Fish Tacos in Quarentis

No fists, but two women got in a fight this morning in line at the garden center. It escalated quickly, as Ron Burgundy would say, after one super annoying lady ("the Enforcer") yelled at the lady ("the Beleaguered") ahead of me to move up and stand on her assigned square. Seems the Beleaguered had more social distance than the Enforcer thought she should have. There were, like, ten people in line but no matter what, the line wasn't moving until people left the garden center, so it didn't really matter how spread out we were, as long as we complied with the distancing thing.

There was nothing enjoyable about witnessing the obscenity-laced fracas (which eventually petered out with the Beleaguered apologizing to everyone in line for completely losing it on the Enforcer, whilst the Enforcer continued to try to bait the Beleaguered) but it was notable to see people behaving badly after so much tip toeing, niceties and polite deference. Maybe it's that I work for a company headquartered in Minnesota but lately even drivers in Chicago seem friendlier to each other, people everywhere seem to be cutting each other slack, and we've all been forced to surrender some individual freedoms for what our local elected officials have determined to be the good of the group. Do I sound conflicted about the present arrangement? To quote the Vampire Weekend's Harmony Hall song I like so much, "I don't wanna live like this. But I don't wanna die."

Anyhoo, my news feed informed me that people are cooking more seafood with a bravery I usually only summon for parties where I have friends to cook with. Feeling some shame for the pedestrian nightly meals I've been turning out, last night I picked up (and put down, and picked up again, much like when contemplating use of my hair straightener: "Should I? Do I have time? Will it come out well?) a WHOLE snapper. In a miracle of availability and perfect ripeness of supporting ingredients (butter lettuce, mangoes, avocados, corn on the cob, fresno chilis and cotija), and the last of our stash of El Milagro corn tortillas remaining unspoiled, fish tacos were a go. And while no one else wanted to touch the fish, advice was proffered, the grill was lit, and and my first born and I assembled an array of sides for an incredibly colorful and delicious dinner.

I was nervous about cooking the whole fish but there's really nothing to it but fresh lime, a splash of neutral oil, salt and pepper, and then a hearty redux of same on the platter once you pull the fish off the barbie. Want to give it a go? This amount served three (but would serve two more generously):

• 1.75 pound whole snapper - rub in and out with a bit of oil, salt, pepper and fresh lime and grill about 5-6 minutes each side (I used my stainless steel grill basket thing). When done, place on a platter with more oil, salt, pepper and fresh lime juice
• Guacamole: 2 ripe avocados, some finely chopped yellow onion, jalapeno, cilantro, salt, and lime
• Spicy Mango Salsa: 2 small yellow mangoes, finely chopped red onion, red bell pepper, jalapeno, green onion, fresh lime juice
• One head living lettuce - optional, if you like the lettuce-wrapped thing
• Freshly charred corn tortillas - I just zap them on the open flame of my range
• Shredded cabbage - tossed with fresh lime juice, salt and pepper

Serve with this, my favorite summer salad.

Read Full Post

On the Menu This Week

I've been visiting the butcher at Apple Market more frequently these days. I was there yesterday and picked up a gorgeous pork shoulder roast which was beckoning to be included in our weekend plans. Time for a bbq! I will need to grab some Kirby cukes (golly, will I be able to find them this time of year?!?) to make those yummy pickles inspired by Chicago Q and a cabbage for Slaw. Then we just need some Cornbread and Grandpa's Baked Beans.

Our last bbq feast was a few days before Thanksgiving, the day everyone arrived in from out of town. I tried something new - slow roasting the pork in a Dutch oven on a bed of onions in a braise of apple cider. That was based on a recipe I saw on Oprah's site - click here to see it. I like to "brine" pork shoulder in a dry rub overnight before bbq'ing. I use spice blends from the Spice House (Smoke House Seasoning and Milwaukee Iron are my personal faves), sprinkling them liberally all over the roast and then wrapping the roast tightly in plastic wrap. To cook, I set my oven to 175 (you could do this in a slow cooker, as well), slice an onion and line the bottom of a 3 or 4 quart Dutch oven with the slices. Unwrap the roast and place on the bed of onions. Add about 2 cups of cider (or stock) to the pot, then put in the oven for like 6 hours at least. Pull it out when it's falling off the bone.  I love smoking the roast outside on the grill (using Hickory chips), but, let's face it, this is a lot easier.

