12.24.2006
nothing better than...
a carl's jr. famous star, no cheese, fried zucchini, and fake ranch sauce to fill in the gaps after a nite of old school hip hop and infused vodkas at 3:44 am on early christmas eve... unfortunately the line at jack in the crack in the richmond district had a line 10 deep of people i'd rather avoid as i was by myself. whatever... munch munch... lots of lettuce on the burger. and they do live up to their "all over the place" motto...
12.14.2006
wednesday nite dinner no. 3
boy it's been a long time since i've posted. apologies are in order first, before moving on to this post. i've been so busy with work, the holidays, and other going ons that i've neglected my blog unfortunately. but i'm back and cooking again. the sf and la thanksgiving dinners were amazing and will be the next 2 posts i put up. but on to the current event... wednesday nite dinner no. 3!
only 4 of us could make it tonite and guests included: jeff, scott and becca.
1st course: king oyster mushroom tempura with a gruyere sauce
this was inspired by an appetizer i had a jack falstaff a couple months ago. that dish consisted of trumpet mushroom tempura (a less hearty but more intensely flavored mushroom) with a cheese fondue (not sure of the cheese). i opted for the king oyster which is grown for its hearty and meaty stalk and has the texture of sliced abalone. i then used your basic tempura batter and fried at 160* C until golden. the gruyere sauce was made from a bechamel (white sauce) with a 1/4 cup of grated gruyere stirred in. all in all a pretty tasty combination and nice alternative to the usual tempura dipping sauce. the mushrooms were very meaty and held up to the smooth, nutty cheese sauce.
2nd course: seared scallops and soba noodles in a citrus-soy vinaigrette served with roasted kabocha squash and sauteed pea sprouts
i found sea scallops for $9.99/lb at 99 ranch. you figure about 1/3 lb per serving which is 4-5 pieces. 99 ranch actually offers dry scallops, meaning they haven't been soaked in a chemical solution designed to improve shelf life and increase weight. if your scallops give off a milky liquid, it's been soaked in that solution. don't buy those.
i had difficulty getting a good sear on the surface and cooking it through to med-rare without drenching it in oil. i don't think my pan gets hot enough. i'll try this with a cast iron pan next time. but they were flavorful enough with just a pinch of salt and pepper in olive oil. the soba noodles were fantastic in roy yamaguchi's citrus-soy vinaigrette tossed with some sliced bell peppers and enoki mushrooms. the pea sprouts were quickly sauteed in some evoo, garlic, salt and pepper. the kabocha was roasted in the oven with evoo, s/p, at 400* for way too long. it dried out unfortunately. but it adds a nice visual to the plate.
3rd course: green tea mochi ice cream, diced fuyu persimmon and whipped cream in a ginger-mint syrup
now this dessert i'm actually pretty proud of. inspiration is attributed to an evening of gourmet glutton with chef paul and baker sarah a couple months ago. we had selections off the special dessert menu (wild creations and pairings at $10+, not the ubiqutous cupcake) and mine was an asian inspired conccoction of mochi, red beans, basil seeds and other things i can't remember in a slightly sweet brothy syrup. here i paired green tea mochi ice cream, which i love, with slightly sweet, crunchy fuyu persimmon, some whipped cream to add a creamy mouth feel, and the syrup which pulled mint and ginger flavors into everything. the syrup is a milder version of a sugar syrup, with only a quarter of the sugar and mint and a piece of crystallized ginger . worked out great!
overall this meal was probably the best executed out of the 3 wednesday nite dinners i've hosted so far. i'm realizing it takes practice in order to pull off a 3 course meal for a group, let alone on a wed nite. but consdering "jeff eats anything" and becca loves my cooking, it's nice to not feel too pressured. =)
the last seated dinner scott participated in was earlier this year when i did a gourmet vegetarian dinner for my veggie friend, jenny, who was relocating to beijing. fortunately for scott, this meal actually had meat, which he was quite happy with. although he liked the fried mushrooms more. go figure. =)
thanks jeff, scott and becca for your support! it was a fun dinner and nite...
only 4 of us could make it tonite and guests included: jeff, scott and becca.
1st course: king oyster mushroom tempura with a gruyere sauce
this was inspired by an appetizer i had a jack falstaff a couple months ago. that dish consisted of trumpet mushroom tempura (a less hearty but more intensely flavored mushroom) with a cheese fondue (not sure of the cheese). i opted for the king oyster which is grown for its hearty and meaty stalk and has the texture of sliced abalone. i then used your basic tempura batter and fried at 160* C until golden. the gruyere sauce was made from a bechamel (white sauce) with a 1/4 cup of grated gruyere stirred in. all in all a pretty tasty combination and nice alternative to the usual tempura dipping sauce. the mushrooms were very meaty and held up to the smooth, nutty cheese sauce.
