photography: new york city marathon

recipe: roasted marrow bones

the first time i tried roasted marrow bones was earlier this year. my friends and i headed to parkside restaurant in downtown austin for some more lushness after a night of drinking. as recommended by the server and some friends, i chose this succulent snack for my late night fix. this wonderful delicacy has been used to flavor foods in several different cultures, including vietnamese cuisine, and acted as vital sustenance for the early hominids. when one asks me what it tastes like i think "a rich and savory jelly that's perfect for spreading on toast." the richness is usually cut by the fresh vibrant flavor of herbs and a sprinkling of sea salt. i thought about recreating this dish in my own home all summer long, but found it rather silly to make a dish for 1. so i invited a friend over for dinner to act as my guinea pig. the outcome was a success (otherwise i wouldn't be posting this). this recipe was adapted from fergus henderson's recipe posted in the new york times.



roasted marrow bones
(serves 2)

ingredients:
2 - 2 1/2 lbs of beef marrow bones (also known as shank bones - these are usually cut in 3-4 inch pieces)
1 cup flat-leaf parsley (chopped)
2 tbsp capers
4 pieces of sliced bread (toasted)
coarse sea salt for sprinkling

instructions:
preheat the oven to 450 degrees. line a baking dish with foil and place the bones, marrow-side up, in the dish. roast the bones for 20 minutes or until the marrow starts to separate from the bones. it is normal for some of the fat to drip out from the bottom, but make sure not to overcook.

while the bones are roasting, rinse and chop the parsley and set aside in a small bowl. add capers to the bowl and toss. toast the pieces of bread and cut in a diagonal to create 8 triangular pieces.

remove the bones from the oven and plate the ingredients for each individual person. to enjoy, fork some of the marrow out from the bone and spread it on the toast. add some of the parsley mixture and a sprinkling of sea salt on top.

recipe: pate chaud

a few weeks ago, my roommates and i hosted a potluck dinner for a friend's birthday. our 20+ guests had various dietary restrictions that ranged from carnivorous appetites to i'm-a-vegan-but-i-wear-leather views. to accommodate for some of these preferences, i opted to make 2 types of lasagna rolls: one with prosciutto and one without. our birthday guest even brought delicious delights in the form of pint-sized pot pies. she had created 2 varieties as well: chicken and vegetarian. when i inquired about the seemingly-laborious nature of these pies, she simply replied "i bought the dough at the store and made the filling myself."



that had me thinking about my favorite savory meat pie: the pate chaud. this french-influenced vietnamese pastry is made with buttery puff pastry and filled with a simple aromatic meat filling, usually pork, beef, chicken or a combination of those mentioned. i don't find them often here in new york city, but with the convenience of puff pastry being sold at the stores, i decided to make some at home.




pate chaud
(makes 12 pastries)

ingredients:
1 pkg (12 oz) of puff pastry (thawed)
1/4 lb lean ground beef
1/4 lb lean ground pork
a quarter of an large onion (diced)
2 garlic cloves (minced)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 black pepper

instructions:
in a large bowl, mix the ground meats, diced onion, minced garlic and salt and pepper thoroughly.

before working with the puff pastry, flour a clean surface area and roll out the dough to 1/8th inch thick. cutout 24 circles that are about 3.5 to 4 inches in diameter - i used a drinking glass to cut the pattern. you may have to combine the scraps in a ball and roll out the dough again to get all 24 circles. transfer the circles to 2 large baking sheets. after all the cutouts are made, scoop 2 tbsp of the meat mixture on 12 of the circles and press down on the middle of the meat patty so that they are not so rotund. for this method, i used a 2 tbsp cookie dough scoop and used the backside of the scoop to press on the meat patties. afterward, cover each meat-filled circle with the rest of the circles. seal the pies using a fork or your thumb by pressing down on the edges.

preheat the oven to 400 degrees. while the oven is heating up, lightly beat 1 egg and brush the tops of the pate chaud with the egg wash. bake these in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes until a golden color develops. you may even freeze these pastries in the freezer until you're ready to eat them. let them thaw for 10-15 minutes first before brushing it with egg wash to bake.

