Archive | October, 2010

Per Se – Part I

7 Oct

I recently returned from a visit to New York, and while I was there, I wanted to treat myself to something truly spectacular. For some people, this might be a gorgeous outfit or a piece of jewelry, a stay in a fabulous hotel or a night at the theatre. For me, it was a meal at a truly exceptional restaurant. I looked at quite a few – L’Atelier du Joel Robuchon, Daniel, etc. But there was one place I really wanted to go… Thomas Keller’s Per Se. I have read all his books, and the French Laundry is on my list of places I want to go before I die. But since I was in NYC, rather than California, I decided Per Se would do 😉

Reservations at Per Se are notoriously difficult to get. One has to book two months in advance, and offer a credit card deposit. However, I figured out that Per Se releases their lunch cancellations on the Monday before the weekend of – they only serve lunch on weekends. So, the Monday before I went to New York, I looked on Open Table, and lo! Lunch was available for Saturday at 12. Perfection!

I have to say, I am glad we went to lunch rather than dinner. While dinner might have been more romantic, and reviews have told of the spectacle of watching the sun go down over Central Park, the meal itself is so phenomenal – so full on hedonistic – that if I had tried eating it for dinner, I would not have been able to sleep until 4 am. I was also really intrigued to note that Per Se offers lounge dining, first come first serve, from an a la carte menu which reflects some of the dishes served in the Chef’s Tasting Prix Fixe menu. Next time I am in New York, it might be a pleasant splurge…

From the moment we walked in, Per Se impressed. Its a very elegant space, with floor to ceiling windows, beautifully dressed staff, and a calm sophisticated atmosphere. The chairs are wide and comfortable, the tables set with beautiful cutlery and plates. Whites, browns and the beauty of Central Park. My companion remarked upon the fact that there was no music. To be honest, I quite liked this. Nothing to distract you from the symphony of food to come.

I have travelled the world, and been to some lovely establishments, and I was impressed by how the staff managed to be friendly and open, yet totally professional. They imbued the experience with a sense of occasion and respect, without once coming across as snobbish or belittling. They were as excited about the food as we were, and knew everything there was to know about each course.

The restaurant only has 16 tables, and is divided between two levels. We sat at the top level, which gave us a great view of the other guests. The rest of the clientele was quite diverse. Next to us were two women who were as intent on the food experience as we were. Flanking our two tables were couples – one celebrating a birthday, and the other who looked and sounded international. They enjoyed their food as much as they enjoyed each other!

Further along, was obviously a touristy couple, here for the experience. Unfortunately, the woman (we shall call her Red) decided to cobble together her own menu from the Chef’s Tasting, Vegetable Tasting and 5 Course Prix Fixe. She loudly replaced one thing with another, and told her server that they were on a low fat diet! I am not sure why one would even begin to think of coming to a restaurant like Per Se if one couldnt actually eat the food they served! I also feel that the Chef planned the tastings in a certain order, with a certain balance. To start shifting dishes around, and ordering off point was exactly besides the point – it killed any possibility of really seeing the Chef’s vision. We did note that when Red went to the restroom, her husband devoured the course in front of him with a relish that told us he had not gotten to eat like that in a long time.

There were others. Two men who had a menu quite different from anyone else, and who were the centre of attention from a lot of the wait staff. A woman who had brought her parents to Per Se from out of town. Two couples in their 60’s, with the women wearing pearls as big as golf balls. It was fun to check out our fellow diners, but to be honest, I was there for the food!

And what food it was! We could choose between a nine course Tasting of Vegetables or Chef’s Tasting Menu, or a five course Prix Fixe. As vegetarians, we decided to go with the Tasting of Vegetables, but because I love reading menus, and I think you might too, I will reproduce the other two menus here.

