Butternut Squash Risotto: expectations exceeded!

One of the best things about life is when things exceed your expectations. For New York Giants fans winning this year's Super Bowl had to be right up there. For Barack Obama, having the voters helping him take Hillary and Bill out to the political woodshed and giving them a sound thrashing has to be pretty sweet. For me, you know it's all about the food, and when something that I thought looked good on first reading turns into this kickass dinner, then that is one of the best things in life.

Last night I really wasn't motivated to make much of anything, but knew that on the way home from the wine shack I had to stop at the store to get something, as during an email exchange about 4:30 I had promised w there would be some sort of sustenance on the table that night. I had been having thoughts of risotto for the last couple of days, so that was my starting point. I went online at epicurious, popped in a risotto search, and came across a couple of butternut squash risottos that looked intriguing. They both had gotten good reviews, and I frankly picked the one I did because it was simplest. So with a quick stop at New Seasons, some chopping, roasting, and pureeing, a little tweaking of the original recipe, and a modicum of stirring produced one of the most satisfying risottos I've EVER tasted. I mean this dish rocked hard. The kick from the ginger melded perfectly with the sweet/savory roasted squash, and mixed with creamy risotto this was absolutely stellar. Plus the color was stunning. I can't wait for my next dinner party as I feel a showstopping first course coming on. Give this one a spin, because the unexpected pleasure to be derived will exceed all your expectations!

note on the picture: the topping in the pic are parmesan curls that the recipe called for. Well, my parma didn't exactly do the curl thing, and we both thought that a light sprinkling of cheese was a better way to go anyway.
*** *** ***

Butternut Squash Risotto
adapted from epicurious

can be prepared in 60 minutes or less.
serves 4 or 6 as a first course

ingredients:
1 butternut squash (about 3 pounds)
32 oz. chicken broth
1 small onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
4 large garlic cloves, sliced thin
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon minced peeled fresh gingerroot
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
Salt and fresh ground pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
Finely grated Parmesan

Garnish: chopped fresh chives and Parmesan
Preheat oven to 450°F.

method:
1-Halve squash lengthwise and discard seeds. Peel one half and cut into 1/4-inch dice and toss with a light coating of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Put remaining half, cut side down, in an oiled shallow baking pan with diced squash and season with salt and pepper. Bake squash in middle of oven, stirring diced squash occasionally, until tender and browned lightly, 15 to 20 minutes. (the chopped squash should be dome at this point. Remove from pan and set aside in bowl. Pull out and check 1/2 squash. If not done, leave in oven another 5-10 minutes). Holding halved squash in a kitchen towel, scoop out flesh and puree in blender. Add a few splashes of chicken stock to help blending if necessary.

2-In a saucepan bring broth and water to a simmer and keep at a bare simmer.

3-In another saucepan cook onion, garlic, and gingerroot in butter over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in rice and cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly, about 1 minute. Add wine and cook, stirring, until absorbed. Stir in 1/2 cup broth and cook, stirring constantly, and keeping at a simmer throughout, until absorbed. Continue simmering and adding broth, about 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly and letting each addition be absorbed before adding next. When rice is al dente (not too soft, with a nice chew) stir in diced and pureed squash. Add more stock as necessary for a creamy texture and remove from heat. Add salt to taste.

4-Spoon risotto into shallow serving bowls and garnish with chives and a light sprinkling of Parmesan.

The Hour for Happyness on the cheap!

After Sunday's outdoor adventure hiking in the gorge (see previous post), a nice early morning run, and to take advantage of a rare holiday Monday off together, w and I opted for some afternoon indoor activity...and NO, not THAT kind of indoor activity! We had in mind a visit to one of our favorite late afternoon happy hour destinations here in PDX, Ten-01. Their happy hour menu (served 3-6pm) has to be one of the best in town as far as the quality of the discounted grub. Plus barman Kelly has a rocking cocktail list that begs for my attention.

Settling into our seats at the bar, we knew coming in we had to order some fresh shucked oysters, especially at a mere dollar each. Plus an order of their salty, satisfying truffle oil fries (below). While we waited for our appetizing appetizers, we ordered some refreshing adult beverages. w had their Henry II, a mix of bubbly, Clear Creek pear brandy, and a salted almond floating on top. I had the intriguingly named Alaska (above), which I would estimate was about 2.5 ounces gin, maybe 1/2 oz. yellow chartreuse, and a dash or two of Regan's orange bitters (see pic below) served up. w was so-so on hers (after tasting it, I had to agree. Seemed a little heavy on the brandy.). I really liked my libation though, especially that eye-pleasing green tinged color and pleasantly biting bitterness. Our fries and brine-a-licious oysters followed soon after, and both hit it just right. Looking over the happy hour menu, I was also intrigued by the Daily Charcuterie Plate at $6. I know they cure all their own meats, having seen several different chubs curing in their wine room on a previous visit, and our waitress told us it was a great deal, considering that on their dinner menu it is about $15 (with an added slice of pâté). Loving all things porky and, I was all in on that one, so we ordered it up, and what a freaking great deal! Five different samplings of their wares, all really delicious. Definitely put this on your list of future indulgences!

