Page 118 ⋆ Jersey Bites

Jeffrey Orel of the Denville Meat Shop

Veronique @ Food & Wine Chickie

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August 29, 2014

I recently had the chance to speak with Jeffrey Orel, the owner of the new Denville Meat Shop, where I pick up my Bracco Farms CSA box every two weeks.

Denville Meat Shop is a store off the main street in Denville offering quality all-natural meats, fine cheese, imported condiments, GMO- and gluten-free breads and products, and certified organic local produce/dairy.

A quick peek into the meat coolers offers a glimpse of Orel’s passion about quality, dry-aged, prime meats. His are some of the most gorgeous cuts of meats I’ve encountered and the specialty items are world class and not typically available in most stores.

Orel took the time to tell me a bit about himself and the new store.

JERSEY BITES: When you were younger, how did you know that you wanted to be a chef?
JEFFREY OREL: I was always fascinated by food even at a very young age. I remember walking through my mother’s gardens with a salt and pepper shaker in the pocket on my OshKosh B’Gosh overalls, picking fresh vegetables and eating them.

Where else have you cooked in New Jersey?
I was the executive chef at The Madison Hotel which had Rod’s Steakhouse and I opened the Red Dog Tavern in the hotel, too. I was the consulting chef for Tierney’s Copperhouse in Fairfield and 3Forty Grill in Hoboken.

So you went from being a chef to owning an artisan meat shop—what drove you to that change?
We couldn’t get quality meats and such in my area, meaning dry-aged, prime, Piedmontese, etc. I also wanted a change in the quality of life a chef has, or lack thereof, without losing the ability to be creative, and so the meat shop was born.

What are some of the benefits of your chef background with this new venture?
It allows me to be creative with all of the ingredients we use. We offer catering, cooking classes, and we have a full line of chef-inspired prepared foods.

On a recent visit to the shop, I saw amazingly beautiful dry-aged meats. For readers not familiar with dry-aged meats, what warrants the splurge?
It’s considered a steak connoisseur’s steak. We age everything here at the store. The aging process forms a dry “skin” that encapsulates the beef and then the natural enzymes in the meat does its job by tenderizing the meat. The end result is a more tender, juicy, and flavorful cut of beef, there is nothing like a prime dry-aged rib eye.

I see you list some cooking classes on your website. When do you plan on starting those up?
Our first cooking class happened on August 7, and we had 16 people signed up. We’re excited to bring cooking classes to the shop. It gives our attendees a place to relax, have some wine, learn how to cook and have dinner in a comfortable setting.

You offer catering services including whole hog BBQ. How does that work? Do you come do the setup for the hosts?
We provide everything if needed to include butlered hors d’oeuvres, but most catering events are in-store pickup or an event where we set up on site and cook. We have a few options depending on what consumers are looking for.

Any other plans for the shop that you’d like to share with us?
I thought it was important to be different then a normal butcher shop. We locally source our meats and everything in the store is all natural, GMO/hormone/antibiotic free. We have personal relationships with all of our farmers and have been to their farms to inspect their papers, feed invoices, living conditions of the animals, cleanliness, etc. All of our beef is fresh hanging beef and never in cryovac until it is cut into steaks here at the store. Nothing in our store is ever gas flushed to preserve the redness of our meats.

Denville Meat Shop
28 Diamond Spring Road
Denville, NJ
862-209-4088

Cheers,

Veronique Deblois, Food & Wine Chickie: Veronique is a food and wine writer based in Morris County. As the author of the popular blog, Food & Wine Chickie Insider, Veronique shares recipes, wine and restaurant reviews and insight into the travel industry of which she’s a 15-year veteran. Follow Veronique on Twitter or like her Facebook page.

3 Cocktails to Celebrate Great Summer Produce

Peter Culos

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August 27, 2014

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3 Cocktails to Celebrate Great Summer Produce

The Habit Burger Grill in Fair Lawn

Terry Krongold

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August 26, 2014

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The word “habit” conjures up visions of bad and sometimes expensive obsessions. As in “…gotta kick this _______ habit,” or “I’m just working to feed my habit.” So let me introduce you to what could become a good habit, and a reasonable one at that.

