Rachel Perlow

Confetti Macaroni Salad Serves 8 as Side. Yields 1 quart. 1-1/2 c Elbow Macaroni 1 Carrot, very small dice 1 small Red Pepper* (or 1/2 large), very small dice 1 stalk of Celery, small dice 2 T Red Onion, very small dice 2 Scallions, thinly sliced 1 T Fresh or Dried Dill (use 1 tsp if dried), minced 2 T Fresh Parsley, chiffonade 1/2 tsp salt, or more to taste 1/4 tsp pepper, or more to taste 1/4 c Mayonaise (I use Hellman's, you can make homemade, if you want) Cook the macaroni in boiling salted water for about 5 minutes. You want it tender, but not overcooked. Drain thoroughly and combine with vegetables, herbs, salt & pepper and a large spoonful of mayo. Stir. You may need more mayo. Everyone likes a different amount in their macaroni salad, so make it to your liking. Chill for an hour or more before serving, can be made a day ahead. * To make this even more colorful, use a few different colors of bell pepper. Keywords: Salad, Side, Kosher, Vegetarian, Easy, Pasta, Vegetables, Lunch, Dinner, American ( RG1323 )

Confetti Macaroni Salad Serves 8 as Side. Yields 1 quart. 1-1/2 c Elbow Macaroni 1 Carrot, very small dice 1 small Red Pepper* (or 1/2 large), very small dice 1 stalk of Celery, small dice 2 T Red Onion, very small dice 2 Scallions, thinly sliced 1 T Fresh or Dried Dill (use 1 tsp if dried), minced 2 T Fresh Parsley, chiffonade 1/2 tsp salt, or more to taste 1/4 tsp pepper, or more to taste 1/4 c Mayonaise (I use Hellman's, you can make homemade, if you want) Cook the macaroni in boiling salted water for about 5 minutes. You want it tender, but not overcooked. Drain thoroughly and combine with vegetables, herbs, salt & pepper and a large spoonful of mayo. Stir. You may need more mayo. Everyone likes a different amount in their macaroni salad, so make it to your liking. Chill for an hour or more before serving, can be made a day ahead. * To make this even more colorful, use a few different colors of bell pepper. Keywords: Salad, Side, Kosher, Vegetarian, Easy, Pasta, Vegetables, Lunch, Dinner, American ( RG1323 )

German Potato Salad Serves 12 as Side. Vinaigrette 1/3 c Apple Cider Vinegar 1 tsp salt 1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground 1 tsp (or more) dried herbs (I used some thyme, chervil, basil and oregano) 1 tsp Dijon mustard 1/3 c Olive Oil 1/3 c neutral Vegetable Oil Other Ingredients 3 lb small Red Bliss Potatoes 2 Eggs 2 T Salt (for the water) 4 oz bacon, diced 2 T Red Onion, small dice 1/4 c fresh herbs, torn, sliced or minced (dill, thyme, parsley and a bit of rosemary works well) salt & pepper, to taste Vinaigrette Mix the salt, dried herbs and mustard into the vinegar, allow to sit for a few minutes to rehydrate the herbs and dissolve the salt, then whisk in the oils. This makes a full cup of dressing, you may not need it all. The rest can be stored in the fridge and used as salad dressing. Potato Salad Set a large pot of water to boil with the salt added. While the water is cold, add the potatoes and eggs. When the water comes to a boil, lower to a simmer and set the timer for 10 minutes. Remove the eggs and chill in cold water. Start checking the potatoes for doneness at this point (and every few minutes as necessary) by slipping in a sharp knife, when it goes in easily and slides out just as easily, the potatoes are done. Drain and allow to cool only for a few minutes. While the potatoes are cooking, dice the raw bacon and cook in the oven (I use a toaster oven set at 400F for 10 mintues) or in a skillet. You want it quite crisp and browned. Peel and chop the eggs, prep the onion and herbs. While the potatoes are still mostly hot (I use an oven mitt to hold them), slice into mixing bowl (yes, with the skin). Add the bacon (including rendered fat), eggs, onion and herbs and about half the vinaigrette. Stir gently to combine, taste for salt & pepper. Try not to break up the potato slices too much. Chill for at least 2 hours or overnight before serving. Yields 1 1/2 quarts. Keywords: Salad, Side, Intermediate, Potatoes, Pork, Lunch, Dinner, American ( RG1322 )

