Guest Chef

Ferris was staying with us. She was in town to achieve a life time achievement award from Women Caucus For The Arts.

We decided to cook a dinner with her assistance. Darryl and Robert were invited guests.

We started with Peanut Marsala. When we were in India, we repeatedly had this dish with cocktails. It is hot peanuts mixed with spices and tomatoes. There are many recipes for this in cookbooks and on the web. We have tried twice, and I feel that both attempts were not successful. I guess this is one of those dishes that you have to go to India to enjoy. It sure was great over there or perhaps we were just so happy to have a drink we didn’t truly experience the dish. No matter, I doubt if we will make it again.

The next course was a success, as it always is. Dynamite Crab is fabulous and not difficult, try it! You can read all about this delicious appetizer on our blog of Sep. 5, 2010. Click the date to get the recipe.

For the main course we served: Roasted Monkfish with Chutney Pressed Rice (Peixe Cafreal) from Fish Indian Style by Atul Kochhar. Courtney and Ferris had gifted us with this book and we wanted to cook from it. 

Darryl and Robert made a wonderful, extremely rich and moist Chocolate Cake and also brought us homemade Ice Cream. It was quite a treat! It is a shame that I feel restrained in asking them to make it again for us. It was that excellent.

Roasted Monkfish with Chutney Pressed Rice

PEIXE CAFREAL

Fish Indian Style

Atul Kochhar

Cafreal, a spicy chicken dish, was brought to India from Africa by the Portuguese. It has been part of the Goan cooking repertoire for more than 450 years now and works very well with meaty fish such as monkfish I have combined this recipe with poha a Hindu pressed rice dish. Pressed rice flakes are made by parboiling the rice and then pressing the grains flat with a mechanical press, or by pounding and sun-drying them. They are widely available in Asian supermarkets, or you can order them online through www.spicesofindia.co.uk.

Alternative fish: swordfish, turbot, halibut

SERVES 4

4 x 150g pieces of thick monkfish tail aged balsamic vinegar, for drizzling

sea salt

amaranth cress, to garnish (optional)

For the cafreal masala

1 tablespoon coriander seeds

1  teaspoon cumin seeds

3 cloves

4 green cardamom pods

6-7 black peppercorns

2,5cm piece of cinnamon stick

a small blade of mace

1 star anise

1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger

3-4 garlic cloves

2 Dutch green chillies

a small bunch of coriander leaves

3 tablespoons white wine vinegar

4 tablespoons vegetable oil

For the poha

150g poha rice (pressed rice flakes)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

] teaspoon mustard seeds

5-6 curry leaves

1 green chilli, slit open lengthwise

1 onion, finely chopped

1 potato, boiled until tender, then

peeled and diced

4 tablespoons peanuts, skinned

½ teaspoon ground turmeric

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 tablespoon finely chopped coriander leaves

2-3 tablespoons Spicy Tomato Chutney

sea salt

For the cafreal masala, toast the coriander, cumin, cloves, cardamom, peppercorns, cinnamon, mace and star anise in a dry frying pan until aromatic, then put them in a blender or food processor with the remaining masala ingredients. Blend to a paste and season with salt, Apply this paste liberally to the monkfish and leave in the fridge for 1 hour.

Put the fish on a lightly greased baking tray, place in an oven preheated to 220°C/Gas Mark 7 and cook for 7-9 minutes, until just done. Remove from the oven and leave to rest for 2-3 minutes.

For the poha, wash the pressed rice in cold running water, then leave to soak in a bowl of water. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a saucepan, add the mustard seeds, curry leaves and green chilli and saute until the seeds start to pop. Immediately add the onion and saute until translucent. Add the diced potato, peanuts and turmeric and saute for 2-3 minutes. Drain the rice and stir it into the pan. Cook over a medium heat for 3-4 minutes, then remove from the heat and add the lime juice, chopped coriander and some salt. Stir in the tomato chutney to bring all the ingredients together.

To serve, place the poha mixture slightly off centre on each plate. Slice the monkfish and lean it on the poha, then drizzle with balsamic vinegar. Garnish with the amaranth cress, if using.

Zuni Again, Yea!

One of our favorite dinners is a Caesar Salad followed by Pasta All 'Amatriciana. This is a perfect meal! We use the recipes from The Zuni Cookbook. You can get both recipes from our blog of: Nov. 21, 2007. Click the date to get the recipes.

Pork and Polenta

Easy delicious, makes great leftovers. Everything you could want! We love the recipe for Pork Braised in Milk. Polenta (not the cat) is the perfect accompaniment. However, Polenta (the cat) loves it! We have made this recipe many times and love it! It is a winner!

