Category: Awesome Recipes!

Who ever knew that a smile could go such a long way…

I once laughed and giggled all the time.  I got to a point in my life when suddenly my brows furrowed and wrinkled up-centered…my warped forehead showing signs of worry, woes and distractions.  I call it concentration…don’t get it so twisted now,  there is a time when you should smile and there is a time to think.  One can’t always be smiling, what is often a sign of annoyance is also a sign of thought.

But, certainly a smile can go a long way…

I was walking with my friend Andrew and as we crossed the street I caught eyes with a stranger and we exchanged smiles.  “Do you know her?”  No, I said.   We talked about smiles from strangers, the creepy ones versus the friendly ones, and jokingly made parodies of such cases from various passersby..

Upon my stroll home, I noticed two radiant young girls walking- almost skipping pass when I noticed their bright and beaming smiles like rays of light.  I smiled proudly at them as to acknowledge their happy innocence as they briskly passed by.   The air that day was clean, the streets lined with healthy and active trees with the fallen leaves of Autumn resting at their feet.  “EXCUSE ME!”  I heard, then again-next came the rush of footsteps and a tap on my shoulder...it went something like this…”Here you go…this if for you…’we’d like you to have this“- was along the lines of what they had said.   They handed me a red rose carefully wrapped in a well moistened napkin and placed in a plastic sandwich bag.

I looked to see their mother and grandmother waiting for the two girls to run back.  Of course in a state of shock, awe and surprise I gave them each a hug.  “Why me?” I asked, “Because you smiled at us.”  was their reply.   I asked them if they liked jam- Yes was the answer.  I motioned for their mother and grandmother to come over and offered them to come into my house for some homemade soup, bread, cookies and of course fresh homemade jam.  It was such a celebratory moment, how serendipitous that they had decided to go eat at a restaurant around the corner from me, one that they had never been to before.

11/11/11 – was a significant day for the family, it was the girl’s favorite number.  They were in the city to celebrate and commemorate not only the date but also Veterans day.  It was certainly a girls day out if I had ever seen one.  They also told me they were on a mission, actually an adventure, to do things that they had never done before, possibly 11 things: One of them being, give a rose to a stranger.   I detoured them from their lunch destination in hopes of just borrowing a few minutes in their day so that I could show my appreciation.  Instead we spent a good amount of time together in the kitchen getting to know one another.   So the four of them followed me to my little apartment and into my little kitchen, where we snacked on chocolate chip biscuits w/ sea salt, potato & zucchini soup w/ bacon, flatbread w/ Za’atar and Olive Oil, and peppermint tea w/ honey.

We shared stories mostly of love- how their mother met their father (who sounds like the nicest man!), all 4 ladies; grandmother, mother, and 2 daughters were so kind and loving,  they gushed about their father!  I shared my story of how I met Daniel and we laughed, giggled, and nibbled.  I was so warmed by this moment, this moment of total sincerity.  I still couldn’t believe that I had 4 such amazing and angelic faces at my table.

We parted with hearty hugs, an exchange of information, our names on paper and a connection that satiated our appetite for human interaction.  Also with a gift of a fresh jar of plum and yuzu jam.

Dear serendipity,

I had fallen in love again.

Thank you Lee, Tia, Kari and Jean  for giving such an achingly special moment-a moment that hopefully for them was something I would always want to remember.  Happy 11/11/11, this post is dedicated to the Jonsson Family who made my day!!!!

I have yet to test this batch of recipes, these are mostly rough estimates but that’s why there are readers out there.  Maybe Tia and Kari can test these recipes out for me!

My wonderful clients Sarah and Vipul had their friends over for an impromptu dinner party.  More than excited I jumped at the chance and made a 4 course dinner. Mind you gluten-free-  It’s a new challenge, but when I actually sat down to UNTHINK – I realized that eating a gluten-free diet isn’t as bad as I thought, considering my love for pasta and Tartine bread – actually most of my diet is fairly gluten-free.  So I began to create their menu…

The dinner was a success!  But a flour-less and low in sugar w/little or no dairy??? desert??  Oh me oh my…what could it be ?

