Cookbook Cafe

update your bookmarks!

2008-09-17T10:48:00.003-04:00

We're on the move! please update your bookmarks to my new site www.eatpalmbeachcounty.com. This site will remain open with all the content available but all the new entries will be at the website.

See you there!!!

Lisa

www.eatpalmbeachcounty.com

Metronome Brasserie, PGA Commons

2008-09-07T15:02:00.007-04:00

I'll start this review by declaring a teeny weeny bias. I really love all things French. The country itself, the food, the music (even torturing Dr. Dave for 3 weeks solid with the chorus of 'non je ne regrette rien' after watching La vie en rose), the people, the fashion, and the decor. You name it; this francofile loves it.

We've visited Metronome for dinner a couple of times and always enjoyed the entire dining experience and thought it was about time we went for the new Sunday Brunch offering. We arrived at midday to find the restaurant about a quarter full with a nice mix of clientele; young & old, a few kids thrown in. The tables are wonderful, true Parisian brasserie style (although much cleaner!), rich red banquettes & rustic wooden tables. Our server was very friendly (they don't take the french thing too far...) and quickly reeled off the specials. They accommodated Mia who was in a grilled cheese mood and brought out a wonderful warm wholegrain bread for Cecile. A word about the butter. AMAZING! Artisan produce at its best. I'd come for that alone in all seriousness.

To the food; I ordered the goats cheese & spinach omelette $10.75; a perfectly executed dish filled with creamy chevre, fresh spinach & a tomato confit alongside some 'roasted' potatoes. The potatoes could've been a little crisper but they were perfectly paired with the sweet caramelized onions. Dr. Dave went with the blueberry buttermilk pancakes $9.50 which he demolished. They were made with a light hand and served with 'proper' maple syrup and an orange & honey butter. These touches really count. Aunt Jen (Dr. Dave's sister) was with us and she sampled the Eggs Benedict $11.75 which she said were excellent. That's an easy dish to screw up and trust me, if they had, she's the person who would've noticed!

The kicker to this whole brunch deal is that a Mimosa or Bloody Mary is included in the price. You could pay $7 easily for the drink alone at another restaurant. Its shameful that is this restaurant wasn't packed to the rafters with a line out the door, I'm ready to go back on a weekly basis and if you are a lover of quality food enjoyed in a beautiful Parisian atmosphere then swing by Metronome! (geddit?)....

http://metronomefl.com/

Ike n One Gas Burner....

2008-09-04T14:00:00.005-04:00

Finally I have something in common with Tina Turner... no; not multi millionaire status, internationally recognized singing talent or legs up to my armpits... but I DO know what its like to have Ike breathing down your neck and threatening to knock your lights out...

Firstly, before you go and drop a few hundred panic buying extra packets, cans and nonsense, have a look as see what you already have and consider the nutritional needs of your family.

Chances are you'll have meat in the freezer (I always have ground sirloin), frozen vegetables, cans of beans & of course that Bogo pasta (I have a glut or Barilla wholegrain). Secondly, the day before the storm hits, get the pasta cooked, rinsed, dress with a little olive oil or other (safe) dressing (nothing mayonnaise based), Get your freezer stuff used; cook the ground beef, add a jar of marinara sauce, add the beans (Bush's maple are Dr. Dave's favorite), sweetcorn or whatever you have that'll rot with no power. This is a one pot dish that really packs a nutritional punch and so much better than munching cheerios from the box! Assemble a man sized dish of the stuff - put in the fridge and when the lights go out you'll have something you can easily warm on that one sad little camping stove you always knew would come in handy.

Naturally if you have a generator, let me know what time to stop by with my bottles of warm Korbel and my shower hat.

KNOODLES

2008-09-02T18:51:00.005-04:00

Evening mealtimes can be a rush. My one year old is at a stage where anything vaguely adult is attractive and toys are a bore - think remote controls, phones, cellphones, handbags, ovens, all drawers and you get the picture. Quick, deft cooking is the key - so filet mignon (remember on sale at Josephs Classic Market); crisp new season green beans and... and... and there's the stumbling block. What 'side' of interest can one produce in the time it takes to char grill a filet?

I confess to a little Bogo stash of dried, readymade sides. I know they don't have the best of reputations in culinary circles and I'm sure Gordon Ramsay would sooner starve than feed his kids one but what the heck, the price was right. Imagine my shock, distress and horror when Dr. Dave declared them quite the tastiest noodles he'd had in a long time. Oh the wasted years.....

Polynesian Luau Salad

2008-09-01T19:07:00.005-04:00

This is an adaptation of a recipe from one of my vintage Disney cookbooks. My brother & sister in law are huge fans of the Polynesian Hotel at DisneyWorld and I wanted to give them a little taste of something they love from a place they have great memories of.

My version of the recipe mixes the quantities and amends the dressing. I'm not one for the oversweet salads. The pears give enough of a sugary hit without too much in the dressing.

Here's a guide to what you'll need for a starter / side salad for 8-10 people.

Recipe Ingredients

2 x bags of spring mix salad

a cup of crumbled blue cheese (I used Gorgonzola)

1/2 cup of smoked almonds chopped

1/2 a red onion thinly sliced

3 ripe pears (whatever's seasonal) cored & thinly sliced

For the dressing: 1/3 cup of fresh squeezed orange juice, 2 tbs Japanese rice vinegar, salt & pepper, 1/4 cup of canola oil. (you can add a teaspoon of sugar if you like a sweeter result).

Method - What method? Compose salad, whisk dressing and serve on side.

Chili's, Legacy Place, Palm Beach Gardens

2008-08-31T10:34:00.003-04:00

If you're looking for cheap n cheerful on a Saturday evening or any night for that matter, you could do alot worse than Chili's. It's become quite a regular standby for us which has as much to do with the food as the 2 for 1 drinks!

Its consistent, reasonably priced, children can make noise without you worrying too much about disturbing date night diners and they have a kids menu that isn't an insult to them OR you.

Dr. Dave went with the habanero boneless wings $8.29 which he described as 'way too spicy' but that's just him, if you were scarfing them down with a frozen margarita or six they'd probably be just fine. Also he doesn't do ranch dressing which would've cooled things off so he only has himself to blame. I had a couple too and although he was right, there was a little burning tongue action - they weren't killer. I had the buffalo chicken salad $8.49 ; a crispy mix of leaves, tortilla strips, boneless buffalo chicken and blue cheese. Not exactly on the healthful side of the salad scale but extremely satisfying. Mia had pizza & corn, Ceci had mac & cheese & broccoli trees. Kids meals are $3.99 a piece including a drink - can't go wrong for that!

Friendly staff, decent food; this place does everything it says on the label. We'll be back...

Easy Weeknight Family Food

2008-08-29T10:21:00.004-04:00

The school runs are back on; schedules are overcrowded with after school programs and you have little or no time to cook before everyone's at the table looking to eat...

One thing that works for my whole family on busy days is the pasta bake. I've made numerous variations on a theme depending on the old BOGO collection or whats fresh or simply what we feel like eating.

The simple genius of this dish, apart from its versatility, is that you can combine every element of the meal in the one dish, prepare it ahead of time and in 15-20 minutes its ready to eat. By the time the crusty sneakers have been removed and you've unpacked the lunchbox - its done!

I'm a pretty organized cook. I buy chicken breasts in bulk and grill them, slice them and have them ready to go in the fridge. Its far easier to do it this way than cook from scratch every night - I also only have to clean up once! You can do the same with the pasta. Cook a boxful of penne or bowties, rinse in cold water and dress with a little olive oil and fridge it. This makes a really nutritious dinner just minutes away. I've got quite into the wholegrain pastas too - even if you do half & half its a great way to add fibre without a battle.

Here's what I do. Mix the pasta and sliced chicken with a store bought marinara sauce, add vegetables - your choice - my guys like green beans, sweetcorn, carrots and peas - give it a mix and pour into an oven proof dish. Top with grated cheese and bake until bubbling.

Here are some variations:

ITALIAN & CREAMY - Whole grain pasta shapes with chicken, alfredo sauce & spinach, top with breadcrumbs & extra cheese.

BBQ STYLE - Bowties with chicken; marinara sauce, splash of barbecue sauce & a can of sweetcorn, top with extra barbecue sauce and spicy cheese.

ITALIAN & LIGHT - Penne with chicken, tomato & basil sauce, packet of frozen peas, top with skim milk mozzarella & basil.

MEXICAN STYLE - Spirals with chicken, spicy tomato sauce, beans, top with mexican blend cheese and French's onions.

I like to let my daughter choose the ingredients, the pasta shapes, the vegetables and the cheese. A little control over what she's eating makes her so much more hungry for the finished product. With this dish I know she's getting a bit of everything good in each mouthful. Dr. Dave and the three toothed one don't complain either!

Fab Filet....

2008-08-28T16:02:00.005-04:00

If you're in a III Forks come Strip House frame of mind on a Boston Market budget then get thee over to Josephs Classic Market on Northlake this week. The filet mignon is on sale for $6.99 - its superb quality and they'll trim it and cut it to order.

Of course you'll be seduced by tons of the other gourmet gorgeousness they have in there but what the heck - think of what you're saving on the steak!

http://www.josephsclassicmarket.com/

Kasha Varnishkes

2008-08-26T08:23:00.006-04:00

If there's one dish that my picky, fussy, family (Dr. Dave's side of course) love then it is this one. It receives universal praise and quite frankly, I'll blow my own trumpet here - its the best you'll find. The bland, grubby, bottom of a parrots cage taste of most kasha I've had is replaced by a soft flavor filled, semi healthful dish that will be a great side or vegetarian main course for all your holiday cooking.

Recipe Ingredients - Serves the masses - 8 at least

1 x box of bowties (if you can find wholegrain then good - I couldn't!)

1 large (or two small) onions, thinly sliced

3/4 cup of kasha

1 pint of chicken (or vegetable) stock

Butter / olive oil

Recipe Directions

Cook the bowties in a large quantity of salted water. Drain, and dress with a little olive oil to stop them sticking.

In a large frying pan, saute the onion in butter & oil until it starts to brown (around 10-15 minutes).

Add the kasha to the onion and coat it in the butter & onion juices; adding more butter if necessary.

Pour over the stock and reduce to a simmer until it is absorbed into the kasha but still moist.

Add to the pasta and toss until its all combined (taking care not to break up the pasta).

Serve immediately to rapturous applause.

