Copy
View this email in your browser
Here's what we're eating this week on MIAbites:

MIAbites Contributors: What I ATE This Week 2.0!

By MIAbites Team on Nov 23, 2014 09:25 pm

If you follow any of our MIAbites Contributors on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook,  you are constantly bombarded with some pretty amazing pictures of food and drink that has been consumed, it seems almost endlessly. 

How can anyone eat and drink ALL that food and go to ALL those places?  

Well Our Contributors do, from evenings out with friends, to lunches at favorite classic spots, to events hosted by restaurants, fellow bloggers and spirit purveyors.  It is hard to keep up and so as a special MIAbites feature we bring you.... What I ATE This Week.  

So before we all succumb to "Tryptophan Turkey Coma", here are some tasty dishes we all enjoyed this past week. 

Jennifer Massolo- Liquid Projects 

While visiting PAMM recently, it occurred to me to have lunch at Verde, the museum’s on site restaurant, as I’d heard some good things about the food. I ordered the warm shrimp salad with avocado, greens, perfectly cooked large shrimp and a truffle beurre blanc that really impressed me. Texturally is was entertaining, the baby lettuces were dressed lightly and that warm beurre blanc had subtle truffle notes and a little citrus to balance it. Very yummy!

 

Javier Ramirez- @GourmandJ

The best thing I ate this week are the new “agrodolce” chicken wings by chef Danny Ramirez from Harry’s Pizzeria.  With a buttermilk with rosemary sauce with the wings. Sublime.

 

Andrew Giambarba- @AndyMiami 

The best thing I ate last week was inspired by a piece in the Miami New Times' Short Order by Zachary Fagenson (on twitter @ZachIsWeird). Tira.D.Toss in Doral is Peruvian / Japanese fusion. I went twice in a week I liked it so much! Standouts were the Causa d'Pulpo with a black olive cream, the "sushi" with green cilantro rice, salmon and sweet potato and the Tacu Tacu with Shrimp in an aji amarillo sauce.

Melissa Ginsberg- @TheFoodieTeach

Disney parks aren't really heralded for their inventive food options, but if you know where to look you can find some hidden food treasures. One of these is the fried chicken and waffle sandwich found at Sleepy Hollow refreshments in Magic Kingdom. Tucked away in a small, unassuming quick service counter near Cinderella's castle you can get a made-to-order warm Belgian waffle filled with fried chicken breasts smothered in a spicy maple syrup. It's topped with a sort of broccoli slaw and fresh arugula. In addition to that, Sleepy Hollow also servers a Nutella and fresh fruit waffle and one of the best funnel cakes I've ever had! 

Debbie Rabinovicci- Owner- Cafe Curuba

For me it was a cortado and a clever at Panther Coffee in Sunset Harbor. It was memorable because I had the rare opportunity to share with my husband, who normally doesn't drink coffee, two of my favorite things. As usual at Panther the espresso drink was perfectly crafted and the drip coffee was glorious. Lot's of sweet, "red" notes such as cherry. It was a delightful way to spend a rainy Sunday afternoon!

Allison Riley- @YallTasteThis 

On recent visit to Mignonette, I had the hearty Oxtail & Rock Shrimp Gumbo.

AllisonGumbo.JPG

Everett Rashotsky- @ErGagit

I gave up Pork Belly for a year before I ate Georgio's coffee coated Pork Belly at Eating House with pumpkin flavored Plantains, had to get second order!!!

Ellen Bowen - Managing Director MIAbites

Lucky me got to go solo to Morimoto and sit at the sushi bar.  I ordered the omakase, which at $140 is steep, but the 9 courses were very filling and looking at menu a la carte a "value".  Best dish was the foie gras plate of foie gras topped grilled oyster and foie gras pate with diced duck breast . Other standout dishes included a toro tartare with six dipping sauces and Surf and Turf...waygu filet and spicy half lobster. Sort of touristy but a special and very entertaining experience. 

Wishing everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving and we will be back with more MIAbites Contributors: What I ATE This Week next month!  

 

 


Read in browser »
share on Twitter Like MIAbites Contributors:  What I ATE This Week 2.0! on Facebook

RECIPE: Chef Jamie DeRosa talks Dressing vs Stuffing!

By MIAbites Team on Nov 22, 2014 09:26 pm

Chef Jamie DeRosa, of Tongue & Cheek , shares his favorite recipe for Sausage, Apple and Walnut stuffing this Thanksgiving:

“When it comes to Turkey, stuffing is evil.” – Alton Brown

Although not likely on the menu of the Pilgrim’s first Thanksgiving Day feast in 1621, stuffing has become as ubiquitous as Tom Turkey himself.  Although a staple of Thanksgiving Day Dinner, it seems that no two families can agree on what goes into proper stuffing.  Even the name differs depending on where you are from.  Traditionally, the word “stuffing” was used when it was cooked inside the bird, whereas the word “dressing” was used when cooked outside of the bird.  Today, the terms “stuffing” and “dressing” are used interchangeably.  

