Late Winter Updates

We've been super busy at Cafe Drake with our little chutney venture but managed to steal a few personal moments here and there. It's not a lot but here's what's been going on:

We Love Leftovers!! A re-purposed recent lunch of chicken and chutney salad (from the fridge and a leftover roasted bird), pepper salad and beets with horseradish carried home from a too-large Polish meal in the n'hood, toasted bread (on the point of going stale), leftover cabbage salad from the night before dinner and homemade hummus.

Jen Ruske whips up the most amazing weeknight meals, we swear. Deliciousness of all variety greets up upon arrival after a snowy and icy jaunt to her house. Above, spaghetti and meatballs (served with roasted broccoli and Brussels sprouts). Fellow dining guest Ben T. provided a decadent and witty dessert of Nutter Butter cookies and homemade chocolate creme Anglaise.

A Good Use for Frozen Spinach: Take 2 packs of frozen spinach and cook according to the package directions. Once cooked drain well and squeeze out as much liquid as you possibly can without getting too stressed. Mix the cooked spinach in a large bowl with: 1 cup of yogurt, 1 egg, 1/2 cup of crumbled feta cheese, 3/4 cup cooked Israeli couscous and either fresh or dried dill. Taste for seasoning after adding plenty of salt and black pepper and just a dash or two of nutmeg. Place all in a buttered casserole dish. Bake in a pre-heated 375 degree oven for about 30 minutes. Cafe Drake loves this side with chicken or fish.

Lloyd just loves it when his Auntie Jen Lazzaro stops by for a drink and a bite and a chat. Above: Turkish lamb meatballs with yogurt sauce, couscous pilaf and a salad of spinach leaves, cantaloupe, mint and minced chilies.

What to do with a gift of stunning, aged dry Spanish chorizo? In an attempt to recreate a favorite dish from the now-closed and much lamented Williamsburg restaurant Aioli, we did this: slice about 1 pound of dry chorizo thinly and add to a casserole dish. Throw in 1 small can of tomato sauce and 4-5 dried red chilies. Now add 5-6 cloves of sliced garlic and a splash of dry red wine. Stir well and bake in a 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes. Serve bubbling hot with loads of crusty bread for scoring those amazing, fiery juices.