Salade Exotica at Cafecito

I’m part of a group of Joffrey ballet ticket holders that has come together and grown through one friend we all know in common. One of the best parts of our outings is meeting up for a quick dinner at Cafecito, about a block away from the Auditorium Theatre, which we did recently for the third (and final) performance of the Joffrey’s season. This Cuban coffeehouse is a gem―most offerings are under $10 and beyond ordinary. It’s known for its pressed sandwiches, especially an excellent Cubano. More recently its Gallego soup, a hearty mix of white beans, chorizo, ham, and potatoes, has won raves in the major food pubs (and enthusiastically confirmed by a member in our group).

But given that the temps were hitting a rare 85 in the first week of May, the Salade Exotica in my opinion was the obvious choice. I must confess that I’ve had this salad on a previous visit, and was hoping it was still on the menu so that I could order it again. Owner Philip Ghantous said he ran it initially as a special, but he had so many customers ask for it, he has been keeping it as an ongoing item for the time being. A heap of baby spinach houses plump grilled shrimp, ripe avocado slices, hearts of palm, chopped tomato, sweet corn, and thinly sliced purple onion. With colors—and flavors—as alluring as these, it’s good to know you won’t have to venture far for a tropical treat.

Cafecito
26 East Congress Parkway
Chicago 60605
Tel 312.922.2223
http://www.cafecitochicago.com/

Monday-Friday, 7:00am – 9:00pm
Saturday & Sunday, 10:00am – 6:00pm

Suzanne Goin's toasted farro with kale, currants, and pine nuts

Wishing everyone a great 2012!

I know I plan on making more changes in my life over the coming year. One change is to incorporate more interesting and good-tasting grain and vegetables dishes into my everyday eating. I have a huge stack of fabulous recipes I’m always hoping to make, and this past week I tried out this farro dish based on a recipe by Suzanne Goin. It’s delicious. Toasting the farro in a sautée pan is the secret to bringing out the great nutty flavor of this Italian grain. The toasted pine nuts, currants, and kale along with the other ingredients create a wonderful mix of flavors. As with any dish of this type, you can easily modify the recipe to your taste. In my version, I chiffonaded the kale and sautéed it instead of blanching it. The red onions at the store were too big, so I used shallots. It all works. If you end up making it, let me know how your version turned out. The leftovers refrigerate well to enjoy as a salad or side the next day.

Here’s to a healthy start to the year:

Toasted Farro with Kale, Currants, and Pine Nuts
Serves 6
Recipe by Suzanne Goin

3 tablespoons currants
1½ cups farro
1 pound cleaned kale, preferably cavolo nero, center ribs removed
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon thyme leaves
1 sprig rosemary
1 dried mild chile (preferably chile de arbol), thinly sliced
3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Bring a generously salted pot of water to boil. Meanwhile, place currants in a small bowl and cover with hot water. Let currants soak for 10 minutes, or until plumped. Drain and set aside.

2. Once the water has come to a boil, blanch the kale for 1-2 minutes. Transfer kale to a colander (do not throw out the pot of hot water) and toss to dry. Once cool enough to handle, roughly chop the kale.

3. Bring the water back to a boil and stir in the farro. Cook for 12 minutes, or until tender. Drain well and spread on a baking sheet to cool.

4. While the farro cooks, heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, thyme, rosemary, chili, and ½ teaspoon of salt and cook for 5-6 minutes, or until the onion softens and starts to color. Stir in chopped kale and cook an additional 5 minutes, or until kale is tender. Transfer to a serving dish and discard rosemary sprig.

5. Wipe the pan clean and set it back over medium-high heat. Swirl in 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the cooked farro, ½ teaspoon salt, and a pinch of black pepper. Cook for 5 minutes while stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan; the grains will crisp and develop a golden sheen.

6. Return the kale to the sauté pan. Cook, stirring the greens and grains together, for 2-3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in currants, toasted pine nuts, and parsley. Transfer to a serving dish.

