Moo Shu

I got a new cast iron wok for my birthday from my mom. Coincidentally, this is my third week on Weight Watchers. Turns out stir frys make healthy eating delicious!

I made Moo Shu, using ground turkey. The recipe can be found at http://m.myrecipes.com/details/searchR.rbml?id=10000000223157.xml&bcat=search&cat=Search%20Result&fl=recipe/moo-shu-pork-with-mandarin-pancakes-10000000223157/

I think I'm gonna live this wok!

Caramel Pecan Tarts

This last summer we went on an incredible sailing trip up in the San Juan Islands. Half way through the trip we harbored in Victoria, and while we were there we had a luxurious high tea at the Empress Hotel. Now that several months have gone by we thought it would be a great idea to get our fellow sailors together for high tea and a viewing of our San Juan photos.

For the tea Peter made these incredible tarts. They were so good I thought you all might enjoy them. In fact, I think I’ll be swapping these in the place of pecan pie at this year’s Thanksgiving.

Caramel Pecan Tartlets

Pastry
2 yolks
2 tablespoons cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
1 ¼ cup powdered sugar
1 cup butter, cold

Caramel
1 cup sugar
⅓ cup water
½ cup heavy cream
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter
½ teaspoon vanilla

Toasted whole pecans

For the pastry, whisk together yolks, cream and vanilla and set aside. Combine the flour, sugar, and salt on low speed in a Kitchen Aid with a paddle attachment. When the mixture becomes sandy, add the wet ingredients. Mix just until the dough comes together. Chill.

Roll the cold dough out and cut circles to fit pastry tins. Once the tins are lined with dough place them on a sheet pan and place them in the freezer to chill. Pre-heat the oven to 350. When you are ready bake the tart shells at 350 for 5-7 minutes or until the edges just start to brown.

Caramel can be kind of tricky. Luckily all of the ingredients are cheap, so give it a try and if it doesn’t turn out, do it again. I like to get my caramel as dark as I can without it tasting burnt. It can take a couple of tries to get it just right, so do be scared and go for it.

Before you get started get all of your equipment and ingredients in place. Once you’ve started cooking the sugar you don’t have time to go looking for things. Over medium high heat combine the sugar and water in a heavy bottomed sauce pan. The sugar will melt and begin to boil. After a few minutes the boiling sugar will start to turn a light amber color. You want to continue cooking the sugar until the sugar turns a medium-to –dark amber color and you smell little whiffs of caramel smoke. If you go too far the caramel will taste burnt. When the sugar is a medium-to-dark amber add the cream. Don’t be scared, but it will boil up violently. Have no fear; it will stop after a couple of seconds. Remove the caramel from the heat, stir in the butter and vanilla.

Toast the pecans at 350 until fragrant and beginning to brown.

To assemble, unmold the tart shells. Spoon one tablespoon of caramel and top with toasted pecans. Enjoy…

Roasted Chanterelle Pizza with Sausage and Parmesan Cream

My friend Dennis texted me yesterday and asked if I wanted any of the chanterelles that he and his partner John picked a the coast. What was I going to say but, "Of Course!"

I emailed Keith and asked him to come over today and cook them. As we traded emails with ideas, nearly instantaneously we emailed each other that we wanted to make a pizza with them. "White sauce and sausage," he said. "Broccoli and cream," I pleaded. This is what came of it:

2 lbs. chanterelles or other wild mushrooms

1 red onion

1 bunch broccoli

1 lb. hot Italian sausage

grated parmesano reggiano

cream

crushed red pepper

coarse salt

2 1lb pizza doughs, homemade our bought but not in a can!

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Clean and tear mushrooms into medium pieces. Cut broccoli crowns into bite -sized pieces. Cut onion into 1/4 inch slices. Coat in olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in oven until just browning and no longer steaming, 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile, cook sausage in a skillet, breaking into 1/2 inch pieces. Set vegetables and sausage aside.

Increase oven temperature to 550 degrees and put a pizza stone on the bottom third of oven. Roll out dough and put on a pizza peel coated with corn meal. Sprinkle a small coating of parmesano on dough. Arrange half of the toppings on pizza and drizzle pizza with cream. Sprinkle a small handful of parmesano on top and season with salt and crushed red pepper.

Transfer the pizza from the peel to the pizza stone and bake 10 to 12 or until the crust is crispy. Remove to a cutting board and slice after the pizza rests for a couple minutes.

Special thanks to John and Dennis for the generous gift of seasonal mushrooms!

Domino Potatoes

Mmm...bay leaves plus potatoes and butter, garlic and fleur de sel. Bake at 425 degrees for an hour for crispy, creamy, savory bliss.

