Black Garlic: The Ingredient that Wouldn’t Go Away

By Pat Tanner

I first encountered black garlic at last summer’s Fancy Food Show, where I refused to take even a nibble. (This from someone who once voluntarily ate toasted mealy worms.) My thinking went something like this: “Garlic that is turned jet black and described as sweet? No thank you!” But when restaurant chefs all over the country started singing its praises, I warily ordered some from earthy.com. (It is also available at Wegmans and some other upscale markets.)

Long story short: I am smitten.

Black garlic does taste sweet, but not sugary sweet. More like molasses sweet, although others have detected balsamic vinegar, chocolate, licorice, and fennel. It was developed in South Korea as a health product and is purported to contain twice as many antioxidants as regular garlic. The black, sticky cloves are made by taking regular, run-of-the-mill garlic, fermenting it for three weeks in an environment of controlled heat and humidity, and then ageing it for another week. In the process, the acrid bite normally associated with garlic is completely mellowed out.

New recipes using this black gold are popping up online every week. Among the first I tried was Scallops with Black Garlic at steamykitchen.com. Fabulous. I also made black garlic puree from a recipe by Jeremy Fox, who just left the highly regarded vegetarian restaurant Ubuntu in Napa, California. It’s as simple as pureeing cloves from two heads of black garlic in a blender or mini-food processor and adding as little water as needed to make the mixture pourable. Like the vinaigrette below, it is terrific drizzled over chunks of warm, cooked potatoes and hard cooked eggs.

For additional recipes - as well as the full story behind the development of this welcome new ingredient - visit blackgarlic.com.

BLACK GARLIC VINAIGRETTE
Adapted from Caron Golden, San Diego Network News

5 cloves black garlic
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt & pepper to taste
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Combine all ingredients except for the olive oil in a food processor or blender. Process until the black garlic is completely incorporated. With the motor running, slowly pour in the olive oil. (Good over greens as well as warm, cooked potatoes.)

Makes about 1 cup.

“The Conscious Cook”

By Pat Tanner

Tal Ronnen is a chef who started out, as he writes in his cookbook “The Conscious Cook” (William Morrow 2009), loving “steak, hollandaise sauce, and rich wine reductions.” In his teens he turned to vegetarianism and eventually to veganism, all the while refusing to give up beautiful, flavorful, rich, and filling foods. He has become renowned for his sophisticated, fine-dining vegan cuisine.

I put the cookbook’s recipes to the test first with his Caesar salad. It’s hard to imagine a good one without eggs, anchovies, and Parmesan, isn’t it? Ronnen manages to capture the flavors and textures masterfully. His recipe introduced me to Veganaise, a surprisingly good vegan mayo. I also prepared a main dish of cornmeal-crusted tempeh with smoked tomato sauce, green chile relish, black bean puree, and braised kale. Also delicious.

Although the recipes deliver excellent results, the book itself is flawed. The index is practically useless, and instructions can at times be sloppy. The tempeh recipe, for example, instructs the cook to reserve the broth (which is superb) that the tempeh braises in. Yet it never says what to do with it. Another recipe is for Asian Tacos with Kinpira. Kinpira is never defined. (According to Wikipedia, it’s sauteed root vegetables).

These shortcomings are frustrating because this could have been the first vegan cookbook to make an impact in the vegan-hostile world - as you’ll discover if you give the following recipe a twirl. Note: the brackets are mine.

[Vegan] Caesar Salad with Focaccia Croutons

1/4 loaf plain focaccia, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon capers, drained
1 cup vegan mayonnaise (such as Veganaise)
1 tablespoon white [or yellow] miso paste
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
1/2 tablespoon light agave nectar
1 cup olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 small heads romaine lettuce, shredded
Caperberries [optional]

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread the focaccia cubes on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes, or until lightly toasted.

2. In a food processor, mince the garlic and capers. Add the mayonnaise, miso paste, nutritional yeast, agave nectar, and 1/2 cup water and pulse to combine. With the motor running, slowly add the oil in a thin stream. Continue to blend until emulsified, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

3. Place the lettuce and croutons in a large bowl. Drizzle the dressing over the top and toss well to coat. Garnish with caperberries and serve immediately.
Makes 4 servings [with plenty of dressing left over].

Winter Farmers’ Market is Not an Oxymoron

By Pat Tanner

Even though this season marks the fifth year that the Central Jersey Slow Food chapter has mounted monthly indoor farmers markets in December, January, and February, many people still wonder what the heck is available when snow hugs the ground and temperatures struggle to rise into the thirties.

I attended the January market and below is a list of what I purchased. Think of it as a guide to the next market, coming up this Sunday.

1. A hunk of my favorite cheese from Valley Shepherd Creamery: Nettlesome. (Yes, it contains real stinging nettles. No, they do not sting.)
2. Packages of Simply Nic’s shortbread bars in two new flavors: winter spice and espresso with cacao nibs.
3. Empire apples from Terhune Orchards. (I managed to bypass the cider donuts and the cider.)
4. From the table of Princeton’s Whole Earth Center market, a can of Jersey Fresh tomatoes and a Colby cheese wrap. (The latter became my lunch.)
5. A hunk of the newest cheese from Cherry Grove Farm: Maidenhead, a semi soft, creamy, flavor-packed cheese washed with beer from Cherry Hill’s Flying Fish.
6. A bag of six assorted dinner rolls from Village Bakery.
7. A jar of ghee made from grassfed cow butter from Pure Indian Organic Ghee.
8. From Davidson’s Exotic Mushrooms of Kennett Square, a box of shiitakes and a box of cremini. (Which I used to make an excellent mushroom goulash.)
9. Beeswax pillar candles from Woods Edge Wool Farms. (Next time: honey.)

