For his birthday, this evening I made:
- filet mignon with port reduction
- garlic-orange rainbow chard
- israeli couscous with cinnamon & laurel leaf

There is a love-hate relationship with Andronico’s markets that I’m sure many of you in the SF bay area can relate to. They have beautiful meat. They have beautiful almost everything, and everything costs 3x more than similar quality items that you can’t find all in one place. Truly an American dilemma of convenience.

At any rate, this evening we did become extremely lucky in that they had the most beautiful filets I have probably ever come across in an all-inclusive grocery.

I heated my oven to 350 and got to work.

I seasoned them with salt & pepper, and threw them in a searing hot pan just large enough for them to sit evenly on the bottom and with high enough sides to keep some heat in, in a touch of butter. I let them mingle there for quite a while until they had developed a beautiful medium to dark brown crust. I flipped them, let them mingle a few minutes longer, and tossed them in the oven. At the same time, I tossed some butter in the freezer to have it extra cold for the reduction sauce.

Meanwhile, I had been cooking and prepping ahead and during the process. I cleaned and chopped the rainbow chard, and started sauteeing the cores. I started the couscous.

Israeli couscous is a larger variety of the popular mediterrenean couscous and lends itself to being a bit more chewy and holding sauce. I adapted a Bon Apetit recipe I found on epicurious.com, using different heat settings, different nuts, and different stock (high until the vegetable stock was added, I cut the recipe into 1/3rd, and used roasted, unsalted almonds). I’d make this a thousand times again.

The steak turned out a lot better than I anticipated. Once out of the oven, set the steaks aside and turn on the heat at the range to keep the temp up. I threw in minced onions and let them turn translucent and medium high heat. Cranked it to high and added 1/2-2/3 C ruby port, reducing. When mostly there, turned the heat off and added 1-2 T very cold butter, stirring quickly, and serving immediately.

It was a hit.

We made our way up to Mendocino to meet a friend of mine and her extended family for Thanksgiving. The occasion called for some serious brevity as our setting was as such: two nights and one and a half days of smart, sharp, opinionated women (ages 13-60 something) and the sole male representative I brought with me (who held up handsomely, I might add, and who definitely deserves some kind of serious achievement award).

Our setting was a mish-mashed home of happiness in the woods with one of the most practical and welcoming kitchens I’ve ever had the pleasure of participating in. We made turkey, we made ham. We made oyster stuffing, pepper stuffing, broccoli, green beans, yams, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, cranberry relish, gravy, salsa, mixed squash, apple crisp, pumpkin-pecan pie cheesecake, and apricot sticky-toffee pudding. I made potato-leek soup and everyone ate it as a snack before the real feast began.

We torched a ham, and several hours later felt compelled to torch “one of the desserts.” There was a disproportionate interest in pyrotecnics when compared to the level of estrogen in the household.

A sampling of recipes and photos will follow this post as soon as I recover fully from my food coma.

For some time, I’ve been considering a home produce delivery, as the Bay Area has a large selection of vendors for this purpose–from private farms to co-op vendors who source several farms and deliver, there’s a wealth of good, organic produce in these parts. I had put off starting the shipments because I was torn between several vendors, but as an impulse buy a few days ago I signed up with Farm Fresh To You. (Ok, so really, I haddn’t been thinking about the produce deliveries since October and I was reading an article in the Chronicle about Tyler Florence in which he mentions HIS delivery of Farm Fresh To You…) Today, I received my first shipment.

I was pleased. The box sat in the shade on our stoop and I grabbed it on my way in the door, eager to dig in and see what goodies I had from the sesasonal selection. Almost everything in my box bore the Capay farms seal even though I’d opted to receive mixed produce, not only from their own farm. I received many beautiful things–including the largest and most symmetrical butternut squash that has quite possibly ever existed–but will today talk about the beautiful rainbow chard. I’ve never cooked rainbow chard.

1 bundle rainbow chard
1/4 yellow onion
4 garlic cloves
zest of 1 orange
olive oil
salt & pepper

Wash your chard and seperate the leaves from the stalks. Remove the very bottom part of the stalks if they’re especially brittle or large, then chop the stalks in 1/2-1 inch peices (smaller at the thick end larger at the thin.)

