Dining Out In New York

by Adam Wile

The weather is getting warmer and all around sun-starved New Yorkers are leaving their winter shelters, throwing on their sundresses and shorts, and heading outside to enjoy the greatest city in the world during the most perfect season. The flower-filled market has returned to Union Square and boats once again float in the Central Park Lake. The city awakes from its winter hibernation and New Yorkers get to enjoy something they have not had the pleasure of for many months – nice weather. This may not sound like much, but the city offers a lot to do in the warm weather, and dining outside is the highlight. To help you enjoy spring in NYC to its fullest extent I’ve compiled a small list of where to go, what to do, and where to eat outside in New York City.

1. Lower East Side
What to Do: Explore one of the city’s most colorful and eclectic neighborhoods. The Lower East Side is often considered a microcosm of New York with so many different cultures living so closely together. Stop by the Tenement Museum (108 Orchard street), but opt for the guided walking tour of the LES which lasts about 90 minutes.

Where to Eat: Jeeb Thai Tapas, 154 Orchard Street between Rivington and Stanton
The LES is filled with great Thai options, but perhaps none better than Jeeb. While the name is somewhat of a misnomer now (true tapas are not served anymore), the quality of food, low prices, and garden setting still make this one a great find.

2. West Village
What to Do: Grab your acoustic guitar or moleskin notebook and head on down to Washington Square park where you can mingle with NYU students, artists, and street performers in one of New York’s most famous public spaces. Play a game of chess or just sit and contemplate as the Washington Square arch frames the New York City skyline in the background.

Where to Eat: Home, 20 Cornelia between Bleecker and West 4th street
Only a short walk away from Washington Square is Home a 30 seat restaurant with a Midwestern-American comfort food menu and a romantic garden. Choose the garden and snack on comfort favorites such as mac and cheese and chocolate pudding while you and your date consider if everything west of the Mississippi is this good.

3. Gramercy/Flat Iron
What to Do: Enjoy Madison Square Park. Throw on that new spring outfit and enjoy one of New York’s most beautiful parks without having to fight your way through midtown traffic. As the weather warms up MSP holds events such as book discussions, art exhibits, and even live music performances.

Where to Eat: Shake Shack, Madison Ave @ 23rd Street in Madison Square Park
Enjoy Danny Meyer’s infamous burgers and even more out of this world shakes and frozen custards. The lines may be insanely long, but with food this good and the sun shining above your head who cares? (Tip: If you live close by, check Shake Shack’s website for an up the video feed of the line so you can minimize your wait. You can also call ahead to order now as well!)

4. The Meat Packing District
What to Do: Wander the cobblestone streets of the Meatpacking District during the day and find old New York mingled with new as fashion designers and cafes spring up next to old meat warehouses. Grab dinner after the sun goes down, but still early enough to be able to enjoy the night afterwards.

Where to Eat: Spice Market, 403 West 13th Street
Treat yourself to Asian food Jean-Georges style at the behemoth Spice Market. Sit outside or enjoy one of the tables on the entrance level, which while covered, still affords an outdoor-esque experience thanks to the large glassless windows and Southeast Asian décor. In the mood for some Latino flavors? Son Cubano around the corner at 405 W. 14th Street is another al fresco choice with a smaller outside area but just as much funk.(I added this cause he listed a bunch of asian places, so i thought we should mix it up)

5. Central Park
What to Do: Spend a whole day in Central Park. Bring your favorite book or a Frisbee and just enjoy one of the most spectacular parks in the world. Visit the Central Park Zoo and take a boat ride or carriage ride if you must, but just take one day and experience Central Park. Check scheduling for events. As the weather gets warmer musical performances and theater shows become increasingly frequent.

Where to Eat: Pack a blanket and your favorite snacks and find a tree to set up under. If you’re traveling a long way and don’t want to bring groceries stop by Columbus Circle and pick up your meal of choice from Whole Foods. Just make sure you eat in the park. If you are truly opposed to feeding yourself, enjoy dinner at the Boathouse restaurant located at the northern end of the lake.

