Hanco's...in search of Banh Mi

As I continue on my quest for the perfect Bahn Mi, I have decided to try Hanco's, which has the best reputation in Brooklyn, for Bahn Mi.

Located in trendy Park Slope and Boerum Hill, their two locations are in two of the most desirable neighborhood's in Brooklyn to live in. For geographic convenience from where I am located, I try the smaller location in Boerum Hill.  This is a small place - dilapidated tables and chairs for only 12 people - but it is all about the Bahn Mi, not ambience, which this place has none of.

Although the bread was not as crusty as Paris Sandwich Shop, this was a better sandwich.  You have options, so there is a bit of customization.  You can have it mild, medium or spicy.  Of course, with my penchant for chile, I ordered spicy and you can even have it on whole wheat, for an extra .75 cents.

This time, I ordered the Classic Sandwich, made with ground pork, Vietnamese ham, pate and accompaniments.  Their pickled carrots and daikon (at Paris Sandwich Shop, it was only carrots) was perfectly pickled with the correct balance of vinegar and sugar and added so much more flavor than the carrots that were in my Paris Sandwich.  This had large stalks of cilantro, so it had the freshness I was missing at Paris.

In conclusion, this filling in Paris's bread would be the perfect Bahn Mi!

Regardless, with a lychee Bubble Tea , with the perfect tapioca consistency, this was a fantastic lunch!!!

Chef Mireille

Sour Cherry Lamb Shanks (cookbook recipes)

It's time for another of our Cookbook Cooking Recipes.  This one was taken from the 1992 Best of the Best.  The Best of the Best is an annual cookbook that is published by Food & Wine Books.  They take the best recipes from the best cookbooks of the year and publish them in the Best of the Best.  This recipe is actually Sheila Lukin's (of Silver Palate fame) USA cookbook.  She spent three years traveling the United States to discover the hidden gems of our county and one of these gems was Sour Cherry Lamb Shanks.

4 lamb foreshanks (about 1 pound each)
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
salt, to taste
3 tablespoons olive oil
6 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 cup chicken broth (preferably homemade)
1 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons clover honey
4 cloves garlic, lightly crushed
2 cinnamon sticks
4 fresh sage leaves
pinch of ground allspice
1 cup chopped seeded ripe plum tomatoes
1 1/2 cups dried sour cherries
1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
Cooked couscous or white rice, for serving.

Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Sprinkle the lamb generously with the salt and pepper.
Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a oven proof pot over medium heat.  Add w of the shanks and brown them well on all sides, about 8 minutes per side.  Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining shanks.

Pour off all the fat in the pot and add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil.  Add the carrots and onion and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until vegetables are cooked, 10-12 minutes.
Return lamb shanks to the port along with any accumulated juices.  Add the chicken broth, wine, honey, garlic, cinnamon sticks, sage and allspice.

Bring to a boil, cover and transfer to the oven.  Roast until the meat is tender, about 1 hour.
Add the tomatoes and cherries and cook uncovered for another 45 minutes.
Remove the cinnamon stick, stir in the parsley and serve over couscous and rice.

This was a delicious recipe, with lamb very tender and both sweet and savory at the same time.  I also believe this would be a wonderful recipe to do in a slow cooker, after you have browned the shanks and cooked the vegetables.  This is one recipe where it only gets better the longer it is cooked.

Although it says to serve with rice or couscous, I think the flavors of vegetables cooked in the oven complemented in better like some  braised fennel or roasted potatoes.

Hope you enjoy this one as much as  I did!

Chef Mireille

Paris Sandwich

On my quest to find the best Bahn Mi sandwich in NY [that wonderful Vietnamese goodness of meat and\or pate, pickled carrots, herbs, butter & mayo on a crispy French baguette] I started with the Paris Sandwich Shop which has two locations in the heart of Chinatown.

