The Bone Marrow Feast-Planning Meal

This is the prelude to our Autumn Feast. Check back in a few weeks for more details.

Bone Marrow: Roast (2-in) bones at 450 degrees for 20 min. Serve spread on toasts, sprinkled with salt. We used grey sea salt salt (sel marin), cyprus black sea salt, and australian murray river salt.

Serve with the following salads:


Parsley, chopped shallot, capers; dressed with lemon juice, olive oil, and salt.

Fresh cranberry beans boiled in water, thyme, & parsley; tossed warm with fresh thyme, olive oil & lemon juice.

Celery Remoulade: Thinly julienned celery root (celeriac), julienned apple (peeled & cored), tossed with dijon, mayo, lemon juice, cream, and salt & pepper.

Spicy Turkey Chili

I don't really like chili. This one uses more turkey than beans, and lots of spices.

Saute 1 large diced onion (with 1T kosher salt) until light brown. Stir in 2T dried oregano and 2T ground cumin. Stir in 1.25 lbs ground turkey; brown. Add 2T chile powder, 1-2 bay leaves, a generous sprinkle of cinnamon, and 1/2 can chopped chipotle in adobo. Stir to combine. Add 1 28-oz can whole peeled tomatoes, about 8oz tomato sauce, and 1-2 c chicken stock. Simmer for about 45 minutes until reduced. Drain and rinse well 1 can dark red kidney beans and 1 can cannellini (white kidney) beans, and add to chili. Cook about 10 minutes until flavors combine. Serve with yogurt, cilantro, and grated sharp cheddar.

Butternut Squash Gratin

I took this to a potluck, and didn't remember to photograph it until it was already in the bag. Note: This is not my recipe. It is Jacques Pepin's. But it is so good, it deserves repetition (with slight tweaking).

Peel a 3.25 lb butternut squash. Slice lengthwise, remove seeds (roast them separately for a tasty treat!) and slice squash into 1/4-1/8" slices. Put slices into saucepan. Cover with cold water and bring to a boil (this will probably take about 10-15 minutes). Boil 2 minutes; drain. Pour squash into gratin dish and cover with 1T kosher salt, freshly ground pepper, and 1 1/2 c heavy cream. Stir gently to combine. Sprinkle 4 T parmesan on top. Bake 30 min at 400 degrees. Brown 4 minutes under broiler before serving. Serve with fried sage as garnish.

Baked Lamb Meatball Hors d'Oeuvres

These would be better fried (or sauteed), but I baked them so I wouldn't be in the kitchen when the guests came.

1 lb ground lamb
1/2 onion, minced (don't use a food processor-- onion becomes bitter if processed)
1/2 bunch cilantro
minced lemon zest from 1 small lemon (or 1/2 large lemon)
1 large egg
1 T cumin
1 T cayenne
kosher salt
freshly ground pepper


Mix it all with wet hands. Add about 1/4 c bread crumbs until mixture is gooey and sticks to itself easily. Form small balls (it should make about 28). Dip in bread crumb-zatar mixture.

Grease baking sheet. Place balls on sheet; brush tops of balls with olive oil. Bake at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes, until balls are no longer pink inside.

Serve with yogurt sauce: yogurt mixed with good olive oil, salt, a 1 clove crushed garlic, and chopped mint.

Instant Apple Delight

This closely resembles the inside of a pie.

Peel and core apples and slice them thin (no more than 1/8"). Heat plenty of butter (1T/apple); when froth subsides, add apples in batches, adding more as each batch turns translucent. Add a sprinkle of kosher salt to each batch. Stir to combine and keep cooking until apples begin to caramelize. Add cinnamon and brown sugar to taste. Cook until brown and wilted.

Serve immediately with balsamic reduction.

