Seattle Bon Vivant

Palmiers: The recipe?

This recipe was printed out by both Alfie and myself and not saved onto our computers. I threw my copy out and she kept hers. Both our printers (on opposite sides of the country) were running out of ink at the time it was printed. As a result, not only was it hard to read but also missing some words, even a couple sentences.

She read the recipe out loud over the speaker phone while I typed. Thus, this recipe is for the most part a mishmash and might not be 100% accurate (as per Ina's instructions). The recipe is no longer available on Food Network's site so we can't go there to cross-check. Neither is it published in any of her books.

We've tried our best to reconstruct the instructions portion from memory (bad idea I'm sure) and I've already mailed Ms. Garten for permission to print the original recipe so stay tuned (that means you Kim. Ha!)

Btw...The Palmiers (rolls) keep quite well frozen (in a freezer safe Ziploc bag) and stored for impromptu dinner parties--for one, two or a crowd--, that time of the month, to consume during cinema therapy sessions, doll weddings, tea parties, bat mitzvahs und der Kaffeeklatsch. You get the idea! But I'm warning you, they are highly addictive, even for non-cookie lovers like yours truly. And please, try to let them cool before attempting to grab from pan and stuff in mouth. ;-)


Palmiers
(inspired by Ina Garten)

2 cups Granulated Sugar (I used Trader Joe's Organic)
1/8 tsp Kosher Salt
2 sheets puff pastry (defrosted) (Ina recommends Pepperidge Farm)

Preheat the oven to 450F
Combine sugar and salt in bowl and set aside.

Pour 1 cup of the sugar mixture on marble slab or flat, clean and dry surface. Place one sheet of puff pastry at a time onto the sugar. Pour 2nd cup of the sugar mixture on top. ('It's not about sprinkling but about an even coating of sugar).

With the rolling pin (I find a French Pin renders better results) roll the sugar onto the dough, until sugar is pressed into the pastry (top and bottom) and dough is approximately 13 inches long.

Fold the long sides of the rectangle into the middle. Then fold them again so that the two folds meet exactly in the middle again. Then take the two folds and close them together like a book you should have at least six layers). Press together ever so slightly. Cut pastry roll with a sharp knife crosswise into 3/8 of an inch slices. Place cookies about 2 inches apart on a Silpat or Exopat lined baking sheet (or ungreased non-stick baking sheet) and transfer to freezer for about 20 minutes to chill.

Remove from freezer and place, in oven to bake for 10 minutes, turning them with an offset spatula half way through until they are caramelized and golden but not burned (keep your eye on them the first time, just in case, as different ovens might render slightly different results). They should be tender in the middle but crunchy and flaky outside. Br careful when you touch them as they'll be very hot (the caramel can burn your fingers in two shakes).Transfer to a baking rack to cool. Store in an airtight container or Ziploc bag for up to three days (but they won't last that long I guarantee you)

*Variations: Add 1 teaspoon cinnamon or cardamom powder (or both) to sugar mixture.

Encore, encore! Cardamon Palmiers for dessert

My friend F said she was making Samosas last night. I sort of invited myself to dinner (As if I'm going to miss an opportunity to eat homemade Samosas? Ha!). So, after the movie (Hero) I promised to bring the wine and dessert. Of course, I had Palmiers in mind.

I had purchased more Puff Pastry dough, only this time I picked the supermarket variety, instead of the homemade gourmet kind, the one I normally buy from DeLaurenti. My dear friend Alfie had told me Ina (Garten) prefers Pepperidge Farm (from the frozen aisle) so that's what I got. Once again, the Organic Sugar (Trader Joe's), Kosher salt and the cardamon powder came out (I thought it would be a nice complement to the spice and the heat of the Indian Samosas).

This time, success! After thawing the pastry I rolled it out in the sugar and spice, folded and rolled the dough, cut the Palmiers and baked. A few minutes later, (drumroll) out they came. Looking, I must say, not too shabby. Good color, lovely caremelized edges, crunchy and flaky as can be. I plated them, grabbed the wine, my keys and walked fast but carefully down the hall towards the elevator.

One floor down, the elevator stopped. Two neighbors (they must be new to the building as I've never seen them before) walked in. They had pressed the button for the gym floor and they were dressed the part too. Exercise clothing that made their muscly and well toned bodies quite obvious.

They looked at the cookies and smiled. I wondered if they were looking at the cookies as some kind of forbidden fruit, something to look at but not dare to eat for fear of ruining their handsome physiques. I was intent on finding out (insert evil grin)...

Me:"Hi!"
1st Man:"Mmm, those look good"
Me:"Do they? I just baked them. Would you like one?"
Both men nodded.
2nd Man:"Palmiers, right?"
(I must have had this surprised look, accentuated by a big grin and wide open eyes)
Me:"Yes! Yes! They are Palmiers!"
2nd Man: "I know. I used to work at a French Bakery"
We get to F's floor, they both thank me, I smiled back. Bliss! I knew they tasted like Palmiers and now I had confirmation they also "looked" like Palmiers (even if they are still not 100% perfect, as Ina's).

Epilogue: The Samosas were delightful! The dough was not what F had envisioned.. I guess she was less happy with them that I was (they were delish!) But the recipe can be improved just by changing the dough from whole wheat to regular wheat flour dough). We had them with the Patak's Hot Mango Chutney she had purchased at an Indian grocer in Renton (the one adjacent to Pabla Indian Cuisine (Punjabi vegetarian & Kosher btw..). The wine was delicious too (Marquis Phillips Cabernet Sauvignon). Next, came the Palmiers. F liked them very much. We had a few and I suggested F Ziplocked the others for later consumption.

Tzatziki

The Olympics are over. Wasn't it just the other day we were talking about the Opening Ceremonies, Athená and Phèvos and the Marathon? Gone are the Rhythmic Gymnastics, Water Polo, and Fencing competitions. No more Synchronized Swimming nor Diving. Not for four more years anyway. Ohh well, it was great while it lasted!

So, in the spirit of all things Greek, Olympic and yummy I made, again, my favorite Greek sauce (more of a dip really), a garlicky and refreshingly cool Tzatziki. We had this for the Opening Ceremonies (part of my very own home Greek foodie celebration) two weeks ago and made it again tonight for the Closing Ceremonies. I used (of course!) Fage Greek Yogurt (do not even think of using any other kind, it just won't do) and the rest is easy peasy! One thing though: I love garlic so my Tzatziki is quite garlicky. Also, the cucumber is not processed in the Cuisinart but chopped small, by hand, to keep it crunchy and to add a little green to an otherwise white-as-milk dip.

Seattle Bon Vivant Olympic Tzatziki

5 ounces FAGE Total 2% Greek Yogurt
1 large cucumber, chopped finely
2-3 cloves garlic, grated (In a pinch I use Trader Joe's Dorot Crushed Garlic Cloves
Juice of half a small lemon
Light drizzle of olive oil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill
Salt to taste

Add all other ingredients to the yogurt. Stir. Refrigerate a couple hours or overnight. Serve with warm, grilled or toasted pita bread or Lavosh crackers. Serves 4.

*Next time I'll use the Fage Total Classic Greek Yogurt. Since it is full fat, whole milk yogurt. It should render an creamier, richer Tzatziki.

Re: Dorot Crushed Garlic Cloves: One cube equals one ready peeled and crushed garlic clove (you do not defrost before use, just pop out as you would ice from a cube tray) . If you have never used these run, don't walk to your nearest Trader Joe's and buy 4-5 trays. They also offer Parsley, Coriander and Basil but sadly, Trader Joe's does not carry the Coriander in the same format. It is better than fresh in that it is pre-measured and fresh frozen, always at your fingertips. I swear by these! By the way, not only are they Imported from Israel but they are also Kosher/Parve

The problem with Palmiers...

My friend Alfie called yesterday. Actually, it was one of a few conversations we had during the day. As on most days, it was quite the animated chat, a mishmash of everything we can think of talking about (movies, books, fashion, makeup, perfume, shopping, Olympics, food and wine, our Netflix Queues), as if we are on a timer, against the clock.

Alfie: "I found this this recipe I have to tell you about. It's Ina's (Garten). Fabulous! You should make these. Palmiers. Easy peasy! I made them today and they were a hit and were scarfed down immediately".

Me: Of course, shoot!" As we are both on the computer she tells me where to look up the recipe (Food Network.com) I copy it (the Ina Garten Palmier recipe has dissapeared since, overnight! It shows as an expired recipe on the site. Aww!) , print it and promise to make them and 'report later"

I was thinking: I'll give it a go and what's the worst that can happen? That they do not come out right? Right! So…off I went, to defrost the puff pastry dough I had in the freezer. The one purchased on Sunday from DeLaurenti (their own, at $2.99 per package) and that I love to keep around at all times for last minute dessert or appetizer ideas and because, let's face it, I am just too lazy to spend all day making my own.

I get the marble ready, the rolling pin, the cardamom (ground and oh so fragrant! Purchased from The Souk, at Pike Place Market) and cinnamon. With the oven pre-heated to 450F, the Exopat and Baking Sheet (both from City Kitchens) ready and plenty of sugar to roll away with, I start the Palmiers.

The process was simple, quick (the store bought puff pastry dough made all the difference) and very enjoyable. I made two batches of four Palmiers: one with cinnamon and one with cardamom. It made the kitchen and my hands smell absolutely delectable.

In the oven, at 450F, 6 minutes of baking was not enough to get the Palmiers to their golden crusty yet soft center point. So I gave them a turn and baked for 3 more minutes. The cookies looked lovely, albeit a bit unshapely. Somewhere along the way I must have not rolled them out properly or perhaps they were not chilled enough as the little curls opened up and out a little too much. The looked more like hearts than what Palmiers are supposed to look like.

But you know what? The second I took a bite of my first home made Palmier I was hooked. This first batch would never win any Blue Ribbons for looks but oh my! The flavor, the flakiness, the crunch, the tender center! Cardamom and Cinnamon, two of my favorite spices, infused these babies with such flavor and fragrance it was just impossible to resist the impulse to eat them all. By the time I thought about reaching for the camera to take a photo, the Palmiers along with a tall glass of milk were half gone.

Although I have not been a big cookie eater since my Sesame Street, grade school days, I ate all the 8 Palmiers I made last night (ok, I was home alone and they came out tiny, so there!). I'll keep practicing my rolling of the dough skills and improvising of sweet and savory flavorings and fillings for future batches (later this week). But for now, the problem with Palmiers is that they are, for the most part, too easy to make and just too tasty to have only one.

Albacore Tuna Salad with Lemon Cucumber, Green Grape Heirloom Tomatoes and Corn

Yesterday, hungry but with not much energy to cook a complicated meal I made an albacore tuna salad using the beautiful produce purchased last Satuday while at Portland Farmers Market. I had the green grape cherry heirloom tomatoes, lovely pink fingerling heirloom potatoes and my new friends, the cute Lemon Cucumbers.

