study-time brain food

coffee & espresso
sugar free Red Bull
bananas
granola
coffeehouse muffins
buckwheat pancakes, maple syrup, butter
Greek style yogurt, strawberries

Does this sound like brain-food to you? It's a list of what I've been eating (top 6 things) in the past two weeks as I've been studying for my LSATs, which are this Saturday. I've barely had any time, or been in the mood, to cook elaborate, well-balanced meals. When I'm in full-on study mode, I hone in on pretty much a full carb diet. As most of us know, carbs increases the blood sugar levels, leading to increased serotonin levels in our brain, which makes us happy (!!), especially me in my time of stress and utter boredom.

Today I decided to break out of my monotonous food relationship and looked around my 'fridge for other possible lunch candidates. There was frozen paneer, and a bag of frozen peas in the freezer, and canned tomatoes and spices in my pantry. Half an hour later, I had myself a delicious healthy meal of mattar paneer and rice.


This is a dish that's quite common at all Indian restaurants. It's vegetarian and so so good with naan; but the version that I get at restaurants always comes with a heavy creamy sauce that is laden with calories. The traditional version, on the other hand, is just a basic spiced tomato base, in which fried cubes of paneer and peas stew.


Mattar Paneer
adapted from Saveur Magazine (along with my own recommendations)

2 Tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
1 tsp cumin seeds
3 cardamom pods
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 heaping tsp turmeric
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp salt
1/2 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, diced
1 tsp fresh ginger paste
1 cup diced tomato, with juices
1 cup frozen peas
6-8 oz. paneer cheese, cubed and fried on all sides

1. Heat ghee in a skillet over low heat until melted. Add cumin, cardamom, and cinnamon. Stir until the fragrances are released, about 1 minute. Stir in the onion, garlic, ginger, turmeric and salt, and cook until the onion starts to become translucent.

2. Add the tomatoes, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes to let the tomatoes break down.

3. Add 1 cup of water and stew 5-10 more minutes to let it reduce. Add the garam masala, peas and paneer. Season with more salt or spices, if necessary. Cook until peas are well heated through.

4. Serve over rice.

platanos maduros

I was happily surprised while making my morning coffee today. I reached behind to find... a ripened plantain! One I had bought about two weeks ago, set on top of my coffee maker to let ripen, and must have accidently slipped off. It was nicely browned and soft, but still firm, to the touch. Foregoing my usual bowl of milk and cereal, I decided to make it a buenos dias, Cubano style.

The sugar crust gives a delicious caramelization to each piece of plantain. I garnished mine with honey, cinnamon, and cane sugar. The latter gives a nice sugary crunch, in contrast to the soft creamy plantain.


Platanos Maduros - Fried sweet plantains

1 ripened plantain (brownish black)
1 tsp sugar
small pat of butter, for frying

honey
cinnamon
raw cane sugar (demerara)

1. Peel and slice the plaintain into 1 inch pieces. In a bowl, roll the plantain in sugar.

2. Heat a skillet and melt the butter. When hot, fry the plantain over low heat, about 1 minute on each side.

3. To serve, spoon into a bowl, and drizzle with honey. Additionally, sprinkle with cinnamon and cane sugar.

thomas keller's bouchon

We're one step closer to dining at the French Laundry, the pinnacle of the Thomas Keller restaurant totem pole. Well, technically just Mr.S, since he had the great pleasure of dining solo at the Las Vegas locale of Bouchon last week. For simplicity's sake, I will write from a first person account, as I live vicariously (all the while, green with envy) through his galloping adventures across Sin City.

You can't simply just stumble upon Bouchon whilst walking through the Venetian, and expect to get a table. *GASP, how uncouth. You must have a reservation to enter, as the restaurant is located on the top floor, across a sky bridge, and is only accessible by its own elevator.


The ambiance at the bar is just calling you to order a glass of Chimay, with its brushed pewter counter, mosaic tiles, and traditional antique lighting.

The menu at Bouchon is classic French bistro fare, with a twist here and there to include seasonal ingredients. Standouts include the fois gras terrine, boudin noir, duck confit, and steak frites. The cheese selection offers some of my favorite domestic West Coast choices such as the Pt. Reyes Blue and the Cypress Grove Mad River.

