HUNGRY EYES: ramp pesto

ramps grow wild all over frankfurt parks... free for picking. what do we do with these lovely gift of spring? ramp pesto. great to have a jar in the fridge or home-made gifts to friends. did i mention they are free? oh, and ramp flowers are beautiful as well... we picked some today for the vase.

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ramp pesto

1 cup ramps cut in 1 cm pieces, bulbs and greens

1 big pinch sea salt

1/3 cup pine nuts or walnuts lightly toasted

1/4 - 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

tool: mortar and pestle

place the ramps in the mortar with a pinch of sea salt. with a pestle grind the ramps until they form a uniform paste. sprinkle in the pine nuts and crush them into the paste with the mortar until fully incorporated. drizzle in the extra virgin olive, stirring until desired consistency. sprinkle in grated parmesan to taste.

store in a freshly sterilized jar.

great alternative to basil pesto!

kitchen LIVING: julia child

julia child's kitchen

julie & julia trailer

kitchen LIVING: joe colombo

space age kitchen by joe colombo via ouno

HAMBURGER

ever since my move from new york, i have not had a decent burger. while living in new york, i could easily satisfy my cravings a skip and a hop away to corner bistro, shake shack or schiller's. it's not the same situation in taipei or frankfurt, and mickey d certainly not a solution. GUY and I talked about our cravings for a classic burger, we even attempted to satisfy that craving in paris, but the experience left us hungrier with an all american classic. today, we finally made our own burgers the simple way as we like it... and it is good really really good.

will we make this again?

yes, yes and YES!

what would GUY do different next time?

make an extra burger cuz it was so good...

what did we serve the burger with?

fritz kola and fritz limo. the bio bio version of coke from hamburg. amazing good!

comments?

GAL: this burger has satisfied my carving for a burger. i feel content and happy now...

GUY: enchanting experience. the bio bio beef is amazing. fully satisfied with the burger... as i imagined it to be which does not come alone very often as a reality.

tips?

don't over process the meat... don't pack it too tightly when making the patties, this will make the burger tough.

to ensure a juicy burger please remember to leave a cooking burger alone, DO NOT press or poke the burger during cooking. use good meat, if the meat is good it is a good start. don't skip the bun butter toasting, it is a really good technique i got from shopsin's book. to prevent splattering, the mesh strainer works well.

i am a big nerd... i did a bit of reading about burgers and here are what i find GOOD READ ...

from kenny shopsin's BURGER FUNDAMENTALS in Eat Me

The best burgers start with high-fat chopped meat. If you like a burger with a seared crust that gives way to a moist, juicy inside, you will have to start with ground chuck that is at least 20 percent fat, preferably 25 or 30 percent. I understand that some people want to reduce the amount of fat they intake, and because of the way I look, you probably won't believe me when I tell you that the extra fat in the meat is burned off in the high-heat cooking process,but it is. Whether you believe me or not, the fact is that if you don't start with the right meat, you can ignore anything else I tell you when it comes to cooking burgers, because no matter what else you do to them, you will never get anything but a dry, flavorless burger. Most supermarket chuck contains 10 or 15 percent fat, so you will probably have to ask your butcher to grind the meat for you. This is one of the side perks to using this kind of meat: You know it is ground fresh.

For hambergurs I rely on a meat thermometer to tell me how the meat is cooked inside. After 5 minutes I prob the burger right in the center, and I have a list of temperatures taped above my grill:

120F - 125F for rare

130F - 135F for medium- rare

140F - 145F for medium

150F - 155 F for medium-well

from NY times

Times Topic- Burger News

For the Love of a Good Burger by Mark Bittman

In Paris, Burgers Turn Chic

from the paupered chef

They Came, I Ground, We Ate: Which Cuts Make for the Best Burger?

The Smash Technique and Skinny Burger Perfection

from Hamburger America

Shake Shack Burger on Camera!

Wimpy Makes A Burger

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classic hamburger

makes 4 small burgers or 2 regular

300g ground bio bio grass-fed beef

freshly ground salt and pepper

4 slices or 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

2 or 4 hamburger buns

butter for the buns

condiments/ the usual suspect...

lettuce, tomato slices, red onion slices, ketchup, mayo, mustard and pickles

beverage...

coke or lemonade

divide the meat into 4 equal chunks (we made small burgers) or 2 equal chunks for regular size burgers.

pat each chunk into a thick flat patty about the same size as the bun. sprinkle salt and pepper over the patties.

heat a cast-iron pan until searing hot with a little bit of oil just to lightly coat the pan. place the patties in the pan and cook for 5 - 6 minutes total flipping the burger once halfway through cooking. place the cheese on the burger just after turning the patties. to ensure a juicy burger please remember to leave a cooking burger alone, DO NOT press or poke the burger during cooking.

while the burgers are cooking, melt some butter in a nonstick pan and place the buns inner sides to the pan and lightly toast them until nice and golden.

when the burgers are done, remove them from heat and assemble the burgers with condiments of your liking.

this post is dedicated to moGee, my ny burger buddy...