It recently landed in Fair Lawn, but The Habit Burger Grill was born on the west coast in 1969. The company has made its east-coast debut at the Fair Lawn Promenade Center (a development combination of apartments and retail). Invited to a media preview prior to opening, I was pleasantly surprised. Not just with the burgers, but with the entire operation. Adam Baird, partner and VP of food and beverage, gave me an overview of how the company operates. The ground beef for the burgers is always fresh, and custom-ground for The Habit at midnight (so it’s fresh for the next day). You can really taste that delicious, old-time char-grilled flavor (something missing in a lot of burger joints these days). I enjoyed the Charburger with cheese – flavorful, moist, and cooked medium rare (and I didn’t even have to ask!). All the burgers come with caramelized onions (a nice touch), mayo, pickles, lettuce, and tomato.

True to its California roots, the eatery offer grilled sourdough bread for many of the burgers and sandwiches. One standout is the Santa Barbara Style double char burger topped with cheese and avocado – loved it.

Their Tri-Tip Steak is trimmed and marinated in house. The sandwich is served with those terrific caramelized onions; it was delicious.

Not a burger fan? Try the Albacore Tuna Filet – line-caught, sushi-grade tuna steak with teriyaki glaze. Or one of the made-to-order salads, choose grilled chicken, BBQ chicken, Cobb, or Caesar. All the chicken breasts at The Habit are hand-filleted and marinated in house.

My onion ring-crazed dining companion raved about The Habit’s version: very crispy, fresh, and not at all greasy. I had to agree, these were very good. We also sampled the tempura green beans, a nice alternative to fries.

I liked the condiment bar set up for guests to help themselves to a little more spice, or lemons, limes, etc.

They brew three types of full leaf teas for iced tea, plus the usual soft drinks.

The Habit restaurants are all corporate-owned, not franchised (with the addition of the Fair Lawn location, the total number of locations nationwide hits 97). They put a lot of emphasis on staff training, from the front counter to the cooks to the bussers. It showed. In the greetings, in the constant sweeping of the tables/floors, in the well-prepared food. Of course, this was a media preview so everyone was “on,” but I got the feeling this type of hospitality training is in the company’s DNA.

So what about that “reasonable” habit I mentioned at the top? Well, how about $3.25 for a burger? Or $5.95 for the avocado-topped Santa Barbara burger? The tuna filet sandwich comes in at $6.95. And we are talking nice portions – no skimpy plates at The Habit. Those crave-worthy onions rings? Only $2.25.

Got a sweet tooth? Try one of their homemade shakes or malts—the strawberry was delish! They also offer adorable mini soft-serve ice cream cones (at $1 each!) and ice cream sundaes.

Let’s review: quality ingredients + good service + value = a good deal! If The Habit lives up to what I saw last week, the word “habit” may have a new, positive connotation in my book.

The Santa Barbara burger, topped with avocado

Prices are subject to change without notice.

The Habit Burger Grill
Promenade Center
3101 Promenade Blvd.
Rt 208 North
Fair Lawn
201-475-3800

Terry Krongold is a life-long, passionate baker. In addition to a full-time job in the pharmaceutical industry, Terry has been involved with food for many years, including co-ownership of a dessert catering company in the late eighties called I Love Cheesecake, specializing in fine cheesecake and unique desserts. Terry is the author of The Cook’s Tour, a blog focused on food, baking, and travel. When not working, writing, or baking, she spends time planning vacations around restaurants to visit. She can be reached at [email protected].

Opening: DeNovo in Montclair

Veronique @ Food & Wine Chickie

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August 25, 2014

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Demetri Malki’s DeNovo opened yesterday in what was once the train station waiting area at the Upper Montclair stop. I joined fellow food writers as well as friends and family of Malki on Friday evening for a pre-opening event where some of the restaurant’s small plates, tapas, were available for sampling.

