What’s New

Flatiron Foodie: Summer Salt's Rolled Taquitos with American Guac

Directions:

1. If you have a food processor, add all of the ingredients and pulse until you have a smooth consistency. You're all done!
2. If you prefer the manual way, cut the avocados in half, take out the pit, scoop out the avocado flesh and mash it until it's no longer clumpy. 
3. Add the sour cream to your avocado and whip it until smooth. 
4. Fold in the cilantro, lime juice and salt. Adjust salt and lime amount to your taste. 

Chef Juan Carlos Ortiz pictured below:

Flatiron Foodie: Scampi's Burrata & Delicata Squash

• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/3 teaspoon Red pepper Chili Flakes
• 2 tablespoons of Red Wine Vinegar

Directions:

Executive Chef PJ Calpa pictured below:

Flatiron Foodies: Inday's Tandoori Rotisserie Chicken

• 1 tablespoon whole cumin seeds
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 teaspoon deggi mirch powder (or paprika)
• 1 teaspoon Amchur (or lemon or lime juice)

Directions:

1. Combine the yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, ginger, and spices, and mix well until you have a smooth, bright red marinade.
2. Coat the chicken with the marinade on all sides and under the skin. Use roughly ½ a cup of marinade for a 2.5 lb bird. Transfer the marinated chicken to a bowl covered in plastic or a ziplock bag and refrigerate for at least 12 hours and up to 3 days. 
3. Preheat the oven to 425F. Remove the chicken from the fridge, pat dry, and allow to come to room temperature. 
4. Season the chicken on all sides with 3 tablespoons of the magic masala until fully covered. Transfer to a sheet tray lined with a rack.
5. Roast for 20-30 min, or until a thermometer registers 165F.
6. Allow the chicken to rest for 20 minutes before cutting and serving.
7. Garnish with an additional sprinkle of magic masala. 

Chef Sydne Gooden pictured below:

Flatiron Foodies: Taïm's S'rug (Yemenite Cilantro Hot Sauce)

• 15 garlic cloves
• 2 jalapenos
• 1/2 teaspoon of cardamom (You can make your own cardamom spice by combining 1/4 tsp of cinnamon + 1/4 tsp of nutmeg)
• 1/2 teaspoon of cumin
• 2 cups of cilantro leaves
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Method:

1. Core the jalapenos and coarsely chop them with the garlic.
2. Put the garlic, jalapenos, cardamom, and cumin into a food processor or blender.
3. Grind/blend for 30 seconds.
4. Add cilantro, salt, and oil into the food processor and grind/blend for another 30 seconds.
5. Scoop out and spread in a bowl. Top off anything with this sauce, and enjoy!

Chef Einat Admony pictured below:

Flatiron Foodies: Honeybrains' Honey Tahini Toast

Honeybrains is a family-owned café with a superfood-packed menu designed to improve brain wellness. Every menu creation is meant to promote a healthy body and a healthy brain based on scientific research by neurologists and nutritionists.

Looking for ways to eat healthy at home? Honeybrains' Honey Tahini Toast can bring some new flavors to your quarantine menu or, if you don’t have all of the ingredients on hand, serve as inspiration for a similar treat. Chef Steven Mettle shares his recipe for this favorite, new menu item that can be enjoyed throughout the day. This toast contains three out of the "HB Five Food Groups," including OMEGA3’s, fruits, and whole grains which help improve brain health. Enjoy! 

Currently, Honeybrains is remaining open for delivery and pick-up, and launched family-style dinner packages. Honeybrains is also partnering with various local hospitals to deliver healthy meals to healthcare workers. You can donate to help support this effort ($25 feeds approximately 2 people). 

Flatiron Foodies: Om Juice Bar's Blue Lagoon Smoothie Bowl

The plant-based cafe Om Juice Bar serves "mindfully delicious" juices and smoothies with a strong eye for freshness and health. The vegan menu uses organic produce and prides itself on wholesome goodness - no hidden ingredients or additives.

Om Juice Bar just launched pick-up service (917) 409-5900 and free delivery service via Uber Eats.

Om's founder Anastasia Kulinich shares her recipe for a crowd-favorite, brightly-colored smoothie bowl. The Blue Lagoon Bowl blends together tropical fruits, uses dairy-free milk, and features toppings packed with nutrients.

"I love this tropical bowl which is filled with superfoods and natural goodies," says Anastasia. "It’s very filling, you can use it as a meal replacement or as a dessert." Treat yourself to this guilt-free bowl. 

