apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

A -- Might she mean the Essex Street Market in the Lower East Side? It's been extensively covered here and elsewhere, but just to go over it again, it rules! They have meat stalls, fish stalls, cheese stalls, veggie stalls and all sorts of other ethnic groceries and stuff. It was in the past years geared mainly toward the Latino population of Puerto Ricans and Dominicans that live in the hood, but has of late gotten some seriously "yuppie" stalls, like Anne Saxelby's stall of all American-made artisinal cheeses, and Max's fromaggerie that sells cheese from all over the world, plus delicious imported olive oils and sherry vinegar. Le Paradou sells crepes, soups & sandwiches, nd the very, VERY famous Shopsin's is imminently opening.
All that said, I don't think it's anywhere near as amazing as any market in Europe, but it's still pretty awesome for NYC.

Oh, and in re weekend cooking, I made my short ribs and was VERY dissapointed. They're so fatty, and kinda gross.

ann,
try making the short ribs a day in advance so you can refrigerate and skim off the fat.
beef fat = gross

The closest thing I can think of on the West Side near Javits would be on 9th Ave, an African place just below 42nd . . . haven't been *there* for awhile, but I think it still exists.

La Marqueta around 116th St is/used to be one of those fun covered stalls places. And Essex of course. Yeah Essex!

p.s.
count me on the boring curry crew
even with the fresh ginger

the only time I made one that really worked, curry leaves were involved. most of the time I'm grateful to open a little can from
Mae Sri or Mae Ploy and add coconut milk

since people are interested in un-boring curry, here's one i whipped up on my own with a little help from Madhur (linked to my name)
I think the key to making a kicka** curry is using real spices, as real as you can, and in as great a variety as possible. They add depth and authenticity.

Sorry to link to my own blog (I always say this) but this really was a knock my socks off meal. I was rather chuffed with myself ;-)

and Guido, thanks for the hint about serving the next day. If (and that's a BIG if) I ever make them again, I'll be sure to do that

For Christmas I asked for a bottle of balsamic vinegar a step or so above what I had been buying at the store (in the $6-$8 range).

Now I am the proud owner of a $100.00 bottle of the "tradizonale" balsamic vinegar, but can't quite figure out how to use it. Internet sites warn not to use it in recipes, i.e. not to heat it, or make salad dressing with it, i.e. not to dilute it with other ingredients.

Any suggestions?

wait 'til summer and get some of the teeny tiny, wild or wild-hybrid strawberries, cut them in half and then drizzle ever so slightly with the vinegar, toss, and if you want, garnish with a dollop of sweetened marscapone that you've flavored with a touch of vanilla (real if possible)
Utterly delightful (with thanks to the Naked Chef for bringing this preparation into my life)

this christmas my dad (from rome) made me a delicious little salad with blood oranges dressed in balsamic, salt, pepper, and a dab of olive oil -- a little more seasonal now than the strawberries suggestion, which is also a good one.

Does anyone know how to tell if a skillet is oven-safe? I want to make some steak this weekend that you sear on the stovetop and then stick in the oven, skillet n' all, but I have no idea if my pans are ovensafe. Many of my skillets have non-stick coating on them--is that an issue?

Or if it's best not to risk melting my skillet all over my oven, do you think it would be ok to heat a dutch-oven in the oven and then transfer the seared steak to the dutch-oven to finish cooking?

EmmaC- that's my very same query! I'm in the process of transitioning from 10 years of vegetarianism to carnivorousness, and this weekend was going to be my Steak Experiment. I'm wondering the same for a seared/finished steak in a nonstick pan.
I'm also going to put together some sort of white bean and bacon soup, as the word "blizzard" has been bandied about in regards to the weekend in MN.

missmobtown - that blood orange salad sounds divine!

I'm planning on doing a cheese fondue dinner with a new Emile Henry fondue pot I got on sale. I've never made cheese fondue from scratch (just used the fondue packets in the past). I'm leaning towards the "classic" recipe on the epicurious site but I've also heard good things about a recipe on the williams-sonoma site. Anyone have a personal favorite? Any tips?

Oh! and as a note on the non-stick skillet...you may find it a bit harder to get a good sear on a steak using a non-stick surface. I'm not sure of the chemistry or physics behind it, but I do know that teflon-coated non-stick skillets do not brown/sear as well as plain surfaces. Cast iron is hailed because of it's natural eventual seasoning that makes it "non-stick" while retaining the searing/browning factor. Also, I'd be a bit concerned about heating an empty non-stick teflon-coated, skillet to the high temperature you need to heat to produce a true sear.