This is a good time to talk bbq sauce, one of my favorite condiments. My all-time favorite is Noh Hawaiian, and I've picked it up at Apple Market in Chicago, but I didn't see it there the yesterday. I'm also a fan of Sweet Baby Ray's Original, which I thought of as a small-batch Chicago product when we moved here seven years ago, until the day I saw it bundled at Costco. 

Turns out, I knew very little about bbq sauce seven years ago. I thought the only differences were in smokiness or sweetness. I had no idea that bbq sauce existed that wasn't tomato-based. Zingerman's Roadhouse in Ann Arbor, is the only place I know where you can get South Carolina mustard bbq sauce, eastern Carolina's vinegar bbq sauce and the tomato-based condiment I love so much. (If you're still curious about bbq sauce history, geography and origins, read this from Zingerman's founder Ari Weinzweig.)

Ok, off to look for cukes and cabbage!

Read Full Post

Get Thee To Acadia (and La Fornette, too)

I am blown away by two new places. The first is new French bakery called La Fournette, located on Wells just south of North Ave. I've been anticipating their arrival since I first sampled their bread at Dominique Tougne's bistro, Chez Moi. We went this morning and sampled some croissants and their Country Bread. Lovely. I'm going tomorrow to pick up a Miche. La Fournette, which means little oven, I think, features patio seating and every traditional French bakery item: macarons (the color was too bright, deterring consumption), homemade preserves, crepes, boulangerie sandwiches, and a wide selection of classic pastry.

Last night we had a delightful meal and amazing cocktails at Acadia in the South Loop. Chef/proprietor Ryan McCaskey was the guest chef at James Beard House in NYC earlier this week and we sampled a few of the dishes he presented in New York. Equally compelling were the cocktails, prepared by a Gary Oldman doppleganger. Presentation was exquisite and featured house made ginger bear, tonics, and cucumber ice cubes, just to name a few. A lovely bar menu would satisfy anyone.

Have you been anywhere new? Do tell!

Read Full Post

Pinched Chicago-Style Chicken Vesuvio

I'm sure you can find this in other cities, but Chicken Vesuvio is seen as often in a basic Chitown restaurant as an iPhone is seen in the hands of a frantic/frenetic/fractious soccer mom. Disclosure: I use an Android but the alliteration applies accordingly. :)

Anyhoo, in a weekend Google goose chase I came across a  great Chicago blogger: Proud Italian Cook. I was inspired to make her Chicken Vesuvio and  Cauliflower Steaks and both were terrific. My steaks broke up a fair bit (I really only got two slabs out of the entire head) but it was all beautiful and tasty. Here are those recipes:

Chicago-style Chicken Vesuvio
Print recipe only here

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS
4 split chicken breasts (bone-in)
2-4 potatoes (2 large Russets, halved and then quartered or 4 bigger Yukons or Reds, halved)
7-8 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole
Olive oil
Kosher salt
Fresh ground pepper
Garlic powder
Oregano
1 1/2 cups white wine (Proud Italian suggests Pinot Grigio)
1 1/2 cups chicken broth

YOU WILL NEED
- Large skillet (I used a 10-inch nonstick only because the chump that rented our house in Colorado stole my 12-inch stainless steel saute pan)
- Roasting pan

METHOD
Preheat oven to 375

Wash and cut potatoes. Peel garlic.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat.

Remove skin from chicken breasts. Season on both sides with salt, pepper, garlic powder and oregano.

Add 1-2 T olive oil to the skillet. Brown the potatoes, cooking for about 2-3 minutes, tops. Transfer potatoes to the roasting pan.

Add chicken to skillet, working in batches if necessary. Brown both sides then transfer to the roasting pan.

Add garlic cloves to the skillet and saute until golden. Transfer to the roasting pan.

