Getting Steamy over Crab & Fuji Apple Salad!

Don't give me that "it's too cold outside to grill" whine. In 25* degree weather in Portland, the perfect antidote to a midwinter chill is throwing some fatty rib eyes on the grill, getting a nice, crusty char on them, and digging in to some serious meaty goodness while dreaming of summer 'ques to come! What's that? Yeah, yeah, I know that isn't a new recipe, and this month is all about making only new dishes at home. Do you really think I'd forget??

That's why, to precede these hunks 'o flesh, I made an awesome new salad I picked up from my blogging pal Jaden's fabulous food site, Steamy Kitchen. If you've been paying attention, you feel my love of all things crabby when we're in the height of Dungeness crab season here in the NW. There was the silly good holiday crab pasta, the killer crab cakes, and now another new favorite thing to add to the repertoire. Jaden adapted this insanely fresh and delicious (and a snap to throw together) Fuji apple and crab salad from Crab: Buying, Cooking, Cracking by Andrea Froncillo and Jennifer Jeffrey. I grabbed a couple of live crabs on the way home from work from ABC Seafood to throw in the crab pot. After they succumbed to a bubbly demise, w and my sis were kind enough to shell them while I got the other edibles ready. This mix of fresh crab and Fuji apples was off the hook, and the Thai dressing was the perfectly piquant set off to the crab/apple/baby greens mix. It could be a main course all by itself with some crusty bread and a good bottle of Sancerre, but it rocked pretty hard as a warm-up to our steakage. You've gotta give this a taste while the crabbing is good. Thanks, J!!
*** *** ***

Crab/Fuji Apple Salad with Thai Dressing
adapted from Crab cookbook by Jennifer Jeffrey and Andrea Froncillo
serves 4-6 as first course

ingredients:
8 ounces fresh crabmeat (I used snow crab)
1 large Fuji apple, cored, julienned and tossed with a squeeze of fresh lime juice
4-6 cups mixed baby greens
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 tbl julienned fresh mint

Thai-Style Salad Dressing
3 tbl rice vinegar
2 tbl fish sauce
1 tbl sugar
1/4 tsp finely minced chili (leave seeds in if you like it hot)
juice of 1/2 lime

method:
Prepare the dressing by combining ingredients and whisking. In a small bowl, combine crabmeat and apple and toss lightly with just a sprinkle of sea salt and fresh ground pepper. Assemble plates by layering baby greens, a mound of crab/apple mixture. Top with fresh mint and freshly ground black pepper. Use a teaspoon to drizzle salad dressing onto the salad. Be careful not to use too much - you should have some dressing left over.

Braised Chicken Thighs with balsamic and porcinis...or "Holy Sh*t, this is good!"

Why do we cook and push our culinary boundaries? I mean besides the obvious fact that we're always hungry....okay, maybe I should say "I'm" always hungry. Well, for me, especially in January when the whole month is all about trying new recipes and finding new food goodness to stuff myself with, it's because every now and then you get that "Holy shit, this is so freaking good!!" moment. There are platefuls of food that I like. New things we make at home that get added to the regular repertoire. Then there are those rare moments when a recipe exceeds every expectation, and from the first bite you're experiencing that all too rare mouthgasm, that aforementioned "oh fuck, this is insane", the dish that makes you immediately check your calendar and schedule the next dinner party, because this is too good not to share.

w and I had that moment the other night, when searching for something new and delicious, I came across the following recipe in what ahs become over the years one of my go-to cooking inspirations, "The Dean and Deluca Cookbook". The recipes in here have been money so many times. An amazing Spanish white bean, lamb & chorizo stew; a great Bolognese; one of w's favorites, a simple dish of boned and broiled drumsticks with a perfect gremolata; and a slew of other hits. All of us who cook at home and explore new recipes have those moments where we go "WTF? Did they even cook this before they printed it?" With the DandD cookbook, it seems they actually did try everything, and nailed it down tight before committing it to print. Plus it is filled with explanations of why they do it that way and why this method works best.

Almost there.....







Ready for plating!









Which is a roundabout, overlong intro to this kick-ass dish of balsamic and porcini braised chicken thighs. This was stunningly good with rich, deep, intense, complex flavors. The sauce could not have been better or more satisfying, the thighs were perfectly moist and slightly crisp from the browning. Oh, and it is also way easy. The recipe calls for six thighs for six people. I would probably bump up the proportions, maybe eight or nine thighs and a corresponding increase in the other ingredients, because I guarantee some of your guests will be coming in for seconds. We made the six thigh dish for the two of us, had three left over with some sauce, and last night used the leftovers for an absolutely killer pasta (see bottom of post for hints). You've got to try this one, because as my friend Andrew says about his favorite ski runs, "This is SO sick"!
*** *** ***

Bone-In Chicken Thighs Braised with Balsamic Vinegar and Porcinis
from The Dean & Deluca Cookbook
serves 6

ingredients:
1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
6 large chicken thighs, bone-in and skin on
Salt and pepper to taste
5 garlic cloves, peeled
all-purpose flour for dredging
two 1/4" thick slices of slab bacon (see cooks notes)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup fruity red wine
1/2 cup beef broth
3 tablespoons industriale (read: inexpensive) balsamic
1 tablespoon arrowroot dissolved in 2 teaspoons cold water
3/4 cup drained and chopped canned tomatoes (save extra from can for leftover pasta sauce)
1 tablespoon traditional balsamic (read: aged balsamic)
chopped fresh parsley for garnish

method:
1.In a small bowl let the porcini soak in one cup hot water for 10 minutes, or until soft. Drain them well, strain the liquid, and reserve.

2.Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Chop two of the garlic cloves, adding a little salt, until a rough paste is formed. Cut a horizontal slit in each thigh, just above the bone, and divide the garlic-salt paste evenly among the six. Dredge the chicken thighs in the flour, shaking off excess, being careful not to lose the garlic-salt mix. In a large, heavy skillet, cook the bacon over medium-high heat, stirring, until browned and crisp. Transfer with slotted spoon to paper towels. To the skillet add the chicken thighs, skin side down, and cook them, turning occasionally, for about 15 minutes, or until it is golden and crisp. Transfer the chicken with a slotted spoon to a plate, season it with salt, and discard the aft in the skillet.

3.Mince the remaining three cloves of garlic. Add the olive oil to the skillet, and cook the garlic over moderate heat for 1 minute. Add the reserved porcini liquid, wine, broth, and and 3 tablespoons of industriale balsamic. Increase the heat to high, and boil for 5 minutes. Add the arrowroot mixture in a stream, stirring. Stir in the tomatoes and add the chicken, turning it to coat with sauce. With chicken thighs in sauce skin-side up, reduce heat to moderately low and simmer the mixture, covered for 10 minutes. Stir in the porcini and bacon, and simmer, covered, for abut 10 more minutes (do not allow the sauce to become too thick.

