tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91249153428390285042024-03-05T05:26:37.188-08:00What I Cooked. What I Ate.Food and music from my kitchen.Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00229819737511762427noreply@blogger.comBlogger34125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124915342839028504.post-13377464725278805072014-04-15T21:12:00.001-07:002017-06-14T18:50:00.121-07:00Charcuterie 101<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Don't get excited: I'm not here to teach you anything. <br />
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I'm just learning myself and thought maybe a tentative venture into curing my own meat might get you into the kitchen to do the same. You're probably a procrastinator like me. Maybe you've already bought <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Charcuterie-Salting-Smoking-Revised-Updated/dp/0393240053/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1397604451&sr=8-1&keywords=michael+ruhlman+charcuterie">Michael Ruhlman and Brian Polcyn's definitive book on the subject</a> but it's been sitting on your bookshelf for well over a year (::raises hand::). Well, grab that baby, crack it open and let's get down to business.<br />
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I'm the kind of person that prefers to watch a demonstration before I bring a new technique into the kitchen and, luckily, I stumbled upon a charcuterie class offered by <a href="http://thegourmandiseschool.com/">The Gourmandise School of Sweets and Savories </a>in nearby Santa Monica. A three hour class with take home goodies? Yes, please. The class, taught by the delightful Rose Lawrence (chef and co-owner of <a href="https://www.thebreadisred.com/">Red Bread</a> in Marina del Rey) covered some simple how-to's for a class of five newbies. After Rose reviewed the history and basics of charcuterie, we made a simple 1:1 salt/sugar cure. We used this cure to start some duck proscuitto, bacon, salmon and egg yolks. Herbs and spices were added. Everything was wrapped loosely and set out on racks so the moisture could leach out. Easy stuff.<br />
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After a short break, we got down to the business of making and curing sausage: Chorizo, to be precise. This past year, a dear friend gifted me a late model Kitchen Aid mixer along with the meat grinder/sausage stuffer attachments and I was eager to see just how well the Kitchen Aid eases you down the road to tasty dried meat. First, we ground some pork "butt" and seasoned generously with hot peppers, spices and vinegar.<br />
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And then we prepped the lamb casing and slid it on the stuffing tube. The (unseen) procedure may seem familiar to some folks (NSFW).<br />
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Then, it was time to "stuff the sausage" (more NSFW).<br />
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OK, the condom jokes end here.<br />
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The end result was a lovely link of intense, spicy, hot pork sausage. Links were twisted and it was readied for the fridge.<br />
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Ah, the fridge. I have a second fridge in the garage, used mostly for excess farmer's market veggies and the odd six-pack of home brew. In a frenzy of enthusiasm for my newfound charcuterie skills, I scrubbed out the fridge and stripped it down to the bare essential of shelves and containers.<br />
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And there I hung my treasures to dry. I can barely wait for the four to six week waiting period to be over. Meanwhile, I can snack on this delicious gravlax, which was ready in three days.<br />
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So read Ruhlman's book and get your (pork) butt in gear. Basic charcuterie is easier than you think. Tasty tapas await you.<br />
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<br />Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00229819737511762427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124915342839028504.post-18237794557295774642013-06-03T22:47:00.002-07:002013-06-08T11:42:45.060-07:00The Definitive Paella Tutorial<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://what-i-cooked-what-i-ate.blogspot.com/2010/06/paella-night.html">Paella</a> has been my signature dish since a trip to Europe in fall of 1991. In Barcelona, I enjoyed this rustic meal for the first time, loaded with rabbit, chorizo and shellfish. My oldest friend and traveling companion bought me a <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Rustic-Cazuela-Clay-Pan-inch/dp/B0019ZOY48">cazuela</a></i> the following Christmas, and I went about experimenting and exploring the many variations of this classic <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catalonia">Catalonian</a> dish. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">There is an assumption that this is an expensive and complicated dish to prepare at home. Not true. Paella is the ultimate peasant meal, using whatever ingredients are on hand. There is no rule that says this dish needs to be loaded with costly seafood. There are many variations on paella ranging from a simple meat and vegetable version to a luxe version with lobster and rich sausage. Additionally, the separate components of paella can be prepared (mostly) in advance and assembled not long before service, making it an easy and ideal dinner party dish. Wash your hands, sharpen your knives, and let's begin...</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />The base of every rice dish in Spanish/Mexican culture is a savory mixture of some combination of onions, garlic, peppers and tomatoes called <i>sofrito.</i> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Pre-heat a heavy-bottomed pan and add a generous helping of olive oil. Toss in some chopped bacon or pancetta for extra flavor and lightly brown. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Thinly slice a large, sweet onion and mince a few cloves of garlic and add to the pan. Cook all over medium high heat for a few minutes, then add a red and a green pepper, julienned, and a chopped tomato. Add a generous shower of salt and pepper and a little fresh thyme. Stir and cook all of this until softened and then remove from the heat. Thus, your <i>sofrito </i>ready - <i> </i>bonus: it</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> can be prepared a day or two ahead of time.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">A couple hours before dinner, prep your ingredients. Maybe chicken legs/thighs or rabbit, seasoned with salt & pepper and given a quick sear on the grill. Perhaps sausage: <a href="http://www.gasparssausage.com/">chorizo, linguiça</a> or another aromatic sausage. Peel and devein shrimp. Scrub mussels and/or clams. Parboil a lobster, segment and set aside the meaty parts. Whatever fits the budget.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Rice? Any short-grain will do, but if you're striving for authenticity you should stick with Valencia rice (Arborio is easy to find and works as well). Rinse two cups and set aside.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">You're going to need saffron, an essential ingredient in paella. You don't need much: a healthy pinch will do. (Don't make the mistake of thinking more is better. Too much saffron will give the dish a decidedly medicinal taste.) Heat about a quart of good chicken stock on the stove and add the saffron to "bloom".</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Now comes the part about where/how to cook. In descending order: 1) wood fire, 2) gas grill, 3) oven. A wood fire will give you the optimal, authentic taste but a standard charcoal grill does nicely if you're not blessed with a backyard fire pit. There's also no shame in firing up the gas grill, so do so if that's your only option but be sure to throw some smoking chips in there. The oven is fine, too, but you lose the smoky flavor (although you can fake it with a little <a href="http://spanishfood.about.com/od/essentialingredients/a/paprika.htm">pimentòn de la vera</a>). Anyway, whatever you choose, fire it up to about 400 degrees.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Putting it together:</span><br />
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<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Re-heat the <i>sofrito</i> in a large fry pan/heavy-bottomed pan. Put another couple of tablespoons of olive oil in there. Add the rice. Stir until rice is coated and glossy.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Pour mixture into a <i>cazuela</i> or <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Garcima-15-Inch-Carbon-Steel-Paella/dp/B000QYKK3W/ref=sr_1_3?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1370323660&sr=1-3">steel paella pan</a>. Arrange pieces of meat in the pan and cover with stock (see photo above).</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Put your <i>uncovered</i> pan in your <i>covered</i> grill/oven and cook for about 20 minutes. DON'T STIR.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Add seafood (if you're having it). Add more stock (or water) if the dish seems dry. Cook for another 15-20 minutes. </span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">When the rice is <i>al dente</i>, remove from grill/oven, cover with a large cloth, and let sit for at least 10 minutes</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Serve with lemon slices and a dozen bottles of rosé.</span></li>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">For even simpler instructions, read <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2013/04/14/magazine/bittman-paella.html">Bittman's recipe</a>. It's all damn tasty. Happy summer!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">PS Did I mention flan for dessert???</span></div>
