Wine & Food Challenge in Westfield - Grilled Ham and Cheese with Strawberry Red Wine Jam

The recipe for the Grilled Ham and Cheese with Strawberry Red Wine Jam starts out with a quote from "Sonoma's Wildest Wine Party" in this month's Food & Wine magazine. "The secret to Chris Kronner's delectable sandwiches is the jam spiked with Pinot Noir. Kronner got the idea when he was helping Elisabeth Prueitt test jam recipes while they drank wine." This all seems very obvious now. Some of the greatest inventions were accidents. Rubbing 2 sticks to make fire, using hand lotion keeps mosquitos away, bumping chocolate into peanut butter, and now this.

I spill wine on my food all the time, and leave food in the car, I never thought to submit the recipe for publication. But I did make this funky recipe, sort of a cross between a Croque Monsieur and a jam sammy. Ironically I googled "Croque Monsieur" to check my spelling (hi mom!) and stumbled upon this: "The original Croque Monsieur, which first appeared on Parisian café menus in 1910,may have been accidentally created when French workers left their lunch pails by a hot radiator and came back later to discover the cheese in their sandwiches had melted." Oh, those French culinary geniuses...

The good news is you don't have to be a French History major or a culinary genius to make this fabulous lunch or light supper. I used lightly buttered challah instead of brioche because it's almost the same, a fluffy eggy thick bread so suitable for grilling and filling. And my daughter brings it home in her backpack from school so it's not only convenient but really fresh and tasty. Add a slice of baked ham and a slice of gruyere and start grilling the half sandwich. Mix strawberry jam with 2 tablespoons of Pinot Noir (a zinfandel could work well here, too) and spread over a second slice. Top off your sandwich and lightly butter top slice and flip. Grill for a few minutes and pour yourself a glass - you are ready to enjoy.

I added a side of dijon mustard for dipping, and found it brought out the sweetness of the jam and the nuttiness of the cheese even more.

Salut!
WF

Food & Wine in Westfield - Final Dinner Tuesday, Need Tasters

Somehow when I plotted out my calendar of what recipes to cook on which days, I mixed up the first night of Passover. When I realized the first night of Passover was tonight, I thought I missed my chance to conclude this cooking challenge by the end of March. Between the secular calendar and jewish dietary restrictions, I thought I was up the river without a paddle, much like baby Moses himself.

But God must be smiling upon me, or hungry, because the menu I chose for my last night of the Food & Wine Challenge in Westfield is entirely Kosher for Passover*! And, there is one more night in March, Tuesday night.

My husband is away and will miss the Great Sixty Minute Meals: Italian Dinner with Grilled Balsamic and Garlic Flank Steak, Gorgonzola Roasted Mushrooms and Onions and Polenta with Chives.

So I will have plenty of food to taste. If you have wanted to be a taster and haven't done so, I hope you will consider stopping by for a to go plate or to sit and enjoy with a glass of wine. Second Seder anyone?

*The meal itself is not everyday Kosher as one dish has meat and one dish has cheese. But eaten separately both are OK for Sephardic Passover observation.

photo credit: Food & Wine Magazine, April 2010, Polenta with Chives

Wine & Food Challenge in Westfield - Reality Check

I committed to writing a blog about cooking, shopping and eating food in Westfield, NJ. I live here and I cook a lot so I am always seeking out good recipes, restaurants and inspiration.

I read Julie & Julia in 2004 when it came out. I devoured it and re-read it. I loved it. It was better than the movie. That said, the movie was also better than the book, because it wove in the unbelievably charmed life of Julia Child. I started a blog after the book but before the movie. Ironically, Julie & Julia, while inspiring me in a different way, have nothing to do with why I started this food blog.

Last June I spent a weekend in San Francisco with my girlfriends, centered around a magnificent wedding in Napa at the Mondavi guest house. My college roommate is in the wine business and her husband is a chef and restaurant owner. See where I am going with this....? Yes, to taste heaven. Foie Gras sliders. Deconstructed Gazpacho. Humongous Grilled Prawns. I drank sparkling rose with a 360 view. All vineyard all day.

I reconnected with old friends but also met some of her fellow Stanford MBA cronies. Many of them were bright, overeducated, unemployed parents of young children who were trying to justify their not working. I could relate. And they all had blogs.

Blogs have not taken over the east coast yet. But there, on that day, I discovered that even if you don't have a job, you could write a blog and at least that gives you dinner party conversation. In September I started this blog because I spend so much time shopping, eating and cooking in Westfield, I am taking it to the next level and making my observations public. And welcoming yours.

I saw Julie & Julia in February with my kids and we all loved it. In their spirit of taking upon a challenge, I am cooking 5 3-course meals in 11 days, all based on recipes in the April 2010 Food & Wine Magazine and all from ingredients purchased in Westfield*, NJ. And I'm committing to writing every day about my experience.

Last night, a friend asked if I were Julie or Julia? I said I'm Westfield Foodie. I'm both and I'm neither.

