8.ate@eight

Filed under Do This!, Travel Bite

Tagged as Barcelona, Cacao Sampaka, Cal Pep, Casa Amatller, Chocolate, Escriba, Gaudi, Mercat de La Boqueria, Museu de la Xocolata, Spain, Travel

March 16, 2011 · 9:32 am

recipe goodness :: irish steak & guinness puff pastry pie

Steak and Guinness Pie

I love this pie. It’s a hearty marriage of delicious veg, slow-cooked tender brisket and buttery, flaky pastry, resulting in a rich, soul-warming pie plate of goodness. And frankly, any thing with Guinness is good and good for ya. So if you’re looking for a little inspiration to channel your inner-Irish for ♣ St. Patrick’s day ♣, look no further, your luck has led you to this perfect pie.

♣ Steak, Guinness and Cheese Pie with Puff Pastry ♣

Recipe Adapted from Jamie Oliver

Serves 4-6 | 3.5 hours | 375ºF

1 large vidalia or sweet onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1/2 fennel bulb, chopped
6 cremini mushrooms, quartered
2 tablespoons butter
2 pounds stewing beef, cut into cubes
2 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves removed
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves removed and chopped
salt and pepper
1 pint Guinness
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup Gouda or other favorite melting cheese, shredded
1 pound store-bought Dufour puff pastry dough
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup frozen or fresh peas

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a large dutch oven on the stove, heat olive oil on low heat. Add the onions until they become translucent and lightly caramelized.
Turn the heat to high and add the rest of the vegetables (except peas) with the butter. Cook for two minutes until fragrant, then add the beef, herbs, salt and pepper. Sear beef for 3-4 minutes, then pour in the Guinness, flour and add just enough water to cover. Bring to a simmer, cover the pan with a lid and place in the preheated over for 1.5 hours.
Give the stew a stir and let cook for another hour, until tender and thick. If stew is still liquidy after an hour, continue cooking until reduced.
Remove from heat, stir in half the cheese, taste and season as needed. Let cool slightly.
Cut 1/3 of the pastry from the block. Using a floured surface, roll both pieces out evenly with a floured rolling pin to the thickness of a silver dollar.
Butter a pie dish, then line with the larger sheet, leaving the edges hanging over the side. Pour the stew into your lined dish, add the peas, then sprinkle over the remaining cheese. Brush the edges of the pastry with a little beaten egg.
Cut the other rolled piece of pastry to fit the top of the pie dish and crisscross lightly with a sharp knife, being careful not to cut all the way through. Place it over the top of the pie and fold the overhanging pastry onto the pastry top, rolling to make the edges.
Brush the top with beaten egg, then bake the pie on the lowest oven rack for 45 minutes, until pastry is cooked and golden.

Mmmm Guinness Pie

More St. Pat’s Inspiration:
Wilfie & Nell: Not Your Grandpa’s Watering Hole
Water of Life Whisky Wednesday With The Macallan

6 Comments

Filed under @home {recipes to love}

Tagged as Dinner, Entree, Guinness, Irish, Jamie Oliver, Pie, Recipe, St. Patrick's Day, Steak

March 14, 2011 · 9:56 am

recipe goodness :: barcelona favorite recreated | balsamic chick pea salad

balsamic chick pea salad

I had this dish at an amazing little tapas bar called Pinotxo in Barcelona’s Mercat de La Boqueria. I went for breakfast, so I didn’t expect to be served such a savory, delightful combination of flavors at 9am, but delightful it was! After conversing with my minimal spanish and a lot of hand gestures, the sweet and lively owner, dished up a warm combination of flavors — chick peas, brightened by the parsley with a great balsamic tanginess that just put this simple, but amazing dish over the top. You certainly can eat this breakfast, but it will also make for a great side salad or protein rich entree.

Barcelona Balsamic Chick Pea Salad

Serves 4-6

2 oz ground beef
2 cans unsalted chick peas, drained
2 scallions diced
1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped
Black pepper to taste
Olive oil for drizzling
Balsamic for drizzling
Fleur de sel to taste

In a large pan break up ground beef to very tiny pieces and brown just until not pink. Add scallions to pan for 1 minute to release fragrance and soften slightly. Add drained chick peas to pan and add black pepper to taste. Stir to combine and remove from heat, transferring to a serving bowl. Drizzle with good olive oil and lightly drizzle some good balsamic. Sprinkle generously with fleur de sel and enjoy! Serve warm or at room temperature.

The Original Inspirational Dish:

Amazing Chick Pea Breakfast from Pinotxo

Filed under @home {recipes to love}

Tagged as Barcelona, Chick Peas, Recipe, Salad, Side, Side Dishes, Spanish, Tapas

March 10, 2011 · 8:55 am

Barcelona Digested: Mercat de La Boqueria

Mercat de La Boqueria

There is so much to write about the Barcelona food scene — it is arguably one of the top eating destinations in Europe with a mouth-watering balance of traditional and cutting edge restaurants, cafes and shops to eat your way through. In an effort to fully digest my week in Barcelona, I set out to categorize the best dining experiences and quickly noticed Mercat de La Boqueria was on all of my lists. It is a not only a place to find beautifully vibrant produce, locally sourced butcher stands and mounds of fresh-off-the-boat seafood, but it’s a specialty foodies dream, where one can seek out Iberico cured ham, artisanal chocolates, regional olive oils and spices. La Boqueria even houses a few legendary tapas bars that come highly recommended and are visited by locals. It is a place to eat what you see, buy gifts that will be reminiscent of Barcelona and explore the heart of Catalonian cuisine the way Catalonians do. Deservedly, Mercat de La Boqueria gets its own post.

A picture is worth a thousand words:

Fresh Seafood

Perfect Produce

Piles of Fruita

Sweet Mandarin Oranges

Artisanal Chocolates

The Land of Fruits and Nuts

Once Happy Chickens

My New Goat Friend

Where to Eat @La Boqueria:

If you’re interested in grabbing a bite of prepared food, I highly recommend paying an early morning breakfast visit {9am} to Pinotxo or El Quim de la Boqueria., two petite walk-up establishments that have no more than 10 bar stools at the bar. Showing up before the masses only adds to the experience, as you can have a quiet one-on-one chat with the owners and taste some of the most unique creations that aren’t always available when the market is abuzz with visitors. You’ll understand how special this early morning hour is when you visit the market midday and struggle to not bump elbows.

My Other New Friend and Infamous Owner of Pinotxo

The Next Pinotxo Generation Serving Up Egg Tortilla

Amazing Chick Pea Breakfast

Mercat de La Boqueria Must-Do Tips:

Go early (9am) to watch all the purveyors set up each nut, chocolate and fig, to perfectly present their bounty. The quiet of the early morning hour is spectacular in contrast to the midday buzz — the best way to take it all in.
Breakfast or Lunch at Pinotxo — A tiny tiny family run bar, but the owner is one of the most well known in Barcelona. Good things come in small packages. Go early (9am-ish) and ask for the specials to avoid the rush.
Breakfast or Lunch at El Quim de la Boqueria – Quim has been at the helm of this kiosk bar for the last 20+ years. It’s a place for fresh seafood and high-end tapas.
Buy some goods and make yourself a picnic to take to Park Guell for an outdoor lunch overlooking the Barcelona sprawl.
Things to try: exotic fruit, bite-sized chocolates, horchata, anything your heart desires!

More Pictures to Devour:

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And More Barcelona to Digest:
recipe goodness :: barcelona favorite recreated | balsamic chick pea salad
Barcelona Digested: Chocolate Central
Barcelona Digested: Hang with the Locals – Cava and Cafe Catalonian Style

2 Comments

Filed under Eat Here!, Travel Bite

Tagged as Barcelona, Chicken, Chocolate, Farmer's Market, Fresh Produce, La Boqueria, Nuts, Seafood, Spain, Spices, Travel

March 3, 2011 · 9:00 am

Mary Queen of Scots is a Better Restaurant than Lady

Mary Queen of Scots

Mary Queen of Scots is one Jenny Jones-worthy episode of a lady. Crowned at nine months old; married to her first cousin then promptly strangled him to death; forced to abdicate to her one-year old son; fled to England to seek protection from Queen Elizabeth, then attempted to claim the throne as her own; and finally was tried and executed for treason after 19 years in custody. That’s what happens when you are raised without good parents.

All of that sounds like a perfect recipe for an exciting restaurant muse. It’s no secret that Highlands is one of my favorite restaurants in NYC {it made my Favor8 list}, so when they took over the old Allen & Delancey space to open a new restaurant and bar, Mary Queen of Scots, it became a must try.