Although “stuffing” seems to be used more in the North and “dressing” in the South.

Whether you call it stuffing, dressing or even filling (as I have heard it referred to) or wether you include seafood, cornbread, sausage or fruit, nothing is more important than where you cook this concoction – inside or outside of the turkey.

I prefer to cook the stuffing in a casserole outside of the bird — no junk in the trunk here. Then when the bird is done, drizzle the drippings of the turkey over the stuffing to give it added flavor and also help keep it nice and juicy.  My preference is not just based on taste but safety concerns as well.

Food safety requirements dictate that you should cook a turkey until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.  If the bird is filled with stuffing, it will take much longer to reach the recommended temperature.  Longer cooking time equals a greater chance that you will overcook the other parts of the bird.  More often than not, cooking the stuffing inside the bird results in either soggy, sticky, luke warm stuffing or an overcooked breast.  Not to mention, the possibility of salmonella poisoning if the bird is not cooked through.

Rather than filling your turkey with stuffing try filling the cavity with something that will give it additional flavor such as fresh herbs, garlic or lemon.

Although my taste in stuffing (or dressing as I cook it outside the bird) is pretty diverse (cornbread, sausage, oyster, etc), this year I have decided to pay homage to my Italian roots and make my favorite – a sausage, apple and walnut stuffing.  Here is my recipe.

Sausage, Apple, and Walnut Stuffing

Extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, finely diced
3 ribs celery, finely diced
Kosher salt
3 small cloves garlic, smashed and finely diced
1 Lb. Berkshire pork sausage,  casing removed, broken up into bite-size chunks – I prefer a “The Roman sausage” from our friends at Proper Sausages
3 apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch dice ( I prefer Granny Smith Apples)
1 cup apple cider
1/2 bunch sage, leaves finely chopped
3/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
10 cups rustic bread, crusts discarded, cut into 1-inch cubes; or fresh bread slices toasted until crispy but no color, cut into 1-inch cubes.
3 cups chicken stock

Directions

Coat a large saute pan, over medium heat, with olive oil and add the onions and celery. Season with salt and cook until the veggies start to become soft and are very aromatic. Add the garlic and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. Add the sausage and cook until the sausage browns. Stir in the apples and apple cider and cook until the apples start to soften, about 3 to 4 minutes. Sprinkle in the sage leaves and the walnuts and turn off the heat.

 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Add the diced bread and toss together. Pour in the chicken stock and knead with your hands until the bread is very moist, actually wet. Taste to check for seasoning and season with salt, if needed, (it does). Transfer to a large deep ovenproof dish (roughly 9 by 11 inches) and bake until it is hot all the way through and crusty on top.

NOTE: Tongue & Cheek is closed on Thanksgiving Day, but stop by to refuel after a day of Black Friday shopping or to enjoy their fabulous brunch on both Saturday and Sunday. 

 


Read in browser »
share on Twitter Like RECIPE: Chef Jamie DeRosa talks Dressing vs Stuffing! on Facebook

Chef Sam Gorenstein: Big Winner on Kitchen Inferno

By MIAbites Team on Nov 20, 2014 03:48 pm

Hot off the Food Presses! 

Yesterday, chef Sam Gorenstein, co-owner and executive chef of Miami's beloved fast-casual seafood spot, My Ceviche, was named the first champion of Food Network's culinary battle show Kitchen Inferno, taking home the grand prize of $25,000.

That can sure buy A LOT of Ceviche!  Congrats to Chef Sam and one of MIAbites featured chefs ( http://www.miabites.com/home/2014/3/20/my-ceviche-choose-localgo-fish-go-fresh?rq=my%20ceviche#.VG5X3FfF-Gk )

Hosted by chef Curtis Stone, Kitchen Inferno throws competing chefs into a culinary showdown against some of the country's most talented chefs. Each round is judged by a panel of esteemed culinary personalities – in Sam’s case, famed cookbook author Michael Ruhlman; London-based chef Judy Joo, who was one of the four Iron Chefs on Iron Chef UK; and chef Daniel Green, internationally recognized expert in the culinary world. If named the winner of a battle, the chef can choose to walk away with the money in hand, an amount that increases through each round, or "rip up that check," as the live audience yells.

"I went in knowing that I would rather walk away with nothing than refuse a challenge," said Gorenstein. "I had a $15,000 check in my hand after the third round, but I just had to tear it up and fight for that $25,000."