Bon Appetit!
WF

*or within 5 miles

Wine & Food Challenge in Westfield - Pasta with Philadelphia Cream Cheese

The ad in the April 2010 Food & Wine Magazine was straightforward and simple: Add 1/2 cup of Philadelphia Cream Cheese to your favorite pasta and "make it more primo." I don't even know what this means, but i know they are right. And I don't know why I have to take simplicity and make it complicated, but this turned into yet another taste test.

It started with pasta and cream cheese. Yum. We mutually decided to add parmesan sauce. YUM! tasted like Alfredo without the fuss, the eggs, the butter, the fat, the work. A pinch of coarse sea salt, even better. Then we tried it with tomato sauce. My husband said it tasted like we added ketchup. My daughter said you couldn't taste the cream cheese. Not the desired effect for a cream cheese ad, I suppose.

You be the judge...try it and let me know what you think?

Wine & Food Challenge in Westfield - S'Mores Pizzas

For the first time during this cooking project, I looked at the recipe with a sense of relief. I had all the ingredients in stock and the cooking time was less than thirty minutes. Perfect for whipping together a quick new dessert to bring to my neighborhood's annual Easter egg hunt.

The S'mores Pizza was a fun recipe to make with my two children, ages 10 and 4. First you make the graham cracker topping, where you mix graham crackers with light brown sugar, granulated sugar, unsalted butter, vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. my little one crumbled crackers in her little fingers while my older one measured and poured flour & sugar. For the crust, we used Pillsbury pizza dough in one of those tubes that are a hoot to whip against the counter and watch pop open. That never gets old! At age ten, my daughter can expertly take a blob of dough, use a rolling pin, and make a worthy crust. Impressive! And for the topping, you spread the graham cracker crust all over and top with crushed chocolate pieces and marshmallows. The recipe calls for mini marshmallows but I had big ones so I sliced them sideways into three white discs that resembled fresh mozzarella.

You are 5 minutes away from being done here. You bake the crusts without toppings for 2 minutes at 500*. Then top and cook for 1 minute, then broil for 1 minute. Ok, now you're done. Was that fast enough? After cooking I drizzled some chocolate syrup on top to make it look even tastier.

It was interesting to watch people eat it at the party. Kids wouldn't touch it (except mine) but the adults were curious. My testers included a RWJ fitness instructor, a magazine sales manager, a local mattress manufacturer, a CEO, a state judge and a marketing executive at a major studio in NYC. The pizza scored points for original presentation, combination of two favorite snacks, and overall taste. One commented that she did not expect it to satisfy her sweet tooth since it was only part chocolate, but was surprisingly sweet. Conversely, my husband was surprised by the sweetness since for some reason he thought it was sausage and fresh mozzarella. I kid you not.

For a quick, unexpected happy treat that is out of the ordinary but far from uncommon, try this recipe. It's easily portable in a used pizza box and don't forget the pizza cutter.

Enjoy!
WF

Food & Wine in Westfield - Spring Peas with Mint

The Spring Peas with Mint was so easy to prepare, and was a great third dish to cook with the tomato tart and leg of lamb, which both took a long time to cook. This took under ten minutes and the combination of mint, red onion and red wine vinegar was a welcome twist to our the little baby peas. The recipe comes from Mario Batali's Vegetable Challenge, where he joins chef Mark Ladner to get people to eat more veggies.

I chose to use frozen peas because it is economical, time saving and they taste great. A bag of frozen peas is a great thing to have on hand to use as an ice-pack for little boo boo's and my kids like it better than ice, so it serves a dual purpose. Healing and cooking have always gone hand in hand, and this nutritious side dish is packed with vitamins, minerals and lots of taste.

The peas are from Trader Joes, they are petite peas, and are described on the bag as "June peas harvested in the Pacific Northwest at their height of freshness." They were sweet, tender and their bright green color was a perfect balance to the basil crusted lamb.

For this recipe you simply empty the bag of peas into a serving dish, and add extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, finely chopped red onion (I used the food processor), fresh mint torn into delicate pieces, salt & pepper. It's that easy.

Wine & Food Challenge in Westfield - Basil-Crusted Leg of Lamb with Lemon Vinaigrette

When I was a kid, we could still play 78 albums. 8-tracks were the norm, cassette tapes were just entering the market, and we had 1 color tv, which was in the den. So my brothers and I listened to a lot of music albums in our basement and used our imaginations to dance and pretend. One album in particular was our favorite, one my mom had in the 40s when 78 albums were cutting edge. Bugs Bunny hunting sheep (not wabbits). We would act it out, trapping some innocent little lambs. Our favorite line was soon to come: how are you Bugs Bunny someone asked? Whether the lamb was stuffed inside him or actually eaten, I was never sure. But Bugs answered clear as day, "not b-a-a-a-a-a-a-d!" We would roar in laughter and play it and shout it over and over. We actually still do.

