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Steak n' Legs or How Maxim Is Opening Several Steakhouses

YumSugar — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 11:21:42 -0800

Now that Joe Francis is in jail, the plans for the Girls Gone Wild restaurant are probably on hold. If this leaves you worrying where you'll go for your steak n' legs dinner then fear no more, Maxim Prime is opening in late March. Restauranteur Jeffrey Chodorow - you may remember him from NBC's The Restaurant - has announced plans to open Maxim Prime, a joint venture with Maxim magazine. The restaurant will be located in New York's Gansevoort Hotel and has a scheduled late March opening. Another branch will be located in Atlanta's Glenn Hotel and 13 other locations will open over five years. Chodorow has said that he does not want it to be like Hooters. Instead he has said it will be, "sexy but sophisticated." Unlike traditional steakhouses, the portions will also be smaller and lighter. Chodorow said:

The people who leave here are going to go someplace else - maybe dancing. They're not going to go home and go to bed.

So if you live in the Atlanta or New York areas, be sure to check it out and report back. I want to know what "sexy but sophisticated" is like. I mean they never said it wasn't going to be "sleazy."

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How to Prepare For a BBQ Festival

YumSugar — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 05:50:23 -0700

Over the long weekend, while many of you were hosting barbecues of your own, I headed over to Sparks, NV, for the Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook-Off, one of the country's largest outdoor barbecue events. I was more than stoked to chomp down on award-winning ribs all day long, but - given the scope of the festival and its four-hour driving distance from my house - I wanted to maximize my first experience there by being as prepared for the event as Michael Phelps was for the Summer Olympics. If you're planning on heading to a major barbecue festival (or any food extravaganza, for that matter), I've got some tips to share with you.

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Burning Question: Are Salumi & Charcuterie the Same Thing?

YumSugar — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 04:30:47 -0700

With cured meats making a comeback, it's common to see charcuterie and salumi platters on restaurant menus across the country. But are charcuterie and salumi the same thing? What about salumi and salami?

While charcuterie and salumi share many similarities - both are cured meats, and both maximize the use of every part of the animal - they're not the same thing. Charcuterie, a French term, typically refers to cooked meats such as pâtés. The Italian equivalent of charcuterie is referred to as affettati, while salumi generally refers to salted and dry-cured meats. Salame (plural is salami) is a cured sausage made from ground pork, and is a type of salumi.

Got a burning question? Contact us.

Monday's Leftovers: Seared Tuna With Avocado Salsa Verde

YumSugar — Mon, 04 May 2009 07:50:52 -0700

More often than not, we require Monday night meals that are speedy and effortless - but that doesn't mean dinner has to be boring and tasteless.

Set aside your routine chicken and pasta dishes in favor of a lean, light fish dish that uses leftover tuna steaks, maximizes seasonal ingredients, and cooks in no time. To make a unique and untraditional Monday night meal, read more.

Seared Tuna With Avocado Salsa Verde
From Food & Wine

Ingredients

2/3 cup lightly packed flat-leaf parsley leaves
3 tablespoons drained capers
1 clove garlic, smashed
4 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon anchovy paste
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil
4 tuna steaks, about 1 inch thick (about 2 pounds in all)
1 avocado, cut into 1/2-inch chunks

Directions

Put the parsley, capers, garlic, lemon juice, anchovy paste, mustard, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/8 teaspoon of the pepper into a food processor. Pulse to chop, six to eight times. With the machine running, add the 1/2 cup oil in a thin stream to make a coarse puree. Leave the sauce in the food processor and, if necessary, pulse to re-emulsify just before serving.
Heat a grill pan or heavy cast-iron pan over moderately high heat. Rub the tuna steaks all over with the 1 tablespoon oil. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Cook the fish for 3 minutes. Turn and cook until done to your taste, 3 to 4 minutes longer for medium rare. To serve, top the tuna steaks with the avocado and drizzle with the sauce.

Serves 4.

