"What's Cooking?" on Connecticut Channel 12

The Secret Ingredient is what's cooking!

You may have seen me on Channel 12 over the weekend demonstrating one of my very favorite side dishes, a Black Bean Salad with Cilantro.  As promised, here's the recipe!  Enjoy!

Black Bean Salad with Cilantro

Serves 6 as a side dish

 2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed

½ cup diced carrot

½ cup diced red pepper

2 scallions (green parts only), sliced thinly

3 tablespoons chopped cilantro

For the dressing:

1 clove garlic

¼ cup red wine vinegar

½ cup olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Combine beans, carrots, peppers, and scallions in a large bowl.  Prepare the dressing by combining  the garlic, and vinegar in a small bowl.  While whisking, add the olive oil in a steady stream to create an emulsion.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Pour over the salad and mix gently but thoroughly (gently to avoid mashing the beans).  Add the chopped cilantro and mix again.  Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.  

This can be made up to one day in advance.  Store in refrigerator in an airtight container.  Check seasonings before serving.

Click here for more information about Tracy's Connecticut cooking classes at The Secret Ingredient Cooking School, or to read her other blog, Season to Taste.

Restaurants: Artisan at The Delamar Southport

**My below review of Artisan originally appeared on SuzySaid.com on July 25, 2011.

The highly anticipated Artisan Restaurant opened in the Delamar Southport Hotel on July 13 and has been going strong ever since.  Described as “New England inspired cuisine influenced by the rhythm of the season and the farmstead offerings,” Artisan hits the mark

When we first arrived and glimpsed Artisan’s large, beautifully appointed garden patio in the hotel courtyard, we felt transported somewhere far from of Fairfield.  Outfitted with a full-service bar, it is a perfect spot for pre- or post-dinner cocktails.  Large, comfortable chairs dotted with brightly colored throw pillows surround candlelit cocktail tables.  Along the patio’s perimeter are cushioned banquets and tables for dining, and against the building is a large pergola complete with dining tables and ceiling fans (which were much appreciated the steamy evening we visited).  Inside, the beautifully lit space boasts a nice tavern area which gives way to the large yet intimate-feeling dining room.  There is even a funky glassed-in private room for groups up to ten.  The entire restaurant is bathed in creams and sages and oversized floral designs grace two of the walls.  The atmosphere outside felt very hip (my husband, fresh off a west-coast business trip, was getting a California vibe).  Inside was a bit more subdued, but had plenty of energy and was a great setting for a meal.

And then there was the food!  The menu was nicely balanced with inventive dishes, some of which would appeal to the more adventurous and others that would suit the meat-and-potatoes crowd.  To start, I chose the “tuna crudo, watermelon, tomato, avocado with citron essence”.  The gorgeous cubes of sashimi-grade raw tuna were beautifully presented in checkerboard-like circle with the cubed tomato, avocado and yellow watermelon, and was topped with shaved radishes and a citron drizzle.  It was absolutely fabulous.  My husband chose the Connecticut oysters and Cape Cod clams from the raw bar which were super-fresh and briny.  For an entrée, I chose the local striped bass with a tomato-squash gratin  (although they ended up substituting halibut—a change of which they informed me).  I was presented with a perfectly cooked, moist filet served over a tasty mélange of vegetables .  My husband ordered the sea scallops over mushrooms, English peas, and roasted tomatoes, which was equally delicious.  As for wine, we were presented with only a list of selections by the glass, with 5-6 wines in each category, plus two rosés.  Although not extensive, the list had enough of a selection to make everyone happy and was not overwhelming.

Amazingly, we found room for dessert.  I didn’t get past the first listing.  “Fresh strawberries with  balsamic essence, rosemary biscuit and basil ice cream”...done!  The amazing basil ice cream was presented alongside a strawberry sorbet, over the biscuits with small, sugary sweet strawberries rimming the plate.  My mouth is watering all over again just describing it.  Everything at Artisan was really excellent and I cannot wait to return.  It might just be my new favorite spot!

