Epoch Taste 3-24-2017

ERIN SCOTT

D1 March 24–30, 2017

No Ordinary

Bloody Mary Cocktails on D4

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Spiced spring vegetable and coconut polenta, a twist on uppittu, a South Indian breakfast dish.

A Family Legacy Chitra Agrawal, owner of Brooklyn Delhi, unveils vibrant family recipes and traditions in her new cookbook

By Annie Wu | Epoch Times Staff hat a special treat it is to be invited to share a homecooked South Indian meal— lovingly prepared from heirloom recipes preserved over generations—while learning about the stories and traditions behind each dish.

That’s what reading Chitra Agrawal’s new cookbook, “Vibrant India: Fresh Vegetarian Recipes from Bangalore to Brooklyn,” is like. Agrawal, owner of artisanal condiments company Brooklyn Delhi, painstakingly documented her family recipes for the book over the course of three years. She shares dishes prepared by her mother, grandmother, and many generations prior, then tweaked with her touch to reflect the variety of ingredients and cuisines found in New York.

South Indian Cuisine From a young age, Agrawal fell in love with the foods of her mother’s heritage, which can be traced back to a ruling class in South India known as

Curry leaves have delicate herbal notes.

the Hoysala Karnataka Brahmins. They adhere to a strict vegetarian diet guided by ancient Hindu beliefs. The cooking style makes use of much more subdued flavors than those found in North Indian cuisine. Garlic and onions are avoided; they’re considered destructive because it’s believed they sedate the mind and body. Overly spicy or salty seasoning is also frowned upon because it is associated with passion, aggression, and irritability.

Instead, spices like asafetida, a dried resin derived from a plant similar to fennel, are used. When fried in oil, the spice gives off a pungency similar to garlic.

The aroma wafted around Agrawal’s apartment in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn, where she invited me to try her cooking on a cold March afternoon. She had sprinkled asafetida into a sizzling pot along with black mustard seeds. This technique of tempering (frying) spices, in oil, she explained, is critical in South Indian cooking, in order to release their full strength.

Asafetida, a dried resin derived from a plant similar to fennel.

Chitra Agrawal serves a home-cooked meal featuring dishes from her cookbook—many adapted from family recipes—at her apartment in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn.

See Agrawal on D2

SHUTTERSTOCK (SPICES); SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES (AGRAWAL)

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A Family Legacy

SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES

Agrawal continued from D1 Just as the seeds started to pop, she quickly threw a lid on top. “You’ve got to have a lid handy,” she said, giggling. Her infectious laughter often filled the room.

She showed me her family’s custom rasam powder, used specifically for the rasam tomato and lentil soup she was cooking. The blend emanated a complex fragrance; it was made with cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, dried red chilies, curry leaves, and many more spices.

The soup, which Agrawal poured over the lemon-peanut rice that she had made, lit up my taste buds, with the sweetness of tomatoes melding with the tang of tamarind. Combined with the nuttiness of the rice, with its sprinkled bits of coconut and curry leaves that lent a delicate, piquant note, every bite unveiled a new layer of flavors.

Family Tradition Agrawal wanted to document the cooking traditions of her heritage not just for herself but for her family. “When a family goes to another country, a lot of culture is lost, unless you make an effort to keep it going,” she said.

In 1968, her mother and father immigrated to the United States from their hometown of Bangalore. It was up to Agrawal to ensure those culinary practices would be preserved in a new land.

Her father often told her that tradition is not just passed down. “It’s part of the responsibility of the next generation—if you are interested in taking initiative,” she said. Her cousins, for example, haven’t taken up her family’s style of cooking just yet. “It has to be that the next generation is interested and understands this is an important part of culture that they want to continue.”

Luckily for Agrawal, her mother wrote down the family recipes.

Agrawal with her family’s spice box.

The city of Bangalore, where Agrawal’s family is from. Her maternal grandfather moved there for his textile business.

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Agrawal’s culinary education began, somewhat unwittingly, after she left her family’s home in New Jersey for college in California.

Agrawal’s mother, worried that her daughter couldn’t eat the dishes she loved, sent her email after email of recipes. Years ago, Agrawal’s aunt and grandmother in India had also sent many aerogram letters with recipes scribbled on them.

Over time, Agrawal amassed a huge binder full of recipes and felt a desire to pass on her knowledge to other Indian-Americans who craved the food of their roots but might not have such resources. In 2009, she started a blog called The ABCD’s of Cooking—a play on AmericanBorn Confused Desi (a term for Indians born abroad)—and got down to working on recording the recipes.

Her biggest challenge was getting the exact measurements. “A spoonful,” “a ladle,” or “a dash” weren’t so helpful for novice cooks. Agrawal had to test out recipes based on her memories of the dishes. While on vacation to visit extended family in Bangalore, she followed her mother and her aunts around the kitchen, taking detailed notes.

She also sampled local specialties that fired up her imagination. In her cookbook, Agrawal’s bitter gourd chips— baked instead of deep-fried—are a riff on the spicy vegetable chips sold by street vendors all over Bangalore.

A Home Cook’s Touch Agrawal’s centuries-old family recipes have been infused with each generation’s own

RECIPE SHREDDED CARROT AND LENTIL SALAD, OR HESARU BELE CARROT KOSAMBRI Serves 4 to 6 Kosambri is a classic Karnataka salad made with crunchy vegetables, soaked lentils, coconut, lemon, cilantro, and fried spices and chilies. It’s spicy, sweet, and tangy all at once.

The colorful salad is usually made on festival days or special occasions.

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.

My mother would mix all of the ingredients up with her hand, and now so do I. I’m convinced that it tastes better that way. Kosambri comes in many different forms, but this version is the one that was made most often at home. It is referred to as hesaru bele carrot kosambri, which translates from Kannada as “skinned and split mung bean and carrot salad.”

I use this recipe as a template and make variations depending on what I have on hand.

For instance, I sometimes use mung bean sprouts instead of the moong dal, or cut grapes instead of the coconut.

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

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flair. She surmises that when her grandparents moved to Bangalore from different parts of Karnataka, her grandmother introduced new ingredients. And the same thing happened when her mother emigrated.

Agrawal’s style is to incorporate seasonal American vegetables: a kale raita based on her mother’s original spinach raita; Brussels sprouts for palya, a stir-fry typically made with green beans. For her company Brooklyn Delhi, which she founded to feed her obsession with Indianstyle pickles, she uses local produce from her farm share, like rhubarb and tomatoes.

Grains can also be interchanged. Uppittu, a savory breakfast dish traditionally made with semolina flour, can be substituted with polenta, quinoa, or even couscous.

Sometimes Agrawal is inspired by the diverse cuisines around her. Her lettuce “dosa” wraps, for example, are a nod to the popular Asian dish, with the typical dosa crepe swapped out for butter lettuce. The filling, though, is the same spiced potatoes as in the original, topped with cilantrococonut chutney. Her apple-ginger-and-coconut hand pies fuse her friend’s French-style tart dough recipe with that of kadabu, sweet dumplings commonly eaten during festivals.

Currently eight months pregnant, Agrawal hopes her child will one day learn her recipes.

As the generations move further from their Indian origins, she’s not sure whether the traditions will survive. But at least her cookbook will be there, for “somebody down the line,” she said.