4.When ready to serve, stir in the one tablespoon traditional balsamic vinegar, season to taste, and sprinkle the dish with chopped parsley.

*Cooks notes: We used bacon ends from the store, which the meat guy was too happy to give us, for about 99 cents a pound. They worked perfectly, and I'd recommend this money saving tip for any dish that calls for chopped bacon for flavoring. We served the thighs with polenta with some Parmigiano-Reggiano, and they went brilliantly together!

##### ##### #####
Leftover Chicken Thigh Pasta

All you need to do (assuming you have some leftovers!) is shred the meat off the thighs, add about five tablespoons of the leftover chopped tomatoes...you did save them, didn't you??...and heat the whole mess over low heat while the pasta water bois and the pasta cooks. Perfect with 1 pound dried fusilli or penne pasta.

Anthony Bourdain, he who eats bugs, gets tatted up with the locals, and becomes hammered on native hooch on his Travel Channel TV show 'No Reservations', is also one of the funniest fucking food writers on the planet. Check out his blog post from a week ago where he fires yet another salvo directly at his favorite target, the programming geniuses at the Food Network, zeroing in on their decision to start rerunning his old Food TV show 'A Cook's Tour'. One of his theories, among his other hilarious comments about said decision: "They're not putting the show back on because they like it. They're trying to destroy me!" I theorized. People will surely comment on the striking - even horrifying - decline in my appearance since those few years ago - and will wonder why they would still watch someone who is clearly dying of some hideous hair whitening, skin puffing, tropical bloating disease."
Check it out. You will be laughing your asses off!

Hog Island is hog heaven!

I've mentioned this particular obsession before in this space, but with so many new eat.drink.think. readers it bears repeating. Since I really do care about you and your happiness, I'd hate to think anyone is missing out on this! A customer at the wine shack last night was telling me about a trip they're taking to San Francisco and asked what some of my favorite places to eat are. I'm thinking "I don't know.....everywhere??" I mean, any trip to SF is an exercise in over-indulgence and tough decision making for the food savvy visitor. But I told them one place that is always on my must-have-it-every-trip list is a platter of freshly shucked goodness from Hog Island Oyster Company in the food-obsessive mecca that is the Ferry Building. Nothing is better on a sunny, or for that matter even a cloudy, day in the city than sitting at the bar with a platter of their briny fresh oysters and glass of icy cold Muscadet. Absolutely awesome, slurping those salty, oceany bits, then filling your mouth with a splash of the zingy Muscadet, both oyster and wine flavors building on the other with a synergistic explosion of flavor, all the while looking out at the water and sailboats on the bay. For this eater, that is absolute food heaven!

The Sun-dried tomato is SO Victoria Principal!

Pity the poor sun-dried tomato. It's the Victoria Principal of food. Huge in the early and mid-'80s, all but forgotten today. Like V.P. on Dallas (and isn't she hot-t-t in her leotard and leg warmers in this clip!), the sun-dried was huge on prime time dinner plates, now relegated to second tier appetizers, the Hollywood Squares of dining. Well, we decided to bring her...um, I mean them...back to prominence thanks to inspiration from Mario. You know Mario...the man who did the seemingly impossible by making it seem acceptable to wear orange clogs with white socks and shorts while touring über-fashionable Italy. WITH a ponytail no less, in a last, desperate attempt to make us believe that he isn't really THAT bald. Hey, go for it, dude!

Anyway, enough '70s TV drama rehash and celebrity chef character assassination. I consulted Molto Mario's cookbook, coincidentally titled Molto Mario, when I was in need of a new pasta fix, and both w and I were loving this killer mix of fresh tagliatelle with sausage, basil and the poor, neglected sun-dried, shaking off its kitchen cliché status and given a second chance in the limelight. As with most good pasta dishes this was incredible easy to throw together, the sausage, sun-dried tomatoes and basil matching up perfectly, lightly dressing the pasta. Fab stuff. Grab your Dallas DVD, feather your hair back in the perfect 1978 coif, load up a plate of this deliciousness, and be like, so 30 years ago!
*** *** ***

Tagliatelle with Sausage, Basil, and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
adapted from Molto Mario

ingredients:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
8 ounces sweet Italian sausage, casings removed and crumbled
6 sun-dried tomatoes, thinly sliced
5 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 to 1-1/4 pounds fresh tagliatelle
12 fresh basil leaves
Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano for serving with pasta.

method:
1.Bring large pot of water to boil, add 2 tablespoons salt

2.Meanwhile, in a large 10" or 12" sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat until hot. Add the garlic and cook until lightly golden brown, about 2 minutes. Add the sausage and sun-dried tomatoes and cook, stirring, until the sausage is cooked through, 5-7 minutes. Drain the fat from the pan, leaving about 2 tablespoons, then stir in the tomato paste and wine and cook 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

3.Drop the tagliatelle into the boiling water and cook until tender (with fresh pasta, this usually takes 2-3 minutes). Drain the pasta and add to the pan with the sun-dried tomatoes. Return to the heat, toss in the basil, stir gently for about 30 seconds. Serve immediately with grated Parmagiano.

Nori Wrapper...it's not just for sushi anymore!

One of the points of the Month of New Recipes exercise that w and I do in January, where for every meal we eat at home we have to try something new, is to discover new flavors, new recipes to work into my food A.D.D. addled mind, and new ways to try some our favorite edibles. This meal combines two of them...fresh halibut and nori wrappers. Both great in their usual realms, like on the grill and wrapped around sushi rolls, together they were awesome. Besides, how often do you get to make/use something called "Nori Jam"? Keep this away from the young 'uns, because this ain't Smucker's, I can tell you! But plopped gently on top of the über-fresh pieces of halibut from the fish monger at New Seasons (he cut off two fresh fillets off a new fish when I didn't like the looks of what was in the display case. This smelled so fresh when I got home...no fishyness, just a very light oceany aroma...perfect!), this was really amazing. Salt worriers be careful, because it has a pretty intense saltiness, but then again we used the recipe for four on two pieces....maybe a little overkill, but still pretty yummy. We did end up scraping a little off, and it was just right. This is a super-easy, unusual preparation that was in an article on Nori in yesterday's NYT, the recipe inspired by chef/Japanophile David Myers of LA's Sona. Try it out....your tastebuds will thank you!
*** *** ***
Halibut With Nori Jam
adapted from David Myers
time: 20 minutes

FOR NORI JAM:
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
2 tablespoons mirin
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon water
1 1/2 sheets nori, torn into small pieces

FOR HALIBUT:
4 6 to 8 ounce skinless halibut fillets
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 teaspoons nori jam
1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons sliced chives.

method:
1. For nori jam: In small saucepan, combine soy sauce, mirin, vinegar and 1 tablespoon of water. Bring to boil and add nori, stirring until nori is soft, about 30 seconds. Transfer to blender and purée until smooth. Return to pan and cook over medium heat until thickened and jamlike, 2 to 3 minutes.

