switching it up...

Don't hate me, I'm changing locations... follow me over to the new site www.thebonappetitdiaries.wordpress.com to continue reading about my culinary adventures!

Mangoes and Sticky Rice

I haven't yet been to Thailand, but I'm sure when I do, I will live primarily off of pad Thai, satay (if that's actually Thai) and mangoes and sticky rice. I had a former roommate who made the most amazing version of this dessert - the real way. Where you soak the rice over night, steam it instead of simmering and really take your time. That said, it has always daunted me and I've always felt bad considering a short cut. Nonetheless, mangoes were super ripe a couple weeks ago, so in addition to making a whole trout on a magical culinary evening, I also made mangoes and sticky rice. I did cheat a little bit.

Here's my easy version:

• 1 cup short grain white rice
• 2 ripe mangoes, peeled and cut into strips - the smaller yellow mangoes are perfect!
• 4-5 tbsp palm sugar or brown sugar EK: I used brown
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 can good quality, thick coconut milk (I found this even at Safeway)
• dash of vanilla extract
• water

Rice:

• Soak the rice in 1 cup of water for 20-30 min (up to 4 hrs)
• Do not drain rice - add 3/4 cup more water, 1/4 can coconut milk, salt and 1 tbsp brown sugar in a sauce pot
• Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium-low heat and simmer with lid cracked for 20 min or until the rice has absorbed all the liquid
• Turn off heat, put lid on tight and let sit for 5-10 min

Sauce:

• Warm rest of the can of cocnut milk with remaining 3 tbsp of sugar, and a splash a vanilla.

Serve:

• Scoop some rice into a bowl, top with generous amounts of mangoes and sauce

The verdict? Mango and coconut magic. It may not have been a traditional method, but the flavors sure were. I thought the sauce by itself was a little too sweet and vanilla (definitely add both gradually to taste), but when it was served with the rice and the mangoes, it was just a delightful combination. My other tips are to be sure not to over cook your rice, or to simmer too high (just like regular rice) and make sure your mangoes are super soft and ripe.

I don't know the next time I'll be able to make it back to Asia, so until then I will have to suffice with flavors of the tropics and a couple simplified steps.

Cherry Vodka - Part II

I know you have been anxiously awaiting to hear how the Cherry Vodka turned out... I am sorry to tell you, it did NOT. Exactly two weeks after creating my first trial batch, I made a plan to try it out. I invited one of my girlfriends over with the enticing '"come try my home-made cherry vodka" and it was a let down for us both.

It looked great - the vodka was pink, the cherries plump with the spirit; however, each of us only needed a sip to tell that something was off. The cherry flavor was prevalent, but so was a fermented aftertaste. My poor cherries had gone bad. I can't say I'm surprised though, because they did spend two weeks in the dark cold fridge and I think if you leave just about anything in there that long, something is bound to go wrong - yet still I held out and followed the directions in the hopes that the vodka would suppress the cherries' desire to go bad.

Well, lesson learned - do not store for 2 weeks, perhaps just a few days to imbue a delicate flavor. I still think it's a great idea and am excited to experiment with what is left of my handle that I just can't seem to finish.

here fishy fishy

About a week ago on a night MUCH nicer than this, I was desperate for groceries when I spied a trout at the store, a whole one. The last time I ate trout was probably 5 years ago at Greystone in St. Helena, which was some of the best I've ever had. The irony of that dinner was that a few days prior, I had seen trout on a menu and wondered who exactly orders such a simple fish in a restaurant - alas, I was that person. The last time I actually cooked trout; however... may have been never, save for helping my dad on childhood camping trips. Despite my lack of experience, the fish called to me with a fair price and an alluring challenge.

This also happened to be one of the nicest nights in San Francisco since lord knows when, and being the sun and heat deprived resident I am, I rushed out the door as soon as I got home to join friends for a beer at a bar with some great outdoor space. Three pitchers later (between three of us) later I decided I had to go cook my trout - let the adventure begin.

