that is, if you have any.
Serves 4
1 ½ cups of Arborio rice
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 pound pancetta, diced (optional)
4 cups of store-bought vegetable stock
½ cup white wine (whatever kind you like)
1 onion, roughly chopped
1 shallot, roughly chopped
1 pound butternut squash chunks, pre-peeled and sliced into 1 inch chunks
¼ cup freshly grated parmesan
roughly chopped parsley
salt and freshly-ground pepper
½ pound deveined shrimp, tails off (optional, as garnish)

-On a sheet pan, toss butternut squash chunks with olive oil, salt and pepper. Set in a 425 degree oven and let roast for about 20 minutes. Once, done set aside at room temperature.
-On another, smaller sheet pan do the same with shrimp and let roast for about 8 minutes or until pink.
-Pour the stock into a small saucepan and set to a simmer. Add in bay leaf.
-In a large, heavy sauté pan, add in butter and pancetta and set to medium heat.
-Once butter is melted and pancetta has browned, add in onion and shallot. Using a wooden spoon, stir until translucent and cooked through but not browned. About 4 minutes.
-Add in rice, and stir with onion, until coated.
-Pour in wine and stir. Let simmer until wine is fully absorbed.
-Using a ladle, add in two ladles per addition of stock. With each round, the rice will absorb the stock and grow and become creamier.
-Once all the stock is used up, the rice will be al dente, about 20-25 minutes. Taste to check for doneness.
-Take off of the heat and add in butternut squash chunks and parsley.
-Garnish with shrimp, if desired and grated parmesan.

DIY: Frozen Food

By now you’re familiar with my infatuation with crust-less baking. It’s not that I don’t enjoy the laborious process of rolling out a flaky tart crust; on the contrary, I can think of no greater pleasure. For now, within my studio kitchenette, the tactile thrill of meshing cool butter with airy flour must remain at the wayside. Rolling dough demands a comfortably large countertop, not to mention that my heavy wooden rolling pin is in storage. (For those without a rolling pin repertoire, a wine bottle is an excellent substitute…emptied, of course.)

So along my quest for crust-less pastries, I’ve come across a recipe for a crust-less mini quiche, from beloved blogger, Clotilde, of Chocolate & Zucchini fame. And I’ve never turned back. Quiches are the go-to of happy hours, after-work events, and just about any other excuse for a cocktail party. Everyone loves these egg-based bites which burst with whichever mix-in stuffing lies within. Mini quiches have the potential to be soggy, poorly seasoned, and lackluster. But the crust-less quiche measurements below make for a light and flavorful bite. It’s extremely flexible for making use of whichever leftover meats are taking up space in your fridge; be it veggies, chicken, or cheese. And best of all, these are a perfect candidate for freezing. When sealed within a tight container or Ziploc bag, these minis are a cook’s best friend: loyal and always there for you at a moment’s notice. Mini quiches with goat cheese, sundried tomatoes, and leeks
Makes about 35:
1 ½ cups whole milk
3 eggs
¾ cup flour
1 bunch leeks, washed and dried, and thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup sundried tomatoes, roughly chopped
8 oz. log of goat cheese, broken up with your fingers into small clumps
roughly chopped fresh parsley
olive oil
salt and freshly-ground pepper

-Coat a mini muffin tin with cooking spray. I can thank my mother for introducing me to Bak-Klene baking spray, which is fantastic. You can find it at Williams-Sonoma, and it will leave your baked goods without the residual brown exterior which Pam spray can so often leave.
-Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
-In a large sauté pan, drop in oil, and set to medium heat. Add in leeks and garlic and sauté until cooked through, using a wooden spoon. Let cool.
-In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together eggs and milk.
-Sift flour into mixture, and season with salt and pepper.
-Add in leek mixture, parsley, and goat cheese, stirring until just combined. The batter will be thin.
-Using a teaspoon, fill up the mini muffin pan until about ¾ high.
-Place in oven and cook until golden brown and puffed up, about 25 minutes.
-Let cool and enjoy, or store in the freezer for later use, in an airtight container.

Winter Hibernation: The cheapest airfare yet

This morning, gingerly holding tight to my coffee mug in one hand, I reached deep into the dark recesses of my closet. And out I came, thoroughly depressed, with my winter coat.

The cold is upon us. Wrapped up in scarf, hat, and gloves, and of course that aired-out winter coat, gone is my desire to leave work for a spontaneous, meandering stroll. Instead, I favorably look towards hibernating as my late fall sport of choice.

Don’t get me wrong – I thoroughly enjoy this time of year for several gourmand-related reasons:
We have the excuse to shoo away simple salads in favor of comfort foods which take advantage of fall and winter’s great produce. Gone is the need to stick my head in the freezer while stirring a simmering sauce. Open up that oven, let the steam rise from your stovetop, and bask in your newly acquired hunger for warm, satisfying dinner fare.

And lastly, with hibernation comes the need for creativity. If you’re going to be shacked up a lot, you might as well make it fun. Invite a couple friends over for a themed dinner party, or simply cook up a romantically Parisian or Roman tête à tête for two. Whatever type of cuisine you’re into, the cooler weather allows your dishes to take on a multitude of dinnertime personalities.

