Homehttp://blog.misselisabeths.com/home/en-US2012-02-07T05:02:50ZSquarespace Site Server v5.11.81 (http://www.squarespace.com/)How to be a Food Network Chopped Championhttp://blog.misselisabeths.com/home/2011/8/3/how-to-be-a-food-network-chopped-champion.htmlElisabeth2011-08-03T15:10:05ZBaby Octopus Catering Chopped Champion Delicious Recipes Delicious in the Kitchen Food Network Lime Pickle Miss Elisabeth's Catering Mystery Basket The SearchOn August 2nd, I competed on Food Network's intense cooking competition show "Chopped." I've been cooking professionally for 6 years (Miss Elisabeth's Catering), but I was terrified to go on the show. It wasn't just the crazy time constraints that I was afraid of (20 minutes for appetizer, 30 minutes for main course and dessert). It was the fact that I would be dealing with bizarre mystery ingredients, and that I would have to invent dishes on the fly. I was, like so many other cooks, a recipe dependent chef. I treasured my cookbooks and I turned to them often for direction and inspiration. That is, until I competed on Chopped--and won! In many ways, the show completely changed my approach toward cooking. I now know what it takes to be a Chopped Champion. And if I can do it, so can you! 

First of all, you have to practice. The more you cook, the better you get. And if you really want to improve your culinary skills, I highly recommend sticking with cookbooks and recipes for a good, long while. You may think following a recipe is stifling your creativity. But a really good recipe is an invaluable resource--it teaches you critical techniques, and, more importantly, how to combine certain ingredients and flavors to create a great finished product. Think of recipes as culinary training. They are an exercise, a way to get your mind in culinary shape. The more recipes you work with, and the more cookbooks you read, the more you will learn. Eventually you will be able to draw from that knowledge and apply it to your own dishes. I think recipes are one of the keys to taking your cooking to the next level and really developing your own style. 

When I was preparing for Chopped, I read through dozens of my favorite cookbooks as if I was studying for a final exam. I reminded myself of basic techniques and basic recipes--from how to make a proper Hollandaise, to how to create a quick pan sauce.

I also practiced. I had friends bring me 4 mystery ingredients and set the clock, and we would hold serious practice rounds. During the first few rounds, I panicked. The basket loomed on the table in front of me and I knew my fate was sealed. I was going to have to work with whatever was in there with no recipes to turn to! It was an awful feeling.

But when I opened that basket--both in my practice rounds, and on the show--an incredible calm came over me. I realized that it didn't matter what was in the basket. Whether you are cooking scallops or chicken or lamb heart, it's all the same. After years of cooking and following recipes, I was able to apply everything I had ever learned, regardless of what the mystery ingredients were. Cooking had become totally natural to me. My instincts took over and I went into auto pilot. If you feel you've got a good number of recipes under your belt, give yourself a Chopped challenge to test yourself. If you go into a total panic once you open up that basket, figure out what it was that seemed most difficult to you. Maybe you didn't know how to butcher a chicken. Or how to deal with an unripe plantain. I guarantee some recipe, somewhere, will teach you the skill you need to master the challenge! 

A strong basic knowledge of culinary techniques and flavor combinations is one of the keys to becoming a Chopped Champion. But there is another aspect of this challenge that is just as important: Time management.

Every dish you will ever make is made up of a number of separate elements. To create a successful dish, each of those elements needs to be addressed with equal consideration and at a specific time. So, for example, during Round 1, my mystery basket included Baby Octopus, Tokyo Scallions, Swiss Chard and Lime Pickle (Click here to see my recipe). I thought potatoes would add body to my dish, so the first thing I did was get some potatoes boiling, since I knew they would take the longest. I also knew that I wanted to make a ceviche of sorts with the lime pickle and the octopus, and that that would need to marinate for a bit. So I immediately set to work chopping up the lime pickle, some red onion and the scallions. Because time was so short, I wanted to get as much flavor into the octopus as possible, so I chopped that up too. The time ticked away, but I was under control, addressing each ingredient as I went along, always keeping the finished dish (and the clock) in mind. When the 2 minute mark came, my dish was pretty much complete, so I ran for my plates, plated the dish and finished right on time.

Obviously you will rarely have to cook under such ridiculous time constraints. But the lesson here can be applied to any dish and to any time frame. If you come home from work and have 2 hours to serve a 6 person dinner at 8:00, break the dish down into parts and assess what needs to be done in relation to the finished product. Don't think of a dish as a big jumble of things that somehow needs to come together. That is too overwhelming. A dish is a sum of its parts. And the easiest way to figure out what needs to be done, and when you need to do it, is by making lists. When I was first starting out as a caterer, I made lists for everything, and I cannot recommend this enough. It is the key to mastering time management. So, for example, 2 hours to prepare dinner for 6 at 8 p.m. MENU: Chicken with Shallots and Mushroom Cream Sauce, with Toasted Sourdough Bread. PLAN: Chop shallots and mushrooms at 6:00. Saute shallots and mushrooms in butter and olive oil at 6:30. Set aside. Season and sear chicken in olive oil at 7:00. Set aside. Slice bread, drizzle with olive oil, toast in oven for 15 minutes. 7:30 heat up shallots and mushrooms, add cream, chicken stock and chopped tarragon and simmer. Return chicken to pan to finish cooking. 7:50, Chicken on serving platter, bread on serving platter. Done!

So there you have it. A strong knowledge of basic cooking techniques and time management. That's all. Master this and you will be amazed at how much your cooking improves. And who knows, maybe some day you too will be a Chopped Champion!

 

 

 

 

 

]]>Sad Farewell to Mara's Homemadehttp://blog.misselisabeths.com/home/2011/6/17/sad-farewell-to-maras-homemade.htmlElisabeth2011-06-17T15:55:02ZBrisket Collard Greens Crabs Delicious Eats Fried Okra Hurricane Mara's Homemade New Orlean's Restaurant ReviewSweet and Succulent Blue Crabs at Mara's Homemade

About a month ago, Mara's Homemade, a really wonderful and unique restaurant, closed its doors after 7 1/2 years. The owners of Mara's lost their lease, no longer able to afford the rent at their space on 6th Street between 1st and 2nd.

Brisket, Cornbread and Fried OkraMara's was an amazing place. It was a family restaurant, with Mara (the Chef) and her daughter serving and taking orders, Mara's husband acting as Maitre D at the front door, and Mara's son behind the bar (making some mighty strong Hurricanes). The food was delicious: authentic New Orleans and Southern fare with ingredients often shipped directly from Louisiana. There was a crawfish boil, smoked brisket, spicy blue crab, Louisiana oysters on the half shell and jambalaya. This was the real deal. And it wasn't only the food that made this place special--when you walked in the door, you became a part of the Mara's homemade family. We had many big, drunken celebration dinners at Mara's. There was really no place like it.

I went to Mara's for one last time a few days before the closing. As always, Mara's husband greeted me at the door and Mara's daughter led me to the table. I ordered the special of Blue Crabs in Spicy Boil with Stewed Collard Greens. 

The crabs arrived on a big serving tray. I tore off the legs and cracked them open, pulling out the long strands of sweet, tender meat. It was so delicious. After about 20 minutes, I was left with 4 large crab bodies and a graveyard of pulverized crab legs. I stared blankly at the bodies as a terrifying realization swept over me: I had no idea what to do with the rest of the crab! Was there anything to eat in the heads? And if so, how do I get to it?

Very timidly, I whispered over to Mara's daughter as she walked by: "Um, excuse me. I know this is so embarrassing. But is there anything to EAT in there?" 

"Of course!" She exclaimed. She pointed out a little flap conveniently located on the belly. I pulled it up and tugged--the bottom of the crab pulled off like a trap door, revealing a treasure trove of snowy white meat. I almost hugged Mara's daughter. Then I dug in.

