THE FINEST BITE OF THE BIG APPLE

When Joel Dean and Giorgio DeLuca opened their exclusive food hall in New York, it changed the way Americans saw food - foreverl and modern American favourites

Like Most fellow food lovers, I'm a single-minded traveller. Faced with the tempting choice between the Topkapi Palace or Istanbul's Egyptian spice market I chose the latter. In Santiago, Chile, my heart sank when I was led proudly through a new state-of-the-art shopping mall, so large it dwarfed many in the United States. My heart only started racing again when I arrived at the 1860s central market, a sort of St Paul's Cathedral fashioned in wrought iron. Inside is a bustling central hall of restaurants and food counters, and displays of food that defy belief, from the sublime - perfumed tropical fruits - to the obscene - grotesque exhibits of parts of animals you thought could never go on sale.

So when in New York, I willingly forego a trip to the World Trade Centre or Empire State Building and head for Balducci's or Dean & DeLuca instead. The first is the ultimate Italian deli, a temple of nostalgia for New York's enormous European immigrant population where pushy customers bump you into stacks of Polish bread and knock you against Italian hams. It's a cocktail of aggressive smells dissipated from counters of olives in pickle, odorous cheeses, strings of garlic, salami pungent with paprika and baskets of fresh herbs.

By contrast, Dean & DeLuca is the hushed museum of modern food art. You feel the exquisitely displayed items of fine foods might have been selected by the most academic and snobbish of curators. If what you're looking for is not there, you can be sure it simply hasn't passed the style test.

For a food hall, it has an unusually restrained approach - high on elegance, refinement, quality, dedication. You can actually reward yourself with a triumphant smile it you think you've caught them out with a tired leaf or less than perfect fruit. And, hmmm, do they really think this is the best tea? I mean, hasn't anyone told them?

Dean & DeLuca is not cheap at all. But considering the quality it offers, it's not expensive either, not when you realise how much you've been paying for second best. And it is more than a great food hall. It really has acted as a launch pad for some of the great changes American food has gone through in the last couple of decades.

New York food-writers, such as Mimi Sheraton, would ring them to ask: "Do you stock quails' eggs?" and they'd say yes. She'd mention them in the New York Times and they'd go from selling a few dozen a week to thousands. This happened so often she had to tell them it couldn't go on like this: "People will think I'm on your payroll."

Now, Dean & DeLuca seems to have been around for ever, but surpisingly the SoHo store is only 20 years old. It hit the ground running when it was started up by Joel Dean, who came from a publishing background, and Giorgio DeLuca, who was a history teacher at the time, although his father was conveniently a food importer.

The intention was to bring European traditions of food display to the States, where produce had always been presented in a sterile, pre-wrapped form. "There was a national indifference towards freshness," say Mr D and Mr DeL. Unusually, they decided to display food in units open on all sides so that customers could inspect it closely. And, uniquely for America, they set out some meats and cheeses on top of cabinets, out of refrigeration, to offer the smell of good food as in Europe.

But there is little of European tradition about the decision Mssrs D & DeL made to commission designer Jack Ceglic to create the store's sleek, minimalist look. Another early move which paid off handsomely was to hire as executive chef Felipe Rojas-Lombardi to oversee the take-away side of the business. Not only was he a contributing editor of the influential New York Magazine, but he was a friend of the late James Beard, godfather of US food writing.

Dean and DeLuca had travelled widely in Europe, and soon they were importing a host of foods that many Americans had never experienced: balsamic vinegar, sun-dried tomatoes, jars of pesto. Indeed, Italy was the first port of call. They championed home-made pasta from Italy and piquant virgin olive oils. They led the way with arugula (rocket) and other unfamiliar salad leaves, eventually smuggling in radicchio seeds for local nurseries to grow.

They also introduced a worldwide range of beans and pulses, and grains many people had never heard of, let alone tasted. There was Italian farro (an ancient wheat also known as emmer or spelt), Egyptian kamut (another ancient wheat), triticale (a modern hybrid of wheat and rye), polenta (Italian ground maize), kasha (an east European seed much used in Jewish cooking), North African cous cous, and South American quinoa, pronounced keen-wah (a crunchy, nutty little seed first cultivated by the Incas 5,000 years ago), not to mention Mexican posole, which is maize slaked in lime to soften the husks, then ground, and often cooked to a porridge (in the southern states, this is known as hominy grits).

