Julia Child's Classic French Omelette

I have admired Julia Child since I was about 4 years old.  To me, Julia reigns as the most influential TV chef in the US, above Martha, above Rachael, above Giada, above Lidia, above all the rest (Mario, etc. etc.).  She was smart, talented, confident, funny, earnest, and opinionated.  And she could make a mean omelette.

I was on a bit of a Julia-inspired omelette kick this past July, and am revisiting them again this fall since they are such a quick, easy, and elegant meal.  (They also require minimal cooking time, which is perfect for the summer... note to future self.)

Julia introduced us to omelettes in her series, The French Chef, many years ago by asking us, enticingly, "How about dinner in half a minute?  How about a last minute dinner party for 300 people?  What about an omelette?!  (Cue the lively theme music for her show.)"  Julia then drew the viewer in by describing this classic dish as one composed of "lovely, and tender, and soft... lightly coagulated eggs with a little cloak around holding them together...  It's perfect as a quick meal, that makes a lovely little lunch with a green salad."  I couldn't agree more.

Julia tells us that all you need to make an omelette is a hot fire, a bowl, some butter, some salt and pepper, and some eggs.  And, of course, you must have the right kind of pan.  This is so you can move the pan and eggs around quickly to form the omelette as it cooks.  Julia notes that she likes to cook her omelette in "a plain old no-stick pan" that has sides that are about 2-inches high, with about a 7-inch diameter, and a handle that you can hold on to when manipulating the pan to form the omelette.  (You move the pan around like you do when making Jiffy Pop on the stove.)  Despite helping to create a line of beautiful, high-end, specially-designed omelette pans, Julia claims that the best pan to have is one you can use for everything, so "you don't have to keep it only for omelettes.  If you get one of those fancy pans you really can't use it for anything else at all because it will ruin it."  Good to note.

She goes on to tell us that the omelette should be cooked on a high flame.  (Thank you Julia, I've always heard that eggs should be cooked slowly.)  Just 20 seconds, she says, makes the perfect omelette.  She also tells us that, "the best and the tenderest [omelette] is made out of 2 to 3 eggs."  More makes a "leathery" omelette.  Well, no one wants that!  Julia also notes in, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, that the center of the omelette should remain soft and creamy.  Indeed.

the Rolled Omelette -- a classic

L'Omelette Roulee (Rolled Omelette)

Servings: 1

Ingredients:

• 2 (or 3) eggs
• 1 teaspoon water
• salt, to taste
• freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1 tablespoon butter
• chopped parsley

Directions (as per Julia):

1. Mix the eggs with water, salt, and freshly ground pepper.  Whisk or mix just enough to blend the whites and yolks thoroughly.  
2. Add a good tablespoon of butter to a hot pan.  Coat the pan entirely with the butter.  Use high heat.  You will know the pan is ready when the butter foams up and the foam then comes down.
3. Just before the butter begins to brown, add the eggs, which should sizzle as they hit the pan.  
4. Wait for about 2 or 3 seconds as the eggs coagulate, then swirl the pan flat around the heat for a few seconds.  Then gradually jerk the pan towards you to form the omelette, which should turn over on itself in the far end of the pan.  
5. Turn the pan around to flip the omelette over and out onto a warm plate.  If the shape is off, use two forks (or the sides of your hands if no one is watching) to push it together and form it up properly.
6. Butter the top if you like (to make it shiny), and dress the omelette with parsley and salt.  Serves 1.

Dry ingredients can be mixed into the eggs, Julia tells us, as in:

Omelette aux Fines Herbes (Omelette with Herbs)

1. Add some herbs to the eggs.  You can choose from a mixture of parsley, chives, scallions, or shallots.  Or from a mixture of tarragon, chives, chervil or anything you have that is in season.  I especially like a combination of parsley and chives.
2. Cook as directed above; dress with parsley and salt.  Serves 1.