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This Thanksgiving, Brine and Dine

YumSugar — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 14:00:00 -0800

Last week, I asked how many of you were planning to brine your turkeys this year. Although more than half of you responded yes, at least 20 percent of you weren't sure what a brine was!

For those of you who didn't know, brining is a cooking technique often used to maximize juiciness in cooked poultry and meat, and it's particularly popular with Thanksgiving turkeys. Various techniques recommend soaking turkey anywhere from six hours to three days in a brine, a saltwater solution that often includes herbs and sweeteners (like our must-have version). To understand how brining works, read more.

The salt in a brine's saline solution moves into the meat, and water from the turkey meat into the brine, in a process called osmosis. The salt then breaks down the muscle proteins, making room for more water and salt. As a result, water and salt can move freely from the brine into the meat, creating an especially tender, juicy bird that can be up to 10 percent more than its original weight.

Some experts, such as foremost food scientist Harold McGee, eschew brining in favor of traditional roasting, arguing that brined meat tastes less flavorful. Still others favor a technique referred to as "dry brining," in which the turkey gets a salt massage several days in advance.

If you're brining for the first time, follow basic instructions for a quick brine. If you're interested in trying something more complex, opt for one of these brined turkey recipes.

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Tyler Florence Makes the Ultimate Dinner

partysugar — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 09:00:19 -0700

At Tyler Florence's demonstration at the NYC Wine and Food Festival, Florence taught the crowd how to make the ultimate birthday dinner. It was the exact dinner he made for his wife on her birthday! The boyishly handsome chef has had a busy year. Not only did his wife give birth to a baby girl, but he also released two new cookbooks, opened a kitchenware store in Northern California, and filmed an upcoming season of Tyler's Ultimate, all while making appearances and doing demonstrations.

His special dinner menu - which is ideal for the holiday season - consisted of beef tenderloin with Béarnaise sauce, Brussels sprout and fingerling potato hash, and carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. To see what Tyler had to say about this menu, read more.

Instead of a regular round cake, Florence recommends making a long, rectangular cake (I loved this idea and am doing it the next time I make cake). Pour the cake batter into a large cookie sheet. Bake as you would any cake. Remove from the oven and cut into three even rectangles. Layer frosting between the pieces.
Beef tenderloin is a great cut of meat when feeding a crowd.
"Color equals flavor." To maximize the flavor of the beef, Tyler sears it in a smoking pan. Then he roasts it in the oven until finished.
Always add fresh herbs. Dried herbs don't do much to a dish. Fresh herbs, on the other hand, make a dish fragrant and delicious.
Be cleaver with garnishes. Florence refers to the process of making food beautiful as "culinary pyrotechnics."
Make the Béarnaise sauce in the blender. It's quick and easy.
For the fluffiest frosting, always stir or mix with a wire whisk.
Take the beef out of the oven when the temperature reads 125°F. While the meat rests, its temperature will rise to 130°F.

What's your go-to menu for special occasions? What do you think of Tyler Florence's menu and tips?

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Getting to Know Anne Burrell

partysugar — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 08:00:08 -0700

Let me introduce you to Anne Burrell. Anne's a multi-tasker with many roles in the food industry. First and foremost, she's the executive chef of a restaurant, Centro Vinoteca, in New York City. She works at the restaurant six days a week and isn't much of a home cook. In her downtime Anne competes as Mario Batali's sous chef on Iron Chef America. However, her latest role is as a hostess of Secrets of a Restaurant Chef, a new show on Food Network. This Sunday (at 9:30 a.m.) Anne's coming to a kitchen near you and she's teaching you how to cook like she does in her Centro Vinoteca. Earlier this week I chatted with the former Culinary Institute of America instructor, to see what she had to say, read more.

