February 2008 Archives
Some of the gems we select at Tastybeat are a bit rough around the edges, and somehow we love them all the more for their unexpected rewards. Deta's Café in Rogers Park is one such gem. When you walk into this storefront café, you won't be met with anything fancy--no luxe décor or sleek artwork to be sure. In fact, Deta's Café takes casual to a whole new level. But this no-nonsense interior of just three tables is home to some of the best burek you'll find anywhere. Burek is a traditional savory pastry from the region of the former Yugoslavia, hand-rolled and filled with some combination of cheese, spinach, potato, onion, and beef. The burek at Deta's Café is perfectly delectable.
Café owner and native Montenegrin Deta Lekic will feed you burek to your heart's content (watch her make burek). The café is her pride and joy, and don't be surprised if she joins you at your table to share stories of her homeland (and remind you to clean your plate just like you're family). In addition to the exceptional burek, the Greek, Mediterranean, and cabbage salads are all scrumptious. And depending on Deta's mood the day or evening you visit, you might be treated to other tasty dishes.
This modest spot is most definitely a gem in our book and we hope you will add it to yours. But do be forewarned: Deta will hardly let you leave her café until you are veritably stuffed!
Happy Eating
Tastybeat
www.tastybeat.com
Deta's Cafe
7555 N. Ridge Blvd. (map)
Chicago, IL 60645
773-973-1505
Open everyday 10am-10pm
(Deta rests on Sunday, but her good friend Enisa will be there to take care of you)
Here's a gem that your eyes, nose, and mouth will love: Sukhadia's, a specialty foods store with an abundant array of Indian sweets and savories. Owner Jayant Sukhadia was born and raised in the Gulf of Khembhat, where his family has been making and selling street snacks for over 130 years. Twelve years ago, Jayant brought this passion and expertise to Devon Avenue in Chicago, where he has made and sold his family's delicious, unique treats ever since. And with his store's success, Sukhadia has recently expanded to Hoffman Estates.
Friend and Indian snack aficionado Kalpana Waiker introduced Tastybeat to Sukhadia's, and she has shared some of her favorite selections with us. Since there are over one hundred snacks and so many compelling flavors to discover, we recommend you bring this shortlist with you on your first visit:
Savory
Pan Poori
Kalpana's fun to eat, all-time favorite snack! This snack consists of crisp fried bread, small and round in shape. It's served with a mixture of potatoes, chickpeas, and cilantro chutney water. How to eat: Gently poke a hole in the crispy bread and fill with potato-chickpea mixture. Next, pour two teaspoons of chutney water into the hole. Now for the fun part--pop the whole thing into your mouth and enjoy the explosion of flavor!
Bhel Poori
An exotic spicy mixture of puffed rice, sev (noodles), crispy poori (fried flatbread), chopped potatoes, onions, and tamarind sauce.
Sweet
Patisa
A delicious flaky treat made with chickpea flour, clarified butter, cardamom, sugar, and topped with almonds.
Suterfeni (threads of cotton)
An unusual sweet treat with hints of saffron, cardamom, and almond. This sweet is made by hand in a three-hour process. A sweet, rice flour dough is smoothed out, stretched, and pulled until it resembles fine threads of cotton.
Happy Snacking,
Tastybeat
Sukhadia's
2559 W. Devon (map)
Chicago, IL 60659
773-338-5400
Hours: Open Daily, hours vary
Please call ahead
Sukhadia's
1016 Strawberry Hill Plaza
Hoffman Estates, IL 60169
11am-8pm everyday except Tuesday
Closed Tuesday
Note: The Sukhadia family also has stores in New Jersey and Manhattan under the Sukhadia name.
With its vibrant and alluring red interior, what better than the beet to celebrate the passions of the heart this Valentine's Day? To this end, Chef Bruce Sherman of Chicago's beloved North Pond restaurant and Tastybeat want to suggest some tasty beet recipes for this February 14.
