The Purple Pig (Part Two)

I rarely post about the same restaurant more than once, but recently I had the opportunity to return to The Purple Pig and I just had to share the experience. This time I went with Michelle from Taste As You Go who is just as lovely in person as online and we had a great time sampling the menu and gossiping over wine.

Once again we started with the pork fried almonds. They may have been even better this time around though instead of pork bits, there were roasted garlic cloves in the bowl. I won't bore you with another picture of them. We shared the eggplant caponata with goat cheese ($11). A sweet and savory caponata balances the thickly smeared, tart goat cheese on rustic bread.





The dish that I was most excited to try was just as good as I had hoped it would be. Pig's ear with crispy kale, pickled peppers and a fried egg ($8). The pig's ear is thinly sliced and fried to a crisp. The yolk from the egg gives the dish a silky feel to balance the crunch and the peppers spice it up a bit.



The panini with taleggio and fig jam ($10) added a bit of substance to the meal and once again provided us with that perfect balance of salty and sweet.



The broccoli with roasted garlic and anchovy vinaigrette ($7) is fresh with a dressing reminiscent of a Caesar salad dressing. The breadcrumbs add a bit of a crunchy texture.



We could not resist dessert and the Sicilian Iris ($7) did not disappoint. It's a brioche filled with ricotta and chocolate chips and fried. It's topped with powdered sugar and tastes like the best filled doughnut ever.



Clearly The Purple Pig is consistent in its excellence and I am looking forward to more return visits.

The Purple Pig
500 N. Michigan Ave.
Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 464-1PIG (744)
Website

Warm Shrimp Salad with Kamut, Red Chile, and Tarragon

Recently, one of my friends pinned a link to Food & Wine magazine of meals with 600 calories or less...including wine. I immediately bookmarked this recipe and set out to make it as soon as possible. I had never even heard of kamut, but I'm newly obsessed. It's similar to wheatberries and has firm texture, but still tender and a slight buttery flavor. I was able to find kamut in the bulk bins at Whole Foods,  but wheatberries, spelt berries, or even farro would be excellent replacements. Unfortunately, kamut takes a long time to cook, but you can prep the rest of the ingredients while that is happening and pour yourself a glass of wine to enjoy with the salad. This salad has so many flavors and textures from the crunch of the haricot vert to the spice from the chile, sweet anise from the tarragon, and brightness from a squeeze of lemon before serving. As you can see from the photo, I enjoyed this salad with a lovely glass of rose which made this the perfect spring time meal.


This recipe is from Food & Wine, October 2011. The only change I made was cutting out the butter. You can find the original recipe here.


One year ago: Sausage Pizza with Crispy Kale
Two years ago: Sauteed Spicy Green Beans and Tomatoes
Three years ago: Asparagus, Poached Egg, Prosciutto, and Fontina Cheese Sandwich
Four years ago: Analletti with Sausage and Greens

Brunch at Bongo Room

On weekends in Chicago, it seems like every restaurant is full with a line going outside and halfway down the block. There are so many places to get a good plate of eggs and it seems that no one wants to make them at home. The Bongo Room is very popular for brunch, but I was able to go on a weekday and not have to stand in a long line and suffer.

No brunch is complete without some form of alcohol. Our favorite of the moment is a mimosa with grapefruit juice instead of orange. At Mercantile in Los Angeles, this is called a Lilosa. At most restaurants here, it's just called a mimosa with grapefruit juice ($8). Regardless, it's delicious and not as sweet as a regular mimosa.



I also pretty much require eggs at brunch so it was a natural choice for me to go with the croissant sandwich ($9.50). The buttery croissant is filled with melted muenster, bacon, and one egg any style (I chose over easy). It comes with a very large serving of the oddly addictive house potatoes.



As kind of a dessert for our meal, we ordered the Pumpkin Spice and Chocolate Chunk Cheesecake Flapjacks. A stack of flapjacks is usually $9.95, but you can order a single one to share. Unfortunately this was a bit of a miss for us as the chocolate chips overpowered the pumpkin flavor and I think we waited a bit too long to eat it so the pancake was soggy. The pancake flavors change by the season and they have some new berry cakes on the menu that sound really great.



The service at the Wicker Park location was a bit sullen, but they do a swift business. There are now three locations of Bongo Room so hopefully that wait in line will be just a little bit easier.


