• 18Jun

    Tofurky Vegan Franks for $1 Each All Summer Long

    Debbie Miller passed this to us.  We do have vegan readers too…or is that just Debbie? 😉

    -JAY

    ————

    Dear PCRM supporter,

    Three hotdog vendors in downtown D.C. are selling Tofurky vegan franks all summer long and they’re only $1 each!

    Some of these vendors have been selling exclusively all-beef hotdogs for nearly 20 years and this is the first time they have ever tried vegan dogs. Please visit these vendors, and let them know how excited you are that they are selling veggie dogs and that they should sell them year-round.

    Here are the locations:

    • 734 17th St., N.W., Washington, D.C. (Cross street: Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.)
    • 82 Massachusetts Ave., N.E., Washington, D.C. (Cross street: 1st St., N.E.)
    • 304 12th St., N.W., Washington, D.C. (Cross street: Constitution Ave., N.W.)

    Once other vendors see that there is a high demand for veggie dogs, they will begin to sell them too—so be sure to take your friends, family, and co-workers with you!

    Have a healthy, happy summer!
    Andria Matrone
    Membership Assistant
    Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine

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  • 17Jun

    Fried Fried (Fried) Veal Burger Recipe

    I used a version of this (and came in 2nd place) at So You Think You Can Grill at The National Harbor Food & Wine Festival last weekend using Himalayan sea salt, Blue Ridge Dairy smoked Mozzarella, Farmer’s Market Eggs, and Whole Foods veal.

    Too complicated for 45 minutes with a small grill and a small frying pan, though – it was difficult to manage all the components in the contest setting, but it was still fun. I did win prizes though. 🙂

    This is actually a picture of the stovetop version (and also has lettuce) – I’ll update with pictures from the contest soon. The crowd was great. Thanks for the support.

    Oh, and Lisa Shapiro was was one the judges.   Was it better than judging Pizza Mart vs. Jumbo Slice, Lisa? 😉

    Fried Fried…Veal burger! (If it’s stove top, it’s Fried, Fried, Fried):

    -2 lbs ground veal (Giant sells it, or ask your butcher to make some).
    -4 extra large eggs
    -2 medium Yukon gold potatoes, slices into rounds
    -One smoked mozzarella (Clarendon and Penn Quarter market have a mozzarella vendor that carries it. Many supermarkets have it as well.)
    -4 buns, on the large side. Seeded or not.
    -kosher (or sea) salt and freshly ground pepper

    Make four 1/4 lb burgers with a small chunk of smoked mozzarella inside each. I used chunks the size of the upper digit of my thumb, but in a ball shape. The important thing is that the cheese must be completely surrounded by meat (well sealed).

    Cook the burgers in a pan (with a little olive oil) or on the grill.  Kosher or sea salt and fresh ground pepper prior to cooking. Cook them to your desired level of doneness…but I cook them medium or so.

    In another pan (at the same time) fry the potatoes (sliced in rounds) until golden brown. Salt them.

    Fry the eggs. You want the yolks to be fluid -over easy or sunny side up – also use a little salt.

    Slice and toast the rolls.  Place the burgers on the bottom, then the fries, then the fried egg goes on top.

    I combined some of my favorite things (burgers, fries, fried eggs)…and happened to have farmer’s market mozzarella on hand.  I like the textural differences in this sandwich.

    -JAY

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  • 16Jun

    Healthy Summer Entertaining

    By Chef Michael Kiss of Whole Foods – Arlington.

    He has a cooking class next Tuesday: 29 1/2 minute meals – Steak House Salad.

    -JAY

    ————————–

    Let’s Party! I love getting the garden all cleaned up, the deck all swept off and of course getting the menu prepared for amazing little bites of fun. It doesn’t matter if you have acres of land or a little patio or even nice access to urban green space, it all counts as outside!

    When it starts to get hot, we don’t want to make things hotter by heating up the kitchen. We also don’t want make heavy food that will make us feel even heavier in the heat and humidity. I want to show you 3 little dishes today that are like taking your tongue to the pool for the day. Refreshing is the order of the day!

