Earthy Delight

When I was younger I always wondered what being an adult in my 20s would be like. 12-year-old me thought that by the time I turned 22 I’d have my shit together (still working on it), be engaged (nowhere close to that), and be enjoying life in New York City (at least she got that part right). Another thing past-me imagined was hosting large dinner parties for friends, but not in the way they’ve occurred in the last few months. I can tell you now, Little Mare never imagined my eclectic group of friends and I making this earthy menu of Sage Veal Chops, Wild Mushroom Fricassee Over Polenta, and Arugula Salad with Blue Cheese, Pears, and Apricot Vinaigrette. Let’s get cooking!

Unlike most of my EVOO adventures, this one was thrown together pretty much at the last minute — I’m not complaining though, random plans tend to produce the best memories. Around mid-day, Mikella and I walked up to Whole Foods on 59th Street. We decided to bypass Trader Joe’s because they don’t carry veal, and we were in the mood for a one-and-done shopping trip.

Once we arrived at Whole Foods, Kell and I split up — she scoured the produce section, while I made my way to the deli counter. I needed four veal chops for tonight, and there was quite a selection. I chose four, and was very happy…until I saw the price tag. $66 for four veal rib chops!! I found Mikella and bitched a bit, then finally decided to give the rib chops back in exchange for loin chops for 2 reasons: 1. a majority of the weight from the rib chop was the huge bone still attached — I was not about to pay for mostly bone, and 2. the loin chops were a little less expensive. I was worried the deli guy wouldn’t exchange, but since I was there 5 minutes prior it was all good. The loin chops ended up being $58, but at least I saved $8.

Remember how we said we wanted a one-stop shopping trip? Well that didn’t happen. We weren’t able to find quick-cooking polenta — there’s always that one obscure ingredient. On our walk back home we stopped at good old Amish Market. We looked through their isle of cornmeal, and for a moment I thought we had struck out again, but Kell spotted instant polenta on the very top shelf! We may have looked a little crazy rejoicing over polenta, but it was a big deal, okay?

A few hours later we walked over to 312 with all the ingredients and my camera. Before we started to cook, we filmed a wine review for my youtube channel…on an empty stomach. We only had four cans of wine spritzers to try, but by the time the tasting was over, Nico, Mikella, and I were a tiny bit tipsy. Is it safe to cook while intoxicated? Welp, it’s nothing we haven’t done before.

Once Christy and Pearce got home from Coney Island, we migrated to their apartment to pull this meal together. Last time there were only two of us (Kell and I) cooking, but this time there were 5 people helping out in this unfurnished apartment with a cramped kitchen. I divvied up responsibilities — Nico (despite his objections) chopped mushrooms with Mikella. I put Mikella in charge of the mushroom fricassee, while I set to work on seasoning the veal chops…on the floor. I wasn’t kidding when I said this apartment was unfurnished. Not to worry though — the place was spotless because Christy swiffers the whole apartment about 3 times a day.

I seasoned the chops with salt and pepper, then rubbed sage leaves into the meat. I realized I needed more sage, and didn’t want to get up so I asked Pearce to chop bit more..his response, with a beer in hand was, “the green stuff?” Yep, the green stuff.

Once the veal was cooking on the stove, I made the apricot vinaigrette for the salad while Madison tore the lettuce and tossed it with the arugula, pear, and blue cheese…on the floor. When you picture a bunch of 20-somethings cooking together, I’m sure cooking on the floor is the last thing you would picture. Let me paint the whole picture though: it was drunk cooking on the floor while dancing to “Proud Mary.” Yep, that’s my friend group and I.

Nico and I had an intense dance off to “Proud Mary” while everything simmered. Once the battle was over, it was time to eat.

We carried all of the dishes up to the roof, piled our plates, then finally it was time for the moment of truth. 3…2…1….WOW. I’m not just saying wow because I was slightly tipsy. This food was W-O-W worthy. The veal chops were cooked to perfection — tender & juicy, aromatic from the sage, and topped with a white wine sauce. This was next level melt in your mouth. Simply fabulous. The mushroom fricassee with polenta was a a flavorful explosion. It always amazes me how mushrooms have such a meaty flavor. This dish was creamy, savory, and completely mouthwatering. The salad may have been simple, but the flavors meshed so well and danced across our palates. I’m not exaggerating when I say everyone was in awe over this meal.