7. Wipe the pan clean and set it back over medium heat. Add the balsamic vinegar and reduce to a scant tablespoon. Stir the reduced balsamic into the farro dish. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Enjoy without guilt.

Suzanne Goin graduated from Brown University. She was named Best Creative Chef by Boston magazine in 1994, one of the Best New Chefs by Food & Wine in 1999, and was nominated for a James Beard Award in 2003, 2004, and 2005. She and her business partner, Caroline Styne, also run four restaurants in Los Angeles, where Goin lives with her husband, David Lentz. She is the author with Teri Gelber of Sunday Suppers at Luques.

Italian Benedict at Jam 'n Honey

More eating is one of the last things one wants to do after Thanksgiving feasting. But as the weekend winds down and mornings in Chicago turn cold, I find myself ready for a hearty start on Sunday mornings. Jam ‘n Honey, a new breakfast and lunch eatery in the DePaul area, is becoming one of my sister Martha’s favorite places for breakfast, and we are steadily working our way through the various dishes on the menu. My current fave is the Italian Benedict, an indulgent combination of two poached eggs served on creamy bacon and cheddar risotto cakes topped with spinach, hollandaise, and housemade tomato jam. Kudos to the owners for taking the extra step of using fresh spinach and their own tomato jam, touches that make this dish stand above many other “florentine” creations.

Chorizo Potato Hash

On an earlier visit the Chorizo Potato Hash I ordered was a well-executed combination of two fried eggs over a scramble of chunks of roasted potatoes, chorizo, zucchini, roasted peppers, topped with cheddar cheese, guacamole, and sour cream. Not a dish for dieters, but one that can easily feed two people. Martha has been ordering the Stuffed French Toast, a super-thick slice of bread filled with strawberry jam and cream cheese, drizzled with a nice balsamic syrup. We have yet to try the gargantuan South of the Border Burrito, one of the most popular items, filled with scrambled eggs, chorizo, black beans, sour cream, guacamole, pepper jack, and pico de gallo.  

Portions here are large and service is brisk, especially on weekends when the place is packed (crowds include plenty of students from nearby DePaul). Space is on the small side, so waits on the weekends can run 30–45 minutes, and spill onto the sidewalk. The interior is breakfast-place basic, but large windows on the front and side are a big plus. Jars of jam and Nutella on every table lend a homey touch. The one downside is the standard bland institutional coffee. With so many excellent coffee purveyors in the city, I’d like to see a better selection served.   

Menu

Jam ‘n Honey
958 West Webster Avenue
(Webster and Sheffield)
Chicago 60614
Tel 773.327.5266

Hours: 8:00am–4:00pm daily
Cash only

My version of succotash for Thanksgiving

So many people rely on their favorite Thanksgiving recipes it almost seems pointless to put out any new ones. But sometimes you need to shake up the same ol’, same ol’ and work in some new dishes. A couple of years ago, I starting bringing succotash to my family’s gathering, and it has unexpectedly become a hit. I had so many requests for this recipe that I decided to post it on Savoring Chicago.

Succotash (from the Naragansett word msíckquatash) is traditionally made with corn, lima beans, and other shell beans. Since lima beans aren’t popular with many people, I’ve crafted a recipe that uses edamame instead. I’ve also incorporated thin, fresh French green beans (haricots verts), but if they aren’t available, then regular green beans will do. Chopped red and/or green peppers are an option, but for my version, I’ve chosen to omit them. I use frozen corn and edamame since fresh is not readily available. This is a recipe than easily lends itself to your own adjusting. Whatever combination of corn and vegetables you ultimately combine, the creamy bacon sauce is what takes this dish over the top.

