OUR STORY CONTINUES:

Previously, we found Captain Drochan hard at task berating the young crofter, Dirk who, full of insolence and bravado, was seeking a berth on the Merchant Ship, “Margo” bound for the sea lanes of the Spice Islands.  The young Gael could not box a compass, tie a sheepshank, or converse with respect, yet the old sea biscuit saw something of himself in this one…

The next day, young Dirk braced himself for another encounter with the volatile Drochan…he spotted him in mid stride of the elbow pivot that would take dram of whiskey from the table to his lips.  The old tavern, “The Pig” was well worn, and every wooden surface glowed with the patina of age.  There were handfuls of ruffians, gambling tars, flitting mice and the ubiquitous stench of body odor, rotting teeth, street dogs and horseshit.  One sigh of pleasure from the Captain’s amber pull, and Dirk made his move.  “Sir, I pray for another chance with you. I know my tongue is stupid and devoid of manner, but I have a strong back and willing heart to work my best for you, the crew and the voyage.  I did not mean to offend you, but as you have observed, my mind takes on an idiot’s will at times, despite my inner protests.

“Well, you had best take possession of your “idiot” and quickly before I have the pleasure of hurling you arse out of that finely paned window.  I should rather be interred within the bowels of a rotting pig then to admit one of your two club feet on my ship; and there you have the balance of it.

Neither would give further quarter.  The Captain was a well-seasoned adventurer who had tasted the brine of many an ocean, set foot on many strange yet beautiful paradiso and polished more than one or two native mahogany breasts.  Dirk was tall, hardened by pulling muck and peat from the Moors with a crude spade made from the shoulder plate of a Hart, but his wanderlust was insatiable.  The two men were like twigs of the same branch, grafted from different trees.

OKINI PAN ASIAN RESTAURANT & SUSHI BAR

Well here we go!  I discovered this gem in Harrisburg, PA 3402-3406 Walnut Street.  I was staying at the Wyndham Garden, did not feel like another smoky dinner at Gilligan’s (yes they allow smoking in the bar).  So, the hotel dude flipped me a few Chinese menus.  This one blew my hair straight back!  Okay: Chinese, several regional styles, Japanese (especially diverse rolls, katsu, tempura, teriyaki, hibachi, sashimi, appetizers and so on)…but here is where it gets interesting: Thai, Hawaiian, Indonesian, Malaysian, and so on.  Are you kidding me?  This menu is exceptional – I wish I could have ordered one of everything.  The accompanying sauces for the food I did order were extraordinary, and each one carefully composed, with attention to quality, freshness, authenticity and well, just real pride.  I had the following: the Royal Cuisine of Thailand’s signature appetizer: whole chicken wings, boned out and stuffed with ground shrimp, cellophane noodles, cilantro and spices, aka “Angle Wings” – how utterly fitting.  I also had the Thai Fish Cakes, ground fish, curry sauce, and Thai herbs and fried, along with a sweet chili dipping sauce.  Next up, Chicken Satay, marinated and grilled with a bright spicy peanut sauce; very most and tender, glistening with the glow of the brazier.  The main event was a brilliantly composed dish of udon noodles, with chicken and shrimp, floating delightfully in an aromatic bath of bell pepper, onion, scallion and black pepper sauce, hence, Black Pepper Udon.  Fantastic.  Please go there, pick up, or order delivery – free within 5 miles.  You will love it!. 

INTRO TO SHORT STORY

Please read this with a thick Robbie Burns burr at the back of your tongue!

I have always maintained ‘tis a high mark of a Man’s character to know full well when to keep his trap door shut when there is nothing clangin’ and bangin’ about inside but drivel.  And for you Sir, I beg you to refrain from any further comment, for your next utterance shall be deemed a slander against me and my Countrymen; that is if you dare to feel the fire of my wrath and the smart back of my hand that’s soon to follow.  Do not persist; you may consider the matter closed.

Reef Snapper – It’s what’s for Dinner!!

