Pork Stew with Polenta

Wine: Le Deveze 66 – 2005 Cotes du Roussillon

We started with a Peach Salad. We made it with fresh peaches and Mache from The Hollywood Farmer's Market. We used Almonds, Prosciutto from The Cheese Store of Silver Lake and dressed the salad with Saba. The peaches are at their sweetest and the salad was excellent.

For the main course we made a fabulous dish: Pork Stew with Prunes and Onions. It is from the cookbook: The Slow Mediterranean Kitchen by Paula Wolfert. The dish can be made days in advance, it only taste better when re-heated. The book calls for it to be served over baked Polenta.

We use a different recipe, the recipe for Polenta from The Zuni Café Cookbook. It is made on the stove top and is much easier and just as good.

The dinner was just great. The stew is extremely rich, all of the sauces in it are reduced to be very thick and tasty! We butter a casserole and placed the excess polenta in it. We will bake it when we have leftovers.


Pork Stew with Prunes and Onions
===========================
From: The Slow Mediterranean Kitchen – Paula Woldfert

This winter dish from southwest France has a lot going for it: well-caramelized cubes of pork; a deglazing that provides deep flavor; an embellishment of lush, sweet dried plums joined with glazed sweet-and-sour onions. The result is a rich flavorful stew that isn't the east bit cloying and that reheats beautifully

I suggest you serve this dish over Polenta.
Serves 4

1 1/2 pounds pork shoulder or butt, trimmed of excess fat

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil mixed with a pinch each of ground cinnamon, black pepper, crumbled rosemary, and thyme

1 cup finely chopped onion

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 ½ cups dry white wine

3 garlic cloves

2 medium carrots, halved crosswise

1 bay leaf

Salt

1 ¾ cups unsalted chicken stock

12 small white onions

1 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter

1 teaspoon sugar

8 dried large pitted prunes (dried plums), soaked in hot water to soften

Chopped flat-leaf parsley

1. Cut the pork into 3/4-inch cubes. Toss the pieces with the spiced oil and leave in a cool place or at least 3 to 4 hours.

2. In a large; heavy flameproof casserole, cook the pork, covered, without the addition of any fat, over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Uncover and sauté, stirring frequently, until the moisture las evaporated and the pork is thoroughly browned, about 10 minutes.

3. Remove the pork to a side dish, reduce the heat to medium, and add the onion. Cook until soft and beginning to brown. Remove the onion with a slotted spoon and add to the pork.

4. Add the vinegar, mustard, and Vi cup of the white wine to the casserole. Heat to boiling, scraping up any brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan. Boil until reduced to a glaze. Add another 1/2 cup wine and reduce again. Repeat until all the wine has been reduced to a glaze. Add the garlic, carrots, and bay leaf and let them sizzle for a minute; return the pork and onions and any accumulated juices to the pan. Pour in the stock and season with salt to taste. Bring to a boil, cover, and cook very slowly for about 45 minutes.

5. Cut an X in the root end of each small onion. Blanch in a large saucepan of boiling salted water for 2 minutes. Drain and cool under cold running water. Peel the onions. Combine the onions with 1/4 cup water, the butter, and the sugar in a medium skillet. Simmer, covered, until the water evaporates, about 5 minutes. Cook, uncovered, over low heat until tender and well browned, about 8 minutes. Set aside

6. When the meat has cooked a total of 45 minutes, add the prunes and browned onions. Cover the casserole and continue cooking until the pork is soft, about 15 minutes. From time to time, swirl the casserole to keep the meat, onions, and prunes from sticking. Remove the casserole from the heat, discard the bay leaf, and correct the seasoning. Garnish with chopped parsley

Smoked Black Cod Salad and Corn Pasta

Wine: Marina Cvetic Montepulciano – 2003

We started with a Salad that we made with Smoked Black Cod and Hazelnuts, We made a dressing from sour cream, lemon, Molton Sea Salt, Horseradish, and olive oil.

Corn is at its sweetest at the Farmer’s Market. We decided to make Corn Pasta. We used the recipe from The Zuni Café Cookbook. It is very easy.

Corn Pasta
==========

2 to 3 ounces of pancetta, minced (1/3 to ½ cup)
Up to ½ pound butter
Trickle of water
6 fresh sage leaves, coarsely chopped
Fresh cracked black pepper
1 pound fettuccine
Salt
2 ½ cups freshly scraped corn kernels and their milky juice (5 – 10 ears)
Grated Parmigano-Reggiano

Cook the Pancetta in a few tablespoons of the butter in a skillet over medium-low heat
When it is browned slightly, turn off heat a few drops of water to cool the pan, and stir, then add another tablespoon of butter, the sage and a few grinds of black pepper.

Cook the pasta in boiling salted water.
Turn the heat up under the skillet and add another 6 to 8 tablespoons butter, sliced. Swirl the pan. When the butter is nearly melted, add the corn, and cook until heated through. Taste for salt. If the corn seams dry, add a trickle of pasta water and some or all of the remaining butter.

Drain the pasta, stir into the corn mixture. Serve with the grated cheese.

What a Steak and Salad!

