More Innards: Kidneys

April 26th, 2018 § 0 comments § permalink

Prepared properly, kidneys are delectable. However, they have to be properly cleansed before cooking in order to get rid of any urinary undertones (Do some Google research to find cleansing techniques). On the other hand, Leopold Bloom (fictional hero of James Joyce’s Ulysses) famously stated that he liked kidneys for the faint trace of urine they left upon his palate. Kidneys (rognons) are on almost every French bistro menu. Prepared in a variety of ways. Mustard sauce. Wine and garlic. Tarragon and butter. HG had lamb kidneys seared on the exterior and pink inside at a pleasant bistro near the Eiffel Tower, Au Bon Accueil. The kidneys were served with ample, buttery potato puree. Mario Batalli, the colorful Italian chef, has a good recipe for fiery Kidneys a la Diabolo. Sardi’s, the New York theater district landmark, had tasty lamb chops accompanied by grilled kidneys (Caution: This was 50 years ago). Steak and kidney pie is an English standby, of course, and HG had a lush version at London’s Connaught Hotel. When Greenwich village residents, HG/BSK often picked up a container of kidneys in mustard sauce from the prepared foods section of Balducci’s, the wonderful Sixth Avenue grocer. Most Americans are suspicious of kidneys. They are missing a treat.

Do I Miss New York?

April 25th, 2018 § 0 comments § permalink

That’s the title of Dave Frishberg’s nostalgic tune (Frishberg is also the author of the ultimate baseball song, “Van Lingle Mungo.”) So, does HG miss New York? No and yes. HG spent the first 56 years of HG’s life in New York and its environs and the next 32 out west in Colorado and now in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The New York HG misses no longer exists. It has been taken over by the rich, the semi-rich and the wannabe rich. While some quirky little shops and restaurants remain, much has been crushed by the Real Estate Monster (It’s a sign of the times that a Real Estate Monster is POTUS). What HG misses most are HG’s youth and young manhood. Non-recoverable. However, there’s a bright side. BSK is the best wife, companion, lover, intellectual and political comrade that any lucky man could have. HG hit the marital jackpot. Will celebrate 55th anniversary in July. HG remains in love and eagerly awaits BSK’s next culinary and artistic creations. Santa Fe has wonderful climate, distinctive architecture, nearby natural wonders. Progressive, super-liberal politics. More artists and art per square foot than anywhere else in the USA. Unique culture: Anglo, Hispanic and Native American. Tasty, inexpensive Mexican-New Mexican-Tex/Mex eating places. Also, very good Japanese and Indian food. A movie town de luxe with big screens cinematheques and repertory. Museums, galleries, live theater and music of all kinds. Plus lectures on all aspects of politics, government and the environment. However. No city, region or person is perfect (except BSK, of course). Santa Fe does not have a good Chinese restaurant. HG has always thought that an abundance of Jews spawned Chinese restaurants. Well, Santa Fe has Jews (two synagogues), but inferior Chinese food. Go figure.

Brains

April 22nd, 2018 § 0 comments § permalink

No, HG is not referring to the intellect or anatomy. Rather, HG is referring to a favorite Paris bistro dish: Cervelles au Beurre Noir (sautéed calf brains with black butter sauce). This is usually served with boiled potatoes dusted with chopped parsley. When HG was in the midst of HG’s Madison Avenue public relations executive career, HG ate them at twice a week luncheons at the venerable Le Veau d’Or. The lush, buttery dish was preceded by mussels in mustard sauce (a freebie), warm sausage in a crust with hot mustard and cornichons. Creme caramel for dessert. Drank hearty Cahors. Afternoon work was impaired by drowsiness. Lots of traditional Jewish restaurants like Moskowitz and Lupowitz served garlic strewn cold brains as appetizers and the small theater district French bistros featured them. Brains are not a health food (high cholesterol) and so have disappeared from New York’s health conscious menus along with the restaurants that featured the delectable dish. Had excellent flour dusted fried brains in Rome with lots of freshly squeezed lemon juice. Also enjoyed fried brains tacos at a nondescript Mexican eatery in Denver. This was also a good place for tongue (lengua) tacos and menudo (tripe stew). Innards heaven.

