Cauliflower Soup and Paella

 

 

 

Wine:
Rivola Sardon De Duero 2005
Tilia Sauvignon 2007
Vranac Pro Corde 2004

We went to The Cheese Store of Silverlake, and I noticed that Chris’s brother in Rhode Island had sent him some Chorizo. The sausage is hand made and very smoky. I bought a 10 inch piece and thought that we would have it for snacks or an appetizer. Cathy suggested we use it in making a Paella. There is a recipe in Moro The Cookbook by Sam and Sam Clark. Moro is great restaurant in London that we like. It is a Spanish / Moroccan Restaurant, our kind of food!

I had been thinking about cauliflower and Cathy remembered a delicious French Cauliflower Soup we have previously made. It is from Chez Panisse Vegetables by Alice Waters. The recipe is very straight forward and easy to make.

It was a great dinner for a cold winter night, and re-heats very easy!

Paella de cerdo con chorizo y espinaca
============================
RICE WITH PORK, CHORIZO AND SPINACH
Moro The Cookbook – Sam & Sam Clark

This rice is very Spanish in taste. A complex and comforting dish\
Serves 6 as a starter, 4 as a main course

7 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 lb pork fillet (or more), halved lengthways, then sliced across roughly into ¼ inch strips
¼ lb mild cooking chorizo, cut into little pieces
2 large Spanish onions, finely chopped
1 large green pepper, halved, seeded and finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
½ lb calasparra (paella) rice
1 teaspoon sweet smoked Spanish paprika
.2 noras pepaers
2 cups hot Chicken Stock or water
1 lb spinach, washed and drained
1 lemon, in wedges
sea salt and black pepper



In a paella pan or frying pan, heat the olive oil over a high heat, then stir-fry the pork for a few seconds so it is still a little undercooked. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and put to one side. Turn down the heat to a low to medium temperature and fry the chorizo for a minute. Add the onion and green pepper and cook for 20
minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic to the onion and cook for a further 5-10 minutes. At this point the mixture (sofrito) should have caramelized and taste sweet. Stir the rice into the pan to coat in the flavour-some mixture for a minute. (Up to this point everything can be cooked in advance. The next stage requires about 20 minutes more cooking time.)

Now season with salt and a little pepper, this is the time to season the rice perfectly. Add your paprika and noras peppers, drained of their water, followed by the hot stock, and simmer for 15 minutes or until there is just a thin layer of liquid around the rice.

Meanwhile in a large saucepan or wok, briefly wilt the spinach with a little salt, either by braising or steaming, and put to one side with the pork fillet. Evenly scatter the pork over the rice followed by the spinach. With the back of a spoon gently push the pork and spinach partially into the oily liquid that remains at the bottom of the pan. Cover the paella tightly with foil and let it sit for 3-5 minutes. Serve with lemon and a tomato salad.


French Cream of Cauliflower Soup
=====================
Alice Waters
Chez Panisse Vegetables

1 large Cauliflower (2 – 3 pounds)
1 onion
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 tablespoons crème fraiche
Salt
Nutmeg
Chervil
1 tablespoon butte

Cut off the stems of the Cauliflower and any green leaves. Break up the flowerets. Wash them in cold water. Reserve a handful of flowerets to garnish the soup.

Peel and slice the onion thin. In a soup pot, stew the onion slices and flowerets in the butter with a little water for 20 – 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, without letting them brown. Add water to cover and cook for 25 minutes covered, over medium heat. Meanwhile, parboil the reserved flowerets in boiling salted water for 8 minutes or so, keeping them crunchy.

Puree the soup in a blender and reheat gently to just under boiling. Add the the crème fraiche and season with salt and nutmeg to taste. Add 1 tablespoon butter.
Serve the soup very hot, garnish with the whole flowerets and a few sprigs of chervil.

Serves 4

Trout Salad and Risotto of the Vigil

 

 

 

It has been cold and rainy in Los Angeles (although it is now warm again and I am writing this wearing a tee-shirt and shorts). Bea remains a semi-invalid in her house (she still can’t walk, but hopefully will in just a couple of more weeks). It seems funny not having our favorite guest over. Soon.

