Don't Get Complacent: Ca Ri Ga revisited

One of my favorite things about cooking is finding new, better ways to do things. Whether it's technique or improvements to a favorite recipe, the discovery part is always fun. Case in point is the classic Vietnamese curry dish Ca Ri Ga. I've had a version locked and loaded in my repertoire for a few years now (see original post here). It was always delicious, had been made many times before for friends to much praise, and seemed perfect. The lesson here is one should never get complacent, because when I was in a curry-ish mood with a bit of starch craving on the side yesterday morning I entered three words into the awesome epicurious recipe search app: "sweet potato curry". Up popped this recipe, and a few hours later the results appeared as pictured.

This was almost a whole new curry from my previous ca ri ga. Slightly more pungently flavored and definitely brothier. In fact it was the broth that made the whole dish better. Equal parts chicken stock and coconut milk, it had a silky texture yet was not too thick and not too liquidy. Just right. In her notes below recipe author Mai Pham suggests having it with a baguette which I will definitely do next time (although our rice side was excellent). It could also be made vegetarian style by leaving out the chicken, maybe throw in some cauliflower and broccoli or whatever plant based needs you have. The prep was straightforward and simple, and the dish comes together ridiculously easy (both of which always score huge in my book and make this a perfect after work dinner). My mind was opened to a new possibility, my palate was extremely happy, and as much as I loved my old ca ri ga, I have just found a new, better way to edible satisfaction!
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Ca ri ga

from epicurious: The recipe and introductory text below are excerpted from "Pleasures of the Vietnamese Table" by Mai Pham and are part of our story on Lunar New Year.

"True to the Vietnamese style of curry-making, this recipe is milder and lighter than Indian or Thai curries. You can make this with chicken stock, but the coconut milk adds body and enhances the overall flavor. Depending on my mood and the time of year, I sometimes serve this with a warmed baguette (a French influence) instead of steamed rice. Other times, I just make the curry with more broth and serve it with rice noodles. Like other curries, it's delicious the next day."

yield: Makes 4 Servings

ingredients:
3 tablespoons curry powder
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
2 pounds skinless chicken thighs
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon chopped shallot
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons ground chili
paste or dried chili flakes, or to taste
3 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
2 lemongrass stalks, cut into 3-inch pieces and bruised with the flat side of a knife
1 (1-inch) piece ginger, peeled, cut into 3 slices and bruised with the flat side of a knife
1 1/2 cups fresh chicken stock or store-bought low-sodium chicken broth
3 carrots, peeled, cut on the diagonal into 2/3-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut milk
1 yellow onion, cut into wedges
1 medium sweet potato (about 1 pound), peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

Garnish (feel free to use any/all):
1/2 cup Asian basil leaves, cut in half
8 sprigs cilantro, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 scallions, chopped

method:
1. Combine 2 tablespoons of the curry powder and the salt in a bowl. Add the chicken and turn to coat the meat evenly. Set aside for 30 minutes.

2. Heat the oil in a medium pot over moderate heat. Add the shallot, garlic, chili paste and the remaining 1 tablespoon curry powder, and stir until fragrant, about 10 seconds. Add the chicken and cook until the edges of the pieces are golden, 3 to 4
minutes. Add the fish sauce, sugar, lemongrass, ginger and chicken stock. Bring
to a boil, then reduce the heat. Add the carrots and cook for 10 minutes. Add
the coconut milk, onion and sweet potato and cook until the vegetables are
tender, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl, garnish with Asian basil,
cilantro and scallions, and serve.

Cilantro harvest, pt. 1

Along with basil, there is nothing so pungently satisfying as cilantro. Holding a handful of either up to your schnoz and taking a big whiff is the definition of a heady experience. Having made the decision to plant cilantro (once again) in my garden and being determined to actually use it instead of leaving it to bolt (my usual m.o.), as it seems to do overnight, the Asian/Indian theme is running rampant in the 1309 kitchen. I found the recipe below on epicurious. Seeing it needed some obvious tweaking, as usual with online recipes in the form of a bit more flavoring agents (is every recipe site afraid of alienating our weakened domestic palates? Memo to recipe writers: you should be challenging, not acquiescing to, your readers tastebuds!), I added my own touches. The result? Deliciousness attained with minimal effort. And still lots of cilantro left in the garden...stay tuned!!

You could serve this with some rice, I suppose. But it was really perfect tucked into some tender, snappy lettuce leaves fresh out of the garden. Plus that tumbler of chilly rosé you see in the pic? Most def!
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Shredded Chicken with Ginger and Cilantro
Adapted from: Gourmet Magazine/Baita Daiwei Ting, Kunming

From Gourmet: "Many of the minority peoples of Yunnan traditionally boil a chicken to show respect to their dead. Once the ceremony is finished, they shred the meat and mix it with ginger, garlic, and cilantro to make "ghost chicken." The lime in this recipe, unusual for Chinese cooking, suggests the influence of Southeast Asia, which the province borders."

Yield: Makes 2 to 4 to 6 (main course) servings

ingredients:
2 chicken breast halves with skin and bone (1 1/2 to 2 pounds total)
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1-1/2 teaspoons Asian chili paste with garlic (preferably Lan Chi)
1-1/2 teaspoons red-chile oil, or to taste*
1-1/2 teaspoons Sichuan-pepper oil, or to taste**
2 teaspoons finely grated (with a rasp) peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon finely grated (with a rasp) garlic
1 teaspoon minced fresh mild long red chile such as Holland
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 to 2 cups fresh cilantro leaves

*To make the red chili oil: add 1 tablespoon dried crushed chilies to 1/4 cup peanut oil. Let sit for 1 hour or more before use.

**To make Sichuan-pepper oil: add teaspoons ground Sichuan peppercorns to 1/4 peanut oil. Let sit for 1 hour or more before use.

method:
Set a steamer rack inside a wide 6- to 8-quart pot and fill bottom with water (not above rack), then bring to a boil. Arrange chicken in 1 layer in a shallow heatproof bowl small enough to fit just inside pot. Steam chicken in bowl on rack, covered with lid, until just cooked through, about 25-35 minutes. Remove bowl from pot using tongs. When chicken is cool enough to handle, coarsely shred, discarding skin and bones. Reserve liquid in bowl. Meanwhile, stir together lime juice, bean paste, red-chile oil, Sichuan-pepper oil, ginger, garlic, chile, salt, and 4 tablespoons reserved chicken liquid in a large bowl. Stir in chicken, cilantro, and salt to taste.

Cooks' note: Dish, without cilantro, can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Bring to room temperature and stir in cilantro before serving.

Butternut Squash Soup with star anise and ginger shrimp: yummy in a hurry!

