Archive for the ‘Food’ Category

The Irish Shouldn’t Cook Rice

Filed Under: Foodon April 21st, 2010

My Dad always says, “The Irish shouldn’t cook rice.”

It’s probably because, despite my Mom’s cooking expertise, she can’t make rice to save her life. Don’t ask me why, none of us (including her) can figure out why rice is harder to master than the Sunday crossword puzzle (which ironically, she can do).

I’m pretty much straight-up Irish. With the name “Colleen Keefe” which literally means “Irish Girl” there’s little room for error when guessing my heritage. Sunburns, freckles, a hearty appetite and work ethic, and the ability to cook … potatoes, not rice.

I’m just going to blame my rice adventures on the sheer fact that Irish people aren’t supposed to cook rice, they’re supposed to cook potatoes. I’m not a huge rice person so this is hardly ever a problem, but I do love risotto, which I guess is technically Italian rice, but same difference. I’m bad at making that too.

So last night after succumbing to the culinary gods and humbling myself a bit, I learned that sometimes making a wedding cake is easier than making risotto. It didn’t turn out bad but it’s not exactly my forte.

Maybe I just don’t have the patience? Correction, I know I don’t have the patience, but luckily cooking school taught me not to be phased by culinary disasters … in most cases butter can fix the problem.

Ah ha! And it did! I can’t tell which country is more obsessed with butter, France or Georgia …

Suffice to say, the meal wasn’t my best, but it worked out with a little of my love. What I realized about making risotto is that the reason why it tastes so good in restaurants in because it’s LOADED with butter, cream, olive oil, and salt. DUH! I realized that if you actually make it the way the directions say, it’s not going to taste like the “real thing.”

Shucks. Well, what can I say, I’m a potato girl after all.

Tags: potatoes, risotto
Posted in Food | 2 Comments »

Rediscover Cooking

Filed Under: Food, Recipeson April 18th, 2010

I have a confession to make: when I was in school it was hard to find the motivation and satisfaction of cooking at home. I needed to get out, put on make up, get dressed up and go out to eat. Or, I’d do the exact opposite out of sheer exhaustion and live on scramble eggs and peanut butter and jelly.

The idea of tackling new recipes and ideas was exhausting! Since the end of school, I’ve rediscovered my love for creating masterpieces (small or great) in my own kitchen. Granted, I always loved to cook, eat, and entertain but the process was so much more complex.

Now things seem easy in comparison to wedding cakes and plated desserts.

Last night I made lamb shanks for very pleased guests. Having never made this before and following no specific recipe I have to say it turned out pretty great. I plated it with a fresh arugula salad with olives, blue cheese, and asparagus and roasted rosemary potatoes.

Granted I still live in a tiny apartment, with an even tinier kitchen. You can see our makeshift tables. Necessity is the mother of invention …

Lamb Shanks

About 1 shank per person, ask the butcher how much each shank weighs, remember this weight includes the bone
flour, salt, pepper, olive oil
1 large onion
4 cloves garlic (again depending on what your preference is you can add more or less)
beef broth
rosemary
can of tomato
red wine

Generously salt and pepper the shanks and dredge in flour. Heat about 3 tablespoons olive oil in large pan oven proof pan with a lid. Brown shanks on each side and remove from pan. Add another 2 tablespoons of oil and add chopped onion until it begins to sweat. Add chopped garlic. Season with salt, pepper, and rosemary. Deglaze the pan with about 1/2 cup wine and 1/2 cup broth. Allow it to come to a boil and reduce a bit. Add shanks back to pan and add tomatoes. Bring entire mixture to a boil, cover and move pot to a 250 degrees oven. Allow to cook for about 3 hours until meat is tender and falls of the bone.

Plate shanks and cover to keep warm. Bring sauce to a boil on the stove top and leave for about 10 minutes uncovered until mixture reduces. Skim the fat off the top of the sauce. Top shanks with reduced tomato sauce and serve.

Tags: cooking, lamb shanks
Posted in Food, Recipes | 3 Comments »

Sharing Dessert

Filed Under: Foodon April 14th, 2010

I love the network of bloggers I’ve made since beginning my adventure in cyberspace last fall, and one of my favorites is Sabrina at Rhodey Girl Tests. This lifestyle, food, healthy living blog is not only inspirational but gives me insights about another up-and-coming food city, Philadelphia.

