6.30.2009

CHINESE TACOS?




I guess that's the best description for these lovely little packages of flavor Meena envisioned yesterday. She said it was mu shu shrimp, and I suppose that's correct. We didn't have a couple of the ingredients that would have been required to officially call it mu shu, but whatever. This was our version.

We didn't have hoisin, so I made a little sauce:
- brown sugar
- honey
- soy sauce
- sriracha
- garlic
- rice vinegar

Then Meena started some veg on the pan. Those included:
- broccoli slaw
- white onion
- shiitake mushroom
- spinach
- yellow bell pepper

At the last second we mixed through a bit of shrimp and served the whole shebang up with whole wheat tortillas and lots of sriracha.

And ... I guess you have Chinese tacos, right? Maybe? I don't know. That's what we're going with.

Not bad, though. The spice went really well with the sweet, garlic-tinged veggies. And the whole wheat tortillas were really outstanding. I don't know what Trader Joe's is up to ... but they've done something special with whole wheat here.

These will return. Mark my words.

6.29.2009

SALAD ROUND TWO



We got lucky at Fairway. Really lucky. As we were wandering through the aisles and dodging the droves of people doing the same, we happened upon something pretty awesome ... beef tenderloin for $4.99 a pound.

We picked up a few pounds and hightailed it back to Carroll Gardens. We'd had plans to make a pizza or something but when this new detail came to light, we had to regroup, you know?

Salad. Yep. We decided to bring back the super dinner salad we'd rocked last week and boy, oh, boy did it benefit from those lovely bits of steak!

When we got home, I marinated the steak in soy, garlic, ketchup, sesame oil, fish sauce and water.

A few hours later, we started grilling veggies in a mix of cumin, chili powder, sea salt and olive oil. Those veg included:
- red pepper
- red onion

Then we grilled up some shrimps in a similar spice mix and threw that tenderloin on the side.

While all that was heating up I got rolling on an avocado and Meena threw together her dressing (canola oil, garlic, rice vinegar, sea salt and black pepper).

Mix all of that through with some field greens and what do you have? Something pretty decadent. And one heck of a way to close out the weekend.

QUICK SUNDAY BITES



You knew they had to make a comeback, right? This is the world's greatest breakfast and it had been away for too long. So ... I brought it back.

So simple. I used:
- caputo's mini ciabatta
- low-fat cream cheese
- smoked salmon
- chives
- sea salt
- black pepper

Perfection, friends. Simply. Perfect.

6.28.2009

A VARIATION



I decided to make a healthy variation on eggs benedict for Meena on Saturday morning. Why? Cause eggs benedict is bad for you right? I felt it was my civic duty to increase the health quotient on one of Meena's brunch-time favorites. I don't really think I made anything terribly delicious, but I do think I did right by my goal. It was a healthier version than the original.

I started by grilling up some pita triangles to replace the english muffin.

Then I whipped up a bit of sauce to replace that lovely hollandaise. I used:
- balsamic vinegar
- sriracha
- low fat sour cream
- garlic

Then I just threw some smoked salmon and a poached egg (with a little salt and pepper) over the whole affair.

We mixed up some greens with salt, pepper, olive oil and balsamic for a bit of veg support on the side.

You know what? Not bad. I don't think it was great, but my poaching skills were a little better than I expected and the sauce + salmon all merged well together. Was it great? No. But it wasn't bad. It definitely wansn't bad.

6.27.2009

FREE AT LAST





Freedom from the office felt pretty amazing on Friday night and because it was threatening rain off and on, we decided to forgo heading out into the hood looking for foods and instead decided to just call in Zaytoons. You know. It was one of those kick your feet up, relax and veg nights. Nobody does veg out meals like Zaytoons.

So we did the usual:
- zaytoons mix
- chicken shawarma sandwich
- shish kebab sandwich

That's it. Just plain old Zaytoons perfection.

6.26.2009

AN INCREDIBLE SALAD



I'm not sure how we managed to do this, but somehow we really worked out an incredible salad last night. I'm not a big fan of the dinner salad. Honestly. It just never feels like enough. It might taste good, but so often, you wind up digging through the pantry an hour later.

