Al Dente

Quick 'n' Fancy Valentine's Dinner: Stuffed Lobster Tails

I was skimming through my e-mail inbox on Friday when this subject line caught my eye, "Correction: Lobster Tail Pricing." After a long week of work a glass of wine and a lobster tail sounded like the perfect way to unwind. The $9.99 each price tag clinched the deal for me.

I pulled into the Whole Foods parking lot after work (yes, that Whole Foods parking lot) and grabbed a shopping cart. The fishmonger gave me two lobster tails, six escargot at $.89 a piece and compliment. I grabbed some salad greens, chives, cherry tomatoes, a loaf of brioche and a bag of Alexia Mashed Yukon Gold Potatoes with Sea Salt. (Yes, I bought a bag of pre-made mashed potatoes and yes, they are awesome.)

The shopping took me about as long as the cooking prep. About 15 minutes to transform the brioche, chives and cherry tomatoes into stuffing for the lobster tails. The escargot just required baking, and the mashed potatoes microwaving. In less than a half hour everything was plated and on the dinner table, sparkling wine was poured, and diners were dining on sweet and succulent lobster meat. Quick and fancy.

Stuffed Lobster Tails

Ingredients:

2 lobster tails (6-8 oz. each), thawed if frozen
2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
2 slices brioche bread, cubed
6 cherry tomatoes, chopped
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
salt, to taste
lemon wedges

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the lobster tail belly side up on a cutting board. With a chef's knife, slice the lobster tails down the center without cutting all the way through the shell. Place on a baking sheet.

2. In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons melted butter, bread , chives, and tomatoes. (Add a small bit of water to moisten the bread if desired). Spoon the bread crumb mixture over the lobster tails. Dot with cubed butter.

3. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the lobster meat is opaque and the crumbs are brown (internal temperature should be about 140 degrees-F). Serve with lemon wedges.

Serves: 2

Recipe and photo credits: StellaCadente*

Happy Valentine's Day!

--StellaCadente*

Follow me on Twitter @pomodorista

Champagne and Fried Chicken? Yes, Please!

Back at the end of October my friend Tawyna, proprietor of Le Grande Courtage, hosted a Champagne and food pairing party for World Champagne Day. And who am I to refuse such an invitation?  Now, when you think of food and champagne pairings you might think of chocolate-dipped strawberries, or caviar and salmon toast points, and well-heeled ladies in long gowns sipping from flutes. But, with a little imagination, you can take the fuss out of sparkling wine and pair it with simpler fare.

Tawyna arranged a nice spread of snacks for us to nibble on as well as a variety of sparkling wines to compare. Most of the options were a bit unconventional, but they complemented the wines beautifully: spicy Asian salad, truffled popcorn, white chocolate fondue, salted caramels, tomato soup, and granny smith apples. 

My favorite pairing, though, was Louisiana fried chicken (think KFC-flavored).  It may seem a bit lowbrow to pair a glass of Champagne with fried chicken, but the acidity in drier sparkling wine cuts right through the fat to cleanse your palette, lending itself to pair well with greasy fried chicken and fried foods in general (duck fat fries, please). 

Click here for some more of Tawnya's fun Champagne and food pairing ideas.

What foods do you pair Champagne with?

*Champagne flutes

*Wine buckets

Photo via deenbros.com

 ---StellaCadente*

Follow me on Twitter @pomodorista

 

 

Sunday Snaps: Super Cute Valentine's Mini Cheesecakes

Source: hungryhappenings.com via Renata on Pinterest

 

These mini Valentine's cheesecakes could not be more adorable. Incredible what people think up with a little imagination and food coloring, no?

For some more visual Valentine's inspiriation, check out my Valentine's Treats board on Pinterest.

Are you cooking up anything special for Valentine's Day? 

--StellaCadente*

Follow me on Pinterest @pomodorista

Sunday Snaps: Pigging Out for the Superbowl

Stolen from my brother's Facebook wall: "Im not sure what will be more inappropriate during tomorrow's halftime show.....Nicky Minaj or the 30#'s of pork belly I'll be serving."