The new restaurant follows other ventures, Demetri’s and Table 8, which were favorites of Essex County residents. Unlike his former endeavors, with DeNovo, Malki focuses on casual food served in a comfortable space. Such an informal setting should appeal to commuters fresh off the train and looking for a cocktail or locals after familiar foods that won’t break the bank.

For those acquainted with 12 West, the restaurant that formerly held this space, the space has been transformed into a warm, friendly, rustic environment. And the deafening noise at 12 West has been muted with a ceiling full of soundproofing panels. Communal tables constructed of reclaimed barn wood further serve to create an inviting, neighborly atmosphere. I especially enjoyed the wine corks lined ceiling element.

The glimpse into the menu featured flatbread with tomato, mozzarella and basil ($7), veggie burger with chipotle aioli ($8, pictured top left), mini grilled cheese with a side of tomato soup, hummus with grilled pita ($8), Burrata with eggplant caponata ($10) and Malki’s signature from his previous restaurants, Pipa Dates stuffed with gorgonzola and wrapped in bacon ($7, pictured top center). There was also a banana pudding and a s’mores dessert (pictured top right).

The bar offers craft beers, wine by the glass and signature cocktails. On the evening we visited, the signature cocktail, the Bulldog, was a concoction of gin, cilantro and jalapeño – simply delish.

I’m looking forward to visiting DeNovo in the next couple months to see the space in action. Best wishes to Demetri Malki and team on the new place!

DeNovo
275 Bellevue Ave.
Upper Montclair
973-893-5008

Prices subject to change.

Cheers,

Veronique Deblois is a food and wine blogger based in Morris County, NJ. As the author of the popular blog, Food & Wine Chickie Insider, Veronique shares recipes, wine and restaurant reviews. Follow Veronique on Twitter or like her Facebook page.

Chef Spotlight: Craig Polignano of The Ryland Inn

Veronique @ Food & Wine Chickie

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August 22, 2014

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Chef Spotlight: Craig Polignano of The Ryland Inn

Craig Polignano, executive chef at The Ryland Inn in Whitehouse Station, gave Veronique Deblois an inside look at his career and perspectives on being a chef.

JERSEY BITES: What is your earliest food memory?
Chef Polignano: My earliest food memory was at my grandmother’s house in Maplewood. I remember watching her make cavatelli on her kitchen table, with the old red and white checkerboard print, so common in so many Italian restaurants. I specifically remember that day, because my grandfather and I picked tomatoes and basil from their garden.

When did you realize you wanted to make cooking a career? Was there an “a-ha” moment?
I realized I wanted to cook for a career after spending a year at the University of Connecticut. While going to school, I was working at a local pizzeria, and I enjoyed the environment. After leaving Connecticut, I came back to New Jersey and started working in restaurants to save money to go the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY.

Any interesting stories about where and with whom you started cooking professionally?
I started cooking professionally at the Ryland Inn in 2002. My first few weeks were very difficult, as I had never cooked in a fine dining restaurant. One of the nights I will never forget was a busy evening a few months into my time here at the Ryland. The Garde Manger station had run out of an herb called salad burnet. I was asked to put the headband flashlight on my head and run to the garden to retrieve more. The night before, there had been a snowstorm, so the ground was covered. I ran to the garden in my kitchen clogs—losing one along the way—and dug through the snow to get the herb.

What is your cooking style?
My cooking style is seasonally and locally based. I love going to the local farms and farm stands before work and picking out the produce that will be used for that night. As far as regional cooking, I like to explore many types of the worldly cuisine, ranging from Japanese flavors to French flavors to American.

What is the greatest opportunity that has come from cooking?
The greatest opportunity through cooking was while I was working with Craig Shelton at the Ryland Inn. Craig had been invited to cook for two nights in Anguilla (British West Indies) at a resort named Cap Juluca. Craig brought me along to assist and execute the dinner. It was an amazing cooking experience and an amazing location.

What is the most memorable meal you’ve had? What did you eat and where was it?
The most memorable meal I have ever had was at the Ryland Inn. After my externship, I sat in the dining room for a 15-course meal. Because I was so young and unfamiliar with fine dining, this was my first experience eating at such an establishment. The most memorable course was a venison dish paired with a 1991 Côte-Rôtie. The pairing will stay with me forever. I have had many great meals since, however, the first great meal I had will always be a special memory.