• 2 tablespoons moong dal or 1/3 cup mung bean sprouts or other green sprouts • 3/4 cup unsweetened grated coconut (fresh, frozen, or dried) • 3 medium carrots, peeled and shredded (about 2 cups) • 1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped • 1 plum tomato, finely chopped • 2 teaspoons mild-flavored oil such as canola • 1/2 teaspoon black mustard seeds • Pinch of asafetida (hing) powder • 4 or 5 fresh curry leaves

• 1 or 2 Indian green chilies or serrano chilies, finely chopped • Juice of half a lemon (about 1 1 ⁄2 tablespoons), plus more as needed • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves, plus more for garnish • 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS Wash the moong dal until the water is clear, and soak it in water for 2 to 3 hours. It should have doubled in size.

Thaw frozen coconut or place dried coconut in a little hot water to plump it up.

Drain the dal well, discarding the soaking liquid, and place in a large bowl with the carrots, cucumber, tomato, and coconut.

Put the oil in a tempering pot or a little pan over medium heat. When the oil is hot and shimmering, add one black mustard seed.

When the seed sizzles and pops, add the rest of the mustard seeds and the asafetida. Keep a lid handy to cover the pan while the mustard seeds are popping. When the popping starts to subside (a few seconds), turn the heat to medium-low. Rub the curry leaves between your fingers a little to release their natural oils, and drop them and the green chilies into the oil. Cover immediately, as moisture from the curry leaves will cause the oil to spatter.

Then stir to evenly coat everything with oil and continue to fry until the chilies are less raw, 10 to 15 seconds. Turn off the heat.

Immediately pour the oil mixture over the vegetables. To get all of the oil out of the pan, put a spoonful or two of the salad into the pan, stir, and spoon it back into the bowl.

Add the lemon juice, cilantro, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and mix well. Taste for lemon and salt, and adjust if needed. Garnish with more cilantro and serve.

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RECIPE COCONUT RICE WITH CASHEWS, OR KAYI ANNA

• 1 cup basmati rice, preferably Dehraduni** • 1/8 teaspoon turmeric powder (optional)

Serves 4

**Since the Dehraduni variety of basmati rice has a very long grain, it yields about four times its dry quantity, but most other varieties of basmati or long-grained jasmine rice yield about three times their dry quantity.

This rice is a celebration of coconut, which is an auspicious ingredient in South India, often used in Hindu religious ceremonies or pujas.

Coconuts are cracked open and offered up to the gods during momentous occasions, like a new home purchase or a child graduating from college.

To enhance the coconut flavor even further, I cook the rice and fry the cashews in coconut oil.

When in season, I change up the traditional recipe and add pomegranate seeds or red currants for their tart sweetness.

This rice is perfect plain and great to carry on a picnic or to a potluck.

• 4 cups cooked turmeric rice (recipe follows); substitute jasmine rice for the basmati if you prefer* • 1 cup unsweetened grated coconut (fresh, frozen, or dried) • 2 tablespoons plus 1/2 teaspoon coconut oil • 2 tablespoons cashews, broken into large pieces • 1/2 teaspoon black mustard seeds • Pinch of asafetida (hing) powder • 1 teaspoon urad dal • 4 or 5 fresh curry leaves • 1 dried red chili, broken in half • 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon salt • 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds or fresh red currants (optional) • Chopped cilantro leaves, for garnish *Leftover rice also works well in this recipe.

For Simple Basmati Rice Serves 3 or 4 Makes about 4 cups

DIRECTIONS Spread the cooked rice on a sheet pan to cool completely. Thaw frozen coconut or place dried coconut in a little hot water to plump it up.

Melt 1/2 teaspoon of the coconut oil in a wok or sauté pan over medium heat. Add the cashews to the wok, stirring them until they are fragrant and turn golden brown, a few minutes. Set the cashews aside to cool in a bowl lined with a paper towel.

Coat the bottom of the wok or a large frying pan with the remaining 2 tablespoons of coconut oil and place over medium heat. When melted, add one black mustard seed. When the seed sizzles and pops, add the rest of the mustard seeds and the asafetida. Keep a lid handy to cover the pan while the mustard seeds are popping. When the popping starts to subside (a few seconds), immediately add the urad dal. Stir to coat with oil, and turn the heat to medium-low. Continue to stir the dal so it evenly roasts, until it turns a reddish golden brown and smells nutty, less than a minute.

Rub the curry leaves between your fingers a little to release their natural oils, and drop them and the dried red chili into the oil. Cover immediately, as moisture from the curry leaves will cause the oil to spatter. Then stir to evenly coat everything with oil, a few seconds.

Stir the cooked rice into the wok, coating it well with the oil and spices. Mix in the coconut and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Stir-fry for a few minutes. Mix in the pomegranate seeds and cashews, reserving a few cashews for garnish.

Turn off the heat. Taste for salt and adjust if needed. Garnish with the cilantro and reserved cashews before serving.

For the Simple Basmati Rice Wash the rice in several changes of water until the water runs clear.

Soak the rice in water, generously covered, for at least 30 minutes. Drain thoroughly, using a fine-mesh sieve.

Place the rice and 1 3/4 cups water in a medium saucepan. Mix in the turmeric powder, if using.

Place the saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil. Once the water is boiling, cover the saucepan and turn the heat to the lowest setting on your stove.

Cook until the rice is tender and there is no water left in the pan, about 15 minutes. Turn off the heat. Remove the saucepan from the stove and leave it covered for 10 minutes, to allow the grains to separate. Fluff with a fork before serving.

Agrawal’s cookbook, “Vibrant India” ($24.99).

SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES

RECIPE • 2 or 3 scallions or seasonal ramps, both white and green parts, chopped • 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder • 4 or 5 red radishes, trimmed and quartered • Juice of half a lemon (about 1 1/2 tablespoons), plus more as needed • 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves

SPICED SPRING VEGETABLE AND COCONUT POLENTA, UPPITTU OR UPMA Serves 3 or 4 This is my gluten-free spin on uppittu or upma, a savory South Indian semolina breakfast or light snack.

In Kannada, uppu means “salt” and hittu means “flour,” so uppittu roughly translates to “salted flour” and is sometimes referred to as upma. In place of Indian semolina flour or farina, I use polenta and pair it with crunchy spring vegetables and traditional flavors of black mustard seeds, curry leaves, chili, coconut, and lemon.

For Serving • Plain yogurt or butter • Hot pickle or Brooklyn Delhi achaar *If using quick-cooking polenta, adjust cooking times accordingly.

DIRECTIONS

Feel free to substitute other vegetables like potato, green bell pepper, onion, grated carrot, peas, or tomatoes.

Uppittu is usually served with a pat of butter or yogurt and hot pickle and sometimes a topping of fried cashews.

In the past, I have used cooked quinoa or couscous in this recipe in place of polenta, so feel free to experiment with different grains as well.

Thaw frozen coconut or place dried coconut in a little hot water to plump it up.

Bring 4 cups water to a boil in a saucepan, and add the salt.

Turn the heat to low and slowly whisk in the polenta until there are no lumps.

