ALL PHOTOS BY SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES
D1 May 22–28, 2015
Swifty’s celebrates its 15th year.
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Jacques Torres with candied ginger coated in dark chocolate. YUM!
Jacques Torres & The
Believe us when we say Willy Wonka has nothing on this legendary chocolate wizard.
Chocolate Factory ! Chocolate, chocolate everywhere.
By Rowena Tsai | Epoch Times Staff
t was as if we had won the golden ticket. Last week, Mr. Chocolate himself gave us a tour of the impressive 40,000-square-foot Jacques Torres Chocolate Factory at the Brooklyn Army Terminal.
As the elevator ascended, I must admit, my heart began palpitating and my hands started sweating from excitement. I couldn’t help but imagine a chocolate terrain landscaped with licorice trees, lollipop flowers, and green foodcolored coconut flake grass. I was brought back to reality when the elevator opened to clean white walls and glossy cement floors. Oh my overly fanciful imagination; Even though I was at a chocolate factory that housed some of the best chocolates in the world, it was a manufacturing plant, after all. Jacques Torres continued on D3
Your week just got sweeter. We’re giving away an assortment of Jacques Torres goodies to one lucky winner. Follow us on Instagram @EpochTaste to find out how to win!
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May 22–28, 2015 www.EpochTaste.com ALL PHOTOS BY JOSHUA PHILIPP/EPOCH TIMES
Edmund “Hoboken Eddie” McCarthy showing a couple of his hot sauces.
Chip Hearn, owner of Peppers.com.
Characters Abound in the Strange Land of Hot Sauce If Jimmy Buffett held a concert with Ozzy Osborne as the opening act, they would attract a crowd similar to a hot sauce festival. By Joshua Philipp | Epoch Times Staff As I witnessed at the NYC Hot Sauce Expo last month, there were two factions battling over tastebuds: those who wish to delight, and those who wish to destroy. It’s often easy to detect which side a vendor stands on. The guy with the Hawaiian shirt and safari hat probably serves some fruity concoction. The bearded men in cowboy hats smirking from behind their counter, decked with skulls shooting flames out of their eyes, probably want to watch you burn. Then there are those who seem to exist in a rift between two worlds—a place we in the north refer to as “New Jersey.” One booth was run by a smiling elderly man with a tie-dye shirt and a round hat embroidered with the words “Trout Unlimited.” Next to him was another man, this one with a black leather jacket, a white handlebar mustache, and a gun holster with a bottle of hot sauce in it. Surely, a friendship like this could have only been forged through some strange adventure in the 1960s. But they seemed friendly enough. It turns out the biker guy is “Hoboken Eddie,” the creator of a particularly delicious brand of hot sauce of the same name. “Anyone can make a hot sauce,” said Edmund “Hoboken Eddie” McCarthy, yet noted that making a hot sauce that tastes good is a much larger endeavor. McCarthy said sauces that aim for heat only are just “novelty items.” They’re the kind of things you would use to joke with friends, but not sauces you’ll put on your food because you actually enjoy them. For McCarthy, hot sauce is personal. He grows the peppers, hickory smokes them, and bottles the sauce himself. He grabbed a bottle of his smoked chipotle sauce and poured some out into a container. It came out in a thick consistency, which he said “is because it’s sauce— not just vinegar and xantham gum.” He gave me a taste of his Smoked Home Grown sauce. The first thing that hit me was the smoky flavor, reminiscent of a good barbecue sauce. Then came a light, sweet flavor, while the heat of the peppers slowly increased yet stopped just short of being painful. It was wonderful. As I continued my journey around the expo, I noticed the clearer difference between the products just designed to be hot, and those designed to just taste really good.
I quickly found myself in agony, and tried to keep a straight face and not choke as I uttered a quick “thanks.”
Habanero mustard sauce made with peppers from Hoboken Eddie’s garden. Laced with horseradish.
BALANCE
Ancient principles of Greek cuisine combined with modern techniques, yield a harmonious balance of flavors in every dish, at Nerai.
55 East 54th Street New York (646)844-2275 www.nerai.nyc
There was one in particular that stood out. There was a row of horseradish hot sauces lined up on a table, in order of the mildest to the hottest. Being a fan of horseradish, I first tried their mild, “classic” flavor, and found it decent. Then I decided to try the second hottest they had to offer. I quickly found myself in agony, and tried to keep a straight face and not choke as I uttered a quick “thanks” and hurried to put the fire out with some free-sample cola. It was a long, unpleasant burn that came from a sauce that tasted like vinegar. I felt let down. But there was another horseradish sauce that renewed my hope in the strange white root. The sauce in question was “Holy Schmitt’s Homemade Horseradish.” It comes from Schmitt farm, operated by a fourth-generation farmer and his wife Ashley Schmitt. The whole thing started when the Schmitts started making horseradish sauce as a hobby and selling it at farmers markets alongside their produce. While she doesn’t see anything too profound about the horseradish or its traditions, Schmitt said they get “a lot of old-timers” who buy the horseradish and reminisce about how their grandparents always had jars of it around. She assumes that maybe it was a tradition folks lost touch with when farming became less prevalent. But regardless of its mysterious past, I can personally endorse the virtues of horseradish. This sauce looked like pure crushed horseradish in a jar. It had a flavor reminiscent of a raw bar on a summer beach. It had a strong bite that ended quickly, and a flavor that was simultaneously sweet, bitter, and sour with a bright kick that that didn’t linger any longer than I wanted. One of the main things you’ll notice about most hot sauces not found in the average supermarket is they have horrendous names. But you can’t judge a hot sauce by its label—and nobody knows this better than Chip Hearn. Hearn is a bit of a legend. He has created several award-winning sauces, and it’s his love of creating hot sauces that first started the whole novelty aspect. According to Hearn, 15 years ago there weren’t many hot sauces outside the well known ones (among them Tabasco and Crystal), and when he first started making new sauces one of the big problems was getting people to actually try them.
So, one day he came up with an idea: put a funny label on it. Make people laugh. Not only did it work, but it’s now one of the common traits found on new sauces. But for Hearn, and many other passionate folks on this strange frontier, hot sauce is about more than just flavor or heat. It’s about characters, and from the hippies to the chemists, and from the farmers to the bikers, each has his or her own bottle of sauce designed to add a bit of their experience to your meal.
Salsa Maya Habanero Aioli.