We made a Smoked Trout Salad that was excellent. It is from a cookbook that is a little fancy for us: Bouchon by Thomas Keller, but this recipe is really good. It uses Belgium Endive and is very crispy. The smoked trout is chunked into pieces and combined with the salad. It lasted for 3 days!

Every winter we make Risotto of the Vigil from The Splendid Table by Lynne Rossetto Kasper. It is a very hearty Risotto made with lots of ingredients. We hadn’t made it yet this winter and this was the ideal weather for it! We still had prosciutto left from the piece that Chris at The Cheese Store of Silverlake had given us, so th is was a perfect use for it. The left over risotto can be frozen or reheated in a microwave. This is one of those great recipes we seem to make once a year and then put away for the next cold winter.


Endive Salad with Trout and Lemon Vinaigrette
=====================

LEMON VINAIGRETTE
2 large lemons
1 hard-cooked egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon whole-grain mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
½ cup canola oil
1 tablespoon minced cornichons
1 tablespoon minced drained nonpareil capers, preferably Spanish

POTATOES
8 ounces small iingerling potatoes (no wider in diameter than a quarter)
¼ teaspoon black peppercorns
2 thyme sprigs
1 bay leai
2 garlic cloves, skin left on, smashed Kosher salt

SALAD
4 small heads Belgian endive
4 small heads red Belgian endive
8 ounces smoked trout fillet, skin and bones removed
1/4 cup minced shallots
1/4 cup minced chives
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon drained nonpareil capers, preferably Spanish
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
'/4 cup chervil leaves
'/4 cup tarragon leaves
1/4 cup Italian parsley leaves
12 caper berries, drained


This is a traditional smoked fish salad, with a crisp flavorful lettuce, potatoes, and a thick, creamy, lemony vinaigrette. Here again a preserved food, critical to the bistro kitchen, is at the center of the dish. Smoked fish and potatoes always make a great combination because the potatoes carry the smoked flavor so nicely. This salad also works well with watercress or any spicy lettuce. In the fall, you can add some crisp tart apple, finely sliced or julienned.

FOR the VINAIGRETTE: Remove the zest from the lemons (a Microplane grater does an excellent job). Finely chop the zest. (You should have about 1 tablespoon.) Set aside. Squeeze 2 tablespoons juice from 1 of the lemons; reserve the remaining lemon for another use.

Place the egg yolk in a small deep bowl and crush it with a fork. Add the lemon juice and mustards and combine well with a hand blender or a whisk. With the blender running, or whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in the oil until emulsified. Mix in the lemon zest, cornichons, and capers.

FOR THE POTATOES: Wash the potatoes and slice them into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Put the potatoes, peppercorns, thyme, bay leaf, and garlic in a medium saucepan. Add cold water to cover by 1 inch and season the water with salt until it tastes like the sea. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat, and simmer for about 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender; drain. Discard the seasonings and garlic.

FOR THE SALAD: Remove and discard any bruised outer leaves from the heads of endive and cut each head lengthwise in half. Cut out and discard the cores. Place the endives cut side down on a cutting board and cut on the diagonal into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Combine the endive and potatoes in a bowl.

Break the trout into 1 to 11/2-inch chunks and add to the bowl, along with the shallots, chives, and capers. Toss the salad with about l/2 cup of the dressing, or as needed to coat the ingredients, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the chervil, tarragon, and parsley leaves.



Imola's Risotto of the Vigil
Risotto della Vigilia di Natale
==================
The Splendid Table Lynne Rossetto Kasper

A saute of beef and cabbagesimmers in a risotto of tomato and wine. Carrot and onion browned with fresh sage and a hint of garlic boost the flavors of this country dish. Breaking Christmas Eve's meatless vigil with this one-dish feast was the tradition in the farmhouses of lmola's countryside.

