HubGrub

January 17, 2009

Burrito Blog

Take A Break From The Books

Mr. Fink has a pretty serious workload in grad school. Fortunately, he lives close enough to Olecito to walk over for a tortilla time out.

A couple years ago, Mr. Fink showed me The (Big) Enchilada. Now it was my turn.

For $5.50 we each picked up an Olecito burrito that comes with guacamole and a side of chips and salsa.

Take a break from Inman legend Punjabi Dhaba and check out Olecito. Definitely worth it.

by Jonah at 2009-01-17T17:39:45Z

Boston Restaurant Talk

BOND Restaurant and Lounge Opens in the Financial District

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.

by Marc at 2009-01-17T11:38:00Z

Amuse Bouche

New England Clam Chowder

Chowdah

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.

Heatwave

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. 

Clams

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.

Stock and juice

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.

Guanciale

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. 

Heresy

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.

Under_pressure

by Jo at 2009-01-17T08:52:46Z

FoodNerd!

celery root hummus

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.

by foodnerd at 2009-01-17T02:09:52Z

January 16, 2009

Food on the Food

Phoning It In

I’m going to be lazy today and send you over to BlogHer.  In fact, I’ve been thinking if I leverage this right, I could slowly keep adding paid blogging gigs elsewhere while subtracting the same number of posts from this blog (leaving you with nothing more than a courtesy link), and then I could parlay this into a situation where I go to sleep on a big pile of money every night.  Coins, mostly.  And any residues they might contain from their journey across mankind.  (wretch

Not as appealing as I had previously thought.

by Tammy Donroe at 2009-01-16T19:24:26Z

Boston Restaurant Talk

Chef’s Table Series Coming to Boston, February and March, 2009

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

by Marc at 2009-01-16T17:15:08Z

The Gurgling Cod

LocoCocoa

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...

by The Gurgling Cod at 2009-01-16T17:10:28Z

January 15, 2009

The Seasonal Cook

Food tourism

I have to confess something fairly shameful for a foodnik - I'm not all that excited about restaurants. Of course, I like a nice meal out, particularly the sort of meal that takes a lot of work at home. If I'm going to eat out, I want multiple courses, wine, dessert, coffee. I want to spend a couple hours eating things that need last-minute preparations while I sit lazily on my duff and let someone else do the dishes. And, let's face it, I can't touch the best food in a really good restaurant.

But generally, I can't afford that sort of meal out. And middle-of-the-road restaurants are a much more hit-or-miss affair. Sometimes I get lucky and find a dish that I might remember for years. But more often, I just think about how much it would have costs to make the stuff at home - or, if I'm in a different mood, think how glad I am that I don't have to cooks and damn the money. But overall I'm a home cook, and I'm more interested in home cooking than restaurant cooking - how people do it, what they eat, and so on. I'm more likely to buy books for home cooks from 1910 than I am to buy a restaurant cookbook.

So when I travel, what I really want are ingredients. I want to find out that there's some sort of local dried bean or locally grown and ground flour or what have you. I want markets and smokehouses and farm stands, even bakeries, but not necessarily restaurants (although of course I want those, too, just not as lustfully). But I find this information much harder to come by. If you want to find a high-end restaurant or the best dive in town, there are websites for that, but it's very hard to find out about food shopping (except for the high-end chocolates places that always seem to get a mention in shopping guides). Anyway, off to Montreal this weekend. There at least I know to head to Jean Talon, and we'll see where else I end up. Probably in a pub by a fireplace and nowhere else - it's supposed to be -20.

by Pyewacket at 2009-01-15T20:20:15Z

Cave Cibum

Biscuits That Will Keep You in the House

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.

by Pam at 2009-01-15T19:08:30Z

The Gurgling Cod

Korean shoulder update

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...

by The Gurgling Cod at 2009-01-15T15:56:46Z

Boston Restaurant Talk

Sensing Opens at the Fairmont Battery Wharf in the North End

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.