Well, this one was equal parts satisfying and filling. Meena and I teamed up on a good one here, dudes. A good one that'll probably make a comeback or two.

We started with a bunch of veg on a hot, hot pan:
- red onion
- yellow bell pepper

I mixed those lovely bits with a bunch of chili powder, basil, cumin, sea salt and a bit of olive oil. The went on the pan and sizzled and stewed for a bit.

Then I mixed through some halved shrimp with the same seasoning mix and a bit of sriracha and added them to the same pan and killed the heat.

While the shrimp warmed through, I sliced up some avocado and Meena toasted up some whole wheat pita and made a bit of a dressing:
- canola oil
- garlic
- cumin
- rice wine vinegar
- sea salt
- black pepper

And at the end, we threw it all together over a romaine mix and plated it up.

Whew. What a salad. Creamy avocado, spicy peppers, onions and shrimp. And that nice and crispy/chewy pita. Fantastic.

6.24.2009

ANOTHER GREAT MEENA MEAL



My wife is the best. I've said it before and I'll keep on saying it. In fact, I'll yell it when she whips up delicious stuff like this incredible shrimp curry.

She's tried this one before and I'm happy to see it make a comeback in a slightly different execution.

This time around she threw in:
- shrimp
- broccoli and carrot slaw
- light coconut milk
- onion
- brown rice
- soy sauce
- rice wine vinegar
- sodium-free chicken broth
- corn starch
- garlic
- spinach
- sambal oelek

Whew! I spiced mine up a touch with some sriracha and boy, oh boy. This one had that rare combination of making me feel exceedingly full while remaining completely satisfying.

Oh so awesome. Meen, I'm going to request this one again, too. Beware!

6.23.2009

MEENA'S WORLD FAMOUS MEATLOAF




I was treated to something special last night, friends. I was served what I will now refer to as Meena's World Famous Meatloaf from now until the end of time.

Because in my mind, it is just that. It's delicious, friends, this much I promise you.

She started with a bit of veg:
- broccoli slaw
- spinach
- shiitake mushrooms
- soy sauce
- chicken broth
- sea salt
- black pepper
- sriracha

All those lovely, crunch greens got the sautee treatment before being paired with the main event ... the turkey meatloaf. Here's what went in:
- ground turkey
- oatmeal
- worcestershire sauce
- garlic
- sea salt
- black pepper
- fat-free yogurt
- egg
- ketchup
- onion
- sriracha

All that went in the oven for around 50 minutes at about 400 degrees. Wow.

The thing was moist, perfectly bound, full of flavor and from what I hear, not that bad for me either. Who knew?

Thanks, wife. Just beware, I'm going to request this one again soon.

6.22.2009

FAT FISH



And so the end of the weekend finally rolled around. You never like to see the clock strike 7:00 or so on a Sunday night because it means all your lovely lounging around time is quickly coming to a close. But for me anyway, the only thing that makes it a little better is whipping up something in the kitchen. This Sunday night we went with the fattest salmon fillet I've seen in months.

I started with a little base for the salmon to preside over - a bit of broccoli slaw we picked up at Trader Joe's. Just julienned broccoli and carrot. I added:
- fat free sour cream
- cayenne pepper
- lemon juice
- sea salt
- black pepper
- red onion

And then I tried replicating the glaze I'd used on the perch a few night earlier:
- jalapeno jelly
- soy sauce
- garlic
- sriracha
- whole grain mustard

I seared these fat boys up on the stove then finished them in the oven with the glaze. The results were pretty darn good.

The slaw was creamy but laced with this subtle heat that added a touch of complexity. I love this slaw - the crunch of the carrot and broccoli. I'll be buying this stuff again.

The fish was, despite it's unusual thickness, cooked perfectly. I let it languish in the oven a little longer than normal and I guess I pulled it out right at the perfect moment because both fillets were cooked just right.

A strong effort to close the weekend if I do say so myself. Now back to the work week. With any luck we'll have a few fun things to share in the coming days. I definitely have a mind to cook with some regularity this week.

