Wilmington Restaurant Rave: Manna

Saturday night my mom suggested we go to a relatively new restaurant in downtown Wilmington and see a play at City Stage. Manna is one of the best restaurants I can remember going to in Wilmington especially in the upscale category. I love my standbys like Sweet N Savory and Terrazzo, but for a nice meal, this is one of the best and definitely most inventive spots in town.

We went early before the play and got several apps and cocktails. Their cocktails are what really set them apart. Their mixologist created drinks where I didn't know most of the ingredients on the menu. That's when you know it's going to be good. The addition of flower garnishes really sealed the deal.

I got the Lavender Citrus Blossom, which consisted of vodka, lemon, orange, lavender syrup and west indian orange bitters. I thought it was the best cocktail order but my mom and sister might disagree. Quin got the Elderflower Fizz made with gin, st. germain, grapefruit, lemon, soda and grapefruit bitters - also delish. My mom went really sassy with her order an opted for the Cat Smash - cat daddy moonshine, lemon, mint and soda water. 

I thought we'd peaked out too early in the meal, and there was no way the food could live up to the amazing cocktails. Wrong. We ordered 4 small plates to share and each one was awesome. For thinking I did not like beef tartar, this is the second tapas tasting where this dish was my fave. Maybe I need to reevaluate some things? This preparation had a tapenade of caper & chive, a sherry poached egg, and roasted garlic and horseradish emulsion all served with grilled bread.

The braised pork belly with a cauliflower puree was also on point, but then again, when have I not loved a dish with pork belly? This was the most hearty and comforting dish of the night.

We also tried a selection of six cheeses and meats from the charcuterie. I have no idea what they were, but all of them were tasty. We had housemade salami and prosciutto with cheeses that reminded me of blue and brie varieties. These were served with some fresh baked bread, stone ground spicy mustard, fruit jams, and pickled veggies.

Finally, there was the beet salad. My mom decided we needed some greens so we went for this. Being my first time with beets, I can now say I'm a fan. The salad had roasted yellow beets, arugula, almond oil, grapefruit, and a rhubarb and beet mousse. The mousse was awesome, but this dish was my least favorite if only because it was a salad. 

This is a solid spot for dinner and drinks in downtown Wilmington. If you're ever in the area, check it out.

http://mannaavenue.com/

Wilmington Weekend: Scallops with Papaya Salsa and Roasted Spiced Sweet Potatoes

I love going home to Wilmington for many reasons. I get to see my parents, go to the beach when the weather cooperates, and eat incredible food (mostly seafood) to name a few. While the weather was disappointing, the food was not.

Just a snapshot

My dad should go on Top Chef. Everything he makes is delicious, and aside from a few staples (cheeseburgers and enchiladas), he rarely repeats dishes. Every time I go home I get to try a new and inventive dish. Knowing Quin's and my love for fresh Wilmington seafood, he had a scallop dish and plenty of wine ready for us when we got off the flight.

I don't think he's ever cooked scallops for us before so he shared some knowledge. For scallops, it's especially important that you buy them dry packed. If you can't find that, then let your scallops drain for longer in a collender and pat dry with paper towels. 

Otherwise they'll steam rather than get a nice brown crust like this:

He also made a tropical papaya salsa to go on top, which made me forget it was 50 degrees and raining outside. Make ahead of time to let the flavors meld. 

Finally the meal was topped off with some roasted spiced sweet potatoes. An interesting blend of spices makes these sweet potatoes stand out. My dad is a stickler for presentation so he finished the dish off with some baby spinach, cilantro, avocado slices, diced red pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.

