cheese puffs

a few months ago my mom and i submitted a recipe to a contest in food and wine magazine. it was for the kerrygold company, and the requirement was a recipe that featured both butter and cheese.

certain that we might win i was excited to be traveling to a food and wine extravaganza in austin, texas, but with no word yet dear readers; i will be sharing this adaptation of a family recipe with you.

a while ago my dad reminded me of how extraordinary my mom is, with the example that she is "so quiet" that he has to look around the house to determine whether or not she is home.

there are so many other things: lynne stevens started her career using a manual typewriter and was soon in high demand for her shorthand and dictaphone skills. she has worked at magazines and in advertising doing cut and paste production and is now literate in several design programs. she is fluent in both mac and PC. an avid gardener and cook she believes "by hand" is usually the best way. she works at a women's literary club in san francisco that will remain nameless.

she typeset both of my cookbooks. she always made ten or more different varieties of cookies at christmas time. she stayed home. she went to work. she drove me places and picked me up late at night. she taught me how to drive. once, when i was inconsolably heartbroken somewhere around age 30 she offered to wash my hair and i accepted.

i know how to cook because of my mom. prodigious herself, i grew up with recipes from mastering the art of french cooking. she took me to hear julia child speak. i had a child sized pasta machine and would make pasta until all of the chairs and broom handles were put into use as drying racks or until we ran out of flour. whatever came first. i rolled out a lot of fondant. and i think the main thing was that she never attempted to steered me in some other direction.

these puffs make an elegant spring nibble. something to have with a cocktail. something nice to have ready in the freezer. you and your guests are worth any trouble. thank you for teaching me everything i know.

cheese puffs 

makes about four dozen

1 loaf pullman bread or other firm un-sliced white bread 

4 oz kerrygold butter

3 oz natural cream cheese

4 oz. kerrygold dubliner cheese, grated

1 tsp. dijon mustard

2 egg whites

1. trim crust from bread and cut loaf into 1-inch cubes.

2.  using a double boiler combine butter, cream cheese, dubliner cheese and dijon and beat until smooth.  

3. beat egg whites to stiff peaks and fold into melted cheese mixture. 

4. dip bread cubes into cheese mixture and place onto a parchment lined cookie sheet and freeze solid.

5. to finish bake in a 400 degree oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until browned. 

peanut-sesame noodles

todays recipe is based very closely on a recipe from the ny times by sam sifton. when i originally saw this recipe i had never had, or heard of take-out sesame noodles. this recipe so intrigued me that it made it's way into my most sacred hand written recipe book. note the little stains on the paper.

there are a lot of differences between the east and west coasts. during my brief time living in new york, working there, and when i was in cooking school i noticed fewer vegetables on the plate.

this recipe is fabulous as written; the kind of thing you might scarf down straight from the fridge. but as a california girl, a west coast person, this is how i adapted this classic warm weather recipe.

i bought the egg noodles and cucumbers at the berkeley bowl, and the radishes and scallions at the new tuesday farmers market near sweet adeline. everything else was already in our pantry.

peanut-sesame noodles

1 pound fresh chinese egg noodles

3 1/2 T. soy sauce
3 T. toasted sesame oil
2 T. seasoned rice vinegar
2 T. tahini
1-2 T. chunky peanut butter
1 T. grated ginger
2 tsp. grated garlic
2 tsp. chili-garlic paste

6 scallions cut into 2" lengths
2-3 persian cucumbers cut into fine batons to match the size of the noodles
1 bunch radishes, cut in half, and then into wedges

black or blonde sesame seeds and/or chopped roasted peanuts

1. cook the noodles until just done in well salted boiling water. rinse well with cold water and drain thoroughly.

2. in a large bowl whisk together all dressing ingredients. i use a microplane for both the ginger and garlic. add noodles and combine.

3. fold in vegetables reserving a few scallions and radish wedges to garnish the top. sesame seeds and/or peanuts add texture and are a nice touch as well. serve chilled.

italian style fried rice

i always feel good when i have leftover rice from my rice cooker and am able to use it all up without wasting any of it. lately my main interests with my cooking are health and economy. i hate to waste food and i want to be as healthy as possible.

on this thread i have sometimes been making fried rice in the morning with seasonal vegetables like asparagus and spring onions along with chilis, ginger, garlic, tamari and sometimes toasted sesame oil.

this afternoon i was inspired and decided to use the same method to achieve a very different and delicious result. this was all made with food i had on hand at home.

italian style fried rice
serves one

part of a cauliflower
half a bulb of fennel
3 green onions
a few sprigs of basil
olive oil
salt
leftover rice
one egg
a few gratings of parmesan
fennel fronds

1. in a medium sized pan saute sliced vegetables, onions and basil with olive oil and salt until golden.

2. add about half a cup of cold rice, breaking up a little bit on top of the vegetables. heat for a few minutes and stir together.

3. in a medium sized bowl combine the egg with parmesan, a tiny splash of cold water and a big pinch of sea salt and whisk with a fork for one minute.

4. lower heat to medium low and pour egg mixture over the rice and vegetable mixture. allow to cook briefly and fold over using a spatula a few times until the egg is set.