Blue Lagoon Smoothie Bowl Recipe 

 Ingredients: 

• 3 oz Almond Milk 
• 1 Frozen Banana 
• 1 Cup Frozen Mango 
• 1 Cup Frozen Pineapple
• 2 Dates
• 1 Tsp Blue Spirulina
• Pinch of Sea Salt 
• Toppings: Pear, Chia Seeds, Granola, Goji Berries 

Directions: 

1. In advance of the smoothie, freeze a banana 2-3 hours before making the bowl. Simply peel the banana's skin off, cut into small pieces, and freeze in a reusable bag. 
2. Add all smoothie ingredients into a blender, and bring the blender to a high speed until the texture is smooth and creamy. 
3. Place the smoothie in a serving bowl. Dice pears. Top the smoothie with the diced pears, granola, goji berries, and chia seeds. These toppings add some additional health benefits, texture, and yummy flavor. 
4. Enjoy! 

Pictured Below: Om Juice Bar Founder Anastasia Kulinich

Flatiron Foodies: Il Fiorista's Elysian Fields Lamb Loin

Flowers are synonymous with Valentine's Day, so a restaurant that celebrates them in their edible form is a fitting place to enjoy a romantic meal. Il Fiorista (Italian for “The Florist”) is a restaurant crafting dishes that showcase the diverse benefits of flowers and herbs. Executive Chef Garrison Price partners with local and regional farmers to curate a Mediterranean-inspired menu. The restaurant serves brunch, lunch, and dinner alongside a floral boutique.  

For Valentine's Day, Il Fiorisa is serving a pasture-raised lamb loin with a rose hips glaze. The lamb is sourced from their farmer friends at Elysian Fields in Western Pennsylvania who uphold an uncompromising philosophy of care and respect for the animals that they raise. Il Fiorista is excited to highlight rose hips, the fruit of the rose plant, in this dish. The rose hips are cooked with pomegranate juice and cabernet wine vinegar to achieve a luscious glaze that takes on a tangy, floral tomato flavor. The lamb is paired with roasted sweet potatoes and a fresh salad of pomegranate seeds and tart sorrel leaves. Reserve a table at Il Fiorista to take advantage of this special dish, or impress your loved one by creating the dish yourself. 

Elysian Fields Lamb Loin Recipe (Serves 2)

 Ingredients: 

• 8-ounce boneless lamb loin with the fat unless to prefer to have your butcher remove it.
• 4 small sweet potatoes.
• 1/2 cup fresh pomegranate seeds.
• 1 bunch of sorrel leaves or arugula can be substituted.
• Sea salt and black pepper for seasoning.
• 4 tablespoons olive oil.
• 4 tablespoons rosehip glaze from the recipe below.
• For the Rosehip Glaze:
• 1 cup rosehips, crushed, seeds removed.
• 2 cups cabernet wine vinegar or good quality red wine vinegar.
• 1 cup pomegranate juice.
• 1/2 cup organic sugar.
• 1 teaspoon of sea salt.

Directions: 

1. In a saucepan combine rosehips, vinegar, pomegranate juice, sugar, salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to a low simmer and cook the rosehip mixture until it has reduced by 2/3. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve and return the liquid to a saucepan over medium-high heat to continue to reduce until the sauce begins to thicken and coats the back of a spoon. Reserve the rosehip sauce until you are ready to serve. This sauce can be made several days in advance and will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 month because of the sugar content.

2. For the sweet potatoes and lamb, preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Coat the sweet potatoes lightly with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast the sweet potatoes on a baking sheet for about 20 minutes at 325 degrees Fahrenheit until tender when pierced with a fork. 

3. While the sweet potatoes are roasting, season the lamb loin generously with salt and pepper. Heat a saute pan over medium-high heat, coat the pan with about 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sear the lamb loin on each side for about 2 minutes until well caramelized. Transfer the lamb loin to a baking sheet and place it in the oven at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for about 12 minutes until an internal thermometer read 118 degrees Fahrenheit for medium-rare. Remove the lamb loin from the hot baking sheet and allow it to rest on a cutting board for at least 10 minutes before serving.

4. To serve, combine the pomegranate seeds and sorrel leaves in a mixing bowl, season lightly with olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Slice the lamb loin into 8 to 10 slices and place on a serving plate. Next, slice the sweet potatoes similarly and place them next to the lamb. Then add the sorrel leaves and pomegranate seeds over the top. Finish the dish with generous spoonfuls of the hot rosehip glaze and enjoy it with your sweetheart.


