We improvised this recipe based on the ingredients we found at the store. Ben made some nann, and I sauteed some button and portabello mushrooms in some olive oil and butter. When the mushrooms looked pretty well done I added some fresh chopped garlic and a splash of balsamic vinegar. Then we assembled the wraps by placing the mushrooms in the naan, and topped with shredded Swiss cheese. Ben and I really enjoyed it, and Jonathan enjoyed a non-mushroom version with just cheese and naan. The simple preparation really brought out the earthiness of the mushrooms.… continue reading
Monthly Archives: May 2008
We recently visited the Sushi Rock in La Place in Beachwood. It’s one of our favorite “just the two of us” lunch spots, when we both happen to have a day off and Jonathan is at school.
As usual, they did not disappoint. Sarah ordered the Maki Bento Box and I had the Sushi Bento Box (each about $12, only available at lunch). I used to try to sample the menu–e.g. the Lobster Crab Cake with fries, which is very good–but I’ve become completely sold on the plethora of sides that comes with each bento box. In addition to a variety of sushi, you get a mixed greens salad, a seafood salad, fried dumplings and half of an orange. The salads are fresh and crisp, and the orange makes a nice heat diffuser if you happen to put too much wasabi on one of your sushi rolls.
The service is also friendly, and we’ll definitely keep coming back.
… continue reading
Sarah and I tried grass-fed beef for the first time last night. We bought ground beef from the Cleveland Food Co-op and I made charcoal-grilled cheeseburgers. I was a bit worried while making them, as this was clearly hamburger, not ground sirlion, round or chuck. There was a lot of marbling, and the grind was course.
The burgers were excellent, though. The first word that came to Sarah’s mind to describe them was “clean.” Typically, after eating beef or some cheap potato chips, one can feel one’s mouth coated in a yucky kind of grease. That was not the case with these burgers, though. The flavor of fresh beef really came through, and even Jonathan seemed to like them more than regular burgers. The course grind also made them taste meatier than supermarket burgers. And, even if the fat content was a bit high, these only have 1/3 the saturated fat of corn-fed burgers, plus some of … continue reading
This week we made a simple week night dinner, partially inspired by Mark Bittman’s list and partially inspired by a trip to the food Co-op. I simply steamed some asparagus and fried some eggs, then assembled them on the plate with parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. If only all recipies could be summarized in one sentence! All three of us enjoyed the meal, and it was super quick.… continue reading
There has been some controversy (click here, here and here) surrounding a recent New York Times article reviewing chain restaurants. The Times article is, for the most part, snobbish and disingenuous. The line “I had a great meal at the Cheesecake Factory in White Plains” is prefaced with the words “True Confession.” As the detractors point out, New Yorkers are probably not truly alien to these restaurants as so many of them move to New York from the suburbs. Even if they willfully isolate themselves from chains as adults, they probably had experience with them as children.
Considering all this, now seemed like a good time to admit that Sarah and I do a good percentage of our dining out at chains. We avoid some places (Applebee’s, for instance), but we’re generally excited about a night out at The Cheesecake Factory, and it’s hard to beat the Texas Roadhouse for a good value on … continue reading
Believe it or not, even canned cat food is often artificially flavored. We’ve been trying “natural” canned cat food lately and, just as with a person who finds something “wrong” with whole wheat flour, the cats smell it and look at me like I’ve put them on a diet or something. They eat it anyway, though.… continue reading
Mark Bittman recently published the excellent article Summer Express: 101 Simple Meals Ready in 10 Minutes or Less in The New York Times. I’d been thinking of doing a series like this, but he’s given about 90 more ideas than I had, plus most of my ideas–eggs with asparagus, quick fried rice–are already in his list in modified form. In honor of his excellent article, though (which will be tacked up on our fridge this summer), I’m presenting my own simple meal idea:
102. Open a can of white, black or red beans. Add some olive oil to hot pan and sauté some onions. After five (or more) minutes, add garlic and spices. At least 1/2 tsp. of cumin should be included, but feel free to experiment. I like black beans with Caribbean spices, e.g. allspice, ginger and cinnamon. Some dark rum or tequila makes a nice addition here as well. Sauté for a minute or so … continue reading