mhberk

I enjoy watching "Easy Entertaining with Michael Chiarello" on the Food Network for simple ideas

Palena?

Co-sign!

(No explanation really needed)

We live in Maryland, but we have our water delivered by Drink More Water.

Has anyone tried Ray's The Classic since Michael H. departed? I really liked the food and atmosphere but I'm wondering how the food is with the change in the kitchen.

We were there 01/06 and everything was great. This was for a 6:30 reservation with a packed bar (we ate in the dinning room).

We bought one a few years ago, and really only make steal-cut oats in it for breakfast. We start it the night before and then it's ready in the morning. The recipe's easy:

4 parts liquid (2 parts water and 2 parts milk)

1 part steal-cut oats

salt

Option:

3/4 part dried fruit (cherries, mango, cranberries, etc)

1/2 part liquid (to rehydrate the fruit)

set on the lowest setting for 7-8 hours

I agree! The callette was probably the best cut that I've ever had. It had the flavor of the NY Strip and the tenderness of the fillet. Since there are usually only 3 or 4 of these a night, they go rather quick. On the night that we went, they had sold out 30 minutes into dinner service.

I went there as a "last meal" before I had major oral surgery (as I mentioned in a previous post). It was a nice treat and I couldn't ask for more! Everything seemed perfect. The atmosphere, the service, the noise level, the presentation of the food, the flavors of the food, etc., all seemed just right.

I'm not much on writing reviews, so I'll just say this:

The steak was perfect! The consistency of the doneness was exact and the flavor, coupled with the tenderness, was something that I've never experienced before (I'd never even heard of this cut before). Still unable to chew (I'm still on an Ensure and overcooked pasta diet for the next few weeks), I am still able to taste the flavors of this meal as though I had just had them. For an appetizer, I had the "blackened" scallops. There was just enough seasoning to know that it was there, but not so much that I couldn't taste the flavor of the scallops. And the scallops were cooked just enough that they were very tender and not to the point were they could've been stringy. The creamed spinach was also just right. It had a hint of cream (just enough to get the full flavor of the spinach). For dessert, I had the key lime pie which was great. The lime flavor was subtle and didn't overpower the flavors of the crust or the whipped cream.

I feel very fortunate to have a restaurant of this quality, so close to me.

Thank you Michael!!!

Get there early and order the calette (from the special butcher's cut part of the menu). Simply outstanding!!

My reservation is at 6:30. I asked if they could set one aside for me when I made the reservation, but she said she couldn't. I hope it's early enough.

I REALLY want to treat my jaws to some good chewin' before they go into hibernation for next 2 weeks. I'll keep my fingers crossed.

Alright, I'm having my "last meal", so to speak (I'm having surgery and my jaws will be wired shut for two weeks ), and I've decided to have it a RTC this Saturday night. What are the one or two dishes from RTC that you can't go without?

Got the Shun Ken Onion 10" Multi Chef's Knife

$100 GC to William-Sonoma (with it I bought the Shun Ken Onion Paring Knife - EASILY the best paring knife I've ever used(!))

I always get the Spicy Chicken with String Bean when I go there for lunch.

Jesse Wong originally opened Hunan Manor. Then he left and opened Asean Bistro and then Jesse Wong's Hong Kong (at the lakefront in Columbia)

I second Waitman's suggestion for Iron Bridge!

Also, just outside Columbia (Laurel) is Pasta Plus. They were featured on "Best of" on the Food Network.

Maybe slightly out of your budget, but there's also Aida Bistro (which was voted the best Italian restaurant in Baltimore in 2004) and Tersiguel's (my personal favorite).

I can't wait!

A group of us had dinner at 1789 on Friday. The bread pudding was absolutely awesome! Does anyone know the recipe?

You can start your own "1789's Bread Pudding Project" like Al did with Palena's chicken. It might catch on.

I've never tried there bread pudding, but I've never been known to turn a bread pudding down (especially the chocolate bread pudding from The Tomato Palace - which, coincidentally, is also part of the Clyde's Restaurant Group)

The last evening we had dinner at Quince, which Mrs dcdavidm had been to but I had not. It is a small, elegant, Italian-themed restaurant with perfect professional service. After prosecco, we started with a wild nettle sformata, which had the most intense green color and the freshest green flavor that smooth texture that I have tasted in a cooked vegetable dish, and a Dungeness crab salad with satsuma mandarin and radicchio, which also was excellent. Quince is known for its pastas, so we made our main course out of four of the ten or so pasta dishes on the menu. Agnolotti del plin were unbelievably delicate thumbnail-sized pastas filled with a veal, pork, and rabbit mixture; papparadelle with olives and a rabbit ragu was a savory contrast. Gnocchi with castelmango cheese melted in the mouth; casamelle (small, ravioli-like shapes) filled with celery root and dressed with balsamic vinegar made for a nice counterpoint. A "terrine" of gelati finished the meal. We judged that Quince's reputation for pasta was well-deserved. Each was impeccably formed, perfectly cooked, and with flavors and textures that were really satisfying.

