Pickled beet salad with curly endive

Haakon made this really delicious salad. 

The best part was the overabundance of beet juice left over. 

Utilizing the power of SCIENCE aka baking soda to mess with the ph, I was later able to use this to color the frosting on my gingerbread cookies with a orange coffee glaze.  

Pickled beet salad with curly endive

Pickled beets

3 lb beets

1 cup white vinegar

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1 tsp caraway

a few cloves and allspices

Wrap the beets in foil and bake for 1 1/2 hours. When they are cool, peel and cut into 3/4" cubes, and pickle in 1 part sugar to 2 parts vinegar. (I used the end of 3 bottles of vinegar, apple cider, rice, and white wine) Add the spices to the sugar and vinegar, bring to a boil and cook over a low heat for about 10 minutes, let cool a little and pour over the beets. I let this sit for a day, but longer would be even better.

Dressing

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/2 cup olive oil

2 tsp grainy mustard

3 large cloves garlic

salt and pepper

1/4 lb blue cheese, crumbled

Dissolve the mustard in the lemon juice, and mix with other ingredients. Have a light hand when stirring so the blue cheese doesn't clump together again.

Green salad

a small head of curly endive

a bunch of scallions

small bunch flat parsley

Wash and trim all the greens Slice endive in 3/4 inch slices. Chop parsley coarsely. Slice scallions in 1/4 inch slices. Mix together.

Combining

1/3 cup pecans

just before serving, pour and spoon half the dressing onto the greens, and toss. Sprinkle with 1/6 cup pecans.  Remove the beets from their pickling juice and arrange on top.  Pour remaining dressing over and top with remaining pecans.

Notes:

This started out as a traditional beet salad, maybe from Fannie Farmer, with pickled beets on a green salad, updated towards the typical modern beet salad

The roasting gives a slightly smoky flavor, but I'm not sure that much is left after pickling. Probably boiling would be almost as good. Most similar recipes call for arugula. I love arugula, but the arugula was expensive and not that good, so I decided to try the endive instead, which also has a nice bitter flavor. Watercress, dandelion greens, regular endive, radicchio, or escarole should also work.

You can also cut the beets in 1/4 to 1/3 inch slices (maybe cutting them in halves or quarters if they are large), and pickle them with similar slices of onions. In this case, omit the scallions.

Candied Grapefruit Peels

Part of Haakons holiday gift from work was a giant box of grapefruits. We've been trying to figure out interesting ways to use them and this is one Haakon came up with. Have any other ideas? Leave a comment bellow.

He used the Epicurious recipe and made a couple variations, one with a sugar coating and one diped in chocolate. The chocolate pairs really well with the grapefruit, with a pretty complex interplay of different tastes. It's pretty awesome.

My next idea is to melt the dark chocolate and use some of my szechuan pepper infused vodka to add a spicy numbing sensation to the chocolate. 

This and some other really awesome desserts were brought to the table this Christmas feast.

The candied peels drying on a baking rack. 

Taken by: Haakon
Date: December 25, 2012 11:18:13 AM EST

Russ and Daughters

In NYC decided to check a restaurant to do off my list-- the fabled Russ and Daughters. I wish I had three stomachs because everything looked so good. If you want the quintessential Jewish deli experience this is the place to go.

I decided on the pastrami Russ-- pastrami cured salmon with sauerkraut and spicy mustard on a bagel. It was so good I basically licked the paper when I was done.

My only regret is that I didn't have more room so I could stop next door and get a knish from Yonah Schimmel's knishery. Oh well. Next time New York.

Great food this trip readers-- once Justin forwards me the menu from the place we ate at last night I'll fill you in on the delicious cheese soaked wonder that was our dinner (spoiler-- it includes beef hearts and avocado potato salad.)


Check out Russ and Daughters yourself-- 179 East Houston Street. New York, NY 10002. It's worth the trip.

Harvest feast!

In honor of our pumpkin carving party I cooked up a fall feast!

Acorn squash glazed with butter, maple syrup, and salt and pepper.

Covered with a cranberry apple relish-- cooked with huckleberry honey, sugar, nutmeg and lemon zest.

The side is red chard sautéed with onion, lots of garlic, butter and red pepper flakes.

Also the first of our seed varieties!
Squash seeds toasted with a butter, maple syrup and cracked salt coating the other side pumpkin pie spiced seeds.


Not pictured mulled cider with black rum.

Huevos rancheros

Jane's first time!

Breakfast tarte at tatte

I missed this place so much-- mozzarella tarte with prosciutto. Would have been better hot but is still super delicious.

Will post photos of the other thing I got but Jane reads this blog and its a present for her so you will all have to wait!