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Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00229819737511762427noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124915342839028504.post-68346034720479394382013-03-24T17:05:00.000-07:002013-03-24T17:05:14.093-07:00Duck, duck, goose.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I'm stubborn when it comes to trendy food. While everyone else is extolling the tasty virtues of pork belly or <a href="http://kogibbq.com/">Korean BBQ</a>, I'm in the kitchen giving them the side-eye. I don't want to be labeled a <i>foodie</i> or, God forbid, <i>hipster eater</i> by anyone, so I visit popular food fashion in my own time. Sometimes I'm ahead of the curve (quinoa!) but mostly I'm dragged, kicking and screaming to trendy foods only to discover...<i>oh, hey...this is actually pretty good</i>. So, the other night, after 35 odd years in the kitchen, I faced down a duck egg.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I like to get my farm fresh eggs at the Santa Monica Farmer's Market on Wednesday. There are a couple of vendors and a dozen chicken eggs will run you around $5. These are super fresh, with bright yellow yolks that sit high in the pan (perfect for crème brûlée</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> or any custards). </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">One vendor will have, on occasion, goose, quail or duck eggs. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Duck eggs are about $1 each and well worth it.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Pictured above: a crisp potato-onion frittata with sauteed greens and a fresh, fat duck egg on the top. You'll need to cook the egg in a bit of fat (animal or vegetable) and splash that hot fat onto the white, helping it set up. You want a firm white and a runny yolk and the fat helps that white firm up before the yolk sets. I'll admit it: I used some bacon fat, which called for a heavy duty yoga class the next day. The dish was slightly gamey, rich and unctuous in that way I love.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Serve with a crisp rosé, <i>mesdames et messieurs</i>.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00229819737511762427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124915342839028504.post-83386370225212051742013-03-09T16:10:00.000-08:002013-03-14T16:19:40.816-07:00One Bourbon, One Pinot, One Short Rib<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I grew up on a farm in northern Massachusetts. We raised some beef, a few pigs now and then, a turkey or two and many, many chickens. We also had an immense garden fueled by the rich loam from the nearby Merrimack River. Corn, squash, rhubarb, peas, beans, tomatoes, strawberries, raspberries, asparagus, pumpkins, potatoes, carrots, broccoli, peppers, cauliflower and Swiss Chard (which I detested then but love now). Then there were fruit trees: MacIntosh, Baldwin and crab apples, Bartlett pears, sour cherries and peaches. So, yeah, we had plenty to eat. Of course, it was a lot of work to maintain all of that, but that's why my parents had seven kids. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">When you grow up every summer having to get up early, early to weed the garden and pick strawberries and feed the chickens when all you want to do is head for the local swimming hole, you begin to grow an unnatural hatred for all things pertaining to farm/garden. Imagine my surprise when, nearly thirty years later, I decided to start a little vegetable garden in the back yard of my Los Angeles home. Granted, it is one-one hundredth of the size of the Massachusetts garden and I'm really only good at tomatoes, but still...I'm growing stuff. And the stuff I'm not growing I'm getting from the year round farmer's markets here in L.A. Pickings might be slim this time of year, but there is still a decent variety of root vegetables and hardy greens to be had along with the early spring citrus.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">This past Wednesday, I went to the big Santa Monica farmer's market and picked up some small carrots in a variety of colors, some leeks, shiitake mushrooms, and yukon gold potatoes. One of the vendors had some grass fed organic beef so I splurged on some short ribs. That night, I made short ribs braised in Guinness with all of the above-mentioned vegetables accompanying. Short ribs are easy to prepare: season and brown in the pan, throw in a couple of cans of stout, cover and cook in a 300 degree oven for about 3 hours. I toss in the carrots and leeks for the last hour. Mash those potatoes with garlic and butter. Saute the mushrooms in butter until almost crispy. Try to arrange on a plate in a more artistic composition than what you see in the top photo (I blame the Pinot Noir). Enjoy.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i>Note: I would skip the bourbon digestif. Trust me.</i></span><br />
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<br />Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00229819737511762427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124915342839028504.post-69283680660337480232012-08-16T22:02:00.001-07:002013-03-24T18:00:48.043-07:00Ribs: Smoke If You've Got 'Em<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">This weekend, the siren call of CASH CASH CASH is keeping me chained to the stove. That's right, I have two, count 'em TWO gigs back to back. Saturday's event is an office cookout for about a hundred people and ribs are on the menu.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I have a regular client who likes to pick out her own menu/recipes. Some chefs get all bent out of shape when a client dictates the menu but I'm pretty easygoing in this regard. Whatever the client wants is fine with me. The only problem in circumstances like this is when you have a client give you a recipe that works well for a small crowd but doesn't translate as well when you're cooking for a big crowd. So, some improvisation is in order. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">When I read a cooking magazine recipe with the words BEST EVER in the title, I know there is a possibility of maybe a tiny bit of hyperbole involved. Thus, when the client handed me <a href="http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2012/07/best-ever-barbecued-ribs">this rib recipe</a> from the July 2012 issue of <i>Bon Appetit</i>, I was a little skeptical. Reading through, I wouldn't call it a recipe per se but more of a technique. And it's a tried and true technique that makes a lot of sense: season, bake and grill. Yeah, that's right: bake your meat in the oven to soften it before you add the grill flavor. Now, I would have been amenable to this recipe except for two things: 1) I have to cook 35 pounds of ribs and 2) I have a kick-ass smoker. So, instead of two hours in the oven and a quick grill before the event, I did an hour in the smoker and an hour in the oven. I basted with the most fabulous BEST EVER sauce from <a href="http://www.saltlickbbq.com/">The Salt Lick</a> (only my most favorite BBQ place on the Face of the Earth) and, using two cooking devices, I cut my labor in half. When the event rolls around, I'll only have to heat the ribs up a bit before serving. Plus, you can't beat that smoky goodness from a charcoal grill.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Awesome.</span><br />
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<br />Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00229819737511762427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124915342839028504.post-20845373729541374412012-08-15T16:34:00.003-07:002012-08-15T16:34:56.984-07:00Happy Birthday, Julia!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00229819737511762427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124915342839028504.post-62461377872273600122011-10-19T20:58:00.000-07:002011-10-19T21:06:45.615-07:00Chowdah<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Five ingredients. Ok, six with the bacon. I suppose the parsley makes it seven...</i></td></tr>
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The most difficult part of making fish chowder on the Other Coast is the lack of good chowder fish. Back in New England, I always used (Atlantic) cod or <a href="http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dmf/recreationalfishing/haddock.htm">haddock</a>. Out here, choices are limited. Alaskan cod doesn't have a good mouth feel and it's not as sweet as it's cousin from the <a href="http://www.amnh.org/sciencebulletins/biobulletin/biobulletin/story1208.html">Georges Bank</a>. I've used catfish, but freshwater fish tastes too bland in a robust chowder. Chilean sea bass is great but, at $26 a pound, not for an inexpensive mid-week dinner. Salmon? That doesn't sing either.<br />
