Simply Gourmet in Southie has a new home!

I am extremely exited to announce that Simply Gourmet in Southie has a new home:

www.simplygourmetinsouthie.com

Along with a new home comes a new look:

If you noticed I haven't posted much in the past week and that is because the move was underway. I am really excited about my new domain along with a move from Blogger to Wordpress.

While I'm still learning the ropes over at Wordpress (bear with me) I hope you take a minute to update your bookmarks for Simply Gourmet in Southie. All new posts going forward will live there starting with the next post after this one!

Thank you for following my posts this past year and a half and I look forward to what is to come over on the new site!

xoxo

Emily

Featured Recipe: Sweet Basil's Seafood Chowder

This is the third, and final, recipe from Chef Dave Becker of Sweet Basil located in Needham, MA. 

Taken right from Stewed, Chef Dave's newest cookbook, today's featured recipe is Seafood Chowder. The great thing about this recipe is you can use whatever type of seafood you prefer! Don't like mussels? No problem, double up on the shrimp.

Get creative and mix and match according to your taste preferences!

Thanks to Chef Dave and the team at Sweet Basil for all of the great information and beautiful photos. It was so fun sharing this information with everyone. Don't hesitate and check out Sweet Basil today - you will be very happy you did :)

Photo Credit: Nina Gallant 

Sweet Basil's Seafood Chowder:

Serves 4 to 6

• 1 stick unsalted butter
• ½ cup flour
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for roasting the clams
• 2 cups Spanish onions, ¼” dice
• 2 tablespoons garlic, minced
• ¼ cup celery, minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
• 3 cups Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed, ¼” dice
• 1 cup fresh corn kernels
• 1 cup sherry
• 1 ½ quarts Fish Stock (page 93 of Stewed)
• 2 cups heavy cream
• ½ pound fresh mussels, scrubbed
• ½ pound Maine baby shrimp
• ½ pound squid, tentacles and rings cut
• Kosher salt and cracked black pepper
• ½ pound whole clams, scrubbed

Garnish

• Chopped fresh parsley
• Chopped fresh basil

Preheat the oven to 400º.

In a cast iron skillet, melt the butter over low heat. When the butter melts, slowly whisk in the flour. Allow the roux to cook for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring continuously, until the mixture turns brown.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, garlic, celery, and thyme. Sauté the mixture for 5 minutes or until the ingredients begin to caramelize. Add the potatoes, corn, and sherry. Continue cooking for 1 minute or until the liquid is reduced. Add the Fish Stock, bring to a boil, and then add the boiling soup to the roux, maintaining the medium-high heat. Slowly whisk in the cream, and then add the mussels, shrimp, and squid. Decrease the heat to low and simmer for 5 to 6 minutes, or until the mussels open, and remove from the heat. Season to your liking with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, arrange the whole clams on a baking sheet, sprinkle with a few pinches of kosher salt and drizzle with a few splashes of olive oil. Roast in the oven until the clamshells open.

Ladle the soup into bowls, evenly distributing the roasted clams. Garnish with the parsley and basil, and serve.

Sweet Basil is located at 942 Great Plain Ave., Needham, MA 02492.

If you are interested in purchasing Chef Dave's newest cookbook, Stewed, or any of his cookbooks, you can find them here: www.sweetbasilneedham.com/cookbook

Pinterest Faves: Week of 3/3/13 - 3/9/13

I am obsessed with this bathing suit. I think I have to splurge and get this for my summer in Newport this year!

'Penelope' Crochet Overlay One Piece Swimsuit

I found this pin but it did not lead my to a website. Luckily the directions are simple - put any fabric you choose under a glass frame and use as a tray in your home. This would be really cute on a dresser or bathroom counter!

Picture frame turned into a tray

The Copley collection from Hearts On Fire is quickly becoming my favorite and these pave pendants would look great day or night! The hardest part is choosing white gold, yellow gold, or rose. How about all three layered on different length chains?

Copley Pave Pendant from Hearts On Fire

With St. Patrick's Day coming up this weekend I have been looking for a good cookie recipe to bring to a party my friends are throwing. Here's to wishful thinking that my cookies will look anywhere near as good as these...

Shamrock Cookies

Sticking with the St. Patrick's theme for the end of this post how about a White Russian turned green? This recipe calls for mint extract but you could make it without and just add green food coloring for a perfectly festive drink!

Green Russian

Let the Shenanigan's begin!

I <3 Shenanigan's Tee-Shirt

Penne Carbonara

I always thought carbonara would be really hard to make but it's actually surprisingly easy.

When I came across this recipe from Food52 (and realized I had all of the ingredients already in the house) I figured I would give it a try. It came out really good and was almost effortless. I will definitely be making this again! 

I love when that happens.

Recipe adapted from Food52 

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

• 1 lb penne pasta  **spaghetti would work great too**
• 1 lb bacon
• 1 1/4 cup of frozen peas
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup fresh grated parmesan
• salt and pepper

Boil a large pot of water, salt, and cook the pasta according to the package directions.

While the pasta is cooking, cut the bacon into small 1/2" pieces. It will be easier if you cut the bacon while it is still cold. Warm a stainless steel skillet over medium heat and cook the bacon until crispy. Stip and break up the bacon pieces using a wooden spoon occasionally while cooking. Drain on a plate covered with a paper towel.

In a separate bowl mix the eggs, parmesan, and pepper until you get the consistency of thick batter.