This Basil Crusted Leg of Lamb with Lemon Vinaigrette recipe is fanta-a-a-a-a-stic. As victorious as Bugs must have felt in pinning his conquest, I felt I conquered a difficult recipe and produced a perfectly prepared leg of lamb worthy to serve to the Warner Brothers themselves.

I started by visiting what is considered the best butcher in town. Sadly, the town of Westfield has no butchers, when some residents can remember up to three. I googled "Westfield butcher" to make sure I wasn't overlooking anyone. When the first entry is Omaha Steaks and the second entry is Westfield Seafood, I knew I had to invoke the "within 5-miles" rule to advance in my cooking project. So I drove 3.5 miles to Scotch Plains and took my first step into the reputable John's Meat Market. I was greeted by 3 guys cutting huge slabs of legs, sides and shoulders. Yet for some reason I felt completely safe.

John's is run by the original proprietor's sons Vinnie & Nick. In my brief time at the store, I learned they had recently been voted NJ Monthly's Best Butcher. I was told that the dollar is no good in New Zealand, so now they get their lamb from Colorado. And that they split their purchases with Peter Luger's buyer at the 14th Street meat market.

With personality, quality cuts of beef and a booming take out business, it's no wonder John's has been in the hood for over 70 years. I walked out with a butterflied leg of lamb, a promise to return for the turkey chili, and 4 new friends. I can't wait to return. They claim to be like Cheers, where everybody know's their name. I hope that is true.

I prepared the lamb a day in advance. I stopped by Trader Joe's for the rest of the recipe's ingredients. Trader Joe's sells dry toasted pine nuts which spares me from toasting and/or burning the nuts myself. I knew I had a plain white bagel at home so I toasted that instead of buying a new loaf of white. I had the oil, garlic, lemon and coarse sea salt at home. I substituted crushed red pepper for cayenne. Grabbed a package of fresh thyme, a bottle of syrah and headed home to tie up a few loose ends.

Before you start this recipe, it is helpful to lay down 6 pieces of kitchen twine that are about 8" each, and lay the lamb down lengthwise over the twine, fat side down. Prepare the basil mixture in a food processor - a wedding gift that is getting more action this week than during the 8 year span of my marriage. All this cooking seems to have the same effect...OK, so you combine all the ingredients, pulse a few times and spread it on the lamb. You guess what is next - tie up the sucker real tight and stick in a gallon size zip lock overnight.

The rule follower I am not, I had a hard time sticking to this recipe to the letter, like I'm supposed to. It was the night I prepared the pie crust for the tomato tart. A rare 30 minutes to myself on a gorgeous spring evening. I could have done anything, but I chose to silently, and without interruption, cook. I quietly prepared my dough and browned my lamb between dropping off and picking up my 2 girls. Rather than browning the lamb in a flameproof roasting pan, I grilled over high heat on the barbecue. As you can see, there was no flameproofing. I guess I was feeling a bit rebellious and ambitious.

Later than evening, I roasted the lamb for 1 1/4 hours and then opened it, topped it with additional basil mixture, and broiled it to sizzling perfection. I had it for lunch the next day, and my seven year old neighbor ate most of what I left for his mom. My husband loved the lemon dijon vinaigrette. I am waiting for the next big chance to make this - and shop at John's - again very soon.

Wine & Food Challenge in Westfield - Cherry Tomato Tart with Basil

I love tarts. I love tomatoes. I love basil. I did not love the cherry tomato tart.

It looked fantastic with its golden brown flaky crust and heirloom tomatoes in yellow, green, orange and red, roasted to wrinkled perfection. But like the clafoutis, it just did not set in the middle and yielded a mushy crust and bitter tomatoes as I probably cooked them too long trying to set the crust. I wonder if I pre-bake the crust would the center cook more properly.

I did make 2 changes to the recipe, which is where I believe I ultimately failed. First, I did not have heavy cream, and I decided to use half and half. But the more likely culprit is that I did not have the pan the recipe called for: a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. I should have one of these, but I don't, so I used my Emile Henry ceramic pie dish (that I also used for the clafoutis and the flatbread lasagna). Maybe I needed a metal dish to conduct the heat so the entire bottom cooks well. Or maybe it invited me to use too many juicy tomatoes and weighed it down? Or perhaps the tomatoes sizzled out some seedy pulp that kept the crust wet.

The good news here is that the crust was really delicious, and so easy to make. In less than ten minutes I pulsed the flour, butter salt and half & half in my food processor, transferred to a floured work surface, and kneaded it several times. It was soft but firm and I decided in that moment that I will make all my crusts home made from here on.

The cooked product was a little tangy but the outer crust was gorgeous and you could taste the different using course sea salt makes in a recipe. I also forgot to save some basil as I was preparing the lamb stuffing, so that was another problem.

Because this dish was so beautiful, I will most likely try it again.

