Creole Tomato Jam

Goat Cheese and Tomato Jam Crostini was once the height of trendiness in New Orleans' restaurants. Having made a platter as an appetizer recently, I can understand why.

I first heard about this Creole Tomato Jam at a cooking class in La Cucina in Reading Terminal Market.  

Hosted by Anna Florio who had organized a "Girls' Night Out", I crashed the class in order to feature it here. 

The chef that night was Bill Beck of Beck's Cajun Cafe and this jam was on his demonstration menu.

This recipe comes courtesy of the official New Orleans website, www.NOLA.com, which is well worth a visit.  This site offers a wealth of ideas and insights into the history, traditions, culture and food of this wonderful city.  

Creole Tomato Jam (Makes 1 cup)


Ingredients:
1 pound Creole tomatoes (about 3 medium)** see cook's note
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
4 whole cloves
1-inch stick cinnamon
1 bay leaf
1 sprig fresh thyme
3 tablespoons sherry (or red wine) vinegar
Juice of 1 lime

Instructions:
(The online recipe suggested that this step 1 is optional.  We'd suggest that it's worth taking the time to do this as you'll get a smoother jam without the skins.)

1. Cut an X on the bottom of the tomatoes and plunge them into a pot of boiling water for 3 minutes. Let stand until cool enough to handle, and peel.
2. Roughly chop and put the tomatoes, with their juices, into a saucepan with remaining ingredients
3. Over medium-low heat, stir gently and occasionally until almost all moisture evaporates and mixture thickens into a jam-like consistency, 45 minutes to an hour
4. Remove bay leaf, thyme sprig and cinnamon stick. Ladle into a clean jar or container
5. Refrigerate for up to 1 month.

**Creole tomatoes can be any large, round, meaty tomato grown in Louisiana; they are not one particular varietal.  Around here,  ripe beefsteaks, Jerseys, or any of the large, flavorful heirloom varieties are a reasonable substitute.

The mixture at the start of the process...

The ruby rich jam 45 minutes later...

Serving Ideas

• As a chutney-like condiment for a cheese plate
• As a condiment for any roasted/grilled meats (it was especially good with a slow-roasted salmon)
• As a final flourish to crostini/appetizers

Use your imagination and marry it with any number of foods!

Louisiana Seafood Boil

...my Louisiana Boil did not wind up looking like this.  But for good reason

I came across this recipe while looking for inspiration for seafood recipes.  I was leafing through the latest addition to my sizable collection of cookbooks by the British chef Jamie Oliver.  Aptly enough, the cookbook is called Jamie's America.  Jamie's Louisiana Seafood Boil leapt out at me -- it looked so dramatic on the page.

As I started to assemble the ingredients, I realized I'd have to dash to the store to buy a number of the spices, for example, fennel seeds are not normally something I keep to hand.  It was a pretty hefty list, which just went on and on (there were some 25 or so different ingredients), so to simplify matters (aka cheat) I grabbed a tin of Beck's Cajun Devil Dust which seemed to assemble a number of those self-same ingredients.  (I still went to get the fennel seed, however.)

I dutifully bought my crabs, jumbo - heads on - shrimp and thought I'd improvise and throw in a couple of little neck clams.

The ingredients looked great:

I even remembered a trick I'd learned from a Girls' Night Out at the Reading Terminal Market's cooking school, La Cucina, when Chef Bill demonstrated how to cut up corn on the cob effortlessly.  (Worth knowing this...take a heavy knife and cut as far into the cob as you can, then lift the knife and corn off your work surface, keep one hand on the handle and the other on top of the blunt side of the blade and thwack it down on your work surface.  Corn neatly falls into two pieces.  Cool or what?)

The recipe wasn't particularly tricky once you'd cleared the hurdle of your shopping list... 

You throw everything except the fresh seafood into a deep pan and boil fiercely so that the corn and red potatoes cook through.  Then 5 minutes before the end you drop in the seafood and once the seafood turns a pretty pink color then you know it's cooked nicely.

Mine turned out like this.

Doesn't look much like Jamie's does it.  Small problem.  The recipe didn't specify what type of crab to use.  I bought the only fresh crabs that the store had in stock this morning.  Didn't realize until I got home that the fishmonger had sold me SOFT SHELLS. 

There was nothing for it. 

I had to press on.

