Tiffany Yeh is a great sport.  She spent the summer with Raphael and me (and James the Dachshund) as Hungry in Brooklyn’s intern. Now that she’s back at SUNY Albany, we miss her very much. But we wouldn’t let her leave without a bang: since she spent the past few months learning about Brooklyn’s food culture, we figured she could teach us a few things about her own. In this episode, Tiffany takes us to Chinatown in Flushing, Queens, for a soup dumpling tour that is sure to make your mouth water. 

I’m usually a vinaigrette kind of girl, but boy do I hate to waste ingredients. So whenever I have buttermilk around from baking or pancakes, I make a jar of Buttermilk Ranch Dressing to use up the rest of the carton.  And guess what? It’s almost as easy as opening up a bottle of the store-bought stuff that usually contains MSG and loads of preservatives.  Watch the video and learn how to make my version of this decadent dressing (recipe below).  And here’s a tip: marinate organic chicken breasts in the dressing for at least four hours, then grill.  You won’t be disappointed!

BUTTERMILK RANCH DRESSING RECIPE: 

• 1 C. Organic Buttermilk 
• 1/2 C. Sour Cream 
• 1 tsp. white wine vinegar
• 1 tsp dijon mustard 
• pinch of salt
• black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. granulated garlic 
• 1 TBSP minced shallot 
• 2 TBSP fresh chives, chopped 
• 1 tsp. fresh dill, chopped

Whisk together the buttermilk, sour cream, vinegar, and mustard until combined.  Add the remaining ingredients,  and whisk again.  Adjust the salt and pepper to your taste. Serve over an iceberg wedge, bibb lettuce, garden tomatoes, or as a marinade for chicken or pork!

We just got back from a pretty awesome trip to Northern California.  While there, we shot with a pretty rad pie company called Three Babes Bakeshop that operates out of a shipping container in the back of a super cool cafe.  Then we visited a walnut farm near Stockton and a small family vineyard and winery in Healdsburg.  But don’t worry, even though we were hard at work, we still found plenty of time to play.

And we that’s exactly what we did at Cafe Van Kleef in Oakland.  This unassuming spot on Telegraph Avenue is known for their greyhounds because the bartenders painstakingly press fresh grapefruits all night long.  The smell of citrus wafting through the air to the sounds of New Orleans-style live music is the perfect combination of California and kitsch.  And if you’re lucky, you’ll meet Benny the Tamales Man, who will bring you a delicious homemade tamal (request his super spicy hot sauce served in a gatorade bottle) for about $3.  Wash it down with a couple greyhounds ($7) and I would say you’ve had the perfect night. 

Check out HIB’s homage to Oakland with our latest video, How to Make a Fresh Squeezed Greyhound: 

In New York City, pavement usually prevails.  So we were pretty surprised when we came across The Queens County Farm, a working organic farm in—you guessed it—Queens!  As we were wrapping up our shoot about pasture-raised chickens (coming soon!), our tour-guide and farmer extraordinaire Kennon Kay showed us a pretty obscure crop in season right now: Ground Cherries.  These tomatillo-esque fruits are essentially small orange berries encased in a paper-thin, lantern-shaped husk.  With the flavor profile of a cherry mixed with a tomato, these berries work great in both savory and sweet dishes. Check out our video below, and the next time you head to the market, don’t be afraid to grab some ground cherries!    

My friend Michael Cyril Creighton and I go way back - back to the days when we dressed up as holiday characters together for our special editions of Best Night Ever at Vh1.  Ah, the good ol’ days.  But now we each have our own web series, and we thought it was about time for another collabo.  

Michael plays Jack in his creation, Jack in a Box, a hilarious show about the trials and tribulations of actor with a ‘tude, working in a box office selling tickets - and his soul. And Jack has vices.  Lots of them. Including cupcakes.  

So I decided to make the perfect cupcake full of vices in honor of my favorite comedic character.  Watch as I teach Michael how to make the perfect naughty treat:  Caffeine Cupcakes with cocoa, coffee and cola.  Watch the video and follow along with the recipe below! 

