raw lasagna stacks

About three years ago, I became intrigued by the raw food movement when I found Raw Food Real World, the companion cookbook to the Gramercy Park restaurant here in New York, Pure Food and Wine. In addition to being a manifesto on how to live raw, the book was also the culinary love story of the restaurant's proprietors and former lovers, Sarma Melngailis and Matthew Kenney. Much like the ephemerality of the raw food movement (which retained popularity for about a year or two, due in large part to Sex and the City), Sarma and Matthew's romance came to a violent and turbulent end, leaving Sarma with the restaurant and a raw food empire to manage on her own.

The recipes in the cookbook are extremely complicated and expensive, but the one to which I have remained faithful is the recipe for Raw Lasagna. There is nothing as delicious as a slice of this raw lasagna on a hot summer evening with a glass of cold, mineral, white wine. Last night I found my roommate's copy of Raw Food Real World, which inspired me to re-create a fast, easy version of Pure Food and Wine's raw lasagna, which I will call a "Raw Lasagna Stack". For the original recipe, take a look at the cookbook, or better yet, go to the restaurant (or takeaway bar around the corner).

What makes this recipe so delicious is the pesto. There are two pestos in my recipe, based off of RFRW's pestos. The basil pesto is a traditional pesto, and the sundried tomato pesto-caponata is simply divine. The pestos are extremely versatile, which make the extra expense for specialty ingredients worth every penny. Be sure to make lots of both pestos and eat them with anything, even just a spoon.


RAW LASAGNA STACKS

Serves 2 as an appetizer or main course

1 large beefsteak (or heirloom) tomato
1 yellow pepper
1 green zucchini

For the Sundried Tomato Pesto-Caponata:

2 cups Sundried Tomatoes
3/4 cup Fresh tomato
1/2 cup Olive Oil
Juice of 1 small Lemon
1 Tbsp Honey or Agave Syrup*
Salt and Pepper

For the Basil Pesto:

1 cup packed fresh Basil, rinsed and dried
1/4 cup pignoli (pine) nuts*
1/2 cup Olive Oil
Splash of White Wine
Salt and Pepper

*Walnuts can work too if you prefer a creamier pesto


Sundried Tomato Pesto-Caponata: Bring three cups of water to a boil. Place sundried tomatoes in large bowl, pour water over, and let soak while you prepare the other components of the meal, about 20-30mins. Combine all ingredients in a small food processor until mixture is chunky, adding additional oil or lemon juice as necessary.

Basil Pesto: Combine all ingredients in a small food processor until smooth. Add additional oil as necessary for desired consistency.

Cut tomato in 1/2cm- 1cm slices horizontally across the tomato to create large, round pieces. Set aside. Cut large, thin "shavings" from the pepper, from top to bottom. Try to make shavings as flat as possible. Set aside. Cut the zucchini on the bias (on an angle) to make thin, oval slices that are about the same length as the tomato circumference. Set aside.

To assemble layers, place one tomato slice on a plate, spread pesto on top. Arrange zucchini in a layer on top of pesto. Spread a layer of sundried tomato pesto-caponota. Arrange pepper in a layer on top of sundried tomatoes, and spread a layer of pesto. Repeat, keeping or changing order as desired.

Serve with unorthodox, un-raw shavings of parmesan cheese, as well as basil leaves for garnish. Stacks can be kept overnight or for a few days in refrigerator. Enjoy all summer long.

food news: julie & julia

Between having one foot firmly planted in New York and dipping the toes of my other in Los Angeles, I operate simultaneously on two different time zones, follow two separate weather systems, and keep up on two different news scoops on the same entertainment biz. So when my two coasts collide in the form of a movie set on location in the streets of New York (as they so often do), I am rarely surprised. Excited, yes, but rarely surprised.

On my walk home from work last night, I noticed a number of shiny trailers lining Prince Street in SoHo. I immediately assumed they were filming yet another episode of Law & Order. But then I heard a fabulous voice say: "Julie & Julia? Like, Julia Roberts, Julia? Where aare yoouuu, America's Sweetheart?!?"

