Sausage, red beans and rice, oh my!

Happy Halloween everyone! The hubs and I had a low-key night. We stocked up on M&M's just in case any little ghouls or goblins happened by, and then settled in with Zombieland (hilarious) and a tasty recipe for red beans and rice (spicy). The leftovers are even better the next day, once the flavors have a chance to really intermingle and blend. The recipe is originally from Cooking Light, but of course I modified it as usual (seriously, this is my MO). I used olive oil but I bet cooking the red bell pepper and onion in butter would impart even more flavor. Enjoy!

Andouille and Red Beans with Rice

1 tbsp. olive oil
1 cup dry Jasmine rice
2 links Andouille sausage (try the all-natural Al Fresco brand)
1 cup diced red bell pepper
1 cup diced onion
1 1/2 tsp. Cajun seasoning (try the DIY Emeril's Bayou Blast mix, recipe below)
1 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. Tabasco
1 can (16 oz.) dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 tsp. salt

Cook rice according to package.

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 tbsp. olive oil. Slice sausage into chunks toss into skillet and cook 3 minutes each side, or until browned. Remove to a bowl.

Into the same skillet, add the bell pepper, onion, Cajun seasoning, thyme, and Tabasco. Saute 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add beans, salt and broth to the pan, cook 8 minutes, mashing some of the beans. Toss in the sausage, mix thoroughly, and let simmer for an additional 10 minutes. Voila.

Served over 1/2 cup of rice per person, this recipe makes 4 servings.

Emeril's Bayou Blast, courtesy of Food Network

2 1/2 tbsp. paprika
2 tbsp. salt
2 tbsp. garlic powder
1 tbsp. black pepper
1 tbsp. onion powder
1 tbsp. cayenne pepper
1 tbsp. dried oregano
1 tbsp. dried thyme

Toss all ingredients together in a ziplock bag, keep in a cool dry place.

Pumpkin part deux

So my love for pumpkin continues with this post. Last night the hubs and I whipped up a batch of pumpkin muffins. We used a recipe from Cooking Light to set some guidelines, but then we made some crucial modifications (butter! more pumpkin!) that resulted in some pretty darn good muffins. The combination of pumpkin and vanilla yogurt ensures that the muffins are soft and moist, while a sprinkling of brown sugar on top adds the perfect amount of crunch.

I'm interested to see how these would taste with a little more cinnamon, maybe some nutmeg, or even some pumpkin pie spice. Throw in some walnuts, chocolate chips, or some coconut flakes for a different flavor and/or texture.
A Dozen Pumpkin Muffins
2 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin
3/4 cup vanilla yogurt
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup melted butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 egg white

Topping
2 tbsp. brown sugar

Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine the dry ingredients (flour through salt) into a large bowl. Whisk the dry ingredients together.

Combine the wet ingredients (pumpkin through egg white) in a medium bowl. Add this to the flour mixture and stir gently with a spatula. Do not over stir because this will make your muffins heavy and tough. Spoon batter into a one dozen muffin tray.

Sprinkle brown sugar on top of the muffins.

Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes. Remove the muffins from the tray as soon as they are cool enough to do so.

(Photo credits: mvissat)

Nando's Peri-Peri spicy goodness

Nando's Peri-Peri
1210 18th Street NW, Washington, D.C. 
819 7th Street NW, Washington, D.C.

While D.C. may lack many things, we make up for it in other ways. We have amazing museums, a solid restaurant scene, the highest number of educated professionals in the country, and a decent public transportation system. But we've also been blessed with something else entirely - Nando's Peri-Peri. The D.C. area boasts the South African restaurant chain's only American presence, with two restaurants in D.C. (Dupont Circle and Penn Quarter) and two in Maryland (Annapolis and Silver Spring).

I first discovered Nando's when I lived in Oxford, UK, and I would pass the Nando's on Cowley Road on my weekly trips to Tesco. So I was thrilled to learn that the Portugese-themed Nando's was bringing its fresh, flame-grilled chicken to the D.C. area. The chain offers chicken quarters, halves, and wholes, along with sandwiches, salads, sides and wraps. The chain, which originated in Johannesburg in 1987, has since expanded to 28 countries and five continents, Wikipedia says.

The secret to Nando's addictive chicken lies in the Peri-Peri sauce. Peri-Peri (an African chile) that promises to evoke pleasure and pain. Nando's uses Peri-Peri in its sauces and marinades, and trust me, that stuff can get SPICY. If you like the heat, try "Extra Hot," but note that Nando's warns, "Beware! Pyromaniacs Only." Less-adventurous palates should try the mild "Lemon & Herb" or "Mango & Lime," which pack plenty of flavor to compensate for the lack of heat.

My favorite Nando's dish is the Chicken Breast Wrap, served Medium spicy. The soft wrap contains chunks of the marinated, grilled chicken, fresh greenleaf lettuce, sweet chile jam and yogurt sauce. Don't be fooled - this seemingly innocent wrap packs a punch. The sweet chile jam is deceptively hot, especially with the Medium-level chicken. While the tangy yogurt sauce helps temper the heat, my mouth tends to burn for about 10 minutes post-consumption.

Nando's also offers great sides - the Fino (Portuguese for "deluxe") sides are delicious - the Chunky Portuguese Salad offers chunks of peppers, cucumber, tomatoes, celery, olives and feta in a vinaigrette. The Butternut Squash and Grilled Corn is always cooked to perfection, with red onion, cranberries and cilantro adding a bit of tart sweetness. And be sure to try the olives! Marinated with herbs, spices, and garlic, the olives are big, rich, and full of flavor.