Food & Wine Challenge in Westfield - Lamb, Peas & Tomato Tart

At about 5pm yesterday, I literally stopped to smell the flowers. A little batch was blooming in my backyard garden. For the first time in about 3 days I was alone, and it felt good to breathe in the fresh spring air and appreciate the serenity. I sat in the sun, poured a glass of wine and set the radio to WMVU. I lit the barbecue and thought how true that maxim about March really is, coming in like a lion and going out like a lamb. Last night was my official welcome to the new season, complete with Basil Crusted leg of Lamb with Lemon Vinaigrette, Spring Peas with Mint, and Cherry Tomato Tart with Basil.

A lot of fresh herbs, primarily basil and mint, complement the tender butterflied leg of lamb and tiny young peas. I rolled my own crust for the tomato tart and it was so easy I will never to back to Pillsbury. It seriously took 5 minutes. The lamb I did on the grill rather than stovetop because it was so beautiful outside and to me, lamb always tastes better with a grilled charred outer crust. The lemon vinaigrette was really simple to make and brightened up the plate.

So after a hectic week, I reap my reward with a wonderful meal. It wasn't ready until 9:30pm, but by then, after a few glasses of wine, it didn't even matter.

Happy Spring!
WF

Food & Wine Challenge in Westfield - challenged by time

Am I crazy? I must be, because I committed to cooking 5 3-course meals over a 2 week span, which is challenging under regular circumstances. By regular I mean the crazy, on the go lifestyle led by me and my 2 busy girls with seemingly endless extra-curricular activities.

I love to cook, but it's hard to roll out the dough when you are

a) in the car
b) dropping off and picking up at 2 different Surgents simultaneously
c) in the Emergency Room getting a small foot x-rayed
d) doing everything else
e) all of the above

Top that off with these:

1) Broken oven (yes, again!) All cooking is done in toaster oven, on stovetop, or on gas grill.
2) Past 8 days at either a performance, dress rehearsal till 9pm, or both
3) My Italian Steak Dinner was scheduled on same night as family Passover Seder. Oops!

OK - I am still committed to cooking every recipe by the end of the month. In fact, it is providing me with purpose and motivation at a chaotic time.

I am writing this because I've been so busy that I did not post an entry yesterday and don't want 2 days to lapse without blogging. But I am cooking tonight, and hope to write more later.

till then,
WF

Food & Wine Challenge in Westfield - Where to Buy Shrimp

As a spin-off of my cooking challenge to cook 5 3-course meals in 10 days from this month's Food & Wine Magazine, I put Westfield markets to the test and procured shrimp from 3 vendors in 3 levels on a fresh to frozen continuum. Then challenged tasters to match the shrimp with its vendor.

Each taster got six shrimp, labelled as a "1" "2" or "3" and their assignment was to match each batch with Westfield Seafood, Stop & Shop Fish Department, or Plain Bag of Frozen Uncooked Shrimp.

Not one response was fully correct. And every single person - that's 100% - incorrectly identified the frozen shrimp as from Westfield Seafood. The frozen shrimp comes in a 2 pound back for $16.98. Westfield Seafood charges three cents less for 1 pound of large, cleaned shrimp. If you read my clafoutis entry you know I was never good at science, but I was always sharp with math.

Now, Westfield Seafood is a fabulous store with very fresh fish and wonderful service. Their shrimp is always fresh and purchased directly from the Fulton Street Fish Market in New York. Their shrimp had a tender pink appearance even raw, and the edges curled up nicely over heat. They were incredibly delicious and I highly recommend going to Westfield Seafood if your budget allows for an indulgence. But, for a fantastic substitute of high quality, low cost shrimp, I'd go right to the 21/25 count big blue bag in the freezer section.

The frozen shrimp are a great value and I plan to use them in all my summer barbecues. They thaw quickly in a bowl of water, and the shells pop right off. There is no vein cleaning which always grosses me out. They were big, plump and firm to the bite. And if you hurry you can still get them on sale for $12.98!

Food & Wine Challenge in Westfield - Raspberry Clafoutis

A Clafoutis, or Clafouti, is a classic French pastry consisting of fruit, eggs, flour, milk, butter and sugar. It's harder to pronounce than it is to prepare. But somehow this six-ingredient dish eluded me and failed to set firmly. This means when I tried to cut a slice it fell apart into a gooey pile. A delicious mound of berries, batter and crust, but no points for presentation.

Traditionally prepared with black cherries, pits and all, the dessert has evolved to include other fruits, nuts and other sweet items. It's got elements of flan and pancake, which make sense when you look at a map of the Limousin area of France. Right smack between Spain and Amsterdam. Flan, meet Pannekoek. Surrounded by black cherries, this dessert is downright evolutionary.

This month's Food & Wine features a recipe for Raspberry Clafoutis. They say baking is a science, and clearly I am no scientist. My first D in college was in physics for non-majors. That's really hard to do, almost as hard as perfecting this recipe. My problem is I am more of an inventor type of scientist, like Caractacus Potts (the guy from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang). I like to tinker and substitute and peek, but I really really tried my best to cook this dish exactly as instructed.

My first obstacle was procuring fruit during the great raspberry shortage of Westfield. 1 box at Stop & Shop. 2 boxes at Trader Joe's....how many stores did I have to go to in order to get 1 1/2 pints? I decided to substitute blackberries for the balance. I probably should have just stuck with the cherries.