For Easter she was looking for a dessert recipe, and I happily shared with her what I was making, my bread pudding. Check out her site and her version of the delicious dessert.

Tags: bloggers, bread pudding, Rh
Posted in Food | 2 Comments »

A Weekend of Fun

Filed Under: Foodon April 13th, 2010

I have to admit, it’s been hard coming up with ideas to write about now that school is done. More than ever, I’m strapped for cash and dining out and exploring the New York food scene, well, that takes moola …

So I’ve been cooking a lot at home and spending weekends away … maybe in the hopes of curtailing my spending and making me feel less envious that I can’t enjoy all that New York and spring has to offer. But believe me I haven’t been suffering that badly …

This morning I had some cremini mushrooms that I had to use before they went bad, and nothing makes me more upset than seeing produce spoil, so I made a simply mushroom gravy, that can be a topping to meat or used in pasta.

Using what I had in the kitchen I sliced and sauteed the mushrooms in olive oil. The trick with mushrooms is that you have to let them “sweat” before adding any seasoning. Mushrooms are full of water and need to break down before adding salt and pepper, if added to early, the mushroom will essentially sweat out the seasonings.

After the mushrooms have condensed, I added pepper and white truffle sea salt. A great gift from my culinary school bud Vanessa at graduation, and although its quite potent, it goes great with the earthiness of mushrooms.

Pushing the mushrooms to the side of the pan, I added about a tablespoon of butter to the empty side. After the butter was melted, I added about a tablespoon of flour and whisked. This is a roux in French cooking, or in simpler terms, a thickener. From here you can make a cream sauce by adding heavy cream or milk, or to make a lighter gravy use white wine and/or stock. Since I had wine on hand (a Sancerre from France) I added wine and stirred the whole pot together.

Actually another tip is that wine, even if its gone “bad” and no longer drinkable, you can use it in your cooking. This wine had been opened (and refrigerated) for over a week, and although it wasn’t good for drinking, I used it to cook!

Because lunch was approaching, I toasted the bottom side of a roll, topped it with a sunny side egg, mushroom gravy, baby arugula, goat cheese, tomatoes, and a little lemon juice. It was delicious!

Tags: simple lunch food, travel
Posted in Food | 1 Comment »

Good Things Come in Small Packages

Filed Under: Foodon April 11th, 2010

One of the rules when shopping for the purest and best ingredients in the supermarket is sticking to the perimeter. Fruits, vegetables, fresh baked breads, meats, etc. are all located on a shop’s perimeter. The middle aisles are canned, packaged, and generally processed foods.

I’m usually against most things in the middle aisles at the grocery store. But, on my limited budget I’m starting to learn that there are some healthy AND affordable products in those middle aisles.

I’m really snobby when it comes to certain things about food … I hate mass produced/marketed anything, large chain stores, or shortcuts in cooking.

But one of the things I alway struggle with (as I’m sure many of you do), is wanting to try a recipe and realizing you have none of the spices it calls for. And if you indulge in buying a particular spice, do you ever use it more than once? Fresh herbs are hard to store but using a dry herb you just spent $7 on and only using it once is hardly practical.

That is why I have to confess my latest guilty pleasure: McCormick Recipe Inspirations. The spice package includes about 5 or 6 spices that curtail towards a particular recipe. This makes EVERYTHING so much easier for those of us who don’t have a stocked spice rack.

Granted, this isn’t the best idea to do for every recipe, and it can’t hurt to build a collection (I’m sure as hell trying to) but if you’re only cooking once or twice a week, this is perfect!

Tonight I made fajitas with some spices that I just didn’t have on hand and didn’t want to buy. I used the garlic lime spice pack with garlic, onion, cumin, black pepper, oregano, and cilantro. Pretty tasty, give ‘em a try.

Posted in Food | 5 Comments »

Healthy Pasta is Achievable

Filed Under: Foodon April 6th, 2010

Despite my love for dessert of all kinds, I a very healthy eater. And contrary to popular belief, carbs are not the devil. I’m a firm believer that everything is about portion control and moderation. That being said, pasta is far from out of the question. It’s actually the perfect meal to cook for one, and for one on a budget.

And for all you health nuts that say, “Use whole wheat pasta, it’s better for you because it’s ‘whole wheat’ and has more fiber,” this is what I have to say, “Whole wheat pasta tastes like cardboard.” Sorry, this is a blog, and that is my opinion. But unless it’s dressed in a completely decadent sauce, I’d much rather have a smaller portion of real pasta than use whole wheat. Sorry.

