Tapas party at Phil’s
August 3, 2009 § Leave a comment
My friend Phil recently got his entire kitchen renovated (it’s soooo beautiful!) so a bunch of us invited ourselves over there to cook up some Spanish tapas dishes. Needless to say, after three hardworking, sweaty hours, and two rounds of delicious food (and before we were even able to get to the churros and Spanish hot chocolate), we were gut-bustingly full on gambas al ajillo (shrimp with garlic), patatas bravas (crispy, peasant-style potatoes dipped in tomato sauce), and other dishes. And I just wanted to thank everyone for putting up with me barking orders at them, especially Phil, who had his kitchen taken over by a food-obsessed mad woman and his parents who trusted that we wouldn’t destroy their house, and Julia, who took all the pictures while I was running around the kitchen.
Menu
- Spicy and candied almonds
- Gambas al ajillo, shrimp with garlic
- Sauteed wild and cultivated mushrooms with parsley
- Patatas bravas, peasant style potatoes
- Pan con tomate, bread with tomato rub
- Espinacas a la catalana (Spinach Catalan-style)
- Steak au poivre (which, yes, is French and really had no business being there but we needed beef)
- Sangria
The shrimp, potatoes, and steak (no surprise with this meat and taters loving group) were the biggest hits of the night but what made me happiest was everyone seemed to be eating everything. Even the spinach wasn’t neglected.
Not your average ham
June 28, 2009 § Leave a comment
This past winter while walking around M St, I noticed a small sign on the door of Dean and Deluca, “Jamon Iberico: $80 per lb.” As much as I love dried and cured meats, I couldn’t imagine paying that much for a slice of ham. But little did I know, Spanish jamon iberico is nowhere near your typical Hormel deli meats but the Rolls-Royce of everything porky.
Jamon iberico entered my life again when I started becoming obsessed with Spanish food after watching Anthony Bourdain gorge himself on No Reservations. My mom bought me a wonderful cookbook called Culinaria Spain that covered all the country’s different regions and cuisines, and there it was: a huge blown-up picture of the black bellotas and what they would soon become. But I never thought I would get to try this ridiculously expensive ham (which is also extremely hard to find in the US since only a couple slaughterhouses in Spain meet the necessary USDA regulations) so imagine my surprise and childish delight when I found it being sold at the C!tysuper (think HK’s version of Whole Foods) for about $12 per package (which is still pricy since each package only had several thin slices) in Hong Kong of all places. I know, I know. If I’m in China, what the hell am I doing lusting over Spanish food? But, everytime my friend Kendall and I would get groceries, we’d find an excuse to wander to the deli section for samples straight from the leg.
While I would never buy this regularly, jamon iberico certainly has a reason to be that expensive. It was complex, smooth, and truly special, and I’ll always remember its distinct and delicious taste. Even now I’m drooling just thinking about it. One day I’m gonna have to go to Spain just to have it again.
Easter Brunch at Hook
April 19, 2009 § Leave a comment
I think my first visit to Hook is responsible for my current obsession with all kinds of seafood. I’ve loved sushi for a long time, but there really aren’t enough restaurants that serve delicious, sustainable fish like Hook. According to the Washingtonian, they also supposedly have some of the best brunch in DC, so for Easter, my floormate Alan and I decided to stop by and get our fill of seafood.
The first time I went to Hook with Amy, it was for dinner and we were seated at the long table across the bar since we didn’t have any reservations. This time around, the restaurant was airy and filled with light, and Alan and I were seated a cute little alcove, from where we could actually see the cooks working in the kitchen.
For appetizers, Alan got the almond scones (he wanted to compare them to Leopold’s and Poupon, I think) and I got one of Hook’s signature dishes, the grilled calamari with walnut-pesto and some smashed potatoes to which I didn’t really pay attention. That single dish is now the one that I find myself craving the most often. Actually, I had it at the Tackle Box, the more casual, lobster-shack inspired sister restaurant of Hook, with Amy yesterday.
My seared barramundi was tasty and light. One of things I love most about Hook is that all the fish has this wonderful crust on the outside that’s perfectly seasoned, and the fish just flakes at the touch of a fork. Also, the vegetables and sides, like lentils or black eyed peas, that accompany each of these dishes are something that I would never really crave or want, but everything comes together so beautifully that I wish there was some way for me to reproduce the taste. Which I probably can’t.
My first raw oyster
April 14, 2009 § Leave a comment
After staying at a friend’s house in Fairfax on Friday evening, my family and I then drove to Old Town Alexandria to walk around King Street and look at cute antique stores. There was a lot of rain, but in a way, it was a good thing since there were less people walking around town that day. We had a late lunch at Hank’s Oyster Bar, which also has a location at Dupont Circle, much closer to Georgetown campus.