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May 22–28, 2015 www.EpochTaste.com ALL PHOTOS BY SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES
Jacques Torres & The Chocolate Factory Jacques Torres continued from D1 Upon exiting the elevator, we were guided to a very modest waiting room with a few tables and scattered chairs—the same room where the staff eat their meals. This was where the legendary chocolate magician, Jacques Torres, glided in on his electrical scooter to greet us with a beaming and welcoming smile. The Chocolate Factory The manufacturing floor is divided into many rooms, with different colored doors symbolizing the different stages of chocolate making, mimicking the changing colors of the cocoa pod as it matures. We started the tour in the melting room, where chocolate is melted in a five-ton chamber. The big melting chamber is connected to pipes that pump chocolate to different rooms within the building. Adjacent to the melting room is the work area where chocolate is decorated by hand, and the pan coating room where ingredients such as nuts are put into a gigantic angled bowl-like machine to be coated with chocolate. There is also an expansive freezer that is always kept at -5 degrees, a stock room that Torres labeled "The Bank," and a room dedicated to ice cream making. Speaking of ice cream, the freshly made mango sorbet and raspberry chocolate ice cream were impossibly creamy and decadent without being overwhelming. Chocolate Bonbons At the Jacques Torres Chocolate Factory, there are two ways of making chocolate bonbons. First, there is the One Shot machine. Imagine a needle nested within another needle simultaneously dispensing the bonbon's filling and chocolate. The One Shot is used to make bonbons with more liquid and soft centers. Second, there is the Enrobing Line, better known as the I Love Lucy conveyor belt. You start with the center of the bonbon, be it hardened ganache, dried fruits, or pretzels, and put it on the conveyor belt to be drizzled with coats of chocolate. Of all the bonbons, cinnamon praline and liquid caramel are the chef's favorites. My favorite? I don't discriminate when it comes to chocolates. However, I must make a PSA regarding the candied ginger covered in dark chocolate. Do yourself a favor and try these bad boys. You can thank me later. Passion for Chocolate As Torres was giving the tour, from the way he gleamed as he introduced the shiny chocolate-covered machines, to the way he playfully interacted with his staff, one thing was obvious: he is crazy happy and passionate about what he does—with a passion and love for chocolate he hopes to spread to anyone and everyone. As dean of professional pastry arts at the International Culinary Center (ICC), Torres partnered with the culinary school to offer an unique internship, where the chocolate factory doubles as a hands-on classroom for students to work alongside Torres himself. "One thing I love to show students is that we romanticize the profession," Torres said. "It's actually good to show students what it's really like. [The chocolate factory] is a clean and efficient place, but you're still going to have to do the same thing for three, five hours [at a time]." Entrepreneurial Spirit For a world famous chocolatier as humble and good-natured as he is, Torres is also entrepreneurial. Over the years, he has amassed a chocolate empire solely from bootstrapping, without the help of external capital. This allowed
Over the years, Torres has amassed a chocolate empire solely from bootstrapping, without the help of external capital.
The Jacques Torres Chocolate Factory is filled with goodies: chocolate high heels, chocolate cookies, mango sorbet, and so on.
him the creative flexibility and freedom to do as he pleases with his chocolates. "It doesn't make business sense to make our own chocolate," said Torres in terms of manufacturing his own chocolate from cocoa bean to edible goodness. "But I just love making chocolate." Every product being sold by Torres has a reason for being. When Torres was having coffee in his store one day, a baby wouldn't stop crying. She only stopped crying when her mother put a bag of Cheerios in front of her. Torres has never seen Cheerios before, so he asked to taste it. He liked it, so he bought Cheerios and coated it with chocolate. Now it's a Jacques Torres staple. When Torres ran out of almonds years ago, he picked up a box of corn flakes in his hotel room one day and thought, "Why not?" and the rest is history. Hat tip, Mr. Chocolate.
Natural
has a new flavor Our sauces are handcrafted and brewed in Hudson Valley NY. We use water sourced from the pristine Catskill Mountain range for flavor you won’t find elsewhere.
OFFICIAL SOY SAUCE OF
Torres gets around in style. He made his entrance on an electric scooter.
Wan Ja Shan offers a variety of preservative-free, gluten-free, 100 percent naturally brewed, flavorful organic sauces.
“Best Organic Soy Sauce” -Food and Wine Magazine
Find us at Whole Foods and other fine grocery stores.
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A proud sponsor of Simply Ming. Chef Ming Tsai’s TV series.
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LOCAL, SEASONAL, MARKET FRESH FARE
WE WELCOME YOU TO RESTAURANT You will love our warm atmosphere and our expertly prepared menu. We pay the utmost attention to every detail of your visit. From the hand crafted cocktails and specialty wine list, to our thoughtfully planned, market fresh and in-season dishes. Every dish, every cocktail is prepared from scratch and every detail is carefully thought out. We are always happy to customize any of your dining requests.
Openings around town
Chef Jason Atherton Helms The Clocktower Renowned, Michelin-starred London chef Jason Atherton takes the helm at The Clocktower, the new Stephen Starr restaurant inside The New York EDITION Hotel. The 90-seater that opened last weekend serves contemporary cuisine with British sensibilities. Dishes include North African Spiced Colorado Lamb, yogurt, smoked eggplant, young curried onions; and Big Eye Tuna Tataki with English cucumber, radish, avocado, and ponzu. Located on the second floor of the hotel overlooking Madison Square Park, the restaurant features three dining rooms, a billiards room, and a bar. Each room is themed differently, from great American artists, to New York street scenes, to America’s great musicians.
MICHAEL TULIPAN
34 East 20th Street (btwn Park and Broadway)
CountyNyc.com
212.677.7771
CASTILIAN SPANISH CUISINE at el Pote
Hearty, Wholesome Food from Old Spain
Purple Haze
The Black Rose
Chef’s Favorites Sweet Sangria
117 Avenue A (between Seventh & Eighth streets) 212-253-0400 TheBlackRoseNY.com
Rich Paella Valenciana
Warm White Asparagus, Slow-Cooked Egg, Chicken Thigh, and Chicken Cornflakes.
COURTESY OF THE MALT HOUSE
The Clocktower
5 Madison Ave. at The New York EDITION 212-413-4300 TheClockTowerNYC.com
Rib-eye.
NEW! Chef ’s Seasonal Tasting Menu
Located in Flatiron New York City
COURTESY OF THE CLOCKTOWER
The Black Rose Now Open Vintage rock ’n’ roll bar The Black Rose opened in the East Village last week. The former Odessa space reuses reclaimed objects from its past incarnation, including recycled wood and metal. Think: relaxed backyard, JDs spinning classic rock on vinyl, artisanal spirits, and craft beers. The head bartender is Ivo Diazz, previously bartender at The NoMad Bar, The NoMad restaurant, Eleven Madison Park, and XIV. Cocktails pay homage to rock ’n’ roll history, with names like Light My Fire (Jim Beam Devil’s Cut Bourbon, apricot preserve, lemon), Hells Bells (Del Maguey Vida Mezcal, lime, agave, celery bitters). Drop-in acoustic sets and themed nights are due to start soon. A food menu will be added in a few weeks.
