Steaktastic

My friend Carlota is working at Angelo & Maxie's --it's a classy steakhouse conveniently located near Union Square. I didn't let the 'classy' thing stop me, though, and dropped in one Saturday with my friend Sara. Carlota had been telling me for some time about their 3-course prix fixe deal, and I decided now was the time to go for it.

For 20.99, you get a salad (or French Onion Soup for 1.50 extra), entrée and dessert. Sara & I both got the Caesar, though I opted for mine with anchovies on the side. Here's the thing--I know they offer incredible depth of flavor and tang to recipes, but I need to NOT KNOW they are there. If you make me dressing with anchovies in it (not too many, now, there is such a thing as too fishy), I will eat it and enjoy it. But if you give me the option of NOT putting them in there, then yeah, I will wimp out and ask for them on the side. And then see their hairy fishiness and not use them at all. Sometimes I'm lame like that. The salad, however, was delicious and HUMUNGOUS.

For the entrée, we both chose the filet mignon. I chose it au poivre (crusted in black peppercorns), and Sara chose it plain. We ordered them medium rare, and they came out quickly and were cooked to perfection. This was steak perfection. Oh my goodness. I savored every single delicious, buttery bite. The pepper was hard core--I felt the burning all the way into my ears (a good thing, trust me)! I ate half the
steak there, taking my sweet time with each wonderful bite, and wrapped the other half to take home.

We each got a glass of Malbec. Carlota recommended it highly, so of course we took her at her word. Sara & I have had similar experiences with Malbecs: we've had some great ones, we've had some AWFUL ones. This one, the Colores del Sol, was fantastic. It was light, puckery, and perfect with the steak. Later that night when I went home, I was flipping through old foodie mags (trying to get rid of clutter), and I spotted the same wine being touted as a winning pick for reds. I couldn't agree more!

Then the time came for dessert. Oh, the cheesecake. The dense, tangy, New York style cheesecake, with a drizzle of intensely flavorful raspberry sauce. I am so glad I ordered this. It was rich, it was satisfying, it was exactly how I like my cheesecake. I shared a few bites with Sara, who was being good and getting the fruit, then I packed the rest up for the next day (and I promise you, I finished it the next day).

This deal is beyond excellent. The portions are fantastic, the food is delicious, and the staff (aka Carlota) is superb. You might even have enough to take home for later (the cheeky little cow below is from my take-home bag)! If you're in there for this deal, make sure to belly up to the bar and take care of your bartender--cuz she'll take care of you! Thanks again, Carlota, for taking such good care of US!

Tastes Like Home

One of my all-time favorite dishes is Chicken Tarragon. My mom made this a lot as I was growing up, and whenever my birthday would roll around, this is what I'd ALWAYS request. It's basically chicken breasts in a sauce with white wine, shallots, and cream. YUM. My mom would crack open her thick, blue New York Times cookbook and soon the kitchen would be warm and welcoming with that trademark aroma of my favorite dish. I love this cookbook so much that I tracked down copies on Ebay for both my sister and me years ago. As soon as my copy arrived, I scrambled to the index and looked up the recipe for Tarragon Chicken (as they call it--it's on page 189 if you're reading along at home). I made it on my own, didn't even call my mom for help (it was an "I'm a big girl now" moment), and when I took the first bite and realized it was (almost) as good as my mom's, I was exceedingly proud of myself.

This dish is all about the shallots and the tarragon, IMO. I feel like tarragon gets neglected in favor of basil, oregano, etc, but I highly encourage you to try it. It's a very subtle, earthy flavor that is hard to describe...yet highly recommended. As for shallots, don't get me started on how awesome these babies are. I picked out a beauty and put it through my awesome chopper. Sometimes a gal feels like dicing on her own, and sometimes she feels like giving the chopper a cathartic whack and doing it in one fell swoop.

I made this for ABF on Valentine's Day, but it didn't come out quite right, as my pantry was not completely stocked. When my friend Kwame came over the other week, I was ready to go. I made this for us, told him the history of this dish, and he summed it up quite perfectly. He said "I can see why this is a favorite.. it tastes like home." I paused and said "You are exactly right!" To me it definitely tastes like home. I vividly remember my mom always put the dish, and the abundance of sauce (this dish is all about the sauce) in a big white ceramic tureen-type dish, keeping the lid on until the last moment to keep it piping hot. That's the next step, I suppose: I gotta get one of those dishes!