Thirty pounds of pork belly and I wasn't invited! Hrumph.

What's on your menu today?

--StellaCadente*

Follow me on Twitter @pomodorista

 

Inside the Mind of Competitive Eater El Wingador

This profile of competitive eater El Wingador by Academy Award-winning documentarian Errol Morris is chock full of quotable quotes but here's one that resonated with me: "I just love the taste of food. I guess I eat for the taste. Not just to put something in my stomach and keep rollin'." It's worth watching if only for way he has incorporated tootsie rolls into his training regimen.

What do you think about the world of competitive eating?

--StellaCadente*

Follow me on Twitter @pomodorista

 

 

Sunday Snaps: Please Return Your Trundler Here

You would think when you're travel to an English-speaking country--Queen's English nonetheless--that there'd be little lost in translation. But my travel mates and I encountered enough differences between American English and New Zealand English to keep us guessing and giggling throughout our New Zealand adventure. Case in point: trundler!  It's so superior to "shopping cart" that I think I shall permanently incorporate it into my vocabulary.

Photo: Waiheke Island, New Zealand, Countdown Supermarket

Photo credit: StellaCadente*

--StellaCadente*

Follow me on Twitter @pomodorista

Natural Medicine from New Zealand: Manuka Honey

On the way home from my recent trip to New Zealand I found myself snooping around the airport tchotchke shops looking for some souvenirs to bring Stateside. No surprise, I ended up in the food aisle, perusing local products and happened upon several shelves of manuka honey with varying levels of UMF content. A three-pack for $47+ (New Zealand dollars). Sounds great, I told myself and walked a three-pack up to the cashier, who promptly asked me for [insert choking sound] about $150. You see, the honey was $47 for each 250g (8.8 ounce) container.

Now I was really intrigued. What was so great about this honey? I put two containers back and decided to bring one home still knowing nothing about the honey or UMF and having no time to research it due to my impending flight and lack of internet access.

Once home, I fired up the internet to learn more. Turns out manuka honey is antibacterial and according to this purveyor, can be used to treat different types of infections: sore throats, stomach ulcers, burns, and more. It's made from bees that feed off of the manuka flower. The mysterious UMF that I couldn't make out stands for Unique Manuka Factor and speaks to the strength of the antibacterial potency of the honey (only 10% of the manuka honey produced is considered antibacterial). The higher the UMF number, the stronger the antibacterial properties. The honey can be taken orally or used topically, depending on the ailment.

Here are some Amazon customer reviews on manuka honey that caught my eye:

Wedderspoon Raw Organic Manuka

"I used the first on my wife's wounds following MOHS surgery for removal of skin cancer. The results were amazing and the surgeon and plastic surgeon both asked what we were using to allow the wounds to heal up so quickly with minimal scarring. There was also a staph infection as a result of the surgery that the honey took care of as well. It takes a bit of diligence to ensure daily dressing changes with fresh honey, but the results pay off."

Active MGO 400+ Manuka Honey

"I am very pleased to have found an all natural treatment for so many conditions. I have used this honey for a nasal staph infection I had that wouldn't go away with oral antibiotics. I felt completely safe using honey rather than artificial ingredients inside my nose. After using manuka for a week, the staph infection cleared up. I've used this honey for cuts, burns and any kind of rash (as a massage therapist, I've picked up a few skin conditions) that develops and it has never failed to heal them. When used internally, it's helpful for fighting off colds or at the very least, cutting its duration. This is an amazing product!"

East Cape New Zealand Manuka Honey

"...a spoonful approx. 20 minutes before meals seems to drastically reduce the chances of suffering gastro-intestinal distress (such as from IBS or other upset)."

For more detailed information and research on manuka honey, click here.

Have you used manuka honey to treat what ails you? I'd love to hear about it.

