Happy Halloween!

I must admit that while I find Halloween fun, it's not my favorite holiday. As a "treat," however, I'll post my recipe for my Wednesday night menu from this week.

Pork Milanese with Sauteed Spinach and Angel Hair

For the Pork

Six 6-8 oz boneless trimmed pork loin chops, pounded very thinly
Italian spice rub (recipe follows)
2 extra large eggs beaten with 2 tbsp water
2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups seasoned dried bread crumbs (I recommend Progresso, or make your own)
1 cup light olive or vegetable oil
2 tbsp unsalted butter

Season the pork chops with the Italian spice rub (2 parts salt to 1 part dried oregano, 1 part dried basil, 1 part ground black pepper, 1 part garlic powder) 2 hours before you plan to cook them. Coat on both sides in flour, egg, then breadcrumbs. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a shallow frying pan and melt in the butter over medium high heat. Fry the pork chops, drain on a rack, and store in a warm oven while the others cook.

For the Spinach

2 lbs fresh spinach or one large package frozen spinach 
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, finely minced
salt and pepper to taste

Sautee everything but the spinach in a large skillet until softened and translucent, then add the spinach until wilted. Allow the excess liquid to cook off and serve hot.

Cook the pasta to its desired tenderness and toss with olive oil.

Layer the pasta, spinach, and pork on the plate and enjoy with freshly grated parmesan cheese (I use grana padano) and a bright white wine.  

Review: Ray's the Steaks

Ray's the Steaks
2300 Wilson Boulevard
Arlington, VA
(703) 841-7297

Our party of three arrived 1 minute early for our 8:30 reservation on Friday night. There was a line out the door. A competent but visibly stressed hostess scribbled notes and names on a tattered yellow legal pad as we announced we'd arrived. She indicated we'd be seated soon. Within 10 minutes we were at our table. The restaurant was louder than I expected, but we sat in a smaller table in the back. Most of the noise didn't make it all the way back to us.  

We were greeted at our table with a napkin, a fork, and a knife. A wine glass and water glass awaited our beverage choices. Within seconds, a few chunks of good foccacia bread and spiced cashews came with good, cold water.  The menu was laminated and more extensive than I expected. Several offerings are not for the faint of heart (literally), including a 28-oz cowboy steak and a 32-oz top sirloin. I chose more responsibly. A cajun ribeye. My dining partners chose to enjoy starters of caesar salad and lobster bisque. Both were above average. The bisque was very buttery and generous on the lobster. The caesar dressing was garlicky, not mayonnaise-y and the lettuce was fresh and crisp.

We ordered what I considered the best value on the menu -- a $15.00 bottle of 1997 Tempranillo, a Spanish red with full and interesting flavor. It paired well with the fatty ribeye and the whipped potatoes, which came as a gratis side with creamed spinach. The potatoes were near-perfect, ideal texture and light flavor. The creamed spinach did not impress, but wasn't bad, either.

The stars of the show was really were the main courses. My steak was beautifully charred, generous in portion, and cooked perfectly. A medium rare steak is one of my favorite things, so to impress me with one is an accomplishment. The service was incredibly fast, almost as though we'd called ahead with our orders. My dining partners had blacked sea scallops with sauteed garlic (which also topped my steak) and a hangar steak. The aforementioned sides matched up pretty well. The garlic on my steak was soft and i spread it into my steak like spread. It was an excellent addition.

The seared scallops were unexpectedly spicy and certainly delicious. The hanger steak was, as described on the menu, not the most tender cut available, but stiff competition for my ribeye. Overall, I was pleased with our selections and eager to come back and try some of the other amazing cuts on their menu.

We ordered dessert. I ordered the New York cheesecake, which was good to very good... not too sweet. We also shared the dark chocolate mousse, whose flavors were classic but the texture was closer to that of cold cake frosting than whipped mousse. No one complained about that, though.

