Szechuan via the NYTimes

This meal was quite delicious but made my apartment smell a lot like cumin.  While not totally authentic, it was nonetheless delicious.  

Crispy Lamb With Cumin, Scallions and Red Chilies

Time: 30 minutes plus 1 hour’s marinating

1 tablespoon egg white

1 tablespoon rice wine or dry sherry

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon salt, more to taste

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 pound boneless leg of lamb or lamb shoulder, cut into strips about
1/2 inch by 2 inches

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons cumin seeds, lightly cracked in a mortar or grinder

2 tablespoons whole dried red chili peppers, about 2 inches long

4 scallions, white and green parts only, cut on diagonal into 1-inch lengths

Sesame oil, for seasoning.

1. In a bowl combine egg white, wine, cornstarch, salt and pepper. Add
lamb and set aside to marinate 1 hour.

2. Heat a large wok or skillet over high heat until a drop of water
sizzles on contact. Swirl half the oil into wok and carefully add
lamb, spreading it in a single layer. Let sear a moment, then stir-fry
briskly just until lamb is no longer pink. Transfer to a plate. (If
your wok is not large enough to hold all the lamb, do this in 2
batches, using extra oil.)

3. Swirl remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil into empty wok, add cumin
seeds and chilies and stir-fry a few seconds until cumin seeds start
to pop. Press chilies against sides of wok to char their skins.

4. Add scallions and stir-fry 1 minute. Then return lamb to wok and
stir-fry 1 to 2 minutes more until lamb is cooked through. Turn off
heat, sprinkle with salt and drops of sesame oil, and serve
immediately.

Yield: 4 servings.

Chili-Roasted Cauliflower with Cilantro Dressing

- serves 4 -

Ingredients

1 head cauliflower
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Juice of 1/2 lime
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1/2 small bunch cilantro (leaves and delicate stems), roughly chopped
2 small cloves garlic. roughly chopped

Procedure

1. Preheat oven to 425°F with a rack in the center. Wash and thoroughly dry the cauliflower and cut into large florets.
2. In a small bowl, combine the two tablespoons olive oil, chili powder, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and some freshly ground black pepper. Place the cauliflower florets on a baking sheet and toss well with the oil mixture. Roast for 25 minutes, turning once with a spatula mid-roasting.
3. While the cauliflower roasts, combine the extra-virgin olive oil, lime juice, vinegar, cilantro, garlic, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in a blender. Blend until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides as necessary.
4. Drizzle the roasted cauliflower with the dressing and serve immediately.

Scallion Pancakes

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups white flour
1 cup warm water
Canola or vegetable oil
Kosher salt
1 bunch scallions

Equipment
Spray oil or cooking spray
Rolling pin
Large metal baking sheet
One 10-inch heavy skillet or sauté pan
Thin spatula
Kitchen scissors

Instructions

1. Mix 2 1/2 cups flour with 1 cup water until it forms a smooth dough. Knead by doubling the dough over and pressing it down repeatedly, until the dough is even more smooth and very elastic. Coat this ball of dough lightly in oil and put it back in the bowl. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and let the dough rest for about 30 minutes.

2. Cut the dough into 4 equal parts. Lightly oil the back of a large metal baking sheet. Roll out one part of the dough on the back of the baking sheet. Roll until it is a thin rectangle at least 12 x 9 inches.

3. Finely chop the bunch of scallions and have them ready, along with a small bowl of kosher salt.

4. Lightly brush the top of the dough with oil, then sprinkle it evenly with chopped scallions and kosher salt.

5. Starting from the long end, roll the dough up tightly, creating one long snake of rolled-up dough.

6. Cut the dough snake in two equal parts.

7. Take one of these halves and coil into a round dough bundle.

8. Roll out the coiled dough bundle again into a flat, smooth, round pancake.

9. Heat a 10-inch heavy skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat, and oil it with a drizzle of canola of vegetable oil. When the oil shimmers, pick up the pancake dough and lay it gently in the pan. It should sizzle, but not burn. Cook for 2 minutes on one side.

10. Flip the pancake over with a spatula and cook for an additional 2 minutes on the other side, or until golden brown.

11. Cut the pancake into wedges with a pair of kitchen scissors, and serve immediately with soy sauce or another dipping sauce.

