The U.K. War On Brussels Sprouts

No doubt many a mother will be admonishing her children this Thanksgiving to "just try" the brussels sprouts. Perhaps this was not the case for a young man many years ago in the U.K. Take in point Royal Navy Commanding Officer Wayne Keble OBE, in charge of the illustrious U.K. Ship the HMS Bulwark. He was reportedly heard to recently say that sprouts were the devil's vegetable and should be banned from the Captain's table. This prompted a movement, begun by a blogger of course, to gather recipes for preparing the under appreciated vegetable and petition for reconsideration.

You can read all about it and join in the vegetable fray by clicking here. Then, support the cause by sending in your favorite recipe. If you are not a fan (shame on you) check the recipes for one you may want to try yourself. I am the first to admit that I, too, am a convert to the joys of the brussels sprout.

Sustainable Seafood At Turner Fisheries

Chef Armand Toutaint of Turner Fisheries.

We were invited this week to Turner Fisheries at The Westin in Boston to taste their new menu options featuring sustainable seafood. Of course, sustainable seafood is the very important movement to prevent overfishing while still meeting the growing world demand for seafood, something we fully support as some species are in serious jeopardy of becoming extinct. Turner Fisheries follows the recommendations researched by the Monterey Bay Aquarium scientists. You can learn more about this movement and how it relates to your favorite seafoods and consumption by clicking here. Our host for the evening was Chef Armand Toutaint, who explained the dishes and the importance of sustainability for us all.



Our first tasting included Turners "Hall Of Fame" Clam Chowder, Fried Island Creek Oysters with Organic Creamed Spinach and Pancetta Hollandaise, Beet Tartare with Braeburn Apples Balsamic, Rocket Greens and Aged Goat Cheese Brulee and Seared Diver Scallops with Bosch Pear Chutney. There wasn't a bad taste in this suite. The chowder was one of the best we've had, the fried oyster was neither heavy nor mealy. The beet tartare was a perfect combination for the creamy goat cheese and the scallops perfectly seared. Our favorite here, however, was the chowder.

Next up was the Lobster Pappardelle (not pictured) with Crispy Pork Belly, Cured Tomato, and Edamame and Chervile Cream. Served in a boat, the pasta was perfectly al dente and the accompaniments worked very well with the sweet, subtle and ample lobster meat.



The next three dishes: Loch Duart Scottish Salmon with Laughing Bird Shrimp Fried Rice, Jicama Empire Apples and Tamarind Reduction, Hooked Gulf Of Maine Haddock with Blue Crab Skin-On Yam Hash and Fennel Buerre Blanc and Seared Ahi Tuna with Orange Sesame Crust, Lentil Succotash and Ponzu Glaze. While all of these were excellent our standout favorite was the tuna.


White Chocolate Mousse Terrine with Caramel, Toffee and Baileys

The dessert spoke for itself. Beautiful on the plate, the mousse was light and airy with a subtle, refined sweetness and plated with a delicious hint of huckleberry sauce.

The meal was accompanied by Frei Brothers Reserve Russian River Valley Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The Chardonnay, in particular, was a real standout and both are sustainable products.

Although Turner Fisheries has been around for years this menu is sure to attract renewed interest and kudos to the management for fully embracing the very important sustainable food movement. All of these dishes are now featured on their menu.

Turner Fisheries of Boston
10 Huntington Ave
Boston, MA 02116-5707
Tel.: 617.424.7425

The Tastes Of India III

Raj Kachori.

We continue our series on Indian Cuisine this week with a look at several of the most popular dishes. Pictured above is the dish Raj Kachori. As a note, the Raj Cuisine is a group of dishes of Indian food as known to the British. I knew well from my travels that Indian Cuisine was the most popular food in London. I never made the connection until it was pointed out by Ranveer Brar, Corporate Chef for One World Cuisine and my guide, that India was in fact a British Colony and much of the food was adopted and adapted by British culture.

This dish consists of vegetable, semolina and chickpea pastry in a creamy mint sauce. The previous dish I had tasted had been dipped in the tamarind chutney discussed in last week's post, which provided a bit of heat on the tongue. This was the perfect dish to follow as I immediately found it cooling to the palate. It was made to be that way and is often eaten on hot humid days. That brings up the whole history of holistic eating, which often symbolizes Indian Cuisine. Ayurvedic Cuisine, common in India, is the art and science of creating dishes to promote health and well being. We will discuss this in more depth later.


Dosa.