Fresh Lobster Bisque Juicy Lamb Chops
The Malt House Opens in FiDi
This week, The Malt House puts down roots in its second location, the Financial District, in a spacious 7,000-square-foot space across three levels. More than 40 craft beers are on tap. An underground cocktail parlor pays tribute to American history with seven American flags recovered from different times of our nation’s history. George Washington’s commanderin-chief flag, for example, with its distinctive six-point stars, hangs in the parlor. Cocktails will be themed accordingly, like the George Washington, made with barrel-aged Woodford Reserve Rye, Black Dirt Apple Jack apple brandy, maple, and bitters. Executive chef Armando Avila (5 Napkin Burger & STK) creates items such as in-house smoked meats (wings and ribs), almost poutine-style Tavern Fries with gravy and cheese, Fish Tacos, a Rib Eye with cheddar mashed potatoes and Texas mustard.
The Malt House
9-11 Maiden Lane (between Broadway & Nassau) 646-682-7577 TheMaltHouseFiDi.com
stuff to eat and drink around town COURTESY OF CLAY WILLIAMS
718 2nd Ave @ 38th St. www.elPote.com 212.889.6680
EAT (RED) DRINK (RED) Experience an al fresco dinner for the launch of Eat (RED) Drink (RED) Save Lives, a campaign to fight AIDS. Ten top chefs will team up in pairs to create RED inspired menus. Chef teams are David Burke and Josh Capon, Jonathan Waxman and Michael Symon, April Bloomfield and Joey Campanaro, and Elizabeth Falkner and Mark Lardner. Hosted by Mario Batali. Sunday, May 31. 6 p.m.–10 p.m. Pier 26, Hudson River Park, New York. Tickets $295. Gilt.com/theREDsupper COURTESY OF DAVIDE BURKE
BROOKLYN UNCORKED 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
Kick off this summer at Brooklyn Uncorked. It’s your opportunity to sip wine from award-winning New York state wineries and take a bite from the most celebrated Manhattan and Brooklyn restaurants. The event features Brooklyn Winery, Gramercy Tavern, Channing Daughters Winery, Shinn Estate Vineyards & Farmhouse, and more. Thursday, May 28, 6 p.m.–9 p.m. 26 Bridge St., Brooklyn. Tickets $50–$90. ediblemanhattan.com/event/brooklyn-uncorked-3/
NYC CRAFT BEER FESTIVAL Attention beer lovers: This a festival you won’t want to miss. The NYC Craft Beer Festival is a three-day indoor and outdoor festival at Pier 15. Enjoy views of the East River and the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges while quaffing craft beer from Ommegang, Allagash, Rogue, and many other breweries. Thursday, May 28–Saturday, May 30. Pier 15 East River Esplanade, 78 South St. Six events, ticket prices range $50–195. HandCraftedTasting.com/NYCCraftBeerFest
Poached RED Snapper.
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May 22–28, 2015 www.EpochTaste.com ALL PHOTOS BY SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES
Gruyere soufflé.
Swifty’s: An Upper East Side Tradition
Jumbo Lump Crabmeat (C) with tomato aspic and (R) House Made Torchon of Foie Gras.
By Nadia Ghattas | Epoch Times Staff tepping into Swifty’s is like entering a beautiful English country manor. It delights with small irregularly shaped rooms with wooden paneling, patterned wallpaper, leather banquettes, and mirrored walls. This romantic Upper East Side spot charms easily. Established 15 years ago by owners Robert Caravaggi and Stephen Attoe, both alumni of the legendary Mortimer’s, it bears the qualities of both permanence and tradition. Swifty’s is a reflection of the hospitality of the owners, who receive their guests with ease and warmth, making them feel as if at home. It has become a dining place for New York’s society and celebrities as well as power brokers. Caravaggi explained with a smile that Swifty’s is basically a bistro but with a very elegant clientele. At the same time it embraces its younger, more casual diners. According to executive chef and co-owner Stephen Attoe, the menu items stay consistent but are embellished throughout the year with local and seasonal ingredients. You’ll find American classics here like Roast Chicken with mashed potatoes ($29) or the Swifty’s Baked Meatloaf with mashed potatoes ($27). European influences can be found throughout, as well as some decadent dishes. For example, the House Made Torchon of Foie Gras made for a fabulous beginning to my meal. It melted like butter—rich and sweet— and married perfectly with the candied apricots and toasted brioche for additional layers of texture, smooth and crunchy ($23). I thought I heard the angels sounding their trumpets. Back to reality, I glanced across the table. My dining companion was enjoying every bite of the Jumbo Lump Crabmeat, served with tomato aspic ($26). And then, like, magic, the Gruyère Cheese Soufflé with field greens and mustard sauce appeared on the table. I noticed how my friend gazed at it with fascination. Against my will, I cut through its airy perfection in order to enjoy it warm. But no regrets. Inside it was smooth, and creamy, and besides, I love cheese. It takes patience, meticulous timing, and proper heat to make a proper soufflé. Otherwise collapse threatens. Savoring each bite, I couldn’t help but appreciate its precise execution. There’s no question that the food at Swifty’s is of high quality, locally sourced when possible, and comes in substantial quantities.
Swifty’s
1007 Lexington Ave. (between E. 72nd and E. 73rd streets) 212-535-6000 SwiftysNYC.com Hours Open seven days a week for lunch and dinner Lunch Monday-Friday noon-5 p.m. Dinner Monday- Saturday 5:30 p.m.–11 p.m.
It’s hearty and satisfying. It naturally cheered me up—my mood hadn’t been that cheerful until we started eating. I also had the crispy Grilled American Red Snapper, which rested gently atop the white beans along the green herb sauce. A true masterpiece, it was light and satisfying with a gentle playful heat that lingered on the palate ($34). Dessert was another pleasant surprise. The desserts are all made in-house. It took us a while to decide since there were so many tempting choices like the Classic Vanilla Meringue Cake or the Chocolate Molten Cake. Finally we opted for another soufflé but sweet this time: the Hot
Chocolate Soufflé with fresh whipped cream ($16). It arrived as airy as its savory cousin. We also had the warm Honeycrisp Apple Tart with vanilla bean ice cream ($14). A few days later I went back for lunch and had a chance to try the exceptional Swifty’s Slaw ($9.50). It was prepared with long thin strips of red and white cabbage with housemade dressing, and looked like a mound of colored pearls. It must have been my lucky day because the chef’s special that day was a finger-lickin’, lipsmackin’ dish of sautéed soft-shell crab. Service is efficient and friendly. A smart American and international wine list with a reasonable price range is available.
