After hearing about Longrain from nearly everyone I saw in Sydney, how great Longrain is for cocktails and how long you have to wait for a table at Longrain and how the best Asian fusion is at Longrain, I had to try it. Restaurants are so modern in Sydney! Low, super long, family-style tables stretched from the front to the way back of the space. High ceilings with one low table and one high table made the space feel vast and echoing. At first, I thought the reason tables at Longrain were so sought after was because there were barely any seats, but there were actually tons of people just sitting at these two giant tables.
Everything I ate in Sydney was some variation of pan-Asian or Asian Fusion. It became rather hilarious in a really delicious way. Longrain appeared to be heavily Thai but with such a modern twist it could only be described by everyone I asked as, wait for it, Asian fusion. One of the first dishes to arrive appeared to be somewhat famous with its egg net wrapped around pork and shrimp. It was pretty interesting although no one wanted to touch it and break it apart! I tried posting a video of how they make it, pretty cool.
We ordered way too much food, as you always do at family-style restaurants I think. Red curry beef, green curry Kingfish, basted crispy duck, salmon and lemon trout. Betel leaves topped with shrimp, roe and smoked trout. My favorite was the salmon with fennel and giant pearls of roe. Just for fun, even though we barely made our way halfway through the meal, we ordered the dessert platter. It was a smorgasbord of gooey treats like sticky rice, pudding, tapioca, custard, jellies, and caramel. Dinner was so enjoyable, the ambiance was lovely and the food was impressive. My client said the last time she was there, Gordon Ramsey was eating in the private dining room! I don't blame him, it's one of the first places I'd love to return on my next trip.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Harry's Cafe de Wheels
When your choices are meat pie lathered in mashed potatoes or hot dogs covered in chili, it's less the kind of place you stumble upon and more the kind you seek out. Even if it's a shack by the water in front of your hotel...Enter the Tiger. Meat pie, pastry crust, mashed potatoes, mushy peas and graaaaaaaavy.
Spice Temple
Getting out of the cab on the corner Spice Temple is supposed to be on, we spun around a few times looking for a door before noticing a giant digital panel with animation of an exotic curtain rippling in the "wind." Of course this turned out to be the door, which was an appropriate introduction to the place. Winding stairs led down into an underground lair of lush velvet curtains, modern low tables and orchids galore. Our private room had low lights around a square table, as modern as you can get, Sydney signature.We were celebrating the wrap of another long shoot so our producer who was familiar with the trendy spot handled the ordering. I started off with a Dragon: Tanqueray gin with lemon, lime and ginger. Each dish was spicier than the last, like a gimmick without escape, not that you would want to. Calamari steaks with a dry rub were hot enough without the chili paste we dipped them in. Crispy eggplant and chicken was so overrun with chilies that when I accidentally bit down on a small one, an antiseptic numbness inside my entire mouth ensued for minutes. Dragon was the only cure!
The impressive dish was the Leather Jacket, a white fish that arrived in a bowl of broth with 3 inches of chopped, roasted peppers and a pepper expert waiter. He described the mix of pepper types while he allowed them to steep in the broth. One had notes of citrus, you know, once you got past the ear-popping fire explosion on your tongue. Another was known for the antiseptic I discovered previously and yet another was supposedly smoky. As he scooped out one after another heaping basket of peppers, about a 10 ounce fillet of fish was hiding in the broth beneath. I couldn't believe the flavor. By the time we got to the Leather Jacket, so many spicy dishes (and so much Dragon) had been sampled that I felt like I had worked up to it. I could handle more and more spice, so I could actually taste the delicate citrus and smoky flavor right before my tongue became completely numb.
Dinner at Spice Temple was more like an adventure or a trip somewhere exotic where you can't wait to try the local specialty than any other fusion restaurant I've been to. I would highly recommend a group experience here so you can try as many plates as possible.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Busshari Japanese
I'm about to head back to Sydney so I was thinking about my favorite spots from when I was visiting in January. I was fortunate to be wined and DINED a few months back: China Doll, The Malay, Pony, Toko, Speedos, Busshari and Bambino.I still think about how amazing Busshari was. I've come to a point where I'm not impressed with sushi (what's wrong with me?!) but seriously, there's only so much you can say about a California roll. Busshari got me excited about sushi again. Lea and I watched a nearby table being served what looked like a halibut where chunks of meat were cut out, fried, and plopped back on the plate in what might not sound like a lovely presentation but really was.