This is the Dosa, a long, cylindrical rice crepe. The Dosa Masala, here, is filled with potato and served with condiments for dipping. A coconut chutney and lentil soup called Sambar served as the dipping sauces here.


Chicken Tikka Masala.

Chicken Tikka Masala is the most popular dish served at Indian restaurants. It's easy to see why. It contains chunks of deliciously cooked and subtly spiced chicken floating in a creamy tomato sauce flavored with fenugreek. The sauce reminded me of a creamy, slightly sweet tomato soup with no trace of the acidity sometimes found in tomato sauces. This was an instant favorite with me, which is typical to those new to Indian Cuisine.


Saag Paneer.

The second most popular dish is Saag Paneer. The same gratifying cubes of perfectly cooked chicken are here in a creamed spinach sauce. Cottage cheese is used to provide the creamy base, a common ingredient in Indian cuisine. The Naan bread is used to scoop up mouth-watering bites of both these dishes. This was the best creamed spinach dish I have ever had, hands down.


Biryani.

Biryani is a rice dish served with vegetables, beef or lamb. It contains onion and mint in a unique combination. As a big fan of stir fry cooking I found this to be very close to that. Fantastic tastes here.


Tandoori Chicken.

Another very popular dish is the Tandoori Chicken. The amazing smoky flavor from the tandoori ovens provide a crispy skin matched with the flavorful, almost buttery, moist meat of the chicken. Indian food often strives to add some component of crispy texture as many of the dishes are sauce based. The distinctive red color of the skin is often enhanced with a drop of food coloring, rarely used with meat but it does make for a burst of interest in the presentation. This is commonly served with a yogurt sauce.


Poppadum.

Poppadum is, again, a crispy ground lentil pancake often eaten as snacks and prepared here in strips served with a creamy yogurt dipping sauce. This is more of a Western India inspired dish and often eaten as a snack to be enjoyed with drinks in the same way tapas would be enjoyed in Spain.


Dessert: Rasmalai and Gulab Jamin.

Desserts in India are rare treats. The history and culture of India dictates a tradition where desserts were only eaten by royalty. With that in mind there is no doubt that they were incredibly rich and sweet, usually served in several small bites.

Here we have Rasmalai, on the cooler end of the flavor spectrum, a rich reduced milk cheese which is then cooked in milk. I found this very similar to some sweetened ricotta dishes I have tasted in Italy. The other was Gulab Jamun, a warm and dark condensed milk and flour beignet with syrup. This had an incredible bread/cheese flavor and pleasingly rich texture with a rich but not cloyingly sweet syrup.

In our next post we will look at the importance of holistic eating which is prevalent in Indian Cuisine.

Technique Restaurant

We had always wanted to attend Le Cordon Bleu, the intensive College of Culinary Arts where many of the world's greatest chefs have studied. So, last week we decided to stop by for a visit.



We weren't there so much to enroll as to visit the student run restaurant, Technique, which we've been curious about for months now. Located at The Athenaeum in Cambridge, just a few blocks from the Galleria Mall, the room is comfortably spacious with a modern industrial feel featuring exposed brick, sleek, dark wooden tables and gleaming open kitchens. While I admit that some of the servers do have that deer-caught-in-the-headlights look about them, the service was still on par with other local restaurants and better than most.


Sauteed Scallops with Gnocchi

The real star is, of course, the food. Gourmet meals at rock bottom prices is especially attractive these days. Everything on the luncheon menu looked so good it was hard to decide what to order. The Grilled Pork Chop, Fines Herbes Spaetzle, Brussel Sprouts, Pearl Onions and Sauce Robert sounded good. Then there was Spiced Lamb Loin, Savory Roasted Tomato and Eggplant Bread Pudding, Parsnips and Marjoram Jus. Other entrees included Poached Monkfish, Slow Roasted Salmon and a selection of Brick Oven Pizzas, Sandwiches, Appetizers, Soups and Salads. Entrees ranged in price from $15-$19 each. There is also a nice wine list and full bar service.



We decided to go with the Sauteed Scallops, Potato Gnocchi, Pumpkin Brown Butter Puree, Honshimeji Mushrooms and Pine Nuts. Everything was as fresh, flavorful, well-prepared and plated as one would get at any top rated upscale restaurant in Boston. The pillow-like mini gnocchi were expertly turned out and the scallops as perfectly sauteed as the photos attest.


The spotlessly clean open kitchen at Technique.

Technique is open for lunch and dinner, Monday through Friday. We highly recommend that you stop by and support the students of Le Cordon Bleu, Boston.