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Tonight, I'm trying some mahi-mahi per the suggestion of the fishmonger at <a href="http://www.santamonicaseafood.com/">Santa Monica Seafood</a>. I've grilled it before and enjoy the flavor. I also like the way it's tender but doesn't fall apart on the grill. Let's see how it holds up under a layer of butter and creamy milk.<br />
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It makes me nuts to see the words "gourmet chowder" on the menu at restaurants. Chefs always want to throw stuff in the chowder that doesn't belong there (I'm looking at you, Manhattan). The simpler the chowder, the better. Just five ingredients: fish, milk, butter, potatoes and onions. OK, six ingredients if you want to toss a little bacon in there too. Everything should be super fresh, best quality. AND SKIP THE DAMN FLOUR. No one wants to eat a bowl of wallpaper paste mixed with fish (I'm looking at you, <a href="http://secretrecipes.blogspot.com/2008/03/legal-sea-foods-clam-chowder-recipe.html">Legal Seafoods</a>).<br />
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My recipe comes from my husband's cousin, Mary Jacobs. Mary lives not far from the docks in Portland, Maine and buys her haddock right off the boat when she has a hankering to make a bowl of her tasty chowdah. First, fry up a couple slices of bacon or salt pork in the bottom of a heavy pot. Remove the bacon and the fat and set aside. Melt a stick of buttah (I'm rocking the accent now) in the pot and add a couple cups of very thinly sliced onions. Add a little bit of salt to sweat the onions. Cook until wilted, about 10 minutes. While the onions are cooking, cook about three cups of cubed potatoes in boiling, salted water. I like to use Yukon Golds because they hold up well and you don't have to peel them.<br />
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Add about a quart and a half of whole milk to the onions and bring <i>just</i> to a boil, then turn the heat down to medium low. Add 1 1/2 pounds of the fish, cut in to large pieces and gently stir into the hot milk. Keep at a very low simmer, stirring gently so you don't break up the fish too much, until cooked through - about 20 minutes. Add cooked and drained potatoes. Crumble the bacon and stir in. Salt and pepper to taste. <br />
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You can add more fish or less milk or whatever you like. Maybe add a jolt heavy cream. I'll admit to the occasional dash of fresh parsley or thyme. No freaking tomatoes, please. One last tip: chowdah is one of those dishes that tastes best made the day before and then reheated. This gives it time to "cure" and let the flavors come together. <br />
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<b>UPDATE</b>: The mahi-mahi was an excellent substitution. Distinct and flavorful, it held its shape during the cooking process. It's no haddock, but it will do.<br />
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Wicked pissah good. And who knew chowdah has it's own theme song?<br />
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<br />Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00229819737511762427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124915342839028504.post-42564863731330210162011-09-21T17:22:00.000-07:002011-09-21T17:22:02.941-07:00The Italian Sub: Accept No Substitutes<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>It's not Piantedosi's, but it will have to do.</i><br /><br /></td></tr>
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I'm very particular about bread, which is kind of funny given that I live in a city filled with people who are terrified of bread. Especially if it has gluten in it. Or is non-organic. And is filled with some sort of ground beef. But I digress...<br />
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L.A. has some excellent bakeries, many of which lie within reasonable driving distance. Most times though, I get the bread through a secondary source such as a restaurant, specialty food store or a farmer's market. When I want a crusty traditional french bread, I go to the <a href="http://frenchmarket-cafe.com/">French Market</a> in Venice. <a href="http://www.surfaslosangeles.com/">Surfas</a> in Culver City has a wonderful seeded rye that, if you arrive right at opening on Saturday morning, you'll find still warm and fragrant from the oven. <a href="http://bobsmkt.com/">Bob's Market</a> in Santa Monica has rustic Italians from <a href="http://www.labreabakery.com/index.aspx">La Brea Bakery</a> and superb brioche buns from <a href="http://cadorobakery.com/">Ca D'Oro</a>. If I'm feeling ambitious on a cool West L.A. day, I might fire up my oven and do a little baking myself. My mother's <a href="http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/food/recipes/anadama-bread-539157/">Anadama</a> bread or a simple <i>foccacia</i> are the first recipes I reach for - anything else needs a higher output oven than what I possess. Yeah, I know about that <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/08/dining/08mini.html">no-knead, bakery quality recipe from the New York Times</a> that was an internet sensation a few years ago. I took their advice and torqued up my oven to the max (550 degrees) and it freaking ruined my $225 Le Creuset pan.<br />
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So, I stick with the bakery product.<br />
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However, here are two bread products I can't get in L.A.: the first is a decent New York style bagel (more on that some other time). The second is a tasty, not too heavy, yet not too mushy submarine roll. <br />
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I grew up in the Northeast, where the sub sandwich is the King of Lunchtime and the Italian sub is the King of Kings. Salami, mortadella, capicola and provolone. Pickles, tomatoes, onions and peppers. Oil - never mayonnaise. Oregano, garlic salt, pepper. Maybe some hot peppers if you're feeling brave. All of this on a soft, fresh roll from Piantedosi's or Fantini's Bakery (if you lived in the Haverhill, MA area). These rolls were hefty enough to hold all of that delicious Italian bounty but they never overwhelmed the contents. There was enough crumb to stand up to the oil and the juices from the tomatoes and pickles, but it was still light enough so you didn't feel bloated and heavy at the end. Good to the last bite. <i>Sigh</i>. I miss those subs.<br />
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Lacking the right sub roll in L.A., I've taken to filling pita bread or a broad piece of lavash with the Italian stuff. Not quite the same, but it will do until my next trip back east. Then maybe I'll grab some extras to bring back with me, using the Jimmy Fallon method.<br />
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<br />Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00229819737511762427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124915342839028504.post-76239086374489444302011-06-06T20:05:00.000-07:002011-06-06T20:19:54.600-07:00Vegan Oatmeal Raisin Cookies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8xVF80WZgqzNVo751O0-kSHiwbKhKA0WtjkMeCqTEw7-ZpEmnd0W6Og4Av2eURZlINE-oL14901VyGjq1QjRU8puoGZ-kn4m-yp0c5a1ibFxEe-O4VLknhgxb_K-QUTjWp2sCq-tSYfg/s1600/P6040036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8xVF80WZgqzNVo751O0-kSHiwbKhKA0WtjkMeCqTEw7-ZpEmnd0W6Og4Av2eURZlINE-oL14901VyGjq1QjRU8puoGZ-kn4m-yp0c5a1ibFxEe-O4VLknhgxb_K-QUTjWp2sCq-tSYfg/s320/P6040036.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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I'm always leery of taking a traditional recipe and making wholesale substitutions, yet I often find I'm asked to do just that: folks have dietary restriction, allergies and other culinary quirks that require attention. Sometimes I'll surf around to different websites that specialize in these kinds of recipes, but often I find the taste and quality of ingredients isn't on a level with the original. I'm of the school of thought that if you can't eat the "real thing" then don't mess with a substitute. Just find yourself something completely different to satisfy your hunger.<br />
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Saturday night I catered a party for Santa Monica Yoga and I wanted to make sure they had a selection of healthy, fresh food that was also a little on the decadent side. Vegan and gluten-free foods tend to take themselves seriously, so I was looking forward to having a little fun. I took <a href="http://www.quakeroats.com/cooking-and-recipes/content/recipes/recipe-detail.aspx?recipeId=474">my all time favorite oatmeal raisin cookie recipe</a>, the one that has lived on the inside of the Quaker Oats lid since way back and sexed it up a bit for the vegans.<br />
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First, the substitutions: <br />
<ul><li>for the eggs, I used <a href="http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/8102489/how_to_cook_with_energ_egg_replacer.html">Ener-G Egg Replacer</a> and followed the substitution directions on the box (3 tsp egg replacer mixed with 4 tablespoons water). </li>
<li>For the butter, I substituted 3/4 cup of softened coconut oil (put the jar in a pan of warm water and it will soften it up enough to work with easily). You could add another 1/4 cup of the oil if you want, but I thought that proportion made the cookies just chewy enough and keeping the fat down a bit. </li>
