food porn

simple lasagna

2012-01-28T12:02:00.002-05:00

sauce:

1/2 lb ground beef

half an onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

large can of diced tomatoes

8 oz can tomato sauce

handful each of chopped fresh basil & parsley

1 TBSP sugar

salt to taste

ricotta mixture:

1 container ricotta

handful of grated parmesan

about 1 TBSP each chopped fresh basil & parsley

sprinkle of dried oregano

other:

6 no-boil lasagna noodles

2 cups shredded mozzarella

-Heat oven to 350 and get out a 8x8" pan.

-Sauté the onions & garlic in a little bit of olive oil until they soften (but don't fully brown).

-Add ground beef, season with salt, and cook through.

-Add the rest of the sauce ingredients and simmer for about 1/2 hour. Prepare ricotta mixture while you're waiting.

-Lasagna assembly (from bottom to top):

—spread a spoonful of sauce in the bottom of the pan

—2 noodles topped with 1/2 of the ricotta mixture, layer of sauce, and sprinkle of mozzarella

—repeat above

—2 noodles covered with sauce and the rest of the mozzarella

-Cover loosely with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

-Uncover and bake 15 minutes more.

swiss chard lasagna

2012-01-22T15:44:00.000-05:00

I used this recipe, with a few tweaks:

- added sweet italian sausage (3 links, meat removed from the casing and crumbled into the pan. Cooked the sausage through before adding the garlic & chard to the pan.)

-assembled in 3 layers of 2 noodles each, rather than the recipe's 2 layers of 3 noodles (fits an 8x8 pan perfectly)

-incorporated mozzarella into the inner layers, instead of just on top

halloween treat

2011-10-31T22:33:00.000-04:00

Pumpkin-chocolate whoopie pie
(recipe from the Nov. 2011 Everyday Food magazine)

The cookies
2 c. flour
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs
3/4 c. pumpkin purée
1 c. brown sugar
1/3 c. melted butter
1/4 c. heavy cream

Whisk together the wet ingredients, then add the dry ingredients & whisk until just combined. Drop dough in 1-TBSP mounds onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake for about 14 minutes, rotating pan halfway through. They're done when the tops spring back when lightly pressed. Let cool completely before filling.

The filling
1/4 c. butter at room temperature
1/2 c. heavy cream
1-3/4 c. confectioners' sugar
2/3 c. unsweetened cocoa powder

Mix with an electric mixer until fluffy. Spread on the flat side of a cookie, then press another cookie on the other side to make a sandwich.

chilly today. chili tonight.

2011-10-29T22:08:00.001-04:00

3 strips thick-cut bacon, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 medium onion, diced (set some aside for garnish)

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 TBSP chili powder

1 generous tsp cumin

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp paprika

1 lb. lean ground beef

1/2 cup(ish) beer (I didn't measure)

1 can red kidney beans

1 large can crushed tomatoes

(grated cheddar & diced onion for garnish)

In a heavy dutch oven pot on medium heat, cook the bacon until starting to crisp.

Add pepper, onion & garlic and cook until they start to soften. Mix in spices and cook for a few minutes.

Add ground beef. Break it up and cook until browned. Season with salt.

Stir in beer & beans. Then stir in the crushed tomatoes. Add more salt.

Cover pot, turn heat to low, and simmer for an hour. Stir occasionally.

Garnish with cheddar & some raw onion.

I made cornbread to go with the chili (not pictured). Click here for a simple & quick recipe. (note: I used turbinado sugar instead of white, and substituted 1/3 c. melted butter for the veg. oil)

baked sweet potato

2011-10-12T00:30:00.000-04:00

-Wash the potato, poke all over with a fork, brush with olive oil, and sprinkle with coarse salt.

-Bake in a 400-degree oven for 50-60 min.

-Slice open, stuff with crumbled feta, and return to the oven, until the cheese gets a little melty.

-Top with greek yogurt, scallions, and fresh thyme leaves. Season with salt & pepper.

heirloom tomato tart

2011-08-31T22:56:00.000-04:00

Heirloom tomatoes really DO taste better than their genetically-modified counterparts.

To make the tart: Heat oven to 400. Roll out puff pastry dough to 12"x12", and fold the edges in to make a border. Brush with a very light coating of sour cream, and chill. Then top with a layer of thin tomato slices (about 1/8" thick). Season with salt & pepper. Bake for 20-30 minutes (sprinkle feta on about halfway through), until the dough is done and golden brown. When it's done, top with basil leaves.

taste of summer

2011-08-30T22:52:00.000-04:00

Spicy cucumber salad (cucumber with thinly-sliced onion and fresh parsley, splash of rice vinegar and red pepper flakes:

Thanks to my coworker Bob for bringing in cucumbers from his garden to share with the office!

Sweet corn with butter, chili powder, salt & squeeze of lime

(photo dedicated to Kelly):

New Jersey peaches over French vanilla ice cream, with candied ginger and basil (credit to Bob's garden for the basil):

fun with hurricane rations

2011-08-28T23:17:00.002-04:00

Since hurricane Irene has passed without my losing electricity (and because I watched a bunch of episodes of "Chopped" while I was cooped up indoors for 2 days), I decided tonight to challenge myself to come up with a dinner featuring something from my now unnecessary non-perishable hurricane food supply: things like nuts/trail mix, bread, bananas... and beef jerky.

I made queso blanco arepas topped with beef jerky & grape tomatoes:

The arepas: combine 3/4 c masa harina (fine corn flour), 3/4 c water, 1/8 tsp coarse salt, and crumbled queso blanco. Let sit for 5-10 min. Form dough into 4 small "pancakes". Heat oil on medium (dough should sizzle when you put it in the pan). Cook about 5 minutes/side.

The topping: heat a splash of oil in a pan, add 1 clove minced garlic. Before it begins to brown, add sliced beef jerky, to just warm through. Then add sliced grape tomatoes, chopped fresh parsley, and some black pepper and cook for a minute or so. Top arepas with the mixture and squeeze a piece of lime on top.

With the exception of the cheese (which could be left out), none of the ingredients in this meal needs refrigeration. Not a bad meal if you do find yourself without power.