Technique
215 1st Street
Cambridge
617.218.8088

Let's Go To London

Kids and their technology. God love 'em. I walked to school three miles every day in my bare feet. Even in the snow. Today they dine in fine restaurants and play on wired, interactive tablecloths. But why live in the past when the future is so bright ahead?

All kidding aside, sometimes it's good to put away our adult minds, the fine linens and Wedgewood, the etiquette and protocol, the cuff links and high collars, to have a few minutes with little Max. What better a spokesman could explain the wizardry at Inamo in London? This video is all about the joy and discovery of a family meal at a great Asian-fusion restaurant in SoHo that's gone playfully hi-tech. It is truly amazing.




This incredible technology not only gives you an interactive menu and takes your order but also maps out your evening, allows you to view the live chef cam video feed, change the decor at your table, calls you a cab and practically orders groceries delivered in for your next day's breakfast! Plus, you can play Battleship with your table mates between bites. What is more cool than this?

The Tastes Of India II

Baking bread in tandoor oven.

Now that we've covered some of the spices used in Indian Cuisine we can move on to cooking techniques and the actual dishes. Firstly, let's dispel some of those myths we mentioned at the start of this series. The first usually mentioned is that the food is too spicy. Indian food does use a lot of spice but the heat of the spice is no more than in any other cuisine. Just as with Asian or even Mexican cuisine the dishes can be prepared with any level of heat. Everything we tasted was mild. You can go medium or hot depending on your palate.

Next, let's address the "curry thing". A curry is nothing more than a spice combination used in a gravy or sauce. It can be flavored in many different ways. There are about fifteen basic sauces used in Indian cooking, all considered curries, just as in Italian cooking where pesto, garlic, tomatoes or cream are used to create different flavors for pasta sauce. The names of the dishes and ingredients we'll discuss more but, believe me, there is something on the menu for everybody at any Indian restaurant and the flavors will be remarkably familiar to some of your favorite dishes. All dishes and their ingredients, as at any restaurant, are explained in full on the menus.


Tandoor oven.

Now let's move on to technique. The common fixture in any Indian restaurant will always be the tandoor oven. The tandoor oven is a deep, cylindrical oven made of clay that reaches temperatures of 900 degrees Fahrenheit, quite hot indeed. Most are fueled with coal, providing the same smoky flavor you'd get from your own outdoor grill. Some local fire ordinances will not allow for coal tandoor ovens and there is a difference in flavor so you may want to check before dining. Typically, there are two ovens just like these at Diva Indian Bistro in Davis Square. One is used for meats and the other is used for bread. The ovens quickly sear meats producing the familiar crispy outside but flavorful, meaty inside. Tandoor ovens were often communal ovens in the villages in India, where the women would meet to cook food and bake bread, building a strong food culture.

Naan bread is made by throwing the dough against the side of the oven wall where it puffs and bubbles. Most people will be familiar with naan bread. It's sold in grocery stores regularly now but, like any bread, there is nothing like fresh from the oven. We sampled both plain and garlic varieties. You may not know there also sweet varieties such as those made with sugar and cinnamon. Nann is used to scoop up the sauces and foods served as it is perfectly acceptable table etiquette to eat Indian foods with one's hands.


Puffy, fresh, warm naan bread.

We began our feast with a vegetable platter, common in Indian cuisine. Indian food provides many vegetable dishes and is popular with vegetarians. Every table at the restaurant was full on the night we dined and we were told that many patrons are regulars. "How often?" I asked. Many regulars visit two to three times a week. Impressive!


Vegetable Platter.

The chutneys, or relishes, accompanying the vegetable platter are typically a mint chutney and a tamarind chutney. The tamarind was the spiciest heat of the meal but also one of the most interesting flavors. The sampler included a samosa, made with potato, peas cilantro and cumin and deep fried. Potatoes are, in fact, a very common ingredient in Indian cuisine. There was also a fried cottage cheese that was out of this world good. The pakora is a chickpea and vegetable beignet. Chickpeas are, again, a common ingredient. A pakora can also be made with meats. A potato tikki, a minced potato patty deeply fried, was included and fantastically crisp outside while creamy inside.

So you can see, many of these ingredients are foods you use every day prepared differently and some really not that differently at all.

Women and Food

Lidia Bastianich and Judith Jones.

I have spent lots of nights dining and talking about food with beautiful women. I love to hear the stories, sit, listen and enjoy. So, for me, this was a very special treat, a night of wisdom and laughter and food.


