Holy mackerel-snapper-chocolate-coffee-cheese…I love the Fancy Food show!

I love the Fancy Food show not only because I get to eat unlimited small tastes of the finest and most delicious variety of foods, all in one building, but also because I love to check out the new trends of the year in food.  What’s hot?  What’s new?  What’s creative? What’s bizarre?  What works, and what missed the mark?

Here is my take:

My Prize for the strangest new product this year….(drum roll please!)

BLACK GARLIC

No additives or preservatives.. it’s aged for a month in a special fermentation process under high heat where it develops its darker color, softer texture and sweeter taste.  It looks bizarre…kind of like tar (that doesn’t sound very appetizing) but I tried it tonight on my roast chicken.  I combined it with olive oil and a Mexican spice mix and rubbed the mixture under the skin of the breast meat.

It had a smoky taste and was aromatic, sweet and delicious.  Apparently black garlic is loaded with twice as many antioxidants as raw garlic; and it contains a compound: S Allycysteine, which is a natural compound proven to be a factor in cancer prevention.  No bad breath either!  Who would have thought?

My Prize for the most Ubiquitous Ingredient of the Year:

CHOCOLATE!!!! (my favorite!)

Chocolate is in everything these days…especially organic chocolate, mixed with sometimes unique, sometimes very bizarre ingredients. There was Red Chili Hot Chocolate, Chili Pepper Chocolate Wafers and Chocolate Strawberry Tea.  The food show hosted chocolates from all over the world and of every origin and for a chocolate lover, it was close to heaven.

One of my favorites was the new Double Dark Chocolate Mate by The Republic of Tea.  South American, organic, roasted Yerba Mate blended with organic dark chocolate.  The tea has distinct chocolate overtones and is very rich and satisfying.

Another chocolate highlight was Anna Shea Chocolates.  These chocolates are so beautiful…works of art even…like jewels to savor. She makes 38 different flavors and all are hand crafted bon bons.

Combining the finest ingredients with the highest quality Swiss Couverture.
www.annasheachocolates.com

My Prize for the New Fad of 2008-2009….

WATER!

Yep!  Water.  But not just any kind of water.  FLAVORED water.  Naturally flavored, sugar free water is a rapidly expanding business these days. Actually, it’s probably one of the more successful businesses in the world at the moment.. Who could have imagined years ago that we would be paying money to drink nature’s most natural and most abundant resource?

The new ones I loved are called Ganic Waters and are enhanced with natural extracts and aromas.  Cranberry, Pearl, Smooth Ginger, Citric Lemongrass and Merry Cherry.. Sugar free. Now that’s the way to stay quenched—all naturally.

My Prize for Biggest Food Word of the Year

BIODYNAMIC

I didn’t even know what this meant until the food show and it was used very often throughout the show.  Biodynamic means “Beyond Organic.”  Wow…who thinks of these things?

For example a Biodynamic Tea would be grown and processed according to the highest sustainable agricultural and environmental canons, exceeding the standards of the U.S. National Organic Program.  Organic on steriods is another way to put it.

Check out Zhena’s Biodynamic Gypsy Tea

www.GypsyTea.com

Other highlights and fads include antioxidants, acai berry, salt, pestos and olives.

Just like chocolate, antioxidants are in everything this year.  And so is Acai Berry.  The Republic of Tea has a whole new line of superberry antioxidant teas for Women’s Health. Flavors are: Wholeberry, pomberry, cocoaberry, acaiberry and cherryberry.

Salt is also huge this year.. a continuing trend of the last few years.

Check out this photo of.. HimalaSalt.. the purest salt on earth.

I loved this display.

www.HimalaSalt.com

The company LeGrand also was a highlight for me. Check them out here at www.maisonlegrand.com.  Their pestos are so fresh and they are a leader in the production of cold-processed sauces all packaged in a plastic pouch.  My favorites were the 4 nuts and cheese pesto, the lemon confit, the pumpkin seed aromatic sauce and the spicy olive and sun-dried tomato tapenade… many different tastes and textures and all so fresh tasting.. especially for a packaged food product.

I would love to have them in my fridge to serve with fish or simply to use for an easy spread for company.

And then of course, let’s not forget the olives.

