Epoch Taste 2-24-2017 by Epoch Taste

SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES

D1 Feb. 24–March 2, 2017

A Recipe for

Shrimp Étouffée on D3

www.EpochTaste.com

The “Le Voyage” menu at Café Boulud will feature New Orleans cuisine for three more months, including this Creole-spiced pork chop with boudin, mustard greens, celery root remoulade, and sauce Creole.

New Orleans Dreamin’

CHANNALY PHILIPP/EPOCH TIMES

By Channaly Philipp | Epoch Times Staff

f Mardi Gras in New Orleans conjures images of debauchery in your mind, one thing is certain: You’re not from there. “Mardi Gras for people who live there is such a wonderful homecoming and street party,” said restaurateur Leith Hill.

A Sazerac cocktail at Compère Lapin in New Orleans.

The best beignets in New Orleans are at Morning Call. CHANNALY PHILIPP/EPOCH TIMES

Hill, a sixth-generation New Orleanian who lives in New York City, comes from a family of esteemed New Orleans locals. The courthouse in the Central Business District is named after her uncle, and the business school at Tulane University is named after her great-grandfather. “When my parents married, it was like a mega-merger of New Orleans,” she said. It’s impossible for her to walk on the street without bumping into family members. Years ago, her young son asked her, after they’d run into cousin after cousin on the street, “Mommy, is there anyone we’re not related to?” On Mardi Gras, away from the mayhem of touristy Bourbon Street, all eyes are on the elaborate floats, as everyone tries to recognize someone they know. “You are standing in the street with all of your cousins—your fourth, your third, your second— everybody—and all their kids,” said Hill, who herself used to ride on the Krewe of Muses float. “You know everybody who’s on the float riding, and they’re all masked. … But sometimes, someone is just throwing stuff at you, and they know you but you don’t know who it is. It’s really fun.” The fun, though, is tempered by the prospect of the morrow. “The thing is that, in New Orleans, you have to get up and go to work the next day,” Hill added. “You get your ashes for Ash Wednesday and you go to work the next day. So if you act like a drunken, naked fool, everybody’s going to see you the next day.” Chef Thomas Dunklin, a New Orleanian who headed to the Pacific Northwest in 2001 and now helms Portland restaurant The Waiting Room, remembers heading to the same spot year after year with his family to watch a Mardi Gras parade. “We’d be eating fried chicken on a blanket and just having fun. … The food brings everybody together. New Orleans really entices people,” he said.

See New Orleans on D2

An art market on Frenchmen Street in New Orleans.

Aaron Bludorn, executive chef of Café Boulud, holds a plate of Oysters Rockefeller.

Mardi Gras beads adorn a gate in New Orleans.

SHUTTERSTOCK (ILLUSTRATIONS)

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February 24–March 2, 2017 www.EpochTaste.com

New Orleans

SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES

Dreamin’ New Orleans continued from D1

The King Cake at Café Boulud’s Voyage to New Orleans kick-off dinner sports the traditional colors of Mardi Gras: purple for justice, green for faith, and gold for power.

CHAN NALY

At his restaurant, Dunklin brings together New Orleans cooking techniques with the flavors of the Northwest. A signature dish is the Ginger BBQ Shrimp, which is sautéed—there is no grilling involved in New Orleans barbecue shrimp—in a housemade Worcestershire sauce mixed with ginger beer and lemongrass, accompanied by a sweet potato biscuit. Oysters, fresh from Oregon’s Netarts Bay just six miles away, are charcoal-grilled and dressed with Crystal Hot Sauce butter, Parmesan, pickled crawfish, and parsley. Dunklin also serves king cake doughnuts, inspired by the sugar-sprinkled, ring-shaped cake that is the traditional Mardi Gras dessert. As for Hill, she grew up on Creole cooking— albeit with one anomaly: Despite being from “the land of butter, beignets, and booze,” as she says, she was raised by her father to eat

PHILIP O P/EP CH TIM ES

New Orleans’s French Quarter. SHUTTERSTOCK (ILLUSTRATIONS)

HAUTE PRIVATE EVENTS There are private events in Manhattan, and then there are private events at Cava Nerai. Head downstairs to our new romantic stone wine cellar— born from the idea to provide you with the finest setting possible for private events. Whether you’re having a business meeting with partners, entertaining those special clients, or throwing the perfect baby shower, Cava Nerai has the customizable space you need—and an excellent wine selection sure to make the occasion memorable.

Aaron Bludorn’s shrimp gumbo, topped with potato remoulade, served at Café Boulud.

healthfully. He had lost both his grandfathers to heart disease, and at the age of 12, he decided he would not share their fate. Later, he made sure his own family’s eating habits followed suit—rice and beans without sausage, steamed string beans without fat or sugar, and fruit for dessert, for example. Hill’s restaurant Ellary’s Greens, with locations in the West Village and in the mall and food court TurnStyle near Columbus Circle, doesn’t carry New Orleans dishes, but it does continue her family’s tradition of healthy eating. And it carries a wide selection of drinks— from fruity smoothies to organic wines to kombucha on tap. That’s from a habit that Hill developed in New Orleans, where, due to the sweltering heat, she would always have three drinks on the go at the same time. At home, shrimp Creole is one of her go-to dishes. She can’t get Creole tomatoes, that Louisiana variety (“absolutely, positively unlike any other tomato I’ve ever had, with the most tomato-y, amazing flavor,” she said), but the dish wins points by being fast to cook. “Honestly, the longest part of making shrimp Creole is peeling the shrimp and chopping an onion—that’s it.” Hill, who also added to her cooking chops by moving to the south of France after high school, simply sautés an onion and shrimp, then adds chopped fresh tomatoes, a can of peeled tomatoes, Tabasco, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic powder. And there it is— served over rice (brown for her, please), it’s an almost instant taste of home. Voyage to New Orleans For a fine-dining take on New Orleans cuisine, look to Café Boulud on the Upper East Side. Every few months, in addition to the regular menu, executive chef Aaron Bludorn highlights (in a series called Voyages) the cuisine of a chosen destination. This time, it’s New Orleans. “There’s such a deeply embedded culture that created these classics, such as gumbo and étouffée, that’s been passed on orally, but they’re all rooted in French technique, which is really fun for me,” said Bludorn. To kick off the new destination, Bludorn invited chef Jason Goodenough of New Orleans’s Carrollton Market to co-host two Mardi Gras dinners (now sold out) on Feb. 27 and 28. “I grew up around the corner from Café Boulud, and I’m going back to my old neighborhood and serving pig tails. Who’d have thunk it?” Goodenough laughed. At his restaurant, Goodenough steers away from the classic dishes: “When you talk to a New Orleanian, well, ‘nobody’s gumbo is ever as good as mama’s gumbo,’ you know,” he said. “I try to be totally true to the traditions and the foodways and the culture here, but at the same time, try to avoid the ubiquity, and keep fresh and new.” SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES

