Recipe Thursday!(Warm Potato Salad)

The 4th of July is rapidly approaching, and for most of us that means cooks outs, grilling, picnics and lots of out-door fun! So in the spirit of independence day I wanted to post a recipe that I think is great for these types of occasions. 

Cue the best potato salad you will ever have. I am not generally a huge fan of potato salad but this stuff is fantastic. I made it for my entire family(13 people: ages 7-80) at Easter and everyone loved it! I do not have a picture of it on hand, but promise to amend this post as soon as I have a picture! 

Ingredients:

8-12 small red potatoes

1 cup Mayonnaise(Hugh Atchison prefers Duke's, so that's what I use!)

3 chopped green onions

4-6 pieces cooked bacon

1 tbsp chopped rosemary

Salt, Pepper, and Olive oil

Instructions:

- Cut the potatoes into small and roughly similar pieces(I generally cut the potato length and width way) if you are using larger potatoes you may need an additional cut. 

-Toss potatoes in olive oil, salt and pepper. 

-Roast potatoes @400 for around 45 minutes- until they turn golden brown. 

-While Potatoes are cooking- Cook Bacon and set aside(you do not need to make the bacon too crispy, as it will get soft when combined with the mayo anyway)- Then combine Mayo, onion, rosemary, and small amount of salt and pepper- mix well.

-As soon as they potatoes come out of the oven stir together with Mayo mixture and bacon

-Serve immediately

This recipe is easy and great to make for large groups(I have doubled and tripled- the potatoes will take longer to cook the bigger the recipe!) My pseudo room-mate is the one who introduced me to this recipe. Last summer we would grill out on our roof deck all the time. Eventually we got tired of ruffles potato chips and baked beans. So in an effort to mix it up I made this recipe, which his Mom supplied(thanks Mrs. Brown!). I have taken it to parties and made it at home a dozen times since then! It's easy, after you get the potatoes in the oven you have very little  prep, and as soon as it comes out it is ready to go. It is also pretty tasty left over! Alongside hot dogs and a great summer watermelon, you will have all the fixings to celebrate this 4th of July! Hope everyone has a wonderful and safe holiday! 

The Spotted Pig

This past weekend my cousin came in town for a visit. Friday night I took her to one of my FAVOURITE places in NYC. The first time I went to this place, five or so years ago, we were seated next to Mike Meyers and ever since then it has held a place on my top five list. The combination of awesome food and a  super cool west village vibe, which is exacerbated by the fact that they do not take reservations, makes the Spotted Pig a winner in my book. So be ready to post up and one of the two bars and wait for a table. Generally the wait is about an hour and a half but can be worse, but you know if hoards of people are waiting that long the food must be great. 
The restaurant is two floors, neither much bigger than a one bedroom apartment. The lights are low, and the walls are cluttered with various pigs and trinkets. All of the staff looks like they probably play in ultra hip bands in their time off, and their only uniform requirement is some form of body art. They service is always superb, and they seem to feed off of the upbeat vibe of the throngs of people waiting for prized seat at one mis-matched stools nestled around small tables. 
While I have never had a bite of food at this restaurant that was disappointing there are a few menu items that are major stand outs. The first would be their "Devils on Horseback" which is a date wrapped in bacon and served warm. The bacon creates a gooey glaze on the date and the product is a perfect combination of sweet and salty. The perfect thing to grab from the bar while waiting on a table!
Crispy pig's ear salad is another home run. Now before the thought of eating a pig'e ear send you running for the door, imagine the most succulent piece of bacon you have ever had and multiply that by 50, then you have the taste of pigs ear. It is absolutely delectable. Composed of various lettuces, citrus, and caper lemon dressing, it's a fantastic combination of light lemon and citrus alongside the decadence of the pigs ear. Since the restaurant is very small, a group bigger than 4 or 5 is too much for this place. So this salad is a great thing for the table to split if your not dining with too many people! 
Finally the burger. While you are waiting for your table you will see at least a dozen of these go by, it would not surprise me if half the diners every night ordered the burger. It is simple, cooked to your request and topped with Roquefort cheese. No fuss or frills and this is the only way it is served, no substitutions. It is also accompanied by the best fries I have ever had, no competition. They are shoe-string fries with bits of fried garlic and rosemary littered in. They are phenomenal, and the pile is so big, I have never seen someone finish off this whole plate. 