Have I mentioned my affinity for all things delicious, fast, and easy in these days of being a slave to an A.D.D. afflicted one-year-old? Oh, that's right , I just did in this recent post. Okay, C-boy really isn't A.D.D. afflicted. I hear they're all like that. Damn those developmental milestones. What will I hear next, that he's about to start walking? You know, when I mention hobbling his wrists to his ankles I get the funniest looks. Anyway, I have also meant to make use of these butternut squash that I grew in my little garden this summer. My b-nuts were one of the few "successes" in an otherwise not so fulfilling garden season. Now I know why they invented grocery store produce sections! You know, I really don't think when you factor in water, time, and worry that these are all that cost effective grown at home. I mean at our organic market they cost about $.50 a pound.

So I've had the squash in my basement, thinking that I can somehow make ALL FIVE of them last until next year. We had a pretty decadent pasta the night before, so a light soup seemed to be the perfect follow up. Then I can rationalize overindulging again tonight. So sitting at work I start perusing epicurious and came across the followiong butternut squash soup recipe that led to that (in my not-so-humble opinion) pretty sweet picture above. Just what I needed...10 minutes of prep time, about 30 minutes of watching things cook. The results were lovely. The soup was rich, silky smooth, with an intriguing added dimension, ever so very slightly licorice-y, from the star anise that cooked in the pot along with the squash. Great stuff with the crispy ginger shrimp resting in pinkish splendor on a golden pool.....or something like that.

If you're looking for a perfect wine pairing, I think a bottle of Argentinean Torrontes would be awesome. Make sure you get a drier styled one, like the 2009 Crios de Susanna Balbo, one of the best out there.
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Butternut Squash Soup with Star Anise and Ginger Shrimp
adapted from epicurious

makes about 5 cups

ingredients:
18 large shrimp in shell (about 1 lb), peeled, leaving tail and first segment of shell intact, and deveined
2 or 3 tablespoons finely grated peeled fresh ginger
2/3 cup chopped shallot
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
3 whole star anise
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 3/4 lb butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (5 cups)
4 cups chicken stock or broth (the original recipe called for adding 2 cups water, which would have left this way to thin- bb)
Salt and white pepper (you can use regular freshly ground black pepper, but I prefer not to have black specks floating in the soup. All about aesthetics, you know!- bb)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

method:
1-Have all prep done before combining shrimp and ginger.

2-Toss shrimp with ginger in a bowl and marinate, chilled, 30 minutes (do not marinate any longer or enzymes from ginger will begin to cook shrimp).

3-Cook shallot, garlic, and anise in butter in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring, until shallot is softened, about 5 minutes. Add squash, stock, and water and simmer, uncovered, until squash is very tender, about 20 minutes. Remove star anise.
Purée soup in 2 batches in a blender (use caution when blending hot liquids) until very smooth, about 1 minute per batch, then transfer to cleaned pan. Season with salt and white pepper. Keep warm, covered.

4-Sprinkle marinated shrimp with salt. Heat oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté shrimp in 2 batches, stirring, until just cooked through, about 3 minutes per batch, transferring to paper towels.
Bring soup to a simmer and season with salt and pepper. Divide among shallow soup bowls and mound 3 or 4 shrimp in each bowl.

Barbequed Chicken Thighs w/ Hickory Sauce. Summer's calling, are you listening?

Just in case you're out of ideas on what to make this holiday weekend, let me help you out. Actually, this isn't Memorial Day specific. This stuff is so off the hook that it'll be your go-to 'que sauce all summer on a hell of a lot more than chicken thighs. I found this on epicurious when I was in a 'queing mood a few weeks ago. You know, those long ago days when the weather was actually nice enough to cook outside. On the off chance they come back...and I hear they might by Sunday...then this should be on your menu.

Barbequed chicken seems such a throwback to me childhood. Maybe that's why it just isn't something I look to do. I throw pretty much everything else on the Weber (including this perfect roast chicken), but in the last 5 years I think I've grilled chicken pieces maybe once. In my lust to keep trying new and more complicated recipes, I forget how damn satisfying a perfect piece of chicken slathered in sauce hot off the 'que can be. When I read this recipe and saw that it included ketchup and bottled barbeque sauce I was a bit skeptical. Seemed a little too easy, not "complicated" enough. And I know there's plenty of you bbq purists our there who just quit reading. Well, forget that self-important shit because when all the other ingredients get thrown into the pot and slowly simmer together, this is absolutely amazing. It just might be the best 'que sauce I've ever had, and several friends I served it to seemed to agree! The chix thighs were the eprfect vehicle for this, but I'm guessing it will be equally happy dripping off some ribs or slow cooked brisket (Dave, do you hear me? Time to fire up one of your famous briskets!!).
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Barbecued Chicken Thighs with Brown Sugar-Hickory Sauce
Bon Appétit | July 2004

yield: Makes 6 servings

ingredients: 1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup bottled chili sauce
1/2 cup bottled hickory-flavor barbecue sauce
1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 garlic cloves, crushed
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

12 chicken thighs with skin and bones

method:
1-Bring first 10 ingredients to boil in medium saucepan, whisking to blend. Reduce heat to low; simmer 10 minutes. (Can be made 1 week ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

2-Clean grill rack. Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Place chicken on grill, skin side down; cook until skin browns, about 8 minutes. Turn chicken over and continue grilling until cooked through, about 8 minutes longer. Transfer 1 cup barbecue sauce to small dish. Brush skin side of chicken with sauce from dish; turn skin side down and cook 2 minutes. Brush chicken with more sauce; turn skin side up and grill 2 minutes. Arrange chicken on platter. Serve with remaining sauce.

Thai Fish Curry: healthy food for a growing family!

Tired of looking at that piece of fried chicken from the previous post that has been staring at you for the past week and a half? Me too, so it's time to get off the blogging slacker seat and get some fresh material up here. I mean it's not like I've been going hungry the last few weeks. With plenty of deliciousness backed up in the blogging pipeline, I'll start off with this excellent bit of Thai-ishness that w and I had last night. We've been hitting the heavy food thing pretty hard right now, and with w carrying the next generation eating obsessive inside her ever expanding belly, something lighter for us and brain-healthy for the young 'un seemed in order. I was in the mood for something easy and flavorful, and since Thai curry always satisfies those needs, I jumped on the epicurious app on my iPhone (have I ever mentioned how much I love this app? Oh, yeah, I did here) to see what they might come up with. The first hit back was this Thai Fish Curry that was printed in Bon Appetit in 1992 (1992?? I am constantly amazed at the internet!). After reading the recipe and the comments, I did a little adapting, took a very few minutes to throw it together, and out came two very attractive and palate satisfying platefuls of southeast Asian flavors. It really is ridiculously easy, and the incredibly aromatic dry rub (pic at right) you process will leave you enough for another go, maybe with some chicken or shrimp subbed in for the halibut.
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Thai Fish Curry
adapted from epicurious/Bon Appetit
yield: Serves 2

ingredients:
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro stems
2 tablespoons minced fresh lemongrass (from bottom 6 inches of stalk)
1 tablespoon turmeric
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon ground cumin
3 large garlic cloves, halved
3/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1-1/4 pound 1 1/2-inch-thick halibut fillets, cut into 3-inch pieces
1 cup canned unsweetened coconut milk
2/3 cup bottled clam juice
Minced fresh cilantro

method:
1-Blend first 9 ingredients in processor to dry paste, stopping frequently to scrape down sides of work bowl. (Paste can be prepared 3 days ahead. Cover and chill.)

