Food Flirt

Book on deadline

2011-09-02T19:59:00.000-07:00

I finished the 7th edition of The Travel Writer's Handbook and sent it off to my publisher absolutely on deadline! Yippeeee for me!

I would imagine that the publisher will require some additions and changes but the main manuscript is finished.

Pork Tenderloin Aigre-doux

2011-04-22T13:30:00.000-07:00

I came across this delicious sounding pork loin recipe served with a dried cherry sauce and decided to give it a try. Yum! It was a big hit with the friends I had invited to give it a taste. Using fresh thyme and rosemary really added an earthy layer of flavor. The cherry sauce was incredibly dark and luscious and very good.

Pork Tenderloin Aigre-doux

 [ay-greh-DOO]  The French term for the combined flavors of sour (aigre ) and sweet (doux ). An aigre-doux sauce might contain both vinegar and sugar.

Sauce

* 3/4 cup balsamic vinegar

* 1/2 cup green olives

* 3/4 cup dried sweet cherries

* 1/2 cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth

* 2 tablespoons sugar

* 6 garlic cloves

* 3 thyme sprigs

* 1 pound cipollini onions, peeled (or 1 pound frozen)

Combine ingredients in a medium saucepan; stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 45 minutes or until onions are almost tender, stirring occasionally. Add more chicken stock if necessary. Uncover, increase heat to medium-high, and cook 7 minutes or until thick, stirring frequently.

Pork Loin

2 lemon zest grated

3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (3 to 4 lemons)

1/2 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon minced garlic (5 cloves)

1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary leaves

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Salt

2 pork tenderloins (about 2 pounds)

Freshly ground black pepper

Combine the lemon zest, lemon juice, 1/2 cup olive oil, garlic, rosemary, thyme, mustard, and 1 teaspoon salt in a sturdy 1-gallon resealable plastic bag. Add the pork tenderloins and turn to coat with the marinade. Squeeze out the air and seal the bag. Marinate the pork in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours but preferably overnight.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Remove the tenderloins from the marinade and discard the marinade but leave the herbs that cling to the meat. Sprinkle the tenderloins generously with salt and pepper. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large oven-proof saute pan over medium-high heat. Sear the pork tenderloins on all sides until golden brown. Place the saute pan in the oven and roast the tenderloins for 10 to 15 minutes or until the meat registers 137 degrees F at the thickest part.

Transfer the tenderloins to a platter and cover tightly with aluminum foil. Allow to rest for 10 minutes. Carve in 1/2-inch-thick diagonal slices. The thickest part of the tenderloin will be quite pink (it's just fine!) and the thinnest part will be well done. Season with salt and pepper and serve warm, or at room temperature with the juices that collect in the platter. Either spoon cherry sauce over meat or serve in a small bowl.

2011-02-16T16:13:00.000-08:00

Pork Chops and Sauerkraut with Jacuzzi Tocai Friulano wine

The Jacuzzi Family Vineyards makes a delicious Tocai and I wanted to find a dish that would bring out its unique flavors. Tocai originated in Hungary long, long ago and when I there a few years back, I developed a real interest in Tocai and paprika. I was excited to find that Jacuzzi was making a variation of Tocai Friulano.

I searched my files and found a perfect match: Pork Chops and Sauerkraut and oh my was I right on with this pairing! I used to make this dish years ago when my children, Laura and Tim, were growing up but hadn't made it in a long while, so I thought why not try it out with the Tocai Friulano.

My recipe is kind of vague about how much of this and that, so you can do your own thing and make this recipe your own.

Pork Chops and Sauerkraut

4 bone in pork chops

1 large onion, chopped

2 large carrots, finely chopped

1/2 cup Tocai Friulano (or other good quality white wine)

1 large jar (or 2 cans) of sauerkraut, drained

salt and pepper
dusting of smokey paprika

Brown pork chops in a large skillet, using a bit of vegetable oil if pan is too dry. Season with salt and pepper. Give a light dusting of smokey paprika. Place browned pork chops on a plate, cover with foil.

Place onions into same skillet and cook until soft and golden. Add carrots. Stir around and then add wine., Using a wooden spoon, scrape all the brown bits off the bottom of the skillet and stir.

Add sauerkraut and stir until all pan ingredients are well mixed.

Place pork chops within the mixture, cover with a lid or foil.

Cook on low until pork chops are cooked through.

Serve immediately with a cool bottle of Jacuzzi Tocai Friulano.

2011-02-05T13:43:00.000-08:00

Sophia and the Escargots

When my granddaughter Soiphia Corn was very young, around 5 years old, I received a French cook book for Christmas and we were looking at the pictures together. We came upon a photo of delicious looking escargots. When I told her they were snails she was horrified that people actually ate those ugly, slimy things. She studied the photo closely for a while and then told me that maybe, when we went to Paris, she would try one.

As the year's passed by, now and then the Corn family and I would dine out at a French cafe nearby and I would always order escargots. One year I finally persuaded Sophia, now age 7, to dunk her bread into the butter mixture that spilled out of the shells onto the plate. She loved the taste of that. I was not successful in convincing her sister Isabelle, age 9, to get anywhere near the plate.

Then on my birthday last year we went to the French cafe and as usual I ordered my escargots and Sophia, now age 9, surprised me by saying she was ready to actually eat one! And she did, and she liked them so well she ate 6 of them, much to the surprise of her family!

Then a few weeks later the Corn's went to the cafe without me but with a friend of Sophia's and when Sophia ordered escargots the waitress was very surprised! Word got around the cafe about Sophia and the escargots and the entire wait staff made passes by the table to watch such a young girl happily digging into her serving of escargots -- even using the special little escargot clamps to expertly hold the shells while, using the tiny fork, she pulled out the tasty, juicy, garlicky, snails and popped them into her mouth.

She tried to get her friend to taste one but the friend just turned up her nose and, with Isabelle, called out "euuuuuuu" as Sophia held up a shell and demonstrated the proper way to eat the tasty morsel.

Kale Chips

2011-01-01T16:37:00.000-08:00

Kale? Many of you might be wondering what in the world that is. It's a green leafy vegetable that is one of the healthiest choices available this time of year. It's been around for at least two thousand years, and enjoyed by the Greeks and then the Romans and so on down to today.

This is the time of year we are all thinking about all those wonderful treats we enjoyed over the holidays and the extra pounds we added to our bodies and want to do something about it without sacrificing snacks and goodies. Here's a great idea for you all. Kale is in season right now and Kale Chips are a delicious treat without lots of calories. You might want to try them. It's a good way to eat your veggies.

