COURTESY OF EMILIA-ROMAGNA TOURISM | OTHER PHOTOS BY CHANNALY PHILIPP/EPOCH TIMES
Basque Meets Colombian on
D6
D1 Feb. 26–March 3, 2016
Slow food, fast cars. A Ferrari 500 Superfast 1964, at the Museo Enzo Ferrari, Modena.
A cheese lover’s fantasy come true—shelves and shelves of Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Emilia-Romagna
Pumpkin cappellacci at La Trattoria Le Nuvole, a specialty of Ferrara.
A Feast for Royalty By Channaly Philipp | Epoch Times Staff
I
f good things come to those who wait, the good people of Emilia-Romagna, in northern Italy, must have the patience of saints—they certainly feast like royalty. Foods that are known as iconically Italian—Parmigiano-Reggiano, balsamic vinegar, prosciutto di Parma—all come from Emilia-Romagna. (So do Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Maserati. Slow food and fast cars sure beats fast food and slow cars.) To turn raw ingredients like milk, grape must, or leg of pork into these delicious, iconic foods, give them time. Parmigiano-Reggiano and prosciutto di Parma need at least one year to age. Traditional balsamic vinegar takes at least 12 years, while the really good stuff clocks in at a minimum of 25 years—a whole generation.
See Emilia–Romagna on D2
The frescoed dome of Basilica of San Vitale, Ravenna. Delicate slices of culatello di Zibello, dubbed the “king of hams” (L), and salame Antico Spigaroli at Al Cavallino Bianco, Polesine Parmense.
Gelato at Cremeria Funivia, Bologna.
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February 26–March 3, 2016 www.EpochTaste.com
Emilia-Romagna
The entrance to Antica Corte Pallavicina, a 14th-century fortress converted into a restaurant, hotel, and farm.
A Feast for Royalty Emilia-Romagna continued from D1 The ancients knew about these foods: Etruscans and Romans cured salted pork legs in the same area where it’s done today; Benedictine monks made Parmigiano-Reggiano in medieval times; and barrels of traditional balsamic vinegar served as brides’ dowries. Emilia-Romagna isn’t what immediately comes to American travelers’ minds; a firsttime visitor to the country is more likely to hit Tuscany. But look: You can eat a lot better here, in the fertile heartland of Italy. The region counts 41 products with PDO and PGI certification, and 50 DOC and DOCG wines—all signifiers of foods or drink produced or processed in a particular area only—and for a bon vivant, those numbers can’t help but induce feverish, food-laden fantasies. The thread of history runs through these foods, and savoring them locally anchors you firmly in the continuum of history. The mosaics of Ravenna, the one-time capital of the Western Roman Empire, glittering with gold, blues, and greens; the warm-hued porticoes of Bologna, which run over 25 miles; and the artistic legacy left here—where Verdi and Rossini composed, Dante finished “Paradiso” in his final days, and Fellini directed—are dizzying. At the confluence of art and food, the traditional foodways were captured by the artists of their time. Look closely: etched into basreliefs of Romanesque masterpieces, or painted onto Renaissance frescoes, are depictions of the rhythm of humans’ passage on Earth, marked by the seasons and its milestones—the ploughing of the fields, the harvest, and the curing of meats, for example. Emilia-Romagna offers amazing food in such a relatively small area. How is this possible? Explanations I was given varied—It’s the River Po! It’s the winter fog! It’s the wind from the sea! Clearly, all the elements conspire to make eating here great. Just follow the Via Emilia, constructed by Roman Consul Marcus Aemilius Lepidus (or in modern parlance, Route SS9). Like a bejeweled necklace of culinary gems, each area along the route offers its own specialties.
All the elements conspire to make eating here great.
The two towers of Garisenda and Asinelli, traditional symbols of Bologna.
The Hills Are Alive With Prosciutto Parma, where the local dialect is heavy with French influence (listen to those r’s!), and where Napoleon’s second wife found solace when he was sent into exile, is where I started
Tagliatelle al ragù, a Bolognese specialty.
Culatello di Zibello as far as the eye can see, in the cellars of Antica Corte Pallavicina.
my eating odyssey. Here is the home of the famed prosciutto di Parma. Heading south of the city to Langhirano, where hills are dotted with about 160 factories and aging warehouses, I noticed one oddity as we drove along: the windows were thrown wide open. It’s intentionally done to capture the Versilia wind that comes in from the Ligurian Sea, then brushes against the Cisa mountains and picks up the fragrance of the chestnut forests. The location is no secret: even back in 5 B.C., the Etruscans were known to trade salted cured pork legs with the rest of Italy and Greece. Not all producers are open to the public, so if you don’t speak Italian, going through a tour operator can be helpful for planning your visit. Ruliano, higher up in the hills, is one of those open to visitors. It recently built a reception center where visitors can taste the prosciutto. Stepping into the factory, I was immediately enveloped by a warm, sweet fragrance. There are, according to the consortium regulating prosciutto di Parma, 10 stages of sweetness. Over a period of one to three years, hams are slowly cured, losing a quarter of their original weight. In the final stage, they hang in a room where the windows are indeed thrown wide open to the breeze. Burned into each ham is a branding mark: the ducal crown of Parma. Moist, sweet, and savory, silky smooth and translucent, the best of Parma hams are wellbalanced. They need no accompaniment like melon or bread—just a glass of a local fizzy white or red. ‘The King of Ham’ If you thought that Ligurian wind was a bit of poetic baloney, then try culatello di Zibello, often dubbed “the king of hams.” There are only about 50,000 of these made each year, compared to about 9 million prosciutto hams; name tags show the eventual recipient (for example, Armani, Prince Charles, among others). You can’t import them into the United States due to FDA regulations, but that hasn’t stopped its devotees from smuggling it illegally (one person I know claimed it was a sculpture— and got it through). To find these, you need to head south into the humid lowlands, by the Po river. Chef Massimo Spigaroli has been championing and making culatello di Zibello for years, and the best place to find these is at the enchanting Antica Corte Pallavicina, a restored castle-hotel-restaurantfarm. Stepping into the 14th-century fortress, I was immediately hit by the intoxicating smell wafting up from the cellars where the culatello is aged. Whereas artisanal prosciutto di Parma is cured in the sweetness of hill breezes and sees the light of the Emilian sun, these culatellos, pear-shaped and hung in pig bladders, mature in dark cellars. The lowlands’ humid fog, which enters the cellar at night, is crucial to creating the mold that will impart its own very particular flavors. Aged for at least 15 months, culatellos are made from both white pigs and black pigs, with the black pig being far more intense. The farm and fields yield everything you find on the restaurant menu. As I visited with sous-chef Antonio Montalto while he prepped some beautiful quince to make jam (from the orchard, of course), it struck me: these pigs eat better than most of us. They enjoy food that includes leftovers from a Michelin-starred restaurant. You can taste culatello at either Antica Corte Pallavicina’s Michelin-starred restaurant or the more traditional Al Cavallino Bianco, a few minutes down the road. (If you go to the latter, try the capon breast, prepared in the style that Verdi was said to love.) The culatello is ruby red and velvety, and its flavor is just like its fragrance: deeply primal and intense—so intense that it was a tad too much for me. It turns out there’s a wide world of charcuterie in Emilia-Romagna that you could devote a whole stay to chasing: salame di Felino (which has its own museum devoted to it), coppa piacentina (perfumed with cinnamon, cloves, bay leaves, salt, pepper, and nutmeg), pancetta flavored with red wine and garlic, and mellow mortadella from Bologna. ‘Black Gold’ For many who visit Emilia-Romagna, the biggest revelation is a dark, thick, molasses-like concoction, reputed to be a cure-all. Some call it “black gold.” Officially it’s Aceto Balsam-