While looking for cooking method inspiration, I found a recipe where the trout is cooked in bacon grease and I knew I'd found my method. I think the pictures will tell you all you need to know:

1) Render the fat from some bacon

2) Add your fish! Cook about 5 minutes on each side, tilt the pan if necessary to keep the fish in a good amount of grease.

3) Flip when it's crisp on one side - I added fresh herbs to the inside and outside: dill, parsley, whatever you have.

4) It's done when the meat easily flakes away from the bone on each side.

5) Believe it or not, this happens easily and looks oh so fancy.

6) Once one fillet is removed, taking the spine off the other half is easy too! Again, it looks much more impressive than it is.

7) Dish it up and enjoy!

And there you have it, a home version of a campfire classic. The fish was tender, moist and smokey, just the way I like it. The herbs add load of freshness to the dish and the only thing really missing was some lemon to brighten it up. Hopefully you have a chance to someday cook a trout you catch yourself, but until then don't be afraid of a little adventure if you happen to spy one in a store.

Food Trucking

Among the many food trends right now (cupcakes, speakeasys/mixology, grilled cheese, pop up restaurants, just to name a few) food trucks are one thing that I hadn't yet experienced. That is, up until this weekend. I went to Off the Grid with a friend to check out the hype and magic that is supposed to come out of these tiny kitchens. In case you aren't familiar, Off the Grid is gathering of local food trucks, that occurs on Friday nights at Fort Mason Center and at other locations throughout the week. It draws quite the crowd and is a great way to try some new things, and sample restaurants you may not otherwise dine at.

Creme Brulee, The Creme Brulee Man:

The first and best thing I tried was a Chocolate Grand Marnier Creme Brulee. I'm normally a traditionalist and would have gone vanilla, but my friend insisted on this variation and I'm glad she did. It was creamy and luscious with a palatable, but not overwhelming Grand Marnier flavor that paired well with the chocolate that wasn't too strong. Definitely worth trying again, and perhaps making on my own!

Korean Tacos, Namu:

Seaweed. That's really all I have to say about this one. While the components had flavor when tasted individually, as a whole they were all suppressed by the overwhelming flavor of seaweed taco 'shell'. It was also difficult to eat as the wrapper was hard to bite through and sent the insides falling all over. Not terrible, but also probably not something I will order again.

Fried Dumplings and Chinese 'Pancake', Happy Dumplings:

This was my first venture back to Chinese food since my trip, save for some cheap chow mein a couple weeks ago. I had such a GREAT dumpling experience in China, I was very excited to give it a go back here in the U.S.

Dumplings in China from Nanxiang Mantou Dian

The dumplings I had in China were light and airy with a tasty pork filling that created a flavorful broth as it steamed. So I guess my bar was a little high for what I was about to try. Granted, these were fried potstickers and wouldn't be exactly the same, but overall I was not too impressed. The potstickers/dumplings were way too doughy and didn't have enough filling - the dough was thick and I don't think it was cooked enough either. We tried pork, chicken (way too much cilantro) and veggie - so I feel like we gave them a fair shot. We also tried this Chinese pancake with green onions that was fried and while I did like the fried crispy texture, they also only had a fried flavor that canceled out any spring onion essence.

Happy Dumplings potstickers and pancake

Chicken Satay:

Chicken Satay is one of my favorite Thai appetizers, but I'll be brief about this, because there's not a ton to say - If it weren't for the peanut sauce I don't know that this would really be worth eating. The sauce as good and left a bit of lingering spice, but the meat was slightly questionable and the fact that I paid $3.00 for a stick of meat was a little appalling.

Summing it all up, it was quite the experience. Despite the long lines and strong winds we had a good time and I enjoyed being able to fill up on little tastes here and there. I think the key is to go with friends, strategize about waiting in lines, and share everything. I don't know that I'll be standing in any of these specific lines again (aside from the creme brulee) but the list of vendors for Off the Grid is extensive and I'm sure that there is more food to be enjoyed by other mini mobile kitchens.

Summer BBQ

Summer is great! That is, unless you live in San Francisco. Despite the nice weather this past week, fog, wind and even rain plague my beautiful city while it is sublimely warm in neighboring cities during the months of June, July and August. So when my parents planned their three week Spanish extravaganza, I planned a BBQ in their empty home. Last weekend down came my SF friends to relish in warm weather, the ease of suburban life, and some good home cooking!

