Spice without the Heat

Indian food is one of the most popular cuisines in the West today.  This is why so many of my blog posts are on this topic.  Many people enjoy the flavor of Indian food, but can't take the heat of the chile.  There are ways to incorporate the flavor of this cuisine into your meals, without the use of chile peppers.  One of the ways that so much flavor is brought into Indian cuisine is how the spices are introduced into the meal.  Even when the spices are ground (which is not even done in much of the home cooked meals), they are first roasted to bring out the flavor.  Ground processed spices loose their potency through the processing.  Most people in India purchase the whole spices and then roast and do the grinding themselves.  They would not even consider purchasing store-bought ground spices.

Here is a wonderful fusion recipe, using cooking methods of the West and the spices of the East.

Indian-Spiced Roast Chicken and Vegetables
2 T coriander seed
1 T cumin seed
1 T black peppercorns
16 green cardamom pods
2 cinnamon sticks
2 T dried coconut slices
1 T yellow mustard seed
1 parsnip*
1 celery root*
3 carrots*
1 small chicken
5 garlic cloves
1 large piece of ginger
1 good handful of curry leaves, plus extra for garnish
salt and pepper to taste
1 T mustard oil (if you can't find mustard oil, bring olive oil and mustard seeds to a boil.  Turn off the flame and let it rest for 1 hour.  Drain and discard mustard seeds.)

* or any assortment of root vegetables you prefer
 Directions:
1 - Place spices in a dry pan on high heat.  As soon as the mustard seeds start to pop, reduce heat to medium and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
2 - Cut vegetables into large pieces.  If they are too small, they will turn to mush by the time the chicken is cooked.  Using a fork, prick the chicken, so that the spices can permeate the skin.  Clean the chicken and season both chicken and vegetables with salt and ground black pepper.
3- Stuff the ginger, garlic and curry leaves into the cavity of the chicken.  Rub mustard oil and then roasted spices all over the chicken.  Place in an oven bag with the vegetables.  Cooking in an oven bag will keep the flavors trapped inside the chicken and vegetables, so that marinating is not necessary.  Prick the top of the bag with a fork 2 or 3 times.  Roast in a 350 degree oven for about 2 hours, until cooked through.
4 - Place on a serving platter, surrounded with the vegetables.  Garnish with extra curry leaves.
5 - Serve and enjoy!!!



Chef Mireille
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View 42 at the Ritz Carlton

View 42 at the Ritz Carlton in White Plains is one of the participating restaurants in Hudson Valley's Restaurant Week.  Up on the 42nd floor, the view is amazing and a very nice bar.  The bar is very hip and trendy with lots of young, singles - the place to be seen.
In my opinion, the whole reason for Restaurant Week is to enjoy delicious food, that you would normally not be able to afford.  The restaurant had a selection of a few $28 bottles of wine, that were very affordable and more than adequately complemented the delicious food.  $58 or more for a bottle of wine as some were spending at the bar,  I find an unnecessary expenditure for the evening, especially in the current economy.  This defeats the whole purpose of Restaurant Week.  Food is my specialty and not wine.  I have never claimed to be a sommelier, but it goes against my conscience to pay $58 for a bottle of wine when my favorite bottle of wine from my local liquor store costs $11.99.
Now to the main event - the food.  This restaurant had a very good selection for Restaurant Week.  A very light and delicately flavored potato soup or a wonderful salmon tartare with Asian pear, jalapeno and toasted sesame oil were the stars.  All of the flavors were delicate and blended so perfectly, that not one flavor dominated.  The jalapeno added a subtle kick at the end to the smoky sesame oil and freshness of the pear.  A simple Mesclun salad was the third appetizer option.
Main course options included skirt steak with potato puree and lamb belly with polenta.  There was virtually no description with the chicken option, not even indicating method of preparation.  The braised lamb belly was very tender and delicious but it is a part of the animal I think should never be included on the menu due to the layers of fat in the belly included within the braised meat.  Although not tough the way fat usually is, it still was not pleasurable to consume.  The vegetables were perfectly cooked, but the sauce was slightly bitter.
All of the desserts were wonderfully light and delicious.  After the fatty lamb, the vanilla pannacotta was a wonderful way to end the evening.
A wonderful array of various salts were placed on the table, but due to the amount of salt included in the food, there was no opportunity to sample the salt.  If you are going to have a gourmet item such as sea salts, the patron should have the opportunity to sample it.  Otherwise, it is there for effect only.
Portion sizes were ok, but could have been slightly larger.  Service was good.  Live piano music was nice, but too noisy if you are sitting at the table next to the piano, making conversation impossible.  Large tables made conversation difficult, even without the piano.  You have to almost scream for the person across the table to hear you, in a party of six.
In short, for a fabulous view and an ok meal, but not spectacular, it is not worth the $17 train ride from the city.  From perusing their normal menu, I have a feeling that the options on the full price menu would be a fabulous meal.  Many restauranteurs miss the point of Restaurant Week.  If you highlight your best assets, patrons will be willing to come back and pay full price, at least for special occasions, if they cannot afford it on a regular basis.  However, if you treat your Restaurant Week patrons as second class citizens, you can guarantee they wont be coming back for any reason!!!



