Bitter Orange Marmalade Recipe

You know how sometimes a whole crop of citrus is destroyed due to frost or unseasonably cold weather? If my mom had her way, none of that fruit would go to waste. My mother is the queen of finding a use for everything. I suppose it's a kind of variation on turning lemons into lemonade or utilitarianism.

Sadly her amazingly prolific orange tree took quite a hit this year. And while she questions if the tree will survive, she went ahead and harvested the seemingly inedible fruit and made absolutely delicious marmalade out of it. She may not have actual Seville oranges, but she certainly has a solution for unripe oranges. Their tangy sour bite is mellowed in the marmalade but brightens up your morning English muffin, toast or scone.

My mom's recipe came from the Complete American Jewish Cookbook, a book I don't have, but she made a few changes to it. I'd never made marmalade before, but having a recipe that didn't require pectin and processing jars made me game to try it. Making your own marmalade means you can make it as thick or thin as you like and as sweet or bitter as you like. Around here we like it plenty bitter and a tad thin so it spreads easily. While bitter oranges are a very seasonal item marmalade is happily enjoyed all year long.

Bitter Orange Marmalade
(more a formula than a recipe)

Ingredients

Ripe or unripe oranges
Sugar

Instructions

Wash and dry the fruit. Cut unpeeled into quarters lengthwise then slice very thin crosswise. Measure fruit, place in a large pot and add twice as much water. Let stand overnight.

The next day, bring to boil covered then uncover and simmer 1 hour. Let stand 24 hours.

Measure the fruit and liquid and add no more than 1 1/2 cups of sugar per 2 cups of fruit mixture. Boil until it reaches the consistency you like, probably between 10 and 20 minutes or so, it will thicken slightly as it cools.

Sterilize jars in whichever method you prefer. (I wash them with soapy water then fill them halfway with water and microwave for about 5 minutes, until the water boils, remove with potholders and empty them just before filling.) Pour marmalade into hot jars and seal. If your jars do not seal airtight, just keep the jam in the refrigerator.

Enjoy!

The Hungry Cat, Santa Barbara

 
My mom and her friend, Katie were in town last week. Mom was hell bent on seeing Michael Pollan speak at UCSB, so that's what we did. 8pm, Saturday night, Santa Barbara... But where to eat beforehand? This decision actually had me dithered out for a few days. I am not that familiar with Santa Barbara. I have only driven past it on the way to Los Olivos with the exception of one afternoon, last Summer, where I did tool around the city on a bit of a driving tour. But we moved onto Ojai by dinnertime. I heard of a fantastic taco stand which actually sounded like a really cool idea. However about halfway through the drive there in rush hour traffic on the 101 I realized wherever we were to dine I was going to need at least one glass of wine. The taco stand idea wasn't going to work. Then I remembered that the good, ole Hungry Cat had opened up a sister restaurant in Santa Barbara. Fresh seafood in an oceanside town, great wine list, in a central location, perfect. So we programed our little GPS (whch Mom and Katie named Serena) to guide us to our meal and that - ever growing with importance - glass of wine (or two).

The Hungry Cat here in LA is good. Wonderful, fresh oysters, innovative and seasonal menu, great wine list, and ZERO ambiance. In fact while we were dining there once my mom commented that she felt as though she was IN an oyster. It's very cold, hard and sterile. A lot of concrete. But the food and the cocktails (made with top shelf liquor and fresh squeezed juices and fruit) make it a worthwhile destination regardless. The Hungry Cat in Santa Barbara is another world altogether. It's lovely! In an old building on a corner lot, lots of (casement) windows, beautiful lighting, and much more intimate, this Hungry Cat was already the perfect choice.

We began the way I always begin at The Hungry Cat - with a dozen mixed, raw oysters on the half shell. They always have very fine and fresh oysters and tonight was no different. I could easily have a meal of only dozens of oysters and wine. Yum. I noticed on the fruits of the sea platters there was sea urchin (Uni is my most favorite item to order at sushi) but it was nowhere else on the menu. After inquiring I learned that for a mere $16 a sea urchin could be mine to enjoy! I've never had it served any way except over rice, wrapped in nori. Wow. This crazy, spindly, imposing creature appeared in front of me served over ice with house-made crackers, lemon and sea salt. It was so fresh and so delicate - such a contrast with it's armored and dangerous exterior - so decadent, so wonderful. Also such an experience! Both my mom and her friend, Katie were fascinated and impressed, had never had sea urchin before. I am so Team Sea Urchin...

 
I paired the oysters and the sea urchin with a glass of Chateau Durasse Bordeaux Blanc ($38, $9) which was nice if a little powerful for the food it accompanied (I should have just had a glass of prosecco or Sancerre).

I then ordered the grilled flatbread, smoked veal and confit tuna remoloulade ($15), my mom had the local halibut ($12) and Katie ordered the famed Pug burger ($14). Honestly my flatbreads were kind of heavy, salty and oily, Mom's halibut was fresh and delicious but the portion was tiny - almost a sashimi-style presentation. Katie's Pug burger was great. It's really a fantastic burger - enormous, and served with avocado, bacon & blue cheese. This burger, named after chef - owner David Lentz's dog, Pug, is hugely popular and has received much press as one of the best burgers in LA.

We all enjoyed our experience and our food quite a bit. I still think The Hungry Cat is most ideal for raw bar items and cocktails, but this branch in Santa Barbara has the ambiance factor down as well.

The Hungry Cat
1134 Chapala St
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
(805) 884-4701
www.thehungrycat.com

Epic Roasthouse & Waterbar Opening Party

Last night's party at Pat Kuleto's two new restaurants along the Embarcadero was more like a New Year's Eve party than a typical restaurant opening. For one thing, the party was for two restaurants, not just one. Epic Roasthouse is headed up by chef Jan Birnbaum and is his contemporary take on a steak house, but I suspect there will be a lot more on the menu than beef. Waterbar its next door neighbor is a seafood restaurant with spectacular views and live fish tanks. Chef Mark Franz is co-owner and Parke Ulrich is executive chef.