The food is truly 100% of the Ray's the Steaks experience. Do not expect frills, garnish, or even particularly warm staff. No one is rude, but their philosophy, as printed on their menu, is to serve as many tables as possible the most excellent meat at the lowest prices. Mission accomplished. We were in and out in an hour in and ten minutes. It's the best value on a steakhouse I have ever seen in the metro-Washington area, unless you'd like to try Outback. Ranging from $18.00 - $55.00, the entrees aren't going to break the bank... and are worth every cholesterol-laden penny.

Ray's the steaks gets a must try rating from this carnivore. Let me know when you want to visit the Courthouse neighborhood of Arlington so I can try it again!

What a couple of weeks...

I know it has been nearly two weeks since I have updated. My apologies. It's been very busy with work and I have barely had the time to cook, much less write about cooking. But I have some successes and failures from the week that I thought it would be helpful to share. I'm still honing the recipes, so expect some new recipe posts in the next couple of days.

Monday
I invited a close friend over. I hadn't seen her since June, and since she works so close it just made sense that we'd get together after we finished our busy day on Capitol Hill. Quite unexpectedly, I was assigned a task that would have me out until right before I expected her over, but I thought I'd make it just in time. Well, little did I realize that she would be hanging outside of my house for half an hour or more while I rushed home. Adding to the pressure cooker that was my day, a few of my friends happened to be available for dinner, so I said, "the more, the merrier!" What's the point in having 4 lbs of pork tenderloin if there's no one there to eat it, right?

So I planned the menu in my head... coucous is quick (see a few posts ago) and I'd  thawed out the pork. A pan sauce takes 10 minutes, max, with good chicken stock and some minced garlic. Whew! I had a plan. I barreled through the back door of my house (greeting one of my guests as I did so) and discovered that my delightful partner had not taken out the trash, as I assumed he had. My house smelled like two pugs (who desperately needed to go out) and garbage. Lovely for a dinner party.

I immediately clean up the gifts that had been left by my furry children, preheat the oven, and pour myself a heavy glass of chardonnay. It had de-chilled during my friend's long wait, so I, in the classiest fashion, added an ice cube. Into the oven I throw the tenderloin...

Half an hour later, I test it with a meat thermometer. It registered 52 degrees. Thawed on the outside, frozen in the middle. Perfect. I won't bore you with the gory details of how I fixed it, but it all worked out. Within 45 minutes of walking through the door, I served dinner. Here are my friends at the end, it really was a proud moment for me, especially considering that my friend Alex declared me to be in "American Psycho" mode before I was able to get into the cooking groove.

Wednesday
I had a better game plan for Wednesday.  Pork Milanese with sauteed spinach and angel hair pasta. Recipe to follow next week, I promise. Maybe this weekend, if I get some time.

Thursday
My other extra-curricular hobby is being an unabashed Francophile. My friend Paul shares my foodie-Francophile habits so we've been planning to cook together for a few weeks and finally hammered down a time and menu. I provided meat and friends and he brought veggies and wine. Unexpected success. The steaks were prepared on the stovetop grill with an Italian-inspired homemade rub and the sides Paul cooked up were a perfect pairing. Mashed sweet potatoes and carmelized endives. Recipes with due credit to guest foodie Paul will be forthcoming, as well.

Sorry for the quick and dirty update, but I didn't want anyone to think I'd let AIGT (sounds like "ate," right) slip through the cracks another week.

Honestly...

Tonight we just ordered a pizza and played board games. It's been rainy and cold outside and I couldn't be bothered to run out and gather the necessary components of anything delicious. To make up for it, I'm posting a really popular recipe that I've made for my friends since college. Have a great weekend! I'll be posting something. I just haven't decided what yet. Any suggestions?