There are just a few long wooden tables - enough for about 20 people only. There is a 60 minute time limit at the tables so not the place to come for a leisurely lunch with a group of friends, but perfect for a quick bite before you do your Chinatown shopping.

In addition to Bahn Mi, they also sell European sandwiches & Vietnamese entrees, but I was there for Bahn Mi. Ordering was very easy. All the staff spoke English - not always the case in this part of town.  You order and then you walk to the back and wait for your number to be called. .  .very fast & very organized!

Now to the sandwich. The bread was the perfect baguette; not too soft with the perfect crisp when you bite into it. I ordered the grilled pork. .delicious with slight undertones of chili but nothing overpowering. .but my favorite part of the sandwich was missing. I love when I bite into a Bahn Mi and the delicious meat is balanced with the freshness of lots of mint and coriander.  This one had barely 2 coriander leaves and that was it!  The freshness which makes this meat filled sandwich perfect in summertime was missing.

So my quest for the perfect Bahn Mi continues...

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

Chipotle Chicken

This is a super easy, super fast recipe - perfect for a during the week meal.  If I had my own TV show, this would certainly be a 30-minute meal.

Chipotle Chicken
4 chicken thighs
1 large can chipotles in adobo sauce
1 onion, quartered
1 large bunch cilantro
2 tablespoons oil
1 cup water
salt, to taste

In a food processor, blend chipotles, cilantro and onion until a paste consistency.

Season chicken with salt.  In a large skillet, heat oil and brown chicken on both sides, about 4-5 minutes on each side.  Add processed paste and water.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer and cook on medium heat for about 20 minutes, until chicken is cooked thoroughly.

This is a pretty spicy chicken, so you can reduce the amount of chipotle peppers you use, if you prefer a milder version or to make it more kid-friendly.

Chef Mireille
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Mi Tierra

 Mi Tierra is a wonderful Latin American market for all of your needs whether you are cooking Mexican, Peruvian or Argentinian.  This is your one stop resource for any South/Central American recipe.  This is a large, full service supermercado.  You can also get all of your basic needs here like milk, bread, meat and even fresh seafood.  The market takes up almost the whole block in Jackson Heights, with many tropical varieties of fruits and vegetables.

You will find every variety of dried and fresh chile pepper.  If you want to make a four chile mole, this is the place to go for everything from common chiles like Ancho and Poblano to more unique ones like Aji and Mulatto.  You can also find many varieties of queso fresco, including Oaxaca style.

Chuno Negros, dried potatoes necessary for traditional Carapulcra (Andean pork and dried potato stew), Chincha (Peruvian corn beverage) and aji pepper paste are just a few of the Peruvian products found here, as well as Argentinian chimichurri sauce.

Dried blue corn for making Mazamorra Morado and many other unique products can all be found at this wonderful resource we are lucky enough to have in our backyard.

Next time you want to make an authentic Mexican, Chilean or Peruvian meal hop on the 7 train to 82nd street and walk 3 blocks for the best variety and prices at 85-15 Roosevelt Avenue.

Chef Mireille 

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Cassava Pone (cookbook recipes)

Cassava Pone is a classic Caribbean dessert.  How do I describe pone - it's not cake, not bread, not pudding - it's somewhere in between pudding and halvah - very moist but yet still solid.  It's just one of those things unless you have had it, it is difficult to describe the consistency.

Most of you will probably know cassava as yuca - whether you call it yuca, cassava or manioc, it is the same root vegetable which makes this a fiber rich dessert. You must first peel the vegetable and then grate it for this dessert.

This recipe comes from Ramin Ganeshram's Sweet Hands. This is her Trinidadian version of it.

2 cups grated cassava
1 cup grated coconut
1 cup sugar
1/2 stick melted butter
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground vanilla essence
1 teaspoon mixed essence (no mixed essence was on hand so I combined 1/4 teaspoon banana essence, 1/4 teaspoon lemon essence and 1/2 teaspoon orange essence.). Almond will also work wonderfully as this is a traditional ingredient in Caribbean desserts, as common if not more so, than vanilla.

