SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES
D1 October 9–15, 2015
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Timna
Exciting New Israeli cuisine in the East Village
I
Timna’s simply named Farro & Vegetables is marked by complex flavors. Carrots, sweet potatoes, farro, tahini, date molasses, and sage prove to be an exciting mélange of ingredients.
By Channaly Philipp | Epoch Times Staff
Laut is Malaysian, Singaporean, Thai food, located at 15 E. 17th St.
Make Epoch Taste Even Tastier
MICHAEL TULIPAN
f you’re looking for hummus, it’s best to look elsewhere. Nir Mesika is trying to extinguish the notion that Israeli food means hummus, falafel, and shawarma. “These don’t belong to Israel,” said Mesika who is Israeli of Moroccan heritage. “These belong to our neighbors.”
Timna, where Mesika is executive chef and partner, is his vision of modern Israeli cuisine—one shaped by the convergence of cultures in Israel. “Jews from Poland, Germany, Egypt, Morocco—every culture brought its own food. Everyone is together. It’s an amazing combination,” he said. No wonder New Israeli cuisine is garnering attention, from Yottam Ottolenghi’s best-selling cookbooks to Michael Solomonov’s Zahav in Philadelphia. The dishes are fresh, healthy, focused on vegetables, and bursting with flavor.
W i Din n at ner The innovative Nir Mesika helms the kitchen.
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Bedouin Octopus with black eggplant purée, hummus, Greek yogurt, and tomato salsa.
Wine cocktails are made with vermouths, “amari,” and syrups.
Timna Timna continued from D1 Dishes to Try If you go to Timna, order the Kubaneh Bread, a traditional Sabbath dish. You won’t regret it. It rises up from a terra cotta pot like a bread bun that’s lost its way from the bakery and wandered to the flower shop. Mesika recounts how he used to make kubaneh with his family on Friday afternoons, putting it in the oven overnight on very low heat. It would be ready when the family woke up the next morning. Mesika, by the way, has baking in his genes. His grandfather baked for the king of Morocco, and opened a bakery when he immigrated to Israel. Flecked with sesame seeds, and probably the only item on the menu with butter (and loads of it), the kubaneh evokes brioche. Warm and rich, it is impossibly addictive, on
its own or for sopping up sauces. It comes with two accompaniments. One is a tangy “labneh,” which Mesika makes inhouse from goat yogurt, adding olive oil and za’atar—a mix of dried hyssop, sumac, and sesame seeds. The better one in my opinion is the other accompaniment—the hand-crushed tomatoes, simply seasoned with salt, olive oil, and coriander seed ($7). I’d return to Timna for the Kubaneh Bread alone. But there are plenty of other interesting picks on the menu, and they are plenty complex as well. The cauliflower appetizer—served with carrot purée and dried grapes reconstituted in simple syrup, with a dash of curry oil and crunchy puffed quinoa—is an exercise in exploration for the diner ($10). It’s worth savoring the textures and flavors. Mesika conjures up a dish of farro and vegetables that seems to come straight out of the soil
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A proud sponsor of Simply Ming. Chef Ming Tsai’s TV series.
Simple ingredients, complex flavors
How can it get better? Brioche in a flowerpot!
with its grounded earthiness and sweetness. It’s not so much the grains that hold attention but rather the interplay of the marinated carrots and sweet potatoes with the tahini and date molasses. The whole is punctuated with pungent, slightly bitter sage leaves ($12). The combination of tahini and date molasses is something Mesika has seen many times on bread, eaten by Iraqis in Israel as their version of peanut butter and jelly. The Chinatown Salad, inspired by Timna’s proximity to Chinatown, is on the menu simply because Mesika is a fan of Asian food. The salad consisting of greens, glass noodles, crunchy asparagus tempura, and thin slices of radish comes dressed in a ginger-cilantro pesto. Despite the culinary jump across the continent, the flavors in the salad are refreshing and it works well as a shared plate ($13).
(Clockwise from top R) Bedouin Octopus, The Cauliflower, a Sunchoke Soup amuse-bouche, Wild Grouper in beet purée, Farro & Vegetables, and Chinatown Salad. Kubaneh Bread served with crushed tomatoes and labneh.
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October 9–15, 2015 www.EpochTaste.com ALL PHOTOS BY SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES
席メニュー CHEF’S TASTING MENU Amuse "Mineoka" Milk Sesame Tofu Appetizers Vinegared Fried Fluke Ohitashi/Boiled Spinach & Asparagus in Bonito Broth Simmered Monkfish Liver Fresh Fig with Sesame Sauce Mini Salmon Sushi Ball Soup Topneck Clam Clear Soup Sashimi Bluefin Tuna, Red Snapper, and Sea Urchin Sashimi
Timna is named after an ancient city in Yemen on the Incense Route.
Executive chef and partner Nir Mesika. The Bedouin are people of the desert, and one of their preparations involves cooking a chicken in the ground under coals. Mesika applies that preparation to octopus, and the tendril is served with hummus (it’s possibly the only dish on the menu that includes hummus), Greek yogurt, and eggplant purée. The octopus is smoky and tender but has a bit of chew, reminding you that this is an animal and not a vegetable you’re biting into ($23). For dessert, I only tried the La-La-Land, a porcini brûlée with tonka meringue, served with honey and sage ice cream. Personally, desserts for me are about nostalgia and comfort, and the bold matching of flavors and ingredients didn’t work as well for me here. Aside from wines and beers, Timna offers wine cocktails, made with vermouths, amari, and syrups, like the Negronish with Carpano Antica, juniper syrup, and Aperitivo Cappelletti.
Timna
109 St. Marks Place (between Avenue A & First Avenue) 646-964-5181 www.timna.nyc
Fish Steamed Stuffed Red Snapper with Green Tea Soba Entremet Vinegared Crab Legs Meat "Miyazaki" Wagyu (Strip-Loin) Rice Boiled Whitebait with Rice Dessert Assortment
Donguri
Hours Tuesday–Thursday 5:30 p.m.–11 p.m. Friday 5:30 p.m.–midnight
Located on the Upper East Side, the 24-seat intimate Japanese restaurant Donguri offers an extensive menu with items from land and sea. Chef Yamasaki's Omakase (tasting menu) is a must-try.
Saturday 11:30 a.m.–midnight Sunday 11:30 a.m.–10 p.m.
Chef Yamasaki
RESERVATIONS (212) 737-5656
Closed Mondays
309 E.83rd Street, New York, NY. (Btw 1st and 2nd Ave)
PRIME STEAKS. LEGENDARY SERVICE. Fine Wine • Private Dining • Exceptional Menu
Deep flavors, deep thoughts.
Morton’s World Trade Center
Midtown 551 Fifth Avenue 212-972-3315
World Trade Center 136 Washington Street 212-608-0171
Great Neck 777 Northern Boulevard 516-498-2950
White Plains 9 Maple Avenue 914-683-6101
mortons.com The Cauliflower, with carrot purée, grapes, curry oil, and puffed quinoa.
Hackensack One Riverside Square 201-487-1303
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October 9–15, 2015 www.EpochTaste.com ALEX MICHAUD
LOPATE AND LOCAVORES The Lopate and Locavores series returns this year, featuring conversations and cooking demonstrations with international culinary experts Maangchi and Madhur Jaffrey. Hosted by WNYC’s James Beard award-winning host Leonard Lopate, the series explores authentic dishes and how cuisines influence each other around the world. Tastings included.
stuff to eat and drink around town
Korean Cuisine With Maangchi Wednesday, Oct. 14, 7 p.m. Indian Cuisine With Madhur Jaffrey Wednesday, Oct. 21, 7 p.m.
BRUNCH AT BLACK TAP CRAFT BURGERS & BEER Michelin star chef Joe Isidori debuts his new brunch menu at Black Tap NYC, offering dishes like Super Linda, a spicy Mexican-style burger with egg and avocado; the Croissant Burger with bacon, egg, swiss cheese, and truffle mayo; and the Burger Brunch Salad with turkey burger, apple, blue cheese, avocado, and dried cranberries. Brunch cocktails include Spicy Bloody Mary and the house sangria. Brunch is only served at the SoHo location, but take note: Black Tap also has expanded to a new, second location in the Meatpacking District (248 W. 14th St.).