For starters, the party began at 4 pm and roughly around 6 pm the two restaurants and a tented piazza in between was at capacity and a line began to form. Waiters headed out in the rain to serve nibbles to the estimated 250 people waiting to get in.

Local chefs including Roland Passot, Joanne Weir and Joey Altman were there, as were two past "villainous" Top Chef competitors. For those who follow the TV show I can say that in person Marcel is quite friendly and does not come across as egotistical. Tiffany lived up to her on-camera persona. After asking if I could take her picture, to which she said yes, I innocently asked what she was up to, she snapped "I'm talking to my friend, if you don't mind." Yikes! Wouldn't it have been just as easy to say "I'm opening a restaurant in LA, thanks for asking." If you're Tiffany, I guess not!

The band featured the amazingly talented 17-year-old daughter of one of the founders of the band the Doobie Brothers. And yes, her father did join her on stage for a set of Doobie Brothers hits.

As for the food and drink, there was plenty of wine and a fennel infused gimlet garnished with orange slices was the signature cocktail. It went particularly well with the seafood at Waterbar. I snacked on crisp salt cod cakes with aioli, fried risotto balls with a green olive tapenade, a sea bass ceviche on shrimp chips, steelhead trout tartare and ate more oysters than I can can count. There were also shots of a seafood soup, little prosciutto sandwiches and slices of pizza to feed the crowd.

At Epic there were meatballs, spicy tender pork ribs and a divine flaked salmon appetizer served on flatbread. Desserts created by Emily Lucchetti were also standouts. Luscious tiny panna cotta cups were topped with pineapple and granola, creamy brownie sundaes were my favorite along with endless cookies, sorbet and crispy apple pastries. While at Epic a Chinese dragon made it's entrance, in San Francisco this is considered good luck even if your restaurant isn't Chinese.

To top it all off, there was a fireworks display set under the Bay bridge! Pat Kuleto is known for his over-the-top fantastic interiors and partnerships with some of the best chefs around, turns out he also throws one hell of a party.

My mom and the Meyer lemon tree.

I recently noticed I have a Meyer lemon tree growing in my yard. I'm not as dense as that makes me sound. I just moved into a new house a few months ago that has a lot of grounds and quite a few nooks and crannies. I did notice the lemon tree at first but as it's not really in my daily path, kind of forgot about it. Then one day I needed a lemon and remembered... the lemon tree! Then when I went out to it I looked closely and saw it was Meyer lemon tree. I was elated! Even more exciting is that right now is smack in the middle of Meyer lemon season. Bliss. Big, grandiose plans, ideas churning, thinking cap on. Meyer lemon ice cream or Meyer lemon tart a la Alice Waters? A steamed artichoke with a Meyer lemon aioli? Meyer lemonade? 

So many choices. So many lemons.
 
Before I could realize this romantic notion of spending two days straight dressed in my cozies, listening to jazz in the kitchen, with the lemons and my elaborate plans for them, my mom came to town. Not to make Mom coming to town sound ominous in any way - she actually loves to cook and bake and we even had plans to bake bread while she was here.
After settling in, some shopping, and some Chateau Marmont time we hit the Sunday market and settled in for a day of KITCHEN.
 
On a very rainy Sunday night, with myself having suddenly fallen all sicky, icky, coldy and fluey (and I never get sick, seriously) we baked the bread which turned out fantastic, I prepared bacon-wrapped dates for noshing, some sauteed kale, and a roast chicken with fennel and Meyer lemon. Some friends flitted in and out during the cooking and eating (everyone loves my mom) and we all had a snuggly, cozy, rainy, Sunday night filled with food, friends and family. Everything was delicious.
 
After Mom left to return home (with the bug she caught from me) I threw what was left of the chicken into a pot and made a wonderful stock that put me on the path to wellness. This dish is truly one that keeps on giving.

Roast Chicken with Meyer lemons

Total time: 1 hour, 10 minutes

Ingredients
1 small chicken (3 1/2 lbs), washed and dried
4 Meyer lemons, divided
2 tsps. kosher salt
3 medium fennel bulbs, trimmed and sliced thinly crosswise
8 garlic cloves, peeled and halved
2 Tbsps. olive oil
Black pepper

1. About an hour ahead, remove the chicken from the refrigerator and bring to room temperature.

2. Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Slice 2 of the lemons paper thin with a knife or a mandoline. With your fingers, carefully loosen the skin from the meat on the bird. Insert 5 or 6 lemon slices underneath the skin. Put any unused slices and the ends of the lemons into the cavity, and rub the salt over the chicken.

3. Cut the remaining 2 lemons into 8 wedges and scatter them in the bottom of a shallow baking pan with the fennel and garlic. Place the chicken on top of the fruit and vegetableness. Pour the olive oil over the bird, then season with a few grinds of black pepper.

4. Roast chicken in the oven for 30 minutes, then lower the heat to 350 degrees and roast for about 20 minutes longer, or until the meat is firm, the skin is golden and the juices run clear (a thermometer placed into the thickest part of the bird will register 180 degrees); the vegetables and fruit will have started to caramelize.

5. Let rest 15 minutes, then serve with the roasted lemons and fennel.


"We are living in a world today where lemonade is made from artificial flavors and furniture polish is made from real lemons." ~Alfred E. Newman

Hotel Chocolat Contest

Waiting until the last minute to buy cheap chocolates and flowers is not very romantic. Plan ahead and win more than affection, win luxury chocolate! This Valentine's Day a heartfelt story will win a prize. If you can romance the judges, you could win a collection of Valentine's Day chocolates from Hotel Chocolat.