Saturday and Sunday Brunch 11:30 a.m.- 4:00 p.m. Sunday Dinner 5:30 p.m.- 10:30 p.m.
Over
This romantic Upper East Side spot charms easily.
50 Authentic
Spanish Tapas Endless combinations of flavors to share, or indulge on your own.
Come in and Pick Your Favorites Tonight!
Meson Sevilla Swifty’s celebrates its 15th anniversary this year.
Restaurant
344 WEST 46TH ST. (BET 8TH & 9TH AVE.) • MESONSEVILLA.COM • 212-262-5890
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David Gelb Returns to Food With ‘Chef ’s Table’ on Netflix
Chef Francis Mallmann (R) in a scene from the series, “Chef’s Table.”
By Leanne Italie ilmmaker David Gelb, who directed the delectable “Jiro Dreams of Sushi,” has landed back in the foodie world with a Netflix series covering the lives and cuisines of six top chefs. Incorporating dramatic crescendos into soundtracks and interviews with parents, partners, mentors and fannish food critics, Gelb and a team of five other directors provide plenty of porn on plates in the distinct segments that comprise “Chef’s Table.” For 40 minutes to an hour each, the Netflix Original series that dropped in late April pushes into the childhoods, failures, and emotional connections between the renowned subjects and the pioneering food that defines them. “Chefs have really interesting stories because being a professional chef and owning a restaurant is incredibly difficult and incredibly risky,” Gelb said in a recent interview. “You’re trying to do your art but also support yourself and keep everything afloat, not only for yourself but for your staff. Every single night they have to be performing at the highest level.” So what draws Gelb back to food features after his acclaimed look at Jiro Ono, the 89-year-old sushi master who earned three stars from Michelin for his 10-seat counter in the basement of a Tokyo office building? After the 2011 release of “Jiro,” the 31-yearold Gelb—son of Metropolitan Opera general manager Peter Gelb and grandson of late New York Times editor Arthur Gelb, moved on to direct “The Lazarus Effect,” the Olivia Wilde vehicle about medical students who discover how to revive the dead. “I just love to eat,” Gelb said of his work documenting the food world. “Food has always been an important thing for my parents. Even when I was little they would take me to really good restaurants. When I was 2 or 3 years old my mom was feeding me cucumber rolls in a department store in Tokyo. Food has always been an obsession of my mine.” Gelb “just thinks chefs are fascinating.” The six have big reputations as visionaries in the food world, “but none of them are as famous as, like, an Eric Ripert or a Bobby Flay,” he explained. “I wanted the chefs to be discoveries for the audience.” We asked the Manhattan-bred Gelb to share what surprised or inspired him the most about the six chefs he selected for “Chef’s Table.” MASSIMO BOTTURA in MODENA, ITALY Restaurant: Osteria Francescana “All of his dishes are based on some sort of memory or story. I was really surprised and
Chef Dan Barber.
Chefs have really interesting stories because being a professional chef and owning a restaurant is incredibly difficult and incredibly risky. David Gelb, filmmaker happy to discover this beautiful love story between him and his wife and how the two of them together contributed to the incredible success of their restaurant. Massimo used to get into a lot of trouble for altering classic Italian recipes. His business suffered for it for some time, until international food critics discovered him. Now he’s kind of a hero of Italy.” DAN BARBER in NEW YORK CITY Restaurants: Blue Hill, Blue Hill at Stone Barns “He pioneered the farm-to-table movement and definitely cooks from an emotional place. His mother died at a very young age and he started cooking, and he said it may have something to do with trying to bring the family back to the table. He’s trying to balance his need to control everything that’s happening in the kitchen with being able to spend time with his family. He’s looking for the answer to that.”
David Gelb directed “Jiro Dreams of Sushi.”
FRANCIS MALLMANN in BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA Restaurants: Flagship is Francis Mallmann 1884 in Mendoza “Francis is different from the other chefs in that he can’t be contained or bound by the kitchen. He likes to travel. He likes to make these fires and cook these beautiful dinners in exotic locations. He’s very much a traveler and a poet. His work is very much driven by visuals. The way that he cooks is incredibly beautiful with the use of open fire out in the mountains or the snow, or he’s grilling something on a boat. There’s a kind of wanderlust that’s really amazing to behold.” NIKI NAKAYAMA in LOS ANGELES Restaurant: N/Naka “Her father put a lot of pressure on her and started telling her if you want to have a career you have to be a doctor or a lawyer. She wanted to be a chef. Traditionally, in a Japanese family, a woman is only supposed to cook at home. She rejected that and decided she’s going to forge her own destiny. She wanted to create her own style of kaseiki (traditional multi-course Japanese meal) and she refused to quit, even as people were telling her it was impossible.” BEN SHEWRY in MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA Restaurant: Attica “Ben was born in New Zealand. He wanted to
Chef Niki Nakayama.
Chef Magnus Nilsson. come up with a cuisine that was all his own and that really represented where his restaurant is, which is Australia. He started experimenting with natural Australian ingredients. You’re not even going to have heard of some of the vegetables and fruits he grows and cooks with. He’s also a storyteller in his food and there’s this fantastic dish inspired by a time he almost drowned as a child. He went back to the beach where it happened and found all the different kinds of seaweeds and elements of the ocean and tried to recreate that feeling of almost drowning in a dish.” MAGNUS NILSSON in JARPEN, SWEDEN Restaurant: Faviken “I love how he grew up in this place that was very barren. For six months of the year nothing grows, and he didn’t like it very much. So he went to France and worked there, then he was going to do this other project that fell through. He decided he was going to quit cooking but returns to his hometown and saw everything with a new perspective and started to build this new cuisine. The restaurant is in the middle of nowhere and his ambition to make this restaurant a destination is striking. He’s relentless in preserving food from the local area and cooking with it in a new way.” From The Associated Press
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Red Mullet.