The requisite artisanal French baguette, presented here as an épi (to resemble a stalk of wheat):


For hors-d'oeuvres, chicken "drumstick" confit. Popular in the southwest of France, this snack dish is called gigolette. The meat of chicken wings are pulled back to resemble drumsticks, then fried. Served with a beet salad and horseradish cream:


Steak frites. Perfectly seared flatiron steak, topped with maître d'hôtel butter (compound butter of parsley and lemon juice), and served with crisp fries:


What a superbly satisfying dining experience, with exceptional food and on-point service. And not to mention the celebrity ambiance- sitting dangerously close were Ali Larter and Amy Smart, with their families.

In case you were wondering, "bouchon" refers to a type of traditional Lyonnaise restaurant in France that focuses on heavy meat dishes. You'd find anything but fine upscale dining here. It's traditional food served up in a laidback setting.


Bouchon
The Venetian Resort Hotel Casino
Venezia Tower
3355 Las Vegas Blvd. South
Suite 10101
Las Vegas, NV 89109

old-fashioned chocolate cake

I generally prefer to make white cakes over chocolate ones just because there's so much more creative license I can take with a blank canvas. I can add flavorings, seasonal fruits, and variations to the frosting. But this time, I had to try out this recipe for this old-fashioned chocolate cake. I can't remember the last time I had a really great piece of homemade chocolate layer cake, and I don't mean anything that came out of a boxed mix, made at home. It was also the perfect welcome-home-I-missed-you sweet treat for Mr.S, on his return from a business trip to Las Vegas. So why not, I had all the ingredients lying around my kitchen: Scharffen Berger bittersweet chocolate, farm fresh duck eggs, milk, flour, and butter.


So what makes this cake "old-fashioned"? Well, I imagine it to be similar to what moms in the post-war era whipped up at home for their kids, or similar to one of those huge behemoth layer cakes under its cake dome you see at diners. Imperfect, but perfect all at once. Just a dense delicious cake with billowy gratuitous amounts of rich frosting. With none of the association to descriptors like flourless, ganache, fondant, mousse... Elegantly regal in its own right, a no fuss all American chocolate cake just waiting to be eaten with a tall glass of milk.



Old-Fashioned Chocolate Layer Cake
adapted from Baking Illustrated

1 1/4 cups unbleached AP flour
12 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup nonalkalinized cocoa
2 tsp instant espresso or coffee powder
1 cup + 2 Tbsp whole milk
2 tsp vanilla extract

1 recipe Dark Chocolate Frosting (below)

1. For the cake: Preheat oven to 350F. Grease 2 8-inch round cake pans and cover bottom with rounds of parchment paper. Grease and flour the paper and sides of pans.

2. In a mixing bowl, beat the butter until smooth. Add the sugar and beat for 3-5 minutes. Add the eggs, beating 1 minute after each egg.

3. Combine and whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, cocoa, and espresso powder in a medium bowl. In another bowl, mix together milk and vanilla. With mixer on low, add 1/3 of dry ingredients to butter-sugar mixture, then 1/3 of the liquid ingredients. Repeat this process until everything is well combined. Beat for an additional 30 seconds.

4. Divide the batter evenly between the 2 pans. Bake 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes, invert and remove the pans, and finish cooling on racks.

5. Assemble: Once completely cool, frost one layer, then add the second layer of cake. Frost the top and sides. Perfect corners or smooth edges aren't necessary!

Dark Chocolate Frosting

6 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp light corn syrup
pinch salt
2/3 cup confectioner's sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
8 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into pieces, at room temperature

1. For the frosting: In a small saucepan, heat the heavy cream, corn syrup and salt to a low boil. Put the chocolate into a large mixing bowl. Pour the hot cream mixture over the chocolate and whisk to combine until everything is smooth.

2. With a mixer on medium, add in the sugar and vanilla. Add one piece of butter at a time to the mix, beating after every addition until no more lumps remain. Let cool in the refrigerator for 10-15 min or until the frosting comes to a thick spreadable consistency.

fried duck egg with french green lentils

I must have been a French farmer's daughter in another lifetime. I have the fondest affections for simply prepared rustic French dishes, even if it's only a crusty baguette and a piece of runny, ripe Époisse, or a simple frisée salad with lardon vinaigrette. Aside from really good Chinese food, this is what makes me happy. This is what I want to eat when I curl up in bed on a cold rainy afternoon. And it's the way I like to cook too, simply, fresh from the land, close to the home, close to the heart.

mire poix - I really wish carrots had right edges...