• 1/2 cup unsweetened grated coconut (fresh, frozen, or dried) • 1 teaspoon salt, plus more for sprinkling • 1 cup polenta* or medium or coarsely ground cornmeal • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter • 8 ounces asparagus, tough parts of spears broken off • 1/2 cup snap peas, trimmed and stringed • 1 1/2 tablespoons coconut oil • 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds • 1/2 teaspoon chana dal • 1 teaspoon urad dal • 5 or 6 fresh curry leaves • 1/2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated • 1 Indian green chili or serrano chili, finely chopped

Cook the polenta, partially covered, for 30 minutes, whisking it well every few minutes. When cooked, the polenta should look creamy. Add the butter and coconut and mix well. The polenta should become fluffy and lighter in color when you do this.

While the polenta is cooking, cut the asparagus into 1-inch pieces on the diagonal. Cut the snap peas into 1-inch pieces on the diagonal.

Put the oil in a wok over medium heat. When the oil is hot and shimmering, add one black mustard seed. When the seed sizzles and pops, add the rest of the mustard seeds.

Keep a lid handy to cover the pan while the mustard seeds are popping. When the popping starts to subside (a few seconds), immediately add the chana dal and urad dal. Stir to coat with oil and turn the heat to medium-low.

Agrawal serves lemon-peanut rice with rasam tomato and lentil soup.

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Continue to stir the dals so they evenly roast, until they turn a reddish golden brown and smell nutty, less than a minute.

Rub the curry leaves between your fingers a little to release their natural oils, and drop them, the ginger, and green chili into the oil.

Cover immediately, as moisture from the curry leaves will cause the oil to spatter. Then stir to evenly coat everything with oil and continue to fry until the ginger and chili are less raw, 10 to 15 seconds.

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Add the scallions and turmeric powder. Stir-fry for 1 minute on medium heat. Mix in the asparagus, snap peas, and radishes with a sprinkling of salt.

“

Stir-fry the vegetables over high heat until tender but still crisp and just cooked through, about 3 minutes. During cooking, if the pan is looking dry, add a little water to it.

Turn off the heat. Mix in the lemon juice and chopped cilantro.

Taste for salt and lemon juice and adjust as needed.

Serve the polenta hot, topped with the vegetables, a dollop of plain yogurt, and a spoonful of hot pickle.

Recipes reprinted with permission from “Vibrant India: Fresh Vegetarian Recipes from Bangalore to Brooklyn” by Chitra Agrawal, copyright © 2017. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC.

Upscale Upper West Side dining with high standards and no ‘attitude.’

-New York Magazine

At Gabriel’s, it’s all in the family!

NYC Restaurant Week Prix Fixe Jan. 23–Feb. 10

3 Courses $29 Lunch $42 Dinner

We’re family owned and operated, so you know that our commitment to detail is unparalleled.

Our menu focuses on traditional Italian fare, all hand-made in house, from the bread to the sorbet.

GABRIEL’S BAR & RESTAURANT 11 W 60th St. • New York • 212-956-4600

www.gabrielsnyc.com Follow us @gabrielsnyc Walking distance from Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts

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March 24–30, 2017 www.EpochTaste.com CASTE HILL PHOTOGRAPHY

MIKE PIAZZA

Chef Tony Maws at his Boston restaurant Craigie on Main.

CASTE HILL PHOTOGRAPHY

COOKING CLASS WITH TONY MAWS OF BOSTON MONDAY, MARCH 27 James Beard Awardwinning chef Tony Maws, who owns Bostonarea restaurants Craigie on Main and The Kirkland Tap and Trotter, will be teaching a class at the De Gustibus Cooking School.

Guests will learn to make four to five dishes, all served with wine pairings. Maws’s style is French-inspired with a focus on local, seasonal ingredients.

TASTE 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. $100 per Pick person. DeGustibusNYC.com THE BLOODY MARY LIBERATION PARTY

No Ordinary Bloody Mary Cocktails Here

By Annie Wu | Epoch Times Staff

B

rooklyn’s most innovative bloody mary cocktails will be available for tasting at The Blood Mary Festival. The libations hail from Insa, Congress Bar, Iron Station, A&E Supply Co., Catfish Bar and Restaurant, and more.

Catfish Bar and Restaurant’s Creole Bloody Mary draws inspiration from Louisiana, with an Abita Turbodog ale float, Crystal hot sauce, and a rim of housemade Cajun spice mix.

“We’re not trying to reinvent the wheel, but in a city filled with a seemingly limitless supply of bloody mary variations, more traditional recipes seem to be dying out,” said Maxx Colson, owner of Catfish, in an email.

He believes a great bloody mary “should be sure to mask the taste of the booze and still taste delicious.”

SUNDAY, APRIL 9 Grand Prospect Hall 263 Prospect Ave. (between Fifth & Sixth avenues) Park Slope, Brooklyn

Meanwhile, at Korean restaurant Insa, beverage director Shayna Cott thinks of a bloody mary as “the ultimate hangover medicine: nutrients to refuel, vinegary pickled things to aid digestion, [and] spice to speed up your metabolism and sweat it out,” she said.

The one served at Insa is infused with Korean flavors: a dose of fish sauce and a generous splash of kimchi brine from chef Sohui Kim’s homemade kimchi. It makes a great pairing with Insa’s Spam and eggs brunch dish, she added.

Food pairings will be available at the festival. There will be a bagel bar, a champagne bar, live music, and local artisanal goods. 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. $55 to $89 per person.

The Bloody Mary Festival stops at major cities around the country.

SPAGHETTI AND VEAL MEATBALLS

Brunch at Tavo ONGOING Tavo has launched a brunch menu with influences from global cuisines.

Dishes include the Peking Duck Chilaquiles, a baked tortilla casserole with shredded Peking duck, crème fraîche, and poached eggs; the Creamy Arroz Morro with mofongo cakes, poached eggs, and truffle oil; and the Rabbit Sausage with papas bravas, chipotle aioli, and a fried egg. TavoNYC.com

Makes 4 to 6 servings

• • • • • • • • •

Tavo 615 Hudson St. (between Jane & West 12th streets) West Village

Brunch at Flinders Lane transfer to the paper towels. Reheat the oil to shimmering before adding each batch.

1½ pounds ground veal 3. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a ⅓ cup dry plain bread crumbs boil over high heat.

2 large eggs, beaten 4. Bring the tomato sauce to a simmer in a 2 tablespoons freshly grated large saucepan over medium heat. Add Pecorino Romano cheese Recipe from the meatballs and reduce the heat to 1 tablespoon chopped fresh Patsy’s Italian medium-low. Cover the saucepan flat-leaf parsley Restaurant. and simmer until the meatballs are 1 garlic clove, minced Our only location cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes.

1 teaspoon salt 236 W. 56th St. ½ teaspoon freshly ground 212-247-3491 5. When the meatballs are added black pepper www.patsys.com to the sauce, add the pasta to the Pinch of dried oregano boiling water and cook according to the 2 cups olive oil, for frying package directions until al dente. Drain the 1 pound spaghetti spaghetti and return to its pot. Add about half of 4 cups Patsy’s Marinara Sauce or Tomato the tomato sauce and mix well. Divide the pasta Basil Sauce (available at better grocers) and meatballs among pasta bowls and top with the Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, remaining sauce. Serve hot with the Parmigiano for serving passed on the side.