I adore olives and I have never seen so many kinds in one place.  Although there are so many olive importers, I loved FoodMatch Inc.  They specialize in olives and antipasti from the Mediterranean. www.foodmatch.com

“Except the vine, there is no plant which bears a fruit as great importance as the olive”

-Pliny (AD 12-79).  Still holds true today.  The olive is still considered one of natures most perfect creations and there is nothing quite as satisfying to the soul and senses as a welcoming bowl of olives.

To be honest, there was so much incredible food at this show that I could write forever on it.  However, after a hearty stomach ache…I would go back again tomorrow and do it all over again.. but alas, I have to wait for an entire year to pass before the Fancy Food Show comes back to NYC.

As we all know, pollen is not the only thing in the spring air…and with the cherry blossoms, spring dresses, muscle tee shirts and crocus comes a rejuvenated spring bloom of aliveness amongst the minds and hearts of all New Yorkers.  AND, for the food lover, that aliveness is coupled by an excitement for Spring Vegetables!

When I don’t know exactly what I want to cook, I use the grocery store for inspiration.  This past Sunday was such an occasion, and although I knew I wanted the meal to have the pinks and greens colors of spring, I wasn’t sure exactly what it would be.  However, as I was perusing the Whole Foods isles I came across some very good looking ”fat leeks” as they are called.  They made me think about one of the best meals I had in Paris last year as we started that meal off with a leeks vinagrette.  I also found some fresh beets and put together a very simple dish of roasted beets and  leeks vinaigrette. I seriously can’t believe I don’t make this more often…it is so good and so so simple.  Beets are one of my favorite vegetables and when you roast them, they get even sweeter.  Add the tartness of the vinaigrette to the leeks which get soft and soak up all the juices, and you have yourself a perfect spring side dish or first course that virtually anybody can make.  Plus, the colors are sensational too

In addition to this perfect first course, I also found some fava beans at Gourmet Garage.  I was excited because fava beans and fresh Pecorino is a typical combination found in Italy in the spring and thus, inspired me to make my first fava bean spread of the season…one of my best recipes. It’s really an appetizer, very similar to pesto as it’s a puree made with basil, mint, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and garlic.  I have been making this fava bean spread for years and I serve it with some toasted or grilled sour dough bread brushed with a little olive oil.  This is always on of the first things that friends and family ask me to make when they visit and with a refreshing  glass of Italian Pinot Grigio, it makes another perfect spring appetizer .  And what a gorgeous spring color!!!

Here are the recipes:

Hello everyone…  

 I am very excited about this post.  Besides the exceptional food we created for this past Sunday Supper, I am eager to introduce you to the outstanding company that helped me cook this dinner. 
 
Last Sunday I had the great honor and pleasure of cooking with one of the most extraordinary woman I know.  Regena Thomashauer.. who I call “Mama Gena” is an outstanding women’s coach, mentor and teacher.  This is a woman who has huge heart and an unbridled passion for helping women use the power of pleasure to have their way with the world. Regena Thomashauer is the founder and head of “Mama Gena’s School Of Womanly Arts.”    www.mamagenas.com 

I have been working with Mama Gena for over a year now and as a result of her work, not only feel far more deeply connected to my “inner Goddess” so to speak…but feel  
that I am able to greatly experience the pleasures of every part of my life in a  
more sensual and palpable way.  When she asked me to give her a private cooking class, I couldn’t have been more excited.  I had been wanting to give something back to her since I started working with her, and what better way to do so than to engage in one of the most pleasurable activities out there…eating! 

So, this past Sunday we decided to cook for some of our mutual  friends and her daughter Maggie Maggie wanted something Mexican, and  I wanted to teach Regena how to make the best roast chicken in the world, so we made a compromise and I created this menu:  

Mango Margaritas 

Mexican Spice Rubbed Chicken

Tortillas and Freshly Made Guacamole 

Chopped Salad with Jicama and Lime Cilantro Vinaigrette  

Cumin Scented Black Beans 

and of course…

Healthy Chocolate for Dessert  
 

Talk about pleasure!  
Here are the recipes and some photos.  Please enjoy and make sure to  
check out Mama-Gena’s website… www.mamagenas.com

ULTIMATE GUACAMOLE   ( The real deal)      

Serves four 

1 teaspoon. finely minced jalapeno pepper  
4 tablespoons. chopped white onion* 
4 teaspoons. chopped coriander 
1/2 tsp. salt

juice of  ½ lime

Freshly ground pepper to taste

2 Ripe Haas Avocadoes

½ cup seeded and chopped plum tomatoes

Tortilla chips or fresh corn tortillas ** 

Preparation:

In a mixing bowl, combine the jalapeno, onion, coriander, salt and lime juice. Using the back of a wooden spoon, thoroughly mash these ingredients until you get a juicy paste.  
 