6. Upper West Side
What to Do: Leisurely stroll the upper west side river walkway or really get some exercise and utilize the bike/runners path. Make sure you stop by the 79th street boat basin and take it all in with a seat on the dock.

Where to Eat: Boat Basin Café, West 79th street along the river.
Go Monday through Friday and enjoy $2 off any drink for happy hour. Coincidentally this happens to be right around sundown. If you don’t mind the wait grab a seat overlooking the river. While the entire restaurant is al fresco, there are few things in this city better than enjoying cheap drinks and barbecue with friends while overlooking the Hudson River at sundown.

7. Soho
What to Do: Window shopping in Soho. Soho is often viewed as New York’s best shopping district so enjoy a day of walking around and admiring the work of some of New York’s new young designers. Try your best at bargain hunting, but definitely make sure you save some cash for the meal.

Where to Eat: Kittichai, 60 Thompson Street between Spring and Broome Streets
Ian Charlermkittichai’s modern Thai restaurant is a must for al fresco dining in Soho. Snag a table on the patio and indulge with do it yourself Thai iced teas in a setting so picturesque, you’ll think you’re in Thailand.

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Indoor Picnic: Shrimp & Potato Pancake

For the Indoor Picnic

Lay out your picnic blanket on an open space in your home, set seat cushions or pillows on top. Place the food on trays and dig in! You may also want a bed tray to place drinks on. 

My Kitchen Decor Favorites: Anthropologie Home Section

Select "Read More" for the recipes.

Recipe: Shrimp and Potato Pancake
Shrimp in white wine
1lb of large shrimp
½ cup of Dry white wine
1 Orange pepper
1 red onion
1 tsp Salt
½ tsp Pepper
1 tbsp of Olive oil

Dice the shallots. Clean and Quarter the shrimp.

Heat a large sauce pan coated with olive oil to medium high heat. Add the shallots to the pan, season with salt and pepper, and sauté for 5 minutes. Salt and pepper the shrimp and add it to the hot pan. Sear the shrimp for 1 minute per side. Add the white wine and let the shrimp and shallots simmer for 5 minutes. Remove the ingredients from the pan and plate.

Potato pancake
1 tsp Salt
½ tsp Pepper
2 tbsp Canola oil
4 russet Potatoes
¼ cups of chopped chives

Quarter the potatoes.

Boil 2 quarts of water in a larger pot. Add the potatoes and cook until tender. Drain the water and let potatoes stay in pot and add salt, pepper and butter. Mash the potatoes until smooth. Place the mashed potatoes into a bowl and mix in the chives. Mold the mashed potatoes into mini, ¼ inch thick pancakes. Place in a pan coated with hot oil at high heat. Cook each side for 3 minutes, until golden brown.

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Hummus Too Good for Hannibal

by Erin Merhar

Amidst 36°F weather at the end of March, I write this with wishful thoughts of blooming daffodils, jacket-less Sundays, Prosecco al fresco and picnics in the park… Spring is around the corner and with its sunshine it brings a gamut of refreshing ingredients.

Swap Jerusalem artichokes and for a buttery, tender baby artichoke. Go green with spring peas and asparagus. And as you open your closets for spring cleaning, pod a fava bean and explore the nutty, buttery tenderness of an old world tradition.

Fava beans are native to Central Asia, the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern countries where they have been a staple in the diet since ancient times. A legume, their pods contain 5-6 large seeds which are surrounded by a leathery, opaque outer shell. They boast nutritional advantages including high protein, iron and fiber content while low in fat and cholesterol. Providing sustenance to early civilizations, favas were traditionally paired with grains but have since evolved into a key ingredient for soups, stews, purees, salads, falafel, pastas, paella and risotto.

Fresh favas are sold in their 6 to 8-inch long, furry pods, which can look spotted and floppy, whereas the beans inside should feel firm. In most cases, fava beans should be removed from the pod before cooking. Split the pod along the seam and pop out the beans. The legumes are then surrounded by a leathery outer skin that is easiest to remove after cooking. Blanch the beans for 2 minutes in seasoned water and refresh in an ice bath. Once cool, squeeze the bean from this casing, sauté in a bit of olive oil, and enjoy your spring awakening.