Additional Notes: If you would like to make a few pancakes but save the rest for later, you can save the dough in the fridge for up to 5 days. Just make sure the dough is oiled and well-covered. You can also roll out individual pancakes and stack them between well-oiled layers of wax paper.

A Vegetarian Indian Feast

I got a hankering for indian food yesterday so invited a couple friends over and made enough food for about 20. I just kind of started cooking from Julie Sahni's book

The first recipe I made was Hearty Blue Mountain Cabbage and Tomato Stew (Muttakos Sambaar).
for 6-8 people
1 cup yellow lentils (toovar dal)
3 cups water
1/4 tsp tumeric
3/4 lb tomatoes quartered
8-12 curry leaves
4 tblsp veg oil
1 1/2 tsp black mustard seeds
1/3 tsp fenugreek seeds
1 tblsp sambaar powder
1 medium size onion, peeled and cut in to 1 inch pieces
1 1/2 lb cabbage (stem and tough leaves removed), choppend in to 1 inch pieces
2 tsp coarse salt
3-4 tblsp chopped fresh coriander

1. wash the lentils with several changes of water.  Put them in a 3-4 quart pan, add the water and tumeric and bring to a boil.  Lower the heat to medium and cook, partially covered for 30 mins or until fully cooked

2. add the tomatoes and curry leaves, mix well, and turn off heat.  Take out about half of the tomato-lentil mixture and process in a food processor or blender until finely pureed.  Return it to pan.

3. Measure out the spices and place them right next to stove in separate piles.  Heat the oil in a large pot over high heat. When oil is very hot, add mustard seeds.  Keep lid handy as seeds sputter.  As seeds are sputtering add the fenugreek.  When it turns dark brown add the sambaar, let sizzle for a couple seconds and immediately add onion and cabbage. Stir well and quickly.  Cook the vegetables, uncovered, for 4-5 mins.  Turn down heat a little if needed.

4. Add the lentil mixture, mix throughly, and bring to a boil.  Cook the stew over medium heat, covered for 20 min or until vegetables are done but still crisp.  Stir in the salt to taste and a little chopped coriander.

While this was cooking I started on the Hot and Sour Garlic-Braised Eggplant (Khatti Bhaji)
For 6 people
3 long thin Asian eggplants
1/2 lb baking potatoes (I might use less)
1 cup mustard oil or light vegetable oil
1/3 cup sliced garlic
2 1/2 cups thinly sliced onions
4-8 hot green chilies, thickly shredded (I used 8 birds eyes - maybe a bit overkill)
1/2 tsp tumeric
1 tsp cayenne pepper
2 1/2 cups thinly sliced tomatoes
1 1/2 tsp coarse salt

1. Cut eggplant in half lengthwise.  Cut each half across into halves.  Cut each quarter into long slices about 3/8 inch thick.  Scrub potatoes clean, cut them in half lengthwise.  Cut each half into long thin slices about 3/8 inch thick (I would make these slices thinner as they take forever to cook).  Put potatoes and eggplant in large bowl of water and set aside.

2. Measure out the spices and place them right next to the stove in separate piles.  Heat  oil in a very large pot until very hot.  Add garlic and cook, stirring and turning, for 2 mins or until it begins to color.

3. Add the onion and continue cooking for 5 mins.  Add the chilies and cook for 2 mins more.  Add the tumeric, cayenne pepper and let it sizzle for 30 secs.

4. Add the eggplant, mix the ingredients, and cook, turning the vegetables to distribute spices and adjusting the heat as necessary, for 8 minutes or until the eggplant softens slightly and begin to fry.  Add the tomatoes along withthe salt and reduce the heat to med-high.  Cook the vegetables, turning them consistently for 10 mins.  Finally reduce the heat to med-low and let the vegetables fry, undisturbed, until they are soft.

I then made Saag Paneer
For 6
3-4 cups cooked spinach, finely chopped or pureed in food processsor
6 tblsp vegetable oil
1 block paneer (cut into about 15-20 cubes)
flour for dusting
1 1/2 cup onion finely chopped
2 tblsp minced for fresh ginger
3/4 tsp tumeric
4 hot green chilies, minced
1 cup water
1 1/2 tsp salt
3 tblsp garam masala
 refrigerator.

