Food Photography: Blanching Bok Choy by Brandon Maya

December Seasonal Fruits: clementines, dates,  grapefruit, white grapefruit, lemons, canary melons,  blood orange, kiwi, navel orange, passion fruit, red currants, sweet orange, tangerines, temple orange, angelos, tangerines, tomatoes

December Seasonal Vegetables: anise, beetroot, Bok Choy, broccoli ,baby broccoli, Brussels sprouts,  cabbage, chestnuts, red cabbage, carrots, white cauliflower, cauliflower (Broccoflower) , celery, celeriac, cilantro, dill, beet greens, collard greens, mustard greens, turnip greens, kale, kolrabi, leeks, lemons, butter boston lettuce, endive, escarole, iceberg, romaine, Spring mix, canary melons, Napa cabbage, green onions, swede, temple orange, parsley, parsnips, radicchio , radishes , rapini, spinach, spouts, sweet potatoes, Swiss chard , tomatoes, turnip

December Appetizer Recipes

• Radishes with Salty Seaweed Butter
• Pears Wrapped In Prosciutto
• Psychedelic Tomato and Goat Cheese Salad
• Pinot Grigio-Cooked Shrimp in Endive Leaves

Season’s Eats Rewind

• June Seasonal Foods
• July Seasonal Foods
• August Seasonal Foods
• September Seasonal Foods
• October Seasonal Foods

Pomegranate Rice Recipe

Serves 4

4 cups of Steamed Jasmine Rice
1 Pomegranate, seeds

Lightly mix pomegranate seeds with steamed rice and enjoy!

Ginger Tip: Add peeled, fresh ginger cubes to rice water for fragrant rice. Remove ginger for serving.

Special thanks to Muhammad Chughtai, my partner in this food project and a brilliant photographer!

Image: Cranberry Beans. Photography by Brandon Maya
November Seasonal Fruits: apples, blood orange, cantaloupe, casaba melons, celeriac and celery root, Crenshaw melons, clementines, cranberries, dates, figs, grapefruit, white grapefruit, lemons, kiwi, navel orange, passion fruit, pears, persimmons, red currants, sweet orange, tangerines, temple orange, angelos, tangerines, tomatoes, watermelons

November Seasonal Vegetables:  artichokes, beetroot, beet greens, Bok Choy, broccoli , baby broccoli, Brussels sprouts,  butter boston lettuce, cabbage, chestnuts, red cabbage, carrots, white cauliflower, cauliflower (Broccoflower) , cilantro,  cranberry beans, collard greens, corn, dill, edamame, endive, escarole, frisee, eggplant,  iceberg, garlic, green onions, green beans, horseradish, Jerusalem artichoke/ sunchoke, kale, kolrabi, leeks, lemons, mustard greens, romaine, Spring mix lettuce, canary melons, Napa cabbage, swede, temple orange, parsley, parsnips, pumpkin, radicchio , radishes , rapini, rutabaga, spinach, spouts, sweet potatoes, Swiss chard , squash – acron, butternut, hubbard, kabocha, spaghetti, turban –  tomatoes, turnip, turnip greens, watrecress

November Appetizer Recipes

• Pears Wrapped In Prosciutto
• Pinot Grigio-Cooked Shrimp in Endive Leaves

Welcome to Photo SLAM, Folks! The American Idol of Photography. People eat. Photos Shine. Judges Vote. Audiences Cheer! Thanks to Muhammad Chughtai, and our cozy Paris kitchen we will  be in it, Dresses and Appetizer Friends. Food Photography from the Dresses and Appetizer’s darkroom will compete to win and all are welcome. See you there! Here are the deets:

Event: Annual Photoworks DC Photo Slam
Date and Time: Sunday, November 11, 2012 from 8:00PM – 10:00PM
Location: Bus Boys and Poets — 14^th and V St., NW, Washington, DC
Website: http://www.busboysandpoets.com/events/event/photoworks-dc-photo-slam
Donation: Suggested $15

How did you get your grilled and tender lamb skewers to be more deliciously addictive than a mid-rare tenderloin, Boqueria? When you go to Boqueria, this damn-delicious tapa should be on  your plate…

ONE Tasty Order: Grilled lamb, salsa verde, pickled shallots, toasted Stirato bread

Why so tasty: The lamb has a grilled flavor and is served tenderly mid-rare. The richness of the lamb is met with the puck of pickled shallots and the freshness of chopped herbs. The crusty bread that’s soaked with all this deliciousness is just a delicious tease.