Hi there-

I have a question regarding canned jalapenos and chipotles in adobo sauce. All the recipes i use call for only 1 or 2, and rather than throw the rest away, i throw them into a tupperware in the fridge. Now, my question is, how long do they stay good? I know the jalapenos are pickled so they may last awhile, but i have no idea about the chipotles.

Thanks for any info you can provide.

adrienne, i had some in a tupperware that got lost at the back of the fridge. they were pretty fuzzy six weeks later. so i would guess less than six weeks. :)

you might try freezing them. i'm sure the sauce will protect them against freezer burn...

Careen,

We have a bottle of swanky vinegar we picked up in Parma a while ago. I learned from my mother, who also likes to keep a stash of this liquid gold on hand, that the best thing to do is literally eat it off your hand. Make a fist and in the squeezed part your thumb makes (the part you can draw a face on and play funny talking mouth games), drizzle a bit of it and suck it down. This is fun to do with guests; obviously you an only enjoy this ritual at home alone so many times.

Then serve it over fresh berries, as suggested above by Ann. Wait until June for the good ones. And of course, as far as strawberries go, small and organic is the best way to go.

Enjoy!

Hello,

I was wondering if anyone has had any experience using these gel anti-fatigue mats (link below). We have hardwood floors in our kitchen and I've noticed that when I am standing for a good lenght of time (cooking or doing dishes) my legs start to hurt and I begin to lean against the counter. Was thinking of picking one of these up but was wondering if they actually help or if it will just be clumsy in the kitchen...I have visions of tripping over it while carrying a pot of boiling water! Thanks!

EmmaC,

Most skillets are oven-safe, even the non-stick. That said, the best way to sear meat on the stove-top and then finish in the oven is with a cast-iron skillet. We've waxed poetic about this wonderful and affordable addition to your kitchen arsenal. When seasoned properly, they are non-stick, without the potential toxicity of other non-stick treatments.

If want to use your Dutch oven, why not sear the meat in the Dutch oven to begin with? Best not to transfer, because then you lose those delicious juices and bits that are essential to your final reduction sauce.

Regarding the fancy balsamic vinegar, I have to share a somehwat lengthy quote from the first cookbook I ever bought (James Barber aka the Urban Peasant's "Cooking for Two"):

...I can remember a bottle of very expensive balsamic vinegar (small, like a perfume bottle, and $375 -- it was a birthday gift) that I kept unopened just because it was such a treasure...She'd come to supper -- she said she couldn't cook -- and she was fascinated with the little bottle, that anything so small could cost so much. She didn't say, but she obviously wanted to open it, so I sliced her some white peaches and right there and then watched her turn into a cook. Carefully as a newly ordained priest, she anointed those peaches, drop by drop...

Whatever you do with the vinegar, Careen, enjoy.

Regarding the nonstick...
Subjecting teflon nonstick coatings directly to flame/stovetop heating element raises the temp of the pan much higher than that of an oven. Which is why oven is relatively safer than stovetop if you've got nonstick.

http://www.ewg.org/reports/toxicteflon/es.php

And regarding steak, did you see the NYTIMES minimalist recipe for broiled steak a few weeks back? http://tinyurl.com/26yyty

I really think one item everyone needs in their cooking equipment is a heavy, traditional cast iron skillet. You can use it for many things but searing a steak and sticking it in the oven afterwards -- it is IDEAL for that. If you have the exhaust system and turn off the smoke alarm you can heat those babies up until they practically turn red. They don't cost very much, can usually be had at a hardware store. But I recommend getting one at a yard sale that is already seasoned.

You can also bake cornbread in it, make omelets, do stirfries, etc. Truly it's the all-purpose pan.

Adrienne,

Usually when you take something canned and expose it to air, it will turn within a week or a week and a half. 7-10 days is my usual rule. The advice given to freeze is a good one, unless you have a use for the peppers again very quickly!

Did you know that you could buy peppers dried and re-constitute them? Depending on what part of the country you live in, sometimes even your regular grocery store will have a section with peppers and other spices for Central and South American cooking complete with dried peppers.

Diana Kennedy is an authority on these kinds of peppers; you might enjoy checking out her books.

cheers,

Minipanda,

No favorite here, but I would go with a classic. How different is the Epicurious recipe from the Williams-Sonoma? What's nice about Epicurious is that you can often read feedback from other cooks and that is sometimes very helpful in adapting the recipe.

Yum, let us know how it goes!

Christine,

I have cooked before on commercial rubber mats, which you can buy from many restaurant supply stores and online commercial flooring stores.

http://www.bottlesup.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=1061

It helps, and I have never tripped. I am curious where and how often you are carrying boiling water around. For me, it's only when dumping a pot of pasta water, and in that case I'm traveling off the mat rather than on to it, so there's no risk of catching my foot on the edge.

