Weekend Guide :: 04.30.10

A pop-up restaurant, the Hunger, will offer a six-course dinner with a French bourgeois menu prepared by Camille Becerra on May 13 through 16 with two seatings, one at 7 p.m. and one at 9:30. It will be in an as yet undisclosed location in Little Italy. Reservations and detailed information are available here

You can celebrate the Derby from afar and still feel pretty close with good southern cooking. Join Hill Country in Chelsea for Wild Boar ribs, derby pie + mint juleps galore, all while watching the races. 30 W 26th Street

As the temperatures rise this weekend visit Hester Street Fair for all sorts of treats. One we know we'll be running for in the heat is La Newyorkina. Unconventional Mexican pops made like Chili-flecked Mango or creamy avocado aren't to be missed. Hester + Essex Streets


Ardesia, the Hells Kitchen Wine Bar, will begin serving lunch and brunch this weekend, so add it to your list for a sunny weekend meal of house cured pancetta, fresh goat cheese, seasonal fruit and more. 52nd + 10th Ave

“Brooklyn Uncorked 2010,” a tasting of food from Manhattan, Brooklyn and the Hudson Valley, with wines from Long Island, will be sponsored by local Edible magazines on May 5 from 4 to 8 p.m. at BAMcafé, 30 Lafayette Avenue (Ashland Place), Fort Greene, Brooklyn; $40: brownpapertickets.com, event 89157.

Weekend Guide :: 04.23.10

This weekend we are preparing for our Sunday Supper with Peter Berley. We are very excited for this veggie feast and in honor of earth day, tried to go a bit greener , here's a sneak peak of what we're working on! Happy earth week and have a lovely weekend.

Our Weekend Guide

Events:
More than 40 restaurants will participate in the Taste of the Lower East Side on April 29 from 7 to 11 p.m. to benefit the Grand Street Settlement. It will be held at the Puck Building, 293 Lafayette Street (Houston Street): $200 from grandstreet.org.

A dinner featuring Sixpoint Craft Ales will be given on April 27 at 7 p.m. at the Vanderbilt, 570 Vanderbilt Avenue, Prospect Heights, Brooklyn; $60 plus tax and tip: (718) 623-0570.

The Hester Street Fair, a pushcart market on the Lower East Side, will be open this weekend, with vendors such as Luke's Lobster, Sigmund Pretzels and Mile End offering their goods. At the corner of Essex and Hester sts. Open April 24-25

Eagle Street Rooftop Farms, will be hosting a lesson on Beekeeping. The farm is also open all day to volunteers. Eagle Street Rooftop Farms, 44 Eagle St. (between Franklin and West sts.), Brooklyn

Restaurant Openings:

Two Sisters have opened a pie shop in Gowanus called Four & Twenty Blackbirds. Featuring all butter crusts, and with names like a double-crust apple and pear scented with rosewater, we are intrigued. Most are by the slice; whole pies must be ordered ahead. They have also started baking savory tarts and, for breakfast, muffins and scones.Four & Twenty Blackbirds, 439 Third Avenue (Eighth Street), Gowanus, Brooklyn, (718) 499-2917.

The Counting Room, a new bi-level neighborhood bar has opened in williamsburg. The space is industrial/rustic, with long wooden communal tables - and the menu of tapas and small plates sounds pretty enticing.44 Berry St., 718-599-1860.

Sprintime Brunch :: Butternut Squash Clafoutis, Frangelico Whipped Cream and Hazelnut Praline Crunch

Butternut Squash Clafoutis

2 butternut squash – approximately 4 to 5 pounds total

5 eggs
¾ cup of sugar
½ cup of milk
½ cup of heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ of a scraped vanilla bean
Pinch of salt
¼ teaspoon of flour
1 tablespoon of unsalted butter - melted
1/3 cup of hazelnuts – toasted
2 tablespoons of turbinado sugar

One day ahead
Cut each squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Bake in a 350 degree oven, cut side down, for approximately 25 minutes or until squash is soft to the touch. Cool and scrape the flesh out of the skin.

Puree the squash in a food processor until smooth.

Line a sieve with a cheese cloth, and place the sieve in a larger bowl. Spoon the squash puree into the cheesecloth, and set in refrigerator overnight. Pass strained puree through a fine sieve. Measure 2/3 of a cup and reserve remaining puree for some other purpose.

Place eggs, ¾ cup of sugar, milk, heavy cream, vanilla, vanilla pulp and salt in a food processor. Blend until smooth. Add squash puree and blend well. Add flour and pulse until combined.

Pass batter through a fine sieve and allow to rest for ½ hour.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

Brush a 9 inch pie pan with melted butter and sprinkle 2 tablespoons of turbinado sugar over the buttered pan. Sprinkle chopped hazelnuts in the pan. Pour batter over the nuts.