It's pretty easy, actually--I've made this enough lately that I can now do it without constantly consulting the book! I've also consulted the book enough that it automatically opens to that recipe on page 189. ;)

Chicken Breasts with Tarragon
From the New York Times Cook Book by Craig Claiborne (published 1961 by Harper & Row)
3 whole chicken breasts, deboned, halved (I used 3 boneless skinless ones myself)
salt & freshly-ground pepper
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup butter
1 Tablespoon chopped shallots (I used more like 1/4 cup!)
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 tsp fresh chopped tarragon or 1/2 teaspoon dried
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup heavy cream (I used half and half)

Season the breasts with salt and pepper, dredge in flour (save leftover flour for later in dish).
In large, hot skillet, add 3 tablespoons of butter and brown the chicken on both sides. Transfer to another plate, keep warm. Add shallots to skillet and sauté briefly, add wine.
Cook mixture over high heat until nearly evaporated, scraping up brown bits stuck to pan.
Add remaining flour and stir to make thick paste. Sprinkle in tarragon, add chicken broth.
Return chicken to skillet, cover and cook until tender (about 25 minutes on low heat). Transfer chicken to heated platter, keep warm. Add rest of butter and cream to skillet, stir.

Pour sauce over chicken (I made quinoa and mushrooms to go with it) and ENJOY!

The Newes from America

Another overdue post now on some Vacation Eats: A must-eat stop on ABF's list for Martha's Vineyard is The Newes from America, a cozy, welcoming pub just steps from the Edgartown harbor. We stopped by there last year and grabbed a late-night snack. This year we planned ahead better and stopped by for dinner on a cold, windy night (obviously the sign pic was snapped at another time ;)

It was pretty empty when we walked in--it was the tail end of Thanksgiving weekend and most people had cleared out already--so we had our pick of tables. We grabbed one right by the roaring fireplace--delightful! It smelled and sounded awesome...smoky and crackling and just the thing for a cold (and I mean COLD) winter's night.

We had tried the chowder.. I mean CHOWDAH..here last year, and we both jumped on the chance to have it again. There was no sharing this time--we each got our own. The bacon on top was crunchy and crispy, but honestly, I would have been happy without it, too. Just a crank or 2 of fresh-cracked black pepper is all this dish needs. So good!

Kevin ordered the steak frites, and this smelled scrumptious. He let me try a bite, and it was fantastic--lightly seasoned, just some salt, pepper, and perfectly-cooked meat. The frites weren't bad, either.

I can't explain what made me pick the chicken sandwich--probably the promise of melted pepper jack cheese and a chipotle sauce. I had NO idea this sandwich would be so outstanding. I gave ABF a bite, and he was impressed, too. This place takes what could be bland, basic pub fare, and makes it memorable. This chicken sandwich was DELICIOUS...it could have been a boring, unseasoned grilled chicken breast, but instead it was a savory, lip-smacking, peppery-cheesy bit of pub food perfection.

We were on the border of happily fed and almost stuffed, but we decided to split a dessert. I can't remember what we first picked, but I know I was looking forward to it, only to find out they'd run out (this is what happens when I don't take enough notes AND wait 2 months to post!) We settled on a butterscotch (sorry, I said toffee earlier) parfait that came topped with crumbled toffee pieces (yum) and layered with crumbled graham crackers--this would have been better if the graham crackers had been the kind coated in cinnamon-sugar. The flat, unseasoned graham crackers were a little bit stale...not so much a win. The butterscotch flavor was good but not great. Not terrible, but definitely not worth the splurge.

Dessert dissatisfaction aside, you can't beat the Newes for its atmosphere, its location, and overall, its food! We had come here the night before for a drink and chatted with the bartender, who was also our server this night. He chatted with us at length the night before, and recognized us that evening, too and made us feel quite welcome. I can definitely see why this has always been on ABF's 'must-visit' list...and I hope we visit them again soon!

Sure-Fire Short Ribs

I had this recipe in my DVR for months, but did not yet a own Dutch Oven or any other cookware I could take from stovetop to oven. Then I got THIS beautiful baby (super on-sale and bought with a birthday gift card-WIN!) and it was ON. My friends at FreshDirect.com put short ribs on sale, and it was as if the whole world was telling me 'make the dish, already!' Okay, okay!