Maybe you’ve been picnicking outside all summer, but that doesn’t mean you always have to sit around the dining room or kitchen table, now that it's late fall. Take a cue from the east, and pop a squat Moroccan-style on cozy pillows with a finger-food friendly dinner set out before you and your guests.

Moroccan lamb meatballs couldn’t be easier to prepare. You can even make the meatball mixture the night before, shaping the balls and refrigerating. The day of, you can fry the meatballs whenever you have the time, and reheat in the oven before serving. You can purchase a couple of store-bought sides like a colorful couscous, some naan (like I did from Trader Joe's), olives, and roasted veggies. With the meatballs’ distinctly exotic spice, you’ll show your friends that hibernating can be the new mode of transport.

Serves 6
2 pounds ground lamb, at room temperature
2 eggs, at room temperature
¼ prunes, roughly chopped
1 shallot, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 orange, zested using a microplane
1 teaspoon of ground cumin
1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
roughly chopped herbs (try parsley and rosemary)

-In a medium-sized bowl, incorporate all ingredients.
-Shape into roughly 2 inch sized meatballs, and place onto a sheet pan or dish covered with aluminum foil or parchment paper, for easy clean-up.
-Heat up a large skillet to medium-high heat and add in enough olive oil to coat. You don’t need to much oil because lamb releases a good amount of grease.
-Working in batches, as needed, sear lamb on both sides for about 3 minutes, or until golden brown.
-Set aside and re-warm in a 350 degree oven before serving.

Sushi: Definitely not a black belt but getting there

I’ve always steered clear of making Japanese food, reserving it in my mental food bank under “foods I enjoy eating out, not in.” This changed last Sunday night.

Background summary: My sister, Julie, recently received an overbearing, intimidating package of sushi-making ingredients from her trusty friend from work, Pam. Ever the thrill-seeking home cook, Julie created a frighteningly delicious, but daunting menu, listed below.
wonton soup with pork-filled dumplings
spicy tuna maki
shitake mushroom maki (added on because we just had so many shitakes lying around, not that I’m complaining)
my go-to “chop chop” salad
Julie’s panko-crusted salmon (based on Ina Garten’s recipe), which we had on stand-by in the event of sushi-making failure)

Pre-sushi solution: a bloody maryIt was Sunday morning, after all. And a football Sunday, at that! I needed to calm my nerves so I could keep a cool head in this experimental kitchen. And I simply cannot, and will not ever, turn down one of my brother-in-law, Oliver’s, bloody marys. You have to buy the heirloom tomato bloody mary mix which he purchased recently at Fairway. God, this is good. Very spicy. We let Oliver into the kitchen, with his own private cutting board station, to whip up these not-so-Japanese, but highly effective marys. Check out the tools at hand: old bay seasoning, Stoli vodka, lemon, and that awesome mix.

We started off by making the rice. And this was definitely the coolest part. It turned out just right, although we do need to adjust the seasoning next time (I’ve adjusted here, below). The rice is cooked in less water than your standard rice, so that once cooked, the kernels can gratefully absorb their seasoning components of rice wine vinegar, sugar, and salt. At room temperature, the rice is placed atop the nori before folding with your bamboo mat (these are only $1 or $2, and can be found at most kitchen supply stores.)

I have never had so much fun in the kitchen or have been so rewarded, recently. And I swear it wasn’t the Stoli! I felt as I did the first time I successfully tackled a challenging layer cake recipe. I must admit that Julie, with her tiny hands, exceedingly more delicate than my own, caught on to the sushi trade quicker than I. Still, I can’t believe that I had shied away from making sushi all this time. Although I am no sushi master, this is simpler stuff than I once thought, and so fun to do with a group. Follow this recipe for spicy tuna maki, and you’re well on your way to your next sushi/sake night. These days, with sushi-making ingredients and tools pretty much everywhere, there's no reason not to harness the sushi chef in you.

Makes about 25 rolls:
1 ½ cups of Koshihikari rice
2 cups water
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
nori sheets
2 tuna steaks
¼ cup mayonnaise
black sesame seeds, optional
4 tablespoons asian chile sauce (we used sriracha)

-Place both rice and water into a large stovetop pot. Bring up to a boil, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon.
-Let it boil for a minute and then reduce heat to a low simmer and cover.
-Keep simmering, stirring occasionally for 20 minutes.
-In the meantime, in a small bowl, mix together rice wine vinegar, salt, and sugar.
-At the 20 minute mark, taste a kernel of rice to check for doneness.
-Once cooked through, but slightly firm, set aside. Incorporate seasoning mixture, stirring throughout.
-Slice tuna steaks into chunks. Place in a food processor and pulse two or three times. You don’t want to ground up the sushi, but you want it to be evenly chopped up.
-In a medium-sized bowl, combine mayonnaise and chile sauce. Mix in tuna.
-On a clean work space, lay out bamboo mat. Place a small dish of cool water nearby, because this is going to get sticky!
-Place one sheet of nori over the mat, with the smooth side facing down. Dipping your hands into the water dish, scoop out some rice and pat onto the nori, leaving a ½ inch border. Don’t add too much rice, just a thin layer.
- Place spicy tuna (about 2 tablespoons worth) a ½ inch above the bottom rice border, in a horizontal layer.
-Take hold of the bamboo from below the nori and fold up and over, pressing down. Lift up, gently, and pat some water in there so that the first roll adheres. Roll again and secure with water.
-Using a small sharp knife, slice thinly (about ½ inch), and set aside on your sushi platter.
-Make some soy sauce and wasabi dipping bowls, and you’re set.

