home style: thanksgiving, 2010

i have always had a tendency to downplay our family thanksgiving celebration.

when i was growing up, the holiday was positively traumatic, for one reason: no turkey at our table. we had ham. i used to mope about how un-american it was. (the fact that my family was not american, not by birth anyway, except for me, didn’t make a difference. we lived here.)

as our family grew, and my american-born cousins were old enough to collect their loud voices over “the turkey situation,” our table started to take on the appearance of something more traditional. turkey is now a standby, next to the prime rib and the pork lechon and the barbeque skewers (yes, my people enjoy bbq skewers all year long). we made room for more dishes with potatoes (even the sweet ones) and green beans and brussels sprouts. we now have pies filled with apples and they sit next to pear tarts and flans and fried bananas (and other weird filipino treats).

but i’m still sometimes guilty of judging this holiday, more than any other, on ideas of what it should be, based on lore, rather celebrating what it is.

for us, thanksgiving is more often than not a very full house, a game of musical chairs (the music being the meal). we attack the table in waves, and shift from chair to couch to standing spot, while stories and jokes are told at a loud and fever pitch in two languages (so amid all the laughing, some of us get a little bit lost. we laugh more, anyway). and then eat more.

not sure a thanksgiving gets much better or happier than that.

here are a few photos from this year’s good time.

homemade lumpia

lechon

filipino bbq

me, with jason (and a skewer)

prime rib

does this count as a vegetable?

pancit - my aunt makes this better than any restaurant could

see, we had a turkey (not for long)

cornbread stuffing–this one might be my new favorite, love the sweetness of the bread

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my contribution this year: blum’s coffee crunch cake

jen’s award winning apple pie

apple tart

pear tart

turon! fried bananas, drizzled with caramelized sugar

abc kitchen

abc kitchen, the newly opened farm-to-table jean-georges vongerichten restaurant in the flatiron/union square area (it’s on the side entrance of abc carpet & home) promises to deliver only the freshest, local and organic fare prepared with the jean-georges touch. and it delivers.

the plates? all handmade by local artisans. the silverware? all vintage silver. the floors? whitewashed wood that created the farmhouse feel that makes the restaurant seems miles away from a bustling city. the staff uniforms? thrift store purchases. the food? excellent.

we started with these two appetizers, the white bean toast and the cauliflower soup. the white bean toast was as decadent enough that it didn’t even feel like a “bean toast.” it was smothered in a creamy puree of white beans, parsley, olive oil and herbs, and laid atop a crisp piece of grilled bread.  the cauliflower soup was also just as creamy, and was topped with delicious garlic croutons and a few splashes of olive oil.

next came the entrees. we had the artic char and the grilled portabello sandwich. the char was not under or overcooked at all, and still soft and moist inside. it was served over carrot puree and roasted root vegetables that melted in our mouths. the portabello sandwich was served on a ciabatta roll with arugula, lemon mayo, parmesan and jalepeno. the sandwich itself was good, but not great; however, the fries that came with it were wonderful (definitely double cooked – so crisp!). 

last stop: the desserts. the salted caramel ice cream sundae was superb (and so beautiful)! two scoops of super creamy, salted caramel gelato topped with caramel popcorn, whipped cream and bathing in a pool of chocolate caramel sauce. heaven! the concord grape tart was slightly less invigorating. the grape flavor was so muted, and the crust lacked that buttery flakiness that i thought was guaranteed with a tart that looked this great. still, the overall meal and dessert experience was excellent, and abc kitchen definitely deserves a trip for dinner.

