Bánh Mi .........

I live in Central NJ and the food scene is very good but not diverse: Pizza, Italian, Chinese, Mexican, Sushi the standard. So the other day after reading a NY Times article on bánh mi, I had to go shopping. The result was a ban mi pizza with a few additions
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/23/dining/23appe.html

When you think about it, this is not such a stretch. A bánh mi uses a baguette, classily made with wheat and rice flour as a vehicle for a variety of ingredients. They can include roast pork, grilled chicken, cold cuts with pickled carrots and daikon radish, hot peppers, cucumbers, cilantro and fish sauce.

In the case of a pizza, the crust is the vehicle to hold a variety “filling”/toppings. My pie is topped with at least: sautéed ground pork with fish sauce, pickled daikon, carrots, green papaya, scallions, cilantro, cucumbers, Japanese eggplant with poblano peppers and chilli garlic sauce on the side.
The ingredients/toppings follow.........

Pickled carrots and daikon……

Jicama and green papaya with lime…..

Clockwise...

Cucumber, scallion, poblano, eggplant, cilantro, red pepper

Lime and fish sauce......

Ground pork, scallions, garlic......

All cooked fish sauce and lime added........

Out of the oven and ready for toppings/salad.......

Bánh Mi Pie...... 

It Is All About The Pasta.......

 My usually monthly lunch at The James Beard House in NYC was cancelled.  But since I had taken the day off, as had my lunch buddy Fred, a friend of 15 plus years, we arranged to meet for lunch at Morini Osteria Romagnola
http://osteriamorini.com/

Morini Osteria Romagnola is located in
NoLita at 218 Lafayette Street
 near the corner of Spring Street and a minute from the 6 subway line. We met at 11:45.
Morini is Chef Michael White’s third Italian restaurant. 
Unlike his other venues, Morini is “dedicated to the soulful cuisine and convivial spirit of Emilia Romagna”

Oh, he is from Wisconson......

http://www.marea-nyc.com/bio-mw.html
http://www.altamareagroup.com/

The space is casual, rustic and inviting......

My "date" ordered the wine......

Palazzone Terre Vineate Orvieto Classico Superiore 2008
A light slightly dry classic wine from Orvieto, Umbria, Italy
Perfect……
 
We shared two appetizers……
Porchetta

carpaccio of roast pork

rosemary, lemon, and micro arugula

with shaved parmigiano

  Battutto de Carne
Not pictured

beef tartar, celery hearts, parmigiano,

lemon vinaigrette and mache
Both were good but the beef was a little salty and the pork under seasoned....
The greens were more than a garnish and added texture and flavour,
as did the parmigiano.

We both ordered the cappelletti…….

Cappelletti
truffled mascarpone ravioli

melted butter and prosciutto

More please....
The pasta was perfect,

made in house and slightly al dente with a soft lush filling..... 

Many layers of flavours and textures....

We had great rustic bread to sop up the sauce/butter

with a hint of truffle….

And again the prosciutto was more than a garnish...

It not only added flavour and texture but salt as well....

I added ground pepper.....

We both ordered dessert…….

I had
Gelati e Sorbetti
meyer lemon, pistachio, zabaglione
the last was just heavenly and rich in vanilla
More please.....

Fred had a
Budino
a cooked pudding, with vanilla ice cream, raisins and apples
nice

With our espresso we ordered a quarto to share of

Ca' Bona Gutturnio Colli Piacentini 2008

Colli Piacentini is located in the western end of Emilia-Romagna

It is a traditional blend of 60% Barbera and 40% Croatina

A lovely finish......
A lovely treat with a good/old friend.......

Cheese Burger, Cheese Burger, No Pepsi, Chips.....

The other night I ordered a burger with bacon,
cheese and caramelized onions.......
That is my habit when I order a burger..........
But it was also the inspiration for a pizza a few nights later....

First, I sautéed caramelized onions with 80% beef and worcestershire sauce.

Next step, par baked the crust (think grilled pizza), and top it with sautéed beef and cheese.

Then broiled the pie on a hot cast iron pizza pan/skillet method.

At serving time, I topped the pie with chopped romaine, halved grape tomatoes, sweet pickle relish and crispy bacon…...

Bacon Cheeseburger.........
Nice.....

Dinner With My Best Friend..............

Well February 14th arrived again....

I was working later than normal and it is not a big occasion in our house any way.....

But I had to do some thing…….

Well the night before I prepared a special meal for my pal, spouse, life partner, lover, best friend........

Menu

Green Papaya Salad with Grilled Shrimp

Steamed Shrimp Dumplings

We had some chocolate somewhere

The dumplings/shu mie are a favorite..........

 Green Papaya.......

Clockwise

The Dressing.....

Fish Sauce, Garlic, Sugar, Lime...

Julienned green papaya and carrots, diced scallions, sautéed shrimp, dressing……

 Key West Pink Shrimp......
For the dumplings......



Chopped spinach and cilantro, diced carrots, jicama, red bell pepper, shredded ginger…….

 Mixed with chopped and pureed shrimp…..

 Formed and then steamed.....

Nice.........

PS: I arrived home on Valentines Day for dinner.....

My pal surprised me with an even better meal…..

My Love.......
Thanks Honey........
25 Years........

Ham and Eggs or Ham and Cheese..........

 Mozzarella, Fontina, Diced Red Onions, Diced Ham and a sunny side up egg.

I did not have potatoes to make hash browns, added Tater Tots, what is breakfast without potatoes for the yolk …….

Breakfast for dinner….

nice …..

Skillet method and “00” slow cold rise crust…..

New York Botanical Garden...........

I just refound these pictures from a trip to NY Botanical Garden a few falls ago to view a Henry Spencer Moore exibit with my friend Gloria.  This is a wonderful spot with unique outdoor revolving exhibits situated around and among the plantings.

http://www.nybg.org/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Moore 

We took MetroNorth/Harlem Line from Grand Central Terminal, a 20 minute ride. It is one stop beyond the Fordham/Arthur Ave/Little Italy stop. But there is more than enough to do at NYBG.

I need to go back in the spring……

Inside the Conservatory..........

"What's beautiful now at the Garden?

The Conservatory!

The perfect place to escape from yet another winter storm."

http://www.nybg.org/gardens/winter-conservatory.php

Well........Yes.......

My Pie Monday...........

Recently I have been on a quest to make a pizza a week. 

Partly for fun and to send to Slice,

http://slice.seriouseats.com/?ref=sefooter

part of the Serious Eats group, for posting on My Pizza Monday.  

The postings are fun, nonjuried and an interesting collection of diverse pizzas by pizza geeks.

My latest is a Breakfast Pizza with fontina, mozzarella, diced red onion, spinach, mushrooms, bacon and an egg…….

The crust is made with “00” flour and the pie cooked with the skillet method……….