With the arrival of warmer temperatures — and some serious rain — The Ladies are tapping into some of city’s freshest flavors. A perfectly light May lunch last week included some of the season’s best offerings: cilantro and dill for a leafy kick, radishes for a crisp accent, and some sweet corn to finish off the meal, as a prelude to some of the summer’s finest flavors. These warmer days are all about embracing the city’s transformation from winter’s greynesss to spring’s sunshine-y greenness. Clearly we are partial to the latter. Barring the occasional (okay, maybe frequent…) rains, we at bigLITTLE are enjoying these changes immensely. What better way to embrace our surroundings than dressing up some of our very own, local goodies? Well, The Ladies did just that last week. Check out the ever-seasonal menu below!

MENU

CHICKEN SALAD, REDESIGNED  

Slow Roasted Chicken / Radish / Sweet Corn / Cilantro / Cotija Cheese / Bibb Lettuce / Buttermilk Dill Sauce

QUINOA SIDE SALAD

Quinoa / Caramelized Onions / Black Beans / Cilantro

CORN SOUFFLE

Sweet Corn / Brown Butter Graham Cracker Crust

CORN SOUFFLE 

Yield: 12 servings

FOR THE SOUFFLE:

1 lb. Sweet Corn, Blanched until tender (this removes the starchiness)

3 Eggs

1/3 C Sugar

3 TB All Purpose Flour

1 TS Vanilla

1/2 C Butter, Melted

Powdered Sugar, for dusting

FOR THE BASE:

1 Box Graham Crackers

1 C Brown Sugar

1 TB Salt

2 Sticks Butter, Melted

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350˚. Line a 9 x 13″ sheet pan with parchment paper.

2. In a Cuisinart blend graham cracker and brown sugar and salt until fine dust. Slowly pour in melted butter until mixture comes together. Spread onto prepared baking sheet. Bake in oven for ten minutes.

3. While your crust is baking, in a blender or vitamin, puree corn, eggs, sugar, vanilla, and butter until smooth. About four minutes. Once pureed, add flour and blend for another two minutes.

4. Remove graham cracker crust from the oven and pour corn mixture on top.

5. Bake in oven for 20 minutes until completely set.

6. Allow to cool at least one hour, best if chilled in the refrigerator for an additional hour. Cut into desired portions and dust with powdered sugar. Enjoy!

[Show as slideshow]

So, I started off the week eating well, to say the least, but it wasn’t until Saturday that my weeklong market-craze ended when I left a friend’s home in Columbia County in upstate New York after a springy food and farm-filled weekend. A regular customer and visitor at Kinderhook Farm, my friend took me to see the newborn lambs at the farm. But ‘newborn lambs’ does not cut it for a title here. These lambs were babies the size of small puppies! And yes, we were the chosen ones on Friday afternoon. And by the chosen ones, I mean we got to hold those little pups.

After some serious googoogaga talk to the lambs, we returned back home to get started on our own dinner: fresh pasta with a lemon cream sauce and asparagus (ALL credit goes to the host on this one, a close friend and incredibly impressive cook in whose presence I merely follow instructions as I am a clearly inferior worker in the kitchen!). After she made the dough, I was instructed on how the pasta cutter worked and was soon able to help crank the lever and catch the fringes of noodles that were produced by the metal blades inside the machine. Though labor-intensive, the dish turned out flawless– a perfect warm-weather dinner of smooth, thin pasta and a creamy citrus sauce that only further complimented the oh-so-seasonal asparagus.

Alas, that was my thoroughly enjoyed foodie research for the week. I think I spanned a good amount of territory-from Chelsea to Kinderhook Farm. Pretty solid geographical coverage, no? Don’t forget to check back soon for more of my intern adventures, as well as bigLITTLE event updates and postings!

[Show as slideshow]

That’s right! The Ladies threw their very first street art-themed dinner party in the East Village on April 27^th, and I got to see it all. I, by the way, am Anthea, bigLITTLE’s new intern! You’ll be hearing more from me in the next few weeks, so don’t forget to check back for regular updates on all of bigLITTLE’s upcoming events.

Now, back to the party! Complete with a brown paper tablecloth and scattered markers, pastels and paint tubes for the guests to play around with, the (almost entirely vegetarian and vegan) dinner party was flawlessly arty. The Ladies started off the lively night by handing out brown-bagged cocktails, made from guava juice, tequila, and bubbly prosecco (yum!). They laid out a colorful array of hors d’oeuvres; cumin honey shrimp sat atop mini rice cakes, pickled fruits and vegetables were laid out on a painter’s palette (my favorites were the horseradish-pickled cucumbers and the tarragon-pickled rhubarb), and beet amaranth masago “sushi” rolls with wasabi mayo were perched in rows on a nearby platter.

