Foodie in Denial

Mercat a la planxa

2010-06-04T09:30:00.003-05:00

Another great Chicago restaurant find is Mercat a la planxa. The chef, Jose Garces won the second season of The Next Iron Chef competition. Let's just say I envy the eating Jeffrey Steingarten is about to undertake.

First up was the Paella Negra with calamari, octopus and chipirones with black rice and octopus tomato salad. Pesky Pescatarian was quite fond of the grilled octopus, and the waiter recommended a grilled octopus special that she would have considered ordering if it weren't for space constraint concerns. I was obsessed with the black rice. I haven't had sepia pasta or rice often, and I'm starting to believe that this makes my life not so complete.

Arguably the best dish of the night, the Sopa de Pesols, which was fresh English pea soup with Goat's Cheese, Pea Ice Cream and shaved black truffle, this was a wonderful hot-cold soup. Alinea has their famous hot potato, cold potato concoction, but there aren't that many versions of this concept out there. I really loved tasting the freshness of spring, coupled with the hot and cold elements mingling together, all mixed in with the earthy seductiveness of the truffle.

If the soup was the best dish, the Albondigas de Venera was the worst dish of the night. The scallop & shrimp meatballs with marinated grapes and shaved Idizabal were boring. The sauce was almost cloyingly sweet and there was nothing exciting either on a flavor or textural front that saved the meatballs. Only the marinated grapes were fun.

The revuelto de Temporada with roasted seasonal mushrooms with soft scrambled eggs, green pea tendrils and fava bean toast was delicious. Ever since that Bayona omelette experience I keep talking about, I've been seeking perfectly cooked eggs, and these finally fit the bill.

The Gratin de Coliflor came out last, and it was too rich for our taste buds at this point. I really like this dish, but it very heavy on hte cream and cheese flavor, which can overwhelm the flavor of the cauliflower itself. Still, on a cold winter's night this would be a great choice to include.

The Croquetas de Xocolata, which were milk chocolate croquettes with banana marshamallow (that's banana-flavored marshmallow for ya), rosemary caramel, and Arbequina olive oil was fantastic. Amazing. At $10 an order a total steal considering the thought, skill, and execution of the dish. The flavor of every element was perceptible to the Pesky Pescatarian, though I had some difficulty with the rosemary and the olive oil. The marshmallow was lightly bruleed and each little dessert "pod" could be enjoyed in a single bite. Mmm mmm good.

Mercat a la planxa, 638 Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL

Niu Sushi

2010-06-03T10:58:00.005-05:00

Niu Sushi is in River North, and a decent joint for interesting maki rolls. It's a tad pricey, but it turns out because their rolls have twice as many pieces as any self-respecting sushi joint should rightly serve. I'll forgive them for their faults though because at least they have interesting menu items.

One wouldn't think it would be good as there are the typical warning signs of other Asian dishes on the menu, such as Tom Yum soup. Generally, if you see Pad Thai or wonton soup on the menu of an establishment that purports to serve sushi, one should find a way to extricate oneself from what is likely to be a disappointing experience.

And even so, despite the fact that I've forgiven Niu for its faults, one still needs to tread carefully. We started with a soft shell crab spring roll that was a messy experience. My fried crab got soggy in the dressing and mayonnaise in the roll, and it isn't something that I'd order again. It was a large roll and difficult to get all the flavors together in one bite.

We got suckered into ordering a new roll, which does not yet have a name, that has fried oyster. The Pesky Pescatarian and I love the fried oyster roll at the now defunct Ota-Ya and in the still going strong Tenzan. Niu's roll had too little fried oyster per bite, and the flavor of some broiled eel, seaweed salad, and cream cheese overwhelmed the experience.

There was a roll with uni and ikura that was crazy good, and for that roll alone I remain fond of the joint.

Niu Sushi, 332 East Illinois St., Chicago, IL

Purple Pig

2010-06-02T10:28:00.004-05:00

Spring Peas with Farro, Feta & Mint

I am quickly becoming obsessed with Purple Pig. It's really close to my apartment, and the food is so good.

Continuing on the food tour with the hometown gang: Bastard Consultant, Dr. Consultant, and Pesky Pescatarian, we hit up Purple Pig with an intention to try more of its spring-themed and seafood offerings.

Shaved Green Asparagus with Pecorino Noce & Parmigiano Reggiano

Shaved asparagus that had a touch of acidity. I prefer my asparagus more when its been steamed or roasted, but there was nothing wrong with this and PP who lives tart foods enjoyed this a lot.

Braised Baby Artichokes with Fingerling Potatoes, Asiago & Salami Toscana

Mussels with Treviso, Serrano Chiles, Citrus Fruit & Gaeta Olives

I really love this mussels dish. I've never had a salad with fried mussels and citrus before, and I wouldn't mind so much if a small craze took on and it popped up in more restaurants.

Halibut Cheeks with Gaeta Olive Aioli

Fried halibut cheeks. We were really excited about this dish, but it turned out to be fine but certainly not extraordinary.

Mixed Greens with Feta, Watermelon Radishes & Fed Wine Mint Vinaigrette

Watermelon radish is an unappreciated root vegetable.

