Salmon Two Ways

It started with a 1.75lb side of gorgeous wild salmon bought at Costco. The next obvious question was "What are two of us going to do with nearly 2lbs of salmon??"

I cut off about 1/2 lb and marinated it in a mixture of garlic, shallot, wine, fish sauce and cilantro. Since Mother Nature wasn’t going to allow us to fire up the barbeque, I baked it for a mere 14 minutes at 425°F. Perfection!

The rest of it became Gravlax. If you’ve never had gravlax, it’s salmon, cold cured with salt, sugar, pepper, dill and usually some sort of alcohol; vodka in this case. (The final result is reminiscent of lox.) I’d made gravlax once before while I was in culinary school and frankly, I could not remember the outcome!

We placed a container of pin balls on top of the salmon to weigh it down (pie weights, a brick or cans of tomatoes will work, too), turned the salmon every 12 hours and waited with anticipation. 48 hours later, when the moisture has been drawn out and the flavors developed, it was time to taste it. Drum roll, please…

SUCCESS! Sliced thin and place on crackers, topped with a Mustard Dill Sauce (see below), the salmon had been transformed into a beautiful, tender, subtly dilly masterpiece. A melt-in-your-mouth experience.

What did these two dishes have in common? Other than the salmon, wise-guy. The Mustard Dill Sauce, which, I believe could make just about ANYTHING delicious. Chicken, shrimp, asparagus, broccoli… and for the sake of your dinner table, I’m sharing that recipe with you:


Mustard Dill Sauce

1-1/2 Tbs white wine vinegar
1-3/4 Tbs sugar
1/2 cup olive oil
5-6 Tbs Dijon mustard
1 Tbs dill, chopped
1 heaping Tbs ground white pepper

Whisk the vinegar and sugar together in a small mixing bowl until the sugar has dissolved.
Slowly add olive oil, whisking well until all the oil is incorporated.
Whisk in the mustard until the mixture has emulsified.
Add in chopped dill and season with the white pepper.
Cover and refrigerate until needed.

Cheese, Glorious Cheese

I love you embedded in a chip
I love you on a cracker
I love you on your own
I love you when you’re stinky
I love you when you’re aged with all of your glorious crystallization
I love when you’re soft and spreadable
I love how you can finish a dish just right
I love when you’re the star of the show
I love that you come in so many varieties from so many sources
I love that you get along with everyone – fruits, vegetables, grains, meats and even sugar
I love you for breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert or anywhere in between

Please, dear Lord, don’t ever make me Lactose intolerant!

Bubbly on a Tuesday?

I am a huge fan of the Bubbly. If it’s dry and sparkling, I’m there. But I’d always seen it as a ‘special occasion’ beverage. Something that sits in my fridge waiting for the right time; or on occasion when I felt decadent, ordering a glass when out for. Until one night a few years ago…

My world had recently come crashing down around me and I was feeling pretty low. At the time, I was working for a wine magazine, where word had spread I was a fan of the Bubbly. Every so often, a bottle would appear on my desk. Never anything too outrageously expensive, but some really solid sparkling wines from California, Cava from Spain, Prosecco from Italy, even an unfiltered sparkling wine from the Pacific northwest.

My wine fridge at home started to look like something from an episode of Sex and the City. Then one night, I was making myself a comfort meal of Spaghetti Carbonara. As the garlic was melting into the bacon renderings I panicked. I have no white wine in the house! I have 7 bottles of sparkling wine, but nothing to put in the dish! Or did I? Tentatively, I opened a simple bottle of Cava.

Rationalizing that since I didn’t pay for it, I shouldn’t feel guilty. I used a little to make the sauce and then poured myself a glass. Talk about feeling decadent! The pasta was delicious and the Cava paired incredibly well, breaking through the salty, tangy and creamy sauce. Suddenly my mood lightened considerably.