Inspired by a segment on the Today Show this morning with Mario Batali and the unseasonably spring weather, I was hankering for Pasta Primavera, literally “spring pasta.”

So what’s a girl to do with no money and nada in her apartment? Get creative! And that’s exactly what I did. What did I have? Angel hair pasta, artichokes hearts, thin asparagus, frozen peas, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and a strip of bacon.

The secret is this, use some of the pasta water to make the sauce. The starch in the pasta water combined with the cheese and olive oil creates a textured sauce fit for a light pasta dish. The trick with having your pasta, and eating it too, is simply loading up the vegetables to make the dish appear bigger. There is no doubt that too much of a good thing is a bad thing, but pasta CAN and IS healthy by adding the right ingredients and dressing it correctly.

Oh, and then afterwards for dessert I went out and got ice cream … so much for being completely healthy …

Happy Spring!

Tags: eating healthy, pasta primavera, spring
Posted in Food | 6 Comments »

Knead It Outta the Day

Filed Under: Food, French Culinary Institute, Recipeson February 23rd, 2010

There are so many comical things I could tell you (my readers) everyday about the idiosyncrasies of school life. These include:

The assignments that ask us to make sugar owls that end up merely resembling Liza Minnelli or a showgirl working the Main Stage in Las Vegas … or when we’re asked to create chocolate showpiece cake stands, because after spending thousands of dollars on a wedding cake a bride really can afford a decorative cake stand …

The teachers which for all intensive purposes are fabulous at what they do. They really are. Once I leave FCI, I will say that I went because of the instructors, because I did, but that doesn’t excuse their quirks, personalities, sense of style, or favorite says/songs/habits. They’re too easy to love/laugh at. But because a blog is “public” record, and not everyone has the same sense of humor as me (or my fellow classmates) my funny teacher puns are few and far between.

My fellow classmates probably give me the most comical stories I could write about. But like the former teacher comment, I don’t want to burn bridges with different ideas of what constitutes as humorous. That, and I’d like to have friends tomorrow …

But despite all of the odds and ends of my class room, today was on of those days where everyone’s “bad” was clashing. Not so great for class room chemistry, let alone kitchen chemistry. Did I mention that we’ve been working with sugar ranging in temperature of 300 plus degrees Fahrenheit that can burn through your skin? Not a good combo.

I’m usually quiet and removed when I’m angry in public situations. At home with my family, I’m the loudest thing since the morning rooster. But when it comes to friends, work, teachers? I’m mute, and simmering. Probably a habit I picked up from past boyfriends where fighting always got me into more harm than good … learned that lesson a little too late, but it seems to have helped me from fighting with everyone who crosses my path …

So today was a quiet day. A very quiet day. Except when I dropped my pulled sugar structures, popped my blown sugar, or set off the elevator alarm when I returned food items to the downstairs kitchen.

I wish I could say I was joking about the last comment, it’s completely true, and almost brought me to tears when the Spanish speaking maintenance man came running towards me. Suffice to say, I did not tell the teacher about that.

So when I got home after having a very long and aggressive run I decided to make home-made pizza dough. Hand knead the shit out of something and get my hands dirty. Most people wouldn’t attempt this feat, most culinary students wouldn’t attempt this feat, and I probably could count one person other than myself that finds cooking therapeutic after a day of hell. But what can I say this is my calling!

I made the recipe up, so I can’t help too much with exact measurements, but I know this, I used All Purpose Flour, not Bread, so I’m not sure how the end result will be once it’s baked but I’ll keep you posted.

All Purpose Flour Pizza Dough

1 packet of quick rising yeast (check the expiration date, often times they’re old in stores)

1 1/4 cup warm water (just when the faucet starts to feel “warm” your body is 98 degrees and the water should be about 110, you don’t need a thermometer, just don’t have the water HOT)

1/4 cup flour

Combine all these ingredients and all to stand in a bowl for about 10 minutes.

After ten minutes combine additional cup of flour and mix, the mixture will still be wet. Add another cup of flour and mix. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt. At this point the mixture will be formed but very wet. Get dirty. Pull it out onto a floured counter and add 1 tablespoon additions of flour until it resembles a ball.

At this point you knead, and knead, and knead. Or stick it in a mixer with a bread attachment. Did I tell you I had a bad day? The kneading takes about ten minutes and grunt work, it’s not quick task.