Bake the clafoutis for 15 minutes, then lower the oven to 375 degrees. Bake until center is just set, approximately 12 minutes.
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Hazelnut Praline

1 cup of sugar
¼ cup of water
Pinch of salt
½ cup of toasted hazelnuts

Prepare a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Rub butter onto parchment paper to prevent the praline from sticking.

Bring sugar, water and salt to a boil swirling the pan to dissolve the sugar.

Continue to boil the syrup until in has a medium amber color.

Add hazelnuts and swirl pan to coat the nuts.

Pour onto prepared parchment paper. Allow to cool.

Break praline into medium sized pieces and pulse in a food processor until it is uniformly ground.
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Whipped Crème Fraiche

1 ½ cups of crème fraiche
1 ½ teaspoons of frangelico
Pinch of lemon zest
2 tablespoons of sugar

1. Whip crème fraiche and sugar until it holds a medium peak.

2. Add frangelico and zest.

3. Whip mixture until fully incorporated.

Recipes Courtesy of One Girl Cookies

Weekend Guide :: 04.16.10

Photo by Karen Mordechai

Spring has sprung, and this weekend you can learn more about the edibles growing around us, and what to avoid. Join Marc Matsumoto and Lab 24/7 tomorrow (4.17.10) for a park tour and returning to the 24/7 labs to cook up a feast together. Check out details for “ Forage + Feats “ at Lab 24/7

Pizza A Casa is now opened ! Visit Marc Bello at 371 Grand Street and get the most gourmet ingredients for DIY (and restaurant worthy ) pizza. Marc will also hold weekly classes, so you can be sure to produce the perfect pie ( Thursdays, Saturdays AND Sundays ). Check out the schedule here

The Bell House is home to another ingredient contest. This weekend it is “ The Lamb Takedown “ from the folks who brought you “ The Chili Takedown. “ This Sunday you can taste lamb used every which way for $15 from 4 to 9 pm. Purchase tickets here

Springtime Brunch Recipe :: Apple and Fennel Salad, Tea-Poached Salmon + Potato Cake

Photos by Karen Mordechai

Marcey Brownstein's second course at our Brunch was this delicious plate: a tart and yummy apple fennel salad, topped with a tea poached salmon and a potato cake with a fennel seed vinaigrette. deeelish, see all the recipes below.

Fennel salmon salad
For vinaigrette:
3 tb roasted fennel seed
1 tsp anise seed
2 shallots, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
½ cup white wine vinegar
Salt and black pepper
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1 ¼ cup olive oil

Combine all ingredients and let sit for 10 minutes. Whisk in oil and set aside.

For salad:
2 seasonal apples
1 fennel bulb with fronds
1 small red onion
¼ cup capers, well-drained
¼ cup chopped parsley
2 TB chopped chives
Juice of 2 oranges, zest of 1
Juice of 1 lemon
½ cup olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste

Peel and core apples. Pull a quantity of fronds from fennel, then clean bulbs. Peel onions and slice very thin. Slice apples and fennel bulbs on hand plane or mandoline. Toss with remaining ingredients and refrigerate.

For salmon:
4 each 4 oz portions salmon
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1 onion peeled and quartered
1 carrot peeled and chopped
2 ribs celery chopped
2 bay leaves
3 star anise
2 whole dried thai chili
4 TB lapsang souchong tea
2 TB salt
2 TB sugar
2 cups white wine
4 cups cold water

Combine ingredients and bring to simmer.
Place fish in perforated pan and settle into court bouillon, and lower flame. Poach gently for 8-12 minutes, or until cooked to taste.
Remove fish and allow to cool before handling.

For potato cake:
2 large potatoes
1 spanish onion
2 eggs
½ cup flour
Salt & pepper to taste

Peel onion and potatoes. Starting with the onion, grate both on a box grater, using the largest available side. Stir in eggs and flour, and season to taste. Pan fry in vegetable oil.

recipes courtesy of Marcey Brownstein Caterers

Springtime Brunch :: Brioche French Toast

Brioche french Toast, stuffed with Marscapone and Marmalade

For batter:
1 cup crème fraiche or sour cream
2 cups milk
6 eggs
1 oz brandy or…
2 TSP vanilla
½ cup sugar
2 tsp salt
Orange or lemon zest
Nutmeg

For toast:
6 slices bread 1” thick, with pocket cut from small hole on one side
6 oz mascarpone
8 oz marmalade

Combine all ingredients and whisk together until well-combined.

With jam and cheese in piping bags, fill each piece of bread, being careful to not over-fill, and keeping the ingredients within the pocket and away from the opening.

