Yesterday

Yesterday morning I was quite productive.  I finished my grainy mustard I had been working on for two days.  I made hazelnut granola with raisins, honey, cinnamon, and agave.  I also had a misadventure with triple chocolate cookies.  I was possessed and just threw the hot from the flame toasted hazelnuts into the dough, thus melting the ghirardelli chopped bar and the chocolate chips and the butter.  Yes it is still tasty, but I think the texture just isn't what I want it to be or what I have made with a double chocolate version.

Supreme Halibut!

I made a lovely impromptu sauteed halibut last Thursday night.  I simply salt & peppered and zested half a homegrown orange.  When I zest I use non-treated or waxed citrus.  I want zest not chemicals and gums.  Anyway, after the zest I immediately threw the huge fillet (1.78 lbs) into a hot skillet with butter.  Since it was a large piece of fish I immediately covered it with a lid.  My lid is glass so it is great to be able to see the cooking.  I flipped it once and several minutes later I put it on a serving platter.  I took the orange half and a half of a small grapefruit and squeezed it over the fish.  I think next time, with more prep time I would supreme some orange and grapefruit to top the fish and maybe even a green herb.

Dangerous Peanut Butter Frosting!

The night before on a whim I whipped up some oatmeal raisin cookies.  I had seen enough recipes and baked enough cookies to be able to remember the important proportion of certain ingredients and I could eyeball and taste the texture.  We ate a ton of cookie dough that night.  Only four cookies were baked that night, the remaining dough was sent to the fridge for tomorrow's delight.  So as I am making dinner that night, I also slide the remaining dough onto a baking sheet and voila cookies for dessert.  So I am enjoying my meal, I can't remember what it was as the peanut butter frosting has oblieterated my memory.  Again, no recipe, it is late and I have had some success lately with frosting.  One stick softened butter, about 1/2 - 3/4 cup peanut butter (creamy and natural), vanilla, and powdered sugar.  The next night at dinner I thought hmmm, wouldn't peanut butter frosting be yummy on these cookies.

So how does the frosting actually taste, well, kinda like Reese's pieces, not the cups, the pieces.  That smooth creamy sweet peanut butter.  The oatmeal actually goes very well with the peanut butter.  The raisins did not offend or try to upstage, in fact they dutifully took a backseat and played softly with the rest of the orchestra. 

I considered baking a 6" mini chocolate cake to use the remaining frosting.  However, reality took its toll and all of the cookies required said frosting and there really wasn't enough to justify a cake.  Oh well.  i did however, swipe that delicious goo on Nabisco chocolate wafers, another perfect combination with my new favorite frosting flavor. 

Who knew I was so into sweets?!

Not happy eating

There has been no happy eating or cooking for that matter for me lately.  A lot of sad and bad things have happened.  Someone close died and my best friend has cancer raging inside her.  My boyfriend lost his sweet sister and no one saw it coming.  I still don't think we know the cause.  And my BFF who was diagnosed on 9/11 over a year ago is in so much pain, and finally the doctors agree she is in pain because they can finally see on scans what is happening in her body.  Just listen to her!  Geez, she is more of a healer than so many doctors.  Had her health been as it should she would be a doctor of Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture by now and she would still be living downstairs from me and we would still be having spontaneous cook offs or taste this, I made it!

I have spent the last three weeks helping his family cope and there really is nothing you can do to take any of that pain away.  You can make sure someone has water, and a tissue near by and try to catch them when they collapse.  I have learned you certainly cannot get them to eat unless they want to, even with chocolate cake and near perfect homemade chile verde.  I even put in extra love, it is my secret ingredient.  Haven't you seen Como Agua Para Chocolate (or something like that), Like Water for Chocolate?  Now that I write that, I can't remember how the title fits in with the movie.   

I did learn that I can function on very little sleep and food if I need to.  The first week, less than 4 hours of sleep a night and less than a meal a day.  And for me, that is crazy talk.  I am a 3+ meal a day and 8 hours of sleep a night or I am cranky kinda girl.  The operative word in that first sentence is need to.  My heart brain and body were working hard to help those in so much pain.  And I think I learned that too many tears can bring a migraine or something like it.  The worst headaches I have ever felt.   

I did bake two chocolate cakes which came out pretty darn good for someone who has only baked a cake one time before.  I kinda wish we had saved a slice in the freezer to taste in happier times.  You know they would taste so much better when your heart is not broken.