Wine:
Santa Duc Domaine Santa Duc Les Quatre Terres Cotes du Rhone 2005
Lupicaia Toscana 1999 (courtesy of Bea)

Bea joined us for dinner. It was a warm night and we started with Wine and Cheese on the deck. The cheese was from The Cheese Store of Silver Lake, it was very good: Cow Girl Creamery Cheese: Red Hawk.

For a first course we made a Salad of Cherry Tomatoes, Oregano and Feta from the Casa Moro Cookbook. We have made this salad several times this summer and really like it. It is a cross between a Greek Salad and a Panzanella Salad. The recipe can be found in the Blog Entry of Aug 28, 2007.

We were talking to Matt Molina of Mozza about a dish on the menu we had never eaten: Grilled Beef Tagliata with Arugula Salad. He suggested that we try making it at home, the recipe was in the Los Angeles Times. It requires a very good Balsamic and Bea had brought up some from her recent trip to Italy. I purchased some porterhouse steaks from Harvey Gus Meats: Always the best! This is a great way to serve steak. Try it!

For dessert we had Scharffenberger Chocolate Dipped Figs. It was a wonderful meal!


Grilled Beef Tagliata with Arugula Salad
========================================
(Matt Molina – LA Times) August 29, 2007

Total time: 40 minutes, plus marinating time

Servings: 6 to 8

Note: Adapted from Matt Molina of Osteria Mozza.

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

3 tablespoons chopped rosemary

4 (7- to 8-ounce) hanger steaks or 1 (2 1/4 -pound) flank steak

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 teaspoon Champagne vinegar

1 tablespoon minced shallots

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1/2 pound arugula

Small wedge of Parmigiano-Reggiano

Aged balsamic vinegar for drizzling

Best-quality olive oil for drizzling

1. Stir together the one-third cup balsamic vinegar, 3 tablespoons of olive oil and the rosemary. Place the steaks in a sealable plastic bag and pour in the liquid mixture. Squeeze out the air, seal tightly and move the steaks around to make sure they are all well-coated with the marinade. Refrigerate for at least an hour or up to overnight.

2. Heat a grill over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, make a vinaigrette by whisking together the lemon juice, Champagne vinegar and shallots, then whisking in the three-fourths cup olive oil. Season with 1 1/4 teaspoons salt and pepper to taste. Taste and add more salt if necessary, then set aside.

3. Season the steaks generously with salt and pepper. Cook until well-seared on both sides and medium rare, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer the steaks to a plate and let rest for 3 to 4 minutes. Using a sharp knife, carve the steak diagonally into 1-inch strips across the grain.

4. Rinse and dry the arugula and place it in a large bowl. Whisk the vinaigrette briefly, then pour it over the arugula and toss gently to coat lightly. Divide the sliced steaks among 6 to 8 dinner plates and place a mound of salad beside each. Using a vegetable peeler, shave a few shards of Parmigiano-Reggiano over the arugula. Drizzle the steak lightly with aged balsamic vinegar and olive oil and serve.

Each of 8 servings: 379 calories; 26 grams protein; 2 grams carbohydrates; 1 grams fiber; 29 grams fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 50 mg. cholesterol; 424 mg. sodium.

Melon Figs and Chicken

We had a great Melon Salad at Campanile and Brett gave us the recipe. Cube melon, create a marinade of: Red Wine Vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper and chopped mint. Toss the salad in the marinade and serve, it was just great! I never would have thought to make a marinade for melon.

For the main course we made Chicken Braised with Figs, Honey and Vinegar. The recipe is from the Zuni Cafe Cookbook.
We served it with cous-cous. It is a great recipe.

CHICKEN BRAISED with FIGS, HONEY & VINEGAR
==========================================
Learning to identify good figs is an annual ritual at Zuni. As each year's fig crop appears, I always ask the new cooks if they have eaten many before. Often, particularly from those new to California, the answer is, "Not really," and I envy them the pleasure of what lies ahead.
"Look at them. Feel them. Plump can be good, but not unless they are really heavy for their size and they need to be tender." A tentative squeeze.
"Taste it. How is it? And that cracked one. It's kind of light, but check any¬way. How about that one, it looks flawless, and it's heavy, but it is kind of hard. Taste it."
After a wary nibble, "It's not that great."
"Now look at that one. Shrunken and wrinkled is actually good, as long as it is heavy. 'Pristine' isn't usually a good sign. If you look for pretty, you may miss the best ones. Just keep tasting until you can tell. And then try to remember how 'that look' and 'that feel' taste."
This last applies to all produce, all meat, all fish, all cooking.
We use a lot of figs at Zuni, in every course. This dish is Greek in inspiration, and it is a crowd pleaser. We use fleshy Kadota figs, syrupy and with a blush of pink in the center when ripe, though you can use Smyrnas {re-christened "Calmyrna" or "Calimyrna" when grown in California}, Excel, Adriatic, or plump-ripe Black Mission figs as well. Use wildflower or chestnut honey. The fla¬vor of lavender honey is too persuasive.
We sometimes serve this dish with a salad of raw fennel ribbons and frisee or arugula, with wedges of fried pizza dough to sop up the sauce. Grilled bread is a fine and practical alternative.
for 4 servings:
4 chicken legs (8 to 9 ounces each)
Salt
About 2 tablespoons mild-tasting olive oil
1 medium yellow onion {about 8ounces), root end trimmed flat, peeled, and cut into 8 wedges
About 1/2 cup dry white wine
About 2 tablespoons dry white vermouth
A few black peppercorns, barely cracked in a mortar
About 2 tablespoons cider vinegar