Veal cutlets: late night fare

It had been a long week. And it had been an even longer two hours making it through a Friday early evening screening of Couples Retreat. While Vince Vaughn spurted out his usual roundabout quips, I drifted off into a preparatory reverie of what to make for dinner when I’d finally make it back to my Park Slope kitchen.

Ahhh, the soothing task of drumming up the right meal for the post-film dinner for two. I wanted it to be something simple, since we would be dining late. Nothing over-complicated and sauce-based at that hour. I wanted satisfying bistro fare. Veal cutlets with lemony arugula and shaved parmesan is just what I was in the mood for, and I think you’ll find a place for this one in your “go-to” repertoire.

Everyone has made chicken cutlets before. With the factory assembly set-up of three bowls (one with flour, one with whisked eggs, and one with store-bought breadcrumbs), my high school babysitting days grew to be an absolute drive-by breeze. Even kids are fascinated by the pure fun of dipping your protein of choice, getting them coated, and off to lightly fry. But there are many tricks of the trade along the way to ensure a crispy, golden brown exterior for my protein of choice, veal. And why veal? I often seek an alternative to chicken, and veal has a rich flavor that makes standard bistro fare extra special for a Friday night dinner.

Serves 2
For the veal:
2 thinly pounded veal cutlets (these come very inexpensive in your local grocery store, and should be about ¼ inch thick)
2 eggs, whisked in a shallow bowl
¼ cup flour, placed in a shallow bowl
½ cup Italian breadcrumbs, placed in a shallow bowl
Salt and freshly-ground pepper
chile flakes, optional
Olive oil

-Lightly wash and pat dry veal. You want to have no excess water on the veal so that the coating adheres smoothly.
-Season the cutlets on both sides with salt and freshly-ground pepper. Press into the cutlets.
-Using one hand (or tongs), dip a cutlet into the flour. Pat off excess.
-Moving onto the eggs, dip in, and let hang above to remove off all excess.
-Drop cutlet into the breadcrumbs, and bring mixture up and over the veal so that all is covered. Lift up and pat off, looking for any uncovered spots.
-Set aside in a dish lined with tin foil (for easy clean-up), and repeat with the second cutlet.
-At this point, I set aside the veal so that the coating has time to rest before frying. This can be done in advance and refrigerated for a day.
- Heat up a large skillet with extra-virgin olive oil, so that there is about ¼ inch layer in your pan. Drop in salt and chile flakes (if you like spice as I do). Spread seasonings around with a wooden spoon.
-Once the oil is hot, drop the cutlets in, one on either side. They should immediately sizzle. If not, your pan must heat up more.
-Let the veal fry on one side for 4 minutes. Do not lift up while cooking, so that the veal has enough contact with the pan to develop a nice coating.
-Using tongs, flip and let cook for another 4 minutes.
-Meanwhile, clean the dish lined with foil, and re-line with paper towels. When the veal comes out, let it sit on the towel to drain excess oil.

For the salad:
2 cups baby arugula (washed and dried)
½ lemon, juiced
1/8 cup olive oil
cherry tomatoes, halved
pine nuts, toasted and cooled
Salt and freshly-ground pepper
block of parmesan

-In your salad bowl, whisk together lemon juice and olive oil. Season to taste.
- Drop in arugula and halved tomatoes. Toss until just coated. Taste for seasoning.
- Plate salad with pine nuts as garnish.
- Layer veal over the lettuce.
- Shave parmesan over and serve.
The lettuce will slightly wilt from the warm veal, rounding out each flavor component into one simple, satisfying plate of late night fare.

A Salmon for all Seasons

Last night, Mike graced me with a salmon dish which is tender, flavorful, light, and simple to prepare. You will love how this recipe removes any fear you might have of pan-searing fish. By simply baking the salmon with a generous coating of fresh herbs and surrounding it with a nice dose of white wine, the salmon both steams (delectably, in alcohol!) and develops an appealing crust. Both textures are accomplished by little work more than chopping the herbs to release their flavors and slipping the fish into a preheated oven. Ah, yes - and sampling your wine of choice to see if it'll do your fresh filets justice!

I admit that I must always contribute something to a meal, or I feel ill at ease and distanced from the kitchen. That just won’t do (I give you full permission to call me a Food Nazi. Others have before…), so I decided to make a panzanella salad to go with A Salmon for all Seasons.

How can you shy away from a salad which replaces bread for lettuce? Homemade croutons are balanced out with nice chunks of fresh veggies, so it’s really not a case of bread basket overkill. The croutons soak up a caesar-like dressing. Sliced raw shallots and capers pack in an extra zing. Capers pair excellently with fish (think of smoked salmon), and the heartiness of panzanella matched up nicely with the delicacy of Mike’s salmon.

