Today I….ate at Esperanto

www.esperantony.com
145 Avenue C at E 9th St
New York
NY 10009

Brazilian & South American Bistro.

Now , the website says 2-4-1 on their cocktail menu from 5pm til 7pm, but, dont be fooled! We ordered Mojitos, what their famous for, an finally took the bill when the rest of our party arrived, at FULL PRICE, apparently it doesn’t include EVERY cocktail (there was nothing to say this) we ordered 2 Nuevo Mojitos each time, Rum, Mint, Sugar, & Passion Fruit, but it was excluded from the offer because it contained ‘REAL’ fruit. Needless to say, our bill for cocktails alone was $80.

Food= So so, ordered a Medium Rare Carne Asado (skirt steak) with Guacamole, Rice & Salsa.

Meat was medium rare on the inside with a very burnt taste on the outside. Guacamole was very flavoursome though. Rice, could take it or leave it with a steak.

Tonite I….made Spag Bol

Well Bolognese sauce with spiral pasta.

1 1/2 lb Turkey Mince
6 Mushrooms
1/3 Red Bell Pepper
2 slices Red Onion
1 tin Tomato Sauce/Passata
Tomato Puree
Worchestershire Sauce
Soy Sauce
Aromat
Mixed Herbs
Oregano
Pepper

1. Brown mince in a pan.

2. Add chopped onion, red pepper and mushrooms and cook through.

3. Add whole tin of passata, 2 squirts of puree, a few shakes each of worchestershire sauce, soy sauce, and all dry herbs & aromat.

4. Mix together in pan, reduce heat & cook through til pasta is cooked.

Today I….Iced my Cake

With a simple Buttercream Icing.

1 Stick Butter
2 1/2 Cups of Icing Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla Essence
2 dessert spoons of Milk

1. Cream softened butter & sieved sugar together.

2. Mix in Vanilla & Milk.

3. Spread between layers of cake & on top.

Tonite I made….Buffalo Chicken Stromboli

2 tbsp Butter
1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
3-4 stalks of Celery
5 Mushrooms
2 cups of shredded cooked Chicken (leftover roast chicken or 2 chicken breasts)
1/2 cup Hot Sauce ( Dinosaur BBQ Wango Tango/Dinosaur BBQ Slatherin’ Sauce/Tomato Puree/Franks Hot Sauce)
Pizza Dough
1 cup grated Cheese
1/2 cup Gorgonzola Crumbles
3 Scallions finely chopped
1 Egg

Bake at 400F/205C/Gas Mark 6

Serves 4

1. In a large pan melt butter with EVOO and cook Celery and Mushrooms for 3-4mins.
2. Add chicken and sauce, mix together with Salt & Pepper. Remove from pan & leave to cool.
3. When filling is cool, roll out pizza dough into a rectangle on a floured surface. Spread filling onto dough, not too close to the edges.

4. Top with cheeses and scallions.

5. Roll stromboli starting at one long edge, tucking in both ends firmly.

6. Whisk egg and a splash of water and lightly brush over entire surface.

7. Bake on a baking sheet until golden for 40mins.

Today I….Baked a Chocolate Cake

Based on a Red Velvet Cupcake Recipe (but hubby doesn't like it red, says it tastes funny!)

2 Cups of Sugar
2 Sticks of Butter
4 Eggs
4 tbsp Cocoa Powder
2 3/4 Cups of Self Raising Flour
1 tsp Salt
1 Cup Milk
3 tbsp Vanilla
(1 tsp Red Food Colour)

Set oven to 325F/160C/Gas Mark 3

Makes 24 cupcakes or 1 medium cake.

1. Let butter soften at room temperature for about an hour.

2. Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

3. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until light and fluffy again.

4. Sift Cocoa powder, flour & salt into mixture and blend together.

5. Add milk, vanilla and food colour and mix.

6. Fill cupcake cases or cake tin 3/4 full and bake for 25mins.