Feeling Crabby?

March 25, 2009

I made great mini- crab cakes this week, courtesy of Bon Appetit magazine and oh, were they "Foodie-worthy". The best part is that they are not your traditional crab cake- they are crunchy and delicious on the outside with a gooey middle BUT NO FRYING REQUIRED so a little healthier too!!

Though the recipe yields 24 and they are tagged as an appetizer, we had them for dinner with a side dish but either way, give them a try. If you are serving them for a party, the good news is that they can also be prepared in advance.

I will definitely make them again to dazzle and impress my friends and family!

Ingredients:

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature (I used low fat cream cheese to reduce calories)
3/4 cup finely grated parmesan cheese, divided
1 large egg
1/4 cup sour cream (I used reduced fat)
1 teaspoon finely grated orange peel
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel
4 teaspoons plus 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives, divided (tip: use a scissor to "chop 'em")
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Large pinch of cayenne pepper
6 ounces fresh lump crabmeat, picked over, patted dry, coarsely shredded (I used imitation sold at the supermarket in the fish department)
1 cup panko (japanese bread crumbs)
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for pans (Pam spray works too for the pans)
Extra fresh chives cut into pieces for garnish

2 mini muffin pans are needed

1. Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese in medium bowl until smooth. Add 1/4 cup of parmesan and egg; beat to blend. Beat in sour cream, citrus peels, 4 teaspoons chooped chives, coarse salt, and cayenne pepper. Fold in crabmeat. (DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and Chill)

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously butter 2 mini muffin pans (I sprayed them with Pam cooking spray and it worked great!). Toss panko, 1/2 cup parmesan and 2 tablespoons of chopped chives in a small bowl. Drizzle 1/4 cup melted butter over the mixture, tossing with fork until evenly moistened. Press 1 rounded tablespoon panko mixture into bottom of each muffin cup, forming crust, Spoon 1 generous tablespoon crab mixture into each cup. Sprinkle rounded teaspooon of panko mixture over each (some may be left over).

3. Bake crab cakes until golden on top and set, about 30 minutes. Cool in pans 5 minutes. Run knife around each cake and gently lift out of pan. (DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 hours ahead. Arrange on a baking sheet; let stand at room temperature. Rewarm in 350 degree oven for 6 to 8 minutes.)

4. Arrange crab cakes on a serving platter: sprinkle with chives.

Super yummy!
Foodie

Bon Appetit Magazine
www.bonappetit.com

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Goodman's Cafe, NYC

March 22, 2009

I was meeting a business associate and friend for lunch this week in midtown. Because I haven't worked in that section of the city for many years I asked her to choose the restaurant and she provided 2 choices that are both near her office on West 57th Street, Trattoria Del'Arte or as she called it "Ladies Lunch at Bergdorf's". I've been to Trattoria before and I was more than a little intrigued by "Ladies Lunch" so off we went.

If I was alone, I am not sure I would have found the small, one-room cafe tucked away a few steps down from the beauty level in Bergdorf Goodman's. The lunch menu consisted of pea soup and soup of the day, an assortment of a few other appetizers, a variety of very interesting chopped salads, tea sandwiches plus about five other specialty sandwiches. I chose the Gotham Salad which had chicken, ham, gruyere, beets (which I left out), tomatoes, bacon and egg all gently chopped and tossed with iceberg lettuce. I LOVE chopped salad and the heaping plate that arrived at our table definitely did not disappoint (either did the people watching!).

The service was top shelf which is not something that I normally associate with the traditional "cafe" but welcome nonetheless. Goodman's was nearly full (with women of all ages) yet there was something zen and relaxing about the environment especially compared to many bustling midtown restaurants that I have had lunch in over the years. It was not as hoi polloi a vibe (in a good way) as one might expect to find in the world renown Bergdorf Goodman's. I have given alot of thought about the pricing which ranges from about $14 for sandwiches to an average of about $20 per salad. I guess it is a bit of a splurge compared to a pizza place or Cosi or Cafe Europa but not compared to most other midtown restaurants. If you have a sweet tooth, all of their desserts are priced at a reasonable $7 so you may opt to just go mid-afternoon for a cup of coffee and a brownie, a sundae or a piece of carrot cake and the relaxing solitude that comes with it here.

