Bea Cooks!

Click the picture above to see and hear a video clip of Bea Cooking!



Wine:

Barrel 27 High on the Hog Paso Robles White Wine 2007
Kosta Browne 2005 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

Bea joined us for dinner. It will be the last dinner we cook before we leave for vacation. We wanted to use the Egg one last time.

We started with a Persimmon and Pomegranate Salad with Arugula, Almonds and Prosciutto and Saba. We have been having a lot of these salads lately and really like it. It is very easy to make and reminds us of fall.

We then had Herb-Crusted Pork Loin Roast from License to Grill by Chris Schlesinger. It was delicious and moist and smoky and tender!. It is very easy to make on the Egg. I published the recipe in our blog entry of July 2, 2008. Click the date to get the recipe.

We made a great recipe from Sunday Supper at Lucques Winter Squash Risotto.
It was the perfect accompaniment to the Pork. We even got Bea to do some stirring. Click the picture watch a sound movie clip of her!

We then served Goat Cheese from The Cheese Store of Silverlake with Truffle Honey.

We followed with Limoncino Liqueur.


winter squash risotto with radicchio and parmesan
2 cups 1/2-inch-diced Kabocha squash
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon thyme leaves
4 cups chicken stock
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup diced white onion
1 chile de arbol, crumbled
2 cups high-quality Arborio rice
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 cup thinly sliced radicchio
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 cup sliced flat-leaf parsley
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

People think risotto is a super-rich dish, made with tons of butter. But when it is made properly, the richness comes from the starchy rice and the stock. To make perfect risotto, really pay attention to what's happening in the pan. As the risotto cooks, stir it with a wooden spoon in rhythmic movements that go across the bot¬tom and around the sides of the pan. The rice should be constantly bubbling, drinking up the liquid as it cooks.

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Toss the squash with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon thyme, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and a healthy pinch of pepper. Roast the squash on a baking sheet 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it's tender when pierced.

Bring the chicken stock plus 4 cups water to a boil, and turn off the heat.

Heat a medium-sized heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Add the 3 tablespoons butter, and when it foams, add the onion, remaining 2 teaspoons thyme, chile, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of pepper. Sauté 5 to 7 min¬utes, stirring often, until the onion is translucent.

Stir in half the roasted squash, the rice, and 1-1/2 teaspoons salt. Cook about 2 minutes, stirring continuously, until the rice just begins to toast and the grains of the rice have a white dot at their center. Pour in the white wine, and once it has evaporated, quickly add 1 cup of the hot stock and stir continuously. When the stock is completely absorbed, begin adding the liquid in 1-cup batches, stirring all the time with a wooden spoon in a rhythmic back-and-forth motion. Wait for each batch of liquid to be absorbed before adding the next. The rice should be bubbling and absorbing the stock quickly. After about 15 minutes, taste the rice. It should be slightly al dente. The risotto may need more liquid and more time so keep cooking until it's done. It should be neither soupy nor dry; each grain of rice should be coated in a flavorful, starchy "sauce."
When the rice is almost done, turn off the heat and stir in the remaining squash. Let the risotto "rest" for a minute or two and then quickly stir in the radicchio, half the Parmigiano-Reggiano, and /2 teaspoon salt. Taste for season¬ing. The rice will keep absorbing liquid, so add a little more stock if it seems dry. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and the parsley. Spoon the risotto into a large shallow bowl and sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top.

Last Tomatoes of the Season

It is the very end of the tomato season. We decided to make one of our favorite pastas one last time. It is: Penne with Tomato and Balsamic Vinegar From: Rogers and Gray: Italian Country Cookbook. We purchased heirloom tomatoes from the Hollywood Farmer's Market. We peeled the tomatoes first. It is easy to do if you first drop them in boiling water for about 30 seconds then plunge them in ice water. The skin just peels off. We use core chop up and use the pulp plus seeds. This is another one of those pastas that you would think had meat in it, it is so rich. As you can read from the recipe below, you can make it with canned tomatoes if fresh ones aren’t available.