Wet ingredients should be used to make a filled omelette, as in:

Omelette aux Lardons et aux Pomme de Terre (Omelette with Bacon and Potatoes)

1. Saute some bacon (~1 tablespoon cooked) and diced boiled & peeled potatoes (~ 1/4 cup), with some scallions (~1 tablespoon, chopped), and some ground pepper.  Brown nicely.  Keep warm.
2. Make omelette, using the standard recipe above, in a separate pan. 
3. When the eggs coagulate and you've swirled the pan a bit (cooking the eggs about 8 seconds or so), add the bacon and potato mixture on top of the omelette.  The mixture should form a long heap extending from left to right.
4. Jerk the pan back and forth towards you to create a cloak of eggs around the filling.  
5. Turn the omelette out onto a warm plate (correcting the form if needed).  Butter the top, and dress with parsley and salt.  Serves 2.

Omelette au Fromage (Omelette with Cheese)

1. Grate a bit of Swiss or Parmesan cheese (1 to 2 tablespoons, grated)
2. Make omelette, using the standard recipe above. 
3. When the eggs coagulate and you've swirled the pan a bit (cooking the eggs about 3 seconds or so), sprinkle the eggs with the grated cheese. 
4. Finish cooking the omelette as noted above; plate. 
5. If you wish, sprinkle the platted omelette with more cheese (making sure the plate is broiler-proof), dot with butter, and broil until the cheese is melted and browned.  Serves 1.

There are so many variations on this theme (for example).  Julia recommended the following books for inspiration, tips, and ideas:  The Art of Cooking Omelettes by Madame Romaine De Lyon, and The Omelette Book by Narcissa Chamberlain.  Then of course, there's Julia herself.  I highly recommend looking for an online video (perhaps on YouTube) of the episode titled, "The Omelette Show" from her PBS series The French Chef.  It's wonderful viewing, and it offers the novice omelette maker a good sense of how to move the pan when cooking an omelette.  There's also a wealth of information in her cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking. 

So now you have no excuse for not making dinner tonight.  All you need is 2 or 3 eggs, and some 20 seconds or so later, voilà fini, you're done.  Simple.  Add to this if you like some fresh greens, dressed with a little vinegar, olive oil, and salt (or use the delicious vinaigrette recipe included in this post) for a lovely light dinner.  Refined and elegant, just like Julia.   And don't forget the wine -- this is French cooking afterall!  I hear a dry Alsatian Chablis can be a nice pairing, but if this is not your style, a bit of leftover champagne is always a solid choice.  And for an omelette aux fines herbes, some recommendations include an Alsatian Riesling.  Bon appétit!

Savory Oatmeal with Blue Cheese and Caramelized Red Onions

Savory oatmeal... At first blush this sounds odd, right?  Since it's now fall, perhaps the idea might be a bit more appealing, if only slightly.  But trust me on this one, savory oatmeal is delicious.  And I'm not the only one who's jumped on this bandwagon... There are lots of recipes out there for savory oatmeal (for example), including some touted by the wonderful Mark Bittman (see also this entry from Serious Eats).

To plunge into this world of savory oatmeal, one must see oatmeal for the grain that it is, and not be confined by thoughts of one's childhood days sitting over a steaming mound of sweet, buttery oatmeal looking out onto the snow.  Instead you should think of savory oatmeal the way you do risotto, because that's what this recipe is closest to... but in some ways this dish is even better, because what this savory oatmeal promises is a delicious quick bowl of creamy, cheesy, grainy, savory goodness.

This dish can be served for brunch, lunch, or as a side for dinner.  It's also a great recipe for when you're looking to just throw something together quickly, but still want something rich and flavorful. 

 
Servings: 2 (sides) or 1 (very filling meal)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (not instant or quick cooking)
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup milk (1%)
• 1 sprig of thyme
• 1/4 small red onion, diced
• a pat of butter, for browning
• ~1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons blue cheese (preferably Stilton), to your taste
• ~1 tablespoon of grated cheese (1/2 Pecorino Romano, 1/2 Grana Padano)
• salt, to taste
• pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. In a sauté pan, heat onions in butter until nicely browned.
2. While the onions are cooking, add oats, water, and milk to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Add thyme leaves. Stir. Continue cooking at a slow boil for about 3 minutes.
3. Add cheeses to the oats; mix. Keep the heat low to allow the cheese to melt.
4. Add onions to the oats; mix.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Serve.

