Thursday, March 31, 2011

Getting fat and happy at Honey Pig Gooldaegee

Korean BBQ has been quite trendy lately. I mean come on, who doesn't love a ton of meat cooked up right in front of you? And I feel like there are places popping up left and right all over Annandale. On our way home last night, we really weren't sure what to do for dinner. So as we're driving down Columbia Pike, trying to figure out where to go, we slowly make our way to Honey Pig and just had to turn in. It would be blasphemous to drive past right?

And normally we just get two platters of meat, but Tuan was super hungry and we both wanted to see if we could knock out 3 platters. So we ordered the bulgolgi, spicy pork belly (and asked for the chili paste) and marinated beef short ribs.
I happen to be sitting in the direct line of the steam, so I was getting a total meat facial. I didn't really care, I was going straight home afterwards, so smelling like meat didn't phase me at all. I always ask for extra kim chi, I love that stuff. I'm hoping to get my hands on Tuan's aunt's recipe soon so I can makes jars full of it for myself!

A really tasty way to eat is to get a piece of lettuce, pile on some meat, sauteed onions, roll it up and dip in the sauce. Or you can enjoy with a bowl of rice as well. The bulgolgi we ordered is one of my favorites, tender meat just marinating in a sweet and savory sauce. The spicy pork is amazing, especially as they're cooking it on the grill, they slather on more of the chili paste over top. So as the pork cooks, you get this caramelized sweet and super spicy flavor, absolutely delicious! And we normally order the galbi - beef short ribs, but they had a poster up of the marinated version, so we ordered that. It did not disappoint at all. The flavors were on point! One of the things I really love about Korean BBQ is just how simple it all is. It's straight up just meat cooked on a grill, served with a wide variety of picked veggies and sauces. The price is super reasonable and it's open 24/7, so you can get your meat fix any time, day or night.

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Wednesday Wings Day

It's the middle of the work week, and what does this mean?? Wings at Hooters for lunch. I went with some co-workers today for the Wednesday wing platter special - $5.99 for a plate of boneless chicken wings with french fries - and just fell compelled to blog about it. Now Hooters by no means is known for their food, but the thrifty side of me can't resist a good deal, lunch for under $10 is amazing in my book!
So I ordered the wing platter in the samurai sauce and then slatered it in hot sauce. I actually do like the sauce a lot, it's a combo of sweet, tangy and spicy. And the chicken itself are bite size portions of white meat. It's definitely not gourmet, and I'm sure there are many other options within walking distance for a healthier lunch, but for the price that you pay, it's not all that bad. The fried pickles were actually very tasty, just the way it should be made in the south. I'm actually inspired to try some fried pickles at home, so there will definitiely be a future blog post about that. But all in all, it was a cheap lunch that was very filling and great company!

Moules, Frites and Libations at Brasserie Beck

This is my second time dining at Brasserie Beck and man, dinner last night lived up to my every expectation! We didn't have reservations, but went there straight after work and only had to wait a few minutes for a table. The bar was hopping with happy hour drinkers, so the dining room wasn't really crowded. As a bonus, I never realized how close this place is to where I work! I already knew I was going to devour some delicious mussels and fries, but also wanted to try something else off their menu.

To start, we got the crispy veal sweetbread. Now let me begin and say that I've only had veal once before. It's a taste that I'm trying to get acclimated to. But this dish was amazingly delicious! It's served on top of squash risotto with sage butter that was cooked to perfection, absolutely creamy and full of flavor. As for the sweetbread, it was super crispy and light and as you bite into it, you get this burst of salty goodness! I couldn't believe I was actually enjoying every bite.

Next up, I ordered a full portion of the spicy red thai curry mussels. The mussels came out with a heaping bowl of delicious crispy french fries with sprinkled parsley and three dipping sauces. The presentation of the mussels is kind of interesting too. If everyone at the table orders it, the wait staff comes out with a huge covered pot and then open all the lids at once at the table. It's like "ta da, here's your dinner!" My mussels were cooked to perfection in this amazing sauce that was sweet, salty and spicy, all my favorite flavor combinations. There was also a generous portion of crusty bread to use to soak up the saucy goodness. Tuan got the mussels that were cooked in a mushroom broth. It tasted very hearty and you could taste the mushroom flavor with just a hint of herbs. Not your traditional type of mussels, but still finger licking good!