Black Tap all-American burger. ALEX MICHAUD
The Greene Space 44 Charlton St. Tickets: $25 each session thegreenespace.org
COURTESY OF “OFF THE MENU”
Saturday & Sunday 11.30 a.m.–3.30 p.m. Black Tap NYC 529 Broome St. blacktapnyc.com
Chef Joe Isidori.
MIREYA ACIERTO/GETTY IMAGES FOR NYCWFF
NEW YORK CITY WINE AND FOOD FESTIVAL
Award-winning filmmaker Grace Lee’s “Off the Menu” documents a road trip across the United States, from Honolulu to New York City, to discover how family, faith, and geography shape our relationships to food and community. Guests are invited to attend a discussion after the screening between Lee, producer Eurie Chung, NYU food scholar Krishnendu Ray, and chef Jonathan Wu, moderated by film scholar Chi-Hui Yang.
Now in its eighth year, the New York City Wine and Food Festival will bring together world renowned chefs, winemakers, spirits producers, and personalities. A wide variety of events to choose from includes Meatopia hosted by Michael Symon, Masquerade Dessert Party with James Beard award-winning pastry chef Dominique Ansel, Late Night Izakaya and Sake Pairing, and Burger Bash. All the proceeds from the event will go to anti-hunger organizations. Thursday–Sunday, Oct. 15–Oct. 18 Various events nycwff.org
‘OFF THE MENU’
A dish at the Johnny Sánchez Dinner, part of the Bank of America Dinner Series, during NYCWFF 2014.
Friday, Oct. 16, 7 p.m.–9 p.m. NYU Cantor Film Center, Theater 101 36 E. Eighth St. Free admission apa.nyu.edu/events
ON THE HORIZON COURTESY OF NYAM
COURTESY OF BEAUTIQUE
COURTESY OF BEAUTIQUE
THE 2015 JBF FOOD CONFERENCE
Jacques Pépin.
EATING THROUGH TIME: FOOD, HEALTH, AND HISTORY This daylong event will bring together chefs, historians, writers, and public health experts to discuss the past, present, and future of food in society. There will also be lectures, panels, demonstrations, workshops, book signings, performances, tastings, food trucks, a pop-up bookstore and marketplace, and historic cookbooks on display in the Academy Library.
The sixth annual James Beard Foundation Food Conference will bring together a diverse group of thought leaders and provocateurs including chefs, scientists, journalists, activists, and investors to highlight this year’s theme–Rethinking the Future of Food. Speakers include chef Evan Hanczor of Egg Restaurant in Brooklyn; Danielle Gould, founder of Food+Tech Connect; and James Beard award-winning chef José Andrés. Guests are also invited for the welcome reception featuring the winners of the Better Burger Project. Monday & Tuesday, Oct. 19 & Oct. 20 9 a.m.–2 p.m. James Beard Foundation, 167 W. 12th St. Tickets: $500–$1,000 jamesbeard.org COURTESY OF EVAN HANCZOR
COURTESY OF DANIELLE GOULD
DINNER DEAL AT BEAUTIQUE Until Jan. 31, upscale seen-and-be-seen hotspot Beautique is offering a three-course dinner for two for $79 (normally priced at $184). The special menu includes two appetizers, two entrées (such as branzino with baby leeks, artichokes, potato fondant, and black truffle barigoule jus), a chef’s section of desserts to share, and four drinks (up to a $19 value each). The culinary director is Alain Allegretti; the James Beard-nominated Charlotte Voisey concocts the cocktails. Beautique, whose look is inspired by Coco Chanel’s home in Paris, is frequented by celebrities including Leonardo DiCaprio and Mick Jagger.
Some of the highlights include chef Jacques Pépin’s memories on food and his upcoming PBS show “Jacques Pépin Heart and Soul,” cookbook author Bryant Terry in conversation, and workshops on topics ranging from insect eating to space food. Saturday, Oct. 17, 11 a.m.–6 p.m. The New York Academy of Medicine 1216 Fifth Ave. (at 103rd Street) Tickets: $65 nyam.org/events
Beautique's Culinary Director Alain Allegretti.
Food+Tech Connect founder Danielle Gould. Evan Hanczor.
8 W. 58th St. 212-753-1200 beautiquedining.com For the special, visit: travelzoo.com
Beautique’s brunch debuts on Oct. 24.
Compiled by Daksha Devnani/Epoch Times Staff
OUR PURPOSE: TO SATISFY THE PURISTS TOSHIO SUZUKI, SUSHI ZEN
108 West 44th Street, New York | (212) 302-0707
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October 9–15, 2015 www.EpochTaste.com Openings around town
COURTESY OF ODDFELLOWS ICE CREAM CO.
An assortment of cookie sandwiches from OddFellows, The Sandwich Shop.
OddFellows, The Sandwich Shop
COURTESY OF ODDFELLOWS ICE CREAM CO.
East Village’s OddFellows Ice Cream Co. is reopening as OddFellows, The Sandwich Shop. It now offers creative and customizable variations to classic ice cream sandwiches. The menu introduces a new creation: the Odd Pocket, a toasty warm brioche bun with an ice cream filling and covered with a variety of crunchy or gooey toppings. “[Chef Sam Mason] likes the savory aspect of the bun as it takes off the edge from the sweetness of the ice cream or toppings,” said co-owner Mohan Kumar. The Chocolate Chunk, for example, is filled with chocolate ice cream, covered with coffee crispies, and drizzled with hot fudge. Customers can also create their own ice cream sandwiches with cookies, including flavors like peanut butter or spiced ginger and toppings like rainbow sprinkles or coconut. Indecisive? There are always the Signature ice cream sandwiches, such as the Classic, with vanilla bean ice cream, chocolate wafers, salted caramel, and crushed hazelnuts, and the S’mores, with smoked marshmallow ice cream with marshmallow sauce, graham soil, and chocolate cookies. OddFellows offers eight seasonal rotating flavors every day.
75 E. Fourth St. (between Bowery and Second Avenue) 917-475-1812 oddfellowsnyc.com
Chocolate Chunk Odd Pockets from OddFellows, The Sandwich Shop.
COURTESY OF RIDDLING WIDOW
Riddling Widow Nightlife impresario Ravi DeRossi (Death&Co, Mother of Pearl, Mayahuel) has opened a wine bar with a focus on sparkling wines and champagne. The beverage director is Tanner Walle, who previously worked at wine bar Terroir. Oysters, cheeses, and a pairing of bread, butter, and different salt varieties are available to accompany guests’ bubbly of choice.
127 MacDougal St. (downstairs, between West Third & West Fourth streets) 212-598-1809 riddlingwidow.com
Chelsea Creamline
Chick-Fil-A
In the spot formerly occupied by Ronnybrook Milk Bar, Chelsea Creamline will offer good old American classics such as corn dogs, cheeseburgers, and fried chicken and biscuits. Ingredients are sourced from local farms and suppliers such as Dickson’s Farmstand Meats, which also occupies a space in the market. Ice cream from Ronnybrook is served, as well as milkshakes made with its milk and cream. An ice cream menu is available for the 21+ crowd, featuring items like bourbon-infused milkshakes. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Inside Chelsea Market 75 Ninth Ave. (at 15th Street) 646-410-2040 creamlinenyc.com
Everywhere you turn in the city these days, it seems like a new chicken sandwich has landed. The latest eatery to make its nest is Chick-fil-A. The three-story, 84-seat restaurant was specifically designed to meet high demand, with employees using iPads to take orders so that they are ready once customers reach the counter. Chick-fil-A is most famous for its hand-breaded, boneless chicken breast, and hand-spun milkshakes. The Midtown location is partnering with local suppliers. There are more than 1,900 Chick-fil-A restaurants across 41 states. A second location is to follow at W. 46th Street and Sixth Avenue in early 2016. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner Monday through Saturday.
Venture Into Thailand’s
Spicy Northeast
1000 Sixth Ave. (at 37th Street) nyccfa.com
COURTESY OF LOT 77
Lot 77
at
ESANATION Authentic Thai cuisine sure to delight your adventurous senses!
