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Rainy day food?
A huge pot of Cabbage Borscht with flanken (short ribs) made the Russian way which is not sweet and sour
2 lb. flanken
1 large onion
1 (1 lb. 12 oz.) can crushed, peeled tomatoes
1 can large tomatoe juice
1/2 head green cabbage, shredded
2 garlic cloves mashed
salt and pepper to taste
aproc 1 tb or more of sugar to taste slightly sweet and 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice just to taste
Place cold water into a Dutch oven along with tomatoes and juice till pot is 2/3rds full. Add meat and bring to a boil. Skim top of all foam that comes to surface. Add onions, cabbage, and salt and pepper to taste and cook at a simmer for 2 hours or until meat is tender. Taste soup to test whether it needs to be made tarter or sweeter. Adjust seasoning with lemon juice or sugar.
Restaurant suggestions in Montreal?
u can't come to montreal and not try Schwartz's on Blvd St. Laurent, expect to wait in line....either suppor or lunch...breakfast at Beauty's ave. Parc and St Urbain and eat the mish mash (eggs) or the bagel lox and cream cheese which i think is called the Beauty's special....french food u will spend bucks on and is very touristy....Blvd St Laurent has trendy restaurants which will cost and need reservations...i would suggest Joe Beef, but it will be hard to get into...in Chinatown there is Mongolian Hot Pot which is unique cause u cook at ur own table on induction heat...Le Latini is fabulous italian on the outskirts of chinatown, Queue de Cheval for steaks or Moishes $$$$..anything in Old Montreal will also be bucks...there is a great cheap BarBQ on Ave Somerled toward the NDG area and u can sit outside and in fact that whole block on both sides has cheap but good eats....ie Jardin Asean, Bofingers, a sausage place ....but if u want downtown on Bishop is an all u can eat Jap restaurant so busy and so good and fresh - and it is excellent quality
Snapshots from Asia: Claypot Rice
Mark Bittman has a video on how to cook this on the NY Times website...I made it and it truly is delectable
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Recent Comments | Response to Comments
'Top Chef' Goes to War
i have not seen Top Chef, unfortunately it was only a teaser one Sat nite...but after reading the above post of Andrea Strong, I will not be watching Top Chef...there are bloggers of repute out there with higher culinary credentials than the Strong Buzz to trust as a critic... first the Restaurant Girl now the Strong Buzz, all bloggers out of NYCity...it could be worse, The Amateur Gourmet could be giving his rendition of Ratatouille again....
Rainy day food?
A huge pot of Cabbage Borscht with flanken (short ribs) made the Russian way which is not sweet and sour
2 lb. flanken
1 large onion
1 (1 lb. 12 oz.) can crushed, peeled tomatoes
1 can large tomatoe juice
1/2 head green cabbage, shredded
2 garlic cloves mashed
salt and pepper to taste
aproc 1 tb or more of sugar to taste slightly sweet and 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice just to taste
Place cold water into a Dutch oven along with tomatoes and juice till pot is 2/3rds full. Add meat and bring to a boil. Skim top of all foam that comes to surface. Add onions, cabbage, and salt and pepper to taste and cook at a simmer for 2 hours or until meat is tender. Taste soup to test whether it needs to be made tarter or sweeter. Adjust seasoning with lemon juice or sugar.
Restaurant suggestions in Montreal?