ico Tradizionale di Modena DOP. It’s balsamic vinegar, yes, but not the watery stuff. This is a vinegar that earns the DOP appellation after a minimum of 12 years of aging (it is then called “affinato” or aged) or else a minimum of 25 years (then called “extra vecchio” or extra old). It only comes in a 100-milliliter bottle, in a specific rounded shape designed by Giugiaro, a car designer. I visited Sofia Malagoli, whose family runs Aceitaia Malagoli in Castelfranco Emilia, just outside Modena. In her farmhouse, she led me to the attic and it was filled with wooden barrels—big barrels, medium barrels, small barrels—with a small opening covered with cloth. To make traditional balsamic vinegar, you might start with 30 liters of grape must, which in several years’ time will yield 5 liters of thick balsamic vinegar. During that time, the balsamic vinegar is tempered by the extremes in temperature— cold winters, hot summers—and a portion from each barrel will be moved to a smaller barrel. The barrels are made with different woods, which impart color and flavor: cherry, acacia, mulberry, oak, and chestnut. The end product is nothing like standard vinegar. There’s zero acridity. It’s sweet and sour, but also rounded, harmonious, and polished. You only need a few drops of it—on chunks of Parmigiano-Reggiano, on meats, on ice cream, on strawberries, on risotto, or by itself as a digestive. Whenever I have a few drops on a spoon, I feel a bolt of energy coursing through my body. Miracle cure? I don’t know about that, but it tastes amazing. Aperitivo Time In Bologna, just behind the major Piazza Maggiore, there is an area called the Quadrilateralo, the site of a market that has been in pretty much the same location since Roman times. The shops are almost all devoted to food. The neighborhood especially comes alive at sundown; against the darkness of night, the mounds of tortellini glow like gold, and the produce seems almost fluorescent. People suddenly seem to flock to its small streets: it is time for aperitivo. Aperitivo is one of those wonderful traditions where Italians have an excuse to scurry off to a bar, after work to meet friends over wine, and savor those cured meats and cheeses that are often accompanied by simple breads that are made quickly (and that you must also eat quickly, while warm), like tigelle, piadina, or gnocco fritto,—squares of dough that puff up when fried. On the plate there are always chunks of Parmigiano-Reggiano, called the “king of cheeses.” Food here is often named like royalty, which says a lot about the reverence given to the craft. It takes 600 liters of milk and a couple of years to make one wheel of Parmigiano-Reggiano. The longer it’s aged, though, the more flavorful it becomes, and the more of those delicious crystals you get (those are an amino acid called tyrosine, which crystallizes in high concentrations). Other cheeses hail from the region: the popular Grana Padano; the delightfully named, creamy Squacquerone di Romagna; and then the lesser known pit cheeses. Renato Brancaleoni, who is based in Roncofreddo in the Rubicon Valley, is an expert in maturing cheeses— and his are eye-opening. Some pecorinos for example are wrapped in walnut leaves, sometimes in hay, and then placed to age in ancient grain pits. In New York, you can get them at Il Buco at 53 Great Jones St. In Bologna, stop by La Baita Formaggi for aperitivo. Downstairs it sells salumi and cheeses to go, but you can head upstairs, where it’s cozy, and order light bites and drinks.
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February 26–March 3, 2016 www.EpochTaste.com ALL PHOTOS BY CHANNALY PHILIPP/EPOCH TIMES
We merge traditional Italian recipes with dishes that take a playful approach to authenticity
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Vittorio Dalla Rosa Prati, whose family has owned Palazzo Dalla Rosa Prati in Parma for about 500 years, examines his family’s vast collection of heirlooms and artifacts. Houses the Color of Fresh Pasta Many of the buildings in cities along the Via Emilia are painted in warm colors: shades of orange, ochre, and yellow. Parma yellow is supposedly famous, but the historic Modena yellow was ushered into modern times by Enzo Ferrari, who chose it for the background to his prancing horse logo. When you’ve eaten enough along the Via Emilia, though, you realize that yellow starts to look very familiar. It’s also the color of the famed fresh egg pasta, made with whole eggs. Making sfoglia—sheets of egg pasta—is a craft. There are shortcuts like using a pasta machine, but traditionally it’s made with a 3-foot-long rolling pin (it’s amazing how far dough from a bit of flour and a couple of eggs will stretch), on a wooden board. Not only does it give the pasta that wonderful rough texture that sauce can cling to, but the dough is also stretched rather than compacted—making for a light, ethereal texture. Fresh pasta abounds throughout the region. Lasagna was born in the city of Bologna (Bologna La Grassa is its nickname—la grassa meaning fat or rich), as well as “tagliatelle al ragù,” a dish that morphed into spaghetti bolognese in foreign lands. The width of tagliatelle, it was decreed, should be 1/12,270 of the height of the city’s Asinelli Tower, in other words, 8 millimeters when cooked, and 6.5 to 7 millimeters when cut.
See Emilia–Romagna on D9
Legend has it that tortellini was invented when an innkeeper caught a glimpse of the navel of Venus.
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White Plains 9 Maple Avenue 914-683-6101
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February 26–March 3, 2016 www.EpochTaste.com MELISSA HOM
LEAP YEAR BIRTHDAY AT BLT PRIME AND MORE Four restaurants under ESquared Hospitality—BLT Prime, BLT Steak, The Wayfarer, and Casa Nonna—will offer a special deal for people born in a leap year on Feb. 29. Parties of two or fewer will get 50 percent off their check, while parties of three or more get 25 percent off.
stuff to eat and drink around town
Monday, Feb. 29 BLT Prime, 111 E. 22nd St. BLT Steak, 106 E. 57th St. The Wayfarer, 101 W. 57th St. Casa Nonna, 310 W. 38th St. e2hospitality.com
JUE LAN CLUB LUNCH PRIX FIXE AND DIM SUM Modern Chinese restaurant Jue Lan Club is serving a lunch prixfixe menu, priced at $20.16, to celebrate the new year. The threecourse menu includes dishes like Soy Ginger Glazed Salmon, Flank Steak with “chinochurri” sauce and taro fries, and Chicken Satay. The restaurant has also started a dim sum brunch menu on weekends, with classic dim sum dishes and chef Oscar Toro’s unique creations like Chinese Sausage and Egg Dumplings.
COURTESY OF BLT STEAK
Jue Lan Club’s Braised Oxtail Buns.
Monday–Friday, 11:30 a.m. Saturday & Sunday, 11 a.m. Jue Lan Club 49 W. 20th St. juelanclub.com
COURTESY OF THE BLOODY MARY MIX DOWN
CHEF’S TABLE AT BAGATELLE On weekdays, this lively French restaurant in the Meatpacking District will begin serving traditional French classics that are not usually on its menu. For one table per night, chef Sebastien Chamaret will cook dishes like Cuisses de Grenouilles a la Provençale (pan-seared frog legs, tomato, and garlic confit sauce), Chausson d’Escargot de Bourgogne (snails in puff pastry and parsley-pastis sauce), and Cuissot de Sanglier Grand Veneer (braised wild boar shanks). $68 per person, with additional $60 for wine pairings. Monday–Friday, starting Feb. 29 Bagatelle 1 Little W. 12th St. bagatellenyc.com
BLOODY MARY MIX DOWN
The bar at BLT Steak.