Fresh fava bean hummus with za’tar spiced flatbread

Inspired by the fava’s roots, this portable dish honors the middle-east and eats well among friends in the park.

Fresh fava bean hummus

Yield: about 2 cups
Ingredients:
2 lbs of fresh fava beans, about 2 ½ cups of beans removed from pods
1 Tbsp. + 3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 Tbsp. water
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
¼ tsp. lemon zest + extra for garnish
½ tsp. ground cumin
Pinch cayenne powder
3 Tbsp. fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped, + 3-4 leaves for garnish
3 large fresh mint leaves
Salt, to taste

Procedure:
Bring 2 ½ quarts water to boil in a 4 qt saucepan. Season to taste like saltwater.
Remove fava beans from the outer pod, discarding the pod and reserving the bean.
Place in boiling water for 2-3 minutes, until tender. Refresh in an ice bath until cooled. Drain.
With a pairing knife, cut off the tip of the waxy outer shell at the top edge of the bean. Apply pressure to the other end of the shell to pop out the bean.

Heat 1 TBSP. of oil in a medium-sized skillet over medium-low heat. Saute garlic for 1-2 minutes until soft and fragrant. Reserve 3-4 whole fava beans for garnish and sauté the remainder over medium heat until tender, about 3-5 minutes.

In a food processor, add the fava bean mixture, 3 Tbsp. water, lemon juice, lemon zest, cumin, cilantro, mint and water. Puree for 1 min until smooth. Scrape down sides of bowl.
With the machine running, drizzle the remaining 3 Tbsp. olive oil into the food processor bowl and puree until smooth and light in consistency, about 1 more minute. Season with salt, pepper and more lemon juice to taste.

Za’atar spice flatbread sticks

Yield: about 28-30 breadsticks.
Za’atar is an aromatic mixture of dried thyme, sour sumac berries and sesame seeds which is commonly used in Lebanese cuisine. In this recipe it accompanies extra virgin olive oil and sea salt as a garnish for flatbread sticks, creating a utensil-free transport for the fava bean hummus.

(This recipe was adapted from a Lebanese bread recipe in the book Artichokes to Za’atar by Greg and Lucy Malouf.)

Ingredients:
3 1/3 cups flour + more for kneading
2 tsp salt
2 tsp. sugar
1- ¼ oz. packet active dry yeast, or 2 ¼ tsp dry active yeast
1 cup warm water
1 Tbsp. + ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. za’atar spice blend
2 tsp. sea salt

Procedure:
Bring 1 cup of water to 115°F. Thoroughly mix in sugar and yeast and let sit in a warm place for 10 min, until foamy. (If mixture does not foam, start over with fresh yeast).
In a large mixing bowl, combine flour and salt. Add 1 Tbsp of olive oil and yeast mixture. Mix with wooden spoon until dry and wet ingredients are roughly combined.
Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead 8-10 minutes adding more flour and/or water as needed until a smooth, homogenous dough is formed. Place in a lightly floured bowl, cover with a towel and let rest for 1 hour.
Pre-heat the oven to 350°F. In a small bowl, combine za’atar spice and sea salt. Reserve.
Once the dough has doubled in size, punch down and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll dough into a 14” by 20” rectangle, about 1/8th inch thick, lightly flouring the surface if the dough begins to stick. Cut the dough in half, length-wise. Cross-wise, cut the dough into ¾”- 1” thick strips.
Place strips on a baking sheet. Brush thoroughly with olive oil and sprinkle generously with za’atar and sea salt mixture.

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Ketchup & Toast! Wait…Lemon Cake & Rhubarb? You sneaky little…

written and photographed by Rebekah Peppler

This month brings about sunny days tinged with the chill of early spring, blooming cherry blossoms and lighthearted April fools. There is also the revival of color to the green markets, bustling and alive with the energy that only bright, fresh produce can bring after months of root vegetables and apple cider.