At that point, I had run through my funds, so I bypassed the wines of Hopewell Valley Vineyards, Catherine’s Vegan Treats, Ducky Life Teas, and a perfect antidote to winter doldrums: Stony Brook Orchids.

This week’s market will also feature live jazz and lunch offerings by Tre Piani’s Tre Bar tapas café.

Slow Food Central New Jersey’s Winter Farmers’ Market
Sunday, February 28
11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Tre Piani Restaurant
Princeton Forrestal Village
Plainsboro
Restaurant phone number: 609.452.1515
For information on the farmers market phone 609.577.5113

The [Brrrr] ‘R’ Months

By Pat Tanner

The debate continues as to whether the old saw still holds that you should eat oysters only in months containing the letter ‘r’ in their names. Since I glom on to any excuse to devour the tasty mollusks, I’m sticking with the ‘r’ theory, which allows eight months of indulgence.

Here are my current favorite preparations, both of which require minimum effort (other than the shucking) but yield maximum results.

Oysters with Bloody Mary Mignonette
“The Ferry House Cookbook,” by Bobby Trigg (2006)
1-1/2 teaspoons prepared horseradish
1 teaspoon minced shallot
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper (or less to taste)
1/4 cup vodka, preferably Absolut
1/2 cup tomato juice
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon minced fresh chives
36 oysters in the shell, scrubbed
Vodka for splashing

In a small bowl, stir together the horseradish, shallot, and pepper. Whisk in the vodka, then the tomato juice, then the lime juice. Garnish with the chives. Cover and refrigerate.
Shuck each oyster and smell to make sure it is fresh. Remove any broken shell or debris. Cut through the muscle holding the oyster to the shell and serve the oysters in their larger bottom shells in a bowl set on ice. Splash each oyster with vodka and then top with a dollop of mignonette.

Serves 6.


Pancetta-Wrapped Oysters and Arugula Salad
riasbaixaswines.com
2 dozen fresh oysters, in their shells
4 ounces sliced pancetta
2 large lemons, each cut lengthwise into 4 wedges
8 ounces baby arugula, washed
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
Grilled lemon halves, for garnish
1 tablespoon snipped chives, for garnish

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Thoroughly scrub and carefully open oysters. Discard top shell. Cut under the oyster meat to release it from the bottom shell. Cut pancetta into 2-inch-long strips; wrap oysters with pancetta strips and return to the half shell. Place pancetta-wrapped oysters and lemon wedges on a large broiling pan. Roast 10 minutes or until pancetta is crisp.

To serve, in a large bowl toss arugula with olive oil and salt; place salad on a large platter. Arrange oysters (in shells) on arugula. Garnish with grilled lemons and chives.
Makes 6 first-course servings.

Uproot Yourself

By Pat Tanner

When I learned that Anthony Bucco, longtime chef at Stage Left in New Brunswick, is the executive chef at Uproot, a new restaurant in Warren, I wanted to check it out pronto. This meant not waiting to dine there in my official capacity as restaurant critic, but rather as a civilian – one of a group of six friends out for an evening on the town. What follows is a report on my experience, which differs from the norm because the folks there knew I was coming, there was no need for me to don the disguise I have used in the past, and I dined there on my own dime.

The name of the restaurant has both symbolic and literal meaning. Uprooting himself is exactly what Bucco has done. And the exciting design of the restaurant includes a whimsical take on an inverted tree suspended overhead. Believe it or not, the tree isn’t the most dramatic element in this sleek, sophisticated space that manages to be inviting and comfortable as well as ultramodern.

Service is pretty sleek, too. I sometimes forget what it feels like to have your every want and need anticipated, but was reminded of that here. As, too, when a restaurant pays attention to every last detail, including good, crusty rolls, an intelligent cheese plate, and excellent coffee.

Other pluses here: adult cocktails and an interesting wine list. Sommelier/general manager Jonathan Ross (formerly of Anthos in New York) found some impressive vintages within our $60 cap, including a 2000 Chateauneuf du Pape and a 2002 Alsace Riesling.

Every dish on the dinner menu piqued my interest. Even the complimentary amuse bouche provided excitement: crostini topped with elk tartare. Chef Bucco has a very special way with fish, so I ordered the special appetizer of local fluke with onion marmalade followed by black cod poached in grapefruit-accented broth and, in between, my tablemates and I shared a portion of lightly seared tuna. I smiled contently through all three courses while the meat-lovers in my group extolled the venison with rutabaga gratin and huckleberries.

Other dishes, while still good, didn't quite match the 'wow' factor of the above. Pear and bitter greens salad, gnocchi with Surryano ham, and roast chicken with root vegetables, for example.