Serves 6 to 8 as a first course, 4 to 6 as a main dish

About 4 cups water
3ounce lean salt pork, cut into small dice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
8 ounces lean beef chuck, cut into 1/4- to 1/2-inch pieces
1 small carrot, coarsely chopped
1 small stalk celery with leaves, coarsely chopped
1 medium to large onion, coarsely chopped
3 large fresh sage leaves, or 3 large dried sage leaves
1 medium Savoy cabbage (about 1 pound), halved, cored, coarsely chopped
4 cups Poultry / Meat Stock (beef or veal stock)
1 cup water
1 1/4 cups (8 ½ ounces) imported Superfine Arborio or Roma rice wine
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 cup canned tomatoes with their liquid
1 tablespoon choppecl fresh basil leaves
2 cups (8 ounces) freshly grated Italian Parmigiano-Reggiano
cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 marrow bone approximately 1 inch soaked 1st.

Working Ahead: The risotto is best cooked just before serving, but its base can be prepared several hours ahead. Refrigerate the browned beef. The sauteed vegetables can be held up to 3 hours at room temperature in their covered pot.

Blanching the Salt Pork: Bring the water to a boil, drop in the salt pork, and boil about 4 minutes. Drain, rinse, and pat dry. (We use end of a procsutto and simply cut off the required amount of meat)

Making the Base: In a heavy 5-quart pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the salt pork and cook slowly 8 minutes, or until it has given up much of its fat and turned golden brown. Remove the pork bits with a slotted spoon, and reserve. Pour off and discard all but 3 tablespoons of the fat. Turn the heat to high and add the beef. Quickly brown 8 minutes, or until dark and crusty on all sides. Remove with a slotted spoon, and reserve. Stir the carrot, celery, onion, and sage into the pot, and cook over medium heat, 5 to 7 minutes, or until the onion is golden brown. Add the cabbage, and stir frequently over medium-high heat, about 10 minutes, or until wilted.

Cooking the Rice: Warm shallow soup dishes in a low oven. Bring the stock and 2 cups of water to a simmer in a saucepan. Add the rice to the vegetable mixture, and stir over medium heat about 2 minutes. Blend in the wine and garlic and cook at a gentle simmer, stirring frequently, 5 minutes, or until the wine has been absorbed. Then add the tomato sauce or canned tomatoes and basil, along with the reserved salt pork and beef and cook another 5 minutes, stirring to keep from sticking.

Keep heat at about medium so the mixture simmers. Add 1 cup of the stock mixture and stir until it has been absorbed by the rice. Repeat, stirring in 1 cup until the rice is still a little too firm to be eaten. Then start adding the liquid in 1/4-cup quantities until the rice has only slightly more bite than you would like.

Finishing and Serving: The risotto's consistency should be like a thick soup. Fold in about 2/3 cup of the cheese, remove from the heat, and season with salt and pepper. Let the risotto rest, uncovered, 5 minutes. Mound the risotto in the heated soup dishes land serve, passing the remaining cheese separately.

Here’s Looking Up Yours

 

 

 

Wine:
Teliani Valley Lechkhumi 2005
La Fond Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills SRH 2004
Steinfeder 2007 Gruner Veltliner


Kevin went in for his colonoscopy and Billy stopped by in the morning while Kevin was undergoing the procedure. He was obviously nervous about Kevin (it all turned out ok). We decided to invite them over to enjoy some leftovers. Billy brought a potato gratin.

We had made 3 new dishes. I had wanted to smoke a salmon. Cathy found a recipe for Honey-Cured, Smoked Salmon by Cooking with Fire and Smoke by Phillip, Stephen, Schulz. I purchased a salmon fillet and smoked it in the Egg for 1 ½ hours. It turned out to be wonderful, very moist and tasting like Lox! We will definitely make it again. Because it is smoked, it keeps in the refrigerator.

We started with a Squash & Farro Soup By Matt Molina. This is a very rich soup. Chris at The Cheese Store of Silverlake gave us a prosciutto butt end and we used a piece of it in the soup. We really like the chewy texture of the farro. This is a perfect winter soup. Try it!

Finally we made a pasta dish called: Pizzoccheri from a recipe in the New York Times by Mark Bittman. The pasta, after it is boiled is then baked like a lasagna and topped with lots of breadcrumbs. Yum!

