Life is too short not to eat tasty food everyday.

When it comes to cooking, I’m a funghi.

Sun, 29 Nov 2009 15:54:17 -0800

When nights become dark early, and the air is cool and wintery, this is really when I love cooking with mushrooms. Mushrooms have complex deep and wide flavors ranging from earthy to meaty, to spicy and sweet, making them so versatile and fun to add to anything. ( Especially anything you want to enjoy with a great bottle of red wine.)
My Farmer’s Market menu was comprised of the following...
Crostini of Della Fattoria Meyer Lemon Rosemary Bread with fresh Whole Milk Ricotta and Roasted Porcini.
Simply grilled olive oil brushed slices of the bread, spread some ricotta on them and topped them with roasted thin slices of prorcini that were seasoned with olive oil, salt and pepper.

Butternut Squash Bisque with Roasted Hen of the Woods

Mixed Greens and Herb Salad with Sauteed Golden Chanterelles, raw Yellow Clamshells, Shaved Radish and Balsamic Vinaigrette

Turkey Ravioli with Black Chanterelles

Why you should make a TURDUCKEN.

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 10:28:44 -0800

1. It is a great opportunity to practicing your butchering skills boning out the 3 birds.
2. It’s a great way to feed a lot of people from one roasting pan.
3. It’s just really cool.
Here’s how you do it.
1. Bone out the birds from the back working forward.
(they all have the same anatomy so the technique is the same for all three)
Start by slicing the meat from the backbone staying close to the contour of the ribcage. Separate the thighbone from its socket and cut out the small piece of meat that’s inset just above it , (this is called “the oyster”).
Then remove the rib cage along with the backbone and trim away the sinewy silver skin from the breasts.

2. Cut out the thigh and leg bones from the inside following the muscle lines.

3. Once all the birds are boned out stack them on your cutting board with a 1” layer of stuffing between each bird and on top of the chicken. The stuffings can be the same or different.
Looks really crazy, I know.

4. Fold it up (you may need the assistance of another pair of hands to help with the tying up.
Be sure to tuck in all the hanging out bits.

5. Tie up the Turducken with crosswise ties every 2”-3” to make it secure and even so it cooks evenly. Then tie one around the bird to keep it all in shape.
6. Because the Turducken is dense and you want it to cook evenly throughout bake it in a low oven (175-200˚) until the internal temperature reaches 170-175. Depending on its size it can take a while. (@ about 22# mine took 9 hours)
7. Let it rest! To keep all of its juicy deliciousness inside you want it to rest for at least 30 minutes before you slice it and serve it.

Gumbo Jam

Sat, 8 Aug 2009 21:07:01 -0700

As some of you may know my other passion from cooking is playing guitar in my band, The Back Burners. We started out as a bunch of guitar playing chefs scratching together an act for the cocktail reception of a Meals-On-Wheels fundraiser back 2000 and have been playing various events and parties since. Our signature gig is our “Gumbo Jam”. This is a way we illustrate that cooking and making music have many similarities by having each member of the band as well as guest musicians, contribute an ingredient to big pot of simmering dark roux Cajun loveliness, as we play a varied set of R&B Blues, Funk and Rock & Roll each adding a distinctive tone to the overall sound. It may sound a bit contrived and gimmicky but its a lot fun and really delicious.
Many people attending these shows have asked for my gumbo recipe, so here it is. It’s a lot of work and can be spendy but it is definitely worth it. Good and remember, its all in the roux.

Joey’s Shrimp, Pork, Tasso, Chicken, Duck, Crayfish and Crab Gumbo
8 ounces sweet butter
8 ounces flour
2 yellow onions, peeled and diced
5 poblano peppers, seeded and diced
2 red bell peppers, seeded and diced
2 yellow bell peppers, seeded and diced
1/2 cup garlic, minced
1# Andouille sausage, cut in half lengthwise and then in half moons
8 ounces tasso ham, cut in small dice
4 duck legs
1 roast chicken
2 pounds pork shoulder
1 pound of shrimp
1/4 pound of crab meat
8 ounces crayfish tail meat

A Great SF Summer Soup

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 13:16:41 -0700

I love the flavor of roasted eggplant. I find that roasting it to a dark caramelized state brings out its aromatic richness. This soup is really easy to make and can be garnished in so many ways that it can be part of almost any meal or event a meal itself for that matter.