Lot 77, in the Financial District is a cafe by day, and a gastropub and game room by night. At 3,500 square feet, the space features a bar, two largescreen TVs, a pool table, shuffleboard, and dart set, as well as seating for 60. The coffee selection is sourced from Dallis Bros., and pastries as well as sandwiches are available. Starting at 5 p.m., Lot 77 morphs into a game room and gastropub. Among the offerings from chef Robb Finn are sliders such as Banh Mi Pork, 5 Spice Beef, Chili Crab Cake, or Coconut Curry Short Rib, all served on a Martin’s roll. The beverage program features draft beers as well as international wines. Open daily from 7 a.m. to midnight. COURTESY OF LOT 77
COURTESY OF LOT 77
• 14 types of unbelievable Som Tum (papaya salad). • Gang Om soup that pulls a straight punch to the throat. • Whole Cornish hen, fried to a golden crispiness, with the most addictive dipping sauce. • Yentafo Noodle soup, an authentic standout.
Chef Wanlapha Techama was the sous chef responsible for Esan specialties at Queens restaurant Zabb Elee when it received a Michelin star last year.
77 Fulton St. (at Gold Street) 212-779-2253 lot77gastropub.com
Compiled by Channaly Philipp & Daksha Devnani/Epoch Times Staff
ESANATION 750 9th Avenue # New York, NY 10019 (btw. 50th & 51st streets) 212-315-0555 # esanation.com
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October 9–15, 2015 www.EpochTaste.com COURTESY OF CLAIRE PTAK
Love and
Baking
in London
COURTESY
OF TEN SPEE
D PRESS
By Channaly Philipp | Epoch Times Staff When Claire Ptak contemplated moving from northern California to London 10 years ago, Alice Waters begged her not to leave. Ptak had been baking at Chez Panisse in Berkeley for three years at the time but had been in a long-term, long-distance relationship and decided to follow her future husband to London. What a culture shock! “The language is the same, but that’s about it,â€? she laughed. That friendly California vibe—and oh, all that smiling—didn’t seem to cut through the chilly English fog of reserve. “I thought, ‘Everyone is so rude,’â€? Ptak said, “But they’re not, actually.â€? “Here you’re insta-friends, I can meet you in the morning and meet you for dinner that evening. There, it’s so hard to get someone to give you a call on the weekend. It takes longer but it’s genuine and lasting,â€? she said. She opened a stall in Broadway Market in East London and got to know the English palate. In Berkeley, she was used to a sunny sort of baking, luscious with fruit, and reflective of California’s disposition and climate. First the English preferred their sweets to be less sweet than American ones. And they would ask for darker, stronger flavors. “They wanted an Eccles cake. It’s a raisin cake, covered in pastry, it has cinnamon and cloves. And they often eat it with cheese, similar to sharp cheddar. It’s so dierent. I was mesmerized by that,â€? Ptak said. She did a lot of research and also turned to classic books like those by Elizabeth David. “A few places were doing some great baking but a lot of places, it was more ‌ that English phrase, ‘stodgy’—kind of heavy and dense and filling. But people like it,â€? Ptak said. “They love fruitcake.â€?
Claire Ptak.
Claire Ptak’s “The Violet Bakery Cookbook� features a foreword by Alice Waters.
Jamie Oliver calls Ptak his ‘favorite cake maker in the world.’
Ptak gave her customers the comforting flavors they were used to, but added her own brightening touch. For example, to the Eccles cake, she added a good dose of orange zest. The reception was excellent, and in turn, Ptak said, “I really did find I loved those flavors as well.� Ptak also likes to use spelt, rye, and buckwheat flours, with their nutty flavors. In 2010 she opened Violet Bakery in Hackney, which has garnered her a dedicated following. Her stall in Broadway Market sells out every week. Jamie Oliver has called her his “favorite cake maker in the world.� And just last week she released “The Violet Bakery Cookbook� in the United States, with a moving foreword from Alice Waters. Ptak is also a food stylist who has worked for Nigella Lawson and Yotam Ottolenghi, but her focus is squarely on flavors. As she writes in her cookbook introduction, “To me, it’s important that a cake be worth it, so taste is paramount. It has to be worth all the
eort you have gone through making it and of course it must be worth the calories.â€? The recipes in her cookbook are divided by the time of day: Morning includes strawberry, ginger, and poppy seed scones; Midday has savory bread puddings, quiches, tarts; Afternoon has rye chocolate brownies and ginger molasses cake (recipe below); Evening has rum babas and chocolate, prune, and whiskey cake. There’s also a whole section titled Party Party devoted to occasion cakes. There’s also a recipe for unassuming little treasures called Violet Butterscotch Blondies. Ptak graciously sent a stack of these to our oďŹƒce while in town last week. And though it’s not nice to call your colleagues vultures, it must be said that they descended on these baked goods with heretofore unseen gusto. The blondies were cakey and slightly gooey, with milk chocolate and sea salt, and contained crunchy bits of caramel throughout. They alone justify the price of buying the book. COURTESY OF CLAIRE PTAK
thai
the modern experience THE BEST NORTHERN THAI IN THE CITY! 4 STARS ON YELP! & GOOGLE
RECIPE GINGER MOLASSES CAKE The Violet ginger cake is made with freshly grated ginger, cloves, earthy molasses, and cinnamon. I love the taste of cloves but only when you can barely detect it, as a subtle supporting act. This cake is simple, but the order of things is crucial for it to turn out correctly.
FREE DELIVERY
Makes one 9-inch cake or two 6-inch cakes, serving 8 to 10
10 BLOCK RADIUS
FOR THE SPONGE • 5 ounces fresh ginger • 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour • 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves • 3/4 cup sugar • 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
ALL YOUR FAVORITE Thai classics, plus a few unique V{iv} style twists
• 3/4 cup molasses • 1 cup boiling water
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• 2 teaspoons baking soda
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• Butter, for greasing the pan
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• 2 eggs
FOR THE LEMON GLAZE • 1 and 3/4 cups confectioners’ sugar • 2 to 3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
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DIRECTIONS Preheat the oven to 300°F (265°F
convection). Butter a 9-inch cake pan (or two 6-inch layer pans) and line with parchment paper. Peel the ginger and cut into 2-mm slices. Pulverize the ginger in a food processor and set aside. In a bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, and cloves. Whisk and set aside. In a separate bowl, combine the sugar, oil, and molasses and whisk well. Pour the boiling water into a glass jug and stir in the baking soda. Pour this into the sugar mixture and whisk well (the mixture should start to get foamy on top). Add the ginger and mix until evenly combined. Add the flour mixture, making sure you mix in the same direction (e.g., clockwise) the entire time. Don’t change direction or you will get flour lumps. Don’t overmix or the cake will be tough and dense. Whisk the eggs in a separate, clean bowl and add to the cake batter until just combined. Pour into your prepared cake pan (or pans) and bake for about 1 hour, until an inserted skewer comes out clean and the top of the cake springs back to the touch. Leave to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Whisk together the confectioners’ sugar and lemon juice until smooth and drizzle over the top. This cake keeps well for up to 5 days in an airtight container. Recipe from “The Violet Bakery Cookbook� by Claire Ptak, Ten Speed Press, Sept. 2015, $29.99
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Emeril Lagasse Tells His Life Story Through Recipes By Kelli Kennedy
OXMOOR HOUSE VIA AP