Home sick and it's gross out Lunch

Bulgur risotto:

Melt butter and olive oil in skillet. Saute one large sliced shallot; when translucent, add 1c bulgur, and more butter if necessary. Saute about 5 min, until all the grains are buttered and toasty (make sure they don't clump together). Add about 1/2 c vermouth; when entirely absorbed, start adding chicken broth gradually, stirring. Only add more once it's all absorbed. I soaked some shiitake mushrooms and added the soaking liquid as well.

When risotto is almost cooked, add sliced mushrooms and whatever vegetables you have-- I added some chopped roasted swiss chard stems I cooked yesterday.

Remove from heat and add flaked fake crab, or whatever else you want (I really, really like fake crab. Most people don't.) Add pepper and (if you didn't put crab) grated cheese. Serve.

A few breakfasts

Fried Green Tomatoes

I've been wanting to make these for years. Take ripe green tomatoes and slice them about 1/4" thick. Salt & pepper them and let them drain a few minutes. Salt & pepper some fine cornmeal and beat an egg. Dip tomato slices in egg, drain, and dip in cornmeal mix to cover. Fry in grapeseed oil until crispy on all sides.

Unctuous Egg-Drop Cereal

Take oatmeal or 5-grain cereal. Cook according to directions. When almost ready, stir in one beaten egg. Keep stirring until it breaks into even wispy white bits. Remove from heat. Add salt, pepper, and grated cheddar cheese. Enjoy.

Farmer's Market Pasta

It was beautiful-- again, I didn't have my camera on me.

Roast a variety of heirloom tomatoes, tossed with salt, pepper, and dried thyme, in a 400 degree oven for about 20-30 minutes. They should begin to break down but maintain their shape.

Saute an onion and spicy bulk sausage (~1lb) until brown. Add 1/2 can tomato paste, stir to combine; add 1c dry red wine, stir, and reduce until alcohol evaporates. Add roasted tomatoes and stir. Add shredded kale or other cooking greens (about 1 bunch) and cook until kale just wilts. Toss with fresh garlic-parsley pappardelle (Pheonix Pastificio) and serve with freshly grated parmesan.

Salmon Sandwich

On an Acme sweet rustic roll:

avocado; salt & pepper; watermelon radish; leftover salmon; roasted tomatoes; porcini oil

Friday Night Dinner

Mostly from recipes...

Mushroom Veloute (Jacques Pepin)

Swiss Chard Frittata: Wash 2 bunches of chard and remove stems. Choose 6-8 of the flattest, most intact leaves and lay half on an oiled 12-14" non-stick frying pan. Fill with premixed: 2 eggs, 3/4 c fresh breadcrumbs, shredded chard, 1/3 c toasted pine nuts, salt & pepper. Cover with remaining leaves, tucking the ends in. Cook over low heat, covered with a lid that pushes down on the frittata. When bottom is golden (about 15 min), flip carefully and cook until set (about 15 min more). I served wedges at room temperature, garnished with arugula, roasted tomatoes in 3 colors, marinated beets sliced into matchsticks, and thin rounds of watermelon radish.

Salmon in Crespelle (epicurious.com) with sauteed baby potatoes, tossed with parsley and tarragon.

Dessert was apple crisp with homemade vanilla ice cream.

Ground Turkey with Roasted Eggplant

Puncture a couple globe eggplants and roast until soft in a 450 degree oven (about 30 min). When cool enough to handle, peel and slice into strips lengthwise.

Saute sliced onion and shittake mushrooms. Add chopped garlic and diced serrano chile. Before garlic browns, add ground turkey, salt, pepper, 2 T soy sauce, 1 T dark soy sauce, 3 T fish sauce, 1 T sugar, the juice of 1 lime, and a splash of mirin. Saute, stirring, until turkey is cooked. Add eggplant and sliced ginger. Add garlic-chile sauce if desired. Cook until eggplant starts to break down, about 5-7 minutes. Serve over rice or quinoa.

