Bailey's Irish Cream - Not Only For Drinking

My father was given Bailey's Irish Cream as a birthday gift. Only problem, nobody in our family drinks Baileys; so in order to get rid of the Bailey's my mother and I have decided that we should find "inventive" ways to use it in desserts.

Sometimes I'm just not in the mood to bake, and last week it was so hot outside that I really didn't want to turn on the oven in my apartment but I wanted a dessert that wasn't ice cream. One of my standby's when I don't want to turn on the oven is Tiramisu. I had Bailey's and heavy cream in the fridge so I figured I'd run to Whole Foods and get some ladyfingers and mascarpone and make a Tiramisu.

When I got to Whole Foods the strawberries were on sale so I picked up a container, and then got this idea to make a strawberry dessert incorporating the ladyfingers soaked in the Bailey's. I didn't purchase the mascarpone, because I wanted to do a "play" on strawberries and cream (a dish that I absolutely adore in the summertime and it was literally 90 degrees outside). I ended up combining the heavy cream with a little creme fraiche and made this really good and refreshing dessert!

Recipe:
1 pint of heavy cream
1 package of Strawberries (thinly sliced)
a cup of Bailey's Irish Cream
1/3 cup of Confectioners Sugar
1/4 cup of creme fraiche
bittersweet chocolate shavings

Whip the heavy cream with the sugar, 30 seconds before you stop whipping add the creme fraiche and whip into the whipped heavy cream.
Take 1/3 of the lady fingers and soak each for about 30 seconds in the Bailey's. Then layer them in one layer in a baking pan. Spread the cream over the lady fingers, and spread the strawberries over the cream. Repeat all steps twice, except the top layer will only have cream and no strawberries. Let sit in the fridge at least 4 hours (preferably overnight), and then sprinkle the cream with the chocolate shavings and serve.

Herbs and the Food Processor

Yesterday I went to a BBQ at a dear friends house. He chose to grill skirt steaks (churrasco) which is often accompanied with chimichurri which is kind of like a South American pesto.

When we picked up the groceries for the BBQ I suggested that we make a chimichurri to go along with the churrasco. After we got back to his place and I began to prep I asked for the food processor so that I could make the chimichurri. The food processor is second on my list of kitchen necessities (a close second to my knives). When my friend told me that he didn't have a food processor I had a temporary panic. I've become so accustomed to the food processor that I actually sat for about 30 seconds wondering how I was going to make the chimichurri without it. Then I said to myself "Lea, don't be ridiculous...for hundreds of years before the food processor people were making chimichurri. Use a knife!"...and that's what I did. Guess what? By not using the food processor the flavor of the herbs in the chimichurri were enhanced! Food processors dull herbs, and reduce their quality because they become bruised...the level of control of the size of the individual ingredients (and therefore texture) of your sauce is also removed. I did a tiny dice of all of the ingredients and combined them in a bowl!!!! WOW! this was the best chimichurri I've ever made.

Recipe

Chop the following very finely and add to a bowl
1 bunch of parsley
1/2 bunch of cilantro
8 cloves of garlic
1/2 medium sized red onion (or 1/4 large red onion)

Add to the above
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
juice and zest of 2 lemons
4-6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste.

The Promised Land AKA Iron Horse Grill in Pleasantville

I've just returned from the "promised land", and no it wasn't a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, or a trip to the local church or Synagogue...I just got back from Iron Horse Grill in Pleasantville (Westchester County) and now I will have all of the religious fanatics screaming that I committed Blasphemy. But in all honesty there is no other way to explain the experience.

I first dined at Iron Horse Grill during this past Hudson Valley Restaurant Week and I heard from word of mouth that Iron Horse was one of the best. As I stated in my blog post back in March, I was so blown away that I made another reservation while still dining. But that experience didn't prepare me in the least for the treat that I was in for tonight. Overall this was one of the best dining experiences that I've ever had, and I'm no stranger to the NY restaurant scene.

We got the $49 prix fixe (which is any appetizer, entree and dessert and a steal considering the quality of food). I have to break down this meal course by course (which I never do because it makes blog posts too long, but to not explain in detail wouldn't do this experience justice).

For appetizers we had the salmon "sliders", timbale of peaky toe crab, seared diver scallops and Duck confit salad.

