Matters of Taste

The Long and Short of It: 2009's Signature Dish

My weekend post about the Best Foods of 2009 omitted one very important “player” on the dining scene. That’s because Braised Short Ribs deserve their own story.

This meaty, melt-in-your-mouth-tender dish is hotter than hot. It shows up on menus in homey outposts of Americana and temples of haute cuisine alike. Folks in San Diego are calling the recently-concluded Restaurant Week “Short Rib Week,” because virtually every participating restaurant worth its finishing salt featured the cheap but cherished cut of meat.

These are some of the best rib riffs I found in 2009.

Chef Carl Schroeder’s Prime beef short ribs give new meaning to the word tender. The Market, Del Mar chef sears them first, then slowly braises them in an intensely flavorful  sauce of reduced veal stock and reduced Cabernet Sauvignon. Delicious but discreet accompaniments -- sweet onion-potato puree, Sherry-glazed cipollini onions and seasonal sauteed vegetable – allow the meat center stage.

At ART in Seattle’s Four Seasons Hotel, chef Kerry Sears did a special Valentine’s 2009 menu of dishes to go with sparkling wine. One of the loveliest was the Duo of Organic  Beef -- a grilled filet and braised short ribs, served with exotic mushrooms, delicate English peas, black cherries and a sweet tart verjus sauce.

One of my favorite local eateries, Beaumont’s in La Jolla’s Bird Rock neighborhood, doesn’t just settle for first-rate meat and long, careful cooking to win us over.  Here we’re talking  passion fruit-glazed short ribs, served with polenta soufflé, crispy leeks and a tiny taste of blue cheese fondue.

 

I’ve never met an Alex Stratta  creation that I didn’t love. And the braised short ribs from this cooking legend --- who dominated Las Vegas when he was at Renoir in the Mirage and continues to do so at Alex in the Wynn -- are a mouthwatering case in point. Stratta treats American Wagyu beef to 72 hours of braising, then serves it with onion jam, pancetta and whipped potatoes. In my book, that’s a better “pay-off” than even the loosest slot machine. This photo is from the Los Angeles Times' Las Vegas blog.

 

Not only did I discover a hidden gem of a restaurant when my East Coast family introduced me to Belford Bistro in Belford, New Jersey , I also discovered one of the tastiest short rib preparations. Husband-wife chef team Kurt Bomberger and Crista Trovato give their boneless ribs the classic treatment – seared and braised in Cabernet for four hours. They then team the ribs with  “sides” that threaten to steal the show. I loved the roasted butternut squash that’s browned in butter along with homemade gnocchi, herbs, spinach and pine nuts.

I’m pretty sure you can find a braised short rib dish in just about every block of New York City. But not many will rival that of chef Gavin Kaysen at Café Boulud. Kaysen does a Dry Aged Beef Duo that involves a perfectly lovely seared strip loin steak that’s blown away by the braised short ribs sharing the plate. A terrific cauliflower gratin and Swiss chard are on the side. 

 

 

 

Memorable Morsels....My Favorite Foods of 2009

All the world loves a list. And food lovers especially love lists of good things to eat and drink. Here, in no particular order, are my most delicious food discoveries of 2009.

 

I had never heard of BARLEY RISOTTO before I stumbled upon it at a tiny mountain inn in the Villnöss valley of northern Italy. We had been hiking for several hours in the shadows of the Dolomite mountains when the weather turned blustery. We stopped for lunch in the GeislerAlm, a chalet that looked like Heidi should be peeking out the window, where we were treated to this unforgettable “risotto” made with barley, onions, garlic, multi-colored confetti of bell peppers, gorgonzola cheese and ribbons of arugula. A beer and a slab of apple strudel with whipped cream further fortified us for the rest of the day’s hike.

 

I have a tendency to fuss the most over chef Sean O’Toole’s dessert of BRETON SHORTCAKE, Oregon huckleberries and fresh ginger ice cream. And, indeed, this dessert of  lemon-spritzed berries and slightly undercooked Sablee Breton (instead of making little cookies with the dough, O’Toole makes a loaf, then sautes each slice in butter) was amazing. But  the rest of our dinner at  the new Bardessono hotel in Napa was equally impressive and one of top favorites of the year: Alaskan halibut with whole Brussels sprouts sauteed with julienne of  young ginger and Meyer lemon skin, and moistened with Perigord truffle vinaigrette; and roasted pork loin with a warm bean salad, buttery, nutty La Ratte potatoes and a glossy mustard sauce.

