Food With Integrity

madison park conservatory

2012-02-08T20:48:00.006-05:00

kare kare & dale talde

2012-01-28T21:50:00.005-05:00

Last fall, at the Asian Counseling and Referral Service (ACRS) Gala, Top Chef celebrity Dale Talde showed the Seattle audience how to make Kare Kare, a traditional Filipino dish. He talked about the importance of his Asian American heritage and shared his recipe for this delicious comfort food (watch here: Part 1 & Part 2). Here is my (and my brother's) try at Kare Kare and first time using shrimp paste -- it turned out quite tasty. Thanks Dale-- now that I'm in NYC for the next couple months, I can't wait to check out his new Brooklyn restaurant, TALDE.

the uw farm hens

2011-08-09T00:38:00.003-04:00

every monday night, as a member of the uw farm's chicken crew, i go check on the three hens- polly, bertha, and ginger. i collect their eggs (if there are any), remove their poop, replace their bedding w/ fresh shredded paper, and put away their food. it's fun, easy, and the fresh eggs (that come in white, brown, and BLUE) are so much tastier than store-bought eggs.

nishino

2011-07-30T01:11:00.010-04:00

amaebi ceviche, oyster tempura, albacore sashimi, halibut cheeks w/ swiss chard,

summertime in the SEA

2011-06-18T21:03:00.003-04:00

"Summertime in the SEA"- Blue Scholars

one of my favorite things about summertime is grilling on the BBQ. here, we've got grilled asparagus (tossed in olive oil, balsamic, salt & pepper), kalbi shortribs (marinated overnight in soy sauce, sesame oil, tons of garlic, green onions, honey, brown sugar, asian pear, kiwi, black pepper, can of beer), miso cod (marinated overnight in white miso, sugar, mirin, sake), and grilled squid (tossed in olive oil, lemon juice and seasoned with paprika, salt, pepper & chopped parsley).

pizza bake at the uw farm

2011-05-30T01:41:00.005-04:00

every third friday of the month, The UW Farm hosts a pizza bake. they provide the dough, some basic toppings, and this awesome cob oven . you bring yourself, some friends, and some other interesting toppings. and then, everybody has a good time. below is a pie topped with olives, pear slices, spinach, and chunks of hotdog.

avocado on toasted bagel

2011-01-17T18:43:00.006-05:00

Here's a "recipe" that deserves an episode on Stupidly Simple Snacks from Amy Blogs Chow. Take a ripe Hass avocado and generously spread on a toasted bagel of your choice (onion bagel here). Sprinkle with a bit of salt & pepper and enjoy (or devour like I was in the process of doing).

super 1L salad

2010-12-05T22:23:00.011-05:00

Unfortunately, the first (1L) year of law school is not very conducive to preparing a new meal each and every day. Weekends, however, sometimes give me the opportunity to make meals in batches. Here's one unnamed salad I created that included avocado, olives, cheddar cheese w/ bacon and horseradish, tomatoes, walnuts, and hard-boiled eggs. Perhaps, it will be the recipe for success on future exams...

golden beets & goat brie

2010-11-23T15:43:00.003-05:00

I live only a couple blocks away from the U-District Farmer's Market, Seattle's oldest and largest "farmers-only" neighborhood market. It's open year round, every Saturday from 9am to 2pm. A few weeks ago, I picked up golden beets & fresh goat brie. Roasted the beets in the oven until they were tender, sprinkled with a little salt & pepper, and topped with the fresh brie. It was a winning combo.

grilled asparagus, prosciutto & poached egg

2010-10-19T21:30:00.007-04:00

"Respect for food is a respect for life, for who we are and what we do" - Thomas Keller

I still love David Chang's Momofuku cookbook, but Thomas Keller's Ad Hoc at Home has been added to the mix. Keller, the owner of the French Laundry in California and Per Se in NYC, presents recipes meant to be shared in big bowls and platters at the family table, i.e. his version of comfort food. Hopefully, in the midst of my first year of law school, I can try out several recipes. I thought it fitting to start off with this grilled asparagus, prosciutto & poached egg since the first recipe I tried out of the Momofuku book was pan roasted asparagus, poached egg, & miso butter.

