Busy in Brooklyn – Modernizing traditional food, one dish at a time.

Steel Cut Oatmeal Latte

On October 31, 2024

This has been a cold weather favorite of mine forever! I cook up some hearty steel cut oats (the quick-cooking kind so it doesn’t take forever!), I mix in some sweetener and top with a shot of espresso. So simple and oh. so. delicious!

Steel Cut Oatmeal Latte

3/4 cup whole milk
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup quick cooking steel cut oats
pinch of salt
pinch of cinnamon
maple syrup, to taste
1-2 shots espresso

Method:

Bring the milk and water to a simmer, add the oats and simmer over low heat for about 8 minutes, stirring constantly. If it gets too thick, add a bit more water. Add salt, cinnamon and maple syrup and top with espresso!

NOTE: if you don’t have an espresso machine, you can use 1 tbsp strong coffee dissolved in 3 tbsp hot water per shot.

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Sheet Pan Branzino

On October 30, 2024October 30, 2024

by chanie

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It’s back to basics here in the kitchen post-Chag. I was lucky enough to travel to Colombia for the holidays, so not much cooking for me – although I did eat – A LOT – and I’m happy to keep things simple, light and easy these days. It doesn’t get easier than this sheet pan branzino. I like to ask my fishmonger to butterfly the fish to take out the bones so it’s easier to stuff and eat!

Sheet Pan Branzino

2 whole branzino fish, butterflied
1 lemon, sliced
a few sprigs of thyme (or herbs of choice)
salt and pepper, to taste
1 pint grape tomates, halved
1/4 cup capers
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Method:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Open the fish and season the flesh with salt and pepper. Top with sliced lemon and thyme and close. Spread the grape tomatoes and capers around the fish. Drizzle with olive oil and fresh squeezed lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes or until the flesh is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.

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Hawaij Lentil Soup

On October 14, 2024

by chanie

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You guys!! I couldn’t be more excited about this soup!! I was planning my Yom Kippur break-fast menu, and I always make soup, but I was bored of our minestrone that I make after every fast so I decided to change it up. Lentil soup felt like a good idea, but my traditional recipe is too similar to minestrone. I thought about my favorite soups and what I love about them, and my Yemenite chicken soup immediately came to mind because it’s a family favorite around here. There is literally NOTHING like the smell of hawaij wafting through your kitchen, so…. I made hawaij lentil soup, inspired by Yemenite soup – loaded with carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, cilantro – and my unique addition, fennel! OMG it was DIVINE. You must try it for Chag!

Hawaij Lentil Soup

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 medium Spanish onion, diced small
1/2 large bulb of fennel, thinly sliced
2 carrots, thinly sliced
10 cloves garlic, sliced
3 tbsp tomato paste
1 1/2 tbsp hawaij for soup
1 large soft tomato, diced
1 1/2 cups red lentils, rinsed and drained
3 Yukon gold potatoes, diced
1 small bunch cilantro
8 cup vegetable stock
salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot. Add the onions and saute for 2 minutes. Add the fennel and continue to saute for another 2 minutes. Add the carrots and saute until softened. Add the garlic and stir until fragrant. Add the hawaij and stir to incorporate, then add the tomato paste and saute until darkened, 2 minutes. Add the tomato, lentils, potatoes, cilantro and stock and bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper, cover the pot and simmer until the lentils are soft, about 30 minutes.

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Ramen Salad

On October 13, 2024October 13, 2024

by chanie

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I found these new Ramen toppers at the store and was inspired to create a Ramen Salad using some of my favorite components of ramen soup – namely, soft boiled eggs and shitake mushrooms. I love putting a jammy yolk on just about everything, but it works especially well with kale, and I often top my kale Caesar salad with them too!

This is not your typical salad, but the ingredients come together so well, with the crunchy onion garlic ramen and Asian dressing. Serve with a side of crudo and you’ve got yourself a full meal!

Ramen Salad

3 soft boiled eggs
1/2 lb shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp sesame oil
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
4 cups chopped kale
1 cup frozen edamame, thawed and rinsed
1 avocado, diced
1 cup Gefen onion garlic ramen toppers

Dressing:
1/3 c grapeseed oil
2 tsp sesame oil
3 tbsp rice vinegar
1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
1 clove minced garlic
1 tbsp honey
Pinch of red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp salt
Juice of 1/2 lime

Method:

For the soft boiled eggs, bring a small saucepan to a boil, reduce to a simmer and lower the eggs into the water with a spoon (I like to pierce them with an egg piercer first to make peeling easier). Simmer for 7 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer the eggs to an ice bath.

While the eggs are cooking, trim the shitake mushroom stems and slice them into strips. Saute in the grapeseed + sesame oil until browned and softenened. Season with salt and pepper.

In a small bowl combine the dressing ingredients. Whisk until emulsified.

Thinly slice the kale and add to a large salad bowl. Top with mushrooms, edamame, avocado, ramen and soft boiled eggs. Add the dressing and lightly toss. Enjoy!

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Pulled Beef Focaccia

On October 10, 2024October 13, 2024

by chanie

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We’re coming up on a long holiday with back-to-back meals and I’m about the repurposing! Leftover chicken soup becomes chicken pot pie, leftover meat or poultry gets loaded into a ramen bowl or spread over tacos. I love that it reduces waste and keeps things fun and inventive.

Pulled beef focaccia or flatbread is another favorite way that I love to repurpose pulled beef. Just mix your favorite BBQ sauce into the beef and pile on all the toppings! So pretty and oh. so. good!

Pulled Beef Focaccia

1 ready-to-top focaccia bread, such as Tuscanini
1 tbsp olive oil
1 1.2 lb. leftover pulled beef
1/3-1/2 cup bbq sauce
1 heaping cup arugula
1/3 cup pomegranate seeds

Pomegranate Pickled Onions
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced into half moons
1 cup red wine vinegar
1 cup pomegranate juice
¼ cup honey
1 tbsp kosher salt

In a 1-quart pot, bring vinegar, pomegranate juice, honey, and salt to a boil. Remove from the heat. Add onions to an 8oz glass jar and pour the hot brine over them until they are fully submerged. Cool and refrigerate for up to 1 month.

Garlic Aioli
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 clove garlic, minced
juice of 1/2 lemon
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
kosher salt, to taste

Add all the ingredients to a bowl and whisk to combine.

Method:

First things first, you’re going to pickle your onions! Get them in the fridge while you prep the other ingredients.

Add the pulled beef to a skillet and stir in the bbq sauce until fully incorporated and heated through.

Prepare the garlic aioli.

When you’re ready to assemble, drizzle some olive oil on the focaccia and bake until crispy. Top with the pulled beef, arugula, pickled onions, pomegranate seeds and garlic aioli.

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