Deliciously Demolished Blue Crabs

Halfway through my second crab, I noticed that one of the people at the table next to ours was staring at me. I thought for sure it was because I was covered in crab. I was eating like a 2 year old. I sheepishly wiped my mouth with the back of my crab covered hand. 

But then the guy spoke, laughing: "I see you're having trouble with that crab. Do you want me to show you how to eat it?" 

He was just about to demonstrate the art of crab-destruction when Mara's daughter walked by again. "I'm sorry!" she said, "I didn't realize you were so new at this! Why don't you let me help you." Before I knew it, Mara's daughter had plunged her hands into my plate, picking up each crab (including the ones I had already dealt with) and expertly opening the trap door and exposing that dense and delicious pocket of meat. In seconds, she had opened every single one, leaving me a feast in her wake. 

That's what Mara's homemade was all about. Eating delicious blue crab, hand cracked by your waitress, drinking a lethal Hurricane out of a gigantic glass, dousing collard greens with tangy vinegar, listening to awesome New Orleans jazz music. Mara's Homemade was one of a kind. I miss it already. (Luckily, they have since reopened in Syosset, NY. It may be a trek to get there. But believe me, it's worth it.)

 

 

]]>Impromptu Market Inspired Dinner for 6http://blog.misselisabeths.com/home/2011/5/16/impromptu-market-inspired-dinner-for-6.htmlElisabeth2011-05-16T15:55:47Z3 Corner Field Farm Asparagus Cherry Lane Farm Delicious in the Kitchen French radishes Lamb Tenderlloin Lani's Farm Olive Oil Poached Egg Zucchini FlowersBeautiful French Radishes from Lani's Farm

I went to the Farmer's market on Saturday, having no idea what I would be cooking for last night's dinner for 6 friends. I wanted the dinner to be special, but not too labor intensive--something I could prepare in a couple of hours. It was so much fun strolling through the market, building the dinner as I walked from stand to stand. By the end of my half hour shopping excursion, the meal was set.

At Lani's Farm, I picked up some gorgeous French radishes, sweet asparagus, cucumber and wild arugula. Then I spotted some big, brown eggs as I was checking out, and there was my first course: Asparagus Salad with Radish, Cucumbers and Arugula, topped with an Olive Oil Poached Egg and tossed with a Tarragon Vinaigrette. I also picked up a bunch of zucchini flowers which I decided I would stuff and fry to add to the salad. I didn't know what I would be filling them with just yet, but I knew the answer would soon present itself!

Asparagus, Radish, Cucumber and Poached Egg Salad

I wanted to do a pasta course but I didn't have time to make fresh pasta. So I decided I would make a simple, very creamy risotto, with ramps and little coins of sauteed asparagus. 

For the third course, I knew one of my guests loved lamb. So I headed straight for 3 Corner Field Farm, where they have the best lamb in the whole world. There were so many cuts to choose from, but I eventually settled on a bone in lamb tenderloin. They were also selling fresh sheep's milk ricotta cheese which I figured would be perfect to stuff my zucchini flowers with. 

I swung by another stand and picked up some German butterball potatoes, long graceful chives and then some very hearty spinach from Cherry Lane farm. Seared Lamb Tenderloin with Dijon Mustard and Balsamic Glaze with Paprika and Garlic Roasted Potatoes and Wilted Spinach.

This summer, try creating a dinner party like this by letting the farmer's market be your guide. It's a fun challenge and an exciting way to cook. You will impress yourself, and you will really impress your guests!

]]>Eating my Way Through New Orleans Jazz Festhttp://blog.misselisabeths.com/home/2011/5/4/eating-my-way-through-new-orleans-jazz-fest.htmlElisabeth2011-05-04T22:09:09ZCochon de Lait Crawfish Delicious Travels Etouffee Fried Chicken Gumbo Jambalaya Jazz Fest Langoustine New Orleans The SearchFried Soft Shell Crab Po Boy with Tartar Sauce

This Search took me, and my husband Matt, to the crazy city of New Orleans for one wild and totally indulgent weekend. From the moment we arrived, all we did was eat, drink and listen to amazing music. There was no time for rest, no time for sleep. The number of calories we consumed is almost impossible to comprehend. We lived very large while we were in New Orleans. And it was worth every last bite. 

Deep Fried Beignets with Ungodly amounts of confectioners sugar

This was no ordinary weekend. This was the weekend of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, one of the greatest music festivals in the world. For 2 weekends, hundreds of bands gather to play at the 12 stages set up at the Fair Grounds racetrack. For $45 ($60 at the door) you buy 8 hours of non stop, unbelievable music. You wander around, drifting from stage to stage, seeing one incredible performance after another. But it's not only the music that makes Jazz Fest such an amazing experience. It's the food.

Pheasant, Quail and Andouille Gumbo

They take the food VERY seriously at Jazz Fest. In fact, I would go so far as to say that this is almost as much a food festival as it is a music festival. You're not going to find any mediocre chicken fingers and soggy fries here. This is super high quality, home made, local New Orleans food. There is an astonishing variety of delicious things to eat. Everything we tried, and we tried almost everything, was sophisticated, deeply flavored, creative and pretty mind-blowing. It was a truly magnificent and unforgettable culinary experience. 

Cochon De Lait: Smoky pulled pork Po Boy

One of the stars of the Jazz Fest food scene is crawfish. Local Lousiana crawfish is sweet and tender, more akin to the holy langoustine than shrimp, both in texture and flavor (You may have read about my langoustine obsession in my posts on Barcelona and Corsica). The crawfish here are like shellfish-candy and we could not get enough of them. Luckily, more than half of the food offerings at Jazz Fest involve these delicate little crustaceans. 

Creamy Indulgent Delicious Crawfish Monica

If you find yourself at Jazz Fest, here is a list of what we tried. I know this may seem like a gluttonous food rampage. Obviously we went a little overboard. But we were so overwhelmed by the deliciousness of it all, we could not restrain ourselves. Trust me. Try as much as you can. It's ALL good.

Chicken and Andouille Jambalaya

2 Day Jazz Fest Menu/What we managed to eat in 10 hours:

Crawfish Beignets: Fried croquettes filled with tender crawfish and mashed potatoes

Crawfish "Sack": Pastry purse with creamy pot pie-esque crawfish filling

Cochon De Lait: Pork Po-Boy with succulent, smoky thick strips of barbecued pulled pork and crunchy slaw

Beignets: Sweet pockets of fried dough doused in confectioners sugar

Gooey cheesy crawfishy Crawfish Bread

Fried Soft Shell Crab Po Boy: One whole, heavily seasoned deep fried soft shell crab with thick tartar sauce and tangy pickles on a chewy fresh roll. 

Quail, Pheasant and Andouille Gumbo: A wonderfully gelatinous, meaty broth filled with hunks of tender pheasant and quail, seasoned rice and thick coins of porky andouille sausage. 

Crawfish Monica: This is a dish unique to Jazz Fest. Fusilli pasta in a thick, creamy, boozy alfredo-like sauce, studded with tender sweet nuggets of crawfish. 

Crawfish Etouffee: Spicy, thick tomato based broth, almost a bisque, exploding with Cajun flavors, loaded with crawfish and seasoned rice

Crawfish Beignets and Crawfish "Sack"

Fried Chicken: You can get 2 pieces of dark meat, 2 pieces of white meat or a combo platter with jambalaya on the side. Perfectly fried and crispy exterior with moist and flavorful meat. Doused with local hot sauce, this is as good as fried chicken gets.

Crawfish Bread: This was basically a crawfish calzone. Thick and chewy dough, charred in all the right places, and filled with gooey cheese and chunks of the ever present, always delicious crawfish. 

Outstanding Fried chicken

Chicken and Andouille Jambalaya: Braised chicken, hearty slices of andouille sausage and seasoned rice, suspended in a thick, stew-y, spicy broth. Hearty comfort food at its finest.