COURTESY OF BAGATELLE
This annual bloody mary cocktail-making contest is back. Bartenders in the five boroughs and Long Island will showcase their recipes in preliminary rounds. The top three winners will then move on to the final competition at the New York City Hot Sauce Expo in April, where he or she will face off with the winner of California’s Bloody Mary Mix Down. Brooklyn round: Monday, Feb. 29, 8 p.m. Over the Eight Bar 594 Union Ave., Brooklyn overtheeight.com For dates in other boroughs, visit nychotsauceexpo.com
LEAP YEAR BIRTHDAY AT VILLA ITALIAN KITCHEN Pizzeria chain Villa Italian Kitchen, started by Neapolitan immigrant Michael Scotto in 1964, is giving away a free slice to people born on Feb. 29. Villa serves Neapolitanstyle, Sicilian-style, and stuffed pizzas. Monday, Feb. 29 Villa Italian Kitchen locations villaitaliankitchen.com
thai
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UNE SOIREE BEAUJOLOISE
STEVE HILL
Join winemakers Jean and Agnès Foillard, Camille Lapierre, and Valentin Montanet for an exquisite meal that is part Lyonnaise bouchon and part pig roast. Dishes, served family-style, will be paired with wines from Lapierre and Foillard. $125 per person. Tuesday, March 1 7 p.m.–11 p.m. Blue Ribbon Bakery Kitchen 35 Downing St. eventbrite.com (search “Blue Ribbon Bakery Kitchen”)
The wine room at Blue Ribbon Bakery Kitchen.
GOOD SPIRITS Some of the city’s best mixologists will prepare cocktails for your enjoyment at this event organized by Edible Manhattan magazine. The drinks will be paired with food by eateries like Bustan, Dirty Burger, Orwasher’s Bakery, and Royce Chocolate. Mixologists hail from bars like Louie and Chan, The Penrose, and Wassail. $60 per person.
Happy Hour
Thursday, March 3 6 p.m.–9 p.m. La.venue 608 W. 28th St. ediblemanhattan.com/events
Monday & Tuesday All day, from 12pm–10:45pm Wednesday–Sunday: 12pm–8pm Happy hour specials include our house drinks, martinis, margaritas, beer, and wine for $5. Our martini and margarita flavors include lychee, peach, strawberry, apple, orange, and pineapple. And of course we always have dirty martinis.
v{iv} Bar & Restaurant
HELL’S KITCHEN 717 9th Ave. (btwn 48th-49th St.) 212-581-5999 MIDTOWN EAST 38 E. 34th (btwn Lex & 3rd) 212-213-3317 Follow us @vivthainyc
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MOMOFUKU KO SERVING LUNCH Chef David Chang’s upscale tasting menu restaurant is now open for lunch service. Similar to its dinner menu, the dishes will change frequently based on market availability. $195 per person. Wednesdays–Saturdays Noon–3:30 p.m. Momofuku Ko 8 Extra Place ko.momofuku.com
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February 26–March 3, 2016 www.EpochTaste.com COURTESY OF BACK FORTY WEST
CASSOULET FEST The SoHo restaurant Back Forty West is hosting its sixth annual cassoulet festival, where chefs from around the city will share their take on the southwestern French dish. Participating chefs include Back Forty West’s Mike Laarhoven, Jon Nodler of High Street on Hudson, Shanna Pacifico of Extra Fancy, and acclaimed Tuscan Italian chef Cesare Casella. New Yorker staff writer Adam Gopnik will also be speaking at the event. $87 per person, including wine pairings.
KIDS FOOD FESTIVAL The Kids Food Festival seeks to reduce childhood obesity by hosting fun activities that educate families and children on how to eat healthily. This year, the festival will be held at Bryant Park, where children can enjoy free cooking demos and live performances. For $25, they can take cooking classes with top chefs, such as Daniel Holzman (The Meatball Shop), Thiago Silva (Catch), and Claus Meyer (co-founder of Noma). In the evening, the whole family can enjoy Family Date Night with live performances, dinner bites, and dessert at the Celsius cafe at Bryant Park ($20 per person).
THE NEW AMERICAN TRADITION
Saturday, March 5 & Sunday, March 6 Bryant Park activities: 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Family Date Night: 6 p.m.–8 p.m. 40th–42nd streets (between Fifth & Sixth avenues) kidsfoodfestival.com
COURTESY OF NY DRINKS NY
Sunday, March 6 6:30 p.m.–9:30 p.m. Back Forty West 70 Prince St. backfortynyc.com
Come try our creative approach to brunch, lunch, and dinner—on Murray Hill.
CHOCOLATE EXPO
A previous NY Drinks NY event.
The biggest chocolate event in the Northeast, the Chocolate Expo, is back. At the Long Island Cradle of Aviation Museum, chocolates of all kinds will be available for sampling. Small bites and alcohol pairings will also be served. Famous TV chefs Tony Albanese (“Cupcake Wars”), Scottish Francis (“MasterChef”), and Barret Beyer (“Hell’s Kitchen”) will also give cooking demonstrations. $15 for adults, $10 for children (ages 2 to 12). Sunday, March 6 10 a.m.–7 p.m. Cradle of Aviation Museum Charles Lindbergh Blvd., Garden City, N.Y. thechocolateexpo.com
557 3rd Ave @ 37th Street New York, NY 10016 (212)686-8080 | www.hendriksnyc.com | Follow us
NY DRINKS NY Celebrate the best of New York wineries with a grand tasting of over 300 locally produced wines. The annual event is organized by the New York Wine and Grape Foundation, which promotes the wine industry in New York (the third largest in the country). $45 per person. Tuesday, March 8 6 p.m.–8 p.m. Altman Building 135 W. 18th St. nydrinksny.com
The New Umami Experience Bara is an attempt to find common ground in tavern culture through the east and west by combining the wine bar tradition of Paris with the Japanese izakaya. The word bara has many meanings, as the restaurant Bara has many faces.
WHERE TO WATCH THE OSCARS WITH GREAT FOOD KENNETH VANHOOSER
SYNDICATED This restaurant-bar-movie theater will screen the Oscars live this Sunday. Enjoy Oscars-themed cocktails like And the Winner Is, with Remy Martin 1738 Accord Royal cognac, bitters, and Luxardo Maraschino liqueur, topped with prosecco; and Black Tie Optional, a play on the classic Gibson with Bombay White Label gin and Dolin dry vermouth, shaken and served in a Martini glass, then garnished with a white cocktail onion and black olive.
Our sensibilities are wild, with a passion for unsulphered wines, spontaneously fermented beers, sour doughs and kimchi, but are also restrained with clean presentations and an attempt to always make clarity of flavor our number one priority.
Sunday, Feb. 28 Syndicated 40 Bogart St., Brooklyn syndicatedbk.com
58 E. 1st St. (btw. 1st & 2nd avenues) 917-639-3197 - bararestaurantnyc.com
The Black Tie Optional cocktail.
COURTESY OF SIDEBAR
CLASSICS with
TREADWELL PARK
FLAIR
For the Oscars, this Upper East Side craft beer hall will serve the “Champagne of beer,” Deus Brut des Flandres, for $15 a glass. Pair it with a selection of oysters and hor d’oeuvres. Guests can fill out voting ballots to guess the winner of each awards category for a chance to win different prizes. Sunday, Feb. 28 Treadwell Park 1125 First Ave. treadwellpark.com
The back bar at SideBAR.