2nd course: seared scallops and soba noodles in a citrus-soy vinaigrette served with roasted kabocha squash and sauteed pea sprouts
i found sea scallops for $9.99/lb at 99 ranch. you figure about 1/3 lb per serving which is 4-5 pieces. 99 ranch actually offers dry scallops, meaning they haven't been soaked in a chemical solution designed to improve shelf life and increase weight. if your scallops give off a milky liquid, it's been soaked in that solution. don't buy those.
i had difficulty getting a good sear on the surface and cooking it through to med-rare without drenching it in oil. i don't think my pan gets hot enough. i'll try this with a cast iron pan next time. but they were flavorful enough with just a pinch of salt and pepper in olive oil. the soba noodles were fantastic in roy yamaguchi's citrus-soy vinaigrette tossed with some sliced bell peppers and enoki mushrooms. the pea sprouts were quickly sauteed in some evoo, garlic, salt and pepper. the kabocha was roasted in the oven with evoo, s/p, at 400* for way too long. it dried out unfortunately. but it adds a nice visual to the plate.
3rd course: green tea mochi ice cream, diced fuyu persimmon and whipped cream in a ginger-mint syrup
now this dessert i'm actually pretty proud of. inspiration is attributed to an evening of gourmet glutton with chef paul and baker sarah a couple months ago. we had selections off the special dessert menu (wild creations and pairings at $10+, not the ubiqutous cupcake) and mine was an asian inspired conccoction of mochi, red beans, basil seeds and other things i can't remember in a slightly sweet brothy syrup. here i paired green tea mochi ice cream, which i love, with slightly sweet, crunchy fuyu persimmon, some whipped cream to add a creamy mouth feel, and the syrup which pulled mint and ginger flavors into everything. the syrup is a milder version of a sugar syrup, with only a quarter of the sugar and mint and a piece of crystallized ginger . worked out great!
overall this meal was probably the best executed out of the 3 wednesday nite dinners i've hosted so far. i'm realizing it takes practice in order to pull off a 3 course meal for a group, let alone on a wed nite. but consdering "jeff eats anything" and becca loves my cooking, it's nice to not feel too pressured. =)
the last seated dinner scott participated in was earlier this year when i did a gourmet vegetarian dinner for my veggie friend, jenny, who was relocating to beijing. fortunately for scott, this meal actually had meat, which he was quite happy with. although he liked the fried mushrooms more. go figure. =)
thanks jeff, scott and becca for your support! it was a fun dinner and nite...
11.15.2006
guy on the street
ok, so maybe this isn't exactly "on the street," but a couple weeks ago i was at the bar, dada, on 2nd and mission for a happy hour drink celebrating a coworker's birthday when in strolls a latino man, around his late 40's/50's, dressed in shorts and garb reminscent of a tommy bahamas outfit gone bad. in rolled behind him a large cooler on a small collaspable metal dolly. he parked himself and his fridge against the wall five feet away from our seats. the bouncer let him in with that? he looked oddly out of place.
i minded my own drink until i overheard another man say above the noisy bar din, "what you got?" "chicken mole, pork verde, and cheese." "i'll take a chicken and pork." "five dollahs." glancing over i watched the man flip open the cooler, reach in, and parcel two small bundles into the other man's hand. my eyes widened.
TAMALES!! IT'S A TAMALE GUY! thoughts of rapturous tamale/street food experiences lived vicariously through the tales of chowhounders and south central LA'ers alike danced through my head. i jumped right up and took two big steps up to the cooler.
"how much?" "one for three dollahs, two for five." "i'll take a... um... pork and chicken! are you always here?" "nah, i hop around from place to place until i sell out." an exchange of paper, corn husk, and thanks.
whoa! that ain't no cooler. these little suckers were piping hot! i sat back down, happy that i'd gotten the goods before the growing crowd around the cooler got even bigger, unpeeled the husks off the pork and dug in with my flismy, white plastic fork.
the masa had a wonderful texture: not too mealy, not too soft. it was well-seasoned and exquistely juicy (read lard, hehe), the pork verde filling tender and slightly tart and spicy. the chicken fared even better, its mole being savory and smokey at the same time.
by this time several others had plopped back into their stools and seats with their own masa concocctions and were savouring an unexpected bar snack. one felt the filling was a bit sparse while another raved about the lard. still another argued between mouthfuls how the tamale lady of mission was way better. whatever. my head was buzzed and my stomach was full. i'd call it a good nite. i do hope the tamale guy of 2nd street is around next time i'm out for happy hour.
i minded my own drink until i overheard another man say above the noisy bar din, "what you got?" "chicken mole, pork verde, and cheese." "i'll take a chicken and pork." "five dollahs." glancing over i watched the man flip open the cooler, reach in, and parcel two small bundles into the other man's hand. my eyes widened.
TAMALES!! IT'S A TAMALE GUY! thoughts of rapturous tamale/street food experiences lived vicariously through the tales of chowhounders and south central LA'ers alike danced through my head. i jumped right up and took two big steps up to the cooler.