Deviled Egg with Arugula & Caper Berries

Bastard Consultant doesn't like hard boiled egg as it reminds him of foot. BC also can't go to bed if he hasn't showered first. I love sleep, and that seems highly inconvenient.

We drank Rocca "Copertino" with our meal.

Roasted Bone Marrow with Herbs

Seeing BC's longing looks, I acquiesced to the Roasted Bone Marrow Order. I didn't approve of the salt choice. It looked like kosher, when clearly sea salt or Maldon salt was called for, and it really made a difference. Of course, the marrow was still good, but I think you need a salt with more texture for a dish like this. I'm not sure why, but I've noticed with other salts, it can really help bring out the unctuousness of the warm marrow.

Sepia with Snap Peas & Toasted Almonds

This was an amazing dish. It's no longer on the menu, so your life sort of sucks until spring rolls back around, but the combination of snow peas and squid was perfect.

Wagyu Sirloin Tip with Charred Green & White Asparagus, Spring Onions & Piquillo Peppers

I don't normally think of ordering Wagyu at small plates joints, but I'm really glad my classmate convinced me to order it at the last visit because I knew Dr. Consultant would really enjoy it. It's meltingly rich and a fine fine plate of meat.

Pig's Tails Braised in Balsamic

Bastard Consultant and I forgot about ordering this dish, but we are happy that we didn't think to cancel it, as the pork tails braised in balsamic topped with some chopped hard boiled egg was really a delicious surprise. The acidity of the balsamic helped cut the fattiness of the tail and the sweetness of the vinegar augmented the flavor of the pork.

Eating this dish made me understand why Laura Ingalls of Little House in the Big Woods so looked forward to eating the pig's tail during butchering time. I have had pig's tail once before at Au Pied de Cochon, where it was deep fried and didn't much like it. I think that restaurant is sort of tacky.

Charred Ramps & Scallions with Romesco Sauce

More grilled ramps. I've decided that I need to order ramps whenever I can because last year I thought they weren't so exciting before and didn't get my season's fill. Never again will I neglect you my beloved ramps.

The Sicilian Iris. As a reminder, it's ricotta and chocolate chip in a fried brioche.

Sinful.

A new devilishly delicious find is the Butterscotch Budino. I wish they would have taken a torch over the pudding after they pulled it out of the fridge because the sight of condensation on the dessert was unappetizing. That aside, however, this was a rich, satisfying, salty-sweet conclusion to a meal filled with a lot of laughter and general feelings of happiness.

Purple Pig, 500 North Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL

Urban Belly and a Detour

2010-05-28T10:04:00.001-05:00

After Hot Doug's, we made our way back to the el stop via a path that would take us by Urban Belly. But then we came upon Carniceria Guanajuato and had to swing in. Why, by the way, is there a big Mexican community in Chicago? One would think that somewhere warmer would be a whole lot more comfortable?

Bastard Consultant and I immediately gravitated towards the aquarium displays of crispy fried chicharrone. But what really made us swoon was something that I don't have a picture for. It is pig's skin that has been slowly cooked until the tough ingredient has become gelatinous, sticky, and infused with the cooking broth.

It is: God Crack. Seriously. Every time a bit of the heavenly substance touched my lips, my eyes widened in wonder. God. How can something taste so amazing before one has even started chewing. Just from the moment it hits your tongue. God Crack.

God Crack that we ate huddled in the doorway of a closed real estate agent's office. Because it was cold. 40 degrees cold. Even though it was May. I swear, if it weren't some of these recent food finds, I'd be seriously depressed about this town.

After we had had our fill of surprise Mexican market delights, we made our way to Urban Belly, where we got the Asian Squash & Bacon dumplings, which though a touch too sweet, are pretty good overall.

The real reason why I wanted to come was to check out the Rice Noodle with hominy, kimchee and spicy pork broth. I had previously tried the Urbanbelly Ramen and been none too impressed. But Art Smith had gone on and one about the Rice Noodles in The Best Thing I Ever Ate.

Okay, this is a lot better than the Urbanbelly Ramen. The broth is fantastic, though the need for the hominy was debated amongst the Bastard Consultant and the Pesky Pescatarian. I like it well enough, though I guess it's not utterly critical.

Carniceria Guanajuato, 3140 N. California Ave., Chicago, IL

Urban Belly, 3053 N. California Ave., Chicago, IL

Hot Doug's

2010-05-28T09:36:00.005-05:00

My NYC friends descended upon the Windy City to do some serious chowing down. Hello, Bastard Consultant, Dr. Consultant, and Pesky Pescatarian.

Pesky Pescatarian, I'll call her PP for now, was mildly useless at Hot Doug's. Luckily the two C's can pull their weight, and we allocated 2 dogs a person plus one to serve as ballast for our food-crawling ship.

Wow, what a supremely crap sentence that was.

I got pretty gosh darn excited looking at the piles of links behind the counter.

BTW, I recently found out that one of my classmates thought I was attracted to him when we first met because there was always a sparkle in my eye and excitement in my voice when we spoke. It stood out because he generally perceived my energy levels to be on the low side of things. (What can I say, we usually saw each other at big sports bars, which I do not dig.)