6.21.2009

HIGH ON THE HIPSTER HOG



Meena had to drop off some stuff for a shoot in Williamsburg and because it was a giant garment bag full of who knows what, she enlisted the help of Dan and myself to see that it made it over there in one piece. Not a problem, because I knew that once in the heart of the hipster, I was going to check out something I've ignored for too long - hipster bbq.

Fette Sau is this bbq joint in that neck of the woods that we've always meant to try. I guess I always sort of dismissed it as yet another NYC attempt at replicating authentic customs from the rest of the country in hopes of appealing to this town's neverending love affair with all things ironic. But we read about the Sau in some magazine touting its grub as solid cooking, so we figured it was time to see what it was all about.

We started with a big old growler of some wheat beer.

So far, so AWESOME.

Then we got our tray of meats and sides. The damage went like this:
- 1 lb. beef brisket
- 1/2 lb. pork shoulder
- 2 x spicy pork sausage
- small baked beans
- small potato salad
- rolls

I have to say, I was pretty disappointed in everything but the brisket. The pork was dry. Dry, dry, dry. As a bone. The vinegar and bbq helped, but it was obvious it wasn't a home run. The brisket, on the other hand, was awesome. Moist and full of flavor. Just delicious. I could have eaten two pounds.

The beans were burnt. And not in a good charred flavor way. Just straight burnt. The potato salad was meh. The sausage was just sausage. Nothing to write home about.

In the end, it wasn't awful. Not at all. I mean, bbq is always good. Even if it's just OK bbq. But I was still a little disappointed. I wanted it to be better. But whatever. I mean, I'll go back again. Maybe one more time just to see if last night was an off night. But after one experience, I have to report, just so, so, Fette Sau.

A GIANT EGG SANDWICH



I was supposed to be camping this weekend but due to the rain, we called the trip off and postponed until July. We should probably have some better luck with the weather then. Let's hope.

Anyway, because I was chillin in Brooklyn instead of dodging rain in a tent somewhere in Pennsylvania, I decided to make Meena a bit of breakfast.

I figured, why not just try a GIGANTIC EGG SANDWICH? Because, honestly, who doesn't love a gigantic egg sandwich for breakfast?

If I recall, the list went a little something like this:
- egg
- yellow bell pepper
- red onion
- marinara
- sriracha
- fish sauce
- jalapeno jelly
- mixed greens
- olive oil
- sea salt
- black pepper
- parmesan
- whole wheat bread
- chicken sausage

So I grilled the peppers and onions and mixed them through with the marinara, fish sauce, jelly and sriracha. It gave them a hearty little kick. Some tomato goodness and a hint of spice.

The greens got tossed with the parm, sea salt, pepper and oil. Like a mini salad serving as the sandwich's ground floor. I like.

Then I just grilled off some bits of chicken sausage and a couple eggs and there you have it. A gigantic egg sandwich that was really, really good. One hell of a way to get the weekend going in the right direction.

6.20.2009

FISH CAMP!




I'm very happy to report that the longest week in recent memory came to a delightful close, my friends. That's right, we were treated to one of the best meals I've had in a minute at the always awesome Brooklyn Fish Camp by none other than the lovely and amazing duo of Dan and Steve.

Dan had a gift card that he was itching to use and we were happy to help.

Aren't we lucky?

Anyway, earlier in the day, Meena had told me how much she wanted a lobster roll. I told her fat chance, pay day was a week away! But Dan and Steve came to the rescue and my wife received her craving on a perfectly grilled, buttered bun.

The dinner was spectacular. We started it off with a half dozen oysters on the half shell. They were nice and plump. Not sure what the variety was, but I'm reasonably sure they were east coast. Briney and juicy. Just perfectly decadent.

For the main course, I've already mentioned Meena's selection. Plump lobster salad thrown down the center of that golden hot dog bun and served with a heap of fries. Dan and Steve went the same way - I can't blame them. Mary's does one of the best we've ever had. And believe me, it's easy to mess one of these up despite its seemingly simplistic recipe.

I was the only one who strayed from the lobster. I gave it some thought and nearly went with it, but the spicy sardine sandwich caught my eye. Pickled veggies? Check. Fried, spicy sardines? Check. Grilled bread and a salty salad of greens and onions on the side? Check.

Sounds like my perfect meal.

