Bring on the Smoke n' Spice with Chipotle Salsa

In honor of a belated Cinco de Mayo party with my new co-workers, I decided to craft up a homemade chipotle salsa.  The only salsa I've ever made at home is a simple pico de gallo, so I was slightly unsure about the experience but didn't think it'd be too difficult.

Finding some simple recipes on Buzzfeed's 21 Incredibly Easy Salsa Recipes You Need to Try, this first one for Homemade Chipotle Salsa caught my eye.  The fact that it didn't consist of any funky or hard to find ingredients was a plus for me, and the smoky element from the chipotle is always welcome.  I love me some adobo sauce, so any excuse to use it was a plus in my book.

It created the above pictured chunky concoction, and I have to say it was mighty delicious.  Bringing it in for our partay, I got some nice compliments and luckily because I went easy on the jalapenos, it wasn't overly spicy.  Note - I used just half of the portion they recommend in the recipe and it was plenty.  However, those of you who have a more adventurous palate, by all means try some more.

Homemade Chipotle Salsa recipe, courtesy of What's Gaby Cooking Blog.

Spicy Tomato Soup a la Farmgirl Gourmet

I gotta admit, I've been a bit lazy in terms of cooking this week, so I decided to change that by making a comforting soup that should last us through the week.  As I've been having luck with getting great inspiration through my Pinterest boards, I once again turned to them - specifically my Healthy Eating board.  

The recipe I'll tell you about comes from a fabulous blog called Farmgirl Gourmet, which I follow on Pinterest, and it's all about wholesome, responsibly grown food.  This particular recipe also happens to be gluten free, so to all my gluten free friends, this one's for you.

Although, I followed Farmgirl's recipe almost to a t, there's a few things in there that I switched around, such as substituting fat free Greek yogurt for the cream cheese that she recommends.  I also omitted the sour cream and added some fresh basil and a little bit of parmesan cheese instead.  Both worked beautifully, and so did the little drizzle of truffle oil that I put on top.  The smokiness from the chipotle peppers and the adobo is divine and nicely clears your sinuses.  

The soup is enjoyed with a warm piece of pita bread.  Happy fall, Astoria!
Chipotle Creamy Tomato Soup recipe, courtesy of Farmgirl Gourmet blog

Trusty Burgers & Bites Truck Scores Big

I love having the chance to explore a new food truck and the great part about working in downtown Manhattan is that there's tons of them nearby.  Around lunchtime, my co-workers and I sometimes walk down Varick street (aka the food truck runway) to see what's in store, and last week, my friend Lara and I did just that.  We had a hard time choosing our mobile treat of choice, but after shopping around a bit we each chose something different.  

Deciding to try the inviting Trusty Burgers & Bites truck, I was curious as to how their burgers would measure up to something like a GoBurger per se, which is what Lara got.

The Truck:
Being drawn in by its inviting blue exterior with a slightly cheesy looking picture of a stereotypical chef, clad with a toque and all, I was curious to see what this was all about.  I did some research and learned that the truck used to be called simply the Trusty Truck but they changed their name earlier this year.

Serving a mix of specialty burgers and other "bites" such as jalapeno poppers, meatballs, mac 'n cheese, etc , the dishes served at Trusty are meant to satisfy your comfort food craving.  I decided to go for the burger myself, no bites this time, and thought highly of it.

Holy Chipotle Burger - First off, I really loved this burger's name, which goes without saying.  And since I'm a big fan of spicy things, the mention of chipotle was a big draw.  Besides this obvious ingredient, the burger packed a mean punch with other sharp flavors that came from pepperjack cheese and jalapeno peppers.  The beef patty was cooked nicely, and I thought its presentation was interesting, served in a baguette roll instead of a traditional round one.  A helping of guac and chipotle mayo tied the whole thing together and provided that South of the border flavor.

Service and Cost:
The staff at Tasty Burgers & Bites was cheery, pleasant and really speedy.  The order process took just two short minutes and my burger was ready not long after - maybe 5 minutes, which was awesome for a busy food truck.

Costs are moderate at $8/burger and $2.50 - $4 for other bites.