Well, needless to say, over time, he realized that said flutter in my voice was due to the fact that we were always talking about food. And much as I think the fellow is a decent dude. Let me just say now that I think it was best for both of us that said fellow was able to come to the proper interpretation of our social interactions before he decided that it would be worthy of further inquiry. Because that could have made for some supremely awkward moments!

Anyways, back to more important matters at hand. Doesn't a site such as this put a dimple of joy in your heart?

The foie dog. The dog that helped Hot Doug's wage the foie wars. A dog to be handled with respect, anticipation, and general efforts to not drool and make more of a fool of oneself than usual.

Us three meat eaters cut the dogs into three pieces each, so all go to sample everything. I think this is the Corned Beef Sausage with Horseradish Mustard, Chicken Liver Mousse and Hickory Smoked Sweet Swiss Cheese.

It was 40 degrees in May while we waited outside, and I was feeling pretty curmudgeonly by the time we rolled in. It helps to have a table covered with dogs to make the bitterness go away.

Bacon and Jalapeno Duck Sausage with Blood Orange Dijonnaise and Goat Cheese. This dog could use some further tweaking, as I couldn't pick up the blood orange flavor nor much of the Jalapeno.

Saussicon Alsacienne.

We made the mistake of arriving 15 minutes after opening on a Saturday morning for our dogs. By then, the line already snaked down the block. Who knew that on a 40 degree Saturday morning, that there would be a line snacking down the block for hot dogs?

A standard Chicago dog. Remember, this was our ballast.

Okay. Hot Doug's uses different buns for different dogs , and the bun on this one was nice and soft. PP got the vegetarian version and she had one of the thicker buns, which really did not sit well with her. What is up with that? Slap a soft bun on that dog!

Duck fat fries, that the Bastard Consultant claims he has waited years to order. These are tasty fries, but not so redolent of ducky goodness that one needs to wait an hour in the bloody cold in freaking May for them. I think Sam had it right when he took me on a regular weekday to go. Oh yes, milk that grad student status to bypass the hungry hoards!

I think this is the Swiss Cheese Smoked Knockwurst with Chili-Garlic Mustard and Smoked Gouda. Good job on the Smoked Gouda, it had a really strong punch.

This. This was easily the best dog of the day. Alligator Sausage with Shrimp Remoulade and Irish Whisky Cheese. Very juicy, it was an incredible incredible experience.

Hot Doug's, 3324 North California, Chicago, IL

Duck Confit Part 2

2010-05-19T22:34:00.006-05:00

The Duck Confit Collective met again a few weeks later, after the duck legs had had sufficient time to cure. We met on a snowy day that was perfect cassoulet weather.

Once again Sam did a better job of posting about this event. I went pickle-crazy and pickled several types, as I anticipated it would be nice to have something with a sour note to cut what would otherwise be an extremely gluttonous spread.

A soy-based jalapeno pickle.

Threw in a few coriander seeds for this carrot radish pickle with rice vinegar and white vinegar.

This daikon pickle tasted bitter to me. I love these daikon pickles at Korean restaurants, so I really want to learn how to get the recipe right.

Homemade sausage for the cassoulet. I want a KitchenAid with a meat grinder attachment too.

Duck prosciutto - traditional blend. For more on the making, go here at Sam and Abby's blog.

This is the one with the five spice blend. I could not get enough of this. Super fatty and salty, I revisted the prosciutto spread again and again.

Duck cassoulet ready to simmer.

Shredded duck confit for a pizza and for some Chines-style buns.

Prepped pizza with fig spread, shredded duck confit, and slices of Morbier cheese.

All burners on Sam's stove were going full force.

The finished pizza. Ain't it beeeeautiful?

Accompaniments for the Chinese buns. I sliced these. Aren't I a good slicer?

Beets and beet greens. Someone wanted these beets to go in the duck confit frisee salad. I am very very glad that he lost that battle. Beets are all very fine and well, but one need not meld all great things in life.

The finished cassoulet. This is a stick to your ribs, heavy-hitter of a dish.

Duck confit risotto. A lot of it. One easily forgets how much rice expands in liquid. I know I do every single time I make risotto.

The whole spread. Ah, the joy to sit down and see the following sight. It's usually at this point that I make a note of how much of my belly is straining against my jeans and make a not-so-subtle fit adjustment: stand up, grab waistband, shimmy bottom, sit back down.

And the first thing I got to try was this duck confit frisee salad with duck fat croutons and poached duck egg. The fantastic thing about poaching duck eggs instead of chicken eggs, is the significantly larger yolk. Gotta love the runny yolk!

Delightful Pastries

2010-05-13T09:30:00.002-05:00

Also way back when, I went to Delightful Pastries to learn how to make Paczki. No, those aren't Paczki, that's just a sampling of some of Delightful Pastries' fare.

The staff hard at work.

First we made some angel wings. We cut the dough with this nifty antique-looking contraption. I want it. Not that I plan on ever making angel wings again.

We cut slits into each rectangle so we could fold over the pastry to make the "wings."

I like industrial-sized baking ware.

Okay the angel wings are ready to go into the giant fryer.