And oh was it ever. I think I may have dreams about this one. It's easily one of my new favorite things. And at 14 bucks, I think I can probably swing it from time to time. Exciting times, friends. Exciting times indeed. When you have a new favorite sandwich, life is just glorious.

So that was that. Thanks again to D&S - incredible meal, friends. Thanks so much for including us!

6.19.2009

SLIPPIN'






Well, I don't really know why we did this. Well, I take that back. I do. If you've been around the NYC area the past few weeks, you know it's been raining cats and dogs like every single day. I think that because the week had been so long and we were so tired and wet and ... SO close to Friday, we figured, whatever. Let's just order in some Cube 63.

A little different for us this time around. Meena had:
- shrimp shumai
- spicy tuna roll
- seaweed salad

Alec had:
- miso soup
- avocado salad
- salmon roll

I tried to keep it light and I think I got it just right this time around. The avocado salad was surprisingly good for being so simple. Just a regular old green salad with avocado and that Japanese dressing. But I think I might have it again.

6.18.2009

PERCH




Admittedly, this was a bit of a weird one for us. One, I used perch. Not that perch is weird, we just haven't ever used it. I don't know why. I don't know why I tried it this time, either. But I was curious. And I'm glad I was. But more about that later. Two, I served this over a little tomato and onion salad. Weird. Probably won't do it again. But I don't know. It wasn't bad. Worth a try. Anyway, that's sorta why this one was weird.

So I started with the little salad that went down on the plates:
- campari tomatoes
- red onion
- olive oil
- black pepper
- sea salt
- rice wine vinegar

And then I whipped up a little glaze for the perch:
- jalapeno jelly
- whole-grain mustard
- sriracha
- soy sauce

I slathered that mix on the fish and threw it under the broiler for a few until the top was all crisp and the fillets were cooked through.

Meena also made a lovely salad featuring:
- campari tomatoes
- field greens
- avocado
- red onion
- dressing (canola oil, garlic, rice vinegar, sea salt, black pepper)

So ... the results were pretty good. I loved the perch. A lot meatier and firm than I had anticipated. Sorta like a poor man's halibut. REALLY poor man's halibut. But still. Similar in some ways. The topping was the real kicker though. A little sweet, a little spicy. Very delicious.

Meena's salad was the bomb. The avocado was decadent and went well with that raw onion bite.

I think we'll try this one again - we may have a future with perch!

6.17.2009

RECOVERY



When the world finally slowed down a bit, I was actually able to get out of the office at a reasonable hour and run by the fish market on Court to pick up some elements of a much needed home cooked meal. Salmon was the plan. When you just want to make some good and make something easy, there's really no better fish in my humble opinion.

For the salmon, nothing special ... just a bit of salt and pepper, seared up on the stove top and then finished in the oven at 500.

I threw together a neat little base for the salmon to preside over:
- spinach
- soy sauce
- mushrooms
- chicken sausage
- olive oil
- black pepper

Pretty solid. I liked this one a lot, actually. The sausage and mushrooms and spinach provided a nice bite alongside that silky salmon. Can't complain ... this one was solid.

6.16.2009

FINALLY





When I finally got home on Monday night, I was beat. Destroyed. And even though it was Meena's birthday, we just couldn't do much. I offered, but Meena knew. We just needed a little delivery from Szechuan Garden.

I had some kung pao chicken. Nice.

Meena had some sweet and sour prawns with a bit of lo mein.

Thank goodness we'd been to Montreal for Meena's birthday or I would have been a real heel.

6.15.2009

B-MORE









Sorry for the delay, folks. This week was ... well, it felt like it took a month to get through. We worked through the night on Sunday and then straight through Monday. And this was after a lovely (but tiring) weekend trip to Baltimore. So ... yeah. I just didn't have it in me to keep up this week. I had to recharge. Refresh. But I'm back and I have some photos that should bring everyone back up to speed on what we've been eating. Because I know the internet has been pining to find out what we've consumed.

Like I said, we were in Baltimore for the wedding of Madeline and Pedro and we got it started off right on Friday night at Nick's Fish House. Not really sure where it was, but it took our cab driver a minute to get there from the Inner Harbor.