The menu alludes to both Scottish and French cuisine with items such as the rataouille vegetable tart or house smoked scottish salmon. I had a fantastic salad of pickled beets, caramelized yogurt and toasted hazelnuts that I would highly recommend to anyone. The wild striped bass with potato bacon terrine, mustard greens and white wine cream came highly recommended and certainly sounded like a winner, but was sadly not warm by the time it reached my table and was underseasoned. I did have food envy with the MQS burger though. Served with house cut chips and spicy pickles, this is a sure thing {is that french or scottish?}

MQS Burger

The Skim: Overall, Mary Queen of Scots was a good meal out, but it did not dethrone Highlands, which in my opinion serves up far superior fare. Both have great bars and an inventive cocktail menu though, so if you’re looking for a cool place to lose your head, MQS is a fantastic hideout.

Map: 115 Allen Street {N of Delancey}
Reservations: Taken!
Phone: 212.460.0915

Good Tartan Times:
Highlands Highlights: Scottish Plaids, Pub Fare and Hand
8.ate@eight’s Boozy Robert Burns Bash w/ The Tippling Bros. & Highland Park
Water of Life Whisky Wednesday With The Macallan

Filed under Eat Here!

Tagged as Burger, French, LES, Lower East Side, Mary Queen of Scots, NYC Restaurant, Scotch, Scottish

February 28, 2011 · 9:00 am

recipe goodness :: farro salad with steamed kale and roasted pinenuts

Farro Salad w/ Steamed Kale and Roasted Pine Nuts

I was at the farmer’s market recently and with the winter veg dwindling, I grabbed a bunch of kale and thought I would experiment with a green that I don’t normally cook with. Kale is one of the veggies that I want to add to my “I need more of this in my life” list. It has cancer-fighting properties is great for detoxing the body — just what I need after a late Saturday night. Everything else I just grabbed out my cupboard and fridge and threw together a lovely nutty and bright dish that is great on a cold winter’s night or as a cold salad on a warm day.

Farro Salad with Steamed Kale and Roasted Pine Nuts

Serves 4 | Time: 20 minutes

1 cup farro
1 bunch kale, stems removed
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/2 lemon
olive oil {equal parts to lemon juice}
salt and pepper to taste
parmesan for grating

Pour farro into medium saucepan and cover with cold water until an inch above the grains. Let soak for 20 minutes.
Drain farro and recover with cold water. Add a generous amount of kosher salt and bring to boil.
Lower heat to a simmer and cover for 10 minutes.
While farro is cooking, wash and dry kale. Cut into bite-sized pieces.
Juice half a lemon into a glass measuring cup and add the same amount of olive oil. Add salt and coarsely ground pepper to taste. Set aside.
In a small dry pan, toast pine nuts until light brown and remove from heat.
After farro has cooked for 10 minutes, add kale to the pot on top of the farro and recover for an additional 5 minutes.
After 5 minutes, turn off heat and check to be sure kale is bright green and tender and farro is cooked, but still has an al dente bite. If more time is needed, cover the pot off the heat for an additional 3-5 minutes.
Drain farro and kale and transfer to a large bowl.
Pour lemon and olive oil over salad and toss to mix. Serve in a bowl with grated parmesan and toasted pine nuts sprinkled on top. Enjoy!

I Need More of This in My Life:
Roasted Cauliflower with Gremolata Breadcrumbs
Savory Cauliflower Fried Rice
Greenmarket: Put Smarter, Cheaper & More Scrumptious Food on Your Table

Filed under @home {recipes to love}

Tagged as Farro, Healthy, Kale, Lemon, Parmesan, Pine Nuts, Quick, Recipe, Salad, Side, Vegetarian

February 24, 2011 · 9:31 am

Found: Coffee Foundry Hides Secret Joe Gem in Karaoke Bar

Clever Coffee Dripper

What do you do with a Karaoke bar during daylight? Turn it into a coffee bar, naturally. I have walked down west 4th many a day and night and can honestly say I have never paid attention to the karaoke bar, let alone noticed this super cool coffee cupper called The Coffee Foundry. You have to keep a sharp eye out for the sandwich board out front beckoning you to pay a visit to this boutique brewer because the facade is only marked with the karaoke bar signage. Alas, a hidden gem serving everything from single origin pour-over joe to microbrew beers.

The space has the appeal of a cool late-night joint with rich blue backlighting and bar seats to perch upon while watching your cup prepared to order. The pour-over method has an entertaining appeal, but is also their preferred method of brewing to enjoy the best flavor coffee beans have to offer. And yes they even roast their own beans in LIC to ensure the freshest bean to brew possible. Using the cleverly named Clever Coffee Dripper, the brewmasters combine the best features of French press and filter drip brewing. With French press brewing, you can control steeping or infusion time, but heat loss and sediment in the cup can be a problem. Whereas, brewing with a paper filter usually loses the control over steeping time as the coffee begins to drain immediately. The Clever contraption adds a stopper to a filtercone, combining control over steeping time with a sediment-free cup. Voila, a delightful cup of hot, rich, caffeinated goodness.

So next time you’re in the mood for a little coffee Journey, hang out with the very fun and knowledgable Coffee Foundry brewers. If you stay there long enough, you can witness the switchover from coffee dripper to bar shaker and move right into your best rendition of Don’t Stop Believing.

Map: 186 West 4th Street

Love Me A Good Cup ‘o Joe:
Blue Bottle Coffee Brews One Brilliant Cup at a Time
Crop to Cup Creating Quality Community Coffee
Give Your Monday Morning Mug a Kick in the Pants with Kicking Horse Coffee

Filed under NYC Best, {Drink Me}

Tagged as Breakfast, Brew, Coffee, Coffee Foundry, West Village

February 23, 2011 · 10:05 am

Wheat Don’t Need You Delivers a Triple Thrill Gluten-Free Treat

Wheat Don't Need You Triple Thrill Gluten Free Goodness

A good friend was recently diagnosed with celiac disease, which means she has an allergy to gluten. No more pizza, no more pasta, no more double chocolate cake. Tragic! or so you would think. She has certainly had to make changes to her diet, but as the awareness of such allergies has increased, so has the store shelf space, introducing new products that cater to gluten-free diets.

So when I was approached by a cleverly named gluten free bakery,Wheat Don’t Need You, to try a new product called the Triple Thrill I requested a few treats to share and evaluate with the gluten-free expert. I was curious how it would meet her “I miss good dessert” standards and mine. I was pleasantly surprised when I opened the package to find a bar cookie that I wanted to bite into immediately. Covered in creamy caramel, rich chocolate and pecans, the cookie is rolled in lightly toasted gluten-free oats. Apparently truly gluten-free oats are hard to come by due to cross-contamination from wheat, rye or barley at processing plants, so the addition of these certified oats received high praise at our gluten conscious table. But from someone who doesn’t have to be concerned with whether or not my food has gluten in it, I too enjoyed the Triple Thrill. I’m more of a savory person, so I loved the addition of the oats and pecans. And in my book anything with ooey gooey caramel is a winner. My only request, a few sprinkles of sea salt would have really put this bar over the top to counterbalance the sweetness and provide a quadruple thrill. Love to get a crunch of that unexpectedly delightful salt crystal on something sweet — but that’s just me. If you know someone who has a gluten allergy, give these treats a try and see if you can’t taste the difference. The Wheat Don’t Need You operation is small right now, but sometimes the best things come out of small kitchens.

6 Comments

Filed under Eat Here!

Tagged as Caramel, Cookie, Dessert, Gluten-Free, Triple Thrill, Wheat Don't Need You

February 18, 2011 · 8:50 am

SF Best: Bi-Rite Ice Cream Done Right

Bi-Rite Creamery

If people are standing in line for ice cream when it’s 40 degrees outside, you know it must be good. And when I visited Bi-Rite it was 40 degrees outside. But with the mercury shooting well into the 60s on this fine February Friday in NYC, I thought there was no better thing to write about than ice cream. The encouraging words that “the line moves quickly” made me feel only slightly better about our decision to join a long queue of eager scoopers streaming out of the Bi-Rite Creamery and half way down the block behind a red rope. A red rope for ice cream? If it didn’t feel special already, this touch certainly added to the depiction that this was not just any ‘ole ‘scream stand.

After perusing the list of clever creams – roasted banana, chocolate coconut, Ricanelas {cinnamon with snickerdoodles}, I thought I knew my order and was prepared to swiftly answer back when I finally made it to the front of the line. But upon introduction as “a newbie,” the expert behind the counter even more swiftly spun to snatch a silver spoon, upon which he presented his favorite concoction – a trio of blood orange olive oil {literally olive oil, not olive oil flavored ice cream}, hot fudge and honey lavender ice cream. An inordinate heavenly bite that at once confirmed Bi-Rite’s exceptional rank in the nobility of frozen treasured treats.

The skillful scooper quickly handed me three more spoons, each with a single flavor for more sampling which undoubtedly drove me into deeper confusion about what to order. But in an effort to contribute to “the line moving quickly” I placed my bets and married the roasted banana with the salted caramel {banana’s foster anyone?} and left feeling I probably couldn’t go wrong with any duo and most definitely will wait behind the red rope again.

The Skim: Vanilla may be the most popular ice cream flavor in America, but who wants to do what everyone else is doing? Treat your taste buds to any of Bi-Rite’s craft ice cream creations or go out on a limb and pick a popsicle (how about pineapple with mint}.