Imagine it’s your last day on earth. What would your final meal be?
My final meal would be my mother’s bread. Her bread isn’t a loaf bread, but more like a rolled stromboli. She uses whole-wheat flour, which adds a complexity to her dough. The breads are usually stuffed with vegetables and mozzarella cheese.

What is the best advice you have to share with young people interested in becoming chefs?
The best advice I have is to commit to the industry and cooking. To be successful in the culinary world, one must have dedication and passion for cooking.

If you could choose to be any food item, what would it be?
Tough question! If I had to choose, I would be a tomato. Tomatoes are very versatile, however, in my opinion are best when picked off the vine and eaten at room temperature.

What is the one food you always have in your cupboard at home?
The food that I always have in my cupboard is dried pasta. I don’t cook much at home—like the cobbler’s children having no shoes. It is difficult to come home after a long day and have the energy to cook, so the ease of pasta makes it a staple.

What is your beverage of choice?
My beverage of choice depends on the situation. I do enjoy a nice cold Stella Artois on a hot day, or a nice glass of white French Burgundy with fish and a big California cabernet with steak.

What is your favorite comfort food?
Pizza is my comfort food. Growing up, Fridays were always pizza night in my household.

What New Jersey restaurant do you enjoy dining at, besides your own?
It is hard for me to pick out a single restaurant that I enjoy in New Jersey. There are so many different styles and cuisines. I would say one of the best meals I have had in New Jersey was at Elements in Princeton. Scott Anderson and Michael Ryan, both of whom I have worked with in the past, do an amazing job producing unique and delicious food.

If you could have dinner with any three people, living, deceased or fictional, who would they be and why?
The three people I would have dinner with would all be restaurant related.
Anthony Bourdain: I appreciate his honesty when it comes to food. He is opinionated, intelligent and a great writer.
Chef Eric Ripert: I have always looked up to Chef Ripert in my culinary career. I love working with seafood and I feel his restaurant Le Bernardin is one of the best in the world.
Marie-Antoine Carême: He was one of the first chefs to recognize “fine dining” in France. One of his quotes that really influenced me states, “Finally, the last straw; for about half an hour, all windows are closed so that the air does not cool the dishes that are being served. This is the way we spend the best years of our lives.” This quote is very relatable to me and my career.

So what’s the latest at the Ryland Inn?
Here at the Ryland Inn, we have recently launched our Duck Bar Menu and our Backyard Bites. These menus are written on chalkboards that hang at both of our bars. The food is fun and friendly and it best enjoyed with a tasty beverage from one of our bartenders. The Ryland is becoming more diverse in its style and guests can either enjoy a seasonal tasting menu or a quick bite at the bar.

The Ryland Inn
115 Old Highway 28
Whitehouse Station
908-534-4011

Cheers,

Veronique Deblois, Food & Wine Chickie: Veronique is a food and wine writer based in Morris County. As the author of the popular blog, Food & Wine Chickie Insider, Veronique shares recipes, wine and restaurant reviews and insight into the travel industry of which she’s a 15-year veteran. Follow Veronique on Twitter or like her Facebook page.

Recipe: Cobb Salad with Spicy Deviled Eggs

Lou Petrella

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August 20, 2014

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This is not a traditional Cobb salad, but I like the substitution of the deviled eggs with a bit of heat. If that doesn’t suit your palate, chop the eggs and add them unseasoned to the salad. This makes a lovely dinner for two.