About 1/2 cup Chicken stock
1 bay leaf
A sprig of fresh thyme
About 1 tablespoon honey
8 to 10 ripe fresh figs - Kadota, Smyrna, Excel, Adriatic, or Black Mission


Seasoning the chicken {for the best flavor and succulence, do this step 12 to 24 hours in advance}:
Trim the excess fat, then season the chicken evenly all over with salt {we use a scant 3/4 teaspoon sea salt per pound of chicken. Cover loosely and refrigerate.
Cooking the chicken:
Preheat the oven to 375°.
Pat the chicken legs dry; this will make them less likely to stick. Heat a scant
2 tablespoons olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-low heat, then add the
chicken legs, skin side down. The oil should sizzle, not pop explosively, when
you add chicken. Adjusting the heat as necessary, cook until the skin is evenly
golden, about 8 minutes. Turn the legs over and color only slightly on the other
side, about 4 minutes. Pour off the fat.
If your skillet is ovenproof, arrange the onion wedges in the spaces between the chicken legs; otherwise, transfer the chicken to a shallow flameproof braising dish that will easily hold the chicken and onions in a single layer, and add the onions. Add the wine, the vermouth, and enough stock to come to a depth of about 1/2 inch. Bring to a simmer and add-the bay-leaf , thyme, and cracked black peppercorns.
Place, uncovered, in the oven, and cook until the meat is tender but not quite falling off the bone, about 40 minutes. The exposed skin will have turned golden and crispy; the liquid ought to have reduced by about half. Remove from the oven and set on a slight tilt so the fat will collect at one side of the pan.
Combine the vinegar and honey and warm slightly. Taste. The vinegar should dominate, but without making you squint. Trim the stems and cut the figs in half.

Skim as much fat as possible from the braising liquid, then set the pan over
medium heat. Bring to a boil and swirl as you reduce the liquid to a syrupy con¬sistency. Distribute the figs evenly around the pan, add about 2 tablespoons of the vinegar-honey syrup, and swirl the pan to diffuse the bubbling, amber syrup without smashing the tender fruit. The sauce will be glossy. Taste - it should be rich and vibrantly sour-sweet. Add more, or all of the syrup, to taste. The vinegar adds a bright but unstable note of acidity, which will fade with boiling, so sim¬mer for only a minute or less.
Serve each chicken leg with 2 wedges of sweet, soft onion and 4 or 5 fig halves, bathed in a few spoonfuls of the sauce.

Labor Day 2007

Billy and Kevin came over on Labor Day to have dinner and play Mahjong.
We picked up some Indian Salmon and Creamed Herring and Smoked Mussels from Santa Monica Sea Food. I expected that the Creamed Herring wouldn’t go over very well, but in fact they really liked it.

For the first course we served a wonderful Chilled Tomato Gazpacho. The recipe is from Sunday Supper at Lucques. It is one of our favorite cookbooks.

Because it is the height of tomato season, we repeated the Lentil Pasta recipe that I posted on August 21, 2007.

For dessert we made a Fig and Raspberry Crisp.


Yellow Tomato Gazpacho
======================


This recipe was developed by Julie Robles, longtime Lucques cook, then sous-chef, then chef de cuisine. It's one of those magical recipes in which you combine few simple ingredients and end up with an unexpectedly dramatic result. It's a foolproof recipe, but, tasting it, you'd never know how easy it is to make. As long s you have a blender (it doesn't work as well in a food processor) and really great tomatoes, this refreshing gazpacho is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.


2-1/4 pounds ripe yellow tomatoes
3 Persian cucumbers, or 1 hot-house cucumber
1/2 jalapeno, seeded and cut in half
4 sprigs cilantro, plus 12 cilantro leaves
2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons diced red or orange sweet pepper
3 tablespoons diced red onion
18 small cherry tomatoes, cut in half
Super-good extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Blanch the yellow tomatoes in boiling water for 30 seconds. Cool the tomatoes in a bowl of ice water a few minutes, and then use your fingers to slip off their skins. Remove the cores, and chop the tomatoes coarsely, saving all the ice. Reserve the ice water.

Seed and dice three tablespoons' worth of unpeeled cucumber, as prettily as you can manage, for the garnish. Set aside. Peel and coarsely chop the remaining cucumbers.
You will need to make the soup in batches. Place half the yellow tomatoes, parsley chopped cucumber, jalapeno, cilantro sprigs, garlic, vinegar, and olive oil a blender with 1-1/2 teaspoons salt and some pepper. Process at the lowest speed until broken down. Turn the speed up to high, and puree until the soup is completely smooth. If the soup is too thick, add a little of the reserved ice water. Strain soup and taste for seasoning. Repeat with the rest of the soup ingredients, chill the soup in the refrigerator; it should be served very cold.

