Zucchini Recipes (for Jaime)

Earlier this month, Kalyn posted an entire blog entry on using up zucchini, which might help. I tried the Roasted Zucchini with Green Onions, Feta Cheese and Basil this week. It has a good flavor, but is a little juicy for my taste. I also found it to have an intense aftertaste/effect, which I never appreciate.


I also tried a variation on this Zucchini Carpaccio this week. I have had it bookmarked since it was posted last July...I'm glad I got around to trying it. As I don't have a food processor or mandolin and tend to be lazy about food aesthetics, I made it into a salad with thicker (but still thin) pieces of zucchini and carrots. The combination of flavors is great and it doesn't require you to heat up the oven. Win!

I also have this recipe for zucchini strand spaghetti bookmarked to try and am tempted by the zucchini recipes that were covered in Animal, Vegetable, Mineral.

Broken Computer

I am still lazy but my current reason for not posting here is that I broke my computer! Or, rather, something I downloaded unintentionally without any awareness broke my computer. When it fixes, I will resume my semi-regular posts.

What's in Season in NYC?

Time Out New York always has a handy listing of what is available seasonally at Green Market. I forget about it and then remember. So glad summer is here! There are so many more tasty food options - berries, corn, cucumbers, tomatoes, etc.!

Blue Fin

Last Monday my former co-worker, Scott, who taught me all my initial event planning knowledge, was in town staying at the W in Times Square. He is starting an environmentally friendly clothing company specializing in kid's clothes and had a meeting with the factory reps from India. I love how entrepreneurial he is. We were going to meet for drinks, but ended up doing dinner at Blue Fin. Thank God as I was starving and don't have a tolerance at all.

He started with the Yellowtail Ceviche as his appetizer and insisted I taste it. It was beautifully presented and decently flavored, but it was surprisingly dry for ceviche. Having first encountered this dish in Ecuador, I suspect I have abnormally high expectations. Our entrees were much better.

He had the Wild Striped Bass with Lobster Risotto, Melted Leeks, and Lemon Sweet Peas; it was very rich (buttery) and light at the same time. The peas made it feel like a summery dish. I had the Chilean Bass (bad for the environment, I know!) with Artichokes, Dates, and I can't recall what else as it has been removed from the menu...with good reason as it seemed heavy for June in spite of the delicious flavor. Both fishes were perfectly cooked.

We split the most creative dessert on the menu, a variation on a smore: chocolate cake, chocolate mousse, and graham cracker ice cream. The chocolate aspects and the strange marshmallow-like, yet not at all, topping didn't do anything for me. The ice cream was very unique though and given the option I would order that part of this dessert again. It tasted more like marshmallow than the topping but was actually vanilla rolled in graham crackers, which gave it a unique, crisp effect.

The W is so chic. I'm glad I got to check it out! My favorite part of what I saw was the lobby; it was completely surrounded, ceiling too, with a waterfall/fountain type thing that created wonderful shadows on the floor. I totally want to stay at a W one day. I'm sure they can't compare to the Le Meridien in Cyprus, but it is a much more reasonable goal.

Location: 1567 Broadway (at 47th Street)
Hours: Sun-Mon 7:00a-11:00p, Tues-Thurs 7:00a-11:30p, Fri-Sat 7:00a-12:00a
Cost: $$$

Vanilla Vanilla Mini Cupcakes

To celebrate my friend Meg's birthday a few weeks ago and my new mini-muffin tin, I made cupcakes for the first time in over a year. In an attempt to be on time to the party and use ingredients I already had I decided to stick with vanilla, which is my favorite anyway.

This strategy didn't work out...I still went to the grocery store and was a good hour late for the party. Fortunately, the cupcakes made that excusable!

I used Tartelette's listed recipe and switched out the listed frosting for the matching frosting from the Magnolia Bakery cookbook. I chose yellow coloring for the icing as that is Meg's favorite color to wear in the summer (I think). I don't recall liking the resulting frosting in the past, but this time it was very good. I think the trick is to be very cautious when adding the confectioner's sugar. My frosting was much softer than in the past and retained a tasty butter flavor.

Dell'Anima

When UrbanDaddy sent around notification that Dell'Anima served ricotta pancakes, I was sold for the aforementioned reasons. I immediately contacted Kimberly, who fell in love with ricotta pancakes at a different upscale hotel on a business trip, and we made plans to go. It only took scheduling a month and a half out... She, Catherine, and I finally went a few weeks ago. The restaurant is tiny, very intimate and cozy. The staff is friendly and the service attentive. But the best part is the food...

