steak

sometimes there's nothing better than a simply marinated & grilled piece of beef - you can put it in a composed salad, make it into a sandwich or just serve it with a drizzle of good olive and some crisp vegetables. we're not grilling outdoors since we moved - maybe cause it's snowing and we don't have a patio anymore - but if you can stand the smoke for a bit, a cast iron grill pan is a great investment. pancakes for breakfast and steak for dinner! this is an easy marinade made special by the addition of two homemade condiments: worcestershire sauce and spicy mustard. by the way, it's our first restaurant week in nyc and although we waited too long to score a coveted reservation anywhere fancy, we did have a wonderful three course lunch here yesterday - we love mario.

Grilled Skirt Steak

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1 tbs worcestershire sauce

1 tbs chili garlic sauce

3 green onions, sliced

5 cloves garlic, smashed

2 tbs brown sugar

2 tbs spicy mustard

1 tbs chili flakes

1 lb skirt or flank steak

in a small bowl, combine all ingredients and stir well. place steak in a large ziploc bag and cover with marinade. refrigerate for at least 6 hours or preferably overnight. grill over medium high heat for 8-12 minutes per side, depending on preferred doneness and let rest 5 minutes before slicing. enjoy!

noodles

noodles, noodles & more noodles - that's what our pantry looks like after styling a noodle story for Fine Cooking magazine a few weeks ago. can't wait to show you the spread that i had so much fun shooting with this very talented and sweet photographer. rice noodles immediately make me think pad thai and while this dish is peanuty with chunks of tender chicken and the crunchy coolness of bean sprouts, i wouldn't exactly call it pad thai in the traditional sense. let's say it's more like a noodles in peanut sauce dish that you can adapt to whatever kind of noodles (rice, soba, fresh), protein and vegetables you have in the refrigerator. plus it was the perfect meal to eat out of a new gorgeous grey dish we bought from this amazing designer.

Peanut Noodles

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

1 clove garlic

1 tbs grated ginger

3 tbs creamy peanut butter

1 tbs honey

1 tsp soy sauce

1/2 tsp chili garlic sauce

1/4 tsp sesame oil

8 oz rice noodles

1 tbs olive oil

1 onion, sliced

1 red bell pepper, julienned

2 carrots, peeled & julienned

1/2 cup bean sprouts

2 poached chicken breasts, shredded

garnish with green onion, cilantro & lime wedges

in a food processor, combine vinegar, garlic, ginger, peanut butter, honey, soy sauce, chili garlic sauce and sesame oil and puree until smooth. set aside. cook noodles according to directions on package, drain and set aside. heat olive oil in a medium saute pan and cook onion, bell pepper and carrots for 4 minutes, or until translucent. add bean sprouts, chicken and peanut sauce and stir to coat. toss with cooked noodles and serve immediately with optional garnish.

winter white

how about a goat cheese & honey tart in beautiful shades of white to make up for the lack of winter white weather? this elegant dessert couldn't be easier to make and the simple flavors of tart goat cheese and yogurt are perfectly complimented by a drizzle of local honey. the recipe is inspired by a tart from an old issue of food & wine but i used the crust from this fall tart and think it turned out wonderfully - enjoy!

Goat Cheese & Honey Tart

serves 8

1/4 cup each almonds, walnuts and hazelnuts (toasted & cooled)

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

1 tbs flax seeds

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 tsp salt

6 tbs chilled unsalted butter, diced

1 egg yolk

11 oz goat cheese

2 cups greek yogurt

2 tbs lime juice

2 tsp lime zest

1/3 cup confectioner's sugar

1/3 cup honey

grease a 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom. in a food processor, grind nuts, flour, flax, sugar and salt into a fine meal. add butter and pulse until a coarse meal forms. add egg yolk and pulse until moist clumps form. press dough into bottom and sides of pan, about 1/4-inch thick, and pierce bottom with a fork several times. chill for 30 minutes. preheat oven to 400 degrees F. bake crust 12-14 minutes or until golden brown. cool completely.

in the bowl of an electric mixer, beat goat cheese, yogurt, lime juice and zest until combined. add sugar and beat until smooth. spread the filling evenly into the crust and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. just before serving, heat the honey in a small saucepan until it's a thinner consistency and drizzle over tart.

pretzel rolls

wow, does anyone else feel like 2010 is already flying by? can't believe it's this far into january and we've only posted once, oops. also can't believe how gorgeous the weather has been in nyc so far - we walked all over the city yesterday with our light coats on and stopped here for some excellent fish & chips! we've been busy, but not too busy to make homemade pretzel rolls. this recipe is dangerous because when the rolls are warm out of the oven and slathered with a little salted butter or some spicy mustard, you won't stop at just one or two! the dough is from a fall issue of martha stewart and would also be great adapted into sweet pretzels with cinnamon & sugar or dusted with fresh parmesan. experiment and enjoy!