Our neighbor Kazue had dropped off a bag of persimmons from her tree so we started the meal with one more Salad of: Persimmons, Pomegranates, Almonds and Greens and Saba. The salad is also good with the addition of prosciutto. We look forward to next summer’s crop of tomatoes. On the other hand, the end of tomatoes means winter is coming and with that lots of Braises!


Penne with Tomato and Balsamic Vinegar
=============================
From: Rogers and Gray: Italian Country Cookbook
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled and cut into slivers
1 handful fresh basil
1 – 28 ounce can peeled plum tomatoes (we used fresh heirloom tomatoes, of course!)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
12 ounces penne pasta
8 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, at least 10 years old
6 tablespoons butter cut into pieces
1 heaped cup pecorino or parmesan cheese, grated

Heat oil in large pan and gently sauté the garlic slivers until lightly browned.
Add a few of the basil leaves and then the tomatoes. Stir and cook gently for 30 to 40 minutes, until reduced to a thick sauce. Season with salt and pepper and add the remaining basil.

Cook the penne in salted water, drain thoroughly, and return the pasta to the sauce pan along with the butter. When the butter is melted, add the balsamic vinegar and toss over gentle hear for a few seconds until the penne has turned brown in color.

The in a handful of grated cheese, and finally stir in the tomato sauce. Serve with more cheese.

Pomegranate and Friends

Wine:

Gin an Tonic (Jill of course)
Bourgogne 2007 Rose de Pinot Noir
Chateau de La Liquiere 2005 Vielles Vignes
Limoncino Liqueur

Jill and Susan flew in from Santa Fe to attend a conference at the LA Country Art Museum on Indonesian Textiles. We joined them for the day along with our neighbor Shelley. It was very informative. We learned a lot about the various ways textiles are used to symbolize status, religion, location, etc.

We decided to cook dinner for them. We started with Drinks, Cheese and the delicious Truffle Honey on the deck.

For the first course we had Persimmon and Pomegranate Salad with Arugula and Hazelnuts. Our neighbor Kazue had surprised us by dropping off some Persimmons. Every year in the fall, when both pomegranates and Persimmons come in, we always make a salad with them. For some reason we had never followed the recipe from Sunday Supper at Lucques. This time we did and it was a MAJOR revelation to us. In the past, when I peeled pomegranates I tried various techniques to extract the seeds. This book has the secret! It was simple, and the juice is used for the salad dressing. I have included Suzanne’s full story. Rather than pressing the fruit with my fingers and rolled it on the counter top pressing down hard. It was like magic, easy to extract the liquid and when I tore open the fruit the seeds just fell out! What a discovery!

For the main course we decided to make a again a favorite: Roast Chicken with Preserved Lemons Adapted from Laurent Tourondel. We have made this many times, a sure winner! You can get the recipe from our blog entry of Jan. 23, 2008. Just click the date to get it.

For dessert we made Date Bars from the City Cuisine Cookbook. These are a favorite! They work for both dessert and breakfast the following days. They can also be frozen.

We followed with chilled Limoncino Liqueur (thanks Dennis).

It was great spending the weekend with Jill and Susan and hope they return soon!



Pomegranates
============

When I was a kid, we used to eat pomegranates with a needle, carefully extracting each tiny kernel out of its hard red skin. Like persimmons, they grew in my neighborhood, dangling off scraggly, leaf-barren trees. Their flavor is intense—the seed adds a subtle bitter counterpoint to the astringent yet sweet juice. Pomegran¬ate juice can be used in salad dressings as a bright alter¬native to vinegar or lemon juice. A pomegranate vinaigrette is particularly delicious with a salad of arugula, persimmons, and pomegranates. When you get in the habit of using pomegranates, you'll find they're very versatile. Their sweet crunch goes well with many foods, and this time of year I find myself scattering the seeds over salads, antipastos, and even grilled fish. Pomegranate molasses, available in Middle Eastern mar¬kets, is a deep burgundy condiment made from concen¬trated pomegranate juice and sugar. Used sparingly, the sweet-sour syrup is an exotic addition to pomegranate salsas and is also intriguing with braised meats.