INWOOD BAR AND GRILL This Upper Manhattan spot boasts 30 HD television screens. Watch the awards ceremony while executive chef Davo Lazala serves appetizers and entrees, paired with cocktails inspired by this year’s nominated films. The restaurant’s spacious digs allow for prime viewing. Sunday, Feb. 28 Inwood Bar and Grill 4892 Broadway inwoodbarandgrill.com
SIDEBAR Watch Hollywood’s big night while having some fun. At SideBAR, guests can cast their votes on who is most likely to win in each award category. The guest with the most correct answers by the evening’s end will win gift certificates. Those who RSVP to the party will receive a complimentary cocktail. Sunday, Feb. 28, 5 p.m. SideBAR 118 E. 15th St. sidebarny.com
Compiled by Annie Wu/Epoch Times Staff
Fine French cuisine in a romantic and elegant setting. Visit Madison Bistro in Murray Hill and enjoy Master Chef Claude Godard’s updated traditional bistro fare.
MADISON BISTRO 238 Madison Ave. (at 37th Street) madisonbistro.com
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February 26–March 3, 2016 www.EpochTaste.com
Between Basque and Colombian
MICHAEL TULIPAN
MICHAEL TULIPAN
MICHAEL TULIPAN
A RUSTIC MEETING
(L–R) Pillow-soft gnocchi filled with taleggio cheese; Burrata Negra with toast; and Duck Egg Arepa soaking in a pool of lard seasoned with smoked paprika.
By Annie Wu | Epoch Times Staff
W
hen you enter Maite, the big blackboard first catches your eye, filled from top to bottom with words. Its scribbles spell out what’s for dinner; there are no paper menus here. Everyone orders from the board.
W i Din n n at er Lau t
ept
.ms /ta ste win
Chef and owner Ella Schmidt wanted her restaurant to feel like a cross between a bar in Basque country and a Colombian farm: welcoming, homey, rustic. After all, those are her roots: she was born in Colombia, and spent much of her childhood learning Basque country cooking from her mother, who had lived in Bilbao, Spain, for 30 years. Maite, pronounced “my-tay,” is a girl’s name in Basque meaning loved one. The vibe of the dining room, with weathered wood covering the tabletops, walls, and floor, evokes the countryside. Schmidt’s cooking likewise embraces a robust simplicity. “I like to think of my mom as the chef [at Maite]. If my mom had more training, that’s what she would make,” she said. Basque country is located near the coast, so seafood is a beloved part of the meal. Tomatobased sauces and stews make up much of the cuisine, borrowing some influences from its French neighbors, but using olive oil more often than butter. Schmidt masterfully creates light, yet flavorful sauces out of a few ingredients. For the seasonal Sea Bass dish ($21), she melded Meyer lemon, white wine, olive oil, butter, and thyme together, producing a sunny vinaigrette-like sauce that matched happily with the sweet flavor of the fish. Some sautéed chard and grilled avocado added to the conjurings of summer. In a homage to a popular bar snack in Basque country, known as Txipirones en Su Tinta (fried squid in squid ink), Schmidt makes the Burrata Negra ($15), burrata and garlicky toast resting in a pool of jet-black liquid. The jet-black color and hint of brininess comes from the squid ink, but the inten-
sity of flavors comes from mixing Spanish onions, green peppers, garlic, white wine, and olive oil. The pure taste of the burrata cuts through it all. Working for six years as a pastry chef at the Italian restaurant Il Buco in Manhattan taught Schmidt that the simple things are often the most difficult to execute well. “You have to be very detail-oriented. And you learn why things work the way they do,” she said. Her Gnocchi dish ($21) shows that her experience has paid off. The faintly sweet, pillowsoft gnocchi are filled with taleggio cheese, then laid on top of a lip-smacking sauce, made with shallots, sage, butter, and olive oil. These bites of delight are topped with hedgehog mushrooms, giving them a woodsy aftertaste. The dish is uncomplicated, but incredibly delicious. The Watermelon Radish ($14) also succeeded by placing contrasting flavors and textures side by side. The radishes themselves were sweet with a bitter edge. When tossed with white truffle oil, the vegetables’ umami shone through. Cool bits of cheddar and finely shaved bits of black truffle boosted the savoriness, but were balanced with a drizzle of apple cider vinaigrette. Schmidt also puts her spin on everyday Colombian dishes—what she calls unrefined. Similar to Basque cuisine, Colombian food is hearty. The Duck Egg Arepa ($13), for example, places the cornmeal arepa—usually eaten just on its own—in a pool of lard seasoned with smoked paprika. Schmidt explained that lard is commonly used in Colombia and Basque country as poor man’s oil. The arepa absorbs the bright red-orange liquid, drawing in its MICHAEL TULIPAN
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Chef Ella Schmidt’s Empanadita is made with corn flour dough, rolled into a paper-thin shell.
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JAPANESE STYLE Champagne Lounge
Members Only
3 Private Karaoke Rooms Also Available 249 East 49th St., 2nd Fl. (btw. 2nd & 3rd avenues) 3 clubvoa.nyc Hours: Mon–Sat 9pm–3am, Fri 9pm–4am, Sun (bar only) 8pm–2am For reservation and information 917-450-5701 or clubvoa@gmail.com
Maite has a rustic, countryside vibe, with weathered wood covering the walls, tables, and floor.
159 Central Ave. Bushwick, Brooklyn 718-366-3090 maitebushwick.com Hours Tuesday & Sunday 5 p.m.–10 p.m. Wednesday–Saturday 5 p.m.–11 p.m. Closed Mondays
spicy smokiness. A mozzarella filling and runny duck egg on top add heartiness to the dish, reminiscent of an egg and cheese breakfast sandwich but soaked with aromatic oil. Schmidt makes her Empanaditas ($8) in the Colombian style, with fine corn flour (elsewhere in Latin America, it is more common to use wheat or white flour) rolled into paper-thin dough, filled and fried to a crisp. Schmidt regularly changes up the filling. During my visit, they were stued with duck confit and potatoes. Each bite was like an antidote to winter. To end on a properly sweet note, the housemade Dulce de Leche ($7) is a chewy, gooey option, accompanied by bits of stracciatella (cheese curds) to keep it from becoming too cloying.
MICHAEL TULIPAN
Maite
Authentic Japanese FREE
The Anita cocktail.
When you taste the Japanese food at Momokawa you will know it is the real thing. Each ingredient and every detail ensures the most authentic experience.
Momokawa Prix Fixe Menu MICHAEL TULIPAN
Small Course (service for two or more) 6 Appetizer 6 2 kinds of Sashimi 6 Choice of Sukiyaki or Shabu-Shabu (SautĂŠ meals cooked at the table)
6 %00%/1
$48/per person A L SO AVA IL A BLE:
Momokawa 157 East 28th Street | (212) 684-7830 | momokawanyc.com
Schmidt was born in Colombia and raised on Basque cuisine.
Barrel-Aged Old Fashioned. LAUREN PASCARELLA
Traditional and modern, combined. A new standard for Thai food.
The Nuaa
Schmidt making pasta.