Succotash
Feeds a crowd (Approximately 12–15 servings)

4-6 slices of bacon, cut crosswise into ¼-inch-wide strips
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 cups of fresh or frozen corn kernels
2 cups fresh or frozen edamame
1 large bag of French (or regular) green beans (haricots verts)
2 bunches scallions, sliced thin, keeping white and pale green parts separate
2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1 teaspoon black pepper

If using frozen vegetables, defrost in a colander 1–2 hours before starting.

Trim green beans, and cook in boiling water until fork tender. Drain, and transfer beans to bowl of ice water to stop cooking. After 5 minutes, remove the beans from the bowl and place on paper towels in a single layer to dry out. Blot with more paper towel to dry off further. Cut beans in 2-inch pieces, or bite-size portions. Set aside.

Cook bacon in a heavy, 10-inch or larger skillet over moderate heat. Stir occasionally, until crisp, about 7 minutes. Transfer bacon with slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Drain off bacon fat except for about 1-2 tablespoons.

Return skillet to stovetop and add butter to the skillet. Melt over moderate heat. Next add the sliced, white scallions, and cook about 2–3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add 1 cup of heavy cream, and stir for 1 minute, so as to blend the browned bits from the skillet and scallions.

Add corn, edamame, and green beans. Add remaining heavy cream, salt, and pepper (to taste). Stir, then simmer uncovered, for about 20 minutes, or until cream has thickened to about half its original volume.

When almost done, stir in remaining sliced pale green scallions.

Can be served immediately or at cooled to room temperature.

Note: Green beans can be prepared the day before and refrigerated.

Pappardelle with pork cheeks at Café Spiaggia

“Oh, it has been ages since I’ve been,” said two different friends on two different occasions about dining at Café Spiaggia. It has been eons for me, too. Seems like the restaurant has fallen off the radar for many people, and having an above-street-level presence doesn’t make it easily come to mind, either. But in the last month I have had dinner at Café Spiaggia twice, and am not going to let years pass before I visit again.

Tony Mantuano, who I and my friend spotted dining at one of the tables while on my second visit, has clearly not skipped a beat over the years, and continues to deftly create dishes that pull from traditional Italian roots while incorporating local flavors. His chef de cuisine and staff expertly exhibit their skills in coaxing maximum flavor from a minimal number of superb ingredients while also turning out some of the city’s best handmade pasta. An assortment of snacks (cicchetti), small plates (piattini), and main course paste dominate the café’s menu. A small, carefully edited list of wines by the glass (in the $14 to $20 range) draws from a variety of Italian regions.  

A baby arugula salad with Capriole Farm goat cheese tossed with balsamic and a generous sprinkling of sea salt made for an agreeable starter. On my earlier visit with my other friend, we liked the meaty house-cured sardines with caper almond pesto on crunchy raisin fennel bread.

Boar ragu gnocchi

The impossibly light gnocchi paired with a perfectly tomato-y boar ragù topped with Parmigiano Reggiano was as good as what I’ve eaten in Italy, and is often found on the menu. On both occasions, each of my friends happened to order this dish, and each time, not one morsel was left on the plate. Chunks of pork cheek tossed with thin ribbons of pappardelle (shown above) and a rich yet restrained meaty sauce yielded bites so tender that I ordered this dish both times. If it’s not already, it should be regularly on the menu. If you are inclined to try a pasta with truffles, then rush over while it is in season. But be prepared to shell out $95 for the experience. It would be an experience I’d like to have some day, but for now, I’m happy with a great glass of wine and any of the other creative dishes put in front of me. 

Café Spiaggia
980 North Michigan Avenue
2nd Floor
Chicago 60611
Tel 312.280.2750
www.spiaggiarestaurant.com

Fall colors at the market: orange beets

Saturday marked the last outdoor market of the season for Green City Market, which always seems to come too soon and means winter is not too far off, especially as major snowfalls hit the East coast this past weekend. But it still officially is fall. And we were grateful to have sun in Chicago and farm stands overflowing with apples, pears, concord grapes, peppers, squashes, pumpkins, and greens. Lots of options for autumnal dishes and lots of color.