1 eggplant, topped and cut in large dice
1 yellow onion, halved, peeled and cut in thick slices
3 cups crimini mushrooms, rinsed
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil + 2 tablespoons
1/4 cup sliced garlic
salt and pepper to taste
1 quart chicken broth
1 tablespoon of good balsamic vinegar for garnish

Preheat oven to 400˚.
In a large mixing bowl, toss the eggplant, onions and mushrooms with the 1/4 cup olive oil, season with salt and pepper then transfer to a baking tray and roast in the oven until well browned, about for 30-40 minutes.

In a heavy bottomed soup pot on medium heat cook the sliced garlic in 1 tablespoon of olive oil until lightly browned. Add the roasted eggplant, onion and mushrooms. Pour in the broth and simmer for 15 minutes.

Ladle into a blender. Do not fill past half way and make sure the lid is partially off so the steam can escape. You can cover with a kitchen towel as well for more protection and then puree until smooth.
I love my new VitaMix 5200!
It makes the smooooothest purees. There is no better blender.
Pour into soup bowls and garnish with a drizzle of a small amount of balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil.

Arctic Char

Tue, 14 Jul 2009 02:15:44 -0700

If you like salmon chances are you will (or do) love Arctic Charr. This fresh/salt water fish from the icy waters of northern Canada related both to salmon and trout has a delicious delicate flavor and great texture. Most chefs cook it as if it were salmon and love it because it not as oily as some salmon can be and find it doesn’t overpower some of their more nuanced sauces or preparations. On a whim, I picked up a small filet the other day, broiled it up for lunch and enjoyed very much. Here’s what I did with it, but keep in mind that Arctic Char is a very versatile fish and can be done any way you like.
Broiled Spice-Rubbed Arctic Char with Arugula, Cucumbers, Avocado and Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette
Serves 4

4 6-ounce portions of Arctic Char (you can substitute salmon or trout)
1/2 teaspoon chile powder
1/2 teaspoon pimenton (Spanish smoked paprika)
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
salt to taste
2 cups baby arugula
1/3 cup Meyer lemon Vinaigrette (see recipe below)
1 english cucumber, peeled, quartered, seeded and sliced thin on a bias
1/2 cup plain yogurt I used non-fat but you can use any kind you wish)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
2 tablespoons cappers, rinsed
1 ripe avocado
1 scallion, sliced thin on a bias
salt and pepper to taste

Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette
2 Meyer lemons, zested and juiced
1 large shallot minced
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Whisk everything together in a medium size mixing bowl

For the cucumber salad
Combine the sliced cucumbers with the yogurt & dill. Season to taste

For the Char
1. Preheat your broiler to high and place the oven rack on the second rail from the top.
2. in a small bowl combine the chile powder, pimenton and pepper.
3. Place the char filets on a baking tray and season with the spice mix and kosher salt.
4. Place under the broiler for about 5 minutes for a medium rare doneness.
5. Toss the arugula in a mixing bowl with 1/2 of the vinaigrette and place a mound of the dressed arugula in the center of each plate.
6. Place the broiled char on top
7. Place a small mound of the cucumbers on each side of the fish.
8. Halve and pit the avocado and using a spoon, scoop out small slices of avocado and place around the char.
9. Sprinkle some capers around the plate.
10. Drizzle the remaining vinaigrette over and around the fish then garnish with sliced scallions.

Before...

After...

Sufferin’ Succotash!

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 09:50:36 -0700

My daughter Piper and I, along with my sisters in-law Zoe and Amy and their kids, Ole, Lilly and Pilar, went down to Pescadero’s Phipps Ranch for a morning of strawberry picking. The kids had a great time seeing the farm animals and “hunting” for the little red treasures but I think I had a better time re-discovering the awesome selection of dried beans that Phipps Farm is famous for. Inspired with my purchase of mixed heirloom beans I stopped at a farm stand on the way home and bought some Half Moon Bay grown peas, corn and artichokes. These. Having simple ingredients that are at their peak of flavor are, for me, what make cooking so much fun and exciting. The challenge is to make something that is greater than the sum of its ingredients, without ever obscuring any of the individual ingredients. The family likes the roasted chicken, (who doesn’t?) so I picked up a Mary’s organic and, well, heres the recipe...
Roast Chicken with Corn, Peas, Beans Artichokes & Caramelized Onions