Map: 3692 18th Street
Reservations: Yeah right!
Phone: 415.626.5600

More Scoop Please:
Send Your Valentine an Ice Cream Gram from Milkmade
Under the Bridge, Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory Treat
I Scream, You Scream For MilkMade Handcrafted Ice Cream

Filed under Eat Here!, SF Best

Tagged as Artisanal, Bi-Rite, Dessert, Ice Cream, San Francisco, Specialty Food

February 16, 2011 · 9:38 am

Breadmaking 101: How to Make Bakery Quality Bread @Home

Homemade Bread

Yes, you too can achieve these results. No, you don’t need a bread machine or fancy mixer. Just your two hands, and the recipe below. This is the week of generously sharing family secrets to put excellent handmade food on your table.

A good meal is not complete without a great crusty bread that is also soft and chewy on the inside. I never thought this was something that could be accomplished at home, but after spending the day with my highly talented cousin, KimNora, I learned differently and a new bread baker was born! KimNora has been perfecting her bread for many years, experimenting with technique, ratios and environment, to create a bread that would give even Daniel Boulud a run for his money!

Homemade Crusty Whole Wheat Bread {Stretch & Fold Method}

Makes 1 Loaf | Total Time: 4 hours

2 cups unbleached bread flour {~305 grams}
1.5 cups whole wheat flour {~213 grams}
50 grams dried spent grain {optional}
2.5 teaspoons kosher salt {~14 grams}
2 teaspoons (scant) rapid rise dry yeast
Optional: 1 Tablespoon (scant) barley malt powder {~14 grams}
1 tablespoon each of fresh rosemary, sage, thyme, finely chopped
450 milliliters room temperature filtered water
corn meal for dusting proofing basket

If you want to flavor your bread {ideas: thyme-rosemary-sage, thyme-meyer lemon, rosemary-meyer lemon, raisin}, add the zest and herbs to the water and let sit for 15-20 minutes to infuse with the flavors. Raisins are best when they are plump, not totally dry, so letting them absorb some of the water is key.
Add all dry ingredients to a large bowl and mix thoroughly with a whisk.
Create a well in the middle and slowly add half the water, stirring with a butter knife {tip: this is an easy tool to pull sticky dough from}. As the dough comes together add remaining water to the center and stir with the knife to bring in the remaining flour, working from the center outwards, so as to minimize the amount of dough that sticks to the side of the bowl. Dough should be slightly sticky, but not smooth at this point. If it is too sticky add a few pinches of bread flour.
Cover the top of the dough loosely with plastic wrap and allow to sit for 10 minutes so flour hydrates and gluten bonds form.
After 10 minutes, dip hands and bread scraper in olive oil to prevent dough from sticking. Loosen dough from sides of the bowl and gently work into a smooth ball.
Lightly pour olive oil on counter or marble working surface and spread with hands to oil both your hands and surface.
Grab the dough with oiled hands and bring to the oiled counter to gently stretch the dough into somewhat of a rectangle shape. DO NOT pull or tear at dough — you just want to gently work it from the center to the outside to reshape.
While gently stretching the dough by grabbing one end, pull it up and fold like a letter into thirds. Right side folded first, then left side over that {stretch and pull, but don’t let the dough tear}. Then take the opposite ends that were just folded and fold into thirds again — top to the center and the bottom over that, stretching and folding. In the end, you will have almost a square shape.
Return the dough to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap to prevent drying out for 10 more minutes.
Repeat steps 5-8 two more times, so you will have stretched and folded and let rest for a total of 3 times. After the 3rd stretch and fold, allow the dough to rise for 1 hour, covered with plastic wrap.
After 1 hour rise, very lightly flour the surface and remove dough from the bowl to the counter. Spread and fold a 4th time and then start to form into a smooth ball by grabbing the edges and tucking the dough under itself, turning as you smooth and round the ball.
Generously add corn meal to a bread banneton {or place a clean towel in a small bowl and flour the towel}. Generously flour your hands and pick up the ball of dough, adding it to the basket or bowl, smooth side down, so your tucking seam is facing up. Gently pinch the seam to smooth the top of the dough facing up.
Cover with plastic wrap and let allow for a 2nd rise for 30-40 minutes. Meanwhile make sure your rack is in the center of the oven, with no rack above it and turn on your oven to 500 ºF with a metal baking sheet, pizza stone, piece of slate or terra cotta tiles on the rack to come to temperature with the oven.
After rise is complete, work quickly {so you don’t lose your heat} to dump dough from your basket onto the hot slate or pizza stone and using your sharpest knife or a bread lame, slash a fairly deep cut across the center and in any design you would like. Cutting the dough will open it up to expand upward, giving you good rise and will also look beautiful!
Turn oven down to 450ºF and cook for ~30-40 minutes.
Around 30 minutes, be sure to smell for any burning — remove immediately if necessarily. When bread has a nice dark crust, remove to the counter and while holding with one hand (use an oven mitt) check the temperature of the bread by inserting a thermometer in the bottom of the bread. If it reads 200-205º, it’s done! Add back to the oven if any less than 200.
The hardest part: resist the temptation to slice into your masterpiece right away, allowing it to cool for 1-2 hours as it completes its baking process on a wire rack on the counter.

The Art of Baking Bread:

Steps 1-4

Steps 5-7

Step 11: Smooth side down, pinch to close the tuck seam

Step 12: Final Rise

Step 14: Dump on cooking stone, slash, add water and close!

Step 16: Check Temp for 200-205 deg

Step 17: Leave it alone, admire from afar!

Enjoy Bakery Quality Bread at Home

The Rise on More Family Secrets:
Secret DiLaura Family Frittata with Sweet Italian Sausage
Grandma’s Italian Wedding Chicken Soup
Homemade Gnocchi and Sauce: Channeling My Italian Grandmother
Violet’s Lemon Cheesecake with BBQ’d Summer Berries

4 Comments

Tagged as Artisanal Bread, Baking, Bread, Breadmaking, Handmade, Homemade, Homemade Bread, Loaf, Recipe, Whole Wheat

February 14, 2011 · 9:23 am

Homemade Gnocchi: Channeling My Italian Grandmother with Food52

Some of my first memories of food involve going to my Grandma’s house on Sundays for a meal with all the cousins. Sometimes it was a roast, sometimes she was cooking the handmade pasta that she dried on a rack in the basement, but on my favorite Sundays, Grandma was making her Homemade Ricotta Gnocchi.

She originally made this recipe with potatoes, which make for a heavier, denser gnocchi. In fact, we used to call them belly bombs {although I think that had more to do with the fact that she gave us very generous second and third helpings}. Eventually Grandma realized it was so much easier to make gnocchi with fresh ricotta cheese and these potato pillows and our bellies were lighter for it.

I credit my love and respect for hand-prepared food to these memories. I believe strongly that a good meal is a great meal when shared with friends and family — it’s why I started my blog and supper club in the first place. So when Amanda Hesser and Merrill Stubbs asked me to film a recipe in the food52 kitchen, I knew Grandma’s Ricotta Gnocchi was the recipe to share. I hope you enjoy the simplicity of this traditional meal. Go on, channel your inner Italian Grandmother, and give it a try — I’d love to hear your stories, so leave me a comment if you do. Buon Appetito!

Grandma's Ricotta Gnocchi

Grandma DiLaura’s Ricotta Gnocchi

Serves 4 | Prep Time: 10-15 minutes

1 lb fresh ricotta cheese
1 egg
1 tablespoon olive oil
¼ cup parmesan cheese, grated, plus extra for serving
grated fresh nutmeg to taste
2 cups of flour, sifted, plus extra for rolling dough

Add egg to ricotta cheese and oil and mix thoroughly.
Add grated parmesan cheese to mixture and sprinkle with freshly grated nutmeg to taste.
Add sifted flour a little at a time and continue to mix thoroughly.
Dump onto generously floured surface and work with hands to bring together into a smooth ball. Keep adding flour until dough no longer sticks to your hands as you gently knead it.
Cut off slices of dough like cutting a loaf of bread and roll into ropes thumb size thick by spreading hands and fingers and rolling from center out to each edge of the rope.
Line one rope parallel to another and cut 2 at a time into 1-inch pieces.
Roll each gnocchi off the back of a fork to make imprints to help hold the sauce.
Put gnocchi pieces on a lightly floured or non-stick baking sheet so they don’t stick together and put tray in the freezer while making the rest of batch.
If not cooking immediately, let gnocchi freeze completely on baking sheet before transferring to ziplock bags or containers and keep in freezer until ready to make.
When ready to prepare, bring large stockpot of generously salted water to a boil.
Add gnocchi and gently stir once with a wooden spoon to prevent sticking to the bottom of the pot. As gnocchi rise to the top {a sign they are done cooking} scoop them out with a mesh strainer or a bamboo wire skimmer and immediately place in serving bowl shaking off excess water.
Continuously scoop some sauce on top of each layer of gnocchi as they are placed in the bowl to eliminate the need to stir them with sauce in the end and risk damaging or smashing the pasta.Generously grate parmesan over the top and serve.

