Jersey Exploration: Roots Steakhouse

Anyone who knows DJ knows he loves a good steak.  So finding a good steakhouse in Jersey was high on the foodie priority list.  One place a lot of folks recommended:  Roots Steakhouse.  And it didn't take long for us to understand why!

Everyone we encountered was extremely friendly and talkative.  We felt right at home as we settled into our comfy booth.  The whole vibe is very mellow and classy.  Somehow the lighting and seating arrangement makes it easy to forget about the outside world and be completely focused on a fun dining experience from start to finish.  

After placing our order, we were presented with fresh-from-the-oven popovers.  So sinfully good, we wished we didn't know just how much butter and cheese went into them so we could devour them without guilt.  But we tried our best to be good and just take a few bites to save our appetites (maybe a few extra nibbles were stolen here and there, but we won't talk about that).

The lobster bisque was absolutely dreamy.  Large chunks of fresh lobster (which is appreciated since some places tend to skimp on that part) and so many layers of amazing flavor - they do not mess around in that kitchen.  We seriously wanted to lick the bowl.

Then Mel got the Steak and Arugula Salad, which was phenomenal.  She loved the fact that it was just the right portion size of steak, and the greens had just the right touch of dressing and cheese so as not to overwhelm the meat.  She would eat this every day if she could!

DJ got the Black and Blue Burger.  As we've said before, it's hard to go wrong with the burger/fries duo and these were prepared beautifully.

We enjoyed our first time at Roots so much, we actually went back with DJ's friend after he came to help us paint our garage.   He loved it as much as we did!  As with any steakhouse, you can't go too often if you care about your arteries and your wallet.  But for the occasional special treat, we will not hesitate to return to Roots Steakhouse for a meal that's guaranteed to be amazing!

Jersey Exploration: A Toute Heure - Lovely Gift from a Fan

One of our biggest fans, Mel's brother, and his wife thoughtfully sent us a gift card for Local Roots Cranford as a lovely Christmas present in 2014.  Local Roots - a collaborative of local restaurants, gardens, and farms - believes in fostering sustainable food experiences for the community.  Love that!  A Toute Heure is their main restaurant, so we ventured over there to check things out.

First and foremost, the vibe is very friendly.  The staff were all very welcoming and pleasant to chat with, and one of the owners came by several times to ask if we were enjoying our meal.  And indeed we were!

The complimentary fresh bread was absolutely OUT OF THIS WORLD!  We took one bite and wanted to scarf it all down at once, though we knew we must exercise restraint since more food was on the way.  We almost asked if they sold individual loaves for folks to bring home, but we refrained. 

The rest of our meal was tapas-style small bites so we could try a variety.  A Toute Heure, true to its name of French origin, actually changes the menu daily based on the freshest ingredients available.  So you won't necessarily see any of these items should you go.  But feast your eyes nonetheless since any food they prepare promises to be as fantastic as these dishes.

 oyster slider and scallop salad

 blackened octopus and grilled skirt steak

 mussels in pork ragu

molten chocolate with baked pear

Every bite was delectable, every dish clearly prepared with appreciation and respect for the seasonal items available.  We're always so impressed with the ability of chefs to create dishes that are unexpected and fun by combining just the right spices and ingredients.  A Toute Heure is a wonderful foodie adventure because you never know what to expect on the menu, but you can be sure it'll be delicious.  One thing to note: it is a bit pricey.  Had we not had the gift card, it would definitely have had to wait for a splurge occasion.  But for a cool farm-to-table experience, it's worth it!  We'll certainly be back - especially to see what they do with warm weather crops!

Throwback Thursday: Thanksgiving 2014 - Spatchcock Style

In 2014, we started a new Thanksgiving tradition: two dinners!  We normally go to CT to celebrate on Thanksgiving Day.  But we figured: why not also have a pre-Thanksgiving dinner on the weekend with our new housemates, the Bernardins?!  So, two dinners became the plan.  

DJ couldn't have been more pleased since Thanksgiving is his favorite meal of the year, and he really enjoys the challenge of cooking a juicy turkey.  Each year he tries something a little different.  For the 2014 turkey, the new twist was to spatchcock the turkey with guidance from his friends at Bon Appetit.

We're a bit paranoid about germs from raw poultry, so the first step was to create a sterile area.  (Yes, we acknowledge this looks ridiculous.)

Whole Foods sells a handy brining kit: a large bucket with a bag of spices.  All you have to do is dump the spices in the bucket, fill it with water (and maybe some beer), and dunk the turkey in there overnight.  Mmmmm, juicy.

Now... to spatchcock.

You essentially are cutting out the backbone of the turkey so that it will lay flat in the pan and cook evenly in a shorter amount of time.  The Bon App video we linked to above makes this look a lot easier than it actually is.  Our cooking shears may not be the greatest, but it required a lot of pressure to break through the biggest bones.  

It was quite satisfying once we heard the loud *crack* and were able to get the whole backbone out. 

Then it was very easy to press down on the turkey and flatten it.

  

We placed it on the roasting pan, inserted our handy iDevice set to "whole turkey" (best sous chef ever!), and basted occasionally.