With the addition of the three cheeses, this dish can be on the salty side, so be careful not to over-season it.  But the saltiness is balanced nicely by the sweetness of the onions and the earthiness of the thyme.

Clearly this oatmeal recipe is not one your cardiologist might approve of, but I will suggest that you try it nonetheless.  And if not, perhaps one of the other savory oatmeal dishes will pique your interest... Perhaps Mark Bittman's simpler oatmeal with scallions and soy sauce recipe is an easier jaunt into the world of savory oatmeal.  I suggest adding a little ginger powder to Bittman's recipe to round out the flavors.  He's also modified this recipe by adding some sesame oil, or swapping out the scallions for celery.  But whatever your taste preferences, oatmeal is a wonderful pallet to build upon. Seriously, there are so many options.  The sky's the limit.  So, cook, eat, and enjoy!

Cacio e Pepe Oatmeal with steel-cut oats, toasted ground peppercorns,
and peppercorn cheddar cheese from the farmers market.

Recipe Extra: Cacio e Pepe Oatmeal is made with 1 1/2 cups water, 1/2 cup steel-cut oats, ~1 1/2 tablespoons freshly ground pepper toasted in ~1 tablespoon olive oil, 3 to 4 tablespoons of cheese (I used a blend of peppercorn cheddar cheese, Grana Padano, and Pecorino Romano cut in chunks), and salt to taste. Cook oats in boiling water for about 20 mins. Toast peppercorns in oil. When oats are done, add oil, peppercorns, and cheese. Mix well and salt to taste. Serves 2.

September Celebrations, Michelin Starred Restaurants

NYC is a premier gastronomic city, made even more interesting by the close proximity of numerous Michelin starred restaurants.  This month I happened to visit not just one, but two Michelin rated establishments, The NoMad and Aquavit, while celebrating various events with friends.  What a treat!

First, what is the Michelin star rating?  This is a system of rating restaurants (and hotels) organized by the Michelin tire company.  All restaurants receiving stars are listed in the Michelin Guide.  The guide uses a three star system in their recommendations.  Rankings are determined by professionally-trained Michelin inspectors who remain anonymous (mostly).  The now-famed survey began in France in the early 1900s as a sort of atlas offered to tire customers with the hope that the listings would inspire interest in travel and spur tire sales.  The Michelin Guide has published ratings for US restaurants since 2006, but ratings are reserved for only a few US cities, which have included NYC, LA, Chicago, Las Vegas, and San Francisco.  A one star rating indicates that a restaurant is "very good... in its category, offering cuisine prepared to a consistently high standard. A good place to stop on your journey."  Two stars suggest the restaurant offers "excellent cuisine, skillfully and carefully crafted dishes of outstanding quality. Worth a detour."  And three stars indicates that the restaurant provides "exceptional cuisine where diners eat extremely well, often superbly. Distinctive dishes are precisely executed, using superlative ingredients. Worth a special journey."  These descriptors make clear why so few stars are awarded.  According to Forbes, since 2006 Michelin has given stars to just 126 of the city's thousands of restaurants.  There is an additional ranking, called Bib Gourmand, which is awarded to more affordable restaurants (i.e., those offering two courses and a glass of wine or dessert for $40 or less) noted as being "Favorites for Good Value" by Michelin inspectors.  A list of NYC's Bib Gourmand restaurants can be found here.  Gaining a Michelin Star is quite an honor (but not everyone agrees with this statement).  Interestingly, trends in the types of restaurants that receive stars have changed a great deal in NY since the first stars were awarded in 2006.  For example, restaurants serving French food no longer dominate the list, and although restaurants serving American food still reign, a greater variety of cuisines are now represented.

