A.K.A. "squid", a.k.a. creepy-crawly stuff in the American imagination.
The food critic for Vogue, Jeffrey Steingarten invented what he called the "Calamari Index", as in, how easy is it to get "fried calamari" in a typical American restaurant?
It was obviously tongue-in-cheek, but has turned out to be remarkably prescient.
There's scarcely a bar/pub on either coast (and a lot of in-between) that doesn't feature "fried calamari" on the menu. Note the change of name from "squid" to the much fancier Italian -- "calamari".
Anyway, I highly recommend both of Steingarten's books : The Man Who Ate Everything, and It Must've Been Something I Ate.
For the record, the CC is not getting any money off the links above, and the CC's friends will NOT be getting those books for their respective birthdays/Christmas.
For the first time, ladies and gentlemen (you know who you are!), it's time to prove your dedication to the culinary arts.
A.K.A., pony up the dough, bitches!
Sunday, August 6, 2006
Pasta nero
A.K.A. "black" pasta. It's made with squid ink.
It may not sound like much but it's utterly delicious, and served topped with squid in a tomato sauce, the dish is better than sex. (Well, not quite, but you get the idea.)
Anyway, a few months ago the CC was dining at one of the local Italian restaurants on the Upper West Side, and was shocked to see that that the above mentioned dish had disappeared from their menu.
The CC told the waiter, "Why would you do something that stupid?", at which point the waiter ran back to the kitchen, came back, and informed the CC that the chef would be happy to make the above dish for the CC.
The chef delivered, and the CC was happy.
(NOTE: Contrary to popular opinion, I'm actually easy to please. I just have high standards.)
Why the post now?
The CC is happy to report that the chef has seen the error of his ways, and as of last night, features, not one, not two, but THREE dishes with "pasta nero".
Enough said!
It may not sound like much but it's utterly delicious, and served topped with squid in a tomato sauce, the dish is better than sex. (Well, not quite, but you get the idea.)
Anyway, a few months ago the CC was dining at one of the local Italian restaurants on the Upper West Side, and was shocked to see that that the above mentioned dish had disappeared from their menu.
The CC told the waiter, "Why would you do something that stupid?", at which point the waiter ran back to the kitchen, came back, and informed the CC that the chef would be happy to make the above dish for the CC.
The chef delivered, and the CC was happy.
(NOTE: Contrary to popular opinion, I'm actually easy to please. I just have high standards.)
Why the post now?
The CC is happy to report that the chef has seen the error of his ways, and as of last night, features, not one, not two, but THREE dishes with "pasta nero".
Enough said!
Monday, July 31, 2006
Cracked Eggs
In the universe of absurd ideas, we have a new entry. The BBC reports on how Hi-tech ink perfects egg boiling.
Presumably, people can't boil eggs. So they need a hi-tech ink embossed on those eggs which will progressively spell out, "Soft", "Medium", and "Hard"-boiled.
How fucking hard can it be to pop an egg into boiling water, and time it?
Presumably, people can't boil eggs. So they need a hi-tech ink embossed on those eggs which will progressively spell out, "Soft", "Medium", and "Hard"-boiled.
How fucking hard can it be to pop an egg into boiling water, and time it?
Saturday, July 22, 2006
Eye Candy
I've been informed that Mexican slang for the above is un taco de ojo.
As in tacos made with meat from the eyes of a cow.
Nifty, eh?
As in tacos made with meat from the eyes of a cow.
Nifty, eh?
Saturday, July 15, 2006
Tandoori Chicken
The CC is sick of being asked for this recipe, and since I'm making it for a grilling event tomorrow, in the spirit of summer, I'm just going to document it once and for all.
The "magic" of the recipe is in the double marinade. You really can't speed up this process. It has to marinate two nights.
Also, for the "germ-phobes", the recipe was designed to work in a hot climate without any refrigerators. I wanna see what can grow in this absurd level of acidity.
For the record, I'm not going to use that vile food coloring that makes this chicken "pink". This is the real deal. Enjoy!
Marinade 1
8-10 tbsp lime juice or vinegar
1 tbsp red chilli powder (the "Indian" one)
1 tbsp salt.