Upon hearing this call, I immediately recognized the name of the upcoming food movie, Julie & Julia, and the street licenses confirmed that it was indeed filming here in SoHo. But no, the movie isn't starring Julia Roberts. Rather, it stars America's perennial mother-figure, the talented Meryl Streep, as Julia Child, and America's new funny-gal sweetheart, Amy Adams, as Julie Powell.

Julie & Julia started filming yesterday on location at Provence, a restaurant très français on MacDougal and Prince. The film is inspired by Julie Powell, whose blog-turned-book-turned-movie tells the story of how she endeavored "to revitalize her marriage, restore her ambition, and save her soul by cooking all 524 recipes in Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume I, in a period of 365 days" (says amazon.com). Julie's blog, "What Could Happen?", can be found at juliepowell.blogspot.com.

The movie is being directed by Norah Ephron (foodies and romantic comedy lovers rejoice!), and is now filming all over New York City streets. You see, here in the city, we don't have wide open, private back lots and sound stage space (though we do have Silvercup Studios in Queens), so we film on the street. Apartments and restaurants and retail stores are turned into movie sets faster than you Angelenos can make it through freeway traffic.

So next time you're out and about in SoHo, you shouldn't be surprised to see Meryl Streep or Amy Adams. Also on set is one of New York's favorite actors (and "veteran subway rider"), Stanley Tucci (as Paul Child). No celebrity sightings for me yet, but I'll keep you posted if I see Meryl cracking eggs and making crèpes suzette flambée on the sidewalk.

Julie & Julia is currently in production in New York and will come in theaters in 2009. Julie Powell's book of the same title can be purchased here: amazon.com.



Many big thanks to New York Magazine's Grub Street for the shout out!
Grub Street, 5/2/08: Meryl Streep/Julia Child Movie Shot Footage at Provence

would you eat lunch from this man?

Photo credit: Ben Stechschulte, New York Magazine

Would you eat a lunch from this man?

Me? Hell no. No offense, Esquites Man (located on Fifth Ave nr. 53rd Street in Sunset Park, Brooklyn), but I don't trust your esquites. Even though New York Magazine calls your fare "irresistible Mexico City street snack of corn kernels sautéed in butter and lard or vegetable oil and flavored with fresh epazote", I can't help but notice you're serving them out of a pilfered shopping cart from Lowe's. It irks me that epazote means "dirty skunk." I might be on a budget, but I'm not so broke that I'll eat a ladlefull of soggy corn served in a styrofoam cup from an old orange watercooler. Yikes.

(Not that I don't love how -- in such quintessentially New York fashion -- the Esquites Man got a shout-out as one of the 20 Best Food Carts in the city. ¡Bravo!)

Enter the Calexico Cart in SoHo on Wooster Street near Prince. Three SoCal brothers prop up shop on one of the cities most bustling and hustling street corners, bringing along with them the sweet, spicy flavors of Cal-Mex cuisine to us Eastcoasters, so far from the southern border:

In the middle of the California desert, about 2 hours from the coast, you’ll find twin cities straddling the border of California and Mexico. The city on the Mexican side is called Mexicali; the one on the California side is called Calexico. Everything about the place is a mix of California and Mexico – especially its food. Equal parts Mexican taqueria and American Barbecue Pit, Calexico’s cuisine is down-to-earth and full of flavor, familiar and unique at the same time. When we came to New York we were blown away by the food. But for all its great restaurants, we couldn’t find anything that quite matched the flavors of Calexico. So we took it upon ourselves to introduce NYC to Calexico style cooking.

So finally, after passing by the cheery orange-and-yellow cart dozens of times and lusting after the meaty aroma coming from the grill, I decided to try it. Armed with my colleague from work and another friend who recently moved here from Mexico, I figured that we -- the two frugal gourmets and the authentic connoisseur -- would be ready to determine whether or not these guys were the real deal, or just another bunch of wheeler-dealers-on-wheels.

