Ma Pêche, Je t'adore

It's only fitting, I believe, that my first post in an extended time be a tribute to the new Momofuku branch's impending opening. I know I said Ippudo's pork buns are better (and I think they are..), but David Chang really owns my heart.

Today I stopped by the Chambers Hotel to check out the limited menu in the lounge of Ma Pêche ("my peach"), the new French-inspired Momofuku sibling opening soon in Midtown. It promises to be a much larger, and slightly more formal setting than the first three restaurants, but the food remains the same delicious, unpretentious, knuckles-in-the-head-cheese Asian street food that made Chang a star in this city.

Two kinds of Bahn Mi are already on the menu, and an enticing chicken soup. I sampled the crispy brussels sprouts with fish sauce, mint, and cilantro. Oh, heavens. It's hard to go wrong with fried brussels sprouts, but the addition of umami-laden fish sauce, scallions, tiny chili slices, and a slight broth that had a sweet and floral aroma like lemongrass really made the dish outstanding. The slight heat of the chilis was absolutely perfect, and the dish paired fantastically with their spiced sake martini. The togarashi-infused honjozo sake with yuzu and lime was also slightly spicy, and its citrus elements paired perfectly with the earthy brussels sprouts dish.

This was just a little snack, but I'll be going back for more when they open the main dining room... If I can wait that long.

Ippudo kicks Momofuku's buns

photo by arthurohm

College students everywhere know, when you're broke there are really 3 main food groups: Food Your Mom Buys You, Food The College Buys You To Convince You To Attend Lectures, and Ramen. And while post-college we all occasionally scarf a bowl of Top Ramen in the wee hours after a night of drinking, the real deal is finally becoming popular again. Since David Chang's popular restaurant Momofuku opened in New York City, other New York ramen eateries are finally getting the attention they deserve. And one standout is definitely the recently opened Ippudo NY, an outpost of a popular Tokyo ramen restaurant.

This week I dragged a hesitant friend out for lunch to check out Ippudo. He's a bit light in the wallet these days and made me promise we wouldn't spend too much money, and boy did Ippudo turn out to be a steal. Sitting side-by-side at one of the communal tables facing a large mirror, we talked at each others reflections as we hastily devoured our pork buns and steaming bowls of spicy tonkotsu (pork) ramen.

So the pork buns. In my opinion (and I know some people would throw their chopsticks at me for saying so), Ippudo's kicked Momofuku's... buns. They were chewy, warm, garnished with crunchy lettuce, just the right amount of mayo, and filled with the most delicious pork belly I think I've ever had. That's what killed it, the pork. The pork was unreal.

The ramen on the other hand, may not best its rival, but certainly provides a very different yet equally crave-worthy interpretation. We both had the spicy tonkotsu ramen and requested the medium spicy option. As a person who loves spicy food, medium spicy is definitely plenty spicy! The noodles are house-made, and were delicious. And oh how my eyes lit up when lounging atop my broth was more of that exquisite pork! Sadly, they were thinner slices this time, and there was so little. Why do you tease me so Ippudo? The pork was again the highlight of the dish.

We each cleansed our palates and spirts with a masu of their two cheapest sakes (both really great for the price). We left full to the brim and extremely pleased. And overall the bill came to about $30 a person including tip. That's a steal, and certainly cheaper than the same meal would be at Momofuku. The inner college student in me smiled all day. I'll be returning soon, and this time I'll be getting extra pork buns.

Kitchen Necessities

Normally I wouldn't go out of my way simply to promote someone else's writing, but this is one of the most concise and excellent articles I have read in recent memory on stocking your kitchen with fresh, quality ingredients. Eating fresh is eating healthy, people!

Mark Bittman, of the Minimalist, a food column in the New York Times, is always a delight, but where he really shines is teaching the home cook where they can cut corners and where they most definitely should not.

Do yourself a favor and read this article. And don't forget to take its advice too.

Sechuan Buttons

I'm always looking for new things to experiment with, and recently I was introduced to a little known rarity called the "Sechuan Button." The buds of a plant known as the "tootheache plant" for its medicinal purposes, distributors in the U.S. have renamed the buds Sechuan or Sancho buttons to showcase the tingling fire they leave on your tongue, reminiscent of the like-named chili peppers. In fact, the plant is a relative of the sunflower, and has no relation to peppers.