Homemade Ice Cream Sandwich: Homemade Louisiana gelato sandwiched between two soft chocolate cookies. Tasted like summer camp. 

Creamy Crawfish Etouffee

Homemade ice cream sandwich

As you can see, there is some seriously delicious eating to be done in New Orleans at Jazz Fest. But our feasting did not stop at the festival. Soon to come: 3 amazing meals In the city of New Orleans.

]]>Ode To Asparagushttp://blog.misselisabeths.com/home/2011/4/22/ode-to-asparagus.htmlElisabeth2011-04-22T12:59:09ZAsparagus Crostini Delicious Eats Delicious Recipes Lani Farm Risotto Union Square GreenmarketI spotted Asparagus at the Union Square Greenmarket for the first time today. There were rumors that Asparagus had made an appearance on Wednesday, but the restaurants came early and bought all of them. Today, I would not be thwarted. I got to Lani's Farm at 7:30 this morning (they've got some of the best produce in the market) and spotted the plump, purplish green stalks standing there in all their Asparagus glory. The weather outside may say otherwise. But Spring is definitely here.

As soon as I got home, I sampled one of the raw Asparagus. It is delicious: bright, sweet and crunchy (and a little gritty--make sure you WASH your farmer's market asparagus well by soaking it a couple of times in cold water--this ain't no squeaky clean supermarket produce). There is absolutely no comparison between local, seasonal asparagus and the bland, imposter "Asparagus" you can find year-round. Local asparagus is bursting with asparagus-ness. It is the very definition of what it means to BE an asparagus.

Asparagus is only in season for about a month or so. So get to the Greenmarket (Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday) and get there early! You've got to check these out. Luckily, there are many, many ways to cook and enjoy this vegetable. Here are some ideas to get you started:

Raw Asparagus Salad: Shave asparagus with a vegetable peeler (you'll need about 10 per person). Toss with very finely chopped shallot, lemon juice, crunchy sea salt and good, fruity olive oil. Top with shaved pecorino romano cheese.

Asparagus Crostini: Cut asparagus into 1-2 inch pieces and toss with olive oil and salt and pepper. Roast in 350 degree oven until tender. Cut thick slices from a baguette (about 1/4-1/2 inch). Fry on both sides in butter and olive oil until golden brown. Lay pieces of asparagus on crostini and top with a generous dollop of Burrata cheese. Drizzle with truffle oil if you're feeling crazy.

Asparagus and Poached Egg: Steam asparagus until just tender. Lightly fry an egg (I love Knoll Crest Farm's eggs at the market on Wednesday and Saturday) in olive oil until just set. Toss some arugula or other hearty green (watercress or frisee would work well) in good olive oil with some finely chopped shallots. Place asparagus on greens and lay fried egg on top. Sprinkle with some fresh herbs and sea salt.

Asparagus Soup Check out Emeril's recipe. It's fabulous.

Asparagus Risotto: Start making a traditional risotto. When you're 3/4 of the way through, stir in disks of roasted asparagus, sauteed shitake mushrooms and sauteed ramps. Finish off with lots of good parmesan cheese and butter.

Frozen Asparagus: You can preserve asparagus for a while (it'll take you through a good part of the summer). Blanch the asparagus, shock in ice water, then seal and place in freezer.
]]>Deep Fried Revelation: Brussels Sproutshttp://blog.misselisabeths.com/home/2011/2/18/deep-fried-revelation-brussels-sprouts.htmlElisabeth2011-02-18T14:35:18ZBrussels Sprouts Catering Deep Fried Delicious in the Kitchen New French Parmesan CheeseCrispy Fried Brussels Sprouts next to Veal Tenderloin over Parsnip Puree

A couple of weeks ago, we celebrated a friend's birthday at a restaurant called the New French. The place is cute and the food is pretty good, though not anything particularly special. But we did have one side dish which blew my mind: Crispy Fried Brussels Sprouts.

They arrived in an oval ramekin, browned on the edges, liberally dusted with parmesan cheese and slivers of fried garlic. The flavor was unlike any Brussels I had ever had--in fact, if you closed your eyes you may even mistake them for a fried artichoke (one of the great things in life). On the outside, the leaves had separated and curled a bit and were very crispy. They dissolved in your mouth as soon as you bit down, as if they were the world's most delicate potato chip. And the inside was sweet and tender, so that you had a wonderful contrast of textures within the single bite.  They were totally addictive and totally delicious.

I was pretty excited about this. I've cooked Brussels Sprouts a thousand times but I've never thought of deep frying them. So a couple of weeks later we had some friends over for dinner and I tried to reproduce the dish. I failed.

I quartered the Sprouts and heated up some canola oil. Then, for some silly reason, I threw them all in the pan at once. Two things happened. First, I quickly learned that when you attempt to deep fry Brussels Sprouts, they cause the oil to aggressively sizzle and pop. So I got a nice splash of boiling hot canola oil on my face. Second, this is a dish that must be done in very small batches, as piling them all in there drops the oil temperature and destroys all hope of crispiness. I know this is a general rule of deep frying, but I usually get away with some degree of crowding. Apparently not in this case.

So what I ended up with was a soggy pile of oil-soaked Brussels, which, although very tasty, bore no resemblance whatsoever to those magnificent crispy nuggets I'd marveled at at the New French.

Last night I catered a 10 person dinner party and I decided to try the Brussels again. It was risky, but I just had to. This time, I had a splatter guard at the ready (basically a big, flat mesh lid with a handle that you place over the pan). I grabbed a generous handful of the quartered Sprouts and tossed them in. Just as before, the oil basically exploded. After about a minute and a half I peaked under the guard. The Sprouts had browned, crisped and curled beautifully. I took one out and tasted it; much to my surprise, the inside was cooked through and it was done. It was that fast. I pulled them all out, salted them, sprinkled them with freshly grated parmesan and repeated the process.

They were delicious. A huge hit. This is possibly my favorite preparation of this vegetable. I may never go back to roasting again...

Click here for the recipe.

 

 

]]>Magically Mind Blowing Tuna Bolognese at Escahttp://blog.misselisabeths.com/home/2011/2/4/magically-mind-blowing-tuna-bolognese-at-esca.htmlElisabeth2011-02-04T19:32:02ZBastianich Batali Crudo Delicious Eats Esca Tuna Bolognese scallopsMy husband and I went to Esca last week. Located in the theater district, on 43rd and 9th avenue, Esca is one of many classy NYC restaurants owned by Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich (others include Babbo, Del Posto, Lupa , Casa Mono and Otto, to name a few)

The chef of Esca, David Pasternack, is a well known seafood fanatic and avid fisherman. And it's a good thing this guy knows his stuff, because the menu at Esca is 99% seafood. In fact, I think there is only one non-fish option. So if you're the type of person who goes to a seafood restaurant and orders the rack of lamb, don't bother coming to Esca. You come to here to eat fish, fish, fish and only fish.

The service and vibe of this restaurant is just a tad pretentious. They're very serious in here-- serious about their wine, intensely serious about their fish. The place, in general, seems to lack a sense of humor. We were a little uncomfortable at first, but half way into our 5 course tasting menu with wine pairing, all we were thinking about was how great the food was.

There was a deliciously fresh Crudo of Hamachi with olive tapenade, juicy seared scallops with a tangy and refreshing salad of arugula, grapefruit and blood orange and delicate Weakfish with a stew of tiny Beluga Lentils and lip smacking balsamic glazed Cippoline onions. Each dish was fantastic. But the real highlight was the pasta course: Spaghetti with Tuna Bolognese.

I don't know if David Pasternack has a signature dish, but if he does, it's gotta be this one. When you taste the Tuna Bolognese, you feel you are tasting a totally unique recipe that has been perfected and mastered. There is nothing I would change about this wonderfully warm, fragrant sauce laced with the heady flavors of fresh herbs, a trace of sweetness and a faint hint of cinnamon. It is creamy and delectable, each bite more satisfying then the next.