55 E. 54th St. New York, NY 10022 Nerai.NYC

212.759.5554

Café Boulud is serving classic New Orleans cocktails.

SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES

Leith Hill, a sixth-generation New Orleanian and owner of Ellary’s Greens. One of his signature dishes is Pig’s Tail Tots. He braises pig tails, then mixes the shredded meat with herbs and the vegetable “trinity” of Cajun cooking (onions, bell peppers, and celery). Then he forms the mixture into disks and deep-fries them. “It looks like a tater tot but it’s a boneless pig tail,” he explained. Bludorn will have four dishes featured at the Mardi Gras dinners on the regular menu for about three more months: Oysters Rockefeller, Shrimp Gumbo, Bronzed Redfish, and Creole Spiced Pork Rack. New Orleanians could argue all day about gumbo, and it all comes down to personal preference in the end. As far as thick or thin, Blurdorn’s version falls right in the middle—neither thin like broth nor gravy-like in consistency—it’s like the Goldilocks of gumbo. It is fragrant and deeply smoky, with a base of stock made from Maryland blue crab and shrimp, thickened with dark roux, and made even more flavorful by slices of the café’s housemade smoked andouille and potato rémoulade sitting on top. “The food here, especially with these gumbos, when you read the ingredient list, it’s pretty simple and straightforward,” Goodenough said. Yet a seasoned hand can coax the most flavor out of the ingredients. “Caramelization is a huge part of how they cook here. ... They’ll cook it slowly and let it caramelize, stick to the bottom of the pan, hit it with a little deglaze.” The rest of the dishes squeeze in as many New Orleans flavors as possible. The Bronzed Redfish sits on top of jambalaya and is accompanied with a crab-stuffed mirliton (also known as chayote); the pork rack is accompanied by boudin, mustard greens, celery rémoulade, and sauce Creole. And indeed, when Bludorn and Goodenough were working on the dishes, Bludorn thought: “What can we not be without? How do we make it almost a caricature of New Orleans, in a way?” As for the Voyages cocktails at Café Boulud, they are all about “honoring the classics,” according to head bartender Darryl Chan, who heads down to New Orleans at least once a year for the annual Tales of the Cocktails event. The list is so classic that one of the cocktails, the Brandy Crusta, even predates the Sazerac. “For that time, it was very cutting edge to add lemon to soften the spirit,” Chan explained. Other cocktails will include the Sazerac, the Vieux Carré, and the Ramos Gin Fizz. The most eye-catching drink of the evening, though, may well be the Café Brûlot with Grand Marnier. Traditionally, flaming alcohol is ladled down a spiral of orange peel studded with cloves, creating a ribbon of fire. “It’s quite the show,” said Goodenough. “The flaming alcohol, the orange peel, and the cloves—it puts out a great smell in the dining room. It’s multisensory.”

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February 24–March 2, 2017 www.EpochTaste.com

A Flavorful and Vibrant Shrimp Étouffée

冬のメニュー

WINTER PLATES AT DONGURI A sampling of our winter menu

Amuse Simmered Seasonal Vegetables

By The Culinary Institute of America Even if you’re not familiar with the name Paul Prudhomme, it’s likely you’ve enjoyed the benefits of his long and celebrated career. Prudhomme was a Louisiana-born chef with a larger-than-life personality who introduced Americans to the bold flavors and rich roux-based dishes of his childhood. The cuisine of New Orleans is distinct, combining the rich culinary traditions of those who settled the area long ago. The city’s food is a reflection of the people who still live there today, with influences from France, Africa, and Spain (just for starters), and the strongly rooted traditions of the Cajun and Creole cultures. In this Shrimp Étouffée recipe, The Culinary Institute of America channels the spirit of Prudhomme. Flavorful and vibrant, this rustic dish is meant to be shared around a table of family and good friends.

This rustic dish is meant to be shared around a table of family and good friends.

Appetizer Assortment of Five Kinds of Appetizers Soup Traditional Clear Soup of Snapper and Turnip Sashimi Chef’s Selection of Sashimi Grilled Grilled Pompano with Yuzu Miso O Shinogi Snow Crab with Tosa Vinegar Jelly Main Miyazaki Wagyu Strip Loin Noodles Tea-Flavored Buckwheat Noodles Dessert Japanese Pancake with Sweet Red Bean

From The Associated Press

RECIPE SHRIMP ETOUFFEE

For the Shrimp Stock • 1 pound (about 1 quart) shrimp shells and heads • 1/2 large yellow onion, chopped • 1 stalk celery, chopped • 3 carrots, chopped • 3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed • 1 bay leaf • 1 teaspoon black peppercorns, cracked • 2 tablespoons tomato paste • 2 tablespoons brandy • 2 teaspoons kosher salt For the Spinach and Roasted Pepper Tian • 5 red bell peppers • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter • 4 shallots, sliced • 5 cloves garlic, sliced • 2 pounds, 8 ounces baby spinach • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt For the Creole Seasoning (Makes 10 portions) • 2 1/2 tablespoons paprika • 2 tablespoons kosher salt • 1 tablespoon minced garlic • 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper • 1 tablespoon onion powder • 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme For the Étouffée • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter • 2 yellow onions, chopped • 2 red bell peppers, chopped • 6 stalks celery, chopped • 2 tablespoons minced garlic • 4 Roma tomatoes, seeds removed, diced • 2 dried bay leaves • 2 teaspoons kosher salt • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper • 2 tablespoons Creole Seasoning • 1 quart Shrimp Stock • 3 pounds (21 to 25) large shrimp, peeled and deveined, shells reserved for stock • 1/4 cup chopped parsley • Spinach and Roasted Pepper Tian • 2 scallions, thinly sliced