First the Sliders - soft but crunchy toasted brioche, perfectly cured salmon, smooth and well seasoned spread...AWESOME! So good that my father (who puts hot sauce on absolutely everything) refused to put hot sauce on them...as a matter of fact this is the first time in history that he didn't put hot sauce on anything at all, his entire meal was hot sauce free...and this is really significant, because the man even puts hot sauce on french toast!
The crab - I can barely speak, the sweetness of the tarragon coupled with the saltiness of the caviar, and then the smooth texture of the avocado with the crunch of the sweet corn and the freshness and sweetness of the crab all rolled into one, and then there was what seemed like a chive aioli with tomato garnishing the plate as an "accent" ...simply brilliant and it just popped in your mouth.
The Scallops - okay so scallops and shrimp are a major pet peeve for me. Nothing is more irritating to me than an over cooked scallop or shrimp, it clearly states a lack of attention to detail by the line (or God forbid the chef)...I'm such a stickler that I dedicated an entire blog post to the issue. Well my mother gave me a bite of her scallop, and it was perfectly crusted (seared) on the outside and melt in your mouth soft inside, and so sweet...just perfect! Bravo to chef McGrath and his team.
Duck Confit salad- ok so the duck was perfect, but to me that wasn't the star of this show...what made this dish so incredibly special was the celery root...ok pause yes you read this properly, celery root! A vegetable that is often overlooked and I often just dismiss because I'm not very fond of it. Chef McGrath julienned the celery root, and then added (what I think was) dijon mustard, mayo, celery seed, salt, white wine (or wine vinegar) salt and pepper and created this slaw that was OUT OF THIS WORLD! I was swooning...so simple but just so good.

Entrees equally innovative and spot on!
Duck - perfectly cooked and not tough, well spiced and the rhubarb chutney was lovely, a perfect combination of sweet and sour. The forbidden rice was out of this world...spicy at first and then it plays tricks on your taste buds because the finish is sweet!
Rack of Lamb (pictured above) - also perfectly cooked, and incredible presentation but the star here was the polenta, firm on the outside but pudding soft center, and the apricot and black (I think kalamata) olive tapenade was brilliantly placed on top of the soft polenta, so when I took a bite of the polenta and tapenade and lamb together I had sweet and salty and sour and chewy and firm and soft all hitting my palate at once...oh yes then I picked up the bone and tried to hide in the corner as I was chewing and gnawing like a yard dog!
Pork Porterhouse (also pictured above) - is there a need to critique here? Pork should be a food group! And as a porter house it was so succulent and the crisp onion rings that were not remotely greasy and the homemade steak sauce (this isn't your A-1 happening here, no sir!) and the gorgonzola potatoes, ok gorgonzola with anything is amazing! And to pair it with the "homely" potato really rounded out the flavor of the whole dish.
Dessert -
I have to be honest here, I ran out of steam so I didn't have the blueberry cobbler (though after my father was done with it, there was no need to run the plate through the dishwasher). I only had a tiny bite of the Chocolate Marquis, but it's a super rich chocolate lovers dream (and it was really decadent and I might order it in a couple of weeks LOL!). I did manage to indulge in the dried cherry bread pudding...AMAZING! The cherries were the perfect slightly sour complement to the sweet molasses and pecan ice cream, so the sweetness wasn't overpowering. The pudding was firm and warm and lovely. A perfect end to a perfect meal.

All in all, Chef Philip McGrath, his wife Catherine (who manages the front of the house) and his team get it! They balance elegant and comfortable perfectly. Chef McGrath doesn't skimp on quality and most of all he really cares about his product and has pride in everything he does. There is passion and love in his food, his staff and his restaurant...that passion and love comes from the heart and can't be orchestrated. From the minute you step into the space you feel like an old friend, and the level of care that is extended is so genuine you just want to come back again and again...and we will be doing just that!

Yes, You Can Drink Red Wine With Fish

If you’ve ever been to a restaurant that has a menu that recommends wine pairings, you will notice that red wine is rarely paired with fish. And if it is, it’s the lightest Burgundy (or Pinot Noir) that the Sommelier can find. But we are always told that we should put more fish and chicken in our diets, which I am diligently doing in my constant quest to be more health conscious and it’s the red wine that has all of the antioxidants.

Listening to the wine pairing “philosophy,” you don’t pair fish with red wine, therefore diminishing the total “wellness” experience of your meal. For me, I know if I’m going to eat something healthy I want to feel like I’m getting the whole experience; therefore I want to drink something with health benefits too. This is not to discredit the benefits of water (but this is a blog post about wine!!) or to diminish how well a great Sancerre or Chardonnay pairs with fish. Honestly, in the summer there is nothing better, which explains how my desire for a white wine generally outshines my desire for the value of antioxidants. But in the winter, or when I just feel like a glass (or two) of red, I want to know that I can have that red wine without sacrificing the flavor of the fish.

