Day 113 - Monaco - Langoustine a la Provencale - Up Next, Mongolia

This was one of the most interesting dishes I've made thus far because it used cocoa nibs, something I'd never heard of. Once I found the recipe, I had to Google "cocoa nibs" to find out what the mystery ingredient was. Turns out they're simply roasted cocoa bean pieces that have a very slightly chocolaty (not sweet) nutty flavor and crunchy texture and can be used in lieu of nuts, in baking, on ice cream or yogurt...basically anywhere you want crunch and rich flavor.  And, as so often happens with hard to locate items, Whole Foods hooked me up once again.

Original Painting
Joelle Feldman

The Mediterranean flavors of this meal: lemons, oranges, thyme, bay leaves, garlic, tomatoes, onions and olive oil which made a "ragout", all heaped atop langoustinos, a much smaller version of what we know as lobsters, made for a light, delicious and beautiful dish. This is the kind of eating that satisfies all the senses and is kind to the waistline. Dare I say, "winning"?

The other coolsweet thing that happened today is that I picked up the first batch of my spring salad CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) greens from Hopestill Farm - beautiful baby spinach and kale that were the backbone of tonight's meal. Shout out to Richard Robinson for including me in this opportunity to benefit from and support local agriculture.

Officially the principality of Monaco, the country of Monaco is a micro-state located in south western Europe on the northern central coast of the Mediterranean Sea, neighboring France and Italy. Monaco is a constitutional monarchy, headed by Prince Albert II. Although the country is independent, it's national defense is France's responsibility.

Because of Monaco's subtropical climate and mountains, it is a country tourists are naturally drawn to. Seafood, especially cod, is a staple of the country's cuisine. And, due to it's proximity to France and Italy, the cuisine reflects the exquisite pastry and lovely pasta both countries are known for. Vegetables, fruit and grains are all enjoyed in this beautiful country.

Langoustines a la Procencale Recipe (Adapted from Celtnet.org.uk)

1 lb. langoustine meat
10 Tbsp. olive oil
4 garlic cloves, finely sliced
1 Tbsp. finely grated orange zest
1 Tbsp. finely grated lemon zest
3/4 cup carrots, diced
3/4 cup onions, diced
3/4 cup celery, diced
2 sprigs thyme
2 bay leaves
flat leaf parsley for garnish
4 tomatoes, blanched, peeled and diced (I didn't blanche or peel them)
cocoa nibs, to taste
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Mixed young salad greens

Saute langoustine in olive oil for about 3 minutes until heated through. Remove to keep warm.
Heat remaining oil and saute garlic, orange and lemon zest gently for about 5 minutes. Add carrots, onions, celery and herbs and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until soft. Remove the bay leaves and thyme then season with salt and pepper.
Stir in the diced tomato and cocoa nibs and allow to heat through. Divide the langoustines between 4 plates, spoon the ragout over and around the langoustine and salad and serve.

Final Assessment: I think I need to go to Monaco to sample more of their cuisine. I love to eat like this - simple, clean food, fresh ingredients, easy to prepare, satisfying and beautiful to look at. A+

Betelnut "Offal Good" Secret Menu

I haven't said much about my new role as editor at BlackboardEats, but I'm breaking my silence today. I really enjoy assigning reviews, sharing deals at top restaurants and working with chefs and restaurateurs to create exclusive culinary experiences. Most weeks subscribers get 30% off at a noteworthy restaurant, but today something a bit different is on offer that I'm excited to tell you about. Chef Alex Ong at Betelnut has put together a menu utilizing offal, in particular veal sweetbreads, chicken livers, lamb tongue and fish heads. Chef Alex Ong grew up in Malaysia, a country of many culinary influences including Thai, Chinese and Indian and his dishes reflect those flavors. Three of the dishes are based on Malaysian street food dishes and one is a very special curry served for celebrations.


One of the Chinese style dishes is salt and pepper veal sweetbreads topped with fresh ginger, garlic and Szechuan peppercorn topped with scallions, five spice, and salt. This dish reminds me most of crispy calamari. The sweetbreads are mild and the vibrant Asian flavors make the dish irresistible.


A dish with Northern Malaysian and Thai influence is the cured lamb tongue served cold with lime, galanga and crispy taro strips. This almost looks like a sashimi plate! It's very elegant and light.


Another Chinese influenced dish is the crispy chicken livers that come with black pepper sauce and roasted onions. The chef soaks the livers in milk three times then dredges them in cornstarch and deep fries them. The exterior becomes crunchy but the interior remains soft and creamy. You'll want a beer to go with this. Like anything that is fried and crispy, these are addictive.


Nonya cuisine is unique a combination of Chinese and Malay styles. In the South in Singapore you'll find more Indonesian and Indian influences. I've read that fish head curry might have been created in the 1950s by a Keralan chef who wanted to use every edible part of the fish. It is cooked in an Indian style curry of coconut milk, tamarind and shrimp paste. It's a dish served at home for celebrations like birthdays or anniversaries. The cheek and collar meat are most succulent but the curry has okra and cauliflower in it too. It's pure comfort food, whether or not you ate in Singapore.


Betelnut is consistently chosen as one of the Top 100 Restaurants by the San Francisco Chronicle. The restaurant is lively and has wonderful atmosphere, with vintage 1920's Shanghai style. While people typically come in for what the chef calls "the happy meal" meaning Cecilia's minced chicken in lettuce cup and Szechuan string beans, I hope they will come to try some of his Malaysian menu specials, available for the next two months for BlackboardEats subscribers only.

If you'd like to try these amazing dishes, I hope you will subscribe to BlackboardEats.com in San Francisco, download a passcode today and enjoy as many of these dishes as you'd like!
Note: These dishes will be available for 60 days, for subscribers who download passcodes.