HubGrub

A new casual upscale restaurant and lounge called BOND has opened in the Langham Hotel in the Financial District of Boston.

BOND Restaurant and Lounge will be featuring gourmet sandwiches at lunchtime; coffee, tea, and desserts during the afternoon; and small plates for dinner. The restaurant has dining tables as well as lounge seating, all in an elegant, attractive environment.

The address for BOND (as well as the Langham Hotel) is: BOND Restaurant and Lounge, 250 Franklin Street, Boston, MA 02110. The phone number for BOND is (617) 451-1900.

Last week my friend and former culinary school cohort Brian wrote about some nasty, NASTY dehydrated clam, pot noodle concoction.  Many of us weighed in on not only how disgusting the thought of eating it was, but about other evil atrocities like clam chowder that includes tomatoes (no, just no! - have cioppino instead please) and noodles.  The horror of that Styrofoam contained monstrosity triggered my instincts to right the world's wrongs by making some clam chowder today for dinner.  I mean, what else does one think of when they live in New England and the landscape has been white since two weeks before Christmas, white snow, salt white roads and cars, white, white, WHITE, snowblindness.  Oh and did I mention that it was 2 degrees F when we awoke this morning?  Yea, chowder it is.

Oh look at the 6:00 PM heat wave!

Now I'm not writing this recipe to inform Brian on making good clam chowder.  He needs no help, not only has he been down the path of culinary lessons, but folks he's from Maine and there is an unspoken rule that you come out of the womb knowing how to make clam chowder and how to find a mean Whoopie pie.  I'm putting this recipe here because I really don't know why anyone would buy clam chowder in a can or frozen because really, if there is an easier soup to make I don't know what it is. 

I called my favourite local fishmonger Captain Marden's this morning to find out if they had fresh chopped chowder clams and of course they did. 

But really, there is ABSOLUTELY nothing wrong with using clams in a can.  Nope there is NO shame there.  I also picked up some of their fish stock, fumet if your feeling all food snotty or French, sure I could make it myself by asking for some heads and frames of a non-oily fish and about 30 minutes of my time, but this is fish stock from a major fish store that wholesales to local restaurants, if their fish stock isn't good shame on them and i assure you, it IS good.

On my trail of errands I also picked up some bottled clam juice.  A pantry staple in this house that I use liberally whenever making fish based soups or steaming mussels, or making clams with linguine.  Cheap and so useful.  I recommend every cupboard have a bottle or two.  I'm not asking you to drink clamato here people, but you will find yourself using it far more often than you think.

Now another traditional aspect of clam chowder is salt pork.  Maybe it is just because I live here in New England, but I can always find salt pork in my local grocery store, generally somewhere near the bacon.  It keeps for a long time and if you check each package you can find one that has lots of streaks of meat and good chunks of fat.  As you would expect from the name it IS salty, but it adds a depth of flavour to clam chowder that is necessary.  Bacon, is an option that others have used as a substitute, but in my mind the smoked flavour of bacon is not right for this chowder.  You want the pork, the salt, but not the smoke or the often added flavourings that come along with bacon like maple or pepper.  If you do find salt pork, it will freeze well, so don't worry that you won't use the portion you find in the store, it keeps for a long time. Oh, and as an added bonus in these lean times, it is cheap as chips as they say.

I happened to have some guanciale in the fridge.  What, you don't have friends who buy you cured pork products as gifts?!?  My friend Renee bought me a full package of Niman Ranch guanciale (cured, salted pig jowls) for a Christmas present this year AND she wrapped it in a snazzy red box with a ribbon.  Doesn't everyone want a friend like her? 

There are a few heretical things I do with this recipe for purists.  First I use Yukon Gold potato since they hold together AND they allow me to freeze and reheat my chowder without them falling apart and turning to mush. 

Second, I add flour to my onions to thicken my chowder.  Yukons may retain their shape, but they are not as starchy as a Russet and I am not using the ancient tradition of thickening with crushed up hard tack crackers, so I use some flour to give it body.  I use the fish stock I mention above along with clam juice.  Some purists would only use the juice from steaming open the clams.  Whole clams that they steamed open, shucked and chopped themselves.  Is life not too short people?

Okay here is the recipe..simple and quick, what more could you want? And don't bitch about the cream, you aren't eating this every night for heavens sake!

New England Clam Chowdah (Chowder for you non native speakers)

2 ounces salt pork or guanciale, diced

2 cups Spanish onion minced fairly fine

4 TBS flour

4 cups fish stock

8 ounces bottled clam juice

1.5 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced into chunks between 1/4 and 1/2-inch depending on your preference.

2 cups of chopped fresh chowder clams (or equivalent canned, drained with juice reserved and used as part of the toatl clam juice, fish stock amounts)

2 cups half and half OR 1 cup heavy cream and 1 cup whole milk

Salt, to taste

In a large, heavy pot slowly render the guanciale or salt pork.