"how much?" "one for three dollahs, two for five." "i'll take a... um... pork and chicken! are you always here?" "nah, i hop around from place to place until i sell out." an exchange of paper, corn husk, and thanks.
whoa! that ain't no cooler. these little suckers were piping hot! i sat back down, happy that i'd gotten the goods before the growing crowd around the cooler got even bigger, unpeeled the husks off the pork and dug in with my flismy, white plastic fork.
the masa had a wonderful texture: not too mealy, not too soft. it was well-seasoned and exquistely juicy (read lard, hehe), the pork verde filling tender and slightly tart and spicy. the chicken fared even better, its mole being savory and smokey at the same time.
by this time several others had plopped back into their stools and seats with their own masa concocctions and were savouring an unexpected bar snack. one felt the filling was a bit sparse while another raved about the lard. still another argued between mouthfuls how the tamale lady of mission was way better. whatever. my head was buzzed and my stomach was full. i'd call it a good nite. i do hope the tamale guy of 2nd street is around next time i'm out for happy hour.
11.07.2006
collard greens and ham hocks
I do not like them in a box.
I do not like them with a fox.
I do not like them in a house.
I do not like them with a mouse.
I do not like them here or there.
I do not like them anywhere.
I do not like green eggs and ham.
I do not like them, Sam-I-am.
ok so this recipe isn't exactly green eggs and ham, but doesn't a glance at the title of this post make you think of green eggs and ham?? maybe not. i loved this dr. suess tale as a kid so i do. i've always wanted to try green eggs and ham. anybody know what the dish actually refers to (without looking it up on wikipedia)? =)
as i've never made slow-braised greens before, only sauteed greens, i've decided to test this dish out before making 30 servings worth at my thanksgiving dinner. i researched several recipes but didn't find one with enough complexity in flavors. so i'm combining a couple with the hopes that it'll come out good. here's what i've done...
lightly brown the following in a large stock pot:
1 smoked ham hock
1 onion chopped
3 cloves garlic smashed
1 bay leaf
evoo
once brown i added 1 bag (1 lb) precut, prewashed collards and the following:
6 cups water
1 T brown sugar
2 T vinegar
1/4 t paprika
1/2 t tabasco
brought it up to a boil and then lowered to a simmer and covered for 45 min. and that's where i am right now. i'm going to check for seasoning after 45 min and let it cook another 15 uncovered. then i'll chop up the meat and remove the bone and bay leaf. to be continued...
it's now 1.5 hours later. after checking at the 45 min mark, i realized the cellular structures of the greens weren't even close to breaking down and the hock hadn't even started melting so i popped the lid back on and let it go for another 30 min at a simmer. checking it now shows the hock is a lot more tender and the collard stocks are edible. but it's still not at the soft consistency i want it at. also, i seasoned with a good amount of salt and pepper and a few more dashes of tabasco. i'll check again in 15 min and see how it's doing. =)
so after another 30 min (2 hrs total), i'm finally at the consistency and flavor development i want. the liquid has cooked down quite a bit and the hock meat is falling off the bone. i had to adjust again with salt and overdid it a little with the pepper and/or tabasco. i'll have to watch that next week. i'm going to wait for it to cool down a bit and taste it again, as your tongue's ability to taste salt and some seasonings is based on how hot food is.
just had a sample. my lips now have a light film of grease. haha. flavor actually was pretty good and has a nice kick to it. it does need a little more salt and i'll have to watch out on the pepper/tabasco combo. i wonder what it'll taste like tomorrow after it's had a chance to sit and meld... mmm...
I do not like them with a fox.
I do not like them in a house.
I do not like them with a mouse.
I do not like them here or there.
I do not like them anywhere.
I do not like green eggs and ham.
I do not like them, Sam-I-am.
ok so this recipe isn't exactly green eggs and ham, but doesn't a glance at the title of this post make you think of green eggs and ham?? maybe not. i loved this dr. suess tale as a kid so i do. i've always wanted to try green eggs and ham. anybody know what the dish actually refers to (without looking it up on wikipedia)? =)
as i've never made slow-braised greens before, only sauteed greens, i've decided to test this dish out before making 30 servings worth at my thanksgiving dinner. i researched several recipes but didn't find one with enough complexity in flavors. so i'm combining a couple with the hopes that it'll come out good. here's what i've done...
lightly brown the following in a large stock pot:
1 smoked ham hock
1 onion chopped
3 cloves garlic smashed
1 bay leaf
evoo
once brown i added 1 bag (1 lb) precut, prewashed collards and the following:
6 cups water
1 T brown sugar
2 T vinegar
1/4 t paprika
1/2 t tabasco
brought it up to a boil and then lowered to a simmer and covered for 45 min. and that's where i am right now. i'm going to check for seasoning after 45 min and let it cook another 15 uncovered. then i'll chop up the meat and remove the bone and bay leaf. to be continued...
it's now 1.5 hours later. after checking at the 45 min mark, i realized the cellular structures of the greens weren't even close to breaking down and the hock hadn't even started melting so i popped the lid back on and let it go for another 30 min at a simmer. checking it now shows the hock is a lot more tender and the collard stocks are edible. but it's still not at the soft consistency i want it at. also, i seasoned with a good amount of salt and pepper and a few more dashes of tabasco. i'll check again in 15 min and see how it's doing. =)
so after another 30 min (2 hrs total), i'm finally at the consistency and flavor development i want. the liquid has cooked down quite a bit and the hock meat is falling off the bone. i had to adjust again with salt and overdid it a little with the pepper and/or tabasco. i'll have to watch that next week. i'm going to wait for it to cool down a bit and taste it again, as your tongue's ability to taste salt and some seasonings is based on how hot food is.
just had a sample. my lips now have a light film of grease. haha. flavor actually was pretty good and has a nice kick to it. it does need a little more salt and i'll have to watch out on the pepper/tabasco combo. i wonder what it'll taste like tomorrow after it's had a chance to sit and meld... mmm...
