The Bodega Chef: Picadillo

As a reminder...
Here are the rules: Any meat, any spices, the rest of the ingredients must be available from one of the bodegas within a 3 block radius from me.
sidenote: I typically keep chicken and ground beef or turkey in the freezer and I have a pretty decent collection of spices.



Picadillo is a traditional Cuban dish that lends its self particularly well to bodega cooking, as recipes vary greatly and many substitutions can be made. For example, the vinegar can be left out completely or replaced with any type of vinegar or even a little wine.
Its also a pretty quick dish to cook.

Picadillo

Ingredients

2 lbs ground beef
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 large white onion, diced
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 can diced tomatoes (can be replaced w/ another 8 oz. can tomato sauce)
1 Jalapeno (4-5 slices), diced*
¾ cup pimento stuffed olives, sliced
1/3 cup raisins
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar*
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar*
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon ground pepper
* If you have it

Preparation

1) Sauté diced onions and garlic in olive oil.
2) When onions become transparent, add ground beef, breaking it up as it browns.
3) When mostly browned, add tomato sauce, vinegars, and diced tomatoes and let simmer.
4) Add sliced olives, jalapeno, raisins and spices, continue simmering and stirring for approximately 20 minutes, or until most of the liquid has drained.
5) Serve with rice and black beans, in taco shells with lettuce and tomato, or in a roasted red pepper.

The Bodega Chef: Cream Sauce

As a reminder...

Here are the rules: Any meat, any spices, the rest of the ingredients must be available from one of the bodegas within a 3 block radius from me.

sidenote: I typically keep chicken and ground beef or turkey in the freezer and I have a pretty decent collection of spices.

Fettucini Alfredo or Fettucini with a Salmon Cream Sauce

12 oz. dried fettucini, spaghetti or linguini
1/2 cup melted butter
1 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste
parsley

(if you want it/have it)
1 cup canned green peas
2 cups canned salmon flaked

1. cook the pasta in boiling water until done
2. melt 2 tablespoons butter, add the peas (if you want) and saute until tender over medium heat
3. add the remaining 6 tablespoons of butter and the cream, reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the butter melts.
4. add 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, salt, pepper and nutmeg and the salmon (if you want)
5. simmer until cheese melts, about 2 minutes.
6. drain pasta, pour sauce over pasta sprinkle remaining cheese over it garnish with parsley and serve.

adapted from cooks.com recipe for Pasta with Salmon Cream Sauce

The Bodega Chef: Celebrity Edition

On the tails of New York Magazine's new celebrity recipe search, this week's Bodega Chef will adapt some celebrity chef recipes for the bodega shopper.

As a reminder...
Here are the rules: Any meat, any spices, the rest of the ingredients must be available from one of the bodegas within a 3 block radius from me.
sidenote: I typically keep chicken and ground beef or turkey in the freezer and I have a pretty decent collection of spices.

The Bodega Chef: Celebrity Edition menu:
Appetizer
Black-Olive Tapenade by Jimmy Bradley (The Red Cat)

Main Course
Chicken Satay Jean-Georges Vongerichten (Spice Market)

Dessert
Candied Citrus in dark chocolate by Francois Payard (Payard Patisserie & Bistro) with Lemon Gelato by Meredith Kurtzman (Otto Enoteca Pizzeria)

Recipes adapted for Bodega shopping-

Black-Olive Tapenade by Jimmy Bradley (The Red Cat)

2 cups pitted Kalamata olives3 cloves garlic, minced2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice3 tablespoons parsley1⁄4 cup extra-virgin olive oilSalt and freshly ground black pepper

Chop the olives and garlic into a rough paste in a food processor. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, stir in the lemon juice and parsley, drizzle the oil over the olives, and stir until all the ingredients are evenly coated. Season to taste with salt and pepper. serve on toasted baguette slices or other bread

Chicken Satay Jean-Georges Vongerichten (Spice Market)

Peanut Sauce
1⁄2 teaspoon peanut oil or vegetable oil
1 teaspoon red curry paste (ommitted if don't have it, or replace with any combination of the following spices you do have turmeric, cumin, coriander, chili powder, cinnamon, cloves, cayenne, black pepper, bay leaves, ginger, nutmeg, onion, garlic, and celery seed. real red curry recipe here)
1 teaspoon sugar
1⁄2 cup coconut milk available at most ethnic bodegas
1⁄2 cup coarsely chopped, roasted peanuts (you can just use Planter's)
1 teaspoon soy sauce

Heat the oil in a saucepan, and cook the curry and sugar over low heat until the sugar melts and starts to caramelize. Add the coconut milk, and bring to a boil. Stir in the peanuts, and season with soy sauce.

