Thirsty Thursdays: Elderflower Edition

For weeks now, I've been begging the husband to make me an elderflower inspired drink. It goes a little something like this:

The Diva: I want a drink made with elderflower liqueur.

The Husband: So buy some and I'll make it.

That's the entire exchange, word for word. Wash. Rinse. Repeat. Often. Through the magic of "Marital Hearing" - a condition which develops after, oh, say the better part of 3 decades spent together - that exchange morphs into something like this:

The Diva says: I want a drink made with elderflower liqueur.

The Husband Hears: waah waah waah elderflower waah waah.

Result: while away on business in New Haven, the husband proceeds to order himself a drink made with ... you guessed it ... elderflower liqueur. And the Diva? Well, she gets an email about it on Monday night!

The Gin Blossom - recipe courtesy of Zinc Restaurant:

• 1 1/2 oz. gin
• 1 1/2 oz St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur
• 1 1/2 oz. strawberry puree*
• a bit of soda water for topping up

Pour the gin, St. Germain and strawberry puree into an ice filled shaker. Shake well and strain into an ice filled glass, top up with a bit of soda water (plain seltzer) to taste. Stir, garnish with a sprig of mint, serve and enjoy. Repeat as necessary.

*To make the strawberry puree, I used a 10 oz. bag of organic frozen strawberries. I thawed the berries and pureed them in a blender, with about a tablespoon of water, until smooth and liquefied.

My word for this drink is: enchanting! Normally, I'm not a fan of gin based cocktails, but the subtle yet complex flavor of St. Germain pairs beautifully with both the gin and strawberries. The elderflower liqueur is unique in flavor; a bit sweet but not overly so, laced with notes of pear and soft lemon with a slight floral finish. Its difficult to describe ... almost like a whisper ... there in the background, haunting your palate, just begging for another sip. It is the magical ingredient that turns this drink from the ordinary into something quite extraordinary. The Gin Blossom is light, refreshing and altogether perfect for Spring. I hope you'll try it!

To learn more about this unusual, hand-crafted liqueur, you may visit the St. Germain site. It contains a wealth of information and some delicious looking cocktail recipes.

All kidding aside, I am immensely grateful to the husband for his intrepid investigations on behalf of Thirty Thursdays. He happened to find himself in New Haven earlier this week and popped into Zinc for a meal. Located on Chapel Street, Zinc specializes in "market inspired, globally infused" modern American cuisine. By all accounts, his meal was spectacular and I'm looking forward to trying Zinc on my next trip to CT. He had the Berkshire pork sausage as an entree and began the meal with some really delicious pork and ginger dumplings. ~drool~

They did indeed serve him a Gin Blossom and his waitress, Sara, was kind enough to offer him the recipe when he mentioned my Thirsty Thursdays feature to her. Thank you so much, Sara! Clearly, the husband was impressed with this place and I am delighted to offer them props for our cocktail offering this week. Thanks to Zinc, my wish has finally been fulfilled. Hooray!

So, are you a fan of elderflower liqueur? If so, how do you take yours? Curious Diva wants to know.

Bon appetit!

The Hungry Diva: Link Love Edition

When I posted The Five Hidden Truths of Life as a Food Blogger earlier this month, I forgot to mention one thing. Living life as a food blogger generally means one is reading a whole host of other food blogs and the like throughout the day - and such perusing often leads to lust. While I try my best to offer you my own food here, or recipes which I've adapted and made-over, the fact remains that there is a veritable cornucopia of inviting dishes, created by others, that I'm just dying to try.

I've been lusting after two specific dishes for the better part of a week now. The first is the curried cauliflower flatbread featured in Mark Bittman's column (The Minimalist) last Wednesday. This bread has my name written all over it and despite the unseasonably warm weather I baked the bread on Monday. In a word, its spectacular!