1. To make the meatballs: Combine the veal, bread crumbs, eggs, Pecorino Romano, parsley, garlic, salt, pepper, and oregano in a large bowl. Using your hands, mix the ingredients together thoroughly. Roll into 12 meatballs and transfer to a plate.

2. Line a platter or baking sheet with paper towels and place near the stove.

Heat the oil in a large, deep skillet and heat over high until the oil is shimmering (350ºF on a deep-frying thermometer).

In batches, without crowding, carefully add the meatballs and fry, turning occasionally, until they are nicely browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon,

This recipe can be found on page 114 of my new cookbook “Patsy’s Italian Family Cookbook.”

A big, warm, beautiful Italian cookbook with full color throughout, Patsy’s Italian Family Cookbook is a great book for those who know the restaurant and love classic Italian dishes.

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LOWCOUNTRY DINNER AT ROOT & BONE WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29 Root and Bone will serve a special dinner devoted to the cuisine of Beaufort, South Carolina, taking inspiration from family recipes and classic cookbooks that trace the African American and Native American roots of Southern cooking. Dishes include Shecrab Soup, Low Country Boil, Hoppin’ John, TASTE and Blackberry Cobbler. $50 Pick per person. RootnBone.com Root & Bone 200 E. Third St. (near Avenue B) East Village

TheBloodyMaryFest.com

New & Noteworthy

With no false modesty, I have often heard that Patsy’s has the best meatballs in New York. These tasty icons of Italian-American cuisine do have a secret ingredient: ground veal, which has more natural gelatin than ground beef or pork and provides extra moisture. For a little while, my dad, Joe, took them off the menu, believing that they were old hat. I argued that the customers demanded them. As an experiment, we put them on the menu for two days to see how many orders we sold. Let’s just say that our meatballs will never leave the menu again.

De Gustibus Cooking School At Macy’s Herald Square 151 W. 34th St. (between Broadway & Seventh Avenue) 8th Floor Herald Square

ONGOING Australian restaurant Flinders Lane has new brunch dishes: mushrooms on toast with baby arugula and feta cheese sourced from Australia’s Yarra Valley Dairy; Shrimp San Choi Bau, with bean sprouts, water chestnuts, and bamboo shoots served on iceberg lettuce leaves; and Tea Smoked Salmon with poached egg, avocado, and greens. FlindersLane-NYC.com Flinders Lane 162 Avenue A (between East 10th & East 11th streets) East Village

Boozy Milkshakes at Creamline ONGOING “Farm-to-tray,” fast-casual spot Creamline is serving a line of boozy milkshakes. Look forward to flavor combinations like Kahlua Chocolate Fudge, Bourbon Coffee, Bailey’s Two Cookies and Cream (with Oreos and Nilla wafers), and Amaretto Honey (with honey from Catskill Provisions). CreamlineNYC.com Creamline 75 Ninth Ave. (between West 15th & West 16th streets) Chelsea 180 Seventh Ave. (at 21st Street) Chelsea

Compiled by Annie Wu/Epoch Times Staff

DISCUSSION OF JEWISH DIASPORA CUISINE AT 92Y TUESDAY, APRIL 4 Joan Nathan, a James Beard Award-winning cookbook author, will give a talk about the diverse cuisines of the Jewish diaspora, from traditional dishes like Yemenite chicken soup with dill, cilantro, and parsley, to contemporary dishes like Roman ricotta cheese torte. Her new book, “King Solomon’s Table,” documents Jewish cooking in places like India, Mexico, France, and beyond. $29 per person. 7 p.m. 92y.org 92Y 1395 Lexington Ave. (at East 92nd Street) Upper East Side

NIGHT OUT BENEFIT DINNER FOR NO KID HUNGRY TUESDAY, APRIL 4 More than a dozen chefs and sommeliers will join hands for a grand feast benefiting the nonprofit No Kid Hungry.

Among them are chefs Amanda Cohen of Dirt Candy, Anita Lo of Annisa, Bryce Shuman of Betony, and Celina Tio of Julian and The Belfry in Kansas City. 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. $1,000 per person. CE.NoKidHungry.org Metropolitan Pavilion 125 W. 18th St. (between Sixth & Seventh avenues) Chelsea

‘TRIP THROUGH ITALY’ DINNER SERIES AT OLIE E PIU THROUGH DECEMBER Every two weeks, West Village Italian restaurant Olio e Piú is offering a menu highlighting specialty dishes from different parts of Italy. These include an appetizer, entrée, and pasta, which can be ordered as a set menu or à la carte. Upcoming featured regions include Calabria, with Greekinfluenced flavors; and Friuli Venezia Giulia, known for its central European-style polenta and soups. Visit OlioEPiu.nyc/trip-to-italy for the full schedule.

Olio e Piú 3 Greenwich Ave. (between Christopher Street & Sixth Avenue) West Village

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Master Chocolatier Jacques Torres Opens Chocolate Museum

Openings around NYC SIGNE BIRCK

SIGNE BIRCK

A 5,000-square-foot museum dedicated to chocolate has opened inside the SoHo store of master chocolatier Jacques Torres. The exhibits feature artifacts that tell the history of chocolate-making, beginning with the Mayans, who first cultivated cacao beans.

Among the artifacts are a pre-Columbian grinding stone from 500 A.D., a 1750 Spanish cup made of coconut shell and silver, and French art deco chocolate boxes from 1850.

The museum, called Choco-Story, features demonstrations of bonbon-making and preparing Mayan chocolate (a bitter, complex drink akin to coffee), samples of single-origin chocolates, and a children’s playroom. For an additional fee, visitors can try their hand

Villanelle Opens in Greenwich Village

T

here’s something of a poetic side to the newly opened Villanelle in Greenwich Village. The name Villanelle alludes to a tradition of sung poetry dating back to 16th-century Naples. The restaurant’s menu, crafted by executive chef Nick Licata (formerly of Degustation and Jack’s Luxury Oyster Bar) is fittingly vegetable-forward, with ingredients sourced from nearby Union Square Greenmarket.

Beets are paired with radicchio, grapefruit, and robiola cheese; parsnips are baked, braised in butter, and served with white chocolate and crispy parsnip skin. There are seafood and meat options as well, but always with a focus on vegetables: slow-braised pork cheeks are accompanied by carrots and carrot greens; arctic char comes with sorrel, dill oil, and caramelized cream.

The cocktails are named after poems, like The Wasteland (a bourbon Old Fashioned with black pepper and maple syrup) and Into That Good Night (mezcal, Chartreuse, and sherry).

Open Monday through Saturday from 5:30 p.m.

Fire-Based Cooking at Metta Metta, headed by chef Norberto Piattoni, opens in Fort Greene with a focus on sustainably sourced, vegetable-forward dishes cooked in a custom, open fire kitchen. The Argentinaborn Piattoni uses flame, embers, and smoke, as well as traditional preservation techniques,

at making chocolate bars.

The project is a collaboration with Eddy Van Belle, the museum’s primary collector. He has opened similar museums in Belgium, Prague, and Paris. The museum will be open for at least the next two years. $10 to $45.