by Marc at 2009-01-15T15:43:40Z

Urban Drivel

New Year New Goal and Roasted Cauliflower Poppers

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

by JB at 2009-01-15T15:00:25Z

Sunday Night Dinner

A German Photoessay

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.

by Anna at 2009-01-15T06:10:32Z

Food on the Food

Putting the Loca in Locavore

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.
  • 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.]

by Tammy Donroe at 2009-01-15T01:47:07Z

January 14, 2009

The Gurgling Cod

SF Deets warmup

I had a variety of nice things to eat in SF. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed myself there. Thanks to Addison, I was reminded of why I was surprised to enjoy myself.

by The Gurgling Cod at 2009-01-14T21:20:47Z

Boston Restaurant Talk

Latest Review: Qingdao Garden, Cambridge

photo of Qingdao Garden, Cambridge, MAThe 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.

by Marc at 2009-01-14T20:13:58Z

La Tartine Gourmande

Pears Poached in Red Wine

poached pears red wine boston globe

Pears poached in red wine

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?

by Béa at 2009-01-14T19:24:23Z

A New Life — Une nouvelle vie

Hazelnut Carrot Cupcakes
hazelnut spiced carrot cupcakes

Hazelnut and Carrot Cupcakes

What can I say? Your words have been amazingly touching and good to read, overwhelming us with joy. Thank you are two words rather weak to describe how we feel about what you said.

Really, merci.

So yes, life has been good over the past two weeks. Tremendously changed too, as anticipated. Our little L. made it happen this way. We’ve created a home nest that’s brought incredible joys, fun, play times, laughter — and lack of sleep too. These puffy ones? These are mine! My dear parent friends, I understand what you were talking about…

We truly can spend hours staring at L., observing her facial expressions when she naps, eats or gets changed — my favorite ones are when she smiles with her eyes closed or when she purses her lips. Irresistible.

Our friends? They’ve also been wonderful. They’ve brought us food on many occasions, like delicious spiced meat balls, homemade applesauce, fennel salad, soup and duck. We’ve also eaten some of the dishes I had cleverly frozen prior to L.’s arrival: last night we relished on a dish of comfy pumpkin lasagna. And I must say, food has not tasted that good in a long time; we enjoy eating much more slowly, appreciating every single bite we put in our mouth.

I thought I was not going to cook at the beginning after L’s birth. I had been told that like many, I would find it hard to. But despite the general tiredness, it made me really feel good to do so: the call in me was just stronger.

So I cooked, because my body is craving nutritious foods even more so; because we new parents need to, and because I want L. to grow strong and healthy.

I made a few dishes of slow cooked tajines, nutritious salads, simple vegetables soups, sweet apple clafoutis — and I baked cookies, granola and many types of muffins too. Snacks during pregnancy were a must — they are even more so during breastfeeding times. I enjoy them during the day, and at night, when the house is filled with silence and P. and I are taking care of L.’s needs.

Yesterday’s morning, as we lay in bed for a family nap, we kept wondering whether this was really all happening. We kept staring at the little one cozily nested between us, and we felt overwhelmed and warm inside. The house sounded particularly quiet, perhaps because of the snow that had kept piling outside. As the sun was generously out, I was looking forward to taking a short walk to the park, to feel the cold wind brushing against my skin awaken my senses. The park was like a magnificent white playground: it felt good to be there.

Upon my return, I was filled with a rush to bake.

Don’t ask.

Between feeds, I decided to make hazelnut carrot cupcakes.

I did not really know where the recipe was going to take me. I simply let it happen, naturally. I used carrots, nutritious flours like hazelnut, quinoa and amaranth, Muscovado sugar, eggs, olive oil, spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, and plain yogurt to add moistness to the baked goods.

Sometimes, I simply know that some ingredients will work together, that they will be right when combined.

We loved the end result. These cupcakes are lovely to enjoy as a snack, or eaten for breakfast.

