Tartine Bakery

My first day in San Francisco—and much of my whole trip—was rainy. But despite the unusually rainy weather, the best part of my first day was having breakfast at Tartine Bakery. Located in the Mission District, Tartine has been a neighborhood standby since it was opened by the husband and wife team of Chad Robertson and Elisabeth Prueitt in 2002. Both trained at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY and traveled throughout France before settling in Northern California. Prueitt is the pastry chef and Robertson is the baker. You can find Robertson baking daily at the bakery and Prueitt running the sister restaurant Bar Tartine, which is just a street away.

Every morning at the bakery is a busy one. There is always a steady line wrapping outside the doors rain or shine, literally. Two weeks ago I stood in line with my friends under umbrellas to taste Tartine's sweet confections. The smell wafting from within was enough to convince any one of us to patiently wait for a morning bite and a cup of Joe.

Just from scanning the tables, I could tell what was most popular. The croissants and morning buns are the top sellers as well as the café au lait served in bowls made by a cheerful barrista in the coffee bar opposite the entrance. Even in the early morning the bakery has sweets on display, such as chocolate chip cookies, Mexican wedding cookies, rocher, and many cakes. We just happened to be there at the right time to see staff frosting and browning meringue cakes, readied for the display cases.



The bakery has a pseudo-Parisian feel from the baked goods to the styled atmosphere of the space. The sound of a crackling Edith Piaf record in the background would not be out of place. The baked goods are terribly good and eye-appealing. I couldn't help but order a warm croissant and a café au lait to wash it all down with. For me a truly good croissant must shatter when you tear or bite into it. This croissant (served with marmalade and butter) had the sharpest shards and the softest, fluffiest interior. It probably was the best croissant I've ever had and the size was not at all a disappointment. French-styled pastries in American sizes is what this bakery is all about. Just take a look at the size of the gougère.

After purchasing our pastries, we, of course, waited for a table to become available and finally managed to fold ourselves around a two-top after a lingerer with his laptop finally left. Mind you, this is not a place to linger—you'll just piss people off who have been waiting forever to get a seat. Among us we had croissants, morning buns, coffees, and extremely good hot chocolates. The morning buns are very popular and sell out quickly. They have a bready bite to them and feature a surprise dollop of marmalade in the center. Also noteworthy is the frangipane croissant, covered in flaked almonds with an almond cream interior.

If you are ever in the Mission on a morning, be sure to stop by Tartine. It's more than well worth a visit. Or try them for lunch, when they offer a great selection of pressed sandwiches. If you're interested in baking some of their specialties at home, check out the cookbook Tartine. I love this video (below), where baker Chad Robertson talks about his passion for bread, the making of the daily loaves, and the testing that went into creating the recipes for his latest cookbook, Tartine Bread. I didn't get a chance to try Robertson's famous bread, but the next time I'm in town, I'm sure to stop by again.

Tartine Bakery and Café
600 Guerrero Street
San Francisco, CA 94110
415-487-2600
Open Monday 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Tuesday and Wednesday 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., Thursday and Friday 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

READ MORE >

Ubuntu Restaurant

No man is an island; we are all interconnected by our humanity. That is the philosophy of Ubuntu, a belief rooted in Zulu culture that emphasizes people's allegiances, relationships, community, sharing, and generosity. Ubuntu, then, is an apt name for the Michelin-starred restaurant, which aims to connect patrons with the bounty of the earth through produce that is sustainably and biodynamically grown. Located in downtown Napa, Ubuntu is a restaurant, yoga studio, and store, all in one building. The dining space is quite modern and rustic with exposed brick, wood, steel, and conduit and features a wine bar with an expansive wine list and an open kitchen. I had the absolute pleasure of dining at Ubuntu on my day trip to Napa two weekends ago. What sets the restaurant apart is its all vegetable menu. All dishes are vegetarian or nearly vegan, but what some might consider a culinary limitation becomes limitless in the hands of executive chef Aaron London.

The saying is true that you eat with your eyes first. At Ubuntu everything looks like it is created by an artist. As you can see by the photographs, chef London presents food in a unique and very eye-catching way. The stunning dishes don't just stop at looks, they taste wonderful too. Many dishes, such as the salads, are just combinations of different vegetables prepared simply, but with amazing flavors that speak beyond their simplicity. It definitely has something to with the fact that all the produce used by the restaurant is sourced locally, much of it from the restaurant's own garden, about 10 miles outside downtown Napa. The care that goes into the garden and the cooking definitely shows on the plates.