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Butter a 9-inch square pan.
Mix all ingredients until thoroughly combined.  Pour into dish and bake for 1 hour, until golden brown and an inserted knife comes out clean.

I found this recipe was tasty, but not great.  First of all the cooking time was off, so add an extra 20 minutes or so, for the middle to be cooked through, but the consistency just wasn't quite right.  Even after the extra cooking time, it still was too wet and not as homogenous as it is supposed to be.  However, flavor wise, it was delicious.  While I have always had pone in cake slices, I like the idea of using a square dish.  This makes it easier to cut into small pieces, to exercise portion control.  However, using the square dish might have let to the consistency problems.  Will have to try the same recipe in a cake pan and see what happens then...Will keep you updated of if anyone wants to try it first, I would appreciate your feedback on how it worked.

Until I find or develop a better recipe, I suggest going to Allan's Bakery or Culpepper's (if you live in Brooklyn) for some delicious pone!

Chef Mireille
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Homemade Lo Mein

Chinese Restaurants in NY are a staple, but we have the resources to make the same things at home with 1/2 the calories and price and also customizing it to our specific tastes.

You never see the Chinese eating what they serve us -oily, calorie laden food.

Go to Chinatown, buy some fresh ingredients and you can make your own version of Lo Mein, easy as 1-2-3.

First go to Deluxe Supermarket, a huge market that runs the entire length of the block from Mott to Mulberry (there is an entrance on each side).  Here you can get a variety of meats sliced paper thin and they cook very fast - so this is perfect to use in Lo Mein.

Next you can get Lo Mein noodles, either dried or fresh in many of the markets located throughout Chinatown.  I like using the fresh noodles, but this is only if you are going to use them the same day.  Otherwise, purchase the dried noodles.

This "recipe" I am not going to include quantities so you can really customize it and make it your personal tastes. Anyway, recipes should be used as a guide and not as a Bible.  This is how you develop your own style of cooking.

Lo Mein

 scallions, chopped
garlic,finely chopped
ginger, finely chopped
thinly sliced meat (chicken, pork, beef, lamb)
vegetables (whatever variety you like)
soy sauce
oyster sauce
5-spice powder
1 package fresh lo mein noodles (if using dried noodles, they must be cooked in boiling water al dente before making lo mein)

peanut oil

chili paste (optional)

cilantro, chopped (aka Chinese parsley)

In a bowl, marinate meat in 5 spice powder and a little oyster sauce for about 20 minutes.  

In a wok, heat 1 tablespoon of peanut oil and fry scallion, ginger and garlic for 3-4 minutes.  Add meat and stir-fry until meat is cooked thoroughly.  Add whatever vegetables you are using (cabbage was used in the photo above) and fry until slightly undercooked.  Add noddles & desired amount of soy sauce.  Stir fry for a few minutes until thoroughly combined.  If you like it spicy (as I do) add a few teaspoons of chili paste.  Add a few tablespoons of cilantro and toss again.  Serve immediately.

The less oil and more vegetables you use the better.  If you find the meat and noodles are starting to stick to the bottom of the pan, use chicken broth (instead of oil) .

Eat and enjoy!!!

Chef Mireille
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Mustang Thakali Kitchen

I was in the Indian enclave of Jackson Heights last weekend doing some shopping and the hunger pangs started to signal: FEED ME.

Sev Roti

So I was off to find some delicious Indian food.  Although Jackson Diner has the best reputation (due to an article some years back in the NY Times), it is my least favorite buffet in the area.  There are so many better restaurants in the area, that just does not have the publicity, as is usually the case. 

My favorite buffet in the area has always been a little place a few blocks away from the main 74th Street block, on 37th Avenue called Ashoka.  They had the best food and were one of the cleanest establishments in this area.  Sadly, on my quest to revisit Ashoka, it was no more. I decided to try their replacement, Mustang Thakali Kitchen, a Nepali/Tibetan restaurant.