Next I needed to run out to pick up a new zester. Mine was mangled a few years ago - let's just call it the nutmeg incident of '08 - and my cheese grater is not the best zester it could be. OK, fruit, zester, pie dish washed out from the flatbread lasagna and ready to be put into action again. Bring in on!

I washed the berries and let them drain - and this was my next problem. The berries were wet so when I mixed them with the batter I got pink & purple juicy swirls. If that's your goal, and this dessert is for your 4 year old daughter's tie dye birthday party, you are good. If you want to bake traditionally and have it look perfect, not so good.

The batter itself was incredibly easy to make. Wisk together flour, sugar, salt, zest of 1 lemon, melted butter and milk. Pour in buttered pie dish and top with berries. Easy enough! I popped the dish in the oven at 350, set timer for exactly 30 minutes, walked the dog and expected to come back to a perfectly cooked clafoutis.

It was jiggly in the center so I put it back in. Out, in, out, in. 4 times. It just never really set. I never got the firm consistency I was hoping to achieve. Not a complete disaster, though, it was easy enough to assemble with basic ingredients I usually have at home so I'll give it another stab again soon. I will make this dish over and over until it is perfect. If I close my eyes and just taste the sweetness of the sugar, the tang of the lemon and the creamy coldness of the batter, I could see this is a dessert worth making again.

Food & Wine Challenge in Westfield - Thai Grilled Skirt Steak

The Thai Grilled Skirt Steak is the turf partner to its surf sister, the Shrimp with Chimichurri. I paired them together from different articles in this month's magazine and they were not designed to be cooked or served together. But as luck would have it, they worked beautifully together. This recipe is not only delicious, it is super fast and not expensive, but it looks like you spent a lot of time and money.

Their marinades both contain massive amounts of cilantro and garlic, so you save time with food shopping and their tastes complement each other in a dazzling way. Also, shrimp and skirt steak both take the same amount of time on the grill - about six minutes - so it's a fantastic combo to cook since they will be finished at about the same time (the shrimp cooks on medium/high, the steak on high).

I had to make a few substitutions with the marinade ingredients. Stop & Shop does not sell chili oil or lime juice so I used chili sauce and lemon juice instead. Finally, since we have a life threatening peanut allergy in our house, I used sunflower seeds instead. I have found sunflower seeds to be the greatest peanut substitute and I prefer it over soy nuts or tree nuts.

So I whisked up somesesame oil, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, cilantro, sesame seeds, scallions, sugar, lemon juice and chili sauce. I reserved some for serving and poured the marinade over the steak in a zip loc and that is it!

I love skirt steaks. One of mine was 14 inches! They make a really great presentation to that meat loving guy who wants the biggest piece - and it costs under $7.00 for a pound! They also cook up pretty quickly since they are so thin.

I served mine over jasmine rice and sliced tomatoes and sprinkled more seeds on top.

Food & Wine Challenge in Westfield - Grilled Shrimp with Mexican Chimichurri

The Grilled Shrimp with Mexican Chimichurri was really a pleasure to make. If your shrimp has shell or veins, clean & peel them first, leaving the tail on. Next, take a few garlic cloves - skin on, and 3 serrano chiles and just toss onto an unseasoned pan over medium heat and cook for 10 minutes. I never did this before and it really mellows out the flavors. There is nothing to clean up and you just peel the garlic and take stems off serranos, which are the finger sized dark green chiles.

Then you toss it into the food processor or blender with the garlic, cilantro, parsley, olive oil, salt and water and blend until smooth. Marinate shrimp overnight, reserving some marinade for serving. When you are ready to cook, thread shrimp onto skewers, toss on grill for 3 minutes per side until shrimp are opaque and fully curled. put on serving plate, drizzle with reserved puree and you are good to go!

I would definitely recommend this recipe, and it can go even hotter so next time I"m adding more of those chiles. This wasn't even a recipe from Food & Wine, but rather was including in a Macy's ad. Macy's has a culinary council of chefs who do cooking demos and promote food and cooking products at Macy's stores and events. The irony is I broke a piece of my mini prep chopper while making this recipe, and now have to replace it. Check it out with the link above.

Food & Wine Challenge in Westfield: Food Shopping in town

Today I prepare for the next meal, to be served Tuesday, March 23, to include dueling surf & turf entrees with a class french pastry for dessert. I've never eaten, baked or even heard of Clafoutis, but it looks delightful.

The shrimp is marinated and grilled with a Chimichurri sauce. Chimichurri is described in the recipe as a "bright green, pesto-like South American sauce that's often served with grilled meats. Rick's version looks just like it, but tastes totally Mexican because it's made with green chiles and cilantro." My favorite Chimichurri is Cuban, from Mi Bandera in Union City, that is on every table in green or red (super duper spicy!). Ironically, I lather this sauce on the skirt steak, or Churrasco, but tomorrow, I'll be doing the skirt steak with a spicy Thai marinade and sauce that includes cilantro, garlic and sunflower seeds to substitute for peanuts due to my daughter's peanut allergy. Sunflowers seeds are a fabulous substitute for peanuts.