These days, it is heartening to see a restaurant open that doesn’t stint on style or dumb down its menu in deference to today’s economic conditions. With seven out of ten entrees under $30, the folks at Uproot ‘get’ the economy while providing a welcome respite from the currently ubiquitous “upscale” comfort food.

Uproot
9 Mt. Bethel Road
Warren
908.834.8194
uprootrestaurant.com

Dinner at Daddy Warbucks’

By Pat Tanner

Remember the movie “Annie,” starring nine-year old Aileen Quinn? Do you know that the scenes of Daddy Warbucks’ mansion were filmed at a real-life manor house on the grounds of what is now Monmouth University? And that is remains EXACTLY AS DEPICTED IN THE MOVIE?

I think I knew back around 1980 that filming was taking place in Monmouth County, but then didn’t give it another thought for decades. Until, that is, I learned of an annual candlelight dinner held in what is in reality Wilson Hall, but which is forever etched in my mind (and that of millions of others) as Daddy Warbucks’ mansion.

The yearly dinner, open to the public, is a fundraiser for the upkeep of the 130-room limestone palace, built in 1929 and dubbed “Shadow Lawn” by its owners - Woolworth president Hubert Parson and his wife, Maysie. The dinners, which accommodate about 120, are held in the gilded splendor of the Versailles Room. They sell out well in advance, and are so popular that the University doesn’t bother to promote them. When I inquired a month in advance of this year’s dinner, which I’m sorry to inform you was held on January 22nd, they were already 90% full. Which is why I’m telling you about it after the fact--so you can get your name on the list for next year.

Which you will want to do, because the evening features a three-course dinner with wine, a captivating after-dinner lecture and photo presentation that relates, with great affection, the truly sad, truly strange tale of Shadow Lawn, and a guided walking tour. All for $50 per person.

I signed up because of the unique venue and its history rather than the food and wine, which is overseen by the University’s caterer, Aramark. So I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of both, and learned that Aramark’s man there once worked at the acclaimed restaurant Nicholas in Middletown.

I was also tickled to learn that the grown-up Aileen Quinn actually returned to Wilson Hall/Monmouth University, where for a while she was an adjunct professor in the theater department. Daddy Warbucks would have been proud.

To get on the mailing list for next year’s candlelight dinner and tour, phone 732.571.3505 or send an email to: specialevents@monmouth.edu

Hot Fun in the Wintertime

By Pat Tanner

OK, so we all can’t head to a tropical resort this time of year. The next best thing? Revel in the cold weather, which the folks in two adjacent Delaware River towns have been doing every January for years now. Activities at the Lambertville – New Hope Winter Festival, which runs from January 27th through the 31st, span both sides of the bridge between New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Among the impressively long list of proceedings are a jazz concert, cabaret, and many other musical performances; a parade complete with Mummers; ice sculpting demos; and children’s activities.

All fun and interesting, but let’s cut to the chase: the food and drink.

Each town is blessed with its own brewery - Lambertville has the award-winning River Horse; New Hope has one of the popular Triumph Brewing locations. Both will be featured at one of the festival’s premiere events: the Sunday chili cook-off. Eleven eateries are competing this year, and ticket holders get to cast a vote for the People’s Choice Award. If chili is too hot to handle, head over to Triumph the previous day for the Rotary’s hot roast beef sandwiches, accompanied by brews and live music. Better yet, do both!

Kids will enjoy the puppet theater, the Little Rockers concert, and their own obstacle course, while adults (and more sedate children) may prefer to take in the beauty of these two historic towns via several house, museum, and walking tours.

The full schedule of happenings – and there are many more – as well as prices and ticket information are all at winterfestival.net.

America’s First Black Top Chef

By Pat Tanner

Today we take for granted that America’s most acclaimed restaurant chefs come in all colors. Yet it wasn’t that many decades ago that chefs of color, no matter how talented, worked in obscurity. The first one to break through, at least in recent memory, was Patrick Clark, who won a James Beard Award in 1995, just three years before his untimely death at the age of 42.

A few years ago I came across another aspect of the African-American culinary experience: the legions of dining car chefs and attendants, mostly black, employed by the Pullman Company to service its luxury trains from the late 19th century to well into the 20th. Among them was Rufus Estes, who was born a slave in Tennessee 1857. He worked his way up from Pullman porter to spend much of his working life as a chef handling special parties in private cars. At a time when most fine restaurants would not hire a black chef, Estes cooked for Presidents Cleveland and Harrison, the Polish pianist Paderewski, and the African explorer Stanley, as well as European royalty.

We know this and a bit more because Estes went on to write the first cookbook by an African-American chef. The book’s elegant recipes provide a fascinating glimpse into the life of dining car chefs, who in the Estes’ days used wood and coal stoves for heat and blocks of ice for refrigeration. Many recipes are startlingly contemporary, such as an omelet made with squash blossoms and turkey stuffed with black truffles.

The recipe below, reprinted almost exactly as it appears in “Good Things to Eat,” is for a refined but easy to make citrus salad with blue cheese dressing. Although Estes’ recipes don’t include modern amenities such as a separate list of ingredients or the number of servings, home cooks will have no trouble replicating this one. Of course, few people these days bother to peel grapes. (Just cut seedless green grapes in half and call it a day.)