Bongo Room
1470 N. Milwaukee Ave.
Chicago, IL 60622
(773) 489-0690
Website

Nutella Pop Tarts and a Blogiversary

Four years! It feels like the time is going by faster and faster and it's hard to believe that this blog is four years old. A celebration calls for a sweet treat. Since my first anniversary of baking a teeny cake, I have opted for simpler fare the last two years. This year is no exception. With all of my kitchen supplies residing in storage, I needed a something simple that could be done with limited supplies. Homemade pop tarts have been all over the blogosphere for a long time. I've even made them before. To make my life as easy as possible, I went with store bought pie dough, but I encourage you to use homemade if you have the time. A sprinkle of sea salt on the inside of the tarts balance out the sweetness of the Nutella and sprinkle of sugar on top. Cheers to another year of food blogging. I am looking forward to more fun to come.


Cut the dough into rectangles, fill with Nutella and sprinkle with sea salt


Seal the edges, brush the tops with egg wash, and sprinkle with sugar


Fresh from the oven


Enjoy!

Nutella Pop Tarts
(From all over the web really, but these are based on a previous recipe from a few years ago)

Makes 6 3-inch pop tarts

*Note: I had a lot of pie dough scraps left over. Use them up by making cinnamon sugar cigars!

2 9-inch pie crusts
1/4 cup Nutella (or more as necessary)
Flaky sea salt for sprinkling
1 egg lightly beaten for egg wash
Sugar for sprinkling

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Unroll the dough and cut into 12 3-inch by 2-inch rectangles. Place 1 teaspoon of Nutella in the center of 6 of the rectangles. Sprinkle the each Nutella-filled rectangle with a bit of sea salt.

Dab a bit of the egg wash around the edges of each Nutella-filled rectangles and cover with an unfilled rectangles. Use a fork to seal the edges and also to poke holes in the top of the pastry for steam to escape.

Brush the tops of each pastry with egg wash and sprinkle with a bit of sugar. Bake 15-20 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and the sugar has caramelized a bit.

While the pop tarts are cooling, heat the remaining Nutella in the microwave for 10 seconds at a time until it has a liquid consistency. Use a fork or spoon to drizzle the warmed Nutella over the pastries. Serve slightly warm.

Printable Recipe

Sesame Roasted Snap Peas

Whenever spring rolls around, I grab pound after pound of snap peas. Normally, I snack on them raw, or quickly cook them in a stir fry, but I came across this roasting recipe on the recipe on The Kitchn and my curiosity got the better of me. The natural sweetness of the peas is deepened in the roasting process. The toasted sesame oil makes these a natural pairing with Asian dishes...if you can wait long enough for the main course to be ready.

More roasted snap pea recipes from around the web:
Simply Roasted Snap Peas from Eat Drink Better
Soy Orange Roasted Sugar Snap Peas from Just Sweet Enough
Roasted Sugar Snap Pea and Quinoa Salad from Voracious Vander



Sesame Roasted Snap Peas
(Adapted lightly from The Kitchn)

Makes 2-3 appetizer-sized servings

10 ounces sugar snap peas, trimmed
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Sea salt to taste
Toasted sesame seeds for serving.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.

Toss the snap peas with the oil and season lightly with salt. Spread the snap peas in a single layer on the baking sheet. Roast for 10-15 minutes until the peas are lightly brown and tender, turning once about halfway through.

Sprinkle the snap peas lightly with toasted sesame seeds and serve warm.

Printable Recipe

Turkey, Shiitake, and Asparagus Noodles

I normally keep things nice and light here on this site, but something has been on my mind lately. With about a gazillion food blogs existing in the blogosphere, I'm noticing that fewer and fewer bloggers are giving credit on where there recipes come from. I think everyone should read this article by David Lebovitz and then re-read it immediately. I do disagree on point three that changing just three things in a recipe makes it yours, but I am curious to know what other bloggers feel about this issue. Take this recipe for example: I used turkey instead of pork, added red pepper flakes, and added asparagus. I guess I could claim this as my own now, but I followed everything else almost exactly and I certainly didn't come up with the combination of ingredients that produced a healthy, filling, and tasty lunch for me last week. Personally, I will always state in a clear way with a link if this recipe is adapted from or inspired by another source. If I feel I have spent time in the kitchen, coming up with something new and testing it's results, I will say it is by me. Of course with millions of recipes out in the world, there are bound to be similarities and I will always write the directions for every recipe in my own voice, the way I made the food. I know this is an issue that comes up from time to time in the food blogging community, and as I said before, I am interested to hear what others think. Add your thoughts in the comments. 