At Sapphire Laguna in Laguna Beach, CREME BRULEE often comes as a tantalizing trio (pictured here). During a holiday lunch on the restaurant’s sunny, flower-festooned terrace, chef Azmin Ghahreman‘s threesome included delectable orange-chocolate, fresh strawberry, and, my favorite, Chai Tea crème brulee. Sweet and sassy, with a crackly sugar crust, it was an exciting modern riff on an old classic.

Elegant. Ethereal. That’s the GOAT CHEESE MOUSSE at Skopik & Lohn in Vienna, Austria. I’m guessing the trick is the whipped cream that’s folded in, though the fresh local goat cheese and gingered red bell pepper chutney certainly deserve credit too.  

TUNA TARTARE is like the little black cocktail dress. Dress it up, dress it down, it’s always in style. My favorite in 2009 was at Market, Del Mar where chef Carl Schroeder accessorized the silken cubes with minted farmers market apples, diced chilies, ginger-spiked aioli and curry vinaigrette.

 Three months after my first-ever CRUISE experience -- on the Seabourn Spirit -- I’m still in awe of chef Bjoern Wassmuth’s (left) performance. Crispy corn-crusted prawns with fennel slaw and romesco sauce;  red carrot and curry potage with shrimp dumpings; warm ricotta and potato ravioli in truffle butter; chilled  corn and lemongrass soup with lobster salad and spicy shrimp oil; swordfish Sicilian style with  chili, capers, olives and basil...and much more. Each dish was picture-perfect and served by an attractive and amiable staff.

The menu at Fig in Santa Monica’s Fairmont Miramar Hotel calls it SPINACH RISOTTO. I call it Spectacular.The first sensation was butter.  Sweet, creamy, luxurious, remarkably rich.
Next came the intoxicating aroma of anise…and the flavor, too, in wisps of fresh tarragon.
Then there was one perfect spring pea…a tiny carrot that tasted like it had just been pulled from the garden…a baby mushroom as smooth as, well, a baby’s cheek…two lithe asparagus spears, one green, one white. And, finally, rice.  Each grain of Carnaroli cooked a point and imbued with all the summer flavors playing together on the plate. 

The world's going bonkers over BOURBON these days.  And anyone who tastes the Kentucky Tuxedo concocted by bartender David Nelson at Spur Gastropub in Seattle will be happy to jump on the bandwagon. A marriage of Bulleit Bourbon, Sherry, homemade lavender syrup and homemade orange bitters, is smooth and elegant, with a come-hither aroma and layers of flavor.

Every June, German and Austrian restaurants become a raucous celebration of WHITE ASPARAGUS. At Glacis Beisl in Vienna, Austria the pale, slender stalks even end up in dessert – as three plump clouds of mousse (right) floating on a rich, condensed sauce of berry coulis accented with aged balsamic vinegar.  A shower of powdered sugar and a few ripe strawberries and raspberries completed the fascinating sweet-vegetal creation. 

Deftly sauteed SCALLOPS, at Seattle’s new Anchovies & Olives restaurant, were sublime on their own, nothing short of genius when garnished with roasted nubbins of eggplant, cauliflower, pine nuts and red bell pepper puree. And that was just one of the many dishes that knocked my socks off at the newest eatery from super-chef Ethan Stowell.

BURRATA -- This voluptuous mass of mozzarella and fresh cream, dreamed up a century ago by some dairy farmers in Puglia, Italy, took the foodie world by storm in 2009.

• At Bottega in Napa Valley, it was accompanied by butter-blessed cubes of roasted butternut squash mingled with chewy bits of mushroom and soft, golden shallot shards, and moistened with a subtle brown butter vinaigrette. Oh, yes, balsamic caviar – made by reducing the vinegar, “jell-ing” it, and dicing it into weensy baubles -- crowned the creation.

• The creamy-dreamy cheese gets yet another stamp in its passport when young Boston chef Will Gilson dusts it with Za’atar, drizzles it with lemon oil and teams it with a sassy spiced date puree. Za”atar is a popular spice in the Middle East where it usually consists of dried thyme, oregano, sumac and cumin, all crushed together with toasted sesame seeds and salt. Gilson is chef-owner of Garden in the Cellar near Harvard Square, Cambridge.