All it involves is a quick steaming of the vegetables, boiling the eggs. Chop it all up, cut the corn off the cob (with knife) and mix in a bowl. Add the yogurt, salt and pepper to taste. The last touch was a sprinkle of fresh tarragon that brightened up the flavors of the vegetables not to mention liven up even more an already colorful (pinks, greens, yellows and white) and friendly salad.

I ate it warm but you may refrigerate it for a couple hrs before serving (I was just too hungry). A glass of wine and a small crusty baguette were happily polished off along with the salad. Not bad for an improvised and quick meal.

Albacore Tuna Salad with Lemon Cucumbers, Green Grape Heirloom Tomatoes and Corn

Albacore Tuna (from a can, troll caught)
Corn (steamed or grilled, fresh or from a can)
Green Grape (cherry) Heirloom tomatoes (or any cherry tomato will do)
Potatoes ( use heirloom but any new potato will do)
Boiled eggs (2-3)
Fage Greek Yogurt (about as much yogurt as you would normally use mayonaisse)
Fresh Tarragon (about 2 teaspoons, chopped finely (I used a mezzaluna)
Salt and pepper to paste

IMBB? No. 7 You're Just the Cutest Little Dumpling!: Tom Douglas Lola (inspired) Sweet Goat Cheese Turnovers with Pistachios and Honey

I've never met a dumpling I did not love. In all their manifestations, they are the epitome of comfort food. Whether a Knish (kosher or not) Russian Pelmeni, Italian Gnocchi or Ravioli, Chinese Egg Rolls or Dim Sum, Polish Pierogi, Half moon shaped shrimp Vietnamese Dumplings, Japanese Gyoza and Argentinian Empanadas.

Mention Puerto Rican pastellillos, rellenos de papa, alcapurrias, pasteles, hayacas or empanadillas, Mexican Tamales, Apple dumplings, Chicken dumplings, German dessert dumplings and I'm in an instant trance. Name a dumpling and most probably I've tried it, have eaten it with gusto, gone for seconds and have attempted, many times miserably, to reproduce it at home.

Between the visit to Portland's Market, my fascination with all things dumpling, goat and cheese and a soft spot for the turnovers at Lola, I recognized immediately that I shoul give this a go for this month's latest installment of IMBB? No 7: You're Just the Cutest Little Dumpling!, hosted this month by Jarrett of Life In Flow and Food Porn Watch.

Sweet Goat Cheese Turnovers with Pistachios and Honey have fast become one of my favorite sweets ever and one of the must order dessert menu items (along with the Sweet Goat Cheese Pie) at Seattle's own Tom Douglas's new restaurant Lola.

My version is a last minute adapted (an understatement) one, as I, all of a sudden, wanted to try shaping the dumpling a bit larger with more of an empanada shape. I also wanted to bake it instead of fry it, just to see how flaky the dough (pâte brissé and not Tom's recipe) would come out.

The cheese used in this recipe is a Monteillet Fromagerie Larzac, an aged Chèvre. Its not as creamy or soft as the Chèvre the recipe calls for (more of a Laura Chenel soft cheese or even a Fresh Chèvre). It is neither white as snow (ash runs through the center). But having sampled this beauty while browsing the stands at the wonderful Portland Farmers Market I had to incorporate it into this recipe.

The Raynblest Dark Wildflower Honey used to drizzle the turnovers with was also purchased at the Portland Market. The pistachios (unsalted) came from Trader Joe's and the mint from one of our favorite Sunday stands at Pike Place Market.

The results? A grey hued filling, a color not as attractive to the eye (yet another understatement) as Tom's creamy white but still delicious. The dough, flaky and light. In the end, this was not Tom's turnover anymore but my very own wannabe turnover. Mind you, I ate the whole thing. Only now I love Lola's version even more and I can't wait to go back to have it again. If you can swing by Lola, order the turnovers. Dumplings, I've found, are always better when someone else, an expert (which i am not) especially, makes them. If you can't, then use the recipe link below, follow it to letter and let me know what you think. ;-)

Recipes: Sweet Goat Cheese Turnovers with Pistachios and Honey and Turnover Pastry Dough

Tom's Big Dinners : Big-Time Home Cooking for Family and Friends

A Remembrance of all things Julia Child: Poulet Rôti and Gratin Dauphinois

Its been almost a week since Julia Child passed away. Last night's dinner was a very personal and humble remembrance of her. The plan was to cook a meal with at least two of her recipes by 7:00 p.m right before the premiere of Julia! America's Favorite Chef , part of PBS's ''American Masters'' series (it will be repeated Friday at 1:30 p.m. on KCTS/9).

The menu was very French and very simple. Julia's Poulet Rôti (Roasted Chicken) following the recipe on page 240 of Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume One and her Gratin Dauphinois (Scalloped Potatoes with Milk, Cheese and a pinch of Garlic) on page 523. A quick Watercress Salad (my own, made with Golden Raisins, Roasted Walnuts and Balsamic Vinaigrette) and a just warmed up in the oven Ficelle (from Dahlia Bakery) completed the meal. And although Julia recommends pairing the chicken with a light red such as a Bordeaux-Médoc or Rosé I opted for what was at hand: A bottle of Marquis-Phillips Cabernet Sauvignon. Not French but New World, Australian. Neither the epitome of lightness, but it went very well with the dish and its one of my personal favorites, one I could never tire of drinking, so there.

It was a lovely meal dinner indeed. The chicken was juicy and golden, cooked to perfection and so flavorful (sans garlic) that, upon first taste, I think my heart skipped a beat. The potatoes were a hit. Creamy and delicious. None were left, just an empty baking dish with the remains of a golden crust.

The whole meal process was bittersweet. Browsing my Julia Child books, choosing and researching recipes during the day, shopping for the ingredients. Even carefully picking a chicken that would have made her proud (a Ranger).

Then, on to the seasoning, prepping, buttering, trussing, basting and testing many times for doneness and seasoning. All the while thinking what a legacy she has left, what a life she had lived, how sad that she is gone yet how we should all be so lucky to have lived so long and so fully and be remembered as such love and admiration.

Both of Julia's recipes worked exactly as written with wonderful and happy results. There were some chicken leftovers that I happily wolfed down for today's lunch. I had them with bread and a cut-up banana (I wonder what she would have thought of that)!

The documentary was wonderful and at times so moving it brougth tears to my eyes along with many big laughs and giggles. It was a great day and evening full of all things Julia. Of France and great food. Of laughter and love. Of memories and gratitude. Of the wonder of books. Of a life well lived. Thanks again Julia! And toujours bon appétit!

Fig-Rhubarb Jam

After sampling a bit of the beautiful jam that Laura made (she's the friendly, hospitable and very generous fellow Seattleite that gave me the figs), I had to know which recipe she used. She told me it was her own adaptation of the basic strawberry jam recipe on the commercial pectin box. As both figs and rhubarb are fruits low in pectin, it made sense to use the added pectin.

Given that I have been so used to following Christine Ferber's more traditional jam making recipes, that do not call for any added pectin (other than lemon juice) I do not keep any in my pantry. So, I went to market, purchased the pectin and crossed my fingers.

This jam was made using most of the fruit proportions on the pectin box. It set quite thick, thicker in fact than most of the other batches of jam I've ever made over the years. Nevertheless, it is delicious. With just the right amount of sugary sweetness and lemony sourness. Still, I really think that this jam can be made without added pectin. Next time and with a different variety of figs, I'll try tweaking the recipe once more, skip the pectin and see how it sets.

Fig-Rhubarb Jam

2 1/2 cups fresh figs (stemmed and chopped)
2 1/2 cups rhubarb (unpeeled and diced)
1 box of pectin
5 cups sugar
2 lemons

Cut rhubarb into small pieces, add sugar, chopped figs, lemon rind and juice. Let stand for a couple hours. In a preserving pan, bring to a simmer. Plour into a ceramic or glass dish, cover with parchement paper and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, bring mixture to a boil while stirring gently. Cook on high for about 10 minutes, add pectin and continue stirring until mixture is thick. Check the set. Jar and seal the jam immediately.

Christine Ferber's Wild Blackberry Jam

Last Wednesday, while at the Columbia City Farmers Market, mesmerized by all the beautiful produce available, I was having a hard time deciding which berries to take home with me.

There were blueberries, strawberries, plump and gorgeous blackberries and red raspberries. There were also these beautiful golden raspberries that were not only huge but so sweet and delicious that I could not help myself from eating them in the car on the way home. Then, finally, in a corner of the market, on an almost empty table were baskets full of wild blackberries harvested earlier in the day.

They were so many and so cute, tiny and large, juicy and sweet that of course, I had to take them home with me too. By the time I was done shopping I could barely carry my basket, purchased from a friendly African man right at the Market a while back. So I headed home and started making plans for my berry bounty (and the bread and the white eggplant and zucchini and squash and ground cherries).

Whenever I think of great jam, I think of the Fairy Godmother of Jams and Jellies, Christine Ferber. So I looked up my copy of her book Mes Confitures and sure enough, of page 102, there was a Wild Blackberry Jam recipe. The ingredient list and process could not be any shorter or simpler. But do not dismiss this as simplistic jam making. This woman knows jam and I am yet to follow one of her recipes that does not render fabulous jam (or jellies). They work every time with brilliant and scrumptious results.

The jam is dark and thick and with just the right amount of sugar ( I dislike sickly sweet jams). I must admit to having tweaked the recipe (I can't help myself) by using the juice of two lemons instead of one.

So, for those of you wondering what to do with a surplus of Washington Wild Blackberries, this recipe could not be any easier or faster. Now go out, do some picking and get to work. And you too could be having this lovely jam with tomorow's breakfast.

Christine Ferber's Wild Blackberry Jam

2 1/4 pounds Wild Blackberries
3 3/4 pounds granulated sugar (I use Trader Joe's Organic)
Juice of one lemon (or two if you like your jam less sweet)

Pick over the blackberries.Rinse them quickly in cold water without soaking them. In a preserving pan, combine the blackberries, sugar, and lemon juice. Bring to a simmer. Pour into a ceramic bowl. Cover the fruit with a sheet of parchment paper and refrigerate overnight.

Next day, bring this preparation to a bowl, stirring gently. Continue cooking on high heat for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring and skimming carefully. Return to a boil. Check the set. Put the jam into jars immediately and seal.

Ground Cherry Jam

Well, after tasting and purchasing the Ground Cherries I found the other day while shopping at the Columbia city Farmers Market, I came home to research the fruit and find a suitable recipe to put these tiny fruits to good use. I had found a Ground Cherry Preserve recipe but finally, I decided to make jam instead.

The jam has a beautiful honeyed flavor and color with teeny tiny seeds that show through but are not as big or crunchy (or tricky for your teeth) as blackberry seeds). Sweet but not so much so that it becomes cloying. It is lovely and unusual and I am glad I got to test this out and make it work but this is not the kind of jam I would go out of my way to make in the future.