Bice Bistro, Palm Beach Gardens

2008-08-23T19:40:00.006-04:00

I love it when Dr. Dave is spontaneous. A quick trip to Costco for drinks & Charmin elicited an unexpected invitation from him. "Wanna go and eat somewhere?" Oh yes please, anywhere other than my kitchen which is going to be a hive of activity tonight. Where? We had a short drive around and decided that we'd eaten everywhere that sprang to mind and we'd drive into a couple of strip malls to see if there was anywhere we'd missed lately. We had; the relatively new Bice Bistro. We were early diners - the restaurant was empty when we arrived at 5.45pm and even though we had our two girls with us we were welcomed into the trendy and hip environment.

Our server Curt was friendly and obliging. Decent bread arrived with a cream cheese & chive, balsamic & olive oil arrangement. Unusual but pleasant. I ordered the salmon livornese $23 with a tomato, caper & olive sauce and grilled polenta. Dr. Dave ordered the lasagne $16. Curt had asked me how I wanted the salmon - silly question really, since when did salmon become a steak?; but I said medium was fine as I know that produces a tender & melting result. In honesty chefs should be left to cook fish how they see fit; they're the experts. This chef chargrilled it to well done it on the outside; as a result it was definitely cooked through and, you know what, it was absolutely fine. Don't bother asking a diner how they want their fish cooked, just do it this way - easier all around and no room for complaint! Dr. Dave's lasagne was constructed of fine sheets of fresh pasta with a lesser amount of ragu than he would've liked but what was there was superbly flavored. What the heck was the deal with the mobile mast spaghetti garnish? Unnecessary and inedible. We ordered a margherita pizza for Mia & Ceci but it arrived as a bianco; just mozzarella, no tomato sauce. It really wasn't a problem; she was happy and we were unconcerned but it was removed from the bill regardless.

Reasonable prices except the water, $6.00 for a bottle of San Pellegrino is toppy, as is $3.00 for a kids soda. In this market, with so much choice for the diner; so much variety and quality concentrated in the PGA area alone, it takes a special place to warrant repeat visits. Often times its people that keep you coming back just as much as the food. In the case of Bice Bistro I'd return for both; but come on... lose that garnish!

Bice Bistro, 2000 PGA Blvd, Palm Beach Gardens

Hot Chocolate?

2008-08-23T07:58:00.003-04:00

During our recent storm day I made reference to the fact that sometimes you need to crank the air con and hunker with a little hot chocolate, even in August. I mentioned this to my girls who reacted with great enthusiasm....

Marshmallows? or do you think they had enough??!!

BOGOholism....

2008-08-22T15:54:00.004-04:00

Yep its only trip two to the supermarket for the week and I just couldn't stick to the NO BOGO rule. In my defence I will say that the items that sucked me in are ones I use, well the shredded wheat at least, the others are brands I'm prepared to try and isn't that the name of the game?! I didn't fall for the salad dressing or the barbecue sauce so there's progress indeed. $75 in Publix, broken down:

2 pieces of brisket $17.00

BOGO Shredded wheat $3.89

BOGO Prego pasta sauce $2.57

BOGO Juicy Juice $3.59

Sushi $4.59

Rice Vinegar $3.99

couple of jars of babyfood $1.29

Spring mix salad $5.00

Bowtie Pasta $1.39

Challah $3.39

Canola oil $2.79

gourmet magazine $3.99

Fruit, Vegetables $6.00

Gorgonzola cheese $5.29

What an odd array of ingredients you may rightly note. I actually went to the supermarket for a few things for my daughter's first birthday on Sunday but you know how it BOGO's... We have some family coming over and that's a great excuse for me to cook. I've been scouring my Disney books for fun family style recipes and we're going to have a couple of dishes from the Polynesian Resort as its my nieces & nephew's favorite place and a couple of my own. If you want the best ever Kasha Varnishkes (as rated by my discerning family) then check back in a couple of days.

Things I have learned whilst shopping Part 2

Check your receipt and watch that screen like a hawk. I just noticed I was charged for Bosc pears when I purchased Bartlett. Needless to say the Bosc were more expensive (Grrr).

Coupon Crazy or BOGO Bonkers?

2008-08-20T15:01:00.007-04:00

After revealing my shameful BOGO stash yesterday, (that's Buy One Get One for those who don't know shopping jargon) I decided that I'm going to exercise a little more restraint in the food shopping arena and share with my readers my grocery purchases for the next seven days in their entirety. For the record, there are four in my family; only three of whom have teeth.

Today was my first trip of the week which displays restraint in itself having been housebound yesterday. Behold $63.00 of shopping from Publix:

Lets break it down:

Tropicana Orange Juice $3.00 - on sale and I had a coupon.

Cascade dishwasher tablets $3.49

Blue Goodness smoothie $4.29 - check the ingredients of smoothies, some of them are all apple juice and concentrates, this one is NOT.

Milk, $2.59

Bakery bread $3.35

Sushi (lunch) $4.59

Pink milk for my Lola $2.59

Whipped cream $3.29 (got all excited about hot chocolate and marshmallows whilst hunkered yesterday)

Smoked almonds $3.19 & coconut $1.69 for a chicken recipe I want to try

Deli meats and cheese for Dr. Dave & Mia's sandwiches $18.00

Gerber pear juice $1.87 for the toothless one

Princess spaghetti o's $0.93

Butter $2.50

Grapes $3.25

Toddler snacks $1.67

Barilla marinara sauce $1.67

Emergency jar of babyfood $0.63

Sausages $2.00

COUPONS -$6.00

STORE SAVINGS -$14.24 in total.

Things I have learned about shopping Part 1:

Just because its 2 for $5.00 doesn't mean you have to buy two.

Just because its BOGO doesn't mean you need it. *hands up - guilty as charged* (6 bottles of BBQ sauce & salad dressing is more than I will use in a year!)

Cut coupons from the Sunday paper and get the Palm Beach Post on a Wednesday & Thursday for the week's coupons & promotions. Invest in a trusty coupon organizer (see below) and keep it up to date and in your bag or car at all times! Yes those coupons may only be for 25 cents or 50 cents but as my savvy brother in law says, 'if you saw the cash on the floor - wouldn't you pick it up?!'

http://www.publix.com/bogo

What a Fay Day for a Kitchen Colonic

2008-08-19T17:53:00.007-04:00

So what's a girl to do when Tropical Storm Fay renders her housebound? We were warned, there was 'tornadic activity', we should 'hunker down' and my personal favorite, to beware of 'ponding on the roadside'. 'Ponding'?! What? like a puddle? Puleez, I'm from London, gale force winds? Torrential rain? put yer collar up and take a brolly! Anyhow, not wishing to take any chances with random ponds or being swept away Mary Poppins style by a rogue gust, I was stuck at home....bored....full of Virgo style energy, hence I gave my kitchen cupboards a little overdue cleansing.....

Mission Organization

I am small and my kitchen cupboards are tall. I have to use the space on the bottom and middle shelves very wisely as they are the only ones I can reach without my daughter's step stool. Here's what works for me in my three food storage cupboards.

Cupboard 1 - Here are the condiments, herbs, spices, oils etc., all easily accessible from the stove opposite i.e. cooking ingredients. Seasoning for every dish is close at hand. Gotta have balsamic, white & red wine vinegar, extra virgin olive oil (never in a fridge), veg oil and yep, gravy granules (sorry). The middle shelf has my emergency cans of beans, fruit & princess spaghetti whilst the top houses my shameful collection of BOGO barbecue sauces, matzo and pasta. Wire baskets are perfect for the dinky spice jars - genius invention.

Cupboard 2 - Herein lie all my baking goodies. Flour, matzo meal, baking powder, yeast, sprinkles for every conceivable festive occasion, flavorings, frosting for a cupcake crisis and the odd jar of baby food. I try to house all cereals here like my Dr. Oz endorsed steel cut oatmeal (as yet unopened), honey & syrup. Question: Why don't manufacturers make cereal in more cupboard friendly boxes? In the UK you can buy handbag friendly sizes of Glamour and Elle magazine so why not extend this genius idea to cereal boxes? I don't mind if they're wide but why are they so flamin' tall they won't fit in the cupboard and I have to store them on top of the fridge in full view of visiting folk who may therefore make judgements about me solely based upon my taste in breakfast goods? Virgo no like that! Its enough to make you decant them into plastic containers and if that's the case I may as well buy generic, which with cereal I never do. Are you listening Lucky Charms? ... Oops, I mean Organic Kashi.

Cupboard 3 - Ah, the comfort cupboard. The snicky snacks. The Tetley extra strong teabags and Maltesers hot chocolate smuggled back from England. The goldfish, the baby bottles that *sniff* I'm saying goodbye to as my 11 month old now uses a cup *sob*. Oh and the digestive biscuits, all manner of hot cocoa flavors & mini marshmallows. Yes I know this is Florida but now and again you need to crank that air conditioning and put on Home Alone whilst you hunker. Again the top shelf has been designated to the BOGO's. Salad dressings! Ugh. What possessed me? I think its was the BOGO and coupon combo that sent me over the edge. I mean, one free then a dollar off? How could you not?!

This was a thoroughly enjoyable colonic. Not at all like the first and last one I had in Harley Street in 2001. TMI?!

Gelato Grotto, Palm Beach Gardens

2008-08-16T18:06:00.004-04:00

If I gain a pound or two this week, I have only myself and the Food Network to blame. I stayed up last night watching that big galoot Guy Fieri on his show, 'Diners, Drive in's & Dives'. I don't particularly like the man either with his banal, contrived catchphrases, 'off the hook', 'that's money' or the latest 'out of bounds'. Look buddy, you're not Jamie Oliver and you never will be so get another gimmick already. Anyhow I put that particular irk of mine aside as last night he drove into an amazing gelato place so off I drifted to sleep dreaming of the stuff and today I had to be indulged in one of my favorite, if occasional, treats.

Gelato Grotto is simply the best 'ice cream' around here and believe me after two babies who had me craving nothing but ice cream for 2 months solid I am something of an expert. Carvel (can't beat the soft serve), ColdStone Creamery (fantastic cheesecake flavor with a frozen strawberry mix in) were all consumed in vast quantity with delight BUT at Santa's Grotto I could eat ANYTHING and be happy. It is all exemplary, made and presented with professionalism, care, cleanliness and - dare I say - love. It shows. The menu trumpets the fact that gelato is lower in calories than ice cream and that may be so but you'd never know to taste it. Its as creamy and soft as it is flavorful. Every flavor (and I've done some serious tasting!) is a completely intense representation of the ingredients contained therein. The hazelnut is a pure, nutty rich cream; the pistachio is delicate and fragrant and the strawberry is like a mouthful of creamy smooth fruit.