German Potato Salad Serves 12 as Side. Vinaigrette 1/3 c Apple Cider Vinegar 1 tsp salt 1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground 1 tsp (or more) dried herbs (I used some thyme, chervil, basil and oregano) 1 tsp Dijon mustard 1/3 c Olive Oil 1/3 c neutral Vegetable Oil Other Ingredients 3 lb small Red Bliss Potatoes 2 Eggs 2 T Salt (for the water) 4 oz bacon, diced 2 T Red Onion, small dice 1/4 c fresh herbs, torn, sliced or minced (dill, thyme, parsley and a bit of rosemary works well) salt & pepper, to taste Vinaigrette Mix the salt, dried herbs and mustard into the vinegar, allow to sit for a few minutes to rehydrate the herbs and dissolve the salt, then whisk in the oils. This makes a full cup of dressing, you may not need it all. The rest can be stored in the fridge and used as salad dressing. Potato Salad Set a large pot of water to boil with the salt added. While the water is cold, add the potatoes and eggs. When the water comes to a boil, lower to a simmer and set the timer for 10 minutes. Remove the eggs and chill in cold water. Start checking the potatoes for doneness at this point (and every few minutes as necessary) by slipping in a sharp knife, when it goes in easily and slides out just as easily, the potatoes are done. Drain and allow to cool only for a few minutes. While the potatoes are cooking, dice the raw bacon and cook in the oven (I use a toaster oven set at 400F for 10 mintues) or in a skillet. You want it quite crisp and browned. Peel and chop the eggs, prep the onion and herbs. While the potatoes are still mostly hot (I use an oven mitt to hold them), slice into mixing bowl (yes, with the skin). Add the bacon (including rendered fat), eggs, onion and herbs and about half the vinaigrette. Stir gently to combine, taste for salt & pepper. Try not to break up the potato slices too much. Chill for at least 2 hours or overnight before serving. Yields 1 1/2 quarts. Keywords: Salad, Side, Intermediate, Potatoes, Pork, Lunch, Dinner, American ( RG1322 )

Fiesta Corn Salad Serves 8 as Side. The American Southwest/Mexican flavors of this corn salad come from the lime juice and spices. You can adjust the heat by the type and heat of the dried chili powder and the heat of the jalapeno. If you think it isn't hot enough, allow it to marinate for an hour or so and taste before adding more spice. I like using corn oil instead of olive oil in this salad because of the more neutral flavor, you can use any vegetable oil, but the corn just seems to "go" with the flavors. To get the most out of your lime, roll it on a cutting board under pressure from the palm of your hand, then microwave it for about 15 seconds. 6 ears of Sweet Corn, steamed (kernels) 1 medium Red Bell Pepper, small dice, preferably Roasted 3 Scallions, sliced thin 1 Jalapeno Pepper, minced 1 Lime, juiced 1/3 c Corn Oil 1 tsp Mrs. Dash, Southwest blend (or other southwest seasoning) 1/2 tsp powdered Chili Pepper, (I used Guajillo) 1 tsp salt 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper Put lime juice, salt and all the spices into a mixing bowl, mix well and allow the spices to rehydrate while you prep the vegetables. Whisk in the oil and then stir in all the vegetables. Allow to chill and marinate in the fridge for a couple hours before serving. Can be made a day ahead. Yields about 1 quart (depending on the size of your corn and red pepper) Keywords: Side, Kosher, Vegan, Vegetarian, Easy, Vegetables, Lunch, Dinner, Hot and Spicy, Mexican ( RG1321 )

Fiesta Corn Salad Serves 8 as Side. The American Southwest/Mexican flavors of this corn salad come from the lime juice and spices. You can adjust the heat by the type and heat of the dried chili powder and the heat of the jalapeno. If you think it isn't hot enough, allow it to marinate for an hour or so and taste before adding more spice. I like using corn oil instead of olive oil in this salad because of the more neutral flavor, you can use any vegetable oil, but the corn just seems to "go" with the flavors. To get the most out of your lime, roll it on a cutting board under pressure from the palm of your hand, then microwave it for about 15 seconds. 6 ears of Sweet Corn, steamed (kernels) 1 medium Red Bell Pepper, small dice, preferably Roasted 3 Scallions, sliced thin 1 Jalapeno Pepper, minced 1 Lime, juiced 1/3 c Corn Oil 1 tsp Mrs. Dash, Southwest blend (or other southwest seasoning) 1/2 tsp powdered Chili Pepper, (I used Guajillo) 1 tsp salt 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper Put lime juice, salt and all the spices into a mixing bowl, mix well and allow the spices to rehydrate while you prep the vegetables. Whisk in the oil and then stir in all the vegetables. Allow to chill and marinate in the fridge for a couple hours before serving. Can be made a day ahead. Yields about 1 quart (depending on the size of your corn and red pepper) Keywords: Side, Kosher, Vegan, Vegetarian, Easy, Vegetables, Lunch, Dinner, Hot and Spicy, Mexican ( RG1321 )

Probably too late for your class, but a good note is to tell them that whenever their bananas are starting to get overripe, to peel and put into a freezer baggie and freeze. I break them in half if they are large. Adds an excellent creaminess w/out frozen yogurt.

Just an fyi re Ginger & Spice. They aren't a sushi bar, but they do have a box sushi of the day and a raw fish or two on the app menu.

That website really is a waste of bandwidth. And I'm sure they paid a lot of money for it too. You couldn't even skip past the graphics or turn off the music. Then at the end, all there is is their address and email. No pictures of goodies or other useful information. Not even the shop's hours! Wow, they got ripped off. I'm not yelling at you, Varmint. You warned us. It just pisses me off that these two small business owners probably think their site is fabulous. If they just did a cheap do-it-yourself site and included a few pics and a pricelist, it would be much more useful to their business. OK, rant over. Sounds like y'all had a great day at the beach. Enjoy the rest of your vacation!

I like to add a little sherry at the end of the soup simmering. Yeah!

Actually, I've frozen mashed potatoes with great success. The trick is defrosting them in the microwave, stirring every minute or so once they start to defrost. Just keep beating and reheating, you may need to add a little milk, but as long as they haven't gotten freezer burnt, they're just like fresh.

Onion Soup Les Halles has been posted on RecipeGullet.

Just wanted to post a note about Ted's cookbook. It's to be released in October, here's a link to the publisher's page about it: Clarkson Potter on The Food You Want to Eat by Ted Allen. Click here to buy (pre-order) the book via Amazon. BTW, here are updated links to my interview with Ted: Part I and Part II.

Yes, Pat O'Briens, the place that makes the cool-aid like mix. I was going to say Central Grocery for the muffaleta, but last time, it seemed kind of skimpy on the meats. But definitely get a bottle of their Olive Salad, you can bring it home and make your own! I second Bayona and Upperline, especially Upperline. However, Upperline isn't quite as fancy as Commander's Palace, it's more funky atmosphere with gracious service. And Bayona isn't as "New Orleans" food as Upperline, but it's really good for when you don't want New Orleans food.