Scallops with Papaya Salsa

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup grated lemon zest

1 tsp honey

1/2 tsp fresh lime juice

Half a ripe papaya, peeled and diced

1 1/2 tbsp minced red bell pepper

2 tsp chopped cilantro

1 tsp chopped green onion

1 tsp minced red onion

Pinch of salt

1 lb sea scallops (about 12), drained and patted dry with paper towels

Avocado and red pepper for garnish

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine 3 tbsp oil and zest. Let sit 1 hour at room temperature. Strain mixture, using a fine sieve. In another small bowl, combine honey and lime juice. Add remaining ingredients for papaya relish and mix well. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large saute pan. Sauté scallops over medium heat until cooked through, about 2 to 3 minutes on each side. For each serving, place 3 scallops on a plate and drizzle 1 tbsp lemon oil over scallops. Top with 2 tbsp papaya relish. Serve with slices of avocado and diced red pepper.

[Recipe adapted from Epicurious]

Roasted Spiced Sweet Potatoes

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon coriander seeds

1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 lb medium sweet potatoes

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Coarsely grind coriander, fennel, oregano, and red pepper flakes in an electric coffee/spice grinder or with a mortar and pestle. Stir together spices and salt.

Cut potatoes lengthwise into 1-inch wedges.

Toss wedges with oil and spices in a large roasting pan and roast in middle of oven 20 minutes. Turn wedges over with a spatula and roast until tender and slightly golden, 15 to 20 minutes more.

[Recipe adapted from Epicurious]

Turkish Mini Meatballs with White Bean Hummus and Toasted Pine Nuts

I figured a month was long enough to go between meatball posts. Somehow I have not burned myself out on the meatball yet. They're just so versatile. Italian, Mediterranean, Buffalo, turkey, lamb, pork... However, you want to slice it, they're just delicious. I should be a spokesperson for meatballs. And tacos.

You're drooling, aren't you?

The original recipe calls for lamb, which I'm definitely taking for a spin next time. It's a big deal that I'm saying there will be a next time, meaning this dish was insane. I used a mixture of ground pork and beef, which was tasty, but I feel the lamb would really kick it up a notch.

I am obsessed with Mediterranean cuisine and would prefer to eat pita and dips all day long. This white bean hummus did not disappoint, and if you wanted to go all Sandra Lee on me, you could save a little time and buy white bean hummus or regular hummus from the store. But why would you when all you have to do is put everything into a blender/food processor? Also, much cheaper.

The recipe says to put the meatball ingredients into the food processor after you've made the dip to emulsify it with water. I wasn't sure the blender could handle this so I went the old fashion way and mixed by hand sans water. Still good, but I can see how emulsifying the water into the mixture would make it really silky. I'll remember that for next time.

Mmmmmmm

Now get in there, and make a million TINY meatballs. Mine were probably a little bigger than necessary, but I'd try to get them about one and a half teaspoons. Food is so much cuter in mini form, and that means you can eat more of it so I'm down.

They don't need long to bake since they're so mini. Check after about five minutes to see if they're almost done. They don't need to be entirely cooked through because you'll finish them off on the stove with a little more EVOO, pine nuts, fresh mint and red pepper flakes. 

These are a few of my favorite things...

Serve these bad boys over the dip with some warmed pita wedges, and you've really treated yourself. I'm kicking myself for not remembering the Greek Yogurt, Cucumber and Feta Sauce I made last night and plopping some of that on top too. It's impressive enough for a date night, your roommates or a dinner party (could be an app?) but easy enough to cook for number one. Yourself.

The long list of ingredients might intimidate you, but get over that. Most are things you already have in your pantry so you have no excuse. Unless you just prefer subpar food in which case I'm sad for you.

Turkish Mini Meatballs with White Bean Hummus and Toasted Pine Nuts

Serves 2-3

Ingredients:

White Bean Hummus:

2 cans of cannellini beans

1/2 cup of Greek yogurt

1 clove of garlic

1 tbsp of tahini/sesame paste

1/4 tsp of ground cumin

1/4~1/2 tsp of salt

1/4 tsp of ground black pepper

Meatballs:

1 pound of ground beef, pork and/or lamb (mix and match!)