This recipe really is super simple, though it might seem like a lot of steps. The first step is to season the short ribs with salt and freshly-cracked black pepper. I put them in the dutch oven (which had a thin layer of olive oil coating the bottom) and browned them on all sides. This took 8-10 minutes--watch out for spitting oil, and keep those tongs at the ready!

Once the meat browned, I set it aside and add the chopped onions and garlic to the dish (I was out of garlic the first time so I used shallots--just as delicious!) You don't need to worry about a uniform chop, either-this is all going in a blender soon. Use a non-abrasive tong or wooden spoon to scrape up those yummy brown bits stuck to the bottom. This part smells SO GOOD!!

Once I sweated the onions and garlic, I added the whole canned tomatoes (Giada says to cut them--I didn't even bother, just breaking them apart a bit with my tongs) and 2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard. I think I might go with 3 next time, FYI. I swirled it all together and added the red wine, bringing it all to a boil. Once I reached the boil, I carefully added the short ribs and tucked them all neatly in the pot.

This goes into the oven for about 2 1/2 hours. When the meat falls off the bone, it's done. Your whole house will smell quite scrumptious. I removed the meat, shredded it, and set it aside. I took about half of the sauce/stew mixture and puréed it in my mini-prep processor. Then I put everything back in the pot and let it simmer a few minutes more.

I boiled some whole-wheat penna pasta, and topped it with generous portions of this dish, added a dusting of finely shredded Parmesan cheese, and a sprinkling of fresh, chopped parsley. Add a simple green salad and some homemade garlic bread (made with day-old bread I got at the bakery next-door!) and you're good to go. This. Meal. Rocks. I've already made it three times in the past 2 months---and it feeds Kel & me for dinner, then I get at least two more servings after that, all for less than 15 bucks! I also find it very soothing to set about cleaning my kitchen, folding laundry, or catching up on the phone with friends while this tender dish comes to be in my oven. Now that I'm comfortable making it, I think I will start mixing up the herbage and whatnot--this definitely goes in the 'favorites' pile!

Street Meat: 2010

I got an early-morning call last week, asking me to come to work a few hours earlier and fill in for a sick coworker. I live in Brooklyn, which means I'm about an hour from where our studio is, and that meant I had to get my butt out of bed IMMEDIATELY, take a 2-minute shower, and hit the bricks. I hadn't prepared my lunch the night before, so I found myself walking back to the office (at a different location than the studio) and hearing my stomach grumble like crazy.

At first I tried to tell myself I'd just finish work early and go home to eat, but even I knew I was kidding myself. An hour or two always turns into 4 or 5, and considering I'd skipped breakfast, too, that was too darn long to go without eating. The cab let me out at the corner of 49th and 6th, and I managed to walk past the first 2 food carts before the 3rd finally won me over. If you've ever walked past these in NYC, you know how good they smell. Yum.

The cart owner was quite friendly and asked what I wanted, then made some friendly small talk. I appreciate a cheerful food vendor! I opted for the curried (I think?) chicken platter. It came over rice and salad, and I opted for both the white (creamy) and red (FIERY HOT!) sauces. Yum. It cost me a grand total of 5 bucks, too, so I'm marking this under Cheap Eats.

I hustled up to my floor and flipped open the container, inhaling the myriad spices and steam. Sooo delicious, and I hadn't taken my first bite! Then I did , and then I took another, and another, and another. I couldn't believe how good this was. No stringy, fatty pieces, and that red sauce was freaking HOT. YIPES. Thankfully, the lettuce and cabbage mix was there to cool off the tastebuds. Next time I'll have to ask what they guy calls his stand, so I can refer to it as something other than "that cart with the green sandwich boards." Either way, you should give it a try next time you're in the area!

Chat 'n' Chew

It's been a while since I've brunched, so when Holly P rounded up some troops a few weeks ago, ABF & I met up with them near Union Square. We hit up Chat and Chew, a restaurant I'd frequented often in the past. It had been years, though, since my last visit, so I was game to hit it up again.