Sad things make me want to change my life, live it how it should be lived, spend time with the right people.  But I am struggling to make that possible.  I feel torn in so many ways.  A large part of me wants to put the job on hold and just be with my friend and my boyfriend.  But with the economy in the shitter and a family business it is a tough call.  Plus if we to go to her, then I am leaving my family.  I have a wonderful and understanding family that would want me to do what is best for me, but I also want to do right for them too. 

I have wished so many times she had adult diabetes (bad unhealthy eaters diabetes), I could fix that!  I could cure her, if only that the case.  No meds needed, just exercise and a raw vegan diet for a while and then heathly whole food cooking and eating lessons.  America wake up, get off the enriched white floor corn syrup and fake sugar and fake shit.  We could save the planet and our health by making those toxic foods illegal. 

I am sad and rambling.  And need some good news.  I had some a few days ago, but I need more, I need a lot more good. 

Nachos Averted! Compromise reached!

I have a bad habit of waiting too long to eat lunch.  And that makes it even more dificult to find a good meal late in the day.  So today after sending an email to Marcia at Tablehopper.com asking for help on this matter I decided to go to gold standard El Burrito Express on Taraval in the Sunset. 

I wanted nachos!  I have a jar of pickled jalapenos in my fridge that have me craving nachos.  And it was the Super Bowl last weekend and not a nacho in sight.  Not even a wing, but that is another story.  So nachos is what I wanted but not what I really need to be eating. 

I ordered the Chile Verde Bronco Burrito plus compromise the addition of sour cream. It was delicious.  They know how to make a great Chile Verde.  They start by toasting the tortilla on the griddled, add a little Monterey Jack queso and slices of ripe fresh avocado, salsa, pintos, sour cream and chile verde.  Perfection.  They make great rice, but the burrito doesn't need it or want it.  I even nibbled on a few chips, so I guess I have made nachos in my stomach. 

Nachos averted and satiated.

Goat Chops!

Ok it is here!  Yeah!  My protein CSA from Marin Sun Farms so far so good.  I have 2 lovely little goat chops and I marinated them curry, yoghurt, homegrown Napa lemon juice, homemade apple cider vinegar, and a bit of salt.  So yummy!  I served the chops on a salad with a little goat cheese and crouton.  It was raining that night so I used my cast iron grill on the stove.  I was feeling the theme and made a corresponding salad dressing to the marinade, minus the yoghurt add olive oil.

It was nice to make a lovely salad dinner.  I have gotten so accustomed to rice or potatoes or someother starch it is a nice change to the greens. 

I can't wait to make lamburgers!  I think I will make a chimmichurri like sauce for the burger.

Lunch - Leek, Potato, and Escarole soup with Mini Pancetta Lardons

I started a lovely soup last night.  I sauteed celery, leeks and one clove of garlic in some olive oil then added homemade chicken stock.  Today I fried up the mini pancetta lardons and adding the escarole and then a blend to make it nice and smooth.  It blended to a nice spring green color.  Yum, I can't wait. 

My Own Recipe

Food is all about sharing.  And when I think about my most favorite recipes they are from people I love who love to eat good food.  Granted many of my recipes come from my mother and they come from a time when she liked to cook.  Now she is not so interested in cooking.  My Dad has seemed to discover a new fondness for cooking.  I think he has always liked it, but I think now he is devoting more time and intention to it and it is coming out well.  Some of her famous recipes weren't cooked for us.  Maybe they were before my time or perhaps at the grown up only parties.  But after a couple requests she capitulated and made the infamous cheesecake my brother and I always heard about but never tasted. 

Yesterday I was invited to a pot luck.  But not any standard potluck, but one that is going to be part of a cookbook and if I understand it correctly, I am supposed to bring my food and recipe and perhaps even have a mention in said cookbook. 

So I have been racking my brain thinking of what to make.  Turkey Lettuce Cups - but that came from my Mom, I changed it a bit, but still it is hers.  What about Vietnamese Summer Rolls, same story different person, Denise via her mother.  Well, every one seems to always talk about my tomato sauce, but I am bored with it.  Bored is not the feeling I want to bring to the potluck. 

So what else do I make, potatoes gratin, nah.  Oh! my Tico Black Bean Dip.  I usually use canned pureed black beans but maybe this time I will start with dried beans.  Add cilantro root in the cooking process, definitely bacon fat, maybe tiny lardons on top.  Hmm, this will mean I will need to  have some sort of serving dish.  A good guest comes with a serving piece right?  The host can always swap into something they have.