You can find the recipe for the pork braised in Milk in our blog of: Oct. 17, 2011. Click the date to get the recipe. Be sure to order Polenta from Ansom Mills. It is the BEST!

Pasta All'Amatriciana

We love this classic Pasta All'Amatriciana. Bacon is the main ingredient. Use a good bacon! We like Neuske's Bacon. It is  available at our local grocery. For the recipe we use the one from The Zuni Cafe Cookbook. You can find the recipe on our blog of: Nov. 21, 2007. Click the date to get the recipe. It requires a good Pecorino Cheese. We get ours, of course, at The Cheese Store of Silverlake. This is a favorite of mine and because it used canned tomatoes you can make it year around!

Robert Surprise Dish

Welcome Michael and Tamara

Michael and Tamara were visiting us from Minneapolis and we decided to have a dinner for them. Robert and Darryl joined us.

We started with Mini-Potato Pancakes topped with smoked Salmon and Caviar and Crème Fresh. This is an easy appetizer made even easier by using frozen potato pancakes! We used Linda’s Gourmet Latkes. We purchased them at Whole Food. Not as good as homemade, but a whole lot cleaner, with no splattered fat from the frying.

For the main course we started with Butternut Squash And Tomato Soup from The Foods of Morocco by Paula Wolfert. This is an incredible soup. Everyone swoons over it. It has the flavor of butternut squash but is kicked up to an entirely different level by the addition of the Harissa Spice mixture that we bought at McCall’s Meat and Fish. You just keep adding the Harissa until you reach the level of heat that you like. You can find the recipe for the soup in our blog of Nov. 5, 2011. Click the date to get the recipe.

For the main course we served: Lamb Steamed With Preserved Lemon And Cumin from Moro The Cookbook by Sam & Sam Clark. This is one of our all time great Moroccan recipes from a favorite restaurant in London. You can get the recipe from our blog of: Feb. 10, 2010. Click the date to get the recipe. We served it with couscous. The lamb was perfect. This is one of those slow roasted dishes. We simply put the meat in a clay pot with the spices and put the dish in the oven for over 7 hours. The meat was succulent, falling off of the bone.

For dessert we served our annual dessert: Mary Ann’s Fruitcake from: Craig Claiborne’s The New York Times Cookbook. This cake is great. Everyone loves it. We usually make it the first week of December then and start to eat it around Christmas. It keeps well, is great toasted and also freezes. I also like making it, because I work the dough with my hands and it is like playing with putty. This is a winner! You can find the very easy recipe in our blog of: Jan. 1, 2011.

Click the date to get the recipe.

Veal Pasta

Patrica Wells is one of those cookbook authors you always go back to. She has never had a restaurant and isn’t a professional chef, but her recipes are wonderful. We decided to make: tendons de veau le chameleon. This very fancy named dish, is a veal pasta dish that is incredibly rich. We use the bone marrow to make it even richer and then to take it over the top in depth we add veal glace that you can buy at McCall’s Meat and Fish. It is frozen and you just take out a few pieces to add to a sauce. The veal of course we bought at McCalls’s.

We made a first course of a great salad from the Zuni Cafe Cookbook: Radicchio with Croutons, Hardboiled Eggs and Anchovy Vinaigrette. It is an excellent salad and easy to make. The recipe is can be found on 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 gen­erously 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, mak­ing 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

What in the Hell is Poha?

This is Poha!

We have never eaten, made or even viewed Poha. But we decided to make it! It is always tricky to make something that you have no experience with, but the ingredients looked interesting. Poha is often served in India as a breakfast dish. It is shaved rice. The recipe from American Masala by Suvir Saran turned out delicious and it makes a great appetizer. We will make it again! Some times the risk of trying the new works. This time we won!

shrimp poha paella

American Masala

Suvir Saran

SERVES 8

2 pounds large or extra-large shrimp, peeled and deveined

Juice of 1/2 lemon plus 1/2 lemon, cut into wedges

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt

1-1/2 teaspoons turmeric

¼ teaspoon ground peppercorns

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

24 curry leaves, roughly torn (optional)

1 tablespoon mustard seeds

1-1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds

1 large red onion, quartered and thinly sliced crosswise

1-1/2 cups frozen peas

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

4 cups poha, rinsed in cold water and drained

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Lemon wedges, for serving

Place the shrimp in a large bowl and mix them with the lemon juice, 1 teaspoon of salt, 3/4 teaspoon of the turmeric, and the ground peppercorns; set aside.

