el grande terible

Harry's Bar, Again

2012-01-16T00:12:00.000-08:00

When you need a little pick-me-up after a long, long work week. The
solace you seek may just be around the corner in Firenze. Sangiovese,
carpaccio, seasonal artichoke sphaghetti No. 2, osso buco della casa.

2012-01-11T10:59:00.000-08:00

Harry's Bar, Firenze, Italy

2012-01-08T23:31:00.000-08:00

2012-01-08T23:30:00.000-08:00

2012-01-08T23:29:00.000-08:00

Bacon Fried Fritters @ The Drawing Room, CHI

2011-12-12T17:01:00.000-08:00

with candied bacon, apple, and caramel.

Sushi Hiro

2011-12-11T23:35:00.001-08:00

Champagne Cocktails & Steak Tatare at Henri, CHI

2011-12-03T19:46:00.000-08:00

Champagne, Rock Sugar, House Bitters, Seasonal Fruit (caviar)

smoke steak tatare, quail egg, crisp house baguette

Is it time to eat yet?

2011-11-17T20:25:00.000-08:00

Beef Short Ribs

2011-11-06T19:11:00.000-08:00

beef short rib wet marinade (for 3-5lbs of meat)

-juice and zest of 6 limes.
-2 small red chillies, chopped.
-1 large thai green chilli, chopped.
-1/2 yellow onion, minced.
-4-6 shallots, minced.
-6 cloves soy soaked garlic (see the garlic soy below)
-1 cup dark soy sauce
-1 cup lo-sodium soy sauce
-1 cup garlic soy (fresh garlic, peeled and washed, which have been steeping in lo-sodium soy sauce for about a month)
-1/2 cup olive oil
-1/2 cup of chinese shochu
-2 tablespoons sugar.

marinade refrigerated for atleast 6-8hrs. overnight, for best results.

beef short rib dry rub (again, for 3-5 lbs of meat)

in equal parts measured in tablespoons:

-cumin powder
-ground black pepper
-sugar
-seasalt
-chayenne powder
-garlic powder
-onion powder
-corn starch
-paprika powder
-celery salt

thoroughly mix the dry ingredient together, and transfer to a medium-holed shaker. and sprinkle generously on to the meat. most of the rub will come off when you grill or pan fry.

again, let the rub set for 6-8hrs, refrigerated. and overnight, for best results.

happy grub'n!

Sushi Hiro

2011-10-30T20:51:00.000-07:00

tuna slow cooked in shoyu with a farm fresh egg from japan.

charcoal grilled matsutake with black salt and a touch of yuzu.

2011-09-18T08:32:00.000-07:00

Homemade Wonton by Chez R

2011-08-27T22:58:00.000-07:00

Garlic chives, scallions, cilantro, Shanghai bak choy, shrimp, pork, sesame oil = awesome.
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Lobster corndog, lollapalooza chi

2011-08-06T20:14:00.000-07:00

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Egg Plant Fries @ summerfest milwaukee wi.

2011-07-03T18:43:00.000-07:00

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Imago @ Hassler Roma, Italy Part 2

2011-06-27T07:39:00.000-07:00

Imago @ Hassler Roma, Italy

2011-06-27T07:38:00.000-07:00

Primi e Secondi @ Meloncello, Bologna

2011-06-24T01:13:00.000-07:00

Mortadella served table side.

2011-06-21T11:04:00.000-07:00

Sadler, Milano Part 2

2011-06-20T15:32:00.000-07:00

Sadler, Milano Part 1

2011-06-20T15:31:00.000-07:00

Sushi Hiro

2011-06-04T05:20:00.000-07:00

Kinki with Kinki roe.

Leftovers 001

2011-06-04T05:18:00.000-07:00

This is what you make with the bread basket you took home from
Robouchon. Mini baguette with Epoise and truffled salumi.

Le Spam & Eggs by Le Chef R

2011-05-28T06:02:00.000-07:00

Everyone needs comfort food once in awhile.
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Spicy Pork Rinds @ The Publican, chi

2011-05-22T18:12:00.000-07:00

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Cafe Marbella @ CHI

2011-04-22T17:42:00.001-07:00

Cod cheeks, baked goat cheese, paella valenciana and a stawberry tart cake (not pictured)
"money"
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Who oohs for Umeshu?