5. garnish with chopped fennel frond.

pork of my heart

i recently had the pleasure of preparing a special birthday dinner for a friend. when she asked me i was a little bit hesitant, but i am so glad that i said yes.

being in the event business herself, pilar was a dream client. she swung by my work with a little list that included a few foods that she wasn't interested in and finished with this, "i love pork and pork products." here's what i came up with:

the menu

* candied bacon, two goat cheeses; one creamy, one crumbly, rosemary seasalt walnuts, pomegranate seeds, crackers and assorted acme breads 

* pumpkin soup with sage-parsley-miso & pine nut pesto

* baby spinach & mixed green salad with endive and apples with apple cider vinaigrette and maple candied pepitas

* spice roasted pork shoulder with mashed sweet potatoes and roasted brussels sprouts

sounds good right? well, despite all of my experience in the kitchen i did not have confidence cooking a roast, so i called my longtime friend matthew in seattle to ask for help. i consider him to be something of a pork expert. he walked me through the candied bacon and pork roast. here's how you do the roast:

spice rub for pork 

3/4 c. sucanat
3 T smoked paprika
3 T chipotle powder
3 T kosher salt
2 T ancho chili powder
2 T cinnamon
1 T cumin

12 cloves garlic, sliced
one pork butt aka pork shoulder

method

1. using a whisk combine all ingredients for the spice rub.

2. being mindful to never double dip, rub pork butt all over with a generous amount of spice rub. using a small sharp knife make little cuts into the meat and press garlic slices in. ideally do this step at least an hour ahead of time. put roast into a deep pan tightly covered with foil. 

2. heat oven to 450 and bake at that high heat for 30 minutes. then lower the heat to 300 and cook for up to 6 more hours. 

after cooking gently this way the meat will shred into tender, succulent ribbons. 

this thursday is valentines day. you might want to make something special. 

there is nothing that says "i love you" like slow roasted meat. maybe pick up some flowers on your way home from work.

food trends 2013

last week me and my donutman went to the fancy food show in san francisco with a lot of anticipation. 

i've been several times before and was excited to go together, but the day before i woke up in somewhat of a panic thinking, "it's just gonna be a lot of candy and cheese."

and indeed we went and there wasn't a kale chip in sight. the fancy food show is essentially the packaged food show, and going made me realize how much my relationship with food is changing.

last year i noticed what i thought were some very distinct trends: coconut products, figs, truffle infusions, popcorn, nut butters and heavily seeded crackers. this year there were definitely a few more companies doing fine cured meats and one company in particular called field trip that caught my eye with a great booth doing some decent beef jerky. but overall the fancy food show is the packaged food show and there is a lot of candy and cheese. 

food trends 2013: what's up for me and the people i eat with:

identifying with broader dietary terms like plant-based and health-supportive

wide-spread nation-wide rejection and outrage over GMO foods

celebration of old school superfoods like plain whole milk yogurt, raw honey and gelatin

brick & mortar restaurants based on street food

rockstar baristas

herbalist-chefs

chipotle powder

mocktails

salt cured pickles

long-fermented whole grain breads

seaweed

interpreting whole foods in a more bone-in, skin on, full-fat paradigm

gluten free indicators on menus

health care for the food industry

 

chinese breakfast

as a kid i never wanted to eat eggs... ever!

this has changed.

and for the past two christmases and a few lucky mornings before school and work i have made this dish.

chinese breakfast is inspired by the prawn scrambled eggs on the menu at yuet lee on the corner of broadway and stockton in san francisco, and the culinary cross-pollination that i have cooking with my jewish-chinese-donutman-boyfriend josh.

this would be perfect on new years day.

chinese breakfast

1 jalapeno
organic tamari

1/2 a yellow onion, cut into very fine dice
olive oil
seasalt

about 1/2 # raw, shelled prawns

3 organic eggs
splash water, about a tablespoon
big pinch salt

1/4 bunch cilantro
sri racha, aka rooster sauce or cock sauce

1. slice the jalapeno straight across into fine circles and add just enough soy sauce to cover.

2. using a wok or a cast iron skillet gently cook the onion in a generous amount of oil and some salt over medium heat until soft and just starting to brown.

3. combine eggs, water and salt in a bowl and beat hard with a fork for a full minute.

4. add the prawns and cook, turning once or twice until almost done, but not quite uniformly pink.

5. pour eggs into the pan and stir and turn until set.

6. garnish with chopped cilantro, sri racha and spicy soy sauce.

super easy apricot chutney

my mom is in france. my dad is too. for a whole month.

before they left my mom gave me a bag of perfectly ripe apricots that she didn't quite have time to make into jam on her way out of the country. i couldn't let these beauties go to waste, but decide to make chutney instead of jam.

here is my super easy recipe:

1 1/2 # fresh, ripe apricots
2 serrano chilis, cut into fine rings
1" fresh ginger, very fine dice
1 c. organic sugar
1/2 c. apple cider vinegar

1. combine all in medium sized, heavy bottomed pot.

2. bring up to a simmer and cook until thickened and syrupy.

3. take chutney off the heat while it is still loose, as mixture will thicken even more as it cools.