u can't come to montreal and not try Schwartz's on Blvd St. Laurent, expect to wait in line....either suppor or lunch...breakfast at Beauty's ave. Parc and St Urbain and eat the mish mash (eggs) or the bagel lox and cream cheese which i think is called the Beauty's special....french food u will spend bucks on and is very touristy....Blvd St Laurent has trendy restaurants which will cost and need reservations...i would suggest Joe Beef, but it will be hard to get into...in Chinatown there is Mongolian Hot Pot which is unique cause u cook at ur own table on induction heat...Le Latini is fabulous italian on the outskirts of chinatown, Queue de Cheval for steaks or Moishes $$$$..anything in Old Montreal will also be bucks...there is a great cheap BarBQ on Ave Somerled toward the NDG area and u can sit outside and in fact that whole block on both sides has cheap but good eats....ie Jardin Asean, Bofingers, a sausage place ....but if u want downtown on Bishop is an all u can eat Jap restaurant so busy and so good and fresh - and it is excellent quality
Snapshots from Asia: Claypot Rice
Mark Bittman has a video on how to cook this on the NY Times website...I made it and it truly is delectable
Top Chef on NBC...just once?!?!?
Me,too! I was so excited cause Top Chef last season is usually shown in Quebec one season later...so i was so excited last nite...bunnyrock u must be canadian?
Fantasy kitchen? What's yours?
evey two years my fantasy kitchen changes somewhat...my vision this year is to go concrete countertops and one deep and one shorter sink all-in-one...add a wall tap above stove that moves to both sides and i would replace the dishwasher drawers, of which i have three fisher-paykel for one solid quiet one...my fisher-paykel has been my biggest and most expensive mistake..maybe i would keep one for quickies
flooring i have is ceramic tile which i love, but an alternative is cork flooring which needs to be sealed but is great on the feet.
Keeping a sanitary kitchen
When i bring home meats, unless it is from my butcher, I wash everything under water. For some reason, when i pick up my meat from the butcher i consider it clean, which might not be true, but I am, nevertheless, more comfortable with its' cleanliness.
Chicken, however, is different. I am extremely observant with cleaning everything i touch including taps or door of fridge and then after cleaning, I have a bottle of lemon juice that I use as a final rub.
Top Chef or Food Network Star
None of these reality shows have any proven content except to satisfy the narcissistic need of all involved. Unfortunately the internet along with youtube, vlogging et al have us all engaging in stardom and what used to be considered entertainment now has us practicing elements of voyeurism of other peoples lives.
the television medium needs to bring back the drama, the sitcom, the funny, the interesting or we will become a nation void of an entertainment industry and full of narcissistic nincompoops
Top Chef or Food Network Star
All these reality shows lack any intellectual content and only satisfy the narcissitic need of all those involved. Unfortun
'Top Chef': Your Time Is Up
Why not write about something else relevant in the industry instead of everyone giving their opinion of Top Chef...u know one doesn't even have to watch the show, just read all the blogs
Photo of the Day: German Oven Pancakes
jaden has a great web blog and is a great host...luv her style....blondee47
Which Plain Potato Chip Rules? What's Your Favorite?
you have not eaten a chip until you eat from a bag made with Olive Oil like Solea, but there are other brands and they are clearly marked on the outside of the bag if made with e v v o..expensive but worth every cent and make sure you buy more than one bag...cause if u are sharing u will need it
Which Plain Potato Chip Rules? What's Your Favorite?
Martin's Kettle cook potato chips are thick and good.
Which Plain Potato Chip Rules? What's Your Favorite?
Downeys Potato Chips are "The Best You Never Had".
When I start eating them, I can't put the bag down. They have a taste like no other potato chips.
Fantasy kitchen? What's yours?
Hi! I'm working on my kitchen right now, and running out of ideas. I purchased 48" dual Wolf range, 36" Subzero all fridge, 36" Subzero all freezer, Wolf microwave drawer and warming drawer. And everything was planned out perfectly, until I decided I had to have Wolf integrated fryer and grill (15" each) but now I don't know where I'm going to put them... The only place I still have some space is my island, but how will that look? I'm not sure... The cabinets are white, island is dark, and a dish rack is also dark, to match the island. The island is 5 feet wide and 8 feet long. I can always make it longer if needed. But how will those integrated modules look in the island? HELP!!!
Which Plain Potato Chip Rules? What's Your Favorite?
I don't need a chip with a college education.
Utz Regular. Perfect.