The batter is a simple mix of whole wheat flour and light coconut milk, to which one adds a healthy dose of curry-dusted roast cauliflower. Do I have your attention yet? I should. This is a quick, easy, healthy and delicious recipe that is destined to become part of many a Diva meal. Similar to nan in texture, I'm already envisioning a host of other options. I can see replacing the cauliflower with some roasted potatoes and onion, creating something akin to Kulcha (another traditional Indian bread). Or adding any number of other veggies and spices depending on my mood and the contents of my fridge. I've already decided to include a bit of chickpea flour in my next batch, which should pair well with the curried cauliflower. Yum.

Save for flipping the bread over during the last 15 minutes of baking, which I do recommend, I changed the recipe not at all. You can find it here and it is well worth the click. This bread was so good, so aromatic - crisp on the outside, fluffy on the inside - that it was absolutely worth the insanity of a 400 degree oven on an 85 degree day. Its downright addictive - I had to leave the kitchen and shut the door behind me, lest I finish the whole thing myself. I hope you'll try it!

Last night I paired the remains of the bread with another recipe that's been haunting my dreams. Cheryl, from 5 second rule, featured a simple yet seductive recipe for oven-roasted chicken last week and I've been lusting after it ever since. Prior to roasting, the chicken marinated in a luscious combination of fruity vinegar (I used a raspberry vinegar), Worcestershire sauce and olive oil. The results? Stunning!

As Cheryl points out in her post, the fruity vinegar really helps the chicken caramelize and the results are insanely good. The chicken was moist, tender and remarkably flavorful - so much so the husband nearly devoured half the bird himself. The only change I made was to double the marinade and cook an entire chicken which had been sectioned by my wonderful butcher, Tommy. You can find Cheryl's recipe here and if her picture doesn't send you straight to your oven, I don't know what will. Simple, satisfying and altogether delicious, I urge you to try it. Thanks, Cheryl!

So, there you have a snapshot of my culinary wanderings this week. Be sure to stop by for Thirsty Thursday tomorrow ... I'll have a special, springtime cocktail on the menu ... courtesy of the husband.

Bon appetit!

City Grilling ...

Mother Nature is playing tricks on us again. We've gone from sweaters and gloves to shorts and flip-flops in a matter of days. While I'm happy to put my winter coat away, the need for air conditioning in April is a bit disconcerting.

I don't know about you, but when the weather turns warm the first thing I want to do is head straight for the deck, drink in hand, and throw some burgers on the grill. A careful search has confirmed that I seem to be lacking the requisite backyard, deck, and or grill ... sigh. I have no choice but to fire up the grill pan, turn on the a/c, and get cooking.

Spicy, Savory Chicken Burgers:

• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1/3 cup diced red bell pepper
• 1 large leek, white and pale green parts only, chopped

Heat the oil in a non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Add the peppers and leeks, a dash of Kosher salt and some freshly ground pepper, saute, stirring for one minute. Reduce heat to medium and sweat the leeks, stirring as needed, until they are soft and pale golden but not yet fully browned. Remove from heat. Cool and reserve.

• 1 pound of ground chicken breast
• 1 large clove of garlic, peeled and finely minced
• 1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and cut into small dice
• 2 1/2 tbsp. good quality tomato paste
• 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
  
• 1 egg yolk
  
• pinch of Kosher salt and some freshly ground black pepper
• the (cooled) cooked leek and red pepper mixture (above)

• some sliced Gruyere cheese
  

In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients - except the cheese - and mix well until fully incorporated. Heat a grill pan over high heat and brush it with a bit of oil. When the pan is good and hot, but not yet smoking, form the chicken mixture into patties and grill over medium-high heat, turning once, about 5 minutes per side, or until done. Chicken burgers should be firm to the touch when done and fully cooked throughout. Top the burgers with some sliced Gruyere, cover the pan and allow the cheese to melt. Serve and enjoy.

As written this recipe will yield 4 to 6 patties, depending upon how big you like your burgers.

Personally, I prefer to skip the bun and serve the burger atop some crisp lettuce and garnish it with a quick little tomato and red onion relish ...