2. For halibut: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Season halibut with salt and pepper to taste. Place large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat and add oil. When oil is very hot but not smoking, add fillets skinned side down and let them sit until browned on underside, about 3 minutes.

3. Transfer pan to oven and bake until cooked through, about 3 minutes. Transfer fillets to warm platter and spread each fillet with about 1 teaspoon of nori jam. Sprinkle with lemon juice, and garnish with chives. Serve immediately.

Yield: 4 servings.

Batali Bowls Rock!

While I will not admit to being the shoe whore some of my friends are hinting at, I will cop to being a gadget slut, especially when it comes to kitchen toys. I love my Le Creuset, my new inexpensive mandoline, and I've always had a fascination with small containers. Something about their efficiency, how they make throwing together recipes so much easier. My semi-new favorites, things I've been playing with for the last year and bring me untold happiness, are the Mario Batali Prep Bowls (seen here with some of the ingredients for Meyer Lemon Risotto) I picked up at Sur La Table here in PDX. For that all important mise en place, these rock, and are maybe the best $10 I've ever spent on a kitchen tool. The five-piece set measures anywhere from 1/8 to 2 cups. The cool part is that each bowl is actually two measuring bowls. The smallest is both a 1/8 and 1/4 cup (with easy-to-see dividing line inside), and the largest is a 1 and 2 cup measure, with the others scattered somewhere in between. For a bull-in-the-china-shop kind of cook that I am, careening around the kitchen throwing things in pots, tossing used bits and bowls into the sink, splattering myself and anyone in the immediate vicinity with various oils and food remains....basically there's lots of collateral damage....these bright, cheerily orange pieces of organization are round little islands of calm in my sea of kitchen chaos. I love good, useful design, especially at a bargain price. And while I use these constantly for cooking, they also make great bar measuring devices when I need to regain my cocktail equilibrium. If you don't have them, get them!!

You Big Show-Off: Roast Pork Loin w/ Grapes

If you know anything about me, or anyone who is writing on the web these days, it's that we don't like to call attention to ourselves. Like Paris Hilton going to jail, like Lindsay Lohan careening back to rehab, we always keep things on the DL. Oh, sure, even I have moments where I might share a little about my life here, but these daily dispatches aren't about ME, they're about YOU, and the enhancement of YOUR lives. To be otherwise would be self-serving, self-indulgent, and any other definition of the word "blogger" that comes up in the dictionary.

That's why at dinner parties, sometimes it's good to cut loose, to throw something down on the dinner table that is kind of a "wow" moment. Just such a moment for self-aggrandizement came last Sunday when w had her friend Kathleen's birthday dinner at the house, along with a posse of her other pals. I asked what she wanted me to cook, and she said almost immediately "pork roast with grapes". I'd done this once before, early on in the courtin' days of bb & the lovely miss w, at a dinner party at the old pad, and it rocked and got raves around the table! So even though this is supposed to our month of only cooking new recipes, how could I turn her down. Saying no and sleeping alone seemed a foolish choice, so Pork & Grapes it was! Plus this dish gives me yet another chance to pull the Cadillac out of the garage, aka bringing the Le Creuset 9-1/2 quart oval French oven off the shelf. Can you say "heft"?!

The fabulous mustard-herb marinade











Browning my loin...ouch!





This was a recipe that came from the New York Times in a story by Jill Santopietro back in October of 2006. As she stated perfectly in this article "Grapes rarely get their moment in the culinary limelight, and it’s too bad, because they are perfectly designed for cooking: small and juicy with hints of both acid and sweetness." If any dish proves that statement, it's this one. Before I first made it, I was sure the grapes would turn to mush in the oven. Instead, they held their form, with the heat intensifying their sweetness while retaining the acidity, which was just what this deceptively rich pork dish needed. It comes together surprisingly easily, and offers up huge deliciousness reward and guaranteed "oohs" and "ahhs". Not that we care about that second part, of course!
*** *** ***

Roast Pork Loin With Grapes
adapted from the New York Times

ingredients:
1 3 to 3-1/2 pound boneless center-cut pork loin
1 tablespoon finely chopped thyme, plus 6 whole sprigs
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped rosemary, plus 3 whole sprigs
1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped sage, plus 3 whole sprigs
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
6 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 pound fingerling potatoes, halved lengthwise
6 shallots, peeled and halved through the root
1 pound red seedless grapes, snipped into 6 small bunches
1/2 cup port
1/2 cup chicken stock.

method:
1. Tie the pork loin with kitchen twine at 1-inch intervals. In a shallow dish large enough to hold the pork, whisk together the chopped herbs, mustard, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, teaspoon salt and teaspoon pepper. Add the pork and coat with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

2. One hour before cooking, bring the pork to room temperature. Scrape off and reserve the marinade, then season the meat with salt and pepper.

3. Place a roasting pan in the oven and heat the oven to 325 degrees. Place a large sauté pan over high heat. Add 2 more tablespoons of the oil and heat until smoking. Add the pork and sear about 4 minutes on each side, until well browned. Transfer fat side down to the roasting pan. Set the sauté pan aside. Rub the reserved marinade over the pork and top with half the butter and the herb sprigs. Place the pan in the oven and cook the meat for 75 minutes, or until the center reaches 125 degrees.

4. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, toss the potatoes, shallots and grapes with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and season with salt and pepper. After the pork has cooked for 15 minutes, place the potatoes cut side down around the pork. Lay the grapes and shallots over the potatoes.

5. Drain the saute pan of fat and return to medium-high heat. When hot, add the port and bring to a boil, scraping the bottom of the pan. When nearly evaporated, add the chicken stock and return to a boil. Whisk in the remaining butter and season with salt and pepper. Strain through a fine-meshed sieve set over a serving bowl. Cover and keep warm.

6. When the pork is done, transfer to a cutting board. Cover lightly with foil and let rest at least 10 minutes before slicing. Serve on a platter over the grapes, potatoes and shallots, accompanied by the sauce.
Serves 6.

Cooks note: If potatoes aren't done when the roast registers 125*, pull the pork out and tent with foil, crank the heat up to 400*, and let everything roast for another 15 minutes. The potatoes should be done right when the roast is ready for carving.

Lambing it up!