PartySugar: With your show, what are you hoping to teach the American people?
Anne Burrell: I want to help people understand that they can do restaurant food at home. I want to take the fear factor out of cooking. Cooking is such a daunting task to a lot of people and it doesn't have to be. It's not really rocket science. Once you know the techniques, like how to understand high heat, you can do it. When you cook, you have to be entirely comfortable. Cooking is like a dog when you're nervous, it knows your nervous. A lot of people think that cooking is genetic, and they say, oh I cook because my mom cooked. But cooking isn't genetic, you have to learn how to do it first before it becomes common sense. In the restaurant, we are always looking for ways to maximize flavor and minimize effort and that's what I'm going to teach you to do.
PS: Tell me about working with Mario Batali on Iron Chef.
AB: Well this season we are not doing it, due to conflicts in Mario's schedule during filming, but we are still very much a viable team. Being on Iron Chef is every bit as stressful as it seems. I just do my best and tell myself, I'm not going to be the reason Mario loses.

PS: What's your advice to the every day, home cook?
AB: My advice, sadly it doesn't seem that exciting, is to read the recipe! Read the recipe from start to finish before you begin to cook. When I was learning how to cook, I never wanted to read the recipe, but now I see how important it is because you can start doing what I call "crap detecting" where you filter out steps. Basically, you modify the recipe to get rid of the crap. Sometimes you'll read a recipe that says, saute the onions in one pan and the mushrooms in another and later you will combine the two in the same pan, so why not eliminate those first steps? Saute them both in the same pan, and save time while making the dish more flavorful.

PS: What's your favorite kitchen tip?
AB: Use salt! Generously use salt. Taste everything as you go along. Really sitting and tasting the food is something the home cook is reluctant to do. Food should taste good, you have to control that quality.

PS: What did you have for lunch today?
AB: I had a turkey sandwich on rye toast with mayo, lettuce, and potato chips. I always put potato chips in my sandwiches because I like that crunch.

Now that you know a little bit more about Anne, will you watch her show?

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Come Party With Me: Summer Solstice - Menu

partysugar — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 07:45:35 -0700

Fresh Italian flavors inspire my Summer solstice dinner party menu. To maximize time spent with guests, all of the food can be made in advance or cooked outdoors on the grill. A buffet of salumi, flatbreads, olives, and store bought spreads will await my guests.

When sliced into triangles grilled mozzarella panini are delightful appetizers. Chicken cooked under a brick is crispy yet succulent. Classic panzanella and balsamic potato salad are delicious served on the side. If these recipes sound tasty, get them now when you read more.

Mozzarella Panini
From Gourmet magazine

Ingredients

12 slices firm white sandwich bread
1/4 cup drained bottled capers, chopped
6 oz fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices, at room temperature
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

Divide capers among 12 bread slices and spread evenly.
Divide mozzarella among 6 slices and sprinkle with pepper to taste. Make into 6 sandwiches, then cut off and discard crusts to form 3-inch squares.
Coat sandwiches with flour, knocking off excess.
Beat together eggs, milk, and a pinch each of salt and pepper in another small shallow bowl.
Heat 1/2 tablespoon butter with 1 tablespoon oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until foam subsides.
Meanwhile, coat 3 sandwiches, 1 at a time, with egg mixture. Fry, turning over once, until golden brown, about 5 minutes, then drain on paper towels. Coat and fry remaining 3 sandwiches in same manner.
Cut sandwiches into quarters and serve immediately.

Makes 24 hors d'oeuvres.

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Northern Italian-Style Chicken Under a Brick
From Emeril Lagasse

Ingredients

1 cup olive oil
1/2 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon freshly chopped rosemary leaves
1 tablespoon freshly chopped thyme leaves
1 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley leaves
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 whole chicken, 3 to 3 1/2 pounds
2 teaspoons Essence, recipe follows
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
2 bricks, wrapped in aluminum foil