———

5 Course Prixe Fixe

Smoked Columbia River Sturgeon Sweet Pepper Tapenade, Carrot “Ribbons,” Garden Dill and Preserved Horseradish Vinaigrette

Liberty Farms’ Pekin Duck “Presse” New Crop Potato Salad, Cornichons, Greenmarket Onions, Celery Branch, White Heart Celery and Caramelized Onion Jus

or

Sea Urchin “Tofu” Crispy Rice, English Cucumber, Watermelon Radish, Jalapeno, Pea Tendrils and Kanzuri

Australian Abalone “Poele” Butternut Squash, Glazed Chestnuts, Crispin Apples, Fried Sage and Brown Butter Emulsion

or

Dover Sole “Amandine” Heirloom Cauliflower Florettes, Plumped Sultanas, Parsley Shoots and Truffle Coulis

Elysian Fields Farms’ “Cote D’Agneau” “Petit Sale,” Herb Scented Panisse, Red Wine Pickled Eggplant, Young Fennel, Aji Dulce Peppers, Sylvetta and Lamb Jus

or

Herb Roasted Thomas Farms’ Squab Sauteed Hudson Valley Moulard Duck Foie Gras, Flowering Quince Puree, Brussels Sprouts, Petite Turnips and “Sauce Hydromel”

“M&M’s” Pretzel Chips, Candied Peanuts, Madagascar Vanilla Mousse and Mast Brothers’ Chocolate Ice Cream

———

Chef’s Tasting Menu

“Oysters and Pearls” “Sabayon” of Pearl Tapioca with Island Creek Oysters and Sterling White Sturgeon Caviar

Salad of Big Island Hearts of Palm Jingle Bell Peppers, Cherry Tomatoes, Cilantro and Hass Avocado Puree

or

“Tourchon” of Elevages Perigord Moulard Duck Foie Gras Quince Marmalade, Eckerton Hill Farms’ Chestnuts, Young Beets, White Heart Celery and Aged Balsamic Vinegar

Herb Roasted Fillet of Atlantic Halibut Globe Artichoke, Sunchokes, Castelvetrano Olives, Parsley Shoots and Meyer Lemon Vierge

Nova Scotia Lobster Mitts “En Brochette” Hadley Orchard’s Medjool Date “Marbles”, Glazed Sweet Carrots, Mizuna and Madras Curry-Cauliflower Puree

All Day Braised Salmon Creek Farms’ Pork Belly “Matignon” of Root Vegetables, French Green Lentils, Frisee and Pork Jus

Snake River Farms’ “Calotte de Bouef Grillee” Chanterelle Mushrooms, Salsify Root, Wilted Arrowleaf Spinach and “Sauce Bordelaise”

“Pyrenees Brebis” Pain de Campagne Croutons, Haricots Verts, Confit of Torpedo Onion and Petite Radishes

Strawberry Sorbet Rick Bishop’s Tri-Star Strawberries, Strawberry Lace and Saigon Cinnamon Soda

“Tropical Tea” Passionfruit-Chocolate Cremeux, Earl Grey Genoise, Passionfruit Mousse and Earl Grey Ice Cream

or

“Delice au Damas” Brown Butter Financier, Damson Plum Mousse, Mint Jelly and Plum Ice Cream

———

We had the Vegetable Tasting Menu, which I will go through, in detail, in the second part of this review. Just note, this is not a restaurant for vegans – they use lashings and lashings of butter, cream, cheese and eggs. We did not eat for 24 hours after this meal… it was just that overwhelming, that amazing. Each dish was so carefully constructed, so beautifully presented, and above all else, tasted so astonishing… nothing else could compare.

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Malaysian Dinner

5 Oct

Last night, after a long journey back home from NYC, I was confronted by a quiet empty kitchen. M had gone upstairs to put Z to bed, J had gone to have her shower, and I realised that we would all be hungry in about half an hour. I wanted to make a REALLY fast, but really delicious meal that would be warm, and full of the flavours of home.