Chicken with Mushrooms in an Eggplant Basil Cream Sauce

Use boneless, skinless chicken thighs (bone-in is ok). Remove all fat and cut into small pieces (about 3/4 in). Salt and pepper; dredge in flour. Heat oil until shimmering in a non-non-stick pan. Brown chicken pieces on one side. Flip and stir in one medium diced onion, 4-5 cloves sliced garlic, shittake mushrooms sliced in half, and one peeled and diced eggplant. Stir until chicken is brown on all sides. Deglaze pan with dry vermouth. When all brown bits are scraped off, add chicken stock to cover and 5 sprigs of fresh thyme. Bring to a boil, cover, lower heat and cook at a gentle simmer for 20-30 minutes, until sauce thickens and chicken is tender. Remove lid, turn heat up, and reduce sauce by half. Stir in 1/2 bunch of julienned basil and a splash of cream. Turn off heat.

Serve with quinoa, cooked in mushroom broth (if using dried shittakes) or chicken broth.

Grilled Pastrami and Cheese with Tomato Confit

I use whole wheat bread because I like the bite. Layer sharp cheddar and pastrami; top with tomato confit (see recipe a few weeks ago). Spread stoneground mustard on top slice of bread. Grill in a griddle or in a pan with a heavy weight on top until crispy; flip and grill on the other side. Serve cut diagonally into triangles.

Zucchini-Stuffed Squash Blossoms

We ate these too fast to take a picture-- but if you find yourself in a garden with squash blossoms, this is worth all the work.

Filling: Grate zucchini and sprinkle with kosher salt. Let sit 20-30 minutes. Squeeze water out and pat dry. Taste to make sure it's not to salty (if it is, rinse and squeeze again). Mix with grated cheese and egg (we used about 4 small zucchini for 2 cups cheese and 2 eggs). Add (about 1/2 c) fresh bread crumbs until mix is sticky and holds together.

Batter: 1 c flour, 1/4 c cornstarch, 1 c cold beer or milk. Whisk together flour and cornstarch with paprika, salt and pepper. Whisk in milk in a bowl placed over an ice water bath. Refrigerate until ready to use. Batter should be thick, but if it's too thick, add a little water.

Pick squash blossoms, preferably right before cooking. If you have to pick them earlier, rinse gently and place in a tray of ice water in the fridge until ready to use.

Stuff blossoms with filling; pinch ends to close. Dip in batter, and fry gently in oil over medium-high heat.

For leftover filling: Form small patties (about silver-dollar sized). Coat with fresh bread crumbs and fry until crispy on both sides.

Potluck Pasta Salad with Whipped Ricotta, Roasted Tomatoes and Basil

I had to put together something quick for a wine and cheese party-- I wanted it to be light and not terribly cheesy. I used what I had lying around.

Toss quartered and cored heirloom tomatoes with a shallot (separate layers), olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast in a 375 degree oven until soft and slightly browned around the edges.

Cook pasta (I used a combination of farfalle and fusilli) in salted water until al dente.

Whip whole milk ricotta, thinned out with a little milk, until creamy.

Mix pasta with ricotta, tomatoes, chopped olives, fresh chopped basil, and salt and pepper. Serve lukewarm (do not chill).

Pasta Bake

Roast heirloom tomatoes with olive oil and spices; remove skins. Saute 1 large diced onion; add 5 sliced cloves garlic and dry herbs (oregano, red pepper flakes), 1 package frozen chopped spinach. Saute until water from spinach boils off (don't overcook!), then add roasted tomatoes and their juices. Cook to combine; turn off heat.

Make a roux with 3 T butter and 3 T flour. Add 2 cups milk. Boil. Add a handful of grated parmesan. Mix bechamel sauce with whole-wheat penne cooked al dente.

In a casserole dish (I used the same one I roasted the tomatoes in), spread a layer of bechamel pasta and then spread the spinach-tomato ragout over it. Cover with remaining pasta. Top with basil and pearl fresh mozzarella. Bake at 375 for about 30 minutes, or until mozzarella is melted and top pasta is slightly crispy.