The place was sorta weird. Sorta like ... spring break for an older crowd. They had a DJ. I'm not kidding.

But we had come for the crabs and crabs we had. We got a dozen of those lovely little blue suckers all bathed in a metric ton of Old Bay. We cracked and picked and dug our way through all twelve of those delicious little bastards and moved on to about a dozen east coast oysters on the half shell and a couple lump meat crab cakes. It clearly wasn't classy, but with a couple Miller Lights and Natty Boh's ... Meena, Jen, Geoff and myself felt like we'd had a rather authentic Baltimore experience.

Saturday was the big day and I have to say, this was one of the finer weddings I've ever had the pleasure of attending. Madeline pulled out all the stops and the reception at the Peabody Library was one of the most beautiful venues I've ever seen. Folks, my photos don't do it justice. If you've been there you know. If you haven't - let's just say it's just incredible. Six narrow stories of opulence and knowledge. Definitely Baltimore's finest hour.

The food was just great. We kicked it off with a gazpacho and greek salad combo (Mad is Greek and Pedro is from Spain ... natch). We moved into a lobster ravioli that left me wanting to literally lick the plate. The main course was a perfectly cooked piece of tenderloin, "Minnesota" rice pilaf and green beans. Did I mention that it was perfect?

We closed it down with some lovely wedding cake, lots of wine and a fairly obnoxious dance party.

I can't thank Mad and Pedro enough for having us - it was a very, very lovely affair. And what a couple? They're so lovely together and we couldn't be happier they've taken the next step in their lives. Enjoy Bora Bora, dudes. Thanks again for the hospitality.

6.12.2009

OUR BEST PIZZA EVER



This is a title I may use again in the near future because we just seem to be getting better and better each time we try this routine. Which is natural, I suppose. Practice makes perfect - and we're certainly interested in refining the practice of pizza making.

We got the oven super hot this time and I think that was the real key. The dough spent almost no time in the oven. But that extreme heat on the pizza stone for a short time gave it crisp outsides and bouncy, airy insides. Perfect.

Toppings went like this:
- marinara
- mushrooms
- spinach
- red onion
- worcestershire sauce
- soy sauce
- sea salt
- chicken sausage
- telaggio
- parmesan

We decided to try moving away from mozzarella and I couldn't be happier. The dude at Stinky Brooklyn recommended the telaggio and boy oh boy was he right. This stuff is pretty stinky and just a touch fruity when it's in the solid form but when it melts down into all the ingredients on the top of the pizza ... wow. That's pizza at a different level. That's future pizza. My taste buds were transported to 2015 and I'm happy to report that the pizza there is WAY better than here.

6.11.2009

THE BALLGAME



I had the wonderful opportunity to attend a Mets game at the new Citi Field last night and I'm happy to report it was a delightful park and a lovely evening. The Mets didn't win, but that's OK. I'm not a huge Mets fan - I would have liked it better had they won - but it's not the end of the world. There's always tomorrow, Mets.

Anyway, I did what most people do at the ballpark - I had a Nathan's hot dog and a couple beers. Matt and I also split a pretzel which was still a touch warm. Matt said it best - warm to the touch, that's always a good sign.

Food looked pretty good throughout the statium, though. I think if I wanted, I could have ventured into some shake shack burgers or pulled pork sandwiches. I figured I'd just stick with the classics, though. I'm sticking by my decision.

Meena was at home and just ordered in a bit from Sezchuan Garden:
- shrimp with veg
- brown rice

I said very healthy when I heard her order but she claims it wasn't. Whatever - better than a hot dog and a beer.

Anyway, I'll try to check out Yankee Stadium next. I heard it's half theme park, half mall. And a little baseball thrown in on the side. But maybe that's just the opinion of jaded New Yorkers. Further reports to come later. I promise.

6.10.2009

MEATBALLS!



We're back in the saddle and cooking like champs. I think so anyway. I'm afraid our little salmon meatball spread up here might not look like anything to write about, but I promise, it was a pretty lovely meal.

I started in on the meatballs when I got in. Meena had prepped a bunch of stuff so the creation went pretty quickly. Here's what went in:
- salmon
- parmesan
- egg
- soy sauce
- olive oil
- worcestershire sauce
- garlic
- sriracha
- panko

And then I wilted a little spinach and sauteed some mushrooms with a bit of soy sauce and sea salt.