Marinade 2
yogurt (the sour, greek, strained one not the crap you get!)
1-2 inches of ginger (peeled)
4-6 cloves garlic
5 green chillies (the "Indian" ones. Use serranos as a substitute.)
cilantro
2 tsp cloves
2 bay leaves
4-8 green cardamoms
1 tsp mace
1 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp black peppercorns
2 tsp caraway seeds
2 tbsp salt
Recipe
Mix the first marinade. Rub all over the chickens. Leave overnight.
For the second marinade, grind all of "group 3" in a coffee grinder, grind all of "group 2" in a blender, and mix all three together. You should get greenish-white glop with black flecks from all the spices.
Take each piece of chicken from the first marinade, coat them all over with the yogurt marinade. Pour the rest of the stuff over the chickens, and marinate overnight. (The first marinade gets discarded. Yes, this is correct!)
Grill. Keep basting it with the marinade. (It's not the same as a "tandoor" but it's damn close.)
For the eternally harangued-by-their-job-I-have-no-time-to-cook, the bare minimum is 4 hours for the first, and 8 hours for the second (but don't expect it to taste as good as the real deal.)
The "magic" of the recipe is in the double marinade. You really can't speed up this process. It has to marinate two nights.
Also, for the "germ-phobes", the recipe was designed to work in a hot climate without any refrigerators. I wanna see what can grow in this absurd level of acidity.
For the record, I'm not going to use that vile food coloring that makes this chicken "pink". This is the real deal. Enjoy!
Marinade 1
8-10 tbsp lime juice or vinegar
1 tbsp red chilli powder (the "Indian" one)
1 tbsp salt.
Marinade 2
yogurt (the sour, greek, strained one not the crap you get!)
1-2 inches of ginger (peeled)
4-6 cloves garlic
5 green chillies (the "Indian" ones. Use serranos as a substitute.)
cilantro
2 tsp cloves
2 bay leaves
4-8 green cardamoms
1 tsp mace
1 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp black peppercorns
2 tsp caraway seeds
2 tbsp salt
Recipe
Mix the first marinade. Rub all over the chickens. Leave overnight.
For the second marinade, grind all of "group 3" in a coffee grinder, grind all of "group 2" in a blender, and mix all three together. You should get greenish-white glop with black flecks from all the spices.
Take each piece of chicken from the first marinade, coat them all over with the yogurt marinade. Pour the rest of the stuff over the chickens, and marinate overnight. (The first marinade gets discarded. Yes, this is correct!)
Grill. Keep basting it with the marinade. (It's not the same as a "tandoor" but it's damn close.)
For the eternally harangued-by-their-job-I-have-no-time-to-cook, the bare minimum is 4 hours for the first, and 8 hours for the second (but don't expect it to taste as good as the real deal.)
Friday, July 7, 2006
Corn Chowder
After a short work week, the CC had a hankering for some corn chowder. But it's too hot here in New York to have a heavy meal.
What follows below is not a "true" chowder (no bacon or cream), but it's so unbelievably good that the CC rushed to blog it.
Ingredients
4 leeks (diced coarsely)
12 corn cobs (shucked, kernels removed -- keep 3 cobs, cut in half)
2 yellow bell peppers (diced)
1 potato (diced)
1 bunch parsley
broth (or water)
1 tsp caraway seeds
1 tsp celery seeds
olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Recipe
Fry the leeks until they are soft. Add in the caraway seeds, celery seeds, and black pepper, and fry for 30 seconds or so. Toss in the bell peppers and the potato, and fry for 2 minutes or so. Add the corn cobs, and 4/5th of the corn kernels, and the broth.
Bring to a boil. Skim. Turn down the heat, and simmer for 20 minutes.
Blend the entire mixture with the parsley in a blender. Add it back to the pot, throw in the rest of the corn, and simmer for another 15 minutes.
Serve with crusty bread.
What follows below is not a "true" chowder (no bacon or cream), but it's so unbelievably good that the CC rushed to blog it.