Heat 4 tblsp oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat.  Dust the paneer pieces with flour and add them in a single layer to the pan. Fry, turning and tossing them for about 2-3 mins per batch.  Set paneer aside.

Add 2 tblsp oil to same pan and sautee the onion until browned.   Add the ginger and cook 2 more mins.  Add the tumeric and green chilies, stir for a few seconds, then add  spinach and 1/2 - 1 cup water and salt.  Mix well and bring to a boil.  Lower the heat and cook for 2 mins.  Stir in the fried paneer pieces and cook for 2 more mins.  Finally stir in the garam masala.

I then made Dal Special - a recipe i found on the internet years ago but now only have a print out.
1 1/2 cup moong dal (yellow dal)
1 large tomato cut up
2-3 pods of garlic chopped very finely
1 tblsp finely chopped ginger
2 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp coriander - cumin powder
1 tsp cumin seeds
bit of lemon juice
2 tbsp oil
2 tsp sugar
salt
3 cups water

Wash dal throughly and cook with water till done.
Take a deep pot and add 2 tbsp oil, heat till very hot and add cumin seeds.  When they splutter add garlic and ginger, stir and then add chopped tomatoes and sautee well.
Add the cooked dal to pot and more water if needed.
Add chili powder, cumin - coriander powder, tumeric powder, sugar and salt and let it simmer for less than a minute.
Add lemon juice

For the rice I cooked basmati rice with some cardamoms and a bit of tumeric and ground cumin.

Then we also made chapatis.

 

  

 

YUMMMM and there are leftovers for the week

seafood birthday dinner for my father

My father's birthday is not until January but since I won't be in France any more by then, my stepmother and I decided to have a pre-Christmas / Birthday dinner tomorrow.  The inspiration from this came from this 'Italian Christmas' TV show we were watching.  My father adores seafood so we decided to do an entirely seafood dinner.  So the plan is as follows: Buy many delicious things from the Ferney-Voltaire market

To start with:

24 Oysters - Huîtres fines de claires - Marennes Oléron - n° 2
2 Sea Urchins
toasty baguette


and then:
Baccala on toasty baguette
Venetian Seafood Salad

To finish:

Lobster and Mascarpone Ravioli

The Baccala recipe i'm going to use is from epicurious:

• 1 1/2 pound choice-grade skinless boneless salt cod, rinsed well
• 1 1/2 quart water
• 3 celery ribs, thinly sliced crosswise
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1/4 cup small pimiento-stuffed green olives, chopped
• 1/4 cup Kalamata or other brine-cured black olives, pitted and chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 1/2 cup small fresh basil leaves
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon red-wine vinegar, or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 3 tablespoons olive oil

Put cod in a large bowl and cover with cold water by 2 inches. Soak cod, chilled, changing water 3 times a day, for 24-36 hours. Drain and chill until ready to use.
Drain cod and transfer to a 5- to 6-quart pot with 1 1/2 quarts water. Bring just to a simmer and remove from heat. (Cod will just flake; do not boil or it will become tough.) Gently transfer cod with a slotted spoon to a platter to cool slightly.
Shred cod and stir together with celery, garlic, olives, parsley, and basil.
Stir together lemon juice, vinegar, sugar, and oil, then pour over salad, tossing to coat well. Season with pepper and chill, covered, at least 1 1/2 hours for flavors to develop. 


 The Venetian seafood salad recipe is from The Food Network

Ingredients
For the seafood and poaching liquid:

• 1 celery stalk
• 1 medium carrot
• 1 small onion, halved
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
• 1 teaspoon kosher sald
  
• 2 quarts water
• 1 pound cleaned calamari, cut into 1-inch-thick rings
• 1/2 pound sea or bay scallops, foot removed
• 1 pound medium to large shrimp
• 1 pound octopus

For the salad:

• 1 cup julienned tender celery
• 1 cup julienned carrots
• 1/2 cup seeded and julienned red bell pepper
• 1/2 cup seeded and julienned yellow bell pepper
• 1 scallion (white part only), julienned
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
• 2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 6 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 2 lemons) or lime juice (about 3 limes)
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 6 to 8 cups baby lettuce

Directions: To poach the seafood, you will need a large saucepan fitted with a colander insert. In the bottom of the pan, combine the celery, carrot, onion, bay leaf, lemon juice, salt, and water. Bring to a boil. Place the calamari in the colander and cook in the simmering water for 2 minutes. Remove from the water, transfer to a large bowl, and set aside. Place the scallops in the colander and cook until opaque, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the water and transfer to the bowl with the calamari (large sea scallops may be cut in half horizontally after cooking; bay scallops may be left whole). Place the shrimp in the colander and cook until pink, about 3 minutes. Remove from the water. Peel, devein, and cut in half horizontally, adding them to the bowl with the calamari and scallops.