1122 1st Ave. (btw 61st and 62nd streets) • 212-888-2899 • thenuaa.com
D8
@EpochTaste
February 26–March 3, 2016 www.EpochTaste.com ALL PHOTOS BY SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES
El Diablito: New Spins on Classics From Puebla, Mexico By Annie Wu | Epoch Times Staff Notes of piquant flavors are prominent in Clara Melchor’s dishes, stimulating the palate and creating an urge to devour mouthful after mouthful. At El Diablito Taqueria, the chef and co-owner adds her own twists to classic dishes from her hometown of Puebla, Mexico. Take the eponymous tacos, for example. Tacos Al Pastor ($9) typically feature marinated pork that is slow-roasted on a vertical spit. Melchor chooses instead to grill it for a more toothsome result with a hint of char. Adding the signature pineapple lends a playful tanginess. Melchor has been cooking Mexican cuisine for 20 years, starting in her teenage years alongside her mother. Her experienced hand shows in the Pescado (fish) Tacos ($9.95), fried to perfect crunchiness in a light batter, and topped
El Diablito
60 E. Third St. (between First & Second avenues) 646-692-9268 eldiablitotaqueria.com Hours Monday–Friday 4 p.m.–11 p.m. Saturday & Sunday 11 a.m.–11 p.m.
with chipotle mayo and shredded red cabbage that teases a light sweetness. The Vegetarian Enchilada ($9.95) is a glorious mixture of nopal cactus (prickly pear), “calabacita” (Mexican squash), poblano chili, and zucchini stuffed inside a tortilla, which is then showered with pico de gallo, lettuce, sour cream, cheese, and sliced avocadoes. A saucy pool of black beans and tomatillo salsa— the source of that pleasant zing to your tastebuds—cools down the spicy kick that emerges now and then. Badly prepared cactus can be tasteless, but thankfully, Melchor knows exactly how to grill and season the cactus and other vegetables, instead of just boiling them. The cactus’s slippery yet chewy texture makes the dish particularly memorable. Chile Relleno ($12.95) usually comes with a red tomato-based sauce, but Melchor decided to
(Left) Chef Clara Melchor brings a unique touch to tacos (L) and Chile Relleno. (Right) The Vegetarian Enchilada is filled with nopal cactus, Mexican squash, poblano chili, and zucchini.
use chipotle and orange tomatillo instead, creating an orange hue visually, and a smoky, yet acidic edge taste-wise. Melchor insists on using Mexican cheese to stuff the poblano pepper, sourced from cities like Oaxaca and Chihuahua. The cheese has a fresh, clean taste reminiscent of mozzarella, but with a texture that’s firm and squeaky against the teeth when you bite it. If you’re stopping by El Diablito during morning hours, try the Chilaquiles Rojos ($9.95). The breakfast dish consists of tortilla chips with salsa de árbol and sour cream poured over and crowned with sunny-side-up eggs and pico de gallo. The dish is simple, but so incredibly comforting, with the chips soaking up the flavorful goodness. Melchor’s menu proves that paying attention to the details, and improving on them, is certainly a worthwhile endeavor.
ASIAN RESTAURANT LISTINGS Raku—It’s Japanese II Japanese 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 Chinese 1367 1st Ave. (btw. 73rd & 74th streets) 212-744-3266 cafeevergreenchinese.com The Nuaa Thai 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 Thai 830 9th Ave. (btw. 54th & 55th streets) 646-669-7828 noodiesnyc.com Vi{v} Bar & Restaurant Thai Featured Dishes: Kanom Jean Nam Ngeow; CM Sausage 717 9th Ave. (btw. 48th & 49th streets) 212-581-5999 | vivnyc.com Hell’s Chicken Korean Featured Dish: Korean Fried Chicken 641 10th Ave. (btw. 45th & 46th streets) 212-757-1120 | hellschickennyc.com
MIDTOWN EAST Shochu and Tapas - AYA Japanese 247 E. 50th St. (btw. 2nd & 3rd avenues) 212-715-0770 aya-nyc.com
Sachi Asian Bistro Thai Featured Dish: Oink Oink Oink Fried Rice 713 2nd Ave. (btw. 38th & 39th streets) 929-256-5167 | sachinyc.com Ruay Thai Restaurant Thai Featured Dishes: Pad Thai; Pad See Yew 625 2nd Ave. (btw. 34th & 35th streets) 212-545-7829 | ruaythai.com
KOREATOWN Soju Haus Korean 315 5th Ave., 2nd Fl. (btw. 31st & 32nd streets) 212-213-2177 | sojuhaus.com
GRAMERCY/FLATIRON/ UNION SQUARE Junoon Indian Featured Dishes: Mirchi Pakora; Hara Paneer Kofta; Meen Manga Curry 27 W. 24th St. (btw. 5th & 6th avenues) 212-490-2100 | junoonnyc.com Laut Southeast Asian 15 E. 17th St. (btw. W. Union Sq. & Broadway) 212-206-8989 | lautnyc.com
KIPS BAY Momokawa Japanese 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 Asian Fusion Featured Special: $27 for a 3-course lunch prix-fixe menu.
15 Greenwich Ave. (btw. 10th & Christopher streets) 212-488-9888 | niunoodleny.com
GREENWICH VILLAGE Uncle Ted’s Chinese Featured Dish: Uncle Ted’s fried rice with Chinese sausages; braised duck dumpling; crispy duck with chow fun in hoisin sauce
163 Bleecker St. (btw. Thompson & Sullivan streets) 212-777-1395 | uncletedsnyc.com
A perfect breakfast dish: Chilaquiles Rojos, tortilla chips topped with “salsa de árbol,” pico de gallo, and sour cream.
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EAST VILLAGE SenYa Japanese 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 Sri Lankan 91 1st Ave. (btw. E. 5th & E. 6th streets) 212-614-9333 | sigirinyc.com
BATTERY PARK Malaysian Kitchen USA Malaysian Featured Dish: Hainanese Chicken 21 South End Ave. (btw. W. Thames St. and the Esplanade) | 212-786-1888 malaysiakitchenusa.com
BROOKLYN Pasar Malam Southeast Asian Featured specials: Malaysian food and roti station 208 Grand St. (btw. Bedford & Driggs avenues)
Williamsburg 929-267-4404 | pasarmalamny.com
QUEENS
403 W. 13th St. (btw. Washington St. & 9th Ave.) 212-675-2322 | spicemarketnewyork.com
Leng Thai Thai 33-09 Broadway | Astoria 718-956-7117 | lengthai.com
Niu Noodle House Chinese Featured Dish: Pork Soup Dumplings
Spicy Lanka Sri Lankan 159-23 Hillside Ave. Jamaica 718-487-4499
Chef and co-owner Clara Melchor with fellow owners Eric Perez (L) and Oscar Cuazuniga.
