NYC-Downtown

Places to go, restaurant recs, etc…

Definitely go to the Highline and Chelsea Market, Saturday Farmer’s market in Union Square, coffee, tea and pastries at 71 Irving Place, delicious Vietnamese sandwiches at the Num Pang sandwich shop, Casa Mono/Bar Jamon on Irving Place for really good Spanish tapas and wine, sit at the bar and have a drink and bite at Gramercy Tavern. Have a great Italian feast at L’Artusi and drinks after at The Highlands scotch bar or Wilfie & Nell. Check out Madison Square Park and grab a burger at the Shake Shack, try for a seat at Spotted Pig, drinks and sausages in the beer garden at The Standard. Brunch, bloodies and oysters at Pastis. Have some of the best Italian food in town at Scarpetta, either the main restaurant or (no reservations) at the bar. Take in the good times and great food at Minetta Tavern. Walk over the Brooklyn Bridge to DUMBO and check out the beautiful views, waterfront park, Sunday flea market or eat brunch at The Vinegar Hill House. Lower east side also has great places…Freeman’s, Schillers Liquor Bar, Inoteca, brunch at Prune. Evening drinks at Smith & Mills, Employees Only, Little Branch, Apotheke…

Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Brown Butter and Spinach

1 pound sweet potatoes

2 pounds Idaho or russet potatoes

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

2 teaspoons coarse salt

black pepper to taste

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, or to taste

2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting


Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place sweet potatoes on a sheet tray and roast until easily pierced through with a sharp knife, about 1 hour. Peel and press through a ricer.

Place russet potatoes in a large stockpot. Add water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil and cook until potatoes are tender when pierced with a sharp knife, about 40 minutes. Drain. When cool enough to handle, peel and mash potatoes using a potato ricer.

On a large work surface, gather warm sweet and russet potatoes into a mound, forming a well in the center. In a small bowl, stir together eggs and then pour in to well. Season potatoes with 2 teaspoons salt, white pepper to taste, and nutmeg. Sprinkle the potatoes with about 1 cup of flour and using both hands, work potatoes and egg mixture together. Gradually add another cup of flour, scraping dough from work surface with a knife or bench scraper as necessary. This process should not take more than 5 minutes. The longer the dough is worked, the more flour it will require and the heavier the dough will become.

Dust hands, dough, and work surface lightly with some of the remaining 1/2 cup flour. Cut dough into 6 equal portions. Using both hands, roll each piece of dough into a rope 1/2-inch thick. Continue dusting as long as dough feels sticky. Slice ropes at 1/2-inch intervals. Indent each piece with thumb, the tines of a fork, or the back of a semicircular grater to produce a ribbed effect.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Working in batches, boil the gnocchi until it comes to a float and is cooked through, about 1-2 minutes. Drain with a slotted spoon and toss with Brown Butter Sauce and baby spinach leaves.
Serves 6

Brown Butter Sauce

1 stick unsalted butter

pinch salt

In a large saute pan over medium heat, melt butter and stir until butter starts to brown, about 5 minutes. Season with salt to taste.

The Brooklyn Cheese Experiment is this Sunday, September 13, from 1-5 at the Bell House…it’s a cheese and beer cookoff/brewoff and contestants will make cheese based dishes and home brews for judges and all to taste. Promises to be very festive…how could it not?

http://thefoodexperiments.com/

http://www.thebellhouseny.com/home.php

Labor Day weekend at home in Va. Beach, VA was excellent…as always. In addition to relaxing on the beach, I spent ample time biking to friend’s houses, brunch, dinner and out to hear music all weekend long. There is a rock-n-roll half marathon every Labor Day weekend and the beach gets crazy! Surfing, kayaking, paddle boarding, boogie boarding, and kite surfing seem to be the activities of choice for many on the beach and there is never a dull moment!

For food and drink…

Eat is a great spot that serves really good food in a casual place. There is an outdoor patio and Monday night they sell all bottled wine at 1/2 price. Chick’s is a seafood restaurant and Raw Bar located on the waterway so you can dock your boat…or enjoy the scene and sunset from the outdoor picnic tables while you pick crabs, peel shrimp and drink beer or enjoy the specialty cocktail, Orange Crush. Next door is a great seafood shop called Dockside Seafood Market and Marina. Fishermen bring in local catch every day and the quality is top notch.