    Vegan?!? Are you sure?
    Recently at our house Katie, my wife, has gone vegan. She is amazing and has really put a lot of thought and effort into changing her lifestyle. I have been very supportive and took on the challenge to learn how to cook a whole different way. It has been really fun and rewarding!

    One of our newest finds is a recipe for vegan deviled eggs, think of it as a hand held mini potato salad. And with great products like “Veganaise” you can still get classic taste and textures without the animal products.

    Katie’s Vegan Deviled Eggs
    Makes 12
    6 small red new potatoes
    2 to 3 Tbs. veganaise
    ½ tsp yellow prepared mustard
    Salt and pepper to taste
    1 tbs. minced onion
    1 tbs. minced celery
    1 tsp chopped dill pickle
    Paprika for garnish

    Boil potatoes in a sauce pan until tender. Drain and let cool. Carefully slice in half and with a melon baller or a measuring spoon and gently scoop out the space for the “yolk”. I just make 1 small round scoop near one end.
    Next mix together the potato scoopings with the rest of the ingredients and mash it until it makes a thick deviled egg yolk like mixture.

    Using a spoon or a pastry bag, mound a small bit of the “yolk” into the potato hollows. Shake a little paprika over top for that classic garnish.

    Inspiration comes at the oddest times.
    Sometimes I know for weeks and weeks what I am going to teach for a particular class, and sometime it hits me the morning of class. This recipe is the latter. I was thinking of making a great Asian flavor inspired tuna tartar tonight, but then I thought “what would make a great seasonal add in?” I started thinking watermelon and peaches. Then I thought let’s kick the tuna out and make a vegetarian tartar.

    Peach and Melon Tartar
    1 peach peeled, pitted, and diced into ¼ inch cubes. (add a small squirt of lemon juice to help keep them from browning)
    1 C. watermelon dice into ¼” cubes
    1 tbs. minced chives
    1 tbs. minced cilantro
    1 tsp prepared rice wine vinegar(sushi vinegar)
    ¼ tsp toasted sesame oil

    Gomasio for garnish
    Rice crackers for serving

    Gently toss together all the ingredients keeping the cubes of fruit as perfectly shaped as possible.
    Heap a small spoonful on a rice cracker and garnish with a shake of gomasio.

    Party with Friends as often as you can!
    Katie and I are very excited to go visit our friends this weekend for a summer fun day! We are extra excited that she is making one our favorites of her many fantastic dishes. Sunshine, friends, and a round of mini golf or two, now that is summer living!

    Amanda’s Fresh Cherry Salsa
    2 C. Fresh Cherries pitted, roughly chopped
    3 Tbs. chopped fresh Cilantro
    ½ tsp chopped jalapeno (optional)
    2 Tbs. chopped red onion
    1 tsp fresh lime juice
    Salt and pepper to taste
    Plantain chips for dipping

    Gently toss together all of the ingredients, taste and adjust seasoning. Let stand and come together for at least 10 minutes.
    Enjoy with plantain chips and some sangria.
    Is it the weekend yet?!?!

    I hope you are inspired to call up some friends and make plans this weekend.

    Eat Well!

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  • 15Jun

    Rhubarb: The Mysterious Red Plant

    By Guest Blogger Jessie Lin

    A few months ago, I had no idea what rhubarb is. I’d never seen it or tasted it. I first came across it during my trip in France.  At the market in Macon, I came across a jar of jam that was labeled “Rhubarb”, and I asked (in French) the vendor what rhubarb was. He tried to explain it, but at the very end, I still hadn’t a clue what it was. When I came back to the States, I started seeing it in every farmer‘s market I went to. At first I didn’t know what to expect out of this long-stemmed celery like item, so the thought of cooking with it never even crossed my mind. Maybe it’s the season for rhubarb; I started seeing recipes popping up left and right. I had my first taste when my friend made a Strawberry and Rhubarb pie.  My second taste came when I tried a compote at the last restaurant I worked at. It’s kind of hard to describe the taste. I did some research on rhubarb, and apparently it is classified as a type of fruit in the United States, although it looks nothing like it. The leaves are toxic and the stems are too sour to eat on its own. Therefore, the most common way of preparing rhubarb is for desserts, a sugary compote, or jam.
    I finally was brave enough to buy rhubarb during a visit to Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The market was selling it for a decent price, so I decided to try it out. I made a rhubarb compote that turned out to be delicious. I don’t like things too sweet, so I went heavy on the lemon juice and used less sugar, but you can experiment with the amount that you want!