My group of friends and I are very open to vegetarian concepts (with one vegetarian and one former vegetarian among us), but with so many ho-hum vegetarian restaurants in the world of fine dining, our bar of expectation is almost always set at moderate at best. What we experienced at Ubuntu blew us away. I slightly knew what to expect from what I've heard of and read, but experiencing it oneself is another thing entirely. I was very impressed. Just from reading the menu, you come to realize you are in for an unparalleled dining experience. The dishes are aimed at tantalizing the mind first, then all the senses.

We all started off our late lunch with shots of lovely green soup made of green garlic and fava leaves. It was garnished with a pickled radish. The soup tasted like a sip of the garden, a perfect amuse bouche to whet the appetite. Following that were our cold dishes. First, a steam bun stuffed with burrata cheese, the outside of which was coated in a sunchoke crumble. Also on the plate were crispy sunchoke tostones, baby lettuces, and mashua, which I wasn't familiar with until the server explained that it's a root vegetable that happens to be grown in the restaurant gardens. I've had sunchokes many times before, but this tostones preparation was the most tasty I've had. Next we had what my group termed the "little city" on a plate. It was a simple salad plated in a very contemporary way. This dish was composed of Chiogga beets (the candy-striped variety) in two preparations: cooked and dehydrated into crisps. The "salad of sorts" featured a rectangular base of smoked blue cheese and "bacon" avocado, basically a charred cube of avocado. The focaccia dish consisted of a wonderfully textured bread with apricot-almond agrodolce sauce, a salad of chard and watermelon radishes, and truffled pecorino cheese.

We moved onto the warm dishes, which included a sumptuous fresh extruded pasta dressed with artichokes, caramelized grapefruit, and Midnight Moon cheese. The flavors were well-rounded, sweet, salty, and creamy. And what followed was a very flavorful Catalan-style chickpea stew with romesco sauce (a Spanish sauce like aioli), fried chickpea clusters, and a poached egg in the center. The stew had a great balance between sweet and savory and reminded me of Moroccan flavors. Both dishes were good enough to mop up with bread and had such great flavor that I almost forgot they were vegetarian. For someone who is a hearty meat-eater, that is saying something.

I couldn't resist ordering all the desserts on the menu. What made the dessert dishes so appealing was that many featured savory components and/or vegetables. First we had a chocolate pudding with brown sugar crumble, tarragon-citrus granita, and satsuma segments. The dessert was refreshing and the sweetest of the bunch. I never would have thought to pair pudding with granita, but it worked entirely well. Next came the toffee-date cake with macadamia crumble and celeriac chips. The texture and look of the cake reminded me of the British sticky toffee pudding, which I imagine is what the pastry chef Carl Swanson was going for. The flavor, however, was much less sweet than the classic dessert. But I liked the dessert even more for that fact. The celeriac chips tasted surprisingly good, almost with a hint of natural caramelization. Next was what became my favorite dessert, which was also the most intriguing on the menu. It was the fennel pollen cake with fennel sorbet. The sweetness of the dessert was barely there, but the fennel ice cream came across as rich and creamy and the cake was light in texture and very aromatic. It hinged on savory, but was not salty as one might expect savory to be. What surrounded the cake were little balls of Fuji apples cooked in caramel, hazelnut crumbs, and dots of orange sauce. All the components made one glorious dessert. The cookies dessert, called "Carl's cookies 'n milk" on the menu, were a nice whimsical touch. (It's funny because I expected something "out there," so that the homey presentation—of a dish of cookies and a glass of milk—came off as a surprise.) The white chocolate cookies with lavender were tender and hot out of the oven. They were paired with a glass of milk from Straus Family Creamery, a dairy farm that you can find mentioned on restaurant menus across the Bay area. The desserts in their entirety were a sweet but not saccharine ending to a great meal.