Dean and DeLuca has also played a part in embracing the cuisines of Thai- land and Japan, by pioneering the sale of its unique ingredients and spices.

The company is now on the move. It has a second store in Washington and there are plans to open many more nationwide. And it has already started to spread its philosophy through a chain of Dean & DeLuca Espresso Bar and Cafes in major cities in the States.

Dean and DeLuca are particularly proud, too, of the role they have played in reviving the spirit of traditional American cooking. To this end they have produced The Dean & DeLuca Cookbook with David Rosengarten, a popular television food presenter, which is published here in July by Ebury Press (pounds 25).

We've chosen five recipes from it. Four are traditional dishes, brought up to date with a certain lightness. The fifth is a modern American classic which has done the rounds of US restaurants in the last 10 years. Here they are, introduced by Dean and DeLuca themselves.

CAESAR SALAD

Caesar salad, that ever-present item on "Continental" restaurant menus of decades past, doesn't come from the continent at all. It's from Tijuana, Mexico, where Caesar Cardini, an Italian restaurateur, created it on Fourth of July weekend in 1924. This version follows his classic recipe - except that it's much, much lighter, more refreshing, and more lemony than any version you've tried before. By the way, Cardini did not include anchovies in his original. He did include Worcestershire sauce, which is made, in part, from anchovies. Later salad revisionists added the small fillets themselves.

Serves 6

4 heads cos or romaine lettuce, the pale green inner leaves washed, spun dry, and torn into bite-size pieces

Parmesan Reggiano curls formed with a vegetable peeler

For the croutons:

50ml/2fl oz olive oil

2 garlic cloves, halved lengthways

350g/12oz of French or Italian bread cut into 2cm/1in cubes

salt and pepper to taste

For the dressing:

4 garlic cloves, peeled

1 egg, boiled for 30 seconds

4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

125ml/4fl oz extra virgin olive oil

To make the croutons, preheat the oven to 350F/180C/Gas 4. Warm the olive oil with the garlic in a small saucepan over moderate heat. Remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes. Discard the garlic. Toss the bread cubes with the oil, spread them on a baking sheet and season them with salt and pepper. Bake the croutons for 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown.

For the dressing, crush the garlic to a fine paste. Whisk together this paste, egg, lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce in a small bowl. Add the olive oil in a stream, whisking, and whisk the dressing until it is has emulsified.

In a large bowl toss the lettuce with the croutons and the dressing until the salad is combined well. Top the salad with the parmesan curls.

NEW ENGLAND CLAM CHOWDER

There have long been two main styles of the white-coloured New England clam chowder, both of which can be unattractive. Under the name of this great soup, many mediocre restaurants throughout New England serve a thick sludge that could be used as wallpaper paste. Many home chefs, however, serve a thin version, unthickened with flour, that has the consistency of boiled milk (which is what their chowder is made from); we find this too thin to be truly interesting.

The following version is neither too thin nor too thick; to our taste, it is what New England clam chowder ought to be.

Serves 8

48 cherrystone clams (or cockles)

a little bottled clam juice (if necessary)

500ml/18fl oz milk

500ml/18fl oz double cream

3 large potatoes, peeled and cut into 1cm/1/2in cubes

115g/4oz bacon, cut into 5mm/1/4in dice

2 medium onions, finely chopped

3 stalks celery, cut into 5mm/1/4in dice

2 tablespoons flour

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

salt and white pepper to taste

50g/2oz butter

Wash the clams (or cockles) well under cold running water in a colander. Place them in a large pot, and add water to cover by 5cm (2in). Cover the pan and place over high heat.

When the water comes to a boil, give the pan a good shake. Turn the heat to low, and cook for another 30 seconds or so. Take off the heat, and remove all the clams that have opened, using a slotted spoon. If any clams remain closed, put back on the heat, with the lid on the pan, and cook for another one to two minutes. Remove remaining clams, reserve, and then discard any that have not opened.