Add wine and broth to the skillet and deglaze. Scrape/stir to loosen any tasty bits from the pan. Heat through, cooking for 1-2 minutes. Pour over chicken in the roasting pan.

Transfer roasting pan to the preheated oven and cook for about 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Add peas and return to the oven for another 5 minutes.

Cool a bit if you plan to remove the breast from the bone. Otherwise, taste for seasoning (you can add salt and pepper to the sauce), then serve and enjoy.


Photo courtesy Proud Italian Cook

Roast Cauliflower Steaks
Print recipe only here

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS
One head cauliflower
1-2 t olive oil
1 T freshly grated Parmesan
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
pinch seasoning blend (I used a shake or two of Smoke House Seasoning)

METHOD
Preheat oven to 400

Remove the outer leaves and stand the cauliflower up on it's stem/core. Using a large chef's knife, cut 1-inch slabs. Don't freak out if they fall apart!

Drizzle some olive oil on a sheet pan and transfer the slabs to the same, turning to coat both sides. Sprinkle the slabs with salt, pepper, Parm and seasoning if you're using it and then roast for about 20 minutes, flipping the slabs midway thru the baking time. They are finished cooking when golden at the some edges and tender. Serve and enjoy.

Read Full Post

Coalfire Makes the Cover (Go buy five pizzas for your mother)

Would you look at that! My all-time favorite pizza on earth made the cover of Chicago Magazine. It's not Rolling Stone, but they made the cover. I'd be proud of them if I had anything to do with it. I'd be pleased with myself (ok, I am) if it was in any way a validation of personal preference. I'd go there tonight if there weren't a line of newbies out the door. Who am I kidding?!? They're closed on Monday! I wouldn't make that rookie error. We're regulars at Coalfire. When the owner seats us he knows our order.

It really is a fabulous place, run and staffed by some very lovely people. Please go and help them stay in business forever.

That's all.

Read Full Post

Restaurant Week Ends and Wine Week Begins

Leave it to Chicago to eat and drink its way through winter.

There are just a few days left of Restaurant Week in Chicago. If you couldn't get a table at your favorite steakhouse for restaurant week you've got a second chance. Smith & Wollensky's 46th annual Wine Week begins Monday, March 1 and runs until the 5th.

This is the third year for Restaurant Week, which is sponsored by the Chicago Convention & Tourism Bureau. Just two years ago for the inaugural event there were 35 restaurants on board. This year they've got more than 170 restaurants participating, so you can easily find a restaurant you haven't tried yet.

The deal is for a prix-fixe three-course lunches for $22 and dinners for $32 through February 28. The Wine Week deal is $10 for ten wines with your lunch order. You go to Wine Week for the wine. Lunch is a mere matter of course.

Read Full Post

A Guide to Neopolitan Pizza in Chicago

Coalfire. Nella's. Spacca Napoli.

That's the order in which you should try Neopolitan pizza in Chicago.

I've been waiting for months for Nella's to open. It's walking distance from where we live and I was anxious to see if they would impress. Nella's finally opened on Friday and we were there the following night.

Nella herself was the pizza maker at Spacca Napoli and the pizzas at her new establishment on Clark, just north of Fullerton, have very similar crust but a much deeper flavor. My only complaint about Spacca Napoli's pizzas were that they tasted like a pizza that lacked any taste of a pizza. Too bland. But their gelato! Salads! Antipasti! It's a decent place to dine, but they need some improvements to the main dish.

So Nella did that at her place, but she also added a bar and some big TVs so it's a bit noisier. Still, it's a nice family spot. She does have a giant cooking-school style mirror above the open pizzaiolo station, so if your seat is oriented toward the back you can watch a pizza being built. My children were also encouraged to go back and have a look at the cooks themselves, which is always nice. Earning other kid friendly points, the young children at the table next to us had bunny ears on their pizzas.

Anyway, at Nella's we had a few pizza Margheritas and a Diavolo (spicy pepperoni). I started with an arugula/Parmesan salad that arrived perfectly dressed with lemon, salt and olive oil. We'll try the gelato on another visit.