The taste is very invigorating, like a jolt of electricity through your mouth that lasts a good 3-5 minutes. It begins with a crisp, lemony flavor, and then comes the tingle. If it could be described, eating these little treats is much like putting a dandelion in your mouth, having it magically turn into a lemon wedge, morph again into a hot pepper, and finally melt into a cube of ice. Throughout the experience the buttons also set off your salivary glands and keep your tongue watering like a fire hose. After my first Sechuan button I walked around for 5 minutes worried I was going accidentally drool on myself.

Needless to say, I've never tasted much of anything like it. My first thought was cocktails! And a friend mentioned they wanted to use it in a sorbet. Since this has a ton of citrus, and heat, but without the earthy saltiness of a pepper, I imagine muddled Sechuan buttons would be the perfect addition to any light cocktail for people who want something spicy but are margarita-no-salt kind of folks.

So for those of you watering at the mouth just imagining these little electric flowers, find them here as "Sancho Buttons": http://www.sungrownorganics.com/

You can make soup. Yes, you. Here's how:

"They" say that the French believe that the true mark of a chef is whether they can make a good soup. I think I heard that on top chef, actually... Well, friends, I am here to say that anyone can make a good soup.

Soup is extremely easy to make. It involves 4 basic ingredients. Vegetables, stock, spices, and salt. Yes, you can add meats, creams, and millions of other things, but a basic puréed vegetable soup is one of the healthiest things you can eat, and one of the easiest to make. You can use any vegetables, add any spices, and there are millions of possible combinations. This week I made a Savoy cabbage and carrot soup with curry and turmeric, and a cucumber leek potato soup with thyme and sage.

So soup lovers, here is my basic guide to creating your next great masterpiece.


1. Start by sautéing some veggies in a large pot with a bit of olive oil or butter (you can use butter substitute if you're really watching your calories, but nothing beats a high quality olive oil). Usually onions and garlic (optional) go first. Onions make any soup better. Then after a minute or two, in go your most hearty veggies - the ones that take a long time to cook.

2. After about 5 minutes of sautéing, add your stock (enough to cover the veggies in the pot). I generally like to use low-sodium organic chicken stock, but you can use any meat or veggie stock. You can even just use water and salt (but not too much salt!). The point is to infuse the broth with the cooking vegetables and vice-versa. Adding your spices at this point also helps build a depth of flavor, but be careful not to overdo it! Your soup will cook down and your spices won't! (You can always add more later) You can add meats here if you want to make a chunky soup. And, at this point, covering the pot is usually a good idea so you don't cook off all of the liquid. You want to cook the veggies down over medium heat until they're fully cooked and very tender. Depending on the type of veggies you use this can take 20 minutes or even 40. But keep it covered, so you retain that liquid!

3. OK, now turn off the stove. Here you make a decision. Do you want a puréed soup or a chunky soup? If you want a puréed soup, it's time to use a blender. Immersion blenders that you can stick right in the pot are the fastest and easiest (this is my favorite appliance and I recommend everyone get one). If you don't have an immersion blender, transfer your soup in batches to a traditional blender, and combine the purée back in the original pot. If you want a chunky soup you have two options - either don't blend fully with your blender, or blend fully and add chopped cooked vegetables into the final product after you're done puréeing the soup. Depending on the type of soup, chunky veggies can be really nice, and sometimes even raw ones give a soup that nice crispy, juicy crunch (think cucumbers!).

4. Now you check your spicing. Does it need salt? More spices? Some pepper? Maybe a dash of milk or cream? This is the time when you let your creative genius take hold. But remember, take it slow! You can always add more, but you can't subtract. Stir and taste after every little bit you add. Smelling is very helpful in this process. Smelling what you're about to add and then smelling the soup will help you decide if adding jager to beet soup will actually taste good.

5. It's time to garnish. Top your soup with a dollop of sour cream (fat free is delish), some chopped veggies (cooked or fresh), some crunchy chopped toast, or fresh herbs! You now have a delicious, healthy dish that will impress all your friends, and help keep you trim in those summer months. Ta da!

