Truly Random Meals and Recipes

Above three photos: Cafe Drake HRV's version of Cobb Salad (romaine lettuce, sliced turkey breast, bleu cheese) with Parsley and Oregano Dressing and Green Chile Corn Muffins. To make our top August 2013 house dressing, roughly chop 1 bunch of parsley and add to a blender container along with about 4-5 T. fresh oregano leaves, 2 cloves of chopped garlic, salt and black pepper to taste and 1/4 cup white wine vinegar. Blend until relatively smooth then, with machine still running, slowly drizzle in 1/2 - 3/4 cup olive oil. You should use less oil for a sharper flavored dressing and more if your tastes run milder. Should keep well for 5 days refrigerated but always shake well and allow to sit at room temperature for a few minutes before using.

Caraway & Red Pepper Chicken: Are we really sharing this recipe that induces swoons from every single dinner guest at Cafe Drake Brooklyn and HRV? Today's your lucky day and it's so positively simple you're sure to feel doubly lucky. Begin with roughly 2-3 lbs. of chicken parts - we prefer whole leg quarters as above, or thighs and drumsticks. If you wanna use chicken breasts that's your business, just make sure any poultry is skin-on and bone-in. You'll do best to line a large baking sheet - or two smaller ones - with aluminum foil for easier cleaning afterwards. Place chicken on baking sheet(s) and squeeze over all a plentiful amount of fresh lime or lemon juice. Follow this with a legendary dusting of kosher salt. Salt Bravely, Keep Calm and Carry On! Now sprinkle the chicken pieces with cayenne pepper and just a bit of smoked paprika. Finally, make it rain with 1 T. of caraway seeds; be certain each poultry piece has plenty. Peel and chop in halves 3 or 4 carrots and place on baking tray around chicken, along with the juiced limes (or lemons). Bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees F. for roughly 40 minutes or until skin is deeply browned and crispy. Timing will vary. Serve hot or very warm and drizzle accumulated pan juices/rendered chicken fat over the finished dish.

Caraway and Red Pepper chicken quarters plated with rice, tindora, parsley sauce and onion salad.

How to Make Dinner When Exhausted with Lyme Disease: Boil until just barely al dente 1 box of whole wheat ziti and drain. Toss with 1 jar of Newman's Own marinara sauce (or your fave flavor). Throw in a cup of finely grated Fontina cheese. Toss again until cheese melts. Season further as you will with chopped fresh herbs, shaved red onions and cayenne pepper.

Here's what we did with all that leftover rice. Cold, we tossed it with diced red onion and Swiss cheese cubes and all the remaining parsley sauce. Stuffed it into parboiled green bell peppers and baked for 30 minutes.

Just mentioned stuffed pepper with pea shoots, white bean and zucchini salad, pickled jalapeno peppers and roasted parsnip "fries".

Day & Night on the rooftop of Jen and Ben's swank new home in Williamsburg. The old Domino factory and bridge of our daily lives of two decades made Cafe Drake HRV wax nostalgic upon seeing again on such a mild August afternoon and evening. Then we hit the unforgettable/unforgivable traffic.

World's Largest Zucchini Blossom?