Anyway I am gonna do a test run tomorrow. 

Today I am making tangelo bars, like a lemon bar but with fresh tangelos.  I am also making some chocolate chip cookie dough to store in the freezer.

Here is the canned bean version of the Tasty Tico Dip:
Dina's Tasty Tico Black Bean Dip
1 can black beans, re-fried plain, or whole and blended
3-4 slices good quality bacon
cumin
½ chopped medium onion
½ cup chopped cilantro
½ cup Salsa Lizano, plus more to taste
1 jalapeño chopped, more or less to your taste
sea salt

First, fry up the bacon in a pot to desired doneness. Remove bacon, keep fat, add onions and jalapeño, cook until onion is translucent. Add cilantro and cumin cook another minute or 2. Add pureed black beans, salt, and Salsa Lizano. Cook until heated through stirring. Taste and adjust cumin, salt, Lizano. Chop cooled bacon and stir to combine. Serve with tortilla chips, a bowl of sour cream, extra Lizano, hot sauce, etc.

If you cannot find Salsa Lizano add more cumin. Salsa Lizano is a table side condiment in Costa Rica, what soy is to Asia, ketchup & mayo to USA. Try the Internet or my favorite way, go to Costa Rica and bring some back!

Mystery me Mariquita!

an old entry i did not post:
4/30/2009
look what I just picked up!!! http://www.mariquita.com/Farmers%20Market/mystery%20lists/Piccino%20Mystery%204-30-09.pdf

agretti

shallots

green garlic

little gem lettuce

wild arugala
sunflower sprouts
baby carrots
baby leeks
fava beans

Potatos, Fennel, Carrots, Turnips, and Leeks

That is what I have to work with this week, and oh yeah some broccoli.  But doesn't potato, turnip, carrot and leek sound like a soup waiting to happen?  I did want to saute carrots until carmel, but there is never a shortage of carrots is there?  It is soup weather.  Nasty storm out.  Moose, our dog is not happy about rain, he is still salty after double towel dry.  He needs a jacket, maybe today's project. 

It is storming outside and I missed the weather report all last week telling us to get prepared.  So I am scrambling, hoping I didn't request my mystery veg too late.  I didn't make it to the farmer's market this weekend.  I had some family stuff instead.  Shoot, I definitely need the mystery pick up, I won't be able to get to the farmer's market this weekend as well.  It is my Dad's birthday and I think it would be fun to take him skiing.  But that requires some planning so I should be able to make it all work out. 

We have been working through our leftover prime rib, my Mom's Chile Verde, and the experimental Thit Ca Vietnamese Braised Pork.  The pork came out good, but not quite like Auntie Lili's.  And it is so rich.  Hmm, that reminds me I need to take a trip to the liquor store and get some digestivos and some vermouth. 

I have been going through my condiments and getting rid of things I do not use or that are too old or both!  I am trying to have the essentials in the fridge, not every hot sauce, but maybe my favorite 5, not 15.  Maybe this will somehow help me to finally be able to store all of the mystery, instead of relying on the old frisge in the garage.  I do like the secondary refrigeration, but maybe I should get a newer effiecient model?

So many things to eat and to repair and to replace and to upgrade, moving forward.

Thit Ca Braised Pork Shoulder

Today I am going to try to recreate a dish my Auntie Lili made to celebrate New Year's.  I am going to recreate it the healthy way she did using agave nectar instead of rock sugar.  I recall nuoc mum, shallots, black pepper, young coconut water, agave nectar, and what else?  She let the meat marinate in this mixture for a few hours and then cook slowly on the range. 

Along side I will serve rice and a refreshing green minted salad or stir fry some cabbage.

I threw some chili together last night.  I had a few tablespoons of my homemade chili powder and added more chipotle and ancho chile powders.  It was deep and dark and delicious.  I also cubed some leftover prime rib into the chili.  Beans, for me of course.  I love beans. 
I have used most of the veggies from my pick up.  I have the Portugeuse cabbage, turnips, a couple potatoes, and broccoli di Cicco.  I tried to use the greens first and then move on to the more cruciferous veggies.

Did I tell you I signed up for a local grass fed no antibiotic protein CSA?   I am excited, it starts next month.  More later.

Veg Out!!