TIP: Gnocchi can be made ahead and completely frozen until dropped into water for cooking. Great for pulling a meal out mid-week without having to worry about defrosting. I always double this recipe when I make it and save some for later!

Grandma DiLaura’s Tomato and Meat Sauce

12-14 servings | 2-3 hours

1 28oz can tomato sauce
3 12oz cans of tomato paste
8 cups of water {fill each can used}
1 lb. of browned ground beef
2 teaspoons dried basil
salt & pepper taste
1 medium size yellow onion, peeled
1 teaspoon of baking soda

In a large pot add the tomato sauce and paste. Fill each can used with water and add to the sauce with basil and salt & pepper and stir.
Brown the ground beef, drain off the fat and set aside.
Bring the pot to a boil on medium-high heat and then turn down to a slow simmer {caution: if you let the sauce boil too long it will burn}. Cook 2-3 hours until thick, stirring occasionally.
After 1 hour, add browned ground beef and whole peeled onion.
In last hour of cooking add 1 teaspoon baking soda to eliminate some acidity and stir.
When ready to serve remove whole onion and cut in half or quarters to serve.

TIP: Sauce freezes well in small containers to pull out for mid-week dinner.

My Mom, Aunt Marilyn and Grandma DiLaura Making Gnocchi {Love the 70s!)

15 Comments

Tagged as Amanda Hesser, Dinner, Entree, Family Meal, Food52, Fresh Pasta, Grandma DiLaura, Homemade, italian, Merrill Stubbs, Nutmeg, Parmesan, Pasta, Pasta Sauce, Ricotta Gnocchi, Tomato Sauce

February 10, 2011 · 9:41 am

8.ate@eight Cupid Just in Time with Valentine’s Day Gift and Dinner Ideas

♥ Text Me ♥ Recipe 4 Love ♥ Table 4 Two ♥ Be Mine ♥ Cool Cat ♥

You’ve found that special someone who likes long walks on the beach too, but you’re late to the game planning Valentine’s Day? Never fear, if you’re in need of some good inspiration to show your love, here a list of a few of my favorite ideas — whether you’re looking for a romantic night in, a unique meal out or a gift of food that is the way to your love’s heart.

♥ Labor of Love With Your Own Hands ♥

Cocktail Kick-Off: Fireside Sparks {Champagne Cocktail a la Tippling Bros.}
When In Doubt, Roast a Chicken: Lemon Herb Roasted Chicken
Spice it Up: Crispy Cayenne Roasted Potatoes
Bourbon and Flames to Heat Things Up: Alton Brown’s Bourbon Banana’s Foster
Bedtime Snack: Cinnamon Sugar & Dark Cocoa Almonds
Breakfast in Bed: How To Cook The Perfect Sunny Side-Up Egg w/ Herbed Buttermilk Biscuits

More 8.ate@eight Recipes HERE

♥ Wine & Dine ♥

10s Across the Board: The Art of Eating {and Drinking} Well @ L’Artusi
An Aphrodisiac’s Evening: Lovin’ Me Some Oysters @Mermaid Oyster Bar
Interactive Eating: Love, Love Shabu Shabu: Fun to Say and Eat
Butt. ‘Nough Said: Momofuku That Pork Butt is Good!
Slurping is Sexy: NYC Ramen Wars: Ippudo vs. momofuku noodle bar
Smoked Meat is Sexier: 18 Meat Dishes for Men & BBQ Heaven @Fette Sau
Cozy and Romantic: August in April
Single and Looking for Love: Wilfie & Nell: Not Your Grandpa’s Watering Hole

More 8.ate@eight Favor8 Restaurants HERE

♥ Gifts A Dozen Times Better Than Roses ♥

Ice Cream Gram: Send Your Valentine an Ice Cream Gram from Milkmade
A Gift to Warm the Soul: Blue Bottle Coffee Brews One Brilliant Cup at a Time
Artisanal Meats, Cheeses & Chocolates! Artisanal Specialty Foods Digested
Cheese & Wine Classes: Do This!: Artisanal Premium Cheese & Wine Classes

♥ Text Me ♥ Recipe 4 Love ♥ Table 4 Two ♥ Be Mine ♥ Cool Cat ♥

Filed under 8.ate@eight, @home {recipes to love}, Do This!, Eat Here!

Tagged as Dessert, Dinner, Holiday, Ideas, NYC Restaurant, Recipes, Specialty Food, Valentine's Day

February 9, 2011 · 6:30 am

8.ate@eight is Filming with Food52 Today

After working with food52 co-founders, Amanda Hesser and Merrill Stubbs on whipping up lots of mean excel spreadsheets, we decided it was time to direct some of that energy to the kitchen — a place we all love to work.

For those of you who don’t know food52, the company grew out of the insight that some of the best recipes come from home cooks. Each week they host a contest focused on one ingredient, allowing talented home cooks to show their stuff. The food52 team then vets the recipes and presents the best selections for the community to vote on, choosing a winner that will be published in an annual cookbook. How brilliant is that!

So this week they’ve asked me to come by their kitchen and film a video about my favorite food: My Grandma DiLaura’s homemade gnocchi. Stay tuned for more photos, videos and the secret family recipe! In the meantime, think about adding your own favorite recipe to this week’s contest, with the potential to be published in a cookbook and win a whole slew of prizes from Williams-Sonoma, Viking, OXO and TinyPrints. And you thought Christmas was in December.

Your Best Recipe with Citrus & Olives – BOOK 2 — WEEK 24

SUBMIT BEFORE 12am ET 02/11/11

Photo: Sarah Shatz

Winter citrus is at its finest, and most welcome, right about now. And when you add salty, briny olives — well, that’s practically a dance party. For this contest, pair them in any way you like, just make sure that both co-starring ingredients shine through mightily.

6 Comments

Tagged as 8.ate@eight, Amanda Hesser, Dinner, Entree, Food52, Fresh Pasta, Gnocchi, Grandma DiLaura, italian, Main, Merrill Stubbs, Pasta, Recipe, Video

February 7, 2011 · 11:42 am

NYC Ramen Wars: Ippudo vs. momofuku noodle bar

momofuku noodle bar vs. Ippudo Ramen

All this talk of it being the coldest and snowiest January in NYC history and a mercury-dropping forecast on the horizon, beckons the need for a piping hot bowl of really good ramen. Not the kind you buy for $0.25 and live on as a college kid, but true to Japanese blood ramen. Having already gone to momofuku noodle bar and written about it recently {here}, I went back to another favorite, Ippudo for comparison. Instead of giving you a recap of each drop of broth and the flavors you missed by not being there, I thought I would pit one against the other and see which would come out victorious in 8.ate@eight’s Ramen War.

My evaluation criteria:

Wait {inevitable}
Music {necessary for the wait}
Bar {also necessary for the wait}
Atmosphere
Service {the Japanese are known for it, afterall}
Steamed Buns {who doesn’t love a good set of buns}
Ramen {what really matters}
Overall Winner

WAIT: 90 minutes @Ippudo vs 30 minutes @momofuku
In all fairness, and an important disclaimer to the entire evaluation, I went to momofuku noodle bar at lunchtime and Ippudo for dinner, so there should be an expected difference in the amount of time. That said, when both of these places are open they enjoy a constant stream of patrons, so I would expect them to be equally as popular for lunch or for dinner.
Wait Winner: momofuku

BAR: Yes @Ippudo vs No @momofuku

If you’re going to make me wait, you’ve got to give me a place to rest my elbow and quench my thirst. And while bigger isn’t always better, Ippudo’s sake, beer and cocktail menu is more extensive than the more focused selections at momofuku. Plus you can’t really beat the 2:1 happy hour special during the week.

Bar Winner: Ippudo

Ippudo Bar

MUSIC: House @Ippudo vs Rock & Hip-Hop @momofuku

I liked the music at both places, so it all depends on your mood. I have to give a slight edge to momofuku for the range of toe-tapping tunes that make you move in your seat {once you finally get there}.

Music Winner: momofuku

ATMOSPHERE: Dark @Ippudo vs Bright @momofuku

Momofuku has a clean, bright space with light, blond wood tables and stools lining the narrow restaurant. It’s simple and all about the food. Whereas Ippudo welcomes you with a cozy, dark bar that does not let on as to how much room actually exists beyond the hostess stand {perhaps adding to the mystery of the wait}. When your number is finally called at Ippudo you are guided to the back and welcomed with the traditional shouting of “irasshaimase” from all of the staff, making you feel a little important and excited about what’s to come. Both places have open kitchens to entice the hungry diner with the bowls of genius Japanese goodness you are about to be served. There are other great pieces of eye-catching art at Ippudo that lend to the tipping of the scales in this face-off.

