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  • dinner, May 14, 2009

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    roasted chickpeas accompanied by mixed Spanish olives grilled lamb steak (Whole Foods) finished with oil, chopped thyme and lemon;  accompanied by roasted potato “chips” (Biintje, from Bill Maxwell’s farm at the Union Square Greenmarket) tossed first with oil, crushed oregano and dried thyme;  and grilled red spring onions finished with drops of balsamic vinegar wine: …

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  • dinner, April 27, 2009

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    It ended up as a fine anniversary dinner, but because of my forgetfulness it was almost a non-event.   On the afternoon of April 27 I was thinking of putting together a pretty simple meal, and already had some good organic sauerkraut and sausage.   Then I was reminded, by the other interested party in the relationship,…

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  • dinner, April 26, 2009

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    I can’t call this meal a complete success, since I ran into some difficulty in grilling the halibut steak.   I was trying to avoid a preparation which involved heating an oven on an exceptionally warm spring day, so I opted for grilling it.  I thought it had finished cooking, but when I took the steak…

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  • dinner, April 25, 2009

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    This one is really simple, really delicious, and can be assembled in minutes.   I bought the meat and the greens at the Houston Street Whole Foods on the way home from the opening at Scaramouche.  It was also done pretty much on the cheap (I figure it cost a total of about $16.50 for the…

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  • dinner, April 23, 2009

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    home-made white pizza with ramps and guanciale, using frozen pizza dough from Whole Foods, prepared and covered with shredded mozarella, ramps from the Union Square Greenmarket briefly parboiled, with the addition of chopped and slightly pan-warmed fresh guanciale from the Murray’s Cheese located at Grand Central Market, and finished with grated Parmignano-Reggiano before sliding it…

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  • dinner, April 10, 2009

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    If you’re afraid of animal fats, stop here.  But if butter holds no terrors for you, and you like very simple, very good food, read on. I went to the Union Square Greenmarket yesterday and was very surprised to find that, although the calendar said it was still early April, I was able to collect…

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  • dinner, April 9, 2009

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    roasted whole small squid, with tentacles, brushed with oil, then covered with crumbled dried chilies and dried oregano, briefly baked in an enameled, cast-iron pan in a very hot oven with finished with lemon and oil (from “Italian Easy:  Recipes from the London River Cafe“);  served with sauteed young okra with red pepper flakes (major…

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  • dinner, April 8, 2009

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    top loin steak, grilled, then immediately spread with finely-chopped shallots, oil, lemon and thyme;   served with grilled spring onions finished with a splash of balsamic vinegar and chopped parsley);  also parboiled haricots verts re-heated in oil with a little bruised garlic, then sprinkled with champagne vinegar (all major ingredients from Whole Foods) wine: Marques…

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  • dinner, april 5, 2009

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    yellow cauliflower and Parmesan cheese unflipped frittata duck breast stuffed Sienese style (garlic, fennel seeds, rosemary, Parmesan), served with oven fries roasted with garlic and thyme and finished with chopped parsley wines: Garnacha de Fuego (Calatayud, Zaragoza) 2007 with the frittata;  Barco Reale di Carmignano (Tuscany) 2005 Casa Contini Bonacossi with the duck

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  • dinner, April 1, 2009

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    thinly-sliced raw fennel, seasoned, topped with excellent oil, drops of lemon, and slivers of Parmesan on top, served with with crusty Italian bread loin lamb chops (Ceriello, in Grand Central Market), marinated in oil, chopped rosemary, slightly-crushed garlic, salt and white pepper, then grilled on ribbed enamelled cast-iron pan, followed by a dribbling of oil…

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