Toss the diced pepper, diced onion, and diced cucumber together in a small our the gazpacho into six chilled soup bowls, and scatter the pepper mix-e over the soup. Season the cherry tomatoes with salt and pepper and place cherry tomato halves and two cilantro leaves at the center of each bowl. Fin-each soup with a drizzle of super-good olive oil. To serve family-style, place soup in a chilled tureen or pretty pitcher and garnish with the tomato halves and cilantro; pass the diced vegetables on the side.

Better Then The Hot New Restaurant

Wine:

De Fontsainte Gris de Gris Rose 2006

We love all things Indian and when we read in the LA Times of a great new Indian Restaurant we quickly made reservations and went. We were very disappointed. We had planed to cook an Indian dinner and the very next night after our disappointing dinner we cooked our own food. Ours was better! No doubt about it!

We started with a non-Indian Salad, but a real winner! I strongly suggest you try it when tomatoes are in season. It is called: Feta Salad with Anise Bread, tomatoes and Oregano from the Casa Moro Cookbook. We purchased the tomatoes at the Hollywood Farmer’s Market. The Feta, olives and the La Panzanella Croccantini (Fennel) were from The Cheese Store of Silver Lake. We modified the recipe to use Croccantini crackers rather than Anise Brea.

We made Cauliflower Vindaloo and a Chicken Coconut Curry. For both of these dishes we used Maya Kaimal Sauces available at your Grocery Store. Check first. The sauces are great, the recipes are on the sauce. It will be found in a refrigerated part of the store if they have it.

We made Breyani Rice imported from South Africa by Spice and all things nice. This is available at the Cheese Store of Silver Lake.

FETA SALAD WITH ANISE BREAD, TOMATOES AND OREGANO
=================================================

Modified from Casa Moro Cookbook
This salad is a cross between the Tuscan bread salad panzanella, and Greek salad. When tomatoes are in season, it is definitely worth making and can be done a little in advance.
Serves 6-8 as a mezze, 4 for a starter or light meal
6 x 1.5cm thick slices Anise Bread, broken into bite-sized pieces We subtituted Croccantini.
400g sweet vine-ripened cherry tomatoes, cut into halves or quarters
1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped 150g feta cheese
2 tablespoons fresh or dried oregano leaves
2 handfuls oily black olives
DRESSING
1 garlic clove, crushed to a paste with salt
1-l/2 tablespoons good-quality red wine vinegar
100 g tomatoes, sliced and pureed to juice in a food processor
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and black pepper

For the dressing, whisk the garlic, vinegar, tomato juice and olive oil together, then season with salt and pepper.

Place the anise bread croutons in a large bowl, pour on half the dressing, toss well and leave for 10 minutes. Now add the tomatoes and chopped onion, crumble on the feta, then add the oregano and olives. Add the rest of the dressing. Season with salt and pepper and toss.

Summer Pasta

Wine:
Santomas Koper Malvasia Slovenija 2004
Vin Du Gugey-Cerdon “La Cueille”
Muga Rioja Rose 2006



We started with a simple salad: lots of greens - Mint, Basil, Arugula, Black Mission Figs, Almonds, Prosciutto and dressed with Saba. We love salads like this just great ingredients!

For the main course we made Italian Lentil Pasta. We first had this pasta at Locanda Veneta in Los Angeles. It is very rich and you would swear it was made with meat sauce. It isn’t. One day the recipe was in the Los Angeles Times food section. We have continued to make and enjoy it! We altered it one way. In summer when tomatoes are at their peak, we used the recipe from for Candied Tomatoes from The Italian Country Table by Lynne Rossetto Kasper. It is a great improvement and easy to prepare.

Oven Candied Summer Tomatoes
============================

From: The Italian Country Table (Lynne Rossetto Kasper – one of our favorite cookbooks)

2 to 2 ½ lb. delicious ripe medium sized tomatoes
1 cup robust extra-virgin olive oil
salt

Use only the ripe, delicious summer tomatoes. Be sure to “ripen” the roasted tomatoes at room temperature for 4 to 6 hours before eating. Store them covered in the refrigerator up to 6 days. They freeze beautifully for 3 months – they sometimes even taste better for it.

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Core the tomatoes and halve vertically. Do not seed. Leave small tomatoes in halves, cut slightly larger tomatoes into 4 wedges, medium ones into 6ths, and large ones into 8. In a half-sheet baking pan, or two 2 ½ quart shallow metal baking pans (not glass or enameled metal), arrange the tomato wedges cut side up, about ½ to 1 inch apart. Coat the tomatoes with oil. Sprinkle with salt.

2. Bake 30 minutes then, lower the heat to 350 degrees. Bake another 30 minutes and turn oven to 300 degrees and bake 30 minutes more, or until the edges of the tomatoes are slightly darkened. If the edges are not yet colored, turn the heat down to 250 degrees and bake another 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the tomatoes from the oven. Cool 20 minutes. Transfer them to a shallow glass or china bowl and pour the oil from the pan over them. Let mellow, uncovered, at room temperature 4 to 6 hours.

3. Layer the tomatoes in a storage container, pouring in their oil, and refrigerate or freeze in their oil in sealed plastic container up to 3 months.