The NoMad (one star) is a relatively new, classic-style NYC restaurant, serving American food.  The restaurant and the adjoining bar opened in 2012.  We ate at The NoMad Bar, which may or may not share the same kitchen as the Michelin starred NoMad.  Either way, I assume that since they share the same space, they also share the same quality in food preparation even though the menus do differ.  At least their website would seem to suggest this, noting that The NoMad Bar's menu, "is rooted in the style and foundation of The NoMad and Eleven Madison Park."  Owner Will Guidara and partner/chef Daniel Humm apparently modeled NoMad's character after the Rolling Stones... who knew.  The food and atmosphere were impressive.  A bit hip, and very solid (not unlike the Stones).  Our waitress told us that the burger (dry-aged, served with red onion and pickles) would ruin us for all others.  It was very good, but perhaps because of the waitress's description, we expected something more unique.  We also tried the bacon-wrapped hot dog served with black truffles and celery, and the fries served with an herb, lemon, and champagne rémoulade.  The cocktails at The NoMad Bar were very good, and we also enjoyed their exceptional non-alcoholic drinks.  A return visit is certainly necessary if only to try the chicken pot pie with black truffles and foie gras, which has been receiving much attention of late (see also).  Dining at The NoMad proper also seems in order.

Burgers and fries at the NoMad Bar.

Aquavit (two stars) is a sophisticated Scandinavian style restaurant serving wonderfully inventive Nordic-inspired food.  The well-known chef, Marcus Samuelsson (of the Red Rooster) made his name here, and even though he is no longer the restaurant's executive chef, the place is still cutting edge delicious.  (In fact, this year Aquavit gained a new star, and with this executive chef Emma Bengtsson became the first woman in the city to receive two Michelin stars.)  We ordered the tasting menu, and were not disappointed.  Tasting menus, now a NY institution for better or worse, offer meals specially curated by the chef, representing the pinnacle of what the restaurant has to offer.  They are a fantastic culinary adventure where one is treated to a succession of delights as well as some surprises not appearing on the menu.  Needless to say, we left quite satisfied.  It would be difficult to identify one dish that stood out, since they were all so uniquely divine.  But if pressed, I'd say the Icelandic cod with sugar snap peas was especially good, as was the salad with heirloom tomatoes and green sorrel... the series of desserts were quite delicious too.  The service at Aquavit was impeccable -- style and class all the way.  And, of course, the aquavit was also very good.

Personalized tasting menu at Aquavit.

Limoncello

I've always wanted to make limoncello, especially since learning that Italians speak so casually about the process.  I'd hear people say that it involved no more than a simple bit of mixing lemons with sugar and some alcohol, and just letting it sit until the time is right, and presto you have limoncello.  So simple.  Wasn't I surprised to find out that it actually is this simple!  Well, almost.

Here's the process: wash and peel some organic lemons, steep the peels in alcohol for a month, add some simple syrup, let it sit a few more days more, and freeze.  Presto!  Limoncello.  I followed the recipe offered by America's Test Kitchen very closely.  The result was pretty good.  And what fun it was!  Homemade limoncello, at last!  Apparently the same recipe can be followed using orange peels (to make "orangecello"), grapefruit peels, etc.  Perhaps I'll try that next.  These pretty little bottles of limoncello make wonderful gifts.  But I wouldn't argue with you if you decided to keep them all for sharing with guests at home.  It can be quite impressive when you offer your dinner guests a bit of homemade limoncello as an after dinner digestivo.  And it leads to some very good conversation as well!

An important note about the lemons: Be sure to buy organic lemons for this recipe, since you want to consume as little pesticides as possible with your limoncello.  When the peels steep in the alcohol, any chemicals on the peels are drawn out and end up in the alcohol.  (Alcohol is a solvent, afterall.)  For the same reason, you're going to want to scrub the lemons well, to remove anything that might be stuck to the peel.  Also, America's Test Kitchen recommends using regular lemons, as they suggest that Meyer lemons are a bit too floral in flavor.

Lastly, what to do with all those leftover lemons?  Well, make fresh lemonade of course!  To save on space, I made a lemonade that was very concentrated; I added water by the glass (to suit individual tastes) when serving.  Some folks liked it straight, others preferred it watered down.  It was perfect!

