Here's a delicacy ripped straight from the headlines: The East Hampton Star just proclaimed "Lesters Found Not Guilty." In celebration we high-tailed it over to their roadside stand for a pound of just harvested, sweet bay scallops. Hence this sumptuous recipe for Coquilles St. Jacques created in Kelly Lester's honor. In yet another blow for … [Read more...]
BRANDADE DE MORUE
Poking around the fish case in the North Main St. IGA, I found this cute little box of salt cod and experienced a near-Pavlovian reaction. When was the last time I had a nice garlicky brandade or baccala or any of its cousins? I do remember my first at the old Provence restaurant on Sullivan St. in Soho. But the last time? Can't think of it. So with the … [Read more...]
COSTOLETTA DI VITELLO MARSALA: VEAL CHOP MARSALA
A well-prepared Veal Marsala is marvelous thing, with a mushroom-studded sauce delivering a high-wire balancing act of sweet and savory. A Goldilocks concoction that's not too thick, not too thin, but just right so as not to overwhelm the taste of tender veal. Sadly, all too often restaurants both grand and humble serve up … [Read more...]
LOTTE ROTIE EN PAELLA (ROASTED MONKFISH AND MUSSELS PAELLA)
Dazzled by the cover photograph on the ultra-elegant cookbook Poisson Coquillages et Crustacés -- a scallop on the half-shell with a perfectly formed scallop shell pastry top -- I snapped the book after a few seconds of flipping through the pages. So that's the source of this recipe, a French riff on classic paella. Every page of this book has … [Read more...]
SUSHI PARTY! AUTHENTIC HOME MADE SUSHI RECIPES FROM TOKYO’S PREMIER SUSHI SCHOOL
Steve and I had the good fortune to live in Tokyo for six months a few years back, where one of the many eye-opening experiences included an abbreviated sushi course at the prestigious professional Sushi Daigaku school. This introduction to the exactingly precise methods of preparing the perfect sushi rice, fish, and tradition-bound assembly … [Read more...]
MISO STEAK – SSD #10
A long marinade in white miso paste and other eastern seasonings results in a near-indescribably delicious grilled steak. Beef and miso paste make for a veritable umami explosion! So Miso Steak is now our 10th Simply Spectacularly Delicious (SSD) recipe. 6 T. white miso paste 6 garlic cloves, grated is best; lacking a proper garlic grater, minced will do 6 T. … [Read more...]
DUCHESS OF WINDSOR SHRIMP AND CORN PIE
What to make of Baltimore's Wallis Simpson, better known as the Duchess of Windsor? Well, if you happen to be Diana Mosley (née Mitford, yes, one of those Mitfords), there's very much to make of her indeed. Spectacularly Delicious concerns ourselves today with one of the Duchess's signature dishes, Shrimp and Corn pie, via a circuitous … [Read more...]
SAGAPONACK BLUE CRAB SAUCE
This recipe for Sagaponack blue crab sauce reminds me of summer trips to the beach growing up. For as long as I can remember, growing up we always headed to the beach every summer. From Prince Edward Island's surprisingly warm waters (wow, the Gulf Stream works!) down to our grandparent's home in Jupiter, Florida, we decamped in rented cottages and … [Read more...]
PASTA AL DUOMO: BAKED PASTA MOLD
In setting out to write this recipe for Pasta al Duomo, an architectural marvel of baked pasta with summer vegetables named in honor of Florence's famous cathedral, my mind strays to snippets of lyrics attributed to another Catholic icon, Evita Peron. "It won't be easy, you'll think it … [Read more...]
TARTE A L’OIGNON (SPRING ONION TARTE)
Well it's been quite a summer in the kitchen, a strong run of well-received successes. Not that I'd post the losers, so thankfully only one or two disappointments occurred. Spec D's commitment to superlative dishes regardless of the effort, expense, obscurity or complexity marches on. However, from … [Read more...]