Remove the colander from the pan and place the octopus directly in the saucepan, adding more water if necessary to completely cover. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and gently simmer until tender, about 40 to 50 minutes. Transfer the octopus to a bowl and rinse under cold running water until octopus is completely cooled, about 5 minutes. Use your fingers and a small paring knife to remove the outer skin. Discard the hard mouth and head sac. Cut the tentacles and octopus on the bias into 1-inch pieces and add to the bowl with the other seafood.

To prepare the salad, toss the julienned celery, carrots, bell peppers, scallion, parsley, basil, and garlic together in a serving bowl. Add the seafood and toss. Add the lemon juice, vinegar, and olive oil and toss well. Season with the salt and generous grindings of pepper. Arrange 1 cup of lettuce on each serving plate. Top with equal portions of the seafood and vegetable mixture, and serve immediately.

Variations: 6 to 8 steamed mussels may be added to the basic recipe and tossed with the other seafood. To extend the recipe and add a new texture dimension, 1/2 cup cubed, peeled, cooked Idaho potatoes and/or 1/2 cup cooked or canned (drained and rinsed) cannelini beans may be added to the basic recipe. Although it isn't traditional, I like this salad with a hint of chopped cilantro, about 2 teaspoons. 

The lobster and mascarpone recipe is from the Food Network

Lobster and Mascarpone Filling:

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 shallots, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons brandy
• 1/4 cup white wine, preferably Sauvignon Blanc
• 1 pound cooked lobster meat, picked over and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 pound mascarpone cheese at room temperature
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 tablespoons chopped basil leaves
• Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 recipe standard or colored pasta dough recipe follows
• 2 egg whites, beaten

Burro di Tartufo (Truffle Butter):

• 1 pound unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces, at room temperature
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 (4-ounce) jar truffles, black or white, finely chopped

Directions
Make lobster and mascarpone filling: Heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet. Add shallots and cook until soft and translucent, about 3 minutes. Remove pan from heat and add brandy. Turning pan away from you, carefully light with match to flambe. Add white wine and cook until reduced to syrup-like consistency, about 10 minutes. Add lobster meat, cooking until just warmed through. Remove from heat and place into a large mixing bowl and allow to cool.

In a medium bowl, combine mascarpone cheese with beaten eggs, chopped basil, nutmeg and salt and pepper, to taste. Add to lobster and shallot mixture and combine well. Taste to adjust seasoning. Cover and set aside. If not using immediately, store in the refrigerator for up to a day.

Create pasta:

Using a pasta roller, roll out pasta into thin sheets. Place ravioli pieces on a floured dishtowel and cover so that pasta does not dry out. Working with 1 ravioli at a time, place a spoonful of filling in the center of 1 ravioli bottom cutout. Using the paint brush, brush egg white all over the pasta edges around the filling. Place the matching ravioli top atop the filling and press to seal the edges, pinching together with a fork. Cover, until all of the ravioli shapes are made. If not using immediately, store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to a day. If freezing, separate ravioli on a lightly floured baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap until frozen so that ravioli doesn't stick together. Once frozen, store in a freezer-proof sealable plastic bag or airtight container for up to a month.

Make Truffle Butter Sauce: Into the bowl of an electric mixer, add butter and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Using a paddle attachment, cream until smooth. Add chopped truffles and mix until just blended, being careful not to "cream" the truffles into the butter. Place in bowl, cover and refrigerate a minimum of 5 hours or preferably overnight so that the truffles infuse the butter.

Remove butter and allow it to come to room temperature. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the butter. Melt until warm – do not let it come to a boil. Keep warm over low heat. 

Meanwhile, bring a large shallow saucepan of salted water to boil. Carefully slide in raviolis. Cook until al dente. About 10 minutes if using ravioli immediately; 12 minutes if using refrigerated ravioli and 15 minutes for frozen. Remove raviolis with a slotted spoon and lay on paper towels to absorb excess water. Place ravioli on plates and drizzle with truffle butter. 