Chef Mireille
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The Pearl Room

The Pearl Room of Bay Ridge was where I decided to celebrate Brooklyn's Dine In Brooklyn week.

The appetizers and entree was an indication of why they received the 2009 Michelin award.  The tomato salad included perfectly cooked chickpeas, fresh Parmesan with a tasty reduction sauce.  Very light and fresh tasting - it was absolutely delicious.  The main entrees were just as delicious - Pan Seared Tilapia with Beetroot Ginger Reduction and Proscuitto wrapped Pork with Swiss Chard were the highlights.  The pork was perfectly cooked - moist and tender on the inside, covered with crispy proscuitto.

The desserts, on the other hand, left a lot to be desired.  Small portions, the cheesecake took about 2 bites to finish.  Presentation also did not represent well this caliber of restaurant. The creme brulee was served in little foil tins.  It looked like the little containers of flan you get from local Spanish bakeries.  Flavor and taste did not make up for the lack of presentation.  The cheesecake and tiramisu were mediocre at best and the creme brulee was too milky.

They do get an A+ for service.  Very attentive and friendly staff who were ever present catering to our every need, but never overbearing.

In short, The Pearl Room is worth a visit for their food, but go somewhere else for dessert.


Chef Mireille
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Ode to the Rutabaga

Rutabaga, aka Swede, is commonly referred to as a Swedish turnip.  Very similar to turnips, but with a sweeter taste.  They are larger than turnips so will take a longer time to cook, unless you cut them in very small pieces.  Although widely used in Norway and Sweden, rutabagas are most common in Finland, where they can be found in anything from salads and soups to a variety of side dishes.

The NYC Cooking & Dining Group celebrated the food of Finland on Sunday and the rutabaga appeared in various forms throughout the meal.  It's best assets were presented in Rutabaga Pudding, a popular dish served at Christmastime in Finland. It is a savory, deliciously sweet pudding.  This is a great side dish to add to your Thanksgiving table.

Rutabagas are rich in Vitamin C and Calcium, so this is a good root vegetable to add to Mom's Chicken Soup when you are feeling under the weather.

Lanttu Laatikko  (Rutabaga Pudding)
1 large rutabaga, diced
3 tablespoons butter, plus extra for greasing
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, beaten

1.    Put the diced rutabaga in a large pan and cover generously with water.  Bring to the boil, lower the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes until tender.  Remove the pan from the heat and leave the rutabaga to cool int he water for about 30 minutes.  Drain well and mash the rutabaga.
2.    Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Grease a dep, ovenproof dish with butter.  Pour the cream into a bowl, add the breadcrumbs, nutmeg and salt and mix together.  Add the beaten eggs.
3.    Add the cream mixture to the mashed rutabaga and mix together.  Spoon the mixture into the prepared dish and dot the surface with the butter.  Bake in the oven for about 40 minutes until lightly browned.  Serve hot.

Enjoy!!!