Real Brooklyn pizza: Totonno's

According to the Zagat, "only God makes better pizza" than Totonno's. I haven't tried God's pies yet, but I imagine that statement just might be true. Totonno's began on Coney Island, so after hearing years of talk about it's wonders, I finally trekked out on the Q train and waited in line with all the devotees for a slice of heaven.

The server was a no nonsense kind of gal, and I knew right away I had to be quick and decisive with my order, so I got a large pie, half with red peppers and onions. The pizza was out pretty fast, and it was clear that I ought to be too, so I chowed down.

True to Brooklyn form, the crust was simultaneously crispy and chewy, with just enough real oven smokiness for the top of your tongue. The sauce had a hint of sweetness, but thankfully not overwhelmingly so. I know some people are in love with sweet tomato sauce, but I'm a savory girl all the way. The cheese was clearly very fresh, even a little wet like a true fresh mozzarella. Since the slices are large, and the cheese is a little wet, I ate my pie with a fork and knife, but it still felt like Brooklyn to me. The peppers and onions were crunchy and nice, but didn't elevate the pie. I've always been a fan of the simple, majestic cheese slice anyway.

It was a long way (and a long wait) for a great slice of pizza, but thankfully Totonno's has several branches in manhattan, and I'll definitely be visiting one soon. Man, do I love Brooklyn pizza.

Crunchy Bok Choy Salad

Recently I have been blessed with a cornucopia of fresh vegetables that I don't normally cook with thanks to my neighborhood CSA, and one of my favorites is bok choy! I've eaten this leafy green vegetable, also referred to as "chinese cabbage," on several occasions, but had never previously tackled cooking it on my own. We'll refrain from discussing my first attempt, but the second was fantastic thanks to this recipe found on CookingLight.com (a great source for healthy, delicious recipes with helpful user comments). I'm not normally a real salad lover, but this crunchy, spicy, asian salad is so incredible I've been scarfing down my greens like a rabid bunny rabbit. I highly recommend it for something refreshing with a kick on a hot, summer day (especially if you're trying to fit into that new swimsuit).



Crunchy Bok Choy Salad


Dressing:
2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Salad:
1 (3-ounce) package ramen noodles
1/4 cup unsalted dry-roasted peanuts
3 cups thinly sliced bok choy
1 cup very thin red bell pepper strips
1/2 cup shredded carrot
1/4 cup diagonally cut green onions


To prepare dressing, combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl; stir well with a whisk.

To prepare the salad, crumble noodles; discard seasoning packet. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add peanuts; saute for 4 minutes or until browned. Remove from heat. Combine crumbled noodles, peanuts, bok choy, and the remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Drizzle dressing over salad; toss gently to coat. Serve immediately.

Yields 10 servings (serving size: 1/2 cup)

Lunch at Nougatine

I've said in the past that lunch at Jean-Georges is probably the best deal in the city (2 courses for $28), and lunch at their sister restaurant Nougatine is not to be overlooked either. For just $24.07, get a three-course taste of the legendary chef without having to wear a tie.

When we went, I admit, two 24-year-old girls seemed slightly out of place, but I imagine that's only because most youngsters don't realize what amazing meals are to be had for such little money in this city. Lunch is the most affordable way to enjoy 3 and 4 star restaurants in New York, especially because there's less justification for having several drinks with your meal at 12:30 in the afternoon.

And when you do go, make sure you take a friend you are willing to share saliva with, so that you can get the most out of a tasting menu.

The menu at Nougatine, like Jean-Georges, changes seasonally. When we went, the dishes we sampled included these:

Crispy Skin Trout with Thai Pickled Cucumber



"Gently Cooked" Chicken Breast, Baby Fennel, Black Peppercorn Vinagrette



Coconut Coriander Panna Cotta, Passion Fruit Soup, White Chocolate Cocoa Nib Sorbet



All were delicious, though preceded by a rather bland White Bean Soup with Asparagus and Bacon. I was sufficiently impressed with the cuisine as a whole, though admittedly not blown away like I was by lunch in the formal Jean-Georges dining room. And though you are given 3 courses instead of 2 for approximately the same amount of money, in the formal room you also get extra goodies like a trio of amuses bouches and homemade marshmallows at the end of your meal. Still, for those who want a taste of the great J-G without the jacket and tie or the stuffy service, Nougatine is a great lunch option.

