By The Season

Spaghetti with Tomato Vinaigrette and Breadcrumbs

2009-09-18T21:42:00.000-07:00

I'm in love. With dry farmed early girl tomatoes. And not just any dry farmed early girl will do. I'm in love with dry farmed early girl tomatoes from Dirty Girl Produce. Dirty Girl Produce sells at the the Farmer's Market in Berkeley on Tuesdays and the Ferry Plaza Farmer's Market in S.F. on Saturdays. I discovered their dry farmed early girls a few years ago and have been a faithful follower ever since.

Maybe it is because they were my first, but other dry farmed early girls just don't seem to have the same exquisite balance of bright acidity and intense sweetness. Yes, all of the heirloom varieties can be quite beguiling with their rainbow of colors, but now my heart belongs to the simple red early girls. I think they are the most perfect tomatoes on the planet. Even when my own garden is producing lovely red, orange and yellow globes, I can't resist buying some of Dirty Girl's early girls.

Ella and I made this pasta for dinner last week. We both loved it. "This is belicious" is how Ella described it. Aside from being belicious, it is also really easy and comes together in the time it takes to boil the water and pasta.

You chop the tomatoes and toss them with some olive oil, red wine vinegar and salt and let them marinade while you boil the water and pasta. They will release some of their juices to the sauce and soften slightly. Toss the hot pasta with the the marinated tomatoes and sprinkle with toasted breadcrumbs and basil. The heat from the pasta releases wafts of vinegar which make you salivate before the first bite enters your mouth. It also opens your senses to the sweetness from the tomatoes. The basil brings an almost peppery quality. An earthiness that lingers at the back of your throat. And the breadcrumbs, please don't forget the breadcrumbs. The combination of soft pasta and crunchy breadcrumbs is rather addicting.

Spaghetti with Tomato Vinaigrette and Breadcrumbs

The quality this pasta depends on the excellence of the tomatoes, so use the best you can find. Cherry tomatoes also work well here.

5 cups of chopped tomatoes
about 1 cup of olive oil
about 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
Kosher salt and pepper
1 1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs
a handful of fresh basil leaves (about 1/4 cup chopped)
1 pound of spaghetti (This is my favorite)

Chop the tomatoes and marinate them in olive oil, red wine vinegar to taste, and salt and pepper. The amounts here are really to taste. I pour in a few good glugs of olive oil, maybe 1/2 cup and a couple of glugs of red wine vinegar, about 1/3 cup. You want the marinade to be nice and bright because the flavors will become muted when you add the pasta.

Toss the breadcrumbs with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil and toast in a 350F oven until dry and golden brown, 5-10 minutes.

Cut the basil leaves into ribbons, chiffonade. I do this by laying all of the leaves on top of each other, rolling them into a log and making thin slices across the log.

Boil the pasta in salted water until al dente, drain and add to the bowl with the tomatoes. Toss in half of the basil. Garnish with the remaining basil and breadcrumbs.

Serves 4-6

Chocolate Fleur de Sel Cupcakes with Dulce de Leche

2009-09-10T15:48:00.000-07:00

Last Friday was a colleague's last day at work. I wanted to give him a sweet sendoff. So I made cupcakes.

Actually it wasn't completely altruistic of me. It was an opportunity to make something that I would never make for just the three of us at home. Even though cupcakes and chocolate are two of Ella's favorite things.

When I got home on Thursday, Louis was in the kitchen and Ella was playing in the living room. I went into the kitchen and told Louis that I was going to make cupcakes. Ella came running in from the other room, "Cupcakes!! Where?!" That girl seriously has selective hearing. Occasionally, when she isn't paying attention to me or answering me when I ask her something, I say "Do you want some ice cream?" And then I have her attention!

So for the cupcakes, I wanted to do some variation of chocolate and caramel. I've made chocolate cupcakes with salted caramel cream cheese frosting, and those are amazing. But I was inspired by this picture, so I decided that I was going to do a ganache frosting. I usually find ganache frosting to be too much. It is often too dense and rich for me. Like a giant truffle on top of cake. I decided to whip the ganache to produce a lighter texture. It was so good! It was light and airy and melted instantly, coating your tongue in rich dark chocolate. The final taste sensation came from the fleur de sel crystals which yielded a slight crunch and intensified the chocolate flavor.

I also decided to fill the cupcakes with dulce de leche. I love filled things. Turnovers, ravioli, empanadas. They are little packages. Each one like a gift with a surprise hiding inside. The dulce de leche became sort of melty and seeped into the cake creating a supermoist chocolate caramel cake all topped with whipped ganache and fleur de sel.

Everyone at work lucky enough to get one raved. One guy came up to me and said it was a taste revelation. He said he had to take a moment to be in his own world, hypnotized. Now that's a complement, and one of the things that keeps me in the kitchen. Giving people new experiences, revelations, is so satisfying. It is what I am addicted to.

Devil's Food Cupcakes
adapted from Michael Recchiuti

2 cups all purpose four
2/3 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup espresso (or 2 tablespoons espresso powder in 1 cup boiling water)
1/2 cup canola oil
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups sugar
2 extra large eggs (I used 2 large eggs)

Preheat the oven to 375F. Line cupcake pans with 24 cupcake liners.

Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and sugar together into a medium bowl. Whisk in the salt (the salt grains are usually too large to sift).

Whisk the eggs. Then combine with the milk, oil, vanilla, and espresso. Whisk until well mixed. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk to combine. The batter is pretty thin, pourable.

Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups, filling them about half full. Place the pans in the oven and decrease the oven temperature to 325F.

Bake for about 15-20 minutes, until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.

makes 24 cupcakes.

Dulce de Leche

1 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk

Place the can in a pot large enough to cover the can with about 2 inches of water. Bring the pot to a boil, lower to a simmer. Simmer the pot uncovered for 3 hours. Make sure that the can remains covered in water by 2 inches. You will need to periodically add additional boiling water to the pan. Remove the can from the water and let cool before opening.

Chocolate Ganache Frosting
adapted from here

1 1/2 cups heavy cream
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate chopped
4 tablespoons butter

Heat the cream until bubbles start to form around the edges. Place the chocolate in a medium sized bowl. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate. Let the mixture sit about 30 seconds. Then whisk until smooth. Add the butter in pieces and whisk to combine.

Set aside and whisk occasionally until cool and thickened. Beat mixture with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. The color of the chocolate will change from dark to a more milk chocolate color.

Assembling the cupcakes:

Use a small paring knife to cut a cone shaped hole about the size of a tablespoon in the center of the cupcakes. Flip the top over and cut off the cone.

Fill each cavity with the dulce de leche.

Replace the top of the cone. Covering the hole.

Pipe or spread the frosting over the cupcakes.

Roquefort Tart

2009-08-31T15:38:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I bought the book A Table in the Tarn. It is the chronicle of two British guys who decide to quit corporate life in London to start an inn in the South of France. It is really a lovely book about their endeavor to remodel an old manoir and create a place that is both modern and quintessentially French. These guys are living my dream. I dream of someday having an inn where I can cook for my guests.

For breakfast I would serve bowls of the freshest fruit available. Right now it would be, maybe, a peach and blackberry compote with homemade granola and thick plain yogurt. I would serve brioche and homemade jam from the trees in my orchard because my inn would have an orchard. Peach, cherry, apricot, apple, pear, and oh I can't forget a fig. But then there is also citrus. Lemon, meyer lemon, orange, blood orange, grapefruit. Is that too much?

Lunch would be a lazy affair. Served out in the garden or under the trees in the orchard. I imagine serving something like this Roquefort tart with a salad of pickled beets and arugula. When I saw the photo of this tart in the book, I knew it would be one of the first recipes I would try. It made for a perfectly lovey late summer lunch. And with a cold glass of rose on a warm Sunday afternoon. Does life really get any better?

The shortcrust pastry gets a bit of added texture from semolina flour. It is a nice contrast to the creamy filling. The filling was actually quite light in texture despite being full of cheese, cream and eggs. Deceptively light in fact. Consider that a fair warning. I did make a couple of substitutions to the original recipe which probably resulted in the lighter quality. I didn't have any mascarpone, so I used Greek yogurt. I also didn't have any creme fraiche, so I used regular cream. I figured the tang from the yogurt would compensate for not using creme fraiche. I was right! The texture of the filling was somewhere between a cheesecake and a souffle. The Roquefort is mellowed by the cream and eggs but is still piquant enough to be interesting and pair beautifully with pickled beets.

Although opening my inn is a quite a way down the road, I think I'll be able to busy myself with perfecting the dishes I might make. I don't think my friends will mind being guinea pigs.

Roquefort and Chive Tart
adapted from A Table in the Tarn

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour: replace 1-2 tablespoons with semolina
salt, pepper, pinch of cayenne
6 tablespoons unsalted butter

good handful of chives and parsley, roughly chopped, save a pinch of chives for garnishing
1 cup mascarpone (or Greek yogurt)
7 tablespoons Roquefort
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
3 eggs
1 cup creme fraiche

Make the pastry by processing the dry ingredients. Add the butter and process until the mixture resembles cornmeal. Add just enough water, 2-3 tablespoons, so the pastry just begins to form a ball. Form the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for an hour. Roll out the dough to about 1/8 inch thickness and press into a 9 inch (1 1/4 inch deep) tart pan. Save the scraps for patching cracks. Freeze the pastry case for at least 10 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375F (350F convection). Crumple up a big sheet of parchment paper then uncrumple it and lay it over the pastry. Cover with dried beans or pie weights and bake for 20 minutes till firm. Remove paper and beans and continue baking for 10-20 minutes, until the crust is golden brown. Remove the pastry and patch any cracks with the pastry scraps.

Make the filling by whizzing the herbs, mascarpone, Roquefort and butter in a food processor until smooth. Add the eggs, process well, then the cream and seasoning: pepper and a pinch of cayenne (no salt). Pour into the hot pastry case and immediately put in the oven for 25 minutes, until golden, slightly puffed and just set in the center. Serve at room temperature.

Serves 6

Gone Camping

2009-08-15T11:04:00.000-07:00

We will be camping for the next week! I'll be spending my days swimming is the cool, clear river, foraging for wild blackberries, reading and eating.

See you next week...

Summer Squash Gratin

2009-08-11T17:24:00.001-07:00

Our friend Andy was in town a few weeks ago. We became friends with him several years ago when he started playing guitar with Louis, but 5 years ago he moved away to finish up his Ph.D in Astrophysics. Andy is smart and funny. He's a really good friend, much more like family really. I would describe Andy as a lifelong friend. The kind of person who remains your friend through distance and long absences.

Is there really any better way to catch up with an old friend than to sit out side with the grill going and a glass of wine in your hand? I think not.

Dinner with Andy July 21st

Heirloom Tomato Salad with Croutons and Homemade Mozzarella
Grilled Lamb Chops with Summer Squash Gratin and Salsa Verde
Fried Figs with Wild Blackberry Honey Ice Cream

I wanted to make a tomato and burrata salad, but all of the local cheese shops were out. It seems that they all use the same supplier, and the new shipment wasn't arriving for another couple of days. Well, I decided, homemade mozzarella is probably just as soft and supple as burrata. Not quite, but pretty darn close. I can't say that I've ever had a more satisfying cheese experience. The silky mozzarella ball, sliced while still warm, drizzled with olive oil and flaky sea salt. Hel-lo lover...

But for me, the star of the evening was the summer squash gratin. I could seriously just make a meal of the gratin, and I could probably polish off the entire thing myself. The squash are sliced thinly, mixed with garlic, shallots, salsa verde and Gruyere and topped with bread crumbs moistened with brown butter. The squash become tender but not mushy. There is some brightness from the salsa verde and richness from the Gruyere. There is so much going on flavor and texture wise that it is hard to stop yourself from going back for spoonful after spoonful.

Summer Squash Gratin
adapted from Sunday Suppers at Lucques

2 pounds summer squash
1 1/2 cups fresh breadcrumbs
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup sliced shallots
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon thyme leaves
1/2 cup salsa verde (recipe follows)
1 cup grated Gruyere cheese
Salt and Pepper

Preheat the oven to 400F.

Cut the squash into 1/8 inch thick slices. If you have a mandoline, this is the time to use it. Toss the slices in a large bowl with 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and let sit 10 minutes.

Place the breadcrumbs in a bowl. Heat a small saute pan over medium heat for 1 minute. Swirl in the butter and cook a few minutes, until it browns and smells nutty. Pour the brown butter over the breadcrumbs making sure to scrape all of the brown bits in as well. Toss well.

Drain the squash and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add the shallots, garlic, thyme, salsa verde, and some pepper. Toss to combine, and add the cheese and half of the butter coated breadcrumbs. Toss again, and taste for seasoning.

Place the squash in a 9x9 inch or equivalent baking dish. Scatter the remaining breadcrumbs over the top, and bake 35-40 minutes, until the squash is tender and the top is crisp.

Serves 6.

Salsa Verde

This makes more than you will need for the gratin. Enough to spoon over some grilled Lamb. Salsa verde is more of a template than actual recipe. You can add any mix of herbs that suit your fancy. The key is for it to be bright and ever so slightly pungent. If you are vegetarian, you can leave out the anchovy. Otherwise the garlic, anchovy and capers should stay in, but the mix of herbs can change.

1 teaspoon marjoram or oregano leaves
1/4 cup coarsely chopped mint
1 cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 small garlic clove
1 salt packed anchovy, rinsed, bones removed
1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and drained
1/2 lemon, for juicing
Salt and Pepper

Pound the garlic and anchovy to a paste in a mortar and pestle. Put these into a food processor with the herbs and a bit of the olive oil. Process adding more oil. Transfer the herb mixture to a bowl.

Gently pound the capers in the mortar and pestle until they are partially crushed, and add them to the herbs. Stir in the remaining oil, a pinch of black pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice. Taste for balance and seasoning.

makes 1 1/2cups.

Sweet Corn Soup

2009-08-05T16:38:00.000-07:00

I don't know about you, but during the Summer I cannot get enough of fresh corn and tomatoes in all of their guises. They are absolutely my staples during the few months that they are available. I really love eating seasonally. It is such a natural process. I end up binging and by the time the peaches and tomatoes are winding down, I'm ready to move on to apples and kabocha squash.

A few days ago I was looking around the kitchen trying to figure out what to make for lunch. I did of course have corn and tomatoes, but there really wasn't much else. So I decided to make corn soup. I love corn soup and corn chowder! One of my favorite recipes is in The Greens Cookbook. It is spicy with roasted poblano chilies and tomatillos. But I didn't have poblano chilies or tomatillos. I was forced to keep it simple. And I'm so glad I did.