• Warm Burrata with Beets and Crushed Marcona Almonds won me over at Scampo in Boston where celeb chef Lydia Shire also pairs the cheese with pistachios and a hot leek tart, and makes a memorable BLT, too.

 

TRES LECHE CAKE, from the A. R. Valentien kitchen of Torrey Pines Lodge Executive Chef Jeff Jackson, is a sublime creation of sponge cake soaked in condensed milk, whole milk and heavy cream. A popular dish on the potluck and church-social circuit, this traditional Latin American dessert (translation: three milks) is often soggy, overly sweet and piled high with frosting. But this version, by pastry chef John Harmeyer, is an elegant, individual, dome-shaped package with a deliriously smooth, moist texture and a rich, caramelized creamy taste. Topped with cinnamon-scented whipped cream and tangy pomegranate seeds, it’s served with a fresh quince-apple puree and a weensy poached apple.

Not every great dish of 2009 was at a restaurant; some were in my own kitchen.  I loved the FETTUCCINE with Summer Corn, Bacon, and Shiitake Mushrooms  from New York City chef Andrew Carmellini’s new book “Urban Italian: Simple Recipes and True Stories from a Life in Food.” The recipe is an easy, elegant, supremely satisfying creation that screams “summer” while offering the high-level comfort-quotient of winter foods.

 

 LITTLE THINGS MEAN A LOT

• Broccoli rabe, sauted with EVOO and teamed with crisp polenta croutons at Scampo, Boston.

• Fresh baby corn, still in their husks, were roasted and spritzed with citrusy yuzu-butter. Roasted cauliflower rosettes had a sweet subtle, lightly caramelized flavor accentuated by a barely-there sauce of pureed jalapenos, garlic, Japanese vinegar and discreet grapeseed oil. I went to NOBU San Diego to feast on the restaurant’s signature miso-marinated black cod, but I found myself spellbound by the elegance and effortlessness of these two simple vegetable dishes from the brick oven.

• There are a lot of good reasons to visit Cambridge, Massachusetts. But only one of them involves oatmeal, crystallized ginger, plump sun-dried cherries, toasted walnuts and pecans. That would be the oatmeal cookie at Hi-Rise Bread Company.

• At Chez Papa Resto in San Francisco, chef David Bazirgan does all the big things right. But somehow it’s the little things -- pommes frites with spunky aïoli  and a decadent potato & fennel gratin Dauphinois – that bowled me.

• What can you say about a spiedini with crusty grilled hunks of rustic house-baked bread and fresh creamy mozzarella, all drenched with an in-your-face anchovy-herb olive oil?  More, please?  At Tin Table, Seattle.

 

"Cooking to Hook Up" -- Lobster, Lamb, Leeks and Laughter

"You had me at bruschetta!"

 

So says Valerie, the “Progressive Girl” in a very clever, entertaining, but ultimately practical cookbook called “Cooking to Hook Up: The Bachelor’s Date Night Cookbook.”

OK. Before you start screaming how male-chauvinistic the book is and how I am an enabler for recommending it, let me just say that after some 20 years evaluating more than 1,000 cookbooks a year as a food editor, I do know a good cookbook when I see one. And this one has a lot going for it.

"Cooking to Hook Up” by Ann Marie Michaels and Drew Campbell, was published in 2004. I stumbled upon a single copy in a funky, used-books store in beyond-funky Moab, Utah over the Christmas holiday. I bought it for our 26-year-old son who’s single and a good cook. At first, he found the concept, er, distasteful, tacky, maybe even weird, as in, “Mom, what were you thinking?”

But after browsing the hilarious and right-on descriptions of each “type” – The Academic Girl, The Party Girl, The Granola Girl, The Career Girl, etc – and reading through such recipes as Pesto Swordfish Over Capellini, and Trump Tower of Polenta and Pork Tenderloin, he was won over.

The book’s tone is light-hearted and upbeat. There’s not a soupcon of male chauvinism in these pages, nothing tawdry or vulgar. And despite its outrageous and, to some, offensive “hook,” the book offers creative recipes, concise instructions, helpful sidebars such as timetables and shopping lists, and hours of laugh-out-loud reading enjoyment. I might add that young women with a sense of humor and an interest in cooking will enjoy this book just as much as guys of the same age. There’s also a basic “wine primer,” tips for “preparing the house,” and solutions for “dealing with disaster.”

