Sorbet, A series. Strawberry, Avocado, Lambic

As the first day of spring has just passed, it seemed fitting to tame the cold and start thinking of warmer weather. With an odd array of ingredients at hand, sorbet was spun and the results were fantastic. Each flavor had a unique texture, and the  balance of sweet, rich, and sour were highly refreshing.

Left to Right:

Strawberry, Avocado, Raspberry Lambic

The Avocado "Ice Cream" Sorbet right from the machine

Rosemary Garlic Roasted Striploin

So for the 4th of July this year, I got a great whole strip loin steak from work for the BBQ. I had about a quarter of it left, and decided to do a simple roast. The flavor was incredible, and the meat was very very tender. Super simple to make, a meal like this is great cause once the prep work is done, you basically forget about it in the oven.

The Strip after being seared hard with salt and pepper, then rubbed down with chopped rosemary, garlic, pink salt, and olive oil. Roasted at 400f for about 20 minutes, then reduced to 375f for about 30 minutes.

The roast out of the oven. Resting for 15 minutes is essential. Final temp was about 140f.

The roast right after slicing.

Roasted Rosemary Garlic Strip loin with sauteed spinach and olive oil potatoes

2008 J Lohr Paso Robles Merlot

Lots of dark fruit and plum flavors, and also kind of gamey. Great with the roast.

Summer Pavlova

Summer Fruit Pavlova with vanilla whipped cream

Mango Nectarines

Mango Nectarines....

What exactly is a mango nectarine? Well, to be honest, I wasn't quite sure myself until a few hours ago. After a few beers in Soho, I was walking home thinking about what I was going to make for dinner. I knew that I had a 2008 Standing Stone Vidal Icewine in my freezer for a very long time, and that I should try to come up with a dessert that would pair nicely with this particular wine. As I was walking towards the train, I stopped into Dean & Deluca just to see if there was anything interesting available.

The first steps into Dean & Deluca are always a bit overwhelming...lots of people and lots of produce. As I surveyed the selection of fruits, exotic mushrooms, and mundane potatoes I spotted something unusual. A bunch of nectarines, with a peculiar color of green and iridescent orange, much like the common mango. As I checked the sign and picked one up, I read "Mango Nectarines". Now, I've never heard of such a thing, but at $7 a .lb theses guys weren't exactly cheap. However, the smell of the nectarines was truly amazing...they were perfectly ripe, with a hint of mango to them. I put them down, on principal of price and walked around the store. Ten minutes later I was back with 4 of them in a bag.

On the long ride on the train home, I pondered: What exactly do I do with these things? My solution was to eat one, and see where the flavor took me. They have a surprising taste of nectarine, with the usual balance of sweetness and tart flavor, but then you really taste the mango. How they make these fruits I don't know.

After a long decision, I wanted a dessert that would showcase the fruit for what it was, but would also accent the flavor of the mango in it. I came up with a dish I am truly proud of.

The mango nectarines are simply cut in half and cored, the pit removed and hollowed out very slightly. In its place, I filled it with a mousse made of ripe nectarines cooked in a little bit of butter and simple syrup, then blended and strained. I added gelatin to this warm mixture, and allowed it to cool. Once cooled, it was mixed with whipped cream to create a flavorful mousse which was piped into the centers. To give the dish another dimension, I made a fromage blanc ice cream with lime zest, and set it over chocolate shavings. The whole thing works amazingly well together.

I don't know the next time I will see mango nectarines, but I will always remember this dessert that really showed off the fruits for what they were.

Whipped cream

Strained apricot puree with gelatin

Apricot Puree

Mango Nectarines filled with apricot mousse, shaved chocolate and lime fromage blanc ice cream

A perfect burger

The other day I was craving a burger...not just any burger mind you, but a juicy, meaty, cheese and onion laden burger on a soft brioche bun. And so I set about making the simple, well; simply delicious.