--StellaCadente*

Follow me on Twitter @pomodorista

Sunday Snaps: New Zealand Roadside Farm Stand

My travel mates Matt and Matthew and I were so charmed by this unattended roadside farm stand on New Zealand's Waiheke Island, that we pulled over the car to make a purchase. Offerings included plum jams and chutneys from the first plums of the season (it's summer down there), local honeys, and olives. The kicker for us city folk: the proprietor was absent and had set out a jar collect the cash--payment was on the honor system. I'm trying to imagine a similar set up in my neighborhood, but I think the table would be fleeced minutes after setup.

---StellaCadente*

Follow me on Twitter @pomodorista

Live Webcast Today Featuring Italian Master Chefs

Somehow this escaped my notice until it popped up in Cesare Casella's Facebook feed this morning, but the International Culinary Center--you may know it as the French Culinary Institute--is sponsoring a live webcast today of two Michelin-starred Italian chefs, Gennaro Esposito and Pino Cuttaia.

I met Pino at Alma in 2009 when he did a demo for my class, and listening to him talk about food is a spiritual experience not to be missed. Tune into the webcast if you can. Click here for the details.

Photo credit: foodcreate.com

--StellaCadente*

Follow me on Twitter @pomodorista

Sunday Snaps: Vegemite Sandwich

Heretofore my only relationship with Vegemite existed via the Men at Work song "Land Down Under." While in New Zealand last week I decided it was my when-in-Rome moment to actually try the stuff. And the thing is, it didn't totally gross me out like I thought brewer's yeast on toast would, well, gross me out. Its got a salty umami flavor akin to beef bullion or miso soup. On my first attempt, I slathered it on some multi-grain toast solo, but was then instructed a few days later by a hospitable Kiwi on the proper technique: Spread toast with a generous coat of butter, followed by a thin film of Vegemite. (This decidedly improved the end result.)

I liked it so much I picked up a tube to bring Stateside. Whether or not it will make it into my regular breakfast rotation remains to be seen.

Have you tried Vegemite?

--StellaCadente*

Follow me on Twitter @pomodorista

Sunday Snaps: Italian Fruit Cake

Nothing says Christmas morning in Italy like panettone, Italy's leavened Christmas fruitcake. Bakers produce 117 million panettoni and pandori (panettone's Veronese cousin) every year--sold to the tune of 579 million euros. If you've received one or the other as a gift and don't get around to opening it this week, the sweet brioche-like bread makes a decadent base for french toast.

I enjoyed my first slice after midnight mass Christmas eve when I lived in Milan. The parishioners all congregated in the church hall after mass for a glass of prosecco and a slice of cake, and its still one of my favorite ways to enjoy it.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, everyone!

Photo credit: mirk74

--StellaCadente*

Follow me on Twitter @pomodorista

Sunday Snaps: Edible Little Men

At the age of two I started decorating my neighbor Jean's Christmas tree. Legend has it her older boys had lost interest, so she had to bring in reinforcements--younger neighbor kids like me. Of course, wine was always served to the adults, but as a kid I looked forward to the plate of ginger snaps and a mug of apple cider. Even then, I consumed the ginger snaps in multiples savoring the crunch, the spiciness of the ginger, and the sugar mixed with just a hint of salt.

The first year I missed the tree decorating I was 23, living in Milan. In my 30s I missed a smattering, too, living in Seattle. But I'll be there tonight for the thirtieth time, give or take a year, to hang an ornament on the tree, enjoy the company of my extended family, and a ginger snap, or two.

What are your holiday traditions?

Photo credit: sheilaz413

--StellaCadente*

Follow me on Twitter @pomodorista

Roasted Chestnut Redux: Cookies

What do with all of those chestnuts you stock piled from Trader Joe's and Whole Foods? Aside from roasting them, you can puree them into a lovely soup, or, as my mother did, transform them into these delicate cookies. The texture and appearance remind me of the more common (at least in my neighborhood) polvorones.