TRIANON SALAD
“Rufus Estes’ Good Things to Eat” (Dover Publications 2004; first issued by Rufus Estes in 1911)

Cut one grapefruit and two oranges in sections and free from seeds and membrane. Skin and seed one cup white grapes and cut one-third cup pecan nutmeats in small pieces. Mix ingredients, arrange on a bed of romaine and pour over the following dressing: [In advance] mix four tablespoons olive oil, one tablespoon grape juice, one tablespoon grape vinegar, one-fourth teaspoon paprika, one-eighth teaspoon pepper and one tablespoon finely chopped Roquefort cheese. This dressing should stand in the icebox four or five hours to become seasoned.

*Image courtesy of amazon.com

Ready, Set, Go…To Winter Restaurant Week

By Pat Tanner

Restaurant weeks lure us in with what appear to be terrific opportunities to try out new spots. Sure, seats fill up in the blink of an eye at the big-name venues and yes, some restaurateurs dumb down their offerings, turning what should be a bargain into disappointment and resentment.

My experience is that these downsides are more likely to occur in major cities like New York. Here in Jersey, I have enjoyed first-rate dining experiences and have had a much easier time getting tables at my favorite places (and without playing on my name, btw). My advice? Rather than choose a restaurant you haven’t been to – even if it’s one you’ve been longing to try – stick with restaurants you know and like. And make reservations now.

Below is the scoop on several upcoming restaurant weeks. I’ve noted my favorite participants in each. Admittedly, the last entry is in Philadelphia – a major city – but the geographic scope is limited. Plus, it happens to feature some of my favorite spots.

Note that prices do not include beverages, gratuity, and tax.

Montclair Restaurant Week
Runs: Two weeks, from January 25 through February 7
Restaurants: 36
Offers: Fixed price dinners at $31, $1 of which is donated to local food charities
Best Bets: Either of Zod Arifai’s restaurants, Blu or his more casual Next Door;
CulinAriane, hotter than ever since Ariane Duarte’s star turn on Top Chef
Info at: gotomontclairnj.org (click on Restaurant Week icon)

Hudson Restaurant Week
Runs: February 1 through February 12
Restaurants: 31
Offers: Not yet specified, but you can sign up for email notification
Best Bets: From A to Z: the always pleasing Amanda’s and Zylo, the Tuscan
steakhouse at the W Hotel, both in Hoboken
Info at: hudsonrestaurantweek.com

Atlantic City Restaurant Week
Runs: February 28 through March 6
Restaurants: 70, both casinos and independents, inside and outside the city
Offers: 3 course lunch: $15.10; 3 course dinner: $33.10 (some offer only one)
Best Bets: Izakaya and SeaBlue in the casinos; Tomatoes and Steve & Cookies in
Margate
Info at: acrestaurantweek.com

Center City Restaurant Week
Runs: Two weeks, January 17 through 22 and January 24 through 29
Restaurants: 119
Offers: 3 course lunch: $20; 3 course dinner: $35 (some offer only one)
Best Bets: Again A to Z: Amada (and other Jose Garces properties) and Zahav; not to
mention Eric Ripert’s 10 Arts and Le Bec-Fin
Info at: centercityphila.org (click on Restaurant Week icon)

Salad Days in the New Year

By Pat Tanner

I seem to have once again fallen victim to both the excesses of holiday eating and the need for feel-good New Year’s resolutions, so I find myself drawn to salads. Which is why I’ve gleaned the interesting recipes below from some of the Garden State’s finest practitioners.

GRILLED ROMAINE SALAD
Michael Carrino, Chef/Owner, Restaurant Passionne, Montclair

2 heads romaine lettuce, split in half
1/2 cup white balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large shallot, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon chopped parsley

Place all ingredients into a large zip-tight bag and allow to marinate about an hour, tossing around every few minutes. Heat grill (or broiler) to high and place the four pieces of romaine on the grill (or broiler pan) making sure they do not touch. Grill for about 1 minute then turn and grill for another 2 minutes.

SHERRY VINAIGRETTE FOR A CROWD
Kevin Sbraga, Executive Chef, Rat’s Restaurant, Hamilton

1 cup sherry vinegar
1 shallot, minced
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 cup olive oil
2 cups grape seed oil, or other mild oil (such as canola or safflower)
Salt and pepper

Blend the vinegar, shallot, and mustard in a food processor. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the two oils until mixture is emulsified. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Note: Recipe may be scaled down, retaining a ratio of 1 part vinegar to 3 parts oil. Toss with mixed greens.

MEMBRILLO VINAIGRETTE
Inspired by Will Mooney, Chef/owner, Brothers Moon, Hopewell

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Scant 1/4 cup sherry vinegar
3 tablespoons membrillo (quince paste)
Salt and pepper

Combine first three ingredients in a blender. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour over a salad composed of arugula, sliced Granny Smith apples, toasted almonds, and Manchego cheese. Makes enough for 4 servings.

New Jersey, Times Three, At the Beard House

By Pat Tanner

In coming weeks three eminent Garden State chefs will take over the kitchen at the esteemed James Beard House, putting their best foot forward and doing the state proud. Making reservations now provides us foodies something delicious to look forward to in the dull, dark post-holiday days ahead.