<li>I also added a couple of teaspoons of water to the finished dough to keep it moist enough to handle. </li>
<li>Finally, I use a 1/4 cup less of each kind of sugar and it's still sweet enough for me.</li>
</ul><br />
Now, the directions: <br />
<ul><li>Mix everything as directed, drop onto the sheet in 1 tsp portions </li>
<li>I like to use parchment paper on the cookie sheet - easier clean-up and less chance of scorching. </li>
<li>Increase the cooking time: I found they took a little longer to get brown - more like 15-17 minutes.</li>
</ul>Note: for those looking for a gluten-free finish, try Uncle Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free All Purpose Flour instead of the regular AP flour. Works just fine.<br />
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That's it. Chewy goodness that will delight the vegan in your life. I have a feeling it will delight cookie enthusiasts as well.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ye8mB6VsUHw?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00229819737511762427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124915342839028504.post-1814480417942416432011-04-05T21:44:00.000-07:002011-04-06T07:58:52.868-07:00Linguine con Vongole con Amore<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlgrvfZMRlvDWdNybeOtyoONsOn2TX8iDCQV6_adr2WtA8LOYCmaBjGBE9zfU94SlABAmrMXwAIVgJXkz5S0HAiDHMv2TnQxU1rewtU6X-p9S1TMcu_eDFml0ZHRXynW4S6-oSpYTNikE/s1600/041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlgrvfZMRlvDWdNybeOtyoONsOn2TX8iDCQV6_adr2WtA8LOYCmaBjGBE9zfU94SlABAmrMXwAIVgJXkz5S0HAiDHMv2TnQxU1rewtU6X-p9S1TMcu_eDFml0ZHRXynW4S6-oSpYTNikE/s320/041.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Another week, another book. This time, it's a re-read of the fascinating food memoir <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Heat-Adventures-Pasta-Maker-Apprentice-Dante-Quoting/dp/1400034477/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1302063387&sr=1-1">Heat</a></em>, by Bill Buford. <br />
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Buford was a writer and editor for <em>The New Yorker </em>who, as an amateur cook, was invited to apprentice in the kitchen of the seminal New York Italian restaurant, <em><a href="http://www.babbonyc.com/home.html">Babbo</a></em>. <em>Babbo</em>'s legendary chef/owner, Mario Batali, befriended Buford at a dinner party and, on a whim, allowed Buford access to the tiny kitchen where Buford studied and absorbed (and documented) his travails as a kitchen "bitch" and the work of a line cook, grill chef and pasta maker over the course of fifteen months. Tough work if you can get it. The result is an extraordinary account of working the front line in a wildly popular eating establishment, followed by apprenticeships in Italy learning pasta-making, butchering, and dealing with Larger Than Life Italian Personalities.<br />
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Buford explains the complicated relationships within and without the kitchen and the simple, classic recipes which resulted . My favorite is this breakdown of a classic Italian seafood dish, <em><a href="http://wineguyworld.blogspot.com/2008/03/babbos-linguine-with-clams-revealed.html">linguine con volgole</a></em>. Clams, olive oil, butter, garlic, pancetta... So damn tasty.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheQSByiqu3vZqJMC0_KEQp4_l6nvIs3aZQuIz-RsnH41aekrdK5uCCRmisNDsXbW2ENAzf5NylvvaEBOLehQpYLldr2MdEhVkYRIaRB7TY2z9CJdFIYIep30iwwB9AGMJBML94B60Hc4Y/s1600/017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="222" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheQSByiqu3vZqJMC0_KEQp4_l6nvIs3aZQuIz-RsnH41aekrdK5uCCRmisNDsXbW2ENAzf5NylvvaEBOLehQpYLldr2MdEhVkYRIaRB7TY2z9CJdFIYIep30iwwB9AGMJBML94B60Hc4Y/s320/017.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I made it tonight for the myself and the hubby and it was delectable in its simple deliciousness. Don't try to overdo the ingredients. A pinch of garlic, a pinch of onions... Keep It Simple, Stupid.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpZYcSzR7T0CTn-lPoyJsBhRWMclrYNLTceuX1YqXiQ4r5u6JDrqOkfORfxf2NSU6s8C5DvqtWt4RXGZopI1oxtjZw0L1cSDdYsKenHq8Y1-1VswlQ8CNws-49Je15_OpdDJV_RxQicuA/s1600/020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpZYcSzR7T0CTn-lPoyJsBhRWMclrYNLTceuX1YqXiQ4r5u6JDrqOkfORfxf2NSU6s8C5DvqtWt4RXGZopI1oxtjZw0L1cSDdYsKenHq8Y1-1VswlQ8CNws-49Je15_OpdDJV_RxQicuA/s320/020.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Clean plate. That's amore.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/aS6-b7CONDI?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00229819737511762427noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124915342839028504.post-75646427576566358612011-04-03T20:53:00.000-07:002011-04-03T21:01:50.925-07:00Veggie Porn<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDTRUvgy7Lo0AYj9FNcaqTfMDQ-idhXPZNhMIleR-PSeVQW4UL49Yh85U60JUvz3eNeDxWiWRrbpDyRvf0tWE1CLOf2pXmgrQ5cObS_FoF2c7U5RP48C44My-0dAZlMCjCVxKPmvLspZY/s1600/022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDTRUvgy7Lo0AYj9FNcaqTfMDQ-idhXPZNhMIleR-PSeVQW4UL49Yh85U60JUvz3eNeDxWiWRrbpDyRvf0tWE1CLOf2pXmgrQ5cObS_FoF2c7U5RP48C44My-0dAZlMCjCVxKPmvLspZY/s320/022.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Like <em>way</em> too many people nowadays, I like to post imtimate pictures on the web. Sometimes I text them as well, though I'm careful not to reveal too much. I've taken pictures in public, on planes, many (<em>many)</em> in restaurants and, most of all, in the privacy of my own kitchen. By the stove, to be exact.<br />
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I'm talking about food porn, people.<br />
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Wednesday's <em>Los Angeles Times</em> had a great story about Sarah Gim, proprietress and leading proponent of food porn on the Web. Her site, <a href="http://www.tastespotting.com/">TasteSpotting</a>, is a rich lode of gorgeous amateur food photography. Along with other sites like <a href="http://foodgawker.com/">foodgawker</a>, <a href="http://photograzing.seriouseats.com/">Serious Eats' Photograzing</a> and <a href="http://foodporndaily.com/">Food Porn Daily</a>, Gim has home chefs all over the country cooking, styling and snapping away in their kitchens, hoping for fifteen minutes of fame in the food blogosphere.<br />
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Once I realized that the food pornographers in question had <em>serious</em> photographic equipment and my seven year old 6.0 megapixel Olympus was completely outclassed, I decided not to share my photos with anyone beyond the readers of "What I Cooked, What I Ate". Besides, in a world of exotic and erotic brownie baking and cookie frosting, who wants to look at a bunch of grilled veggies?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtxRJzyaw-YN1nX2qtVvx2ATEIJGPpqKZzgbJJqAjjferGejTiUS8W6cS8IZiWMIilE4PIMnJEJFkJjwnYnzClJnon3TMtidKQclGmitjMo87wfhJPfGMwILEpRbFPw-ltmFphKeHvuxo/s1600/019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtxRJzyaw-YN1nX2qtVvx2ATEIJGPpqKZzgbJJqAjjferGejTiUS8W6cS8IZiWMIilE4PIMnJEJFkJjwnYnzClJnon3TMtidKQclGmitjMo87wfhJPfGMwILEpRbFPw-ltmFphKeHvuxo/s320/019.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh256ulzry7FZCoekT6r9xtO3u0MZfXL8Vy2O91DD5pBrAP7ARNbv49cfbRpJB0mDAg_nzoL6hUFrvG0qs6MJTeFd8_BfauooXvaQRwitdfhedMJ0chB3Ex3s3zJtHol6RDk_YNfkxWc94/s1600/021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh256ulzry7FZCoekT6r9xtO3u0MZfXL8Vy2O91DD5pBrAP7ARNbv49cfbRpJB0mDAg_nzoL6hUFrvG0qs6MJTeFd8_BfauooXvaQRwitdfhedMJ0chB3Ex3s3zJtHol6RDk_YNfkxWc94/s320/021.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ECxKLONSxDBxzAcJEVln9mQobxvOwrvldU-pMqYteDK-kwIZ8tSjJjIil9lYrtWJqUg66S6R9Nj0hlfXXnwpg0AmYPUQC4TAf7WcUfC-mK8OfhvSwwK_hggwXASCCGPBPA-edw-ZtEQ/s1600/025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ECxKLONSxDBxzAcJEVln9mQobxvOwrvldU-pMqYteDK-kwIZ8tSjJjIil9lYrtWJqUg66S6R9Nj0hlfXXnwpg0AmYPUQC4TAf7WcUfC-mK8OfhvSwwK_hggwXASCCGPBPA-edw-ZtEQ/s320/025.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
On second thought, maybe I should start a new photo blog <em>Steaming Vegan Porn</em>, featuring the romantic sound stylings of that famous (300 pound) vegan himself, Mr Barry White.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/NpPQBL7PNhs?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00229819737511762427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124915342839028504.post-83488887767088219542011-04-01T21:49:00.000-07:002011-04-02T12:50:15.960-07:00Late Night Breakfast<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh76wm4MgQOGO4oNnTk43UHasg7xrWN8FzQvCBqbRh2f-42xBSFkDzFyU4cS1mQ24xXubU5-QTF_hBe-PyqfKuobP0QhiPFj2gmcC0ZA6p1sW27s8PyOZS3w3BmDD5Oq2y0Z_o5iC-kymk/s1600/006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh76wm4MgQOGO4oNnTk43UHasg7xrWN8FzQvCBqbRh2f-42xBSFkDzFyU4cS1mQ24xXubU5-QTF_hBe-PyqfKuobP0QhiPFj2gmcC0ZA6p1sW27s8PyOZS3w3BmDD5Oq2y0Z_o5iC-kymk/s320/006.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I've been reading the excellent memoir <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Townie-Memoir-Andre-Dubus-III/dp/0393064662/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpi_1">Townie</a></em> by Andre Dubus III and I'm flooded with memories of Haverhill, MA back in the 80's: the whirlwind nights at Ronnie D's pub with the gang and the desperate 2 a.m. post-bar search for someplace to fill our bellies. <br />
