Restaurant Widow

Pierogies from Krystyna's Deli

  I was in search of sandwiches the other day, and decided to give Krystina's Deli in Grandview a try.  Although it is billed as a deli, it's really more of a Polish grocery store and carryout, offering a large selection of prepackaged products, as well as their own large assortment of pierogies and pastries.

I decided to skip the sandwiches and purchase some frozen pierogies (potato and cheddar variety - they have about 10 options) instead.  "You know how to cook these?"  the owner asked.  "Er, boil?"  As if the very thought pained him, he began waving a hand and saying "NO!  No, no, no.  You fry in a little olive oil and butter.  You like onion, you put onion.  You like bacon?  You put bacon.  Oh, with bacon is so good.  No, I already boil.  You fry.  You want them nice and brown."

Because I know you should always listen to the man with the accent who made his own specialty, I'm glad I showed my ignorance.  I just added a little sage and shallot to the mix and sauteed them up, allowing the butter to brown a big.  They were also good simply well-browned (I know, in the picture they aren't browned enough) in butter and sprinkled liberally with salt and pepper.  I will have to go back again this week and try the blueberry ones!  I will, of course, report back.

Info:  Krystyna's Delicatessen  1453  Grandview Ave  Columbus 614.488.2860

Thanksgiving Recipe #1 - Pumpkin Cheesecake

I am sure that many of you, at least those in the States, are getting ready for various Thanksgiving celebrations (no?  too early?), so I am offering some of my favorite Thanksgiving recipes.  This is a new one that I tried out, a really nice and subtle pumpkin cheesecake.  Some of my tasters found the pumpkin flavor a little too subtle, truth be told, but I reminded them that this is a cheesecake, and not pumpkin pie.  I adapted this recipe from Emeril, and although it can easily be found here, I will include it in the extended post, as payback for the years I've had to suffer whilst accidentally coming across his many programs on the Food Network

The nice thing is this cake must be made in advance - up to 4 days in advance - so you won't have anything to worry about while you're getting everything else ready.  This recipe comes together easily in a large food processor; I haven't tried it in a mixer with a whisk attachment, but I'm sure it would work as long as your cream cheese was very soft.

WCB #21

Happy Birthday Kiri (click on the links to see everyone else)!  We made you a pumpkin cheesecake, about which we will write later!  For this week, the cold in the house caused all the kitties in the Widow household to get along spotlessly, at least for the sake of warmth.  Here are (top to bottom) Ike, Grover Jay, and Abe trying to keep warm.

Japanese Oriental Restaurant

I think I may have found the best lunch value in Columbus.  It should be no surprise that it comes in the form of a bento (don't say bento box.  Bento means box in Japanese, so you're really just saying box box.  Sorry, I'm cold and feeling cranky).  Some people might not find this a value, as I was on a local dining message board the other day and someone was whining about how the sandwiches at a local deli were too expensive at $4.  Haven't they ever been Katzinger's?!  At least I can easily imagine that I'll g et my money's worth for a $4 sandwich, something that can't be necessarily be said for a $14 one.  Okay, the cat - or Kat - is out of the bag, but we'll get to my skepticism of Katzinger's on another day. 

Back to the task at hand.  I live near the perfunctorily-named Japanese Oriental restaurant, and I have been meaning to try it for years but just haven't made it there yet.  My friend Sam recommended it rather highly, and I trust Sam's judgment in everything except movies (seriously, Sam, I Stand Alone?) but again, I digress.

I was expecting something a little different from Japanese Oriental - maybe something a little gritty and divey - it is, after all, pretty close to campus and other divey ethnic joints, but it was clean and spare, with light woods and good lighting, the hallmark of Japanese restaurants.  This is rather a misnomer, as the menu is really more focused on Korean cuisine, and Korean interpretations of Chinese and Japanese dishes. 

I plan to revisit Japanese Oriental, if for nothing else than their large plate pork belly dish, for lo, Husband and I do love us some pork belly.  Unfortunately, it would appear from the picture of the presentation on the menu that this is an entire pork belly, and it would fee many people.  Must remember to find other pork-loving souls for fattening dinner.

The bento was a great deal, far better than Tyfoon's bento for only $1 more.  I chose the tempura box, which included 2 shrimp and slices of onion, zucchini, sweet potato and acorn squash (I ordered a shrimp tempura appetizer at Haiku once for $10, and was served this same portion), a small serving of beef bolgogi, a nice little heap of good steamed white rice topped with a generous scoop of tobiko (flying fish roe), four slices of California roll, and assorted Korean side dishes (kimchee, pickled cabbage and mung beans, and spiced potatoes), and a nice little slice of crab and nori omelet..  A nice hot bowl of miso soup preceded the box, perfect for thawing out my hands.