Onion Soup Les Halles Serves 8 as Soup. From Anthony Bourdain's Les Halles Cookbook. Reprinted with the permission of the author. Note: The better and more intense your stock, the better the soup's going to be. This soup, in particular, is a very good argument for making your own. Note on the Propane Torch: This is a very handy-dandy piece of equipment, especially if your stove is not the greatest. Nearly all professional kitchens have them; they're not very expensive and they can be used for a variety of sneaky tasks, such as easily caramelizing the top of creme brulee or toasting meringues. Ingredients 6 oz butter 8 large onions, thinly sliced 2 oz port 2 oz balsamic vinegar 2 qt dark chicken stock 4 oz slab bacon, cut in 1/2 inch cubes 1 bouquet garni salt and pepper 16 baguette croutons (sliced and toasted in the oven with a little olive oil) 12 oz grated Gruyere cheese (real, imported Gruyere!) Equipment large, heavy-bottomed pot wooden spoon ladle 8 ovenproof soup crocks (Restaurant supply shops sell these by the hundreds. Be sure to use ovenproof.) propane torch (optional) Prepare the Broth In the large pot, heat the butter over medium heat until it is melted and begins to brown. Add the onions and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until they are soft and browned (about 20 minutes). Onion soup, unsurprisingly, is all about the onions. Make damn sure the onions are nice, dark, even brown color. Increase the heat to medium high and stir in the port and the vinegar, scraping all that brown goodness from the bottom of the pot into the liquid. Add the chicken stock. Add the bacon and bouquet garni and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 45 minutes to an hour, skimming any foam off the top with the ladle. Remove the bouquet garni. The Croutons and Cheese When the soup is finished cooking, ladle it into the individual crocks. Float two croutons side by side on top of each. Spread a generous, even heaping amount of cheese over the top of the soup. You want some extra to hang over the edges, as the crispy, near-burnt stuff that sticks to the outer sides fo the crocks once it comes out from under the heat is often the best part. Place each crock under a preheated, rip-roaring broiler until the cheese melts, bubbles, browns, and even scorches slightly in spots. The finished cheese should be a panorama of molten brown hues ranging from golden brown to dark brown to a few black spots where the cheese blistered and burned. Serve immediately -- and carefully. You don't know pain until you've spilled one of these things in your lap. If your broiler is too small or too weak to pull this off, you can try it in a preheated 425F/220C oven until melted. A nice optional move: Once the mound of grated cheese starts to flatten out in the oven, remove each crock and, with a propane torch, blast the cheese until you get the colors you want. Half-Assed Alternative Your broiler sucks. Your oven isn't much better. Can't find those ovenproof crocks anywhere. And you ain't ponying up for a damn propane torch, 'cause your kid's got pyromaniac tendencies. You can simply toast cheese over the croutons on a sheet pan, and float them as a garnish on the soup. Not exactly classic -- but still good. Keywords: Soup, Appetizer, French ( RG1318 )

