Midweek Food Musings: With Chef Kelly Corcoran at Bar'Lees!

With Chef Kelly at Bar'Lees in Mamaroneck

When I lived in Spain (decades ago!), I became fond of many expressions; one of them is,  ¡El mundo es un pañuelo!,   This means that the world is so small (like a handkerchief!). Recently—and more and more—I feel the smallness of the world, and wow, I like it!

So here’s an example: before I went to live in Spain, I worked at a local on-the-water bar here in New Rochelle called Dudley’s Parkview. Dudley’s was one of those places that we could always go to find friends (back in those days, the drinking age was 18 so we were hanging out there as youngsters, practically!). Working there was an adventure—in many respects—and always a lot of fun.

AND it was there that I had the pleasure of meeting Kelly Corcoran, my featured chef of the day!

Chef Kelly and I worked together for a couple of summers and then, as typically happens in life, lost touch: She moved to France for culinary school in Paris, and then to Switzerland before coming back to New York. And though we didn’t really see each other much, we caught glimpses/heard stories every once in a while.

Fast forward to last summer, when we were together at a party and shared ideas related to food, running restaurants. Fast forward to NOW, and, well, Kelly’s there: two months ago she opened her first restaurant, Bar’Lees in Mamaroneck! (By the way, Bar’Lees in an Australian expression and I encourage you to ask about it when you visit!)

I’ve had the pleasure of visiting Bar’Lees several times now, and each time it’s been just great! Kelly, her partners Colin Goundrey and his wife (both of whom hail from Australia), as well as all the staff members, are lovely and warm; you will immediately feel welcomed there.  The bar—which features a lovely assortment of wines (and, my friends, so check out their wine tasting schedule!  Went to one and it was just great—I will definitely be back for more!) and whiskeys, and more. Ah—I had a Rye Manhattan, and that was dreamy (I’ll be back for another of those, too!).  Actually I think that Dennis, wonderful bartender, called it the Norma Jean.

But all this background brings me back to Chef Kelly and her food, which, my friends, is way beyond your standard pub grub.  I encourage you to try her pizzas (so fresh, so perfect!), her perfectly spiced warm nuts, her tacos, as well as her hummus and baba ganoush (wow!).  I’ll be back to sample more menu items, for sure.

So, about Kelly's background. She had always wanted to be in the restaurant business, and had worked in one kind or another since she was 13, but originally thought she'd be in the front of the house. In fact she said she decided to learn how to cook, "...so if my chef ever decided to walk out on the business, I could take over!" As it turns out, she liked the kitchen best, and so, well, that's where she stayed!

I asked Kelly how she met her partner. She said, she had recently moved back to Elkan Road in Larchmont after living in NYC for a lot of years and that they met on her street. Kelly continues,"Colin knew I had a food background and he shared with me his dream of opening a wine and whiskey bar." At the point of their discussion, she was looking for something different, and, well, their interests came together and his she continues, "I was looking for a new opportunity and Colin, being a wine and whiskey guy, was looking for someone to help him with the food and we kind of really clicked." Ah--the evidence, which you'll get from one visit to Bar'Lees, is proof of that! 

  

Some other Q's and A's: 

AG: Where do you get your menu inspiration from?

KC: From various things I've cooked before. I love the NY Times dining section, eating out, and seeing what looks good in the market

AG: What are your favorite dishes?

KC: I'm a big braising fan.  Anything slow cooked is a favorite.

AG: What advice do you give to people who are reluctant cooks, but who aspire to being better in the kitchen? 

KC: I think that anyone who wants to improve in the kitchen can learn a lot from the many cooking shows on TV. My niece, who didn't grow up in a cooking household and helps me in the kitchen at Bar'Lees, claims she knows nothing about cooking, but can spout off these pretty specific cooking terms and knows quite a few kitchen techniques from watching reality TV cooking shows.

***

And so, my friends, back to the small world theme, I have to say that I'm so proud to catch up with this chef, and see Kelly having realized her restaurant dream, which is one that's very much on my horizon as well. (We old friends, foodies, and small business owners need to support each other)

Also, if you have your own questions for Chef Kelly, I encourage you to ask her. But first and foremost, try her fare and the some of the wonderful drink Bar'Lees has to offer, as well as their tasting events and more, and do let me know how you like all! 

Sunday Dinners: Carnitas: Meat-Filled Tortillas with Toppings!

When I was a little girl, my mother often orchestrated a do-it-yourself cupcake decorating party. Though the fare is quite different, I couldn't help but think of that when I made this dinner on Sunday night! The beauty of this dinner, which is essentially a fill-it-your-way kind of meal, is just that: guests can decide how much they want of each item. And okay cousins (Donna and Eric, that would be YOU!), you reminded me of how much I love this by making it during the Christmas holiday!