7x7's 2010 Big Eat 100
This year, 7x7 offered a prize to the first person to make their way through the 2010 100. And you know, for like, a good 10 minutes, I thought it could be me. I pictured a cover story where I got to tell San Franciscans what my favorite little gems were in the city; green salsa at Tacolicious, smoked salmon at Boulette's Larder, coconut chutney at Udupi Palace...and then I snapped out of it and I think that was right about when the winner was crowned. No joke, it took less than 3 weeks for some guy with a family who dragged his wife and kids to Michael Mina and Quince. Can he be my dad?
Anyway. This year's list reveals even more uncharted territory within SF's 49 square miles. I don't know how anyone has enough time to explore all these spots, let alone how the magazine decides which dishes make the list—all I can picture (in my happy food-driven imagination) is a team sitting around reminiscing and salivating over their exploits. I want that job.
Ok, so now that I've established my envy of the list's creators and conquerors, here is the list:
Anyway. This year's list reveals even more uncharted territory within SF's 49 square miles. I don't know how anyone has enough time to explore all these spots, let alone how the magazine decides which dishes make the list—all I can picture (in my happy food-driven imagination) is a team sitting around reminiscing and salivating over their exploits. I want that job.
Ok, so now that I've established my envy of the list's creators and conquerors, here is the list:
The 2010 Big Eat List
1. Roast chicken and bread salad at Zuni
2. Coffee-rubbed pork shoulder at Range
3. Carnitas taco at La Taqueria
4. Fried chicken and waffles at Little Skillet
5. Chasu ramen at Katana-Ya
6. Basil gimlet at Rye
7. Crab with cellophane noodles at the Slanted Door
8. Morning bun at Tartine Bakery
9. Tofu soup with kimchi at My Tofu House
10. Nick’s Baja-style fish tacos at The Taco Shop at Underdogs
11. Pork sugo with pappardelle at Delfina
12. Porchetta sandwich at RoliRoti
13. Soup dumplings at Shanghai Dumpling King
14. Beef brisket sandwich at Il Cane Rosso
15. Any seasonal flavor at Scream Sorbet
16. Katsu curry from Muracci’s Japanese Curry & Grill
17. Samusa soup at Burma Superstar
18. Oysters on the half shell at Swan Oyster Depot
19. Lobster pot pie at Michael Mina
20. Salumi misti plate at Perbacco
21. Pizza margherita at Pizzeria Delfina
22. Vietnamese roasted pork sandwich at Saigon Sandwich
23. Beer sausage with sauerkraut and grilled onions at Rosamunde Sausage Grill
(Bonus: Bring it Toronado next door and grab a beer to go with it.)
24. Blue Bell Bitter from the cask at Magnolia Pub
25. Loaf of bread straight out of the oven at Tartine
26. A bottle of Burgundy at RN74
27. Papaya salad with salty crab at Sai Jai Thai
28. A Gibraltar at Blue Bottle Café
29. Tuna tartare and a gin martini at Bix
30. Burger at Fish & Farm
31. Tuna Tostada at Tacolicious
32. Pupusas at Balompie Café
33. Prime rib at House of Prime Rib
34. Way too much cold sake at Oyaji
35. Salted-caramel ice cream at Bi-Rite Creamery
36. Dry-fried chicken wings at San Tung
37. Rotisserie chicken at Limón Rotisserie
38. Burger and fries at the bar at Spruce
39. Pierna enchilada torta at La Torta Gorda
40. Cheeseburger with sweet potato fries at Taylor’s Automatic Refresher
41. Pho ga at Turtle Tower
42. Fried-shrimp po’boy at Brenda’s French Soul Food
43. An Old Fashioned at Alembic
44. One of Neyah White’s shrubs at Nopa
45. Secret Breakfast from Humphry Slocombe
46. Chips and salsa at Papalote
47. Ceviche and a pisco sour on the patio at La Mar Cebichería Peruana
48. Angels on horseback at Anchor & Hope
49. Ginger snaps at Miette
50. An obscure Belgian beer at The Monk’s Kettle
51. Maccaronara with ricotta salata at A16
52. Coconut buns from King’s Bakery
53. Carnitas at Nopalito
54. Spiced-chocolate doughnut at Dynamo Donut with a Four Barrel coffee