I love fried eggs. Especially overtop things, like hash, toast, baked beans, even salad. Even better is fried duck egg over stewed lentils. These lentils, in the classic french style, utilizes lentilles de puy from Auvergne in central France, where the nourishing volcanic soil produces this unique variety is has been referred to as "the caviar of lentils." Its excellence has been recognized by the French government in the form of an Appellation d'Origine Contrôllée (AOC), a distinguished certification that's also used for certain cheeses and wine. Of course, you can use any type of lentil you wish, although I truly believe the lentilles de puy tastes superior.

You can make a big batch of these lentils because the leftovers are all that much better, as the flavors soak into the grains over time. It's low in fat and and a great source of protein and nutrients.


Fried duck egg with French green lentils
L'Oeuf de canard sur le plat et lentilles de Puy

1 cup lentils, any variety
1 carrot, diced small
1 stalk celery, diced small
1/2 onion, diced small
4 sprigs thyme
2 strips bacon, diced small
1 Tbsp butter
1 clove garlic, minced
salt and pepper

eggs, duck or chicken
oil or clarified butter, for frying

1. Wash and rinse the lentils with water, and put into a large pot. Cover with 4-5 cups of water, bring to a boil, and simmer uncovered for 20 min.

2. In a saute pan, cook bacon and thyme together until bacon is golden brown and most of the fat is rendered out. Add the onion and cook until it's almost translucent. Add the salt, carrot, celery, garlic, butter, and 1 cup water. Cook for 5 more min to allow the carrot to tenderize.

3. Drain the water from the lentils. Stir in the bacon and vegetable mixture, with all the liquids and cook over low heat for 10 min. Pick out the thyme stems. Flavor with salt and pepper.

4. Fry the egg to your liking with oil or butter, leaving the center soft.

5. Spoon the lentils onto your plate and top with a fried egg. Garnish with chopped parsley or chives.

geisha sushi bar

Some of the best sushi spots I've had the pleasure of dining at in Tokyo were complete dives, many times subterranean refuges in an office building or dark alley. I have a theory. The deeper down you go, the better the sushi. Similarly, my descent into the newly opened Geisha Sushi started the same way. Located in the basement of an office building on Charles Street, Geisha tends to get packed for the lunchtime rush, but is overlooked in the evenings. It is presided over by chef Kim, who has over 26 years of extensive training starting in his native Korea, moving on to Japan, and here to the U.S. to open his first restaurant. Soft spoken and well mannered, chef Kim is focused and a perfectionist when it comes to ingredients and presentation. Every morning (and we're talking 4-5am), he scouts out the best cuts of fish at the Jessup fish market. The quality of fish truly spoke for its self- creamy, fresh texture and taste.

With our group of 4, we ordered the "Love Platter B," an impressive presentation of assorted sashimi and specialty rolls. Generous to say the least, the chef offered us 6 kinds of sashimi (salmon, tuna, white tuna, mackerel, red snapper, and yellowtail), salmon roe, 4 of his creations, an eel and avocado roll, and my favorite, fresh uni riding on the back of a "cucumber slug." It was amazingly sweet, with the texture of a soft peach.


Of the specialty rolls, the Imperial Shrimp (shrimp tempura, cucumber, avocado, crab, scallion, masago, and eel) and Green Tuna (generous portions of spicy tuna and tempura flakes, topped with avocado and more tuna) were my favorite. The New York roll (apple, crab, mayo, and masago) was nice and mildly sweet, but kept falling apart on my plate. The Bay Bridge roll (crab, cucumber, masago, wrapped in steamed shrimp and avocado) was also quite nice, covered in a light white creamy sauce.

Imperial shrimp roll

Holiday roll

Chef Kim was kind enough to send us a specialty roll, on the house. It was the Holiday roll, presented like a whole fish, with the asparagus poking out as the tail. It was delicious, except for maybe the cream cheese, which I am not a fan of...by the way, when and why did Philadelphia cream cheese ever find its way into sushi?