In fact, at least one person who enters the Hotel Chocolat contest, using this link, is guaranteed to win. To enter, explain in 200 words or less why Hotel Chocolat should surprise your loved one with a luxury chocolate gift. Dig deep and tell a moving tale, as the most compelling entry will win! And it can be a funny story, an inspiring story, a beautiful story, or even a romantic story. The competition closes on February 8th, 2008 and entries will appear live on the Hotel Chocolat site. Don't forget, at least one Cooking with Amy entrant will win!

To see what Hotel Chocolat has on offer, take a look here. I'll let you know what my favorite chocolate picks are once I get a chance to sample them...

Koraku Restaurant

Dixon and I had a hankering for some Japanese noodles last week. We headed to Little Tokyo where we were really excited to try out Daikokuya. Sadly, they were closed that evening to celebrate the Japanese New Year. We poked our heads in a little saloon a couple of doors down to have some sake, regroup, and perhaps get some advice from the locals for a backup plan. We were advised to check out Koraku for the ramen - and on our way we went.

Before I continue let me state that neither Dixon nor myself are connoisseurs of ramen world but are rather beginning our exploration and education.
I quite liked the interior and it's ambiance - open kitchen, orange, vinyl booths, 70's wood paneling - a little dingy and totally charming.
 
We started with the hakusai tsukemono (Japanese style pickled nappa cabbage) ($2.75) to start followed by the goyza ($4.25). The hakusai tsukemono was refreshing, crisp and perfectly pickled in a light rice vinegar. The gyoza were tasty but a little oily - I prefer them a bit crispier.
 

hakusai tsukemono


gyoza

My big-bowl-of-noodles-choice was the shoyu ramen. The ramen is in pork based soy sauce soup with seasoned bamboo shoots, a piece of hard boiled egg, bean sprouts and two slices of pork. The ramen itself was a decent and chewy egg noodle that was absolutely delicious. The broth was somewhat uninteresting and one dimensional.

 
Dixon however hit gold with his choice, the gekikara miso yasai ramen ($8.25). Full of beef, egg shreds and vegetables, this was hearty and spicy - just the right amount of burn while the miso provided a velvet texture.



We had some cold sake and a big Sapporo with our meal - and a hundred glasses of water with Dixon's dish! The servers were sweet, responsive and helpful, the food came out swiftly, the prices were right. I was pleasantly surprised with our almost - arbitrary restaurant selection this evening and anticipate returning to explore more of the items on the menu.

Take note:
They are open until 3am
Cash only

Koraku Restaurant
314 E. 2nd St.
Los Angeles 90013
(213)687-7178

Super Bowl Onion Dip: Recipe

What I consider "a super bowl" is not THE Super Bowl. It's a sophisticated little serving dish from Villeroy and Boch that's perfect for serving onion dip. I'm of the opinion you can never have too many bowls. Perhaps there is a food stylist somewhere deep inside me, struggling to be free.

Recently I had a creamy mushroom soup with chopped green beans and a topping of crispy onions. It was soup based on that classic, and in my opinion somewhat disgusting, Thanksgiving side dish, the green bean casserole. But the soup was delicious, proving some classics really are good if made with great ingredients. That was my idea for this dip which, coincidentally I served at Thanksgiving this year. But I think it would be great for that other major American holiday, Super Bowl Sunday.

I basically increased the seasonings and onions in a dip recipe I found on the Whole Foods Market website, which has lots of great ideas, by the way. The dip is filled with onions, leeks and garlic, a few seasonings and a rich and a creamy base that is vegan and healthy. Ok, it's tofu. I use a "light" firm soft tofu for a myriad of recipes, when pureed it becomes a creamy bland canvas, ready for flavor. This recipe is a good one for converting tofu-haters and for those who are looking for dairy-free recipes.

Onion Dip
makes about 2 cups

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion
1 leek
3 cloves garlic
pinch salt
12 ounces soft firm tofu, drained
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

Peel and cut the onion in half. Thinly slice the onion halves, you should have about 2 cups of onion slices. Slice the white part of the leek and garlic. Heat a heavy skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the onions, leeks and garlic and sprinkle with a little salt. Cook the onions, stirring from time to time to keep from sticking until brown and caramelized.

Transfer the onion mixture to the food processor and pulse a few times then add the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth. Taste for seasonings and adjust to your liking. Chill overnight in the refrigerator and serve with vegetables, potato chips or pita chips.

Note: If your tofu is very moist you may need to slice it and drain it on paper towels.

Enjoy!

The Pineapple Room: Restaurant Review

The Pineapple Room is one of chef Alan Wong's restaurants in Hawaii and it's located in the Macy's at the Ala Moana shopping center. Here you can try some of Alan Wong's style of Hawaiian cuisine without spending as much as you might at some of his other fancier restaurants. At dinner, entrees are in the $20-30 range and are ridiculously huge. I had a green curry braised short rib that came with tomatoes, green beans and eggplant and so many enormous prawns, it was enough for dinner plus two lunches.


I really enjoyed the stir-fried soy beans with garlic, chili peppers and soy sesame sauce. This is one of his signature dishes and was enough for the whole table. I inspired me to begin experimenting with a number of variations on this theme.


Lee had a wonderful fish dish with a buttery sauce sprinkled with sesame seeds.


My father made a meal out a few of starters including a goat cheese tart, a salad and French onion soup that had kahlua pork at the bottom of the bowl.

Dessert was also memorable, it was called Peanut Butter Sesame Crunch, 
and had layers of milk chocolate peanut crunch, peanut butter cream cheese mousse, caramelized bananas, bittersweet chocolate and Hawaiian salt caramel sauces and vanilla ice cream. 
It was crispy, soft, creamy, sweet, salty, nutty, chocolatey--it had it all.


Service is just great here so if you are looking for somewhere to splurge, this is a good choice.

The Pineapple Room
Macy's, Third Floor
Ala Moana Shopping Center
Honolulu, Oahu
808.945.6573

Meet Alice Medrich at Charles Chocolates POSTPONED

Photo ©Abigail Huller

Since the 1800's, the Bay Area has been a delicious environment for chocolate. Early on immigrants like Guittard and Ghirardelli made their fortunes not in gold, but in chocolate and their companies exist to this day. Our cool climate is particularly very well suited to making confections and I don't expect chocolate will ever be out of style.