DIRECTIONS To Make the Shrimp Stock Heat the oven to 350 F. Place the shrimp shells and heads on a baking sheet. Bake until they begin to char on the edges, about 30 minutes. Remove the shrimp from the oven and transfer to a stock pot. Add the onions, celery, carrots, garlic, bay leaf, peppercorns, and tomato paste, and stir to combine. Cook until the tomato paste has darkened slightly, about 6 minutes. Add the brandy and simmer until the liquid has reduced, about 4 minutes.

about 45 minutes, skimming occasionally. Season with salt. Remove from the heat and strain through a fine-mesh sieve. Set aside until ready to use. To Make the Tian Roast the red peppers over a flame until charred all over. Alternately, cut around the core of the pepper to remove the seeds and stem. Lay the pepper flat, skin side up, on a baking sheet and broil until charred, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a sealed container or covered bowl until cooled, about 15 minutes. Rub the charred skin from the pepper, using a clean towel, if needed. Cut the peppers open and remove the seeds. Use a 2 1/2-inch round cutter to cut circles from the peppers. Set aside. Meanwhile, heat a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the butter, shallots, and garlic. Cook until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the spinach and cover. Cook until wilted, about 3 minutes. Work in batches, if necessary. Stir in the salt, then transfer to a strainer and use the back of a spoon to press out as much liquid as possible. Using a 2 1/2-inch cutter as a mold, place one piece of cut pepper in the cutter. Add a layer of spinach and top with another piece of cut pepper. Add another layer of spinach and top with a third cut pepper. Compress the layers and remove the cutter to reveal a three-layer tian. Repeat the process until you have 10 individual portions. Set aside until ready to use.

PHIL MANSFIELD/THE CULINARY INSTITUTE OF AMERICA VIA AP

Prep & Cooking Time: 4 hours (Active: 1 hour, 10 minutes; inactive: 2 hours, 50 minutes) Serves 10

Donguri Located on the Upper East Side, the 22-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.

Chef Yamasaki

RESERVATIONS (212) 737-5656 309 E.83rd Street, New York, NY. (Btw 1st and 2nd Ave)

Chef’s Omakase Dinner $150 per guest Must book at least one day in advance

SET SAIL TO SAGAPONACK

To Make the Creole Seasoning Combine the ingredients and stir to combine. Store in an airtight container until ready to use. To Make the Étouffée Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions, peppers, celery, and garlic. Cook until the vegetables have softened, stirring often, about 10 minutes.

The shrimp are plump and juicy, the clams have that justbeen-picked out of the ocean brininess, and the scallops boast a lovely sweetness. Many dishes at Sagaponack are perfect vehicles to showcase quality Long Island seafood.

Add the tomatoes, bay leaves, salt, cayenne, and 1 tablespoon of Creole seasoning. Cook until the tomatoes have released their juices, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the shrimp stock and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened and flavorful, about 45 minutes. Season the shrimp with the remaining 1 tablespoon of Creole seasoning and add to the pot, nestling them into the hot liquid. Cook until the shrimp are cooked through, about 6 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley.

Add two quarts of water and bring to a simmer. Skim to remove any foam that rises to the surface.

To serve, place a tian in a shallow serving bowl. Spoon the hot étouffée around the tian and garnish with scallions.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, until reduced by about half,

Recipe by The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y.

4 W. 22nd St. (btw. 5th & 6th avenues) 212-229-2226

sagaponacknyc.com

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February 24–March 2, 2017 www.EpochTaste.com COURTESY OF CIENFUEGOS

Cienfuegos Brings a Vegan Spin to Cuban Food By Annie Wu | Epoch Times Staff

COURTESY OF CIENFUEGOS

Cienfuegos 95 Avenue A (between Sixth & Seventh streets)

Mushroom and Tomatillo Croquetas.

NEW YORK CITY BEER WEEK New York City Beer Week brings eight days of parties, tastings, and festivals all over the city. At East Village bar Jimmy’s No. 43, a selection of more than 20 Trappist beers will be available to sample, in addition to complementary food like a whole roasted hog and vegetarian dishes. $65 per person. Saturday, Feb. 25 Noon–3 p.m. Jimmy’s No. 43 43 E. Seventh St. (between Second & Third avenues) East Village JimmysNo43.com

ienfuegos, the East Village cocktail lounge, has gone all-vegan. Restaurateur Ravi DeRossi, who owns 15 establishments around New York City, is in the process of making all of his restaurants vegan, in consideration of animal welfare and the environment. Chef Josh Moore, formerly of Maialino, is at the helm at Cienfuegos, making all-vegetable renditions of Cuban classics, such as the Ropa Vieja, a mound of charred cabbage, bell peppers, shiitake mushrooms, leek purée, and toasted rice in rum, served on radicchio leaves; sweet plantains coated with a coffee

Weekend Pick

At the Brewer’s Choice event in Brooklyn, more than 30 local and out-of-state craft breweries will pour special brews for the event, such as Brewery Ommegang, Gun Hill Brewing Company, Alpine Brewing Company, KelSo Beer Co., and Peekskill Brewery. Brisket, cheeses, and a variety of dishes and bites will be provided by Sigmund’s Pretzels, Murray’s Cheese, Fine and Raw Chocolate, Prime Meats, and more. $80 per person. Wednesday, March 1 6 p.m.–9:30 p.m. Food Science Academy of LIU Brooklyn 1 University Plaza (at Flatbush & DeKalb avenues) Fort Greene, Brooklyn NYCBeerWeek.com

CELEBRATING 25 YEARS AT OCEANA To celebrate its 25th anniversary, Oceana will be serving unique oysters and beverages to pair. Every day for 25 days, a different oyster will be featured. A special beer made with Bluepoint oysters in collaboration with Captain Lawrence Brewing Co., called the Oceana Oyster Stout, will be poured. A half dozen oysters and a pint is $30. On Mondays, the restaurant will pour a special vintage wine, $25 per glass. Through Saturday, March 4 Oceana 120 W. 49th St. (between Sixth & Seventh avenues) Theater District OceanaRestaurant.com COURTESY OF OCEANA

Baked oysters.