the gorbals LA

2010-08-16T01:07:00.011-04:00

The Gorbals in downtown LA. Less than a year old, they are drawing a lot of buzz because of their bold mix of ingredients and because the restaurant is led by owner/chef Ilan Hall, who won an episode of Bravo's "Top Chef" at the age of 24. He was trained at the CIA, and has worked at Napa's Wine Spectator Restaurant and Tom Collicchio's Craft in NYC. We tried almost everything on the day's menu. Pictured above were a few of the more interesting dishes: roasted bonemarrow w/ walnuts & shitakes, gribenes (crisp chicken skin), lettuce & tomato, and bacon-wrapped matzoh balls w/ horseradish mayo.

roadtrip USA: food tour

2010-08-04T10:33:00.039-04:00

7 days. 3300+ miles. 13 states. the great american road-trip from new york city back home to the california bay area featured a fair share of boundless skies, heavily subsidized corn fields, & gas station/bathroom breaks. along the way, my partner in crime and i stopped for some gastronomic adventures. here are some highlights from our cross-country journey:

piece Chicago, IL

not your signature chicago deep-dish pizza. this brewery & restaurant in wicker park serves up thin crust pies with interesting toppings. we got a plain with clams & bacon paired with their award-winning hand-crafted brews. so good and tasty but getting our stuffed bellies back home in the torrential downpour was not as fun.

bourgeois pig cafe Chicago, IL

featured on rachael ray's "tasty travels", this cute, chill coffee house in the lincoln park neighborhood serves up some delicious sandwiches and baked goods. we ordered the great gatsby- focaccia bread layered with basil pesto, crumbled bacon, turkey, avocado, swiss cheese, tomatoes, & spinach. also tried their oatmeal raisin cookie, lavender shortbread, & strawberry nutella milkshake. yummO!

rioja Denver, CO

decided to fancy it up a bit in denver at this mediterranean-inspired restaurant in larimer square. the starter was hand made mozzarella wrapped in smoked prosciutto, grilled bread, oven-dried tomatoes, arugula, and green olive pistou. for our entrees, we ordered Colorado lamb two ways- grilled t-bone and house made lamb merguez sausage over a bed of crisp couscous and a huge melt-in-your-mouth grilled bone in rib-eye with crisp “eggplant parmesan”, arugula salsa verde, & heirloom tomatoes.

buffalo rose saloon Golden, CO

our quest for rocky mountain oysters serendipitously landed us at the buffalo rose, a former rec hall turned restaurant/live music venue. they even have a swimming pool in the basement. as the menu states, these oysters are "not from the ocean, but straight from the bull!" they're battered, fried and come with marinara sauce. not very flavorful but had an interesting chewy texture. the half pound buffalo cheeseburger with bacon was a bit gamey but still very moist and delicious.

7-eleven Park City, UT

oh, thank heaven! park city's restaurants were closing shop by the time we arrived so we picked up a few gourmet items to create a satisfying three-course meal. not quite "food with integrity" but at least we didn't starve! stephen colbert's americone dream was a decadently delightful dessert and quite apropos for our drive across the u.s. of a.

stateline brewery & restaurant South Lake Tahoe, CA

at the nevada/california border, we ordered a couple of sandwiches to-go and brought them with us on the gondola ride up the mountain to the observation deck. crisp fresh air, astounding views of the lake/surrounding sierras and the company of our chipmunk friends made the perfect picnic. we got a rosemary foccacia veggie sandwich with roasted portabella, zucchini, red bells and fresh mozzarella and a bbq pork sandwich with bacon and melted provolone.

wine spectator greystone restaurant Napa, CA

our adventures in food & drink would not be complete without a visit to wine country and a stop at the culinary institute of america (CIA). already quite happy from tastings at the peju winery, i started off dinner with an "aromatic artistry" wine lesson, a flight of the following three tastings: Navarro Vineyards Chenin Blanc, 2009, Mendocino; Stony Hill Gewürztraminer, 2008, Napa Valley; and the Pey~Marin Riesling, “The Shell Mound,” 2009, Marin County. we then had some temptations, an array of small bites, along with mussels cooked in sauvignon blanc and a saffron broth and a watermelon & watercress salad with crispy pancetta. pictured above are two of the main courses we had- linguine & manila clams and pan-seared scallops.