My main assignments today were to purchase the ingredients and to prepare the marinades for the Grilled Shrimp with Mexican Chimichurri and the Thai Grilled Skirt Steaks. I thought this was also the perfect opportunity to compare items among 3 different stores so I decided in advance to pick up 3 varieties of shrimp: From the fish department at Stop & Shop, frozen raw shrimp, and from Westfield Seafood.

There was 1 variety of unfrozen shrimp at Stop & Shop. It is farm raised...but previously frozen. Shells & tails intact, it sells for $8.99/pound, but was onsale for cardmembers for $6.99/pound. Worth the extra work to peel & devein for that price, so I grabbed half a pound and spent $3.35 total for about 12 shrimp.

At Westfield Seafood, the shrimp were nice and big, and hand picked by the guy who weighed them and rung up my order earlier that day at the Fulton Street Seafood Market. I decided if I am getting shrimp at the Four Seasons of fish mongers, I would go all out and spoil myself and get a half pound of cleaned, peeled shrimp and paid $6.50 (at $16.95/pound) for about 12 shrimp. A lot more but I wonder, do you get what you pay for? Will I be able to taste the difference??

The frozen shrimp was also at Stop & Shop, along with a huge selection of major brand fozen fish, and all were on sale. The 2 pound bag costs $16.98 and was on sale less $4, so I paid $12.98 for 48 shrimp. That makes about 12 shrimp cost about just over $4. My tasters tomorrow night will be blind and I am so curious if they will be able to tell the difference.

One more item of interest is that there was only 1 carton of raspberries left at Stop & Shop ($4.99) so I walked over to Trader Joe's only to find just 2 cartons left ($3.99). I needed a total of 3. Who is buying all the raspberries in town? Is everyone inspired by this month's Food & Wine? I will not be out-clafoutissed!. I am making the clafoutis tomorrow so might stop at Westfield Farms or might just substitute with the blackberries I picked up.

Now I see why cooks make substitutions - it's not all whim and ego, sometimes you just can't find ingredients.

OK, off to measure and chop the garlic, parsley, cilantro, ginger, scallions, and serrano chiles to make the marinades for the shrimp and skirt steak. Looks like it will be pouring for the big grill tomorrow night but I am not afraid...

-WF

Food & Wine Challenge in Westfield - Flatbread Lasagna, the critics speak

The Flatbread Lasagna was far and away the surprise winner of tonight's menu. It was so beautiful coming out of my oven in my pie pan, I think I would have taken a picture of it even if I weren't blogging about it. And it was sweet and creamy from the ricotta but had a great kick from the hot italian sausage. But its secret ingredient is the flatbread Naan that really worked in this. It lent the dish an earthy taste that made my daughter and my neighbor wonder if it was eggplant. My husband liked that it was a big dish that was filled with goodies and could feed a lot of people.

In less than 10 minutes I had assembled a hearty dish from refrigerator staples. This dish is a keeper! What makes it even more interesting and curious is that it is cooked in a pie pan so it is served in wedges. I added a scoop of ricotta on top, playing up the pie theme and adding a cold refreshing contrast to the hot browned bubbly cheese crust.

Next time, I plan to add more sauce. Otherwise, this was a beauty!

Food & Wine Challenge in Westfield - Spicy Pork Tenderloin

It took longer for me to check around the neighborhood to find someone to lend me a gallon sized Zip Loc bag, than to actually measure and combine the brief list of 5 ingredients to create this simple, spicy marinade for the Spicy Lemon Rosemary Pork Tenderloin. The mixture of crushed red pepper, fresh squeezed lemon, fragrant rosemary sprigs, chopped garlic cloves, organic extra virgin olive oil took less than 10 minutes to create, and made 2 pork tenderloins very happy.

The marinade and tenderloins melded together in the fridge overnight and practically jumped onto the hot grill. While the recipe calls for browning on a griddle for 6 minutes and roasted in a 400* oven for 14 minutes, I decided it was just too gorgeous of an evening not to fire up the grill. These thick loins took about 25 minutes over high heat. I turned them 1/4 turn every 6 or 7 minutes to create what essentially looks like a Chili's ad, but tasted like a firecracker exploded across every one of my senses. It was perfectly spicy and juicy.

Food & Wine Challenge in Westfield - Drunken Carrots

This afternoon I quickly and easily prepared the Carrots Braised in Beer and Carrot Juice. You can do the bunny hop while making this veggie dish that has 4 ingredients, 2 of which are beer and carrots, it is that easy. The Food & Wine recipe specifically calls for a hoppy beer, such as a Pilsner. I used Bass Ale but you could use anything. This is a good dish to have on hand in case the Easter Bunny stops by your next dinner party. Especially if you want a buzzed bunny....