Brown Basmati Rice with Red Pepper and a Sprinkle of Parsley,  and Salad of Leafy Greens, Apple and Toasted Pecans in the Foreground

And, truth be told, I'm playing with this recipe because, my friends, it will be on the menu in my restaurant! (News on that to come!) However, I'm planning on a roasted tomatillo salsita...and will share that soon! 

So I set this up, offering an additional option of shredded chicken along with the pork.  And even though I usually plate the dishes for my parents, it's still fun in it's assembly-line-like set up (and I asked my father to look at the line up before I served them. He responded with a big, "I love you, Sweetheart!" and a hug. So nice to be so appreciated. And speaking of appreciated, the flavors were also very well received. Even my father-in-law (who's not the most adventurous in the food department!) liked this combo. Hope you do, too!

Shredded Pork, Chicken, and Cheese--Sour Cream, Guacamole, Salsta--and Toasted Tortillas 

Carnitas

Serves 8 to 10

Olive oil 

4 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch cubes

6 garlic cloves

4 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves or 2 teaspoons dried

4 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves or 2 teaspoons dried

2 Turkish bay leaves

1 teaspoon ground cumin

Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 to 6 tomatoes (I used the smaller-sized gorgeous beefsteaks that I found)

1 quart Homemade Chicken Stock or canned broth

12 to 15 homemade or  store-bought corn tortillas

For serving: 

2  cups fresh tomato salsa, homemade or store bought with fresh cilantro sprigs

1 cup guacamole

Sour cream

Shredded cheese

Heat  a bit of olive oil in a deep heavy skillet.  Combine the pork, garlic, oregano, thyme, bay leaf, cumin, salt, and pepper and start to brown the pork. Cook until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Then, using your hands, squeeze the pulp and seeds out of the tomatoes. Stir so that the tomato is spread around and cook another few minutes. Then add the chicken stock and enough water to almost cover the meat.  Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Then reduce the heat to very low and cover. 

Cook at a barely a  simmer for about 2 1/2 hours, or until the pork is very tender. Add stock or water as needed to keep the pork partially covered with liquid. (This I did the day before, and then refrigerated and removed fat the next day.) Reserve some of the broth for reheating. 

When cooked and cooled,  remove the pork and place in another bowl. Then shred each piece; place shredded pork in a pot for reheating (you'll use the broth for this, too!)

Meanwhile, prepare homemade tortillas. I toast them on a gas stove, and then wrap them in a kitchen towel. Or you can wrap them in foil, and keep them warm in a preheated 300°F oven.  

To serve, top the tortillas with the pork (or chicken!), salsa, guacamole, cheese and sour cream as desired! 

Starting to Plate! What a feast of colors! 

Midweek Food Musings: Ravioli with Shrimp, Basil, Tomato, Cream Sauce (a.k.a. a deal-sealing meal!)

We all have memories of special meals. (Maybe this is why I love to cook so much!) This one, a favorite of my husband's, is also called "The Meal that Sealed the Heian Deal!" I'll explain.

Many, many moons ago (in the early 90s!), I had the pleasure of first meeting Curtis Kelly at a TESOL conference in Vancouver, Canada. Curtis was (and is still!) living in Kyoto, Japan, and at that time was a professor at Heian Junior College. I had my beautiful 2 year-old daughter at home,  and was teaching ESL at Concordia College in Bronxville, New York. Anyway, we started talking about the possibility of doing a kind of exchange, whereby he would bring a bunch of students from his college to spend some time studying/visiting New York. The students would stay at Concordia for their English classes, but would have also the opportunity to "experience" New York City.

Well, after preliminary discussions, calls, and faxes (ah—no email yet! Yikes!), Curtis came for a visit to the States. They were, if I remember correctly, considering a couple of schools.  He saw Concordia, but then came to our apartment for dinner (I always like to give visitors the home-cooking experience!).

And because it was this meal that I prepared, and also because the decision to have Concordia be the host for his 30 nineteen year-old female students for 3 weeks, my husband started calling this dish, "The Meal that Sealed the Heian Deal!" and it stuck... In fact, we went on to have the Heian program at Concordia for the next three summers.  (And Curtis and I went on to write the English as a Second Language textbooks, the Writing From Within series...which last year came out in a second edition! Yay!) So you see what this dish started?!