Roasted Chestnut Cookies 

Makes about 4 dozen 1-inch cookies

1 pound chestnuts

1 cup (2 sticks or 8 ounces) butter, room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon + additional for coating
A few gratings of fresh nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 cups all purpose flour

Preheat oven to 450°F. Cut a small X on the top of each chestnut with a very sharp knife. Don’t be afraid to cut into the “meat” of the chestnut a little; I found that the the ones that were the most easy to peel start with a deep enough cut that the skin peels back while roasting. Roast chestnuts on a baking sheet for about 20 to 30 minutes, until a darker shade of brown and the X peels back to reveal the inner nut.

Cool on tray and then peel. Don’t worry if they break up as you do so if you have to dig them out in pieces, you won’t need whole ones for this.

Once the peeled chestnuts are fully cool, chop them coarsely on a cutting board. Measure 1 cup of chopped chestnuts, and dump them in the bowl of a food processor. Grind them until they are very well chopped, then add the softened butter, and pulse again until combined. Add 1/2 cup of your powdered sugar, vanilla extract, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and flour and pulse until an even dough is formed.[No food processor? Chop-chop-chop those chestnuts as fine as you can, then use an electric mixer to whip the butter and 1/2 cup powdered sugar. Add the vanilla, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, flour and chestnuts and beat until well blended.]

Divide dough and wrap each half in plastic, chilling for one hour or until firm. Once chilled, preheat the oven to 350°F. Whisk remaining 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar and a few pinches of cinnamon in a small bowl. Set aside. Working with one half of the chilled dough at at time, roll it into 2 teaspoon-sized balls (I use my 1 tablespoon measure, but didn’t fill it) in the palm of your hand. Arrange on parchment-lined baking sheet but no need to leave more than 1/2 inch between the cookies; they won’t spread.

Bake cookies until golden brown on bottom and just pale golden on top, about 14 to 17 minutes. Cool cookies 5 minutes on baking sheet. Gently toss warm cookies in cinnamon sugar to coat completely. Transfer coated cookies to rack and cool completely. Repeat procedure with remaining half of dough. To touch them up before serving, you can sift some of the leftover cinnamon-sugar mixture over them.

Do ahead: Dough can be chilled in the fridge for a day or two, longer in the freezer. Chestnuts can be roasted in advance, kept at room temperature for a day or so. Cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for a week.

Recipe credit: Smitten Kitchen, generously adapted from Epicurious

Photo credit: Antanas Sadunas

--StellaCadente*

Follow me on Twitter @pomodorista

12 Days of Juicing Daily: The Wrap Up

As I sit here typing, I'm enjoying a mug of hot apple cider and a plate bowl of gingersnaps for dinner, but just last Friday I was powering through the twelfth day of a mini-reboot with my roommate, Tawnya. Actually, four days of eating just fruits and vegetables, followed by four days of juicing only, and ending with four days of eating just fruits and vegetables.

The introductory four days went smoothly, and involved daily pilgrimages to Whole Foods so we could fill our dinner plates with wholesome produce. I drank a veggie juice in the morning, hit the salad bar in the at lunch time, and dinner was all about roasting. Our favorites quickly became roasted kale (the new potato chip!), roasted yams, roasted portobello mushrooms (the new meat!), roasted cauliflower (the new mashed potato!), and roasted brussels sprouts (the new way to eat brussels sprouts!). 

The first juicing day started off on an up note. Really up. I felt a sense of euphoria after polishing of my kale-cucumber-celery-apple-lemon juice for breakfast. A true buzz. Here are my notes:

Day One of Juicing

8:00 am--Feel better than normal. Bright, clear-headed.

9:00 am--Feel energized after drinking my breakfast juice.

11:30 am--Heaviness is gone in my legs, feel less tension in my body. Euphoric. I am floating.

3:00 pm--Snack time. Slightly hungry, slightly dreading drinking more juice. Looks like sewer water. Floating chunks of kale.