PO’ BOYS TO GO AT MASSONI Inside the Arlo NoMad hotel, chef Dale Talde’s Massoni restaurant has a to-go counter called Bodega. For Fat Tuesday, the counter will be offering a special po’boy sandwich, with blackened shrimp, roast beef, pastrami aioli, lettuce, and tomatoes. $15. Tuesday, Feb. 28 Bodega At Arlo NoMad 11 E. 31st St. (between Fifth & Madison avenues) NoMad MassoniNYC.com

gastrique and served with ancho chili-ginger aioli; Mushroom and Tomatillo Croquetas topped with kumquat jam; and Arroz con Frijoles (rice with beans), a medley of spicy, sweet, and tart with cipollini onion, black beans, avocado, pico de gallo, and pineapple chunks. For dessert, you could go the chocolatey route, with a smooth chocolate mousse, accompanied with coconut whipped cream and Oreo bits; or the lightly sweet route, with Arroz con Leche, a rice pudding-like treat, flavored with spiced rum and orange. The cocktail menu, with a focus on rum, no longer includes honey, nor sugars and spirits that have been processed with animal products. East Village CienfuegosNY.com

CARNIVAL OF VENICE AT MACHIAVELLI

The Biscocho Amargo virgin cocktail.

Weekend Pick

To celebrate the Carnival of Venice, Italian restaurant Machiavelli is serving a special menu through Feb. 25, with items such as Insalata di Granchio alla Veneziana, crabmeat salad with scallions, radicchio, and citronette; Casunzei Ampezzani, a specialty of the Dolomite region, with mezzaluna pasta stuffed with red beets and ricotta, coated in a butter and poppy seed sauce; and Branzino Royale con Radicchio e Teroldego, sautéed filet with radicchio in Teroldego wine sauce. Wines from the Tre Venezie region in northeastern Italy will be served. Guests will be treated to live jazz piano music and are encouraged to dress in medieval garb and masks, à la the Venetian Carnival. Friday, Feb. 24–Saturday, Feb. 25 Machiavelli 519 Columbus Ave. (at West 85th Street) Upper West Side MachiavelliNYC.com

WHISKEY FLIGHTS AT RARITIES

MARDI GRAS BALL AT TREADWELL PARK For Mardi Gras, beer hall Treadwell Park is throwing a grand party, featuring New Orleans eats like boudin balls, muffaletta sandwiches, beignets, king cakes, and jambalaya made with Carolina Reaper peppers. Drinks for the evening will include six specialty beers from the Abita Brewing Company, based in Abita Springs, Louisiana, and a station serving the official New Orleans cocktail, the sazerac (rye whiskey, absinthe and bitters). Triad Brass will provide music, and guests are encouraged to dress up for the “best dressed” costume contest. Tuesday, Feb. 28 6 p.m.–10 p.m. Treadwell Park 1125 First Ave. (between 61st & 62nd streets) Upper East Side TreadwellPark.com

COURTESY OF RARITIES

Rarities At Lotte New York Palace 455 Madison Ave. (between 50th & 51st streets) Midtown RaritiesNYC.com

Rarities, a reservation-only lounge located inside the Lotte New York Palace hotel, is now offering a whiskey tasting menu with rare bottles. Wine and beverage director Justin Lorenz will guide guests through the menu and educate them on flavor profiles and methods of making whiskey. The menu includes Highland Park 30-year scotch, Laphroaig 32-year scotch, and Mortlach 25-year scotch. Tastings from $65 to $270.

DESSERT GOALS Dessert Goals returns for a two-day festival all devoted to sweet treats. Vendors will include Coolhaus (ice cream sandwiches), Mochidoki (ice cream-filled mochi), Baonanas (banana pudding), Taiyaki NYC (Japanese fish-shaped waffles filled with ice cream), and more. Complimentary cups of Intelligentsia coffee will be provided. A free candy shop and salt bar (to cleanse the palate between desserts) will be onsite. Each ticket holder will be given a one and a half hour time slot to purchase the array of desserts available. General admission tickets available from March 7 for $15. Saturday, March 25 & Sunday, March 26 Dobbin Street 64 Dobbin St. (between Norman & Nassau avenues) Williamsburg, Brooklyn DessertGoals.com

SPECIAL BOWLS AT DINOSAUR BAR-B-QUE Dinosaur Bar-B-Que is making their signature barbecued meats available in bowl form. For lunch and dinner, diners can order the Black & White bowl (at the Brooklyn location) with black-eyed peas and rice; and the Sweet & Green bowl (at the Harlem location) with whipped sweet potatoes and simmered collard greens. You pick the meat: barbecue pulled pork, beef brisket, or pulled chicken. Each order comes with mixed salad, a Creole deviled egg, and grilled cornbread. The restaurant will also serve a bowl and soup combo, with the daily homemade soup. $9.95 for bowls, $13 for bowl and soup. Dinosaur Bar-B-Que 700 W. 125th St. (at 12th Avenue) Harlem 604 Union St. (between Third & Fourth avenues) Boerum Hill, Brooklyn DinosaurBarBQue.com

Whiskey flight at Rarities.

