Chef Talk: Beat the Winter Blues With Booze Ingredients Features Chef Talk Cocktails Holiday Norwalk Recipe Stephanie Webster January 12, 2010 When asked to share a recipe with our CTbites readers, Jennifer Balin of Sugar & Olives went right for the drink. If you have been to an event at her great retail/party space you already know that she mixes a mean cocktail loaded with organic infusions and flavorful syrups. Here are two cocktail recipes you can try at home, including directions for her wonderful ginger syrup. Whip up one of these "Sugar & Olives Martinis" or "Bourbon Marries Ginger" drinks on a cold winter's night (when you aren't carpooling) and you'll barely feel the cold. Read More
Fairfield Cheese Company: Cheese 101 Ingredients Features Catering Education Fairfield Specialty Market Farm Fresh Stephanie Webster January 11, 2010 Have you ever walked into a cheese shop, and been utterly confused by the array of choices in front of you? For those of you who just nodded your heads, let me introduce you to Fairfield Cheese Company. Their bright beautiful retail space, right next door to Harry's Wine and Liquors, serves as a canvas for carefully chosen specialty foods and an impeccable selection of artisinal and locally produced farmstead cheeses. When Laura Downey and Christopher Palumbo opened their doors in May of 2009, they did so with a purposeful dedication to demystifying the daunting process of buying cheese and introducing their customers to the range and craftsmanship of artisan cheeses. "Cheese stores can be intimidating. We wanted to take away the mystique….It's not rocket science" says Laura. Read More
What The Heck Is A CSA? Ambler Farms Event Tells All Ingredients Features Education Local Farm Organic Wilton healthy Farm Fresh Stephanie Webster January 05, 2010
Winter Comfort Food: Lamb with Leeks & White Beans Features Ask Chef Nicole Recipe Comfort Food Nicole Straight December 31, 2009 On a snowy day, there is nothing like slow cooked meat and savory beans. Braising (where the main ingredient is seared, or browned in fat, and then simmered in liquid on low heat in a covered pot) is a low-effort way to get that great tender fall-off-the-bone meat we all crave. If you are still stalling on your New Year's Eve menu, this is an easy recipe to make for both a dinner party or a cozy quiet night at home. Hmmm..I may need to go pick up some lamb shanks and whip up a pot right now. Lamb with Leeks and White Beans Read More
Stay At Home Sushi: A Dinner Party Primer Features Japanese Seafood Specialty Market Recipe Stephanie Webster December 29, 2009 Ok…Seriously…How good does that look? Given the widespread adoration for sushi these days it has always amazed me that more people don't attempt to replicate this Japanese meal in the comfort of their own homes. What could surpass the pleasure of creating your own maki combinations with an endless supply of fish? Just think of the possibilities. My suspicion is an overarching belief that some meals are better left to the experts. The precision and foreignness of Japanese cuisine feels daunting to most. Surely there is some trick to obtaining the stunning entrees that arrive tableside when we eat out. Where in the world would one even get all of the ingredients, not to mention sushi grade fish? It was with all this culinary baggage that I received an email from a CT Bites reader. "I'm hosting a sushi dinner…where in Fairfield County can I get sushi grade fish?" Aha..a brave soul. I led her to the appropriate fish market (Spolier alert: Fjord Fisheries) but now feeling implicated in this fish-fest, I had to see how this sushi dinner unfolded. I invited myself to dinner. Here is how it went down, and how you can replicate this sushi smorgasbord in your own home. Read More
Entertaining: Shrimp, Mango & Jalapeno Lettuce Cups Features Ask Chef Nicole Holiday Recipe Nicole Straight December 26, 2009 Need a menu item for your New Year's Eve party? Why not try these elegant and easy to prepare lettuce cups filled with shrimp and mango? They have a great subtle kick, and can be made with slightly un-ripe mangoes so you don't have to drive all over town looking for the perfect fruit. Here is the real beauty of this dish. You can prepare almost all of this recipe ahead of time so you can actually enjoy the party instead of slaving away in the kitchen while your guests party on without you. Check out my directions for pre-prepping below: Shrimp with Lime, Mango and Jalapeno in Lettuce Cups Read More
Chef Talk: LeFarm's Bill Taibe-Slow Roasted Pork Belly Features Chef Talk Holiday Recipe Stephanie Webster December 23, 2009 For Chef Bill Taibe of LeFarm, a holiday is not a holiday without a little pork belly. Here is his amazingly decadent yet simple preparation for Slow Roasted Pork Belly with Apple Pulp, Fresh Horseradish Root & Arugula. I'm already drooling... Read More
