Tomato Powder

This is an extraordinarily versatile product. It's basically dehydrated tomatoes ground to a powder.

It will last a very long time (even though it might clump in moist weather.) Certainly, in the freezer, it will last indefinitely.

Versatile, did the CC mention versatile?

Mix with hot water to get an instant tomato paste. Sprinkle over a salad for a hint of tomato.

Best use ever - toss with popcorn!

Only one downside. It's seriously pricey - at least in New York. (Maybe some readers could chime in?)

Food in the Bay Area : Part 3

Christmas Dinner

At a friend's place.

The Bread Child

パン = pan = bread (from the Portuguese)
子 = ko = child

パン粉 = panko = child of bread = breadcrumbs

Quite Christmas-sy, isn't it?

The Pantry : Part 1

The CC is frequently asked how he manages to make all the stuff he does. Crucial to the entire scheme is a large pantry.

The CC has seen many people's pantries, and it's a very safe bet that the CC's is about 4-5X larger than most. Living in New York where space is at a premium!

How else is one to "effortlessly" whip up different kinds of salads night after night and/or other culinary wonders if one doesn't have the ingredients at hand?

This is definitely one of those "momentum" things. Having stocked it over time, it is one of the easiest things to just keep rolling.

There is shockingly little wastage too, and you don't need to grow your own food neither (Hello, Michael Pollan, daaaaaaah-ling!!!!!!!!)

These should be the staples of your pantry:

• oils
  
• vinegars
  
• nuts
  
• lentils
  
• rices (sic)
  
• wheat products
  
• dried products (mushroom, fish, flowers)
  
• flours
  
• canned food.

A Sampling of Oils

Food in the Bay Area : Part 2

Lunch at an izakaya place.

Sansai Soba

Whole Wheat Pasta with Caramelized Onions, Brussel Sprouts & Hazelnuts

Yeah, it's exactly as sex-on-a-plate™ as it sounds.

Three tricks:

Fry the onions first and and brussel sprouts after that, slowly and properly (probably take you 15+ mins.)

Toasted breadcrumbs are sprinkled on top right before serving.

The hazelnuts are toasted and crushed before sprinkling.

Food in the Bay Area : Part 1

Yep, the CC has a new toy! The pictures are better.


Seafood Paella

Salad with Chickpeas, Mushrooms, Green Beans & Radishes in a Mustard-Parmesan Vinaigrette

Mizuna Salad with Sauteed Scallops, Radishes, Carrots, Beluga Lentils in an Almond-Lemon Vinaigrette

Poetic Linguistics

Oyako don is a donburi (Japanese rice bowl dish) made with chicken, rice and a scrambled egg on top.

oya = parent
ko = child

oyako = parent and child

The chicken is the parent and the egg is the child.

Mutter Methi Malai

Mizuna

Newly "hip" salad green. Mildly peppery, somewhat bitter but less aggressive than arugula. Quite lovely actually, and excellent in stews as well. The Japanese seem to love it (why not? it's quite lovable.)

Poached Eggs in Tomato Broth

The post that has caused the most controversy on this blog has been the one on poached eggs.

Anyway, poaching is all fine and dandy but if you poach your eggs in some yummy broth, they will taste better. Kinda obvious.

A classic is to poach it in tomato broth. Even if you just take tomato paste from a can, mix it with hot water, you will get great results.

This is definitely a great meal in a pot. When you want a nice meal but you are not willing to spend a lot of time to make it.



The recipe is kinda obvious. Fry some onions, add the broth, salt, lots of black pepper, crack two eggs and let them poach. Some fresh herbs are always welcome (oregano, rosemary, thyme - whatever you have at hand.)

They were served over some stale bread (which you can't see because of the poaching liquid.)

Poached Eggs in Tomato Broth

Turkey Day

Yesterday, the CC had turkey that didn't suck. In fact, it was delicious. It was free-range, had never been frozen, and was brined.

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus!

Dinner Party

Greens with Beluga Lentils, Sprouted Almonds in Almond Oil-Vinaigrette
Sautéed Scallops with Radish in an Anchovy & Rosemary Sauce
Pasta with Bay Scallops & Cannellini Beans in a Garlic-Lemon-Rosemary Sauce

Anchovy and Rosemary Sauce

Forget what it's supposed to be slathered on (everything from grilled scallops to lamb), the CC could just eat the sauce all day long.

Very addictive as a bread dip too.

Ingredients

6 fillets anchovies
4 sprigs rosemary leaves
4 tbsp lemon juice
olive oil
black pepper

Recipe

Mash in a mortar and pestle. Add a little white wine or water to thin to needed consistency.

Don't add any salt. The anchovies have plenty otherwise you'll end up with a very salty sauce. Also, if the anchovies are packed in oil, cut back on the olive oil.

Red-hot Wisdom

If you poop red, first ask yourself if you ate beets yesterday.

Risotto with Borlotti Beans & Rosemary

There is only one thing to say about this - creamy.

Sex-on-a-plate!!! (and in the sack too if you make this right!)

Ingredients

2 cups (fresh) borlotti beans (see instructions below for dried)
2 cups carnaroli rice
1 large red onion
6-8 cloves garlic (read instructions below)
2 sprigs rosemary (finely chopped)
1/2 cup white wine
4 cups broth (homemade)
1/4 cup chopped parsley
2 tbsp butter

sea salt
lots of black pepper
1/2 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano

Recipe

In a pot, combine the fresh borlotti beans, 4 cloves of garlic, some sea salt. Cover with water, and bring to a boil. Simmer at high for 4-5 minutes, then reduce the temperature and let it simmer at a low heat for 25 mins until borlotti are cooked but not soggy. You may need to add more water. (For dried borlotti, this will be closer to 45 minutes.)

Do NOT use the pressure cooker. Yes, the CC is a fan of that instrument but you need the liquor (bean broth) made the ol'-fashioned way.

Separate the beans and the liquor. Combine about 1/4 cup of the beans, the liquor and blend. Should yield about 1 1/2 cups of the bean puree.

Dice the onions and garlic fine in the meanwhile.

Heat the broth in a pot and bring to a low simmer.

In another pot, heat some butter and fry the onions and garlic at a languid heat for 6-8 minutes. Add the rice and coat it all over with the fat. The rice will glisten. Cook for about 3 minutes. Add the white wine, the rosemary and the black pepper.

Add the hot broth and the bean puree in alternation so that it doesn't cool substantially. Keep stirring. This disturbs the surface starch of the rice and gets it into the broth. That makes the risotto creamy.

Towards the end, add the rest of the beans. Add the parm just after taking it off the heat.

Serve with parsley and black pepper on top.

PS :- After the carb-OD, you may be too pooped to make whoopie. Can't have everything!

Mussels in Mustard & Tarragon Sauce

This is the kinda thing you throw together for a quick dinner when time is at a premium.

Toss in a salad, the remaining half of the bottle of white wine, and some crusty bread and you just made a comfort dinner that's both quick and delicious.

Ingredients

2 lbs mussels

4 shallots
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp Dijon mustard (generous tbsp!)
1 sprig tarragon leaves
2 cups white wine

salt (?)
lots of black pepper

Recipe

Steam the mussels in a pot (with some water) for a few minutes until they open. Separate from the shells. Filter the mussel juice through a cheesecloth to remove any grit.

Heat the butter, fry the shallots for 6-7 minutes at a low heat. Add the white wine and the mussel juice, mustard, tarragon and black pepper, and cook for a few minutes. Blend using a hand-blender, and reduce. Test for salt (the mussels are salty enough frequently.)

Serve with some crusty bread. (The recipe works great with clams too!)