While the spinach was going down, I threw a bit of marinara in a pan just to warm it through. When it was all ready, I threw the whole meal on a plate and topped it off with a bit more Parmesan.

We served it all with a yummy little side salad Meena threw together - it featured:
- romaine
- red onion
- dressing (canola oil, garlic, rice wine vinegar, red wine vinegar, sea salt, black pepper)

The meatballs were perfect. Moist and packed full of flavor. I got the first batch a little burned, but I switched pans for the second round and it was a little better. I mean ... not really burned. Just a little crisp on the outside. Anyway, it was fine.

The marinara went so well with it all. It was like salmon with a tomato confit. Sorta. I guess that's me projecting greatness on a weeknight meal. But whatever. It was really good!

6.09.2009

COOKIN' AGAIN



We both got home at a reasonable hour last night and we were dead set on getting dinner together in the kitchen with a couple ingredients we had around. Meena had seen a recipe for a shrimp Caesar she wanted to get into so we moved forward with that as soon as we came through the door.

Ours included:
- homemade crouton (whole wheat bread, garlic)
- romaine
- parmesan
- red onion
- shrimp
- avocado
- sea salt
- black pepper
- chicken sausage
- dressing (red wine vinegar, anchovy, mustard, olive oil, sea salt, lemon, black pepper, garlic and sriracha and worcestershire sauce)

Delicious. We got a little nervous the dressing would be too tart, but when incorporated across all those lovely ingredients, it came together perfectly. I looked forward to a shrimp in each bite and when I got those little bits of chicken sausage and avocado on the fork as well? Well, well, well - that was a pretty incredible bite.

I don't know if this was super healthy or anything, but it was super FILLING and I didn't want to snack or eat other stuff later. That's a winner in my book.

6.08.2009

TO MONTREAL AND BACK









Oh, Montreal. Where do I even begin?

I think I may have mentioned it earlier, but Meena and I went to Montreal for the weekend. It was a little pre-birthday trip that I surprised her with last week. I really expected to enjoy the time away from NYC exploring a new city.

I had no idea.

Montreal is flat out amazing. It's laid back. It's fun. It's clean. It's active. Everyone who speaks French can easily transition to English (sorry Montreal, I tried, but I'm just BAD at French).

And the food.

The food is pretty incredible in Montreal. The folks up there are really passionate about everything from fine cuisine to french fries covered in gravy and cheese, so you know we did our best to plow through everything we'd heard about and all the stuff we stumbled upon.

I'll just start by mentioning the stuff I missed with the digital camera (I have some of them on film and I haven't made it to Duggal yet):

1. We had the legendary Montreal bagel and I'm happy to report it's actually better than the beloved NYC bagel. Just barely. But it is. There's not the giant divide we'd read about prior to our visit. But the Montreal bagel is smaller, more compact and in possession of a crispier, thicker crust around all that doughey goodness. That's the real kicker that puts Montreal ahead in this genre - that crust. The wood fired oven gives each bit of dough this slightly smokey, golden brown finish that resists the initial bite before giving way to that classic bagel softness. Whew.

2. Le Cartet breakfast. This one wasn't anything we'd read about prior to travel, but we stumbled upon this chic Rue McGill spot. I only mention it because I had the most amazing croissant with ham and goat cheese. Flakey, buttery, cheesy and ... cheap. Le Cartet is worth stopping by if you're ever in the neighborhood.

So on to the stuff I did photograph starting with our dinner Friday night at Bistro Bienville on rue de Mentana in the Plateau. I'll just go ahead and say, this was one of the best meals I've had in a long, long time. These guys just get it right. From the atmosphere (just a handful of tables, a couple guys in the open kitchen, perfect lighting and incredible service) to the food, everything was perfectly executed.

All of these things had French names but I can't recall any of them. I'll just describe our five dishes in English if you don't mind:
- 3 west coast and 3 east coast oysters
- shrimp cocktail with spicy remoulade
- grilled octopus with asparagus and potato
- escargot bruschetta
- veal with fennel and potato

We also had a bottle of Muscadet to accompany the whole meal. I'm not all that sophisticated with wine so I don't know if that was a good choice, but I really enjoyed it. Meena, too.