    Here’s my recipe:

    • 2 stems of rhubarb chopped into 1/2 inches
    • 1/2 cup of red wine
    • juice of 1 whole lemon
    • 1/4 cup of sugar

    Put everything in a pot and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the rhubarb starts to peel, and you’ll definitely know when that is, cause it caught me by surprise. After that’s all thickened up, let it sit until it cools.
    I served it on top of ice cream, which turned out to be a great combination. The sourness from the compote complemented the sweetness of the vanilla ice cream. It’s also good on top of yogurt, bread, or as a dessert filling.

    In my second compote, I added 2 shots of bourbon instead of the wine, which adds a different kick to it.

    Experiment with this wonderful “fruit” while it’s in season!

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  • 14Jun

    Experimenting with Swiss Chard

    By Guest Blogger Jessie Lin

    Experimenting with Swiss Chard

    One of my goals starting this spring season is use as many local ingredients as I can in my cooking.  Luckily for me I have a Farmer’s Market that is about a 15 minutes walk from my apartment.  I am also a part of a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program which for $120 gets me a half share of food every week including fruits vegetables and legumes for 8 weeks.

    This is an exciting challenge and opportunity for me.  Using what is local and in season allows me to be creative and alter recipes that I have with some ingredients that I have never used or seen before.

    For my first share of CSA, I picked up some Swiss Chard.  This leafy vegetable looks almost like the skinny cousin of rhubarb.  It’s has red stems and has similar characteristics to that of spinach, although the two plants are unrelated.  Swiss chard can be used in both savory and sweet dishes.  In France, it is often cooked with eggs in dishes such as frittatas.

    I bought some ramekins the other day, so I’ve been craving to make a baked egg or soufflé type of dish.  I came across a spinach baked eggs recipe the other day which called for onions and spinach as its main ingredients.  Since I only had Swiss Chard and some green onions that I got from the Farmer’s Market, I decided to improvise.

    I first sautéed a bunch of green onions with some garlic and olive oil.  I then chopped off the leafy parts of the Swiss Chard.  After the green onions softened, I added the leafy chard into the pan.  After that’s cooked, I added about 2 TBSP of milk (heavy cream would work better, but since I didn’t have any, I turned to my handy milk carton.)  Turn off the heat and put the vegetables in a butter ramekin.  Make a little well and crack an egg on top of it.  I baked it at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes.
    The dish came out bubbling.  I sprinkled some paprika on top of the finished product just to give it a nice presentation.

    Taste test:  The egg whites were a bit over cooked, so I should probably reduce the baking time to 10 minutes next time.  The yolk however, was perfectly cooked.  The sweetness of the green onions complemented the Swiss Chard.  It was nice and creamy.

    This is a very simple dish that you can try with different variations.  Any leafy vegetables would do.  Try it with buttermilk, heavy cream, or whole milk.  Everyone has different taste buds.  What might taste good to me might not be for you.  This is one of the joys of cooking; we can alter all the ingredients to our liking!

    Ingredients for 2 servings:

    • One bunch of green onions

    • 1 clove of garlic

    • 1 TBSP Olive Oil

    • Half a bunch of Swiss Chard (Leafy paft only)

    • 2 TBSP of heavy cream or whole milk

    • 2 Eggs (one for each ramekin)

    • 1/2 TBSP butter (for greasing ramekins)

    • Salt and Pepper to taste

    • Dash of Paprika

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  • 11Jun

    From The Weird Dinners File

    On the off chance that no one has noticed, I tend to buy an assortment of fairly random stuff at the farmers market. Basically, I get whatever looks/smells best on a given day. So, I tend to end up with strange assortments of leftover ingredients, and, what’s more, I am even more often very hungry by the time I’m ready to even consider cooking dinner.

