Becco - one of New York's best deals

Finding a really good deal in New York is like trying to balance upside down on your head.  It usually leaves you with a headache and is close to impossible. 

The Italian restaurant of Becco, in the busy Theatre District, is special for a few reasons.  The food leaving the kitchen is innovative and beautifully created.  They have an extraordinarily comprehensive wine list and the staff are attentive and well trained.  What absolutely appealed to me was a special $25 wine list and a nightly 'Sinfonia de Paste' that includes either a Becco Caesar Salad or Antipasto Misto (marinated and grilled vegetables and seafood) and an unlimited table-side service of 3 pasta presentations.  All for $22.95. 

The powers that be at Becco kindly gave me a fantastic ossobuco recipe.  Enjoy!

Veal ossobuco with Barley Risotto

Ingredients:

Ossobuco:

1. 1 sprig fresh rosemary
2. 1 sprig fresh thyme
3. 2 fresh or dried bay leaves
4. 4 whole cloves
5. 1 lemon
6. 1 orange
7. 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
8. 1 cup finely chopped onion
9. 1 cup shredded carrot
10. 1 cup finely diced celery
11. 3 whole shanks of veal, bones in, each about 3 and a half pounds, and each cut in 2
12. 1 cup all purpose flour
13. 1/2 cup veg oil
14. 3 tsp tomato paste
15. 1 cup dry white wine
16. 2 cups crushed plum tomatoes
17. 4 cups chicken stock
18. salt and pepper to taste

Barley Risotto:

1. 2 quarts water
2. 1 cup diced (1/4 inch) trimmed carrots
3. 1 cup diced (1/4 inch) onion
4. 1 cup diced (1/4 inch) trimmed celery
5. 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
6. 2 bay leaves
7. 1 and a half cups pearl barley
8. 3 Tbsp unsalted butter

Gremolata:

1. 2 lemon peels, no white pith, finely chopped
2. 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley
3. 1 clove garlic, finely chopped

Method:

Prepare ossobuco:

• tie the rosemary, thyme, bay leaves and cloves securely in a 4 inch square of cheesecloth
• with a veg peeler remove the zest of the lemon in wide strips
• do the same with the orange and then squeeze the orange and retain the juice
• heat 2 Tbsp olive oil over a medium heat in a wide, heavy casserole, large enough for all the veal
• add onion and cook, stirring occasionally until wilted, around 5 mins
• add carrot, celery and the bundle of herbs
• season with salt, reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 mins
• pat veal shanks dry with paper towels and then tie a piece of kitchen twine securely around the perimeter of each, to hold them together during cooking
• season with salt and pepper, coat with flour, shaking off the excess
• divide veg oil between 2 heavy skillets and bring up to medium heat
• add shanks and cook, turning once, until well browned on all sides
• add browned shanks to casserole with veg and add tomato paste
• stir paste in well and cook, stirring occasionally and turning the shanks once or twice, for around 10 mins
• pour in white wine, bring to the boil, then add orange juice, and orange and lemon zest
• bring to a vigorous boil over a high heat for 10 mins
• add crushed tomatoes, reduce the heat to low and simmer covered for 30 mins
• stir in a cup of chicken stock
• cover and simmer over a low heat, adding stock to keep the level of the liquid in the casserole the same, until the shanks are tender, around an hour and a half
• rotate the shanks in the casserole as they cook

meanwhile, prepare the barley:

• bring the water, celery, carrot, onion, bay leaves and olive oil to a boil
• stir in the barley and cook until tender but still firm, around 20 mins
• drain barley and set aside

and the gremolata:

• toss the lemon zest, parsley and garlic in small bowl until blended and set aside

continue:

• when the veal is tender, remove the shanks and cut off strings
• put the cooking sauce through a sieve, pressing hard on the solids to remove liquid as possible
• return the meat and strained sauce to the casserole and bring to the boil
• check seasoning and keep warm over a low heat

finish the barley:

• heat the butter in a large, heavy skillet over a medium to low heat
• add the barley and cook, stirring often, until heated through and coated with butter
• season with salt and pepper

and finally:

• serve some barley and 2 pieces of veal onto each plate, add a little sauce and then sprinkle over gremolata

 

Photograph: Marcus Nillson

Kinara Kitchen - a little corner of Pakistan, in Dublin

Kinara Kitchen, in the trendy Dublin neighbourhood of Ranelagh, was our venue for a night out with 2 friends and longtime Dublin locals.  They'd heard about the restaurant's authentic Pakistani flavours and decided it was something for us all to experience. 

On walking through the doors you are struck by a wave of new-age vibe and trendy decor and on the way to our table, as we passed the super-chic cocktail bar, I looked down and wondered if I shouldn't maybe have polished my shoes a little more.  I had no idea what to expect from the menu, but on paging through I discovered the essence of the place was firmly on their heritage.  The food might be glamorously presented and the roaming waiters incredibly knowledgeable on the wines of the world; but the focus of the restaurant is to allow the real heart and soul of Pakistani cuisine to shine through.  I thoroughly enjoyed my ethnic prawn curry, with bold layers of flavour, a perfect match with a garlic nan.  Our table was covered with an amazing array of dishes that included a chicken curry, crisp and spicy squid, a dal and some vegetarian delights, all fantastically prepared and presented.