Rhubarb leads the pack of these new bright colors; the vibrant red to pale pink stalks of field-grown rhubarb fill baskets and bags, destined for kitchens all around the city. Many delicious pies, tarts and crisps will be made but why not have a bit more unconventional fun with rhubarb this year.

Since playing with food is just as much fun as eating it, fool your nearest and dearest this April with a riff on takeout French fries for dessert, or breakfast, or perhaps just a midday snack. This combination of lemony pound cake, sweet and juicy compote and freshly whipped cream is perfect for a spring day, fools or not.

Pound cake is one of my favorite desserts, not only because it is delicious, delicate and dense at the same time but because it is conveniently “tant pour tant.” Traditionally the four main ingredients – butter, flour, sugar and eggs – all weigh the same. In fact, you can probably surmise how the pound cake came by its name: a pound of each is all you need to make a fabulous cake. Nonetheless, I love to enhance this perfectly proportioned cake with sweet Meyer lemon zest and vanilla to give it that extra boost of flavor.

The strawberry is rhubarb’s classic accomplice, combining its sweet nectar with rhubarb’s snappy tang. The fact that it contributes a red, pseudo-ketchup color only makes it all the better.

Recipe: Toasted Lemon Pound Cake “Fries” with Strawberry-Rhubarb “Ketchup”
Lemon Pound Cake – Adapted from the French Culinary Institute
Yields two loaves
450 g / 1 lb / 4 ½ cups cake flour
Pinch of salt
1 tbsp baking powder
450 g / 1 lb / 2 cups butter
450 g / 1 lb / 2 cups granulated sugar
2 Meyer lemons, zested
9 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract

Sift together flour, baking powder and salt.
Cream the butter, sugar and zest until light and fluffy, scraping down sides often.
Whisk together eggs and vanilla extract and add gradually.
Stir in sifted ingredients just to combine.
Pour into buttered and floured loaf pans and bake for 20 minutes at 325˚F, then lower the oven to 300˚F and bake another 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Allow to cool completely, then slice into French fry sticks and toast in a 350˚F until lightly browned.
Serve with Rhubarb “Ketchup” and Crème Chantilly ”Mayonaise”

Compote de Rhubarb/”Ketchup”
454 g / 1 lb rhubarb
227 g / ½ lb strawberries
50 g / ¼ cup granulated sugar
½ tsp vanilla
Juice and zest of 3 Meyer lemons

Peel the rhubarb with a vegetable peeler and cut evenly into ¼ inch cubes
Cut strawberries into same size pieces.
Stir together rhubarb, sugar, vanilla, lemon juice and water in a saucepan over low heat to coat the fruit, bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to a simmer and cook stirring occasionally until the rhubarb and strawberries are soft and falling apart.
Blend the compote and strain through a sieve.

Crème Chantilly/”Mayonaise”
½ cup heavy cream, chilled
2 Tbsp confectioners sugar, sifted
¼ tsp pure vanilla extract
pour the cream into a chilled bowl and whisk until thickened. Add sifted confectioners sugar and vanilla and whip to a soft peak.

Tips for buying and storing Rhubarb:
Stalks should be firm and crisp
While size doesn’t indicate tenderness, the brighter red the rhubarb is the sweeter it will taste
Remove fibers from the stalk with a vegetable peeler
To store, refrigerate stalks in a plastic bag for 3 to 5 days
For longer storage chop into 1 – inch pieces and freeze in an airtight bag up to 9 months
Never eat the leaves of rhubarb as they contain toxins that can cause poisoning when ingested
1 lb = 3 cups raw sliced rhubarb
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iTunes & Eat Life: Eclectic Playlist

Introducing dinner party iMixes by Eat Life, available on iTunes. Each playlist has custom menus that were inspired by the songs. Enjoy a complete dining experience with music, creative food and friends.  

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FeedBack to F.C.I from Y.O.U

Do you love your chef? Are your books beneficial? Is there something missing from the curriculum? Tell us what you love about F.C.I and what can be improved on.