Remove the cracklings and set them aside, serve them sprinkled on top of your chowder, if you can resist eating them as you cook.

Slowly cook the diced onions in the fat for about 6 - 10 minutes, stirring frequently, you don't want colour here, more like a sweat, in fact for part of the time I cook them on very low heat with a lid on.

Stir in the flour and cook, stirring, for 2-3  minutes.

Add the fish stock and clam juice, stir or whisk to remove any lumps

Add the diced potatoes and then bring the liquid to a boil, turn it down a bit and then simmer until the potatoes are cooked through, about 15 minutes.

Lower the heat substantially and stir in the reserved clams and cream/milk mixture or half and half.

Allow this to come up to temperature very slowly being careful to not bring it to a boil.  Now taste and add some salt.  I think I ended up with 1 - 2 tsp in the end.  Don't panic people, again, look how much liquid we have here!  Add some, taste, let it simmer gently.  Taste, season again.  Heck, add some cracked black pepper if that's how you roll.  Just no tomatoes..PLEASE.

Oh...and I bought a new book today.  More details later.

It's not really hummus, but what else do you call a smooth puree of something mixed with tahini, lemon, garlic, salt and oil?

Cooked my celery root till very soft in just enough salted water to cover it. Drained it then ran it over with the stick blender and squoze in half a lemon, and put in a couple of dollops of the Sabra "tahini sauce" which is essentially hummus-makings in a tub. The lazy home cook's version of the silky delectableness available at Sofra.

Freaking fantastic. Yums.

Boston-area folks who love to cook might want to check out the Chef’s Table Series, an interactive cooking demonstration that will be taking place at a number of restaurants in and around Boston between February 8 and March 30, 2009. Included in the Chef’s Table Series will be the learning of cooking techniques as well as question-and-answer sessions with chefs. Those who participate in the Chef’s Table Series will receive a complementary glass of wine, a free recipe booklet, and the chance to win prizes.

The Chef’s Table Series is a charitable series of events, with proceeds from ticket sales going to a charity of each restaurant’s choice. Tickets will cost $40 each, plus gratuity. For reservations and more information, please call (617) 323-0670 or go to http://www.tablecritic.com/index.php?.

Below is a list of participating restaurants:

Bangkok Cafe, Roslindale
Brickhouse Cafe, Dedham
Delfino’s Restaurant, Roslindale
Himalayan Bistro, West Roxbury
Masona Grill, West Roxbury
Townsend’s Restaurant, Hyde Park
West on Centre, West Roxbury

While the eyes of the college hoops world will be riveted about four hours south of Durham this weekend, the folks in Durham have found a way to keep warm. Local paleta savants Locopops, noting a soft market for Popsicles...

Well, I knew my winter hibernation instincts had kicked in a while ago, but that's been more evident than ever lately. I have to convince myself to even leave the house, where there are warm pajamas, tv shows to watch, books to read while snuggled under my covers... and delicious baked goods, right out of the oven.

This isn't a new recipe to me, but I realized I hadn't yet put it up on here. And I can't imagine that I'm the only one who's been into hibernation lately (especially with the temperature in the teens this week), so I thought I'd share. These biscuits are simple to throw together, and they come out of the oven in no time - so you can get back in bed before your feet can even get cold.

A few notes:
This recipe works easily if the butter is cut up into little chunks first. I like to cut mine into about 90 pieces - slice the stick into three equal pieces lengthwise, then rotate 90° and slice into another three pieces lengthwise (so you'll have 9 long pieces). Then cut width-wise to form little cubes - 10 slices will get you 90 pieces total.

When you knead the dough, try to do so as little as possible. Overworking the dough will make it tough. Similarly, once you have stamped out the biscuits, gently rework the scraps into another 1-inch thick disk and cut more biscuits. The second batch will be slightly less tender and flaky because the dough has been reworked. By the time you get to a third batch, the dough is pretty tough, and the results aren't very good at all.



Buttermilk Biscuits
2 cups flour
1 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 stick (8 Tbsp) unsalted butter, chopped into small pieces and chilled
3/4 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 450° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Add in butter and, working quickly with your hands, press the flour mixture into the butter, rubbing between your fingers, until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add buttermilk, stirring until it is all combined into the flour. Turn the dough out onto a lightly-floured surface and knead until the dough pulls together into a uniform consistency. Flatten dough out with the palm of your hand until it is 1 inch thick. Using a 2-inch biscuit cutter, cut out biscuits and lay bottom-side-up on the baking sheet.

Bake for 5 minutes, then reduce heat to 400° and rotate the pan. Bake for another 10-13 minutes until golden brown. Best served warm.