We didnt have much in the fridge, but we did have some tempeh, a half bag of frozen spinach, some milk (for vegans, you can replace with a bit of coconut milk), some salsa with chopped tomatoes and garlic, an onion and jasmine rice. Chili and soy sauces provided heat and flavour, along with a drizzle of toasted sesame oil. This was such a good meal, and took only a few minutes to put together.

Serves four hungry people on a cold rainy day, with the remembrance of sunshine and heat.

Prepare some jasmine rice.

While the rice is cooking, chop an onion, and saute, with a bit of olive oil and a bit of toasted sesame oil, in a medium sized non stick pan until translucent. Sprinkle over some soy sauce and some chili sauce until the onion is very dark and sticky looking. Slice up the tempeh, bring the heat up high, and quick fry the tempeh, ensuring it is covered in the onion sticky mix. You should fry the tempeh in an even layer, and then flip it over. Add more soy or chili sauce if you want it stickier, saltier or hotter. Once the tempeh has been cooked on both sides (it will get a bit brownish and will start to burn on the edges), stir fry it a bit, and transfer to a bowl. Set aside to serve. This should take you about ten minutes total.

Clean out the frying pan, and put half a bag of frozen spinach (or 2 – 3 cups fresh, chopped) and a few tablespoons of salsa into the pan. Put the heat on to low, and let the mixture melt and come to room temperature. Add the milk or coconut milk (I used about half a cup), and about a teaspoon of soy sauce. Let the mixture come to a boil, and let it bubble down a bit. Taste for saltiness and adjust. If you have it, sprinkle over a half a teaspoon or more of garam masala for a soft hint of spice.

Serve the spinach and tempeh with rice for a simple, easy Malaysian meal.

PS – We were so hungry, and it smelled so good, I forgot to take a picture! But trust me, its easy, delicious, and it looks beautiful, with the deep creamy green of the spinach, the sticky golden chili tempeh and the pure white rice.

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Vegan Dinner + Asparagus with Couscous

5 Oct

Just back from New York – what an amazing trip! Had lunch at Per Se on Saturday, and will review it soon. Friday was great fun too. I had my very curly hair cut at Ouidad – she is the Goddess of Curly Hair, and an incredible inspiration. And because this was New York, and I was having a wonderful time, I stopped in at Dean and Deluca on my way home and browsed.

Dinner!Oh that place is just a total culinary paradise. I wandered around for an hour, just inhaling the aromas, and browsing everything. If I had more room in my suitcase, I would have bought the store! It was as if I was in a curated foodie dream … the olive oils, the truffles, the ice creams, the cheeses… and the fruits and vegetables! Of course it was terrifically expensive, but so beautiful. I found such fresh fruits and vegetables – everything perfect, and at its peak. When I got home, I decided to study what I had bought and treat it with great simplicity and respect.

My hostess, and dear friend T, is a vegan. I wanted to make her dinner, and it was a cold and stormy night, so I was inspired by the end of summer wealth of fruit and vegetables available at Dean and Deluca. I wanted to make a meal full of strong sensuous flavours that would not overwhelm us, and yet would nourish the senses. It was such a pleasure to cook with this produce, at its height of freshenss. It was easy to make something bright and beautiful. We had:

  • Eggplant (aubergine) dip made from roasted eggplant, tomatoes and virgin olive oil
  • Beautiful fresh bread
  • Fresh figs (I was going to poach them in white wine, but I tasted them, and they were so perfect, I decided to leave them in their glory)
  • Roasted baby heirloom tomatoes and garlic, with fresh basil. Very easy and very quick – 200C (400F) oven – pop in a tray of sliced tomatoes, garlic and basil, drizzled with extra virgin olive oil, and sprinkled with salt and pepper. Roast until the entire house is scented and everything is soft and slightly burnt, and luscious.
  • Hand rolled couscous with asparagus, mint, basil and meyer lemon
  • Reisling poached pear sorbet by Jeni’s Ice Creams (I had a Salty Caramel for non-vegan me which was mind blowing) – you can order for delivery!