It's not the cheapest ice cream in town. The prices start at around the $4 mark for a single scoop but the quality is evident in every satisfying lick. I've had cassata in Rome and stracciatella in Napoli and I can tell you that this is as good as any gelato you'll find in Italy or anywhere else. If you want quality over quantity and this is no bad mantra, this place is for you. (and me!)

http://www.gelatogrotto.com

Breakfast of Champions, Cracker Barrel

2008-08-15T16:15:00.009-04:00

Ask a child where they'd like to go for breakfast and the chances are they'll opt for somewhere serving pancakes, selling tat and a bit grubby into the bargain. Welcome to the Cracker Barrel on 45th Street, West Palm Beach.

Mimi went with with 'kids' pancakes. What kid can eat that much? Thankfully not mine. She had a side of sausage and ate half that and about half a pancake. Dr. Dave had 'Grandma's pancake breakfast' - clearly Grandma can put it away; he was also defeated. I had the 'low carb' offering. Not because of any dietary preference you understand, I just knew they wouldn't eat their pancakes and I'd have at least a single adult portion left for myself. Great quality pancakes, you can't knock them for that. The eggs are fine, the turkey sausage really nicely cooked. The tomato slice & orange garnish? Puleez...

Friendly service, fun and unpretentious environment, and $20 all in including some pretty decent coffee. If you can get back to the car with out dropping the same again in the 'country store' you'll be laughing.

http://www.crackerbarrel.com/

Salmon Cutlets

2008-08-13T19:18:00.007-04:00

Growing up in my household, these would be called 'salmon cutlets'; in a more traditional English house I'm sure 'fishcakes' would be a more suitable moniker. Call them what you will; they're delicious. Packed full of Omega 3 and anti-aging magic. I know that because Oprah and Dr. Oz said so.

My Aunt Arline has given me two treasured pieces of advice since I married into the Rubin clan. First, she said, "only clean up after the children once a day - they'll only mess it all up again" and second, "get the canned salmon from Costco, its the best". Words of wisdom indeed. I'm working on the cleaning thing - once a day? seems excessive! but with the salmon she's spot on. Obviously if you have the time, budget and inclination then fresh poached & flaked salmon would be wonderful but as a storecupboard staple, you could do alot worse than keep a stock of these cans handy. They're pure salmon, no skin, no bone, nothing to pick over. There aren't many brands of canned fish you can say that about. Given a choice of these salmon cakes or crab cakes, I'm going with the salmon.

This is a very simple recipe, and yes, its a high salmon to potato ratio but there's nothing worse than a chintzy fishcake. Its a salmon cake after all, not a potato cake!

Recipe Ingredients

3 x cans of Costco salmon

1 cup of mashed potato (leftovers!)

2 tbs of dill relish

salt & pepper

matzomeal or breadcrumbs (homemade breadcrumbs or Panko - not yellow grit)

Recipe Directions

Open the cans and drain the salmon really well; place into a mixing bowl.

Add the cup of mashed potato and the dill relish (well drained & squeezed thru kitchen paper).

Add salt & pepper to taste.

Empty some matzomeal onto a board or a plate and form the cakes with your hands or in a ring mould. Coat in the matzomeal.

Heat some vegetable oil & a little butter in a pan and shallow fry for around 5 minutes each side on a low/medium heat until brown & crispy.

Trust me tip: This is a wet mixture - you can make the cakes and chill them for around 30 minutes prior to frying to dry them out which can make frying easier. Don't flip them around in the pan either, have a little patience and only turn them after 5 minutes or so on a low to medium heat.

Excess Baggage

2008-08-11T19:11:00.006-04:00

As all my loyal subscribers know (right Dad?) I have just returned from London several pounds heavier than when I left. Nothing to do with all the curry, chinese food, fish & chips and biscuits you understand, but all the new cookbooks. Like Carrie Bradshaw at a Manolo sample sale was I at the Borders closing down event at Lakeside. They were offloading absolute treasures at half the half price. Yep, you heard it... Even the BRAND NEW releases were half price and those on sale were an extra 50% off. Oh joy... Rapture..... I was in cookbookcafe heaven.

With Dr. Dave, the girls & Dad safely deposited in the Starbucks above I loaded the stroller with a very careful selection trying to bear in mind the new baggage allowances. Now there's something you have to know about my Dad. If you show an interest in something - if you hint that there's something you may one day like to own - chances are he'll get it for you (so choose your words carefully). You tell him you like his shirt - he'll give it to you (most likely unlaundered but you get my point). Of course he's watching me carefully picking over the books and listening to me umm... ahhh... then putting them back. Fast as I'm putting them back he's picking them up and hot footing it to the checkout. Ergo cookbookcafe's shelves are fit to bust and we had to bring an extra bag home. Thankfully I packed light on the way out.

If all this weren't enough in the spoiling department, Dr. Dave spent two hours tonight re-organizing the cream of my collection. If that's not true love (or perhaps OCD) I don't know what is.

PF Chang's China Bistro, Gardens Mall

2008-08-10T09:18:00.005-04:00

I'd almost reached the decision to stop reviewing chain restaurants and was going to restrict my dining opportunities to smaller, more intimate artisan establishments but what the heck, Dr. Dave wanted Mongolian Beef and as it was his birthday the day before I went along with it.

PF Changs is consistently busy with a crowd of trendies & oldies alike. It's not your average Chinese restaurant - don't expect to see noodles & duck sauce the minute you sit down, although they'll grudgingly drag them out if you ask. I wouldn't bother if I were you, they're a greasy, crumbly mess; better to order some steamed dumplings ($7) as we did. A hefty chunk of minced shrimp in a light steamed wrapper, no stodgy shrimp-esque fillers here - a pure seafood hit. Mimi was in a noodle mood so had her favorite chicken lo mein ($9); kind of doughy for my taste but she liked them. There's no 'kids' menu here (good thing too) so expect to either share or divvy up for an adult dish. Dr. Dave had his usual, Mongolian Beef ($15) cooked extra crispy with extra sauce. Extra Extra... so high maintenance! The beef is one of the best dishes on the menu here, really flavorful with enough heat to add interest without taking off the roof of your mouth. I had the Hot Fish ($15) which I'd never had before and at the server's suggestion had it cooked extra crispy (hmmm.... has she been in cahoots with Dr. Dave?) It's billed as 'fish of the day' but the server said, 'usually its tilapia' which is the fish of every day in Florida. It was warm rather than 'hot' and fragrant rather than the billed 'spicy' but then I have a high tolerance for chili. This was to the benefit of the dish as the milder fire - more of a smoulder actually - allowed the spice & flavor of the fish to shine.

PF Chang's; its Chinese Jim, but not as we know it.

http://pfchangs.com/

The Fairy Godmother of the Food Network

2008-08-09T11:13:00.005-04:00

Imagine my shock & surprise to see good ol' Paula Deen moonlighting at WaltDisneyWorld yesterday. Does this woman ever have a day off??!!

Easy Beef Rendang

2008-08-07T18:31:00.006-04:00

This is an old favorite from my Malaysia years back in 1990-1991 ish. I must've consumed at least fifty different versions of both beef and chicken rendang with varying degrees of delight. The high end places such as the tourist hotels like the Regent & Shangri-la tend to serve a wonderful quality meat but the sauce can be on the tame side and whilst the street hawkers can use some rather dubious cuts of 'beef', the flavors and fragrance from these vendors can't be matched. Such is the demand for the 'rendang' flavor you can even buy a McRendang from the McDonalds in Kuala Lumpur... and I did... often!

The recipe is a very loose adaptation (you trying buying candlenuts in Publix!) of one that features in one of my oldest Malaysian cookery books, the sadly out of print, 'Traditional Malaysian Cuisine'. You could try ebay for this brilliant book which has authentic recipes for Chinese, Nonya & Malay regional cookery but, word to the wise, cookbook shopping on ebay is addictive.

Recipe Ingredients (serves 6)

For the Paste

2 tbs curry powder

1 onion finely minced

1 heaped tsp of minced garlic

1 heaped tsp of lemon grass

1 heaped tsp of ginger

3 red chillies finely minced

1 3/4 lbs of lean braising steak

1 tsp salt
1 tbs sugar
1tbs soy sauce
2 tbs water
1 can of coconut milk

Recipe Directions

In a heavy based oven proof casserole, heat & cook the paste ingredients until fragrant (don't worry if the pan looks a little charred up on the bottom).

Add half the coconut milk and continue stirring and frying until it separates.

Add the wet mixture of salt, sugar, soy sauce & water along with the meat and stir.

Pour on the rest of the coconut milk and cook in a 325 degree oven until the meat is meltingly tender and the gravy is rich and thick (2-3 hours). Give it a couple of stirs during cooking to help it along.

Serve with steamed jasmine or basmati rice.

Trust me tips: Try the gourmet markets or Asian supermarkets for convient jars of minced lemongrass, ginger & kaffir lime leaves - they are so easy!

If you like things a little sweeter you could add some shredded coconut an hour or so before the end of cooking time to really jack up the coconut hit.

Slow Roast Leg of Lamb

2008-08-03T05:52:00.007-04:00

Sunday Lunch in the UK is something of an institution. There's limited store trading; most places close early on a Sunday and even in this age of 24 hour gratification, some things remain sacred to family life. Growing up in the Sowerby house, two things were dietary guarantees: There would be a full English Breakfast on a Saturday (or at the very least a bacon sarnie) and a substantial lunch and pudding on a Sunday afternoon. Few things could stir a pair of sulky teenagers like my brother and I from our beds at the weekend like the smell of grilling bacon or searing animal flesh rising up from the kitchen below.

As its our last Sunday before jetting back to the heat & humidity of my adopted home, I wanted to prepare an old favorite - a long and slow roasted leg of lamb with rosemary and garlic. This was one of my Mum's standbys and with a couple of tweaks; its one of mine too!

Recipe Ingredients

Leg of lamb (bone in)

2 heads of garlic

1 large onion

1 lemon

sprigs of fresh rosemary

3/4 bottle of dry white wine

1 pint of chicken broth/stock

Recipe Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Cut a few slits in your leg of lamb and place in slivers of rosemary and garlic.

Place a solid roasting tin over your hob/cooktop and heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil.
Cover the meat in seasoned flour and brown on all sides.

Add the chopped onion, the rest of the garlic, sliced lemon, wine & chicken stock and bring to a boil over the heat.

Reduce to a simmer and place in the oven for 3 to 3 and a half hours basting every half hour.