Serves 2

For the salmon:
2 medium-sized wild salmon filets, gently rinsed and patted dry
3 stalks scallions, thinly sliced
generous bunch of fresh dill, roughly chopped
generous bunch of parsley, roughly chopped
zest of 1 lemon
salt and freshly-ground black pepper
olive oil
¼ cup white wine (Mike wisely selected Trader Joes' Chardonnay - cheap and flavorful)

-Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

-Stir together fresh herbs and lemon zest in a small bowl.
-Place filets in a small glass baking dish.
-Lightly rub with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
-Pack the herb mixture on top of the filets. There should be a generous coating on each.
-Pour in white wine alongside the filets, and cook for 15 minutes, or until slightly browned on top, liquid has reduced, or at desired doneness.
-Let cool for 5 minutes and serve.

For the panzanella:
1 demi-baguette, or half of a baguette (alternatively, any crusty bread which you enjoy)
2 shallots, thinly sliced
1 red pepper, sliced into chunks
1 yellow pepper, sliced into chunks
1 hothouse cucumber, sliced down the middle with seeds removed, and sliced into chunks
3 tablespoons capers (or less, if you don’t like as much as I do)
generous bunch of parsley, roughly chopped
2 gloves garlic, finely minced
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
¼ cup olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
1 egg yolk (omit if desired)
Salt and freshly-ground black pepper

-Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
-Slice the baguette into about 1-inch chunks and place on a cookie sheet.
-Sprinkle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss with hands to coat, and place in oven. Remove croutons once they are lightly browned and crispy, about 8 to 10 minutes.
-Meanwhile, in a small bowl whisk together garlic, mustard, lemon juice, egg yolk, vinegar, salt and pepper. Add in olive oil, whisking, until fully dispersed. Set aside.
-In a large bowl, add in peppers, shallots, and cucumber chunks. Add in chopped parsley and capers. Once the croutons have cooled, add in. Toss with vinaigrette, taste for seasoning, and serve.

Ganache - The Latest After Dinner Nosh

As untrue to nature as it may seem, here we have a chocolate dessert that doubles as an after dinner digestif. You will love this tart for its emphasis on the natural cocoa flavors, rather than on sugar. And if you don't believe me yet, allow me, and my lack of a sweet tooth, to explain: A rich and shiny chocolate ganache filling, laced with a surprising kick of black pepper, is nestled atop a crunchy crust of gingersnap cookie crumbs. And then to cap off each wedge, a hit of spicy candied ginger. An elegant finale for a fall dinner party, this slightly savory sweet meshes seamlessly with the courses which precede it.

It seemed like just the thing to prepare for a birthday dinner at Rose Water in Park Slope. I wanted to incorporate an earthy ingredient into the dessert which I'd bring to the restaurant and which they'd slice and plate, with much care I must add, for a $2.50/person surcharge. Rose Water touts itself as a seasonally-dedicated restaurant, and its straightforward, intelligent menu items are delightful and truly satisfying.

To begin, we shared mussels with butter sausage, curly kale and a rouille toast. A bowl of steamed surf and turf is something I can never resist. Light and rich at the same time, I love this dish. Next, I sprang for the grilled polenta with ratatouille, curly kale and parmesan. Maybe the antithesis of a vegetarian, it's unusal for me to select a vegetarian entrée. But this one spoke to me, or maybe it is my enduring infatuation with Rémy the rat from the film Ratatouille, which called out tableside. Both my appetizer and main made use of curly kale. I would never need to take vitamins again, the way Rose Water prepares curly kale. With just enough seasoning to bring out kale's attributes, while not overshadowing the humble vegetable-ness of this legume, it is another case of light, but rich - a balance which guides chef Bret Macris through each course.

And the polenta was perfect. A crispy exterior brought out the flavor of charred corn alongside a smooth and creamy interior. Paired with carefully sautéed vegetables and nutty shards of parmesan, the freshness of these simple ingredients sang through.

I'll have to return to Rose Water to try their peach fritters with raspberry compote and honey ice cream, but for the time being, we all enjoyed the rich, but not cloying, natural flavors in this chocolate ganache tart.

Based on a recipe from December 2007, Bon Appétit

Serves 8

For the crust:

40 gingersnap cookies (I used Trader Joes' triple gingersnap cookies)

6 tablespoons butter, melted

For the ganache filling:

14 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped using a cerrated knife

1 cup heavy cream, at room temperature

2 large egg yolks

1 large egg

1/4 cup granulated sugar

3 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon flour

1 or 2 cracks of black pepper

coarsely chopped crystallized ginger (I used Trader Joes' brand)

-Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

-Spray a 9-inch diameter tart pan with baking spray.

-Place gingersnaps into a food processor, and pulse until finely ground. Add in melted butter for one or two more whirls. Dump contents into tart pan and press firmly into the pan and up the sides. You shouldn't reach the edge of the sides - moreso, about halfway up the edges. Set aside.

-Place chocolate and heavy cream in a small saucepan. Whisk gently, on low heat, until fully homogenous and combined. The chocolate should look very silky. Take off the heat and allow to come to room temerature.

-In a medium-sized bowl, whisk eggs and yolk with flour, pepper, and honey. Gently whisk in cooled chocolate until fully combined.