Great locally crafted chocolate came into my consciousness back in the late 70's and early 80's when Alice Medrich was selling her chocolate truffles and decadent chocolate cakes all over the Bay Area. Over the years her cookbooks have not only been a source of inspiration, but a showcase of innovative techniques and approaches to chocolate and other high quality ingredients. Her latest book, Pure Dessert was one of my favorite books of 2007. Not surprisingly she has also inspired many artisanal chocolatiers in the Bay Area.

Come to a book signing tomorrow to meet Alice Medrich, hear her experiences working with chocolate and try some locally made chocolate confections at Charles Chocolates. A visit to the Charles Chocolates retail shop is always a treat, because it is attached to the chocolate factory where you can see practically everything that goes into creating chocolates. Proprietor Chuck Siegel is also a chocolate innovator, creating beautiful edible chocolate boxes filled with chocolates and reinterpreting classic and new chocolate combinations.

I hope you'll join me at Charles Chocolate for this event with Alice Medrich, please RSVP here, to guarantee admission.

Thursday, January 17th, 6-8pm

Charles Chocolates Chocolate Bar
6529 Hollis St.
Emeryville, CA

This event has had to be postponed due to illness, I will let you know as soon as it is rescheduled, which is likely to be early February.

Sensible Foods: Favorite things

This won't come as any surprise to you I'm sure, but people are idiots. One day I experienced this first hand when I placed my laptop, which was inside a big backpack into the security machine at the airport. This was before the days of the trays. Out of the machine it came and on the back a big smear of mushed banana. Yes, the dork behind me had put his banana on the belt heading into the screening machine. Sigh.

There are times you need to bring a snack with you on the road, and these days, into the sky. Finding healthy snacks is really not that hard to manage. Many fruits and all dried fruit don't need refrigeration and neither do nuts. Other decent snack options, in my opinion, are Asian treats like rice crackers and wasabi peas.

Listening to Michael Pollan on Michael Pollan on National Public Radio recently I heard him talk about the price we are willing to pay for packaged, processed food. He pointed out these foods are expensive, unhealthy, and generally not good for the environment. Really, they barely qualify as food at all. Adding insult to injury, much of them don't really taste all that good. Oh I guess they do if you grew up eating them, but most processed snack foods, like those bright orange squiggles that are supposedly cheese flavored, taste pretty nasty to me.

My plan was to review a bunch of healthy, low-fat, snacks. But the ones I tasted were so crappy I couldn't see the point. The one packaged/processed snack that I really do like is called Sensible Foods, Crunch Dried Snacks. Most of the line is organic, GMO-free and includes no artificial flavors or colors. There are sweet fruit snacks including the Cherry Berry blend of apples, cherries, blueberries and strawberries and Orchard Blend which has apples, peaches and apricots, as well as a couple of savory versions too such as Roasted Soy Nuts and Organic Supersweet Corn which has a pinch of sea salt added. They taste really good are healthy and convenient and will never leave a big messy spot on anyone's backpack.

I miss the South right now, y'all.

Although I now tout myself as a Southern Californian I sometimes forget that I was born and raised in the South - the Capital of the Confederacy, the Old Dominion - Richmond, Virginia. 

I was raised by two culinary talents, both with their distinct (and very disparate) kitchen super powers. While Dad embraced the 80's haute cuisine scene with meals like seared swordfish steaks over broken rice and schezwan string beans , Mom went the way of the almost Asian macrobiotic. Honestly I don't even know what was in some of those dishes of hers - I know we jokingly referred to some item as "babydoll" as it seemed similar in texture to the rubber from which dolls are made, and "wet dog" - bulgar. But don't get me wrong, there were excellent things too. She is a fantastic cook and baker (and it is near impossible to be both).
 
All of their fads aside they both had their Southern staples passed down from generations - people who turned cooking from hard work to creative work. It's also interesting to note that the South created the only cuisine in this country.
 
Sometimes I miss the comfort of home and my family - eating fresh mint on the front stoop with Dad while he waters the yard and chats with the neighbors in the Spring, the most perfect Falls with all the trees turning to bright oranges, reds and yellows in symphonic unison, Winters waking up to a pink sky in the middle of the night and knowing I will awaken to snow in the morning (no school!), late-Summer afternoon thunderstorms and cicadas singing for the sunset, tubing down the James River, Hanover tomatoes, real barbecue (Los Angeles just can't seem to get it right)... Wow. 

This is when I can call either of them for recipes for cheese grits, tomato aspic, oyster stew, pimiento cheese, deviled eggs, fried chicken livers, creamed chipped beef on toast, sausage biscuits, Brunswick stew, Aunt Babe's mashed potatoes, crab cakes, spoon bread, apple crisp, etc., all of which they are able to tell me right off the top of their heads. I imagine it gives them as much pleasure sharing these recipes, their history and pride as it does for me to prepare and eat them.


Oyster Stew:
 
4 Servings

A couple of weeks ago I called both Mom and Dad within an hour of each other for this recipe. As expected they were each prepared to relay it to me, and of course they differed ever so slightly. Mom kept it pretty simple and succinct while Dad had to throw brie and worcestershire sauce in. This is the version I prepared with a few of my own ideas. It turned out to be fantastic.
Serve with crusty bread and a smooth, hearty red wine, perhaps a Margaux or a Bordeaux.

4 tablespoons butter
2 pints shucked oysters including their liquor
1 teaspoon grated onion (I used a zester to almost liquify the onion)
1/4 cup of brie (with the rind removed)
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup cream
1 tablespoon of cream or medium-dry sherry
1/2 teaspoon salt
a dash of worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley (or chives)

In a heavy pot over medium-low heat saute onion in butter.

Add oysters with their liquor, milk, cream, sherry, worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. 

