Soused Whiting Fish with Pickled Vegetables

I love fish in many forms, but it has taken me a long time to come around to liking pickled fish. Sushi is no problem, but fish that has been pickled raw is another thing entirely. My mom loves the pickled herring and onions that is available in jars in the supermarket. I would always turn up my nose whenever I would see her eating it for a snack. I've never taken a liking to it mostly because of the herring, which has such a fishy taste. Slowly though I've come to appreciate it, but what I like even more is soused fish, which is very similar to pickled fish, but its taste is much more subtle and to my liking.

Sousing is a technique of preserving fish, where the fish is either baked in a brine or cooked and then submerged in a brine. The end result is a lot like pickled fish but with less of that notorious fishy taste. Both pickling and sousing are commonly done in Dutch, Swedish, and German cuisines. A popular soused dish is called matjes herring, which I recently enjoyed at Aquavit, New York's famous Scandinavian restaurant. It inspired me to create this dish. But instead of using herring, I chose a similarly sized fish but one that's tender and flaky.

The tiny whiting fish are nutty and subtly flavored and not at all oily. I use the second sousing technique. The fillets are coated in flour and fried in hot oil. A boiling brine is then poured over them and the fish are allowed to cool. The same brine is also used for pickling the onions, radishes, and carrots to serve alongside. Pickled onions are of course a requirement to serve with pickled herring, so what would this soused whiting fish be without them?

To serve, I dot the plate with dollops of sour cream and dill, the most traditional herb to pair with fish. Surprisingly, the sourness and creaminess of the sour cream helps to offset the sourness of the brine. The end result is a dish that can be enjoyed as a snack or an appetizer before a Scandinavian themed dinner this Friday.

Soused Whiting Fish with Pickled Vegetables

for the whiting fish:
6 whiting fish fillets (from 3 whole fish)
1/4 cup Wondra flour
fine sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
canola oil

for the vegetables:
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
3 small radishes, thinly sliced
2 small carrots, thinly sliced

for the brine:
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup water
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons black peppercorns
2 teaspoons coriander seeds
1 bay leaf

for the garnish:
sour cream
fresh dill

Pat fish dry. Season each side with salt and pepper and coat with flour. Warm a thin layer of oil in a sauté pan set over medium-high heat. Add fillets skin side down and cook 2 minutes per side. Remove to a plate lined with paper towels. Add fillets to a shallow casserole.

Add the onion, radish, and carrot slices to a bowl.

To make brine, combine vinegar, water, sugar, salt, and spices in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Pour half the brine over the sliced vegetables and cover with a small plate to submerge them. Pour the remaining brine over the fish. Let fish and vegetables come to room temperature. Chill overnight. Serve with dollops of sour cream and sprigs of dill. Yield: 6 appetizer servings.

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Pan-Roasted Chicken Breasts with Dilled Baby Rainbow Carrots

Who doesn't love roast chicken? It's one of my favorite things to eat mostly because I can't get enough crispy skin. But getting the skin to crisp can be one of the hardest parts of roasting a whole chicken. That's why I prefer roasting the chicken in parts, particularly the breasts, which can dry out when roasted on the whole bird. Pan-roasting is one of the easiest and most rewarding methods for cooking chicken breasts. First, they are seared skin side down in a pan on the stove-top to ensure the skin is golden brown and crisp. Then they are baked in the oven to cook the meat through. The result is exceptionally moist and succulent breasts with bronzed crispy skin. It's mouth-watering chicken even better than a steak.

To make this dish complete, I roast carrots alongside the breasts in the same pan. This way an entire meal comes together very quickly. On a recent trip to the Union Square Greenmarket I purchased baby carrots in a rainbow of colors from Windfall Farms. The natural sweetness of the baby carrots intensify by roasting. And the chicken juices in the pan help keep them tender and moist. The sweetness of the carrots matches very nicely with the flavors of the chicken. I love to eat each colored carrot one by one just to check the subtle differences in flavor. For a finishing touch and extra earthy flavor, I toss the carrots in chopped dill just after roasting. In less than 20 minutes you have a simple and succulent meal perfect for the weeknight.