Ingredients
4 leeks (diced coarsely)
12 corn cobs (shucked, kernels removed -- keep 3 cobs, cut in half)
2 yellow bell peppers (diced)
1 potato (diced)
1 bunch parsley
broth (or water)
1 tsp caraway seeds
1 tsp celery seeds
olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Recipe
Fry the leeks until they are soft. Add in the caraway seeds, celery seeds, and black pepper, and fry for 30 seconds or so. Toss in the bell peppers and the potato, and fry for 2 minutes or so. Add the corn cobs, and 4/5th of the corn kernels, and the broth.
Bring to a boil. Skim. Turn down the heat, and simmer for 20 minutes.
Blend the entire mixture with the parsley in a blender. Add it back to the pot, throw in the rest of the corn, and simmer for another 15 minutes.
Serve with crusty bread.
Saturday, June 24, 2006
Hiking and Food (part 3b)
The preceding farfalle was followed up by a mushroom risotto. This is the "easy" version (since we're in hiking mode.)
At a future date, the CC will publish a full version (in which you make your own mushroom broth.)
It goes without saying that there's just no comparison.
"Simple" Mushroom Risotto
Ingredients
3 shallots (diced real fine)
2-3 leeks (diced fine, mostly white parts but some green too.)
a variety of mushrooms (button,crimini,shiitake diced -- they will shrink!)
2-3 cups arborio rice
3-4 cups broth (read below if you use commercial broth!)
butter
olive oil
salt and pepper
Recipe
Heat one burner, and keep the broth on a simmer. (I skimmed the broth, you may want to do the same.)
Heat the olive oil, and fry the shallots and the leeks. When they are light golden, add the rice, and stir so that the arborio is liberally coated with olive oil. Fry for 30 seconds or so.
Add the mushrooms, and fry for 3 minutes or so. The mushrooms should give off copious amounts of liquid. Add the salt and pepper.
Now comes the hard part.
Add in a ladeleful of the hot broth, and stir. As the rice absorbs the liquid, keep adding more ladlefuls, and stirring.
The rice should be solid (and lightly sticky) but not "hard".
Serve warm.
In retrospect, even while going hiking, I should've bought some "dried porcinis" (the reconstituted broth would be divine!), and some "parmigiano reggiano".
The CC wishes to apologize to his friends, and hangs his head in shame.
At a future date, the CC will publish a full version (in which you make your own mushroom broth.)
It goes without saying that there's just no comparison.
"Simple" Mushroom Risotto
Ingredients
3 shallots (diced real fine)
2-3 leeks (diced fine, mostly white parts but some green too.)
a variety of mushrooms (button,crimini,shiitake diced -- they will shrink!)
2-3 cups arborio rice
3-4 cups broth (read below if you use commercial broth!)
butter
olive oil
salt and pepper
Recipe
Heat one burner, and keep the broth on a simmer. (I skimmed the broth, you may want to do the same.)
Heat the olive oil, and fry the shallots and the leeks. When they are light golden, add the rice, and stir so that the arborio is liberally coated with olive oil. Fry for 30 seconds or so.
Add the mushrooms, and fry for 3 minutes or so. The mushrooms should give off copious amounts of liquid. Add the salt and pepper.
Now comes the hard part.
Add in a ladeleful of the hot broth, and stir. As the rice absorbs the liquid, keep adding more ladlefuls, and stirring.
The rice should be solid (and lightly sticky) but not "hard".
Serve warm.
In retrospect, even while going hiking, I should've bought some "dried porcinis" (the reconstituted broth would be divine!), and some "parmigiano reggiano".
The CC wishes to apologize to his friends, and hangs his head in shame.
Hiking and food (part 3a)
The next day was a bit of a hiking bust. It poured continuously, and in any case we were in no mood to do a strenuous hike after the previous day's.
However, on the bright side, we had some amazing food.
This recipe is utterly simple but its simplicity belies its brilliance.
Farfalle con piselli
Ingredients
6 shallots (cut into rounds)
1 1/2 packages frozen peas (frozen will do since texture is not important)
lots of basil
salt and pepper
Recipe
Heat up some olive oil, and fry the shallots till they "sweat". Add in a package of the peas, and some water, salt and pepper. Let the peas cook for 5-6 minutes.