The end result tasted good...but did not look quite as beautiful as I'd hoped.  I also thought there was too much messing around with ingredients.  I thought this was supposed to be a quick and easy fireside boil.  Well this recipe wasn't.  Fennel seeds and allspice berries.  Harrrrumph.

So, instead of sharing Jamie's recipe, here's a link to a much simpler version shared by the Greater New Orleans Times newspaper.  Far less fuss, this one...

Mother's Day Gifts at the Reading Terminal Market

Looking for some interesting gift ideas to supplement your (standard) bunch of Mother's Day flowers?

We've got you covered...

Mooching around the Market this week we were struck by the range of potential Mother's Day gifts and thought we just had to tell you!

The Reading Terminal Market is more than just food; it's more than a lunch destination.  It's more like a department store with both fresh produce and items related to the consumption and enjoyment of food.

So here it is.  Our top five Mother's Day gift ideas...

 1.  First stop has got to be the Pennsylvania General Store.  Every holiday, including Mother's Day, owner Michael and his team pull together an impressive selection of chocolates, candies, cookies and other generally sweet produce for our delectation.  No need to gift wrap.  The store is happy to do this for you.  If you'd prefer to lean on their mail order service see,  the Pennsylvania General Store website.

2.  The linens at Contessa's are heavenly.  Bright, lively prints and colors, fit to grace any table, on any occasion...





See Contessa French Linens for further styles and info






3. Ever tried the handmade soaps and bath salts at Terralyn? 

Owner Lynette Manteau makes up to 70lbs of soap a week! 

This soap is all natural and is like nothing else.  Its a combo of oils including olive, coconut, palm and soy butter.  Once you've tried it you'll be hooked!

4. Is your mother into cooking?  If so, she'll enjoy meeting with Anna Florio, chef and owner of La Cucina in the Market.  Anna runs regular cooking classes, including Ladies-only "Girls' Night Out" classes, which are always packed to the gills (excuse the pun).

We checked out the last Girls Night Out. 

The pictures speak louder than my words can :)

To view the upcoming calendar for La Cucina, visit Anna's website.

5. Last but not least, anyone who is a baker will love the preserved fruits, spreads, jams on sale at the Pennsylvania Dutch stands. 

I have a particular fondness for preserved pears and preserved peaches - these are especially useful in the Fall when you're in the mood to make warming crumbles and pies.  These are beautifully packaged at the Market, many are available in gift sets.




Happy Baking, Eating and Celebrating this Mother's Day!

Talking Pasta with La Cucina's Anna Florio

To look at Anna Florio, Owner of  La Cucina at the Market, you don't immediately think "food".  She is strikingly lovely, has charisma to spare,  a warmth that makes you feel you've been friends forever,  she's always impeccably dressed, and she's slender.   But you would quickly be reminded not to judge a book by its cover, for Anna is a serious Chef.  Her cooking school and demonstration kitchen in Reading Terminal Market just celebrated its 4th anniversary.

Having grown up with deep Italian culinary traditions, which included spending summers at her Grandparents' home in Campania, Italy, Anna is passionate about Italian food.  Our conversation naturally turned to pasta.

"I remember learning to make pasta dough with my grandmother, and even though it sounds silly, part of the key to great pasta is to put some love into it.  Make it by hand.  Feel the dough.  I use a blend of  unbleached white flour and semolina flour."

When asked about dry vs. fresh pasta, Anna's offers some interesting observations:  "Sometimes dry is better.  You can't really make fresh pasta al dente--that firm 'to the teeth' texture that epitomizes perfectly cooked pasta.  Sure, fresh is wonderful in a dish like pappardalle bolognese, where you want that rich, chewy noodle, or pesto, or for a filled pasta like ravioli.  But one of my favorite pasta dishes is penne with marinara sauce--made with dry, boxed penne cooked just al dente."

We also had to ask about the strict Italian edict banning Parmesan cheese on seafood pasta.  (I confess to dousing my linguine and clams with generous scoops of grated cheese.)  Anna disproves--but in the nicest possible way.  "Seafood and dairy just don't mix for traditionalists.  One thing to consider is the innate saltiness of seafood, and when you add a salty Parmesan it is overkill.  I also don't feel that the saltiness of the fish mixes will with the dairy of the cheese--salt and milk simply don't go together."

