welcome to grand cayman

Last week we headed out for the week to the Florida Keys and Grand Cayman for the weekend to relax in the warm weather. We left a snowy northeast for the white sand beaches.

The morning after we landed in Florida we jetted out to Grand Cayman. After a quick one-hour flight over Cuba and the prettiest blue water we landed and immediately set up shop on the beach.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After a day of beaching, we cleaned up for a nice first meal at Luca. An Italian restaurant located in the Caribbean Club, serving massive portions of fresh seafood along with well-prepared meats and homemade pastas, it was a nice choice for the first night. You can find more information on Luca here. The only drawback ambiance-wise was the close proximity of the tables, with loads of full tables, the buzz of the restaurant was more of a roar at times.

T started with the spicy yellow fin tuna tartare and avocado, fennel salad, and a soured tomato coulis. A perfect start to the island weekend.

 

I started with the largest salad I have ever been served, an arugula salad with poached beets, local tomatoes, goat cheese, spicy pecans, lemon and olive oil dressing.

T went with the special duck with roasted cabbage, mashed potatoes, bacon wrapped asparagus and a spattering of jus. All I kept hearing was "you have to try this...and this...and this and this".

On the other hand I decided to get the most seafood-y dish offered, taking advantage of the location, and went with the whole wheat linguine, crab meat, rock shrimps, calamari and scallops, in a garlic white wine sauce. Served as a massive hill I was super excited when it arrived, and let so far down when I tasted it. 

With little sauce, and small seafood bits scattered everywhere overpowering any taste the pasta may have had on its own, I was a bit sad. I may have been somewhat settled with it if I hadn't tasted all of the other amazing dishes that were served at my table that night. Of note, the lobster ravioli served with a creamy lobster bisque, arugula, and a touch of cherry tomato was outstandingly rich and delicious...and I had a bad case of food envy. 

To make up for dinner we just had to order dessert. We played it safe and went with the warm chocolate molten with marinated oranges. Fluffy and decadent, the warm chocolate molten washed away my recent memories of my underwhelming entree. 

We enjoyed a small glass of limencello-vodka slushy and petit fours before waving goodbye and heading back to our hotel along the beach by moonlight, dipping our toes in the warm Caribbean sea.

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easy vodka sauce

Vodka sauce is actually super simple, it is ready in about an hour with minimal effort, and can be spiced up with some add-ins. To make it more filling I added some chicken and peas, but you can add in anything really, from pancetta to mushrooms to anything you like in your pasta.
 

Ingredients (for 2):
3 shallots, minced
1/2 stick of butter
1/2 cup vodka
56 oz crushed tomatoes
2 cups heavy cream 
1/2 lb penne

Directions:
1. In a skillet over med heat, saute shallots in butter with a sprinkle of salt & pepper for 4 minutes or until soft and beginning to brown.
 

2. Add vodka and let simmer for 7 minutes, until almost all the way evaporated.
 

3. Add tomatoes, stir, cover & simmer for 30 minutes.
 

4. Uncover, stir, and add in heavy cream. Stir, cover, and let simmer for another 30 minutes.
 

5. At this time, prep any add-ins you may have. I chopped up some chicken, sauteed them with some tomatoes, and added in after the timer went off along with some steamed peas.
 

 

 

 

 

6. Cook pasta, reserve 1/4 cup of pasta-water, and add to pan.  Stir to coat & serve warm.
 

 

 

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boston restaurants: n

The highest rated N restaurant in Boston is No. 9 Park, Barbara Lynch's Italian-French masterpiece located in Beacon Hill steps from the state house. With dark wood floors & multiple antique chandeliers hanging in every room, the restaurant exudes elegance. The menu consists of a 3-course prix fixe option as well as a seven-course chef’s tasting menu. With multiple accolades under its belt including a AAA Four Diamond Rating, 2012 James Beard Foundation Award for Outstanding Wine Program, and always placing on the Best of Boston and 50 Best Restaurants list, you will have a memorable tasty meal, every time.

 

After ordering a bottle of Sancerre for the table, I started with the potato agnolotti with celeriac brown butter, chestnuts, and black trumpet mushrooms. This dish was my favorite of the evening. Little pierogi-like light pillows of delicious potato mixtures, I couldn't get enough! Apologies for the dim & washed-out photos, the candle mood-lighting got to me once again!