Open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Jacques Torres Chocolate

350 Hudson St. (between Charlton & King streets) SoHo 917-261-4252 Choco-StoryNY.com

Travels Inspire New Greenpoint Cafe COURTESY OF ONE BEDFORD

Alexandra Siwiec’s travels through Europe are the inspiration behind her new Greenpoint cafe One Bedford. Offering Devoción espresso and cornetti (quintessential Italian breakfast pastries) made in-house by day, and aperitifs and bistro fare at night, the 25-seat One Bedford also serves brunch on weekends. Siwiec’s hospitality group owns Greenpoint’s The Good Room and is set to open The Gentry, around the corner from One Bedford.

MICHAEL TULIPAN

One Bedford

1 Bedford Ave. (between Manhattan Avenue & Lorimer Street) Greenpoint, Brooklyn 718-383-5349 OneBedfordNY.com

(Top L) Crisp Octopus; (above) The New Colossus cocktail.

Villanelle

Little Mountain, a Tiny Cocktail Bar

15 E. 12th St. (between University Place & Fifth Avenue) Greenwich Village 212-989-2474 VillanelleNYC.com

Vermont log cabin-like Little Mountain, at 270 square feet, seats just about 18 people.

The cocktail bar in Carroll Gardens has cocktails on tap: With two seasonally changing bases—one with Applejack and Cynar, the other Campari and sweet vermouth—bartenders can serve customized cocktails. A menu of meats, cheeses, and house panini comple-

to prepare dishes including charred beets with crème fraîche and rye berries; smashed potatoes with roe and scallion; and freekeh and mushroom risotto.

Open Tuesday through Sunday from 5:30 p.m.

197 Adelphi St. (at Willoughby Avenue) Fort Greene, Brooklyn 718-233-9134 MettaBK.com

prosciutto cotto, and mushrooms, and a variety of dishes with freshly made pasta, such as Tagliatelle alla Checco, with beef ragout, green peas, and heavy cream.

Open Tuesday through Sunday from 6 p.m.

Emanuele Bugiani brings to the Lower East Side dishes from his family’s Tuscan restaurant in Pistoia, near Florence, that has been open since 1890. The new restaurant offers dishes such as Crostone Fagiolino, with chicken liver,

Fiaschetteria Pistoia

Little Mountain

359 Sackett St. (between Smith & Hoyt streets) Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn 718-797-3431

Vegan Deli Counter Opens on LES

Metta

From Pistoia to Manhattan, a Tuscan Family Restaurant

ments the tipples.

Open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 5 p.m. and Sundays from 4 p.m.

KATIE FOSTER

Sara and Erica Kubersky, who are the owners of MooShoes and Modern Love Brooklyn, and Joya Carlton (previously of Butcher’s Daughter and Buvette) have opened Orchard Grocer. The vegan deli counter and grocery offers sandwiches, salads, pastries, sundaes, and pantry items. The menu includes The Edith, with housemade cashew cream cheese, carrot lox, and chives on an Orwashers bagel; and the Emma, with pulled jackfruit, pomegranate ginger barbecue sauce, and red cabbage coleslaw on a potato roll.

Orchard Grocer

78 Orchard St. (between Grand & Broome streets) Lower East Side 646-757-9910 OrchardGrocer.com

647 E. 11 St. (at Avenue C) Lower East Side 212-777-3355 FiaschetteriaPistoia.com

Scones.

Gastropub The Fat Monk Now Open on Upper West Side MAX FLATOW

For his new gastropub, chef Rob McCue says he has put together a menu that he’s envisioned for a long time. “This restaurant concept has been in the works for 15 years. I love this neighborhood and I thought high-end yet approachable comfort food would be a great fit for the area,” he said in a press release. The two-level space features exposed stonework and Italian stained-glass doors.

Dishes include Dungeness Crab Tater Tots with smoked chili aioli and shaved chive; Beef Wellie, a riff on beef Wellington; and Shepherd’s Pie with lamb shank, root vegetables, peas, whipped potato, and puff pastry. Locally sourced beers and wines, as well as cocktails, are offered.

Open daily from 5 p.m.

The Fat Monk

949 Columbus Ave. (between West 106th & West 107th streets) Upper West Side 212-837-2334 TheFatMonkNYC.com

Authentic Japanese The Monk Burger.

GMO FREE

Momokawa Prix Fixe Menu

Bromberg Brothers Open Blue Ribbon Federal Grill The newest addition to the Bromberg Bros.

Blue Ribbon Restaurants is Blue Ribbon Federal Grill, located across from the Federal Reserve building and on the ground floor of residential hotel AKA Wall Street. The restaurant, inspired by the original Blue Ribbon in SoHo, offers dishes such as lamb T-bone with

smoky eggplant and mint gremolata; New Zealand cockles with coconut milk, ginger, cilantro, and chilies; and Farro and Shrimp with poblano peppers, corn, mint yogurt, and cumin.

Open Monday through Friday for lunch and daily for dinner.

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.

Small Course (service for two or more)

Blue Ribbon Federal Grill

84 William St. (at Maiden Lane) Financial District 212-337-0404 BlueRibbonRestaurants.com

• Appetizer • 2 kinds of Sashimi • Choice of Sukiyaki or Shabu-Shabu (Sauté meals cooked at the table)

• Dessert

$48/per person A L SO AVA IL A BLE: DA ILY LUNCH SPECI A L S (12 P.M.-4 P.M.)

Momokawa 157 East 28th Street | 1466 1st Ave (btwn 76 and 77) (212) 684-7830 | momokawanyc.com

Compiled by Channaly Philipp & Annie Wu/Epoch Times Staff

2nd Location

D6

@EpochTaste

March 24–30, 2017 www.EpochTaste.com

Japan One-Ups Scotch With Whisky, Coveted Around the World

By Yuri Kageyama

A

AUTHENTIC JAPANESE RAMEN

Suntory’s chief blender Shinji Fukuyo tests samples at the whisky brand’s distillery in Yamazaki, Japan.

EUGENE HOSHIKO (LEFT); KOJI UEDA/AP (ABOVE)

Atsushi Horigami adjusts bottles of Japanese whisky at his bar, Zoetrope, in Tokyo.

dim storage room surrounded by bamboo groves and pastoral hills is filled wall-to-wall with 3,000 wooden barrels.

Here sleeps, for years, sometimes decades, prized Japanese whisky.

The Suntory distillery in Yamazaki, near the ancient capital of Kyoto, is where the first drop of made-in-Japan malt whisky was distilled in 1924.

These days, Japanese whisky is winning accolades from around the world, often beating the products from Scotland its makers set out to emulate.

In 2003, the Yamazaki 12 Years single malt whisky became the first Japanese whisky to win the gold medal at the International Spirits Challenge, the most authoritative liquor competition in the world. Last year, Hibiki, another Suntory label, won the World’s Best Blended Whisky prize at the World Whiskies Awards, for the fourth time. A bottle of Yamazaki Sherry Cask, aged 25 years, fetches thousands of dollars each.

“They have a lot more earthiness to them. They are much more a product of their environment,” said Wes Barbee, a 23-yearold consultant from Houston, as he joined dozens of Japanese and foreign tourists visiting the Yamazaki distillery and lining up for a taste.

“American and Canadian whisky has nothing on this. It’s mass production. This is very intimate. The flavors are carefully chosen,” he said.