It was quite tasty. The jerky was a bit tough, but actually not too bad.
I would definitely make this dish again, using chorizo or skirt steak instead of the jerky.

quinoa

2011-07-26T21:59:00.000-04:00

I was inspired by this recipe, and adapted it using the ingredients I had on hand.

Heat some olive oil in a pan, and add a smashed garlic glove—just to infuse the oil with the garlic flavor. Before it gets any color, fish the garlic out and add yellow squash (peeled and sliced lengthwise into 1/4"-thick slices and seasoned with salt & pepper). When the squash is nicely browned on both sides, remove from the pan and set aside. Add to the pan a minced garlic clove and some chopped roasted red peppers, and heat through. Then mix in cooked red quinoa, a few chopped pieces of the yellow squash, and cilantro. Serve over yellow squash slices and garnish with a squeeze of lime and crumbled feta.

root beer float

2011-07-18T22:54:00.000-04:00

blueberry-ginger jam

2011-07-14T00:34:00.000-04:00

At first glance these two photos look a lot alike...

but they have different personalities.

The first is savory: ciabatta drizzled with olive oil, sprinkled with salt, and lightly toasted. Topped with ricotta (seasoned with salt & pepper), and blueberry jam.

The second is sweet: anise-flavored pizzelle (waffle cookie), scoop of vanilla bean ice cream, spoonful of jam, and bits of candied ginger.

I found the basic blueberry jam recipe in Real Simple magazine, then embellished it a little with the ginger and Cointreau.

2 cups blueberries

1/4 cup sugar

juice from half a lemon

1/8 tsp kosher salt

splash of Cointreau

handful of chopped candied ginger

Put everything except the ginger in a pot and mash it up. Bring to a boil, then turn heat down and simmer for about 20 minutes (until it gets thick). I added the ginger in about halfway through. Let cool and store in an airtight container in the fridge (it'll keep for a few weeks, but my supply only lasted about 2 days).

that's a wrap

2011-07-09T20:59:00.000-04:00

My new favorite sandwich: Spinach wrap, slathered with spicy hummus, and layered with lettuce leaves, a bed of pickled carrots & daikon (made using this recipe), and pile of thinly-sliced roast beef.

the farmers' market

2011-06-14T22:17:00.000-04:00

My bounty from the Union Square farmer's market (I also got a large potted basil plant):

And what I made with it:

Radish & cucumber salad

Sliced very thin, with basil, balsamic, olive oil, salt & pepper.

Fried squash

Peel, slice, dust with flour & coarse salt, dip in egg wash, dredge in panko & garlic herb bread crumbs, and fry in olive oil.

Tomato salad

With paper-thin onion, basil, capers, drizzle of olive oil, salt & pepper.

pickled beets & goat cheese

2011-06-12T21:17:00.000-04:00

Another happy food accident... I had some herb & garlic goat cheese, but lacked a cheese vehicle (like bread or crackers). Luckily, pickled beet slices stepped in and saved the day. Delicious!

blueberry custard pie with candied ginger

2011-06-08T19:45:00.000-04:00

Grandma's recipe. (the candied ginger garnish is my own modern twist)

Sorry I'm not posting the recipe. It's not that it's a family secret, it's just that the recipe contains some approximations that I'm still figuring out how to master... my first few attempts at making this pie were kind of a disaster (this one came out pretty damn good, if I do say so myself).

At first, I was confused as to why this pie was giving me so much trouble. I remembered helping make this pie many times as a child.
But then, I realized that I "helped" in the way that kids "help" in the kitchen... by standing around and watching Grandma do it (though I'm sure I did pick the berries from my grandparents' blueberry bushes).

If I fine-tune this pie enough that I can write a concise recipe,
I'll update this post at a later time.
...then again, maybe grandma-recipes should stay sacred.

kielbasa eggs benedict

2011-06-05T15:58:00.000-04:00

They say that necessity is the mother of invention... I wanted eggs benedict this morning, but didn't have Canadian bacon or the desire to figure out how to make hollandaise sauce. Damn.

But then I realized that I had a chunk of kielbasa leftover from dinner the other night and Kerrygold garlic & herb butter, and I got an idea...

-toasted multi-grain English muffin, lightly buttered
-3 slices of kielbasa, seared in a pan on the stove until browned
-poached egg
-pat of herbed butter on top, which melts to provide the sauce element

oh yeah... I will definitely be making this again.

bacon, leek, and thyme mac & cheese

2011-04-13T23:04:00.000-04:00

Oh, so yummy! Recipe from Pinch My Salt.

thai coconut soup

2011-03-20T23:17:00.001-04:00

Click here for the recipe.

This soup is well worth the effort to go out and get the ingredients.
I was able to quickly find everything in my local Asian market.
(p.s. "glangal" = ginger)

The only ingredient that eluded me was the kaffir lime leaves. When I asked a store clerk if they had them, I got a puzzling answer: They don't sell them because they're illegal. I thought there must have been a misunderstanding, so I looked it up when I got home. Seems it is illegal to import kaffir lime leaves to the U.S. (because of some sort of pest that they can harbor, that we don't want to introduce here). However, they're ok when grown domestically. So they're possible to get, it just may not be easy. I just omitted them, and the soup was delicious anyway :-)

dijon pork tenderloin

2011-03-13T20:38:00.000-04:00

Recipe from Simply Recipes. I used pork tenderloin, cut into medallions. On the side is brussels sprouts that have been roasted with olive oil, salt & pepper. Then finished with lemon zest, a squeeze of lemon juice, and topped with toasted almond slivers.

hash browns

2011-02-27T17:05:00.000-05:00

happy valentine's day

2011-02-14T14:33:00.000-05:00

Mini mint chocolate pudding cake (recipe from Simply Recipes), topped with a scoop of dark chocolate-mint Häagen-Dazs ice cream.

appetizers

2011-02-13T18:41:00.000-05:00

Crunchy spicy chick peas: Drain a can of chick peas, and spread out on a rimmed baking sheet (just plain, with nothing added). Bake at 450 for 30 minutes, tossing once. After they're done, toss with 2 TBSP olive oil, 1/2 tsp cayenne + 1 tsp cumin, and a dash of coarse salt.