Add brie in small pieces and stir until it dissolves.
 
When the oysters float, the butter has melted and the milk and cream are hot.

Garnish with parsley or chives and serve immediately.


Printable Recipe

"What is patriotism but the love of the food one ate as a child?" ~Lin Yutang

Let's talk some Savoy Cabbage

I was listening to Good Food this morning on KCRW and was very interested in Mark Peel's (chef-owner of Campanile restaurant) chat about the super-in-season-right-now, Savoy Cabbage.

Idea #1. He slices the cabbage into ribbons, chiffonade style, about the slice of cole slaw, and sautes it with garlic and onions in olive oil. Once it's softened, he suggests that you can add 2 quarts of chicken stock to make a soup. You can also add cubed potatoes, chopped carrots and fresh noodles.

Idea #2. If you want to eat the savoy cabbage as a side dish, saute the cabbage, onions and garlic and thin slices of apple until softened. Add salt and pepper to taste.
(Or even try the recipe with kale...)
One can find savoy cabbage and other fresh and in-season delectables at the Hollywood Farmer's Market or any of the other great markets around town.

* Fun fact time!
What distinguishes California's certified farmers’ markets from supermarkets is that the former are operated in accordance with regulations established in 1977 by the California Department of Food and Agriculture. In order to pass muster as a CFM, the county agricultural commissioner must certify that farmers sell only agricultural products they grow themselves. Certification does not imply produce is organic, though some CFMs may tout “organically grown” produce and some, like the Berkeley CFM, pride themselves on their abundance of organic produce. In California, the use of the term organic is restricted by law to crops grown on lands where no synthetic pesticides or fertilizers have been applied in the previous three years.

Welcome to the Church of the Holy Cabbage. Lettuce pray. ~Author Unknown

Suehiro Cafe

My frequent dining companion, Dixon, a mutual friend of ours and I went downtown last night to see Point Break, LIVE!, the absurdist stage adaptation of the 1992 Keanu Reeves/Patrick Swayze extravaganza (don't ask).
We figured since we were downtown and it was a bit later than than the normal dinner hour that Suehiro Cafe was the perfect choice. I had been to Suehiro a handful of times but not in several years. I would find myself there late at night with a group of people after a couple of cocktails and an art opening or two. My memories of it were good but blurry to say the least.
Suehiro is essentially a diner with vinyl booths, be-aproned waitresses and simple, Japanese comfort food. It draws a loyal group--Little Tokyo locals, museum/Gallery Row patrons, artists from the loft districts nearby, and even the post bar-closing crowd (Suehiro is open until 1am during the week and until 3am on the weekends). There are usually one or two people waiting in front of the Please Wait to be Seated sign but tables turn quickly, there is often room at the bar, and the two servers regularly working are very fast, kind and accommodating.

Last night I ordered the Okonomi Plate ($9.60) which is served with rice and miso soup. With this dish one may select one item from three lists.
For example:

Column A: -Ginger Beef -Pork or Chicken Katsu -Broiled Saba (Mackerel) or Sanma (Saury)
Column B: -Gyoza -Shumai -Edamame or Natto
Column C: -Cold Tofu -Lightly Boiled Spinach -Two Eggs Over Easy

I chose the broiled Saba, shumai and cold tofu. It was presented on an actual compartmentalized cafeteria-like plate along with macaroni salad and a shredded cabbage salad.
The miso soup was very well executed with abura-age -- a nice surprise to the soft tofu one normally finds in this dish. My Saba was a definite highlight, marinated in soy glaze and broiled masterfully. I just love the saturated, crispy under skin paired up with a dollop of daikon. The cold tofu was exactly what one would expect and did not disappoint. I only craved a bit more saltiness in it, perhaps some ponzu or soy. It's topped with grated ginger, green onion and bonito flakes. Simple. Absolute. The shumai was steamed superbly and very tender but was wholly unremarkable in my opinion. I found that adding a tiny drop of the extremely spicy mustard helped bring some intrigue to it. The two salads that accompany the meal are very strange, unexpected and fun. I am admittedly a big macaroni salad fan and somehow - in this wacky little Japanese diner - this wacky little accoutrement is a delicious adornment in it's ideal place.
Dixon ordered the Combination Plate of sashimi and tempura ($14.00). The tempura was deftly prepared - light and crisp; melted in my mouth. He particularly liked the pepper. The sashimi is cut thick, and is very fresh (it is "chef's choice" but always tuna). This is also served with miso soup, rice, shredded cabbage salad, macaroni salad, daikon, pickled cucumber, and your choice of ice cream for dessert. We opted for both the green tea and red bean.
Our friend also ordered the Combination plate but with chicken teriyaki and sashimi and was very much pleased. We paired our meal with a couple of large Sapporos as they offer a large beer and sake selection. People are always fond of their Ramune as well (A 7Up like soda, served in a glass bottle with a marble in it).
Lamentably, I forgot to order the House Special - a sweet miso based stir-fry of eggplant and green pepper which is reputed to be a major hit. It's slightly premature to be writing this review never having had the noodles, which ostensibly make Suehiro a destination point for many. The menu offers soba, udon, unagidon, shoyu ramen, katsu curry, suriyaki, gyoza, and much more. I've even heard rumor that they've got the best katsu-don found outside of Japan. I promise to visit again very soon and order a cross section of said items with words to follow. With prices like theirs I could probably order it all and still not break the bank.
Suehiro has good food, a homey feel, solid service and amazing value. I don't have a Japanese mommy, but if so I imagine the food would be like this.

Suehiro Cafe
337 E. First St.
(213) 626-9132

Chinese Food in Hawaii

I guess it's the same everywhere. If you're not celebrating Christmas or going to a New Year's Eve party, one of your best bets for finding an open restaurant is Chinese food. In Hawaii I had two memorable Chinese meals this time around. One was at Little Village Noodle House and the other at Panda Cuisine (NOT Panda Express!). Both restaurants were attractive, had excellent food and were inexpensive to boot. They also each have parking, so there you go.