2011-04-19T09:50:00.000-07:00

First Time Ribs by Chez R & M

2011-04-10T18:20:00.001-07:00

with a side of toy story 3 mac n' cheese

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Breakfast Done Right @ Bacara Resort, Santa Barbara

2011-04-04T10:31:00.000-07:00

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Landmark Grill @ Chicago

2011-03-26T20:30:00.000-07:00

Crispy Pork Belly, pumpkin risotto, carrot-arugala salad.
Bacon Gnocchi, mushroom ragout, basil tomato, parmesan cheese
Shrimp, chipotle cocktail sauce, horseradish, fennel salad.

Hong Kong Montecristo @ Cheung Hing, Hong Kong

2011-03-20T23:09:00.000-07:00

A classic 'pineapple' bun toasted on the griddle, butter, marmalade, finished with a fried egg and ham.

Croque-Madame @ Paris, France

2011-03-11T09:42:00.000-08:00

Thick sliced brioche toast, grilled gruyere cheese, country ham, and a fresh free-range farmhouse egg.

Coffee done right @ Caffe Manzoni, Milano

2011-03-10T15:14:00.000-08:00

Shaken Iced Cafe

Escargots @ Benoit*, Les Halles, Paris

2011-03-10T15:12:00.000-08:00

Les Ambassadeur*** @ Le Crillon, Paris

2011-03-10T15:05:00.000-08:00

A whole Foi Gras, shared between M and me, cooked in a covered pyrex, sealed in by pastry dough and baked. The best. Ever.

Gnocchi with Pumpkin and Oyster Mushrooms @ Tano*, Milano

2011-03-10T09:43:00.000-08:00

Risotto Milanese with Truffles @ Caffe Manzoni, Milano

2011-03-10T09:42:00.000-08:00

Okra in aspic @ Sushi Xan, Hong Kong

2011-03-10T09:34:00.000-08:00

Bison Ragu Pasta @ Ristorante Meloncelo, Bologna

2011-03-10T09:14:00.000-08:00

Rigatoni Terence @ Belle Parte, Padova

2011-03-10T09:10:00.000-08:00

Veal Milanese @ Harry's Bar, Firenze

2011-03-10T09:08:00.000-08:00

Just steps away from the D'uomo

2011-03-10T09:07:00.000-08:00

One of the many luxuries of Paris.

2011-03-10T09:06:00.000-08:00

Caviar @ Chez Gareth, Hong Kong.

2011-02-14T15:16:00.000-08:00

Osetra Caviar served with all the trimmings.

Bo Innovation, Hong Kong

2011-02-13T19:31:00.000-08:00

Lobster

star anise butter, spring vegetables, pickled cabbage

Sauteed Young Lobsters @ Chez Charlie, Hong Kong

2011-02-10T15:17:00.000-08:00

Sushi Taku, Japan

2011-01-17T19:15:00.000-08:00

Angler fish liver

Horsey @ Delicious Horse Meat, Japan

2011-01-16T19:10:00.000-08:00

Horse Sashimi with raw onions and ginger

toasty @ Steak Shiozawa,

2011-01-15T18:59:00.000-08:00

Foie Gras

then i told the chef that i was too stuffed.

Pork Arteries with Grouper Skin @ Yung Kee, Hong Kong

2010-12-10T09:32:00.000-08:00

Chez Joel, Chi

2010-11-20T19:03:00.001-08:00

Bouillabaisse

Smells gewd

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Properly prepared Salted Duck Eggs @ Chez Nay-Nay, Hong Kong

2010-11-10T09:36:00.000-08:00

Hot Doug's, CHI

2010-07-10T10:48:00.000-07:00

Foie Gras and Sauternes Duck Sausage with Truffle Aioli, Foie Gras Mousse and Fleur de Sel, with an order of Duck Fat Fries.