Directions

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F and preheat grill to medium-low.
In a small mixing bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, lemon zest, rosemary, thyme, parsley, kosher salt, and crushed red pepper. Mix to combine and set aside.
Place the chicken on a cutting board. With a boning knife and/or poultry scissors, cut along both sides of the backbone and remove. Place the chicken skin side down on a clean work surface and, using a paring or small boning knife, cut underneath and around the breast bone on both sides, cutting the cartilage away from the flesh so that you can work your fingers underneath the bone, and then carefully remove the breast bone. The chicken should lay flat like an open book. Tuck the wing tips behind the joint of the wing that meets the breast. Cut small tips in the skin that hangs beneath the thighs and tuck the tips of the drumstick bones inside.
Place in a 9 by 13-inch, nonreactive baking dish and add the marinade. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 6 hours, turning occasionally to evenly coat.
Preheat the bricks for 20 minutes.
Remove the chicken from the marinade and season on both sides with the Essence, salt, and pepper. Place the chicken, skin side down, on the grill. Place 2 bricks on top of the chicken to cover completely and flatten. Cook until the skin side has nice grill marks, about 20 minutes. Remove the bricks and turn the chicken so that it is skin side up. Cook on the second side for about 15 minutes longer, or until juices run clear and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the deep portion of the thigh registers 165 degrees F.
Remove the chicken from the grill, place on a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. Cut the chicken into quarters and serve immediately.

Serves 6-8.

Emeril's Essence Seasoning

2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly.

Makes 2/3 cup.

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Panzanella
From Martha Stewart

Ingredients

1 garlic clove
2 pounds ripe beefsteak tomatoes, cored and cut into large chunks
1 medium red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
5 one-inch-thick slices day-old Tuscan-style bread
4 (about 12 ounces) Kirby cucumbers, peeled and sliced
1 cup packed fresh basil leaves

Directions

Place garlic on a cutting board; hit it with the side of a large knife to break it open a bit.
Place tomatoes, onion, and garlic in a large nonreactive bowl. Drizzle oil and vinegar over the vegetable mixture; season with salt and pepper. Toss; let stand, covered, in a cool place, for 1 hour or more.
Place bread on a hot grill or under a heated broiler; toast until both sides are slightly charred, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat, rub lightly with garlic if desired; tear bread into bite-size chunks. When ready to serve, add cucumbers, basil, and bread to tomatoes.
Toss to coat bread thoroughly with the marinating liquid. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, and remove garlic clove.

Serves 6.

Variations: Try adding bocconcini (cubed fresh mozzarella), roasted bell peppers, sliced fresh fennel, or capers. Experiment using other seasonal vegetables.

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Balsamic Potato and Green Bean Salad
From Everyday With Rachael Ray magazine

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds small new potatoes
Salt
10 ounces green beans, trimmed and halved crosswise
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 scallions, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, plus whole sprigs for garnish

Directions

In a large saucepan, place the potatoes, 2 teaspoons salt and enough water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Add the green beans and cook for 3 minutes. Drain and let stand.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the vinegar, lemon juice, sugar, mustard, pepper and 1 teaspoon salt. Whisk in the olive oil until combined.
Toss the potatoes and beans with the dressing to coat. Using a fork, mash several potatoes. Toss in the scallions and thyme. Season with more salt and pepper to taste and top with thyme sprigs. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Serves 8.

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Grilled Vegetables and Chickpeas with Couscous

partysugar — Thu, 15 May 2008 08:00:12 -0700

Don't be afraid of using your grill on weeknights to create quick and simple meals. Especially when the weather is pleasant, grilling is an excellent technique for rapid, maximized flavor cooking. In this recipe a plethora of vegetables are seared on the grill. The veggies are tossed with a fragrantly spiced couscous, fresh herbs, and filling garbanzo beans. A salty feta cheese is the finishing touch to this hearty, vegetarian dish from MyRecipes.com. To learn how to make it, read more.

Grilled Vegetables and Chickpeas with Couscous
From Cooking Light

Ingredients

1 large zucchini (about 8 ounces)
1 large yellow squash (about 6 ounces)
1 small green bell pepper, quartered
1 small red bell pepper, quartered
1 small onion, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices (about 1/2 cup)
Cooking spray
1 cup water
3/4 cup uncooked couscous
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
Dash of ground cinnamon
3/4 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon extravirgin olive oil
1 (15 1/2-ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained
1/4 cup (1 ounce) crumbled feta cheese

Get more recipes at MyRecipes.com

Directions

Prepare grill.
Cut zucchini and squash lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Place zucchini, squash, bell peppers, and onion on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 3 minutes on each side or until well browned. Remove vegetables to a cutting board; cool.
Chop vegetables into bite-sized pieces; place in a large bowl.
Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Stir in couscous and the next 5 ingredients (through cinnamon). Cover, remove from heat, and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
Add couscous, tomatoes, and remaining ingredients except cheese to vegetable mixture; toss well. Sprinkle each serving with cheese.

