SobaAddict70

I try. =) For the recipe below, numbers in parentheses refer to notes below. As promised: Peach and Cantaloupe Soup 1 c. fresh squeezed orange juice, plus 1 c. additional for ice cube garnish 1 c. buttermilk, plus 1 c. additional for ice cube garnish 4 large ripe peaches (1) 1 large ripe cantaloupe 1 T. fresh squeezed lime juice 2 T. fresh squeezed lemon juice (2) 1. One day to 6 hours in advance, pour 1 c. of orange juice into the cups of a mini muffin tin or round ice "cube" tray, filling the cups no more than 1/4 full. Make another set of ice cubes with 1 c. buttermilk. Freeze solid. 2. Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a boil. Add the peaches and let simmer for 30 seconds. Drain and set the peaches aside to cool. 3. Slice the cantaloupe into quarters, scoop out the seeds and discard them. Cut out the fruit, chop it coarsely, and place it in the work bowl of a food processor or blender. 4. Peel the peaches and chop them. Add to the cantaloupe in the food processor. Process in short pulses to blend. 5. Add the remaining orange juice, lemon and lime juices to the fruit mixture, and process again until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in the buttermilk. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. 6. To serve, fill each serving bowl with soup, then add 1 juice cube and 1 buttermilk cube to each bowl. Serve right away. Serves 6. Notes: (1) I HIGHLY recommend making the soup with white peaches. These peaches add an extra level of flavor and sweetness to the finished product. (2) If you substitute Meyer lemons, you can cut out the lime juice, and increase the amount of lemon juice by 1 or 2 extra T. SA

Garlic and anything spicy. Now its a complete 180 degree turnaround. Funny how things change... SA

Miss J -- not really a recipe (recalling from memory, having read a cookbook several years ago). Basically make puff pastry the usual method, and cut into a circular shape. Cut several strips of puff pastry dough, brush with egg wash and roll each strip up, then place on top of the circle of dough, pressing each spiral roll into the circle. Brush the whole with egg wash. The net effect is that when you take the butter tart out of the oven, the top should be decorated with spirals of puff pastry. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, let cool, cut into wedges and serve. Serve preferably with some schlag (sweetened whipped cream) on the side. SA

Peach ice cream. Sunday night dinner at Babbo: saffron-infused panna cotta, topped with diced peaches and accompanied with peach sorbetto and basil syrup. Peach and cantaloupe soup. It's a cold soup that's perfect for dessert or as a first course. Will post the recipe later (I'm at work right now). SA

Sliced ripe tomatoes with EVOO, salt and pepper (and torn basil leaves). Asian cold poached chicken, steamed rice, and ginger-garlic paste. Congee (especially if topped with ma po tofu or minced pork with preserved black beans) Roast chicken and smashed potatoes. Strawberries, cracked black pepper and aceto tradizionale. French omelette (with a green salad, a baguette, and Perrier). Prunes macerated in Armangac, and spooned over French vanilla ice cream. Spaghetti with minced garlic, EVOO, lots of chopped Italian parsley and cracked black pepper. Pici (think spaghetti but double in thickness) with caramelized onions, EVOO, anchovies, Italian parsley, cracked black pepper, and a light dusting of bread crumbs. I could go on and on, but I'll stop for now. SA

I thought butter tarts were Danish. The butter tarts I'm familiar with are essentially puff pastry decorated with even more puff pastry and powdered sugar. SA

Basic workout dinner: Broiled chicken breasts, steamed veggies, brown rice. Rubbed the chicken breasts with some olive oil and a pinch of garam masala. With the steamed veggies, a dollop of avocado butter. Orange sorbet. Pellegrino. Avocado butter: Mash 1 RIPE avocado. Fold in 1 t. unsalted butter (optional). Use immediately or up to 2 days (refrigerate unused portion). Makes a great topping for steamed veggies. Without the butter, just add chopped tomatoes, onions, jalapeno peppers and minced cilantro for your basic guacamole.