Sandwiches from Taste Unlimited are a must…the turkey, swiss on french bread with house dressing is one I’ve been ordering as long as I can remember. The stores (there are a few) also have small produce stands and many interesting food items and prepared foods and wines. Breakfast and brunch at Doc Taylor’s is delicious and be prepared for a party…Bloody Mary’s and Mimosas cost $1.95! Coming from NYC that seems impossible. The restaurant is built in an old house and the atmosphere is very Va beach-y. Next door is Tautog’s which is also built in an old beach house. It’s the go-to spot for casual drinks and also serves pretty good food…especially the hot crab dip! One Fish Two Fish is a popular and tasty restaurant also located on the water, Coastal Grill has amazing fish always cooked just right, and really good Martinis. There is a new bar/lounge on the roof of the Hilton called Sky Bar that has a South Beach vibe, nightly DJ’s and lounge ‘beds’ that surround the outdoor bar. Downstairs the bar at Catch 31 is also a popular spot for drinks and music.

This is a good free daily email that gives info on food and drink in NYC, LA and Chicago…

http://tastingtable.com/index.htm

Oma cheese from Mad River Valley in Vermont is absolutely delicious. We (the MS kitchen team) tried it during our tour of the cheese caves at Murray’s Cheese Shop and it blew us all away.

http://www.seriouseats.com/2009/07/serious-cheese-von-trapp-farmsteads-oma-vermont-cows-milk.html

http://www.murrayscheese.com/

Just returned from a week in Maine and had time to drive around the absolutely stunning Harbor and eat the local specialties…steamed lobster, lobster rolls, lobster with vegetables in bisque sauce, steamers, fresh corn and more.

Lobster

Add 4 1 1/2 lb. lobsters to a large pot of simmering water. Cover and cook for 10-12 minutes. Remove from water and let cool for about 5 minutes.

Serve with lemon wedges and melted butter.

The best lobster was at Trenton Bridge, a road-side restaurant in a beautiful setting on the water with outdoor seating. You choose your live lobster from a tank and pick your sides, coleslaw, corn on the cob, potato salad, etc. BYOB.

http://www.trentonbridgelobster.com/

Beautiful pastries in Chelsea at Madeline Patisserie, http://www.madeleinepatisserie.com/Madeleine_Patisserie/Home.html

Russ and Daughters, the best place in NYC for smoked fish, caviar, bagels and creme cheese, herring, chocolates, candies and specialty foods. There is no other place like it in the city.

http://shop.russanddaughters.com/store/

First week back in NYC and at work, and we decided to head to the Wednesday’s farmer’s market in Union Square for a little inspiration. I left with a bag of juicy, sweet white peaches and made this very easy, fast and delicious white peach ice cream…

White Peach Ice Cream

5 ripe white peaches (2#), peeled

3 whole eggs

1 3/4 cup granulated sugar

3 cups cold heavy cream

1 cup cold milk

1 vanilla bean, split and scraped

pinch salt

Remove the pits of the peaches and cut into chunks. Place peaches in a blender and puree until almost smooth. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar together until completely combined. Stir in the pureed peaches, heavy cream, milk, vanilla seeds and a pinch of salt.

Run the mixture in an ice cream machine according to manufacturers instructions.

Makes 2 quarts

Saturday night while in Mississippi, we cooked a big feast…seared yellowfin tuna with cilantro salsa, boiled shrimp, grilled rib eye steaks, grilled artichokes with warm bacon vinaigrette and pinenuts, avocados stuffed with crab, caper and parsley salad, and new potatoes sauteed in butter with garlic. Our hosts Gerry and Sally Johnson gave us full access to their beautiful home and amazing kitchen…it was a treat to be there!

Seared Yellowfin Tuna with Cilantro Salsa

2 tomatoes, seeds removed and tomatoes diced

1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped

4 Tbs. parsley, chopped

1 jalapeno, finely diced

3 Tbs. scallions, very thinly sliced

1 Tbs. ginger, minced

2 limes, juiced

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/2 canola oil plus 2 Tbs.