Squash & Farro Soup
==============
By Matt Molina
Base:
1 cubed squash
1 yellow onion, sliced
4 carrots, sliced 1 celery stalk, sliced
10 whole garlic cloves, peeled
1 dried arbol chile
pinch dried porcini (optional)
1 ounce olive oil
1 quart chicken broth
2 sprigs parsley
1 sprig thyme
2 ounces prosciutto, in one piece
Salt & Pepper

Sweat squash, onion, prosciutto, carrot, celery, garlic, chile and porcini in olive
oil and salt for about 10 minutes.

Add broth, thyme and parsley. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 30-35 minutes-or until squash & garlic are soft.

Once vegetables are tender, remove herbs, prosciutto and chile, then puree well. Set aside.

Farro:

1 cup farro or barley
1 chopped yellow onion
2 ounces chopped pancetta
1 bunch deveined, washed and coarsely chopped beet greens or chard
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cups water
1 tablespoon salt

Toast farro in a saucepan with olive oil over medium high heat, stirring frequently.

Once the farro begins to smell like popcorn, turn down heat and add the pancetta, onion and salt, rendering the pancetta and sweating the onion, about 5 minutes.

Add water and bring to a boil, then simmer about 20 minutes.

Add the greens and cook for 10 minutes more, stirring occasionally until the farro and greens are tender.

When the farro and greens are tender, combine the two components together, and warm. Garnish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and serve.


Honey-Cured, Smoked Salmon
=======================
Cooking with Fire and Smoke by Phillip Stephen Schulz

Salmon cooked on a smoker does not have the texture of commercial smoked salmon or lox. For one thing, it is moister and less difficult to slice, and is possessed of sweeter flavor for another— both the result of brining the fish in honey and rum. Alderwood does any salmon proud.

1 quart water
1/2 cup salt
¾ cup honey
1/4 cup golden rum
1/4 cup lemon juice
10 cloves
10 peppercorns
10 allspice berries
1 bay leaf
1 large salmon filet, about 1 3/4 pounds
Capers and lemon slices for garnish

1. Combine all the ingredients from the water through the bay leaf in a large glass or ceramic dish deep enough to hold the salmon. Add the salmon, skin side up, to the brine and let stand 2 hours.

2. Rinse the salmon with fresh water and pat dry. Place on a rack and allow to air-dry 1 hour.

3. Preheat a dry smoker. (Charcoal smokers will require about 20 coals.)

4. Add pre-soaked (or dry) wood chips to the heat source. Place the salmon, skin side down, on the highest food grid. Cover and smoker-cook, keeping the temperature between 150 degrees and 170 degrees, until the salmon is firm, about 1-1/2 hours. Serve warm, or well chilled with capers and lemon slices.

Serves 4 to 6.

Pizzoccheri
=========

By MARK BITTMAN
Time: 30 minutes
1 stick butter ( 1/4 pound)
4 fresh sage leaves
1 clove garlic, peeled and smashed
1 medium potato, peeled and thinly sliced
1 small head Savoy cabbage, trimmed and thinly sliced
1/2 pound flat, broad buckwheat noodles (pizzoccheri) or whole wheat noodles
1 cup fontina Val d'Aosta (or other good semisoft) cheese, grated
1 cup Parmesan, grated
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups homemade bread crumbs

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. In a small saucepan over low heat, malt butter with sage and garlic until butter turns nut-brown; be careful not to burn sage leaves. Set aside.

2. Cook potato and cabbage in boiling water until they begin to soften, just 5 minutes or so. Add pasta to same pot and continue to cook until pasta is nearly done. Drain.

3. In a large oven-proof dish, spread a layer of vegetable-pasta combination, then a layer of grated fontina, then a layer of grated Parmesan; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Continue this layering until all ingredients are used, ending with a layer of Parmesan; ideally you will have four layers of each. Cover dish with bread crumbs and drizzle with melted butter and sage (discard garlic). Bake for about 15 minutes, or until top is golden-brown and cheese has melted. Serve hot or warm.

Bollywood Comes to Silverlake!

We love Bollywood and India. Our friend Tim introduced us to Bollywood stars Kashmira Shah and Krushna. Kashmira has been in many Bollywood movies. Krushna is a Bollywood dancer and is a nephew of the Mega Bollywood actor Govinda. He is also a fabulous cook.

Here is a link to a Bollywood movie where they dance together! Great Style!



