Salmon

McCall’s had some beautiful salmon. So we decided to have a fresh salmon dinner. We made Slow-Roasted Salmon With  Cabbage,   Bacon,  and  Dill from It’s About Time by Michael Schlow. It is a delicious recipe. We highly recommend it!

SLOW-ROASTED SALMON

WITH  CABBAGE,   BACON,  AND  DILL

It’s About Time

Michael Schlow

1           head savoy cabbage (3/4 head regular green cabbage can be substituted)

6         slices bacon, cut into 6 to 8 pieces each

1           onion, cut into small dice

8         ounces (1 cup) water, plus additional if needed

4 6-ounce salmon fillets, skin removed

1         teaspoon chopped fresh dill, plus additional for garnish

2         ounces (4 tablespoons) extra-virgin olive oil, plus additional for drizzling over roasted fish

4 small knobs butter (a "knob" is about 1 teaspoon)

Juice of 1 lemon

Makes dinner for 4

Try cooking salmon like this, and you might never cook it any other way again. The low-temperature oven really does improve the texture of the fish. The combination of salmon, cabbage, and bacon is perfect for cooler weather, making this an ideal meal for fall, but it's great anytime. For a hearty variation, add some diced, blanched potatoes to the cabbage as it finishes braising.

Halve the cabbage lengthwise, cut out the core, then remove the leaves and slice them into 2-1/2-inch squares.

Preheat the oven to 250°F.

Place the bacon in a medium sauce pot over medium heat. Render the bacon until cooked but not crispy. You should have approximately 2 ounces (4 tablespoons) fat; if you have more, discard the excess.

Add the onion and saute for 1 minute.

Add the cabbage and water and let simmer uncovered until the cabbage

is tender, about 15 minutes. If all the water evaporates during cooking, add more as needed until the cabbage is very tender.

Meanwhile, place the salmon fillets on a nonstick sheet pan. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over each fillet. Season with salt, pepper, and half the dill. Top each fillet with a knob of butter and place in the oven.

Cook 15 to 18 minutes for medium rare, 21 to 24 minutes for medium (depending on the thickness of the fish), and if you cook it any longer than that, I can't be held responsible.

When the cabbage is meltingly soft and tender, season with salt, pepper, and the rest of the dill. Keep warm while the salmon finishes cooking.

Remove the salmon from the oven and drizzle with the lemon juice.

TO SERVE

Divide the cabbage between four dinner plates, top with the salmon fillets, and drizzle a little more olive oil over the fish.

Season with freshly ground pepper, sprinkled on and around the fish.

Garnish with additional fresh dill, if desired, and serve.

Krushna's Birthday

"Elvis with the Pork Loins

Krushna and Kashmera

Crab Dynamite

The cooked Pork Loin (check out the char!)

Potato Gratin and Pork

The Birthday Cake

Kashmera and Krushna were in town. Usually they stay with us but because we are doing some remodeling there was no room at the inn. We were touched that Krushna wanted to have his birthday dinner at our house, flying in after finishing a film in Mumbai. They invited a lot of their friends to share in the fun.

Krushna had requested pork so we purchased 2 large Pork Loins from McCall’s Meat and Fish. We tied them together so they could be placed on a spit to roast on our rotisserie.

We hired Elvis (his nickname) to serve, clean up and assist, so that we could enjoy the party. He was an excellent addition, making it much easier for us.

We used the recipe for Herb-Crusted Pork Loin Roast from License to Grill by Chris Schlesinger. It was delicious and moist and smoky and tender! You can find the recipe on our blog of: July 2, 2008. Click the date to get the recipe.

Kashmera had requested Crab Dynamite (our go to appetizer that everyone loves). The sauce is terrific but it MUST be made with Japanese Mayo. We started with a recipe that we found on The Fine Lobster Blog called: Creamy Spicy Lobster: a twist on a Nobu Classic. Everyone loves it! We served Japanese Rice with it. We purchased excellent  canned Lump Crab meat from McCall's Meat and Fish. Everyone and I mean everyone loves it! The recipe can be found on our blog of: Sep. 5, 2010. Click the date to get the recipe.

Robert and Darryl did double duty, 1^st making a potato gratin and also a wonderful dessert.