Kale Chips

1 bunch of kale

Olive oil

Rice wine vinegar

Sea Salt

1) Preheat your oven to 325F.

2) While the oven is heating, prepare the leaves by cutting out each leafʼs rib and then cutting or tearing the leaves into chip-size pieces.

3) Thoroughly wash and dry each leaf.

4) In a large bowl or large sealable bag, add about 2 tablespoons of oil for each 8ounces of leaves. Add the leaf pieces and mix thoroughly. You really need to make sure each leaf is completely and totally covered with the oil in order to get good results.

5) Lay the leaf pieces out in a single layer on a sheet pan and place in the preheated oven.

6) After about 15 minutes itʼs a good idea to give the leaves a shake and move them around to ensure even cooking.

7) After about another 15 minutes, the leaves should be crispy and fully cooked.

Remove them from the oven and sprinkle with the rice wine vinegar and salt. Serve right away and enjoy!

Lavender Lemoncello

2010-11-10T19:33:00.000-08:00

I was in Albuquerque to learn all about growing, roasting and cooking with chili peppers but while dining at the Los Poblanos Inn I fell in love with a delicious Lavender Lemoncello.

I've made lemoncello many times but addition of the lavender blossoms brought the tasty liquor to another dimension. Oh my! It was soft and refreshing and the perfect conclusion to a luncheon that included a salad of estate grown organic roasted beets and seasonal greens. The main course was house made potato gnocchi with braised locally raised lamb and accented with bright orange winter squash picked from the garden that morning. The desert was of succulent locally grown black Mission Figs with Crème Anglaise.

Yum! I was in foodie heaven!

Lavender Lemoncello
From the kitchen at Los Poblanos Inn & Cultural Center

10 ea lemons zest and juice
1-liter vodka
3 cups simple syrup (3 cups sugar and 3 cups water brought to a boil then cooled.)
2 teaspoons whole lavender blossoms (optional)

Freeze the lemon juice
Steep the lemon zest and lavender with the vodka for one month.
After a month, make your simple syrup, cool; add to vodka infusion along with thawed lemon juice. Let sit for one week in the refrigerator.
After one week, strain through a fine mesh strainer and serve or store in the refrigerator.

Simple Syrup
* Bring 3 cups of plain cold tap water to a boil. Stir in 3 cups of plain granulated sugar. Turn the heat to low and stir constantly until the sugar dissolves completely.
* Let the syrup cool to room temperature before adding to vodka infusion.

Recipe courtesy of:
Jaye Wilkinson
Sous Chef

Los Poblanos Inn & Cultural Center
4803 Rio Grande Boulevard NW
Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, NM 87107
TEL: 505.344.9297 ext 17 FAX: 505.342.1302
www.lospoblanos.com

2010-10-08T14:49:00.000-07:00

SANTA ROSA PLUM JAM

My son, Timothy, mentioned that he remembered how much he loved my mother's fantastic plum jam and why didn't I ever make it. Well, the gauntlet was tossed and I decided to figure out how to make this delicious treat.

I remember mother in her kitchen with pots, strainers, mashers and jars everywhere. It looked like a chemistry lab in there! Making plum jam was a huge project for her and she loved it. One of our neighbors had a huge plum tree, so my sister and I would go out and gather big bags full of the juicy, red fruit. I can still hear mother singing as she stirred the bubbling fruit. She was very happy in her kitchen, especially when she was making some delicious treat.

One of her favorite songs was by Johnny Mercer and went something like this:

Accentuate the positive

Eliminate the negative

Hang on to the affirmative

And don't mess with Mr. In-Between

I loved that song and incorporated that message into my personal philosophy. It's a goodie!

Anyway, back to the plum jam. I went out to my friends at Green String Organic Farm to search out plums, where I found several varieties were ripe. I liked the look of the Santa Rosa plums and bought just over 3 pounds. I didn't have my mother's recipe for the jam but I found one that looked easy enough for me to try – and voila! I created a delicious, deep red jam. Here's the recipe. I hope you decide to try it out.

Tim is coming for a visit in the next couple of weeks. I can't wait to surprise him with my very own version of his grandmother's plum jam.

JAM'S PLUM JAM

3 pounds firm Santa Rosa plums, cut into eights, pits discarded

½ cut water

1 tablespoon lemon juice

5 cups sugar

1 (3 ox) package commercial pectin

Place plums, water and lemon juice in a large non-aluminum stockpot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring often. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fruit is soft.

Stir in sugar. Return heat to high and bring back to a rolling boil while stirring constantly. Add pectin and return to a boil while stirring. Continue to stir and boil for 1 minute then remove from heat. Let rest for 1 minute, then skim off any foam. 2 tablespoons of butter can be added to help reduce foam.

Pour into sterilized jars, leaving 1/8 inch of space at the top. Wipe rims and screw on sterilized lids. Turn jars over (top side down) and let rest for about ½ hour. Turn jars upright and allow to cool completely.

The popping sound the lids make as they seal are among of my favorite sounds.

I usually store my jam's in the refrigerator.

Summer Delights

2010-09-27T16:46:00.000-07:00

It's only a mile from my home to being out in the country. Rolling hills dotted with vineyards and small farms complete with cows, sheep, horses and a fantastic organic farm called Green String (http://www.greenstringfarm.com/). I love poking around their produce store buying the freshest produce and eggs. One day I couldn't resist buying some of the most interesting looking little cucumbers that just were begging me to pickle them. I hadn't made pickles before but decided now was the time to learn how.

After some research I found a recipe that looked easy enough for me to try and so I canned a couple of jars.

It was hard to wait two weeks until the pickles were ready to eat.

They came out absolutely crunchy and delicious!