Cobb Salad with Spicy Deviled Eggs

Eggs:

4 hard-boiled eggs, cooled
1 tablespoon mayo
¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon dried mustard
Salt and black pepper, to taste

Salad:

4 slices bacon
6 cups salad greens*
¼ teaspoon each salt and freshly ground pepper
½ teaspoon each dried basil, oregano and dill
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
2 cups cooked chicken cubes**
12 grape tomatoes sliced in half
1 Haas avocado peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
2 thin slices red onion
4 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese

Directions:

1. Boil eggs. Peel and slice in half lengthwise when cool.
2. Mix yolks with 1 heaping tablespoon mayo, ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper, ½ teaspoon red pepper, pinch of salt and freshly ground red pepper.
3. Fill eggs with mixture, cover tightly and refrigerate.
4. Cook bacon until crisp and drain on paper towels. I use the microwave. Place paper towels above and below bacon. 5. Check for doneness after four minutes.
6. Gently toss salad greens with lemon juice first and then oil. Do the same with the spices.
7. Add all other ingredients except blue cheese. Toss again.
8. Add blue cheese crumbles. Resist the urge to add extra at this time. A little blue cheese goes a long way.
9. Toss, and let sit about 10 minutes.
10. Adjust for taste.
11. Arrange eggs on top.
12. Serve!

*A mix of greens is especially good. Here I used baby spinach with the stems removed and green leaf lettuce.
**Any kind of cooked chicken will taste right, but grilled white meat, especially if it is juicy, is my preference. I cooked this chicken quickly on a cast iron fry pan with extra virgin olive oil, salt and paprika. It took about four minutes on each side. Cook the meat only until it turns white inside. Or, even better, remove the meat from the heat when a very thin line of pink remains. The chicken will finish cooking as it rests. This is a chef’s trick I learned from my son, a food industry professional.

Kathy Mathieu is the creator and moderator of the inclusive blog Food Sharing Network. She started the site when she realized that most conversations turned to food. Kathy also is the owner of The Red Wagon Group, a PR and communications firm based in Rutherford. She loves to cook, write and eat, and is thrilled to be part of Jersey Bites.

Coming Soon: Jazz It Up Wine Festival

JerseyBites

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August 19, 2014

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Freshly Caught Fish Anytime, Anywhere

HeidiR

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August 18, 2014

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Megan Grippa of ShopFreshSeafood.com, Jersey Bites — ShopFreshSeafood.com owner Megan Grippa

Seafood-loving foodies have a new reason to celebrate, thanks to ShopFreshSeafood.com. Owner Megan Grippa, a former Macy’s shoe buyer, has taken the hassle out of buying fresh fish by offering customers fresh catch sourced directly from the New Fulton Fish Market in the Bronx. After ordering through the website or by phone, orders are shipped to consumers within the continental U.S. within one business day.

Grippa’s family’s four generations in the seafood business convinced her that the market for fresh fish was strong enough to build an online delivery business. “With more than fifty years of experience in the seafood business under my family’s belt, my goal in creating ShopFreshSeafood.com was to give consumers access to the freshest fish with a few clicks,” says Grippa. “Our customizable packages make ShopFreshSeafood.com the ideal source for any occasion or need, from Feast of the Seven Fishes to a dozen Maine lobsters.”

Grippa believes that the website is ideal for consumers interested in convenience shopping, unparalleled freshness in seafood, and unusual gift giving. The site currently offers a fish-of-the-month club and expects to see traction in the bridal registry, thank you, and Father’s Day gifting sectors. During the holiday season, ShopFreshSeafood.com also sells holiday gift packages.

ShopFreshSeafood.com’s wide range of seafood products is growing, with striped bass, lobster, tilapia, scallops, and the Grippa family specialty—king salmon—as part of its current offerings. A 3.5 pound king salmon fillet costs $72 while a 3 pound bag of dry Barnegat scallops is $63. Four hand-cut tilapia fillets cost $58 or consumers can opt for two whole tilapia fish for $38. The family works out of the New Fulton Fish Market in the Bronx and ensures that all seafood is of top-notch quality through thorough inspection of the fish’s look, taste and smell.

“Fresh seafood should not have that ‘fishy’ smell,” advises Grippa. “If there’s any odor, that’s a signal that it’s past its prime. The odor is caused by bacteria that gets in and destroys the protein. Fresh fish does not have an offensive aroma.”