Of course, of course. What he said! SA

Jin: It was a little disconcerting when they went from classic Italian music to Moby's "18" to the Rolling Stones. It was interesting to say the least. The music did little to contribute to the noise level. I'd say it was more towards the design of the space, the proximity to the bar, and a lack of readily available material with which to act as sound absorbers. Fat Guy: I don't pay attention to trends but one can't help noticing when there seems to be a similarity of restaurant design in dissimilar spaces over the span of a year or so. Another space that springs to mind is Ruby Foo's (in midtown). SA

5 of us (Wilfrid and his beloved, Nina and a friend and me) went to Babbo last night. For me, it was only the second time I'd been there, in a year and a half, but for the others, it was the first time. For the menu below, anything in parentheses refers to what the others had. We sat in a corner booth on the ground floor. Babbo is one of those NYC restaurants that took advantage of the two tier seating craze a few years ago when the trend was all the rage in restaurants in New York. For anther example, Tabla springs to mind. The noise level where we sat was somewhat tolerable IF you didn't sit with your back to the bar area, as I was. The sound issue is a HUGE issue in my opinion. My grade would be higher if it weren't for this failing. At least it wasn't as bad as my last experience at Union Square Cafe, where we couldn't get by without shouting. (Note to all: Get seating in the upstairs area if you can. The only downside to this is that you may feel as if you're in the dining equivalent of Siberia, as there is a slight tendency for servers to pay SLIGHTLY less attention to you than if you were in the main dining area on the first floor. The noise level is somewhat lower though.) I'll leave it to Nina and Wilfrid to discuss wines. I limited myself to mineral water for most of the meal, and mint tea for dessert. Apps Spicy Lamb Tartare with Mint Crostini and Quail Egg (Grilled Octopus with "Borlotti Marinati" and Spicy Limoncello Viniagrette, Warm Tripe "alla parmagiana", Warm Lamb's Tongue Viniagrette with Hedgehogs, Pecorino Toscano and a 3-Minute Egg, Testa (headcheese) with Waxy Potatoes and Thyme Viniagrette). Nina may have ordered something extra but I can't remember what it was. The tartare worked wonders with the mint crostini -- appropriate flavor contrast but I felt the spicing in the tartare may have been a little too over the top towards the end. Still, not a bad dish conceptually. Mains Beef Cheek Ravioli with Crushed Squab Liver and Black Truffles (Nina's friend and I ordered this) (Mint Love Letters with Spicy Lamb Sausage [Wilfrid], Foie Gras Ravioli with Balsamic Vinegar and Brown Butter [Wilfrid's wife and Nina]). In retrospect I should have ordered something lighter or not as earthy flavored. This is one of those dishes (for me anyway) that tastes great the first two or three bites but didn't really surprise me after the initial introduction. It's not something I would order again -- I felt that Wilfrid's choice was a better main. Note that I ordered the love letters on my first visit to Babbo, but after the tartare, that would have been too much mint for my taste). Dessert Saffron Panna Cotta with Peaches, Peach Sorbetto and Lemon Balm (Pistachio and Chocolate Semifreddo [Nina], Assortment of Gelati and Sorbetti [Nina's friend], Torta del Sole with Olive Oil Gelato and Citrus Crema). Can't remember what Wilfrid ordered. SA

Dinuguan isn't usually considered restaurant food. The best ones are homemade. At least the ones I've had. Haven't been back to ETT in a while. When I was there last (6 or so years ago), I remember the dinuguan as nothing special. But that's just me. Thai food is identifiable. Filipino food is kinda weird. Not to mention a lot of the mainstays aren't readily available or mainstream....patis, baguong, banana ketchup, and jackfruit to name a few. SA

Steve, have you ever tried one of Burritoville's burritos with veggie chorizo as one of the fillings? I suppose if you could deconstruct the ingredients in the veggie chorizo, you could make a passable veggie burger out of that. There's been many a time when I've had that chorizo, where I've thought I was eating something that could pass for beef. SA

huh?