The Daily Charcuterie Plate of all things porky and good!




ADD Ten-01: While we were enjoying our afternoon treats, we noticed a flyer for a new lunch deal they instituted a couple of weeks ago. Monday through Saturday they serve a three course $15 dollar lunch that looks like an amazing bargain. An appetizer, entrée, and dessert for fifteen bones is a steal, especially considering the food quality these guys seem to be pumping out of the kitchen! I'd love to hear from anyone who's experienced it.

The Ten-01 bitters lined up on the bar. Can you say "we take our mixology seriously!"

A sunny weekend? Hit the trail!

Something strange happened here in Portland last weekend. Something that hasn't happened seemingly for months. This bright light suddenly appeared, I think they call it the sun? Wanting to take advantage of this strange natural phenomena, w and I immediately made plans for an early season hike. w, who is filled with more local outdoors knowledge in her 10 years here than I have been able to gather in my life being a native Oregonian, suggested a hike to Elowah Falls (that's your correspondent at the bottom of the falls in the pic upper left). I'd been on what I thought was pretty much every waterfall hike in the gorge, but somehow had missed this one. If you have somehow not put this in your hiking repertoire, you need to do it...soon! Two breathtaking falls in a short, easy 3-mile roundtrip. From the trailhead (a mere 35-40 minutes from downtown PDX) you hike .3 miles to a junction, take the left to Elowah Falls, a stunning 289' high drop down a sheer cliff where you can get right next to it at its base; or go right and head up the trail to an absolutely beautiful split falls called McCord Creek Falls (right). The best part is you can make the whole roundtrip hike in a little over an hour. The next 3 months or so will be prime time to enjoy them with the heavy snow melt that is coming.

Creepy food pic of the week....

Why do pig parts hold such fascination? Even taking my love of all things porkish as a given, I wouldn't have the first idea what to do with these pigs feet I spotted at Fubonn Market here in PDX (if you do, feel free to share!). But something about their fleshy, semi-ghoulish, semi-human appearance fascinates me! Aren't ya glad I shared??

Warning: Addictive Behavior May Follow!

Before you read further, a disclaimer: "Eat.Drink.Think. will not be responsible for any addictive behavior, odd cravings at inopportune moments, over-consumption, martini madness, or reckless spending of money that may result from the following."

Okay, are we clear? Then I guess it's okay to tell you about what have become known around our parts as "crack olives" due to our complete inability to stop eating them once we open a can. "Them" refers to these wonderfully flavorful ovoids commonly called Novia del Sol Anchovy Stuffed Olives. I discovered them while ordering from our local specialty food wholesalers Provvista Foods, and it seems that our crowd can't get enough. Spanish green olives that I'm sure are lovingly stuffed by hand (it must be by hand, right? A machine couldn't possibly give this much food love.) with a ground anchovy concoction, not too strong, that are the perfect pre-dinner nibble with some manchego cheese and a cocktail or three. A speaking of cocktails, these are PERFECT martini olive. Three of these gems lanced by a pick and soaked in gin for a few minutes....ahhhh....just thinking about it makes me want to start shaking up a batch.

Locally here in Portland you can get these all too addictive tidbits at Pastaworks. For the rest of you, all I can say is your next martini deserves these. If you truly can't find them, let me know and I'll ship some off to you!
UPDATE 2/15/2009: Should you need to get them, and you DO need to get them, I now carry these delights at VINO. just give me a call or email (vinobuys@qwest.net)

A big bottle birthday: 1999 Thomas Pinot Noir!

To carry on the last thought from yesterday's post about the glory that was the Pernil, I might have mentioned something about some wine that was worth sharing with you all. Before I get to that, I have to ask the question: What is better than throwing a birthday dinner, and having the guest of honor bringing a kickass cult bottle of Oregon pinot noir for everyone to enjoy. And not just a bottle of this impossible to find noir-ish delight, but a magnum of said grape-based beverage. I can hear you now, "Oregon pinot...big deal". Well, when the bottle in question is a magnum of 1999 Thomas Pinot Noir then it is a huge fucking deal.

A little background....I've been selling John Thomas' legendary pinots for over ten years. This cat makes pinots that have all the other winemakers in Oregon shaking their heads in awe. He has a tiny four acre vineyard that he tends himself. He makes a measly 350-400 cases of the most Burgundian-styled American pinot noir you can find. John himself is one of the nicest, most self-effacing people you could ever hope to meet. And oh yeah, mags are pretty much impossible to find. I always hook my sis and I up with a big bottle or two, just for the feelings of security and goodwill the engender, and that is why we were able to share this staggeringly great pinot noir at dinner. Six people plus one magnum is my kind of equation. This '99 Thomas was phenomenal. It kept changing again and again the longer it was open. Easily among the best Oregon pinots I've ever had, it took on about six different personalities throughout the meal. The kind of earthy complexity you virtually never see in American wine of any kind. Really incredible, and if any of you find yourselves fortunate to ever share some Thomas Pinot, you'll know what I'm saying. Thanks for the sharing moment KAB....Happy birthday to us, I guess!!