There will be plenty of juices left in the pan to serve with the meat and it'll be moist enough after this long slow cooking to shred with a spoon and fork.

I also had two chickens (see below) for the plainer eaters amongst us which I prepared in exactly the same way aside from some bacon to protect the moistness of the breast and obviously a reduced cooking time.

Serve with copious amounts of roast potatoes & vegetables alongside the winey, lemony, garlicky juices from the meat.

Le Pont de la Tour, London SE1

2008-07-30T03:34:00.004-04:00

When you hook up with an American husband you quickly become a tourist in your own town. I've seen more of London in the past six years than I ever did during the time I worked there and you know what? There's a certain pleasure to be had looking through different eyes at monuments and attractions that you walked past daily without a second glance. One of our favorite spots to wander in the City is Tower Bridge and there's no better vantage point to linger over lunch and take in the view than Le Pont de la Tour restaurant at Butler's Wharf.

Le Pont was one of the first foodie empires to spring up when Canary Wharf and the whole Docklands area started emerging. The company I worked for back then was one of the first to relocate from the West End to Docklands and Le Pont was always packed to capacity with Investment Banking types and Brokers with their clicking brogues and Hermes ties. Whilst those days appear to have gone; miraculously the Pont has remained, if under different ownership.

There's a choice of eating venues; the high end restaurant (strictly business, romance or a bit of both), the brasserie and the chop house all conjoined. We went to our favorite and the best option with kids, the Brasserie. They offer a set lunch at £13.50 for two courses or a la carte. Dr. Dave went with the set option and had some 'honey roast ham, cheddar cheese & walnuts' (sounds like a pub platter to me) and complained that it had an unmentioned mayonnaise style sauce on it that tasted of fish, followed by a goat's cheese quiche which was quite delicious. I had a smoked mackerel salad which was OK, a few bones in it which was a shame - not too attractive sitting there pulling fishbones from your teeth at the table; followed by a salmon in a light dill sauce. The salmon was cooked well but as you can see from the photo it wasn't the best of quality being cut way too close to the skin with that brown fatty piece on show. I wouldn't expect to buy a piece like this from the supermarket, never mind be served it at a restaurant. Anyhow, what was edible was fine.

They have a children's menu from which Mimi had some chicken goujons; she had a nibble at them but much preferred the bread! The service was selective. I had the distinct impression that the servers identified the business clientele and dealt with them at speed and identified the tourist element and dealt with them accordingly.

Ultimately this is a place to loiter and absorb the unparalleled views of Tower Bridge; choose a simple dish and enjoy the fact that its still a better deal than a cafe creme within spitting distance of the Eiffel Tower.

http://lepontdelatour.com/

Indian Takeout, UK Style

2008-07-26T10:53:00.009-04:00

This meal has been a long time coming. One needs to prepare oneself carefully for the gut busting, heartburning, tongue searing experience of the Great British Indian Takeaway. We've been on these shores for almost three weeks and its taken us this long to get our stomachs set in preparation for the spicy onslaught. This is no faint fragrant affair; no delicately seasoned cuts in light glazes or jus. Its a full on Ruby Murray (check your cockney rhyming slang dictionaries) and once in a while, you've got to get a hit.

When I was dating Dr. Dave I opened his eyes (and sinuses) to the joys of Indian Cuisine. He's a cautious eater by nature but even he will tell you to try the 'red and the yellow'. He can't recall names or spices but colors he's good with. The red is a tandoori chicken appetizer, beautiful spiced cubes of chicken cooked in a roasting hot tandoor oven to get it charred on the outside and juicy within. The yellow is 'korma' a creamy mix of almonds, turmeric & yogurt. We were eating with my brother and his wife and my Dad so we had a good excuse to order BIG. A lamb bhuna, a chicken dopiaza, chicken tikka masala (Britain's national dish!) and my personal favorite a saag aloo (slow cooked spinach & potato) and cauliflower bhaji. All this is mopped up with a fluffy naan bread; one plain one 'keema' (stuffed with meat). Stuffed is what you'll be after noshing down this lot. This is why we keep this treat to a once yearly affair. Between the heat, the spice and the intensity of flavor its not something you want every week although there will be some that disagree.

This vast and colorful array of food comes at a cost (not only to the waistline), $90 to be exact. Even Pops, who's always quick with the wallet had to ask twice "How much? 45 quid? Where's it coming from, Bombay?". Yep, and that's another reason to keep this to an annual event but that's credit crunch Britain for ya....

The Bell Inn, Castle Hedingham, Essex

2008-07-24T02:27:00.010-04:00

A visit to a 12th century castle wouldn't be complete without a visit to a 16th century pub for lunch. Castle Hedingham is a picture postcard town in Essex; all flowers and beams and narrow winding streets. The Bell Inn blends seamlessly into the postcard. Its a warren of timbered rooms and bars with rustic fireplaces and solid wood floors.

The menu is simple and to the point. Pies, fishcakes, Ploughmans etc., all the basics are covered. They trumpet their pie and fish suppliers along with locally sourced free range produce. Although this is the current trend and everyman and their dog are on the 'seasonal, local' bandwagon, I get the impression that the Bell Inn would be doing this regardless of the fashion statement.

To the food: Dr. Dave made the choice of the day with the steak and ale pie. These are bought in from a local supplier and this is no bad thing. Whoever had a hand in this pie knew his stuff. Deliciously melting steak in an rich flavored gravy served with schoolboy sides of mashed potato, broccoli and mushy peas. I had salmon & broccoli fishcakes which were just above average, however, the homemade tartare sauce and potato salad were superb. They had a 'young eaters' section from which Mia had a pizza and Ceci and mac & cheese; extra points for the local cheese on both!

A wonderful place, friendly staff, surroundings second to none. If you want a true English pub experience minus the yobs, drunks & chavs, you'd be hard pushed to top this one!

The Bell Inn, 10 St. James Street, Castle Hedingham, CO9 3EJ

Bolognese Pasta Bake

2008-07-22T03:54:00.004-04:00

There's a credit crunch on in the UK. Interest rates blah blah, mortgages blah blah... I hate these buzz phrases as a rule so to break it down - stuff is expensive. No, REALLY expensive. Switch the $ for a £ and you've about got it. i.e. double it... ish... Self catering is the way to go and nothing feeds the masses like pasta and with time on my hands an authentic ragu was a possibility. Measurements are casual; its all to taste; get the basics in order and tinker with it as you will.

Recipe Ingredients for 6

2 lbs lean ground beef (I used Aberdeen Angus - arseholes to the credit crunch)
1 large onion finely chopped
1 clove garlic minced (not authentic but delicious)
1/2 cup of diced celery & carrot
1 large can of tomatoes
1/2 cup of tomato puree
salt & pepper
olive oil
(ragu purists may add a bay leaf or a spoon of milk at the end of cooking; perhaps a hint of nutmeg too)

2 cups of Bechamel / white Sauce (homemade or from a jar at a push)
1 cup grated parmesan
1 pack of pasta (I used spirals for their kid friendliness)

Recipe Directions

Saute the onion & vegetables until softened in a tbs of olive oil then add the meat and cook until browned.
Add the rest of the ingredients, give a good stir and cook at the merest bubble for 3 hours or so stirring occasionally.
Taste for seasoning and remove from heat.
Make the white sauce in the usual way or cop out and add a jar of ragu cheese sauce or white sauce mix.
Cook the pasta and drain. Mix into the Bolognese sauce and place in a large oven proof dish.
Pour over the white sauce and top with copious amounts of cheese and bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes until cheese is bubbling.

Frankie & Benny's, Romford

2008-07-17T08:04:00.014-04:00

For all my pontificating about the superiority of English Chinese food, pie & mash and great sausages; there's one area in which my adopted home town of Jupiter, Florida reigns supreme. That would be the high street chain restaurant. I can go to any of the biggies, Chilis, TGI's, Applebees, Duffy's etc., with the whole family and eat without fear of bankruptcy, food poisoning or post dinner hunger pangs. I can choose from a vast menu and know with some degree of confidence that whatever comes out of the kitchen will be edible. It may not be perfect but it'll do the job. None of these provisos apply here. Welcome to the chain restaurant experience in Romford. Welcome to Frankie & Benny's.

There aren't so many 'sit down' places to eat in Romford. There are non-kid friendly pubs, a tapas bar and of course a golden arch but a middle of the road place for a family pitstop leaves you few choices. The menu covered all the basics - how could you go wrong with a 'New York Italian Bar Restaurant'? Pizza, pasta, burger... sounded good.

Heeding my own advice about chain restaurants, I went simple, a burger. Easy. Dr. Dave went with spaghetti & meatballs; smart choice I thought, even my 3 year old can make that. If there's anything a place like this should do well its simple meatballs and pasta. I can honestly say this was the worst burger I've ever had and I'm not too proud to eat a dogburger from a van in Romford market either so that's saying something! It was clearly frozen; there was nothing homemade about it; the texture was too fine, it was gritty with bone, it was not only a frozen burger, but a cheap one at that. The chips were below average and the whole thing was thrown together with zero care. Dr. Dave's meatballs were atrocious also. I wouldn't have been surprised to see Titleist written down one side they were that hard. They were also dry beyond belief, flavorless (unless red pepper and freezer burn count as flavor) and to add insult to injury the pasta was completely devoid of sauce. Mimi had a pizza and that was OK, probably the best thing about the place apart from the service which was provided by a very sweet and overworked girl. Oh and it was about $50 for 2 dishes and a kids pizza...

Frankie & Benny's is a great concept, the music is fun, the atmosphere is good but ultimately the food is an abomination and on this basis; FUGGETABOUDIT!

Toad in the Hole & Melted Onion Gravy

2008-07-16T03:47:00.005-04:00

Not real toads of course; this dish is actually sausages baked in a Yorkshire putting batter and nothing to do with toads and holes at all. I guess that somewhere in history somebody decided that was its general appearance and named it such.

Obviously its not your typical summer eating but on a July day in London with the temperature only just nudging 70 degrees (from the wrong direction) it was a great choice, not to mention a family favorite. Right on cue the weather warmed up and we decamped to the garden. Typical!

Recipe (serves 4)

8 excellent quality sausages (think Wholefoods or Greenwise)

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup milk

1 cup eggs

salt & pepper

for the Gravy

1 tbs butter

1 large onion

slug of red wine

1 tbs flour

1 tbs mustard

1 x carton beef stock

Recipe Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Place sausages in an ovenproof baking dish and cook for 10 minutes.