Normally with large groups I don't stress to much about making everything from scratch; however, I went all out this past weekend, making one classic, one easy and two new delicisous dishes. I was shocked that they all turned out well! For any given meal, I've come to accept that there will usually be a star, while some of the other dishes flounder - and while everyone had their favorite, I must say, that they were all pretty great in my book.

1) The Classic: Grilled Panzanella

I discovered this receipe a couple years back when a girlfriend of mine made it for her BBQ, and now make it for every BBQ I have. It's actually another Ina Garten recipe that is SO easy. Grill bell peppers, red onions and some quality bread. Chop while warm and mix with tomatoes, cucumbers and dress. The secret addition, though, is goat cheese! It's creamy already and get's a little melty with all the warm veggies, so it adds to the texture and tang of the salad. The dressing is simply oil, white wine vinegar, garlic and dijon which is light, yet spicy from the raw garlic and perfect for summer - this soaks into the bread, which along with the warm veggie juices, makes the 'croutons' full of flavor.

2) The Basic: Burgers

What is a BBQ with out the staple hamburger or hot dog??? I opted for burgers this time, and put in some multi pepper blend and dried onions that my parents had in the pantry. My Dad actually always made burgers with nothing in them, and as I got more into cooking, I realized you could actully spice and flavor the meat - what a revelation! I still kept them basic this time, and they came out just fine. Definitely not the star of the show, but an essential offering.

3) 1st New & Delicious: Yogurt & Spice Chicken Kebabs

Yes, hot dogs/sausages would have been easier, but not nearly as fun. These turkish inspired kebabs were packed with flavor and super moist. You combine yogurt, dries chili flakes, paprika, tomato paste, lemon and garlic to create a rich, creamy marinade and  then grill them to perfection. I let mine sit for a few hours and was pleasantly surprised by the results. There wasn't a ton of heat, but just enough to leave a little spice in your mouth and the yogurt kept the chicken moist, while my gentle BBQ skills didn't over cook and left them tender.

2) 2nd New & Delicious: Creamy Potato Salad with Lemon and Fresh Herbs

WOW!! My new favorite BBQ staple - it was amazing! 2 parts mayo (I even used light mayo) and 1 part Fage greek yogurt, made me feel not as bad about making a creamy potato salad... But the real star was the herbs, they were intense and packed a punch, but at the same time were really really refreshing and delightful. Basil, parsley and specifically the dill were a winning trio. I didn't taste the lemon as much, and would probably add more next time and while I added bacon, I didn't add enough to make a big difference in flavor, and to be honest, the salad really doesn't need it. I also used a variety of fingerling potatos, which worked well and I especially loved the pop of purple.

Overall, a smashing success! I'm so happy I was able to share my family home with my friends and served up some old and new favorites.

Okie Dokie, Artichokie?

Mmm... artichokes.

My mom eats them with seasoned butter; my dad, mayo; and a host in Spain, sliced thin and grilled. I go butter at home, so tasty. They leave that sweet residue on your palate, have luscious hearts and are totally worth any extra effort.

Berkeley Bowl - yes, again mention of my favorite grocery store - was selling 3 for $1.00. How do you pass that up? You don't.

They were the small kind, so stuffed with breadcrumbs seemed like the right thing to do, seeing as that the leaves wouldn't yield much meat to teeth off. It was my first time doing this, so let's learn together.

You can either cut the top half off first - or peel the leaves until you get to the tender yellow ones. Either way you'll end up with a little something like this:

After you get down to the yellow bits, you'll cut off the fibrous green part at the bottom - where leaves were torn off. In the photo below, it's where the angled part is.

So then after that you cut it lengthwise down the middle and spoon out the 'choke' - the little hairy pieces and the purplish leaves - the photo is prior to tearing off the outermost leaves:

Finally, I stuffed them. I had panko bread crumbs and roasted garlic from earlier in the week - so I tossed those together with olive oil, salt and pepper.

Baked in a 350 oven for about 40 min, until I could easily stick a fork in the heart, and they were done! Tiny little 2-bite artichoke snacks.