Had better dogs before... The wait wasn't really worth the food... Or maybe I just ordered the wrong dog, but the sausage was good.

3324 N California Ave
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M Burger, chi

2010-06-24T06:28:00.000-07:00

Mmm... It was good and cheap, but I think its more the novelty that it was a part of Tru.

161 E Huron
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Guess who else is in on foods

2010-05-06T09:28:00.000-07:00

Heather made a blog about baking:

http://cadmiumcrumbs.wordpress.com/

cute paintings

Otto Lenghi Lunchbox

2010-05-06T09:12:00.000-07:00

Grilled Salmon, Roasted Butternut Squash, Assorted Salads

Tasty, but my only gripe with it, is that this guy uses herbs like a crack addict and sometimes... there's just too much herb...

http://www.ottolenghi.co.uk/

Fried Chickeny Waffely Goodness, CHI

2010-05-02T14:13:00.000-07:00

What can't be good about fried chicken and a belgian waffle with powdered sugar?! Oh, and of course, roasted pecan-infused maple syrup (not pictured, i was in a rush to eat this thing of beauty).

CJ's Eatery @ 3839 W Grand Ave.
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Steak and Hitachino...

2010-04-29T19:32:00.000-07:00

I decided to treat myself to a well deserved rib-eye steak, green beans and Hitachino Nest Beer... because i'm acing my Czech class, and the semester's almost over... just a lil bit longer...

gonna party with my 'Robyn's Birthday Draaank'

Hainan Chicken Rice Pt.1

2010-04-27T22:00:00.001-07:00

The first of two Hainan Chicken Rice stalls we tried while at Maxwell Food Center, Singapore.

Chicken or Beef?

2010-04-25T20:25:00.001-07:00

Satay's from Stall 7 & 8 @ Lau Pa Sat Festival Market, Singapore. The meat marinade and the peanut sauces are a bit on the sweet side, a little too sweet actually.

Best Corned Beef at Moher, Chi

2010-04-19T11:39:00.000-07:00

This is by far the best any small pub has to offer all year round so you don't have to wait for St. Patty's day or slave away in your own kichen. Super generous portion, I already took several large bites before this pic, my bad.

5130 W Devon Ave
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Testing 1 2 3

2010-02-22T11:30:00.000-08:00

Fruits... and potates
Just working out the email thing
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The Smoke Daddy, CHI

2010-02-13T12:50:00.001-08:00

On W Division, a little hole in the wall,
meat melted off the bone, mmmm.

fork mod.

2010-02-11T20:11:00.001-08:00

Wow, slotted fork for pulling grilled meat off a stick! What will they think of next? Kinda takes the fun out of pulling meat off with your teeth.

Last meal before being wed.

2010-01-26T00:24:00.001-08:00

Broiled silver cod, white rice and miso. To calm a nervous stomach.
Thanks for keeping me from running boys!

breakfast of champions

2009-11-26T19:40:00.001-08:00

nothing like muesli and a beer to start the day off right!

Huge.

2009-08-27T16:52:00.000-07:00

I ate three, I suppose that's like 30 normal ones.

Stonefish @ Sakaegawa

2009-07-16T06:04:00.001-07:00

It's ugly, but boy it sure is tasty!

Birra Mennabrea

2009-06-11T08:16:00.000-07:00

Hmm, I prefer Birra Moretti.

"chicken big bun"

2009-02-22T20:40:00.001-08:00

By far the largest buns I have ever had. These are often ordered by
asking the waiter for a "36 D."

black truffled @ alinea, chicago

2009-02-22T04:21:00.001-08:00

finally, after several years of hearing and reading about alinea, we went and had their 20+ course "chef's experience." and although it was a neat meal to be had, at nearly us$400 per head, i don't think i'm a particular fan of molecular gastronomy. with all the foam and stabilizers that were used in practically every course, it gave me quite a bit of gas post consumption (which m. suffered through out the night and early morning)... bwah bwahh bwahhhhhh.

i [heart] sour patch anything.

2009-02-01T17:15:00.001-08:00

Lil'hedge hogs

2008-11-26T09:05:00.000-08:00

These are a taro mash filled slightly sweet fried buns. Cute eh?