Dump the peas into a microwave safe bowl with a little water. Microwave 3-4 minutes, or until the peas are warm, stirring halfway through.

When the pasta is done, drain it quickly. Put the pasta back in the pot and pour the egg mixture over. Mix well to cook the egg with the heat from the pasta. Add the bacon and peas. 

Done and done!

Pinterest Faves: Week of 2/24/13 - 3/2/13

March 1st means time to take down the winter decorations and get ready for spring. I want to get some white hydrangeas and keep them in a mason jar on my coffee table. Maybe paint the jar grey/silver?

Hydrangeas in distressed mason jars

My sister had a great geo patterned cardigan from Urban Outfitters that they no longer sell :( This is the closest thing I've been able to find to it yet...

SheInside Geo Tribal Pattern Open Cardigan

I don't know which of these pretzel bite recipes I want to try to make first?? 

Pretzel Bites - 3 ways

These quinoa patties are easy to make and you can use whatever you have on hand to flavor them. If you make a big batch of the mix just keep it in a bowl in the fridge. Form patties to cook as needed throughout the week.

These would be great over a salad for lunch as well!

Quinoa Patties

This pin was kind of a dud because it didn't lead me to the website it was originally from. Luckily it had the recipe in the description.

I have everything I need to make these already in the house - love when that happens!!

Pre-heat your oven to 375 F. Open the crescent rolls according to package direction. 

Spread melted butter on rolls and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Roll up the crescents and bake at 375 F for 11-13 mins. 

While the crescents are cooking mix 1 1/3 cup of powdered sugar with 2 tablespoons of milk. Spoon the icing over the crescents as soon as they come out of the oven and still hot.

Tavern Road Opens in Boston's Fort Point Channel

There is a new restaurant open in what is being called Boston's "Innovation District".

Tavern Road, opened Monday, February 25th, is owned by Chef Louis DiBiccari and his brother Michael DiBiccari. Recipes are inspired by family history and the local community and cooked in a large, open kitchen. Design comes from their Uncle Adio DiBiccari, an American master sculptor, who opened an art studio in 1952 on Tavern Road by the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. You can also find work from local artists from Fort Point Channel-based artists Project Super Friends. 

If you don't know Chef Louie check out Chef Louie Night. Also known as "Iron Chef Nights", guests of these events vote on the ingredients ahead of time. The morning of the event Chef Louie and his crew find what the secret ingredients are and scramble around to come up with anything from one dish to a multi-course menu in only a few hours time. Check out the website to learn more about these events here.

The menu is "designed to be read in the way it should be consumed" starting your meal with small plates for the table, to shared entrees, and finished with an array of desserts. The menu will rotate seasonally with a few consistent signature dishes year round. 

Another fun menu feature is "Today's Animal" where each week, Tavern Road spotlights a locally-raised, whole animal. The featured animal will be served in appetizers and entrees to utilize every part they can. 

Don't worry, Tavern Road has a vegetarian menu as well!

You can even get food late-night from 11:00pm - 1:00am. A special menu of bar snacks including charcuterie, oysters, panini sandwiches and the Louis burger will be available.

You know with this type of food you are going to get some amazing drinks. Beverage Director and No. 9 Park Alum Ryan McGrale is hand-crafting seasonal cocktails in small batches. Using locally-sourced spirits he is breaking the cocktail menu into 3 parts (taken straight from their fact sheet):

1. “Libations” – a gathering of classic cocktail recipes from pre and post-

prohibition era alongside house-created cocktails from the Tavern Road bar

staff.

2. “Cocktail Flights” – weekly-changing selection of three 1.5oz cocktail samples

with varying themes (martinis, daiquiris, tiki drinks, aperitifs…)

3. “Cocktails from Friends” – four times a year this section will feature cocktails

created and donated to Tavern Road's drink menu, by some of the best in the

business. Without traveling to San Fransisco or Seattle, you can have that city’s

top bartender’s creation in front of you at Tavern Road. Contributors represent

Flatiron Lounge, Clover Club NYC, Death & Co., Jasper’s and many more.

Beers are hand-picked from craft breweries and served by the bottle (there are no taps) and the wine list is spearheaded by Boston's Second Glass and with at least 50 bottles to choose from.

If you thought it couldn't get any better you are wrong. I haven't even told you about TR Street Foods yet. 

TR Street Foods is just that - Chef Louis's version of street food from his travels all over the world. Fast and casual with free Wi-fi and the ability to takeout, the menu will change daily and feature salads, sandwiches, snacks, fresh juices, kebabs, calzones and more. Using locally sourced ingredients of course.

I know where I will be heading this weekend!

Tavern Road is located at 343 Congress Street, Boston, MA 02210

Phone: (617) 790 - 0808

Open 7 days a week:

Dinner                                 5:00pm – 11:00pm, seven days a week

Bar                                     4:30pm – 2:00am, seven days a week

Late Night                           11:00pm – 12:00am, Sun-Wed

                                         11:00pm – 1:00am, Thurs-Sat

Seating:

Total Capacity         120

Main Dining Room     85

Bar/High Top           25

TR Street Foods       10

Good news: 

They take OpenTable: Boston Restaurants reservations and there is a parking lot across the street!

Guest Post: "My Dream Spring Break" on La Vie...J'aime

My friend Jaime asked me to write a guest post for her while she is away on vacation in Miami (jealous!). 


The topic: "My Dream Spring Break"


I obviously gave myself and unlimited budget because what dream spring break comes with a budget?!

Check it out here.