What a beauty!  So tender and juicy.

The chef was quite proud.

And we all enjoyed a lovely feast, including sides of stuffing, savory sweet potatoes, string beans, steamed broccoli, and cranberry sauce.

Cheers to a new housemate tradition!

Black Bean and Ham Soup

At the start of autumn, Mel noticed this magazine at the register at Whole Foods and snatched it up.  

 

It has yielded some great recipes for the chilly weather, including this one for Black Bean and Ham Soup.

The Ingredients:

The Process:

 

 One might hear "ham shank" and fear that it is a fatty unhealthy protein.  But it's surprisingly not bad at all, especially when you consider how many servings it will be broken into in the soup.  We found this great shank at our fav Whole Foods, and are quite pleased with the minimum ingredients/maximum flavor scenario.

One great thing about this recipe is that it does not involve canned beans.  We avoid canned items as much as possible.  Another great thing is:  IT'S SO EASY!  The beans, shank, and other ingredients start out looking like this:

 

And after a few hours of slow cooking magic, the shank has cooked into this tender, fall-off-the-bone/melt-in-your-mouth goodness.  

 

Shred up the meat, 

 

put it back in the slow cooker with the beans to let them mix together for a bit, and you have yourself an AMAZING and nutritious soup!

 

Jersey Exploration: The Huntley Taverne

When we first moved to Jersey, we realized one thing we might miss about city living: a plethora of weekend brunch options.  After some Google searches and friend inquiries, we discovered that The Huntley Taverne is a lovely brunch option on this side of the Hudson.

They pride themselves on seasonal cuisine using organic ingredients.  With two brick ovens for pizzas and a huge amount of indoor and outdoor space, this place is a rustic gem in Jersey.  It reminded us a bit of our favorite neighborhood spot in BK, The Farm on Adderley.

 

 a spot on the wrap-around porch

There were so many fun options on the menu, Mel couldn't decide on one main.  So she opted to get the Truffled Mac 'n' Cheese and pair it with the Crispy Calamari Salad since she was most curious about both dishes.  And both were, in a word, rich.  The mac 'n' cheese did not skimp on the truffle flavor and the mix of cheeses was intense.  The calamari salad surprised her because the calamari was fried (the adjective "crispy" should have tipped her off, but she wasn't really thinking).  The breading along with the thick salad dressing kind of weighed down the leafy greens.  So it wasn't quite the refreshing salad she had in mind.  Each of these dishes on their own are great, but putting them together was probably not the best plan. 

DJ, on the other hand, was quite pleased with his classic burger and fries duo.  You can never really go wrong with these guys.  :)

A few weeks later, we returned to The Huntley Taverne with DJ's family so they could give it a whirl.  The majority of folks got burgers, which were all very good.  However, we discovered that any dish involving cheese tends to come with a LOT of cheese.  We found ourselves removing hunks of cheese from burgers in order to cut back on the intensity.  Not a bad problem to have if you love cheese.  Just good to keep in mind when ordering.

Overall, we love The Huntley Taverne and it's whole vibe.  If you're in the mood for some good ol' American stick-to-your-ribs comfort food, it will not disappoint! 

Jersey Exploration: Arturo's Osteria and Pizzeria

Let it not be said that we have become complete old fuddy duddies who never go out anymore.  When the weather isn't below-zero horrendous, we do still like to enjoy a restaurant splurge.  And we have the whole Jersey territory to explore so there are lots of new options.

One place that caught our eye is Arturo's Osteria and Pizzeria in Maplewood.  Folks online raved about their pizzas and mushroom ravioli.  So we checked it out on a quiet weekend afternoon.  The space itself is small by suburban standards; reminded us a lot of the cute bistros you'll find in the city.  But once you can score a table, the service is prompt and the food lives up to its reputation!

 salumi misti (mixed plate of cured meats) and salad

 wild mushroom ravioli

penne with sausage ragu

As you can see from the pictures, the restaurant space may have reminded us of the city but the portions (and prices) are definitely suburban!  We had no clue we would get so much food on each plate.  Then we looked around and saw that most people were sharing one bowl of pasta.  Oops!  We'll know for next time.  Although we're thinking next time we'll check out the pizza.  We'll keep you posted!

Moroccan Chicken and Butternut Squash Soup

This winter weather has its hooks in all of us, so there have been a lot of Google searches for soup and stew recipes to keep us warm.  One that quickly became a favorite is this Moroccan Chicken and Butternut Squash Soup.  We like it because the flavor is something a little different (surprising what a bit of cinnamon can do to a savory dish!), the couscous makes it thick and hearty, and it is very simple to cook. 

Please note our alterations when we make it.

1.  We omit the:

• ground red pepper (not always in the mood for pepper heat); 
• fresh basil (our store only has it in large batches - we don't use basil enough to warrant getting that much of it); and,
• orange rind (too much of a nuisance).

2.  We add kale for some leafy green action, which subsequently leads to adding a dash more salt and a sprinkle more couscous to compensate for the water the kale releases while cooking down.