Turkey Meatloaf
Serves 4-6

4 lbs. ground turkey (93% lean)
½ cup seasoned breadcrumbs
2 large eggs
1 tbsp tomato ketchup plus a ¼ cup for basting
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp parmesan cheese
¼ cup chopped parsley
½ cup sautéed onions or shallots
1 tbsp finely minced softened garlic
1 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Pre-heat oven to 375 F. Mix all ingredients except the turkey in a large mixing bowl until combined. Fold into the turkey until well-combined, not over-mixing. Bake in a loaf pan at 375 F, until cooked through, roughly 45 minutes to an hour. Baste the top of the meatloaf with tomato ketchup. An instant-read thermometer should register 180 F. Allow to rest 15-20 minutes before slicing.

It's Wednesday

And that almost always means that I'm making dinner for some friends. I decided on a whim last night that I'd create something Italian. Really, I'm re-creating something Italian. I've made it a few times before. It's a hybrid interpretation of two delicious pasta dishes I've eaten at Filomena's and Cafe Milano,  two of the finest Italian restaurants in Washington, DC. Both are located in the beautiful neighborhood of Georgetown.

Spaghetti with Italian Sausage
Serves 4
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 2 hours

1 lb hot Italian sausage
1 lb sweet Italian or Sicilian sausage
2 medium onions, finely chopped
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 large Roma tomatoes, diced
2 cups Chianti wine
1 cup chicken stock
3 cups marinara sauce
1 tsp dried Italian seasoning blend
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
salt, to taste
1 tbsp olive oil

• Slice the sausage into bite-sized pieces
• In a large, high-sided skillet, sautee over medium high heat in the olive oil until browned on all sides, about 7 minutes.
• Add the onions, garlic, and tomatoes. Season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
  
• Sautee until softened and just slightly browned, about 20 minutes. Some sticking to the bottom of the pan may occur.
• Add two cups of Chianti. Reduce until thick, about 10 minutes.
• Add 1 cup of chicken stock. Reduce again, about 10 minutes.
• Finally, add the marinara sauce. Cover. Simmer over medium low heat for at least an hour.
• Serve over al dente spaghetti.
  

Something Quick for a Weeknight

My best friend in the entire world, who just recently announced her pregnancy, calls me at least once a week to ask for a quick meal idea to prepare for herself and her husband. It's always a flattering surprise, as she is quite an accomplished foodie herself. She and I first started cooking together our senior year of college, often over multiple bottles of cheap wine and with more than a few burned desserts. She abandoned me for Manhattan, where she really developed a palate for international cuisine, and an appreciation for quick, but delicious cuisine.

Here's a menu I suggested a couple of weeks ago. It may have been longer than that, before it started to chill down for the season, but I wanted to share. 

Flavor

A few of my friends have thrown out ideas about what I should write about here. I have been playing with our Thanksgiving menu (it's coming up, people!) and my friend Alex commented, "That all sounds like it tastes so good!" I replied that I find that people who think they can't cook often find their food lacks pizazz because it's under-seasoned. It's not as simple as too little salt and pepper. Under-seasoning is an under-appreciation for the power of simple elements of flavor to come together to do something amazing to the base ingredient.

More after the jump...

Sliced Steak au Poivre with Balsamic and Pomegranate Sauce

Last night we decided to pool together a few bucks in a tight economy and that I would put together whatever I could find on sale at the local Harris Teeter. I'm still honing the recipes, but I want to share the photograph of our creations.

I made New York strip au poivre, but in lieu of the traditional butter and cognac, I made a pomegranate and balsamic reduction. I confess I didn't get it perfect, but the flavors were there. The side was really delicious, but less experimental. I tossed buttered orzo with zucchini that had been steamed in chicken stock. I used the stock to deglaze the pan in which I cooked the steaks and then tossed it all with the pasta. I've done the same thing with broccoli and asparagus. I sliced the steak and layered it over crusty, toasted rosemary and olive oil bread that I'd scraped with a garlic clove. I drizzled with the balsamic and pomegranates. The multi-tasking led to a colder steak than I would have preferred, but I didn't want to risk overcooking the meat by holding in a warming oven. It was what it was -- and everyone seemed to enjoy it.

