Another post...

[Del Posto -- seared lamb tenderloin with sea cucumber]

in less than a month--that's a record! This one is inevitable. I'm breaking my rule and posting about a meal I ate and not a meal I made.

My meal at Del Posto was undeniably the best lunch deal I've had in Manhattan. You could really spend a small fortune at Del Posto for dinner, but a $29 3-course lunch prix fixe during the week will give you a pretty awesome taste of the restaurant's full menu. Trekking to Del Posto in Chelsea was quite a huff, but really, a plate of amuse bouche, the tastiest bread basket with whipped lardo and sweet butter, 2-courses, beautifully plated dessert, and a box full of sweet goodies? Why the **** not?!!

Kathy and I have talked about getting together for this meal forever and thank goodness we finally did. Here's the photo low down...



Amuse bouche: Stracciatella (Italian egg drop soup), Saffron veal-cheek suppli, Mortadella in pastella



I like the gold dust touch on the suppli or mini risotto croquettes with stringy cheese.



Mortadella in pastella tasted like a whipped mortadella mousse in puff pastry.



A basket of warm breads: Focaccia, Olive Bread, Baguettes, and Salted Grissini



First course: roasted autumn vegetables with robiola sformato and truffled hazelnuts



Secound course: Garganelli al Ragu Bolognese



Second course: Orecchiette with Lamb Neck Sausage, Cherry Peppers and Broccoli Rapini



Dessert: Chestnut Cake Warm Plum Macedonia, Crushed Chestnuts, Yogurt Gelato



Dessert: Chocolate Ricotta Tortino, Toasted Sicilian Pistachios, Extra Virgin Olive Oil Gelato



The Freebie (Thanks!): Fennel Ricotta Cheesecake, Rhubarb in Orange-Vanilla Syrup



Box of mignardises: Dark Chocolate Olive Oil Gelato with Toasted Breadcrumbs, Warm Bomboloni with Lemon-Vanilla Crema, Candied Pineapples, Roasted Dates with Blue Cheese, Rice Paper Wrapped Caramels, Dehydrated Grapefruit with Caramel and Amaretti Crumbs, Chocolate Dipped Honeycomb with Pistachio, Lemon-Polenta Crostata with Dried Cherries



Dark Chocolate Olive Oil Gelato with Toasted Breadcrumbs, Warm Bomboloni with Lemon-Vanilla Crema



Mignardises: Rice Paper Wrapped Caramels, Dehydrated Grapefruit with Caramel and Amaretti Crumbs, Chocolate Dipped Honeycomb with Pistachio, Lemon-Polenta Crostata with Dried Cherries

So yes, if that made you hungry, call for reservations now! For more photos, please click here.

Long overdue...

but Happy (belated) Birthday to Mom! Trips back to Texas usually mean an increase in hours of sleep. My trip at the end up January was meant no such thing, but seeing my family and catering mom's birthday was worth it. We ended up doing a filet mignon demonstration with individual plates of h'orderves and a homemade black sesame cake. Because family was also visiting from Taiwan, we had many sets of extra hands to help in the kitchen!

On the menu
...
Curried corn wontons, chives, coconut broth
Smoked salmon, shallot cream cheese, sunflower cracker
Lump crab toast, red pepper, chives, sesame, challah
...
Filet mignon, rosemary butter, rosemary crumbs
...
Black sesame cake, red bean paste, black sesame cream cheese

Curried Corn Wontons

1 bag frozen sweet corn
1/2 cup light mayo
1 tsp curry powder
1/3 cup panko crumbs
1 package thin wonton skins
4 fl oz coconut milk
3 fl oz water
1 tsp lime juice
2 T sugar
pinch of salt
canola oil for frying

Make sure corn is defrosted. In a big bowl, combine corn, mayo, curry powder, and panko for the filling. Prepare a small bowl with water. Place a small teaspoon size dollop of curried corn filling in the center of a wonton skin. Lightly wet the outer edge of the wonton skin. Delicately squeeze the wonton skin together forming a little pouch with filling. Place wontons on a flat sheet tray and cover with dampened towel to prevent over-drying. In a small sauce pan, heat coconut milk, water, lime juice until just boiling. Add sugar and a pinch of salt to taste. Remove from heat and keep lukewarm. Heat a deep pot with canola oil for frying. Place wontons into hot oil and let them fry until perfectly golden. Remove from oil and drain grease on paper towels. For presentation, tie long strands of chives around the wontons. Place some coconut broth in a shallow dish and top with one fried wonton.



Our snackable h'orderves.



Filet mignon demonstration, sliced, medium rare.



The party-goers!



And for dessert...



Mom, pop, me. :]

Thanks to Angela, Vicky, Uncle and Auntie! Other recipes available upon request. Also, look who's in the New York Times!