After this fun experiment I think I prefer the ground cherries eaten fresh, husked and rinsed, from a bowl or perhaps with some Fromage Blanc or in a Fruit Salad.

Ground Cherry Jam

8 cups ground cherries (husked)
4 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
2 lemons; grated rind & juice

Husk and wash the ground cherries carefully. Measure the sugar and water into a large kettle. Bring to a full rolling boil, and boil for 2 minutes.

Add the cherries, lemon rinds, and juice. Bring to a full rolling boil again, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, cover with a clean towel, and let stand overnight. (in the refrigerator)

Next day, return to the heat, and again bring to boil. Reduce heat and cook gently until transparent (about 15 minutes). Immediately pour into hot, sterilized glasses seal at once.

Adapted from a recipe for Ground Cherry Jam from Unusual Vegetables: Something New for This Year's Garden

*A note about Ground Cherries: When making jam or preserves treat them as you would cranberries. Do not crush or pop the berries but let them do so on their own while cooking.

11:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

07.08.2004

Backwoods Spicy Grilled Chicken

Last time I visited Burien Farmers Market I came upon a booth with a friendly vendeuse, selling, of all things, Habanero based Barbeque Sauces. Made in Spirit Lake Adaho, of all places. They sold several varieties in different sizes and one could try them before buying. All excellent. Flavorful and with plenty of habanero heat. After sampling all of the sauces my sweet tooth won the tasting. I walked home with a bottle of their Sweet & Sassy Sauce.

Since then, I've been waiting for the right time to cook something on the grill with the sauce. That chance came up this past Wednesday. We were craving spicy, peppery heat and with a just bought beautiful fresh chicken (a Rosie from Larry's Market in Queen Anne) we knew exactly what to have for dinner.

The chicken is so simple indeed but you will need a couple key things. First, you'll need one of those inexpensive aluminum pans you can buy in the baking aisle of your local grocer. An oval shaped one. Medium sized. Nothing like those used for turkeys but something a couple sizes smaller. We found ours at Larry's Market. $2. Second, you will need a bottle of Backwoods Barbeque Sweet & Sassy Sauce. Other than that, the recipe and procedure are easy peasy.

Backwoods Spicy Grilled Chicken
One Fresh Chicken
One bottle of Backwoods Barbeque Sweet & Sassy Sauce
One head garlic (chopped fine)
Salt and pepper to taste
A hot grill.

Cut up chicken. In a bowl mix sauce and garlic, salt and pepper. Pour over chicken to coat generously. Let sit for at least a couple hours, overnight if possible. Grill in aluminum baking pan over medium heat until chicken is well done. Try to let it sit for 10 minutes (I dare you to wait any longer. The delicious smell emanating from the pan will make it very difficult for any self-restraint). Eat.

We had ours with roasted sweet potatoes, a tomato salad and Washington Green Fig kabobs. The chicken was extremely moist, very flavorful and cooked just right. With beautiful color and crispy burnt edges. I think it was a combination of cooking it in the pan (where the hot sauce bubbled up as it cooked, helping it cook evenly and effectively yet rendering the flesh moist and succulent) with the garlic and the sauce.

This was spicy grilled chicken the way it should taste. Saucy, hot and utterly delicious. So you do not live in Seattle or Idaho you say? Well, you can order the sauce by mail or online from Backwoods website (They take Credit Cards via PayPal). This is a small family owned venture that deserves our support. Their product is of very high quality and it is one of the very few Habanero based barbeque sauces in the market. I plan to buy it again and try it with baby back ribs. I am sure they will be superb.

Backwoods Barbeque Sauce
P. O. Box 205
Spirit Lake,
Idaho 83869
(818) 718-0789

07:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

05.08.2004

Grilled fig kabobs

I love figs. Any kind, any color. Any size. Any way. Fresh or dried. With an abundance of fresh figs in the market now is the time to explore these magnificent little gems, making the most of the harvest. So tonight, I took advantage of a bag of figs we received as a gift last Sunday. It came from a super sweet West Seattle family we met while waiting for the Bainbridge Island Ferry. Inspired by the beauty of these figs and the fig article on Seattle P-I I just had to make some Washington Green Figs kabobs to go with our Spicy Grilled Chicken, roasted sweet potatoes and tomato salad.

Fig Kabobs

12 large, firm ripe figs whole (any fig would do)
3 tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
Freshly ground black pepper
Maldon salt

In a small bowl stir all the ingredients except for the figs. Add figs to bowl and coat fruit with the mixture. Marinate for at least 20 minutes, or more if possible. Skewer 3 whole figs per kabob. Arrange skewers on aluminum foil sheet on grill (or under broiler in kitchen oven). Grill until browned and softened. Serve, on the skewers (I used 6 inch stainless steel restaurant issue skewers), while still warm.

05:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

19.07.2004

Nectarine, Peach and Apricot Bellini

Last night, as part of our IMBB? No.6: Griller's Delight exercise, we put together a little beverage to have as an Apéritif. A pitcher of Nectarine, Peach and Apricot Bellini. Made with a lovely 2003 Moscato d'Asti from Cascinetta Vietti (Castiglione Tinella, Piemonte Italy) we found this wine a few days ago at Madison Market ($12.99).

The original Bellini was created in the forties at Venice's Harry's Bar. It was made with peach nectar and Champagne in honor of Venetian painter Giovanni Bellini. Nowadays Harry's Bar makes it with Prosecco. I've used Prosecco before but I found the wine too dry and lackluster. After falling in love at first sight with the Cascinetta Vietti's pretty label, I just had to use the Moscato (that and my sweet tooth) instead.

Our Bellini was cold, had fizz, plenty of sweetness and lovely fruity goodness. And contrary to what you may observe, our concotion did not come up green. In fact, it was a pretty shade of pale peach. The glass, made out of a very thin, light green recycled Mexican glass is the reason for the greenish hue on the photograph. ;-)

Nectarine, Peach and Apricot Bellini

You'll need:

A bottle Moscato d'Asti (chilled)
2 Large White Peaches
2 Large Nectarines
4 Apricots

All I did was cut up some wedges of fruit (nectarines, white peaches and nectarines) for the pitcher and used the same amount of fruit to make a purée (you may use a food processor to gently pulse the fruit wedges or halves or very clean hands), to be mixed with the Moscato D'Asti. I put the purée through a sieve in order to get the lovely thick juice without any skin or foliage/pit fruity detritus. Pour purée into pitcher. Add fruit. Add wine. Stir. Serve immediately.

*Purchase the ripest, sweetest, nicest fruit you can find.

Madison Market
1600 East Madison
(on Capitol Hill)
7 a.m. to midnight daily.
(206) 329-1545

11:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

18.07.2004

Grilled Yukon River King Salmon with Heirloom Tomato-Basil Salad and Steamed Purple & Yellow Haricots

One of the best things living in Seattle is the abundance of beautiful seafood and how easy it is to find fresh Alaskan fish, just in from the boat or in the case of Yukon and Copper River Salmon, the plane. Yukon River Salmon is like butter. There is no other way to describe its succulent, deep colored, oil rich flesh. It has a gorgeous texture and the fat content makes the fish so flavorful that it really is a sin to overcook it, season it too much or burdening the flesh with too heavy of a sauce or too pungent of a marinade. The flavor of the salmon should be the star. Not a lot of room for messing up the fish if you do the least possible to it to begin with and mind the grill, cooking it for just the right time and not a second more.

So when Barrett, from Too Many Chefs announced the theme for this month's installment: IMBB? 6 - Grillers (and Barbecuers) Delight I knew exactly what I was going to grill. However, only today did I figure how I was going to marinate it and what I would serve with it. I just knew I had to make the most of whatever looked best at the market. I also wanted to test a new gourmet product I had purchased recently.

The salmon came from Mutual Fish. The Heirloom Tomatoes ( a fat, dense and meaty ruby red) from our favorite produce guy, Philip Catanzaro of Catanzaro & Sons at Pike Place Market. We got our peaches and tomatoes from him this morning. We also found beautiful Nectarines and Apricots while perusing the stands. And the Purple & Yellow Haricots came from the market too. But I digress (produce does this to me)....

As I was looking for a light citrus kick to season the fish with I used O Yuzu Rice Vinegar. I brought this vinegar back from Los Angeles (Yuzu is a rare and quite pricey Japanese citrus) and it proved to be a great choice. Extra Virgin olive oil, Maldon salt, freshly crushed pepper, garlic and about 20 minutes later we were ready to grill. The salmon was grilled skin side down on a sheet of Reynolds "Release" Non-Stick Aluminum Foil so as to not risk the beautiful fish slipping through the grate and straight into the fire and brimstone below.

The Yukon was cooked medium rare and served immediately after. It was delicately infused, with all its wonderful natural flavor still showing through. The salad and beans were delicious too. Everything super fresh, without any added vinaigrette or seasonings other than a little crushed Maldon salt.

For dessert we had the leftover fruit at the bottom of the pitcher with a little Fage Greek Yogurt from Trader Joe's and local and very fresh Dancing Bear Wild Blackberry Honey from Everett (Nancy, the beekeeper, sells a large range of honey and honey based products honey from her stand at Pike Place Market). A glorious if simple meal, enjoyed with friends and neighbors in our building's terrace on a sunny Seattle Sunday. A slight breeze. The Space Needle in the distance. Live jazz playing in the background. What can possibly be better than that? ;-)

Grilled Yukon River King Salmon

You'll need:
Yukon River King Salmon
*Yuzu Rice Vinegar
*Extra Virgin Olive Oil
*Maldon Salt
*Freshly ground red and black pepper
*Garlic

Mix all ingredients in bowl (except for the salmon)
Let fish marinate in mixture for about 20 minutes.
Grill to taste (SBV recommends medium rare)

*=To taste. Fellow Nigel Slater fans take heed: My recipes, for the most part, do not include exact proportions, unless it is a preserving or baking recipe. Let your palate be your guide.

11:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

17.07.2004

Chèvre, Prosciutto & Peach Chipotle Pepper Jelly Sandwich on Dahlia Bakery's Ficelle

Inspired by a trip to the Columbia City Farmers Market and products from two of our favorite neighborhood spots, we came up with a little sandwich that was not only delicious to eat, really pretty to look at and a lot of fun to put together. We used:

The Bainbridge Island-based Port Madison Goat Farm Chèvre (rolled in pepper) we picked at the market (they make the best local chèvre and goat's milk yogurt I've ever had since moving to Seattle).

My favorite bread in the city, the crusty Ficelle from Dahlia Bakery.

Prosciutto , letfover (doggie bag) from a great dinner we had the night before at Buenos aires Grill.

At hand, we also had a lovely Woodring's Peach-Chipotle Pepper Jelly (they have a permanent stand at Pike Place Market and local stands at Magnolia and Columbia City Farmers Markets among many others).

