If you’re anything like me, then cooking for someone is definitely an act of giving. And now that we’ve officially reached “the season for giving,” I can think of nothing better to give someone special than some home-cooked food. This is a rich topic, and one that never fails to fascinate me. So I’m curious, what foods do you like to cook for someone else… and specifically, for those of the male species?

That is the focus of one of my favorite food idols, Lucinda Scala Quinn‘s latest book, Mad Hungry: Feeding Men and Boys. And I’m giving away ten copies of this hot-off-the-shelf hardcover to the first bloggers who post a recipe in honor of its theme. That’s right — just write a blog post with a recipe that you think is dude-worthy and explain why, and post it by December 15, 2009. Be sure to write to me as soon as you do (cathy[at]noteatingoutinny.com), and the first ten of you will receive a copy just in time for holiday-giving. Also, please mention in your post, somewhere, that you’re doing this for the Mad Hungry book giveaway on Not Eating Out in New York. (We like to spread the word around.) I can’t wait to see what you make, and I’m sure Lucinda will love to see the recipes, too. Can you be a guy, and still enter this contest by blogging? Absolutely! Make something that you think your gender would like the most — hey, you should know the best.

As the only XX chromosome among an immediate family of three sons and a husband, Lucinda has cooked for men and boys, a lot. That guys eat differently than chicks is not something to send chills down us liberated womens’ spines, in her opinion — it’s a fact of life. They’re mad hungry. Lucinda also knows that food isn’t meant to be simply stuffed down the throat, either; it should nourish, entertain and enrich a person’s day and overall experience. But when someone is running out the door and needs to be stuffed, and quickly, she has a lifetime of experience’s worth of tips on how to do that efficiently, while making a meal still memorable. We’ve all heard the old adage, “the secret ingredient is love,” but if you’re in need of some ideas for actual, tangible dishes to fold your love into, then there are some really good ones in this book.

Incidentally, today I got to sit down with two guys and chat about what they would cook for chicks if they had to create the perfect “date meal.” This is a favorite question of mine for all guests on Cheap Date, my Heritage Radio Network podcast show. It was put to two members of the folksy, bluesy Brooklyn band, The Dirty Urchins. Bennet (upright bass, backup vocals) freestyled an incredible-sounding five-course menu starting with a cheese plate, a lentil salad, seared fish, and some sort of quinoa side tossed in there, followed by a chocolately dessert. (WOW!) David (guitar, tenor sax, vocals) suggested something really messy, like ribs which you have to “get all in there with your hands.” (HOT.) Amazingly, these guys both said that they would prefer to cook the date meal themselves rather than take their ladies to a restaurant. (You see, Brooklyn is really becoming my kind of town.)

So now that I’m tickled by these culinary suggestions pleasing to the female species, let’s take a look at some ideas for the guys! Remember to email me when you blog your Mad Hungry giveaway entry, and the deadline to post is December 15th. Come on, make your men proud (or just stuffed). And just for fun, here’s one recipe from my archives that I think might be a good fit for feeding men and boys, especially at this time of the year. It’s a recipe for the French country casserole, cassoulet, which I made with beans, ham hocks and apples to add a little sweetness to all that salt. I actually made a similar cassoulet recently for a room full of guys (and one girl), and it was heartily received. Now blog away!

It was a sunny Memorial Day weekend afternoon when the second-annual risotto cook-off took place, indoors, sprawled throughout the bar’s back room where the contestants served at their stations, and the general seating area, where folks took their plates and washed them down with craft beers. We had more folks stream through than I’d hoped for despite the circumstances (I made only two runs to get more plates and forks!), and because of it, we were able to raise more than $1800 for Just Food at the end of the day. I’ll add that this has been one of the best-tasting cook-offs I’ve attended (and I’ve been to many). Too many palate-pleasers for one plate.

The plates of risotto, once a guest was finished walking through the serving stations, actually resembled a painter’s palette, too. Of the 14 entries on display, there was a deep magenta risotto with beets and raspberry jam, a shiny black risotto with squid ink, a bright yellow risotto with mangoes, an umber farro risotto with lots of mushrooms, a ripe red marguerita pizza risotto, and a “sunset” orange risotto with shrimp. There were risottos with multiple colors, including one with slow-roasted tomatoes and other veggies, and an etouffe-inspired risotto with spring veggies. I miss them already.

But everyone wants to know one thing: who won? Well, there’s lots of answers to that question, as lots of people won something. Those that for some reason didn’t make the cut included ones that were some of my friends’ favorites: Ricky Silver’s fresh mango and goat cheese “salsa” risotto (#3), Marsha Nicholson’s “Risotto di Farro con funghi porcini e due pesti” with ramps, walnut and aged gouda (#4), Jason Anello’s “Poor Man’s Risotto” with monkfish, zucchini and a “secret spice” (cardamom!) (#11), Jaime McCallum’s “Solidarity Forever” risotto with fiddleheads, mushrooms and butternut squash, and Roxanne Aubrey and Peter Marina’s “New Orleans Crawfish Etouffee” risotto (#12), with all that goodness and more. I don’t think these guys need to be reminded from the many plates scraped clean how great theirs were, but in case they do, keep your chins up, kids — you done good.

The judges spent a good hour or so deliberating together over how to place their winners. Turned out they were pretty split! The panel of local food authorities put together to judge the contest consisted of chef Mark Bello, who schooled me and everyone else at the Cassoulet Cook-Off, and who “schools” people for a living at his hands-on pizza workshops throughout the city; the erudite food blogger Zach Brooks, from Midtown Lunch, who I enjoy the company of so well even though our blogs are complete antitheses of one another that something’s either so wrong or so right in this world; and Erin Zimmer, a regular contributer and editor at Serious Eats — need I say any more to hail to the queen, baby? (Plus, Erin was in the process of moving this weekend but still made it down to chow!)