Pluck the basil leaves, and dump the above mixture with the leaves into a blender. Blend till smooth, and dump the mixture back into the pot. Add the rest of the peas, and cook for 5-6 minutes. Do not overcook!
Serve the sauce over farfalle, with plenty of black pepper.
A word to the wise.
One of my friends (who shall remain unnamed), in her infinite brilliance (yes! I know I've revealed the gender), decided to skip two out of the three ingredients (shallots and basil.) The consequences of the afore-mentioned are left as an easy exercise to the reader.
However, on the bright side, we had some amazing food.
This recipe is utterly simple but its simplicity belies its brilliance.
Farfalle con piselli
Ingredients
6 shallots (cut into rounds)
1 1/2 packages frozen peas (frozen will do since texture is not important)
lots of basil
salt and pepper
Recipe
Heat up some olive oil, and fry the shallots till they "sweat". Add in a package of the peas, and some water, salt and pepper. Let the peas cook for 5-6 minutes.
Pluck the basil leaves, and dump the above mixture with the leaves into a blender. Blend till smooth, and dump the mixture back into the pot. Add the rest of the peas, and cook for 5-6 minutes. Do not overcook!
Serve the sauce over farfalle, with plenty of black pepper.
A word to the wise.
One of my friends (who shall remain unnamed), in her infinite brilliance (yes! I know I've revealed the gender), decided to skip two out of the three ingredients (shallots and basil.) The consequences of the afore-mentioned are left as an easy exercise to the reader.
Sunday, June 4, 2006
Hiking and food (part 2)
The next day, the CC had the unfortunate responsibility of explaining the non-negotiable rules of hiking to a bunch of supposedly experienced hikers.
Folks got mauled.
Then, the CC got mauled.
After that, the food got mauled.
Sometimes being right means that you have to eat burnt veggie burgers but far better to eat burnt burgers, and espouse some truths than spend your vacation in the morgue.
For the record, if you "broil" something, generally 2 minutes is more than sufficient.
Folks got mauled.
Then, the CC got mauled.
After that, the food got mauled.
Sometimes being right means that you have to eat burnt veggie burgers but far better to eat burnt burgers, and espouse some truths than spend your vacation in the morgue.
For the record, if you "broil" something, generally 2 minutes is more than sufficient.
Hiking and pasta
Next up on the California trail was Yosemite where we carried our food and our water.
The CC got there first (predictably!), and was charged with cooking dinner.
Ingredients
2-3 tbsp olive oil
2 large onions, halved, and cut into ringlets
3 zucchini squash (cut into rounds)
12-20 pattypan squash (cut into quarters)
mint, and basil (cut coarsely by hand)
salt to taste
pepper (lots!)
Recipe
Heat the olive oil, and fry the onions until they are soft and limp. Toss in the squash, and some water, salt to taste, lots and lots of black pepper, cover and let the squash cook. Add the mint and basil at the end. Turn off the heat.
Serve over farfalle (bowtie pasta for the Americans.)
The CC got there first (predictably!), and was charged with cooking dinner.
Ingredients
2-3 tbsp olive oil
2 large onions, halved, and cut into ringlets
3 zucchini squash (cut into rounds)
12-20 pattypan squash (cut into quarters)
mint, and basil (cut coarsely by hand)
salt to taste
pepper (lots!)
Recipe
Heat the olive oil, and fry the onions until they are soft and limp. Toss in the squash, and some water, salt to taste, lots and lots of black pepper, cover and let the squash cook. Add the mint and basil at the end. Turn off the heat.
Serve over farfalle (bowtie pasta for the Americans.)
Saturday, June 3, 2006
Long beans
The CC figured that he should write about the long beans, given how much I like them.
For the Indians in the audience, we're talking about chaudi (and for the non-Indians, you don't really know how to pronounce that "d" so don't even bother!)
The CC just wanted to say that he misses them but how the hell can the CC miss them when they are so easily available in NYC?
OK, he just crave them.