Each of the 10 “chapters” is devoted to a personality type, and contains five recipes ranging from super-easy to big-deal. From “The Indie Girl”:

"An Indie Girl’s life is a Statement with a capital S…Indie Girls consider themselves actresses in the movie of life…Your meal needs to be constructed like an independent film… "

The authors proceed to tell you where you might find The Indie Girl; how to spot her; famous Indie Girls in history (Parker Posey, Janeane Garofalo and Winona Ryder); how to spiffy up your apartment for the occasion (terrific if you already have some ‘70s shag carpeting or a velvet Elvis painting); what to talk about (“quote David Sedaris”); and the contents of your coffee table (“Go with an alternative or literary ‘zine” or the New York Times Book Review.”)

Music? “Avoid Top 40 or anything mainstream…the Indie Girl will give you an automatic F for playing the Backstreet Boys”). The drinks: Dirty Martys (martinis) or any drink that was served in a classic film, ie. the Zombie in Breakfast at Tiffany’s). And finally, the host’s shoes: Adidas, Converse or Diesel are good. Forget anything with a tassel.

Indie Girl recipes range from the easy “Monsoon Wedding: Bollywood Chicken Curry” made mostly with convenience foods from Trader Joe’s, to the “hard” “Like Water For Chocolate: Chiles en Nogada and Chocolate Flan.” The stuffed peppers entrée is an impressive production involving pears, raisins, walnuts, pork and poblano chiles. The homemade fortune cookies suggested for the "Eat Drink Man Woman: Shrimp and Fortune Cookies" dinner are hilarious.

If you're not planning to visit any funky used-books stores in the near future, I'd suggest checking out  Amazon.com where you can find the book with prices starting at about five bucks.

Seafood and Cheese: Not Always a No-No

For years I’ve heard from Italian cookbooks, chefs and servers that one should never eat cheese with seafood. Ask for a sprinkle of Parmesan on your spaghetti alle vongole in any serious Italian restaurant and you’re likely to get a look that’ll wilt your escarole.

But, clearly, this is not a black-and-white issue.

 

Earlier this week, I dined at Kapi Kapi, a magical restaurant on the road between Quepos and Manuel Antonio on Costa Rica’s western shore. Set into a leafy hollow, the restaurant fairly floats on multiple levels, fully exposed to the air, and wrapped in tropical plants and flowers. Flickering candles provide the lighting. The cuisine consists of local ingredients, deftly seasoned with Thai, creole and Mediterranean spices, and presented as dishes that mesh perfectly with the warm, balmy environment.

The special of the night was wahoo, also known as ono in Hawaii. Though I was inclined to order the macadamia nut-crusted mahi mahi – which I had eaten on my last visit and loved, I couldn’t ignore our server’s impassioned plea to try the wahoo special. “It’s served with oven-roasted cherry tomatoes and fried farmer’s cheese,” he exclaimed. Farmer’s cheese?, you ask incredulously. My sentiments exactly.

Much to my amazement the fish and cheese were an admirable pair. “It’s the fastest swimmer in the ocean,” said Kapi Kapi chef Darren Remy, by way of explaining the fish’s firm, meaty and flavorful flesh. Indeed, good wahoo is almost like a hunk o’ steak, except this hunk is packed with prized Omega-3 fatty acids.  And it’s this meatiness that makes wahoo a fitting partner for the cheese.

Remy first sauteed three medallions of wahoo in clarified butter with salt and pepper, then perched them atop a slab of local queso fresco (fresh white, semi-soft cheese) that he had dipped in flour, egg and panko crumbs, then pan-fried. For color and sass on the side, there were cherry tomatoes, oven-roasted slowly with extra virgin olive oil, garlic and thyme.

“This Costa Rican cheese is very pure, mild, almost like tofu,” Remy went on.  “It’s a perfect canvas for the fish and the garnish.”

Remy’s menu also includes crispy phyllo seafood “cigars” served with wasabi aioli; peppercorn seared ahi with Thai green papaya salad;  lobster ravioli with saffron beurre blanc; and slow-braised chicken with chipotle citrus glaze.