3 cloves of garlic, finely minced

1 shallot, finely minced

1 tsp of ginger, grated

1 small egg, or 1/2 large egg

1 1/2 tbsp of corn starch

1 tbsp of olive oil

1/2 tsp of ground allspice

1/2 tsp of ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp of ground cumin

1/4 tsp of ground coriander

1/2 tsp of salt

1/8 tsp of ground black pepper

2 tbsp of water to drizzle in (if using food processor method)

2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil, plus more to drizzle

2 tbsp of pine nuts

1 clove of garlic, minced

1 bunch of fresh mint, chopped

1~2 tsp of chili flakes

Pita 

Directions:

Drain the cannellini beans of any excess water (the dryer the better). Add beans, Greek yogurt, garlic, tahini/sesame paste and cumin in the food processor. Run until a very smooth puree forms. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. You could cook the puree in a pot for a few minutes to get rid of the “can”-taste, but it doesn’t really bother me so I wouldn’t stress it. Set it aside until needed.

If using food processor to mix meatballs, clean the food processor bowl and towel-dry it really well.  Add ground beef/pork, garlic, shallots, ginger, corn starch, olive oil, allspice, cinnamon, cumin, coriander, salt and black pepper.  Pulse until all the ingredients are evenly combined, then keep the machine running on low and start drizzling in 2 tbsp of water.  Keep the food processor running for a few seconds until the mixture become “paste-like”.  You could also do this on a stand-mixer with a pedal-attachment.  

If going old fashioned, mix all meatball ingredients together without the water by hand until fully incorporated.

Preheat the oven on 430ºF.

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or cooking spray. Form the lamb mixture into tiny meatballs, approx 1 1/2 tsp each and lay them evenly on the baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven until the meatballs start to brown and are set in shape, about 5 minutes, but keep an eye on them. Once the meatballs are set, take them out of the oven. Heat up 2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil in a large non-stick pan on medium-high heat.  Add the meatballs and brown them all over. Add the pine nuts and let them toast until golden brown (this would happen relatively quick!). Then add the minced garlic, fresh mint and chili flakes.  Cook only for another few seconds. Re-season it with salt and pepper to taste.

Pour the white bean hummus on a big platter or individual plates. Add the meatballs and pine nuts on top and drizzle more extra virgin olive oil and chili flakes on top.

Serve with hot pitas.

[Recipe adapted from Lady and Pups]

Salmon Gyros with Greek Yogurt, Cucumber and Feta Sauce

So I ate Mexican twice in one day this weekend. Pathetic. Yesterday was also my company's board luncheon with a buffet consisting of wedge salad, mac and cheese, fried chicken, short ribs, grilled cheese and tomato soup. For LUNCH. HELP.

Detox was needed, and when I think healthy, I think salmon. It's ridiculously easy and quick, which is ideal for when I just don't feel like cooking. More easy pita inspired meals to come for all the lazy people.

Don't mind the chipped polish.

I've been searching around for a good tzatziki/yogurt sauce for a while now and have been unsatisfied with all of my attempts. I'm too lazy to strain the yogurt and shredded cucumber like in the authentic versions so it's probably my own fault. I liked this version though, and while not a classic tzatziki, it was a nice rendition. Plus, it wasn't too watery like most of my failed attempts.

Besides assembling the sauce, all that's left is to broil your salmon for about 10 minutes. As Ina would say, "How easy is that?"

This meal can be thrown together in under 30 minutes and is so flavorful while staying waist conscious. Just one of the many ways to enjoy salmon.

Salmon Gyros with Greek Yogurt, Cucumber and Feta Sauce

Serves 2

Ingredients:

1/2 pound salmon, skin on

1 tablespoons olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 whole wheat pita pockets, split in half

1 cup arugula, for serving

Lemon wedges, for serving

For the dip:

1 cup Greek yogurt

1/2 cup crumbled feta

1/2 seedless cucumber, grated

Zest of 1 lemon

1/4 teaspoon oregano

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

In a medium bowl, combine Greek yogurt, feta, cucumber, lemon zest, oregano, garlic and onion powder, salt and pepper, to taste. Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld.