For the Indians in the audience, we're talking about chaudi (and for the non-Indians, you don't really know how to pronounce that "d" so don't even bother!)
The CC just wanted to say that he misses them but how the hell can the CC miss them when they are so easily available in NYC?
OK, he just crave them.
Meyer-Lemon Granita recipe
Ingredients
20 Meyer-lemons
8 tbsp sugar (this is approximate, read below.)
infinite patience (traditionally in short supply!)
Method
Squeeze the lemons, and put the juice through a fine sieve (you only want the liquid.) Add the sugar one tbsp at a time, and stir until it dissolves. You want to end up with a solution that's still quite tart but has a sweet-sour taste (trust me, this works well in the end even as a "dessert" -- the first time the CC made a granita, it was too sweet.)
Now comes the hard part. Put the stuff in a large bowl, and place it in the freezer uncovered. As it starts freezing, stir it up.
Initially, you can wait upto 2-3 hours in summer. After that, you'll need to do it every hour, then every half-hour, then every 15 minutes, until you end up with ice-crystals that are "quite dry" (like powdered snowflakes.)
Scoop and serve in martini glasses. The flavor crystals explode in your mouth.
The Italians may not know how to form a government, but they know how to eat well.
20 Meyer-lemons
8 tbsp sugar (this is approximate, read below.)
infinite patience (traditionally in short supply!)
Method
Squeeze the lemons, and put the juice through a fine sieve (you only want the liquid.) Add the sugar one tbsp at a time, and stir until it dissolves. You want to end up with a solution that's still quite tart but has a sweet-sour taste (trust me, this works well in the end even as a "dessert" -- the first time the CC made a granita, it was too sweet.)
Now comes the hard part. Put the stuff in a large bowl, and place it in the freezer uncovered. As it starts freezing, stir it up.
Initially, you can wait upto 2-3 hours in summer. After that, you'll need to do it every hour, then every half-hour, then every 15 minutes, until you end up with ice-crystals that are "quite dry" (like powdered snowflakes.)
Scoop and serve in martini glasses. The flavor crystals explode in your mouth.
The Italians may not know how to form a government, but they know how to eat well.
Cambodian Food (in the ghetto)
First stop, the day after I arrived was a Cambodian lunch place in some suburban ghetto. Gritty surroundings, lots of barbed-wire, geeks galore from Silicon Valley, and some amazing food.
We ordered a catfish hamok (also spelled as h'mok and amok), and a dish with long beans. (I'm sure I'm not doing justice to the pronunciation.)
The h'mok is fish chunks mixed with coconut milk, and ground coconut meat. It's heavy on the galangal, kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass, and particulary kapi (or gkapi) (fermented shrimp paste.) All of this is wrapped in a banana leaf and steamed.
The aromas are simply sublime! My sister was generous enough to let me have the "first smell".
The CC openly admits his addiction to gkapi (watch for a post on this later), but this is not for the faint of heart, and is definitely an acquired taste.
The CC was also just impressed that the long bean dish contained long beans. Far too often, restaurants substitute French beans (what a copout!)
Talk about an auspicious beginning to a vacation!
We ordered a catfish hamok (also spelled as h'mok and amok), and a dish with long beans. (I'm sure I'm not doing justice to the pronunciation.)
The h'mok is fish chunks mixed with coconut milk, and ground coconut meat. It's heavy on the galangal, kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass, and particulary kapi (or gkapi) (fermented shrimp paste.) All of this is wrapped in a banana leaf and steamed.
The aromas are simply sublime! My sister was generous enough to let me have the "first smell".
The CC openly admits his addiction to gkapi (watch for a post on this later), but this is not for the faint of heart, and is definitely an acquired taste.
The CC was also just impressed that the long bean dish contained long beans. Far too often, restaurants substitute French beans (what a copout!)
Talk about an auspicious beginning to a vacation!
Thursday, June 1, 2006
Ode to a Meyer-lemon granita
It looks like yellow snow,
But it tastes like ambrosia.
Not exactly Keats but it pretty much sums up the situation aptly.
Back from California
I'm back with culinary adventures in tow.