After polishing off everything in front of us, there really wasn't much room left for dessert. I couldn't believe how full I was, but that could have been the effects of the wine as well. They have a very impressive wine and beer selection and our waiter told us last night that they were having a special with half off bottles of select wine.

I really did enjoy everything about dinner last night and was so happy to come and try it out again. As we were sitting at our table, I drooled over some of the other entrees that the tables close to us were eating. So needless to say, I see future trips so I can try more food.

Monday, March 28, 2011

A Healthy Cake Recipe?!

Since I've started my whole baking adventure, I have yet to try and tackle baking a cake, until tonight that is! I challenged myself to finally make a cake. And I didn't just want to bake any cake, but I wanted something healthy that I could feel good about after having more than one slice. So, I found this amazing orange walnut cake recipe on Martha Stewart's Whole Living site and tried it tonight. It's full of vitamin C, folate and omega 3 fatty acids, so I felt that this was a perfect recipe to try, I get a delicious dessert and some much needed nutrients. I was very impressed with the end result and having a slice of cake with a hot cup of green tea was the perfect ending to a Monday!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1 cup walnuts, finely chopped
1 tablespoon freshly grated orange zest
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 large eggs
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
3/4 cup fresh orange juice
Confectioners' sugar for garnish

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl, whisk together the orange zest, flour, baking powder, salt, and ground walnuts. Make a well in the center of flour mixture and stir in the eggs, brown sugar, orange juice, and oil until well mixed and just moistened.

Brush a 9" cake pan with olive oil and line the bottom with parchment paper. Pour the batter into the cake pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean,  about 35 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. When ready to serve, dust generously with confectioners' sugar and enjoy with a cup of hot green tea!

Sunday, March 27, 2011

A Very Special Oatmeal Cookie


 Catherine turned the big 3-0  this weekend and she doesn't have a huge sweet tooth (anymore), but I still wanted to bake some goodies for her to help commemorate the milestone. So I went through my normal cupcake and cookie recipes, and felt that everything I've made so far would be a little too rich for Catherine. But I do remember these amazing oatmeal cookies Theresa had made a while ago, and I loved them. I remember even having a few cookies for breakfast cause they felt super healthy! So she shared with me the recipe and I was super excited to try them out!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups pecans, coarsely chopped
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed
1 cup cane sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 cups old-fashioned oatmeal
1 cup raisins
1 cup dried cranberries
1 1/2 cups of semi sweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Place the pecans on a sheet pan and bake for 5 minutes, until toasty. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the butter, brown sugar and cane sugar together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. With the mixer on low, add the eggs, one at a time, and the vanilla. 

In a separate bowl, sift the flower, baking powder, cinnamon and salt together.  With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix well. Add the oats, raisins, cranberries, chocolate chips and pecans and mix just until combined. 

Using a tablespoon, drop 2-inch mounds of the cookie dough onto sheet pans lined with parchment paper. Flatten slightly with a damp hand. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until lightly browned. Transfer the cookies to a baking rack and cool completely.

Saturday, March 26, 2011

Risotto with Mushrooms and Scallops

One of my favorite restaurants is Chef Geoff's, they have the most amazing scallop risotto and I'm in love with it. It's cooked to perfection, firm and creamy. So I wanted to recreate the same experience at home and try making my own risotto! I was super excited at how it turned out and dinner last night was a huge success.

Ingredients:
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 pounds sea scallops, remove and discard the tough muscle
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 medium yellow onion, minced
2 garlic gloves, minced
1 pound of mixed mushrooms, such as portabella, cremini and shitake, stemmed and sliced
leaves from a handful of fresh thyme sprigs
2 tbsp of chopped fresh flat leaf parsley, reserve a little for garnish
2 bay leaves
2 cups of Arborio rice, or any short grain plump rice
1/2 cup of Pinot Grigrio
6 cups of chicken stock, heated
2 tbsp of unsalted butter
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Place a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat and drizzle with about 2 tablespoon of olive oil. When the oil is hot, sprinkle the scallops with salt and pepper and brown well on both sides, about 2 minutes. Remove to a plate and cover to keep warm while you prepare the risotto.