First up, on Saturday, January 23, is Michael Giletto of Cherry Valley Country Club in Skillman. This television-savvy chef, whom you may have caught on an episode of “Chopped,” or assisting “Iron Chef” Cat Cora, is mounting a fennel fete. Every dish in his five-course-plus dinner, for which one of his “Chopped” competitors is producing the dessert, features either fennel the vegetable or fennel pollen. How does Fennel Aspic with Caramel Brioche, Fried Salsify, and Tarragon Mayonnaise sound? And that’s just one of the hors d’oeuvres! Cost: $165 ($125 for members of the James Beard Foundation).

Following on Giletto’s heels, on Tuesday evening, January 26, are the Pluckemin Inn’s Juan Jose Cuevas and Joseph Gabriel, who will focus on farm-fresh New Jersey products, among them Pluckemin Mozzarella with Marinated New Jersey Cauliflower and Buttermilk-poached Griggstown Chicken Breast with Rice Polenta and Black Truffles. As with all these Beard House meals, this one will be paired with exceptional wines: Champagne to start and, for the chicken dish – the poultry course in a meal of seven or eight - Joseph Drouhin Chorey-Les Beaune 2006. Cost: $165, or $125 for JBF members.

Next up, on Friday, February 19, is lunch at high noon by Hoboken’s Anthony Pino. Although best known for the Dining Room at Anthony David’s, Chef Pino will feature dishes from his newest enterprise, Bin 14, a very cool and very delicious wine bar-trattoria. Among the starters is Rocchetta [arugula] Gnocchi with Chianti Cherries, while the centerpiece of the four-course luncheon consists of Baby Lamb Chops with Brussels Sprout Petals and Autumn Polenta. Zeppole with Espresso Semifreddo caps off this midday festa. Cost: $90, or $75 for JBF members.

All three events take place at James Beard’s Greenwich Village townhouse at 167 West 12th Street, New York. Reservations must be made in advance. To see the full menus and to make reservations, visit jamesbeard.org/events or phone the Beard House at 212.627.2308.

A German Christmas Eve

By Pat Tanner

I’ve known Maren and Werner Pinnow of Hamburg, Germany from when their two young daughters, now grown, arrived for pre-school at the Princeton Waldorf School - without understanding a word of English. The youngsters amazed us all when, within a month, they were comfortably chatting with their classmates. The Pinnows stayed on in the U.S. years longer than they intended, returning home only when they feared their daughters might forever lose touch with their heritage.

I recently got a glimpse into that heritage when I received an email from Maren describing the family’s traditional Christmas Eve celebrations. “On the evening of the 24th we begin by opening presents. Then we have our traditional dinner: potato salad with German sausage. Werner and I had this kind of dinner even when we were little – maybe because it can be prepared in advance and you don’t have to spend so much time in the kitchen. It’s very common, especially in the north of Germany.”

In fact, that dinner sounds just right for any night during the busy holiday season. This year, I will combine German tradition with New Jersey specialties by serving assorted sausages from my favorite farms – Griggstown and Cherry Grove – and whipping up my version of German potato salad, which replaces the usual boiled potatoes with fluffy baked ones. I’ll serve beer from a New Jersey brewery and end the meal on a German note with a platter of pfeffernusse. Who knows: if time allows, I may even make the cookies myself.


GERMAN POTATO SALAD
Serves 6

5 large baking potatoes
Vegetable oil, for rubbing on the potatoes
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
1 small garlic clove, minced (optional)
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard (you might want less)
1/4 cup minced parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup vegetable oil, such as safflower oil
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pierce each potato once with the tines of a fork. Rub a small amount of vegetable oil over the potatoes and bake for 45 minutes, or until tender. Meantime, combine onion, garlic, mustard, and parsley in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

Place the olive oil, vegetable oil, and white wine vinegar in a saucepan. Heat until mixture just begins to boil (do not let it boil), remove from heat, and carefully pour over the onion mixture. Stir and set aside.

Cut potatoes in half and scoop out the insides, forming chunks. Pour the dressing over the potatoes and combine gently.

Visions of Chocolate

By Pat Tanner

Who doesn’t like to give or receive a gift of chocolate? With that in mind, here are delectable ideas for the devoted chocoholics in your life.

Support your local chocolatier. No matter where you live in the Garden State, some local confectioner is whipping up chocolate bonbons, truffles, and holiday-themed candies. Forego the big-name chocolates this year in favor of helping a talented community artisan to thrive.

Restaurant Guys Chocolate. That said, you might just want to look into these chocolates for the over-the-top chocolate gourmand on your list. These “American-size” chocolates (i.e. bigger than most) from New Brunswick-based restaurateurs Francis Schott and Mark Pascal come in four interesting flavors: elderflower, Austrian roasted pumpkin seed with Maldon sea salt, Irish cream (made with real Irish whiskey), and the diablo, which gets its kick from chilies. restaurantguyschocolate.com

Kallari Chocolate. For those who insist on a clear conscience while chomping on chocolate, the bars from this Bridgewater-based company can’t be beat. Their cocoa beans are Rainforest Alliance certified, organically grown, and harvested by a cooperative of more than 900 Kichwa family farmers in the Ecuadorian Amazon. 100% of the profits are returned to the growers. The bars are sold at Whole Foods, Zabar’s in NYC, and Rojo’s Roastery in Lambertville and make excellent stocking stuffers.