Et moi ? I was happy to have a new healthy snack to feed the many hungry times I have during the day. The icing was for the visual fun, for those of you with a sweeter tooth — I personally prefer them plain.

spiced carrot cupcake

Hazelnut and Carrot Cupcakes

(For 12 cupcakes)

You need:


For the cupcakes:

  • 3 carrots, peeled and grated finely
  • 1 cup quinoa flour
  • 3/4 cup hazelnut flour
  • 3/4 cup amaranth flour
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts (or walnuts)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/3 cup plain cream-like whole milk yogurt
  • 3/4 cup packed brown Muscovado sugar


For the clementine icing:

  • 3.5 oz confectioner’s sugar
  • A few drop of lemon juice
  • 3 tablespoons heavy cream
  • Juice of a clementine
  • Decoration sugar

Steps:

  • Preheat the oven at 350 F. Prepare a muffin pan filled with paper cases; set aside.
  • In a bowl, combine the flours, baking powder, baking soda; set aside.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the eggs with the sugar. Add the yogurt and oil and mix well.
  • Combine in the dry ingredients, the carrots and spices. Add the chopped nuts.
  • Divide this batter between the molds and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool.
  • Prepare the icing by combining all ingredients. Spread a small amount on top of each cupcake. Add decoration sugar and let cool completely.
Le coin français
Cupcakes aux noisettes et aux carottes

(Pour 12 cupcakes)

Ingrédients :


Pour les cupcakes:

  • 3 carottes, pelées et râpées finement (180 g)
  • 125 g de farine de quinoa
  • 75 g de farine de noisettes
  • 80 g de farine d’amaranth
  • 1 càc de cannelle en poudre
  • 1/4 càc de muscade en poudre
  • 3 eggs
  • 120 ml d’huile d’olive
  • 50 g de noisettes (ou de noix) hachées grossièrement
  • 1 càc de poudre à lever
  • 1/2 càc de bicarbonate de soude
  • 80 g de yaourt nature velouté
  • 125 g de sucre de canne roux (Muscovado)


Pour la glaçage à la clémentine :

  • 100 g de sucre glace
  • Quelques gouttes de jus de citron
  • 3 càs de crème liquide
  • Jus d’une clémentine
  • Sucre de décoration

Etapes :

  • Préchauffez le four à 180 C. Préparez un moule à muffin et remplissez chaque alvéole d’une caissette en papier.
  • Dans un bol, mélangez les farines, la poudre à lever et la bicarbonate de soude; mettez de côté.
  • Dans le bol de votre mixeur, battez les oeufs avec le sucre. Ajoutez le yaourt et l’huile jusqu’à ce que l’ensemble soit homgène.
  • Ajoutez les carottes, les épices et le reste des ingrédient secs (farines et noix).
  • Divisez entre les caissettes et enfournez pendant 30 à 35 minutes, ou jusqu’à ce que la pointe d’un couteau insérée eu milieu d’un cupcake en ressort sèche. Laissez refroidir.
  • Préparez le glaçage en mélangeant tous les ingrédients (la consistance est épaisse mais reste fluide pour bien se répartir). Etalez 1 càs de glaçage sur chaque cupcake et ajoutez le sucre de décoration. Laissez refroidir complètement.

by Béa at 2009-01-14T19:22:26Z

The Gurgling Cod

Homemade Tabasco?

I want to go there. Just keep it away from Lisa Welchel.

by The Gurgling Cod at 2009-01-14T18:36:48Z

Hey, good lookin'

It would work better as a Twitter, maybe, or FB status, but:The Gurgling Cod just put 6 lb of pork shoulder and 2 cups of gochujang in the crock pot. We will see what happens.

by The Gurgling Cod at 2009-01-14T18:04:17Z

Burrito Blog

Welcome To Olecito

Located across the street from its upscale parent, Olé, Olecito is much more my style. They serve just the basics: tacos, tortas, burritos, and quesadilas.

