The Polls Have Closed!

The voting process for my Anthony Bourdain Medium Raw Challenge is now over. I have ranked #23 with 1,570 votes. I couldn't be happier with that!!!! I'm extremely exicted/nervous for this month of a waiting game that lies ahead. Thank you so much to all who voted for me, that truly means a lot! And for those just stopping by and reading, here's my essay:

Consider me quite possibly the youngest food prep in culinary history. I found myself, at the tender age of 6, highly attracted to the busy, boisterous kitchen of my grandparent’s popular Cuban restaurant. There are these faint, yet vivid memories in which I find myself stuffing and shaping “papa rellenas”, chopping up some kind of produce, and scrambling eggs during breakfast hour for the hungry, awaiting customers. The sound of the meat grinder, the pounding of steaks, and the crisping, crackling sound of the deep fryer. I knew for a fact, even in the midst of my pure innocence, that being in the kitchen was meant for me.

I’ve always considered cooking as a form of art. We are artists. Each and every one of us. No, we might not use a brush and paint to precisely smother a canvas with captivating imagery. But instead our brushes have become 8inch blades and our paint is now aromatic, beautifully tasting herbs and spices. We have created mouth-watering plates, canvas’, in which are cooked well. Damn well. And speaking of artists, considering the fact that I grew up in the restaurant, my grandmother was the first one I laid eyes on. The sweat trickling down my Abuela’s forehead as she was cooking up the best fucking black beans known to man. Her tiny 5’1” body making moves, making sure every morsel being put together was filled with pure, unconditional love. Yeah, she definitely was, and still is, an artist. An artist crazy enough to let her grandchild use a chef’s knife.

Food always seemed to be somewhat of an adventure to me. It is all about leaving the bland behind and going for something a bit more bold and daring. Every chop, every whisk leads you to that final product. That delectable plate of well-cooked food in which is going to fill that hungered, unfilled belly of yours. And when those flavors hit your palate, it’s as if an incredible explosion just set off in your mouth, on your tongue. But with the thrill, also comes a form of relaxation. I, 16 years after my “food prep days”, use my cooking as a tool for stress relief. Tuning into the jazz station, I then grab my knife and in me, I find a sense of control; I am at peace. I am truly me. I chop away and begin some magic in the kitchen. The jazz infuses my body and soul with a sweet melody that plays deep into my heart and straight into the food. Mmm…

So although the memories of my childhood, alongside my self-taught chef of an Abuela, are worth reliving, I am more than happy to be where I am today. In my blood I carry the ultimate DNA in which will lead me on a culinary adventure until I’m finally asked to kindly leave this earth. And that is exactly why, I not only cook food well, but enjoy the shit out of it, too.

Pineberries? YUM!!!

"Pineberries are a strawberry derivative that taste like pineapple." Apparently, this fruit was bred from a wild batch of strawberries in South America. They were actually facing extinction but fortunately, a group of Dutch farmers, picked some up, began to grow them & saved them from their extinction. They are currently only being sold in UK and Belize (they're extremely rare). WHY CAN'T WE GET SOME? .... Please?

You guys are such "BLOCKHEADS".

Okay, okay, so this might be more of a "Americanized" Mexican establishment. That doesn't mean I can't eat here, though, right? I stopped by on a Wednesday afternoon with my cousin for some food and drinks. She had never been and I get a little too excited showing people new places, haha. I have to say, I really love their margarita's. Maybe it's the fact that they're $3 frozen (and do their job) or the fact that you can order one with a Coronita flipped upside-down in it (TOPPED WITH A SHOT OF PATRON!), but there really is just something about them. I've tried quite a few things on the menu, they're pretty good, but nothing comes close to the 3-Bean Vegetarian Chili Burrito. Yes, I eat meat but WOW, that Chili is awesome. Tomato based and simmered with Ancho-Chili's and what not. It's just great.

Oh yeah, and don't ever, ever forget to SUPER CORN your burrito. They stuff it with Sour Cream, Guacamole & their Corn Salsa. Yummm. CLICK HERE for the restaurant's main site.

My French Dinner Party.

Fortunately, a picture of my favorite dish, the Ratatouille.

I have terrible news. There was a mishap with my camera and all the pictures of my lovely dinner party are now gone. Oh well, shit happens. I would like to state that although I pretty much sliced the tip of my finger off with a mandoline (again, shit happens, haha), the dinner party was a complete success. The menu consisted of: Quiche Lorraine, Spinach & Onion Quiche, and the now oh-so-famous Ratatouille (I used the recipe from the movie, not the traditional stew) for appetizers. Coq Au Vin for the entree and Chocolate Fondue with Strawberries & Madelines for dessert.

Being my first attempt in eating, making, and/or trying French cuisine I was so very happy with the outcome of our meal. Everything was MORE than delicious, especially the Ratatouille. WOW, It was amazing. The balsamic vinaigrette tied it all in together so well.

I'm also happy to announce that due to this dinner, I now have a second dinner party coming up as per request of one of my guests. So I will definitely have more coming your way, and this time, I promise I'll have pictures!