What Are Your Holiday & New Years Food Traditions? Features CTbites Shout Out Holiday Stephanie Webster December 22, 2009
Chef Talk: Osetra's Chef David Nivens-Lobster Spaghettini Features Chef Talk Norwalk Recipe Stephanie Webster December 21, 2009 Don't you always wonder what chefs make when they leave their throng of paying diners, kick back, and cook for themselves? Enquiring minds wanted to know, so CTbites asked top local chefs to share a holiday dish from their at home recipe box. This might be something they serve to their family at the end of the day or food that simply defines the season. We will be featuring these recipes throughout the month of December. We hope you try some of these meals in your home. You can be guaranteed they're good! Enjoy this delicious simple pasta entree from Chef David Nivens of SONO's Osetra. Read More
Cookies Part 1: Give the Gift of Homemade Cookie Dough Features Ask Chef Nicole Holiday Recipe Kid Friendly Dessert Nicole Straight December 17, 2009 Who doesn't appreciate a tin of cookies around the holidays? Well we've got some great tried and true recipes for cookies of all shapes and flavors. But before you pop these Coconut-lime Snowballs, Chocolate, Pecan and Orange Biscotti, Dark Chocolate Chewy Cherry Cookies, Lemon Snickerdoodles, or Chewy Kitchen Sink Oatmeal Cookies in the oven....why not gift without the heat? A gift of uncooked cookie dough allows the recipient the freedom to enjoy his or her cookies whenever desired. Plus YOUR gift won't go stale while your mail carrier or teacher attempts to consume the other 10 tins they received. Just wrap your dough in parchment, wax paper, or plastic wrap, and let your giftee know that it might be a good idea to get this parcel into the fridge as soon as possible. (Cooking instructions are helpful as well). For those of you who just want to bake up some delicious cookies, here are the recipes mentioned above. Read More
Butternut Squash Chevre Ravioli in Sage Butter Features Ask Chef Nicole Recipe Kid Friendly Nicole Straight December 15, 2009 Sure the cold weather brings fewer local fruits and vegetables, but have no fear, there's one versatile fruit (yes, it's a fruit) that you can count on in any season. I'm talking about the formidable squash, specifically the Butternut Squash that keeps us nourished with Vitamins A & C throughout the Fall and Winter months. This recipe for Butternut Squash Chevre Ravioli in Sage Butter falls into the category of elegant comfort food. You could include this dish in a dinner party menu or serve 'em up for a weeknight family dinner. The goat cheese and browned sage butter add nuance to your more standard squash ravioli and the result is remarkably delicious. These little pasta pockets look complicated but they are actually quite simple to construct if you follow my step-by-step video with added tips and tricks. Butternut squash chevre ravioli in sage butter Read More
Chef Talk: Da Pietro's Chef Scotti's Grilled Calamari Salad Interview Features Seafood Westport Recipe Christy Colasurdo December 14, 2009 Though better known around these parts for his inventive creations at DaPietro’s Restaurant in Westport, chef Pietro Scotti is all about tradition when it comes to the holidays. Leading up to Christmas, he bakes and decorates gingerbread houses with his kids, Tomaso, 7, and Lucia, 5, and sips festive hot cider with star anise, cinnamon and orange slices. He also bakes “Chicolino,” a bread with prosciutto and egg filling and a traditional sweet baked dessert that includes capellini pasta (go figure!), candied fruit, sugar, eggs and vanilla. Hailing from Ischia, a tiny fishing village in Italy, Pietro recalls fondly his family shopping excursions to the waterfront dock. There, his mother chose fish so fresh it was literally splashing around in buckets for his family’s “Feast of the Seven Fishes” Christmas Eve meal. When asked to provide CTbites with a favorite holiday recipe, Pietro chose this grilled calamari salad because it’s simple, clean and easy to prepare—a modern riff on a classic—but also because it reminds him of his childhood. Isn’t that what traditional holiday cooking is all about? Read More
Homemade Holiday Gifts: Vanilla Sugar & Extract Ingredients Features Ask Chef Nicole Holiday Recipe Dessert Nicole Straight December 07, 2009 Tired of giving your teachers and hosts the same bottle of wine, gift certificates, or coffee table books? Why not make your own eatable holiday gifts this year? CT Bites makes gift planning easy with our ongoing December feature "Homemade Holiday Gifts." No, we're not getting out the hot glue gun. We're getting crafty in the kitchen with delicious gift ideas that everybody will enjoy: Homemade Vanilla Extract & Vanilla Sugar. Read More