(this grape is also known as mazuelo) was light enough to pair well with the fish and seafood dishes. It also worked unexpectedly well with the next outstanding fish dish: Red Mullet stuffed with red mullet liver, red mullet stock, potato gnocchi, orange, chervil, and saffron. A very Eastern Mediterranean dish, as red mullet is a very desirable fish in Greece, Turkey, Syria, and Egypt. Subsequent was Goose à la Royale; a torchon of goose flesh. What an incredible flavor-packed mouthful! A palate cleanser showed up; or was it a rather elaborate joke? On a granite slab, stuck on wooden skewers, was what looked like someone’s nose made from very aromatic bergamot-and-lime ice. When we inquired, it turned out to be made from a mold of the nose of Jordi Roca, the pâtissier brother! The first dessert’s description was Lemon Cloud with bergamot cream, lemon compote, lemon distilled-water granita, muffin icecream, and lemon sugar. To say it was scrumptious would have been an understatement. It was indeed light like a cloud and full of flavor. Then came another dessert—Sourdough Ice Cream with cocoa pulp, fried lychee and sherry vinegar macaró (meringue). An unusual taste nestled in a handmade pottery bowl. The final offering was trays of petit fours and sugar coated fruit jellies. The wines we had with this incredible culinary extravaganza were all top bottles from local winemakers. Many of the top Catalan producers, accompanied by their spouses, were at the dinner and their wines flowed freely throughout the meal. Saó Expressiu 08, was another tasty red from Mas Blanch-i-Jove’s Costers del Segre estate; an elegant red from the mountainous parts of Catalonia. It is a blend of 55 percent garnacha, 25 percent cabernet sauvignon, and 20 percent tempranillo. From Priorat came an exceptional blend, Galena 09, a 40 percent garnacha, 20 percent Cariñena, 20 percent cabernet sauvignon, 10 percent merlot, and 10 percent syrah, aged for 12 months in French and American oak barriques (new oak wine barrel). It is full-bodied with mouth filling fruit, dense, fat, and layered. Not easily available in the United States, but if you are a Spanish wine aficionado it’s well worth looking for it. Also from Priorat, Perpetual 2010. Old garnacha and Cariñena vines, planted on steep slopes of slate, form the essence of this wine from the Torres family’s El Lloar winery. Dark and fascinating nose; long on the finish. It is an exceptional red wine. To anyone who still believes “Red with meat; White with fish” trust me, it ain’t so anymore! A white, Advent 08, 100 percent Xarel.lo from the Penedès D.O. was served to accompany the desserts. That is the only pairing decision that I have reservations about. I thought that the final wine, the honeyed Pecat Noble 2010, a late harvest wine made from malvasia that was attacked by botrytis (noble rot), was a much more fitting end to our fabulous dinner, which by the way lasted about five hours. To paraphrase the St. Augustine proverb “When in Spain, do as the Spaniards do!” The Roca brothers are coming to the United States in August for culinary demonstrations in Houston and New Orleans. I can’t wait!
The Nexus of Fine Dining at El Celler de Can Roca By Manos Angelakis
An appetizer representing tastes from around the world.
Timbale of Roasted Apple and Duck Liver.
One more time, the Roca brothers did not fail to surprise and delight this rather jaded palate. No matter which position the Brits place El Celler de Can Roca restaurant of Girona, either the best or the second best restaurant in the world, I still think that dining there is an experience that no self-respecting gastronome should eschew. Albet i Noya Brut Cava El Celler, from Penedès, was our aperitif. A light sparkler that set up the tone for what was to come. We started with the usual “tastes from around the world”; a group of appetizers that represent international dishes that have impressed Joan Roca and his brothers. This year, the tastes were from Mexico (a miniature burrito with mole poblano and guacamole), Peru (ceviche broth), China (pickled vegetables with plum cream), Morocco (goat yogurt with almond slivers, honey, saffron, ras el hanout, and rose petals), and from Korea (panko fried bread, bacon with soy sauce, snow peas, kimchi, and sesame oil). The first bottle on the table was a vintage cava also from Albet I Noya, an 07 Reserva. More substantial than the aperitif, it worked well with the “tastes from around the world.” Then came a Carpano Bonbon with grapefruit and black sesame; Crispy Shrimp; Caviar’s Omelette; Truffled Bonbon, and Truffled Brioche. The next item was truly exceptional; a Timbale of Roasted Apple and Duck Liver with vanilla oil. Agustí Torelló’s Kripta Gran Reserva Cava was paired with the timbale and we made sure to finish a couple bottles with the truffled pieces and the apple timbale. I never thought that I would want that pairing not to finish; it was so good! The dish following was a taste of the Mediterranean, Squid Parmentier with smoked paprika and squid stock. My 2012 visit’s sole dish with five sauces made another appearance. The sole is lightly grilled—enough to have an exceptional smoky taste, and the five sauces on the plate imparted flavors of olive oil, bergamot, fennel, orange, and pine nuts with green olives. The citric flavors work exceptionally well with the smoky fish. La Garriga 06, a single vineyard red from Castillo Perelada, made from samsó grapes
Dining at El Celler de Can Roca is an experience that no selfrespecting gastronome should eschew.
El Celler de Can Roca
Calle Can Sunyer, 48, 17007 Girona, Spain
Manos Angelakis is a well-known wine and food critic based in the New York City area. He has been certified as a Tuscan wine master, by the Tuscan Wine Masters Academy, as well as being an expert on Greek, Chilean, and Catalan wines. He judges numerous wine competitions each year and is the senior food and wine writer for LuxuryWeb Magazine, LuxuryWeb.com.
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Le Courvoisier headquarters, in Jarnac, France.
In the Kingdom of
Cognac
Designer bottles.
By Susan James
I
f that brandy in your glass isn’t produced in Cognac then it isn’t cognac. French domain names are legally sacrosanct. Champagne comes only from Champagne; Bordeaux is only from Bordeaux. The spirit known as cognac comes from the Poitou-Charentes region of western France where vineyards grow rooted in the chalk and
Le Courvoisier dates back to 1809.
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Beatrice Bernard, Le Courvoisier distillery representative
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limestone that once formed a coral reef, and Atlantic breezes trail kites of mist above maturing grapes. Cognac lies at its heart and the special soil of its terroir creates in its grapes a panoply of tastes and aromas. “There are no bad years in Cognac,” I was told by Le Courvoisier distillery representative Beatrice Bernard at the company’s headquarters in Jarnac. “Each year is different but we blend the flavors to the highest specifications. And our master blender tastes the barrels every morning.” A tour through Le Courvoisier distillery, one of the five great houses of cognac in the region, is an eye-opening experience. Cognac has been produced here since 1828 although the company dates back to 1809. Napoleon loved the drink so much he took barrels of it with him into exile on St. Helena and this passion was so well known in France that a toast in cognac became a secret gesture of loyalty to the emperor. Bernard guided me through the stages of blending and distilling where the local ugni blanc grapes taken from the top four growth regions—Grande Champagne, Petite Champagne, Borderies, and Fins Bois—are put through a process of double distillation in copper tanks called alembics to produce vin eau de vie, or water of life. This potent liquid, 70 percent alcohol, is then divided into three parts, the head, the tail, and the cream of the distillation operation, the heart—the part of the spirit that will eventually become cognac. The cognac is then transferred to oak barrels for aging, a process that can take as long as 35 years. These barrels are stored in warehouses or caves near the Charente River where a natural humidity helps the flavors mature.
