I can finally...

BREATHE again. Yes, this means I've published the book (a month early too)! Please feel free to take a look a the preview. You never know; it could make a fun holiday gift!

http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/the-epicures-top-10/6099795

For real is it...

December already?! I swear I've been cooking (and snoozing) but haven't had time to write. It's the end of the year again, which means I'm scrambling to get my annual Epicurious restaurant review book written, edited, designed and published. This year I'm highlighting my top 10 favorite restaurants with an honorable mention category, best category, and some of my best food photography. Here is a quick preview! Click on the image to read number 10 on my list.



Cover Preview



Sake Bar Hagi

Stay tuned. HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Sunday night dinner parties...

Have become scant with Cole’s culinary departure to France, but luckily, Chad still enjoys homecooking adventures after a long week of cooking at JG.

After our pizza brunch at Motorino, we took a trek through Bushwick, Brooklyn sight-seeing some of Chad’s favorite treasures. It’s quite a different experience to walk through Brooklyn leisurely. I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve always been wary of venturing outside of Manhattan. I love knowing exactly what direction to head when I exit the subway just by looking at the street and avenue numbers. Brooklyn is different—streets have real names and blocks aren’t always rectangular shapes. However, walking through the borough with my smiling friend really made a difference. The sunshine definitely helped, but Bushwick streets suddenly seemed cheerier and friendlier.

Over the week, Chad had salted some cod for a salt cod brandade (a puree of salt cod, milk and oil) he used to cook at Hugo’s Restaurant back in his hometown Portland, Maine. I was fortunate enough to pop in at the right time. There's an indescribable joy of preparing your own meal and consuming it afterward. There was nothing fancy about it just simple ingredients, simple cooking, and some good chatter while eating over the cutting table. I love this recipe because it's something you can save in a jar and eat over the week as a meal or as a snack with some crackers or bread.

Salt Cod Brandade
Adapted from Hugo's in Portland, Maine

12 oz cod
12 oz potatoes
6 oz extra virgin olive oil
1 bunch thyme
2-3 bay leaves
2 heads garlic, peeled
milk to cover cod
pinch of crushed red peppers

Cover cod in salt for 6-8 hours. Remove salt and dry cod overnight. Roast potatoes in a preheated oven. Combine cod, evoo, thyme, bay leaves, garlic cloves, milk and red pepper flakes in a medium saucepan. Bring cod mixture to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Gently poach until garlic is soft. Strain cod into collander reserving the milk mixture. Slice potatoes length-wise and scoop potatoes into a large bowl tossing the skins. Remove thyme and bay leaves from cod mixture. Add cod mixture to potatoes and mash with hands or a spoon until potato chunks disappear and cod shreds apart. Add milk mixture to adjust consistency. Season to taste. Serve brandade over toasted bread with lemon wedges, red onions, chopped parsley.

Garlic, thyme, olive oil in the pot.

Cod and crushed red peppers for some color!

The cooked product.

Our version of brandade isn't a true puree. Instead, it was mashed with a spoon courtesy of my hands.

Chad and his handy, carpenter roommates literally built a cutting-board-island-table-thing in the middle of their kitchen. It's great because they prepare food right on top and eat over it like a communal table too. Multipurpose, yes!

P.S. This entry is dedicated to Jo-Wei Ann Lin who insisted that I post more often for her office hour entertainment. <3>

The closest person...

I have to a sister is Anita. In some ways, she is my soul mate. In every other way, she is my best friend--honest, loyal and caring. Living across the country hasn't put a damper in our friendship. There are times when it's difficult to stay connected and integrated, but bottom line, I know she's always got my back.

I've been bugging her for years to visit me up in New York, so as a belated birthday present (and probably the best birthday present ever), she finally showed face this past week. I am grateful for the time we spent together. There was a lot of glorious eating including: Chennai Garden, Kefi, Yakitori Torys, Dell'anima, and the Redhead. But, the most special meal was preparing a dinner for her.

We see each other maybe a few days out of the year, so I haven't had much chance to cook for her. Fortunately, we hit the green market this past weekend, and I made a meal reminiscent of Texas. To be honest, I haven't tried much Southern food in New York after my disappointing experiences at the infamously terrible Dallas BBQ and Miss Mammie's Spoonbread Too. I didn't grow up cooking Tex-Mex, but I've certainly eaten enough of it to know the flavors. For Anita's dinner, we prepared carne guisada, a hearty beef stew; roasted summer squash; pico de gallo; Mexican corn on the cob, loaded with mayo, butter, cayenne, lime and cotija; and a refreshing buttermilk peach ice cream.