Whilst these are cooking, prepare the batter by pouring the flour into a bowl, make a well in the center and incorporate the eggs. Gradually add the milk and a pinch of salt & pepper. You can get creative here with herbs if you wish, especially if you're using a flavored sausage; e.g. add some fresh oregano for an Italian sausage etc.,

Remove the dish from the oven and slowly pour the batter around the sausages. Return to the oven for a further 25 minutes or so until the magic happens and your batter starts scraping the roof of the oven. The batter will be risen, crispy around the edges and with a good squidge in the center.

Gravy

Thinly slice one large onion and add to a pan with a tablespoon of butter and slowly melt over a medium pan until soft but not brown.

Add the flour and stir until cooked followed by the wine, mustard & stock.

Reduce until thick and syrupy.

Chinese Takeout, UK Style!

2008-07-15T13:12:00.004-04:00

Nobody does Chinese food like the English. Certainly not my local in Jupiter, FL or any of the joints I've been in to NYC, Chinatown or otherwise. I'm bored of hearing how great New York Chinese food is. I've been there. I've had it. It ain't so great! If that's what you're used to then fine but English Chinese is a revelation. There's something about the fragrance, the intensity of flavor - no doubt achieved with a good dusting of the MSG shaker - that just can't be equalled in my opinion. You can keep your low sodium, steamed, non fried, non fun food; this is the real deal.

After a six month hiatus from this elusive nosh we ordered big; special fried rice, sweet & sour chicken balls, lemon chicken, pancake rolls, ribs, sesame prawn toasts & chicken chow mein with a spicy chicken chaser. Don't be fooled and look at the photos and think for a nano second that this looks like the stuff from your local in FL; appearances can be deceiving. This had flavor.

There's an old saying that half an hour after eating a hearty Chinese takeaway, you're craving another. I strongly dispute that. A decent antacid and a litre of water perhaps. There's a good reason I only crave this food at six monthly intervals - it takes you that long to rehydrate.

Robins Pie & Mash, Romford

2008-07-12T10:52:00.005-04:00

Today was a red letter day in my youngest daughters developmental calendar. She accompanied me on a trip to a very special place to have a first taste of her English heritage at Robins Pie & Mash shop in Romford.

If you were lucky enough to be born East of the center of London like me, you will surely have been raised on this classic British dish of pie & mash & liquor. Not liquor in the traditional sense of course; I mean Essex can be a little rough but we draw the line at spirits for infants. It's actually a green parsely sauce. Its quite delicious in a creamy, light, inoffensive way. Its the major player on the plate, with the beef mince pie and school dinner style mash. Ceci put her two teeth to excellent use and we shared a single pie & mash happily; just the pair of us.

Robins is fantastic for quality and value. It's new to the town center, spotlessly clean, friendly staff and great prices from £2.80 for a single. I actually don't think I've ever had a pie like Robins, the pastry was as crisp on the bottom as the top. Nothing worse than a soggy bottom! A truly great venue for big girl bonding time!

Starbucks, Lakeside

2008-07-11T11:05:00.003-04:00

Is there a true and valid reason why a drink that costs $3.05 in Abacoa, Florida should cost £3.05 ($6.10) in Lakeside, Essex? The drinks menu was identical to the one I see every day in Jupiter, FL only the currency signs had changed. Suzy Orman says the first thing you should do to save money is cut out that coffee habit.... In the UK at least, I agree!

Codfellas, Essex, England

2008-07-09T15:12:00.006-04:00

If there's one dish that's synonymous with England, it has to be fish & chips. Tourism TV shows paint a romantic picture of cobbled streets, seaside towns, and eating straight out of the paper. Codfellas isn't exactly in that mold but what it lacks in quaint village ambiance it delivers in its authentic product. When fish & chips are done right they are a revelation. Light crispy batter, fresh cod or plaice and perfect thick cut chips with salt and enough malt vinegar to refresh your sinuses.

After a long day travelling we were all exhausted and far too weary for complicated food choices so the chippy it was. I always have roe & chips. I'm the only remaining family member who appreciates this delicate pink wedge of fish eggs, battered & fried. Its heavenly. Dad went with plaice (why don't they skin it? Whats the point of battering something you wouldn't want to eat?!) and I'm dismayed to tell you that Dr. Dave had a hamburger. On a previous chippy visit he had asked for 'white meat chicken' and the astounded owner said, 'its all white meat - its CHICKEN'!!! Since then he's known better than to question their wisdom and played it safe.

There's no getting away from the fact that this is a total greasefest. Embrace its heaviness, its battered fattiness and carb-laden starchiness and don't tell your cardiologist.

Toojays, Palm Beach Gardens

2008-07-06T17:56:00.006-04:00

With just 24 hours to go until we leave for our London trip and my wishlist of English specialties growing I got to thinking of what I might miss from here after 3 weeks of pies, puddings & funky flavored crisps. Simple answer - Deli! One thing you can't get in my home town is decent deli food. You can get a bagel (plain only) with Scottish smoked salmon and you can get a salt beef sandwich of impressive quality but that's about it so off to Toojays we went.

I haven't been to Toojays in several months since a rather distressing incident involving a spinach omelette and a black curly hair so you'll understand it was quite a leap of faith to return. I'm a bit of a creature of habit here - or at least I was - spinach omelette at breakfast, cup of chicken noodle soup $2.95 & stuffed cabbage starter $4.95 at dinner. I made a point of sticking to my tradition! The soup is great, flavorsome and restorative in equal measure. The stuffed cabbage is meaty, the sauce a little oversweet for me but authentic. One is plenty even though the single is billed as an appetizer. Dr. Dave was craving something simple so he went for a grilled Swiss cheese on rye. When it arrived he took one look and said, 'you know that they slice the bread that thick for a reason don't you?' Err, no, actually I don't! I asked what he meant and he replied, 'Thick bread means thin cheese!' He happened to be right, the cheese was on the stingy side but for $5.95 what can you expect? - a cave aged Gruyere & Poilane bread? You want to know what $5.95 will get you in London? A single coke and NO refills!!!

http://toojays.com

Smokey Bones Barbecue & Grill, Wellington

2008-07-04T17:50:00.004-04:00

The 4th of July weather in sunny Florida wasn't so we headed West in search of some authentic American fare. Bored of burgers and unexcited by hot dogs we decided barbecue & ribs were the order of the day. This said, ribs are not really my thing. Growing up in England, ribs generally came from the Chinese takeaway and then were dry and somewhat meatless. My first experience of real barbecue ribs was in California back in '78 at a joint called 'Loves'. My brother and I were staggered that the waitress offered 'beans, fries or coleslaw'? A CHOICE?!!! What a great country, its enough to make you celebrate the 4th of July! Anyhow, some 30 years later I happen to be married an expert on the subject. He is a self confessed rib snob and having conducted extensive research he has declared that Smokey Bones are the best around.

We immediately ordered the skillet cornbread $4.99 at Dr. Dave's request. There are not many things I don't like or won't try. I can only think of three: cornbread, sweetcorn & beetroot, however, this was good. It was cakelike and sweet smeared with the pecan butter but I don't really get the idea of noshing a hunk of cake before the meat arrives so I left it at a bite. Progress indeed.

Dr. Dave satisfied his patriotic craving with a full rack of baby back ribs at $20.49 and declared them forkin tender. At least that's what I think he said. He kindly left me one and I can confirm that they really are the tastiest softest meat, gently smoked and basted until they just fall away from the bone. I went with the 'special combo'. A very cute idea to mix and match meats and sides. I like a little taste of alot of things so it suited me perfectly. I opted for the barbecue chicken breast & smoked brisket $9.99. The chicken was good, nicely griddled and simply presented but the brisket was a little disappointing. Smoked brisket sounds great but it was served sloshing in an oversweet barbecue sauce which drowned out much of the subtle smokey flavor. It was also on the fatty side which I'd be too if I'd eaten more than two mouthfuls of it! Kids are well taken care of, Mia enjoyed a grilled chicken breast & fries $4.49 *great deal*.

Smokey Bones has a great ambience, a warm log cabin vibe with a few big screens thrown in (they were showing the Nathan's hot dog eating contest - did they think that would stimulate diners appetites? - oooh yum, look at him shovelling 65 hot dogs in a single sitting - thats making me peckish...), the service is friendly and professional but the ribs alone are reason enough to head West to Wellington.

http://smokeybones.com

Brio Tuscan Grille, The Gardens Mall

2008-07-03T07:30:00.008-04:00

I think we've been to the mall more this past week than in the past year! Something about long distance travel and knowing you're going to one of the most overpriced towns in the world that makes you stock up before you leave!

Last night we made a more upmarket pitstop at Brio Tuscan Grille. We've done the lunch thing there several times successfully but on this occasion our visit fell into the dinner category. More expensive. Considerably. Lets not forget this is the Mall.

The server delivered warm bread and a rosemary flatbread which was a nice touch; drinks were ordered and entrees put in: Pasta Fra Diavolo $14.95 for Dr. Dave, Pasta Brio $14.95 for me and Mia NEEDED a kids pizza. Both pastas seemed to have been made with the same base of creamy tomato sauce with the diavolo kicked up with some spicy heat and green onions. The Brio had roasted red peppers in the sauce and mushrooms. I went milder as I was sharing with Ceci; she's adventurous but at 10 months draws the line at chili! Both had the signature wood roasted chicken added. There was nothing offensive in either dish, nothing amazing flavorwise either and please get rid of the ridiculous herb garnish to the plate's edges; there's nothing worse than superfluous greenery, it looked like lawn clippings!

The service was on the iffy side too; the waiter was very swift to ask if I wanted another glass of wine at $8.95 *I didn't!* yet had to be repeatedly asked for more soft drinks. A simple error? C'est possible. I shan't be returning for dinner again. Why would you? Its considerably more expensive than lunch and the menu doesn't have my favorite items such as the superb 'oak roasted pulled chicken salad' on at night anyhow. Next time I'm in the mood for a $15 pasta I'm going to Vic & Angelos.

Summer Broccoli, Sweet Pea & Mint Soup

2008-07-02T07:09:00.004-04:00

The freezer emptying is coming along a storm. Dr. Dave made his own personal contribution by eating 2 Carvel flying saucers before polishing off some blueberry pie. Somehow he's managed to lose 4lbs over the past week which just goes to prove that life really isn't fair. Anyhow, after re-reading yesterday's post and adding to my mental list of 'things to eat within 24 hours of landing in London' I thought I'd be well advised to take the culinary high road with a virtuous dinner of Broccoli, pea & mint soup.