Final analysis - tasty! They were crispy and tender at the same time - maintaining the best of the heart with the crunch of the breadcrumbs with savory garlic tang and the sweet, roasted, artichoke finish.

Though a few things to take away:

• Next time I will cut off more of the leaves, because once they baked for that long, they were a little too dry and crisp
• Also make sure to coat the exposed parts of the heart in olive oil so they don't dry out
• I would also recommend experimenting with the stuffing. It would have been great with regular garlic, sausage or even mushrooms. And if you use a bigger artichoke, you get an even bigger cavity to fill - yum!

Cherry Vodka - Part I

I'm not really a vodka fan. I don't know what it is, but it's a little too potent or something, and is definitely not my go to libation. That said, I do have a handle in my freezer, or the last remains of one. I had some friends over to my old place months ago, more than six months for sure, and purchased this bottle to make cocktails for everyone - low and behold I have still not finished it.

Inspiration: bon appetit blog - Infuse Your Booze

So I was quite excited to see an article in this month's Bon Appetit about the BA Blog discussing infused liqueurs. Finally, a use for my vodka, and perhaps a more tasty one at that! I conveniently had cherries from my last trip to Berkeley Bowl and an empty mason jar - what luck!

It's very easy, you can check out their blog for more details, but here's pretty much how it goes:

fruit + booze + jar

only put in the parts you would eat: no pits, pith or stems

fill 'er up

seal tight

So Part I is done - after sitting in my fridge for 2-3 weeks I should have cherry vodka! We'll see though... I'll be reporting back to let you know how it is and if it successfully changes my thoughts of this spirit.

Strawberry Shortcakes 3 Ways

Spring and Summer bring a plethora of fresh fruits and veggies not to be missed. The asparagus is affordable, the corn succulent and the strawberries are just right. I picked up all three last weekend at Berkeley Bowl and wanted get creative with my berries. Strawberry shortcake won my vote.

Always curious about the strawberry + balsamic vinegar idea, I was intrugied by Strawberry Shortcakes with Balsamic and Black Pepper Syrup and decided to give it a try. Hesitant about the black pepper though, I hedged my bet and made my berries 3 ways:

1) with sugar

2) with sugar + balsamic vinegar

3) with sugar + balsamic vinegar + black pepper

The shortcakes are simple, simple, simple... Similar to a scone, you mix the dry, cut in some butter and add the cream. I did it with a wooden spoon, but it could be even easier with a food processor (per the recipe instructions). Finished with an egg wash and sugar, they are sweet, golden and great even by themselves.

While the shortcakes chill before baking (you want that butter cold so it'll melt while cooking to yield super flaky pastry) you make the berries. They mingle with their syrups while the scones bake and you make the whipped cream. And at the end, everything is done at the same time, amazing!

So... the verdict... I loved the ones with the black pepper!!! I started with the sugar berries and worked my way up the flavor intensity; by the time I had my last taste all I could say was 'wow', and have another bite. The balsamic was not at all overwhelming and the black pepper just added a depth of flavor not found in the others. I would have never guessed it, but it didn't taste peppery, it was just that something that makes you go 'mmm, what is that?' as Rachel Ray would say.

Shocking results, I know, but as the berries become abundant this Summer, don't be afraid to spice up your shortcakes!

Brezeln & Bologna

Being the carb lover I am, after a year of living in Germany, I developed a strong affinity for all carbs German: bread, spaetzle, potatoes and most importantly pretzels or brezeln. If you ask a German who has spent any significant time out of Germany what they missed the most while abroad, they will tell you the bread - you know it's good.

Pretzels are a daily occurrence in Germany, served with everything from butter with chives to sandwich fixings. I've tried to recreate this magic at home, but with little success. Williams-Sonoma makes a decent mix and occasionally a specialty farmer's market stand will provide a treat, but for the most part, I go without. So imagine my pleasant surprise when I found a whole bag of pretzels at Berkley Bowl! The REAL German kind, with the skinny crispy twists, and soft bready middle. I couldn't believe my luck. I picked it up quicker than you can say 'I love pretzels' and rushed off to get some toppings.