Here are other articles dealing with recipe attribution:
Wild Yeast Blog
The KitchenMaid
La Phemme Phoodie
Will Write For Food


Turkey, Shiitake, and Asparagus Noodles
(Adapted from Appetite for China)

*Note: I made this in a large nonstick skillet so I greatly reduced the amount of oil called for in the original recipe. If you are cooking in stainless steel, you may need to increase the oil to up to one tablespoon

Makes 2-3 servings

8 ounces ground turkey, 93% lean
1 teaspoon canola oil
5 shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded and caps finely chopped
2 large shallots, finely chopped
8 asparagus stalks, trimmed and cut into 1/2 inch pieces, tips whole
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons sake
4 tablespoons soy sauce
4 ounces soba noodles
Salt
1 scallion, sliced for serving

Heat a large wok or skillet over nonstick heat. If you are not using a nonstick pan, add the oil to the pan and heat before adding the turkey. Cook the turkey for 6-8 minutes or until it is completely cooked through. Remove the turkey from the pan with a slotted spoon a set aside.

If you are using a nonstick skillet, add the oil to the pan. Add the mushrooms, shallots, asparagus, and red pepper flakes to the pan. Cook, stirring often until the vegetables have softened and browned slightly, about 5 minutes. Add the turkey back to the pan as well as the sake and soy sauce. Cook for about 3 minutes, tossing well to combine. If your pan is not nonstick, make sure to scrape up any bits from the bottom of the pan with your spatula.

While the turkey mixture is cooking, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water generously and cook the soba noodles according to package instructions. Drain the noodles well. Divide the noodles amongst bowls, and top with the turkey mixture. Top each bowl with some of the green onion.

Printable Recipe

Hot Doug's

A few weeks ago, when the #ChiTownChowDown crew were in town, we attempted to go Hot Doug's, the self-proclaimed encased meat emporium and sausage superstore. Unfortunately, the store was closed that day so we cooled our jets at Longman & Eagle instead. Several days, later, I attempted to go with my friend Cathy, but I was worried about being late to a meeting so I wasn't able to continue the journey. I thought I may never get the chance to go, but I set out on a food field trip and decided to commit to the journey. I'm not a hot dog connoisseur, but as I have said before, Chicagoans love their meat and how could I go a month in this city without trying a Chicago dog at one of the city's institutions?



It was a cold and blustery day which made waiting in line a little miserable, but once you are inside, you're greeted with warm and efficient service from Doug himself. For this first visit, I tried the Chicago dog (The Dog) with all the fixings. For $2 you get a steamed or grilled all beef dog (I chose grilled), a poppy seed bun, tomato, celery salt, white onions, pickle, sweet relish, mustard and hot peppers. It's tangy, salty, and a bit sweet.



I also decided to try one of the specials. Brown Ale and Chipotle Buffalo Sausage with Bacon-Garlic Mayonnaise and Carragaline Farmhouse Cheese ($8). The sausage is a bit crumbly, but has a good, slightly gamey flavor that pairs well with the salty and garlicky mayonnaise and smoky cheese.



On Fridays and Saturdays only, Hot Doug's offers duck fat fries ($3.50). I had high hopes for these, but unfortunately, they were a bit of a let down. I was looking for a more assertive duck flavor and these were also sadly under-seasoned.



I'm definitely going to be visiting Hot Doug's again, but probably on a weekday to avoid long lines. There are so many creative options on the menu and I can't wait to try them all. 

What other people are saying about Hot Doug's:
Gastronomy Blog
Chicago Bites
Cameras and Cuisines


Hot Doug's
3324 North California
Chicago, IL 60618
(773) 279-9550
*Cash only
Website

Spaghetti Squash with Sausage, Kale, and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Since my first experience with spaghetti squash, I have been eager to try it again. This recipe is more of a complete meal and very easy to make. You just have to give yourself enough time because the roasting of the squash takes a while. I made a few changes to lighten things up, but it's still a substantial meal that will have you feeling full. There was quite a bit of the sausage mixture left after a few servings of this. The leftovers were great, re-heated and topped with a fried egg.


One year ago: Brunch at Vu
Two years ago: Brown Sugar Ice Cream
Three years ago: Asparagus with Blood Oranges

Spaghetti Squash with Sausage, Kale, and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
(Adapted from Serious Eats)

*Note: If you can't find sun-dried tomatoes not packed in oil, use oil-packed tomatoes and replace the olive oil with oil from the tomato jar.

