BOULEY

my chick and i hit up two-star michelin-rated Bouley restaurant for our two-year anniversary. truly sophisticated, fancy-pants fare; an archetype of NYC fine dining -- it was kind of a big deal. at $150/head, this type of culinary luxury would usually fall far beyond my reach, however, the much more affordable $48/head lunch is a GO. sure, i suppose $48 for lunch is a bit dear, but considering the lavish five-course spread that awaits, i'd say it's well worth it.

BOULEY
163 Duane Street
New York, NY 10013
Telephone:(212) 964-2525

like i said, the entire meal was tits, but there were a few stand outs:

a warm welcome -- the apple-scented foyer; decked out in an orchards worth of ripe apples.

the amuse -- a curious concoction of cauliflower foam, tomato coulis, and trout roe, w/ a drizzle of aged balsamic, and vanilla-scented olive oil

porchini flan -- "umami" is the word. a rich, earthy broth, w/ generous chunks of steamed dungeness. a silky, savory 'shroom custard underneath it all. too bad it didn't photo for shit.

the duck -- more interesting than the menu would have you believe. sweet notes of anise, ginger and vanilla. glazed turnips and romanesco always a plus.

petit fours -- gratis, of course.

the goodie bag -- the delightfully spongy lemon tea-cake. not the best, but it's the thought that counts, right?



$48 lunch is offered 11:30a-3:00p, daily -- including weekends

© 2009 c. c. villani @ "mission: insatiable" - http://missioninsatiable.com/

doin' blasts

pancakes from a can? who knew? -- apparently my mother.

oraganic BATTER BLASTER is a pre-packaged pancake/waffle mix conveniently contained in a pressurized can equipped w/ the ill nozzle tip; a la reddi wip.

you've got to love these BATTER BLASTER people based on their ingenuity alone. FINALLY, a product self-absorbed working mothers and the perpetually hungover can BOTH enjoy. "just shake...point...blast..and cook. it's that easy" -- that's the tag line.

and it's no lie. but how do the pancakes stack up?

--eh.

the pancakes taste alright, but their texture leaves much to be desired. the leavening agent must get compromised during packaging because these pancakes sport a fluff factor of ZERO. moreover, the waffles had no body; no heft -- it was like snacking on a wafer, not a waffle.

no worries tho, for $5 this breakfast novelty is well worth it's weight in batter -- if only to help ease the woes of the "morning after"


© 2009 c. c. villani @ "mission: insatiable" - http://missioninsatiable.com/

BEANS -- BOOM BOOM POW

i'm not one for taking short cuts in the kitchen, but if using canned beans is wrong -- i don't want to be right. you'd be surprised how quickly you can hobble together a make-shift bean ragout w/ just a handful of ingredients. this southwestern inspired bean explosion rocks a 2:1 ratio of black eyed peas to black beans; zazzed up w/ dried chilies, cinnamon and a can of stewed tomatoes for some tang.

the basic premise behind this dish is to sauté some aromatics, add beans, spice 'em up, cover w/ stock by an inch and simmer down until the liquid has reduced by about 1/2, or until desired consistency is achieved; i like mine a little on the thick side ;-)


Southwestern Bean Ragout

2 (15oz) cans black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
1 (15oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15oz) can stewed tomatoes, rinsed and drained
2 TBS canola oil
1 red onion, small dice
2 stalks celery, small dice
1 carrot, finely shredded
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups chicken stock
1 bay leaf
1 stick of cinnamon
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp chipotle powder
1-3 chili de arbol (optional)
1 lime, juiced
salt & pepper to taste

1. in a straight-sided sauté pan -- cook onion, carrot, and celery in canola oil over medium high heat until well caramelized; 6-8 minutes. add garlic, sauté until golden brown -- be careful not to burn; 1-2 minutes.

2. add beans, stewed tomatoes and enough stock to cover by an inch; about 2 cups. bring to a boil -- add chili powder, chipotle powder, cinnamon, bay leaf, and chilies de arbol -- reduce to a simmer.

3. simmer for 15-20 minutes until liquid reduces and mixture thickens. to thicken -- mash beans with the back of a large spoon or ladle. add lime juice, salt and pepper to taste.

-- garnish with a dollop of sour cream, chopped cilantro, scallion, and lime zest.

© 2009 c. c. villani @ "mission: insatiable" - http://missioninsatiable.com/