Braised Red Cabbage

We may be nearing the end of October, but its never too late to enjoy a German classic in celebration of Oktoberfest. I may be a bit behind the curve with this one, as the classic Bavarian festival traditionally takes place in late September, but those in the know know I like to get my wurst on from time to time.

I've never been a huge fan of sauerkraut, especially of the pre-packaged variety, so I opted to pair some lovely little bratwursts with a traditional Bavarian side: braised red cabbage. This gorgeous dish makes a fine bed, and wonderful foil, for the savory links. It has just enough acid to balance the porky goodness and just enough crunch to keep things interesting.

Braised Red Cabbage:

• 1 small head of red cabbage
• red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large apple, peeled, cored and roughly chopped
• 1/3 cup of thinly sliced onion
• 1 1/2 cups non-fat, low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar (or granulated sugar, agave nectar)
• 1 small onion, peeled and studded with 3 whole cloves
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• pinch of Bavarian Seasoning, optional
• small pinch of cayenne pepper, optional

1. Remove the tough outer leaves of the cabbage, cut it into quarters, and remove the core from all sections. Using a very sharp knife, slice the cabbage into thin shreds, one quarter at a time. As soon as each section is sliced, place the shreds in a large bowl and drizzle with a bit of red wine vinegar, tossing to lightly coat. This will help preserve the vibrant color. Repeat until all cabbage is sliced and tossed with vinegar.

2. Heat a large, heavy-bottomed, saucepan over medium high heat and add the olive oil. When hot, but not smoking, add the cabbage and toss with tongs to coat. Continue tossing gently until the cabbage begins to wilt a bit, about 2 to 3 minutes, then add the apples and sliced onions and saute together for 1 minute.

3. Nestle the clove studded onion into the mixture and add the remaining ingredients, seasoning to taste with the salt, pepper, Bavarian Seasoning, and cayenne pepper. Stir to combine. Allow the mixture to come to the boil, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4. Taste the cabbage at the 30 minute mark. Adjust seasoning if necessary, adding more of whatever you wish. I happen to prefer a bit of crunch here, so I generally don't simmer beyond 30 minutes. If you prefer a softer texture, continue simmering for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until your desired texture is achieved.

As written, this recipe will serve 4 to 6, depending on portion size.

Enjoy!

Thirsty Thursdays: Sazerac Edition

It seems like a century ago, but, yes, I spent some time in New Orleans last month. It was our first time in the city and, quite frankly, I fell in love. That we would eat and drink well was a given, what surprised me was my deep affection for the city itself - or, more precisely, for the area know as The French Quarter.

Winding my way along the Quarter's sun-baked streets, seeking the shelter of its lush green balconies, I felt at home. Something about the gentile decay, the almost-but-not-quite-falling-apart-ness of the city, spoke to me. Seduced by each new and more beautiful vista, I felt the city wrapping its warmth around me like the arms of a would be lover, pulling me in for a kiss. Strange reference perhaps, but there's a subtle underlying decadence to almost everything in the French Quarter, so the metaphor seems to fit ... and I fell willingly into those arms.

And, in truth, the seduction didn't take long. It began an hour after I arrived, with my first sip of a Sazerac at The Sazerac Bar in The Roosevelt Hotel.

The Sazerac enjoys a long and much fabled history. So fabled, in fact, that it can be hard to separate fact from fiction. Fortunately, for our purposes, to do so is unnecessary. I happen to like the more popular story best, so I'll recount it briefly for you here. In this version, the Sazerac was invented by Antoine Amadie Peychaud, a New Orleans based apothecary, in 1838. Mr. Peychaud mixed a quantity of cognac with his health tonic - the substance we now know as Peychaud's bitters - and a bit of water and sugar. By 1870 or so, the drink had gained in popularity and, due to the tastes of the times, the cognac was replaced with Rye.

Somewhere along the way, a splash of absinthe was added to rinse the glass and when absinthe became illegal, it was replaced by Herbsaint, a pastis made in New Orleans. Phew! Still with me? Good. There's certainly more to this story and if you Google, you can read all your heart desires. At the end of the day, there's only one thing you need to know: this drink is enchanting.

The Sazerac Cocktail:

• 1 sugar cube
• 1 1/2 ounces of rye whiskey
• 1/4 ounce Herbsaint
• 3 dashes of Peychaud's Bitters
• strip of lemon peel

Pack an old fashioned glass with ice and reserve. In a second glass, combine the cube of sugar and 3 dashes of Peychaud's Bitter. Crush the sugar cube to dissolve, using a muddling tool or a bartender's spoon. Add the rye and a few cubes of ice and stir, briefly, to chill. Reserve.