2-Heat oil in medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 3 rounded tablespoons spice paste; stir 1 minute. Add fish and cook 2 minutes, turning occasionally with tongs. Add coconut milk and clam juice and simmer until fish is cooked through, turning occasionally, about 4-6 minutes depending on thickness of fillets. Transfer fish to plate. Boil liquid until reduced to thick sauce, about 8 minutes. Season with salt. Return fish to sauce and heat through. Sprinkle with cilantro. Serve over rice.

Le Vengeance du Grand-Meres!

In another affront to French sensibilities, an amateur American home cook has taken, and if I may be not so humble perfected, a classic of French home cooking. Like the Russians who have repeatedly knocked twitter offline in an attempt to silence a Georgian critic, I would not be too surprised to see the radical Grand-meres sans Frontiers attempt to take down Eat.Drink.Think. in a misguided attempt at preserving French culture. So while you can I would suggest making this little piece of French farm life tonight or saving it to your recipe file before those tech-savvy cheveaux-bleu exact their revenge!

Now you might read the recipe and think "that sounds like the perfect dish for fall" and you'd be right. But on a cool, cloudy summer morning when I actually was wearing slippers around the house while deciding what to make for dinner, it sounded pretty damn good, too. I grabbed this recipe off of epicurious, where apparently a group of Gourmet Magazine editors had it at the Paris bistro Chez Maitre Paul. The name roughly translates to "farmwife's chicken" and as they said "poulet à la fermière contains a farmwife's bounty—chicken, cheese, vegetables, and herbs." That it does, and it also contains a healthy dose of comfort. With a couple of minor tweaks it really turned out well, and w and I were loving it washed down with a glass or two of grenache blanc from the French producer Abel Clement (which btw, if you find it probably is selling for around $8 a bottle!). Lighter on the palate than you would think (which made it delicious even on a warm summer night) and filling to the tummy this is exactly what you would want to come home to on a cool autumn evening. And whatever you do don't forget the baguette to soak up the rich, buttery-creamy sauce!

le dîner, just out of the oven!

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Poulet a la Fermiere
(Gratineed Chicken in Cream Sauce)
adapted from epicurious

yield: makes 4 servings
ingredients:
2 pounds chicken thighs and drumsticks
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
6 fresh parsley sprigs
2 fresh thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf (not California)
4 carrots, cut diagonally into 1-inch-thick slices
1 cup frozen small whole onions, thawed and patted dry
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 pound small (1 1/2-inch) boiling potatoes, peeled and halved (I didn't worry about getting every bit of skin off the potatoes and they were fine-bb)
2/3 cup crème fraîche
1 cup frozen petite baby peas, thawed
1 cup coarsely grated Gruyère

method:
1-Pat chicken dry and season with salt and pepper.

the chicken thighs, halfway through browning

2-Heat butter in a 12-inch ovenproof deep heavy sauté pan over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then brown chicken all over, in batches if necessary, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate and cover. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat from pan.

3-Tie parsley and thyme together in a bundle, then add to pan with bay leaf carrots and onions, stirring to coat with fat. Add wine and deglaze by boiling over high heat, stirring and scraping up brown bits, until liquid is reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add broth and chicken, skin sides up, with any juices from plate, and simmer, covered, 10 minutes. Add potatoes and salt and pepper to taste and simmer, covered, until chicken is cooked through and potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.

the chicken just before going under the broiler

4-Preheat broiler. Discard thyme, parsley, and bay leaf. Stir in crème fraîche, peas, and salt and pepper to taste, then turn chicken in sauce to coat. Sprinkle dish all over with Gruyère and broil 4 to 5 inches from heat until browned and sauce is bubbling, 3 to 4 minutes.

Spaghetti and meatballs: take that grandma!!

I'm not going to say these are best spaghetti and meatballs ever (even though they are) because I don't want the Italian grandmother mafia to put the hit on me. Spaghetti and meatballs, an iconic thing if ever there was one with deep familial connections. Kind of like potato salad, or a history of mental illness (not my family mind you...we're FINE!). So I don't make that "best ever" claim lightly. But the truth is the truth, so I have to go with it.

My great claim to food shame is that in all these years of cooking at home I have never made spaghetti and meatballs, where the meatballs and sauce are made lovingly from scratch. The other day I got the bug, even though the middle of summer in our defiantly non-A/C house doesn't usually put me in the mind of "Man, something that cooks for hours on the stove sounds perfect!" Stuck in my mind it was, though, so I had to rid my brain of the demon and hopefully end up with something completely kickass in the process. I did and it was! I looked at many versions and got this recipe off of the iPhone epicurious app (the unholy tech-child of Steve jobs and Ruth Reichl). Never mind that the recipe said it would feed 12-16 and it was just w and I for dinner. Ever hear of leftovers (as in three 48 ounce Tupperware tubs) for Christ's sake? When I decided to put this to the test, I somehow missed the part that said to roll out 70 meatballs. 70 freaking meatballs?? Maybe it's because my hands are big and the meaty orbs were a bit, um, large, but I ended up with 52 (a few of which can be seen awaiting their simmery fate at left), which sorely tested my patience. If I would of had to roll out 18 more I might've chucked the whole fucking lot. With the sauce simmering happily in the background (above right), I browned off the meatballs, which after a few fell victim to careless turning left me with 48. Which was plenty. After the whole lot was combined and cooked together, the bowl of luscious Italian comfort food that resulted was incredible. The sauce was light and fresh, not that dark, heavy, too-sweet slop that often passes for "rich" spaghetti sauce (note how simple the sauce is, and NO tomato paste needed, thank you). As expected, the next day the sauce was even better because of that 24 hour food miracle called "flavor melding". And I am quite content to know that sitting in my freezer are three more big dinners to come. To all Italian grandmothers: I am ready to throw down!!
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Spaghetti and Meatballs
from Gourmet | January 2009
Yield: Makes 12 to 16 servings
Active Time: 2 hr
Total Time: 3 hr

ingredients:
For tomato sauce:
6 (28-ounce) cans whole tomatoes in juice (preferably San Marzano)
2 medium onions, chopped
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped

For meatballs:
2 medium onions, finely chopped
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
10 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 cups torn day-old Italian bread
3 cups whole milk
6 large eggs
2 cups grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1/4 pound)
1/3 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup finely chopped oregano or 1 teaspoon dried, crumbled
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1 1/2 pounds ground veal
1 1/2 pounds ground pork
1 1/2 pounds ground beef (not lean)
1 cup olive or vegetable oil

For pasta:
2 pounds dried spaghetti

Accompaniment: grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Equipment: a 12-to 16-quart nonreactive heavy pot or 2 smaller nonreactive pots; a 6-to 8-quart pasta pot with a pasta/steamer insert for cooking spaghetti in 2 batches.

method:
Make sauce:
Drain tomatoes, reserving juice in a large bowl. Crush tomatoes with your hands and add to juice.