Before starting the meal, all ten lucky guests got a quick briefing on the origins and subjects of the street art from the host, a friend of the Ladies and an avid street art connoisseur with an awesome eye for graphical pieces. Next the guests took their seats and began the party as anyone would: by drawing on the table, of course! Thus, the diners were informed, entertained, and, most importantly, hungry. They were ready for the first course, a vibrant appetizer of edible flowers paired with a mushroom mousse, toasted flax seeds, fried onions, shishito peppers and a sour cherry puree that sat on the plate in a checkered pattern reminiscent of building bricks—also known as street artists’ canvases. Clever, Ladies.

The entrée was a shiso-wrapped Long Island blackfish topped with a crispy, salty skin and surrounded by charred grapefruit, thai chili, radish, spring peas and shoots, and a miniature bottle of white gazpacho that the guests were invited to artfully drizzle over their dinner.

As the guests enjoyed the fresh flavors of their entrée, the Ladies were busy in the kitchen assembling the final dish: the delectable dessert. To finish off the dairy-free meal, each guest received a piece of almond cake with almond coco salted “dirt” (cookie crumbs), a coconut dulce de leche sauce, chocolate cake espuma, and malted cashew ice cream. No better way to finish the night than with a little death by chocolate.

[Show as slideshow]

With the progression of the dinner also came creativity, and the departure of the guests from the table allowed us all to admire the original works of art that covered the brown, paper ‘tablecloth’. With mini takeout boxes in hand, party favors from the Ladies– consisting of popcorn with chili corn nuts and brown sugar -candied almonds– the guests said their goodbyes and the Ladies and I packed up. A successful night of simultaneous drinking, eating, and coloring!

It’s hot out there!! Nothing like hot springs in NYC.  When it is smoldering outside, and even the thought of consumption feels far fetched, there is no better way to cool off than with a meal inspired by some exotic places where warmer temperatures are the norm.  And why not?! In some hotter tropical and Asian countries, food is designed to cool you down.  This is the very reason why chili peppers are oh so popular in these places.  They make you sweat! That perspiration helps chill your skin if you are lucky enough to catch a breeze. Pair these with some bright fruits and veggies, and all the bursting with flavor fresh herbs you can muster, and in your mind you will be beach hammock-ing in no time!

MENU

KITCHEN SINK SALAD

Mixed Market Greens & Spinach / Micro Sorrel & Amaranth / Cara Cara Orange / Cucumber / Radish / Asparagus / Shallot /Mango Bread Croutons / Chimichurri Salad Dressing

SHRIMP BAHN MI

Salt & Pepper Sauteed Shrimp / Spinach & Caramelized Onion Puree / Sriracha Mayo / Cucumber / Carrot / Celery /

Cilantro,Dill, Mint, Parsley

LOVING HANDS SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Fleur de Sel / Cinnamon / Chipotle

[Show as slideshow]

SHRIMP BAHN MI 

Yields 12 Sandwiches

Ingredients:

2.5 lbs Fresh Shrimp (26-30 size) cleaned

1 box Organic Spinach

1 Large Vidalia Onion(sliced & caramelized)

1 Cup Cashews (raw unsalted)

1 Lemon Juiced

3-4 T Olive Oil

1/2 Cup Mayo or Q-Pee Asian Mayo(more sweet and creamy)

2 T Sriracha (or more if you like it hot!)

1 English Cucumber (thinly sliced)

1 Bag Shredded Carrots

4 Celery Stalks (thinly sliced)

1 Bunch Dill (finely chopped)

1 Bunch Parsley (cleaned)

1 Bunch Cilantro (cleaned)

1 Bunch Mint (cleaned)

4 French Baguettes

Directions:

1.) Make sure all shrimp are clean with tails removed. Place in a bowl and toss with Canola or Vegetable oil to coat . Generously add salt & pepper and set aside while you prepare the spinach & onion puree.

2.) In a Vita Mix or high quality blender combine the caramelized onion & cashews until a smooth creamy texture is acquired. Add the entire box of spinach along with juice of one lemon. Puree with onion cashew mixture slowly adding olive oil to ensure all ingredients coming together. Add salt to taste. Pass through a chinoise and set aside.