Mrs mhberk and I ate at Quince when we were in S.F. in August and we were VERY impressed with everything from the service and astmosphere to the creativity and preperation of each dish! We ordered the tasting menu (which was a bargain at $75) and were amazed with each dish we were served. Mrs mhberk even said that she would rate it higher than Eve . I wish that I could remember each dish that we were served, but I do remember that the pasta creations were spectacular and the showcasing of the fresh local ingredients made us wish that we were at home, where we could lick our plates.

The food was, IMO, on the level of EVE or Palena and the service was equaly impressive. We had told our server that we were from the D.C. area and that we'd heard a lot about the restaurant (I read several posts on eG). I then assured her that everything lived up to our expectations. As we were leaving, our server told us that the chef would like to meet us and then she led us back to the small kitchen were the chef (I can't remember his name) and his kitchen staff greeted us.

Because of the size of the restaurant (perhaps the size of Palena's back room), it took us a few weeks to get the reservation for a weekday. I would HIGHLY, HIGHLY, HIGHLY recommend the restaurant to anyone traveling to S.F.

Just scored the Shun Ken Onion 10" Multi Chef's Knife and all I have to say is "WOW!!!".

I feel like I'm 10 years old again and I'm tearing off the wrapping paper from my brand new Atari 2600!!

I'm having jaw surgery on the 8th. It looks like I'm gonna have to sit this one out.

The last time I was there was for one of my proms in the '80s. From what I understand, the food hasn't been the same since the owner/chef died.

My favorite memory of the place was when I was 13 and they made me wear a tacky, oversized green blazer since I didn't wear the proper required jacket.

Does anyone else have problems with excessive smoke from roasting chicken at high temps (475-500)? When I've done this I've wound up opening windows and my garage door even to let the smoke out. I mean, opening the oven was really a problem, and the smoke inside the oven didn't allow me to really see the chicken to check it's progress. The grease just seems to jump off the chicken, hit the oven sides and smoke right up.

Any suggestions? Anyone else have this problem?

I'd love to solve this because the crisp browned skin is awesome.

Are you putting anything (mirepoix, sliced potatoes, etc.) under the chicken to "catch" the drippings? At those high temps, the juices dripping off the chicken and onto the hot roasting pan, may be causing the smoking.

I just picked up my 17lb turducken. I'm so excited. I'll post food porn pix, assuming it all turns out.

Well?

I've never seen a turducken

I also think I left the brine to simmer too hot for too long.

Wow! That looks excellent!! I’m salivating like Pavlov's dog over here!

I forgot to mention in my post that I bring the water to a simmer, then I take the water off the heat, THEN I add the ingredients and let them "bathe". I’m sorry I left the "take the water off the heat" part. But it looks great Dan!

Yes, I was using Morton's. Mhberk's measurements were for Diamond Crystal.

Dan, the conversion ratios can be found about a minute into this video: clicky

The weight of a cup of table salt = the weight of a cup and a half of Morton Kosher salt = the weight of two cups of Diamond Crystal Kosher salt

So you multiply the Diamond Crystal by 0.75 to get the amount of Morton.

And uhh...searing != sealing. Thats an old wives tale, like salting water for green veges keeps them green or seasons them. FYI - boy I hope this starts an angry flame war!

This is quite true. It sears in flavor the way paint protects the passengers in an auto accident.

All the same, I wouldn't want to drive around in an unpainted car. Searing adds the all-important flavor and texture of carmelization no matter what kind of meat you're cooking. There are very few meats I don't first pan sear before throwing them in the ol' hotbox.

Actually, if you add a pinch of Arm and Hammer Baking Soda to green vegetables, the will turn VERY green. Similarly, if you add a dash of lemon juice to cauliflower, it will bleach the cauliflower and turn it bright white

I know it's the Palena CHICKEN project, but would any of the techniques/recipes/brines here work well with cornish hens or even turkeys?

Dan,

When I found the original recipe (the foundation for the one that I use), it was posted on a message board crediting Patrick O'Connell's article in the NYT and it called for chicken. When I looked through Patrick O'Connell's book: Refined American Cuisine : The Inn at Little Washington, the same recipe used Turkey and the recipe is called "Spruced up Turkey". I was going to use this brine for the turkey this year, but I got snubbed out by my sister (who will be roasting the bird this year).

Suzanne Goin uses a similar brine for her pork shoulder confit (I've placed the first part of the video on my previous post. The second part is right here).

I've neglected this project for some time. I think I'll put together a batch of birds for New Year's Eve and follow your recipe mhberk! Good work!

Please do. My recipe still needs some work, but we're getting closer!

Just some advice: pace yourself with those potatoes (if you go that route)! When Mrs mhberk and I sat down to eat, we started on those first and completely neglected the chicken!