The only complaint is that Nando's is popular! If you visit the Dupont location, try to go before 12 pm, when the lunch rush hits. But if you know you will be showing up later, you can call your oder in and then skip to the front of the line to pick it up.

(Photo credits, top to bottom: su-lin; socoeats.blogspot)

An Ode to Granville Moore's

Granville Moore's

1238 H Street NE, Washington, D.C. 

Granville Moore's - staple of the burgeoning H Street/Atlas District neighborhood - describes itself as "A Gastropub with a Healthy Belgian Fetish." Well, who doesn't like a good fetish? Especially a Belgian one. Granville Moore's has been on the up and up for a couple of years. Beginning in 2008, the restaurant received such accolades as being named to the Washingtonian's "Best of D.C." and "Top 100 Cheap Eats" lists, and to the Washington City Paper's "Best of D.C.," "Best Mussels," and "Young and Hungry Top 50" lists. Imbibe magazine places it among the "Top Ten Gastropubs" in America, and the restaurant was featured on Everyday with Rachel Ray in the 2008 "District of Cool" episode. 

Perhaps even more exciting is that in March 2008, Granville Moore's Executive Chef Teddy Folkman - then a relative unknown - was challenged to a "Moules/Frites Throwdown" by Bobby Flay. Which of course he won. Chef Teddy went on to compete on Season 5 of the "Next Food Network Star," and while he sort of flamed out, we were rooting for him. 

I first visited Granville Moore's in 2007, when the restaurant was still a quiet neighborhood spot filled with regulars and it was possible to get a table with only a brief wait (not the hour-plus waits of today).  Chef Teddy had not yet defeated Bobby Flay, and the food and social magazines tended not to pay as much attention. Hidden in plain sight on H Street, the restaurant is marked only with a hand painted sign. The name comes from Dr. Granville Moore, a neighborhood doctor who provided weekly pro bono services for the community. "We kept the name as an homage to the man who did so much for this community," explains the restaurant Web site. I've returned many times to Granville Moore's, lured by what I still find to be the best mussels in the city.

Today, Granville Moore's is still the dark, intimate place it once was. But now you can expect a long wait after 6 pm. The kitchen works its butt off, churning more than 1,200 lbs of mussels and more than 1,400 lbs of potatoes weekly. The place still offers a simple menu that changes with the seasons, and includes starters, salads, and "Pub Fare" sandwiches and mains (the "Steak'n Cheese" - braised bison brisket topped with caramelized onions, cheddar, horseradish cream on rosemary focaccia is supposed to be phenomenal). And of course, Granville Moore's call to fame - moules and frites. 

There are five moule options - Bleu (the famous moules that won the Bobby Flay Throwdown); Marinere (simple white wine, garlic, herbs, butter); Spicy Corn (charred corn, lime, chipotle); Potato & Ale (caramelized leeks, chourico, Abbey ale broth); and Jalfrezi (tomato, coconut milk, red curry). The moules are fat-bellied and served in enormous porcelain bowls that just beg diners to lower their face and inhale deeply.

I always order the Moules Bleu. However, the dish has changed slightly from the day it took the title over Bobby Flay. Originally, the dish included diced thick-cut Irish bacon that imparted a rich, bacon saltiness. Today, it has pork belly instead. The dish once had chunks of bleu cheese that one could scoop up in a mussel shell. When I was there last, a few weekends ago, the bleu cheese seemed more integrated into the dish. I'm not complaining though - it still all tastes amazing.

Frites are the perfect spouse to whichever moules you order. Granville Moore now offers two sizes of frites - small and large - rather than just the huge portions of yesterday (thank you, Chef Teddy, for helping me watch my waistline!). The frites are hand-cut and twice-fried, which makes them insanely addictive. Dusted with herbs, they are dark, delicious, salty, and fill of flavor. They are literally like what I would imagine crack to be. Paired with dipping sauces - Roasted Garlic-Horseradish, Truffle Aioli, Chipotle Mayo, Curried Ketchup and Dijonnaise - the frites become out-of-this-world. You could make a meal of them ... but then you would miss out on the moules. 

Part of the beauty of Granville Moore's is that there are no freezers, and everything is made daily from "all natural meats, fresh seafood and local produce." I also greatly appreciate the people who work there - their patience is unbounded, and there are none of the prestigious airs that sometimes follow behind unprecedented publicity. If there is a wait for a table (and there always will be, given the newfound fame), you can give your name and mobile number to the hostess and bop next door to Sticky Rice or down the street to The Pug for drinks while you wait. Although be sure that you don't imbibe too much - you want to leave room to enjoy Granville Moore's amazing selection of Belgian ales, "one of the largest in the Mid-Atlantic." The restaurant boasts more than 70 true Belgian beers by the bottle and seven on draft at any time. The beer menu changes weekly, so be sure to check often.

(Photo credit: all photos belong to JDSilk, c/o granvillemoores.com)

Meatloaf is not just a loaf of meat

I was thinking about the dishes I don't really get to eat anymore, and meatloaf was one of the first dishes that sprang to mind. I don't have anything against meatloaf - I have fond memories of my Mom's - but meatloaf has a bad rep. We can thank the 1950s for popularizing what is essentially a mound of beef slathered in ketchup gravy. It's basically a loaf. Made of meat. Hmm...

But let's take a minute to examine meatloaf a little closer. It's one of those dishes you rarely make for yourself. Meatloaf tends to be more of a homemade "Mom meal" - like lasagna, macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, roast chicken, and anything involving Shake'n Bake. So, depending on your childhood, it could evoke fond memories of home and Mom ... or lead to thousands of dollars in therapy. To each their own.

