Trick’s Picks

Regional burger chain Culver’s Restaurants is getting the red carpet treatment with its first national TV ad to run during Sunday’s Academy Awards telecast. Read the full Media Week article here.

Food Network Magazine Nov/Dec 2008, pg. 81

I love my slow-cooker, but I have to be honest that most magazine recipes that utilize this time-saving tool disappoint. But this sweet-and-savory turkey stew from Food Network Magazine exceeds expectations. So much so, that I’ve already made it twice!

The recipe calls for bone-in turkey thights (drumsticks work as well, but be careful of the sharp bones). I used organic turkey breast the second time I made the stew, and the meat was drier and less flavorful.

The stew couldn’t be easier to make: season the turkey with an allspice-salt mixture, add it to the slow-cooker and cover it with butternut squash, canned chickpeas, two cans of peeled tomatoes, dried apricots and golden raisins, carrots, chunks of red onions, and a couple of dried chiles to add a kick. Cook on high for 6 hours or low for 7 to 8. (Pick up the magazine for the full recipe.)

The savory cilantro sauce is a must. Mix oil, lemon, cilantro, parsley, garlic, and cumin in a food processor, and drizzle over the stew when served. But I’d recommend skipping the teaspoon of salt, or adding just a dash. Like all slow-cooker recipes, this stew can be tweaked to your taste, but there’s no need to get too adventurous.

This recipe is so delicious, it’ll make you think about adding a Moroccan twist to your Thanksgiving menu.

There’s no doubt in my mind that fall offers the best ingredients for delicious desserts. There are pumpkins, apples, and figs just to name a few. Ah figs…my favorite fall treat.

So when I saw this new recipe for a Pecan Fig Bourbon Cake on gourmet.com, I had to make it right away. I didn’t even let cold rain and wind spoil my mood as I walked to the store to pick up a few missing ingredients after work.

As usual, I didn’t pay as close attention to the recipe as I should have before heading to the store. So when I got home I realized that I didn’t quite have enough figs or pecans. So I improvised, and came up with a creation that I like to call Fig and Cherry Nutty Merry Bundt Cake. All it took were a couple handsful of dried cherries and some chopped walnuts, and tada!

I let the cake cool overnight and iced it in the morning — before I even had my first cup of coffee! I was a bit worried the cherries had cut the sweetness too much after I tasted the fig and cherry purée the night before. But the end result turned out delightfully delicious.

No, I’m not ashamed to admit I enjoyed a slice for breakfast.

The cake itself is much lighter than one would expect in a Bundt cake, and incredibly moist. The bourbon in the icing was a bit much (especially at 8 a.m.) but I blame it on my heavy measuring hand and not on the recipe.

I highly recommend the original Gourmet recipe, or a slightly modified version to any cake fan. It also makes a great holiday party dessert. I mean, who’s not a Bundt fan?

No trip to Madison would be complete without a stop into Gail Ambrosius Chocolatier on the city’s funky east side. I practically ran across the street into oncoming traffic when I saw the storefront, eager to see what treats awaited me inside. And Gail didn’t disappoint.

mint and Kentucky bourbon chocolates

To my delight, I found an overwhelming assortment of hand-made dark chocolate truffles, all crafted in small batches and and created fresh each day. I didn’t know where to begin, so the shopgirl behind the counter offered a sample (roasted pepitas in a chunk of rich, dark chocolate) and made suggestions (“try the mint, it’s made with fresh leaves picked out back”) while Darren and I narrowed down the options. Patience is a virtue when working at a chocolate shop with so many delightful options, and this girl was incredibly virtuous!

cinnamon and cayenne chocolates

We ultimately chose a six-pack of truffles: swirled bon-bon filled with roasted pepitas enveloped in caramel; Earl Grey tea sprinkled with organic lavendar buds; cardamom and orange blossom topped with a candied pistachio; Kentucky bourbon decorated with roasted pecan; freshly picked mint and deep, dark chocolate; and cream-filled chocolate infused with roasted ancho chilies, cinnamon sticks, and a warm touch of cayenne and chipotle pepper.

early grey and lavendar chocolates

Upon checkout, I discovered an assortment pre-packaged chocolates molded into fun shapes, and picked up a small bag of hazelnut-shaped and -flavored dark chocolates. These would make the perfect gift for Jenny! I almost couldn’t wait to get home so she could try them.

What makes Gail’s chocolates even more savory is the satisfaction you get knowing that these globally inspired recipes are made using sustainable practices. Gail works only with small family farms by purchasing single-origin cacao from small producers around the world. As a result, each chocolate brings a unique flavor from its growing environment to those lucky enough to enjoy Madison’s own unique flavor of chocolatier.

After months of persistence and anticipation, it was finally time to belly up to the counter at Momofuku Ko and see what all the fuss is about. And let me tell you, nothing could have prepared me for this memorable meal.