Roaming around the rows of stacked barrels with their silhouettes of Napoleon stenciled on each end, I asked Bernard about the blackening of the cave walls. She explained that it was a natural fungus formed by evaporation and called it the angel’s share. “Weather, soil, aging, blending, even the density of the grain of the oak trees selected to make the barrels, everything that touches the liquid affects the flavor,” Bernard said. “The goal is to produce the same quality every year.” In a secured room called Paradise stood shelves of heritage bottles, two of which date to 1789. Every 10 years the master blender removes their corks, does a sniff examination to test the viability of the cognac and then reseals the bottles. A group of us joined Bernard in the tasting room where Le Courvoisier presents a sensory experience. Wearing blindfolds and holding small glasses of cognac, Bernard wafted various scents into the room—caramel, vanilla, candied orange, and iris—then asked us to taste from our glasses and see if we could isolate that scent in the liquid. As a novice cognac sipper it was not an easy task and I kept tasting the butterscotch of pralines. But that was close enough to caramel for Bernard to give me a nod. Napoleon would have been proud. Susan James is a freelance writer based in Los Angeles. She has lived in India, the U.K., and Hawaii, and writes about travel, art, and culture.
Discover the Hidden Gem in K-Town The most special dish, reserved for special occasions across Japan. Try this amazing Pork Katsu at HanaMichi. Our unique preparation not only highlights pork, but also chicken, beef and vegetables! A dish worth gathering for!
Pork Katsu
Presentation bottle of Reserve Edward VII.
Tonkatsu Ramen
“This is one of my favorite spots in K-town” – Zagat-
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Copper alembic distiller.
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Oak on the Tongue
Bourbon Boom Drives Demand for USA Oak By Michelle Locke OAKVILLE, Calif.—Napa Valley vintner David Duncan has been known to stick his head in an American white oak barrel to get a full hit of the vanilla-laden, fresh-baked cookie smell that emanates from the wood. In fact, his Silver Oak winery—which produces classic cabernet sauvignon from the Napa Valley and Alexander Valley—is so wedded to using only American oak (no French wood will suffice) to age its popular cabernet sauvignon, the family-owned winery recently took on 100 percent ownership of its own cooperage, where wooden staves are bent into barrels according to an ancient trade. And Duncan isn’t the only producer stoked on oak. Figures for the mostly privately held industry are hard to come by, but demand is evident in the 40 to 50 percent price hikes seen in stave log prices since 2012, said Brad Boswell, president and fourth-generation cooper at Independent Stave Co., which supplies customers and cooperages in more than 40 countries. Factors behind the price increases include the shutdown of about 40 percent of U.S. hardwood sawmills due to the recession, which in turn led to a drop in logging, said Boswell. Barrels make up just a fraction of the hardwood market, but cooperage demand due to the bourbon boom came back faster than other segments. An unusually wet season in 2013 didn’t help. Bourbon is the big driver in demand because by law it must be aged in new, American oak barrels. And domestic whiskey sales continued an upward trend in 2014, with more than 19 million cases of bourbon and Tennessee whiskey sold—up 7.3 percent over 2013—for overall revenues of $2.7 billion, according to the U.S. Distilled Spirits Council. Once used, barrels used to age whiskey go on to second lives aging scotch and other spirits, as well as a few things outside the spirits world. Tabasco sauce is barrel-aged, as is Bluegrass soy sauce. Before being used to age bourbon, the bar-
By law, bourbon must be aged in new, American oak barrels.
CEO and President David Duncan looks over an American oak wine barrel before its use at Silver Oak Cellars in Oakville, Calif.
Once used, barrels used to age whiskey go on to second lives aging scotch and other spirits. Cellar worker Eric Gomez steams American oak wine barrels before their use at Silver Oak Cellars in Oakville, Calif. rels must be charred, which is when a cooper catches the interior of a barrel on fire, allowing it to burn for times ranging from 20 seconds to nearly a minute and a half. This process produces a caramelizing effect considered desirable in the liquors that are aged in the barrels. Producers decide on all kinds of variables, including how long the wood will be seasoned, how much the insides will be heated and with what. Maker’s Mark, an Independent Stave customer, for instance, requires 32-stave barrels, as opposed to the more common 34 or 35 staves, with fewer knots in the wood to create a tighter barrel with less leakage. Once filled, the barrels are aged on different floors of a warehouse so they’re exposed to different temperatures, with a tasting panel deciding when each 19-barrel batch should be moved. “It’s horribly inefficient in a lot of different ways, but by rotating our barrels we ensure that each and every barrel is aged the optimal way consistently,” said Rob Samuels, Maker’s Mark chief operating officer and an 8th-generation distiller. Jack Daniel’s, meanwhile, has access to its own two cooperages under parent company Brown Forman. “The good news is there’s still plenty of oak left in the U.S., particularly the eastern half,” said Jeff Arnett, Jack Daniel’s
master distiller. Jack Daniel’s is classified as Tennessee whiskey, which also must be aged in new American oak, which then is sold for reuse. “We tell people if there’s a scotch that they like there’s a good chance that it’s because there’s three gallons of Jack Daniel’s soaked into the barrel,” Arnett jokes. Demand in recent years has made the wood a little harder to find—Jack Daniel’s now has nine people working as log buyers compared to two some years ago—but it isn’t about to run short with the capacity to make more than a half million barrels a year. Rising demand for American white oak is one of the reasons Silver Oak, which used to own 50 percent of its cooperage in Missouri, reached a deal to take on full ownership. “We would have done it anyway, but it’s made the impetus that much stronger,” said Duncan. Duncan sees American white oak as “like salt and pepper on a good steak.” The wine is the culmination of decisions made in the vineyard and winery. The barrel is the final touch of spices and seasonings. “Things in American oak,” said Duncan, “taste good.” From The Associated Press
Glass of Cabernet Sauvignon.
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D10 May 22–28, 2015 www.TasteAsia.org ALL PHOTOS BY MATTHEW MEADE/AP
BANGKOK
STREET FARE
Heaven for Food Lovers Yaowarat is one of Bangkok’s oldest neighborhoods, founded by East Asian traders in Siam over 200 years ago. It is a heaven for food lovers, blending the centuries old Thai and East Asian influences in an eclectic mix of street vendor cuisine. Experience the authentic taste of Bangkok street fare, at Sookk.