The Simplest Pleasure of Summer

Summer has officially ended and with the turn of the season came the tomato harvest. This year’s harvest was somewhat limited, but the fruit we did get was perfect. Whenever I eat a tomato right out of the garden I always think to myself, why would I ever eat a tomato any other way? Deep natural red, juicy, acidic, and herbaceous.

Tomato Bruschetta

6 slices of good crusty bread
¼ cup olive oil
1 large clove garlic
4 ounces fresh soft goat cheese
2 medium fresh ripe slicing tomatoes
Basil leaves
Salt and pepper

Slice the bread and brush with olive oil on both sides. Toast the bread on both sides under the broiler. Don’t be scared if there are edges that get charred. You can scrape off what is inedible, but the dark toasted bread is great. Rub the toasted bread with the clove of garlic. Spread with goat cheese, and layer with tomato and basil. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil.

Seared Ahi Flatbread with Tahini Yogurt Dressing

After returning from our recent sailing trip to the San Juan islands, it was time to reboot the diet. After all, we had 5 meals a day for a week while on the boat (breakfast, elevensies, lunch, cheese plate, and dinner).

Eating healthy food doesn't have to be boring. In fact, it's challenging and exciting to use some new ingredients and flavors to make a "diet" easier to maintain.

Tonight's menu featured these tasty seared ahi flatbread sandwiches. Easy for a weeknight dinner!

1 lb. ahi tuna
cherry tomatoes, halved
pitted kalamata olives, sliced
Italian parsley leaves
sliced roasted red peppers

6 whole wheat flatbreads

Dressing:
juice of 1 lemon
1 garlic clove, crushed
1/4 cup tahini
1 T honey
1 T olive oil
1 cup low fat plain yogurt
pinch crushed red pepper
salt and pepper

Combine all the dressing ingredients and whisk until incorporated, adding water as necessary to thin the sauce to desired thickness.

Sear the tuna to medium and cut into large dice. Toast the flatbreads, top with tuna, pour a spoonful of sauce, and garnish with the tomatoes, olives, red peppers and finally a few parsley leaves.

Zucchini Pickles

This week I went back and read one of my favorite cookbooks, The Zuni Café Cookbook by Judy Rodgers. The Zuni Café has exerted a strong influence in the restaurant world since the early nineties.  If you look in any chef’s cookbook library you are likely to see this book, dog eared and well worn.

These pickles are especially popular. If you look, you’ll find them adorning some of the best burgers in town. I’ve seen them used at Zefiro, Blue Hour, Castagna, Ripe and others.

Zuni Café Zucchini Pickles

1 pound zucchini
1 small yellow onion
2 tablespoons salt

Brine:
2 cups cider vinegar
1 cup sugar
1 ½ teaspoons dry mustard
1 ½ crushed brown mustard seeds
1 teaspoon ground turmeric

Slice the zucchini and onion 1/16th inch thick. Place the Zucchini and onion in a large bowl and toss with salt. Cover them with water and ice cubes and let soak for one hour. After an hour, drain the zucchini and onions and dry them between towels or in a salad spinner.

In a sauce pan combine the vinegar, sugar, mustard, mustard seeds and turmeric. Simmer for three minutes. Once the brine has cooled combine it with the zucchini and onions and let them soak in the brine overnight. The pickles will be crisp and bright chartreuse in color.

Apricot Salsa

Summer fruit can make particularly great salsas. All through the summer we use peaches, mangos, apricots, berries; really anything we can get our hands on. This salsa is great on fish tacos.
Serves 6

4-5 apricots, peeled and medium diced
½ red onion, medium dice
2 jalapenos, quartered lengthwise and diced small
2 cloves garlic
½ bunch cilantro, finely chopped
Lime juice
Salt and pepper

Combine the diced apricot, onion jalapenos, garlic and cilantro. Add lime, salt and pepper to taste.

Grilled Tuna Tacos with Apricot Salsa

 

French Fries

I recently heard Michael Pollan in an interview talk about his food rules. There was one that I really liked. He said, “You can eat as much fast food as you like, as long as you make it yourself.” Because really, how often are you going to make French fries at home? Not often…

Making French fries from scratch can be a tricky process. Most recipes you find call for a two step frying process in order to get that great crispy golden texture that everyone loves. This recipe we saw on America’s Test Kitchen simplifies the process and delivers great crisp fluffy fries. We have dubbed this method “cold fries” because you start with cold oil, but there is nothing cold about the end result.