If you want to take a "load off" during a busy day of working or shopping or are coming into the city for the day for a show or for sightseeing, this "off-the-beaten path" eatery is worth a visit. Goodman's has quickly become my new favorite place "to lunch" when I am in the area. It is a a fun and different dining experience and also great for window shopping!

Enjoy!
Foodie

Goodman's Cafe
Located Inside Bergdorf Goodman
754 Fifth Avenue between 57th and 58th
NY, NY
Phone: 212 872 8708
view menu on www.menupages.com

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Happy Saint Patty's Day- Recipe for Beer Bread

March 17, 2009

When Irish Eyes Are Smiling,
Sure it's like a morning spring.
In the lilt of Irish laughter,

You can hear the angels sing.
When Irish hearts are happy,
All the world seems bright and gay.
And when Irish eyes are smiling,
Sure, they steal your heart away.

In celebration of St. Patty's Day, if Irish Soda Bread (posted on Foodie Favorites on March 15) is not your thing, how about Beer Bread? Sure sounds Irish, right? It is super easy. Here you go.

Enjoy!
Foodie

Beer Bread
Ingredients:
3 cups self-rising flour
1- 12 oz. can of beer at room temperature
1 tablespoon of granulated sugar
1/2 stick of melted butter
crisco shortening to grease pan

For best results, use a glass bowl and a wooden spoon.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease loaf pan with shortening (such as crisco). Place flour in a bowl and add sugar and beer about 1/3 at a time. Mix well with wooden spoon. Texture will be thick and sticky, not smooth. Fold into greased pan. Cover raw dough with melted butter. Bake approximately 50 minutes.

Nicholas, Red Bank, NJ

March 15, 2009

How do I love thee, let me count the ways? The wine list, the tasting menus, the cheese selection, the decor, the wait staff... Nicholas is rated the number 1 restaurant in New Jersey by Zagats for a reason. It is difficult to even imagine a better meal.

When we moved from Manhattan to the Middletown area a few years ago, one of our requirements was good restaurants and with Nicholas we hit the jackpot! Unlike many, we are lucky enough to have dined here on numerous occasions because it is literally around the corner from our house- a 5 minute drive.

The menu generally consists of at least 2, but sometimes as many as 4 different tasting menus ranging from 3 courses (appetizer, main course, dessert) to 6 courses and are priced accordingly. When we were there this week, they were offering 4 menus- Late Winter 3 Course Menu ($59), a 6 Course Late Winter Tasting Menu ($79), a 6 Course Black Truffle Tasting Menu ($105), and a Late Winter 4 Course Garden Menu ($59). For an additional $45 you can also choose to do a wine pairing with the 6 Course Late Winter Tasting Menu.

My husband and I both selected from the Late Winter 3 Course Menu this time around and in addition we made a special request to have an order of the Seared Day Boat Sea Scallops with Mascarpone Cheese and Black Truffles which was happily accommodated. The scallops were out of this world- it was a melt in your mouth flavor explosion- no exaggeration. Our other menu selections were: the "Seafood Tasting" which consisted of a little sampling of: Grilled Octopus & Citrus Salad, Scallop & Jalapeño Crudo, Geoduck & Yuzu Vinaigrette; Caramelized Onion & Goat Cheese Soup with Red Onion Marmalade and Goat Cheese Fritters; Butter Poached Lobster and Potato Gnocchi with Sweet Carrot Butter Sauce (supplemental cost of $10- worth every last cent); Red Miso Glazed Prime Roasted Pork Chop with Grilled Eggplant and Charred Baby Bok Choy. Everything was mouth-wateringly delicious. For dessert we both decided to have cheese instead of something sweet so together we were able to try 8 of the 12 varieties that they were offering including: Valencay, 24 Month Mainland New Zealand Cheddar, Brillat Savarin, Morbier, Gouda, Perla Grigia al Tartufo, Humboldt Fog and Epoisses. If I said I loved them all, it would be the truth. For dessert, they also offer, warm chocolate cake, chocolate souffle, creme brulee, etc. I am sure they are all fabulous.