Ok, so the caption is “Reef Snapper” – BUT, this theme speaks to all of that delectable bounty that swims or crawls ‘neath the briny blue sea.  From myriad latitudes and longitudes straight on ‘till morning, we have come to love those invitingly oceanic culinary delights!  Whether shelled, invertebrate, or scaled, what is the attraction?  Can you image the first human to pluck a 10 lb lobster from the nearest tide pool – cracking tail from body with a resounding snap, shoving down meat and entrails into his throat like a starving Pleistocene Megladon happily tearing into a squirmy little dogfish.  From there we have Pilgrims, boiling he crap out of them for hours – tough enough for you now? Then finally somebody figured out how to actually cook a proper one.  The seascape is so immense that we need to limit our scope.  I think I’ll jot a few notes about the Caribbean ~ for me, familiar territory.  Let’s begin with Bermuda Fish Head Chowder! Fantastic, with parsley, thyme, spring chives, onions and, of course, a couple of nice cheeky Red Snapper heads.  The bones, cartilage, and meaty morsels and bits really reduce down and concentrate the flavor.  Very satisfying.  The Bahamian Fish Boil uses the same technique, a slow simmer, but a bit spicier.  Grouper is another favorite whether grilled, fried, smuddered (smothered), baked, broiled or pan fired.  Proceed to Grand Cayman for herb seasoned Marlin Steaks sautéed with a buttered rum ginger glaze. Everything is better with rum.  A leisurely sail over to Puerto Rico for Casuelita, slow simmered in an earthenware pot with herbs, lobster, shrimp, clams, any mild whitefish, fish stock and white wine. Oh yes, and eat outside on the beach and no shoes.  I’m thinking too about a tall icy Mojito to go with.  If you go to Jamaica – you can have aquacultured hybrid Tilapia or, more importantly, you can have a jerked Red Snapper, cooked over pimento wood, basted with a traditional jerk sauce kicked up just as you like, with Toots and the Maytals playing, Sangster’s rum flowing and all is well!  You gotta try Blackwell’s Rum (Black Gold) by founder Chris of the same name – he also started Island Records – need I say more?  Fundamentally, freshly caught, seafood treated with respect in the preparation and the execution, absolutely guarantees a great meal; combine that with the beauty of the beach and you “eat well” my friends.  Think about this: sea urchin, squid, razor clams, conch, mussels, flying fish and their roe…

CRAVING FRENCH FRIES ~ THESE ARE FANTASTIC WIHOUT THE DEEP FRY!

Everyone loves French Fries ~ it is the perfect side for just about anything.  But making them can be a real challenge, from selecting the right potato, the right amount of [which] oil and at what temperature, to double fry, seasonings, whatever.  Why torture yourself.  Here is my recipe for fool-proof oven fries that are fantastic.

The potato?  Well some say russets are best, but really, I don’t care, whatever you have (you can even do this with sweet potatoes, but may have to wedge cut them).  I peel them first, then slice them as long as possible into quarter or half inch section.  What matters is to get them a uniform shape for even cooking.  The lay them out without overlapping on paper towels and dry them off well with several changes of paper.  They must be dry! 

Preparation: Toss them into a bowl, and season well with salt and pepper (I like to use sea salt), rosemary and thyme (fresh or dried) as you like, or other of your own favorites spices (Old Bay is nice too!), and olive oil.  Combine well, but do not let them sit for long or the salt will draw out moisture and dampen them again – have this done just before you put them in the oven.

Process: preheat oven to 400 degrees, preheat the oiled baking tray for 10 minutes on the middle rack, take the tray out of the oven and slide on the fries.  Spread them out.  The tray will sizzle a bit.  Return to the oven and cook for 20-25 minutes; remove and flip over with a spatula, and cook for about another 20 minutes or until crisp to preference.   Toss them into a bowl and eat ‘em.  You could also add some parsley or cilantro, grated parmesan cheese, etc. at this point too!

Everyone loved these little darlings! So give them a try. 

THE pod ~ EXTRAORDINARY!

The POD (but actually “pod” so you can read it upside down as you have your second Martini! Oh yes, they have quite an extensive repertoire of them!). This place is truly one of a kind. Adjacent to the Inn at Penn (3636 Sansom St. Philadelphia), nestled in the University of Pennsylvania campus area, and it is where I eat, every night I’m there. Oh, there are plenty of great restaurants in the City, and sure I’ve been to dozens of them, but you really have to visit the pod to get the whole picture. Manager Greg Root (who by the way is a direct descendent of Elihu Root, who won the Noble Prize, and was Secretary of War and also of named Secretary of State in 1905; he attended Hamilton College in Clinton, NY and Root’s Glen is named for the family. Elihu’s Dad was a Professor of Mathematics there), and the rest of the staff are amazingly hospitable, friendly, and go out of their way to make everyone welcome. Sarah, Rose and Tom are outstanding Bartenders and I am always stunned by their ability to handle a full bar solo! The visual impact is exciting, and reminds me of the space shuttle scene in 2001 Space Odyssey, with the reddish over-stuffed foamy/acrylic furniture, back-lit bar, cozy nooks and crannies everywhere, well-placed semi-private and private dining areas, closed-circuit TV (some smallish and sprinkled in the most unlikely places, and a big one in the lower sushi conveyor bar – more on that later; typical TV fare includes Jetsons Cartoons, old SCI-FI films, anime and 2001 of course), sunken dining area and spacious upper bar. The rest rooms are an adventure unto themselves; little vertically cylindrical pods, separated by soft neon back-lit panels, with music piped in; they remind me of something you’d expect in a space shuttle! The Facility hosts frequent events, including recruiting sessions for Wharton MBA candidates and prospective top tier consulting firms, University Faculty, and other groups.