They volunteered to come to our house and cook an authentic Indian Meal for us. It was a real treat. There are no recipes, lots of onions, chilies and spices. It was delicious. They made great shrimp and chicken. One thing they did which was unusual for us; chopped up at least 7 red onions and cooked them slowly. The onions basically disintegrated and turned into gravy. It was amazing to see.

As we ate we decided to checkout how we reacted to the spice of their cooking. On a 10 point scale, 10 being hot, Tim thought the food was a 9, I thought it was an 8, Cathy thought it was a 7. Krushna and Kashmira laughed. They thought it was a 2!

It was a fun night. During the meal, Kashmira got a text message that she would be acting in a reality Indian TV show where she would be dancing. Krushna will be on a Indian reality TV show doing standup comedy. They were leaving in a few days for Mumbai to begin shooting. We wish them all the best.

Here is a link to some movie clips of us cooking that night.

Veal Pasta

For our first dinner after the New Year we decided to make one of our very favorite pastas. It has a French name: Tendrons de Veau Le Cameleon, but is really like an Italian Pasta with Veal Sauce.

You can use many different cuts of veal, but we use Oso Buco. It is braised on top of the stove. When done, all of the meat falls off of the bone and we scoop out the marrow and add it to the sauce. It is VERY rich and delicious. The recipe is in a wonderful cookbook: Bistro Cooking by Patricia Wells.

For the first course we made a favorite winter salad: Shredded Radicchio with Anchovy Vinaigrette, Bread crumbs, & Sieved Eggfrom The Zuni Café Cookbook. You can find the recipe in our blog of: Jan 31, 2007. Click the date to get the recipe.

TENDRONS DE VEAU LE CAMELEON
=========================

Le Cameleon's Braised Veal with Fresh Pasta
From Bistro Cooking by Patricia Wells

In France, one of the most popular cuts of veal for stewing is tendron, the portion of the breast that contains the cartilaginous rib-like portions that visually resemble pork spare ribs when cooked. For this recipe, you can choose from any number of good cuts of stewing veal, including the breast (known in France as poitrine or tendron), the short ribs (haut de cotes), veal shoulder and shoulder chops (epaule or cotes decouvertes\ and the heel of round or shank (gite a la noix or jarrei). This is one of my favorite bistro dishes (both to prepare and to eat!) and I order it often when I go to the popular Paris bistro Le Cameleon. With it, I usually drink the fruity red Saumur-Champigny from the Loire.

2 tablespoons peanut oil
2 pounds breast of veal with the bone (ask your butcher to cut across the lower breast portion to make several strips of equal width) we use Oso Buco
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup dry white wine
4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into rounds
2 medium onions, cut into rings
4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped (or fresh thyme)
2 imported bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme (or fresh)
1 large can Italian plum tomatoes, with their liquid
1 pound fresh fettuccine Small handful flat-leaf parsley, finely

1. Heat the oil in a nonreactive, deep-sided, 12-inch (30 cm) skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, begin to brown the veal in batches on both sides; do not crowd the pan. Be patient when browning; good browning is essential for the veal to retain all of its flavor. The meat should take about 5 minutes to brown each batch. Carefully regulate the heat to avoid scorching the meat. As each batch is browned, remove the veal to a platter and season gen¬erously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

2. When all of the veal is browned, pour out the fat from the skillet. Return all of the meat to the pan. Add the wine, carrots, onions, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, and tomatoes. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer until the meat is very tender and the liquid is transformed into a thick, delicious sauce, about ll/2 hours. Keep an eye on the pan, mak¬ing sure the liquid remains at a quiet, gentle simmer.

3. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Salt the water, add the pasta, and cook just until tender. Drain. Place the pasta on a large, warmed serving platter.


4. Using a flat metal strainer, remove the veal from the pan; place on top of the pasta. Strain the sauce through a sieve. Pour the sauce over the veal. Sprinkle on the parsley. Serve immediately, on warmed dinner plates.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

New Years Eve 2009

We staggered down the street from house to house with our progressive dinner!
We missed Bea Landen but enjoyed her wine.

Winter Nights Dinner

 

 

 

Roger joined us for dinner. The winter weather in Los Angeles was still cold and intermittently rainy.