Like the style, the pricing is also much more my flavor.

Olecito opened mid 2008, but Burrito Blog needlessly delayed reviewing this little Inman Square eatery. If you're headed in that direction, make sure you don't go too late; Olecito closes at 10 on weekends and 9 during the week.


View Larger Map

by Jonah at 2009-01-14T16:20:37Z

The Gurgling Cod

The last days.

We are living in them. Trust me: (Blondie and Brownie, via Eater.) If Internet activities can be divided into a) looking at porn, and b) not looking at porn, I'm not sure which wifi use would be creepier. On the...

by The Gurgling Cod at 2009-01-14T13:45:35Z

Boston's Hidden Restaurants

Outstanding Bagels at Rosenfeld's, Newton

A review of Rosenfeld's Bagels, a bagel shop in Newton Centre, MA.
>> Related categories: bakeries | Newton restaurants
photo of Rosenfeld's Bagels, Newton, MA

2009-01-14T08:00:00Z

Food on the Food

Favorite Google Searches of 2009

The year is still young, but these are a few of my favorite things that have landed people on my blog recently:

  • suet big ass 

            (Oh, were you talking to me?  I suppose it’s possible—I haven’t checked in             a while.)

  • ho to can sauerkraut 

            (Well, well, well, it must be your lucky day!)

  • homemade pipe cock restraint

            (You’re on your own on that one.)

But you’ll be happy to know that there have been no squash inquiries lately.          So we can all rest easier now.

by Tammy Donroe at 2009-01-14T01:47:11Z

January 13, 2009

f00die

Homemade Meatball Sub

Meatball Sub

I had some leftover meatballs from making this on Sunday night.

Meatballs were according to the recipe except I’m limited to the meat we get from our CSA so mine were made with Lamb & Pork.


by lbjay at 2009-01-13T20:00:57Z

Boston Restaurant Talk

Rio Brazilian Barbeque in Arlington Has Closed

Rio Brazilian Barbeque, a Brazilian restaurant in Arlington Center has closed its doors. The restaurant had been dark since around Christmas, but there was no indication as to whether Rio was shut for good. Last night, however, we did confirm that they are indeed out of business.

Rio had been located at 473 Massachusetts Avenue in the spot where Punjab used to be (that restaurant is now located in a bigger place a couple of doors away).

by Marc at 2009-01-13T16:23:04Z

Sunday Night Dinner

Cheese-O-Lantern

Ugh, sweet lord, I have missed blogging. I really have. The last few months kicked my butt kind of completely. I applied for jobs which I did not get, ended my internship working on things in which I had no background nor education (and succeeding, shockingly, despite my own predictions of complete and profound failure), and avoided pondering my impending unemployment by running away to Rome, then Austin, then Philadelphia. Now I am back, unemployed (did I mention that I have no job?), with all the time in the world to blog and a back log of about a million pictures and stories that I had neither the time nor the physical and emotional energy to record before now. So here I go.

In the middle of all the work, and the job search, and the impending darkness of the 9-month long Boston winter, my little social circle suffered a terrible loss – one of my closest friends and inspiration for numerous blog posts on this very blog – left me, cold-heartedly, for three years in Paris. I am happy for her and all her baguettes and crepes, obviously I am happy for her. Meh. I am just sad for me.

Before she left me for Parisian cheese and wine (and can you blame her, really) we had one last hurrah at my place, a going away party with lots of friends, lots of booze, and of course, lots of food, close to Halloween. A momentous departure demanded a momentous dish. The Texan and I pulled off one of the more spectacular things that has ever come out of my oven – a whole pumpkin (picked with my own two hand at the same farm as the apples), hollowed out and stuffed with alternating layers of baguette, Gruyere, heavy cream and a tint of nutmeg, baked until the cheese and cream liquefied into a fondue, the pumpkin softened to a puree, the skin blackened and blistered.