Pour out the ice from the old fashioned glass and add the Herbsaint, turn the glass to coat, then empty the rest of the Herbsaint from the glass. Strain the reserved rye and bitters mixture into the coated glass, garnish with a strip or twist of lemon. Serve and enjoy, repeat as necessary!

A brief note on the recipe: I've used The Roosevelt's formula here, but if you do decide to Google, you'll find others. Some add a drop of Angostura bitters; some council the use of simple syrup, rather than the sugar cube; and some urge absinthe rather than Herbsaint for sake of tradition. As always, do as you see fit. If it seems easier for you, go ahead and use the simple syrup. In that case, I'd use about a teaspoon.

Like New Orleans itself, there's much to be discovered here. Each sip reveals a new twist, a new layer of flavor ... and the experience only intensifies as the drink warms. Sip slowly, savor it a bit, and you'll notice the layers. The herbal, faintly licorice flavor of the Herbsaint is present, yet doesn't overwhelm. The sweetness of the rye is tempered by the aromatic bitters, and end result is something magical. Its as enchanting as a stroll through the Quarter and as seductive as the city itself. I hope you'll try it.

Cheers!

Off to BlogHer Food '10

Seems I've been meeting myself coming and going lately what with all of this travel to and fro. I've had little time to cook, much less write about cooking. I hope to remedy that later this month ... but, for now, I'm off to BlogHer Food '10 in San Francisco.

I'm looking forward to catching up with old bloggy friends and meeting some new ones, and hoping to soak up some California sunshine as it been raining for days here on the East Coast.

We had a blast in New Orleans and I do, indeed, have a special NOLA themed cocktail to share with you for the return of Thirsty Thursdays ... next week. I promise. You'll want to stay tuned, because its a real treat.

In the meantime, are you going to BlogHer Food '10 this weekend? If so, shout it out in the comments so I'll know to look out for you.

Cheers and see you next week!

xoxoxo

Diva

Food and Wine's Chicken Scarpariello

Hard to believe it but I'm on the road again. In fact, I'm on my way to New Orleans. I'll be back next week and in the meantime, I've made a little something to tide you over.

Earlier this year, Food & Wine magazine began arriving in our mailbox each month. Curious too, since neither the husband nor I had signed up for a subscription. I suspect it may have something to do with our Carnegie Hall series, but in any case, I've certainly been happy about it.

We've both enjoyed paging through the magazine each month, but never quite got around to cooking from it ... until last Sunday, that is. The October 2010 issue is jam-packed with recipes too tantalizing to be ignored. We set our sights on the Chicken Scarpariello, page 120, and a finer choice I cannot imagine.

Redolent with the aroma of sauteed garlic and fresh rosemary, this dish really ups the anti on the traditional with the addition of some piquant Peppadew peppers. (For those unfamiliar, Peppadew are sweet, spicy, pickled peppers that typically hail from South Africa ... although mine hailed from Zabar's.) And, of course, you can never go wrong with that lemony tang that makes a good Scarpariello so inviting. In fact, I added even more fresh lemon juice to the sauce, because I'm such a fan.

For the most part, I followed the recipe - opting for some bone-in, skinless chicken thighs rather than the boneless, and adding a couple of skinless boneless breasts for myself as well. (Not a fan of the thighs ... neither the chicken's, nor my own.) I used whole wheat pastry flour, rather than all-purpose flour to coat the chicken, and I used perhaps 1 or 2 teaspoons of butter to mount the sauce, rather than the 2 tablespoons called for in the recipe. The results? Magnificent!

This was the most succulent, tender, and flavorful chicken dish I've made in a long, long while. Its going right into the rotation, Chez Diva, and I'm looking forward to making it again. You can find the recipe here ... print it out, then run, don't walk, to your stove and make it. Its just that good.

And don't say I never gave you anything.

Bon appetite!

Vote Early and Often!

The voting for Project Food Blog has officially opened and I am asking for your vote.

While tooting my own horn and begging for votes is not something that would normally appeal to me, I humbly request that you take just a few minutes to cast a vote for my entry.

We food bloggers are a dime a dozen, you can't throw a matzoh ball without hitting one of us. We're everywhere - and I am but one small voice in a sea of thousands - maybe hundreds of thousands. And we all deserve to win.