Bent Spoon European Hot Chocolate Mix. Think you’re too old for hot chocolate? You’ll think differently once you taste this Princeton ice cream shop’s exceptionally thick, rich hot chocolate mix. The 16-ounce cans make terrific gifts and come in classic and habenero flavors. Plus, owners Gab and Matt put a Bent Spoon and New Jersey tattoo prize inside every can, for the child in all of us.

Inhalable chocolate. For the chocolate lover who has everything, a Harvard science professor, now living in France, developed aerosol chocolate you puff via a contraption similar to an asthma inhaler. “Le Whif” is virtually calorie free, comes in three flavors, and has received mixed reviews. Check it out at lewhif.com. (Orders placed before December 10 will arrive by Christmas.)

Visit a big-city chocolate café. Why not incorporate chocolate into a fun day trip?
In New York, start with free ice skating at the Bryant Park pond and then indulge at Lily O’Brien’s Chocolate Café right inside the park. Every hot drink comes with cozy, European ambiance and a complimentary chocolate from this Irish candy company. lilyscafenyc.com. In Philadelphia, Naked Chocolate Café has three locations in neighborhoods close to tourist and culture hotspots. Plus, the cafés have bona fide Jersey chocolate roots: Tom Block, a founder of Thomas Sweets (which happens to be my local confectionery), created Naked Chocolate with his daughter, Sara. nakedchocolateonline.com.

The Year’s Best Baking Book…

By Pat Tanner

…for holiday gift giving and receiving, at least in my opinion, is Karen DeMasco’s “The Craft of Baking.” Although she is an award-winning restaurant pastry chef who honed her craft at Tom Colicchio’s Craft, Craftbar, and ‘wichcraft, the recipes in this book are eminently reproducible. They are true to DeMasco’s style, which combines home-baked appeal with modern restaurant sophistication.

Exhibit one: Apple Fritters with Caramel Ice Cream and Apple Caramel Sauce
Exhibit two: Pine Nut Tart with Rosemary Cream
Exhibit three: Carrot Cupcakes with Mascarpone Cream Filling

I could go on – the beautifully photographed book contains hundreds of equally tempting muffins, scones, quick breads, doughnuts, cookies, brownies, candies, tarts, pies, cobblers, crisps, cakes, cupcakes, custards, puddings, ice creams, sorbets, fruit compotes, and sauces. And it’s hard to go wrong, since every technique and instruction is painstakingly elaborated.

Each season’s bounty is given its due, from spring’s Fresh Strawberry Tart with Lemon Cream to summer’s Sour Cherry Turnovers to fall’s Concord Grape & Pear Crisp with Marcona Almond Strudel. Wintertime and holiday favorites include chocolate babka, homemade truffles, marshmallows in lemon, mocha, and coconut varieties, and steamed toffee pudding (steamed in the oven).

Below is a recipe to get you started on your holiday baking. Please heed the instruction to use a large saucepan, since the hot, molten sugar mixture will rise and bubble.

GRANDMA RANKIN’S CASHEW BRITTLE
From “The Craft of Baking” by Karen DeMasco & Mindy Fox (Clarkson Potter, 2009)

Nonstick cooking spray
2 cups sugar
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/3 cup light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1-1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
1-1/2 cups (12 ounces) salted roasted cashews

Lightly coat a rimmed baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.

Combine the sugar, butter, corn syrup, and 1/2 cup water in a large saucepan. Stir together so that all of the sugar is wet. Cook the mixture over high heat without stirring until it turns a dark amber color, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat. Carefully whisk in the baking soda, followed by the salt; the caramel will rise and bubble. Using a wooden or metal spoon, fold in the cashews. Pour the brittle onto the prepared baking sheet, and using the back of the spoon, spread it out into a layer about 1/2 inch thick. Let it cool completely. Break the brittle into bite-size pieces, using a mallet or the back of a heavy knife.

The brittle can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
Makes 1-3/4 pounds.

Visions of Gingerbread

By Pat Tanner

Every year I have the same fantasy: that I will finally make a perfect gingerbread house. This never happens. I’ve come to the conclusion that what it takes are equal parts baking expertise, artistic flair, and engineering acumen. I come up short on at least two of these.

If you’re like me, don’t despair! I’ve found the perfect solution. And if you’re not like me, I encourage you to show off your skills while competing for some pretty nifty prizes. First, the solution.

At last summer’s Fancy Food Show I came across Virginia-based Gingerhaus Baking Kits, which even I cannot mess up. The genius is that you bake the pieces on a cardboard template – an armature, if you will - that includes tabs. You mix the dough (included in the kit and developed with the King Arthur Flour people), cut out the flat panels, flip them over, and bake. The kits include royal icing mix and decorations, and you apply them to the baked flat panels, and then assemble via the tabs. I’m partial to the deluxe house, which resembles a Bavarian town hall, but the smaller chalet is awfully cute. The big kit comes with panels for trees and gingerbread boys and girls as well. Decorations include peppermint sticks, peppermints, and candy hearts, but you can be creative and add your own. (That much should be doable, right?)