Japan’s four distinct seasons help to deepen whisky flavors during aging.

The Process Japan abounds with stories of how manufacturers like automaker Toyota Motor Corp. and musical instrument manufacturer Yamaha Corp. imitated Western pioneers in their industries at first, but ended up matching, if not outdoing, them.

Suntory founder Shinjiro Torii was determined to introduce scotch to Japan. Overcoming early failures, he eventually adapted his methods to distill a whisky palatable to Japanese.

Scotland’s many distilleries make blending whisky flavors easy. Suntory had to develop its own array of flavors using various temperatures and combinations of yeasts for fermentation, as well as more complex methods of distilling whisky.

After fermentation, the beige liquid gets heated and distilled in “pot stills,” huge metallic containers of varying shapes that can quicken or delay the distilling process, yielding nuances of flavors.

The result is a colorless liquid that smells almost like antiseptic that is stored in barrels, or casks, in a cavernous warehouse designed for aging whiskies. No nails are used in the casks, which are made from strips of old wood bound by tightened metal rings. Aging gives whisky its color and personality—what whisky lovers say distinguishes it from wine or beer.

The casks, used over and over again, include old wine and bourbon barrels. Some are from Europe and the United States and others are made of Japanese oak. Suntory’s three distilleries in Japan house a million casks.

Aging Whisky It’s a mystery exactly how whisky ages, says Shinji Fukuyo, Suntory’s chief blender.

Flavors of each cask are mixed—just right, like a “jigsaw puzzle,” he says—to create, and recreate, various kinds of whisky and develop new ones. Experts believe that Japan’s four distinct seasons help to deepen whisky flavors during years of aging.

A serious-looking, slight man with graying hair, Fukuyo says he avoids garlic or greasy fish, especially for breakfast, to keep his taste buds pure for his job.

“What’s important for whisky is that its deliciousness must deepen with aging, sitting in the casks for a long time,” said Fukuyo, 55, demonstrating how he examines the whisky in a glass, swirling the crystalline amber spirit against the light.

Fukuyo gently rolls a sip on his tongue, then spits it out. He does 100 such tastings a day,

sometimes more than 200. He switches positions of the glasses on the table to remember what he just tasted. There is no time for note-taking.

“It’s a clean and beautiful taste. It’s hard to explain in words,” he said of Japanese whisky.

Japanese whisky aged in a white oak cask has a hint of citrus or green apple flavor. One aged in a sherry cask is fragrant, rich, and sweet, evocative of dried fruit. Whisky aged in Japanese oak and smoky whisky have pungent, herbal flavors.

The growing popularity of Japan’s cuisine has helped win a following for its whisky, which was designed to be consumed with food, experts say.

Nikka Whisky, a unit of Asahi Breweries, froze its overseas expansion in 2014, finding it impossible to keep up with demand, says Emiko Kaji, who manages Nikka’s international business.

Nikka Whisky From the Barrel, packaged in a sleek bottle, is doing especially well in Europe, she says.

Sukhinder Singh, owner of London-based retailer The Whisky Exchange, says he has had to ration his supplies of Japanese whisky to hotels and restaurants. He never seems to have enough.

At first, Japanese victories in blindfold whisky contests baffled connoisseurs. By now, the Japanese blends have won over even the skeptics, he said.

When whisky expert Jim Murray voted the Yamazaki Sherry Cask the Best Whisky in the World for his 2015 Whisky Bible, its price shot up overnight. Prices of other Japanese whiskies have also been rising.

“Everyone went, ‘We want to buy Japanese,’” Singh said in a phone interview. “The problem we have at the moment is not selling it. It’s getting it.”

“We can sell every bottle we can get,” he said.

Zoetrope, a tiny bar in a dingy Tokyo backstreet building, is famed among lovers of Japanese whisky.

“Japanese whisky has an unpredictability that makes it fun, and the highly skillful Japanese blenders have created a subtle taste with an impeccable balance,” said Atsushi Horigami, Zoetrope’s owner and bartender, standing before counters and shelves crammed with colorful bottles.

Thousands of miles away at Festa, a bar in San Francisco, banker Crystal Roseberry was trying Suntory’s Yamazaki 12, at $40 a drink.

“Soft, silky, not jarring, elegant, friendly. And it still has a structure of a good whisky, which I think is very important,” she said in an interview over an online call. “This whisky is intriguing.”

Bar owner Masae Matsumoto was glad to have stocked up on Yamazaki.

“It’s gotten impossible to get over the last six months,” she said. “Japanese whisky tastes so good.”

From The Associated Press

MELISSA D’ARABIAN VIA AP

Not a Lumberjack?

You Can Still Eat a Filling Breakfast

Tasty dishes and amazing appetizers!

Tabata 3 Tabata 1 646-657-0257 212-465-2418 601 6th Ave, 557 8th Ave, New York, NY 10018 New York, NY 10011 Tabata 2 212-290-7691 540 9th Ave, New York, NY 10018

By Melissa d’Arabian

Tabatanewyork.com

I am a morning person (by choice, not nature, but that’s a story for another time) and breakfast is my favorite meal of the day.

Strong coffee and a hearty morning meal make me feel like I’m on vacation, luxuriating in hash browns and bacon without a health or calorie care in the world. Breakfast menus at truck stops and diners have incredible appeal to a closeted lumberjack like me, with words like “grand slam” and “breakfast skillet” promising a meal that will fill me up for most of the day.

But eating like a lumberjack when you have a desk job makes no sense, unless you really are on vacation. For a more quotidian option, Prep & Cooking Time: try my Country-Style Skillet Breakfast.

25 minutes I use just a few strips of real pork bacon to Serves 4 keep things feeling authentically diner-ish.

Onions, sweet yellow peppers, spinach, and • 10 ounces frozen chopped garlic all add a ton of flavor (and nutrients) but spinach, thawed hardly any calories.

• 3 slices of bacon, cut The real nutrient and calorie-saving into small pieces Cauliflower workhorse of this recipe, though, is riced • 1/2 yellow or sweet replaces hash cauliflower, which replaces the skilletonion, chopped (about browns for staple hash brown. Simply pulse up a 1 cup) a nutritious, bunch of cauliflower florets in a food pro• 1/2 yellow bell filling dish. cessor until they are cut into rice-sized pepper, chopped (about pieces. Not only do you save calories but 1/2 cup) also all the extra fat you’d be using to make • 3 cloves garlic, minced those hash browns crispy and tasty.

• 1 teaspoon dried herbes de The cauliflower is just bland enough that it Provence (or dried oregano takes on the flavors of the rest of the ingredior thyme) ents and provides enough heft to house eggs • 1 teaspoon broken right into the skillet. The result is russmoked paprika tic, gorgeous, and filling. Yet another reason • 3 cups fresh to celebrate our country’s current obsession cauliflower rice with cauliflower.

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

RECIPE

COUNTRY-STYLE CAULIFLOWER BREAKFAST SKILLET

Classic Margherita Pizza

Arugula, Garlic & Sunny Side Eggs Pizza



“the pizza is super thin-crust, crispy and delicious. you can smell the wood burning stove a block away...” ZAGAT USER

Roasted Eggplant, Zucchini & Olives Pizza



“The wood fired oven along with the homemade cheese just can’t be beat. ” PM



“Love it. Thin crust, very good choice of topping.