PRINT restaurant dinner/tour

2010-06-17T00:33:00.011-04:00

to celebrate the successes of the teen iron chef program, i invited my top students for a special dinner and tour at PRINT restaurant (located within Ink 48 Hotel in Hell's Kitchen). PRINT is a seasonally inspired farm-to-table restaurant that incorporates local ingredients sourced by Johanna, their in-house forager. we enjoyed a delicious three-course meal that included a plethora of fresh vegetables, pastured organic grilled chicken (Pennsylvania's Four Story Hill Farms), and an amazing bread pudding dessert. the students also got a chance to speak with the husband and wife team of chefs charles and heather rodriguez as well as tour the two-story kitchen. the fabulous evening was topped off by a visit to the hotel's rooftop PRESS lounge with breath-taking views of the city.

teen iron chef: the final battle

2010-06-14T18:59:00.008-04:00

this past saturday, my top Teen Iron Chef students competed in the final battle of the year at the Highway to Health Festival & Youth Forum at P.S. 64 in the Bronx. the packed audience of all ages enjoyed their entertaining, eloquent, and informative presentation of a hearty vegetable fricassee recipe. though the final score gave the opposing corn salad team the edge, at the end of the day, everybody was a winner, created new friendships, and had heaps of fun. that's what it is all about.

egg & eggplant plus TEDxCambridge

2010-05-23T19:55:00.011-04:00

last weekend, i attended the first ever TEDxCambridge, an independently organized TED conference with the theme of "How do you eat?" The event brought together chefs, economists, psychologists, filmmakers, writers, and entrepreneurs to examine the science, art, politics, and future of food. Speakers included behavioral economist Dan Ariely, chef Wylie Dufresne, documentary filmmaker Richard Chisolm, author/activist Alissa Hamilton, insect eater/expert David Gracer, CEO/Founder of City Fresh Foods Glynn Lloyd, and more...

During the lunch break, the Clover Food Truck, which serves local, fresh fast food, posted up outside of MIT's Stata Center. I tried out their delicious egg & eggplant sandwich (below, i'm on the steps soaking in the beautiful sunday weather). Craving it a week later, I decided to put my own twist to the "egg & egg".

teen iron chefs stir up change

2010-04-27T23:31:00.020-04:00

teen iron chef is in full force and stirring up change. high school students are taking new york city by storm, putting their culinary mettle to the test in a weekly cook off. battle #3 featured a hearty shrimp jambalaya versus a balanced and aromatic thai fish chowder. the latest showdown pit an eclectic salad nicoise up against a rich risotto.

recently, a select group of teen iron chefs competed in the second annual teen iron chef invitational in brooklyn, representing schools from across the northeast. one of the winning recipes was a caribbean salsa with pan-seared tilapia. several days later, teen iron chefs also represented HealthCorps and Family Cook Productions at this year's HealthCorps Garden of Good and Evil Gala, hosted by Dr. Oz, where they showcased the same delicious caribbean salsa to celebrity guests like Rocco DiSpirito.

*photos may not be reproduced without permission

momofuku dinner party

2010-04-09T00:33:00.007-04:00

momofuku dinner menu 03.27.10

soju slushie - apple cider

shrimp spring rolls

baby bok choy -xo sauce

brussel sprouts - fish sauce vinaigrette

smoked chicken wings

pork shoulder - bo ssam

crack pie

hosted a successful momofuku dinner party. picked a few dishes from the cookbook. started prepping things days in advance by pickling the carrots and daikon, making the xo sauce, and brining the chicken. the clear favorites of the night were the bo ssam- pork shoulder (which was roasted in the oven for six hours) and the smoked chicken wings. didn't get a chance to take many good photos since we couldn't wait to dig in to the food. the guests were definitely pleased and got a taste of momofuku at a fraction of the cost. i think mr. chang would be proud. hope to host part two in the near future.

let the battles begin

2010-03-17T22:24:00.018-04:00

teen iron chef is under way. through the support of healthcorps and family cook productions, high school students in the bronx are battling out two healthy recipes every tuesday afterschool. week 1 featured mussels provencale versus chicken & broccoli stir fry and week 2 showcased vietnamese spring rolls versus mexican quesadillas. each team is judged on various criteria such as knife skills, organization, presentation of culture and nutritional background, entertainment value, creativity, and taste. students are learning how to plan out and prepare delicious healthy recipes from scratch, trying out new ingredients, understanding different cultures, engaging in fierce competition, developing public speaking skills, experiencing shared meals and having tons of fun! this is definitely food with integrity. stay tuned for future battles.