Pour the cooking liquid through a fine strainer and set aside. You will need 1.3 litres (21/4 pints) of liquid. If you have more than enough , reduce it to 1.3 litres (21/4 pints). If you have too little, add some bottled clam juice or water to make up the total. Pour the milk and cream in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Bring the heat down to a low simmer, and reduce the mixture for 30 minutes.

Fill a large pan with water and bring the potatoes to a boil. Cook until they are just cooked through, about eight minutes. Drain potatoes and set aside.

Put the bacon in a large, heavy saucepan and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until the bacon just begins to brown. Remove from the pan and pour off excess fat, leaving behind about three tablespoons of fat in the pan.

Cook onions and celery in bacon fat over moderate heat until soft, about four minutes. Add cooked bacon, lower heat and stir in flour. Cook for another two minutes, stirring to prevent mixture from sticking to pan.

Add reserved clam cooking liquid to onions, celery and bacon. Bring to a boil and stir well. Add potatoes, reduce heat and simmer for five minutes.

Add the cream mixture to the chowder, and simmer over low heat. While chowder is simmering, remove the clams from their shells and cut in quarters. Add the clams and cayenne pepper to the chowder, and season further with salt and white pepper. Simmer for five more minutes. Serve the chowder in warm bowls with a knob of butter in the centre of each serving.

AUBERGINE,

RED PEPPER AND GOAT'S CHEESE

TERRINE

It started in the Eighties at some trendy restaurant somewhere; within a few years, every creative chef in America was making his or her version of the aubergine, red pepper and goat's cheese terrine. It's now an aubergine classic that fully deserves its status, and now deserves the attention of home chefs. Use a very sharp knife to slice the terrine when it's done. Some chefs even use electric knives and slice it fairly thin. It's delicious all by itself - but very often you'll find it drizzled with some sort of herb-infused oil, like basil oil.

Serves 12 to 16 as a starter

2 large aubergines (about 450g/1lb each)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 head garlic

21/2 teaspoons coarse salt

4 red peppers

2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

375g/13oz mild, soft goat's cheese, at room temperature

50ml/2fl oz double cream

2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped

pinch of ground black pepper

pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

Preheat oven to 425F/220C/Gas 7.

Slice aubergines lengthways into 5mm (1/4in) strips, cutting as evenly as possible. Place strips on well oiled baking sheets and brush them with the olive oil, reserving half a teaspoon. Roast in oven for 20 minutes, until just tender. Set aside to cool.

Cut off the top of the head of garlic, exposing a cross section of each clove. Wrap garlic in aluminium foil, sprinkle with the rest of the olive oil and half a teaspoon of the coarse salt and roast in the 220C/425F/Gas 7 oven for 30 minutes, or until the cloves are soft. Set aside to allow it to cool.

Roast peppers over an open flame or under the grill until the skins are black, turning to char skins evenly. Place peppers in a paper bag, close the bag and leave for 30 minutes. Wipe the charred skins off with a paper towel. Carefully remove stems and seeds, leaving the flesh in one piece if possible. Flatten peppers on a baking sheet (peppers will tear naturally into a few pieces). Sprinkle with balsamic vinegar and half a teaspoon of the coarse salt.

Remove garlic cloves from their skins. Place them in a mixing bowl with the goat's cheese, cream, thyme, one-a-half teaspoons of coarse salt, black pepper and nutmeg. Beat well with a wooden spoon, mixing thoroughly.

Lightly oil a terrine (about 30 x 10 x 7.5cm/12 x 4 x 3in) and line with clingfilm, leaving at least 15cm (6in) of clingfilm hanging over the edges on all sides. Line the bottom with about one sixth of the aubergine strips and line the sides of the terrine with another one sixth of the aubergine strips. (Try to fit the slices in as neatly as possible; a little trimming may be necessary.) Arrange a layer of red pepper pieces on top of the aubergine, using about a quarter of the peppers (trim the peppers to the width of the terrine, so that they fit neatly). Spread a quarter of the cheese mixture evenly on top of the peppers. Repeat this layering process three times, finishing with a final layer of aubergine. Trim the aubergine to fit perfectly. Fold the clingfilm tightly over the top and cover the terrine with its lid.

Place terrine in a larger baking pan and bake in an oven preheated to 400F/200C/Gas 6. Before closing the door, fill the baking pan with enough hot water to come three-quarters the way up the sides of the terrine. Bake for one hour and 15 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the terrine is 160F/70C. Cool and refrigerate overnight.