So here provided by MyCeviche's publicist is a "play by play" recap of the exciting first season competition:

Gorenstein’s first round against Food Network veteran chef Penny Davidi at first seemed to be a difficult one. With no experience cooking for children, Gorenstein competed to cook the best gourmet version of a chicken finger against Davidi, who confidently noted she has made chicken fingers dozens of times for her children. Alas, Davidi’s dish was no match for Gorenstein’s chicken fingers stuffed with spicy chorizo and ground chicken. With a $5,000 check in hand, Gorenstein was given the choice to walk away with the money or continue forward with a taco challenge; he chose the latter option.

Chef Chris Oh of the popular Korean restaurant Seoul Sausage in Los Angeles stepped up to the plate to try to take Gorenstein down next in the battle for the best taco. Though they were provided with no traditional taco ingredients, both chefs made do and created their own unique tacos.

Again, Gorenstein beat the seasoned Food Network veteran by presenting the judges with a homemade cilantro masa taco filled with orange caramelized shrimp and lime roasted jalapeno mayo – a nod to a signature salsita at My Ceviche.

“I had to bring a part of My Ceviche into the show somehow, so I figured why not use one of our famous salsitas,” said Gorenstein. “I think the judges loved it as much as our customers do.”

With $10,000 in hand, the choice became more difficult. But Gorenstein was ready for a fight, even knowing the next dish had to feature chocolate, an ingredient he admitted to never using in savory dishes. The first grand champion of Food Network’s Chopped and winner of Iron Chef America, chef Madison Cowan proved a difficult challenger.

While we were filming the battle, I couldn’t help but feel nervous. Madison’s dish using dark chocolate smelled outrageously good,” recounts Gorenstein.

It was a close one, but Gorenstein’s savory white chocolate scallop crudo with peach ginger and caramelized citrus glaze proved to be the judges’ favorite.

Moving into the final round, Gorenstein ripped up a check for $15,000 to prove himself in a bouillabaisse battle against the host himself, chef Curtis Stone. It was a gutsy move that turned out to be a smart one.

“Curtis got fancy with a deconstructed bouillabaisse, but I stuck to a classic one. It’s what I know. I’ve worked with seafood my entire life; it’s a beautiful thing, and it should just be left to speak for itself, as it’s meant to,” said Gorenstein.

Gorenstein opened the voting envelope that showed “dish one,” his own dish, was chosen as the favorite. As the confetti fell from the ceilings in the kitchen stadium, Sam thought of who he had waiting for him back at home.

“Sure, I competed so I could get back into a big kitchen and show these chefs and America that I can kick some ass. It was a great experience, and I’m happy I chose to take on the challenge. But I didn't risk it all just for myself; it was for my fiancée too,” admitted Sam. “We’re getting married in a little over a year, and I’m using the winnings to give her a dream wedding.”

Some pretty Hot Stuff from Miami's own, Sam Gorenstein! 

My Ceviche ( three locations: South Beach, Brickell and South Miami)

www.myceviche.com

 

 


Read in browser »
share on Twitter Like Chef Sam Gorenstein: Big Winner on Kitchen Inferno on Facebook

A Taste of Liguria: Riviera Focacceria

By Ellen Bowen on Nov 19, 2014 11:15 am

Midtown is a funny place.  Anchored by Target and WalMart, yet no Publix, it seems to be unclear as to whether or not it wants to be a mall or a walk able neighborhood for the many condo and rental residents who live there.

As far as food goes, it is equally confusing with top hip restaurants,  Sugarcane Raw Bar Grill , Salumeria 104 and BlackBrick on one side, and Five Guys, Hurricane Wings and 100 Mondaditos and many loud Sports bars cropping up almost daily one block over.

Parking is great, $2- for 2 hours in the garages and Midtown is pretty accessible to I-95/195 and both downtown and the beach.

So it was with some trepidation that I strolled into Riviera Foccaceria one evening at the glowing recommendation of GourmandJ and others.  Sandwiched between a busy sports bar and Giraffas, it seemed an unlikely spot for good food.

It was early, but Riviera was already well staffed and the open kitchen was buzzing for the handful of diners seeking fresh and authentic Ligurian cuisine.

Ligurian cuisine? 

I love Italian food... Northern Italy with its cream based meat dishes, Southern Italy with its red sauce heavy items, but Liguria?  Never knew it had it’s own cuisine, much less even where Liguria was.  

Liguria is a narrow, mountainous coastal strip of northwestern Italy that includes the famed Italian Riviera resort towns of San Remo and Portofino as well as the iconic Cinque Terre, a collection of five small villages situated in one of the most beautiful stretches of the Mediterranean coastline. Liguria's main city is Genoa, the hometown of Christopher Columbus and a melting pot of Southern French and Northern Italian culture, history, and architecture…and cuisine.

As Paolo Albertoni, the very knowledgeable GM explained to me, the cuisine is all about the Focaccia. And not the doughy thick focaccia offered as Panini sandwich bread, but a very light and airy mix of flour, olive oil and water stretched thinly into a pan and topped with a number of delicious toppings.  This is not a pizza, repeat not a pizza.  It is a flavorful, light dish perfect as a starter or main course. 