Heat a skillet or large pan to high heat and add some olive oil–don’t reach the smoking point.

Chop your onion finely and add it to the hot oil. Chop your garlic and add it a little later, reducing the heat to medium. Add salt & pepper. Once the onions are colored and translucent or soft but not shriveled (that’s too much), add your chard stalks. Let them soften for 10-15 minutes on medium heat, tossing occasionally. Add the zest of 1/2 the orange. Once softened, chop your chard leaves in 1 1/2-2 inch ribbons and add them to the pan, reducing the heat to medium low. Add the rest of the orange zest.

Let the mixture soften and reduce and once the leaves are fully cooked but not BROWN, you’re done! Serve it up. I served it with quinoa, which you can find instructions for on this site.

Wine: You can pair this with a meaty or smoky red, perhaps a Spanish one.

1/3lb (or more) dover sole filets (from morro bay)
flour
butter
juice of one orange
salt & pepper

They’ve been carrying Morro Bay Dover Sole at Andronico’s for a great price lately, and since it is a little heartier than other types of sole I’ve been digging in. Heartier=more versatile, less breakable.

Heat a non stick skillet to medium high heat. Add the butter and let heat until it stops bubbling (water evaporates). Give the fish a light touch of salt, then dredge the filets in flour and shake excess off. Place into pan and turn when 2/3rds done and the edges have curled up a bit. Use a fish turner to flip the fish and finish it. Place on a warm platter.

With the heat lowered to low, add the juice of one orange directly into the pan. let the drippings and orange juice reduce. When slightly thickened but still moist, add a small amount of the leftover flour, whisky vigorously with your fish turner until smooth. Add a bit of salt & pepper. Pour over the fish, and viola!

Watercress salad

Pick good greens, wash them thoroughly by “floating” them in water, dry well. Make a dressing of high quality, light & fruity olive oil, quality salt, a small bit of fresh ground pepper, and a bit of concentrated orange juice or a squirt of lemon. Add a bit of minced shallot or garlic as well. Whisk together, dress the watercress, and serve.

Wine: Would be great with a tropical sauvingon blanc (like one from New Zealand full of passionfruit and papaya), or with a full bodied Chardonnay like a Mersault.

History has it that Pasta (in this case, Rigatoni) puttanesca had something to do with prostituites in Naples, but all I can tell you is it’s great in winter and terribly typically Mediterranean.

180g rigatoni (pasta for 2-3), dry
80g (several T) good quality tomato paste
1 yellow bell pepper
1/3 red bell pepper
2 T capers (packed in salt if possible)
2 T diced black, kalamata, or other full flavored pitted olive
2 Heaping spoonfuls of creme fraiche
1/4 C stock (vegetable or chicken or water if you must)
chili flakes
salt & pepper
olive oil

Boil the pasta in well salted water until al dente. While cooking, sautee 1 inch chunks of yellow bell pepper & diced chunks of red bell pepper in hot olive oil, medium high heat. Add salt & pepper. If you want, you can start with a bit of finely chopped onion. Add 2 tsp red pepper flakes or less/more to taste.

Once a bit softened, add tomato paste and a splash of vegetable or chicken stock (water if you have to). Let paste incorporate and sauce simmer until reduced. Add capers and olives, let warm. Turn off heat and add creme fraiche (I used the ultra full flavored and delicious local SF Cowgirl Creamery variety), stir in. Toss pasta and serve.

Wine: It’d be nice with a nice spicy red wine like sangiovese (chianti, chianti classico, rosso di montalcino, etc) or a lighter zinfandel, or a well balanced merlot to soften it up and take away the spice a bit

Very close to my place of work in downtown San Francisco is a popular gourmet take-out staged in a former cigar/tobacco stand, aptly named The Sentinel (you can read people’s thoughts on the place here). They serve a rotating, limited menu daily which is updated every morning on their website. Almost every day, they offer their signature chocolate-walnut cookies.