What do you do with a lamb shoulder roast that has been in the freezer for over a year? Well, once you get done praying that it's still good and not covered in freezer burn, you thaw out that SOB, find out that it is still perfectly fresh (whew), and braise it into savory perfection following this great recipe adapted from epicurious. In this Month of the New Recipes, this is absolutely a keeper. Dinner party worthy even. The lamb came out perfectly tender with just the right chew. The sauce was fantastic, rich, with a Middle Eastern feel from the lemon and figs, and perfectly set off by the tangy, minty yogurt sauce. Really delicious!

When you make this at home, find the best lamb you possibly can. Hopefully pasture raised, because in dishes like this the quality of the meat is so important. With all the other flavors happening around it....lemon, fig, saffron, & other spices....you don't want a too lamb-ey flavor dominating. As it turned out for us, it was a perfectly balanced dinner, served alongside some cous cous, and is one of those showoff meals that your guests will rave about. For wine I would recommend a big southern French red from the Rhone Valley or Languedoc. A California zin would also have the requisite up front fruit and body. Either way, pop those corks and grab your forks!
********************

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.

Been there, seen that!

Funny column here...for anyone who's ever flown on a commercial airline, we've all been in that same seat!

Then there's this hilarious parody, because we all know this is the way it really works out (click image to enlarge)....

What DOES it mean?

This is what the "unrelated indulgences" comment means in the title line. Bear with me, if it wasn't important, I promise I wouldn't mention it.
* * * * * * * * * *



















What IS going on in Iraq? Not in a larger geopolitical sense, but in the everyday lives of the U.S. soldiers and people who live in the chaos of that country? I'll be damned if I know, but I am finding out as I am sucked into freelance journalist/blogger Michael Totten's posts from Iraq's front lines. Michael is doing some of the best writing I've come across on this subject. One of his latest posts is an absolutely riveting piece on a day spent on patrol in Fallujah with a group of Marines. The fact that a non-affiliated writer/blogger is out there doing this kind of quality journalism....and oh, yeah, he could be killed at any time....is staggering.

Thanks to Portland's own Nancy Rommelmann, who's very smart blog also deserves your regular attention, for turning me on to Totten's work. Click on her name to check her out.

Pictures from Michael's post.

Meyer Lemon Risotto is winter warmth!

Did I ever mention my love of my Meyer lemon tree? Maybe not love in the romantic sense (which would be very disturbing), but love for not only the fact that every year it delivers the sweetly tart yellow orbs of goodness, but also the simple reason that here in our cold, wet, sun-deprived winters I can grow something that you usually see in SoCal or other sunny climes. It's kind of this constant hit of summer every time I look at it or smell the crazily fragrant blossoms. I keep it sitting inside the wine shack in front of a huge south facing window during the winter, and sometimes when I walk in first thing in the morning the aroma just knocks me on my ass, reminding me of a walk though some tropical lemon grove. Okay, I have to close my eyes really tight and stretch my imagination to get there, but you get where I'm going.

We've been making good use of this years crop. Especially intoxicating were the Meyer lemon sidecars made with pear brandy. In fact, we'll be having them again tonight since I find myself with some extra juice from the risotto below. Oh, yeah, the reason for this post is the continuation of the "Month of the New", and our latest excursion into the culinary unknown came courtesy of the aforementioned lemon tree and a recipe that I looked up months ago online and forgot where it came from (so if you're the creator and reading this, please don't be offended and think I'm trying to steal it for my own. Let me know and you'll get full credit. Oh, and thanks!). This was absolutely delicious, like another hit of spring or summer...the natural richness of the risotto set off against the sweet/tangy Meyer lemon and basil. It was even better the next day warmed up at work, rare for a risotto, when the somewhat assertive initial citrusy character had a chance to mellow and meld with the basil, onion, and celery. So be sure and make plenty so you'll have leftovers!

And for those of you who say "Risotto is SO much work, all that stirring." Please, give me a break. If you can't stand up and stir a pot for 15 or 20 minutes, then you'd be better off hopping in your car and hitting your nearest fast food drive through for your McShaker Salad and Filet-O-Fish at McDonald's or whatever the hell you debase yourselves with. For the rest of you, grab some beautiful Meyers at the store and rock this simple, easy, and satisfying risotto asap!
***************

Meyer Lemon Risotto with Basil
6 first course servings

If you can't find any Meyer lemons, use regular (Eureka) lemons.

ingredients:
6 cups chicken stock or canned low-sodium broth
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium red onion, finely chopped, about 1 to 1-1/2 cups
1 tender inner celery rib, finely chopped, plus 1/4 cup chopped leaves
1/2 Thai or Serrano chile, minced
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 cups arborio rice (10 ounces)
1/2 cup white vermouth
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
1/4 cup mascarpone cheese
2 tablespoons finely grated Meyer lemon zest
2 tablespoons fresh Meyer lemon juice
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons julienned basil leaves


method:
1. Bring the stock to a boil in a medium saucepan, cover and keep hot. Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the onion, celery rib and chile, season with salt and pepper and cook over low heat, stirring, until softened, about 7 minutes. Add the celery leaves and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the rice and cook, stirring until glossy, about 1 minute.

2. Add the vermouth to the rice and simmer over moderate heat until almost absorbed, about 3 minutes. Add the hot stock, 1 cup at a time, and cook, stirring constantly between additions, until most of the stock has been absorbed before adding more. The rice is done when it's tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes total. Stir in the 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese, the mascarpone, the lemon zests and juices and the basil. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon the risotto into bowls and serve, passing additional Parmesan at the table.

Cooks note: We had this as a main dish, but I agree with the first course use recommendation. Its bright freshness would be a perfect start to a dinner of braised or grilled hunks of meat.

Turning up...and understanding...the heat!

To food fanatics, the name Harold McGee tends to elicit fawning admiration. This for a man whose book On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen is usually considered the Holy Grail for innumerable restaurant chefs and home cooks who really want to get into the subject of where food comes from, what it is made of...I mean exactly what it is made of...and why it behaves the way it does when cooked. The whole sous vide/molecular gastronomy fad? It probably wouldn't exist if not for McGee. If FoodTV's Alton Brown is considered the irreverent teacher/scientist/prankster of the genre, then McGee would rightly be considered the Dean of Food University. His blog Curious Cook, and his regular NYT column of the same name, explores some of this territory in a, well, more user friendly way than in his in depth, sometimes exhausting book.

