Columbus Foodie

I’ve been looking forward to the recipe chosen for this week’s Tuesdays with Dorie because I’ve been craving key lime pie ever since I went to Florida last year, but just haven’t gotten around to making it. And I had a bottle of Nellie and Joe’s Key West Lime Juice that I needed to use. BTW, let me just take a moment to sing the praises of that key lime juice, folks - it’s the real deal, not the imitation stuff you find in the lime-shaped bottles in the supermarket. In my opinion, you can only get that Florida taste if you use either Nellie and Joe’s or squeeze the key limes yourself.

Anyway, this pie is a little different in that it has a coconut cream layer in addition to the key lime layer. I love coconut, so that works for me. But it was also supposed to have a meringue, which I’m not a huge fan of (yes, I’m the person who gets lemon crunch pie rather than lemon meringue). So I left that off, and instead decorated it with some stabilized whipped cream (which I piped on) and some thinly cut lime slices. And although it didn’t cut as neatly as I would have liked it to, here’s the final result:

As for the flavor? Nothing short of amazing. Not too sweet, not too tart. The coconut cream matched beautifully with the key lime filling. Meringue would have made this pie too busy. I usually get sick of key lime pie about halfway through a single piece, as most people recipes are either too cloying because of the sweetness, or too tart for me to enjoy. This is pure perfection. And will taste lovely tonight as the dessert for a Florida-inspired meal: Spicy Crab Cakes with Key-Lime Mustard Sauce, and Poached Grouper with Coconut-Cilantro Rice and Mango Salsa. I can’t wait.

Florida Pie
recipe courtesy Dorie Greenspan

1 9-inch graham cracker crust, fully baked and coolked, or a store-bought crust
1 1/3 c. heavy cream
1 1/2 c. shredded sweetened coconut
4 large eggs, separated
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 c. fresh Key (or regular) lime juice (from about 5 regular limes)
1/4 c. sugar

Getting ready:
Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Put the pie plate on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat.

Put the cream and 1 cup of the coconut in a small saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium-low heat, stirring almost constantly. Continue to cook and stir until the cream is reduced by half and the mixture is slightly thickened. Scrape the coconut cream into a bowl and set it aside while you prepare the lime filling.

Working with a stand mixer, preferrably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the egg yolks on high speed until thick and pale. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the condensed milk. Still on low, add half of the lime juice. When it is incorporated, add the remaining juice, again mixing until it is blended. Spread the coconut cream in the bottom of the graham cracker crust, and pour over the lime filling.

Bake the pie for 12 minutes. Transfer the pie to a cooling rack and cool for 15 minutes, then freeze the pie for at least 1 hour.

To finish the pie with Meringue:

Preheat the broiler. Put the 4 egg whites and the sugar in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan and heat over medium-low heat, whisking all the while, until the whites are hot to the touch. Transfer the whites to a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or use a hand mixer in a large bowl, and beat the whites at high speed until they reach room temperature and hold firm peaks. Using a rubber spatula, fold the remaining 1/2 cup coconut into the meringue.

Spread the meringue over the top of the pie, and run the pie under the broiler until the top of the meringue is golden brown. (Or, if you’ve got a blowtorch, you can use it to brown the meringue). Return the pie for another 30 minutes or for up to 3 hours before serving.

Makes 6 servings.

Serving: If the pie has been frozen long enough to be firm, let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes. You want it to be cold but not frozen. Serve with espresso - dark and strong.

Storing: Covered and kept away from foods with strong odors, the pie can be refrigerated for about 8 hours.

I’ve kinda been balking at doing some of the Martha Mondays challenges so far because the theme of the first couple of events were baking related, and I’ve mostly got my hands full with the sweet stuff between the Daring Bakers and Tuesdays with Dorie. So I was very happy to see that this time around, we were asked to pick a recipe from the current issue of Everyday Food or Martha Stewart Living. Since I subscribe to Everyday Food, I looked at the recipes I had bookmarked and finally decided on doing the Thai Chicken and Noodle Salad, since I was in the mood for a cold Asian noodle dish.

So what did I think? Delicious. Great combination of flavors, and came along fairly quickly, once the marination was complete. I didn’t need quite the amount of cucumbers/carrots the recipe called for, so start with half, and make a few more if you need them. I would make this again in a heartbeat.

Thai Chicken and Noodle Salad
recipe from Everyday Food May 2008

1 1/4 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast, thinly sliced crosswise
Spicy Asian Dressing (see recipe below)
Coarse salt
1 tbsp. vegetable oil, such as safflower
2 carrots, sliced into ribbons with a vegetable peeler
1 English cucumber, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
1/4 c. fresh basil, torn
Bean sprouts, chopped peanuts, fresh mint leaves, red-pepper flakes, and sliced scallion greens, for garnish (optional)

Place chicken and half of dressing in a resealable plastic bag (reserve remaining dressing). Marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes (or refrigerate up to overnight).