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I aspired to be a cook who could conjure a meal in five minutes, but in those days my culinary skills were, as yet, unhoned and the best I could do at closing time was point my big Oldsmobile to the nearest Greek sub shop. If I were still that party animal today, I would <em>so</em> invite my besties back to my place for a late night breakfast. <br />
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Garlic? Check. Olive oil? Check. Fresh spinach? Check. Eggs? Check. Salt, pepper and nutmeg? Check. Impress your friends with this little concoction at a late night, post bar-hopping, not-quite-ready-for-Taco-Bell, impromptu party at <em>your </em>place.<br />
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After you've stuffed yourself, break out the ciggies, a deck of cards, a bottle of Jamesons and piss off the neighbors with ...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/rf2e4QPPxJY?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00229819737511762427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124915342839028504.post-75224161613427376922011-03-31T22:29:00.000-07:002011-04-01T21:27:17.367-07:00Ricotta Abondanza!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5IwlulmhEd1cAPRtNVg8pl2W9-YmYz03IU-NMAExH75Rf6YS2cYEaDj-_OLlycc_hVa7F10tTiOIThSjO8fCFyM9opHWjIU0tezXP_ciLvyGxgXP_VJ8JkqysBtPV8_lmwPmXK6hnQqk/s1600/011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5IwlulmhEd1cAPRtNVg8pl2W9-YmYz03IU-NMAExH75Rf6YS2cYEaDj-_OLlycc_hVa7F10tTiOIThSjO8fCFyM9opHWjIU0tezXP_ciLvyGxgXP_VJ8JkqysBtPV8_lmwPmXK6hnQqk/s320/011.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Great food is all about fresh ingredients. You could have only five ingredients in a dish, but if you make those five ingredients the Best They Can Be, there is no way any permutation of said recipe can trump yours.<br />
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Case in point: home made ricotta. Here is the recipe - take a quart of <em>quality</em> whole milk and a pint of <em>quality</em> heavy cream. Bring to a boil. Take off heat and stir in three tablespoons of <em>quality</em> white wine vinegar. Watch it curdle (about three to five minutes). Pour mixture into cheescloth lined strainer over large bowl and let drain for up to thirty minutes. Enjoy (yeah, you can add some fresh herbs and salt and pepper if you'd like) with toasted French bread.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0eYgvXAImuGtYryy4H_K30sBi_415dUsGDOfFZQGu3EAhUW9BPtOpOMyWdg5NRbnI4iXoD8HHUf-piFpitqvURoHE937U48Q4NE631uwHb2hqfFCXdBQV81UyTwBQW29yxD24UeVR44U/s1600/017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0eYgvXAImuGtYryy4H_K30sBi_415dUsGDOfFZQGu3EAhUW9BPtOpOMyWdg5NRbnI4iXoD8HHUf-piFpitqvURoHE937U48Q4NE631uwHb2hqfFCXdBQV81UyTwBQW29yxD24UeVR44U/s320/017.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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This will kick your butt, it's so good. You'll never buy store bought ricotta again.<br />
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It's not Jose Carreras good. It's not Placido Domingo good. We're talking Luciano Pavarotti here.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/4vaepWrchDc?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00229819737511762427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124915342839028504.post-40109380938250416662011-02-04T16:08:00.000-08:002011-02-04T20:52:37.760-08:00Penne and Chanterelles<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvU41uykhLb4cgaBINxpFpQDYum3jKBEy1PI0x5ub8ljGirgAqjwRg2Bx0uDnTnhTETtos8-NWfZYxTJrfIxdRAvcxMHdu25UYwX90VhcDqzVtx0YH96qMLwi6K5XswGQtsjQuVlnljxw/s1600/305.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvU41uykhLb4cgaBINxpFpQDYum3jKBEy1PI0x5ub8ljGirgAqjwRg2Bx0uDnTnhTETtos8-NWfZYxTJrfIxdRAvcxMHdu25UYwX90VhcDqzVtx0YH96qMLwi6K5XswGQtsjQuVlnljxw/s320/305.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pickings at the Farmer's Market are a little slim this time of year, even in sunny SoCal. Lots of winter veggies (kale, lettuces, roots) and the first of the year's citrus, but that's about it. The Mushroom Guy, however, has a prolific selection of <em>funghi</em> nearly year-round. Hubby and I hit the Culver City Farmer's Market Tuesday afternoon and got a small paper bag filled with chanterelles, bound for a marriage to some bacon and pasta.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Like most everyone else of "a certain age", I have to be careful about fat, cholesterol and all those other tasty things that can kill you. Having worked in the restaurant business for many years, I can assure you that their pasta recipe tastes better than yours because it has a helluva lot more butter, salt, sugar and what-have-you than you would ever <em>dream</em> of adding yourself. So I'll let you in on a delicious secret: add <em>just a bit</em> of the good stuff at the end of the recipe. In other words, instead of sauteeing the mushrooms in a half stick of butter, use a small amount olive oil instead. Then just before serving, add <em>just a bit</em> of some butter to finish and <em>voila!</em> there's that nice buttery taste you were hoping for</span><span style="font-family: Arial;">, without the Lipitor chaser.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">For this simple pasta dish, I started with one strip of lean bacon (Pancetta works just as well), chopped and sauteed in about a tablespoon of olive oil. Cook until it starts to brown and then add some chopped onion and garlic. Salt and pepper. Brown it up. While all of this is going on, bring some salted water to a boil and cook your 4 oz. penne until <em>al dente</em> (10-ish minutes).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Add the sliced chanterelles to the saute and cook those up until golden, add a splash of dry white wine if you like. Maybe some fresh tarragon. Add the cooked penne to the pan and toss that around until everything's coated. Remove from the heat and <em>now</em> add the butter (tablespoon at the most), some grated parmesan, and fresh chopped parsley. Light some candles, open a <em>Pinot Grigio</em> and lull your partner into a sense of complacency before you suggest that he should clean out the garage this weekend. Let me know how that goes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Here's another restaurant secret: the cooks make all the best food for themselves..</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/oerP7FRMWa8?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00229819737511762427noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124915342839028504.post-53982492073155963362011-01-31T12:42:00.000-08:002011-01-31T12:42:21.650-08:00Snowed In<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlZwtDSWxURnJe7Om37BHcZpt7polrTKQ1W-BZWkNGv1t9C1TF1ZMT5T882Q7arSG6EzylmqP0l3v-Ce2WQGpYcoDtMlxeRbkfLrs4RJfFwU1v_ZB7uj-zaHeemsci_ytKjah2ejcruKI/s1600/012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlZwtDSWxURnJe7Om37BHcZpt7polrTKQ1W-BZWkNGv1t9C1TF1ZMT5T882Q7arSG6EzylmqP0l3v-Ce2WQGpYcoDtMlxeRbkfLrs4RJfFwU1v_ZB7uj-zaHeemsci_ytKjah2ejcruKI/s320/012.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While I'm sitting here at my desk complaining about the rain, my Eastern friends are preparing once again to be bombarded with the white stuff. It's been a tough winter for those in the Northeast and I'm reminded how lucky The Hubby and I are to be in Southern California, where the thermometer plummets to 50 degrees at night in January but the sun will soon bring it back up to 75 where it belongs.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">It's been almost sixteen years since I've woken up early in the morning to scrape off the car before heading out to work and I find I don't miss it at all. Snow is fabulous and fun if you have no place to go (School's cancelled! Woooo!) but for the working stiffs who have to drive thirty-odd miles down Route 95 to Boston in a raging blizzard...not so much. I do, however, remember fondly the hype and hysteria which seemed to lead every snowy weather forecast, followed by the mad dash to the <em>Stop n Shop</em> for milk and bread (or, in my case, beer). Making sure there's plenty of gas in the snowblower and bags of salt in the garage. Sharing stories of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northeastern_United_States_blizzard_of_1978">The Great Blizzard of '78</a> and how we were out of school for a week. A week! Good times.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">During our years as newlyweds back in New Hampshire, I always made sure to keep the kitchen stocked with staples in the event of an approaching Snowmageddon. Plenty of soup in the freezer, cans of Italian tomatoes and pasta in the cupboard, a hunk of aged Parmesan in the fridge. A couple of snow days were always a handy way to clean out the leftovers and one of my favorite meals was Everything Pasta. Take all the veggies out of the fridge, chop 'em up, saute in olive oil, dump in a can of tomatoes (or, even better, fresh) and a handful of herbs from my windowsill garden.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgb969tw4FigbHnLdZ3U-hzXjyBhptfcBvy60wh90uZxYSn1vOW4ZyMMVD03rg-FeUibhNnuI4dEf0x25cjGl-g_gUcXPLr631mhuYHUbUQd51-ZJ96ftizTPjlrWn1EUdw6v-5fsjZ9w/s1600/005.