Gerry and Nancie had sent us apples and pears and we used them in a great new salad from Sunday Supper at Lucques. Somehow we had missed this recipe in the cookbook. It is called: Barbara's apples and asian pears with radicchio, mint, and buttermilk dressing. The title essentially tells the recipe. We added candied walnuts and raisins to make it very much like a Waldorf Salad. It was delicious, fresh and crisp. This salad is a keeper!

For the main course we had one of our favorite pastas: Pasta with Lentil and Prosciutto Sauce from: Cucina Simpatica by Johanne Killeen and George Germon. I needed a small chunk of Prosciutto and when I asked to buy it The Cheese Store of Silverlake, Chris gave me a prosciutto bone with lots of meat left on it. We cut off what we needed for this pasta, This was the second use of the prosciutto he gave us, we had previously used some in the meatloaf we made last week. We still have some left, and plan to make a soup out of it.
The pasta is great. One thing I really like is that it is topped with chopped red onion rather than cheese.



Pasta with Lentil and Prosciutto Sauce
==================================


From: Cucina Simpatica – Johanne Killeen and George Germon

Ask your butcher for an end piece of prosciutto. Usually these pieces are less expensive, and they are fine for this sauce.

4 tablespoons olive oil
1 stalk celery, diced
1 carrot, scraped and chopped
1 large onion (4 to 5 ounces), peeled and diced
1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
One 3-ounce piece prosciutto or pancetta, chopped (1/2 cup packed)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
8 ounces (1 heaping cup) lentils ^
1 red onion
11/2 pounds imported spaghettini or linguine fini
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut up

1. Heat the olive oil in a small heavy stockpot and add the celery, carrot, diced onion, garlic, jalapeno, red pepper, prosciutto, and salt. Gently saute, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft and aromatic, 15 to 20 minutes.

2. Add the lentils and 5 cups of water, bring to a boil, and simmer until the lentils are soft but not mushy and falling apart, 18 to 22 minutes. The sauce may be completed to this point and chilled in the refrigerator until ready to use.

3. If you have refrigerated the sauce, heat it slowly over a low flame. Bring 5 quarts of salted water to a boil in another large pot, and chop the red onion for garnish.

4. When the lentil sauce is hot, drop the pasta in the water and boil until it is still quite firm, 4 to 5 minutes.

5. Drain the spaghettini in a colander, then add it to the sauce with the butter. Toss the pasta in the sauce for 1 to 2 minutes until al dente. Serve very hot, topped with the chopped red onion.

SERVES 6 AS A MAIN COURSE


Barbara's apples and asian pears with radicchio, mint, and buttermilk dressing
=======================================================

1 xtra-large egg yolk
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
2 tablespoons finely diced shallot
1 to 2 lemons, for juicing
1/4 cup creme fraiche
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 apples, firm, crisp, and juicy
2 Asian pears
2 heads radicchio
2 tablespoons sliced mint
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper


When I was growing up, apples seemed so bland and boring—1 could never get excited about a mushy Red Delicious the way I could a summer peach. But today, thanks to small farmers around the country like Barbara and Bill Spencer of Windrose Farms, we have a lot more choices where apples are concerned, and a lot more to get excited about.

Determined to revive the disappearing heirlooms, the Spencers painstakingly planted more than forty varieties of apple trees on their farm in Paso Robles, Cali¬fornia. It took 6 years for the trees to produce, and that glorious fall, when Barbara turned up at the back door of Lucques with boxes and boxes of their impressive crop, I was blown away. The apples looked dazzlingly beautiful and tasted even better. From russeted emerald greens to mottled pinks to deep burgundy-blacks, we sampled our way through them all, picking our favorites and taking note of which were better raw and which were better cooked. Some of our favorites for eat¬ing out of hand were Braeburn, Arkansas Black, and Gernes Red Acre. Crisp, sweet, and tart, these revelatory fruits were the inspiration for this fall salad.

And if it's not enough that they're growing all these beautiful heirloom apples, Barbara and Bill also grow some of the best Asian pears I've ever tasted. Juicy and delicately perfumed, they're a fun surprise, sliced and tossed with the apples, buttermilk, mint, and radicchio in this thirst-quenching salad.