Even though this recipe simplifies the process, I still only see myself making fries at home a couple of times a year. Enjoy

French Fries (Cold Method)
Serves 3-4

2 ½ pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed and cut into ¼ inch batons
6 cups peanut oil
Kosher Salt
1 spring of rosemary

Combine the potatoes and oil in a large Dutch oven. Cook over high heat until the oil has reached a rolling boil. Continue to cook, without stirring, until the potatoes are limp but the exteriors are beginning to firm, about 15 minutes.

Using long tongs or a wooden spoon, stir the potatoes, gently scraping up any that stick and continue to cook until golden and crisp, about 5-10 minutes longer. In the last few minutes as the fries brown add in the rosemary. The rosemary will crisp and can be used to crumble over the fries while seasoning. Using a skimmer transfer the fries to thick paper bag to drain. Season with salt and crushed rosemary. Serve immediately.

Caeser Ceviche

Ceviche is a great addition to a caeser salad. The tart spicy fish pairs perfectly with the rich garlicky dressing. This salad comes from my favorite restaurant Taqueria Nueve. I miss it dearly.

Mexican Caesar Dressing

1 small clove garlic, chopped
½ small shallot, chopped
2 egg yolks
¼ cup grated cotija
½ small bunch cilantro leaves
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
2 anchovies
salt and pepper
4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
juice of 2 limes
½ cup canola oil

Combine garlic, shallot, egg yolks, cotija, cilantro, mustard, anchovies, vinegar and salt and pepper to taste in a food processor. Process, adding oil in a thin stream until all of the oil is incorporated. Taste for correct seasoning. Toss dressing with two heads of chopped romaine letus.  Top with ceviche.
Ceviche

1 lb firm white fish (halibut, rockfish, tilapia, etc.)
1 bell pepper
1 habanero or large jalepeno
½ red onion
½ bunch cilanro, minced
3 roma tomatoes
¼ cup fresh lime juice
1 T olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Cut fish into ¼ inch dice. Cut bell pepper, onion into medium dice. Cut off the stem end of each tomato and quarter lengthwise. Cut inside of each quarter out, removing the flesh and seeds, and cut into medium dice. Cut the chili into small dice. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour.

Baby Cow is Like Buttah: Osso Bucco

Our friend Terri generously lets us stay at her cabin in the Mount Hood National Forest. It's a beautiful Forest Service cabin by the Zig Zag river. The idyllic setting is perfect for hiking and fishing, so naturally we stay in and eat ourselves silly every time we go. Hey, the forest is just as pretty from the dining room table as it is with wet feet walking along a muddy river bank.

I happened upon some veal shanks a few months ago in the supermarket meat case. I put them in the freezer for the perfect moment. The moment arrived when we were at the cabin for Memorial Day weekend. Rather than heralding the beginning of summer, it rained like hell for 4 days straight. Perfect time for braising.

Now, if you have a problem with veal, let's just agree to not talk about it. I eat meat. I like veal. Politics aside, you can't make a more tender braise than veal shanks. The bones make the sauce like silk.

Ingredients

4 veal osso bucco veal shanks, cut 2 inches thick
1 onion, finely chopped
4 T butter
1 cup flour
1 cup dry white wine
2 cups beef stock
Salt and Pepper to taste
For the “gremolata”
1 clove garlic, very finely chopped or pressed with the garlic press
Zest of 1 lemon, grated
Italian parsley, finely chopped

Dredge the veal shanks in flour. Melt the butter in a cast iron pan or dutch oven. When it begins to brown, add the veal shanks and sear until browned on each side, about 4-5 minutes per side. Remove the shanks to a plate and add chopped onion, sauteeing until golden. Return the shanks to the pan along with any accumulated juices. Add the white wine and beef stock, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and return to a simmer. Cover and braise for 45-90 minutes, until the meat is falling off the bone.

Serve with saffron risotto and gremolata. The marrow from inside the veal bones is magical on a crusty piece of bread. Don't be shy, you've already committed animal cruelty, might as well slurp on some marrow!

Jicama Mango Salad

This jicama salad is great to serve along with just about any grilled meat. The jicama is sweet and crunchy. Depending on what we’re making you can adjust the ingredients. Get creative.


1 large jicama
2 mangoes
1 red bell pepper
1 shallot
2 roma tomatoes
1 bunch cilantro
juice of 2 limes
1/3 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
salt and pepper

Peel and slice jicama into batons. Peel and cut mango from pit and cut into 1" dice. Cut bell peppers into 1/2" dice. Slice shallots finely, and seed and dice tomatoes. Combine Cilantro, lime juice, vinegar and a pinch of salt and pepper in a blender and puree, adding olive oil in a stream until combined. Marinate shallots in dressing for at least 15 minutes, and combine with other items just prior to serving. Add half a seeded jalapeno to dressing when pureeing for a spicy kick. Variation: when it's summer, substitute fresh corn kernels cut from the cob for the mangoes and use basil, lemon and cider vinegar instead of cilantro, lime and white vinegar.

