Gourmet Global

As I mentioned last week, rabbit run down was on my menu for Sunday. Rabbit looks exactly like chicken breast. The color and texture of the meat is exactly the same. The only difference is the shape. When you take it out of the package, it is of a wide, tubular shape, with some legs. If you find problems handling it (because you know it is rabbit), you can just have the butcher cut it up for you. They will do this at Akropolis Meat Market, where I mentioned on my last post I had bought the rabbit at.

What you have heard is true - It is just like chicken.
It cooks very quickly, just like chicken. After it is cooked and you cut the meat, it shreds just like chicken breast. Pieces that are overcooked will taste dry (just like chicken).
Run Down is a recipe that can be made with almost anything - I have made it with breadfruit and salted cod before, both of which complements the coconut milk sauce. Rabbit was no exception - the sweetness of the coconut milk mixed with the heat of the Scotch Bonnet pepper made this entree a superb marriage of flavors.

Attached is the photo of Rabbit Run Down - Hope it stirs you to try some rabbit this week!!

I run a Cooking & Dining Group here in New York, via Meetup.com (http://cooking.meetup.com/14/) and we change our theme every month to a different country. We started this last year and we figure it will take about 5 years to reach every country and island nation in the world. We plan on exploring the cuisine of every nation, no matter how small or remote. Our greatest challenge, however, is finding some of the ingredients that are not commonly eaten here. This month we are doing the food of Dominica, the Nature Island of the Caribbean. Dominica is a small island in the southern Caribbean, rich in natural resources and culture.One of the dishes I will be cooking this Sunday is Rabbit Run Down. In this dish, rabbit is stewed down with peppers and other seasonings, in coconut milk. You may wonder where to find rabbit in New York, without paying an arm and a leg at some gourmet or organic market. Well, let’s see, is their any other cultural group that has a large neighborhood that eats rabbit? There is - the Greeks. Where is the highest concentration of Greeks in New York - Astoria!! - Hop on the N train to 30th Avenue, walk a few doors down and you are on the steps of the Akropolis Market, where you can buy a whole rabbit (already skinned and cleaned of course) for about $20.

Dominica’s cuisine is an interesting fusion of African, French, British, Chinese and native Kallinago culinary traditions (If you would like more information on exploring the beauty and cuisine of Dominica with foods like Crab Calaloo - see attached photo - email culinarytours@globaltastesinc.com)

Here is the recipe to use the rabbit you just bought at Akropolis:

Rabbit Run Down (complements of An Adventure in Caribbean Cuisine)

1 2 lb. rabbit

1 pint coconut milk

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon curry powder (Caribbean brand, not Indian)

1 shallot, finely chopped

1 sprig of thyme

1 Scotch Bonnet pepper (or habanero), crushed

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

6 allspice berries

1 - Cut the rabbit into serving portions.

2 - Bring the coconut milk to the boil and add the rabbit, salt and curry powder.

3 - Cover, reduce the heat and simmer for 1 hour, or unti tender.

4 - Add all other seasonings about 5 minutes before removing from the heat. Stir to combine and serve immediately with white rice.

For delicious, authentic Mexican Food, Rosa Mexicano is the place. (http://www.rosamexicano.info/)  Here you will not find American interpretations of Mexican food loaded with globs of sour cream and guacamole to disguise the lack of seasonings and flavor in the meat or processed hard taco shells.  So lets start with the guacamole.

Guacamole is prepared table side - You can’t get any fresher than that.  They make it to order and per your specifications - Allergic to onions? - No problem - you can have yours without onions with the chile temperature per your instructions - mild, medium or hot?  It starts with perfectly ripe Haas avocados, then onions, tomatoes, chiles, cilantro, lime juice are added for a perfectly balanced marriage of flavors. These are served with nacho chips and tortillas.  Fresh handmade tortillas, made just minutes before they are served.  Fresh salsa’s are also served with this. One is a hot green chile salsa and the other is a mild red chile salsa.  The red chile salsa has a charcoal, smoky flavor - like a really flavorful homemade barbecue sauce.

