Month: May 2006

May 25, 2006

But made with ground turkey, and red quinoa, and onion, shallot, scallion, and garlic (for a full-spectrum allium attack) herbs fom the deck (thyme, rosemary, shiso, chive, Thai basil, and mint) and an egg. Served with “ketchup” made from tomato paste, miso, wine, lemon, honey, and truffle salt and a side of steamed lamb’s quarters along with an Il Mimo Nebbiolo rosé. Comfort food, but light and subtle for spring.

May 24, 2006

The last of the mung/ramp paste went in a bowl with eggs, flour, milk, and a bit of oil and I mixed it up good, adjusting things until the consistency seemed right. Made into lovely green crêpes, they sat while I caramelized leeks and crimini mushrooms in the same pan and deglazed with wine. Some more of the great yellow carrots blanched until just tender and I rubbed the skin off and tossed them in…

May 24, 2006

This is from a week or so ago, as is the next entry; I’ve been behind on my work. Both meals feature the mung bean/ramp pesto mixture in very different ways. The first was another fridge soup with chick peas (soaked all day) leeks and sweet potato plus tomato paste and the ramp/bean thing simmered until all was tender and thick, along with a simple green salad with broiled Livarot-raisin bread croutons (I know what…

May 24, 2006

Having stewed a rabbit the other night, I made a roux and took the meat and broth and added to them coconut milk, peas, carrots, truffle salt and lemon thyme, and simmered same while I made a batch of my beloved Grandmother Trude’s pie crust. Half of this went over the rabbit mixture and into the oven while the other half awaits the next occasion. Bubbly, crunchy, savory, and just right, with a side of…

May 11, 2006

Mary had something very special she wanted to share, so we called John and Scotty away from the studio to join us. As expected, it was pretty ridiculous. First, a puréed soup of celery root, leek, and jicama with a phenomenal 1993 Kalin Semillon, then John made unbelievable sashimi from more of that beautiful Kampachi plus a tartare from the trimmings and a ramp and micro-shiso and chives from the deck. (I grilled/smoked the collar…

May 10, 2006

I made it to the fish market in Chelsea, and as is so often the case I couldn’t make up my mind. Thus we had a seared Toro appetizer with pepper and ponzu, then Black Cod in the skillet with the leftover kale/watercress/basil mixture cooked in the juices after the fish came out, then the mung bean/ramp mixture plus wine, lemon, and miso cleaned the pan up and became a sauce for all. Many layers…

May 9, 2006

Reaching the bottom of the fridge, I made a pot of brown rice (I always make too much so there’s plenty for Christine & Milo to make breakfasts and lunches from) and threw some mung beans in a pot- actually into the still-hot water I cooked Milo’s pasta in. Washed bok choy and did a quick sautée in the wok with olive and sesame oils plus garlic, lemon juice and ponzu. Wilted chiffonaded kale in…

May 8, 2006

So today the fridge needed thinning, and thus the last of the lamb from Christine’s birthday, chopped, browned along with onion and carrot until all crispy. Then water, a can of kidney beans, a bit of remaining tomato paste, and the remains of the parsnip purée also from last Monday, sweet potato, broccolini stalks, zucchini, anellini, thyme, and after about 10 minutes basil leaves and the broccolini tops. Served with fresh pepper and good oil…

May 7, 2006

Tonight a dinner with other new friends, also courtesy of an event at Pasanella & Son, this time in Brooklyn, and in a building I’ve admired since we moved here no less, which followed a stroll through the Botanical Garden. Bread and cheese began, with a crisp, minerally, and herbaceous Greek white from Santorini which tasted, appropriately, like a Greek island (chalk and oregano.) Then a dry Austrian riesling was a perfect match with a…

May 7, 2006

A simple pasta made with ground bison, crimini and dried porcini, plus herbs and garlic and tomatoes, but caramelized and then cooked slowly to really get at all those deep flavors, with penne and a side of blanched watercress. It was so good that Milo had a second dinner sitting on my lap after he had just eaten his own dinner. I had it with a Crios rosé (100% Malbec) by Susanna Balbo which is…