Darren and I arrived a bit early, eager to begin what would be an unforgettable two-hour, ten-course dining experience.

The first taste is a slice of spicy chicharon, a savory biscuit with white pepper, and grilled octopus with dried black olives. This is followed by slices of silky fluke sashimi swimming in buttermilk and white soy and covered in poppy seeds.

Cameras aren’t allowed in Momofuku Ko, but Grub Street managed to sneak out a shot of the fluke for those interested.

Next are sliced mushrooms floating above richly flavored turnips in a bacon broth. A smoked egg cooked sous vide is sliced open like Pac-Man and devours caviar. Next to it are cooked onions and fried fingerling potato chips so thin that you suspect they are sliced by a laser.

Then three ravioli stuffed with sweet corn and sour cream arrive, followed by two scallops topped with burnt bitter onions and sprinkled with finely chopped spicy radish.

The ultimate treat arrives next, a six-inch-high salmon-colored mound of shaved foie gras. Lychee and pine nut brittle are buried beneath to add texture and cut the richness. With one taste, Darren’s eyes light up and I know he’s immediately hooked.

The foie gras is cured with salt and sugar, then frozen so it can be grated into a fluffy mound of shavings. The ice cream texture quickly transforms to that of butter, and the experience is quite unbelievable.

Once you’re done savoring the last bit of foie gras, braised duck arrives over sliced cherries and cherry sauce. Pineapple sorbet cleanses your palate and conjures images of eating pineapple-flavored snow falling somewhere in the tropics.

The second dessert, yellow cake batter ice cream with slightly pickled strawberries, is another highlight of the meal and the perfect way to end the night.

The menu changes according to what’s available at the market — and the chef’s whims — so every experience at Momofuku Ko is wonderfully unique. However, our waitress informed us that a few of the popular items like the sashimi and egg have been on the menu since Momofuku Ko opened.

The wine pairing is also a great deal and almost as exciting as the meal. You can choose from one of three levels, and we chose the least expensive at $50 which didn’t disappoint. The wines range from a rosé brute champagne to start, a French pinot (”How bold!” exlaims Darren), a delightful Greanche which is available at Union Square Wines, saki, and Trick’s pick, Victory Prima pilsner which smells like pine but tastes like honey.

Just under three hours until Momofuku Ko, and counting…yay!

Obsession feeds chef David Chang’s soul, and after months of trying to get a reservation at his new restaurant, Trick’s Picks has already had a taste of it before even stepping through Momofuku Ko’s doors. Reservations are taken only online each day at 10 a.m. for only two of 14 seats in the restaurant. And TP will finally be one of the blessed 14 this Tuesday!

After months of obsessively logging onto Momofuku Ko’s reservations website at 9:59 a.m. and refreshing the page for a full minute, TP will experience what Ruth Reichl says is the “richest, silkiest short rib you have ever tasted.” 

Trick’s Picks readers will get a full, first-hand report after this Tuesday! Until then, TP will continue to obsess.

Copyright The New Yorker

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“Pizza Hut meets Blue Hill?” That’s how Jim Lahey sums up his new fancy pizza joint backed by Jean-George Vongerichten. Seriously? Pizza Hut?

Co. (that’s pronounced “company”–the abbreviation makes it fancy) will open on 24th and Ninth, just a hop-skip-and-dash from Trick’s Picks headquaters. We’ll admit we are a bit excited about the prospect of a decent pizza joint in this neighborhood, but we’re also a bit skeptical. Why overthink pizza?

The New York Times assures us that by Pizza Hut, Lahey means it’ll be cheap, and by Blue Hill, it’ll be ingredient-obsessed. But to TP, it sounds like it’ll land on the palate more in the vacinity of mediocre. But Lahey, who’s also the headbaker and owner of Sullivan Street Bakery, has the chops and apparently the backing (re: J-G V) to pull it off. And hey, mediocre’s still pretty good compared to what passes for pizza in Chelsea.

Expect a full report from TP & Co. when Co. opens in about a month.

This refreshing summer salad was another highlight of last weekend’s Labor Day feast and a great bookend to Darren’s summer corn salad. The fresh flavors of cucumber and mint balance out the acidic flavors of tomato and vinegar, creating a wonderfully juicy delight that’s good enough to even eat as a an entire meal.

The ingredients are easy to find at your local farmers market during the summer, and the recipe couldn’t been more effortless:

• 2 large cucumbers halved lengthwise, seeded and sliced. For additional flair, score the cucumbers with a potato peeler leaving strips of skin.
• 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 large tomatoes, seeded and coarsely chopped
• 2/3 cup coarsely chopped red onion
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Toss the cucumbers, vinegar, sugar, and salt. Let stand at room temperature for an hour, stirring occasionally. Add tomatoes, onion, mint, and oil to cucumbers and toss to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve.