Favorite Things: Nathalie Trad

Love, love, love Nathalie Trad's shell clutches. She's a new designer who trained in Paris and New York, worked with the Proenza Schouler boys, then launched her inaugural collection (which you're looking at) this year. She uses cool materials (i.e. mother of pearl, wood, stainless steel) in totally unexpected ways and shapes. I can't seem to find her sold anywhere, but rumor has it she'll be hitting the shelves of Five Story soon. Chomping at the bit. xo

Quick-Pickled Shrimp

Every once in awhile, I'll make a life-changing food discovery in the kitchen that causes me to marvel endlessly and never quite go back to the same way of doing things. Pickling shrimp was one of those times. I've always loved the simplicity and ease of making shrimp. I've roasted it with broccoli to delicious result, I've weaved it in with fettucine and sun-dried tomatoes, I've sauteed it with feta and capers. No matter what the process, it usually ends up working. Shrimp's a good friend in the kitchen like that. Nice and reliable.

What I didn't realize is that pickling the little creatures creates this magical alchemy during which the natural sweetness of shrimp is amplified 10-fold. There's almost no actual cooking involved--you simply blanche the shrimp for a couple of quick minutes, then you mix up this fantastic pickling formula, and let it sit and do it's thing. After about half an hour or so, you've got tender, sweet, slightly tangy shrimp for the eating. It's a pretty perfect recipe, especially for the upcoming warmer months ahead. I ate my batch with fresh roasted asparagus from the farmers' market and some orzo sprinkled with garlic chives, but you could also chop the shrimp up and eat it on toast with a layer of mayonnaise, as Bon Appetit's May issue suggests. Either way, there's no going wrong with this one, folks. Try it out. xo

Quick-Pickled Shrimp
From Bon Appetit, May 2013
Ingredients:
1 pound shell-on medium shrimp
Kosher salt
1/2 medium fennel bulb, thinly sliced
1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/2 Fresno chile or red jalapeño, thinly sliced, seeded
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fennel fronds
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
Cook shrimp in a large pot of boiling salted water until just opaque in the center, about 2 minutes. Drain; rinse under cold running water to cool. Peel and devein, leaving tails intact, if desired.

Combine shrimp, fennel bulb, onion, garlic, chile, lemon juice, vinegar, oil, and fennel fronds in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper and toss to combine. Let sit, tossing occasionally, at least 20 minutes.

Pickled shrimp can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill.

Pie Making with Pie Corps

A couple of weeks ago, my boyfriend and I were graciously welcomed into the cozy kitchen at Pie Corps in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, to attend a class on how to make seafood pie, spring veggie pielets, and drunken pear pie. The seafood pie, specifically, was the most delicious, creamy pie in the world, filled with little fresh clams, potatoes, and fish. It was quite possibly one of the most warming, comforting meals I've ever had.

If you're in the market for an in-depth, super fun cooking class, Pie Corps is the place for you. The very sweet, hilarious owners of the bakery, Cheryl Perry and Filipa Lopez, teach each class personally, and it feels a lot like being at a particularly raucous dinner party. In between lessons on how to roll your pie dough to perfection, you'll be regaled with funny travel tales, jokes, and the occasional ribbing. And by the end, you'll be hugging them good-bye, tricked momentarily into thinking that they're actually family. You'll also be stuffed to the brim, deliriously happy, and wondering if it would be that indecent to have one more bite of pie once you're home. Because they'll obviously have sent you off with a healthy portion of leftovers, just like any great host would.

Happy Earth Day

These days, it's pretty crucial to do what we can to help the earth. Here are my favorite little ways to make a difference, listed out for MyHabit. Click on over HERE to read. xo

Quinoa with Mushrooms + Arugula

I've had Gwyneth Paltrow's second cookbook pre-ordered for months so it was like Christmas when the little Amazon box finally arrived at my door. This one, called "It's All Good: Delicious, Easy Recipes That Will Make You Look Good and Feel Great," is filled with health-conscious, "clean" food that Paltrow makes for herself and her family when she needs a break from all the pasta, pizza, and other such amazingness that can ultimately leave you feeling heavy and gross (for lack of a better word) when you overindulge. Which, I totally tend to do pretty much all of the time. Self-control is not really one of my shining qualities.

This recipe was the first that I've tried in the book, and as with the majority of Paltrow's recipes, it was easy to follow and absolutely delicious. And I still felt great even after scooping up the very last mushroom. xo

Quinoa with Mushrooms + Arugula
From It's All Good, by Gwyneth Paltrow and Julia Turshen
Ingredients:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme
1 pound crimini mushrooms, sliced
Coarse sea salt
2 cups cooked quinoa
2 large handfuls arugula, roughly chopped (I subbed in baby watercress)
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet set over high heat. Add the garlic and thyme to the pan and cook until they just begin to bloom and get fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms to the pan along with a big pinch of salt and cook, stirring now and then, until they've softened and browned and begin to make a squeaking sound (we know that sounds ridiculous, but it's true--keep your ears open). Transfer the mushroom mixture to a large mixing bowl along with the quinoa and arugula and stir to combine. Season to taste with a bit more salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper.

Mid-Century Modern

As of June 1st, I will officially be a Brooklyn resident! Just signed the lease last week, and I'm so excited to move into a bigger, brighter, newer space near the water in Williamsburg, and as a result, I've been thinking nonstop about how to furnish and decorate. I'll finally have room for a big, long dining room table, which is maybe the best thing about this whole move.

I fell into a bit of a research black hole over the weekend and became obsessed with these mid-century modern interiors--those Scandinavians were genius. Eames, Saarinen, Jacobsen, Baughman--I heart you.

A Spring Lunch with Canal House and MyHabit

Last week, I got to meet two women who I've loved and idolized from afar for the longest time. MyHabit took me to the Canal House kitchens in Lambertville, NJ, where Melissa Hamilton and Christopher Hirscheimer cook, work, and turn out the most beautiful cookbooks. They made a ridiculously delicious spring lunch for us while we were there composed of pickled shrimp, the first spring asparagus, roasted lamb, a lemony orzo, and pavlova for dessert. Get all the recipes and read more HERE. xo