*photos may not be reproduced without permission.

pan-roasted mussels

2010-03-05T22:37:00.001-05:00

more momofuku...

the madness of march. making

pan-roasted mussels.

if you want to see someone who is mad serious about going through the momofuku cookbook, check out momofukufor2.com.

go easy on the shiro miso. it can be quite salty.

xo with baby bok choy

2010-02-15T19:37:00.009-05:00

page 154 of the Momofuku Cookbook. I love XO "sauce". At nicer Cantonese seafood restaurants, it's often provided as a complimentary side, along with the peanuts. Despite the lengthy prep time -- making a trip to Chinatown to buy dried scallops and shrimp, soaking them overnight, and stewing the mixture over low heat for about 45 minutes-- it is well worth it because XO can be stored and used with almost everything. Here, it is tossed in with some fresh baby bok choy.

seafood zucchini pasta

2010-02-13T23:11:00.006-05:00

Tried out this seafood zucchini pasta recipe from my friends at Spaghettofu, a food blog capturing a fusion of Taiwanese and Italian cuisines. Couldn't find the paccheri pasta at Whole Foods but the rigatoni worked just excellent. The ingredients are so simple and fresh, precisely what I love about Italian food.

baked kale chips

2010-02-11T23:11:00.008-05:00

Baked kale chips. Crunchy, savory superfood snack. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wash and thoroughly dry kale leaves. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grate fresh parmigiano-reggiano cheese if desired. Bake for about 10 minutes until edges brown, but not burnt. Thanks to the Just Food community chef for this idea. Can't wait to try these out with my students.

made in taiwan: street food

2010-02-01T21:39:00.018-05:00

taiwanese street food is ubiquitous. you can find them in crowded alleyways, night-markets, and on street corners. it is served up right in front of you- hot, delicious, and cheap. three of my favorites were (pictured from top to bottom) stinky tofu, vermicelli noodle soup, and chinese doughnut w/ soy milk soup.

brussels sprouts: fish sauce style

2010-01-11T23:20:00.008-05:00

considered the ingredient of the year by serious eats, brussels sprouts have become one of my favorite cruciferous vegetables. this brussels sprouts w/ fish sauce vinaigrette recipe from the momofuku cookbook did not disappoint. fish sauce can be very dangerous on its own but when carefully combined with water, sugar, lime juice, chili and garlic it makes an awesome dressing for the golden pan-fried/roasted brussels sprouts.

made in taiwan pt. 1

2010-01-04T02:13:00.007-05:00

one of the reasons why i didn't notice very many obese people in taiwan could be the abundance and variety of fresh, local fruits and vegetables in the taiwanese diet.

after school special

2009-12-21T21:57:00.008-05:00

through a partnership between HealthCorps and EATWISE, i basically run/advise an after-school cooking club for high school students. we learn about nutrition, where our food comes from, and some culinary knowledge (for example, mise en place or "everything in its place"). our first recipe, courtesy of a Just Food community chef, was a delicious hearty vegetable soup consisting of (in order of preparation) olive oil, garlic, onions, rosemary, thyme, vegetable broth, tomato paste, red potatoes, carrots, green beans, corn, fennel, kale, nutmeg, salt & pepper. it was perfect for the cold winter weather.

a little pasta

2009-12-19T19:23:00.007-05:00

"Girl I Wanna Lay You Down" (Animal Liberation Orchestra)

fresh basil is the bomb, and i love turning it into this pesto pasta. the sauce consists of basil, garlic, freshly grated parmesan-reggiano cheese, pine nuts, extra virgin olive oil, salt & pepper. i just eyeball everything and process it with a magic bullet. add some pasta (in this case, whole wheat penne) and fresh tomatoes. dinner is ready.

chang-style brussels sprouts

2009-12-16T00:18:00.007-05:00

this brussels sprouts recipe is high in fiber and flavor. it is simple and quick, and as david chang says, "basically, you can't fuck them up." great side dish for the holiday season.

great dish period.

rooftop farm to table

2009-12-14T17:25:00.007-05:00

"Hello Brooklyn" (Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, & Marvin Gaye)

over the summer, a group of us from the non-profit organization i work for (HealthCorps) visited a 6,000 sq. foot organic vegetable rooftop farm in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. we laid out some compost, picked some cherry tomatoes, lettuce & string beans, and later had a delicious meal next door at the restaurant Anella, which uses produce from the farm.

momofuku creations

2009-12-13T22:47:00.000-05:00

an inspiration for this blog, and its title, is momofuku's david chang, who champions "food made with integrity at an affordable price." my attempts, for better or worse, to re-create recipes from the new momofuku cookbook will be chronicled.

first up: pan-roasted asparagus, poached egg & miso butter.

in the beginning

2009-12-13T22:00:00.000-05:00

a blog simply about good food.