1 medium size Chicken (a roaster, about 4#) rubbed with a liberal amount of salt and pepper and extra virgin olive oil or butter
about tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 medium red onion, halved, peeled cut in thin wedges
1 medium yellow onion, halved, peeled cut in thin wedges

Artichoke “Succotash”

1 cup dried beans (I used Phipps’ blend of about 8 different ones but you can use any you like)
6 small artichokes
3 ears of corn, shucked and kernels cut off. save cobs.
1# english peas in their pods
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 clove garlic
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup corn-pea broth
2 tablespoons butter

Prepping the Chicken: Preheat your oven to 400˚. Line the bottom of a roasting pan with the sliced onions, drizzle with some olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place a roasting rack (if you have one) and set the chicken on the rack (or directly on the onions) and place in the oven and bake until golden brown. A good way to tell if the chicken is thoroughly cooked is to pierce the thigh with a skewer and look to see that the juices run clear.

Prepping the beans: If you have a chance to soak your beans overnight do so but if not, (I didn’t) no worries, just rinse them and then simmer them in a medium size pot well covered in fresh, unsalted water for about an hour. When they start to become tender add a tablespoon of salt, cook for another 10 minutes, then turn off the heat and let them stand for another 10 minutes prior to draining soak up some of the seasoning. Drain a set aside.
Prepping the baby artichokes: Trim the very bottom of the stem and remove the outer leaves down to the light green ones. Cut off the top of the leaves and then quarter them. Place in a bowl of water with some lemon juice or vinegar to keep them from browning while you prep the other ingredients.

Artichoke photos by Molly Watson.
Prepping Broth:

Place the cobs and emptied pea pods in a small stock pot and cover them with cold water. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Strain broth into a container. discard the cobs and pods.

Prepping the succotash: Place a large skillet on medium-high heat and add the oil. Drain the artichokes and cook them in the skillet until they start to caramelize. Season with a little salt and pepper and then add the chicken and corn-pea broth, cover and cook for 4 minutes, the artichokes should become tender. Add the beans, corn and peas and cook for another minute. Stir in the butter and season to taste.

Serving: Fill the bottom of a warm serving dish with the succotash, place the chicken on top and garnish with the roasted onions from the roasting pan.

Endless Days of Summer

Sat, 4 Jul 2009 08:01:08 -0700

Cobbler is my favorite summertime dessert. While you can use any fruit under the sun or any combination there of, I love ripe, juicy peaches and sweet, tangy blueberries.
Try to find the ripest peaches,they’ll have great flavor and sweetness not need much additional sugar. Combining yellow and white peaches, and for that matter adding some nectarines and apricots, make the fruits flavor more intense. Think of it as horn section as opposed to just a single saxophone.

Peach and Blueberry Cobbler
Filling
8 large ripe peaches (yellow & white)
2 pints blueberries
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch

Pastry Topping
4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 stick (8 tablespoons) sweet butter (cold and cut into small pieces)
2 cups buttermilk

In a large baking dish combine the fruit with the sugar and cornstarch.
For crust, mix together, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Cut in the butter. Stir in buttermilk until dough is manageable. Place small pieces of the dough over fruit until completely covered. Bake at 350° for 45-60 minutes, or until crust is nicely browned. Allow to cool a bit and then serve warm or room temperature with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Thai Me Up,Thai Me Down : Part 2

Fri, 3 Jul 2009 03:47:12 -0700

Here is another Thai inspired recipe I made the same night I made the shrimp. It was really interesting that while there were a number of the same ingredients used in both dishes, they had very different flavors and complimented each other wonderfully.