Dip each slice in batter and allow to soak thoroughly, then drain well.
On a hot griddle, begin by searing the opening, ensuring that it has cooked shut before continuing to cook until golden brown on both sides. Serve immediately.

recipe courtesy of Marcey Brownstein Catering

Photos by Karen Mordechai

Weeknd Guide :: 04.09.10

To Market :

The Brooklyn Flea :: Opening Weekend
The outdoor Fort Greene market is back every Saturday, through November. And the Flea at One Hanson moves to Sundays only starting this weekend, (No DUMBO/Brooklyn Bridge market this year.) we're excited to check out a bunch of new vendors and lots of yummy food, as always.

The Greenpoint Food Market will be having its Spring Awakening event. Expect a showing of artisanal, Brooklyn-made provisions--including jams from Anarchy in a Jar and Bacon Marmalade--as well as live music. Church of Messiah, 129 Russell St. (between Nassau and Driggs aves.), Brooklyn

Restaurant Openings:

A new neighborhood spot is soon to open in williamsburg, wittily called "traif," it is a celebration of all things bacon and shellfish. Rumors are it will open this weekend. Traif, 229 S. 4th St., nr. Havermeyer St.; 347-844-9578.

Next week, Dos Caminos will be opening in the meatpacking district (taking over the old Vento space). The menu is a bit different from the other locations, Executive chef Ivy Stark is using a barbecue pit to slow-roast meats over mesquite and applewood. Check out the full menu here
Dos Caminos Meatpacking District, 675 Hudson St., nr. 14th St.; 212-699-2400

Springtime Brunch :: an egg custard with pancetta crisp

Photo by Karen Mordechai

Our first recipe is an egg custard baked in a hollowed egg shell topped with pancetta crisp. This was served as an amuse bouche as guests were seated. It's a wonderful treat, looks so pretty on the table...and you can do it well in advance and keep in the fridge. if you're interested in learning how to cut off the top of an egg- check out these nifty cutters and this one for soft boiled eggs. enjoy !

Egg custard
1 pt heavy cream
½ cup roasted chicken fat
2 cloves garlic
2 bay leaves
Whole peppercorn
-----
4 yolks
1 whole egg
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all except eggs and steep over low flame for 20 minutes.

Temper the egg mixture in.

Pour into shells, bake, covered, in bain marie for 20 minutes or until set.

recipe courtesy of Marcey Brownstein Caterers

Sunday Suppers :: a Springtime Brunch

Our Lavish Brunch with superstar Chefs Marcey Brownstein and One Girl Cookies was a huge success! The menu was super fun and creative, and not to mention filling :) . Marcey started off by serving guests an amuse bouche (so snazzy!) : an egg custard baked in a hollowed egg shell topped with pancetta crisp. This was followed by a first course: a brioche french toast stuffed with mascarpone and marmalade. The second course: a winter salad of apple and fennel, topped with tea-poached salmon and a potato cake with a fennel seed vinaigrette. And for dessert, One Girl Cookies baked up a gorgeous butternut squash hazelnut clafouti with frangelico whipped cream and hazelnut praline crunch. And for anyone who still had any room, one girl served up some delicious chocolate, orange and pistachio cookies.




For our decor: we wanted to create an effortlessly chic tabletop, abundant with precious wildflowers and soft colors. We collected medicine bottles, on ebay, etsy and such and called upon our fave florist, Jessie from Rountree to create these gorgeous arrangements. Jessie also created a beautiful oval wreath to hang over the table, adding just the right amount of warmth and comfort. Our table linens were a basic white, topped with a runner made from french grainsack material. And the menus and papers were designed by the uber talented Viola from Chewing the Cud (stay tuned for more on Viola's paper goodies soon). Let us know what you think and come back and visit for recipes and photos all week.





Credits/Contributors:
Photography + Styling :: Karen Mordechai
Guest Chefs :: Marcey Brownstein Caterers and One Girl Cookies
Flowers :: Rountree
Custom Stationary :: Chewing the Cud

Weekend Guide :: 04.02.10

Double Crown is offering a great deal of 8 to 12 shareable courses from Malaysia and Singapore every Sunday night for only $35 ! Call 212.254.0350 for reservations and expand your palate at such a reasonable cost.

Some new favorites add brunch to their repertoire this weekend ::
Both Henry Public in Brooklyn Heights and Choptank in the West Village will now be serving their versions of a New Yorker’s favorite weekend meal. Visit Choptank at 308 Bleecker Street and Henry Public at 329 Henry Street.

Next week be sure to check out the opening of restaurant Zengo and a Tequila library below designed by the famous AvroKO ( 40th and 3rd ). The Library will also serve delicious Mexican street food, if you’re looking for something more casual than the Latin American + Asian fusion upstairs. They will open their doors April 6th.