Now time for the ratings. The Sage Veal Chops receive ♥♥♥♥♥ (5) hearts. I am so glad I spent $58 on this meat — it was impeccable. I can barely put into words how incredible the veal was, but I’ll put it this way. I made sure to get every last morsel off the bone. Exquisite. The Wild Mushroom Fricassee Over Polenta receives ♥♥♥♥♥ (5) hearts. Rachael Ray is a master at mushrooms, and this fricassee and polenta was a total crowd pleaser. Fricassee is usually a meat dish, but who needs a meat version when you have mushrooms this good? Unbelievable. Finally, the Arugula Salad with Blue Cheese, Pears, and Apricot Vinaigrette receives ♥♥♥♥♥ (5) hearts. I was a little skeptical about this salad since I’m not a fan of blue cheese, but this mix of flavors were completely complementary of each other, and made for one of the best salads I ever had. Extraordinary. Everyone unanimously agreed on all these ratings, which hasn’t happened in a long time. Way to go Rachael Ray!

I learned a few lessons today. 1. Tipsy cooking is a TON of fun. I’d encourage you all to try it but I don’t want to be held liable if you mistakenly chop off a finger. 2. Cooking on the floor is something everyone should do at least once in their life (as long as the floor is clean.) and 3. These dinner parties are a hell of a lot better than the ones 12-year-old Mary ever imagined. Goofy times with great company make for memories I will cherish forever. My life may not be how I envisioned it 10 years ago, but I’m glad it’s not — it’s impossible to imagine a life as amazing as this.

Until next week!

-Mary Honkus

 

 

Little Bites Party

Going on vacation is always fun — there’s relaxation, no worries, and ENDLESS FOOD. I recently returned from a semi-vacation (more like a work trip) with constant snack food. Designers will spend hundreds of dollars to create a dress, but will refuse to spend more than $5 on food. My diet consisted of cheese cubes, popcorn, and questionable alcohol concoctions. Needless to say I’m very happy to be back home and able to cook some REAL food…even though it may be in the form of little bites, it’s still real food. Today’s menu consists of Lemon Pepper Chicken Tenders, Chickpea and Rosemary Dip with Zucchini “Chips”, and Spinach & Artichoke Stuffed Portobellos. Let’s get cooking!

It’s been a super rainy day in the city, which always puts a damper on having to go to the grocery store, but since I have a buddy, it makes things a little better! My pal Christy recently moved to the city from upstate, and let me tell you guys we’re practically soulmates — we always go to Trader Joe’s together. I went over to her place around 12:30, and after having a spiked seltzer – or 2 – we made our way uptown.

This Trader Joe’s visit just happened to be the most monumental visit ever because I was able to find Every. Single. Ingredient. I don’t think that has happened once in all of evoo. I was literally jumping for joy — I looked like a mad woman…if only the other shoppers understood.

I headed home to take a nap, then walked over to Christy’s at 5:30 to get down to business…too bad she was still napping so our cooking adventure was delayed by like 30 minutes.

Once she was awake and ready, we threw on our aprons and got to work — sort of. See, it was a busy evening at 312 because everyone was preparing for a major roof party. How major of a party, you ask? Let’s just say an ice luge in the shape of the Eiffel Tower was arriving as I was trying to prepare the marinade for the chicken. I was unable to help lift the luge up 7 flights of stairs since I was busy mixing together lemon zest, lemon juice, and olive oil, but I assure everyone that it made it to the roof safely.

Once the ice sculpture was in place, Christy cooked the chicken while I threw the ingredients for the dip in the food processor *cue the ‘that was easy’ button.* Then we both prepared the portobellos while Christy simultaneously did her makeup for the party. It was sort of a hectic cooking experience because people started to arrive while we were still in the kitchen. Honestly, everything was a blur, but somehow we managed to put it all together and make it look pretty, too!

We created a little space in all the chaos to sit down and have our moment of truth. 3..2..1…Diving into that stuffed mushroom was all I needed – no seriously, it was the first thing I ate all day and I was starving. I have never been a huge fan of artichokes, but spinach and artichokes mixed together inside of a mushroom completely changes the game. We waited a little too long to eat the chicken tenders and they were a bit cold, but still the flavor was fabulous, and that dip…I can’t call it dip anymore it’s freaking rosemary hummus RACHAEL RAY!! The hummus was out of this world! Although, the zucchini chips were meh, so we replaced them with Triscuits. I actually took the hummus next door where Kansas and I ate it all instead of being social at the party — because priorities.