My next post will become a regular Monday feature -- a comprehensive article on a topic that interests me with regard to food. This week I will cover my approach to flavor. How to balance, mask, blend, and augment... Everything I've learned that I can think to put on paper. Stay tuned!

Bar Review - Tabaq on U Street

Tabaq Bistro
1336 U Street NW
Washington, DC 20009-4445

http://www.tabaqdc.com

Last night, for a friend's birthday, I joined a group of people I don't know for cocktails at Tabaq Bistro on U Street. I'm only reviewing the bar / lounge upstairs on the roof. I can't speak to the food, as the kitchen closed within minutes of our arrival. It's all for the best, in the end, as I have been making chicken recipes all weekend and couldn't stomach the idea of more food.

The Americans with Disabilities Act must not cover chic urban rooftops, as it takes no fewer than four flights of stairs to finally reach the upstairs bar. Visually, it's worth the trek. White banners decorate the glass ceiling and views, although somewhat obstructed, of the Capitol Dome and Washington Monument remind you where you're drinking. A respectable drink menu outlines beers (five of which they were out of by 11:00 pm, including all draught beers) from roughly $6.50-$8.50 and martinis for $13.00. I started with a Heineken, and it took a while for our very kind, but overworked server it get it to me. It was cold. Good enough.

I decided to switch from beer to Scotch and enjoyed a neat Johnnie Walker Black Label with a splash of cold water. Again, the server may have flown to Aberdeen to get it. It was perfectly satisfactory when it did finally arrive. Many in our group concluded that service directly from the bar was more efficient, correctly so, and chose to deal directly with the pleasant and competent bartender. The birthday boy had more than a few drinks, and I tried one that looked interesting. It was a melon martini. Basic green liqueur in a chilled cocktail glass with a lonely cherry providing some color contrast. It was terribly sweet and better suited to a sorority party than a bar with printed menus.

Pick the right drinks, however, and the right company, and Tabaq is a real winner. I had a great time despite the imperfect service. The venue is especially attractive and its location on U Street makes it convenient to Dupont and Adams Morgan, if the service becomes too insufferable. I haven't devised a star rating system yet for my reviews so I'll just close by saying Tabaq deserves a try. Just stay away from the "martinis."

By Popular Demand... Macaroni and Cheese

By far, my most requested recipe is macaroni and cheese. I have been making it the same way since I was a kid, developing more sophisticated flavors with higher quality cheeses and tweaking the seasoning as I learned how to balance competing elements. My late mother taught me how to make good mac 'n cheese after I made one too many boxes of shells with that silver cheese sauce packet. I'm glad she did.

I must confess some chagrin when I discovered that a recent episode of Barefoot Contessa - Back to Basics demonstrated an eerily similar version of my favorite comfort food. Ina Garten and I do have a similar point of view about eating and entertaining, but I want to make it clear that she's not the inspiration for what you're about to read.

Most of these ingredients are somewhat flexible, especially the pasta shapes and cheese selections. I always like to pair sharp cheddar and Swiss, but it's really up to you.

A variation that I still insist (tongue in cheek) that my friend Ina in the Hamptons must have "borrowed"  involves sliced, sauteed cremini mushrooms and crumbled slab bacon folded into the pasta and cheese. This makes it a meal in itself. Not diet food, for sure.

There is a breadcrumb, cheese, and butter mixture I've added on top, but after testing it dozens of times, I prefer to omit it. The flavor notes I prefer to highlight in this particular recipe are the bite of the garlic and cayenne and the mellow creaminess of the melted cheese. If you've never made a bechamel sauce before (the white sauce that is the base for the cheese), don't be intimidated. Just have a good whisk and a bit of patience.

Macaroni and Cheese

Serves 6

Prep time: 30 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes 

1 lb of hollow noodles... I prefer this shape: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cellentani

Elbow macaroni works, but doesn't come out quite as good. Penne, Rotini, etc... work fine

3 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated

2 cups swiss cheese, grated

2-3 cups whole milk or half and half

3 tablespoons flour

3 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon garlic powder (not garlic salt!)