And what is so baffling is how MEATY the sauce is. Never in a million years would you suspect that this was not a classic meat Bolognese. Pasternack should be given an award, not just for creating such an awesome recipe, but for being such a talented magician. This man has figured out how to turn fish into meat. Surely this must be one of the great culinary achievements of all time!

When I got home, I immediately opened up my copy of the Esca cookbook to see if this mystical recipe was in there. It was. Along with this quote from Pasternack: "I love a classic Bolognese sauce. But in a creative moment, I figured...I might as well see what a Bolognese sauce would taste like made with tuna instead of meat. It succeeded so well that a lot of people can't tell the difference."

So true. And the recipe was pretty surprising. It turns out there actually was some meat in there--a hefty dose of pancetta. But that was cool with me...every magician has his secrets. What I really couldn't believe was that there was also Mackerel in the dish--what I consider to be the world's fishiest fish. The fact that this man had managed to transform Mackerel into a mellow meat sauce elevated him to Genius Chef status in my mind. 

I called for an emergency dinner party the following night so I could try and reproduce Pasternack's culinary magic trick. It was a success, tasting almost exactly like the version we had at Esca. And I didn't tell anyone my secret until all of the plates were clean... 

Click here to check out the fabulous recipe for Tuna Bolognese

 

]]>A New Years Eve Feasthttp://blog.misselisabeths.com/home/2011/1/6/a-new-years-eve-feast.htmlElisabeth2011-01-06T19:10:09ZCoquilles St. Jacques Delicious Events Delicious in the Kitchen Goose New Years Eve foie grasWhat: New Years Eve Dinner

Where: My NYC Apartment

Glorious Croquembouche: A tower of Pastry cream-filled Puffs with Caramel

Last year for New Years Eve, I served an extravagant, 4 course classic French dinner, with a menu based on recipes from Julia Child's "Mastering the Art of French Cooking." It was a decadent and delicious meal, with a whole lot of butter, cream and foie gras. A great way to start the New Year.

This New Years Eve I decided to carry on the tradition. I turned, once again, to Julia Child, for inspiration. I created another sinful, artery-clogging menu:

Starter: Chicken Consomme with Beef Dumplings

First Course: Coquilles St. Jacques (Scallops and Mushrooms in a white-wine cream sauce)

Main Course: Goose two ways: Roast and Stuffed with Foie Gras and Prunes and Braised and Stuffed with Chestnut Foie Gras Stuffing, with Buttered Potatoes and Butter Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Dessert: Croquembouche (A tower of cream puffs held together by caramel)

The meal was wonderful. We began with a delicate and powerfully flavored Chicken Consomme. Then on to the Coquilles St. Jacques with tender disks of poached scallop and thinly sliced mushrooms, bathed in a thick cream sauce and gratined with aged swiss cheese. The main course, a Goose duo of both Roast and Braised Geese was rich and gamey with foie gras stuffing studded with chestnuts, and sweet port-soaked prunes filled with yet more foie gras and sauteed shallots. Dessert, a tower of Pastry cream-filled Profiteroles topped with caramel, was a gorgeous way to end the meal. 

I hope 2011 is filled with many more Delicious meals and experiences. Happy New Year!

Gorgeous Goose getting ready to be stuffed and roasted

Coquilles St Jacques assembled and ready for the broiler

Mouthwatering cooked goose fresh out of the oven

 Delicious plate of goose, potatoes and buttery brussels sprouts

Chicken Consomme with Beef Dumpling
Our Friends, Mickey and Erin designed this menu for the dinner. Amazing.

]]>The Gourmet Side of Corsica and Some Amazing Corsican Beverageshttp://blog.misselisabeths.com/home/2010/11/15/the-gourmet-side-of-corsica-and-some-amazing-corsican-bevera.htmlElisabeth2010-11-15T15:18:24ZCorsica Corte Delicious Travels Julian Diaz L'Antigu La Vielle Cave Le 24 Le Troubadour Orezza Oriu
I started off talking about Corsica's natural beauty. Then there was the glorious Specialty Food Scene (check out this cool website offering awesome Corsican specialty food products you can order online). In my most recent post, I talked about the cuisine of Corsica and some of the yummy meals we enjoyed in inland Corsica and on the coast. Now I'm wrapping up this series by talking about the more "gourmet" side of Corsican cuisine.

Chocolate Sphere with Coconut Ice Cream and Poached Mango Much of Corsica's cuisine is hearty comfort-food or simple grilled meat or fishes. The flavor of the food is bold and striking and fantastic. And everything we had was always expertly prepared. But, as in all places, there is a difference between the world of comfort food and the world of haute cuisine. It turns out Corsican cuisine happily and deliciously exists in both arenas. During our stay on the island, we enjoyed some very refined, sophisticated meals that elevated Corsican cuisine to the next level.

Filet Mignon of Veal with Macaroni Gratin at L'Antigu L'Antigu is in the heart of the old city of Porto Vecchio. It is an elegant restaurant with a giant open window that runs along the length of the room and offers a great view of the port below. The food is a perfect example of the French-Italian fusion that defines all Corsican cuisine.

Homemade Linguine with Barely cooked Shrimp and Pesto at L'Antigu To start, we shared an eggplant Mille Feuille, or napoleon. The dish was French in name, and the delicate layers of eggplant, tomato sauce and goat cheese lived up to the Mille Feuille title. But it was really Italian in flavor, tasting much like a delicious eggplant parmesan. Matt's dish of Filet Mignon du Veal, on the other hand, was a tender, seared medallion of veal with a veal stock reduction sauce, accompanied by a cheesy and yummy macaroni gratin. Very French. My dish took us back to Italy with fresh linguine tossed with barely cooked shrimp in a light and buttery pesto sauce. It was a seamless and delicious blend of French and Italian cuisine. An excellent meal.

Charming Main Square in Corte lined with bars, restaurants and shops In the inland city of Corte we had a great dinner at Le 24, a sort of upscale, modern Corsican restaurant. Corte is the former capital of Corsica and it is a beautiful place, surrounded by granite hills and mountains. There are charming cobblestone streets, an old church with a bell and watchtower, colorful houses with terra-cotta roofs and a striking Citadel perched above. Corte is tucked away in the mountains and it seems like a million miles from the touristy town of Porto, where we had stayed the day before. This feels like a real city, independent and proud, like the "real" Corsica. We loved Corte right away.

Main street in Corte. You can see the surrounding mountains in the distance And we loved our dinner at Le 24. We began with a "Petit Claufoutis de Morelles." The dish arrived in a mini cast iron crockpot, a luscious sort of scrambled egg custard chock full of big earthy morel mushrooms. It was a satisfying and comforting dish.

Earthy Custard with Morel Mushrooms at Le 24 For our main course Matt got the Filet Mignon du Porc: thin slices of seared pork tenderloin with baby yukon gold potatoes and a delectable pan sauce.

Matt's tasty Filet Mignon du Porc at Le 24 I got the Filet du Bouef. It arrived, much to my surprise, topped with a giant piece of seared foie gras. There was no mention of foie gras on the menu. And the steak itself was sitting in a rich foie gras sauce! It was very decadent. Earthy, honest food with sophisticated but familiar flavors. Delicious.

My filet mignon dripping with Foie Gras at Le 24 Another great restaurant was in the magical city of Bonifacio on our last night in Corsica. When we arrived at L'Archivolto, there was a line outside the door. A very good sign. There was an outdoor seating area that was roped off to prevent people from wandering in off the street. It was the first time I felt my New York instincts kick in while on this trip. I was anxious. I found myself eagerly peering into the restaurant, waiting for some indication that someone was about to get up. An empty plate…a napkin on the table…a signal to the waiter for a check. When a table finally opened up, someone tried to walk in and cut in front of us. I snappily told them we were here first. I'm sure they had no idea what I was saying. But my tone was clear. Don't mess with a hungry New Yorker.