3.) Heat a medium size sautee pan over medium high heat and add canola or vegetable oil(any oil that can handle high heat works). Allow oil to come to a smoking point. Once your pan is hot enough add 8-10 shrimp at a time. Cook for about 1-1.5 minutes(when they turn pink those puppies are ready to be flipped) on each side making sure not to over crowd or move the shrimp to much. You want to obtain a nice crust and char on the shrimp, the more space they have and the less you fuss with them the better your cooking results will be. Once you have cooked all your shrimp set aside to cool.

4.) After shrimp have cooled a bit, slice all of them in half to down the center of the body resulting in thin pieces that will lay flat on the bread.

5.) Slice all the baguettes down the center length wise. Spread a generous amount of Spinach & Onion puree on the bottom side.

6.) Now is where the fun begins…start to layer all ingredients; begin with shrimp followed by cucumber, carrots, celery, then herbs.

7.) Drizzle a little bit of olive oil on top of final herb layer as well as a sprinkle of salt and pepper.

8.) Lastly, on the top interior portion of the baguette spread the Sriracha & Q-Pee mixture to give that final burst of heat!!!

9.) Cut into desired portions and enjoy with a ice cold beer or some refreshing mint tea.

]]> http://www.biglittlenyc.com/blog/?feed=rss2&p=624 0 http://www.biglittlenyc.com/blog/?p=613 http://www.biglittlenyc.com/blog/?p=613#comments Mon, 16 Apr 2012 13:13:00 +0000 biglittle http://www.biglittlenyc.com/blog/?p=613

There is nothing like eating with a spoon.  As our first utensil, it is likely that the soothing sentiment stems from our first bites, being fed by the spoonful, often lovingly and sometimes patiently by our parents.  Regardless, the combination of nostalgic comfort and ergonomic ease just can’t be beat! So inspired by the spoon, this week we offered up a fresh yet cozy meal that required the one and only, in hopes that the diners might feel swaddled by their meals.

MENU

Curry Tofu with Celery

Rice with Pine Nuts, Dill, Dried Apricots & Cranberries

Carrot & Cabbage Slaw

Granola Chunks with White Chocolate and Dehydrated Strawberries

[Show as slideshow]

CURRY TOFU WITH CELERY

Yield: 8 servings

INGREDIENTS

3 Containers Firm Tofu, cubed into spoon sized pieces

2 T Curry Powder, divided

2 T Garam Masala Seasoning, divided

1 T Kosher Salt

1 can Coconut Milk

2 T Garlic, Minced

2 T Pickled Ginger, Minced

10 Celery Stalks & Leaves, sliced

salt to taste

DIRECTIONS

Preheat Wok or Fry Pan on medium high heat

1.  Drain the tofu and let it dry on some towels.  Toss the tofu with half of the curry powder and garam masala and all of the salt.  Sauté in hot wok/fry pan until all tofu cubes are toasted, trying not to move too much so they can develop a nice crust. This will take about 5 min. Remove from pan and allow to drain excess oil on a paper towel.

2.  Next, scrape off the fatty top from the coconut milk and add this to your pan as your cooking fat.

3.  Add garlic and stir, careful not to burn, then add the remaining dry spices. Once garlic and spices have created a nice paste with the coconut milk add the pickled ginger and stir to incorporate.

4.  Add tofu and celery to the pan and stir fry for 3 minutes, then add the remaining coconut milk, reduce heat and let simmer for 10 minutes.

5.  Taste and adjust seasoning accordingly.

HOLY SHIT, I almost forgot to mention the featured ingredient of this meal. The ONE. The ONLY…RAMPS. If you aren’t familiar, get familiar. If you haven’t tasted, taste. If you don’t know what the hell I am talking about, this is what they are. We not only brought out a jar of pickled ramps that we made from last year’s season, but we roasted off the leaves from a bunch we had purchased this weekend and made a compound butter to add to the Mushroom Quickbread Croutons. Oh Jesus, the flavor of these little guys in any dish will blow your mind. It certainly made our potato salad next level. So while we are pretending to be models we will be nibbling on an Arugula Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash/Dried Cranberries/Mixed Micro Greens/Mushroom Quick bread Croutons/Shaved Goat’s Milk Gouda…Pickled Ramp Potato Salad with Radish/Celery/Micro Beet Greens/Greek Yogurt…Ginger Molasses Cookies. If you gather nothing else from this blog posting, let it be that we have shared our love of ramps with you and inspired you to go out and get yourself some!!!