-Pour in chocolate atop cookie crumb crust and smooth out with a small spatula or butter knife.-Place into oven and let cook for 35 minutes. The chocolate will be set and look like a brownie crust.-Once the tart is out of the oven, sprinkle decoratively with chopped ginger. The heat will adhere the ginger to the tart.

-This can be left refrigerated, once cooled, for 2 days. Slice into wedges, cooled or at room temperature.

Tuxedo Tuna

Deciding what to make the night after you've sampled Daniel Boulud's couscous, and face-to-face charm, is not a simple feat. This was the task at hand after attending Le Fooding at P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center. Lucky enough to score a ticket, I spent an evening ogling an international crowd clad in skinny jeans, and the Parisian culinary masters, imported to man their booths, plate their course of choice, and flash a dashing smile - all while miraculously guzzling bubbly. I'd say the monsieurs caught on to la fête of New York City pretty smoothly.

I knew it'd be a good night, when after waiting on a line which extended from one G subway stop to another, us non-VIPs were greeted by mounds of tomme and gruyère cheese by the entryway. Little wooden plates of our cheese course, accompanied by Balthazar pain à la rustique, were just the push I needed to itch my way past the crowds towards the drink ticket line.

Maybe it was too much Côtes du Rhone, or perhaps the intoxicating late summer air which carried the scent of the much-regaled Minetta Tavern burger, but each long queue seemed absolutely worth the wait. A small batallion of sous chefs within each station plated a small paper plate with each grand chef's menu contribution. The winner in my eyes was Daniel Boulud's moroccan couscous with simmered lamb, chicken, and spicy sausage, which tasted to me like merguez. The couscous was light and airy. The meats were the perfect texture and wonderfully seasoned. And with Daniel right there, sipping Pellegrino, and fanning the couscous with a fourchette, you can commiserate with my dilemma of what to make for dinner tonight.

Le Fooding did help me out in just one way, though. Each chef's menu contribution involved meat. It wasn't at all redundant since each tasting had such different character and coinciding components, but laden with stewed/seared/poached meats, I settled on fish to follow up Le Fooding. And sure, I've whisked a béchamel sauce or two before, but tonight I made an Asian-themed dinner - so as not to mess with my lingering memory of cuisine à la francaise, here in Queens.

I had to transport the high drama and chic flair of my Saturday into my Sunday, so I decided to go the tuxedo route. And when it comes to sushi-grade tuna, this can mean only one thing: black and white sesame seeds.

Done in advance, this is a fun one for entertaining. The tuna steaks get seasoned with salt and pepper, and then coated with a mixture of both seeds. Left in the fridge until ready to sear, then slice, this is the makings of a black tie affair.

Serves 2

2 sushi-grade tuna steaks, washed and patted dry

sesame oil

1/4 cup sesame seeds

1/4 cup black sesame seeds

salt and pepper

- Lightly coat tuna with sesame oil.

- In a small dish, stir both seeds with a fork to combine.

- Take each steak and press into the seeds on each side.

- Place on a dish and leave refrigerated, wrapped in plastic wrap, until ready to sear, at least 15 minutes.

- Heat up a large saute pan with sesame oil, to coat.

- Sear on both sides for 1 minute, for "black and blue," or rare tuna.

- Let cool for 10 minutes, and slice thinly.

On the side, I boiled some thai rice noodles, drained them, and mixed them with:

- 1/4 cup soy sauce

- 1/4 cup mirin

- 1/4 cup sesame oil

- 3 chopped scallions

- 2 carrots, peeled and sliced

- 1/4 cup defrosted edamame

All combined together, these can be served at room temperature.

Also alongside, you can try Spinach Salad with Ginger Dressing, Mushrooms and Wasabi Peas. If spicy is your thing, you'll love this. Just like toasted nuts get a rough chop as a salad mix-in, an Asian-themed salad works great with roughly chopped wasabi peas. They're unexpected and pack in a great crunch.

Serves 2

2 cups spinach leaves

1/4 cup purchased ginger dressing (the orange kind we're all used to in sushi restaurants)

1/2 dozen button mushrooms, thinly sliced

paprika

salt and pepper

sesame oil

1/4 cup wasabi peas

- In a small saute pan, heat up sesame oil to coat. Season oil with a couple dashes of paprika, salt, and pepper.

- Add in mushrooms and saute until cooked through with a slightly red tint.

- Toss salad with ginger dressing.

- Garnish with warm mushrooms and wasabi peas.

Seafood pasta, Take Two

I have this oral memory, that persists years later, of watching Mario Batali on his former TV show "Molto Mario." With fuming pasta water rushing up towards his already beet red face, Mario would delcare that today he'd be making, "linguiiiiine con le vongoleeee ingrosssso." I'd sit there on my parents' couch, and repeat the phrase over and over until I was a shade of Mari, myself. And minutes later, the steamed clams would open up, al dente pasta would be simmering in the clams' juice along with white wine, and Mario's guests would dig in to a bowl containing something so fresh, so dynamic, and just plain fun.

If you can't tell, I'm on a seafood pasta kick. I just love how, #1, shellfish are so darn cheap compared to fish filets. And even more importantly, considering I have an over-indulgent shopping quota for my food habits, pasta with shellfish is so simple and quick to make.