For a recipe for minestrone invernale, click here Here's a recipe for summer minestrone: 1/2 c. + 3 T. OO (note from Soba: you can use EVOO if you want, its up to you. I don't. I feel that people overuse EVOO as much as other people overuse balsamic vinegar, but its a matter of personal preference, as in most things related to food) 1 medium onion, cut into 1/4" dice 3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4" dice 2 large ribs celery, peeled and cut into 1/4" dice (note from Soba: don't forget to chop the leaves and add them) 1/2 lb. firm potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4" dice 2/3 lb. white cabbage, cored and cut into 1/4" dice 2 medium squash, trimmed and cut into 1/4" dice 1/2 lb. Swiss chard, leaves cut into narrow strips, stems cut across into slices 1 small bunch spinach, stemmed, well washed and cut across into narrow strips 6 medium cloves garlic, smashed, peeled, and coarsely chopped 1 c. tomato base (recipe follows), coarsely chopped canned Italian plum tomatoes, or sterile-pack chopped tomatoes (note from Soba: I prefer Pomi if I can't get fresh tomatoes for the tomato base) Rind from a wedge of Parmesan cheese (the wedge should be at least 1/2 lb.) 2 medium bunches basil, leaves only, well washed and dried 1 c. cooked orzo 2 T. kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper, to taste Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving 1. In a medium stockpot, cook 1/2 c. OO and the onion over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Stir in the carrots, celery (and leaves), and potatoes. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Stir in the cabbage and squash and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the greens, half of the garlic, the tomatoes (or tomato base), 5 c. water, and the cheese rind. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. 2. Meanwhile, to make the pesto, in a food processor or blender, coarsely puree the basil. Add the remaining garlic and puree. With the machine running, slowly pour in the remaining oil. Continue to blend until smooth. (Note from Soba: Note that this pesto contains no cheese and pignoli. You may wish to use a mortar and pestle instead of the method I use here. This pesto is the same kind used in France, in soupe au pistou.) 3. Remove the cheese rind from the soup. Stir in the orzo. Heat through. Stir in 1/4 c. of the pesto. Season to taste with salt and pepper. The minestrone can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 3 days, but do not add the orzo until reheating to serve. If the soup has been refrigerated, reheat it, adding a little water to avoid sticking. Pass the remaining pesto and grated Parmesan cheese at the table. Serves 6. ---------- Tomato Base 2 medium onions, cut into 1/2" cubes 6 T. OO (note from Soba: Again, you can use EVOO if you want, although I don't) 5 lb. ripe, red tomatoes, cored and cut into 1" cubes 1. In a medium stockpot, cook the onions and OO over low heat, stirring occasionally for 8 minutes, or until the onions are translucent. 2. Raise the heat and stir in the tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the tomatoes are soft and liquid. 3. Use immediately, or refrigerate for up to 3 days, or freeze. Makes about 10 cups of tomato base. I use this for soups, stews, gumbos, or anything that calls for lightly crushed canned whole tomatoes. SA

"The Art of Indian Vegetarian Cooking" by Yamuna Devi (1987, Penguin). SA

Sesame Yogurt Potatoes 6 medium-sized all-purpose potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2" cubes 1/2 c. plain yogurt, whisked until smooth 1/2 T. scraped, finely shredded or minced fresh ginger root 1/4 t. cayenne pepper or paprika 5 T. ghee or sesame oil 3 T. sesame seeds 1 T. black mustard seeds 1/2 T. cumin seeds 1/2 T. salt 1 T. fresh lemon juice 2 T. chopped fresh coriander or parsley 1. Boil or steam the potatoes until they are fork-tender. Drain them and place in a mixing bowl. Add the yogurt, ginger and cayenne or paprika, and gently fold to coat the potatoes with the seasoned yogurt. Set aside for 1/2 to 3 hours. 2. Heat the ghee or oil in a heavy frying pan over moderate heat. When it is hot but not smoking, drop in the sesame seeds, black mustard seeds and cumin seeds. When the seeds begin to pop, add the potatoes and salt and fry, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 5 minutes or until the potatoes begin to brown. Sprinkle with lemon juice and fresh herb before serving. Serves 6. I sometimes vary the above recipe by frying the potatoes in a minimal amount of oil or ghee with some mustard seeds and garlic until the potatoes are tender, then fold in seasoned yogurt at the end -- plain yogurt with a bit of turmeric, cumin and other spices, or some freshly made garam masala, then finish with the lemon juice and herb. I prefer a Gujarati-style garam masala. My current blend: grated coconut, sesame seeds, black mustard seeds, saffron, green peppercorns, white peppercorns, green cardamom pods, cumin seeds and ground nutmeg. SA