55. Chicken porridge for breakfast at the Bush Street Out the Door
56. Nuestra Paloma at Beretta
57. Agnolotti at Quince
58. Chicharrones from 4505 Meats
59. Huarache with cactus salad at El Huarache Loco
(Saturdays at the Alemany Farmers Market)
60. The Little Star at Little Star Pizza
61. Egg custard tart at Golden Gate Bakery
62. Dim sum at Ton Kiang
63. Meatballs with grapes at Aziza
64. Sand dabs at Tadich Grill
65. Cookies-and-cream cookie and milk at Anthony’s Cookies
66. Pig parts at Incanto
67. Paper masala dosa at Dosa
68. The housemade hot dog at Absinthe
69. Foccacia at Liguria Bakery
70. Omakase menu at Sebo
71. Scotch egg at Wexler’s
72. Shanghai Buck at Heaven’s Dog
73. Popovers with strawberry butter at the Rotunda
74. Corned-beef sandwich with Gruyère at The Sentinel
75. Fried green beans at Coco500
76. Chicken hash at Ella’s
77. Eggs benedict on the back patio at Zazie
78. Super burrito at Taqueira Cancun
79. Onion strings at Alfred’s Steakhouse
80. Apple fritter at Bob’s Donuts
81. Chicken curry lunch special at Punjab Kabab House
82. Fried chickpeas at Piqueo’s
83. French fries at Universal Cafe
84. A margarita at Tommy’s Mexican Restaurant
85. Pulled-pork sandwich at Roadside BBQ
86. A cheese slice at Arinell Pizza
87. Sesame balls at Yank Sing
88. Buckwheat crepe and a French cider at Ti Couz
89. Lettuce cups at Betelnut
90. Korean taco at Namu’s market stand
91. Albondigas soup at Mijita
92. Bacon-wrapped hot dog from a cart in the Mission
93. Seven courses of beef at Pagolac
94. The house cappuccino at Tosca Café
95. 3 a.m. bowl of caldo verde soup at Grubstake
96. Ube ice cream from Mitchell’s
97. Lamb schawerma at Truly Mediterranean
98. Bloody Mary with brunch at Foreign Cinema
99. Clam chowder at Hog Island Oyster Co.
100. Menage a Trois at Ike’s Place
Really really ridiculously good-looking
Who doesn't love getting dressed up and being taken out? Um, obviously if you are even bothering to read this, you do. Because you know I do.Ha.
Just for kicks, and to celebrate my future mother-in-law's birthday, we glammed and glittered up for the Black & White Ball. Absinthe was the obvious choice for pre-party-in-the-middle-of-Van-Ness-in-front-of-City-Hall. I mean, where else would you go. Every time I'm here, I feel like I could stick around all night drinking French wine and ordering more combo plates of cheese. This time I chose a smart and sexy sea bass with salty fingerling potatoes. The fish tasted like it was poached in broth, a method I can appreciate but don't love as much as a seared, crispy fillet. Even though the marinated asparagus was awesome, the spicy pepper puree wasn't spicy and I was pretty bored with my fish. Ah well, just another sign I should stick to wine and cheese.
Dinner Theater
You know what most dishes are missing? Presentation! Our friends had us over for dinner last weekend and impressed us with a multi-flavor masterpiece presented as beautifully as if we were dining in their restaurant. (Yes, they own a restaurant) My favorite part of the meal were the crispy fried shallots sprinkled on top. Great idea and it turned the down-home American dish into a work of art.
Sliced, marinated steak topped garlic mashed potatoes and fresh creamed corn. I'm looking forward to attempting the cream corn with chopped red onion and parsley. Crimini and shitake mushrooms added some texture to the plate: mushy potatoes, crunchy corn, chewy mushrooms, tender steak and crunchy shallots. Texture-tastic!
Sliced, marinated steak topped garlic mashed potatoes and fresh creamed corn. I'm looking forward to attempting the cream corn with chopped red onion and parsley. Crimini and shitake mushrooms added some texture to the plate: mushy potatoes, crunchy corn, chewy mushrooms, tender steak and crunchy shallots. Texture-tastic!
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Tacolicious!