An all-natural version of the chalet kit is carried by the Whole Foods chain. Standard Gingerhaus kits are available at surlatable.com and kingarthurflour.com, but the best price I could find for the full-sized house is at amazon.com. [$19.95]

Once you’ve made your house - whether using a kit or your own ingenuity – you can enter it into the 5th annual contest taking place this Saturday (Nov. 28) at Grounds for Sculpture, as part of their Lights On! celebration. There are four categories: child, family, adult, and visitor’s choice. The gingerbread house drop-off period is up to 3 p.m. that day and winners will be announced at 4:30. The judges are Grounds for Sculpture staff and yours truly. Prizes include free memberships to Grounds for Sculpture (GFS), gift certificates to the museum shop, tickets to upcoming concerts, and GFS t-shirts, calendars, and mugs. Grounds for Sculpture is located at 18 Fairgrounds Road, Hamilton. To view the official rules and for more information about all the other activities surrounding the Lights On! celebration, which runs from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. that day, visit groundsforsculpture.org.

Not Your Grandmother’s Stuffing

By Pat Tanner

We cooks never know where our next good recipe will come from. Usual sources include a neighbor or co-worker, the Internet or television, a new cookbook, or a magazine or newspaper column. But a tourism calendar? Not so much.

Yet this stuffing recipe, from a calendar my neighbor presented to me last winter as a thank-you gift for collecting her mail while she lounged on the pink sands of Bermuda, captured my attention. I tested it and pass along the recipe for a couple of reasons.

One, you may be among the many who do not make turkey for Thanksgiving, either because you don’t like the taste or because the size of your gathering calls for a smaller bird. This stuffing is a perfect complement to chicken, duck, game hen, or other fowl.

Two, I suspected that the tropical flavor of mango mixed with fluffy white rice had major potential to produce a lighter, brighter alternative to traditional bread stuffing. And, boy, was I right.

The stuffing can be made ahead of time (just refrigerate, covered, until you’re ready to stuff and roast the bird). And it couldn’t be easier. If you can cook rice and peel a mango you’re good to go. (If you’re hesitant about peeling and cutting mangoes, which can be tricky, google “how to cut a mango” for a slew of step-by-step video instructions.)


Bermuda Mango Rice Stuffing
Adapted from 2009 Bermuda Calendar, Tropic Traders Ltd. (Hamilton, Bermuda)

To stuff a 4-pound chicken or duck:

2 large or 3 small ripe mangoes
4 cups cooked rice, cold or room temperature (made from about 1-1/3 cups raw rice)
3 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon finely chopped chives
2 teaspoons finely chopped thyme
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
Salt & pepper to taste
2 whole cloves

Peel mangoes, remove stones, and mash to a pulp. (I used a food processor.) Mix all ingredients thoroughly. Chill for several hours to blend the flavors. Remove the cloves just before stuffing the bird. Stuff and roast as usual. (Heat any extra stuffing in an ovenproof bowl, covered, alongside the bird.)

Border Crossings

By Pat Tanner

Goodness knows I relentlessly extol the virtues of New Jersey restaurants and chefs to anyone who will listen - in print, in person, over the airways. But I also dine regularly in the megalopolises to our east and west, and the two outstanding and especially well priced meals described below give me a reason to tout our state for something often used to disparage it: being a mere “crossroads.” To me, we get the glories of New York and Philadelphia without the hassles of living in a big city.

Anthos, NYC. The handsome contemporary surroundings and accomplished modern Greek cooking of chef/co-owner Michael Psilakis are enough to make this midtown spot a draw. Add in a three-course pre-theater dinner at only $35 and it’s a no-brainer. Choices are limited but appealing across the board, and they include such high-end proteins as roast saddle of lamb (flavored, btw, with cinnamon and accompanied by cauliflower and stuffed grape leaves). Chicken poached in olive oil is to die for, and the olive oil ice cream that accompanies chocolate pudding cake will have you wishing for more. Add in a platter of complimentary mezes, a fabulous breadbasket, and utterly accommodating service and it’s hard to find a better bargain the Big Apple. anthosnyc.com

Bibou, Philadelphia. When my favorite finicky Frenchman recommends a French bistro, I know I’m in for a good meal. Even going in with high expectations, this tiny b.y.o.b. on South Eighth was able to wow me. Owners Pierre and Charlotte Calmels are, between them, alums of Le Bec-Fin, Daniel, and Brasserie Perrier. Between his cooking and her spot-on dining room management, the place practically levitates. Imagine impeccable consommé with sweetbreads for $8, foie gras over pain d’epices and with caramelized quince for $15, and pig feet stuffed with foie gras for $25. Nightly specials round out the short menu, and on my visit included a soulful pheasant stew over pillowy spaetzle. Fresh plum tart, “Mimi’s” chocolate cake with crème anglaise, and excellent French press coffee made me feel like I was in Paris. biboubyob.com. Note: cash only.