11.02.2006
wednesday nite dinner no. 2
hard to believe it's already been 2 weeks since my first wednesday nite dinner. time flies fast and especially as of late. between work and social life, i've neglected my poor food blog. but dedicated i am and right now i'm working on some interesting entries including a review of the new front porch in bernal heights and a photo journey of my summer trip partaking in some of new york's finest hole-in-the-walls. but back to this entry... and we all know what this one's about... =)
in attendance from left to right: victor, kendrick, danna, andrew and ali
on the menu tonite, latin influence...
coming up with an interesting starter that would complement the main dish was a challenge this time. i wanted to be creative but couldn't get past the old chips and salsa concept. upon researching different salsas, i realized tomatillos (used to make tangy and tart salsa verde) could be stuffed like tomatoes are. so i picked up a basket of tomatillos, which interstingly enough, when hulled, emit a slimy, sticky goo from its skin. very werid.
reaching back on an old childhood favorite, i decided to devil it (think deviled eggs) only spicing it up with smoky saffron and hot red jalapenos to add more of a latin element. the tomatillos were deseeded then roasted whole with evoo, salt and pepper.
i then mixed the yolks of 4 eggs with some mayo, dijon, lemon juice, saffron, salt and pepper, then added the chopped egg whites and jalapeno. spoon some "devil" into each tomatillo, plate with greens tossed in vinaigrette and sprinkle a little paprika for effect and voila! saffron deviled tomatillos with greens in a lemon-lime vinaigrette.
overall this was ok but definitely needs tweaking of seasonings. i agree with ali that it should be spicier and there was too much acidity going on, given the tomatillo and the lemon-lime vinaigrette. some sweet element was missing. but it shows promise.
pork chops al pastor served with cucumber-jicama-mango salsa and caramelized onion couscous with cilantro and pomegranate seeds.
i love tacos al pastor. the sweet and savory marinated pork served on steaming hot tortillas with hot sauce and cilantro and onions is to die for. so i wanted to bring that to the chop platform and replicate. the marinade consists of pasilla, chipotle and guajillo peppers, cloves, cinnamon, vinegar and crushed pineapple. i let the chops marinate for a couple hours.
meanwhile i caramelized 2 mayan sweet onions for 20 min in a frying pan...
and stirred them into a pot of buttery couscous...
grilling the chops on the grill downstairs took about 15 min total. however, the heat on my grill is uneven and resulted in a couple chops being over/undercooked. toughness became a factor and this really wasn't my moment to shine, being a self-proclaimed pork chop wizard. the marinade also wasn't quite right, lacking depth and complexity, with only smoky and sweet notes that didn't meld together. i also should've pre-salted my chops a day ahead, (per zuni cafe practice). i think it really works to season the meat throughout. next time. it plated beautifully though...
i laid a bed of couscous and sprinkled with pomegranate seeds, then rested the chop on that. a ladle of salsa accompanied the meat. this consisted of diced jicama and mango, thinly sliced cucumbers, lime, cilantro, jalapeno, and evoo. the jicama provides a nice crunch. the mango, however, could've been more ripe and would've sweetened it up a bit. i personally felt the couscous was right on track, having sweet caramelized onion cut by the tartness of pomegranate and pungent cilantro.
all in all, everyone did a pretty good job of cleaning their plates -- and bones -- so i guess it tasted good enough.
dessert came next. victor graciously photographed while i assembled...
flutes of pomegranate almond champagne with floats of mango and raspberry sorbet
this dessert was inspired by both my recent trip to citizen cake in hayes valley and what my chef friend, paul tang, did with his dessert and wine pairing there. having poured his leftover raspberry sorbet into his sweet, crisp champagne, he created a fizzy fruit smoothie that was just awesome. here, i opted for an almond flavored champagne from TJ's and added some pomegranate seeds to the bottom (which ended up floating to the top)...
and added mango sorbet to the mix.
the result was pretty good overall, although some of us felt the raspberry didn't go with the almond flavor that well. in fact the almond flavor was a little too unexpected. i'll be experimenting with other champagnes per danna and ali's suggestions. what was the italian one called again? =)
so overall i felt my 2nd wednesday nite dinner was good. prepping and timing was a lot more manageable this round, but seasoning was off. i guess that's the risk you run when you're cooking or creating dishes for the first time. ah but then again, all of you out there are my guinea pigs. =) so don't worry, i will get better and better. for those that dined last nite, please give me feedback. i'm always looking to improve!
and so ends another dinner and anticipation for another... here are the next lucky five!
drumroll please...
jeff! (he couldn't read your writing)
scott! (what's the heart doing there?)
who's RD? oh that's rebecca der!
edmundo!
june!
