A divine encounter with Lotus Root Chips

The lotus root is  the stem of the lotus flower. Growing under the water, the stem is peculiar in that it's shaped like bulbs that are attached one on top of the other, forming a long stem (sometimes 3 or 4 feet long). Imagine fat sausage links or perfectly smooth sweet potatoes connected end-to-end. The lotus flower sits above water like a lillypad with a flower on it, looking like it floats with no support- while the thick stem that is the lotus root, is actually attached below, extending from the bottom of the pond up to the top. You may have seen lotus flowers before.... they're commonly used in depictions of Buddhist and Hindu cultures as a symbol of purity, peace, & divinity, and they're pretty trendy across the board (think all things home decor related, often used in the famous artworks of Shepard Fairey, a popular choice for that classic lower back tattoo, and the list goes on and on). From the outside, the bulbous lotus root looks pretty unsuspecting, but when you slice that puppy open, you'll find pure epicurean beauty. I seriously love being in the kitchen with one of these.

Making lotus root chips have become my favourite garnish and addition to really any meal. You can find them at most asian grocers - I always pick up a few when I'm in, or passing through Chinatown. When lightly fried, these starchy roots turn into orange flower-like crispy chips that are dry, crunchy but not crumbly, and not greasy at all.Tuna tartare is the reason I first made them, & is still my number one complimentary dish, since eating thin and crispy chips with tartare is so necessary. Recently, I've been experimenting this root for almost everything (stir fry, salad, soup, you name it). It's very healthy - high in fiber, vitamin c, potassium - and low in saturated fat. Awesome. Here's how to prepare them.

Lotus Root Chips:

1. Separate the Lotus root bulbs. Peel each bulb, and set aside. Using a mandoline (Benriner being my mandoline of choice), slice the lotus root into thin rounds. Sprinkle with kosher salt.


2. Heat 1/4 inch peanut oil in high-sided skillet- and place 8 or so rounds in at a time. Be careful not to overcrowd the skillet. The oil will bubble slightly at first, and the rounds will begin to darken quickly. When they begin to change colour, flip at immediately. When the chips have turned a light-medium orange, remove from skillet and place on a plate with paper towel (they will continue to darken slightly as they cool)- move quickly, they burn fast!


3. Enjoy! These chips are so beautiful and amazing- you will be hooked after one try at making them.

Click here for my tuna tartare recipe & if you decide to try out the chip recipe, let me know how it works out! 

February foods.

Who's excited about February!? Dark, cold and dreary with no signs of springtime in sight, awesome. But really, at least we've got the Superbowl and Valentines Day. Two good reasons to eat well.

I love the Superbowl. It is always a fun time to get together with friends, test out great finger foods, and the audience of boys I provide for are always game. BLT's with avocado aioli, nachos grande, lamb chop lollipops, puled pork sliders and risotto spoons are just a small bite of the Superbowl repertoire that grows over the years.

My MVR (Most Valuable Recipe) award this year goes to the very simple & delicious parmesan crusted chicken fingers with marinara sauce. I make them quite often for casual parties and get togethers, and everyone always loves them. Here's the recipe, as promised!



Lately I've been experimenting with mind altering kettle corn. You can pop homestyle popcorn in a pot on your stovetop as fast as you can make it in the microwave - and it's actually pretty exciting when the kernels start bouncing around the pot. I have finally perfected the amount of sugar per cup of kernels to create a sweet but fluffy popcorn, that I then drizzle melted valrhona chocolate over, with touch of fine salt. It's an instant hit. I made it for the Superbowl and then again as Valentines Day drop offs for some clients & friends. Check out the recipe and instructions here.

While I'm not much of a Valentine's Day gal, this year I did have a low key but very memorable day. Usually, we do Chrysantheme chinese take out, some good wine, and chocolate fondu for dessert - but since they closed their doors a year and half or so ago, casual at home Vday plans have never been as easy. The general idea is that I don't cook, we avoid being out with the masses (living room couch is way more romantic), but still eat something delicious. We decided to cook together this year, since no takeout we could think of could top a good home cooked meal. On the way to the market, we worked out the menu: A pasta duo of Cappeletti pasta with olive oil, "burnt" broccoli, garlic, a few sauteed cherry tomatoes, spicy sausage & bread crumbs, and fettucini with sauteed mini portobello mushroom and a light cream and parmesan sauce. Dessert was going to be an apple filo tart (a recipe that I was trying for the first time).

We popped a bottle of Tuscan wine, put on some tunes, and we were off. Eric did most of the actual cooking for the sausage and broccoli pasta, and I stayed close with my wine in hand, giving pointers and explanations, and prepping his next ingredient. The fettucini sauce only needed to be thrown together at the last second, so I prepped Eric for what he was going to have to do to complete the pasta. I took care of the cream sauce, I needed it to be barely creamy and have the perfect consistency, so I kept that job for me. He opened and cooked the sausage perfectly, then handled the broccoli frying with ease, and impressed me with sauteeing the cherry tomatoes and putting it all together to finish the job. wow ,wow, wow. He only briefly smoked up the kitchen, and melted less than three spatulas.

Dessert was fun to make. The apple filling cooks on the stovetop for a quick ten minutes, and set aside to cool. Then begins a delicate assembly of filo sheets brushed and lightly coated with sugar, gently lowered into a spring form to eventually form a pie-like shape complete with a crust and top. A very simple but delicate job, that requires complete yogi frame of mind to take on.

The meal was completely outstanding. Perfect in every way, neither of those pastas have ever been better in our house - a real labour of love. Sounds so cheesy, but it was.

Some outtakes of the most delicious pasta throwdown in the history of our kitchen (that's a serious statement coming from a pasta freak like me). Poor Eric didn't always know when my camera was on video mode.

Boombastic banana bread

I often find myself baking at 10pm. Dinner goes as planned; some protein, veggies, and I'm feeling healthy and pretty satisfied. But around 9pm, my sweet tooth sends me into the kitchen searching for a little something.. I find nothing. I give up, only to return 45 minutes later, but there are still no goodies in the pantry.

At that point my imagination kicks in as I take stock of the inventory. Chocolate chips, apples, raspberries, a tiny amount of ice cream, granola and nuts are assembled into a giant chocolate chip cookie; chocolate dipped raspberries; an apple crisp and ice cream; chocolate and almond bark... are all among the creations that are great to devour at 10:45 with limited ingredients. When I'm really desperate and out of groceries, I melt chocolate and pour it over popcorn.

Two nights ago it was bananas. 4 very black, over-ripe bananas. I always get excited at the first signs of an aging banana. The freckles and bruises that mean I'm just days away from being forced to bake something delicious. So I had to make banana bread before a fruit-fly family flew home from wintering in florida and moved in on my bunch.

I looked around in some cookbooks and online, and this was the final product, a combination of a few recipes, and quantities that sounded right. It was the most amazing banana bread of all time. I'm sharing it, because what's worse than a great recipe hoarder. Not much. A great idea to make in smaller loaf pans and give as gifts for the holiday season, and in my opinion a great hostess gift (who wouldn't want a moist and delicious banana bread?). I made 6 large loaves and gave them to friends & family.

Please note that I put “1/2 teaspoon of vanilla” in the recipe, but I only used 1/4 teaspoon because I was using pure bourbon vanilla from Madagascar, and it's some very concentrated stuff. I really recommend the stuff for baking, but you need to be careful to adjust the amounts accordingly. Good luck!

Banana Bread Recipe