Stand back!!!

Once they turn golden brown on one side, it's time to quickly flip them over with some long chopsticks.

Dusted with some powdered sugar, they are ready for your belly!

Now onto the paczki which have been proofing until they are big beautiful airy balls.

And into the fryers these suckers go.

A quick slice.

Oh yes, let's watch them fry. (Is it sad that I'm not really writing, but just noting down some super crap captions? Well, this is what happens when there is picture overload.)

Okay, back to the fried paczki. Let's sweeten them up!

I seriously dig this jelly donut filling machine. The conical thing is filled with jelly.

Jam in the paczki, and the jam shoots in.

Glazed and topped with candied orange.

We each got to take a box home. Except I don't really like sweets. So I kind of didn't know what to do with them as they piled up in the fridge.

Delightful Pastries, 5927 West Lawrence, Chicago, IL

Okay, back to it.

2010-05-12T14:25:00.005-05:00

Hello folks,

I've had some foodie friends visiting lately, so there has been lots of yummy eating to share. Unfortunately, I got sick and lost my voice over the weekend. Thank the sweet lord I didn't lose my sense of taste as well.

Anyways, let's get to this duck confit. This happened back in February, but I was so overwhelmed by the whole experience that I've been dodging writing about it. My friend Sam did a pretty good job documenting it in a more timely manner.

We processed 3 ducks and 40 duck legs this sunny Saturday. Our hosts cured the legs in advance.

One participant is taking culinary classes, and I drooled over her knife set. We all brought our own cutting boards and knives. Several folks admiringly surveyed my silver briefcase carrying my knives, but the wonder soon fell away to pity when they discovered my knives were dull. To this day, I can't help but blush in embarrassment. How mortifying!

We needed some chorizo, cheese, and chocolate to provide sustenance. Can you tell that I like the way these people roll? Throw in some homemade baguette, and I'm thinking, "These are mighty fine folk."

A lesson on how to properly debone a duck. Apparently one should use the weight of the carcass to help guide your knife. My cut-up duck pieces were not so pretty.

We took the bones to make a duck stock.

The legs cooking in their fat bath. hehe.

Duck sausage making! The sausage attachment was a Christmas present. Nice present.

Finished sausages. We ended up putting the duck livers in there, and it was a bit too much for the ratio of duck that we had in there.

Finished duck confit. Ready for curing.

Lots of legs. Oh yes. These were saved in preparation for the Confit Collective's dinner that happened a few weeks later. Another epic meal.

Sausages with a red wine braised onions.

Seared duck breast.

With a cherry glaze.

Salad with duck fat croutons.

Duck tartare. Not the prettiest ring, but impressive considering the Sam-aka-MacGyver fashioned it out of a paper towel roll and some aluminum foil. Delicious, especially with some oven-crisped duck skin cracklings.

Roasted duck. The remaining duck breasts went for two different types of prosciutto.

Closeup of the duck sausage.

And here's the sliced roasted duck breast.

It was an amazing day, where I got to meet some great Chicago food enthusiasts. It made me feel much better about the city in the heart of winter.

WTF Is That?

2010-05-05T09:30:00.000-05:00

A mess of duck fat melting in preparation for a duck confit making extravaganza is WTF is that.

Publican

2010-05-04T19:26:00.005-05:00

Let's talk about dinner in no apparent order except for the order of backwards. Hit up Publican again the other day. But this time not for Sunday dinner, but a truly legit meal.

We ended on this waffle with honey butter. If you're a waffle person, this I imagine, must be pretty up there. Light, crispy exterior that crackles as you bite down to a fluffy center. Mingled with some melting sweet honey butter, it packs a sugary punch. Too much for me.

I originally didn't want to get these ribs, but I'm glad the other fellas won out because it was super fatty and savory. Nicely charred up so people couldn't really tell I was mainly just eating fat.

These ramps with romesco, which I was so excited about, were a bit too raw for my tastes.

A pretty decent pig's ear salad, which I was happy to foist upon the other dining companions who had not yet experienced the happy surprise that is pig's ear salad. I prefer Purple Pig's rendition, but my friend thought that the buttermilk dressing was a nice, slightly acidic, counterpoint to the richness of the fried pig's ear.

Fries with a fried egg on top. There was much "Oh we must get this" brouhaha over the ordering of these fries, and all I've got to say is, "People. It's not that special." I'll take L'Express or Balthazar fries any day.

Grilled duck heart on some nicely charred toast. It was a bit difficult to appreciate the duck hearts as we split this amongst four, but I'd definitely order it again. I really like eating heart. Oh my, sounds a bit bloodthirsty, no?

Burrata with cauliflower. I enjoyed this, though the cream in the burrata was a bit more set than is my usual preference. I've had fun watching burrata gain prominence in American menus over the past few years, and it's illuminating to see new burrata ingredient pairings.

The general verdict on Publican is that if you are a pig fellow, it is definitely worth visiting, and worth visiting on a regular dining night.