Eliza and Tali’s squid ink and squid salad risotto

Arin and Alyssa garnish their “Urban Chicken” poached egg risotto (a challenging transport!)

bearded buddies Vince and Scott with their pancetta-fennel risotto

Liv and Laena with their “Beet It” risotto

Despite their differences, these judges came down to their final decisions, finally. In the award for awesome risotto with “not enough poached eggs” was the unexpected effort by Arin Kramer and Alyssa Casey, whose “Urban Chicken Risotto” (#7) incorporated grilled leeks, gremolata, anchovy butter and poached eggs from the chickens that Arin and husband Ben raise in their own backyard. For that, they won a seat to dinner at Ted & Amy’s Supper Club — hopefully I’ll get to join them there. The judges also loved Eliza Ronalds-Hannon and Tali Biale’s squid ink risotto (#4) topped with a lemony squid, tomato and scallion salad, another adventurous and eye-catching risotto twist at the event, so they won a gift certificate to the Brooklyn wine shop, Thirst. The award for the best risotto adaptation of a Vicki Sue Robinson song went to Laena McCarthy and Livia Manfredi’s beet and raspberry jam risotto (#2) with balsamic, aged goat cheese and orange zest (I might add that the only person who got the reference to “Turn the Beat Around” in the crowd at first was Cupcake Takes the Cake blogger Nichelle Stephens). Be on the lookout for Laena and Liv’s artisanal jams at shops like The Brooklyn Kitchen this summer. They won a covered saucepan from Scanpan, “perfect for jam.” Eve Dilworth’s “NY State Strawberry Rhubarb” risotto (#13) impressed the judges with its creamy, mascarpone-infused texture and fresh strawberry-rhubarb topping, so she earned a subscription to Diner Journal. The judges gave Vince Trotter and Scott Lachut’s “Bicoaster Bearded Efferevescence” risotto with fennel, pancetta and jasmine tea (#8) a thumb’s up with a stash of Mast Brothers Chocolates, “because the Mast brothers also have beards.”

judges Zach Brooks, Erin Zimmer and Mark Bello announce

In honorable fourth place with the judges came Mike O’Neill’s rad(ish) risotto (#9) — he got a fry pan from Scanpan. Third place, Jackie Beach and Jef Walker’s “Oh So Slow” Risotto (#14) won for its savory, all-vegetarian blend of aged goat cheese, caramelized onions, roasted tomatoes in a stock of slow-roasted mirepox and fennel. For added flair, they topped each portion of their risotto with a crisp parmesan chip, and took home a Scanpan Dutch oven for their prize. Who could forget Nick Suarez’s “Di Farro’s” Farrotto Margarita risotto (#1), a take on the famed NYC pizza joint DiFaro’s classic pie with farro instead of rice and lots of homemade tomato sauce, freshly snipped basil and a dropper’s worth of good olive oil on top? With a double-silver (Nick also came in close second place in the audience award), he won a $100 gift certificate to 1 Dominick wine bar for second place. The judges’ first place award, though, went to Noah Berland’s seafood-studded “Sunset Shrimp” risotto (#10), with carrots, beets and peas. Now this is a guy who received a fair share of public slack following the Tofu Takedown a couple weeks ago; in that cook-off, he received the not-so-coveted award of “Worst-Looking Best-Tasting” dish for his green tea creme brulee. (At a recent family reunion, fellow Tofu Takedown judge Akiko was greeted with a host of snot-related jokes for being quoted in the front page of the New York Times‘ Dining section saying that an entry had looked like snot.) Needless to say, Noah sucked it up and turned out a brilliant risotto entry that tasted and looked good, both. What a comeback. That risotto was pungent but perfectly balanced, with a satisfying ratio of veggies (the carrots were thinly sliced yet visible, the beet juice staining the concoction salmon roe-red) to seafood chunks. Noah won a Mario Batali brand cast-iron “risotto pan,” donated by The Brooklyn Kitchen.

Nick Suarez accepts second place for his Di Fara’s pizza-inspired farro risotto

big winners Jackie, Noah and judge Zach

After the ballot box was upended and all the audience’s votes were counted, the final decision for first place in the popular award was decided by one vote. By a hair (over Nick Suarez), Jackie and Jef’s “Oh So Slow” risotto placed again. This time, they won a $100 gift certificate to the very bar and restaurant hosting the event, Jimmy’s No. 43. No stranger to home cooking, Jackie’s been around the cook-off scene, entering the Bacon Takedown, and as a fellow hapa, she recently put in a killer communal cooking effort at the Hapa Kitchen‘s May Day dinner (and hopefully future dinners, too!). Amazing that both first and second place in the audience awards were all-vegetarian entries, as well — and many others. The stacks of ballots were pretty spread throughout eight or nine entries, too, which varied drastically in ingredients. I think it’s safe to say that there were many big wins of the event. And just below is the recipe for judge’s favorite, Noah Berland’s! (For “Oh So Slow” risotto, check out the recipe and great photos on Jackie’s blog, Devour This!)

Just Food director Jacquie Berger accepts cold cash from Jimmy, Karol and I

At the end of the entire risotto experiment, Jimmy, Karol and I handed over a saucepan filled with hard cash from the door donations to Just Food director, Jacquie Berger. After sparing some of the share for the hostess and necessary supplies, a total of $1,800 and change was given to the nonprofit’s cause. Find out about more of Just Food’s activities and ongoing campaigns to spread healthy, local and sustainable foods throughout NYC at its website (i.e. a series of beekeeping events in honor of “Pollinator Week” in late June). Hope to see you at one of those soon.

