November 24, 2007 by Nathalie Herling.

Steamed Greenbeans with Mustard Seeds and Fresh Garlic

5 cloves of garlic chopped

2 t of Mustard Seeds

1 lb of greenbeans cleaned with tips chopped off.

2 to 3 cups of water

1/2 a vegetable bouillon

Heat the water and boullion in a clay pot with a lid. Bring to a boil.

Add the Greenbeans, garlic and mustard seeds. Cover and Steam/cook for about 8 min or untill your desired amount of cooking. Remember the clay will retain heat and you might want to stop before they are completely cooked. Drain out the water preserving most of the garlic and mustard seeds. Add butter if desired… put the pot on the table with a big spoon and enjoy.

Posted in la chamba cookware | No Comments »

November 24, 2007 by Nathalie Herling.

We haven’t jumped much into Glazed Clay Cooking… more to follow but here is  a little start…

Was offered the opportunity to review a little French Bakery style Bistro in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY called Fabianes Cafe and Pastry Shop located at Bedford Ave and 5th Ave.  A great place to pick up a quality cup of strong coffee and grab a fabulous little pastry. They offer small, popular, inside and outside tables for enjoying the sandwiches, soups, salads and breakfast dishes they serve creating a bistro like atmosphere.  Rumor is the owner is a fine trained French Pastry chef and it shows in the elegant while casual menu selections. Affordable, high quality and quick European flaire.

We stopped in to taste the Baked eggs served in a few different shapes of a classic gratins.  I selected the salmon, scallions, potato and egg mixture. It appeared about 10 min later with a perfect addition of a classic baguette and butter. There was an excellent balance of Salmon.. nothing over board but a strong quality breakfast meal for mid price place.  Little fried squares of potatoes were sprinkled on top for a nice texture and taste addition. With the final touch of an wide ceramic cup of strong black coffee, the encrusted egg gratin took my mind right back to France. Success!

The heavy glazed clay dish cooked the 3 eggs perfectly (for my taste) the yokes were a little cooked and still runny.  It was an ample portion with the bread to satisfy my hunger. A big eatter might like to suppliment with fruit, oatmeal or additions from from the menu.

The cost for the eggs between $6.40 and $7.50 depending if you would like Tomato and Feta, Proscuitto and cheese or the Salmon Choice.

A four star breakfast, the Coffee, might even deserve a five star…

Posted in european, brunch, restaurant reviews | No Comments »

November 23, 2007 by Nathalie Herling.

If you used the Margarita Agave Cranberry Sauce from a previous posting that you made in a clay pot… I have a couple of killer ideas with what to do with any left over cranberry sauce from this or any other cranberry…. can work with canned too. Adjust sweetening to fit your taste buds and the sauce you start with.

Cranberry Margarita

Take a 1/4 of a cup of the cranberry mixture of your choice… add a shot of tequila, a half a shot of Gran Manier, two ice cubes and sweetner of your choice if needed - I make very tart cranberry sauces - blend in a blender.  A yummy Cranberry Margarita!

You can add a cup or two of left over cranberrry sauce to your favorite basic muffin and pancake recipes to make killer breakfast treats.

Some people like to add cranberry to turkey and chicken salads as well.

Let me know your ideas!!

Posted in Thanksgiving, recipes | 1 Comment »

November 23, 2007 by Nathalie Herling.

Margarita Cranberry Pomegranate

Blue Agave Sauce / Relish

¼ C of Tequila

¼ C of Grand Marnier

1 lb Cranberries

1/8 C of Blue Agave

2 limes

2 oranges

2 small or 1 large pomegranates

In a clay pot or pan, grade the skin off the lime and orange. Try not to include too much of the pith. Juice the lime and orange, add the tequila and blue agave. Boil the cranberries 8 to 9 min. The clay pot will continue to cook the berries a little. Cool the mixture. When cool add the Grand Marnier. Add seeds from pomegranate and blend. Chill and serve.

Posted in vegetarian recipes, latin, Thanksgiving, recipes, la chamba cookware | 1 Comment »

November 22, 2007 by Nathalie Herling.

Breakfast Tacos Brunch

A great casual brunch where everyone get to customize there breakfast taco. Good also if you family arrives for breakfast in shifts. The clay will help keep the eggs warm.