You can also wear shoes like clogs, or the ever-popular Crocs. It's the only thing people wear in commercial kitchens. They often have the mats underfoot as well. For the home cook, make sure you're also not standing still for too long. Give your legs a rub now and then to keep the blood moving.

Good luck!

christine, i second skgr's recommendation for wearing crocs. they are ugly as sin, but they really are the most comfortable shoes i've ever worn. and they're probably a better value than the mat, in terms of price/use. you can also take them to the pool in the summer. :)

there are a bazillion options here (i would go a size or two smaller than your usual, in my exp.):
http://www.zappos.com/n/es/d/722171427/page/1.html

Thanks for your advice, everyone. Must. Buy. Cast. Iron. Skillet. Honestly, I don't know why it's taken me so long!

I've found a lot of recipes that call for just pan-searing the steak to medium and don't involve baking at all. Maybe I'll try one of those. (And then I'll buy a cast-iron skillet!) Or searing and baking in the dutch oven is another option. Mmmm... The dinner is tonight so I'll report back tomorrow!

Let's keep it meaty around here... I was seduced by some short ribs at the greenmarket yesterday. Anyone have a favorite prep they'd care to share? I also bought some mackerel fillets, but I know what to do with those.

The lady that sold me the fish also had two whole SHARKS! (dogfish to be sure, but still, a shark's a shark!) I would never know where to being with even cleaning one of those, ahem, puppies!

Ann,

My all-time favorite short-ribs recipe comes from Judy Rodgers' Zuni Cafe Cookbook. They're braised in Belgian ale.

http://www.miseblog.com/2003_01_19_mise_en_place_archive.html

By the way, the Zuni book is one of my all-time favorites. I highly recommend it.

liz & sara kate, the crocs! what a perfect solution, thank you. i also just moved my iPod to the kitchen area (new speakers were a christmas gift) so i think i'll make a good "cooking mix" and get myself moving around some more while i'm prepping and washing. thanks!

Regarding skillets and oven safety, the issue is generally the handle, not the pan itself. If you've got a metal handled skillet, you're home free. Otherwise, most handles are good up to 375ºF, but not all. Big help, I know.

Regarding searing, it's harder to achieve with non-stick because there's essentially a layer of plastic between the metal and the meat. Cast iron is good, but a pain to care for [at least to me]. My favorite pan--I own a 12" and a 10"--is the Calphalon One that is not the non-stick version. Confusing, I know. It sears beautifully, releases easily once the meat is caramelized and ready to release, and you can [and should] use metal utensils. You actually get those brown bits you're supposed to scrape from the pan when you deglaze it and, unlike cast iron, it's non-reactive, so cooking with wine and tomatoes are okay. And finally, it cleans up easily, almost like non-stick. If the cooking surface becomes stained or dull looking, a little Bon-ami cleans it right up.

Steak Success! Thanks for all your advice on cooking steaks and oven-safe skillets, everyone. My steak last night was a fantastic success.

I decided my grill pan was oven safe (luckily, it actually WAS!), got a beautiful sear with grill marks on both sides of the meat and finished it off in a 425-degree oven. I seared both sides for 3 minutes, left it in the oven for 5 minutes, and let it rest for 5 minutes in tented foil.

I used a top-loin NY strip steak, fairly thick, so with the above cooking method, the meat was a nice medium to medium-rare. I didn't marinate it, but rubbed both sides with a bit of canola oil, sea salt, and finely ground Lapsang Souchong tea. The tea was a tip from "A New Way to Cook" by Sally Schneider, and gave the meat a smokey/sweet flavor. Absolutely fantastic. The meat was so tender and with a nice crust--mmm, mmm!

We had a side-salad of arugula, avocado, and shaved Parmesan with a mustard vinaigrette. And for dessert, we had cinnamon swirl french toast with vanilla ice cream. Definitely one of the best meals I've had in a long time, restaurant meals included!

Sara Kate,
Do you have a favorite recipe for curry sauce? Mine always end up turning out kind of bland.
MP

Adrienne

Chipotles: I love chipotles and use them a lot! I freeze the rest in a small tupperware and then when I need them partially defrost to get a few more as needed and pop the rest in the freezer.

I realize this may not be the safest advice- but it works great and I've been doing it for years.

I prefer the ones in adobo to dried b/c I use the sauce mixed with creme fraiche as a salad dressing or condiment for sandwiches!