You’ll know the dough is done because it will be consistent in texture and be able to “pull a window” which basically means taking a pinch of the dough and pulling slowing. The dough should break, it should puuuulllll apart.

Form into a ball and place in a oiled bowl. Cover and allow to rise for about an hour in a warm area of your kitchen. It should double in size. Punch the mixture down, allow it to rest about 5 minutes and then you’re ready to make a pizza!

I place mine the refrigerator overnight, I think it tastes better after allowing to rest. I’ll let you know how the results are tomorrow!

Posted in Food, French Culinary Institute, Recipes | 5 Comments »

Meatball Madness

Filed Under: Food, New York City, Restauranton February 20th, 2010

Just like cupcakes, pizza, and street food, meatballs relay a certain “comfort” that we all know and love. So when times got tough in New York and restaurants began revamping menus, cutting expensive items, and offering discounts, Daniel Holzman and Michael Chernow thought up a new idea …

meatball-1

Opening a restaurant that served just meatballs. Well, not just meatballs, but basically just meatballs. The new hotspot, The Meatball Shop on the corner of Allen and Stanton gives the city a taste of (in essences) mini-burgers with all the comforts of Italian-ish home cooking.

Venturing out last night with my city-girls, we were prepared for the lines, the wait, the snooty hipsters, and yes, meatballs.

Ironically in dire need to use the ground turkey in my refrigerator before it went bad, I made meatballs before going out. I didn’t eat them, but I had to make something fast and easy with the meat, so I guess great minds think alike!

The wait was “an hour to an hour-and-a-half” which in hostess terms means, “Thanks, but try again another day.” I love when subtle context clues start flying.

In a restaurant where the tables are closer than people on the subway, and the communal table allows your to rub shoulders with not-always-so-friendly beatniks it was hard to stand and wait.

But if the hostess didn’t want us, the owners sure did, and after meAting (sorry, I had to play on that pun) we were sure our wait would be less. And worth it.

meatball

Offering a splattering of meatballs such as vegetarian, beef, spicy pork, chicken, and a special (last night’s was lamb) that can be dressed in a “sauce” and/or sided, served under or “slidered.”

The best part of the evening is the atmosphere, the prices, and the family style food. Oh, and the sauces, which came to near perfection from simple tomato to parmesan. The meal is simple, delicious, and crowd pleasing.

Unlike other food bloggers at the restaurant (there were many, cameras in tote), I didn’t take personal pictures, but do not let that deter you from trying this spot. Maybe give it time to calm down, or go at an off hour, BUT go!

meatball2

Ok, not the best meatballs in the city. Sorry, Locanda Verde’s lamb sliders still win despite the restaurants rising prices, pompous hostesses and long waits. Little Owl’s come a close second, and the Num Pang sandwich on 12th still takes the cake on the veal, BUT for what its worth this is the place to get meatballs if that’s what you’re hankering for …

Posted in Food, New York City, Restaurant | 3 Comments »

Fat Tuesday

Filed Under: Food, Life, Recipeson February 16th, 2010

If I were a cooler person, I’d live in New Orleans.

Unfortunately, my body can only handle a few days of funnel cakes, fried okra, extra-large to-go margaritas, pancakes, strawberry shortcakes on buttermilk biscuits, and bacon … I could go on for hours about the food in this city, it is by far my favorite place to eat …

And that’s just the food. Usually there’s gambling, little sleep, driving weird rental cars, brawling with locals, eating at Cafe du Monde at 4 am, getting hit in the head with beads, attempting to not look like the “morning after” everyday you’re there and attempting to at least stand when you arrive at the airport.

You only visit Nola like this once. Then you learn, you go back and you really enjoy the city for what it is, an incredibly strong passionate and cultured metropolis rich with tradition and pride. And this was true even before The Saints won the Super Bowl.

Fortunately, my sister is cool enough to live in this city, so visits are a must! In honor of Fat Tuesday, the day before Lent begins, and the biggest party day during Mardi Gras, I’ve included a recipe for the Nola famous King Cake.

Legend has it, the person who get the “baby” trinket baked into the cake has the obligation to bake the next king cake. Now, most King Cakes made in grocery stores and bakeries are not up to par on the New Orleans standard. I had the honor of staying in a beautiful old New Orleans home on my last visit and tasted a King Cake worthy of praise – by even a king.

