Potato Rosette

4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

4 Tbsp olive oil

coarse sea salt

1/2 tsp red-pepper flakes

3 lbs small potatoes, peeled 

4 shallots, peeled

8 sprigs thyme

Optional garnishes: crumbled goat cheese, crumbled bacon bits, chopped spring onions

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Then in a small bowl, combine the butter and the olive oil. 

Using a mandoline, slice the potatoes thinly and set aside. 

Locate an oval or round 1 1/2 to 2 quart casserole dish and pour in 4 tablespoons of the olive oil and melted butter mixture into the bottom of the dish and add several pinches of the coarse sea salt and red pepper flakes. Place the potatoes in vertical rings in the casserole dish, filling the oval or circle in a decorative manner. 

Slice the shallots with the mandoline and slip them in between the potato slices. Drizzle on the remaining butter and olive oil mixture, and season with the sea salt. 

Bake for 1 1/4 hours and then decorate with the thyme sprigs. Bake for another 30 minutes and then and garnish with crumbled goat's cheese or bacon bits of you like. 

If the potatoes are getting a little too brown for you cover them with a piece of foil. 

This potato dish is scrumptious! 

Colicchio & Sons, New York, NY

Colicchio and Sons is an absolute gem! It has a fabulous reputation, excellent reviews and the chef Tom Collichio seems to be quite the celebrity. The Chef's seasonal taster menu was the highlight of my trip to New York. What an exquisite and delicious menu, and the wine pairings were amazing. The service was impeccable, and I savored every single spoonful...

Wild Sturgeon Caviar, Farm Egg Yolk and Chive Creme Fraiche

Picnic Bay Scallop, Bouillabaisse Jus, Turnip and Basil

Squab, Brussels Sprouts, Black Trumpet Mushrooms and Pomegranate

Venison Rack, Butternut Squash and Chestnuts

Colicchio and Sons
85 10th Avenue, New York, NY 10011
(212) 400-6699

Rue 57, New York, NY

What a great spot to stop for lunch! A great variety of salads and more traditional fare such as burgers, lobster rolls and Reubens served with a twist. The atmosphere was vibrant and the service was superb. It was a like having lunch in Paris! And of course, I had to have a little New York cheesecake to finish off the meal.

Rue 57
60 West 57th Street
New York, NY 10019
(212) 307-5656

HK, New York, NY

HK was a wonderful find right near our hotel in the Port Authority neighborhood. It's super shiny and has an industrial feeling with lots of mirrors, glass and metal fixtures.
We stopped for breakfast and everything was done just perfectly. The eggs Benedict were just scrumptious, with spinach and red peppers, and then we shared a waffle which was a perfect second course. It looked beautiful served with some whipped cream, fresh fruit and a sprig of mint. They were doing a brisk business and the atmosphere was great. Definitely stop by when you visit NYC.

HK
523 Ninth Ave., 
New York,  NY  10018
(212) 947-4208

Strata Bread

1 lb loaf French bread, or any other bread you have
8 oz cream cheese
8 eggs
2 1/2 C milk
6 T butter, melted (optional)
1/4 C maple syrup
1/2 C apple sauce

Butter a 9" x 13" pan or casserole dish and set aside.
Cut the bread up into cubes, and put half of them in the casserole dish. Top with cubed cream cheese.
Pour on the apple sauce, and cover with the remaining bread.
Blend the eggs, milk, melted butter and maple syrup and pour over the bread with a spatula, pressing down to help the bread absorb the liquid.
Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 2 1/2 hours or overnight.
Bake at 325º for about 35-40 minutes.
Serve with the warm apple sauce or maple syrup.
This dish is the perfect thing to make when you have guests visiting and you want to make breakfast super easy. Everyone loved this when I served it this week. 

Banana Bread

This is one of the most tasty banana bread recipes I've tried. It's a Nigella Lawson recipe, and I have to say it's a keeper!
2/3 C golden raisins
5 Tbsp Gosling's dark rum
1 1/4 C flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
9 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
3/4 C light brown sugar
2 eggs, well-beaten
4 ripe bananas, mashed
1/3 C walnuts, chopped
2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
Cover the raisins with the rum and microwave for about a minute. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for about 15 minutes, before draining.
Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a mixing bowl and stir.
In another large bowl, mix together the melted butter and brown sugar until the mixture begins to froth and bubble up.  
Add the beaten eggs and the mashed bananas. Mix together, then add the walnuts, drained raisins and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients in batches and stirring well each time.
Line a loaf tin with wax paper or lightly buttered foil, and then pour in the mixture.
Bake for about 1 1/4 hours until done. Allow to cool before slicing.

Clam Chowder

This is a very traditional clam chowder. I'm always tempted to add other seafood and fish but it's so good with clams why mess with a good thing?!

5 rashers bacon
1 onion, finely chopped
3 stalks celery, finely chopped
51 oz can chopped clams (reserve the clam juice)
2 C half and half (or heavy cream)
4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp oregano

This was just before I added the half and half!

Fry the bacon until it's well done and then set aside on paper towels to drain and cool. After a few minutes chop it up into tiny pieces, so that the smokiness will diffuse through the chowder. 
Meanwhile in a large saucepan gently sauté the onion and celery in butter for about 10 minutes, until they're cooked but translucent.
Add the clam juice, potatoes, bacon and herbs and simmer for about 15 minutes until the potatoes are tender. Check the seasoning and add a dash of salt and white pepper if needed.
Then add the clams, half and half and heat through very gently.
Let me know how it goes.