Publican, 837 W. Fulton Market, Chicago, IL

Green Zebra

2010-04-23T09:30:00.001-05:00

You know how I've been moaning and wailing about my general feelings of fatness? Well, I just got back from dinner at Green Zebra, a primarily (they serve sea scallops) vegetarian restaurant. Normally I'm not eager to go to vegetarian restaurants, but this one had been flagged by a foodie friend, and I seriously was craving food that didn't involve copious amounts of saturated fat.

If you ever read Julia Child's biography, you'll learn that she too took breaks from her rich diet. If Julia understands the need for a break, so can you. And I incidentally. I really need to learn to take breaks.

The restaurant surprised us with a little amuse. I love surprise amuse bouche. It's like hello, let me give you a friendly kiss on the cheek. Who doesn't like a kiss on a cheek? Well, okay, I can think of a few occasions. But a little spoonful of pureed red pepper goodness is just the right kind of smooch smooch.

I went on an on about burrata, and how it's mozzarella on steroids. Then when my dining companion expressed lack of interest, I acted like it was no big deal to me, and I didn't need to order it if she wasn't going to try it. Then I ordered it. Topped with grilled asparagus and a little romesco, it was nothing earth shattering, but a nice satisfying dish. By the way, is it just me, or does romesco sauce seem to be everywhere? I've had it at Avec, Publican, and now Green Zebra.

Oh crap, I just did the equivalent of celebrity name drop. And it's not even like I dropped Alinea and Per Se, true juggernauts. Oh wait, I just did that too. Can we say obnoxious? Someone slap me and tell me to shut up.

A sunchoke ravioli topped with grilled ramps (I love grilled ramps!), medjool dates, preserved lemon, and a poached quail egg. Hello pureed sunchoke, how much I love you wrapped in a little pasta pillow. If you visit this restaurant, this is the top dish I'd recommend.

Slow cooked shittake mushrooms in this weird spring roll form with a fried wrapper. Man, this is what happens when one forgets to filch a menu. A truly unappetizing description.

Oh wait, it's still up on the online menu: Slow Roasted Shittake Mushrooms, in crispy potato with savoy cabbage. Ah yes, much better.

Creamy grits with caramelized fennel and sage. The idea was to take the flavor profile of sausage and pair it with grits. A savory, even wintery dish.

Spinach crepe with oyster mushrooms and confit artichokes. It was lovely to leave a meal and not feel like a lumbering elephant pounding out the door.

Speaking of fatness, has anyone watched the Life series on Discovery lately? Those seals that live in Antarctica. Now that is rotund. If only we could all look so incredibly beautiful while approximating the general proportions of a Goodyear blimp.

Green Zebra, 1460 W. Chicago Ave., Chicago, IL

The Purple Pig

2010-04-22T09:30:00.002-05:00

I've been dancing around this Purple Pig post for awhile now. Just thinking about the meal makes me tired. Aside from the Alinea fluke, I hadn't done any epic gourmet meals since I dragged my parents to Avec and Publican. Actually, maybe I should just end this train of thought because clearly I'm a lucky bastard.

Okay, deep breath. First up: Shaved Brussel Sprouts with Pecorino Noce & Parmigiano Reggiano. Yes, it as good as they say.

Salt-roasted Beets with Whipped Goat Cheese & Pistachio Vinaigrette. The whipped goat cheese is also smeared into the inside of the ramekin so the beets have a good shot at picking up some of the goat cheese.

Pork Fried Almonds with Rosemary & Garlic. This I got to try at home. So easy! So indulgent! Oh wait, I'm trying to eat healthier. Crap. Crap. I tell you, I seriously need to rent two teenage boys, so they can help me deal with the fallout from my cooking bursts.

Lardo Crostini. One of the things I miss most from the one month I lived in the center of Florence was the ability to walk two blocks to the local corner store and buy pre-sliced lardo and balls of mozzarella (only a euro each!). Oh lardo, how I love thee.

P.S. Confession. After having tried the whipped lardo at Del Posto, dealing with the sliced lardo is significantly more technically complicated.

Calabro Ricotta with Pork Neck Bone Gravy. I had high hopes for this once, but it actually turned out to be less satisfying and exciting than some of our other dishes. The pork neck gravy in the tomato base was good, but it almost seemed like rustic home cooking in comparison to the decadence flavors in the other dishes.

Okay that's it. I officially loved fried pig's ear salad. This Pig’s Ear with Crispy Kale, Marinated Cherry Peppers & Fried Egg was crazy crazy good.

And when you crack open the yolk and let it run over the crispy ears, creating a rich dressing. Lord, I've met some people who don't like runny egg yolks. It's a dying shame I tell you.

Sardines with Lemon Vinaigrette. Did you know the last U.S. sardine cannery just closed down? I suppose I'm plenty to blame as well. I only order the suckers at restaurants, though I'm nearly always happy when I do. The fennel and caper salad is a great complement to the oily fish.

Mussels with Treviso, Serrano Chiles, Winter Citrus & Gaeta Olives. A surprise hit. The mussels were shucked, lightly breaded and fried and then tossed with some citrus and olives that served as great bright foils to the briny pockets.

We planned in a salad to help clear our palates. Mixed Greens with Feta, Watermelon Radishes & Red Wine Mint Vinaigrette.