Judge Not by Smell Alone the Awesomeness That Is Fish Sauce
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I’m pretty sure that if I let you sniff some fish sauce, it would be pretty hard to convince you to cook with it. No, the potent, nigh-on acrid scent is not this beloved sauce’s most seductive asset. And funnily enough, it’s not even its flavor (at least not on its own) that would win you over. It’s what happens when you dribble a little fish sauce into stirfries, curries, marinades, even salad dressings. Suddenly, your dish takes on a depth of flavor you hadn’t previously detected, a complexity that you can’t quite put your finger on, a strong punch of meatiness without tasting meaty. And that pungent aroma? You won’t be able to detect it. But you won’t want to go without this precious bottle of fish sauce again. It’s a rather ego-less ingredient in that way; fish sauce is not at its best on its own. But my, what a team player. And it’s that ability, to transform its fellow co-habitants into something better than they were before, that has won the hearts of cooks throughout Southeast Asia, from Thailand and Vietnam to Indonesia. It’s incredible what just two ingredients, anchovies and salt—the building blocks of fish sauce— can transform into when left to their own devices for a few months. Indeed, this kind of fish sauce is actually related to modern day
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Worcestershire sauce, which also is a fermented anchovy-based sauce. Use it as you would soy sauce, to amp up the umami-ness of whatever you happen to be whipping up for dinner. Just one hint: Balance out all that saltiness with just a dash of brown sugar and a good squeeze of lime juice, as I do in my Vietnamese-style skirt steak. You don’t have to make an Asian-style marinade either. I’ve made a great one using fish sauce, balsamic vinegar, honey, and garlic. Food Network star Aarti Sequeira is the author of “Aarti Paarti: An American Kitchen with an Indian Soul.” She blogs at AartiPaarti.com From The Associated Press
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RECIPE VIETNAMESE-STYLE SKIRT STEAK WITH ASPARAGUS AND SCALLIONS Preparation and cooking time: 45 minutes Serves: 4 Miyazaki Super Prime Wagyu Beef $120.00
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Momokawa serves some of the finest quality sake and wine, paired especially for the dishes. Try our seasonal sake (draft), premium sake, all season sake (hot or cold) as well as
• • • • • • • • • •
3 tablespoons fish sauce 1/4 cup lime juice 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1 teaspoon minced ginger 2 teaspoons brown sugar 1 pound skirt steak 1 large bunch thin asparagus, trimmed 2 bunches scallions, bottoms trimmed Sunflower or canola oil Kosher salt and ground black pepper
DIRECTIONS
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Sake and Wine
INGREDIENTS
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In a large zip-close plastic bag, mix together the fish sauce, lime juice, garlic, ginger, and brown sugar. Taste for seasoning, adding more sugar or lime juice if the marinade is too salty. Place the skirt steak in the marinade, making sure it’s well covered. Seal the bag and set aside on the counter for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare a grill for direct medium-high heat. Toss the asparagus and scallions with a little sunflower oil, salt and pepper. Set aside. After 30 minutes, remove the steak from the marinade and place on a paper-towel-lined plate to remove excess marinade.
You’ll find fish sauce in the Asian or international section of just about any grocer.
Using an oil-soaked paper towel held with tongs, oil the grill grates. Set the steak on the grill and cook for 3 minutes, depending on the thickness of the meat, until a good charred crust develops on the underside. Flip and cook for another 2 minutes, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat registers 125 F. Transfer the steak to a warm plate, tent lightly with foil and allow to rest 5 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, place the asparagus and scallions on the grill and cook the scallions for 2 to 3 minutes, or until slightly wilted; and the asparagus for 5 to 7 minutes, or until very lightly browned. Slice the steak across the grain and serve over the grilled vegetables, with a fresh squeeze of lime juice, if desired.
NUTRITION INFORMATION Nutrition information per serving: 300 calories; 130 calories from fat (43 percent of total calories); 14 g fat (4 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 80 mg cholesterol; 1,250 mg sodium; 15 g carbohydrate; 5 g fiber; 7 g sugar; 30 g protein.
D11 May 22–28, 2015 www.TasteAsia.org COURTESY OF HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT
Noodles With Black Bean Paste (Jjajangmyeon)
By Channaly Philipp | Epoch Times Staff Korean cuisine marches on with unabated popularity. It’s perfect timing for YouTube star Maangchi (“hammer” in Korean), who has just come out with a cookbook, “Maangchi’s Real Korean Cooking.” Down-to-earth and encouraging in tone, the cookbook makes good use of photos (800 in all) to help cooks who may be new to cooking Korean dishes. Wondering what dried bellflower root looks like? What about beltfish? An ingredients section, with accompanying photos, is supremely helpful. Photographs are also used to show different stages of cooking—again a big help. Just as useful is a shortlist of substitutions. No dried jujubes in sight? Try dried cranberries. In the back, Maangchi has put together a list of mouth-watering menus, paired with side dishes. Looking to do a steamed egg breakfast? Here’s the menu: multigrain rice, soybean sprout soup, diced radish kimchi, pan-fried tofu with spicy seasoning sauce, steamed eggs, and seasoned oysters. There are plenty of recipes to occupy cooks—from seafood scallion pancakes to jjajangmyeon (recipe below)—as well as DIY items such as perilla leaf kimchi and homemade fish sauce for making kimchi.
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RECIPE NOODLES WITH BLACK BEAN PASTE (JJAJANGMYEON) Almost every Korean loves these noodles, which are served at Korean restaurants, Chinese restaurants in Korea, and Korean snack bars. My family always considered them special. I will never forget how my father celebrated the day I passed my middle school examination (a big deal in a Korean family) by buying these noodles for everyone. The restaurant delivered them in a special tin box in less than thirty minutes. I was proud to be the reason for this treat. The thick, pale yellow, chewy noodles are tossed with a dark brown sauce made from fried black bean paste, pork, and fried onions. Pork and potatoes make the dish hearty but not heavy. It’s mild, and most children love it. I can’t count how many people have found my website while searching for this recipe. In Korea, the noodles are just a phone call away, but in most places in the world, if you want the dish, you’ll have to make it yourself. That is not a bad thing. Having made my own for many years, I know that the homemade version is always superior in taste and quality. The secret to the dish is to cook the pork belly until very crisp, so that it keeps its crunchiness even after it is coated with the sauce. Serves: 2-4
INGREDIENTS • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil • 8 ounces pork belly, cut into ½-inch cubes • 1 cup cubed (½-inch) peeled Korean radish (mu) or daikon • 1 cup cubed (½-inch) zucchini • 1 large russet or Yukon Gold potato, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes • 1 large onion, cut into ½-inch chunks (about 1½ cups) • 1/3 cup black bean paste (chunjang) • 2 1/4 cups water • 2 tablespoons potato starch or cornstarch • 1 teaspoon sugar • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil • 1 pound fresh or frozen jjajangmyeon noodles, thawed if frozen, uncoiled • 1/2 English cucumber, cut into matchsticks (about 1 cup)
DIRECTIONS 1. Heat a large wok or skillet over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil and the pork belly and stir-fry until the pork is golden brown and crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Pour off the fat in the pan. 2. Add the radish to the wok and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the zucchini, potato, and onion and stir-fry until the potato looks a little translucent, about 3 minutes. 3. Clear a space in the center of the wok, add the remaining 2 tablespoons vegetable oil to the center, and add the black bean paste. Stir the paste for about 1 minute, then mix the pork and vegetables
together with the paste so everything is coated and well combined. Add 2 cups of the water to the wok, stir, cover, and cook for 10 minutes.