We apparently served a lot of wine, as testified by the exuberance with which guests tried on different shirts that Kashmera had brought them from India. Once again, Tim regaled us with his adventures.

Saffron-Braised Chicken With Olives and Dukkah

If the olive isn't in a Martini, let it be used in the dish!

Ever hear of Dukkah? Neither had we. When we saw the recipe in the New York Times, we decided to make it. It is always fun to make something that we have never tasted before. We have no idea what it should taste like, but it was good. I would make it again. I really liked the Dukkah topping and it wasn’t hard to make, and I have never met a dish that had olives in it that I didn't like!

Larry McGuire's Saffron-Braised Chicken With Olives and Dukkah This recipe from chef Larry McGuire of Jeffrey's and Josephine House in Austin, Texas, pairs chicken braised in saffron-scented white wine with briny green olives and a dusting of the Egyptian spice mix dukkah

A LITTLE NUTTY | Toasted pistachios give the spice mix sprinkled over this dish a rich, round flavor and a pleasant crunch. Christopher Testani for The Wall Street Journal, Food Styling by Jamie Kimm, Prop Styling by Carla Gonzalez-Hart; Illustration by Michael Hoeweler

The Chef: Larry McGuire

Larry McGuire Illustration by Michael Hoeweler

His Restaurants: Jeffrey's and Josephine House are the latest in his McGuire Moorman Hospitality mini-empire in Austin, Texas

What He Is Known For: Creating atmospheric restaurants with an attention to detail that extends from ingredients to flower arrangements. Menus of Texas-size ambition and Austin-style cool.

MIDDLE EASTERN FOOD IS what Austin, Texas-based chef Larry McGuire wants to eat right now. "Those spiced, herbal flavors work really well here because it's hot weather food," he said. For his first Slow Food Fast contribution, Mr. McGuire shares a recipe for a saffron-laced braise of chicken thighs, carrots and olives simmered in white wine and dusted with dukkah, a zesty Egyptian spice-nut mix with a nice hint of crunch.

At 31, Mr. McGuire owns six of the hottest restaurants in town with partner Thomas Moorman. The latest are Jeffrey's, a fine-dining institution spiffed up and reopened last year, and Josephine House, a casual spot in a cozy blue cottage next door. This dish is straight out of the Josephine House playbook: simple, satisfying. "It's what a home cook wishes they'd do," said Mr. McGuire. Now you can.

—Kitty Greenwald

Saffron-Braised Chicken With Olives and Dukkah

Total Time: 35 minutes Serves: 4

2 pounds chicken thighs and/or legs, bone-in and skin-on

Pinch of sweet paprika

½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning

1½ tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon saffron

1½ cups dry white wine

4 large carrots, cut into 2-inch-long sticks

1 large yellow onion, cut into ½-inch dice

6 large cloves garlic, peeled and lightly smashed

¾ cup pitted green olives (such as Castelvetrano)

2 bay leaves

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1½ cups chicken stock

1 cup pistachios

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon coriander

½ teaspoon fennel seeds

½ teaspoon black peppercorns

Chopped parsley, for garnish

Juice of 1 lemon, plus 4 lemon wedges for garnish

1. Sprinkle chicken all over with paprika and salt. Heat oil in a medium Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once hot, add chicken, skin-side down. Cook until skin crisps and browns, 5 minutes, then flip and cook 3 minutes more. Remove chicken from Dutch oven and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, place saffron in a small bowl, cover with white wine and let sit until saffron softens, 5 minutes.

3. Stir carrots, onions, garlic, olives and bay leaves into Dutch oven and season with salt. Cook over high heat until vegetables soften, about 4 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and cook until it coats vegetables, 1 minute.

4. Return chicken to pot, skin-side up. Add saffron-wine mixture and stock. Bring liquid to a simmer over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low and cover pot. Braise chicken until cooked through, about 12 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, make dukkah: In a medium skillet over medium heat, toast pistachios, shaking often, 3 minutes. Transfer nuts to a food processor. Add remaining spices and ½ teaspoon salt to skillet and toast until aromatic, about 3 minutes. Transfer spices to food professor and pulse everything together until a coarse mixture forms.