Octopus with acini di pepe & Swiss Chard. Tender, smokey, meaty. All one wants from grilled octopus.

Charred Scallions with Romesco Sauce. These had me dreaming of ramp season. If you are in the vicinity of any grilled ramps, do yourself a favor and order them. Make that two orders.

Wagyu Sirloin Tip with Bone Marrow Vinaigrette. I was leaning towards not ordering this dish when we were plotting our attack plan, and boy am I glad that I lost that battle. Wagyu. One remembers why it is revered.

Sicilian Iris (Ricotta & Chocolate Chip filled Fried Brioche). Yes. A light fully fried donut ball filled with goodness. I could only handle about one bite of this, it was so rich. Luckily, my dining companions had more fortitude.

Purple Pig, 500 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL

Spring time

2010-04-21T23:16:00.002-05:00

You know that Brad Garrett 7UP commercial where he frolics? Well, when I see all the trees blooming, that's exactly what I want to do. Except, usually my feet hurt too much in my wedge espadrilles to bother. But inside. In my heart. I seriously crave the frolic.

Tea Gschwender

2010-04-21T09:30:00.001-05:00

I'll say this about doing a tea tasting at 7:30pm in the evening. Especially when you're someone who has tried not to drink more than a cup of caffeine a day after getting massively addicted one summer that culminated in an internship with a major soda manufacturer. You are hopping awake afterwards.

Tea Gschwender was kind enough to host a tea tasting, and I learned a ton about tea. We learned about cupping, which is a method to evaluate and appreciate the quality of tea. We sniffed and slurped the beverage, poked and prodded the leaves.

China Lung Ching- very astringent.

Japan Gyokuro. This was one of my favorites. A great green tea.

Sumatra Oolong Barisan. You only pluck the top 3-5 leaves from the plant at each time.

Darjeeling Phuguri, incredibly aromatic.

China Yunnan Golden Pekoe

Rooibush Cream Caramel. This is a doctored up tea concoction created by the Tea Gschwender people. People loved it as it is highly aromatic with strong sweet notes, but I'm not that keen on the pre-doctored tea experience. I'd rather present the cream and caramel for my guests to doctor themselves.

MIA

2010-04-20T21:38:00.002-05:00

Sorry I've been in MIA. I'll say this though, if you don't actually know me, consider yourself lucky. I've been telling anyone who will listen about how my stomach is so stretched out from the massive amounts of eating that has been going on lately that I am always ravenous. Guys at school are hungry too, but they seem to have been doing a lot of running around in the nice Spring weather. I don't run. I sit and chow down.

The downside when this runs amok, of course, is the incredible feeling of fatness that generally pervades one's waking hours. The other day I tried to think of a healthy-themed menu that I could throw for a little gathering I was hosting. You won't be surprised to learn that I couldn't think of anything.

Lately, however, I've been craving quinoa. Anyone got any suggestions? I've got summer dresses to fit into.

Indian Potluck

2010-04-13T09:30:00.003-05:00

I've always been skittish about hosting potlucks. The control freak in me has problems letting go. What if the dishes don't match! Potlucks with a theme may be the solution. At an Indian-themed potluck I attended, everyone chipped in. First up, Mango Lassi.

I brought some spicy snacks that I had picked up in Devon on a recent shopping trip. Hello friends with cars.

Homemade somosas with homemade dough. The dough was very hearty and probably took healthy for me, having been made with whole wheat flour. Still, it's always nice to eat food that has been prepared with care.

Chutney aka orange sauce for the somosas. I still think of chutney as something sticky and chunky, but I'm trying to let go.

Raita

Rice. I only just discovered at this dinner is that the trick to get the orange color is to drizzle some saffron infused water over the rice when it's done.

I brought this Eggplant Bhurtha dish - very spicy and fun to make.

This Mutter Paneer starts with a cashew puree, which was surprising but really lent a nice rich aromatic quality ot the dish.

Chicken prepared by our host, courtesy of his mother-in-law's recipe.

And a vegetarian dish from the same source. The image of mother-in-law and son-in-law bonding one weekend over old recipes is sweet. Our host is a bit of a precise fellow, and his mother-in-law has just made these dishes the way she has always made them. So he would consult an Indian cookbook that would call for a cup of a particular ingredient, and then she would proceed to pshaw him and say she just threw in eight spoonfuls. He couldn't take it, I suppose their love doesn't go that far, and measured our her eight spoonfuls, which equals exactly one cup.

And a homemade mango cheesecake. Everyone participating is incredibly busy, and it's such a treat to have people take time out of their packed schedules to make something delicious for you.

Momofuku Bo Ssam

2010-04-12T09:30:00.001-05:00

I had a hankering the other day for Momofuku Bo Ssam the other day, but being many miles away from New York City, I had to make it myself. Luckily, David Chang has been kind enough to provide a recipe to New York Magazine. Martha Stewart has a different one that calls for a rub rather than a brine. I have never tried the Martha Stewart one myself, but I can attest to the NYMag version.