Now time for the ratings. The Lemon Pepper Chicken Tenders receive ♥♥♥ (3) hearts. I am actually disappointed because these could have been so much better if they were actually served warm. This is totally my fault though, I need to get better and making sure all the dishes are completed at the same time. These were still delicious, though, and super lemony. The Chickpea and Rosemary Dip with Zucchini “Chips” receives ♥♥♥♥ (4) hearts. This was definitely the hit of the night. I didn’t realize how easy it was to make hummus, and I think this is my new party dip (plus it’s healthy!) This would’ve received  5 hearts if it wasn’t for the Zucchini Chips — they were completely bland and probably would’ve been better if they were seasoned and/or baked. Finally, the Spinach & Artichoke Stuffed Portobellos receive ♥♥♥♥ (4) hearts. this was spectacular and filling, although I would’ve been happier with less artichokes…those things can really be overpowering.

I learned one very important thing today: cooking before a party may seem like a good idea — ya know, fuel up before you poison your body with alcohol — but this cooking adventure was so hectic. Hopefully next week will be calmer for my own sanity…but knowing me and my friends, we’ll probably do it all over again just like this — kids in our 20s, we just never learn.

Until next week!

-Mary Honkus

 

Tapas Party (For one)

I’ve made it to the party section of my Evoo book — take a guess what that means… it means endless amounts of recipes that are designed to feed 20 people. But, I don’t know 20 people…and it is one of those weeks where the only people I want to cook with are me, myself, and I. So, although this tapas menu is supposed to feed 20 people, it will be feeding only one: me. Tonight’s menu consists of Potato Tortilla, Herbed Chicken Tapas, Chorizo and Vegetable Confetti Tortilla, and Mushroom Caps in Garlic Sauce. Let’s get cooking!

This adventure started on Monday at Conad. It had been a frustrating day so far. My roommate Mel and I had been going back and forth with a travel agency that jipped us out of $25. It may not seem like a lot of money, but when you’re in Europe without a job for a year, it is A LOT. Once again we left the agency annoyed, and I thought it would be the perfect time to go grocery shopping. I don’t know why I thought that would be a good idea — my track record with Conad has not been a good one.

Though, this trip to Conad was the easiest, most calming grocery trip since I arrived in Italy 6 months ago. I was able to find every ingredient easily and quickly. To make things even better, All of the items came out to less than €30! I consider that a huge success since this meal is meant to feed 20 people.

I sat down at my kitchen table and said a little prayer since I was about to make a TON of food. I was scared. I didn’t know if I would be able to do it. I kept thinking “This menu will be the end of me.” So I decided to split this menu into two cooking days.

The first day I made the Potato Tortilla and the Herbed Chicken Tapas. To start, I created the marinade for the chicken which consisted of lemon juice, rosemary, thyme, evoo, and salt & pepper. The chicken swam around in that while I chopped up the potatoes and onions for the tortilla. 

I was nervous about making the tortilla. I have a Spanish friend who explained to me that they are pretty difficult to make. The instructions terrified me as well — there was a lot of flipping involved. I can’t even flip pancakes correctly, so I wondered how on earth I would be able to flip a tortilla correctly.

I sauteed the vegetables then apprehensively poured the eggs in. So far, so good. The eggs began to set and I attempted to let the top layer run to the bottom to set…that worked too. It finally came time to flip, so I grabbed a plate, but the plate was smaller than the pan. I was anticipating a disaster. I called my roommate Sara over to help, and we both handled the flip with ease. It was nearly effortless. The tortilla cooked for a few more moments, then voila! I made my first tortilla and it turned out beautiful.

I quickly cooked my chicken, then sat down for my first moment of truth.

3..2..1… Ay caramba! This was more than I could have hoped for. The tortilla was amazing!! For those of you who don’t know what a tortilla is (I didn’t know), it’s basically like a Spanish omelet. It had been ages since I had eaten a potato so the taste of that was like heaven in my mouth. Absolute perfection! The chicken was also marinated perfectly and oh, so juicy. I probably could’ve eaten all 20 servings in one sitting, but I managed to have a little bit of self-control and saved the rest so I could have leftovers this coming week.

I had a busy week at school, so I wasn’t able to make the second half of this evoo menu until Friday (Today). Luckily I had so many delicious leftovers to tie me over until I was able to cook again.

I came home from the gym ready to make more delicious tapas for myself! I was much more prepared to make a tortilla this time around. This tortilla sounded like a “fully-loaded fries” version of a tortilla because it is topped with sausage, onions, red & green peppers, and peas. While the tortilla set, I cooked the mushrooms and doused them with wine. The aromas coming from the kitchen were utterly mouthwatering.

This tortilla proved to be more of a challenge since it was double the size of the last one. But fear not — I successfully flipped the beast TWICE! I could barely contain my excitement.

My stomach was grumbling so loudly, and it thanked me when the moment of truth finally came. 3…2…1… I’m telling you, it does not get better than this. I’m going to start making tortillas regularly because damn are they delicious! The mushrooms were impeccable as well.