This soup comes together in under an hour. You chop an onion and saute it in some butter. Add in some corn kernels cut from the cob. Cover with water or stock. And here is the secret. You simmer the corn cobs along with the kernels. The corn cobs intensify the corn flavor and have some thickening power.

After simmering for 25 minutes, you remove the cobs and puree the soup in a blender. I kept about a cup of corn on the side to add back to the puree. I love the creamy soup with a few bits of whole kernels. Contrasting textures are a good thing.

And for more contrasts, garnish the soup with some chopped tomatoes and basil. The contrast of the warm creamy soup with the cool tomatoes is so good. The tomato garnish is really not optional. The corn soup is sooo sweet. Like candy sweet. So you really need the brightness from the tomatoes to bring it all together.

Sweet Corn Soup

This recipe makes quite a lot, probably enough for 6 or more people. I actually like making more than I need. I've been bringing this with me to work all week to have for lunch.

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large yellow onion, diced
6 cups of corn kernels cut from about 7 ears of corn (reserve 4 cobs, broken in half)
4 cups water or stock
Salt and pepper

creme fraiche
chopped basil
diced tomatoes

Warm the butter in a soup pot until melted. Add the diced onion and a teaspoon of salt and cook for about 5 minutes until translucent. Add the corn kernels and stir to coat. Add about 3 cups of the water or stock, enough to just cover the corn. Add the reserved corn cobs. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to simmer gently for about 25 minutes. Skim off the brownish foam forming on the surface during the first 5 minutes of simmering.

Remove the pot from the heat. Remove and discard the corn cobs. Ladle the soup into a blender and blend for at least 1 minute. You will probably need to do this in batches. You may or may not want to reserve a ladle full of corn to add back to the pureed soup.

Season the soup with more salt and pepper. Add more water or stock to achieve the consistency that you like. You can add a touch of cream, but I prefer to add a spoonful of creme fraiche to each bowl. Garnish the soup with the diced tomato and chopped basil.

Rustic Plum Tart

2009-08-02T19:49:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday was Louis' birthday, so earlier in the week I was browsing through some cookbooks for birthday meal ideas. I saw a recipe for a Rustic Plum Tart in Alice Medrich's Pure Dessert. It had two things that immediately got my attention. It used plums which I happened to have. And it sounded really simple which is exactly what I wanted for a weeknight. I also knew that Louis would like it because, let's just be frank here, he's not very picky, and he has a habit of calling every dessert "his favorite". Really, I think it's just an excuse for him to go back for seconds or thirds.

Rustic is a nice description for this tart, down right homely is another. But beneath those horribly wrinkled skins sit soft, juicy plums anchored in a dough that is somewhere between a tart and a cake. Not only is this a breeze to put together, it is delicious. The texture is really much more like a cookie, soft and a bit chewy in the middle with a crunchy, nubbly edge.

The recipe calls for plums, but I think you could use any fruit that is a bit tart. The dough is quite sweet, so the fruit needs some tartness to balance everything out. I think apricots would be perfect. And tart apples, like Granny Smith, would be great. In fact, this recipe is nearly identical to this one that I made several months back.

I would categorize this recipe under nearly perfect. It is adaptable to any season. It comes together in less than 15 minutes (not including baking), and it gets better with age. Well, it was better on the second day than on the first. I can't attest to the third or fourth days because let's be honest here, baked goods don't last long in my house. Unless I hide them...

Rustic Plum Tart
adapted from Pure Dessert

1 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons firm but not hard unsalted butter cut into pieces
4-6 juicy, flavorful plums or pluots

Preheat the oven to 375F and position a rack in the lower third of the oven.

Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to mix. Add the egg and butter, and pulse just until the mixture resembles damp yellow sand and is beginning to clump around the blade.

Press the dough evenly over the bottom but not up the sides of a 9 in fluted tart pan. A cake pan would also work.

If the plums are no bigger than 2 inches in diameter, cut them in half and remove the pits. Cut larger plums into quarters or sixths, removing the pits. Leaving a margin of 1/2 inch around the edge of the pan, arrange halved plums cut side up over the dough,with a little space between each one. Arrange wedges skin side up, pressing them slightly into the dough so that they will not turn onto their sides while baking.

Bake until the pastry is puffed, deep golden brown at the edges, and nicely golden brown in the center between the plums, 50-55 minutes. Set the tart on a rack to cool for 10 minutes, and then loosen the rim of the tart pan before cooling further. Serve warm or at room temperature.

serves 8

Peach and Fig Chutney

2009-07-26T10:35:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I overbuy beautiful fruit at the farmer's market. Usually it's a way to force myself to make something new. A couple of weeks ago I bought a few pounds of peaches. We were going to have dinner with friends, and I thought that I would make a peach crostata for dessert.

We ended up going out to dinner instead. It was my birthday, so I was actually quite happy not to make my own dinner. But I ended up with a bag full of ripe peaches to contend with. Rough, I know.

I had been eyeing a recipe for pickled peaches in the Chez Panisse Fruit Cookbook to serve with grilled duck breasts, but it just didn't seem to have the right balance I was looking for.

Inspiration came on a walk through the neighborhood when I saw some ripe figs hanging from my neighbor's tree. I haven't bought figs at the market since discovering two fig trees in the neighborhood. For one, figs are mighty expensive at the market and totally sub par compared to picking them fresh from a tree when they are perfectly ripe. I don't think there is any food quite as sexy as a ripe fig.

So that settled it. I was going to make a peach and fig chutney. The sweet richness of the figs was just what I wanted to mellow out the "pickled" peaches. The original recipe called for the addition of pickled ginger which I left out. I didn't want a chutney with too much going on. The fruit was so beautiful, and I really just wanted to let their beauty shine through.

I also decided to leave the chutney on the juicy side so that it would have a bit of sauce to drizzle around the grilled duck. It was delicious! The chutney had the perfect sweet-tartness to balance out the richness of the duck. We served it with a bottle of pinotage that we brought back from South Africa last year. Perfect.

Peach and Fig Chutney
adapted from The Union Square Cafe Cookbook

1 pound ripe peaches, unpeeled
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/2 pound fresh ripe figs, such as Black Mission
3/4 cup cider vinegar, premium quality, unfiltered if possible like this
4 tablespoons honey
1 1/4 teaspoons mustard seeds
pinch of kosher salt
2 teaspoon pomegranate molasses
1 tablespoon minced Serrano chili

Cut the peaches in half, remove the pits, and cut each half into 1 1/2 inch chunks. Toss the peaches with the lime juice and set aside. Remove the fig stems and quarter the figs lengthwise. Set aside.

In a skillet, combine the vinegar, honey, mustard seeds, salt, and pomegranate molasses. Place over moderate heat and reduce to a syrup, 6-8 minutes. Stir in the peaches and cook over low heat, covered, until softened but not mushy. This will take 5-15 minutes, depending on the ripeness of the fruit. Add the figs and chili and cook, covered, an additional 5 minutes.

Remove from the heat, transfer to bowl, and cool. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

makes 2 1/2 cups.

Corn, Tomato and Barley Salad

2009-07-23T16:13:00.000-07:00

I love cycling. Louis and I used to go on long cycles every weekend. We would generally cycle a 30 mile loop from our place up to Tilden Park in Berkeley and back home along Skyline Blvd. We live in such a beautiful place, and the views are stunning from Skyline Blvd. which runs along the ridge of the East Bay hills.

Unfortunately we haven't cycled much in the last several years. Louis got pretty busy gigging on the weekends, and then Ella came along. We just got out of the habit. But I missed it. I feel a great sense of freedom when I'm on a bike. It is definitely my favorite form of exercise.

We got new bikes about a month ago and have been going on lots of rides. I've found that the best way to get Ella excited about being strapped into the trailer is to promise a picnic along the way.

So we cycled up to Robert's Park and had a picnic.

I made a variation of a salad that I make at least once a week. It contains some sort of grain, most often barley or quinoa, and a mix of whatever vegetables look good at the market. Sometimes I mix in some cheese, nuts or beans. This type of salad is endlessly versatile, and it keeps well which makes it an excellent choice for a picnic.

I've become quite addicted to these salads. Barley has a lovely chewy texture that is totally satisfying. I tend to use quite a bit of vinegar because the barley absorbs a lot as it sits. So, if you aren't serving the salad right away, you should taste and adjust the seasoning again before serving.

Corn, Tomato and Barley Salad

2 ears of corn, kernels cut from cob
1 zucchini cut into 1/2 inch dice
1/2 pint of cherry tomatoes sliced in half
1 cup of farro or barley (whole grain, not pearled)

1 shallot diced

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2-4 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Salt and pepper

handful of arugula

Combine the barley with 4 cups of water and salt to taste in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook at a bare simmer until just tender, 15-20 minutes. Drain in a colander and set aside.

Warm the olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat and add the corn and zucchini and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook until softened but still al dente, about 5 minutes. Add the diced shallot and sliced cherry tomatoes. Turn off the heat, add about 2 teaspoons of vinegar and taste for salt. Add the vegetables to a bowl with the barley. Toss in a handful of arugula or torn basil leaves. Taste again for balance of salt and vinegar.

Serves 4

Chickpea Fries with Romesco Sauce

2009-06-22T19:36:00.000-07:00

Louis and I had our 10th wedding anniversary back in March. My mom offered to take Ella for the whole weekend, so Louis and I went off to celebrate in the way that we usually do. By eating lots of good food and drinking lots of good wine, in a beautiful place. Arguably, one of the best places in the country to do such things is the Napa Valley. A year or so ago I had imagined that a 10th wedding anniversary would be a great time to go to the French Laundry. But as the time approached for me to try my hand at winning the lottery (a.k.a booking a reservation at the French Laundry), I just could not justify spending that amount of money on one meal. Not when there were so many different places that I wanted to try.

One of the places that I had been wanting to go to is Ubuntu. Ubuntu was recently named one of the ten best new American restaurants by the New York Times and the chef nominated for a James Beard Award. Ubuntu is a vegetarian restaurant with a yoga studio upstairs. As you eat you can see the silhouettes of people doing yoga poses. It is all quite fitting to the nature of the food. The food forces you to be in the moment. To experience the essence of the artfully prepared vegetables. But I guess if you're not in the mood to experience the wonder of biodynamically farmed vegetables you might be pissed off that you just spent $12 for a pile of radishes with a few slices of cheese. But I loved it. I appreciate when dishes are prepared thoughtfully and reverence is given to the ingredients used.

Although Ubuntu excels with their use of vegetables, one of my favorite dishes on the menu was the Chickpea Fries with Romesco Sauce. Chickpea fries are made with garbanzo bean flour and the batter is actually very similar to polenta. In fact, I think I prefer it to polenta. The garbanzo bean flour has a sweet earthy quality and a creamy texture. I haven't tried it grilled yet, but the fried version is delicious. It develops a delicately crisp crust that I found totally addictive.

I made some chickpea fries recently when some friends came for dinner. I realized the following day that I hadn't put the memory card in my camera when taking pictures of dinner. Fortunately the Foodie Hunter was also capturing some lovely images with her camera. She posted some photo's and had some very lovely words as well. I have to say that the most I can ask for when preparing food for others is that they "get" the food. I never haphazardly throw a menu together. I definitely put thought into what I feed people. I take their preferences into account. I also consider the weather and which fruits and vegetables are at their peak. Overall, I try to convey a mood through my food. I think most people would agree that I'm a good cook, but to me, the highest praise comes when someone actually understands my food and my process. So I would like to thank the Foodie Hunter for her understanding. She will always be welcome at my table. This particular menu ended up being:

Grilled Asparagus and Chickpea Fries with Romesco Sauce
*
Grilled Salmon with a Balsamic Butter Sauce on a bed of Sautéed Corn and Shitake Mushrooms
*
Honey Roasted Apricots with a Chez Panisse Almond Tart and Olive Oil Ice Cream

Chickpea Fries
Adapted from Ubuntu via Oprah Magazine

1 ¼ cups chickpea flour
½ cup cornmeal
1 clove garlic, finely grated on microplane
1 ½ tablespoons kosher salt
3 tablespoons parsley chopped
vegetable oil for frying

In a stainless steel pot over high heat, combine chickpea flour, cornmeal, 3 1/2 cups of cold water, garlic and salt. Whisk gently to prevent sticking on the bottom.

Once the mixture begins to thicken and bubble ( after about 3-4 minutes), reduce heat to medium and switch to a rubber spatula. Stir constantly and scrape the bottom of the pot to prevent scorching. Add the parsley. Continue cooking for 6-8 minutes. Taste and correct for seasoning. Lightly oil a 13x9 inch baking dish and pour in the batter. Spread the mixture out evenly and top with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 4 hours until completely cold and set.

Cut into "fries" about 3 inches long. Heat about 1/2 inch of oil in a non-stick pan to 375F. If the oil isn't hot enough, the fries will soak up too much oil and fall apart. Cook until the fries are golden brown on all sides, about 2 minutes each on top and bottom sides. Remove and set on paper towels. Sprinkle with kosher salt to taste and serve with romesco sauce.

Serves 4-6

Romesco Sauce

Adapted from The Zuni Cafe Cookbook

Romesco sauce is great as a sauce for vegetables and fish. I usually serve it in place of cocktail sauce with poached shrimp. It can also be mixed with a bit of mayonnaise for a romesco aioli.

½ ounce raw almonds (about 2 tablespoons)

1 ounce hazelnuts (1/4 cup)

½ cup coarsely chopped tomatoes

1 red bell pepper roasted peeled and chopped

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

1 ancho chili

2-3 garlic cloves peeled

1 teaspoon red wine vinegar, more to taste

1 teaspoon hot paprika

½ teaspoon mild paprika

Salt

Preheat oven to 325F

Roast the hazelnuts until the skins darken and start to split, 10-15 minutes. While they are still hot, bundle them in a towel, then scrunch and massage them to rub off most of their skins. Pick out the nuts and set aside.

Turn the oven to broil. Spread the tomatoes ½ inch thick in a small, shallow baking dish. Trickle with a little of the olive oil and place under the broiler. Cook until the tomatoes char slightly and bubble. Remove fro the broiler.

Meanwhile, pour a few cups of boiling water over the chili and leave to swell for a few minutes. Drain, then stem and seed the pepper.

Thickly slice the garlic, then pound to a paste in a mortar. Scrape into a processor and add the chili, almonds, and hazelnuts. Grind to a fine, moist paste, scraping the sides. Scrape the tomatoes and pepper and process to a paste. Add the vinegar, paprika, the remaining oil and salt to taste. Taste again adding more salt and vinegar to taste. It should be bright with acidity, otherwise it may taste a little flat or bitter.