Pan-Roasted Chicken Breasts with Dilled Baby Rainbow Carrots

2 boneless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons olive oil
fine sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound baby rainbow carrots, peeled or scraped with a sharp knife
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Place breasts skin side down onto a work surface and use your palms to press them down to flatten just a bit. Using a very sharp knife, remove the white ligament from the tenderloin. Poke the skin in a few places over the fat pad. Liberally season both sides of the breasts with salt and pepper.

Warm oil in a large skillet or sauté pan set over medium-high to high heat. Add chicken breasts skin side down. Do not move the breasts. Sear until fat has rendered and skin is crisp, about 5 minutes. Add carrots to pan, toss with chicken juices, and season with salt and pepper.

Place skillet in oven. Roast until vegetables are knife tender and the chicken juices run clear, about 15 to 20 minutes. An instant-read thermometer when inserted into the thickest part of the breast should read 160 degrees F. Allow the chicken to rest for 10 minutes tented with aluminum foil before serving. While chicken rests, remove carrots to a bowl and toss with dill. Yield: 2 servings.

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Spinach and Mushroom-Stuffed Pork Roulade with Parslied Purple Potatoes

A roulade is one of the most elegant preparations for a tenderloin of beef or pork. Popular in European cuisine, a roulade is a meal reserved for special occasions such as a Sunday dinner. The French word "roulade" refers to the action of rolling up a thin meat with a filling of fruits, vegetables, cheeses, or minced meats. Even though a roulade may look daunting to create, it is rather uncomplicated. Pork roulade is a particular favorite of mine as it is lean, flavorful, and inexpensive. With an earthy stuffing of spinach, mushrooms, and sage, this pork tenderloin makes a great family dinner.

Nothing makes a better accompaniment to a roast than potatoes. For a side that's very quick and easy to prepare, boiled potatoes tossed in garlic, parsley, and olive oil is a simple solution. I use some beautiful and colorful purple potatoes purchased at the Union Square Greenmarket. Also known as blue potatoes, this variety originates from Peru, but up until now has rarely been seen outside of the country. Many shapes and sizes of blue/purple potatoes are now readily available in the U.S. marketplace. They are a unique stand-in for the everyday white potato, making this dinner a much more special affair.

Spinach and Mushroom-Stuffed Pork Roulade

1 pork tenderloin (about 1 pound)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 large shallots, finely chopped
1 large portobello mushroom, finely chopped
7 ounces spinach
fine sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons finely shopped fresh sage
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons canola oil

Lay pork loin on a work surface. Using a very sharp knife, slice along the length of the loin and keep slicing through while unrolling the inside of the meat. The loin should now be a large rectangle about 1/2 inches thick. Cover with plastic wrap and pound any thick spots with a smooth mallet.

Warm olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and shallots; sauté until fragrant and translucent, about 2 minutes. Add mushroom and cook until its liquid releases and evaporates, about 8 minutes. Add spinach and cook until wilted and liquid evaporates, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add sage and breadcrumbs just before turning off heat. Let mixture cool. Turn out onto a cutting board and finely chop. Check seasoning.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Salt and pepper both sides of the butterflied tenderloin. Spread with the spinach-mushroom mixture, starting from the inner part of the loin and stopping within 1-inch of the outer end. Roll up the loin tightly ending with the seam side down. Truss the loin every 2 inches with butcher's twine. Tuck in the ends of the loin and tie over tightly with string.

Warm canola oil a skillet or large sauté pan on medium-high to high heat. Sear the tenderloin until golden brown all around, about 10 minutes. Place pan into oven and roast for 30 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the meat reads 150 degrees F. Allow the pork to rest for 10 minutes covered with aluminum foil. Remove the string and slice diagonally. Yield: 4 servings.

Parslied Purple Potatoes

1 pound small purple potatoes
fine sea salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
freshly ground black pepper

Add potatoes to a pot and cover with water. Add a tablespoon of salt. Bring to a boil and reduce to a medium simmer. Cook until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and let cool slightly. Slice potatoes in half.

Warm olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and parsley; cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add potatoes cut side down and sear until a skin develops, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Yield: 4 servings.