Melt the butter with the curry teave (if using), mustard seeds, and cumin seeds in a large pot or wok over medium-high heat, strring often, until the cumin begins to darken, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the onion, the remaining 3/4 teaspoon turmeric, and remaining tablespoon of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add the frozen peas and cook for 2 minutes, then add the shrimp and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Stir in the cayenne pepper and poha and cook for 1-1/2 minutes. Drizzle the water around the edges of the pot, reduce the heat to medium-tow, cover, and cook for 7 minutes. Remove the cover and fluff. Taste for seasoning and sprinkle with the chopped cilantro.

Serve with lemon wedges.

POHA RICE PASTA is the Indian version of instant Uncle Ben's. Made by pressing grains of rice flat, it is a wonder starch that cooks quickly, like couscous, but has a beautiful fluffy lightness that is incomparable to any other starch. I grew up eating With poha in your cupboard and shrimp in your freezer, you can make this meal in 20 minutes. 

Cooking with Konbu

A winter night, Glazed Short Ribs, what could be better? We purchased some beautiful short ribs at McCall’s Meat and Fish. We found a really interesting recipe for the ribs in Home-Cooking with Jean-Georges. What made this recipe especially interesting is that it called for using Konbu. Konbu can be found in a Japanese grocery. It is a kind of seaweed and adds a layer of taste. The result was a great sauce and wonderful tasting meat.

With the ribs we served another Jean-Georges recipe: honey-glazed parsnips. These were wonderful. I loved the combination of lime and honey. The flavors played off each other. We don’t often make parsnips, but this is a good recipe.

glazed short ribs

Home-Cooking with Jean-Georges

I love meaty short ribs, but i don't want the fuss of browning the ribs before braising them at home. To get that same rich, caramelized flavor, I simply cook the beef with konbu. Notable for its umami, this one ingredient can deliver the same depth of flavor that comes from searing meat, I do labor over these ribs, though; at the end, I keep glazing them until they shine. Serve with Honey-Glazed Parsnips for an inspired combination.

Serves 5

3         cups dry red wine

7-1/2         pounds bone-in short ribs, separated into whole ribs Kosher salt 2 whole heads garlic, cut in half through their equators

5         large fresh shiitake mushroom caps, halved

2         carrots, peeled and chopped 2 medium yellow onions, peeled and quartered

1         small celery stalk, chopped

4-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced

1         whole allspice berries, lightly crushed

1         cinnamon stick

1         (6 x 5-inch) sheet konbu

½         small bunch fresh thyme

10-1/2         cups chicken stock,preferably homemade

6         tablespoons red wine vinegar

Preheat

Preheat the oven to 325°F

Bring the wine to a boil in a large saucepan over high heat. Boil rapidly until reduced to 1/2 cup.

Generously season the ribs on all sides with salt. Let stand for 10 minutes.

Transfer the ribs to a large roasting pan, bone side up. Scatter the garlic, shiitakes, carrots, onions, celery, ginger, allspice, cinnamon, konbu, and thyme on top of the ribs. Add the stock, vinegar, and reduced red wine. Cover the pan tightly with foil, crimping the edges around the rim of the pan. Transfer to the oven and braise until completely fork-tender, 3-1/2 to 4 hours.

Remove the ribs from the oven and carefully remove the foil. Raise the oven temperature to 375°F.

When cool enough to handle, carefully transfer the ribs to a dish. Remove and discard the bones and any bits of vegetables or herbs clinging to the meat. Set a fine-mesh sieve over a large measuring cup. Carefully pour all the liquid from the pan through the sieve; discard the sol­ids. Let stand for a few minutes, then spoon the fat from the juices, discarding the fat, or use a fat separator. Pour the juices back into the roasting pan.

Return the ribs to the pan in a single layer and straddle the pan between 2 burners. Bring the liquid to a boil, then transfer the pan to the oven. Cook, basting frequently, until the ribs are glazed with a shiny coat, 5 to 10 minutes. The glaze should be saucy and cling to the ribs, but not sticky. And you should have at least 2 cups of it remaining for the serving.

Serve the short ribs topped with the glaze.

honey-glazed parsnips

Home Cooking with Jean-Georges

to bring out the best in this snowy white root vegetable, I simmer it in honey and citrus. A little heat balances the luscious sweetness.

Serves 4

2            pounds parsnips, trimmed, peeled, and cut into 5 x 1-inch batons

2            cups fresh orange juice

½            cup fresh lime juice

½            tablespoons honey

10            tablespoons unsalted butter

Grated zest of 2 limes

½            fresh red Thai chile, thinly sliced

Kosher salt

In a large saute pan, combine the parsnips, orange juice, 1 cup water, the lime juice, honey, butter, lime zest, and chile. Season with salt, cover, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Simmer over low heat for 20 minutes. Uncover and simmer, gently stirring occasionally, until the parsnips are very tender and glazed, about 15 minutes longer.