I am so excited I just peaked on Mariquita's website and saw what today's offerings are.
1/7/10 Mystery Box
Red Potatoes
Loose Spinach
Red Radishes
French Breakfast Radishes
Arugula
Escarole
Portuguese Cabbage *
Leeks
Red Turnips
Fennel
Cauliflower (green or orange) OR Broccoli di cicco (grab bag: you don’t get to choose, sorry!)
Romanesco
So I think I will make a lentil and escarole soup, also using the leeks, potato and maybe even cauliflower. Serve it with some pan roasted prok chops and hearty whole grain bread.

I have the option to buy some Broccoli di Cicco I might go for if I don't have it in my assortment.
I think I only need to buy a bunch of carrots and maybe some celery. I did some pre veg shop yesterday of items I knew would not be part of a winter offering. Green onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, parsley and basil. I tried to restrain myself but it is hard coming off 12 non cooking days.
Last night I whipped up spaghetti and meatballs and made a lasagna for a friend. I served our dinner with a fresh Greek like salad. The meatballs I made have Italian sausage, pork, veal, and beef. It might be the best lasagna ever. There are two layers with meatballs, a layer with pesto and of course a great homemade sauce and mozzarella, ricotta and fresh parsley and basil. Darin was a little jealous of the lasagna so I think that will be remade for him soon.

Mystery Me Thursday

I am so excited for my Mariquita Mystery veggie pick up tomorrow. I haven't been able to cook for about 2 weeks. I have been on vacation and in homes where the Mommas rule the kitchen. The food has been fantastic but I love to cook too.

I wonder what I will get tomorrow. I love the mystery aspect. And then if I am missing a few items wham Saturday and Sundays farmer's markets are just around the corner! Or if I can't wait off to Noriega Produce, or Dimitri's as we call it. He has the best organic produce and often times beats the prices of the farmer's market.

I have really enjoyed the San Rafael Farmer's market as of late. It is a bit of a drive but that goes by when you are chatting with your friend. I might even get a carpool together for it, as a few of us seem to go. I think I will buy more goat from Marin Suns. I really like it and not only is it healthy, but also better for the environment than say beef.

Yeah food!

Ulu (Breadfruit) Salad - like a potato salad

I finally was able to cook with my best friend, my cooking partner, Denise. It has been a long time since we have been able to cook together. So this has been the highlight of my time here on the Big Island of Hawaii. Denise lived in the downstairs apartment and me upstairs, our men with us too. Our guys were often the inspiration of our cooking. And a few months a go she had to move back to her family in Hawaii to get the care she desperately needed. It was so hard to see her go, so empty without them. In fact it is still empty downstairs.

Ulu is breadfruit, is kinda like a potato in flavor and texture but in no way looks. The breadfruit had already been cooked and sliced, some of it even fried. We cubed it up, added a bit of mayo, sesame oil, and a few other items I didn't see. Some grated carrot, green onion, red onion and what else?

D hasn't been cooking for a while, not by choice, but rather had to focus on her health and her energy wasn't there for her to cook. So when she started to get this Ulu salad together it was bliss it was a good surprise.

A few days later we got some good news, we are not out of the woods but it is definitely a big step in the right direction.

All I can say is be healthy, eat healthy and make happy.

Last week's fury

Monday - frijoles de la olla, arroz mexicana, and carnitas, with fresh salsa and gaucamole.
Tuesday - Cuban style black beans and Tangy Roast Chicken
Wednesday - no dinner
Thursday - out to Tokyogogo - super yum!
Friday - late night scampi with spaghetti and chili

I guess you could say that I am warming up for Cinco de Margarita coming up. I am still scouring the Internet for a good Coctel de Cameron recipe. I should just forget the recipe and get cooking. Actually I should get myself down to the Mission to get supplies, maybe with a mask, swine flu is going around.

With the leftover black beans I made a Tico style hot dip. And then this morning I had some with scrambled eggs.

Moroccan spiced roast chicken is now a new standard. A satisfying roast chicken but with so much more flavor. I used the Tyler Florence recipe in his book real kitchen, but brined it and added a cardamon pod. Raspberry and blueberry whole wheat cream scones. Maybe some brioche or some other yeasty thing is the next creation.

Fine weather equals gaucamole

I have been craving my guacamole for weeks now. And in San Francisco today we are expecting 90s, so I am going to celebrate with guacamole. Pacifico's and guacamole to start and then it gets bigger and better. CARNITAS and freshly made frijoles de la olla and arrox mexicana.