3.  We use whole wheat couscous.

4.  We use frozen butternut squash chunks, which saves chopping time and allows the soup to cook even faster (raw squash can take a while to soften).

5.  We use chicken breasts instead of thighs.  When the soup is done cooking we take the chunks of chicken out and cut them up into even smaller pieces.  This makes it easier to eat, and also allows the white meat to soak up even more of the flavors and juices for each bite.

Even with those changes, we still enjoy our version immensely.  So actually, that appears to be another benefit of this recipe: even after tweaking for personal taste, the overall flavor is consistently enjoyable.  This is pretty much a no-fail stew.  Gotta love it!

Throwback Thursday: DJ's 2014 Birthday @ Hometown BBQ and Infirmary

Though our August was busy with packing up our apartment, we did not let DJ's birthday pass us by without proper celebration!

We kicked off the day with a ferry ride across the river to visit Hometown Bar-B-Que in Red Hook.  We had spotted this place on our last visit to Ikea, marveling at the fact that it was sort of tucked in the middle of nowhere. 

Apparently a lot of people have been drawn to it for the same reason because it's garnered quite a buzz.  It has a reputation for getting quite packed, but thankfully we got there on the early side so we didn't have much of a line.

The ordering was a bit slow because only two guys were working the register and putting together each person's plate.  We appreciated their attention to detail so it wasn't a big deal, but we were getting pretty hungry.  So even though Mel was tempted by the Sriracha Hot Wings, when she overheard that they would take an extra 10 minutes she went to Plan B.

We wound up with yummy brisket, pulled pork, collards, beans, and mac 'n' cheese.  Super yummy!  But apparently, the BBQ in Austin has ruined all other BBQ for DJ because even though he enjoyed his meal he still felt it couldn't compare to what we ate in Texas.  Austin remains firmly on top of the pedestal for now, but we're glad we could enjoy some good BBQ a little closer to home.

Later in the evening, we invited folks to meet up with us at Infirmary for happy hour.  We had been to Infirmary once when it first opened and weren't very impressed with the experience.  But it looks like they've really found their stride because this time around, the food was delicious, the drinks were superb, and the staff were all very friendly!

left to right: fried oyster tacos (so amazing we ordered them twice and went back for more another day); Parmesan fries; hickory smoked bacon

gumbo

hummus

mac 'n' cheese

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DJ!!

Valentine's Day: "Delushious" Scallops and Butternut Squash Mac 'n' Cheese

We enjoy the concept of Valentine's Day, but do not enjoy the overpriced menus restaurants roll out just for Cupid.  So our tradition is to stay home and cook with splurge ingredients.  Mel loves scallops but they're way too pricey to eat regularly.  She saw a very simple "The Perfect Scallop" recipe on Chrissy Teigen's blog Delushious, so those were the first thing added to the menu.  Both of us like a good macaroni and cheese, but we know it's not very healthy to eat it too often.  Mel happened to spot a cool Butternut Mac 'n' Cheese recipe in a magazine, so that quickly became the second thing on the menu and we were ready to roll!

The Perfect Scallop

Chrissy Teigen lays out the recipe so simply on her site, so we followed it to the letter.

Pat scallops dry and season generously with salt and pepper.

Get a mix of canola oil and butter extremely hot in the pan and brown scallops for two minutes on both sides.

Teigen suggests serving the scallops on a bed of a corn salad, so we made our own variation.  We threw some thawed frozen sweet corn in the same oil that had cooked the scallops, let the corn heat for a bit and then added chopped grape tomatoes.

For some bonus leafy green action, we threw in a pack of fresh spinach and let it cook down to create a lovely warm spinach and corn salad bed for our scallops.

The end result: beautiful!

One thing we did learn though: always smell your scallops before cooking.  We made 9 total, and 8 were delicious and perfect.  But sadly one of them had a strange briney, amonia kind of taste.  DJ looked it up and discovered that such a taste occurs when a scallop is about to turn.  It didn't ruin our meal because the rest were fine, but it was definitely a good lesson.

Butternut Mac & Cheese

So of course most people consider macaroni and cheese a splurge dish because it's chock full of carbs and cheese and all the things that taste good but aren't good for us on a daily basis.  This recipe shows how a few healthy substitutions can make this comfort food less of a guilty pleasure.

One potential headache of this recipe is chopping up raw squash.  But Mel decided that since the squash isn't really the focus of the dish, it would be easiest to use frozen chopped squash.  We let it thaw for a bit, and then cooked it according to the recipe.  It softened very quickly in the milk/broth mixture.

Blend everything up and add the three cheeses to create a fabulous sauce for the pasta.

Mix cheesy sauce with cooked pasta (we used whole wheat pasta instead of the cavatappi), spread in baking dish, and...

top with breadcrumb/cheese mixture.

You pop it in the oven looking like this...

and wind up with a treat that looks like this (with our fun scallops on the side)!

Like we said earlier, we won't be making either of these dishes all the time.  Neither our wallets nor our arteries will allow for it.  But for a once-in-a-while treat, these two recipes really did the trick!