Phyllo cups: Take pre-baked phyllo shells (found in the freezer section) and fill with goat cheese crumbles, a dollop of fig jam, and fresh thyme leaves. Bake at 375 for 5 minutes, just to heat everything.

s'more bread pudding

2011-01-29T00:25:00.000-05:00

from Giorgio's

sunday feast

2011-01-23T22:05:00.000-05:00

This afternoon, I went over to my friend Julia's for a movie day.

For such an occasion, most people would make popcorn.

Julia cooked a duck.

It was stuffed with an obscene amount of garlic and sage, and coated in mustard (and more sage). And it was utterly amazing.

My contribution was rosemary cornbread. I used this recipe, but as one of the commenters suggested, used a combination of 1/3 c. white sugar + 1/3 c. brown sugar for the sugar, and used melted butter instead of vegetable oil. Also, I added 1 TBSP chopped fresh rosemary.

For dessert, Julia made cranberry pie. Yummm!

dear food porn...

2011-01-22T13:48:00.001-05:00

I received the following e-mail yesterday:

Dear Food Porn,

I miss you. You make my lunch time even better. I wish you would come back soon.

Sincerely,
Bored at Lunch

Thank you, concerned food porn viewer!
It's true. I've been slacking on the new posts lately. But never fear! I have plans for some delicious food this weekend. Stay tuned...

shrimp & andouille sausage with cheesy grits

2011-01-02T21:34:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Kristen Jones for this fantastic recipe!

1.5 lbs shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails off

Cajun seasoning

1 link andouille sausage, diced

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

3-4 green onions, chopped (reserve green parts for garnish)

1/2 jar roasted red peppers, chopped

2 TBSP tomato paste

1 TBSP flour

1 cup chicken broth

Juice of half a lemon

1/2 cup heavy cream

4 cups milk

2 cups water

1.5 cups quick grits

1 TBSP butter

1 1/2 cups (or more) grated white cheddar

Sprinkle shrimp with Cajun seasoning & set aside while you chop other ingredients.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add a little olive oil & saute shrimp briefly. Remove shrimp to a plate.

Cook sausage in same skillet until brown. Add onion, garlic & white parts of green onion; saute until tender. Add roasted red peppers, a little more Cajun seasoning, and tomato paste.

Add about a tablespoon of flour (may need to add some additional butter/oil if sausage doesn't render much fat) and cook 1 minute. Add chicken broth & lemon juice; bring to a boil & simmer over medium heat til thickened.

Meanwhile, bring milk & water to a slow boil, add some salt. Slowly whisk in grits & cook 5-7 mins until thickened.

Add cream to vegetable mixture, then put shrimp back in pan.

Add butter & cheese to grits, taste for salt & add some black pepper. Serve shrimp over grits; garnish with green onions & hot sauce if you like.

homemade ricotta gnocchi

2010-12-12T21:54:00.000-05:00

This was my first time making gnocchi from scratch. It's something I've been meaning to try for a while, and I was inspired to finally do it today after I watched Michael Symon's cooking show ("How to cook like an Iron Chef") on the Cooking Channel.

Turns out making gnocchi is incredibly easy. And if you've ever thought that gnocchi is dense, then you haven't had homemade.
Light, fluffy deliciousness.

Click here for the recipe.

I'm not a big eggplant fan, so I skipped that part of the recipe. Instead, I sautéed some sliced shallots and diced red bell pepper, and added that to the gnocchi in butter & lemon sauce. Then wilted in some spinach during the last couple minutes.

homemade cinnamon swirl bread

2010-12-04T19:24:00.002-05:00

You're getting verrrry sleeeeepy...

Cinnamon bread French toast... yum!

brussels sprout gratin

2010-11-30T23:29:00.000-05:00

I happen to think that the brussels sprout is delightful on its own, just simply roasted with a little olive oil, salt & pepper. Or sautéed with a little garlic and served with a squeeze of lemon juice.

But sometimes even the best of intentions get smothered in creamy sauce and oozing cheese. Don't fight it.

I started out with this recipe (halved), and made these adjustments:

-for the milk, I used 2 parts skim, 1 part heavy cream

-added a pinch of nutmeg to the sauce

-used a mixture of swiss & fontina cheeses

-switched to the broiler for the last few minutes, to brown the cheese

sesame beef

2010-11-28T22:59:00.000-05:00

buttermilk waffle

2010-11-06T15:29:00.000-04:00

with homemade cranberry sauce and bits of candied ginger.

candied walnuts

2010-10-21T00:27:00.000-04:00

Sweet & spicy! Amazing on their own, but also fantastic in salad (greens with scallions, apples, goat cheese, and walnuts). I bet they'd also be great on ice cream, or as a garnish on an iced cupcake.

Click here for the recipe.

ham, provolone & roasted red pepper crostini

2010-10-18T00:20:00.000-04:00

fried green tomatoes

2010-10-12T00:10:00.001-04:00

My method:

-Slice a green tomato (basically, an unripe tomato) into 1/4" slices

-Season both sides with salt & pepper

-Sprinkle lightly with flour, and dip in egg wash

(a beaten egg with just a little water added)

-Dredge in panko breadcrumbs, seasoned with salt

-Heat a pan with enough oil to generously coat the bottom

-When the oil is nice & hot, add the tomato slices, and cook until both sides are nicely browned, but before the tomatoes start to break down (the unripe tomatoes are pretty firm, so they should hold up well)

beet & apple tart

2010-10-08T10:48:00.000-04:00

Recipe from Everyday Food magazine: Take a piece of frozen puff pastry dough (thawed), and prick all over with a fork. Sprinkle a little bit of grated cheddar, then layer with alternating paper-thin slices of apple & beet. Top with more grated cheddar, fresh thyme leaves, salt & pepper. Bake on a parchment-lined baking sheet at 400 for about 15 minutes.

white bean-stuffed portobello

2010-10-06T13:26:00.000-04:00

Recipe from Everyday Food magazine:

-place portobello stem-side down on a rimmed baking sheet, brush with a mixture of olive oil & lemon juice, and season with salt & pepper. Put in a 400 degree oven for 15 minutes.

-while the portobello is baking, heat 1 TBSP olive oil in a pot and add a minced garlic clove. Before it starts to brown, add a can of cannellini beans (rinsed), 1/4 cup water, 1 tsp thyme leaves, salt & pepper. Simmer until liquid is almost gone.