I got those fancy carrots with the long flowery stems at Kings, but I also tossed in some long carrots from a package. Truth be told, I preferred the big boys. For taste and decor, long whole carrots are a better bet than baby carrots, which are not nearly as sweet or as elegant. Carrots are a source for B Vitamins and add a wonderful sweetness and a bright color to your dinner plate.

The recipe instructs to boil the carrots in beer and carrot juice for 10 minutes, then add sugar and cook another 10 minutes. When I removed the carrots I added the butter but the liquid had not reduced nearly enough so I simmered it for another 20 minutes.

It was a great dish that was interesting to make and it's always fun to cook with beer. I once grilled a whole chicken with a can of beer stuck up it's arse. The most amusing part of this recipe is that a 1/2 cup of beer leaves you with a half bottle of open cold Bass Ale....

cheers!
WF

Wine & Food Challenge in Westfield - The Menus

I'm loving that I have readers, not to mention 7 people who have already offered to be my tasters for the Food & Wine Challenge in Westfield, where I am cooking 14 recipes over 12 days from this month's Food & Wine Magazine, and getting all the goods right here in Westfield.

Below are my menus and I'm officially on deadline...


Sunday, March 21

Spicy Lemon-Rosemary Pork Tenderloin
Flatbread Lasagna
Carrots Braised in Beer and Carrot Juice


Tuesday, March 23

Grilled Shrimp with Mexican Chimichurri (recipe in advertisement)
Thai Grilled Skirt Steak
Raspberry Clafoutis


Friday, March 26
Cherry Tomato Tart with Basil
http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/spring-peas-with-mint
Basil-Crusted Leg of Lamb with Lemon Vinaigrette

Sunday, March 28
Grilled Ham & Cheese with Strawberry Red Wine Jam

Spaghetti with Marinara and Philadelphia Cream Cheese (recipe in advertisement)
S'mores Pizzas


Monday, March 29

Grilled Balsamic and Garlic Flank Steak
Gorgonzola Roasted mushrooms and Onions

Polenta with Chives

Strawberry Ricotta Tartlets

Wine & Food Challenge in Westfield - Flatbread Lasagna

Lasagna in a pie dish can't be bad. Layers of seasoned ricotta, shredded mozzarella, hot Italian sausage and Rao's Marinara sauce can't be bad. Naan can't be bad. But together? I don't know.

Frankly, I have no idea how the Naan flatbread will taste as a lasagna noodle substitute, but I am eager to taste the fine-lookin' Flatbread Lasagna I tested from this month's Food & Wine Magazine. I don't even use the no-bake noodles, I like to make lasagna with freshly boiled pasta. I don't make homemade lasagna pasta but I guess that is the ultimate in freshness. I have to admit, I'm a bit skeptical about how the Naan will taste in this recipe, especially since it is whole grain. Sure it will be healthy, and there's nothing like layers upon layers of sauce and cheese to make anything taste better. It was really super easy to make and looks damn good. You're looking at it right now, doesn't it look irresistable? I am going to serve it in wedges like a pie, I am so excited! What a fantastic twist on a tried and true classic. I would have never thought to bake a lasagne in a pie dish but the oval nature of the naam lends itself to the innovative circular shape. I might even scoop out some ricotta on top, much like a pie wedge would have ice cream. I will have to wait until dinner is served tomorrow night to actually dig in and try it.

I have a few suggestions to improve the recipe if you wish to make this at home. First, it is easier to spread the ricotta directly on the Naan, and top with sausage and cheese, than to spread out the browned sausage and then top with ricotta as the recipe instructs. And when it comes to baking this, i got a little fearful and put the pie dish in a square sided baking pan. Then I got a little more fearful and lined the baking pan with foil, because if there is anything worse than melted burnt cheese in your oven, it's melted burnt cheese in your baking pan. I also had some fresh basil so I chopped some up and sprinkled it all over.

I also prepared the marinade for the Spicy Lemon-Rosemary Tenderloin of Pork, which took all of ten minutes. I think it took longer for me to check around the neighborhood to find someone to lend me a gallon sized Zip Loc bag, than to actually measure and combine the brief list of 5 ingredients. The mixture of crushed red pepper, fresh squeezed lemon, fragrant rosemary sprigs, chopped garlic cloves, organic extra virgin olive oil looks like it is ready to make 2 pork tenderloins very, very happy.

And a happy tenderloin is a happy home cook. On that note, I am signing off. Tomorrow is a great carrot recipe: just add beer.

Happy Cooking!
-WF

Food & Wine Challenge in Westfield: getting prepared

The heat is on, day 1 of the Food & Wine Challenge in Westfield - where I am taking over 14 recipes from the April Food & Wine Issue and doing all my shopping & cooking here in my hometown. I've been busy planning menus, food shopping and singing songs about clafoutis. What is clafoutis, and how could I have lived 40 years without hearing that melodic word that makes me smile and sing? It's not something that grows inside your toes, it is a classic French dessert that combines a creamy lemon smoothness with tart bright berries. I'm already loving this challenge.

