On a chilly Saturday afternoon, Bklyn Burro presented FRITANGA, an old-fashioned Mexican pig roast with tacos and salsa that drew over 50 people to Williamsburg’s coolest private park. Unfortunately, Havemeyer Park will be shut down this spring but partygoers still enjoyed delicious chicharrones, carnitas and buche with chili beers imported from Mexico against a dramatic backdrop of the Williamsburg bridge and the East River. A real treat!

Thank you to Pepe, Happy Chavez, Bklyn Burro, Brant and everyone who enjoyed our biggest Gourmeet yet.

When the weather turns cold, the first thing I always think about is soup. Maybe it’s because growing up, soup was pretty much a staple in our household: Korean food is made up of soups, stews, broths and cool pickling liquids. The idea of sitting at dinner without a spoon is actually rare.

So with the cold weather bluster sinking in, I’m looking to make Pioneer Woman’s chicken and dumpling soup tonight, with a few amendments. I plan on boiling a whole chicken to make my own broth, not fry it, and then use Bisquick mixed in with some milk to make light dumplings. I’ll let you know how it goes.

Get the recipe here.

True story: I always envisioned that when I got married, I’d celebrate by having a huge feast of sorts: green onions wrapped in newspaper and dug into the ground, then peeled back and slathered in sauce, Spanish-style, or giant jugs of wine poured freely all ’round. If food is the ceremony of life, then what better way to celebrate a union of two people than by having lots and lots of it?

Well, I’m not married, nor am I planning anyone’s wedding soon. But I also always wanted to have a pig roast and a lamb on a spit; there’s something so pure and simple about a whole animal on fire, as if this is a tradition done for centuries and centuries, man eating animal by earth and fire. The simplicity is what makes it elegant.

Anyway, to make a long story short: I’ve always been fascinated by pig roasts. And so I’m thrilled to announce that B’klyn Burros will be hosting a fabulous authentic pig roast this Saturday in Williamsburg’s Havemeyer Park. There’ll be homemade chicharrónes (fried pork rinds), carnitas (roast pork), buche (pork sweetbreads), tacos, salsa, chili brews, and most importantly, there’ll be lots of love. To book a spot, click through to Gourmeet.

The change in weather is calling for some more winter foods, root vegetables and oven-roasted meats. Here’s a side that I think is perfect for fall (and those Panko breadcrumbs you may have used once or twice to make schnitzel, but never again).

INGREDIENTS
Braised Leeks
2leeks, trimmed, cleaned and halved lengthwise
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 tablespoon of butter
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
Salt and pepper to taste

Crispy Panko Topping
1/4cup panko
1tablespoon parsley, finely chopped, leaves only
2tablespoons grated Parmesan
1pinch salt and pepper to taste

PREPARATION
Melt the butter and olive oil over a medium-high flame in a large sauté pan. Once the oil and butter are hot, place the leeks cut side down into the pan. Let the leeks brown in the pan for 4-5 minutes. Carefully flip the leeks over and turn the heat on low. Cover and let the leeks braise for about 25-30 minutes or until the leeks are soft all the way through. Take the leeks off the heat and squirt the lemon juice over the braised leeks and add salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with the panko topping.
2. For the panko topping: Combine panko with parsley, Parmesan, and salt and pepper in a small dish. In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast this mixture until golden brown. Serve over the leeks. Make sure that you taste the panko mixture for correct seasonings to ensure that the dish is seasoned all the way through.

Via

We are THRILLED to announced our very first party on Gourmeet. Please join Char No. 4 expert Allan Roth for a private whiskey tasting at his home in Brooklyn as he takes you through a history lesson of American whiskey, from the Prohibition era to today.

The whiskey tasting will take place on Tuesday, Oct. 8, at 7:30pm. Book here!

My boyfriend’s mother makes these chicken and leek hand pies and they are so good I could easily scarf down two or three in a row. Best when piping hot, these savory hand pies are filled with chicken, leek, cilantro, dill and onion, which gives the pies a Mediterranean kick (rather than creamy or saucy, like a chicken pot pie). The crust is generous and just perfect. A crowd favorite.

Below, her recipe.

Chicken and Leek Hand Pies

For Pastry:
2.5 cups of all purpose flour
.5 tsp. salt
1 stick of butter
2 egg yolks
The reserved liquid from the cooked veggies
Enough milk to combine

Sift flour, add salt, cut butter in bits and rub in flour until it resembles fine bread crumbs, make a well, add egg yolks, rub well, add reserved liquid from cooked veggies and enough milk to combine, do not over work pastry, wrap in cling film and place in fridge for half an hour or more if you have time. You can even make it the night before, it rests well in the fridge.

Filling:
1 Cornish hen
2 large leeks,
2 bunches of scallions
1 bunch of coriander (cilantro)
1 bunch of parsley
half a bunch of dill
1 medium onion chopped
olive oil about 3-4 tblsp.
salt and pepper to taste.

Wash hen and remove all bits of visible fat. Boil in salted water until tender. Allow to cool and remove all flesh from bones and chop up. Set aside.

Wash and thinly slice all veggies, put olive oil and chopped onion in pan and wilt without letting it brown, add sliced veggies toss until they change colour, lower heat to low, place lid on and cook until tender. Place in sieve or colander and drain reserving the liquid for the pastry. -the reason you do this is so your pastry has a taste of the veggies.

Combine veggies and hen flesh and season to taste.

Take some pastry about the size of a golf ball, roll it out and brush with egg white before placing filling, close and brush top with egg white. I sometimes sprinkle a little coarse salt on top. Bake at 375 until golden.

Berries are the best and easiest dessert. A little pot of homemade whipped cream — room-temperature heavy cream, a dash of sugar and a little bit of zested lime — next to a big bowl of blue and blackberries is my idea of perfection.