Pernil...aka pork shoulder love!

Not to go all Apocalypse Now on you, but I love it when people get all shot up, blood splatters all over the landscape, and general emotional and physical mayhem ensues.........oh, wait, what I meant to say is "I loooove the smell of pork in the evening". Especially a huge honking chunk of pork product slowly roasting in the oven . In this case the star of my little production was an 8-1/2 pound piece of bone-in pork shoulder, and it turned out to be everything Mark Bittman promised in a recent NYT article. Thank god Marlon Brando wasn't around to shove it all in his gaping maw.


The pernil after (top left) and before cooking (left), all rubbed up and ready to go.









The occasion for this big bit of hog heaven (and tiresome cinematic references) was my sis's birthday dinner, which she kindly consented to let me cook for her. I already had my main course agenda planted in my mind ever since reading Bittman's story about a dish called Pernil, which is Puerto Rican spice rubbed, slow roasted pork shoulder. As soon as I read about it (and watched this video), I knew I had to make it....and soon! I really do love large hunks of animal, and luckily I have a large number of enablers who are always more than willing to help me explore this passion. With side dishes consisting of Puerto Rican rice and a bacalao and onion salad (which were both perfectly stunning accompaniments) provided by our friends J&K, this was can't miss. Although I had never cooked this particular meatiness before, I had to believe Bittman's comment that "the process is beyond easy and incredibly impressive, it feeds as many people as a medium-size ham, and the flavor is unbelievable." And it was. Crazy tender, succulent, beautifully flavored from the spice schmear and the fat that had been rendering into the meat for the six hours it spent in the oven. I don't care if I ever see another lean, bland pork loin, because it doesn't even come close to the flavor of the shoulder. Plus, our 8.5 pound piece of piggy cost a mere $17.00!! The bang for the food buck is off the charts. For those of you who have a hard time accepting compliments, this might not be your dish. But for those who love the lotion like me, try this at home next time you have a table of six or eight waiting to be wowed, and let the food love wash all over your deserving ego.

J's fab Puerto Rican rice with sneaky bits of pork loin!







Oh, and did I mention the wine we had with dinner? No? Well, wait until tomorrow.......
*** *** ***

Pernil
from Mark Bittman/NYT
Time: At least 4 hours

ingredients:
1 pork shoulder, 4 to 8+ pounds (or use fresh ham)
4 or more cloves garlic, peeled
1 large onion, quartered
2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves or 1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ancho or other mild chili powder
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil as needed
1 tablespoon wine or cider vinegar
Lime wedges for serving.

method:
1. Heat oven to 300 degrees. Score meat’s skin with a sharp knife, making a cross-hatch pattern. Pulse garlic, onion, oregano, cumin, chili, salt and pepper together in a food processor, adding oil in a drizzle and scraping down sides as necessary, until mixture is pasty. (Alternatively, mash ingredients in a mortar and pestle.) Blend in the vinegar.

2. Rub this mixture well into pork, getting it into every nook and cranny. Put pork in a roasting pan and film bottom with water. Roast pork for several hours (a 4-pound shoulder may be done in 3 hours), turning every hour or so and adding more water as necessary, until meat is very tender. Finish roasting with the skin side up until crisp, raising heat at end of cooking if necessary.

3. Let meat rest for 10 to 15 minutes before cutting it up; meat should be so tender that cutting it into uniform slices is almost impossible; rather, whack it up into chunks. Serve with lime.

Yield: At least 6 servings.

Three cheers for Three Cups of Tea!!

Very momentous news this Sunday morning as it marks a most impressive milestone. My friend and confidant David Relin has as of today has had his very important, must-read book Three Cups of Tea on the New York Times paperback nonfiction bestseller list for an astounding and well-deserved 52 weeks (and counting!), still a very strong number 2 and looking to take down that tired number one Eat, Pray, Love (I mean really, hasn't THAT book been done any number of times?). David's book, very of-the-moment, focuses on the story of Greg Mortensen, a mountain climber who on the trek through the high-altitude Pakistani foothills after an aborted attempt at climbing K2, found his true calling and has launched an incredible, trying, and ultimately successful mission of bringing education and self worth to hundreds of previously forgotten young Muslim girls by building schools for girls in this overwhelmingly male dominated region of the world. Besides being an incredible adventure story, it is also an object lesson in what we could be accomplishing in that volatile region by enabling education instead of supplying weapons and the means of violence. Objectively, I cannot encourage you strongly enough to pick up a copy of this very important, entertaining, and informing book. I can promise you'll come away with a wider, more clear vision of what is really happening in this horribly misunderstood part of the world. America will never accomplish with guns what Mortensen has with books. It really is that simple.

Bravo to you, David, not only for today's moment, but for telling a far larger truth!

Building anticipation, one plate at a time....

You know how you always see those offers to go see some sneak preview for some lame Hollywood movie, where you have to wait in line with a bunch of other losers to see some crappy flick because if it was really good they wouldn't have to give their product away. Best avoided, right?