For the asparagus with couscous, which will serve four, or two, with leftovers for the weekend, you will need:

  • 1 bunch fresh organic asparagus (about 1 – 2 cups)
  • Salt and pepper
  • Olive oil
  • 1 cup couscous (I used this amazing hand rolled couscous but garden variety is just fine!)
  • 1 bunch fresh organic mint (about 1/2 cup)
  • 1 bunch fresh organic basil (about 1/2 cup)
  • 1 Meyer lemon

Prepare the asparagus first. For each stalk, snap the bottom off with your hands. The asparagus will snap naturally, and you will be left with shortened stalks, but the best part. Discard the bottom bits.

Chop the asparagus into 2 inch or so sections. Boil about 1 cup of water in a medium saucepan on high heat. Add a bit of salt. Dunk the asparagus into the boiling water. Watch carefully. The asparagus will turn bright green. You want to remove it from the water almost as soon as it cooks – taste and see but I usually only leave it in for a minute or two. This ensures its very fresh, slightly crisp and yet cooked. The asparagus we had was sweet and very pure tasting without any adornment.

Use a sieve if you have it and take the asparagus out of its hot water bath and immediately dunk it in ice water or put it in a bowl and run cold water over – this will stop the cooking process. If you can, save the water the asparagus was cooked in for the couscous. Once the asparagus has been well cooled, set aside in a little bowl.

Using the same saucepan (and the same water if youre lucky), prepare the couscous. You will usually need about 1 1/2 cups of water to 1 cup of couscous, but follow directions on the package. I usually add a dollop of extra virgin olive oil to the boiling water for flavour and a sprinkle of salt. Once the water is boiling, add the couscous, stir, and take off heat. Cover, and let stand, steaming quietly to itself, for about 5 – 10 minutes. Once the couscous has absorbed all the water, take the lid off, and fluff. It will then be ready to serve.

While the couscous is absorbing all its water, chop the mint and basil fine and set aside. Grate the skin of the lemon, and set aside. Squeeze at least 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and set aside.

I thought I would spice this up with some Moroccan spices, dark and dusky, but the flavours were so clean and beautiful, I left them out completely!

Couscous!Once the couscous is ready, stir in the mint, basil, lemon zest and lemon juice. Taste for salt, and if you want, add a teaspoon of olive oil for depth of flavour. Let stand for a few minutes to come to room temperature, and then stir in the asparagus. Serve at room temperature.

This is the perfect last hurrah of summer!

Please forgive the iPod photos! I forgot my camera!

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Inspiration from Karo

2 Oct

I am in New York at the moment… having a wonderful time, visiting old haunts and trying out new ones. Today we eat at Per Se! Cant wait and will write fully about it when I get home… but for now, some inspiration from my dear friend Karo who sent me this email. When I get home to Bethesda, I will definitely be trying some courgettes (zucchini) grated…

Dear P

This summer was about courgettes. They are just coming to the end of their season and I shall miss them.

The epiphany came with Julia Child’s recommendation to try them grated. She said that anybody tasting grated courgettes for the first time was likely to think they were trying a completely new vegetable. She is quite right.

Grate them, salt them, leave them in a colander for ten to twenty minutes and squeeze the courgette water out. (This has plenty of flavour and can be used.)

Then try them the first time sauted in good butter with salt and some fresh herbs. They cook quickly. They are delicious. And they are very forgiving about being left in a warm pan while you cook something else.

You will love them. You will try olive oil and garlic the next time, perhaps. Pesto. Cream. Some roasted tomatoes. You might mix them with spinach.

They make a wonderfully forgiving pie filling. Baked for 30 minutes in a casserole with some translucent onions, and a roux made of a tablespoon of flour, the courgette juice and milk made up to a scant pint and topped with Parmesan and breadcrumbs they make Child’s “Tian de Courgettes” which I love as a humble main meal.

Next time you espy them in the vegetable shop, I urge you to take them home and grate them.

Love, Karo

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