That said, I actually don't think I consumed meatloaf once I had moved out of my parents' home ... until I stumbled across a delicious meatloaf recipe on the Whole Foods Web site. Whole Foods really has some amazing recipes that are built on the premise of real food. It's a treasure trove of yum.

The best thing about this recipe is that it is insanely simple, yet full of flavor (in other words, you do not need to slather this meatloaf in ketchup gravy). It provides some good protein and it contains spinach, so we're sneaking in some veggies. It's definitely a step up on the meatloaf scale in terms of taste and nutrition. So give meatloaf another chance!

Whole Foods Meatloaf recipe

2 lb. ground beef (preferably organic, grass-fed)
1 cup, frozen chopped spinach
3/4 cup breadcrumbs
3/4 cup beef broth
1/2 onion, minced
1 large egg
2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

* for added flavor, add 3 slices of diced bacon

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well (use your hands!). Line a baking dish with foil. Mold the meatloaf mixture into a smooth, even loaf (12" long) in the baking dish.

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Bake meatloaf until browned and cooked through, about 1 hour.

My soul delights in illy coffee

illy espressaterre

While traveling via airplane nowadays is much more akin to taking the public city bus than the glorious experience it used to be (what happened to the naughty stewardess outfits? The complimentary champagne? The civility and the manners? I think I was born in the wrong time period), one can still hunt down a treasure or two in

the Greyhound-terminal-like airports of today. For example - Logan Airport boasts an illy coffee bar. Did anyone else know this? Let me tell you - after struggling through the security posts loaded down with purse, carry-on, jacket, scarf, and boots in-hand, there is no more endearing sight than the gloriously reflective surface of an illy coffee bar.

It's like reaching an oasis in the desert. I honestly appreciate illy coffee. It just has such a smooth, rich taste, and the finish is so clean. It's not as acidic or as burnt-tasting as Starbucks, and its a little smoother than Lavazza. When I'm looking for a smooth, tasty coffee to have while enjoying my Washington Post, I turn to illy. When I'm looking for something bolder, I choose Lavazza.

I was interested to learn that illy is produced in Trieste, Italy. The company only offers three roasts - normal, dark, and decaf - and purchases its Arabica beans directly from the source from Brazil, Colombia, India, and countries in Africa and Central America. illy does not partake in the international commodity markets, and its a difference that you can actually taste. The founder of illy, Francesco Illy, invented the first automatic coffee machine that substituted compressed air for steam. Developed in 1935, the illetta served as the predecessor of today's espresso machines (according to Wikipedia). He also invented a new packaging system that relied on cans (still in use today) filled with inert gases rather than pressurized air.

If you're looking to try illy, you're in luck. Washington, D.C. has a few locations that serve up illy coffee, including a trademark illy cafe.

illy cafe, Renaissance Hotel, 1143 New Hampshire Ave, NW, Washington, D.C.
Patisserie Poupon, 1645 Wisconsin Ave. NW, Washington, D.C.

Noshing in Boston's North End

Pomodoro
319 Hanover Street, Boston, MA

I just returned from a weekend in Boston, and it was amazing, considering that Boston long ago moved past chowdah, lobstah and baked beans. The purpose of the visit was a five-year reunion of graduate school friends, which also coincided with the famous Head of the Charles Regatta.

Unfortunately, considering Boston's great food reputation, I spent a fair amount of time panicking about where to eat. Should I go traditional New England and do it up raw-bar style (Neptune Oyster, Union Oyster House)? Or should I take advantage of the modern New American wave that's swept the city (Tremont 647)? Or perhaps check out the high-profile chef sushi renaissance (Clio)... Or embark on a nostalgic Grad School Dining Tour (Sol Azteca, Zaftig's, Anna's Tacqueria). In the end, I chose none of these options. Instead, we landed Friday night into Logan, grabbed a cab to the hotel, and then sprinted directly to ... the North End.

Ah, the North End. I adore this Boston neighborhood - one of the area's most historic. Settled in the 1630s, the North End has gone through a series of residential changes. The original residents were wealthy Bostonians, followed by freed African American slaves. Then the Irish moved in, followed by the Jewish population, and the Italians finally took over in the early 1900s. And the neighborhood - home to Paul Revere's house and the Old North Church (remember "one if by land, two if by sea"?) has remained firmly rooted in Italian culture ever since.

Today the North End is an amazing place to dine. The neighborhood, lined with cobblestoned streets and brick alleyways, is literally packed with restaurants - the majority of them Italian (I counted at least 56 different options!), with wonderful seafood offerings. I love heading straight up Hanover Street, only to be greeted by restaurant after restaurant, and of course by the dueling lines of patrons lined up outside Mike's Pastry and Modern Pastry.

So considering the plethora of dining options, I wasn't too worried about not having reservations. However, I didn't think we would luck out half as much as we did, by scoring a table at Pomodoro.

Pomodoro is the very definition of "intimate." With only eight tables, the restaurant is dimly lit by a chandelier and tealights that line every ledge and counter. Food orders are relayed verbally to the kitchen by the two waitresses, and payment is only accepted in cash. It's an insanely personal dining experience. And it was wonderful.

Immediately, we were served warm bread with a garlic olive oil, stocked with a variety of olives. We ordered fried calamari, which comes highly recommended. While I'm usually bored with this dish, I was very pleased with Pomodoro's lightly crisped version, served with a lemon dipping sauce and a roasted garlic and tomato sauce.