Having been thoroughly delighted by my visit to Himalayan Yak a few months ago, I was more than willing to try another restaurant in this genre.

Thali

They had a variety of thali plates - a meat entree served with two vegetables, dahl and achar (picked vegetable condiment).  This was the highlight of everything I tried - a wonderful Farsee Goat in a pumpkin gravy was spicy and savory, but with a mild sweetness from the pumpkin.  This dish had many levels of flavor and I was pleased.

Farsee Goat

The Sev Roti was also wonderful - light and airy, it complemented my companion's chicken curry well.

The momo (traditional Nepalese dumplings) were bland and flavorless.  They need to get some lessons from Himalayan Yak on this one.

I was not impressed with the service.  Although they have an extensive menu, we were all pressured to have the thali, whether we wanted it or not.  We had to insist when we wanted to order something else, because my companion was not that hungry.  And the displeased look by the waiter when one of us was pondering one of the Indian entrees on the menu did not go unnoticed.  If it gives you such displeasure to offer Indian entrees on the menu, don't include it!!!

While I think it is absolutely worth the trip to try the Farsee Goat, Himalayan Yak will be my preference for repeat visits in this genre due to their delicious food and better service.

Chef Mireille

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The Politics of Nutrition

Since its inception, this blog has been about food and travel related issues.  My fans come here to find out what I think of a new restaurant I have tried or to find a unique recipe or to learn some interesting facts about a travel destination.  They don't come here to have a political discourse, so I try to keep my opinions to myself, as difficult as this may be.  Some things that I feel strongly about, especially food/travel related issues, I feel compelled to comment on.  I came across a story today that I feel forced to comment on.

Michelle Obama has taken on child nutrition as one of her issues, which I feel is necesary. We are the most obese developed country in the world, which contributes in a big way to our exorbitant health care costs as a nation.  Instead of the right wingers spreading lies that Obama is doing to start death squads killing senior citizens, they need to be instructing their constituencies that ketchup is NOT a vegetable and teach them to eat and lead healthier lives to help reduce the national healthcare budget.

After I read this article about Mrs. Obama trying to get more fruits and vegetables into school lunch programs and eliminating junk food options, I proceeded to read the comments.  Although I should not be surprised, I am amazed at the amount of anger in the comments.  People are calling this a ruse by her and the President to spread socialism in the US.  Really? - Oh how horrible of them to try to bring more nutrition to our children.  What evil exists in the Obamas! Give me a break!

On another note, many people comment about this being a parent's responsibility and not the school's, but it is the school's responsibility if they are giving children free lunches, it should be a nutritious, healthful lunch and NOT detrimental to their health and well being.  Even if we decide to take the school out of the equation, finding fruits, vegetables and healthy options is not always easy, especially in lower economic areas.  The government needs to make fruits and vegetables accessible at affordable prices to the people in lower economic areas.   Many of these people do not have cars so they are limited to what is available in their neighrborhood.  I have seen the quality of the fruits and vegetables available in some of these areas and I would not want to eat produce looking like that.  These are the ones that are lucky enough to even have fresh produce available. There was a CNN special on this issuea few years ago, which indicated in inner city Chicago it was easier to buy a gun than it was to buy a tomato.   In the better neighborhoods where most people have cars and can drive to do their shopping, they don't have to because there you find healthy looking produce at better prices.   

It is the government's responsibility to provide the infrastructure so that all it's citizens have access to quality food at affordable prices and this is something that is sorely lacking right now, so Mrs. Obama I support you!!!

This is an issue I feel strongly about, providing healthy food to all people and it amazes me that people would find fault with Mrs. Obama on this objective.

But this is not a political blog, so I'll stop now..but I am interested in hearing your opinion back!


Chef Mireille
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