guests, then this was what was going to be Before there were Food Netthe path in building work icons and cultish produce, an incredible reputabefore farm-to-table was a phition as a chef,” he said losophy and cake decorating in a recent interview. became a competitive sport, Eventually, “memothere was Emeril Lagasse. ries of my childhood And this is a life story best started flashing back at me and why my famtold by the kitchens that ily had a farm and why formed and informed him. There was the Portuguese bakthey raised animals. ... ery where he washed dishes The avenues connected as a youngster, the pizzeria and my love and fondwhere he stretched dough in ness for what I was high school, the Asian res- “Essential Emeril” by Emeril Lagasse. doing just grew.” taurants where he learned the Lagasse also isn’t afraid secrets of Chinese sauces, and of course the of dropping the names of the many celebrities grand kitchen of New Orleans’s iconic Comhe has counted among customers and friends. mander’s Palace, where he became head chef And that’s half the fun of reading the book. For example, there are the “potatoes Alexa,” made at 23. with a portobello-truffle emulsion, named It’s a story Lagasse is ready to tell. His latest cookbook, “Essential Emeril,” is his life in recafter Billy Joel’s daughter, as well as the triipes, a collection that covers everything from ple truffle risotto he served to Sammy Hagar Asian fusion and Tex-Mex to classic French at his wedding. and Italian. Lagasse went on to open numerous restau“Cooking isn’t just about what ends up on rants of his own, including Emeril’s in New the plate. It’s the journey, taking time, having Orleans, NOLA, and Delmonico. And the book he single inspiration that lead to a plan, being prepared, being patient, noticing is filled with tips and recipes inspired by those the smells, being mindful of what’s going on who helped him along the way, from Charlie the establishment of Hatsuhana in the pan,” he said. “(The book) is a generous Trotter to Julia Child. was nothing more than the desire More recently, Lagasse’s television career has slice of the amazing journey I’ve had up until to introduce unsurpassed sushi and focused on Florida, where he lives with his now in this glorious world of food.” sashimi to New Yorkers. Since the first Through stories and recipes that chart his family. When producers first approached him day we opened our doors in 1976, we course through the television and restaurant about “Emeril’s Florida,” Lagasse was taking a have been a sushi specialty restaurant. break and not interested. But the avid fisherworlds, Lagasse shares the foods and people— This has helped us maintain our focus everyone from his mother to Mario Batali— man, who loves spending rare days off on the on sushi and excel at the one thing that that shaped his career. Peppered throughout boat with his kids, said he started thinking mattered most. the cookbook—Lagasse’s 19th—are many of the about the Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, New Orleans dishes he has become known and all the lakes and ponds around the state. for, including barbecue shrimp with jalapeño “I’m going to show people that there is so much abundance here.” biscuits, pork candy ribs with spicy hot Cre“I love the state,” he said. “I’ve met some ole seasoning, and andouille-crusted redfish 212.355.3345 amazing people from shacks that sell fish sandwith Creole meunière sauce. www.hatsuhana.com wiches to five-star restaurants.” And through those recipes, Lagasse gives us 17 East 48th St, New York a glimpse at another side of the chef Ameri(btw madison & 5th Ave.) From the Associated Press cans came to know best for kicking things up a notch. He reflects back on those early, nervous AP PHOTO/MATTHEW MEAD years when he first took over at Commander’s and spent his days off in the Louisiana country, 體驗文人墨客的 visiting farmers and Vietnamese fishing boats, 詩情雅意 ( 二樓 ) sourcing trigger fish and escolar that “no one else was bringing to the table.” “If I could control as much of the quality of 品味朝鮮王朝的 what was being served on the table for my
Obsessive Attention to Detail T
Over three decades later, our mission remains unchanged. Obsessive attention to detail should be the norm for sushi restaurants, not something to strive for. The complexity associated with creating the ideal sushi rice. The fragrance of freshly ground wasabi. The freshest fish from around the globe. Please come by for lunch or dinner and let us show you what real sushi is like.
美味佳餚(三樓)
RECIPE CHICKEN WITH CHAMPAGNE AND 40 CLOVES OF GARLIC “The slow cooking of the garlic makes this dish sweet, nutty, and creamy,” Lagasse writes in his new cookbook, “Essential Emeril.” ‘‘Some folks like to cut up a whole chicken, but I prefer all thighs. They braise well and the meat stays juicy. I used Champagne because I love the subtle flavor it adds, but any dry white wine could be substituted.”
Prep & Cooking Time: 1 hour, 45 minutes Serves: 6
INGREDIENTS • 2 tablespoons olive oil • 10 to 12 large bone-in chicken thighs (about 5 pounds) • Kosher salt and ground black pepper • 40 cloves garlic, peeled (about 3 whole heads) • 1/4 cup lemon juice, or to taste • 1 cup Champagne or other dry sparkling or white wine • 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth • 6 sprigs fresh thyme • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
DIRECTIONS Heat the oven to 325 F. Heat a large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high. When the pot is hot, add the oil. Season the chicken on both sides with 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Working in batches so as not to crowd the pot, sear the chicken, skin side down, until golden
brown, about 6 minutes per batch. Brown briefly on the second side, then transfer the browned chicken to a plate. Repeat with remaining chicken. Add the garlic to the empty pot and cook, stirring, until lightly golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the lemon juice, Champagne, broth, and thyme. Return the chicken to the pot, nestling the pieces down into the liquid. Make sure some of the garlic is sitting on top of the chicken. Bring the liquid to a boil, cover the pot, then place in the oven. Cook, stirring once midway to ensure even cooking, until the chicken is falling-off-the-bone tender, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Experience Firsthand the Romantic Life of Korean Dynasty South Korea’s top chef, Sunkyu Lee, cooks authentic Korean Royal Court Cuisine Totally different and distinctive cuisines and interior designs on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd floors.
Transfer the chicken and some of the garlic to a platter, then cover with foil to keep warm. Remove and discard the thyme sprigs from the pot. In a medium bowl, mash together the flour and butter to form a smooth paste. Slowly whisk 1/2 cup of the hot juices from the pot into the paste until smooth, then add this mixture to the pot along with 2 tablespoons of the parsley. Whisk to combine. Don’t worry if some of the garlic cloves get smashed; they will help to thicken and enrich the sauce. Cover and cook over medium heat until the gravy has thickened, 10 to 20 minutes longer. Season the sauce with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, or more to taste. Serve the chicken with the gravy spooned over the top and sprinkled with the remaining 1 tablespoon of parsley.
NUTRITION INFORMATION Nutrition information per serving: 870 calories; 560 calories from fat (64 percent of total calories); 62 g fat (18 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 325 mg cholesterol; 1,090 mg sodium; 13 g carbohydrate; 1 g fiber; 0 g sugar; 56 g protein. Recipe adapted from “Essential Emeril” by Emeril Lagasse (Oxmoor House, 2015)
212-594-4963 10 W 32 St, New York, NY 10001 www.misskoreabbq.com Open 24 Hours
D8
@EpochTaste
October 9–15, 2015 www.EpochTaste.com
The Tour of the Rings
Annie Wu and Channaly Philipp contributed to this report.
DOUGHNUT PLANT FLAVOR: TRES LECHES If you like your doughnuts very sweet, this is the flavor to get. This one is filled with creamy goodness that melts in your mouth as soon as you take a bite. Unlike most cake doughnuts, this one is both very dense and very moist. ($3.25)
220 W. 23rd St. (between Seventh & Eighth avenues) doughnutplant.com
ALL PHOTOS BY SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES
By Daksha Devnani Epoch Times Staff
For someone with a sweet tooth, doughnuts are not just fried rings of dough—they are an entry into a sweet world. At the end of the day, almost everyone, we daresay, loves a doughnut. You’ll find them in every neighborhood, whether served at a chain store, an artisanal bakery, or even from a food truck. The diversity of flavors, fillings, and glazes can be bewildering, from the classics to vegan versions to unusual flavors. We tasted our way around the city, bringing you a list of our favorite doughnut shops and the flavors that impressed us most.
