Food4Talk

This recipe comes from http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/kale_potato_hash.html

My variation from it is indicated by italicized text  surrounded by single brackets. For example, [Variation].

Serve as a side with a steak or pork chops or set a poached egg on top for a hearty breakfast or brunch. [I have served with poached and eggs over medium. Both are equally good.  I have not served it with pork chops or steak but I get no complaints with ham or bacon.]

Makes 4 servings, 1/2 cup each

ACTIVE TIME: 35 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 35 minutes

8 cups torn kale leaves (about 1/2 large bunch; see Tip) [You can substitute with spinach]
2 tablespoons horseradish [I have cooked without horseradish but it is really good with it.]
1 medium shallot, minced
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt [I don't add salt]
2 cups cooked shredded potatoes (see Ingredient note) [I use frozen shredded potatoes]
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1. Place kale in a large microwave-safe bowl, cover and microwave until wilted, about 3 minutes. Drain, cool slightly, and finely chop. [I do not microwave kale but saute it.]
2. Meanwhile, mix horseradish, shallot, pepper and salt in a large bowl. Add the chopped kale and potatoes; stir to combine.  [I cook the potatoes first and separately.]
3. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the kale mixture, spread into an even layer and cook, stirring every 3 to 4 minutes and returning the mixture to an even layer, until the potatoes begin to turn golden brown and crisp, 12 to 15 minutes total. [I have put it in the oven and let it bake unti potatoes brown, then crack two eggs over until the eggs are medium texture.  ]

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 240 calories; 12 g fat (2 g sat, 8 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 30 g carbohydrate; 6 g protein; 5 g fiber; 244 mg sodium.

TIP: Tip: A 1- to 1 1/2-pound bunch of kale yields 16 to 24 cups of chopped leaves.When preparing kale for these recipes, remove the tough ribs, chop or tear the kale as directed, then wash it–allowing some water to cling to the leaves. The moisture helps steam the kale during the first stages of cooking.

Ingredient Note: Fresh, partially cooked, shredded potatoes for hash browns can be found in the refrigerated produce section and sometimes in the dairy section of most supermarkets. Alternatively, boil potatoes until they can just be pierced with a fork but are not completely tender. Let cool slightly, then shred.

Jimmy Fig’s
www.jimmyfigs.com
160 N. Franklin St
Chicago, IL 60606
312.263.0260

Beer and bar food go together like…. Well, I am not really sure what they go together like but the two were served up heartily on Friday, 31 July 2009 at the Chicago Word Press Meetup Group meeting.  It was my first visit to Jimmy Fig’s and it won’t be my last.  If you want to kick back after work with a beer and a bite to eat, you might want to stop by Jimmy Fig’s to let some of the evening  rush hour pass you by.

I ordered Fat Tire, a Belgian amber ale. In general, I prefer very dark beers and asked the waitress if they had a dark beer other than Guinness.  She recommended Fat Tire and I said I would try it.  I was taken aback when this amber colored beer arrived. However, I found it tasty to my palate and two bottles went down smoothly. Between the two beers I ordered a plate of mini-burgers with bacon and cheese. The good of this is that I discovered a new brew. The bad new is that I have no will power against bacon and beef.

Jimmy Fig’s is a fun place to hang out with a couple of friends or a group. The beer, food, price, and company make it all worthwhile.

Pizza Capri

http://www.pizzacapri.com/

1501 E 53rd St
(between Harper Ave & Lake Park Ave)
Chicago, IL 60615
773.324.7777

It was a beautiful Saturday (8 August 2009) afternoon and I was running my usual errands so that my work week would run a lot smoother. I called one of my friends to see what she was up to because the day before she talked about being in the ‘hood. She picked up on the second ring and I asked her what she was doing and she said that she and RL were at Pizza Capri in the Hyde Park neighborhood and was I close enough to stop by. They had just ordered and I said I was about 15 minutes away and asked them to order a Salmon salad for me.

I arrived and was happy to hang out with them. We made small talk and joked with each other. In fact, I asked CYT if she were okay and if Facebook was down because she hadn’t posted all day. We laughed and laughed. Their food arrived. A few minutes later my salad arrived. CYT and RL had talapia and salmon dishes, respectively.

The food is always consistently fresh at Pizza Capri and easy on the wallet and they deliver. I have ordered on the coldest, wettest days and the food has arrived warm and tasty.

After we ate, we paid and went our separate ways. What I liked about that perfect in-the-moment moment was it all came together quickly, took almost no time at all, and had a positive impact on my day and the rest of my weekend. We are all so over-scheduled that it is easy to say no to a spontaneous invite. So, the next time your girls or boys call for a quick no fuss get together, throw caution and schedule to the wind.

A guy I was dating made this recipe for me.  Alas, I fell in love with the grilled pineapple.  I have not thought about this dish for awhile. Yesterday, I mentioned this recipe to a friend and she said send it to me.  Of course, I have never made it but  I found an excellent recipe at http://video.about.com/bbq/Grilled-Pineapple.htm, which I would like to share with you.  Try it.  I don’t think you will be disappointed.  I have had them served as a dessert and as a topping on a hamburger.

Transcript: Grilled Pineapple

Hi, I’m Derrick Riches for About.com Food, and today I’m going to show you how to grill pineapple

Grilled Pineapple Ingredients
For this recipe, you will need:

• 1 pineapple
• 1 cup of rum
• 1 tablespoon of cinnamon
• 2 cups of water

Cut the Pineapple

Cut the pineapple by first cutting off the bottom, cut down the sides removing the outer skin of the pineapple. Cut pineapple into 1/2-inch slices.