This was one of the most aesthetically pleasing sushi presentations I've seen in a long time, and really, ever in Baltimore. Chef Kim's knife skills are impeccable, and he has a real eye for color and balance. It's clear that he's all about the details; take this lovely edible rosette, for instance.

It's with a sad heart that I share this great new find of a restaurant...I want to keep it all to myself and my friends. But someone would have surely exposed this jewel soon anyway. I, for one, will most definitely become a regular here, as long as Chef Kim continues to offer me the highest quality of fish and his sophisticated, artistic presentation. And no doubt he won't.


Sushi Bar Geisha
201 N. Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21201

foodie blogroll

Last week, I joined the foodie blogroll, a diverse community of food lovers and bloggers. Sponsored by Jenn of The Leftover Queen, it's a great networking tool to connect with other passionate foodies with similar interests. It's easy to join in!

And it's growing like crazy!

farm fresh duck eggs

I am the happiest girl today. For the longest time, I have been searching the ends of Baltimore stores and markets for fresh duck eggs. I'd just about given up my quest when last week at work, I met a local chicken farmer, Homer Walden, who listened intently as I lamented to him my duck egg woes. Walden raises organic chickens using an experimental method of portable pens to round up his chicks. These pens are moved throughout the day to different patches of grass to give the chicks a continuous feed of fresh grass and bugs. In turn, the grasses on which they feed is naturally fertilized by their droppings. It is quite the clever and economical approach to raising happy and clean poultry.

Today, he surprised me at work, bearing half a dozen large, pale white, duck eggs! These are Pekin duck eggs, one of the most commonly domesticated farm bred ducks in the U.S. The eggs are larger than even jumbo size chicken eggs, white, with a thick shell that is more difficult to crack.

Duck eggs are prized by so many bakers, over chicken eggs, because of its unique yolk and whites composition. When whipped, the whites are more stable, giving baked goods incredible volume and lightness. Meanwhile, the yolks have a higher fat content and thus lend desserts more richness. Duck eggs would be perfect in sponge cakes and creme brulees.

I grew up eating duck eggs. They were such an integral part of my childhood- breakfasts with congee and salted duck eggs were a staple. They were of a different breed though, the eggs were smaller and of a pale mossy green color. I'm so ecstatic that I can get fresh duck eggs now..hopefully there are others in Baltimore who equally love them as much. (They are $3 for half a dozen.)

zucchini scapece

Scapece is a word of Spanish origin that refers to meats and vegetables that are marinated and preserved in vinegar. Traditionally this dish is doused in vinegar and set aside to marinate for at least a day before eating. The mint and garlic are also very authentic flavors.

This would have been a bigger pile of zucchini, but one taste test turned into my demolishing half a bowl. This is a recipe adapted from Italian Two Easy: Simple Recipes from the London River Cafe (this is where Jamie Oliver got his start). It's a southern Italian way of using up zucchini. In a way, these are like healthy fries- no starches, no batter, very little fat since they are quickly fried, then drained.


Zucchini Scapece

1 1/2 lbs zucchini
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp mint leaves
2 dried hot chiles
3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
oil for frying

1. Cut the zucchini into thick matchsticks. Place in a colander, sprinkle with salt, and let sit for 30 min, tossing once or twice. Wash and pat dry the mint. Crush the chiles.

2. In a fry pan, heat oil to 375F. Pat the zucchini dry with paper towels. Fry in batches,until lightly brown. Drain on paper towels. Flash fry the mint and garlic last, about 5-10 sec.

3. Sprinkle the vinegar over the zucchini, and lightly toss with mint, garlic, and crushed chiles.

golden beet terrine

If you have ever peeled beets with your bare hands, you know what a pain the deeply reddish purple stains can be. Golden beets lack this pigmentation, and thus won't discolor your skin or nails. The variety is called Burpee's Golden, a beautifully sunny and golden colored flesh that is both earthy and sweet. I love beets for this reason; it's a diamond in the rough. Not much to look at from the exterior, no lush leaves, fragrance, or attractive coloration, they are actually quite awkward looking, all dimpled and hairy, covered and caked in dirt. But as you slice and peel back a cooked beet, the intense hues are spectacular, and the marbling equally as grand as a piece of Kobe beef. The smell that wafts up to your nose is sweet, like the earth after a rainshower.

