Valentine's Day Dinner

Why on Earth go out on Valentine's Day? Everything is over priced and over scheduled. No sooner do you sit down to your coveted reservation than they are hurriedly rushing out the door for the next table! The food is a mass produced pre-fixe nightmare. Opting to stay in is the best idea, ever. There's no rush to finish your bottle of wine, no terribly over sweetened molten chocolate cake to be choked down and best yet, no expensive cab ride home. Take you time and relax with an indulgent meal of your own choosing and prepared with more love and care than just picking up the check belies.

The menu:
Fennel and Blood Orange Salad
Chilean Sea Bass with Roasted Tomato Compote and Rosemary Roasted Potatoes
Dark Chocolate and Berries

This delicious meal was washed down with our new favorite winter refresher, The Chook Sparkling Shiraz. Crisp and dry but with berry flavors, this wine is not over whelming and is excellent slightly chilled.

Tomato Compote

Pre-heat the oven to 425. Toss a pint of grape tomatoes in extra virgin olive oil with some salt and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet. Roast for 25 - 30 minutes. Over low heat, mash the tomatoes together and reduce any left over juices until you have a relatively thick paste. Add a few capers in for a nice finish.

Late Summer Red

With summer's fast fading, the sunset creeping up earlier and earlier, hearing the whispers of fall's change, I just want to hang on to my sun dresses and savor the last few weeks of heat and staggering humidity to the fullest. To help us along and surprisingly, keep me on my budget is this medium bodied Coastal Peak 2002 California Cabernet Sauvignon.

Served slightly chilled, this wine is a great summer red. With bright red fruits like plums at the front and a pleasant cedar finish this can hold up against BBQ and compliments the citrus of summer grilled fish dishes.

The best thing about this wine, it can be had for a mere $4.99 at the place that has saved me from wine drudgery for the past few years, Wine and Liquor Warehouse (Broadway at 8th Street). The Warehouse has everything from amazingly great buys for my meager budget to high end collectors bottles. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable. They always have great suggestions for me to try and the liquors are all also sold at a discount. I have gotten limoncello at a great bargain before.

I would suggest picking up a bottle of this before the summer is over and savor a glass with some grilled eggplant salad.

Patatas Bravas

Another hot and steamy NYC night, the solution, an appetizer of fierce potatoes to light up your mouth and take your mind off the humidity. Cooling down with some Kiwi and White Peach Sangria, Octavio and I enjoyed a nice Thursday meal.





One of the things that I miss most about living in a small apartment without roof access or a yard is grilling. Especially in the summer. The George Foreman Grill is no substitute. What I have found is the Delonghi Perfecto indoor grill. This is about the width of my small range and is all cook top. It gets hot enough to leave char marks and if you put a little water in the catch pan it creates very little smoke. I use this to make grilled shrimp kebobs and the Rosemary Monkfish pictured above. You can get one of these for around $100. I got mine off of eBay for about $40 including shipping.

Patatas Bravas

I have had this in so many tapas bars. Here's my take on it!

4 good sized Russet Potatoes
3 ripe tomatoes
1 Vidallia Onion
3 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons tomato paste
Juice of 1 lemon
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 teaspoon of hot smoked paprika
1 fresh green chili (jalepño works)
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon tumeric
1/4 teaspoon cumin
Bunch fresh parsley
Sea salt and Pepper

For the potatoes, chop the potatoes in to 1 inch pieces and toss with salt, pepper and most of the olive oil. Roast for about 35 - 40 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

In a large sauce pan, heat up the 2 tablespoons olive oil, add the chopped garlic and chopped onions. Cook until the onions are just soft. Add the chopped and seeded tomatoes, tomato paste, chopped chili, sprigs of thyme, lemon juice and some salt and pepper. Cook until the tomatoes are soft. Add the seasonings and simmer until a good thick consistency. If you like things hotter as my boy friend and I do, add an extra half teaspoon of the hot smoked paprika. If you like things milder use the sweet smoked paprika instead of the hot. Remove the sprigs of thyme before serving.

Serve over the potatoes with a good helping of fresh parsley on top to balance the heat with some green!

Kiwi and White Peach Sangria

It's hot in the summer here! But since I live in Chinatown, I get access to some really interesting produce. In the summer, the white peach with it's more delicate flavor and less sweet taste is huge down here! So I incorporated it into a more asian influenced Sangria.

1 bottle dry white wine (I like to use a white Rioja like the Marques de Caceras)
1 white peach
2 kiwis
Juice of one orange, one lemon, and one lime
2 shots of triple sec
1 shot of lychee liqueur
ginger ale

Combine all the ingredients, except ginger ale into a pitcher and chill for at least 1 hour. Pour into glasses with plenty of ice and top off with a little ginger ale. Perfectly refreshing with the Patatas Bravas!

Rosemary Grilled Monkfish

for four
2 lbs Monkfish
6-8 fresh Rosemary sprigs
Extra virgin Olive Oil
Sea salt and pepper
Lemon for serving

Cut the Monkfish into three to four inch chunks and thread the rosemary sprigs through the fish. Season with a good helping of olive oil and salt and pepper. Grill, turning once until the fish is opaque. Serve with lots of lemon and a simple herbed salad.