Lemongrass Braised Mussels with Ginger, Green Chiles, Coconut & Lime
1 pound PEI mussels, de-bearded* and rinsed under cold water.
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 medium white onion, chopped small
2 cloves garlic minced
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
2 Serrano chiles, seeded and chopped fine
1 stalk lemongrass, cut down to 5” from the bottom and smashed
1 14 oz. can of Thai Coconut milk (unsweetened)-*light
2 limes (1 zested, both juiced)
11/2 tablespoons fish sauce
1/2 cup loosely packed basil leaves, torn into pieces
salt to taste
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1. In a large pan on medium cook the onions in the oil until tender. Add the ginger, garlic and chiles, cook for 2 minutes stirring frequently.
2. Add the mussels to the pot with the lemongrass and coconut milk and the zest, allow to simmer for 5 minutes.
3. When the mussels open add the lime juice and fish sauce. Season to taste with some salt and or fish sauce.
4. Serve over a bed of rice and garnish with the chopped cilantro.

Thai Me Up,Thai Me Down : Part 1

Fri, 3 Jul 2009 01:18:49 -0700

The flavors of Thai cooking always hit the spot for me. I really love the wide “frequencies” of flavors that comes from the balance of spicy chiles, sweet coconut milk and tangy lime along with the contrast of the fresh herbs and the earthy fish sauce.
When I first had Thai food I remember feeling exhilarated by its unique flavor profile and how the vegetables tasted so fresh and vibrant while bathed in a rich and bold flavored broth. Every bite I seemed to taste a little something different. One bite, a big hit of the lemongrass or Kaffir lime, the next, a wallop of chile or ginger. Never a dull moment!
Here are some Thai inspired recipes that I made the other night that I think you will find very do-able in your kitchen. Feel free to adjust the amounts of the chiles & curry paste (and everything else for that matter) to suit your palate.

Shrimp & Peas with Coconut Red Curry, Ginger & Basil on Scallion-Peanut Jasmine Rice
1 lb. large shrimp, peeled and deveined (save shells)
2 cups water
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 medium white onion, chopped small
2 cloves garlic minced
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon Thai red curry paste
1 stalk lemongrass, cut down to 5” from the bottom and smashed
1 14 oz. can of Thai Coconut milk (unsweetened)
2 cups fresh sweet peas (out of their pods)
2 limes (1 zested, both juiced)
11/2 tablespoons fish sauce
1/2 cup loosely packed basil leaves, torn into pieces
salt to taste
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 cups jasmine rice, well rinsed.
4 cups water
1 tablespoon salt
1 cup chopped salted roasted peanuts
2 scallions minced

For the Rice
Bring the rice, water and salt to a boil in a large pot with a lid (uncovered), turn the heat down to a simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow to sit covered for another 10 minutes. Turn out into a large bowl, fluff with a fork then sprinkle the peanuts and scallions on top. Keep in a warm place until ready to serve.
Shrimp Broth
In a small saucepan simmer the shrimp shells in the water for 15 minutes.
Curry Shrimp
1. In a large pan on medium cook the onions in the oil until tender. Add the ginger, garlic and curry paste, cook for 2 minutes stirring frequently.
2. Strain the shrimp shell broth and add to the pot with the lemongrass and coconut milk and the zest, allow to simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Add the peas and shrimp and cook for 2 minutes. Add the lime juice and fish sauce. When shrimp are cooked add the basil, season to taste with some salt and or fish sauce.
4. Serve over a bed of rice and garnish with the chopped cilantro.

Aebelskivers!?

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 06:38:52 -0700

My aspiring chef cousin Alex came by a couple of weeks ago and turned me on to an aebelskivers how-to video on YouTube posted by Danish Chef Arne of the Solvang Restaurant in So. Cal. Earlier this year I had experienced these tasty breakfast treats on a Tahoe ski trip made by friend Elisa Wiel, a fantastic cook and culturally connected to these Danish delights. So inspired, I broke down and ordered a pan from WS (along with their mix; While I really liked the fluffy quality from folding in the whipped egg whites, I found that any pancake batter will work just as well.)
Caleb’s culinary repertoire was limited to cheese omelets, quesadillas & nuked hot dogs and now he is among the proud, the few, the Danish... an Aebelskiver maker!
Nice touch- I like to put the jam inside rather than on top because I love the element of surprise for the person eating them. Don’t stop at jam, try chocolate chips or even fresh fruit, like blueberries or raspberries.
Check out Chef Arne’s video, It has a warm, homespun quality about it and yet very instructional. (WS also has one as well.)