I made this terrine (a pressed pate) using a soft farmer's cheese from a local creamery called South Mountain, but mild chevre would be just as great. It's creamy and flavored with red peppers. A final sprinkle of herbs, toasted pinenuts (or walnuts), and a drizzle of infused oil makes this a wonderful appetizer or party dish.


Golden Beet Terrine
South Mountain Creamery Farmer's Cheese, Toasted Pinenuts, White Truffle Oil

12 oz. chevre or other soft cheese
3-4 Tbsp creme fraiche
1 Tbsp honey
2-3 large golden beets
salt and pepper to taste

toasted pinenuts
white truffle oil
chopped parsley, basil, or other fresh herb

1. Scrub the beets well, wrap each individually in foil, and bake at 375F for 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours. When pierced with a knife, the beets should be tender. Let cool. Using a paring knife, peel the skins off the beets and slice into thin (1/16"-1/8" pieces).

2. In a bowl, whip the chevre until smooth, then add in the creme fraiche. Add the honey and salt and pepper to taste.

3. Line a small loaf pan (I use a 7.5"x3.75"x2.5") with saran wrap. Spread a layer of the cheese on the bottom. On top of this, arrange a thin layer of the beets. Repeat this process until you run out of cheese mixture. Fold the plastic wrap over the middle of the loaf pan, and gently use the palm of your hand to press down to even out the layers and release any air bubbles.

4. Refrigerate for at least 4-6 hours.

5. Unwrap the terrine, slice, and arrange on your serving dish. Top with herbs, pinenuts, and drizzle with truffle oil.

fogo de chão

They say the abundance of gastronomic choices in the world today has caused the "omnivore's dilemma." But on any given night at Fogo de Chão, it's a real carnivore's dilemma. As 15 different kinds of spit-roasted meat come at you, your only way of softening the impact is to turn your disc from green to red. This buys you at least some time as you dig into a piece after piece of juicy flesh. When you come up for air, and turn your disc to green, the dance begins again. Yes friends, this is the meat-lover's mecca.


A large group of us gathered at the new Fogo de Chão in the Inner Harbor for a birthday dinner. We arrived, starved and ready for ...well, MEAT. The doors leading in were dauntingly heavy, almost saying to you that this is no place for wimpy vegetarians who probably can't gather the strength to even open our doors mwahaha! Expecting the interior to be murals of Brazilian landscapes and paintings of the noble animals who gave up their lives to be on the menu, I was instead surrounded by chic, minimalist decor, done in natural woods and rippled glass. I sipped on a caipirinha at the sleek bar. Made using Cigana brand cachaça, it was smooth and not overly sweet.

Our server invited us to the salad bar first, a clever ploy designed to make us fill up on anything of the non-meat variety. Unimpressive to say the least, the selection was bountiful, yes, but nonetheless uninspired. Plump asparagus, artichoke hearts, beets, sundried tomato, prosciutto, and smoked salmon. Where was the authenticity in this? Not to mention, the cheese. A large wheel of parmeggiano reggiano layed out as well as a deep bowl of mozzarella balls, and a piece of Idiazabal, I believe. All fresh and good, but bring on the meat!


The meat was juicy and well seasoned. My favorites were the filet mignon wrapped in bacon, the leg of lamb and rack of lamb. Not the slightest bit of gaminess, the lamb was tender and heavenly. The other cuts were not as memorable, and the house specialty, the Picanha (a portion of the sirloin), was actually a bit dried out. One issue I had was when I asked for a medium-rare piece of meat, it usually showed up on my plate medium to well-done. Not the end of the world, I still ate it. After a while though, it all started to taste the same. It's what I call the "conveyor belt" conundrum. This is the problem when there are so many different meats to try- you hardly have the time or tastebud capacity to individually savor and appreciate any which one type. The uniqueness of each cut of meat is lost. Somehow, they all taste just "good" and not spectacular.


The servers place on your table starchy sides for everyone to share, yet another attempt to fill you up on less costly items. Fried bananas (yes this was probably the best part of my meal), fried polenta, mashed potatoes with paprika and cheese, and a basket of cheese rolls.