Cameo apples

I came primarily to buy apples this visit. Although I admit to getting caught up in the Honey Crisp craze and still love Golden Russets, I’ve discovered another less-popular variety of apple that I’ve come to like (and are cheaper than Honey Crisps): the Cameo. “It’s one of the best kept secrets,” says one of the staff at Mick Klug’s stand. Whereas Honey Crisps can be watery, I find the Cameo to be dense, just as crisp, and pleasantly sweet. 

Tat soi

As usual, though, my two shopping bags filled up with more, including sweet potatoes, broccoli, and spinach. As I was leaving, I came across this dark green tat soi. It also goes by the name of spoon mustard, spinach mustard, or rosette bok choy. I have never tried it, but was told it has a taste between mustard greens and spinach. You can add the spoon-shaped leaves to salads, sautée them, or add them to stir-fry dishes. The stalks can be used as you would use celery. Like many greens, it is high in minerals and vitamins.

I was shopped out by the time I came across this huge cabbage. Knowing that the Midwest’s frost-free nights are numbered, I just had to take a photograph to preserve the end of the season’s beauty.

Green cabbage

Green City Market
1750 N. Clark Street
(Lincoln Park at Clark and LaSalle)
7:00 am – 1:00 pm
www.greencitymarket.org

White chalcedony bracelet by Margaret Gillman

Ooh, là, là. Every October a bit of French flair makes a showing in Chicago. This past weekend the Lycée Français de Chicago held its Fall French Market within the hallways, classrooms, and gymnasium of the school. I like this market because you can shop and taste the wares of more than 50 vendors, including Figaro Parisian Antiques, Careful Peach, Bijoux Fantasia, and Provenance Food & Wine, and find unusual and one-of-a kind items with a French theme or produced by local artisans.

It is at markets and fairs like this one that I discover solopreneurs, like Margaret Gillman, a jewelry designer. Although she always had a love for gemstones, a corporate layoff 14 years ago ultimately propelled her to into jewelry making (and a different day job). This bracelet of yellow chalcedony caught my eye for its pale color and a design that incorporates a quirky mix of a pearl and sterling silver beads. Maybe the leaf was a fitting motif for the crisp autumn day that it was. Any lame excuse sufficed, and home it went with me. Margaret specializes in necklaces made with unusual stones, but also designs earrings, bracelets, rings, and pendants for pearl necklaces. Her operation is pretty low tech – no website – but you can call her for information on where she shows.

Yarra Valley Fetta

Of course, no French market would be complete without croissants, crêpes, and baguettes, the last item of which also came home with me. The crusty loaf, from Awake Café, finally gave me the reason to open the can of Yarra Valley Persian Fetta that had been sitting in my refrigerator for months. A product of Australia, this “fetta” is like no other I’ve tasted. Made from cow’s milk by Yarra Valley Dairy, this handmade, farmhouse, uber-creamy cheese is packed in an olive oil infused with fresh thyme, bay leaf, black peppercorns, and garlic. It can be added to a salad or pasta dish, but the best way to enjoy it in my opinion is with a loaf of crusty bread that is the perfect vehicle for dipping in the oil along with a robust glass of red wine. À votre santé!  

 Margaret Gillman
Jewlery Maker
Tel 773.281.6284

Lycée Français de Chicago
613 West Bittersweet
Chicago, IL  60613
www.lyceechicago.org 

Yarra Valley tin

Yarra Valley Dairy
Persian Fetta
Available at Pastoral Artisan Cheese, Bread & Wine, Chicago
About $13

Plum galette from Floriole Café & Bakery

Sandra Holl and her staff at Floriole Bakery have gained quite a following for their rustic French pastries sold at Green City Market and at their year-and-a-half-old café. One of my favorites hands down is the crusty fruit galette that changes with the season. Just when you think it can’t get any better, it does. Last month, returning from a Saturday Green City Market visit, I meant to post about Floriole’s beautifully burnished peach galette. But the perfectly caramelized plum galette at this past Saturday’s market may have been the best one I’ve tasted yet. Of course, that won’t stop me from making sure that future creations will prove me wrong. 