6. Skim fat from braising pot. Season braising liquid with salt and lemon juice to taste. To serve, divide vegetables among four bowls and top with chicken. Spoon braising liquid over top and garnish with dukkah, chopped parsley and lemon wedges.

Soft Shell Crabs and More

Chef consulting his iPhone!

A beautiful plate, with Soft Shell Chabs

I love Soft Shells Crabs and have been waiting all spring for them to appear in the market. Finally they appeared at McCall's and I convinced Robert to cook them at our house. They were exceptional.  I loved the Tartar Sauce he made for the crab. In addition I purchased several sides from Forage: Beet Salad, Pasta and Fattoush Salad. With Karen's Peach Pie from McCall's, it was a perfect dinner! Thank you Robert.

Eggplant Lasagna

We were at the Hollywood Farmer’s Market and at the Tutti Frutti stand they sell tomatoes. We noticed that they were selling bottled tomato sauce. We bought a bottle to give it a try. We decided to make Eggplant Lasagna. It is a favorite dish, once we boiled the lasagna noodles and skinned and sliced the eggplants it was just a matter of assembling. The recipe is named Lasagna of Eggplant, Tomato, and Basil from Chez PanisseCooking by Paul Bertolli with Alice Waters. We substituted Burrata Cheese for Buffalo Mozzarella.

We started with an Asparagus salad topped with browned breadcrumbs and chopped hardboiled egg.

Left Over Ham # 6 Thai Fried Rice with Ham

Our final use of the left over ham Thai Fried Rice with Ham! Beyond the original serving of the ham, we served it in 6 different dishes. This is an all time record for re-use of a main course. Maybe I should check with Guinness Book of Records and demand an entry. We have made the Thai Fried Rice many times and love it. The recipe can be found on our blog of: Feb. 28, 2013. Click the date to get the recipe.

Goan Shrimp

We hadn't made Goan Shrimp for several months. I always like it. It is definitely a regular for us. The shrimp is spicy and the rice absorbs sauce. This time we didn't even peel the shrimp. It makes it "Finger Lickin'" good. You can find the recipe in our blog of: August 9, 2008. Click the date to get the recipe.

Ham Leftover # 5 Asparagus with sliced Ham

Sliced Ham, Asparagus and Olive Oil as a starter. Man are we getting use out of McCall's fabulous ham.

Rotisserie Chicken

Perfect Skin

Summer Night outdoor view of LA in mirror

Chicken, Potatoes, Salad

We invited Tom and Scott over for Rotisserie Chicken. It was a warm night and we started with drinks and my favorite Bacon and Cheese Bread from McCall’s Meat and Fish.

While I rotisserie the chicken we place Potatoes under the chicken to catch the drippings. The potatoes get nice and crisp and extra tasty with the drippings and smoky flavor. You can find the recipe on our blog of: Oct.6, 2013. Click the date to get the recipe. It was a beautiful warm night and we ate on the back deck under the stars while overlooking Los Angeles. It was a very night evening.

Ham Leftover # 4 Ham Appetizer

More ham left over; Simple preparation: Sliced Ham with my favorite bread and mustard as an appetizer.

Ham Leftover # 3 Grilled Ham and Cheese Sandwich

Isn't this the PERFECT Grilled Ham and Cheese sandwich? Check out those grill marks from our Panini maker. The bread I used was Karen's Brioche from McCall's Meat and Fish. Robert joined me for the healthy lunch:)

Ham Leftover # 2 Ham Donburi

We still had more ham to use up, so we decided on creating Ham Donburi. We followed the recipe for Nobu's Scrambled Eggs Donburi, substituting Ham for the Salmon. It is an excellent dish especially when you add the Salmon Caviar. You can find the recipe on our blog of: April 29, 2014. Click the date to get the recipe.

Ham Leftover # 1 Pasta with Ham

We had a serious amount of leftover ham. Cathy found this recipe for Penne or Rigatoni Modo Mio (Pasta with cauliflower and ham) in Craig Claiborne’s The New York Times Cookbook. It was perfect I love cauliflower and we had lots of delicious ham. It was a perfect use of some of the leftover Ham.