Noah B’s Sunset Shrimp Risotto
(serves 3-5)

ingredients:
1 large red beet
1 lb jumbo shrimp
1 large shallot
1 bunch of green garlic
1 tablespoon Sambal Oelek (any pure chili paste will do)
1/2 cup peas
1 lb arborio rice
1/2 cup Nihonshu (sake, preferably a 0 on the sweet scale)
1/2 cup Pecorino
2 oz. butter
salt

Shell the shrimp and place the shells into a quart saucepan and cover with water; simmer for an hour. Cut the shrimp in half as if you were butterflying them, but all the way in half and de-vein them.

Cut the beet in half lengthwise and broil for about 5 min’ they should get very slightly charred. Cut the beets into chunks and place in a blender with the stock from the shells and blend finely.

Follow a standard risotto recipe for the rest.

Cost Calculator, Health Factor and Green Factor respectfully omitted for guest recipes

Guac and corn chips it is not. Plain-old hummus and pita it’s neither. Just as munchable as either of the above, I’d say definitely, as well as easy to prepare. It’s edamame, or soy beans, cooked and mashed up just like chickpea hummus (minus the tahini), and eggy wonton wrappers baked with a coating of oil and sesame seeds. And — with a little modification — it’s one of the four canapés that will precede the five-course dinner on May 1st, at Queens County Farm Museum.

First of all, I should point out that I really didn’t intend for this to come out looking so much like guac and chips. The aim was certainly to make a smooth, tasty dip with the edamame, and crisp, savory chips with the wonton wrappers. It seems that great foods just look alike, sometimes.

store-bought wonton wrappers (or “skins”)

oil and sesame seeds coat the cut-in-half squares

once baked, they bubble and curl into thin chips

It took me a little while of backtracking to figure out how the dish came about. It was Akiko, my good friend and Hapa Kitchen collaborator, who suggested edamame hummus in one of the dishes. Deep-fried wonton “crackers” of some sort were proposed at some point as the spreading canvas for a lamb pâté. Then, after the menu got shaken up and mixed around a few times, I went home and cut some wonton wrappers into triangular halves. I brushed them with oil and sprinkled toasted sesame seeds on top — just for kicks. A few minutes in a 350-degree oven, and I was pretty flabbergasted when they came out looking and tasting like… chips. It was like the oven had handed them over to an entirely new cuisine, rendered them something they entirely didn’t expect. It made all the more sense then to reach into the freezer and grab a bag of frozen, shelled edamame. After steaming them I dumped the pale green beads into the food processor with some smashed garlic, lemon juice and olive oil. And the rest is history.

It was collaborative thinking, mostly, with a little creativity. I can’t wait for more of those Eureka-like food moments to happen by the same means, as I’m sure there will be plenty to come.

edamame straight from the steamer

So, I’ve already blabbed about the May Day benefit dinner last week. But the menu’s been shaping up, and this past weekend, has made its first forays into actual physical form during a recipe-testing session with the gang. I’m delighted to be cooking with such tasty, humanely meat for this dinner from Apple Pond Farm as well as the Queens County Farm Museum, using some of their pork. Here are some of the things we’re going to do with it:

First course:
Skewered lamb belly and pork belly lettuce wraps

Second course:
Lamb gyoza with apples, honey and yogurt sauce

Third course:
Taiwanese-style “Three Cup” braised lamb with turnip-apple puree

Fourth course:
Lamb neck and baby kale salad with bacon vinaigrette

Fifth course:
Curry carrot ice cream with cinnamon-sugar dosa

As for the canapés (not including the one that inspired the recipe below), I’ll leave that a surprise. Please note the above menu is completely susceptible to changes both big and small, but since so many were asking what we’re cookin’, that’s what we’re looking at right now. Tickets are still on sale for the dinner if you’re curious!

These wonton chips and edamame hummus are probably the simplest offering of the night, and they make a great snack, a refreshing alternative to blah-brown chickpea hummus. Plus, fresh edamame’s in season! It’s spring, so you should be able to find just-plucked pods at many Greenmarket produce tents soon — which is where we’re sourcing our fresh edamame for the dinner. No idea yet how it will differ from the frozen kind I made here. If you’re searching, frozen bags of edamame are very cheap and ubiquitous in the freezer aisles of Asian grocery stores. Same for the wonton wrappers, in the refrigerated section, however. I chose the square wonton wrappers made with egg yolks, which is virtually the same thing as fresh Italian pasta dough. You can tell them apart from the non-egg because of their yellowish hue. Then again, this recipe could be 100% vegan if you opt for the basic noodle dough variety, which are white.

Welcome to the world of chip and dips, Asian ingredients. (And no, those deep-fried noodles dipped in packets of “duck sauce” doesn’t count.)

Edamame Hummus with Wonton Wrapper Chips
(makes about 1 cup of hummus and 24 chips)

1 cup frozen edamame
juice of half a lemon
1 garlic clove, chopped
4 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup water
12 square wonton wrappers, sliced in half diagonally to 24 triangles
toasted sesame seeds (optional)
salt

To make the chips: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat the bottom of a cookie sheet with about 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Place the wonton triangles in a single layer on top, and brush the tops with another tablespoon or so of the oil just so that each side is entirely moistened. Sprinkle with the optional sesame seeds. Bake for 5-6 minutes, or until the wonton wrappers have curled at the edges and are just lightly browned. Sprinkle with salt.

To make the edamame: Place the edamame in a steamer rack (or build a steamer by putting them inside a bowl; place the bowl inside a pot with 1-2 inches of water on the bottom and a lid to hold in the steam). Steam edamame for 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.

Combine edamame, lemon juice, garlic, and a sprinkle of salt in a blender and pulse several minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula occasionally. Add the water to help bring it to a smoother consistency as needed — adding more or less. Taste for seasoning.

