A Different Kind of Thanksgiving

While everyone was filling up yesterday on Roast Turkey, Stuffing, Cranberry Sauce and Pumpkin Pie, none of those things were being enjoyed in my house.

I may be a Brooklyn born American, but my palette definitely belongs to the Caribbean and Asia, as does my heritage. Although once in a while I do a traditional American Thanskgiving, this was not one of those years. I think the spirit of Thanksgiving is to be with family and especially in these difficult economic times and global terrorist threats, be thankful that we have food on our table, a roof over our heads and the company of our loved ones. What matters is who you are with; not what is on the table.

My Thanksgiving table included Roast Cornish Hens with Potatoes, Sauteed Turkey Breast in Coconut Milk, Green Bean Salad (flavored with Ginger, Soy Sauce and Chili Paste), Pan Roasted Pork Chops with Carrots and Pears, Wheat and Barley Pilaf, Cornbread and Ginger Spice Cake.

While I can't give away all of my secrets, I have included a link to what I think is the best cornbread recipe - It is foolproof.

I will give the recipe for my Roasted Cornish Hens and Potatoes. I love Cornish hens because due to their small size, the cooking time is not long and this also leads to a more moist bird.

Th night before stuff the cavity of the bird with a selection of herbs of your choice - I used rosemary, thyme, chandon beni, sometimes spelled shadoe beny (aka as recaito), and 1/2 a Scotch Bonnet (or habanero) pepper in each bird. For more info on chandon beni (if the herb is unfamiliar to use, please view my previous post here: http://gourmetglobal.blogspot.com/2008/03/whats-your-herb.html
I also put loads of smashed garlic cloves in each cavity. Great herbs to use would also be parsley and cilantro.
The next day I took some potatoes and cut them into 1/4" slices and tossed them in olive oil and more herbs (chopped). I spread these around the birds and rubbed onto the birds so that the top of the birds were coated with olive oil and the herbs. Because they are flavored so much with the herbs, very little salt is needed so you can just sprinkle very lightly with salt and pepper. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes covered with aluminum foil. Uncover and cook for another 20-30 minutes depending upon the size of the birds.

Hope you enjoy this recipe and had a very Happy Thanksgiving!!



Chef Mireille
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Pastitsio Reinvented!!

Pastitsio is a classis Greek dish, which is basically Mac and Cheese with a layer of ground meat in the middle. Flavored simply with oregano, it is a little bland for my Caribbean palate, so I decided to take it up a level, so here is my version of Pastitsio. Play around with it - use whatever is in your refrigerator - substitutions are totally allowed:

1 lb. pasta (I used ziti because that is what I happened to have - traditionally, elbow macaroni is used
1 lb. ground meat (I used lamb)
2 t dried oregano
2 T fresh parsley
2 T fresh mint
2 t fresh rosemary
2 t aleppo pepper
3 stalks celery, finely sliced
3 carrots, finely sliced
2 t garlic, minced
1/2 fennel bulb, finely sliced
5.5 oz can V-8 juice
1/2 lb. Kasseri cheese, grated
1/2 gallon milk
2 T butter
2 T all purpose flour
olive oil
1/4 cup grated Parmesan

In a large skillet, saute carrots, celery, garlic and fennel in 2 T olive oil. Add ground meat, dried herbs and aleppo pepper. Saute until all meat is cooked through. Add V-8 (I used hot and spicy, but you can use whichever variety you prefer) and stir to combine. Stir in fresh herbs (you can use whatever herbs you happen to have on hand) and salt to taste. (Do not add too much salt because the cheeses will also add salt to the final product). remove from heat.

In another large pot, cook pasta as directed on box. Drain.

In a seperate saucepan, make bechamel sauce. Melt butter in a saucepan. Add flour and make a roux by cooking together until golden brown. Add milk and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and add Kasseri (or other grated cheese that you prefer - gruyere, mozarella, manchego, pepper jack would all be delicious). Cook for another few minutes until cheese is all melted and sauce is slightly thickened. Remove from heat.

In a large casserole dish, coat with olive oil. Add 1/2 of the cooked pasta, then add all of the meat sauce. Cover with the remaining pasta. Pour bechamel over casserole and top with Parmesan. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 40 minutes, until golden brown on top.

Serve with garlic bread and a simple salad of Mixed Greens, dressed with olive oil and lemon juice.

