Food Memory

Wine:

Vouvray – Sebastien Brunet
Domaine La Bastide Roussanne 2008
Chateau d”Arsac Margaux 2004
Sequoia Grove Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2005
Vouvray 2005 Demi-Sec


When we lived in San Francisco many years ago we used to eat at an Asian Restaurant named Monsoon. Its chef / owner Bruce Cost served delicious food. One of our strongest food memories was of a dish he called: Scallops and Fresh Water Chestnuts in Thai Pork Sauce. He published the recipe in his cookbook Asian Ingredients.

We have never made it because we couldn’t find fresh Water Chestnuts. We went out for a Chinese dinner in Monterey Park and stopped at huge Chinese Market: Ranch 99. They had fresh Water Chestnuts and we immediately remembered the dish and decided to make it. We knew McCall’s Meat and Fish would be able to get us perfect scallops. Near us is a wonderful spice store: Spice Station Silverlake where we bought lots of fresh spices for the dish. I had never worked with Water Chestnuts and didn’t know how hard they would be to clean, peel and cut. Turns out it was easy. The dish turned out exactly as we remembered it. It is fantastic. We will definitely make it again. Unfortunately for us there was no leftovers!

We served Indian Candy and Smoked Mussels with wine when our guests arrived. We get the Salmon and Mussels from Santa Monica Seafood. The fish store is one of the few reasons to leave the 323 area code for the 310.

We started with another dish from the same cookbook: Asparagus with White Miso Vinaigrette. This Japanese inspired dish is served at room temperature and was a perfect match for the curry.

Alan brought a delicious Mango Cake from a Japanese bakery in downtown Los Angeles: Frances Bakery. It was amazingly light in texture.

We also served Danish Cookies from the new Danish Bakery in downtown Los Angels: Hygge Bakery. The cookies were great.

The dinner started at 7:30 and didn’t end until midnight.


Scallops and Fresh Water Chestnuts in Thai Pork Sauce
From Asian Ingredients by Bruce Cost

Scallops and water chestnuts complement each other in shape and texture. A meal can be made of this rich, spicy dish with the addition of just rice and a simple green salad.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings


6 to 8 fresh water chestnuts (or canned if necessary)
1 pound fresh sea scallops
2 teaspoons cornstarch
Few drops sesame oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoons coriander seeds
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon minced fresh turmeric (if available)
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 small fresh red chilies, minced (including seeds)
1 stalk lemongrass (bottom third only), finely minced
3/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1/2 cup water
Juice of 1 large lime
3 tablespoons fish sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
Pinch of salt
1 cup plus 3 tablespoons peanut oil
1/2 pound ground pork
1/4 cup coriander leaves

Wash the mud from the water chestnuts, peel them, cut them in half, and put them in a bowl of cold water until ready to use.

Rinse the scallops and cut them in half. Toss with the corn¬starch and sesame oil, and refrigerate until ready to cook.

Toast the seeds in a small dry skillet until fragrant; then grind them in a mortar or spice grinder and set aside. Combine the ginger, turmeric, garlic, chilies, and lemongrass in a small bowl and set aside. Mix the coconut milk, lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, and salt together, and set aside.

Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a skillet and add the pork. Cook, stirring to separate the grains. When the meat has changed color—it shouldn't brown—add the ground spices and' stir for 30 seconds. Add the another 30 seconds. Add the seasoned coconut milk, stir to blend, then add the water and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to medium-low and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring from time to time, until it just begins to thicken. Add more water if necessary while you cook. Turn off the heat, cover, and set the sauce aside, (it may be prepared an hour or so ahead.)

Heat the remaining 1 cup oil in a wok, and when it is hot add the scallops, stirring to separate. Cook for 30 seconds, then re¬move with a slotted spoon and drain. Drain the water chestnuts and cook them in the hot oil for 15 seconds; remove with a slotted spoon.

Reheat the pork sauce. Add the scallops and water chestnuts and stir over high heat just until hot. Turn off the heat, garnish with the coriander, transfer to a serving platter, and serve.

Asparagus with White Miso Vinaigrette
From Asian Ingredients by Bruce Cost

Japanese salads, aemono ("dressed things"), use a wide range of vegetables, raw and parboiled, and seafood, cooked or uncooked. The dressings are flavorful and often tangy, like the all-purpose one here, which is tossed with asparagus. The white miso and mustard combination is superb.
Yield: 4 servings

2 teaspoons mustard powder
2 teaspoons cold water
1 pound thin asparagus
1 egg yolk
2teaspoons white miso
2 teaspoons Japanese soy sauce
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon white rice vinegar
2 tablespoons minced scallions (white part only)

Mix the mustard powder and water together to form a thin paste. Allow it to sit for 10 minutes.

Cut the asparagus diagonally into thin slices about 1 inch long. Cook the asparagus slices in boiling water until barely ten¬der, 1 1/2 minutes or so. Then run under cold water to stop the cooking. Drain and set aside.

Vigorously mix the egg yolk with the mustard. Then stir in the remaining ingredients in order, and allow to sit at least 10 minutes before tossing with the asparagus. Serve at room temperature.