I've been craving a good white clam sauce, so when I saw Cherrystone clams tossed with linguine and garlic, EVOO and herbs, I was sold. And the dish did not disappoint. I have never seen such enormous clams - easily the size of silver dollars, each clam offered a meaty mouthful that evoked the briny ocean depths. The linguine was perfect, especially when dusted with some fresh parmesan (I know, Italians would shudder at the thought of a seafood/cheese combination but I adore it! Sinner).

The hubs ordered Tiger shrimp and salt cod with artichoke, potato, olives and parsley tossed with farfalle. The sauce almost tasted creamy, and the seafood combination was rich and delicious. A Pinot Grigio (out of Friuli, of course) and a rich Sangiovese were the perfect accompaniments.

Finally, the ultimate surprise - after the plates were cleared, the waitress dropped off two plates of tiramisu. Now, let me digress for a minute. Lots of places pretend to offer tiramisu, serving up everything from mousse in a martini glass, to a light and creamy sponge cake with an espresso cream, to a frothy pudding concoction. These are all bastardizations of tiramisu. Real tiramisu - I am talking about the actual Italian dessert - is something else entirely. Tiramisu contains alternating layers of Savoiardi biscuits (known as ladyfingers here in the U.S.) that have been soaked in a mixture of espresso and rum, and a sweet blend of Zabaglione and mascarpone, topped with cocoa powder. Anything else that you will eat is a lie.

Pomodoro hit a home run with this one. The ladyfingers were perfectly soaked - moist without being soggy. The cream mixture was light and airy, without the cloying sweetness that American Italian restaurants tend to impart. The cocoa powder on top offered the perfect amount of bitter counterpart to the dessert. It was heaven.

We rolled out of the restaurant, completely satiated and overly stuffed. Next time, I plan to skip the appetizer - its simply not needed. Bravo, Pomodoro, bravo.

Lunching in the District

A question from a reader ... 

Q: So, my wife and I were "sick" yesterday and headed off to find a decent lunch. Only problem is that everything we looked at (Churchkey, Posto, Marvin, etc.) wasn't going to be open until dinner. Where in D.C. can you get a good lunch that isn't a downtown steakhouse? I guess the problem isn't the location, but the type of place.  We were looking for more of a cute datey type place, and almost everything we passed was a business blackberry type. 

A: Hm, this is a good question, my hooky-playing friend. While there is a dearth of lunch places in the U Street area, there are plenty of places throughout D.C. where one can have a nice lunch date, sans Blackberry. These places all rank two dollar signs ($$) on OpenTable.com

 2 Amys, Tenleytown (no lunch on Mondays)

Delicious, crispy Neapolitan-style pizza made with DOC ingredients.

AGAINN (pronounced "Ah-gwen") Gastropub, Downtown

Named in Tom Sietsema’s Washington Post Magazine 2010 Fall Dining Guide. Chef Wes Morton puts together a delicious fall menu that provides seasonal comfort food – shepherd’s pie, fish and chips, etc.

Belga Cafe, Capitol Hill

Casa Nonna, Dupont Circle

Case Nonna dishes up tasty pizzas, pastas, and piadini’s (stuffed flatbread sandwiches) in a warm and welcoming “Nouveau Italian” environment. Except for the cheese and charcuterie, everything is made in-house.

CommonWealth Gastropub, Columbia Heights

Described as a “neighborhood gastropub,” CommonWealth has a dark wood and leather pub feel, with an affordable lunch menu of snacks, soup and salad, burgers and sandwiches, and mains.

Ezme, Dupont Circle

Founding Farmers, Foggy Bottom

Farm-to-table American food that includes vegetarian and vegan offerings in its expansive menu.

Farmers and Fishers, Georgetown

Greenhouse at the Jefferson Hotel, Downtown

The menu is small and American, but the Greenhouse is beautiful. Worth checking out for the atmosphere.

The Heights, Columbia Heights

Kaz Sushi Bistro, Downtown

Kushi Izakaya and Sushi, Downtown

The new Kushi, located in Mt. Vernon Square, offers chicken, beef and pork sushi cooked on a bincho, a traditional Japanese charcoal grill. Sushi, sake, kushiyaki (grilled skewers), kobachi (small plates) and gohan (rice and soup) round out the menu. Lunch served from 11:30-2:30 M-F, and 12:00-2:30 S-S.

Mama Ayesha's, Adams Morgan

Oyamel, Penn Quarter

Oyamel offers a lunch special of two antojitos (“little dishes from the streets”) and one taco for $20. Or enjoy a torta (Mexican sandwich), or any number of meat, seafood, or vegetable dishes.

Potenza, Italian, Downtown

Has daily lunch specials, salads, pasta, and sandwiches. Potenza was named a 100 Very Best Restaurant Winner by Washingtonian magazine.

Ping Pong Dim Sim, Downtown

The Ping Pong Dim Sum Web site says it best – go for lunch to enjoy “little steamed parcels of deliciousness.” PPDS was recently named "Best New Restaurant" and "Best Cocktail Menu" by Express Best of 2010.

Proof, Penn Quarter

Deliciousness contained in a trendy, welcoming restaurant nestled in Penn Quarter. The charcuterie is amazing, the wine list extensive, and the staff patient and knowledgeable. Try the Crispy Duck Confit ($15) or the Grilled Shenandoah Lamb Burger, served with chickpea fries (14).