Which Plain Potato Chip Rules? What's Your Favorite?
I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Downey's myself, but as I live in Canada, I have a hard time finding them whenever I am in Michigan, in fact, my friend and I drove around the other day in Pontiac looking for some. When I can't find Downey's, I love Shearer's kettle chips, they're not as tasty as Downey's, but they'll have to do!
If anyone knows where I can find Downey's, please let me know, I am going thru cravings, lol!
Jules
Rainy day food?
Ah...some clarification...
Be a bit generous with that rice wine. The slow cooking minimizes the alcohol flavor. My mother has just informed me that she dumps in over 3/4 the bottle of rice wine into the pot each time she makes ma yo ji.
Given it's a smallish bottle, its definitely not just a "splash"!
Maybe the alcohol has as much to do with the warming property of this soup as the ginger does...
Rainy day food?
Sorry it took a while to get back to you on this! I had to consult the mother to make sure I was getting all the details right.
The recipe is quite simple as long as you have the ingredients.
1 small whole chicken, cut up into chunks (or as big a bird as you like, as long as you have room in the pot! Just make sure its a flavorful bird)
1 large ginger root (young or old, doesn't matter)
Black sesame oil (not the kind you find in little condiment bottles for use in salads and such, black sesame oil is generally used in cooked dishes and comes in large plastic or glass bottles, like soy sauce does.)
White rice wine
Slice ginger into thick slices, you don't need to bother peeling the ginger.
Coat the bottom of a pan generously with the sesame oil and sear your ginger slices until they begin to turn golden brown and the skin begins to crisp up.
Sear off the pieces of chicken in more sesame oil.
Put your seared ginger and chicken and a little of the sesame oil you used to cook with into a sizeable pot and add enough water to cover. Add a slug or two of rice wine.
Simmer on low to medium heat until the meat is tender.
Salt to taste.
That's it! Super simple!
The weather's actually turned quite cold and wet this week and I've talked my mother into making this soup. We're just beginning to make the soup now and it will be done by bedtime.
Rainy day food?
Clay Pot Ginger Chicken (you can find the recipe on foodandwine.com) over rice noodles. Braised short ribs with chipotle chile and beer over cheese grits. A simple roast chicken or pork loin. Chicken noodle soup with lots of carrots and scented with bay leaf). Oxtail stew over garlic mashed potatoes. Thick, spicy black bean soup with smoked turkey over rice garnished with cheddar cheese, scallions and a dollop of sour cream.
Rainy day food?
In the Dairy Hollow House Cookbook, Crescent Dragonwagon included a recipe for Garlic Spaghetti. It's not something to eat before you go to the theater, but it's a winner when you're spending the evening at home.
Just melt some butter add lots of fine-chopped garlic, simmer it for a minute and pour it over your cooked and drained noodles. A little salt and lots of cracked pepper. I stir in a little cream as well.
Rainy day food?
All of above comments are great!!
So I'll simply add:
Anything Mexican
Anything Italian
(Actually) Anything Ethnic works !!
'Top Chef' Goes to War
i just read this (okay okay i'm a glutton for good gossip), Madonna's brother was on Top Chef
any speculation as to why he was there? anybody know?
not that i know what he does for a living, or honestly, really care that he's Madonna's brother.
'Top Chef' Goes to War
...or that boulud appeared in the burger challenge in the middle of all the DBGB/bar boulud hype...though i guess he's been pretty well-known for his take on burgers for a while...still gotta love and respect the man, though. even hung was awed in his presence!
'Top Chef' Goes to War
did no one notice that boloud just happened to appear as guest chef the same day cafe boloud received a glowing review in the nyt? perhaps it was discussed elsewhere on the site, but it is hard not to wonder how much of a coincidence that was.