Everything about Tacolicious makes me want to use exclamation points! Even though my favorite restaurant in San Francisco was closed by its owners and reopened as Tacolicious 1 month later, I can't get over how much I love this place! The first time John and I stopped in, we ordered queso dip to complement the best salsa (ever) that we were mowing basket after basket of chips devouring. For dinner, we split a plate of 10 tacos ranging from deep-fried fish with cabbage to marinated, pulled short rib with green onion, to shot-and-a-beer chicken—pulled chicken marinated in tequila, tecate and other mind-blowing spices—to traditional carnitas with onion.
A mouth-watering trio of smooth salsas arrives minutes before your tacos, so you can whiff the cilantro in the mild tomatillo salsa, the bite in the habanero salsa and the smokiness of the house-roasted chipotle salsa. This time, I ordered the special taco for April: rabbit with soy beans and crumbly cheese. Rabbit tasted surprisingly different than chicken. It was extremely moist and gamely like lamb but had the same overcooked texture that beef sometimes gets. I also wanted to test out the vegetarian, seasonal taco with asparagus, mushrooms and potatoes. All were great, especially with the fresh corn tortillas each are wrapped in, but the salsa makes the meal. I love their salsa so much I ordered michelada after michelada, Tecate with lime, salt and green salsa! I actually crave Tacolicious on a daily basis. When are we going back?!
A mouth-watering trio of smooth salsas arrives minutes before your tacos, so you can whiff the cilantro in the mild tomatillo salsa, the bite in the habanero salsa and the smokiness of the house-roasted chipotle salsa. This time, I ordered the special taco for April: rabbit with soy beans and crumbly cheese. Rabbit tasted surprisingly different than chicken. It was extremely moist and gamely like lamb but had the same overcooked texture that beef sometimes gets. I also wanted to test out the vegetarian, seasonal taco with asparagus, mushrooms and potatoes. All were great, especially with the fresh corn tortillas each are wrapped in, but the salsa makes the meal. I love their salsa so much I ordered michelada after michelada, Tecate with lime, salt and green salsa! I actually crave Tacolicious on a daily basis. When are we going back?!
Brithday Champagne Brunch
For my birthday last month, we met some friends for brunch at Paul K. We couldn't decide whether to have mimosas (bottomless, of course) but since it was birthday, it just seemed to make sense...I ordered a house-made sausage with arugula salsa and eggs over easy to complement my always-full glass of (mostly) champagne. Let's just say that 2 hours later, I was glad there was protein in my stomach but incredulous that 6 glasses of mimosa were sloshing around in my belly.
Love and Garlic
For a romantic evening in a few weeks ago, I made fresh bagna couda with 3 heads of garlic! Peeling it just about destroyed me—it took over an hour and I was bleeding under my nails on both hands—but we were able to spread the sweet, hot garlic on fresh salmon and dip artichoke leaves in it. We also drank blanc de noirs sparkling wine out of our new heart-shaped flutes, heightening the romance and the intensity of the garlic!
Tuscan Bean Soup
Ok, this is one of my attempts to mix a few different recipes into one and I'm not convinced it was successful. I've been enjoying leftovers for a week, which tells me at least I like it! I've had white bean soup a few times with different accoutrements like sausage and bell pepper; I've also read recipes for rustic bean soups with chard and crusty bread....so I filled the slow-cooker with broth, chard, sliced red pepper and italian sausage before I left for work. When I came home, I added 2 cans of white beans and cracked pepper for 20 more minutes. In each bowl, I sliced up cubes of super stale, crusty sourdough bread and poured the soup over them. Fresh parmesan cheese was then sprinkled on top for presentation.
The result was all good for me: yummy random Italian stuff thrown in a pot. All good! Except the bread got gooey and doughy and soaked up most of the soup so it became a bowl of goo and beans. I think John would vote against making this a recurring event but like I said, I've been enjoying leftovers all week!
The result was all good for me: yummy random Italian stuff thrown in a pot. All good! Except the bread got gooey and doughy and soaked up most of the soup so it became a bowl of goo and beans. I think John would vote against making this a recurring event but like I said, I've been enjoying leftovers all week!
Adventures at the Ferry Market
Looking for an SF adventure? The Ferry Market is way too overpriced (and intimidating) for me to grocery shop at, but to-go delicacies are abundant. To get a little exercise and give us an excuse to eat some great food, we got up last Saturday morning and hiked over to the Ferry Building. It was raining just a little bit so the crowd was (I'm guessing) much smaller than usual, because we were able to get to the front of the line at 4505 Meats in mere minutes. We ordered maple breakfast sausage in brioche.
