Spuds - - Page 10

by BS

Moussaka or Something Like It

I’ve been wanting to make moussaka since way back at Greekfest, but have been avoiding it due to the unending sauna-like weather of the past few months.

Now, I’m not tryin to say I eat only light and airy foods all summer (see: fetuccini alfredo at the beach), but it just hasn’t seemed right to make this very meat-y, very chees-ey warming dish in this kind of heat.

Still, I absolutely love the idea of layering meat with eggplant – it’s just not fair that vegetarians get to have all the eggplant-fun – us meatlovers should be able to get in on the act too.

by BS

Top Chef Recap: Episode 12 – Cursed is the Cheesemaker

I hope all you haters are happy with this fully-clothed Padma picture. For those of you who are fans of the previous photo gallery, here’s a very NSFW link.

Moving on, Tony Bourdain says this was the best Top Chef episode of the year, and I’m inclined to agree, because if I didn’t, I think he would yell at me. Seriously though, there were some awesome dishes from every cheftestant, except of course for that Jamaican cheesemaker, who set a Top Chef record by serving raw fish and raw chicken in the same episode.

The episode started at Le Cirque, where Sirlio Maccione stepped in to guest judge the cheftestants’ attempts to replicate a classic Le Cirque dish, halibut wrapped in thin strands of potato (I’m sure there is a much fancier description). They all did surprisingly well, except of course, for the aforementioned Sara, who forgot to cook hers. Maccione turned out to be the most honest judge yet, admitting that he wanted to award the quickfire to Casey just because he’d like to bone her, but instead Hung took the prize.

in Fish / Fowl / TV 7 comments

by BS

The Battle of Tastings

ES BFF JoeHoya has been busy telling the MSM to STFU and embrace tasting menus, and our editorial board has to agree: the more tastes, the better. Period.

So upon finding my cupboard virtually bare this week, I decided to make my own lunchtime tasting menu out of the leftovers in my fridge (it’s good to be a full-time blogger).

OK, maybe this isn’t exactly a tasting menu, but hey, it has three things on it, and I was fairly impressed with my own presentation so I thought I would pass it along – details after the jump.

in Recipe / Trends / Veggie 6 comments

by BS

Frying Potatoes is Sooooooo Easy

I swear I’m not posting this just to rub it in about gansie’s tater tragedy (she made me some pretty killer b’fast potatoes last week, so I know she’s not feeling too bad). I have been sitting on this recipe for awhile so I was reminded to share.

For a recent lunch, I took a break from my world-famous quesadillas, since I had some leftover maybe-rockfish and definitely-mashed potatoes. I put together some simple fish tacos and put a tasty spin on plain old potato pancakes.

Potato pancakes are a standard way to use up leftover mashed potatoes in my house, because I really detest the way they get all lumpy if you just reheat them, but frying them in some egg and flour is a quick and tasty way to bring your spuds back to life.

Sorry for the miserable pic – my camera ran out of room after one shot and this is all I got. It looks like it’s about to storm, for g-d’s sake. You get the idea anyway.

Recipe for Rosemary Parmesean Potato Cakes after the jump

in Cheese 1 comments

by gansie

I Cannot Tell a Lie

Fine. Everyone once in a while I can’t cook for shit. I’ll have this great idea — not well thought out, clearly — and it absolutely backfires. As throwing out food is just wrong, I make the most of it and try to turn it into something edible. Here is take 923 on Gansie Kitchen Fuck-Ups.

Accidental Tater Tots-ish

Weekend morning breakfasts usually consist of scrambled eggs, half of a cream cheesed begal (with tomato in the summer) and skillet potatoes. I was feeling adventurous from too many days of not cooking and decided to try something new with the spuds.

in Breakfast 6 comments

by rooms

Getting to the Root of It

Fresh coriander? yep!
You guys are lucky I got a pic of this one before it disappeared down my hubby’s gullet!

The inspiration for this delicious, vegetable root potato salad came from all the beautiful stuff popping up in our garden right now. As with everything, it’s best with fresh ingredients, but I’m sure this one would be great with store bought too!

Salade a trois

I pulled about 5-6 carrots and 3 beets right out of our garden and cut them into big bite size pieces. I also grabbed 3-4 decent size red potatoes and cut them the same. I put all three in together and boiled them until just tender.

While they were cooking I went back out to the garden and grabbed a handful of mint leaves, a few sprigs of lemon balm, a couple stems of variegated lemon thyme, a fistful of chives and a few stalks of my cilantro, which has gone to seed.

Gone to seed?!?!… click post-jump.

in Veggie 1 comments

by BS

Tintol Tapas Bar

Spanish Tapas joints have become commonplace enough in America that the trendiness factor is pretty much completely worn out. Enter Portuguese Tapas…ooh, pretty edgy, right?

The narrow, low-key bar at Tintol is out of place on a gaudy block just East of Times Square, and the restaurant is a welcome addition to an area not known for originality in eating establishments.

Tintol does offer some of the favorites among traditional Spanish Tapas, including lightly-breaded Croquetas and perfect Papas Bravas (golden fried potatoes loaded with a spicy paprika kick). The menu also includes more specifically Portuguese specialities such as grilled sardines (fresh and light fish that I am now aware can be far, far tastier than the oily, canned varieties – they’re second from the top above); and Almondegas (ground lamb meat balls stewed with diced vegetables).

For those seeking lighter fare, there are healthy servings of Serrano Ham, cheese and olives, but this isn’t the type of Tapas place that leaves you wondering when the main course is coming; the portions are big enough that two to three plates per person will leave you stuffed.

The Tapas are supplemented by a lengthy list of reds, whites and sherries, and the dessert menu features Pudim Albade de Perisco, a super-rich and delicious Portugese take on flan.

All in all, I’m in favor of Portuguese Tapas. Get ’em now before they’re trendy.

155 W. 46th Street, 212.354.3838

UPDATE: Tintol is moving on up….

Photo: Tintol

in Fish / Trends 2 comments