Atmosphere Winner: Ippudo

SERVICE: Traditional Japanese @Ippudo vs American @momofuku

Having recently been to Japan, I will say one of the most noteworthy elements of my dining memories was the service — attentive, instantaneous and discreet. At Ippudo the service lived up to traditional Japanese expectations – a welcoming shout of “irasshaimase” to start the dining experience off with a feeling that the entire staff has just personally invited you to their table. Water glasses were filled before they were even a quarter empty and often without even noticing it had been done. Plates were cleared the instant the last scrap was devoured. And after a complimentary cup of tea to end the meal, the bill was promptly delivered after our server made sure there was no additional food or drink we wished to order. While the service was not bad at momofuku, it was only as good as you would expect at any American restaurant.

Service Winner: Ippudo

STEAMED BUNS: Pork @Ippudo vs Shiitake @momofuku

Yeah, yeah, so they shouted something indecipherable at you — who cares? All that really matters here is the steamed buns you stuffed in your mouth and the ramen you slurped with satisfaction. True, and who doesn’t love a good steamed bun? Light, pillowy and slightly sticky, these are the wonder bread of the Japanese sandwich. In Ippudo’s case, a tender and a somewhat sweet and spicy pork treasure, and in momofuku’s case, an earthy and generously portioned stack of sautéed shiitakes with thin slices of Japanese cucumber. If I could say this was a tie, I would, but that’s a cop-out I’m not willing to take. It might have something to do with how hungry I was after a 90-minute wait, or that all things pork are Godly, but I had a strong urge to double down on my Ippudo pork buns, and would have if my bowl of ramen didn’t come out so quickly — giving Ippudo the edge over my momofuku order.

Steamed Buns Winner: Ippudo

Ippudo Pork Steamed Buns

RAMEN: Brothy @Ippudo vs Substantial @momofuku

This, of course, is seemingly the most important of all categories. We are talking about Ramen Wars afterall.

At momofuku I ordered the momofuku ramen — pork belly, pork shoulder, poached egg.
At Ippudo I ordered the Karaka Kogashi Miso Ramen — ‘Ippudo chintan’ based noodle soup, a dark, rich broth made from charred miso with Ippudo special blended hot spice, topped with pork belly chashu, 1/2 boiled egg, cabbage, spinach, naruto. I have also had the more directly comparable Shiromaru Hakata Classic — pork loin chashu, kikurage, menma, 1/2 boiled egg, red pickled ginger, sesame & scallions.

I think by just reading the description, you can image that there is so much ‘yum’ swimming around in each bowl, you will never again enjoy that orange package of instant ramen. The clear deciding factor for me, however, was that momofuku showcased these ingredients, only pouring a small amount of the broth into the bottom of the bowl, whereas Ippudo generously filled the bowl to the brim with soup. My preference was for momofuku’s balance in favor of the delicious pork belly, mushrooms, runny poached egg that are the main attraction to this dish and only complemented by the broth and ramen. But let’s be clear – both bowls were empty by the time I was done.

Ramen Winner: momofuku

momofuku ramen w/ eggy goodness

Ippudo Karaka Kogashi Miso Ramen

OVERALL WINNER: Ippudo

It’s like never winning a tennis major, but still being ranked number one. I never exactly understood how that happened, but when you evaluate the overall performance in all match-ups large and small, you don’t have to win the ramen crown to come out as my favorite NYC Japanese ramen player. You will very likely come away from both Ippudo or momofuku noodle bar feeling warm and full of Japanese goodness, but you might as well enjoy a 2 for 1 happy happy hour while you wait! I’ve also nominated Ippudo as one of 8.ate@eight’s Favor8 — congratulations!

8.ate@eight Favor8 Seal of Approval

Arigatou. More Things Japanese Kudasai:
NYC Best: Momofuku That Noodle Bar is Good Too!
Behind Bohemian
Love, Love Shabu Shabu: Fun to Say and Eat
Sensational Summer Sushi @ Geisha

Filed under Eat Here!, NYC Best, {Drink Me}

Tagged as Ippudo, Japa, momofuku, Noodles, NYC Restaurant, Ramen, Steamed Buns

February 5, 2011 · 9:20 am

Stellar Superbowl Party Recipes

Creole Roasted Corn-Tomato Salsa and Chips

Sure, you can put out a bag of tortilla chips with a jar of not-very-good, but highly marketed salsa, but then that wouldn’t be very original. Here are a few of my favorite party items — add a few to your Superbowl food spread and you’ll be a rockstar with your pigskin party pals.

Chili-Lime Cornbread Cups

Filed under @home {recipes to love}

Tagged as Appetizers, Drinks, Recipes, Snacks, Superbowl

February 4, 2011 · 10:24 am

recipe goodness :: braised grass-fed beef brisket and polenta

Braised Grass-fed Brisket and Polenta

It’s Superbowl weekend and you’re looking for an alternative to just another bowl of chili? Why not delight your pigskin party pals with a warm, rich bowl of polenta and braised brisket. The best thing about this dish is you can throw it all in a pot and let it cook for a few hours {or make the day before!}, while you enjoy the TV ads and a few brews. Of course, this dish is perfect for any cold winter night and doesn’t have to be saved for the big game — the bonus is it gets better with age, so leftovers are supreme.

Braised Brisket

Braised Grass-Fed Beef Brisket and Polenta

Serves 8-10 | Preheat Oven 350º

5-6 pounds grass fed brisket {I love Grazin’ Acres}
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, diced
2 medium carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 bottle red wine
14 ounces fire-roasted whole tomatoes and juice
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3-4 dashes Worcestershire sauce
1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 large sprig rosemary, leaves chopped
2 bay leaves
water
polenta
parmesan for grating

Braised Brisket Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Soak dried mushrooms in 2 cups boiling water.
Cut round piece of parchment with a quarter-sized hole in the middle to fit inside the pot on top of your ingredients before putting into the oven. This will prevent the sauce from cooking down too much.
Season brisket well with salt and pepper. Heat oil in large, heavy pot (I used a 7.5-qt. enameled cast iron dutch oven) over medium heat until shimmering. Brown brisket for 2-3 minutes per side, then set aside. Pour out all but 1 tablespoon of accumulated fat from pot {using grass-fed beef, which is leaner may not leave much excess fat}, then sauté onion, carrots and celery until soft. Add garlic and stir until fragrant.
Create a hot spot in the pot by moving vegetables aside and leaving about a 3-inch radius bare. Add tomato paste to the hot spot and stir vigorously until caramelized, then stir into the vegetables. Add red wine to deglaze and cook until liquid is reduced by half. Add tomatoes, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, mushrooms and soaking liquid (minus the last 1/4 inch to keep sediment out of your dish), plus herbs.
Add brisket to pot, fat side up and fill with water until brisket is nearly covered. Bring liquid to a boil, then cover with the round parchment paper and tight fitting lid and braise in oven for at least 3 hours or until brisket is fall-apart tender.
Remove brisket from liquid and set aside until cool enough to handle. Remove bay leaves and discard. While brisket is cooling, skim fat off surface and then purée the braising liquid with an immersion blender until thick and set over medium-low heat to reduce if the sauce seems thin. When brisket has cooled down, discard large pieces of fat, then shred the beef and return it to the pot.
Brisket can either be served immediately or refrigerated overnight. The next day, remove additional fat from the surface before reheating.
When serving, cook polenta per package instructions.
Add polenta to serving dish, topped with braised brisket and grated parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

Adapted from Minimally Invasive for food52.com

And a Side Of…:
Red Chili-Lime Cornbread Muffins
Rosemary, Truffle and Parmesan Chips or Fries
Roasted Cauliflower with Gremolata Breadcrumbs
Autumn Manhattan {Herby Garnished Classic a la Tippling Bros.}

Filed under @home {recipes to love}

Tagged as Beef, Braise, Brisket, Dinner, Entree, Food, Grass-Fed, Grazin' Acres, Main, Polenta, Recipe, Superbowl, Winter

February 3, 2011 · 10:23 am

recipe goodness :: inside-out scotch eggs w/ ground lamb, harissa yolk & panko gremolata

Inside-out Scotch Egg

What is an inside-out scotch egg you ask? If you want to be a traditionalist, the scotch egg usually involves enrobing a hard boiled egg with ground meat, breading it and deep frying that sucker. As I prepared for 8.ate@eight’s Robert Burn’s night with the Tippling Bros., I knew I didn’t want to be deep frying, nor serving something that ends up being the size of your fist, so I took inspiration from these flavors, flipped them inside out and created an appetizer that is creamy, spicy and somewhat devilish — the perfect drinking companion. Serve this at your Superbowl party and you will be legendary!