The glorious party centerpiece, complete with rivulets of hot cream running out of the cheese fondue inside

The melted cheese and cream soaked bread, piled onto a plate next to a scoop of baked pumpkin flesh made for a picture perfect (and dramatic) way to bid good-bye (a temporary good-bye) to someone you love.


All hollowed out.

The recipe here.

Happy Birthday, Melissa! I miss you very much and am jealous, daily, of the newly Parisian you. And happy for you, of course.

by Anna at 2009-01-13T05:38:04Z

Beyond Salmon

Maine Shrimp Stock and Salad

What made me decide to drop everything and write this post is that it's a food writing emergency. I know this sounds funny. It makes me think of a person with a whisk and a laptop returning a call from his pager: "Hello, this is the food writer on call. How can I help you?" But emergencies happen even in the field of food writing. The Maine Shrimp (sometimes referred to as Nordic Shrimp) are

by Helen at 2009-01-13T04:12:46Z

The Spice Must Flow

Lamb and Fennel Bread Soup

Lamb and Fennel Bread Soup from Sardinia aka Agnello con finocchi selvatici alla sarda from Italian Slow and Savory by Joyce Goldstein olive oil as needed 2 pounds boneless lamb shoulder, trimmed into 1 1/2 inch pieces salt and...

by Jennifer at 2009-01-13T01:21:22Z

January 12, 2009

The Gurgling Cod

Unlike his namesake, this dog is not associated with food available in airports.

Via Petswhowanttokillthemselves.

by The Gurgling Cod at 2009-01-12T23:54:03Z

Off The Bone

Ominous

Things you don’t want to hear in a menu discussion: “What’s not to like? It’s an exploding lobster!” “Secret cauliflower - it’s like secret santa, but disgusting.”

by eclectician at 2009-01-12T23:40:54Z

FoodNerd!

instead of icky maraschino cherries

For the manhattans we made this weekend, I needed a replacement for the disgusting maraschino cherries that most bartenders put into this otherwise delightful drink. I bought some frozen sweet cherries that I'll have to try some other time, because plan A worked so well.

I took plain unsulfured dried sweet cherries from Trader Joe's (and i bet this would work with dried sour cherries too, like the delectable ones I got at the Persian market), and I soaked some of them in bourbon and some in Cointreau. I wanted to see if the fruitiness of the Cointreau would be a pleasant addition or an unwelcome distraction, and the bourbon cherries were the lower-key option.

As it turned out, both were delicious dropped into a manhattan -- or fished out of the dish and snarfed on their own, and I have visions of putting these into desserts or over ice cream. But though both were made of nom, the consensus was that the Cointreau cherries were the best, and so we've made another batch with the rest of the dried cherries.

We found that the soaking liquid was syrupy and sweet, very tasty also, but we wanted to dilute it down just a little bit so it could be used as a sauce or a drink ingredient, so we covered our latest batch of cherries with Cointreau and let them soak for a day, then we put in half again as much vodka, to see if that would thin things down a bit. When we use them, we'll post again and let you know.

by foodnerd at 2009-01-12T21:34:51Z

Food on the Food

Remember This?

Kraut

Oh, yeah.  It’s sauerkraut time!  Or at least it will be in about 40 days or so.  Check back around Valentine’s Day because nothin’ says lovin’ like a crock of festering cabbage.  In the meantime, you might want to steer clear of my kitchen while the bacteria work their magic.  They have a less-then-bashful way of making their presence known.

In this year’s mix:

5-6 lbs. cabbage, shredded (about 2 medium cabbages)
3 garlic cloves, peeled, smashed
3 Tbsp. sea salt
2 Tbsp. juniper berries
1 Tbsp. caraway seeds
1 tsp. fennel seeds
1 tsp. celery seeds
2 bay leaves

For the process, see last year’s kraut post.  C'mon, you know you want to try it!

by Tammy Donroe at 2009-01-12T19:43:47Z

Boston Restaurant Talk

Icarus in the South End Is for Sale

One of Boston's most well-known restaurants is up for sale. According to a Boston Herald article and the Boston Restaurant Group site, Icarus is on the selling block, although owner Chris Douglass may try to hold onto it and perhaps make it a more casual restaurant.