Dover Sole Meuniere

At my restaurant we used to sell a Grilled Dover Sole, until we decided to change the menu for the winter season. On a nightly basis I would deftly fillet the Dover Sole for our customers, and I decided one night that I would have to get some at home and make it in a more "classic preparation". For those who don't know, Dover Sole A la Meuniere is a classic french dish which literally translates as in the style of the miller's wife. Since the miller always had flour around, the fish is lightly dredged in flour, then cooked in butter till golden brown. The addition of butter cooked till brown, lemon, and parsley completes the dish a la minute to create the Meuniere Sauce.

This dish is well suited to a crisp white wine, with either a lot of acidity such as a Sauvignon Blanc or a rich Chardonnay or Chablis.

If you have never had a chance to taste Sole Meuniere, then you should try to find a place that serves it. Its such an amazing dish, with a complex flavor and a firm textured white fish.

Dover Sole a la Meuniere with a quick style Ratatouille

Sauteed Salmon with Sweet Potato Apple Puree

Sauteed Wild Pacific Salmon, sweet potatoes cooked in apple cider, pureed with a brunoise of gala apples. Frisee with a lemon champagne vinaigrette.

Valentines Day Salad 2008

Blood Orange and Mustard Vinaigrette Salad, Blood Orange Strawberry Reduction and Raspberry "Hearts"

Homemade Ricotta "Postage Stamps"

Being super busy with work lately hasn't given me much of an opportunity to post about the cooking in my new kitchen that I have been up to.

A few weeks ago, I had the chance to make pasta from scratch, and create my beloved Ricotta Mushroom "Postage Stamps" with duck confit, and sage-brown butter sauce. A dish that require a lot of work, and a labor of love, but is truly spectacular in its end result. Im very proud of this one, and so I had to share it with everyone.

Ricotta Stuffed Postage Stamps with Sage Brown Butter Sauce, Duck Leg Confit, Pecorino Romano, Julienned Sugar Snap Peas.

Old Photos from Cuisines of Asia's at the CIA

Preserved Meyer Lemons

Durian Durian - or who cut the cheese?

Durian Fruit. Synonymous with foodies all over the world as the dreadful smelling, often misunderstood fruit with a cult-like following. You may have heard the myths, the legends about the Durian Fruit; how the fruit could clear out an entire room with its smell, that you can't drink alcohol while consuming the durian or you body will become so hot that you will feel as if you were on fire, and that it is one of the best tasting fruits in the world.

Well, I had to try it for myself....and see what all the "stink" was about.

First off, the durian is a big fruit. Weighing approximately 7lbs, its like a spikier watermelon. The shell is so rough, that the spines from the fruit easily ripped through the plastic bag it was brought home from the supermarket in. (Good old H-Mart, in Little Ferry, NJ). It wasn't "cheap", as it cost me nearly $9 for the fruit. It would, however, have a high yield and would feed quite a few people.

Once I found the proper spot to open the Durian (usually along a dark lined area that appears on the fruit after a day or so), I plunged my chef's knife into the fruit and slit it in half...

Immediately I was overcome by a very strong smell, very much like sulfur or a freshly laid fart. I wish I could come up with a better description, but after careful consideration that really is the best one for the smell. Thinking to myself that if the aroma matched the taste, this would possibly be the most vile thing I had ever eaten. I decided to venture forward anyway...

Carefully exposing the soft, milky white flesh of the fruit itself, I grabbed a spoon and scooped out some. Similar in texture to custard or rice pudding, I placed the contents of the spoon into my mouth. To my surprise, the flavor was pretty tasty! Tasting very much like a cross between a mango and a honey dew melon, it was sweet and subtle, with a milky, creamy aftertaste and sweet finish. As for the texture, I can't say I was a big fan, but I tend not to like custard like foods anyway.

I cut the melon into quarters, and kept on eating. The more of the durian I ate, the more I likened it to a soft cheese, like a fruity brie or Pierre Robert. The flavor really was quite good, but the smell was so strong that it was hard to make sense of the two together. I decided then and there that this was the strangest thing I have ever tasted to date.

All fear now dispelled, I think I understand the Durian and all its stinky goodness. While I didn't become one of those durian-hooked addicts, I did appreciate how unique its flavor was. I think that if a chef used the Durian fruit with a combination of some coconut milk, or cream in an application like a smoothie or creamy dessert where the aroma could be dissipated by the cooking or other ingredients, the Durian could really shine.