2 # yellowfin tuna, cut into 1 inch steaks

Salt

Pepper

In a medium bowl, combine the tomatoes, cilantro, parsley, jalapenos, scallions, ginger, lime juice, soy sauce and 1/2 cup canola oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine and set aside.

Season the tuna with salt and pepper. Heat 2 Tbs. canola oil in a saute pan over medium high heat. Sear the tuna steaks on each side until a light crust forms but the fish is still rare in the middle, about 1 minute per side.

Slice into 1/4 inch slices and spoon sauce on top.

Serves 6-8

Boiled Shrimp

Thanks to Christopher Dinwiddie, these shrimp came straight from the boats in Pass Christian, MS…and they were the best ever!

2 lbs. large shrimp, shells-on and heads-on if available

1/4 cup shrimp boil seasoning, either Old Bay or Zatarains…plus more for dipping

2 lemons

1 cup cocktail sauce

1 stick butter, melted

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add 2 Tbs. seasoning and the juice of 1 lemon. Turn the heat down to a bare simmer and add the shrimp. Cook for about 2-3 minutes or until cooked through (I always test one before draining them all) and then drain. Place in a large bowl and toss with remaining seasoning and juice of remaining lemon.

Serve with cocktail sauce, extra seasoning spice, melted butter and cold beer

Avocado stuffed with Crab Salad

1 # fresh lump crabmeat

3 Tbs. Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped

2 Tbs. capers, drained

1 lemon, juiced

Pinch of Old Bay or Zatarains creole seasoning (optional)

Drizzle good quality extra virgin olive oil

3 avocados, cut in 1/2 and pits removed

Salt

Fresh ground pepper

Directions:

In a large bowl, gently fold the crabmeat together with the parsley, capers, lemon juice, creole seasoning, olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.

Arrange avocado halves on a platter and season with salt and pepper. Spoon the crabmeat into the center and top with a drizzle of olive oil.

Makes 6

The first night in Pass Christian, MS, I made Crawfish Etouffee and Rice for the Dinwiddie’s. Believe me…it was nerve racking, but very fun, making this classic southern dish for a family who has been cooking and eating this for years. Claudia is a very well respected cook in her family and in the community (she has written a cookbook!) so I made sure she approved before I served dinner.

Crawfish Etouffee

1 stick unsalted butter

1 onion, small dice

1 green bell pepper, small dice

3 stalks celery, small dice

4 Tbs. flour

3 cups chicken stock or broth

1 cup water

1 # crawfish tails with their fat

1-2 teaspoons Zatarains Creole Seasoning spice, or to taste

3-4 dashes worcesteshire sauce

1 lemon, juiced

3 Tbs. parsley, chopped

Steamed white rice

In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium low heat. Add the onion, peppers and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 8-10 minutes. With a wooden spoon, stir in the flour and combine well. Increase heat to medium and continue to cook, stirring often, for another 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken broth and water and bring liquid to a simmer. Cook until the mixture is very thick and reduced. This should take about 15-20 minutes.

When mixture is reduced, stir in crawfish tails, Zatarains seasoning (to taste), worcestershire sauce and lemon juice. Bring to a simmer, adust seasonings and then stir in parsley just before serving.

Serve with cooked white rice.

Serves 4

Last Friday, I arrived in New Orleans and was immediately greeted by one of my hosts for the weekend, Claudia Dinwiddie…possibly the most wonderful and hilarious woman I know. We spent the afternoon drinking iced coffee, chatting about friends and family, and grocery shopping in New Orleans then started on the 1 hour drive to her home in Pass Christian, Mississippi. Upon arrival, I got a tour of the Dinwiddie’s property that is situated right on the Gulf of Mexico. It’s a gorgeous place with miles of beautiful beaches, and I know it used to be even more stunning before Hurricane Katrina destroyed the land and ripped through historic houses, schools, banks, stores and restaurants leaving empty lots and skeletons of almost all structures that used to line the shore. With the help of their family and friends, the Dinwiddie’s have slowly but surely been rebuilding their house and their land, and have never lost their spirit and love for the area. It was a true inspiration to be with Claudia and Malcolm, their children and grandchildren throughout the weekend.