Luxembourgish food

Just thought it would be fun (after the lobster roll post) to contribute a few mentions of what is typical in Luxembourg... As a newly invited contributor, it seems I should cover something different.

The most bizarre thing that we've had was at a friends house. She is Luxembourgish and is a fabulous cook. We, and some other friends, convinced her to cook a typical Luxembourgish meal, rather than her usual French style of cooking. So she made us... hot dog soup with runner beans. It was so weird!! And this, she says, is why she doesn't usually cook Luxembourgish food!

However, this is not the end of their food choices. I must say that the Judd mat Bohnen (smoked pig neck with beans) can be ruined. I've had it once when it was very good, and once where I'd rather have been eating anything else. And in reality, their food is best when taking it away from a stand at one of the national festivals- gromperekirkelcher (appologies, Burgers, I can never spell that quite right) which are potato pancakes deep fried, or cutlets of marinated meat on a bun or the Mettwurst and Turinger, two kinds of sausage, the 2nd which can come with sauerkraut and pickles.

Other than this, it is very similar to the Alsace region of France where they mix French and German sensibilities. So that includes, Choucroute (sauerkraut with various pig bits with mustard), Flammkuchen (paper thin crusted pizza topped with creme fraiche, lardons, and possibly other items), and Spaetzle. This last is something I love- small homemade noodles often baked with some good cheese and some roasted onions on top. However, at one of my favorite restaurants, we had it with a piece of venison and its jus and another time with a sauce reduction and a slice of seared fois gras. Talk about great food!

So if you want true Luxembourgish food and you are passing through, what should you do? Go to Goethe Stuff in the center of the city, its near the rear of the Ducal Palace. Or splurge (and be sure to reserve) and go to Lea Linster's- she is in the Michelin guide and, from all accounts, absoloutely deserves it. I haven't had the chance to go, but its on my to do list!

The Raw Bar - for my lobster roll fix.

252 Shore Drive
Mashpee, MA 02649
(508) 539-4858

The best lobster roll in Cape Cod.

So far there is no other place I would rather go for my lobster roll fix than The Raw Bar in Mashpee. My family makes several pilgrimages every summer to this small bar located in a shack in the Popponesset Marketplace next to the Popponesset Inn. It is only open during the summer season, so call or check out their website if you're at the head or tail of the season. You can order the lobster rolls for takeout if you don't want to wait for a picnic table, but call ahead! It can sometimes take a while to fill the order.

You don't eat in the bar. There is a small picnic area outside the bar that has been covered in recent years for the lobster roll fans. It is frequently crowded, and the wait can be long at peak times. The seating is informal and on the honor system, so don't hesitate to ask to share a table and meet new folks. Everyone is there to do one thing, eat the sublime, gigantic lobster rolls, and wash it down with ice cold beer. The quality of the lobster matches the quantity of meat overflowing the afterthought of a bun. There is no filler. Only a small amount of mayonnaise for the lobster salad. The meat is fresh, sweet, and tender. You find yourself eating the entire roll, even though you know it is too much. The price may seem steep, about $21-$25 per roll depending on the market, but for that much lobster it is really a good deal.

Most everything else on the menu is filler. Things for those poor souls who don't like lobster. I do recommend the steamers however. They are usually very good and can be great for keeping you occupied while you wait for the lobster rolls to come out. On a bad day, and there aren't many of them, there is just too much sand in them.

If the Raw Bar is too full or you don't like sitting at the original picnic tables, you can get a lobster roll at their next door extension, Bob's Seafood Cafe. It is more kid friendly and less crowded. They are also opening a sister shop soon, Raw Bar on Ocean Street in Hyannis, MA.

I've never been in the bar itself, but judging by the pictures on their website, it looks pretty raucous. And fun.

Healthy pea soup that's gluten-free and casein-free (GFCF)

Trying a GFCF diet on your kids is challenging and expensive. The following recipe is easy, quick, and cheap.  It is based on the "Fresh Pea Soup" recipe from Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa At Home. It takes about 20-30 minutes to prepare, and can be served hot or cold. It makes great baby food, and can be stored for quick use by freezing the soup in ice cube trays. 

Pea Soup - Gluten-free Casein-free (GFCF)

preparation time about 20-30 minutes

about 2 tablespoons canola oil (to coat the bottom of the pot)

2 leeks (white/light green parts - washed and rough chopped)

1 med. onion (rough chopped)

about 1 quart chicken stock (we use organic free range type)

32 oz frozen peas (we use 2 packs Trader Joes petite peas)

about 1/2 cup chopped mint (can substitute with basil)

1 teaspoon dried thyme

salt and pepper to taste (if chicken broth is salted, you usually don't need salt)

water or extra chicken stock to adjust the thickness of the soup

In a soup pot, saute the chopped leeks and onions in canola oil until tender (about 10 minutes with medium heat). Add chicken stock and thyme and bring to a boil. Add the frozen peas and cook for an additional 3-5 minutes. Use any extra chicken stock or water to adjust the water level to just cover the peas in broth. I bring the soup to a boil and then immediately remove the pot from the heat. Add the chopped mint (or basil). Using a hand blender (wand blender), puree the soup in the pot until it has reached the desired consistency. If you want a thinner soup, add water or chicken stock. Unless I'm serving the soup hot to adult guests, I let the soup cool first before blending the soup to avoid splash burns.

Garnish with chives, scallions, and/or GFCF croutons. It tastes great hot or chilled. Our kids prefer it room temperature. If you prefer a vegan soup, substitute with vegetable stock or water.

Grass fed beef tastes better

Beef is one of my favorite foods. The beef that is sold in most groceries is almost always treated with hormones and antibiotics. The cows are also fed grain to speed growth and increase fat content in the meat. I have nothing against big, fat cows, but critics claim that these cows produce bland and tasteless beef. Raising cows the old-fashioned way, without hormones, antibiotics, and grain, is more expensive. Does it taste better? Mark Schatzker at Slate.com did a taste test comparing prime cut rib-eye steaks from grain fed, Kobe-style, aged, and grass fed beef. His conclusion is that grass fed cows yield the most flavorful steak.

I repeated his taste test myself from steaks purchased at Lionette's Market in the South End of Boston, MA. I purchased a grass fed, grain finished, dry-aged rib-eye for $28 per pound; and a grass fed and finished (but not dry-aged) rib-eye for $22 per pound. Both steaks were from cows free of hormones and antibiotics. The steaks were seasoned with salt and pepper on both sides, and grilled on high heat for 3-4 minutes per side for a medium-rare finish.

Both steaks were excellent. The grain finished steak was tender with a nice beef flavor. The grass fed steak was somewhat chewier, but the flavor was more intense and beefier. Not only was the grass fed steak cheaper than the dry-aged grain finished one, but the flavor was superior.

The price of grass fed beef is still much higher than the standard supermarket beef ($7-8 per pound for rib-eye at Costco). Lionette's market is pricey, but they adhere to a sustainable food ethic and much of their merchandise are from local and organic sources.