Warm Potato and Purslane Salad

2009-06-07T21:01:00.000-07:00

Several years ago there was an issue of Saveur magazine focused entirely on California. One of the articles featured a Chez Panisse reunion picnic. I have fantasies about being at that picnic. In fact, that picnic is the perfect picture of my ultimate food fantasy. It took place in Bolinas in a grassy meadow dotted with trees. There was an old barn near one end, and it was all nestled between coastal hills. There was a long wooden table piled with dishes brought by the various guests. Can you imagine being at a pot luck with Judy Rogers, Alice Waters, Paul Bertolli, David Tanis, Michael Wild, Margaret Grade and Deborah Madison?!

Margaret Grade brought a warm potato and purslane salad. I had never used or tasted purslane before. Not long after I saw that article, I found some purlane at the farmer's market and decided that even though I couldn't be at that picnic, I could still have one of the dishes that was served there. It is essentially a German potato salad with the addition of purslane.

Purslane is often considered a weed, but it is delicious. It is one of the best vegetable sources of omega 3 fatty acids and is high in vitamin C. It is a succulent which gives it a sort of irresistible texture. It is soft but toothsome with a slightly acidic and peppery flavor. It is good raw in salads or sauteed like spinach.

Every time I see purslane, I think of this potato salad and that Chez Panisse reunion picnic. I will probably never go to one of those picnics, but I do have a long wooden table that my friends can sit around to enjoy good food and conversation. I think I'm getting pretty close to realizing that fantasy.

Warm Purslane and Potato Salad
adapted from Margaret Grade

1 lb. sliced pancetta, cut into pieces about 1/2 inch square
3-4 cipolline onions or shallots, peeled and chopped
2 lbs. baby fingerling or Yukon gold potatoes
4 cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
Leaves from 3 sprigs fresh thyme
Salt and Freshly ground black pepper
1 lb. purslane, cleaned

Cook pancetta in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 15-20 minutes. Transfer pancetta with a slotted spoon to paper towels to let drain. Add onions to skillet and cook, stirring often, until soft, about 5 minutes. Set pan aside.

Put potatoes and stock into a large pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until tender, 10-20 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the stock . Place potatoes aside in a large bowl with the purslane and pancetta. Return reserved stock to pot and boil over high heat until reduced by half, 2-3 minutes.

Return pan with onions and pancetta drippings to stove. Heat over medium heat until hot. Stir in the honey, reduced stock, vinegar, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste. Pour hot dressing over potatoes and purslane, toss quickly and serve.

Serves 6-8

Turnip Soup with Foccacia Bread

2009-06-03T23:00:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago my new copy of The Greens Cookbook arrived. My original copy was a small paperback version that I bought in London in 1997. That little book turned out to be invaluable to me. Not only because I was working for a family and was responsible for making dinner every night. But because it had tables converting American measures, temperatures and ingredients into British. At that time I had no idea that an eggplant was an aubergine or that zucchini was courgette. When I went to South Africa for a year following London, that little paperback came with me. It turned out to be a great resource in South Africa as well since their English and measures are British. So that little book had been through quite a lot, and was starting to fall apart.

The Greens Cookbook is an incredibly special book to me. It is chock full of great recipes, including a sesame noodle recipe that is my potluck standby. But the reason that it holds such a special place for me is because it is representative of the first year that Louis and I spent together. We met at a youth hostel in Paris and a couple of months later, I went to London to be with him. We were only able to see each other on weekends because he was working in South London and I was in Northern London. A few months later he went back home to South Africa to finish his final year of college, and I went with him. It was great to finally be together in our own space. Louis was studying to be an engineer and was studying all the time. We had no T.V., no radio, no computer. My only source of entertainment was when Louis would take breaks from the books to serenade me with his guitar. It was actually pretty great.

I would spend the majority of the evening cooking. One of the things that I made most frequently was foccacia bread. I made many kinds of foccacia, but one of my favorites was also the most simple. The dough is topped with sliced onion that has been tossed with olive oil and some thyme or rosemary and salt. The onions become soft in some areas and crispy and caramelized in others. It is the perfect accompaniment to a bowl of soup.

So when the new hardbound Greens Cookbook arrived, I began flipping through it. It was like reminiscing with old friends that I hadn't seen in a while. My eyes became transfixed on one particular recipe, Turnip Soup with Turnip Greens. I hadn't even known that recipe was in there! And it was just the perfect thing because I had a bunch of turnips in the fridge and the weather had turned cold. So it was time to make soup and foccacia bread and remember our days in Cape Town.

Turnip Soup with Turnip Greens
adapted from The Greens Cookbook

This soup is delicious. Milk is used as the broth, so it is creamy without being heavy. The turnips are blanched to remove any bitterness, and they become sweet stewed with the leeks and milk. I just love that this recipe uses the turnip and its greens. The sharpness of the greens is a lovely counterpoint to the sweet turnips.

1 1/2 pounds small turnips (about 1-2 inches across) weighed without their greens
Salt
5 tablespoons butter
2-3 leeks, white parts only, sliced
6 branches thyme
4 cups milk
2-3 cups turnip greens

Peel the turnips (thickly, if they are large and mature) and slice them into rounds about 1/4 inch thick. Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil; then add 2 teaspoons salt and the turnips. Cover the pot and cook for 1 minute; then drain.

Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in a soup pot with 1/2 cup water. Add the leeks, the blanched turnips, the thyme, and 1 teaspoon salt. Stew them, covered, over medium low heat for 5 minutes, and then add the milk. Slowly heat it without bringing it to a boil, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the turnips are completely tender.

Cool the soup briefly; then puree it in a blender. If necessary, thin it with additional milk or water. Season to taste with salt, if needed, and freshly ground pepper.

Sort through the turnip greens and remove any that are bruised or especially tough looking, and wash them. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a pan, add the turnip greens, and cook them over medium heat until they are tender, about 5-10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove the cooked greens to a cutting board and chop them, roughly or fine, as you prefer; then add them to the soup and serve.

Serves 4-6

Focaccia Bread
adapted from The Greens Cookbook

1 package active dry yeast (2 1/2 teaspoons)
1 cup warm water
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
pinch sugar
2 1/2 cups unbleached white flour or a mixture of whole wheat and white
Coarse sea salt

1 large red or white onion sliced
1 teaspoon thyme chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt

Dissolve the yeast in the warm water with the salt, olive oil, and sugar. Stir in the flour in two or three additions. Once a dough has formed, turn it out onto a board dusted with flour, and knead it for several minutes, adding only enough flour to keep the dough from sticking. When the dough is smooth and shiny, set it in a lightly oiled bowl, turn it over once, cover and put it in a warm place to rise, until it is doubled in bulk, about 30-40 minutes.

After the dough has risen, turn it out onto an oiled baking sheet, and pat it out about 1/2 inch thick. Toss the onion with the thyme, 2 tablespoons olive oil and salt to taste and spread out over the top of the dough, pressing lightly on the onions so that some of them sink into the dough. Let the dough rise for 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 450F. Bake the bread in the top third of the oven for 20-30 minutes, or until the bread is nicely browned.

Spicy Carrot Pickles

2009-05-20T12:27:00.000-07:00

For many of us, food is the vehicle through which we experience life. We plan vacations around the restaurants we would like to visit. I think that the best way to experience the culture of an area is through the local food. For many who visit San Francisco, Tartine Bakery is one of those destinations.

They produce the best bread that I have ever had. It is a levain style with a moist chewy interior and crispy crust. I think it rivals the baguettes in France for my favorite bread ever. Tartine is located in a rather hip neighborhood and right next door to another destination restaurant, Delfina. It's also within a block or two of Bi-Right Creamery. I live in Oakland which is really just a short train ride into the city, but surprisingly I have only been to Tartine twice.

The first time I went I ordered one of their pressed sandwiches. It wasn't particularly memorable, but what I do remember are the pickled carrots that were served with it. Sweet, spicy, crunchy. I wished that I could just have a big plate of those. So when I saw a recipe for pickled carrots in Molly's book, I didn't hesitate, not even for a minute. Fortunately, I had just gotten some baby carrots at the farmer's market, and their fate was sealed.

Spicy Pickled Carrots with Garlic and Thyme
adapted from A Homemade Life by Molly Wizenberg

I have been tasting a carrot (or two) each day, and the strength of the brine is mellowing more each day. The next time I make these I will probably double the amount of red pepper flakes below. So if you like spicy, I would suggest starting out with 2 teaspoons of red pepper flakes.

2 cups apple cider vinegar
2 cups water
1/4 cup granulated sugar
6 sprigs fresh thyme
5 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 1/2 teaspoons black peppercorns, cracked
1 1/2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
Heaping 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Heaping 2 teaspoons brown mustard seeds
1 1/2 pounds small (finger-sized) carrots, or standard carrots cut into sticks about 1/2 inch wide and 3 inches long

In a medium saucepan, combine 1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar, water, sugar, thyme, garlic, black peppercorns, red pepper flakes, salt and mustard seeds. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, then reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, and let cool for 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining 1/2 cup vinegar.

Wash the carrots and put them in a large, heatproof bowl, and pour the warm brine over them. Cool to room temperature.

While the carrots cool, wash 2 quart sized canning jars and their lids in warm, soapy water.

When the carrots and brine are cool, distribute the carrots evenly among the jars, arranging them snugly. Divide the brine evenly among the jars. The carrots should be covered completely by the brine. If they are not, add a mixture of 2 parts vinegar and 1 part water to cover.

Seal firmly and refrigerate for at least 3 days, or, preferably, a week. Carrots are dense and take time to absorb the brine.

Note: Covered and refrigerated, the pickled carrots should last a month or two.

Cacao Nib Ice Cream with Cherries

2009-05-17T16:49:00.000-07:00

Every year we get a few days where temperatures reach triple digits or at least well into the 90's. I am not a fan of hot weather. But the heat propelled me to make an ice cream that I was interested in tasting but skeptical of making. I really like my ice cream to be dense and ultra creamy. The term "icy" when referring to ice cream is something I've always tried to avoid.

However, the thought of making an ice cream with a custard base did not sound remotely appetizing. The extra work of tempering and heating the egg/cream mixture along with the richness that the eggs impart to the ice cream just seemed too heavy for such a hot day. So I set out to make this ice cream from Alice Medrich. Oh Alice, I never should have doubted you! She was correct in describing this ice cream as somewhat "icy". But not in a bad way, in a completely satisfying way. It is icy and creamy at the same time.

The cream mixture is simmered and left to infuse with cacao nibs. Cacao nibs are the roasted, shelled cacao beans broken into bite-sized pieces. They are the raw material from which all chocolate is made. Nibs have a nutty flavor and are very crunchy. They are the essence of pure chocolate. I use them often in baking, so the notion of infusing their flavor into cream intrigued me.

The flavor is beguiling. I'm not sure that you would be able to say what it was if you didn't know. It definitely tastes like chocolate, but a whisper of chocolate. It is delicate and totally delicious.

Cocoa Nib Ice Cream
adapted from Pure Dessert

1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1/3 cup cocoa nibs
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt

Bring the cream, milk, nibs, sugar and salt to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Remove from the heat, cover, and let steep for 20 minutes.

Pour the cram mixture through a fine strainer, pressing on the nibs to extract their liquid, discard the nibs. Refrigerate at least 4 but preferably 12 hours. Freeze the mixture according to the instructions on your ice cream maker.

makes 3 1/2 cups.

I bought some cherries at the farmer's market, and they were the perfect complement to the cacao nib ice cream. I just pitted them, tossed them with some sugar and brandy, and let them macerate for a couple of hours. The cherries became slightly softened and juicy, but retained their fresh character.

Fresh Cherry Compote

1 pound of cherries
2-4 tablespoons sugar (depending on sweetness of cherries)
1/2 tablespoon kirsch or brandy

Remove the pits from the cherries. Toss the cherries in a bowl with the sugar and brandy. Let the cherries macerate for at least an hour. They will release their juices and soften a bit.

Grilled Fava Beans: For a Lazy Day

2009-05-10T20:32:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was the most perfect Mother's Day that I've experienced since becoming a mother. The weather was perfect, and I wanted to spend the whole day outside enjoying our new backyard. Louis has spent the last 3 months landscaping and constructing 6 raised beds. And with the new swing, I just want to sit back there and watch the plants grow.

We went to the farmer's market in the morning. My mind was definitely on grilling. One, because it was perfect outside and two, because Louis does all of the work when we grill. And yesterday, I just wanted to be lazy. I spent most of the day laying on the swing reading and watching Louis tend to the garden, planting out some new things we picked up at the market, some zephyr squash and strawberries.

When it came time to eat, I just tossed some fava beans with olive oil, salt and pepper and handed them to Louis. I must say, I was a bit skeptical of grilled fava beans. I had read about the chef at A16 in San Francisco doing it, so I thought it was time to give it a try.

I often don't buy fava beans because they are so much work to prepare. First you need to take them out of the pod. Then there is a skin covering each bean which needs to be removed. So just throwing them on the grill without any prep was exactly what I was in the mood for yesterday. And guess what. They were amazing! The pods get a bit charred and become really easy to open. The beans get steamed while the pods char. When you open the pods and slip the beans out, the little charred bits along with the salt and oil get on your fingers and flavor the beans as you pop them in your mouth. Served with some salty sheep's milk cheese and radishes, it was a perfectly lazy meal for a perfectly lazy day.

Grilled Fava Beans

1 pound whole fava beans
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Chopped mint and chili flakes (optional)

Prepare a grill with medium hot coals

Toss the fava beans with the olive oil and salt to taste. Grill the beans, turning a few times for 6-8 minutes, until the beans are charred in spots but not completely blackened.

Pile the beans onto a platter and let cool for a few minutes. Top with chopped mint and chili flakes if you want.

To eat, pry open pods, pop out beans, pinch off tip of wrinkled skin with you fingernail and squeeze out tender, fragrant fava. Lick your oily, salty fingertips...

Serve with radishes, sheep's milk cheese and some white wine.

Serves 2-3

Morels: A Spring Indulgence

2009-05-07T17:12:00.000-07:00

I walked past the mushroom vendor at the farmer's market last week, and I stopped dead in my tracks. It had been about a year since I last bought morels. Their season is short and at 15$-30$ per pound, I usually buy them just once a season.

We had been out of town for a week, so I was at the farmer's market stocking up. I think I was feeling a little deprived after a week of no cooking, so I didn't even think twice about snatching up some of these beauties. I even decided on 2 bags. If I was going to indulge, I figured I should just go for it.