In Wednesday's NY Times he wrote a fascinating column on heat in the kitchen that touches on how heat works, cooks food, wastes energy, flavors food, etc. Every home cook should read this, as it is as fascinating as it is informative. Who would think to pre-soak dry pasta, turn steaks on the grill more often, because "steaks and chops cook more evenly on high grill heat — and faster as well — if you become a human rotisserie and turn them not once or twice but as often as you can stand to, even dozens of times, every 15 or 30 seconds." Or that most cooks are "...often aiming a fire hose of heat at targets that can only absorb a slow trickle, and that will be ruined if they absorb a drop too much." Every home chef will learn something from this short essay, and most likely come away a better cook for it.

image from New York Times

Expanding horizons: Grilled Salmon w/ Lime Butter Sauce!

Since rituals were the topic in the last post, let's continue the trend. If you were around last January reading this self-absorbed dining drivel, then first off let me thank you for your continued self-abusive behavior. Hopefully the food advice has made up for any intellectual scarring that may have occurred. Secondly, it popped into my mind that this IS January, the first month of a new year, which means that it is time once again for New Food Month in wineguyworld. Last year w and I made the commitment, in an attempt to expand our food horizons, to cook something new every dinner at home for the whole month. We did pretty well, too. I think we only had one non-original moment when a certain craving overtook us. Best of all we found some great new dishes to add to our regular repertoire. Of course we also had some meals where we were like "What the hell was that? Did they even cook the recipe before they published it?" Thankfully those experiences were in the minority, and there was much appreciation to be had. So this month, commencing with last night's super-delish salmon dinner, it is starting again. Follow along, and hopefully you'll find some inspiration along the way!

A quick note about last night's dinner: This was a really fresh, easy, and richly satisfying take on salmon. On a cold winter evening here in PDX, it was like a hit of summer with the grilled salmon topped by the bright lime butter and lime zest. It comes together in a snap, the little effort required is greatly rewarded, and it is absolutely dinner party worthy. We served it with Basmati rice and sautéed red chard and it killed. Plus, there's nothing like giving the finger to the nasty weather by firing up the grill in January!
********************

Grilled Salmon with Lime Butter Sauce
from Gourmet Magazine
makes 6 servings.

ingredients:
6 (6-oz) pieces center-cut wild caught salmon fillet (about 1 inch thick) with skin
1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated fresh lime zest
6 tablespoons lime butter sauce (see below)

method:
Prepare grill for cooking over medium-hot charcoal (moderate heat for gas).

Season salmon all over with salt and pepper, then grill, flesh sides down, on lightly oiled grill rack (covered only if using gas grill) 4 minutes. Turn fillets over and grill (covered only if using gas grill) until just cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes more. Sprinkle fillets with zest and top each with 1 tablespoon lime butter sauce.
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Lime Butter Sauce
from Gourmet Magazine

It takes only 5 minutes to make this fantastic sauce.
Makes about 3/4 cup.

ingredients:
1 large garlic clove, chopped
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted

method:
Purée garlic with lime juice, salt, and pepper in a blender until smooth. With motor running, add melted butter and blend until emulsified, about 30 seconds.

Cooks' Note: Lime butter sauce can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Stir before using. If making for two or four, cut back ingredients accordingly.

Getting Our Crab (pasta) On!

Like all couples, w and I have developed certain rituals. For our purposes here, and because you really don't neet too much information, I'll keep this post on one of our food related rituals. Not that you'd be interested in the others or anything, right??! I had meant to post this for the last several days, since it is all about Christmas Eve dinner at our place, but in the course of ingesting immoderate amounts of food and alcohol and other bits of social holiday cheer over the past several days, it didn't quite get from the "in my head" phase to the "on the page" phase. But now, with cranial clarity finally returning, and with we lucky souls here in the NW being in the heart of Dungeness crab season, this is actually the perfect time for this particular sharing moment.

You probably read a few posts ago about my deep and abiding love for Dungeness crab and all its sweetly satisfying pleasure that lies within its prettily pinkish carapace. Not to mention that smugness I feel at buying said goodness for about $5 a pound. Plus eating crab right out of the shell is one of those primal food pleasures that is really without equal. But for those of you who like me crave diversity in your crabbish comestibles, then this pasta is guaranteed to wow you, your family, and any lucky friends who get invited to partake. The sweet crab is perfectly set off by the faintly bitter radicchio, pungent garlic, and zesty lemon. So quick, so EASY, and insanely good!!
*************************

Linguine with Crab, Radicchio, and Garlic
serves 4

ingredients:
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 shallots, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon red chile flakes
1 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound linguine
3/4 to 1 pound fresh crab meat (from 2 whole crabs)
1 to 2 tablespoons lemon zest
1/2 head radicchio, shredded
2 scallions, thinly sliced

method:
Bring 6 quarts water to boil and add 2 tablespoons salt.

In a 12 to 14-inch saute pan, heat the oil until smoking. Add the shallots, garlic, and chiles and saute until golden brown, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the wine, bring to a boil, then add the butter, and remove from heat. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions, until just al dente, and drain.

Add the drained pasta to the pan with the wine mixture and return pan to heat. Add crab, radicchio, lemon zest, and scallion and toss until radicchio is wilted, about 1 minute. Pour into a warm serving bowl and serve.


Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Medium
Yield: 4 servings

Rewards and Escapes!

I'm all about the reward system, especially personal ones. So after busting ass at the wine shack through the holidays, it seemed exactly the time to bust out of town for a pre-New Year escape Sunday for a day and night of indulgence in Seattle. I knew it was going well when within an our of our arrival w and I had already purchased three pair of new shoes and were comfortably seated having glasses of French rosé bubbly at Café Campagne while waiting for our hotel room to be ready.
















I'm not sure how my shoe infatuation started, but friends are starting to spread vicious rumors about my edging up on shoe whore status. But this time I blame w, who spotted the clearance sale sign at Shoefly and dragged my not-so-reluctant and ready-to-be-newly-shod feet across the street. 40% off everything? I mean, come on, what could we do?! Two pairs for me and one pair for her, that's what! After that quick spending spree and a most satisfying lunch at Café Campagne, my favorite vacation lunch spot in town, we made our way back to the room at the Inn at El Gaucho. Located in the heart of the trendy-cool Belltown 'hood, this is a great, very comfortable small hotel. Plus we both thought our room (#9) with a view (that's the view out of our window at left) of Puget Sound was a great deal at a little under $200. Check it out and book at Seattle Super Saver for the best deal.

We wandered around the neighborhood, checked out Pike Pace until late afternoon, then walked up to Quinn's, the gastropub/hotspot recently opened by Restaurant Zoe owners Scott and heather Staples. We were coincidentally going to Zoe later for dinner, so it was fun to check out the other Staples venture. Quinn's is modeled on the Euro gastropub, meaning cozy, dark, with great food, beers, & whiskeys to soothe ones soul. I had tucked into a perfect Manhattan while w had a glass of fizzy prosecco. We snacked on a couple of exceptional apps: a plate of duck rillete surrounded by a spicy-smokey harissa sauce, and a cute little plate of meatball sliders....big yums to both!