Onion Soup Les Halles Serves 8 as Soup. From Anthony Bourdain's Les Halles Cookbook. Reprinted with the permission of the author. Note: The better and more intense your stock, the better the soup's going to be. This soup, in particular, is a very good argument for making your own. Note on the Propane Torch: This is a very handy-dandy piece of equipment, especially if your stove is not the greatest. Nearly all professional kitchens have them; they're not very expensive and they can be used for a variety of sneaky tasks, such as easily caramelizing the top of creme brulee or toasting meringues. Ingredients 6 oz butter 8 large onions, thinly sliced 2 oz port 2 oz balsamic vinegar 2 qt dark chicken stock 4 oz slab bacon, cut in 1/2 inch cubes 1 bouquet garni salt and pepper 16 baguette croutons (sliced and toasted in the oven with a little olive oil) 12 oz grated Gruyere cheese (real, imported Gruyere!) Equipment large, heavy-bottomed pot wooden spoon ladle 8 ovenproof soup crocks (Restaurant supply shops sell these by the hundreds. Be sure to use ovenproof.) propane torch (optional) Prepare the Broth In the large pot, heat the butter over medium heat until it is melted and begins to brown. Add the onions and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until they are soft and browned (about 20 minutes). Onion soup, unsurprisingly, is all about the onions. Make damn sure the onions are nice, dark, even brown color. Increase the heat to medium high and stir in the port and the vinegar, scraping all that brown goodness from the bottom of the pot into the liquid. Add the chicken stock. Add the bacon and bouquet garni and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 45 minutes to an hour, skimming any foam off the top with the ladle. Remove the bouquet garni. The Croutons and Cheese When the soup is finished cooking, ladle it into the individual crocks. Float two croutons side by side on top of each. Spread a generous, even heaping amount of cheese over the top of the soup. You want some extra to hang over the edges, as the crispy, near-burnt stuff that sticks to the outer sides fo the crocks once it comes out from under the heat is often the best part. Place each crock under a preheated, rip-roaring broiler until the cheese melts, bubbles, browns, and even scorches slightly in spots. The finished cheese should be a panorama of molten brown hues ranging from golden brown to dark brown to a few black spots where the cheese blistered and burned. Serve immediately -- and carefully. You don't know pain until you've spilled one of these things in your lap. If your broiler is too small or too weak to pull this off, you can try it in a preheated 425F/220C oven until melted. A nice optional move: Once the mound of grated cheese starts to flatten out in the oven, remove each crock and, with a propane torch, blast the cheese until you get the colors you want. Half-Assed Alternative Your broiler sucks. Your oven isn't much better. Can't find those ovenproof crocks anywhere. And you ain't ponying up for a damn propane torch, 'cause your kid's got pyromaniac tendencies. You can simply toast cheese over the croutons on a sheet pan, and float them as a garnish on the soup. Not exactly classic -- but still good. Keywords: Soup, Appetizer, French ( RG1318 )

So, is it a teepee or pyramid? More importantly, would you want your white asparagus in either configuration? It's a teepee.

I want to try a real hurricane. Not one made from a mix. ← A "real" hurricane? I thought they all made it from a mix. OK people, this is a good inquiry, does anyone make a real hurricane?

Best Oyster Po-Boy - Crabby Jacks, we ate a lot of oyster po-boys while we were in NO last month and on previous trips, it really was the best. Edit: thinking back on it, we actually didn't have the oyster po-boy, but the oyster platter. But I'm comparing oysters (quality and how they are cooked) and that's where they were the best, so I'm sure the po-boy is the best, although, there's nothing wrong with a nekid fried oyster! Best BBQ Shrimp - Mr. B's for more refined roux based version, or Pascal's Manale for the original peppery-buttery version, or the po-boy at Liuzza's by the Track. Best Hurricane - why??? blech, sugar shock. Get a milk punch or a sazarac. If you're reviewing the recent threads, you'll read about the necessity of going to Willie Mae's for some fried chicken and a pork chop.

Melt has one table out front and a small courtyard with a few tables out back.

eGullet has served its purpose. Amen.

The Crispy Smoked Quail Salad is on their regular menu, it is one of their signature dishes, I believe.

I bring a 6 qt pot of water up to the boil. Turn off heat then put a fine mesh strainer into the pot (resting on the edges), and add about 1/3 cup of loose tea leaves into the strainer. Set timer for 4 minutes, stir the tea or bob the strainer up and down a bit, then remove the strainer. It is much easier to do it this way than to strain a hot liquid by pouring through a strainer. I like to sweeten my iced tea with honey, but it must be done while the tea is hot. So, after the leaves are strained out, add a big spoonful of honey to the pot. At this point, you could have a cup of hot tea, or pour some over ice, using a ladle to have some iced tea. Cover, allow to cool, then pour into a 1 gallon pitcher and store in the fridge. If there's no sweetener or lemon in it, you can store it out of the fridge. But if there is, it must be chilled or it will spoil in a day or so on the counter.

Make a straight herbal mint tea. Put a pot of water up to boil, then go outside and give the mint a good "haircut." Wash the mint, just to make sure there's not buggies or dirt clinging to them, and dump in the pot when it comes to a boil. Strain out after 5-10 minutes steeping. It makes a very refreshing tea, hot or cold.

"Is Nutley too far?" The original post was from last year. At this point, we're just listing all the places with outdoor dining in NJ.