They will give you ketchup and mustard at the table, and while anyone who knows me will attest I adore ketchup, you hardly need it here! While this place is super fun, and lends itself to late night dining, afterwards your going to want to go lie down. It's that good, you just cant stop! I will say that a burger is more than enough to split with someone, especially if you start off with an app! 
I never leave the Spotted Pig disappointed. Its fun, filling, and relatively easy one the wallet. The drinks are where they will get you! I would recommend it without reservations to anyone. So next time you looking for a great Friday night burger, indulge in the Spotted Pig. It will be worth the wait!


The Spotted Pig 
314 West 11th
212-620-0393

Recipe Thursday!(Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole)

Last night my pseudo room-mate(while I technically live alone, I have dinner guests quite often!) requested I make this for dinner. This is a request I get at least once a month, if not more. This is one of those casseroles that my Mom made for us a good bit growing up. Even my super picky little brother ate this stuff!
When I first moved to the city, I babysat for a family who had two kids who were 8 and 12 years old. One of my responsibilities was cooking their dinner every night. One afternoon we were talking about what I would make for dinner, and I asked if they liked poppy seed chicken. They had never heard of it, so I explained it was a casserole, they had NEVER heard of a casserole. CAN YOU IMAGINE. This was one of many moments where I realized how different their household was, from the one I grew up in. I made them Poppy Seed Chicken that night, and I don't think I ever saw either of those children eat a better dinner!
This is a fairly simple recipe with very few ingredients and steps. You can see a variation of the the recipe Here.


Ingredients:
4 cooked chicken breast(I have also bought the pre cooked chickens from the market, and two of those work with these proportions!)
1-16oz container of sour cream
1- can cream of chicken soup
1- can cream of mushroom soup(you can substitute cream of celery soup for picky eaters who might baulk at the mushrooms)
2 tsp poppy seeds(I usually add an extra half tsp)
1- sleeve of crushed ritz crackers(I always make a little extra topping as well, so a sleeve and a half of crackers may be a better idea)
1/2 cup melted butter

Directions:
1- Chop chicken into bite size pieces, you can also tear if you are using the pre cooked chickens!
2-Combine sour cream, soups, and poppy seeds and stir well
3-Melt butter in a sauce pan and mix with the crushed crackers on low heat until butter is completely absorbed. 
4- Stir chicken into the sauce mixture and pour into casserole dish(I like to use a more shallow casserole dish as it will be less soupy, and you get more of the crunchy top with each serving). Then top with butter crackers. 
5- Bake for 30 minutes @ 350, or until the edges are beginning to bubble!

This recipe is quick and easy, especially when you use the store cooked chicken! Its great with some roasted broccoli and dinner rolls. Though it is generally considered a dish for the kids, you always see the parents sticking their forks in the casserole dish! 

FIVE POINTS

This past Friday I had dinner at Five Points. This cute Nolita hideout is unassuming from the street, but once inside the food and décor surpassed expectations!

I was the first of my friends to arrive, so I posted up at the crowded bar. I had to wait a while, as there was only one waitress making drinks for the entire bar and restaurant. The bartender was apologetic and once she got to me, made me a very stiff drink, which I appreciate when you are paying 12 bucks a cocktail! Once 3 of our party of 4 had arrived we went to the hostess station to check in, and to our surprise they let us sit before the rest of our part arrived. This is one of my biggest pet peeves with restaurants. I know some restaurants have to do it to keep service moving smoothly, but when you are looking forward to a leisurely dinner it is nice to be able to sit and have a cocktail before you have to make all your dining choices! The inside of the restaurant was truly charming. A small dining area with a curved marble ceiling, dim lighting, and a wall of floral arrangements running down the centre of the dining room made for a intimate and cosy feeling.

The menu had a good variety of pasta, protein and pizza options. We decided to split the pate and pickles appetizer. When it first showed up I was skeptical. The piece of pate was giant. It came with toasted sour-dough bread, pickles, and brown mustard. While none of the elements stood out on their own, when they were all combined in the right proportion it was quite tasty. The pickle was the most distinct and important element. It added a subtle sweetness that help cut the intense saltiness of all of the other elements. It was very rustic and overall enjoyable, but nothing to rave about. 

For main courses, two of us got Pizza. I got the spinach pizza. It was awesome. Thin flaky crust topped with lots of wilted spinach, garlic and some parmigiana cheese. We also had the tomato pizza at our table, which was pretty classic with tomato sauce, mozzarella and some basil. Both were wonderful, and honestly it was nice to have both.We traded each other a couple of pieces, the combo of the two was fantastic. Neither pizza was too heavy, but both portions were more than either of us could finish! 