They are amazing. I flatter myself by attempting to re-create this cookie when the chef is so famous in our area…Mine came out almost equally tasty, but a little more chewy and a bit darker in color. A few mornings ago, I asked the Chef when I swung by to get myself a pear muffin at 7:30am, what I might have done wrong. He is pretty short with people, but he told me not to cook them so long. I’ll update this post next time I make these cookies.

3/4 C raw, fresh walnuts (I picked mine up at the Bernal Heights Farmer’s Market in SF)
1/2 C chocolate chips
1 stick butter
3/4 C white sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 C all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 325.

In a food processor, grind walnuts until the texture of fine breadcrumbs or panko. When almost there, add the chocolate chips, and blend so they’re smaller than chocolate chips overall and mixed with the walnuts. Reserve.

Melt the butter, mix with sugar and vanilla. Add the egg & blend. Add walnut mixture, blend. Add flour & other dry ingredients until blended. Add additional flour if necessary to have a solid but not stiff mixture.

Cook several inches apart on parchment/baking paper or on greased pan; I put 6 cookies on a standard sheet and gently press them flat into discs rather than balls, this ensures even spreading so the edges don’t burn.

Bake 6-9 minutes until spread evenly. Allow to cool a few minutes before moving to retain flat, even shape. Makes 8-10 cookies.

I’ve been making a lot of salads lately in an attempt to incorporate both more greens and more fiber into my evening diet. One way that I trick myself into eating an item I’m generally not too crazy about is by adding what should have been really obvious: fried potatoes. This has been the basis of many a salad lately, often incorporating minced red bell pepper, Brianna’s cheddar-chipotle dressing (the ONLY dressing I have ever used and been satisfied with or tolerant of), hangar steak, etc.

I prefer to use pre-washed, organic mixed greens because they’re not only versatile but the cost is completely worth the work that’s already been done, and I find in general they’re better or equal quality to what I can find pre-mixed in bulk, and last longer in the right quantities than what I can cut & mix on my own.

1 large pack “organic girl” pre washed mixed greens
3 T olive oil
1 T good balsamic vinegar (I like Bariani, for those of us in central & northern California)
salt & pepper
1 medium red potato, peeled & cubed
1 T butter
4-6 T soy nuts
1/4 C raw pistachios
1 slice dried pineapple, diced small
1/2 ripe fuyu persimmon, diced

In a saute pan on high heat, melt the butter. Add the cut potato, topping with plenty of salt & pepper. Toss, and let cook. Toss occasionally, once colored, reduce heat to medium low to cook through.

Meanwhile, Whisk together briskly the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt & pepper. Mix the greens to evenly coat, and add the soy nuts, pistachios, pineapple, and persimmon. Toss. If possible, let the potatoes cool a bit, and then toss them in as well. Serve immediately.

Wine: A light sauvingnon blanc from just about anywhere would be nice with this. A Chilean Chardonnay would also work.

Crepe Batter:
1/2 C Hazelnut “flour” (finely ground hazelnuts)
1/2 C -2T all-purpose unbleached flour
3 eggs
2T melted butter
1 1/3 C whole milk
dash salt
dash fresh grated nutmeg

Mix dry; Mix wet, add into a “well” of the dry and whisk together to avoid lumps, slowly incorporating the dry. The batter should be the consistency of light cream.

2 large fresh leeks, greens removed
4 small to medium white new potatoes
2-3 T butter
salt & pepper
5-8 stalks fresh wild arugula

Split leeks in half and chop finely in half circles. Dice finely the new potatoes to the size just slightly bigger than the eraser on a pencil. Melt the butter in a non stick pan at medium high heat (you could also use pancetta and half as much butter). When the water has evaporated (it stops bubbling), add the potatoes, with plenty of salt & pepper. Let them color, tossing occasionally. Reduce heat to medium, add leeks. Let leeks soften and color while potatoes also finish cooking.

Use a non-stick skillet and cook the crepes at medium high heat. Coat the pan in butter first, let the water evaporate and add batter. Don’t add too much batter or the crepes will be too thick; they should barely coat the pan. Flip when mostly done, cooking briefly on the other side.