727 Manhattan Ave. Greenpoint, Brooklyn peterpandonuts.com
DOUGHNUTTERY
FLAVORS: PEANUT BUTTER & JELLY, LEMONADE RASPBERRY When you want to be transported back to your childhood, head to Dun-Well Doughnuts, New York’s first vegan doughnut shop. Opt for the Peanut Butter & Jelly. It’s messy—the jelly oozes out at first bite—but worth it. If you are craving something citrusy, then the Lemonade Raspberry is a good choice. Impressively, it tastes like a lemon meringue pie with a fruity raspberry drizzle. ($2.25–$2.50)
FLAVOR: PARIS TIME The beauty of these little doughnuts is twofold— the first is their size, perfect for one bite; then it’s how fresh they are. It’s fascinating to watch these being made right before your eyes in the doughnut-making machine. Straight out of the frying oil, they are dusted with the specialty sugar of your choice. We love Paris Time, a mix of pistachio, vanilla, and lavender, the dominating note. And we love the crunchiness. ($6 for 6)
222 Montrose Ave. East Williamsburg, Brooklyn dunwelldoughnuts.com
Inside the Chelsea Market 425 W. 15th St. (between Ninth & 10th avenues) doughnuttery.com
UNDERWEST DONUTS
PIES ‘N’ THIGHS
FLAVORS: MAPLE WAFFLE, HALVA These cake doughnuts are oh-so-pretty with their garnishes. The Maple Waffle, for example, is crowned with a small stroopwafel (a sort of thin caramel wafer). The texture is on the dry side but we loved the maple flavor. We also loved the Halva, with its earthy tones of tahini and honey. ($3)
FLAVOR: CHOCOLATE CAKE Craving some brownies right now? How about brownies in doughnut form? Then reach for a Chocolate Cake doughnut from Pies ‘n’ Thighs. The crunchy, glazed crust provides a nice contrast to the moist interior and it’s not cloyingly sweet. This is what we call easy eating. ($3)
166 S. Fourth St. (at Driggs) Brooklyn piesnthighs.com
CINNAMON SNAIL
DOUGH
FLAVOR: CREME BRULEE Cinnamon Snail comes to Manhattan only about once a month. But when the much-loved vegan food truck rolls into town, don’t miss it! The Crème Brûlée doughnut is a showstopper. It consists of three different layers: a spongy cake on the bottom, then a custard-filled center, and finally a crackly torched sugar top. ($2–$3)
FLAVOR: HIBISCUS The striking pink glaze is made with a Mexican hibiscus flower (called “Jamaica”). It gives this light yeast doughnut its tangy and floral touch. Unlike a Jamaica agua fresca, however, don’t expect this to be refreshing—it’s still a doughnut and it will leave you thirsty. It’s one of our favorite flavors all around. ($2.50)
For updates, check: Facebook.com/thecinnamonsnail cinnamonsnail.com
14 W. 19th St. (between Fifth & Sixth avenues) doughbrooklyn.com
We cook Spain’s traditional dish to perfection! Bring your friends and family and share in our ancient heritage. Plus, over 50 authentic Spanish tapas. Come in and pick your favorites tonight!
Meson Sevilla 344 WEST 46TH ST. (BTW 8TH & 9TH AVE.) MESONSEVILLA.COM 212-262-5890
FLAVOR: BLUEBERRY BUTTERMILK When we waited in line at Peter Pan Donuts and Pastry shop, the young man standing in front of us said, “This place is dangerous. I fiend for the jelly ones.” Everyone has their favorite here. Ours is the Blueberry Buttermilk, which is intensely blueberry-ish. The unexpected addition of the buttermilk keeps it from being too sweet. ($1.10)
DUN-WELL DOUGHNUTS
638 W. 47th St. (at 12th Avenue) underwestdonuts.com
Restaurant
PETER PAN
D9
@EpochTaste
October 9–15, 2015 www.EpochTaste.com
BANGKOK
Chinese Steamed Fish So Easy You Have to Try It
STREET FARE
Heaven for Food Lovers
COURTESY OF CICI LI
By CiCi Li Fish have long symbolized good fortune in Chinese culture. In Chinese, the character for fish is pronounced the same as the character for abundance. And in the Eight Diagrams, flowing water is considered to be a so-called active object and as such is believed to have the capacity to bring wealth to people. So back in ancient times, people liked to have a pond full of fish in their gardens. During important days or festivals, Chinese will always have a fish dish at the center of the dining table. Today, I’d like to share with you a simple yet supremely delicious Chinese steamed fish fillet recipe that you absolutely must try! For this recipe, I personally like cod because it’s moist, buttery, and luscious. Of course, you can replace it with any other type of fish like red snapper, sea bass, or even salmon. CiCi Li is the host of “CiCi’s Food Paradise” on NTD Television. Join her and discover quick and healthy recipes at CiCiLi.tv COURTESY OF CICI LI
Try Our Affordable Daily Lunch Specials.
Bring Sookk to you! Catering and delivery available.
RECIPE CHINESE STEAMED FISH
and 1 tablespoon scallions to a bowl.
Preparation Time: 2 minutes Cooking Time: 8 minutes Serves: 1
Then boil water in a pot and put a steamer in it. Put the fish fillet in the middle of a plate, top the fish with 1/2 tablespoon ginger, and 1 tablespoon scallions. Place the plate in the pot. Steam for 8 minutes.
INGREDIENTS • One 8-ounce fish fillet • 1 thumb ginger, julienned • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
DIRECTIONS To make the soy sauce mixture, add soy sauce, 1/2 tablespoon ginger,
In a small pan, heat up the vegetable oil until hot. Carefully pour over the fish.
4 Ingredients and 20 Minutes Are All You Need for Great Soup In the farm-to-table food world of today, we often praise the cook who keeps recipes simple, letting the ingredients speak for themselves. Yet once I get started in the kitchen, sometimes I can’t help but add in a final touch, an extra this or that (or two or three) that will make the whole recipe really sing. So I’ll admit, when I gave myself the task of creating a truly simple weeknight soup, I had to exercise uncharacteristic restraint. In fact, truth be told, I made eight different versions of this soup, half of which I allowed myself to continue to tweak and taste, adding everything from low-fat sour cream and citrus for tang to prosciutto chips and smoked paprika for a smoky edge. Guess which soup won the taste tests at my house? The simple four-ingredient version I’m sharing with you today. Four ingredients is all it takes to create this perfect meal starter. By start-
ing my meals with a healthy veggiedriven soup, I load up my family with vitamins and fiber before the main meal even begins. And since my children usually arrive at the dinner table racing in from hours of soccer practice or dance rehearsal, they are ravenous. Whatever I feed them first has the highest chance of being eaten, so why not make it uber healthy? Zucchini—available most of the year despite technically being a summer squash—is full of fiber and offers nice array of vitamins. One medium squash provides vitamin B6, folate, and over half our daily requirement of vitamin C, not to mention minerals, such as iron and calcium. Zucchini also sports a couple grams of protein, which are always welcomed. So while you should feel free to tweak this recipe if you must, I urge you to try it as is first. You will be pleased. From The Associated Press AP PHOTO/MATTHEW MEAD
RECIPE 4-INGREDIENT ZUCCHINI SOUP This soup is great as is, but it’s also a wonderful slate for dressing up with a variety of toppings. It allows everyone in the family to customize it as they see fit. Try it with mini toasts, browned turkey or chicken sausage, sautéed winter or delicata squash, or a spoonful of plain Greek yogurt blended with chopped fresh herbs.
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Authentic Japanese food served with a touch of class
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hen you taste the Japanese food at Momokawa you will know it is the real thing. Each single ingredient and each tiny detail ensures the most authentic experience. Momakawa—A genuine taste of Japan!
Momokawa Prix Fixe Menu Small Course
(service for two or more) eti er kin s of ashimi hoi e of ukiyaki or ha u ha u aut meals ooke at the ta le essert
$45/per person
Awabi Shabu-shabu
tra itional a anese a eti ers kin s of ashimi rille ish an a simmere ish essert $60/per person
Sake and Wine
Momokawa serves some of the finest quality sake and wine, paired especially for the dishes. Try our seasonal sake (draft), premium sake, all season sake (hot or cold) as well as
Ask about our sake tastings.
white or red wines.
Momokawa 157 East 28th Street | (212) 684-7830 momokawanyc.com — ALSO AVAIL ABLE: DAILY LUNCH SPECIALS (12 P.M.-4 P.M.) —
Prep & Cooking Time: 20 minutes Serves: 4
INGREDIENTS • 3 medium–large zucchini (about 1 1/2 pounds) • Kosher salt and ground black pepper • 2 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth, warmed to hot • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
DIRECTIONS Heat the oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with kitchen parchment. AP PHOTO/MATTHEW MEAD
SOOKK
2686 Broadway (Broadway & 103rd St.) New York, NY 10025 (212) 870-0253
Carefully remove the plate from the pot. Discard the liquid, ginger, and scallions. Then add the remaining ginger and scallions on top of the fish. Add the soy sauce mixture all around the fish.