soft pretzel rolls

makes 12

2 1/4 tsp dry active yeast

1/4 tsp kosher salt

2 tsp sugar

1 cup warm water

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

2 tbs unsalted butter, softened

1/3 cup baking soda

1 egg yolk plus 1 tbs water

1-2 tbs pretzel salt or Maldon salt

in a small bowl, mix yeast, salt, sugar and warm water and stir to dissolve sugar. let sit 5 minutes until foamy. in a large bowl, mix flour and cayenne. use your fingers to cut butter into flour until mixture resembles coarse meal. slowly pour yeast mixture into flour and stir with a fork to combine. use your hands to gather dough together and turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until no longer sticky and fairly smooth. return to bowl, cover with plastic and let rise 30 minutes. cut dough into 12 equal pieces and roll each into a ball between the palms of your hands. then roll ball on surface forming into a roll with slightly tapered ends. transfer to an oiled baking sheet and repeat with remaining dough. let rise 20 minutes.

preheat oven to 475 degrees F. in a large pot, combine 10 cups of water with baking soda and bring to a boil. boil rolls in batches until puffy about 45 seconds per side. transfer to wire rack to drain. return to baking sheet, brush with egg yolk wash, sprinkle with salt and lightly score with a sharp knife about 1/8-inch deep. bake until golden to dark brown, 13-15 minutes. pretzels will keep uncovered, at room temperature for about 12 hours. rewarm in a 250 degree F oven and serve with salted butter and assorted mustard.

behind the bar

happy new year everyone!! We are happy to let you know that we are being featured by our friends over at design sponge today with a feature in their section behind the bar. we feel very lucky to be part of this great blog for our second time and love being part of a section close to our heart, the bar!! thank you to ryan and alissa, cheers!

we were sorry to be away for so long, but being back in the california sun for a few weeks was just a bit distracting. we did have a great time seeing old friends and familiar places, but we are overjoyed to be back in the big city. and a little snow this morning made it all the better. we also received some amazing gifts this year. we got some amazing work in the form of note cards and a calendar from the amazing photographer jen altman, we literally cant get over her whole package. another gift was from the multi talented jen gotch for a ban.do aristocrat collar that is truly beautiful. thanks to the jens, for capping off a truly great year!

"life is short, break the rules, forgive quickly, kiss slowly, love truly, laugh uncontrollably, and never regret anything that made you smile." -unknown

again, happy new year!!

christmas stollen

as you finish your holiday shopping and last minute running around before Christmas this friday, maybe you'll have some time to bake this yummy holiday bread. we did our baking before we headed west for warmer weather and to see family, but this recipe was a hit. it takes some time with the rising and resting but is definitely worth it for two beautiful braided loaves filled with dried fruit. the recipe is adapted from martha stewart's traditional xmas bread in the december issue. happy holidays to all our readers and hopefully we'll have some time to post from our CA and AZ adventures before the new year.

Christmas Stollen

makes 2 loaves

5 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

1/4 cup plus 2 tbs sugar

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1 cup milk, warmed

5 oz unsalted butter, melted

1 tbs plus 1/2 tsp active dry yeast (dissolved in 1/4 cup warm water)

3 eggs, lightly beaten

3 oz raisins

6 oz dried cranberries

1 cup applejack or brandy

1/3 cup crystallized ginger

zest of 1 orange

confectioner's sugar for dusting (optional)

whisk together flour, sugar, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon. stir in milk and melted butter. add dissolved yeast and eggs. turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. combine raisins, cranberries and applejack in a small bowl and soak until plump, about 15 minutes. drain well and add to bread, with ginger and orange zest. continue kneading for about 10 minutes, adding more flour if dough is too sticky. transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl. cover with plastic and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, 1-2 hours. punch down and divide into 6 equal pieces. roll each piece into a 15-inch long log. braid 3 logs together and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. repeat with remaining 3 logs. cover and let rise until doubled, about 2 more hours. preheat oven to 350 degrees F. bake stollen until golden brown, 36-40 minutes. let cool completely on a wire rack and dust with confectioner's sugar before serving. enjoy!

chocolate bark

it's homemade holiday treat time! this is such an easy candy to make - no boiling sugar, no candy thermometers, no complicated ingredients - just good quality chocolate and mixed nuts. for this recipe we used what we like and what we happened to have in the pantry - but use a combination of whatever you please. break it into pieces and wrap it up in a pretty little tin or glass jar to give to friends and family this year for a simple handmade treat. enjoy!