Restaurateur, Chef, Author and PBS-TV icon Lidia Bastianich.

My typical Saturdays are spent on competitive swimming, then cooking and, of course, the TV is on with food shows as I do it. For years I have watched Lidia and now she is here, standing in front of me, chatting on about the beauty of Liguria, the memories of family dinners, the joy of gathering at the table, the efficiency of emailing and writing at 3 AM! When I ask about her Boston dining favorites she is quick to mention Jody Adams of Rialto.


Vice President and Senior Editor at Knopf, Judith Jones.

Judith Jones is the grand dame of food publishing, who fought to bring Julia Child to the world. At 85 she is so young and lively that it was amazing. I loved her telling about making the potatoes at Julia's home after they worked all day and setting the table with candles and a napkin to dine at home. Interestingly enough she is now working on a book to demystify Indian cuisine!

Two entertaining and fascinating women empowered by food and the people who love it. Great night.

The event was sponsored by Harvard Book Store, an independent book store.

Boston Rising Star Chefs, II

Pastry Chef Jiho Kim of L'Espalier

As we mentioned in our initial post on this event last week there is simply not enough time or space to write about all of the entrants. It was very difficult, given the level of talent, to choose a best from these tastings. However, I must say that I was absolutely blown away by our final selection.

Pastry Chef Jiho Kim is a native of Seoul, Korea, where he received his Korean National Certification. He followed that intense study with additional certifications in chocolate, confectionery, cake, patisserie and show pieces. From the five star Renaissance Hotel in Seoul his technical and artistic talent brought him to Boston's L'Espalier, considered by many Bostonians to be the City's consummate dining experience.

Here, amidst the formality and fine linens, white gloves deliver his playful, creative desserts to the tables of surprised and delighted diners. Chocolate Milk Tart with Oreo Cookie and Milk Sorbet has been just one of these whimsical creations. It's the kind of childhood fun that would send one running for the edible Crayola Crayons ... if only there were such a thing. His dessert tonight, in my opinion, stole the show. It was elegant in detail, perfectly balanced in flavor and texture, restrained in its simple style and presentation and a literal work of art on the plate. It looked like a perfect palette of sublime colors and shapes and it tasted like heaven, delicately sweet as it rolled over the tongue. This young Chef is not just a rising star but a shining star with a brilliant future indeed. Congratulations.


Bubbles of sweet delight. Chef Kim's dessert: Greek Yogurt Panna Cotta with Cranberry Gelée and Yogurt Sorbet.

Here are some other photos from the event. As usual, you can click on any photo to enlarge.


Sustainability Award Winner: Chef Richard Garcia

You may remember Chef Garcia of Tastings Wine Bar And Bistro from a post a few weeks back when he attended the Fair Trade Event, along with our next Chef. Chef Garcia prepared a delicate, delicious tasting of White Vanilla Gazpacho.


Chef Will Gilson

Chef Will Gilson of Garden At The Cellar prepared an inventive and savory dish: Seared Foie Gras and Doughnuts with Rhubarb.


Kunefe with Champagne-Cardamom Syrup

Restaurant Concept Award Winner Chef Maura Kilpatrick of Sofra prepared this unusual and very tasty pastry using Middle-Eastern ingredients. We visited Sofra on our blog a few months back.


Assistants at Chef Jodi Bernhard's station.

Chef Jodi Berhard of Longwood Events, Host Chef, prepared a very hearty dish: Slow Roasted Leg of Lamb with Lamb-Fennel Sausage, White Bean Capelletti and Brussels Sprouts.

Again, all of the recipes for these dishes are available. Should you wish to read further about any of these Chefs or other Chefs in the Boston area, and for lots of food industry news, go to StarChefs.com.

Upcoming Fun Foodie Events

As we move into the busy holiday season you may want to mark your social calendar, before it gets too pencilled up, with some fun food events in and around Boston. Here's a few we found that we are adding to our busy agenda. There is something here for everyone and, given the economy, we've chosen those events at little or no cost.