And (#58 on 7x7's list) chicharrones, which are basically fresh pork rinds sprinkled with spicy sugar.
Yum!
Getting out of the rain, we nabbed a seat at Hog Island Oyster Co. and immediately ordered half a dozen oysters, a mix of one of each of the Washington State options (our favorite indulgence!) After dabbling in raw seafood briefly, we moved on to dairy dairy dairy.
We split my all-time favorite grilled cheese sandwiches: fresh bread stuffed with Cow Girls' Mezzo Secco, cave-aged Gruyere and Fromage Blanc, which I think are generally rare but can be found in the Ferry market. The homemade pickles are equally as delicious, cider vinegary and sweet. We also split a steaming hot bowl of clam chowder, another list-topper (though discovering the best clam chowder may be a lifelong pursuit). Bacon, potatoes, vegetables, cream and butter are added to steamed clams after they opened up. Such a perfect meal for a cold, wet day!
Chicken Hash at Ella's
#76 on 7x7's 2010 list, the plate arrived with miniature poached eggs in a side dish and a gloriously giant bot biscuit. The hash itself was an encrusted, potato-sized mound covered in sliced raw leeks. Upon breaking into the hash, I discovered succulent pieces of roasted chicken and yummy mashed potatoes. Great brunch, highly recommended.
First Class Cooking: Fuss-free French
For my birthday, John bought me a cooking class with Emily of First Class Cooking in Soma. We finally chose a class from her latest schedule (apparently she books each month within days of scheduling a new month!): Fuss-free French. There were so many great classes to choose from but this one seemed like it would teach some basics, like soufflé and coq au vin.
Emily's loft in Soma was incredible with a view looking northwest back at beautiful downtown SF. Very festive! She kicked things off with dessert, knowing we'd be making good use of both ovens over the course of the rest of the meal prep. We learned to vigorously stir flour into melted butter and water so that the gluten would actually change its structure. After, we used a hand mixer to mix in one already-beaten egg (off the stove of course). As soon as that single egg was absorbed, we mixed in another 3 eggs (also already beaten) and the pastry batter was ready to be scooped onto a baking sheet and baked.
Next, we moved on to the coq au vin or chicken stew. We first fried thick, hearty strips of bacon in the bottom of a giant dutch oven. When they were browned, we removed them and threw about 20 thickly-sliced mushrooms in to slowly soften. Apparently, because of the amount of water in mushrooms, the ideal way to sautee them is slowly and for at least 10 minutes, which, as someone who typically turns up the heat to get things done quicker, was interested to learn. After 10 minutes, we also removed the mushrooms and readied 15 chicken breasts and thighs with skin on. Just before placing them into the dutch oven, we salted each chicken piece, a trick having to do with the proteins and the way the chicken cooks. Skin side down, each piece was seared for about 5 minutes per side, then removed to make room for the next batch. Her gi-normous pot could fry up 6 pieces at a time!
When all of the chicken was browned, we threw a miripoix (finely chopped onion, carrot and celery) into the pot. After just a couple minutes, we added flour and tomato paste, then deglazed the bottom of the dutch oven with brandy and added a bottle of Burgundy wine and chicken stock. Bay leaves, herbs de Provence, salt, pepper, and the chicken (stacked nicely and submerged) went into the stew to begin boiling for the next hour.
With the stew boiling and the puff pastries in the oven, we moved on to stirring up a new roux, this time adding milk and green garlic with the intent of creating a spring-flavored souffle. John's hands were free at the moment Emily needed someone to go at the flour with a strong arm, so he stepped up and impressed us all! Once the egg yolks were beaten in, we stirred in finely grated parmesan and more raw green garlic. Meanwhile, Emily's Kitchenaid Stand Mixer was slowly beating egg whites. Again, typically someone who cranks up the mixer to top speed to whip egg whites as quickly as possible, I had to ask why it was important to slow down. Her answer was that it's only too easy to over-beat egg whites and that this was a good bet against it. I'll take that. We watched as Emily folded the yolk and green garlic concoction into the egg whites because none of us were bold enough to take a stab at it! She poured the souffle into two dishes, both sprayed with Pam and coated with bread crumbs mixed with parmesan cheese. Before she plopped them in the oven, she took a finger and wiped off a ring around the dishes just at the top of where the batter sat in the pan. This was to ensure the souffles would rise straight up from the center instead of from the outside in.