Preheat oven to broil. Line a baking sheet with tin foil.

Place salmon onto prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Broil until pink, about 10 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before flaking into 1/2-inch pieces.

To assemble the gyro, stuff pita halves with salmon, arugula and Greek yogurt, cucumber and feta sauce. Serve immediately with lemon wedges.

[Recipe adapted from Damn Delicious]

Bon Appetit's Ricotta Gnudi with Pomodoro Sauce

I've been wanting to attempt gnocchi of some type for a while now. I was definitely intimidated by the thought of making my own pasta, but I'm so glad I took the plunge. When I saw the recipe for ricotta gnudi in the February 2013 issue of Bon Appetit, I decided to go for it. Making these Italian dumplings with ricotta instead of potatoes was a good way to ease myself into making pasta. Also a small list of ingredients, most of which I have in my pantry, is a real selling point for me.

Professional

You could use an endless amount of sauces for this dish, and BA suggests this quick pomodoro sauce. I never make my own pasta sauce, but the simplicity (five ingredients!) and tastiness of this sauce is changing my ways. I made double the recipe so I could save some for later.

The trickiest part of the gnudi is definitely the consistency. You want the dough to form a ball, but try not to add too much flour, or it will taste like a dense paste. Plus you want the dumpling to be fluffy and light. On the other hand, add too little flour, and you risk the dumpling falling apart in the boiling water. Sounds like a debacle. But trust me: if I can make this right the first time, anyone can! Just follow BA's instructions, and once you've incorporated the first 1/2 cup of flour, only add more by the tablespoon until you get a soft, moist ball (I only added about three tablespoons). Once you think you've got it, STOP!

Perfection. Somehow.

Forming the football shaped gnudi gets easier as you go along. Just use two tablespoons, and scoop the dough back and forth between them until you get an oval. I think mine may have turned out a little bigger than they intended. Not a bad problem to have.

All that's left is to sink these bad boys into a pot of gently boiling water for about five minutes. I did mine in batches so as not to crowd the pot. Once they float to the top, leave them or else they'll be gooey in the center. Gross.

So fluffy

A few dumplings go a long way here so I'd suggest about five per serving. Dollop some sauce and whatever cheese you have lying around on top (I used smoked mozz), and you're set. This dish is seriously so impressive and takes minimal effort. Bon Appetit wouldn't steer you wrong.

Getting back to my Italian roots

Bon Appetit's Ricotta Gnudi with Pomodoro Sauce

Serves 6

Ingredients:

For Pomodoro Sauce:

1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes

1/2 cup olive oil

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1/4 teaspoon sugar

Kosher salt

For Gnudi:

16 ounces ricotta (about 2 cups)

1 large egg, beaten to blend

1 large egg yolk, beaten to blend

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan or Grana Padano plus more

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt plus more

1/2 cup all-purpose flour plus more

Directions:

For Pomodoro Sauce:

Pulse tomatoes with juices in a blender to form a coarse puree. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring often, until beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Add tomato puree and sugar and season with salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer gently until sauce is slightly thickened, 10-15 minutes.

For Gnudi:

Mix ricotta, egg, egg yolk, pepper, 1/2 cup Parmesan, and 1/2 teaspoons salt in a large bowl until well combined. Add 1/2 cup flour; stir just until combined and mixture forms a ball (mixture will be soft and moist with some bits of ricotta remaining; add more flour by the tablespoonful if it feels wet).

Dust a rimmed baking sheet generously with flour. Using 2 large soup spoons, shape heaping tablespoonfuls of dough into football shapes; place on baking sheet and dust with more flour (you should have about 30).