My palate likes heavy wines, so the Pinot Noir family of wines generally won’t do, but a really heavy red will overpower the delicacy of most fish dishes so I’ve found some great alternatives: Nebbiolo from Italy, some Spanish Tempranillos or a Cotes de Rhone from France in the old world wines for me tend to not overpower fish dishes…and believe it or not, there are red wines often labeled as “table wines” right here in the Finger Lakes region of NY State that are not overpowering and relatively inexpensive; they pair really well with fish and are actually quite universal. Lamoreaux Landing Estate Red, and Bully Hill Baco Noir are two that come to mind. All in all, wine is so palate specific, I have learned not to be intimidated, nor do I follow the rules…there is only one rule that I stick to, which is try them all and drink what I like when I want it!

Clam Pizza???!!!

Last night I went to the Famous Frank Pepe's Pizzeria that has been featured time and again on the Food Network and Travel Channel. Coming from the Bronx I'm very opinionated. I think that the mom and pop pizza shops from the Bronx have the best pizza in the world and I'm quick to make a judgment about pizza joints that are "chains". I want my pizza crisp, and thin, with only a few toppings and I want to be able to neatly fold my pizza to eat it.

Frank Pepe's Pizzeria only has 2 things on the menu; brick oven pizza and salad. They have their tomato pizza with mozzarella and list toppings that can be added and a few specialty pizza's, including their Clam Pizza. I love clams, and I love cheese...but I generally have an aversion to cheese with seafood, it just doesn't go together. But I ordered the clam pizza because the waitress said it was really good and I was intrigued. It was AMAZING! The crust was super thin, crispy and slightly charred in a good way. The clams were large, and chewy but tender and the garlic was the perfect complement. And the cheese, well it just worked. No sauce, just mozzarella and not overwhelming, the perfect amount with oregano sprinkled over it. This pizza is really addictive and I will be returning again and again!

I've learned a lesson from this, if done properly seafood can be paired with cheese, the experience might have opened up a new culinary path for me. Stay tuned for recipes combining seafood and cheese.

It's all about the Struffoli

Struffoli are an Italian honey ball dessert that I (and now my cat Kobe as well) have been addicted to since I was about 6 years old. They are usually made around Christmas time and if you go to Little Italy in the Bronx every bakery has them...But they are not all created equal. A good struffoli is a perfect balance between crunch, airiness, stickiness (from the honey) and a hint of lemon. A bad struffoli can be too cake like or heavy, no lemon, under saturated or over saturated with honey or worst of all not crunchy, so tasting like a stale cookie.

Artuso Bakery on 187th street in Little Italy (near Arthur Ave) has the best struffoli hands down! And they are one of the few bakeries that also make it for Easter! I'm so happy because I've been eating them for the past week. For all those in search of the best struffoli, your search is officially over. The struffoli mecca is at Artuso's.

Wine...A Diet Drink

Today it was beautiful outside, one of the first beautiful Spring days which means for me a perfect excuse for spending the day going from one outdoor restaurant to another sampling wine and food. I started out at the new Corner Restaurant on 93rd and Columbus, and had a really flavorful roasted tomato soup with a hint of cumin and a manchego grilled cheese sandwich for brunch which I paired with a refreshing blanc de blanc sparkling wine from France. Anticipating more uninhibited caloric intake later in the day because I had plans to go to Red Hat Bistro in Irvington for drinks at their rooftop bar and then dinner, I decided that I needed to practice damage control to see where I could cut calories. I decided that I would have grilled to fish for dinner and limit myself to one glass of wine if possible because wine would simply add on many empty calories. I just knew that the glass of sparkling set me back about 300 calories, and a glass of wine would be at least 350-400 calories...After all it's common knowledge that mixed drinks are on average from 500-900 calories and a pina colada has more calories than a Big Mac. So I went on calorie counter to check out how little I'd have to eat if I wanted to indulge in the second glass of wine, and to my amazement and sheer delight I found out that wine is a great choice for a low calorie beverage! For a wine with 0% to .5% RS (Residual Sugar - your Cabs and Chardonnays, the types of wine that I drink) a red is only 127 calories per 5oz glass and a white is 120 calories. Even better, a 4oz glass of Champagne is a mere 78 calories! WOW I could have a bottle of champagne for less calories than a margarita! This is music to my ears because I absolutely love wine. Wine is lower in calories than most juices and all soda! This is my new diet drink...so I've done the research and with it's health benefits (high in antioxidents) and low calories I've come to the conclusion that wine should be a part of all balanced and healthy diets!