CREMAS, Artisan Flavors.

Yum, yum, yum. Week after week my friends & I patiently waited for the Grand Opening of this Ice Cream Shop and for the paper to come off down the windows so we could finally take a peek inside! To finally be able to see the long menu of fabulous flavors offered to the public. The main reason for my excitement of this place is the jealousy in which I felt towards people in other states who had what we didn't (an ice cream shop with not so traditional flavors). I was pleasantly surprised to find home-made flavors such as: Flan, Nutella, White Chocolate, Sambayon, Strawberry Cheesecake, Almond, & Tiramisu. And for all us Hispanics out there, nice tropical flavors such as: Coconut, Passion Fruit, Guava, Guanabana, & Mora (blackberry). Passion Fruit & Nutella were absolutely delicious. I will definitely be returning and make it a mission to try every single flavor they have to offer!

CLICK HERE to check out their main site!

LOTUS: Thai food in Guttenberg!

Busy, busy at dinner time.



I could not have been more than happy when I found out there was a Thai restaurant only 2 blocks away from my house. LOTUS. When you walk in, you're immediately taken out of Guttenberg and you find yourself in was seems a chic Manhattan Thai restaurant with very nice decor. The ambiance was great and the staff was more than friendly, quick to give us the scoop on what they believed were the best dishes. I struck up a conversation with who seemed to be the Owner (turned out to be the Chef's son) of the place, telling me that the Thai Basil they use in their dishes are grown outside in a small garden behind the restaurant. I find that to be brilliant because that obviously makes it just that more fresh. The food was delicious, an explosion of flavors in your mouth. I tried the Green Curry and it was unlike anything I had ever tasted before. I felt every inch of my palette tingle with flavor. Absolutely delicious. I also tried the Spring Rolls (I really liked the sauce and the light crunchiness of the wrapper) & the sauteed Basil Dish (sooo good!) I will be returning very soon to try the MANY things that caught my eye on the menu. You should all definitely check it out, even if you have not tried the cuisine before. You will not be disappointed.

Top Chef Winner 2010.

I would like to Congratulate fellow New Jersey native, Kevin Sbraga, on his win on Top Chef last night. Although some people didn't think you should have taken home the prize, I thought otherwise. He had tough competitors who put up a good fight but in the end, his final meal reigned over all. His take on a Singapore Sling (his dessert dish) looked amazing. Beautiful presentation and according to the judges, absolutely delicious. CONGRATS!

Oh, Tony.

Anthony Bourdain on YoGabbaGabba! Who in the world would have thought??? Really. I was able to see the actual clip which was great, it's definitely a sight to see (I wasn't able to post it due to copyright issues) ; this made me laugh, considering I'm currently reading Kitchen Confidential and Tony seems like a such a badass during the time he wrote it. Heck, he STILL seems like such a badass (if you haven't watched No Reservations, please do). I guess having a baby girl will soften even the toughest of men.

HMMM, I would also like to state I've had his book Kitchen Confidential for 3 days and I'm already half way through. SO much information, SO good, SO well-written. It's a cook's dream.

A Little Taste of the Carribean..

I came up with this recipe because my cousin was craving steak and rice. Her co-worker told her to try making Coconut Rice and my brain came up with this:

STEAK

4 - 12oz. Palomilla Steaks

5 Limes, zested & juiced

1 Large Yellow Onion, sliced

2 TBSP. Minced Garlic

1 TBSP. Minced Ginger

1 - 12oz. Corona

1 TBSP. Ground Cumin

Sea Salt, To Taste

Peppercorn Medley, To Taste

Olive Oil, to Pan-Fry

In a large mixing bowl, combine the juice & zest of 5 Limes, Garlic, and Ginger. Before adding each steak to the bowl, pound them out with a Kitchen Mallet and then season both sides of each steak with the Cumin.  Now add to the bowl, pour the Corona and toss with the Onions. You can let sit over night in the refrigerator or wait 1-2 hours for the marinade to work itself into the meat.

Right before cooking, put Olive-Oil down in a pan. As it's heating  up, season the steaks (minus the onion) with Sea Salt and Peppercorn Medley (this creates a nice crust when pan-frying). Then, place in pan to sear in Olive Oil. Once steaks are cooked, throw in all the onions and sauté until tender. Then spoon over steak.

COCONUT RICE

2 Cups uncooked White Rice

2 Cups Coconut Milk

1 Small Red Onion, diced

1/2 TBSP. Minced Ginger

1/2 Cup Toasted Sweetened Coconut Flakes

1/4 Cup Fresh Chopped Cilantro

Sea Salt, To Taste

Olive Oil

First, wash the rice and drain, repeat this 3 times. Then, in a medium pan, drizzle Olive Oil and sauté the Red Onion and Ginger. Add Sea Salt, to taste. Once translucent, add the Onion mixture to the washed rice and mix. (I use a Rice Cooker) Once the rice is in the rice cooker, add the 2 Cups of Coconut Milk and let cook. While the rice is cooking, toast the Shredded Coconut in a pan. Once the rice has cooked, toss in the Toasted Coconut Flakes & chopped Cilantro and your rice is ready!