Morels are spongy creatures with lots of nooks and crannies to soak up juices. They would be great in a sauce to spoon over veal chops or in a bright spring vegetable ragout. But I figured that this would be my one morel buying experience of the year, and I don't think there is a better way to indulge in morel extravagance than to have them roasted and bathed in a creamy sauce.

The morels are first roasted in a hot oven with some garlic and thyme until they are tender and have given off their juices. Then a mixture of shallot, lemon and creme fraiche is added and roasted a bit longer. The brightness from the lemon and creme fraiche is the perfect match for the earthy morels.

We ate these with some crusty bread to sop up the juices while swaying on our new backyard swing. It's good to be home.

Roasted Morels
adapted from The Chez Panisse Cafe Cookbook

1 shallot, peeled and finely diced
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 tablespoon Cognac or Brandy
1/2 tablespoon Champagne vinegar
Juice of 1/4 of a lemon
Salt and Pepper
2 tablespoons creme fraiche
1/2 pound fresh morel mushrooms
1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon finely chopped thyme
2 garlic cloves sliced

Preheat the oven to 400F

Saute the shallot in butter over medium heat until nicely browned. Add the Cognac and reduce for 30 seconds. Remove the pan from the heat and add the Champagne vinegar and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the creme fraiche and set aside.

Pick over the mushrooms, discarding any that are moldy and trimming the ends and any discolored spots. Slice lengthwise into strips about 1/4 inch wide. Rinse the morels well by covering them with water and swishing around. Let the grit settle for a few seconds then scoop the mushrooms out into a strainer leaving the grit in the bottom of the bowl. Repeat if necessary. Toss the morels in a bowl with the olive oil, thyme, garlic and salt and pepper. Transfer to a baking dish large enough to hold the mushrooms in one layer.

Roast the morels uncovered until they are tender, about 20 minutes, stirring a few times during cooking. By the end of the cooking, there will be lovely juices to incorporate into the sauce. Add the shallot mixture to the mushrooms, stir well, and continue cooking for 3-4 minutes. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning.

Serve the morels with some crusty bread, spooned over some grilled bread or along side some roasted meat.

Serves 2

Braised Baby Artichokes

2009-05-01T16:16:00.000-07:00

Artichokes are definitely at the top of my list of favorite vegetables. If I see them listed on the menu at a restaurant, I inevitably order that dish.

There is an artichoke dip from Costco that I love. It's creamy and spicy and full of chunky artichokes. But I have a problem. I can't bring myself to buy pre-made or pre-prepped dishes. This causes me to miss out on artichoke deliciousness quite often because sometimes (a lot of the time) I'm too lazy to go through all of the prep of making an artichoke completely edible.

A colleague used to laugh at me because I would ask her to bring the Costco artichoke dip to our potlucks. I'm totally fine with and will happily eat whatever anyone else makes or brings, but I could not use canned or frozen artichokes, or even worse, buy a pre-made dish. Hence my conundrum...

Actually, prepping artichokes isn't all that bad. And if you use baby artichokes, there isn't even a choke to clean out! Baby artichokes refer to the size of the artichokes not the age. The babies grow at the bottom of the artichoke plant and never fully develop.

First, cut off the top half of the artichoke. Then peel back all of the dark green leaves until you get to the pale yellow leaves. Try to leave the meaty bottom of the leaves attached to the artichoke. Next, use a vegetable peeler to peel the stem and all of the green areas off of the artichoke. Cut the chokes in half and place in a bowl of water with the juice of 1 lemon.

Once the prep is done, this dish is a cinch to make. Saute some chopped garlic and a few thyme sprigs briefly in some olive oil. Add the artichokes with a some of their lemon water and simmer until al dente. Then the artichokes are removed and the juices are concentrated and poured back over the artichokes. You end up with a richly flavored lemony broth.

I served these as a side to a roasted chicken and creamy polenta. But they were just as good, if not better, eaten straight from the bowl with my fingers while the bird was cooking.

Braised Baby Artichokes
adapted from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone

24 baby artichokes trimmed
Juice of 1 large lemon
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
6 thyme sprigs
2 strips lemon zest
2 garlic cloves slivered
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon chopped thyme or parsley
Salt and Pepper

Drop the finished artichokes into a bowl with the lemon juice and water to cover.

Warm half of the oil with the lemon zest in a medium sate pan with a tight fitting lid. Add the artichokes with 2 1/2 cups of the lemon water, 1/2 teaspoon last, garlic an d bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover and simmer until the artichokes are tend, 15-20 minutes. Scoop them into a bowl, then reduce the remaining liquid until about 1/2 cup remains. Pour it over the artichoke and drizzle the remaining oil over the top. Garnish with a little pepper and the chopped herb.

Serves 4

Elixir of Fresh Peas and Radish Butter Sandwiches

2009-04-11T18:01:00.000-07:00

Spring at the farmer's market is in full swing. The stalls were overflowing with strawberries, baby lettuce, asparagus, spring onions, green garlic, fava beans, radishes and english peas. The season for english peas is so short, so I couldn't pass them up. Aside from being delicious, they also provide great entertainment for a 3 year old who always insists on helping.

Don't get me wrong. I love that Ella is interested in food and cooking. It's just that most of the time her helping involves much more mess or adding ingredients to the wrong dishes. A while back I was multitasking, making a pasta sauce for dinner and some lemon curd for a dessert. The pasta sauce was cooking, and I had my measuring cup full of lemon juice for the curd. I turned around to grab a spoon out of a drawer and I heard Ella say "Look, I did it!" She had poured the whole measuring cup full of lemon juice into the pasta sauce! She was standing there proudly holding the empty measuring cup with a big smile on her face. Oh, the adventures of cooking with a toddler...

So in addition to the peas, I also bought some beautiful spring onions. They are rather elegant looking, dare I say sexy. And the radishes were beautiful shades of pastel, irresistible. I've recently fallen in love with radishes, smearing them with butter and sprinkling with sea salt. But the idea of a radish butter to smear on bread sounded like the perfect accompaniment for a simple pea soup.

Elixir of Fresh Peas

(adapted from Local Flavors by Deborah Madison)

I love the name of this soup. It conjures up the image of an alchemist stirring unknown ingredients in a cauldron to produce a prized liquid. And I would say that this soup could be considered just that. It is like Spring in a spoonful. It takes a bit of time to shell the peas, but once that is done, the soup comes together quickly. It tastes like the essence of fresh peas. The addition of a little truffle oil at the end adds an earthy complexity that compliments the sweetness of the peas beautifully.

1 bunch scallions or 2 small leeks, thinly sliced
5 large parsley stems with leaves
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 pounds english peas
1 teaspoon unsalted butter
1/2 cup thinly sliced spring onion or young leek
1/2 teaspoon sugar
truffle oil

To make the stock, bring 1 quart water to a boil. As it's heating, add the scallions, parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add about 3 cups of pea pods as you shell them. Once the water comes to a boil, lower the heat. Simmer for 20 minutes, then strain.

Melt the butter in a soup pot and add the sliced onion. Cook over medium heat for about a minute, then add 1/2 cup of the stock so that the onion stews without browning. After 4-5 minutes, add the peas, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the sugar. Pour in 2 1/2 cups of the stock, bring to a boil, and simmer for 3 minutes, or until the peas are soft and cooked through, larger peas may take a bit longer.

Transfer the soup to a blender. Drape a towel over the lid and give a few short pulses to make sure it won't splatter. Then puree at high speed for 1 minute. Pour into soup bowls and serve immediately, adding a few drops of the truffle oil to each bowl.

4-6 servings.

Radish Butter for Radish Sandwiches
(adapted from Local Flavors by Deborah Madison)

6 small to medium radishes
4 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
sea salt

Wash and trim the radishes and chop in half or quarters. If the leaves are tender and fresh, set a dozen or so aside, stems removed. Chop the leaves. There should be about 1/2 cup.

Add the butter, radishes, lemon zest and a pinch of sea salt to a mini food processor and process until the radishes are finely chopped and a sort of paste has formed. Stir in the radish leaves. Spread on slices of crusty baguette and serve.

makes 1/2 cup

Rhubarb And Strawberry Compote: Oh The Possibilities

2009-04-06T19:12:00.001-07:00

I was in my twenties before I ever tasted rhubarb. My family never made anything with it. In fact, I distinctly remember my mother saying that she didn't like it. It was stringy. It's funny how your parent's food prejudices transfer to you. And by funny, I mean how sad and what a waste of twenty some odd years without rhubarb.

I have spent the past 10 springs eagerly awaiting rhubarb's arrival at the market. I bought my first rhubarb of this season last week. We were making dinner with the family of one of Louis' students, and I wanted to make a pavlova with a rhubarb and strawberry compote. It was delicious. There is something so luxurious about pavlova. Meringues are partially baked until the outer shell is crisp, but the interior remains marshmallowy. Pavlova are often topped with whipped cream and berries or berry sauce. There is a good tutorial on making pavlova here. The tartness of the rhubarb complements the sweet meringue and cream beautifully.

There was plenty of compote leftover, so I also used it to make a rhubarb and strawberry shortcake. I made some cornmeal scones, sliced in half, slathered on some whipped cream and rhubarb and strawberry compote. Et voila, rhubarb and strawberry shortcake.

The compote is so easy and really versatile. I've used it for pavlova, shortcake and layered it with coconut rice pudding for a supper comforting parfait. The possibilities are utterly endless, as long as something creamy is involved. OK, now I'm reminded why the last 10 pounds of baby weight still hasn't come off! Although, can it really be considered baby weight after 3 years...

Rhubarb and Strawberry Compote
Half of the rhubarb and the strawberries are added near the end of cooking so that they remain whole and give the compote a bit of texture. The rhubarb should be soft but not falling apart.

1 1/2 pounds rhubarb, cut into 1 inch lengths
1 cup sugar
1 pint of strawberries quartered
1/2 vanilla bean

Put half of the rhubarb into a medium sized saucepan with the sugar. Slice the vanilla bean open and scrape the seeds into the pan with the rhubarb and sugar, and add the vanilla pod. Add a couple of tablespoons of water to the pan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cover the pan and cook the rhubarb for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching. The rhubarb should be completely soft and starting to break down. Add the rest of the rhubarb to the pan, cover and cook another 3-5 minutes. Add the strawberries and cook uncovered for 2 more minutes. Transfer the compote to a bowl and cool. Store covered in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.

makes about 2 1/2 cups (enough for a couple of different uses)

Coconut Rice Pudding

The coconut flavor in this pudding comes from coconut milk. Make sure that you are using the unsweetened stuff often used in Thai cooking. The pudding is delicious served hot or cold. I let mine sit in the refrigerator overnight and folded some whipped cream into it just before serving to give it an airy texture.

2 14 ounce cans light unsweetened coconut milk
1 14 ounce can regular unsweetened coconut milk
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup arborio rice
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 vanilla bean split lengthwise or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Combine all coconut milk, sugar ,rice and 3/4 teaspoon salt in heavy large saucepan. If using vanilla bean, scrape in seeds from bean and add bean to saucepan. Bring mixture to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Adjust heat so that mixture is barely simmering. Cover partially and cook until the pudding is thickened to the consistency of loose oatmeal, stirring and scraping the bottom and sides of the pan frequently, 30-45 minutes. Remove the vanilla bean, if using, or stir in vanilla extract.

Serve warm or cold.

makes 10 servings of about 3/4 cup .

Green Garlic Souffle

2009-03-22T15:26:00.000-07:00

Spring is here! I love the change of season. Well, it's not as if we really experience different seasons in the San Francisco Bay Area, but the change in the quality of the light really affects me. There is a new brightness to the quality of the light that has me very excited about green things. Not the dark green kale of winter, but the bright green of baby spring vegetables. It seems like each week there are new crops popping up at the farmer's market.

Green garlic has been around for some weeks now, and I'm sure to grab some each time I'm at the market. I try to O.D. on certain vegetables during their time so that I'm ready to move on when they are no longer available. Green garlic could easily be mistaken for leeks, but they often have a little blush of pink that gives them away. Green garlic is baby garlic that has not yet matured into individual cloves. You simply slice it as you would a leek. Actually green garlic reminds me of what a cross between garlic and leeks would be like. A delicate perfume of garlic with the sweetness of leeks.

Asparagus has finally arrived at the farmer's market as well, and I could not help grabbing a couple of bunches. If I had to pick a favorite vegetable, it just might be asparagus. It's like candy when it's grilled. A little charred and crispy on the outside with just enough snap left to keep it from being stringy. I could make a meal out of grilled asparagus, but today I wanted to treat it delicately by just bathing it in some cream brightened with a bit of meyer lemon juice.

Actually, the asparagus with meyer lemon cream was a bit of an afterthought. My original plan was centered entirely on a souffle scented with green garlic. But after tasting the souffle batter, sweet with a richness from Gruyere, I knew I needed to serve something with it to introduce a bit of brightness. A salad dressed in a lemony vinaigrette would have also worked, but I had 3 whole bunches of asparagus waiting to be used.

This souffle is actually quite easy and stress free as far as souffles go. It would be perfect to serve for a brunch or dinner party because it can be cooked ahead of time and reheated just before serving.

Green Garlic Souffle
(Adapted from The Chez Panisse Cafe Cookbook)

4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 cups milk, slightly warmed
Salt
2 branches thyme
1 medium onion
1/2 pound green garlic, sliced (about 1 cup)
1/2 cup grated Gruyere cheese
Pepper
3 eggs, separated

1 bunch asparagus
1 cup heavy cream
1-2 tablespoons lemon juice

Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter over medium-low heat in a heavy bottomed pan. Add the flour and cook for a few minutes, stirring to keep the flour from browning. Slowly pour in the milk, a little at a time, whisking each addition until smooth before adding more. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and the thyme branches. Cook over very low heat for 20 minutes or so, until this bechamel sauce is medium-thick and lump free. Stir frequently to be sure it is not sticking. Cool to room temperature. Remove and discard the thyme sprigs and set the bechamel aside.

Dice the onion and cook over medium heat in the remaining tablespoon of butter. When the onion becomes translucent, after about 5 minutes, add the sliced green garlic and 1 teaspoon salt and lower the heat. Add a little water to keep the vegetables from browning. Cook until the garlic is soft and the water nearly evaporated, about 10 minutes. Add more water during the cooking if necessary.

Cool the mixture and puree in a food processor or food mill. Stir the puree into the bechamel. Add the Gruyere and some freshly ground pepper, and mix well. Taste and adjust the seasoning, the sauce should be fairly highly seasoned. Add the egg yolks, lightly beaten, and mix well again.