NEW BRUNCH MENU AT PAMPANO Chef and restaurateur Richard Sandoval’s contemporary Mexican restaurant Pampano is serving a new brunch menu. Offerings include Chilaquiles con Huevo, scrambled eggs and crispy tortillas in roasted tomato sauce, with refried pinto beans; Hamburguesa Pampano, a grilled ground sirloin hamburger with manchego cheese, guacamole, and roasted garlic aioli, served with fries and mixed greens; and Omelette de Rajas o de Chorizo, with Monterey Jack cheese and your choice of poblano peppers or chorizo, served with potatoes and brioche toast. Saturdays & Sundays Pampano 209 E. 49th St. (between Second & Third avenues) Midtown East RichardSandoval.com/pampano

BOTTOMLESS BRUNCH AT CHARRUA Uruguayan restaurant Charrúa has launched a bottomless brunch on weekends. Guests can enjoy two hours of unlimited mimosas, beer, and sangria, along with an entree dish, for $26. The food options include variations on the national sandwich, the chivito, like El Canadiense, with filet mignon, bacon, mozzarella, ham, eggs, caramelized onions, roasted red peppers, and more; El Cheto, with portobello mushroom, mozzarella, caramelized onions, carrots, and chimichurri sauce; and El Choripan, a street food classic with sausage, lettuce, tomato, and chimichurri sauce. Saturdays & Sundays Noon–4 p.m Charrúa 131 Essex St. (at Rivington Street) Lower East Side CharruaNYC.com

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February 24–March 2, 2017 www.EpochTaste.com

Wine Bar Pop & Pour Opens in Inwood

Openings around NYC

Longtime Inwood resident Yajaira Gonzalez pondered for months what her neighborhood was missing. She’s now opened her first restaurant, Pop & Pour. “Pop & Pour adds to the growing list of trendy restaurants in the area, and over time, this will help place Inwood on the map as a neighborhood known for culinary excellence,” she said in a press release. Executive chef Ricardo Cardona, an industry veteran, has partnered with Washington Heights native and assistant executive chef Farys Rojas to create an eclectic menu.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF ATLANTIC SOCIAL

Menu items include smoked fish salad on a quinoa arepa (a cornmeal flatbread); chicken and batata waffles with bacon, ancho chile, and maple sauce; and stuffed piquillo peppers with lobster chorizo mousseline.

Pop & Pour

200 Dyckman St. (between Broadway & Sherman Avenue) Inwood 646-998-3766 PopPourNYC.com

Japanese Brasserie Roki Opens in Flatiron A new modern Japanese restaurant, Roki Le Izakaya, has now opened in the Flatiron district. The center of attention at the 95-seat restaurant is the bar in the middle, where the chef creates dishes, and drinks are served. Specialties include Japanese canapés, such as snow crab and avocado served over crispy sushi rice, and entrees like ramen—including ramen nabe, or hot pot ramen, meant to be shared by two people. Options include the Seafood Hot Pot Ramen with pork broth,

(Right) General Tso’s Wings.

Three Kings Restaurant Group Launches Atlantic Social The Three Kings Restaurant Group, led by partners David Massoni, John Bush, and chef Dale Talde, is opening Atlantic Social. Located across from Barclays Center, the restaurant offers of menu of new American classics such as pan pizza and seasonal pastas made in-house. The restaurant features a game room, a fireplace, and 16 flatscreen televisions.

Open daily for dinner from 5 p.m. Lunch and brunch to follow.

Atlantic Social

Roki Le Izakaya

12 W. 21st St. (between Fifth & Sixth avenues) Flatiron 646-383-7654 RokiLeIzakaya.com

Piccola Cucina Estiatorio Will Highlight Seafood, Flavors of Sicily and Greece

673 Atlantic Ave. (between South Portland Avenue & South Oxford Street) Fort Greene, Brooklyn 718-623-2852 AtlanticSocialBK.com

Sicilian-born chef and restaurateur Philip Guardione of Piccola Cucina Group is set to launch a fourth restaurant, Piccola Cucina Estiatorio, on March 8. It seats 55. Guardione already owns two other restaurants in New York City, Piccola Cucina Enoteca and Piccola Cucina Osteria, as well as Piccola Cucina Ibiza in Spain. Fresh fish is the focus of the menu, with catches coming in daily from Sicily, to be priced by weight and served whole. Guests can choose from fish such as swordfish, branzino, red snapper, and bluefin tuna, and then select the preparation style (broiled,

Latin Gastropub Malcriada Opens in the East Village Executive chef Kayan (formerly at Kimchi Grill) helms the kitchen at the newly opened Latin gastropub Malcriada in the East Village. The menu includes a selection of tacos (such as angus beef, served with spicy red cabbage, dill slaw, green onions, and sour cream), quesadillas, and burritos, as well as entrees such as Atlantic Salmon a la Mexicana. More than a dozen types of margaritas, as well mezcal-based cocktails, are a highlight

red chili paste, shrimp, oyster, and seasonal vegetables. Chef Koji Hagihara and Keiko Aoki (CEO of Benihana) are behind the project. Open for dinner Monday through Saturday from 5:30 p.m.

of the beverage menu. Open daily for dinner, and weekends for brunch.

Malcriada

185 Avenue C (between East 11th & East 12th streets) East Village 212-253-9966 Malcriada.nyc

grilled, or fried). The menu also includes dishes such as wild boar meatballs with Mount Etna porcini and black truffles; fennel and orange salad; and maccheroni with meat ragù and wild fennel. The wine list mainly offers small-production wines from Sicily.