Reduce the heat to medium. Drizzle in another 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the onion and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes until soft. Add in the mushrooms, thyme, parsley and bay leaves, season with salt and pepper and cook until the mushrooms are lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat with the oil, season again with salt and pepper. Stir in the wine and cook about 1 minute to evaporate the alcohol.

Now, pour in 1 cup of the warm chicken stock and stir until the rice has absorbed all of the liquid. Add another cup of stock and stir.  Continue this way, stirring constantly and adding the warm stock 1 cup at a time, allowing the rice to absorb the liquid before adding more. You want the final consistency to be slightly firm and creamy. When the risotto is cooked, fold in the butter and cheese and stir well. Add in the scallops to warm them back up. Serve warm and garnish with the reserved parsley.

Friday, March 25, 2011

The Best Peking Duck in Town!

Peking Gourmet Inn in Falls Church has to be hands down my favorite place for peking duck. And for the price, it's a great meal for 2! Whenever my husband and I try to find a casual place to go eat, we always apply the "duck rule". If we decide to go to a mediocre place and it will end up costing more than a duck, then to us, it's not worth it and we might as well have duck instead. So on our way home from work last night, we applied the rule and decided that we should get a duck!

So what exactly is peking duck? It originated in the city of Beijing, China during the imperial era and is now thought to be one of China's signature foods. It's a type of roast duck that is known especially for it's skin, which has to be kept thin, crispy and dark brown in color. And the presentation of the duck is also important, there seems to be an exact art from to the way it's prepared.

And for those who have never been to Peking Gourmet Inn, it does get pretty packed during peak dinner hours, so make reservations whenever you can. One of the things that you'll first notice inside the restaurant as you get seated are all the pictures of people from Capitol Hill. It's pretty neat to look at all the different people who have dined here.

We don't even bother looking at the menu anymore, we normally each order an appetizer and then a duck to share. There are a few other dishes that are super delicious -- peking style lamb chops (New Zealand lamb chops cooked in a concoction of spices) and Jae Yon shrimp (huge jumbo shrimp battered and fried). But last night, we were on a mission and just wanted duck.

The duck comes out whole and is carved perfectly table side. They use some super sharp knife and manage to slice pieces of the extremely crispy skin and cut away all the fat so all you're left with are crispy skin and delicate duck meat. The carver proceeds with this process until the entire duck is carved and you're left with about 2 plates of delicious meat and skin!








Along with the duck, there is a spread of hand made pancakes, hoisin sauce, strips of sliced green onions and sliced green chili peppers in soy sauce. You can also ask for sliced cucumbers, which I do recommend.


There is a little bit of a technique to eating this. But you pretty much just prepare it like a burrito -- place a pancake on your plate, spread some hoisin sauce, add in a few slices of the crispy skin and the meat, add veggies if you want some and if you want to kick it up a notch, add some chili peppers. Then roll it up and enjoy!

Thursday, March 24, 2011

KitchenAid Stand Mixer review

I think the driving factor for my recent affair with baking is because I have a totally awesome mixer. The KitchenAid brand has been synonymous with professional quality and durability, so the thought of owning one really made me happy! I got the Ultra Power model, and not only is the one sitting in my kitchen easy on the eyes -- with a gorgeous gray color -- but it works like a charm.
Here are just a few feature highlights:
- 300 watts of power and 10 speeds
- metal attachments and a hub that accepts a wide variety of attachments
- 4.5 qt bowl
- makes cooking and baking super simple

The bowl itself is hand wash only, but it cleans easily. And it comes with three attachments: a balloon whisk, flat beater and dough hook. The price can be a bit of a sticker shock, but I feel that it's worth it's weight in gold and I am thrilled to finally own one! And with the Ultra Power model, it's perfect for making bread  flour at very low speeds to allow the gluten to form properly and at a higher speed, it whips up egg whites for the perfect meringue consistancy! The only caution I have is to be aware of the power of this mixer and  make sure to turn down the speed to low as you're adding ingredients.