Cost Calculator
(for 4-5 appetizer servings)

1 cup frozen edamame (from a 1 lb bag/$1.99): $0.50
12 wonton wrappers (from a packaged stack of 50 at $1.49): $0.35
4 tablespoons olive oil: $0.50
garlic clove, salt, optional sesame seeds: $0.10

$1.45 (whoa)

Health Factor

Four brownie points: This “other” version of hummus and chips is not only refreshing in flavor, but it’s so healthy it kind of defies our definition of chips with dip. Compared to chickpeas, edamame carries less calories, being less starchy. But it’s still a good source of protein and fiber. Then, I didn’t add any tahini (sesame paste) that’s usually found in large quantities in chickpea hummus, and is a naturally saturated-fatty food. So the edamame hummus above has only heart-healthy olive oil fats in addition to those naturally found in the bean. Finally, the crisped wonton chips are “baked, not fried,” and in my opinion, all the better for it. You can really taste the toasted, noodle-like flavor of them, and won’t get your hands covered in grease while eating.

Green Factor

Two maple leaves: Terrible! I have only my excuse that this recipe was a test-run for what will be a really, really green dish at the May Day dinner, with locally grown fresh edamame. The frozen kind I bought are actually not bad in quality, the beans freeze nicely, just like peas, but where they were grown, I have no idea. Maybe Japan. I suppose I could have also made the wonton wrappers from scratch, using local eggs, but these New Jersey-manufactured, Chinatown grocery-purchased premade ones are just so cheap and easy, plus sort of iconic, right?

It was a frigid Saturday in New York when seven chefs gathered in the back room at Jimmy’s No. 43 to unveil their steaming pots of the French countryside comfort food, cassoulet. A fluid stream of Greenmarket supporters sampled each one throughout the afternoon until pretty much every bean was scooped up. Asked to vote for their favorite takes, each taster turned their attentions to printed sheets describing the cassoulets, their creators and affiliations. Among them were local and seasonal culinary expert Kelly Geary of Sweet Deliverance, former Greenmarket Manager and chef-to-be Melissa Rebholz, Jimmy No 43′s own chef John Crabbs, Italian chef and traveling pizza teacher Mark Bello, Rockaway Beach surf taco shop extraordinaire Andrew Field, and former Pegu Club and wd-50 (whoa!) chef Phillip Kirschen Clark. Then some blogger and cook-off fanatic of Not Eating Out in New York.

I’d be lying if I told you that the dish I prepared was pronounced the best cassoulet of the day. Actually, I’d be very publicly, foolishly lying, since the event has been recapitulated (promptly, I might add) by Time Out New York already, as well as Jimmy’s No. 43′s blog. I’d be drawing out the non-suspense in lame melodrama to continue this post without just declaring a winner. So the top honor was given to…

Chef Mark Bello, of Pizza A Casa NYC!

Actually, there were no surprises from me when Mark was announced the winner of the cook-off. His savory sausage cassoulet had a luscious, creamy texture and pale color thanks to a generous helping of duck fat. The classic ingredient paid off, and so did his unorthodox move on providing crisp breadcrumb crumbles separately for the topping of each taster’s bowl. (What did I say once about extra garnish? Oh, right. Next time!)

The guest judges for the event were none too unfamiliar faces:

Food writer Joe DiStefano, pairing the plat du jour with one of the rotating craft beer menu’s heady stouts, it seems.

And famous actor Umit Celebi (right), seen here with the gracious host Jimmy Carbone (left).

The award for this cook-off was mostly decided by the audience votes, with the guest judges offering their sanction on the winner. It was a unanimous decision between the two judging factions to place Mark’s cassoulet at the top, though, we were told. Once again, I struck out on cook-off glory, but not without having a fabulous time, and more than my share of this unique, hearty dish. I don’t know when I’ll ever have the chance to eat seven types of cassoulets in one day again — not that this doesn’t sound like a great, rainy day idea. At least I can look forward to plenty more events at Jimmy’s No. 43 to benefit or simply fashion a great meal around sustainable, local, seasonal and artisanal eats to come, whether cassoulet or Greenmarket-inspired.

chef Andrew Field didn’t skimp on his vegetarian cassoulet entry

As tasty as the winning version was, I thought all of the cassoulets in competition were pretty outstanding. I’m going to conclude that it’d be really hard to make a slow-cooked bean casserole flavored with generous portions of smoked and fatty meats not hit the spot on a cold winter day. As I tasted around the room I found myself going back for seconds of Melissa’s and Kelly’s cassoulets in particular, which both had fresh herbs and in Melissa’s case, a bit of greens in the mix.

I was also pleased with the outcome of my cassoulet: an apple cider and smoky ham hock-steeped, maple sausage and pork shoulder-studded, almond and breadcrumb-topped first-time try. So I’ve got that recipe posted below. However, Mark’s winning version remains shrouded in delicious mystery. The lingering suspense! Best to check out one of his cooking workshops to try to sneak the secret recipe.

Pommes de Porc Cassoulet
(serves 12-16)

2 lbs great northern beans, soaked overnight
1 lb pork sausages (mine were maple sausages from Tamarack Hollow Farms)
1 ham hock, about 2 lbs (maple-cured from Tamarack Hollow Farms)
4 oz. bacon, finely chopped
1 lb pork shoulder, skin trimmed but bones and fat retained, and cut to 1-inch cubes
about 4 cups apple cider
2 cups applesauce (homemade or store-bought)
1/2 cup dry sherry
1 celery rib, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
2 medium yellow onions, finely chopped
2 ripe plum tomatoes, chopped
1 head of garlic, minced
1 bunch thyme
4 fresh bay leaves
3/4 cup fresh breadcrumbs (from white bread, pulsed in a food processor for a few seconds)
1/2 cup slivered almonds
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and black pepper

Heat a very large Dutch oven or oven-safe casserole (or cassoulet) with olive oil over medium-high. Brown the sausages on all sides, about 4 minutes. Remove from pot and set aside. Season the pork shoulder pieces with salt and pepper in the same pan. Brown on all sides, about 6 minutes. Remove from pot and set aside.