Margo,

Good question. I find the same. I have noticed that if a curry doesn't have ginger, it's just not the same. Here's a really basic, "restaurant-style" curry recipe:

http://www.curryhouse.co.uk/rsc/sauce.htm

Coconut milk is a nice addition - I'd use 1/2 can here.

I can recommend two great Indian cookbooks to peruse: Indian Cooking by Madhur Jaffrey and Classic Indian Cooking by Julie Sahni.

Thank you so much SK!

Careen,
I know my godparents used to go to Italy and when they came back they brought back good balsamic vinegar and real parmesan and they would pair the two. Hope that helps.

Anyone have a remedy (real or at least comforting) for some vague ailment that may be come a full-blown head cold?

jenpdx-- something spicy to clear the sinuses? i have cold, too, and i like quesadillas with hot salsa. something about the creamy cheese, the crispy tortilla, and the hot salsa just hit the spot for me.

for what it's worth, i also just discovered dr. bronner's peppermint soap and think a long bath with that would do the trick, too.

Jen - ginger tea! Peel some fresh ginger, thinly slice and simmer in water for a while. Add honey and lemon, or even a vanilla bean while simmering if so inclined. It's a pretty intense tea, but it's good for clearing out the head.

Has anyone had any problems grilling grass fed beef? I've read suggestions of reduction of cooking time compared to corn fed of up to 2/3. We've overcooked a few lovely steaks and would like some help.

JenPDX,

Slice an orange in half, place in a large mug or latte-style bowl, drizzle with honey and a pinch of cayenne, and then pour in boiling water. Drink up.

There's no cure, but that concoction is always a comfort to me.

Donna,

You've fallen prey to the most common problem associated with grass-fed beef. You should cook it about 30% less than grain-fed beef. Searing the meat first helps lock in the juices - especially since this kind of meat is leaner. You might try brushing with a little oil first. Also, let it rest 5 minutes or so before serving.

Hope this helps! Best thing with meat is to really watch it.

Great that you are experimenting with grass-fed - it's so much better on so many levels; health-wise, for the environment, etc.

Good luck!

the steak question: I ended up with a very thin sirloin, so I just stovetop-seared it and it was DELICIOUS. Yummy steaks in rice-wine & chili marinade will make this move back to meat-eating very pleasant! Though, this may be an occasion to get a regular Calphalon for meat-finishing.

jenpdx: my favorite cold remedy is bourbon, hot water, and lemon. It's ostensibly medicinal, but I think it's my favorite just because of the booze component. And after a few mugs, you'll be all ready to nap and let your body fight off the nasty virus.

I once visited the market at Place Victor Hugo in Toulouse. The inside market is a flurry of stalls (maybe 100) of various vendors - fish, meat, cheese, baskets, flowers, wine, specialities and delicacies, with produce vendors ringing the outside of the building. One of my friends claims there is such a market in NYC, near Javits Center. Has anyone heard of this market?

Thanks Ann, Guido. I have driven by Essex but never been in it. I thought initially she was talking about Chelsea Market about 5 years ago, but no, she insists in a full market on the west side between 23 and 59th. She moved to London a few years ago and might be forgetting.

I wish there was a central market here. It would be so nice. At PVH, there would be vendors who sell one thing, like, wild mushrooms. The guy next door would sell 3 kinds of cheese. The next stall might have beef; next to beef sausage; next to pork sausage; next to whole pigs; next scaled fish; next, shellfish. It was a gastronimical circus and each item was displayed beautifully and proudly; it made you want to try everything but those provence baskets - even the big ones, which are 15 E at the market - only hold so much.

JenPDX: Echinacea.

I like Judy Roger's short rib recipe and the cookbook is one of my faves too, but I like the recipe for shortribs in Chez Panisse Cafe cookbook even better. It's required cooking every winter. The part I find the coolest and tastiest is that you braise them in aromatics before first and then brown them at the end of cooking in the oven, where they take on a nice rich glaze, and top with the reduced cooking liquid and a gremolata. I usually take at least 2 days to finish it (and that way you can skim the fat off the cooking liquid).

The other good way to use shortribs is in David Downie's recipe for fettucine romana.

regards,
trillium

Margo (and Sara Kate), re: Indian cookbooks--I've got a ton of Indian cookbooks, including several by Julie Sahni, and by far her best one is Indian Vegetarian and Grain Cooking. I don't know what it is, but everything out of that book is fantastic. It's also a lot more work than the recipes from her other books, but so totally worth it. This would be my desert island Indian cookbook.

and to stick to the curry theme... I just discovered this site for Suvir Saran. http://www.suvir.com/recipes/recipes.html
He's utterly AMAAAAAZING and these recipes actually look doable
thought I'd pass it along.