The combination of flavors, colors and textures made this a very interesting bite. Crusty bread. Creamy but not overpowring chèvre (from Nubian goats, feed only natural foods without any hormones or antibiotics). The jelly, sweet and with the right amount of peppery heat. And finally, the tender and not too salty Prosciutto. A surprisingly good sandwich that requires no mayonaisse or extra condiments. Easy to assemble and perfect for lunch or picnics.

Port Madison Chèvre
Port Madison Goat Farm
15015 Sunrise Drive,
Bainbridge Island,
WA 98110
206-842-4125

Woodring's Peach-Chipotle Jelly
Woodring's
Order Line 1-800-848-2554
Food concept's Inc.
P.O. Box 707
Monroe, WA 98272

01:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

14.07.2004

Gooseberry Jam

I had to make something worthy of the beauty and freshness of the Gooseberries we picked up Saturday at the Magnolia Farmers Market. So, I opted for the recipe on page 89 of Mes Confitures: The Jams and Jellies of Christine Ferber. Ferber's book contains recipes that are not only easy to make but wonderfully creative in their composition and absolutely scrumptious (so good Pierre Hermé carries them at his rue Bonaparte boutique in Paris)

This Gooseberry Jam recipe calls for gooseberries, sugar and lemon juice. That's pretty much it. She believes in cooking the fruit by simmering it , transfering it to a bowl, covering it with parchment paper and letting it sit in the refrigerator, covered, overnight. Only the following day is the fruit mixture meant to be boiled and placed in jars.

Its a very interesting approach and it works. The jam is so lovely and a snap to make (once you wash, drain, dry, rub and stem the berries which explains why Gooseberry Jam is not only harder to find in the market but also retails at a higher price point).

Next stop, her Red Currant Jelly recipe on page 87.

Christine Ferber's Gooseberry Jam

2 1/2 pounds gooseberries
3 3/4 cups sugar
Juice of two lemons

Wash the gooseberries in cold water. Drain them and dry them in a towel. Rub them in a dry towel to remove their fuzz. Remove the stems and any remaining blossoms.

In preserving pan, mix gooseberries, sugar and lemon juice. Bring to simmer. Pour in ceramic bowl. Cover the fruit with a sheet of parchment paper and refrigerate overnight.

Next day, bring this preparation to a full boil Continue cooking on high heat for about 10 minutes, stirring gently. Skim carefully. Return to boil. Check the set. Put the jam into jars immediately and seal.

11:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

29.06.2004

Williams Sonoma Authentic Bundt® Double Chocolate Cake

Last night we were invited to dinner. Our friend and neighbor Ms. F, an accomplished cook and fellow foodie, off from work for the day, was celebrating her new All-Clad Slow Cooker's "Maiden Voyage" with a recipe for Beef Burgundy from Lynn Alley's The Gourmet Slow Cooker - Simple & Sophisticated Meals from Around the World

I promised to bring dessert and this was it. Mind you, my cake came from a box. I had it in my pantry, ready for a lazy day, when I was too tired to bake from scratch. I used my lovely Rose Cake Pan and crossed my fingers.

The Burgundy Beef (page 50) was the best I've ever had and the cake was quite good too. The Double Chocolate all natural mix is made with Guittard artisanal cocoa and Nielsen-Massey vanilla. Dense, with delectable Belgian chocolate bits. Moist but not fudgy. We had it with cold milk and were happy as clams. :-) These mixes (they also have Double Lemon, Strawberry and Vanilla) should be in everyone's pantry. Just in case.

Williams Sonoma Bundt® Chocolate Cake

You will need:
A box of Williams-Sonoma Bundt® Double Chocolate Cake Mix
A Bundt® Cake Pan
16 Tbs. (2 sticks) unsalted butter
4 eggs

Follow the instructions on the box for buttering and dusting pan and to prepare the batter. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spreading the batter so the sides are about 1 inch higher than the center. The recipe says to bake at 325F but I prefer baking it at 350F, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 60 to 65 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool the cake upright in the pan for 10 minutes. Set the rack over a sheet of waxed paper, invert the pan onto the rack and lift off the pan. Use confectioners’ sugar for a simple dusting or make a glaze of 1 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup water and 1 Tbs. chocolate liqueur. Or try a Kahlua Glaze made of 2 Tbs. Kahlua, 3 Tbs. water and 3/4 cup (185g) granulated sugar. Serve with whipped cream or crème fraîche and garnish with berries (red currant or red raspberries are especially lovely now) Serves 16.

07:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

27.06.2004

Mojito Lemonade

It was another incredibly beautiful day in Seattle. We went to the market, had Snoqualmie Gourmet Ice Cream's Pistachio while people watching, purchased armloads of produce (morels, red currants, figs, peppers, more Zucchini blossoms, early Yukon Gold potatoes, Lemon Basil and Chinese Spinach among others) took a drive across I-90 to Bellevue and then returned home to a beautiful building wide outdoor party with lovely food and neighbors galore.

To beat the heat while the food was ready and the band played on, I made a pitcher of Mojito Lemonade, my own, very lazy person's alternative to the traditional Cuban Mojito (made with simple syrup) we usually order at Mojito Cafe , Mamey's Cuban Bistro or Thai Ginger

I had Caribbean Key limes, gorgeous lemons from Bill Pace at Mercer Slough (picked up this afternoon on a quick run to see the blueberries at Overlake's Blueberry Farm ), and a bunch of the most incredible mint, purchased this morning at the market. It was a breeze to make, refreshingly cool and very tasty indeed.

Mojito Lemonade

White rum (Ron blanco) (Bacardí or Don Q Crystal)
Lime-Lemon (sweetened) lemonade made with cold Sparkling Water
2 fresh mint sprigs
Cruched ice

In a pitcher combine the lemonade (or limeade) with the rum, ice and mint (crush with spoon as if making Mint Juleps) . Garnish with lemon or lime rounds.

11:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

24.06.2004

Yukon King Salmon in Mango Purée

Yesterday, I picked up 1 1/2 pounds of Yukon King Salmon from Mutual Fish ($17.99 p/p). Later on, inspired by all the beautiful produce I found while at the Columbia City Farmers Market and after browsing a recipe on my new book, The Williams-Sonoma Collection: Fish for Pan Roasted Salmon Fillets In Mango Juice I could not wait to get home to start cooking . Taking advantage of a care package my mom had Fedexed only a few days ago, loaded with beautiful mangos and Key limes I knew this was the perfect combination for the evening.

Instead of bottled mango juice as the recipe recommends, I cut up and pureed a few of my beautiful mangoes to get not only the texture and thickness but the lovely bright color and without compromising the flavor. The fish was marinated in the purée for 20 minutes (add salt & pepper to taste and reserve after removing fish from it) and sautéed skin down with one tablespoon olive oil on an All-Clad non-stick pan, for about seven minutes, then transferred to the oven (450F) to finish cooking.

The purée was reduced stove top and poured over the fish after transferring the fish to a platter. I served the salmon with Zucchini Blossoms (deep fried, in a Bellwether Farms Fromage Blanc, While Lily flour, organic heavy cream, sea salt and red pepper batter) and Crème Fraîche Mashed Potatoes (a mix of Yukon Gold and reds, also purchased at the market, mashed by hand with the peel instead of using the Potato Ricer as usual since by the time I got home from work I was not in the mood for ricing potatoes and the hunger go the best of me.

The wine, a 2003 Chatter Creek Columbia River Pinot Gris and the dessert, fresh Tayberries, (a cross between a blackberry and a red raspberry), both purchased at the market, were light and lovely.

The salmon, just as I had read on the paper yesterday morning, was like butter. Like butter I tell you. Delectable, flaky, moist and it cooked to perfection. And that color! Heaven! The potatoes, Zucchini blossoms and wine were a wonderful match. I ate every single morsel of fish and look forward to buying some more to cook this Sunday on the grill.

I must say, As much as I love my Copper River Salmon , last night, Yukon was King.

Columbia City Farmers Market
Columbia Plaza,
4801 Rainier Ave South
(at South Edmunds)
Seattle, WA

09:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

22.06.2004

Morel Mushrooms and White Truffle Oil Roasted Red Potatoes

As a side dish to Sunday's IMBB No. 5: Catch of the Day-Fish Tarragon Honey Copper River Salmon En Papillote I put together yet another very easy but delicious dish: Morel and White Truffle Oil Roasted Red Potatoes .

So to offset the sweetness of the Tarragon Honey Copper River Salmon En Papillote and the Warm roasted beet, fig and red young onion salad I opted for honeycombed, aromatic and earthy morels (Morchella species) for the potatoes.

We purchased the morels from our favorite market forager, a member of The Puget Sound Mycological Society , who, Sunday after Sunday, seems to always have the best and freshest Shiitake, Morels and Porcinis around. Harvested early in the morning, then brought to the market.

A little Maldon salt, coarsely ground pepper, chopped morels (dunked in a bowl of cold water to clean, then laid out on paper towel to dry) and a tossing in Bartolini White Truffle Oil (purchased from La Buona Tavola Truffle Cafe on Pike Street) made these roasted potatoes utterly tender and delectable.

La Buona Tavola
Truffle Cafe-Specialty Foods
1524 Pike Place
Seattle, WA 98101
(206) 292-5555
Monday- Saturday 10am to 6pm
Sunday- 10am to 5pm

06:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

21.06.2004

Warm roasted beet, fig and red young onion salad

Beets, garnet red and highly nutritious are in season year round. But yesterday, while at Pike Place Market we purchased beautifully fat ones from the friendly guys at the Alvarez Farms stand (out on the sidewalk, a few stands away from our mushroom guy) .


So, last night for IMBB No. 5: Catch of the Day-Fish I served a Warm roasted beet, fig and red young onion salad . Its a very simple salad really. The figs, onions and beets work so well together. The Balsamic Vinegar intensifies the flavors. Sweet. The figs and onions caramelized. Just lovely.

Warm roasted beet, fig and red young onion salad

In a bowl combine:
About 6 Black Mission figs (quartered)
One bunch early red onions (quartered)
Four medium sized beets (washed gently, stems trimmed to about one inch)

Toss the begetables with the best Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar you have around. Salt and pepper to taste. Place in oven proof dish at 350F for about an hour or until beets are tender when pierced with skewer. Serve warm.

Alvarez Farms
Fresh Organic Produce
(Over 100 different types of vegetables)
340 Murray Road
Mabton, WA 98935
(509) 837 2381

08:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

20.06.2004

IMBB5: Tarragon Honey Copper River Salmon En Papillote

Is My Blog Burning? Absolutely! Once again, food bloggers get together, virtually that is, to participate in this fun exercise. Last month was the lovely Pim's Around the world in a bowl of rice: Is My Blog Burning? 4th edition . This time, creating yet another ingredient focused recipe Wena from mum-mum eat eat designated this IMBB Catch of The Day: Fish as the theme for this installment.