4. Serve at room temperature.


Italian Lentil Pasta from Locanda Veneta in Los Angeles
==============

¾ cups lentils
water
bunch spinach
Oven-Candied Summer Tomatoes
Salt, pepper
1 small bunch Italian parsley, chopped
Dried Oregano
Olive Oil
1 small carrot, minced
1 red onion, minced
1 stalk celery minced
1 lb. Spaghetti
4 tablespoons butter
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. Rinse lentils, then cover with water and soak 2 hours drain

2. Rinse spinach and remove stems, keeping some water on the leaves. Saute spinach in skillet over medium heat until wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside.

3. Heat 1/3 cup oil in in large saucepan over medium heat. Add carrot, onion, garlic, salt, pepper, and celery, and sauté until vegetables are golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Add lentils and enough water to come to 2 to 3 inches above lentils. Cook over low heat until lentils are al dente, 30 to 35 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup cooking water. Return reserved water to lentils and set aside.

4. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large saucepan over high heat. Add spinach and tomatoes, breaking them up with wooden spoon. Saute 1 minute. Add lentil mixture and cook 2 to 3 minutes longer.

5. Cook Spaghetti in boiling salted water until al dente, about 10 minutes. Strain and pour spaghetti into saucepan with the lentil sauce. Cook 1 minute over high heat, adding butter and Parmesan cheese while tossing.

6. Serve with additional cheese

Family Reunion

Wine
Washington State Syrah courtesy of Hope and Arnie
Vin Du Bugey-Cerdon “La Cueille” Sparkling Red Wine NV
Bugey Cerdon Elabore par elie et Alain Renardat NV


We had met Michael and Tamara in Santa Fe where we went to the Opera and enjoyed the city. We then all flew back to Los Angeles. On Sunday we had my Sister Mina and Sharon and Cousins Hope and Arnie over for a dinner.

We asked Chris at The Cheese Store of Silverlake to make up a cheese platter for us. When we picked it up it was beautiful, with many cheeses, sausage, fruits, bread and olives. When we went to pay, he told us it was a gift to a loyal customer. It was very un-expected and appreciated by us. It tasted great and was delicious.

Earlier that day we had purchased fresh white nectarines from the Hollywood Farmer’s Market and made a salad of: Nectarines, Almonds, Lettuce, and Prosciutto dressed with Saba.

For the main course, I had purchased Aged Porterhouse Steaks from Harvey Gus Meats. The steaks are always delicious! They were extremely tender and tasty with both the taste of the grill and the aging making them wonderful. I tried a different idea for the doneness of the steaks. There were a lot of different requests from blood rare to medium well done. Usually I grill the more done steaks longer, taking the rarer ones off first. This time I put the more well done steak on first grilled it on both sides for a few minutes then added the other steaks. The advantage was that all steaks were done at the same time. It is an easier way to do it. Always learning!

Corina owns the best restaurant in the Silver Lake area: Canele. We asked her if she could make Pommes Anna for us to serve. It is on her menu and is a favorite side dish of ours. She prepared them and we picked them up, they only needed to be reheated.

For dessert we served Apple Pie that we had purchased from Clementine.

It was a dinner that was relatively easy to present because we had purchased so many of the items. The trick was to select only the best, and be able to serve it. It was great having all of the family over. We also have some great leftovers -always an extra bonus.

Birthday Tomato-a-Thon

Wine:

La Dive Du Pape 2004 Chateauneuf du Pape
Cardwell Hill Cellars 2006 Estate Rose from Pinot Noir
Vin Du Bugey-Cerdon “La Cueille” Sparkling Red Wine NV
Bugey Cerdon Elabore par elie et Alain Renardat NV


Tomatoes finally arrived at the market! We decided to make a tomato based dinner. Kevin and Bill wanted to play Mah Jong, so we decided to cook a dinner at our house and then play. Saturday was Cliff’s birthday and we had made reservations at Matsuhisa to celebrate, however we canceled and decided to cook.

For a first course we made a Salmon Spread we really like. It is very simple, Smoked Salmon, cut in small pieces, chopped onion, chopped capers, some lemon juice and crème fraiche to bind. I went to India Sweet and Spice and bought some Naan that we heated to serve with it.

We have found the perfect summer wine. Bugey Cedon. It is a bubbly rose wine. We served two different bottles with the dinner. The “La Cueille” is sweeter. They both are great fun, and with a low alcohol content. If you have never had a bottle of Bugey you should try it. We were first introduced to it last year at Campanile.

It was a very warm day and we had the salmon on the patio as we drank the Bugey ad watched the sun set.

We then had one of my favorite soups: Pappa al Pomodoro from a recipe from Italian Country Cookbook by Rogers and Gray. A great thick tomato based soup!

We then had a second dish from the same cookbook: Penne with Tomato and Balsamic Vinegar. It is very rich pasta and just great. You would swear it had a meat sauce. A perfect vegetarian pasta!

For desert we made a Fig Upside Down Cake. Figs are in season and this is a wonderful cake. This recipe was given to us by our friends in Napa: Joy and Brenda.

We then played Mah Jong and had a great night.

Below are 3 great recipes! Perfect for summer!