6 chopped potatoes

1/4 C of oil

2 T olive oil

1/4 of  a chopped onion

6 eggs

1/2 a tomato chopped

1 crushed clove of garlic

1/2 t of mexican oregano

1/2 C of grated cheese of your choice - cheddar, monterary jack, gouda 

1/2 a chopped Jalepeno

1/2 t of salt to taste

1/2 t of pepper

Roast the chopped potatoes in some oil until cooked and slightly brown. Drain on a paper towel and keep warm. Set the potatoes aside in a small bowl for serving.

 Saute the onion in 2 T of olive oil until they are a little wilted.  Meanwhile add the eggs, cilantro, tomatoe, cheese, garlic, jalapeno, and seasonings. Mix with the onions and scramble.  Cook to your desired egg texture.

 While the eggs are cooking, heat the tortilla in a pan or comal or put the tortillas in the microwave or oven.

Serve the tortillas with the egg and additional fillers of your choice. A Salsa (try this quick one http://creativeclaycooking.com/?p=55  )would be enough but you can offer scallions, peppers, beans, rice, cilantro, sour cream, avocados and sliced radishes. 

Posted in brunch, latin, recipes, la chamba cookware | 1 Comment »

November 19, 2007 by Nathalie Herling.

La Chamba Chili - Spicy Vegetarian Chipotle Chili Recipe

1 yellow chopped onion
1 red chopped onion
I green and red pepper chopped pretty fine.
2 carrots chopped pretty fine.
5 cloves of garlic sliced.
3 dried Chipotle peppers - canned can be used see below.
4 T of Chili Powder
2 T of Cumin
1 T of Paprika
2 Large Cans of Crushed Tomatoes
2 large Vegetarian Bouillon Cubes
1/2 C of Cilantro
2 t of black pepper
1 t to 1 T of salt depending on amount of sodium in Veg. Cubes
6 Cans of the beans of your choice.
1 crushed garlic clove
3 scallions chopped
1/4 a cup of cilantro leaves
Chopped fresh Jalapeño

Clay pot cooking is ideal for making a chili. Sautes and nurtures the flavors beautifully.
Sauté 1 red and 1 yellow chopped onion in about 3 T of olive oil. Until translucent. Add chopped peppers and carrots and sauté for an additional 4 to 5 min. Set onion, pepper, carrot mixture aside. Sauté 5 sliced cloves of garlic and 3 dried chipotle peppers in about 1.5 T of Olive Oil. Stir often. Cook the garlic until just about to look toasted and the pepper may puff up a little. If you are using canned chipotle, skip this roasting step of the peppers. Add 4 T of Chili Powder of your choice, 2 T of cumin, 1 T of paprika.  I make a blend of multiple chili powders. Some very hot finely ground with some more coarse deep burgundy colored chili powder peppers. Mainly to offer the richness of the chilies and try to control the heat. Beware of some cheaper chili powders… some add an amazing amount of salt to allegedly pure chile powders. Buy from a reputable spice company. Many fabulous ones out of Santa Fe I would highly recommend. Each chile powder will offer a unique tasting chili. Toast the spices in with the oil and garlic. Cook gently to make a rich paste. Clay pottery is fabulous for this. Seems to gently handle the chili powders without quickly going to a burn. Stir constantly. Add more oil if necessary. Toast until well mixed, a little heat/steam appearing. This is something you will get a real feel for as you roast your powder. Do not burn,  just saute right to the border of toasting. Kind of like a chile powder roux.
Add the sautéed onions, pepper mixture. Mix well. Add 2 cans of crushed tomatoes and two Vegetarian, vegetable bullion cubes. 1/2 cup of chopped fresh cilantro. Mostly Leaves and some stems. Chop the steams very fine. If you are using canned chipotle, this would be a good time to add 3 chopped Chipotle chilies with some of the chipotle sauce. Combine 6 cans of beans of your choice. I mix 3 cans of Dark Red Kidney Beans, 2 small red beans and 1 can of black beans. Rinse the canned beans well before adding them to the Chili Sauce. Add two or three whole dried peppers of your choice. I like Chile Guajillo and/or Chile Pasillo Ancho. Cook all together and bring to a boil. With a garlic press add 1 large clove of garlic and 2 t of pepper. Stir. At this point I taste and add salt if necessary. Maybe even some additional cumin and limited amount to chili powder if you feel it would enhance the flavor to your liking.  Serve hot with chopped scallions, fresh cilantro leaves and chopped Jalepenos. Some people like cheese and sour cream on the side. 
 
I cooked and served this chili out of a very large Columbian Blackware Round Cauldron like pot. I use a wonderful matching clay stand (intended for charcoal) with an area that fits a sterno can perfectly to keep the chili nice and hot at the buffet table. A very practical and impressive presentation.