Add the bacon, onions, carrot and celery and cook, stirring, about 8 minutes until vegetables are softened. Add the tomatoes and garlic and cook another 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the sherry and cook, stirring, until the liquid has reduced by one half. Strain the beans and add to them to the pot along with the ham hock, pork shoulder, apple cider, applesauce, and the bay leaves and all but 2-3 sprigs of thyme wrapped together with twine. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for about 1 hour.

Remove the ham hock and pork shoulder pieces. Remove bouquet garni (of bay leaves and thyme) and discard. Once cool enough to handle, pull meat from ham hock and shred the pork shoulder with hands to about 1/2-inch pieces, discarding any bones. Slice the reserved sausages to 1/2-inch pieces. Add all the meat to the pot, and stir to combine thoroughly. Add salt and pepper to taste (at least two teaspoons of salt). If mixture looks too thick, add a little more of the applesauce or apple cider. While tasting and stirring, preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Combine the breadcrumbs, almonds, and reserved thyme leaves (removing any bits of stem) in a bowl. Sprinkle on top of cassoulet. Bake, uncovered for 1 hour until breadcrumbs are lightly browned on top. Let cool for 15 minutes before serving.

Cost Calculator
(for 12-16 servings)

2 lbs great northern beans: $2.00
1 lb maple pork sausages (from Tamarack Hollow Farms at the Greenmarket): $10
1 2-lb ham hock (from Tamarack Hollow Farms at the Greenmarket): $12
4 oz. bacon: $1.50
1 lb pork shoulder: $3.00
4 cups apple cider: $1.50
2 cups homemade applesauce: $1.00
1 carrot: $0.25
1 celery rib: $0.25
2 onions: $0.60
2 plum tomatoes: $0.75
1/2 cup sherry: $1.00
1 bunch thyme: $2.00
4 bay leaves: $0.50
1 head garlic: $0.35
3/4 cup fresh breadcrumbs: $0.50
1/2 cup slivered almonds: $1.00
salt, pepper, olive oil: $0.25

Total: $39.45

Health Factor

Nine brownie points: The bad news about cassoulet is that while it retains the relatively healthy appearance (chunks of meat casually blend in with all the flavorful sauces) of a bean-based dish, the real strength of the dish comes from all that fatty pork. Traditionally, all the browning would have been done with huge glunks of duck fat, too, which many of the cook-off contestants gamely got into. Still, sausages, bacon, fatty pork shoulder and ham hock will add plenty of cholesterol as well as that round, rich flavor. To cut it, I cooked it in apple cider instead of, perhaps, pork stock, and this gave the flavor a little acidity and a dose of Vitamin C — plus, it’s known to help balance out the “bad cholesterol,” much needed in this case.

Green Factor

Seven maple leaves: The meaty hunks of pork are the star attribute here, and there’s plenty of it to go around in this recipe. I can’t say enough good about the quality and flavor of the pork products at Tamarack Hollow Farms. (In case you’re wondering why all the maple seasoning, it’s because the farm is located in Vermont.) Then, I didn’t really now what I was planning to make when I went to the Greenmarket to buy them, and after deciding I needed more protein, I made a trip to a local meat market in my neighborhood for the bacon and pork shoulder, which I’m sure didn’t come from pasture-raised pigs. I chose apple cider for this dish as much for its fruity flavor as its seasonality; it was going to be either that or squash.

Or rather, who is Cassoulet? as George Stephanoulos quipped on ABC when a large banner bearing the word was held above the crowds gathered in Times Square during the station’s election night coverage. The question of cassoulet echoed throughout the world afterward, as the word rose to the top 100 most searched terms in Google on Election Day. I didn’t know what cassoulet was, either, and I completely missed this bit of intrigue at the time. I first heard of cassoulet when it was announced by Jimmy Carbone as the dish to prepare for a cook-off at his restaurant, Jimmy’s No. 43, to benefit the Greenmarket. It takes place tomorrow at noon!

Of course, I’ve never tried to cook a cassoulet, either. My first taste of the dish was only a week ago, too. (It was a fabulous one, I must admit, and the recipe for it can be found in this month’s issue of Saveur magazine, which is aptly dedicated to “the home cook.”) So what is cassoulet, then? It’s a rustic French stew of beans and bits of meat, a comforting peasant dish and pride of the home kitchen. Like casserole, it’s named for the type of dish it’s traditionally cooked in. It turns out the perpetrator of the “Cassoulet” banner was not a diehard cassoulet chef himself, but loved his mom’s cassoulet so much that he told her so through multiple signs he managed to get onscreen during Election Day. (It was for a French comedy show.)

So now that we’re square on what it is, I’m still figuring out how to make it for tomorrow. The only requirement for the cook-off is that sausages purchased from any of the farms that sell at the Greenmarket must be used. So I went to Union Square on Wednesday and stopped at Tamarack Hollow Farms‘ stand. There I picked up a pack of maple pork sausages and a maple and sugar-cured ham hock. Coincidentally, I also ran into one of my five competitors, Melissa, the minute I got there. She was also buying Tamarack Hollow Farms meat for the cook-off! I think she’s copying me on the ham hocks, too…

the greatest porcine gathering at my counter since the time I made pork pàté: bacon, pork sausages, pork shoulder, ham hocks

Anyway, while I soak, sear and simmer away, I hope you’ll plan to join us tomorrow for a hearty winter lunch. The cook-off begins at 12pm at Jimmy’s No. 43, in the East Village, and your $20 donation to the Greenmarket at the door will get you all the homemade (and chef-made, looking at some of the contestants — yikes!) cassoulet you can eat. My cassoulet, I’ve just decided, will be based on apple: apple cider, some chunky apple compote I have in the freezer from previous apple escapades, and lots and lots of pork! I’ll call it Pommes de Porc. The recipe will be posted on this blog shortly after the event — it still exists only in fantasy. Which means I should probably get back to cooking.

