Turkey Leg and Wine Stew

Feb 12, ’09 12:00 AM

How to get rid of one of the most awful wines I’ve received as a gift? Okay, to be fair, it was from one of those exchange gift things last Christmas when no one really knew who’s getting which. But two bottles of wine seemed like a good deal to me, so I picked them up and never let go until everyone had claimed one of their own. Unfortunately, it was like drinking liquid jam. One sip later, I knew the rest was going to be used for cooking.

At Fairway, I found a large turkey leg for $3.50. I never really deal with turkey unless it’s November, but I couldn’t really spend any more than what the bad wine was worth. I picked up one package and had the butcher chop it in three smaller pieces. I threw in a pound of green beans, also on sale for $1.99, and the remaining bacon from the fridge. Talk about cooking for less, but good. Top this with a fried egg and you’re good to go.

Ingredients:
1 turkey leg, chopped in thirds
1 pound green beans, stringed, chopped in half
2 cups of wine
2 slices of bacon, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 red onion, chopped
2 tbsps hot paprika
half a bunch of parsley, roughly chopped
oil, salt, pepper

1. In a large Dutch oven, cook bacon to render some fat. Remove browned bacon and set aside. Using the rendered fat, brown turkey legs, about 5 minutes each side. Remove from pot and set aside.
2. In the same pot, add some extra oil. Sauté garlic until light brown and onions until soft. Add green beans with paprika and toss to cook for about 5 minutes. Add back bacon and turkey leg pieces. Season with salt and pepper. Add wine and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes.
3. Add 2 cups of water to the pot and continue to simmer, covered, for 45 minutes. Toss in parsley, mix to combine well, and turn off the heat and serve.

Related post/s:
I cook more duck than turkey
I really do

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Vinegar Hill House

Feb 11, ’09 12:03 AM

72 Hudson Avenue between Front and Water Streets, near DUMBO Brooklyn
718/522.1018
$40 each for a group of 5, with drinks and tip
♥ ♥

If you’re tired of the lumberjack look because you’ve seen enough of the same style at Freemans, Hearth and even the J. Crew Men’s Shop in TriBeCa, you’re better off going elsewhere. If you like plaid shirts and facial hair, plus a more accommodating service than any of those hipster places in Manhattan, Vinegar Hill House is just your place. (The couple who owns the restaurant met on the job at Freemans.) In a week’s time between my two visits, the vibe in Vinegar Hill House changed dramatically: it was the booze. The restaurant was a little more somber and comforting before they got their liquor license, but now with the hot toddies going around, the buzz is louder and, well, more intoxicating.

A lot has been said about the chicken at Vinegar Hill House and all the good things about it are true: it’s moist and liberally seasoned. But it is still just chicken, and at $16, it should be moist and well-seasoned. The Brussels sprouts were softer during my second visit and I wondered if they were baked that time around instead of roasted. The delicate squares of ravioli were just that, and the pork and trout dishes were without frills. All together, they made a nice meal even if everything is streamlined and very simple, capped with a slice of not-so-Guinness chocolate cake.

I do like a little adventure on my menu and nothing gets me more excited than something out of the box when it comes to classic dishes. I know Jean Adamson is a capable chef, so I wouldn’t be surprised if she brings out the guns as more and more seasonal ingredients come out in the spring. Perhaps it’s to keep Manhattanites away; and in this day and age of too many plaid shirts, that’s just fine with me.

Related post/s:
Freemans is now easier to find
Hearth has a better wine list

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Banana Bread

Feb 10, ’09 12:27 AM

I ended up doubling the ingredients here to fill a silicone mold and a 4×8-inch loaf pan. The good thing is that you don’t need a mixer; just a strong arm and a wooden spoon. Keep the measurements precise and I promise it will be the best banana bread you’ll ever bake.

I filled the silicone molds more than halfway and the cooked banana bread puffed up, making their own muffin-like tops. I sliced the tops off and I had these cool-looking banana bread bars. Because I baked late in the afternoon, I could only distribute the tops to save the end-products for the next day’s photo shoot and that reminded me of one of my favorite Seinfeld episodes.