    I’ve learned to quietly suffer the disastrous experiments, happy in the knowledge that tomorrow could bring another unexpected gem. Last night’s concoction was one such success – thrown together in about 15 minutes (I got home at 7:30, having been stuck with an 11 AM lunch) using only things already thawed and, except the hot dog, chopped – it was actually bloody good.

    What I used:

  • – 1 kosher hot dog
  • – 1 India bitter melon
  • – 1 slice pumpernickel bread
  • – Sesame oil
  • – Cayenne pepper
  • – A splash of sweet rice cooking wine and a touch of dark soy sauce.

    • The melon was chopped into rough cubes, I sliced the hot dog into ~1/2 cm bits. The bread was just a big, very stale, slice from the back of the fridge.

    I heated the oil in my fry pan, adding the melon and hot dog together, stirring in some oil and cayenne, over medium heat. I lay the slice of bread over top to warm and get softer. I let that cook a while, till the melon and dog slices were starting to brown on all sides, and I flipped the bread over to warm the other side.

    When everything looked done, I put the bread in a bowl and spooned the melon/dog mix over it. Then, I deglazed the pan with the wine and soy sauce mix. I poured the reduced liquid over my dish and ate.

    You can eat each ingredient in individual bites – crunchy brash melon, soft and lightly charred mystery meat, and sweetly complex, soft bread, but the amazing combination of bitter, sour, sweet, smokey and spicy in each mega-bite is really fantastic. I definitely plan on making this dish again – on purpose.

    –MAW

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  • 10Jun

    Dollar Smoothies Today at Robeks

     $1 Dollar Smoothie Day at Robeks Fruit Smoothies and Healthy Eats today from 3:00 to 6:00pm!  Get energized with a delicious, all natural smoothie (12 oz.) today for only a BUCK at all 20 DC area Robeks locations.  Visit http://www.robeks.com for store addresses in DC, VA and MD.

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  • 09Jun

    Gossip Odds and Ends

    From Guest (Gossip) Blogger LMB
    Ed Witt, the New York City chef who came to DC over a year ago to serve as chef for a new Turkish restaurant being planned in Georgetown, finally got into the kitchen when Morso opened late last month.  Just weeks after Morso’s opening, however, Chef Witt has left that post; Morso is announcing that it is temporarily closed, although its take-out location, Morso Express, is still in business. Unconfirmed reports indicate that Chef Witt will be joining Knightsbridge Restaurant Group, but his tweet indicates that an official announcement will be coming soon.

    DCist is reporting that the D.C. outpost of Philadelphia/Orlando/Atlantice City Cuban restaurant Cuba Libre, to be located at 9th and H Streets NW,  is postponing its opening, originally slated for June, til September, despite the fact that the restaurant’s website still says Spring 2010 opening.

    Roberto Donna pled guilty last week to felony embezzlement in connection with his now closed restaurant Bebo, City Paper’s Tim Carman reports.

    ———-

    Editor’s Note:

    The Latest Dish by Linda Roth PR is a good source for restaurant happenings.  Here is the June, 2010 edition.

    -JAY

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  • 08Jun

    Want To Enter the Cooking Light Recipe Contest? You Have One Week!

    I just don’t have the time to work on it this week.  How about you? $20,000 prize!

    -JAY

    ————————————–

    Who will win the Cooking Light Ultimate Reader Recipe contest? It could be you! Enter your favorite recipe using one or more of our sponsor products and your recipe could appear in Cooking Light! Grand Prize winner will receive $20,000 and six other winners will each receive $500!

    Simply enter your contact information and recipe below for your chance to win!

    NO PURCHASE REQUIRED. Purchasing does not improve your chances of winning. Contest begins March 16, 2010 12:01:00 AM and ends June 15, 2010 11:59:59 PM. Open to all legal residents of the 50 United States, and the District of Columbia, age 21 or older at time of entry. Odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries received. Void outside the U.S., in Puerto Rico, and where prohibited by law. All federal, state and local regulations apply. See Official Rules for details and conditions.