-when the portobello comes out of the oven, drain any juices from the pan, flip it over and top with white beans. For the topping, mix breadcrumbs (I used panko) with just enough olive oil to bind them together a little. Mix in some more thyme leaves and crumbled feta. Bake for another 5 minutes, or until the breadcrumbs are browned.

more minneapolis goodies

2010-10-02T16:26:00.001-04:00

Aside from the treats at the fair, here are a few more of the delicious things I ate on a recent trip to visit my dear friend Kim in Minneapolis...

Great start to the day: an apricot vanilla scone at Lucia's—one of the best scones I've ever eaten. Moist, filled with giant chunks of apricot, with a light sugary crust on top.

Sometimes the best meal is a bunch of sides, like this one at Brasa:

slow-roasted pulled pork:

cheesy grits:

jalapeño creamed spinach:

sweet plantains:

yucca fries:

A starter to another delicious meal—this nice plate of meats, pâtés and dried fruit:

food porn turns 2!

2010-09-27T00:19:00.001-04:00

In honor of food porn's second birthday, I give you some pictures from my recent trip to the Minnesota State Fair.

And because I like to mark this occasion with something bacony,

I present the most extreme bacon dish I have eaten to date:

chicken-fried bacon. Slightly horrifying, yet surprisingly delicious.

A Minnesota fair staple: deep fried cheese curds. It's like a cheese curd and a mozzarella stick had a baby together. A beautiful, delicious baby.

bedtime treat

2010-09-14T23:23:00.000-04:00

When I want a sweet treat before bedtime, I usually crave something warm with cinnamon & sugar. So tonight, I made this little impromptu experiment, which hit the spot perfectly. Take a piece of (thawed) frozen puff pastry dough, cut it into 1" slices, sprinkle sugar & cinnamon on it, twist, and bake at 400 for 10 minutes (until they're light golden brown).

trio of homemade pizzas

2010-09-02T12:38:00.000-04:00

ricotta, asparagus, lemon zest, prosciutto & fontina:

sautéed mushrooms, olives, prosciutto & fontina:

margherita:

zucchini spice bread

2010-08-14T09:10:00.000-04:00

I love to make zucchini bread in the summer. This batch was made from the GIANT zucchini that my colleague Bob brought me from his garden.

This is the sight that greeted me when I came into work (I put the dollar bill there for scale):

This behemoth measured 12" long, and 4" in diameter. I got 2 batches of zucchini bread out of it, and still had a chunk left.

I've brought this zucchini bread in to work a few times, and have had many people ask me for the recipe. Click here to get it, from Everyday Food magazine.

basil frozen custard

2010-08-10T13:37:00.000-04:00

One of my favorite frozen treats of all time: the basil frozen custard from Shake Shack. In addition to their standard vanilla, they have a special flavor of the day—a weekly schedule which changes each month. I can't tell you how delighted I was to find that basil made a comeback as August's Thursday flavor. My coworkers can attest, as they all heard my loud gasp of joy upon checking this month's schedule. They can also tell you that I haven't stopped talking about this basil frozen custard since the last time Shake Shack offered it... which was 2 years ago.

Time to clean out the freezer... I have a feeling it's going to get filled with pint containers :-)

israeli couscous with veggies

2010-08-07T20:40:00.000-04:00

Heat 1 TBSP olive oil in a pot on medium heat, add 1 cup israeli couscous, and toast lightly for about 4 minutes. Add 1-1/2 cups water, season with salt, bring to a boil, lower heat, and simmer (covered) until water is absorbed. While couscous is cooking, sauté vegetables (here, I've used cremini mushrooms, corn, and roasted red peppers). When vegetables are done cooking, add in some fresh basil, then combine with the couscous. To finish, season with salt & pepper, and the juice of a lime.

ricotta

2010-08-03T20:27:00.000-04:00

Two of my new favorite things to make with ricotta cheese...

Slice a loaf of ciabatta bread into 1/4" slices. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with coarse salt, and stick in the oven to get warm & toasty. Just a little bit crisp around the edges (the idea is to get warm, soft bread—not toast). Season some ricotta with salt & pepper, and spread it onto the warm bread. Top with a kiss of honey.

And, I just discovered this deceptively easy—and incredibly delicious—dessert recipe in the latest issue of Real Simple magazine. It uses only 3 ingredients: 2 (15oz) containers of ricotta, 1 bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips, and chocolate wafer cookies. And there is no baking.

Whip the ricotta with an electric mixer, to get it smooth & airy. Add the melted & cooled chocolate chips and combine thoroughly. Layer the ricotta mixture in a loaf pan, alternating with layers of overlapping cookies. Let chill overnight (for at least 12 hours), and you will end up with a fluffy, cheesecake-esque dessert.

breakfast triathlon

2010-07-18T16:27:00.001-04:00

Each year for the past 3 years, my guy Tony has participated in the NYC Triathlon. And each year, I go to watch. Being a triathlon spectator is a lot of fun, but it includes long stretches of time when the object of your spectating is out of sight. During this stretch of time, I have begun my own tradition of going out for a nice big diner breakfast. This year, I was joined by Julia for the second year in a row, in what we have come to consider our "Breakfast Triathlon" (this year at EJ's Luncheonette on Amsterdam & 81st).

I give you the Lumberjack Breakfast: pancakes, bacon and sausage, eggs, and home fries (I guess that's more than 3 items, but whatever).

I've eaten a lot of diner breakfasts in my life, but I'd have to rank this as one of the very best. Every single thing on the plate was cooked perfectly.

And before you start thinking that I'm cruel for waving this decadent meal under the nose of someone who missed it because he was out completing a grueling athletic endeavor, I will say in my defense that I did buy him a beer and giant cheeseburger with fries afterward, at what has become our favorite post-race Irish bar (P.D. O'Hurley's on 72nd & Amsterdam).

Of course, I also treated myself to kind of a ridiculous "snack" as well... a plate of "disco fries" (fries with mozzarella cheese melted on top, and a side of gravy).

When I requested it (this not being a standard menu item, but one that any respectable Irish bar has the ingredients for), the bartender gave me a look of bemused disgust, the likes of which I've never gotten. If only he knew what I'd eaten a few short hours earlier... but this triathlon spectating is hard work!