1/2 - 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper,  to taste

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Boil the pasta according to package instructions, minus one minute, drain, do not rinse, set aside.

In a pot large enough for all the pasta and cheese sauce mixture, melt the 3 tablespoons of butter together with the flour. Whisk into a roux. Add 2 cups of the milk, whisking vigorously to avoid lumps. Bring to a simmer, whisking occasionally to remove lumps.

When the sauce begins to thicken add the cheese. Stir constantly to avoid sticking and burning. Stir in the garlic powder, salt, pepper, and cayenne until evenly distributed. Taste for seasonings. If it's too thick, add more milk. If it's too soupy, add more cheese.

When everything is a thick, cheesy mess... add the pasta and fold together, coating the pasta completely.

Pour the mixture into a casserole and bake for 30 minutes, until the top starts to brown.

Coq au vin with potatoes, Roasted Butternut Squash with Turnips

This menu served me well at a dinner party a few weeks ago. It's pictured below in my introduction. I served white and red wine with dinner, but I'd recommend you serve the same wine you used to make the chicken. Traditional French coq au vin is made with the meat of an old rooster, which is unavailable in the mass market. I use dark meat to give a similar  texture to the older bird (more sinews, higher fat content), but any piece of chicken will work. An excellent variation is to remove the potatoes completely and sautee mushrooms with the onions. Feel free to play with the liquid content a bit. My recipe produces a little too much extra sauce to really be useful. In the absence of a Dutch oven, a large stew pot on the stove will produce similar results.

This really is cold weather food. It's heavy, earthy, and really filling. Serve with some crusty bread to soak up extra sauce. I hope you try it and like it.

Coq au vin with potatoes

Serves 6

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 1 - 2 hours

4 chicken thighs

4 chicken drumsticks

1 bottle Pinot Noir or Cabernet Sauvignon

3 cups homemade or low sodium canned chicken stock

2 onions, sliced or 2 lbs frozen pearl onions

3 lbs new potatoes

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp chopped rosemary leaves

1 tsp thyme leaves

3 cloves minced garlic

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. In the bottom of a heavy Dutch oven, melt half the butter with half the oil. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Sear the chicken in batches, until browned on both sides, supplementing the oil and butter as necessary.

Sautee the onions and potatoes in the remaining fat, deglazing the pan with the wine and stock. Return the chicken to the pot. Add the herbs and garlic. Cover tightly and allow to cook in the hot oven for 2 hours until chicken is tender.

Roasted Butternut Squash and Turnips

Serves 6

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

1 peeled, diced butternut squash. Use large chunks. (frozen not recommended)

2 large turnip roots, peeled of excess and diced in the same size as the squash

2 cloves minced garlic

2 tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Toss squash and turnips with seasonings, garlic, and oil. Spread on a parchment lined sheet pan in a single layer and roast for 30 minutes until tender, but not mushy. Serve hot.

Alternative technique: Roast for an hour (until mushy) and mash with a cup of sour cream and a few tablespoons of butter. Add cranberries and a dash of nutmeg.

Introduction

After years of cooking for my friends and family, I decided to start writing down some of my more successful and popular creations. The more I cook, the more I come to love and appreciate good food and drink. I am always flattered when someone asks, "Would you send me your mac 'n cheese recipe?" or asks for hints on what to make for dinner that night.

Why not use modern technology to keep a record of thoughts and experiments? I love to eat out, and with my new job I travel quite a bit. I look forward to posting recipes, ideas for wine pairings, and restaurant reviews based on my adventures around Washington and beyond.

Thank you for reading and I hope that in the coming weeks and months, you'll enjoy some of what I have shared.

I've posted a picture of a recent dinner I made for some visiting friends. The recipes will be posted soon. Who wouldn't love a little coq au vin with potatoes and roasted butternut squash and turnips?