Cook gnudi in a large pot of gently boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until cooked through and tender, 5-6 minutes (gnudi will quickly float to surface; continue cooking or gnudi will be gummy in the center).

Using a slotted spoon, divide gnudi among bowls. Top with Quick Pomodoro Sauce and more Parmesan.

[Recipe from Bon Appetit, Feb. 2013]

Baked Sweet Potato Fries with Chipotle Aioli

Just so you know, sweet potato fries are tricky. Delicious but tricky. It's so hard to get them crispy and perfectly browned. Last week I set out to perfect this delicious side item.

Sweet potato fries are one of my favorite ways to enjoy the french fry (for the moment) and also one of the healthiest. Nine times out of 10, if these are on a menu, I'll order them.

After several failed attempts including burned and soggy fries, I have a few tips to get you on the right track.

1) Soak the fries in water an hour to a half day prior to baking. Also, try to cut them around the same length and thickness.

2) Coat in a modest amount of cornstarch. Just enough for crunch but not enough to taste powdery.

3) Bake in small batches to ensure maximum crunch. Otherwise you'll end up with steamed, soggy fries. Sick.

I may not be 100% restaurant ready on these yet, but with a little more practice, I think I'll get the hang of it. Check it out.

Baked Sweet Potato Fries with Chipotle Aioli
Serves 4


Ingredients:

2 large sweet potatoes
2-3 Tbsp of cornstarch
Olive Oil
1/2 cup Mayonnaise
1 tsp adobo sauce 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425°. Peel and cut sweet potatoes into fries no thicker than 1/2″ and similar in length and thickness. Soak in water for minimum of one hour, but preferably for half a day.

Drain water from bowl and lift fries out by the handful.  Shake off excess water. They should be dry but still have enough moisture on them to allow the cornstarch to stick.

Put cornstarch in a plastic bag and drop all of your fries in. Blow a little air into the bag, twist the top and shake it vigorously.  Lift the fries out onto one or two baking sheets.

Coat with olive oil.  The more you use, the crispier and less sticking you’ll have, but the less healthy they’ll be.  Use two pans if you have to.  You want to make sure the fries aren’t crowded on the pan otherwise they’ll steam as opposed to getting crispy.

Bake for 15 minutes then check.  Once bottom of fries are getting crisp, flip them over and cook for another 5-10 minutes.

Chipotle Aioli:
Mix together mayo and adobo sauce.  Adjust to your taste.


[Recipe adapted from The Art of Doing Stuff]

Chicken Salad Lettuce Cups

Guess where I got this recipe? My sometimes favorite Real Housewife of Beverly Hills Lisa Vanderpump's cookbook "Simply Divine" (don't judge). You know this chicken salad is going to be a fancy and healthy lunch or light dinner option fit for Villa Blanca. 

I feel like a lady who lunches. Maybe even British? Maybe Lady Mary Crawley? A girl can dream.

At first I was hesitant of a mayo-less chicken salad. My love of mayo is no secret. It's one of the most versatile condiments around. However, this salad dressing is opening up new worlds to me, and I'm never not blending a dressing again. It might seem like a lot of work to bring down the blender, make a mess, and have to clean it up when all you could do is pour the ingredients into a jar and shake. Trust me on this one - it's worth it. The way the EVOO emulsifies with the lemon juice and thickens from the broken down mustard seeds is magic. I may actually enjoy salads now! Actual healthy salads, not like this one. Thank you, Lisa! 

This recipe claims it feeds eight, and I'm not sure if I'm a hungry girl or these women were really small, but I found it makes 2-3 portions or about six lettuce cups. Regardless, this meal will leave you satisfied while still feeling more on the Giselle side of things than not. I also tried my hand at sweet potato fries again as a side, and I'm really on my way to perfecting them. (recipe to come). 

Lisa suggests serving with an edible orchid garnish, duh.