Pomegranates aren't an instant-gratification fruit; they take a little work. To juice a pomegranate, use your thumbs to press and soften the skin all the way around the entire fruit. Next, insert a paring knife halfway into the side of the pomegranate to make a small hole. Hold the fruit over a bowl with the hole facing down, and squeeze firmly to extract the juice, which will come run¬ning out. To take out the seeds, it's best not to cut the fruit in half or you'll lose precious seeds and juices. Instead, insert a chef's knife about an inch into the top of the pomegranate, and turn the knife slightly to crack the fruit open. Pull the pomegranate apart with your hands, separating it into naturally occurring sections. Then pick the seeds out with your fingers.

Pomegranates are in season starting in early fall and ending in early winter. Look for pomegranates that are heavy in your hand and have supple, not-too-dry skin.

Persimmon and Pomegranate Salad with Arugula and Hazelnuts
======================================================


This is one of those salads that I can't stop eating once I start. It's thirst-quenching, crunchy, and downright addictive. The juice from the pomegranate binds with the olive and hazelnut oils to make a bright, acidic dressing for the pep¬pery arugula and sweet persimmons. Juicing your own pomegranates is easy, but if you're not careful, it can result in some embarrassing mishaps. One night at Lucques, a customer asked for a pomegranate martini. Bartender Soren Banks, having seen a bowl of pomegranates in the kitchen, happily agreed to make her one. He rushed back to the kitchen for a quick juicing lesson, and then back to the bar. Following what he interpreted to be my instructions, he proceeded tp spray himself and all the customers at the bar with the bright-red juice. Fortunately, everyone was more amused than angry, especially after a free round of pomegran¬ate martinis (juiced this time in the kitchen).

3/4 cup blanched hazelnuts
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon hazelnut oil
1 tablespoon finely diced shallot; plus 2 small shallots, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons fresh pomegranate juice (from 1 to 2 pomegranates), plus 1/3 cup pomegranate seeds
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 small Fuyu persimmons, thinly sliced
1/2 lemon, for juicing ½ pound arugula
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 375°F

Spread the hazelnuts on a baking sheet, and toast 8 to 10 minutes, stirring once or twice, until they smell nutty and are lightly browned. When the nuts have cooled, chop them coarsely and toss them with 1 teaspoon hazelnut oil and a gen¬erous pinch of salt.

Place the diced shallot, pomegranate juice, both vinegars, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a bowl, and let sit 5 minutes. Whisk in the olive oil and the remaining 1 tablespoon hazelnut oil. Taste for balance and seasoning.
In a large salad bowl, toss the persimmons, sliced shallots, and pomegranate seeds with the dressing, and season with salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lemon. Gently toss in the arugula and taste for seasoning. Arrange the salad on a platter, and scatter the hazelnuts over the top.

Turkish Pasta

Wine:

Cotes du Rhone Les Laurelles 2006
Chateau La Liquiere Vielles Vignes Faugeres 2005

We started with a Salad with Pears, Walnuts, St. Agur Blue Cheese, Mache, Walnut Oil and Saba

I found a recipe in the New York Time for a Turkish Pasta with Eggplant. It sounded real interesting so we decided to make it. Cathy made some modifications that she thought would improve it - she was right! It turned out to be excellent and not difficult. I really liked the idea of topping with garlic and Yogurt rather than traditional Parmesan Cheese. This is a good recipe I recommend it! We will definitely make it again.