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April 19th, 2018 § 0 comments § permalink

HG’s two favorite writers on food and restaurants are Calvin Trillin and SJ (No nepotism. SJ’s blog, OishiGevalt.com, is both appetizing and brilliantly perceptive about many aspects of Japanese culture). HG shares with both writers a love for garlic and chicken fat, staples of HG’s late Mom’s Eastern European kitchen. Sammy’s Rumanian, the raucous, venerable restaurant in Manhattan’s lower east side features HG’s “Holy Trinity”: Garlic, Chicken Fat and Vodka. Here’s what Trillin has to say about Sammy’s: “Following the Rumanian tradition, garlic is used in excess to keep the vampires away. Following the Jewish tradition, a dispenser of schmaltz (liquid chicken fat) is kept on the table to give the vampires heartburn if they get through the garlic defense.”). Happy HG is looking forward to a dinner of chicken sautéed in olive oil with thirty gloves of garlic (plus lots of herbs from BSK’s garden). There will be a loaf of fresh ciabatta to soak up the juices and to spread with savory soft garlic. Count Dracula, beware!!!

BSK: Improv Two

April 17th, 2018 § 0 comments § permalink

Here’s another comfort food improvisation from BSK that made HG purr with delight on a chilly night. From the pantry: dried shiitake mushrooms, polenta, shallots, garlic From the fridge: cremini and shiitake mushrooms. The mushrooms were cooked in olive oil, boullion, garlic, shallots, salt, pepper and a dash of white wine and vinegar. When the dried mushrooms had softened, they were added to the mix along with the water in which they had soaked. Meanwhile, HG gently stirred the polenta in a pot of boiling water. With a cocktail of bourbon, blood orange bitters, Campari in an ice filled glass held in HG’s left hand, HG’s right hand did the stirring with a long wooden spoon. A happy task followed by happy eating.

BSK: Improv One

April 15th, 2018 § 0 comments § permalink

BSK has always excelled in improvisation. As a theater student at Ohio State University many decades ago, young BSK was a hit at campus coffee shops with a ventriloquist’s dummy, “Thelonious Monkey.” BSK did many “improvs” during New York acting classes with Lloyd Richards, Lee Strasberg and Michael Gazzo. But, BSK’s kitchen “improvs” are those that delight HG. Last night, BSK plucked a package of recently bought Trader Joe’s baby zucchini from the fridge. Found a package of Sardinian Fregola Sarda in the pantry. (Fregola Sarda is composed of toasted tiny balls of semolina flour. They taste like a cross between kasha and Israelia couscous. But, better). BSK cooked the Fregola in chicken stock, garlic, tomato paste, shallots, tarragon and parsley. Gave it all a hit of Aleppo pepper. When done, BSK topped the Fregola with zucchini and cherry tomatoes sizzled quickly in olive oil. Showered with grated parmigiano, this was comfort food at its best.

The Blood Libel Of Matzo

April 12th, 2018 § 0 comments § permalink

HG recently mused about the pleasures of matzos (matzo brei and solda). But, like much of Jewish history, there is a dark side to matzos. Namely, “the blood libel”: For centuries Jew haters claimed that the blood of a Christian child (later expanded to Muslim children) was the necessary ingredient in the composition of matzos. Jews in Britain were murdered in 1144 after being accused of “the blood libel.” Similar murder of Jews in France (1171). There are more than 150 cases of “blood libel” actions against Jews in recorded history. (Hundreds more were not recorded.) Probably the most significant “blood libel” pogrom took place in 1903. The place was Kishinev, a Bessarabian town at the edge of the Russian Tsarist Empire. During Easter time, in three bloody days, 49 jews were killed and hundreds of Jewish women were raped. “POGROM: Kishinev and the Tilt of History” by Stanford University Professor Steven J Zipperstein, was recently published. Philip Roth described the book thusly: “POGROM is a splendid book that pinpoints the moment at the start of the twentieth century when exile in Europe turned deadly in a way that foretold the end of everything. It tells us the horror that occurred street by street, butchery by butchery–with gripping clarity and an admirable brevity.” Ten years later, Menahem Mendel Beilis, a Jewish Kiev factory supervisor, was accused of murdering a Christian to obtain blood for matzo baking. The case against Beilis never had any substance. Beilis, not an observant Jew, was working at the factory on the Sabbath when the murder took place. He was observed in the factory by the entire gentile work force. Nevertheless, Beilis was jailed. Soon after, authorities gave him an plea-offer to go free. He refused and demanded a fair trial. The trial jury, despite being composed of many members of the anti-semitic “Black Hundreds,” found Belis innocent. The Beilis case was fictionalized by Bernard Malamud in the novel (and later movie), “The Fixer.” The Beilis character in the fiction bears little resemblance to the real Beilis. He gave all credit for his freedom to the Russian detective and Russian lawyer who worked on his behalf. He said they risked their reputations and their lives in the cause of justice. One would presume that this ridiculous myth of baking blood into matzo would have disappeared in these more enlightened times. Not so. In 2012, Saudi cleric Salman Al-Hodeh repeated “the blood libel” accusations. As did an Egyptian political leader in 2013 and Hamas officials in 2014. The madness persists.

