Featured Recipe: Artichoke and Spinach Dip

Here is the first of many recipes I plan to share on my blog. I have made this dip several times, and it's always been a great hit. Hope you enjoy it.

Artichoke and Spinach Dip [Recipe Courtesy of Emeril Lagasse]

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/4 cup flour 2 cups milk
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 2 ounces)
1/2 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese (about 2 ounces)
1 cup chopped onions
1 (10-ounce) bag of fresh spinach, stemmed, rinsed and chopped
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
2 cans of artichoke hearts, julienned
Salt and cayenne 10-15 small corn tortillas, cut into fourths
Vegetable oil for frying

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Preheat the fryer. Combine 1/4 cup of the vegetable oil and flour, in a sauce pan over medium heat. Stir the mixture constantly for 5 to 6 minutes for a blond roux. Whisk in the milk and bring the liquid up to a boil. Season the liquid with salt and cayenne. Simmer the liquid for 5 to 6 minutes, or until the liquid is thick and coats the back of a spoon. Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in the cheeses. Set the sauce aside. In a sauti pan, heat the remaining vegetable oil. When the oil is hot, add the onions and sauti for 2 minutes. Stir in handfuls of spinach at a time, until all the spinach is incorporated. Add the garlic and artichoke and sauti for 2 minutes. Season the vegetables with salt and cayenne. Remove the vegetables from the heat and turn into a mixing bowl. Fold the Bechamel sauce into the vegetables. Turn the mixture into a baking pan. Bake the dip for 10-15 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.

Fry the tortilla chips, batches at a time, for about 2 to 3 minutes or until the chips are golden and crispy. Remove from the oil and drain on a paper-lined plate. Season with salt and pepper. Serve the chips with the dip

Yield: about 8 servings

Difficulty: Easy

NOTE: Making your own chips is optional. I usually serve this with corn chips or even in a bread bowl. Yummy!

New York City

I used to live on the East Coast (in NJ) and frequented many great New York City dining spots. I have a few favorites, and continue to add to my list each time I return. Here a few highlights I hope you'll enjoy, if you're ever in the area. I will add more as it comes back to me...it's been a while...

Favorite Brunch Spot: Ideya (Soho)
This is my must-eat spot whenever I head back to New York. It fills the void I have now, living on the West Coast, for the Latin food I crave so often. Selecting a drink is my first order of business, as soon as I arrive. Their flavored mojitos are great, any time of the day, and they also offer great fruit nectars and tropical non-alcoholic 'shakes'. Their tostones (crispy fried plantains) are always a required side dish, and they also have great bacalaitos (cod fish fritters), empanadas (beef patties), and croquetas (similar to mozzarella sticks) as appetizers. They've got a great cuban sandwich for brunch, that is big enough to share, and nothing has stopped us from ordering bistec (traditional skirt steak) for brunch either. Bring your appetite and be ready to enjoy the tropical latin flavors that Ideya has to offer when you visit.

GOOD TO KNOW: Even though Ideya is a small, cozy restaurant, it doesn't stop them from spinning DJ tunes in the evening. It's a lot of fun, but don't expect a setting for a quiet dinner after dark.

Favorite Pizza Joint: John's Pizzeria (Midtown location)
If you've ever used the term, "I think I've died and gone to heaven" when eating out, this might be one of the few times it could be worthy of such glory --and I don't say this purely because it's in an old church structure. Pizza here is served by the pie only, and the crust is of the thin kind, and cooked just right. Service is always great, and the setting is unique. Look up to see the original church stained glass windows, that look like they were created just for John's. They really do resemble a whole pizza pie...so, you really can feel like you're enjoying a 'slice of heaven' while you're there.

GOOD TO KNOW: They have another location in the Village, if you prefer downtown to midtown. Timing is everything, for this midtown spot since it is in the Theater district since it tends to get very busy with theater-goers before and after Broadway shows.