And today, taking advantage of yet another glorious sunny day in Seattle we headed down 1st Avenue to Pike Place Market to shop for the ingredients for today's dish. First stop: Le Pichet for Le Déjeûner and Sunday's New York Times. From there a pit stop at Pure Food Fish Market where our friendly fish mongers Harry and Matt helped us pick up a pound of gorgeous Copper River Salmon for today and another pound of Halibut for tomorrow. Then we stopped to see our favorite mushroom forager for just harvested Morel mushrooms. We picked up fresh and fat organic Yakima beets, early red onions and Yakima sweets from the friendly and funny guys at the Alvarez Farms table (from Mabton). Fresh no spray Snohomish County Raspberries and Fireweed honey from our favorite MoonValley Honey.

After all the Pike Market browsing, shopping and after stopping to see Michel at Kosher Delight for a quick refreshment (it was so hot out today!) we took a cab home to drop our loot and head back out to take the Monorail Shuttle to Seattle Center for a leasurely walk, cool off by the fountain and check out EMP and the new Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame. We ended up at McCaw Hall , Intiman Theater and Larry’s Market on Mercer to pick up our long waited for Ginger-Mango White Stilton to have for dessert. Another quick cab ride home and we were elated to enjoy a climate controlled apartment (on a day like today it is bliss indeed!) . After a little break it was time to start cooking...

The inspiration for my recipe came from the book Celebrate the Rain; Cooking with the fresh and abundant flavors of the Pacific Northwest (purchased Thursday at the Bellevue Farmers Market . I wanted to use honey (the recipe was for Honey Glazed Salmon with Figs and Cranberry Vinaigrette). But I also wanted to put to good use the fragrant tarragon I picked at the Market on Thursday (chopped with my trusty Typhoon mezzaluna) and I wanted to use up Friday's figs for the beet salad and skip the cranberries altogether. And of course, with Copper River Salmon still fin flapping fresh all over Seattle's fish mongers and supermarkets, I just HAD to choose this beautiful and flavorful fish over all others.

All my ingredients at hand, I started by getting the fish ready, marinating it in the mixture of fresh honey, olive oil, fresh squeezed lemon juice, tarragon, garlic, Maldon salt, The Cape Herb & Spice Company Grains of Desire pepper blend (black pepper, nutmeg, orange peel, rose petals, grains of paradise, ginseng and cloves) . I placed it in a Ziploc bag and let the fish infuse in the marinade for about an hour, cozy and cold inside the refrigerator.

In the meantime, I was busy with the rest of the meal. A Warm roasted beet, fig and early red onion salad and Morel mushroom and white truffle oil roasted red potatoes (recipes to be posted tomorrow). By the time Six Feet Under was over, the salad and potatoes were ready. And as soon as Dan Rather's former President Bill Clinton interview was finished, the fish was ready to be put in the oven.

En Papillote is one of my favorite ways to cook fish. The fish cooks inside a wrapping or envelope of parchment paper, steaming the contents while concentrating its flavors. When you take it to the table, you slit and peel back the parchment to reveal the food. Easy to make, to bake, lovely to serve to guests and cleanup is a breeze.

I placed my salmon in its parchment paper housing, baked for 25 minutes at 350F and upon opening the envelope all the honeyed tarragon aromas were released. Success! The fish was flaky, tender, moist and utterly tasty. The potatoes and salad were a wonderful and truly complimentary combination of sweet and sour heaven (beets, figs and Balsamic Vinegar) and of earthy goodness (Morels and white truffle oil). What a lovely way to end a fantastic weekend in the Emerald City.

Tarragon Honey Copper River Salmon En Papillote

1 pound Copper River Salmon fillet (skin & pin bones removed)
2 tablespoons honey
2 cloves garlic, minced
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 tablespoons fresh chopped tarragon
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3-4 grinds of Cape Herb's Grains of Desire (optional)
Maldon salt to taste
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Pre-heat oven to 350F. Stir together in a small bowl all ingredients except for salmon. Brush mixture on the fish. Marinate for an hour minimum in plastic bag inside refrigerator. Take salmon from bag and place in parchment paper, creating a large envelope- type pocket. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the salmon has just a touch of translucence in the center of the thickest part.

Enjoy!

10:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Watercress, Fig and Walnut Salad with Chicken, Potato and Porcini Persillade

Using the lovely Live Gourmet watercress I picked up the other day at Fremont's PCC and the plump figs I got at Pike Market on Friday, the salad for was to be not only simple but delicious. A little Parmigiano Reggiano cheese grated over, salt, pepper, a sprinkling of walnuts and it’s ready to eat after drizzling it with a little LuLu Fig Balsamic Vinaigrette with a teaspoon of honey (Japanese Pear) added to it.

This was served as an accompaniment to a quick Chicken, Potato and Porcini Persillade I concocted yesterday out of necessity (hunger) , duty (needed to use up ingredients already in my refrigerator and freezer) and anticipation (Porcini!!!). The dish started with a little persillade (a mixture of chopped garlic and parsley), the fattest Porcini mushroom I found at Pike Place on Friday afternoon ($5 for this baby!) , Walla Walla onions and a trio of baby potatoes (red, purple and white) left over from the ones I used for the Kale, Swiss Chard and Chicken Soup I made Thursday night with the produce I picked up while shopping at Bellevue Farmers Market.

The Porcini (sliced), onion (chopped small) and a pound of skinless, boneless chicken (cubed) and the potatoes (cut small) were sautéed with a little Marsala (sweet) and olive oil for about 5 minutes. In went the persillade and a few grinds of my favorite The Cape Herb & Spice Company Piment Fort (also sold labeled as Chili Bite) which is a combination of red chilies, black pepper, sweet peppers, ginger and ginseng. In went the persillade (A chopped garlic and parsley mixture). After stirring all ingredients together I cooked covered for about 20 minutes or until the cut up potatoes were soft. Voila!

A chilled Covey Run Morio Muscat to complement the heat of the pepper mix, the flavorful Porcini and the garlic. Not bad at all for a lazy and hot Seattle Saturday.

Persillade
3 cloves garlic, chopped
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 tablespoons olive oil
Maldon salt and coarsely ground pepper to taste

Chop the parsley and garlic. Stir them in a bowl with olive oil. Add salt and pepper.

A note about shopping for Porcini Mushrooms at Seattle's Pike Place Market: Shop around! Porcinis are in season, beautiful, fat and just delicious. However, you'll pay a small ransom if you do not walk around the market and compare prices. Porcinis are being sold from $19.99 (Catanzaro & Sons, my personal favorite) to $29.99 a pound (at frankly overpriced Sosio's Produce) . Caveat Emptor.

From Pike Place Market Insider News (May 2004):

Please also welcome Catanzaro & Sons to the Market. Philip Catanzaro plans to open his highstall for business on May 1 in the former Jordan Village highstall location. We are extremely pleased Philip is joining the Market community; he has been in the produce business for over 25 years, and his family has been in the business for over 60. In addition to selling fresh fruits and produce, Philip plans to carry fresh herbs, organic produce and exotic mushrooms. Please stop by 1501 Pike Place #2 (it’s the first highstall north of the clock) to meet Philip and welcome him to the Market.

10:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

15.06.2004

Its a gorgeous day! Go out and grill something!

It is a beautiful day in the city. I came home from work and went out to the terrace to take this picture. There is not a cloud in the downtown Seattle sky. Its blue and sunny, with a breeze. Just the right kind of day for a picnic or grilling your dinner tonight. So please, take a look out the window, enjoy the beautiful view and whatever your dinner plans tonight were, cook something outside today.

Start with a big bowl of cold from the fridge Washington cherries. Feast on these while the food cooks. Grill a lovely Copper River Salmon. Put some Walla Walla and Morels with a little olive oil in a foil packet while you are at it. Toss a simple salad of watercress or Mâche with red onion, figs, a little chèvre or Point Reyes and a drizzle of Balsamic vinegar.

For dessert? Washington strawberries or perhaps a bottle of your favorite dessert wine. Store bought cake. A small cheese plate? Or not. Its up to you how involved you want this evening to be. But for crying out loud, grill something! Bon Appétit!

06:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

13.06.2004

Rhubarb Fool with Greek Yogurt, Walnuts and Fig

Inspired by Nigella Lawson's Forever Summer Recipe for Rhubarb Fool, I made it my own by substituting the double cream for Fage Greek Yogurt to render a less heavy, less fatty, yet satisfying dessert.

Instead of mixing and swirling the Rhubarb Compote with the creamy, thick and tart yogurt (As Nigella does in her recipe), I served a couple dollops, one on top of the other, of the yogurt and the compote, sprinkled a few walnut pieces over it and garnished with a fresh fig, quartered, in a clear dessert glass.

It looks more pleasing to the eye, less messy and you can enjoy every single flavor almost as a single note instead of a sweet and sour glob of creamy, fruity goo.

This was the end result. Needless to say, it took me very little time to devour this easy to make dessert, that looked and tasted so beautiful I only wished I had guests over for dinner to share it with.

Next time I'll drizzle a bit of the Japanese Pear Honey I picked up Thursday at the Burien Farmers Market over the top.

06:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

12.06.2004

Rhubarb Compote

With plenty of Rhubarb around, fresh from the Farmer's Market and with a sweet tooth begging for a treat I whipped up last night a little Rhubarb Compote to have around for the weekend. Very easy to make, it only takes Rhubarb, sugar, Rose Water (if you have it around) and little oven time. I used my trusty red Le Creuset cast iron 22cm Round Cocotte. It cooked the compote and preserved that beautifully intense ruby color of the Rhubarb.

The recipe is my own variation (of course!) of Nigella Lawson's Forever Summer book (page 204) with less sugar (I love the tart sweetness of the Rhubarb) and added Rose Water. A pinch of salt to round of the edges. The original recipe is for Rhubarb Fool but I wanted to make the compote on its own to use for Rhubarb Fool and other desserts throughout the weekend. So, I only made the compote part of the recipe. The end result was a delicious, not too sweet compote with a vibrant hue. The picture does not do it justice.

Rhubarb Compote
1 1/2 lb rhubarb, trimmed and chopped into one inch pieces
1 1/4 cup Trader Joe's Organic Sugar (more or less, depending on taste, add slowly)
2 Dashes of Rose Water
pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350 F. Mix Rhubarb, most of the sugar, salt and Rose Water together in oven proof dish. Bake for 30 minutes or until fruit is completely soft. I finished the compote stove top, transferring the Cocotte to the burner, check for sugar, add if necessary (to taste) stirring a few times to get a thick and luscious purée texture. I poured the Compote into a glass dish and refrigerated.

More Rhubarb Recipes

09:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

11.06.2004

Sautéed Copper River Salmon and Baby Bok Choi

We picked some just flown in Fresh Copper River King Salmon Fillet ($19.99 per pound) at Pure Food Fish (my favorite fish monger) at Pike Place Market. What is there to say about Copper River Salmon that has not already been told a thousand times over? Its definitely Seattle's premier salmon and its season one we Seattleites look forward to year after year. At home, this is one of our favorite fish and the standard by which all other salmon are measured.