We had a very relaxing over two-hour late-lunch at Ubuntu that day. By the time we were ready to go, the restaurant had already cleared out and we were the last to leave before the staff would start preparing for the dinner rush. At the open kitchen we caught the chef just as he was prepping blood oranges and thanked him for a wonderful meal. Just the fact that you can get that close to the chef underlines the restaurant's philosophy about the closeness of humanity and the importance of getting closer to our food source. What better way to do that than seeing the chef cooking or the farmer farming. Being able to communicate with our food source is key to keeping a reciprocal conversation that benefits both sides.

Not surprisingly, the work of chef Aaron London has gotten him noticed in the food world. His sun has been steadily rising. From staging in restaurant kitchens across the world to returning to his native northern California to work at Ubuntu, London has done a lot for someone in his late twenties. Just two days after my exceptional dining experience, he was nominated for a James Beard Award for rising star chef. He'd definitely get my vote.

Ubuntu Restaurant
1140 Main Street
Napa, CA 94559-2639
707-251-5656
Open for dinner, Friday through Saturday, 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday, Monday, and Thursday, 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Open for lunch on Saturday and Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Closed on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Prices range from $14 to $30.

READ MORE >

Spring Salad with Asparagus and Snow Peas

With each and every passing day we're just a little bit closer to spring. I know I can't wait to find delicate green vegetables at the market any time now. I just came back from a trip to San Francisco and as always, whenever I visit a city, I make sure to stop by the local farmers' market. I was so impressed to see that on the West coast they already have bright green asparagus, among many other spring vegetables. Asparagus is really the harbinger of spring. Just like those early crocuses, asparagus bursts out of the ground with an eagerness to embrace spring.

Here on the east coast, our spring vegetables haven't yet sprung, but we do have asparagus from California. I couldn't help myself when I found a bunch of beautiful pencil-thin asparagus at the supermarket just the other day. I was inspired by the many wonderful salads I had on my trip to create a recipe of my own that encapsulates the season of renewal. This salad include crispy snow peas, peppery radishes, baby lettuces, and chopped eggs, which are symbolic of the Easter holiday to come.

Start the recipe by blanching the asparagus and snow peas. This step brings out their brighter green color and makes them more tender. I like to chop half the asparagus and slice half the snow peas for the salad. The remaining whole stalks and pea pods are perfect for garnishing. The lemon vinaigrette adds a sharp wintry note and features minced shallot, which has been mellowed from a soak in vinegar. This salad would make a great appetizer before a spring-themed dinner party, especially for an Easter celebration. Add some chopped boiled ham and make it a main dish for lunch or a light dinner.


Spring Salad with Asparagus and Snow Peas





3/4 pound thin asparagus, tough stalks trimmed


6 ounces snow peas, ends trimmed


6 ounces mixed baby lettuces

4 ounces radishes, thinly sliced

3 hard-boiled eggs, chopped

1 small shallot, minced

2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice

fine sea salt

freshly ground black pepper



Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add asparagus and blanch for 1-1/2 minutes. Add to a bowl of iced water. Blanch snow peas for 1/2 minute and remove to iced water. Drain. Lay vegetables on kitchen towels to dry.

Slice half the asparagus at an angle and add to a large mixing bowl. Slice half the snow peas into thin julienne and add to bowl. Add lettuces and radishes. Save whole asparagus stalks and whole snow peas for topping.

In a small bowl or measuring cup, macerate shallot with vinegar for a few minutes until color has been extracted. Drain off most of the vinegar. Add oil and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Whisk to combine.

Pour vinaigrette over bowl with vegetables. Toss gently to coat. Season salad with salt and pepper. Divide among plates or lay out onto a platter. Top with chopped eggs and whole asparagus stalks and whole snow peas. Serve immediately.


Prep time: 20 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes
Yield: 4 appetizer servings


READ MORE >

Walnut Pasta with Raisins

There are many different Lenten practices between Ash Wednesday and Easter that include fasting, abstaining from eating meat, or simply giving up a favorite food like chocolate or ice cream. Over the years, the tradition of fasting or eating Lenten foods has become less strict. But in my family, we almost always observed Lent by eating pasta on Fridays. Cabbage and noodles or pot cheese and noodles are some popular Lenten dishes for Hungarians. Pasta makes a good choice for a Lenten meal, because it's filling while also being humble.