Outside L'Archivolto, where I nervously wait for our table We scored a great seat right outside. I glanced at the people who had tried to elbow their way into the table we had so patiently waited for, standing there behind the rope. Maybe I smirked at them a little.

Anyway, now that we were seated I could relax and focus on the task at hand. It was clear from the moment we sat down that this was a serious place. The plates coming out of the kitchen looked amazing, not only delicious food, but wonderful presentation. The menu and wine list were both outstanding and we could tell right away that this was a real "foodie" restaurant.

Excellent Tomato Tarte Tatin at L'Archivolto Our first course was a tomato tarte tatin which was so delicious that I have tried to reproduce it ever since, without success. The gently roasted tomato sat on a flaky round of puff pastry, topped with a mixture of scallions and fresh herbs bathed in olive oil. To the side there was a salad of baby greens and fennel flowers in a lemon vinaigrette.

The flavors were fresh and clean allowing the natural sweetness of the tomato and the buttery goodness of the pastry to shine through. The salad tasted as if it had just been picked straight from the garden, practically bursting with freshness. Each element of the dish was perfectly executed and it was as fine an appetizer as you would find in any New York City restaurant. We were very impressed.

Matt's amazing Goat Cheese and Eggplant Lasagna at L'Archivolto For the main course, one of the dishes on the menu was a goat cheese and eggplant lasagna. Matt could not resist. The taste of the lasagna we had in Evisa still lingered in our minds. We wanted more! And if the tomato tarte tatin was any indication of the quality of this restaurant, it promised to be a damn good lasagna. It was.

Corsican eggplant is particularly delicious. It is very tender, sweet, almost creamy. We had many dishes featuring eggplant while in Corsica but this was perhaps the best. Layers of homemade pasta alternating with delicate disks of fried eggplant and dense, fabulous goat cheese. Tomato sauce was used sparingly, just enough to bring the dish together without overpowering the other ingredients. A generous layer of grated parmesan cheese topped it off, along with some shredded basil and olive oil. It was a delectable lasagna. Different from the one we had in Evisa, but just as fantastic.

Awesome spaghetti with herbs, breadcrumbs and bottarga at L'Archivolto It was hard to compare anything to the wonder that was Matt's lasagna. But my dish came pretty close. Spaghetti with a generous portion of shaved bottarga (dried tuna roe), roasted almond slivers, breadcrumbs, lemon juice and an assortment of fresh herbs. It was a simple dish, but packed with so many different flavors and textures. It was crunchy, salty and briny with a burst of citrus freshness from the lemon juice. I loved every bite.

The evening before we went to L'Archivolto, we made the mistake of going to the restaurant Stella D'Oro. It was our only bad meal of the trip. The restaurant was stuffy and old fashioned and the food was boring and uninspired. I was pretty upset after that dinner--a whole meal wasted! But L'Archivolto made up for that meal, and then some. It is a must go to if you visit Bonifacio.

Outside the outstanding restaurant Le Troubadour in Porto Vecchio Our most "gourmet" meal was at the restaurant Le Troubadour, back in the town of Porto Vecchio. Le Troubadour is off the beaten path a bit. You have to wander outside the loud, busy central streets of Porto Vecchio's Citadel to a more quiet area just beyond. At first glance the restaurant is a bit off putting. The downstairs is a modern room, almost all white and shiny, brightly lit with televisions and uncomfortable looking seats. We almost walked away. But then Matt spotted a greenhouse on the second floor, jutting off the side of the restaurant. It was decorated with pretty lights and we saw tables full of happy people dining. It looked intimate and inviting. We decided to take a chance.

We feel right at home in the cozy upstairs dining room of Le Troubadour We were led up a flight of rickety wooden stairs into a completely different universe. While the downstairs was cold and uninviting, the upstairs was like walking into a charming farmhouse. Attractive copper pots hung from iron racks on the ceiling. Wooden tables and benches complimented the textured whitewashed walls. The greenhouse was off to the left looking just as lovely as it had from the outside. There was an air of tasteful elegance that made us feel instantly at home. This was gonna be good.

Perfect and refreshing Kir Royale's at Le Troubadour For our aperitif, the waiter offered us a Kir Royale flavored with black currant. We sipped on our drinks and began to peruse the menu.

Along with sea urchin, there is one other ingredient that I can never resist when I see it on a menu: heirloom tomatoes. Maybe it's because I used to hate tomatoes that I am so passionate about them now. But I just can't get enough of them and when I see an heirloom tomato salad on a menu, chancing are I'm going to order it. Some heirloom tomato salads are better than others. But when it's done right, and when a chef knows how to coax the maximum sweetness and tomato-y-ness out of these beautiful fruits, it can be an example of simple perfection.

Heirloom tomato salad perfection at Le Troubadour This heirloom tomato salad was so wonderful. The tomatoes were juicy, almost bursting with ripeness. Tiny leaves of pungent basil and spicy arugula adorned the top. The tomatoes were dressed, just right, with a heavy dose of an excellent local extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, sea salt and cracked black pepper. When we had eaten all of the tomatoes, we were delighted to find that the juices from the tomatoes and the olive oil had gathered at the bottom of the bowl, creating a perfect sauce to sop up with a piece of crusty sourdough bread. Simple and spectacular.

Matt's homemade Pappardelle with Braised Veal Ragu Then came the main course. Matt wisely went with one of the day's specials: Pappardelle with Braised Veal Ragout. This was as fine a pasta dish as you could find in any restaurant in Italy. Thick, chewy Pappardelle with an unbelievable ragout that was exploding with flavors. Rich, herbaceous, creamy, a little citrusy. Unreal. There was a heaping pile of pecorino cheese to top it off and more of that excellent local olive oil. Wow.

Fine dining doesn't get much better than my main course of Filet Mignon with Gnocchi at Le Troubadour But my dish was equally as delicious. A rare-seared piece of filet mignon wrapped in bacon drizzled with a meaty pan sauce. The beef was sitting on a bed of asparagus and delicately blanched haricot vert. The chef won major points for the presentation of the asparagus. Peeled at the bottom in what must've been an excrusiating task for some poor prep chef. But there was a really cool texture contrast between the peeled and un-peeled parts of asparagus that made it worth the effort. Accompanying the beef was a little cast iron dish of tender gnocchi bathing in that same salty beefy pan sauce that went with the beef. Awesome.

Painstakingly peeled asparagus at Le Troubadour. Worth the effort. For dessert, we ordered the chocolate and coconut "globe": a dark chocolate sphere containing a layer of light and airy coconut ice cream and poached mango, sitting on a disk of more dark chocolate. It was delish. And when you broke open the sphere, the inside looked exactly like a Cadbury Cream Egg.

Does this not look exactly like a Cadbury cream egg? At the end of the meal, Matt told the waiter that I was a caterer in New York City. The waiter insisted on telling the chef and bringing him out to meet me. We were shocked when head chef Julian Diaz walked out of the kitchen. He was only 28 years old! His cooking reflects an amazing complexity and depth that you would expect from a chef twice his age. Chef Diaz told us he was born in Marseilles and that he trained alongside the head chef of one of the top, Michelin starred, restaurants in Corsica, Casa Del Mar. He also worked as a chef in Bolivia, London and Iraq.

Photo op with Head Chef Julian Diaz He was shy and humble. Matt and I gushed over the meal. To our surprise, Chef Diaz seemed almost shocked that people from New York City would be so blown away by his cooking.

Because Corsica is so insular and seemingly isolated from the rest of the world, it may seem like this restaurant in a relatively small town on a relatively small island could never be compared to a restaurant in New York. But that couldn't be farther from the truth. Le Troubedour, and Chef Julian Diaz, could easily stand up to many of New York's finest. And if you look at the larger picture, the current world-wide trend of sourcing out local and seasonal ingredients puts Corsica at the forefront of today's foodie scene. In fact, in many ways, Corsica's food culture is the ultimate example of the local food movement. This is foodie paradise. And Le Troubedour is only one excellent showcase of just how good Corsican cuisine can be.