We met early (for brunch, anyway), just after 11am on the 16th street location. I'd never been here for brunch, just dinner (their macaroni and cheese is famous, and for delicious reason). The decor is very kitschy, nostalgic, and anything else you want to call it: Fiestaware pitchers line a shelf on one wall, old-time slogans and posters are up all around, collectible train sets and soda bottles and just about everything else are all over. It makes for some interesting scenery.

The brunch menu was overwhelming to me--so many choices (and yes, the mac and cheese is available then, too). I finally settled on a frittata, even though I don't normally LIKE them. It was the special--and it came with smoked salmon, baby spinach, and goat cheese. Trifecta! Beth L also ordered the same thing, and she was definitely a factor in my choosing--I was hemming and hawing until the last moment, but oh was this worth it. Unlike most frittatas I've had, this one was thin, light, and not at all heavy. It was delicious. Just enough food to fill you up without making you feel like you needed an 8-hour nap.

ABF ordered the blueberry pancakes. I tried a bite, and the sauce was fantastic, but the pancakes themselves were a bit heavy and tough--I think someone definitely worked this batter a little too long. I would suggest you not order these--ABF was definitely not a fan, and neither was I.

They had an interesting list of cocktails, including a beer mimosa (Miller Lite and orange juice)! Two of the guys in our group ordered this and seemed to really like it. It was not a mimosa kind of morning to me (and I'm not really a beer drinker), so I just stuck to coffee, but they did have an extensive list of boozy brunch drinks!

While the food was good, but not great, the company was outstanding. We laughed uproariously more than once as we all caught up on each others' lives, and there were a few moments where I know we were the loudest table in the room, but we were having so much fun I just didn't care. That was a great couple of hours--thanks to Holly P for organizing it!

Another nice perk to eating here--you are just steps from Union Square, excellent for people AND dog-watching. :)

Casa Calamari

Don't let the garish display of Christmas-like lights deter you--Casa Calamari is a good spot for some hearty Italian fare, perfect for a cold winter's night (as it was last Friday). That's where Kel & I ended up the other night, and it was well worth the 5 minute walk in the whipping winter winds.

We got one of our favorite salads: the mozzarella and tomato. It came out ASAP, and it was delicious. It had the softest, most flavorful bites of mozz, tossed in herbs and coated with just the lightest layer of olive oil and balsamic. YUM. For once, Kel enjoyed the tomatoes more than I did, but overall we both loved this dish. I could have eaten these mozz bites all day! We took home the leftovers and noshed on them for a few more days--they just got even better. Soooooo good.

Kel is not a real seafood fan, but she does enjoy calamari, so we shared an appetizer. This has to be one of the biggest plates o' calamar' (as they say in Brooklyn, yo) I've ever seen. It came out after we got the salad...so maybe I just wasn't as hungry, but I only ate 4 or 5 pieces. I love the little tentacles, and Kel is absolutely skeeved by them, so I enjoyed those happily while she stuck to the rings. It was just good, not great. I guess I expected a little more considering their NAME has "calamari" in it. We ate a little bit of this and then wrapped it up to go, but I did not go back for more of this once we took it home.

For my entrée, I ordered their ravioli. You get 7 or 8 ravioli for about 9 bucks. Normally I would say "Hey, I can buy a whole bag for 2 bucks and enjoy these at home," but I just really really wanted something soft, cheesy, and soul-warming. These ravioli were just the thing. They were perfectly cooked, decently filled but not overstuffed, and the sauce had this strong but sweet garlic flavor to it. Yum. This sauce was great. Simple, super smooth, and garlicky without being overpowering. Absolutely worth it.

Kel grabbed pizza for her entree--just your basic plain cheese slice. I didn't try hers, but I can tell you that if you're ever wandering past Casa Calamari on 3rd Avenue, stop at their walk-up window (posted below, with tables outside for standing and eating) and get a slice of their square, thin-crust pieces. Holy Moley, you'll swear you're back in Napoli (where I've had some of the best pizza EVER).

A great buy at this place? Their carafe of house red wine is a mere 17 dollars--not much more than the cost of a single glass at many Manhattan eateries. It was more than enough for the two of us as we toasted the beginning of a new Year, which got off to a bit of a rough start for us both. We still remain hopeful, because with family and friends supporting you, you're already on your way.

Happy 2010!