When I was a kid, my favorite Lenten dish was my mom's walnut noodles, which consisted of buttered egg noodles sprinkled with ground walnuts and a little powdered sugar. The same dish can also be done with poppy seeds. I really liked the sweet and nutty taste of the dish because it's almost like having dessert and dinner all rolled into one. So for Lent this year, I decided to upgrade the dish and add a few twists to make it a bit more rich in flavor and texture. And instead of wide egg noodles, I use springy Italian pasta for some fun.

To create the nutty flavor base of this recipe, start by toasting the ground walnuts in butter. Then add wine and raisins. While the wine reduces the raisins plump up. Stir in cream to make the sauce a bit richer and creamier. I like serving the walnut sauce on top of springy noodles, such as this fusilli col buco. It's an Italian pasta that is shaped like a corkscrew and has a hole down the center like a straw. It's a playful noodle that adds some interest to this creative dish. The walnut-raisin sauce is nutty, sweet, and creamy and it clings to the pasta nicely. It really makes a perfect Lenten meal.

Pasta with Walnut-Raisin Sauce

Note: Fusilli col buco is also known as fusilli bucati lunghi. If you can't find it, substitute bucatini or perciatelli.

12 ounces fusilli col buco
4 tablespoons butter
1 cup ground walnuts, plus more for serving
2 cups sweet white wine, such as Hárslevelű or Muscat
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup crème fraîche or heavy cream

Cook pasta according to package directions in a large pot of liberally salted water until al dente.

While pasta cooks, make the sauce. Melt butter in a sauté pan set over medium heat. Add walnuts and toast for 2 minutes. Add wine and raisins and bring to a simmer. Reduce wine by half. Stir in cream. Simmer gently until sauce is thick and coats the back of a spoon. Add pasta and toss to coat. Serve immediately. Yield: 4 servings.

READ MORE >

Braised Chicken with Lemons and Olives

There is no cuisine quite like that of Morocco. The North African nation has had so many culinary influences over the centuries, resulting from invasion or trade, that its cuisine has developed into a special blend. The food has evolved to include a host of different herbs, spices, and flavors as well as ingredients originally from elsewhere. This recipe, for example, includes lemons and olives, which are both extensively used and grown in the Mediterranean. The aromatic spices, such as cumin, coriander, and cinnamon, remind us of the Far East. These flavor combinations are what make Moroccan food so unique.

The most popular Moroccan dishes use these flavors in stews and braises, which are eaten as an everyday food. The technique starts by searing meat and then cooking it in shallow liquid until absolutely succulent. Moroccan cuisine uses the technique in its famous tagine, which is both the name for the cooking vessel and the dish that comes out of it. You would recognize the unusual clay pot when you see it, because of its characteristic conical dome lid, which covers a shallow dish. Cooking in it produces very tender meat. Typically, beef, chicken or lamb and sometimes fish is made in a tagine. It's a very versatile piece of equipment. But you don't have to own one to make a tagine.

This recipe, though not made in a tagine, is a take on the classic chicken tagine with lemons and olives. Moroccan food is known for such flavors as sweet, savory, tangy, briny, and spicy. Here the tart lemons cook along with the chicken and turn soft and entirely edible. An earthy spice blend of paprika, cumin, coriander, ginger, and cinnamon adds warmth and depth of flavor. The olives lend salt-and-brine flavor reminiscent of the sea. This meal would be wonderful served with fluffy couscous. Bring a bit of Moroccan goodness to your table with this recipe.

Braised Chicken with Lemons and Olives

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 whole chicken (about 4 pounds), cut into 8 pieces
fine sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 large white onion, halved, thinly sliced lengthwise
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups chicken stock
2 lemons, cut into wedges
1 cup pitted green olives

Warm oil in a large deep skillet or braising pan over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Sear chicken in batches until brown all over. Remove to a plate. Pour off most of the fat in the pan.

Lower heat to medium-low. Add onions and a pinch of salt and sauté until soft and lightly caramelized, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add spices: paprika, cumin, coriander, ginger, and cinnamon; toast 1 minute. Add stock and scrape up any brown bits on bottom of pan. Add back the chicken. Add the lemons. Bring to a gentle boil. Lower to a fast simmer and cook, covered, until chicken is tender, about 45 minutes, turning once during cooking time.