There are triumphs on the dessert menu, too, including a pineapple upside-down cake with rum raisin ice cream and the Mandarin Lime Pie, pictured here, that's a creamy, cloud-like wonder in a macadamia nut crust.

 

How I Spent My XMAS Vacation (Hint: It Involves Chocolate)

My desk, trash cans and kitchen counters are littered with discarded chocolate bar wrappers and fancy boxes.

It all started with an article, a week or so before Christmas, in the New York Times.

In a column headlined  “The Chocolate Wars,” food writer Kim Severson wrote about Kraft’s bid to buy the British chocolatier Cadbury.  In the event that Kraft’s offer of $16.2 billion is rebuffed, Hershey’s is waiting in the wings to make its move.

Needless to say, chocolate-loving Brits (who, by the way, eat twice as much of the stuff as U.S. fans) are freaked out about either possibility. According to the article “The prospect of Americans taking over production of their beloved Dairy Milk and Flake bars has sent the country into an emotional tailspin.”

But it was the quote from London Mayor Boris Johnson that actually got me started on my choco-binge. “We face an appalling choice of succumbing either to Kraft, makers of the plastic flaps of orange cheese, or to Hershey, whose Hershey bars have been likened in flavor — by independent experts — to a mixture of soap powder and baby vomit.”

Reeeeaaaaally? Soap powder and baby vomit?  Begging the obvious question – how does this bloke know what baby vomit tastes like? – I was fascinated by the comparison and promptly hustled out to my nearest supermarket – 45 minutes away from my mountain house in the boonies of southwest Colorado - to buy my first Hershey’s bar since, probably, 6^th grade.

After assessing that iconic slab (I swear I don't get any soap powder or baby vomit though I will admit it's missing the intense, pedigreed, percentaged chocolate flavor we're used to these days), I moved on to all the other chocolate gifts I received from family, friends and Santa, or that I was suckered into buying for myself while shopping for others.

 

Here, in plenty of time for Valentine’s Day shopping,  are some of the tasty morsels I discovered.

 Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate Crisps. Nestled into a plastic, three-compartment tray, these Pringles look-alikes are not going to win any beauty contests. But the dark chocolate is rich and satisfying, and the paper-thin, curvy shape, speckled with puffed rice bits creates a party on your tongue. And if that’s not enough reason to celebrate, the Crisps cost less than 5 bucks a package AND give you 12 pieces for just 220 calories! Since these things are so rich, I figure most people will stop at six…meaning a serious pig-out for just 100 calories.

 

About 10 years ago, a part-time pastry chef, part-time ski instructor in Telluride, Colorado started playing with chocolate in her kitchen. Today, Patty Denny’s Telluride Truffle is a delicious success story with scrumptious candies, cleverly named, stylishly embellished and tucked inside elegant, emblematic packaging. (Truffles and boxes are shaped like a mountain range.)

The skiers and boarders in you life will flip over Telluride Truffle bonbons called “Alpenglow,” “Black  Diamond,” “Snow Capped” (a snow-capped ‘peak’ of dark chocolate with white chocolate filling scented with Myers run), and the all-white “Powder Day.”

(That's a Black Diamond truffle at the beginning of this post.) Folks who don’t give a  hoot about first tracks or moguls will flip, nonetheless, over the smooth texture and subtle flavors  -- including Jack Daniels, hazelnut, Grand Marnier, salt and tequila.

The Trio – 3 large truffles in assorted flavors, is probably the most popular choice at $12. The Fourteener ($44) is so called because there are 14 gorgeous truffles inside, and the 14,000-plus Mt. Wilson is just outside Telluride. There’s also chocolate truffle sauce and hot chocolate and cookies, which I haven’t tried. Check out the selection on the company's attractive and easy-to-use Web site.

 

Can’t afford the calories or the big bucks? How about a chocolate M&M’s chap stick (which is what we call call it even though there's just one ChapStick)? Yeah, well, it was news to me, too. Cosmetic company Bonne Bell has a line of “Lip Smackers” that includes chocolate-flavored lip balm, along with tubes dressed up like Starbursts, Skittles and Dr. Pepper.

Personally, I detest any “flavoring” in chap stick, but these things actually smell delicious and have a very subtle flavor that’s inoffensive. They're smooth and creamy, and they’re a pretty good conversation piece, too. A “trio” of Smackers is $4.50 on-line; somewhat cheaper at stores like Kohl's and Target.