Preheat the oven to 400F. Generously butter six 8 ounce ramekins. Beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks and fold them into the souffle base. Fill the ramekins and place them in a deep baking dish. Pour hot water halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake for 20-30 minutes, until the souffles are puffed and golden brown on the top. Carefully remove the ramekins from the water bath. When the souffles have cooled a bit, unmold them by running a paring knife around the edge of each ramekin, invert the souffle into the palm of your hand, and place it in a shallow baking dish, top side up. The souffles can now be held at room temperature for a few hours.

While the souffles are cooking prepare the asparagus. Slice the asparagus on the bias. Place in a saute pan with 2/3 cup heavy cream and 1/4 teaspoon salt and simmer until the asparagus is cooked, about 5 minutes. Add some lemon juice t0 taste, about 1 tablespoon at a time. Correct for salt. Adding something acidic (vinegar, lemon juice) usually throws off the balance of salt, so it is important to taste and add a bit more salt or lemon juice to suit your taste.

When ready to serve, preheat the oven to 425F. Pour 1/3 cup of the cream over and around the souffles. Bake until the cream is hot and bubbling and the souffles are puffed up again, 6-8 minutes. Serve with the hot cream and spoon the asparagus around the souffle.

St. Patrick's Day: A Celebration of Guinness

2009-03-17T07:49:00.000-07:00

I'm really not much for holidays, especially those that involve gift giving. Don't get me wrong. I love giving gifts. I just don't like when I feel forced to. Maybe it's the stubborn side of my personality. I'm sure Louis could expand on the commentary here, but we'll just leave it at that.

I do however LOVE the ritual holiday celebration around food. Thanksgiving is in fact, my favorite holiday. It is purely about creating a meal to share with family and friends. And that just about sums up the most important things in life for me.

So when St. Patrick's Day comes around, it's just another excuse to make something that I would not normally make. Boiled beef and cabbage doesn't sound particularly appetizing. But when you have a beautiful pasture raised corned beef brisket and let it simmer for hours until the meat pulls apart, it can be the start of a lovely meal.

And when you end the meal with a Guinness chocolate cake and Guinness ice cream, it is even better. This chocolate cake is very moist, almost fudgy. But the star of the evening was the Guinness ice cream. It is somewhat redolent of coffee. Keri said it reminded her of black walnut which I also noticed once she said it. It's hard to pin down the exact flavor profile, but it is delicious and the flavor deepened when tasted with the chocolate cake. Even if you don't celebrate St. Patrick's Day, this ice cream is reason enough to look forward to it each year. Guinness Ice Cream

(adapted from Sunday Suppers at Lucques)

1/2 vanilla bean
1 cup whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
2/3 cup Guinness stout
2 1/2 tablespoons molasses
3 extra large egg yolks
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Split the vanilla bean in half lengthwise. Use a paring knife to scrape the seeds and pulp into a medium saucepan. Add the vanilla pod, milk, and cream, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Turn off the heat, cover, and allow the flavors to infuse for 30 minutes.

While the cream is infusing, whisk the beer and molasses together in a small saucepan, bring to a boil, and then turn off the heat.

Whisk the egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla extract together in a bowl. Whisk a few tablespoons of the warm cream mixture into the yolks to temper them. Slowly, add another 1/4 cup or so of the warm cream, whisking continuously. At this point you can add the rest of the cream mixture in a slow, steady steam, whisking continuously. Pour the mixture back into the pot, and return to the stove.

Stir the beer mixture into the cream and cook the custard over medium heat, 6-8 minutes, stirring frequently with a rubber spatula and scraping the bottom and sides of the pan. The custard will thicken and when it's done, will coat the back of the spatula. Strain the mixture, and chill at least 2 hours in the refrigerator. When the custard is very cold, process it in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Guinness Chocolate Cake
(adapted from Feast by Nigella Lawson)
I found this recipe on various blogs and websites. There were some discrepancies between the recipes concerning the amounts of some ingredients. This is what I ended up doing. A kitchen scale is necessary here.

1 cup Guinness
10 tablespoons butter
75 grams cocoa
400 grams superfine sugar
3/4 cup sour cream
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

Preheat oven to 350F and grease and line a 9 inch springform pan.

Pour the Guinness into a large saucepan and add the sliced butter. Heat until the butter is melted and remove from the heat. Whisk in the cocoa and sugar. In a separate bowl, whisk the sour cream with the eggs and vanilla until smooth. Add the sour cream mixture to the Guinness mixture in the saucepan and whisk to incorporate. Add the flour and baking soda to the mixture in the saucepan and whisk until smooth.

Pour the batter into the greased pan and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Mine took the full 1 hour. You can check to see if the cake is done by inserting a toothpick into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, the cake is done.

Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.

Cookies for Molly: Ricciarelli

2009-03-13T07:17:00.000-07:00

Wow, it's been over a month since my last post. It is really easy to get out of the habit of posting. I was sick for 2 weeks, but I think I was just really uninspired to write. I've always said that I hate writing, and it's true most of the time. I never thought that I would want to have a blog because of this. Unlike some of the most stunning blogs out there, I don't want to be a photographer or a writer. In the end, I just want to share with you some of my creations and experiences with food. I thought that some new and unexpected connections could be made through having this blog. Through the belief that shared experiences through food can bring us closer and touch us in ways that little else can.

The blog that has made the biggest impact on me is Orangette written by Molly. She has such an effortless way of writing. Molly has the gift of really making you feel like you are part of her world. She makes you feel like you could just crawl through your computer screen to sit at her table. I think her prose centered around food will be remembered in history with the likes of M.F.K. Fisher and Laurie Colwin. And she has just come out with her first book! It is truly a beautiful thing to behold and so is Molly.

I went to her book signing in San Francisco last week. I had never been to a book signing before, but I was not shocked to see the place packed with people winding through the rows of shelves. I think the store owner was caught a little off guard. It is just a testament to Molly's writing and the way that she touches people. I desperately wanted to be able to sit and chat with her, but I knew she was going to be swarmed. So I made her a little care package of treats. Three types of cookies and some tea cakes. Perhaps overkill, but I wanted to cover my bases.

I would be hard pressed to describe my perfect cookie. I don't know if I could decide between a tender dark chocolate shortbread, nubbly with cocoa nibs and a lingering hint of sea salt or a dense, chewy almond macaroon. Thankfully, Molly doesn't have to choose because I made both for her.

The almond macaroons, also called ricciarelli, are incredibly easy to make. The hardest part may be finding almond paste. I buy mine in bulk from Berkeley Bowl. It comes in pliable blocks, but I've also seen it packaged in cans or tubes although I can't attest as to how those would work in this recipe. I'm sure it would be fine, so if that is all you can find, go ahead and use them. And let me know how they turn out.

Ricciarelli (Italian Almond Cookies)
(The measurements for this recipe are given in weight. If you bake on a regular basis, a kitchen scale is a worthwhile investment, especially if you use chocolate. It's also much easier to dump ingredients into a bowl to weigh out rather than carefully chopping or measuring by cups.)

In the bowl of a food processor, finely grind the following:
1 pound almond paste
1/2 pound slivered or sliced almonds
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
3 3/4 teaspoons baking powder

Transfer this mixture to a mixing bowl.

Add the following and mix well.
2 egg whites from extra large eggs, slightly beaten (about 70grams)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Preheat the oven to 350F. Measure out tablespoons of the dough and roll into balls. Roll the balls in powdered sugar and place on a silpat or parchment lined baking sheet. Press lightly to flatten the balls. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until cookies start to turn lightly golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet. Store in an airtight container.

yield: 3-4 dozen

These cookies are pretty moist and I think would keep easily for a week. I haven't been able to find out because they're usually gone within 3 days in my house. I gave some to Keri and she says that they are also great straight from the freezer.

Bruscetta With Ricotta and Escarole

2009-02-10T12:50:00.000-08:00

This is the kind of thing I could happily eat every day. During the cooler months I constantly crave braised greens. I often braise them with beans or chickpeas and serve with a poached egg for dinner. They are great smeared on a pizza or just on top of some grilled bread for a quite tasty and satisfying lunch. I was fortunate to have some homemade ricotta on hand, but fresh mozzarella would be just as fine. I will often forgo the cheese and top with a poached egg.

This dish has quite a lot going on for being so simple. The braised escarole is slightly bitter (like most chicories), there is brininess from the olives and capers, a tingle on the back of the tongue from the vinegar, spice from the chili flakes, and it sits on a fluffy base of sweet, creamy ricotta. It really doesn't get much better.

Braised Escarole

2 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves (minced) + 1 for rubbing bread
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 head escarole chopped
2 tablespoons olives coarsely chopped (I prefer nicoise)
1 tablespoon capers
up to 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Salt to taste
1/2 cup ricotta
4 slices of good bread (Italian or Sourdough)

Heat a saute pan over medium flame. Add the olive oil, garlic and chili flakes. Cook for about a minute until the garlic just starts to color. Add the olives and capers and cook for a few seconds. Add the escarole and turn the heat up to high. The escarole will give off quite a bit of water as it wilts. Let it braise, stirring occasionally, until most of the water has evaporated. This should take about 10 minutes. Taste and correct for salt. The olives and capers add a bit of salt so I usually wait until the moisture has reduced before I add extra salt. Add some red wine vinegar to taste. I probably added a tablespoon. Just add a teaspoon at a time and taste after each addition. You may need to adjust for salt again because adding vinegar counters the taste of salt. Set aside.

Lightly coat the bread slices with some olive oil. Place in the toaster or grill. Rub the grilled bread with a clove of garlic. This adds some bite, as in spicy garlicky heat, to the bread and makes it irresistible. Top the bread with a smear of ricotta. Sprinkle the ricotta with some fleur de sel (kosher salt would also be fine). Top with the escarole mixture.

makes about 4 slices of bruscetta.

Ribollita: A Lovely Use For Stale Bread

2009-02-08T13:33:00.000-08:00

It finally feels like winter again! The weather has been so strange. It has felt like Spring or Summer for weeks, but a few days ago it started raining again. I love lazy Sundays when it is cold and rainy outside. It's a perfect excuse to stay in pajamas all day and make soup or other things that need hours on the stove. It is so comforting when the aroma of something simmering on the stove permeates the house.

Speaking of comforting, I think that bread could arguably be considered one of the greatest comfort foods of all time. And ever since I read Molly's "Sog Story", I have been enamored of soggy bread. I love panades, but something equally as comforting and less labor intensive is Tuscan Bread and Bean Soup, aka Ribollita. I actually find myself buying extra bread just to keep stale bread on hand. The cubes of bread take on a silken texture when soaked with broth. They become like dumplings in the soup. Completely satisfying. Those Tuscans and their peasant food, a lazy Sunday would not be the same without them.

Ribollita-Today's Version
This is just stuff that I had on hand today. Any number of other vegetables and leafy greens can also be used. This is also a great use for Parmesan rinds. I keep leftover Parmesan rinds in a bag in the refrigerator to flavor soups and stocks for making risotto.

1 pound of dried cannellini beans
1 large onion chopped
3 large carrots chopped
3 celery stalks chopped
6 garlic cloves diced
6 sprigs thyme
2 bay leaves, preferably fresh (the perfume that fresh bay leaves impart is rather intoxicating)
about 1 quart of broth (I like this one)
Parmesan rind (optional)
14 ounce can of san marzano tomatoes crushed
about 8 cups of chopped kale (cavolo nero or dinosaur kale is traditional and my favorite)
about 1 pound of stale Italian or sourdough bread, crust removed and cut into 1 inch cubes
Salt and pepper to taste

Place the dried beans in a large pot and cover with about 3 inches of water. Leave to soak overnight or bring to a boil, cover, turn the heat off and leave to soak for 1 hour.

In a saute pan over medium heat, add about 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, thyme, and bay leaves. Saute for about 10 minutes, until the vegetables give off their water and the onions become translucent.

Bring the beans to a boil and add the sauteed vegetables and quart of broth. Add the canned tomatoes by crushing them through your fingers into the pot. Add the Parmesan rinds if using. Simmer partially covered for 1-1 1/2 hours, until the beans are soft.

Remove the Parmesan rinds, bay leaves and thyme branches. Using a hand held immersion blender, blend for about 5 seconds to partially puree the beans and vegetables. This makes the broth creamy while leaving most of the vegetables and beans intact. It is not necessary to blend the soup but it does give the broth some nice body. Add some salt to taste. Don't add salt until the beans are soft. Adding salt too soon can toughen the skin of the beans and prevent them from softening completely.

Add the kale, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes. Taste and correct for salt. Add the bread, cover and simmer another 10 minutes.

Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and more Parmesan

Anson Mills Buckwheat Flour: A Cake

2009-02-07T14:14:00.000-08:00

Nearly 2 and a half years ago I had my first introduction to the world of food blogs. I was volunteering for CUESA's Sunday Supper. CUESA is the organization that runs the Farmer's Market at the Ferry Building in San Francisco, and the Sunday Supper is their annual fundraiser. It is quite the event if you are into food and the restaurant scene in the Bay Area. I would say that there is somewhere in the area of 30-50 local chefs that are involved. I was a bit star struck that night because to me, these people are celebrities.

I was fortunate enough to be in the room where first courses and desserts were being plated up. It also meant that I was able to taste most of them. One of the desserts that has remained in my mind was a Buckwheat Gateau with Brown Butter Creme Anglaise and Poached Fall Fruit prepared by Shuna Fish Lydon. It was simple, seasonal, and outstanding. It had a dense and chewy texture that I found completely addictive. I even stole a piece to bring home for later. I don't think she minded (I hope not, wink).

Keri had met Shuna before and told me about her blog. So I checked it out and quickly realized that a whole world of food blogs existed. I suddenly had quite a bit of surfing to do on the web. I mean really, I had a lot of catching up to do.

After browsing Shuna's Blog, I realized that she had posted a recipe for her Buckwheat Gateau Breton. Of course I had to recreate it! Ahem, unfortunately mine did not come out like the one I had had at the Sunday Supper. It did have the same dense and chewy texture, but it was much thinner, like less than half the height. Maybe I did not beat the butter mixture long enough to incorporate enough air bubbles? I assume that is an important step since there is no other leavening agent like baking soda or powder added. Shuna's post also talks about the use of Anson Mills Buckwheat Flour which I did not use. I used the organic bulk buckwheat flour from Berkeley Bowl which I thought would be good but maybe there really was something intrinsically special about the Anson Mills Buckwheat Flour?

Finally, 2 years later I decided to give it another go. I even mail ordered some Buckwheat Flour (among others) from Anson Mills. I can't say that my attention to the details of the recipe made much of a difference. The recipe states that the batter should be split between 2 pans, but I added it all to one pan. It still resulted in a cake that was just 1 1/2 inches high. The cake that I remember was definitely over 2 inches high.