Now you think you are in heaven with your guacamole and then your drink arrives.  All of their cocktails are perfectly balanced with the right amount of alcohol - the Sangria, Pomegranate Martini and La Rumba is the best.  La Rumba is a unique twist on a mojito, using cilantro, coconut licquer and pineapple.

Mole and tacos are absolutely divine.  Cabrito, the goat meat taco, is beyond tender - almost like shredded beef, which can only be obtained by hours of slow cooking.  The steak tacos are cooked to order - you can have the meat blood rare if you like; not the ground beef that is usually served in beef tacos in American venues.  I am sure everything else on the menu is just as wonderful.

Don’t forget to have the coconut flan for dessert before you leave, or the tres leches cake.  At $8 each, all the desserts are worth every penny you spend.

This is one of the only places in Manhattan serving authentic Mexican food at affordable prices.

Breadfruit - when people here this name, they are confused - Is it some kind of bread? Is it some kind of fruit?

Technically, it is a fruit originating from the South Pacific. It has a core, like a pineapple, that must be removed prior to eating. However, it is more like a vegetable in that it must be cooked prior to eaten. It is versatile and can be cooked in a variety of ways. Very similar to potatoes, it can be boiled, roasted, fried, whipped. If you go to Caribbean neighborhoods in New York (like Flatbush in New York or Richmond Hill/Jamaica in Queens), you can purchase fresh breadfruit at the fruit and vegetable stands.

Breadfruit Puffs is a delicious appetizer that you can impress your guests with, by using a unique ingredient most of them probably have never heard of. It is very simple to make and they are addictive - You can’t just have one!! I learned this recipe when I was in Dominica last year.

Breadfruit Puffs:
1/2 breadfruit (boiled or roasted)
1 tablespoon grated onion
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup milk
1 egg
Flour, for coating
salt and pepper, to taste
1 pinch nutmeg

Cook Breadfruit. Once it is fork tender, peel and remove the skin and core the breadfruit. Mash it. Combine breadfruit with seasonings. Whisk egg and milk. Add to breadfruit mix and stir to combine. Form tablespoon size portions into balls. Roll in flour and fry in hot oil until golden brown.

Hope you enjoy your attempt at breadfruit puffs!!

Weekend Brunches are something me and my female friends love to do on Sunday afternoons - We imagine we are Carrie, Charlotte, Miranda and Samantha chatting about the trials and tribulations of being single in NYC!

We were looking forward to our brunch at Paradou.  We had heard great things about it and with unlimited champagne cocktails, we were ready for an afternoon of leisure.  Well, this was not to be had at Paradou.

Two of my friends were a bit delayed for our reservation.  The waiter was only doing what he was told and he was the nicest guy from South Africa and very personable, but he was taking directions from the hostess.  We were told to try and call our delayed friends to take their orders because our table had to be vacated for a 12:45 reservation.  I have been dining out for years in restaurants and I have worked in the restaurant industry and even if this is the case, you do not tell a customer that they have to be out by a certain time.  I was speechless.   Throughout the meal, we were continually rushed.  The final straw was when they asked us if we were ready to leave yet and they had not even given us the check!

Finally, we could not take it anymore and spoke to the manager.  He was apologetic for the hostess, however, he also said that it is just because it is a holiday weekend (this was Memorial Day weekend) and they have a lot of reservations.  I do not care what day it is - you do not take more reservations than you can handle, so that the customers are herded in and out like cattle.

Although the food was very good, all I remember from Paradou is the poor customer service and that left a nasty taste in my mouth.

$29 may sound good for a brunch entree and unlimited champagne cocktails but when they are throwing you out after 2 cocktails, it does not sound so good anymore.

Paradou will not be experiencing my patronage again.