I hope that my research into the Durian will help people out there understand this fruit a little better, and take it more out of the exotic strange food land. While I wouldn't recommend it to everyone, hardcore foodies might find it strangely amazing or utterly revolting. But until you have tried it, I don't think there is anything else quite like it in the world.

The durian in its mesh bag

The spike laden Durian Fruit, ready to be cut open

The halved Durian. You can see the multiple chambers containing the white flesh

The Durian flesh

Chinese Lacquered Spare RIbs

Just a short post right now, but I found an old picture of some Chinese Spare Ribs I had made, and they just looked so good that I couldn't resist posting the picture.

A quick marinade with soy sauce, a splash of yuzu juice, garlic, ginger, ketchup, chili flakes, siracha, & honey, and some time overnight to absorb the flavors; then slow cooked in the oven at 3:25. Basted with a reduced marinade, the ribs were tender and deliciously hot and sweet.

How to Cook Mussels!

Mussels are one of my favorite things to make when I crave a simple seafood dish, as long as they are fresh and of the very best quality. Simple and delicious, they are an almost sexy dish to prepare, and its easy for even the most basic home cook. Just as important as the mussels are having a good, crisp and very cold glass of Muscadet to go with them. Mussels are very easy to prepare, but often times I think people are scared to make them at home because they aren't sure if they are getting fresh mussels, or cooking the correctly.

With the following steps, you will make a mussels appetizer that will make any food critic happy. Sometimes the simplest things in life are truly the best.

Inexpensive Muscadet is an amazing pairing with mussels. Normally I would remove the price sticker from a bottle before serving it, but I wanted to show everyone that a really good wine doesn't have to break the bank.

Super sexy mussels cooked in white wine, shallots, garlic, and parsley.

Remove the mussels from the pan with a slotted spoon into a bowl. Cover with the sauce from the pan. Serve hot, with cold glasses of the Muscadet wine. Enjoy!

Add the mussels to the pan. Stir, and cover. Cook over medium heat until all the mussels have opened. Add some chopped parsley, and mix well.

Open up that Muscadet you bought, and drink a glass. Add 1/2 cup or so of the wine to the pan, and stir until the whole thing looks creamy. Add 2 tablespoons of water, and stir. Bring to a simmer.

This is what the sauce should start to look like. Add 2 tablespoons more of butter, and melt over medium heat, constantly stirring.

In a large pan (we call it a rondeau) add 1 tablespoon of butter, and melt over low heat. Mince one large shallot, and add to the pan. Add 3 cloves garlic, minced. Add a few parsley stems, about 1 to 2" long, and reserve the parlsey leaves. (mince these, as you will add them later). Sweat the shallots, garlic and parlsey stems over medium heat, until soft.

Start with 2 lbs. of mussels, fresh and clean. Check for freshness by appearance, all the mussels are closed, and there is a clean, sea smell. Anything that smells fishy is bad. Clean the mussels in cold water, removing any debris, or "beards" on the mussels. Set aside, and cover with a damp paper towel.

Death By Dessert or a Sampling of Heaven

Sometimes as a chef, I get a little carried away. When the craving to cook and create strikes, who am I to ignore it?? Especially when there are guests over, who are looking for a little snack. And like any chef, the urge to impress, wow, and instill a sense of happiness in those we cook for is a powerful one.

Having been re-gifted a bottle of CEV Icewine, I set about trying to create a few mini-desserts that would match well with the wine. Here are the results:

Vidal Ice wine with slices of Meyer Lemon Tarts

Hudson Valley Local Fresh (unpasteurized or homogenized) milkshakes with orange-vanilla ice cream, dulce-de-leche wafers dipped in sweet Pedro-Ximenez reduction, and caramelized

ginger-sugar chips.

Chocolate dipped bananas with chocolate dipping sauce, cara-cara oranges, and a Kahlua-coffee shot.

The Petite Elvis - sauteed banana, peanut butter and bacon.

The CEV Vidal Icewine. No where nearly as delicious as the desserts unfortunately.

The meyer lemon tart in the oven.

Mise en place for the lemon tart. Not sure what that means?? See this link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mise_en_place

Blind baking the tart shell.