Shrimp Ceviche Cocktail

½ cup lime juice

1 pound shell on shrimp 40/50 count
½ medium white onion, diced
⅓ cup chopped cilantro
½ cup ketchup
1 red jalapeno, stemmed, seeded and diced.
1 tablespoon hot sauce
1 cup diced cumber
1 avocado cubed
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt
orange slices for garnish
saltines

Bring one quart of salted water to boil. Add the shrimp and bring back to a boil. Immediately remove from heat and poor off the water. Replace the lid and let the shrimp steam in the pot for 10 minutes. Peal and devein the shrimp. Toss the shrimp in the lime juice and refrigerate for one hour.

Add the onion, cilantro, catsup, hot sauce, jalapeno, cucumber, avocado and olive oil.

Serve the ceviche in a cocktail glass with saltines.

Raw Tomatillo Salsa

There are some salsas that are intense and meant to be used sparingly as a condiment, but this salsa lends itself to just about anything and can be scooped up by the chip full. Tomatillos are bright and acidic like green apples. The heat of this salsa is subtle and builds by the bite. Despite tomatillos looking like green tomatoes they are actually not related. They come from the ground cherry-family.


Makes 3 cups

12 tomatillos
1 medium white onion, diced
2 serrano chiles, stemmed, seeded and diced
1/3 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
1teaspoon salt

Remove the papery husk of the tomatillos, wash off the sticky residue and cut them into quarters. In a food processor pulse the tomatillos until chunky. Add the onion, chiles and cilantro and pulse into a thick chunky puree. Add salt to taste and let rest.

A Down Payment on Cinco De Mayo

One of our key ingredients for Cinco De Mayo is our Strawberry infused Tequilla.  It takes several weeks to steep, so this weekend started the whole process. 

Coming soon, all of the pleasures of our Cinco De Mayo party.

Cheddar Buttermilk Biscuits

Cheddar Buttermilk Biscuits


This biscuit is versatile. It pairs nicely with sweet pastries, but its also great with a hearty chili. Its the kind of recipe you can get creative with by adding different herbs or spices. Have fun.

13/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cornmeal (preferably stone-ground; not coarse)
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
6oz extra-sharp Cheddar, coarsely grated (2 cups)
3 scallions, finely chopped
1 tsp dried thyme
½ tsp black pepper
1 1/3 cups well-shaken buttermilk

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 450°F. Butter 1 large baking sheet.

Whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl, then blend in butter with your fingertips or a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in cheeses, scallions, herbs and pepper with a wooden spoon, then add buttermilk and stir until just combined.

Drop dough in 1 tablespoon mounds about 1 inches apart on baking sheet. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a rack and cool to warm, about 10 minutes.

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

A perfect brunch is all about the combination of savory and sweet. As a child I loved brunch at Papa Haydn because we always got pastries and something yummy with hollandaise. The table was set with crisp white linens and a collection of petite muffins, mini scones, palmiers and madeleines. As an adult I still love this collection, but I enjoy it even more with a glass of champagne. Mini Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins perfectly captures the essence of a sunny brunch.


Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

2 cups all purpose flour
1tsp baking powder
½ tsp coarse kosher salt
¼ tsp baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
zest of two lemons
2 large eggs
1/4 cup poppy seeds

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Butter and flour three mini muffin pans or line with paper liners. Whisk flour, baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, and baking soda in medium bowl. Whisk buttermilk and lemon juice in small bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat sugar, butter, and lemon peel in large bowl to blend. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition until mixture is light and fluffy, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl. Beat in dry ingredients in 3 additions alternately with buttermilk mixture in 2 additions. Mix just until blended. Mix in poppy seeds. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups by generous tablespoonfuls.

Bake muffins until tester inserted into center comes out clean, 22 to 24 minutes. Cool in pans 5 minutes. Remove muffins from pans and cool on rack.

Quivering Breasts in Anticipation of Oscar

In the world of pastry a deep well of inspiration has sprung from the supple cleavage of a bountiful bosom. Just look to the many cream puffs, cakes and custards in honor of Marie Antoinette. The Italians, even more erotic celebrate the virgin’s breast in cookies like, Seni di Vergine and Menni di Vergini.