Cook onions in oil in pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes with their juice, 4 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Simmer sauce, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Season with salt.

Make meatballs while sauce simmers:
Cook onions in extra-virgin olive oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl to cool.

Soak bread in milk in another bowl until soft, about 5 minutes. Firmly squeeze bread to remove excess milk, discarding milk.

Stir together cooled onion mixture, bread, eggs, parmesan, parsley, oregano, lemon zest, 51/2 teaspoon salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoon pepper until combined. Add meats to bread mixture, gently mixing with your hands until just combined (do not overmix).

Form meat mixture into about 70 (1 1/2-inch) balls with dampened hands, arranging meatballs on 2 large baking sheets or in shallow baking pans.

Heat olive or vegetable oil (1 cup) in a 12-inch heavy skillet (preferably nonstick) over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown meatballs in 4 or 5 batches (without crowding), turning frequently, about 5 minutes per batch. Return to baking sheets.

Add meatballs to sauce and gently simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until cooked through, 20 to 30 minutes. (If pot is not large enough, divide meatballs and sauce between 2 pots.)

Prepare pasta:

Cook spaghetti in 2 batches in pasta insert in boiling salted water (3 tablespoon salt for 6 qt water) until just al dente, draining and tossing each batch with some of sauce in a large serving dish.

Serve with meatballs, remaining sauce, and grated cheese.

Cooks' notes:
•Meatballs can be made and simmered in sauce 5 days ahead and chilled (covered once cool).
•Meatballs with sauce can be frozen in an airtight container or heavy-duty sealable bags up to 3 months.◊

Grilled Halibut with grilled red pepper harissa: you need to get this fish on!!

Just so you know, if the recipe appears in the column to the left under the "Recipe" heading, then it is something I am pretty confident you'll like. Believe me there are plenty of things that, to put it kindly, didn't quite make the list. The recipe at the top of the heap right now, and printed below, would most definitely not fall into the "kitchen disappointment" category. In fact both w and I thought it was a spectacular success. I was putzing around home yesterday and playing with my new favorite iPhone app, the free epicurious download, and entered "grilled halibut" into the search. Thankfully this delish dish, which has immediately been added to our regular rotation, was one of the top 3 search results.

I had never made harissa, that pungent North African condiment, before this. I've had it plenty of times, but I don't know if I've ever had it better. The smokiness imparted by the grilled peppers, jalapeno, and garlic was incredible when combined with the cumin, coriander, and olive oil. Traditionally served with couscous, it went unbelievably well with the grilled halibut and would be a fabulous condiment with a grilled steak, veggies, eggs, and any other place your hungry imagination takes you. It is so easy to make that there isn't any excuse not to have a container of this in your fridge. Plus, using grilled lemon halves for their juice to squeeze onto the fish was inspired, the juice slightly smoky with a sweet caramelized flavor. This is absolutely a "wow" dish to serve to guests at your next 'que function!

Wine pick: I had a leftover bottle of 2007 J. Christopher Pinot Noir we shared that worked surprisingly well. I also think an ice cold bottle of dry rosé would be stellar.
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Grilled Halibut with Grilled Red Pepper Harissa
from Bon Appétit

yield: Makes 4 servings

ingredients:
1 red jalapeño chile
1 garlic clove, peeled
4 5- to 6-ounce halibut or mahi-mahi fillets
2 large red bell peppers, quartered lengthwise, seeded
Olive oil for brushing plus 1/4 cup
2 teaspoons ground cumin, divided
2 teaspoons ground coriander, divided
1 lemon, halved

when the peppers are almost done, the fish goes on

method:
Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Thread jalapeño and garlic clove onto metal skewer. Brush jalapeño, garlic, fish, and red bell peppers with oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sprinkle fish with 1/2 teaspoon cumin and 1/2 teaspoon coriander. Grill fish, bell peppers,jalapeño, and garlic until vegetables are tender and charred and fish is just cooked through, about 4 minutes per side for fish and 6 minutes per side for vegetables. Grill lemon, cut side down, until charred, about 3 minutes. Transfer fish to plate and tent with foil to keep warm.

Peel charred parts of skin from bell peppers and cut stem from jalapeño, and transfer to blender, discarding peel and stem. Add garlic clove, remaining 1/4 cup oil, 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin, and 1 1/2 teaspoons coriander to blender. Process until coarse puree forms. Season sauce generously to taste with salt and pepper.

Place 1 fish fillet on each of 4 plates. Squeeze grilled lemon over. Spoon sauce over fish and serve.

bb’s note:: The time it takes to grill the veggies will vary with the heat of your fire. Mine took much less time, maybe 5 or 6 minutes per side. If the seem to getting too done too quickly, move them slightly off the direct heat.
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one year ago today @ E.D.T.: hunting wild mushrooms at the farmer's market!

In the palm of my hand.....

...without having to own a Palm. BTW, does anyone still buy Palm pda's? How is it possible that company is still in business? Buying a Palm right now would be the equivalent of running out and buying a Pontiac, don't ya think? You're about to become irrelevant and don't even know it. Anyway, I digress. The point of this post is that last night I happened across what has instantly become the coolest app for the food obsessed iPhone owner (although using "obsessed" and "iPhone owner" in the same sentence is somewhat redundant). How would you like to have the entire contents of The Gourmet Cookbook in your hungry little hands? How about every recipe from virtually every back issue of Gourmet or Bon Appetit magazines? The newly released epicurious app has it all, and I am stoked. I've used epicurious for inspiration innumerable times, with usually more than a little success (hint: if it has less than 90% approval, skip it. and be ready to make adjustments). This app will also make a shopping list for you when you've picked your recipe, allows you to save your faves, and will even provide cocktail recipes because who really likes to cook sober? Best of all, due to the fact that it has hardly noticeable 5-second ads you get all this for the most reasonable price of ZERO DOLLARS!! Sorry crackberry owner, you don't get to swim in this pool, but hey, enjoy all that really fresh emailing you get to do!
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one year ago today @ E.D.T.: Grant Achatz of Alinea can cook...read all about him!!