I can honestly say that this mixer has me craving to make things just so that I can use it. It's super simple to operate and really easy to clean. And if you're like me and tend to get flour and sugar everywhere, just wipe down the mixer with a damp towel, soak the bowl in hot water for a few minutes and ta da, it's clean! I'm actually really excited to get the meat grinder attachment and ice cream making bowl. If I were to ever fall in love with an appliance, my KitchenAid has to be it!

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Going Organic at Elevation Burger

So while at work today, I had a huge craving for a burger and really wanted to go to Elevation Burger in Arlington. We normally go to the location in Falls Church but had heard about the new one opening up in Arlington, so why not go check it out. One of the best things about this place is that their beef is all organic, grass fed and ground on site; also, they make fresh hand cut french fries cooked in olive oil! How could you go wrong with that! Ordering is super fun here cause you can choose how many beef patties you want, how many slices of cheese and a wide variety of fresh toppings. And their milk shakes are amazingly delicious, so it's a dessert you shouldn't pass up. And for vegetarians, they do offer two different veggie burgers.

So for dinner tonight, I decided to go with the elevation burger -- two beef patties and two slices of real cheddar cheese. And for some reason, this burger tastes super healthy to me. I feel like I could eat two or three more burgers and not feel like a gluttonous pig. The fries are cooked to perfection and all you need to do is sprinkle a little salt and then devour away. The restaurant itself is all about being green, they use energy efficient appliances and the tables and chairs are made from sustainable products. And it always makes me smile when I see a place promoting recycling.

Now I know burger joints tend to have a cult following and many people are very loyal to their favorite place, but if you're up for giving a new place a try and want to get some amazing grass fed beef, do try out Elevation Burger.

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Sponge cupcakes with real jam!!

My new years resolution this year is to give up corn syrup. I figured it'd be pretty easy to accomplish since I try to eat organically and naturally as much as possible. And since I have a  huge sweet tooth, I've been able to give up the daily trips to the vending machine and stopped walking down the candy aisle at the grocery store. However, one love of mine that's been tough giving up is jam!! I love that sweet ooey gooey goodness and especially with my crazy travel schedule and ordering room service when I'm on the road, I have to just look at those cute little packets of jam with dismay since I can't have it.

But yet again, Trader Joe's saves the day. They carry a line of organic jam made with real cane sugar. Imagine my excitement when I bought a big ole jar. So to celebrate, I decided to make some sponge cupcakes with a surprise jam center!
  
Ingredients:
1 1/2 sticks softened butter
1 cup cane sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
1 tablespoon warm water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup strawberry jam (make sure to get one that is firm)
Confectioner’s sugar for dusting

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and fill a 12-cup muffin tin with the cupcake liner.

Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Starting and ending with an egg, alternate adding eggs and flour, beating until each is thoroughly incorporated. Beat in the water and vanilla until well mixed .

Spoon two heaping tablespoons of batter into each muffin cup followed by 1 teaspoon of jam -- do not stir jam to loosen. Top with 1 heaping tablespoon of batter, spreading to ensure jam is fully covered. Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven, let cupcakes stand a couple of minutes and then move onto a wire rack to cool. When ready to serve, dust with powdered sugar. Serve with cup of green tea and enjoy with friends!

Friday, March 18, 2011

Roast Pork and Shrimp Noodle Soup


If you can't tell by now, I love Asian foods. I think the complexity of the flavors and the sweet and savory combinations are what get me everytime and always tantalizes my taste buds! And since I've journeyed out to try and become an aspiring chef, one of my goals has been to learn how to make a few of my favorite Asian dishes.

