Bringing NY Home

I had just enough time before leaving for the airport to make a quick run through Manhattan's Lower East Side to grab some treats to bring home to James and share with our friends. I dashed into Russ and Daughters, home of the world's most delicious lox and cream cheese. I picked up two flavors of their delicious spread -- a goat cheese version I hadn't seen before and the tofu scallion which I love but can't explain why, along with an assortment of delicious fish -- super salty cured (not smoked) belly lox, cold smoked western nova lox made with lean king salmon, and the king of them all, buttery smooth salmon loin with the sweet smokey flavor of cherry wood.

My second stop was one of our favorites -- Katz's Deli. I gathered up some of their delicious pastrami, turkey breast, half sour pickles, and pickled tomatoes. I added a cinnamon babka, a sweet yeast cake, and a package of mini black and white cookies to my growing box.

I wanted to get a package of the best bagels in New York from Kossar's Bialys, but -- as one of the last of the old school LES outposts Kossar's is closed on Saturdays. I was planning our NY spread for Sunday morning -- that just seemed to long for bagels to wait for us. So, I made a batch of homemade bagels Sunday morning -- salt, sesame, and poppy seed warm from the oven.

Momofuku and The Siient Chef

If you've picked up any food or travel magazine over the last couple years you've likely seen some writer gushingly spewing praise New York chef David Chang and his Momofuku empire, now five restaurants strong.
Each of the Korean-American chef's tiny eateries are somewhat fusion, somewhat authentic, somewhat things I imagine the chef just likes to eat . . . and cook. Since I was in the East Village and still somewhat in a sleep deprived stupor I decide to amble over to the closest outpost. Momofuku Noodle Bar.

Inside the vaguely modern, vaguely Japanese space the music was blaring -- loud enough to wake the dead, and a good crowd was gathered even at nearly three in the afternoon.
With LA's Kogi trucks still attracting lines and inspiring imitators across the country, Momofuku has it's own Korean Mexican offering, the kimchi tamale. Filled with stewed pork and not quite enough kimchi for my taste this was a pretty interesting idea, but not one that I would walk back for.
Although I read countless tales of David Chang's near legendary pork buns, I still didn't recognize this dish when it came to my spot at the bar. Instead of meat encased in steamed dough, Momofuku's pork buns are little sandwiches. Soft springy steamed bread wrapped around two super fatty and succulent slices of pork belly with dressed cucumbers, scallions, and a light hoisin style sauce. Don't nibble, bite it all at once and the flavors meld together perfectly.
Unlike many places where patron can sit at a bar right by the cooks (sort of like a sushi bar except at the back section you are looking right into a quickly working kitchen, complete with flat tops, steamer trays, and two bubbling fryers), it seems that the kitchen staff doesn't even see the patrons. They make no notice of who is eating their food, although they chat among themselves a bit (this kitchen moves quickly so there isn't even much time for pleasantries), customers don't even get the sushi chef's stoic nod.

Right in front of my seat was this woman I'll call "The Silent Chef." As I sat eating she never once looked up from the dishes she was meticulously arranging with long metal chopsticks and occasionally with gloved hands. She never spoke to anyone in the kitchen or even seemed to turn around to get her orders. She just kept on opening a series of mystery plastic containers and layered hotel trays plating dish after dish.
Since I was at the noodle bar, I had to try the ramen. The broth was intensely flavored with more than a hint of soy and the noodles just chewy enough. The large bowl came with more of Chang's super fatty pork belly, shredded pork (like what filled the tamale but less dry here swimming in the flavorful broth), a couple slices of fish cake, and a curiously soft boiled egg with a delicate jiggly, but still fully formed shape (maybe it was a sous vide egg) which added just the right touch of silky mouthfeel to the bowl.

At first bite I wasn't sure this was much better than the ramen I'd eaten in Japan or in noodle bars across LA, but with every bite I liked it more. It was rich and porky and salty and the perfect cure for a sleepless night.