Where did I get this recipe? I found the original version in  365 Ways to Cook Pasta. (Maybe you remember this one—or this series? They also had ....to Cook Chicken, Vegetarian, and probably many more!) Anyway, 21 years later, I'm still making it, though it's changed a bit. Here I'm sharing my "updated" version, which has evolved over the years.  I prepared it for a small (and lovely!) crowd on Friday night, along with roasted vegetables, sautéed cauliflower, leafy-green salad, warm bread, and more! 

Hope you like it and hmmm...maybe it will help you seal a deal, too! 

Ravioli with Shrimp, Basil, and Tomato-Cream Sauce

Serves 12 to 15 

Olive oil 
3 small red onions, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced 
red wine 
2 1/2 to 3 pounds small tomatoes (or your favorite!), halved or diced (or you can use canned, diced tomatoes) 
2 cups light cream (you can also use half and half—or use some heavy with some light)
2 pounds medium-size shrimp, peeled and deveined
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
About 18 fresh basil leaves, coarsely torn.
3 pounds fresh or frozen cheese-filled ravioli 

Heat about 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and onions, and sauté until the onions soften. Add about 1/2 cup of red wine and cook, stirring frequently, until the wine is absorbed, about 5 minutes. Then add the tomatoes and cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture is slightly reduced, about 10 minutes. 

Meanwhile, in a separate saucepan, heat the cream. Bring it to a boil but don't let it boil over! Stir as needed. Continue cooking until it's reduced by about half (about 10 minutes). Add the hot cream to the tomato sauce and mix well. Then stir in the shrimp. Bring to a simmer and cook, over low heat, stirring frequently, until the shrimp is cooked (but be careful not to overcook it!), about 8 to 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add most of the basil and stir. 

There were two plates of the ravioli, a large dish of roasted veggies, assorted sauteed cauliflower, and salad! 

Bring a pot full of water—enough to cook the ravioli—to a boil. Cook the ravioli until tender. Drain. Add the sauce to the ravioli and mix, without breaking them! (You can also plate the ravioli and add the sauce on top, but you'll have to put some sauce in initially so it doesn't stick.) Top with fresh basil just before serving. 

Sunday Dinners: Southwestern-Style Chicken

I don't know what inspired me to work the Southwestern theme on Sunday, but I had a vision (ah—come on you food enthusiasts; you know EXACTLY what I mean!) of grilled chicken (still on a grilled-food kick!) topped with roasted corn salsa, and, well, I had to create it! Ah—one other thing...I had made the salsa for a dinner party on Friday night (served it with chips!) and still had 2 cups left over.

Also, I had the advantage of a grill, but if you don't, oven roasting (at 375-degrees F until cooked through) is just fine!

The results? Good! My dad—for the first time that I can remember— asked that I leave him the leftovers so that he and my mom could enjoy it the following day. (He's not a big-on-leftovers kind of guy, unless I reinvent!) That, my friends, is a great measure for my success! And for you non-meat eaters, this salsa is great served on fish, tortillas, and on grains like quinoa.

So this was our Sunday menu:
Southwestern Style Chicken (grilled chicken topped with a roasted corn and black bean salsa)
Pesto Basmati Rice with Whole Toasted Pecans (Recipe to come...maybe on Wednesday!)
Roasted Vegetables (mostly Mexican zucchini, red onions, and assorted peppers)
Green leafy salad with Cucumber and Apple,Topped with an Apple Cider Vinaigrette

Today I'm sharing the chicken—and the salsa that blanketed it! 
First, the salsa:

For Grilled Corn and Salsa (makes about 3 cups):

2 ears of grilled corn, or two cups of roasted corn kernels

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon white balsamic vinegar

1 small red onion, finely diced

1 small jalapeno, ribs and seeds removed and finely diced (optional—I didn’t include this for my parents)

1 (15.5 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed OR 1 cup cooked black beans, drained

1/2 cup chopped red tomato (I found some sweet cherries!)

Juice of 1 lime

1/2 teaspoon cumin

Coarse salt, to taste

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Combine all the ingredients (except for the cilantro) in a bowl. Adjust seasoning as desired.  Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour. Add the cilantro just before serving. (The salsa will keep—covered and refrigerated—for up to 3 days. 

For the chicken

Serves 6 to 8 

Two packages of boneless/skinless organic chicken thighs 

1/4 cup chimichurri

2 cups of Grilled Corn Salsa (at room temperature) 

Marinate the chicken the chimichurri for at least an hour, and up to 24. 

Preheat a grill to medium-high heat (and your oven to 375-degrees F.). Grill the chicken until cooked through, or just about cooked through. Place in a baking pan, and spread the salsa on top (I used two pyrex pie dishes!) and place in the oven, uncovered, for just about ten minutes. Add the cilantro just before serving.