The other two people at my table got the seafood salad. It was a large bowl of calamari, mussels, and clams atop some veggies and broth. I only had a small bite, and it was fine. The salad was served cold, which for a dinner item seemed an odd choice, and was not what either of my friends were expecting. So the cold salad was met with only luke-warm reviews overall. 

They had an extensive cocktail list. Several of which we tried at our table, and they were all great. None were too sweet, which is generally my biggest complaint with speciality cocktails! Overall this was a fun place to have dinner with some girl friends. It was very reasonably priced and the atmosphere was spot on! This is the kind of place where I think you will be best served to stick to the more basic items on the menu, as this is where they seem to really shine! 

Five Points 

31 Great Jones Street 

New York NY 10012

*They are on open table!

Recipe Thursday!(French Leek Pie)

So every blog needs some semblance of order and familiarity. Thus, every Thursday I plan to post a recipe. These recipes will include a menagerie of my old favs, new discoveries, and maybe even some secret family ones, if you're lucky. So to kick it off I will go with a trusty old recipe I have made at least a dozen times. This recipe was first shared with me by my best friend Laurie, who has impeccable taste, and is a wonderful cook herself, so I knew it would be a winner!

FRENCH LEEK PIE

See Recipe Here
Ingredients:
1 (9 inch) refrigerated pie crust(I usually get the extra deep pit crust)

• 2 teaspoons butter
• 3 leeks, cleaned and chopped(it is easier to clean them, after chopping!)
• 1 pinch salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 cup light cream
• 1 1/4 cups shredded Gruyère cheese(totally worth the splurge)

Prep and Cook Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir in leeks; cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, or until soft. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low. Stir in cream and cheese, and warm through. Pour mixture into pie shell
3. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until custard is set and golden on top(I have found it generally takes closer to 40 minutes to cook, but this will of course depend on your oven) (Once the top is beginning to brown it is READY!). Allow to sit 10 minutes before  serving.                                                                                                                                                                                            I should have known that anything that Laurie sent my way would take me back to a dinner in France, as my fluent friend is a lover of all things French. This pie is rich and comforting. Paired with a simple green salad and a great glass of wine, you will be able to close your eyes and see rolling French country side. It is hearty without being heavy. The prep is quick and the result is impressive which makes it a great thing to make for a week-night dinner party. I have also done slight alterations to the recipe. Once I made it for a brunch so I added pancetta, it was delicious, but did add quite a bit of extra salt so be weary of this when seasoning. I also did a variation where I added some cherry tomato and diced oyster mushrooms. This was yummy, the cherry tomato added a sweet element which totally changed the attitude of the pie. I think this is a great go-to recipe. Super yummy, and easy- doesn't get better than that! 

SNO-BALLS

Several days ago, while strolling down 7th avenue, I discovered a new store front in my little neighbourhood. A snow cone store had opened just in time for the sweltering NYC summers. Last night, even thought it was rainy and kind of cool a couple of us decided to re-visit some of our childhood memories and give this place a shot.


IMPERIAL WOODPECKER SNO-BALLS

A super friendly girl who we later learned  is the owner, greeted us. We quickly found out she is a fellow southern implant, which makes me want to root for this little shop even more! Not to mention the name is sure to make all passer bys chuckle.
For $5 you get a giant Chinese-to-go container filled to the brim with shaved ice(they also have $4 and $7 options), topped with your choice of flavours. The board was adorned with a plethora of old school, and inventive flavour choices! I kept it relatively boring and went with cherry and grape. It was fantastic sweet, cold, and crisp! With only 12 calories per ounce it is also a slightly healthier alternative to the hot  summer night craving for an ice cream cone. Overall I think this place is wonderful. As the temperatures climbs I see myself stopping by more and more often! Just FYI it is closed on Monday and is cash only! So grab a five dollar bill, and venture to this west village ice haven, no doubt you will be glad you did!

Hello Blog World

Well it was only a matter of time.....
In the past year and a half I have grown quite fond of reading all types of blogs, while sitting at my computer all day during work. The more I followed, the more I thought, you know I could do this. So here it is, my homage to my own triumphs and disasters as an amateur cook and foodie.
I will regale you with restaurant reviews, tales of my own cooking endeavours and thoughts on all the advantages this wonderful city offers to anyone interested in exploring the culinary world. Enjoy!