You see, unlike with a roast, shellfish beg to be cooked just till they're done, which happens in just minutes. And with mussels or clams - could these little molluscs help you out anymore? The two open up their shells, when just enough seasoned heat has permeated, and let you know that it's time to dish them into pasta-friendly bowls. Amore.

Serves 4

3 pounds clams, rinsed and scrubbed and refrigerated until using

1 box tricolore penne pasta

1/2 bottle pinot grigio, or another dry-ish white wine

1 pinch red pepper flakes

2 shallots thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1/2 cup olive oil

salt and freshly-ground black pepper

roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley

- Heat up a pasta pot with water and a pinch of salt, to a rolling boil.

- In a large skillet, heat up olive oil and medium-high heat. Add in shallots, garlic, and chile flakes. Let simmer for 2 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon, and take off the heat.

- Once the pasta water is bubbling, add in penne.

- Place the skillet back on medium heat, and pour in wine. Let simmer for about 5 minutes until wine reduces by half. Season with salt and pepper.

- Add in clams, cover, and reduce heat to a simmer.

- Uncover after about 5 minutes. Stir clams in sauce, and add in parsley.

- Once the clams have opened, dish out into pasta bowls. Enjoy with some crusty bread to mop up the clams' juices.

Pasta and Salad...More similar than you think

Sure, there's cream sauce, red sauce, and the like. But pastas can be completely light and still flavorful when dressed with little more than you would use to dress a salad.

That's what I did here when making this spaghetti with scallops and shrimp. The components for this "sauce," if you will, begin by flavoring olive oil in a saute pan. Then the seafood is added in at high heat to give it a nice sear. Once the pasta is al dente, it's transferred into the saute pan. A moment, first, on this step: The only time I ever drain my cooked pasta in a colander is when I'm making pasta salad. If I'm cooking up a pasta dish to serve right afterwards, I transfer the pasta with a slotted spoon into the olive oil-based sauce I've started off while the pasta has been boiling. Along with the transferred pasta comes some of the pasta cooking water. This liquid is full of fibrous starch - a key agent in thickening your olive oil pasta sauce - all without adding in unnecessary, flavor-masking thickening agents, like flour or butter.

The pasta gets a quick rotation in the sauce you've started off. This added heat also serves to finish cooking the al dente spaghetti. The seafood gets added back in. An added dash of parsley or basil brings the dish to life. And you'll be so satisfied, eating this out of a salad bowl, by how the salad and pasta can both start off with little more than olive oil, salt, lemon, garlic, and pepper - the simplest, age-old of salad dressings.

Serves 2
1 container spaghetti
1/4 pound shrimp (have the fish monger devein the shrimp; I like to leave on the tails for playful removing while eating)
1/4 pound bay scallops (the little kind - adorable and delicious)
1 pinch red pepper flakes
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 lemon, juiced and zested
1/2 cup olive oil
salt and freshly-cracked pepper
roughly chopped basil or parsley

- Set a pasta pot off to a rolling boil with water and a pinch of salt.
- In a large saute pan, drop in olive oil at medium-high heat.
- Lightly rinse seafood in a colander and dry on a paper towel.
- Drop seafood in and spread out in the saute pan to sear. Let cook on each side for 1 1/2 minutes, or until shrimp are light pink.
- Remove from pan and set aside.
- In the same saute pan, on medium heat, season your oil with salt, lemon zest, and chile flakes, stirring with a wooden spoon. Add in sliced garlic and take off of the heat.
(The reason you want to take the pan off of the heat at this point is because the garlic and chile flakes can easily burn and become bitter. Within the heated olive oil, which also has the flavor of seafood, their flavors will now gently seep, with no danger of burning)
- Once the pasta is done cooking (about 9 minutes for al dente - try a piece to make sure!), add into the saute pan.
- Add in about 2 tbsp. of the pasta cooking liquid.
- Add in lemon juice and seafood, and let simmer for 3 minutes at low heat.
- Turn with tongs to coat pasta with seasonings.
- Add in fresh herbs and serve into salad bowls to enjoy your salad-dressed pasta, guilt free.

Couscous with apricots and almonds

This dish is all about color and texture...and about ignoring the package's instructions for whichever store-bought couscous you use.

Sound risky? Stay with me here...

Like I've said when cooking couscous's cousin, quinoa, I always cook rice/grains risotto style whenever possible. This method simply adds more flavor to your rice or grains, without the need for butter, and ensures a fluffy, al dente grain.

The idea here for this Moroccan-esque take on couscous, is to start off cooking apricots, sliced almonds, and red onion. Next, the couscous is incorporated and will take on the great flavors you've already started in the pot. Heated chicken stock is added in, and the couscous is left to absorb and steam. Before serving, fresh flavors, with added color and texture are added in. This side dish turns out so lovely that it would make an elegant lunch or light dinner as the main course, itself, by incorporating in some leftover sliced chicken or salmon.