JAM'S DELICIOUS DILL PICKLES

8-10 small pickling cucumbers (about 3 pounds)

2 cups white vinegar

2 cups water

2 tablespoons pickling salt

4 heads fresh dill or 4 teaspoons dill seeds

4 large cloves garlic

1. Cut a thin slice from the ends of each cucumber

2. Sterilize 2, four cup canning jars and lids in dishwasher on hot.

3. Meanwhile, combine vinegar, water, and salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil.

4. Remove hot jars from dishwasher. Place 1 head fresh dill or 1 tsp dill seeds and 2 cloves of garlic into each jar; pack in cucumbers. Pour boiling vinegar mixture over cucumbers to within 1/2 inch of rim (head space), seal and turn the jars (lid down) in boiling water for about 4 minutes. Let cool completely on counter top then refrigerate for 2 weeks.

~~~~~~~

A couple of years ago I was in Nashville, Tennessee, and discovered fried dill pickles. I wasn't sure what to expect but I have to tell you they were really tasty! You might want to fry up some of your homemade pickles. Here's the recipe:

Deep Fried Dill Pickles

Peanut oil

1-quart dill pickles

1-cup buttermilk

2 cups plain cornmeal

1-tablespoon salt

Place enough peanut oil in a 4 to 5-quart cast iron Dutch oven to come halfway up the side of the pot. Place over medium-high heat and bring to 390 to 400 degrees F.

Remove the pickles from their brine and cut lengthwise into quarters, like spears. Lay the spears on a sheet pan lined with paper towels and pat them dry.

Place the buttermilk in 1 shallow dish and mix together the cornmeal and salt in a separate dish. Dip each pickle, one at a time, first into the buttermilk, then into the cornmeal and then repeat. Carefully place each spear into the hot oil and cook until golden brown, approximately 2 minutes. You can fry 3 to 4 pickles in the pot at a time. Adjust the heat, if necessary, in order to maintain a constant temperature of 390 to 400 degrees F.

Transfer the pickles to a paper towel lined cooling rack and allow to cool for 5 minutes before eating.

Serve hot with the dipping sauce of your choice.

Country Girl

2010-07-09T15:31:00.000-07:00

I've moved to Petaluma, CA, just 30 miles north of San Francisco. It's smack dab in the middle of the Sonoma wine-growing region.

Yes, I'm becoming a country girl! The scenery around here is spectacular. Rolling hills studded with vineyards, cow pastures, grazing horses and fields of vegetables and fruit trees.

My new apartment is in a rather large complex called the Vintage Chateau. It is quiet and has beautiful gardens all around and a wonderfully warm swimming pool and hot tub! My apartment looks out on an interior garden and has a small balcony, two bedrooms (one is my studio/office) and a large kitchen with lots of counter space and cupboards.

There is a large shopping mall near the apartments that has a lot of shops, grocery stores, pharmacy, banks and restaurants. There is even a Turkish restaurant that has delicious food, exciting music and a belly dancer on the weekends. I dined there the other night and felt like I was on holiday in Turkey!

On the 4^th of July I was surprised to find out I could watch the local fireworks show from my apartment! What a wonderful treat!

Yes, I think I'm going to like it here.

Tomato Florentine Soup

2010-04-10T12:40:00.000-07:00

Around this time of year I begin to think about fresh, vine ripened tomatoes. Alas, it is too early in the year for them. The truly ripe, delicious ones don’t appear until at least July. My granddaughters, Isabelle and Sophia like to pick out perfect tomatoes for me at the Marin Farmer's Market.

I came across a recipe for tomato soup, using canned tomatoes with fresh spinach tossed in just before serving. It sounded so good I just had to give it a try. It was easy to make and the results were absolutely delicious and solved my tomato cravings!

Tips: be careful with the red pepper flakes. The soup doesn't have a lot of spicy ingredients and so the pepper flakes can turn up the heat quite easily. Taste as you go along. If using a counter top blender blend the soup in small amounts, then pour into a separate pot as you go along. Be sure to place a kitchen towel over the lid of the blender. I forgot to do this the first time I made this soup and wound up with bright red soup all over the kitchen and me! Yikes!

TOMATO FLORENTINE SOUP

Makes 9 cups

Total time: 50 minutes

½ cup chopped shallots
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup chopped garlic
¼ tsp. red pepper flakes
¼ cup dry white wine
2 cans whole tomatoes in juice (28 oz. each)
2 cups low sodium chicken stock or water
¼ cup fresh basil leaves
3 Tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
1 bag fresh baby spinach, chopped (5 oz.)
Salt and pepper to taste
Croutons
Crumbled blue cheese

Sweat shallots in oil in a large pot over medium heat until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and pepper flakes; cook 1 minute.

Deglaze pan with wine, simmer until nearly evaporated. Add tomatoes, broth and basil. Increase heat to medium-high; bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer soup for 10 minutes. Puree soup with a hand blender (or in small batches in a standard blender. Be sure to put a towel over the top of blender to prevent spatters) until smooth. Return soup to the pot and bring it to a simmer.

Stir in sugar and vinegar. Just before serving, stir in spinach; season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish soup with croutons and blue cheese if you desire.

Nutrition information
Per cup: 95 Calories

Roast Potatoes and Baby Artichokes Roman Style

2010-03-25T12:10:00.000-07:00

Spring is the time for baby artichokes and in Rome they are a big favorite. I was lucky enough to find some at my local farmer’s market and decided to try out a recipe from my food travel’s file.

Roasted potatoes are a big favorite of mine. This dish combines sautéed onion and garlic along with crunchy potatoes and tender, sliced baby artichokes, then sprinkled all over with grated Pecorino Romano cheese had me drooling.

Roast Potatoes and Baby Artichokes Roman Style

2 pounds Yukon gold or other good roasting potato

1-1/2 pounds baby artichokes (a package of frozen artichokes hearts can be substituted)

1 lemon (for acidulated water)

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

4 large garlic cloves, sliced

1 large yellow onion sliced

1/2 teaspoons salt or to taste

1/4 teaspoon peperoncino or to taste

1/4 cup fresh oregano leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried)

Cut potatoes into thin slices and place in a large bowl.

Trim the artichokes, slice lengthwise ¼-inch thick and, if using fresh, put the slices in acidulated water, (which is sliced lemons squeezed into a bowl of cool water).

Pour 4 tablespoons of the olive oil into the skillet, stir in onion over medium heat. Cook for 4 minutes or so, stirring occasionally, until the onions soft and golden. Add garlic and toss around in the pan until it wilts and gives off its oil and juice.