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  • 08Jun

    “We’ll Always Have … Restaurants” (The Rammies!)

    By Guest Blogger LMB

    The Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington feted its own on Sunday night at the 2010 RAMMY Awards, the annual gala to celebrate and recognize excellence in the regional restaurant and food service community.  The theme “we’ll always have … restaurants” (a take-off on the Casablanca line “we’ll always have Paris”) suggested dress of ‘40s glamour, and the crowd did not disappoint.  From Zoot suits and white dinner jackets to pin curls and fur stoles, much of the crowd got into the fashion spirit of the times.

    But the night was not about the clothes.  It was about the food.  And winning.  This year, the RAMW changed the format for the event, again held at the Marriot Park Wardman Hotel.  While last year’s affair included a four-course seated dinner during which awards were handed out, this year’s program began with cocktails and passed hors-d’oeuvres, followed by the awards themselves presented in a theater style set-up, and ended with a dinner reception replete with four buffet stations, several open bars, a dessert buffet and a dance floor with a live band.  Attendees seemed to prefer the new set-up, where awards were given out quickly (each honoree was instructed to keep his or her comments to 30 seconds), and then the merriment and celebrating could begin in earnest.

    FOX 5 Meteorologist Sue Palka was the Mistress of Ceremonies again this year.  She rocked the ‘40s glam look and wittily kept the program on time.  Scott Drewno from The Source by Wolfgang Puck won the coveted Chef of the Year award.  Nicholas Stefanelli of Bibiana won the Rising Culinary Star award.  Birch & Barley, which won both Best New Restaurant and Hottest Restaurant Bar Scene, was the site of the unofficial after-party.  And in the new category of Beverage/Mixology Program, PS7’s took home the prize for mixologist Gina Chersevani’s skill with spirits.

    After the awards were handed out, the crowd swarmed the ball room for food and drinks, and eventually for dancing.  Over 1500 guests attended the event including politicians (D.C. Council Chair and Mayoral Candidate Vincent Gray was seen boogieing on the dance floor), Ambassadors, and, of course, the food world glitterati.  The four food buffet stations were sponsored by Australia, Chile, Mexico and Virginia, and each of the nominated mixologists created a cocktail for the event.  Guests dined on Moroccan spice rubbed lamb chops with harissa yogurt and lemon mint couscous and sous vide Australian wagyu shortrib as well as Tasmanian heritage red square cheese at the Australian table, grilled chicken pebre with a Chilean berry compote as well as a salmon, scallop, rockfish and shrimp ceviche from the Chilean station, Virginia oysters and Virginia Chesapeake Sting Ray Filet wrapped in Bacon, as well as mac & cheese with chocolate Virginia bacon, and chirlorio burritos, cream and chipotle shrimp and avocado soup courtesy of Mexico.

    At midnight, when the band stopped and the lights came on, many revelers were still enjoying the evening.

    Here’s the entire list of 2010 RAMMY Award Winners:

    RAMMY Honorary Award
    The Monocle on Capitol Hill

    Joan Hisaoka Associate Member
    ProChile/Wines of Chile

    Duke Zeibert Capital Achievement Award
    Bob Madigan

    WHERE MAGAZINE Visitors’ Choice Award
    The Capital Grille

    Power Spot
    BLT Steak

    Hottest Restaurant Bar Scene
    Birch & Barley-Churchkey

    Neighborhood Gathering Place
    Cork Wine Bar

    Your Favorite Restaurant (determined by an online/newspaper ballot)
    Co Co. Sala

    Restaurant Employee
    Adolfo Cajchon – Lead Food Runner, Seasons

    Restaurant Manager
    Mark Politzer – Bourbon Steak

    Upscale Casual
    Vermilion

    Rising Culinary Star
    Nicholas Stefanelli – Bibiana

    Best New Restaurant
    Birch & Barley

    Pastry Chef
    Anthony Chavez – 2941

    Wine Program
    Proof

    Beverage/Mixology Program
    PS7′s

    Fine Dining Restaurant
    2941

    Chef of the Year

    Scott Drewno – The Source by Wolfgang Puck

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