Combine these two recipes for a mouth-watering plate that is sure to please!

PS: Don't be afraid of adding a little spice to your steak, it will only balance out with the sweetness of the rice!

ENJOY!!

Reviews, anyone?

CLICK HERE to check out my Yelp Review page. I just finished reviewing a few places.

Isn't this sculpture awesome?

Made entirely of cooking-ware to look like the City, this is sculpted by Zhang Wang & I found it on here.

Mexican Pizza = AWESOME.

I wish I had a better picture. This doesn't do it justice.

I love combining different cuisines. There's just something about it. In this Pizza recipe I combine traditional Italian foods and sauces with a Mexican twist that will make your tastebuds dance. Please use this Pizza Dough Recipe. Now let's start off with the sauce:

SAUCE

2cups Crushed Tomato Sauce

1 Medium Onion, chopped

4 Garlic Cloves, finely chopped

1- Saute both Garlic & Onion in olive oil. Once translucent, add Chrushed Tomato Sauce. Add Salt & Pepper, to taste.

CHICKEN

1 lb. Ground Chicken

1 Garlic Clove

1 bunch of Scallions

Cholula Chipotle Hot Sauce

1- Drizzle Olive Oil in the pan. Throw in chicken & begin to brown. Throw in the Garlic & Scallions. Then add in Salt, Pepper, & the Hot Sauce to taste.

CHEEEEEESE. This is entirely up to you. I used Monterey Jack with Jalapenos because I love some spice to my food. And the sliced red onions on top are optional but they add a crunch which is always nice.

RICOTTA

8oz. Ricotta

2 Limes

Bunch of Cilanto, chopped

1- Zest the skin of the Lime and then juice 1 lime. Chop the Cilantro and mix it all in with the Ricotta.

Layer the Pizza in order of the recipes list and bake at 425 degrees for 15-20minutes. ENJOY :)


PS: My wonderful boyfriend, Mario, helped me out with this recipe. <3

I WANT THIS CAKE NOW.

NOW NOW NOW NOW NOWWWW. Please :)

Let's talk about some pizza dough.

• 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
• (^ that should equal to one small packet)
• 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1 1/2 cups warm water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• Extra flour for kneading
• 
  

1. In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast and brown sugar in the water, and let sit for 10 minutes. (The warm water is crucial, as it activates the yeast.)
2. Stir the salt and oil into the yeast & water mixture. Mix in 3 1/3 cups of the flour.
3. Turn dough out onto a clean, well floured surface, and knead in more flour until the dough is no longer sticky. Then, place the dough into a well oiled bowl, and cover with a cloth. Let the dough rise until double; this should take about 1 hour or so. Once the time is up, punch down the dough, and form a tight ball. Allow the dough to relax for a minute before rolling out. 
4. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). If you are baking the dough on a pizza stone, you may place your toppings on the dough, and bake immediately. If you are baking your pizza in a pan, lightly oil the pan, and let the dough rise for 15 or 20 minutes before topping and baking it.
5. Bake pizza in preheated oven, until the cheese and crust are golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes.

This recipe calls for one large deep-dish pie or two regular pies. For the two regular pies: in step #3, after punching down the dough, cut in two, form a tight ball and then allow the mixture to relax for a minute before rolling out.

SPINACH DIP!

WHO DOESN'T LOVE THIS STUFF?? People have been obsessing over this over at Houlihan's for years, but let me tell you, I don't think it gets any better than making it from scratch at home. My twist to it? A beer. It just makes it all the more better.

I made mine in a fondue pot given to me at work because of the "Secret Santa" grabbag. I was so freaking happyyy when I got it. I needed to make something with it besides melting up some chocolate and this is what I came up with. Simple, yet SO delicious:

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

a bunch of Spinach

1 beer; (I used Yuengling)

3/4 cup of light cream

1/2 cup of Monterey Jack cheese with Jalapeños

3/4 cup of White Cheddar

Sea salt, to taste

Peppercorn Medley, to taste

Olive Oil, for pot

You can start off by drizzling in some olive oil. Then throw in the yellow onion a pinch of sea salt to help them sweat out. You can now throw in the garlic (make sure not to put in too early, garlic burns easily and can taste very bitter). Once the garlic & onion are translucent you can pour in 1 12oz. beer or your choice. I chose Yuengling and I think it worked beautifully with the dip. Let the beer come up to a light simmer and then toss in the Spinach. Once the Spinach has begun to wilt, pour in the light cream. Let come to a simmer and slightly thicken. You can now crack in fresh Peppercorn medley, to taste. And the final and most delicious step, THROW IN THE CHEESE AND LET IT MELT. It's now ready for you to scarf down, hehe.

Served it with chunks of bread and restaurant-style tortilla chips. ENJOY!