Remove chicken to a plate. Add olives. Increase heat to high to reduce sauce by a third. Check seasoning. Return chicken to pan and rewarm. Serve with couscous. Yield: 4 servings.

READ MORE >

Fish Chowder

I can't think of anything more American than chowder. This seafood soup is synonymous with chilly days and large family gatherings. Even though we're almost into spring, the weather has continued to be cold and dreary here in the Northeast. I've been craving hot bowls of soothing soup. There are many different recipes for chowder, including the little-known Rhode Island-style made of clear broth. But the one I'm a fan of is creamy New England-style, which was probably the first recorded chowder recipe, dating back to the 18th century. It just so happens that I'm the outlier in a family of all Manhattan-style lovers. Still for me, the fish broth enriched with cream holds the most appeal. That richness is what makes this chowder so soul-satisfying.

The recipe for chowder originally came from France ("chowder" comes from the word chaudière, meaning cauldron) and eventually made its way to England and over to the New World with the colonists. The recipe evolved according to the surroundings, availability of seafood, and the specific tastes of the region. Somewhere along the line certain recipes became more popular than others. Immigrants added their particular spin: the Portuguese added tomatoes to clear-broth chowder and invented what we know as Manhattan-style. That began the epic rivalry between New England- and Manhattan-style chowders, now typically made with clams. But the first chowders in America were made with fish.

This recipe for chowder is made from cod, which works great in soup. The fish breaks up very nicely without losing its meaty texture. Hake, haddock, or pollack would also work well. Potatoes are a must in any chowder, but the other vegetables can be altered to suit your taste. I include leeks and fennel for added onion sweetness and anise flavor. Traditionally, the base of chowder starts with frying salt pork to render the fat for cooking the vegetables. Here I use a combination of butter and oil for a somewhat lighter but no less flavorful chowder. This recipe will have you craving the creamy richness of new England-style chowder. If you aren't already a fan, you might just change your mind.

Fish Chowder

3 sprigs parsley
3 sprigs thyme
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 leek, white part only, chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 small fennel bulb, chopped, fronds reserved
1-1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, cubed
6 cups fish stock, clam juice, or water
fine sea salt
1-1/2 pounds cod fillet, skin and pin bones removed, cut into 1-1/2-inch chunks
1 cup heavy cream

Make bouquet garni: Place parsley, thyme, bay leaves, and peppercorns in a piece of cheesecloth and tie into a bundle with kitchen twine.

Warm butter and oil in a large pot set over medium heat. Add leek, onion, and fennel; sauté until very soft and translucent but not brown, about 10 minutes. Add potatoes. Pour in fish stock. Add bouquet garni. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Season soup with salt. Lightly season fish with salt. Add to pot and simmer until opaque and flaky, about 10 minutes. Remove bouquet garni and discard. Off from heat, stir in cream. Cover pot and let chowder rest at least 30 minutes before serving. Rewarm if necessary. Garnish with torn fennel fronds. Yield: 6 servings.

READ MORE >

Reuben Sandwich

Almost everyone eats corned beef and cabbage on St. Patrick's Day even if you're not Irish. I do. Even my Hungarian mother makes corned beef and cabbage every March. But this year I decided to do something different and out of the ordinary for the holiday. This time I'm celebrating St. Patrick's day with the Reuben sandwich, which isn't Irish at all, but the ingredients seem so Irish. I love the Reuben and all sandwiches that include sauerkraut for that matter. The corned beef, sauerkraut, and rye bread combination all make it feel like it was meant to be Irish.

The Reuben was invented by German immigrant Arnold Reuben, who sold the sandwiches at his deli in New York City. The hot sandwiches soon became famous and the classic was born. To this day, you can pretty much find a Reuben anywhere. The secret to a great Reuben is the Russian dressing, which is the traditional sauce—not mustard, ketchup, or mayonnaise. But Russian dressing is in fact made by combining mayonnaise and ketchup. Sometimes horseradish is added for piquancy. It ties together all the components of the sandwich so well.