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgb969tw4FigbHnLdZ3U-hzXjyBhptfcBvy60wh90uZxYSn1vOW4ZyMMVD03rg-FeUibhNnuI4dEf0x25cjGl-g_gUcXPLr631mhuYHUbUQd51-ZJ96ftizTPjlrWn1EUdw6v-5fsjZ9w/s320/005.PNG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pour yourself a nice <em>barolo</em>, kick up some Elliot Smith on the iPod, and wait for the pasta water to boil while you watch the snow fall. No shoveling required.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><object width="320" height="266" class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://i.ytimg.com/vi/J_Q_fYuMZdA/0.jpg"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/J_Q_fYuMZdA?f=videos&c=google-webdrive-0&app=youtube_gdata" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/J_Q_fYuMZdA?f=videos&c=google-webdrive-0&app=youtube_gdata" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object></div>Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00229819737511762427noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124915342839028504.post-81723596074558738752011-01-30T14:26:00.000-08:002011-01-30T20:54:26.561-08:00Cream of Wild Mushroom Soup<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZcFbXpTYIN5BgwCNGbNqBD17ICDmpc4-F15K5dvP3CiJIks0DPsoB3bFDx0I_Qdc7E2lvIPd76cNFdiK6siKrcdFivJBddJCV9Gv5i2bY-9jNZJ8bO-GJ499TFuWkZzcRZ0bEJKqxsas/s1600/034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZcFbXpTYIN5BgwCNGbNqBD17ICDmpc4-F15K5dvP3CiJIks0DPsoB3bFDx0I_Qdc7E2lvIPd76cNFdiK6siKrcdFivJBddJCV9Gv5i2bY-9jNZJ8bO-GJ499TFuWkZzcRZ0bEJKqxsas/s320/034.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"How good is <em>that</em>?"</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Hubby and I been on a Food Network bender lately. I love watching these home chefs (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ina_Garten">Ina Garten</a>, Paula Deen, et al) who, in their unabashed heftiness and total disregard for LDL levels, begin each recipe with a pound of butter and a pint of heavy cream. They make liberal use of the salt cellar as well and (like I) feel a scattering of bacon enhances most any dish. Yahoo! Enjoying these shows are a guilty pleasure, like opening that bottle of pinot noir at 3 pm and watching a repeat of this week's episode of <em><a href="http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/downtonabbey/index.html">Downton Abbey</a></em>. Ah, the life of the gainfully unemployed.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">In particular, we've been loading up on late afternoon episodes of <em>The Barefoot Contessa</em> hosted by the aforementioned Ms. Garten. For a half hour, we hang out in her breezy kitchen in the Hamptons or follow her to the local farm stand or cheese shop where she buys a three pound wedge of Stilton for a "late night snack" to enjoy with a friend. (I have to think the L.I.F.D. must hang out in her driveway, defrib at hand, waiting for each episode's Special Guest to keel over in the garden.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Ms. Garten is casual in the kitchen, her recipes basic and un-fussy. However, as I follow her through the preparation of a dish, I find myself mentally editing the amount of fats and sugar therein. One recent episode brought forth a tasty looking <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/cream-of-wild-mushroom-soup-recipe/index.html">cream of wild mushroom soup</a> and as I followed along I made notes, cutting the butter and cream almost in half. Sure enough, when I tried the recipe a few days later, I found the recipe just as delicious as if I had piled in the dairy. The homemade stock gave the soup a heft and roundness that might otherwise be obscured with too much cream. I put in about one third of the butter the recipe called for and a half pint of half-and-half, total.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">It's the perfect soup for this rainy California Sunday.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/IW4ZxGNyVFc?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00229819737511762427noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124915342839028504.post-15845308238284595742010-10-13T12:16:00.000-07:002010-11-04T14:07:21.352-07:00Pies? You Can Get Anything You Want.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3qOlRuv1Qd4xxEnTAn0X2-kDnS82qHZA3Zz9_aMkNNk1aYLkR68jlCiQwzbhtqRNfNHk1aI6F9e5PcIclXPrGKM-hr_MXPLEKfyTNTFNb1mmAa08rdhhGdcCvkj4M_y5K6W8LEvFJd5w/s1600/009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3qOlRuv1Qd4xxEnTAn0X2-kDnS82qHZA3Zz9_aMkNNk1aYLkR68jlCiQwzbhtqRNfNHk1aI6F9e5PcIclXPrGKM-hr_MXPLEKfyTNTFNb1mmAa08rdhhGdcCvkj4M_y5K6W8LEvFJd5w/s320/009.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mmmmm....Pumpkin pie!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
After a seven or eight year hiatus, I've decided to jump back into the holiday pie business this year. I have fond memories of Thanksgivings past, churning out apple, pumpkin, pecan and blueberry pies and thought it might be fun to do it again this year. OK, it's a nice way to supplement my income as well.<br />
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Having been out of the Pie Game for a while, I thought it best to do a little research before I put up a menu and price list. My first stop on the web was the <a href="http://www.urthcaffe.com/">Urth Caffe</a> in Santa Monica. They seem to be the neighborhood go-to place when it comes to holiday pies. They have a reputation for tasty pies with fresh ingredients and, having sampled their pies in the past, I would agree their reputation is well-deserved. They also have a reputation for being expensive. $45 for an apple pie??? Holy Hell. It's a good pie but I don't think it's $45 worth of good.<br />
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Next stop was <a href="http://www.manisbakery.com/">Mani's Bakery</a> (also Santa Monica). Their pies are sugar-free and (sometimes) vegan. Prices were in the low to mid twenties for a standard nine inch pie (Urth's pies are twelve inches). Now, I'm thinking about charging $50 for my fabulous, award-winning (more on that later) pies! Then I'm thinking that would be ridiculous. <br />
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I worked out the expenses and I think $40 for a twelve-inch, home-made, award-winning, super-fresh pie delivered right to your door is a good deal.<br />
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Oh...about that award? 1997 Beverly Hills Farmer's Market Pie Contest. Yankee Apple Pie. <br />
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<em>First Place</em>.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ6YSDzAWmDZFbkekXgsJx84BQGkBeH06jjQ29gJw_2Z05yg5kMGEgbRVG4F2QwBk6OV54TWn4ycHchF1ycGkmznBXfF3iLzLh16uPmdGh1fwd0qR6Hdp769ePgtEI9f9WJUrifeZb_wA/s1600/Bev+Hills+Pie+Contest+1997.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ6YSDzAWmDZFbkekXgsJx84BQGkBeH06jjQ29gJw_2Z05yg5kMGEgbRVG4F2QwBk6OV54TWn4ycHchF1ycGkmznBXfF3iLzLh16uPmdGh1fwd0qR6Hdp769ePgtEI9f9WJUrifeZb_wA/s400/Bev+Hills+Pie+Contest+1997.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me and judge/celebrity chef Mario Antinoli</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I won a whole fifty bucks and had to make a pie for the next city council meeting. That's the big time, folks. Big time.<br />
<br />
Speaking of Thanksgiving, I know it's a little early for this....but enjoy anyways...<br />
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<em><strong>UPDATE:</strong> Originally I thought Urth's pies were nine inches - they are in fact twelve inches. I adjusted the size of my pies accordingly. Now bring on your size jokes.</em>Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00229819737511762427noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124915342839028504.post-9690977496764915762010-10-08T21:38:00.000-07:002010-10-09T09:11:06.238-07:00Potato Leek Soup, Rain and Busy Being Free<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtShpgUJY2MsK_dYXv4aenbCForP8gYsfWtSsA55uFKXiIH9NA4Sp662QXFf1XEqXY17FGnvuUg4G8xgXIfDeTzh0wsQmKpmhzl21Uflgv-DgWrXSUGGDEpXU-GoE9G-M6pc0GCyHwiZw/s1600/005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtShpgUJY2MsK_dYXv4aenbCForP8gYsfWtSsA55uFKXiIH9NA4Sp662QXFf1XEqXY17FGnvuUg4G8xgXIfDeTzh0wsQmKpmhzl21Uflgv-DgWrXSUGGDEpXU-GoE9G-M6pc0GCyHwiZw/s320/005.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I've been on my own the last few months and happily so. Freelancing can be scary during the best of times and downright terrifying in this recession/depression/whatever we're having right now. Strangely, I've managed to keep working and cooking. People still want me to feed them and I oblige. Lots of puttering around, too. The backyard looks amazing and I've managed not to kill the morning glories this year. Lots of free time means Joe and I take long drives to Los Olivos and Mendocino, with bags full of tomato sandwiches and wine bottles rattling in the trunk. <br />
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We got a healthy dose of rain a few days ago. I really enjoyed the dreary weather - it reminded me of home - and when I awoke Wednesday morning, I immediately set about to make some soup. Earlier in the week, I had lunch with some friends at <a href="http://www.tendergreensfood.com/">Tender Greens</a>, a delicious organic soup/salad/sandwich spot in Culver City. I had a hearty Potato Leek Soup which, though thick and creamy, seemed to be without any actual <em>cream</em>. A quick check with the kitchen verified that it was, indeed, vegan. Though I appreciated the light touch, I prefer a more traditional version that benefits from chicken stock and pancetta. Here's <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/potato-leek-soup-recipe/index.html">a version from my fellow Mass-chef, Emeril</a>, that was just right.<br />