PS7, Penn Quarter

Sonoma, Capitol Hill

Pizza, pastas, charcuterie, small plates, entrees, salads … and sides. Sonoma has a varied menu made from “the best naturally-raised and organic ingredients we can find.” The restaurant sources from “local growers, ranchers, and fishermen throughout the mid-Atlantic whenever possible.”

Ulah Bistro, U Street Corridor

Zaytinya, Penn Quarter

Jose Andres’ Turkish, Greek, and Lebanese fusion restaurant never fails to impress. The mezze encourages sharing, and the stylish bar area is always full of energy.  Open seven days a week, Zaytinya starts serving at 11:30 am, with brunch on Saturday and Sunday until 2:30 pm.

Zengo, Penn Quarter

Open for lunch 11:30-2:30 M-F. Chef Sandoval’s Latin-Asian restaurant offers up ceviches and tiraditos, sushi, dim sum and antojitos. With a fun atmosphere, great dishes, and sweet location (right next to the Gallery Place Metro), Zengo always delivers a good meal.

Zola, Penn Quarter

Zola focuses on Modern American fare, partnered with a chic atmosphere. Winner of the OpenTable Diner’s Choice Award in 2009.

Everything's better with butter

You know, butter has really gotten a bad rep. But when one looks at the facts - and honestly questions studies maligning butter - the omissions become glaringly obvious. Heart disease was rare at the turn of the century, but by the 1960s, it had become the No. 1 killer in the U.S. But during that time period, the consumption of butter had actually decreased - according to Weston A. Price, from 18 lb. per year to 4 lb. per year, per person. So what changed?

Well, during WWI and WWII, margarine took the place of butter due to rationing restrictions. After the war, margarine manufacturers had to keep sales up. So why not make a few health claims and suggest that margarine is healthier than butter? Forget that human beings had been consuming butter - made from real milk, from real cows - for centuries. And thus the Butter is Evil campaign was born. Unfortunately, fat - and particularly butter - had been named Public Enemy No. 1. Americans began to not only consume margarine, but to also to gorge on low-fat substitutions and artificial sugar, and to rely on a diet of fat-free white flour crackers, bread, and other carbohydrates. However, eradicating healthy fat from the American diet has only backfired, with the national rates of obesity, heart disease, diabetes and cancer surging upwards ever since.

So I am supporting a resurgence of butter. Call this my "Butter Manifesto." Please, keep your yellow-tinted faux margarine spread far, far away from me. Give me real butter - not that horrible Land O'Lakes stuff. I am talking about BUTTER. Rich, creamy, organic, naturally golden butter made from hormone-free, grass-fed cows. Cook with it. Bake with it. Saute delicious green things in it. Brush it on your roasting chicken. Or just smear some on a warm, soft biscuit.

Please, leave the world of emulsified, plasticized, man-made margarine behind. Give me butter that is loaded with Vitamin A, which is necessary for thyroid and adrenal health; lauric acid; lecithin, which assists cholesterol metabolism; and Vitamins D, E and K. I crave butter that contains antioxidants that protect against free radical damage and guard against weakening arteries; that contains selenium and conjugated linoleic acid. My butter contains Arachidonic Acid, which is vital to cell membrane health. Butter helps guard against tooth decay, calcification of joints, and gastrointestinal infections.

If you're new to the world of butter, I have a suggestion for you. Try Kerrygold butter. It's made by a cooperative of farmers and creameries in Ireland from hormone-free cows that roam freely in pastures on Irish grass. These cows emit creamy milk that is so rich in beta-carotene that the butter is a gorgeous golden color. And the taste - oh, the taste. Fabio of I Can't Believe It's Not Butter would only swoon over the delicious buttery flavor of ... real butter.

Butter is truly, truly better.

(Photo credit: crossfitoahu.com)

Oven "Fried" Chicken goodness

I love food. Always have. My mother likes to recount the story of how, when I was younger, I would open up my mouth "like a baby bird" and wait for her to drop in food (thankfully without the avian regurgitation). Since then, my love of food hasn't really tempered. My palate has expanded and my standards have gone up, which basically means that commercial food doesn't taste good anymore and I spend a lot more money when eating out. So to balance the monetary and waistline trade-offs of all this good dining, we try to cook at home the majority of the week.

Most of my recipes come from my arsenal of William Sonoma Healthy cookbooks, a Martha Stewart cookbook, and the unlimited online repositories of Cooking Light, Epicurious and Vegetarian Times (we're not vegetarian, we just like to balance). We belong to a Community Alliance for Responsible Eco-Farming (CARE), so we source our meat from a farmer in Pennsylvania. I absolutely love his chicken, especially when my husband whips up his Oven "Fried" Chicken. The curry adds just the right amount of punch, and the skin gets nice and crispy under the breadcrumbs. Pair it with roasted sweet potato wedges and spinach, and you have a delicious, healthy, nutrient-packed meal.

The recipe is below, courtesy of Gourmet magazine (2003) by way of Epicurious.

Oven "Fried" Chicken

2 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts OR 2 bone-in leg and thigh*
1 cup bread crumbs
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 tbsp. mayonnaise
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice (you can substitute lime juice)
1/4 tsp. curry power

* You can also use boneless, skinless breasts. But those would cook at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. And they don't taste as good as bone-in, skin-on! Mmmm, crispy skin.

Preheat oven to 450 F.

Mix up all the ingredients except the bread crumbs. Spread this mixture on the chicken. Roll the chicken in the breadcrumbs, pressing the breadcrumbs on to coat evenly on all sides. Bake the chicken, skin side up, in a baking dish, for 35 minutes.