congratulations! the next wednesday nite dinner will be held on december 6th. what with thanksgiving dinner for 30 on the 18th and then again for family in LA on the 234d, i'll need the time to get my creative cooking juices flowing again. ;)
thanks again for everyone's support and see you at the next wednesday nite dinner!
in attendance from left to right: victor, kendrick, danna, andrew and ali
on the menu tonite, latin influence...
coming up with an interesting starter that would complement the main dish was a challenge this time. i wanted to be creative but couldn't get past the old chips and salsa concept. upon researching different salsas, i realized tomatillos (used to make tangy and tart salsa verde) could be stuffed like tomatoes are. so i picked up a basket of tomatillos, which interstingly enough, when hulled, emit a slimy, sticky goo from its skin. very werid.
reaching back on an old childhood favorite, i decided to devil it (think deviled eggs) only spicing it up with smoky saffron and hot red jalapenos to add more of a latin element. the tomatillos were deseeded then roasted whole with evoo, salt and pepper.
i then mixed the yolks of 4 eggs with some mayo, dijon, lemon juice, saffron, salt and pepper, then added the chopped egg whites and jalapeno. spoon some "devil" into each tomatillo, plate with greens tossed in vinaigrette and sprinkle a little paprika for effect and voila! saffron deviled tomatillos with greens in a lemon-lime vinaigrette.
overall this was ok but definitely needs tweaking of seasonings. i agree with ali that it should be spicier and there was too much acidity going on, given the tomatillo and the lemon-lime vinaigrette. some sweet element was missing. but it shows promise.
pork chops al pastor served with cucumber-jicama-mango salsa and caramelized onion couscous with cilantro and pomegranate seeds.
i love tacos al pastor. the sweet and savory marinated pork served on steaming hot tortillas with hot sauce and cilantro and onions is to die for. so i wanted to bring that to the chop platform and replicate. the marinade consists of pasilla, chipotle and guajillo peppers, cloves, cinnamon, vinegar and crushed pineapple. i let the chops marinate for a couple hours.
meanwhile i caramelized 2 mayan sweet onions for 20 min in a frying pan...
and stirred them into a pot of buttery couscous...
grilling the chops on the grill downstairs took about 15 min total. however, the heat on my grill is uneven and resulted in a couple chops being over/undercooked. toughness became a factor and this really wasn't my moment to shine, being a self-proclaimed pork chop wizard. the marinade also wasn't quite right, lacking depth and complexity, with only smoky and sweet notes that didn't meld together. i also should've pre-salted my chops a day ahead, (per zuni cafe practice). i think it really works to season the meat throughout. next time. it plated beautifully though...
i laid a bed of couscous and sprinkled with pomegranate seeds, then rested the chop on that. a ladle of salsa accompanied the meat. this consisted of diced jicama and mango, thinly sliced cucumbers, lime, cilantro, jalapeno, and evoo. the jicama provides a nice crunch. the mango, however, could've been more ripe and would've sweetened it up a bit. i personally felt the couscous was right on track, having sweet caramelized onion cut by the tartness of pomegranate and pungent cilantro.
all in all, everyone did a pretty good job of cleaning their plates -- and bones -- so i guess it tasted good enough.
dessert came next. victor graciously photographed while i assembled...
flutes of pomegranate almond champagne with floats of mango and raspberry sorbet
this dessert was inspired by both my recent trip to citizen cake in hayes valley and what my chef friend, paul tang, did with his dessert and wine pairing there. having poured his leftover raspberry sorbet into his sweet, crisp champagne, he created a fizzy fruit smoothie that was just awesome. here, i opted for an almond flavored champagne from TJ's and added some pomegranate seeds to the bottom (which ended up floating to the top)...
and added mango sorbet to the mix.
the result was pretty good overall, although some of us felt the raspberry didn't go with the almond flavor that well. in fact the almond flavor was a little too unexpected. i'll be experimenting with other champagnes per danna and ali's suggestions. what was the italian one called again? =)
so overall i felt my 2nd wednesday nite dinner was good. prepping and timing was a lot more manageable this round, but seasoning was off. i guess that's the risk you run when you're cooking or creating dishes for the first time. ah but then again, all of you out there are my guinea pigs. =) so don't worry, i will get better and better. for those that dined last nite, please give me feedback. i'm always looking to improve!
and so ends another dinner and anticipation for another... here are the next lucky five!
drumroll please...
jeff! (he couldn't read your writing)
scott! (what's the heart doing there?)
who's RD? oh that's rebecca der!
edmundo!
june!
congratulations! the next wednesday nite dinner will be held on december 6th. what with thanksgiving dinner for 30 on the 18th and then again for family in LA on the 234d, i'll need the time to get my creative cooking juices flowing again. ;)
thanks again for everyone's support and see you at the next wednesday nite dinner!