Lombardi's Pizza

Another stop on the old New York comfort food circuit, Lombardi's was America's first pizzeria and is still more than 100 years after it's founding packing both tourists and locals into red checked covered tables for crisp crust pies straight from the coal fired oven.Lombardi's is certainly out of food fashion these days, these are not single serving pies topped with crunchy arugula or artisan made prosciutto but old time Italian American specialties piled with sauce, sausage, and loads of gooey mozzarella. Many pizzas at Lombardi's are probably good, but for me there is only one reason to go -- the clam pizza.

Freshly shucked clams, garlic, olive oil, herbs (kind of like the spaghetti with progresso white clam sauce my Dad used to make in the 60's), and a just a dash of pecorino cheese (honestly I would like a little more) are thickly spread on the tasty crust. It's a pizza I imitate at home for James (my version has pancetta and just a bit of mozzarella cheese) and have fond memories of when I'm far away at home in California.

A cash only tourist trap that's none the less cheerful and fun, with delicious clams.

Old Reliable Congee Village

After the red eye, and far too little sleep I'm back in New York.
A bleary eyed mid-morning called for reliable, friendly new York comfort food. Congee Village, a lower East side Cantonese eatery features a lengthy menu of decidedly not gourmet Chinese dishes. In spite of the many offerings I never look outside of the congee offerings, the soupy rice porridge eaten as a breakfast staple in Cantonese coffee shops and dim sum parlors the world over. It couldn't be much simpler (slow cooked rice with lots of water and a choice of flavorings ranging from 1000 year old egg to fish slices with lettuce and peanuts) and it's one of my favorite foods.
Today I opted for duck and meatballs -- maybe the best $3.95 breakfast New York has to offer.

Cotoletta alla Milanese

Cotoletta, paillard, scallop, wienerschnitzel . . . whatever you call it these lightly breaded crispy slivers of meat (often veal but ours was chicken) are ready in a flash and just the thing for a light summer dinner.

I butterflied a chicken breast and pounded it to about 1/4 inch thickness. I briefly dipped the chicken in beaten egg (seasoned) and then in a combination of panko bread crumbs (for extra crunch) and grated parmesan cheese (S&P of course). The trick to the crispy exterior is all in the pan. Heat a good quantity of olive oil over medium heat until the surface just shimmers, then add a TB or so of butter. When the butter has melted and just starts to foam, lay in the breaded cutlet and let it cook over medium heat until nicely browned and crisp on one side (3 -4 minutes). Flip the meat, with a spatula or tongs, and cook the other side until golden brown -- about 3 minutes.

To finish and garnish our one dish dinner I mixed up an arugula and parsley salad with shaved parmesan cheese and "grilled" figs. Usually for this salad I would toss the halved figs on the grates of the grill but since I was only using one skillet I gave the figs a turn in a thin slick of olive oil (before I cooked the chicken, the figs don't need to be warm), over high heat until they just started to soften and crisp on the edges. I tossed the salad ingredients with a light rosemary vinaigrette (2 TB olive oil, 2 TB balsamic vinegar, 2 TB chopped rosemary, S&P), and topped the crisp cotoletta with thin slices of prosciutto and a tangle of the fresh bitter and sweet salad.

"If you save that last little piece for me, I'll eat it tomorrow," James said while clearing the plates. Success!

Pizza Monday

Dough in the fridge, meat sauce (Mark Peel's brisket spaghetti sauce) in the freezer, cheese in the drawer. Add in a chopped chili pepper and some leaves of fresh basil, 20 minutes later dinner is served.

Trying at Home

Inspired by my dinner at Barbuto I wanted to whip up a simple grilled chicken, brought to life -- the way Chef Waxman does it, with a flavor packed salsa verde.

I got the list of ingredients from my waiter at the crowded West Village restaurant: garlic, capers, anchovies, parsley, tarragon and fresh oregano mixed in the food processor with olive oil. My salsa was more finely chopped than the chef's version (I had to process again when I remembered the capers and anchovies) and didn't have quite the magic flavor punch . . . but it did liven up the quickly grilled chicken and made a nice dressing for the quinoa salad. I'll keep trying.