Chicken Salad Lettuce Cups a la Vanderpump
Serves 2-3

Ingredients:

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 
1 tsp salt 
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup frozen sweet corn, thawed 
1/2 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion 
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted (see below)
1 head butter or Bibb lettuce separated into individual large leaves 
1 ripe avocado, sliced

Lemon Dijon Dressing: 
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice 
1 tbsp sugar 
1 tbsp Dijon mustard 
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 
pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Brush the chicken with the oil and season with the salt and pepper. Bake the chicken, turning once, until lightly browned and cooked through, about 25 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let cool for 10 minutes. 

To make the dressing, process the lemon juice, sugar, and mustard in a food processor or blender. With the machine running, gradually add the olive oil and process until smooth and thickened. Season with salt and pepper. 

Shred chicken using two forks, or your fingers. Place in large mixing bowl and add corn, beans, red onion, and pine nuts. Mix with 1/2 cup of the dressing. 

Place 6-8 lettuce leaves on a plate and fill the leaves with equal amounts of the chicken salad and top with the avocado slices. Serve the remaining dressing on the side. 

Toasted Pine Nuts: 

To toast pine nuts, cook them in a small skillet over medium heat, stirring almost constantly until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let cool completely. 

[Recipe adapted from Skinnyluscious]

Giada's Arugula Pesto, Ricotta and Smoked Mozzarella Pizza

It had been awhile since I used an actual cookbook. I love cookbooks but usually find myself gathering recipes from Tastespotting, FoodGawker or Pinterest. I think the picture based sites hold my interest for longer, and I'll often come out of a 30 minute browsing blackout with tons of recipes to try.

However, last night I dusted off my fave Giada cookbook "Weeknights with Giada," which my roommates gave me for my birthday last year (and I also gave to Quin) and found some hidden gems.

Everything I've made from that cookbook has been a treat, and this pizza was no different. It was also quick to throw together, which you'd expect from a book with "weeknight" in the title. The process would have been a lot quicker had I used a food processor instead of a blender for the cheesy pesto mixture. I figured the ingredients were fine and wet enough that a blender would do. It ended up working but after some EVOO and a little time spent shaking the blender around, which I'm sure annoyed my roommates trying to watch The Bachelor finale.

It wasn't your typical za at all - no sauce but instead a ricotta and "pesto" mixture was the base with the tomatoes on top. I used a store bought ball of pizza dough to speed up the process even more. Call me Sandra Lee all you want, but Giada did it too so it's O.K. in my book. 

Just spread out the dough on a baking sheet - doesn't need to be round, but that does look prettier - then spread the pesto on top. I like thin crust so the bigger you can stretch it, the better. Since I added extra EVOO to the pesto, I didn't drizzle it straight on the crust as Giada suggested. Top with some thinly sliced plum tomatoes, drizzle a little olive oil, and you're ready to cook!

Since there was so much arugula already on the pizza, I skipped the side salad and instead got another slice. That's healthy, right? Makes sense to me.

Giada's Arugula Pesto, Ricotta and Smoked Mozzarella Pizza

Makes 4 Servings

Ingredients:

1/2 cup ricotta cheese

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded smoked mozzarella cheese

1 packed cup (1 ounce) arugula

1 (1-pound) ball store-bought pizza dough

Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

2 plum tomatoes sliced into ¼-inch thick slices

Directions:

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F. Spray a heavy baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.

In a food processor, blend the ricotta, garlic, salt, and pepper until smooth. Add the smoked mozzarella and arugula. Pulse until just combined but still chunky.

Place the ball of dough directly on the greased baking sheet, and use your fingers and knuckles to smoosh the dough to cover the entire sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Spread the ricotta mixture on top leaving a 1-inch border. Arrange the tomato slices on top. Drizzle with more olive oil.

Bake for 15 to 16 minutes until the crust is golden. Cut into wedges and serve.

[Recipe adapted from Weeknights with Giada]