At Little Village Noodle House the menu seems rather standard, but even the classic dishes are done well. The orange chicken we ordered for the kids was one of the best versions I've ever had. We ordered mostly from the specials menu which I highly recommend. The volcano pork chops were served from a tin foil pouch and were crispy and salty and studded with garlic. The hot pot dishes were rustic and hearty--one had lamb and the other pork and bitter melon. This is a fun place to go with a group and whether you are adventurous or like to stick with what you know, you can't go wrong.


My Hawaii sources all pointed to Panda Cuisine as the place for dim sum. But I was unprepared for how good the dim sum would be. Really. It put my local favorites to shame. The noodle dishes here were outstanding--possibly the best chow fun I've ever had. The noodles with thick but not gummy and the sauce delicate and balanced. The dumplings were really made with care and there was a cold smoked fish dish that was rich and flavorful and hard to resist. Best of all, they serve dim sum all day and all night and the menu features pictures of everything so there are few surprises of the "did we order that?" variety. I will definitely be back on my next trip.

Little Village Noodle House
1113 Smith Street
Honolulu, HI
808.545.3008

Panda Cuisine CLOSED
641 Keeaumoku Street
Honolulu, HI
808.947.1688

Michael Pollan Speaks!

How very special that Michael Pollan will be speaking at University of California, Santa Barbara on Thursday, January 17, 2008 @ 8:00 PM, Campbell Hall. I think my mom and I will be attending while she's visiting me here in sunny California for a spell. Let's all go!

Michael Pollan is the author of In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto, to be published in January 2008 by The Penguin Press. His previous books include The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals, named one of the ten best books of 2006 by the New York Times and the Washington Post; The Botany of Desire; Second Nature; and A Place of My Own, pictured here. Pollan is a contributing writer to the New York Times Magazine and is a Knight Professor of Journalism at UC Berkeley.

Click here for information and to buy tickets

Ricotta Puddings with Glazed Rhubarb

So I have made this dish once before when I was hell bent on using every ounce of the rhubarb (which I had never cooked with before) that I had purchased at the farmer's market. I have to say that out of the multiple rhubarb variations I tinkered with, including a balsamic rhubarb compote, this was my biggest success. I plan on revisiting it around April when the rhubarb season returns.

Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 1 hr

Servings: Makes 6 dessert servings.

You will need a muffin pan (preferably nonstick) with 6 (1/2-cup) muffin cups

Ingredients:

For puddings:
1 cup whole-milk ricotta (8 3/4 oz)
1 whole large egg plus 1 large yolk
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons heavy cream
2 tablespoons mild honey
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest

For glazed rhubarb:
31/2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 lb fresh rhubarb stalks (about 2), cut diagonally into 1/4-inch-thick slices

Preparation
Make pudding batter:
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 325°F. Lightly oil muffin cups.

Blend together all pudding ingredients in a blender until smooth, then divide batter among muffin cups.

Prepare rhubarb:
Stir together sugar and cornstarch in a 9- to 10-inch glass or ceramic pie plate. Add rhubarb and toss to coat, then spread in one layer.

Bake puddings and rhubarb:
Bake puddings and rhubarb, side by side, carefully turning rhubarb over once halfway through cooking, until puddings are just set and edges are pale golden, 35 to 45 minutes. Remove puddings and rhubarb from oven at the same time. Set rhubarb aside and cool puddings in muffin pan on a rack 5 minutes (puddings will sink slightly).

Run a thin knife around edge of each pudding, then invert a platter over pan and invert puddings onto platter. Transfer puddings, right side up, to plates and serve topped with rhubarb and its juices.

Scarlet Runner Bean Salad

Let me begin by stating that I used dried beans instead of fresh (the recipe calls for fresh if you can find them). I soaked them for three days and then simmered them in water, salt, chicken stock and a chilé de arbol for the better part of a day before allowing them to cool, peeling them, and splitting them lengthwise. After all of this tedium, they still were not the tender creatures I had anticipated. 

But I had never dealt with the scarlet runner bean before. If you can't find this variety of bean I suggest cannellini beans. (Dixon LOVED this recipe!)

This turned out to be pretty tasty. Very fresh and summery. I would serve it with some olives, a crust of bread, and a glass of crisp, sauvignon blanc (I recommend the Brander, 2006 Sauvignon Blanc, Santa Ynez Valley).

4 Servings

Ingredients

1 lb scarlet runner beans
1/2 md red onion; thinly sliced
1 cup of cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1 bunch of watercress
3 cloves garlic; minced
6 tb olive oil
2 tb red wine vinegar
2 ts balsamic vinegar
juice of 1/2 of a lemon
1/2 ts coarse sea salt
1/2 ts freshly ground black pepper
1 ts prepared mustard

Wash the beans, snap off the ends, and French-cut into lengthwise strips. Steam briefly, until just tender; drain thoroughly, and place in a large bowl with the onion, tomatoes, watercress and garlic. Toss well. Combine the remaining ingredients to make a dressing. Pour over the beans, toss well, and refrigerate for an hour or two before serving to blend flavors.

Printable Recipe

Hank's Haute Dogs Restaurant Review

Despite mixed reviews I was eager to try Hank's Haute Dogs. I rarely eat hot dogs at home, but on the road there is sometimes a special one that calls out to me like a Chicago style or in New York a Papaya King dog or a Nathan's frank in Brooklyn.

The story of Hank's Haute Dogs is probably what sent me there even more than the dogs. Apparently the owner was a prominent restaurateur in Chicago before returning to Hawaii where his parents had run a hot dog stand in the 40's and 50's. His hot dogs range from the classic Chicago style to some unusual specials like reindeer dogs, duck and foie gras and even the no dog. The no dog is a bun with chunks of local avocado, tomato, onion, cucumber, spicy chipotle mayo, piled high with grated cheddar and garnished with cilantro.

