Grab the Good Life with Rocco DiSpirito
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December 19, 2005 - WOR 12/19/05
WOR 12/19/05
***IMPORTANT***
Rocco's Cookware has RETURNED to QVC! Please go to:
ROCCO'S KITCHEN
Grab The Good Life everyone! Today we have Tom Colicchio author of "Think Like a Chef", Gramercy Tavern and Craft Bar on the show!
Plus: The man, the myth, the incomprable-It's Adam Platt Now! NY Magazine's Adam Platt is here with this week's reviews!
And YOU at 800-321-0710! You know I'm here for you and the show only rocks when you're apart of it! So give us a call!
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Adie in New York: Hey Rocco! Let's talk stuffed breads with eggplant and proscuitto! Can I freeze it?
Rocco: I don't think it will freeze very well-is it like a calzone?
Adie: No I roll it like a pinwheel.
Rocco: OH! That should be ok-especially if you put a cheese in there like a dry mozzerella. If you freeze it raw it would be best-better than baking. I would put it in the oven a little frozen still-don't defrost it all the way. It won;t be as good as making it the day of-but it will still be good. Plus cook it a little faster and that should help! Happy Holidays Adie!
Adie: Thanks so much Rocco!
Joyce in New Jersey: Hey Most Def Chef! Here are my questions: Is using unsalted butter ok than a recipe that calls for salted in baking?
Rocco: Yeah that should be fine-there will enough salt.
Joyce: Excellent. Next: I'm making a square cookies where you bake a crust and I didn't chill the crust first before baking it. Is it gonna change the bottom crust? I have it baking now. And there is a brownie filling and a caramel pecan filling. The crust is a basic butter cookie?
Rocco: Did it seperate in the pie tin, like melting?
Joyce: NO! It looked fine!
Rocco: They asked you to chill it was because of the fat might seperate-but it should be fine-plus the fillings will taste good. Don't stress, you are making fresh food for people and they will be SO happy!
Marge in New Jersey: Grab The Good Life! You mentioend a Salmon black bean and shallot recipe, what was it?
Rocco: Sure! It's from my new book 5 Minute Flavor: can of black beans, sherry vinegar, shallots, scallions. Then you sautee the Salmon, heat the beans on the side with sherry vinegar. Serve the beans ontop of the Salmon with some scallions and add some cilantro if you want to up the dish!
Dee in Long Island: You are the Best Chef! Need a good cold fish salad idea, I was making Pulpa-and I want to take the skin off cause I don;t like the purple skin.
Rocco: No no! That skin is fine-leave it all on! The skin and suckers delicious! If you HAVe to take the skin off you can scrape the suckers and skin off, but leave it on! Boil it with a cork in the water, it's a trick. Another trick if you cook it, take it out, put it back in and so forth it cooks it good. Then you cut it up really then and the skin won't be as annoying. My friend Cesare Casella makes an Octopus Salami which is like a jelly: he puts it into a mold, let's them sit in there and then it cools. Then he slices them really then and the rubberiness will go away.
Let's welcome NY Magazine Food Critic Adam Platt to the show!
Rocco: That's right, it IS Adam Platt now!
Adam: Hi Rocco!
Roco: Now are you in your underwear conducting an ochestra with bread sticks?
Adam: Why do you think I am in my underwear?
Rocco: Cause I would be!
Adam: Right right.
Rocco: Let's get right into it Adam! What's up with Del Posto?
Adam: Yes, Mario Batali's new place.
Del Posto
85 Tenth Ave., at 16th St.
212-497-8090
Adam: I haven't been there yet, but the steady drum beat of the buzz is everywhere.
I'm definitely excited about it-it's a little formal and table side service-a departure from his other stuff. He celebrates casualness and this one from what I know is a little more fancier and ambitious. Everything from stinco di vitello with kraut and spaetzle for two ($70) to zabaglione is prepared, carved, or finished tableside. If you like to dine in large but civilized groups, you may want to home in on the per il tavola section of the menu, which features tailgate-party-size hunks of veal, lamb, pork loin, and whole salt-baked arctic char served with panelle, mean for sharing, and priced accordingly, from $200 on up. (How conspicuously solo and forlorn Michelin inspector will handle the assignment is anyone's guess.) A la carte is more in line with Babbo prices, from $18 for a primi plate of bucatini to $28 for a grilled pork chop with cippolini. As far as the room goes, it's as well marbled as Donald Trump's bathtub, and there's an all-star staff of Bataliland luminaries toiling away in the vast kitchen, but nary a hint of pre-opening orgy so far.