Now, I’d never tried raw oysters before. I don’t even remember if I ever tried them cooked, but when I read Anthony Bourdain’s Kitchen Confidential, I knew that if I was ever given the opportunity, I wouldn’t let it pass me by. Eating raw oysters was one of his food revelation-moments after all. Luckily, my dad happens to really love them, so going with our waiter’s recommendations, we ordered the Kusshi, Steamboat, Bluepoint, and Wildcat; this was one case where he didn’t want to hold back the food. Though all were delicious and wonderfully fresh, the Kusshi stood out and I actually got a bit of that “cucumber finish” that our waiter mentioned. At $2 a piece, they weren’t too expensive, and my dad found out that on Saturdays, you can buy tickets for $65 for all-you-can-eat oysters and all-you-can-drink beers. Needless to say, I wouldn’t be surprised if he just happened to visit me next time during the weekend.
Oh, and this is a beautiful box of mochi that my dad got during his trip to Tokyo. It was gorgeously wrapped, but the box itself was plain white, which is driving me crazy now because I want to know if I can order the same set online and I don’t even know the company name. Anyway, there was a lot of sesame-seed-crusted red bean mochi, some apple and orange, but my favorites by far were the individually wrapped yuzu (yellow) and sakura (pink). Both of them were so floral and not disgustingly sweet, and I just love that sticky rice texture compared to the smooth filling. Sigh. I need more.
The Quans go to Washington
April 12, 2009 § Leave a comment
There’s only about 3 weeks left in the semester, and to help me through to the final stretch, my parents and youngest sister Jackie came down this past weekend to keep me company during my Easter break. At first I was a bit nervous since the weather didn’t look too good, but Friday, it was sunny and clear and we spent the entire day downtown at the National Mall and Smithsonian museums – American History, National Gallery (of course) and Natural History.
My parents left all the eating up to me, and I have to say I planned out a pretty damn good itinerary. We had a lovely light lunch at Teaism which was fast and cheap, but the bento boxes and other food were surprisingly fresh and tasty. Jackie really liked the mango lassi and the salty oat cookies (which I could eat with the tea alone), and I loved the little pot that the tea came in. The adjacent tea shop next doory wasn’t open at the time, but I think I might go back there to get a Mother’s Day gift or something. I could see how people go there day after day for lunch; there are so many different choices, so many possible combinations.
We started on campus, which was absolutely beautiful because all the tulips and flowers had already started blooming. Plus, mom and dad had to get the requisite shot of them in front of Healy Tower. My parents really enjoyed the National Gallery, especially the large rotunda on the second floor with the giant marble columns. I don’t think my mom realized that there were so many important paintings in DC, so she was pretty impressed with the Monets and Van Goghs housed upstairs. There was also a temporary orchid exhibit at the Museum of Natural History, so if you’re in DC during the next month or so, I’d recommend stopping by there as well. All Smithsonian museums have free admission! One reason why I really love going to school in DC. Free culture!
Finally, we had dinner back at Jaleo in Penn Quarter since my parents had never tried Spanish tapas before and Jaleo was one of the first restaurants that I had reviewed for The Hoya. I have always loved Jose Andres food since then, so I thought it would be a special treat for them to try a lot of his small dishes. Everything we ordered was delicious, especially the classic tuna salad ensaladilla rusa and the semolina cake for dessert, which had a lovely light texture, paired with the cinnamon ice cream.
So that concludes the first day while my family was down here. We spent the rest of the night at my mom’s college friend’s house in Fairfax, VA where a bunch of them got together and just drank cocktails and ate snacks while reminiscing about college life and passing along gossip about other classmates. The next day we went to Old Town Alexandria and had some of the best seafood of my life, but that’s for another day’s post.
Answer to laziness? Why, more carbs, of course.
March 17, 2009 § Leave a comment
Anyone who knows me moderately well can tell you about my obsession with anything [more like anyone] British. It’s the accent, the sarcastic humor, the cute names for everything [ex: jumbleberry crumble], that laidback poshness. Sadly, I’ve never actually been to England [though next spring break may change that], but I live vicariously through Nigella Lawson by watching her videos on Youtube.
Even though she’s known as a “domestic goddess,” I think she’s also one of the laziest and most clumsy cooks on television, though it makes me love her even more. Her dishes are sometimes so simple that you really don’t need a recipe, and there’s no fuss for which, as a poor college student who hates spending money on random ingredients, I am grateful.
Linguine with thyme mushrooms is such a dish. I think button mushrooms are probably one of the most versatile ingredients you can have. Throw them into pasta sauce for an extra meatiness or sautee them with the pan drippings of your steak to make them even more rich. There’s really nothing like a bunch of mushrooms to add more to your food. What makes this dish even better is butter. And lots of it. Sometimes, you just have to indulge. Or, if you’re Nigella, every meal is already an indulgence.
Linguine with Thyme Mushrooms (adapted from Nigella Lawson)
garnish: handful of chopped parsley and shaved Parmesan
Cook pasta according to instructions. Make sure you salt the water, and before you add the linguine, drizzle a bit of olive oil into the pot to prevent the pasta from sticking together. Retain some of the pasta water and loosely drain the linguine when al dente, with a little bite.
Snackin’ on Guac
March 16, 2009 § Leave a comment
Eating guacamole by myself at school is sometimes a waste; at our supermarket, it only comes in medium-sized tubs, so by the time I’ve had my fill, my guac has already turned an unappetizing brown color. Home, on the other hand, is a different story. When Laura and Jackie get back from school, I can put together a fresh guacamole in less then 10 minutes and it’s gone in 5.