Vegetarians: I’m told that one cook-off chef will be making a vegetarian cassoulet, so don’t be shy!

11.55pm update! Does it look like a winner? (Click to zoom)

Chinese New Year is coming up, and as with every holiday save for maybe President’s Day, that means one thing to me: FOOD! Great food. Excesses of food. And the first food that comes to mind for this one is dumplings. But instead of throwing a dumpling party like I did last year, forcing my friends to roll up their sleeves in the wrapping process, the talented food writer Winnie Yang and I are going to teach a class on dumpling making at The Brooklyn Kitchen!

This class will be held the day before the lunar New Year, Sunday the 25th. Sign up now before it’s full, as class size is limited and seats are going on the cheap: just $25. Or, if you’re reading this, it gets even cheaper! Write in promo code OX09 (that’s a zero nine, as in year of the ox, ’09, baby!) at checkout and it’ll be $20 instead. And, as with all cooking classes at The Brooklyn Kitchen, attendees receive a 10% discount on anything they might want to purchase from the store afterwards.

Why should we be the ones to teach you how to make dumplings? Because we love making them almost as much as we love to eat them. There’s something very social about making dumplings, which is why it’s spawned a namesake party tradition. It’s not that much fun standing in your kitchen methodically filling and wrapping neat little dumpling after dumpling on your own (trust me). You can’t discover different folding techniques that your friends grew up with, or just invented, which I always find fascinating. You can’t exchange tricks on dough-making or get into heated disputes over what filling ingredients are best. So we’ll be there to share all that and more, like other customs of Chinese New Year, at the class.

Hope to see you there!

There’s no place like Brooklyn for the holidays. I’m sticking around this year, except for a Christmas trip over to Jersey. And if you’re also kicking it in NYC, then there’s plenty of fun to be had. Specifically, this fantastic day of food and photography that my friends at Photojojo, the Whisk & Ladle Supper Club and I are collaborating on.

This is the third Photojojo Safari to take place in New York City. I had the good fortune of attending the first one, where 100 or so amateur photographers and I followed Jake Dobkin around DUMBO checking out the street art and snapping photos of them to share at an afterparty. I met Steph Goralnick there, who is heading the NYC chapter of these events. This is what we came up with, along with Mark from Whisk & Ladle.

The party will include food demonstrations from an assortment of special guests. At the request of so many, I’m offering a pie crust lattice weaving/cut-out decorating demonstration. There will be a slideshow of food photography throughout the years, tips on lighting and other technicalities, and lots of food, wine and cocktails. Finally, there will be a “Most Photogenic” food contest, and anyone who brings in their most spectacular homemade work of edible art can come to the event free! The winner will receive a modest prize. Email me (cathy[at]noteatingoutinny.com) if you’re interested in entering — and please be willing to serve your creation (think at least 10 servings, please).

Space is limited, so please sign up at Photojojo to RSVP soon! Lights! Camera! Let’s eat!

Photojojo Food Photography Safari
Sunday, December 28th, 5pm.
$15/person, includes food and cocktails

***RSVP is required*** for this event.
Space is limited to the first 100 guests.

Secret location in Williamsburg will be revealed before the event via e-mail. photojojo.com/safaris/food

For those not familiar with the blog, readers from all around can submit notes and other examples of passive aggressive (or just aggressive)-ness in action so that everyone can laugh at someone’s petty tyrancy. After the giggles had faded out, I couldn’t stop thinking about this one’s message: “If you can’t cook, don’t try.” I wonder how many people have thought this about someone else’s cooking but were too polite to say it. I also wonder what horrible past potluck experiences has led this poor host to such austerity. Perhaps you could provide some insight to that question, with your most hilariously awful potluck food photos.

So, let’s bring cameras to our gatherings, snap photos of the not-so-delicacies, and scare Clare together! (Presuming that’s the name of this rather unencouraging author of the note.) Please send me a snapshot of a potluck dish (can be your own or someone else’s) and include in your email the Name of the Dish and Why it Was Scary in no more than a couple sentences, please. Send it to me by January 2, 2009 and please type in the subject line of your email Scare Clare. I’ll post a round-up shortly after!

The holiday party season has just begun, and although Thanksgiving’s over, I’ll bet there isn’t a shortage of holiday potlucks being thrown this year — what with the economy in turmoil. Potlucks are a tradition of frugality. What could be more prudent than wanting to entertain, but not wanting to spend hardly a dime of oneself’s? The way I see it, there’s four levels of holiday partying, from least to most spendthrifty:

1. Renting out a room or entire restaurant
2. Having your house party catered
3. Preparing an elaborate five-course meal for guests at home
4. Having a potluck

It’s time to say bring the chips, please. Pick up a bag of ice along the way if you could. BYOB is practically a given, unless you don’t want to partake in what shreds of merriment this season can still reign in.

I’m just exaggerating, of course. But I do love potlucks. Oh, and unlike the Thanksgiving potluck in the passive aggressive note, store-bought items are NOT welcome in this photo contest. Thank you for being halfway competent. (Get it? Passive aggressive?)