Artisan

275 Old Post Road, Southport, CT 06890 

(203)307-4222 for reservations

Serving dinner 7 days a week, starting at 5:30pm.  Breakfast and lunch service to begin Monday, August  1, 2011.

Appetizers $8-14, Entrees $24-38, Wines by the glass $8-18

Summer at Pinkberry

I've blogged about Pinkberry before, but I needed to add a new post because I'm pretty certain the new summer flavors were created especially for me.  I don't know how they managed to get into my head, but they succeeded in choosing two of my very favorite flavors of all time: watermelon and salted caramel. 

In addition to the standard flavors available (original vanilla, chocolate, pomegranate,and  coconut), seasonal flavors are added to the mix every few months.  Watermelon temporarily replaced the mango flavor for the summer, but fear not, mango will be back. Much like the mango, the watermelon is fresh tasting and a little on the tangy side.  If you like yogurt, you'll LOVE this, but even if you don't, you'll still love it. 

On the complete other side of the spectrum is the salted caramel.  Sweet and salty all at the same time, it's absolutely delicious.  If you prefer the chocolate to the vanilla at Pinkberry, you'll love this summer flavor.  I tried it with crushed sugar cone and a sprinkling of salt on top.  Yum doesn't really begin to describe how much I loved this.

As I mentioned in my last post, I love all the fresh fruit toppings available at Pinkberry, but for those of you wanting to indulge there are plenty of sweets to satisfy you.  After swirling and topping your treat, the staff always passes your dish to you with two hands, as if they are presenting you with a gift.  Speaking of staff, they work very hard at Pinkberry, preparing the toppings fresh every day, plus making brand new batches of every flavor every single morning.  No left over fro-yo here.  The machines are completely emptied, cleaned and disinfected every single night.  I'm not sure I ever gave too much thought to this before, but I like the idea of everything being completely fresh. 

Owner Jamie Karsen, a Fairfield-based former corporate CEO turned dessert purveyor, says a second Connecticut Pinkberry is on tap to open in Greenwich soon.  I'm just glad Fairfield got in on the action when it did.  For me (and my kids), dinner at Colony Grill and a hop next door to Pinkberry for dessert sounds like just about the most delicious Fairfield family outing!

Open daily 11:30am-11:00pm
1512 Post Road
Fairfield, CT 06824-5911
(203) 292-9366
Website

Restaurants: What's Shakin' in Fairfield

Lots of exciting food news in Fairfield this summer!

Perhaps the most highly anticipated opening is that of Shake Shack on the Fairfield/Westport border (across the street from Home Goods).  For those of you not familiar with Danny Meyer's "roadside burger stand", it's a whole lot more than just great shakes (my friend Anne over at SuzySaid promises the caramel shakes are the best on earth!).  I can also tell you the burgers are fab-u-lous.  My husband works across the street from the original location in Madison Square Park, which opened in 2004 and became an instant hit with the New York lunch crowd and especially my family.  The lines start forming around 11am and continue throughout the afternoon.  I like to order the namesake "ShackBurger" which is a burger (single or double) made from a high-quality, vegetarian-fed, hormone-and-antibiotic-free blend of meats, American cheese, lettuce, tomato and "Shack Sauce" on a soft, yummy bun.  I usually get fries and a black-and-white shake to go with it, which all together runs around $12.  Shake Shack will hopefully be opening early this summer---but the sooner, the better!  Can you tell I'm VERY excited????

A few other exciting Fairfield soon-to-be-openings:

Bon Appetit Creperie is under construction on the lower level of the Billy's Bakery building on Black Rock Turnpike. If their crepes are anything like the ones I had on the streets of Paris or even the ones I used to get from a little hole-in-the-wall near Washington Square Park in NYC, Fairfielders are in for a TREAT. Details to follow!
Bodega is opening later this week at 1700 Post Road in the former What's Cooking location (the grey plaza across the street from St. Thomas RC Church). Tacos, margaritas, and more, which will be a great addition to Fairfield's food scene.  Early pre-opening buzz is that everything is excellent!  Rumor has it we're also getting a Chipotle soon as well!  Keep your ears and eyes open!