'Top Chef' Goes to War
i agree with the above comments. bloggers can get very dramatic and overly critical about everything - and i myself have indulged in that - and it did seem that padma really enjoyed reading the comments to the chefs in a sadist kind of way.
however, i too was giddy when i saw daniel boulud was the guest judge. that little book of his is a must-read, for anyone contemplating a career in the culinary world to already established cooks and chefs.
Rainy day food?
These are all fantastic suggestions. Thank you all so much. I ended up making fish pie last night, but tonight I think I'll follow Jennifer's lead and do tomato soup with grilled cheese. In my house, tomato soup has macaroni in it, in order to comply with my Norwegian boyfriend's childhood memories.
Natalie Sztern, that sounds wonderful, and I am going to try it this weekend when I have a bit more time, and when the BBC predicts black clouds and angry rain.
Chili also sounds great. Maybe I'll do that on Sunday when we're having an informal dinner at ours.
fuuchan, I am completely intregued by your description of ma yo ji. It sounds delicious. I will have to find a recipe and try it. Is there any particular recipe source online that you think I should go to first?
Rainy day food?
For when its dank and wet out and all you want to do is go back to bed...theres nothing like getting some ma yo ji going in the pressure cooker. The dish is basically chicken soup given a really hearty kick with sesame oil (ma yo) and lots and lots of thick slices of ginger.
If its available, we'll throw in some slabs of blood rice cake called ti hoeh koe. Its a popular Taiwanese product made from pig's blood and rice. Sounds disgusting , but its just about as flavorless and un-blood-like as you can get (just like most food products made from blood, I've found). As a matter of fact, when I was younger, I had no clue the stuff was made from blood. The blood cake is soft with a satisfying chew and a faint grainy sweetness from the rice. It absorbs the flavors its cooked in, having little of its own.
The ginger is what gives this soup its warming quality.
Boil up some thin rice noodles to throw into the soup and you have a really hearty meal for a cold, dreary day.
The soup is also popular in my household during winter because the parents believe that it bolsters and warms the blood. I think its just the ginger talking.
Rainy day food?
Chili. Maybe with fritos, if I'm feeling dirty. Definitely with onions, cheddar and sour cream.
Rainy day food?
I agree with your sentiments regarding the weather in London. I can't even deal with this stuff anymore.
I'm cooking a big lentil soup with red wine, thyme, carrots, onions and bacon.
You could also make a nice pot roast. Anything slow cooked!
Rainy day food?
Nigel Slater's sausage pasta with mustard cream sauce: http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/pasta-with-sausage-basil-and-mustard
Mmm, I can't wait for it to get cold again, just so I can make that a million times! (I really like it with andouille, too.)
Rainy day food?
I think I might just have Jennifer's comfort food for dinner, it sounds so good! Even in the hazy, hot, humid days of summer here.
Typically, mushroom barley soup with lots of freshly ground black pepper does it for me.
Rainy day food?
Do tears in beer count? I didn't think so, dangit! :))
Rain on my roof makes me slightly sad and yet happy...weird.
Okay, okay -serious face on- Rainy day food, hmmm...yaknow...it sounds silly but 'Spinach, Cheesy Quiche' would do me good when I'm suffering a rainy day...and let's not forget to watch "Gone with the wind"...oh, humor me...there is nothing like GWTW and a cheesy dish... ;)
Rainy day food?
It's 93 degrees today, and I'm happy because this is the coolest it's been all week, but I'll give it a shot. Tomato soup and grilled cheese. If it's a really bad day I call my Mom, make sure to sound extra sad, and ask her to make me some chili. It works every time. One of these days I'll make it myself :)
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i have not seen Top Chef, unfortunately it was only a teaser one Sat nite...but after reading the above post of Andrea Strong, I will not be watching Top Chef...there are bloggers of repute out there with higher culinary credentials than the Strong Buzz to trust as a critic... first the Restaurant Girl now the Strong Buzz, all bloggers out of NYCity...it could be worse, The Amateur Gourmet could be giving his rendition of Ratatouille again....