- abc kitchen: 35 E 18th St (between broadway and park ave), New York NY 10003

- reservations can be made through open table

eataly, nyc

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eataly

200 5th Ave

New York, NY 10010

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november 17, 2010

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all photos © anita aguilar

austin: part 3

el chile:

this meal at el chile cafe was the perfect way to end our trip. we had walked off our breakfast tacos from the late morning, and worked up an appetite for some authentic tex-mex. el chile came highly recommended from my cousins, who we were staying with, and they hadn’t steered us wrong thus far.

we started off with the queso, which was just divine. charred red peppers, roasted red and white onions, and crisply fried chips led the way to this melted, creamy cheese dip.

our entrees were all superb! my personal favorite were the enchiladas con mole rojo (two achiote-roasted pork enchiladas topped with oaxacan red mole and toasted sesame seeds).

next up, was the chile relleno (poblano pepper stuffed with achiote-roasted pork, topped with ranchero sauce, served with rice and refried beans).

this was my first ever puffy taco! (i have had a recent interest in puffy tacos since seeing them on bobby flay’s throwdown. there is a great recipe for one in his latest throwdown cookbook). these crispy, puffed taco shells were filled with chicken and topped with queso fresco, lettuce, tomato, and guacamole and served with rice and refried beans.

lastly, the pescado entortillado (tortilla-crusted tilapia topped with blackened jalapeño aioli and poblano-corn relish). simple, a little lighter and freshened up with the delicious corn salsa.

lowcountry: we got “low low low low, low low low low”

i’m not gonna lie. after allison and i decided we’d go to low country for dinner, i had hands in the air stuck in my head, all afternoon and evening.  (“she hit the floor, shorty got low,” and it’s still in there today…)

catchy as that little interlude is, lowcountry doesn’t seem like a joint that’s going to play much girl talk, or flo-rida, for that matter:

i felt like i was 22 again, and  hangin’ out in some (hot) dude’s basement…

i actually don’t remember hearing any music?

what we did walk into on monday was “fried chicken and football night.” they offer sweet-tea-brined fried chicken, macaroni salad, and barbecued black-eyed peas–and football– for $19. an offer difficult to refuse…

but–allison and i decided to save the fried chicken for a future visit.

our dinner went like this:

a michelada: modelo beer, tomato juice, and hot sauce.

this took some getting used to. my first thought was the beer had diluted the tomato juice too much. and the beer had gotten a little lost, too. but this is a fizzy bloody mary, a good buildup to the southern menu. and i loved the beer -soaked olive.

grilled baby octopus
anson mills farro, pickled pear, boiled peanuts, smoked yogurt.

i didn’t discern the “pickle” in the pear or the “smoke” in the yogurt, but i loved the assertive sweetness and the char in the grilled baby octopus. nice layered flavors and textures going on here.

brussels sprouts…with apple butter.

does that sound odd to you? well, if you have any interest at all in brussels sprouts, please order these. the salty, glossy leaves stayed crisp . the touch — just a spoonful? –of  apple butter woke up the palate. we loved these. loved loved loved.

cornmeal dusted catfish
carolina red rice and beans, chow chow remoulade…

our server mentioned that this dish changes his opinion of catfish forever (he was formerly disinterested). he was right to rave. these are generous fillets, perfectly fried. i thought i recognized tomato in this remoulade that gave it…you guessed it, a little sweetness. i loved how they blanketed the fish with it.

and: the humble red bean? it’s lovable again, as a side here (with rice and sausage).

for dessert: bourbon banana bread pudding. this might have been the one slight disappointment of the evening–maybe our server built this up a bit too much?  it was very warm and wet banana bread, but the custard that i look forward to, was missing. a crisp top would have given a bit of texture and caramelization. the sauce would have been more memorable if it had been a bit thicker and boozier.

(we like ‘em thick and boozy.)

but…allison and i are still high on lowcountry. we’re plotting fried chicken biscuits and bbq sliders for the next game night. i’ve had the sliders before–they were one of my favorite “tastes” at the back to basis event in september.

they described it then as a “north carolina, lightly smoked pork shoulder.” i hope it’s the same preparation. it was wonderfully refined, even with all that delicious slaw spilling out all over.