After consuming almost singlehandedly, Focaccia di Recco “Pizzata”, with homemade tomato sauce, imported stracchino cheese and capers, I did not feel full or like I had eaten an entire pizza.

Molto Bene!

Both Paolo and our server encouraged us to also try the simple focaccia, lightly dusted with olive oil, and the thinly sliced zucchini and Parmesan cheese focaccia and basic tomato topped.  All were flavorful and light and easily consumed in a matter of minutes.

Next we decided to try to fresh daily-homemade pastas.  These are made daily with all imported ingredients by Chef and Mastro Focaccere, Massimo Travaglini.   Again, no angel hair, bow ties or linguini here,  but, Spaghettini al Pomodoro, authentic thick spaghetti with fresh tomato sauce, Taglierini Neri al Ragu di Mare, black ink taglierini with Ligurian mussels, red snapper, octopus and tomato ragu, and our favorite, Mandilli di Seta al Pesto, homemade handerchief style pasta with a fresh basil pesto like one I had never had before. 

Paolo beamed with pride when I asked about the pesto.  While the basic recipe is straightforward, basil, pine nuts, parmigiano cheese, EVOO and garlic, he explained that it was the quality of the basil that made the difference.  Riviera’s owner had sampled basil from all over the country and Florida and had selected a special organic basil from a “secret” ( wink wink ) location.  Order this dish and see for yourself.

Other dining options include La Superba, named after Genova’s nickname, a grand selection of Italian imported salami, cheeses, olives and focaccia. And main dishes with an emphasis on the coastal fishing off Liguria.   Polpo Riviera, a poached octopus with cherry tomatoes and olives, and Baccala “Vegia Zena”, a pan-seared Mediterranean cod with tomato sauce, olives, capers and potatoes.

Wine and beer are available and the best news of all is that Riviera’s focaccia, pasta and sauces can be also be purchased to take home for enjoyment with your family and friends.  

After paying my $2- to park, I drove home having thoroughly enjoyed my unexpected visit to Liguria.

Riviera Focacceria Italiana

3252 NE 1st Ave #110 The Shops at Midtown

Miami, FL 33127

786 220 6251


Read in browser »
share on Twitter Like A Taste of Liguria: Riviera Focacceria on Facebook

CRAFT and L'Echon Brasserie Bourbon Brunch

By MIAbites Team on Nov 18, 2014 06:24 pm
lechonCRAFT_bourbonbrunch_final.jpg

Those Pubbelly boys sure are busy this weekend!  This Sunday 11/23 they are hosting both a special Four Year Anniversary Brunch at Pubbelly with Chefs Jose Mendin and Alter's Bradley Kilgore as featured here on MIAbites ( http://www.miabites.com/home/2014/11/13/pubbelly-boys-miami-food-blog-miabites#.VGva1Cis3ww=  ), and a special Bourbon Brunch at sister restaurant, L'Echon Brasserie.  

And since it looks like the Miami temps are dipping we think it is high time to break out the aged Bourbon and embrace Fall 2014. 

CRAFT: Spirits & Beer has collaborated with Pubbelly's newest restaurant L'Echon Brasserie's Executive Chef Josh Elliott and Cyrus Noble Kentucky Bourbon to present a very special bourbon brunch this Sunday, November 23, 2014.  

Cyrus Noble Bourbon is a small batch Kentucky Bourbon that became the bourbon of choice  provided by Haas Brothers Purveyors back during the Gold Rush in San Francisco. 

The Bourbon Brunch, includes Chef Elliot's three course French inspired Gastro-Pub family style brunch, four expertly crafted cocktails, a small talk on bourbon featuring Cyrus Noble Kentucky Bourbon AND pool access for the afternoon.

Tickets can be purchased at www.pubbellyboys.com/lechon at $45 (plus tax & gratuity); Discounted valet and since there will be access to the Hilton Cabana Miami Beach pool bring your suits!

L'Echon Brasserie

6261 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33141

786 483 1611

 


 


Read in browser »
share on Twitter Like CRAFT and L'Echon Brasserie Bourbon Brunch on Facebook




Recent Articles:

The Rum Line: South Beach’s new cocktail destination
Pubbelly Boys Celebrate FOUR years!
Giving Thanks: Thanksgiving made simple
This is #Epic: Casting Call for Next Food Network Star!
The Gin Bar Happy Hour at The Traymore
Copyright © 2014 MIAbites, All rights reserved.


unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences 






This email was sent to <<Email Address>>
why did I get this?    unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences
MIAbites · 3737 Collins Ave. Miami Beach, FL, United States · Miami Beach, FL 33140 · USA

Email Marketing Powered by Mailchimp