Still, Coalfire makes the best pizza, hands down. And when going out for pizza what I want is REALLY GOOD PIZZA. Maybe someday they'll serve lovely salads, salumi and gelati but for now, we'll continue to make it our family pizza joint.

Coalfire
1321 W Grand Ave
Chicago, IL 60642-6447
(312) 226-2625

Nella's Pizza Napolitana (soon to be renamed Francesca's Pizzeria Napoletana)
2423 N. Clark St.
Chicago, IL 60614
773-327-3400

Spacca Napoli
1769 W Sunnyside Ave
Chicago, IL 60640-5312
(773) 878-2420

Read Full Post

Fave Five Chicago Restaurants

Kalyn had a great idea with this post. But the comments filled up and not a SINGLE one of my uncommon Chicago faves made it to the list, prompting a last minute post before I pack my bags and head out of town. Have fun in Chicago, ladies who blog. Wish I were here to meet you and show you around...

India House
59 West Grand Ave
Chicago, IL 60610
(312) 645-9500

Two words: Lunch Buffet.

Coalfire Pizza
1321 W Grand Ave
Chicago, IL 60622
(312) 226-2625

Charred thin crust Pizza - traditional Neopolitan style. We only order the Margherita. It's beyond perfect.

de cero
814 W. Randolph Street
Chicago, IL 60607
(312) 455-8114

Love the small soft tacos! My favorite: skirt steak with potatoes, onion, cilantro, lime, and chipotle mayo. Battered shrimp is fabulous too.

Matchbox
770 North Milwaukee Ave
Chicago, Illinois 60622
(312) 666-9292

Though it's a bar and restaurant (inside a very cool train car, no less!) I've only had drinks here. The pineapple infused vodka gimlet is NOT to be missed.

Mixteco Grill
1601 W Montrose Ave
Chicago, IL 60613
(773) 868-1601

Fine Oaxacan from a Frontera Grill/Topolobampo alum. BYOB to boot.

There's many other fine places, of course. And given the conference's location, I'd be remiss if I didn't send anyone to Fox & Obel for breakfast or to find a selection of fine cheeses to take back home. Or Volare, my favorite downtown lunch spot. I can hardly pick between Bistro Zinc and Bistro Margot in Old Town, or Athena in Greektown. Oh, Chicago! How well you feed us!

Read Full Post

Found: Best Coffee Beans in Chicago

I was a faithful Peetnik for years. But something changed several years ago and the product, while still good, is no longer excellent. The search for a better bean ended this summer when I found a local microroaster: Metropolis Coffee Company.

I have yet to visit the actual café since Metropolis is not located in a neighborhood I frequent. The beans are available at Whole Foods, Treasure Island and the Big Apple foods grocer on Clark at Fullterton. We regularly enjoy the Spice Island (at right) a dark roast, and the Cordillera, a medium roast.

Saveur Magazine had a nice shout-out to Chitown roasters in The Breakfast Issue. In 9 Great Coffees, two of the nine mentioned were Chicago-based, Metropolis and Intelligentsia. They also liked my old standby at Peets: Major Dickason's Blend. I was disappointed Saveur had no brotherly love for Philadelphia's La Colombe Torrefaction. Their Nizza roast is fantastic.

Read here to learn how I've been brewing Metropolis at home. It's all about the French press, baby.

Every city should be so lucky as to have their own skilled microroaster. Have you found yours?

Read Full Post

In Anticipation of Chilled Soba Noodles

The above photo shows the purchases I made this week at HMart - a Chicago-area Korean market of impressive size and quality.

I didn't come home with kimchi or anything decidedly Korean. There was a fantastic condiment/salad counter and some nice-looking marinated meat but for reasons unrelated to how good I'm sure it all was I came home with mostly bottled items. We trolled every aisle finding some familiar items, some peculiar ones - snake heads in a jar! lemon vinegar! Durian-flavored wafer cookies? And here I must digress...

