The Diva That Ate New York // Recipes

New Yorkers who really cook: Mercedes Batista

For many New Yorkers, a home cooked meal is a rarity, a pearl in an ocean of eating out, deliveries–in and sustenance grabbed on the Go!–Go!–Go! For nearly all of food enthusiast Mercedes Batista’s almost eighty years, cooking is a ritual, a gift she gives herself everyday. I joined Mercedes at the West Village apartment where she has lived happily alone for the past forty of those years for dinner.

The Wandering Foodie and I check out Iris Cafe in Brooklyn: 93 Plates Project

Meal #22 of The Wandering Foodies 93 Plates project found Hagan and I enjoying breakfast at the Iris Cafe, a new cafe in Brooklyn Heights. One word: Delicious! It’s on the road less traveled: Columbia Place, but that street should get worn out soon by people trekking over to get divine raisin sticky buns, yummy ham and cheddar scones, homey soft boiled, farm fresh egg breakfasts with divine Surryano Ham (It’s spelled correctly!) and awesome oatmeal served up with the best tea I’ve ever had and the super sought after Stumptown coffee!!! We did not even try the sandwiches , but Liza de Guia, Food Curated’s story-teller and self-proclaimed food addict (@SkeeterNYC on Twitter) says they are to die for. So I deliberately did not buy the sticky buns so I could head back very, very soon and try them… and then devour more sticky buns!

Recipe: Madras Chicken Curry

My mom learned this chicken curry recipe from Portuguese-Indian friends that lived next door to us on the Lower East Side in the land before time. It’s dead easy crowd pleaser.

Recipe: Green Apple Cucumber Raita

Perfect for cooling the heat of curry or as a side dish for a BBQ.  I had extra apples so I whipped up this raita recipe.

Recipe: Heavenly Hazelnut Squares

A divine, easy cookie that I made up because I had a ten pound block of gianduja (Callebaut’s hazelnut milk chocolate — like Nutella’s richer, classier and more delicious cousin) to get rid of. It’s going folks, slowly, but surely.  I may weep a little when it’s actually gone.

I made these for a friend’s birthday party after the caramel layer I was planning broke and started burning and spitting clarified butter all over the stove — very unattractive. After chucking that mess,  I rushed to whip these up and ran to the party leaving them behind!  There is a lesson in there.  I believe it is: If you forget to bring the dessert with you,  you get to keep it all for yourself. YIPPEE!!!

Recipe: Blueberry Scones

The “blizzard: made me do it! I used a couple of tricks from my Aussie catering days to make these. Using sparkling water helps to make the scones lighter and cooking the scones close together helps them rise. Twisting the cutter is a trick from the great Australian chef, author and restaurateur Stephanie Alexander, that helps scones rise to greater heights too. The dog ate my pictures…...

Recipe: Bacon Potato Pancakes w/ Granny Smith Apple & Green Tomato Chutney and Sour Cream

When life gives you chutney, you better find ways to serve it up.  I made these for Thanksgiving starters to sate the guests till the turkey is ready! I had two Thanksgivings and this was a bacon Parmesan johnny cake the first day, but they were just okay, so I whipped these up and they were stunning!

Brooklyn Purple’s in da house: Concord Grape Chutney

Since there is nothing more interminable than slip skinning Concord grapes, every year I swear that it’s the last time I am harvesting any more than a bunch of them for munching from my garden. Yet every year the fruit lures me back with promises of chutney and maybe some ketchup or jelly and I fight the mosquitoes, spiders, birds and bees for them and set aside a day for making chutney.

Recipe: Heart of palm salad

I whipped this up yesterday from things I found in the fridge and it was awesome and beautiful to look at. I didn’t think to take a pic of it until I’d nearly nibbled it out of existence, but I restrained myself and got a wee shot. The proportions of the ingredients are very flexible. I had it with some jerk chicken and garlic bread.