Spice Paste
4 tablespoons finely chopped shallots (replace with onions, scallions, or a teaspoon of onion powder)
3 tablespoons ground roasted peanuts
1 tablespoon coriander
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon turmeric
1⁄2 cup coconut milk
1 tablespoon condensed milk
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
2 tablespoons Thai fish sauce (omit if you don't have and replace with 1 teaspoon soy sauce)
1 tablespoon whiskey
Pinch salt

In a blender, purée the shallots, peanuts, coriander, and cumin into a paste, then add the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.

Chicken
Omit the skewers and pound chicken breasts until thin then coat with spice paste, and season with salt and pepper. Broil until lightly charred on one side, then turn to cook the other side Approx. 5 minutes or less per side. Do not overcook, or the chicken will become rubbery. Serve with peanut sauce.



Candied Citrus in dark chocolate by Francois Payard (Payard Patisserie & Bistro)
Use whatever citrus fruits your bodega provides...
1 orange
1 lemon
1 lime
1 grapefruit
2 and 1/3 cups granulated sugar
4 tablespoons light corn syrup
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate (preferably Valrhona or Callebaut), finely chopped

Prepare the rinds in advance.
Slice each fruit in half, squeeze out the juice, and remove and discard pulp. Stir together sugar, corn syrup, and 4 cups water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Add the citrus peels, and place a saucer on top to keep them submerged. Cook for 5 hours just below the boiling point. (Use a flame tamer to keep the temperature down.) After 5 hours, the syrup will be twice as thick as when you began. Transfer peel and syrup to a bowl, and set in the refrigerator overnight. (Candied peel will keep in the syrup for one year.)

Drain the peel, scrape out most of the pith, and cut into 1/4-inch strips. Dry on a rack for 2 to 3 hours. (They must be thoroughly dry before you begin dipping.)

To temper the chocolate: Melt 8 ounces of the chocolate in a bowl on 50% in microwave in 1 minute increments until smooth or in bowl placed over simmering water until it will feel warm when touched to the lips. Remove the bowl of chocolate from the heat, and dry the bottom. Using a spatula, stir in the remaining chocolate. When it has all melted and no lumps remain, reheat the bowl until it feels warm on the lips again. Remove from heat.

To coat: Dip each fruit strip into the chocolate, coating three quarters of the strip, and place on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Reheat the chocolate if it cools and stiffens. Allow the dipped citrus to set in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.

Lemon Gelato by Meredith Kurtzman (Otto Enoteca Pizzeria)
4 cups milk
Zest from 8 lemons
1⁄2 vanilla bean or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1⁄2 cups sugar
10 egg yolks
Pinch salt

Heat the milk in a saucepan to a simmer. Put the lemon zest and vanilla bean or extract in a bowl, and add the hot milk. When cool, cover and allow to infuse for about 8 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.

Strain the milk into a saucepan, add half the sugar, and bring to a simmer. Whisk the egg yolks with the remaining sugar until combined. Gradually dribble the hot milk into the egg yolks, half a cup at a time, whisking, to heat the yolks without cooking them. When all the milk has been added, cook the sauce over medium heat, stirring continuously, for about 4 to 5 minutes or until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon and leave a trail when a finger is run over the spoon. (Don’t overcook the eggs; doing so will change the flavor of the gelato.)

Stir in a pinch of salt, and strain into a heatproof bowl set over ice. Cover, and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.

Transfer to an ice-cream machine, and process according to directions. Or use baggy-method.

baggy-method ice cream making:

6 tablespoons rock salt
1 pint-size Ziploc plastic bag
1 gallon-size Ziploc plastic bag
Ice cubes

Fill the large bag half full of ice, and add the rock salt. Seal the bag and shake a little.
Put cream mixture into the small bag, and seal it.
Place the small bag inside the large one and seal again carefully.
Shake until mixture is ice cream, about 5 minutes.
Wipe off top of small bag, then open carefully and enjoy!


Some other bodega friendly celebrity recipes:
Main Course: Chicken with Preserved Lemon and Rosemary by Laurent Tourondel (BLT Steak) Main Course: Rack of Lamb with Candy-Cane Crust by Wylie Dufresne (WD-50)
Dessert: Maple Butter Baked Seckel Pears by Ilene Rosen (The City Bakery)
Dessert: Chocolate Brownies Claudia Fleming (Gramercy Tavern)
Dessert: Roasted Pineapple with Pistachio Ice Cream by Eric Ripert (Le Bernardin)

The Bodega Chef: From the Can Chili

As a reminder...
Here are the rules: Any meat, any spices, the rest of the ingredients must be available from one of the bodegas within a 3 block radius from me.
sidenote: I typically keep chicken and ground beef or turkey in the freezer and I have a pretty decent collection of spices.