Penne or Rigatoni Modo Mio

(Pasta with cauliflower and ham)

Craig Claiborne’s The New York Times Cookbook

The "mio" in this recipe title is one of our most prized acquaintances, Ed Giobbi. Ed's kitchen is one of those places we always visit with bounding enthusiasm and keen appetite because, although he is a painter and sculptor by profession, he is a splended and inventive cook who goes about his hobby with the cool dexterity of a croupier shuffling cards. He also believes that pasta can be one of the most gratifying and healthy ways to eat economically. This and the following four recipes are ample and delicious proof of his thesis.

2       tablespoons butter

2       tablespoons olive oil

2       cups thinly sliced onions

1       teaspoon finely garlic

1-1/2       cups boiled ham, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

2       tablespoons chopped fresh basil, or half the amount dried

2       tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1       cup dry white wine

Salt and freshly ground pepper

½       pound penne or rigatoni

2       cups peeled, raw potatoes cut into 1/2-inch cubes

4       cups cauliflower (1 small), broken or cut into flowerets

½       cup grated Parmesan cheese

1.   Have all the ingredients cut, chopped, measured and ready to cook before starting this dish. Have a kettle of water at the boil for the pasta.

2.   Heat the butter and oil in a skillet and add the onions. Cook, stirring, until golden. Add the garlic, ham, basil, parsley, wine, salt and pepper to taste and continue cooking.

3.   Simultaneously, as soon as the onions start to cook, add the penne or rigatoni and potatoes to the boiling water. Add salt and pepper to taste. Let return to the boil, stirring often so that the pasta does not stick. Let cook for about 4 minutes.

4.   Add the cauliflower and continue cooking for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the pasta is just cooked. Do not overcook. When done, drain immediately and add the pasta mixture to the ham mixture. Toss with half the grated Parmesan cheese. Serve with the remaining cheese on the side.

A Belated Easter Dinner

The uncooked ham

The Fully Baked Ham with Breadcrumbs

We went to McCall’s Meat & Fish and I spotted an enormous ham. It was after Easter and he must have had some extras that didn’t get sold. Well this big one did, to us. Cathy found a Julia Child recipe: Jambon braise au Madere ou au Porto (Ham Or Smoked Shoulder Braised In Wine) from Julia Child’s Kitchen by Julia Child. I don’t think we had ever made a ham before and this recipe seemed unusual to me because it is coated in Bread Crumbs we cooked the ham with the bread crumbs rather than slicing and baking the ham at the end.

This ham was like one of those dishes that kept on giving. We had a tremendous amount of leftovers and kept trying different ways to prepare the meat. All of the various preparations were good. After many meals made of leftovers we finally threw the rest of the ham away. If it had been winter we probably would have used the remaining ham and its bone as a basis for a soup.

We invited Scott and Tom to join us for dinner. For the 1^st course we started with Asparagus topped with Burrata Cheese and Brown Butter and Hazelnuts. It is getting near the end of the Asparagus season and we are sure happily eating a lot of it!

With the Ham we served Roast potato salad with rosemary and garlic from Tender by Nigel Slater. I love the taste of the mustard combined with Rosemary and Garlic. This is definitely one of our go to potato recipes. You can find the recipe in our blog of: June 12, 2012. Click the date to get the recipe.

For dessert we served Chocolate Cake.

Jambon braise au Madere ou au Porto

Ham Or Smoked Shoulder Braised In Wine

From Julia Child’s Kitchen

Julia Child

A 6-pound shoulder will serve 12 to 16 people

This is a delicious way to cook ham or smoked shoulder, whether you serve it as is, hot or cold, or have other plans. Accompany it with spinach braised in butter or cream and a puree of chestnuts, lentils, or mashed potatoes; a smooth red Bur­gundy or Cotes du Rhone would go nicely, or a fine strong white Burgundy such as a Meursault.