Then I started thinking: Who decided Bubbly is only good for special occasions? What denotes a special occasion? Why can’t I celebrate that it’s Tuesday and I made it through the day? I’m not saying to break out a 1986 Veuve Clicquot Le Grande Dame, but there are so many inexpensive (and good!) options, that why shouldn’t we allow ourselves a little luxury, or at least perceived luxury. Haven’t we earned it?

If you’re concerned about being able to finish a bottle in an evening but don’t want it to go to waste (that’s just alcohol abuse!), there’s a contraption out there which will preserve the bubbles for up to 3 days. Seriously. It really works.

So the next time you’re in the wine shop, take a stroll through the sparkling section. You’ll be surprised at what you can find for under $20, if you’re willing to open your mind from traditional Champagne.

When Your Favorite Lunch Place Disappoints

It was just like any other day… food from the Favorite Lunch Place. It’s the hole-in-the-wall a few blocks away with the line around the corner.

“What are they selling, Crack?”
So we brave the line to see what the fuss was about.
It’s a tiny place that sells amazingly fresh, delicious sandwiches, brewed iced tea and possibly the most amazing cupcake I’ve ever had. Yes, you read correctly.
The BEST Cupcake EVER.

Every visit there was worth the 15 minute wait on line.

And then….

We decided to call in our order for delivery since so many of us wanted to eat from there today. This is how it went down:

“Please fax in your order”
We don’t have a fax machine on our floor, so we trek down 4 floors to our sister floor.
Order Faxed.
Then the call came “We need a credit card to confirm the order”
Um… Ok, here’s my credit card number.
We wait.
One hour and 15 minutes later our food arrives and we pay the delivery guy.
As we’re going through the list to see who gets what, my co-worker noticed a credit card receipt.
Wait a minute – didn’t I give them the number just to confirm the order? Like a restaurant takes a credit card to hold the reservation??
I frantically call the Favorite Lunch Place. Sure enough, they charged my credit card.
“Well, we just gave your delivery guy $52 in cash money.”
To her credit, the woman was very nice but said, “I told you I needed the credit card number..” (right, to confirm. That’s what I heard, to confirm!)
Ok, instead of arguing the small points, she credits the card.
Now she wants my fax number so she can send me the confirmation of the credit.
“DOES ANYONE KNOW OUR FAX NUMBER?”
The woman on the other end of the phone is stunned. “Um… I know you have a fax machine, you faxed your order to us!”
“Yes, I know we have a fax machine but it’s 4 floors down and I don’t know that number. See, they’re shutting down our office and taking away all of our equipment.”

Well, THAT’s a conversation stopper. Bet she hadn't heard that one today!

Moving on to the entire reason we order from there – the FOOD! And not a minute too soon. I’m hungry!

Today I chose a different selection than normal: Turkey, Cranberry and Pear on a baguette. Thanksgiving on a baguette! How good does THAT sound?

I unwrap my sandwich with gleeful anticipation…
hmm... my turkey is pink. And. Shiny. PROCESSED turkey!
A place that boasts freshly baked bread, quiche and incredible sandwiches serves processed, briney, salty turkey?
Really?
REALLY???

I guess all that’s left to do is drown my sorrows in one of those cupcakes.

Mmm… cupcakes.

When a Chef is Expected to "Bring Something"

There's nothing more gratifying to me than cooking for my friends and family. They are my biggest fans, amazing critics and the world's best guinea pigs. But the pressure is always on. I've got to top myself from last time, don't I?

When someone has a party or you go stay with someone for the weekend, you ask and always mean "What can I bring?"

Whatever you decide to bring has got to be GOOD. I mean, you can't bring storebought cookies or a cake when they KNOW you can make it yourself.

So you start to think through your arsenal, "nope, they had that last Easter. No, I made this for that party a few months ago." So then you think about what you can make that's new and fresh. But you realize:
a) you don't have time for a dry run**,
b) whatever it is needs to be mostly assembled and/or cooked ahead of time because their house probably won't have the right equipment
c) noone wants their kitchen taken over by someone else when it's their party.