Braised Pork Ribs with Polenta

We had a great winter meal. I decided to bake a Bread, using the very easy New York Times recipe. I have made it many times and it is impossible to screw it up! The next time, however, I will try enhancing it turning it into a multi-grain bread. I really like the La Brea Bakery multi-grain and I am going to try to replicate it. The New York Times recipe can be found in our blog of: Dec. 11, 2010. Click the date to get the recipe.

I hate to be definitive, however, if you like Polenta and we do, especially in winter, the Rustic Coarse Polenta Integral (Yellow)  available via the internet from Anson Mills is without a doubt the best we have ever had. It is very course and tasty. We served sautéed mushrooms over the polenta. We use the recipe from the Zuni Café Cookbook. You can get the recipe from our blog of: Feb. 22, 2010. Click the date to get the recipe. For the main course we served Braised Pork Ribs with Polenta, from The Splendid Table by Lynne Rosetto Kasper This is my kind of dish. I love anything with Olives and Pork. It reheats really well. Delish!

Puntine di Maiale con Polenta

The Splendid Table

Lynne Rosetto Kasper

Braised Pork Ribs with Polenta

Puntine di Maiale con Polenta

The Splendid Table

Lynne Rosetto Kasper

Mounding tender chunks of pork ribs over steaming polenta is a winter specialty from Ferrara. Tomato, olives, and basil add especially rich flavors to the meaty ribs. A thick beef chuck blade roast can be substituted with great success. With either mvat, this dish evokes snug evenings in Ferrara farmhouses, when everyone gathers around the big kitchen table for hours of good talk and good food. Serve this on the first really cold night of winter, if possible in front of an open fire.

The Ferrarese claim that their pleasure in polenta comes from their proximity to the cornmeal-loving Veneto region. Just across the Po River, the Veneto is a long stone's throw from downtown Ferrara. Polenta with braisings like this one, often made with salt cod instead of pork, are eaten all across the Veneto plain.

Serves 6 to 8

5            pounds lean country-style pork spareribs (cut from blade of pork loin) or beef chuck blade pot roast

3            tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1            large onion, minced

4            tablespoons minced Italian parsley

2            large California bay laurel leaves

1            large clove garlic

1/8         teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1            cup dry red wine

2            14- to 16-ounce cans tomatoes, with their liquid

½            cup small Ligurian or Nicoise black olives, pitted

3            tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves or 1-1/2 teaspoons dried basil

Generous pinch of ground cloves

Generous pinch of ground cinnamon

Generous pinch of ground allspice

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Creamy Polenta

Method            Working Ahead: The pork or beef can be cooked 1 day ahead; cover and refrigerate overnight. Gently reheat before serving. A little water or broth may be needed to moisten the meat.

Browning the Meat: Trim excess fat from the meat. If pork is in one piece, separate into pieces by cutting between the ribs. If you are using the beef roast, cut it into pieces about 1-1/2 inches long and 1 inch thick. Heat the oil in a 12-inch saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the meat in a single layer. Take about 20 minutes to brown it slowly, until dark brown and crusty on all sides. Remove the meat to a platter.

Braising: Keep the heat at medium as you stir in the onion and parsley. Cook 10 minutes, or until golden brown, taking care not to burn the brown glaze in the bottom of the pan. Stir frequently. Stir in the garlic, bay leaves, and spices. Return the meat to the pan, turning to coat it with the vegetables and seasonings. Pour in the wine, adjusting the heat so it bubbles slowly. As the wine cooks down over 10 to 15 minutes, use a wooden spatula to scrape up the brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Break up the tomatoes as you add them to the pan. Stir in the olives, and bring the mixture to a very slow bubble over low heat. Cover tightly and cook over low heat 1 hour. Add the basil, cover, and cook at a gentle bubble another 30 minutes, or until the meat is tender. Season with salt and pepper. Skim any fat from the surface of the sauce before serving.

Serving: Spoon over the hot polenta on a heated serving platter. Serve at once. ions Wine: This dish takes to a quaffing wine—generous in fruit, soft, and easy to drink. In Emilia-Romagna it would be a Barbera dei Colli Bolognesi di Monte San Pietro, or a Sangiovese di Romagna Riserva. From other parts of Italy drink a fruity Piemontese Gattinara, a Merlot from the Veneto, or a Salice Salentino Rosso of Apulia.