THE BEVERAGES OF CORSICA

Inside the magical La Vielle Cave in Corte It may seem strange to dedicate a whole section to beverages. But the drinks here are just that good! And we were surprised to find that Corsica's commitment to serving local products extended beyond just food and speciality food products. When you are on this island, you will drink local Corsican beverages almost exclusively.

First off, there's the nonalcoholic drinks. I know it may be crazy to say this, but even Corsican water is distinct and outstanding. Orezza, the local sparkling water, is bottled in Corsica and sourced from an ancient spring. It tastes clean and fresh and really very different from other mainstream sparkling waters. The still water, Zilia, is equally as pure and clean, almost sweet, and comes from a spring located in the mountains. Corsica even produces it's own Cola: Corsica Cola, which tastes like a mix between Coke and Dr. Pepper.

Our favorite Corsican red wine, Oriu But we weren't just sipping on glasses of sparkling water. Corsica produces excellent wines, specializing in Rose, Red Wine and the sweet dessert wine, Muscato. While we were in Corsica, we only drank Corsican wine. In fact, the wine list of every restaurant we went to in Corsica only offered Corsican wine. And that was fine by us. The wines are sophisticated and complex and delicious. We sampled wines from vineyards all across the island, drinking crisp and refreshing Rose's during lunchtime, and deep, rich reds at night. Our favorite wine was called "Oriu" from a vineyard near Porto Vecchio.

Refreshing fruity Cap Corse We began every meal with the traditional Corsican aperitif, a fortified sweet wine called Cap Corse. Cap Corse is served over ice with a thin slice of lemon. It is a dark colored and intensely grape-y drink. We brought back a bottle with us and one friend said it tasted like a Fig Newton. It totally does. If you go to Corsica act like a local and order "Un Cap." The waiter will nod approvingly.

Ah, Pietra Corsica also produces whiskey, liqeuers flavored with local fruits and herbs, brandy, and an amazing beer called Pietra. Pietra is brewed with local chestnuts and malts. It is a lovely amber color, light enough to be very drinkable, but also rich in flavor and very well balanced. The Pietra website describes the beer as "Strong and delicate, solid and soft with a touch of bitterness…" I'd say that's accurate. What a great, great beer. I really miss Pietra.

To end this series of posts, I will share one of our most memorable experiences in Corsica. I think it sums up everything we love about this island.

Entering mysterious La Vielle Cave Before we left Corte to drive to Porto Vecchio we walked around the city a bit more. We did some shopping, bought an inviting baguette at a cute bakery and took a quick visit to the Citadel. As we made our way back to our hotel we just so happened to look down a small side street and catch a glimpse of an inviting and mysterious looking shop: La Vielle Cave.

Wine filled barrels at La Vielle Cave We immediately walked over. We went down a few stairs into a dark, musty, cave-like room. Bottles of wine lined the walls, along with bottles of unlabeled liqueurs and giant, unmarked barrels. On the far end of the room hams and salamis hung from the ceiling. There was a strange looking contraption that looked like some sort of home-made distillation machine. In one corner a group of red faced, balding Corsican men sat around a bunch of overturned barrels now being used as tables. They were drinking wine and having a heated discussion about soccer (which later turned into an even more heated discussion about Corsican politics).

Distillery contraption at La Vielle Cave Upon entering, the owner beckoned us over to a barrel table and instructed us to sit down. We had only intended to look around but within seconds he had produced two wine glasses and filled them to the brim with a pretty pink Rose. He looked at us and smiled. Another few seconds went by and a shell-shaped aluminum ash tray was placed before us filled with thickly sliced salami.

Brimming glasses of excellent Rose wine at La Vielle Cave We sat back, taking in the bizarre and wonderful scene. We drank our Rose and it was magically refilled. One of the louder, more passionate of the Corsican men suddenly broke into a mournful song. Some of the other men raised their glasses and joined him, singing along in harmony. After a few minutes they returned to their argument. At one point a guy parked his Vespa outside the door of the shop and walked in carrying a tall empty water bottle. The owner took the bottle over to one of the barrels, filled it up with Rose wine and handed it back to the guy. Matt and I looked at each other in amazement. Was this place for real?

Salami on the house at La Vielle Cave We both would've happily stayed at La Vielle Cave for the rest of the day. But we had to get going. We asked the owner to recommend some wines and liquerrs for us to buy to take home. He insisted we try a couple to see what we liked. We did not refuse.

There is meat hanging everywhere at La Vielle Cave. What a happy place. We left with 3 bottles of wine, 1 bottle of Muscato and 2 bottles of liqueur. La Vielle Cave was probably the main reason we ended up paying a hefty overweight charge for our luggage on our return home. But it didn't matter. Because anytime I want to remember that magical place, and the magical island of Corsica, I just open up the golden honey and myrtle flavored home-made aperitif and I'm right back in that room, sitting by those barrels, sipping a glass of Rose, Corsican singing drifting through the air…

Au Revoir from Corsica! ]]>The Joys of Corsican Cuisinehttp://blog.misselisabeths.com/home/2010/11/12/the-joys-of-corsican-cuisine.htmlElisabeth2010-11-12T20:09:40ZA Mandria Corsica Delicious Travels La mer Langoustine Maquis Pork Porto Shrimp Sperone U Pamapasgiolu bees honeyprevious post, I talked about the Terroir of Corsica and the honey, cheese and meats that contribute to Corsica's wonderful and sophisticated specialty food scene. Now it's time to get into the cooking and cuisine of Corsica, and talk about the many, many meals we enjoyed while on the island.

Life changing Lasagna at A Tramula restaurant in Evisa Corsican food is a seamless blend of French and Italian cuisine. It is Italian in style, with menus dominated by pizzas, pastas and tomato-based dishes. But it is often heavily French in flavor, rich, meaty, earthy and buttery. The food is fragrant and assertive with the use of the powerful herbs of the Maquis (click here to read my previous post about the Maquis). The flavor of the Maquis is in fact one of the defining characteristics of Corsican food. Its taste lingers in sauces, and sausages, in pasta dishes, cheeses and in the honey.

Perfect example of Corsican's French and Italian roots at the farmer's market in Ajaccio. On one side, pizza, on the other, Croque Monsieur There is an emphasis on hearty stews and braised meat dishes, wild boar being among the most famous. Pork in Corsica is particularly delicious as almost all of the piggies are either free range or genuinely wild. Corsica is also famous for it's chestnuts, and many products are made with chestnut flour, including polenta and beignets.

Our first taste of classic Corsican food came on our first night in Ajaccio. We went to a restaurant called U Pampasgiolu located on a quiet side street close to the port. Tables were set up in a sort of large alleyway which made for a very cool dining atmosphere. Matt and I both got the same dish. It was essentially a tasting menu but it arrived all at once, served on a large wooden "planche". There were 7 different dishes ranging from cheese to veal stew. The waiter told us the correct order in which to eat everything and we dug in.

A massive tasting platter of traditional Corsican dishes at U Pamapasgiolu First off, a yummy beefy, hearty soup filled with potatoes, carrots, onions and celery. Then there was a ham, brocciu cheese, spinach and wild mint tart that we felt tasted a bit like toothpaste. Not our favorite part of the assortment. But the other dishes were fantastic. Braised eggplant in tomato sauce stuffed with breadcrumbs and ham, veal stew seasoned heavily with herbs and a burst of sharp vinegar alongside creamy garlicky polenta. Then a charcuterie plate with salami, a thick sliced prosciutto and a gamey wild boar. This was our first taste of Corsican charcuterie and in my journal I noted that the meat was the "gamiest, smokiest, most delicious 'meat leather' we had ever tasted." Finally, there was a Manchego-esque cheese served with a thick fig jam. It was a major meal. Delicious and enormous. And an amazing introduction to the world of Corsican food.