I sit here, flushed with a meat afterglow, contemplating if my meal was really worth it. At $42.50 a head, it was definitely pricey for someone like me who enjoys meat but not to that extent. For that price, I would much rather have gone next door to the Capital Grille for a nicely marbled dry-aged Porterhouse. I'd say there are two types of people who would consider Fogo a good deal: those who have more than one stomach and can eat their weight in meat, and tourists, who have a tendency to fall into this kind of spectacle trap. Overall what you are paying for is the name and the chain, the show and service, and all-you-can-eat above average cuts of meat. If it's authenticity you are looking for, well, you are most likely not to find that anywhere here in the Inner Harbor (i.e. PF Chang's). I'm glad I went for the experience of it all, and you should try it too. Just give your wallet and your arteries a little pep talk beforehand.






Fogo de Chao
600 East Pratt Street
Suite 102
Baltimore, MD 21202

gertrude's

I grabbed lunch with a friend last week at Gertrude's at the BMA. It was the perfect day; we sat under the canopy tent, on the patio by the fountain. Gertrude's is well known for its Chesapeake style, Eastern shore cooking, with many dishes using backfin or lump crabmeat and oysters. I ordered the sandwich and soup combo-

SoBo Shrimp Salad
Steamed spiced shrimp, lemon-parsley dressing, lettuce and
tomato on seven-grain bread, with potato chips

and

Miss Jean’s Red Crab Soup
Traditional vegetable-based Maryland crab soup
with backfin crabmeat

The shrimp salad was unremarkable, there was definitely Old Bay in it, which covered up any traces of lemon or parsley. The consistency was quite loose and wet, making the shrimps go slip-and-slide everywhere. I felt like the chips were a cop-out. Considering the quality of the food on the menu, the atmosphere, and location, the presentation of the Utz-like potato chips on my plate just didn't mesh. I understand there idea of going for a "lunchbox" kind of lunch, but would it really be asking so much if they had made homemade chips...hell, I'd even take Kettle chips over what I got on my plate! Just a suggestion.

Whoever Miss Jean was, sure got it right on the Maryland crab soup recipe. Light tomato broth with corn and beans sets the stage for large sweet pieces of hand-picked crabmeat. And quite a lot of it, for just a small cup of soup. Next time I think I will just order a bowl of this.

Gertrude's does a good brunch service, with standout dishes like Gutman Avenue eggs, and Back Creek Inn Crab Quiche. The complimentary basket of cornbread and biscuits is enough to win my heart, and stomach. If you are going for dinner, try going on Tuesdays, they have $10 and $12 dinner specials, which are great deals. Gertrude's is sophisticated and unpretentious, located in a serene setting, with a bit of an urban flair. Don't forget to visit the BMA after your meal, it's free now.

Gertude's
10 Art Museum Drive
Baltimore, MD 21218

zha jiang mian

I celebrated my third birthday with a big steaming bowl of noodles, which I so coveted. With the bowl at the edge of the table and my mouth strategically placed, I shoveled every last bit of noodle and sauce into that vast cavernous hole. Yea, I was a fat and happy 3 year old, with a wicked bowl cut. And I loved zha jiang mian, a dish that to this day, I still turn to for comfort and memories of my grandfather's kitchen. It's a very traditional noodle dish from Northern China, consisting of wheat noodles covered in a thick sauce of ground pork, garlic, and fermented bean paste. Usually fresh julienned carrot and cucumber is piled on top for crunch. This dish is like the Chinese equivalent of mac and cheese, easy and cheap to make, filling and hearty, and just as culturally significant.

Zha jiang mian literally means "fried sauce noodles." That's because when the sauce is cooked, the bean paste is added to a generous amount of sizzling peanut oil at the bottom of the wok. The kind I grew up with was brown in color, but other versions use yellow bean paste. The Korean version, ja jang myeon, was adapted from the Chinese, and though it sounds exactly the same, it uses many different ingredients. The bean paste is roasted and fermented, lending it a dark brown, almost black-ish color. Diced zucchini and onion is usually added to the sauce, and instead of ground pork, squid and clams are oftentimes used.

