The Weekly Feed: Crispy Sweet Edition
Dish of the Week: Shrimp with pine nut dressing
Last night I had the opportunity to partake in the annual Embassy Chef Challenge, which allowed guests to sample food prepared by the chefs from 11 embassies: Bahrain, Belgium, Hungary, Israel, Korea, Morocco, Nepal, Ghana, Panama, Qatar, and Serbia.
At the end of the night, a top embassy chef was selected by a panel of celebrity judges, as well as a people's choice winner voted upon by the event's guests. The winner as selected by the judges was Jan Van Haute of Belgium, whose dishes featured a composed plate of pork belly with cauliflower foam and currant jam. The people's choice winner was Einat Admony of Israel, with a creamy chestnut soup.
But one of the dishes worth noting was a shrimp salad with pine nut dressing served by Jae-ok Chang, the Korean embassy chef. Plated alongside a lacquered ginger chicken, the salad was a refreshing contrast. The cool salad played crisp cucumber against sweet, juicy Asian pears with a dressing made creamy with coconut milk. They were kind enough to provide the recipe for all the attendees, and it's definitely worth trying at home.
Shrimp with Pine Nut Dressing - provided by the Korean embassy (serves 5-6)
1/2 lb. medium cook shrimp - shelled, deveined and patted dry
1 Asian pear - peeled, cored, and sliced shrimp-sized
2 pickling cucumbers - cut lengthwise and sliced into half moons
5 sweetened chestnuts**
Dressing:
5 tbsp. pine nuts
3 tbsp. coconut milk
2 tbsp. sesame oil
1 tbsp. toasted sesame seeds
1/2 tsp. Korean seasoned salt**
Mix dressing ingredients and refrigerate until ready to serve. Toss with the shrimp, pear, cucumber, and chestnuts just before serving.
**Available in Korean specialty groceries. You can substitute the seasoned salt with salt.
Small Bites
Tapping into resources
The annual UNICEF Tap Project takes place March 21-27, allowing diners to donate $1 for a glass of tap water to provide clean drinking water to children around the world. The week kicks off March 20 at 6 p.m. with a at Local 16. Tickets are $25 in advance and $35 at the door. The party will feature drink specials, a live DJ and raffle prizes. View a list of the D.C. area restaurants participating in the promotion.
Burger Blitz
The Dupont Current is reporting that new burger joint Standard will be opening on 14th Street and modeled after Danny Meyer's Shake Shack in New York. I'm praying that it too will have some redonkulously fat squirrels hanging around outside. [via Metrocurean]
Billy Idol Banh Mi?
WBJ reporter and DCist theater guru Missy Frederick reports there will be a new banh mi truck hitting Arlington and parts of D.C. in April. Called Rebel Heroes, they will also have an online ordering system. And it looks like they will not just be serving at lunch time, but also breakfast banh mi with eggs. Here's hoping they will be serving some of them up with a fried egg like the banh mi op las available in Vietnam. Like the other trucks, you will be able to follow them on Twitter.
Mixed Messages from Bravo
Somehow D.C. is good enough to play host to Top Chef, but apparently not quite good enough to be a stop on the latest Top Chef bus tour. The bus tour gives fans an opportunity to sample the food of the cheftestants in a restaurant-style format, get autographs, and take photos at the Judges' Table. But if you're set on visiting the tour yourself, you'll have to hike up to Philadelphia or New York.