Torigin

2008-11-21T22:36:00.000-08:00

Nestled between upscale boutiques, in a narrow alley next to Hermes is
Torigin, a small restaurant serving only yakitori and rice cooked with
mixed ingredients. A must-have when I visit Tokyo. Lunch was a
couple skewers of assorted chicken chunks and a pot of rice cooked
over coals in a metal pot, and with a dark draught beer, what more
could u ask for?

Tapioca in Sweet Coconut Milk

2008-11-21T18:02:00.000-08:00

Not far from the jook joint was a great desert place. Tapioca in
coconut milk has been my fave since I was a young child.

Healing your scorched intestines.

2008-11-21T17:56:00.000-08:00

After an evening of suffering from the sour & spicy rice threads (see
previous) I decided to eat something light to soothe my sore guts.
Thousand year old egg and lean shredded pork congee with "jia leung."

Sichuen Sour & Spicy

2008-11-17T23:13:00.000-08:00

Massive, massive bowl of sour and spicy rice thread noodle with bean
sprouts, "A Choy" greens, chilis, sliced chicken, sliced pork stomach,
quail eggs, squid balls, "dong goo" mushrooms, chives, spring onions,
soy bean sheets, Chinese ham, chopped pickled cabage, pork bone stock,
pickled chili paste, a coke-cola, and a belly ache. Just another meal
down on Temple Street, Yau Ma Tei. And only a stone's throw away from
the world's oldest profession.

What does a "Manager" do?

2008-11-15T20:03:00.001-08:00

I've been working six day weeks for almost three months now. I shadow
the store manager and their cohorts of floor and department managers.
I look at the previous daily turnover, I assist in customer sales and
service. Monitor inventory. And often provide product knowledge to
customers and associates alike. But predominently I just try to
appear occupied whilst thinking of what I want for lunch.

Today I think I will have dim sum.

But after lunch, THATS when it gets tricky, what to do about dinner??

I think I'm gonna have baked pork chop over fly lice. But I'm getting
ahead of myself, haven't even had lunch yet.

Melamine? Not Pineapple?

2008-10-18T15:53:00.000-07:00

amidst the tainted dairy scare, i think xiaomeimei still ate most of the 12 packets. dung dung dungggggggg. it's okay, you can have one of my kidneys, perhaps the smaller, oddly shaped one.

xiaomeimei's take on recent junk food

2008-09-28T03:06:00.000-07:00

as a budding animation artist, i succumb to bright colors and funky animations in commercials for food. so after watching a lot of t.v. on Jon and Kate plus 8, there were a lot of ads for kids junk. here are some:

- juicy juice, never tried it, but i'm assuming it's something like v8 for kids, but sugary. SUGARY.

- oreo/nilla cakesters, the nilla cakesters are awesome, all i can say is when you think they're as heavy as twinkies, you're wrong. that did not do me justice with just 12 cakesters in a box. they're pretty fluffy and it just feels like you're eating a cupcake... but a sandwich.

- macaroni and cheese crackers from kraft, don't bother buying it, it's just cheezits in novelty mac n cheese shapes, lame.

that's all for now.

flying goat coffee [healdsburg]

2008-04-17T18:19:00.000-07:00

by far the best beans (coffee) i have ever sipped. the aroma is strong and robust from these organically grown fair-trade coffee beans. picked up a one pound bag of vesuvius roast. now i have to get a grinder.

tailor @ sixth and broom [jfk]

2008-03-02T13:41:00.001-08:00

a bar and restaurant in an old 'button factory'. the help is dressed in tailored shirts and pinstripe vests. the ambiance is very 'sweeney todd', lots of dark wood, dim lighting, and copper tones. the drinks had very specific flavors, such as the pumpernickle flip which utilized the house pumpernickle bourbon(?), an egg yolk, and molasses... tasted very much like a pumpernickle loaf. then there was the bazooka, which was a play on the old bazooka bumble gum using bubblegum cordial, vodka, and sipped from a martini glass. very niche.