Savoring the last sips of excellent red wine in the charming outdoor seating area of U Pampasgiolu We had another great meal on the road from Corte to Porto Vecchio at A Mandria, a huge restaurant with a large outdoor garden and patio. We arrived and were led to the outside where a family of about 20 were happily eating at a long banquet-style table.View of the outdoor garden and seating area behind the restaurant A Mandria The menu was extensive and, as usual, only in French and Corsican. So we had no idea what to order. Surprisingly, the waiter spoke English and he insisted that I get one of the specials of the house: an assorted meat platter with chestnut polenta, twice baked potato and braised beans in tomato sauce. I obeyed. Matt, on the other hand, opted for a lighter option, an omelette that must have been made with at least 8 eggs, filled with tangy aged Brocciu cheese and also served with a twice baked potato and braised beans.

Matt's massive Brocciu filled omelette at A Mandria My plate arrived. It was enormous. 3 different cuts of thick, grilled bacon-esque pork slabs, blood sausage, the stuffed potato, a hunk of Brocciu and the polenta. It was a meat bonanza. The bacon was really smoky, having been grilled right on the gigantic wood burning grill at the back of the garden. The rind was right on there, which added for a nice crunch with each bite. The sausage was juicy and impeccably seasoned. The beans, creamy and comforting.

My artery-clogging pork festival plate at A Mandria It was a ton of food. I finished about 1/4 of the plate before I conceded and let the bees have their way with it. (click here to read my earlier post about the meat-loving, ever present, occasionally pesky, but harmless Corsican bees)

Matt's omelette was lovely, light and fluffy and streaked with the crumbly cheese. And I should mention that, as expected, the bees had no interest whatsoever in Matt's boring old vegetarian omelette. But my pork? They came from miles around. I'm telling you, these bees love their piggy.

This was the first place we learned the concept of the "bee offering." We put a couple of pieces of my pork at the edge of the table. The bees went right to it. And while the occasional bee strayed over to my plate to inspect the remnants of a smoky piece of pork fat, most of them were happy to stick with what we had so generously set aside for them.Appease the bees: A generous pork offering for these meat-loving insects For dessert we had an amazing chestnut caramel flan and a much needed espresso. The waiter than made us taste 2 home-brewed liqueurs: one myrtle flavored (myrtle is a pungently flavored berry that grows among the maquis) and one chestnut flavored. Both were yummy, sweet and strong. We rolled away from the restaurant in a meat-induced haze.

Though I had meat coming out of my ears, I could not resist the silky chestnut caramel flan at A Mandria Myrtle and Chestnut Liqueur at a Mandria helped to revive me from a meaty black hole Perhaps our favorite meal was an unexpected stop in the tiny mountain village of Evisa. We drove through Evisa on our way to Corte, after leaving the town of Porto and enjoying a lovely hike in the Gorges de Spelunca. We had had a late breakfast and so we had planned to drive straight through Evisa to the Foret D'Antoine and then on to Corte (Click here to read my previous post about Corsica's natural beauty). But as usual, the drive took longer than expected and we arrived in Evisa around 1:30. Lunchtime.

View from the terrace of A Tramula in Evisa One of my guidebooks mentioned that there was a small family owned restaurant off the tiny main road in the town. We entered A Tramula and knew right away it was our kind of place. The restaurant itself is tiny, just one small room with a bar and a couple of tables. At one table in the corner a group of Corsican men sat drinking beer and bickering with one another. To the left of the bar was a kitchen, if you could call it a kitchen. It was basically just a closet with a grill, a little oven and a small four burner stove. But magical things were happening in that little kitchen closet.

We were escorted through the restaurant to a patio overlooking the beautiful Maquis covered mountains and the charming red-roofed Evisa houses. The air smelled sweet and clean. We sat down at our table with big smiles on our faces and ordered a half bottle of Rose.

Matt in Lasagna bliss on the terrace of A Tramula On the menu there was a special of the day. We didn't bother asking the waiter what it was because we would not have understood what he said anyway. So we just pointed to the words on the menu and ordered "deux."

It was not even 10 minutes later (service in Corsican restaurants tends to be amazingly fast) that we had before us a mouthwatering square of lasagna covered in tomato sauce, layered with some sort of soft and crumbly goat cheese and sprinkled with dried maquis herbs. We were speechless for a moment. It looked that good. And smelled that good.

Legendary lasagna at A Tramula We simultaneously brought our forks to the pasta and dug in. The lasagna was meltingly soft and tender. The pasta, cheese and sauce melded together in perfect harmony. Each bite was better than the next. The sauce was fresh, a little sweet, fragrant from the herbs. We sat there and ate in silence, slowly, carefully, as if the lasagna was a piece of art to be lovingly treasured. We looked up at each other occasionally, shaking our heads in amazement at the awesome-ness of this meal. We didn't need to speak because we knew what we were both thinking. Bite of lasagna. Sip of wine. The breeze of the cool mountain air, scent of the maquis drifting around us. Life doesn't get much better than this.

COASTAL CORSICAN CUSINE

Langoustine delight The food in Corsica's coastal towns does not differ drastically from the food that you find further inland, except for the obvious addition of excellent seafood. And almost every seafood based meal we had was eaten either right on the beach, or within sight of the sea, making everything taste that much better.

The Beach in the town of Cargese, where we had one of our favorite Coastal-Corsica meals All of the seafood we had in Corsica was impeccably fresh. But there was one type of seafood that was really outstanding: Shrimp and the mighty Langoustine.

I don't tend to think of shrimp as much of anything. I mean, I love it. But it doesn't have all that much flavor and there's nothing particularly special about it. Shrimp in Corsica, on the other hand, is a mind-opening experience. Every time I had shrimp, which was often, it arrived head and shell on, simply grilled or poached and drizzled with some olive oil and crunchy sea salt. To taste these shrimp is a revelation. They are so sweet and briny, so fresh. When you eat these shrimp it as is if you are tasting the little crustacean for the first time. As if you finally know what shrimp are supposed to taste like.

Dining outside at Sous La Tonnelle in Porto Vecchio At the restaurant Sous La Tonnelle in Porto Vecchio, I had one such enlightening shrimp meal. The restaurant is very pretty, located on a busy side street in the main part of the Citadel. As with most places we went to in Corsica, there was outdoor sidewalk seating. We always opted to sit outside when we could as the nighttime weather was a consistent balmy 75 degrees with a lovely cool breeze.

Sous La Tonnelle is known for it's traditional Corsican food, (as so many restaurants proudly boast) but we were also right on the coast so seafood was prominent. I pretended to look through the menu but the truth was, as soon as I saw shrimp as a main course, I knew what I was going to order. From the very first time I’d eaten a Corsican shrimp I was hooked. At this point in our trip, if it was on a menu, I was going to order it.

Braised endive with crispy pancetta at Sous La Tonnelle We started with a delicious dish of braised endive swimming in a balsamic reduction and topped with delicate slices of crispy pancetta. The endive was so tender and buttery it almost disintegrated into the sauce when you cut into it. Flecks of the crispy smoky pancetta mingled with each bite, creating a yummy mix of saltiness, bitterness from the endive, and a sweet tang from the balsamic reduction. A great start to the meal.

For our main course, Matt got a seared duck breast that was smothered in sweet caramelized onions, creamy fingerling potatoes and a dense meaty port-sauce. It was great. Really scrumptious.