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Pan-Seared Tilefish with Sautéed Provençal Vegetables

One of the best techniques for cooking firm white-fleshed fish is pan-searing. Cooked for exactly the right amount of time, searing locks in moisture and flavor. As the flesh turns opaque and starts to flake, it is complete. Tilefish is a wonderful fish for searing since it's extra-lean. But it doesn't fall apart like some other white fish, and stays exceptionally moist with a mild flavor. But what an unusual name for a fish? I guess it's their vivid blue-green iridescence and gold spots that make them look like painted tile.

For a complementary side that doesn't overpower the subtly flavored tilefish, I chose to prepare a combination of vegetables with the flavors of Provençe. Sweet onion, fennel, red pepper, and tomatoes along with briny capers are all combined to form a saucy accompaniment. The fennel as well as a bit of Pernod add an anise flavor, which is an excellent flavor to pair with any seafood. Not only is this meal exceptionally healthy, but it can be prepared in less than 30 minutes.

Pan-Seared Tilefish with Sautéed Provençal Vegetables

Note: Grouper, halibut, or snapper would make good substitutes if you can't find tilefish.

for the sautéed vegetables:
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, sliced
1 medium sweet onion, sliced,
1 medium fennel bulb, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice
1 ounce capers, rinsed
1/2 cup Pernod or water
2 teaspoons herbes de Provençe
fine sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

for the pan-seared fish:
4 6-ounce tilefish fillet pieces, about 1-inch thick
fine sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons canola oil

for the assembly:
extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
fennel fronds, for garnish

To cook the vegetables, warm oil in large sauté pan set over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add onion, fennel, and red pepper; cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and Pernod. Add herbs and season with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer on medium-low until vegetables are soft, about 15 to 20 minutes.

To prepare the tilefish, remove any pin bones using tweezers. Pat the fish dry with paper towels. Liberally season pieces with salt and pepper. Warm oil in a large nonstick skillet set over medium-high heat. Add fish and sear 5 minutes per side. Use a long flexible spatula to handle fish. Skin can be removed before serving.

To assemble, divide sautéed vegetables among plates. Top each plate with a fillet portion of fish. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and garnish with fennel fronds. Yield: 4 servings.

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Miso Soup

Miso soup is a traditional Japanese comfort food that has gained popularity throughout the world. Here in the United States, it entered the zeitgeist along with sushi and sake when Japanese cuisine became popularized in the 1980s. In Japan, miso soup is eaten by everyone everyday and is as popular as tea. Most Westerners tend to find it difficult to appreciate miso soup, to say the least. It's just one of those foods that is either loved or hated. But for me it's a soup I've been trying to come to terms with for many years. Whenever I've had miso soup I've always hated it, but sometimes I've almost liked it. I've learned that depending on the restaurant and depending on the preparation and the paste used, miso soup can be very different.

There are three to four main types of miso paste used to make the soup including red, white, yellow, and a mixed paste. They can be made of soybeans, wheat, barley, rice, or a combination. The flavors range from very strong and salty, of red miso, to more delicate and refined, of white miso. I've become very fond of yellow miso, which is the one I use for this soup recipe. I use a brand that makes a low-sodium version, which is just how I prefer the taste. Most miso pastes are very high in sodium. I do love the umami flavor of miso, but do not like the overpowering salty taste of many miso paste brands. That's what turned me off in the first place. But making miso soup is mostly about personal taste.

I'm slowly adding miso to my diet and am developing a taste for the unique flavor profiles. But what makes me come back again and again to trying different miso pastes and eating soups in particular is because of the health benefits. Miso paste is full of minerals and vitamins. It has also been shown to reduce the risk of cancer. And like certain species of fish, miso is high in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Adding the traditional ingredients of tofu and wakame seaweed to the miso soup also increases the health benefits of miso soup.

Keeping with tradition, I start the miso soup with dashi, a stock made of kelp and dried tuna flakes. The stock also adds many minerals to the end product. After adding the miso paste, ingredients such as wakame, tofu, thinly sliced vegetables, mushrooms, or noodles can be added. It's all about personalization.