This fall, we’re starting something new. An idea fledged by myself and Liz Carollo, Greenmarket Publicity Coordinator for the Council for the Environment of New York City (CENYC), the Shopping Club & Tour Series begins this Saturday, October 4th at Brooklyn’s busy Grand Army Plaza Greenmarket. To kick it off, I’ll be making an early-fall veggie risotto at the information stand at 12:00 noon beforehand, so I hope you can come for some freshly-made grub, and stick around for the first many weekly meet ‘n greets.
Do you try to shop at the Greenmarket each weekend, too? Wish you could find out more about the farmers and their offerings — where they’re from, what their values are? Want to chat up other shoppers, neighbors and like-minded foodies, too? That’s the basic idea behind this informal shopping club and tour series. We’ll be meeting at the information stand at Grand Army Plaza’s Greenmarket Saturdays at 1pm. Liz will take us through the tables of the market, talking with the various vendors whom she works with every Saturday. Once we’re done shopping, we’ll find a spot to sit and share ideas about what to cook with our purchases. Following this Saturday, we’ll also try to spotlight different farmers/vendors each week at a time, so no one tour will be alike.

The tours are completely free, and there is no need to RSVP. Just come, bring your appetite and appreciation for fresh, local, humanely-raised and sustainable foods. Plus, there’s a food demo at this Greenmarket, New York’s second-largest, almost every Saturday.

I hope you’ll want to join us on this new project, and help shape what it’ll ultimately become. One of the reasons I thought it would be a good idea is that I’ve always been curious about the individual farmers and wanted to ask questions, but felt it impolite to take up too much of their time. They’re always so busy, especially in the summer. You might recall a video I shot in the spring, a different approach to introducing the farmers and their food to people. But, for anyone who’s local and might be shopping there already, I’d much rather meet in person! And my cameraman’s taking a little vacay. And cameras make me stutter.

Anyway, hope to see you Saturday!

I was a proud glutton on Saturday. Not that co-hosting a Great Hot Dog Cook-Off isn’t reason enough to celebrate (or pack on five extra pounds), but through it all, we made over $1500 for the Food Bank for NYC from ticket sales and cash donations at the event. Fourteen chef-contestants made trays full of fabulous, fantastical frankfurter creations. We made new friends, lots of them. And it was also a day when the majority of the ballot-voting audience made this fascinating discovery: Goat cheese and hot dogs go REALLY well together. Especially with mangoes.

Although this innovation, the OK Dog (pictured above), may have won the Audience Award, every single hot dog served at the event was a winner in its own, often never-before-seen category. Internationally or regionally inspired, holiday or hue-specific, the recipes all flew far from the nest of your standard BBQ fare.

Kelly of Kelso proves beer does help at a barbecue

as do McClure’s relish and mustard

Held in the cozy, shady backyard of Kara’s (cook-off creator and co-host of Ted & Amy’s Supperclub) Fort Greene residence, the event took off on a beautiful July afternoon. Two of the three kegs graciously provided by Brooklyn-based Kelso craft brewery got flowing, with the help of proprietor Kelly himself. Jars of McClure’s relish and mustard were set out for sampling with some pretzels and for later use with the hot dogs. Not that I needed to add to this, but I resurrected the Maki Dog and Baked Brie Dog to serve as appetizers for early-comers. Then, off the cooks went.

banana-leaf wrapped dogs get grilling

an honorable mention went to this mac ‘n cheese-stuffed, collard green-wrapped dog served with cornbread and a fizzy beverage

the judges dig into Round 1

The first round saw two types of leaves wrapped around hot dogs: Team Good Times’ banana leaf-wrapped, bacon-topped dog and Lindsey Reilly’s collard green-wrapped Mac Daddy Dog, stuffed with mac and cheese. Also in Round 1 was Eugene Kim’s aforementioned OK Dog, with a refreshing and spicy mango-jalapeno salsa, three sauces and goat cheese (which I snagged the recipe for below!). Cooking in the Veggie Dog category for Round 2, Karol Lu’s banh mi sandwich inspired tofu dogs went head-to-head with Arin Kramer’s “Estelle’s” Corn Dog, named for her hen who contributed eggs to the battered and golden-baked cornmeal crust.

someone snags an Alligator Chili Dog

the Chicago Style Dog: not complete without the celery salt

the Oaxacan Chili Dog, made by a 3-year Great Hot Dog Cook-Off veteran

In Round 3, it was all about location: Scott Gold‘s tequila-spiked alligator and Wagyu beef chili dog topped with crushed Fritos was a nod to his New Orleans upbringing; Phil Lubliner’s Chicago Style Hot Dog was lovingly and meticulously crafted after Stash’s famous Highland Park hot dog joint; Greg Galant’s Deep South Dog was topped with grits, bacon and cheddar; and Eric Friedman’s Oaxacan-inspired dog was served in a grilled tortilla with a scoop of chorizo mole.

the Colombian Dogs get served up

a close-up of the mouthwatering Bombay Dog

time for grace: a round of Thanksgiving Dogs

Drifting farther from North America, Round 4 featured the tangy, potato chip-topped Colombian Dog by Laena and Emma McCarthy, made with their own homemade jam and a secret pink sauce. Turning to India for inspiration, Benny Bhada perfected the Bombay Dog, a chicken frank smothered in chutney, wrapped in homemade naan, and served with raita and chile sauces. (This was my personal favorite dog of the day — not too spicy, not too sweet and most of all, not too greasy… I’ll need to get her recipe!). And bringing it all back home, Midge Pingleton’s Thanksgiving Dog was encased in puff pastry along with some bread stuffing, served atop mac and cheese and finished with a ladle of gravy. Thanks, indeed.