[Show as slideshow]

PICKLED RAMP POTATO SALAD (serves 8-10)

2 boxes SATUR fingerling potatoes, boiled ’til tender in salted water and sliced in half length wise

1 bunch Red Radishes, sliced thinly on a mandoline if you dare or by hand if you don’t

10 Stalks Celerey, Diced

1 bunch fresh Dill, chopped

1/2 cup Greek Yogurt

2 T Kewpie Mayo (our favorite brand! Find it at your local asian grocery!)

*1/4 cup Pickled Ramps and Pickling Liquid, (about 8 bulbs chopped + liquid)

1 T Honey

2 T Olive Oil

S&P to taste

Finish with Maldon

1.  Combine the first 4 ingredients in a large mixing bowl

2.  Whisk remaining ingredients together, besides Maldon, in a small mixing bowl, whisking the olive oil in last slowly so that it evenly incorporates.  Taste and season the dressing accordingly

3.  Pour the dressing over the veggies and taste.  Add more salt and pepper until the seasoning is to your liking… Voila!!!

The Annual Kolton / Schaffler / Pierce snowboard getaway

LOCATION: Snowmass.. Aspen.. Colorado

TIME: Spring time!

For the past two years, I have had the great fortune of tagging along with my uncle and cousins for their winter sport extended weekend getaway.  Though I personally do not share that deep desire and drive to hit the slopes, I sure do enjoy soaking in the environment while cooking for those that do!  And how could I not?! In the midst of the Rockies with clear blue skies and sunshine abound making for 60-70˚F days,  surrounded by some of my favorite people in the universe, I am one lucky duck.

Cooking in a condo over a short period of time certainly has it’s challenges.  The most obvious being resourcefullness.  How can I use everything, shop minimally, and deliver boldly satisfying yet healthy meals? It is a good exercise, my version of a crossword puzzle.  This challenge is why I was able to make these delicious and healthy gluten-free banana muffins.  I had brought coconut and almond flour from home, knowing that my cuz Joanna is allergic to gluten and these supplies would help me make her (and myself!) some gluten free goodies.  Also in the pantry to use up were eggs, ripe bananas, and honey.  The muffins turned out AMAZING! And even Rio, my 2 year old cousin kept begging, “some?” while pointing at the muffins.  They were even better the next day.  So much so that I would recommend baking them a day in advance.

GLUTEN-FREE BANANA MUFFINS

yield: 12 muffins!

INGREDIENTS:

Muffin Liners

1.5 Cup Almond Flour

1.5 Cup Coconut Flour

1.5 tsp Baking Soda

2 tsp Kosher Salt

6 Organic Eggs (size large)

4 Ripe Bananas (should be at least very freckly)

1/4 Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/2 Cup Clover Honey

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Preheat oven to 350˚F

2.  Whisk dry ingredients together in a bowl

3.  Mix wet ingredients until thoroughly combined. (I had no mixer on hand so instead I mixed the wet ingredients really well in a blender and did the next step by hand)

4.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients until completely incorporated and combined.  (You don’t have to worry quite as much about over mixing since there is not gluten to get all tough on you.)

5.  Evenly distribute the batter into the lined muffin tin.  (I did not have the muffin wrappers so I made sure to grease the muffin pan with butter)

6.  Bake for 25-30 minutes, turning the pan once until a toothpick comes out clean.  Do not overbake! If anything, under bake them by what might seem like a couple of minutes to ensure a moist center

I don’t know about you, but when it’s chilly outside all I want are hearty grains and leafy greens followed by comforting nostalgic sweat treats. For me, wheat berries are the go to for long lasting energy not to mention the unique chewy firm bite they add to any dish. I often times incorporate them into salads or soups to offer another dimension of flavor and texture. This week I thought they would be delicious with dill oil marinated kale, red grapes, briny feta cheese and creamy raw walnuts. All the flavors come together to offer bursts of salty, sweet, tangy deliciousness. After a healthy salad there is nothing I love more in the Winter than warm cookies right out of the oven. I make a large batch of these Vanilla Bean Cherry White Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies(god damn, that is a mouthful of a cookie) and keep them in the freezer ready to bake at any moment. I always under bake my oatmeal cookies a little because I love the crispy exterior that gives way to a moist chewy interior. I also love that these cookies aren’t too sweat. I use apple juice soaked cherries from Whole foods and White Chocolate from Russ & Daughters. The cherries are so plump and juicy and don’t have all those harmful preservatives! The white chocolate is TO DIE FOR!!! I have never had such velvety creamy white chocolate, not to mention it lacks that artificial sweetener flavor that most generic white chocolates have.