Miso Soup

4-1/2 cups water
1/4 cup loosely packed katsuobushi (bonito flakes)
3-inch piece kombu
3 tablespoons miso paste
1/4 cup wakame
1 8-ounce package silken tofu, drained and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
2 scallions, sliced on the bias

Bring water to a boil in a saucepan. Lower to a simmer and add katsuobushi and kombu. Cover and let steep for 15 minutes off from heat. Strain dashi broth into sieve lined with cheesecloth placed over a bowl.

Return dashi to saucepan and bring back to a simmer. Add miso paste to a small bowl and pour over with a ladle of dashi. Whisk until the miso is dissolved into liquid. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and whisk to combine. Add wakame, tofu, and scallions. Divide into bowls. Yield: 4 servings.

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Blood Orange Parfait Hearts

Rather than a chocolate dessert for Valentine's, I prefer one that's creamy, light, and airy, just like this parfait. Not the layered yogurt concoction in a glass topped with granola and fruit, a parfait is a frozen treat of whipped egg whites and whipped cream flavored with fruit purée. French in origin, the dessert's name, parfait, translates to 'perfect.' Its texture resembles that of mousse, but since it is frozen, it eats much like an ice cream. For this dessert a citrus sponge cake provides the base on which the parfait sits. The blood orange syrup, which is the flavoring and coloring for the parfait, also serves as a drizzle over or alongside the dessert.

A few years ago I tried a parfait for the first time at Pigalle restaurant in New York. In fact it was a blood orange parfait. I was pleasantly surprised that the dessert menu offered this seasonal option as well as a good selection of French classics. I clearly remember it was the dead of winter, so a frozen dessert might not have been most diners' first choice, but for me it was. The parfait was made in a ring mold with a sponge cake bottom and served with syrup. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Ever since then, a blood orange parfait has been on my list of recipes to create. Here I make it for Valentine's Day in heart-shaped form using the most beautiful blood oranges.



Blood oranges come in three main varieties all with a characteristic red interior. For this recipe I use the Moro variety, which is native to Sicily and is known for its variation in color, from amber to crimson and often nearly black. The rind also has blushes of red. Its flavor is sweet, a bit tart, and almost tastes like raspberries. In fact blood oranges contain the same pigment and antioxidant, anthocyanin, as dark fruits such as raspberries and grapes as well as vegetables such as red cabbage and eggplant. Adding the beautiful juice of blood oranges to the parfait not only lends citrus flavor but also creates a lovely pink color, the perfect hue for a Valentine's heart.

Blood Orange Parfaits

for the blood orange syrup:
1 cup blood orange juice (about 6 oranges)
1/4 cup granulated sugar

for the sponge cake:
4 large eggs, separated
1/4 cup confectioners sugar
1 tablespoon blood orange zest (about 1 orange)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

for the parfaits:
4 large egg whites
1/4 cup confectioners sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 supremed blood orange, for garnish

To make syrup, bring blood orange juice to a boil in a small saucepan. Add sugar. Reduce to low simmer and cook until reduced by half, about 30 minutes. Let cool to room temperature.

While syrup reduces, make sponge cake. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a small rimmed baking sheet, line with parchment, and butter again. In a small bowl, sift together dry ingredients: flour and baking powder.

In a small bowl, using a wooden spoon, beat together egg yolks and sugar until light and frothy. Stir in orange zest.

In stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Drizzle in egg yolk mixture. Fold in dry ingredients by hand until combined. Spread mixture evenly into baking sheet. Bake until edges are lightly golden and cake springs back when touched, about 15 minutes. Let cool to room temperature.

Using a 4-inch heart-shaped springform cake pan, cut out 4 hearts from the sponge cake. Place a heart-shaped cake into bottom of each springform pan.

To make parfait, beat heavy cream in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until soft peaks form. Remove whipped cream to a bowl. Beat egg whites with sugar in the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until soft peaks form. Drizzle in half the blood orange syrup and mix until combined. Fold in whipped cream by hand until combined. Divide parfait mixture among springform pans, smoothing tops. Set pans on a tray and place in freezer to chill overnight.

Unmold heart-shaped parfaits from springform pans by releasing spring and use a small offset spatula to lift out parfaits onto plates. Parfaits should not be taken out of freezer beforehand, but just before serving. Drizzle with remaining blood orange syrup and garnish with blood orange segments. Serve immediately. Yield: 4 servings.