Salami, cheese and wurst were my go to for nightly bread toppings, so I picked up some dry salami, brie and headed over to the deli to discuss my wurst choices. 'Wurst' is technically just German for 'sausage' - mostly finely ground, but it can be anything from mortadella to bologna. But it's SO much more than the Oscar-Mayer lunch meat that we are all familiar with. Wurst comes in various sizes, colors, meats, sometimes with bell pepper or other secrets inside. It's always sliced thin, so it's delicate and full of flavor - don't wrinkle your nose, I promise it's good! Anyhow, after talking with the deli guy, I landed on the Vienna Bologna. It had pistachios inside and some veal for a more in depth flavor.

I practically skipped out of the store with these gems in my bag and prepared my very own pretzel platter upon arriving home. It was, quite simply, amazing. I was so pleased with my sausage choice, the flavor brought me right back to the Weylands breakfast table - they say scent is the closest sense related to memory, but I would venture to guess that taste runs a close second... I hope you to try German pretzels the next time you cross their path and just perhaps you'll give bologna another go, knowing that when chosen right, it rises far above a childhood staple.

Chinese Cooking

"So, what's after the omelette?" I didn't realize people were waiting for more until happy hour last night, so thanks to my friends for the kick in the bum to get me back on my blogger! A trip to China and playing catch up delayed this next post, but I'm back with some stories to share. First up, my cooking class in Beijing:

the cooking group

I had heard of friends taking cooking classes on trips and since I was solo on this vacation, I figured it would be a great thing to do to learn a little bit about the food and culture around me. There were many to choose from and I ended up going with Hutong Cuisine after reading several good reviews, and it did not disappoint. It's run by a family out of their home so it had this great family feel while providing new tips and knowledge. There were 8 of us in the class, 4 people on a tour from Australia, a JET student from Japan, and a Japanese girl with her mother. We each got an apron, a cleaver and our own chopping board. 5 dishes were on the menu - 3 of which were cooked by our teachers for the whole class, and 2 for which we did all the prep work and cooking!

getting some lessons

For the group:

- Braise pork rib with chili and fermented black bean
- Stir fry beef with big spring onion

- Stir fry spinach with garlic

Cooked by me:

- Black pepper beef
- Fish flavor eggplant (braise eggplant with pickled chili)

clever use of the wok's concave shape

I think the most surprising thing for me about this Chinese cooking was how easy it was. We didn't use super exotic ingredients, but it was just flavors and techniques I don't use often. There was a lot of ginger, garlic, scallions & soy sauce - and of course the wok and cleaver are essentials in the Chinese Kitchen. I think even without the wok though, these flavors can be replicated easily at home.

my turn!

My favorite dish was the Black Pepper Beef stir fry with peppers - we 'marinated' the beef with some soy sauce, corn starch, salt, and cooking wine. You mix it with the strips of meat, and because of the cornstarch you end up with a thick sauce after cooking. The saute with the peppers included ginger, garlic, soy sauce and a hefty portion of ground black pepper. Overall, very familiar Chinese flavors, but so much better b/c I made it!

Black Pepper Beef

I would say the most surprising dish was the eggplant. I'm not a huge eggplant fan because it can be slimy if not prepared properly. Rather than your typical quick stir fry, the vegetable was cooked a little slower with pickled chilies, ginger and garlic, and it was just delightful - not slimy at all. I will definitely give another shot to eggplant now that I know it has potential.

Eggplant

Taking this class was probably in my top 5 favorite things in Beijing. It was fun to be in this traditional home, meeting locals and chatting with other people who loved food and were excited to learn more. Until I commit to buying a wok of my own, I'm going to have to try out these fabulous Chinese flavors in my American cookware and see what happens.

voilà an omelette

From underwhelming to just right - I'm going to write about breakfast. Again.

Eggs are amazing and I've been eating them a lot lately. Scrambles and egg sandwiches for dinner, breakfast burritos... You name it I've been eating it. Typically after a night out all I can muster is a simple scramble the next morning, but last weekend I was extra inspired and decided to make an omelette.