In my opinion, guacamole is better when it’s simpler. This recipe is really basic, and I love it with some blue or lime salted tortilla chips.
Guacamole
Tapas at Bodega
February 22, 2009 § Leave a comment
Julia and Ameya were in town, and instead of getting dimsum at China Garden like we usually do, we tried the tapas at Bodega. They did have a Restaurant Week menu for lunch and dinner, but we decided to just order 3 tapas dishes each since we didn’t really like the appetizers or desserts. And what a smart decision on our part. Usually with tapas places, I expect some hits and misses. Even with Jaleo, there were some tapas that I didn’t really like. Bodega is another story, and even though I definitely liked some dishes more than others, each one had something to give.
Bodega Spanish Tapas and Lounge
Paolo’s and Restaurant Week Part I
February 20, 2009 § 1 Comment
Winter in DC usually means I’m holed up in my dorm room on weekends watching crappy chick flicks or catching up on LOST. A couple weeks ago, Jia and I had had enough, and we decided to organize a girls’ night out at Paolo’s Ristorante on Wisconsin. We’d walked past a dozen times before, and with a sudden craving for some decent Italian food, we caved.
I went with two appetizers, the duck gnocchi and eggplant fritters, while my friends chose between the pizzas and specials. The duck gnocchi was a bit disappointing. I was really excited after reading the delicious sounding description, but the duck confit was tough and dry, and even though the gnocchi was pillowy, the arugula and biscotti crumbs had no business being in the dish. If the duck had been cooked better, the two alone would have been heavenly enough. The eggplant, on the other hand, was satisfactory. The cheese was molten hot and the sauce had a really nice tang, so I didn’t complain too much.
Everyone else said their food was fine, but I was too busy eating my food to care. Though I did choose not to order dessert, Jia and Tracy split the largest slice of tiramisu that I have ever seen in my life, and Melissa’s mandarin orange creme brulee was huge as well. We walked out of Paolo’s considerably stuffed and had to walk around M street before finally heading back to campus.
We didn’t have to walk too far. At Hook, there weren’t any individual tables available, but we sat at the end of a long table near the bar where there was full service. Hook is a restaurant very well known for its sustainable seafood, so it only made sense to order as much fish as we could. Appetizers were tuna tartare and an amped up clam chowder, but the entrees were the star of the show. My arctic char was no short of amazing – grilled so the skin was deliciously salty and crispy with the creamy celeriac puree to balance it – and Amy’s sablefish was light and airy but packed with the flavor of the ocean.
Desserts were amazing as well, and at this point, while I was taking photos, a chic woman came up to our end of the table and asked why I had a camera. Her name was Bethany Umbel, owner of Hook, and at that moment, she had been talking with Heather Chittum, the pastry chef who’d actually been named one of the “Top 5 Pastry Chefs in the Nation” and worked with Michel Richard at the famous Citronelle. I think they were both a bit on edge about me taking photos of the pastries (maybe they thought I was stealing presentation ideas?), but when they realized I was just an innocent food blogger, they eased up and sincerely said that they hoped we’d enjoyed the meal.It was a truly lovely dinner, and when I came back to the room to see how much the dishes originally would’ve cost me, I was shocked that the price tag would’ve been $61 without tax and tip. A serious bargain considering we only paid 35. Usually I’d say eating seafood exclusively isn’t my thing, but this was definitely a dinner to remember and I can’t wait until I go to Hook again.
Hook
http://www.hookdc.com
3241 M Street, Washington DC 20007
202.625.4488
A simple shrimp scampi
January 16, 2009 § 1 Comment
It’s freezing in DC; -4 degrees with the windchill, and everytime I go outside I think my fingers and toes are going to freeze and snap right off. I really hope Inauguration Day isn’t this bad, because then I’m gonna have to wear about 1293102938 layers while waiting out in the cold. Oh…did I not tell you that I would be going? Well, I don’t have tickets, but I will be going with friends to the National Mall, at least to tell my children that I was there that day.
Anyway, the cold makes me want to eat food even more because with cooking comes warmth, and I always think of Ina Garten’s recipe for shrimp scampi. There’s your protein from the shrimp, fruit from the lemons, veggies from the parsley (yes parsley’s an herb but it’s green so I count it as veg), and lots of yummy carbs and fats from the pasta and butter! And it really doesn’t take too much time to make. After learning how to make this, I never order this dish in restaurants anymore. It’s just a waste of money and meal on my part!
Instructions:
Drizzle some oil in a large pot of boiling salted water, add 1 tablespoon of salt and the linguine, and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, or according to the directions on the package.
In a large heavy bottomed pan, melt the butter and olive oil over medium low heat. Add the garlic and saute for one minute. Be careful since the garlic burns easily. Add the shrimp, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, and the black pepper. Saute until the shrimp have just turned pink, about 5 minutes, stirring often. Remove from the heat, add the parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, lemon slices, and red pepper flakes. Toss to combine.
Notes on Food 