D9
@EpochTaste
February 26–March 3, 2016 www.EpochTaste.com ALL PHOTOS BY CHANNALY PHILIPP/EPOCH TIMES
Emilia-Romagna A Feast for Royalty Emilia-Romagna continued from D3 Somewhere along the way, a genius figured out that pasta could be stuffed or filled, and that’s where Emilia-Romagna really shines. There are variants of fresh stuffed egg pasta in some form or another in the region, including the tiny tortellini, filled with mortadella, pork, veal, and Parmiggiano-Reggiano, served in a capon broth. It’s big taste in a small package; local lore dictates that tortellini should be small enough that 7 or 8 uncooked ones would fit on a spoon. Skilled hands that may not seem the most delicate can be amazingly adept in folding these. The good signora at Trattoria Anna Maria in Bologna is one of those skilled chefs; she has been doing it for at least 30 years. To demonstrate how tortellini are made, she took a square of paper and in one fluid, quick movement, folded it into a tortellini shape. I am certain she could have done it in her sleep. Legend has it that the tortellini was invented when an innkeeper caught a glimpse of the navel of Venus (or Lucrezia Borgia, depending on the story) and became so enamored, he hurried off to create these little pasta shapes. There are also the larger tortelloni, filled with fresh ricotta, and spinach. These are so iconic that you’ll find the shape repeated again and again. In Bologna, chocolate maker Majani, which has been in business since 1796, and was the first in Italy to create solid chocolate with its crumbly Sfoglia Negra in 1832, makes tortellini-shaped chocolates. Artisanal leather workshop La Vachetta Grassa in Modena, which works with vegetable-tanned leather, makes leather tortellini. And then there’s a hat-shaped variant from the town of Ferrara, called cappellaci. If you ask my inexpert opinion, I’d tell you it looks suspiciously like a tortellini. But who am I to get in the way of city pride? What is distinctly different are the Cappellaci di Zucca Ferrerese, which were made as far back as the Renaissance and have that telltale sweet-savory combination that people were so fond of in those times. Filled with local violin-shaped pumpkin, Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana Padano, and pinches of salt, pepper, and nutmeg, then cooked and tossed in butter and sage, they taste positively transcendent (the version at Ferrara’s Trattoria Le Nuvole is incredible). The best thing about this kind of pasta is that all the flavors are just waiting to burst forth in your mouth. Eating at Home You can have a good meal at a restaurant, but really, if there’s something the Italians go on and on about, it’s cooking at home. So if you really want a great meal, eat at an Italian home. To do that, I joined a pasta-making class offered by Cristina Fortini and Monica Parisi of Italy Food Nest. It was held at Fortini’s apartment, overlooking a street in Bologna. The premise is simple: full Italian immersion takes place at the dining table, and there are options for tours, dining, or cooking lessons in various Italian cities, hosted by locals. I’d eaten so much great pasta over the previous several days that I was eager to learn some skills to take back home with me. And I was curious to see how pasta made at home might shake out against their restaurant versions. “We are Italians, we are maniacs about pasta,” Fortini said. My pasta-making teacher Monica Parisi makes fresh pasta for a living, five days a week, six hours a day, and she makes it look easy.
When it came time for me to take the rolling pin to the dough, I was surprised at how resistant the dough was. The dough, which had been nothing but a small golden ball made with flour and eggs, grew and grew flatter, wider, longer, in a rather uneven way. The sheet of dough hung off the table at one point, and I was having to press against it with my leg while rolling the dough. Apparently, that’s okay. Fortini and Parisi were gentle and encouraging: I needed to keep going, and the dough needed to get thinner. Out of the dough, we made tagliatelle (no one brought a ruler to check for the requisite 8 millimeters, thankfully), as well as garganelli and tortelloni. For all those folks making coloring books bestsellers, I can only say to you, you must try making pasta. There’s a fun, even meditative quality to it. In the end, Fortini and Parisi were beaming like proud mothers; Fortini brought the pastas into the kitchen and made the most delicious tagliatelle al ragù I’d had during my stay, as well as superb garganelli with pancetta and lemon zest, and wonderful tortelloni filled with ricotta. For dessert, she brought out a traditional delicacy from Ferrara that she’d made: tenerina, a heavenly chocolate cake, light as a cloud. That’s Emilia-Romagna. When you don’t think it can possibly get any better, it does. Foods made from ingredients as humble as milk, flour, eggs, or grapes are transformed with patience and skill into culinary gems of such goodness they’ve reached far beyond this little heartland of Italy into kitchens and markets around the world. You could, in all likelihood, just head to your local market and get Parmigiano-Reggiano, or prosciutto di Parma, or balsamic vinegar or tortelloni there. Will they be as good as the ones you can have in Emilia-Romagna, though? There’s only one way to find out. This visit was arranged by the Official Tourism Board of Emilia-Romagna. For more information, visit emiliaromagnaturismo.com/en or visitviaemilia.it
Where to Stay Parma: Furnished with lovely antiques, Palazzo Dalla Rosa Prati is one of a kind, offering apartment stays next door to the city’s famed Baptistry. The property has been in the family for hundreds of years; owner Vittorio Dalla Rosa Prati is a gracious host. Strada al Duomo, 7. palazzodallarosaprati.it Polesine Parmense: Antica Corte Pallavicina Relais is a fortress from the 14th century that houses a restaurant and farm that happens to have six elegant guest rooms. Culatello is aged in the cellars. Strada del Palazzo Due Torri, 3. anticacortepallavicinarelais.com Bologna: Hotel Orolologio is located steps away from the bustling heart of town, Piazza Maggiore. Via IV Novembre, 10. bolognarthotels.it/en/hotelorologio Modena: Best Western Premier Milano Palace is modern and convenient. C.so Vittorio Emanuele II, n.68. milanopalacehotel.it
Tortelloni made during a cooking class with Italy Food Nest in Bologna.
Tours of EmiliaRomagna Tour de Forks, a boutique culinary travel company that subscribes to the principles of the Slow Food movement, offers custom tours of EmiliaRomagna. It’ll arrange hotel accommodations, a private car or self-drive rental car, tastings, and tours, according to your preferences. tourdeforks.com Oldways is a nonprofit organization focused on cultural food traditions and good health. From May 1 to May 8, James Beard award-winning chef Barbara Lynch and museum curator Ronni Baer from the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston will guide an exploration of the region, through cooking classes, art tours, wine tastings, and visits to food producers. oldwayspt.org
Hungry for more of Emilia-Romagna? See EpochTaste.com
Sofia Malagoli draws a sample of traditional balsamic vinegar from one of the barrels housed in the attic of her farmhouse, Castelfranco Emilia.
A little place with big flavors
' Authentic Thai Restaurant ' Fast Delivery ' Corporate Catering Available
Little Thai Kitchen ' 231 E 53rd St. New York Tel. 212.644.5353 LTKNY.com
D10
@EpochTaste
February 26–March 3, 2016 www.EpochTaste.com
A Slice of White Bread Is the Trick to Healthier Oscars Food By Melissa d’Arabian Finger food can be tricky for the healthy eater. Tiny bites that explode with flavor often are loaded with empty calories and little nutrition. If I’m not paying attention at a party, I can easily inhale a day’s worth of calories, just because, well, I’m hungry. And finger food is so, you know, small. So I eat a lot. But what if we made finger food a little healthier? A slightly more fun version of something I feel good about eating? And that’s what this week’s recipe is—a salad stuffed with protein and veggies, but turned portable thanks to my little secret for making a better-for-you crispy tart crust. The trick? White bread. Yes, white bread! Don’t panic. Of course, normally I go for wholegrain. But compared to a butter- or shortening-
filled pie crust, a simple slice of white bread is a great compromise. And it’s for a party. And did I mention it is holding salad? White bread squished flat until doughy, then sprayed lightly with olive oil and baked in a muffin tin makes an amazing crust! Usually, these little tartlet crusts are my party vehicle of choice for salad, everything from a Chinese chicken salad to a Greek salad with salmon and yogurt dressing. Since we try to eat fish several times a week in our home, I always have some high-quality tuna stashed in my cupboard. So this week, try my salade niçoise tartlets, then feel free to make these tartlet crusts your own. A fun idea: use coconut oil instead of olive oil and fill with something sweet, such as berries and chopped mint. From The Associated Press ALL PHOTOS BY MATTHEW MEAD/AP
RECIPE SALADE NICOISE TARTLETS Prep & Cooking Time: 45 minutes Makes: 10
Experience Firsthand the Romance of the Korean Dynasty South Korean 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.