New York Times
October 1, 2008

Pasta With Turkish-Style Lamb, Eggplant and Yogurt Sauce
=======================================================
2 large eggplants, about 1 pound, in 1/2 -inch cubes
7 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt, more to taste
4 fat garlic cloves, minced
1 large shallot, minced
1 ½ pound ground lamb
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, preferably Turkish or Aleppo (see note), more to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint or dill, more to taste
1 pound bowtie or orecchiette pasta
2 to 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, to taste
1 cup plain Greek yogurt.
1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Bring a pot of water to boil for pasta.
2. Toss eggplant with 4 tablespoons oil and a large pinch of salt. Spread on a baking sheet, making sure there is room between pieces, and roast until crisp and brown, 15 to 20 minutes.
3. In a large skillet, heat remaining tablespoon oil. Add 2 minced garlic cloves and the shallot and sauté until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add lamb, 1/2 teaspoon salt, red pepper flakes and black pepper to taste. Sauté until lamb is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Stir in mint or dill and cook for another 2 minutes. Stir eggplant into lamb. Taste and adjust seasonings.
4. Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt butter: the amount is to your taste. Let cook until it turns golden brown and smells nutty, about 5 minutes. In a small bowl, stir together yogurt, remaining garlic and a pinch of salt.
5. Drain pasta and spread on a serving platter. Top with lamb-eggplant mixture, then with yogurt sauce. Pour melted butter over top. Sprinkle on additional red pepper and more mint or dill. Serve immediately. We modified the recipe by mix brown butter with the cooked pasta then tossing in the Eggplant lamb sauce and mixing. We served pasta with yogurt topping at table.
Yield: 8 servings.
Note: Turkish or Aleppo (Syrian) red pepper flakes are sold at specialty markets and at kalustyans.com. You may also substitute ground chili powder. Do not use crushed red pepper flakes; they will be too hot for this dish.

Goa Shrimp and Mahjong

Wine:

Le Secret inre 2007
Danubio Gruner Veltliner 2007
Clos Pepe Estate Pinot Noir 2005
Trimbach Gewürztraminer 2005

Bill and Kevin are still going thru Hell with the remodel of their Kitchen and Bathroom so we once again invited them over for dinner. We hadn’t played Mahjong for a while so we worked in playing after dinner. I won big, maybe it was all the wine Billy drank!

We started with some appetizers from Carousel Restaurant a mid-eastern restaurant.. We had Hammos, Mutabbal, Muhammara with Toasted Pita Chips.

We started with one of our favorite summer soups: Papa Al Pomodoro from Italian Country Cook Book Rogers / Gray. This is a tomato and bread soup, and is extremely thick. It is served with a float of virgin olive oil and fresh basil. I LOVE this soup!
The recipe can be found in our blog of: Aug 2, 2006. Click the date to get the recipe.

We then made Basmati Rice, with Goan Shrimp Curry. We have made the Curry many times and really like it. The recipe can be found in our blog entry of March 9, 2008. Click the link to get the recipe. It is very good!

For dessert we served Apple Pie from Clementine. I really wish the Clementine would open on the East Side of Los Angeles! The pie is a bake at home pie and is as good as any you can make from scratch!

We then served Stilton Blue Cheese and Port while we are playing Mah Jong!

Turkey with a Mexican Twist

Wine:

Silver Oak Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2003
Domaine Les Aphillanthes Cotes Du Rhone 2007
Behrens & Hitchcock Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2004
Domaine Grand Veneur Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2005

Billy and Kevin are having some work done on their kitchen and bathroom, so we invited them over to get out of the construction mess. We came up with a Turkey dinner with a Mexican twist.

Kevin brought some great wines plus we drank the Silver Oak wine he had given Cathy for her birthday. We started with Guacamole and Chips.

We then had a Salad made of Nectarines, Mache, Almonds, Prosciutto, Saba and Almond Oil. Gerry and Nancie had sent Cathy a series of fruit gift boxes for her birthday. The nectarines were fabulous.

We made a Smoked Turkey with Homemade Cornbread and Chorizo Stuffing in the Egg. First we made the cornbread from scratch. We then let it get dry overnight then made the dressing and stuffed the Turkey. The meat was really smoky with crispy skin. I wasn’t sure how a smoked turkey would turn out, but it was a success. Since we won’t be here for Thanksgiving it serves as a substitute experience.

We had picked up some Mexican Rice at Alegria (our local Mexican Restaurant) and it went well with the turkey and Cornbread stuffing.

We then had a Cheese from The Cheese Store of Silverlake and that wonderful Truffle Honey.

For dessert we had the what was left of the Chocolate Cake Lucques had made for Cathy’s Birthday.

I am constantly amazed at the Egg. What a find!

Billy had suggested that we make a stock out of the remaining turkey bones. We did by boiling with carrots, onions, garlic, etc. We then took the left over turkey and Cathy made a fantastic Turkey Paella with it. I would never have thought that turkey would be so good in a Paella, but it really worked!