Makes 4 servings

1 small spaghetti squash (about 2 pounds)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
Salt and pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced
12 ounces spicy Italian chicken
10 ounces chopped kale
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
3 ounces julienned sun-dried tomatoes not in oil
1/4-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, depending on your taste
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 ounces fresh mozzarella, diced


Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Place the squash on the sheet, and roast for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until a paring knife is easily inserted in the center of the squash.

Cut the squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Scrape the sides of the squash using a fork to remove the spaghetti. Toss the squash with one tablespoon of olive oil. Season the squash with salt and pepper and set aside.

When the squash has about 30 minutes left to cook, heat the remaining olive oil in a large skillet. Add the sausage and garlic and cook, stirring often, until the sausage is cooked through, about 12 minutes. Remove the sausage from the pan with a slotted spoon

Add the kale and chicken broth to the pan and cover. Cook for about 5 minutes until the kale has wilted. Add the sausage back to the pan along with the tomatoes, red pepper flakes, and Parmesan cheese to the skillet, tossing to combine. Adjust the seasonings to taste.

Serve the sausage mixture on a bed of spaghetti squash, dotted with pieces of mozzarella cheese.

Printable Recipe

The Purple Pig

After a long day of walking through Millennium Park, the Magnificent Mile, and some other touristy areas, the #ChiTownChowDown group and I decided to rest our weary feet and fuel up at The Purple Pig. I've quickly discovered that Chicagoans looove their meat and The Purple Pig does pork very well.



We started with what could be my favorite thing I've eaten so far in this city. Pork fried almonds with rosemary and garlic ($5). You first notice the piney rosemary and sweet garlic and there is a great saltiness from the pork, further highlighted by chewy pork bits in the bowl. Such an addictive snack.



To get a bit of green, we had brussels sprouts ($6). These aren't the healthiest sprouts since they are fried to crispy perfection, but the lemon and thyme help them taste fresh.



Our mini meal was a little pork heavy (duh, the place is called The Purple Pig) with the almonds and then the pig's tails braised in balsamic ($9). The sweet balsamic balanced the fattiness of the tails.



We continued our pork exploration with milk braised pork shoulder ($10). Since pork shoulder is a little leaner, it was the perfect balance with the milky sauce and incredibly tender.



To change things up, we ordered the mussels with creme fraiche, pancetta and majoram ($11). They come in an adorable pig bowl with crusty bread. We got more bread to soak up the creamy broth and then they just kept bringing us plate after plate of bread. It was kind of hilarious.



I can't wait to visit The Purple Pig again to have a glass of rose on the patio and also so I can try the pigs ears with crispy kale and a fried egg. That dish has my name all over it.


The Purple Pig
500 N. Michigan Ave.
Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 464-1PIG (744)
Website

Fish En Papillote

As I said last week, I am still navigating the produce here in Chicago. My weekly trips to the farmers market have been replaced by daily trips to that rocking Whole Foods around the corner. I now know how spoiled I was living in Southern California with the best produce at my fingertips at a moment's notice. I'm looking forward to the arrival of summer and the markets that will be popping up here. In the meantime, I am hoping to explore the Green City market this weekend which is year-round. I had a hankering for a light dish with bright spring produce. I'm no Rachael Ray, but this fish is a snap to prepare and even after a long day of work, you can be eating this within thirty minutes. The vegetables can be changed a million ways to reflect the seasons. My friend Raul likes it with asparagus and mushrooms, I like this bright green mixture. This can also be made with foil, but if you try that, don't use acidic vegetables like tomatoes. Either way, have fun with it!






Fish En Papillote
(By Esi)

Makes 4+ servings

Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 shallot, thinly sliced
8 large asparagus spears, trimmed and sliced into 1-inch pieces on a bias
1 cup sugar snap peas, trimmed
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
3/4 pound firm fish (flounder, cod, halibut, salmon, etc)
1 lemon cut in to wedges for serving
Israeli couscous for serving

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and cut two large squares of parchment paper.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add the garlic and shallot. Cook for 1 minute until the garlic is fragrant. Add the asparagus, sugar snap peas, and cherry tomatoes and stir until well combined, 1-2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.

Place some of the vegetables in an even layer over each sheet of parchment. Season the fish on both sides with salt and pepper and place the fish on top of the vegetables. Top the fish with the remaining vegetables and seal the packet tightly. Bake for 10-14 minutes or until the fish is cooked through, but still tender.

Serve the fish in the packet if serving a large group, or remove the fish from the packet to serve. Sprinkle the lemon over the fish and vegetables and serve with couscous if desired.


Printable Recipe