Folks actually seem curious about what happens when you put 6 lb of pork shoulder and 2 cups of gochujang in the crock pot. The answer is decent, but not magical. With the meat and hot bean paste in the...

French chef Guy Martin has officially opened his first restaurant in the United States, and it is located right here in the North End of Boston. Sensing, which is a restaurant within a new hotel called the Fairmont Battery Wharf, opened its doors earlier this week, and will be based on Sensing in Paris, according to the hotel Web site.

Guy Martin, who is perhaps of the top chefs in France and has received three stars by The Michelin Guide in 2000, will be bringing a seasonally changing menu to the restaurant. Items currently on the menu include duck foie gras creme brulee and king crab in grapefruit jelly.

Sensing (and the Fairmont Battery Wharf) is located at Three Battery Wharf in the North End of Boston (just off Commercial Street near the Hanover Street intersection). The phone number for the hotel is (617) 994-9000, and the Web site for the restaurant is at http://www.fairmont.com/batterywharf/GuestServices/Restaurants/Sensing.htm.

I don't really have a new years resolution this year, but I do have a goal. My goal is to make at least one recipe per week out of of one of the cajillion cook books that I own. Every time I go to a book store I am drawn to the cookbook aisle and no doubt find a new book that I somehow justify buying, even though I have stacks of cookbooks at home that haven't been cracked open in years. So, my goal, is to put those cookbooks to better use this year, to use them at least once a week. I may still ask for cookbooks for my birthday, but I will not buy another cookbook this year until I do justice to the plethora of books I already have. In order to make this goal achievable I did buy a weight watchers cookbook before the new year - it's justified because only one of my cookbooks is termed "light recipes" and I definitely needed recipes to help me stay on track with my points. Also included in this new goal is the bazillion cooking magazines that I own, those count, I'm allowed to source those for recipes too - but I will not buy another cooking magazine this year. Let's see how it goes.

This is a Weight Watchers recipe and I love it. The cauliflower had a good crunch and the spices made it really tasty. What I didn't eat straight I added to my salad and it was awesome.

Cauliflower Poppers | WW 0pt
1 spray cooking spray
1 small head cauliflower
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

NOTE: I added the zest and juice of one lemon - next time, I'd just add the zest.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.

Cut cauliflower florets into bite-sized pieces (there should be about 4 cups). Place cauliflower in a medium bowl and add cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper; toss well to coat.

Spread cauliflower on prepared baking sheet and bake until cauliflower is tender, but not mushy, stirring halfway through, about 10 minutes. Yields about 1/2 cup per serving.

Rating = Good

Everyone should have a German in their lives. Those people know food. I recently had the pleasure of having a wonderful German friend cook a wonderful German meal - and not complain when I got in her way to snap tons of photos. She was even kind enough to write out the recipe.

What I present to you today may be one of a handful of vegetarian German recipes in existence – no pig, no cow, not even a lowly chicken thrown into the mix. Don’t mistake it for a healthy meal, however – it is made of equal parts white flour and cheese (are you drooling yet?), and it’s just so good. Spaetzle, little boiled beads of flour and egg, are a perfect winter food, a perfect hangover food, and perfect with beer (I don’t see a contradiction here, do you?). The Germans, they know a little something about all three of these things.

The secret weapon in making this German delight? No, not David Hasselhoff. It’s the spaetzle maker – kind of like a slide set on top of a large bore colander, in the picture at the head of the post. The slide is filled with batter, forcing drops of it though the holes and into boiling water as it is pushed back and forth.

Spaetzle can be browned in butter and served as a side dish to just about anything. Alternatively, the spaetzle can play the starring, entrée role when layered with ridiculous amounts of cheese and topped with fried onions, German lasagna style (if it's not against the law to call it that).

The following is a visual guide to the making of your very own German delight, provided you have a spaetzle maker handy. If this doesn't make you want to run out and befriend a German with kitchen access, nothing will.

Here goes.

German spaetzle lasagna
Pan fry roughly chopped onions in olive oil until deeply browned. Keep warm. Have a medium-sized pot of salted water boiling.

Count on 100 grams of all purpose flour combined with 1 egg per serving (My lovely hostess combined 300g flour with 3 eggs... I think). One cup is ~125 grams, so you can use it as a general guide for the amount of flour you need.

- Combine flour, egg(s), and salt in a bowl.

At this point, the spaetzle can be gussied up quite a bit. My lovely hostess defrosted and squeezed dry a package of spinach and mixed it in with the batter, under the pretense of off-setting the dietary nightmare that is two pounds of melted cheese layered with white flour and egg. Not that I complained, mind you. I asked for seconds. I can imagine a grating of nutmeg being really nice in there, or maybe even some mushed up peas, for a German-British fusion sort of thing… if that’s not against the law.