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lowcountry is at 142 west 10th street, between greenwich avenue and waverly place.

they accept reservations at 212.255.2335 or via open table.

austin: part 2

day two of austin was filled with just as much food goodness as day one. we went downtown to south congress street where most of the awesome food trucks set up shop. the food trucks are parked in the same location each day, so they’re basically like brick and mortar shops with wheels. later in the day, we stopped for dessert at chez-zee. evidence below..

crepes mille:

from top to bottom: pork floss crepe (pork confit, sweet/spicy sauce), chicken burgundy crepe, pepperoni pizza crepe.

unfortunately, this little breakfast truck, “the local yolk,” was closed when we visited, but look how cute it is!

finally, some desserts from chez zee. each one was excellent, although my personal favorite was the highly recommended lemon rosemary cake (far left). also pictured, the coco leches cake and the double chocolate gooey cake.

austin: part 1

i can’t even begin to describe how much i loved the food in austin, but i will try my best to show it. below are some photos from our eating adventures.

tacos from taco deli:

it sickens me that we don’t have breakfast tacos in new york. richard and i seriously considered opening up a breakfast taco truck when we got back…

taco #1 is the “otto” (eggs, black beans, bacon, avocado and cheese) and taco #2 is the “vaquero” (eggs, grilled corn, roasted poblano and red peppers and monterrey jack cheese)

salt lick bar-b-que:

this bar-b-que was so good, and so far beyond any bar-b-que i’ve ever had, it made me question if i had ever actually had bar-b-que before. the meat was unbelievably moist and tender, the sauce divine and the pecan pie the best i’ve ever tasted (the secret ingredient: butterscotch).

below: pork ribs, brisket, turkey, sausage, potato salad, cole slaw, pecan pie

“bonfire” at the brooklyn flea: the good batch

i waited until the penultimate week to hit the brooklyn flea, but the weather was perfect, almost balmy–what’s the equivalent of an indian summer in november?

among the treats i enjoyed: the bonfire stroopwafel, courtesy of ms. anna gordon and “the good batch.”

this stopped me in my tracks–at first glance i thought it was a whoopie pie. i loved all that white filling, wildly smeared along the sides.

but this dutch “stroopwafel”  is more streamlined than its american counterpart. it is wafer thin and made with cocoa–it’s not a deep, dark chocolatey knoll.  there’s a slick of salted caramel (a bit more wouldn’t hurt the cause, in my opinion). and the roasted meringue? it was light, shimmery rather than blindingly sweet, and properly sticky. you should beware the meringue traces, but there will be no crumbs–this is a chewy sandwich cookie.

if you visit the flea next weekend, you can delight in special flavors, like pumpkin cream pie–pumpkin & spice waffle cookies, with a maker’s mark cream cheese frosting filling. it’s not my favorite variation (i will always prefer meringue to a cream cheese frosting) but it is like holding thanksgiving in your hands…

otherwise, you can find them at various outposts in brooklyn, a couple in manhattan, and two points north and south of the city…or you can order a batch or two online (if you ask me, 12 caramel or cocoa caramel stroopwafels for $12 dollars is an absolute steal. it could be a really special accompaniment with coffee or hot chocolate, especially when winter returns…

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photos © anita aguilar

recipe: sweet potato gnocchi with chestnuts and sage

gnocchi always seemed so difficult to me. it seemed like a process that would take hours, days, months..okay, not that long. but when i asked for a potato ricer for christmas two years ago, i knew when i got it that i would have to take on the challenge. it turns out, it wasn’t that bad! with the help of richard, and our friends marc and jessica, we conquered gnocchi. we settled on sweet potato gnocchi, since sweet potatoes are so delicious right now, and this recipe from epicurious called for a wonderful sounding chesnut and sage sauce. since chestnuts are kind of pricey ($10 a bottle!), perhaps i would use another sauce next time, although i must say, these gnocchi were worth every penny.