By now you've probably all heard that Whole Foods  finally opened June 3rd on Grasmere Avenue in Fairfield (right next to Home Depot).  Amazingly, I'm the only one in my family who has yet to venture over there, but I'm very excited for what is always a great selection of organics, prepared foods, great produce, and bulk-foods!

If you have any buzz-worthy food items in and around Fairfield, leave a comment or drop me a line at tracy@thesecretingredientonline.com!

For more information on my cooking classes go to www.TheSecretIngredientOnline.com , or to read my recipe blog, go to www.seasontotasteblog.wordpress.com.

Happy summer!!

Restaurants: Recent Discoveries in Fairfield County

It seems I've been doing a lot of eating out lately, and have tried to check out some new/newer places instead of frequenting my old favorites.  Here are some places I've been recently....it's a huge mix of places that span the spectrum.  All good, depending on what kind of mood you're in...

Nice night out:
The Pine Social, New Canaan, CT
I am usually suspect of restaurants in shopping plazas.  However, although a Walgreen's anchors one end of this new and quite-attractive plaza, the second you step in the door, everything that was left behind you is immediately forgotten.  The ambiance is fantastic.  The lighting is great and the vibe is energetic, but not too loud that you can't hear your friends.  The space has a nice bar (although not lots of extra room for standing--we were lucky two people were getting up from the bar as we walked in), lots of wood accents and comfy, tonal colors.  I felt as though we were in a uber-cool club lodge of some sort.  And then there was the food.  I have to say that every single thing we ate was excellent.  With the one exception of my husband's Filet Mignon not being cooked as he requested (it was too rare for him, but perfect for me), our meal was fabulous (we shared the tri-color salad and the calamari, I had the duck for my entree, and we shared Pots du Creme with pistachio biscotti for dessert).  Our server was friendly, attentive, and helpful.  What was best is somehow we managed to snag the front booth that overlooks the lounge area where they had a musician playing guitar and singing a great array of songs new and old.   I would highly recommend Pine Social both for groups or a romantic date night. 

Perfect weeknight outing:
Kiraku, Fairfield, CT
As a devotee of Wild Rice in Fairfield, I was hard-pressed to try another Asian-fusion restaurant, but I'm sure glad I did.  Kiraku is relatively new to town and is in a completely renovated space that once housed Al's Place (on the Post Road near the intersection with Mill Plain Road).  The space is narrow and not as open as Wild Rice, but the lighting and ambiance were good.  I went with my two kids, and we all shared an assortment of dishes.  My girls are dumpling-divas, and both gave the thumbs-up on these huge, plump and very juicy pork dumplings.  We also had a noodle and chicken dish which I thought was excellent, plus a selection of sushi rolls.  The food was great, service was extremely attentive.  Definitely a place I'll return.

Venturing out:
Taberna, Bridgeport, CT
Years ago I ripped out an ad from the newspaper for Taberna.  It has been pinned to my bulletin board ever since, and for some reason, I never made it there.  We often eat out with friends and I'm usually hesitant to suggest a restaurant to which I've never been, or for which I do not have a personal recommendation.  This was one of those places.  When a friend said she'd been and enjoyed it, my husband and I ventured up Bridgeport's Madison Avenue (past Tuscany, another great eatery to which you should venture) to check it out.  More of a mix of Italian and Spanish than strictly Spanish ("Mediterranean fusion" they call it) and not so much a tapas place as a regular restaurant (not sure where I got the idea it WAS tapas), the food was very good.  Granted there were only two of us and we didn't try a wide selection from the menu, but I have to say everything we ate was excellent.  I particularly enjoyed the fresh anchovy salad (it's delicious, despite what you might think about anchovies) and the homemade light-as-air ricotta gnocchi.  The service was excellent too. 