So, last night, after an enjoyable but very long work day and stacks (literally) of paper work I had to reward myself for getting the job done. I wanted to put to good use the beautiful and tender Baby Bok Choi I had picked up yesterday morning at the Burien Farmer's Market (I HAD to pick up some of Wade's Honey, from bees at his Japanese Pear orchard. As I've gotten totally hooked on Fage Greek Yogurt with added Honey and Walnuts (we are never without a couple big bags of Walnut pieces from Trader Joe's...but I digress.) our honey stocks have been run low faster than usual) and cook the fish with as little pomp and circumstance as possible.

As I was cooking for one and frankly, after 3 hours of paperwork, a bit pooped, only the simplest of recipes would do. No heavy sauces to cover the fish, no convoluted processes or long ingredient lists. This was to be a quick meal that would hopefully bring out the best of both the salmon and the vegetable.

Sautéed Baby Bok Choi
3 Baby Bok Choi
Soy Sauce
Walnut and Toasted Sesame Seed Oil (I teaspoon each)
1 tablespoon packed golden brown sugar
Garlic (2 minced cloves)

I put these in a wok and sautéed until tender.

Copper River Salmon
6 ounce fillet
One clove minced garlic
1 teaspoon Grains of Paradise
Juice of half a lemon
Maldon Salt
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Sautéed the fish until opaque but tender to the touch.

The salmon, so flavorful, with an amazingly silky and incredibly lush texture, almost brought tears to my eyes when I tasted it. It was perfection and worked really well with the Bok Choi. The Grains of Paradise gave it just the right amount of peppery heat without overpowering the salmon or numbing the palate. I was so pleased with dinner that I totally forgot to open the wine I had in mind for it. Savoring every bit of the dish was enough taste bud indulgence for the evening.

A delightful meal (with leftover Bok Choi for tomorrow's lunch) that speaks of everything that's lovely and good of this fair city of ours. Great fresh fish. Seasonal and very fresh produce, locally grown. Simple but never simplistic living. The only thing missing was a piece of Mikawaya's Strawberry Mochi Ice Cream...next time.

Pure Food Fish Market
Pike Place Market
Seattle, WA 98108
1-800-392-FISH (3474)
206-622-5765
Fax 206-622-2050
info@freshseafood.com

06:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

06.06.2004

Thursday's Pot-Au-Feu

Last Thursday, after returning from Burien Farmers Market I had little time to cook, work for most of the afternoon and tickets for A Midsummer Night's Dream at 7:30. So, my trusty slow cooker came to the rescue. Using most of the vegetables just purchased that morning at the market, I concoted an impromptu and very personal version of Pot-Au-Feu . In the bowl of our slow cooker went:

Meat (I used Beef Tri-Tip)
Chopped:
Early carrots with stems (half a bunch)
Kohlrabi (1 large)
Fresh Garlic (3 small heads)
Beets (3)
Walla Walla onions (2)
Mushrooms (8 ounces, whole)
Cherry Tomatoes (1/2 pint)
Eggplant (one medium)
Grains of Paradise (1 teaspoon)
Maldon salt (to taste)

For color, I used a bit of Pimentón De La Vera and a few strands of Saffron. Not very French, I know, but I love a little color in my food and, in general, I eschew (except in chicken broth, soup) pale broths.

The proportions are personal. What I had at hand (in season and local, above all), what I like in terms of flavor (adore garlic) and what my "eye" tells me its enough, because, in general, I tend to cook without "exact" amounts. Mine are more "eye" measurements. ;-).

The Pot-Au-Feu was programmed in the slow cooker for seven hours. By the time I returned home at the end of the day, our place was perfumed with the scent of the dish. When I removed the cover, the meat was utterly tender and flavorful. The vegetables cooked well and infused with all that wonderful juice. There was plenty of delectable broth. It was ready to serve.

At hand, the best mustard (Maille Extra Forte we brought back from Paris in April), cornichons and French bread you can find. A bottle of Chateau Saint Sulpice and we were happy as clams. Plenty leftover for lunch the next day. Not a drop of broth or stray vegetable to discard. Every bit was enjoyed. Comfort food at its best.

08:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

01.06.2004

Julie Sahni's Kheer

My sweet friend V gifted me a beautiful book on Indian cooking some time ago. Savoring India written by Julie Sahni, is a delight to browse, read and cook from.

Last night, I gave Kheer a go again using Sahni's Kheer recipe as a base. Made half of the recipe (cooked in half the time) as its only two of us, skipping the silver foil garnish and adding a dash (1/8 of a teaspoon) of Rose Water to the mix.

In the bowl of the food processor I cracked the rice (regular Basmati) in lieu of Gobinda Ghog according to Peter Berger's suggestion. To sweeten, lovely Saint Louis Comptoir du Sud Pépites de Canne (brown sugar cubes I brought back from Paris last month) were used instead of Jaggery. Mainly because just as Jaggery, it is unrefined brown sugar. But also, because it was the only sugar on hand as I had run out of my Trader Joe's Organic (although I could have used Golden Brown Sugar).

Julie Sahni's Kheer
Serves 6.

4 cups milk
4 cups light cream
1/2 cup basmati rice preferably small-grain Gobinda Bhog or brown basmati rice, thoroughly rinsed
3/4 cup light-colored jaggery (or light brown sugar)
4 green cardamom pods (1/4 teaspoon of cardamon seeds steeped in 1/4 cup boiling milk will do too)
1/2 tsp crushed saffron threads (less than a quarter of a teaspoon is enough)
1/2 cup raisins (a handful of Trader Joe's beautiful Golden raisins)
1/4 cup sliced almonds (slivered)
6 pieces silver foil, each in 2" squares.

In a large, shallow pan over high heat, bring the milk and cream to a boil, stirring frequently to prevent scorching.
Add the rice, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is reduced to the consistency of custard and the rice is soft and creamy, about 50 minutes.
Add the jaggery and mix well. Meanwhile, pry open the cardamom pods, remove the seeds and grind them to a powder. (This is best done using a mortar and pestle; you can also wrap the seeds in plastic wrap and crush them with a mallet or rolling pin.)
Discard the cardamom skins. Add the cardamom, saffron, raisins and almonds to the cooked rice mixture and mix well.
Transfer to a bowl, let cool, then cover and refrigerate until chilled. Spoon the pudding into small dessert bowls and garnish with silver foil.

The results? A saffron tinged version of the rice pudding I get from Maharaja. There was no need to wait until its cooled. We served it warm, almost right out of the stove. It was delicious! Yet, it lacked that consistency and flavor typical of Moghul Palace's or Maharaja's rice pudding.

I am still looking for "THE" perfect Kheer recipe. Or perhaps I should just order it in massive quantities from the restaurant? ;-)

06:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

28.05.2004

A little Kheer...

Between Adam's Carbohydrate posts and Pim's Around The World In A Bowl Of Rice the craving for carbs and rice dishes continued. So, earlier this afternoon I stopped at World Spice in Seattle and purchased, among other things (also picked up True Cinnamon and Cassia sticks and more Turmeric (I used up all my leftover Turmeric on the Happiness Soup), the most fragrant green cardamon and cardamon seeds to make Kheer for dessert.

Kheer is my absolute favorite Indian dessert. I prefer it every single time to Gulab Jamun. Its my preferred way to end an Indian meal, whether lunch or dinner.

Today. while Googling the Internet for yet another recipe I came upon's Waitrose Illustrated's Kheer recipe. I used it as a base while adjusting the proportions to make enough for a 2-3 servings. This is what I came out with.

Kheer

2 cups whole milk
1/4 cup Basmati
1/4 teaspoon cardamon seeds
3 tbsp sugar
2 grinds of nutmeg
2 smidgens of Rose Water

I did not have any pistachio or slivered almonds so I skipped this bit but for a quick dessert for one it was just fine. It came out pretty tasty too. So much so I've eaten most of it already. In fact, by the time it ocurred to me to take a picture of it, this was all there was left (see above) ;-)

Next time I'll try Peter Berger's (sans the cinnamon and butter, with not as much sugar but cracking the rice) or Madhur Jaffrey's Kheer with raisins and slivered almonds added for texture.

11:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

27.05.2004

Life is a bowl of Happiness Soup

We have been so spoiled here in Seattle. Weather has been beautiful. Dry, cool, sunny. Until yesterday that is. It was muggy and grey. Around 58F. Light rain. I love days like these. Perfect for soup. So, taking advantage of the chicken stock I made Tuesday night and to continue Pim's "Around the world in a bowl of rice" theme, last night, for the second evening in a row, dinner was rice based. I shopped for my "Courgettes" (Yellow Zuchinni) at Larry's Market. They were out of them but the produce manager told me Yellow Squash (imported from Mexico) is the same deal. They will have to do.

Last night's offering came out of from Nigella Lawson's Forever Summer book. Her Happiness Soup is just right for today's weather. She made this recipe on her Forver Summer serie, seen in the US on the Style Network (Episode: Yellow, #01). It looked so cheerful and tasty. I've been wanting to make it ever since.

I did, however, make a few adjustments to it. I'll explain...

I love to buy and read cookbooks. I devour them. Keep them everywhere. Usually have 2 or 3 going at the same time, reading them like novels, by chapters, bookmarking and annotating my favorite recipes and suggestions, new ingredients to try, sources, etc. I go back to them over and over. Even now, with all the wonderful culinary blogs on the web that I enjoy reading on a daily or weekly basis, cookbooks are still my main source of inspiration and my reference for most of the cooking I do around these parts. However, I indulge the kitchen scientist in me, more often than not, by altering recipes, adding this or skipping that, in the process making them my own or taking them to a totally different place, creating sometime new altogether.

This recipe was no different. The stock was made fresh from a lovely and plump chicken and not from a bouillon as Nigella does. Even after carefully and throughly skimming the fat from a still cold from the fridge and very gelatinous and beautifully clear stock this morning, there is plenty of yummy chicken fat there. Hence, I have only used one teaspoon of olive oil instead of 3 tablespoons.

A clove of garlic was also added to enhance the flavors and round off the lemon. Towards the end of the cooking time, I added a dollop of crème fraîche to thicken the soup and mellow the yellow. The carnivore in me felt compelled to add, right before serving, some of the chicken breast, pulled by hand from the carcass of the stock chicken last night.

RE:the amounts of lemon and lemon zest on this soup. Mind your lemons. Nigella says:" Zest and juice of one lemon". Just how big is that lemon? Who knows! But mine was big. A beautifully fat and yellow lemon from Larry's. So, what I did was zest the whole thing with a Microplane but used only one teaspoon of the zest.

As far as the lemon juice I added three tablespoons. I measured them in order to add the lemon juice bit by bit and avoid making unhappiness sour soup instead. It worked. Perfect balance of lovely tanginess and not a hint of sour or bitter undertones. Other than this, it is pretty much as per the Nigella's book. ;-)

Needless to say, the soup was delicious. We had it with a Sourdough Batard from Larry's Market . For dessert, Fage Total Greek Yoghurt with fresh blackberries, walnuts and a drizzle of Acacia honey. A very simple yet luscious way to end a meal.