Makes: 5 1/2 cups (~1.3 liters) of limoncello

Ingredients:

• 1 (750-ml) bottle 100-proof vodka
• 8-10 organic lemons (~2 lbs), scrubbed well
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 cup sugar

Directions: 

1. Use a vegetable peeler to remove the zest from lemons in long strips.  Use a paring knife to remove any of the pith from the zest.  (The pith will add too much bitterness.)
2. Combine the zest and vodka in large non-reactive container (with ~ 1 liter capacity), cover with a lid, and let the mixture steep in a cool, dark place for 28 days.  The full 28 days (give or take a day or 2) is necessary to give the best lemon flavor.  Some say that you should store the mixture away from light to keep the peels from darkening.
3. Strain the infusion through a mesh strainer into large liquid measuring cup (at least a 4 cup volume is needed), pressing on the zests with a wooden spoon to extract as much liquid as possible.  (Using a liquid measuring cup or a bowl with a pour spout will aid in dispensing the limoncello into bottles.)  Discard the zests. 
4. Combine water and sugar in a small saucepan.  Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is completely dissolved, about 2 minutes.  Let cool.
5. Add 1 3/4 cups of syrup to the infused vodka, adjusting the amount as desired.  Swirl to combine.
6. Transfer the limoncello to a bottle(s) with a tight-fitting lid.  (I used 1-17 ounce bottle, and 2-8.5 ounce bottles, and had just a bit left over.)  Let the limoncello mellow for 5 days in a  cool, dark place. 
7. Transfer the limoncello to the freezer.  Serve the limoncello cold from freezer.

The zesting process begins!

Removing the pith.

Ready to be stored.

Close-up, day 0.

30 days later!

Straining the zests.

Pre simple syrup.

Post simple syrup.

Bottled!

Summertime sharing.

Limoncello is embarrassingly easy to make -- all you need is patience.  And it's delicious.  Once you master one limoncello recipe, you might want to try others.  For example, one recipe is making quite a stir in Brooklyn and around the web; it involves suspending a lemon above some vodka for several weeks, letting the alcohol vapors leach the essential oils from the lemon... wow!  Other recipes suggest that you can add herbs, spices, or other fruits to the mixture, at different times during the steeping process and for different steeping durations, to create a more complex flavor. 

In the US, lemons are in season during the winter, but limoncello is best enjoyed on a warm summer night.  That's not to say that limoncello isn't wonderful any time of year.  In fact, I've been told that one sip can bring you back to those lazy summer evenings in a flash...  So go ahead and enjoy, all year long.  Summer's waiting!

Uptown Showdown and Homemade Pancakes

Symphony Space on the Upper West Side is a fantastic performing arts centers and, in my opinion, a very special place.  It's home to many unique cultural events including musical and dance performances, independent films, broadcasts of international theater productions, the popular short story performances Selected Shorts, and the fantastic debate-style comedy series Uptown Showdown. 

Uptown Showdown describes itself with the following: "Two teams of comedians, writers and performers square off in head-to-head debates that tackle some of the most important issues of our time, such as which decade was the coolest—the eighties or the nineties, is cake really better than pie and who would win in a showdown pirates or ninjas? Forget about school reform and health care, these issues, heatedly argued by some of the funniest, smartest, intensely wacky creative thinkers around, are the topics that keep us awake at night."

The topic for the showdown I attended was breakfast vs. dinner, and was it funny!  The show adheres to a familiar debate format: the audience hears arguments from 2 teams, with 3 members each, and then votes (by cheering) for the best team, and a winner is declared.  Debating for breakfast were writer/comedians Sheng Wang, Michelle Buteau, and Brooks Wheelan (recently of SNL); and for dinner Dave Hill, Jen Kirkman (author and comedian), and Joe DeRosa; the show was hosted by Kevin Townley.  Although the dinner team was a bit funnier, it seems breakfast may have won based on style and overall pizazz.  You can see videos from four of the best debaters below, or click on the links to see Sheng Wang's performance, Jen Kirkman's performance, Michelle Buteau's performance, and Joe DeRosa's performance.  