The grilled octopus was probably my favorite dish. They just knocked it out of the park. It's so easy to ruin octopus and these guys grilled it to perfection. Every bite was better than the one before it. The east coast oysters and the shrimp were pretty close second place finishers. But honestly, it was all remarkable. I didn't want it to end.

Saturday night we stopped by one of Montreal's undisputed culinary institutions - Au Pied De Cochon. They're famous for using foie gras in wonderful ways - like stuffing it in a pig's foot. They also have this duck in a can thing where they cook duck and fois gras in a can and open it at your table. Pretty awesome.

Anyway, we didn't go goose liver crazy, but we did manage to combine Cochon's infamous specialty with one of Montreal's most beloved foods - poutine. That's right, we had fries, gravy, cheese curds and ... fois gras. Everything in me told me I probably wouldn't have liked this heart attack on a plate, but I can't front, it was incredible.

For the main courses, we moved into some more standard plates - Meena had bison steak frites and I had duck magret. Both were cooked perfectly. Meena's bison steak especially. Perfect crust and rare in the center. Smothered in mushrooms. Awesome.

So that was basically Montreal from the food point of view. We had such a good time. I think we missed the smoked meat sandwich. I don't think. I know. I probably should have picked one up, but whatever. Next time. We have every intention of going back. I probably should have had some Canadian Whiskey? I don't know what else. But everything was so perfect that I don't even really care what I missed.

We can't wait to go back.

6.05.2009

A BROKEN STREAK




We'd been pretty good about cooking for the better part of the last two weeks. We'd been making an effort to eat healthier but the night before our trip to Montreal, we just didn't have it in us.

Further complicating things, we'd been at Nikko's birthday in the city and we rolled back in around 9:30 or something.

Anyway, we threw in the towel and called Joya. Meena had:
- phang nga curry

Alec had:
- pork salad

Delicious. And tomorrow we're off to Montreal so we'll have a lot more food we didn't cook on display. No service up there so I'll see you when we're back.

6.04.2009

HURRY UP



I got home (surprise) late last night and because Meena had a work function to attend, dinner was in my hands. I gladly accepted the challenge and got rockin' and rollin' on a pizza and a quick salad as quickly as I could.

It was too late to stop and get fresh greens from the store so I just used what was in the fridge for the side:
- cherry tomato
- red onion
- mozzarella
- anchovy
- black pepper
- red wine vinegar

And then I threw together the pizza with the quickness:
- chicken
- mozzarella
- marinara
- red onion
- roasted red pepper
- black pepper
- dried basil
- garlic

The crust was probably the best crust we've made yet. Bouncy yet crisp on the edges and firm through the center. Just right. The toppings lacked a bit of flavor but we threw on a little sriracha in the eating phase and it took it to the proper place.

The salad was surprisingly excellent. The anchovy balanced out the fire of the onion and the acidity of the tomato and vinegar. And the mozz cooled it all down and mellowed it all out. Who knew? I just threw together stuff from the fridge but this one worked out like a champ.

6.03.2009

SOUTHWESTERN PERFECTION



Meena totally knocked this one out of the park. She's been cooking at lot lately as I can't figure out how to get home earlier than 8:00 or 9:00 at night. And it's much appreciated. Especially when she makes such delights as this incredible Southwestern chicken salad.

She got started with the chicken salad that went on top of this dual layer delight:
- chicken
- reduced fat sour cream
- red onion
- lime juice
- cumin
- sea salt
- black pepper

And then she whipped together a bit of salad that had all sorts of amazing Soutwestern flair:
- mixed greens
- cherry tomato
- avocado
- dressing (canola oil, sugar, red wine vinegar, rice wine vinegar, garlic, salt, black pepper)

That's it! It's amazing that so few ingredients can produce such an incredibly flavor packed spread. The chicken salad was equal in flavor to the superbly spiced salad. Bits of avocado mixed with bits of chicken and a few triangles of toasted pita in complete harmony.

Remarkable dinner. Thanks, wife!