Piccola Cucina Estiatorio

75 Thompson St. (between Spring & Broome streets) SoHo 646-781-9183 PiccolaCucinaGroup.com

Compiled by Channaly Philipp/Epoch Times Staff

SARA MOULTON VIA AP

With Creole Chops Any Day Can Taste Like Mardi Gras By Sara Moulton With Mardi Gras fast approaching, I thought it might be fun to salute New Orleans’s cuisine by finding a new use for the city’s unique and far-famed Creole spice mix. Creole is the term used to describe something—or someone—of mixed European and African descent, like New Orleans itself. Creole spice mix typically includes several different types of ground pepper, as well as garlic, onion powder, and dried herbs. In New Orleans, they sprinkle it on meat, fish, poultry, and vegetables, and add it to soups, gumbos, and sauces. Since 1889, the preeminent commercial brand has been Zatarain’s, which describes its spice mix as “the delicious alternative to salt and pepper.” Given that one of the mix’s main ingredients is indeed salt, I’ve always wondered why cooks didn’t add it to recipes earlier in the process. Why not use it at the very beginning as a dry rub, giving the salt time to work its typical magic? Doing so would not only deeply flavor the food in question, but—in the case of drier proteins like chicken, turkey, and lean cuts of pork—it would help them to retain moisture, too. Here, several hours before cooking, I rubbed my own Creole seasoning mix onto some pork chops. When the moment of truth arrived, I seared the chops and topped them off with the holy trinity of Cajun cooking— onions, bell peppers, and celery—along with some tomatoes for good luck. Sure enough, the spice mix made a huge difference. I invite you to use my recipe to whip up a batch at home. You’ll end up with more than you need for this dish, but the extra will keep nicely in the cupboard for at least six months—allowing any day to taste like Mardi Gras. Sara Moulton is host of public television’s “Sara’s Weeknight Meals.” She was executive chef at Gourmet magazine for nearly 25 years and spent a decade hosting several Food Network shows, including “Cooking Live.” Her latest cookbook is “Home Cooking 101.” From The Associated Press

RECIPE SPICY PORK CHOPS IN CREOLE MUSTARD SAUCE Prep & Cooking Time: 50 minutes (20 minutes active) Serves 4 For Creole Spice Mix (Makes a scant 3 tablespoons) • 2 teaspoons hot paprika • 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder • 1 teaspoon kosher salt • 3/4 teaspoon onion powder • 3/4 teaspoon cayenne • 3/4 teaspoon oregano • 3/4 teaspoon thyme • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper For Pork Chops • 4 teaspoons Creole Spice Mix (recipe below) or store-bought Creole spice mix, divided • Four 1 1/4 to 1 1/2-inch thick bone-in pork chops (about 10 to 12 ounces each) • 1/4 cup vegetable oil, divided • 1 cup thinly sliced onion • 3/4 cup thinly sliced red bell pepper • 3/4 cup thinly sliced green bell pepper • 1/3 cup thinly sliced celery • 1 cup medium chopped cherry or plum tomatoes • 2 teaspoons minced garlic • 1 tablespoon flour • 1 cup chicken broth • 2 tablespoons Creole (whole grain) mustard • Kosher salt and black pepper

DIRECTIONS To Make Spice Mix In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients and stir well.

Using a spice mix as a rub helps the pork chops retain moisture.

To Make Pork Chops Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of the spice mix all over each chop, coating it well. Marinate the chops, covered, for at least 1 hour and preferably 6 hours. Heat the oven to 350 F. Pat the chops dry. In a large skillet, heat half the oil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, add 2 of the chops, cook them until nicely seared, about 1 1/2 minutes on each side, and transfer them to a rimmed sheet pan. (Reduce the heat if the spice mix starts to color too much in the pan.) Add the remaining chops and sear them, transferring them to the sheet pan. Bake the chops on the middle shelf of the oven until they reach an internal temperature of 140 F, about 5 minutes. Transfer them to a plate and cover loosely with foil. Add the remaining oil and the onions to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is golden, about 5 minutes. Add the peppers and celery, and cook, covered, stirring occasionally until they are tender, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally until the tomato is softened, about 4 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring 1 minute. Add the chicken broth, bring it to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer it for 2 minutes. Stir in the mustard and salt and pepper to taste. Add the chops and any juices from the plate to the skillet and cook gently, turning the chops until they are warmed, about 1 minute. Transfer the chops to each of four plates and top each one with a mound of thepepper mixture. Recipe by Sara Moulton

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In Basho’s Footsteps

By Annie Wu | Epoch Times Staff

YOTO, Japan—Climbing 2,446 steps requires endurance. As I made my way up, looking for the renderings of Buddha said to be etched into the stone steps, I began to ponder why Basho (1644–1694), the 17th-century Japanese master of haiku, had journeyed all the way here on foot, from the outskirts of Tokyo. I was on Mount Haguro, one of the three sacred mountains of Dewa in northern Japan. This was one of the stops on a 10-day walking tour organized by Walk Japan, a tour company that specializes in exploring off-the-beatenpath areas of the country, mostly on foot. Led by an American guide who had spent more than a decade living in Japan, our group (one American, two Brits, an Australian, and a Finnish couple) re-traced Basho’s 1689 journey—the final trip of his life—through the Tohoku region, the northern part of Honshu, the largest island in Japan. We had as our guiding itinerary Basho’s account “The Narrow Road to the Deep North.” The poet set out from his hut in Edo (today’s Tokyo), traveling up the east coast of Honshu, then descending along the west coast to end at Ogaki. We would trace a similar route, but finish in Japan’s former capital, Kyoto. Basho was prepared to never return from this treacherous voyage. Why would he want to go through such travails? By the time I reached the top, with a towering orange torii gate in sight, I had begun to understand. Bearing hardship is good; it makes the reward that much sweeter. When you make the effort to travel somewhere on your own two feet, the beauty of what you see at the end destination is magnified. Reaching the summit at 1,358 feet, with 600-year-old Japanese cedar trees surrounding me and the azure sky peeking out from the canopies overhead, I had an inkling of the reverence Basho must have felt upon arriving at the shrine atop the mountain.

T R AV E LS

Basho, the 17th-century master of haiku.

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Nature’s Wonders Veneration of nature was a common theme in Basho’s travelogue. In Nikko, a city two hours north of Tokyo known for its shrines and temples now designated as U.N. World Heritage sites, Basho had described his emotions upon seeing the Urami-no-taki waterfall, in haiku form:

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For a little while I listen to the sound of the water, Hidden behind the waterfall, Leaving all thoughts of the outside world behind, I feel as though I am at the Start of a summer retreat.