The Beet Fettuccini is perfect for the couple who wants to grab a bottle of wine and make an afternoon of it, cooking together in the kitchen. Or if you want delicious gratification with a little less effort, the Walnut-Encrusted Goat Cheese and Candied Beet Salad might be just the thing. And for love birds who do not feel like making any dirty dishes, consider North Pond, a lovely and romantic setting with fine service and always-exceptional seasonal cuisine.
Beet Fettuccini
Chef Bruce Sherman, North Pond
Serves 4
Ingredients
2 ea large red beets, peeled, quartered, and juiced
1.5 c bread flour
¼ c all-purpose flour
1 ea large egg
1 ea egg yolk
3 Tbl olive oil
1 pinch fine sea salt
1 pinch ground white pepper
Melted butter
Fresh herbs of your choosing
Parmesan cheese for topping
Plastic wrap
Pasta maker
Preparation
- In pot over medium heat, reduce beet juice by half its volume. Chill and reserve.
- Mix bread flour, salt and pepper. Pour mixture on countertop and form a well in the top.
- Add egg, egg yolk, 2 tablespoons olive oil and reduced beet juice to well.
- Gently fork liquids until combined, gradually incorporating flour from the sides until all flour mix has been used.
- Use hands to knead dough back and forth for 2 minutes. Wrap in plastic. Rest for at least 1 hour.
- After pasta dough has rested, set up pasta machine to widest setting.
- Cut dough in half, roll to flatten through rollers, dusting with all-purpose flour.
- Continue rolling pasta, reducing roller width with each pass. Stop at next-to-last setting.
- Cut into 10"- 12" lengths to dry for 10 minutes. Use ½" noodle attachment to cut sheets into fettuccini.
- Bring 8 quarts of slightly salted water to boil. Drop in pasta for 2-3 minutes.
- In separate pan, heat remaining olive oil.
- Pull pasta from water, drain and add to pan. Salt and pepper, toss, and place on plates.
- Top with herbs, a sprinkling of parmesan cheese, and melted butter, to taste.
Walnut-Encrusted Goat Cheese, Candied Beet Salad
Chef Bruce Sherman, North Pond
Serves 6
Prep Time: 1 hour
Ingredients
1 lb medium red beets, 2" diameter
½ lb large yellow beets
2½ c water
1 c orange juice
¼ c red wine vinegar
¼ c honey
2 Tbl Apple Cider, unfiltered if possible
1 Tbl Whole Grain Mustard
1 tsp Sherry Vinegar
1 tsp Walnut Oil
¼ c Canola or Sunflower Oil
Salt and Pepper, to taste
6 oz fresh goat cheese
1 Tbl honey
1 Tbl chopped fresh herbs - Mint, Chives, and Parsley
1 ea egg
1 tsp salad oil
1 tsp water
½ c all-purpose flour
8 oz walnut pieces, crushed
Salad Greens - Mesclun Mix, Frisée, Endive, etc.
Preparation
- Wash red beets well and place in small pot with water, orange juice, vinegar and honey.
- Bring to boil then turn down to simmer and cook slowly.
- Put another medium saucepan full of water to on high heat.
- Peel yellow beets with vegetable peeler, then cut into 2.5" long ¼" wide strips.
- When water in second pot boils, add in generous amount of salt. Place yellow beets into water and re-boil. After 2 minutes, remove beets and place in ice water bath.
- Check red beets after 45 minutes. When easily pierced with small paring knife or toothpick, remove them from stove and cool down in their liquid.
- When cool, peel beets and cut into ¾" wedges around the center.
- Whisk apple cider, mustard and vinegar together. Add in the two oils while whisking. Season with salt and pepper. Reserve.
- Heat oven to 350 degrees.
- Mix goat cheese well with honey, herbs, salt and pepper. Form into 6 2" X ½" discs.
- Beat egg with oil and water, then dip beet discs into flour (pat off excess), then into egg, and then press in crushed walnuts. Repeat, with only flour and nuts the second round.
- Rub thin coating of vegetable oil on nut discs and place in oven 3-5 minutes until brown.