I know very little about the food of Pakistan so asked what makes it different from that found in India.  This was the answer:

"Everyone is guilty of confusing Pakistani food with Indian.  As you start to scratch the surface of our cuisine you realise that the flavours, aromas and techniques of cooking are distinct and individual, just as are the recipes and traditions.  Being a country that is bordered with Iran, Afghanisthan and China, the influences from these cuisines have had a direct impact on our cuisine, together with the regional cuisines from indigenous people living in the land that makes up Pakistan.  The historical influences are those left behind by the Mughals, those brought by the migration of people in 1947 from corners of India that now make up Pakistan.  This has made Pakistani cuisine distinct - those flavours that are identifiably Pakistani are haunting, aromatic - more meat and simple vegetables, barbecued food, rich sauces and regal rice dishes and breads.  The best way to experience the differences of flavour is through actually eating and cooking Pakistani food - the essence of this flavour comes from the way we 'bhuno' or cook the onions, ginger and garlic - the time at which we add our other ingredients.  Here is a recipe of a patriotic green chicken curry - simple flavours but an identifiable Pakistani flavour in the curry - with cinnamon, cloves, cardamom amongst the spices and coriander, mint and green chili, three main components of Pakistani dishes make up a vibrant green sauce and is great with nan or plain basmati.

Green Masala Chicken Curry (2-3 people)

Make the Masala paste by combining the following in a blender:

1. half a bunch of coriander leaves
2. 15 mint leaves
3. 1 Tbsp green chili
4. 1tsp salt
5. 1 tsp brown sugar
6. 1/2 tsp turmeric
7. 1/2 tsp grated ginger
8. 1/2 tsp crushed garlic

Other ingredients:

1. 500g full fat natural yoghurt
2. 2-3 tsp veg oil
3. 2 chicken breasts, diced into bite-sized pieces

Whole spices:

1. 1 cinnamon stick
2. 1 tsp whole coriander seeds
3. 1 tsp cumin seeds
4. 10 black peppercorns
5. 3 green cardamom, bruised
6. 8 cloves

Method:

• whip the yoghurt and add the green masala paste
• heat the veg oil in a pan, when hot add the whole spices and stir and cook until an aroma builds
• add the green masala paste and fry until the oil starts to rise to the top of the yoghurt mix
• add chicken and stir, then turn the heat to low and leave covered to cook until the chicken is done, stirring every now and then, adding a bit of water if needed
• serve hot with rice or nan or both

Ludlow - a treat for food lovers

On our way from Bath up through to Holyhead, where we'd be catching our Dublin bound ferry, we needed a place to overnight.  The little Shropshire market town of Ludlow seemed as good as place as any and this was confirmed by a bit of research that told me that it was both 'one of the most attractive towns in England' and that it had 'a reputation as a centre for some of the best food and drink in England'.  Pretty much the ideal place to stop then - done.

The recently frozen weather all the way across the UK made our drive into Ludlow a fairly interesting one.  Massive snow drifts with cars and homes buried beneath and people working frantically to get roads clear and things back to normal.  Luckily we made it through and soon after finding our B&B made our way down to 'The Church Inn', a highly recommended pub with a great selection of ales.  The menu looked good, with the focus being creative pies and normal pub food.  We felt like something a little different and braved the evening chill in search of The Queens. It was a good call - a fantastic gastro-pub that celebrates local produce in a relaxed and unpretentious way. 

The town itself was a well organised mix of old and new, with an interesting morning market, an impressive castle and as an added seasonal bonus, a great covering of snow on the surrounding hillsides.  One of the highlights of our short stay was a visit to the Ludlow Food Centre.  A real superstore of local produce.  They've given me a recipe for a great salad, full of winning textures and classic flavour combinations.  Ingredients can obviously be substituted with produce from your local.   

Warm salad of English asparagus, bacon and boiled egg (serves 6)

Ingredients:

1. 6 rashers Smoked Gloucester Old Spot back bacon
2. 4 slices Ludlow Food Centre Sourdough Bread, torn into rough cubes
3. 50g shelled walnuts, roughly chopped
4. 5 free range eggs
5. 2 bunches asparagus

Dressing:

1. 5 Tbsp rapeseed oil
2. 1 Tbsp cider vinegar
3. 2 tsp Ludlow Food Centre wholegrain mustard
4. salt and pepper

Method:

• heat oil in a pan, fry bacon both sides until crisp
• chop into inch sized pieces and keep warm in a low oven
• in the same pan, fry the bread until lightly brown and crisp all over, keep warm with the bacon
• toast walnuts (again in the same pan) until they take on a little colour
• cook eggs in boiling water for 5 minutes, then rinse under cold water to stop them cooking further
• whisk all dressing ingredients until combined
• halve the eggs and lightly season
• trim any woody ends off asparagus and cook in rapidly boiling salted water until just tender
• drain well and divide between plates
• add egg halves, sprinkle over warm bacon, bread and nuts before drizzling the dressing over

DELICIOUS!