Some of the things I do with fresh herbs: As stuffing in roast chicken (best with unpeeled garlic cloves, quartered lemons and sprigs of rosemary or thyme) With Thai food -- part of Thai cuisine are the garnishes, and fresh herbs count for a lot in the cuisine. Of course, what we have in this part of the world pales in comparison to what's available in Thailand, but you learn to make do with what you have. As a finisher or flavor spritzer in Indian cooking. For example, I might sprinkle a T. or two T. of chopped cilantro or mint on top of potatoes smothered in a yogurt sauce. Ditto for certain Italian dishes -- pasta with sugo pomodoro (fresh tomato sauce) comes to mind. As tempura, used as a garnish. Fried sage leaves, tempura basil leaves, etc. Sometimes I add a few T. of chopped fresh mixed herbs to cucumber or watercress soup, either before pureeing the soup in a blender or before serving. SA

All the more reason why Ms. Nigella should take her place. Not that that would ever happen but it'd be nice to think/wish that. SA

I'll post recipes for both later tonight then, when I get home from work... SA

That depends on whether you want winter minestrone or summer minestrone. The difference usually lies in the quantity and type of vegetables. Use of a ham (or prosciutto) bone will lend a certain quality to the soup. You might also consider using leftover rind from a wedge of parmagianno reggiano, to flavor the soup.

Ewww. After a little serious thought (well maybe not much), I suppose you could do the pressed tofu route. Just don't put chopped water chestnuts and we'll get along just fine. SA

Some ideas: you could stuff them creole style -- with a stuffing of seasoned rice and chopped shrimp, tomatoes and onions. stuff each leaf, and also the center. you could mix chopped artichoke hearts with the stuffing. serve with a mustard dip. if the artichokes are young or baby versions, try splitting them in half and coating them in tempura batter, then deep fry them. those are two that come immediately to mind. Galatoire's in New Orleans, serves an eggs benedict variation using sliced artichoke hearts, topped with poached eggs and draped with hollandaise sauce, all on top of an English muffin (or rusk?). SA

Heh. Well, can't you take lactaid or something? I do believe they make lactose-free ice cream out there. I'm lactose intolerant btw, but that doesn't stop me from drinking milk. In fact, I've been weaning myself back onto milk slowly but surely. I find it kind of strange that I'd grow up drinking milk all the time and then one day in my early 20s, wake up one morning and be lactose intolerant (cheese, yogurt and ice cream don't produce the same effect on me that whole/skim/low-fat milk does). I think that if I go slowly and in moderation at first, that I should be able to eventually conquer this strange condition. But only time will tell. SA

I really must go to Dimple one of these days.... Its really soooooo difficult for me to find a place that strives to serve something different than the usual mix of northern Indian/cross-bred Pakistani or quasi-Bangladeshi-Indian food that seems to permeate NYC and elsewhere.... I think I know of a total of two places that actually have vegetarian cuisine....and that's not saying a lot since those two places don't possess a quality of diversity as found at Dimple. One is Amma, across the street from my apartment, and the other is this little place across the street from Goldman Sachs, right in the heart of the Financial District. Can't remember the name though, but they serve a killer Baigan Bharta (sp; eggplant curry with a cream-based sauce) and cabbage masala (curried cabbage and peas). Sounds like a project this weekend for me....assuming I can get away from the office. SA

All hail Plotnicki-san. He has returned! As for me, humm, that's pretty close to a tie. I can't really decide, but I would have to agree with Mr. P. -- gelato owns ice cream any day. Now, as for definitions, that'll have to wait unless someone else wants to take a shot. I'd volunteer, but I'm at the office...taking a break. SA