Top Chef - Season 8 Finale

Blais.  I'd root for the guy if he wasn't such a troll.

© 2011 c. c. villani @ "mission: insatiable - http://www.missioninsatiable.com

SxSW

Chipotles en adobo is an ingredient common to Latin American & Southwestern cooking.  The concoction consists of smoked jalapeño peppers that are stewed in a sauce of tomatoes, garlic, vinegar, salt & spices. The peppers have a smoky tang and persistent heat that add depth and character to stews, marinades, chilis and salsas -- it's like a rodeo in a can.  Match a teaspoon of this stuff with a tablespoon of maple syrup and try experimenting with mashed sweet potatoes.

© 2011 c. c. villani @ "mission: insatiable - http://www.missioninsatiable.com

Fourth Time's The Charm

It took four attempts over 2 years, but I finally snagged a seat at the famed Spotted Pig pub in Greenwich village. Established in 2004, the Spotted Pig is New York City's first, and still most premier gastropub.  "Gastropub" is a pretentious foodie term used to describe bars that serve crowd-drawing foods as well as the standard beers, wines and spirits.  I'm not talking about Buffalo Wild Wings -- I'm talking about five consecutive Michelin stars.  Yum.

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The Spotted Pig
http://thespottedpig.com
314 W. 11th Street (@ Greenwich Street)
New York, NY 10014
212.620.0393

The Spotted Pig operates on a first come, first seated basis.  Grabbing a table at lunch shouldn't be too much of an issue, but if you don't arrive at 5:30p sharp for the diner rush, you will be waiting upwards of 2 hours for a seat in this diminutive establishment.  

The lunch menu is limited, but so is my patience when it comes to waiting forever to eat.  Drop in during the week for a burger & fries, then decide if the full menu is worth the wait.  

© 2011 c. c. villani @ "mission: insatiable" - http://www.missioninsatiable.com

Tiny Tomatillos

Things you should know about tomatillos:

• They are green.
• They are surrounded by a paper-like husk that should be discarded.
• They are covered by a sticky substance that must be rinsed off before use.
• They apparently come in both standard and miniature sizes.  

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I've cooked w/ tomatillos many times, but never the miniature variety. Tomatillos are known for their sour tang when consumed in their raw state -- the minis are no different.  In order to tame their bright bite, I usually roast tomatillos in a 400°oven for 10-15 minutes or until they start to deflate.  A quick salsa adds depth to any grilled meat, seafood or poultry.  

Pan-roasted salmon, curried lentils, wild rice and tomatillo salsa.

Tomatillo-Tomato Salsa

1 cup mini tomatillos*

1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 red onion, minced

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1 lime, juiced

2 TBS cilantro, chopped

1 TBS canola oil + extra for roasting tomatillo

1. toss tomatillos w/ a splash of canola oil; season w/ salt & pepper.  roast in a 400°oven for 10-15 minutes, or until they start to deflate.  reserve rendered tomatillos and their juices.  
2. toss cherry tomatoes, garlic, onion, reserved tomatillos, lime juice, cilantro, cumin and canola oil in a mixing bowl.  
3. season w/ salt & pepper. allow to sit for 20 minutes; tastes, adjust seasoning & serve.

© 2011 c. c. villani @ "mission: insatiable" - http://www.missioninsatiable.com

New York's Finest

It's hard to say which NYC restaurant has the best food, service or atmosphere, however, if you asked me which local eatery provides the quintessential New York City dining experience I would say, "Gramercy Tavern", without blinking an eye. 

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Gramercy Tavern

42 East 20th Street

New York, NY 10003

212.477.0777

www.gramercytavern.com

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Gramercy Tavern was established in 1994 by Tom Colicchio & Danny Meyer.  While Tom is long gone, Mr. Meyer and Executive Chef, Michael Anthony, continue to provide an impeccable dining experience.  

Austere, but not stuffy.  

Elaborate, but not pretentious.  

Chic, but not trendy. 

Timeless & delicious.

© 2011 c. c. villani @ "mission: insatiable" - http://www.missioninsatiable.com

One Spice to Rule Them All

Authentic Indian cuisine -- while simple to prepare from a technical standpoint -- utilizes a pantry of spices completely foreign to most people.  Don't be intimidated, just start small and get your hands on two spices, tumeric & garam masala.

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Garam masala (translated, "hot mixture") is a great introduction to cooking Indian.  The contents of this spice blend vary from region to region, but generally consists of 8+ spices that have a distinctly Indain flair -- cumin, coriander, clove, fenugreek seeds, cinamon, chili pepper, and cardamom to name a few.  

I buy a whole garam masala mix from the local grocer so I can toast and grind to order.  Most markets will sell ground garam masala, which is a fine alternative to the whole so long as you add the spice mix towards the end of the cooking process as to not lose the full aroma and "zing".

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The natural sweetness of roasted cauliflower perfectly balances the garam masala's assertive bite and the bright orange tumeric provides a color boost that is sure to impress.

Curried Cauliflower w/ Spinach

1 head of cauliflower, cut into 1 inch pieces

1-2 bunches fresh spinach, blanched

1 knob of ginger, julienned

4 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced

2 TBS canola oil

1/2 tsp tumeric

2 tsp ground garam masala

salt & pepper to taste

-- pre-heat the oven to 500°

1.  toss cauliflower, garlic, ginger and canola oil in a large bowl.  add the tumeric, garam masala and season w/ salt.  toss to thoroughly coat the cauliflower.

2.  bake cauliflower on a parchment-lined sheet tray for 12 minutes.  shake up cauliflower and bake for an additional 4-5 minutes.  toss w/ spinach while hot & serve. 

© 2011 c. c. villani @ "mission: insatiable" - http://www.missioninsatiable.com

Stomaching Tripe

Tripe is cow stomach -- # 2 of 4.  I've tried to like tripe, but no matter how it's prepared, I just can't seem to stomach it.

People are usually put-off by the bubble-gum-chew texture, but I think it's kind of playful. The taste, however, is another story.  The strong, persistent taste of grass & buttholes dominates every bite. It wouldn't be so bad if you could just gobble it up quick and be done, but that's not how it goes.  Each bite is a barnyard in your mouth and takes forever to finish because it's so damn chewy!  I suppose that's what you get for trying to eat the stomach of a 1200lb herbivore.

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Tripe Tagliatelle

2 # tripe

1 # fresh tagliatelle pasta

1 large red onion, large dice

1 pobalno pepper, large dice

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup tomato paste

2 cup basic tomato sauce

1 bunch mint leaves, finely chopped

salt & pepper; lemon juice to taste.

1. combine the tripe, vinegar, and vanilla in a large pot w/ enough water to cover the tripe by 2 inches. bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer. cook until the tripe is very tender, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. be diligent about skimming any foam that rises to the top. also, make sure the water level is maintained throughout the cooking process (adding more water when necessary).  when finished, drain the tripe and cut into bite sized pieces.  reserve.
2. sauté the diced onion and pepper in a splash of olive oil over medium heat.  cook until limp, about 5-6 minutes.  add garlic and continue to cook for another minute.  add tomato paste and a splash of sauce. cook for an additional 5 minutes, then add the remainder of the sauce. 
3. add reserved tripe to the sauce. bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer.  simmer over low heat for 30 minutes.  
4. cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water according to the instructions -- probably around 4-7 minutes.  toss cooked pasta w/ tripe sauce, add the chopped mint and a squeeze of lemon.  embellish w/ some extra-virgin olive oil and try to enjoy.

© 2011 c. c. villani @ "mission: insatiable" - http://www.missioninsatiable.com