The wine list is extensive with a good selection of half bottles, about 10 different types of wine by the glass and full bottles that range in price from around $40 all the way up to the very pricey "cult" selections. If you are a wine lover, Nicholas offers wine tastings each season- the next one is this Friday, March 20- you need to sign-up and pay in advance. Call for details.

Visit the website to view all of the menu offerings in detail.

No matter where you live, Nicholas is worth the trip.

Signing Off From Food Heaven,
Foodie

Nicholas
160 Route 35 South
Red Bank, NJ 07701
Phone: 732 345 9977
Website: www.restaurantnicholas.com

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Mom's Irish Soda Bread

March 13, 2009

I have many great memories from my childhood, but every year on March 17, I will always think of the Saint Patrick's Day celebrations at 241 Highland Avenue. Irish music playing loudly on the stereo (back when there were still records), kids and adults doing the Irish jig, more than a couple of beers being consumed and the stove heating up the house all day while the freshly baked scent of Irish Soda Bread wafted through the air. My mother baked them in assorted sizes and wrapped them in tissue paper with green, orange and white ribbons with mini-flags for all of the neighbors. Like corned beef and cabbage, it doesn't really matter whether you love Irish Soda Bread or not, it is tradition!

When you are out this weekend picking up your groceries, don't forget to get everything you need to start your own Saint Patty's Day traditions. Oh and a case of beer never hurts!

One more thing...don't forget to wear green or you'll have to get on line at town hall to get your fanny painted green! That's what my mother used to tell me and my sisters and when I told my kids the same thing this week, there were many giggles...

Happy Saint Patrick's Day from all of your friends at Foodie Favorites and may we all be so lucky as to find that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow!

Mom's Irish Soda Bread
Recommend using round cast iron pans if available- Makes either 1 medium (approx 8") AND 1 small loaf (approx 6") or 1 large loaf (approx 10" round). Note: If not using cast iron pans, not all pans are oven safe so make sure the handles can withstand the heat.
Adjust accordingly if you are using different sizes or types of pans.

Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups pre-sifted flour
2/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/2 cups raisins
1 teaspoon caraway seeds (optional)
2 eggs lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
2 tablespoons melted butter- cooled

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease pan(s). In a mixing bowl combine the 1st 6 ingredients (through caraway seeds). Set aside. In another bowl mix eggs, buttermilk and butter and add to dry ingredients. Mix lightly until moistened. Do not over mix. Turn batter into pan(s) and bake for about 1 hour until golden. Depending on your oven, it might be a little less (use the toothpick test).

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Giorgione, NYC

March 11, 2009

Giorgione in downtown Manhattan is always a good dining experience. I used to work in the area so I have been there more times than I can count for lunch and dinner and I actually planned and hosted an event there for my previous company. About a week ago, when visiting for lunch, I was reflecting on the fact that I couldn't remember ever having a bad meal there so I thought I would get out my highlighter and mention it for all of you foodies out there.

The menu is straight-forward Italian comfort food and the service is good. It is not somewhere that you need to travel great distances to go to, but if you are in the neighborhood or even visiting the city for the day it is a definite recommend. During the busier lunch and dinner hours, it does tend to get a little loud so if you are looking for a quiet evening, go somewhere else. Also, it is always good to check the menu on-line to make sure it is in your price range because I did feel that their lunch menu may have recently had a price-infusion compared to past visits.