The meal is served family-style with generous portions and complimentary, fresh bread served with ricotta cheese, pine nuts, and olive oil. We opted for three selections ($14) instead of six ($18) and enjoyed ricotta pancakes, scrambled eggs, and an arugula salad. The ricotta pancakes were great, but the real standout was the eggs. They were thick, pillowy clouds just like my Grandpa Sweetiepie used to make. I reveled in them. I had not encountered eggs that good since he passed away a few years ago. The salad was refreshing compared with the weight of the other choices; it was dressed with a lemon vinaigrette, fresh pepper and parmesan cheese. Personally, I could have done with less fresh pepper since arugula has a peppery flavor on its own but it was still good.

I would love to go back for a different meal, but that might be a while as it is a bit pricey. In the meantime, anyone want to go for aperitivo? It is Friday through Sunday from 4-6 pm... The food is free with your drink. :)

Location: 38 Eighth Avenue (at Jane Street)
Hours: Mon-Sun 5:30p-2:00a
Cost: $$$

Raspberry Ricotta Babycakes

When I saw the recipe for Mixed Berry Ricotta Babycakes, I knew I had to make them. Since planning an event at Shutters on the Beach a couple years ago and experiencing their lemon ricotta pancakes with raspberries and syrup, I have yet to find a comparably delicious breakfast. My assumption was these muffins would replicate the experience without all the work involved in making pancakes.

They come pretty close! I had to bake them for 25 minutes, slightly longer than suggested. They puffed up beautifully just out of the oven and are a beautiful golden brown. My muffins were not as light as a pancake, which could have been an over stirring issue, but they had the same texture with the hint of ricotta. The muffins feel substantial, but I suspect they won't hold me over until 1:00 pm for lunch as they do not contain any fiber or protein.

Regardless, I can't wait to make other variations or to just add lemon to another raspberry batch.

Cilantro Hummus

After purchasing the biggest bunch of cilantro ever for $1.50 at Green Market, I was forced to find a creative way to use a lot of it at once before it went bad. This simple recipe for Lime Cilantro Hummus was perfect.

I don't have a food processor, but my hand held blender wand worked fine to process the ingredients. My only other substitution was lime juice from a squeeze bottle instead of lime zest and fresh squeezed juice.

The resulting flavor was amazing (I LOVE cilantro) and the whole process took maybe 20 minutes. I will definitely revisit this and make my own hummus moving forward. To make the lime flavor more pronounced, I might even follow the directions next time.

Stand

Last week Jaime and I met at Stand, a restaurant that has been on my list for a very long time. While I would have loved to try a burger, I mostly wanted to go for a milkshake. As I was too full from lunch at Michael Jordan's The Steakhouse N.Y.C., which I will write about eventually (maybe), to have anything else it was just as well.

Jaime, however, did have the house burger. The unique elements were the onion marmalade (really just grilled onions) and blue cheese house sauce. She said the burger was good, but I couldn't handle a bite. I did try a bit of the sauce with a fry or two and wasn't too impressed. Jaime loved it though. As for the fries they were quality - crispy and golden brown. Per the recommendation of the server, we went with the regular version instead of the shoestring.

I ordered the Toasted Marshmallow Milkshake, their most popular one, and was very impressed with the marshmallow/vanilla flavor and consistency. The presentation was adorable as you can see below and almost makes it trump the all natural (I think) milkshake at Caracas Arepas Bar. It can't actually win as I'm partial to fresh coconut over most things. They also had other flavors I would go back and try: honey lavendar, pistachio and ricotta, etc.


Location: 24 East 12th Street (between University Place and 5th Avenue)
Hours: Mon-Sun 12:00p-12:00a
Cost: $

Mini Spinach Frittatas / Egg Muffins

A few months ago I made these breakfast muffins, which in spite of what I said I haven't revisited. Having found a much better egg muffin, I no longer have any intention of revisiting the cottage cheese version.

The ingredient list is much shorter for these egg muffins and the texture doesn't leave me wondering what to think. They are basically personal mini-quiches; the possibilities are endless. I have made the spinach frittata version. I've made a cilantro, red onion, and cheddar cheese version (pictured below). The results are consistently good and eggs for breakfast are ideal.*

For reheating, I recommend toasting them in the toaster oven rather than microwaving or they seem wet.


*I still prefer standard muffins, breads, and even cake though.

Café Fiorello

Back on June 3rd, my former co-worker, Linda took me to see New York City Ballet and for dinner at Café Fiorello. She saved me from melting into a stressed out disaster in my last job and her generosity knows no end. An evening with good company, food, and ballet can't be topped for me.

I started with the Stracciatella (Italian Chicken Soup). It was my first time having this soup! I wasn't sure that I needed an appetizer, but I'm glad I tried it. The spinach and poached egg make for a nice presentation and the soup has a rich, unique flavor. I'm looking forward to replicating it at home when the cooler weather returns. If only I knew this existed during my trip to Italy...then again hot soup in July would have been a bit much.