HUNGRY EYES: jack and coke

william eggleston's, untitled from Los Alamos, Courtesy Whitney Museum of American Art, © eggleston artistic trust

EAT NOW: spargel spargel

white asparagus season begins now in germany.

a little info from the wikipedia...

White asparagus, known as spargel, is cultivated by denying the plants light and increasing the amount of ultraviolet light the plants are exposed to while they are being grown. Less bitter than the green variety, it is very popular in the Netherlands, France, Belgium, and Germany where 57,000 tonnes (61% of consumer demands) are produced annually.

7 ways to enjoy spargel (at home):

*poached spargel with hollandaise sauce serve with boiled potato and slices of paper thin ham

*spargal porcini salad

*risotto agli asparagi

*saute spargel with olive oil and salt and pepper with a simple roasted chicken

*poached spargel with Grüne Soße (green sauce) serve with boiled potato and poached beef fillet

*spargel soup with morels

*parmesan brown butter spargel fettuccine

or the new york fancy pants way (eat out)

*cold white asparagus and yuzu soup with crab salad and bay leaf salt

GOOD READ on spargel

in germany, spring wears white

edible ivory: germans are obsessed with asparagus

kitchen LIVING: bohemian

second image by roland bellow

the source of the other images... unknown... sorry

poached beef fillet

the old me would think, poached beef fillet... by the sound of the name, it sounds blend, watery and boring. this is not something i would order in a restaurant nor is it a preferred method of cooking a piece of beef. so WHY did i made this dish and WHY am i writing this post? here's how the story goes... last saturday we took a little drive, about an hour outside of frankfurt to pick up some bio bio beef that GUY and his buddies ordered. "this is our once a year pick up." GUY said with a big smile. after we got home, GUY stored all our 1/16 of the bio bio cow into the freezer, and reserved a piece of beef fillet in the fridge. "let's have poached beef fillet tomorrow." he announced. "poached beef fillet... but that sounds... boring... why not? i've never done it before, i should give it a try despite of my preconceived judgments..., GUY seems to like it... no harm in trying." all these words running through my head as i google away. the RESULT??? it was great! a surprising light summer beef dish, i was wrong all along... simple and elegant, best way to feature this amazing bio bio beef. a perfect dish for spring/ summer early sunday supper with family and friends.

will i make this again?

this is my first time poaching a piece of beef. and it's much simpler and quicker than i imagined. this is a great alternative to a roast in the summer. easy and great if you have guest over. simple, no fuzz cooking.

what would i do differently next time?

well, since i did not have home-made stock... i used store bought stock. i will take the time to prepare some beef stock ahead.

what did we have the poached beef fillet with?

a big salad with shallot mustard vinaigrette and couscous made with the poaching liquid.

tips?

when poaching, it is important to keep the liquid on the lowest heat possible, simmering without bubbles. boiling can toughen the beef, poaching allows the beef to retain it's tenderness, moisture and flavor. when poaching, make sure the meat is totally submerged under the liquid for the best result. same goes for poaching chicken. after cutting the beef, do not return the blood/ juice from the beef back into the stock or the sauce, this will make the liquid muddy.

you can also blend the vegetables and the remaining stock from the poaching liquid to make a delicious soup!!

how much was this extravagant lunch for two?

this cut of beef we had we enough for 3. we had left overs...

21 € was the total cost (including the salad and couscous).

what to do with the left over beef?

beef sandwich, better yet beef bahn mi. or thai beef salad.

comments?

GUY: well, i thought it was going to be lllloooonnnnggg poached beef, the traditional german way. i was a little surprised at first but it is good, kind of like a roast beef. very delicious with mustard.

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poached beef fillet

serves 3 - 4

600g - 700g fillet of beef +/- 450g fillet was used today

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 liter chicken or beef stock

1 onion sliced

1 fennel sliced

1 large carrot sliced

2 spring rosemary

1 small bunch of parsley

2 bay leaves

season the beef all over with salt and pepper. set aside.

bring the stock and the vegetables and herbs to boil, lower the heat to simmer for 10 minutes.

place the beef into the stock, bring the stock back to a gentle boil then reduce the heat until the liquid is barely simmering. cover the pan and cook for 18 minutes for medium rare or 20 minutes for medium.

remove the pan from the heat and leave the meat to stand in the stock for 10 - 15 minutes. meanwhile, in a separate pan reduce 1 cup of strained stock to half. lift the beef from the pan, pat dry and slice into 6 - 8 pieces.

to serve, arrange the beef slices and serve with the reduced stock over.