This post is in honor of Tony: awesome and dedicated triathlete.
Well done, you :-)

quesos flameados

2010-07-17T15:16:00.000-04:00

This is one of my favorite dishes at one of my new favorite Mexican restaurants in NYC called Crema. It's this amazing little skillet of melted cheese, with delicious things hiding underneath (chorizo, chicken, etc), served with a bundle of small, warm tortillas and guacamole. I've sampled a bunch of different dishes at Crema, and everything has been top-notch. Wonderful flavors, and gorgeous presentation as well.

Crema
111 W 17th St. (between 6th & 7th Aves)

fudge marble cookies

2010-07-11T19:40:00.000-04:00

From Bonnies Baked Goods.

These are awesome... light, cakey, and delicious!

sage & walnut pasta

2010-07-07T21:06:00.000-04:00

Dinner #2 from my stash of herbs from Bob's garden: sage & walnut pasta, with a white wine & brown butter sauce.

On medium heat, I reduced some white wine until it was nearly evaporated, then added about 2 TBSP butter (then turned heat to low). When the butter melted, I added some chopped walnuts and a minced garlic clove. After a couple minutes, I added some sage (cut into thin strips). When it "looked done," I tossed the pasta in to coat. Served with some shaved parmesan.

caprese

2010-07-06T21:31:00.003-04:00

The inspiration behind tonight's dinner was the big bag of fresh herbs that greeted me this morning on my desk at work (thanks, Bob!)

The bounty, fresh from Bob's garden, included basil, sage, rosemary, and marjoram.

I used some of the basil for my caprese salad. Then used the rest to make a basil simple syrup (1-1/2 cups water + 3/4 cup sugar + a big bunch of basil, brought to a boil and simmered for a few minutes). It makes a fantastic addition to lemonade or summer cocktails (see my 6/30 mint lemonade post).

Don't you worry, sage, rosemary & marjoram...

I'll be back for you, my pretties.

summer salads

2010-07-03T11:28:00.000-04:00

A cold meal for a hot summer night.

Fruit salad: nectarines, plums, apricots, pear & raspberries. Dressed with the juice of an orange with a little honey mixed in, and chopped fresh mint leaves.

Pasta salad: cold pasta, shrimp (cooked and cooled), baby spinach, thinly-sliced yellow squash & kalamata olives. Dressed with some olive oil mixed with fresh lemon juice, and seasoned with salt, pepper & lemon zest.

(Both recipes from Everyday Food magazine.)

mint lemonade

2010-06-30T23:17:00.005-04:00

In a small saucepan, combine 2 cups water + 3/4 cup sugar + 1-1/2 cups fresh mint leaves (basil is also fantastic). Bring to a boil and simmer for a few minutes. Remove the leaves, and let cool. Then add to 1 cup fresh lemon juice (about 8 large lemons worth) + 1-1/2 cups water. Serve over ice, and garnish with fresh mint leaves & lemon zest.

For a great cocktail, start with about 2/3 of a glass of the lemonade, add gin, and top off with Citron Perrier.

100th post!

2010-06-27T14:56:00.004-04:00

I've been doing this for almost 2 years now, with 100 posts and nearly 300 photos.

Hope you guys have enjoyed it as much as I have!

pumpkin chocolate chip muffin strip tease

2010-06-20T15:48:00.000-04:00

(cue the burlesque music)

Muffins made by Bonnie's Baked Goods. They are crazy delicious.

You can order them here.

big apple bbq block party

2010-06-12T23:51:00.001-04:00

(an annual event in and around NYC's Madison Square Park)

watermelon salad & skirt steak

2010-06-06T20:06:00.002-04:00

Seedless watermelon, cut into cubes + chopped kalamata olives + crumbled feta + fresh oregano leaves + touch of black pepper. Makes a really lovely summer salad. The steak is simply seasoned with salt & pepper, and seared in a hot pan.

blueberry galette

2010-05-31T20:57:00.002-04:00

I started out with the intention of making this rhubarb galette recipe. But alas, I couldn't find rhubarb in any of my local markets that day, so picked up blueberries instead. I followed the basic structure of Elise's recipe, but with the following substitutions/tweaks:
-rhubarb —> blueberries (3 small containers)
-orange zest —> lemon zest
-reduced sugar to about 1/2 cup (blueberries don't need as much added sweetness), and omitted the vanilla
-Also, before baking, I brushed the top of the crust with egg wash (1 egg whisked with a little water), and sprinkled sugar over it... because I'm a sucker for a sparkly, sugary pie crust.

caramel brownies

2010-05-27T23:24:00.000-04:00

From Bonnie's Baked Goods

...and boy, were they goood.
Rich, dark, not-too-sweet chocolate brownie, full of gooey ribbons of caramel. I'm not sharing... you'll have to go get your own.

pork tenderloin with pineapple-mango salsa

2010-05-25T23:00:00.001-04:00

Pork tenderloin, cut into 1" slices, flattened slightly, seasoned with salt & pepper, and cooked in a pan with 1 TBSP oil (only takes a couple of minutes per side).

The salsa: mango, pineapple, jalapeño, onion, cucumber, cilantro, and lime juice. Seasoned with salt & pepper.

mango crêpes

2010-05-22T14:03:00.000-04:00

What to do with a couple of leftover crêpes?

Cut into small squares (these are about 3"), heat in a pan, and stack with mango in between the layers. The mango is diced, and warmed in a little bit of melted butter and brown sugar.

stuffed jalapeño

2010-05-20T22:26:00.000-04:00

-Cut jalapeño in half, and remove the ribs & seeds.
-Fill with a mixture of cream cheese and shredded cheddar, seasoned with salt & pepper.
-Bake at 450 for 10-12 minutes.

raspberries

2010-05-18T22:39:00.000-04:00

falafel-coated shrimp

2010-05-17T19:09:00.000-04:00

Dip shrimp in beaten egg white, dust with falafel mix, and cook in a hot pan with a few TBSP olive oil.

The dipping sauce is greek yogurt with 1 clove minced garlic, lemon zest & juice, chopped fresh parsley, salt & pepper.

(Recipe from an old issue of Everyday Food magazine)

poached egg & asparagus

2010-05-16T19:08:00.001-04:00

This is my idea of a good late-night dinner. When I don't want anything too filling, but it still has to be substantial enough to pass for a meal. And as it gets later in the evening, I start craving breakfast foods.