In Baltimore, there are no Chinese restaurants that offer up ja jiang mian, but you can find the Korean version at Nam Kang (2126 Maryland Ave.). You can probably get it at Lotte Plaza too, at their small eatery inside the store.

Many vegetarian versions of the sauce can be made, by replacing the pork with scrambled egg. You can add any leftover diced veggies you want, that is the beauty of this dish.


Zha Jiang Mian
yields 2 cups of sauce

Oriental style noodles (long thin white noodles, with wheat flour, water and salt listed as the only ingredients)

4 Tbsp chunjang (Korean fermented black bean paste)
1/3 lb. ground pork
1 Tbsp Shaoxing rice cooking wine
1 small onion, diced
1 small zucchini, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp minced ginger

julienned carrot and cucumber

1. In a large pot or wok, heat up 1 Tbsp oil, and add ground pork. Stir to break up the meat into small pieces, and cook through, adding cooking wine and half the garlic. Push to one side of the pot and add in the diced onion, zucchini, garlic and ginger. Stirfry all ingredients for 5-10 min until onions and meat start to brown up nicely.

2. Stir in the bean paste and enough water to make a sauce of thin consistency (1/2 cup). Add the sugar. Simmer for 5-10 min until the sauce has thickened up.

3. Meanwhile, cook the noodles according to the package label, usually 5-6 min in boiling water.

4. To serve**, heap the noodles in a bowl and ladle the sauce overtop. Garnish with carrots and cucumber.

**Traditionally, many Chinese like to drizzle on top Chinese rice vinegar, call Chinkiang Vinegar. It is dark, like balsamic.

avocado meets chocolate...

...and the rest, they say, is history.


In Indonesia, kids and adults alike go crazy for a popular shake called alpokat made of blended avocado and milk, then drizzled with chocolate syrup. Oh my. Both fresh milk and condensed milk versions are equally as beloved. It's a flavor combination that really works and complements each other. And when mixed together, resembles sludgy muddy goo. Nevertheless, it's thick and creamy, a bit like a chocolate malt shake.

My take on alpokat is a duo of ice creams: avocado and milk chocolate. A spoonful of this, a spoonful of that, swirl the two, and eat both. What could be better than playing with your food?

Avocado Ice Cream
yields 1 pint

6 oz. avocado (about 2 medium)
2 tsp fresh lime juice
1/4 cup plus additional 2 Tbsp sugar
3/4 cup whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

1. In a food processor or a blender, puree avocado, lime juice, sugar and whole milk until smooth. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve to remove any clumps. Whisk in the cream and vanilla extract.

2. Chill in the refrigerator for about 1 hour.

3. Pour the chilled mixture into an ice cream maker and allow it to run for 5-10 minutes only. Place in freezer to solidify slightly, about 30 min, and serve.

roasted butternut squash in nib vinaigrette

Coarsely chopped cacao nibs

My favorite chocolate bar is the Nibby bar from Scharffen Berger. If I could melt it down and pump it directly into my veins, well, I would. It's a 62% semisweet chocolate embedded with crunchy bits of roasted cacao bean (nibs). The nibs are essentially what chocolate is made of. They have a rich intense chocolate taste, without any of the sweetness. Really smoky and complex, somewhat like a roasted coffee bean. At one point, Nibby bars were so popular that they were virtually sold out no sooner than they were put up on shelves. So... I went a little crazy when I visited the Scharffen Berger store at the Ferry Building in San Francisco earlier this year. (The elusive 3-oz. bar was all mine!)

The following recipe is adapted from The Essence of Chocolate, a beautifully written cookbook by John Scharffenberger and Robert Steinberg (the founders of the company) that honors the cacao bean. What sets this book apart from all other chocolate recipe books is that it truly optimizes all the flavors of chocolate, even the subtle notes. Many of the savory recipes were such eye-openers for me in that I never realized how well cacao could bring out the flavors of foods such as goat cheese, beans, and in this case, butternut squash.


The recipe calls for pancetta but I instead used bacon for a bit of extra smokiness. The cacao nibs intensified the subtle sweetness of the squash, which complemented the saltiness of the bacon. If texture excites you, then you must try this dish. Silky smooth squash with crispy bits of bacon and grittiness of the nibs. Trust me, it works.