They have eight or more thin crust pizza offerings from the traditional margherita to quatro formaggi, to prosciutto and I have probably at one time or another sampled all of them. At my recent visit, my friend had the Bresaola Pizza with air dried beef, parmigiano and arugula which he said was very good. For the first time, I ordered the veal milanese because I always had food envy watching one of my former colleagues eat it every time we were there (and I was starving!) and I was glad I finally took the plunge. It is really thin and comes covered with a mixed green and tomato salad and it is very tasty! I can also vouch for the "Spaghetti Chitarra al Pomodoro" and have had the risotto of the day more than once, depending on what it is. From the appetizer menu, the "Mozzarella di Bufala" melts in your mouth and the "Fritto Misto", crispy calamari and shrimp with lemon and sea salt, are a good way to get started though many of the salads and prosciutto look to be yummy as well. For dessert, they have lots of traditional Italian sweets, but as you know, I usually go with the cheese offerings and I never regret it!

Of note, for dinner they also have a raw bar with oysters and other fresh seafood.

Bon Appetit!
Foodie

Giorgione Restaurant
307 Spring Street, NYC
Phone 212 352 2269
Website www.giorgionenyc.com

Bobby's Burger Palace, Eatontown, NJ

March 1, 2009

I revisited Bobby's Burger Palace (BBP) this week, this time with Senor Food. For those of you not up to snuff, BBP is the latest in a long line of restaurants from chef-superstar, Bobby Flay and this time he is focusing on 10 specialty burgers and the things that go with them best- french fries, onion rings, and milkshakes and malteds. It is a combination of table and self- service- you place your own order at the counter on the way in and then you take a number and your burgers are delivered to whichever counter you happen to be sitting at within about 10 minutes. It is self-seating at long communal tables and the decor is an orange 1950's soda shop style. So there is no confusion, this is not one of Bobby's high-end restaurants but the food definitely delivers.

I had the "Crunchburger" which consists of a a hamburger with double american cheese and potato chips on the burger. (All burgers can be crunchified with potato chips on top). Senor Food tried the "Dallas Burger" that is spice crusted, with coleslaw, monterey jack cheese, BBQ sauce and pickles. All the burgers are served on a sesame seed bun. We shared an order of french fries and an order of onion rings. We both LOVED our burgers! They were cooked just right, were the perfect size, not too filling, but just enough. The onion rings were thick cut and obviously fried but they were so big there were only about 4 to an order. What I really liked is that sometimes when you bite into an onion ring, the whole onion slides out- not here- somehow it all holds together 'til the last bite. French fries were satisfying, but not over the top. BBP also offers sweet potato fries which we didn't have but they do seem to be a customer favorite and the shakes looked fab (I thought about getting that for dessert)!! In addition to the burgers, they are offering "griddled cheeses" and a couple of salads... AND there is a kid's BBP Burger deal with french fries and a soda.

Every counter has multiple sauces including ketchup, chipotle ketchup, burger sauce, jalapeno sauce and one or two others...be careful you take what you like...I had been to BBP once before and didn't write it up straight away because I had what I refer to as a "bad ketchup experience" which ruined it for me. I can only guess that I must have taken the chipotle ketchup by accident and since I am a tomato-Heinz ketchup kind of girl, it didn't work for me. No problems this time however.

One other thing, I have heard some murmurs about it being an "expensive burger place" but I disagree. Burgers are all $7.50 and the sides are separate, but it is much, much better than the Burger Kings, McDonalds and Wendy's of the world and if you went to any other restaurant and ordered the equivalent it would easily be the same price or more.

If you love burgers, it is definitely worth a visit. Call us, we'll meet you there.

Enjoy!
Foodie

Bobby's Burger Palace
Monmouth Mall
180 Route 35 South
Eatontown, NJ
Phone: 732 544 0200
Website: http://www.bobbysburgerpalace.com/

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