The cuisine speaks to me for sure; a very interesting blend of Asian Fusion, Japanese, Chinese, etc. with and extensive sushi and sashimi. The lower bar is a conveyor that transports an array of tempting treasures; just pick out what you want! How easy is that. My menu favorites include Duck Three Ways (and the Bao Bun stuffed with duck confit can be added to any dish), Asian Braised Beef Short Ribs, Crispy Chicken Wings, Pork Belly Buns (unbelievable!), Pork Dumplings, the Rock Shrimp, Rack of Lamb and many of the sushi, and the Lobster Roll in particular. Now pay attention: The hallmark of a great restaurant is its ability to customize – the pod’s culinaria is not so formulaic that adjustments cannot be made, and I consider this, yet just another indication of excellence. I am also amazed by the younger patrons, students, no doubt, that can afford to eat here! When I was an undergrad, I could barely afford much more than a burger, but don’t get me wrong – the prices are exceedingly reasonable given the location.

So please make a note to visit the pod during your next visit to Philadelphia. You will be delighted!

THE UNDISPUTED KING OF PUNJABI CUISINE ~ TANDOORI CHICKEN (BUT IN THE OVEN AT HOME)

We’ve all pretty much enjoyed various versions of this exciting culinary delight. It never fails to disappoint. Those who “get it” will crave this dish forever. I have experimented with many versions using modified techniques for outdoor grilling as well as indoor oven roasting, along with various single and two-stage marinations, spanning 1 day to several. Tandoors are tall, clay ovens that are fired with charcoal, and shaped so as to concentrate the heat to a staggering inferno. Meats are marinated with the most devout loving care, exactingly cut, slit and then skewered before being plunged point first into the hell fires. Meanwhile, pointed rounds of naan are dabbed onto the sides, where they stick and cook to a bubbly, crusty outside, but a very soft and chewy interior. Chickens take only about 10 minutes, and emerge with some decorative charring, succulent, reddish-orange or even yellowish (depending on the marinade), and one simply can’t wait to being stripping off the meat with a bit of naan. Side dishes? Only if you must. Ice-cold beer is the ticket. So what have I learned? Follow along.

The chicken: I like to use whole smallish chicken, not big roasters; organic too if available. They must be left whole, skinned and slit very precisely. Holding the chicken legs pointing downward, each breast side is slit in three downward diagonals; the top of the thighs slit in three places lengthwise, then turn over and slit the backside each thigh along the bone. Each leg is also slit to the bone in three places – but do not start at the edge. Finally, make a cut at each knee joint and also where the wing joins the breast. Done! The bird is carved when done. Alternatively, you can cut into serving pieces and slit as described above.

First marinade: lime juice, a tsp or so of salt, two tsp of Kashmiri red chili powder and about a tablespoon of garlic-ginger paste. Rub well into the slits, and then let sit overnight in the fridge. The paste is made from 6 cloves garlic, 2-3 inches of ginger, ¼ cup water to aid blending, and I like to add 1 seeded hot green pepper. The chili powder will give the bird a nice red coloration without the use of food coloring. You can make it orange by adding some ground turmeric. Spices (about ¾ tsp each) can also be added: whole cardamom seeds, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, ground cumin, and ground bay leaf.

Second marinade: hung (or Greek style) yogurt, about 2 cups, 1 tsp chili powder, 2 tbs garlic-ginger paste, 1 tsp garam masala, tbs canola oil, salt to taste and a good squeeze of lime juice. Mix well and then rub into the chicken. Let sit overnight again (but no less than 4 hours).

Ok, its show time! Place your pizza stone in the middle rack of your over and preheat to highest setting (500 or 550, but actually 350-425 also works but takes longer, and doesn’t flash cook the chicken); however, I have also set the oven at 400 and used convection bake setting. ok if you don’t have a stone – but it helps radiate the heat. Shake off some of the excess marinade, and place on an upper rack on an oiled grate over a baking sheet lined with foil. Bake, turn once of you like, until crisp, slightly charred and done. This should take about 25 minutes. Let rest a bit and then cut into serving pieces. Place on a platter with lime wedges and thinly sliced red onion. Sprinkle with chat masala and cilantro leaves. Best with naan, and a rice or lentil dish if you like. This also works well on a charcoal grill; but in the winters where I live, grilling is not a preferred option. Namaste!