The Herald mentions that Douglass is trying to get financing for the restaurant, which has been affected by the economic downturn as so many other dining spots have.

Icarus has been a South End standby for more than 30 years, and remains one of the most popular restaurants in Boston. The menu includes mostly New American cuisine, while the atmosphere is attractive and comfortable. The owner (Douglass) also owns two Dorchester restaurants--the Ashmont Grill and Tavolo.

For more information on Icarus going up for sale, please go to the Boston Herald link below:

Iconic Icarus up for sale

by Marc at 2009-01-12T17:52:58Z

Cave Cibum

Cheap Eats: Excelsior

Excelsior may not seem like the type of place to find cheap food, but at the downstairs bar, there are always surprises to be had. Be it $1 oysters (on Tuesdays and Wednesdays), half-priced pizzas (on Sundays and Mondays), or their new Winter Warmer Suppers, the deals at Excelsior's bar offer gourmet food at very low prices.

The Winter Warmer Suppers are a new special that features a different comfort food each week, changing on Saturdays, for only $8. This week's feature is fish and chips with cole slaw and house tartar sauce. The white fish is tender and coated with a light and crispy batter. The large-cut fries have creamy interiors and act as a perfect vehicle for enjoying every last bite of the house-made tartar sauce. Even the cole slaw won over this slaw-hater, with its crunchy cabbage and carrots and its creamy and tangy sauce. Sprinkled with fried parsley leaves and a good dose of black pepper, this is one of the best fish & chips that this Bostonist has had in a long time.

Future Winter Warmer Suppers will include Venison Stroganoff (1/17-23), Buttermilk Fried Chicken (1/24-30), Beef Stew (1/31-2/6), and Lamb Shepherds Pie (2/7-13). Excelsior is located at 272 Boylston Street, across from the Public Garden. Food is served in the bar area Monday-Thursday, 4:30-11pm, Friday and Saturday, 4:30-11:30pm, and Sunday, 4:30-10pm.

Originally posted on Bostonist.

Excelsior on Urbanspoon

by Pam at 2009-01-12T16:45:00Z

Urban Drivel

Rum Cake...Oh My God!


Because vicodin just isn't enough when you've broken tour back in two places. Just kidding, I made this cake for the Feast of the Seven Fishes at CB's aunt's house on Christmas Eve and let me tell you...it was a hit. His cousin had three pieces, I don't know how because it's so rich. I will most definitely be making this every Christmas, it was so easy and so awesome. Thank you AM for giving me the recipe. I'm not usually into recipes that call for boxed cake mix, but I was already making so many from scratch treats that this was just what I needed to, something easy and quick. I made the cake on four days in advance so that the rum really had time to soak into the cake. I also topped the cake with chopped pistachios and dried cranberries, which really gave it a festive red and green color.

Try it. You'll like it.

Rating = So Damn Good

On another note, the back is getting better and better...still sucks, just not as much as last week.

by JB at 2009-01-12T14:34:30Z

The Gurgling Cod

Cooking with Dexter

I enjoyed the first installment of Pete Wells' account of living with a culinary prodigy who happens to be his son. I share the concerns voiced by Grub St, however. As a public service, a a photo for Pete Wells...

by The Gurgling Cod at 2009-01-12T13:40:16Z

Amuse Bouche

Angry Chicken - Grrrrrr

Morimoto

Lately I've been on a real Asian inspired, Umami rich kick. We've been making loads of udon noodles with miso broth topped in assorted vegetables quickly tossed in a wok with tamari and sesame and sometimes a few slices of duck breast on top or Tori Kara Age.  We had yellow curry with Thai eggplants and pineapple. There was gan bian si ji dou (dry fried green beans with pork) and ma la zi ji (Numbing and Hot Chicken) it's all rather addictive.