View over Ludlow

The Church Inn

Belgo's - more than just great beer

A recent holiday that took us to the UK, Dublin and New York gave us the chance to revisit some old haunts and explore a few unknowns. 

In the backstreets of London, a little walk from Covent Garden, is an underground Belgian beer hall that serves fantastic food.  I've visited Belgo's a few times; drawn to the unbelievable variety of beers.  The restaurant is a chain with another 4 locations in London but the vibe in the Covent Garden branch does it for me.  On my recent visit, instead of my usual mussels and chips, I decided to go for the rotisserie chicken, which was succulent, full of flavour and more importantly perfect with my selection of beers.  I've always been incredibly impressed with the place, possibly swayed by the fact that I'm normally in beer fest mode.  If you like beer and some something to nibble on at the same time, Belgo's is a must.

They gave me a mussel recipe that they reckon is one of their best.

Moules Monroe

Ingredients:

1. 1kg fresh mussels
2. 4 tsp flat-leaf parsley
3. 100g shallots, finely sliced
4. 150ml Leffe Blond or similar (and a few more to sustain the chef)
5. 80g smoked pancetta or smoked streaky bacon, cut into matchstick sizes
6. 30g unsalted butter

Method:

• clean the mussels properly, remove beards by pulling off and take off barnacles by tapping against the sink 
• give any open mussels a firm tap and they should close - if not throw away
• get a large pan, heat butter, add bacon and fry for 4 mins
• add shallots, half the parsley and cook for another 2 mins
• add mussels and pour beer over, put a lid on and cook for around 5 mins, until the mussels open
• serve with chips, mussels and beer

Addo Elephant Park

Addo, about half an hours drive from Port Elizabeth (in South Africa's Eastern Cape), is a spectacular place to spend a few days.  We chose to stay in the main camp, which has different self-catering units and provided everything we could need.  There was even a bit of peaceful buffalo snoring at night to remind us exactly where we were.  There is super game viewing, beautiful scenery and, if you get up early enough, the opportunity to find wonderful secluded spots.  The relatively basic self-catering option is a great alternative to the more expensive private reserves of the area. 

 

The Apricots of Calitzdorp

The little town of Calitzdorp, in South Africa's majestic Klein (or small) Karoo, is well known locally for being the country's capital of Port wine.  It's a happy place for grapes but for quite some time apricots have also been growing in the area and every year from mid-November to early December their harvest is celebrated.  Last year we visited and got our hands dirty plucking apricots by the dozen.  There are numerous activities for young and old with a lot of apricot biased cooking, eating and drinking. 

Boplaas, one of the town's most famous family vineyards, kindly gave me a family recipe that turns the apricots into something special (not that they necessarily need anything done to them).

Apricot Chutney

Ingredients:

1. 3kg apricots
2. 3kg sugar
3. 2.5kg vinegar
4. 500g finely chopped onion
5. 1 tsp ginger
6. 1 tsp salt
7. 1 tsp cayenne pepper

Method:

• de-pip apricots
• cook all ingredients over a low heat and stir well
• when the fruit is soft, transfer to a clean sterilised jar and seal

Boplaas makes good port but also has a lot of very good wine.  Their 'Tinta Chocolate', which is 100% tinta barocca, is something that is absolutely worth trying.  It won a gold at the Michelangelo awards and a silver at Veritas.  I reckon a piece of rare roast beef, some apricot chutney and a few roasted root vegetables will marry beautifully with the full bodied but well balanced wine.    

 

Cape Point Crayfishing

A little while ago I was lucky enough to hop on a boat and go crayfishing along the rocky coastline of Cape Point Nature Reserve.  The location is fantastic, not just because of the abundance of the crustaceans but also because it's a seriously beautiful part of South Africa. 

For those of you who've never been crayfishing in a boat before, here's a quick lesson.  Take a ring, roughly 50cm wide, attached to a net, a float, and a bait bag in the middle.  Fill the bait bag with old anchovies, or something similarly pungent, and drop the whole contraption into the water.  The ring drops down onto the sea bed, bait bag centred and net spread out below.  The float remains on the surface, enabling one to retrieve the whole lot later (a fairly important part of the procedure).  The anchovies (etc) are left for around 10 minutes to work there magic and then the whole lot is pulled at a good speed out of the water.  There are strict regulations as to how many and what size crayfish can be taken home, and this must be having the intended effect because every bag was absolutely full of them. 

The best thing about pulling crayfish yourself is that less than an hour later you can be happily biting into the little guys.  However you want to cook them, boiled, barbecued or in the oven, you're in for a wonderful meal.  Drizzled with some good olive oil or garlic butter, served with rice, a bit of fresh bread and salad, crayfish as fresh as that cannot be beaten.