Roasted Butternut Squash with Nib Vinaigrette
adapted from The Essence of Chocolate

1 4-lb. butternut squash, peeled, cut in half lengthwise, seeded
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 tsp cacao nibs, coarely chopped
1 shallot, minced
3 oz. pancetta, or bacon

1. Cut the squash into 1/4" slices. Toss with 2 Tbsp olive oil and lay out onto a baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

2. In a 450F oven, roast for 20 min, until golden and soft.

3. Meanwhile, make the vinaigrette. In a skillet, cook the pancetta or bacon until crisp. Drain on paper towels. When cool, crumble into small pieces.

4. Combine the remaining olive oil, vinegar, nibs and shallot in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Gently whisk.

Before the emulsion

5. Place the squash in a large bowl. Add half the vinaigrette and half the pancetta, gently toss to coat. Arrange the squash on a large platter, and drizzle with remaining vinaigrette and top with the pancetta.

chorizo

Ahh the mighty pig. From this noble beast we extract so many comfort foods, hearty, stick to the ribs kind of food that makes us want to roll up our sleeves in preparation. I grew up eating so much pork that I had tasted every single part of the animal by the age of 3. I loved it all, no wonder my family gave me the nickname "piglet." Because I hit my pork peak so early on, I haven't eaten much of it since I was a kid. But I can easily understand how pork lies at the heart of so many comfort foods.

Chorizo, a spicy pork sausage, hails from Portugal and Spain, and is usually cured and cooked/served sliced in the casing. The Mexican form tends to be made from fresh ground pork, to which spices are added, and cooked without having gone through any drying or curing process. This latter form can easily be made in your own kitchen. Best yet, you can control the amount spice and the cleanliness and leaness of the meat you use.

Chorizo

1 lb. ground pork

1 heaping Tbsp paprika (preferably smoked spicy Spanish paprika**- pimenton picante)
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 heaping tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
pinch ground coriander
2 tsp dried Mexican oregano (regular is fine)
4 cloves garlic, crushed and minced
1/4 cup white vinegar or sherry vinegar

1. Mix together all the dry spices. Set aside.

2. With the pork at room temperature, in a large bowl, mix together spice mix with the pork, adding in the garlic and vinegar. Mix well.

3. A) You can fry up the meat at this point, flattening and chopping it up in the pan as you cook it. Taste the meat, and as always, you can adjust the spices to your taste. B) If you have sausage casings available, you can stuff them with the meat mixture. C) Take a large rectangular piece of saran wrap, and form the meat into a log shape, rolling it tightly with the wrap, eventually sealing the ends by twisting. Cover in a layer of foil, and boil in a pot of water for about 10 min. Let cool, unwrap, slice into wedges, and cook in your favorite chorizo recipe.

**Spanish paprika is made from pimientos (a Spanish pepper) that are slowly smoked and dried over a duration of ten to fifteen days. They become completely infused with the intense smoky flavors of the oak chips over which they roast. The flesh is isolated and ground to a super-fine, deep red powder. There are three kinds of smoked paprika- sweet (dulce), spicy (picante), and bittersweet (agridulce).

For dinner, I made chorizo con huevos- a scramble of eggs and chorizo, which I topped with melted cheddar cheeses and salsa.

mehek

Nostalgic for last weekend's incredible Indian food, we decided to order carryout from Mehek** in Fells Point. We didn't care to dine in since the service has been patchy in the past. The restaurant itself is bright and clean, somewhat contemporary, unlike the mustier more traditional settings of others in the city like Mughal Garden, Akhbar, and the Ambassador.

The menu is standard fare. We ordered lamb vindaloo, channa masala, and naan. This is undoubtedly the best channa masala I have ever tasted. At other restaurants, it is a mishmash of canned or undercooked chickpeas in a greasy bright red tomato sauce. At Mehek, the chickpeas are wonderfully tender, the sauce deeply aromatic and developed. I asked for medium spicy, which still packed a dangerous punch of heat. By the fourth bite, I was begging to dunk my head in a vat of raita.

The naan was superb, even after steaming in a foil pack for 20 minutes. Soft, chewy, with puffed crispy skin, the naan became my vehicle to scoop up all that fragrant sauce.

**Mehek means "fragrance."


Mehek
811 South Broadway
Baltimore, MD 21231