Drain the artichokes and drop them into the skillet. Stir and season with salt and the pepperoni. Cover the pan and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the artichokes are slightly wilted and can almost be pierced with a fork tip. (If using frozen artichokes, be sure to defrost them before adding to pan). Scrape the softened artichokes, onion, garlic and all the oil from the skillet into the bowl with the potatoes. Toss mixture until potatoes are coated, adding more olive oil if needed.

Pour mixture into a greased 9 x 12 baking dish, cover with aluminum foil and bake at 450 or until vegetables are fork tender, approximately 35 minutes. Lower heat to 350. Remove foil and sprinkle with grated Pecorino cheese and return to oven for an additional 15 minutes or until potatoes are crispy and golden brown.

Recommended wine: Jacuzzi Family Vineyards Moscato Bianco.

Artichokes are notoriously difficult to pair with wine. However, this Moscato Bianco has delicate floral aromas with lively citrus notes that beautifully accent this dish. Moscato Bianco, also known as Muscat Canelli, is considered one of the world’s most ancient grape varieties. Originally grown primarily in the Piemonte district of Italy, Grapes for Jacuzzi’s wine are nurtured in the deep fertile soils of Sonoma County’s Alexander Valley.

Irish Soda Bread

2010-03-13T13:36:00.000-08:00

The fragrance of baking bread roused me from my sleep. I quickly showered, dressed and hurried into the dining room of the Waterford Castle where I was greeted with large round loves just baked Irish Soda Bread. What a heavenly scent. I cut off a hunk from one of the loaves, slathered it with Irish butter and then added a dollop of wild berry jam. Oh my! It was delicious.

I was touring around the southeast part of Ireland, tasting as I went along. The fresh fish were divine, the potato dishes, like Champ, were excellent and the dairy products made with the milk from cow's who dined on the 40 shades of green grass, wild flowers and herbs, was rich and creamy, but that soda bread was by far my favorite.

When I returned to San Francisco I couldn't get Soda Bread out of my mind so I did some research and found a fast and easy recipe for the bread. I couldn't resist baking a loaf. Sure enough, the wonderful fragrance of baking bread filled my apartment, snuck under the door and spread itself down the hall. When the bread was done and cool enough to handle, I cut off a piece, slathered it with Irish butter (I found some Kerry Gold imported from Ireland at my local gourmet shop) and added a smear of my homemade apricot jam. Ahhhh! It was lovely.

IRISH SODA BREAD

Ingredients

3 1/2 cups all purpose flour

2 tablespoons caraway seeds (optional)

3 tablespoons golden raisins (optional)

1 teaspoon baking-soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups (about) buttermilk

Preparation

Preheat oven to 425°F. Lightly flour baking sheet. Mix flour, caraway seeds and/or raisins, if using, baking soda and salt in large bowl.

Mix in enough buttermilk to form moist clumps.

Gather dough into ball. Turn out onto lightly flour surfaced and knead gently just until dough holds together, about 1 minute. Shape dough into 6-inch-diameter by 2-inch-high round.

Place on greased baking sheet. Cut 1-inch-deep cross on top of bread, extending almost to edges. Bake until bread is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on bottom, about 35 minutes.

Transfer bread to rack and cool completely, if you can wait that long before cutting into it.

Rory O'Connell, (chef and cooking teacher at Ballymaloe House in Shanagarry, East Cork, Ireland), explains that the purpose of cutting a cross on top of the bread is scientific, primarily, because it allows the heat to penetrate into the thickest part of the bread, so it assists cooking. And obviously the cross is a cruciform shape, so in a Catholic country that had a resonance—it had the symbolic note of crossing the breads and giving thanks. There was also the expression "to let the devil out of the bread," so it was slightly superstitious. And if you make that cruciform shape on the bread, when it comes out of the oven it breaks beautifully. So you've got the blessing of the bread by putting the cross on it and then you've got the symbolic breaking of the bread.

Glorious Orchids

2010-03-06T14:00:00.000-08:00

I have the most spectacular orchids blooming on my balcony. Oh me oh my! I'm SO proud of them.

There are two large branches with at least 25 orchids on each one. I've had this plant for four years and this is the first time it has produced flowers. I'm just plain thrilled!

Guinness and Onion Soup with Irish Cheddar Crouton

2010-03-01T13:22:00.000-08:00

We've had a lot of cold rain around here the past month. Perfect weather to stay inside and make a pot of soup. With St. Patrick's Day coming up it's a perfect time for some Guinness Onion Soup. I got the recipe from watching Michael Chiarello's Easy Entertaining on the Food Network. It's absolutely delicious!

Guiness and Onion Soup with Irish Cheddar Crouton

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

5 cloves minced garlic

8 cups thinly sliced onions

Gray salt

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped

1/4 cup sherry vinegar

1 1/2 cups dark beer (recommended: Guinness)

6 cups beef stock

6 slices country bread cut 1/2-inch thick, toasted

1/2 pound Irish Cheddar, sliced thin

Directions:

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add garlic and cook briefly to release aroma. Add onions, season with salt and cook for about 5 minutes stirring often. Reduce heat to low and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until the onions are golden brown.

Add the thyme, vinegar, and beer. Reduce beer by half and add the beef stock. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 more minutes.

Preheat the broiler. Transfer soup to an ovenproof serving dish or individual ovenproof soup bowls. Top with toasted bread slices and sliced Cheddar. Broil until cheese melts and starts to brown slightly. Serve piping hot

Frittelle alla Veneziana

2010-02-15T12:39:00.000-08:00

When I was in Venice for Carnevale a few years ago I fell in love with frittelle, called fritole in Venetian dialect. Venice is famous for its pastries and among all of them the frittelle, fried dough with raisins and dusted with powdered sugar, are one of the most delicious sweet treats. This tasty treat is only made during Carnevale. Oh my!

Carnival starts around two weeks before Ash Wednesday and ends on Shrove Tuesday, also known as Fat Tuesday or Martedi’ Grasso. During this time many people dress up in elaborate costumes with mysterious masks and can be found posing in the Piazza San Marco and along the surrounding calli (streets).

In days of yore, only rich customers could afford frittelle. Later on the delicious puffs became part of the popular cuisine. Frittelle have represented the traditional Carnival dessert in Venice since the Renaissance. Bartolomeo Scappi, personal chef of Pope Pius V, invented the original recipe. Thanks to the exceptional popularity, this sweet was defined in the eighteenth century as "National Dessert of the Venetian State".

Carlo Goldoni (celebrated Venetian playwright and librettist) mentioned the frittelle into the comedy "Il Campiello", in 1756. 'Frittelle alla Veneziana' are renowned as one of the most ancient sweets in Italy.