xiaomeimei goes to sushi x [ord]

2008-02-25T14:09:00.000-08:00

1136 w chicago / 534 w diversey

i was lucky enough this weekend to get a free meal at sushi x! they have two locations, 1136 w chicago being the original, it's been open for 2 years or so and recently opened 2nd more posh location on 543 w diversey. rumor has it, the head chef from sushi x was the one who invented the godzilla roll, which consist of tempura shrimp, a little cream cheese (normally i think that's really gross but this was pretty good), avocado, cucumber, crab and tempura bits on the outside. order it with salmon! they don't have a lot of choices on sushi but it's understandable for such a small joint. they're all maki's, absolutely no nigiri or straight up sashimi. also it's BYOB, however, 534 w diversey has a full bar, while 1136 w chicago doesn't have a liquor license and there aren't any liquor stores near by, so buy it where you know it!

paulette [lax]

2008-02-23T20:26:00.000-08:00

two dozen assorted macarons (thanks, g & m!). b and i eat the doubles at the same time and split the singles so we can try to see who can guess the flavor first. earl grey?! rose?! chocolate hazelnut?! caramel?! blueberry?! almond?! those were the first 11... can't wait to try the next 13! miette patisserie [sfo] was my favorite for organic macarons, but you can't beat paulette's flavors and presentation. if love were a cookie, it would be the macaron.

la mer [hnl]

2008-02-23T19:27:00.000-08:00

honolulu's only five diamond restaurant resides in halekulani hotel on waikiki beach.

-food-

french cuisine. complicated dishes with flavors that please with not many surprises. the wow comes from presentation, service, and ambiance.

La Grand Assiette Gourmand (appetizer for 2 persons)

.big eye tuna tartare (simple, nothing surprising)

.smoked salmon (ditto)

.sauteed shrimp basque style

.anchovy

.sauteed foie gras

.smoked duck (delicate flavor and very tender)

.beef tartare

.scallop risotto (perfectly cooked scallop, risotto much like suppenkuche's cheese spaetzle)

.mussel soup (bit too salty)

.lobster soup (ditto)

Caviar from Aquitaine with Blinis, Creme Fraiche and Traditional Accompaniments

(as expected, but the blinis were interesting. they were about an inch thick with crispy/cheesey crust and airy center. there was a big show of serving the caviar and condiments. everything was rolled out on a large tray in separate little dishes. the server then scooped each of the items onto a large plate before setting the plate on the table.)

Fresh Truffle on a Potato Galette Presented with Sea Salt from Camargue and Truffled Madeleines

(delicious. you can never go wrong with truffles and potatoes and madeleines.)

Chilean Sea Bass and "Kurobuta" Pork Belly on Alsatian Choucroute with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Parsley Potatoes

(simply cooked sea bass, easy to eat. large pieces of pork belly cooked crisp, was expecting softer texture.)

Sliced Tournedos of Japanese Wagyu Beef with a Bouquet of Garden Vegetables and Bordelaise Sauce

(tender and tasty)

Symphonie "La Mer"

Banana Souffle

-ambiance-

restaurant overlooks waikiki beach and has a clear view of diamond head. hawaiian band plays on stage outside.

kagaya [lax]

2008-02-21T17:08:00.000-08:00

a traditional japanese shabu shabu with a slight modern twist. the menu consist of several set courses dependant on the type of beef, with available usda prime beef, miyazaki wagyu, and premium wagyu. priced at us$35 for 11 slices, 98, 128, respectively. included in the set are 3 appetizers consisting of seasonal specialties, currently monkfish soup, halibut sashimi, and braise congereal, followed by the meat accompanied by a myriad of vegetables, then a large bowl of udon or congee, preceeded with a selection of deserts. pricing for the premium beef is on the highside, in conjunction with the meat selected, we also had an assortment of live seafood ranging in live king crab legs, clams, and oysters at us$98. the bill for three plus gratuity came out well over us$500. not for the shallow pockets.

shula's steakhouse [ord]