The asparagus is steamed for about 5 minutes (so it's cooked, but is still bright green). Season with salt & pepper and a squeeze of lemon, and top with a poached egg. Garnish with chives and shaved parmesan.

I find poaching an egg to be a surprisingly tricky thing, but this is a pretty simple method that works well for me: Bring a couple cups of water (plus about a TBSP of an acid, like lemon juice or vinegar) to a rolling boil, then turn the heat OFF. Stir the water in a circular motion, so it looks like a mini whirlpool, and gently drop the egg in the center (this helps the egg hold together tightly). Put a lid on the pot, and leave it for 3 minutes (for a runny yolk). This dish benefits from a runny yolk, since it drips down over the asparagus and combines with the lemon juice and parmesan to make a yummy sauce.

food porn: the gallery show

2010-05-10T21:57:00.000-04:00

I am excited to report that my food porn has broken out of the virtual world, and now adorns the walls of my office's café space (aka "the food porn gallery"). We even had an opening celebration, to unveil the newly-decorated space...

For the party, I made the rhubarb crumb cake, whose picture is on the wall, so people could fully experience the art.

Life imitates art. Here is Stacey, generous patron of the food porn arts, taking part in the interactive exhibit:

The artist:

coney island

2010-05-02T23:37:00.002-04:00

What better way to take advantage of a summer-like Spring Sunday, than a day at Coney Island?

We begin with breakfast at Nathan's (yes, breakfast. You got something to say about that?)

In case french fries for breakfast aren't indulgent enough, I give you bacon-cheese fries:

After a leisurely stroll on the boardwalk, and a nail-biting ride on the Cyclone, I needed something to quench my thirst and calm my nerves. So on to Cha Cha's for a madras cocktail (vodka, cranberry & OJ):

And, since Cha Cha's is located next to the "Shoot the Freak" boardwalk attraction (where players get to shoot at a human target with paintball guns), it seemed appropriate to go for the freakish Coney Island Lager:

And finally... lunch at Totonno's, a NYC pizza institution, for a lovely Neapolitan-style pie:

chicken with mango, ginger & jalapeño

2010-04-18T14:39:00.000-04:00

Click here for the recipe (if you don't have parchment paper, foil works just as well)

nashville

2010-04-05T23:24:00.002-04:00

bahamas

2010-03-21T21:33:00.004-04:00

Some things I enjoyed on my recent trip to the Bahamas...

Fried conch:

Shrimp po' boy:

Bahamian lobster tail with garlic & ginger:

Scallops with asparagus & mushrooms:

Cheesecake:

Banana spring rolls with green tea ice cream:

Soy-glazed tuna sandwich:

homemade margherita pizza

2010-03-06T21:03:00.000-05:00

I used this whole wheat pizza dough recipe, and kept it simple with just pizza sauce, fresh basil leaves, and chunks of fresh mozzarella.

the contest

2010-03-01T23:37:00.012-05:00

Today, my office had a cookie/dessert bar bake-off. Part friendly competition, and part (perhaps the much larger part) excuse to eat sweets all day long. The rules were simple: Bring in your best homemade cookie or dessert square. Voting was cast by colleagues' blind taste test and anonymous ballots, and at the end of the day we tallied 'em up.

I promised to feature the winner here on food porn. But after seeing the fiercely delicious competition, I had to show them all (as always, you can click on the photos to view them large).

Who will it be? Who is truly master of their dough-main?

I am relieved (and surprised, given the high caliber of the other entries) to report that I tied for first place, with my toffee marshmallow chocolate chunk cookies:

I started with the Tollhouse chocolate chip cookie recipe, and made the following tweaks: use a 50/50 mix of salted and unsalted butter (1 stick of each), increase the brown sugar to a full cup, and decrease the white sugar to 1/2 cup. Then I added a generous amount of toffee bits, mini marshmallows, and semisweet chocolate chunks. The toffee and marshmallow completely melted during baking, which infused the cookie with a candy-like quality.

I am proud to share the winner's podium with Tracie, who wowed us with her sinfully rich triple chocolate espresso cookies:

1/4 cup flour

1/4 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
2 large eggs
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 TBSP brewed espresso
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 TBSP unsalted butter
5 oz extra-bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
3/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375.

Whisk or sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In electric mixer, briefly whip eggs to break them up. Add sugar, espresso, vanilla and beat on high speed for 15 minutes or until thick.

While eggs are beating, place butter in a small metal bowl over a pot of simmering (not boiling) water. Scatter the chocolate on top. Heat until butter and chocolate melt. Remove from water and stir until smooth.

Gently fold chocolate mixture into egg mixture until partially combined. (There should still be some streaks in the batter.) Add flour mixture to the batter and carefully fold in. Do this by hand, not with the mixer. Then mix in the chocolate chips. If the batter is runny, let stand 5 minutes to thicken.

Drop batter by heaping spoonful onto greased baking sheets. Bake until cookies are puffed and cracked, about 8-9 minutes. Cool before removing from baking sheets. Makes approximately 3 dozen cookies.

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Second place was seized by Nicole's fabulous flan squares, which had a flawlessly silky texture:

Third place goes to Amanda, with her ooey-gooey S'mores bars:

Click here for the recipe, which Amanda modified to use 1/4 cup butter, and 2-4 minutes of additional bake time.

In a dead heat for 4th place, we have...

Stacey's "Li'l Fudgies" (perfectly chocolatey squares of happiness):

and Gretchen's "Organic Gut-bombs" (a healthier take on the chocolate chip cookie, using whole wheat flour):

And last, but certainly not least, we have Marisa's cranberry walnut chocolate chip cookies. Which were not only tasty, but I happen to think they were the most photogenic:

Well done, everyone!

b.l.a.t.

2010-02-24T21:27:00.000-05:00

Bacon, lettuce, avocado & tomato sandwich, with rosemary mayo.

Thanks to Julia for the inspired idea for the mayo... mix a generous amount of chopped fresh rosemary into mayo, with a dash of black pepper. Use on sandwiches, or, well anything. I used my leftover mayo as a dipping sauce for french fries, and it was amazing.

west village treats

2010-02-21T20:34:00.001-05:00

Taking advantage of an unusually mild winter afternoon, my sweetie and I went on a little stroll through NYC's West Village. A little fresh air, sunshine, shopping... and of course treats along the way.