Grab a Hurricane cut yourself a piece of King Cake, put on some beads and give me a little shimmy. Happy Tuesday …

King Cake

Dough:

1 cup Milk

1/4 cup Butter

2 (.25 ounce) packages of active dry yeast

2/3 cup warm water (110 degrees)

1/2 cup Granulated Sugar

2 Eggs

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

5 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour

Filling:

1 cup packed Brown Sugar

1 tablespoon ground Cinnamon

2/3 cup chopped Pecans

1/2 cups All Purpose Flour

1/2 cup Raisins

1/2 cup melted Butter

Frosting:

1 cup Confectioners’ Sugar

1 tablespoon Water

Scald milk, take off heat and add butter and stir until melted, let it cool. Add yeast, water, and 1 tablespoon sugar and allow to sit and get foamy, about 10 minutes.

After yeast seems bubbly add the cooled milked mixture and stir. Then add remaining dough ingredients sans flour. Once all combined add flour, 1 cup at a time, until the dough comes together into a ball. Oil a bowl and place ball into a bowl and cover, allow to rise for 2 hrs, it should be double in size. Punch down the ball and divide into two.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and grease two sheet trays. Combine all ingredients for filling and melt butter. Pour melted butter over filling toppings and combine until crumbly. Roll two balls into large rectangles, split filling between two rectangles and roll up into log forms.

Loop the log into a circle and take kitchen scissors and cut ever 2 inches or so half=way through the dough. All to rise for 45 minutes.

Place in preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes add the baby figure by pushing it down into the dough. In the meantime combine all ingredients for icing. Allow cake to cool slightly after cooking for about 15 more minutes and top with icing.

Food coloring, sprinkles optional.

king cake

Tags: Fat Tuesday, King Cake, Mardi Gras, New Orleans
Posted in Food, Life, Recipes | 2 Comments »

Back to the Grind

Filed Under: Food, French Culinary Institute, Life, New York City, Restauranton February 15th, 2010

I’ve been bad. And by bad, I mean, not posting as often as I should or could.

Last week I had SO MUCH to write about, but considering I was in a “live it” not “write it” mode, I was a little sub-par, so apologies.

Let’s say as a wrap up, I went a little crazy – all out.

lambmeatballs

Spotted Pig burger on Tuesday night, snow day trip to Locanda Verde on Wednesday night for lamb meatballs, herbed ricotta cheese, and toffee date cake, Friday trip to Bar Farnelli with more Brooklyn Lagers than I care to admit, Saturday afternoon a trip to the

Blind Tiger and pit-stop at Murray’s Cheese for a like ‘njua, Saturday night at Colicchio and Sons and Sunday brunch at Bubby’s. bubbys

You’d be surprised that I had time to do anything else but eat, huh? But I did, don’t worry. Although eating was a HUGE part of last week, and every minute of it was fabulous. Can’t say there was a sour note!

In terms of finishing up plated desserts from last week, we chocolate sprayed out Mint Domes and plated a white chocolate citrus parfait, a tiramisu, an exotic fruit soup, and a goat’s yogurt panna cotta.

The panna cotta and tiramisu were vomit-worthy. DISGUSTING. So much so, that if I actually ordered either of these at a restaurant I would have sent them back. And I don’t think soup should be next to the word “dessert” but that’s just my opinion …

Be wary of the pictures though, these were “unpretty” desserts of our large batch.

The unattractive pieces are used to practice plating while the immaculately clean looking ones we have to save for either the restaurant, school functions, or our “Afternoon of Desserts” where our friends and family come for a tasting.

And since ours is tomorrow afternoon, we had to be very particular to leave all the “good” ones for them.

Hope everyone else had a fabulous weekend!

Oh and like a true nerd of food, on my day off what am I doing, cooking? You named it. Greatest find of the city thus far? Israeli grocery store downtown where a butcher hand grinds lamb for $3 a lb. Um, hello! Give me all of it and let’s see what I can do with it! Isn’t it great how the small things in life make your day?

Maybe I really am back to the grind, now that I have my meat …

Tags: Bar Farnelli, Brooklyn Brewery, Bubby's, Colicchio and Sons, Locanda Verde, Murray's Cheese, nyc finds, plated desserts, The Blind Tiger, The Spotted Pig
Posted in Food, French Culinary Institute, Life, New York City, Restaurant | 2 Comments »