• 3 stalks scallions, julienned
By Melissa D’Arabian
Yaowarat is one of Bangkok’s oldest neighborhoods, founded by East Asian traders in Siam over 200 years ago. It is a heaven for food lovers, blending the centuries old Thai and East Asian influences in an eclectic mix of street vendor cuisine. Experience the authentic taste of Bangkok street fare, at Sookk.
Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise, then slice off the nubby ends. Place the zucchini on the prepared baking sheet, then mist with cooking spray. Season with salt and pepper, then roast until tender, about 15 minutes, turning halfway through.
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In a blender, combine the roasted zucchini, hot broth, chives, and lemon juice Blend until creamy and smooth. Serve immediately.
NUTRITION INFORMATION Nutrition information per serving: 35 calories; 5 calories from fat (14 percent of total calories); 0.5 g fat (0 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 0 mg cholesterol; 170 mg sodium; 5 g carbohydrate; 1 g fiber; 3 g sugar; 3 g protein.
4 1/2 star rating on Trip Advisor & 4 star rating on Open Table! MEDITERRANEAN TURKISH GRILL
158 West 72nd St. NY • (212) 724-4700
www.seventurkishgrillnyc.com *valid for dinner 5 pm - 11 pm
D10
@EpochTaste
October 9–15, 2015 www.EpochTaste.com ALL PHOTOS BY MATTHEW MEAD/AP
Ditch the Dairy to Make the Most Flavorful, Creamy Soup By Sara Moulton This time of year, with the weather getting colder, I love to serve soup for supper. It's an easy sell at my house, where The Husband is a soup-aholic. But with a soup this good, I firmly believe you can sell anyone on it. The trick is to amp up the flavor, vary the texture, and make it substantial. Here I started by roasting—not boiling—the cauliflower. Roasting eliminates excess water, brings the natural sugars to the fore, and concentrates the flavors (adding some nuttiness in the process). Next, I make sure not to obscure the cauliflower's flavor with too many other ingredients. Yes, there is onion and garlic, but they play only supporting roles. Likewise, the stock, diluted with water, is designed not to overwhelm. The greens—because they're not purÊed, and not added until the very end—pack a satisfying little punch of their own without compromising the cauliflower taste. You may notice that there's no dairy in this recipe. While it's true that dairy adds luxuriousness to a soup's texture, it also tends to blot out flavor, particularly delicate vegetable flavors. That's why I almost always leave it out.
I make sure not to obscure the cauliflower’s flavor with too many other ingredients. Onion and garlic play only supporting roles.
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Similarly, there's no flour or cornstarch here. This soup owes its rich thickness to the purÊeing of some of the cauliflower, onion, and garlic in the company of a lone Yukon Gold potato (for silkiness). I'd always rather thicken a soup by purÊeing some of its ingredients than by adding flour or another starch. Starchy thickeners are distracting. The right tool for purÊeing a soup is a blender. Neither a food processor nor an immersion blender will make it quite as smooth. Just take care not to pack the blender with too much hot soup at a time. Fill it no more than a third full for each batch, otherwise you may end up wearing it (and that can burn!). At the end of the recipe, to provide some crunchy contrast to the creamy base, I added roasted cauliflower florets. Finally, there are those garlicky cheese rye toasts—Yum!—which
contribute yet more crunch as well as big flavor, whether you tear them up and toss the pieces into the soup or happily munch them on the side. The finished product is a tasty, hearty, healthy, and aordable soup for supper. And if you use vegetable broth, it's vegetarian, too. Either way, it's fully capable of standing on its own, or with just a small salad. Sara Moulton was executive chef at Gourmet magazine for nearly 25 years and spent a decade hosting several Food Network shows. She currently stars in public television’s “Sara’s Weeknight Mealsâ€? and has written three cookbooks, including “Sara Moulton’s Everyday Family Dinners.â€? From The Associated Press
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245 East Houston Street New York (212) 677-5110 RemedyDinerNyc.com
Asian Restaurant Listings UPPER WEST SIDE Raku—It’s Japanese II Featured Dishes: Sushi; Sashimi; Brussels Sprouts 57 W. 76th St. (btw. Central Park West & Columbus Ave.) 212-873-1220 | rakuupperwest.com
UPPER EAST SIDE Cafe Evergreen 1367 1st Ave. (btw. 73rd & 74th streets) 212-744-3266 cafeevergreenchinese.com The Nuaa Featured dishes: Purple Blossom Dumpling; Short Ribs Massaman Curry 1122 1st Ave. (btw. 61st & 62nd streets) 212-888-2899 | thenuaa.com
HELL’S KITCHEN/ MIDTOWN WEST Noodies 830 9th Ave. (btw. 54th & 55th streets) 646-669-7828 | noodiesnyc.com Vi{v} Bar & Restaurant Featured Dishes: Kanom Jean Nam Ngeow; CM Sausage 717 9th Ave. (btw. 48th & 49th streets) 212-581-5999 vivnyc.com Hell’s Chicken Featured Dish: Korean Fried Chicken 641 10th Ave. (btw. 45th & 46th streets) 212-757-1120 hellschickennyc.com
MIDTOWN EAST Shochu and Tapas - AYA 247 E. 50th St. (btw. 2nd & 3rd avenues) 212-715-0770 aya-nyc.com
THAI
INDIAN
KOREAN
CHINESE
JAPANESE
SOUTHEAST ASIAN
Sachi Asian Bistro Featured Dish: Oink Oink Oink Fried Rice 713 2nd Ave. (btw. 38th & 39th streets) 929-256-5167 sachinyc.com
VIETNAMESE
SRI LANKAN
ASIAN FUSION
MALAYSIAN
Niu Noodle House Featured Dish: Pork Soup Dumplings 15 Greenwich Ave. (btw. 10th & Christopher streets) 212-488-9888 | niunoodleny.com
GREENWICH VILLAGE
Ruay Thai Restaurant Featured Dishes: Pad Thai; Pad See Yew 625 2nd Ave. (btw. 34th & 35th streets) 212-545-7829 ruaythai.com
Uncle Ted’s 163 Bleecker St. (btw. Thompson & Sullivan streets) 212-777-1395 | uncletedsnyc.com
KOREATOWN
SenYa
Soju Haus 315 5th Ave., 2nd Fl. (btw. 31st & 32nd streets) 212-213-2177 | sojuhaus.com
GRAMERCY/FLATIRON/ UNION SQUARE Junoon Featured Dish: Masaledar Lamb Chops 27 W. 24th St. (btw. 5th & 6th avenues) 212-490-2100 junoonnyc.com Laut 15 E. 17th St. (btw. W. Union Sq. & Broadway) 212-206-8989 | lautnyc.com
KIPS BAY Momokawa Featured Dishes: Kaiseki menu; Beef Sukiyaki; Fried Chicken 157 E. 28th St. (btw. Lexington & 3rd avenues) 212-684-7830 | momokawanyc.com
WEST VILLAGE Spice Market Featured Special: $27 for a 3-course lunch prix-fixe menu. 403 W. 13th St. (btw. Washington St. & 9th Ave.) 212-675-2322 spicemarketnewyork.com
EAST VILLAGE Featured Dishes: Smoked Hamachi / Hamachi Kama; Uni Scrambled Egg with Sturgeon Caviar; Smoked Katsuo Tataki
109 1st Ave. (btw. 7th & 6th streets) 212-995-5278 | senyanyc.com Sigiri 91 1st Ave. (btw. E. 5th & E. 6th streets) 212-614-9333 | sigirinyc.com
BATTERY PARK Malaysian Kitchen USA Featured Dish: Hainanese Chicken 21 South End Ave. (btw. W. Thames St. and the Esplanade) | 212-786-1888 alaysiakitchenusa.com
BROOKLYN Pasar Malam Featured specials: Malaysian food and roti station 208 Grand St. (btw. Bedford & Driggs avenues) Williamsburg 929-267-4404 | pasarmalamny.com
QUEENS Leng Thai 33-09 Broadway Astoria 718-956-7117 | lengthai.com Spicy Lanka 159-23 Hillside Ave. Jamaica 718-487-4499
RECIPE ROASTED CAULIFLOWER AND GREENS SOUP WITH CHEESY RYE TOASTS Prep & Cooking Time: 1 hour (35 minutes active) Serves: 4
INGREDIENTS • 1 head cauliflower (about 2 1/2 pounds) • 3 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided • Kosher salt • 1 cup sliced yellow onion • 2 teaspoons minced garlic • 1 medium Yukon Gold potato (about 3 to 4 ounces), thinly sliced • 3 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth • 2 cups water • 5 ounces baby greens (such as kale, spinach, arugula, mustard or a mix) • 1 tablespoon lemon juice • Ground black pepper • 4 slices rye bread • 1 ounce grated Parmesan cheese
DIRECTIONS Heat the oven to 450 F. Cut off and discard the tough bottom of the cauliflower stem. Separate 3 cups of small cauliflower florets (each about 1/2 inch in diameter) and set aside. Cut the rest of the cauliflower into 1-inch pieces, then mound them on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and sprinkle with about 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Toss well to coat,
then spread in an even layer. Roast on the oven’s middle shelf, stirring once or twice, until it is golden brown at the edges, 20 to 25 minutes. In a large saucepan over medium, heat 1 tablespoon of the remaining oil. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the potato, the roasted cauliflower, the broth and water. Simmer the mixture until the potato is tender, about 15 minutes. While the soup is simmering, on the rimmed sheet pan, toss the reserved florets with 2 teaspoons of oil and about 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Roast until they are golden brown and tender, about 20 minutes. Transfer the hot soup in small batches to a blender and blend until smooth. Return the soup to the saucepan, stir in the greens and simmer until they are wilted and tender, about 5 minutes. Add the roasted florets and cook for 1 minute. Add the lemon juice, then season with salt and pepper. Adjust the consistency, as desired, with an additional splash or two of water. Brush the rye bread with the remaining tablespoon of oil and toast on the oven’s middle shelf until golden, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the toasts and return to the oven and bake for another 2 minutes. Ladle the soup into serving bowls and serve each portion with a toast.