2008-02-16T17:00:00.000-08:00

midwest corn-fed beef is THE best. after looking the beef menu is printed on a miami dolphin livery football, have the bone-in ribeye, but at 16+ oz, i shared it and had several sides including creamed spinach, grilled asaragus, and the harshbrowned potatoes which had an exceptional golden brown crunch! wash it down with the local brew, goose island or the 312 wheat ales, and you'll be a happy boy/girl.

xiaomeimei does bars [ord]

2008-02-11T11:01:00.000-08:00

map room @ 1949 n hoyne

+ over 100 beers you've probably never heard of

+ free food so long as you order a minimum of two beers, usually catered by different restaurants near by,

+ decorated with national geographic, atlases, it's the 'travelers tavern'

the green mill @ 4802 n broadway

+ live jazz music

+ cheap and decent

- definitely not for the weekend, the place is tiny and space is limited, more for leisure mon-thurs

buddy guys legends @ 754 s wabash

gunthries tavern @ 1300 w addison

+ really good cider

+ board games galore

xiaomeimei does breakfast [ord]

2008-02-10T15:54:00.000-08:00

orange @ 75 w.harrison / 3231 n. clark

+ popeye's breakfast

+ fresh squeezed juices are their specialty

+ their frushi (fruit-sushi) is a big seller

+ french toast kabob

+ pancake flight: every week they have a new theme for four small pancakes , make sure you have a group of hungry friends to share this with, it's alot to take in, but so good

- majorly watered down coffee

Feast @ 1616 n. damen

+ eggs portobello

bongo room @ 1470 n milwaukee

original pancake house @ 1517 e hyde

+ everything is good, especially the crepes

- service is pretty crappy, i ordered a small chocolate milk and drank half, and then the busboy filled my glass with water

melisse [lax]

2008-02-09T11:46:00.001-08:00

a michelin**, melisse serves contemporary french. a tasting menu priced at us$105 for four courses. available truffle courses at additional cost, try the kobe filet steak and egg with black truffle jus. the prime beef 'a la moutarde' is very tasty. for dessert, the sticky toffee pudding is excellent. the ambiance is older, with patrons well into the 50's and up.

sutro @ the cliff house [sfo]

2008-02-06T11:43:00.000-08:00

try the warm brussel sprout salad with poached and fried egg, aged balsamic vinaigrette dressing.

mastro's [lax]

2008-02-02T11:41:00.000-08:00

double cut porterhouse, jumbo prawn cocktail, blue point oysters, celebrity sighting, need i say more?

patina [lax]

2008-02-01T11:47:00.000-08:00

michelin *, the five course white truffle dinner was near a religious experience. staff is attentive, quality is very consistent. however, i do not recommend dining here in groups larger than 4, service becomes incredibly poor.

totoraku by oyama-san [lax]

2008-01-27T15:42:00.000-08:00

a rather exclusive omakase yakiniku joint. seating is available by referral only. no 'lousy people'. appetizers are contemporary, roasted walnut pate over baby asparagus, broiled abalone with gold leaf over pickled burdock, lobster tail with black truffle. excellent sashimi of beef throat and tartare. meat selection include filet mignon, outside ribeye, inside ribeye, short rib, and outside skirt. some are marinated in a light sweet japanese grilling soy, others are lightly seasoned with sea salt. deserts are selection of ice cream and sorbet ranging in flavors from pistachio to white chocolate and raspberry to lychee sorbet. cost p/p are about us$150. bring your own wine, no corkage. fantastic for a group of 4-6. artisanal red meat 'til it comes out of your ears.

ortolan restaurant by christophe eme [lax]

2008-01-26T14:17:00.000-08:00

a michelin one-star, ortolan serves french contemporary. signature dishes include crispy langoustines and pork confit three ways. i had the entree special; braised spare ribs, very moist, but incredibly salty. also available is a wide selection of wines, chateau lascombes (2eme cru classe) for us$189. chef's menu of 9-11 course @ us$125. be wary that the deserts are executed poorly. a solid restaurant, however, for the price, the experience could have been more exciting.

cut @ regent beverly wilshire hotel [lax]