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Pan-Seared Pork Medallions with Kumquat Marmalade and Celeriac Purée

Restaurant dinners that feel or look complicated can often times be the easiest to prepare. With very little pre-planning, a restaurant-style dinner can make it to table in less than 45 minutes. Make it either for a quick weeknight family dinner or a special romantic evening for this upcoming Valentine's Day. For this meal, I use lean pork tenderloin, which I slice into medallions and pound thin. I pair it with kumquats cooked into a marmalade and puréed celeriac root, a vegetable underutilized in home kitchens but very popular in restaurants. The sweet and tart orange flavor of the marmalade and the bright celery flavor of the celeriac pair perfectly with pork.

Both kumquats and celeriac are in season and readily available even in supermarkets. Kumquats, which resemble mini elongated oranges, can be eaten raw or cooked as in this topping sauce. Instead of the usual potatoes or rice for a side dish, celeriac, which belongs to the celery family and tastes like a cross between celery and parsley, can be mashed just as easily as potatoes. Even though celeriac is not as well known or popular, it makes a much more flavorful companion to various meats. And it only contains a fraction of the starch of a potato. Make this meal any day of the week, but it would feel extra impressive prepared for a special dinner this coming Sunday.

Pan-Seared Pork Medallions with Kumquat Marmalade and Celeriac Purée

Tip: Cook the kumquat marmalade and the celeriac at the same time. Start cooking the pork as they are finishing. Purée the celeriac while the pork rests.

for the kumquat marmalade
12 kumquats, quartered and seeded
1/2 cup orange juice (about 2 oranges)
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon grated ginger

for the celeriac purée
1 large celeriac bulb, peeled and diced
2 tablespoons lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon)
1 tablespoon fine sea salt
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons butter
freshly ground white pepper

for the pork medallions:
1 pork tenderloin (about 1 pound)
canola oil
fine sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

To make kumquat marmalade, combine kumquats, orange juice, water, vinegar, sugar, and ginger in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until mixture thickens to a syrup, about 30 minutes.

To make celeriac purée, bring 1 quart water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add celeriac, lemon juice, and salt. Reduce to a simmer and cook until tender, about 30 minutes. Pour off almost all the cooking liquid, reserving 1/4 cup in the pot. Using an immersion blender, purée the celeriac with the cream and butter. Season with salt and pepper.

To prepare tenderloin, trim any fat and remove silver skin. Cut tenderloin crosswise into about 12 1-inch medallions. Place each medallion between layers of plastic wrap and pound with a smooth mallet to 1/2-inch thickness. Season with salt and pepper.

Warm oil in a skillet or sauté pan set over medium-high heat. Sear pork for 2 minutes per side. Let rest for 5 minutes.

Divide celeriac purée among four plates. Place 3 pork medallions per plate. Top pork with spoonfuls of kumquat marmalade. Yield: 4 servings.

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Chicory Salad with Watermelon Radishes, Shaved Manchego, and Pink Peppercorn Vinaigrette

Uniquely looking vegetables are some of the most intriguing to use in recipes. The watermelon radish is such a unique specimen that unlike regular supermarket radishes, which are bright red on the outside and white on the inside, are just the opposite in color: a pink to red interior and light-green exterior. They are one of the most popular vegetables at the Union Square Greenmarket, where I buy them as often as I visit. Friends of mine have introduced me to them and I have easily gotten obsessed to the point of making specific trips. Windfall Farms, which sells a variety of root vegetables and salad greens, carries the most beautiful of these radishes in a variety of sizes. Large ones are great for cooking and the small ones are ideal sliced paper thin and eaten raw with just a sprinkling of salt or tossed in a green salad.

This salad, which I have created from all seasonal vegetables, combines the different textures and tastes of crispy radishes, crunchy walnuts, salty cheese, and peppery dressing as well as the visually appealing colors of pink radishes and purple radicchio. For a variety in greens, the salad base is made up of slightly bitter chicory and radicchio combined with sweet baby spinach. The vinaigrette uses sherry vinegar, which offers an unparalleled bite, along with good-quality olive oil and pink peppercorns, which are actually berries not peppercorns and have a tart fruity almost citrus flavor. It's not only a salad that looks good, but it tastes good too. This salad would make a perfect first course for a romantic dinner for two on Valentine's evening.