10.22.2006
spiced chicken with chilli pilaf
wooeee! talk about spicyness... of both the spice and hot kinds. i made this for dinner tonite and it turned out pretty good overall. the recipe comes from donna hay's new food fast cookbook, which is chock full of 10, 20 and 30 minute recipes simply prepared and fantastic food porn!
i've just got to take a second to talk about the photography in this book. hay plates all her dishes on white dinner and serving ware against a white backdrop, providing a blank canvas, so to speak, for the vibrant, saturated and glistening colors to shine through. there are some amazing macro shots; in one instance you can see the varying folds and air pockets in a cross-section of a slice of basil frittata. the book catches a lot of inspired home cooks due to its simple, almost deceptively basic, few ingredient recipes and fabulous food porn that leaves you scratching your head after cooking: "why didn't my dish come out looking like that??"
hay's recipes are hit and miss, and curiously omit salt in many recipes. if you're looking for refined, melded flavors, look elsewhere. this cookbook is for us brash, bold, spicy and sometimes affronting cooks who aren't afraid of overdosing on a great spice. but it is a good base of variety and you can adjust seasoning to your tastes.
start the chilli pilaf by first heating oil in a saucepan and adding 2 seeded and chopped red chilies, letting them soften for a minute. add 1 1/2 cups dry rice and stir to coat for another minute. add 3 cups chicken stock (season with a small pinch of salt, depending if your stock is low sodium or not) and stir to combine. bring up to a boil and then simmer until almost all the liquid has evaporated.
the recipe then calls for trimmed and cut chinese long beans to be placed on top of the rice and covered with a lid off the heat for another 10 min. i found the beans to be undercooked and recommend steaming/stirfrying them separately. a little salt and lemon juice wouldn't hurt either.
while the rice is cooking, slice 2 large chicken breasts into 4 strips each. in a bowl, combine 2T cumin, 2t cinnamon, some cracked black pepper (a good pinch of salt) and coat the chicken strips. in a frying pan, heat some oil and cook the strips until golden brown on each side. don't overcook, you want the meat to have soft springiness.
plate up by placing the long beans down, then a couple scoops of rice, and the chicken on top. the meat turned out surprisingly moist and tender and the spice mixture is definitely spicy and hot, even a little brash, so watch out. the pilaf is quite tasty and the chiles add just the right amount of flavor and kick. the long beans according to hay's recipe are bland, too green tasting and too crunchy. the texture difference is nice however. overall the dish combined works. you'll just need a beverage or two.
i've just got to take a second to talk about the photography in this book. hay plates all her dishes on white dinner and serving ware against a white backdrop, providing a blank canvas, so to speak, for the vibrant, saturated and glistening colors to shine through. there are some amazing macro shots; in one instance you can see the varying folds and air pockets in a cross-section of a slice of basil frittata. the book catches a lot of inspired home cooks due to its simple, almost deceptively basic, few ingredient recipes and fabulous food porn that leaves you scratching your head after cooking: "why didn't my dish come out looking like that??"
hay's recipes are hit and miss, and curiously omit salt in many recipes. if you're looking for refined, melded flavors, look elsewhere. this cookbook is for us brash, bold, spicy and sometimes affronting cooks who aren't afraid of overdosing on a great spice. but it is a good base of variety and you can adjust seasoning to your tastes.
start the chilli pilaf by first heating oil in a saucepan and adding 2 seeded and chopped red chilies, letting them soften for a minute. add 1 1/2 cups dry rice and stir to coat for another minute. add 3 cups chicken stock (season with a small pinch of salt, depending if your stock is low sodium or not) and stir to combine. bring up to a boil and then simmer until almost all the liquid has evaporated.
the recipe then calls for trimmed and cut chinese long beans to be placed on top of the rice and covered with a lid off the heat for another 10 min. i found the beans to be undercooked and recommend steaming/stirfrying them separately. a little salt and lemon juice wouldn't hurt either.
while the rice is cooking, slice 2 large chicken breasts into 4 strips each. in a bowl, combine 2T cumin, 2t cinnamon, some cracked black pepper (a good pinch of salt) and coat the chicken strips. in a frying pan, heat some oil and cook the strips until golden brown on each side. don't overcook, you want the meat to have soft springiness.
plate up by placing the long beans down, then a couple scoops of rice, and the chicken on top. the meat turned out surprisingly moist and tender and the spice mixture is definitely spicy and hot, even a little brash, so watch out. the pilaf is quite tasty and the chiles add just the right amount of flavor and kick. the long beans according to hay's recipe are bland, too green tasting and too crunchy. the texture difference is nice however. overall the dish combined works. you'll just need a beverage or two.
congrats to danna!
danna will be joining us for the next wednesday nite dinner on november 1st! unfortunately, edmund will be working down in LA that week and had to give up his spot. back in the pot you go though...
i've been working on developing a more complex menu, as well as sorting out how to manage all the logistics of setting up the event, nevermind the timing of the food for an 8pm sit down. the challenges vary from setting the table and cleaning the silverware to lighting the candles and getting dressed. 2 hours isn't very much time. then after all the fun, i don't have a dishwasher. so that's also difficult. most likely i'll be spreading things out over 3 evenings so as not to overload myself.
but, as i was telling leslie and the others last wednesday, this thing will evolve. i'm determined to prove that with a little bit of planning and effort, you too can prepare a great meal for your friends on a weeknite.
i've been working on developing a more complex menu, as well as sorting out how to manage all the logistics of setting up the event, nevermind the timing of the food for an 8pm sit down. the challenges vary from setting the table and cleaning the silverware to lighting the candles and getting dressed. 2 hours isn't very much time. then after all the fun, i don't have a dishwasher. so that's also difficult. most likely i'll be spreading things out over 3 evenings so as not to overload myself.
but, as i was telling leslie and the others last wednesday, this thing will evolve. i'm determined to prove that with a little bit of planning and effort, you too can prepare a great meal for your friends on a weeknite.