Despite the height, I think the cake is delicious. Louis said that he thinks the cake needs to be served with "something". I guess if I were to serve it to guests, I would adorn it with some fruit and perhaps that Brown Butter Creme Anglaise. But it did go really well with my coffee this morning. It is only slightly sweet and a bit earthy. This cake is quite moist and would keep well for about a week (as stated in the original recipe). I can imagine that it will serve me well throughout the week as a lovely afternoon treat when I get home from work.

Buckwheat Gateau Breton
(Adapted from Shuna Fish Lydon)

12 ounces unsalted butter at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
6 egg yolks at room temperature
1 1/2 tablespoons orange flower water
3/4 teaspoon sea salt (I used Maldon)
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup buckwheat flour
1 egg white, room temperature

Preheat oven to 325F.

Butter and flour a 9 inch cake pan (or 2 flouted tart pans, perhaps a better presentation). Beat butter until smooth and light in color in a mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed. Add sugar and beat until fluffy. Scrape down bowl. Add egg yolks one at a time and incorporate fully after each addition. Add orange flower water and sea salt, scrape down bowl and beat for at least 2 more minutes.

Sift both flours and turn mixer down to lowest setting. Add flours gently in thirds just until batter is uniform. Divide batter equally between 2 tart pans or one cake pan. Press batter into pans with a small offset spatula. The batter is quite thick.

Whisk the egg white vigorously until very frothy. spoon on top and spread evenly. Sprinkle a bit of turbinado/raw sugar on top. This creates a lovely crackly top and provides a bit of contrasting texture to the cake.

A Get Well Package: Chocolate Chip Cookies

2009-02-05T21:26:00.000-08:00

A family member living hundreds of miles away was recently in a very bad car accident. She is lucky to be alive. Unfortunately there is not much I can do for her except send my love and support, and some chocolate chip cookies. Really, what's more soothing and comforting than a chocolate chip cookie? Well I suppose there is chicken noodle soup, roast chicken with mashed potatoes, soft cheesy polenta with greens and a poached egg, or a chard, onion and gruyere panade (my personal favorite, what's yours??), but none of those travel well.

I came across a recipe last summer for the ultimate chocolate chip cookie. It boasted that one of the secrets to a great chocolate chip cookie is letting the dough rest. Not rest for an hour, like pastry dough or other cookie doughs. Rest for 36 hours! That's nearly 2 days from the time that you make the dough! Usually when you make chocolate chip cookie dough, it's because you want a warm and gooey cookie within the next hour. Was it really worth it to plan that far ahead?

I must say I was a bit skeptical, so being scientific by nature (and profession), I set up a simple experiment. I put the dough together on day 1. I baked a batch of cookies on day 1. I baked a second batch on day 2, and a 3rd batch on day 3. And guess what? The cookies that were baked on day 3 were definitely the best. They got more caramelized and crisp outside while remaining soft and chewy inside. I think it is the combination of crisp and chewy that makes these highly addictive. And the fact that I sprinkled maldon salt on the dough before it went into the oven.

I have found that anything with caramel or chocolate benefits from a bit of salt. Most things need salt to heighten their flavor, but with caramel and chocolate, I like to taste the salt. Please don't use table salt for this. It's too harsh. There are particular salts that are meant to be used as condiments, not for all purpose seasoning.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

The ingredients are given in weights and measures. If you have a scale, it is much easier to weigh out the ingredients than to measure which I find sort of tedious, especially when packing brown sugar or the 2 cups minus 2 tablespoons nonsense below.

2 cups minus 2 tablespoons (8 1/2 ounces) cake flour

1 2/3 cups (8 1/2 ounces) bread flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt

2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 cups) unsalted butter

1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) light brown sugar

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (8 ounces) granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 1/4 pounds bittersweet chocolate chips, at least 60% cacao (I just used 1 10 ounce package)

Sea salt

Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Set aside.

Using a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars together until very light, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the vanilla. Reduce the speed to low, add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Add the chocolate chips and mix briefly to incorporate. Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24-36 hours. Dough may be used in batches and stored in the refrigerator up to 72 hours.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. Set aside.

Use an ice cream scooper to scoop mounds of dough (the size of generous golf balls) onto the baking sheet. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and bake until golden brown but still soft, 15-20 minutes depending on you oven and the size of your cookies. Transfer sheet to a wire rack for 10 minutes, then slip cookies onto another rack to cool a bit more. Repeat with remaining dough, or reserve dough, refrigerated, for baking remaining batches the next day.

Yield:18-24 cookies (depending on size)

A Gift Exchange: Lavender Honey Caramels

2009-01-29T19:20:00.000-08:00

Keri turned 30! We celebrated by spending the weekend in a beautiful house with a lovely view in Tahoe. We also decided to do a White Elephant gift exchange . I suppose I could have wrapped up some of the old candles that I have in a box under the bed, but I really couldn't pass up an opportunity to make some homemade candy.

There are so many recipes that I want to try out of Alice Medrich's Pure Dessert. It is such a beautiful book. It celebrates and highlights the purity of ingredients. It's chapters focus on the flavors of Milk, Grains, Nuts and Seeds, Fruit, Chocolate, Honey and Sugar, Spices, Flowers and Herbs, Wine, Beer and Spirits. As the title suggests, the recipes are all a result of Medrich reexamining old standbys and reinventing them into something simple, pure and unmistakably original. When I first picked up this book to just have a browse, I could not put it down. I have so many cookbooks that I am generally hesitant to purchase more, but Pure Dessert had to come home with me. I will probably post about many of the recipes in the book, like the Heavenly Honey Ice Cream or the Sesame Brittle Ice Cream (ice cream is my absolute favorite dessert). But today is all about the Honey Caramels.

I originally wanted to make the Fleur De Sel Caramels, but that recipe calls for Golden Syrup, and I didn't have any. But I did have an old jar of Marshall's Farm Lavender Honey. This jar has to be at least 2 years old. I have a habit of buying special ingredients and saving them for ridiculous amounts of time. I really need to get over that, but I was happy to have such a lovely use for that honey.

These caramels were pretty fantastic. I made them on the softer side, and the addition of walnuts added some great texture. I don't think they would be the same without them.

Lavender Honey Caramels
Adapted from Pure Dessert

3/4 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup honey
2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 cups heavy cream
3 tablespoon unsalted butter cut into chunks, softened
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups walnuts lightly toasted and coarsely chopped (optional)

Line the bottom and sides of a 9x9 inch baking pan with aluminum foil and grease the foil well, especially the corners. If using the walnuts, spread them in the prepared pan. Set aside.

Combine the corn syrup, honey, sugar and salt in a heavy 3 quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the mixture simmers around the edges. Wash the sugar and syrup from the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush. Cover and cook for 3 minutes. Uncover the pan and wash down the sides once more. Attach a candy thermometer to the saucepan, without letting it touch the bottom of the pan, and cook, uncovered, without stirring until the mixture reaches 305F.

Meanwhile, heat the cream in a small saucepan until tiny bubbles form around the edges of the pan. Turn off the heat and cover the pan to keep the cream hot.

When the sugar mixture is at 305F, turn off the heat and stir in the butter chunks. Gradually stir in the hot cream; it will bubble up and steam dramatically. Turn the burner back on and adjust it so that the mixture boils energetically but not violently. Stir until smooth. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, to about 245F. Then cook, stirring constantly, to 248F for soft chewy caramels or 250F for firmer chewy caramels.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Pour the caramel into the lined pan. Let set for 4 to 5 hours, or overnight, until firm.

Lift the pan liner from the pan and invert the sheet of caramel onto a sheet of parchment paper. Peel off the liner and turn the caramel right side up. Cut the caramels with an oiled knife into 1 inch spares, skinny bars or any desired shape. Wrap each caramel individually in wax paper, cellophane or parchment paper.

makes about 65 1 inch caramels.

Kale Chips: You Can't Eat Just One

2009-01-28T15:49:00.000-08:00

I love kale. Actually, I love all leafy greens, so I don't need to dress them up into something else in order to enjoy them. Even Ella, the discriminating almost 3 year old, loves greens. She'll eat spinach over mashed potatoes any day which I think is odd, but whatever, I guess I should just be glad that she eats her greens.

So when I saw a new way to use kale, I decided to try it. It really couldn't be easier. You just toss some kale with a bit of olive oil and salt, and maybe a bit of cheese and roast in a low oven for 30-45 minutes. Voila, kale chips. And they are just about as addictive as potato chips.

I tried one batch with cavolo nero, aka dinosaur kale which is my absolute favorite. It was good, but somehow reminded me of nori, not necessarily a bad thing. And they display beautifully in a glass. I think these would be great to serve with cocktails or to put out for guests to nibble on while you finish preparing dinner. They're also really great after work while you're thinking about what to cook for dinner.

I tried another batch with some beautiful curly red kale. I actually think that I prefer these. The curly leaves provide for some interesting texture and crevices for cheese to stick in.

Kale Chips
(adapted from Dan Barber at Epicurious. com)

One bunch of kale
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan (optional)

Preheat oven to 300F

Remove the large ribs from the kale. In a large bowl, toss the kale with the olive oil and salt. Spread the kale out on a baking sheet in one layer. You may need to use 2 sheets. Roast in the oven for about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the cheese on if using. Continue to roast until crisp, another 20-30 minutes.

Potato and Ricotta Gnocchi

2009-01-25T09:12:00.000-08:00

After spontaneously deciding to make fresh ricotta cheese, I needed to find something substantial to do with it. I thought about making ricotta gnocchi, but I really enjoy the process of working with potato gnocchi dough, and I thought that Ella would too. I think that a lot of people are intimidated by the prospect of making potato gnocchi. They have the reputation of turning into dense and chewy rubber balls instead of the light little pillows of goodness they should be. One of the tricks to making light gnocchi is keeping the dough dry enough so that only the minimum amount of flour is necessary. This is achieved by baking the potatoes, not boiling. Another trick is to use a potato ricer to mash the potatoes. This keeps gluten from forming in the potatoes and incidentally is the trick to making the best mashed potatoes as well.

So I decided to make a combination of potato and ricotta for the gnocchi which I served with a simple tomato sauce and some sauteed swiss chard. The tomato sauce is one that I was reminded of here. It comes from "The Essentials of Classic I talian Cooking" by Marcella Hazan. This was the first cookbook that I bought for myself after graduating from college in 1995. My parents took me and some of my friends to Chez Panisse for dinner after graduation, and my boyfriend bought me Chez Panisse Cooking.

I quickly realized that my kitchen skills were not quite good enough to follow the recipes in Chez Panisse Cooking. I have found that many of the recipes coming from Chez Panisse cookbooks assume that you already know how to execute most techniques and are proficient in the kitchen. I was not. For instance, I did not understand braising. The first osso bucco I made was horribly tough. I knew that it was cooked, but I did not understand that it needed to cook for hours in order for the toughness to melt away and transform the meat into something that you could eat with a spoon. I also needed to learn time management in the kitchen. I needed to understand the order in which things should be prepped and the timing of different dishes so that everything was done at the same time.

Someone recommended that I look to The Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking. I did, and I credit this book for giving me a solid foundation and confidence in the kitchen. It taught me so much about technique, ingredients and kitchen tools. But I had moved on and forgotten about this beloved book. Until Molly reminded me.

And now the simple tomato sauce with butter and onion is one that I turn to often. It's one of the simplest dinners for me to make while also keeping a 2 year old entertained. It takes almost no effort at all, and the aroma of butter and onion simmering away is intoxicating.

Tomato Sauce With Butter and Onion
(Adapted from Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking)

1 28 ounce can of San Marzano Tomatoes (These make a big difference so try to search them out)
5 tablespoons Butter
1 onion, peeled and cut in half
Salt to taste
Freshly grated Parmesan Cheese

Put the tomatoes, butter, onion and salt in a pan large enough to hold the pasta or gnocchi. I usually buy whole tomatoes that I carefully squish between my fingers while adding to the pan. Cook uncovered at a very low simmer for about 45 minutes. Stir from time to time. Taste and correct for salt. Discard the onion before tossing with the pasta or gnocchi.

Potato and Ricotta Gnocchi

2 pounds large russet potatoes
1 egg
1 to 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2/3 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup ricotta cheese (drained)
pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
about 1 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 400F and roast the potatoes until soft, about 1 hour. Peel the potatoes while still hot and pass through a ricer into a bowl. Add the egg, 1 cup of flour, Parmesan, ricotta cheese, nutmeg and salt and mix well. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 1 minute. Add just enough flour to keep it from being sticky. This part takes a bit of practice because it is all about feel. I used to be afraid to knead the dough too much, but then I would end up with the gnocchi falling apart in the water. So I think there is a bit of a fine line between not kneading enough and over kneading.

Cut the dough into 4 pieces and roll each piece into a 3/4 inch thick rope. Cut each rope into 1 inch long pieces. Roll the pieces off the back of a fork to create a dent in one side and ridges on the other. Drop the pieces onto a lightly floured baking sheet. These can be covered and stored in the refrigerator up to a day. They can also be placed into the freezer and once frozen, stored in Ziploc bags. If they are frozen they do not need to be thawed before boiling, just place straight into the boiling water.Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt liberally. Add the gnocchi and cook for about 2 minutes, or until they are all floating on the surface. You may need to do this in batches. I usually only add an amount that would cover the bottom of the pot. Use a strainer to transfer the gnocchi to the sauce and toss gently to coat. Transfer to a bowl and grate Parmesan over the top.

Homemade Ricotta and Ice Cream

2009-01-23T17:05:00.000-08:00

I have a lot of work to do. I have had subscriptions to three different food magazines for several years now. I must have hundred's of back issues with recipes that I intend to get to at some point. My project over the next year (or two, wink), one of them anyway, is to scan the recipes that I want to keep so that I can organize files on the computer for easy access. I've also decided that I need to be more diligent about actually making the recipes that I bookmark. So when I saw the recipe for fresh ricotta in the January 2009 issue of Bon Appetit, I decided to make it immediately. I had all 3 of the ingredients on hand already. In fact, they are staples in my house and probably yours.

I have learned that this recipe does not result in a true ricotta but is actually considered a fresh cheese. Ricotta is Italian for " re-cooked" and is usually made from the whey that is discarded when making other cheeses. Whatever it is, it's delicious. It's creamy and smooth, and I don't think anyone could tell the difference between this and proper ricotta, and I'm not referring to that grainy stuff they sell in tubs at the supermarket. This recipe actually reminded me of another one that I read about recently here. The only difference between the two is the one in BA uses lemon juice to curd the milk and the other one uses buttermilk. Actually, I think I prefer the one with buttermilk. It had less of a tang which allowed for the pure sweet quality of the milk to come through. The one with lemon juice will do in a pinch, but if you have buttermilk, I'd use that.