Happiness indeed!

Nigella Lawson's Happiness Soup (adapted)

18 ounces yellow squash (2 large)
Zest and juice of 1 small lemon
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
4 cups fresh chicken stock
4 ounces (½ cup) Basmati rice
Maldon salt and fresh ground pepper

06:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

26.05.2004

Last night's "Arroz Con Pollo"

Inspired by Sunday's Chez Pim's "Around the world in a bowl of rice" and with plenty of short-grain rice to spare I got a craving for Arroz Con Pollo.

I had shopped for most of the other ingredients while at Trader Joe's on Monday so it was a matter of coming home from work early enough to cook and invite our friend F for dinner.

We could have dinner and a little American Idol watching, just for kicks. I've missed most of the season but last night's show was quite good (the "finale" airs tonight)

So, it was Arroz con Pollo with all the traditional garnishes, wine and the last of the Arroz Con Dulce for dessert. Great dinner and no leftover rice. 1/2 hr of tv and off to bed early. Not bad at all, for a Tuesday.

Arroz Con Pollo

2 cups short grain rice
Thighs, drumsticks, wings and cut up breast of one fresh chicken. (bone in is traditional but you may debone the meat)
1 small can tomato sauce
About 10 Spanish Olives
1 teaspoon capers
½ cup sofrito (in bowl of food processor pulse one sweet onion, one bunch of cilantro and 2-3 Annaheim peppers)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups of chicken broth
1 can of Petit Pois (garnish)
Small jar of Spanish Roasted Red peppers (for garnish)

In a large saucepan brown the chicken parts in the olive oil
Remove chicken from the pot and set aside.
Add tomato sauce, olives, capers, sofrito, garlic, salt and pepper
Mix well and cook for 5 minutes over medium heat.

Add the chicken and rice to the pot and stir.
Add broth (broth level should be about 1 inch above the rice)
Boil uncovered, over medium heat until broth is absorbed.
Once broth is absorbed, gently stir from bottom no more than twice.
Cover and continue to cook over low heat for thirty more minutes or until rice is tender.

Garnish with petit pois and strips of red bell pepper

08:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

25.05.2004

“The gift of the Gods” or Fage Total Greek Yogurt at Trader Joe's

While shopping at Trader Joe's some time ago I came upon the cutest and most delicious product: Fage Total Greek Yogurt. Greek Yoghurt has never been the easiest product to find in the US but Trader Joe's has been importing Fage's Total Greek Yogurt for a while now and will continue to be a staple at their shops. Eureka! This has go to be the best, richest yogurt I've ever had. At 250 calories per 5.3 ounces, the fat content is quite steep but the silkiness is worth every spoonful and calorie.

Greek Yoghurt is not your average yogurt. Is the real McCoy. So creamy and thick it adheres to a spoon with all its might, and never budges. Fage's single serving size ($1.59 for 5.3 ounces) is a combo of 2/3 Greek yogurt with 1/3 Greek honey. The honey is the perfect counterpart to the tangy, creamy and thick yogurt to be drizzled over the yogurt or just dipped into with the tiniest of spoons and plenty oftieme to savour. Trader Joe's also carries Fage's 500 mg tub of Greek yogurt (plain) for $3.99 which is my choice for cooking with as greek yogurt is perfect for thickening soups, making Raita, etc.

Greek yogurt is the traditional ingredient for making Yaourtopita (Greek yogurt cake), Spaghetti with yogurt (Makaronada me saltsa yiaourtiou) and Tzatziki. Serve it for breakfast or dessert with fresh berries or fruit. With honey and walnuts is a great and healthy way to start the day or a fab mid day snack or lunch. Greek yogurt is an excellent alternative to sour cream, plain American and French yogurt or even crème fraîche.

So, next time you find yourself at the supermarket, pick up a container of Greek yogurt. Once you try it, you'll be hooked, wondering why you never discovered this gem before. You might never go back to the sweet, runny stuff again.

Tzatziki

500mg Greek Yogurt
2 cucumbers (seeded), diced
3 cloves garlic, peeled and grated
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
Juice of 1/2 lemon
One tablespoon fresh dill
Salt and Pepper to taste

Combine ingredients by hand or in bowl of food processor, pulsed lightly a few times. Transfer to a bowl and chill in the refrigerator for at least a couple hours before serving.

Yoghurt

In Search Of Greek Yogurt: Full Fat Paradise

Prices, choices earn Trader Joe's cult-grocer status

Quirky Trader Joe's draws shoppers for deals on fine food, wines

Travel the world without leaving home

07:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

23.05.2004

Is My Blog Burning? Arroz Con Dulce

The 4th Edition of "Is My Blog Burning?" is today, Sunday May 23th. Pim is hosting this installment. The theme is: "Around The World In A Bowl Of Rice".

I've finally decided to join in the fun. What to make for the occasion has been based on whatever ingredients I already had in my pantry and on ease of preparation. It’s a lazy Sunday. After yesterday's party I was not up for a big cooking production.

My mother has made this recipe for thirty plus years with fresh coconut flesh and milk. Grated and processed (think elbow grease and cheesecloth) painstakingly by hand. Its a whole day affair.

Others, for convenience, especially around the holidays, use Coconut Cream, canned, such as Coco Lopez. I've used canned Thai Coconut Milk. So, here goes:

Warm Coconut Rice Pudding
(Arroz Con Dulce)

3 cups water
1 teaspoonful salt
1 teaspoonful cloves
1 tablespoonful grated ginger (fresh please!)
1 14-oz can coconut milk (I used Thai)
1 cup regular, uncooked, short-grain rice (Goya)
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cooking oil (canola)
1/2 cup golden raisins

Soak rice in water for two hours. Drain. In a deep sauce pan bring three cups of water with salt, cloves and ginger to a boil (I use these Japanese Tea Bags to contain the cloves and ginger for easy removal. You may use cheesecloth or just strain liquid after boiling)

Add rice, raisins, coconut milk, sugar, and oil. Stir well. Cook covered over medium-low heat for about twenty to thirty minutes or until rice is cooked and has absorbed all liquid. Creamy, even a tad wet but not runny (as long as you do not overcook the rice you can't ruin this dish). Pour onto a shallow platter or individual bowls. Sprinkle ground cinnamon and serve warm.

This dessert will keep for several days in the refrigerator (delicous cold too!) but I promise you it won't last overnight. ;-) Enjoy!

08:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

18.05.2004

Basque Chicken...

Yesterday afternoon I stopped by University Village's QFC to pay a visit to Amir, the nicest kosher butcher in all of Seattle. He is always so friendly, with a big smile. Happy to see you.

After catching up on life and friends, I told Amir how I was looking for a really plump and tender chicken to slow roast for dinner (and some for Saturday's BBQ) and he had just the right one for me. After browsing the produce department for the accompanying vegetables, picking up a Neil Rosenthal import (a bottle of a wine I'll talk about some other time) and a beautiful and thick Ciabatta I went home to prepare the meal.

This, ladies and gentlemen, was our dinner last night. A juicy and succulent chicken, perfectly seasoned, roasted in a bed of the sweetest organic baby carrots you can imagine and surrounded by red baby potatoes, Vidalia onions, green pepper and radishes.

The chicken was marinated in Etruria Lemon Olive Oil, the juice of one orange, red pepper flakes, Igo (Piment d’Espelette) and Hot Paprika (Pimentón De La Vera El Rey) , a few saffron threads and lots of garlic.

The only thing missing from the chicken dish was the beautiful yellow tomato I had picked up while at QFC. When I arrived home and started to put away my groceries I realized I had been charged $3.99 (by scanner mistake, perhaps?) for the tomato. ONE tomato. Needless to say, I'm taking it back tomorrow. :-)

Amir Kosher Butcher at QFC
University Village
2746 NE 45th, Seattle
Phone: 206-523-5160

09:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Rhubarb Crisp

With the end of Rhubarb Season fast approaching I find myself, once again, like Alices's Rabbit. For dessert last night I reached for an old favorite, Martha Stewart's Rhubarb Crisp recipe. Its easy, fast and its delicious. However, it is not the crunchiest. I am still trying to modify the crumb top. I'll add nuts and more oats next time.

Rhubarb Crisp

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter
1 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons (White Lily flour)
1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (Saravane Ceylon)
1/4 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
2 pounds (6 large stalks) rhubarb, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (6 cups)
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
1 vanilla bean or one teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup granulated sugar (Trader Joe's Organic)
2 tablespoons cornstarch (Oetker)
Juice of 1 orange

1. Preheat oven to 375°. Butter six 8-ounce ramekins (or a 2 1/2-quart shallow casserole), and set aside. Make crumb mixture: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and oats. Cut in chilled butter until mixture comes together into clumps, about 4 to 5 minutes; set aside.

2. In a large bowl, stir to combine rhubarb, zest, orange juice, and vanilla seeds. In a small bowl, combine sugar and cornstarch; sprinkle over rhubarb until just coated. Pour rhubarb mixture into dish, and top with crumb mixture. Bake until the rhubarb is bubbly and crumb golden but not dark, about 45 minutes.

Let cool slightly, and serve warm. With double cream, crème fraîche or vanilla bean ice cream.

Serves 6

08:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

16.05.2004

Sustainable foods dilemma...

We got these beautiful Tiger Prawns at Pike Place Market ($18.00 a pound) to make for dinner.



Marinated in Lemonoro, Etruria Lemon Olive Oil, red pepper flakes and a little sea salt. They were to be grilled along with green onions (the ones we purchased Friday at the market) marinated (see below) in Balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, garlic and olive oil. Caramelized heaven.



A tomato salad and roasted baby reds would round off the meal. The rest of the Rhubarb cornbread for dessert. Everything was delicious and of course, fresh as can be.

After dinner it ocurred to me to Google for prawn recipes since my prawn marinade had been, although simple and delicious, sort of basic and uninspired. While doing so, I found this article . Needless to say, my heart sank. I'm on the lookout for more information on these babies and perhaps more ethical ways of satisfying our prawn cravings.

11:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Rhubarb Cornbread

Yesterday, inspired by the beautiful Rhubarb we found at Pike Place Market on Friday afternoon I decided to put some of it to good use. The experiment: an offshoot of Nigella Lawson's Rhubarb Cornmeal Cake Nigella Lawson recipe from her How to Be a Domestic Goddess: Baking and the Art of Comfort Cooking.

After reading the recipe discussion forum on Nigella.com I got the crazy idea to play around with the flour and cornmeal measurements and make it more of a Rhubarb cornbread than cake. 1 cup of White Lily flour to one cup of Albers cornmeal.



Instead of yogurt I used Trader Joe's Gravenstein Apple Sauce. The rest of the recipe is practically identical to the one in the book. I poured the thick batter onto these fabulous little Paper Loaf Pans discovered years ago at Sur La Table. We keep these around for sharing baked goods with friends and family.