I had a little difficulty getting the bone-in pork butt, but this turned out to be a great conundrum, as it necessitated my inaugural visit to Peoria Packing Butcher Shop. If rows of stainless steel tables piled high with various cuts of meat gets your blood pumping and your lips turning up in a smile of glee, then Peoria is the place of you. It's sort of a grab and go operation. There are various stations where one can don some plastic gloves and then pick and choose her desired cut. I cradled my 9.5 lb pork butt against my stomach as I slowly perused the other aisles before I walked it to the register.

Cradled it in a plastic bag of course. I love meat, but not that much. I love clothes too, you know.
After over six hours in the oven, the Bo Ssam had a wonderful dark caramelised bark. One grabs the pork with tongs. Then take a lettuce leaf, smear it with some Sagyegeol ssäm jang, top it with some rice, and a little pork. That's it! Wrap it up and eat it like a little burrito. One can feel free to add additional accompaniments of course, maybe some sliced jalapeno, or a bit of kimchee. Anything really. I paired the bo ssam with lots of banchan from Joong Boo Market and some pan fried vegetable gyoza. Some of my guests had never had Korean before, and it was exciting to be their guide.

Big Star Taco

2010-04-09T08:38:00.002-05:00

We had some unseasonably warm weather earlier this week. Since then Chicago has taunted and teased me with blasts of cool and deceptive bright sunny days. Today is a perfect example. The sky is blue, and the sun is shining, making a girl dream of flip flops and white skirts, but the weather report says the temperature outside is 33 degrees. If Chicago were a friend, I'd say, "I hate youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu." And close it with a smile.

Anyways, this Monday it truly was warm, so I met up with my friend for lunch at Big Star Taco. Big Star Taco is really easy to get to via the el. It's right off of the Damen stop on the Blue line.

It was one of those bright bright days, where one has to squint to make eye contact and avoid the sun's glare. We sat outside, had a cold beer, and proceeded to demolish four tacos each.

The fish taco was superb. The slightly bitter and crunchy radish paired well with the big honkin' slices of creamy avocado. Lime juice drizzled out of the taco and down my pinky. I strongly urge you to pay a visit.

Big Star Taco, 1531 N. Damen Ave., Chicago, IL

Goat Cheese Salmon Canapes

2010-04-08T09:30:00.001-05:00

It's easy to forget that one doe not need fancy equipment to make something that is good and pretty and a gift to guests. A friend brought over these canapes. Just baguette, sliced and toasted, topped with a smear of goat cheese, sprinkled with dill and topped with a slice of smoked salmon. With a squeeze of lemon, they were a nice way to start dinner.

So if you ever need to whip something together that will impress your guests, this could be something in your arsenal of secret delights.

Feast

2010-04-07T09:30:00.001-05:00

I arrived to Easter brunch in a bit of a sweat. You see, I had power walked to Feast and dodging all the Chicagoans in their church finery had tuckered this girl out.

Speaking of tuckered out, the other day I did this yoga video on Netflix, and when the instructor suggested that I go from a high push up position into a low push up position and then into downward dog, I snorted out loud, alone, in the middle of my apartment, "You've got to be kidding me." I mean, I've never done a real push up in my life.

And speaking of Easter and church, I couldn't help thinking that half the value of this Sunday morning affair came from the excuse to bring the whole family together, all generations, get the men to groom themselves properly, and the little girls in their buckled patent leather shoes. Everyone is here, in one place, having taken the time to look nice and be with loved ones.

Okay, so back to brunch, I went and got the Eggs Benedict Trio, which was great because I got to try the one with smoked salmon and caviar, and the salty, briny eggs made all the difference. I can't think of when I've had the dish with the inclusion of caviar. One thinks it must have happened, but in any case, this dish was a small joy, and I was careful to ration my pearls from the sea, so that they could accompany every bite.

Yes. The three eggs benedict came with this whole bowl of potatoes. I do not expend energy in the day to require the caloric fuel contained in this brunch. Not that that has ever stopped me before of course.

Feast, 25 E. Delaware Place, Chicago, IL

Easter

2010-04-06T09:30:00.003-05:00

Easter dinner went well. It felt good to be able to share some home-cooked food with classmates.

We started off the evening with bubbly, courtesy of a guest. Bubbly is, in my humble opinion, the best way to start any celebration.

Knowing little about wine, I typically ask guests to bring a bottle, and one pinot noir particularly stood out: Calera 2007 Pinot Noir. It was lovely with the lamb.

I learned that if anyone ever needs to get anything done that depends on charm and good lucks, I've got the guy for you. How one breezes through life as if doors are always swinging open for you, is beyond me.

And someone brought flowers! I love flowers. I used to sniff that they were a terrible waste, as as soon as they are snipped they are destined to die. But a home with fresh flowers is somehow nicer. Back when I worked, it always brought a smile on my face to see them as I turned to lock the door and leave for the office, and they brought another smile to my face when I came home and saw them bright and pretty on the table. I confess I don't normally like to receive roses, particularly red ones, but these looked fantastic in a tin pail, and I'm going to have to consider including them in future floral rotations.