Meatball sliders backed with duck rillette at Quinn's!










After that start, we were more than ready to ponder dinner, so a quick cab ride back to the hotel where we grabbed our dinner wine we brought with us (a stunning '95 Caprili Brunello di Montalcino Riserva), made a short four block walk to Restaurant Zoe, where we were warmly welcomed. I LOVE Zoe. I had been there a couple of years before and had a staggeringly good meal, and reading reviews of equal recent praise had me hungering for a return trip. Zoe has an exceptionally comfortable, perfectly lit dining room, ad provided the choice backdrop to settle in ad enjoy or cocktails, a couple of La Pommettes, their super-delish take on a classic French 75. After working our way through two starters, a salad, and our two entrees, I can happily report that they are still serving some of the best chow in town. Where to begin with the highlights...how does Crispy Kurobota Pork Belly Confit and a Grilled Spicy Octopus sound? Well, I can tell you how they tasted: fucking awesome! The pork belly (picture at right) was melt in your mouth tender, with some nice savory porky chew, and the octopus was a small tentacle grilled to perfection with a blood orange vinaigrette. We spit their Beet & Mushroom Salad which they thoughtfully put on two plates (without us asking!). It was amazing, beautifully composed with its base of quinoa topped with a mix of citrus, chopped mushrooms and beets and arugula with a thyme-shallot vinaigrette. Of course there was more to come, me being the boy who can't say no, or when, or stop, especially where food is concerned. So to table came w's plate of East Coast Sea Scallops with winter squash, smoked bacon, oyster mushrooms, and black lentils. This dish absolutely killed. A plate of perfectly balanced food perfection. One of the best plates of food either of us have had all year. Crazy!! I had their just right tender Braised Beef Short Rib, (which is seemingly on ever restaurant menu these days...with good reason, too, because it's usual really good!). This was good, except for the too prominent hit of horseradish which slightly overwhelmed the rest of the plate. When we mentioned this to our waitress, she agreed and said she'd mention it to the kitchen, which was nice to hear. After these two plates, w's eyes were starting roll back in her head, but how could we not order their hazelnut panna cotta? Fantastic! I had told out waitress when we ordered it that I couldn't decide between it and their tempting butterscotch custard, so that service angel, when she delivered our check, also brought a little bowl of the custard on the house. I love stuff like that!

Hey, it's the next day already. We had to leave early to get back to Portland and get ready for a New Year's do at our friends J&K's, but I had noticed some raves for a Vietnamese place called Green Leaf, which opened at 11. This seemed the perfect counterpoint to our night of indulgence at Zoe. We checked out, hopped in the car, made our way to the "International Zone" where a ton of Asian joints are, and had a fantastic lunch for so little money that it bordered on ridiculous. Absolutely a must stop, and don't you dare miss their appetizers of Ban Xeo, a Vietnamese pancake made with a coconut batter and filled with sprouts, pork & shrimp (or tofu), and eaten wrapped inside green leaf lettuce leaves;, and the Dao Hu Nuong (above), which looked like three grilled tofu popsicles accompanied by a great sweet & sour dipping sauce. I ordered the lemongrass shrimp which was good, but w again rocked the table with her dish of Bun Dac Biet, which is a combo vermicelli which she declared to be one of the best vermicelli she had ever had. High praise because vermicelli is how she grades her Vietnamese joints. This hit it hard! So good, complex, and satisfying. Stuffed again, our wallets lightened by only thirty bucks for all that goodness, we made our way back to PDX, again thanking the Gods of all that is edible for being able to have these incredible dining experiences...wow!!!

Sweetly Satisfying

Every delicious dining experience event needs an equally delicious finish. In this case the wildly good turducken that was consumed for our Christmas dinner was the main event, and this excellent, and easy Pear-Ginger Crisp proved more than up to the task of following that over-the-top entrée.

After so much intense savory goodness for dinner, you don't want to be staring down at some heavy, too sweet dessert course wondering where in hell you're going to fit it in. Loosen your belt? Dang, you did that halfway through dinner. Stick it in your pocket for later...hmmmm....nah, too messy, and who wants pocket lint all over their dessert? Ack! That's why this sweet, but not too, and freshly seasonal crisp is perfect. Pears, ginger, with that zingy and lightening bit of lemon zest and its crisply browned topping are the deal. If you can, and you should, add some vanilla bean ice cream, then you'll find out what a sweet finish is all about! Yet another easy, fast, and crowd pleasing dessert that will have your friends singing your praises. And isn't that why we do these things??!
********************

Ginger Pear Crisp

6 pears, peeled and sliced. Preferably three each of two different types of pear.
1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup raisins
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 tablespoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons butter, cut into bits
Topping:
1/4 cup flour
3/4 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
6 tablespoons butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toss first seven ingredients together in a bowl. Pour into a buttered baking dish. Melt butter in small saucepan, then using a fork combine it and the remaining five ingredients in a bowl. Spoon topping across pears. Bake for 30 minutes or until brown and bubbly.

Cellar Report

It has been mentioned to me more than a few times by friends and customers at the wine shack that I should use this self-indulgent forum as a platform for commenting on a few of the wines I drink with semi-alarming regularity that might be of greater interest to the ever thirsty public. So occasionally when I have something that catches my attention, in either a good or bad way, I'll make mention in case you have a few of these bottles lurking in your collections.

w and I recently went over to my sister and bro-in-law's house for a pre-holiday weekend dinner of a quite delicious pre-holiday ham. Since I had been at work at the wine shack enabling others drinking needs and didn't have any culinary treats to contribute (and since my sis is thankfully an outstanding cook herself), I assigned myself the task of bringing a couple of bottles out of the basement archives. The good thing about ham is it is ever flexible and appreciative of almost any kind of wine you pour with it. My favorite hammy accompaniment beverage is probably an ice cold bottle of dry rosé from France or Italy. But then again this was almost the end of December and it was freaking cold outside, so something a little warmer seemed in order. I grabbed what is poroabbly about as yin-yang in the red wine world as you can get: a 2002 Shotfire Ridge Shiraz from Australia, and then a forgotten treat I recently came across while organizing the bottles that were in disarray in the basement, a 2001 Brick House Wines Gamay Noir from here in Oregon; Brick House making what is perhaps the best gamay in America.