Simple cooking: Thai Green Curry Shrimp

I'm not saying that cooking is simple. I mean, simple is doing your multiplication tables, frying an egg, or taking out three pirates in a bobbing boat in the ocean at dusk. There was a time before I got the cooking bug when I would go to some Thai joint and absolutely marvel at the flavors and wonder how they jammed so much complexity into the bowl. It seemed almost magical, and something I couldn't ever imagine doing myself. That is one of the things I love most about exploring cooking....learning that some of the most interesting, deliciously full flavors come from the simplest of ingredients and quickest cooking methods. Last night was yet another classic example. w and I were both in the mood for something light after a(nother) weekend of overindulgence. I was at work with no idea what to make, and started checking out epicurious, inserting different search terms looking for inspiration. Shrimp was sounding good, curry always makes us happy, and suddenly, thanks to the scientific genius that is Al Gore's invention of the internet, this popped up on my screen. Simple? Check out that ingredient list. Fast? Put your rice on and by the time it is done you will have completed your prep and have this steaming bowl of Thai goodness in front of you. Is cooking simple? Apparently so!
*** *** *** *** ***
Thai Green Curry Shrimp
adapted from epicurious/Bon Appetit
yield: Makes 6-8 servings

ingredients:
1 tablespoon peanut oil
1 cup thinly sliced onion
1 cup chopped green onions (about 8 small)
1 to 2 tablespoons Thai green curry paste*
1 14-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk*
1 cup low-salt chicken broth
3 tablespoons Thai fish sauce (nam pla)*
2 teaspoons sugar
1 cup diced plum tomatoes
2 pounds uncooked large shrimp, peeled, deveined (I used 25-30 count shrimp-bb)
salt
Chopped fresh cilantro
Lime wedges

method:
Heat peanut oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sliced onion; stir-fry until soft and beginning to brown, about 4 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Add green onions and curry paste; stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add coconut milk, chicken broth, fish sauce, and sugar; bring to boil. Add tomatoes and boil 2 minutes. Add shrimp and cook just until opaque in center, stirring often, about 3 to 5 minutes depending on size of shrimp. Add salt to taste. Transfer curry to large shallow bowl. Garnish with cilantro. Serve, passing lime wedges separately.
Note: the lime wedges are essential to really make the flavors pop. Make sure you squeeze in a healthy amount in your bowls!-bb

Cookie Love

As I said in the post about the marvel that was the Pumpkin Carrot Cake, w does most of the baking around our kitchen. To which I am most grateful. Fatter, but still grateful. Her blueberry scones are the stuff of breakfast legend. Her regular pumpkin cake is awe inspiring. And I'm not saying this just to get her to bake more desserts. She sees right through my rather lame manipulations. Her oeuvre is dinner party tested and approved. And now comes these stupidly delicious ginger spice cookies. There is no one who doesn't like ginger spice cookies. If they don't, then they haven't had these ginger spice cookies. You will not...I repeat, WILL NOT...be able to eat just one of these!
*** *** *** *** ***


Ginger Spice Cookies
from epicurious
yield: Makes about 30

ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup coarsely chopped crystallized ginger
1 cup (lightly packed) dark brown sugar
1/2 cup vegetable shortening, room temperature
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 large egg
1/4 cup mild-flavored (light) molasses
Sugar

method:
Combine first 6 ingredients in medium bowl; whisk to blend. Mix in crystallized ginger. Using electric mixer, beat brown sugar, shortening and butter in large bowl until fluffy. Add egg and molasses and beat until blended. Add flour mixture and mix just until blended. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly butter 2 baking sheets. Spoon sugar in thick layer onto small plate. Using wet hands, form dough into 1 1/4-inch balls; roll in sugar to coat completely. Place balls on prepared sheets, spacing 2 inches apart.

Bake cookies until cracked on top but still soft to touch, about 12 minutes. Cool on sheets 1 minute. Carefully transfer to racks and cool. (Can be made 5 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.)

Pigging Out (w/ update)

It has become increasingly apparent to me that I will never become a vegetarian. Not that I aspire to a protein deficient diet or anything, but especially in this cold weather season, nothing tastes better than slow-cooked animal flesh. My friend DOR made an amazing mustard-crusted beef tenderloin roast last weekend. Last night I was over at my other friend's Bill and Martha's where he did some incredible cold-smoked boneless pork chops (paired with a bottle of truly perfect 1998 Chateau St. Jean "Cinq Cepages"). I did my standing beef rib roast for friends a couple of weeks ago, and then last Monday I made a lusciously tender braised pork shoulder for w and me. In my meat-centric dietary hierarchy, pork is rapidly overtaking beef at the top of my carnivorous food pyramid. There are some many fun ways to play with the pig...shoulders, chops, tenderloins, ears, and of course the glory that is bacon and all of its cured cousins like pancetta and prosciuotto.

I happened to have a four pound shoulder in my freezer that needed my attention. Pork shoulder has to be the best deal at your butchers. This particular cut was only $1.20 a pound on sale at my local market. That is insane, especially when you consider that with some slow, low heat the fat and connective tissue melts away, tenderizing and flavoring the meat in a way that only confirms God's good intentions for us to be happy. I looked through various cookbooks, then went on the computer where I this particular recipe on epicurious (it had the all important 95% would make it again rating) which I tweaked ever so slightly. The meat just fell aprt when it was done (in a good way!), and the whole thing was so incredibly simple to put together. That five well placed ingredients could combine to produce this was nothing short of mind-boggling. Oh, and really, really satisfying!
UPDATE 12/19: Check the recipe below as I forgot to add that I put a sprig of rosemary and a few sprigs of thyme in with the pork before braising.
*** *** *** *** ***
Cider-Braised Pork Shoulder with Caramelized Onions
adapted from epicurious
yield: Makes 4 to 6 servings
active time: 30 min
total time: 3 hr

ingredients:
1 (3- to 4-lb) bone-in or boneless fresh pork shoulder (preferably arm picnic)
4 garlic cloves, cut into slivers
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 lb onions (5 or 6 medium), halved lengthwise, then cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1-1/4 cup unfiltered apple cider
1 sprig rosemary
3 or so sprigs thyme

method:
1-Preheat oven to 325°F.