Some people have complained that the service at Japanese Oriental is slow and unfriendly, but my server was very nice and I was in and out before my abandoned cup of coffee could get cold whilst sitting in the car and waiting for my return.  Total lunch tab: $14.75 with tip, miso soup, lunch box and hot tea.

Info:  Japanese Oriental Restaurant 2283 North High Street Columbus (far North Campus)  614.299.6544

Cooking Lull

I keep meaning to cook something - I have this risotto I'd like to make, I have this piece of salmon waiting to be panko crusted, but I have this problem.  It is very, very cold in my house.  Okay, I guess that's a relative term.  It is 55 degrees in my house.  It sounds like it might be a nice temperature for the beautiful autumn day that we're having outside, but when you're sitting at the computer trying to write or standing in the kitchen trying to chop things, it makes for quickly freezing fingers.

It all started like this...Husband and I, wary of the projected 65-70% rise in natural gas rates in the Midwest, decided that we would wait as long as possible to turn on the heat.  As the temperature lowered in the house, all of the cats started to look at us suspiciously, as though maybe starvation would be coming after freezing.  The cats and the humans slowly became sluggish and irritable, burrowing under covers and huddling together to keep warm.  We decided to give in and turn on the heat.  Unfortunately, the furnace decided it wasn't quite ready yet.  We, apparently, are not the only people having this difficulty, as the furnace people can't quite seem to nail down a time when they can come check it out, nor can they seem to arrive after we've nailed down said 4 hour window.  It actually occurred to me (briefly) to attempt to build a fire in our decorative fireplace (it does not connect to a chimney).  Cold must numb brain cells as well as appendages.

All of that to say, no salmon.  No risotto.  Lots of hot coffee and soup.  Lots of covers and slippers and fuzzy socks.  Although the oven is occasionally set to 450 and left empty, just to raise the temperature a degree or 2.

Monday Morning Breakfast

On Monday mornings, Husband and I like to visit Jeni's Ice Cream in the North Market for breakfast.  Here it is, my new favorite flavor: Almond Butter ice cream, here topped with a little Sweet Potato ice cream.  Autumn in a waffle cone:

Better Late than Never - Alana's Harvest Dinner Recap

October 9 was an evening filled with great local food - prepared by great local chefs - and wines from everywhere (one from Ohio) at Alana's, celebrating the harvest season and the farmers who made the evening possible.  Here's the recap - sorry about the pictures, I was still in full camera-related learning curve mode.

First off, with no picture, was a Zephyr Squash Pancake (from Toad Hill Farm) topped with smoked trout (Fresh Water farms) from Alana, which was served with Kinkead Ridge 2004 Viognier/Roussanne, which hails from our fair state.

Next, a spaghetti squash flan with (I believe) a duck stock reduction, also from Alana.

The poultry course, prepared by Thomas Smith from the Worthington Inn, was rather like chicken and dumplings, or as a friend described it, a "deconstructed pot pie."  Thorne River chicken was braised and served with oyster, shitake and trumpet mushrooms from Mushroom Harvest, and topped with a cornmeal dumpling.  Served with Muller-Catoir 2000 Haardter Herrenletten Kabinett Riesling:

Next up, my favorite, the pork course!  Prepared by David Tetzloff from G. Michael's Bistro, King Family Farm pork with grilled apples from the Orchard of Tom and Vicki Smith, served with braised collard greens and spicy bourbon caramel sauce and a little mascarpone mousse (a similar dish can currently be found on their menu).  Paired with 2002 Jean Fournier 2002 Marsannay Clos de Roy.  (sorry about the really terrible picture)

The lamb course, from Blues Creek Farms lamb, was prepared by John Dornback from Basi Italia, and featured a nice little lamb porterhouse with a dried cherry sauce, with a really great Toad Hill Farm squash cannelloni on the side.  This was served with Edmunds St. John 2001 Roxet Vineyard Los Robles Viejo.

All good things must come to an end, and luckily this was a sweet one, with a study of Jeni's Ice cream.  The flavors included Ohio Black Walnut, Apple Cider sorbet, and my favorite, and I suggest you visit her shop directly in search of it, Almond Butter.  Truly one of the most delicious ice creams I have tasted. (and I loved the little square ice cream spoon.)

I thought the event was great, and I look forward to doing it again next year.  It was really nice to meet some of the farmers and put a face to the products.  Thanks Alana!

WCB #20

This is the face of a fat, happy cat.  Photo courtesy of Husband.