(Photo credit: Epicurious.com, shot by Romulo Yanes)

Moules, Frites and Bier at Mussel Bar

Mussel Bar by Robert Wiedmaier
7262 Woodmont Ave., Bethesda, MD

What better way to spend a lazy autumn afternoon than with friends over steaming pots of mussels and some dangerously dark beer? Robert Wiedmaier builds on his Brasserie Beck, Brabo, and Marcel's fame with the new Mussel Bar in Bethesda. Large and airy, Mussel Bar boasts dark wood booths outfitted in leather and rough-hewn tables. The outside patio has a number of large picnic tables, but on Sundays they stops outdoor food service at 3:30 pm (sad). Mussel Bar delivers up huge portions of big-bodied, succulent mussels - eight different varieties, of which some were mediocre, some fabulous. They key is knowing which is which.

My choice, the Spicy Thai with Green Curry (left), was everything I could have dreamed of. When the server whisked the lid off the cast-iron skillet, the cloud of spicy curry heaven instantly made my mouth water. Restrained doses of lemongrass tempered the heat of the green curry so that every bite was rich, buttery and delicious. The mussels seemed to soak up the broth better than any of the other dishes, so every bite was a little flavor bomb of yum. I considered asking for a straw to suck up the remainder of the curry broth, but settled instead for mopping it up with hunks of warm French bread. Magnifique.

However, I took issue with Mr. Wiemaier's limp and anemic fries. Turns out that they are not hand-cut - they're commercially sourced. This is a fail. I recommend that the fry cook take a lesson from Granville Moore's Teddy Folkman on double-frying some authentic Belgian frites. While the trio of dipping mayo's - Old Bayo, a tomato-mayo blend and a garlic mayo - didn't live up to GM's garlic aioli and curry ketchup, the tomato-mayo was surprisingly light. NOTE: I have to amend this entry by adding a kudos for Mussel Bar's sweet potato fries. Oh my word. Imagine thin spears of crispy sweet potato that taste so incredibly sweet you would swear the potatoes had been roasted to a caramelized crisp prior to frying. The sweet potato fries are so incredibly delicious that the dipping mayos become extraneous.

The hubs ordered the Chimay mussels, which were served with Shallots, Garlic and Bacon, and doused in Old Bay seasoning (left). That dish was tasty, but not as flavorful as the green curry.

One of our two partners in dining ordered the Tikka Masala with chicken, bell peppers, and Indian spices. The dish was not as thrilling as I had hoped it would be. Tikka Masala calls to mind thick, rich, creamy Indian goodness. Unfortunately I found the dish lacking - the bell peppers sort of high-jacked the flavor, and the chicken seemed to be an add-on.

Our other partner ordered the Wild Shroom mussels, and they were beautiful. Served with pancetta, parmesan and truffle cream, the dish was phenomenal. The mushrooms were presented in thick, meaty chunks and the broth was heavenly. Apparently it's true, cream makes everything better. This is the dish that I plan to order on any subsequent return trips.

What else does Mussel Bar do well? The restaurant serves up beer with respect. Beermaster Thor Cheston is a god - no pun intended. Aside from the expected Belgian line-up, Thor's selections included Flag Porter, Stone Ruination, and Hitachino Nest Espresso Stout. Prior to pouring the beer, the server presents the label to the diner in a manner typically befitting wine, and the beer is poured so it forms the right percentage of head to body in the glass. It's wonderful to see beer handled with such deference and love.

Overall, Mussel Bar has a great atmosphere and some seriously good mussels. However, some mussel dishes fail to impress. The beer selection is fabulous, and the beverage is presented well. But when I asked our server a question about two porters, she was unable to answer. Moules, frites and bier - Mr. Wiedmaier, you delivered consistently on two of the three. Let's get those frites up to the same standard that you hold your mussels, and let's get your staff rehearsed on the beer list. Otherwise, Granville Moore's will continue to hold the No. 1 Mussel Spot in my heart. 

(Photo credits, top to bottom: 1. mvissat; 2. mvissat; 3. bethesdafoodie.blogspot.com)

Washington Post Fall 2010 Dining Guide

Be sure to grab the October 17th Sunday Washington Post Magazine, which includes Tom Sietsema's latest foodie news. For example, did you know that Central Michel Richard's opening chef Cedric Maupillier was replaced by Arthur Cavaliere, who has been injecting the menu with a more American touch? Againn offers all of its wine bottles for half pric on Mondays and Tuesdays. Jose Andres is increasing his presence by opening two new restaurants in Las Vegas - a large-scale Jaleo and a new concept restaurant, ChinaPoblano, which merges Chinese and Mexican cuisine. Tom names Pizzeria Orso - home of Edan MacQuaid, of 2 Amy's and Pizzeria Paradiso fame - "Washington's best pizza," and Vermilion is adding a six-person chef's table later this year. Lots of things are happening in the D.C. dining scene - be sure to stay in the loop.

Orange Arrow - a retroactive posting

Orange Arrow 
Undisclosed location

A friend requested that I retroactively blog about the Orange Arrow dinner that the hubs and I attended over the summer...

Earlier this year, the Washington Post ran an article detailing the rise of underground dinners in Washington, D.C. One of the dinner groups, the Orange Arrow, sounded promising, especially when after considering their pleasantly snarky list of "rules" that they ask their diners to abide by - e.g., "If you can't/won't eat certain things, this is not for you;" "No crybabies, whiners or buzz kills can come to our party;" and "Don't try to sell your ticket on Craigslist. Failure to show basic decency gets you on the blacklist."