This is a survey to aid in the efficiency of the French Culinary Institute, and your suggestions can be anonymous. But don’t get carried away, vulgar suggestions will not be posted. 

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Project 5: Understanding the Potato

Potatoes are a wonderful product that chefs in restaurants and cooks at home get to use in everyday meals. There are a vast variety of potatoes that are all distinguished between one another. Color, taste, nutritional value, and texture of potatoes are only a few of the characteristics, but despite their differences they all share a common history. Regardless of the common idea that potatoes came from the Irish, extensiveresearch has shown that the potatoes true origin is from Peru, South America. Potatoes originated in the high Andes of Peru some 8,000 years ago, because of this the U.N. announced in December of 2005, that the year 2008 was the International Year of Potatoes.

Peruvian gastronomy is one of my favorite types of cuisine. The different dishes from coast to
highlands show an extraordinary way to express the many different ingredients, techniques, and Peruvian history in each dish. Peruvians are well known for the their seafood, corn, and of course potatoes among many other wonderful ingredients. Peru has the largest variety of these three ingredients over anywhere else in the world. Peru has over 1,000 different species of seafood, 35 different varieties of corn, and over 3,000 native potatoes. Due to the climates and soils that they need to be cultivated in, many of these can only be grown in Peru.

I decided to make a menu using five varieties of potatoes, all cooked in different ways and used in six dishes. Moving from the Pacific coast to the Incan highlands, I created a menu to showcase the differences in Peruvian cuisine. I believe that Peruvian cuisine will be the next cuisine fad for the world over, and that there are still many things to be revealed in the culinary environment. Through the printing on my menu and the photos I have taken you’ll be able to appreciate the influence of Peru in my style of cooking. Although Peru has a plethora of potato products their geographical location in South America has rendered them unable to produce wine very well. For that reason, I wrote a wine menu from different countries around the world. From old world to new world wines, I believe I put together a menu striving

towards perfection of matching my menu in the best ways. A nice sweet Riesling from Alsace France became a beautiful way to start off, the balance between the two acids and a nice accent of mineral that blended with the fish. For the Causa, I stayed in France because of this one wine that I think is brilliant with this dish, a 2004 Sauvignon Blanc from Bordeaux witch married this dish, its acidity is more round but enough to match the grapefruit, it has a nice salinity for the brine as well as mineral, unlike a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, this wine says old world. Heading south to Rioja Spain, to match the scallop with a White Rioja, its cream
finish fits the scallop and the sauce very well, it has a nice taste of apricot and lemon zest, great for giving the dish freshness, this wine has a great deal of earthiness for the potato and provides great balance for all the ingredients. Crossing the Atlantic to California into Monterey, I selected a Pinot Noir. It has a hint of sea like flavor from the wind blowing off the sea into the vineyard; witch goes very well with the soy flavor in the onions. It’s very crisp and has a nice salinity. This dish is very light and I wanted a light wine to match it, through this wine I found a good feel of earthy to combine the onions and the rest of the dish. Choosing a
wine for the pork belly was not easy, because of the pomegranate witch gives a lot of wines a weird taste to them, I had to pick wisely. Back to the old world I chose a Piedmont from Italy, witch contained a full tannin feel to it with the richness of the pork belly, it has a lot of earthiness witch bines the potatoes and the pork as well as it being very tart to cut the fat and match the salsa criolla. For the final pairing I chose a more balanced wine, but still off dry for desert. A Sauvignon Blanc from Aconcagua Valley, Chile, its sweetness and acid really balances out the entire dish from the corn sauce and the cream and lime, to the earthy background of
the potato and saffron, this wine really finishes off the meal of a great pairing.