Website: http://www.boquerianyc.com/dupont.html

Atmosphere: The tables are bar-height on the main floor. The decor is casual, café chic. Whiskey-wood-colored bar-height tables and tall leather booths circle an oval bar that houses plenty of Old Fashions and freshly cut prosciutto. Over the bar are chalkboards that list each chalk-scripted menu item. It’s a cool vibe packed with vibrant but not noisy eaters great for a group. Pics below:

Contact Info: Dupont Circle – Boqueria, 1837 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20037 | 202.558.9545

Make Reservations @ http://www.opentable.com/washington-dc-restaurants — search for “Boqueria”

Steak Tartare is the French equivalent of salsa. This classic dish is served in every French cafe with salted potato chips for scooping. The red wine vinegar salad adds a compliment to the richness of the steak. So sit back, don’t cook, and savor every bite with friends!
Food Photography: Steak Tartare and Red Wine Salad by Muhammad Chughtai

Serves 2 appetizers

Steak Tartare Ingredients

½ Pound organic Rump steak, small dice
3 tsp. Capers, small dice
4 Cornichons, small dice
1/2 Shallot, small dice
1 Garlic clove, small dice
2 Dashes of Tabasco Sauce
½ tsp. Worcestershire
1 Egg yolk
1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
Kosher Salt, to taste

Crunchy Red Onion Salad Ingredients

1 Head of Romaine Lettuce, rough chop
¼ Small Red onion, thinly slice

Red Wine Vinaigrette 
Ingredients
3/4 Cup Olive oil
1/3 Cup Red Wine Vinegar
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

How to Make Steak Tartare

1. To make steak easier to cut, place steak in freezer until slightly frozen, about 1 hour. While the steak is freezing, combine all other ingredients, taste and adjust seasoning.

2. Remove from freezer and with a sharp knife slice the steak lengthwise into thin strips, crosswise, then finely chop. Add steak to a bowl with half the amount of the mixture. Combine so it’s well-flavored but not over sauced. Add more of the mixture as needed. Plate with a French baguette and vinegar salad. Enjoy!

How to Make Red Wine Vinaigrette 
and Red Onion Salad

1. Combine red wine vinegar, garlic, pepper and salt. Slowly whisk in the olive oil. Taste and adjust seasoning, as needed.

2. Combine lettuce and red onion and lightly dress with vinaigrette.

Image: Cabbage. Photography by Brandon Maya

October Seasonal Fruits: apples, blackberries, cranberries, figs, grapes, guava, huckleberries, kumquats, passion fruit, pear, pineapple, pomegranate, quince, star fruit

October Seasonal Vegetables: acorn squash, aubergines, beetroot, Belgian endive, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, butter lettuce, butternut squash, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, chicory, chayote squash, courgettes, diakon radish, endive, garlic, ginger, jalapeno peppers, kohlrabi (cabbage turnip) leeks, lettuce, marrow, mushrooms, okra, parsnips, peppers, persimmons, potatoes, pumpkin, radicchio, shallots, squash, sweet potatoes, Swiss chard, tomatoes, turnips, watercress, winter squash

October Seasonal Meats and Seafood: guinea fowl, partridge, mussels, grouse, oysters

October Appetizer Recipes

• Steamed Mussels in Wine
• Pears Wrapped In Prosciutto
• Happy Quinoa, Shiitake Mushrooms and Tomatoes
• Psychedelic Tomato and Goat Cheese Salad
• Pinot Grigio-Cooked Shrimp in Endive Leaves

Season’s Eats Rewind

• June Seasonal Foods
• July Seasonal Foods
• August Seasonal Foods
• September Seasonal Foods

Gnocchi Ingredients
1 lb. russet potatoes (about 2), unpeeled
1 1⁄4 cup flour, plus more for dusting
3⁄4 tsp. kosher salt
1 TBSP. truffle oil
1 egg, beaten

Chanterelle and Peas Cream Sauce Ingredient
2 TBSP. extra-virgin olive oil
10 oz. mushrooms, preferably chanterelles, roughly chopped
2 cups heavy cream

Get the full Truffled Gnocchi recipe at Saveur.com

It’s like chicken soup but better with beer!

 Food Photography: Beer Chicken Entree by Muhammad Chughtai

Beer-Braised Chicken Ingredients

3 bottles of Beer (Stella Artios suggested)
2 tsp Fresh Lemon Juice
½ tsp Red chili flakes
1 Bay leaf
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
12 Baby Bella Mushrooms, rough chop
4 Skinless chicken thighs
4 Skinless chicken legs
1 Medium red onion, small dice
6 cloves garlic, mince

Arugula Rice Ingredients

2 Cups Rice
3 Cups Arugula, reserve 1 cup for garnish
Kosher Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

How to Make Beer Braised Chicken

1. Set a large pot to medium-high heat. Add olive oil enough to lightly coat the pan, about 2 Tbsp.

2. Salt the chicken on both sides. Once the oil gets hot, add the chicken to the pan. Cook chicken until golden brown, about 5 minutes a side. Remove chicken and set aside.

3. On medium heat, in the same pot add 1 Tbsp of olive oil along with garlic and red onions. Sauté the onions and garlic, stirring occasionally, until lightly cooked and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add beer and 1 cup of water and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the chicken, red pepper flakes, bay leaf and thyme leaves back to the pan and cover with a lid, and cook for about 20 minutes.

4. Remove the lid, add the mushrooms and cook for 10 minutes. Add the lemon juice for the last 5 minutes of cooking.

How to Make Arugula Rice

1. In a large pot bring water to a simmer using about a 4 to 1 ratio – 4 parts water to 1 part rice.  Add rice and a pinch of salt. Cook the rice, per timing instructions, until done and strain in a colander.

2. Place the pot on medium heat. Add arugula and a pinch of salt and cook until slightly wilted, about 30 seconds. Lightly mix arugula into the rice and add to a platter.

Food Plating

Once the chicken is cooked through, spoon the chicken, mushroom and beer jus over the rice. Garnish with arugula. Enjoy!