The group was apparently co-founded by a James Beard award-nominated chef (we have reason to believe its Carole Greenwood, of Buck's Fishing and Camping fame). The premise is intriguing - basically, opening up a restaurant in D.C. is tough. It's expensive and competitive, and chefs are often relegated to cooking for the mainstream instead of preparing what they want, how they want. So why not create a truly unlicensed, offbeat experience? Thus the Orange Arrow was born.

So I registered online and two months later received a questionnaire in my Inbox. The Orange Arrow wanted to know, "What is your favorite food and where do you eat it? What is your favorite restaurant and why? When did you last host a dinner and what did you cook?" Apparently my answers were considered satisfactory enough, but I got the "go-ahead" to purchase tickets. We were in.

After the tickets were purchased ($125 pp, ouch) and my PayPal account depleted, we had to wait on further details until the night before the dinner. That was when I received the e-mail with the time and location. The e-mail stated: "This is a rogue restaurant operation. Unexpected things may happen. Company and food will always satisfy!"

The night of the dinner, we were an urban Hansel and Gretel, following orange arrows chalked on the sidewalk. We came upon quite a scene in NW - the loading dock of a storage facility - and people milling everywhere, a giant grill on the sidewalk, and the chef was hard at work cracking lobster tails and shucking oysters. It was an under-the-sea slaughter, with crustacean carcasses and shells everywhere. Long tables were set up and dressed in cloth and mismatched yard sale china. Candles in cups lined all the walls and were dotted up and down the tables.

We checked in with the hostesses, and were promptly split up for assigned seating. My husband and I were fine with this idea, but apparently there was a couple there on a first date that wasn't thrilled. The table mates were all friendly, pleasant, and entertaining, and conversation rolled right along. The theme of the night was simple, fresh, local fare - something I can always get on board with.

Sitting at the table, we were served a small bitter orange aperitif, and then plates of raw oysters and grilled asparagus came around. The waitstaff kept bringing oysters, so I had three or four. I heard later that other tables barely had any - hm (poor work, waitstaff - you lose points for this).

Second course was 1/2 a small grilled lobster tail with some sort of lobster mousse. Somehow the celebrated James Beard award-nominated chef goofed up on this one, and they ran out of lobster tail (more points off). How you run out of a dish after asking people to pay $125 pp, with a confirmed guest list?  Thankfully my husband and I both received a tail.

Third course was a glass cup of what I am guessing to have been asparagus creme (others guessed pea puree?) topped with watercress. The waitstaff served a pleasant rose, but it would have been nice to know the vineyard/vintage (more points off - put out a quickly typed-up menu or wine list!).

Fourth was a grilled beef tenderloin accompanied by chargrilled greens. OK, this was actually delicious, and the waitstaff loaded our plates up with tender, tasty beef. Perhaps this was to make up for screwing so many people on the lobster tail. However, my husband's table was again left without. A few people received only a couple of ounces of meat (again, waitstaff, get yourselves together - points ... points ... ). The course was served with a pinot noir (again, vintage?).

By now some of my husband's tablemates had left in frustration from the lack of lobster tail and lack of beef, so I moved over to his table. Dessert was sliced strawberries, a scone, and fresh cream, served with a mysterious champagne. Somehow there was plenty of champagne to drink.

Overall, our experience was enjoyable, mainly due to the novelty. Unfortunately, this dinner was not something that I would have expected from an "anti-restaurant establishment." While the food was mainly tasty, the horrible service and lack of information was disheartening. Plus the selection of dishes was weak - nothing was particularly adventuresome or "out-of-the-box." Granted, terrific food doesn't have to be avant garde, but when you advertise yourself as rebellious. then I expect a bit more. Verdict - same your money and go to any number of established restaurants instead.

NOTE: Apparently this was the second Orange Arrow hosting - the first was held in an art gallery near the Covention Center, and they served lamb, lentils, etc. - a more Mediterranean theme.

(Photo credit, top to bottom: all photos from Orange Arrow)

Pumpkin - super food, super tasty

So fall has finally descended on the D.C. area and I am thrilled. I know I am not alone in my sentiment that fall is the best season of all time. Not only is the cooler weather a godsend after the oppressive humidity of a D.C. summer, but the food options are richer and more delicious. Caramelized roast veggies, thick cuts of meat, warm frothy drinks and liberal doses of nutmeg, cinnamon and toffee give autumn a far more complex palate than the lighter options of summer. 

And there's pumpkin. Oh. My. God. Pumpkin. Which has a nutrient profile that defines it as a super food. While its chock-full of good stuff, I simply find it super tasty. According to Self magazine's NutritionData entry, pumpkin is "a good source of Vitamin E, Thiamin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Iron, Magnesium and Phosphorous, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Riboflavin, Potassium, Copper and Manganese." And don't forget the beta carotene! Pumpkin is loaded with this cancer-fighting nutrient. 

We should all eat more pumpkin, so I am sharing one of my favorite recipes with you - Morning Pumpkin Coffee Cake, courtesy of Vegetarian Times. I made some slight changes - more pumpkin, less sugar. It's very simple, but the results are very tasty. Enjoy! (Photo credit: mvissat)


Coffee Cake

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 1/2 cups rolled oats

1 Tbs. baking powder

1 Tbs. ground cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter – preferably Kerry Gold

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

3 large eggs, lightly beaten

2 cups fresh or canned pumpkin purée

           

Streusel Topping

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

4 Tbs. butter, melted

To make coffee cake:

Preheat oven to 350F. Coat 10-inch square pan with nonstick spray. You can also use two 4-inch x 8-inch loaf pans. Combine flour, oats, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt in large bowl. Beat butter and sugar in separate bowl until fluffy. Mix eggs and pumpkin into butter mixture. Gradually stir pumpkin mixture into flour mixture. Spread in pan.

