Mad Men Farewell - New York Brunch Bites

It is only fitting that the show that has captured our imagination over the past eight years be sent off with a proper culinary bang. It's Mad Men Series Finale night, and we couldn't be sadder. Matthew Weiner's masterpiece has also inspired so many smashing menus here at Neurotic Kitchen. The ultimate New York T.V show pairs perfectly with New York's classic nosh, our twist on Lox on a Bagel. This bite-sized appetizer combines our classic Salmon Canape topping and turns it into a mini version of one of my MOST FAVORITE things in the world - Smoked salmon on an Everything Bagel with all the fixins. And, you guessed it, we'll be using our Everything Seasoning that I am, admittedly, obsessed with.

New York Brunch Bites, Photo: NK 

Enjoy, and goodbye Mad Men. Thanks for the memories. Sunday night won't be the same without you. 

New York Brunch Bites With Smoked Salmon, Creme Fraiche & Everything Topping
Makes about 16

Everything Topping Ingredients 

2 teaspoons Poppy Seeds

2 teaspoons Dried Onion Bits (We used Frontier Brand) 

2 teaspoons White Sesame Seed

2 teaspoons Dried Minced Garlic or Garlic Granules (not Garlic Powder)

1/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt

Canape Ingredients:

5 Ounces Organic Smoked Irish Salmon

1 small bunch of Fresh Dill

1 Lemon, zested with a microplane, and 7 or 8 long strips of zest cut in half (optional)

1/2 Cucumber, seeded and minced

1 Shallot, minced

3 Tablespoons Lemon Juice 

Black Pepper
5 Ounces Creme Fraiche

16 Bagel Chips without holes such as Stacy's     

Method:
Mix Everything Topping Ingredients.

Lay Bagel Chips on a work surface.

On a cutting surface, Stack Smoked Salmon Slices in layers and slice thin strips vertically. 

Turn your cutting surface ninety degrees, and slice the Salmon again vertically. This will create fine dice. Place diced Salmon in a medium bowl. 

Add grated Lemon Zest to Salmon mixture, and set the optional strips of Zest aside for garnishing later on.  

Combine Minced Cucumber, Minced Shallot, and Lemon Juice into Salmon Mixture. Add ample amount of Black Pepper to taste. Recipe can be prepared up to this point up to 6 hours before serving. Just cover mixture and place in the fridge if you choose. When ready to assemble, give the mixture a stir and add more Lemon Juice as desired.

To assemble, place a small dollop of Salmon Mixture atop the Bagel Chip. Top with a small drop of Creme Fraiche, and sprinkle with a liberal pinch of Everything Seasoning. Garnish with a sprig of Dill. 

The Salad As Art - Five Ingredient Grapefruit & Endive Salad

A thing of beauty is a joy forever. Or in the case of today's salad, for how ever long it takes you to eat it. Eye-catching salads are big in my book. Nothing is worse than a boring, or generally bland tasting salad (more about that HERE).  If your dish tastes as striking as it looks, all the better. Today's simple, brightly colored salad of Red Grapefruit and Endive is as pretty as they come. 

Grapefruit & Endive Salad, Photo: NK

This time, I served it alongside a hearty French style Hunter's Stew to lighten the mood a bit, but it would make a great addition to an elegant luncheon or as an extremely quick side for a delicate fish fillet. It's a stunner no matter how you present it. 

A quick prep with a big payoff, Photo: NK 

Ruby Red Grapefruit and Endive Salad
Serves 4 as a light side

Ingredients:
1/2 Large Ruby Red Grapefruit, very ripe, peeled & cut into 1/2 inch sections + 1 Tablespoon Grapefruit Juice
2 Medium Belgian Endives, base cut off and leaves carefully separated
1 heaping Tablespoon Minced Italian Parsley
1 teaspoon Olive Oil
1/8 teaspoon Salt
Black Pepper
Flakey Salt to finish (French Grey Salt or other Coarse Sea Salt would be great choices)

Cutting the Endive, Photo: NK

Method:
1. In a bowl, toss Endive Leaves gently with the Grapefruit Sections. 

2. In another small bowl, mix the Olive Oil, 1/8 teaspoon Salt, Black Pepper and Grapefruit Juice. Mix.

3. Drizzle dressing over the Endive leads and toss again. 


4. To serve, arrange Endive leaves as pictured in a long rectangular or oval platter. Place Grapefruit sections as you see fit. 

5. Sprinkle with Parsley and one or two small pinches of Coarse Salt (optional). 

French Kiss - Rose Mignonette for Oysters

Eight years ago to the day, my husband and I had our very first date. It was a warm but misty Thursday evening. I was going to be meeting him for the first time directly from work, and I worried that my hair would be a frizzy mess by the time I arrived. After sneaking away from my desk a bit early to carefully flat-iron it at my office (a girl can never have too many backup hair tools hidden away), I threw a scarf over my head and miraculously found a cab (no small feat at rush hour in midtown Manhattan) to take me to a bar at the Maritime Hotel in Chelsea. Fate was on the side of my hair that day, among other things!

My Beautiful Oyster Feast prepared by a special guy, Photo: NK

Upon entering the bar, I probably walked by him two or three times before finally calling his cell to see if he'd arrived. Turns out, my future husband was right there in front of me all along, I just hadn't recognized him because he was even cuter than his picture. One great date (filled with scintillating conversation and two **ok, I'm lying** glasses of very nice Nero d'Avola) and nearly a decade later, he's as lovable as ever. He shares my passion for food (teaching him to be a more confident cook and creating elaborate dinners together were major themes in our courtship) and he still makes me laugh on a daily basis. 