NUTRITION INFORMATION Nutrition information per serving: 300 calories; 140 calories from fat (47 percent of total calories); 15 g fat (3 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 5 mg cholesterol; 770 mg sodium; 32 g carbohydrate; 6 g fiber; 6 g sugar; 10 g protein.
D11
@EpochTaste
October 9–15, 2015 www.EpochTaste.com
A Simple Cuban Marinade Adds Big Punch to Easy Oven Fries By J.M. Hirsch Most of the foods we eat—even among those of us for whom eating is a career—pass our lips and leave not even a fleeting memory. Most foods. But then there are those that linger not just on our tongues, but in our minds. Perhaps by association of a time or place or person, or simply by the power of their own deliciousness. Somehow these foods take on another life for us. Over the years, a handful of such foods have entered my life. My great grandmother’s rustic pork pate. My mother’s spanakopita. The sunflower seed risotto I ate at a small restaurant in Copenhagen last spring. The sinfully rich liverwurst spread thickly on sourdough that was my afterschool snack (paired with chocolate milk!) when I lived in Germany as a child. And there is mojo sauce. The first time I tasted it was during Hurricane Katrina, which had forced an extended stay in Key West. We ate dinner at a dive where the meal itself was forgettable. But plopped onto the table was a basket of fried plantain fries and a bowl of mojo
Tangy mojo sauce makes a mean marinade or irresistable dip for your meat and veggies.
sauce for dipping. It was orange and slightly chunky and flecked with green. I had no idea what it was, but as soon as I tried it I couldn’t stop eating it. It was sweet and sour and tangy with just a tiny hint of heat. It was similar to a salsa, but so much more refreshing. The waitress explained that it was a Cuban-style mojo, for there actually are numerous mojo sauces from different parts of the world. Cuban mojo generally consists of minced garlic, onion, and parsley that are mixed with sour orange juice, lime juice, olive oil, and a hit of cumin. Traditionally, it is used to marinate pork or for dipping fries, such as plantains. I wrote down the list of ingredients, but never made it. Until now. I found the card on which I’d scribbled the recipe and remembered that flavor. While plantain fries don’t necessarily excite me, this sauce did. So I decided to recreate it, but this time I paired it with something big and bold—roasted potato wedges dusted with paprika. It’s a perfect combination. From The Associated Press ALL PHOTOS BY MATTHEW MEAD/AP
RECIPE
tako: “octopus” and yaki: “fried”/ “cooked” A true Japanese comfort food!
Set
The Takoyaki MOCU-MOCU
CASUAL DINING CAFÉ & SHOP
746 Tenth Ave. (between 50th and 51st Streets) 212-765-0197 ! Mocu-Mocu.com
It takes eight minutes of non-stop flipping and wrist flicking to turn the batter into these puffy balls.
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Craft Beer 2 Wine 2 Fresh Salads 2 Hand Cut Fries Catch the game on our 40” TVs 1567 Lexington Ave, New York (212) 289-6222 JoyBurgerBar.com
MOJO SAUCE WITH PAPRIKA POTATOES Sour orange juice is available online and at many ethnic markets. If you can’t find it, substitute regular orange juice, but add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and reduce the orange juice by 2 tablespoons. The recipe makes extra mojo sauce, and you’ll be happy for it. Refrigerate the extra, and then drizzle over grilled or roasted meat (especially pork) or vegetables.
Prep & Cooking Time: 45 minutes Serves: 8
INGREDIENTS lengthwise into about 5 wedges. Mound the wedges on the prepared baking sheet, then drizzle with 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil. Toss to coat evenly.
• 6 medium russet potatoes • Extra-virgin olive oil • Kosher salt
In a small bowl, mix together about 2 teaspoons salt, the paprika, and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Sprinkle this evenly over the potato wedges, toss to coat evenly, and then spread the potatoes in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake the potato wedges for 40 minutes, turning the wedges halfway through.
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika • Ground black pepper • 1/2 cup sour orange juice • 1/4 cup lime juice
Meanwhile, prepare the mojo sauce. In a blender, combine 1/2 cup of olive oil, sour orange juice, lime juice, lemon juice, onion, parsley, garlic, sugar, and cumin. Pulse on and off for 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until the onion and parsley are very finely chopped, but not puréed. Taste, then season with salt and pepper, pulsing again to mix.
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice • 1/2 small yellow onion, coarsely chopped • 1/4 cup loosely packed fresh parsley • 2 cloves garlic • 1 teaspoon sugar
Serve the potato wedges with the mojo sauce on the side.
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
NUTRITION INFORMATION
DIRECTIONS
Nutrition information per serving: 230 calories; 140 calories from fat (61 percent of total calories); 16 g fat (2 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 0 mg cholesterol; 540 mg sodium; 23 g carbohydrate; 3 g fiber; 4 g sugar; 3 g protein.
Heat the oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with foil. Cut each potato in half lengthwise, and then cut each half
I
n 1944, Pasquale Scognamillo, known to all as Patsy, began serving the food-loving public earthy, authentic Neapolitan cuisine. Today his son Joe, and grandsons Sal and Frank continue the tradition for their regular long-time local guests, out-of-towners and the many
celebrities who consider Patsy’s Italian Restaurant their Manhattan dining room. Open seven days for lunch and dinner. Also available: pre-fixe luncheon menu noon-3:00pm ($35) and pre-theatre menu 3:00pm-7:00pm ($59).
236 West 56th Street Our Only (212) 247-3491 Location! www.patsys.com
CASTILIAN SPANISH CUISINE at el Pote
Hearty, Wholesome Food from Old Spain
By Melissa D’Arabian
From The Associated Press
The Restaurant You Go Back to.
Patsy’s Italian Restaurant @PatsysItalRest @PatsysItalianRestaurant
Easy Breakfast Bowls Are Another Reason to Cook Up Quinoa I apologize if you’ve heard this from me before, but I must once again urge you to cook up a huge batch of quinoa and keep it in your fridge (or freezer!) for recipes all week. It’s just such a healthful and versatile ingredient, I find myself making it more and more. It’s packed with protein, full of fiber and vitamins, and—bonus!—it’s gluten-free. It also happens to pair splendidly with so many other ingredients. Your handy stock of quinoa can be used to boost nutrients in salads, be added to smoothies, get topped with grilled veggies, tofu, fish or meat, be spooned into soups instead of noodles or rice, or get topped with sauces (think tomato or cheese). Start with the basics: mix together cooked quinoa with some milk and some flavoring (vanilla, orange zest, coconut, or whatever), then heat in the microwave until warm. Top with fruit, nuts, and maybe some yogurt, dried fruit, or a drizzle of maple syrup. Done. You now have warm, filling, healthy breakfast bowls that everyone will love. Today I’m sharing a personal favorite—the quinoa-pumpkin breakfast bowl. The spices and aroma make me feel positively autumnal, even if my San Diego weather disagrees.