... to make the relish I simply combine some chopped grape tomatoes, chopped red onion, some red wine vinegar, a bit of olive oil, a drop of balsamic vinegar and some chopped fresh parsley. Stir well and add a dash of salt and pepper. Spoon the mixture over the finished cheese burgers and I assure you - you won't miss the ketchup.

It may not be summer just yet, but mix up a batch of these juicy, savory burgers and it will most certainly taste like it!

Careful viewers will note the crusty bit of flatbread next to my burger ... come back tomorrow and I'll tell you all about it.

Bon appetit!

Monday Musings ...

It was another whirl-wind weekend in Diva land ... and none of it was spent in my kitchen.

On Friday night we took in a magnificent performance of Terry Riley's "In C" at Carnegie Hall. Written in 1964, "In C" is one of the most influential and interesting pieces of modern classical music ever written. I lack the expertise to properly offer tribute to it here, but I can tell you it was one of the greatest musical performances I've ever seen.

Saturday night, we once again had the pleasure of dining at eighty one, a local modern American restaurant who's kitchen is commanded by Chef Ed Brown. Eighty One was recently awarded a Michelin Star and it is well deserved. The seasonal menu celebrates the best of both locally grown and global ingredients, from small, artisinal farms and fisheries, etc.

Sadly, the Diva was dining sans camera that night ... we were hosting one of the husband's clients and while I was dying to blog the meal ... well, it might have seemed odd. So ... no pictures. Boo. Next time - and there will be a next time. Unlike last weekend's dining disappointments, this meal was everything I'd hoped it would be and more.

While eighty one is known for their attention to seafood ... I am not. I began the meal with the most luscious early pea and ramp risotto. It was spectacular. Seductive, creamy, redolent with the subtle oniony flavor of fresh ramps and bursting with crisp-tender peas, it was so good I had to stop myself from licking the plate. Needless to say, I chose the slow-roasted chicken as my second course and, happily, it came a top a bed of perfectly cooked chickpeas and wilted greens that had been cleverly spiked with a hint of harissa. Wow. The spicy harissa was a brilliant and altogether welcome addition - turning what could have been an ordinary dish into something quite extraordinary.

My dining companions did indeed sample the seafood wares and I'm told the dishes were magnificent. The husband began the meal with tuna carpacchio , garnished with a delicate little nicoise salad that included a gorgeous quail egg. The plate was a thing of beauty. He followed with the golden snapper, garnished with morels, gnocchi and ice spinach ... whatever that is?! He, too, almost licked the plate.

Desserts at eighty one are not to be missed. I still remember the sweet corn ice cream I had there at the end of last summer - and my bittersweet chocolate mousse on Saturday night was equally memorable. It arrived paired with a caramel cashew pot de creme that was topped with dark chocolate sorbet. A more stunning combination I cannot imagine. The flavors were so delicate, so perfectly balanced, and the texture so light and creamy, it was like nothing I've ever tasted. I would order this again and again, were it not for the fact that eighty one's menu changes often. I should probably book another table now before this amazing dessert disappears.

If you find yourself on the upper west side of Manhattan and desirous of an exquisite meal in a beautifully appointed setting, I highly recommend a visit to eighty one. It is an extraordinary restaurant.

So there you have a brief, sadly picture-less, re-cap of my weekend. Lovely indeed, yet utterly devoid of my own culinary creations. Happily, I'm about to remedy that this very minute. Away to the kitchen I must flee ... so I'll have something to post tomorrow! ;)

On the menu this week: savory chicken burgers and an exploration of Mark Bittman's curried cauliflower flat bread. Stay tuned!

So, what did you eat this weekend? Curious Diva wants to know.

Bon appetit!

A Beachy Breakfast

I've got breakfast on the brain this week. Timely too, because on Tuesday night, the New York City Foodbuzz Featured Publishers were treated to "Breakfast for Dinner" by the good folks at Eggland's Best. The event was held at Beacon restaurant in midtown and it was both fun and informative. I learned more about the care and feeding of chickens than I ever dreamed possible.