First stop—a glass of wine and snacks at I Tre Merli on West 10th St.

Creamy, tangy buffalo mozzarella:

Beef carpaccio with arugula and shaved parmesan:

Then, after a little more shopping, hot chocolate and a croissant at Jacques Torres on Hudson Street.

This is their "wicked" hot chocolate—a wonderful rich, chocolaty (but not too sweet) concoction, with a blend of spices (including chili peppers) that give it a nice, spicy warmth.

my stinking valentine

2010-02-15T12:21:00.000-05:00

Since my darling and I share a love of garlic, I decided to prepare an all-garlic tasting menu for Valentine's day. While this might not be the first choice for a romantic dinner menu for most people, for us it was perfect.

We start with a trio of toppings for a nice loaf of ciabatta:

Garlic-infused olive oil: gently heat olive oil in a pan, with a couple of roughly smashed garlic cloves. I declared it done when I dipped a piece of bread in, and it had a subtle garlic flavor.

Roasted garlic: chop the top off a garlic bulb, so that the tops of the cloves are exposed (peel away excess paper from the outside). Place on foil, douse in olive oil, and seal the foil around it. Bake at 400 for at least an hour.

Herb-garlic tapenade: mix together the following: chopped fresh basil, parsley & mint, a few cloves of minced garlic, minced capers, zest & juice of 1 lemon, salt & pepper, and then add enough olive oil to coat.

White bean & garlic soup (recipe here). I garnished with chopped chives and a drizzle of the garlic oil.

Roasted tomatoes with garlic: Cut plum tomatoes lengthwise in thirds, place on a baking sheet, season with salt, pepper & dried basil. Top with very thinly-sliced garlic, and drizzle with garlic oil. Bake at 400 for about an hour.

Shrimp with garlic-white wine sauce: heat pan with garlic oil, and sauté shrimp and sliced garlic (season with salt). Take the shrimp out when it's done, but leave the garlic. Add white wine (I used sauvignon blanc), and simmer until it reduces. Then stir in a squeeze of lemon juice, pat of butter & chopped fresh parsley.

Sautéed spinach with garlic: heat garlic oil in a pan, and add sliced garlic. Just before it starts to brown, add the spinach and wilt. Season with salt, pepper & a pinch of red pepper flakes. Finish off with a squeeze of lemon juice.

Strip steak with garlic-red wine sauce: heat pan with just about a TBSP olive oil. Season both sides of the steak with salt & pepper, and cook to your liking (I prefer pretty rare). When the steak is done, take it out to rest (cover in foil to keep it warm), and add red wine to the pan (I used syrah). Scrape up any delicious meat bits from the pan, and bring the wine to a simmer. Add minced garlic and rosemary. When the wine has reduced, stir in a pat of butter, and season with salt & pepper to taste. Spoon over the meat.

lamb chops, cous cous & asparagus

2010-02-12T22:17:00.010-05:00

I tend to gravitate toward pretty standard meat+starch+green vegetable meals (that's just how I roll). Here, we have:
-lamb chops with basil & kalamata olives (recipe here)
-roasted asparagus (tossed with olive oil, salt & pepper, and cooked at 450 until it looks done)
-cous cous with dried apricots, toasted almond slivers, & chopped fresh mint leaves (make cous cous according to the package instructions—using chicken stock as the liquid for more flavor—then just mix in the other ingredients after it's cooked).

spice rubbed pork tenderloin

2010-02-07T17:20:00.002-05:00

...with spicy peas and garlic-parmesan polenta

The pork:
-Coat the tenderloin in dry spices (I used a pork spice rub that was a gift from my friend Sandra).
-Sear the outside in an oven-proof pan, in just a little bit of olive oil. Then finish cooking it in the oven (my tenderloin was about 1 lb, which took about 25 minutes at 400).
-When the pork is done, put it on a plate to rest, but keep the pan (for the peas).

The polenta:
-Melt a TBSP of butter in a saucepan, add a minced garlic clove, and cook for a couple minutes (just til it gets a little soft, but not brown).
-Add 1 cup chicken stock and bring to a boil, then whisk in 1/3 cup polenta. Keep stirring pretty frequently til it's done (when it gets nice and thick).
-Stir in some parmesan and a pinch of black pepper.

The peas:
-Deglaze the pork pan with a splash of liquid, and scrape up the yummy spice bits from the pork.
-Add some frozen baby peas, and sauté til they're heated through. They'll pick up the flavors from the pan, so seasoning probably isn't necessary.

dark chocolate toffee bark

2010-01-16T12:56:00.002-05:00

Perfectly salty, crunchy toffee covered in rich dark chocolate that melts in your mouth, topped with toasted nuts.

I want more.

Made by Michele Lepard Kim.
You can find out more about her wonderful artisanal toffee through her Facebook page (listed under "La Petite Occasion").

happy new year!

2010-01-01T00:41:00.000-05:00

salami-ciabatta melt

2009-12-29T20:15:00.000-05:00

Simple, but amazingly delicious...

I cut a small loaf of olive ciabatta in half, and layered the following:
-gruyere
-sliced herb-crusted salami
-sun-dried tomatoes (in olive oil)
-fontina
Then stuck it under the broiler, just until the cheese melted and the bread was toasted (only took a few minutes).

I bet this would also be good with things like sliced marinated mushrooms, artichokes, or olives (I would have used olives, if my bread didn't already have them baked in)

christmas dinner

2009-12-27T14:55:00.007-05:00

I was in charge of cooking Christmas dinner for my family this year
(no pressure!), and this is what I came up with...

Rosemary pork tenderloin, with bacon on top (click here for recipe)

Horseradish and sour cream mashed potatoes (click here for recipe)

Green beans with bacon, blue cheese, and toasted almonds

(click here for recipe)

Also, not pictured was homemade cranberry sauce (you can see that in one of my previous posts).

sushi

2009-12-22T20:23:00.001-05:00

Spicy salmon roll with tuna & avocado on top.
Seaweed salad on the side.
(no, I did not make this myself :-)

almond-ginger biscotti

2009-12-20T16:31:00.005-05:00

Click here for the recipe.

tortellini with peas & bacon

2009-11-29T20:18:00.001-05:00

Click here for the recipe (I substituted bacon for the prosciutto).

cranberry-apple crisps

2009-10-24T19:15:00.001-04:00

buttermilk blueberry pancakes

2009-10-18T13:00:00.000-04:00

twice-baked potato

2009-10-06T23:32:00.003-04:00

& swiss chard, sautéed with sausage and onion

happy birthday, food porn!