Ingredients

1 x bag of frozen broccoli

1 x bag of frozen sweet peas

1 x quart chicken or vegetable stock

1 onion

bunch of fresh mint leaves, shredded

olive oil

grated horseradish cheddar (optional)

Directions

Slice the onion thinly and saute until translucent but not brown in a large soup pot or saucepan.

Add the broccoli & sweet peas (you don't need to thaw them first)

Mix it all around and pour over enough of the stock to cover.

Simmer over a low heat until the vegetables are very soft.

Add 3/4 of the mint leaves.

Blitz with a hand blender (or in a conventional blender).

Serve topped with the rest of the mint leaves & some grated cheese.

Spend the rest of the evening with your halo shining....

Easy Blueberry Pie

2008-07-01T07:53:00.008-04:00

I'm currently on countdown to a summer trip back to my homeland and I can't wait! Never mind the friends and family, what about the real bacon, decent sausages & Cadburys fruit & nut? Oh, and the pie & mash, the Curry, the Chinese, the kebabs, and the prawn cocktail crisps (that's just lunch!)

In preparation for this trip across the pond I am in the process of eating everything in my kitchen that won't be desirable on my return. Frozen foods fall into this category, hence a bag of frozen blueberries in this pitifully easy pie. It doesn't even merit a structured recipe; the ingredients are few and the preparation a child could do! Throw together as follows: 2 sheets of frozen puff pastry (what did I buy those for in the first place?) large can of blueberry pie filling, 1 bag of frozen blueberries (never did make that smoothie!). Using the frozen (or fresh) blueberries along with the pie filling ensures that its not oversweet or cloying. Get the oven really hot 450 degrees before putting the pie in, then turn it down to 375 after 10 minutes and bake for around 15 minutes more. There's nothing worse than soggy pastry on the bottom of a pie. I brush the top with egg and sprinkle with sugar before baking to get that brown crunchy top.

Question? What can I do with a carton of baby formula, 6 eggs & some frozen Shrek waffles?!!

Cool'a Fishbar, Palm Beach Gardens

2008-06-29T07:30:00.007-04:00

Yesterday it was the t-shirt, today its was the haircut. I took my haircut for a long overdue outing to the Cool'a Fishbar at Legacy Place. We arrived at around 6.00pm and the place was creeping up to full with a mix of couples and singles with a few traditional Florida early diners thrown in. The greeter took one look at me, Dr. Dave, Mimi (3) and Ceci (10 months) and said, 'we have no high chairs or booster seats'! I felt like I was back in London already! I'm HOME! Not to be deterred Dr. Dave cleverly retorted, 'She doesn't need a booster and I can get the stroller from the car' GENIUS! The girl said, 'well it'll be a wait as we only have a couple of tables that can take a stroller but we'll see what we can do'. We waited for about 25 minutes - not their fault - the earlybird crowd were milking those discounted drinks for all they were worth.

We got stuck straight into a watermelon martini and a sauvignon blanc; both under $10 and put in an order for the crab cake appetizer $9.95. This was probably the best crabcake I've ever had. It was flaky, pure crab meat, if there was any filler used in its preparation it was undetectable and the quality of the crab was excellent. It also delivered where most freshmade crabcakes seem to fail; it didn't have one scrap of shell! Perfect. Admirably, this restaurant manages to contain its menu to a single sheet. I'd much rather a place executed a few things brilliantly than attempt to spread themselves thin over too broad a menu. I went with one of the house specials; Corvina in a lemon & caper sauce $19.95 and Dr. Dave went with the King Crab Legs $24.95. I always try to go with a special at a fish restaurant; you can be pretty much guaranteed its the freshest and the chef gets to put his own personal touches on an item. Both dishes came with a choice of sides, coconut rice for him and the house signature grated potatoes for me. I highly recommend the potatoes - a sinful mix of grated potato, sour cream, chives & jack cheese baked in a ramekin until molten. How could this be bad?! The fish was perfectly cooked, just done, the sauce made with a light hand and respect for the raw ingredients. The crablegs were fresh & juicy, served 'easy to eat' which is always a bonus. They don't have an official 'kids' menu but at Mimi's request they made her a scaled down shrimp dinner - I was SO proud - no chicken fingers for her!

This restaurant has a great atmosphere and beachy vibe. Think Tommy Bahama meets Gilligan's Island; in fact I think a few of the cast were dining there. As the name suggests, Cool'a Fishbar is unashamedly a fish place - there's not so much for your fishphobic friends - embrace that concept; get a babysitter for those pesky under 3's and head over.

Vic & Angelos, Palm Beach Gardens

2008-06-28T08:18:00.012-04:00

Last night we were all in the mood for something light, fun & quick. I, however, was wearing a new t-shirt so I wanted to give it a full and proper premiere. We compromised and ended up getting incredibly full at a long, lazy dinner at Vic & Angelos.

Vic & Angelos has what so many successful restaurant wannabees lack. It has a spectacular atmosphere. It doesn't try too hard, the music is right, the noise level perfect, the seating close but not too close and the wait staff are friendly and welcoming. It sucks you in.

We've had the pizza here a few times and its authentic, cooked at 900 degrees in a coal oven; mega thin, crispy crust, great quality ingredients on top etc., so on this occasion we decided to go off the board. We ordered some appetizers; salami $8 each and some cheese $15 for 3. We went with pecorino, fontina & provolone at the servers suggestion. This comes with a truffled honey, black cherry and apricot glaze. Not really necessary but pretty, I dipped Ceci's bagel in the apricot and she loved it! They also bring to the table a superb warm crusty bread with a bruschetta, olive oil & butter which is a really nice touch. I suggest both diners have a bite of the bruschetta as it packs quite a garlic punch! Then it was onto the entrees, Chicken Picatta for me $19 and Rigatoni Bolognese $19 for Dr. Dave. My chicken was perfectly cooked with caper berries & artichokes and served with a garlic heavy rapini. The Bolognese was excellent, scented with rosemary which I thought was odd for a true Bolognese but it was clearly long & slowly cooked and Dr. Dave loved it. They have a great selection of wines by the glass which is another winner that keeps the bar crowd, of which there were many, very happy.

I spent every summer as a child in Italy and as an adult I toured around the country with food on my mind and I have to say I adore Vic & Angelos; the buzz, the warm service, the effortlessly elegant & authentic food, the spot on music and the people watching. If you've always wanted to go to Italy, take a little detour to Vic & Angelos to put you in the mood. It gets it SO right!

http://vicandangelos.com/

Nan's Meat Pie

2008-06-24T16:11:00.006-04:00

My Nan was way ahead of her time. She shopped locally and ate seasonal home grown produce years before Jamie, Hugh or Gordon suggested it. If my Grandad hadn't grown it or it wasn't at the bakers, grocer, butcher or fishmonger, she didn't eat it. Simple. She walked to the shops every day and if she left a carbon footprint, it would be dainty size 5.

We would go to Nan's regularly for lunch on Sunday and it was always a treat whether it was stuffed lamb breast, pork belly or topside of beef. She stretched these cuts with vegetables from my Grandad would provide to order; even sending him out at the last minute for fresh mint to make mint sauce on a lamb day. One of our favorites was 'Meat Pie' which could be made one of two ways, with braising steak or ground beef. The only drawback of meat pie was that there would be no Apple Pie after; possibly rock cakes but that's another entry!

Yesterday I alluded to my 2 years spent in Malaysia; well when I first arrived I was clueless in the kitchen and my Nan would send me the odd recipe in the mail as well as give me tips on the phone. I've included her handwritten recipe here which I doubled last night and used ground sirloin rather than braising steak. It was a hit with my family served with mashed potatoes & broccoli trees!

Chicken & Shrimp Salad

2008-06-24T07:44:00.004-04:00

In the early 90's I spent two years living in Malaysia during which time I became well versed in the use of many South East Asian pantry items. It was that or starve quite frankly as there are only so many European places to eat and with so much fresh and local produce available why would you want to? When in Kuala Lumpur....

The Marie Claire range of recipe books by Michele Cranston feature some wonderful 'fusion' recipes using global ingredients to create beautiful dishes. They also have some of the most seductive food photography out there.

This recipe is my adaptation of a salad from the 'Lucious' book and combines fresh summery flavors with a hit of Asia from the fragrant dressing. I'd have this in a lettuce or flatwrap.

Recipe Ingredients (looks like alot but if you're a condiment enthusiast you'll have most of them at hand)

2 cups of shredded cooked chicken breast

2 cups of cooked shrimp

Juice of 2 limes

1 English cucumber, seeded & diced

2 tbs sesame oil

4 tbs olive oil

1 tsp soy sauce

1 tsp thai fish sauce

1 tsp sugar

1/2 cup of shredded fresh mint leaves

2 tbs toasted sesame seeds

1 tsp cumin or garam masala

1 bunch of scallions, chopped

Recipe Directions

Mix all the ingredients except the chicken and shrimp & sesame seeds in a large bowl and stir until the sugar is dissolved.

Add the chicken & shrimp and stir carefully until coated.

Just before serving sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds.

Tip: If you have difficulty finding some of the Asian condiments, try the WholeFoods Market at Downtown at the Gardens; they have a great range.

California Pizza Kitchen, Gardens Mall

2008-06-20T19:43:00.005-04:00

A miserable Friday had me out of the kitchen and into the Gardens Mall today and a pitstop at the faithful old California Pizza Kitchen. At prices akin to some of the foodcourt places its a no brainer to come here and take advantage of the big tables, stroller space and friendly service. They also serve a mean Kendall Jackson which is something chick-fil-ay can't compete with!

I went for my old favorite the 'original chopped salad' in a half portion (whole to a normal person). A saintly, fresh mix of leaves, salami, turkey, basil, tomatoes and mozzarella tossed in a light vinaigrette. I love this salad, its a heck of alot of chopping that I don't have to do and its incredibly flavorsome to boot. Dr. Dave veered from his usual 'jerk chicken pizza' to the 'Thai chicken pizza' which is quite a departure for him as he is such a devotee of the jerk chicken here, however, there were no complaints and he finished the lot. I'm guessing it was the peanut and ginger marinade that justified the 'Thai' moniker but the carrot was definitely misplaced. I have to say I'm not such a fan of these adventurous pizza combinations. I've travelled the length and breadth of Italy and never encountered anything so off the wall as stand alone dishes served atop a pizza. Thai chicken; delicious, Pear & Gorgonzola salad; yum... but on a pizza? hmmm.... Yet strangely, if I leave my Euro pizza snobbery at the door and concentrate on taste alone then CPK works. Its not pizza as I know it but however you slice it they offer something for everyone, even me.

http://cpk.com/

Paula Deen

2008-06-19T19:18:00.007-04:00

If a picture paints a thousand words then what does the one of the book say? Messy cook? Lets her children get a little too involved with the cooking? Or simply that this particular page bears the hallmark of being made over and over and over again? In Paula's case it is the latter.