• 1 1/4 pounds russet (baking potatoes)
• 1 (3/4-pound) sweet potato
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
• 1/3 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano plus more for serving
• 1 1/2 to 2 cups all-purpose flour plus more for dusting
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup sage leaves (from 1 bunch)
• 1/3 cup bottled roasted chestnuts, very thinly sliced with an adjustable-blade slicer or a sharp vegetable peeler
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

make gnocchi:
preheat oven to 450°F with rack in middle. pierce russet and sweet potatoes in several places with a fork, then bake in a 4-sided sheet pan until just tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

cool potatoes slightly, then peel and force through ricer into sheet pan, spreading in an even layer. cool potatoes completely.

lightly flour 2 or 3 large baking sheets or line with parchment paper.

beat together egg, nutmeg, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl.

gather potatoes into a mound in sheet pan, using a pastry scraper if you have one, and form a well in center.

pour egg mixture into well, then knead into potatoes. knead in cheese and 1 1/2 cups flour, then knead, adding more flour as necessary, until mixture forms a smooth but slightly sticky dough. Dust top lightly with some of flour.

cut dough into 6 pieces. form 1 piece of dough into a 1/2-inch-thick rope on a lightly floured surface. cut rope into 1/2-inch pieces. gently roll each piece into a ball and lightly dust with flour.

repeat with remaining 5 pieces of dough.

turn a fork over and hold at a 45-degree angle, with tips of tines touching work surface. working with 1 at a time, roll gnocchi down fork tines, pressing with your thumb, to make ridges on 1 side. transfer gnocchi as formed to baking sheets.

fry sage leaves and chestnuts:
heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat until it shimmers. fry sage leaves in 3 batches, stirring, until they turn just a shade lighter and crisp (they will continue to crisp as they cool), about 30 seconds per batch. transfer to paper towels to drain. Season lightly with salt.

fry chestnuts in 3 batches, stirring, until golden and crisp, about 30 seconds per batch. transfer to paper towels to drain. season lightly with salt. reserve oil in skillet.

make sauce:
add butter to oil in skillet with 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until golden-brown, 1 to 2 minutes. remove from heat.

cook gnocchi:
add half of gnocchi to a pasta pot of well-salted boiling water and stir. cook until they float to surface, about 3 minutes. transfer with a slotted spoon to skillet with butter sauce. cook remaining gnocchi in same manner, transferring to skillet as cooked. heat gnocchi in skillet over medium heat, stirring to coat. serve sprinkled with fried sage and chestnuts and grated cheese.

sushi of gari

my second trip to sushi of gari was just as good as the one i so fondly remember. the atmosphere doesn’t say too much; plain decor, typical sushi bar, no real personality, but the sushi speaks for itself, and there is a reason why sushi of gari has a dedicated, obsessed following.

we started with the hijiki salad and the pork dumplings. the hijiki salad consisted of black seaweed topped with a creamy ginger soy dressing and sesame seeds on the top. i had never tried black seaweed before and although it didn’t taste too different from the green stuff, it was deliciously dressed and wonderfully complemented with the sesame seeds. the dumplings were on the plain side, but still tasty. the seasoned pork bites were so thinly coated with a soft dumpling wrapper and perfectly pan fried.

next came our rolls. i wish i had been a little more adventurous, but i was craving the basics: salmon, spicy tuna, and spicy shrimp tempura. all were excellent. the quality of the fish exceeded 99% of the sushi i’ve had. and the spicy shrimp tempura was the star roll. not the typical battered, cooked shrimp, this roll was a chunky bite of shrimp with a thin coating of warm, crunchy tempura and a spicy sauce that added just a little kick.

the entire meal was reasonably priced, too. the whole meal cost $44 and easily fed two. and i just found out there is a second location!

sushi of gari: 402 east 78th st. between 1st and york ave. and 347 west 46th st. between 8th and 9th ave.