6:00 pm--Slightly grumpy, light-headed.

Day Two of Juicing went much the same way, but by Day Three if I could have mustered up enough energy to take notes, I would have written:

8 am--Turn alarm off. Pull covers over head.

9 am--Turn alarm off for the tenth time. Remember how I hate everyone. Resolve to stay in bed.

10:30--Am somewhere in a cubicle typing on a computer. Possibly at work? Surrounded by people who look vaguely familiar.

12:00--Drive off site to nearby juice bar to have someone else make me a juice. I am tired of making juice. Also, I hate everyone.

3:00 pm--Approaching comatose state. Not sure of my whereabouts. Also, I still hate everyone. 

5:00 pm--Force down my liquid dinner. 

7:00 pm--Go directly to bed. Cannot keep eyes open. Think about people who I really don't like.

Day Four of Juicing

Same as Day Three.

Needless to say, when I could finally eat fruits and vegetables again, actually chew, I was ecstatic. It was all downhill from there, and in fact, both Tawnya and I agreed we could extend the eating just fruits and vegetables period a bit longer without feeling deprived.

So, was it worth it? I'd say yes. I lost six pounds in 12 days and staved off some unhealthy cravings in the process--at least for now. I haven't had the urge to drink coffee since the reboot ended and sugar is decidedly less appealing (save for the gingersnaps). I also find myself eating a lot less portion-wise this week than I normally would, so that's a good thing, too.

Do I think I could do a 30-day juice-only cleanse like in Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead ? Probably not. But I'd think about doing a juice-only day once a month, or even once a week, just to keep myself in check. 

Now, excuse me while I refill my bowl of gingersnaps, won't you?

*Learn more about juicers: Juicing 101 on Amazon.com

--StellaCadente*

Follow me on Twitter @pomodorista

Sunday Snaps: Extreme Holiday Baking

I'm feeling woefully behind in my holiday baking this year thanks, in part, to my friend Scott's penchant for overachieving. This weekend he baked off the following for some fortunate friends and family members:

4 Pan forte
4 Panettone
12 Hungarian Nut Bread
5 dozen cantuccini
4 dozen snickerdoodles
5 dozen Russian teacakes
7 dozen chocolate crinkle cookies
6 dozen shortbread cookies
5 dozen amaretti cookies

Scott says he went through about twenty pounds of flour, fifteen pounds of sugar, four pounds of butter, and three dozen eggs. (Not to mention the flavorings, nuts, etc.)

What's your favorite thing to bake during the holidays? Have you kicked off your baking yet?

*Baking sheets on Amazon.com

*Silicone baking mats on Amazon.com

 Photo credit: Scott Cooley

--StellaCadente*

Follow me on Twitter @pomodorista

 

Decadent Italian Hot Chocolate

The first year I lived in Italy, I worked as a volunteer with mentally handicapped adults. On my paltry stipend, I drank boxed wine, spent about $20 a week on groceries, and could barely afford dinner in a restaurant--once or twice a month, maybe. During the winter there is nothing I savored more on a foggy Milanese day than a cup of hot chocolate. Italian hot chocolate is nothing like its American cousin. It's rich and thick. Pudding-like. Best eaten with a spoon. Make some for someone you love. They will thank you.

Italian Hot Chocolate aka Nun's Revenge

Ingredients:

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons half-and-half
1 teaspoon arrowroot or cornstarch
1 tablespoon sugar
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate (at least 70 percent cacao), chopped
2 to 4 strips orange zest for garnish

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of the half-and-half with the arrowroot, whisking until smooth.

2. Place the remaining 1/2 cup of half-and-half in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer. When the half-and-half begins to bubble around the edges, whisk in the sugar. Whisk in the arrowroot mixture until the half-and-half thickens slightly, usually less than a minute.