Place the egg yolk in a stainless steel bowl. Begin whisking in the grapeseed oil drop bv drop, as slowly as you can bear. Continue in this manner until the mixture begins to thicken. Once the mayonnaise has emulsified, you can add the rest of the oil in a slow steady stream, whisking all the time.

Combine the shallot, i tablespoon lemon juice, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a small bowl, and let sit 5 minutes. Whisk in the creme fraiche and buttermilk. Gently whisk this mixture into the mayonnaise, and taste for balance and sea¬soning.

Slice the apples and Asian pears away from the core. Cut into 1/8-inch thick slices and place them in a large salad bowl. Tear the radicchio into large bite-sized pieces and add to the bowl. Toss the salad with three-quarters of the dressing, and season with salt and pepper. Add a squeeze of lemon and a little more of the dressing if necessary.

Transfer to a large chilled platter and scatter the mint and parsley over the top.

Rainy Winter Meal

 

 

Los Angeles had turned cold and rainy. We decided it was time for a warm winter dinner. One of the best things I can think of on a cold rainy night is French Onion Soup bubbling with melted cheese and a glass of Red Wine. So French Onion Soup it was!

Made the same recipe we always make, Onion Soup from Julia Childs first book: Mastering the Art of French Cooking. It is the best! It is really quite easy, and always works out. The trick is to cook the THINLY sliced onions slowly to bring out their flavor.

For the entre we made a fabulous provencal meat loaf and mashed potatoes. The recipe can be found in Mediterranean Grains and Greens by Paula Wolfert. The meatloaf is entirely made from pork and sausage with lots of greens. It is almost like a pate in texture. It is delicious. What better to go with meatloaf then mashed potatoes?

This was a perfect cold rainy night dinner!

Onion Soup
========

1 ½ lbs or about 5 cups of thinly sliced yellow onions
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoons oil
1 heavy bottomed, 4 quart covered saucepan

1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon sugar (helps the onions to brown)

3 tablespoons flour

2 quarts boiling brown stock, canned beef bullion

½ cup dry white wine or vermouth
Salt and pepper to taste

3 tablespoons cognac

Rounds of slice French Bread

Gruyere cheese

Cook the sliced onions slowly with the butter and oil in the covered saucepan for 15 minutes.

Uncover, raise the heat to moderate and stir in the salt and sugar. Cook for 30 to 40 minutes stirring frequently, until the onions have turned an even, deep, golden brown.

Off the heat, blend in the boiling liquid. Add the wine, and season for taste. Simmer partly covered for 30 to 40 minutes or more, skimming occasionally. Correct the seasoning.


Set aside uncovered until ready to serve. Then reheat to the simmer.

Just before serving add 3 tablespoons cognac.

Pour the hot soup in oven proof soup bowls. Add the soup not quite to the top. Put a slice of toasted French bread on top. Generously cover with guyere cheese. Bake in 325 degree oven till the cheese is brown and melted.

provencal "meat loaf" with cabbage, artichokes, chard, spinach, and ground pork (France)
==========

Serves 8
1 chopped onion
1 leeks, trimmed and chopped
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 artichoke bottoms, blanched for 10 minutes, then thinly slliced
3/4 pound ground pork
2 bunches Swiss chard leaves, cooked and chopped
1 bunch stemmed spinach, cooked and chopped
2 ounces pork sausage, skinned and shredded
2 ounces cured ham such as prosciutto, shredded
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1 tablespoon crushed garlic
3 cups stale crustless bread, torn into small pieces
1 medium green or savoy cabbage (2 1/2 pounds)
¼ cup bread crumbs

This delicious Provencal "meat loaf will easily feed eight. I like to prepare it for four, serving it warm along with pickles, salad, and mashed pota¬toes, then prepare the leftovers the following day by slicing it, dusting the slices with flour, and fry¬ing them in extra-virgin olive oil until brown and crunchy on all sides

One day in advance of serving, fry the onion and leeks in the olive oil in a small skillet until softened. Cool, then mix with the artichoke bottoms, pork, greens, pork sausage, ham, salt, pepper, parsley, spices, garlic, and dried bread in a bowl; blend well. Cover and refrigerate overnight to allow flavors to develop.

