September 2005
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Month September 2005

Entries 3 Total

Poached Eggs with Oyster Mushrooms, Sugar Snap Peas and Hazelnuts

Sep 17, ’05 7:05 PM

Adapted from The Tasting Room, New York City

Ingredients:
2 pints of oyster mushrooms
1 cup sugar snap peas, destringed
1 tbsp distilled white vinegar
4 large eggs
chicken stock
1 tbsp butter
1/3 cup crushed hazelnuts
2 tbsp chives, minced
salt and pepper

1. Clean mushrooms, using your fingers to brush away dirt and remove woody parts. Break into bite-size pieces. Set aside.
2. Place a small pot of salted water over high heat. When water boils, add peas and cook until tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain into a colander and rinse with cold water.
3. Place a sauté pan over medium-high heat, add mushrooms and stir until their color deepens and aroma intensifies, about two minutes. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt, remove from heat and continue stirring. After a minute, mushrooms should release some liquid; if not, add a tablespoon or two of the stock. Return pan to heat, add butter and peas and stir until hot, about 2 minutes. Shut off heat and divide among four plates.
4. Fill a deep skillet with a few inches of water, add vinegar and salt and place over high heat. Crack eggs into small, separate cups. When water boils, reduce heat to a low simmer and carefully pour in eggs one at a time. Cook until whites are firmly set. Strain eggs with a slotted spoon and transfer each to a plate atop mushrooms. Sprinkle with hazelnuts, chives and freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately.

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Grilled Lamb Chops with Corn Pudding and Balsamic Mint Jus

Sep 17, ’05 5:50 PM

Adapted from Chefs A’Field

Ingredients:
For the chops:
8 lamb rib chops
2 tbsps fresh rosemary, chopped
2 tbsps fresh thyme, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

For the corn pudding:
vegetable oil, for greasing pan 2 1/2 cups corn kernels (from 2 or 3 ears)

2 cups heavy cream
5 large eggs
1/2 cup finely diced onion
3 cloves garlic, sautéed slowly in oil until soft but not browned
3 large egg whites
salt

For the jus:
1 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup strong veal stock or beef broth
1 tbsp fresh mint leaves, julienned
salt and pepper

1. To marinate chops: In a large bowl or plastic storage bag, combine lamb chops, rosemary, thyme, garlic and olive oil. Cover and refrigerate for 3 to 24 hours.
2. To prepare corn pudding: Heat oven to 325°. Lightly oil an 8-inch-square baking pan and set aside. Place 1 1/4 cups corn in a food processor, and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add cream and process until corn is puréed. Transfer to a large bowl and add remaining 1 1/4 cups corn, eggs, onion and garlic.
3. Using an electric mixer, whisk egg whites to medium peaks. Fold whites into corn mixture, and season with salt to taste. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake until set and golden on top, about 1 hour. While pudding is baking, prepare jus and chops.
4. To prepare jus: Place vinegar in a medium saucepan over medium heat, and bring to a boil. Boil until reduced by half. Remove from heat and add veal stock and mint. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside and keep warm.
5. To finish and serve: Heat a grill to medium-high. Lightly grill chops to taste. Place a serving of corn pudding on each of four plates. Lean 2 chops against pudding. Drizzle balsamic jus around plate and serve.

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Buddhai Bodai

Sep 12, ’05 1:24 AM

5 Mott Street at Worth, New York City
212/566-8388
about $60 for two, without drinks, without tip
♥ ♥

I never thought I’d say this but I love vegetarian food! That is, if it’s from Buddha Bodai. They specialize in both kosher and Buddhist vegetarian meals, so during a busy day, the restaurant is abuzz. Sundays are a scene when the Jews and the Chinese are in one room eating dim-sum. Service is efficient and fast, but don’t expect all of them to warm up to you; it’s nothing personal.

Most people get turned off with gluten because the fake meat does not sound appealing to them. I’m an omnivore, so I tend to agree, but Buddha Bodai does vegetarian really well. The lettuce song is crispy rice, fried noodles and pine nuts. You put some plum sauce on a piece of lettuce, scoop some of the filling and wrap it and eat it like a roll. I love the texture of this dish and it’s one of their best appetizers. The barbecue is a must-have. It’s actually the dish that changed my mind about vegetarian food. It’s so tasty, I could even be convinced that it’s not gluten but real meat.

I love the mushroom with black bean sauce. The mushroom flavor is so intense even the thick brown sauce can’t cover it. The crispy duck is really paper-thin tofu skins that taste even better when dipped in duck sauce. At Buddha Bodai, you’ll also have the best broccoli of your life. They’re bright green and perfectly tender flash-fried in garlic sauce. I wish parents would introduce their children to their version of broccoli as I’m sure any one, no matter what age, will love them.

Don’t skip the ginger pine nut fried rice or the house special congee especially if you go with a big group of people. The servings are more than enough and everything is so much better to share with your friends, dim-sum style.

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