tomorrow is valentine's day, one of my favorite holidays! while i love dining out with my other half, lately i've enjoyed spending big holidays in the comforts of our home. that doesn't mean there is a shortage of heart decorations and valentine's day candy in our place...actually it's quite the opposite. we will be dining in tomorrow night, indulging in a lavish home-cooked meal while dressed up in fancy duds (with the whitney playlist in the background...i can't seem to listen to anything else). i love pushing myself to try new recipes, and i finally got around to making something special that i've wanted to make myself forever...paella. i have an unhealthy addiction to the show "the chew" (i tape it daily, ha!) and when michael symon made this, i immediately ran out the next day to buy a paella pan and the requisite ingredients. i'm not advertising this as incredibly authentic as i've never had paella in spain (it's on my list!), but this was incredibly easy and delicious...with loads of my favorite part: the socarrat - the crispy, almost burnt layer of rice at the bottom of the pan. my valentine is allergic to shellfish (bummer, but he's still a keeper) so i just doubled the amount of chorizo and chicken. fantastic piping hot, but even better served the next day for lunch. perfect for dinner for your valentine any day of the week.
paella (adapted from michael symon)
ingredients: 5 cups of chicken stock | 1 tbsp. olive oil | 1 spanish onion (chopped) | 2 cups of short-grain rice (i used arborio) | heavy pinch of saffron threads | 1 1/2 cup crushed san marzano tomatoes (drained) | 8 drumsticks (you can use a combination of thighs and drumsticks) | 1 pound of dried chorizo | 1 cup of peas (i used fresh english petite peas) | 1/4 cup flat-leaf parlsey | 1/4 cup white whine
seafood (optional): 12 mussels | 12 littleneck clams | 1 1/2 pound large shrimp
hardware: paella pan (you can try to make without, but you're not going to get that crispy layer of rice!)
1. in the paella pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. add sliced chorizo and cook until the fat has rendered. remove chorizo from pan and set aside.
2. add the chicken, browning all sides. i popped my chicken into a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes to make sure it was cooked all the way through.
3. add the onion and cook until translucent.
4. add the rice and toast. deglaze the pan with white wine, and then add saffron and slowly add the stock, carefully stirring as you add the liquid.
5. add the tomatoes and stir. nestle chicken in the pan and arrange the seafood and peas in the pan. please a layer of foil over the top of the pan and cook until the clams and mussels have opened and the rice is tender, about 20-25 minutes (or in my case, when there was enough socarrat for two of us). garnish with freshly cracked pepper and parsley.
you know life has been crazy when you post pictures you took in september the last week of december. :) i have been living out of a suitcase the last few weeks - nyc (with A...a trip we almost missed since we were the last people to board the plane, ha!), seattle, san diego, and l.a...not to mention playing tour guide to visiting friends and family. but back to the big apple...new york was so fun in fact that A + i failed to snap any pictures of our adventures; i now have two ways to measure if i had a good time - 1) no voice the next day and 2) no pictures. A + i had a splendid time with our other halves and an amazing group of friends who are the coolest new yorkers you'll ever meet. here are the few moments i did manage to capture:
enjoying chocolate croissants from our fave bakery down the street on our balcony at the nolitan
wandering around aimlessly (only people i like can call me this)
soho miu miu store = heaven
laduree in america = heaven (part II)
(i die for this rodarte dress!)
images via fashiongonerogue
the fabulous fanning girls for w magazine (shot by mario sorrenti); see the rest here.
come one, come fall! i absolutely adore this time of year...the air turns crisp, fall fashion is in stores, and pumpkin spice lattes and pumpkin pastries are sold at every corner. confession: i never cooked a savory dish with pumpkin until this easy recipe, and now i am hooked! this entree is so warm and comforting...like a big hug in a bowl.
pumpkin + sausage pasta
(adapted from rachael ray)
ingredients: 1 pound of penne (i used whole wheat but i think regular would please more palettes!) | 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil | 1 to 1 1/2 pounds of sweet italian sausage (casings removed) | 3 shallots, finely chopped | 5 to 6 cloves garlic, grated | 2 cups chicken stock | 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree | 1/2 cup of cream | hot sauce, to taste (don't skip this - it gives a depth of flavor) | freshly grated nutmeg, to taste | 2 pinches of ground cinnamon | 8 leaves of fresh sage + extra for garnish | grated parmigiano-reggiano | salt + pepper
- boil water for pasta; salt it and cook penne to al dente per package instructions
- heat the oil over medium heat. add shallots to the pan and saute until fragrant and translucent.
- add sausage to the pan and saute until brown (about 10 minutes).
- add garlic to the pan; saute about 2 minutes.
- stir in chicken stock and combine with pumpkin. stir in cream and then season with hot sauce, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt and pepper.
- bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium low and simmer for about 15 minutes.
- stir in sage, and toss sauce with pasta and grated cheese.
- serve piping hot in individual bowls with thinly sliced sage and a sprinkling of grated parmigiano-reggiano for garnish.
day two of my russian adventure: two imperial estates that can be summed up in three adjectives - opulent, ornate and magical.
catherine's palace
elaborate bright blue, white, and gold exterior facade. once upon a time those accents were gilded in real gold!
pistachio-colored walls with pops of pink in the formal dining room (i die for the moldings).
the great hall, otherwise known as the hall of light. the room measures 1000 square meters and runs the entire width of the palace.
strolling around the lush gardens with a view of the bath houses.
not pictured: the amber room where photographs are not allowed. every carving, mosaic, and panel is covered with rare amber pieces. amazing.
the grand palace at peterhof; peterhof park and gardens
gorge.
64 different fountains and over 200 bronze statues!
caviar time (vodka not pictured).
it's been a couple of months since i left st. petersburg, and i'm still in awe of the splendor i witnessed in just two days. on day one of the russia leg of our trip, we visited the famed hermitage museum. composed of six different buildings, we walked through the four open to the public - the winter palace - former imperial residence and home of the largest collection of paintings in the world. after hours spent consuming more masterpieces than one can take in one day, we took a short break to shop for souvenirs and to view more architecture and history on foot. we ended the day with a canal cruise of the wonderous waterways connecting this beautiful city, surrounded by a surreal view of the baroque and neoclassical buildings from the 18th and 19th centuries. the history permeating from every corner of this city is something i will never forget. i describe my experience in st. peterburg as "the best classes in college come to life" and i can't wait to return.
the hermitage
souvenir shopping! which ones don't belong?
church of the savior on spilled blood
canal cruisin'
this year has truly been amazing for my best gals and me. from my engagment, to our bestie, M's wedding, the saying is true - "love is in the air." the other day i got the greatest news that puts icing on this cake (of love) of ours: C is engaged!!! so now, it's pretty clear that a) we're growing up way too fast and b) dmh might turn into a wedding blog for the next year or so ;).
to C + D: i couldn't be happier for the two of you and i'm looking forward to this next chapter in your lives. may this excitement never end and the warm feelings you've had these past couple of days never leave your hearts!
i recently worked on a photo shoot with a grade A team consisting of brandilyn from stars model management, calvin from calvin ma photo and make up artist bianca rubi. when you work with a group of people that are not only talented, but super fun it calls for nothing less than inspired results. i had such a great time working with the team, that i whipped up a behind-the-scenes video that includes some of the images and footage that i took with my iphone that day. take a look...
music: 10 mile stereo by beach house
i'm thrilled with the results and can't wait to share! stay tuned.
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