Grilling a Few Chops

Hello guys!

From my last post I think you guys can see how much I'm into grilling this summer! When summer finally hits New York, there's no reason not to soak up every moment in the sun, so I like to create recipes that can capture summer ingredients and cooking outdoors.

Here's another great grilling recipe that I shared with Veria TV on "The Juice" just a few days ago that will impress your man, friends, family and even just for a solo indulgent meal: Lamb Chops with a Balsamic Grenadine Reduction. Also, don't worry if you grill indoors! This recipe is also great grilled on a cast iron stove-top grill or in your handy cast iron skillet.

Ingredients:

8 lamb chops 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves, chopped Sea Salt Freshly Ground Pepper 2 ½ Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 cup balsamic vinegar ½ cup grenadine

Directions:

Season both sides of the lamb chops with salt and pepper. Combine garlic, rosemary and olive oil into a paste. Rub the paste on both sides of the lamb chops and let them marinate for at least 45 minutes in the refrigerator. Remove from the refrigerator and let the lamb chops come to room temperature.

Heat the grill on high heat. Add the lamb chops and let sear for 2 minutes. Turn the chops over cook for another 3 ½ – 4 minutes.

On high heat over the stovetop reduce the balsamic and grenadine mixture for 8-10 minutes, until consistency thickens.

Once lamb is cooked, plate and drizzle with the balsamic reduction before serving.

Hope you enjoy this one and look out for my other Veria recipes!

-Chef K

The Catering Salon

Well guys, I have to admit, I LOVE PARTIES! What do I love about them? Planning the party, creating tablescapes and designing menus to fit any occasion. So it only made sense for me to branch into my NEW catering company, the Catering Salon! We now cater for weddings, birthdays, corporate events and pretty much any party you can think of. Whether the event is taking place in one of our restaurants or at another venue, we can cater and design an event just for you! Cool, right?!

I wanted to create an event production company that would work around anyone's budget and vision. So, whether it's a black-tie bar service or a casual aesthetic, we would take care of your needs from A-Z. 

Every booked event will receive a complimentary tasting as well, which I think is so great! Sometimes I find that when planning parties you don't really know what you're getting until you're actually enjoying your party! With Catering Salon, you get to be a part of the party process all along the way. 

We have two menus to choose from, a Three Course and a 4 Course. Both menus include butler passed hors d'oeuvres and include cake cutting or champagne wedding toasts if it's a special event. I'm really proud of the team we have created for the Catering Salon and can't wait to spend your important celebrations together! 

To learn more or to begin planning your event, shoot us an email! I'd love to hear your feedback and answer any questions you may have!

Pasta: Sauces and Shapes

With all the different shapes and sizes of pasta, I am often asked how to choose what pasta to pair with a sauce. So, here's a little cheat sheet to help when cooking up your favorite pasta dishes!

Shaped pastas like orecchiette, farfalle, and fusilli are perfect for most sauces. However textured sauces in particular are best with shaped pastas, for example vegetables or meaty sauces. This is because the shapes are able to stick and hold onto chunkier ingredients. We use orecchiette for our lamb ragu sauce, so that each bite is filled with a little bit of that succulent lamb. YUM!

Tube pastas are best served with thick sauces. This could be anything from a simple marinara, to a bolognese meat sauce. The tubes and ridges hold onto the sauce and get enveloped in all the yummy flavors! A rigatoni would be best with a meat sauce, while a penne is ideal for a creamy pink tomato sauce.

When it comes to the flat and long pasta family, they need lots of olive oil love! You'll notice a lot of the thinner versions such as angel hair, spagetti or linguine will be served in lighter tomato or wine sauces. This is because they need the lubrication from the liquid and oil to stay silky smooth. For thicker versions such as fettuccine, or tagliatelle, these can hold up to cream sauces or ragus. 

Hope this quick cheat sheet helps! 

-Chef K

July 4th!

               It wouldn’t be Fourth of July in the city without the Macy’s firework display! Now on its 37^th year, this is the spot to be in New York for Independence Day. Not only is there going to be a spectacular display of fireworks overlooking the Hudson River but Usher will curate this show for the first time ever. The optimal viewing spots are going to be on 12th Avenue between 23rd and 42nd streets but anywhere with a view of the Hudson River will be just fine for all those who are trying to avoid the massive crowd this year! They are advising everyone to start arriving around 5pm in order to secure a spot so pack up your goodies and bring your loved ones for a front row view of history in the making! This once a year extravaganza begins at 8pm on the 7/2/13 and will be featuring performances by Taylor Swift, Tim McGraw, Mariah Carey and Selena Gomez. Mark your calendars New York, Fourth of July is only a couple days away!