Hershey’s is great when you’re looking for a chocolate bar to cheer you up or drown your sorrows. But if you’re looking for enlightenment, Vosges Haut Chocolat is clearly the way to go. These upscale bars and truffles start with the finest chocolates, then add a staggering variety of nuts, spices, herbs, teas and other flavoring agents.

I’m partial to the Gianduja bar, with almont and caramelized hazelnut paste; and the Naga bar with sweeet Indian curry and coconut in a milk chocolate base. But if goji berries, matcha tea, chipotle chilies, ginger or wasabi float your boat, Vosges has a bar for you. The company’s newest flavors involve applewood smoked bacon and alderwood smoked salt. Vosges is widely available at upscale markets including Whole Foods.  A bar is typically about $7; a mix-n-match selection of six bars is $37.

Chicken and Chai: Comfort Food at its Best

Oh, the weather outside is frightful….and I’m not just singing a Christmas carol. Cold weather has been wreaking havoc across the nation. Even Southern Californians, accustomed to having Christmas breakfast on the picnic table in the backyard, were hit recently with frigid temperatures and gale-force winds.

That’s when I got out my favorite “stewy” cookbook, and discovered Naked Juices delicious Chai-Spiced Cider.

“Simply Stews: More Than 100 Savory One-Pot Meals” by Susan Wyler has been one of my go-to books for almost 15 years. When  I set out last week to make her Cider-Stewed Chicken with Fall Vegetables, I looked in three local supermarkets for fresh cider and came up dry. (I know the Farmers Market would have had it from nearby apple town Julian, CA, but I didn’t get to the market that week.)  At Whole Foods, I found the Naked Juice product.

The resulting stew, with dry white wine and cider vinegar to balance the spicy sweetness of the juice, was delicious. Wyler calls for (and I used) chicken pieces with bone and skin. However I found the skin superfluous in the braised dish. You could also use boneless breasts and thighs with minimal loss of flavor.

Here’s my version of her recipe. “Simply Stews” sells for $12 on Amazon.com.

 

CHAI-SPICED CIDER-STEWED CHICKEN WITH FALL VEGETABLES

Serves 4

1 (3- to 3 ½-pound) chicken (or about 1 ¾ pounds of  boneless pieces)

¼ cup flour

Salt

Freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 large onion, minced

2 cups Naked Juice Chai-Spiced Cider

1 cup dry white wine

½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves

1 bay leaf

1 cup chicken stock or broth

1 teaspoon cider vinegar

4 large carrots, peeled, halved length-wide, cut diagonally into 1-inch pieces

4 large gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

2 medium rutabagas (or turnips), peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

¼ cup heavy cream

 

Season the flour with salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour and shake any excess back into the bowl. Save flour.

Ina large flameproof casserole, melt the butter in the oil over moderate to moderately high heat. Add the chicken in 2 batches and saute, turning, until golden, about 8 minutes per batch. Remove to a plate. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon oil from the pan.

Add the onions to the same casserole and cook over low heat until softened and fragrant, about 10 minutes. Pour in the white wine, scraping up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the cider, thyme and bay leaf.

Add the chicken stock, vinegar, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Return the chicken to the pan, along with any juices that have collected on the plate. Add the carrots, potatoes and rutabagas. Cover and simmer over low heat until the chicken and vegetables are tender, about 30 to 40 minutes.

When the chicken is done, remove it to a serving dish, cover to keep warm. Dissolve about 1 tablespoon of the reserved seasoned flour in 2 tablespoons additional stock or water, Stir into the sauce and boil over high heat for a minute or two until slightly thickened. (This step can be skipped if the sauce already has a satisfactory consistency.) Stir in the cream and season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Return the chicken to the stew and simmer another minute or two. Serve in shallow soup bowls, with grilled bread.

 

New Sandwiches in Town: Naanini

Naan, the hand-stretched Indian flatbread that’s baked in a traditional tandoori oven, seems to be the fashionable carbo-slice of the moment.  Once only available at ethnic markets and curry palaces, it’s now showing up in ordinary supermarkets and even in the bread baskets of Contemporary American Cuisine eateries.

