TALKING ANYTHING BUT TURKEY
I'm moving on. Done with turkey. Shredding the last vestiges and dabbing it with mole and lime juice, then stuffing it in tacos with a sizable side of guac. Over and out. Oh, I'll enjoy hearing how my friend Rick's first brined turkey turned out - he was gulping over his decision to serve his little experiment to 12 guests yesterday, no time for a practice run - but that kind of turkey talk is all I can tolerate right now. I know it's beloved and I know I've suffered through way, way too many way, way overcooked ones, making me un-Americanly turkey tired, but I'm ready for other food.
The other night, I did duck confit over slices of Jersey sweet potatoes cooked in chicken broth and studded with diced prunes. I spiced it up with a shake of chipotle powder. It was simple and seasonal. I simmered adzuki beans with white miso, then sliced and sauteed a bunch of Asian vegetables (shiitakes, sprouts, baby bok choy, Chinese chives and spinach) with ginger, orange and soy, then combined the beans and vegetables. It was a stew-y soup and good for re-charging personal batteries. You know what else I did? Sounds silly, but tasted wonderful: I slathered olive oil on one of those newfangled heat-and-serve naan breads, warmed it in the oven a bit, then layered it with potatoes and onions I'd sliced super-thin, then browned and softened by further cooking in broth with lots of spices. I next layered the potatoes and onions with some sliced piquillos and a bit of mild cheese on the naan, and baked it till the topping melded and melted. It was a cross-cultural pizza and really fine with a big green salad.
People always ask me what I eat when I'm not working. Well, I'm really always working, but if I'm eating home, that's the kind of thing I do - quirky fare, without borders, without recipes.
How about you? It's cooking season. Please tell me what you're cooking or, if you are going out, where you are going and what you're eating. Restaurant chefs - what are your specials this weekend?
cheers,
Andy
11.23.07
posted by Andrea Clurfeld at 12:03 PM
5 Comments:
Chocolate Chip + Heath Bar brownies just done... Nigella Lawson's Pea and Pesto soup from her book Nigella Express on its way...
Did you see that ad in today's Community about a new dessert / Chocolate place called MMM! in Allentown?
We have enjoyed in recent weeks:
* Bayou Cafe in Manasquan, the new Caribbean food.
* Portofino in Tinton Falls, treated to an excellent dinner by friends, bolognese sauce there is the best anywhere.
* Shipwreck Grille in Brielle, overall excellent food though pricey.
Did NOT enjoy Asahi in Manasquan. Sushi made with hard rice and too little fish. What's up with that? A $75 ripoff for sushi for two people.
Andrea -
You should know that many people last night were discussing your review of Peking Pavilion while at a very fashionable restaurant. The prevailing opinion was you exposed an emperor with no clothes. NO ONE likes the new building, everyone feels the noise level and dinner crowds standing around waiting are obscene and not conducive to a fine dining evening out. Some felt you were being kind about the food after exposing the noise and decor and that the food quality depends on the night. Service was seen as trying to be friendly, but too rushed and not able to respond to requests.
FYI.
I have been looking for a good cheese soup like the one Everybody's used to make and without onions. Do you have a good recipe and (or) restaurant referral that has a good cheese soup?
Thanks..
Comment about eating Thanksgiving dinner out:
DO NOT DO IT. Dry, dull turkey and warmed-over side dishes, even at "good" restaurants. Service wishes they were elsewhere.
Complaint about certain "specials" is that no one is doing lobster and shrimp now when they are at their best. They come in summer, when tasteless, but when there are tourists snapping up the supposed "summer" foods.
Your take, Andrea?
Post a Comment
<< Home