My first introduction to the Food Network and the talent of Paula Deen was six years ago when I first started hopping across the Atlantic from London to visit Dr. Dave on a regular basis. I used to potter around in his pitiful bachelor's kitchen trying to organize his cupboards full of cereal boxes, macaroni and pizza menus whilst watching a little portable TV he bought me which I left permanently tuned to the Food Network. At this time Paula Deen was just on one show and it was a cracker. She turned out food I'd never seen before and I couldn't wait to try it. I sent her an email telling her she was converting me from Southern English to just Southern and that her pound cake had a hand in my husband proposing as quickly as he did. She wrote back in great detail which I really appreciated at the time. I know she's gone on to many big things since that one show but this recipe (Grandmother Paul's Sour Cream Pound Cake) from her original book is one that I use over and over from the 'Lady & Sons Cookbook'.

I nearly always tweak recipes and in this instance the only thing I've adjusted is to add a splash of almond extract and I sprinkle the top with superfine sugar before baking to give a bit of a crunchy top.

See Paula make this super cake on Paula's Party on July 11th at 10pm, on Food Network or if you can't wait the recipe is available on http://foodnetwork.com/ and http://pauladeen.com.

English Scones

2008-06-18T19:00:00.003-04:00

These are very easy to knock up in a few minutes. They smell good, taste authentic and you can adapt the recipe to suit whatever you feel like throwing in; raisins, dates, apricots, currants etc. They are so simple I won't even insult you with a structured recipe.

Heat your oven to 400 degrees. Sift 1lb of self raising flour and a pinch of salt into a bowl. Cut half a stick of butter into a small dice and rub it into the flour. In a measuring jug mix 10 fl oz of buttermilk and 4 oz of superfine sugar and add it to the flour. Mix it swiftly and lightly, throw it into the board and press down gently. Cut out your scones or bake a whole round one American style. Brush the tops with milk and bake in for about 15 minutes. Spread liberally with butter & jam whilst still warm.

Filet Mignon & Chianti Risotto

2008-06-15T19:24:00.007-04:00

I'd like to say I was pushing the boat out for Father's Day but with the filet on sale for $6.99lb this worked out to be better value than an earlybird at Toojays. The filet is Dr. Dave's favorite cut and of course the leanest so to counteract this lean protein I upped the steaks (ha ha) with a rich Chianti risotto.

Recipe Ingredients (for 2)

2 filet steaks

1 cup of arborio rice

1 pint of chicken stock

1 cup of chianti classico

1 onion finely chopped

1 cup of grated parmesan

oil/butter

Recipe Directions

Heat a heavy bottomed saucepan and add 2 tbs of olive oil & 1 tbs of butter and fry the onion until translucent.

Add the rice and stir until coated with the oil.

When the rice starts squeaking add the chianti and stir until absorbed. Gradually add as much stock as you need, stirring all the while for approximately 20 minutes as the stock is absorbed. Taste regularly for doneness and add the parmesan at the end, mixing it in well. A little extra on top to serve.

For the steaks, I get a good grill pan searingly hot, simply season the meat and cook to desired stage. To get the grill marks just give the meat a quarter turn after a minute or so. Its essential to let the meat rest for at least 5 minutes before serving.

The superb meat (quality & price) was from a local gourmet market http://josephsclassicmarket.com/

Best French Toast Ever

2008-06-14T07:08:00.005-04:00

Growing up in England I never really had french toast as I know it today. I never saw much of it in France either but in the US its on every breakfast and brunch menu across the country; each one touted as the 'best ever'. Luckily I know an expert on the subject. Dr. Dave isn't much of a foodie. In the 'eat to live', 'live to eat' camps he falls into the former, however, he is a complete french toast aficionado. I've made it for him many times to mixed reviews but in recent months my recipe tweaking paid off and this was declared the 'best french toast ever'. That works for me!

Recipe Ingredients (for 6)

1 challah loaf cut into slices at least 1" thick

2 cups milk

1 tsp sugar

4 eggs

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp salt

oil/butter for frying

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp almond extract

confectioners / icing sugar

Recipe Directions

Mix all the ingredients, except the bread & confectioners sugar, in a shallow dish.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and have a baking sheet greased & ready.

Dunk the bread slices into the batter and turn. Soak at least a minute.

Whilst the bread is soaking heat the oil/butter in a large frying pan.

Fry the bread in batches until golden, adding more oil/butter when necessary.

Keep the cooked toast hot in the oven on the baking sheet where it will puff up and become even more souffle like.
Dust with confectioners sugar.

Loosen trousers.

Brewzzi, City Place

2008-06-12T19:01:00.006-04:00

Today I broke one of my cardinal rules. I ordered something other than a burger at what is, essentially, a burger & beer place. Brewzzi in City Place is a long established microbrewery and 'American restaurant' with a great reputation for such fare yet clever clogs here ordered the 'healthy chicken platter'. The dish was described as 'grilled chicken breast, brown rice pilaf and steamed vegetables'. It sounded quite saintly and how wrong could I go with such a simple choice? Firstly, the chicken arrived ugly side up and looking quite sorry for its over cooked little self. This is SO basic, to trim any extraneous sinewy, dangly parts of a boneless, skinless breast is the work of seconds and to present it with no care or attention is downright sloppy. The vegetables were nicely undercooked but somewhat gritty which suggests to me they were either washed poorly or not at all. To complete the trifector, the 'brown rice pilaf' had more than a whiff of a Lipton side about it to me. It was all lukewarm and there were several greasy fingerprints on the plate too which is another culinary schoolboy error.

Dr. Dave wisely ordered a barbecue burger and there were no complaints from him. I thought it was OK. Again, just the right side of warm and the fries were nothing to write home about either. Average in every way apart from the service which was delightful.

This wasn't my first visit to Brewzzi's and it probably won't be my last. I've heard wonderful things about some of the menu items here, sadly for me, I didn't order them so I can say that I'll return but next time I'll opt for a beer & a burger in that order!

http://brewzzi.com/

Banana & Walnut Tea Bread

2008-06-11T19:03:00.004-04:00

I try to curb the urge to bake too often as I'm the only member of my family who has no willpower. Whilst they can stop at a single slice, I'll cave in and scarf extras laid out on the sofa watching Hell's Kitchen. However, in the spirit of Dr. Dave's speedy recovery, some baked goods were in order.

Teabreads are a delightful combination of cake & bread. They're lighter than, say, a pound cake but denser than a traditional bread. The Banana & Walnut is a classic and the perfect complement to a morning coffee or afternoon tea; or if you're me, both!

Recipe Ingredients

1 stick of butter (and extra for greasing)

5oz of light brown sugar

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 cup of chopped walnuts (plus extra for sprinkling)

2 ripe bananas mashed with 2 tbs of milk

8oz of self rising flour

1 tsp of vanilla extract

Recipe Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a 2lb loaf pan.

Cream the butter and and sugar together (I used my Kitchen Aid), then add the eggs gradually.

Fold in the chopped walnuts, bananas and flour.

Spoon into tin and sprinkle over the extra nuts.

Bake for 40 minutes and check, if its firm to the touch then remove or bake for an extra 5-10 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes, remove and let it cool.

Chicken Noodle Soup

2008-06-10T18:33:00.017-04:00

A distinct air of malady has invaded my usually healthy home. Dr. Dave has been struck with a mystery condition he describes as a combination of emphysema, pneumonia and whooping cough. If you've ever had any of these conditions, suffice to say its not as bad as his. Being raised with the English National Health Service I'd say he has a bit of a dry cough, however, nurturing wife that I am I pulled out my soup tureen to prepare his favorite restorative broth. Serves 4 at least.

Recipe Ingredients

2 skinless chicken breasts cut into small pieces

1 onion, thinly sliced

1 cup of celery chopped

1 cup carrots chopped

1 large carton of chicken broth (or homemade if you're organized and freeze such things)

1tbs olive oil (not extra virgin)

3 cups of uncooked noodles (I used Ronzoni Wholeweat Healthy Harvest)

Directions

Heat 1 tbs of olive oil over a medium heat and gently fry the onions, celery and garlic until translucent but not brown.

Add the chicken and stir until opaque.

Pour in the broth and simmer until the vegetables are soft and the chicken cooked through.

5-7 minutes before you want to serve, add the egg noodles.

Wait patiently for spring to return to step.

Trust me tip: If you're looking for a way to smuggle extra wholegrain into someone, these noodles are almost undetectable as brown when cooked in this soup.

Spaghetti & Meatballs

2008-06-10T07:00:00.010-04:00

Or Scabetti & Meatballs as my 3 year old calls it! Few things are as crowd pleasing or easy to prepare than a steamy bowl of pasta and meatballs. These meatballs are not true Neapolitan style as I use less milk soaked bread (its a legacy from my Dr. Atkins days) but enough to transform them from 'burgers' to soft, true polpette. I've used angel hair here as its easy on my 9 month old but I'd have preferred thicker scabetti myself!

I don't always put serving sizes on my recipes because we all have different appetites in our family; mine being the largest, but count on 4 really good adult bowls with probable leftovers for meatball subs the next day.

Recipe Ingredients

1lb ground beef

1 tbs minced garlic

1 small grated onion

1 cup breadcrumbs soaked in milk

1 beaten egg

1 cup grated Parmesan

generous grinds of salt & black pepper

Marinara Sauce (either homemade or a jar of store bought)

Directions

Squeeze the milk from the breadcrumbs, place in a large mixing bowl and break up.

Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well (I use my hands).

Form the mixture in about 10-15 balls. I like them pretty small (less work to eat!)

Heat some olive oil (not extra virgin) in a large frying pan and add the meatballs one by one. As a brown crust forms on the bottom, turn them over (palette knife works best).

Once they are all sealed, add the jar of sauce and simmer for about 10 minutes.

Whilst they are simmering cook your noodles (directions on packet minus a minute or so)

Toss the whole lot into a serving dish, put on some Frank Sinatra and dive in.

Trust me tip: Once you get to the end of your loaf or English muffins, bagels etc., just put them through your food processor and blitz to breadcrumbs. Keep them in the freezer in a ziplock bag for meatloaf and meatball emergencies!