2008-01-20T08:26:00.000-08:00

serves midwest corn-fed (aged 21 days), nebraska corn-fed (aged 35 days), kagoshima, and wagyu beef. seasoned moderately with coarse sea salt and a mixture of paprika, cumin, ground coriander, and several other exotic spices, very aromatic, but completely masks the flavor of the meat. domestic beef range in price from $40-65 at 8-16oz. kagoshima and wagyu are priced at $100+ for 6oz and up. sides are ordered separately. condiments include coarse sea salts and 3 different mustards (stone ground, honey dijon, and a very interesting violet mustard). dinner for two was about $200+ (2 cocktails, 2 appetizers, 2 steaks, 1 side). very pricey. steak is highly adulterated. go eat at mastro's instead. but definitely try the kobe sashimi.

receipe 001

2007-12-17T22:15:00.000-08:00

macadamia crusted baby rack of lamb with shallot riesling reduction.

1 baby rack of lamb (approx 8 to 10 ribs)
1 handful of macadamia nuts
2 tbs stone ground mustard or pomerol (the one with the little seeds)
1 tbs finely chopped fresh rosemary
3 fistfulls of haricot verts (french green beans)
1.5 tbs coarsely chopped garlic
1.5 tbs coarsely chopped shallots
1 tps of unsalted butter
2 cups moderately priced riesling (if you wont drink it, dont cook with it)
fresh ground salt and pepper
a coupe pinches of sugar

first, combine 1tbs garlic and 1tbs shallots in a preheated sauce pan on medium heat. sprinkle 2 pinches of salt to allow mixture to sweat about 4 minutes with continuous tossing. bring heat to low. add riesling into pot. turn to high heat until boil. then resume low heat to simmer. allow to reduce to 1 cup. then turn off the heat, and let stand.

remove the lamb from packaging and remove excess fat with a very sharp knife. please don't pull the fat off. then score the fat side in a checker pattern diagonally at first then in the reverse direction. this allows the fat to render off whilst you roast it in the oven.

boil 1 pot of water for blanching the haricot verts. add 1tbs of salt to the water before it begins to boil. add the haricot verts to the water when it is at a rolling boil. cook for 4 mins. remove and place in a colander under running cool tap water, to cool the verts. strain and set aside when cool. if you do not allow the verts to cool properly, they will be mushy at time of service.

combine the salt and pepper, in equal parts, and sprinkle to lightly coat either side of the lamb rack. followed by a pinch of sugar. just a pinch, not too much, sugar burns. then rub the rosemary to lightly coat. apply the two table spoonfuls of mustard, preferably the stone ground variety with the seeds, to fat side of the rack.

preheat oven to at 350'F 177'C in 'bake' mode, thats when the top and bottom heating elements are active for even heating.

place the macadamia nuts into a ziploc bag and seal it. place the bag on the floor, and with a pan, relatively robust in structure, pound the nuts until they are uniform in consistency. like the size of large bread crumbs. do not over do it into a paste or puree. apply to the mustard side of the rack. cut rack in half. parallel to the bone.

heat a frying pan with 1tsp of oil. it takes about 3 minutes on high heat. then place the both racks in the pan, crust side up. and sear the bottom (rib side) for about 3 minutes. should be a golden brown. remove from pan.

place the racks in the middle of the middle rack with a foil lined drip pan underneath. allow 5 inches of separation between the two pieces of lamb. takes approx 15-20 mins for a pink center. depending on the thickness and size of the lamb you purchased.

reheat the riesling sauce at this point.

remove lamb from oven when you think they are done. place them on a plate together so they may rest for 5 mins. then in a pan, heat 1tsp of oil on high for 3 mins. throw in the remaining garlic and shallots, toss them for 1 min to allow them to brown slightly, throw in the haricot verts, toss for 3 mins, then mix in 1tsp of unsalted butter.

place the haricot verts in the middle of the 2 plates, then place the rested rack of lamb atop each pile haricot verts. drizzle 1.5tbs of the riesling reduction in a circle on the plate around the verts and the rack.

pair it with a cabernet or a bordeaux and enjoy.