All of ShopFreshSeafood.com’s offerings are just what the name indicates – fresh. That freshness is maintained through the delivery process, thanks to overnight shipping with Styrofoam packaging and reusable cold packs to securely protect the day’s catch for orders. All orders over $100 receive free shipping.

ShopFreshSeafood.com is the only online fish market affiliated with the venerated New Fulton Fish Market. Customers can place orders by visiting www.shopfreshseafood.com or calling 718-842-8850. First-time online orders receive 10% off.

ShopFreshSeafood.com contracts with fishermen using sustainable methods to harvest the most delicious, nutritious, seasonal offerings from U.S. and Canadian waters. It offers varieties of salmon, scallops, crab, shrimp and branzini along with lobster and oysters. The company offers custom orders for special sizes, cuts, or species. For more information, seasonal charts, how-to preparation guides and recipes, visit www.ShopFreshSeafood.com.

ShopFreshSeaFood.com
Bronx, New York City
718-842-8850

Heidi Raker Goldstein is our Bergen county regional editor. A locavore, cooking enthusiast, publicist and mother of three junior gourmands. Heidi is equally comfy in greasy spoons and high-end restaurants. When not visiting local farmers markets and farm stands in Bergen and Rockland counties, this New England native, former Manhattanite and Bergen county resident is busy running her PR and green marketing agency, Raker Goldstein & Co., buying food, planning menus, cooking food, writing about food or simply eating. Heidi also writes at Redhead With A Fork, a life|style blog. To reach Heidi, email her at [email protected].

Recipe: Mexican Jersey Corn Casserole

Deborah Smith, Executive Editor

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August 15, 2014

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Ooh, doggies. Jersey corn is in season and it is amazing. While I am a total lover of traditional corn on the cob (with smoked salt) there are other occasions when I just want to see what those glorious little kernels can do on their own, sans Mr. Cob. I actually made a delicious corn, basil, cream cheese and cheddar omelet the other morning. Contrary to the “oooh, that’s disgusting” from the unadventurous men in my house (who did not taste it by the way) it was awesome. But I digress. Today we are talking corn casserole. Now, if you google that, you are going to get a million recipes for bready, pudding-ish recipes that scream Thanksgiving, not summer. I wanted something that could be at home at any backyard barbecue and has a little zip-a-dee-doo-dah.

The end result was a crowd pleaser. By adding a few Latin American spices, crunchy red pepper and onion and some zing with Sriracha sauce and my favorite canned product, Ro-Tel, this casserole is gonna make you wonder, “Who’s the best dang food blogger ever?” Oh, and if it doesn’t, I really don’t want to know about it.

Mexican Jersey Corn Casserole

Ingredients:

1 red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1 Vidalia onion, corse chopped
1/2 can Ro-Tel
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 teaspoons Siracha sauce
pinch of salt
4 ears of Jersey Fresh corn, cooked and stripped. (Cooking Corn Tip)
1/2 can of chopped green chiles
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 cups grated cheddar, Manchego or Mexican blend cheese

Directions:

Sauté chopped peppers and onions until lightly browned and tender.

sauce for peppers onions — While peppers and onions are cooking, mix together your mayo, sour cream, spices and Sriracha sauce. You will also be able to de-husk the corn and mix with green chiles and cilantro.

pepper in sauce — Add Ro-Tel and sauce to pepper-and-onion mixture.

Before it goes in the oven — Spoon pepper mixture into the bottom of a 8 1/2 x 13 inch casserole dish. Sprinkle half of the cheese over it and then spoon your corn mixture over and top with the remaining cheese. I try to go light with the cheese on the top. Don’t feel that you need to use a whole cup. I like to see and taste the corn more than the cheese.

Cover with foil and bake at 350°F until bubbling. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving. We served this next to grilled turkey tenderloin, burgers, and salmon, but the potential combinations are endless.

Deborah Smith Launched in 2007, jerseybites.com began as a home for Deborah’s growing collection of recipes, but soon grew into a hub for food news in the Garden State. In addition to her duties on JerseyBites, Deborah is the owner of Foxtrot Media, a full service digital marketing company that specializes in content development, social media marketing and search engine optimization. She is also a highly sought after speaker on the topic of restaurant marketing, social media and blogging. You can learn more about her services and marketing through social media on her blog www.DeborahLSmith.com.