• 10 slices of white sandwich bread, crusts removed • Olive oil cooking spray • Kosher salt and ground black pepper • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar • 1 tablespoon lemon juice • 2 tablespoons olive oil • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme • 10 small cherry tomatoes, quartered • 1 cup chopped romaine lettuce • 1/4 pound thin green beans, steamed to crisp-tender and roughly chopped • 5 small new or baby potatoes, cooked and thinly sliced • 5-ounce can oil-packed tuna, drained • 2 hardboiled eggs, chopped • 2 tablespoons chopped marinated olives • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
DIRECTIONS Heat the oven to 375 F. Use a rolling pin to flatten the bread slices until doughy and thin. Spritz both sides of each slice with olive oil cooking spray, then sprinkle
light with salt and pepper. Press each slice into a muffin tin cup. Bake until golden, about 13 minutes. Remove the bread cups from the pan, then set aside to cool on a rack. Meanwhile, prepare the salad. In a medium bowl, whisk together the mustard, red wine vinegar, and lemon juice. Drizzle in the olive oil, whisking into a vinaigrette. Add the thyme, then season with salt and pepper. Set aside half of the vinaigrette to use later. Add the tomatoes, lettuce, and green beans to the remaining dressing and toss to coat. Once the tartlet crusts are cooled, layer the sliced potatoes on the bottom of each cup. Top the potatoes with the tomato mixture, then the crumbled eggs, tuna, chopped olives, and chives. Finish each with a drizzle of dressing on top.
Mini-Lemon Curd Cups Are an Easy Way to Add Dessert Elegance By Alison Ladman There is a time and place for a pint of ice cream and a spoon. Or for a pile of cookies or box of doughnuts. An Oscars viewing party is neither the time nor the place. This party requires desserts with a bit more panache. Which is why we created these simple lemon curd cups, an elegant dessert solution to the finer finger food fixings you’ll be serving while watching the stars shine on. You start by making a simple lemon curd, which can be prepped up to a couple days ahead. Then just fill purchased mini phyllo cups with raspberry jam and the curd and top each with fresh berries. Done. The phyllo cups can be found in the grocer’s freezer section. And while you’re at it, buy a few extra boxes and whip up a batch of mini quiches to serve at the same party. From The Associated Press
RECIPE LEMON CURD CUPS Prep & Cooking Time: 30 minutes, plus cooling Makes: 30 • • • • • • • • •
1/3 cup sugar 1 tablespoon cornstarch 2 eggs 1/3 cup lemon juice (freshly squeezed will have the best flavor) 3 tablespoons unsalted butter 30 prepared miniature phyllo cups (two 1.9-ounce packages) 5 tablespoons raspberry jam 1 1/2 cups fresh berries of your choice Powdered sugar
DIRECTIONS In a small saucepan, whisk together the sugar and cornstarch. Add the eggs and whisk until completely smooth and no trace of egg whites or yolks remains. Whisk in the lemon juice, then set over medium heat and bring to a simmer, whisking constantly. Once the mixture comes to a thorough simmer, remove from the heat and stir in the butter. Transfer to a bowl, cover and refrigerate until completely cool.
212-594-4963 10 W. 32 St., New York, NY 10001 www.misskoreaBBQ.com Open 24 hours
Once the lemon curd is chilled, assemble the cups. Spoon 1/2 teaspoon raspberry jam into the bottom of each cup. Divide the lemon curd between the cups, then top each with fresh berries. Dust each with a bit of powdered sugar just before serving. Best if assembled within 1 to 2 hours of being served.
D11
@EpochTaste
February 26–March 3, 2016 www.EpochTaste.com
For Your Oscar Party, Embrace India’s Favorite Street Food By Meera Sodha
An Authentic Bit of Tokyo in Midtown West
In this recipe, I’ve mixed the lamb with dates to give it a touch of rich sweetness, then teamed it with a classic Indian relish called kachumbar, which is made using cucumber and onion with mango chutney and lime dressing. Everything can be made in advance, served hot, warm, or even cold. Serve the kofta in tender lettuce leaves so your guests can eat them without getting their hands greasy. Altogether, it’s a stellar lineup and if by chance you have leftovers, you can make a kofta curry with them the next day, or even freeze them. From Bollywood to Hollywood, with love.
Hollywood’s biggest night is also one of the best excuses to get your friends together and get glamorous in the kitchen. But glamorous doesn’t have to be onerous. The best party food is something that will get your guests talking, something that is a crowd pleaser, something that can be eaten as a finger food but—vitally—is also really easy to assemble. I nominate this lamb kofta to win in all those categories. The kofta is one of India’s most famous street foods, popular with everyone from office workers to Bollywood actors. Kofta are similar to meatballs; they’re made using ground lamb and mixed with spices such as cinnamon, chili, and cumin. All those warm flavors are then charred over coals before being dunked into an eye-opening chutney and eaten with either flatbread or a salad.
The freshest sushi made the traditional, simple way by master chef Shimizu Shochu & sake Exceptional value
Find us in the Washington Jefferson Hotel
Shimizu Sushi & Shochu Bar ShimizuSushiNY.com 318 W. 51st St. (btw. 8th & 9th avenues) (212) 581-1581
From The Associated Press
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RECIPE
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Mention EPOCH and Get One FREE Topping
Prep & Cooking Time: 45 minutes Makes: 20 kofta
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• 20 baby gem, Boston, or other tender lettuce leaves
YM
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LAMB AND DATE KOFTA WITH LETTUCE CUPS
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Healthy Natural
DIRECTIONS
For the Sauce • 1/2 large English cucumber (about 7 ounces) • 1/2 small red onion, finely chopped • 2 1/2 teaspoons mango chutney • 1 tablespoon lemon juice • 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro • Pinch of kosher salt
To make the sauce, peel the cucumber. Cut it in half lengthwise, then use a spoon to scrape out the seeds. Finely dice the cucumber, then in a small bowl combine it with the onion, mango chutney, lemon juice, cilantro and salt. Set aside.
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To make the kofta, in a medium bowl combine the dates, garlic, ginger, chilies, salt, cinnamon and cumin. Mix together, then add the lamb and mix well. Using your hands, shape the mixture into 20 oblongs (football-shaped).
For the Kofta • 2 ounces soft pitted dates (about 10), finely chopped • 3 cloves garlic, crushed • 1-inch chunk fresh ginger, grated • 2 serrano chilies, finely chopped • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon • 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin • 1 pound ground lamb • 1 tablespoon canola oil, plus extra
In a large skillet over medium, heat the oil. Add 6 to 8 kofta at a time. Cook, turning frequently, for 8 minutes, or until cooked through. Set aside on a plate, then repeat with the remaining kofta, adding oil as needed. Kofta can be served hot, room temperature or cold. Serve with lettuce leaves and kachumber sauce.
Sevens’ Mixed Grill
A Turkish Feast
you’ll always remember
Beefy, Beany Stew Is a Warm, Simple Meal With Slow Cooker Ease By Melissa d’Arabian There are two kinds of people—fans of slow cookers and those who haven’t tried them. I’m definitely the former. I just love my slow cooker. I make everything in it, from summertime ribs to baked potatoes to spaghetti squash. But in the winter, there is nothing quite as satisfying as a thick stew or hearty soup that bubbles away gently all day, slowing filling the house with welcoming aromas while I’m off at work, running errands, or spending the day at my daughters’ school. My children’s slow cooker favorite? Probably Southwestern stew. It has all the flavors they love, plus they are allowed to have (baked) corn chips at dinner, which is exciting stuff around the d’Arabian house. I make a version that is trimmed down and healthier, full of fiber and protein thanks to the combination of black beans and chickpeas. But the star of this soup is the ground beef. I love ground turkey, and I certainly have made this soup with it, but lean ground beef is, calorie-wise, a close peer of most ground turkey. In fact, many of the ground turkey packages offered will have higher fat and calorie
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counts than 95 percent lean ground beef. For a 4-ounce serving, lean ground beef boasts 24 grams of protein and just 160 calories and 4 grams of fat! And, ground beef just feels more like comfort food (since I grew up in an era before we regularly ground up our Thanksgiving bird to eat it year-round).