The funny thing is, I've always considered myself more of an entertainer than a food blogger. Sure, I write about food and cooking, but my strong suspicion is that most of you reading me are here for a laugh, a chuckle, that slightly irreverent comment that makes you smile. Certainly, some of you are here for the cocktails, and perhaps a few of you are here for the recipes. I hope so. But more than that, I hope I brighten your day and make you laugh.

If I have, if I do, please consider throwing a vote my way. The prize is a stunning $10,000! And, as nice as that hefty check would be, I'm not really in it for the dough. I'd simply like to feel that what I do here is of value - and, who are we kidding, I'd also like to reach a wider audience. You can help make that happen!

Rules for voting are as follows:

You must be a member of Foodbuzz in order to vote. If you're not already a member, click here to register. Its free, its simple, and there are no strings attached.

If you are already a member, please click here to vote for my entry. You will be taken to another screen and just above my masthead you'll see a box entitled "Vote for this Entry" - simply click and vote.

Each Foodbuzz member is allowed 400 votes, though you can only vote once per blog. (So you can't really vote early and often. Boo!)

While you're at it, please take a moment to vote for some of my Foodbuzz pals as well:

Mo Diva of Food Snob

Christo of Chez What?

Christina of Dinner at Christina's

Natasha of 5 Star Foodie Culinary Adventures

The Daily Spud

The Duo Dishes

Erika of In Erika's Kitchen

Steph of Steph Chows

If I've left anybody out, or you would like to be added to this list - please shout it out in the comments and I'll be happy to add you to the list. So many people have entered that I'm having a hard time keeping up and I don't want to leave anyone out!

Thanks, and good luck to all!

Project Food Blog Challenge #1: Ready, Set, Blog! ... Diva Style

If you've been out and about on the web these past few weeks, you may have noticed a significant number of posts with this very same title. Indeed, Foodbuzz is hosting a contest to find The Next Food Blog Star. Its called Project Food Blog and, like everyone else and their brother, I've entered it.

For the first challenge, I'm supposed to tell the world what defines me as a food blogger and why I should be the next food blog star. Certainly, I could have gone the expected route and written an expressive essay extolling my virtues both in the kitchen and behind the keyboard ... but that's not really my style. Instead I've taken the challenge to wax poetic literally. Very literally.

I've written you a poem, Diva-style. Its my belief that the judges should get to know both the content and the writer behind the contestant - and in my case they'll need to work at it a bit. The hot links tell the story of who I am, both as a person and a blogger. To read me is to know me - the rest is just icing on the cake.

Diva the Food Blogger: Big Ass, Even Bigger Personality

I've made you laugh,

I've made you cry;

I've confessed to killing my pot pie

I can make you drool

or make you think,

I can mix you up one bad ass drink

I'm creative and fun

and not too serious;

I bake like a pro but I'm not imperious

In short and in summary,

to put it point-blank,

I'll be needing your votes to climb in the rank

I've got what it takes to advance quite far,

I believe I can be The Next Food Blog Star!

In the days and weeks to come, I'll be asking for you to vote for me. Details are yet to emerge but with nearly 2,000 entries, I'm going to need all the help I can get! (And, if need be, I'll ply you with appetizers and drinks.)

Good luck to all and enjoy the weekend. Cheers!

I'm back!

A rare view of the Diva ... bundled up against the cold.

Sailing towards Sawyer Glacier, Tuesday 8/31

Back from Alaska, that is, and we had a wonderful time! We actually got in around midnight on Saturday, but we are both out of whack and way off schedule from the time changes. Basically, I'm living on Alaska time ... but doing so in New York. Ack.

I don't expect to return to regularly scheduled blogging until next week, but thought I'd share a few quick pics from the trip with you. The highlights, if you will.

Mendenhall Glacier, Juneau, Tuesday 8/31

Mendenhall Glacier

We sailed Alaska's Inside Passage on the Norwegian Star. We left Seattle on Saturday, August 28th, and stopped in: Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, and Prince Rupert, B.C. The ship also toured Sawyer Glacier, which was a highlight for me. Seeing Alaska, and its glaciers in particular, has been a major to-do item on my bucket list ... and I loved every minute of it!

View of the bridge as we depart sunny Seattle, 8/28

Skagway signpost, Wednesday 9/1

Floatplane and cruise ships in busy Juneau Harbor

This last pic really sums up the Alaskan cruise experience - a magnificent confluence of the sublime and the ridiculous ... the majesty of nature juxtaposed against the absurdly decorated cruise ships. I miss it already.

I'll be sharing more photos in the days and weeks to come. This is just the tip of the iceberg, so to speak. I've got enough material for hundreds of Wordless Wednesdays to come. You've been warned.

Cheers!