When choosing radishes, look for firm, crisp, unblemished ones. Watermelon radishes a re recognizable by their light green and creamy white exterior with a touch of pink near the root end. Stay away from radishes that may be soft. Most likely they will be mealy inside.

Chicory Salad with Watermelon Radishes, Shaved Manchego, and Pink Peppercorn Vinaigrette

1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1-1/2 teaspoons crushed pink peppercorns
fine sea salt
1 small head chicory, leaves torn
1/2 head radicchio, leaves torn
3 ounces baby spinach
3 small watermelon radishes, thinly sliced
1 rib celery, thinly sliced
1/3 cup shaved Manchego cheese
1/3 cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped

In a large bowl, whisk together sherry vinegar, olive oil, peppercorns, and season with salt. Add chicory, radicchio, spinach, and sliced radishes and celery. Toss to coat. Divide salad between two plates. Top with shaved Manchego and chopped walnuts. Yield: 2 servings.

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Endive Leaves Filled with Bleu Cheese, Toasted Walnuts, Anjou Pear, and Bacon

Super Bowl Sundays are all about getting a bunch of family and friends together to watch a good game and eat a lot of food. I'm not the biggest fan of football in general, but the thing I like best about Sunday is all the appetizers, chips, and dips. I think many people can agree with me that a wide array of food options are necessary for a successful Super Bowl party. This year I decided to update my repertoire. Of course I'll offer the tried-and-true favorites, like buffalo wings with bleu cheese dip, but here's a new creation that features the classic flavors of a popular salad in easy individual appetizer portions.

Endive salad with bleu cheese and walnuts is one of my all-time favorite salads. It's what I order again and again whenever I visit Porter House New York, one of the top steakhouses in the city. Here, instead of doing the expected and assembling a chopped salad, I separate the endive leaves and fill each with crumbled bleu cheese, toasted walnuts, and add my own touch with diced pear and salty bacon. I finish the little boats by drizzling them with lemon vinaigrette. Each appetizer bite is crunchy, cheesy, creamy, nutty, salty, and slightly sweet and tart. They will be a surefire hit since they offer all the necessary flavors to accompany a cold beer or a margarita. Next thing you know it's time for the game and you've eaten almost all the appetizers.

Endive Leaves Filled with Bleu Cheese, Toasted Walnuts, Anjou Pear, and Bacon

2 heads Belgian endive, cored and leaves separated
4 ounces bleu cheese, crumbled
1/3 cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
1 Anjou pear, peeled and diced
3 slices bacon, fried and crumbled
2 tablespoons lemon juice
4 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon maple syrup
fine sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

Spread leaves on a platter. Divide bleu cheese, walnuts, diced pear, and bacon among leaves.

In a measuring cup, whisk together lemon juice, oil, mustard, and maple syrup. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle over filled leaves. Serve immediately. Yield: about 20 appetizers.

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Grilled Lamb Koftas with Napa Cabbage Slaw

The flavors and spices of Middle Eastern foods, especially the grilled kebabs and koftas, are some of the most interesting and unique, with influence stretching from the Himalayas to the Mediterranean. Koftas, grilled ground meat patties, can be found in many countries in the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia, And Central Europe. A few years back I enjoyed some wonderful lamb koftas at a Turkish restaurant in New York City. Ever since then I've kept the idea in the back of my mind of creating my own recipe. Inspired also by the Hungarian fasírt my mother makes, I wanted to create a recipe that combined spices from the various regions: paprika from Hungary and coriander, cumin, and turmeric from India.

My mother's fasírt combines beef and pork and only uses the simplest spices, whereas koftas are generally made out of beef or lamb and use the most pungent spices. These koftas can be shaped into patties or meatballs, but I thread them onto skewers, one of the more interesting methods of cooking them. They can be fried in oil, but grilling them is healthier and lends more flavor. In South Asia, koftas are seared first and then stewed in curry. This recipe can be adapted to suit many tastes and preparations. The idea of meat on a stick is so novel that it's worth making, especially for kids. To cut the spiciness of the meat, I pair it with a creamy Asian-inspired slaw of Napa cabbage with a few sliced chiles thrown in for heat. Sour cream in the dressing helps cool the palate and counteract the heat and spiciness. It makes for a meal that's great for a quick weeknight dinner around the world.