Use the cheese you prefer, the herbs you prefer and the pasta you prefer - Add loads of vegetables and kick up the nutrients - mushrooms, zucchini, eggplant, parsnips, green beans would all be great additions. This is the way to make a recipe you own - Use this recipe as a guide and you can reinvent your own
Pastitsio!!



Chef Mireille
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Bombay Talkie

Bombay Talkie is a great restaurant to hit the NY restaurant scene. Opened in 2005, it highlights the fabulous street food and roadside food popular throughout India. A unique Indian restaurant, atypical of the usual Punjabi inspired cuisines of most Manhattan Hindustani restaurants.

In addition to small street food bites, their main courses feature the uniqueness of regional specialties throughout India from Goan Pork Vindaloo to North Indian classics like Chicken Tikka Masala, as well as unique signature dishes, inspired by the South Indian owner. The food is not the in your face spicy heat popular on Curry Hill, where you get pepper without flavor. At Bombay Talkie, you will get a perfect marriage of the flavors that make Indian cuisine unique - fenugreek, mustard, cloves, tamarind, coconut and the list goes on. The spices blend together and not one overpowers another. I highly recommend the Nilgiri Coconut Kebabs. Perfectly seasoned lamb in a thick, creamy coconut milk based curry. The curry sauce can be completely wiped clean with their Gobi Paratha (Cauliflower Stuffed Bread).

Their specialty cocktails incorporate the flavors of India as well as their ode to Bollywood with names like Umrao Jaan and Laila Majnu and where else can you find a Ginger Martini?

The service was very good as well. I arrived there with a group of 15 without a reservation on a busy Saturday night and they were able to accommodate us within 15 minutes.

They are a little overpriced - $10 for one Kathi Roll and not a large one at that - but worth the experience for a treat!


Chef Mireille
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Healthiest Supermarkets

There was a great article on cnn.com today detailing the healthiest supermarkets in the country:
Whole Foods
Safeway
Harris Teeter
Trader Joe's
Hannaford
Albertson's
Food Lion
Publix
Pathmark
Super Target

Plus I have my little two cents to add:
Whole Foods - while I agree it is one of the healthiest, it is also the most expensive and in these hard, economic times you can still get healthy alternatives at a variety of other markets.

SuperTarget - I HIGHLY recommend. Many of my colleagues and friends had been telling me for many months that I have to go to the grocery section of Target and when I finally made it there - WOW, was I impressed. Their store brand, Market Pantry, is very good and made with mostly all natural ingredients. I bought their Italian salad dressing and ketchup. Tasted as delish as any other name brand that you are used to.
Archer Farms, their organic brand is amazing-with LOTS of unique snacks. The Archer Farms line of cereals are delicious -the Triple Berry Clusters is really good but my absolute fave is the Multigrain with Yogurt Cranberries. Made with wheat, kamut, millet, brown rice and oats, it is full of fiber and delicious. I eat it with oat or rice beverage (instead of milk), and it packs a lot of fiber, vitamins and minerals in one bowl of breakfast cereal. Add some sliced banana and it keeps you full until lunch. Also, the potato chips with black pepper and sea salt is to die for.

Some other local markets that did not make it on this list that I highly recommend are:
Fairway - huge selection of fruits and veg. at reasonable prices. The location in Brooklyn is located behind God's back, as my grandmother would say, but the Manhattan location is very accessible to public transportation and the prices can't be beat, especially for Manhattan. They also have a large International section - the only place in Manhattan I can get halloumi (one of my favorite cheeses - from Cypress). Organic meat also, at half the price of Whole Foods.

Food Coops are also great. Two are in Brooklyn:
The Flatbush Food Coop, which is only a few blocks from my house so I frequent it often. The prices are a hit or miss - Some things can be really reasonable (especially if they are on sale) and others can be really expensive. Because membership is not mandatory (as it is in most coops) their prices have to be higher because they have more salaries to pay.

The Park Slope Food Coop prices are amazingly cheap, but membership is required. In addition to making a $100 investment in the coop, you must work a 2 hr and 45 minute shift every 4 weeks. You reap the benefits of your work by paying extremely low prices for all natural and organic products.

The 4th street coop is located at 58 East 4th Street. I am not familiar with this food coop but take a look at their website and you can call and find out how they operate.

Sahadi's on Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn, in the middle of the Middle Eastern enclave, sells a variety of foods from a variety of cuisines throughout the Middle East, Africa and Asia. Spices, All varieties of Grains, Coffee, Dried Fruits and Nuts as well as Fresh Olives are also in abundance at this market.