2-Score fat and any skin on pork in a crosshatch pattern. Make slits all over meat with a small sharp knife and insert a garlic sliver in each slit. Pat pork dry and season with salt and pepper.

browning the pork

3-Heat oil in a 4- to 5-quart ovenproof heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown meat on all sides, turning occasionally with the aid of tongs and a carving fork, about 8 minutes. Transfer pork to a plate.

onions being sautéd on their way to sweet caramelization

4-Add onions to pot and sauté over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and starting to turn golden, about 5 minutes. Add 3/4 teaspoon salt and sauté, stirring occasionally, until onions are golden and caramelized, 8 to 10 minutes more. Stir in cider and return pork to pot with rosemary and thyme. Cover pot with a tight-fitting lid and braise pork in middle of oven until very tender, 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

5-Transfer pork to a serving dish with the aid of tongs and carving fork. Boil cooking juices with onions until mixture is reduced to about 2 cups, 2 to 3 minutes, then season with salt and pepper and serve with pork.

Laying down a bundt!

I don't know what it is about the bundt cake, but I loves me some of this old school goodness! I do know it is partly that I am "likes to eat cake guy" when it comes to dessert. Also, all things round have always appealed to me (and I have no idea what that's about!). Maybe it's the versatility...almost all bundts are not only good for dessert, but usually they're made with something that goes down so well with morning coffee, too. I do know they are really freakin' easy, and the perfect dessert to lay down when you're involved with more complicated entrées. And how about the fact that everybody loves them?

At least everybody loved this deliciously moist pumpkin bundt I got off the epicurious site and served up with Sunday's amazing lamb stew. Plus, you know you'll be jamming down plenty of pumpkin pie come the holidays, so why not get a different, and dare I say equally, delicious take on autumns best dessert flavoring with this roundly satisfying cake. I did a light glaze on it, but I think next time I would leave off the glaze and just dust some powdered sugar on it, or do the classic pie thing and dollop some whipped cream on top. If you wake up a little slow the night after your dinner party, this and a cup of coffee is the perfect antidote to self-abuse!
*** *** *** *** ***
Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake
adapted from epicurious.com

makes 12 servings.

ingredients:
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened, plus additional for greasing bundt pan
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour plus additional for dusting pan
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups canned solid-pack pumpkin (from a 15-oz can; not pie filling)
3/4 cup well-shaken buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs

Special equipment: a 10-inch nonstick bundt pan (3 qt)

method:
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Butter bundt pan generously, then dust with flour, knocking out excess.

Whisk together flour (2 1/4 cups), baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, and salt in a bowl. Whisk together pumpkin, 3/4 cup buttermilk, and vanilla in another bowl.

Beat butter (1 1/2 sticks) and granulated sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes, then add eggs and beat 1 minute. Reduce speed to low and add flour and pumpkin mixtures alternately in batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture and mixing until batter is just smooth.

Spoon batter into pan, smoothing top, then bake until a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool cake in pan on a rack 15 minutes, then invert rack over cake and reinvert cake onto rack. Cool 10 minutes more.
*** *** *** *** ***
One year ago today: one of my favorite things in the world... Penne alla Vodka Pasta

Why I Love Fall!

What's better than a cool mid-fall evening, great friends, copious amounts of red wine from said friends who have home wine cellars, and a delicious lamb stew? If you guessed nothing you would be correct! Last Sunday was the perfect night for some serious over-indulgence, and besides I'd been dying to make this particular braised deliciousness since w and I first had it last year. I did a blog post then, but with several thousand new readers, it seems worth sharing again, because this is so easy and completely over-delivers for the effort expended.

There is nothing better than braises when the weather cools. It's the main reason I don't mind seeing summer ending. No really, it is...kind of lame I know, but I bet I'm not the only food obsessive who feels this way! And this takes full advantage of the b-season. Grab some lamb shoulder from your butcher, which usually runs around $5-$7 a pound, chop it up, brown it off, add the proper flavoring agents (like the steeped saffron threads at right) and in about two hours you'll be ready for some serious swooning. I actually made this mid-day, let it cool to allow for some extra flavor melding, and then reheated it right before serving. With some couscous (is there anything easier than couscous? It's like Dinner Starch for Dummies!) and a green salad alongside, this nailed it. Especially good with a nice 2000 Produttori "Montestefano" Barbaresco, a 2000 Burle Gigondas, a 1991 Muga Rioja Reserva, and a 2003 Cameron Pinot Noir. And pre-dinner cocktails...and a couple of whites with apps...yikes!...can you say waking up slowly the next day?! But that night, for the six of us, it was all good, and the perfect antidote to election season overdose!
*** *** *** *** ***

Lamb Stew with Lemon and Figs
adapted from epicurious.com
makes 6 servings.
ingredients:
1 1/2 cups plain Greek-style yogurt
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

1/2 cup warm water
1/4 teaspoon saffron threads, crumbled

1 2 1/2- to 3-pound boneless lamb shoulder, trimmed, cut into 1- to 1 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons (or more) olive oil
2 onions (about 1 pound), thinly sliced
1 small lemon (preferably Meyer), ends trimmed, quartered lengthwise, thinly sliced crosswise
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 rounded teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 14 1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice
1 cup dried figs, stems trimmed, quartered lengthwise (about 4 ounces)
2 1/2 cups (or more) low-salt chicken broth


method:
Transfer yogurt to small bowl. Stir in mint; season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill.)

Place 1/2 cup warm water and saffron in small bowl; let stand at least 20 minutes to infuse.

Sprinkle lamb with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Working in batches, cook lamb until brown on all sides, adding more oil as needed, about 5 minutes per batch. Transfer lamb to large bowl. Pour all but 1 tablespoon fat from pot (or add 1 tablespoon oil if dry); heat pot over medium heat. Add onions; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sauté until beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add lemon, garlic, ginger, cinnamon, and cayenne. Stir 1 minute. Add saffron mixture; stir, scraping up browned bits. Add tomatoes with juice, figs, and lamb with any juices to pot. Stir to coat. Add 2 1/2 cups broth.

Bring stew to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, then cover with lid slightly ajar and simmer until meat is tender, stirring occasionally and adding more broth by 1/4 cupfuls as needed if dry, about 1 1/2 hours. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cool slightly. Refrigerate uncovered until cold, then cover and chill.)

Bring stew to simmer, thinning with more chicken broth if necessary. Divide stew among 6 plates; top each serving with dollop of minted yogurt.

über-seasonal, ultra-delicious: Orecchiete with Salsa Cruda and Ricotta Salata!