To make streusel topping:

Mix all ingredients together until crumbly. Spread on coffee cake.

Bake 1 hour, or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool at least 10 minutes, then slice into squares, and serve.

KOMI has forever ruined food for me ...

KOMI

1509 17th Street, Washington, D.C.


So I finally got to eat at Komi. I've been dying to visit Komi since, well, forever. We just needed the right reason, and our second wedding anniversary fit the bill. Four and a half years together, two years of marriage, and one year as homeowners - I think this all counts as reason to celebrate!

A brief rundown - Komi is owned and operated by wunderkind Johnny Monis, who opened it in 2004 at the age of 24. Named for a beach near his grandmother's house in Greece, Komi originally offered an a la carte menu as well as a fixed-price tasting menu. That all changed last year, when the restaurant went strictly to a fixed-price method ($125 pp). Since then, Monis and Komi have rocketed to fame - the Obamas visited in May 2010 and the restaurant regularly appears on Top Ten lists.

Lots has been written about Komi, so I'll try to fill in the holes. The exterior of Komi is unassuming and does not begin to hint at the magic within. It looks like a kebab takeaway house from the outside. However, stepping inside means entering an intimate dining room filled with candlelight, crisp white tablecloths and rustic wood tables. It's lovely.

On a Tuesday night, dress code was business formal - probably because people had come from their important day jobs as leaders of the free world. There were plenty of suits and well-tailored dresses paired with shawls. But on to the food...

It was amazing. After being seated and ordering a bottle of Rioja ($58, pleasantly peppery and full), we were immediately launched into Johnny's world. The wait staff - amazingly attentive, warm and welcoming - swooped in with the first course. I'll detail everything below.

1. A bite-size puff of steamed brioche topped with salmon and golden trout roe. Salty, sweet, moist, and absolutely butter on the tongue.

2. A trio of house-cured crudo, including a house-cured sardine. Melt-in-my-mouth delicious.

3. Maine Diver Scallops served two ways. One was a thinly sliced carpaccio accompanied by a delicious cream sauce. The other was a bite-size ball of cubed scallop.

4. Alaskan pink salmon belly served in a glass with candied pine nuts and a dollop of shiso sorbet. This was a fabulous medley of flavors and textures - the warm raw salmon, the crunch of the pine nut, and the cool sorbet. Mmmm...

5. A bite of spanikopita. Imagine if everything good about spinach, with its deliciously slightly bitter earthiness, was distilled into one liquid bite, and then placed into a warm toasted breaded cube with feta cheese. This was the spanikopita.

6. Caramelized brussel sprouts accompanied by honeycrisp apple, house-made sheep's cheese, and spring radishes with their greens. The hubs took a bite, looked at me, and said, "Cook that. Please, cook that." As a former hater of brussel sprouts, I was in heaven. I would eat these everyday if I could.

7. The house-cured half smoke. So even though I have lived in DC for five years, I have never eaten a half smoke. Not from Ben's Chili Bowl, not from anywhere. So this was my first experience, and considering how amazing it was, probably my only experience. I mean, what could ever compare? The miniature house half smoke was served on a toasted brioche bun, and topped with house-made pickle relish and spicy mustard. An explosion of flavor in the mouth. Rich, salty, smoky - ridiculous. I do recommend getting a full bite of each component.

8. Mascarpone-stuffed Medjool dates topped with sea salt. The dates were baked to a sugary caramel consistency, and the salt topping served as the perfect foil to the rich sweetness.

9. On to the pasta dish! Agnolotti accompanied by broccoli greens, sausage, and minced keeper pears swimming in a creamy buttery sauce that I considered risking social exile for to lap out of the bowl.

10. And the main course - roasted goat served with house-made pita and a selection of sauces, including taramasalata, a cool delicious tzatziki, a spicy hot sauce, and a fermented cabbage that tasted slightly of cider. I've never had goat before, and this was a beautiful first introduction. Slow roasted so that the skin was crisp and the meat oh so tender that it fell apart as soon as the fork touched it... and accompanied by fluffy pita that was more similar to a pancake and has now reduced all other pita in the world to nothing more than a horrible dried-out flour mat.

11. And the desserts... A palate-cleansing bite of soft caramel topped with sea salt and ringed with a citrus juice. I detected a faint flavor of pine, but that may have been due to the misguided sip of Rioja that I took before sampling the caramel.

12. Frozen baklava, which was presented as a scoop of vanilla ice cream topped with walnuts and a flake of crisped cracker made form phyllo, swimming in a liquid honey pool of deliciousness.

13. A pairing of Greek donuts (fried balls of dough), topped with powdered sugar and sitting on a smear of chocolate peanut butter mousse. The other half of this duo was a pair of fried cheese balls (similar to ricotta?) accompanied by a condensed cubed marmalade.

We finished with a couple of espresso's and the house-made lollipops. The flavor was "red hot" though these had more in common with cinnamon and nutmeg than anything involving red food coloring.

Lastly, Komi sent us home with a small box of tasty crystallized lemon cubes as an anniversary gift. Well, they sent us home with much more - full bellies, a sense of relaxed euphoria, and much lighter wallets.



(Photo credits, top to bottom: 1. wikipedia; 2. DCgluttony.blogspot.com; 3. DCist.com; 4. mvissat).