On the other hand, there are some sneak previews that are SO worth attending. Case in point was last week, when my pal Kevin Sandri, he of all things cart-ish and delicious at his Garden State food shack here in PDX (on SE 13th and Lexington across from the wine shack) teamed up with his wife, the lovely Shannon, and his produce/chicken purveyors Mike and Jill Paine of the über-cool Gaining Ground Farm, home of all things fresh and organic (here's a link to a great video about the farm). The purpose of the night's epicurean endeavors was a trial run of their soon-to-be rolling family style suppers that will take place at various locations around our fair city (don't worry, I'll keep you informed). w and I were most fortunate to be on the guest list, and along with twelve other eager eaters we settled in for what turned out to be an example of community building at its best. Which is the point of what Kevin, Shannon, Mike, & Jill are trying to accomplish. Just good, organic, super fresh ingredients, prepared and presented, along with copious quantities of wine and conversation. What better way to get to know new people, exchange ideas, laugh, and most importantly eat great food prepared and served by people who just get it. Here was the menu for this night's launch party:

WINTER MENU
* Homemade crackers with goat cheese and homemade jams
* Leek puree with beet chips
* Potato and kale galette
* Winter greens with bacon thyme vinaigrette and poached egg
* Braised Gaining Ground Chicken with Satsuma & rutabaga
* Cheesecake with lavender sea salt shortbread and Jill’s late summer honey
* Lemon and rosemary tea

Virtually everything came from Jill and Mike's farm, and I don't know if I've ever experienced food that presented itself in such a fresh, immediate fashion. It was really an awesome experience. Very cool to be able to hang in the kitchen with our cooks, talk about the food, their ideas, feeling the passion for what was happening at that moment. And of course the food was absolutely nails. Everyone was swooning, and sitting around one long table in Shannon and Kevin's cozy living room (with one of the only indoor rock walls you'll ever see!) with food and bottles of wine being passed around....crazy fun! It was the perfect setting, and if this coming attraction preview was any indication, I'll be salivating until the premier!

Here's a few pics of the night.....

Mike and Kevin, looking cool & collected before the onslaught.



















Winter greens salad and the braised Gaining Grounds chicken entrée....huge yums!


Shannon and Kevin working it.



















Jill looking for relief from the tragedy that is an empty glass, and the rest of the table expressing our gratitude with glasses full!

Eating out and about.....

I've been having, as usual, some pretty kick-ass meals around PDX. Here's a few quick impressions.....

TEN-01: There has never been a restaurant in Portland to rise Phoenix-like from the ashes like Ten-01. I wouldn't have bet a plug nickel on their chances after the scorched earth reviews it received upon opening. I mean, it was brutal. And deserved. Well, my how times change. About a year ago they hired the very talented Jack Yoss to take the helm in the kitchen, and ever since this ship has been moving in the right direction. Very seasonal, farm-to-table food. We went there for a boy's night out recently. Eight guys, all of whom know their way around the kitchen and have eaten more than their share of meals out. The bottom line was we were all uniformly impressed with everything we had, and we ate our way through most of the menu. where there was hardly a weak spot in evidence. It was a few weeks ago, so I'm sure the menu has changed some, but from that meal and the buzz on the street, this has to be on your hit list. It has an elegant, yet comfortable feel. Kelly at the bar is absolutely nails, too, making several satisfying libations from various in-house infusions, and more importantly a rock solid martini! I also respect the kitchen's appreciation of foie gras in several dishes, especially in these food intolerant times when far too many chefs have caved to the demands of food Nazis who don't have a life of their own, so they feel the need to tell us how to live ours. And major props to my man Anthony for hooking us up with an off the menu treat that night in the form of some crazy good raviolis. Fucking awesome.....you rocked it, dude!

BASTA'S: Time was I used to go to Basta's all the time when they first opened. Then I moved out of the neighborhood, other eating opportunities caught the attention of my roving palate, and Basta's kind of slid to the back burner. w and I made a much overdue trip their before the symphony about three weeks ago, and now I'm kicking myself for staying away. The space in the former Tastee Freeze is cozy as ever. Owner/chef Marco Frataroli is really hitting it right now in the kitchen. Everything we had was delicious. The calamari was spot on, my all-time favorite pasta from back in the day, the fettucine al' anatra (duck pasta) was on the menu as a special, and it was exactly as delicious as I remember. w had the cioppino (pictured...via the camera phone!) and it was beautifully presented, really stunning to look at, and very well prepared....fresh, with a bright, flavorful broth. And Basta's all-Italian wine list is also a treat, with loads of choices at way more than reasonable prices, easily one of the best value lists in town!

CASTAGNA CAFE: I've mentioned my love for virtually all things Castagna several times. On a recent trip they had yet another thing to put on my "Foods I Crave" list, a freakishly good appetizer (left) of roasted shrimp, garbanzos, and garlic in olive oil. Another "Oh my f-cking god" moment, and I grabbed some bread and sopped up every last savory drop of sauce. So good. If it's not on their appetizer list when you go, let's badger them to get it back. Crazy stuff!!