10.21.2006
short ribs braised in chimay ale
per anne's request, here is the recipe for the short ribs i made last wednesday nite. the creation hails from the sf standard, zuni cafe. helming the kitchen at zuni is chef judy rodgers who helped define what californian and san franciscan cuisine is all about: farm-fresh, seasonal ingredients prepared simply. her cookbook, a hefty 500+ page treasury, is very well-written and provides invaluable insight into various cooking techniques while light-heartedly narrating how her cooking style and recipes came to be. it's one of those cookbooks you can just sit down with and read from beginning to end, if you do that sort of thing...
rodgers basically presents a treatise on the crucial importance of salting your meat 1-2 days ahead to "manage and improve flavor, succulence, and texture. from the scientific side of things, yes this makes sense, as the salt will have enough time to full penetrate the meat to season it thoroughly. however, in practice, it makes you feel quite anxious as you basically douse your cut into a sea of salt. (slight over-exaggeration, but 3/4 to 1 teaspoon salt per pound is visually a LOT compared to what most people are accustomed to.) but for all my anxieties about the short ribs coming out too salty to be palatable, this recipe came out just fine, as you saw in the last post's pictures. the meat was seasoned to the bone, but not salty. very intriguing.
find a market butcher that will sell you short ribs cut to order. i had to visit 3 markets before i found a place that hadn't already pre-sawn the ribs to korean kalbi width (about 1/4"). for hearty servings, you'll want about 1 pound per person. this equals about 3 ribs with meat, 2" bone thickness. keep in mind as you braise, a lot of the fat will melt away and the meat will shrink on the bone. in this case, i picked up six 3-bone ribs, about 6.5 lbs.
trim the fat from the meat portion of the ribs. leave the bone side intact. i then measured about 1/2 teaspoon salt per pound out into a bowl and sprinkled it all onto the meat. anxiety may hit, but let it be. it'll be fine. cover loosely and throw into the fridge overnite.
the next day, select a large roasting pan, heat olive oil and brown all sides of the ribs.
place them bone side down and add the following to the pan:
4 yellow onions (yellows will cook down sweeter then whites and contribute to the sauce afterwards)
2 bay leaves
15 white peppercorns
equal parts of chimay ale and chicken stock to cover 3/4" of the pan
cover tightly and throw into a preheated 300* oven for 2 hours, checking every 45 min to turn the meat in the braise. the meat is done when it is fork-tender. (the next time i do this i plan to uncover the meat the last 20-30 min to see if i can reduce the liquid more. the sauce wasn't as syrupy as it should've been.)
smear a layer of dijon mustard on the meat tops of each rib and throw it under your broiler for a couple minutes, watching carefully. you want a golden brown glaze to develop and don't let it burn. the process will also crust the surface of the meat. very nice technique.
the liquid should be simmering on the stove to reduce as needed. it may require quite a bit of salting, as was in my case. again, referring to the above, i'd like to somehow reduce the liquid more during the process to concentrate it.
serve immediately with some of the onions and sauce, along with a good portion of starch and leafy greens. the meat will be tender, juicy and very beefy. the dijon glaze provides a nice subtle kick to the meat, similar to horseradish but not as pungent. the braise will have tenderized the sinewy material to the point where you could lick the bones clean, if that's your thing. it's definitely mine... =)
rodgers basically presents a treatise on the crucial importance of salting your meat 1-2 days ahead to "manage and improve flavor, succulence, and texture. from the scientific side of things, yes this makes sense, as the salt will have enough time to full penetrate the meat to season it thoroughly. however, in practice, it makes you feel quite anxious as you basically douse your cut into a sea of salt. (slight over-exaggeration, but 3/4 to 1 teaspoon salt per pound is visually a LOT compared to what most people are accustomed to.) but for all my anxieties about the short ribs coming out too salty to be palatable, this recipe came out just fine, as you saw in the last post's pictures. the meat was seasoned to the bone, but not salty. very intriguing.
find a market butcher that will sell you short ribs cut to order. i had to visit 3 markets before i found a place that hadn't already pre-sawn the ribs to korean kalbi width (about 1/4"). for hearty servings, you'll want about 1 pound per person. this equals about 3 ribs with meat, 2" bone thickness. keep in mind as you braise, a lot of the fat will melt away and the meat will shrink on the bone. in this case, i picked up six 3-bone ribs, about 6.5 lbs.
trim the fat from the meat portion of the ribs. leave the bone side intact. i then measured about 1/2 teaspoon salt per pound out into a bowl and sprinkled it all onto the meat. anxiety may hit, but let it be. it'll be fine. cover loosely and throw into the fridge overnite.
the next day, select a large roasting pan, heat olive oil and brown all sides of the ribs.