The following day, preheat the oven to 350degrees.

Discard outer leaves of the cabbage. Wash the cabbage, discard inner core, and cook in boiling salted water for 30 minutes. Drain cabbage well.

Line a 6- to 8-cup oiled gratin dish with half the cabbage leaves, overlapping. Place the filling in the center, flatten slightly, and cover with the remaining leaves to completely enclose. If the cabbage and its filling rise above the sides of the dish, gently pat down to make them more compact. Brush the top with oil and sprinkle with bread crumbs.

Fill a roasting pan with water and set it in oven. Place the dish in the center and bake for 1 hour. Remove the water bath and finish baking until brown and crusty, 1 hour more

First Dinner Back from India

For the first dinner we cooked we had some unusual requirements. First of all it had to have beef! Secondly cheese! Thirdly Pasta! Fourthly fresh salad! Lastly we wanted lots of leftovers. All things we didn’t have a lot of in India!

We had a brand new cookbook: A Platter of Figs and Other Recipes by David Tanis. We decided to make Orecchiette al Forno. One of the fun things about making it is the recipe calls for you to make your own fennel sausage. It is very easy to make. We doubled the recipe and made a lot! It was very good and lasted for several days. We didn’t get tired of it.

We started with a fresh salad made with blue cheese and candied walnuts that we had purchased from the Cheese Store of Silverlake. To the salad we added fresh pear slices from the pears that Gerry and Nancie had sent to us. Delicious!

It was good to cook again. We did miss Bea who often joins us. She is in the hospital with a broken foot.


Orecchiette al Forno
==============
If you choose a sturdy dried pasta type like orecchiette (little ears), you can cook pasta ahead without compromising quality. For a vegetarian version of this baked pasta, omit the sausage and add crushed fennel seeds to the greens. Other greens can be easily substituted for the rapini, if you like.

2 pounds orecchiette
2 teaspoons finely chopped rosemary
Olive oil
Red pepper flakes
2 pounds rapini (broccoli rabe), washed
Salt
1 pound Fennel Sausage (recipe follows)
1/2 pound fresh ricotta
Butter
4 garlic cloves, chopped
Grated pecorino

Have two pots of well-salted water boiling briskly. Cook 1 pound of pasta in each pot until extremely al dente, about 9 minutes. Lift the pasta from the water and spread on baking sheets to cool; drizzle lightly with olive oil to keep it from sticking together.
Using the boiling water, blanch the greens for 1 minute or so. Drain in a col¬ander. When they are cool, roughly chop the greens and set aside.

In a large skillet, lightly brown the sausage meat, breaking it up with a •wooden spoon as it cooks so it crumbles into small pieces. Remove the browned sausage from the pan.

Pour off any fat from the pan and return the pan to the stove. Add 2 table¬spoons olive oil and heat over medium heat. Warm the garlic in the oil, but don't let it brown. Add the chopped greens, rosemary, and a little red pepper. Lightly salt the greens, stir them around the pan, and turn off the heat.
To assemble the dish, put the cooked pasta, cooked greens, and cooked sausage in a large bowl and mix gently. Add the ricotta and mix again.
Butter two shallow earthenware gratin dishes. Put half the pasta mixture in each dish. Sprinkle lightly with grated pecorino. Cover and keep at room tempera¬ture for up to several hours.

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Shortly before serving time, bake the pasta for 15 minutes. Uncover and bake for 5 minutes more.
Serve the pasta in warmed soup plates. Pass grated pecorino at the table.

fennel sausage
==========
Much commercially made sausage is of dubious origin, filled with preservatives and odd synthetic seasonings. It's very easy to make fennel sausage at home. This recipe yields double the amount of sausage needed for the orecchiette. Of course you could halve it, but I suggest you make the whole recipe—just wrap the remainder well and freeze.

2 pounds ground pork shoulder,not too lean
2 teaspoons crushed fennel seed
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons salt
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

Working quickly, to keep the meat quite cold, mix all the ingredients well. Refrigerate immediately and use within 2 days, or freeze in small packages for later use.

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!