Hummus as cliché? I think not!

They are food clichés for a reason. The reason usually being that they taste really good, everyone and their grandmother starts making it, it's everywhere, and then clichéism rears its mocking head. It might be played and mock away, but you throw a bowl of garlicky hummus in front of me for an appetizer, and I could dip my way through a whole baguette in short order. Last Sunday before dinner, to keep hunger at bay while simultaneously soaking up the alcohol being consumed by friends while the game was on, I whipped up a quick bowl, sprinkled some smoky Spanish paprika on top with a drizzle of olive oil, and didn't see one eye roll coming my way. Of course everyone was too busy stuffing their grills and swilling drinks, so eye rolling would have meant too much multitasking anyway.

The good thing about hummus, besides how freaking easy it is, is you can throw almost anything into the mix and it works. Roasted red peppers, sundried tomatoes, olives, some feta, whatever works for you. Quick, cheap, and delicious...three adjectives I can get with anytime!
*** *** ***

Hummus

ingredients:
2 cans chickpeas
1/2 cup tahini (sesame paste)
1/4 cup sesame oil from top of tahini container
2 cloves garlic
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste1 tablespoon ground cumin
Juice of one lemon, or more as needed
1/3 cup water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika

method:
In a food processor, blend first six ingredients together. Add water as needed to make a smooth puree. Taste and add more garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper as needed. Turn into serving bowl, drizzle with olive oil and paprika. Serve with sliced baguette/rustic bread, pita, crackers, or vegetables.

A craving, simply satisfied.

Cravings are a funny thing. Very personal. Or of you're lucky you share them with someone close to you so you can indulge in them more often. Last night's dinner was particularly w centric, as it focused on one of her favorite recipes that has found its way onto her list of things of "Things I Crave". This recipe I got out of the Dean and Deluca Cookbook and made for the first time a little over a year ago and it killed. I love it when something so simple delivers huge satisfaction. Now that I think about it, it's kind of the opposite of our president, where someone so simple just continues to disappoint. Which is why this chicken leg concoction is so important, to balance out that karmic wheel. And anytime I get the chance to put some gremolata (left) on anything, chicken, fish, whatever, is an opportunity not to be missed. Just smelling that blend of chopped parsley, garlic, and lemon zest....again, so simple....fills your senses with freshness. Very mindful of spring, which is important in our never ending winter we seem to be experiencing here in PDX. On top of these (not to be redundant, but do you get the theme here?) simple to prepare broiled chicken legs, with a side of creamy, coarse grained polenta, it is, simply, perfection!
*** *** ***

Broiled Chicken Legs w/ Gremolata
from The Dean and Deluca Cookbook

ingredients:
8 chicken legs, boned, skin left on (you can do this yourself by cutting through the skin lengthwise to the bone and scraping down the leg until the meat comes free, then removing any attached bone or cartilage. Easier still is having your meat counter person do it, which they will happily do- BB)
2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

For gremolata:
2 tablespoons finely chopped Italian parsley
1 medium to large garlic clove, finely minced
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

method:
1- Preheat broiler. Brush both sides of chicken legs with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Arrange on broiler pan, and turning once, cook for approximately four minutes per side

2- While chicken is cooking, prepare gremolata, mixing ingredients together in a small bowl.

3- When chicken is done, arrange on platter, sprinkle gremolata lightly on top of legs, saving some gremolata for the table. Serve immediately.

Super Bowl Bolognese

What says love more to your crew than a pot of something simmery that has been on the stovetop for over four hours? NOTHING, that's what! And what is more deliciously simmery that a big 'ol pot of Bolognese sauce? That's right, class, nothing again! So yesterday for some post Super Bowl dinner fun, I rocked an awesome batch of Bolognese sauce all day on the stove. For this version, made twice now with resounding success, I've combined the best of two recipes, making it about 80% Dean and Deluca Cookbook, and 20% Marcella's Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking. With the predictable 100% satisfaction factor! And man, does the house smell good with this bit of loveliness going all day, plus there's plenty of leftover sauce even after taking care of five hungry appetites. You can freeze it in smaller containers, or if you're Bolognese whore like me, eat it again in a couple of days because it's too fucking good to stay away from!!
*** *** ***

Bolognese Sauce
adapted from "Dean and Deluca Cookbook" and "Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking"

ingredients:
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion
1/2 cup diced carrot
1/2 cup diced celery
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground pepper
1 pound ground beef (pref. ground chuck)
1/2 pound ground veal
1/2 pound ground pork
1/4 pound chicken livers, chopped
1/2 cup whole milk
2 cups canned San Marzano tomatoes, chopped with juice
1 1/2 cups beef stock
1 cup dry white wine
freshly grated nutmeg

method:
1- Heat olive oil and butter over moderate heat, Add onions and sauté u7ntil opaque, about 8 minutes. Add chopped carrot, celery, kosher salt, and pepper and cook for 5 minutes.