We discovered that the Calexico Cart is a little gem. The grill is manned by one guy, another one plates and garnishes, and the third takes orders from customers on a little waiter's pad. The wait time for food is anywhere from 5-10 mins because everything is made fresh for each customer's order. Street diners choose from three different formulas: soft corn tortilla tacos ($2.50 - $4 each), quesadillas ($4 - $7 each) or burritos ($4 - $7 each). Each formula can be made with pollo asado, calexio carne asada, chipotle pork, or vegetarian black beans. The chicken and the steak are dressed with pico de gallo and avocado sauce, while the pork and the vegetarian are dressed with tomatillo salsa and mexican crema. For about $2 extra, you can turn your meal into a full plate, complete with mexican rice and beans and a scoop of guacamole. Sides are also available for an extra, small charge. There are daily specials available too that take adventurous culinary liberty with the menu's taco/quesadilla/burrito formats.

Between the three of us, we sampled the pollo, carne and vegetarian tacos. (I regret not tasting the pork... definitely next time!) The meat of the chicken and the steak was fresh, juicy and deliciously flavored by the smoky grill. The beans were rich and creamy, made spicy with lots of chipotle chili. The soft corn tacos were remarkably fresh, and their grainy tang of corn complemented the simple flavors of the meat. I can't help but wonder if they are hand-made. The pico de gallo was refreshing, and the tomato salsa was mild. I would have loved to have more of the condiments to brighten up the flavors a bit, but overall, I thought these bitty tacos were muy delicioso.

The taco is served with two tortillas in a small hot-dog-like carton. I couldn't help but question the necessity of two tortilla flats. But as I kept biting hungrily into the meat, the bread gave way to the juices and began to tear. Thanks to the care and attention of the Calexico Cart chefs, I had another tortilla to rescue the chicken from the boring fate of being eaten politely with a fork.

The boys of the Calexico Cart have something special going on. They pride themselves on making good food and go the extra effort to give it a gourmet touch and a charming presentation. Waiting for "street meat" may seem initially antithetical to the whole dining-cart experience. But the wait time creates a little community around the cart as the regulars say hey and get their usual orders, and newcomers scan the menu slowly, everyone waiting with hungry anticipation for their meal to be cooked. With its convivial atmosphere, high-quality food, and friendly staff, the Calexico Cart is an outdoor restaurant and a neighborhood phenomenon. Reservations are not accepted, and seating is limited on the steps of the Apple Store and J. Crew.

One taste of a taco tells you that these SoCal boys love to cook -- and we New Yorkers are so glad they've expatriated from the California Republic to set up cart on these streets that are as much our dining room as they are our home.

The Calexico Cart
Wooster Street, nr. Prince
SoHo, New York
http://www.myspace.com/calexicocart

MexiCali cuisine, $2.50 - $8



Speaking of Mexican Food and California, see this article from the 5/2/08 online edition of The New York Times: Hungry Angelenos Rally Around the Taco

beginning advice

Photo © 2006, Conor Dubin

In 2006, New York Times reporter Darren Darlin wrote an article for soon-to-be college graduates about how to save money. His advice was: "Let's Start With That Daily Latte Latte". So often, especially here in New York, we get ripped off for things that become "luxury items" because of name brands, popularity, or even the affluence of the neighborhood in which you are purchasing. A coffee at a bodega in Harlem costs far less than a coffee at a bodega in SoHo. It's no surprise then that many of us in this food-obsessed city pay out the majority of our income on food-related items, whether on groceries, a fine meal, or your Starbucks addiction that only got worse since the corporation went coffee house.

In order to make ends meat, you have to start by being savvy about your consumption practices. Don't compromise quality, but do make what you are paying for count. I demand quality in what I eat, or else eating isn't worth it to me. I buy organic when available and reasonably affordable, and I eat at restaurants that serve quality food that is worth the price demanded. It isn't worth the dollar less to buy discount produce, nor is it worth it to me to buy a plate full of rice (origin unknown) from the Halal cart that could feed a small family for $6.