I also learned a thing or two about Eggland's Best eggs. I must admit that I was a bit skeptical, thinking that the increased Omega 3s and such were the by product of some chemical process ... yet, not at all! I was delighted to learn that the abundance of good things in Eggland's Best eggs are due to the high-quality, 100% vegetarian chicken feed. As a result of this nutrient rich feed, their eggs have 25% less saturated fat, 10 times more Vitamin E, 3 times more Omega 3, and 25% more lutein than regular eggs. They are locally produced across the country, incredibly fresh, and have less cholesterol to boot. Color me impressed!

Given my eggy state of mind, I thought I'd offer you something to go with your Breakfast Martini this weekend. A classic recipe that will be familiar to anyone who's ever been on the South Beach Diet - or any high protein diet for that matter.

Egg Muffins:

• 1 tbsp. olive oil
  
• 1 small shallot, peeled and minced
• 2/3 cup diced crimini mushrooms
• 1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and diced
• a pinch of salt and some freshly ground black pepper
  
• 2 cups of chopped fresh spinach

Heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium high heat, add the shallots and saute for one minute. Add the diced mushrooms, red bell pepper, a pinch of salt and some fresh black pepper, and saute until tender, about 3 or 4 minutes. Add the spinach, by handfuls, stirring well to combine and saute until all of the spinach has been added and is wilted. The spinach will give off some liquid, saute until the pan is mostly dry, stirring often. Remove from heat and allow the mixture to cool.

• 1 dozen large Eggland's Best Eggs
• 2/3 cup shredded Gruyere or sharp Cheddar cheese
• a handful of chopped fresh parsley
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• a grating of fresh nutmeg

Pre-heat your oven to 375 degrees F.

Crack all 12 eggs into a blender. Add the cheese, parsley, a bit of salt, pepper and a generous grating of fresh nutmeg. Blend on high until well combined.

Spoon a bit of the sauteed vegetable mixture into the bottom of each cup of a non-stick 12 cup muffin tin, distributing the mixture evenly among the cups. Carefully pour the egg mixture over the vegetables in each cup in equal measure. Bake in the middle of a pre-heated 375 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until set and beginning to turn pale golden brown. Do not over bake. Remove from pan, serve and enjoy!

As written this recipe will serve 6, two egg muffins per person.

This is my version of a classic dish and I encourage you to create your own. Not a fan of mushrooms? Leave them out. Big fan of cheese? Go right ahead and add more. Mostly we're talking about technique here, so the actual ingredients are up to you. The possibilities are limited only by your imagination ... and the results will be delicious, I promise.

One especially nice feature of this recipe is that it freezes well. Simply freeze the individual muffins and thaw/heat in the microwave for a quick and easy breakfast on the run.

So, are you a fan of the egg muffin? If so, what's in yours? Hungry Diva wants to know.

Bon appetit!

Thirsty Thursdays: Breakfast Edition

Everyone knows the best way to get of out slump is to start drinking, preferably early in the day. ~wink~ Fortunately I know just the drink!

Travel with me, friends, if you will, to a time not long ago. A simpler time, a time when the word "chef-testant" was not part of our collective lexicon. Of course I'm speaking of the time when the Food Network was actually worth watching - back when they featured actual recipes, not scads of inane challenges and contests. A time when they featured real chefs doing what they do best.

Some years ago, as I was watching my then favorite Food Network program, Cooking Live, Sara Moulton made a breakfast martini ... and immediately I fell in love. I quickly jotted down the recipe, by hand, and promptly mixed up a batch at the first opportunity. Heaven. The drink is a simple mix of Lillet, orange juice and champagne ... like a Mimosa but so much better. The sweet, floral notes of Lillet pair beautifully with the fresh juice and champagne, creating an enticing mix that's sure to have you begging for a refill.

The Breakfast Martini:

• 2 oz. of Lillet (Blanc)
  
• 2 oz. of orange juice (preferably fresh)
• some champagne for topping up the drink

Pour the Lillet and orange juice into and ice filled martini shaker and shake well. Strain into a chilled martini glass and top with a bit of champagne to fill the glass. Garnish with a slice of orange, lemon or lime, serve and enjoy. Repeat as necessary.