Pappa al Pomodoro
=================
From: Rogers and Gray: Italian Country Cookbook

Serves 10 (but leftovers are so good, serves 2 - 5 times)

4 garlic cloves, peeled and cut into slivers
¼ cup Olive Oil
9 pounds ripe sweep tomatoes, peeled and seeded, or 4 ½ pounds canned plum tomatoes, drained of most of their juices
Sea Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 loaves stale bread, we use La Brea loaves
1 large bunch fresh basil
extra-virgin olive oil

Put the garlic and olive oil into a heavy saucepan and cook gently for a few minutes. Just before the garlic turns brown, add the tomatoes. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally until the tomatoes become concentrated. Season with salt and pepper, then add 2 ½ cups water and bring to a boil.

Day before, cut most of the crust off of the bread and break or cube in large chunks to allow it to get stale.

When soup is ready, Put the bread into the tomatoes mixture and stir until the bread absorbs most of the liquid, adding more boiling water if the soup is too thick. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly. If the basil leaves are large, tear into pieces. Stir into the soup with ½ to ¾ cups of extra virgin olive oil. Let the soup sit before serving to allow the bread to absorb the flavor of the basil and oil.

Serve in bowls and add a dollop of Extra Virgin Olive Oil on top.




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 pene 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.


Fig Upside-Down Cake
====================

---------
1/3 cup Melted Butter
1/3 cup Brown Sugar, packed
5 – 6 (or more) ripe figs cut lengthwise into ½ inch slices
1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
----------
1 1/3 cups flour
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons backing powder
½ teaspoon salt
----------
1/2 cup softened butter
2/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 egg

Pour melted butter into bottom of 8-inch-square baking pan.
Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over bottom of pan
Arrange fig slices in single layer over bottom of pan (cut side down!)..
Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons pine nuts into spaces around figs pressing into brown sugar.
Set aside.

Sift flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into a large mixing bowl.
Add softened butter, milk, vanilla, lemon zest and egg. Beat on medium speed about 2 minutes, scraping side of bowl. Stir in remaining pine nuts.
Pour over figs in baking pan.

Bake at 350 degrees about 40 minutes or until cake tests done in center.
Cool in pan about 5 minutes.
Loosen cake around edges of pan.
Place serving platter over cake and turn over.
Shake gently, then remove pan.

We modified the recipe by mixing all pine nuts into batter. Also, instead of slicing figs in slices, we simply sliced in half.

Japanese Plates Part 2

Wine: Marina Cvetic Montepulciano S. Martino Rosso – 2003

This was the first dinner where we got to use our new Shigaraki dinner plates.

We started with a salad made from the last of the fresh Blenheim Apricots of this season. Besides being great tasting they are easy to pit!. To the salad we added Prosciutto and Almonds. We used Saba as the dressing.

We made a great vegetarian pasta. It is very easy and good. It is from a cookbook by Mark Bittman, The Minimalist Cooks at Home. He names the recipe: Spaghetti with Zucchini (Carbonara without the Bacon). We went to the Hollywood Farmer’s Market and bought some great fresh zucchini. The Parmesan cheese was from The Cheese Store of Silverlake.

Here is the recipe for the pasta.

Spaghetti with Zucchini (Carbonara without the Bacon)
=====================================================

Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 or 4 or more small zucchini washed, trimmed, and cut into slices 1/8 to ¼ inch thick
2 eggs
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 pound spaghetti or linguine
½ cup roughly chopped mint, parsley or basil (we use fresh basil)


1. Salt water and bring to boil

2. Place olive oil in 10 to 12 inch skillet over medium high heat.
Add zucchini, cook stirring occasionally, until very tender and lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Season with a little salt and a lot of pepper.

3. Meanwhile, beat the eggs and ½ cup of the Parmesan together.
Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until tender but firm. When it is done, drain it and combine it immediately with the egg-cheese mixture, tossing until the egg appears cooked. Taste add more salt or pepper if necessary.

4. Toss in the herb and serve immediately, passing the remaining Parmesan at the table.

Very easy! Very Good!

New Japanese Plates Part 1

Wine: Marina Cvetic Montepulciano S. Martino Rosso – 2003

When in Japan we went to a region near Kyoto called Shiaraki where there are lots of potters. They make a special kind of pottery also called: Shigaraki. We went to the studio of Otani Shiro. We saw a climbing kiln, which is made of several kilns that are connected running up a hill. Thus the heat from one is transferred to the next. A potter named Satoshi Arakawa showed us some plates that we liked and we decided to order them. They arrived and this was our first dinner we made using them. For this dinner we only used the salad plates, dinner plates will be used for the next dinner we cook. We really like the look and feel of the plates. It makes it very special to have met the artist and visited the kiln where they were made.

For a first course we made Zuni Caesar Salad from The Zuni Café Cookbook. It is a great Caesar. One of the nice aspects of the Zuni salad is that you get to eat the salad with your fingers. Yum.

For the main course we make Expatriate Roast Chicken with Lemon and Olives from The Slow Mediterranean Kitchen by Paula Wolfert. We love the taste of Moroccan Food, especially the olives and preserved lemons. The chicken was delicious.

We made Moroccan Rice with Bell Peppers from the same South African company that we used in the last couple of dinners. This is the first time we tried this Rice. We didn’t like the consistency of the rice and won’t be using it again.

Corn Pasta

Wine

Cambria Rose Vin Gris of Pinot Noir 2005
Chateau Rayssac 1804 Cabardes

It is very warm in Los Angeles and we decided to eat on the deck. It was a very clear day and we could see to the ocean.

