summer food rules

here are two of my favorite local summer foods: natural casing hot dogs from the house of meats and dog on good mustard from cajohn's. nothing beats the snap of a natural casing hot dog and this new mustard from cajohn's is awesome. it's a little spicy and the flavor can't be beat. yum!

saffron orzo with toasted pine nuts

saffron orzo with toasted pine nuts

1 cup orzo pasta
6 cups chicken stock
1 tsp saffron threads
1/2 cup pine nuts

bring chicken stock and saffron to a boil. add orzo and cook until al dente. meanwhile, toast pine nuts in a sautee pan until fragrant and lightly toasted. drain orzo and fold in toasted pine nuts.

i had all these ingredients in my pantry (leftover orzo from mediterranean orzo!) the saffron adds a bit of savory complexity to the flavor of the stock and the pine nuts have a soft crunch. good comfort food!

restaurant review: moretti's

hands down, moretti's is my favorite italian restaurant in town. if you're planning to go, i'd recommend making reservations a night or two in advance. the ratio of devoted moretti's clientele to square footage makes for few available walk in seats on a weekend and most weeknights. the fiance and i have speculated that moretti's could remove their sign and still probably do a brisk business for at least a couple of years. due to its inauspicious location and lack of advertising, moretti's just might be columbus' best kept dining secret.

the ambiance is dark and romantic, and while the dining room is nice, it's not overly so, the focus here is on food. food and great service. the wait staff consistently delivers excellent attention to detail and are more than happy to accommodate special requests.

the menu offers plenty of delicious housemade pastas, excellent entree salads and italian standards like: chicken, eggplant & veal parmigiana, veal scalloppini, lasagna, and housemade pizzas. moretti's house sauce is rich, chunky and chocked full of garlic. they offer fresh baked bread with an addictive garlic herb butter.

although the prices are reasonable ($14-$26 for an entree, included is a choice of soup or salad) moretti's offers some excellent weeknight specials:
monday - all chicken entrees $13 (includes salad or soup)
tuesday - casseroles and ravioli $11 (includes salad or soup)
wednesday -any pasta or penne dish $9 (includes salad or soup)
thursday - specials offered in bar only

i've tasted the majority of the menu, here are some of my favorites (as mentioned above, the atmosphere is very dark, the quality of the pictures reflects that):

housemade pasta: the pasta is just right. the texture and flavor of the pasta are great and it's the perfect match for moretti's sauce.

green bean appetizer: crisp green beans sauteed in olive oil and a generous amount of garlic. the skin just begins to caramelize but the center of the bean is still crisp and juicy. so good.

crumbled sausage: sausage with peppers and mushrooms over penne in a cream sauce. the rich and spicy sausage & peppers meld beautifully with the cream sauce. penne is al dente, never overcooked. ask for it with extra hot peppers (grilled banana peppers) if you dare. it sounds like a heart attack on a plate and it is, but i can't imagine a dish more worth the gamble.

fettuccini: housemade spinach noodles (to die for) served with a delicate yet rich cream sauce.

vegetable pizza: the crust has a nice combination of crispy/doughy consistency and is topped with roasted vegetables like red peppers, zucchini, mushrooms and onions. it comes with gorgonzola, but i always have them hold the cheese. the veggies and sauce are so good, it doesn't need anthing else.

traditional lasagne: all of the elements of moretti's lasagne taste fresh and distinct. the pasta is cooked to the perfect al dente, the ricotta is rich and mixed with fresh herbs and the sauce is outstanding. i like that this isn't a big gooey mess of cheese and overcooked noodles like some other italian places in town. the vegetable lasagne is also excellent, covered in freshly sauteed, al dente vegetables.

cheese ravioli: the four raviolis served in this dish are large enough for about two and a half meals. i usually finish one of them and a meatball and i'm full. the ravioli are made with either housemade spinach or tradional pasta and are stuffed with lots of soft ricotta and fresh herbs. the cheese to pasta ratio is very high. yum!

wild salmon or grilled chicken salad: this has to be one of the best salads around. choose either grilled chick or salmon to go over a huge portion of romain, roasted red peppers, green beans and pasta tossed in moretti's house made italian vinaigrette. delicious and huge. good for splitting, which moretti's is happy to do.

moretti's
5849 sawmill road (in the cranston center)
dublin, oh 43017
614.717.0400

southwestern black bean dip

i have to say that upon reading this recipe through the first time i wasn't so sure how it would turn out. however, it was really easy to put together and the flavors in this dip really pop. it tastes fresh, not refried beany. one of the best black bean dips i've had. i served the black bean dip with trader joe's tri-color flax seed tortilla chips.

southwestern black bean dip
(from epicurious)

2 large cloves garlic, minced
1/2 large bell pepper (i used orange)
1/2 medium onion. chopped
1 tsp olive oil
two 15 oz cans of black beans, rinsed & drained
3 tbs fresh lime juice
1/4 cup packed fresh cilantro
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne
1/4 tsp salt
fresh ground pepper
2 tbs water

sautee garlic, pepper & onion in oil until onion is translucent. in a food processor, blend beans, lime juice, cilantro, spices & water until smooth. add onion mixture & puree until smooth. chill dip, covered, at least 3 hours and up to one day.

beeb's deli: documented dining

i've been interested in beeb's since i read an article (in the dispatch's food section?) where the purveyors were quoted as saying they had researched delis for almost a year prior to opening their doors. i'm game for trying anything someone worked on for a year before launching. on a recent day off after perusing the library for new cookbooks (found one! more on that later) i stopped in for lunch.

upon entering, you step into a vestibule with a large scale menu mounted on the wall. i really like this because there are times when i want to spend 10 solid minutes pouring over a menu to make the perfect selection. no pressure from a goofball at the cash register giving you the "it's lunch, not marriage, just choose already" look. i chose the create your own option and came up with a grilled turkey sandwich on 8 grain bread with lettuce, tomato, black olives and tomato basil mayo. the sandwich was delicious. in true deli style, the sandwich had a larger quantity of turkey than i perfer. i recognize this is my issue, not beeb's. the turkey was extremely flavorful and all of beeb's meats are msg and preservative free. the tomato mayo was awesome. i'd buy it by the quart if they sold it. the bread was soft & delicate but still had a great grainy texture. sandwiches are served with salt and pepper kettle chips and a half pickle. very good. the interior is bright and comfortable and the service is fast and friendly. i'll definitely go back.

beeb's deli
740.657.1800
76 powell road (near the intersection of rts. 23 & 750)
lewis center, oh 43035

roasted beet salad with fresh dill

i really love beets. and i'm ashamed to say this is the first time i've roasted them myself. i used to think "they're just so easy and tasty out of a can, why go to all the trouble?" today i am converted. fresh roasted beets are really so much better than their bland canned relatives, there's no reason to ever look back.

fresh beets have to be one of the most beautiful raw vegetable (and by vegetable, i mean root). i was literally transfixed while scrubbing them over the sink. check it out:

roasted beet salad with fresh dill

salad:
6 medium beets (i used 3 golden & 3 red)
1/4 cup dill, roughly chopped
1/3 cup red onion, thinly slivered

vinaigrette:
3 tbs olive oil
2 tbs muscat wine vinegar
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp fresh ground pepper
1 tsp sugar

roast beets using the following method: trim roots and stems away from beets. scrub clean. wrap in tin foil and roast for about 1 hour in 415 degree oven. let cool. using paper towel, gently slip off skins.
slice beets and combine with slivered onions and dill. whisk together vinaigrette. pour over beet salad and toss. cover and refrigerate over night.