Split the avocados in half lengthwise and remove the seed. Using a knife, section the

inside into approximately ½ inch cubes. Stir these chunks into the bowl and mash with the back of the fork until the mixture is rather smooth. ( if you like your guacamole chunky, make sure not to mash it too much)

Stir in the chopped tomato and serve. 
   
 
*Mexicans use the white onion specifically 
** Although Americans eat guacamole with tortilla chips the proper way to serve guacamole is inside a fresh warm corn tortilla. 

Note:  You can also garnish with more onion, cilantro and jalapeno if you wish.

MY FAVORITE ROAST CHICKEN WITH GOAT CHEESE AND MEXICAN SPICES STUFFED UNDER THE SKIN

Serves 4-6   

2/3 cup ( about 6 ounces) soft, fresh goat cheese, at room temperature

½ cup finely chopped cilantro

1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped

3 ½ tablespoons Roasted Garlic Puree

1 Tablespoon Orange rind

Mexican spices ( can buy a mix in grocery store)

¼ t chipotle chili powder

Salt and freshly ground pepper

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 orange cut in half

1 large roasting chicken, about 3 ½ pounds ( preferably organic)

½ cup white wine

1 cup good quality chicken broth 

For gravy

2 cups chicken stock or good quality chicken broth

1 cup white wine

Juice of 1 orange

2 T maple syrup

Dash of chipotle powder 

Roast the garlic according to instructions and mash up cloves and put aside in a small bowl.   

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees.

In a medium bowl, thoroughly stir together the goat cheese, coriander, shallot, garlic puree, orange rind, and 1 T Mexican spice,  ¼ t chili powder, olive oil, pinch of salt and pepper 

Pat the chicken dry. Salt and pepper the chicken and rub the Mexican spice onto the back side of the chicken. Salt and pepper back side of the chicken. Turn chicken over. . Loosen the skin over the breast meat, thighs and as far down the legs as possible by gently sliding your fingers between the skin and the meat, avoid tearing the skin.  Stuff the cheese mixture under the skin of the breasts, thighs and legs, using it all.

Rub 1 teapsoon Mexican spice onto the top of the chicken . Salt and pepper.  Squeeze the juice from the orange all over the chicken.  Put ½ of the orange inside the cavity of the chicken..  

Drizzle with olive oil   Set chicken on a rack in a roasting pan or a baking sheet..  Add the broth and wine to the bottom of the pan

.Place foil over the chicken and put chicken in oven covered for 1 hour. 

For gravy:

In a small saucepan, boil the stock, white wine, maple syrup and orange juice and !/4 t. chilpotle powder until reduced by half. 

After an hour, take the foil off the chicken and add the wine and orange juice mixture to the bottom of the pan.and continue cooking for 15 minutes.  Open the oven and spoon the juices accumulating on the bottom of the pan over the chicken.

Continue cooking until chicken skin is crispy and the meat is just cooked through while remaining juicy, 20-30 minutes.  

.

Remove the chicken from the oven, pour off the pan juices into a gravy strainer.

Strain the gravy into a small saucepan on top of stove.

Boil until gravy is reduced and thick…. 5 minutes.

Transfer to a gravy boat. 

Carve the chicken and arrange it on a platter garnish with fresh cilantro. Serve the chicken warm or at room temperature with the gravy on the side.  
 

Serve with chicken with warm tortillas, guacamole, fresh cilantro and cumin scented black beans. 

Quick Cumin Scented Black Beans

Serves 6 1 Tablespoon freshly ground cumin ( ground in a spice grinder)

3 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1 yellow onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, chopped

2 cans organic black beans

2 cans fire roasted chopped tomatoes

¼ teaspoon chilpotle chili spice

3 tablespoons fresh cilantro

Juice from 1 lime 

Heat olive oil in a medium sized sauce pan.  Saute onions and garlic for 5 minutes until soft.  Add Cumin and sauté.   Add tomatoes and sauté for 5 minutes then add black beans, salt and pepper.   Let simmer on stove for 15 minutes to 20 minutes until beans are thick.   

Add fresh lime juice and chopped cilantro.