2009-09-27T13:03:00.001-04:00

A year ago today, I started Food Porn. So I thought, what better way to celebrate than by returning to its roots: bacon.

Here, we have brown sugar bacon, with brown sugar ice cream.

To make the bacon, coat with a mixture of 1/4 cup light brown sugar, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, and a pinch of black pepper. Arrange on a wire rack, set on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet (the grease & some of the sugar will drip down into the pan. The foil makes for an easy cleanup). Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes.

The ice cream is Häagen-Dazs brown sugar. One of the flavors in their new "Five" line. It is so named because they only use 5 ingredients (which means it's...uh...good for you).

brownie sundae

2009-09-21T21:54:00.003-04:00

Freshly-baked brownie + mint chocolate chip ice cream = heaven.

pasta with mussels & clams

2009-09-06T22:23:00.008-04:00

1/2 a box of pasta shells

2 bunches broccoli

1 package grape tomatoes, roasted

2 lbs mussels

1 dozen littleneck clams

1 c. white wine (I used sauvignon blanc)

garlic

red pepper flakes

Roast the tomatoes: toss a pint of grape tomatoes with olive oil & coarse salt, and spread out on a rimmed baking sheet. Add some stalks of fresh thyme if you have it. Bake in a 450-degree oven for 8-10 minutes. Set aside when done.

Cook pasta in well-salted water. About 5 minutes before the pasta is done, add the broccoli to the pot.

While pasta is cooking, heat a pan with a couple of TBSP olive oil, sliced garlic & red pepper flakes, until fragrant. Add the mussels & clams, and 1 cup white wine. Cover and cook until the shells open (about 5 minutes). Keep an eye on them, because you don't want to overcook them (they're done as soon as they open).

Drain the pasta & broccoli, add to the mussels & clams, and toss. Top with the roasted tomatoes (they'll get crushed if you add them pre-tossing). Season with salt & pepper. Keep in mind that the broth will probably be pretty salty already, so taste before you season.

(made enough to stuff 3 people and have leftovers)

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This was my first time cooking mussels & clams myself, because I always felt intimidated by it (worried about food safety issues). The key is making sure they stay alive until you cook them. Turns out, it's very easy to tell:

Before cooking: discard any whose shells are open or do not shut when you tap on them.

After cooking: discard any that do NOT open.

Recipe based on watching Giada De Laurentiis.

potato rosemary pizza

2009-09-05T23:20:00.004-04:00

Whole wheat pizza crust topped with paper-thin slices of red potato, rosemary, olive oil, salt & pepper. Finished off with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar reduction.

plum galette

2009-08-30T14:10:00.005-04:00

Recipe here.

garlic-basil chicken

2009-08-15T11:31:00.004-04:00

I make variations on this dish often, and while I don't really have a specific recipe, this is my general method:

-Heat a pan on med-hi and add olive oil.

-Season both sides of cutlet (chicken, pork, beef, etc) with salt & pepper, and sautée until done (thin cutlets will only need a couple of minutes per side).

-Remove meat to a plate, drain any excess oil out of the pan, and add some kind of acid (wine, citrus juice, etc) to deglaze the pan. Maybe add in a splash of chicken stock as well.

-Add thinly-sliced or minced aromatic (garlic, onion, shallot, etc), turn down heat a bit, and let the liquid reduce most of the way.

-Turn off heat, add in a pat of butter and some fresh herbs (basil, parsley, rosemary, etc), and maybe a little squeeze of lemon juice.

-Add meat back into the pan, and turn to coat in the sauce. Done!

Use whatever ingredients you like or have on hand. Some possibilities:
-chicken+white wine+garlic+basil (as seen here)
-pork+white wine+onion+lemon+parsley
-beef+red wine+shallot+rosemary

mozzarella-basil salad with herb-crusted salami

2009-08-05T13:13:00.003-04:00

blueberry ginger pie

2009-07-31T21:47:00.003-04:00

Recipe from Everyday Food magazine.

breakfast sausages

2009-07-26T19:33:00.002-04:00

in a pool of maple syrup

(I was at a diner eating this—with waffles, not pictured—while my bf was doing a triathlon... is that wrong?)

gazpacho

2009-07-18T11:00:00.000-04:00

When I think summer, I think gazpacho.

There are tons of gazpacho recipes out there, but I chose this one from Anne Burrell, because I was intrigued by her incorporation of bread (an ingredient that never would have occurred to me). I think the bread added a wonderful body to the soup, so it feels like you're eating something substantial (gazpacho can sometimes tend to be a bit watery). If you're looking for a good gazpacho recipe, I highly recommend Anne's.

french toast

2009-07-11T11:56:00.002-04:00

dinner at sandra's

2009-07-05T13:42:00.009-04:00

A glorious July 4th meal prepared by my friend Sandra...

Shrimp with hot peppers:

Baked asparagus with oil & balsamic:

Roasted fennel:

My contribution—Crostini with nectarine, goat cheese, scallion & jalapeno:
(is it just me, or does it look happy?)

Homemade pesto:

Fried zucchini:

Manchego with the chorizo, before it was cooked:

Chorizo and onions sautéed in red wine:

(don't worry, lonely chorizo, I will eat you.)

Biscotti and raspberries, with a raspberry lambic:

Thank you, Sandra!
As much as I love to cook, sometimes it's nice to just be the eater :-)

potato-crusted tilapia with chives and rosemary

2009-06-30T18:11:00.004-04:00

I used this recipe from Giada De Laurentiis.
(the recipe calls for purple potatoes, but I just used regular yukon gold)

chorizo & fried bananas

2009-06-26T20:14:00.004-04:00

the chorizo: sliced & sautéed in a little oil, until edges are crispy.

the banana: sliced, dipped in egg wash (1 egg + 1 TBSP water), dredged in panko, seasoned with a little salt, and sautéed in oil until crispy.

soft pretzels

2009-06-15T16:00:00.001-04:00

I used this recipe from Bobby Flay.