The one I'm sharing today is known as Hu Tieu -- roast pork and shrimp noodle soup. And I just want to say that this is a very labor intensive recipe and time consuming recipe. But, the end result is definitely worth it to me! And the recipe can feed a large group, so it's a great meal to serve for a dinner party. So if you've got a few hours on hand and want to take a stab at something new, I'd definitely recommend giving this a shot if you're feeling adventurous.
Broth Ingredients -- Most of these ingredients can be found at the Asian stores
2 packs of pork knuckle
2 packs of chicken neck bones
3 pieces of dried squid
1 large yellow onion
4 large shallots
6 tbsp of black pepper
1 daikon
5 tbsp of rock sugar
4 tbsp of salt
1 tbsp of msg

In a large pot, bring water to boil and add the pork knuckles to the boiling water for a few minutes. Drain. In a 12 qt pot, add the pork bones, chicken necks and squid. Add water till about 2/3 full. Cook over medium heat for about 1 hour.

Place the onion and shallots under the broiler for a few minutes to roast and char. Then add to the broth mixture. Peel and cut the daikon into 4 chunks. Add to the broth. Add the pepper and cook on low heat for 6 hours.

Remove all the ingredients from the broth and strain the broth to remove all the particles. Place the broth in back in the pot over low heat. Add the rock sugar, salt and msg. Continue simmering on low heat for 1 hour. While the broth is simmering, prepare the other ingredients below.

Ground Pork Recipe:
1.5lbs of ground pork
1 bag of dried shrimp
1 tsp of salt
1/2 tsp of black pepper
2 large shallots, sliced
8 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

Soak 1/3 of the bag of dried shrimp in hot water and rinse. After thoroughly drying, chop up finely. In a pan, add a little bit of oil, add the chopped up dried shrimp and 1 tsp of salt. Once the shrimp is a toasted brown color, remove from heat and set aside.

In a separate pan, add the sliced shallots and finely chopped garlic. Add in ground pork. Make sure to completely separate the pork. Add in black pepper. As the pork cooks, continue mixing to make sure the pork pieces remain separated. If the mixture is too dry, add in a few tablespoons of water at a time to keep the mixture moist. After the pork is cooked, add in the toasted shrimp mixture and mix well. Remove from heat, drain and set aside.

BBQ Pork recipe:
2lbs boneless pork shoulder
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 tbsp of sugar
1 package of asian bbq pork seasoning (preferred brand is NOH)
1/2 tsp of black pepper
pork marinade (recipe below)

pork marinade recipe:
4 tbsp of oyster sauce
3 tbsp soy sauce
3 pieces of star anise
1/4 tsp of chinese five spice powder
1/2 tsp of msg
2 tbsp asian bbq pork seasoning
Mix all the ingredients for the marinade in a bowl and set aside.

In a pot, boil water and add the boneless pork shoulder and cook for a few minutes. Drain and cut into 3 pieces. In a pan, add the garlic and add the pork marinade. Add in a few tablespoons of water to thin out the mix. Add in sugar and pepper. Once the sauce is well mixed, add in the 3 pieces of pork to the pan and coat well. Add in enough water to cover the pork and cook on low heat until the pork is done. Remove pork once it's cooked and slice into thin pieces.

In the same pan used to cook the pork, add 2 tbsp ketchup to that pan and simmer the sauce until it thickens. (This is the dark sauce that you use to add to the hu tieu on the side)

And here are the instructions on how to make a few additional toppings:
Ingredients:
8 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 packs of egg noodles

In a small pot, add chopped garlic and enough oil to cover the garlic. Cook the garlic until golden brown. Strain the garlic and set aside, this will be used as a topping for the hu tieu.

Cook the egg noodles per the instructions on the package. When you are ready to serve, assemble per the instructions below:

In each bowl, add egg noodles, add the ground pork and shrimp mixture, then top with the sliced pork and sprinkle the cooked garlic on top. You can also add a few springs of cilantro for garnish.
In a separate small bowl, ladle in the broth. Add sliced yellow onions and green onions to flavor the broth. In another small bowl, ladle in some of the dark ketchup sauce. You can serve with bean sprouts, chinese celery and lime slices on the table.

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Rack of Lamb!!