Six years ago in Greece where we got engaged! Photo: NK

Among the many qualities I admire about my hubby is his willingness to take on projects that require patience and precision. He's willing to practice things intently and takes pride in mastering new skills. 

That's why I knew he was just the person to tap when I decided that this summer was to be about my ever-growing obsession with Oysters! No sooner did I ask my main squeeze to buy the appropriate equipment (a special shucking knife and safety glove) and study up on how to shuck my favorite bivalve, than an expertly-prepared Oyster feast was before me. He definitely knows the way to my heart. 

Today, I am sharing my lovely twist on Classic Oyster Mignonette (a mixture of vinegar and shallots often seen as an accompaniment to Oysters on the Half Shell), which was my contribution to his aforementioned shellfish spread. Using a delicious Dry Rose (a classic Oyster pairing), I took traditional Mignonette and softened its acidic quality just a bit so that our Peconic Pearls could really shine. Making your own Mignonette takes minutes and it's the perfect, minimalist accoutrement to Oysters. I love cocktail sauce and horseradish as much as the next guy, but a little Mignonette really allows the Oysters to stand on their own. So here's to that special guy and the very special cocktail hour he made possible for me. 

Classic Mignonette with a splash of Dry Rose (Paumanok VIneyards, 2014) Photo: NK

Rose Mignonette for Oysters

Makes enough for about 2 dozen Oysters

Ingredients:

1/4 Cup Red Wine Vinegar

1/4 Cup Dry Rose (we used Paumanok Vineyards, 2014)

2 heaping Tablespoons minced Shallot (from about 1 large Shallot)

1 generous pinch of Salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground Black Pepper

Method:

Combine all the ingredients and serve alongside freshly shucked Oysters on a bed of ice! 

The Mignonette can be made ahead.

Tip: If you're as into Oysters as I am, I recommend you check out In a Half Shell blog. It's the ultimate destination for Oyster lovers (including wonderful city guides on where to find the very best) written by a talented woman who eats, sleeps and breathes them. Enjoy!

New Cocktail Party Classic - Everything Pigs In a Blanket

I have long contended that in the wide world of bagel flavors, the Everything is, hands down, the most quintessentially New York. In a related story, it also happens to be THE BEST. How could it not be? It's got it all - something for everyone, just like the city I associate it with. This is why I've had big plans to concoct my own Everything Topping for quite a while now. Since I don't do too much in the way of baking, I had visions of working it into hors d'oeuvres.

"Everything" Pigs In A Blanket, Photo: NK

Everything Topping! Photo, NK

It was in brainstorming this year's annual Mad Men premier recipes (prior viewing party menus here and here) that it dawned on me that adding Everything Topping to everyone's favorite hors d'oeuvre, you guessed it - Pigs in a Blanket, would be the perfect way to make a classic cocktail party favorite new again while also making it a little more "New York." 

These Everything Pigs In A Blanket are incredibly easy to make and have just the right amount of wow factor to make them the perfect party offering that will also please a crowd. I like to serve them with grainy mustard for dipping, but they are delicious on their own as well. 

Use good quality Hot Dogs and if possible, serve them fresh from the oven. You can also microwave the pigs in 20 second intervals if you need to heat them from room temperature.

Now it wouldn't be a Mad Men premier without at stiff cocktail, so we've included a purist version of the Old Fashioned - a favorite of Don's, minus the muddled fruit, and presumably the truest form of the classic drink.  

Everything Pigs In A Blanket 
Makes about 20
Adapted from Food.com 

Cook's Note: The Everything Mix below is formulated specifically for use in these Pigs In A Blanket because the salt content needed to be balanced with the salinity of the Hot Dog. If you would like to make true Everything Topping for use on something more plain, such as rolls or, of course, bagels, simply use 1 teaspoon of Kosher Salt rather than the 1/4 teaspoon required below. 

Ingredients 

1 Package Pillsbury Crescent Rolls

8 Hot Dogs, we prefer Applegate Farms Natural, cut into equal thirds

Grainy Mustard for serving, optional

Everything Topping:
2 teaspoons Poppy Seeds

2 teaspoons Dried Onion Bits (We used Frontier Brand) 

2 teaspoons White Sesame Seed

2 teaspoons Dried Minced Garlic or Garlic Granules (not Garlic Powder)

1/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt

1 egg lightly beaten 

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 375 with the rack in the middle.

2. In a small bowl, mix the ingredients for the Everything Topping. 

Prepped and ready to bake, Photo: NK

3. Unroll the Pillsbury Crescent Rolls on a work surface. Carefully pull apart each triangle and cut them the long way using a sharp knife in order to create 3 skinnier triangles.

4. Starting with the base of each triangle, roll each Hot Dog third up in one piece of dough. When finished, press the point of the triangle into the dough to seal. Repeat until all the dogs are wrapped.

5. Using a pastry brush, paint the Egg Wash across the top of each Pig. Press 1-2 generous pinches of Everything Topping into the dough.

6. Place the pigs in the oven and bake 18-20 minutes, turning the pan midway through the baking, until pigs are golden brown and puffed.

7. Serve warm with optional grainy mustard! 

Now for your official Mad Men cocktail, we give you 
The Purist's Old Fashioned

A purist Old Fashioned, Photo: NK

CLICK HERE for the recipe.

Cheers!