From the Can Chili

1 can diced tomatoes
2 6-ounce cans tomato paste
2 cans kidney beans
1 can kidney beans or any other beans, drained
1 can corn, drained (optional)
1 can beef broth
1 can dark beer (drink the rest while you prep)

1/2 cup strong coffee
1 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon cocoa
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar

If you have it items:
1 lb ground beef or turkey
1 onion (if you have it) chopped
3 cloves garlic (if you have it) minced
1 jalapeno (you can use canned) sliced

1. Start with "if you have it items"...if you have them. Heat 2 tablespoons or so of olive oil in pot, and brown ground beef or turkey, cook with chopped onions and garlic, season with salt and pepper to taste. If you don't have onions or garlic, replace with garlic powder and/or onion powder.
2. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, beer, coffee, beef broth and corn if you're going to
3. Add spices, stir in 1 can of kidney beans and jalapenos
4. Reduce heat and simmer for 1.5 hours.
5. Add remaining can of drained beans and simmer another 30 minutes.

Not exactly the fastest recipe, but if you have a slow cooker, you could also just dump all the ingredients in there in the morning before work and cook on low for 8 hours. OR just make it ahead, and heat it up to serve. saves very well.

adapted from "The Best Chili You Will Ever Taste" and "5-can chili"


On a related note, Here are the results to the Bodega Challenge I wrote about earlier. I agree with Grub Street that the one who really captured the spirit of bodega cooking was the #2 dish, Potato Chips Au Gratin. So for your viewing and possibly cooking pleasure, here is the recipe from Cathy Erdway's blog, Not Eating Out in New York. Now THAT'S what I call bodega cooking!


















Potato Chips au Gratin
(makes about 6 servings)

1 bag thick-cut potato chips (preferably low-sodium)
1 jar alfredo sauce
1 can Spam
1 1/2 cups lager beer
4–5 tablespoons grated processed parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Chop Spam into a very small dice. Heat a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high. Add the Spam and let brown on one side for about a minute. Stir, scraping up any bits from the bottom and let cook another 3–5 minutes, stirring, until evenly browned. Pour in the beer. Turn heat to high to bring beer to a boil. Let cook, boiling, for 1–2 minutes. Stir in the alfredo sauce and let cook until it’s completely warmed through and just begins to bubble. Turn off heat.

Spread a ladleful of the sauce along the bottom of a 9x11 pan. Arrange the potato chips in even, vertical formation on top. Arrange another layer of potato chips on top of this but in horizontal formation (so they don’t stack together). Top with about a third of the remaining sauce. Make another formation of two layers – or three if you’re tired of this already, and top with more of the sauce. Create another layer of potato chips, top with the rest of the sauce, and call it a day. Almost. Sprinkle the parmesan cheese on top. Bake for 30 minutes, until stuff is bubbling and the top is lightly browned. Let sit a few minutes before serving.

The Bodega Chef: First Installment

As many of you know I’ve taken up cooking pretty passionately. I frequently find that with my work schedule I am rushed to make it to the supermarket so I end up doing some of my shopping at my local bodega and pairing it with items I have in my freezer and spice rack. As I don’t think I’m the only one afflicted by this time crunch, I’ve decided to start this column.

Related: This bodega in Brooklyn had just that idea, challenging people to come up with a Thanksgiving sidedish using only ingredients from the bodega.

Here are the rules: Any meat, any spices, the rest of the ingredients must be available from one of the bodegas within a 3 block radius from me.
sidenote: I typically keep chicken and ground beef or turkey in the freezer and I have a pretty decent collection of spices.

The Bodega Chef: Betty Crocker's Crunchy Garlic Chicken



¼ cup butter or margarine, melted
2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives or parsley (use dried parsley)
½ teaspoon garlic powder
2 cups Whole Grain Total cereal, crushed to 1 cup (note: I’ve also tried this successfully with Special K)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (use dried parsley)
½ teaspoon paprika
6 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 ¾ lbs)

1. Heat oven to 425°F. Spray 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray (or use butter). In shallow dish, mix 2 tablespoons of the butter, the milk, chives/parsley, salt and garlic powder.
2. In another shallow dish, mix crushed cereal, parsley and paprika. Dip chicken into milk mixture, then coat lightly and evenly with cereal mixture. Place in pan. Drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons butter.
3. Bake uncovered 20-25 minutes or until juice of chicken is clear when center of thickest part is cut (170°F)

Nutrition Information
1 Serving: Calories 280 (Calories from Fat 110); Total Fat 12g (Saturated Fat 6g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 100mg; Sodium 410mg; Total Carbohydrate 11g (Dietary Fiber 1g, Sugars 3g); Protein 30g Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 15%; Vitamin C 25%; Calcium 45%; Iron 50% Exchanges: 1/2 Starch; 0 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Vegetable; 4 Very Lean Meat; 2 Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 1 *Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.