Basho’s words transcend time; his sentiments of wanderlust still resonate with the modern traveler.

The summer’s grass Is all that’s left Of ancient warrior’s dreams Grilled chicken with sesamemiso sauce at En, an izakaya in Tokyo.

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Rain was pouring down as we winded our way up moss-covered rocks and wooden stairs nestled between the trees. By the time we finally reached the waterfall, the rain had soaked through my poncho and shoes. But the moment I lifted my head, I gasped at the sight—and sound—of the descending water that seemed to gush forth magically from the cavernous rocks. It didn’t matter that my newly bought sneakers were swimming in rainwater, or that my calves were aching from walking more than three miles at a stretch for the first time in my life. Just that morning, I had been in the sprawling metropolis of Tokyo. I have lived all my life in busy, bustling New York City. Doing nothing but walking for hours on end amid forest and along country lanes was at once exhilarating, meditative, and joyous. Basho’s words transcend time; his sentiments of wanderlust still resonate with the modern traveler. While traversing Matsushima Bay, an inlet dotted with pine-covered islands that is considered one of the most scenic views in Japan, Basho wrote: “No person could wield paintbrush or pen to describe this masterful work of the gods.” As we sped across the bay on a boat from Shiogama to Matsushima, watching the sun and clouds cast enchanting shadows upon the umbrella-like pines, we could only observe silently this triumph of nature, as if we were moving through a painting. Exploring History Japan places great importance on preserving its past, whether it’s old trails that ancient travelers like Basho walked, or relics from a bygone city. History was present wherever we went. Like Basho, we traveled to the site of the old city of Hiraizumi, built by the northern Fujiwara clan in the year 1100 (and now a U.N. World Heritage site). The city, along with the ruling family, perished in a late 12th-century conflict. It was upon viewing the city ruins that Basho penned one of his most evocative haiku:

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Shojin ryori is a type of vegetarian cuisine commonly served in Buddhist temples. Monks at the Mount Haguro shrine transform local vegetables into a variety of dishes.

At the Motsuji temple grounds, we stood before a rock engraving etched with this poem. Reading Basho’s message of impermanence provided a moment of clarity: Seeing remnants of the past puts the present into perspective. Time flows on regardless; life’s troubles and worries suddenly seemed so insignificant when judged against the long arc of history. Steeped in Culture Journeying across Japan on foot, and at times by train, gave us time to soak in the country. With our knowledgeable guide as the conduit, whatever we saw along the way became an opportunity to understand Japanese society and culture. The Finnish gentleman, a photographer who was working on a book about Basho, was ever curious about traces of the poet, while one of our British companions, who had spent part of her childhood in Japan, wanted to know more about the way the Japanese lived. Passing by rice fields—where, as it was late September, the crops were newly harvested and bunched up into bundles—our group once launched into a conversation about the deeply ingrained virtue of honoring one’s ancestors. These lands are inherited through the generations, but even when families no longer subsisted on farming, they refused to sell the land— so as not to disrespect their forebears.

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February 24–March 2, 2017 www.EpochTaste.com ALL PHOTOS BY ANNIE WU/EPOCH TIMES

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The pine islands of Matsushima Bay.

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The grounds of Motsuji Temple in Hiraizumi.

On our journey, we viewed iconography in shrines and temples that showed glimpses of the history of religion and politics intermingling in Japan. When we ventured into big cities, our guide explained the context behind the exquisite architecture and gardens we visited, so that we appreciated them beyond their physical beauty. We also partook in unique rituals, like communal bathing in a hot spring, or onsen, where we were reminded that traveling is as much about pleasure as it is about letting go of fears. For some, onsen bathing (with ladies and men in separate areas) was an opportunity to let go of any insecurities about one’s image, as one must undress completely before stepping into the bath. These onsen are typically found in traditional Japanese inns known as ryokan, where meals are a sumptuous feast of regional specialties (grilled beef tongue in the Sendai area, or a chewy jelly made from the konjac plant in Yamagata prefecture) and dishes made with seasonal ingredients. Highly treasured matsutake mushrooms are at their peak in autumn. So at an inn in Hiraizumi, we savored the mushrooms’ clean, subtle umami in a broth with gingko nuts, chicken, and shrimp. In another town, we were served a delicate chawanmushi egg custard with bits of matsutake, chestnuts, and fish cake. Every evening, we happily dug into local fish and meat, wild plants—some that we had encountered along the forest trails—and rice grown within the prefecture. Japanese cooking is all about accentuating the ingredients’ natural flavors. On Mount Haguro, we stayed in lodgings at the shrine and were treated to vegetarian meals prepared by the monks. They had gathered mountain vegetables and transformed them in myriad ways: mixing arrowroot starch into a jiggly piece of sesame tofu; deep-frying maitake mushrooms in tempura batter; dressing chrysanthemum petals with a light sauce; turning the buds of the shiso plant into crunchy, salty grains that popped in our mouths as we chewed. Replenished with energy from the mountains, we set out again the next morning.

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Stairs leading to Toshogu Shrine in Nikko.

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Motsuji Temple and the nearby Chusonji Temple are the only remnants of the ancient city Hiraizumi.

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Hasu mushi, a grated lotus root soup with seafood, at the Hacchouya izakaya in Kanazawa. Grilled salmon with local chestnut, local sweet potato, and pickled vegetables, at Kincharyo, a Japanese inn in Kanazawa.