Josie's Restaurant

Some friends and I went to Josie's Restaurant East for lunch on Wednesday, and I was very impressed.

First they brought out some delicious foccacia bread and sweet potato spread to eat as we perused the menu. My two friends ordered some hot tea, which when presented seemed like extremely nice loose leaf tea. And I, of course, ordered their mango martini (delicious!). It's all about the mango puree.

We shared a bunch of plates between the three of us. The Thai Chili Shrimp were on what appeared to be rice crackers with some kind of sauce beneath the marinated shirmp. They were very good, but not as spicy as I would have liked. The grilled ginger squid was probably my favorite, tasting lightly of ginger, tossed with mango and red pepper, and both cooked and spiced perfectly. The Josie's roll (king crab, avocado, cucumber, masago) was forgettable, and definitely needed more king crab. Their wasabi was also under-flavored and a disturbing shade of leprechaun green. And their "un-fried rice" (which we got with tofu instead of shrimp) was quite delicious but also extremely filling.

With three of us walking in ravenous, and sharing only 3 appetizers and an entree I was surprised at how much was left on our plates when we finished. They don't cheat you on the portions. However, we also asked for "light oil" on all of our dishes, as one of my friends has a sensitive stomach. Yet to me, it seemed that request may have gone ignored (I can only imagine that "un-fried" rice would have been dripping had it been left as is!). Still, I found the food to be overall quite good, innovative, and fresh. And I will be back without a doubt.

Here's a picture of the squid I swiped from their website:


www.josiesnyc.com

Astor Center Classes

Food-lovers in New York City, I have found our mecca.

Check out Astor Center: www.astorcenternyc.com



Basically, they have tons of one-time classes on cooking and tasting, with topics such as The Chemistry of Sweet, A World of Spice, and Resurrecting Historic Cocktails. If I could live at Astor Center I would.

Next week I'll be attending The Elements of Flavor: Part V - Umami, and I promise to report back on all the exciting details!

Canton Ginger Liqueur

For all you ginger lovers out there, check out the delicious, spicy Canton Ginger Liqueur.

Canton makes a fantastic ginger cocktail with the simple addition of vodka and a twist of lemon. Or make a delicious late winter drink with Whiskey, Canton, and apple juice or cider. Canton on the rocks would also make a refreshing after-dinner drink.

Canton is very lightly sweet, and powerfully flavored like fresh ginger (think liquid ginger chews). And ginger is also an excellent remedy for upset stomach, allowing you to make numerous health-related excuses for your constant drinking.

Chocolate Espresso Cookies

Recently I decided to make cookies for a friend having a rough day, and I found this great site online.

http://www.webterrace.com/cookie/index.htm

It has a lot of annoying pop-up ads, but also some great recipes.

We made two kinds, the Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies, and the Espresso Chocolate Chip Cookies. The latter were a huge hit, so here's the recipe, followed by Epiqueerean's modifications:


Chocolate Chip Espresso Cookies

Ingredients

3 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup butter
3 eggs
1 cup white sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons finely ground espresso beans
3/4 cup all-purpose flour (actually more!)
1/3 teaspoon baking powder (actually more!)
1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets or line them with parchment paper. In the top of a double boiler, melt together the unsweetened chocolate, 1 cup of the chocolate chips and the butter. This can also be done in a microwave oven on low setting. Stir occasionally until melted. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs and sugar until thick and light, about 3 minutes. Stir in the espresso. Add the chocolate mixture, mix well. Sift together the flour and baking powder, fold into the egg mixture. Carefully fold in the chopped nuts and remaining chocolate chips. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Cookies will have a crackled appearance when done. Cool on baking sheets.

So, here are our modifications:

1. We used Lindt 65% cacao dark chocolate instead of unsweetened chocolate. This was simply because we did not have any unsweetened chocolate and were too lazy to go buy any.