Rocco: This one sounds good-what else?
Adam Platt: There is a list of others as well:
Dani 333 Hudson St.
at Charlton St.
212-633-9333
Spiga 200 W. 84th St., nr. Amsterdam Ave. 212-362-5506 Alessandro Peluso and Salvatore Corea, partners at Cacio e Pepe, expand to the Upper West Side next week with another refreshingly offbeat Italian restaurant.
Agnanti Meze 7802 Fifth Ave., Bay Ridge, Brooklyn 718-833-7033
Geoffrey Zakarian's Country is another one.
Country
90 Madison
New York, NY 10016
It is a European American style restaurant that features cuisine that caters to every palate. The restaurant includes a cafe downstairs offering an a la carte menu for the casual diner and a price fix menu upstairs in the fine dining room. There are 9 banquet rooms for private parties and three bars including a champagne and caviar bar.
And one last one called Gilt with a very talented Executive Chef, Paul Liebrandt:
Gilt
455 Madison Ave
New York, NY 10022
Phone: (212) 891-8100
The Gilded Age of the late nineteenth century aligns with the golden age of today with the unveiling of Gilt, a new restaurant and bar at The New York Palace Hotel. This contemporary and sophisticated dining experience begins just beyond the wrought iron courtyard gates of The Hotel's historic Villard Mansion. Along with an innovative and inspiring menu created by Chef Paul Liebrandt, Gilt offers a selection of wines by the glass that is among America's most elaborate. Located in a renowned landmark structure from the late 1880s, Gilt boldly complements the gilded walls and cathedral ceilings of that bygone era with a subtle yet revolutionary design concept by one of France's greatest new interior talents, Patrick Jouin.
Rocco: Adam, thanks for being here!
Adam: Till next time Rocco!
Let's welcome Tom Colichio to the show!
Rocco: Welcome to the show Tom!
Tom Colicchio: What's up Rocco!
Rocco: Let's unveil and talk about your new reality show.
Tom: Sure!It's called Top Chef on Bravo airing in March-very much like Project Runway. I am co-hosting with Katie-Lee Joel, Billy Joel's wife-
Rocco: Woah-very good-you're gonna be looking for the next top chef?
Tom: Yep that's right-we shot 10 episodes in San Francisco and I'm really excited about it!
Rocco: You have SO much going on!
Tom: When I was a kid, I probably had A.D.D-so I always have a lot going on but I have great people around me which makes it possible.
Rocco: Yeah, you cultivated great people; how did you keep those people around you for so long?
Tom: Well I didn't micro-manage people and I treated them right. John Schaffer, who you know from years ago when you worked at my restaurant for free-
Rocco: And I was happy to do that!
Tom: Right-and it has worked, I let the people I trust do what they have to do and it works.
Rocco: Now you said you were so busy to even do Martha's show, you must have SO much doing!
Tom: Well I spent the year with deals on restaurants and food and just needed to focus on that. Creating opportunities for a great staff is what I do!
Layla in New jersey: You are the most def chef Rocco and I LOVE your new book! I am making
filet mignon for New Yeras but my sister is from France and is very picky-
Rocco: Who cares! Don't let that bother you-Tom, you help her!
Tom: In Think Like a Chef, there is a great recipe: Serve the Filet Mignon with Onions, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper and make into a relish.
Layla: This is great, take care!
Carol in Long Island: I need some help with my Brisket recipe, would like to add molasses and apple cider on top, what would you suggest?
Tom: Well I would say add apple cider vinegar to that because the cider and molasses will be too sweet. So 2 parts cider to 1 part molasses.
Rocco: maybe even add some chicken stock for neutrality!
Carol: Thank you so much!
Mikey in Brooklyn: Hey Rocco! Love to Momma!
Need a nice meatloaf, easy and meaty.
Rocco: Can you do it Tom?
Tom: Hmm...let's do a beef, pork and veal loaf all together with a bacon wrap. 1/3 of each meat, salt pepper, bread crumbs, garlic, parsley and reduce a little red wine.
Rocco: Enjoy Mikey!
That's all for today, Grab The Good Life!