3 Mmmms

Trusty Burgers & Bites - check schedule

A Taste of the New Menu at BareBurger

Admiring BareBurger's new menu for a little while, I was totally jonesing to try it out, so my brother, Peter, sister-in-law Fiana (both BareBurger virgins), and I went to check it out.  Even though I originally intended to get something other than a burger - maybe a salad or a bare sandwich - in the end, I just couldn't resist the goodness of a big meaty sandwich.  Here are the new varieties we tried:

Habanero Express - In the mood for something spicy, I was totally intrigued by this super hot-sounding burger, dressed with red poblano peppers, pepperjack cheese, spicy pickle chips, a generous helping of buffalo sauce and spicy habanero chipotle mayo.  Since I knew all these flavors would be rather sharp, I paired it with a nice and mild turkey patty, which was as juicy and delicious as its more traditional beef counterparts.  While each bite packed an aggressive punch, the spice dissipated quickly and was really enjoyable for all the senses.  While I'd say that it's the perfect thing for spicy food enthusiasts, I'd recommend it to less adventurous palates too, to introduce you to something vibrant but not quite intimidating.

Roadhouse - My brother got the Roadhouse burger, which also spoke to him--stacked high with country bacon, sweet apple grilled onions, pepperjack cheese, fire roasted red peppers, avocados and a smoked paprika mayo.  It looked incredibly rich, and I was amazed at the generous portion of avocado.  While it was anything but light, my brother really enjoyed it and said that it was the perfect portion that left him feeling good - not overstuffed or guilty.  While I wouldn't mind getting it next time, I'd say this is a more masculine burger choice.

Service and Cost:
I love to see that the service here never strays, from our waters constantly being replenished to us being asked how everything was going, it was all good.  The staff is young and cheery and seems to really believe in Bare's menu, which is refreshing.

Costs are moderate but totally fair for the great quality of food and service you're getting.  For the above mentioned meal, including one other burger (the Original) as well as a side of fries/onion rings combo, we paid about $52 including tax and tip.

3 Mmmms

BareBurger (Ditmars) - 23-01 31st Street, Astoria NY 11105
 718.204.7167
N/Q Train to Ditmars Blvd (last stop)

BareBurger (31st Avenue) - 33-21 31st Avenue, Astoria NY 11106
 718.777.7011
N/Q Train to Broadway

BareBurger - 42-38 Bell Blvd, Bayside NY 11361
 718.279.2273
LIRR to Bayside
www.bareburger.com 

Sugarfreak Brunch was a Freakin Success

My We Heart Astoria colleagues, Meg, Mackenzi and I recently met for brunch at Sugarfreak to discuss some We Heart Astoria business.  The meeting was not only incredibly productive, we really enjoyed munching on some hearty, comforting grub.  It's been a while since any of us have been there, and as it happens, brunch here was new to us all.  Here's what we tried:

Hush Puppies - I was so glad when Mackenzi suggested we get this, as I can't exactly turn down fried corn bread.  Surprised by how giant Sugarfreak's version was, I enjoyed them nonetheless.  The outside was crispy as can be, albeit a little oily, while the inside was tender, moist and bready.  Dipping these babies into the spicy remoulade sauce totally hit the spot and made this very New Orleans.

Charbroiled Oysters - Even though I just had oysters the day before at the North Fork Wineries, I was happy to try this version, which was totally different.  Boasting some really generous pieces, their Blue Point oysters on the halfshell had a nice golden color and a really meaty interior.  It felt great to scoop up the meat of the oyster and eat it alongside little pieces of crispy, buttery bread.

Jambalaya and Eggs - Since I loove me some jambalaya, this had my name all over it.  There were two fried eggs on top of the actual jambalaya, and I'm happy to report that they had perfectly runny yolks that you can spread over the spicy rice interior.  Although I had the jambalaya here before, I totally forgot how awesome it was, peppered with chunky pieces of andouille sausage and even some seafood action.  The whole thing was incredibly hearty and something that can tide you over for well half the day - hands down.

Dessert - Although we were so incredibly full, we couldn't refuse a generous offer of a dessert trio, including a butterscotch rice pudding topped with popcorn, a classic order of begneits, and also their bourbon bread pudding.  Out of those, the rice pudding was my absolute favorite.  Loving the juxtaposition in texture between the crunchy popcorn and the soft, silky pudding, the flavors were also totally in sync.  The homemade whipped cream was the cherry on this proverbial cake, and I just couldn't get enough of the whole combination.