Now for that burst of Spring I was talking about….Cucumber / Basil / Mango / Coconut Milk Chilled Soup!!!! That’s right kids, this soup explodes with clean refreshing flavors that keep you coming back for more…and more…and more. I also love this soup because it is a no prep(well, virtually no prep) throw in the blender sort of recipe that can be made in minutes. I use our amazing Vitamix, which if you don’t have one go out and buy one!!! Like most soups, you can add seasonings to adjust the flavor to your liking. I ended up adding a dash of coriander and cumin to balance out the soup towards the end. I absolutely love this dairy free healthy cold soup…even if it is 34˚ out today. In my heart and mind it is Spring.

[Show as slideshow]

CUCUMBER BASIL MANGO COCONUT MILK SOUP

Serves: 12 (yields about 15 cups)

INGREDIENTS:

4 Large English Cucumbers

3 Kurby Cucumbers diced or sliced for garnishing

2 Boxes Basil (blanched and drained of excess water)

2 Ripe Mangos peeled & pit removed

1 Bottle/Large Box So Delicious Coconut Milk(unsweetened)…you could also use Almond/Rice Milk, but it will be more watery.

1 Large Bunch Celery

1 Cup Local Honey(add more or less for your desired sweetness)

1 Tablespoon Cumin

2 Teaspoons Corriander

Salt to taste

1. The prep for this soup is sooooooo simple. Bring a small pot of water to a boil and blanch your basil for 10 seconds. Immediately strain and put in an ice bath to stop cooking and preserve that brilliant green color. Strain basil again and place in a few layers of paper towels. Squeeze the basil to remove any excess water.

2. Chop English cucumbers and celery into 2 inch chunks.

3. Peel Mango and remove pit. Chop into chunks.

4. In batches blend cucumber, celery, mango, basil, coconut milk, honey and seasoning

5. I passed my soup through a Chinois to get a very smooth textured soup, but you can certainly leave it as is for a more rustic feel.

6. Chill soup in refrigerator for at least one hour, the colder the better.

7. Slice Kurby(or any small seedless cucumber) Cucumbers with a mandolin and adorn the top with as many as your little heart desires. Since I don’t use any pepper in the soup, I like to crack some on the top. You can also fine dice the Kurby Cucumber and mix into the soup to add a crunchy element to each bite.

*Note: this soup would also be delicious with mint or dill instead of or in addition to the basil*

[Show as slideshow]

IRISH SODA BREAD

adapted from Munaty Cooking

yield: 2-3 servings

INGREDIENTS:

1.5 Cups All Purpose Flour (+ extra for your hands)

2 tsp Sugar

1/2 tsp Kosher Salt

1/4 tsp Baking Soda

1 tsp Baking Powder

1 Tblsp Melted Unsalted Butter

1 Medium Organic Egg

1/4 Cup Buttermilk

butter and honey to serve

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Preheat the oven to 350˚F

2.  Sift the dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl

3.  Beat the egg and buttermilk until thoroughly combined and then slowly add to wet mixture to the dry ingredients while stirring with a spatula

4.  Get your hands all floured up and knead the dough for less than 10 seconds.  The dough will be really wet and sticky so don’t get your panties in a twist.

5.  Transfer the dough to a lightly floured baking sheet, or if you wanna throw down old school styles transfer to a lightly floured cast iron skillet.  Either way, upon transfer, shape the dough into a round, flouring your doughy fingers if need be.

6.  Dip a pairing knife in flour and score the dough at a depth of 1″ in a giant “X” or cross shape.

7.  Dust the top of the dough with some more flour and pop in the oven for 25-30 minutes, until the top is golden.

8.  Slice or tear and serve with butter, honey, and Maldon

Haven’s Kitchen: Wok Cooking Class with Chef Katy

[Show as slideshow]

The 1896 Stages/Studios Photo Shoot: Breakfast & Lunch in Bushwick, Brooklyn

[Show as slideshow]

Peels Dinner (always pass it, now we’ve tried it): Surprisingly yummy meal at a neighborhood hot spot.

*definitely try the oysters with tobasco granita, as well as the beet/grapefruit/frisee salad*

Sweaty Sundays: Dance class with friend & infamous choreographer from LA Sir Ryan Heffington.

*if you live in Los Angeles(were LG is from) hit up the Sweat Spot in Silverlake on Wednesdays and Sundays for an all levels dance class that will change your life…SERIOUSLY!