If you've ever been to Latin America, it's hard to ignore the allure of the traditional panaderias, especially when they release sweet aromas of breads and pastries into the surrounding area. One particular item that you can find in any panaderia is a form of dulce de leche inside many pastries. Dulce de leche is a decadent caramel-like sauce made of milk. It's thick, gooey, and irresistible. A common place to find dulce de leche is inside a pionono, a typical sponge cake.
All Latin countries tend to specialize in their own version of the pionono, and one particularly delicious version is the traditional Argentinean pionono that can be found at Alma 33, an Argentinean restaurant in the West Village. Alma 33's pionono created by Chef Enrico Primarti, is a traditional version of the cake with a simple twist that brings the cake to an entirely new level. On top of the pionono swirled with dulce de leche are strawberries marinated in red wine. The cake is light and refreshing, while still containing a rich flavor that makes it totally satisfying. Although Chef Enrico was not traditionally trained as a pastry chef, it's hard to deny his talent after tasting his version of the Argentinean Pionono.
Tip: By following Chef Enrico Primarti's recipe, you can make Argentinean Pionono at home.
Dizzying with choices, the olive bar can incite minor panic attacks when trying to assemble a chic but quick nibble plate. Here is a primer for the un-initiated.
Olives are a fruit that grow on trees and have been cultivated since ancient times. They are either green or black depending upon ripeness; green ones are not ripe and black ones are. Bitter and inedible straight from the tree, they must be fermented/brined or cured to become palatable. Green olives have to be soaked in lye before brining while black olives can just be brined.
Manzanilla: A meaty Spanish green olive that is often stuffed and fabulous on an antipasto platter.
Cerignola: Presented in both the green and black variety, the black is sweeter and the green is milder and earthier in flavor. These make great eating olives, right out of hand.
Kalamata: A purple-black briney Greek olive that makes for great tapenade.
Nicoise: A French olive that is small, with an even smaller pit, and is brownish purple, and lovely in salads.
Gaeta: A nutty, small, brownish black olive that is challenging to pit but well worth it when chopped into a chutney with dried fruit, toasted nuts, and a soft cheese.
Sicilian Colossals: Giant green olives with a very tart flavor that comes out nicely when paired with sweeter olives.
Oil Cured: Black wrinkly olives with a meaty texture and a salty bite. They are awesome when chopped, sprinkled on hard ricotta with some fig preserves, and baked just until melted.
Thursday marks another St. Patrick's Day and the celebrations (and hangovers) are already well under way around the country. For those who may have enjoyed little too many shamrock sippers this weekend, there's nothing like a classic brunch dish to help you get back the jig in your step.
We love this Celtic interpretation of eggs benedict: Tabasco Benedict which upgrades the traditional slice of ham for a spicy corn beef, cabbage and Tabasco packed patty. Opened in 1837 as America's first fine dining restaurant, Delmonico's Restaurant is the birthplace of the original "Eggs a'la Benedick" named after a regular patron Mrs. LeGrand Benedict, who after seeing nothing to her liking on the menu, spoke with then chef Charles Ranhofer and he came up with this beloved brunch staple. This year, Chef Billy Oliva adds a little "luck of the Irish" to his eggs and we like it.
Tabasco Benedict by Chef Billy Oliva
Ingredients
3 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 cup diced white onion
3 cups of diced cooked corn beef
3 cups of shredded cooked potato
1/2 cup shredded cabbage
3 tbsp. of chopped flat leaf parsley
1/2 tsp. of thyme
4 tbsp. original Tabasco
1/2 cup diced red pepper
2 eggs
2 tsp. white vinegar
English muffins or biscuits
For the Hollandaise Sauce:
4 egg yolks
1 tbsp. lemon juice
2 tbsp. Tabasco
1/4 cup melted butter
Preparation
1. Melt butter in cast iron skillet over medium heat, add onion, red pepper, cooked until slightly brown (approx 5 minutes). Add the thyme and Tabasco to the onion and pepper mix, let cook for a few minutes.
2. Add cooked shredded cabbage, potato and corn beef, check the seasoning, spread evenly. Cook for about 10 minutes until the flavor blends.
3. Let mixture cool. Form into round patties and cook in the skillet until browned and slightly crisp. Set aside.
4. Poach two eggs. Fill a medium size pan half full of water, add 2 tsp. white vinegar to the waterand bring to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer, add eggs and cook 3 1/2 minutes.While eggs are cooking, prepare the hollandaise sauce (below).
5. To start the hollandaise sauce, first whisk egg yolks, lemon juice and Tabasco in a heat-safe bowl until slightly thick.
6. Place bowl over a sauce pan of lightly simmering water, continue to whisk until warm and thick.
7. Slowly drizzle in the melted butter until sauce has doubled in volume, check seasoning, cover and keep warm.
8. To serve, light toast two English muffins or biscuits. Top each with a hash patty and poached egg. Garnish with hollandaise sauce and chopped parsley.
Tip: Spicy foods can boost metabolism! For an extra spicy kick here, chef Billy Oliva suggests adding a dash of Tabasco sauce to the Hollandaise sauce.
What do you get when you combine an experienced New York chef with a Cambodian restaurant owner? Num Pang, an inexpensive sandwich shop with a Cambodian twist. The concept of Num Pang draws from the historical attributes of Cambodia combined with Ratha Chaupoly's experiences with food both here and in Cambodia. He now partners up with Ben Daitz to create casual sandwiches with lots of taste.
Cambodia is located in South East Asia, and because of its close proximity to both China and India, influences from both cultures can be found in Cambodian cuisine, as well as the food served at Num Pang. Cambodia was also once a French colonial possession, introducing even more new food to the country, including the beloved baguette and certain dairy products.
Keeping authentic Cambodian traditions is important to both owners, especially Ratha who lived in Phnom Penh until he was 9. However, nothing is more important than ensuring that all ingredients are fresh. Local and fresh produce is consistently used in the sandwiches and the soups served at Num Pang. Every sandwich is served on a warm French baguette with cucumber, chili mayonnaise, pickled carrots, cilantro, and lettuce. No matter which option you try at Num Pang, you can be sure that your sandwich will be full of flavor and select meat and produce.
While at Num Pang, I tried the Peppercorn Catfish sandwich cooked in a sweet soy sauce. The fish was fresh and light, but still didn't lose its flavor underneath the sauce. The vegetables were refreshing and each had a distinct taste under the crisp, warm baguette. Without being smothered by cheese or stuffed into a twelve inch roll, I left Num Pang feeling satisfied and surprised by the many flavors, without feeling bloated or guilty.
Tip: Order the tart blood orange lemonade to match perfectly with almost all of the sweeter sandwiches. Num Pang offers perfectly complimented non alcoholic beverages to pair with their delicious sandwiches.
As always, at Behind the Burner, we are constantly looking for new food alternatives to make the food we prepare at home more healthful without sacrificing taste. We love implementing new flavors into our recipes and are always trying to switch things up. The latest product that we have found,which features great taste and nutrition benefits is Organic Virgin Coconut Oil by Edible Haven, located in San Francisco. Don't let the fact that it's solid at room temperature scare you away, this coconut oil is 100 percent natural and is a great alternative for both sweet and savory recipes that usually rely on butter or canola oil. It infuses a very slight coconut flavor into the dish, without overpowering main flavors. Edible Haven's Organic Virgin Coconut Oil is versatile and will give many foods a slightly different taste that will leave guests wondering what the extra hint of flavor was.
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