Panko Parmesan Chicken Tenders

2008-06-09T07:37:00.008-04:00

Can there be any home cook worth their Maldon sea salt that hasn't discovered the joy of Panko? These Japanese bread flakes make for the lightest, crispiest coating for meat or fish without that cloying breaded taste and texture of other store bought breadcrumbs. We ate at a churrascaria on Sunday night where they served an inspired 'Parmesan crusted pork tenderloin' so, toying with that notion, devised these tasty tenders.

Recipe Ingredients

1lb of chicken tenders (please remove that horrible white tube with a filleting knife or kitchen scissors, it spoils the whole 'tender' experience)

2 beaten eggs

seasoned flour

2 cups Panko

2 cups grated Parmesan

vegetable oil

Recipe Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Remove white bit from chicken tenders!

Dust the chicken tenders in seasoned flour.

Dip in beaten egg.

Mix the panko and Parmesan together and coat the chicken pieces well.

Heat 2 tbs of vegetable oil in an oven proof frying pan and add the chicken pieces and shallow fry on each side until golden brown but not cooked through.

Place pan in the oven for 10-15 minutes.

Serve with your favorite sauce, I'd suggest marinara but my guys wanted more parmesan dressing!

Trust me: Get a block of fresh Parmigiano Reggiano to keep in the fridge and grate at will. It lasts forever and you can use the rinds to flavor soups & stews. The dried stuff in the plastic tubs should really be outlawed.

Boneless Chinese Style Ribs

2008-06-08T06:52:00.004-04:00

If you're a collector of condiments like me its highly likely you have all manner of Asian sauces and spices gathering dust in your fridge and pantry. This is a satisfying outlet for all those jars fast approaching their use-by date. These boneless ribs have much less fat and sugar and so much more subtle Asian flavor than their deep fried take away counterparts.

Recipe Ingredients

1 lb of pork loin boneless ribs

2 tbs vegetable oil + little more for frying

1 small onion thinly sliced

2 tbs grated ginger (or the jarred lazy ginger)

8 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup of Chinese wine or dry sherry

2 tbs kecap manis (sweet soy sauce)

1 tsp Chinese five spice powder

2 tbs smokey bbq sauce (optional)

2tbs sweet chili sauce

Recipe Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Combine all the ingredients except the pork to make a marinade.

Add the pork and toss to cover. Leave to bathe for an hour or so.

Heat an oven proof pan till smoking, add a small amount of vegetable oil.

Add the ribs and cook on one side until brown.

Turn the ribs, add the rest of the marinade and cook in a 375 degree oven for 15 minutes.

Leave to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving with a little extra sweet chili sauce.

Lovely Local Tip: If you're in range of a Publix Supermarket, the boneless ribs are on sale until next Wednesday!

Masa's Sagami, Abacoa, FL

2008-06-07T07:29:00.009-04:00

Masa's Sagami Japanese Steakhouse is one of the cornerstones of Abacoa town center. Its been in place for several years now and successfully so but regrettably, those years are beginning to show. The floor was gummy and dirty, there were holes and digs in the walls, the paintwork was greasy, you get the picture. We arrived just after opening time so, in theory, the interior should've looked pretty fresh being the first Hibachi of the night. The joint needs work! We're not talking about a facelift of Wildenstein proportions but a little filler & botox would be well placed here along with an industrial dermabrasion of the floor.

To the food. En famille once again, Dr. Dave went with the filet & shrimp, me the chicken and our 3 year old Hibachi enthusiast, the chicken. The soup here is good and the salad is fresh. That counts and was appreciated. The Hibachi chef arrived and some restrained, jaded schtick ensued. The chef was OK. I really want to say he was hilarious, skilled and enthralled us all but that would be stretching it. He was competent, and the food was nicely seasoned, plentiful and he had a generous hand with everything he prepared he just wasn't slick.

Masa himself works the room and says 'hi' to all his diners and that too means alot in a local establishment like this. I'm sure his personality alone keeps punters returning and choosing him over the competition but for me, that's not enough. This place needs something if its going to compete with all the new local Japanese dining opportunities such as the spotless Ra Sushi at Legacy Place and the plush Saito's Japanese Steakhouse at PGA Commons and as I live on its doorstep, I really hope it gets it. http://masassagami.com/

Shepherds Pie Tonight!

2008-06-05T16:55:00.000-04:00

My Shepherds Pie

Strictly speaking this should be named

'cottage' pie as its made with beef as opposed to lamb, however, my Mum always referred to it as 'shepherds' and it was never advisable to challenge her kitchen wisdom.

I've read numerous recipes for Shepherds Pie, with ingredients ranging from ground lamb of course, lamb shanks, leftover brisket and pot roast. In our family it was fashioned simply from lean ground beef and, as with all these historic dishes, tastes best when its made exactly how you remember it growing up.

Recipe Ingredients

1lb lean ground beef

1 onion finely chopped

2 carrots finely chopped (I had some grated carrots leftover so used those)

2 sticks celery finely chopped

dash Worcestershire sauce

1tbs tomato puree

1 cup of beef stock

1 tbs all purpose flour

Mashed Potato

1lb potatoes

cream, butter, salt & pepper to taste

Directions

Heat 2tbs of vegetable oil in a heavy based frying pan. Add the onion, carrots & celery and fry until translucent.

Add the ground beef and fry until thoroughly browned. If you are fat watching you could tip the pan to one side at this point and drain any excess fat that has been released from the beef.

Add the tablespoon of flour and work it into the pan, followed by the Worcestershire sauce, tomato puree and beef stock.

Lower the heat and simmer until the mixture is reduced; about 15 minutes.

Pour into a baking dish and allow to cool.

Mashed Potato

Peel & cut the potatoes into chunks, boil until tender.

Drain & cover the pan with a tea towel / dishcloth to absorb the excess steam (creates much fluffier mash).

Mash and add cream, butter & seasoning to taste. I favor a potato ricer, my Mum used a retro wire masher and my Nan used a fork. I expect my daughters will have a computer program to do it for them!

Using a palette knife spread the potato onto the cooled meat. (I cool it first so the potato spreads easier).

Bake in a 350 degree oven for around 30 minutes until the potato starts to crisp on the top and the gravy begins to bubble up around the sides. (If you are feeling extravagant you can top with cheese before baking).

Trust me: No matter what quantity of mashed potato you are making, never ever be tempted to use an electric mixer of any description to help you. You will be eating glue.

The Yard House, Palm Beach Gardens, FL

2008-06-05T07:11:00.000-04:00

Last night the good Dr. Dave (husband) had a little last minute business to attend to so instead of my planned shepherds pie we all hit a local sports bar, the Yard House. The Yard House describes itself as an 'upscale casual' establishment which is pretty accurate, however, there are plenty of flat screens, rock music and the biggest collection of draft beers, so to me, its a sports bar albeit a posh one.

We've eaten here many times before and always found it consistent for the basics we have sampled. The burgers are great, the salads hearty and their fries are second to none. They are those moreish shoestring style variety that stay annoyingly crispy long after you want to stop eating them! This is also one of the few restaurants whose 'children's menu' isn't an insult to them or me. There's a broad choice of healthy fare and the quality of the ingredients is every bit as good as the regular menu. You don't get the feeling that, just because they're cheap to feed, children are an afterthought here.

Last night, was the first time our visit fell into the 'happy hour' time frame of 3-6pm. Unlike your average 'happy hour' the Yard House offers both 1/2 price appetizers and discounted drinks from their huge menu. This being Florida, the appetizers are a meal unto themselves. I saw most things I usually order for dinner on the happy hour menu. I ordered a 'Spicy Tuna Roll' fully expecting it to be a dainty little affair leaving me plenty of room to snaffle one of Dr. Dave's 'Bearnaise Sliders', a fork or two of his 'Chinese Garlic Noodles' and of course a few of my daughters french fries. Not so. This was a hearty tower of seared ahi tuna, avocado, that legume de jour edamame and cucumber with a wasabi soy drizzle. It was so healthy I think I added a few months to my life just photographing it. Here's the thing, the quality of this ahi tuna was so good, the composition and appearance of the dish so appealing, it tasted so great and it was priced at around $6.00 during happy hour. This has to be below food cost. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a penny pincher when it comes to food; I put quality first always and if I can't have what I want I'd rather go without but nothing was compromised here.

The service was great, we had Chris who was delightful, efficient, not over effusive and fake jolly which I can't abide at these places and he happily replaced my glass of wine when I told him it tasted sulphurous so he gets my vote! If you are on a budget or just want a great early dinner or late lunch in a buzzy, vibrant and young venue, I highly recommend the Yard House.

http://yardhouse.com/

2008-06-03T19:47:00.000-04:00

Beef in Beaujolais

I am neither a wine buff or a wine snob. I can differentiate colors of course and grapes occasionally but amateur sommelier I am NOT. This said, even I know that you don't lay down a beaujolais nouveau 2006! Not so my husband. I was reorganizing our humble rack on Sunday night and came across a dusty bottle of his 'not so nouveau'. I popped the cork, half expecting it to crumble, poured a glass and had a cautious swig. I have to say it had lost very little of its fruity appeal in the aging process, however, erring on the side of caution I repurposed the remaining three quarters of a bottle and a little Beef in Beaujolais was born.

Ingredients

3lbs of lean stewing/braising beef in chunks

1 large onion sliced

4 cloves garlic chopped

1 heaped tablespoon of herbes de provence

a large handful of chopped or baby carrots

3/4 bottle beaujolais

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

In a heavy casserole dish (I favor Le Creuset for looks and durability) heat 2 tbs vegetable oil and sweat the onions, garlic & carrots.

Toss the meat in all purpose flour seasoned with salt & pepper and add to the pot until just turning brown at the edges.

Add the wine and place in oven for around 4 hours. Check and stir after 2 hours.

After 4 hours the dish will be reduced, (hence the appearance of my pot) the sauce syrupy and the meat falling apart. This will serve at least 4-6.

2008-06-03T15:21:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the Cookbook Cafe!

This is my place to share, experiment and create recipes, review cookbooks, restaurants, rant, rave and generally vent my culinary spleen.

Why the Cookbook Cafe?

I have a vast and growing collection of tasty tomes, ranging from 'Mrs. A.B. Marshall's Cookery Book' published in 1887; 'Ox palates a la Napolitaine' anyone? through to Heston Blumenthal's ambitious 'Search for Perfection'. I have barely scratched the surface of these treasures and am excited to delve deeper into the pages and share the experiences with anyone who cares to tag along.

I won't be blogging from a place of culinary expertise as I am not a trained chef, but from a place of passion and practicality. I promise only to preach what I practice!