Inside Out Scotch Egg With Ground Lamb, Harissa Yolk & Panko Gremolata
Makes 12 | Total Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

6 Eggs, two-weeks old

Lamb:
¼ lb ground lamb
1 teaspoon harissa paste
salt

Harissa Yolk:
¼ cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon chives, chopped very fine
1 teaspoon harissa paste {add more for spicier kick}
1/8 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Panko Gremolata:
¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons of fresh parsley, chopped

For the eggs and lamb:

Use two-week old eggs to allow hard boiled egg to separate from the shell more easily. The night before you plan to make, rest each egg horizontally in the carton with the lid open. This will help center the yolk for better presentation.
Bring eggs to room temperature for 30 minutes {still resting on their sides}.
Add eggs to a large pot and fill with water, covering the eggs by at least an inch. Salt the water and bring to a boil.
When water is boiling, remove from heat and cover with a lid for 30 minutes.
While eggs rest, sauté ground lamb, harissa paste and salt until no longer pink. Remove from heat and drain any excess oil.
After 30 minutes, cool eggs in ice bath immediately and rest for 20 minutes.
While eggs cool, make gremolata.
Once cooled, roll each egg along the counter to crack shells and place back in cold water for 5 minutes to allow for easy separation between egg and shell.
Remove the shell, cutting each egg in half and remove the yolk into a separate bowl.
Mash the egg yolk till powdery and then add remaining ingredients. Taste mixture and add additional harissa if you prefer spicier flavor.
When ready to assemble, use a small spoon to scoop lamb into the cavity of each egg half.
Using a pastry bag and tip with a large opening, pipe the egg mixture on top of the lamb in each cavity.
Right before serving, sprinkle the gremolata on top of the yolk and enjoy!

For the Gremolata:

In a small sauté pan heat olive oil on medium heat and add panko breadcrumbs. Continue stirring until panko breadcrumbs are light brown in color.
Add minced garlic and lemon zest and stir to release the flavors, about 2 minutes.
Remove from heat and add to chopped parsley.
Set aside until ready to serve {may get soggy if added to eggs to early}

You Might Also Like These:
How To Cook The Perfect Sunny Side-Up Egg
How to Cook the Perfect 8.5 Minute Egg
Mini Wild Mushroom Shepherd’s Pie w/ Scotch! {bottom of post}

Tagged as 8.ate@eight, Appetizer, Breadcrumbs, Egg, Food, gremolata, Harissa, Lamb, Panko, Recipe, Scottish, Side, Side Dishes, Snack

February 1, 2011 · 1:36 pm

Send Your Valentine an Ice Cream Gram from Milkmade

Valentine’s Grams are back! Make someone’s day this V-Day by surprising them with a pint or two (or three or FOUR), of our seasonal ice cream delivered right to their home or office. So much better than red roses!

Each Valentine Gram includes a handcrafted pint of one of Milkmade’s seasonal flavors and a personalized handwritten card. Grams are $15 each with a $5 per location delivery fee. Orders must be placed by Thursday, February 10th and Grams will be delivered on Monday, February 14th to any home or office in Manhattan or Brooklyn.

How to Order:
First, select from Milkmade’s seasonal flavors.

Milkmade's V-Day Flavors

Then, choose your delivery preference.
Milkmade’s delivery zone includes offices and home residences in ALL Manhattan and Brooklyn zipcodes (well, within reason). Delivery is scheduled for Monday, February 14. Delivery options include between 10am and 2pm, between 2pm and 6pm, or between 6pm and 9pm. Please note that someone MUST be home to receive the delivery (or they can leave it with front desks with freezers) because delivery does not include a cold pack.

Orders may also be picked up at Milkmade’s East Village “headquarters” on Sunday, February 13 between 6pm and 10pm. The delivery fee will (obviously) not be charged for pick-up orders.

Grams are limited. To place an order, please click here.

Filed under Do This!, NYC Best

Tagged as Dessert, Gifts, Ice Cream, Specialty Food, Valentine's Day

January 31, 2011 · 10:43 am

Crispy Cayenne Roasted Potatoes

Still on the wintry kick here — winter hibernation, means good satisfying meals that don’t leave you hungry or bored with flavor. After a visit to the farmer’s market, I came home with an array of colorful potatoes just begging to be roasted and crispy. These are not your mother’s potatoes. I suggested a few varieties below, but you can use any combination, although I like the smaller spuds that are easy to cut into bite-sized pieces and get a nice charred edge on them. I also like these because they vary in both color and flavor, so you take a simple roasted potato dish to something with much more depth and with no additional effort. This recipe is easy to throw together as a last minute side dish and requires minimal prep.

Crispy Cayenne Roasted Potatoes
Serves 4 | Cook Time: 45 minutes | 400º

¼ lb Fingerling Potatoes
¼ lb Purple Peruvian Potatoes
¼ lb Red-Skinned Potatoes
Olive Oil
1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Rinse and dry potatoes. Cut each potato in half through its narrowest equator and add to medium sized bowl {quarter them if yours are larger than a ping pong ball in size}.
Add olive oil to coat, salt, pepper and cayenne pepper {1/2 teaspoon if spicier potatoes are preferred}.
Toss to coat and spread evenly on baking sheet.
Slide baking sheet into middle or lower rack the in oven for 20 minutes.
After 20 minutes, use a spatula to turn potatoes allowing opposite side to face up. Rotate baking sheet 180 degrees and place back in the oven for remaining 25-35 minutes, until outer edge is brown and crispy.

The Side Came First, Now For the Entree:
Lemon Herb Roasted Chicken
Pistachio-Encrusted Spring Lamb w/ Pickled Red Onions & Cumin Yogurt Sauce
Whole-Grain Mustard & Rosemary Pork Chops

Secret DiLaura Family Frittata with Sweet Italian Sausage
Herbed Buttermilk Biscuits
How To Cook The Perfect Sunny Side-Up Egg
How to Cook the Perfect 8.5 Minute Egg

Filed under @home {recipes to love}

Tagged as Cayenne Pepper, Food, Potato, Recipe, Roasted Potatoes, Side, Spicy

January 28, 2011 · 10:08 am

Wintry Weekend Inspiration

Looking for something to warm the soul this weekend? Here are a few favorites that will make for a great way to start your day or a cup of warmth to end the evening.

BREAKFAST {of champions}

Italian Wedding Soup

SOUPS

Best Butternut Squash and Green Apple Soup
Grandma’s Italian Wedding Chicken Soup

Autumn Manhattan

DRINKS {cheers!}

Autumn Manhattan {Herby Garnished Classic a la Tippling Bros.}
Fireside Sparks {Champagne Cocktail a la Tippling Bros.}
Smokey Margarita {a la Tippling Bros.}

Filed under @home {recipes to love}

Tagged as Biscuits, Breakfast, Brunch, Butternut Squash Soup, Chicken Soup, Cocktail, Cocktails, Eggs, Soup

January 26, 2011 · 11:42 am

NYC Best: Momofuku That Noodle Bar is Good Too!

momofuku noodle bar

After coming back to 20 inches of snow after Christmas, there was nothing I craved more than a big bowl of soup…or even better, David Chang’s present to New Yorkers, a bowl of piping hot, warm-your-soul, Japanese ramen.

As is typical of David Chang’s Momofuku empire, regardless of what time you go, a line of diners hungry for something special streamed out the door into the snow bank. We managed to squeeze into the open-kitchen bar seating that overlooked where all the magic happens {clearly my preferred perch anyway}. As we sat on the blond wood stools, we could see the fast-moving kitchen hands lining up ten bowls at a time, scooping in the piping hot, flavorful pork broth. The broth, which only filled the bottom third of each bowl, served as the base for the precisely segregated additions of diced scallions, shitake mushrooms, chard, and pork belly, all topped with a runny poached egg sprinkled in sesame. It’s up to you to delicately savor each of David Chang’s contributions separately or give the whole bowl a swirl of your chopsticks to marry the flavors and see what this genius ramen is all about.

momofuku ramen w/ eggy goodness

And while you might be there for the ramen, don’t forget to order a round of steamed buns. These made-to-order treats are prepared at the other end of the narrow open kitchen, where a white, pillowy bun is generously stuffed with shrimp, shiitake or pork.

momofuku shiitake steamed bun

The Skim: Love him or hate him, David Chang knows a thing or two about subtly inventive food. Priding himself on using only the freshest ingredients, mostly locally sourced, David Chang has brought good things to New York in his Momofuku empire. It’s snowing outside — time to conjure up a visit downtown.

More Momofuku:
Momofuku That Pork Butt is Good!
Le Grand Fooding ‘Twas A Grand Yummy Evening

Filed under Eat Here!, NYC Best

Tagged as David Chang, Japanese, momofuku, Noodle Bar, NYC Restaurant, Pork, Ramen, Shiitake, Steamed Buns

January 24, 2011 · 1:22 pm

8.ate@eight’s Boozy Robert Burns Bash w/ The Tippling Bros. & Highland Park

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What do you get when you put 30 lassies and laddies in a room with an abundance of top notch Scotch and Tippling masters who know how to shake up a mean cocktail menu? A boozy bash celebrating Robert Burns with uninhibited poetry recitation and a memorable gathering of new friends.