There are simple things that you can do to maximize the value of your food. For example, shopping at Citarella might be fun because their bags are so tote-able, but Fairway Market right next door is much less expensive, even if their double-bagged paper/plastic bags are hard to carry. Buying lunch at work is certainly easier than preparing something you can carry on your subway commute, but (especially in Manhattan) you'd save an astounding amount of money if you took the extra effort to prepare your own lunch. Getting ripped off on food is something that can easily be avoided. To begin the first of many tips to come, here is Darren Darlin's advice on economic eating:

Make your own coffee You probably know you spend a lot at Starbucks, a company that collected $6.4 billion from coffee drinkers last year. You probably don't have any idea how much of that total came from you. A calculator at www.hughchou.org/calc/coffee.cgi let's you figure that out and also forecast how much you will spend over a decade of coffee breaks. (This Web site contains a treasure trove of financial planning calculators.) Say you spend just $3.50 every workday for your latte. If you drank the free office brew instead, you'd have more than $11,500 to play with after 10 years.

Does coffee shop coffee taste better than the free stuff? Probably, but ask yourself, do you want to live in a roach-infested studio apartment with two roommates your entire life?

By the same logic, if you smoke, now is a good time to quit. Doing so will save you on average $25,600 over 10 years.

Learn to cook Unless you have learned the art of sneaking into conferences at hotels to snag a breakfast croissant or cocktail-hour shrimp, you need to reduce your dining budget. A twice-a-week kung pao chicken takeout habit can easily drain you of about $10,000 over 10 years.

At the very least, learn how to pack a lunch. Taking your lunch to work may seem like the equivalent of sitting with the nerds in the school cafeteria, and going out to lunch with colleagues can sometimes be a smart career move. But bringing your lunch lets you be more choosy about who you are eating with and saves money. How much? Back to the online calculators (www.hughchou.org/calc/lunch.cgi) and you'll discover that the savings could be as much as $23,000 in 10 years.

The tally so far: $34,500 (for the nonsmokers), or enough to make a down payment on a $172,500 house. That won't get you much in most big cities, so you really need to exert yourself.

From Darren Darlin, "Advice to All You Graduates: Let's Start with That Daily Latte", Your Money; The New York Times, June 10, 2006.

making ends meat

Late the other night around dinner time, I found myself staring into an empty refridgerator. The past few nights had been Yogurt & Granola Nights, and the night before that was Yet Another Salad. I was determined not to scramble an egg or nibble my way through the pantry; I was itching to cook and to taste something worthwhile. I couldn't buy more groceries for the week, and I also couldn't afford to get takeout. Living in New York City on my notoriously low publishing salary requires me to budget rather frugally. I have no choice but to adhere to it in order to continue surviving here in New York, one of the most expensive cities in the world. The problem is, I already spend the majority of my money on food (next to rent, of course), and even though I wasn't going hungry, I was absolutely starving.

I was running out of time and patience as I confronted my new reality staring back at me from the chilly refrigerator: my palate has outstretched my wallet.

New York is the culinary capital of America. The culture here is extremely gastrocentric: restaurants are at the top of the city's places to be seen, and social life revolves around the table (or the bar, since we all love dining at the bar now). Everyone is obsessed with food, and the town is brimming with hungry twentysomethings who define themselves as "foodies", though some of them don't even cook. Food is extremely accessible in the city since every restaurant delivers, from the local greasy Chinese joints to the nation's top gourmet restaurants. As a New Yorker, you can even get your groceries delivered, but if you prefer, you can go down to your neighborhood's and finger through crates of produce. Whatever your food fancy, you can find it in this city -- but you just have to be able to afford it.

So what happens when you're on a low budget but you've got high taste? I grew up in a family of cooks and eaters, so it would be impossible for me to neglect the importance of food. My favorite pastime is cooking, and my favorite urban activity is strolling through the maze of the Columbus Circle Whole Foods. But as of late, I've been out of time and out of money to make my food taste good. So now, more than ever, I am dusting off firing up the stove and my calculator to make sure that I go neither hungry nor broke.

making ends meat is my endeavor to show you (and in part, to prove to myself) that with a bit of creativity you can eat gourmet meals any day of the week without spending the fortune you don't have.