Chocolate Nut Bark

makes 2-3 gifts

12 oz dark or semisweet chocolate, chopped

2 1/2 cups mixed nuts such as pistachios, almonds & hazelnuts

melt chocolate in a double boiler, stirring often, until smooth. once melted, remove from heat and stir in 1/3 of the mixed nuts. spread evenly on a parchment lined 9x13-inch baking sheet and sprinkle with the remaining nuts. refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes. break into pieces and keep at room temperature for about a week.

vegetarian dinner

we try to have a vegetarian dinner once a week in our house, which doesn't always happen or isn't always very exciting, but last night it was! needed something quick and easy to go with broccoli & cheese soup and realized that i had a few zucchini and some spinach that needed to be used. so that turned into a delicious zucchini and gorgonzola tart! for dessert i made these cookies - great recipe but trouble because we can't stop eating them!! also anxiously waiting for a cute grey slouch hat to arrive from here discovered via mrs. french. excited to have visitors for the holiday arriving soon and can't wait to get cooking - went here this morning for smoked trout for a dip. also on the menu - cornbread, sausage & apple stuffing, susy's spinach souffle, two kinds cranberry sauce, andy's mashed potatoes, both pumpkin and pecan pie . . . and of course herb roasted turkey with applejack gravy. happy holidays & see you next week!

Zucchini Gorgonzola Tart

serves 6-8

1 cornmeal crust, recipe here

1 tbs olive oil

2 zucchini, cut lengthwise & then into 1/4-inch thick slices

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 onion, sliced

1 cup spinach, roughly chopped

2 tbs chopped parsley

2 tbs chopped basil

1/3 cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese

1 egg, beaten

6 oz mascarpone cheese

blind bake cornmeal crust according to instructions and let cool slightly while making filling. heat olive oil in a medium skillet and saute zucchini and garlic until softened, about 8-10 minutes. set aside in a large bowl. in same pan, adding more olive oil if needed, saute onion until translucent, about 5 minutes. add spinach and saute 1 minute more or until wilted. add to bowl with zucchini and combine with herbs, cheese, egg and mascarpone. pour into prepared crust and bake at 375 degrees F 25-30 minutes or until set. let cool for 10-15 minutes before slicing and eat warm or at room temperature.

preserved lemons

preserved lemons were a typical moroccan ingredient i'd heard about but wasn't familiar with the taste until now. seeing them while wandering through the isles of this amazing market sparked my interest and then i found a recipe to easily preserve them at home in an old issue of gourmet. ok, now i've got a beautiful jar of opaque sliced lemons, what do i do with them? roast a chicken and make a relish sounded like a good plan to me! this salty tangy herb salad would be great on grilled fish or roast lamb as well - an easy way to dress up any protein. they also add great flavor to soups and salads and will be good in your refrigerator, covered in their juices and a little oil, for about a year.

Preserved Lemons & Relish

6 lemons

2/3 cup kosher salt

1 to 1 1/2 cups lemon juice

olive oil

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1/4 cup chopped mint

1 shallot, finely chopped

5 slices of preserved lemons, rinsed & rind only, pulp discarded

bring a large pot of water to a boil and blanch whole lemons for about 5 minutes, then drain. when cool enough to handle, cut each lemon into 1/4-inch thick slices, discarding the seeds. toss lemons with salt in a bowl and then pack lemons and salt into a glass jar. add enough lemon juice to cover sliced lemons completely. cover with a tight fitting lid and let stand at room temperature for 5 days, shaking gently once a day. after 5 days, cover with a little olive oil and refrigerate.

to make preserved lemon relish, combine cilantro, parsley, mint, shallot and diced rind in a small bowl. add a few tbs of olive oil to moisten the mixture and a little black pepper. stir to combine and serve at room temperature. enjoy!

fall starter

here's a quick salad that you can throw together to impress dinner guests that is much more sophisticated tasting than it is difficult to make. the combination of sweet pears and maple syrup is offset by salty gorgonzola cheese and smokey bacon - yum! try it with different combinations of cheese, nuts and firm fruit for an ever changing fall starter. is anyone else getting excited for Thanksgiving next week? we have friends coming from santa barbara and boston and can't wait to start cooking - it's definitely the best food holiday of the year.

Fall Pear Salad

serves 2

2 ripe firm pears, such as bosc or anjou

1 green onion, sliced

3 slices cooked bacon, crumbled

1/4 cup gorgonzola cheese, crumbled

1/4 cup hazelnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped

1/2 lemon, juiced

1 tbs maple syrup

3 tbs hazelnut oil

approx. 1/4 cup olive oil

fresh cracked black pepper

core pear with an apple corer, trying to keep pear whole. slice into 1/8-inch thick rounds and combine in a bowl with green onion, bacon, cheese and hazelnuts. in a small bowl, combine lemon juice, maple syrup and hazelnut oil. slowly whisk in olive oil, taste and adjust seasoning to your liking. toss salad with dressing, plate and garnish with pepper. enjoy!