Durian is a huge, thorny, foul-smelling fruit native to the South Pacific. Though I have yet to experience it firsthand I've heard a lot about it. Due to its smell, there are restrictions on where you may bring a durian. It's banned from hospitals in Thailand and from many hotels throughout Indonesia. Speaking both to legislation-happy Singapore and the alleged stench-like-an-open-grave of the fruit, it's illegal to bring a durian on public transportation in Singapore. Calvin Trillin, who always says it best, offered in The New Yorker (Fall 2007 food issue):

Having smelled a durian, I must say that the prohibition against carrying one on a public conveyance (for which there is no specific fine) strikes me as a very solid piece of legislation.

My husband couldn't believe I didn't come home with the cookies, just to get a whiff of fruit-beast. OK - I had the stomach flu recently. I'm eating and shopping gingerly right now.

When my appetite returns I'm looking forward to making chilled soba noodles. I'll combine a couple of recipes, one from Gourmet and the other from Alexandra's Kitchen, a food blog.

The one thing I forgot to look for at HMart was fresh wasabi. I want to get my hands on the real deal, the rhizome, the hon-wasabi (本山葵). I want to grate some on my microplane zester the way I see sushi chefs do for their favorite customers.* Now that I've secured tamarind paste (I don't think I mentioned that my tamarind search is over! I bought frozen tamarind pulp in Pilsen AND the paste at HMart) fresh wasabi is next on my list.


* Cue Trillin again. In one of his Tummy Trilogy books he claims to have carried a card reading, in Chinese, "Bring me what they're having at the next table." Genius.

Read Full Post

Vacation 2008: In search of summer food

photo courtesy of Newsday

With regards to summer vacation I'm with Clark Griswold: summer really isn't summer if you don't log some miles in the family car. Also like Clark, my determination - rather than unanimous family member enthusiasm - is the driving force behind most of our excursions.

In addition to mastering Pad Thai, I have only two summer goals. They both satiate food- and travelust. Lucky for the family, they don't include trans-continental road trips. Here they are:

1. Frequent Chicagoland U-Pick farms. How else can I meet my goal of eating my weight in strawberries? It's just not responsible to spend the entirety of one's grocery budget on costly summer berries at Whole Foods. Even the innocuous neighborhood farmer's market is cash carnivore at berry time. Enter the U-Pick farm: a small entry fee and strawberries at $3/pound. If only there were a U-Pick TOMATO farm. That would be awesome!

2. Weekly excursion grocery shopping to Pilsen, Chinatown, Maxwell Street, Devon Ave and any other interesting locale. We had a ton of fun visiting Mitsuwa Marketplace a couple of summers ago: great food court, groceries and cooking equipment, and the kids dug the bakery. HMart, the Korean market in Niles is up first, as soon as Mina and I can nail down a date. I'm lucky Mina has offered a guided tour as she'll tell me what to buy. I am SO looking forward to improving my Korean BBQ beef!

What are your summer cooking and eating plans?

Read Full Post

Egg Soft Taco: the best breakfast you haven't tried

I did my Memorial Day weekend shopping at Pete's Market in Pilsen (the Mexican community on the lower west side of Chicago). What a treat! I picked up some glorious produce, a great selection of dairy (cotija, crema and queso fresco) hunks of roast pork and piles of fresh corn tortillas. Nearly every meal since has employed the corn tortilla in some form.

The breakfast featured above is known as the Egg Soft Taco. It cannot be beat. Scramble up some eggs, heat up your fresh corn tortillas on the stove top or griddle. I prefer the former. Toss a tortilla directly on the burner with the flame at a medium heat. Leave it to warm through for a minute or so then flip, using tongs or - for the brave - fingers. Cook the other side until softened or a bit charred and then transfer to a towel to keep warm. Divide the eggs between the tortillas, shake on your favorite hot sauce (Cholula and de cero's hot sauce are my faves right now) and serve immediately. As for quantities, I recommend one egg per tortilla.

I cannot recommend Pete's Market in Pilsen highly enough. The produce was spectacular ($.58 for a perfect avocado!), good organic selection, roast pork carnitas were great (with the caveat that I did remove a lot of fat while shredding it) and fresh corn tortillas?!? C'mon! Go shopping in Pilsen. You won't be disappointed. And get some caramel lollipops for dessert. Mmmm...cajeta.