Grilled Lamb Koftas

1 pound ground lamb
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large egg
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon coriander seeds, toasted and ground
1 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted and ground
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
canola oil, for grilling
metal skewers or bamboo skewers, soaked in water

In a large bowl, combine lamb, oil, egg, onion, cilantro, and spices. Mix until thoroughly combined. Mixture should be sticky.

Preheat a grill pan over medium-high to high heat.

Form ground meat mixture into 8 evenly sized meatballs. Thread 2 meatballs per metal skewer or 2 bamboo skewers. Squeeze meatballs to adhere to skewer and form each into a sausage shape.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Brush grill pan with oil. Place skewered koftas onto pan and cook until almost cooked through, about 5 to 7 minutes per side.

Place koftas on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until completely cooked through and juices run clear when pierced, about 10 to 15 minutes. Yield: 4 servings.

Napa Cabbage Slaw

1 small head Napa cabbage (about 1 pound), thinly sliced
1/2 head radicchio, shredded
1 medium carrot, grated
2 red Thai bird chiles, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
fine sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

Combine cabbage, carrot, radicchio, and chiles in a large bowl.

In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together vinegar, lime juice, oils, sour cream, mustard, and ginger. Season with salt and pepper.

Pour dressing over vegetables and toss gently to combine. Chill for 20 minutes before serving. Yield: 4 servings.

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Aquavit Restaurant

Aquavit, a restaurant aptly named after the Scandinavian drink of celebration, is a midtown mainstay of both traditional and fusion Scandinavian cuisine. It has offered diners a wonderful Scandinavian experience since its beginnings in 1987 on the West side in a Rockefeller townhouse on 54th Street. Since 2005, it has occupied a very modern space on the East side on 55th Street. The restaurant features the perfect setting for the enjoyment of Scandinavian food. Through the noteworthy black doors, the restaurant is broken into a number of rooms that are all decorated with Scandinavian furniture and accessories from top designers. In the front is the modern and playful space of the café. Winding alongside is the sleek bar and lounge that leads to the main dining room, which has been imbued with business-like class and elegance. The dining room features Scandinavian food with a modern twist developed through a French lens, whereas the café serves more traditional and rustic Swedish foods with weekend smörgåsbord brunches. There you will find Swedish meatblass, gravlax, and all types of pickled herring—all the well-known stereotypically Scandinavian foods.

I first became interested in Scandinavian cuisine many years ago by watching Scandinavian Cooking on PBS. I'm also a fan of Aquavit’s Marcus Samuelsson. But I had never eaten any Scandinavian food in a restaurant setting, especially a well-established restaurant like Aquavit. I had been planning my first visit for a long time. Finally the opportunity arrived this past Wednesday during New York City's Winter Restaurant Week, which runs until February 7. Both my friend Amanda and I were very excited. I, as usual, had set my standards very high, but by the end of the meal, instead of being let down, I was pleasantly surprised, heartily filled, and pleased to no end.

I’ve been obsessed with trying the Scandinavian drink, aquavit or akvavit as it is more commonly spelled, known as the water of life, for sometime now. It is typically enjoyed at the start of and throughout dinner, usually with the toast, Skål, shouted before each sip. The restaurant offers a few imported varieties, but more importantly features a lengthy list of in-house-made aquavits. I was intrigued to say the least by all the options lain before me. The server suggested we try a flight of three kinds so that we could compare the different flavors side by side. We ordered the white cranberry, bottled in Sweden and sold by the restaurant itself; the Danish Aalborg Taffel caraway and orange; and the house-made anise, caraway, and fennel. They were all very unique in their own respects. The white cranberry was slightly sweet and very clean. The house-made anise combination seemed overpowering in its flavor compared to my favorite of the three, which was the Aalborg caraway with a hint of orange. I know I will be looking for a bottle it at my liquor store. The server also suggested a beer chaser, which Amanda chose. Some say it is traditional, but purists, like me, agree that it negates the flavor of the aquavit. So I chose not to partake in the beer.