Though I am a New York City girl (crazy since I grew up in the Boonies of Nowhere Texas) everybody needs a break from the hustle and bustle once in a while.  In my case, I am grateful because my older brother has a house in South Beach Miami, and whenever I need a dose of ocean air, or some “trendy” nightlife…or anything in between, I allow myself the luxury of hopping on the three hour flight and staying with my bro.   New York was freezing as usual this past winter so getting off the plane in South Beach was definitely a nice treat.   

And…speaking of TREATS, Scott Conant has a new restaurant, “Scarpetta” in the newly renovated Fontainbleu building in Miami.  I had been anxious to eat here since it opened and took this trip to FL as an opportunity to satiate my love of his elegant approach to very  simple Italian cuisine.  We ate there on a Friday night and I was pleased to see how busy it was.  It’s nice to know that the current state of our economy hasn’t impacted all the food lovers in the world…   

My meal consisted of an organic beet, endive and raddichio salad, and for an entree, my friends and I ordered Scott’s spaghetti with tomatoes and basil.  As somebody who has spent their life eating, learning, exploring and tasting different kinds of foods…especially these days when chef’s sometimes try to over compensate by making their dishes  overly-complex… a lot of time (not all the time) it’s really the the most simple dishes with the finest and freshest ingredients…cooked to perfection that truly satisfy my palate..  This dish is as simple as it gets….. spaghetti, tomatoes and basil.  But the manner in which it is  prepared, the pasta made fresh and cooked to a perfect al dente……fresh organic tomatoes and freshly picked basil…all made this dish perfectly simple, elegant and of course, worthy of a spotless plate.  

In addition to the food that we ordered, Scott also sent us a complimentary polenta with wild mushrooms….very Italian… it’s just cooked cornmeal, but  Scott’s polenta is rich, creamy and flavorful…truly one of the best polenta dishes I have had.  He adds cream and parmesan and then preserved truffles and a mix of wild mushrooms… a simple dish but unsurpassed in richness.   

As far as food is concerned…my Miami trip did not end there.  My brother’s kitchen is one of my favorite kitchens to cook.  It is so spacious…has a huge marble island and top quality cooking equipment…and pretty much anything a happy chef needs to do some damage!   This Sunday I decided to cook for a group of 30 of his friends. 

My brother is very spontaneous and young at heart and very frequently decides to throw last minute dinner parties, jam sessions (he is a great piano player) and everything in between.    So, like the great sister I am, I rolled up my sleeves and drove to the Whole Foods on  Alton Road and came up with the menu impromptu.  Cooking on the “fly” is very much like a jazz musician.  Improvising is what makes it exciting.  Following a recipe is always fun…like reading music, but coming up with something off the top of your head  is one of my favorite things about cooking.   

Here’s the menu I came up with!

Braised Red Snapper Mediterranean

Grilled Tuscan Steaks

Broccolini Sauteed in Olive Oil, Garlic and Lemon Juice

Roasted Rosemary New Potatoes

Salad of Watercress, Bibb, Cucumbers, Tomatoes and Olives and Feta 

Recipe    Red Snapper Mediterranean   

Serves 6     

3  red snapper filets ( ½ pound each) skin on, trimmed and pin bones taken out   

2-3 sprigs fresh rosemary   

1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped   

1 tablespoon Italian parsley, roughly chopped   

1 ½ cups fresh fennel, sliced into thin rounds   

½ cup shallots, sliced into thin rounds   

10 pitted Kalamata olives, sliced in half   

6 roasted plum tomatoes ( recipe attached) or buy at specialty  food  store, or sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil   

2 teaspoons capers, rinsed    juice of one lemon   

salt and freshly ground pepper   

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil   

2 tablespoons white wine     

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Lay one sheet of foil onto baking sheet.  Place filets in the center of foil.  Season the fish generously with salt and pepper.  Sprinkle with  rosemary, thyme, fennel slices, shallots, olives, roasted tomatoes and  capers, Squeeze the lemon over fish and drizzle with olive oil and  white wine.  Lay another piece of foil the same size over the fish and  roll edges to seal the fish.  Place fish in 400 degree oven for 15 minutes.  Take out of oven and  let sit for a few minutes.  Open foil carefully and use a spatula to  place fish on plate. Spoon vegetables and sauce over the fish.  Serve  immediately.     

Note:    This recipe can be used with just about any firm white fish.  It is  essentially fool-proof as long as you don’t overcook