2- Add ground beef, veal, and pork and crumble with a wooden spoon. Cook until meat is no longer pink, ad add chicken livers and milk (the milk is Marcella's idea, she says: "cook the meat in milk before adding tomatoes and wine to protect it from the acidic bite of the latter". Makes sense to me. -BB). Simmer for five to ten minutes until milk is mostly evaporated away.

3-Add tomato sauce, 1 cup beef stock, and white wine. Stir well and simmer, uncovered, over very low heat (an occasional bubble should break the surface) for 1-1/2 hours. Add remaining beef stock and simmer for another 1-1/2 or more hours. Add nutmeg and adjust seasonings.

Cooks note: some chefs, myself included, like to add a little cream at the end to finish the sauce. Thickens it up slightly and seems to ad just the right richness. Marcella recommends fresh tagliatelle, which we had. Also good are DeCecco penne and fusilli.

Not food, but FUN!!

As we were sitting at the bar at Castagna Café here in Portland last night, enjoying a slurpy good bottle of Rabasse-Charavin Cotes du Rhone "Les Cailloux" (a great French red made by the marvelously named and über-talented Corinne Couturier), we were reminded of this charmingly done French animated short, aptly titled "Les Cailloux" (trans: "the rocks"), my friend Bizbob posted on his since-deceased blog about a year and a half ago. So good, the only problem being you'll be wandering around the house for days with the tune stuck in your head!

Psst, hey dude....can you score me a bag??

This just in from the San Francisco Chronicle website, confirming what my raging addiction reminds me of every time I lay my eyes on their darkly crisp, ruddy exteriors. In an article posted Wednesday the SF Chronicle tasting panel has anointed Kettle Chips Crinkle Cut the very best of the dip-worthy chips, going so far as to grant them a place in their Taster's Hall of Fame for their crunchy goodness. Pretty major props, I guess. But if you want to experience the full meth-like addictive power of these fiendishly seductive crisps, then I have to urge you to try their Salt & Fresh Ground Pepper flavor, with the caveat that with one bite you will be jonesing for them, as I do, with alarming regularity. Salt and pepper. Two great things that go great together as well as on top of these insidiously delicious nibbles. There's a reason we have come to refer to them as "crack chips". I've found myself snacking on them while I'm cooking dinner, sneaking into the bag before breakfast, and worse cramming a few in my mouth before bed after a long night out overindulging in other consumptives, which leads to the inevitable waking up at 2 a.m. craving water like a drunken Lawrence of Arabia crossing the scorching desert. And yet I know I'll succumb again...and again...and it's worth it, dammit!

Another debate? Um, bartender......

After listening to bits and pieces of that fake love fest that was the Hillary & Barack debate last night, can you blame a guy for running to the liquor cabinet? Especially with motivation from what has become my latest must-read, Washington Post columnist Jason Wilson's cocktail column that comes out every other Wednesday (register for free at the paper's website to read all WP articles) in the online edition of the paper. As if I needed more encouragement to shake up another nerve soothing libation, his last liquorous lead from January 23rd ironically featured two quintessential summer cocktail recipes, the margarita and cosmopolitan. It was a way of explaining the importance of having the right orange liquor in one's home bar, in this case focusing on the oft-overlooked Cointreau and Grand Marnier (both of which I smugly confess to having at the ready). For my attitude adjustment session, I went with his cosmo recipe, necessitating a quick, always fun in an adult-kid-in-a-candy-store trip to the liquor store for some citrus vodka. I grabbed the Smirnoff's Citrus...inexpensive and perfect for mixing. I also did my preferred substitution of pomegranate juice for the traditional cranberry. Somehow, having what would normally be a warm weather cocktail on a cold, wet, windy, cold...did I mention it's cold here?...night here in PDX was just the ticket to take my mind off of anything happening outside the warm confines of the kitchen. I could almost forget Hillary's semi-hysterical fake laugh, Barack's insincere smile....on second thought, looking at this picture I suddenly feel the need for another....









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Cosmopolitan
adapted from Jason Wilson/The Washington Post:
Though cocktail snobs will turn up their noses, the classic Cosmo actually is a very good cocktail. The problem is that it's become obscured by dozens of variations, most of them ranging from bad to ridiculous. Spirits columnist Jason Wilson recommends a good-value citrus vodka.-JW
1 serving

ingredients:
Ice
2 ounces citrus vodka
1 ounce orange-flavored liqueur, such as triple sec, Cointreau or Grand Marnier
1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
1 ounce unsweetened cranberry (or pomegranate) juice
1 lime wedge, for garnish

method:
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add the vodka, orange liqueur and juices; shake well and strain into a cocktail (martini) glass. Garnish with the lime wedge.

Success is but a bottle away.......