Unbeatable Beer pitcher price.” CB

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

Food Network star Melissa d’Arabian is an expert on healthy eating on a budget. She is the author of the cookbook “Supermarket Healthy.”

From The Associated Press

• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese • 4 eggs • Chopped parsley, for garnish • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, or more to taste

• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS Heat oven to 350 F. Gently squeeze the thawed spinach to remove excess moisture and set aside.

In a large oven-safe skillet, cook bacon over medium-low heat until it starts to crisp, about 5 minutes.

Add onion and bell pepper, and cook until tender, about 6 minutes.

Add the minced garlic, herbs, and smoked paprika, and stir.

Add the cauliflower and cook until tender, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the lemon juice and the spinach, and stir until wellcombined. Remove from heat and sprinkle the cheese evenly over the mixture. Gently make four wells in the mixture with a wooden spoon. Spray each well with oil.

Crack each egg into a separate cup, then gently pour one egg into each well.

Bake until eggs are done, about 7 to 8 minutes for runny yolks, longer for firmer yolks. Sprinkle with parsley and salt and pepper to taste, and serve.

Recipe by Melissa d’Arabian

D7

@EpochTaste

March 24–30, 2017 www.EpochTaste.com AP PHOTO/J.M. HIRSCH

RECIPE zest. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat together the butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.

LEMON RASPBERRY POUND CAKE MUFFINS

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in the vanilla.

Prep & Baking Time: 45 minutes (15 minutes active) Serves 8

Tips for Getting the Most Flavor Out of Lemons

By Sara Moulton Fresh lemon—including the juice and the peel— is one of my all-time favorite ingredients, in part because it’s just so versatile. It can be the star of the show (as in this recipe) or a brilliant supporting actor (as in so many of my everyday dishes). It’s indispensable in fish dishes and pairs beautifully with all sorts of vegetables, raw and cooked. I also reach for it regularly to brighten up soups, stews, and sautés.

The great thing about lemon peel is that it adds intense lemon flavor to a recipe without all the acid that is found in the juice. I use grated lemon zest in scrambled eggs and creamy pasta dishes and combine it with chopped herbs as a finishing touch for braised meats.

Whichever parts you use, it’s important to start with the best possible lemons. The winning candidates will boast a bright yellow color and a thin skin. A thin skin signals more juice and less pith (the bitter-tasting white layer between the peel and the fruit itself). When grating the peel, you want to stop short of the pith. How do you know a given specimen has a thin skin? It will give a little when you squeeze it.

Once home with your lemons, scrub each one lightly under water to remove the edible wax it was covered in to protect it on its journey to the market. If your recipe calls for zest and juice, grate the zest before you juice the lemon. But don’t grate the zest until just before you’re ready to add it to the recipe. Zest quickly dries out and loses its oomph if it sits around for very long.

My favorite tool for grating zest is a wandstyle grater. Once upon a time, the tool of choice was the fine side of a four-sided grater. Unfortunately, this gadget often grabbed too much of the pith—not to mention the tips of your fingers— in the process. I do my grating over a piece of

kitchen parchment, which allows me to pick up and measure the zest easily. The yield is roughly 1 tablespoon of zest per large lemon. If your recipe calls for zest but not juice, wrap the unused lemon in plastic wrap when you’re done and do your best to use it up within a few days. A lemon stripped of its protective layer of zest dries out pretty quickly.

There are several ways to make sure you squeeze the maximum amount of juice from your lemon. First, soften up the fruit by rolling it on the counter and pressing down as you do.

Second, heat it, either by microwaving it for 20 seconds or so or by placing it in the oven at 350 F for 10 to 12 minutes. Finally, cut the lemon in half crosswise and juice it.

I like to juice using an old-fashioned and brightly colored Mexican hand press. But there’s also a more unorthodox, if equally effective, way to do it. Place the cut lemon half in between the two arms of a set of tongs, right at the top where the arms are joined. Then squeeze the bottom ends together. I learned this little trick from chef Ming Tsai, who picked it up from chef Jasper White. One large lemon will give up about 1/4 cup of juice.

These muffins are quite rich, better suited to dessert than breakfast, and their deep lemon flavor is complemented by the raspberries.

One large lemon will give up about 1/4 cup of juice.

Bake the cupcakes on the oven’s center shelf until golden on top and a toothpick inserted at the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes.

Transfer the cakes to a wire rack and let cool completely.

While the cupcakes are baking, make the glaze. In a small bowl whisk together the powdered sugar and remaining lemon juice until smooth. When the cupcakes are cooled, drizzle the glaze over each cake.

Heat the oven to 325 F. Line a cupcake tin with eight paper cupcake liners.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and lemon

Recipe by Sara Moulton

in Midtown West

Find us in the Washington Jefferson Hotel

Whichever parts you use, it’s important to start with the best possible lemons.

•

The freshest sushi made the traditional, simple way by master chef Shimizu • Shochu & sake • Exceptional value

Shimizu Sushi & Shochu Bar • ShimizuSushiNY.com 318 W. 51st St. (btw. 8th & 9th avenues) • (212) 581-1581

SO FRESH!

From The Associated Press WE NOW DELIVER!

Authentic & Delicious Tacos Huaraches Chile Relleno Chilaquile Rojos Made to order

MELISSA D’ARABIAN VIA AP

Come enjoy cuisine from the most savory region in Mexico...Puebla!

60 E. Third St. (between First & Second avenues) 646-692-9268 • eldiablitotaqueria.com

CASTILIAN SPANISH CUISINE

By Melissa d’Arabian

From The Associated Press

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling them halfway. Press four raspberries gently into the center of the batter in each cup, then top with more batter, filling the cups just up to the tops of the liners.

An Authentic Bit of Tokyo

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.”

Black Beans and Mango Combine in a Delicious, Filling Salad

Food Network star Melissa d’Arabian is an expert on healthy eating on a budget.

She is the author of the cookbook “Supermarket Healthy.”

Add the remaining flour mixture, beating just until combined.

DIRECTIONS

MARGARITA SH/SHUTTERSTOCK

Canned beans are fantastic convenience food.

For a little over a buck, you can stock your pantry with a shelf-stable protein source that works in main dishes or in side dishes.

You can even use cooked canned beans as an inexpensive way to stretch pricier proteins: Serve seared salmon on a bed of sautéed creamy white beans, and you’ll only need a few ounces of fish to make the meal feel hearty.

In this week’s recipe, I pair black beans with fresh mango and the result is spectacular, especially given how quickly this recipe comes together.

Mango is an excellent source of vitamins C and A, and it makes the salad feel bright and tropical.

Texture (and niacin!) comes from a light sprinkle of cashews and just a few smashed corn tortilla chips, which you can buy or make by roasting corn tortillas in the oven until crisp, about 15 minutes at 350 F. The tasty dressing is a result of a simple weeknight dressing hack: I add fresh lime juice and a little olive oil to prepared salsa.

I use shredded kale for this salad, but use any hearty dark green—you get more vitamins with the darker greens, and the bold flavors and textures on this salad need a green that can stand up to them. Feel free to swap out the fruit or other ingredients to match your pantry.