Apple cider donut.

Feels like fall. <3 Dave's suggestion to eat these for breakfast.

Update: thanks to Jane for reminding me I didn't put a picture of it. Enjoy!

Coffee pumpkin ice cream

French vanilla ice cream

Version 1
Pumpkin pie spice

Version 2
Ginger,molasses, pumpkin purée, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg

Version 3
Coffee

Version

Sunday brunch at Enid's

Went out w Justin for brunch today in greenpoint. I got biscuits and gravy and Justin got crawfish cake.

Also French press for the table! Yum!

Beef chuck tenderloin stuffed w Gorgonzola cheese.

Justin and I made dinner last night using the recipe from the good eats episode Tender is the Loin II.

We couldn't find tenderloin so we had to use chuck tenderloin so it wasn't as tender as it could have been. Still great with the cheese though.


Also pictured Nutella milkshake

Blueberry yogurt pretzels.

Got them because they were blue and sounded interesting. Turned out quite delicious.

Greek yogurt, strawberries, peanut butter, orange juice and ice smoothie.

Chorizo and kale

Dinner tonight : chorizo, kale, tomatoes, onion, and garlic sautéed in butter.

Very delicious.

Guest dinner by my fabulous roommate Heath

Heath cooked up an impromptu feast tonight and was nice enough to let me include it on this blog. Keep an eye out for future posts of his italian inspired cooking including a pairing I can't wait to try-- Blue cheese and brussel sprouts sautéed in butter.

Ok, so he started with a simple but delicious salad: Garbanzo beans, tomatoes, cilantro, black beans, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar.


Then he went on to make a minimal but delicious veggie treat:  brussel sprouts and sundried tomatoes sautéed in balsamic vinegar and sriracha. To be served with ricotta cheese on the side (sorry guys, didn't get a picture of the final dish just the in process shot.

Stay tuned for some backlog posts-- New York has been a whirlwind of new food and cooking, and I haven't yet had time to write and post about it all yet. But soon!

Quick stop on the way back to NYC

Im so healthy right? Secret tip-- the Mac and cheese at the Albany station is delicious.

Japadog, St. Marks Place NYC

Yakisoba
Japanese noodles, arabiki pork sausage, red peppers, sweetened cabbage with shichimi and garlic fries.

Justin got terimayo-- all beef made with teriyaki sauce, Japanese spicy mayo and seaweed. He choose the wasabi fries.

All in all I have to say I much preferred Justin's choices to mine. Wasabi fries are awesome.

BBQ for lunch

Texas rotisserie and grill.

Upper East Side. Soo good. The fries are really good.

Quick break from writing at the library.

Beef and Boursin sandwich at jam n' java. Not pictured toffee caramel iced coffee

Simple snack at beryls

Most important meal of the day.

Yum. I love egg sandwiches.

Huevos rancheros variation

Justin and I used our bacon waffle leftovers from yesterday to make a Huevos rancheros variation this morning.

Waffles toasted with cheese on them. Eggs fried in bacon grease. Rest of prep is standard.

Next time I think we are going to dice the bacon up and integrate it with the beans.

Dinner at Craigie on Main with Jane

The civilian:
Mezcal, orange, lime, date molasses, Thai chilli.

The amazing craigie burger of course with delicious fries and a salad.

Plus my favorite part: asked the bartender to surprise me and me made me the most delicious cocktail:
Chamucos tequila, house made rhubarb and lime simple syrup, muddled green cardamom, grapefruit juice, lime, Thai chilli pepper simple syrup and a few drops orange blossom water. Garnished with a strip of grapefruit skin.

Mmmm spicy drinks

In continuation of my amazing night:

Justin made drinks!

Scotch bonnet pepper diced sitting in Kraken spiced rum for a few minutes, and strained. Added frozen mango (we were out of ice), pineapple, orange juice, and lime. Garnished with an umbrella, lime and luxardo cherry.

The only good thing about a doctors appointment

Mmm got to try a new place-- now Jane this is where we should have gone yesterday. Jam n' Java in Arlington center. My breakfast: strawberry smoothie and egg and cheese on a croissant. And yes those are freshly cooked eggs not microwaved!

Mark makes the best salsa

Eaten with the cast off tortilla shells from last nights huevos rancheros

Friday is mystery drink night.

This started as a shot but I think I can turn it into a cocktail...

Base of canton and tequila
Carbonated water (2 cartridges of carbonation)
Jalepaneo juice rim
Cilantro
Sprinkle piment d'Epelette on top

Serve in a cold frosty tall shot glass.

There's also a version I made before this with aloe drink which started off this mystery cocktail fun night.