Those little fired goodies have stayed in my memory and every year around this time I wish I had some. I did some research and came up with a recipe that sounds easy and thought I'd pass it on to you.

Fritole Veneziana

Ingredients

* 1 1/4 cups + 2/3 cup milk

* l tsp salt

* 1/4 cup lukewarm water

* 1 ounce yeast (1-1/2 cakes)

* 1 tsp + 1 pinch sugar

* 3 1/2 cups flour, sifted

* 1 large egg

* 1/4 cup grappa (substitute rum if necessary)

* 1/4 cup pine nuts

* 1/3 cup raisins

* cooking oil for deep frying

* powdered sugar

Directions

1. Soak the raisins in the grappa.

2. Break up the yeast in the 1/4 cup lukewarm water in a small bowl. Add a pinch of sugar and set aside. If the yeast is fresh, bubbles should begin to form immediately.

3. Put the sifted flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. Mix in 1 1/4 cups milk.

4. Add the egg and mix well.

5. While stirring, add the yeast-water mixture and an additional 2/3 cup milk.

6. Continue stirring until smooth. This should be a very thick, doughy batter.

7. Bubbles will start to form within the batter.

8. Add the raisins, pine seeds, and remaining grappa and mix well.

9. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and place it in a warm, draft free spot.

10. Allow the batter to rise for about 3 hours.

11. Fill a deep fryer or a saucepan half full of good cooking oil. Heat the oil to 375F.

12. Wet a tablespoon with cold water. Scoop up the batter, and with a moistened a thumb, push the batter off the spoon into the hot oil (Be careful of the oil. By dropping the batter in close to the surface you will prevent splashing.)

13. Repeat with 4 or 5 more spoonfuls of batter. Cook the fritter until it has an even deep golden brown color, turning it once or twice during cooking. The fritters should not be too big.

14. Remove the fritters from the oil and drain on a paper towel. Cut open this test fritter to make sure that it is cooked through. If so, proceed as described above for the remaining batter, cooking 4 or 5 fritters at a time.

15. When the fritters have cooled, roll them in powdered sugar and place on a platter.

2010-02-02T12:04:00.000-08:00

Winning Recipe

2010-01-13T19:41:00.000-08:00

Cline Cellars in Sonoma held a recipe contest recently to match their Sonoma Zinfandel with a main dish. I entered my Low Fat Slow Cooker Chicken Provençal alla Jacqueline and it won first place! Yea! The Zin is a perfect match with this tasty dish.

You can bake this dish in the oven if you don’t have a slow cooker. Just follow the same directions, using a large ovenproof casserole dish. Bake at 350 for 1 hour to 1-½ hours.

LOW FAT SLOW COOKER CHICKEN PROVENÇAL alla Jacqueline

8 chicken thighs
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion
3 cloves garlic
1 large can chopped tomatoes
1 cup Cline Sonoma Zinfandel
3 chopped zucchini
3 cups chopped carrots
2 cups chopped celery
2 cups chopped mushrooms
1 cup sliced green olives
Bunch of chopped parsley
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon Herbs d’Provençe (or other herbs of choice)
Salt and pepper

Remove as much fat as you can from the chicken, (partially frozen makes this task easier). In a large skillet, heat olive oil and then brown the chicken pieces on both sides. Season with salt and pepper. Remove chicken and place in slow cooker. Pour chopped tomatoes and bay leaves over chicken. In same skillet, fry onions until golden, add chopped garlic then other vegetables, herbs and 1 cup Cline Sonoma Zinfandel. Add salt and pepper. Toss until veggies are coated then pour entire mixture over chicken in slow cooker. Place cover on cooker and relax.

Cook on high for 3 hours or on low for 6.

Serve with buttered pasta of your choice.

Christmas Cookies

2009-12-21T11:16:00.001-08:00

It's that time of year again. My little home is all decorated with Christmas treasures, the presents are wrapped and under the tree. Not much else for me to do but fool around in the kitchen baking Christmas cookies. I love the smell of baking sugar and butter. Yummm! Snowballs have always been my children's favorite holiday cookie. I posted it a couple of years ago but for those of you who have forgotten the recipe, here it is again.

SNOWBALLS

1 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup sifted confectioners’ sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla
2/1/4 cups flour
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup finely chopped nuts (I use lightly toasted walnuts)

Mix butter, sugar and vanilla thoroughly. Measure flour by dipping method or by sifting. Stir flour and salt together; blend in. Mix in nuts. Chill dough.

Heat oven to 400° (mod. Hot). Roll dough in 1" balls. Place on ungreased baking sheet. (Cookies do not spread) Bake 10 to 12 min., or until set and lightly browned. While still warm, roll in confectioners’ sugar. Cool. Roll in sugar again. Makes about 4 dozen 1" cookies.

Julia Child’s Potage Parmentier – Leek and Potato Soup

2009-11-12T11:41:00.000-08:00

I ran across an old recipe for Julia Child’s delicious Potage Parmentier – leek and potato soup, and decided to try it out.

My previous experience with Julia’s recipes has been that they are very complicated with a lot of work involved. This one was surprisingly simple. It’s a perfect way to warm up these chilly autumn evenings.

POTAGE PARENTIER

1 pound russet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 pound leeks, carefully cleaned and diced
8 cups water
salt and pepper
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 tablespoons heavy cream
6 tablespoons each, parsley and chives

Simmer potatoes and leeks in salted water for approximately 45 minutes, until soft
Purée the vegetables with an immersion blender or in an electric blender. Note: when using a blender, fill container only half way and put a tea town over lid while blending to avoid burns.

Return soup to pan and over low heat, add butter in bits, add cream and then correct seasoning.

Pour into bowls and sprinkle top with parsley and chives.

Cucina de Jacqueline - Pasta Dough

2009-09-24T15:17:00.000-07:00

My friend Annie has a pasta attachment for her Kitchenaid stand mixer that she has never used and wanted to learn how to make homemade pasta, so Laura (another friend) and I held a pasta making class last night at my place. We consulted several pasta making recipes and finally combined several to create the dough. Our recipe is below.

Laura had made a luscious wild mushroom sauce (sugo al fungi) that brought our fettuccini to life. It was melt-in-your-mouth delicious. Annie prepared a green salad with deep red beets and a variety of greens and heirloom tomatoes, tossed with balsamic vinaigrette. I supplied a special bottle of Cline Cellars Tasting Room Staff’s Merlot. The tasting room staff made the wine a couple of years ago and it is pretty good, if I do say so myself! Desert was a nectarine cake baked by Laura. It was a delicious feast!

Homemade Pasta

Ingredients

3 1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose flour*
4 extra-large eggs – room temperature
1-teaspoon water - or a little bit more if the dough is very dry

*Note: Marcella Hazan, the famous Italian cookbook author, says unbleached all-purpose is fine; she also says that semolina flour is appropriate only for factory-made pasta and will frustrate you at home.