Assemble, adding fresh washed arugula. Top with creme fraiche or sour creme and a few whole hazelnuts.

Wine: To cut the fat, try a vinho verde from Portugal, or a non-oakey chardonnay like one from Cakebread Cellars.

Including: How to make fresh pasta for tortelloni and other stuffed pastas & ravioli

Most of us who are at least a little enamored with Italian food realize and recognize the vast and unending code for Italian pasta shapes. They range from fairly consistent (spaghetti is spaghetti just about anywhere you go) to the incredibly confusing (tortelloni can be either the little parmesean filled pastas we find dried in the grocery, more commonly known in the US as tortellini, or large, fresh pasta dumplings, or even a stuffed dumpling of any kind, as in a bit after the middle ages, when pasta was really making itself popular in Italy via Napoli’s maccheroni which we think of as being the elbow shape but in Italy can mean just about any unstuffed pasta shape, especially something similar to bucatini).

Anyway, it’s not consistent. But by tortelloni here, I mean a stuffed pasta in a particular shape, as, well, shown.

For the filling:
two medium golden beets, roasted with olive oil, salt, & pepper in foil for 1 1/2 hours or more, peeled & rough chopped
1/3 lb capricho di caba or other salty, moist fresh goat cheese/chevre
salt & pepper
olive oil

Blend all ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Add olive oil as needed to make a ricotta consistency.

For the pasta:
Measurements are approximate
1/2 C (or 50g) semolina 00 size flour
1/2 C (or 50g) 00 white wheat flour
1 tsp salt
1 egg

Mix the flours, pour in a pile and create a well. Sprinkle with salt, add the egg to the center, and gently beat to incorporate flour. Once somewhat together, use hands to mix the rest of the flour in until it takes a comfortable amount and is no longer sticky when handling repetedly for several rounds of kneading. Cover tightly in plastic wrap and let set for at least 1 hour, up to 12. See this entry on making fresh pasta for more details on making the dough: How to Make Fresh Italian Egg Pasta.

Roll the dough out using plenty of flour to keep it from sticking. I find it easier to work with half the dough at once, keeping the other half nicely covered with the plastic wrap. Roll out as thin as the dough will allow without tearing or becoming fragile. The longer you let it rest the easier it will be to accomplish this. Using the correct size flour (extra fine) will also aid in this.

Cut in equal squares. I eyeball it, it doesn’t have to be perfect. Add a small drop of filling to each square.

Fold into a triangle and seal with your fingertips by pinching, starting at the top of the triangle and working around the edges. Try not to include extra air near the filling, or they may have trouble staying closed once in the hot water.

Press the left and right sides of the triangle together to form a circle with a tail. Flip the pasta “inside out” to create an edge that will help trap sauce.

Cook in boiling hot water, salted (several T of sea or kosher salt).

Meanwhile, melt 2-3 T of butter, adding salt & pepper; you can add poppy seeds too if you like. Let it brown, and add pasta as it’s finished cooking. Toss. Serve.

Wine: this one is fairly tricky, because of the salty-sweet combo. A nice and soft, round merlot would work, as would a dry, less aromatic white.

1 butternut squash
6 spears asparagus (large)
1/4 vidalia or other sweet onion
1 large eggplant
1 C quinoa
2 C water
1 slice 1/4 inch thick pancetta, cubed
olive oil
salt & pepper

Cube butternut squash, egglant. Dice onion. Section eggplant to 1/2 inch sections.

Wash quinoa and combine with water in saucepan. Bring to boil, cover, reduce heat immediately to low. Set 15 min until water absorbed.

Fry pancetta in seperate pan, dry, adding to medium hot pan until crisp.

Heat olive oil and onion to medium high. Once onion shrunk but not translucent or colored yet, add butternut squash cubes (salt & pepper at every stage). Let soften. Turn heat up, add eggplant cubes. Allow to color, continuing to toss occasionally.

Add asparagus last. Let get bright green, turn off heat. Combine cooked quinoa with mixture, top with fried pancetta and serve.

Wine: You could serve this with a light, bright wine like an Oregon Pinot Noir.