Prepping ingredients.
The secret to the dish is to cook the pork belly until very crisp.
4. While the pork and vegetables are cooking, whisk together the potato starch, the remaining ¼ cup water, and the sugar in a small bowl. 5. Uncover the wok and taste a piece of radish and one of potato. If they are still hard, cover and cook for a few minutes longer. When they are softened, lower the heat and stir in the potato starch slurry little by little, then keep stirring until the sauce thickens, about 1 minute. Stir in the sesame oil and remove from the heat. 6. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the noodles, stir, and cook until tender but still chewy, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain the noodles in a colander, rinse them under cold running water, and drain again.
Stir-frying ingredients.
7. Reheat the sauce if necessary. Divide the noodles among individual serving bowls. Spoon the sauce over the noodles and garnish with the cucumber strips. Serve immediately.
VARIATION JJAJANGBAP Serve the jjajang sauce over Fluffy White Rice instead of noodles. Top with the cucumber strips and serve with Napa Cabbage Kimchi or yellow pickled radish (danmuji). Excerpted from Maangchi, © 2015 by Maangchi. Reproduced by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
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The jjajang sauce can be served over rice as well as noodles.
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D12 May 22–28, 2015 www.TasteAsia.org
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By CiCi Li For about the three years I was living in Singapore, I remember ordering food daily from the hot and humid hawker center near my apartment. Along with customers sitting around the old-fashioned metal tables, occasionally there were cats passing under the tables shopping for their own meals. A variety of food stands were at the complex and one of my favorites was the Hainanese chicken and rice place. Hainanese chicken and rice originated from the Hainan Province in China. The early Chinese immigrants from Hainan brought the dish to places in Southeast Asia like Singapore and Malaysia. Nowadays, Hainanese chicken and rice is more popular in Singapore and Malaysia than in Hainan Province itself. Since moving to New York City, I have missed the taste of Hainanese chicken from time to time. Recently chef Steven Ng invited me to Malaysian Kitchen USA in Battery Park and I tried out his Hainanese chicken rice. Ng is in his early 40s and has been cooking Malaysian food for 14 years. He seemed shy when we first met but I discovered he has a great sense of humor, especially when he spoke Chinese. I found his Hainanese chicken recipe quiet easy to follow in comparison to many others I saw on the Internet. He said one of the most important parts in cooking it right is to place the chicken in an ice cold water bath after it’s fully cooked. He said, “You just can’t compromise that part.� The chicken was served at room temperature. I drizzled soy sauce and sesame oil over
SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES
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Hainanese Chicken and Rice Recipe – The Taste That I’ve Been Missing
CiCi makes Hainanese Chicken and Rice. it, then dipped it in the chili sauce, and took a bite. The skin immediately separated from the meat. “Wow, it’s perfectly refreshing!� I said. I know, as Americans, we rarely describe chicken as being refreshing, but this one definitely was. The rice is the best part. It has an explosion of flavors –savory, garlicky, and with just a hint of sweetness. It was flawless! It was the taste that I’d been missing. CiCi Li is the presenter of “CiCi’s Food Paradise� on NTD Television. She’s also a television host, food writer, and chef in training. Join her on her adventure and discover the endless wonders of “Food Paradise� at CiCiLi.tv
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Experience Firsthand the Romantic Life of Korean Dynasty South Korea’s top chef, Sunkyu Lee, cooks authentic Korean Royal Court Cuisine Totally different and distinctive cuisines and interior designs on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd floors.
RECIPE HAINANESE CHICKEN AND RICE Preparation time: 20 Minutes Cooking time: 90 Minutes Serves: 4 Adapted from the original recipe
INGREDIENTS
• 1 whole chicken, about 3 pounds • 10 cups cold water • 1 cucumber, peeled, halved, and sliced diagonally Rice • 4 cups chicken stock • 2 cups jasmine rice, washed and drained • 2 teaspoons salt • 1 teaspoon sugar • 1/4 cup oil • 1/4 cup butter • 1/2 onion, minced • 1 small thumb ginger, minced • 6 cloves garlic, minced • 6 pandan leaves Red Chili Sauce (mix everything well) • 1/2 small thumb ginger, minced • 1 teaspoon red pepper • 1 teaspoon lime juice • 1 teaspoon vinegar • 1 teaspoon sugar • 1/2 teaspoon salt • 1 tablespoon sweet and sour chili sauce
212-594-4963 10 W 32 St, New York, NY 10001 www.misskoreabbq.com Open 24 Hours
Serve with rice and chili sauce.
Dark Sauce (mix everything well) • 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce • 1 tablespoon of chicken stock • 1 tablespoon of oil • 1 teaspoon of sesame oil • 1 teaspoon of dark soy sauce • 1 teaspoon of sugar
DIRECTIONS FOR THE CHICKEN Rinse the chicken and remove all the chicken fat and set aside for the chicken rice. In a large stockpot, add water, then bring to a boiled. Submerge the whole chicken and cook over medium high heat for 45 minutes until it’s well done. Remove chicken and let it cool in iced water for about 30 minutes. Drain the chicken and chop into small servingsize pieces. Keep the chicken broth for the rice. INSTRUCTION FOR THE RICE In medium saucepan, add vegetable oil, and butter, and cook until everything is blended and mildly softened. Then add onion, ginger, garlic, pandan leaves, and stir until the aroma comes out. Put in rice, salt, and sugar, and stir for 5 minutes. Add chicken stock, cover and cook for 30 minutes over medium high heat until well done. SERVE Place the chicken on a plate. Pour the dark sauce on the chicken. Garnish with cucumber slices. Serve with rice and chili sauce.