CSA Goodness from Dreyer Farms

MStavrou

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August 13, 2014

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Somehow we’re lucky enough to live in a town that has an actual working farm. Dreyer Farms in Cranford has been around since 1904 and recently underwent a huge renovation that made it just that much bigger and better. My husband and I joined the CSA last year and I quickly realized that I really needed to expand my cooking skills when it came to local produce. Our weekly box has had a variety of delicious produce from the Garden State, including tomatoes, corn, peaches, lettuce, blueberries, swiss chard, eggplant, and fresh herbs. Most weeks the box even includes extra goodies like coffee, spices, pasta, or pizza dough from local businesses.

Thanks to the different produce available throughout the summer, every week feels like Christmas when I get my CSA box. Even though we get the smallest box offered, it’s a lot of food for the three of us to eat (well really only two of us since my daughter has decided vegetables are definitely not her thing). As soon as I know what we’ll be getting that week I flip through my cookbooks or do a Google search and hope inspiration strikes. I came across this recipe when I had some zucchini and mint in my box, as well as some fresh pasta in the fridge. It came out even better than I was anticipating with the lemon juice providing a nice splash of citrus and the feta finishing it off with a bit of tang. This is going into my regular summer recipe rotation!

Pasta with Zucchini and Mint (adapted from Southern Living)

Ingredients
8 oz. pasta of your choice, cooked
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 shallot, diced
1 medium zucchini, sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh mint
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Crumbled feta cheese

Directions

1. Melt butter with olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Add shallots, and sauté 2 minutes.
3. Add zucchini and sauté 5 minutes or until zucchini is tender.
4. Stir in minced garlic, and cook 1 minute.
5. Remove from heat.
6. Stir in lemon juice, lemon zest, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
7. Toss in cooked pasta, fresh mint, and Parmesan cheese.
8. Sprinkle with feta cheese just before serving.

Serves 2.

Michelle Stavrou, the Union County regional editor, grew up in Bergen County, then moved to Hoboken (after a stop over in Queens) before finally settling in Cranford where she lives with her husband and daughter. Michelle was amazed to discover all of the delicious food in the Cranford area, which she documents on her blog, What’s Cooking In (& Around) Cranford.

Opening Soon: Paragon Tap & Table in Clark

Veronique @ Food & Wine Chickie

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August 12, 2014

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Opening Soon: Paragon Tap & Table in Clark

Even if you know Chef Eric LeVine from Morris Tap & Grill, now you’ll know him even better. Next month, Paragon Tap & Table will open in Clark, featuring Chef LeVine’s award-winning food paired with 20 artisan craft beers on tap. The gastropub experience will be enhanced by friendly and knowledgeable staff, five large-screen televisions in the bar area and a private dining room. The eatery’s goal is to take customers on a journey of that is a regional, seasonal and outside-the-box creative dining experience. I had an opportunity to catch up with the ever-busy Chef LeVine to ask him a few questions about the new restaurant.

JERSEY BITES: What style food can we expect at Paragon Tap & Table?

CHEF LEVINE: We are continuing our focus on craft food, craft beer, craft cocktails, all with a twist, as with Morris Tap & Grill (MTG). We’ll offer seasonal changes plus some of the signature items from MTG, such as our flatbreads, our award-winning craft burgers and selection of wings, vegan selections, hand-crafted pastas, house-cured and smoked meats and fish, gluten-free items. We’ll also have homemade desserts like seasonal sorbet and gelato.

There has to be a twist. What is it?
The twist will come in that we’ll also offer people an elevated dining experience in the P2 dining room. It’s a small dining room that will feature changing prix fixe menus: five-course or seven-course and can be paired with craft beer, craft cocktails or wine. We’ll also have a patio during the warmer weather.

We see many restaurants in New Jersey focusing on locally-sourced, seasonal food. Will Paragon?
Yes, we are lining up quite a few vendors and working with a local poultry farm, Goffle Road Poultry Farm. I am excited to work with Joe and his team. We are also going to work with Zone 7 to source local produce.