We started with Melon and Prosciutto. We had purchased the melon at the Hollywood Farmer’s market. Finally the were starting to get some good ones! Once again the prosciutto was from The Cheese Store of Silverlake.

We then made one of our favorite summer treats: Corn Pasta. It is from The Zuni Café Cookbook. This is about as easy as it gets, and is very delicious. The trick is to have good fresh sweet ears of corn. We used 12 ears. This will serve at least 8, lots of leftovers for us!

Corn Pasta
==========
12 Ears of Corn – peel the corn and using a sharp knife cut off the kernels into a bowl
2 – 3 oz pancetta minced
2 sticks unsalted butter
A trickle of water
6 fresh sage leaves chopped
1 pound fettuccine
Freshly grated black pepper
Salt
Parmigiano-Reggiano

Cook the pancetta in a few tablespoons of butter over medium low heat
When it has browned slightly on the edges, and is starting to sizzle turn off the heat.
Add a few drops of water to cool the pan and stir, then add a few more tablespoons of butter, the sage and a few grinds of black pepper. Swirl the pan, then leave the aromatics to infuse the melting butter.

Cook the pasta.
While pasta is cooking turn heat under pan with pancetta to medium add 6 to 8 tablespoons of butter. When the butter is nearly melted add the uncooked corn, stir, and cook until heated thru. Taste for salt.

If the corn seams dry add a trickle of the water the pasta was heated in. Add some or all of the remaining butter to taste. Reduce to low.

When the pasta is cooked, drain well then toss with the corn. Serve with the grated Parmigianino.

We always save a cup or so of the water the pasta cooked in, to add to the mixture as required, when we re-heat the pasta.

Indian Night with Fireworks

Wine:

Santomas Koper Malvasia Slovinia2004
Bugey Cerdon Rose Sparkling Wine NV
Amber Knolls Cabernet Sauvignon 2004
Karly 2005 Amador County Orange Muscat


We decided to cook another Indian dinner. We are reading lots of Indian novels and watching loads of Bollywood movies. In addition we are trying to learn to speak Hindi from Pimsler Language CD's. All of this is in preparation for our trip to India next year.

If you want read some great novels about India (all available from Amazon), we really have enjoyed:

A Suitable Boy
Shantaram
Sacred Games

For Bollywood Movies from Netflix try:

Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge
Rang De Basanti
Dil Se
Fanaa

Billy had hurt him self hiking so we haven’t been playing Mah Jong for a few weeks. We decided to invite Billy and Kevin over hoping he would be well enough to play. After all, building a Tile wall takes a lot of work. In addition, Billy alerted us that there were fireworks at Echo Park in honor of The Lotus Festival. We figured we could eat first and then drive over and watch the fireworks.

It was a warm night and we ate outside. We started with appetizers of a great
Date Fig Nut Bar we purchased from The Cheese Store of Silverlake. In addition we hade some Sausage we had purchased from them. They were selling a new (at least to us) Blue Cheese Spread from the Farmstead Cheese Company of Point Reyes. It was very tangy and nice. We will definitely get it again.

For the main course we made 3 different dishes that were all easy to make, in-fact we started cooking at 5:30 and were ready to serve at 6:30. From The Cheese Store we picked up a great rice from South Africa. They have several different flavors and we used the Sun-Dried Tomato Breyani Rice from Cape Malay. The brand is called Spice and all things nice.

At Gelson’s Market they have Indian Sauces in the cold deli. The company is named: Maya Kaimal. We bought the Vindeloo and the Tikka Masala. We made Chicken Vindeloo by simply cutting fresh chicken breasts and sauting in Clarified Butter then adding the Vindeloo sauce! Nothing else! We had a cauliflower, we broke it into small floret’s and steamed for a few minutes, not letting them get to soft. We then added them to the Tikka Masala sauce and heated creating a great Tikka Masala Cauliflower. It was all delicious and spicy! We served it with the rice. It proves if you have good ingredients you can assemble a dinner quite fast!

It was a great easy Indian dinner! We also had several different importedChutney’s and Pickles from India Sweet and Spice that we served with the dinner. In addition, while we were at IS&S we purchased Nan Flat Bread that was in their cold deli. We reheated the Nan and it was wonderful. Better than pita bread.

In addition to the Indian food, Billy had made Bar-b-q ribs! He brought them over and we served them with the dinner. They were great!

We drove over to the fireworks, got there just in time and watched the show. We then returned to our house.

For desert we had a Coconut Cake from Lark Bakery that just opened in Silver Lake. I am sure they will improve in time. Kevin and Bill had brought a great dessert wine.

Billy was by then feeling ready to play some Mah Jong, which of course he won!

India Rising

Wine: Chateau St Jean de la Gineste 2006 Corbieres Rose de la St Jean


We apparently are in our “Lets Make Indian Food” phase. We started with a non-Indian Salad made with Blenheim Apricots, Saba, Prosciutto, Pistachios. It is a very easy salad to make.

For the main course we grilled a Tandoori Chicken. The breasts needed to be marinated in the Tandoori sauce for 24 a minimum of 24 hours. The sauce is easy to make. We purchased Nomu Indian Rub from The Cheese Store of Silverlake. Just add yogurt and apply to the chicken. The sauce is then scraped off and the chicken is grilled.