When you're hungry, day or night:
Mike's Pizza, Fairfield, CT
Why it took me 10 years to try a place that I've come to find out is a Fairfield institution is beyond me.  The newly-renovated space is a perfect place to take kids for a great casual meal.  My kids LOVE it and have proclaimed the hamburgers 'the best EVER'.  I think part of it is that they love that the owner waits on us and is so friendly and accommodating.  It's a real family owned, family focused restaurant that makes you extra happy not to be in some awful chain eating frozen chicken fingers.  The food is good but not fancy.  It is a great spot for basic Italian food, Greek-style pizza, simple salads, sandwiches, etc.  Their signature dish is the chicken turnover, which is a little like a calzone, but instead of ricotta cheese inside, it is a breaded chicken cutlet, tomato sauce and mozzarella wrapped up in pizza dough and baked.  Okay, a little carb-heavy, but really tasty!  And yes, they have beer and wine too.  Perfect for lunch or dinner with the kids.

Click to learn more about my Connecticut cooking classes or read my Season To Taste food blog.


Above photo from Flickr.com

Restaurants: Avellino's, Fairfield, CT

I cannot explain why I hadn't been to Avellino's in years.  I remember being there with my extended family for some sort of special dinner.  I remember the food being good.  I remember not having any complaints.  What I do not remember is why it took me something like five years to go back.  I can only chalk it up to the fact that I love trying new restaurants, and lately it seems like something new is opening every five minutes.

When a group of our friends all decided to go out to dinner recently, we had a few requirements.  We wanted to eat in Fairfield Center, we wanted a place that takes reservations (so many places will not take them it seems), and we wanted a cuisine that everyone would enjoy.  I'd just had a conversation with someone about Avellino's, so I suggested it and it was settled. 

The menu and food were excellent.  Our group tried a few different salads (the Formaggio di Capra --above--was the hands-down favorite---a salad of baby greens, warm goat cheese, dried cherries, candied walnuts and pears) and antipasti.  We ordered a wide vareity of delicious entrees, including Veal Brasiola, Seafood Risotto, swordfish, and pastas.  One pasta dish, a classic orechette with broccoli rabe and sausage was ordered by two of my friends.  The waiter happily substituted regular broccoli for the broccoli rabe, and even asked if they prefered their sausage sliced or crumbled (they did one of each).  Judging by the "mmmms" and clean plates around the table, everyone was very happy with what they ordered.

The service was also excellent.  As I mentioned, not only was the waiter friendly, but more than happy to meet our various requests for substitutions and changes to the menu.  He also committed our entire order to memory---seven people with seven drinks, seven first courses, and seven entrees (with all our changes!), and got every single thing correct.  A seasonsed professional for sure.  When I asked for additional grated cheese he suggested I try the dish first fearing the cheese may make it taste oversalted, and sure enough, he was spot on--no extra cheese was needed. It was perfect as is.  This is a man who knew his way around the menu.  After we were all too full for dessert, he even brought us a little sample of a special dessert they were serving that evening just so we could taste it...on the house. 

The entire evening was a great experience.  I wish the lighting was a little more subdued (we all commented on how it seemed too bright in the dining room), but everything else was fantastic.  Again, I have no idea what took me so long to go back to Avellino's, but you can be sure I'll be going there again very soon! 

Avellino's
1813 Post Road (near the Mill Plain Road intersection)
Fairfield, CT  06824
(203) 254-2339

Lunch:  Monday through Friday 11:00 - 2:30PM
Dinner: Sunday through Thursday 4:30 - 9:30, Friday & Saturday 4:30 -10:30

Photos from Avellinosfairfield.com. 

Click to learn more about my Connecticut cooking classes or read my Season To Taste food blog.