One of my favorite meats of all time has to be lamb. And I actually think it was a recent discovery, cause I certainly don't remember eating lamb so frequently a few years ago. But I think it's one of the perfect meats to throw on the grill and it doesn't require a lot of work, a few ingredients go a long way with enhancing the flavor of the meat. So tonight, in honor of the warm weather we're getting, we decided to cook up some rack of lamb with a side of sauteed brocollini. The rack of lamb is best cooked on a grill, especially a charcoal one, but you can also cook it in the oven.


Ingredients:
1 rack of lamb
2 tbsp dried rosemary
2 tbsp dried thyme
1 tbsp of sea salt
1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
8 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

In a small bowl, combine the rosemary, thyme, sea salt, black pepper, garlic and olive oil and mix well. Pat the lamb dry on both sides and then rub the mixture all over the lamb. Cover the lamb and let it marinate for 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350. Place the lamb in a baking pan and cover with aluminum foil, cook for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and cook for another 15 minutes for a medium pink center. Place the lamb under the broiler for 5 minutes to char. Remove the rack of lamb from the oven and let it sit for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with a side of your favorite veggies!

Friday, March 11, 2011

Cambodian Hot Pot (Yah Hawn)


One of the dishes that always reminds me of home and brings me so much comfort is the hot pot dish my mom always makes! Every time I go down to visit, I always ask her to make it. I just assumed it was this really labor intensive and tedious process and just figured I'd never be able to master it. But lo and behold, once I got my hands on the recipe, I realized pretty quickly it's an easy meal that I can whip up in no time!

This dish is perfect for a big group and is served fondue style -- you can have an array of veggies, meats, and seafood to add in and the broth goes really well with rice or noodles, so whatever you have handy. The most important aspect to this dish is getting the broth just perfect and since most of the ingredients are pre-made sauces, it's super quick and easy! But imagine to my horror though when what I had always pictured was my mom slaving in the kitchen mixing the perfect spices and sauces to the broth, when in all actuality it just ended up being pre made stuff off the store counter. It's ok, I still love this dish nonetheless and am super excited to share!

Broth Ingredients:
8 heaping tbsp of Asian style BBQ Sauce -- can be found at the Asian store, I prefer using the one in the silver labeled jar with red chinese letters and make sure to drain out the oil layer sitting at the top of the BBQ sauce
3 tbsp of Thai chili garlic sauce -- add more if you want it to be spicier
2 14oz cans chicken stock
8 cups of water
1 cup of Coco Rico soda
3 tsp of fish sauce
salt and pepper to taste

Additional ingredients:
1/2 lb of beef sirloin, thinly sliced
1/2 lb of shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 bunches of watercress
baby bok choy
fish balls -- can be found in the frozen section of the Asian store
white button mushrooms, sliced
crushed peanuts

In a large pot, add the BBQ Sauce and chili garlic sauce and saute for a few minutes over medium heat to break down. Add in the chicken stock, water and Coco Rico soda. Reduce heat and let the broth simmer for 10 minutes. Add in the fish sauce and add salt and pepper to taste. The broth should be a combination of spicy and savory.

When you are ready to serve, transfer the broth to a hot pot and bring to a boil. Add your meats and veggies to the hot pot to cook fondue style and then ladle them along with the broth into a bowl of rice or noodles and sprinkle with peanuts.

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Eating Greek Food, Mezze Style

So after hearing some great things about Cava from a co-worker,  who happens to be a big foodie, I decided to check it out last night with Catherine. We are both big fans of greek food and needed a new place to try. Apparently, this place started in Rockville, and then made it's way to Capital Hill and will be opening up a third location in Clarendon early Spring.

When you walk in, the atmosphere will totally take you back. It isn't really remininscent of a traditonal Greek eatery. Instead, the lights are dim and you'll notice really cool brick interior walls. It looks very modern and trendy. The staff are super friendly and more than willing to give you suggestions on what to get. The meal itself is served mezze style - which is similar to Spanish tapas. The dishes may be small, but the portions are definitely enough to share! And after looking over the menu, you'll have a hard time deciding what to get, so it works out in the end cause you can order multiple things and not feel guilty. I like that they don't bring everything out to you at once. The dishes are brought out one at a time as they are prepared, so this gives you ample time to enjoy the wine, the great company and the delictible dish.