As always, I had to order the chicken. I went with the Giannone Farms chicken with a sunny-side up egg and an escargot puff-pastry. The puff-pastry was a nice addition and texture change to the dish, and the chicken was obviously perfectly prepared.

One of my dates went with the prime flat iron steak with roasted shallot, bone marrow bread pudding, a chard and spinach parcel, and a few roasted carrots garnishing the dish.
 

My other date went with the dish I was so close to ordering: the medium-rare roasted Scottish salmon with potato mille-feuille, beet jus, and horseradish.
 

To finish the meal, we went with dessert over cheese. I went with the cashew nougat glace with banana, molasses, and banana. Delicious once again, but I was still dreaming of my appetizer.
 

The other desserts at the table were chocolate-focused. One of which I can remember nothing other than chocolate, mint, and meringue, and the other was the chocolate cream tart with bourbon raisin, smoked cinnamon, and banana.

 

Another memorable meal, with fantastic service, and a beautiful setting. Next on my No. 9 Park go-to-list is their lunch!

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lasagna soup

This soup will confuse you for days...looking just like any other normal tomato-based soup this one actually tastes exactly like LASAGNA! What?! Truth. Try it, you'll see.

Ingredients (for 6 servings based on this recipe):
4 tsp olive oil
1 1/2 lb spicy chicken sausage
3 onions, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbs dried oregano
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
4 tsp tomato paste
1 28oz can diced tomatoes with garlic
1 14.5oz can crushed tomatoes
2 bay leaves
4 cups chicken stock
2 cups water
1 lb fusilli pasta
2 tbs chopped fresh basil
Salt & pepper to taste
8 oz ricotta
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese 

Directions:
1. Heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and sausages. Stir and cook until browned, about 8 minutes, chopping sausage with the spoon as they soften.
 

2. Add minced garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Stir to coat, cook another 2 minutes.

 

 

3. Add tomato paste and stir to thoroughly coat. Cook for another 4 minutes.

4. Add diced & crushed tomatoes, bay leaves, chicken stock, and water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for another 30 minutes.

 

5.  After the 30 minutes, mash sausage with a potato masher while separately cooking the pasta.

6. Add cooked pasta to the soup along with chopped basil, salt & pepper.

7. Add half of the shredded cheeses to the pot, turn off heat and stir. Disperse remainder of cheeses to individuals bowls. Ladle and serve

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turkey meatballs in a spicy sauce

Maybe twice a year I get in a I-really-need-a-meatball-right-now kind of a mood.  Not sure if you can relate, but my cravings pretty much rule my life, and I need to quench them ASAP! Not the biggest fan of beef (especially not of pork, beef, veal mixes), I made a lighter, heart-healthier version of meatballs: turkey meatballs.
 

Ingredients (for 4 servings):
1 tbs olive oil
3 medium onions, chopped
6 cloves of garlic, minced
3 tbs tomato paste
1 28oz can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup water
1 4oz can green chiles
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp dried basil
Salt & pepper to taste
1 lb ground turkey meat
1/2 cup panko
1/3 cup grated Parmesan
2 tbs dried parsley
1 tsp dried thyme
1 egg
1 lb whole-wheat spaghetti
 
Directions:
1. Chop 2 onions and cook for 3 minutes in olive oil over medium heat. Add a pinch of salt & pepper. Add 4 cloves of minced garlic and stir until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

2. Add tomato paste, diced tomatoes, water, chiles, oregano, rosemary, and another pinch of salt & pepper. Let simmer for 10 minutes to thicken.
 

3. Meanwhile bring a salted pot of water to a boil and make the pasta. Also turn the broiler on and line a baking sheet with tin foil. Combine the turkey, 2 cloves of minced garlic, 1 chopped onion, panko, Parmesan, parsley, thyme, egg, and another pinch of salt & pepper. 

4. Mix turkey ingredients and form small balls in your hands. Place turkey balls on the baking sheet, broil for 10 minutes, until browned on the top and almost cooked through.

5. Add turkey meatballs to sauce, stir to coat and cover for another 10 minutes to ensure moisture in the meatballs.

 

 

6. Pour the sauce and meatballs over the pasta, stir to coat. 
 

 

7. Separate into 4 portions & top with grated Parmesan.
 

 

*Note: this also reheats fantastically for left-over lunch!*

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