2002 in Australia was by reputation one of the best vintages in recent memory in the land of Oz. This Shotfire '02 Shiraz from the Barossa even garnered a whopping ninety-something point score from the Wine Spectator and a spot in their Top 100 Wines of 2004. I'm the first to admit that I find most Aussie Shiraz a little too one dimensional....kind of flabby, jammy, a little high in alcohol, good but rarely great...and I have almost none in the cellar. But I had thrown three of these down there when it was released, and was curious to see what had happened in the intervening three years. Well, it was still good, full and rich, but the fruit had lost its bounce and seemed a little flat. It didn't really wow any of us, I don't see it getting a lot better with more time. One of those wines you go "oh, that's pretty good" but nothing that really grabs you, especially odd given its high rating. Hm, I think there is an object lesson in there for all you point-buyers.

The 2001 Brick House Gamay on the other hand was stellar. This organically grown and meticulously made red by Doug Tunnell is always fabulous, and given the great 2001 Oregon vintage I was thrilled to find I still had a bottle of what I was hoping was a hidden gem. When we first poured it I was wondering if it had lost some fruit, as the acidity seemed to have it all over the fruit. But given time to open up, this blossomed in the glass, its still-bright cherry and spice fruit jumping from the glass, and showing that time had mellowed its youthful exuberance into an elegant, absolutely delicious, seamless red that worked perfectly with the roast ham. If you have this or any '02 or younger BH Gamay's rest assured they are only getting better!

A Dinner Most Fowl!

It may not be as God intended it, but then again if He was so all knowing then surely He would have thought of the Turducken when He was throwing all those animals around the planet. Instead it was left to some mad culinary genius somewhere, supposedly down in Louisiana, to one up the big man, and the result was that at my Christmas dinner table, I was able to live one of my culinary fantasies and cook up this truly fowl mashup.

Our intended before......












....and after!






This turducken....take three boned out birds: turkey, duck, chicken, stuff them into each other in the inverse order, shove bunches of andouille sausage into any remaining cavities and there you have it...came courtesy of my sister, who heard from a friend that the Charcuterie Club at the Western Culinary Institute here in PDX was putting together a few of these raris avis and offered them out to a grateful public. In this case me!

So how was it? In a word, meatalicious! This was 15 pounds of solid bird, made all the better from the bunches of pork product within that added its own fatty, smoky flavor to the meat. Cooking it couldn't have been easier. Well, it could have been easier if I had thawed it out all the way. See, when I pulled it out of the fridge where it was defrosting, it felt thawed, the turkey outer shell was soft and flexible, so with a rub of fat and some salt and pepper on the outside, into the oven it went. I was figuring about 2-1/2 hours. So at the appointed time I pull this bird out, stick in the instaread thermometer, and while one part at the rear was at 145*, the front was at 120*. I was looking for a temp of 155*. Hm, very curious. With furrowed brow, back into the oven it went as I announced that dinner would be a little later than I planned. 20 minutes later out it came. 150* back...130* front. What the f-ck?? We talked it over, and came to the conclusion that even though it felt thawed out, because of its mass it was hiding a center of dinner delaying frozen meat. Well, finally, after cranking the oven up another 40 degrees and another 20 minutes we got the best of it, and after cutting up thick, meaty slices, we really got the best of it. This was amazing. Juicy, succulent, smoky...all three layers and the sausage adding their distinct flavors. We had six hungry eaters, everyone was more stuffed than the turducken, and with our super delish sides of w's famous braised carrots and a decadent potatoes au gratin (I'll post the recipe soon...these were off the charts!), plus some pear-ginger crisp piled on at the end it was food coma time. And even though we did our best, their was pounds of leftover. Not that I'm complaining. If you ever get the chance to take on your own turducken, grab it!!

Feeling Crabby

Not to rub it in, but I feel for all of you poor, hungry eaters who live in other parts of the country, because every year about this time I get pretty fucking smug about the fact that I can buy one of the greatest treats in the entire food world, something that is so sweet, succulent, and entirely too delicious for a mere $3.99 a pound at our local markets. What could it possible be, that envelopes me in feelings of peace, joy, and gustatory well-being? The only possible answer is Dungeness Crab season here in the NW.

w and I live for this time of year. She get positively giddy at the prospect of breaking apart their reddish -pink boiled little bodies to get at the sweetly satisfying meat inside. Crab eaters fall into two camps. w and I happen to personify this dichotomous eating style. There are your crab cleaners who eat as they go (w), who can't wait for that first bite. Then there are your crab cleaners who have just enough self control who don't eat as they go (bb) so they end with a nice big pile of crab at the end that they can shovel into their mouths at will.

Whichever flavor of crab eater you are, make sure you leave enough crab at the end to make these absolutely wonderful crab cakes from Mark Bittman's "How to Cook Everything". Unlike most restaurant crab cakes that rely on fillers where it's like eating bread with a minute bit of crab, these are almost pure, unadulterated crab eating joyfulness, with just a bit of chopped seasonings, mayo, a tiny bit of bread crumbs, and egg as binder to hold them together. With some gentle handling through the cooking process, you'll end up with some crispy, perfect rounds of seasonal seafood perfection.********************

Crab Cakes
adapted from How to Cook Everything
time: 20 minutes plus refrigeration time

ingredients:
1 pound fresh lump crabmeat (make sure all cartilage is removed)
1 egg
1/4 cup minced red bell pepper
1/2 cup scallion
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons plain bread crumbs, or as needed
about 1 cup flour for dredging
1 teaspoon curry powder (optional)
2 tablespoons peanut, olive, or vegetable oil
2 tablespoons butter (or use all oil)
lemon wedges for garnish

method:
1-Mix together crabmeat, egg, bell pepper, scallion, mayonnaise, mustard, salt, and pepper. Add sufficient bread crumbs to bind the mixture just enough to form into cakes. Start with two tablespoons and use more if you need it.

2-Refrigerate the mixture until you are ready to use it (it will be easier to shape if you refrigerate it for 30 minutes or more, but is ready to go when you finish mixing)

3-Season flour with salt, pepper (and curry if you like). Preheat a large skillet, preferably non-stick, over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the oil and butter and heat until the butter foam subsides. Shape the crabmeat into six cakes, carefully dredge each in the flour, and cook, adjusting the heat as necessary and turning once (very gently), until golden brown on both sides. Total cooking time will be about ten minutes. Seve with lemon wedges.

Old School: the Sidecar

I love the old school, especially when it comes to my favorite libations. I even like calling cocktails "libations"...sounds so 60-year-old man or something. There is nothing like a classic cocktail, especially during the holiday season, to give one a sense of well being. I know there are people of a certain age who consider things like chocolate martinis "classic" because they saw them on a menu at an airport bar somewhere. Airport bars...does anything suck more than airport bars?? Crappy drinks that cost a fortune. But that's off topic. Let me clue you in to something so you can avoid future drinking embarrassment: first off, a chocolate martini (or coffee, or vanilla, or pomegranate, or insert liquid here) isn't classic, and secondly it isn't even a martini!! It's some sort of weird car wreck of a drink, something that is best avoided. A martini is gin and vermouth...period! Preferably in a 5 to 1 configuration. Maybe you can sneak in some vodka and still call it a martini, but really that is just a vodka cocktail. I told you I was old school. You don't fuck with my classics!