Last night I was playing with a package of Whole Foods brand “365” Whole Wheat Tandoori Naan and I stumbled upon a wildly flavorful, wonderfully healthy take on panini – naanini.

The “365” bread has impressive flavor --- it’s tangy, with subtle “charred” undertones.  The surface is attractively bubbled, blistered and slightly charred. The nutritional profile – stone ground whole wheat flour, a bit of buttermilk, soybean oil, wheat bran and a few other ingredients – makes it superior to the white bread usually involved in panini.

Naan is easy to use and very versatile. No fancy-schmancy panini machines needed. Just toss a slab on the backyard grill or a stove-top grill pan. Add a topping and either fold over or eat as is. Part pita, part pizza, part panino…totally satisfying.

Last night I used a stove-top grill pan, lightly brushed with peanut oil so I could get it extremely hot before adding the flatbread (other oils would smoke sooner). I flipped the bread a few times, lifting it off when the natural “char” was slightly darkened, and the rich, tangy smell drove me crazy. I then added some shaved Italian fontina cheese, which has a natural affinity with the tangy whole wheat bread.

(This remarkable cheese comes from the Val D’Aosta of notthern Italy. It’s an intense cow’s milk cheese with a nutty,  herbaceous flavor that's quite pungent. Fontina is also made in Denmark, Sweden and France, but those versions have none of the Italian cheese’s deep and pronounced flavor. It’s available at cheese shops, gourmet markets and at Amazon.com.

Fifteen seconds under the broiler and I had a new love.

This morning I discovered the virtues of leftover naanini. I slid the leftover, fontina-topped slices back under the broiler for 15 seconds, then plopped Stonewall Kitchens’ Tangerine Marmalade atop the bubbling cheese. Outtasite.

 

Seattle Celebrates the Golden Age of Cocktails

Becherovka.  Sounds to me like a dance done at Slavic weddings.  Or maybe a primitive music instrument.

But in fact, Becherovka is a prized alcoholic drink, made in Karlovy Vary (aka Karlsbad) in the Czech Republic, from anise seed, cinnamon and a secret mash of 32 herbs. It’s showing up a lot these days at upscale bars such as Tavern Law, the popular new bar/lounge/speakeasy in Seattle.

Billed as a digestif in its homeland (meaning it aids digestion after a heavy dinner), the liquor has a lively, herbaceous flavor and a soft golden color. Czechs usually drink the stuff straight up over ice, but on occasion they enjoy a popular drink of Becherovka and tonic water that’s called a “beton.” Since that translates into English as “concrete,” I’m not rushing out to try it.

A far more palatable choice is Tavern Law’s “Eastern Waterfront,” a fragrant mingling of gin, Peychaud’s Bitters, Martini & Rossi white vermouth and Becherovka. It’s one of the many fascinating cocktails dreamed up by the eatery’s talented bartender/mixologist David Nelson (pictured here). On the same night that he splashed Becherovka into my son Nicholas’ cocktail, Nelson swirled together for me two types of rum (Rhum Agricole and blackstrap), allspice liqueur, lime juice, Chartreuse  and Demerara sugar. Though it didn’t have a name yet, the “work-in-progress” was an aromatic and warmly satisfying cocktail, perfect for sipping while the rain drummed the sidewalks in front of the atmospheric new saloon.

(Since that night, Nelson has christened the drink “The Indecent Monk,” a reference to the French monastery where the liqueur was originally produced and the green-brown color of the monks’ robes.)

 

Tavern Law is the baby sister of Spur Gastropub, one of Seattle’s trend-setting bistros. (This year Food & Wine magazine called it one of the country’s best gastropubs.) Open just since early fall, the Tavern is part of the nostalgia-driven “speakeasy” mini-craze afoot in the country. (A New York Times article earlier this year wrote of the hidden doors, darkened stairwells and pre-Prohibition brews.) From the sidewalk, there’s just an easily-missed façade, with tall frosted glass windows and a non-descript door. But step inside and you’re enveloped in instant warmth and quiet energy, thanks to dark paneled walls, a long, curvy vintage bar, soft lighting and a spirited buzz from patrons who are drinking and having fun as opposed to drinking to have fun.  (A Seattle Times restaurant reviewer called Tavern Law “a thinking drinker’s watering hole.”)