Marcella advises you to mix the dough on a flat work surface by building a mountain of flour, making a crater in its peak, dumping the eggs into the crater, and mixing them gradually with the flour. This method hasn’t worked very well for me because somehow the eggs always seem to run out of the crater.

Alternative method: crack eggs into your food processor. Pulse until well mixed. Add flour and water all at once and pulse several times until eggs and flour are well incorporated. Take lid off processor and pinch dough with your fingers. If it sticks together it is ready. If not add ½ teaspoon of water and pulse several times.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured board and begin kneading. Knead for approximately 8 minutes. Dough should be silky smooth and slightly sticky.

Cover with a tea towel and let rest for about 30 minutes.

Now it’s time to roll out the pasta. Cut the dough into approximately six equal parts and spread out clean, dry dishtowels or a tablecloth, for the pasta to rest on. Dust lightly with flour. Begin by putting each lump of dough through the widest setting on the pasta machine. Fold it into thirds like an envelope and feed the narrow end through the widest setting again. Repeat 2 or 3 times. Decrease the roller width a notch and put it through again. Continue to decrease the rollers’ thickness until the dough is quite thin—thin enough to see the pattern of the tablecloth through the pasta strips. The gradual progression from thicker to thinner is, Hazan says, one of the things that make homemade pasta so good, so don’t try to speed things up by skipping some of the intermediate thicknesses.

Let the sheets of pasta dry for at least 10 minutes, turning them over from time to time. The pasta is ready to cut when it no longer sticks to itself but is not yet so dry that it cracks.

There are two choices of cutters with my Kitchenaid pasta maker: fettuccini and spaghetti. We used the fettuccini attachment.

Insert the sheets of pasta dough into the cutter and gently catch the strands as they come out. Place on a lightly floured sheet pan. Toss gently with flour and create small “bird nests” with each sheet.

Cook the pasta in lots of boiling *salted water for 1 1/2 - 2 minutes, until it is al dente. Drain and toss immediately with the hot sauce and/or butter

*There is no salt in the pasta dough so salting the water is an important step.

Rijad Dar Surya - Marrakech

2009-07-05T12:26:00.001-07:00

Lunch at the Rijad Dar Surya – Marrakech

It was a hot, sunny day at the villa and we were all lazing around the pool. At lunch, served in the pavilion, we found a selection of our Chef Zara’s delicious salads, including wonderful concoction of sweet oranges tossed in olive oil with black-pitted Kalamata olives. It tasted wonderful and was an immediate favorite with the Wild Writing Women.

Orange and Olive Salad

Ingredients

4-5 medium oranges, peeled and cut into cubes
1 cup black pitted Kalamata olives - halved
2 large garlic cloves, crushed
1-tablespoon ground cumin
1-tablespoon ground red pepper flakes
4 tablespoons olive oil

Whisk olive oil, cumin, and red pepper together in a large salad bowl until the mixture turns blood orange in color and the flavors really start to combine and become aromatic. Mix in the oranges and olives. Toss until well coated and the oranges release some of their juices. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour then refrigerate until ready to serve.

Apricot Season Again - JAM's JAM

2009-07-05T12:00:00.000-07:00

I went to the farmer's market last Wednesday and found out that the famous Patterson apricots from the San Joaquin Valley were at their peak. Oh joy! I bought 12 pounds of the beauties and made 20 jars of jam on Friday. If you are interested in making some for yourself, please check out my past blog, posted on Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Apricot Season - JAM's JAM

Preserved Lemons

2009-07-05T11:19:00.001-07:00

Remember the preserved lemons I mentioned eating at the cooking school Maison Arabe? Preserved lemons are often used in classic Moroccan cuisine. Our teacher/chef Mohammed assured me they were easy to make so when I got home I decided to preserve some.

My friends Jackie and Katsu have several beautiful lemon trees in their garden and they provided me with a basket filled with beautifully ripe fruit.

Next step was to go through my notes and find preserving tips and I also spent some time on the Internet researching the procedure.

I now have two large jars of lemons, soaking in salt and their own juices. According to plan, they should be ready to eat in about four weeks.

Preserved Lemons
Ingredients
8-10 Meyer lemons, scrubbed very clean
If you don’t have Meyer lemons, regular lemons will do
1/2 cup kosher salt, more if needed
Extra fresh squeezed lemon juice, if needed
Sterilized quart canning jar

Method
Place 2 Tbsp of additive-free Kosher salt in the bottom of a sterilized jar.

One by one prepare the lemons in the following way. Cut off any protruding stems from the lemons, and cut 1/4 inch off the tip of each lemon. Cut the lemons as if you were going to cut them in half lengthwise, starting from the tip. Don't make the cuts so long (going into the ends) that the lemons separate into pieces; you want to keep the lemons whole. Make another cut in a similar manner, so now the lemon is quartered, but again, attached at the base.

Gently open the lemons and generously sprinkle salt all over the insides and outsides of the lemons.

Pack the lemons in the jar, squishing them down so that juice is extracted and the lemon juice rises to the top of the jar. Fill up the jar with lemons; make sure the top is covered with lemon juice. Add more fresh squeezed lemon juice if necessary. Top with a couple tablespoons of salt.

Tightly close the jar and let sit at room temperature for a couple days, turning the jar upside down then upright several times. After a week, put the jar in your refrigerator and let sit, again turning upside down now and then, for at least 4 weeks, until lemon rinds soften.

When ready to use, remove a lemon from the jar and rinse thoroughly in cold water to remove salt and seeds.

Gently open the lemon and use to adorn your cooked dish. They are especially delicious with chicken but can be used on meats and fish too.

Stored in the refrigerator they will keep for up to year.

In the Souk of Fes, Morocco

2009-06-22T15:05:00.000-07:00

The souk of Fes is a tangled web of alleys and pathways leading in every direction. It's easy to get lost in this amazing place. Fortunately I had a guide to lead me in and out. I was a bit overwhelmed by the incredible assortment of goods for sale. I was particularly interested in the foods offered but hesitated to buy anything because sanitation was pretty primitive. There was a wide assortment of meats (including camel), fish and poultry. Piles of fresh vegetables and beautiful melons. Jars, bags and baskets filled with herbs and spices in every variety and color.