Pete's Fresh Market
2526 W Cermak Rd
Chicago, IL
(773) 254-8400

* Warm thanks to Mariana for making the Pete's introduction.

Read Full Post

Lunch at De Cero: an update to Places in Chicago

Yesterday was a fantastic day in Chicago - low 60s and sunny. It's nice to see other urban cave dwellers emerge squinty eyed from their dens. Of course Cold Miser is not quite through with us here in the Land of Lincoln. It's dropping to the 30s over the weekend.

Delightful weather is cause for celebration in my book, so Josh and I went to a favorite lunch spot in the west loop, de cero. Since we always eat outside at de cero, I had all-but forgotten its very existence during the longest winter ever. (Ye from Lands other than Lincoln didn't believe me about urban hibernation, did you?!?)

Anyway, tagged as a modern taqueria, ordering at de cero is great fun because ordering a lot is encouraged - necessary, even, given the itty-bitty sizes - and I like ordering lots of different things. My general M.O. there is to get three soft tacos. My absolute favorite is the strip steak and I always have that. A pork and a fish taco round out the plate. Yesterday it was the tomatillo pork and the salmon with cilantro pesto. Possibly the best thing was that I also bought a bottle of their signature hot sauce for home. Mmm. It's so yummy - hot, smoky, sour and a brilliant red, to boot. I dribbled some on my breakfast potatoes this morning and look forward to slathering it on my huevos this weekend. The Egg Soft Taco is a favorite morning breakfast at Casa Fairbank. What movie is "Vaya con huevos" from? Was it Nobody's Fool?

The skinny:
de cero
814 W. Randolph Street
Chicago, IL 60607
(312) 455-8114

Love the small soft tacos! My favorite: skirt steak with potatoes, onion, cilantro, lime, and chipotle mayo.

photo courtesy of de cero

Read Full Post

Places in Chicago

Thank goodness for people who tell it like it is. My husband is one such person - and my friend Louise is another. Louise wrote scathing restaurant reviews in a past life (mine and, I think, hers as well) and took a lot of heat for it. I loved it. With little kids it can be hard to coordinate getting out for the evening and the last thing I ever want is to have overpriced, mediocre food on my plate. When Louise wrote reviews I was at least forewarned. One time I asked her what she knew about a certain Mexican restaurant in town. Her answer: "I know that it sucks."

I'm not interested in writing reviews. But I am a huge champion of great food. The restaurant industry is a tough one. When I have an awesome meal I tend to hype the place. No one should have to eat bad food.

I envision this as an organic list - I'll add to it whenever I'm compelled to promote.

1. India House
59 West Grand Ave
Chicago, IL 60610
(312) 645-9500

Two words: Lunch Buffet.

2. Coalfire Pizza
1321 W Grand Ave
Chicago, IL 60622
(312) 226-2625

Charred thin crust Pizza - traditional Neopolitan style. BYOB, too.

3. de cero
814 W. Randolph Street
Chicago, IL 60607
(312) 455-8114

Love the small soft tacos! My favorite: skirt steak with potatoes, onion, cilantro, lime, and chipotle mayo.

4. Pete's Fresh Market
2526 W Cermak Rd
Chicago, IL 60608
(773) 254-8400

A fantastic grocery store in Pilsen. Pick up great produce, fresh corn tortillas and roast pork.

5. Simply It
2269 N Lincoln Ave
Chicago, IL 60614
(773) 248-0884

BYOB Vietnamese. The Grilled Salmon Noodles, Sate Shrimp and Grilled Lemongrass Beef are personal favorites.

6. Matchbox
770 North Milwaukee Ave
Chicago, IL 60622
(312) 666-9292

Though it's a bar and restaurant (inside a very cool train car, no less!) I've only had drinks here. The pineapple infused vodka gimlet is NOT to be missed.



7. The Spice House
1512 N Wells
Chicago, IL 60610


Great quality and prices on standards like ginger, cinnamon and peppercorns, but don't miss the blended seasonings:  Milwaukee Iron Seasoning, Smoke House Seasoning, Sweet Curry Powder and Back of the Yards Butcher's Rub

Read Full Post