5-1/2- to 6-pound smoked shoulder of pork, ready to cook

2/3         cup each: sliced carrots, onions, and celery

1         small sliced leek

2         imported bay leaves

6         allspice berries or cloves

6         peppercorns

1-1/2         cups dry white wine or dry white French Vermouth

½         cup dry (Sercial) Madeira, or dry Port

1-1/2         cups chicken stock, fresh or canned

Fresh white bread crumbs

Equipment: A covered casserole just big enough to hold shoulder comfortably, a rack for the casserole, a meat thermometer

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Shave off inspection marks, etc., place meat fat side up on rack in roaster, and strew the sliced vegetables, leek, bay, and spices around it; pour on the wines and chicken stock. Drape with foil, and bring to simmer on top of the stove. Cover, and place in lower-middle level of preheated oven. In 30 minutes, turn thermostat down to 325 degrees. Braise 2-1/4 to 2-1/2 hours, or to a meat thermometer reading of 160 degrees, basting several times during cooking, and regulating oven heat so that liquid in casserole simmers very slowly.

When done, remove meat from casserole. If you are to serve it as is, slice off rind and all but 1/8 inch of covering fat. Place meat in a shallow roasting pan, sprinkle top with a layer of fresh bread crumbs, and baste with its own fat or with melted butter. Brown 15 minutes in upper third of a preheated 425-degree oven. Meanwhile, strain braising juices, pressing liquid out of vegetables. Degrease the juices (almost 2 cups, and delicious) ; pour into a warm sauceboat to accompany the meat.

Meat will stay warm for a good half hour; or return it to casserole with its juices, set cover askew, and place over barely simmering water or on an electric warming device, being sure meat is only kept warm and is not overcooking.

Carving. I like the French system, which is easy and makes attractive slices. The shoulder is lying lengthwise, and the arm bone runs down the middle, lengthwise, a bit to one side. Cut long slices lengthwise parallel to bone on the right, then on the left, alternating; turn the meat over when bone is fully exposed, and continue the same system on the other side.

Margarita, Guacamole & Lamb Salad

Ole!

Lamb Salad

On a warm summer night what could possibly be better than a Margarita served along with Guacamole and Chips? This is the ultimate Los Angeles sunset experience! I am absolutely convinced that our margaritas are the best. I squeeze 1 lemon over ice in a glass, add 1 portion of Tequila - I only use Tequila Hacienda Vieja and ½ portion of Combier Original Orange Triple Sec. I don't want to go all purist on you, HOWEVER, There can be no substitution of these two liquors in my mind. Thats all there is, use what ever portion you like but keep the ratio 1 part Tequila to ½ part Combier. No Salt! No Sugar Water! Just stir and drink, and feel the days tension melt away!

With the margarita we served Guacamole & Chips.

We then served a Lamb Salad with Feta Cheese and Herbs, using the leftover lamb that we had cooked in the egg. This was a perfect light summer time meal!

Lamb Chops (Tandoori and Thomas Keller Cauliflower Rice)

The Chops with melted butter

Chops in the Egg

We hadn’t made lamb for few months and when we were at McCall’s Meat & Fish I spotted some beautiful thick Lamb Loins. We decided to cook them Tandoori style in the Egg. We really enjoy Indian food and in the great Indian cookbook: Indian Home Cooking we found a recipe for Tandoori Lamb Chops. You can find the recipe on our blog of: July 16, 2008. Click the link to get the date.

With the lamb we served:  a recipe from Ad Hoc: Rice with Roasted Cauliflower. This is a wonderful recipe and can be found on our blog of: November 10, 2010. Click the date to get the recipe.

Both of these recipes are delicious. We always make lots of lamb because the leftovers are excellent. We often make a lamb salad or lamb sandwich in the subsequent days.

Black Cod and Miso Sauce

Robert's Mussels

Darryl was out of town celebrating his mother’s 99^th birthday, so we decided to invite Robert and Bea over for dinner. Robert said he would make Mussels, they were delicious. Bea brought wine.

We made Black Cod and Miso Sauce. We love this dish at Nobu’s and it is not hard to make at home (if you don’t mind the stove spatter from the frying). It is a favorite dish of ours, easy to make and deliciously rich. The recipe for the Black Cod is on our blog of: May 12, 2012. Click the date to get the recipe. We purchased the Cod and the Miso sauce at McCall’s Meat and Fish. For dessert we had an Apple Pie from McCall’s and Salted Carmel Ice Cream. It was an excellent meal.