In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook noodles until tender. Drain, and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking. Transfer to a platter.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Working in batches, cook chicken (do not crowd skillet) until cooked through, 1-2 minutes; transfer to platter on top of noodles.
Top with carrots, cucumbers and basil. Drizzle with reserved dressing, and sprinkle with garnishes, if desired.

Makes 4 servings. Prep: 20 minutes, Total: 50 minutes

Spicy Asian Dressing

4 thinly sliced scallion whites (I used chives, it was what I had)
2 minced garlic cloves
1/2 c. soy sauce
1/2 c. rice vinegar
2 tbsp. light brown sugar
1 tbsp. fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp. anchovy paste (or 1 minced canned anchovy)
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

In medium bowl, mix together all ingredients.

It was a beautiful spring day for marketing this Saturday, and I watched the sun rise this morning as I didn’t get any sleep last night in preparation for getting an early start this morning. And early we were, arriving at the market before 8am while the farmers were still setting up. After taking a spin around the market inside and picking up a still piping hot cinnamon roll from Omega, we headed back outside into the still chilly and damp morning.

Wish Well Farms was back this week with morels, but I passed. Through my experimentations with cooking with morels over the past couple of weeks, I’ve found that my favorites are the small black ones. These huge white ones are also good, but I’ve kind of already hit my morel budget for the season (for the most part). Still, at $39/lb. they’re the best deal on morels in town.

But I was excited to see that my main mushroom man from Toby Run was there, and I stocked up and bought a pound (!!) of shiitakes that I hope to use as a centerpiece of some dishes in the next couple of days.

Other than that, there wasn’t too much going on at the North Market - your usual spring greens and asparagus, which I still have far too much of. I was sad to see that Freshwater Farms wasn’t there this week, looks like a trip to Urbana will be in order in the upcoming week for some more of that delicious rainbow trout and Picallilly sauce.

We got through there fairly quickly, and made our way to Worthington, where we arrived right around 9am, as soon as they opened. Today was also the annual plant sale, so it was already fairly crowded when we arrived. H-W Organics had rhubarb, my first sighting of the season, although it’s not something I need this week (next week is a different story). Instead, I picked up some more of their delicious red potatoes.

Not a bad turnout of farmers at Worthington, although as I explained to my mother, only a fraction of what you’ll see one the growing season picks up. It was really nice to see some of my favorite vendors who I haven’t seen for months, and generally, everyone (vendors and customers alike) seemed to be as excited as I was about being back. And pretty tulips like these late bloomers from Eye Stone Flower Farm definitely helped elevate my mood.

A couple of standouts for me this week at Worthington. First, there’s a new cheese source, Blue Jacket Dairy out of Bellfontaine. They have this amazing halloumi-style grilling cheese that’s out of this world. I picked some up to go with the Greek meal we’re planning tomorrow.

And over at Pop and Judy’s Patch, they had something I rarely see locally - dried beans! I stocked up on a pint of each type.

Generally, it was a good take this morning, and I’m really looking forward to things picking up as the season gets further along. It’s so nice being back into my normal Saturday morning routine. And it’s even nicer to feel inspired again. So where did you go this morning and what did YOU get?

For this edition of Presto Pasta Night, I decided to make a dish that I had first made a few years ago, after seeing the recipe in Food and Wine Magazine and drooling at the prospect. At the time, though, our palates weren’t where they are today, and we felt that the porcini flavor was a bit too “front and center”. Now, on trying this again years later, with much more appreciation for mushrooms, we declared it delicious, especially after you sprinkle a little Parmesan cheese on it. I didn’t change a thing, this recipe is great as is.

Pappardelle with Red Wine and Meat Ragu
recipe courtesy Food and Wine magazine

1 pound pappardelle
1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
1 cup boiling water
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 ounces thinly sliced pancetta, finely chopped
2 medium celery ribs, finely chopped
1 medium carrot, very finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 thyme sprigs
1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground turkey
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup dry red wine
2 cups tomato puree
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pappardelle until al dente.

Meanwhile, in a medium heatproof bowl, cover the porcini with the boiling water and let stand until softened, about 5 minutes. Lift the mushrooms from the water and coarsely chop them. Reserve the soaking liquid.

