June 2006
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Month June 2006

Entries 5 Total

Cooking The World: Global Gastronomy

Jun 27, ’06

So I need your help. Starting July 2006, I’m going to be cooking. A lot. More so than I do now. The idea is to cook a traditional family recipe from someone’s country. I’d like to represent as many countries as I can. I want to learn more about other cuisines but at the same time, I also want to go in search of new ingredients in New York City. I don’t have a name for the project yet so I could use some suggestions for that, too. Send me an email with your family recipe and I’ll add it to my list. If you can attach your personal story with it, that would be great. I’d like to understand where it’s coming from.

Update: Thank you for all your suggestions and recipes so far. Keep them coming!

A lot of you suggested naming this project The World on a Plate but after some Googling, I found out that the name is already being used. I also like the Around the World idea but I’m keeping the category name to group the entries under it as Cooking the World–for now–because I wanted the verb “cook” in there. Someone else suggested Global Gastronomy and even though gastronomy is such a huge word, it gave me an idea to add my own notes and research to each of my entries. I’ll be studying and learning at my own pace throughout this project, too, so I think all the interdisciplinary activities involved in gastronomy might apply.

I honestly don’t know where this will go but join me as I search for recipes from all over the world and listen to the stories attached to them through friends and acquaintances.

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Del Posto

Jun 26, ’06

85 Tenth Avenue on 16th Street
212/497-8090
$810 for six, with a few drinks, with tip
♥ ♥

The latest from the Batali-Bastianich empire, Del Posto’s staircase, marble floors and plush seating all scream money. You walk past the valet (!) through the lobby and it’s like you’re in someone’s mansion outside of New York. Its 18,000-square-foot space is larger than any of their other New York City restaurants and showcase extravagance, if not gaudiness. The menu prices scream dollar signs, too.

The antipasto misto of cheese, olives and prosciutto cost us $66 and the bis, two pastas also divided in six servings cost us a whopping $126. My squab was too rare for my taste but I held back in telling the kitchen because the accompanying wine, Feudi Taurasi 1999, made up for it. The pork chop had just the right amount of sweetness with the figs and caramelized onion on the side and I must say that the lamb loin was very good. The cod was meaty and perfectly tender.

The food could have been from any other high-priced restaurant in the city. Nothing really stood out for me to exclaim, This is so Batali. My lamb sweetbreads were a delight and the calf’s liver–unfortunately served as a main course–were so light and tasty. But where were the lamb’s tongue and the pig trotters I’ve been hearing about? They were probably in the $100 tasting menu we passed up or maybe they were the specials our server forgot to tell us about.

But for an early 6:30pm table of six women, the service was exemplary. Our sommelier needs to be commended for helping us pick champagne (a Philipponnat) and two bottles of red wine without flinching at our budget ($60-$65 per bottle). When we started with the bubbly, we mentioned that we’re celebrating a birthday. At the end of our meal, they brought one of our desserts with a candle without us having to request it. Needless to say, the birthday girl was quite pleased.

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Kofta, Lamb Tagine

Jun 26, ’06

Adapted from delicious. Magazine

Ingredients:
2 pounds ground lamb
2 large onions, 1 finely chopped, the other grated
2 tbsps flat parsley, finely chopped
2 tbsp coriander, grounded
1 can chopped tomatoes
4 eggs
1 garlic clove
2 tbsps cilantro, finely chopped
1 tbsp cumin, grounded
a pinch of saffron
juice of 1 lemon
olive oil, salt and pepper

1. Make the spice paste: pound garlic to a purée with a pinch of salt using a mortar and pestle. Add cilantro, grated onion, cumin and saffron and work into a paste. Stir in lemon juice. Set aside.
2. In a glass bowl, mix lamb with chopped onion, parsley and coriander and salt and pepper. Make meatballs with your hands.
3. In a large and deep skillet, heat oil over medium-heat. Brown meatballs, remove and set aside. Add paste and stir for a minute until aromatic. Return meatballs, add tomatoes and simmer over low heat for about 30 minutes until meatballs are cooked and sauce thickened.
4. Crack eggs on top for the final 5 minutes. Top with cilantro leaves before serving.

Related post/s:
Chicken tagine

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Watermelon and Arugula Goat Cheese Salad

Jun 26, ’06

Adapted from Cameron

Ingredients:
watermelon, cut into small pieces
goat cheese, crumbled
arugula greens
olive oil, salt and pepper

1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and serve!

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Zucchini Carpaccio

Jun 26, ’06

Adapted from chocolateandzucchini.com

Ingredients:
1 large zucchini, sliced thinly
goat cheese, crumbled
2 tbsps sherry vinegar
2 tsps fresh thyme
olive oil, salt and pepper

1. Arrange the zucchini slices on a plate in a circular pattern, each slice overlapping the next. Drizzle with olive oil and sherry vinegar and sprinkle with goat cheese, thyme, salt and pepper.

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