On the menu was:

Shaved fennel, celery, and parsley salad, topped with toasted, salted pumpkin seeds and dressed with a lemon vinaigrette

Garlic-Rosemary roasted leg of lamb

Minted Pea Puree

Brown mushroom in thyme and white wine

Roasted potatoes with herb pesto

a palate cleanser of creamy lemon-mint sorbet

Chocolate mousse with whipped cream

Bolat African Cuisine

2010-04-05T09:30:00.000-05:00

It is always so exciting to discover a new cuisine: new spices, textures, aromas. Awhile back there was a Groupon for Bolat African Cuisine. Have you heard of Groupon by the way? It essentially offers a discount for various local businesses: you get to try some place new for less, and the business gets to bring in new customers. The Groupon is available if enough customers opt into the deal, which it seems, always happens.

One of my classmates is Nigerian, and ever since he made his fish pepper soup, I had been eager to try more dishes from his birth country. We started off with a sauteed goat dish over rice.

One of our favorites, however, was Jollof Rice. Even though our bellies were full at the end of the meal, we found ourselves wanting more, so we ordered another Jollof Rice!

It's also always exciting to try a new cuisine with the help of a guide, and at one point my friend asked the waitress for clarification on a dish, and she mumbled something about how it was a typical Nigerian entree. He paused, and said that he had never heard of it before, and then half-jokingly, half-seriously inquired as to her own background. Ah, a Kenyan.

I can see how the Egusi Soup with Pounded Yam would not work for everyone, particularly the pounded yam. The yam is pounded into a glutinous paste and then molded into balls. It has a bland consistency, and is one of those local staples that arguably has stuck around out of habit than any intrinsic merit. Not unlike poi from Hawaii.

I actually appreciated it as a foil to the generally greasy, highly spiced meats.

We broke down and decided to hedge our bet with some Nigerian inspired cuisine for those not eager to dive into wholly "classic" dishes. This is the Berber Spiced Rack of Lamb, and though it was good, it seemed ordinary and slightly passé in comparison to the other dishes.

Finally Ayamshe. I would highly recommend going to Bolat. As I said before, the food is on the greasy side, but trying a new cuisine is like travelling in a single meal. It's an easy way to experience something new without having to go to far outside one's comfort zone. And you can still go home to your own bed and not have to stress about whether or not you've remember to bring your glasses or pack enough underwear.

Bolat African Cuisine, 3346 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL

Anticipating Dinner

2010-04-04T18:22:00.004-05:00

The sky is gray, and rain drops are clinging to my window. The rumbling of thunderstorms interrupts the stillness of the apartment, and occasionally the world flashes bright with lightning.

A leg of lamb is roasting in the oven. The smell of garlic and rosemary is wafting into the sitting area. I've got chocolate mousse chilling in the fridge and plenty of whipped cream to cut the dessert's bitter notes.

The stemware is out, the tablecloth ironed, and I feel calm. Everything is okay. I am healthy, my family and friends are well. In a little while the kitchen and the apartment will be all hustle and bustle as guests arrive. But there is some time yet. In this moment I am at peace and happy.

Wishing you a lovely Easter,
FID

Sun Wah BBQ

2010-04-02T09:30:00.001-05:00

I learned this Chinese New Year what happen's when one is racist. I refused to take the advice of a white foodie for Chinese New Year dinner recommendations. A white foodie who I should have known to trust, as I had tasted his cooking before and known it to be very good.

Sun Wah was where he recommended that I go, and Sun Wah is where I should have gone. Instead, we went to a place that I won't deign to mention in these pages. Let's just say that that Chinese New Year dinner did not end with much satisfied patting of a full belly that one expects after this holiday.

Luckily, my friend has a generous heart and allowed me to join in on a subsequent dinner gathering at Sun Wah, where I had Chinese New Year Dinner #2 and all was redeemed. Hail Mary! And the Peking Duck was great. Just thinking about it makes me wish I were seated at the table again, chopsticks ready to dive in, quick like a heron seizing its prey.

Sun Wah BBQ, 5041 N. Broadway, Chicago, IL

Tuscan Tuna and Bean Sandwiches

2010-04-01T09:30:00.000-05:00

Now that recruiting is done with school, I've been able ot entertain a little again. Since I've got a new batch of guinea pigs, I feel freer to repeat recipes, but I've also enjoyed trying a few new ones. This recipe for Tuscan Tuna and Bean Sandwiches turned into great little open faced sandwiches. They are super easy to make and healthy, so I recommend that you add it to your lunchbox fare. What's nice is that the mashed white beans provide the creaminess and binding quality of mayonaisse without the fatty richness that some folks, bizarrely, do not seem to enjoy.

Now I must add as a caveat that I rather enjoyed these sandwiches, but they didn't get exactly get wiped clean at my gatherings (I made them twice.). I was always pleased to have six or so to munch on for lunch the next day, but the flavor is not explosive so don't go expecting any fireworks buddy.

If you want something to go fast, I recommend using Smitten Kitchen's pizza dough recipe and then taking a whole bunch of mushrooms: white, brown, baby portabella, oyster, shitake, what have you, sauteeing with some garlic and or shallot in olive oil, throw in some dried thyme, white wine, salt and pepper. Then dump the mushroom mixture on the pizza dough and top with a blizzard of shredded fontina. Now that. That you won't have any to eat tomorrow for lunch.