Who is Robert Burns you ask and why are you throwing a party in his honor? In addition to writing many well-known poems, Robert Burns can be thanked for contributing Auld Lang Syne to our annual celebration of the New Year. In his honor, Scots {and non-Scots alike} gather each January for an evening of uproariously informal drinking, noshing and a little poetry recitation to pay tribute to the Scottish Bard.

So many splendid things from the evening to recap, so without further ado…

8.ate@eight + The Tippling Bros. + Highland Park & The Famous Grouse =
A Grand Robert Burns Menu:

The Menus

Scottish Inspired Bites

Inside-Out Scotch Egg
w/ lamb sausage & harissa yolk,
topped with panko gremolata breadcrumbs

Scottish Smoked Salmon
w/ sweet red onion crème fraiche

Chevre Devils
w/ thyme-spiked chevre & spiced pecans

Lamb Sausage Roll
w/ harissa aioli

Mini Wild Mushroom Shepherd’s Pie
Sautéed in Highland Park Single Malt 12 Year Old

Millionaire’s Scottish Shortbread
w/ Maldon salted caramel & semi-sweet chocolate

Food Prepared by: Christina DiLaura

Scottish Inspired Handcrafted Libations

Mother Club Punch
Hendrick’s Gin, blood orange, heather honey,
cranberry and ginger beer

Roberto Roy
Famous Grouse blended scotch whisky, vermouth,
Galliano Autentico, Averna Amaro, orange bitters

Hudson Highland Cup
Highland Park 12 year old malt whisky, NY State apple butter
and maple syrup, lemon juice, sparkling dry cider

Smoke in the Hills
Beefeater dry gin, Islay malt whisky, Yellow Chartreuse,
honey, lemon, smoked salt

Tam O’ Jerry
A Scottish take on the classic Tom and Jerry, made with Highland Park 12 yr., Drambuie liqueur, fresh organic eggs & exotic spices

Cocktails Prepared by: The Tippling Bros.
Sponsored by: Highland Park and The Famous Grouse

Behind the Food and Drink

The Famous Grouse and Highland Park Contribute to A Great Robert Burns Night

Departing from both a traditional haggis-centric Robert Burns menu and my typical 8.ate@eigh t four-course dinner, I wanted to create a bite-sized menu inspired by a range of Scottish flavors that would be easy to enjoy while moving about the room with cocktails in hand. One very obliging guest with an authentic Scottish accent blessed the bites, reading the traditional Selkirk Grace.

Some hae meat and canna eat,
and some wad eat that want it,
but we hae meat and we can eat,
and sae the Lord be thankit.

Scottish Smoked Salmon w/ Sweet Red Onion Creme Fraiche

Inside Out Harissa and Lamb Scotch Eggs

As guests arrived, The Tippling Bros. packed a mean punch that quickly warmed the crowd, fresh from the wintry 15º wind chill. And they continued to pour one outstanding whisky cocktail after the next, heralding a new appreciation for an otherwise standalone spirit, each with unexpected flavor combinations that went down like water. Whisky, after all, means water of life. As each new drink was distributed, this dynamic duo provided an explanation as to what inspired the creative concoction, while also sharing some useful Tippling trivia.

Did you know Burns wrote a song about barley? An ingredient so important to Whisky making {and the Scots}, it warranted personification as the character John Barleycorn.

‘Blended’ Scotch Whisky – is Scotch Whisky distilled at more than one distillery from a combination of malted barley and other cereals.

Single’ Malt Scotch Whisky — is Scotch Whisky distilled at a single distillery entirely from malted barley.

Tippling Bros. Making the Mother Club Punch

One Beautiful Block of Ice

Smoke in the Hills

Derek, our consummate venue host and true Scotsman, also regaled us with some previously unknown facts about Burns. Good ‘ole Rabbie apparently was a man about town, fathering twelve children by four different women, seven of which were illegitimate. That aside, his literary contributions were also abundant, warranting this day of national celebration and his depiction on the £5 banknote. Well I’ll drink to that!

Derek Shares His Robert Burns Knowledge

Tippling Bros. Trivia

After consuming this useful trivia and half the Tippling menu, we had arrived at the pinnacle of our Robert Burns night agenda: make guests read indecipherable Scottish poetry in their best Scottish accent. The prize for the best channeling of Robert Burns was a highly sought after bottle of Highland Park Single Malt Scotch Whisky, aged 18 years and a roaring round of applause. It’s amazing how the competitive spirit will inspire sensational Scottish brogue. With everyone in good spirits {literally}, the collective participation in reciting verses from Tam O’Shanter, To a Louse, and two non-Burns toasts To the Lassies and Reply from the Lassies, ended the evening with much laughter and also a very passionate rendition of Auld Lang Syne.

Easier to Watch

Poetry Recitation Begins! {4 Cocktails In}

Colette Made An Impressive Run for the Highland Park Prize

Nervous Poetry Readers -- Get Them Another Drink!

In an effort to warm my guests before they headed back out into the dark and cold night, we opened up more Highland Park Single Malt 12-Year and 18-year, as well as the blended Famous Grouse for sampling neat. After enjoying several standout cocktails, it was also a treat to taste the complexity that exists even in a single pour of Scotch. The 12-year exhibiting a more gentle, lighter sip to the smokier, almost caramel-like 18-year. Not a bad way to end a full-on Scottish evening. To top it all off, the winners of the best poetry recitation and most impressive tartan garb also took home a bottle of Scotch to share the spirit of Robert Burns with friends.

Aaron Was Determined to Win the Highland Park 18 Year {and did!}

More Party Gifts -- Menus, Recipes and Stickers!

Tapadh Leibh {thank you}!

Thanks, as always, to my guests for participating in the 8.ate@eight evening {some traveling from as far as Chicago!} Thanks to Sarah and Derek for letting me takeover your apartment for two days and for all your help in seamlessly orchestrating a memorable Robert Burns night. To the Tippling Bros. team – Tad, Paul, Gianfranco and Amanda for contributing the necessary liquid courage to a room of 30 people asked to recite poetry {!} – with your artful handcrafted cocktails and mixology genius, I’m certain we made Robert Burns proud. To Highland Park and The Famous Grouse, for so generously supplying that liquid courage and introducing a fine range of Scotch to the 8.ate@eight crowd. And to Kristin and Karen for capturing the whole evening on camera.

Full Album of Photos: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=42802&id=128649143836083&saved

Stay tuned for news of the next 8.ate@eight event. If you aren’t on the invite list, email me at 8ateATeight@gmail.com to be added. Hope to see you at the table!

Recap of past 8.ate@eight dinners:
A+ 8.ate@eight Back to School Nite
8.ate@eight Went Whole Hog and Hog Wild @ the Big Southern BBQ
Who Cut the Cheese Didn’t Stink!
Silencing of the Spring Lambs was Lambtastic

Wild Mushroom Shepherd's Pie w/ Highland Park 12-Year Old

Recipe Goodness ::

Mini Wild Mushroom Shepherd’s Pie w/ Highland Park 12-Year
Serves 8 | Cook Time: 45-60 Minutes | Preheat Oven 400º

Mashed potatoes:
1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes
1/4 cup half-and-half
2 ounces unsalted butter
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 egg yolk

Mushroom filling:
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 carrots, peeled and diced small
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 pound cremini mushrooms
1/2 pound shitake mushrooms
1/2 pound white button mushrooms
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons tomato paste
1/2 cup Highland Park 12-Year Scotch
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons freshly chopped rosemary leaves
1 teaspoon freshly chopped thyme leaves
1/2 cup fresh or frozen English peas
45 mini phyllo pastry cups

Peel the potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch dice. Place in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Set over high heat, cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, uncover, decrease the heat to maintain a simmer and cook until tender and easily crushed with tongs, approximately 10 to 15 minutes.

Place the half-and-half and butter into a microwave-safe container and heat in the microwave until warmed through, about 35 seconds. Drain the potatoes in a colander and then return to the saucepan. Mash the potatoes and then add the half and half, butter, salt and pepper and continue to mash until smooth. Stir in the yolk until well combined.

Move oven rack to top position and preheat the oven to 400º F.

While the potatoes are cooking, prepare the filling. Place the canola oil into a 12-inch saute pan and set over medium high heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the onion and carrots and saute just until they begin to take on color, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and stir to combine.

Add the mushrooms, salt and pepper and cook until browned and tender.

Sprinkle the mushrooms with the flour and toss to coat, continuing to cook for another minute. Add the tomato paste, Scotch, vegetable broth, Worcestershire, rosemary, thyme, and stir to combine.

Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer slowly 10 to 12 minutes or until the sauce is thickened slightly.

Add the peas to the mushroom mixture and remove from heat.

Line up phyllo cups on a baking sheet and fill using a teaspoon with mushroom mixture. Top with the mashed potatoes, using a pastry bag and large tip or a plastic baggie with the corner cut off.

Place on the top rack of the oven and bake for 20 minutes or just until the potatoes begin to brown.