Serves 4, based on Tyler Florence's Couscous with Apricots

2 cups couscous
3 cups chicken stock (if using storebought, which is perfectly fine, use a low sodium chicken stock)
1 dried bay leaf
1 lemon, zested
1/4 cup dried apricot, roughly chopped
1 red onion, roughly chopped
1/4 almond slices
olive oil
salt and freshly-ground black pepper
1 bunch fresh cilanto, roughly chopped
2 scallions, thinly sliced

- In a small saucepan, heat chicken stock on low. Add in bay leaf and set aside to simmer.
- In a larger saucepan, add in some olive oil, and set to medium heat. Drop in apricots, almonds, and red onion. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until onion is translucent, about 8 minutes.
- Drop in couscous and stir.
- Add in chicken stock and stir. Cover with lid and set to low heat. Let the couscous absorb the water for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Before serving, toss with lemon zest, cilanto, and scallions. Check for seasoning, and add more salt if necessary.
- The couscous can be made the day before and served at room temperature with Chicken Under a Brick, or cold as a picnic-like lunch.

The Butcher: Your budget's best friend

Unless you're sleeping under your brownstone, you're aware of New York City's latest sex symbol: The Butcher. And I've just joined the fan club.

Read on, and before you know it you'll skip past the plastic wrap-sealed loins and chops for a meet-and-greet with the the meat conoisseur in dashing whites, too.

I have no shame in admitting that Julia Childs and Julie Powell are better women than I. On any night of the week, I'm not about to come home, grab my cleaver, and go at it with whatever carcass lies before me. And why should I when there's an excellent, rock star-of-a-butcher in each NYC neighborhood, along with plenty of men in white behind most supermarket butcher counters. With a simple request, your local butcher can transform a plain ole cut of meat or poultry into something totally new and memorable.

This is just what I did when, faced with the task of cooking for Mike's parents, I took my first stab at chicken under a brick. I wouldn't often recommend trying out something new on one such a crowd, but, there is some logic to this weighty decision:
- I knew the centerpiece of the menu would have to be something comforting, hearty, and roast-like to win over the invitees at hand
- I was bored-to-tears with my usual whole-roasted chicken with lemon wedges and garlic
- Sure, I'd love to make rack of lamb or a crown roast, but then I would have to forfit this month's cable, and I am just too addicted to True Blood

And that's how your butcher becomes your best friend. With the simple query, "Can you take out the backbone of a 3 pound chicken?", a regular chicken dinner is transformed into a surprising entree, made delicious by the genius technique of cooking chicken under a brick wrapped in aluminum foil.

Serves four, based on Tyler Florence's Brick Chicken with Apricot Couscous

3 pound chicken, butterflied down the backbone
3 tbsp. cinnamon
3 tbsp. paprika
2 tbsp. garlic salt
2 tbsp. cumin
2 tbsp. cayenne pepper
generous amount of salt
olive oil
brick wrapped in aluminum foil and cast iron skillet (or, follow same steps using a smaller skillet as a weight)

- In a small bowl, combine spices. In a small pan on low heat, stir spices for 2 minutes, or until fragrant.
- Wash and dry butterflied chicken.
- Place chicken into a glass dish. Cover with spices on breast side and within cavity. Let sit, covered in refrigerator overnight.
- 1 hour before cooking, remove chicken from refrigerator, so it can come to room temperature.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Heat a heavy skillet to medium-high heat. Place chicken breast side down into skillet and cover with brick or a smaller skillet. Let cook for 20 minutes. The pan will be sizzling, but let the method do its trick, worry-free.
- Using a large spatula, and tongs in the other hand if necessary, turn the chicken, and place brick/skillet to cover, and sear on the other side for 15 minutes more.
- Place into oven for 20 minutes, or until cooked through. (Feel free to pierce the bird along the bone to check for doneness).
- Remove chicken. Let sit for 15 minutes, and carve.

The whole method of "brick chicken" relies on the brick, of course. This weight makes sure that the chicken is in direct contact with the pan, rather than with the fatty cooking liquids released while a chicken cooks, so that the skin has no choice but to caramelize into a crispy, irresistible exterior. Plus, I was able to stay shmaltz-free before joining my guests à table, because the chicken is much easier to carve when butterflied.

The spices pair perfectly with a quick yogurt sauce, which when served family style, guests can garnish their chicken pieces, as desired:

Mint yogurt sauce:
18 oz. yogurt (use full fat yogurt or a Greek-style yogurt, like my amour: Fage)
a generous bunch of fresh mint, roughly chopped
1/8 cup olive oil
salt and freshly-cracked pepper

- Mix all ingredients in a small bowl. Store covered in fridge until serving as a condiment.
(Leftover sauce makes a great marinade for lamb!)

Whether you choose to enjoy this Moroccan-style meal tableside or on pillows, your mecca of the moment will be your neighborhood butcher stall.

The holy trinity: dried oregano, paprika, and garlic salt

What's holier than dried herbs? Yes, fresh herbs get all the attention with of-the-moment green tendencies, but their dried, practical counterparts must not be forgotten. Dried herbs actually pack in more flavor than fresh. Often, I'll combine dried herbs for the base to a dish while it cooks, and simply save the fresh stuff for garnish to make things pop and to echo the modestly lurking seasonings of my go-to holy trinity: oregano, paprika, and garlic salt.