GreenChic Recipe: Green Goddess Salsa Features healthy Recipe Farm Fresh Jennifer Spaide December 01, 2009 Jennifer Spaide is the Founder of Greenchic.com, and is dedicated to educating and inspiring individuals to lead healthy lives, starting with what they eat. She lives in New Canaan and is a registered nutritionist, cook, mom, and foodie. This recipe was developed for one of my readers who was looking for a healthy salsa to serve at a party..."something a little green." I was so pleased she had made the request because this Green Goddess Salsa has become one of my staples. It is packed with healthy ingredients and is amazingly nutritious. It also has a clean, fresh flavor that is perfect with homemade tortilla chips, with eggs in the morning, or served with grilled meats. Green Goddess Salsa Read More
Cranbellinis: The Holiday Breakfast of Champions Features Cocktails Holiday Thanksgiving Recipe Elizabeth Keyser November 26, 2009
Stuffed: The Benefits of Stale Bread Features Holiday Thanksgiving Recipe Michael Mordecai November 24, 2009 Michael Mordecai is baker behind The Fairfield Bread Company and the wonderful "Flaxette." In giving thanks, respect is inherent. Our earth provides for us. We accept these provisions not with greed, but with appreciation. In celebrating food and the bounty of the earth, it is only right to respect the food by utilizing it to the fullest. Using leftovers to create new dishes minimizes waste of food and preparation time. Leftover stale bread has infinite uses. Hardened crusts and heels are transformed into delicious sweet or savory dishes. But now is the time to make stuffing. Use day-old (or 2 or 3 day-old) bread. Use what you have, crusts and all. If you must buy bread to make stuffing, buy a variety of day-old bread (or rolls) from a trusted bakery. The more varied the types of bread, the better the flavor, although one type will work: white, whole wheat, rye, pumpernickel, or sourdough. Read More
Ask Chef Nicole: Thanksgiving Side Dishes Features Ask Chef Nicole Holiday Thanksgiving Recipe Nicole Straight November 22, 2009 Thanksgiving is my all time favorite holiday, there’s no pressure to give gifts, and the whole day is about being together with people you love (or at least like very much) and think about all of the things I am grateful for. And of course, there’s the meal… When it comes to Thanksgiving, I must admit I am a bit of a purist. I want to know that this annual meal will taste exactly as it did last year and the year before that. The recipes I use are the ones my mother used and the ones her mother used. While I have made some small changes over the years (mostly to make life easier) the flavors are exactly the same as I remember them when I was young. My other favorite thing about Thanksgiving is the day after Thanksgiving sandwich, which is basically a little bit of everything (warmed just a little) stuffed between 2 soft pieces of white bread. When you make these recipes, be sure to make a little extra so you have enough for those yummy “day after sandwiches." Here are three of my favorites: Oven Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Prosciutto, Chestnuts and Apple; Mapled Sweet Potatoes; Classic Cranberry Sauce. Read More
Cooking at Home: Radish Greens Features healthy Recipe Farm Fresh Elizabeth Keyser November 18, 2009 Elizabeth Keyser is a local writer living in Fairfield. Her work has been published in The New York Times, GQ, American Photo, The New York Post, Connecticut Magazine, as well as CT newspapers. She writes restaurant reviews and a food column for the Fairfield County Weekly. Radishes and chard were the last things growing in the garden. A creature had gnawed on one of the radishes, so it was time to pull them up. But I wasn’t just harvesting the root. I was eying their bright healthy-looking greens. Yes, you can eat radish greens. They contain more vitamin C, calcium, potassium and folate than the root, and while peppery, they’re mellower than the root. They say you can eat them raw, but I’m turned off by the fury-prickly texture. I make soup with them. Radish leaf soup is an old French recipe. You can find it in Larousse Gastronomique, but it’s easy enough to wing it. This is a quick soup. You’ll be eating in this mildly piquant green elixir in 30 minutes. Radish Greens Soup Read More
It's Breakfast Time: Eggs in Phyllo, Pita or Tortilla Cups Features Ask Chef Nicole Recipe Breakfast Kid Friendly Nicole Straight November 12, 2009 You wake up on Saturday morning. You're feeling guilty about feeding your kids frozen waffles every day this week. It's time to break out of the mould and try out a new recipe...something with a little pizazz. How about eggs? Boring you may say, but these are not just any eggs. This is an egg breakfast that comes wrapped in its own carb (in the form of phyllo, tortilla, or pita cups). With the addition of veggies, cheese, or meat you've got a whole meal in one tasty little package. They look complicated but they only take about 20 minutes, and your family will love the results. Eggs in phyllo, pita bread, or tortilla cups Read More