To see Anna in action, try one of her upcoming classes:  Brunch Italiano, Fish without Fear, or my personal favorite:  Handmade Pasta for Two.

Watch for upcoming posts featuring pasta ideas--not to mention Anna's big reveal on the fatal mistake that most Americans make when cooking Marinara.  Stay tuned!

Italian Fest at the Reading Terminal Market

Anna of La Cucina divulged the secrets to making traditional filled cannolis

This Saturday the Reading Terminal Market was transformed into a Italian "mercato"...

Center Court was packed with vendors selling speciality products such as porchetta, fresh pasta, cheeses, wines, gelato (from Cappogiro of course), and much more!   Market stalwarts such as Molly Malloys, By George and Beck's touted traditional Italian foods such as paninis, pizza and strombolis while the Munier Mandolin and Guitar Orchestra serenaded shoppers and visitors for much of the afternoon.

"Sounds like the soundtrack for The Godfather," quipped one passerby.

A highlight of the Italian Fest was the action-packed Italian cooking demonstration which took place in La Cucina.  Chef and owner Anna Florio, who is herself of Italian origin, took this opportunity to share favorite recipes with the next generation of potential chefs and market shoppers.

Helping with the salad takes on a new meaning as these two volunteers vigorously shred Romaine lettuce.

Another volunteer rather more gingerly helps prep the citrus for the salad.

Photo opportunity anyone?

One of the most charming aspect of this Italian Fest is that many children and teens threw themselves into the festivities.  These cut out boards for example provided a photo opportunity for family members and were much enjoyed.

Aside from being a foodie heaven, the Reading Terminal Market is a great destination for visiting families, tourists to the City and locals.  Events like the Italian Fest help put the Market on the map, combining food, fun and educational opportunities.

Ever wondered what's on the inside of a muffaletta, for instance?

We found out, thanks to Chef Bill Beck...

Ever thought you should try a wheatgrass shot from the Market's juice bar??? 

I was talked into it by my teen son on Saturday.  Hmmmm. 

Wish I hadn't.

Girls' Night Out at La Cucina in Reading Terminal Market

Girls' Night Out Cajun Cooking Class

“I love my job,” says Anna Florio, owner of La Cucina at the Market, the cooking school in the heart of Philly's own Reading Terminal Market.  “People are always so happy when they come here to cook..” Looking round the room at the sea of bright, smiling faces, you couldn’t disagree with her.

Sixteen ladies were joining Anna and her chef du jour, Bill Beck of the Market’s own Beck’s Cajun Cafe, to crack the secrets of Cajun cookery.

The Bourbon Street Small Plates menu looked daunting...

The Girls started out by sampling a Sazerac Spritzer comprising whiskey, Absinthe, Lemon and Bitters. 

For Chef Beck's recipe, which leaves you wanting another (and another, and another.....) click here.   For a potted history of this cocktail, see About.com cocktails.






While sipping cocktails the Girls and their guests munched away on crab claws served up with Beck's own famous Creole Mayo.  The tart spiciness of the Mayo worked perfectly with the fleshy crab claws... (Feel free to steal this idea for your own appetisers.)

Bill and Anna then called on the Girls to pitch in.  All present took it in turns being sous-chefs, manning their respective food stations in La Cucina and helping out with the food prep. 

Creole Crostini came first.  Goat cheese was whipped with heavy cream, piled onto thinly sliced and toasted baguette and this melange was then topped with a rather exciting spicy tomato jam (for recipe see http://www.beck'scajuncafe/.)

This appetiser was then followed by Bill's Garden District Salad. 

This is an easy to make, brightly colored, all year round salad consisting of salad greens (Bill used a spring mix); artichokes in oil; hearts of palm and central to the salad, freshly roasted red peppers.

Two volunteer sous-chefs gamely roasted the peppers on an open flame.

After the ingredients had been chopped into evenly sized pieces, Bill whisked up a classic Dijon vinaigrette to drizzle over the salad.  (He ameliorated this recipe by the addition of fresh snipped chives and a crushed garlic clove.)

The pinnacle of the evening was learning how to cook that New Orleans special occasion dish - a Crawfish Boil, which includes crawfish, kielbasa (a Polish spicy sausage) fresh corn on the cob, red potatoes and of course lager.  (Bill favours Yuengling for his boil.)