So, what does one do after such an entertaining evening out?  One discusses the highs and lows of the show and the merits of breakfast and dinner, while taking in the warm night air and enjoying a long walk home... where one promptly proceeds to make pancakes and bacon in honor of the winning team's victory -- of course!  I don't have the exact recipe we used for the pancakes that night, but leave it to Martha Stewart to offer one that is reasonably close and quite good, as adapted below.

Uptown Pancakes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
• 1 cup milk (1% milk fat)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (or vegetable oil)
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• maple syrup

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees; have a baking sheet or heatproof platter ready to keep cooked pancakes warm in the oven.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, butter (or oil), and egg. 
4. Add dry ingredients to milk mixture; whisk until just moistened (do not over-mix; a few small lumps are fine).
5. Heat a large skillet (nonstick or cast-iron) or griddle over medium.  Add butter or oil to the pan.  (I prefer butter.)  If using oil, fold a sheet of paper towel in half, and moisten with oil; carefully rub skillet with oiled paper towel.
6. For each pancake, spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons of batter onto skillet, using the back of the spoon to spread batter into a round (you should be able to fit 2 to 3 in a large skillet).
7. Cook until surface of pancakes have some bubbles and a few have burst. Flip carefully with a thin spatula, and cook until browned on the underside, a few minutes more. 
8. Transfer to a baking sheet or platter; cover loosely with aluminum foil, and keep warm in oven. 
9. Continue with more oil and remaining batter. (Martha's original recipe indicates that you'll have 12 to 15 pancakes, but I usually have about 7 or so.) Serve warm, with maple syrup, or (blueberry) jam, or both. 

the batter

in the skillet

in the plate

Happy 4th!

NYC puts on a number of fireworks displays, throughout the city every year, leading up to the big display on the 4th.  The shows start in late June and actually run through August.  Catching them is a spectacular event every year.

Happy 4th!

2013's display over the East River

Kara Walker's "A Subtlety"

There has been a lot of talk recently about Kara Walker's new exhibit in Brooklyn, called "A Subtlety."  Actually, the official title of the piece is, "A Subtlety, or the Marvelous Sugar Baby an Homage to the unpaid and overworked Artisans who have refined our Sweet tastes from the cane fields to the Kitchens of the New World on the Occasion of the demolition of the Domino Sugar Refining Plant." But in a word (or two), I'd call it simply astounding.  The work comments broadly on race (and specifically on African Americans' experiences in America/the Caribbean).  It speaks to history near and far, and plays with contrasts of color, scale, and thought.  It also intertwines olfactory experience with artistic concept in a way that I haven't seen before: the mesmerizingly sweet smell of molasses in the air somehow envelops, but also clashes against, the harsh acidity of the work's content matter.

As with all works of art, the viewer has the choice of interacting with its subject on a very superficial or meaningful level.  This is a very rich, multilayered piece of work that contains a great deal of symbolism, some of it subtle, some of it overt.  Not surprising, given the weight (and presentation) of the subject matter considered here, there has been some controversy surrounding people's responses to the exhibit (some Instagram photos, for example).  In a pointed critique, Dr. Nicholas Powers, Associate Professor of English at SUNY Westbury, suggested that, in their interactions with the piece, many visitors were (consciously or unconsciously), "...recreating the very racism this art is supposed to critique."

"questionable acts" were demonstrated by staff members as well.

It's really amazing living in a city in which we are all constantly coming together (on the subway, in the market, at the park, at art exhibits, etc.).  At the same time, it's disappointing to be reminded that we remain a divided community in many ways, and that these divisions are based in part on race, which often leads to very different experiences as we move throughout the city and life.  But this is not, nor should it be, the sole focus of this installation, which is truly monumental in scale and concept.  "A Subtlety" is a very complex piece of art that requires much thought and introspection.  With this work, Kara Walker has offered the viewer an opportunity to learn more about themselves, history, and society.  I've visited the installation twice; I was and continue to be very moved.

For more information about this piece, I recommend:

NPR interview
NY Times article
New Yorker article
a piece about the experience of African Americans who have visited the work
an interview with Kara Walker by ArtNet

... and a truly wonderful (and informative) video from a live broadcast interview with Kara Walker that is available from the NY Public Library.