Some Like It Raw

April 11th, 2018 § 0 comments § permalink

In HG’s post about carnivorous New York decades ago, HG forgot to mention a favorite red meat dish: Steak Tartare. Yes, spicily flavored chopped raw beef. It was a notable luncheon dish at the long closed German restaurant, Blue Ribbon, (in New York’s west 40’s). HG often ate the dish with the late New York Times journalist, Glenn Fowler, who shared HG’s passion for raw meat. The late Richard Lyman, a Herald-Tribune editor, looked at steak tartare with disdain. He called it “a police dog’s dinner.” Rivaling the Blue Ribbon masterpiece is the steak tartare served at HG’s favorite Paris brasserie, Le Stella (located in the posh 16th). It is accompanied by wonderful French fries. There are numerous recipes for flavoring steak tartare. When HG does it at home the process begins with chopping by hand a 1/2 pound of very lean tenderloin. It is mixed with some finely chopped onion, egg yolk, anchovies, Worcestershire sauce, ground pepper and a dash of ketchup and hot sauce. Accompanied by pumpernickel bread and Black and Tan (half Guinness stout and half IPA). Lusty dining.

Matzos

April 10th, 2018 § 0 comments § permalink

Yes, it’s the Jewish Passover season when Jews throughout the world celebrate the escape from Egyptian bondage and the journey to The Promised Land. So, observing the basis of many Jewish holidays: “They tried to kill us. They failed. So, let’s eat.”, feasting is obligatory at the Seder (ceremonial Passover meal) and throughout the holiday. Matzos (a recognition of the unleavened bread the Jews took with them in their haste to leave Egypt) are a Passover staple. HG believes the only good use of matzos is in matzo brei. Simple dish. Matzos are softened in cold water. Then drained and the excess water is gently squeezed out. HG’s Mom added some fried onions to the mix (HG leaves them out). The matzos are added to a bowl of beaten egg. Mixed well. Scoops go into a pan of sizzling butter or canola oil (Mom sometimes used chicken fat). When the bottom of the matzo pancake sets and browns, it is turned over. A dusting of kosher salt and grinds of black pepper. Sour cream or cottage cheese on the side. Jews of Polish extraction usually like things sweet so they have their matzo brei with jam or honey (“Feh!!” exclaims HG). Delightful breakfast whether served sweet or savory. Moroccan Jews make their own version of matzo brei: Solda. Chopped onions are sizzled in olive oil. When transparent, chopped tomatoes are added with salt, pepper, turmeric, smoked paprika and cayenne. Water is added to the sauce and when boiling, broken up matzos are added to the sauce. Simmered until the matzos absorb the sauce. HG serves this with Greek yogurt flavored with a bit of olive oil and pinches of cumin, sumac and zaatar. Plus lemon juice. Top the solda with some fried or poached eggs. Green salad on the side and you have a festive dinner.

Not Ramen. However…

April 8th, 2018 § 0 comments § permalink

Fridge was looking empty. Cupboard was bare. Just a few wines in the rack. Time for shopping. First stop was Trader Joe’s for pork chops, endive, kumatoes, milk, etc.. BSK, a knowing wine selector, gathered a case of reds, whites and roses. All tasty and good values. Then off to Whole Foods for bread, fruit, cheese, vegetables, chicken (WF has the best). HG was feeling peckish. Reading SJ’s brilliant blog, oishigevalt.com, made HG yearn for a steaming bowl of ramen. Alas, Santa Fe has many splendid restaurants, casual green chile joints and a good place, Paper Dosa, serving Indian food. But, there is no ramen to be had in this foodie town. Talin, an Asian food supermarket, served passable ramen. Closed. An eccentric chef had a pleasant ramen bar but moved it to Seattle. However, on this hungry day all was not lost for Asian noodle craving HG. While BSK roamed the WF aisles, HG garnered a table in the cafe and consumed a giant “Thai Flavor Shrimp Noodle Bowl.” Rice noodles, a dozen juicy shrimp, tofu and jalapeños were afloat in a super spicy red broth. With some icy green tea, this was an exuberant meal. No, SJ, Santa Fe isn’t Tokyo. However….

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