**Side note on the dry run: Most people, especially most chefs no matter how famous or experienced, are a bit insecure. So a dry run is essential for the chef to actually enjoy themselves at the event instead of watching every face as they take a bite.
"Are they gagging?" "Did they just spit it out or were they wiping their mouths?" "I KNEW there was too much pepper."

I'm going to stay with some family who I adore this weekend. I normally bring a bottle of wine and something edible. Here's what I decided on this time; a dessert, an appetizer and something a little different from a bottle of wine:

* My famous Peppermint Patty Brownies. Time tested and approved. They come out great, even when I vary the brownie recipe slightly. A chewy brownie, with a layer of peppermint frosting and topped with ganache. Best served cold, near frozen.
* A salad of cubed watermelon, sliced feta cheese, fresh mint and a dash of sea salt. Sweet, salty, and couldn't be more stress free.
* Tarragon infused Vodka. I did a small test a few weeks ago and it came out delicious! I'm doing it on a larger scale today, with the intention of mixing the concoction with lemonade and served straight up. The combination of the slightly anise flavor with the sweet, tangy lemonade makes this a really refreshing summer drink. I'm a little nervous about the infusions, but since I've done it once, we should be ok. It's infusing now - I'll let you know how it turns out.

A Haiku to a Soft-shell Crab

Dribbling down my chin
Only here for a short while
Sweet lovely soft-shell

What’s For Breakfast?

When was it decided that Breakfast in this country should be a) sweet and/or b) egg-laden? Was it the early settlers who relied on farming to sustain? From what I know, some chickens lay their eggs early in the morning. Does that get factored in? Where did sugary syrup with pancakes or waffles come from? What is the deal with the bagels that could feed a small village in Tanzania?

It is widely understood that breakfast is the “most important meal of the day” and should contain more calories than lunch or dinner. What I have a tough time wrapping my head around is the extremely limited options we are provided should we choose to eat our breakfast outside of our own homes in the grand U.S of A.

Personally speaking, I do not like eggs for breakfast (Sam I Am). For whatever reason, if eggs are consumed before 3:00pm, I’m doubled over in pain. So, for years I’ve been looking for alternatives.

Working in NYC, I often buy my breakfast, trolling each corner deli and take-out joint in a 10-block radius of my office for some tasty morsel around 8am. In every one, it’s the same:

Option 1: Baconeggandcheese on a roll (yes, it is one word)
Um… How about a grilled cheese with bacon on whole wheat?
“No egg?” I get asked, every time.
“No egg,” I reply.
"No egg" they repeat, stunned, as if I just said, "kill the puppy." Then they take another look at me, as if memorizing my face in case I turn up on a 10-most wanted list. Shaking their head, they turn to pull the par-cooked bacon from the case that will never get any crisper than a wet noodle.

Option 2: Hot Oatmeal
A little better, but what do most people put on their oatmeal? SUGAR! I do not need to start my day loaded down with sugar that will cause a crash around 10am.

Option 3: If you're lucky, you'll find some soggy pancakes and syrup on the hot salad bar that a) have been sitting on the simmer table for hours and b) that contain 3 times the recommended daily allowance of sugar. I'll pass, thanks.

In other areas of the world, you may find breakfast items such as:
Cheese
Ham
Croissants or baguette (always a reasonable portion size)
Yogurt
Fish (small anchovies, smoked whitefish or salmon)

I would consider any one of these a delicious and tasty breakfast.

Years ago, I created a fictional (a.k.a. potential) restaurant including location, ambiance and of course, the menu. I went with a breakfast/brunch place that had something to offer for everyone. The menu included omelettes (e.g. sundried tomatoes and artichoke hearts), quiche and Belgian waffles.

But it also included a section for people like me – people who like something a little lighter and more savory for their morning meal. I called it “International Breakfasts.” This is the more unusual, often more European, selection: baguette with goat cheese and olives; a platter of fresh fruit with a croissant, a selection of imported ham and cheese; and even a dish with Italian small white anchovies served with a ½ baguette and farmer’s cheese.

To clarify, I have nothing against waffles, pancakes or eggs! But for my breakfast, please pass the anchovies.