There are the restaurants you go to, and
Chef’s Favorites Sweet Sangria Rich Paella Valenciana
RECIPE QUINOA-PUMPKIN BREAKFAST BOWL Prep & Cooking Time: 10 minutes Serves: 1
INGREDIENTS • 3/4 cup cooked quinoa • 1/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or other milk) • 2 tablespoons pumpkin puree • Dash of pumpkin spice (or cinnamon and nutmeg) • 2 teaspoons maple syrup • 1/2 banana, sliced • 2 tablespoons low-fat plain Greek yogurt
• 1 tablespoon chopped almonds (or other nut)
DIRECTIONS
Fresh Lobster Bisque Juicy Lamb Chops
In a microwave-safe serving bowl, mix together the quinoa, almond milk, pumpkin puree, pumpkin spice, and maple syrup. Heat in the microwave on high until very warm, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir, then top with banana, yogurt, and nuts.
NUTRITION INFORMATION Nutrition information per serving: 330 calories; 60 calories from fat (18 percent of total calories); 7 g fat (1 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 0 mg cholesterol; 70 mg sodium; 57 g carbohydrate; 8 g fiber; 19 g sugar; 11 g protein.
718 2nd Ave @ 38th St. www.elPote.com 212.889.6680
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October 9–15, 2015 www.EpochTaste.com ALL PHOTOS BY MATTHEW MEAD/AP
Not All Baked Treats Are Diet Busters: Enter Mini Popovers By Melissa D'Arabian I am a complete sucker for baked treats and simple sugary carbs. Walking into a kitchen that smells of batters baking—the floral aroma of vanilla filling the air, sugar caramelizing— comforts me. So I blame my children's sweet tooth on genetics. My whole family loves all things baked. But rather than completely deny ourselves the simple pleasure of baking, I create healthier, portion-controlled versions of our family favorites. Enter the popover! Popovers have lots of heft and volume, but most of it comes from air. So we can scratch the sweet itch while limiting the damage of loading up on sugary treats. My mini popovers have the subtle tang of fresh fruit underscored by a drizzle of lemony glaze on top. There is also just a tiny touch of basil in the batter (which you can skip if your children are in that “won’t eat anything green” phase). While I use all-purpose flour in this
recipe (wholewheat flour just doesn’t get the fluffy lift we love), these little guys are so tiny and airy that you can have a couple of them for just 100 calories. And making them in a mini-muffin tin means they are done in no-time. They are perfect for last minute treat needs. Plus, they are cute! I use chopped strawberries, which are chockfull of vitamins and minerals (a crazy, great source of vitamin C!), but feel free to improvise with your favorite fruit or berry, fresh or frozen. While these mini-popovers won’t have many calories, they won’t really count toward your 5-a-day produce quota either. But hey, every little bit of nutrition helps. And they may make your children fall in love with strawberries, as they did for my youngest daughter. She went from eating popovers to fresh berries this summer. From The Associated Press
Turning a Bonanza of Brown Bananas Into a Gingery Bread
STRAWBERRY MINI POPOVERS The batter can be made ahead of time and chilled. Allow it to come to room temperature before baking.
Prep & Baking Time: 45 minutes Makes: 24
INGREDIENTS For the Popovers • 2 teaspoons coconut oil • 1 cup strawberries (or other fruit), chopped (fresh or frozen) • Squeeze of lemon juice • 1 cup all-purpose flour • 2 tablespoons powdered sugar • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt • 1 cup low-fat milk, warmed • 2 large eggs • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract • 1/2 teaspoon dried basil (optional) For the Glaze • 1 tablespoon lemon juice • 1 teaspoon coconut oil, melted
batches if your muffin pan has only 12 cups. In a small skillet over medium, heat the coconut oil. Add the strawberries and cook just until softened and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Squeeze in a little lemon juice, then set aside. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, powdered sugar and salt. Whisk to combine. In a small bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, vanilla, and basil (if using) until well-blended. Whisk the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until smooth. Remove the hot muffin pan from the oven and mist each cup well with cooking spray. Fill each muffin cup two-thirds full with the batter, then spoon in about 1 teaspoon of the strawberry filling. Return the pan to the oven and bake for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, turn off the oven and allow the popovers to sit an additional 15 minutes in the oven (with the oven door closed). Meanwhile, to make the glaze in a small bowl whisk together the lemon juice and coconut oil with half of the powdered sugar until smooth. Add the additional powdered sugar, whisking until smooth and glaze-like. Once the popovers are done, brush with the glaze and serve immediately.
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup powdered sugar
NUTRITION INFORMATION
DIRECTIONS
Nutrition information per serving: 50 calories; 10 calories from fat (20 percent of total calories); 1 g fat (0.5 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 20 mg cholesterol; 30 mg sodium; 9 g carbohydrate; 0 g fiber; 4 g sugar; 1 g protein.
Heat the oven to 400 F. Place a mini muffin pan in the oven to heat. Because this recipe makes 24 popovers you will need to work in
BANANA BREAD WITH CHOCOLATE AND CRYSTALLIZED GINGER Prep & Baking Time: 1 hour (20 minutes active), plus cooling
By Katie Workman
RECIPE
RECIPE
Because I find myself with overripe bananas pretty much every other week, our family eats a lot of banana bread. The freezer also has become sort of a halfway house for wayward over-ripened bananas. But if you like to cook (and I do) and you hate throwing food away (again, me), then over-ripened bananas are a gift—a gateway ingredient to something delicious. This particular banana bread came about because I have a big thing for crystallized ginger. My father’s father introduced me to it when I was a child. He adored it, and even though he was born in Brooklyn in 1903, he was somehow attuned to the fact that ginger is a healthy ingredient, which in those days was not something all that widely known outside of Eastern cultures. Bernie Workman, ahead of his time. He would have loved this bread studded with nuggets of chewy sweet ginger and bits of melty chocolate. If you use a glass loaf pan versus a metal one you may need a few extra minutes of baking time. This recipe also makes great banana muffins. Line 12 regular muffin tins with paper liners. Fill them evenly with the batter, filling them about three-quarters of the way full. Bake for 23 to 27 minutes, or until the muffins spring back when pressed lightly at the center. Let them sit in the tins on wire racks for 5 minutes, then gently turn them out of the tins and cool them upright on the rack. Eat warm or at room temperature. Katie Workman has written two cookbooks focused on easy, family friendly cooking, “Dinner Solved!” and “The Mom 100 Cookbook.” She blogs at TheMom100.com From The Associated Press
Serves: 12
INGREDIENTS • 2 cups all-purpose flour • 1 teaspoon baking soda • 1/2 teaspoon salt • 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips • 1/2 cup chopped crystallized ginger • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature • 3/4 cup sugar • 2 large eggs • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract • 2 large very ripe bananas, peeled and mashed (about 1 cup mashed) • 1/2 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
DIRECTIONS Heat the oven to 350 F. Butter or coat with cooking spray a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan. In a small bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda and salt. Mix in the chocolate and the ginger. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, and then add the vanilla. Blend in the mashed bananas and sour cream. Switch to a wooden spoon and add the flour mixture in batches to the wet mixture, mixing just until each addition is incorporated. At the end, the batter should be barely blended (it will be thick). Transfer the mixture to the prepared loaf pan. Bake until a toothpick or wooden skewer inserted at the center comes out clean, 40 to 50 minutes. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then turn the loaf out of the pan and finishing cooling upright on the wire rack.
NUTRITION INFORMATION Nutrition information per serving: 290 calories; 110 calories from fat (38 percent of total calories); 12 g fat (7 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 55 mg cholesterol; 200 mg sodium; 44 g carbohydrate; 2 g fiber; 23 g sugar; 5 g protein.
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