L'asso

There are few places in this city where I crave foods that I'm supposed to despise. L'asso has made me a believer out of gorgonzola. What's wrong with gorgonzola you ask? Well, don't get me wrong - I love cheese. But I HATE fungus. I don't eat cheese with fungus. No blue cheese, no roquefort and definitely no gorgonzola for this gal. That is until I tried the Mela pizza from L'asso. (Pictured above - not my photo though. I devoured my pizza too quickly and had to steal this one off the interwebs). The first time I had it I had NO IDEA there was fungus-ey cheese up in my slice. I just knew it was heaven in my mouth. The second time I ordered it I had to do a double take. Did I just read the menu right? Did that say gorgonzola? I remember being bummed out - thinking they changed the recipe on me. But alas, they hadn't changed a thing. I was just being foolish and unaware of the amazing flavors of this pizza.

Let me explain, I like a classic pizza with red sauce. I like pepperoni and/or pancetta and peppers and onions. And if you're like me, then you need to just put that pizza aside once and go try this one. It will change your life. It's got all the good stuff: mozzarella, gorgonzola, asparagus, apple & truffle oil. It's tangy and sweet and salty. It's perfection. It changed me. Now, let it go and inspire you...

New L'asso location now up in the East Village, son! First Ave and 6th St!! BAH! They're within walking distance now! This could get dangerous!

Best Way to Serve Soup

in a bread bowl!

I had my first bread bowl in Ghent (Norfolk, VA) at some little coffee shop that served soup and sandwiches. I was a freshman in high school I believe and the spot was so cute it had coffee mugs hanging on the wall that belonged to the regulars. I want to say it was Baker's Crust but I don't think it's that easy. Honestly, I think the place isn't there anymore...but, I digress...Here's what you'll need to make yours:

• two small round loafs of bread ( you will most likely find sourdough and italian in a round shape)
• olive oil for brushing
  
• basting brush

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut a circular piece off the top of the loaf with a serrated knife. Remove bread on the inside, making it hollow. Leave about 1 1/2 inches thick on the inside. Using your basting brush, brush olive oil on the inside of the bread bowl. This creates a seal, ensuring whatever you put in the bread bowl will not leak out. Bake bread bowl on a baking sheet for 15 minutes, until golden on the inside. Remove from oven, fill with desired soup or stew and serve! Tip: thicker soups work better - like the New England Clam Chowder seen above that I used. (Campbell's Select has one that's only 120 calories) You can also save the top and dip it into your soup and then devour the bowl! Yummers!

Ponzu Chicken over Rice

1 lb. chicken breast (skinless and cut into bite size pieces)
1/4 c Ponzu sauce (bottled)
2 tbsps soy sauce (preferably light)
1 tbsp line juice
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp crushed garlic
1 tsp sesame seeds
2 small heads broccoli (cut into bite size pieces)
4 cups cooked brown rice (I used Uncle Ben's Instant Brown Rice)
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Cut up the chicken and place into a bowl. Tip: chicken cuts easily if slightly frozen. Mix chicken with all ingredients except the broccoli and rice. Cover and let it sit for 1 hour in fridge. When ready, cook in a frying pan on medium heat until chicken is golden brown. I sprayed my pan with non-stick cooking spray instead of using any oil. Steam broccoli separately until almost done and add to chicken for 1 to 2 minutes. Serve mixture over rice. Serves 4.

Honey Garlic Greek Chicken

This is simple, light and super yummy!

Ingredients:

12 oz Chicken breast sliced thin

2 cucumbers diced

4 tbsp feta cheese (reduced-fat)

1/2 c cherry tomatoes halved

1/2 sliced red onion

1 tbsp garlic powder

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp salt

2 tbsp honey

4 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

4 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar

Prepare the chicken by covering them in the salt, pepper, garlic and drizzling one tbsp of honey on each breast. Grill on the stove top until cooked.

In a separate bowl combine tomatoes, cucumber and onion. Mix and then place a handful on your serving plate. Top with 1 tbsp of feta, EVOO and balsamic vinegar. Put your chicken on the plate and viola! Dinner is ready! Serves 4.

Potato Shrimp Salad

Ever bought potato salad pre-made from the grocery store before? It's great when you need it but have no time to make it but usually, if made by the grocery store it's just potato and mayo and not a whole lot else. Here is a way to take it and make it amaze-balls.

1 small container of red-skin potato salad (pre-made)

1/2 lb cooked shrimp , peeled and deveined

1/4 cup chopped celery
1/8 cup finely diced red onion
1 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (I used Henderson's Relish)

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons white wine or white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Sprinkle the old bay over the shrimp. Combine all remaining ingredients in a bowl adding the shrimp last. Serve or cover and refrigerate for a few hours.

Note: I made a small batch (2 servings). Double the portion sizes if you want 4 servings.

Edi and the Wolf

I spent New Year's Eve day with my lovely friend Sara having brunch at Edi and the Wolf in the East Village. I've been here three times already, it's a super cute brunch spot. (Never tried dinner - one day I will). I noticed when I came in that they changed their menu slightly (they got rid of their Toasted Tartines (aka "Belegtes Brot") and added a poached egg dish). All my last visits involved me ordering the prized Schnitzel Burger: heritage pig, sliced challah, cucumber salad, shredded cabbage, lemon aioli and spicy tomato. If it's your first time at this Austrian joint, I'd go with the Schnitzel Burger, but since I was looking to change things up I tried the poached egg dish. (Pictured above). The dish itself was good but the eggs were a little under to my liking. I prefer the whites cooked a bit more through - but that's my taste. The concept of the dish was right up my alley though - fresh cooked spinach with runny egg yolk and nuggets of yummy goat cheese and pumpernickel croutons. Delish! It was a light way to start the day, but I ruined that when I sat down and devoured a nice slice of challah bread with butter and jam and ordered a mimosa to wash it all down. Duh - this is how brunch works, ok?

I mentioned it being a cute place. Here's a photo. I didn't take this photo. NY Mag did in an article I found here, so take your credits NY Mag. :) In the summer they open up the garage door in the front of the house and really gives you the feeling of dining al fresco. But it's equally enjoyable in the winter too when the door is down. All the green makes me feel like I've got this secret hidden garden to eat in only a few blocks from me. Me likey!

How to Cheat at Poaching Eggs

I love eggs - particularly ones with a runny center and cooked whites. Poached eggs are the best, but unless you have great technique (or waste a carton of eggs and a few hours trying to master this technique), making a perfectly poached egg can be quite frustrating. Unless, that is, you have a cheat method like I do. I got this tip offline so it's not my own but it works perfectly. All you have to do is take 2 measuring cups or coffee cups and line with a square of saran wrap. Make sure it's a big enough piece because you need to tie the egg up. Crack the egg and place it in the cup. Tie him up. I grab the opposite corners and make a loose knot.

Drop your egg bundle into a pot of boiling water. It must be at a rapid boil or this won't work. I set my kitchen timer to 4 minutes but for you first timers I would do 3 min and 45 seconds. Unwrapping these suckers can be a slow process and the egg will continue to cook. When time is up carefully pull the eggs out of the boiling water one by one and set them on the counter. (I usually hold onto a piece of saran wrap that isn't touching the water so I don't burn myself). Carefully untie your egg. The saran wrap should pull off easily but you have to do it slowly.

You can put your poached egg onto anything - I put mine on a bed of arugula with light balsamic dressing, cherry tomatoes, 1 tsp feta cheese and 1 piece of crumbled bacon. Since it's New Year's Day - I'd though I'd start off with a salad for breakfast.