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Chef’s Favorites Sweet Sangria Rich Paella Valenciana Fresh Lobster Bisque Juicy Lamb Chops Reflections In Basho’s days, bandits preyed on travelers. Although the road is no longer perilous, we occasionally had to walk through bear country. While on a forest trail, one of us spotted a black shadow running past. Was it a bear? She wasn’t sure, as the creature moved too quickly. The beast never showed itself, but for the rest of the trip, we looked after each other whenever someone fell behind. We jokingly referred to ourselves as the seven samurai, ready to fend off any hungry animals. It was bittersweet when the tour ended in Kyoto; we promised to meet again the following evening for one last hurrah. At a yakitori shop in Gion—the entertainment district famous for the graceful geiko (geisha) hurrying to their appointments—we reminisced about our trip. I thought back to Basho’s long journey. In his travelogue, he does not explicitly muse on his enlightenments from the voyage. At a historical site dedicated to Basho, I had asked a staff member why he thought the poet made this trek. He told me that Basho believed that for one to write good poetry, one must travel. Perhaps that kind of sentiment also rang true for us: To live our existence fully, we have to experience both the joys and trials of wandering afar.

A five-story pagoda at the Mount Haguro shrine. Built in the year 937, this is the oldest pagoda in northern Japan.

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(Left) The Urami-no-taki waterfall in Nikko. (Above) Hanami-koji Street, the main thoroughfare of the Gion entertainment district in Kyoto.

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February 24–March 2, 2017 www.EpochTaste.com ALL PHOTOS BY MELINDA MARTINEZ/CELEBRITY TASTE MAKERS

Bonjour Chef In this series, columnist Sibylle Eschapasse interviews some of France’s top chefs, the Maîtres Cuisiniers de France.

with Pierre Landet By Sibylle Eschapasse Sibylle Eschapasse: What does it mean to you to be a Maître Cuisinier de France, a most admired title? Pierre Landet: Being recognized by other chefs, being a Maître Cuisinier de France, is an achievement.

Name: Pierre Landet Hometown: Toulouse Age: 54 Restaurant: Felix, in Soho Years of experience with French cuisine:

Maître Cuisinier de France since:

2010

Ms. Eschapasse: Why did you choose to become a chef? Mr. Landet: I was always in the kitchen with my mother. Ms. Eschapasse: If a close friend were to describe your cooking, what would they say? Mr. Landet: Traditional, generous, love.

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Ms. Eschapasse: If you weren’t a chef, what would you be? Mr. Landet: I would be a farmer. Ms. Eschapasse: Who would you consider to be your greatest culinary influence? Mr. Landet: Marcelin Pujol, Jacques Chibois, Jean-Pierre Gorgues. Ms. Eschapasse: How would you define French cuisine? Mr. Landet: I would describe it as one of the best in the world. As simple as that! Ms. Eschapasse: Of France’s many regional cuisines, which do you prefer to cook and why? Mr. Landet: [That of the] southwest of France, because of my childhood. Ms. Eschapasse: Tell us more about the recipe you chose. Mr. Landet: It’s a very nice recipe that has influ-

Sibylle Eschapasse and chef Pierre Landet. ences from two beautiful regions, the southwest and the southeast of France. Ms. Eschapasse: What’s your advice to people who would like to improve their cooking skills or learn to cook? Mr. Landet: Do not be scared, and try to cook as much as possible. Take your time, and invite your friends to taste what you cook. You can watch Pierre Landet demonstrate the full recipe on “Celebrity Taste Makers” on Saturday, March 4, at 6 p.m. on Pix11. Sibylle Eschapasse is from Paris and lives in New York City. In addition to working at the United Nations, she contributes to various publications and is the host of “Sibylle’s Top French Chefs,” a series being aired on “Celebrity Taste Makers.” She may be reached at Sibylle.Eschapasse@gmail.com

RECIPE SWISS CHARD AND RICOTTA RAVIOLI, DUCK JUS, AND BLACK TRUMPET MUSHROOMS Serves 8 For the Dough • 1 cup whole eggs (approximately 4 or 5) • 1/2 cup egg yolks (approximately 5 or 6) • 2 ounces olive oil • 4 ounces water • 1 pound flour • 8 ounces “00” flour • 8 ounces semolina For the Stuffing • 1 bunch Swiss chard • 4 shallots • 4 ounces butter • 1 bunch basil • 1/2 cup Noilly Prat • 1/2 cup heavy cream • 1/2 cup fresh ricotta For the Duck Stock • 2 pounds duck bones • 1 onion • 4 garlic cloves • 1 stick of celery • 1 bay leaf • 1 sprig of thyme For the Ravioli • 1 whole egg, beaten

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For the Duck Jus • 4 ounces butter • 1 sprig fresh cilantro • 2 pieces fresh tomatoes, diced • 4 ounces black trumpet mushrooms, chopped • Salt and pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS To Prepare the Dough Note: The dough is better if made the day before.

Mix all the ingredients until smooth. Wrap it in plastic wrap and put it in the fridge. To Prepare the Stuffing Separate the Swiss chard leaves from the stems. Chop the stems. Blanch the leaves and set aside. Finely slice the shallots. Sauté the chopped Swiss chard stems in the butter with the shallots. Let it cook slowly. There should be no change in color. Chop the basil leaves. Add the basil, Noilly Prat, and heavy cream. Reduce to almost “dry” and pour into a clean pan to cool down. When cool, put the ricotta and the Swiss chard mix into a food processor and process until it becomes a smooth paste. To Prepare the Duck Stock Sauté the duck bones. Add the onion, garlic, celery, bay leaf, and thyme, and cover with water. Let cook over a low flame for approximately 2 hours. To Prepare the Ravioli Roll the dough out to about 1 mm in thickness (I use a pasta machine). Cut your dough into ravioli, about 3 inches by 3 inches; or you can also cut the ravioli in any shape you prefer. Fill the ravioli with the stuffing. Striate the edges, brush with beaten egg, and close them. Cook the ravioli in boiling water for 5 minutes. To Prepare the Duck Jus Last thing before you plate and serve, reduce the duck stock for 1 to 2 minutes. Take the jus off the heat, and pour into plate. Add the butter, and season to taste. Add the cilantro, tomatoes, and the mushrooms, then the ravioli. To Plate Grate some Parmesan atop the ravioli and drizzle with a little truffle oil. Recipe courtesy of Pierre Landet