We All Need a "Bad Day" Restaurant

Hi friends,

I hope you've done some thinking, resting, and giving this Martin Luther King Day.
Welcome to This Needs Hot Sauce (And Other Food Thoughts), a newsletter sharing something to cook, somewhere to eat out, and something to read. I'm a native New Yorker who spends far too much time thinking and reading about food. I love helping people find better things to eat and solving problems, so let me know how I can help. Let's dive in.

Something to cook:
I love broccoli, as this newsletter has reflected in the past, and last week I made myself a batch of broccoli fritters. They reheated pretty well and were such a fun thing to pack for lunch. 
Flexible Broccoli Fritters, inspired by Deb, obviously
This is an extremely fast recipe, perfect for when you arrive home and are already really hungry. 
1 large head of broccoli or two small ones (about 3 cups chopped)
2 cloves of garlic
1/2 cup of flour
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese (the real kind is a lot tastier than the one from the can but feel free to substitute another hard cheese, cheddar would be great)
1 egg
Salt and Pepper
A pinch of red pepper flakes
Toppings of your choice: On different days, I used ricotta with lemon juice and cracked pepper, mustard, harissa and a fried egg. 

Cut the broccoli, both stems and florets, into very small pieces. Peel off any tough parts of the stem but some of it should be good to use. When you have about three cups of chopped broccoli, it's time to steam them. To do this, take a pot with about an inch of water in it, add the broccoli, turn the heat to medium and cover with a lid. Cook for about 5 or 6 minutes until the broccoli is softened but not soggy. While this is happening, beat the egg in the bottom of a mixing bowl. Add the flour, parmesan cheese, garlic and seasonings and stir to form a thick batter. Add the cooked broccoli once it's slightly cooled and mash it into the batter, using a fork. This batter will be thick and mostly broccoli, that's what you want.

To make your fritters, first set up a sheet pan or plate lined with paper towels. Then heat some olive oil in the bottom of a wide skillet (cast iron works well here if you have it).

Once the oil is very hot, form your batter into round fritters and drop into the pan. I made mine about 3 inches wide but you can adjust the size to taste.

Cook for about three minutes on the first side, until nice and crispy, and then flip and cook for another minute or two. Put the finished fritters on the paper towels to drain and continue till all your batter is gone (you may have to add more oil).

Top anyway you like. I still had leftover ricotta and loved that version but a fried egg is also pretty perfect. These would be good appetizers too and will most definitely perk up your desk lunch. They reheat well but will be the crispiest when fresh. Enjoy and let me know how you top them!

In less than 40 minutes, I made the fritters and this really simple farro recipe from Deb. It could not be easier and was very satisfying, even with winter cherry tomatoes. The flavor is definitely simple so I'd like to try adding some other things next time, maybe some swiss chard. Don't skip the basil. 

As I type, a batch of curried lentil, tomato & coconut soup is simmering away. I sampled a little and am excited about tomorrow's lunch. More lentil ideas: I highly recommend this thai curry. 

I defrosted some sweet potato black bean quinoa chili today for lunch and need to make another batch. It's so good, especially topped with avocado.

Here's a fun way to cook tofu: make a seed crust. I used this method with everything but the bagel seasoning and was pleasantly surprised with the results. Hot sauce pairing: Chili garlic sauce

Grocery store advisory: If you see Cara Cara oranges, buy them! These delightfully pink oranges are so flavorful and rarely have seeds. I've seen them at Whole Foods and cannot resist. 

Something to order:
Catering: I went to a fancy networking event on Tuesday at the Intercontential Barclays near Grand Central Station, and wow, good catering can be fantastic. This event featured sushi, so many types of cheese, a curious presentation of crudite in mini flower pots with hummus at the bottom, and an ice luge with cosmopolitans. Hi, Carrie Bradshaw, I had three sips in your honor but this drink is not that good.

More midtown intel: I used to work at Ovenly in the Urbanspace Vanderbilt and highly recommend their cookies. The peanut butter and ginger molasses are my favorites. The best spot to drink there is Sigmund's. Will will take care of you and they have a great selection of Austrian and German wines and lots of beers from Staten Island since that's where he lives.

If you need to kill time in Manhattan, pop a squat at the Ace Hotel Lobby. Free wifi, great lighting, and Stumptown coffee. If you're with a friend or really feeling your look, grab a souvenir at the photo booth. 