Mix the flour and eggs (+ additives of choice) and add enough water such that the batter drops slowly from a spoon in a thick ribbon – sorry that I can’t be more specific as I was just a spectator to this wonderful event. I can tell you that the batter is quite liquid.

- Place the dough in the spaetzle maker set over a boiling pot of salted water.
- Move the spaetzle slide back and forth over the grid, effectively “grating” the batter into the water. See the beads dropping into the water? Maybe? Stir to prevent the batter beads from sticking to the bottom of the pot.

- The spaetzle are ready when they float to the top. Remove spaetzle as they are ready with a slotted spoon and transfer to a dish.

- Layer spaetzle with big handfuls of grated Emmental and Gruyere cheeses – the heat of the spaetzle melts the cheese.

- Top with browned onions.

- To serve, scoop all the way from the bottom of the dish, and have fun battling the strings of melted cheese. Yum. Consume with copious amounts of red wine and a salad on the side. Note: salad is optional.

I know it’s the dead of winter and the thought of tank tops is offensive, but now is the time to sign up for a Summer CSA, if you’re so inclined.  The farmshares tend to sell out quickly, by February in some cases, so here are the ones I know in the area with a link to their web sites:

• Drumlin Farm, Lincoln, MA: Shares open to the public starting February 3.

• Lindentree Farm, Lincoln, MA: Certified organic.  Limited slots available.  To get on the list, you first have to attend an orientation in March.  Contact them for more details.

• Waltham Fields, Waltham, MA: Usually sells out to within its membership, but reserves 15% of the shares for Waltham residents.  Check back in February.

• Allandale Farm, Brookline, MA: This is their first year offering a CSA, which is good news for folks in JP and West Rox.  Shares are on sale now.  (thanks to Karl for the heads up)

• Land’s Sake Farm, Weston, MA: Certified organic.  Likely to sell out from its waiting list.  Check with them after January 19.

• The Food Project, Lincoln, MA: Shares available now.

• Siena Farms, Sudbury, MA: Shares available now.  They offer two choices: 1) a traditional box-type membership; or 2) member discounts at their farmstands.

• Busa Farm, Lexington, MA: Shares available now.  Instead of a pre-determined distribution, their CSA gives you coupons to choose whatever vegetables you want, whenever you want, as well as pick-your-own.

Some of these farms are certified organic, but all of them grow their crops sustainably and responsibly.  I can personally vouch for Drumlin Farm, and I have friends who are over the moon for Lindentree and Waltham.  I would say you probably can’t go too far wrong with any of them, but then the metro Boston area will be plagued by floods and pestilence the likes of which we’ve never seen and then you’ll all blame me, so you takes your chances.  If I’ve forgotten any farms in this arbitrary radius I’ve laid out, simply add the info to the comments section.  I know there are several other farms further out that deliver to the area, like Stillman’s and Picadilly, so you can look into those, too.

If you’re not up for a full-blown commitment to any particular farm, but you’re feeling sociable and want to know what all this local-eating ballyhoo is about, Drumlin is hosting a Winter Harvest Dinner at 7 p.m. on Friday, February 6 at the farm.  The menu includes local cheese, Tuscan kale soup, frittata, locally raised meat, roasted winter vegetables, and pumpkin pie.  Brian Donahue, author of Reclaiming the Commons: Community Farms and Forests in a New England Town will be speaking.  Tickets are $32 each for Mass Audubon members, $40 for nonmembers.  For reservations, call 781-259-2206 by January 30.

[Thanks to Universal Hub for the link.  Be sure to check out the feisty comments.]

The latest review on the Boston's Hidden Restaurants Web site is for Qingdao Garden, a Chinese restaurant in North Cambridge. Qingdao Garden, which is located on Massachusetts Avenue near the Arlington border, is a tiny little dining spot with little in the way of atmosphere, but their homemade dumplings are some of the best in the Boston area. In addition to dumplings and some Chinese-American dishes, much of their menu includes authentic Northern Chinese cuisine. To read more about Qingdao Garden in Cambridge, please click on the link above.

I’ve probably sat many times in front of my computer carrying sleeping Lulu in a sling — right now, she is snoring — in the hope to be able to share with you recipes, like a few lovely homey desserts I’ve managed to prepare (I wonder how!), and savory dishes to keep us healthily energized.

The thing is, though, that I’ve never managed to finish on the project of writing even a complete story. Yes, Lulu keeps us that busy. She is so little and needs so much, but she is our little doll. What was it like before again?

So, in the hope to keep you waiting (pretty please!), I still have something for you today. A dessert recipe, poached pears in red wine, which I wrote for the Boston Globe Food Section — I am so glad I did it a while ago, before the arrival of Lulu. Very simple to make. Lovely on your table. Flavorful, colorful, bound to turn most people into loving pears.

Non ?

Let’s talk very soon, shall we?