I scoured the internet to find this little gem of a recipe from Scandi Foodie Blog.  I thought it would be the perfect ending to this savory dinner.   I made a few changes including using fresh berries, tossing the berries in some honey before baking,  adding lemon zest, almond milk and cashew butter into the batter.  They loved the desert and I equally loved making it!  I never saw myself committed to baking or sweets but being a personal chef  gives me room to experiment.  I wanted a bit more richness to the desert which sometimes lacks when you exclude butter and sugar in warm deserts.   The result was…there was a crackle of the clafoutis, the almond meal gave it a denseness and the cashew butter lent a hand to give it a richer warm cookie dough consistency.

Dinner Party 2011 April 8th

Beans…they are very versatile…a really great side, or thickening agent.  I really started to like them more and more since I started to fresh shuck these pods.  That fresh they are not as delicate as I thought.  And from dried, they reconstitute beautifully.

At home I find different uses for them.  I like them mashed and made into a spread for vegetables or toasted baguette slices.  I like them in soups as an added protein or sometimes as a thickener.  Beans…also great simply as a side item to your dinner, lunch whatever you choose.

In Vietnamese cuisine we use a lot of beans in our desserts, I do not remember much use for them in savory items, well I take that back because we had mung beans in certain savory cakes as well as the infamous crispy Vietnamese crêpe.  My mother filled this turmeric yellow crêpe with minced pork, shrimp, bean sprouts mung beans and sweated onions and scallions.  When it came right out of the pan it was like magic, the sides were golden and crispy, the  fresh vegetable and herb accoutrements were bright and abundant.  And, of course I can’t forget about her homemade fish sauce, and really…her’s IS the best.

I eagerly awaited for that moment when the crisped omelette looking item fell onto my plate.  Still steaming with glistened edges I usually ate that part first before I dug into the filled center.

Beans…needless to say I like them. When I was growing up in Chino California my El Salvadorian neighbors fed me refried beans when I would often get locked out of my house (I would always forget my keys), and as I got deeper into food and cooking I learned of their vast uses.  Now, the bean the legume and sometimes the pod that they come in have become staples in my cooking ritual.

This recipe comes from one day staring at what was in front of me…A glass jar of cannelini beans and a small bunch of still dew soaked watercress. I find that this “sauce” that I made goes very very well with poultry, fish and even pork.  I say “sauce” with much reserve because it is actually served cold like a relish.  Although I used this as a sauce for my meats, it is also really incredible as a thickening agent in soups, also as a base for a soup especially for those vegetarians that need a nice soup base without the need of chicken stock or even vegetable stock.

Bean and Watercress Puree

Directions:

If you have a hand blender ( I used my Cuisinart Kitchen Wand) Pulse… add in more lemon juice and or H20 or  Olive oil til you have reached a your desired consistency.

This is for you babe:

This puree is actually really delicious as a base for a vinaigrette.  Dilute it with some kind of white wine vinegar (I suggest a white balsamic)…what the heck…heres a recipe.

(added on Oct. 28. 2010)

Watercress and Cannelini Bean Vin.

There is something so thrilling  about coming up with a recipe on the spot…I love it. My finger snaps, I close my eyes, and I start to quietly mouth out flavors that I think would pair well together.

Cookbooks are wonderful to have around the house.  I adore the old ones, the new ones, the encyclopedias of knowledge, and Dictionaries of scientific facts, the wordly flavors, and the combustion of ingredients.  They are my addiction.  But our home is small.  Filled with wonderful recipes, they become my references to inspiration.  I use as my sources for my ideas with recipes from blogs, to cookbooks to the many magazines that are out there. The other day I came across an article for Duck L’Orange, a classic French recipe in one of my magazines …I lost the article (where are you? ) but could not waste any time, as my car rental was expiring.  So I opted to make my own rendition of Duck L’orange.

I made this in a small cast iron skillet for my client (that I personal chef for)  and decided that this recipe, if doubled would be a great and luscious dinner for 2.  When I cook for Vipul, I have to decide that it is that I am going to cook for him that day…meals for 4 days made in one day. At first I was in a state of panic thinking about it…then well now, I realize just how fun and exciting it is to cook for him each week.  I will go back and list the recipe, but so that you can know what I go through every Monday starting at 10:00 ending at 8:00 Start to finish.  That includes having coffee and creating a list, creating a menu, renting a car, sourcing the meats, produce, prep, cooking, packaging, and plating.  Oh yeah CLEANING.

Here is this week’s Dinner Menu:

Tonight:

Dear reader,

If I do not write for more than a month will you still continue to come back….If I don’t write for two will I be forgotten?  What about 3?