First off, just let me say that I really like that picture. It reminds me of those old Gourmet Magazine covers from the 50s & 60s. Okay, now that I'm done patting myself on the back, the thing I like more than that pic is this awesome pasta dish. Have a few tomatoes flooding your countertops, threatening to roll off onto the floor with a resounding "splat"? If you're like me the answer is yes, then you're always on the lookout for something new and delicious to use them in. And if like this recipe it also happens to be easy, then all the better! I stumbled across this on epicurious a few weeks ago, and had it on my to-make-list as something I needed to experience (you can only imagine how long that list is!). This incredibly simple and über-seasonal plate of pasta totally exceeded my expectations. I tweaked the original recipe a bit, adding ricotta salata rather than the called for regular ricotta (I could also see using feta and chopped kalamatas as one of many options) and adding pine nuts. I also upped the garlic and basil because when it comes to those ingredients, isn't more almost always better? The result was a fresh, bright, incredible flavorful plate of goodness that I wouldn't hesitate to make for guests. It is also perfect for the vegetarian set, and for the...ugh...vegans, I suppose they could leave out the cheese. But come on vegans, isn't savagely chopping tomatoes to bits and mercilessly crushing garlic cloves a form of murder? Hell yes it is, so get a grip and grab a hunk of cheese, for christ's sake!

Um, sorry for that digression. Geez, vegans...of all the people to get distracted by. Anyway, while the season is flush, put this on your own personal eating list. You'll be loving it, I promise!
*** *** ***
Orecchiette with Salsa Cruda and Ricotta Salata
adapted from Gourmet/Andrea Albin
makes 4 servings

ingredients:
1 medium shallot, minced
4 small garlic cloves, forced through a garlic press
2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 pounds tomatoes, chopped
1/4 teaspoon hot red-pepper flakes
1/2 cup coarsely chopped basil
1 pound dried orecchiette
1 cup ricotta salata (preferably fresh)
toasted pine nuts
Garnish: small basil leaves

method:
1-Stir together all ingredients except pasta and ricotta in a large bowl with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Let stand, stirring occasionally, 20 minutes.

2-Meanwhile, cook orecchiette in a pasta pot of boiling salted water (3 tablespoons salt for 6 qt water) until al dente.

3-Drain pasta and toss with tomato salsa and ricotta salata. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with pinenuts.

Your next dinner party: part 3- Time for dessert!

So, are you still hungry? Everyone pleasure centers are probably screaming for mercy, but this is America you guys. More is better, right? Two superlative inducing courses down, one super seasonal dessert left. Plus you did put that bottle of Moscato d'Asti in the fridge to chill didn't you? Good, I knew you would.
So how to finish to make sure that everyone has a meal they'll never forget (as if the memory of that lamb isn't burned permanently into their cerebellums)? Especially when bellies may be busting around the table. Maybe taking it down a notch with something light and fresh is the deal. Well, assuming you have access to the bushels of fresh peaches flooding markets everywhere this time of year, and are grabbing the last of the seasons fresh blueberries, then you are good to go with maybe the easiest (you can even make this while everyone is digesting all that lamb), best dessert you'll have this summer, and I guarantee you'll pull it out again and again. At the market last week found the most incredible, luscious white peaches that were perfect for this. The peaches and blueberries, lightly coated with the balsamic glaze, just burst in your mouth with bright, sweet flavor. This was another epicurious find that with a glass of that most addictive of Italian dessert wines, Moscato d'Asti from Italy's Piedmont region, is almost too good. And in case your already thinking "More wine? OMG!" then moscato is the perfect choice. Lightly fizzy, low in alcohol (usually just 5%), with a delicate sweet, spicy, floral character, if you haven't ever tried one, YOU MUST! If you have, then I know you're already nodding your heads in agreement. As far as producers of this magical elixir to look for, I've had almost all of them, and there usually isn't a huge difference. It seems, remarkably, that they're all good!

So there it is. The perfect dinner party, in order and ready to. The only question: whose lucky enough to be on your invite list?!
* * * * * *
Balsamic Blueberries and Peaches
adapted from epicurious

ingredients:
3 tablespoons sugar, or to taste
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3 cups blueberries (about 1 lb)
1 lb peaches or nectarines, sliced
1/2 teaspoon black pepper (optional)

method:
Boil 3 tablespoons sugar with vinegar, and 1 cup blueberries in a 1- to 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan, stirring, 1 minute. Remove from heat. Combine remaining 2 cups blueberries with peach slices in a large bowl. Toss with hot blueberry syrup and black pepper, then add sugar to taste. Let stand, tossing occasionally, 30 minutes.
*Cooks note: Vary sugar depending how sweet and ripe your fruit is.
Makes 4 servings.

To sea bass or not to sea bass? That is the question!

I'm trying to be eco-friendly guy here, especially when it comes to things I'm stuffing into my piehole. Michael Pollan said to stop sucking down products with corn syrup in 'em, they're gone. No factory raised beef...um, except for my twice-a-year Big Mac...I'm in. Organic, biodynamic, food raised to according to long lost Aztecan moon-phase planting rituals with a sprinkling of human sacrifice? If that's what it takes, fuck yes! But when it comes to fish, there's way too many mixed messages.

Take sea bass, which went into this amazingly delicious recipe below. According to my local New Season's Market fish monger, they don't carry it because of over-fishing, which I've read about. But then I go to Whole Foods here in green-crazy PDX and they have their "sustainably fished" sea bass. Not that Whole Paycheck is the last word in saving the oceans, but I REALLY wanted to make this recipe so I went for it...with a modicum of guilt. If anyone has the real word I'd love to hear it.

In any event, this recipe from epicurious, which I'm sure could be prepared with cod or halibut as well with an adjustment in cooking time, was all kinds of deliciousness. The idea of "en papillote", where the food is sealed in parchment paper (or in this case the easier to use, easier to clean up, and just as effective tin foil) to steam in its own juices and other flavoring agents, is brilliant simplicity. All the flavors...in this case lemon, thyme, tomatoes, capers...get infused into the fish. Quick, easy, and way effective. Plus the sauce spooned on top of this was crazy good, and especially seasonal now that little cherry tomatoes are just showing up at farmer's markets. Plus it gave me yet another way to use lemons off of my beloved Meyer lemon tree, which after steaming under the fish you can eat peel and all. Both w and I loved this dish, and you know something this easy has got to be in the rotation!
*** *** ***
Sea Bass en papillote

From epicurious:"Traditional papillote takes time and requires origami-like folding. Here, we use foil to make a no-mess pouch; the fish becomes infused with the flavors of tomato, capers, garlic, and lemon."

Makes 4 servings.
ingredients:
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 (6-oz) fillets black sea bass or striped bass (1/2 to 1 1/4 inches thick) with skin
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
8 thin lemon slices (less than 3/4 inch thick; from 1 large lemon)
8 sprigs fresh thyme
2 garlic cloves, very thinly sliced
12 cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1 1/2 tablespoons drained bottled capers

method:
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet with foil, then drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil.