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Serve with a salad and a light pinot grigio. Joni will serenade...<br />
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<object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/kLNF32bKed0?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/kLNF32bKed0?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLNF32bKed0"></a>Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00229819737511762427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124915342839028504.post-34649907647503097492010-07-02T06:36:00.000-07:002010-07-02T06:54:11.164-07:00Quinoa Pasta with Arugula<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489304625443298354" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXnyYrDDo0wn5i6Wb1rg-7M0MLiWpylsz1v4np3JucF-l2ax3Jz3m-YpWVSGd9d76N5J0bXEajZdfsUrhdiyCypTtfWsucW_ZJ6VEcRj36ky43UvTD0sA30jOmlbUoqPOMRkqN72oIjFU/s400/031.JPG" /> <div><br /><div>You've all heard <a href="http://what-i-cooked-what-i-ate.blogspot.com/2009/01/mother-of-all-grains.html">my dissertation on quinoa </a>before so I won't bore you with a recap , however...</div><div></div><br /><div>I had to share with everyone my latest find from Whole Foods: quinoa pasta (elbows) sold in bulk. Cheap (for Whole Foods), tasty, and packed with protein. As an added bonus, the pasta doesn't fall apart if you want to cook it a little past al dente. Last night it got tossed with arugula, olive oil and garlic. Delicious.</div><br /><div></div><div>PS People are beginning to think I've gone all vegetarian here but I promise you, it being July 4th weekend, there's sure to be meat being eaten at Casa Paquette <em>real</em> soon.</div><div> </div><div> </div><div>PPS I'm becoming obsessed with making that <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Nectarine-Almond-Frangipane-Tart-235776">Nectarine Almond Frangipane Tart</a>. Nectarine season needs to end before I pack on twenty pounds.</div><div> </div><div> </div><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489304936049111298" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl9gdsMBXgNQPYp7Qb4SzE9XSUslJKrU1rTURW6jQiDnlNnJlZaaB7dtl_ZEOt1zYuSp02Awd47TT1dbpOlxGQ6uJEGeCTIm0tLWLPHUnDWUuB0pDAY7qr1658d5Pk3Ybt6JbgJKcaQPw/s400/032.JPG" /></div></div>Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00229819737511762427noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124915342839028504.post-73079561814727405902010-07-01T07:24:00.000-07:002010-07-01T10:35:03.533-07:00The California Dagwood<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQKb8DcajW_kDI2WKIrSmOufnIWBq_LgX4IYa0O3U41wUAGHMQMrwEQLGozhBfinfCvxZGZL0XCMOo_Md72IV9kQGkJExkZKQtwKcFGr86MLdQjO7LX57VR1FH-Ak5SJBKVISimQobTZg/s1600/005.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488946596830807170" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQKb8DcajW_kDI2WKIrSmOufnIWBq_LgX4IYa0O3U41wUAGHMQMrwEQLGozhBfinfCvxZGZL0XCMOo_Md72IV9kQGkJExkZKQtwKcFGr86MLdQjO7LX57VR1FH-Ak5SJBKVISimQobTZg/s400/005.JPG" /></a><br /><div>Joe is on a sprouting kick again and every few days I find another old yogurt container stuffed with fresh sprouts in our refrigerator. Alfalfa, broccoli, peas, etc. Excellent nutrients.</div><br /><div></div><div>Though they are at their optimum nutritional value that first day, there's only so much you can eat at one sitting. I've never been a big fan of overloading a salad with sprouts, so Joe started making sandwiches with them. I've taken his basic recipe and added a lot of my favorite things.</div><br /><div></div><div>We start with two slices of sprouted <a href="http://www.foodforlife.com/">Ezekial bread </a>slathered with some delicious <a href="http://www.followyourheart.com/">Vegenaise</a>. Don't scoff, mayo lovers: this stuff is a thousand times tastier - and healthier - than your average "light" mayo and has zero cholesterol as well (no eggs). Add the aforementioned sprouts, thick slices of heirloom tomatoes and onions, avocadoes, cukes and romaine. Salt and pepper. Smush it down before eating.</div><div></div><br /><div>Give in to the urge to align your chakras and hug a tree. Dude!</div>Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00229819737511762427noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124915342839028504.post-61620136940935762472010-06-30T16:41:00.000-07:002010-06-30T17:04:01.399-07:00Summer Veggies on the Grill<div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488719888003408450" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQFjSETneJOErj6Az78W4SJsJPsdW0df72M8LztEbKSNl7irfxKWjDPv58FyDqnHBN8LEdEWh2V3rQWwhEFIP68U0iyzH_1pM5i6aTG3-Ous8u6uSH1UdhBfoeaMIb3AZMD1iQRjG0D-o/s400/297.JPG" /><br /><div><div><div><div>With summer in Southern California comes the promise of lush, beautiful vegetables from the farmer's market. My favorite is the famous Wednesday morning market in <a href="http://www.santamonica.com/visitors/what-to-do/attractions/farmers-markets/">Santa Monica</a>, where many well-known chefs hunt for that day's produce to feature in their restaurants. </div><br /><div></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488719376910324530" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHYBSkUTIgqLfp-mWNVtaEuGLJXfgVVHy9RPeFBYEl9z-dVeEhIOXAI-Lq3vrPPK9uPrb-_WEKdDv-zAhoQoiTtBjJEDB97wdMOc-ik6g_jx33rq2VrrmBKRhN10ZwVQD6UonYKEEwZJ8/s400/022.JPG" /><br /><div></div><div>I try to get there early before all of the good stuff is picked over. I also try to limit myself to a $25 budget but fail miserably every time (usually a visit to the mushroom guy puts me in the red). Even when I spend lightly, I find myself at home with a fridge stuffed with produce and a week's menu to plan before everything starts to wilt. What to do?</div><br /><div></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488719039574937378" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Aj4zQYlvT3wFilifxbF7rBrZ-AtNqP-GoeoWbxIzKEDNb6Xa6B5QAUTFLYXUSXwRWQRddmyrwT_UPtPYFLpPowADQmT4xXI_c_-ywmOYokBVGpRl8-bRUd4dhlS-jk7NHbLhEc4rPe4/s400/024.JPG" /><br /><div>After a few days, I usually get the grill fired up and take care of what's left. Anything that isn't nailed down gets tossed in olive oil and salt and thrown on the grill. Those squash blossoms I meant to fry up and toss with spaghetti? The fava beans that may be a little old? The corn on the cob starting to go starchy? It all tastes better after a few turns on the open fire.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488718807440312386" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4dwWbtCXZMGbpVOKl43z6eCjNq6UT7HkuT26RKZNR-9TsGPecN4wAYhTQaYVoFpfeRjJgnj-Ov-dr5iDPG4upq6JalJUWejEMy6CcZn4aVLTcsCWQ3s_kQ02FrS9Jc_0SD6n_FCP7noo/s400/015.JPG" /><br /><div>Makes a wonderful lunch and the leftovers can stay in the fridge for a few days to brighten up a salad or a frittata. Meat? We don't need no stinkin' meat!</div><div> </div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488720906983771138" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKg3lwTC4qDdB6a50tQkp6p7pG_dmBeS217DzdT7uhwyfIuc5_3k5iHCOHrzpVRBXXcDy8eOIsjiQ8iq5B88TbYjv2u4NgODDEiYf0Dc8x1dLSJfN8Oo6YI86lNzHE9NzeGXgYqMEWcnY/s400/036.JPG" /><br /><div></div><div> </div></div></div></div></div>Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00229819737511762427noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124915342839028504.post-27654208753736533372010-06-23T16:16:00.000-07:002010-06-23T17:06:24.079-07:00Vegetarian "Sushi" Hand Rolls<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgUM102x2FBKeC73cSTfYKCMsenYJeUjzL_CYUkmvBfGwYvx8WXbSHuR-9R5hwBuu5W6kGg5-egZWd2ACqcqbKVxh8Sg2DssizDI_y63b7vbfopI6brCK30vSQ1R-X1wcgmD4fuBcYZbE/s1600/010.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486112409531014546" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgUM102x2FBKeC73cSTfYKCMsenYJeUjzL_CYUkmvBfGwYvx8WXbSHuR-9R5hwBuu5W6kGg5-egZWd2ACqcqbKVxh8Sg2DssizDI_y63b7vbfopI6brCK30vSQ1R-X1wcgmD4fuBcYZbE/s400/010.JPG" /></a><br />I'm married to the Sushi Wimp. The man will not eat raw fish of any kind, which surprises me since he's usually a fairly adventurous eater (I guess he's adventurous up to the point of consuming raw flesh). I, on the other hand, would happily eat <em>unagi</em> and <em>tekka don</em> every day of my life. Given this culinary impasse in our household, I have to go out to a sushi restaurant to get my fix instead of pursuing fresher (and cheaper) options in my own kitchen. But recently a breakthrough has been made. Hallelujah!<br /><br />It's easier to learn to make sushi while watching someone else do it (photographs don't always properly convey the subtleties of technique). I've been trying to watch sushi chefs from the other side of the counter for years, but found that the traditional sushi set-up at restaurants is restrictive. You can <em>sort of</em> see what they're doing back there, but there's usually a refrigerator case of fish between you and the chef, impeding your view. Plus, they always look a little secretive of their craft. They don't want you to crib their style. Instead, they want you should go spend six large at the <a href="http://www.sushi-academy.com/sushi-class/#intensive">Sushi Academy </a>and learn to sharpen your knives correctly.