CAFFEINE CUPCAKES RECIPE:

Makes 18

• 2 Sticks + 2 TBSP Butter
• 3/4 C Cola (suggested: boylans) 
• 2 TBSP Instant Espresso
• 1 3/4 C. Flour
• 1/3 C. Dutch Process Cocoa Powder
• 1 TBSP Baking Powder
• 1/4 Tsp Baking Soda
• 1 tsp. Salt
• 1 1/2 C. organic cane sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten 
• 1/4 C. milk
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

BUTTERCREAM FROSTING 

• 2 sticks butter
• 1 lb confectioners sugar
• 1/2 C dutch process cocoa powder
• 3 TBSP cola 
• Sprinkles for topping

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cupcake tin with baking cups.  Set aside. 

In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, cola and instant espresso over low heat. Once the butter is melted, allow it to cool. Meanwhile, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a large bowl.  Add the sugar and whisk. 

In another bowl, combine the milk, eggs and vanilla.  

Add all the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, being careful not to over-stir.  Fill each of the baking cups 2/3 of the way with batter and bake for 25 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.  

Transfer them to a wire rack and allow them to cool. 

For the icing, beat all the ingredients together until light and fluffy.  Frost the cupcakes, and top with sprinkles.  

Enjoy!

This time of year, the market is full of leafy greens, but sometimes it’s hard to figure out exactly what to do with them.  Take kale for instance.  You’re probably used to it braised or sauteed;  but kale is also delicious raw if prepared the right way. So move over lettuce! We’ve got a recipe for a Tuscan Kale and Red Cabbage salad that’s crunchy, tangy, delicious, and really good for you! Check out the video and follow along with the recipe below!

TUSCAN KALE AND RED CABBAGE SALAD RECIPE:

FOR THE SALAD:

• 1 bunch Tuscan Kale (lacinato, dinosaur), stems removed and thinly sliced
• 1 C. Red Cabbage, thinly sliced 
• 2 TBSP Red Onion, thinly sliced
• 1/4 C. Hazelnuts, toasted and chopped 
• 1/4 C. Grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1/4 tsp. Red Pepper Flakes

FOR THE DRESSING:

• 1/4 C. Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 1/4 C. Extra Virgin Olive Oil 
• Salt & Pepper to taste

Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl, toss with the salad dressing and allow to marinate for at least a half hour, up to eight hours.  Dig in and enjoy! 

photo courtesy of mappery.com

Our friends over at POGO Events have a pretty awesome Saturday planned for August 7th. The Amazing Taste of Brooklyn will certainly be an Amazing Race, minus zip-lining through a jungle.  You will, however, experience an adventure of taste as the race takes you through some of the borough’s finest food establishments.  Here’s what they have to say about it: 

POGO Events presents “The Amazing Taste of Brooklyn Race” - an exciting contest through the streets of Brooklyn following a set of clues to various restaurants around town.  Teams of hungry New Yorkers race around the better borough, following clues to both well-known and some more obscure landmarks.  At each location teams will sample different foods to experience the great cuisine Brooklyn has to offer while having an Amazing Adventure!  Prizes will include gift certificates to different restaurants, gym memberships to help you burn off some of the calories, as well as many other great prizes!  Sign up today!

Purchase your tickets here, and good luck! 

Locally made, high quality, great tasting. Those are just some ways to describe confections from The Madelaine Chocolate Company. Located in Far Rockaway, Queens, they’ve been family-owned and operated since the thirties, and certainly take pride in both their roots and their chocolate.  We here at Hungry in Brooklyn were lucky enough come across a staggering amount of Madelaine’s goodies.  As we ate our way through more than half a box of chocolate hearts, we realized we could do so much more with these scrumptious sweets.  Since chocolate chip cookies are about as old fashioned as apple pie, we figured there was no better way to utilize these classic foiled candies. 

We believe in three Chocolate Chip Cookie Truths:  

• They must be DELICIOUS
• Soft/chewy in the middle yet crisp on the outside
• Contain really good, high quality chocolate.

Break out of that Tollhouse mindset and get to chopping your own chocolate. Combine dark and milk, semi sweet and bittersweet, or even white.  The possibilities are endless when you’re using chocolate that tastes amazing on it’s own. 