I had the Portuguese sausage which is commonly served in slices, as a breakfast side order, in Hawaii. It was topped with scrumptious melt-in-your-mouth grilled onions. If you are lucky, you can also get this sausage at the Kukui sausage stand at the farmers' market on Saturday mornings. The fries and onion rings are a must. The onion rings are made with Maui onions and are very lightly battered with a bit of panko crumbs. The fries are home made and crispy they way I like them. On the side we ordered what turned out to be a very mild wasabi tobiko cream and a spicy ketchup.

My biggest complaint about Hank's was that the buns were a little mushy. That said, I would probably go back. It was fun choosing a dog and the sides were particularly memorable.

Hank's Haute Dogs
324 Coral Avenue @ the Nimitz
Honolulu, Hawaii
808.532.4265

A|O|C - I still love you.

Let me begin by stating that AOC has been one of my top favorite restaurants in LA since it opened its doors in 2002. Co-owned by Lucques partners Suzanne Goin and Caroline Styne, AOC takes its name from appellation d'origine controlée, the French system governing the origin and authenticity of wines as well as regional foods of quality. The menu (manned by chef Goin) consists of Mediterranean small plates and the wine list (overseen by wine guru and front of the house overseer, Styne) boasts over 50 by the glass in their cruvinet.

I revisited AOC last week with Dixon after at least a six month absence. We always like to sit at the wine bar where we can go at it a bit more casually, graze, taste lots of wines and chat with the knowledgeable and conversant bartenders.

The menu is divided into six sections.
It is suggested that you should order approximately three dishes per person.

Cheese:
One cheese ($5)
Three cheese ($15)
Five cheese ($25)
There are 4 or 5 selections of each; goat, sheep, cow, and blue.
Charcuterie
Salads
Fish
Meat
From the wood burning oven

Upon being seated one is presented with bread served with harissa and olives. The harissa is wonderful and one of Goin's signature elements, chile de arbol is a prominent accent.
To get started we ordered the Echo Mountain Rogue Creamery Blue from Oregon and the roasted dates, stuffed with parmesan and wrapped in bacon ($6). The cheese was divine - firm, smooth, earthy and subtle. The dates, an ordering staple no matter the season, are split, pitted and stuffed with a tiny wedge of Parmesan, then tightly mummified with bacon. They are served hot, hot, hot, so try to be patient or you won't be able to taste the remainder of your meal. Even if you do burn your tongue these dates are absolutely sublime - crisp, smoky, salty, and sticky-sweet. So far, everything is divine.

Next we selected the foie gras terrine with quince jam ($21). I admittedly love, love, love some foie gras. Man, do I love it. Can't get enough. With absolutely no rancor to their charcutier's skill (whom I hold in great admiration) I admittedly was underwhelmed. The terrine, while perfectly pink, billowy and succulent - I found to be overly smothered with the quince jam.

The Rabbit ragoût with dijon, chestnuts and tarragon ($15) actually gave cause for me, and the normally appeased (and always sated), Dixon, to raise our eyebrows and question. My main beef was the fact that just about the only stand out flavor in this dish was mustard. It was seemingly a dish consisting of (not awesomely braised) rabbit swimming in watery mustard. I couldn't even necessarily decipher the chestnuts and other delectables in there. We asked our server the official definition of ragout as we thought we may have been mis-educated somewhere along the way. I have to assume this was just a bizzare, one-time, oopsy. I do know Suzanne Goin was not in the kitchen that night...
The chanterelles, ricotta gnocchi and sherry cream ($15) showed up last and were good but not exceptionally memorable. I love chanterelles. I love sherry. The gnocchi were a wee bit more al dente than I would have preferred. No big deal. It was good enough but maybe just an unfortunate closer to the meal.

Don't get me wrong, I love AOC. Forget Clive Owen - I sweat Suzanne Goin (well, and Clive Owen, but you get the point). I dream about her Brussels Sprouts With Pancetta and Toasted Bread Crumbs, the haricots verts with hazelnuts, proscuitto and burrata, the pancetta-wrapped trout with grapes and sorrel, braised pork cheeks with fava bean pesto, and anything she does with skirt steak. I have her cookbook (Sunday Suppers at Lucques) and refer to it often. I respect her creativity, her technique, her love and respect for food and the land from which it comes, and how it all arrives out on the plate in front of me. She is the consummate artist.
I will never stop going to AOC or Lucques for that matter. This was just unfortunately an off night.

A|O|C
8022 W. 3rd St.
Los Angeles, CA 90048
(323) 653-6359

Daube Provencal Recipe

This is my dad's friend, George's recipe. Though I have not yet made it I thought it looked so wonderful and elaborate that it should be published.

Ingredients:

7 peppercorns
2 bay leaves
1 bottle of Cote du Rhone wine
8 garlic cloves
3 yellow onions, sliced into 1/4inch thick slices
4 pounds of lamb (shouldler or leg), cut into 1.5 to 2 inch pieces
salt and pepper to taste
2 tbs olive oil
12 baby carrots
3 tbs flour
1 can (28oz) diced tomatoes with the juice

Day 1:
Put peppercorns and bay leaves in cheesecloth. In a large bowl,
combine wine, half the garlic, onions, and the peppercorns and bay
leaves. Cover with plastic wrap. Fridge overnight.

Day 2:
Remove lamb from marinade. Discard peppercorns and bay leaves. Reserve
the wine, and strain and reserve the garlic and onions.

Brown lamb in oil for 3-5 minutes per batch, a few pieces to the
batch. Remove the lamb and set aside. Add the reserved onions and
garlic, the other half of the garlic, and the carrots, and cook while
stirring on the cooktop for 10 minutes.

Add the flour, cook for 2 more minutes.

Add the wine, tomatoes and the juices, and bring to a boil. Add the
lamb to the mix.

Cover, cook on "high" in a slow cooker for 6 hours. Skim fat. Transfer
lamb and veggies to a bowl, simmer sauce on the stove top for 30
minutes to reduce, add lamb and veggies back in.