Service and Cost:
We received great service here, as everyone was super attentive, even during the peak of brunch.  Our waters were refilled without even one look at our waiter, and dirty plates cleaned before we could lick our chops.

Costs are reasonable and include:

Brunch entrees - $13 - $14.50
Starters - $7-12
Sides - $4-$7.50

3 Mmmms

Sugarfreak - 36-18 30th Avenue, Astoria NY 11106
718.726.5850
N/Q Train to 30th Avenue
www.sugarfreak.com

Another Ribfest Debut - Jason's Roasted Poblano Cheese Grits

Since it's the weekend, and certainly a time to indulge, I wanted to bring you another decadent recipe from this year's Ribfest.  Jason's Roasted Poblano Cheese Grits was a first runner up in the side dish throwdown this year, and I especially loved its spicy, cheese flavor.  While I got all the ingredients in my previous description wrong (shows how much I know!), Jason graciously sent over the recipe, which I'm including here.  Feel free to try it, and definitely let me know if you run into questions along the way.

Jason's Roasted Poblano Cheese Grits

Ingredients (makes 2 servings):
2 cups chicken broth
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ cup grits
3 oz smoked gouda cheese, grated
2 tbs unsalted butter, cut into chunks
1 tbs heavy cream
2½ poblanos, roasted and diced
Fresh thyme, minced
Smoked paprika
Salt and pepper
Scallions, chopped

Directions:
In a medium saucepan, bring the chicken broth to a boil.  Add the garlic, and slowly stir in the grits.  Reduce heat to low and cook, whisking constantly, until the grits are tender, about 20 minutes.  Add more broth as necessary.  Remove from heat, and whisk in thyme, smoked paprika, poblanos, most of the cheese (but leave some left over), butter and cream.  Season with salt and pepper.  Finish with the rest of the grated cheese and chopped scallions on top.

Mexicue - Mexican Food Meets Smoky BBQ Flava

Mexicue Truck - Click here for locations in NYC
917.568.8922
Twitter
FB

www.mexicueny.com

I've heard about Mexicue in passing from my friends at epicurious, and after some rants and raves, I knew I had to give it a try.  Problem was that they're never in a location that's convenient for my daily life that revolves mostly around Union Square.  But last Friday changed that, as my friend Bo and I saw the truck parked at 18th st and 5th avenue.  We of course jumped on the chance to try their much-talked-about grub, and I'm happy to report that we were far from disappointed.

Mexicue's Philosophy:

As its name suggests, Mexicue combines the flavors of Mexican cooking with the smokiness of the great American BBQ.  A non-traditional combination for sure, but the flavors in their food work beautifully to create a comforting and tastebud-stimulating experience.

Food:
Bo and I were immediately intrigued by their concise but enticing menu of sliders and tacos.  We ordered one of each option, both of us selecting the pulled pork slider and two different tacos, including the BBQ beet and the short rib.

Pulled Pork Slider - We were both drawn to this and from a personal perspective, I love me some tender, slow-cooked pork in a smoky bbq sauce.  I loved the size of this thing - small but stuffed to the gills with amazing toppings such as pickled red onions, sliced avocado and slightly spicy arbol BBQ sauce.  It left a little tingle on your lips, which was just perfect.  The only complaint I had was that the pork was a bit on the dry side - I would've loved more sauce next time, but overall it was a solid little mouth popper.

Tacos - I went for the BBQ beet taco, which I thought was imaginative and different. It was a great choice, in my opinion, and I loved the way the earthy, juicy beats enveloped a double dose of fresh flour tortillas.  My favorite aspect however, was the spiced goat cheese, which melted into the beets, creating an ooey-gooey combination of earthy goodness.

Bo ordered the oak smoked short rib tacos, which were also very good but pretty messy and globby.  Dressed with salsa verde, aged white cheddar and salsa fresca, they packed a mean punch and are not for the faint of heart.

Service and Cost:
Although there was a relatively long line at the Mexicue Truck, orders were expedited efficiently and with precision.  Each patron is asked his or her name and then called when their order is ready - picking up their delicious Mexicue treats in a biodegradable container that not only looks attractive, but keeps the food warm.

Prices are very competitive and include:

Tacos - $3 -$4

Sliders - $3

Mexicue is currently competing in Food Network's Great Food Truck Race. You can vote for them here.

3 Smoky & Spicy Mmmmms