Fresh Ricotta
adapted from Bon Appetit

2 quarts of whole milk
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice or 2 cups buttermilk

Line a strainer with 4 layers of cheesecloth and place over a large bowl. Bring the milk (and buttermilk if using) and salt to a simmer over medium heat. You will need to stir often and scrape the bottom of the pot to prevent scorching. Stir in the lemon juice. Let simmer until curds form, 1-2 minutes. Scoop the curds into the lined strainer with a slotted spoon. Let the cheese drain about 15 minutes. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate. The consistency improves once it is cooled. I'd say that the cheese should keep well refrigerated for about 5 days.

I made a double batch because I was going to make some ricotta gnocchi. Instead I made a combination of potato and ricotta (I'll post about that soon), so I ended up with quite a bit of ricotta left over, more than I would use up through casual eating through the week. What better way to preserve a food than to freeze it? And I would highly recommend freezing your left over ricotta in the form of ricotta ice cream with candied kumquats and chocolate flakes. In fact, this ice cream is a perfect excuse to make homemade ricotta, period. Ricotta, Candied Kumquat and Chocolate Ice cream

2 1/2 cups fresh ricotta
1 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
pinch of kosher salt
1 cup cream
1-2 tablespoons Marsala
3 tablespoons chopped candied kumquats
2 ounces of bittersweet chocolate

Place the ricotta, sugar, vanilla and salt in a food processor and blend until smooth. Add the Marsala and cream and blend. Taste for salt. Refrigerate until cold. Freeze according to your ice cream maker's instructions.

Chop the chocolate and melt in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Let the chocolate cool a bit. When the ice cream is firm add the kumquats and drizzle in the melted chocolate. This results in thin chocolate flakes which are so much more pleasant than chunks of chocolate.

If you need a recipe for the candied kumquats, you could try these. You could also use candied orange peel like these. I also think some chopped candied meyer lemon would be great here. Yet another reason to pillage my neighbors tree.

This ice cream was so satisfying. It was extraordinarily smooth with chewy bits of candied kumquat and flaky bits of chocolate. Louis found it down right addictive. Needless to say, it didn't last long in the freezer.

A Celebration With Friends and Grapefruit Granita

2009-01-21T16:44:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was Inauguration Day and was the first time I actually cared enough to watch the event. It was heartening to watch as the first person of color was voted into the highest office in our land. It is really a testament to how far we have come as a nation and where we want to go. I am extremely proud to be an American today.

What better way to mark the occasion than to spend the evening with people we care about, eating pizza and drinking beer? Louis has just about perfected his pizza making skills. A couple of years ago he became quite obsessed with pizza dough, making several variations and using different types of dough. He used recipes and techniques from P eter Reinhart's "American Pie". We have two favorite types. The Napoletana is made with all purpose flour and results in a thin, crisp crust. It almost feels like eating pastry. This style of pizza is perfect for a plain margarita. It is too thin to hold much in the way of toppings. This is probably the only instance that I would ever advise using regular mozzarella instead of fresh. The fresh mozzarella is too wet and makes for a soggy crust.

The other style of dough is called Neo-Napoletana, and is made with bread flour. It has more structure and despite being thin, it can take more toppings. We made several different pizzas. One was roasted peppers with calamari and aioli.

And another was broccoli rabe sauteed with garlic, olives and chili flakes with homemade ricotta.

As the title suggests, we ended the meal with a grapefruit granita served with chocolate shortbread with cocoa nibs and sea salt. It was lovely. Keri proclaimed it to be the best dessert that I've ever made! Vic couldn't quite agree. But I think we all agreed that it was a perfect way to end a meal of pizza and beer. It was refreshingly icy, slightly sweet, slightly bitter and it was all smoothed out by the cream. It will absolutely find it's way onto another menu.

Grapefruit Granita
4 cups freshly squeezed pink grapefruit juice with pulp
about 1 cup of simple syrup (more or less to taste)(see recipe below)
a pinch of kosher salt

Mix everything together and pour into a wide shallow baking dish (I used a 9x5 inch Pyrex dish). Place the dish in the freezer and check it every 30-60 minutes. Remove it from the freezer and use a fork to scrape the frozen edges. After 2-3 hours you should end up with a mixture that is quite fluffy. Keep the mixture in the dish and re-fluff with a fork before serving. Serve with some slightly sweetened softly whipped cream.

Simple Syrup

1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar

Place water and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil stirring until the sugar dissolves. Boil for about 1 minute. Remove from heat. This can be stored for a long time in the refrigerator.

The Easiest Homemade Bread Ever

2009-01-17T14:55:00.000-08:00

I have been reading about Jim Lahey's No Knead Bread for a couple of years now. I bookmarked the NY Times article about it and had been wanting to make it, at some point. I am a bit of a procrastinator and never quite got around to it. Actually, the real reason I never got to it is that it calls for instant yeast which I could never find at the grocery store. One day I was at Market Hall and happened to see some packets of instant yeast, so I snatched them up to have on hand for the one day that I would be inclined to try the recipe. Although, I have come to learn that Rapid Rise yeast is essentially the same as instant yeast, so maybe I am just a procrastinator, moving on.

So after all of the lovely eating that we were doing in the days leading up to Christmas, we were running low on some kitchen essentials, like bread. Louis went to the store the day after Christmas to replenish our stocks, but it seems that the bakeries decided to take a holiday as well. There was not one loaf of bread on the shelves! I suppose in a way this was quite fortuitous because we took this as the perfect opportunity to make the famed No Knead Bread. It may be easy, but it does take some time. You quickly mix all of the ingredients in a bowl and then let it rise in a warm spot for 12-18 hours. You end up with something that is definitely alive.

The bread is baked in a pot that has been preheated in a 450-500F oven. Baking the bread with a lid on the pot for the first 30 minutes has the same effect as injecting steam into the oven and results in a very crispy crust.
I have to say, this was by far the best homemade bread I've had. The interior is incredibly moist and chewy, and the crust is crispy, not hard like that on most other homemade breads I've had. And it was even better with some artisan salted butter that I got to go in my cute little butter pot.

This bread made for some pretty fantastic french toast as well...
Jim Lahey's No Knead Bread:

3 cups all-purpose or bread flour, more for dusting (we prefer bread flour)
¼ teaspoon instant yeast
1¼ teaspoons salt
Cornmeal or wheat bran as needed.

1. In a large bowl combine flour, yeast and salt. Add 1 5/8 cups water, and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest at least 12 hours, preferably about 18, at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees.

2. Dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it; sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest about 15 minutes.

3. Using just enough flour to keep dough from sticking to work surface or to your fingers, gently and quickly shape dough into a ball. Generously coat a cotton towel (not terry cloth) with flour, wheat bran or cornmeal; put dough seam side down on towel and dust with more flour, bran or cornmeal. Cover with another cotton towel and let rise for about 2 hours. When it is ready, dough will be more than double in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.

4. At least a half-hour before dough is ready, heat oven to 450 degrees (I think 500F is better). Put a 6- to 8-quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in oven as it heats. When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven. Slide your hand under towel and turn dough over into pot, seam side up; it may look like a mess, but that is O.K. Shake pan once or twice if dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes. Cover with lid and bake 30 minutes, then remove lid and bake another 15 to 30 minutes, until loaf is beautifully browned. Cool on a rack.

Yield: One 1½-pound loaf.

Christmas Day Brunch: Smoked Salmon Tartine with Blender Hollandaise Sauce

2009-01-15T20:36:00.000-08:00

Christmas morning was lovely. Ella is nearly 3 and was, for the first time, very excited about opening presents. It was so much fun watching her excitement. It reminded me of how I used to feel about Christmas, and I am happy that Christmas is enjoyable for me once again. This was also the first year in about 7 or 8 years that Louis and I put up a Christmas tree. I thought it would be fun for Ella and I to decorate sugar cookies to hang on the tree.

And well, it was fun and became Ella's own personal buffet. I guess that's one way not to have to put the decorations away when the tree comes down.

The morning was a flurry of opening presents and then of course playing with them. Before I knew it, I was becoming quite hungry. Louis took charge of putting a little brunch together, with a little suggestion from me. We had some smoked salmon in the fridge that was begging to be bathed in a silky, creamy, tangy sauce known as hollandaise. Louis grilled some Acme bread, sauteed some leeks, pounded some fresh herbs into a salsa verde, and whirled some egg yolks, lemon juice and butter into a beautiful hollandaise. Then he layered it all onto these lovely tartines.
Blender Hollandaise Sauce
(adapted from The Joy of Cooking)

3 large egg yolks
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, or to taste
a dash or 2 of Tabasco sauce
1/2 cup very warm to hot clarified butter (Louis didn't even bother to clarify the butter)
Salt to taste

Place the egg yolks, lemon juice and Tabasco in a blender and process on high speed for 1 minute. With the machine running, add the butter in a slow, steady stream. By the time all the butter is poured in, about 1 minute, the sauce should be thickened. If not, process on high speed for about 20 seconds more. Taste and adjust the seasonings.

makes about 1 cup.

Christmas Eve: An Excellent Day of Food and Wine

2009-01-02T14:48:00.000-08:00

There was quite a lot happening in my kitchen on Christmas Eve. For me, holidays are really just an excuse to make something special. It's also a great excuse to have wine with lunch and dinner and the cooking that goes on in between. I knew that I was going to be doing quite a bit of cooking, but I didn't really want any of it to be too involved.

What could be easier than cracked Dungeness crab? I mean, you can buy it already cooked, cleaned and cracked which is exactly what I did. I made a quick sauce with butter, olive oil, lemon juice and garlic pounded into a paste with a bit of salt. The crab gets a bit of a baste before going into a hot (450F) oven for 15-20min., and a bit more sauce when it comes out. You will want to wait a few minutes for the crab to cool since you will be eating with your hands.

This time is the perfect opportunity to whip up a nice crunchy salad to go alongside the crab. I fortunately had some stuff already prepped, left over from catering the Holiday Party at my day job. I sliced some fennel and radishes with a mandoline, sliced some belgian endive and treviso, and tossed in some blanched green beans. The salad was tossed with a lemon truffle vinaigrette from the Balthazar Cookbook. After plating the salad, I garnished it with some breadcrumbs and avocado slices. This is a lovely salad. The creamy avocado is a great counterpoint to the crunchy vegetables and breadcrumbs. I really love the current trend of using breadcrumbs as a garnish instead of croutons. You can get crunchy bits in each bite instead of struggling to spear a crouton.

For the Lemon Truffle Vinaigrette
(adapted from The Balthazar Cookbook)

1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup lemon juice from about 2 lemons
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup white truffle oil

In a medium bowl combine the salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Whisk in the olive and truffle oils. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Actually, I just put all of the ingredients in a jar, like a left over honey or jam jar, and shake until well emulsified.

I had been wanting an excuse to make the braised duck leg dish from Sunday Suppers at Lucques, and Christmas Eve dinner seemed to be the perfect excuse. The duck legs are braised with banyuls which is a fortified wine from the South of France made from Grenache grapes. The wine is mildly sweet with notes of dried fruit and mocha with a hint of peppery spice. This wine was great on its own and I just knew it would reduce into a fabulous savory sauce with just enough sweetness to complement the accompanying dish, turnip-parsnip gratin with prunes. And to make it really perfect, we opened a bottle of Pinotage that we brought back from South Africa last year. The meal was perfect and turned out just as I had tasted it in my mind.

Duck Braised in Banyuls
(adapted from Sunday Suppers at Lucques)
serves 6

6 large duck legs
1 tablespoon thyme leaves, plus 6 sprigs
Zest of 1 orange
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced fennel
1/2 cup diced carrot
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 cups Banyuls
3-4 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup parsley

Trim the excess fat from the duck legs. Season with the thyme leaves, orange zest and pepper. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 325F. Take the duck out of the refrigerator 45 minutes before cooking. After 15 minutes, season the legs with salt.

Heat a large braising pan over high heat for 2 minutes. Swirl in the olive oil and wait 1 minute. Place the duck legs in the pan, skin side down, and cook 8-10 minutes, until the skin is deep golden brown and crispy. You may need to brown the duck in batches. Turn the legs over, reduce the heat to medium and cook 2 minutes on the other side.

Remove the duck to a plate. Discard all but a couple of tablespoons of fat from the pan. Add the onion, fennel, carrot, thyme sprigs, bay leaf, and a pinch of pepper. Cook about 10 minutes over medium heat, stirring often with a wooden spoon to scape up all the crusty bits.

When the vegetables are nicely browned and caramelized, add the balsamic vinegar and Banyuls. Turn the heat up to high, bring the liquid to a boil, and cook 6-8 minutes, until it has reduced by half. Add 3 cups stock and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to low and simmer 5 minutes.
Add the duck back to the pan with the skin side up. The liquid should not quite cover the duck (add more stock if necessary). Cover the pan with a tight fitting lid and braise in the oven about 2 1/2 hours, until the duck is very tender but not quite falling off the bone. Remove pan from oven.

Turn the oven up to 400F.

Transfer the duck to a baking sheet and return to the oven to crisp the skin, 10-15 minutes.

Strain the broth into a saucepan, pressing down on the vegetables. Skim the top layer of fat from the sauce. If necessary, reduce the broth over medium high heat about 5 minutes to thicken slightly. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Serve with the turnip-parsnip gratin with prunes and spoon the sauce around. Scatter the parsley leaves over the top.

Turnip-Parsnip Gratin with Prunes
(adapted from Sunday Suppers at Lucques)
serves 6

1 1/2 pounds turnips, peeled
1 1/2 pounds parsnips, peeled
about 2 cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon thyme leaves
1/3 pound pitted prunes, quartered
salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Use a mandoline to slice the turnips and parsnips into 1/16 inch thick rounds and put them into two separate bowls.

Pour 1/2 cup cream onto the bottom of a 9x9 inch gratin dish. Place on layer of turnips on the bottom of the dish. Season with 1/4 tsp salt and a pinch of pepper. Scatter a third of the prunes on top. Arrange a layer of parsnips over the turnips and prunes. Press the parsnips down with your fingers, letting the cream soak up through the layers. This will ensure that the cream is evenly distributed and coats the vegetables well. Drizzle with 1/2 cup cream and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt, pinch of pepper and 1 teaspoon thyme.