To make the sandwich, I like to cut my own bread so I can get thick slices. Typically machine-sliced bread is too thin for this hearty sandwich. Instead of spreading the bread with the dressing, I top the sauerkraut with it. This step prevents the bread from getting soggy. Make sure to spread the outside of the sandwich with butter to get a crispy brown crust. This sandwich would also work exceptionally well on Irish soda bread, making it seem even more Irish. I'm spending the Irish holiday with a Reuben and a pint of Guinness. Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Reuben Sandwich

2 thick slices rye bread, lightly toasted
2 tablespoons butter
2 slices Swiss cheese
6 slices corned beef
1/2 cup sauerkraut, rinsed and squeezed
1 tablespoon Russian dressing, recipe follows

Heat a griddle or skillet over medium.

Spread one side of each bread slice with 1 tablespoon butter. Place bread slices buttered side down. Top each with 1 slice cheese and 3 slices corned beef. Mound sauerkraut on one bread slice and top with dressing. Sandwich together both halves, making sure buttered side faces outward. Grill sandwich until bread is brown and cheese is melted, about 3 to 5 minutes per side. Cut sandwich in half and serve immediately. Yield: 1 serving.

Russian Dressing

3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon ketchup
Worcestershire sauce

In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, ketchup, and a few dashes Worcestershire sauce. Yield: 1/4 cup.

READ MORE >

Shrimp and Grits

I can't think of any other food that better epitomizes Southern cuisine than grits. From Virginia to Texas, grits is a staple of Southern cooking. Native American in origin, grits has been a part of the American diet since Colonial times. As an everyday food, grits holds universal appeal: It can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Ground from corn, grits turns into a porridge after it has been boiled. The most famous grits dish is of course shrimp and grits—a simple, hearty, and absolutely comforting meal.

Fishermen were the first to create the classic pairing. In fact it's not that far-fetched to say that pretty much all good seafood recipes were first invented by fishermen. Characterized as Lowcountry cuisine (covering the coastal regions of South Carolina and Georgia), shrimp and grits originated with fisherman in South Carolina. They would simply cook freshly caught shrimp in bacon fat and serve it over grits. It couldn't have been an easier lunch for the crew on the shrimping boats.

This recipe doesn't stray too far from the original. But for the grits, I use quick-cooking, which I know is not necessarily preferred by Southerners, but it takes less time and is just as flavorful. Instead of adding cheese to the grits, I stir in crème fraîche. It adds creaminess and lends some tang, which offsets the richness of the bacon fat. If you prefer, you can add about 4 ounces of grated cheddar. If you're observing Lent, as many people I know are, then skip the bacon and sauté the shrimp in 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Enjoy a bowlful of grits topped with tender, flavorful shrimp for dinner any night of the week.

Shrimp and Grits

Recipe adapted from Paula Deen and Friends by Paula Deen.

1 cup quick-cooking grits
fine sea salt
1/4 cup crème fraîche
5 slices applewood-smoked bacon, diced
1 pound medium to large shrimp (about 30), shelled and deveined
4 scallions, sliced
2 tablespoons chopped parsley, plus more for garnish
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon lemon juice
freshly ground black pepper

In a saucepan, bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Whisk in grits to prevent any lumps from forming. Season with a pinch of salt. Cover and lower heat to a very low simmer. Cook until grits is tender and all water has been absorbed, about 15 minutes. Off from heat, stir in crème fraîche.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet set over medium-high heat, fry bacon until crisp. Remove to a plate, reserving fat in the pan. Lower heat to medium. Add shrimp and sauté until pink, about 3 minutes. Add scallions, parsley, garlic, and lemon juice. Season with pepper. Toss together. Serve shrimp over grits and top with fried bacon and parsley. Yield: 4 main course servings or 8 appetizer servings.

READ MORE >

Chicken Gumbo

There is no dish more characteristic of Mardi Gras and Carnival than gumbo. The official dish of Louisiana has roots going back to the 18th century and is a literal melting pot of cultures, including French, Spanish, German, African, and Native American. If any one food could be considered a national dish, it should be gumbo because it truly represents the multicultural background of America. This week I'm celebrating Mardi Gras with Southern dishes. First and foremost is Louisiana's famous stew.

Gumbo is one of those dishes that is easy to gather around. The aromas are enticing, the dish is very filling, and it's perfect for serving a large family or a crowd of carnival revelers. The art of making gumbo is practically an art or science in Louisiana. There are as many versions of gumbo as there are households, but to narrow it down, there are two main versions, Creole and Cajun. The recipes have slightly different ingredients and different preparations, but each has robust flavor and color. This version is a combination of a bit of both styles and includes my favorite ingredients: chicken, andouille sausage, and okra.