Magazine in hand, I made a list of the recipes that enticed me. Then I set about to divide them into 5 separate 3-course meals. Oh, by the way, my husband is loving this idea too, as the chief food tester. Little does he know he is now officially - and publicly - responsible for all dishwashing - ha! If you are interested in being a tester/judge let me know (and you don't have to help clean up)

The menu planning wasn't too difficult - the Basil-Crusted Leg of Lamb pairs well with the Spring Peas with Mint. The Steak Dinner, Italian-Style with Grilled Balsamic Flank, Gorgonzola Mushrooms, and Polenta screamed out for the Strawberry-Ricotta Tartlets to sweeten its palate. And the S'mores Pizza, Spaghetti with Philly Cream Cheese (the ad!) and Grilled Ham & Cheese with Strawberry-Red-Wine Jam beckoned as a really fun and delicious meal to prepare with my family (hmmm.. mix wine with jam...maybe I'll make a PG version for the kids.) The Flatbread Lasagna floated like a cheezy chameleon from menu to menu and finally settled with the Spicy Lemon-Rosemary Pork Tenderloin and Carrots Braised in Beer and Carrot Juice, which I have selected as my first menu to serve on Sunday night. Served with some rice and fresh fruit, it should be a beautiful meal.

I plotted the menus and their recipes on a calendar and working backwards, figured out which dished require advance marinating or prep work. What items could I do ahead and what needs to be prepared and served immediately. I had to consult the rules a few times too, this assignment is already mentally challenging. For example, can I grill the pork on the barbeque or do I have to cook it inside on a griddle as the recipe instructs. What is my margin of personal interpretation? The whole point of this is to learn by the book, but my natural creative instincs to tinker set in from the get-go. But, when I read the first line of the Clafoutis recipe and it tells me how Alix de Montille swapped in raspberries for the traditional cherries, I decided to follow my instincts. Expect a few tweaks here & there.

Any good recipe begins with fresh ingredients and I had a vision for sourcing the best. King's has beautiful long carrots with gorgeous green flowered stems. Perroti's is the butcher for Pork Tenderloin. Westfield Farms has great herbs and I love the cheese selection at Trader Joe's. Then reality hit. I have 90 minutes before picking up my daughter from school. I am not a real chef with a shopper and a dish washer and a budget, it's all me and I have so squeeze this in between my morning tennis game and afternoon playdates. So I got everything at King's, which also is the closest supermarket to my house.

I am passionate about Kings! I'm one of those odd people who finds food shopping to be relaxing and enjoyable. I chatted with the butcher about pork tenderloin. She helped me select the Hormel pre-packed double pack as the best value, as opposed to the Kings pre-wrapped loin or having it cut at the butcher's counter. Good to know! And, while collecting ingredients for the flatbread lasagna, found they actually have a flatbread/pita/Naan station with all the options - who knew? I was done in about 20 minutes and got to school early. So far so good.

Click here for a list of this month's recipes.

Happy Cooking!
WF

Photo credit: Food & Wine Magazine, April 2010, Carrots Braised in Beer and Carrot Juice

Food & Wine Challenge in Westfield, NJ

Hello Westfield foodies! I am taking on a huge challenge this month: to prepare at least 1 recipe from each feature article in this month's Food & Wine magazine with an interesting twist: all ingredients must be procured in Westfield, NJ. I am excited to do what I love, where I love to do it. Part friendly challenge, part personal mission, part yumminess and food beauty...Bring It On!

I am so inspired by this month's magazine and as usual, I earmark the pages of the recipes I want to cook, but never really do - not exactly. I get ideas and then I do my own thing and now I am stuck in a rut because I keep making the same things. Plus, I want to be more disciplined and productive with my time, and always work better under a deadline. Since part of the deal is making 3 complete meals, I needed to select food suitable as appetizers, entrees, sides and dessert. I selected 14 recipes, which averages to 2 per day. Actually less since today is St. Patrick's Day and a friend is coming over for corned beef and cabbage, and the last night of March is the 2nd night of Passover. So 14 recipes in 12 days.

Plus, I am not one to shy away from a challenge. My competitive edge is bubbling up as a fire was lit to get me going! Suddenly it seemed so obvious. I will learn to make new food with new techniques, while staying within the confines of the rules of this challenge (see below) and true to the written recipes.

I know, it reeks of Julie & Julia but anyone who now cooks and writes about it will be compared to the them. Well I absolutely loved the book and the movie was even better with the parallel biography about the incredibly inspiring Julia Child. So if that's who I am being compared to I will take it (I've been called worse.)

Here are the rules:

Between St. Patrick's Day and the First Night of Passover, I will select, test and report on recipes from each feature article from Food & Wine magazine that incudes a recipe.

All food items must be sourced and purchased in Westfield, NJ (or within 5 miles)

I will prepare five 3-course meals and have a panel of judges for each to sample and comment.

I must include at least 1 food item I have never cooked before, prepare one meal with my entire family, and shop in at least 1 store I have never shopped in before.

Stay tuned over the next 2 weeks...
WF