Ingredients:
4 ripe bananas, smashed
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup butter, melted in microwave; some more to butter the loaf pan
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
a pinch of salt

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. With a wooden spoon, mix butter into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl. Add the sugar, egg and vanilla. Toss in the baking soda and salt. Keep mixing. Lastly, add the flour and continue to mix until well-combined.
2. Pour mixture into a buttered 4×8-inch loaf pan. Place the loaf pan on a baking sheet and transfer in the oven and bake for 1 hour. Cool completely on a rack before slicing to serve.

Related post/s:
JB Prince has all the silicone molds you’ll ever need
My first time baking something fancy

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Cioppino, Italian Seafood Stew

Feb 9, ’09 12:42 AM

Here’s another Italian recipe I butchered. Cioppino is a traditional Italian stew using the catch of the day and I used all the seafood I “caught” from the sea-permarket (ha!) except for fish because my mother is allergic; otherwise I would choose monkfish fillets to have something very meaty and tender. The clams and mussels are perfectly cooked here, but that also means they didn’t get enough time in the hot broth, so I think clam juice in a can is an absolute necessity. If your eaters are not fussy, using shrimp with their heads on can add more natural flavor to the soup. I also decided to skip the pasta in my version and opted to serve it with a few slices of toasted baguette.

Ingredients:
1 lb squid, cleaned, sliced in small rings
1/2 lb shrimp, heads on, sprinkled with salt and pepper
12 littleneck clams
12 mussels, bearded
1 cup white wine
1 medium can of crushed tomatoes
1 small can of clam juice
a handful of parsley, roughly chopped
a few pieces basil leaves, chiffonade
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp white sugar
1 tsp red pepper flakes
salt, pepper, oil
1 small baguette, sliced, toasted

1. In a large Dutch oven, heat some oil. Cook the shrimp for 3 minutes. Remove to a large bowl.
2. In the same pot, sauté garlic with red pepper flakes until golden brown. Add white wine and 1/2 cup of water. Simmer in low fire.
3. Add clams and cover. Simmer for 3 minutes. Clams are cooked when they are open. Discard those that didn’t open. Remove to a large bowl. Add mussels to the pot and cover. Simmer for 5 minutes. Mussels are also cooked when they are open. Discard those that didn’t. Remove to the same bowl with the clams.
4. Add clam juice, tomatoes and 3 cups of water to the pot with all the seafood and wine flavor. Let simmer for about 20 minutes while occasionally stirring. Add squid and cook for 2 minutes. Add back the shrimp, clams and mussels and carefully toss together with the tomato broth. Remove from heat. The squid will finish cooking in the remaining heat. Ladle in big open bowls and serve with toasted baguette.

Related post/s:
Moules marinieres recipe
Cockles in white wine sauce recipe

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Porcini Mushroom and Somen Noodle Soup

Feb 5, ’09 12:16 AM

I haven’t been in the mood to cook even though I’ve been spending a lot of time at home. But while inside the Grand Central Terminal Market earlier, I was inspired to go back to the kitchen after I saw a small container of really fragrant dried porcini mushrooms on sale for $3.50. I turned to soup-making after assessing the contents of the cupboard, and whadayaknow, I had a porcini-flavored dried salami in stock: I chopped a few small slivers and used them as extra topping to this very earthy broth.

Ingredients:
1/4 lb dried porcini mushrooms
half a bundle of somen noodles
3 small potatoes, cubed
1 red onion, sliced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 sprigs of rosemary, finely chopped
2 sprigs of thyme
a small knob of Piave cheese
salt, oil

1. Soak dried porcini mushrooms in 2 cups of lukewarm water for about 20 minutes, or until they are soft. Drain and save the water. Roughly chop soaked mushrooms and set aside.
2. In a large Dutch oven, heat some oil. Sauté garlic until brown and onions until soft. Add potatoes, rosemary and thyme and cook until potatoes are browning.
3. Add the mushrooms and the mushroom-flavored water and simmer for 10 minutes. Add 2 to 3 more cups of water, depending on how much broth you want. Season liberally with salt because the broth will be bland, but the salt will bring out the mushroom’s earthy flavor. Keep in low simmer until potatoes are cooked and all the flavors are incorporated.
4. Throw in somen and stir for 3 minutes; this will quickly cook the noodles. Turn off heat and let remaining warmth finish cooking the noodles. Ladle in bowls and shave cheese on top before serving.

Related post/s:
Here’s another soup recipe using somen noodles

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