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Project 5: Potato Menu

Menu by Cameron Slaugh

click the menu item to view the recipes

Red Snapper Ceviche (below).    Pan Seared Quail.    White Shrimp “Causa” of Yellow Potato.    Purple Potato in Cast Iron.    Vanilla Butter Poached Yukon Potato.      Sweet Potato Cake

Red Snapper Ceviche

Tiger’s Milk Macerated Sweet Potato, Frozen “Pisco Sour”, Corn “Tuile”

Ceviche

2 16 ounces fillets of red snapper

20 limes

salt

1 red onion

1 cup pure olive oil

1 bunch cilantro

2 large sweet potatoes

Corn Tuile

1/2 cup melted butter

1/2 cup sugar

1 tablespoon salt

3 egg whites

3/4 cup corn meal

1 hand full chopped cilantro

Pisco Sour

6 ounces pisco

4 ounces simple syrup

2 ounces lime juice

1 big hand full ice

1 egg white

Ceviche: Cut snapper into about 1/2 inch cubes. Juice all limes and slice red onion as thin as possible. Cook sweet potatoes in simmering water so they don’t break.

Once cooked, peel them and cut into 1/2 inch cubes, set aside. Take all ingredients, except cilantro and potatoes, and marinade for 5 minutes. Then, take juice from

marinade and pour over sweet potatoes for 5 minutes. This marinade is called leche de tigre by Peruvians, witch means tiger’s milk. After marinated mix all

ingredients and place in bowl.

Corn Tuile: Mix butter with sugar and salt, add one egg at a time and stir in corn meal just until incorporated. Add cilantro and chill batter until cold. Spread a

thin amount on a silicone mat in circle shapes. Bake 350ºF until golden brown. Take out and let cool for about 30 seconds, then roll around a wooden spoon or a

wooden dowel to get tubular shape.

Pisco Sour: Place all ingredients in blender and blend until cool and foamy.

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Pan Seared Quail

by cameron slaugh

click the menu item to view the recipes

Red Snapper Ceviche.    Pan Seared Quail.    White Shrimp “Causa” of Yellow Potato.    Purple Potato in Cast Iron.    Vanilla Butter Poached Yukon Potato.      Sweet Potato Cake

Cipollini Onions in Soy,Tomato Compote, “Papas Fritas”

Seared Quail

8 quail

1 bunch cilantro, hacher

1 bunch parsley, hacher

vegetable oil (to coat)

salt and pepper

3 tablespoons minced garlic

Cipollini Onions in Soy

24-32 cipollini onions

1 10 ounces bottle soy sauce

Tomato Compote

10 roma tomatoes, emonded

1/2 bunch cilantro, whole

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 red onion, ciseler

salt and pepper

2 smashed garlic cloves

Papas Fritas

3 Idaho potatoes

1/2 gallon vegetable oil

salt

Seared Quail: Cut quail length wise in half and clean, if not already done. Mix quail with cilantro, parsley, oil, garlic, salt and pepper for 6 hours.

Cipollini Onions in Soy : Clean skin off onions and keep whole. Mix with soy sauce and garlic, marinade until needed.

Tomato Compote : Concasser tomatoes, sweat onions and garlic. Add tomatoes and cilantro and cover with cartouche. Simmer until cooked and keep warm.

Papas Fritas: Cut potatoes into frites size and blanch immediately in oil. Pan sear quail until mid rare, sauté onions straight off marinade and fry potatoes until golden brown and season with salt. Serve with tomato compote.

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White Shrimp “Causa” of Yellow Potato

by cameron slaugh

click the menu item to view the recipes

Red Snapper Ceviche .    Pan Seared Quail.    White Shrimp “Causa” of Yellow Potato.    Purple Potato in Cast Iron.    Vanilla Butter Poached Yukon Potato.      Sweet Potato Cake

Grapefruit-Olive Tapenade, Avocado Emulsion

Potato mix

8 yellow potatoes peeled

1 cup milk

1/4 cup butter pommade

salt and pepper

parchment paper

Shrimp

2 pounds 28 to 30 white shrimp

1 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup butter

salt and pepper

Mayonnaise

4 egg yolks

21/2 cups neutral oil

4 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons dijon mustard

salt and pepper

Tapenade

1 pint mix olives

2 grapefruits in segments, juice and zest

1/4 cup brunoise of red onion

1/4 cup brunoise of red pepper

Avocado Emulsion

2 ripe avocados

1 cup mayonnaise

salt and pepper

Potato Mix: Boil potatoes until cooked through and cool. Take cooled potatoes and mash with milk and butter, season to taste. It should be thick and not runny,

if runny add more potatoes or it won’t hold up in rolling process. Once mixed and cooled, take a piece of parchment paper and make a rectangle of potatoes 1/2

inch thick.