- Place a few wedges of cooked red beets on each plate. Toss strained, cooked yellow beets with vinaigrette and season. Divide between plates.
- Dress salad greens with vinaigrette and place on plates aside warm cheese. Serve.
Pairs nicely with 2001Vonkesselstatt, Scharzhofberger Riesling, Spatlese Mosel-Saar-Ruwer Germany
Happy Eating,
North Pond
2610 N. Cannon Drive
Chicago
773-477-5845
Dinner
Wednesday - Sunday
Reservations available
From 5:30pm
Brunch
Sunday
10:30am - 1:30pm
Lunch (June - September)
Tuesday - Friday
11:30am - 2:00pm
Tastybeat's good friend, Betsy Nathan owner of Pagoda Red in Chicago and Winnetka, has shared her favorite Chinese gems to help us celebrate The Year of the Rat! Betsy lived in China for several years and has traveled there extensively ever since. She loves exploring her home city of Chicago to find authentic, delicious tastes of China.
First, Betsy recommends Lao Sze Chuan, a wonderful restaurant at Archer and Cermak in China Town. Betsy suggests trying the Xin Jiang Lamb specialty, a marinated and stir-fried lamb dish flavored with Xin Jiang cumin, ginger, garlic, onion, scallions, red pepper, fresh jalapeño, chili sauce, soy sauce, and Chinese cooking wine. This is a traditional dish of the Uigher people from the far northwest province of Xin Jiang. Because of its central location between the Middle East and China, Xin Jiang produces food and culture that melds aspects of both. We think you will agree that Lao Sze Chuan is a welcome alternative to your typical Americanized Chinese fare.
Next, Betsy shares a Chinese tip for good fortune. Start your new year with a meal of long, UNCUT noodles. This tradition promises you a long and prosperous life. Wish to partake? Start by visiting one of several grocers (see list) who carry two to four-foot long noodles. As you prepare your noodles, the Chinese kitchen god Chang Kung will watch over and protect you. And according to custom, serve your long noodles in individual bowls to each person around the table. Next, eat and believe!
To round out your Chinese New Year, Tastybeat insists you make your way to Betsy Nathan's, Pagoda Red. Visiting this gem that specializes in fine 18th and 19th Century Chinese artifacts is a special treat. Among the many rare and unusual antiques, here you will find Ba Bao Cha, an exquisite Eight Treasures tea. This tea is colorful, fruity, and a bit sweet, leaving you with the gentle sweetness of chrysanthemum. Brew in a clear pot so you can watch the Eight Treasures (chrysanthemum, honeysuckle, Chinese wolfberries, red dates, jasmine leaves, sesame, rock sugar, and tangerine and lemon peel) come alive as they flavor the water. You can take home Ba Bao Cha packaged with two blue and white 19th century teacups. What a beautiful way to celebrate.
Happy Chinese New Year,
Tastybeat
Lao Sze Chuan
2172 South Archer Avenue
Chicago, IL 60616
Phone: 312.326.5040
Hours: Open 7 days a week
Lunch 11:30am -3:00pm
Dinner 3:00pm -12:00am
Pagoda Red
1714 North Damen
Chicago, IL
Phone: 773.235.1188
902 Green Bay Road
Winnetka, IL
Phone: 847.784.8881
Hours:
Monday--Saturday 10am-6pm
Sunday by appointment only
Where to find long, uncut noodles:
City Olive - 5408 North Clark Street - (773) 878-5406
Ask for Mafalde Lunghe
Sunset foods:
Highland Park - 1812 Green Bay Road - (847) 432-5500
Northbrook - 1127 Church Street - (847) 272-7700
Lake Forest - 825 S. Waukegan Road - (847) 234-8380
Libertyville - 1451 West Peterson - (847) 573-9570
Ask for the Maestri Pastai brand of long pasta
Or, for really, really long pasta consider:
De Cecco Spaghetti, imported from Italy
Each noodle is nearly 4 feet long
Can be ordered at Amazon.com