Floriole Café & Bakery
1220 West Webster Avenue
Tel 773.883.1313
www.floriole.com

Hours:
Monday – Closed
Tuesday – 7:00am – 7:00pm
Wednesday – 7:00am – 7:00pm
Thursday – 7:00am – 7:00pm
Friday – 7:00am – 8:00pm
Saturday – 8:00am – 8:00pm
Sunday – 8:00am – 4:00 pm

Horseradish-cheddar burger from Sunday Dinner at Green City Market

My idea of breakfast is usually oatmeal. So ordering a hamburger last Saturday morning from Sunday Dinner’s stand at Green City Market was a first for me. And if you come hungry first thing, you might find yourself having one, too.
 
Chef-owners Christine Cikowski and Joshua Kulp offer a simple menu using only market ingredients at their fledgling venture: an egg sandwich and two kinds of burgers. But simple is good. Because the only burger you want is the horseradish-cheddar burger. Housed between two halves of a puffy sesame bun from Bennison’s Bakery is a juicy burger from Heartland Meats, gooey cheddar from Wisconsin’s Brunkow Cheese that somehow incorporates just enough horseradish for some kick, and tart arugula from Green Acres Farm. When all these elements come together it’s pure messy deliciousness.

The horseradish-cheddar burger is $9.

Sunday Dinner
Joshua@sundaydinnerchicago.com
Tel 773.878.2717
www.sundaydinnerchicago.com

A variety of hierloom tomatoes from King's Hill Farm at Green City Market

The fading of Labor Day memories and the shortening of the days makes it feel like summer is over. But a stroll through any farmers’ market this past weekend helped bring back that summer feeling. At yesterday’s Green City Market there was so much color that even the most careful shopper most likely came back with more than planned. Mother Nature knows how to entice.

Leaning Shed Farm small tomatoes

Glorious, delicious, sun-soaked tomatoes of so many varieties it’s impossible to keep up with their names anymore are at their peak. With numerous stands selling them, it’s a matter of buying what appeals to you. Lately, when I want big meaty tomatoes for slicing or making ratatouille, I’ve been stopping by King’s Hill Farm’s stand. When I want a variety of flavors, I grab all kinds from the huge selection (29 varieties this year) of small tomatoes Leaning Shed Farm’s Dave and Denise Dyrek grow. They’re perfect for heaping into a bowl on your counter (making it easy to pop them into your mouth) and perfect for popping into lunch bags, too. 

Genesis Growers peppers

And interesting peppers abound. Aficionados can be found surveying the overflowing selection at Genesis Growers where you can overhear discussions about different levels of heat. If you’re content with the standard red, orange, or green pepper, it’s good to grab a few to add even more color to your diet. And if you want to get more flavor bang for your buck, try the organic, multicolored ones from Iron Creek Farm.

Iron Creek Farm eggplant

One of my summer rituals this time of year is to make ratatouille, a great way to use deep-purple, glistening eggplant like the ones here from Iron Creek. It’s not well known (and some say debatable), but there are male and female eggplants. Male eggplants have fewer seeds and round and shallow bottoms. Female eggplants have more seeds and are distinguished by a deeper, elliptical indentation.  Taste-wise, I find little difference and usually buy one of each, but there are those who say male eggplants are less bitter.

King's Hill Farm melons

My bags were heavy and full by the time I came across this box of curious produce at King’s Hill’s stand. While the cantaloupe was recognizable, were the others melons, too? Turns out they are, some of which I’ve never seen and most the size of a tennis ball. I’m curious to try them, so they’ll be on my shopping list for next week.

Green City Market
1750 N. Clark Street
(Lincoln Park at Clark and LaSalle)
7:00 am – 1:00 pm
www.greencitymarket.org