Shalimar Indian Foods and Spices Tour
On the first Saturday of every month Ranveer Brar, Corporate Chef of One World Cuisine (and featured in our blog just this week) leads a one-hour tour with tips on using Indian spices holistically. The tour is followed by a sit-down lunch at Dosa Factory, the new casual eatery located at the rear of the store. Get out there and meet some fellow foodies exploring international cuisines.
Where: Shalimar Indian Foods
470 Mass. Ave. Central Square, Cambridge
When: 11:00 am, First Saturday of every month
Cost: $20.00 per person, includes lunch


Lidia Bastianich

You know Lidia. We all know Lidia! The popular PBS-TV Chef is visiting this week to discuss food and sign copies of her new book LIDIA COOKS FROM THE HEART OF ITALY. Also featured will be Judith Jones, author of THE PLEASURES OF COOKING FOR ONE.
Where: Brattle Theatre
40 Brattle St., Cambridge
When: 6:00 PM Monday November 9, 2009
Cost: $5.00 per person
To purchase tickets call 617.661.1515 or click here.



Need to brush up on your Chardonnay? Is Merlot still a no-no? Well, you can taste over 60 varietals, enjoy refreshments and chat with loads of vendors at Grapevine Travelers' Grand Holiday Wine Tasting Event.
Where: Grapevine Travelers Fine Wine & Spirits
18 High St., Medford
When: 2-6 PM, Saturday, November 14, 2009
Cost: Free. Can't beat that!
For more info call 781.396.8463 or click here.



Want to play Willy Wonka for a day? Well you can.

Taza Chocolates will be having an Open House and Tour of their facilities, including live demonstrations of how their chocolate is made. This is the same fun and interesting tour we covered in our blog in May. It's a great event for families and a very cool surprise idea for that first date.
Where: TAZA Chocolates
561 Windsor St., Somerville
When: 10AM-6PM Saturday December 5, 2009
Cost: Free. Hey Charlie, no golden ticket required!
For more info call 617.623.0804 or click here.

TBF will continue to look for other events for all of our readers. If you have anything to submit, please email us.

Rising Star Chefs Boston 2009 Gala

We stopped in at the Rising Star Chefs Boston 2009 Gala and Awards Ceremony this week and were in awe of the talented Chefs that we have here in Boston. The Rising Star awards is sponsored by Starchefs.com an online magazine for food industry insiders and a great website to learn more about your favorite Chefs, up-and-coming, hot new talent and even exclusive food industry job listings.



There were so many flavorful tastings and talented Chefs that it would take weeks to comprehensively cover all of the dishes and Stars but we definitely wanted to highlight some of them over a few posts. I have always loved the venue chosen, The State Room at 66 State Street, 33 floors above the City, with sweeping views of the waterfront. Seeing downtown all lit up at night really makes you appreciate just what a cosmopolitan City Boston is. All of the dishes featured were paired with excellent wines and there was even live entertainment. In short, a perfectly organized and impressive evening of food.



Upon arrival, with our flute glass of champagne in hand, we made a beeline to Joanne Chang's station. Joanne received the Restaurateur Award. As most know, she is part owner of Myers + Chang, the modern Asian restaurant in Boston as well as the burgeoning empire of Flour bakeries. Chang prepared a knockout dish: Asian-Braised Short Rib Taco with Asian Pear and Sesame-Cilantro Salsa. Rich, sweet and meaty, we loved the unique twist of the taco paired with Asian flavors.


Joanne Chang of Flour Bakeries and Myers + Chang

Next up was Chef Mike Pagliarini of Via Matta. Chef Pagliarini prepared a Muscovy Hen Breast with Turnips, Rhubarb, Swiss Chard and Spiced Pistachios. Beautifully seasoned, delicately cooked and a perfect taste of Fall. This was a modern, gourmet comfort food and a satisfying taste.


Mike Pagliarini, Executive Chef at Via Matta plating his dish. Mike has the lucky distinction of having worked a stint with the incomparable Heston Blumenthal of The Fat Duck.


Chef Pagliarini's Muscovy Hen Breast tasted every bit as delicious as it looks here.

Chef Jamie Bissonnette, the talented (and colorful) Chef at Toro offered up a seafood dish: Island Creek Oyster Escabeche with Grains of Paradise and Lovage.


Chef Jamie Bissonnette

Fans of Chef Bissonnette will be happy to know that he will be partering with our friend Chef Ken Oringer to open an eagerly anticipated new modern Italian enoteca: Coppa.

Chef Rachel Klein of Aura at The Seaport Hotel received the Hotel Chef Award. Her inventive dish: Scarlett Borscht, Smoked Sable, Candy Striped Beets and Sour Cream. The dish was a fitting choice, diplaying the thought and creativity she has brought to Aura.


Chef Rachel Klein.

More coverage of this event, featuring the next generation of star chefs and their creations, will be coming up in future posts. All of the recipes for each dish, by the way, are available for those who would like to try and recreate them at home. Shoot us an email for which one you'd like.