Creole gumbo is tomato-based and is made mainly with seafood whereas Cajun gumbo is spicier, roux-based, and includes a combination of seafood and sausage or ham, or poultry and sausage. The main vegetables in Louisiana cuisine include onions, celery, and bell peppers, which is termed the "holy trinity." Okra is a traditional African addition to gumbo. When cooked, the vegetable releases a gelatinous substance that further thickens the gumbo. Typically gumbo cooks for hours and hours, but my recipe is a quick version since it uses chicken thigh pieces. Get ready to celebrate Mardi Gras with a big pot of gumbo.

Chicken Gumbo

olive oil
8 ounces andouille sausage, sliced lengthwise and cut into half moons
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2-inch pieces
fine sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 large white onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
6 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 bay leaf
1 pound fresh okra, sliced or frozen sliced okra
1/4 cup chopped parsley
white rice, for serving

Warm a large heavy bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add about 2 tablespoons of oil. Add sausage and cook until the color is extracted, about 3 minutes. Remove sausage to a bowl. Sear chicken in batches until brown all over. Season with salt, pepper, and Cajun seasoning. Remove chicken to a bowl.

Reduce heat to medium-low. Refresh the pot with a little oil and add butter. Once melted, add flour to create roux. Keep stirring until roux turns a caramel color. Add onion, celery, bell peppers, and garlic. Sauté until soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. Add tomato paste and stir to coat all the ingredients. Add tomatoes with their juices. Let reduce slightly, about 5 minutes. Scrape up any bits from bottom of pot. Add reserved sausage and chicken, oregano, bay leaf, and stock and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes. Add okra and continue to cook until the chicken is cooked through and the okra is tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in parsley and check seasoning. Serve with rice. Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

READ MORE >

Spanish Tortilla

Known as tortilla de patatas or tortilla española, this dish is not your Mexican tortilla but an omelette of potatoes bound together with eggs. This traditional Spanish food is commonly offered as a tapas served at bars or taken on picnics. It's what I'd like to think of as a Spanish version of the French quiche. In some areas of Spain these tortillas are made in large deep pans so the dish almost looks like a cake or a wheel of cheese. Tortillas made at home resemble American omelettes or Italian frittatas. What makes this tortilla so appealing is how buttery the potatoes turn when they are cooked in olive oil.

Making a tortilla always starts the same way: thin potato slices are boiled in olive oil. They must not be fried or get any color, they should be just cooked until tender. Next the potatoes are combined with beaten eggs and then poured and spread into a skillet. It is cooked on one side and then flipped over to cook on the other. The basic tortilla is made of simply potatoes and eggs, but other ingredients can be added, such as onions, bell peppers, or chorizo. This recipe features all three for the ultimate Spanish flavor.

Traditionally the tortilla is made entirely on the stove top. Once one side is cooked, it is turned out onto a plate and slid back in the pan so the other side cooks. In Spain they have special plates for the procedure. To make it a bit easier for the home cook, the top can be broiled. The thing I love most about a Spanish tortilla is that it can be served at any time of the day. It's perfect for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner. Or do as the Spanish do and enjoy it as an appetizer or bar snack with drinks. It's the kind of dish that everyone will love however you serve it.

Spanish Tortilla

Note: Use a mandoline to achieve the thin potato slices.

olive oil
2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, sliced 1/8-inch thick
1 large Spanish onion, thinly sliced
1 large red bell pepper, sliced
5 ounces Spanish chorizo, sliced
6 large eggs, beaten until frothy

Warm 2 inches of olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the potatoes and cook, turning now and then, until soft but not brown, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, warm 1 tablespoon olive oil in an 11-inch oven-proof nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper, saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the chorizo and cook until the color is extracted, about 3 minutes.

Drain the potatoes and reserve the oil. In a large bowl, combine the potatoes with the vegetables and chorizo. Toss to distribute evenly. Pour over with beaten eggs. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Toss to combine.

Preheat broiler with rack in upper third of oven.