Final Thoughts:

The horse and cow live thirty years,
And nothing know of wines and beers,
The goat and sheep at twenty die,
And never taste of Scotch or Rye,
The sow drinks water by the ton,
And at eighteen is nearly done,
The dog at fifteen cashes in,
Without the aid of rum or gin,
The cat in milk and water soaks,
And then at twelve short years it croaks,
The modest, sober bone dry hen,
Lays eggs for years then dies at ten.
All animals are strictly dry;
They sinless live and quickly die.
But sinful, ginful, rum-soaked men
Survive for three score years and ten;
And some of us, the mighty few,
Stay pickled till we’re ninety-two!

4 Comments

Filed under 8.ate@eight, @home {recipes to love}, Do This!, Eat Here!, NYC Best, {Drink Me}

Tagged as 8.ate@eight, Chevre Devils, Cocktails, Drinks, Food, Highland Park, Lamb Sausage, Millionaire's Shortbread, Mixolog, Robert Burns, Robert Burns Supper, Scotch Egg, Scottish, Shepherd's Pie, Smoked Salmon, Supper Club, Tam O'Shanter, The Famous Grouse, Tippling Bros., To a Louse

January 21, 2011 · 9:32 am

Gone Fish. ‘in Sausalito

: Fish. Dungeness Crab Sandwich

Fish., a sustainable seafood restaurant and fish market in Sausalito, shows sometimes nature’s simplicity is all you need. The chalkboard menu hung over the open kitchen lists the selections of the day and features “f/v” beside each dish, prominently naming the fishing vessel responsible for your fresh catch. Well that’s a glowing idea.

The doors opened for lunch at 11:30am and it was not long before the line was easily 20 people strong and continued to grow with the lunch hour rush. People will wait for good food and Fish. {so says the name} is good food period. It’s crab season in San Fran, so it didn’t take much reflection to decide to bite into the dungeness crab roll. This delight was served on a slightly sweet and fluffy brioche roll that was no doubt swiped generously with butter and toasted face down on the grill, before being stuffed with perfectly seasoned crab that did nothing more than slightly accentuate the sweet, natural flavor of the main catch. With a Ball jar of pinot grigio and a side of salty fries, I had the makings of a fantastic mid-week lunch with my brother. As it turns out Fish. was also the location of my brother’s first date with his now wife – I guess they don’t say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach for nothing.

The Skim: Looking to clear out of the food fog? Head on out to Sausalito for a taste of what fresh food should be all about. Weather permitting you can enjoy your catch at one of the picnic tables overlooking the marina – just be aware of jealous seagulls who want a bite of Fish.

Other SF Catches:
S F Best: Nopa
SF Best: RoliRoti Rolls Out Revolutionary Rotisserie
Blue Bottle Coffee Brews One Brilliant Cup at a Time

Dolled Up Delicacies:
Summer Fancy Food Show: Full Belly and Learnings Digestion
Del Posto Presents Murray’s Cheese & Salumi Wine Party @NYCWFF
Give Your Monday Morning Mug a Kick in the Pants with Kicking Horse Coffee
Le Grand Fooding ‘Twas A Grand Yummy Evening
New York City Wine & Food Festival Kicked Off With Good Eats

Filed under Eat Here!, SF Best

Tagged as Beer, Date, Drinks, Fish., Food, Healthy, Lunch, Microbrew, Outdoors, San Francisco, Sandwich, Seafood

January 20, 2011 · 10:54 am

Winter Fancy Food Show: San Fran Specialties Digested

There were no shortage of snacks to sample at the specialty food show in San Fran this weekend. Much like the Summer show I attended in New York, the spread ranged from candies, cheeses, chocolates and coffee to fine meats and preserves from over 1,300 exhibiting food producers from around the world.

Straight off the flight from the Big Apple, I made my way to the food show, with an empty stomach and press badge in hand to see what new discoveries could be found and to pay a visit to a few favorites I savored last time.

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My Favorite Specialty Foodies and What to Love:

Bella Cucina {Salts, Spreads, Oils and Preserves from Atlanta}

The packaging will catch your eye immediately – beautifully jarred and labeled, these products will delight any gift recipient and your kitchen counter alike {hence the name}. More importantly I sampled several of what’s inside Bella Cucina’s jars – aromatic savory salts, artichoke lemon spread {their best seller accounting for 17% of all sales}, mint pistachio pesto, roasted sweet peppers grown especially for Bella Cucina – and wished I could buy several of them on the spot. As someone who can appreciate unique flavor combinations and beautiful packaging, Bella Cucina won me over immediately.

Justin’s {All Natural Nut Butters from Boulder}

I love peanut butter period. But give me a spoon of chocolate hazelnut butter, honey peanut butter or maple almond butter and you have just upped the ante on a simple snack time favorite. I always loved the day my mom made me a peanut butter and honey sandwich for lunch, so it just makes sense to bring these flavor combos together in one jar, except it’s not always in a jar. Justin’s sources high quality organic California nuts and has brilliantly packaged their product both in a jar and in a squeeze packet to take these delights on the road. I think it’s time to move your old friend Skippy aside for a spread or squeeze of Justin’s premier PB product.

Poco Dolce {Chocolate from San Fran}

So much chocolate in this world – is it possible to create a new and BETTER chocolate? Apparently yes. I was guided through aisles of food booths to Poco Dolce with assurance that these chocolates were the best around. I concur. With flavors like burnt caramel, sesame toffee tiles {winner of a sofi Gold award}, and super chile, owner, Kathy Wiley, elevates chocolate squares to new levels exciting your taste buds with both sweet and savory flavor combinations. Also try her toffee squares — bite sized toffee covered in bittersweet chocolate. If you’re not an SF local, fear not, see here for places to get your hands on those bites.

Fra’Mani Handcrafted Foods {Artisanal Cured Meats from Berkley}

Just take a look at the picture of this beautiful mosaic of head cheese. And beside this well-photographed delicacy, Fra’Mani was generously tasting a range of their other flavorful cured meat products – little ham, rosemary ham, roasted turkey galantine. Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching – why not replace those roses with a fragrant bouquet of artisanal cured meats? It’s the way to say I love you in 2011.

Beehive Cheese Co. {Handcrafted Cheese from Utah}

I first had Beehive’s Barely Buzzed by chance when it was paired with a wine at a tasting up in Livermore, CA. The cheddar cheese is hand rubbed with a Turkish grind of Colorado Legacy Coffee Company’s, lavender buds and olive oil, which makes your head spin in delight — perfectly named I would say. At the time we were with a group of eight people, who were all commenting more on the cheese than the wine and we made note of what we were sampling in an effort to find this delightful slice again. Previously it was not easy to come by, but distribution has expanded to many Whole Foods Markets, so next time you are rolling down the aisle looking for an exciting addition to your cheese plate, pick up Barely Buzzed for a deep caramel flavor or Big John’s Cajun Rubbed for something with a little kick.

Creminelli Fine Meats {Artisanal Cured Meats from Salt Lake City}

I first discovered Creminelli at the New York Wine & Food Festival in October. With a glass of cabernet in one hand, I sampled some of their finest salumi – lacy thin cut mortadella, hot sopresata, dark & rich wild boar sausage and their award-winning Barolo-infused salumi {winner of this year’s Good Food awards). So imagine my delight to stumble upon them next to the Beehive Cheese Co. Good cheese & meats hanging out together {both from Utah} – all I needed was a glass of vino and a comfy chair to make my day.

Kicking Horse Coffee {Coffee from Canada}

One of my all-time favorite coffee producers of the year – if you haven’t tried it, you must. Not a new discovery for me, but I had to stop by to say hello and for a quick cup of joe to rejuvenate my jetlagged, sampled-out self.

Great Brew: most importantly, this cup of joe was delicious {and just what I needed after a lot of walking, talking and sampling}. It’s just making its way down from our friendly northern neighbor, so check their website for a retail store near you.
Great People: Buying only Fair Trade coffee, the company supports its farmers, regardless of the world market. As the largest cash crop in the world, this really does make a Kicking impact.
Cool Names: Kick Ass {dark}, Three Sisters {medium}, 454 Horsepower {dark}, Z-Wrangler {medium}, Decaf {dark}, Cliff Hanger Espresso {medium}. Clever coffee, what’s not to love.
Cool Packaging: 100% recycled cans {surprisingly most coffee cans are not fully recyclable — yeah, that little plastic top is no bueno}. Black cans with primary color tops catch the eye and look cool hangin’ out next to your coffee maker.

The Skim: If you haven’t caught on to the specialty food trends, then wake up and smell the artisanal hand-pressed coffee. 63% of American consumers purchased specialty food in 2010, up from 46% in 2009 and farmers markets have grown to become the fourth most significant source of specialty foods. Knowing where your food comes from and passionate support for the creativity and handcrafted quality that goes into small scale specialty foods, is driving the emergence of new food entrepreneurs to historic levels. Mark your calendars, the Summer Fancy Food Show will be held in Washington D.C. July 10-12, 2011.