Cookbooks

Today I'm going to make a miso glaze with red and yellow miso and rub it on a duck breast, shrink wrap it and cook it sous vide at about 53C.  It will then be seared off and served with sautéed spinach, garlic and sesame oil and a side of cauliflower mash with mystery ingredients added.  Don't worry they are still a mystery to me at the moment.  Friday I'm going over to Porter Square to hit Kotobukiya market, since Super 88's recent decline, the Allston location is almost barren(!) I have to travel further afield to get ingredients. But today, today  I want to  tell you about Angry Chicken.

The recipe comes from the food porn cookbook that is Morimoto by Masaharu Morimoto .  For days I've been flicking through the book over and over trying to decide what I was going to pull out and cook and for some reason Angry Chicken just caught my eye.  Grrrrrrrr.

Morimoto has a restaurant in Mumbai and fell in love with Tandoor chicken and this was his interpretation,  I knew we would love it since we both adore Indian spices and it uses my favourite go to hot sauce.  Frank's Red Hot.  Frank's red hot has the perfect amount of heat and vinegar tang with a big bold punch of pepper taste without the blow-your-taste-buds-out-of-the-water for every subsequent bite that some hot sauces pack.

As usual lately, I made it and didn't get a chance to take a picture, but I'm sure you can make one up nicely in your head.  Just picture some gorgeous laquered blistered skin chicken steaming on a plate with a side of darkly blistered long peppers.  Mmmmm.

Make a marinade of 1/2tsp each of black peppercorns and cumin seed 1/4tsp each of cardamom and coriander seed, and  grind in a coffee grinder or a mortar and pestle, add in 1tsp of chili powder, a little salt 1/2tsp of amchar or garam masala and pour all that in a bowl. Add 1-1/3 cups yoghurt (I prefer the Greek Fage), 1/2 cup cream, 1/3 cup tamari or soy sauce, we tend to have tamari in house and 1 and 1/2 cups of Frank's Red Hot. Yes, One and a Half cups of Frank's. Mix it all up.  Reserve 1 cup for sauce later and pour the rest over your prefered pieces of chicken.  We like thighs.  Let this all hang out for at least 8 hours or even over night.

Crank the oven to 450F.  Place the chicken on a sheet pan, discard the marinade and roast it for 30 - 45 mins depending on the cuts of chicken and size.  165F internally with a digital thermometer is what your looking to hit.  Take 2 cups of chicken stock and reduce to 1 cup, I added some chopped leek and celery to the reducing stock. Off the heat add the reserved 1 cup of marinade and heat this gently being careful not to boil and cause the yogurt to separate. 

I also took his advice to serve a side of peppers for those who like more heat.  I took 4 nice Anaheim's rubbed them with oil and tossed them on a seperate sheet pan in the oven while the chicken roasted.  Once I pulled the chicken I turned the broiler on and let the peppers get nice and blistered.

We served this with a side of butter beans (sadly tinned - I need a new Rancho Gordo order stat!) sauteed with some nice olive oil and a minced shallot. There was much food silence and reverence around the table with only the occasional clink of a wine glass hitting the slate tablemats as puncuation.

Simple, amazing, and just the thing for a snowy January night.

by Jo at 2009-01-12T11:59:32Z

Local Eats

How?

With the fabulous recipe for Carbonades Flamande, a top notch beef stew from the Chocolate and Zucchini cookbook. Easier than pie it calls for a few common ingredients, things like good stew beef, bay leaf, cloves, thyme, brown sugar, and a few hours to bring it through the cooking process. The only ingredient that required special procurement was a good amber ale and that was taken care of with

by Candlemaker at 2009-01-12T03:06:21Z

let's eat

let's eatOriginally uploaded by Candlemakerinto this.

by Candlemaker at 2009-01-12T02:07:35Z