Mayonnaise: Add yolks, vinegar and mustard into a mixing bowl, with whisk mix ingredients and slowly drizzle in oil while mixing. Once emulsified, season to

taste and cool.

Shrimp: Clean and cut shrimp lengthwise. Cook in butter, season and cool. Once cooled, mix in mayonnaise and keep cool.

Tapenade: In a food processor, blend olives into little pieces. Put in mixing bowl and add zest of 1 grapefruit and 4 tablespoons of juice after supremed, leavegrapefruit segments in the remainder juice. Add onions and peppers and mix by hand, season to taste.

Avocado Emulsion : Take avocado and blend in food processor with mayonnaise, season to taste and keep cool.

Lay shrimp mixture lengthwise on the potato. Then, slowly and very carefully, start to roll it tight. Chill the rolls until ready to serve. When ready, unroll theparchment paper and cut to desired sizes, serve with tapenade and avocado emulsion.

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Purple Potato in Cast Iron

by cameron slaugh

click the menu item to view the recipes

Red Snapper Ceviche .    Pan Seared Quail.    White Shrimp “Causa” of Yellow Potato.    Purple Potato in Cast Iron.    Vanilla Butter Poached Yukon Potato.      Sweet Potato Cake

Pomegranate Braised Pork Belly, “Salsa Criolla” Belgian Endive, Whole Grain Mustard Vinaigrette

Pork Belly

24 ounces pork belly

24 ounces pomegranate juice

Salsa Criolla

1 red onion

2 jalapeño peppers

3 limes

salt and pepper

Whole Grain Mustard Vinaigrette

6 tablespoons whole grain mustard

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 small clove garlic, minced

salt and pepper

1 cup grape seed oil

Purple Potato

8 purple potatoes

vegetable oil

Garnish

1 pomegranate, seeded

2 heads of endive

Pork Belly: Cut pork belly into 4 inch rectangles and sear all sides. In sauce pot, add pork belly and pomegranate juice, cover and braise for a minimum of 5

hours on a low simmer or until tender.

Salsa Criolla: Finely emincer the onions and jalapeños. Juice limes and marinade in lime juice and seasoning until needed.

Whole Grain Mustard Vinaigrette: Mix mustard, vinegar and garlic and whisk in by drizzling the oil, season to taste.

Purple Potato: Slice potatoes very thinly on a mandoline while cast iron gets very hot with oil. Lay cut potatoes in hot cast iron very carefully off the flame. Fill to

top of potatoes with oil and cook until brown. Once cooked dump out oil, holding the potatoes with a fork.

Mix endives with vinaigrette and sauce with salsa criolla, pomegranate seeds, pork belly and the potatoes.

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Vanilla Butter Poached Yukon Potato with Seared Scallop

by cameron slaugh

click the menu item to view the recipes

Red Snapper Ceviche.    Pan Seared Quail.    White Shrimp “Causa” of Yellow Potato.    Purple Potato in Cast Iron.    Vanilla Butter Poached Yukon Potato.      Sweet Potato Cake

Poached Potato

4 pounds whole unsalted butter

3 tablespoons vanilla paste

2 handfuls ice

8 baby yukon potatoes

salt and pepper

Seared Scallop

8 U10 clean scallops

vegetable oil

“Aji” Sauce

2 yellow peppers

1 yellow habanero pepper

1/2 cup evaporated milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

salt and pepper

Poached Potato : In a saucepot melt cubed butter and add ice while whisking, making a beurre fondue, add vanilla paste and set heat on very low simmer. Add potatoes and cooked 5 to 6 hours, or until done.

Aji Sauce: Combine yellow pepper, habanero pepper and evaporated milk into blender and puree. Drizzle in oil while blending and season to taste. Chill until use.

Seared Scallop: To serve, sear seasoned

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