Chef Mireille
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Dine In Brooklyn and Hudson Valley

Manhattan is not the only part of New York to have a Restaurant Week, although it is the most known.  There are many restaurants in the surrounding areas with food, service and decor that can rival any Manhattan eatery.

Brooklyn has already started its Dine In Brooklyn celebration on March 15th and it will continue until March 25th. A 3 course lunch is $20.10 and a 3 course dinner is $25.00.  The NYC Cooking and Dining group has chosen the Pearl Room, winner of the 2009 Michelin award, to sample what Brooklyn's Restaurant Week has to offer.  If you would like to enjoy a meal with other NY Foodies, please see here to RSVP.  For a complete list of participating restaurants, please see here.

Hudson Valley is also in the midst of their Restaurant Week - March 15th - March 28th.  Their 3 course lunch meals are $20 and the 3 course dinners are $28.  For a complete list of participating restaurants, please see here.

Many restaurants in both of these locations offer fabulous Waterside views and with the wonderful weather we are experiencing, it is the perfect time to get out of the city for an evening of fabulous food.

Always appreciate feedback for good restaurants - Please post comments - what restaurants you tried and what you thought of them!!!


Chef Mireille
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Red Rice and Curries of the World

There are many varieties of rice eaten throughout the world, not popular in the United States.  One of my favorite rice varieties is red rice, eaten mostly in South India (especially is Kerala and Goa) and Sri Lanka.  It has a nutty flavor, due to some of the bran being left attached to the grain, when the grain is seperated from the husk.  Like all varietal rice where there is bran left attached, it is a more healthful option for rice, but more flavorful than brown rice.

It does require more water and cooking time in preparation.  Whether you are using a rice cooker or stovetop steaming, 3 1/2 cups of water should be used to 2 cups of rice.  For best results, soak rice in water for 1 hour prior to cooking (but this is not absolutely necessary).  Rice will be cooked in approximately 30-35 minutes.  Fish dishes, especially, go well with the nutty taste of red rice.

Many varieties of red rice, including Bhutanese, South Indian and Sri Lankan, are all available at Kalustyans, online or in the store.

Sri Lankan Jackfruit Curry, flavored with Maldive fish is a wonderful way to complement red rice.
This is one of four curries you can learn to make by taking a Curries of the World Cooking Class, one of a series of cooking classes that will be given by Global Tastes and Travels this summer:

In this class, you will learn how to cook curries from all corners of the world:
South Indian Prawn Curry
Malaysian Fish Curry
Suriname Chicken Curry
Sri Lankan Jackfruit Curry
Caribbean Breadfruit Curry

Please click below for reservations:
May 8th
June 27th
August 1st

 For our complete Summer Schedule of classes, see here.


Chef Mireille
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Chola - 2nd time around

I don't usually review the same restaurant twice, but my first visit only a few of their vegetarian appetizers were sampled.  This time, a complete dinner was sampled from beginning to end including King Fisher beer and galub jamun for dessert.  Galub Jamun is an indian dessert that are basically fried doughnuts, but they are very light and airy, traditionally made from mostly dry milk powder instead of all purpose flour, which leads to its lightness.  These doughnuts are then marinated in a light syrup flavored with cardamom and rosewater.  Most Indian restaurants in NYC don't make this the way it should be.  To aid in mass production for easier frying, the doughnuts are heavier and sometimes they are just dipped in the sauce, so they are very bland.  At Chola, the Galub Jamun is perfectly made and are thoroughly soaked so that you get the strong cardamom flavor in every bite.

Chola may be a bit pricier than most Indian restaurants but you get a lot of value in flavor and quantity.  All of their portions are very large, so you will definitely be taking leftovers home and so, in actuality are getting two meals for the price.  Even their appetizer portions - (see photos) - two huge lamb patties flavored with sweet spices like cardamom and nutmeg or four delicious spinach fritters in a cashew sauce.

Chola offers many of the foods typical at other Indian restaurants like Mixed Tandoori Grill - wonderfully seasoned and delicious - not dry like Tandoori can sometimes be.  The vegetables usually included in Tandoori grill are just onions and peppers.  At Chola, it was served with a variety including cauliflower and carrots.