Puff pastries now cooling on the counter and a free oven for us, we began quartering colorful pink and magenta radishes. We retained the radish leaves but set them aside while the quartered radishes were tossed in olive oil and heated up on the stove. She had a pan she could then move to the oven so the radishes could blister and brown slightly. While those were in the oven, we blanched asparagus spears in boiling water ever so briefly, then chopped them into bite-sized pieces. (At this point we also removed the lid from the stew so that it could boil off some of its liquid) When the radishes were sufficiently roasted, we pulled the pan out of the oven and added in the asparagus spears and radish leaves. The leaves cooked down like spinach does when it begins to steam. As it was tossed, we added gray sea salt to the colorful salad.
Noticing that the first round of puff pastries had turned out small and a little rough, she had us attempt one more batch before dinner. This time, when we mixed the first egg into the gluten, we only used the hand mixer for 5 seconds, until the egg was literally just barely absorbed. Then we added in the next 3 eggs. When we scooped this batch of batter onto the baking sheets, we could tell it was a different, more velvety consistency. Sure enough, when we pulled the second batch out of the oven, they were perfectly round, soft and puffy. It was actually pretty cool this happened so we could learn the lesson!
We sat down to eat as soon as the souffles came out of the oven. By this point, the stew had cooked down to thick gravy and we crumbled the bacon, adding it and the mushrooms back in. We transferred the chicken pieces onto a deep platter then scooped generous amounts of stew and mushrooms to cover them. The souffles were deliciously fluffy with a garlic flavor that lacked the usual spicy kick in a good way. The radishes became sweet and tender in the oven, almost like beets, which I have to imagine are related to their root vegetable neighbor. The salt was just enough to heighten the spring flavors and the asparagus was delightfully al dente.
When we finished dinner, Emily jumped up to begin stuffing puff pastry shells with ice cream. She drizzled fresh chocolate sauce, made from chopped bittersweet chocolate, cream, corn syrup and butter, generously over the top of each profiterole. They were delicious, just the right amount of sweet and texture. We had added a pinch of salt to the pastry shells, so they weren't sweet at all, a nice touch I thought. In all, the meal was a lovely Spring menu—not too heavy yet still soul-warming with the stew.
So of course I was going to have to attempt a recreation of the entire meal, and when better to do it than the very next day? We invited John and Julie McDon-baum to enjoy it with us and I spent about 20 minutes working out the logistics of only having one oven, one mixer and a finite number of mixing bowls to use to create the feast Emily cooked with 14 helpers and a never-ending supply of utensils! Results are below. Success!!
Emily's loft in Soma was incredible with a view looking northwest back at beautiful downtown SF. Very festive! She kicked things off with dessert, knowing we'd be making good use of both ovens over the course of the rest of the meal prep. We learned to vigorously stir flour into melted butter and water so that the gluten would actually change its structure. After, we used a hand mixer to mix in one already-beaten egg (off the stove of course). As soon as that single egg was absorbed, we mixed in another 3 eggs (also already beaten) and the pastry batter was ready to be scooped onto a baking sheet and baked.Next, we moved on to the coq au vin or chicken stew. We first fried thick, hearty strips of bacon in the bottom of a giant dutch oven. When they were browned, we removed them and threw about 20 thickly-sliced mushrooms in to slowly soften. Apparently, because of the amount of water in mushrooms, the ideal way to sautee them is slowly and for at least 10 minutes, which, as someone who typically turns up the heat to get things done quicker, was interested to learn. After 10 minutes, we also removed the mushrooms and readied 15 chicken breasts and thighs with skin on. Just before placing them into the dutch oven, we salted each chicken piece, a trick having to do with the proteins and the way the chicken cooks. Skin side down, each piece was seared for about 5 minutes per side, then removed to make room for the next batch. Her gi-normous pot could fry up 6 pieces at a time!