Standard Pasta Dough:
3 cups all-purpose flour
Salt
4 large eggs
2 tablespoons olive oil, optional

As for wines - and this is for Scott :)

We will be starting with a 2007 Comte La Fond Sancerre, moving on to a 2007 Abbe Rous Pinot Gris, and ending with a 2006 Yves Cuilleron Saint Joseph Blanc.

    

My Mother's White Chili

My Mom made this for me today for lunch and it was so delicious that I must make it again soon.

6 cups chicken broth
2 15 oz cans white beans, or 1 cup dried (soaked overnight)
4 cups chicken breast, cooked and chopped
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped and sauteed in olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 4 oz cans jalapenos or 6 fresh halapenos diced (up to your spice requirements)
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup shredded cheese for garnish

I would garnish with chopped cilantro and serve with warmed soft shell tacos.

Combine all ingredients in stockpot (except cheese).  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 1/2 to 1 hour, or longer. Garnish with cheese and serve.
(Serves 6)

Inside out stuffed cabbage

I was first made this recipe by a friend and colleague while on work and visiting the parentals in Geneva - sounds more complicated then it actually is. I also made this recipe right after I got back from a trip (yes I ordered the fresh direct from the airport the day before).  It is slightly changed from the original Gourmet Magazine version.  Because I think it's delicious, nutritious and quite quick, I thought I would feature it.

1 (2-lb) head green cabbage, quartered lengthwise and cored
1/2 cup chicken stock
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 large onion, cut in half and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 lb ground pork or ground beef or 1/2 lb of each
1 (28-oz) can whole tomatoes in juice
1/3 cup dried apricots, diced
3 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
1/2 tablespoon packed dark brown sugar

2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

Steamed Japanese rice

 

Place cabbage in a pot large enough to accommodate it with chicken stock, 1 garlic clove (sliced), and a rounded 1/4 tsp salt. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then cook, covered, turning cabbage occasionally, until very tender, about 45 minutes. (Add more broth or water if necessary.)

Meanwhile, cook onion and remaining garlic in oil in a heavy medium pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 8 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high and stir in ground meats along with 1/2 tsp each of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring and breaking up lumps with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 3 minutes.

Stir in tomatoes with their juice, apricots, vinegar, and brown sugar and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally and breaking up tomatoes with spoon, until slightly thickened, about 20 minutes. Season with salt.

Serve in large shallow bowls - rice and cabbage on bottom, sauce poured on top.  Sprinkle with parsley.

YUMMMMM

A different take on Zuppa Arcidossana

I made Mark Bittman's Zuppa Arcidossana last year and it was very good. Today, feeling a bit under the weather, I decided that I needed some soup again. The things I wanted in my soup were meat, starch and veggies. So... this afternoon, I took a chicken carcass out of my freezer, put it in the trusty le creset pot, added water, celery stalks, carrots, an onion, bay leaf, peppercorns, and some parsley stalks I had from earlier in the week. Simmered it for a couple hours.

My take on Zuppa Arcidossana

Ingredients
2 small onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
3/4 pound sausage (I think it was Turkey but it came out of my freezer so who knows)
1 pound spinach, washed
2 cups of chicken stock (I also added a little bit of water)
1.5 cups cooked pasta (I used pasta that looked like the shells of snails - no idea what they are called)
salt and pepper
1/4 -1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated

I then set about chopping up the onion, garlic, carrots and celery.  After this was almost done, I put the turkey sausage in to the big le creuset pot, browned it a little bit then added onions etc and cooked it on medium for about 5-10 min stirring occasionally.

During this time I heated some water in another pot for the pasta.  I boiled pasta and then drained.
I added spinach to the le creuset pot with the sausage and veggie mix, allowed it to wilt and then added chicken stock.
Once the pasta was done and drained, I added this to the soup mix.  I served the soup with some grated parmesan on top.  I would also recommend some chopped flat leaf parsley but forgot about it.

Exactly what the doctor ordered and now I go to bed.