3. Remove from the heat and quickly whisk in the chocolate until smooth.

4. Pour into cups, top each with a piece of orange zest, and serve immediately.

Recipe credit: epicurious.com

*Whisks on Amazon.com

--StellaCadente*

Follow me on Twitter @pomodorista

12 Days of Juicing Daily: Day 4

I'm on day four of my mini-reboot and feeling like I am gaining some energy back. I'm not going to lie. The first couple days were pretty rough. To begin with, I had a false start on Sunday: I cooked a giant pot of lentil soup and ate some for dinner. Then re-read the instructions and realized beans are on the "no" list. So, I started fresh on Monday morning, eating fruits and veggies only.  I felt a bit fatigued on Monday and Tuesday, but surprisingly never really felt hungry. I did feel deprived of all of the holiday treats I enjoyed over Thanksgiving weekend, but not enough to cheat.

Tomorrow I am entering the "just juice" phase for four days, which I am slightly worried about. I've never tried sustaining myself on just liquids. My manager at my day job asked me how I'm going to get enough protein, and I confess I've been wondering the same thing. According to rebootyourlife.com there's a decent amount of protein in vegetable juices, more than I would have thought, actually.

Now that I am this far into my mini-reboot, I have resolved to finish it without fudging. I'm turning down cocktail offers and doing a lot of produce shopping instead. Only eight more days to go. My roommate Tawnya is doing it with me, so I have a built-in support system and someone to keep me honest.

Have you ever done a cleanse? How did you get through it? What did you get out of it?

*Which Juicer is Right for You?

*Juicers on Amazon.com

*BPA-free pitchers

--StellaCadente*

Follow me on Twitter @pomodorista

Sunday Snaps: Chestnuts Roasting

Having grown up in Southern California, roasted chestnuts were the mythical stuff of Christmas carols to me. I never saw a roasted chestnut in person until I lived in Milan in my 20s, where vendors sell them from carts in the autumn and winter. There's something comforting about enjoying a bag of warm chestnuts when there's a bit of chill in the air--though that didn't stop me from making a tray of them this weekend, when temperatures hit the low 80s in my neighborhood. That's ok--I'm perfectly happy to pretend it's wintery outside.

To roast chestnuts: Preheat oven to 400 degrees-F. Make an incision in the shape of an "x" on the flat side of each nut. (Be sure to puncture the outer skin or it will be difficult to peel.) Place on a baking sheet and roast for about 30 minutes. Peel the nuts while they are still warm (but not hot, or you'll burn yourself).

--StellaCadente*

Follow me on Twitter @pomodorista

Happy Thanksgiving: Tur-ific Merchandising

Eat well, drink well, and be well. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Photo credit: myballard.com

--StellaCadente*

Follow me on Twitter @pomodorista

12 Days of Juicing Daily

Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead - Official Trailer from Team Reboot on Vimeo.

After passing by Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead at the Whole Foods check out counter every week for the past year, I finally got around to watching it. I had dismissed it largely because the guy on the cover is hugely overweight (I'm not), and obviously slims down after starting a juicing regiment. Yes, I could stand to lose a few pounds to get down to my ideal weight, but the main reason I ended up identifying with Joe (the documentarian and featured subject) was his desire to get healthy--and ultimately ditch his prescription medications. Even more than Joe, I was and am inspired by Phil, a 40-something truck driver he meets in his journey across America. Watch the trailer above to see what I mean.

All of this inspiration has prompted me to do a mini-reboot of my own. Smack in the middle of holiday time. I know! The best time of year for pigging out. I know! I'm going to do a modified version of the Reboot Standard Program detailed on the Reboot Your Life website twelve days of rebooting: four days of eating and blending fruits and vegetables, followed by four days of just juicing, ending with four days of eating and blending fruits and vegetables.

I'm picking Sunday, November 27 (that's this Sunday) through Thursday, December 8. Strategically selected to be in between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and over in time to enjoy some of the end of year festivities without going overboard.

Anyone want to join me? It'll be much more fun if I have company.

--StellaCadente*

Follow me on Twitter @pomodorista