In tribute to the Oscars I present:

The Gilded Boob
Or for the more modest: Crème Brulee Cookies

Orange Vanilla Bean Crème Brulee
¾ cup Heavy Cream
½ Vanilla bean, split and scraped
Zest of Half and Orange
2 egg yolks
1/8th cup sugar
Splash of Cointreau or triple sec

Bring cream, vanilla and orange zest to a gentle boil. Meanwhile, whisk eggs with sugar until thick and pale. Temper eggs with a little of the cream. Stir in the remaining cream. Stir in the Cointreau and let mixture sit for 10 minutes. Skim off foam and discard. Gently stir and pour into silicone 1/2 “ spheres. Bake on a sheet pan with a shallow bain marie in a low oven until set. Approximately 300F for 12 minutes. The cream will jiggle slightly in the center (like a virgin’s boob, so I’m told) when baking is finished but will firm up as it cools. Place in freezer.

Pate Sucree
2 yolks
2Tbsp cream
½ tspn vanilla extract
2-1/3 cup flour
¼ tspn. Salt
1-1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 cup butter, cold

Whisk together yolks, cream and vanilla and set aside. Combine the flour, sugar, and salt on low speed in a Kitchen Aid with paddle attachment. When mixture becomes sandy, add the wet ingredients. Mix just until dough comes together. Chill.

Roll cold dough out and cut circles with a 1-1/4 in round cutter. Bake at 350 untill edges just start to brown. (5-7 minutes)

Assembly:
Unmold crème brulee domes and place on cookie. Sprinkle tops with sugar and torch. Finish with gold leaf or what every you like.

This recipe for Pate sucree is perfect for MANY things and it freezes great. You can make tarts, sugar cookies, crackers for cheese plates. I keep several disks of this dough in my freezer at all times and I whip them out whenever I need a great dessert at a moment’s notice. Enjoy…

Happy Birthday to Me!

A 36th Birthday Celebration for

Keith Falkenberg

Hosted by Lisa Naito

The Ken Wright Pinot Dinner

Gougeres and Oysters

French Onion Soup

Charcuterie

Foie Gras

Chicken Liver Mousse

Country pate

Duck Salad

Duck Confit and Seared Duck Breast on Winter Greens

Golden Raisin Vinaigrette

Crème Fresh Potato galette

Red Wine Sorbet

Cheese Course

A selection of Cheeses from Foster and Dobbs

Dessert

Chocolate Emalie

Kumamoto Oysters

Foie Gras, Chicken Liver Mousse and Country Pate

Duck Salad with Golden Raisin Vinaigrette and Potato Galette

 

Casatica di Bufala, Bleu Mont Extra Aged Cheddar, Roccolo and Pleasant Ridge Reserve

* a special thanks to Luan at Foster and Dobbs for this beautiful cheese selection

I am loved.

Thank you to the best friends in the whole world, and

a HUGE thanks to Peter for all of the great food.

Chinese New Year at Cabin 3

 LOP CHEUNG WITH RICE AND POTSTICKERS

 OYSTER SAUCE CHICKEN WINGS

BEEF WITH ASPARAGAS 

BLACK BEAN SPARERIBS

Thanks Terri

Lobster Squash Bisque

One of my favorite scenes in Annie Hall is when Woody Allen and Diane Keaton prepare lobsters at their beach house in the Hamptons. This soup always makes me think of that scene.


This soup is smooth, sumptuous and rich. The sweetness of the butternut squash pairs well with the lobster. You can get creative with the soup, it has a great base and it’s just begging for interpretation.

Lobster Squash Bisque

1 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1 large onion, diced
6 cups fish stock
2 lobsters
1 large butternut squash, peeled and diced
1 tbsp fresh thyme
11/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp orange juice concentrate
Salt and Pepper

In a large pan heat the olive oil. Sauté the onion and garlic. Add the stock and bring to a boil. While the stock is coming to boil, prepare the lobsters. (I prefer putting them in the freezer for twenty minutes. This numbs them like hypothermia. It seems less painful then driving a knife through their heads. There is less flopping. ) Place the lobsters in the boiling stock and place the lid on the pot. Cook the lobsters for 8 minutes. Remove the lobsters from the broth and let them cool. Add the squash and cook over medium heat until tender. Once the lobsters are cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the claws and tail and set aside. Add the shells back into the soup, then add the fresh thyme and cream, and simmer for about 20 minutes. After removing the shells use an immersion blender to puree the soup. Add the soy sauce, orange juice concentrate and season to taste with salt and pepper. This soup can take quite a bit of salt. Dice the cooked lobster meat, divide it among the serving bowls and ladle the hot soup over the lobster meat. Garnish with crème fraiche and croutons.