recipe: kale two ways

kale is one of my favorite vegetables, rich in vitamins c and k and full of antioxidents. it's similar to chard, but a bit tougher which is why it's perfect for soups or stews (but we'll save those recipes for the colder months). in the midst of a warm and muggy august, i pondered ways to prepare this delectable delight without too much "cooking" in my hot stuffy kitchen. i was reminded of the time when i dined at alias (on the lower east side) and having this incredible shredded kale side dish. it was quite simple but it had the fragrant olive oil and lemony flavors that i love so much. later on, a dear friend of mine duplicated this dish to go along with a wonderful pasta entree. her kale dish was equally delicious. now it's my turn; while my rendition needs a bit of tweaking (my kale was not "shredded" enough), i'm happy to share it. accompanying this simple salad is a dish of crispy crackly chips that is sure to please any kale or vegetable hater. enjoy!



kale two ways: shredded kale & kale chips
(serves 2)

ingredients:
1 bunch kale
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1 lemon
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
2 tbsp roasted pine nuts
(extra) salt and pepper to taste

instructions:
take apart the kale bunch and rinse each leaf and dry thoroughly. de-stem each leaf by cutting out the middle steam and discarding it.

shredded kale
take half of the kale bunch and finely shred the leaves with your knife; the thinner the pieces the better it will soak up the marinade. after the leaves are shredded place, it into a large bowl and set aside. for the marinade, combine 2 tbsp of the olive oil, minced garlic, juice of 1 lemon, salt, parmesan cheese and fresh cracked pepper in a small bowl and whisk thoroughly. add the dressing to the shredded kale and mix until all pieces are coated. let the kale marinade for 1 to 1.5 hours at room temperature.

when ready to serve, spoon some of the marinaded kale in a dish and garnish with the toasted pine nuts.

kale chips
preheat your oven to 350 degrees. with the other half of the kale bunch, roughly chop the leaves with your knife. large pieces that are 2-3 inches in diameter are most desirable. place the leaves in a large bowl and pour in 2 tbsp of olive oil and mix until all the pieces are coated (you may end up using more than 2 tbsp, if needed). add salt to taste and toss thoroughly. on a large cookie sheet, spread the kale leaves out in an even layer and place it in the oven to bake for 10-15 minutes - until the leaves are slightly brown and crispy on the edges. to serve, platter it on a large plate or in serving bowl.

recipe: black beans and rice

a couple of weeks ago, my friends and i scrambled into ruben's empanadas in the east village for lunch. i ordered the combination plate that included a giant empanada of my choice (beef chili, to be exact) and a plate of rice and black beans. while the latin dumpling wasn't the tastiest i've encountered, my meal reminded how simple and filling beans and rice are. one of my close friends always cooks up her go-to recipe of cuban black beans and rice for dinner. i've yet to try hers, but this inspired me to make a healthy version of my own.



black beans and rice
(serves 2)

ingredients:
1 c dry white rice
1 1/2 to 2 c of water
10-12 strands of saffron
4 tbsp cilantro (finely chopped)
1/2 lime
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 medium onion (chopped)
2 garlic cloves (minced)
1 small bell pepper (chopped)
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili pepper
splash of white wine (optional)
20 small green olives sliced (or 10 large ones)
1 can (15 oz) black beans (rinsed and drained)
salt and pepper to taste



instructions:
cook 2 servings of white rice as instructed. if using a rice cooker, rinse and drain the rice (twice) and add 1 1/2 to 2 cups of water (depending on the type of rice) and the saffron threads. for reference, i used whatever i had around: nishiki medium grain white rice and used 1 1/2 cups of water. after the rice is done cooking, add chopped cilantro, juice of 1/2 a lime and salt to taste. mix thoroughly.

while the rice is cooking, add olive oil to a saute pan and turn on the heat to medium. chop the onion and mince the garlic and add to the pan to cook for 2-3 minutes. then chop the bell pepper and add to the pan and cook for another 2-3 minutes. after the vegetables soften up a bit, add the cumin and chili pepper and stir for 1 minute. a splash of white wine can be used to de-glaze the pan and mix the brown bits into the mixture. finally incorporate the black beans and sliced olives to cook for an additional minute, adding salt and pepper to taste.

on a large plate with the saffron cilantro rice, spoon the black beans on top. i accompanied my meal with a simple salad.