Simple and spectacular shrimp at Sous La Tonnelle But the shrimp. Oh the shrimp. My dish was so simple. 4 or 5 large shrimp, some rice with herbs and vegetables, a couple of roasted cherry tomatoes. But it was perfect. I could've eaten a hundred of them. Head meats and all. Corsica has managed to elevate a humble, ordinary shellfish to a whole new level.Don't miss a single bit of these delectable shrimp. Consume from head to tail! One of the reasons I was so impressed with the shrimp was because of the enormous difference between the Corsican version and the one we get here in the states. But let's not kid around here. The shrimp were amazing and mind blowing and all that. But when it all comes down to it, a shrimp will still be a shrimp. It will never be able to stand up to what I consider to be the grand-daddy of all Crustaceans: The Langoustine.

You've heard me go into great, gory detail about Langoustines before, in my post about Barcelona. If you've never had a langoustine, the flavor is basically a cross between a lobster and a shrimp. They are actually related to lobsters. Langoustines are big, about 6 inches or so long, with lanky claws that extend far beyond their bodies. Their shells are much harder than shrimp but much softer and easier to split than a lobster. The meat is sweet and delicate. I rarely see Langoustines on a menu in NYC but in Europe they are very popular. And in Corsica they are at their finest.

Soothing view on the terrace at the club house at Sperone golf Course During one lunch, I indulged in an absolute langoustine bonanza. Matt only had a couple. He just doesn't get it. I had at least a dozen, and I only stopped because I thought the waitress was giving me funny looks. But how could I hold back? It was a Langoustine BUFFET!

World's greatest Buffet? Langoustine galore We had just played a round of golf at one of the most beautiful golf courses in the world, a Robert Trent Jones Sr. designed course called Sperone. Sperone is astonishing. Beginning at the 10th hole, you see the Mediterranean in the distance. From there on, hole after hole, you are bombarded with one breathtaking view after the next.The 16th hole at Sperone is right on the water. It's Matt's happy place. Some of the holes appear to be right in the middle of the ocean. The water was a rainbow of gorgeous blues and greens, and it was so clear we could see straight down to the bottom. Sperone even has it’s own wonderful beach: Petit Du Sperone. It is a tiny stretch of sand surrounded by green hills. A great place to take a refreshing dip after a perfect round of golf.

Some of the nicest water we saw in Corsica was around the Sperone golf corse View of Petite Sperone beach. A small, quiet beach. You just walk right down from the golf course Sperone is a swanky, expensive course. And with every swanky course comes a swanky clubhouse to go with it. After our round we headed up to the clubhouse to grab a bite to eat. We were thinking a nice turkey club sandwich, some fries and a beer would be great. Instead we were greeted with an all you can eat gourmet buffet filled with delectable salads, cheeses, charcuterie, poached and smoked salmon, shrimp and a gigantic platter of glistening pink langoustine.

I was shocked. Langoustine are expensive, a luxury ingredient. And here they were, an endless supply at my fingertips. The buffet wasn't cheap. But for 35 Euros, unlimited access to not only langoustines but a host of other very high end ingredients made this a great deal. I grabbed a plate and began.

My Second Plate at Sperone Buffet: All Langoustines all the time Everything was great. There was curried shrimp, pasta salad with tuna and artichokes, avocado salad with fresh tomatoes, beet salad, endive salad, mozzarella salad with tomatoes and red onion. It went on and on. At first I loaded up my plate with a sampling of most of the dishes. But then I focused in on the main event, happily tearing apart one langoustine after the next. It was amazing.

We had another wonderful seafood meal in Porto at the restaurant La Mer. La Mer is a beautiful space with a large outdoor patio under a canopy of leafy trees. Strings of lights hang between the branches creating a magical secret-garden-esque atmosphere.

Lovely outdoor seating at La Mer We began our meal with a "Crumble de Nicoise." As usual, we had no idea what we were actually ordering, and as usual it did not matter. The crumble was some sort of mixed fish-tartare topped with, well, a crumble of breadcrumbs and herbs, sitting in a light curry tinged tomato sauce. It was an unusual and surprising dish that we loved.

Crumble de Nicoise at La Mer Though we were at a fish restaurant, Matt wasn't in the mood, having just spent the entire day on our boat ride through Scandola (click here to see my previous post on the marine nature reserve of Scandola). He'd had enough of the sea for the time being. So he got the Entrecote de Boeuf. And I gotta admit, it was awesome. A big, juicy piece of steak accompanied by a bernaise sauce that was so thick it could be mistaken for mashed potatoes. There were big roasted shallots, grilled cherry tomatoes and smoky grilled fingerling potatoes. There was also some sort of divine broccoli or spinach based puree that we couldn't quite identify. Fantastic.

Matt's Succulent Entrecote de Boeuf at La Mer I, on the other hand, was not messing around with meat. I knew that the fish at this restaurant came right from the waters we had been exploring earlier that day, and that meant I had to have it. I ordered the fish of the day which was sold by the gram. I don't actually know what kind of fish it was but it didn't matter.

It arrived whole, expertly charred on the outside, flaky, moist and delectable on the inside, drizzled with olive oil and lemon juice and sprinkled with crunchy sea salt. My sides included the same mystery puree Matt had, along with a sweet potato puree of sorts, a stewed tomato and raw, sweet fennel dressed with olive oil and wine soaked golden raisins. A stunning fish dish that I will never forget.

My whole delectable fish at La Mer My final, and perhaps fondest, coastal Corsican culinary memory takes us to a beach in the town of Cargese on our second day on the island. We left Ajaccio to drive to Porto. It was a gorgeous drive but it was our first experience with the narrow Corsican mountain roads and sheer drops into horrifying bottomless gorges. We were terrified. Well, at least, I was terrified. Matt didn't have time to be terrified as he squeezed past an oncoming truck speeding around a hairpin turn at 70 miles per hour. He was sweating. I was holding my breath. We were stressed out.

After about an hour and a half of driving, I reluctantly tore my eyes off the road and began to look through our guidebooks to get an idea of where we were and how close we were to Porto. We still had a considerable way to go. We were, however, near to the town of Cargese which apparently had a very nice beach. We had yet to experience a Corsican beach and we were in much need of a break from our little road trip. We entered the tiny town of Cargese and I told Matt to pull off at a fork in the road. The road, the guidebook said, would lead us down the the beach.

The welcoming beach at Cargese Soon we saw a line of parked cars. We turned a corner and there was a long expanse of white sand and a beautiful blue sea. Matt and I had no idea what to expect of Corsican beaches and we were pretty shocked to discover how Caribbean it looked and felt. We took about a thousand pictures of the clear water and the surrounding mountains.

Irresistibly charming beach restaurant on the sand at Cargese beach We walked down the beach and came to a little restaurant. It was love at first sight. Thatched roof, wooden bar, a floor of sand. The family who owned the place was sitting at a long table eating platters of seafood and drinking wine. We were so happy to not be driving, so happy to finally be on a beach relaxing and enjoying our honeymoon, so happy to have discovered this unexpected magical restaurant. It was paradise. We rented two chairs from the owners of the place and set up camp.

It's a good life on the beach at Cargese After we were sufficiently chilled out we took our first dip in the Corsican sea. It felt just as good as it looked. Then we made our way up to the restaurant for lunch.

Matt ordered a panini with ham, cheese and tomato. I don't know why, but sandwiches in Europe are always good. This one really hit the spot. I went a little bolder and got the dish I saw everyone eating when we had first walked in. It was a mixed seafood platter with shrimp, mussels, smoked salmon, calamari, octopus, crab, fresh mango, tomatoes and Bibb lettuce. It was tossed with a light lemony vinaigrette and that was it.

My wonderful Fruits de Mer Salad at the Cargese beach restaurant It was AWESOME. First of all, this was my first taste of Corsican shrimp. Like I said before, a revelation. The mussels were tiny and sweet and tender. Every single aspect of this dish was impeccably fresh and delightful. I'd never tasted seafood like this before and I knew right away that I was in for some serious seafood delights on this trip. Like all things in Corsica there is something in the air…something in the land…something in the sea that just makes everything taste different.

Up Next: The Gourmet Side of Corsica and Drinking in Corsica]]>