If this room were the whole operation, I’d be satisfied. But, in keeping with the speakeasy “theme,” there’s also a “secret” upstairs room, accessed through an old bank vault door (call for entry on an antique phone) and up a darkened staircase.

However, this is not just a Disneyland-with-Dewar’s. Tavern Law offers an exceptional array of  handmade cocktails (using Nelson’s fresh squeezed juices and housemade syrups, tinctures and bitters), and a small but stellar menu of cod fritters, braised short ribs, baby beet salad, truffled risotto and the like, from the dynamic duo of Brian McCracken and Dana Tough, who also man the stoves at Spur. (This photo of a classic Julep is by Kristin Zwiers.)

A quick word about its name. Tavern Law is a nod to the Pioneer Inn and Tavern Law, passed by Congress in 1832, which allowed inns and saloons to serve alcoholic beverages without requiring customers to rent a room for the night, effectively legalizing drinking. The “Golden Age” of cocktails came to an abrupt end in 1919 when the Volstead Act outlawed the production and possession of alcoholic beverages.

Seattle’s Tavern Law successfully invokes the glory days of American bartending while also offering the best food, drink, talent and know-how of the new millennium.

It's located at 1406 12th Avenue, Seattle; 206.322.9734.

"It's a Wonderful Loaf"

Scott Joseph, a longtime friend and foodie colleague, features a delicious walk down memory lane on his Web site ScottJosphOrlando.com.

Dubbed "It's a Wonderful Loaf: Two Holiday Traditions Combined," Scott's post celebrates the classic Jimmy Stewart-Donna Reed Christmas film and the awesome Sesame Twist Bread that his mother used to bake. We're taken, step by step, through both the movie and the recipe.

"Ironically, you'll probably be testing the water just at the time George, as a young boy, jumps into the icy water to save his brother, Harry, from drowning. Stir water until yeast dissolves, then stir in cooled milk mixture."

It's a fun read and a recipe worth keeping.

Comfort Food from "Griswold & Wagner Cast-Iron Cookbook"

Last night our sunny Southern California city got a rare taste of the weather that other parts of the country are used to.  Ferocious winds tore limbs from our trees, sent the dog into hiding, and sent me into the kitchen to play with Joanna Pruess’ newest cookbook “Griswold & Wagner Cast Iron Cookbook: Delicious and Simple Comfort Food.” If you have to put up with nasty weather, you might as well do it in style…with candles or a fire in the fireplace and a cast-iron skillet or Dutch oven filled with a hearty meal.

Pruess, is a longtime friend and colleague of mine and the author of about 10 cookbooks. I had dinner with her in New York last week and she had me drooling over her descriptions of recipes in the new book.

“We’re living in a difficult time and we all need comfort, both emotionally and economically. Many of these recipes are inexpensive and easy to make and appeal to a huge audience of all ages,” Pruess said. “Even chic chefs are using cast iron to go from stove to table. They want to give diners satisfying food that lifts our souls.”

So when the storm hit yesterday I dug out my 12-inch Griswold skillet and 6-inch Lodge skillet, hand-me-downs from my maternal grandparents and my step-father (who was our unofficial recipe tester at the San Diego Union-Tribune for years). After following Pruess’ simple instructions for spiffying up neglected pans, I cranked out the delicious “Nona’s Italian Meatloaf” and a “Mini Cast-Iron Skillet Cornbread.”

First I seared the meatloaf, packed with chopped herbs, milk-soaked bread, grated parmesan cheese and ground Brandt beef (my favorite) in the large skillet, then removed it to a plate while I sauteed cremini mushrooms and grated onion in the pan. I then replaced the meatloaf , added some broth and Worcestershire sauce, covered it, and let it simmer for 30 minutes. The smell was intoxicating; the taste of the final product, smothered in “gravy,” was terrific. The buttermilk cornbread, speckled with frozen corn kernels and canned, pickled jalapeno peppers, was also a hit.

We probably won’t have weather like that again in La Jolla for another decade or so. But we will have Pruess’ meatloaf and other dishes on our table again soon.

“Cast-Iron Cookbook” also contains such tempting recipes as Fennel Gratin, Sicilian Orange Beef Stew and even a Tuscan Pineapple Upside-Down Cake. Recipes are concise and easy to follow. The up-front table of contents makes it easy to find what you’re looking for. The book costs $24.95 and is available at Amazon.com for about $16.