Through trial and much error, we have finally created what we believe to be the best Chocolate Chunk Cookie ever!  Check out the recipe below and give them a try yourself.  You won’t be disappointed! 

Classic Chocolate Chunk Cookies

• 2 cups plus 3 TBSP organic flour (preferably locally milled)
• 1 tsp salt
• ¾ tsp baking soda
• 2 sticks unsalted butter – softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ¾ cup packed dark brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 ½ cups chopped chocolate  (about 12 ounces chocolate)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.  Line your baking sheets with parchment paper.

Chop your chocolate into small pieces, and toss them with a little flour (to prevent them from sinking during baking)

Sift together the flour, salt and baking soda in a large bowl.

In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with your hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and smooth, about 2 minutes.  Add the eggs and the vanilla, beating until incorporated.  

Slowly add the flour mixture while mixing on low, until just incorporated.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl, give it one last stir and then add your chocolate chunks. 

Drop the cookies in rounded tablespoonfuls onto your baking sheet, three inches apart from one another (they will spread) and bake for 12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool for a couple minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. 

Try these with some vanilla ice cream for a classically decadent ice cream sandwich! 

With July 4th just one day away, it’s time to start thinking about drinking.  So we here at Hungry in Brooklyn decided pair the season’s freshest ingredients with what else? Liquor! Check out our step-by-step lesson for three refreshing summer cocktails: The Classic Cuban Mojito, Shea’s Bluberry Gin Sparkler, and Spiked Strawberry Lemonade. They’re so delicious, they’re almost as dangerous as those fireworks your neighbor bought across state borders!  And the best part is, each of these drinks can be batched for parties, so watch the clip and check out the recipes below. 

CLASSIC CUBAN MOJITO

Ingredients

• 2 sprigs of mint (leaves removed from stem)
• ½ oz. simple syrup
• Juice of 1 lime (about 1 oz)
• 1 ½-2 oz. Rum
• 6 oz. Soda water
• 2 dashes bitters

Steps

First, add mint, syrup and lime juice to a glass, then muddle.  Then, add rum, soda water and bitters.  Finally, add ice cubes and stir. Garnish with a lime wedge. 

Ingredients for a batch of 6 Drinks: 

• 12 sprigs of mint (leaves removed from stem)
• 3 oz. simple syrup
• Juice of 6 limes (about 6 ounces)
• 1 ¼ cup rum
• 4 ½ cups Soda water
• 12 dashes bitters

Read more for Shea’s Blueberry Gin Sparkler and Spiked Strawberry Lemonade…

Read More

It’s good to be back!  After a long break to recharge our batteries as Hungry Nation went through a transitional phase, we’re back and ready to take on the summer with lots of great episodes. 

Our first, HiB: Pittsburgh, explores the humble Ramp.  Because they’re the first signs of spring, chefs LOVE them. Though they’re no longer in season, you’ll probably be enjoying pickled ramps all summer long at local restaurants.  They’re essentially wild leeks, and can be used interchangeably with other cultivated crops in the onion and garlic family like scallions, spring onions, and garlic chives.  Check out the video, and as usual, the recipe is posted below! 

RAMP AND VEGETABLE SCRAMBLE: 

(serves 2)

1 TBSP butter 

1 TBSP olive oil 

1 cup chopped oyster mushrooms

1/3 lb. asparagus, chopped on the bias

4 ramps (or 4 scallions, if ramps are not available)

4 eggs

parmesan cheese 

salt & pepper

In a sautee pan over medium heat, combine the butter and olive oil.  Separate the ramp leaves from the cloves and set aside.  Chop the ramp cloves and add them to the saute pan along with the mushrooms and asparagus. Salt and pepper. Allow to soften, about 5 minutes.  Chiffonade the ramp leaves and add them to the sautee pan to wilt, about 1 minute more.  

Meanwhile, whisk the eggs and the splash of milk, and pour into the pan.  Allow to set for about 30 seconds, add a generous pinch of salt and a crack of black pepper, and scramble until your desired consistency.  Grate parmesan cheese over the top, stir, and garnish with extra parmesan before serving.  

Enjoy!