The Marc Bittman original below:

Zuppa Arcidossana

2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 pound sweet Italian sausage, removed from casings
1 cup 1/2-inch-diced carrots
1 large onion, chopped
3 or 4 cloves garlic, chopped
Salt and black pepper
1 cup stale bread (use coarse, country-style bread), cut in 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 pound spinach, trimmed, washed and roughly chopped
1/4 to 1/2 cup ricotta salata, cut in 1/2-inch cubes (feta may be substituted)
1/4 cup freshly chopped parsley, optional.
1. Put oil in a large pot or deep skillet and brown sausage over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. When sausage is cooked through and leaving brown bits in pan, add carrots, onion and garlic, and continue to cook until vegetables begin to soften and brown, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
2. Add bread to pan and stir for a minute or 2; add spinach and continue cooking just until it wilts, a couple of minutes.
3. Add about 2 cups water and stir to loosen any remaining brown bits from pan. This is more of a stew than a soup, but there should be some broth, so add another cup of water if necessary. When broth is consistency of thin gravy, ladle stew into serving bowls and top with cheese and some freshly chopped parsley if you have it. Serve immediately.
Yield: 4 servings.

A Boozy Lunch

This post is a bit long so am going to divide it up in to a couple pieces


Shopping

 Monday was Eid ul-Fitr (the end of Ramadan) and also my favorite holiday - I get it off, everyone else is working (mwahahahahahahaha).  Anyway... instead of going out to a restaurant for a boozy lunch, I decided to host it myself.  Inspired by the pork I made a couple days ago, I decided to hunt down the flying pigs farm stall at the farmer's market.  Unfortunately they weren't there this week.  So plan B: go find some meat at Marlow and Daughters (unfortunately for them, Tom the Butcher has moved on to greener pastures).  And cause I'm a little bit crazy, I decided to run there, buy my groceries and then cab back.  I figured I was getting in the exercise, saving on cab fare one way, and not having to brave the J,M,Z.  

I bought:

• a piece of beef I had never heard of called 'Second Steak' (even google is giving me no love on this so I'm inclined to think that Marlow and Daughters made it up), 
• some pate de campagne (now that Tom is gone, will his divine rabbit pate be going with him?)
• some salamis (delicious)
• a chicken and some extra feet for soup making
• bread and a few other miscellaneous items

Cooking

• I reheated some of the Healthier Eggplant Parmesan
• Made cauliflower salad - another Martha Rose Shulman NYT recipe
• Heirloom tomato salad  - slice tomatoes, add a bit of goat cheese, julienned basil, salt, pepper and olive oil
  
• Steak - I seasoned it with salt and pepper, put some butter in a frying pan, turned heat up high and seared it on both sides, then put it in to an oven at about 250 degrees for about 5-10 min.  I then deglazed the pan with some vermouth and butter - voila a sauce. 

Cauliflower Salad with Parsley, Capers and Vinegar  by Martha Rose Shulman

This tangy winter salad is likely to convert anyone who doubts just how good cauliflower can be. Make sure you steam the cauliflower until thoroughly tender so that it absorbs the dressing. The dish is lovely with a mix of colorful cauliflowers, but can look nice with the standard white variety.
1 large or 2 small to medium cauliflowers, broken into florets; or about 6 cups mixed white, orange, green and purple cauliflower
1 to 2 garlic cloves (to taste), minced
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
3 tablespoons capers, drained and rinsed
2 to 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar or Champagne vinegar (to taste)
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1. Place the cauliflower in a steaming basket over one inch of boiling water; cover and steam one minute. Lift the lid for 15 seconds, then cover again and steam for six to eight minutes until tender. Refresh with cold water, then drain on paper towels.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the garlic, parsley, capers, vinegar and olive oil. Season generously with salt and pepper. Add the cauliflower and toss together. Marinate, stirring from time to time, for 30 minutes if possible before serving. Serve warm, cold or at room temperature.
Yield: Serves 6 as a starter or side dish
Advance preparation: You can make this up to a day ahead, but omit the parsley until shortly before serving so that it doesn’t fade. It keeps well in the refrigerator for up to five days.

Eating 

The meal was a bit of a mish-mash but quite yummy. The steak sauce was tasty but was too refined for this cut of beef.  Would have been much better with a filet mignon.  However, the steak, with sauce and baguette was damn tasty which makes me believe that this would be perfect sandwich material.  I might add some chopped anchovies to the cauliflower salad next time.

Drinking
For the wine reviews - please see: http://winedisorder.com/comment/56/2299/