The batter was enough for two molds. Although at first I was doubtful my efforts would render anything edible I must admit to be pleasantly surprised by the crumbly, delicious, not too sweet, nor too tart results. The cornbread is fruity and moist with a crispy top and interesting texture.

One of the loaves has already been eaten up and the other one sits on the kitchen counter, safe inside a Ziplock bag waiting to be devoured later today. Perhaps we will have it tonight for dessert, with a little coffee, while watching The Sopranos.

PS: I plan to bake this again using yogurt and will post my impressions at that time.

12:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

14.05.2004

Eat your Mâche with panache!

Rapunzel's father got nabbed because of it, Thomas Jefferson grew it at Monticello, loved by the French. Mâche (rhymes with posh) also called lamb's lettuce or field lettuce, is grown from heirloom seeds. A dark green, cold weather crop that's sold whole, and eaten raw, Mâche is one of my favorite leafy greens. Native to Europe. it has been cultivated in France for centuries. Its a tiny cluster of round leaves. Dainty, nutty, sweet and let's face it, quite cute! Rich in Folic acid, Vitamin A and iron, Mâche is the perfect alternative to Spinach and when properly refrigerated, it lasts longer than most other greens.

I love it all by itself with a drizzling of the best olive oil I might have around. Tossed with baby greens. As a substitute for my other favorite green, arugula, when making my favorite, Fig & Point Reyes salad with caramelized pistachios. You can use it as a garnish, as a bed when presenting a beautiful roasted chicken or turkey or sautéed, wilted and lovely with garlic, olive oil and nuts. Dressed with a simple vinaigrette of honey and Balsamic vinegar, with fresh pear and walnuts, its delicious and attractive.

Organic mâche is being grown in California and fast becoming a staple on the best restaurants in California and Seattle. The price point is still a bit high for most American markets and tables. However, the more the Mâche gospel spreads, the better the odds prices it will eventually become lower enough to make it accessible to all. I'm hoping it becomes a staple of American tables and seed catalogs soon.

I buy my Mâche at Whole Foods and Trader Joe's. I'm not sure if Thriftway, Metropolitan Market or PCC carry it yet but I'll find out and report back. :-)

05:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

03.05.2004

Emile Henry Auberge Roaster

V, If you ever see it on eBay, grab it! Its my all-time favorite piece of kitchen pottery. I've roasted and baked all sorts of poultry and beef in it. Stellar results everytime and the cleaning is a snap. But for the bottom of the roaster (the part that touches the oven shelves) it still looks mint. No cracks or chips. Glaze and finish as good as new.

03:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

29.04.2004

Cockodoodledoorico!

It finally arrived! My Williams Sonoma Vertical Chicken Roaster in yeterday's mail. And just in time before it went MIA on the site, forever, apparently. It reads "no longer available so' I guess I was lucky. I was planning to go out for Dine For Life but I have so much work to do I rather cook myself a lovely dinner as a incentive for all the work ahead of me tonight and of course, because as any self-respecting curious cook I MUST experiment right away with this new toy. So, on my way home from work stopped at Whole Foods and purchased all kinds of beautiful vegetables to make tonight for dinner.

Here is a pic of the aforementioned chicken, veggies and all, in the Vertical Roaster in about 30 minutes into cooking.

Roasted chicken with vegetables

Portobello mushrooms, courgettes, Vidalia onion, Roma tomatoes, aubergine, the most beautul slim and long carrots, worthy of Thomas Keller. Half a yellow pepper. 3 White potatoes cut up. One bunch radishes. I rubbed the chicken in Cape Herb Piment Fort blend (red, blackand sweet peppers, ginger and ginseng), 4 cloves of garlic ground to a paste with the last of the Ittica d'Or , a beautiful fine Sicilian sea salt I got at chefshop.com some months ago. A little olive oil went in there too. Juice of a small orange. 400 degrees. 1 hr in 400 degree oven or until thermometer registers 170.

I'll see how the roaster performs and report later tomorrow.

07:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

27.04.2004

Email from my friend V regarding potatoes...

"Your Spanish potato salad has earned much love in these parts and I have discovered another way to improve it by using my Persian stepmother's technique of soaking onion in vinegar and a touch of sugar before adding it to the rest of the salad. I used my nice sherry vinegar and it made the already delicious onion taste even better. I skipped tomatoes altogether.

M, (my stepmother) usually cuts the onion and adds enough vinegar to coat the pieces evenly. For this purpose I would not use super stellar vinegar, since you are going to drain the onions afterwards. However, good quality vinegar is important (well, this is not something I should tell you, since I know that you are using excellent products). Then she would add 1/2t sugar (for a large onion), however it really depends on how sweet your onions are to begin with. For the salad recipe I add two large pinches of sugar, just a bit to allow onions to give up their sharpness and to mellow in sugary juices. I let my onions sit for at least 20 minutes, however you can leave them for as long as an hour. (N.B. If you keep them overnight, then you will have a nice side dish for kebabs). Then I drain the onions and toss with the rest of the ingredients. "

Thanks V! I'll try your variation next time I make it. With Seattle weather rapidly warming up I'll be making Papas Aliñás often. ;-)

11:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

24.04.2004

"Papas Aliñás"

Here they are P! ¿Qué tal? ;-D Next time I'll buy the parsley at the market and use more egg, incorporating it to the potatoes but also as garnish. And I'll try to find more Aceite De Oliva Español. For these, I used up the Rafael Salgado Olive Oil that you sent me some months ago and supplemented with Italian Olive Oil. The potatoes, cold from the fridge the next day are also delicious and were my lunch today. ¡Gracias bonita!

05:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

22.04.2004

Dry pork roast and high hopes for tomorrow...

Today's Niman Ranch Top Round Pork Roast came out a bit dry. Such a beautiful cut! What a shame! Must tweak the recipe and time cooked. Perhaps 40 minutes? Or use the Slow Cooker instead of the oven. Treat it like a tenderloin, braising it instead? Had it over a bed of baby spinach left over from Monday (still crispy and fresh) with pecans, grated Gruyère and cranberries. Same Raspberry Vinaigrette as Monday night to finish it off. Not bad but not great. A little wine.

However, for tomorrow I already have plans...On an email earlier today, my friend P shared with me her menu for tomorrow (already tomorrow in Spain): "Lomo de cerdo ibérico adobado, y solomillo de cerdo ibérico con ajo, romero y pimienta, los dos a la plancha, acompañados de patatas aliñadas (patatas cocidas, cebolla y perejil picados, huevo duro, aceite y vinagre de vino de jerez). De postre, lo que compre en la pastelería de camino a casa, y fruta. Para beber un rioja Marqués de Cáceres."
¡Gracias P! Now I know exactly what I'll make tomorrow for dinner. Between clients, a quick stop at Trader Joe's is in order. Will purchase a nice tenderloin ("lomo") and potatoes and try your Lomo and Aliñadas.

"Papas Aliñás"
Serves 4

2-3 pounds potatoes (red or white creamers)
2 tomatoes
1 small green pepper
1 small sweet onion
3 large eggs
Flat leaf parsley
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Vinagre De Jerez (Spanish Sherry Vinegar)
Sea salt
Water

Salt boiling water generously. Boil potatoes. Boil eggs. Potatoes should be fork tender but not too soft. Eggs hard. Cube potatoes. Peel and slice eggs. Dice tomatoes, onion and pepper. Mix in a bowl. Add the sea salt and olive oil (no skimping) and part of the parsley. Top with finely chopped parsley and egg.

09:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

21.04.2004

Two Greg Atkinson's recipes...

Its Spring and to me it means Asparagus and Lamb. Here are two fabulous and very simple recipes gathered from Greg Atkinson's site and a link to his conversation of 2:50 pm today with KUOW'S Megan Sukys on Slow Food. Enjoy!

Broiled Green Asparagus
(Serves 6)

2 pounds Jumbo asparagus
2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Lemon Butter, recipe follows
1.) Take a bundle of 5 spears of asparagus and turn them upside down so that all the tips are even. Line the spears up side by side and trim about two inches form the base of the spears. Insert two bamboo skewers sideways through the row of spears to create a sort of mat of asparagus. Repeat this process with the remaining spears to make 6 "mats."
2.) Rub the asparagus mats with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. (Asparagus may be prepared ahead up this point and held, refrigerated for several hours or overnight.)
3.) Grill the asparagus mats over hot coals or under a very hot broiler until the surface of the stalks is blistered then turn the mats and grill the other side; cook until the asparagus is heated through, about 2 minutes on each side.

Lemon Butter
(Makes about 1/2 cup)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1/2 cup cold butter, cut into 1/2-inch bits
1.) In a saucepan over high heat, boil the lemon juice until it has almost completely evaporated.
2.) Add the cream to the boiled lemon juice and when it is boiling rapidly, whisk in the butter. When all the butter is emulsified into the sauce, remove the pan from the burner and keep the sauce warm until serving time.
Serve the butter sauce over vegetables, salmon, or chicken.

Grilled Leg of Lamb
(Serves 6)

With the bone removed, a leg of lamb becomes a broad, thin sheet of meat that cooks uniformly on the grill, with lots of surface area exposed to the open flames. Before grilling, marinate the meat in a mixture of olive oil and lemon; the marinade both tenderizes and flavors the meat.

1 boneless leg of lamb, 2 1/2 to 3 pounds
2 tablespoons kosher salt, or to taste
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
1/4 cup lemon juice plus 2 tablespoons for basting
1/2 cup olive oil, plus 1/4 cup for basting
1 tablespoon dried oregano leaves
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1.) If the leg of lamb comes rolled and bound up in string, unroll it. Season the meat generously with kosher salt and pepper. Whisk together 1/4 cup lemon juice, 1/2 cup olive oil, oregano and garlic in the corner of a glass or ceramic baking dish or a mixing bowl and roll the leg of lamb in the mixture to coat it. Allow the meat to marinate for several hours or overnight.
2.) Preheat a gas or charcoal barbecue grill. If a larger grilling surface is available, heat one side extra hot and leave the other side cooler to make a hot area for searing the meat and a cooler area for slower cooking. Just before cooking, rub the cooking surface with oil.
3.) Lift the meat out of the marinade and discard the leftover marinade. Sear the meat for 2 minutes on the hot side of the grill then move it to the cooler side of the grill and let it cook for about 8 minutes. Turn the meat, sear it for 2 minutes on the hot s8ide, then move it to the cooler side and let it cook until an instant read meat thermometer registers between 145 (rare) and 160 (medium), about 8 minutes more. When broiling the lamb in the oven, use the broiler at high heat to sear then turn it off and close the oven door for slower cooking.
4.) Take the lamb off the grill or remove it from the oven and let it stand for 5 minutes before slicing. Slice the lamb on a bias against the grain into 1-8-inch thick slices. Arrange the slices on a platter or transfer at once to individual serving plates and serve hot.

©Greg Atkinson 2004

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