place them bone side down and add the following to the pan:
4 yellow onions (yellows will cook down sweeter then whites and contribute to the sauce afterwards)
2 bay leaves
15 white peppercorns
equal parts of chimay ale and chicken stock to cover 3/4" of the pan
cover tightly and throw into a preheated 300* oven for 2 hours, checking every 45 min to turn the meat in the braise. the meat is done when it is fork-tender. (the next time i do this i plan to uncover the meat the last 20-30 min to see if i can reduce the liquid more. the sauce wasn't as syrupy as it should've been.)
smear a layer of dijon mustard on the meat tops of each rib and throw it under your broiler for a couple minutes, watching carefully. you want a golden brown glaze to develop and don't let it burn. the process will also crust the surface of the meat. very nice technique.
the liquid should be simmering on the stove to reduce as needed. it may require quite a bit of salting, as was in my case. again, referring to the above, i'd like to somehow reduce the liquid more during the process to concentrate it.
serve immediately with some of the onions and sauce, along with a good portion of starch and leafy greens. the meat will be tender, juicy and very beefy. the dijon glaze provides a nice subtle kick to the meat, similar to horseradish but not as pungent. the braise will have tenderized the sinewy material to the point where you could lick the bones clean, if that's your thing. it's definitely mine... =)
10.19.2006
wednesday nite dinner no. 1
i'll let the pictures do most of the talking...
a quaint bistro setting...
last minute preparations of the main entree...
francesco doing the honors. poggio bidini nero d'avola, a sicilian rosso...
cheers to the first wednesday nite dinner!
dinner is served!
1st course: herb butter toast with red radish and a cup of of sea salt...
sweet butter was whipped with dill and thyme and a pinch of salt (see above picture)...
anne, you dip the radish in the salt, but don't dip too much!
2nd course: short ribs braised in chimay ale served with wasabi mashed potato and celery root and sauteed greens with nutmeg. the ribs were glazed with a smear of dijon mustard. the onions simmered in the ale...
there weren't many leftovers...
explaining to leslie my reasons for wednesday nite dinners and how it might evolve...
wayne is still "savoring" the meat...
everyone else is done...
3rd course: frozen honeydew slices. the melon flesh is scooped out, then blended with polly ann's coconut ice cream, then refrozen in the honeydew shell...
sterling vineyards malvasia bianca 2004. sweet and crisp with lots of lychee, pear and a hint of apple...
alycia, the guest photographer for the evening (and thank you for the dessert wine!)...
my teeth are frozen...
why's mine so big?
thank you leslie, francesco, alycia, anne, and wayne for supporting my first wednesday nite dinner! so happy you could come. please feel free to share your comments on the food and nite. and i'd love feedback (positive or constructive!) on the dishes too. i'm looking to improve in every way i can!
if anyone would like to see a recipe posted, post a comment and let me know which one.
and now what you've been waiting for...
the next lucky five guests for wednesday nite dinner no. 2 are...
victor!
kendrick!
edmundo!
andrew!
and last but not least... ali z!
congratulations! the next dinner will be held on wednesday, november 1st. menu tbd but expect something hearty and roasted. i'm all about roasts and braises these days. =)
thanks again for everyone's support and see you at the next wednesday nite dinner!
(we now return to our regularly scheduled recipes, restaurant reviews and homecooked meals.)
a quaint bistro setting...
last minute preparations of the main entree...
francesco doing the honors. poggio bidini nero d'avola, a sicilian rosso...
cheers to the first wednesday nite dinner!
dinner is served!
1st course: herb butter toast with red radish and a cup of of sea salt...
sweet butter was whipped with dill and thyme and a pinch of salt (see above picture)...
anne, you dip the radish in the salt, but don't dip too much!
2nd course: short ribs braised in chimay ale served with wasabi mashed potato and celery root and sauteed greens with nutmeg. the ribs were glazed with a smear of dijon mustard. the onions simmered in the ale...
there weren't many leftovers...
explaining to leslie my reasons for wednesday nite dinners and how it might evolve...
wayne is still "savoring" the meat...
everyone else is done...
3rd course: frozen honeydew slices. the melon flesh is scooped out, then blended with polly ann's coconut ice cream, then refrozen in the honeydew shell...
sterling vineyards malvasia bianca 2004. sweet and crisp with lots of lychee, pear and a hint of apple...
alycia, the guest photographer for the evening (and thank you for the dessert wine!)...
my teeth are frozen...
why's mine so big?
thank you leslie, francesco, alycia, anne, and wayne for supporting my first wednesday nite dinner! so happy you could come. please feel free to share your comments on the food and nite. and i'd love feedback (positive or constructive!) on the dishes too. i'm looking to improve in every way i can!
if anyone would like to see a recipe posted, post a comment and let me know which one.
and now what you've been waiting for...
the next lucky five guests for wednesday nite dinner no. 2 are...
victor!
kendrick!
edmundo!
andrew!
and last but not least... ali z!
congratulations! the next dinner will be held on wednesday, november 1st. menu tbd but expect something hearty and roasted. i'm all about roasts and braises these days. =)
thanks again for everyone's support and see you at the next wednesday nite dinner!
(we now return to our regularly scheduled recipes, restaurant reviews and homecooked meals.)
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