They also have many unique dishes, especially in the South Indian section of the menu.  A spicy red fish curry flavored with chile and ginger is definitely a winner, as well as a vegetarian entree made with pumpkin and okra.  Each curry is made with its own unique blend of spices, so that no two curries takes like one another.

A great wine and beer list (including both King Fisher and Taj Mahal Indian beers), a friendly and accomodating staff, a clean and pleasant ambience, unique and delicious food, large selection of vegetarian and vegan options - Chola is the perfect restaurant to enjoy dinner - especially for special occasions like birthdays, anniversaries, etc.

Everybody, no matter what your dietary limitations may be, will be able to find something to enjoy here!!!!!


Chef Mireille
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Calle Ocho

Calle Ocho is a wonderful restaurant to enjoy a weekend brunch on the upper west side of Manhattan.  It got its name from 8th Street in Miami, which is the heart of Miami's Cuban community.  

When you first enter, the restaurant seems to be a low key place with a swanky bar and dark walls.  Once you enter the dining room, it is a different setting all together.  A large, bright room with lots of energy.  There is Latin music pumping at the perfect volume - loud enough to hear the music but still able to make conversation easily feasible.

The food is varied and delicious - haute cuisine Latin flavor.  The highlight is the Yuca Fries - full of garlic and herbs - they are a definite MUST HAVE.  Portion size is more than adequate. This is all good, however, most people who regularly do brunch in NYC, especially women, go for the drinks.  Food is secondary - it's all about the cocktails!!! The Sangria line is just about the best thing at Calle Ocho - many choices of both red and white Sangria -  some of the choices included Tropical (pineapples, mango, rum, lemongrass, lemons and passionfruit nectar), Mulata (tamarind, vanilla and spiced rum), Spanish Harlem (mandarins, peaches, cinnamon dark rum and brandy) but my personal favorite was Havana Banana (bananas, coconut, lychees, Bacardi coco and creme de banane).  Unlimited Sangria comes with your meal.  

Your entree (with unlimited Sangria), complete with tax and tip will average about $20/pp.  This is one of the best brunch buys in the city, even if you include a side order of Yuca Fries and dessert!!!

Chef Mireille
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Plantain Podimas

 Plantains are not usually a common ingredient found on most menus in Indian restaurants in NYC, but it is a commonly used ingredient in South Indian cuisine.
The most common way to prepare plantains that is known to many of us is usually to just fry them in oil.  This is easily found in Chinese restaurants in neighborhoods with large Caribbean and Spanish populations here in the city.

This is an entirely unique way to prepare the plantains which are grated and then stir fried with spices.  I must thank Saffron Trail for this recipe.  Please take a look at her blog for really unique, vegetarian recipes:

Plantain Podimas with Peas
2 plantains
2 tablespoons oil
1 teaspoon ginger, grated
2 chilles, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon urad dal (split and hulled black lentils)
1 teaspoon chana dal (yellow split peas)
1 handful of curry leaves
1 cup peas
2 tablespoons coriander, finely chopped
2 tablespoons grated coconut
salt, to taste
ground turmeric
1 pinch asoefetida
1 cup frozen peas, defrosted in the microwave for 1 minute

1.    Boil 3 cups of water in a large pot with a little salt and ground turmeric.  Slice plantains in half horizontally, with skins left on.  Add to boiling water and cook for about 7-8 minutes, until just tender.  Add cold water to pot immediately to stop cooking process.

2.    Once plantains are cooled, grate them, using a box grater.

3.    In a large skillet, heat oil and add mustard seeds on medium flame.  Once mustard seeds start to pop, add urad dal, chana dal and asoefetida.  Once the chana turns golden brown, add the chilies, ginger and curry leaves.  Fry for about 1 minute.

4.    Add plantain and peas and cook until heated through.  Stir in coconut and chopped coriander.  Garnish with more fresh coriander leaves, if desired.

Enjoy and would love your feedback on this unique way of preparing plantains!!!!!


Chef Mireille
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