Serves 4 (serving size: 1 3/4 cups couscous mixture and 1 tablespoon cheese).

Nutritional Information: CALORIES 325(22% from fat); FAT 7.8g (sat 2.2g,mono 3.6g,poly 1.4g); PROTEIN 13.2g; CHOLESTEROL 8mg; CALCIUM 113mg; SODIUM 270mg; FIBER 8.6g; IRON 3mg; CARBOHYDRATE 53g

Like the recipe above? Try out some of these other ones:

- Great-Tasting Meatless Meals
- Dinner Tonight Recipes in 45-Minutes or Less
- Eat Smart at CookingLight.com
- Get More Grilled Recipes

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Sunday Dinner: Black Bean and Roasted Corn Salad

partysugar — Sun, 04 May 2008 06:00:06 -0700

For dinner tonight, serve a hearty, Mexican inspired salad. There are several steps to this recipe, but taking the time to prepare each component makes for a fresh, filling dish. The corn and black beans are roasted with onions and garlic to maximize the flavor. The mixture is tossed with a classic red wine vinaigrette and topped with not one, but two salsas!

A scrumptious mango salsa seasoned with chives and honey, and a tomato tomatillo salsa with parsley. Doesn't it sound delish? To get the recipe, read more.

Black Bean and Roasted Corn Salad
From Robert Irvine

Ingredients

Roasted corn and black beans:
1/2 cup grapeseed oil, divided
1 large red onion, diced
2 cloves fresh garlic, chopped
1 pound frozen corn kernels or about 4 ears fresh (do not use canned corn - it becomes gummy)
1 (16-ounce) can black beans, drained
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup fresh scallions, (about 2 to 4 scallions) white and tender green parts only, sliced on the diagonal
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro leaves
Mango salsa:
1 mango, diced small
2 teaspoons diced red onion
2 teaspoons diced red bell pepper
2 teaspoons diced green bell pepper
1 teaspoon chopped chives
1 lemon, juiced
1 1/2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Red wine vinaigrette:
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 shallot, quartered
2 teaspoons chopped chives
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup canola oil
Tomato salsa:
1 large ripe tomato, diced small
2 tomatillos, diced small
1 garlic cloves, lightly crushed with the side of a knife blade to release oils, then finely minced
2 tablespoons chiffonnade fresh flat-leaf parsley (1 small handful, about 1-ounce, rinsed and dried
2 stalks celery, small diced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Make the roasted corn and black beans: preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
In a large skillet, over medium-low heat, add 1/4 cup of oil and get the pan warm on the stovetop. Add the diced onion, garlic and corn kernels. Saute together until the corn feels cooked to the bite. Place in the oven until roasted (but not dried out) about 20 to 30 minutes.
Make the mango salsa: combine the mango, onion, bell peppers, chives, lemon juice, honey, vinegar, salt, and pepper in a non-reactive bowl and chill.
Make the vinaigrette: add, 1 at a time through the feed opening of a running blender, the vinegar, shallot, chives, salt and pepper. Leaving the blender running, add the oil in a slow thin stream and allow to emulsify. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
Make the tomato salsa: combine the tomato, tomatillos, garlic, parsley, and celery. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper and set aside.
Fold together corn mixture and black beans. Season with salt and pepper. Add enough red wine vinaigrette to coat. (Do not feel compelled to use all of the dressing.) Transfer to a serving dish, and top with a spoonful of mango salsa in the center surrounded by a ring of tomato salsa. Garnish with scallions and cilantro leaves. Serve with any extra dressing on the side.

Serves 8.

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