Motorized vehicles are not allowed within the souk so goods are transported via donkey. The alleys are very narrow so I spent a lot of time flat against the stalls making room for the donkey's and carts. At one point I was so tired I thought of climbing onto one of the donkeys but couldn't figure out how to do it gracefully! Then I considered one of the empty carts but remembered that Queen Marie-Antoinette had made her last journey in a similar rig, so I trudged on.

Even small children are put to work.

Thread in every color was available here. Many people brought little swatches of fabric to find just the right match for their sewing projects.

Oh my -- the olives are my favorite! Absolutely delicious flavored in herbs, spices and scented oil.

A Moroccan lemonade stand!

Vew of the Medina of Fes. The souk is tucked away inside the walls of the Medina.

2009-06-11T07:22:00.000-07:00

A few of us attended a class at La Maison Arabe cooking school and learned how to make a delicious chicken tagine.

The knife I'm holding was VERY sharp!

We used the roasted peppers in our tomato salad.

The preserved lemons were my favorite part. I must learn how to make them!

Oh my! This dish was totally delicious! I was thrilled with my creation as were the other students. I can't wait to make it again at home.

We peeled oranges, cut them crosswise into pieces, then sprinkled cinnamon and powdered sugar all over them. They were refreshing and a perfect ending to our exotic luncheon.

Here is the chicken recipe:

Chicken Tagine with Preserved Lemon and Olives

Serves 2
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 80 minutes

Ingredients

400 grams of chicken cut in chunks
½ preserved lemon
½ red onion
a bunch of parsley and fresh coriander
1 clove garlic
½ tsp black pepper
1 tsp ginger powder
1 heaping tsp turmeric
pinch of saffron
2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp ghee
4 tbs water

Mode of cooking

Cut preserved lemon in half and separate flesh from peel. Reserve peel and chop flesh. Put chopped lemon in a tagine (or Dutch oven or creuset) add in finely chopped garlic, parsley and coriander finely chopped and all the spices. Then coat the chicken in the marinade and add in finely chopped onion.

On medium heat sear the tagine for about 20 minutes, turning the chicken over from time to time. You need to be close to tagine otherwise it'll stick. You can always add a little bit of water and keep searing. After 20 minutes of searing, add about ½ of a liter of cold water and simmer for 60 minutes. When chicken nicely browns and the sauce is thick add in lemon peel and 10 (more or less) olives and cook for another 5 minutes.

Bon appetite.

A Day in Marrakech

2009-06-08T07:33:00.000-07:00

These watermelons were incredibly sweet. Notice the size of the knife used to cut us some samples!

The pool in the garden is our meeting place -- calm, cool and refreshing!

This is Zara, our resident chef. She prepared a lovely dinner using lots of the veggies we bought at the farmer's market.

The meal was delicious!

A good night hug from Jamel, our resident healer massage therapist. Life at the rijad Dar Surya is heaven!

This is not the Marin County Farmer's Market

2009-06-07T12:32:00.000-07:00

The farmer's market here in Marrakech is quite different from the one in Marin County! It's full of exotic spices and piles of fresh veggies and fruits along with assorted merchants selling everything from plastic tubs, electrical wire, shoes, goats and sheep! We bought beautiful tomatoes, a sweet ripe watermellon, carrots, squash, purple onions and an assortment of other treats. It was a remarkable experience.

On the Road to Morocco

2009-06-03T07:56:00.000-07:00

I'm on my way to Morocco! I've never been to Africa before so this is a big thrill to explore a whole new continent. I plan to learn all about Moroccan food and spices. I'll send dispatches as I go along so follow me!

Tasting Morocco

2009-04-10T13:56:00.000-07:00

I’m going to Morocco in June with Maureen Wheeler and the other Wild Writing Women. I’m really excited about the trip. I’ve never been to Africa before so this should be quite an adventure. I’ll be there to celebrate my birthday. I’m already preparing for it. I rooted through my dresser drawers and found my Zils (finger cymbals) and my golden belly dancer belt that has coins dangling all around. It makes the most delightful jingle when I shake my hips in rhythm of my belly dance record! This stuff dates back to the late 70’s when I studied belly dancing.

Naturally the foods of Morocco hold another fascination for me. I’ve been reading up on the cuisine and have tried several dishes myself. Here’s one that I made up that is easy to prepare and really delicious.

Moroccan Couscous with Zucchini

One box instant couscous (plain)
Follow instructions on the box using low fat chicken stock for the liquid.

Put 2 cups chopped dried apricots into pan with lid, pour in the chicken stock, salt, olive oil and a pat of butter. Bring to boil, pour in box of couscous, cover, take off heat and wait 5 minutes.

Heat a couple of squirts of olive oil (enough to cover bottom of pan) in a sauté pan, place a bunch of spring (green) onions (chopped). Stir around until soft, and then add 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped. Add salt and pepper and about 1 tablespoon on cumin. I also added a little bit of dried rosemary. Stir until soft and then add two large zucchini’s chopped. Stir the mixture until zucchini is cooked.

Take lid off couscous and fluff with a fork. Pour the couscous into a large bowl, add the zucchini mixture and toss lightly.

Yummmmmm! This can be served hot or cold.

Woolie Weeders

2009-04-09T16:48:00.000-07:00

3-10-09

I drove up to Cline Cellars this morning feeling very sad and sorrowful about the death of my dear daughter-in-law Heidi.

When I came around a bend in the road, the entire valley stretched out around me. Lush and green with patches of bright yellow mustard blooming. I passed a bunch of flowering plum trees waving their sweet smelling pink blossoms in the morning breeze. As I came up to make my left turn into Cline I was surprised to see the “Wooly Weeders” at work in the front vines.

The Wooly Weeders are a flock of sheep who hire out to eat the weeds that grow between the vines. I laughed out loud seeing them.

The Cline’s work at being as organic and “green” as they can be and using real animals for weed control is really the way to go.

Timing is everything with this process because if the grape buds have begun to form on the vines the sheep will eat them too!

Being out here in the vineyards with the cycles of the crops is grounding for me. I feel blessed that I have a safe haven that shields me and comforts me. To be with nature is very healing.

2009-01-15T11:15:00.000-08:00

It was a cold winter’s night up in Healdsburg (an hour north of San Francisco) so I ducked into Copperfield’s Books on the main square. I was greeted by the delicious scent of pizza wafting from a little café, named Bovolo, at the back of the store. Naturally I had to investigate and eat a little something. The menu described the place is a salumeria, gelateria, enoteca, pizzeria and mentioned that everything is made by hand from locally grown ingredients and artisan cured meats. Also listed were bacon ice cream and bon bons dipped in Scharffenberger chocolate and a Bellini bar. Oh my!

