A few weeks ago I started posting news, tips and gossip in Short Order on Insatiable Critic's home page - revolving tidbits, including bulletins from out-of-town and overseas. It's a column that can change as new items land on my desktop. I hope you'll help me compete in this modest way with the hundreds of fulltime well-staffed bloggers out there by emailing me news. Scandal is especially appreciated. See news about gladiators girding to kidnap Tavern-on-the-Green's lease. With an essay on Ratatouille, Drat That Rat, I have also begun running short features by other food writers and hope to see more. Johnny Iuzzini is the star of this week's opera gateau.
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Help Wanted
And now for a classified ad: I am looking for a part-time assistant as well as an intern -- from journalism or the food world -- hopefully both will have website experience. Email resumes please.
Zarela's Ensalada de Camarón
Shrimp Salad
Makes 4 - 6 servings as first course
6 cups fish stock or water
1 small white onion, unpeeled (use bulb or spring onions or a red onions that is new and shiny)
2 garlic cloves, unpeeled
3 bay leaves
10-12 black peppercorns
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
1 pound medium shrimp (sold as 16 - 20 count) shelled, deveined and split in half lengthwise
Juice of 1 lime
3 tablespoons olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
1 fresh white bulb onion (see above) or 1 medium-small red onion, sliced into thin half moons
3 jalapeño chiles, seeded if desired (to mitigate the heat -- I don't bother) and finely julienned
1 ripe Mexican-type avocado, finely diced
Leaves from 10 cilantro sprigs
Place the fish stock or water, onion, garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns and 1 teaspoon salt in a medium-sized saucepan or small stockpot. Bring to a boil over high heat; cook uncovered, for 10 minutes to infuse the flavors. Add shrimp and cook, uncovered, for seconds or until the shrimp turn pink. Quickly cool by emptying into a colander set under cold running water. Drain thoroughly.
In a small bowl, combine the lime juice and olive oil with a generous grinding of black pepper and about 1/2 teaspoon more salt. Place the shrimp in a large bowl with the bulb onion, chiles, avocado, and cilantro. Pour the lime-juice dressing over the salad ingredients and toss to distribute evenly. Taste for seasoning and add a little more salt and pepper if desired. Serve at once.
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Mitch's Cheese Wafers
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour (6.75 oz)
1.5 oz. extra sharp cheddar - grated
1.5 oz. parmesan, pecorino, grana, etc. - grated
1/4 tsp. cayenne
1/2 tsp. smoked Pimentón (I use smoked chile powder from La Vera, Spain)
1.5 tsp. kosher salt
8 T. cold butter pieces
2 T water beaten with 1 large egg yolk
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts
Combine dry ingredients in processor - add cheese and butter - pulse till it gets crumbly looking. Add water/yolk and pulse a few times. Add nuts and pulse a few more times.
Give it a few kneads by hand, then roll into a log the diameter you want your crackers to be. Wrap in plastic, then chill till firm in the refrigerator.
Cut into 1/4 inch slices, spread out on parchment or a Silpat and bake in a preheated 375F oven till browned - 20 minutes. Don't forget to rotate the pans as the crackers are baking.
Pig and Bun pho Photos by Steven Richter
Copyright pending Gael Greene 2008
made predictions for 2008.
taste again, posted this week under Favorites. That's a closeup below of Bun's fabulous sweetbread and beef pho. If you are a regular reader you'll expect to see sea urchin again and again and 
from the 