2. We left out the walnuts. (My friend is allergic)

3. Most importantly, we added way more flour and baking powder than the recipe called for. The dough was soupy when we followed the recipe so we added this at the end. Unfortunately I did not measure at the time, so just add more baking powder and more flour until the dough is sticky enough to make balls on the cookie sheet (I'd say we added approx. double what the recipe calls for). It also helps to chill the dough before you put it on the cookie sheet, and it tends to thicken as it cools so don't add too much flour!

So there you go. These cookies got rave reviews and they have a substantial caffeine kick too!

Best Deal in the City: Lunch at Jean-Georges

You know, I went to lunch at Jean-Georges about a month ago and didn't write about it. I think it was just too overwhelming. That right there is honestly the best deal of the century.

They have a menu of about 15 dishes, ranging from smallest/lightest at the top to largest/heaviest at the bottom, and you get to pick two for $28! Some of the dishes are signature items of JG, and cost a heck of a lot more at dinner. You can add a third dish for $12, and dessert for $8. They also give you an amazing trio of amuses bouches, and complimentary petit fours at the end of your meal. To be honest, the two course and the freebies alone, and you're full. And it is seriously exquisite.

I recommend taking a few friends, dressing up, and buying the amazing bottle of savenierres chenin blanc that's around $70. It will be the lunch of your lifetime.

Red Bamboo

So, I went to Red Bamboo for Vday with my lovely girlfriend because she has decided to be vegan for the month of February. (As a foodie, I pray she doesn't make it permanent) Red Bamboo is a vegetarian soul food restaurant.

I had mixed feelings. We ordered a lot of small plates, and I was surprised by the dominance of fake meat on the menu. Aren't there any vegetarian restaurants in new york that serve actual vegetarian dishes? If you are addicted to fake chicken, maybe you shouldn't be vegetarian.

Anyway, my favorite dish was actually the one without the fake meat: beer-battered portabella mushrooms. Yum. It was like high-class bar food. The next dish was their version of buffalo chicken wings... Hmm. The "chicken" was squishy and not chicken-like, and on a stick! And the sauce tasted like sweet and sour. Definite ick. I ate the celery. After that we had their coconut shrimp. The "shrimp" actually tasted like shrimp and had a similar texture. I was both impressed and slightly disturbed (how do you make something vegetarian that tastes like shrimp?). I liked it though. And we ended with their king fish filet. It was a very close approximation to a McDonald's fish filet with tartar sauce. Impressive yet equally unappealing.

I love soul food. I love vegetarian food. But "mock" soul food dishes full of slightly odd fake meat.. not so much. It was good for a restaurant who specializes in fake meat (truly), but bad for a restaurant in general. I'll still take the real thing any day.

Low-Fat Jambalaya

I found this recipe on epicurious a while back, and found that a few simple additions made it a really delicious, hearty meal that was still incredibly low fat. It's great for people who like their food spicy too (like me!).

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/230294
JAMBALAYA


1 tbsp olive oil
 (or any other oil.. vegetable is good)
1 large onion, chopped

2 medium cloves garlic, peeled

1 large green bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped

2 celery stalks, diced

3 tbsp fresh Italian parsley, minced

4 oz extra-lean smoked ham, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
*
5 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast, diced

1 large bay leaf

1 tsp cayenne pepper
*
1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes

1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce 

3/4 cup brown rice, uncooked

1 1/2 lb medium precooked shrimp chopped into bite-sized pieces


*My modifications: add worcestshire sauce and a little Frank's Hot Sauce when you add the other spices, low-sodium organic chicken broth (instead of or in addition to the water), and shredded deli-slice ham instead of cubed ham. Also, go light on the shrimp.

1. Add oil to a large nonstick saucepan. Over medium heat, sauté onion, garlic, bell pepper and celery until onion is translucent.
2. Add parsley, ham, chicken, bay leaf, cayenne pepper, worcestshire sauce, and Frank's Hot Sauce. Cook, stirring often, 5 to 6 minutes.
3. Add tomatoes (with juice), tomato sauce, and 1 3/4 cups cold water or chicken broth. Gently simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.
4. Pour rice into the pan and stir well. Bring mixture to a boil.
5. Lower heat and simmer, covered, 45 minutes or until rice is cooked and absorbs most of the liquid.
6. Stir in shrimp and cook 5 minutes more. Remove bay leaf.
7. Season to taste with cayenne pepper and salt.