Lean ground beef adds comfort while still keeping it healthy. Classic Margherita Pizza
From The Associated Press
RECIPE SLOW COOKER SOUTHWESTERN STEW To make this dish even easier, you can prep it up to the step of layering all of the ingredients in the slow cooker, then refrigerate it overnight. In the morning, just pop the slow cooker insert into the cooker and walk away. Prep & Cooking Time: 4 hours on high, 8 hours on low (20 minutes active) Serves: 6 • 1 teaspoon olive oil • 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef (93 percent or leaner) • 1 large yellow onion, diced • 3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed • 1 tablespoon chili powder • 1 teaspoon ground cumin • 1 teaspoon smoked or sweet paprika • 28-ounce can diced tomatoes • 12-ounce bottle light beer • 1 cup prepared tomato salsa (mild or hot)
• • • • • •
15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed 1 cup frozen corn (do not thaw) 1 cup frozen chopped spinach (do not thaw) Juice of 1/2 lime Kosher salt and ground black pepper
For Serving • Crushed baked tortilla chips • Cubed avocado • Low-fat plain Greek yogurt • Chopped fresh cilantro • Chopped tomatoes • Shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
DIRECTIONS In a large saute pan over medium-high, heat the oil. Add the beef and cook until browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Spoon the beef into a slow cooker, then layer the remaining ingredients (except the lime juice, salt and pepper) over it. Cook on high for 4 hours or 7 to 8 hours on low. Stir in the lime juice, then season with salt and pepper. Serve with optional toppings.
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PIZZA LOVE Cut fresh herbs onto your amazing wood fired oven pizza. Made in just 5–7 minutes.
800 6th Ave (btwn 27th & 28th St) (212) 213-5042
WaldysPizza.com
D12
@EpochTaste
February 26–March 3, 2016 www.EpochTaste.com Openings around town COURTESY OF BEDFORD & CO.
Bedford & Co. Chef and owner John DeLucie has opened a restaurant near Grand Central with modern wood-fired American cuisine as the focus. Small plates meant for sharing make up the bulk of the menu, which includes Head-On Sun Shrimp with grains, Marcona almonds, and shellfish jus; Chicken Pot Pie; and Wood-Grilled Pizza. Open daily.
At The Renwick Hotel 118 E. 40th St. (between Park & Lexington avenues) 212-634-4040 bedfordandco.com
Rice pudding aficionados will be pleased to learn about the opening of the Rice Cream Shoppe, with its colorful setting and vintage whimsy. Owner Carmen Cioffi is recreating his grandmother’s recipe with 20 flavors of rice pudding as varied as seasonal specials like Pumpkin and Caramel Apple to some Italian-inspired flavors like tiramisu or baci. The most popular batches among Epoch Taste volunteer testers were banana toffee, French vanilla chip, Baci (chocolate and hazelnuts), and choconut (chocolate and coconut), though the most winning combination seemed to be a combination of Baci and choconut. Servings come in small ($7), large ($8.75), and a quart ($20) size. Open daily, 11 a.m.–midnight.
COURTESY OF RICE CREAM SHOPPE
Rice Cream Shoppe
195 Bleecker St. (between Sixth Avenue & Macdougal Street) 212-253-7423 ricecreamshoppe.com
A Marriage of Shrimp and Parsley, Wrapped in Wonton
RECIPE MING TSAI’S SHRIMP AND PARSLEY WONTONS WITH SOY-VINEGAR SAUCE
DIRECTIONS In a large bowl, combine shrimp, parsley, lemon zest, sesame oil, and egg. Season and combine well. Test flavor by sautéing a small portion.
• 1 pound small Contessa shrimp, prepped and rough chopped • 1/2 cup minced parsley • Zest of 1 lemon • 1 tablespoon sesame oil • 1 egg • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste • Thin whole wheat wonton wrappers • 2 parts Wan Ja Shan naturally brewed rice vinegar • 1 part Wan Ja Shan organic tamari • 1 small finger ginger, peeled and julienned • 2 tablespoons sliced scallions for garnish
Peanuts are rich in protein, vitamin E, and antioxidants.
Spicy Northeast
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Meanwhile, boil water in a stockpot. Add wontons and boil wontons until filling is cooked through, then remove and place in individual bowls, about 2 dumplings per bowl. Make sauce of naturally brewed rice vinegar, tamari, ginger, and scallions. Ladle on top and serve.
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To form wontons, place 1 wonton skin on a flat work surface with one corner facing you. Place about 1/2 tablespoon filling in center, fold the bottom half over the top half to create a triangle. Bring the left and right sides under the dumpling, pinch together to seal. Repeat with remaining skins.
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How to Make Numbing, Spicy Kung Pao Chicken By CiCi Li I’m sure a lot of people are familiar with Kung Pao Chicken. It’s a numbing, spicy stir-fry dish made with chicken, vegetables, peanuts, chili, and most importantly, Sichuan peppercorn. It’s a classic Sichuan dish named after Ding Baozhen, a late Qing Dynasty official. His title was Gong Bao. The name “Kung Pao” chicken is derived from this title. Today we are going to show you how to cook Kung Pao Chicken at home.
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CiCi Li is the host of “CiCi’s Food Paradise” on NTD Television. Join her and discover quick and healthy recipes at CiCiLi.tv
• 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.
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RECIPE KUNG PAO CHICKEN Prep & Cooking Time: 20 min Serves: 2 • 8 ounces chicken breast, cut into cubes • 4 tablespoons oil • 3 red dry chilies • 1/2 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorn • 6 slices ginger • 3 cloves garlic • 3 stalks chopped scallion • 1/4 cup peanuts For the Sauce • 1 tablespoon light soy sauce • 1/2 tablespoon dark soy sauce • 1/2 teaspoon corn starch mixed with 1 tablespoon of water • 1 tablespoon oil • 1 teaspoon hot sesame oil For the Chicken Marinade • Pinch of salt
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Pinch of pepper Pinch of sugar 1/2 egg white 1/2 teaspoon corn starch mixed with 1 tablespoon water • 2 tablespoons oil
DIRECTIONS To Marinate the Chicken In a bowl, mix a pinch of salt, a pinch of pepper, a pinch of sugar, 1/2 an egg white, 1/2 a teaspoon of corn starch mix with 1 tablespoon water. (The egg white and the cornstarch water will soften the chicken and make it more tender. They are important ingredients in making restaurant-quality stirfried meat.) Then combine 8 ounces of chicken cubes in the mixture with a fork or chopsticks for about 1 minute. Then add 2 tablespoons oil in the bowl and marinate for about 10 minutes.
To Make the Sauce In a bowl, add 1 tablespoon light soy sauce, 1/2 tablespoon dark soy sauce, 1/2 teaspoon corn starch mixed with 1 tablespoon water (the corn starch will thicken the sauce), then add 1 tablespoon oil (the oil will make the dish look more vibrant and glossy), and 1 teaspoon hot sesame oil. Mix well. In a hot pan, add 2 tablespoons oil, add 8 ounces marinated chicken cubes, and stir until medium-well. Take them out and set aside. In the same pan, add 2 tablespoons oil, 3 chopped red dry chilies, 1/2 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorn, and wait until you can smell the spicy aroma. Then add the cooked chicken cubes back, along with 6 slices ginger, 3 cloves chopped garlic, 3 stalks chopped scallions, and wait until you can smell the aroma. Pour in the sauce and stir well. Finally add 1/4 cup peanuts.