One hour before serving, remove terrine from refrigerator. Grab the clingfilm on the sides of the terrine and carefully lift it to loosen the terrine from the pan. When it's loosened, invert terrine on to a baking sheet and carefully remove clingfilm. Allow terrine to sit out for about an hour, so that it warms slightly. Slice off messy ends using a very sharp knife. Discard. Slice the remaining terrine into 1cm (1/2in) thick slices and serve two slices per person.

SPICY PINTO BEAN CHILLI WITH CHORIZO

This is a delicious, chunky chilli that focuses on the beans. It is mildly hot; but if you wish to crank up the heat then just add more jalapenos or ground red pepper to taste. You can serve this in a bowl as a stew or you can brighten it up by placing it on dinner plates and passing the optional accompaniments to your guests. Serve warm flour tor- tillas on the side.

Serves 4 as a main course

1 tablespoon olive oil

225g/8oz fresh chorizo

1 sweet white onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, chopped

2 teaspoons chilli powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin seeds

1 bayleaf

1 teaspoon aniseed

1 teaspoon ground coriander seeds

1 450g/1lb tin whole tomatoes in puree

450g/1lb cooked pinto beans or rattlesnake beans

1 yellow pepper, trimmed and diced (you can substitute red or green)

2 jalapeno peppers (or more to taste), seeded and chopped

salt and ground hot red pepper to taste

2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander plus additional for garnish

As accompaniments (optional):

grated queso fresco (fresh Mexican cheese)

chopped spring onions

sour cream

chopped red onion

diced fresh tomato

diced avocado

lime wedges

Heat the oil in a large, heavy saucepan over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the chorizo and cook, turning often, until well browned and cooked through, about 15 minutes. Remove the sausage with tongs to drain on paper towels. When it is cool enough to handle, cut the sausage crossways into thin slices.

Add the onion to the pan and cook, stirring, for five minutes or until softened. Reduce the heat to moderate and stir in the garlic, chilli powder, cumin, bay leaf, aniseed and ground coriander. Cook, stirring, for two minutes (be careful not to burn the spices). Add the tomatoes, the beans, reserved sausage, pepper and jalapenos. Season to taste with salt and ground red pepper. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally and breaking up the tomatoes with a spoon, for 30 minutes. Stir in two tablespoons of the fresh coriander. Sprinkle with the extra coriander and serve with the accompaniments.

PERFECT SOFT-AND-MOIST MEAT LOAF

This style of meat loaf achieves its distinction by using cubes of white bread (not breadcrumbs) that have been soaked in eggs and milk; the finished texture is very tender and not particularly dense. The soft-and-moist loaf given here has a few other virtues. It is rather subtly seasoned, allowing the flavour of the beef to come through. It is not free-standing, but cooked in a loaf tin - which minimises the browning that occurs on the outside of the meat loaf, further emphasising the soft and moist textural qualities. And it is pale, without any tomato coating - which gives it a tremendous comfort-food rating and makes it a perfect partner for any pale gravy you'd like to pour over or around it.

Serves 6

3 cups soft white bread cubes

1 egg

150ml/5fl oz milk

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

pinch of dried thyme

pinch of nutmeg

1 medium onion, finely chopped

115g/4oz celery with leaves, finely chopped

25g/1oz fresh parsley, finely chopped

12 rashers bacon, lightly browned and torn into small pieces

900g/2lb minced beef

Preheat oven to 350F/180C/Gas 4.

Place bread cubes in a large bowl. Beat the egg and milk together in small bowl, then pour over bread cubes. Let stand until bread absorbs milk, about 15 minutes. Mash and stir mixture until bread is in very small chunks.

Add mustard, salt, pepper, basil, thyme, nutmeg, onion, celery, parsley and bacon. Mix well. Add minced beef and mix well. Refrigerate overnight.

Turn mixture into a 20 x 13cm (8 x 5in) loaf tin. Bake in oven for 55 minutes. Let stand for five minutes before slicing. !

FOOD & DRINK

Appetite-whetting displays of European produce fill Giorgio DeLuca's (below right) chic Manhattan food emporium