Next week will be Kiri from Eat Stuff's birthday!  Here are the others so far:

Check out the cute glinda in a kitty sling! I so want one for Kiri!!!! at Anne's Food
Check out the growing little kittens who are taking over Boos house at Masak Masak!
Check out the pusses who ardusting to their new found celebrity status at The Food Pornogropher 
Check out Tigger basking in thew sunlight at Look hunny, I cooked
Check out the newly renamed Bowser setting in at A cat in the Kitchen
Check out Trina hanging out in the window at Indyfoodie
Check out the Phi Phi Island asian lucky cat at Les Carnets de sbmarie
Check out Baily the cute fluff ball at The Moveable Feast Food Blog
Check out the guest kitty Kitties at Kayaksoup
*Pause for a moment for the lost Minnaloushe* I am so sorry for your loss Barbara,
but we welcome the new kitten on the blockMei-Mei Ari the adorable fluffball at Tigers & Strawberries *Cute Kitten alert*

Braised Short Ribs

Short ribs are one of the quintessential fall and winter dishes.  Nothing is more satisfying on a cold day than their meaty succulence, along with the aromas created by their long cooking time.  They are actually quite easy to prepare, requiring only a little chopping and assembling, and then a little straining.  They are so rich that I like to serve them alongside something very simple, such as mashed potatoes flavored only with a little cream, salt and pepper.

Braised Short Ribs - serves 2

3 pound short ribs, bone in

1/2 cup flour

1 tsp salt

pinch pepper

1/4 cup strained pork fat (from cooking bacon), lard, or olive oil

1 large onion, peeled and roughly chopped

3 medium carrots, peeled and chopped

1 head garlic, cloves smashed and peeled, left whole

2 sprigs rosemary

1 tsp dried oregano

2 tbsp tomato paste

1 cup red wine

about 2 cups beef stock

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place the flour, salt and pepper in a zip-top bag; place 2-3 ribs in the bag and shake, then remove the ribs, shaking off the excess flour.  In a large, oven-proof saute pan (or dutch oven) over medium heat, melt your bacon fat and brown the short ribs in 2-3 batches; do not crowd the pan.  Brown each side for about 1 minute or until nicely brown.  Repeat until all ribs are browned and set aside. 

Place the onions and carrot in the pan and saute until they are just beginning to brown, then add the garlic cloves, oregano and rosemary.  Add the tomato paste and stir into the veggies; add a good pinch of salt.  Deglaze the pan with the red wine and then place the short ribs back in the pan.  Add enough beef stock to come about halfway up the ribs; cover the pan and cook in oven for about 2 hours, or until the ribs are very tender.

Remove the ribs from the pan, cover with foil, and set aside.  Carefully strain the braising liquid and discard solids.  I like to strain it again, but it's a matter of personal taste.  Place the liquid in a bowl and refrigerate for about 30 minutes, or until the fat has solidified.  Remove the fat from the top and discard; place the liquid back in the pan and simmer, over medium heat; add the short ribs back to the pan and reheat for about 10 minutes.  Remove the ribs to plates and allow the liquid to reduce (4 minutes or so), until you have a nice reduction.  Pour over the short ribs (and potatoes!) and enjoy!

Arugula Salad with Smoked Duck Breast, Cherries and Hazelnuts

This simple appetizer is a study in balance: the smoky meatiness of the duck, the tartness of the cherries, the sharpness of the cheese, and the peppery hotness of the arugula all come together with a super simple vinaigrette.  If your arugula is not too hot to eat alone, I would suggest reducing the amount of sugar in the vinaigrette; this arugula was really, really hot. (yum!)  Smoked duck breast is available at larger specialty food markets or online (I bought this one at Whole Foods for $8).  I don't care for cold duck fat, so even though I pictured the salad with the fat on, I removed it before it eating.  You can use it for another purpose.

Arugula Salad with Smoked Duck Breast, Cherries, and Hazelnuts - serves 2

2 large handfuls Arugula, rinsed and well dried, roughly chopped or torn

2 tbsp Hazelnut oil

2 tbsp Champagne Vinegar

1 tsp Dijon Mustard

1/4 cup dried cherries

1-2 tbsp sugar

1 smoked duck breast, cold, thinly sliced

1/4 cup hazelnuts, roasted and roughly chopped

2 ounces very sharp, good aged cheddar (I used something called Robusto, a hard aged cheddar, which I also bought from Whole Foods - anything bleu is a natural companion as well)

good sea salt

Place the dried arugula in a bowl and set aside.  Place the hazelnut oil, vinegar, mustard, sugar, and cherries in a small saucepan over medium heat and stir with a whisk until warm (not boiling - 3 minutes or so).  Pour over the arugula, sprinkle with a little salt, and toss to coat.  Place the arugula on a plate and top with the duck slices.  With a vegetable peeler, peel thin slices of the cheddar over the salad.  Top with the chopped hazelnuts and a little extra dressing, adding any cherries to the plate that did not cling to the greens.  Sprinkle everything with a little sea salt.