Tuna Cornmeal Burgers

Obviously, this is similar to my Salmon Burgers from a few months ago, but this is a quick lunchtime version. I like spicy; put fewer hot ingredients if you don't.

Mix canned tuna with finely chopped green onion, diced jalapeño pepper, red pepper flakes, one beaten egg, a spoonful of mustard and a few spoons of cornmeal; mix until it chunks together (add more cornmeal if it's too wet). Form patties (probably two for a small can of tuna) and dredge them in more cornmeal. Saute on both sides over medium heat until brown and crispy. Serve on a bun or toasted bread with avocado, tomato confit, and sprouts.

Tomato Season No-Cook Pasta

First, I made a tomato confit, both for the pasta, and to have leftover to add to other things. I used sungold tomatoes (the tiny orange ones), and tossed them in a baking dish with smashed garlic, olive oil, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, red pepper flakes, and fresh thyme & rosemary. Then I baked them for about 45 minutes in a 325 degree oven.

For the pasta: A variety of heirloom tomatoes-- I cored them and cut an X into the bottom, then dunked them in boiling water for about a minute, then in an ice bath, to remove the skins. Then I broke them up into chunks, mixed them with thinly sliced shallots, and tossed them with the pasta. I used a combination of Meyer Lemon with Chili and Sweet Pea fresh pasta from the Phoenix Pastificio. Then I drizzled some porcini mushroom oil and Bariani olive oil on the pasta, and mixed in some of the tomato confit and lots of freshly grated parmesan. Serve with more parmesan, and pepper.

Summer Feast

We began at the Downtown Berkeley Saturday Farmers' Market, where we bought what looked good. Then we hit up the Cheeseboard, Andronico's, and Vintage Berkeley, an excellent wine store on Vine where they helped us make wine pairings with our menu. A full day of cooking later, this was our meal:

First Course

Heirloom tomato salad caprese with Basil and fresh Burrata (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burrata)

Second Course

Fatted Calf Rabbit Rillettes with Toasts and Daikon Radish Sprout salad, served with Dijon and Stoneground mustards

Baby Yukon Gold potatoes sauteed in rabbit fat, fresh thyme and rosemary, and roasted, served with garlic aioli

Third Course

Grilled pizzetta with eggplant caviar pissalidiere, served with sweet red peppers


Slow cooked okra in Heirloom tomato garlic reduction

Fourth Course

Thai-style grilled white prawns on kale, avocado, and mango salad

Fifth Course

Prosciutto-wrapped Black Mission figs stuffed with Manviso drizzled with Tan Oak honey

Wine

We drank an Uvaggio Vermentino 2006 from Lodi, CA with the first two courses, and a Gargola Tempranillo Blend 2003 from Merida, Spain with the rest of the meal.

Light summer dinner...

Chicken in toasted rice: Toast 2T raw glutinous/sweet rice. Grind to a fine powder in a mortal and pestle. Slice boneless, skinless chicken breasts thinly across the grain; toss with fish sauce, sesame oil, and rice vinegar. Marinate 30 min. Stir-fry until lightly browned. Remove chicken and add rice powder to oil. Saute and push to the sides of the pan; add a little oil to the center and put chopped garlic, ginger, and sliced shallots in oil. When garlic starts to sweat, stir everything together and deglaze pan with 1/4c white wine, vermouth, or chicken broth. Add chicken, stir to coat, and warm through. Turn off heat and toss in sliced scallions and chopped thai basil.

Serve with bulgar pilaf and summer salad.

Salad: boil frozen or fresh corn kernels and edamame for about 5 minutes (they should still be slightly crunchy). Drain and toss with grated ginger, red wine vinegar, sesame oil, and chile-garlic paste. Chill until ready to serve; add chopped parsley or cilantro before serving.