<br /><br />A delightful young lady by the name of Rose showed me how to do a simply hand roll the other day. A <em>vegetarian</em> hand roll. With <em>brown</em> rice. All of the elements that should appeal to my hubby and you know what? It did! The brown rice is cooked (1 cup rice to 2 1/4 cup water) then a little rice wine vinegar, toasted sesame seeds and honey is added at the end (honey helps create a little stickiness). After you spread the warm rice on a half sheet of <em>nori</em> paper,<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4J12X-NvpwhmtRaPXCdS17SkGcI_vEpWehkxG0GyDq0wgWRdTs68dfM0d14qXvPJof6jwF4myU72oqAPqSPl60lxDoD_56C2uXtFKTr3NikdSGvfUm3iVdXTJSiC1k5diC4X7QDpvA-M/s1600/003.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486112251977077858" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4J12X-NvpwhmtRaPXCdS17SkGcI_vEpWehkxG0GyDq0wgWRdTs68dfM0d14qXvPJof6jwF4myU72oqAPqSPl60lxDoD_56C2uXtFKTr3NikdSGvfUm3iVdXTJSiC1k5diC4X7QDpvA-M/s400/003.JPG" /></a><br />lay a pencil thin piece of cucumber, some shaved carrot, onion, avocado and sprouts or whatever have you, on the nori/rice. Roll it up like a cone. Dip in some <em>shoyu</em> and <em>wasabi</em>. </div><div></div><div>Next time I'll sneak in a little cooked shrimp. <em>Kampai!</em><br /></div><div></div>Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00229819737511762427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124915342839028504.post-33604391565468028682010-06-19T14:41:00.000-07:002010-06-19T15:02:21.814-07:00Vegetable Omelet with Artisanal Bacon<div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484607361642392850" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjraiDvtwHDPBJyaHUqUfDXeRbxx40a8DraGrib1IndwGM7u5YVf9EXdxlWpvI32l_AUy3RDV23B_SY3DOtY7feOcG3XBhZVKZ-0RN8k04hB2-z47EroPiCMnhKBJCvJ0pX8BZZatw3X00/s400/February+2009+033.JPG" /><br /><br /><div>Mmmmm.......BACON!</div><div></div><br /><div>Bacon makes everything taste good. The Italians are right to start every dish with a little diced <em>pancetta</em>. Then, of course, there's the classic American BLT. Nowadays you can find <a href="http://www.voodoodoughnut.com/">bacon donuts</a>, <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/CANDIED-BACON-237190">candied bacon</a>, and my favorite, <a href="http://www.vosgeschocolate.com/product/bacon_exotic_candy_bar/exotic_candy_bars">Mo's Bacon Bar </a>(though it needs a little more of the pork, if you ask me).</div><div></div><br /><div>The artisanal food movement has brought bacon back to its humble beginnings via the farm smokehouse. Most farmer's markets here in LA have some ex-stockbroker who has given up the fast lane and gone back to the land, raising his own pigs, smoking his own bacon. At $9 a pound, it's a special occasion bit of pork but....oh, so worth it. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>And if you're going that route why not go whole hog (ha!) and cook your eggs in bacon fat (aka The Meal That Killed My Parents). This is my once-a-year campfire special: Fresh air, bacon and eggs on the fire, percolated coffee with a Lipitor chaser and a ten mile hike.</div><div> </div><div>.<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484607723943633554" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjX4UVkx4EuXAvBC0Gco5EiIiBVwbHUNUx8LIXNJWae88m1225lPiP4HZhjsD74kZVN_34taY4yTko81wmvgLzSXE_tk1tyCTr6qTIcDBEp8liFGY2IPxNGEhmKOYrloPFsFqqGwSKeiQ/s400/P5250056.JPG" /></div></div>Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00229819737511762427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124915342839028504.post-45277231724916756932010-06-16T20:28:00.000-07:002010-07-01T21:52:31.480-07:00Farro Salad<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlgY_mmAK3IxKOkkJiRRrAIt7ky9qTpUJpktHmW7VSAun6I3PYvxpMLQnmhkN_EDt_keJSwBJhWyxwsvIzhb02BgHJTR9qq6EnDqyzLUYq8p-5asTE6JCncesSuaSIrBYQm5H5Mj11brs/s1600/001.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483582303714689170" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlgY_mmAK3IxKOkkJiRRrAIt7ky9qTpUJpktHmW7VSAun6I3PYvxpMLQnmhkN_EDt_keJSwBJhWyxwsvIzhb02BgHJTR9qq6EnDqyzLUYq8p-5asTE6JCncesSuaSIrBYQm5H5Mj11brs/s400/001.JPG" /></a><br /><div>In the course of my career as a chef I've discovered many wonderful recipes courtesy of my clients. Some prefer to leave menu planning in my capable hands. Others prefer to take a more proactive approach, carefully planning special meals, gathering recipes, and hiring Yours Truly to execute.</div><div></div><br /><div>One recipe I've enjoyed time and time again is a Farro Salad recipe I acquired a few years back from one of my regulars. Farro is a lovely grain, in the spelt/barley family, usually imported from Italy. It has a nuttier flavor and is more "toothsome" than its American cousins, so it holds up very well to tomatoes, vinaigrettes and the like. This is a pretty simple recipe: cook farro and cool, add chopped tomatoes, onions garlic and parsley, toss with olive oil and balsamic (if you want the specific recipe, email me and I'll shoot it your way). It's a light but satisfying meal and sure to be a crowd-pleaser now that the summer tomato season has begun.</div><div></div><br /><div>Molto bene!</div>Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00229819737511762427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124915342839028504.post-80985948047998548782010-06-13T10:44:00.000-07:002010-06-13T11:52:44.195-07:00Paella Night<div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482322098949885090" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqVl1wfeFsP1DCygfLlAmqqGJOAopn2o1ip2gSibanPNPFBFBlDvN5iS7fOJ_SUjP6JoSA-GeGNAI_ILJZVizrMdfJxve0wONnW5A5f7cXt0qTG9XVoZa03nkntNoNBSyiEn3ESDS2X3g/s400/022.JPG" /><br /><div><br /><div>Summer is here and thoughts turn to the grill and the many ways in which it's charms might be utilized. We've already had a couple of BBQ-fests on the <a href="http://kamado.com/">Kamado</a> and, now that I've figured out how to regulate it's temperature, I've been hankering to try a wood-fired <em>paella</em>. </div><br /><div><br /></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482322544821408850" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdrT3EplogmucPN_gH5Zr_HMslJoTSept_yAz4PsEMhkIKzf5ZQDLrJiTfLoOa4LS5DL1AT9U5L06kOOyPrZI5FFfn7Im7wCxu656ZzHNRsg7CCvdoHkit4DFTN_9UN2FuXvehMFZZtwE/s400/003.JPG" /><br /><div></div><div><br />When I first acquired the Kamado grill, it was set up for gas grilling - not really the most efficient use of this magnificent beast. Luckily, conversion to wood/charcoal grilling simply meant sliding out the gas element and replacing it with a damper door (Kamado furnishes both with your grill purchase). The first couple of times I used it, I went completely old school and started a wood fire from scratch. It took hours to get the coals at the right temp and then, of course, you have to keep feeding it. Great results with the smokiness but major babysitting was required. Lacking the time and the patience to regulate a full-on wood fire, I started to cheat and use charcoal chunks with some extra (soaked) wood chips thrown on the hot coals. Nice and easy. Temp stays steady and allows a little extra time for trying to unplug a stopped up sink and chasing a mouse out of the apron drawer (a short synopsis of yesterday afternoon). </div><div><br /></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482323493824838002" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwy9nZJ3BsD-rDT6pzM7fU5gnTHM5kf77t5v8LdKSbdrYb1ABTCiLzUG9-XwLkX3Tkd47bEnM5hr8F7crer94o7x2ZYRDVuN8VRVTCBgT7MkK8jmh59yrlvbD_vrfk40XmePaYElVKquE/s400/016.JPG" /><br /><div></div><div><br />I've been making paella since my first trip to Barcelona some twenty years ago. At first, I used a Mexican <em>cazuela</em> but found I couldn't get that crisp bottom layer of crispy rice or <em>socarrat</em>. I switched to a conventional steel paella pan a couple of years ago and have had much better luck. I'm always futzing with the recipe, too. This time around, I used some suggestions put forth in a recent <a href="http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Mixed-Paella-Paella-Mixta">Saveur article </a>(blooming the saffron in hot water, cooking the <em>sofrito</em> longer) and fired up the Kamado. The smoky flavor was spot-on, though the <em>socarrat</em> was a little weak (too far away from the flame, I think). No complaints from the guests, however. </div><br /><div><br /></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482323089772225698" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikeoLkxADl_4G7ofQq0abde1An7K8pHFRZQ79UJltsOZtGfoLIYoNgYMqpUgDx_5qflzks3HRCalSM_2DG3hir8-NDAyDlHBiG-GxNWCOx8BjbY-rPlxjC312RVGWJo2v-NoCDlcRdSNI/s400/019.JPG" /><br /><div></div><div><br />Dessert? It's nectarine season here in SoCal so I whipped up my favorite <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Nectarine-Almond-Frangipane-Tart-235776">Nectarine Almond Frangipane Tart.</a> Enjoy the leftovers, Eric!</div><div></div><div></div><div></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482324692161498770" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtGZNSPnA8TWqsmodUh3Yk4moF1Fi3aFFcIFWWoHgqe81ndXyLbBDk6p3StSUfKd9ndLTcP81-BdCzHc8EpyxFk8y6ysJUVzxS7iDfRbPNSIW9DU1sSbm_4l84ved2kMx4w64xgmx744s/s400/028.JPG" /></div></div>Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00229819737511762427noreply@blogger.com0