Arrange another layer of turnips and drizzle another 1/4 cup cream over them. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt, pinch of pepper and 1 teaspoon thyme. Scatter a third of the prunes on top and continue with another layer of parsnips. Drizzle on 1/2 cup cream and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and a pinch of pepper. Press the vegetables down with your fingers, allowing the cream to come up through the layers and coat the vegetables evenly.

Finish the gratin with one more layer, this time of both parsnip and turnip slices, arranging this layer nicely, this will be the top of your gratin. Scatter the remaining prunes over the top. Drizzle with 1/4-1/2 cup cream and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt, freshly ground black pepper and the remaining teaspoon thyme. Press the grain down with your finger again. The cream should cover the vegetables but not be too soupy. Add more cream if the gratin seems dry.

Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake about 1 1/2 hours, until the vegetables are tender when pierced. Remove from the oven and carefully uncover. Turn the oven to 425F and return the gratin to the oven. Cook another 15-20 minutes, until the top is nice and golden brown.

Saffron-Vanilla Sauce: A Thank You Dinner

2009-01-01T12:01:00.000-08:00

The winemaker dinner that I prepared on November 16, 2008 was a lot of work, and I definitely did not pull it off by myself. I have two friends who generously volunteered to help me out in the kitchen while Grace, the cafe owner, orchestrated the front of the house. I am lucky to have people in my life who share a similar philosophy of food. Who see food as a meaningful way to connect with others. I certainly show my love and gratitude toward others through the food that I prepare for them.

So I wanted to prepare a thank you dinner for Keri and Amy. I obviously consider people's tastes when I begin composing a menu. There were a couple of dishes that came to mind when I was thinking of a menu for Keri and Amy. I knew that Keri would appreciate fish since she is a former vegetarian. And although she wants to be open to a host of new foods, she can't quite stomach say, pork belly. And I knew that Amy would have quite an experimental palate, being the pastry chef extraordinaire of Nopa in San Francisco. I had been eyeing a couple of dishes from The French Laundry Cookbook for a while. One was Black Sea Bass with Sweet Parsnips, Arrowleaf Spinach and Saffron-Vanilla Sauce, and the other was Roquefort Trifle with French Butter Pear Relish. I knew that the fish dish would be quite rich with the saffron-vanilla sauce, so I decided that a crunchy refreshing salad would be a great way to start. So the menu ended up being:

Winter Chicories and Pink Lady Apple Salad with a Creamy White Cheddar Dressing, Bacon and Candied Pecans
(Adapted from the Boulevard Cookbook)

I love this salad. It is gets a sweet tartness from the apples, saltiness from the bacon with a sweet crunch from the pecans and is rounded out by the sharp creamy dressing.

Creamy Cheddar Dressing:

3/4 cup heavy cream

5 ounces Montgomery cheddar, or other high-quality cheddar, grated

1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 cup creme fraiche

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Salad:

8 thin slices bacon

8 Belgian endives or a mix of chicories

1 Pink Pearl apple, or other heirloom variety

1 cup Candied Nuts, chopped (see recipe)

For the cheddar dressing: Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan over low heat until bubbles appear around the edge. Whisk in the cheese and continue to whisk for about 2 minutes, or until melted, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Whisk in the mustards and creme fraiche until combined. You will have about 2 cups of dressing. Chill the dressing in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, or until thickened, or refrigerate for up to 3 days. Season to taste with salt and pepper just before serving.

To serve: Cook the bacon in a skillet until golden but not too crisp. Set aside on paper towels to drain. While the bacon is cooking, cut off about 1/2 inch from the bottoms of the endives and slice. Put the leaves into a bowl and toss with enough of the dressing to coat them lightly. Quarter the apple lengthwise and cut out the core with a paring knife. Thinly slice the apple and arrange on the bottom of each of 6 dinner plates. Mound the chicories on top of the apple slices. Sprinkle with the candied pecans and bacon.

Candied Nuts

1 cup nuts: walnuts, hazelnuts or pecans

2 tablespoons corn syrup

2 tablespoons sugar

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Fill a medium bowl with hot top water and add the nuts, swish them around, then drain and transfer to another bowl. Add the corn syrup, sugar, salt and pepper, and stir. Line a baking sheet with parchment or use a non-stick baking sheet, and spread out the nuts in one layer, being sure to include any of the sugary liquid left in the bowl on the parchment with the nuts. Heat the oven to 325° and bake the nuts for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring a few times, until golden brown and crispy. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly, then break the nuts apart (watch out, as they're hot -- use rubber gloves). Store in an air-tight container for up to 1 week. They can be chopped into bite-size pieces for specific recipes.

Yields 1 cup

Striped Bass with Sweet Parsnips, Arrowleaf Spinach and Saffron-Vanilla Sauce

(adapted from the French Laundry Cookbook)

This was AMAZING. The scent of the vanilla hits you as soon as the plate is set in front of you. I think your taste buds automatically expect something sweet when you smell vanilla, so the parsnip puree is perfect with this because it provides the sweetness that you expect, but it also has a very earthy quality which contributes to the savoriness of the dish. The fish is very mild flavored and is the perfect foil for the amazing sauce. I think this sauce would also be great with shellfish such as shrimp, scallops, crab or lobster. I am only going to provide the recipe for the sauce here because the other elements are so basic. The parsnip puree is made just as you would mashed potatoes (although the parsnips are simmered in cream). The spinach is sauteed with a piece of orange rind and the fish is pan fried to crisp the skin and finished in the oven.

For the Saffron-Vanilla Sauce:
1/2 vanilla bean, split
1 cup mussel stock (below)
1/4 teaspoon saffron threads
1 1/2 teaspoons cream
10 tablespoons (5oz.) unsalted butter cut into 8 pieces

Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into a small saucepan and add the vanilla pod, mussel stock, and saffron threads. Bring the stock to a simmer and reduce to a glaze (1-2 tablespoons). Add the cream and simmer for a few more seconds. Over medium heat, whisk in the butter one piece at a time. Don't let the sauce get too hot or the mixture will break (the butter will separate). Strain the sauce into the bowl of an immersion blender and blend for several seconds to emulsify. Keep the sauce in a warm place. I kept mine in a double boiler with the water not quite simmering.

For the Mussel Stock:
18 mussels, scrubbed and debearded
2 large cloves garlic, peeled
1 large shallot, peeled
4 sprigs thyme
2 bay leaves
1 cup crisp, dry white wine

Place the mussels in a pot with the garlic, shallot, thyme, bay leaves, and wine. Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Remove the mussels as soon as they open. Reserve the mussels for another use. Strain the mussel stock into a saucepan.

Roquefort Trifle with Frog Hollow Warren Pear Relish

(adapted from The French Laundry Cookbook)

This was a great way to combine the cheese and dessert course. The bottom is a pear puree made with dried pears spiced with black peppercorns and allspice berries. The middle layer is a Roquefort mousse set with a bit of gelatin and whipped cream. The mousse is topped with a walnut daquoise which is essentially a nut meringue, but the texture was much more like shortbread than meringue. And it is topped with a pear relish made by simmering some Frog Hollow Warren Pears with sugar and red wine vinegar. This was really fantastic with the combination of flavors and textures, sweet, tart, crispy, creamy and pungent. I'm not going to provide the recipe here because, well, I'm tired of typing.

Braised Pork Belly: A Good Start

2008-12-30T21:36:00.000-08:00

I never thought that I would start a blog myself. I've never kept a journal, especially such a public one. One that's so open to scrutiny. But over the past two years a whole new world has opened up to me. The world of food blogs. I have been so inspired by the beautiful food and prose of many of the blogs out there. I certainly have my favorites. One's where if I were sitting next to them in elementary school, I would pass them a note asking them to be my friend. A quote from one of the blogs I follow read something like "If you want to keep what you have, you need to give it away." I think that is a beautiful sentiment and one that I would like to contribute to.

I have a couple of goals with this blog. I hope that I can provide some inspiration to others as I have been inspired over the past couple of years. And I hope that this blog will force me to be more diligent about chronicling the food that I make. And force me to actually write down recipes!

I recently planned and prepared a winemaker's dinner at a local cafe. The cafe is closed in the evenings, and the owner, is open to hosting other events after normal hours. I realized that this would be a great opportunity for me to host a sort of underground supper club, without the fear of fines. As with all of the food I make, I wanted to highlight ingredients at their peak. And in keeping with the local, sustainable mantra of the modern food movement, I decided that this would be a great way to involve local winemakers. We have around 17 wineries in the East Bay, and one is just a block away from my day job in biotech. So Periscope Cellars was the first winery that I partnered with for my series of winemaker dinners. To be honest, I wasn't sure what to expect from a winery in a warehouse in Emeryville. But after tasting, I was pleasantly surprised and excited to plan a meal around their wines. It took me about 3 weeks to get a menu set because designing a menu to be both seasonal and complementary to the wines proved quite challenging. In the end I was quite happy with the menu and the event. I had a lot of positive feedback. And my husband's band played which always sets a great tone for a party!

The dinner menu:

Pecan Crusted Pork Belly with Pomegranate Mole and Pomegranate Salsa
This was the stand out dish of the evening. And I think the pomegranate salsa is what set it off. The pork is incredibly rich and tender. The mole is a bit sweet, a bit tangy and a bit spicy. The crunchy, juicy pomegranate seeds lighten the dish and bring it all together.

For the Pork Belly:
(adapted from the Balthazar Cookbook)
2 cinnamon sticks
6 whole star anise
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
3 cups kosher salt
1 cup sugar
2 bay leaves
4 sprigs of thyme
2 sprigs of sage
6 garlic cloves peeled and crushed
1 slab of fresh pork belly, about 5 pounds
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large onion chopped
2 celery stalks chopped
3 carrots chopped
1 cup dry white wine
1 quart stock (I prefer this one)

For the crust:
1/2 cup honey
3/4 cup chopped pecans
1 whole star anise

To cure the pork belly: toast the spices. Put the first 5 ingredients in a dry skillet over medium flame for about 5 minutes, shaking the pan almost constantly. Put the toasted spices in a bag or wrap in cheesecloth and smash them with a mallet or the back of a frying pan.

Combine half of the toasted spices with the salt, sugar, bay leaves, thyme, sage and garlic. Cut the pork slab along the grain into a couple of manageable pieces and put into a ziplock bag with the cure mixture or put into a bowl or roasting dish large enough to accommodate the pork and the cure mixture. Make sure the pork is completely coated with the cure. Refrigerate for 24-48 hours. Put the remaining half of the spices in cheesecloth and tie into a sachet with twine.

The next day, remove the pork and rinse away the salt cure.

Preheat the oven to 325F.

Heat the oil in a heavy bottom saute pan over medium high heat. Add the onion and saute for about 10 minutes, until it begins to caramelize. Add the celery and carrots and cook for 5 minutes. Add the wine and scrape up any caramelized bits stuck to the pan and boil about 3 minutes. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Transfer this mixture to a roasting pan large enough to hold the pork and set the pork on top of the vegetables with the rind side up. The liquid should be at about the same level as the top of the pork. You may need to add a bit more broth or water. Add the sachet of spices to the liquid. Place in the oven and roast for about 2 hours. The meat will be meltingly tender when done. You should be able to pull it apart with a fork. You can use the pork at this point or put the roasting pan in the refrigerator overnight. If you want to strain the braising liquid to create a sauce, I suggest the refrigeration step to make the fat removal easier. There will be a lot of it!

Portion the pork belly into 6 squares and cut the rind and most of the fat from the top. If the pork was refrigerated overnight, put the pieces on a rimmed baking sheet and heat in a 350F oven for about 20 minutes to heat through. Meanwhile, prepare the pecan crust.

Bring honey to boil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add nuts and star anise; boil until honey is reduced to thick syrup, stirring constantly, about 3 minutes. Spoon honey-nut mixture onto the top of the pork. Place the pork under the broiler for about 5 minutes to caramelize and set the crust.

Serve the pork with the mole sauce and pomegranate salsa below or make a sauce from the strained braising liquid.

For the Mole:
(adapted from Modern Mexican Flavors)
I love this book. It has beautiful photographs and as the title suggests, a very modern approach to Mexican food. I got the idea for the pomegranate mole from a tamarind mole in the book that is served with duck breast which was by the way, fantastic.

This recipe makes 3 cups of mole, but you will only need about a 1/2 cup. The rest freezes well and is great with chicken, pork, beef or duck, with enchiladas or tamales.

1/4 cup unsalted peanuts
1/4 cup whole blanched almonds
1/4 cup pecans
5 animal crackers
1 tablespoon white sesame seeds
canola oil
1 yellow-black plantain peeled and cut into large cubes
2 dried pasilla chiles
2 dried mulato chiles
2 dried ancho chiles
1 cinnamon stick
2 whole cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups stock
1 1/2 ounces chopped bittersweet chocolate

1 1/2 cups stock
1/4-1/2 cup pomegranate molasses

Preheat the oven to 350F. Spread the peanuts, almonds, and pecans on a sheet pan and toast in the oven until slightly colored and fragrant. Transfer to a bowl. Toast the animal crackers in the oven, about 3 minutes. Transfer to the bowl. Toast the sesame seeds in a small dry skillet and transfer to the bowl.

Heat about 2 inches of oil in a nonstick skillet and fry the plantain pieces until lightly browned and crisped. Drain on paper towels.

Clean the dried chiles, removing the stems, seeds, and membranes. In a dry medium pan, toast the chiles over medium high heat, pressing them against the bottom of the pan with a spatula, until slightly colored, 30-45 seconds per side. Add enough water to almost cover the chiles and boil until the chiles are softened, about 5 minutes. Pour into a blender along with the cinnamon stick, cloves, cumin, salt and pepper. Puree until smooth and pour through a sieve into a medium saucepan.

Place the toasted nuts and sesame seeds in the blender. Pour in a little of the stock and puree until the nuts are finely ground, adding a little more stock as needed. Add the animal crackers and plantain pieces and puree. Pour the nut mixture through a sieve into the pan with the chiles. Simmer until thickened to the consistency of a thick peas soup, about 30 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan frequently with a rubber spatula.

Stir in the chocolate and heat over low heat, stirring, until melted and smooth.

For the pomegranate mole: Combine 1/2 cup of the mole with about 1 1/2 cups of stock and the pomegranate molasses. Simmer over low heat for 15 minutes. Season with salt and adjust the pomegranate molasses to suit your taste.

For the Pomegranate Salsa:
(adapted from Sunday Suppers at Lucques)

3 tablespoons finely diced shallots
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
1 tablespoon sliced Italian parsley
kosher salt and pepper

Place the shallots, lemon juice, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small bowl, and let sit 5 minutes.

Whisk in the pomegranate molasses and then the olive oil. Stir in the pomegranate seeds and the parsley. Taste for balance and seasoning.