I took a trip to Costco the other day bought the avocados, plus some pork shoulder. So now I need to hop on my bike to head to Dimitri's (Noriega Produce) to pick up rice and some salsa ingredients. Someone else will hopefully deliver the Pico's. I might eve split the 7 1/2 pounds of pork shoulder and Chile Verde another time.

The rice, beans, and carnitas are all recipes that take time. Which is cool because I can go for a walk with the dog or just maybe take in some sun on the beach.

Since I have all day and only certain ingredients now, I am cooking in stages. Beans first. Clean up, and start something else. The Carnitas is my version. It is not a traditional Carnitas in terms of method and ingredients but it tastes just as super. I heavily salt the meat and brush it with liquid smoke, cover in banana leaf, then foil. It is cooked in the oven at a low temperature, I think 300, maybe 275 for several hours. This time will be different, no banana leaf and the shoulder has been cut into country boneless ribs. I am guessing maybe less cooking time.

Ok, off to Dimitri's!

The last of my Gilroy Garlic Braid

Last June Darin and I went tot he Gilroy Garlic Festival. Although the fest did not live up to my expectations, the garlic braid surpassed it. It was the last day of the fest in the hot afternoon sun and after a couple beers we decided we needed a braid. After all we enjoy a lot of garlic for its flavor and health benefits. I was a little surprised Darin wanted to go for the 3 foot braid but I was willing to try. The garlic lasted very well. We were told that the stalk of the garlic somehow preserves it or keeps it from drying out. Well they were right. It lasted about nine months. I wonder if Mariquita will make a garlic braid. I sure would love one that is organic and grown on a farm with heart. I am proud of Gilroy, but I really try to eat organic as possible and they are not quite there yet at Christopher Ranch.

I had hoped to count the braid to know the number of heads we went through, but we love to compost so to the compost it went.

The interesting thing as the last of the Gilroy garlic is finished, I have been getting green garlic from Mariquita and experimenting with that. I have a lot to learn with green garlic, at least I think I do.

I love to make granola.

In the last two months I have learned to make granola. It is very easy and quick to make, a simple clean up and results in a very satisfying breakfast or snack. Granola welcomes creativity with the various nuts, grains, fruits, seeds, sweeteners, and spices I can use. And like most of my cooking, it starts in the pantry cupboard with, hmmm, what can I combine to make something yummy?

For the goodies: I used to make my granola with sliced raw almonds and now it is raw cashews my Mother got me in Panama. Sometimes cinnamon, sometimes cardamon, and today I am adding cinnamon apples chips. They are dehydrated apples with cinnamon, all organic and nothing else. Sounds good, huh? Sweeteners are always changing. Sometimes it is my brother's honey, agave nectar, and once in a while a spoonful of brown sugar.

I think I might start experimenting with different almond, hemp, and rice milks to see if I can find any taste synergies.

Time for breakfast.

Cooking contests

As usual, I have been watching a lot of Food Netword and PBS. Lately I seem to catch the cook offs and I want in! Firstly, most recipes seem nasty, but maybe that is from nasty processed sponsors. So I took a more local look at contests and I think my best friend and I might enter together.

We have learned a lot this year about eating and health in regard to cancer and our recipes are starting to reflect that. So why not enter a delicious recipe that actually won't make you sick inthe long run. You can still be gourmet and slightly decadent. Small easy adjustments. I just hope the food industry gets on board. Organic, grass fed, whole grains, not so much dairy, that is the tough one. Read "ANTI-CANCER" by Servan-Schreiber and you will know what we do.

So now we are struggling with what recipe, where to film, how to film, can we do it by the deadline. Deadlines seem to be all in the next 2 weeks. So not much time, wish me luck.

On the hunt for cooking chopsticks

I have a pair of cooking chopsticks that I have had since college. I love them dearly, but mostly for their nimble action with bubbly bacon in my cast iron. These chopsticks, however, are the envy of my friends and family. My boyfriend wants to get them for his family, and rightly so. I think if anyone cooks they surely could use them and not just for the toaster oven either.

I am on the hunt for a new pair, a back up pair. I am not ready to compost them (they are bamboo) just yet. But I like to have back up. I grew up in the country so we truly knew how to stock up. No, I was not part of a family farm-steading or little-house-on-the-prarie'ing it. We just didn't return to town if we forgot the sour cream for that night.

A trip to Japantown in San Francisco sounds in order.