Posted in vegetarian recipes, latin, recipes, la chamba cookware | 1 Comment »

November 19, 2007 by Nathalie Herling.

For months I have wanted to dine at the other worldly HanGawi restaurant http://www.kangawirestaurant.com in Midtown where I had been told had traditional Korean Clay pot cooking. This stunningly pure restaurant is decorated in rich antiques, lovely dishes, asian art, enhanced with peaceful music.  A real Oasis in the Herald Square bussling neighborhood.

Very traditional dining where you remove your shoe and sit an lovely silk embroidered cushions on low tables. The prep for a most unusual, exotic and healthy meal.

If I had seen more individuals of Korean desent dining at lunch, for a moment, I could have believe I was actually in a heavenly place in Korea. I was surprised at metal chopsticks and a spoon vs. wood or bamboo but they were presented in a silk slip pouch that help you appreciate the unveiling of your utensils. Everything element with the exception of a water Thermos show the attention to detail to maximize your dining experience.
Since I was on a specific mission of Clay Pot Cooking, I selected the Tofu Clay Pot In Ginger. HinGawi was offering a Ginseng Mini Prix Fixe Lunch ($19.95) that included my sought out dish so I selected the full offering to better understand this restaurants goal of being a vegetarian shrine in another space and time.
I also ordered a green tea from Mt Jolie, Korea($5.) which arrived in lovely glazed clay cup with fitted strainer and top that served dually to capturing the steaming and a rest for the strainer.

The meal started with a choice of Porridge. As soon as she said pumpkin I said yes, even-though they have other porridge like Black Sesame which I am sure would have been equally as interesting. 

This Pumpkin  Porridge had a lovely creamy texture and delicate taste.  An almost glossy surface where you think it will be very sweet yet there is only the hit of natural sweetness. Served warm in a little brass bowl that weight, color and manufacturing reminded me of a Tibetian singing bowl.

 The next course I had a choice of ginseng salad, steamed or fried dumplings. I selected the steamed dumplings.

4 very large steamed dumplings came out beautifully presented over a slice of banana leave on a rectangular handmade plate.  No way to eat these dumplings in one bite so it takes some chopstick skill to dip them into the ginger sauce that accompanies them in a shallow glazed clay saucer.  The inside of the dumplings had a wonderfully satisfying texture, not to sound meaty at a vegetarian restaurant but it reminded me of an ultra milled chicken salad. Delicious… a soy like broth accompanied these dumplings for dipping.

The next course was the main entree of a Tofu Clay Pot in ginger Sauce. The waitress brought out a large steaming pot of Tofu and Vegetables in a thick stew sauce. The smell was immediately appetite stimulating. Rich but not overly ginger scented. A healthy mix of snow-peas, carrots, mushrooms and marinated tofu. Very tasty.  I kept pinging the side of the vessel since it just did not seem to be clay. I asked the waitress if it was a clay pot and she kept say yes. I figured by the time I got to the bottom of the pot there was no confusion… this was not a clay pot but a very aged, encrusted cast iron vessel. I pressed and she admitted it was not clay.. she did assure me that sometimes they do serve this dish in clay. I asked her to bring me an example of a clay pot… she looked at me confused but ended bring over a clay pot. One I had seen at other Korean restaurants.

I had seen another dish at an adjacent table served in this clay pot. It was too small for the meal they were serving so I concentrated on the traditional style of cooking referred to “clay pot” cooking. Clay pot refers to a style of cooking a stew based on the tradition of cooking in clay. Chefs so not feel confined to serving this dish in clay. I inquired if they used a clay pot in the kitchen to prepare the meal but ran into a language barrier again.

This lovely Tofu Clay pot was served with one of my favorite rice dishes I have eaten.  A mixed grain rice with small Asian beans. Nutty, rich and complimentary to the Ginger Tofu Stew.

In addition a spicy and less spicy large rolls of Kimchi accompanied the entree. The total combination offered a perfect blend of smooth rich stew, dense rice and vinegary kimchi. I preferred the spicy kimchi but both were very tasty.

The final dish was very surprising. A light very cold citrus sugar syrup with floating pieces of pears and pine nuts. Very refreshing and perfect ending.

 This whole eating experience was an unusual delight. Calming, exotic and exciting. Highly recommend selecting one of the Prix Fixe menus to get the full atmosphere and grace of going from one course to the next. This will be one of the better vegetarian meals I have ever eaten out.

Posted in Asian Clay Cookware, asian, restaurant reviews | No Comments »