One of the dishes I tried that really stood out to me was the Bolognese. It was a yummy and rich meat sauce with what tasted like home made pasta! And I'm not normally a cheese person, but I didn't mind at all the greek cheese that was sprinkled over top. And for being a small dish, I definitely felt like I was getting a pretty hardy meal.

So all in all, it was a successful dinner at Cava! I only had to loop around the block once and found parking on the same block as the restaurant and ended up have a really great meal.

Monday, March 7, 2011

Cambodian Stir Fried Crabs

The weather is getting warmer and Spring is just right around the corner. So what does that mean, it's almost crabbing season! I love picking the delicious and oh so sweet meat from the Maryland blue crabs. And I know I'm pretty partial when I say this, but my mom makes the best stir fried crabs - it's a fantastic combo of salty, peppery and oh so savory! And one of the reasons I'm in love with this recipe is that it's a good change from just steaming the crabs, not there's there's anything wrong with steamed crabs and lots of old bay seasoning.


Ingredients:
1 dozen Maryland blue crabs -- parboiled, cleaned and broken in half
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
8 garlic gloves, minced
2 inches of ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
2 shallots, minced
2 tsp sea salt
1.5 tsp sugar
2 tsp low sodium soy sauce
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
3 scallions, finely chopped
a handful of fresh cilantro leaves

Heat the olive oil in a wok over high heat. When it becomes hot, add in the garlic, ginger and shallots. Stir quickly and cook for a 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Add in the salt, sugar, soy sauce, black pepper. Mix well. Reduce heat to medium high and add in the crabs. Stir fry until the crabs are evenly coated and the meat is opaque. Toss in the scallions and cook for about 3 minutes. Transfer the crab to a large bowl and garnish with the cilantro leaves.

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Neapolitan Style Pizza on Wilson Blvd

For this month's edition of family food adventure, we went to Pupatella neapolitan pizzeria & friggitoria. Rick had been there before and thought it was worthy for FFA. One thing I would like to call out, you may want to check out their website for the operating hours, and they are closed on Sunday and Monday -- which we learned after driving there on Monday night and sitting in the parking lot trying to figure out where else to go for dinner since Plan A didn't pan out! We were hoping for a sneak preview before the official FFA event.

I thought we were gonna go towards the tail end of the lunch rush, but when we got there on Saturday, the place was packed. They do not take reservations and it's a seat yourself type of place. After grabbing a menu and waiting around for a table to free up, we decided on 2 orders of fried risotto balls, 3 pizzas and a calzone.

So let's back track a little bit before I get to the good stuff. How is this place different from any other pizza joint? Well for starters, they are a certified neapolitan pizza place. There are certain standards and high quality ingredients that you must use to be certified. And I love that their pizzas are made from simple ingredients -- San Marzano tomatoes, sea salt and fresh mozzarella! And they have one pizza maker, Enzo. You can't miss him, as soon as you walk through the door, he's the dude wearing the fedora and orange sunglasses.

Now back to the topic at hand, the food! Their  pizzas are made super quick, they only cook for 1 minute in the 1,000 degree wood oven and this makes the crust a super light and pillowy texture. Rick actually did time them and it was a legit minute. You can taste the freshness in the pizza, and even though the ingredients are simple and few, there's no skimping out on the flavor. .

The SIMPLE MARGHERITA pizza is actually one of their true and authentic neapolitan pizzas made with fresh mozzarella, basil and olive oil. And then we made our own pizza with mozzarella and pepperoni just so we could have a good old classic.




Next up was the SAUSAGE pizza - grilled sausage, sauteed onions and smoked mozzarella. For those of you not used to this style of pizza, because the crust is not super crispy and they use a lot of mozzarella, you'll notice that towards the center of the pizza, it has a soggy consistency. Best way to tackle, use a knife and fork to devour the pizza, or fold the slice in half and enjoy the gooey cheese!
The fried calzone had us all raving, how can you go wrong with fried dough stuffed with fresh mozzarella, ricotta and prosciutto. It was definitely a crowd pleaser. Don't know how they did it, but the crust was perfection.