Let me be the first to tell you, I have no actual knowledge about how one is 'supposed to' make an omelette, but I made it work. Yes, there's a hole, but trial and error, right? I have a vague recollection of seeing people do this on TV and moving the pan really fast or something, but on a tired morning that was a little more than I could handle.

I was most familiar with what my mom used to do, so here's how I did it -

• scramble 2 eggs in bowl
• heat 8" pan w/butter (nonstick saved my life)
• pour in eggs
• as they set, use a spatula to lift up the set eggs and let the runny eggs flow underneath
• it's ok if you make holes, just let the runny eggs fill it and cool, be patient
• once most of the egg is set, place your fillings on one half - I had cheddar and avocado in the fridge
• fold over the other side

Et voilà! An omelette! Or at least something that will taste good, look fancier than a scramble and just perhaps pass as an omelette.

I'll have to do a little more research on proper technique and report back, but for now I'm going to go with what works for me and tastes great too.

too minty for me

I just received the May issue of BA and realized that I haven't written about anything from April yet! The reason being twofold - 1) I never received the April issue, some confusion with my new address 2) The recipe I made was pretty underwhelming. Nevertheless, I will tell you about it because cooking is about trial and error.

I scanned my parents copy of the magazine last weekend and settled on Quinoa and Spring Vegetable Pilaf, sounds good, right? Not so much. To be fair, I'm pretty sure my disappointment came from the fact that I just don't really like mint. I love me a good mojito but mint in my food (or with chocolate in my candy) is not always my thing...

Quinoa and Spring Vegetable Pilaf

It sure looks pretty. Quinoa with asparagus, mushrooms, peas, leeks and shallots - all of which I love. The twist however comes in that you blend some peas, veggie stock and mint to create a sauce for the whole dish. The concept is great, seeing as that there is flavor infused in each bite of the quinoa instead of just waiting for the bite with veggie. The downside for me was the mint because again, it was infused in each bite of the quinoa! There was something about it that just didn't work for me.

This recipe was my first attempt at quinoa and it really made me want to try quinoa in other ways. It's a nutty chenpod (so Wikipedia tells me) that is a great alternative to rice or couscous. There's a little more texture and flavor than either of those two grains and I think it would be great with some feta a cucumber and tomato, or raisins and nuts for a middle eastern twist.

quinoa pre-cooking

I'm all about trying things that are not your favorite, because maybe there'll be that one time when you will love it. So I'm glad I tried this; however, I did learn a lesson - when you're cooking for one, preparing a dish that serves 6 may not be the best idea... just in case you don't like it :)

pretty pasta

It's amazing what three little ingredients can do. Along with the carrot find at Berkeley Bowl, I also picked up some asparagus, kielbasa sausages, and fresh house made red pepper pasta. I've never made fresh pasta, nor had I really bought it, so I was pretty excited to give this a try.

I sauteed the asparagus with some salt and pepper, added the sausages to warm them through and finally tossed with the pasta. I could have sworn there was some cream in my fridge, but alas there was not, so I tossed it with olive oil to finish.

The asparagus and sausage were amazing, but I must say I was a little underwhelmed with the pasta... It had more flavor than the every day dried variety, but didn't pack the punch I expected. Nonetheless, it was a tasty simple meal that's proof you don't need to get complicated to get good - not to mention it made me feel great that there were more veggies than carbs... maybe next time I'll try making the pasta myself!

Rainbow Carrot Salad

Berkeley Bowl is quite simply amazing - it's like the farmer's market every day. Tons of gorgeous, delicious fruits and veggies, along with a fabulous assortment of bulk dry goods and as local and organic as you can get in a grocery store. The icing on the cake - it's cheap!

I picked up these carrots during my trip on Saturday and finally brought to life a vision I've had for a while now - a salad of rainbow carrots ribbons...

I started by peeling off the outer skin and just kept on peeling to create my ribbons. I tossed them with a home made dressing of white wine vinegar, mayo, roasted garlic and tarragon... While it was good, I kind of wished I'd simply put a little olive oil and aged balsamic on it. Though you have to admit that it's beautiful, no matter the dressing.