Thursday, July 18, 2013

GBD

Golden, Brown and Delicious - fried chicken and doughnuts.  I might give myself a heart attack, but sure, let's try it out.  From the owners of Birch & Barley, this casual restaurant located in Dupont Circle focuses on a simple, Southern-inspired menu with a trendy, "cafeteria-type vibe" dining area.

I visited GBD for lunch and sampled their Drum & Thigh Lunchbox with a side of the Kohlrabi cole slaw and the Mumbo dipping sauce.

The chicken itself was good, crunchy and buttery like fried chicken should be.  The Mumbo dipping sauce was a nice accompaniment with the chicken, tangy and rich with a bit of heat to it.  Better than a standard BBQ sauce and it didn't overpower the chicken.  The creme fraiche biscuit did not disappoint.  Doughy and delicious, with a light salty finish, it was excellent. 

I was disappointed with the Kohlrabi cole slaw, nothing really inventive and tasted like it sat in the vinegar sauce too long.  It needs a fun addition to bring out the flavor (maybe another ingredient to give it some texture?).  This was sort of just BLAH.

I was smart enough to save room for dessert and ordered the chocolate pudding doughnut.  Sweet, rich and chocolately (and topped with chocolate rice krispies!), this dense doughnut was a tasty treat. 

Overall, GBD is a good, solid fried chicken and doughnut joint... and probably highly addictive after a night out at the bars at 2am.
GBD Fried Chicken and Doughnuts on Urbanspoon

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Roasted and Marinated Summer Vegetables


Squash and zucchini.  Zucchini and squash.  It shows up by the boatloads in summer and I am always trying to come up with different ways to cook it and serve it so that SOMEONE, ANYONE will eat it.  Haven't had much luck.... until now. 

Introducing Roasted and Marinated Summer Vegetables

A simple and zesty recipe for all those cats and dogs vegetables that find their way into your home during the summer harvest.  You can change up the recipe with whatever kinds of vegetables you have on hand.

The vegetables have to sit in the marinade for a bit, so you can make it at your leisure and serve it up later for dinner or as a light snack.  Based off a recipe from Bon Appetit, these veggies will keep for up to three days (mine were gone in two!).

Ingredients
2 squash
1 zucchini
1 eggplant
1 pepper
1 onion
7 leaves of basil (about 1/4 cup)
4-5 cloves of garlic
5 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil
3 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation
1.  Slice vegetables into 1/2 inch thick slices or strips, lay on a cookie sheet.  Drizzle with 1 tbl of olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper.

2.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Put vegetables in the oven and roast for 20 minutes, flipping once halfway through the roasting process. 

3.  While the vegetables are roasting, chop 3 leaves of basil.  In a large bowl, mix the chopped basil with 4 1/2 tablespoons of oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, and 4 whole leaves of basil.

4.  Remove the vegetables from the oven, allow to cool slightly and add to the bowl with the marinade.  Toss to coat.  Let sit for at least one hour.  To keep longer, cover and chill and then bring back to room temperature before serving.