So overall consensus, this is a winner. And the prices were super reasonable. I'm not sure how long they've been open, but since they are literally 10 minutes away from where we live, I can see future trips down the road for some delicious pizza. And as a cherry on top, they have fresh gelato, which was a great way to end another successful FFA!

Friday, March 4, 2011

Deep Fried Oreos!!!

This is one of my favorite go to food items at the fair -- along with gigantic turkey legs, corn dogs on steroids and an array of other deep fried goodness that will harden your arteries. I've toyed with the idea of making this at home for a while, and finally talked myself into making it last night! Most of my justification came from the fact that I'm using all organic ingredients and Oreo substitutes from Trader Joes -- so the cookies themselves were all natural and made with real vanilla and sugar! I told myself I would only make a few so I don't overdo it, I  managed to make 15 and stopped there.The key with this recipe is watching over the Oreos as they cook, since they brown up quickly. And they're best served warm with a ton of powdered sugar sprinkled on top.

Ingredients
1 (20 ounce) package of Oreos
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tbsp cane sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
dash of kosher salt
2 eggs
1 1/2 cup milk
3 tsp vegetable oil
enough vegetable oil for the deep fryer
powdered sugar

Blend the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt together. Mix in the eggs, milk and vegetable oil until smooth.

Preheat the deep fryer to 375.

Dip the cookies in the batter mixture until totally covered and then place in the hot oil, the cookies will float. Keep an eye on the cookies and turn them over once the bottom side gets brown. Remove the finished cookies and drain on a paper towel. Serve them warm with a generous dusting of powdered sugar.

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Chicken Marsala - just because there's marsala wine laying around the kitchen!


A few weeks ago, I had the family over for an Italian-themed dinner and made chicken marsala as one of the main entrees. Well, I had to buy a bottle of Marsala wine which has been sitting in my kitchen ever since. And I'm not one to let things go to waste so I made tiramisu cupcakes a few times and then made the chicken marsala again tonight, just because I'm trying to use up all the wine!

I've always been a little apprehensive about trying to make Italian at home. I always pictured it to be labor intensive and a really tedious process. Last thing I want to do when I get home after a long day is spend a few hours in the kitchen preparing a meal! But the first time I made this recipe, I realized it was something I need to keep in my repertoire, it's so quick and easy! And you can serve it with just about anything you can find in your kitchen. I had some linguine leftover from the Italian-themed dinner, so I just cooked some of that up and mixed it in with the marsala sauce. It worked out beautifully!

Ingredients
4 skinless boneless chicken breast
All purpose flour, for dredging
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
4 ounces of prosciutto, thinly sliced
8 ounces of baby portabella, stemmed and halved
1/2 cup sweet Marsala wine
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsely


Put the chicken breasts side by side on a cutting board and lay a piece of saran wrap over them. Pound with a flat meat mallet, until they are about 1/4-inch thick -- this is a great way to get out any frustration or aggression you may have. Put some flour in a shallow platter and season with a good amount of salt and pepper, mix to distribute evenly.

Heat the olive oil over medium-high flame in a large skillet. When the oil is nice and hot, dredge both sides of the chicken breast in the seasoned flour, shaking off the excess. Slip the chicken into the pan and fry for about 5 minutes on each side until golden brown, turning only once – do this in batches if the pieces don't fit easily in the pan. Remove the chicken to a large platter in a single layer to keep warm.

Lower the heat to medium and add the prosciutto to the pan and saute for about 1 minute to render out some of the fat. Add the mushrooms and saute until they are nicely browned and their moisture has evaporated, about 5 minutes, season with salt and pepper. Pour the Marsala in the pan and boil down for a few minutes to cook out the alcohol. Add the chicken stock and simmer for a few minute to reduce the sauce slightly. Stir in the butter and return the chicken to the pan. Simmer for about 1 minute to heat the chicken through. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with chopped parsley before serving.