Pat fish dry and sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. Arrange fillets, skin sides down, in 1 layer in center of foil on baking sheet and slide 2 lemon slices under each fillet. Arrange 2 thyme sprigs on top of each fillet.

sea bass just before being sauced






Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté garlic, stirring occasionally, until pale golden, about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes and a pinch of salt and sauté, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes are softened, about 1 minute. Stir in capers.

Spoon hot tomato mixture over fish, then cover with another sheet of foil, tenting it slightly over fish, and crimp edges together tightly to seal.

Just sauced, ready to be sealed up into steamy goodness

Bake until fish is just cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes (depending on thickness of fish); check by removing from oven and carefully lifting up a corner of top sheet of foil, pulling up sides of bottom sheet to keep liquid from running out. If fish is not cooked through, reseal foil and continue to bake, checking every 3 minutes.

Transfer fillets with lemon slices to plates using a spatula (be careful not to tear foil underneath) and spoon tomatoes and juices over top. Serve immediately, discarding thyme before eating.

Shanks a lot!

Hahahaha...gee I bet no one has EVER thought of that title before have they? That's why I'm here, to share all my very original thoughts with you. But my unoriginality is only to alert you to the pleasures that are to be had with the seasonal, ritual dismemberment of so many cute, fuzzy little lambies this spring....ahhhh, too bad they taste so darn good. Maybe there isn't a lamb God, after all!

Seeing as how I had a couple of shanks in the freezer from last year that needed to be taken advantage of before they became yet another unidentifiable freezer-burnt object to be tossed into the trash, and it would be an insult to the lamb who somewhere was walking around his grassy field on his two remaining legs, I decided to whip this delicious sounding braised lamb shank recipe I'd had my eye on for some time. Another epicurious find, this was rated at "96% would make it again", and considering the main ingredient, it seemed appropriate to follow the crowd like a lamb to the slaughter....okay, sorry, enough of that. What this did turn into was an exceptionally delicious pot of lamb-ey goodness that you will love, I promise. Even w and her lamb averse ways thought it rocked. So very easy to put together, and even more rewarding. Rich, savory, not heavy but so satisfying on the palate. We had it over polenta with gremolata sprinkled on top, which was about the best garnish you could hope for. I made this the day before and had it the next night, and it was awesome...all the flavors had come together perfectly. Make it soon, if not for you, then for all those cute little....oh, never mind....just get cooking!!
*** *** ***
Lamb Shanks with tomatoes and fresh herbs

"This is similar to the classic veal osso buco. Pancetta (available at Italian delis) adds a nice smokiness. Serve this over noodles, mashed potatoes, or polenta. Market tip: Small lamb shanks won't do — they're mainly bone — so get the largest, meatiest ones you can find (about 1 to 1 1/4 pounds each)."- Bon Appetit
Makes 4 servings.

ingredients:
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
4 large lamb shanks

3 tablespoons olive oil
2 to 3 ounces thinly sliced pancetta, cut into thin strips
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup chopped celery
6 garlic cloves, chopped
3 3x1/2-inch strips lemon peel
2 small bay leaves
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
2 cups dry white wine
2 cups drained canned diced tomatoes in juice
1 1/2 cups low-salt chicken broth

Gremolata: Mix the following three ingredients together in a small bowl
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoon grated lemon peel
2 finely chopped garlic cloves


method:
Mix first 6 ingredients in small bowl; rub all over lamb. Let stand 30 minutes.

Browning the shanks






Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat oil in large ovenproof pot over medium-high heat. Add lamb and sauté until brown, turning with tongs, about 12 minutes; transfer to plate. Reduce heat to medium. Add pancetta and stir 1 minute. Add onion, carrots, and celery. Cover and cook until vegetables are soft, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.

Stirring in the vegetables, garlic and lemon peel



Mix in garlic; cook 1 minute. Mix in lemon peel strips, bay leaves, and thyme. Add wine and bring to boil, scraping up browned bits. Add tomatoes and broth. Return lamb to pot. Bring to boil; cover and transfer pot to oven.

Cook lamb until just tender, turning occasionally, about 1 1/2 hours. Remove pot from oven. Tilt pot and spoon off fat that rises to top of sauce. Place pot over medium heat and boil uncovered until sauce reduces enough to coat spoon and lamb is very tender, about 30 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Discard lemon peel and bay leaves. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool 30 minutes, chill uncovered until cold, then cover and keep chilled. Rewarm over low heat before continuing.)
Transfer lamb to large shallow bowl. Sprinkle with gremolata and serve.

The shanks ready to go into the oven

When the pressure is on, lay down a Bundt!

As I've stated before in previous posts, I'm a big "cake guy" when it come to desserts. And as I've also made clear, I'm very fortunate because w is a "likes to make cake" girl, and her layer cakes kick ass. But last Monday we were having friends over for dinner (check out the crazy good bolognese recipe that was the entree in a post tomorrow...or Saturday) and she was working, so any cakiness, or any other dessert, was up to me. For some reason...hunger, low blood sugar, old-school yearnings....I'd been having thoughts of bundt cakes lately. I love the idea of the bundt cake in all its self-contained cooking goodness. Pour the batter in the pan, slide into the oven, pull it out, done. Especially when the above mentioned bolognese was cooking for several hours on the stove and there were other details to attend to (like making sure there was enough gin to get me through the evening), I needed it fast and easy. I checked out some cookbooks...nothing. Went online to epicurious...jackpot! I found this recipe for blueberry-buttermilk bundt cake. I didn't have blueberries, but I did have a stash of last fall's huckleberries at the ready, so this was it. Too easy, and with a sprinkling of powdered sugar on top, quite lovely to look at if you ask me. And yeah, pretty freaking good too. Plus this would also make a great brunch cake with coffee, too. Ease, versatility, old-school appeal, and deliciousness....that's my kind of multi-tasking!









*** *** ***

Blueberry-Buttermilk Bundt Cake
Bon Appétit

Using frozen blueberries in the batter will keep the fruit from sinking to the bottom of the pan as the cake bakes.
Makes 12 servings.

ingredients:
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 2/3 cups sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 cups frozen blueberries (or huckleberries if you're fortunate enough to have some!)
Powdered sugar for sprinkling on top (optional)

preparation:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour 10-inch-diameter Bundt pan. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat 1 2/3 cups sugar and butter in large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time. Beat in orange peel and vanilla. Beat in dry ingredients in 3 additions alternately with buttermilk in 2 additions. Fold in blueberries. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until tester inserted near center of cake comes out clean, about 1 hour.

Cool cake in pan on rack 10 minutes. Turn cake out onto rack and cool completely. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap in plastic and store at room temperature.) Transfer cake to plate, sift powdered sugar over, and serve.