Add 1/4 cup reserved olive oil to pan. Warm over medium-high heat. Add potato mixture, spreading evenly in pan. Reduce heat to low and cook until mixture starts to form into one mass, about 8 minutes. Place pan under broiler for about 5 minutes to brown top. Let cool slightly before turning out onto a platter. Slice into wedges and serve warm. Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

READ MORE >

Classic Lasagna

Casseroles make some of the most practical and delicious all-in-one meals. When you have a dish like lasagna, you really don't need sides, the lasagna takes all the attention. The thing that makes lasagna so popular is its ability to bring joy to everyone who eats it. I've never met a person who didn't like lasagna. It has to be all that cheese and sauce melted together between layers and layers of pasta. Most people would agree that lasagna is Italy's answer to comfort food. Not to mention it's practically a sanctified Italian-American specialty.

This recipe is based on a traditional Northern Italian lasagne alla Bolognese named after the gastronomic hub of Bologna. The lasagna features two important ingredients: the ragù, a slow-cooked meat sauce, and a béchamel, a white sauce made of butter, flour, milk, and a touch of nutmeg. Italian-American lasagna replaces béchamel sauce with ricotta. It's mostly a time-saving step, but I'd like to think we Americans prefer the flavor of the cheese to the white sauce. My recipe fuses both traditional and modern by combining the ragù and the ricotta filling to create a classic Italian-American lasagna.



Except for the pasta, this lasagna is made almost from scratch. The sauce starts with sofrito (onion, garlic, carrot, and celery), tomato paste, red wine, and crushed tomatoes. Cooked slowly for about an hour, it makes the most simple and versatile sauce. Without the meat, it could easily function as a flavorful marinara. The sauce can be made a day in advance and rewarmed before assembling the lasagna. Once it's baked, bubbling, and brown, be sure to let the lasagna cool so it doesn't ooze into a puddle, though it's still highly enjoyable either way. This lasagna would make the most perfect Sunday family supper. Just think how easy it will be to get everyone to the table when they hear what's for dinner.

Classic Lasagna

for the Bolognese sauce:
1 large yellow onion, cubed
2 celery stalks, cubed
2 carrots, cubed
2 garlic cloves
olive oil
1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground pork
fine sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup dry red wine
2 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 large bay leaf

for the ricotta filling:
1 32-ounce container ricotta cheese
1 large egg
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup chopped parsley

for the assembly:
olive oil
14 sheets dried lasagna pasta
1 pound mozzarella, sliced
8 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated

Make the Bolognese sauce: Add onion, celery, carrots, and garlic to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped.

Warm a splash of oil in a large pot or Dutch oven set over medium-high heat. Add the ground meats and cook, breaking up bits, until no longer pink, about 8 minutes. Remove to a bowl and drain off fat.

Refresh the pot with oil and add chopped vegetables. Sauté until very soft, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in tomato paste. Pour in wine and bring to a boil. Simmer vigorously for 5 minutes to cook off alcohol. Return cooked meats to the pot. Add tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and bay leaf. Bring back to a simmer and reduce heat to low. Cook, uncovered, until thickened, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Check seasoning once cooked. Remove bay leaf.

Make the ricotta filling: Combine ricotta, egg, milk and parsley in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

Boil the pasta in liberally salted water until just short of al dente. Drain into a colander, return to pot, and toss with oil to prevent sticking. Brush the bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with oil.

Assemble the lasagna: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Add a ladleful of sauce to bottom of pan and spread evenly. Layer over crosswise with 4 sheets of pasta, allowing ends to turn up sides of baking dish. Line each end of baking dish with a sheet of pasta to form a collar. Spread about half the sauce in the bottom. Top with half the ricotta filling and spread evenly. Top with a third of the mozzarella and a third of the Parmesan. Repeat with another layer of 4 sheets of pasta, almost all the remaining sauce (reserve 1 ladleful), the remaining ricotta filling, half the remaining mozzarella, and half the remaining Parmesan. Top with the remaining pasta. Spread with remaining ladleful sauce. Top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan. Tuck the ends of the pasta into the baking dish using a spatula. Place the baking dish on a sheet of foil to catch any drips and bake lasagna until bubbling and brown, about 45 minutes. Let rest for 45 minutes before serving. Yield: 8 servings.

READ MORE >