SALAD du JOUR: cilantro cabbage slaw

if you don't like cilantro stop reading, this recipe is dedicated to the cilantro lovers out there. GUY and I ♥ cilantro in a BIG WAY. the cilantro cabbage slaw uses cilantro as salad not decorative herb, i hope you will enjoy this as much as we did.

will i make this again?

since GUY and I are on a salad kick, we are thinking of making a different salad daily... so, as much as i like to make this salad again... i would probably make something similar but experiment with different veggies and dressings. i am on a mission to create as many varieties of asian slaws as possible, so i promise you will be seeing them... the good and the bad.

what would i do differently next time?

we were a little short on a few things in the kitchen when i made this salad... i like to try it next time with squid or chicken instead of tofu, an extra red onion, lime or lemon instead of rice vinegar, fresh chili and a better fish sauce.

what did i serve the cilantro salad with?

steaming hot white rice (mixture of sushi and basmati rice) and cold brew high mountain tea.

tips?

save a few small glass jars for dressing making. shaking is the easiest way to emulsify the dressing.

how much was lunch for two?

lunch cost about 3 €.

comments?

GUY: so good, so yummy... #1 salad. it will be hit at the burger party.

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cilantro cabbage slaw

serves hungry 2

1 package of firm tofu (basil tofu was used), cut into 1 cm cubes

1 small red onion, thinly sliced

1 large shallot, thinly sliced

1 bundle of glass noodle, cook as the package instructed, drain

1/8 head of purple cabbage thinly sliced

1 BIG handful of cilantro, washed and dried

dressing...

2 cloves of garlic grated

1 TB fish sauce

2 TB rice vinegar

1-1/2 TB extra virgin olive oil or grape seed oil

1 TB soy sauce

1/2 TB brown sugar

1 small pinch of salt (this depends on the saltiness of the soy sauce and fish sauce)

heat a small frying pan over medium low heat. when the pan is hot, pan fry the tofu undisturbed without any oil over low heat. shaking the pan every 3 - 4 minutes. the objective is to achieve dry tofu cubes with an even light brown skin. set aside when done. if using natural tofu, toss the crisped tofu with a dash of soy sauce and sesame oil.

for the dressing, mix all the ingredients together in a clean glass jar. close the lid and shake until fully incorporated.

toss all the ingredients together. dress the salad... toss... and serve!!!

kitchen LIVING: the great outdoor

outdoor cooking at it's finest, campsite kitchen dream via marie claire maison

3 x a day

3 x a day i use them...

two small scores from two oversize flea markets.

great classic silver forks, a set of eight from the Les Puces flea market in paris.

clean simple plates from the Chatuchak weekend market in bangkok.

via visual entertainment

HUNGRY EYES: what i crave

black sesame seed honey from egypt + lightly toasted black sesame seed + ricotta cheer = incredible

at home, frankfurt, germany

BOOK COOKING: soy chicken

this is not a quick dish... this takes... well, at least the entire day of marinating and slow cooking. is it worth is? YES!!! the best soy chicken i've ever tasted it. give this a try if you have time. the best part is the sauce... just a little of the magic essence over noodle or rice makes it worth all the trouble.

make it again?

YES, but i want to try it with chicken legs instead of the whole chicken.

did i change anything from the original recipe?

Yes, i increased the amount of grated ginger and sichuan peppercorn.

any mistakes or difficulties?

it's my first time frying anything... i was a little intimidated frying the whole chicken.

any adjustments for the next try?

will use chicken legs instead of the whole chicken.

what did i serve this with?

for dinner with MS H, we had pan fry dumplings from scratch, cantonese pickle, yard long beans with chili anchovies, cucumber hinoki salad, cherry tomato salad with ginger soy vinaigrette, cilantro fish soup and white rice.

for lunch the next day... with somen noodle topped with finely chopped scallion... so good.

comments?

we loved it... especially the noodle. the sauce is amazing, super flavorful.

tips?

if you have any sauce left over, freeze it as master sauce for next time. find the best soy sauce and chicken possible. crappy soy sauce = crappy soy chicken. note: choose a soy sauce that does not stain the bottle that it's in. staining is from food coloring.