Beck's Devil Dust, Cayenne Pepper and Hot Sauce give this dish its bite

For many, the highlight of the menu was Bill's Mini Bread Puddings.  This dish is one of the best sellers in Beck's Cajun Cafe and for good reason.  Beck's bread pudding is more than just an eggy pudding.  The crunchy bread topping is doused in a light vanilla-infused custard which sits on a compote of sweet pears.

The attendees learned the secret of how to make this memorable New Orleans version of a traditional bread pudding.  Want to find out for yourself?  Full details to follow in a later post.

Bill shows the gals how to hold a cook's knife correctly and slice through corn cleanly.  This was just one of the inside tricks of the trade he shared with the attendees at La Cucina's Girls' Night Out



Valentine to the Market Highlights

Ready..set...electricians installing stage lighting

On the evening of Saturday February 25, the Reading Terminal Market underwent an amazing conversion to become an exciting party venue packed with hidden surprises.

Theatrical lighting and dramatic staging by event management company SpecialtyUSA transformed Center Court to the Valentine to the Market.  As you wandered around the avenues you stumbled across new wonders; turn a corner to find a huge roast pig, keep walking and you spot the temporary photo booth at the edge of Center Court (click here to find yourself in our photo album!) or stop to gawk at the face and body painters decorating guests at the Gala.

 

The Shutterbooth was a huge hit!

 

Mark Beyerle, owner of SpecialtyUSA explained the concept:  "We wanted people to have fun exploring the Market after hours.  We wanted them to walk around the Market and come across hidden surprises.  The lighting helped direct guests to the various food stations and entertainment points. 

"We changed the public spaces by dressing them up using props, models and lighting. 

So the piano court became a tropical-themed bar with palm trees and a live steel band, and Center Court was unrecognisable...disco lighting and a number of different live bands had guests dancing through the night."

Walk this way to the Piano Bar..!

The new La Cucina played an important role in the evening's proceedings.  It played host to a celebrity chef cook off featuring numerous Philly names in the food scene.  The lucky chefs were supported by celebrity sous-chefs who helped prep for the chefs who under pressure had to concoct an innovative dish is under 20 minutes, as this slide show by journalist Tara Nurin shows.

The Valentine to the Market is an annual fundraiser for Reading Terminal Market.  Remember to mark your calendar for next year's Gala!  See you in 2013.

The "Frys" Have It

We caught up with three of Reading Terminal Market's reknowned chefs this week who were kind enough to share their secrets to successful frying.

Jack McDavid doing what he does best

Down Home Diner's Chef Jack McDavid, never one to mince words, said bluntly in his trademark Virginia drawl:  "Yankees cain't frah."   (Translation:  "Yankees can't fry") or "People born in the northern US are not conversant in frying techniques."  He elaborates:  "They're too rushed.  Frying takes time ("tahm") and patience.  The secret is in the seal.   I mean, ya gotta completely coat the fish with the breading--whatever you use--corn meal, flour, or pecan crust like our Down Home Diner catfish--it's gotta be gently but firmly pressed into the fish so that it sticks, but not so much that it crushes the proteins and makes the end result soft and mushy.   Then ya gotta carefully place it in the hot oil.  If ya drop in in hard, that knocks off some of the breading--remember what I said about the secret being in the seal?  The breading is the seal.  If you break it, then the oil seeps inside, and you end up with greasy fish.  Who wants to eat that?"  Can't argue with that.

Anna Maria Florio working her magic in La Cucina

Then we visited Chef Anna Maria Florio of La Cucina at the Market, who shared further intel.  She agreed with Jack on the seal issue.  She elaborated:  "People think that frying is an unhealthy preparation; if done correctly, it's not.  The coating acts as a seal, as Jack said, and if the oil is hot enough the crust forms an immediate barrier so that the oil does not penetrate the food.  The key is to heat the oil enough, but not too much.  If your oil smokes, you've gone too far and it will burn the food.  In that case, you have to start again."

Wally McIlhenny, Executive Chef of the Reading Terminal Market Catering Co., offered a tip on testing the oil temp:  "Drop a small piece of bread into the hot oil.  If it sizzles to the top immediately, then you're good to go."

Chef Wally with his famous sweet potato salad

And as one who is a sucker for BritCom, I offer you up another Fry--a skit from the old Fry and Laurie Show on the BBC--these guys are hilarious. Enjoy.