Summer squash from the farmers' market with some herb goat cheese.



Roasted corn...

Carne Guisada

6 pounds chuck, 1 inch cubes
1 onion, diced
10 cloves garlic, minced
2 serrano peppers, minced
4 tomatoes, diced
1 T curry powder
2 t cayenne pepper
1 T paprika
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1 bay leaf
3 cups water
18 oz Brooklyn Brown Ale

Season beef. Brown beef in a large sauce pan over medium heat. Reserve. Sweat onion, garlic and pepper. Add tomatoes, curry powder, cayenne, paprika, cilantro, bay leaf, water and beer. Turn up the heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 6-7 hours until liquid has reduced and beef falls apart. Serve with tortilla, pico de gallo and sour cream.



Flavoring the stew!



Carne guisada in the process...



Carne guisada about to become a tortilla roll.



Giant cookies from Levain bakery!



Buttermilk peach ice cream with honey and almonds



A few of my diners!

Anita, I wish I could remember one of those lovely quotes from Shantaram, but I'll leave the quoting to you. Thank you for visiting. I love you. Six years and counting!

I love my mom...

and I love Sunday night dinners with my new friends from Jean Georges. I am thankful to be included in our weekly gatherings at one of our homes for delicious, home cooked meals and nights of wonderful company. This Sunday was finally my turn, and let me just say, I was so nervous (almost dreading) cooking for people who are some pretty spectacular cooks. Long story short, the food was gone by the end of the night, bellies were successfully fed, and I could finally breathe again.

I think all of us have a soft spot for our mothers' cooking--it's always unbeatable. Lately, I've been really missing mom. She went through minor surgery and is recovering, but please pray for her.

I miss the comfort of eating a bowl of her noodles and seeing her smiling face. So Sunday's home cooked meal at my apartment was a tribute to my mother. Although I normally leave the Chinese cooking to her, I attempted to make her tasty bean paste noodles and three cups chicken.

On the menu for the night: bean paste noodles, three cups chicken, pickled vegetable, tofu with 1000 year old egg, kimchee, egg tarts, red bean soup with sticky sesame balls, rainer cherries and lychees.



A simple cold dish often served as a side in my home--soft tofu with 1000 year old egg, soy paste and some scallions.



Bean Paste Noodle

24 oz fresh knife cut noodless
8 oz bean paste
8 oz can hoisin
sesame oil
2 teaspoons ginger, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
16 oz lean ground pork
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 japanese cucumber, julienned
16 oz bean sprouts

Cook noodles in a medium pot of boiling water until al dente. Mix together bean paste and hoisin. In a hot pan, swirl in oil. Add ginger and garlic and stir-fry until fragrant. Add pork stir-fry breaking the meat into small chunks with a spatula. Scrape in bean paste mixture and continue cooking for another 2 minutes. Drain noodles and toss with sesame oil. Serve with a nice portion of noodles, a laddle of sauce and top with strips of cucumber and bean sprouts.



Three Cup Chicken

1 cup sesame oil, divided in half
4.5 pound chicken, chopped
8 cloves garlic, chopped
10 pieces sliced ginger, julienned
1 cup light soy sauce
1 cup white rice wine
1/4 cup white sugar
2 springs fresh Thai basil

Heat 1/2 cup of the sesame oil in a large pot. Stir-fry chicken pieces until lightly brown and crisp on the outside, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add garlic and ginger and stir-fry for another minute. Pour in remaining sesame oil, soy sauce, and rice wine. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and let simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in white sugar and continue reducing until chicken is tender. Stir in Thai basil and simmer.

I had an obsession with rainer cherries as I was growing up. They're not only pretty but also delicious.



Lychees from Chinatown, $4 for 2lbs!



Homemade red bean soup with sticky sesame balls from Chinatown.



I'll have to agree with Chad that Egg Custard King still makes the best egg tarts, but Tai Pan Bakery makes some pretty tasty ones too.



Some of my guests: Danny, Beka, Kathy, Marcos, Brian and Chad.

Thank you to everyone who came for dinner. I loved seeing your faces. And mom-dad, I wish y'all were here too!