For our entree, we shared the "F.Ill Luppi" Prosciutto di Parma Pizza. I don't know how they did it, but this pizza was unlike any other I have had. The crust was thinner than a cracker, soft, and yet firm. Though I was full I could not resist scooping up slice after slice. The aged bsalmic vinegar was a perfect complement to "fior di latte mozzarella, shaved parmigiano," and prosciutto.

I definitely would consider returning here pre-Lincoln Center events, if I felt like splurging and had remembered to make a reservation. The restaurant always seems packed!

Location: 1900 Broadway (between 63rd and 64th Streets)
Hours: Mon-Fri 11:30 a-1:00a, Sat 10:00a-1:00a, Sun 10:00a-11:30p
Cost: $$$

Pizza with Fresh Mozzarella, Proscuitto, Basil, and Cherry Tomatoes

I was a little hesitant to tackle pizza from scratch after my struggles with this Pizza Bianca the other weekend. But a trip to Little Italy for fresh mozzarella, the greenmarket for basil and cherry tomatoes, and too many delicious food blog posts about pizza lately left me determined to try again.

I decided to try this recipe and to start *gasp* at the reasonable time of 4:30 pm. I actually had dinner done by 7:00 pm. The whole process could not have been easier and the resulting pizza was delicious. It didn't seem to be as filling as the $2.25 slices available all over though. Maybe my metabolism is up today?

Next time I will definitely use tomato sauce as a base and/or or more toppings. I needed more flavor. I can't wait to try other variations now that I have a "go to" recipe in my repertoire.

Strawberry-Rhubarb Crumble

When I made Apple Crumble a few months ago what I wanted, without knowing it, was this dish. As often is the case, good things are worth waiting for.

This my first experience with rhubarb and I wasn't sure what to expect. Raw it reminds me of something you could use to brush your teeth. I can't explain that. It is bitter and seems to have an astringent quality to it. When cooked it retains most of its shape, but breaks down into a stringy, soft texture.

When I took some of this Strawberry-Rhubarb Crumble home for my parents to try, I insisted you couldn't taste the rhubarb in the final dish. My Mom who dislikes rhubarb did not agree. She did agree, however, that this was a great crumble recipe. I can't wait to make it with other fruits as they come into season.

Palak Paneer, Two Ways

In college Jim insisted we go for Indian food one night; I wrinkled my nose, protested lightly, and then sucked it up. I had experienced an Indian buffet in Arlington, Virginia toward the end of high school and was not impressed with the cumin and anise seeds I kept encountering. The flavors were too intense. Thank goodness for Jim though! That night I discovered one of my favorite dishes to date Palak Paneer (and Naan, of course).

When my Mom visited this Fall, we made Palak Paneer from scratch, even the paneer. Do you know how long it takes to bring milk to a boil? I was proud of the accomplishment and it tasted good, but I will likely never do it again as savoring the dish in a restaurant with naan makes more sense. Then again I did discover pre-made paneer, unpriced, at Whole Foods. It might be worth checking out...


In the meantime, I will continue to make the version I discovered in college. It requires half the effort and produces similar results. Just be careful not to simmer out too much of the sauciness or you'll end up with the version depicted below - tasty and a little off.


This dish is very rich, pretty healthy because of all the spinach, and best served with rice to tone down the spiciness.

Carrot Soup from the 1977 edition of Moosewood Cookbook

I bought a bunch of fresh, sweet, orange carrots the other week with the goal of making soup. Unfortunately, it was a busy week and they became flaccid and inedible. I saved the bookmark for the Moosewood Cookbook's Carrot Soup for another day.

I'm really glad I did. This soup is easy to put together and the richest vegetable soup I have eaten to date. It ends up looking like an intense, cheddar cheese soup. The soup is great hot or cold too, which is handy as Summer has arrived. I stirred in sour cream and opted to add fresh ginger.

I love that the recipe is flexible, so you can use whatever add-in you have on hand. Definitely making this again.

Pizza Bianca

The hours spent making Pizza Bianca were tedious and fraught will concern. Nothing seemed to be going right. I probably should have halted the production when I couldn't find instant dry yeast, but once I get an idea I stick to it until the bitter end.

I halved the recipe, substituted active dry yeast decreasing the water to reflect the water used to proof the yeast, and struggled to get the dough to come together. I resorted to adding tablespoons of water until a mass formed. I think it took around four. The process is a little bit fuzzy as it was so drawn out.