And the Beat Goes On

Three Generations of Great New Jersey Chefs

By Pat Tanner

The first inkling that Garden State foodies could be wowed by innovative, world-class cuisine without crossing the river into Manhattan came back in the ‘70s, in the tiny hamlet of Meyersville. It was there that brothers Dennis and John Foy opened the groundbreaking Tarragon Tree. The Foys eventually parted ways, and Dennis went on to establish a series of restaurants on both sides of the Hudson, some to great acclaim (Mondrian) and some not so much (Bay Point Prime). His latest venture is Dennis Foy’s Lawrenceville Inn, which opened in late October.

The legacy of the Tarragon Tree is the chain of young chefs that that kitchen begot. Here is just one branch of that family tree:

Dennis Foy’s Lawrenceville Inn. “Over the years my style of cooking has undergone a metamorphosis. It’s more focused and simplified,” Foy told me in a phone interview just days before he opened. So don’t expect fireworks on his Mediterranean-influenced menu, where most entrees stay under the $25 mark. Among the classics: butternut squash soup, cassoulet made with lamb, housemade pastas with Bolognese or carbonara sauces, crème brulee.

Craig Shelton at the Skylark Diner. The most illustrious chef to emerge from the Tarragon Tree was a young Shelton, New Jersey’s most decorated chef whose (shuttered) Ryland Inn brought national acclaim. Shelton is currently ensconced daily as consulting chef at this splashy Route 1 diner in Edison, where he is developing a concept he labels “dinering.”

Scott Anderson at elements. Among the myriad top chefs to emanate, in turn, from the Ryland Inn is this relative youngster, whose high-concept modern American restaurant in Princeton just celebrated its first year. It started strong (see my review from earlier this year here) and continues to excel. A recent nine-course tasting menu at the chef’s table there solidified my opinion that elements is currently the most exciting restaurant in the state.

For all of these stars, I say, thank you, Dennis Foy. I can hardly wait for the fourth generation.

A Better World Café

By Pat Tanner

The folks at two area non-profits with missions to help the less fortunate of our neighbors have launched a delicious new joint venture: a community café serving seasonal local fare, where customers decide what price is fair and where those who cannot pay with money may exchange an hour of volunteer time for their meal.

A Better World Café is a collaboration between Elijah’s Promise and Who Is My Neighbor, and is the only the fifth so-called community cafe in the nation - and the first east of the Mississippi. Every Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. it serves a multi-cultural menu of simple, healthy soups, breads, salads, sandwiches, and desserts in an attractive Arts-and-Crafts style room in the Reformed Church of Highland Park, which is where Who Is My Neighbor is based.

The fresh, sustainable fare, all sourced from within a 50-mile radius, is made at Elijah’s Promise Culinary School in New Brunswick and transported daily to the café. The school provides intensive training for skilled employment in the food service industry. Workers from the school and (unpaid) volunteers staff the cafe.

Last month, Elijah’s Promise put together a tasting of some of the dishes now on the autumn menu – to universal rave reviews, including from this correspondent. Creamy butternut squash soup with horseradish cream…a creative and improbably delicious sandwich of roasted beets and goat cheese in whole-wheat pita…and pear strudel with caramel sauce went well beyond the promised “simple” fare.

Styrofoam, plastic, and paper plates and utensils are banned here, and only free-trade coffees and teas are served. The church room is intended to be the café’s temporary home. The goal is that demand will necessitate a facility of its own, as well as extended hours and, hence, the employment of more Elijah’s Promise graduates.

A Better World Café
The Quilt Room in the Reformed Church of Highland Park
19 South Second Ave.
Highland Park
betterworldcafe.org

A Day in Tunisia (in Little Silver)

By Pat Tanner

My first trip abroad, shortly after I was married, was to Morocco and I have had a special place in my heart for the foods of North Africa ever since. So on October 29 I plan to make the much shorter but still exotic trip down to Sickles Market for special tastings and demonstrations. Special guests, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. that day, will be members of the Mahjoub family, whose Tunisian estate produces olives, sun-dried tomatoes, harissa, olive oils, and other traditional, authentic condiments. The event, which is free and open to the public, will introduce a new line of specialty food from all around the Mediterranean, Tunisia included.

Shortly after my Moroccan adventure I came across the recipe below in Deborah Madison’s first cookbook and it as been one of my go-to party dishes ever since. It can be made in any season, looks gorgeous in a big glass bowl (you can add black oil-cured olives for contrast), is inexpensive, and can be assembled in a matter of minutes. The carrots are sliced lengthwise into thin, fettucine-like ribbons. Using a swivel-action peeler like Oxo’s makes the job a snap. If you haven’t used orange flower water before, be advised that a little goes a long way. Start with half a teaspoon, taste, and add quarter teaspoons after that.

MOROCCAN CARROT SALAD
“The Greens Cookbook” by Deborah Madison, Reed Business Information, 1987

1 pound carrots
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
Orange flower water to taste

Peel the carrots and discard the peels. Continuing to use the peeler, scrape the carrots lengthwise, working your way around them, removing strips of carrot about 3/8 in wide. Set them aside in a bowl. Mix together the remaining ingredients. Taste and add more orange flower water if needed. Pour this dressing over the carrots and toss them very lightly with your fingers. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour before serving.
Makes 4 cups, serving 4 to 6.

Sickles Market is at 1 Harrison Avenue, Little Silver, 732.741.9563, sicklesmarket.com