The beer list at Morris Tap & Grill is one of the best in the state. Can we expect another stellar lineup of craft beer at Paragon Tap & Table?
Yes. Mike DeSimone, our General Manager, has been the driving force behind the success of the list. Mike is also going to do some things different since this is another restaurant, another opportunity to raise the bar in the craft experience world. Mike has some pretty cool things up his sleeve with a new 20-tap craft beer tower that’s being installed. With that, he can showcase many local, New Jersey beers plus a beer list to rival MTG’s. We did get a Best Beer listing in New Jersey at MTG so I am confident that with his knowledge and thirst—pardon the pun—for success, he’ll be delivering a great product to our customers. It’s going to be epic.

Who are you targeting with this new venture?
We are targeting many different demos for this. We are bringing the craft world to Clark and the surrounding areas in a casual, comfortable environment where the business person having a lunch meeting feels just as at home as the family or blue-collar worker who just wants an amazing craft burger and craft beer.

Anything else you’d like our readers to know about Paragon Tap & Table?
We will be open every day, lunch and dinner, offering lunch specials, and brunch selections on Saturday and Sundays in addition to a craft-beer-inspired specials menu. We’ll offer catering on premise as well as office catering in addition to take out. We’ll also have cooking classes, beer dinners and wine dinners as well.

Paragon Tap & Table (Opening Soon!)
77 Central Avenue
Clark
973-891-1776

Veronique Deblois, Food & Wine Chickie: Veronique is a food and wine writer based in Morris County. As the author of the popular blog, Food & Wine Chickie Insider, Veronique shares recipes, wine and restaurant reviews and insight into the travel industry of which she’s a 15-year veteran. Follow Veronique on Twitter or like her Facebook page.

Bracco Farms CSA: The Goods on the Greens

Veronique @ Food & Wine Chickie

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August 11, 2014

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Bracco Farms CSA: The Goods on the Greens

Anthony Bracco, owner of Bracco Farms in Pine Island, NY, grows produce that’s organic—never grown from GMO seeds and never gets treated with commercial herbicide or pesticide. Bracco Farms offers farm-fresh fruits and vegetables through a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program that runs until November 4, 2014, with bi-weekly pickups in Cedar Grove, at the farm in Pine Island, and at the newly-opened Denville Meat Shop.

A great explanation of how CSA shares work is on the farm’s website. And while the season began in early June, it’s not too late to sign up now and receive pro-rated pricing through November 4.

Bracco said, “We have many new varieties of produce this year among them are leeks, three varieties of onions, red choi, radicchio, celery, broccoli and broccoli rabe, red cabbage, purple snow peas, a new variety of sweet corn, yellow and purple string beans, four new varieties of radishes, more varieties of heirloom tomatoes including ‘Radiator Charlie’s Mortgage Lifter.’”

“I’m also excited to have five varieties of beets, edible flowers and watermelons – as always started from non-GMO organic seeds,” he noted. “We’re also expanding our herb selection to include chervil, dill and fennel in addition to our basil, cilantro and parsley.”

A typical early-season offering includes peas, kale, arugula, spinach, lettuce, escarole, turnips, parsnips cilantro, basil, dill, parsley, and more. And a typical late-season offering includes tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, squash, corn, onions, carrots, beans, beets, and more.

For more information or to keep up with Bracco Farms all the time, visit the Bracco Farms CSA Page on Facebook.

Looking for something to do with all those radishes? How about pickling them? Check out Chef Jeffrey Orel of Denville Meat Shop’s recipe here. (And there’s another CSA breakdown here, if you want even more details on how it works!)

Cheers,

Veronique Deblois, Food & Wine Chickie: Veronique is a food and wine writer based in Morris County. As the author of the popular blog, Food & Wine Chickie Insider, Veronique shares recipes, wine and restaurant reviews and insight into the travel industry of which she’s a 15-year veteran. Follow Veronique on Twitter or like her Facebook page.

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