It’s time for a change once again, and I feel it in my bones…something else is knocking at my door.  Will I open it.

Forget about that cryptic and personal message and lets focus on a new recipe.  Sheep’s milk Pecorino and Black Pepper Dumplings in a Chicken and Porcini Broth w/Mushrooms and Vegetables.  Alas, we are hitting a cold winter here in San Francisco and the other night amidst the rolling fog and mist came a new and very comforting soup.  I have to say that it held well for at least 4 days in the refrigerator, and all that I really had to do was add a bit more broth or water during the reheat, because the dumplings naturally thickened the soup.   The steaming bowl of soup called upon images of someone cozying up in a wool blanket next to a fireplace as he or she held the hot cup of soup in their hands for warmth.   Yum…and I would like to share this with you.

The soup is a homey concoction of sweet vegetables and rich cheeses…specked with a surprising spice from the soft broken black peppercorns.

Sheep’s Milk Pecorino and Black Pepper Dumplings in an Aromatic Chicken and Porcini Broth with Mushrooms and Vegetables.

For the Broth:

Add the chicken and cover with water.   All the rest of the ingredients except Salt and Porcinis.  Bring to a Boil then simmer for at least 3-4 hours.  At 1.5 hours take out your chicken and remove the meat ( I prefer dark meat and only used the leg and thigh and partial breast meat).  Add your chicken back into the pot  as well as your porcinis and continue to cook for another 1.5 hours. While it is simmering skim off the muck that surfaces to the top.  Drain and continue to cook the rest of the meal…

Cool the reserved chicken meat.   Chop or pull apart the chicken meat to be added later into the soup.

For the Dumplings:

Add 1 egg to a medium-sized mixing bowl and beat.  Add your Milk, Heavy Cream and Butter.  In a separate bowl combine the following Dry ingredients: Flour, Baking Soda, Salt.  Combine the dry and wet ingredients incorporating until there are loose lumps.  Now add your Pecorino and Pepper.  Mix till no lumps appear.  Let sit for 15 minutes…

In a lovely soup pot ( I love love the La Creuset enameled cast iron oven)  add the strained broth and salt, bring to a simmer.   In a separate sauté pan lightly sauté the following on medium to medium high heat: Onions, carrots, rosemary and Mushrooms and cream.

So because the dumplings will expand and are very fragile I recommend that you do not bring your pot to a boil when adding the dumplings.  Using a small spoon or Demitasse spoon,  form quenelles and softly drop into the simmering water.  Being careful to not add too many at once.  Cook covered for 15 minutes.  At this point they will be firm enough for you to add the rest of the ingredients.  Using a large soup spoon or object of your choice, hold the dumplings to one side and add the sautéed ingredients as well as the corn, peas and reserved chicken meat.  Continue to cook uncovered  on low simmering heat for another 20-30 minutes.

We enjoyed our dinner with a nice slide of toasted Tartine Walnut Loaf.  ENJOY.

http://www.twinshadow.net

I’ve noticed that I have written about meat dishes feverishly…and it’s about time that I change things up. Cooking for Vipul is still a very unique experience and I have been able to experiment with MANY meat dishes…but I have also excluded the vegetable dishes that come alongside these meat hearty recipes. Because a meal without balance is not really a full meal.

I just can’t let these dishes pass me by…let me continue this post with a few recipes for vegetable side dishes…simple and plentiful…easy and damn delicious.

I really like the individual recipes for incorporating the merging of the many ingredients of my culture as well as my youth growing up in Southern California. Now with what I have learned as a line cook I can now use everything to my personal at home advantage and for my personal chef duties.

The flavors are Italian, Coastal, Vietnamese, Caribbean, as well as Indian.  I write with great anticipation for each recipe hoping to excite new and old readers.

It’s not a fancy fusion…it’s just instinctual.

This if for the very talented Valerie Shagday♥.

Heirloom Tomato Salad with Fried Plantains Avocados and Shallots.

Jicama, Fennel and Golden Beet Root Salad with Lime Boccorones and Mint.

Curry Spiced Potatoes and Peas.

Since peas are not always handy year round frozen peas are always accepted.  Here I used a medley of red and yellow potatoes.

Black Eyed Pea Salad with Garlic, Ginger and Olive Oil.