My friend Allison is in the wine biz and she had heard good things about the list at Denizen, a wine bar in Williamsburg. We had great wine, but I wouldn't come back for dinner. The mushroom toast with cheese was really good but other dishes were tiny or just not that exciting. And can we agree that in 2018 no one can call  a plate with one kind of pickle a "pickle plate" and sell it for $8? 

Frida summed it up best when she said: "Cobble Hill is like a sound bath, but it's free." I got brunch with Frida and Sandra at La Vara in Cobble Hill this weekend and the whole experience was lovely. The food is inspired by the Jewish and Moor influences on Spain and that translates to really good stuff: addictive fried chickpeas to start (only $4), pan con tomate, and my entree of poached eggs over artichokes and fava beans. Walking through the neighborhood is a must, especially if it's above freezing. One caveat: the coffee is not great, so take care of that beforehand.

Lighthouse has become my go-to bad day restaurant. Julia and I went in the summer after the Charlottesville protests and returned this week after a particularly trying Thursday. It's extremely comforting in a way that extends beyond the food, with nice long tables, relaxed service and a menu with options. This time, we had oysters (so good here) and I tried their Big Salad, which felt like comfort food. It had a mix of lettuces, roasted rainbow carrots (need to steal this), avocado, feta cheese, radishes, and a sprinkle of some spices in addition to the dressing. The most important part was feeling instantly more relaxed when we arrived and feeling no rush to leave. Not checking your phone at dinner helps too. 


Fully endorse grabbing drinks at Fresh Kills. It's never packed, the cocktails are good (their version of a Moscow mule comes with a piece of candied ginger) and you'll get to drink out of a metal straw. The booths are worth hovering for. 

I spent a chill Sunday evening at Radegast Hall, a beer garden with great pretzels and an ace mustard selection. I love saurekraut and tried a free cup while my friends ordered sausages. My resident Berlin expert will have you know that the currywurst is not authentic but it is a good time. 

The plantain bread at Colina Cuervo in Crown Heights was kind of dry but had me thinking about ways to make a better version. 


Finally, some news you can use: at M Shanghai it's both possible and fun to have dinner with 6 friends and only spend $23 dollars.  A neighborhood crew went on Saturday and had so many of my favorite dishes: spicy vegetable wontons with peanut sauce, cold sesame noodles, pea leaves with garlic, scallion pancakes and soup dumplings and awesome beef for the meat eaters. They have drinks, too and you're right near the Larry Lawrence bar to continue the party. Their back area is a heated patio that's really fun to linger in and it's never as busy as it should be. After dinner, we got to meet Matt's new foster dog and if you're looking to adopt a dog, check out Hearts and Bones Rescue. 

Something to read:
SoCal readers: A matriarchal restaurant is coming to San Diego and it sounds great! The textiles will be made by artisans in Oaxaca. 

This lovely report from the Guardian has me craving figs. Also, more recipes in trend articles please!

Cold weather can seriously mess with baking. This is fascinating.

I am so excited about The New Yorker's new food department and a female food critic: Hannah Goldfield

Some of you may have seen the news that Mailchimp is getting rid of Tinyletter, the tool I use to send this newsletter (this article has some thoughts on the differences). This won't happen until 2019 and I'll keep you guys posted on any changes.

A diversity update from Food52 (This is so not perfect but how many companies can you name that address this issue directly?)

Read this and invite someone over for dinner.

I made Mario Batali's cinnamon rolls

Thank you for sharing your Snow Day Meals!
Megan made this cauliflower soup, Ian braved the cold for breakfast burritos, and Danielle made pumpkin chili. 

As always, reply to this email with any questions you have. This week, I'd love to hear about your "bad day" restaurant. Where do you go when things are tough and the idea of washing dishes only makes it worse?

I want to end this week's newsletter by sharing some information I learned this morning while volunteering with Hunger Free America and Repair the World. We canvassed about SNAP, the program formerly known as food stamps. 1.8 Million New Yorkers use this program and an additional 500,000 are eligible. The income cutoff is much higher than I expected and food insecurity is a huge problem in the city, particularly in the winter. 1 in 5 NYC Children and 1 in 10 working New Yorkers are food insecure. I definitely plan to canvass again and would love to have you join me.

Happy eating and thanks for reading.
Xo,
Abigail