When all of the chicken was browned, we threw a miripoix (finely chopped onion, carrot and celery) into the pot. After just a couple minutes, we added flour and tomato paste, then deglazed the bottom of the dutch oven with brandy and added a bottle of Burgundy wine and chicken stock. Bay leaves, herbs de Provence, salt, pepper, and the chicken (stacked nicely and submerged) went into the stew to begin boiling for the next hour.
With the stew boiling and the puff pastries in the oven, we moved on to stirring up a new roux, this time adding milk and green garlic with the intent of creating a spring-flavored souffle. John's hands were free at the moment Emily needed someone to go at the flour with a strong arm, so he stepped up and impressed us all! Once the egg yolks were beaten in, we stirred in finely grated parmesan and more raw green garlic. Meanwhile, Emily's Kitchenaid Stand Mixer was slowly beating egg whites. Again, typically someone who cranks up the mixer to top speed to whip egg whites as quickly as possible, I had to ask why it was important to slow down. Her answer was that it's only too easy to over-beat egg whites and that this was a good bet against it. I'll take that. We watched as Emily folded the yolk and green garlic concoction into the egg whites because none of us were bold enough to take a stab at it! She poured the souffle into two dishes, both sprayed with Pam and coated with bread crumbs mixed with parmesan cheese. Before she plopped them in the oven, she took a finger and wiped off a ring around the dishes just at the top of where the batter sat in the pan. This was to ensure the souffles would rise straight up from the center instead of from the outside in.Puff pastries now cooling on the counter and a free oven for us, we began quartering colorful pink and magenta radishes. We retained the radish leaves but set them aside while the quartered radishes were tossed in olive oil and heated up on the stove. She had a pan she could then move to the oven so the radishes could blister and brown slightly. While those were in the oven, we blanched asparagus spears in boiling water ever so briefly, then chopped them into bite-sized pieces. (At this point we also removed the lid from the stew so that it could boil off some of its liquid) When the radishes were sufficiently roasted, we pulled the pan out of the oven and added in the asparagus spears and radish leaves. The leaves cooked down like spinach does when it begins to steam. As it was tossed, we added gray sea salt to the colorful salad.
Noticing that the first round of puff pastries had turned out small and a little rough, she had us attempt one more batch before dinner. This time, when we mixed the first egg into the gluten, we only used the hand mixer for 5 seconds, until the egg was literally just barely absorbed. Then we added in the next 3 eggs. When we scooped this batch of batter onto the baking sheets, we could tell it was a different, more velvety consistency. Sure enough, when we pulled the second batch out of the oven, they were perfectly round, soft and puffy. It was actually pretty cool this happened so we could learn the lesson!
We sat down to eat as soon as the souffles came out of the oven. By this point, the stew had cooked down to thick gravy and we crumbled the bacon, adding it and the mushrooms back in. We transferred the chicken pieces onto a deep platter then scooped generous amounts of stew and mushrooms to cover them. The souffles were deliciously fluffy with a garlic flavor that lacked the usual spicy kick in a good way. The radishes became sweet and tender in the oven, almost like beets, which I have to imagine are related to their root vegetable neighbor. The salt was just enough to heighten the spring flavors and the asparagus was delightfully al dente.
When we finished dinner, Emily jumped up to begin stuffing puff pastry shells with ice cream. She drizzled fresh chocolate sauce, made from chopped bittersweet chocolate, cream, corn syrup and butter, generously over the top of each profiterole. They were delicious, just the right amount of sweet and texture. We had added a pinch of salt to the pastry shells, so they weren't sweet at all, a nice touch I thought. In all, the meal was a lovely Spring menu—not too heavy yet still soul-warming with the stew.So of course I was going to have to attempt a recreation of the entire meal, and when better to do it than the very next day? We invited John and Julie McDon-baum to enjoy it with us and I spent about 20 minutes working out the logistics of only having one oven, one mixer and a finite number of mixing bowls to use to create the feast Emily cooked with 14 helpers and a never-ending supply of utensils! Results are below. Success!!
Monday, April 12, 2010
#1: Things You Really Don't Expect to be Awesome but Are. So. Awesome.
Oh em gee. Pork shoulder in the slowcooker with 2 jars of tomatillo salsa for 8 hours is UNREAL. The pork pulled apart beautifully and is flavored oh so saucily with tangy green salsa. YUM! This must be done again soon!
Served with tortillas, cheddar cheese and hot sauce.
Served with tortillas, cheddar cheese and hot sauce.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