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil. Add the porcini, pancetta, celery, carrot, onion and thyme sprigs and cook over moderately high heat, stirring often, until the vegetables start to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the ground beef and turkey, season with salt and pepper and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until no pink remains, about 5 minutes. Add the red wine and boil over high heat until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add the tomato puree. Pour in the reserved mushroom soaking liquid, stopping before you reach the grit at the bottom. Bring to a boil and simmer over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened and flavorful, about 12 minutes. Discard the thyme sprigs.

Drain the pappardelle and return it to the pot. Toss with the butter and then add half of the ragù and toss well. Season with salt and pepper and toss with the 1/4 cup of Parmesan. Transfer the pasta to bowls, top with the remaining ragù and serve. Pass additional Parmesan at the table.

Can I just say how overjoyed I am that the farmers markets are back again? I mean, the winter market at Worthington was nice (and better than having nothing at all), but there’s just nothing else like waking up at the crack of dawn to head out (in admittedly crappy weather today, it is dark and rainy) to get to the market as soon as it opens for the best selection.

And the early bird gets the worm, indeed. Guess what I found at the North Market, at the Wish Well Farms stand? Morels!!! And cheaper than at either the Greener Grocer or Weiland’s - roughly $40/lb. as opposed to $55/lb. (and sold out immediately) or $48/lb., respectively. And super fresh, they were foraged yesterday, if I remember correctly. Aren’t they pretty? I’m already formulating a plan for what to make with these; this is one of those cases where you plan the meal around the ingredient versus vice versa.

To see what else was available at the market today and what I actually got, click on through (warning: picture intensive - I usually cull it down to 6 pics for my market reports, but today I couldn’t narrow it down to any less than 10.
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::pant::pant::pant::

That’s it. I absolutely must have it. I’ve been planning my outdoor kitchen for a while, never finding quite what I was looking for. Then I spied this, just before I was going to order the grill I had settled on.

I wants it. And I will haves it. My Precioussss. 40,000 BTU grill. 15,000 BTU searing burner. Rotisserie. Sink. Refrigerator. Granite countertops. 2 burners and a griddle. It’s modular, so it will fit my deck. It’s nicer than my indoor kitchen, and I just may take all my cooking outdoors this year. Impulse buy? Maybe. But all you locals are invited over for BBQ later this summer. Off to wear out the credit card…

I tend to surround myself with people who love food as much as I do, and when one of my foodie friends makes a recommendation, I listen. I was told that I absolutely had to make it a priority to visit Creole Kitchen in Old Town East the King-Lincoln District (thanks, Walker, for pointing out my mistake - even after 10 years of living here, my knowledge of Columbus geographical boundaries is still a bit iffy).

Let me start by saying it’s very hard to find. I was sitting in the parking lot of the shopping center it is in and couldn’t find it. The sign isn’t visible from the street. But pull into the Mount Vernon Plaza shopping center at 20th and Mt. Vernon, park, and it’s on the end of the building.

This is a takeout joint only - Chef Butcher did, at one time, have an 8-seat chef’s table in the kitchen, but has recently removed it because he needs the additional prep space. About Chef Henry Butcher - super friendly, engaging, extremely charming, and obviously knows his stuff. Louisiana born and raised, his Creole and Cajun cooking has been fine tuned to near-perfection in his 30 years in the business. He opened up his own restaurant, a lifelong dream, 2 years ago. Joining him in the kitchen is his son, Henry, Jr., who was the one who actually cooked my dishes. The kitchen is right there in front of you, so you can watch your food being made as you wait.

Since it was our first visit there, we ordered a variety of dishes to try. Prices are so very reasonable, that we got all of what you’re about to see below for $40, including tip.

First up is the Muffaletta ($5.00), Louisiana’s answer to a Cuban sandwich. Served on a hoagie bun, the layer of lightly sauteed capicola and salami allows the provolone and mozzarella cheese to melt just a little bit, and then it is all topped with a tasty olive salad and vinaigrette. I’m not a big olive fan, so I wasn’t sure if I’d like it, but it turned out to be one of the most enjoyable sandwiches I’ve had recently, olives and all. The sandwich is served with a side of home made herb potato chips, which pair perfectly.

My favorite of the bunch was the Crawfish Etouffee ($8.95), which comes with two sides. I chose the Dirty Rice, which was very moist and redolent with chicken liver/gizzardy goodness, and a really fabulous macaroni and cheese, easily one of the best recipes in the city. The etouffee was rich and spicy, without turning up the heat level to a point that oblitertes the subtlety of the dish. Hands down, this is an item that I’d get every time I go in.

My husband really liked the Creole Fettuccine ($5.95), a creamy dish which gets its heat in part from the andouille and tasso ham in it. While I thought it was credible but a bit too spicy, my husband declared it just right. It also comes with a hunk of buttery toasted bread. At that price, though, it’s a dinner value if you’re craving pasta.