We're all looking for success. Here at the wine shack (aka VINO) I search the wine world for successful results to my customers drinking endeavors. Maybe it's my niche, but I find it work I enjoy and it's easy to get excited. But as I found out during my quick break last week, apparently there are a lot of travelers who need a little help, a bit of a boost to their workaday morale. It started when I committed the cardinal sin of running out of reading material while relaxing in Mexico. I worked my way through two books and Vanity Fair (guilty pleasure...I admit it) cover to cover. By the time I boarded the plane for home, I was reduced to rifling through the seatback in front of me in a desperate search for something to read. We all know what that means. The literary horror that is the in flight magazine, and of course SkyMall. After paging through the various SkyMall offerings that I hadn't realized would enhance my life...the X5 Hair Laser (below left), the FootSmart Bunion Regulator, a Flying Alarm Clock (below right), and how have I lived without the Million Germ Eliminating Travel Toothbrush Sanitizer...I came across "Successories". You know, those supposedly inspirational posters that say things like "Look within for strength" printed over a picture of a wave breaking on the shore, or "Excellence is the result of caring more than others think is wise", or my favorite "My boss doesn't think I'm a loser because I have this poster in my office". Okay, I made the last one up, but all I can conclude is that business travelers must be the most depressed, downtrodden, job hating group of people out there. I mean, if you have to resort to buying a poster with some pithy saying and hang it on the wall to get you motivated to work, maybe you should rethink your job requirements. But it has inspired me to start my own line of soul stirring posters: "Drink more, Care less", or "Moderation is for those who fear the unknown", and "An empty bottle is the result of a determined mind". Pretty good, huh? SkyMall here I come!

Ca ri ga...Vietnamese chicken curry

And to think I used to have to go to a great Vietnamese restaurant to have something this good! If I ever needed a rationalization for this whole food obsession I'm afflicted with, being able to cook, then eat, something this complex and satisfying at home would be right up there near the top of the list. For me, one of the biggest rewards to this cooking learning curve I'll more than likely always be climbing is knowing I can take seemingly complicated recipes, from a country whose cooking has always been an unexplored part of my personal cooking world, look at them, break it down, and find it really isn't that difficult. And it can be REALLY delicious.

I was looking up recipes at epicurious because I wanted to whip up something new with chicken thighs, my favorite part of the bird. I find the chicken breast is so white bread and boring, the leg so fifth grade and KFC. The thigh though is meaty, flavorful, and meant for braising. Which is what this recipe basically is...a quick, easy, and very rewarding braise. I love playing with unfamiliar ingredients, and just knowing I now have a jar of Thai red chili paste in the fridge is exciting. Or that I'm banging on lemongrass stalks with the side my knife to bring out their flavor is pretty darn satisfying! We had this with a side of rice to help soak up all the delicious sauce, and as further reward there's leftovers for tonight!!
*** *** ***

Ca ri ga (Chicken curry with sweet potatoes)
adapted from epicurious:
The recipe and introductory text below are excerpted from Pleasures of the Vietnamese Table by Mai Pham:
"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."

Servings: Makes 4 servings.

ingredients:
3 tablespoons curry powder, preferably Three Golden Bells brand
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 to 3 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 cup 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

garnishes:
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.

Meatloaf: Not just (or even) a pretty picture.

It might taste good, but meatloaf is a tough photograph for an amateur like me. Last night's dinner was a perfect case in point. Still slogging through the Month of New Recipes, where for every meal at home we have to try something new. While I actually kind of enjoy it, I'm ready for some old favorites. About now it seems like January has gone on for about 90 days. I can only imagine how GWB feels. He's thinking about getting the hell out of Dodge and dumping the trainwreck that is America he drove off the tracks on his successor in less than a year, and I'll bet to him this last 11 months will seem like the about three years. For the rest of us, I can only hope it seems like 30 days.

But enough digression. The point is a photo, and meatloaf's tendency to look like something you shoveled out of your front yard. This recipe from the latest Gourmet really tasted good with all it's unusual ingredients....bacon, prunes, cider vinegar, allspice...and both w and I were suitably impressed, and satisfied. Not quite up to my all-time favorite, Alton Brown's Good Eats Meatloaf, but still well worth the effort. But man, my photos sucked. Even the photo from the magazine isn't that great. So disregard these visuals, and know that if you want a new twist on the common hunk of ground meat, this is well worth trying!

The Gourmet version, probably the 36th try.






My real world version. Looks sketchy, tastes great!






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Meatloaf with bacon & prunes
from Gourmet Magazine
makes 6 servings with leftovers

ingredients:
1 cup fine fresh bread crumbs (from 2 slices firm white sandwich bread)
1/3 cup whole milk
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium celery rib, finely chopped
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 lb bacon (about 4 slices), chopped
1/2 cup pitted prunes, chopped
1 1/2 lb ground beef chuck
1/2 lb ground pork (not lean)
2 large eggs
1/3 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

Garnish: cooked bacon (optional)

method:

1-Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.

2-Soak bread crumbs in milk in a large bowl.

3-Meanwhile, cook onion, garlic, celery, and carrot in butter in a large heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Cover skillet and reduce heat to low, then cook until carrot is tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, allspice, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper. Add to bread-crumb mixture.

4-Finely chop bacon and prunes in a food processor, then add to onion mixture along with beef, pork, eggs, and parsley and mix together with your hands.

5-Pack mixture into a 9- by 5-inch oval loaf in a 13- by 9-inch shallow baking dish or pan.

Bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted into center of meatloaf registers 155°F, 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Cooks' note: Cooked meatloaf keeps, chilled, 3 days.
BB note: I thought the meatloaf was a little too moist, and didn't slice as cleanly as I would have liked. Next time I make it, I think I would not soak the bread crumbs in milk, and mix them in dry. The veggies, prunes, bacon fat, Worcestershire and cider vinegar to me add plenty of moisture.

But I don't like the real world............

The hard part about leaving a paradise like Playa Escondida is getting dressed to go, and realizing that I haven't had long pants, socks, or real shoes on for the last six days. I haven't even glanced at that long sleeve sweatshirt I wore to the airport when leaving Portland, and now I'm going back to.....that. Cold, wet, dark, while all around me as I sloooowly fill my bag is warmth, sand, sea, and sun. My flip flops seem to be mocking me as I tuck them into the bottom of my bag. Can you say denial? I've already asked for a late checkout. How much would it cost to delay my return by a day? But the truth is without the cruel reality of NW winters, all of this wouldn't have meant near so much.......
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First, setting the scene, my Playa Escondida (hereafter known as P.E.) hideaway is the lower unit of the middle palapa in this view from the P.E. beach. If you click on the link above, it is the Sol 2 unit. Two private decks, an almost outdoor shower to the left, peace and joy within.....

and this view from my bed when I wake up.










now to the delicious parts............













Sayulita Fish Taco and an example of their culinary art. Not bad for two bucks!



Chilling on the beach at Don Pablo's in Sayulita, sipping cerveza and about to slam a fresh camaron quesadilla.







Deliciously fresh & citrusy shrimp & fish ceviche tostadas at El Casteño on the Sayulita beach. A buck twenty each?? Crazy!!






And here's a hot tip for anyone visiting Sayulita anytime in the future. I was looking up information about a tiny town about 8 miles north of Sayulita called San Francisco (aka San Pancho) that I had heard good rumblings about. I read in an online article about how one family in the village owns all the fishing boats and they also happen to be the proprietors of a local restaurant that was reputed to muy bueno. Local fishing monopoly? Great restaurant? Obviously, if you know anything about me, that's all I needed to hear. I grabbed the first taxi I could to find out first hand how fresh it could get. Ten minutes and 80 pesos later I wandered the streets of SF and found the sign for their small open air restaurant called La Chalupa (fyi: a block to the south of the main street, about one block east of the beach). While I was sitting perusing the menu, munching some chips with bright salsa fresca and sauce picante that were dropped on my table, a bunch of burly looking guys marched through the joint towards a back area carrying several huge ice chests. Ever curious, and wondering if maybe they held the key to my lunchtime happiness, I followed at a discreet distance...well, six feet anyway....and right behind the restaurant they started tossing the days catch onto this table where I watched this father/son team of fish filleters make quick work of several delicious looking creatures. Taking my cue that lunch had arrived, I ordered the pescado fritto, and was treated to the best $11 lunch (incl. cerveza) that maybe I have ever had. The fish was brilliantly fresh, cruspy on the outside, moist, juicy, not at all oily inside. Served with tortillas for some DIY tacos, this was what I was looking for. Remember: San Francisco...La Chalupa...fresh fish...happiness.....

Pescado Fritto @ La Chalupa







The kitchen at La Chalupa.....I LOVE it when great food comes out of simple places.






There were several other honorable mention food moments. A plate of butter and garlic/ginger/rosemary sautéed shrimp at the Sayulita Café. An awesome fresh shrimp omelette at P.E., where the food was dazzling at every meal (dinner was always four courses for $25!). And finally, the best dinner I had all trip, not coincidentally also at P.E. ...in fact I ordered it two nights in a row...was a crazily good chile en nogada (right), which is a large poblano chile stuffed with ground beef, raisins, carrots, onions, various spices and smothered in a richly satisfying walnut sauce with pomegranate seeds sprinkled on top, sitting on top of a bed of rice. Freakishly good. Nogada is traditionally a holiday meal in Mexico, and I've only had it a couple of times before and not for years. The P.E. version was the best ever.

In fact, if I could ever recommend a place to stay in Mexico, Playa Escondida would be right up at the top of the list. If you want privacy, beautiful beaches, great food, super comfy accommodations, and employees who seem genuinely happy to be working where they are, this is your spot. It's a 20-30 minute hike to town, and if you don't want to walk back, grab a taxi for 60 pesos ($6.00). Nova, Martha, Sergio, Manuel, and my man Alejandro (killer mojito, A!) were warmly welcoming, and when I got in the taxi to leave for the airport today, it was like leaving friends behind. Which I think is about as good as it can get.


Gracias, Alejandro....good luck in the future, amigo!








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And one of my favorite signs ever, from La Chalupa, on what to do in case of an earthquake. Near as I can tell, at least according to #5 making tea is not the thing to be doing right now, nor is doing a Michael Flatley "Lord of the Dance" imitation (#6). Ducking and covering never seems top get old (#7), and the age old advice to get your ass out of there (#9) always holds true!