bananarama

after several trips to the eden center which left us happier and fatter, yet, ultimately, empty-handed, we finally struck gold this weekend. we had been to the local vietnamese grocery before, hoping to line our shelves with cool new stuff, but were foiled time and again by the siren song of immediate gratification: banh mi! bubble tea!



okay. i'm just going to say it. asian supermarkets can be scary! not so much in a cow tongueish, pig snouty kind of way...although, yeah! that too. what i really mean is that the experience is daunting. lost in aisle after aisle teeming with strange and delicious new ingredients with shiny, yet incomprehensible packaging, the mind reels. so many possibilities, so few actual ideas.

but this time was different...

did i mention i have a thing for things that are wrapped? samosas, burritos, dim sum, torteloni, pierogies, birthday presents--i could go on! i don't know if i can pinpoint the appeal, but i'm pretty sure it's primal and has something to do with a warm blanket or the womb.

so anyway, lightning struck and tiny pearl had a brilliant idea: banana leaves.

after researching possible uses for these leaves (headscarf? giftwrap? slip n' slide?), i found this, deep in the bowels of the nytimes archives:

STEAMED COD WITH COCONUT CHUTNEY
Time: 25 minutes

6 garlic cloves, peeled
1 inch piece ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
3 small fresh chilies, stemmed and seeded or 1 teaspoon dried red chili flakes or to taste
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
1 cup shredded dried coconut
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon corn, grapeseed or other neutral oil
Salt
1 1/2 to 2 pounds fillet of pomfret, pompano, mackerel, sole, flounder or sea bass.

1. Prepare a steamer with at least 2 inches of water on bottom. Combine garlic, ginger and chilies in a food processor, and grind to a paste. Add cilantro, mint and coconut, and pulse until mixture is nicely chopped but not puréed. Stir in lime juice, oil and salt. Taste, and adjust seasoning.
2. Season fish with salt, and put it on a plate or in a shallow bowl. Place in steamer. Top with herb paste, and steam for about 15 minutes or until fish is done. (A thin-bladed knife will meet little or no resistance when it is done.) Serve immediately.

Yield: 4 servings.

dude. it was so easy. and so delicious.

there are manifold versions of this old school bombay recipe out there in the internets. we made a few changes of our own. we chose serranos for the chiles and ended up using only one, due to traumatic fume inhalation. we also substituted rockfish (striped bass) for the cod. and we wrapped it in a banana leaf to steam. obvi!




this chutney packs a punch, with strong lime and ginger flavors that are mellowed by the coconut. the mint adds a refreshing twist; a cool complement to the heat of the chile.



there is something very satisfying, visually, about this compact little package. it would be fun to serve at a dinner party; opening it up is like unwrapping a very fragrant gift.



surprisingly, the banana leaf itself has a lot to contribute. it infuses the whole fillet with a tea-like flavor. actually, it perfumes the whole kitchen.

the final result? delicate, complex--like a woman. wrapped in a banana leaf.

review: etete

there are a lot of ethiopian restaurants in the dc area, but etete is probably the best. i'm actually having a hard time writing about it, because every time i remember what i ate, my stomach lets out a rumble and i just want to go back. note to self! never blog hungry.

ethiopian food is like crack. the more you consume, the more you crave. not many things fall into that category for me and most are unmentionable. indian food is also like this. after a great indian meal, i find that i am, slowly, but surely, overtaken by the urge to return to the scene of the crime. but rather than quench my thirst, giving in just fuels the fire.

caveat: this only applies to truly great specimens of these two cuisines. and etete is one. the injera is perfectly spongy and soft, but stands up to a fistful of doro wat, red lentils, and tender collard greens like a champ. the sourdough tang of the pancake is a perfect foil for the slight sweetness of the yellow lentils and the buttery cabbage, carrots and potatoes.

hey good lookin'!


the doro wat is off the hook. the chicken is juicy and so tender, it practically falls off the bone. the sauce, deep red, velvety, and infused with ginger, onion, garlic, chilis, and berbere has complexity and a kick.



my only complaint is the portion size. one drumstick. fifteen bucks. really? i know, i know, stupid fat american! whatever, i want more.

the veggie sampler is not to be missed. the yellow lentils might be tops, or maybe the red lentils (spicy!) or the green stuff, which according to their menu contains chopped onion, green pepper, garlic, lentils, and lemon juice, mixed with ethiopian mustard. it's cold, kind of like a relish, and freakin' delicious.



yellow lentils at 11 o'clock, red at 3, green at 4, doro wat in the middle. comes with an egg, by the way. not so into that. i know it's traditional, but it doesn't really do anything for me and actually i don't need the "what came first" question injected into my meal. how about a chicken thigh?

anyway, etete is great, highly recommend it. wash it down with a bottle of harar.



did i mention you eat with your hands? heaven.

it's beginning to look a lot like christmukkah...

like any good jew, i like to spend christmas eve raising my cholesterol, decorating cookies and celebrating the birth of jesus christ.

MENU:
lobster bisque
prime rib
watercress salad with toasted pecans and elderflower white balsamic dressing
flourless chocolate cake with rasberries and cream

a little staid, sure. but it's the holidays, people. timeless classics, blah blah blah. whatever, it's better than anything these guys are doing.

i digress. and you just want that money shot!




our other activity for the night:



my dad did the meat, so if you want the recipe, ask him. i will hook you up with the bisque.

the stock:
3 tbsp grapeseed oil (higher smoking point than olive oil. if you gotta, substitute corn or canola.)
a bunch of lobster shells, chopped into manageable pieces
2 heads of fennel, 3 cloves garlic, 5 shallots, all thinly sliced
1/2 cup brandy
2 tbsp tomato paste
5 cups water
salt to taste

heat the oil. brown the shells for like 5-10 min, don't burn. add the veggies, cook til tender. add the brandy. stir/scrape, so you get all the good stuff stuck to the pot. now the tomato paste, then the water. let it boil for half an hour. strain. done.



the bisque:
2 tbsp butter
more shallots and some onions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup sherry
1/2 cup brandy
the stock (should be 4 cups or so)
2 tbsp flour
1/2 cup cream
cayenne
lemon juice
cooked lobster meat

sautee the shallots and onions in the butter until golden brown. add the alcoholz, let evaporate halfway. add the stock, simmer for 15 min. remove a couple spoonfuls of liquid, mix w the flour. obliterate lumps, add back to thicken.

add the cream, simmer. do not let boil. you will curdle your soup. bad.

strain. add cayenne to taste (1/2 a tsp-ish). slowly stir in the juice of half a lemon.
turn down the heat to low, add the lobster meat. heat just enough so that its warm all the way through. don't overheat, it will be rubbery.

salt and pepper to taste. BAM.

forgot to photograph the bisque. yes, it was that good. instead, please accept this:



merry something!

first post ever!

i could break a bottle over my computer to christen this flog, but instead i will share this:

the perfect pepe's pizza. hot, melted cheese, speckled with delicious brown blistery goodness. juicy sausage. tender onions. thin, crispy crust, with a hint of char that puts it somewhere between the best bread you've ever eaten and a burnt marshmallow. an auspicious beginning.