Serve with toasted bread. Serves 8.

Il Ristorante di Giorgio Baldi

Forget that I was seated in a chair already warmed by David Mamet's butt, John Mayer's muscular (and surprisingly expansive) back was 3 feet from my arm's reach and a very pregnant Christina Aguilera's text messaging was almost readable to my 20/20 eyes. These distractions did not work. 

This restaurant is quite good!
 
I thought the ambiance and food would be somewhere along the lines of Dan Tana's meets C&O Trattoria meets Pace but it was much more intimate, with elegant simplicity and a small, entirely Tuscan menu. Yes, it was full and, yes, there was a short wait but it was Saturday night at 8:30pm. When you realize that the wait and the crowd are the result of a quality restaurant and not just a papparazi hang in this town it can be quite the double surprise.
 
Since 1990 owner-chef, Giorgio Baldi, dishes out the dishes and sips his favorite Amarone while surveying the dining room like Yurtle the Turtle from his open kitchen. His daughter, Elena, seats the customers while peppering the already seated with greetings, smiles and suggestions. The waitstaff all appeared to be from the old country and quite possibly have been serving these dishes since the restaurant opened 18 years ago. They were very sweet, knowledgeable and proud of their menu. The space is warm, modest and very nicely lighted.
 
We began our meal with the special beef carpaccio with white truffle cream sauce (white truffles arrive fresh from the Piemonte region every fall) and a proscuitto crostini with fonduta. The carpaccio was so carefully and thinly sliced and so fresh that it just dissolved in my mouth. From the handmade, hand-cut pasta menu I ordered the agnolotti, ravioli with sweet corn and white truffles. The raviolis were about the size of a quarter -- the portion was perfect, not too chaste not too monolithic. They were just wondrous, tender and delicate. I felt a symbiotic relationship with some musty, mountainous woodland, surrounded by large oaks and dappled light. Really just delightful. 

Our wine pairing you ask? We paired the entire meal with two bottles of the very same Amarone that Mr. Baldi was sipping while he worked. This is a powerful wine with some definite oak flavors and fresh red fruit. A perfect match for pastas, veal or even the bistecca fiorentino.
 
Maybe it's silly. Maybe it's so Hollywood. Maybe it's overrated. It is certainly a bit pricey. But for an expensive, silly, Hollywoody, overrated Los Angeles (well, Santa Monica Canyon) haunt the food was damn good and the night was chock full of entertainment and fun times. 

I love this town.

Il Ristorante di Giorgio Baldi
114 W Channel Rd
Santa Monica, CA 90402
(310) 573-1660

Almost No Knead Bread

"All sorrows are less with bread." ~Miguel de Cervantes, Don Quixote

I have been trying to bake recently. I have tried to make the same type of bread three times to no avail. My mom gave me a recipe that seems like it should be pretty basic but apparently not for me. Good, old Dixon, my frequent cooking partner even gave me a baking stone as a gift in a moment of sympathy (I believe he even made some comment about getting a certain amount of pleasure regarding me having such botches in the kitchen). I then went to dinner at a friend's house where one of the guests brought a loaf of bread he had made. It was amazing and perfect - exactly what I had been hoping to achieve. This is the recipe.

Simple Crusty Bread 

Adapted from ''Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day'' by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoë François (Thomas Dunne Books, 2007)

Time: About 45 minutes plus about 3 hours' resting and rising.
 
Recipe:
1 1/2 tablespoons yeast
1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
6 1/2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour, more for dusting dough
Cornmeal

1. In a large bowl or plastic container, mix yeast and salt into 3 cups lukewarm water (about 100 degrees). Stir in flour, mixing until there are no dry patches. Dough will be quite loose. Cover, but not with an airtight lid. Let dough rise at room temperature 2 hours (or up to 5 hours).

2. Bake at this point or refrigerate, covered, for as long as two weeks. When ready to bake, sprinkle a little flour on dough and cut off a grapefruit-size piece with serrated knife. Turn dough in hands to lightly stretch surface, creating a rounded top and a lumpy bottom. Put dough on pizza peel sprinkled with cornmeal; let rest 40 minutes. Repeat with remaining dough or refrigerate it.

3. Place broiler pan on bottom of oven. Place baking stone on middle rack and turn oven to 450 degrees; heat stone at that temperature for 20 minutes.

4. Dust dough with flour, slash top with serrated or very sharp knife three times. Slide onto stone. Pour one cup hot water into broiler pan and shut oven quickly to trap steam. Bake until well browned, about 30 minutes. Cool completely.

Yield: 4 loaves.

Variation: If not using stone, stretch rounded dough into oval and place in a greased, nonstick loaf pan. Let rest 40 minutes if fresh, an extra hour if refrigerated. Heat oven to 450 degrees for 5 minutes. Place pan on middle rack.

Tomato Aspic (Yeah, I know... It's gross)

This is a recipe served at my family's Christmas Eve dinner EVERY YEAR since forever. We are very Southern and pretty old school.
 
I have always been disgusted by gelatinous, vibraty foods and never deigned to touch it. One year I tried it. I didn't hate it and we'll leave it at that.
 
When I moved out West and it became more and more difficult to get home for the holidays I started embracing some of the dishes that reminded me of home. I swallowed my pride and called my dad, who snickered and said he had to call Aunt Babe, the matriarch of our family. She shared. The few times I've prepared this dish not a soul will touch it - people don't even want to really think about it's presence on the table. I can't say I blame them, but at least it helps me feel a little closer to the family for the holidays.
 
Here it is... 

Recipe:

Dissolve one small package of lemon jell-o in one cup of hot water.

Add 1 can of tomato soup
1 tablespoon vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon horseradish
1 pound of baby shrimp, and grated onion to taste

Pour into mold and refrigerate overnight.

Garnish with mayonnaise and parsley.

Note: Using crab meat and adding something hot are options.