Pictured Below: Executive Chef Garrison Price. 

Flatiron Foodies: Sophie's Cuban Cuisine's Picadillo de Res

Sophie's Cuban Cuisine was bred from the Luna family's restaurateur roots in Lima Peru and inspired by a Cuban restaurant the family visited years before the concept came to life. After years of selling food from carts near New York City soccer fields, Sophie's opened its doors on Greenwich Street in June 1997. Today the family-owned and operated business has 10 successful outposts across New York City with one located here in the Flatiron District at 28 East 23rd Street since 2008. 

Sophie's prides itself on its traditional, authentic Cuban menu using fresh ingredients. Food is made in-house and prepared throughout each day in small batches to maintain peak flavors. The menu features dishes like handmade empanadas, classic sandwiches, a wide range of side dishes and entrees, tropical fruit shakes, and classic desserts. 

Sophie's Master Chef Eduardo Morgado shares the recipe for Picadillo de Res, a ground beef stew recipe that he created himself. The hearty stew makes for a flavorful dish that's perfect to curl up to in the winter months. Plus, it's ready in 25 minutes, which is a major check in our book.

Sophie's Cuban Cuisine's Picadillo de Res (Ground Beef Stew) Recipe: 

Ingredients (Serves 4 ppl) 

• 1 lb. lean ground beef
• 1 oz. olive oil
• 1 oz. garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 8 oz. Spanish onions, diced
• 5 oz. green pepper, diced
• 3 oz. red pepper, diced
• 4 oz. tomato puree
• 8.oz. potato, peeled and cubed
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon cumin  
• ½ teaspoon oregano
• 1 oz. green olives, pitted
• 2 oz. raisins 

Preparation 

1. Cook ground beef in a pan until browned and set aside. 
2. In a large skillet on medium heat, add olive oil and garlic. Cook garlic to a golden brown color. 
3. Add diced onions, green and red peppers, and cook for 3 minutes.
4. Add tomato sauce and cook for 3 more minutes.
5. Add salt, ground pepper, cumin, and oregano.
6. Add ground beef and potatoes and cook for 10 minutes.
7. Add raisins and olives and remove them from the stove. 

Tip: You may add 4 oz. of boiling water if a saucy consistency is preferred. You may do this on step 6 before letting the stew cook for 10  minutes. 

Pictured Below: Sophie's Head Chef Eduardo Morgado. 

Flatiron Foodies: Trattoria Italienne's Cotechino (Italian Sausage)

Blending Italian heart and soul with French elegance and refinement, Trattoria Italienne serves classic dishes from Northern Italy & Southern France served à la carte and in tasting menus with regional wine pairings. Founded in 2016 by Chef Jared Sippel, the cuisine highlights seasonal ingredients and focuses on close relationships with purveyors. 

Chef Sippel shares his recipe for a classic holiday dish in Italy, Cotechino, a slow-cooked Italian pork sausage. Italians traditionally eat this hearty dish on New Year's Eve to bring good fortune and abundance in the new year. The richly seasoned sausage is typically served on a bed of lentils or beans. Chef Sippel's take on the dish is a blend of pork shoulder, pork skin, and fatback flavored with seasonal spices like cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Enjoy these coin-shaped legumes to bring you prosperity in 2020.

Cotechino Recipe:

Ingredients: 

• 5 pounds leaned pork shoulder
• 1.75 pounds fat back
• 3.3 pounds of pork skin 
• 80 grams of salt 
• 18 grams of dextrose 
• 9 grams of black pepper
• 7 grams #1 curing salt 
• 1 gram of coriander
• 1 gram of cloves 
• 1 gram of cinnamon 
• 1 gram of cayenne 
• .5 grams of mace
• .5 grams of nutmeg

Recipe: 

1. Blanch the pork skin for 7 minutes and shock in ice water. Then cut into large dice and set aside.

2. Combine all meat, fat, skin and spices, and allow them to sit together for a while to marinate.

3. Grind everything with a 3/8 plate or the medium size plate on your meat grinder.

4. Wrap in 21oz. logs in plastic tightly.

5. Poach to an internal temp of 180 degrees Fahrenheit in simmering water.  Then shock in ice water to set the sausage.  Once cold the Cotechino is ready to eat. 

6. Sear the coins of sausage and serve over beans. 

Pictured Below: Chef Jared Sippel