Also delicious was the Blackened Catfish ($7.95), which was pan fried to perfection and also came with two sides - my husband chose the vegetable of the day, really buttery green beans, along with red beans and rice. Both the sides were good, but didn’t really stand out.

An area in which they really excel is desserts. The Pound Cake ($2) was dense and buttery.

And the Sweet Potato Pie ($2) was fragrant, but not overpowered by spices as most sweet potato pie is prone to.

By the way, even though it’s not listed on their website, it came to my attention that they serve breakfast every morning that they’re open until 10:30am. Given the breakfast choices they had listed on their menuboard, it seems a morning visit is in order.

All in all, this little hidden gem in not one of the best areas of town is well worth the trip. I’m looking forward to exploring what other hidden gems this part of town has to offer.

If you’d like to go: Creole Kitchen, 1052 Mt. Vernon Plaza, Columbus, OH 43203, 614.372.3333

One of the biggest holidays in April is Earth Day, and this month (every month, actually), the Lights Out, Knives Out challenge asks us to make a dish that uses as little electricity as possible. So a salad seemed like a natural choice. Since last night was all about Tex-Mex, southwestern flavors, what better starter than a Southwest Salad?

This was quite simple to make, required no electric or real work at all, and went quite well with the pasta dish. I used this recipe as a guide, but used ready made tortilla strips and spicy ranch dressing rather than making my own using regular ranch as a base. I’m looking forward to doing this one again in summer when I can get local tomatoes and corn.

If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you know that I’m a firm believer in eating locally, for numerous reasons. There’s the environmental factor, of course. It keeps Ohio farmers in business. It encourages production of artisanal foods. It allows you to develop relationships with your food producers. It allows you to expand your horizons, because said food producers are as passionate about food as you are, and introduce you to new things or methods or teach you about something that’s important to them. Not to mention that fresh, sustainable, seasonal food just tastes better. It is for these reasons and more that I decided to join the local Columbus convivium of Slow Food USA.

The Columbus convivium is still in its infancy, and as a fairly new group, only has a few events under its belt. I unfortunately didn’t get in on the inaugural event, as tickets were sold out before I knew I had the date free. But I did make it a priority to get tickets as soon as they were available for the most recent event, the United Estates Wine Imports dinner at Alana’s, this past Sunday.

If you were there, you know how amazing it was. If you weren’t, I welcome you to join me vicariously, as I take you through the evening dish by dish. Click through (picture intensive) to begin.

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For this week’s edition of Tuesdays with Dorie, Caitlin of Engineer Baker chose Dorie’s Fluted Polenta and Ricotta Cake. I made it last night,and I’ve got to say, the jury is still out for me on this one. I could see eating this as a dessert after a Mediterranean meal. The figs are really nice, and the best part of the cake. The sweetness was just right. I wasn’t crazy about the texture, though - I felt like I was eating sweet cornbread. I wish I would have added more figs (the box of dried Mission figs from Trader Joe’s was more than enough). But all in all? More successful than some recipes.

Fluted Polenta and Ricotta Cake
recipe courtesy Dorie Greenspan

About 16 moist, plump dried Mission or Kadota figs, stemmed
1 c. medium-grain polenta or yellow cornmeal
½ c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 c. ricotta
1/3 c. tepid water
¾ c. sugar
¾ c. honey (if you’re a real honey lover, use a full-flavored honey such as chestnut, pine, or buckwheat)
Grated zest of 1 lemon
1 stick (8 tbsp) unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus 1 tbsp cut into bits and chilled
2 large eggs

Getting Ready: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter a 10 ½-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom and put it on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat.

Check that the figs are, indeed, moist and plump. If they are the least bit hard, toss them into a small pan of boiling water and steep for a minute, then drain and pat dry. If the figs are large (bigger than a bite), snip them in half.

Whisk the polenta, flour, baking powder, and salt together. Working with a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the ricotta and water together on low speed until very smooth. With the mixer at medium speed, add the sugar, honey, and lemon zest and beat until light. Beat in the melted butter, then add the eggs one at a time, beating until the mixture is smooth. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing only until they are fully incorporated. You’ll have a sleek, smooth, pourable batter.

Pour about one third of the batter into the pan and scatter over the figs. Pour in the rest of the batter, smooth the top with a rubber spatula, if necessary, and dot the batter evenly with the chilled bits of butter.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. The cake should be honey brown and pulling away just a little from the sides of the panm, and the butter will have left light-colored circles in the top. Transfer the cake to a rack and remove the sides of the pan after about 5 minutes. Cool to warm, or cool completely.