Watch this space for some rather fun food adventures in non-chronological order. (I can't be that conventional!)
Watch this space for some rather fun food adventures in non-chronological order. (I can't be that conventional!)
Monday, May 8, 2006
Instruments, fatties, and other musings
So every once in a while, the CC gets into the mood, and into the nude, and into the...
Hang on! That's not what I wanted to talk about.
Anyway, every once in a while the CC gets into the mood of possessing a kitchen instument that he needs, but since the CC is mortally afraid of becoming one of the Williams-Sonoma crowd, the CC shies away from mortal possession of true-and-tried tactical tools.
The CC happens to be just wrong!
Hail Italy!
We should never have doubted you (as far as food is concerned.) Your governments suck, and have sucked since WWII, but why doubt your food?
Anyway, back to the point.
The CC bought a cheese grater for a party.
The CC also bought some kick-ass parmigiano-reggiano to serve over the risotto.
The CC has been humbled, and acknowledges his need for instruments after understanding the true nature of a cheese grater.
The combination of cheese grater and authentic parmigiano-reggiano over fresh risotto is something to behold!
Here's how it works:
The risotto is served rather warm, the "parmesan" (pardon the Americanism) is shredded fresh with an instrument into such tiny threads that it falls over the rice, and instantly "cooks". The threads of cheese (and they are truly tiny) are so divine that the CC is shocked.
And for you fat-phobic fatties, true parmigiano-reggiano is a hard, skimmed cheese. You probably eat more ten times more fat in one of those crappy "fat-free" yogurts because the US FDA allows companies to advertise "zero" fat if it contains less than one gram of fat per serving.
Even a tablespoon of pure oil is "zero" fat if the CC defines 100,000 servings per tablespoon (get my drift, fatties?)
Consider this a plug for authentic parmigiano-reggiano (and only incidentally, a plug for a good cheese grater.)
Hang on! That's not what I wanted to talk about.
Anyway, every once in a while the CC gets into the mood of possessing a kitchen instument that he needs, but since the CC is mortally afraid of becoming one of the Williams-Sonoma crowd, the CC shies away from mortal possession of true-and-tried tactical tools.
The CC happens to be just wrong!
Hail Italy!
We should never have doubted you (as far as food is concerned.) Your governments suck, and have sucked since WWII, but why doubt your food?
Anyway, back to the point.
The CC bought a cheese grater for a party.
The CC also bought some kick-ass parmigiano-reggiano to serve over the risotto.
The CC has been humbled, and acknowledges his need for instruments after understanding the true nature of a cheese grater.
The combination of cheese grater and authentic parmigiano-reggiano over fresh risotto is something to behold!
Here's how it works:
The risotto is served rather warm, the "parmesan" (pardon the Americanism) is shredded fresh with an instrument into such tiny threads that it falls over the rice, and instantly "cooks". The threads of cheese (and they are truly tiny) are so divine that the CC is shocked.
And for you fat-phobic fatties, true parmigiano-reggiano is a hard, skimmed cheese. You probably eat more ten times more fat in one of those crappy "fat-free" yogurts because the US FDA allows companies to advertise "zero" fat if it contains less than one gram of fat per serving.
Even a tablespoon of pure oil is "zero" fat if the CC defines 100,000 servings per tablespoon (get my drift, fatties?)
Consider this a plug for authentic parmigiano-reggiano (and only incidentally, a plug for a good cheese grater.)
Saturday, May 6, 2006
Dinner at the CC's
•
Seafood risotto
•
Pomegranate granita
Sunday, April 30, 2006
Food of the Gods
When one of the enlightenment figures, Carl Linnaeus, the father of modern taxonomy, completely and utterly loses his reason and christens the seed as theobroma cacao, what more can the CC say?
It is truly the food of the gods.
It is truly the food of the gods.
Sunday, April 16, 2006
Food, sex, love
Massaman curry from my beloved,
Redolent of cumin and other spices.
Any man who happens upon its aroma
Is powerless to resist.
♥
Latiang is like the pillow on which I dream
And to the heavens from which I rise,
Yet upon my unsettling return
I find close comfort only with you.
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