Kim Grauer and sous chef offer Cajun Dogs

Nichelle Stephens’ mind-altering Purple Haze Dogs

someone’s clearly still eating

Due to one chef who fell ill before the big day, the last round, Round 5, only forged two more hot dogs. Somehow, everyone still had an appetite for them. I credit this feat to Nichelle Stephens (of Cupcakes Take the Cake) for her Purple Haze Dog, a punky-looking entry with bright red cabbage, red onion and mixed berry relish; and Kim Grauer, for her gourmet Cajun Dog with its spicy-mustardy, fresh red peppery-tasting secret sauce blend.

Alright, so you want to know the winners? Formally, the contest was divided into three categories: Chili Dog, Veggie Dog, and Neither of the Above Dog. Of the two chili dog entries, the winner was a very gratified Eric Friedman, for his Oaxacan chorizo mole chili dog. (Eric’s never won his past two years competing.) Karol’s banh mi dogs edged out Arin’s corn dogs in the Veggie Dog category (I had nothing to do with the judging — swear!). Finally, in the crowded and ridiculously varied Neither of the Above category, it was Midge’s Thanksgiving Dog that ultimately prevailed. Each chef, winners included, received goody bags thanks in large part to The Brooklyn Kitchen.

Kara addresses the anxious crowd

These were all no doubt tough calls for the judges, who scored each and every hot dog on their own individual cards, without conferring with one another. We asked them to consider two-thirds for taste and one-third for presentation. As luck would have it (or perhaps I should say, as Brooklyn foodie events would have it), when the judges were chosen from the audience by a random hat drawing, none other than Serious Eats writer Jenn Sit was drawn. Check out her astute post and photos from her prime point of view here.

Adding to that democratic spirit, we also pooled the audience for their favorite hot dogs. It was a close call between two entries in particular: Honorable Mention was given to Lindsey’s Mac Daddy Dog, but by a healthy margin, the crowd chose Eugene’s OK Dog. Both of these dogs were served in the first heat several hours before the ballots even went around, which I’ll say is testament to their lasting deliciousness.

As promised, I squeezed the recipe for the OK Dog out of Eugene. A first-time Great Hot Dog Cook-Off contestant, Eugene explains the genesis of his recipe:

“Many people have asked me, ‘How’d you come up with the idea for this dog?’

It’s funny because on two separate occasions, I thought of jazzing up my barbecue with a simple, fun hot dog. First, I made a blue cheese filled hot dog, with slices of raw jalapenos. Then, I topped off a hot dog with a tomato salsa and sauerkraut. Since both items were a huge hit, I thought, ‘What if I combined the two…and made it gourmet…’ After a few tweaks here and there, the OK Dog was born (in loving memory of my grandmother, Okyi Kim, who understood that my passion for food was something worth sharing with others).”

The OK Dog
(for 4 servings)

for the mango/jalapeno salsa
2 mangoes
1 jalapeno pepper
1 red bell pepper
1 yellow pepper
1 orange pepper
Cilantro (handful – finely chopped)
½ a Lime (juice)
Scallions (handful – roughly chopped)
1 package of Goat Cheese (plain preferred)
Salt
Pepper
Red wine vinegar (optional)

for the dipping sauces:
Ketchup
Cinnamon Powder
Vanilla Powder
Mayonaise
Garlic (minced)
Honey
Lemon Juice (and zest)
Mustard
Dill (roughly chopped)
Cumin powder

Panko – Japanese bread crumbs/tempura flakes (optional)

4 Pepperidge Farm Hot Dog Buns
4 Hebrew National Reduced Fat Franks

1. Mango/Jalapeno Salsa (must be prepared 30 minutes in advance and stored in the fridge)

Dice the mangoes into ½ inch cubes and place in bowl.

While wearing gloves (important!), finely chop the jalapenos (remove seeds if mild salsa is preferred) and place in bowl with mangoes.

Dice yellow, red and orange peppers into ¼ inch pieces and add to jalapeno/mango mixture.

Add chopped cilantro, scallions and lime juice.

(optional):
In order to further reduce the heat of the jalapenos, add a tablespoon of red wine vinegar.

Season with salt and pepper.

Gently fold the mixture with a spoon. Be careful not to mash the mangoes. Place the bowl, covered, in the fridge for at least 30 minutes prior to serving.

2. Dipping Sauces (after preparation, place in fridge)

Sweet Ketchup
Add ½ a table spoon each of both the cinnamon powder and vanilla powder (be careful, a little goes a long way), to 2 cups of ketchup, and mix with spoon.

Garlic Mayo
Add 2 tablespoons of honey, 1 minced clove of garlic and ½ a lemon (juice), to 2 cups of mayonnaise, and mix with spoon.

Dill Mustard
Add handful of finely chopped dill and 1 tablespoon of cumin, to 2 cups of mustard, and mix with spoon.

3. Dog & Bun

(optional)
Using a sharp knife, gently slice 1 inch off the top side (soft) of the bun. (a thin, lighter bun allows you to capture the full flavor of the goat cheese and salsa)

Place 4 franks into boiling water and remove after 5 minutes (or when franks appear slightly swollen).

Transfer franks to plate and let rest for a minute. When slightly cooled, make an incision from the top of the frank to the bottom, making sure that the knife does not go through the frank. Do so for all 4.

Place all 4 franks on the grill, incision side up, for 2-3 minutes (it’s all about getting the grill marks).

Transfer franks to a plate and let cool. Using a butter knife and a blade’s length worth, gently fill the incision of each frank (a difficult and messy task but so worth it) with the goat cheese.

(optional)
Pour 1 tablespoon of Panko over the goat cheese filled frank.

Top off the frank with the mango/jalapeno salsa. Be generous.

Finally, sprinkle the lemon zest over the finished product and serve.

[Cost Calculator, Health Factor and Green Factor respectfully omitted for guest recipe contributions --Ed.]