In the end, I escaped a cooking disaster and the dough rose nicely, twice as required by the recipe. When the second rise finished at 1:00 am I really was not in the mood to eat Pizza Bianca, so I decided to go out on a limb and let it sit overnight. If I let dough sit overnight again, I will cover the dough with saran wrap to prevent it from drying out instead of using a clean dish towel. My Pizza Bianca looked a little like dinosaur skin, but tasted great.

Spinach and Green Garlic Soup

While making Molly's divine Spinach and Green Garlic soup, I was excited to realize everything going into the soup was fresh from Greenmarket or something I made. Last year I was busy freaking out about using chicken thighs instead of breasts, because they were so fatty. I never imagined I would handle whole chickens or make my own broth from scraps. One of the biggest pleasures I have found in cooking is knowing exactly what goes into my food...that and how methodical it is.

This soup is simple to put together and is very satisfying. It just feels fresh. I replaced the baby spinach with regular spinach as it was less expensive and easier to find. If you do this, I advise spending a bit of extra time removing the stem and veins. My only complaint is that the soup separates when refrigerated.

Next time, I plan to use more spinach so I get to get the beautiful jewel green swamp monster effect displayed in Molly's pictures.

Lemon Yogurt Anything Cake

I was so excited my new 9" square cake pan and juicer arrived today as it meant I finally could make this Lemon Yogurt Anything Cake. Back when I saw Smitten Kitten's post I immediately bought an organic lemon, Wyman's frozen wild blueberries, and Ronnybrook Farms Whole Milk Yogurt only to realize I was missing those crucial baking implements.

Actually my pan had rusted and was forced into early retirement. Anyway, sometimes I just get ahead of myself. Like now I'm really, really tired and I have lots of other cooking to write about, but I just have to rave about this cake this very minute before I go to sleep eagerly anticipating eating more for breakfast in morning.

Between putting it together during Gossip Girl's commercial breaks, trying to use two tablespoons of baking powder NOT two teaspoons, and scooping sugar onto the floor instead of the measuring cup I can't believe it turned out. I suppose that tells you how easy it is. As I rushed off to my room to make sure I didn't miss the (anticlimactic) big plot development, my roommate pointed out we had a tv in the living room that would have made my life easier. Why didn't I think of that?

This cake is perfect; the best cake-bread-muffin I have made to date. It is light, fluffy, moist, and delicately flavored. I already, like a glutton, ate three little slices. I can't wait to try other variations. Don't miss out. Make it now.

Penne with Roasted Asparagus and Balsamic Butter

I have had this recipe for Penne with Roasted Asparagus and Balsamic Butter bookmarked since Laura found it in, oh, I don't know, 2004? I finally made it this week and I'm so glad I did. The dish took less than 45 minutes to prepare, which is a kitchen miracle in my book, and it used asparagus. In the spirit of attempting to eat locally, I am enjoying asparagus while it is in season.

One my favorite college memories was sophomore year dinners (never mind that I no longer am in touch with 2 of the 3 other participants). On occasional Fridays, Beth, Roxanne, Renee and I would cook a fabulous dinner, drink a box of Franzia, and then either go watch the free movie in the Commons or force our neighbors to have a dance party. Yeah. The guys next door loved that. Or at least they did the one night I managed to split my jeans. The food was always great and by the end everything was amusing. Anyway, Beth pointed out that asparagus makes your pee smell at one of these dinners and it is true. For a long time I avoided eating asparagus, but now I just figure it is temporary and really who else is affected by the smell? No one. Back to this dish now that I have ruined your appetite.

The flavors blend well together - the sauce is slightly sweet, the pasta is nutty, and the asparagus adds a pleasant firmness. I actually reduced the butter by half without any trouble. It reheats okay, but would be best to eat in one go.

Raspberry-Stuffed French Toast with Custard Sauce

Sunday was my second meeting with the Potluck Dinner Club and the theme was brunch. As soon as I heard the theme in March, I knew I wanted to make Raspberry-Stuffed French Toast with Custard Sauce.

At Christmas Brunch my Mom established a new family favorite by serving this dish and I was certain I could replicate her rave reviews. The good news it that even though my custard sauce did not thicken very well, my plan worked.

The recipe is by Kraft. Strange, right? I was shocked too. I made some substitutions to ensure that my cream cheese and milk wouldn't have hormones and used the Argo Corn Starch Custard recipe for the sauce per my Mom but otherwise followed the recipe. The custard, questionable if I can call mine that since it really is very liquid, tastes a lot like vanilla soymilk after you have eat all the Cinnamon Toast Crunch out of it i.e. delicious.

Actually the whole dish was just as amazing the second time. While it takes a while with the sitting and cooking, it is easy to prepare and I'm sure you will agree the results are stunning.