Short on time after excessive wandering within the irresistible confines of Chelsea Market's Lobster Place, I came away with some gorgeous lookin' goods from the sea: calamari and scallops, tentacles included. I whisked them home, trying not to make enemies on the 4 train, gave them a quick douse in a trinity-based marinate, and seared them at super high heat. The oregano adds earthiness, the paprika lends some mild spice and brings out a nice, festive color while the fish sears, and the garlic salt packs plenty of flavor in little time. Adding in fresh lemon juice brightens up the dish and reawakens the dried herbs. My starch of choice to round off the plate? Red quinoa with shallots and parsley.

Serves 2
1 pound calamari, sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
1 pound sea scallops
1 tbsp. dried oregano
1 tbsp. paprika
1 tbsp. garlic salt
1 lemon, juiced
1/4 cup olive oil
generous sprinkling of salt and freshly-ground black pepper
chopped fresh parsley

- Rinse and pat dry the fish. Set aside while making marinade.
- In a medium-sized bowl or ziplock bag, mix together all other ingredients. Drop fish in and coat with hands. Let marinate for about 10 minutes. (Marinating the fish longer will cook the fish like ceviche...save that for Latin night!)
- Set a large saute pan or griddle to high heat. Once heated up, drop the fish onto the pan. You won't have to add in more oil, as the fish are already coated.
- Let sear on each side for 2 minutes. Careful not to overcook - the scallops, especially, can become rubbery.
- Garnish with chopped parsley and some more squeezed lemon, if desired.

A word on quinoa:
You know that game in women's fashion magazines: "What's in/What's out"? It seems like restaurants are playing the same mind games with us these days, swapping in couscous for orzo; barley for wild rice; and next up: quinoa, pronounced "kin-wa."

At first I resisted, but now that you can find so many varieties of quinoa in just about every market, I had to try. And it really is great, and is a great-for-you source of dietary fiber. I like to make a great, big batch and serve as a side that night (like I've done here with Holy Trinity Seafood), and use it as a salad mix-in or as a cold side dish throughout the week.

To pack in more flavor to the quinoa, I start it off by cooking chopped shallots in a small saucepan and then add in the quinoa, similar to the method of making a risotto. That way, once I add in the water (check out the package's instructions, or just add 1 cup quinoa to 2 cups water), there is already seasoning in the pot which will penetrate the seeds as the quinoa cooks and absorbs the liquid.

What do to with leftover shmear

This was the dilemma I faced, when overly giddy at the thought of preparing a picnic for my B.Y.O.M. Meatpacking afternoon on the Highline, I prepared an over-abundance of ricotta spread. My usual solution for making use of dips, spreads, and the like is almost always a take on salade composee, French for "composed salads."

Don't shy away from your desktop: There's nothing fancy about a salade composee, other than its name. In fact, you'll find one on just about every neighborhood bistro, bar, or cafe in Paris. And that's just the place where I grew to love them. You see, here in NYC, we like to take our greens in a plastic bowl, have them chopped up and minced up in every direction known to the gloved hands on the opposite side of the counter, and then, we have presented to us, a mish-mosh of previously wholesome veggies. Not so on the Seine! The French consider it in poor taste to slice and dice your greens. I object in certain circumstances; such as, when I encounter an intimidatingly hefty leaf of romaine that I am expected to plunge into my mouth with one fell swoop. Non, non! But the French do have the idea right: Why not compose your greens into a purposefully-displayed arrangement on the plate, so that the diner can mix and match vegetables with each bite, and be actually able to identify each component while eating it.

And my hands-down favorite type of salade composee? Because there are many...is the chevre chaud. With this salad, basic greens are simply dressed alongside hearty homemade croutons of baguette, slathered with chevre (goat cheese), and broiled to meld bread and cheese together. As you make your way through mustard-laced leaves of lettuce, a bite of crouton both acts as a utensil, and an added, essential component to the composee, which you never new you needed.

Beyond chevre, you can top oven-toasted slices of baguette with just about any combination. These mini open-faced sandwiches can stand alone as a hors d'oeuvre, or can act as garnish for your salads, as I've done with leftover ricotta shmear. Your friends will be so pleased to find their bread already buttered, toasted, and ready for their first bite.

Salade composee with baby arugula, olives and sundried tomatoes
For the baguette base:
1 baguette, sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
olive oil, salt, and freshly ground pepper

- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
- Dump baguette slices onto a cookie sheet. Sprinkle generously with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Using your hands, coat each baguette slice and spread out onto cookie sheet. The baguette slices should not be overlapping, so that each slice can brown.
- Toast in oven, turning once, for about 10 minutes, or until golden brown.
* This can be done in advance, and stored in an airtight container.

For the dressing:
1 tbsp. dijon mustard
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
salt and pepper

- Whisk together and set aside. Taste for seasoning.

To assemble:
4 cups baby arugula (the portion in 1 store-bought container/bag)
good handful of nicoise olives, or olives of your choice
good handful of chopped sundried tomatoes

- Lightly dress greens in a large bowl. Check for seasoning. (That means try a leaf!)
- Spread ricotta mixture onto crostini, liberally. Sprinkle with chopped parsely, if desired.
- Assemble a portion of salad onto each plate. Garnish with crostini on the side.