Mix the Rum Marinade

In a bowl, combine 2 cups of water, 1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon, and 1 cup of rum. If you prefer not to use rum, use 1/2 cup of dark brown sugar dissolved in water.

Marinate the Pineapple

Add the pineapple slices. Marinate pineapple slices in mixture for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Grill the Pineapple

Grill pineapple slices over a high heat for approximately one minute per side. Serve pineapple slices with a scoop of ice cream or cut into slices and enjoy.

And that’s how you grill pineapple. Thanks for watching, to learn more visit us on the Web at food.about.com 

Grilled Pineapple Ingredients

For this recipe, you will need:

• 1 pineapple
• 1 cup of rum
• 1 tablespoon of cinnamon
• 2 cups of water

Cut the Pineapple

Cut the pineapple by first cutting off the bottom, cut down the sides removing the outer skin of the pineapple. Cut pineapple into 1/2-inch slices.

Mix the Rum Marinade

In a bowl, combine 2 cups of water, 1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon, and 1 cup of rum. If you prefer not to use rum, use 1/2 cup of dark brown sugar dissolved in water.

Marinate the Pineapple

Add the pineapple slices. Marinate pineapple slices in mixture for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Grill the Pineapple

Grill pineapple slices over a high heat for approximately one minute per side. Serve pineapple slices with a scoop of ice cream or cut into slices and enjoy.

And that’s how you grill pineapple. Thanks for watching, to learn more visit us on the Web at food.about.com

Park Grill

http://www.parkgrillchicago.com/

11 N Michigan Ave
Chicago, IL 60602-4812
312.521.7275

In my opinion, The Park Grill makes an excellent burger. Generally, I try not to order hamburgers at “fancy” restaurants because there are too many other choices. However, on Wednesday, July 29, 2009, I felt my inner carnivore surface and craved a hamburger. In addition, I had heard they make great burgers. CYT and I ordered salads and split the burger on the specials menu. Neither CYT nor I was disappointed.

We also ordered a lovely quartino, that is, a half carafe, of Viognier. For all the wine purists who say beef and white wine don’t go together, well, I say it ain’t so. The wine, salad and half burger went well together. I did not have the heavy feeling of eating too much. The meal was very satisfying and I felt the wine complementary.

There was one tiny glitch. It is almost not worth mentioning but I have to because Food4Talk is about the whole dining experience. Overall, the service was good. However, when we ordered the quartino, CYT tasted it and thought it was okay. As the waitress was filling CYT’s glass, the waitress noticed a crack in the carafe. She immediately replaced it. When CYT tasted the wine again, she said to the waitress, “You opened a new bottle, didn’t you?” The waitress said yes. CYT remarked that there was a marked difference and the wine from the newly open bottled tasted extremely good. Since I didn’t have a taste of the first quartino, I cannot comment on the difference but the wine I tasted was light and fresh.

Okay, there was one other thing. There seemed to be a huge gap between the time we finished our salad and the arrival of our burger. This was a bit disappointing since the woman two tables over arrived later than we did and was served her meal of a salad and scallops before us. Overall, it is not a huge thing but when you are hungry….  The good news is that when the burger arrived it was nice and hot.

This was my third visit and I will certainly visit again. The food was very satisfying and the issues were small. Some might say it is a bit touristy but when hunger strikes and you are near Washington St. and Michigan Ave it doesn’t really matter, does it? 

Last Wednesday (July 29, 2009), I attended a meeting on the rooftop of theWIT.  It was a beautiful Chicago day and I enjoyed a nice glass of wine as I waited for my meeting.  When the meeting assembled, we decided to go to the second floor because it was too noisy and crowded on the rooftop.  After the meeting was over a friend of mine met me at theWIT.  We decided to go up to the Rooftop for dinner.  However, this time, we were stopped by a “keeper of the gate.”  We were asked if we were staying at the hotel, if we had reservation, or  if we were meeting someone.  Finally, I said I was up there earlier and that I didn’t seem to have a problem.  Is there a problem?  The woman moved aside and let us go in.  Unfortunately it was so crowded that we decided we should go to the second floor and have dinner.  By the time we got down there my friend and I decided that we would eat somewhere else.  I am not sure why my friend came to the same conclusion about staying there but I did not get a good vibe.   

Food4Talk is about the whole dining experience and theWIT never made it to first base.

 Click here to add a comment

Tasting Notes
True to ripe with lemon drop and grapefruit proceeding tropical fatness. Offers a range of sensations from steely crisp, to rich & complex. All these flavors are framed with a herbaceous twist and a dry finish.

Fermentation
Fermentation 90% Stainless, 10% American Oak

 Aging
Aging – Barrel aged 3 months in 100% American Oak
Aging potential of wine 3 years

Awards
Gold Medal – Orange County Fair 2007, Gold Medal – California State Fair 2007, Double Gold – San Francisco Chronicle Wine Comp 2008, Gold – Grand Harvest Awards 2008, Gold – Long Beach Grand Cru, Silver – New International Wine Comp 2008, Silver – Dallas Morning News 2008, Gold/Reserve Class Champion – 2009 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo International Wine Competition

Click here to comment

Wine ordered at Tapas Valencia

From www.wine.com

winemaker’s notes:

Pale straw color with some brilliant highlights. Very fresh bouquet that brings to mind mineral notes, apples and pears with a slightly exotic touch. This intensity on the nose comes through again in the mouth with full fruit flavors and outstanding freshness that lingers on the palate.

An ideal wine for a light aperitif and a perfect accompaniment to salads, poached or grilled seafood, prawn cocktail, poached, fried or grilled fish. Also complements sushi and sashimi dishes.

Click here to comment

The Chicago Firehouse Restaurant

(312) 786-1401