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soy chicken

adopted from The Foood of China, A Journey for Food Lovers

1.5 kg chicken

3 TB ground sichuan peppercorns

5 TB grated ginger

2 TB sugar

3 TB shaoxing rice wine or rice wine

300 ml dark soy sauce*1

200 ml light soy sauce*2

600 ml oil for frying

450 ml chicken or meat stock

2 tsp sesame oil

rinse the chicken, drain, and dry the chicken.

rub sichuan peppercorns and grated ginger all over the chicken (inside too).

combine the sugar, rice wine and soy sauces, add the chicken and marinate in the fridge for at least 3 hours or overnight.

heat the wok over high heat, add the oil and heat until very hot. drain the chicken, reserving the marinade, and fry for 8 minutes until browned all over. put in a clay pot or casserole with the marinade and stock. bring to the boil then simmer, covered for 35 - 40 minutes. leave off the heat for 2 houses, transferring to the fridge once cooled. drain the chicken, brush with sesame oil and refrigerate for 1 hour. cut the chicken into sections and serve with some sauce over.

cook some soman noodle or asian white noodle. serve with a few ladles of sauce and tons of scallions finely chopped.

*1 DARK SOY SAUCE is aged much longer than light soy, it has a slightly thicker texture. dark soy sauce is used in red-cooked dishes and often used for marinating meat.

*2 LIGHT SOY SAUCE is a younger soy sauce, slightly lighter color than the dark soy sauce. the light soy sauce is saltier. remember light soy sauce ≠ low sodium soy sauce.

HUNGRY EYES: freshness

spring is here, amsterdam, netherlands

HUNGRY EYES: punchy fresh

on the table, frankfurt, germany

EGG freshness guide

facts...

globally, around 10,000,000,000,000 (one thousand billion) eggs are consumed each year. on average, each person consumes about 200 eggs a year.

a fresh egg...

when shaken should not slosh. the sloshing sound indicates that the air-cell is big and the albumen is watery. the yolk tumbles around in the egg if it is no longer fresh.

when broken onto a plate. a fresh eggs has a high domed yolk. if the yolk is flat and albumen runny, the egg has been around for a while and needs to be thoroughly cooked.

when plunged, the egg into a glass of water, a super fresh egg should sink sideways to the bottom. as the egg gets older the rounded end of the egg will float upwards. at 2 weeks the egg will stand upright. pass 21 days old, the air-cell is big enough to make the egg buoyant.

taste difference between brown and white eggs?

the taste of an egg depends on the diet and the health of the hen. under the same conditions there is NO difference in the nutritional value and the taste of brown or white eggs. the color of the eggshells is purely genetic.

what does the date stamped on the egg means?

the "best before" date for fresh hen eggs is 28 days after laying. generally the eggs are packed and transported around day 3 - 6. from 9 days onwards, fresh eggs must be stored in a cool, dark and dry place. after 18 days, eggs must be kept in a refrigerator. from day 22 the eggs must be used quickly. and should be thoroughly cooked, good for hard boiling. at this point they are no longer allowed to be offered for sale.

additional egg insight...

the optimal time to cook a hard-boiled egg based on 4 factors @ university of oslo via serious eats

how to cook perfect hard-boiled eggs (long cooking method) by the paupered chef

the result of an egg in the oven at 220F for 5 hours via serious eats

kenny shopsin's take on eating eggs

delia on how to boil an egg

jamie lauren making deviled eggs on CHOW

and last but not least...

new york times on EGGS

eggs photos via gut eingekauft

HUNGRY EYES: the perfect little package

happy easter

egg, llucmajor, majorca

Eating Eggs by Kenny Shopsin

In my years of cooking and watching people eat, I have noticed that of all the foods I sell, eggs are eaten the most habitually. Everyone who eats eggs has a special way of eating them. If you were to watch ten or twenty people eating eggs, you would find that no tow people eat them the same way. And if you were to track those people eating eggs over a period of time, you would find that they eat them the same way each time.

Eating eggs is a very personal thing and something that people find enormously satisfying. Just the way I am when I cook them, for that moment in time when a person is eating eggs he or she is totally consumed. Maybe it's some ontological recapitulation of childhood, of eating a mother's product. Most people get a peaceful look on their face and go someplace else. I don't know where the hell they go, but they are taken away.

egg recipes to try...

chinese tea eggs

berber omelette

HOW TO: poach egg

tamagoyaki

duck eggs with fava beans chorizo

arugula salad with poached egg

egg over GREEN RICE

HUNGRY EYES: fruit bowl

shi-yang san fang, yang-ming mountain, taipei, taiwan

HUNGRY EYES: almond cherry yogurt

morning yogurt with homemade black cherry preserves, crushed almonds and a big spoonful of flax oil. good enough as a dessert. almond + cherry = new favorite combo.

HUNGRY EYES: lunch

lunch today, frankfurt, germany

HUNGRY EYES: garden cherries

like the winter cherries of ockstadt, dudenrod, germany

HUNGRY EYES: taxes and eggs

quail eggs at tim's, flörsheim, germany

HUNGRY EYES: bavarian breakfast

GUY's bavarian breakfast.