With the chicken we served Indian Rice with Cashews, Raisins. From The Cheese Store we picked up a great rice from South Africa. They have several different flavors and we used the Sun-Dried Tomato Breyani Rice. The brand is called Spice and all things nice.

After dinner we then watched a Bollywood Movie. The movie is a semi-historical about the Indian Uprising against the British Raj in the 1800’s. The revolt led to the end of the East Indian Company running India, the British Government took over direct control of India. It also led to the end of the Mughal control of Delhi and Northern India. The movie is engrossing. It is called: Mangal Pandey: The Rising. Mangal Pandey was a real Indian who has become a legend in the Indian independence movement.

July 4 2007 Jar-B-Que

Wine:

Flying Cloud Syrah Rose 2006 Paso Robles
L’Hortus Rose de Saignee Coteaux du Languedoc 2006
Arietta On the White Keys 2005
Charles B. Mitchell Grand Reserve Vintage Cuvee Estate Fair Play 2005
Batic Pinot Gris Reserve Vipava (Slovenia) 2004

Cliff / Cathy
Billy / Kevin
Ty / James

We invited our mah jong playing friends Billy and Kevin over for to watch fireworks and have dinner on our deck. We also invited James to join us. At the last minute we found out our neighbor Ty was home so we invited him also.

Our deck looks out over the City of Los Angeles and we can see fireworks all over. It is a great place to watch the July 4th madness. It had been very warm so we knew we would be eating outside on the deck.

Everyone brought great wine so it was a very good night for drinking!

Figs were still in season so we started with Figs and Prosciutto (from The Cheese Store of Silverlake) and Pistachios. Usually we have margaritas and guacamole but the figs were so good this year we decided to go with them.

For a first course we made Asian Noodles. This is a favorite of mine. It was one of those dishes that have a very high ratio of great taste to effort put in to make it. It is very easy to make. It is from Barbara Tropp’s great cookbook: The Modern Art of Chinese Cooking. The recipe is called Orchid’s Tangy Cool Noodles! Yum! Although the recipe reads complicated, it isn’t! Barbara just has a way with words!

We served Pork Chops that we had marinated like they do at Jar Restaurant. It is a great recipe! We made Japanese Style Rice as a side dish.

For desert we made a White Nectarine Crisp. The nectarines are at their peak of sweetness. We love crisps, even more than pies. We topped it with Vanilla Ice Cream.

The fire works were fun to watch and we stayed on the deck talking, drinking the great wine and watching fireworks till 12:30 or so. How did such a great start of a country wind up with George Bush as president? Maybe we should suspend the holiday till he is out of office.




Orchid’s Tangy Cool Noodles

This is the quintessential Chinese cold noodle dish, a tangy northern-style blend of sweet, tart, and spicy tastes that has an astonishing popularity. It was the first Chinese dish I ever made, at a time when I had one tin pot in which to boil and store the noodles, and nothing big enough to toss them in but the kitchen sink. * For economy, portability, and adaptability to any number of people or settings, "Orchid's" cannot be surpassed. Make them in advance. The flavors merge and enlarge as the noodles sit.




TECHNIQUE NOTES:
Serves 6-8 as a luncheon'style dish with assorted "Little Dishes," 10-15 as part of a large buffet or multicourse meal.
INGREDIENTS:
1 pound long, 1/16-inch thin Chinese egg noodles, fresh or frozen
Seasonings:
3 ½ tablespoons Chinese or Japanese sesame oil
3 ½ tablespoons black soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons well-aged Chinese black vinegar or balsamic vinegar (we use balsamic)
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
½ - 1 tablespoon hot chili oil
4 heaping tablespoons thin-cut green and white scallion rings
To garnish:
freshly cut scallion rings

Cooking the noodles:

Fluff fresh or defrosted noodles in a Colander to release any tangles. (Take care not to tear them. Long noodles in China are a metaphor for long life, and it is great fun to eat them that way.)

Bring a generous amount of unsalted water to a rolling boil over high heat. Add the noodles and swish with chopsticks to separate the strands. Put the colander in the sink. Cook the noodles until cooked but pleasantly firm to the bite, about 2-3 minutes for fresh store-bought noodles. Drain immediately in the colander and chill thoroughly under cold running water. Shake off excess water, then return the noodles to the clean dry pot or to a large bowl.

Saucing the noodles:

Blend the seasonings in a small bowl. Pour the sauce evenly over the noodles, using a handful of noodles to wipe the bowl clean so you don't lose any of the sugar. Toss gently with your hands to separate the noodles and distribute the sauce, then add the scallion rings and toss again to mix. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary to achieve a tangy blend of sweet and hot flavors. Remember that the chili will grow more pronounced within a few hours, so err on the cautious side if you are not eating the noodles immediately.

For best flavor, cover and put aside for several hours at room temperature or store
overnight in the refrigerator. Toss before eating to redistribute the seasonings. Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled, heaped in a bowl and garnished with a fresh sprinkling of scallion rings.

Orchid's lasts 4-5 days, sealed airtight and refrigerated. Flavor peaks in spiciness on the second day.