For our first course, Amanda went the traditional Swedish route and chose the matjes herring with sour cream, pickled onions, dill, and crispy beets. The term matjes means the herring is cooked first and then submerged in a brine, so it is actually pickled for a short period of time. The herring was salty, briny, and very flavorful. It was nicely complemented by the aquavits we ordered, especially the Aalborg. I almost ordered the Anjou pear salad with Danish blue cheese, walnuts, and celeriac, but decided I would try something more unique since it's a salad similar to ones I've had and made before. So I ordered the artichoke bisque garnished with truffle crème fraîche, rapeseed oil, and crispy venison. The soup was exceptionally rich and creamy, and of course flavorful. The crispy venison, which resembled jerky in its texture, seemed out of place and I feel the dish would have been better without it.

For my main coarse I enjoyed the seared salmon with shrimp brandade, marinated salmon roe, and dill mashed potatoes. The salmon was cooked and seasoned just right, and was incredibly moist and tender with the crispiest skin. It was topped with the marinated salmon roe, which saw a combination of finely chopped vegetables, dill, and the roe. Amanda had the whole roasted Cornish hen served with sautéed parsnips, spinach, and Brussels sprouts as well as a sage béchamel. The hen was just slightly underdone, so that the breast was very moist and succulent, but the dark meat was a bit too pink and resistant. Otherwise the flavors were spot on. It was a very huge serving for just one person and might have made a nice shared dish. Amanda, when presented with her whole hen, didn't know exactly where or how to start carving, but managed to wrestle the hen rather well just nearing a runaway leg incident. The other main course choice was a mushroom barley risotto, or as the menu calls it "barlotto," accompanied by Västerbotten cheese.

To complement dessert, I thought of trying some dessert wines, however, the server suggested we try some of the sweeter and fruitier aquavits. So, we once again chose a flight of three of the house-made aquavits: blueberry and elderflower, coconut and espresso, and blood orange and clove. With these flavors, the aquavits tasted more like liqueurs and the alcohol did not come on so strong. Our server highly recommended the blueberry elderflower as it is one of the most popular, but for some reason it did not appear on the menu. It was exceptional, tasting almost of lychee, very fragrant and fruity. The coconut espresso was an ideal pairing with Amanda’s chosen dessert of chocolate mousse with toasted hazelnuts and mango sorbet. The mousse was perfection and the aquavit just brought out its chocolate flavor even more. I ordered the spice cake with candied pecans, cream cheese, and orange sherbet. The combination of the cheese and sherbet reminded me of the cream sickles I used to love getting from the neighborhood ice-cream truck as a kid. The spice cake was a basic spice cake, but one that reminded me of all the countless spices uniquely used in Scandinavian cuisine all bound together in one dessert. The clove and blood orange aquavit, also recommended by the server, was a wonderful match for it.

From the elegant and modern interiors to the Scandinavian-inspired menus, Aquavit is truly a New York City landmark, one that hopefully will remain for many years to come. I thoroughly enjoy eating at restaurants with such renown as Aquavit, because I know I will almost never be let down. It's a tried and true eatery offering an exceptional experience. I must say that the service too was top-notch with a server that was very knowledgeable and down to earth, a virtuous trait that can be rarely found today in fine-dining staffs. If you are presented with the opportunity or have the chance to dine at Aquavit, it is a moment to savor. Right now this week, during NYC Restaurant Week, is the ideal time to attend. As part of Winter Restaurant Week, the dining room offers $35 prix-fixe dinners. The restaurant’s café also offers $24 lunches. The restaurant week menu for both the café and dining room are the same.

Restaurant Aquavit
65 East 55th Street, between Park and Madison Avenues
New York, NY 10022
212-307-7311
Open daily for dinner, Sunday through Saturday 5:30 to 10:30 p.m.; for lunch, Monday through Friday 12:30 to 2:30 p.m.; and for Sunday brunch, 12 to 2:30 p.m.
À la carte prices for café lunch and dinner and dining room lunch range from $10 to $29. Main dining room prix fixe dinner is $78 and chef’s tasting menu is $95.

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