Hint - those seeking a less potent potable should feel free to replace the champagne with either some unflavored seltzer or ginger ale ... though I can't imagine why one would do such a thing!

Lillet is a French aperitif, made in the village of Podensac which is near Bordeaux. Its made with a variety of wines, blended with herbs and fruit, and the exact recipe is a proprietary secret. It can be enjoyed - chilled - as is, and it also pairs well with any number of spirits. You can find a host of other cocktail recipes on their site.

As written this recipe will serve one and I guarantee you'll want another. Its light, refreshing, and entirely lovely. Perfect for a weekend brunch or, really, any time at all. I hope you'll try it.

So, what's your favorite breakfast cocktail? Curious Diva wants to know.

Bon appetit!

More Adventures in the Land of Meh ...

It appears that I am in something of a culinary slump ... though not necessarily of my own doing. In evidence: the failed tahini cookies (which were so totally not my fault because it was not my recipe) and one ordinary meal at a previously thought extraordinary restaurant.

On Saturday night the husband and I had the pleasure of dining with a couple of long-time foodie friends. While the company was magnificent - the food, sadly, failed to astound. Odd too, because we dined at Dan Barber's Blue Hill at Stone Barns. This was our third trip to the restaurant and, of the three meals, I'm sorry to say that Saturday night's was the least memorable.

Its not that the food was bad, more that it was unremarkable. I toted my camera along, took copious notes for a full review ... though now, as I sit down to write, I realize that I just wasn't that enthused about the meal ... not even enough to do a proper review. Frankly, that saddens me.

I remember with great pleasure the meal the four of us shared at Blue Hill last September. We happened to catch the very end of native tomato season and the tomato-based menu that evening was just silly with fresh flavor. I still long for the shot of cilantro spiked "tomato water" served that night - which in lesser hands could be seen as a throw-away frill, but under Barber's expert attention was nothing short of transcendent.

Sure, there was a shot of fresh juice on Saturday night as well - this time an apple/celery combo. Delightful to be sure, but not transcendent. And nothing I hadn't already tasted from my own brief affair with a juicer back in 1992. Seriously.

As the nine course meal was winding down - with a lamb chop that had been barely acquainted with a heat source, I might add - the four of us got to wondering if we'd just been there and done that one too many times. Have our palates become jaded by the wildly over-the-top meals we've shared? Or was Blue Hill at Stone Barns simply having an off night? I don't know.

Here's what I do know ... that potato chip pictured above was one of the highlights of the meal. Dusted with spice and slit through with a lively sprig of sage, it was a thing of beauty - gorgeous in both flavor and presentation ... yet still, a potato chip. Second to that was a lovely, violet bedecked salad of mixed greens, served atop a melange of savory sauteed mushrooms and just a hint of creamy dressing. Not quite transcendent, but almost. It was heavenly.

I wish I could say as much for the rest of the courses. I can't. Its especially disappointing given the two month wait for a reservation and our very long wait to be seated that night. The restaurant's setting and mission are magnificent, to be sure, but on this night the service was erratic and the dishes uninspired. I'm not at all slamming Blue Hills at Stone Barns, merely expressing some disappointment. Even the best of restaurants can have an off night. I still believe its well worth a visit, especially if you've not yet had the opportunity to dine there.

In all honesty, the most delicious thing I ate this weekend was a cheesesteak at Yankee Stadium on Sunday afternoon. No reservations required ... just a heap full of napkins. Seriously. In retrospect, I should have taken my camera to the Yankee game and planned to review the food there instead. Next time for sure ... stay tuned.

So, have you had a disappointing meal at a famous restaurant? Or have you, too, become jaded by one too many OTT meals? Curious Diva wants to know.

Be sure to come back tomorrow for Thirsty Thursdays and get your drink on!

Bon appetit!