I thought about the affronts that the classics have suffered as I was home a couple of nights ago enjoying a perfect sidecar, one of the original classic cocktails, "invented" in the early '20s. Like all things that are truly classic, it is also simple. Three things: brandy or Cognac, Cointreau, lemon juice. That's it. And this time of year, I have added incentive to enjoy this thing of thirst quenching beauty. My very own Meyer lemon tree is in full production, and several vividly yellow orbs that are just hanging there, awaiting their culinary fate. I like a sidecar made with regular lemon juice. But I LOVE a sidecar made with Meyer lemon juice. It's got all the citrusy tang with a hint of sweet complexity. Shaken, strained into a martini glass with a lightly sugared rim...mmmmmm...old school indeed!

The tree of all that is good and juicy!












*********************
bb's Classic Sidecar

ingredients:
2 shots brandy or Cognac
1/2 shot Cointreau
1 shot fresh squeezed lemon juice

method:
Fill cocktail shaker with ice. Add ingredients, shaker heartily and strain into martini glass with sugared rim. Prepare to feel better about the world!

Primed for Roast Beef!

There must be some group think going on out there when it comes to holiday dinners. It seems everyone I talk to is doing standing rib roasts (aka prime rib roasts). It used to be you'd see a lot of ham or turkey thrown into the mix, but now everyone wants to get their cow on for Christmas. I was there last year, but this year I'm taking a different tack because my resourceful sis has found me a turducken for Christmas which I have always wanted to experience in a hands on. I'll let you know how that mysterious chicken-in-a-duck-in-a-turkey combo turns out next week.

But if you've decided to jump on the standing rib roast wagon, then you might want to be checking the following recipe out. w and I had some friends over last Sunday, and I had been jonesing to make a prime rib roast, so I did a little research and found this awesome and preparation on epicurious that couldn't have been easier or more delicious. I made a couple of adjustments to it, and the meat was rocking. Perfectly crisp crust on the outside and spectacularly medium-rare throughout. We had the requisite garlic mashers to help soak up the accompanying gravy, and did the called for roast veggies from the recipe. They sucked, so I've included a braised carrot recipe that w made the other night that I think would be perfect. Beef-O-Rama. Anyone??!
********************

Standing Rib Roast with Rosemary-Thyme Crust
adapted from epicurious
makes 8 servings

an herb crust and special Zinfandel sauce give new meaning to the word flavorful.

ingredients
1 9- to 9 1/2-pound standing beef rib roast (about 4 ribs), all but thin layer of fat trimmed
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
3 1/2 cups Zinfandel Beef Stock (recipe below)

method
Place beef, fat side up, in large shallow roasting pan or on rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle beef all over with salt and pepper. Spread mustard all over beef. Mix rosemary and thyme in small bowl; sprinkle over beef and press lightly to adhere. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Position rack just below center of oven and preheat to 500°F. Roast beef uncovered 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 320°F. Roast beef for approximately 2 to 2-1/2 hours. Roast beef until thermometer inserted into center of beef registers 125°F for medium-rare. Transfer beef to platter; tent loosely with foil to keep warm.

Discard all but two or three tablespoons of the drippings from roasting pan. Place pan over 2 burners on stove top over medium heat. Add butter to pan and melt. Add flour; whisk until smooth and just beginning to color, about 5 minutes. Whisk in stock. Boil until sauce thickens slightly, whisking often, about 10 minutes. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Serve beef with the sauce on the side.

Zinfandel Beef Stock
It's worth the extra effort to make this rich stock; the slow-simmered taste produces a sauce that far exceeds any made with canned beef broth.
Makes about 3 1/2 cups.

ingredients
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 1/2 to 4 pounds meaty beef bones (such as neck bones, beef back ribs, or crosscut beef shank)
2 cups chopped onions
2/3 cup chopped carrots
2/3 cup chopped celery
3 quarts cold water
1 cup Zinfandel or other hearty red wine
4 large fresh thyme sprigs
3 large fresh parsley sprigs
1/4 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

method
Heat oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add beef bones; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sauté until deep brown, turning occasionally, about 15 minutes. Using tongs, transfer bones to bowl. Add onions, carrots, and celery to pot. Sauté until deep brown, about 10 minutes. Return bones and any juices to pot. Add 3 quarts cold water, wine, and next 3 ingredients. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until reduced to 3 1/2 cups liquid, about 4 hours. Strain stock into bowl. If making ahead, refrigerate uncovered until cold, at least 4 hours. (Can be made 3 days ahead. Cover; keep chilled.) Spoon off fat before using stock.

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Quick Braised Carrots with Butter
from Mark Bittman's "How to Cook Everything"
makes 4 servings
time: about 20 minutes

*Bittman says it is best with butter, but still delicious with oil.

ingredients:
1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4" thick slices
2 tbsp butter or 1 tablespoon canola or other neutral oil
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp maple syrup or 1 tsp sugar
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Minced fresh parsley, mint, chervil, or cilantro leaves for garnish

method
1-Place carrots, butter (or oil), water, syrup (or sugar), salt, and pepper in a medium saucepan over high heat; bring to a boil and cover. Turn the heat to medium-low and cook for five minutes.

2-Uncover and raise the heat a bit. Cook, stirring occasionally, until all the liquid has evaporated and the carrots are cooking in butter and oil. Lower the heat and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until carrots are tender, a couple of minutes longer.

3-Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary, then garnish and serve.

Chinese Food On Christmas? Oy!

Take a Punch

Having people over and want to break away from the same old-same old? Not that I would ever turn down a perfectly made negroni or martini, or look askance at a fizzy glass of Champagne, but after reading this article in today's Washington Post, it may be time to get (slightly!) punch drunk at my next soirée. Turns out that punch, that drink that has made us all cringe (at most weddings), or throw up (at most college parties), is making a comeback. Writer David Wondrich in his new cocktail compendium "Imbibe" devotes an entire chapter to the history of what was once the most accepted of libations, although he does bemoan the fact that "bears the same relation to the anemic concoctions that pass under its name today that gladiatorial combat does to a sorority pillow fight", plus the fact that "There's basically the fraternity kind of punch and the food magazine kind of punch, and they both suck." Check out Post writer Jason Wilson's thirst inducing article, and get ready to get punch up your next party!

photo from Washington Post