Add half the flour mixture and mix just until combined. Beat in the cream and 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice.

• 1 cup (4 1/2 ounces) cake flour (not self-rising) • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder • 1/4 teaspoon table salt • 1/4 cup grated lemon zest • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened • 3/4 cup granulated sugar • 3 large eggs • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract • 1/4 cup heavy cream • 2 tablespoons plus 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice, divided • 1 pint raspberries • 1/4 cup plus 2 teaspoons powdered sugar

at el Pote

Hearty, Wholesome Food from Old Spain

RECIPE BLACK BEAN AND MANGO SALAD Prep & Cooking Time: 15 minutes Serves 4 • 6 cups shredded kale, or other dark leafy greens • 1 cup cooked or canned black beans, rinsed and drained • 1 1/2 cups cubed fresh mango, about 1 large mango • 1 cup organic frozen corn, thawed • 1 cup chopped tomato, about 2 Roma tomatoes • 1/2 yellow bell pepper, chopped • 1/2 large avocado, cubed • 2 green onions, chopped • 1/4 cup cashews, chopped • 8 baked organic corn chips,

Chef’s Favorites Sweet Sangria lightly crushed • chopped cilantro or parsley, for garnish

Rich Paella Valenciana

For the Dressing • 1/4 cup prepared tomato (or tomatillo) salsa • 3 tablespoons lime juice • 1 tablespoon olive oil • 1/4 teaspoon salt • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Juicy Lamb Chops

Fresh Lobster Bisque

DIRECTIONS Lay the greens on a platter or individual plates. Place beans, mango, corn, tomato, bell pepper, and avocado on top of the greens.

Sprinkle on the green onions, cashews, crushed corn chips, and cilantro. In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients and pour over the salad. Serve.

Recipe by Melissa d’Arabian

718 2nd Ave @ 38th St. www.elPote.com 212.889.6680

D8

@EpochTaste

March 24–30, 2017 www.EpochTaste.com PHIL MANSFIELD/THE CULINARY INSTITUTE OF AMERICA VIA AP

A Braised Brisket Recipe That’s Perfect for Any Dinner Party

By The Culinary Institute of America

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.

Let’s get this out of the way early: You don’t need a Passover brisket recipe, because you will never make one that is better than your grandmother’s.

But maybe you’re hosting a dinner for friends and want a great recipe that will never ever live up to that other brisket you love unconditionally (wink wink). Luckily, this recipe for Red Wine Braised Brisket is perfect for any dinner party, or weeknight, for that matter.

Brisket falls into a category of meats that shine when cooked low and slow. That can include a low-temperature smoke, a leisurely oven-roast, or a long and flavorful braise.

Braising is a great choice because the cooking liquid imparts flavor into an otherwise bland cut of meat.

The red wine in our marinade, which eventually becomes your braising liquid, works not just to flavor the brisket and sauce, but also to tenderize. The acidity in wine breaks down proteins, so make sure to give it enough Brisket falls into a time to really do its work. Once

RECIPE

category of meats that shine when cooked low and slow.

and sear on all sides until golden brown, then transfer to a plate.

Prep & Cooking Time: 11 hours, 15 minutes (45 minutes active) Serves 10

Reduce the heat to medium-low and pour off the fat. Add the tomato paste and cook until the color deepens and appears rusty, about 4 minutes. Add the reserved marinade and use a wooden spoon to scrape any brown bits from the bottom of the pan.

• • • • • • • • • • •

3 to 4 pounds beef brisket, fat trimmed 2 cups dry red wine 4 cloves garlic, chopped 1 small onion, chopped 2 carrots, chopped 2 stalks celery, chopped 1 teaspoon black peppercorns, cracked 1 teaspoon thyme leaves 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1/4 cup tomato paste 3 cups low-sodium beef stock

For the Persillade Serves 10 • 2 cups matzo meal • 1 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped • 1 clove garlic, crushed • 1/2 cup olive oil For the Roasted Cipollini Onions Serves 10 • 2 tablespoons olive oil • 10 garlic cloves • 1 pound Cipollini onions, peeled • 1 teaspoon kosher salt • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper • 1/2 teaspoon chopped thyme

DIRECTIONS

10 W. 32 St., New York, NY 10001 www.misskoreaBBQ.com Open 24 hours

From The Associated Press

RED WINE-BRAISED BRISKET

The key to the brisket is the marinade, and a handy way to marinate the meat is to place it in a large zipper-locked plastic bag. Pour in the marinade, and seal the bag. Turn the bag a few times to thoroughly coat the meat.

212-594-4963

it cooks together with the tomato paste and beef broth, the wine flavor will mellow, and it will be the perfect combination of savory, salty, and just a little sweet.

After braising, the brisket is rubbed in persillade, which is a very fancy word to describe a very simple thing. A mixture of chopped parsley, garlic, oil, and other seasonings, persillade can be used to season or garnish almost any dish. It is often combined with bread crumbs (or matzo, in this case) and used as a crunchy, colorful coating for meat and fish.

By now, you’re probably starving, and we haven’t even told you the best thing about this recipe. Not only is it delicious and amazing, but like most braises, this brisket is going to taste even better if you make it ahead of time.

That means that on the day of your dinner, all you have to do is gently reheat it, cover it with the persillade, and give it a quick bake to warm through. That’s basically 10 minutes of work, leaving you plenty of time to explain yourself to your grandmother.

Place brisket in a sealable plastic bag or in a large shallow baking dish. In another bowl, combine wine, garlic, onion, carrots, celery, peppercorns, and thyme. Pour mixture over brisket, cover (or seal). Turn the bag a few times or stir the mixture to thoroughly coat the meat. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours.

Heat the oven to 350 F. Remove the brisket from the marinade and pat dry with a paper towel. Reserve about half of the marinade.

In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven, heat the oil over high heat until wisps of smoke appear. Place dry brisket in pan

Return the brisket to the pan and add stock (you may not need all of the stock. The braising liquid should come about 1/3 of the way up the brisket).

Bring to a simmer, cover, and place in preheated oven. Braise until meat is tender, about 1 1/2 hours. (Test meat for doneness by piercing with a roasting fork. If fork enters meat without resistance and brisket easily slides off, the meat is done.)

Transfer the brisket to a foil-lined baking sheet and set aside.Skim any fat from the cooking liquid. Carefully transfer the braising liquid to a blender and process until smooth.

If remaining sauce is too thick, add additional stock; if it is too thin, simmer over medium heat until it has reduced. Season with salt and pepper, to taste and set aside.

Sprinkle the persillade over the cooked brisket and gently pat down to adhere.

Return to the oven and bake until the persillade is lightly golden brown, about 10 minutes.

Slice the brisket into thin slices and serve with the sauce and roasted vegetables.

To Make the Persillade In a bowl, combine the matzo meal, parsley, garlic, and oil. Toss to combine and set aside until needed.

To Make the Onions Heat the oven to 375 F. In a large bowl, combine the oil, garlic, onions, salt, and pepper, and toss to coat. Spread onto a baking dish or roasting pan and cover with foil.

Cook until the onions begin to soften, about 10 minutes. Remove the foil, stir the onions, and return to the oven.

Roast until the onions are translucent, very tender, and lightly browned around the edges, about 30 minutes.

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