Now time for the ratings. the Potato Tortilla receives ♥♥♥♥♥ (5) hearts. I’m telling you, this omelet thing was out of this world! Potatoes, onions, and eggs are the best combination. No one argue with me. The onions became slightly caramelized as I was sauteeing them, so there was a hint of sweetness which made for a firework explosion of flavors in my mouth. Amazing. The Herbed Chicken Tapas receive ♥♥♥♥♥ (5) hearts. Homemade chicken dishes are often hit or miss, but this one was a home run! The marinade was one of the best I have ever used, and throughout the week the chicken stayed juicy and delicious. Usually, I get tired of rosemary after eating it two days in a row, but I just could not get enough of this chicken. The Chorizo and Vegetable Confetti Tortilla receives ♥♥♥♥♥ (5) hearts. I didn’t think I would be able to top the first tortilla, but 2nd times the charm? I loved how it was filled with numerous vegetables — it made me feel very healthy, and who doesn’t love a delectable healthy dish? I am still in awe of this tortilla. Finally, the Mushroom Caps in Garlic Sauce receives ♥♥♥♥♥ (5) hearts. Mushrooms are one of my favorite foods, and when you cover them in a savory garlic sauce…just wow. Juicy, tender, and delicious! This meal was simply incredible.

After reading “serves 20 people,” most people would cut a recipe to serve just themselves…Not me. I will never do that, and anyone who says I can’t eat 20 servings worth of food is not a friend of mine. I think I’m going to turn all of these cooking “parties” into parties of one…because I can never have enough food. Thank goodness I have a gym membership this semester…

Fino alla prossima settimana! (Until next week!)

-Mary Honkus

 

A Walk on the Wild Side

A relaxing break back home in the states was much needed, but I’m happy to be back in Italy — mostly for the food. This semester I’m really going to try to limit my pasta intake, but I won’t deprive myself of it either. Tonight is one of the nights I will happily indulge. On the menu is Wildly Delicious Wild Mushroom Fettuccine. Let’s get cooking.

I arrived in Florence on Friday around 2:30, and the first thing I did was go grocery shopping, of course. There is a different Conad pretty much across the street from my new apartment so I went there….never again. This store was so cramped and congested. I thought I didn’t like the old Conad, but this one was simply atrocious. I left unhappy, and decided to continue my shopping trip on Saturday.

After a night out on the town, the first thing I did when I woke up at 2pm was go to the old Conad, which is only a 5 minute walk away. I can’t believe I was happy to see this grocery store, but I was.

I couldn’t find the 3 types of mushrooms that I needed — portobello, crimini, and shiitake. I was very surprised about the portobellos and criminis since they are ITALIAN mushrooms, but I digress. Conad had 2 types of mushrooms…I don’t even know their names, but I picked them up since I didn’t have any other options. I still couldn’t find Romano cheese, so I can’t believe I did this, but I dragged my butt back to the smaller Conad and found the cheese. Now I swear I will never set foot in that store again. EVER.

I came home and napped a bit before I started to cook. Neither of my room mates are big fans of mushrooms so I was alone on this cooking adventure. The prep for this didn’t take long — cutting up shallots and mushrooms is a piece of cake.

Creating & cooking the sauce for this scrumptious pasta dish was also a piece of cake. I just threw all the ingredients together, and voila! I had a delightfully smelling mushroom cream sauce to toss with my pasta.

While everything was still being cooked to perfection, I chopped up the garnishes: green onions and hazelnuts. I bought a tiny bag of hazelnuts, and as I tried to open them they exploded all over my kitchen! I even called that that was going to happen. I think I spent more time cleaning up the nuts than I did actually preparing the meal.

Finally I made my little bowl of pasta and made it picture perfect with the onions, nuts, and a sprinkle of cheese. Then, my stomach was beyond excited for the moment of truth.

3..2..1…YUM-O! It’s dishes like this that really baffle me on how people don’t enjoy mushrooms. The noodles were perfectly coated in this creamy, tender sauce and the cheese was the perfect touch to compliment all of the flavors. My room mates were definitely missing out, but that also meant more food for me!

Now time for the rating. Wildly Delicious Wild Mushroom Fettuccine receives ♥♥♥♥ (4) hearts. Mushrooms + pasta = one happy Mary. Even though I told myself I was going to go easy on the pasta this semester, this dish was definitely worth the extra carbs and calories. I would love to make this dish again with the three original types of mushrooms to see how mush the flavors change.

It honestly feels great to be back in Florence, and even better to have a bit of pasta back in my system…let’s see if I’ll actually be able to limit how much pasta I eat this semester…

Fino alla prossima settimana! (Until next week!)

-Mary Honkus