I couldn’t resist an appetizer of house made salumi. The plate was a melange of several meats and a variety of olives, peppers and crunchy slices of bread that had been baked that afternoon. Oh yum! It was absolutely delicious.

Bovolo Restaurant
106 Matheson St.
Inside Copperfield’s Books
Healdsburg, CA 95448
707-431-2962

Calamari Linguini With Ink Sauce

2008-10-27T15:17:00.000-07:00

I recently visited the newly opened California Academy of Natural Science in Golden Gate Park with my granddaughters. It's an amazing place, filled with spectacular displays and creatures. The aquarium is gigantic and is home to a huge variety of fish. Penguins frolic nearby and a beautiful all white alligator lives in a swamp. The planetarium show was thrilling and walking through an artificial rain forest with colorful butterflies and twittering birds was a real treat.

At lunchtime we went into the food court where a huge variety of foods from all over the world were available: Spanish, Asian, Mexican, Italian, American, French, African, etc. On the menu board at the Italian counter I spotted a listing for Calamari Linguini with Calamari ink sauce. Well, that's a very uncommon dish and I was surprised to find it in a museum café of all places. Of course I had to have some and was pleasantly surprised that the dish was prepared fresh and served piping hot. Of course my granddaughters turned up their little noses when I offered them a taste but I was delighted with my choice.

A friend of mine in Venice, Italy prepares a similar sauce using Seppie, which is a cuttlefish very near to squid, and serves it over golden yellow polenta. That is a favorite of mine and she makes it for me whenever I am visiting her in Venice. You can imagine how beautiful the dish looks with the bright yellow polenta and the inky black sauce on top.

Here is a recipe for you to try.

Calamari (squid) linguini with Ink Sauce

1 lb fresh Calamari
1/2 lb linguini
1/3 cup dry white wine
3 tablespoons tomato sauce
1 bunch parsley, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
hot water
salt and pepper
1 packet of Calamari ink*

Have your fishmonger clean the calamari for you. If the ink sack is available, be sure to have it packaged along with the calamari.

Cut tentacles from the body and wash calamari under cold water. Dice the body into rings, and chop the tentacles in half lengthwise.

Heat garlic in oil until just golden.

Add parsley and ground pepper, cover and let it simmer for 45min.
Check from time to time; if it's sticking, add some hot water. Once it has simmered, mix the tomato sauce with the white wine and add it to the pot.

Simmer for 20 minutes more, uncovered, then dilute the sauce with a little hot water and simmer for a half hour more, covered (sauce's consistency can be adjusted to your liking).

30 minutes before meal, cook pasta al dente.

Add the ink to the sauce, as much or as little as you like.

Serve sauce over pasta with the rest of the white wine.

*If Calamari ink is not available at your fishmonger, it's possible to order online. Try buying it through: http://www.gourmetfoodstore.com/othergourmetfoods/squid-ink-other-gourmet-foods.asp

Hush Puppies

2008-10-10T19:07:00.000-07:00

I'm just back from Louisiana, which is considered a “red” state, and was surprised at the number of people I met who are Obama fans. I was in Shreveport and Monroe for a food and heritage tour. Naturally I sampled many of the local dishes including delicious hot pickled peppers and hush puppies fresh out of the fryer, smothered in creamy butter. Oh my! It was love at first bite.

History of Hush Puppies

Hush Puppies are dumplings of cornmeal that are deep-fried and traditionally served with fried catfish. There are many stories about the origins of Hush Puppies.

The oldest story is that Hush Puppies originated in the settlement of Nouvell Orleans (later called New Orleans, Louisiana), shortly after 1727. They were created by a group of Ursuline nuns (the Ursuline nuns also introduced lace making in Ireland during the potato famine) who had come from France. The nuns converted cornmeal into a delicious food that they named croquettes de maise. The making of these croquettes spread rapidly through the southern states.

Then there is a story that an African cook in Atlanta gave the name hushpuppy to this food. When frying a batch of catfish and croquettes, a nearby puppy began to howl. To keep the puppy quiet, she tossed it a few croquettes and said, "Hush, puppy."

Another story states that after a long day of work, hunters and trappers would gather around the campfire for a fish fry. They would take the cornmeal leftover from preparing catfish, fry it up in little balls and toss them to the dogs to silence their whining saying "hush, puppies."

Made simply from corn meal, eggs, etc., these tasty and traditional treats are a part of life in the southern states where ever seafood and fish are served. Below are several recipes for these delicious morsels of southern food heaven. I especially like the ones with the Jalapeno peppers. Take them hot from the fryer, slather with sweet butter all over and enjoy!

Hush Puppies  

2 Eggs 
1/3 cup Buttermilk 
1 medium yellow onion, chopped 
2 cups cornmeal 
1 teaspoon salt
2 Garlic cloves minced 
1 cup Corn, canned or frozen niblets drained 
3 Jalapeno peppers seeded and minced 
1 quart corn oil for deep frying   

Heat the oil in deep saucepan to frying temp of 350 degrees F.   if you don't have a thermometer, you can test the oil by dropping in a small amount of batter. If batter sizzles and then rises to top, the oil is ready.

Place eggs, buttermilk into large bowl and mix
Add remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly
Using a tablespoon get a large dollop of batter and drop into the hot oil
Cook until golden
Remove and drain on paper towels 

`````
Hush Puppy Recipe

4 cups vegetable oil
2 cups yellow cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 egg, beaten
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
2 cups milk
1 cup water

In a cast-iron skillet or a large heavy fry pan over medium-high heat, heat vegetable oil to 350° F or until a small
amount of batter dropped into the hot oil sizzles and floats. Do not let the oil get too hot or the center of the hushpuppies will not cook thoroughly.

In a large mixing bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, egg, salt, baking soda, milk, and water. Mix until batter is smooth and free of any lumps. Batter should be stiff (if batter is too dry, add milk; if batter is too thin, add cornmeal).

Using two spoons, push a small amount of batter into hot oil (370° to 380° F). After about 10 seconds, Hush Puppies will float to the top and begin to brown. Fry for approximately 5 minutes or until golden brown, turning to brown all sides. Remove from oil and place Hush Puppies on paper towels; continue cooking the remaining batter (fry in small batches, adding 4 to 6 Hush Puppies to the oil at a time).

NOTE: They can be held in a 200° F oven until serving time (approximately 30 minutes). Serve hot.
Makes 2 dozen Hush Puppies.

White Stilton and Apricot Salad

2008-08-14T15:07:00.001-07:00

The delicious looking red and yellow beets at my local Farmer's Market got me thinking about different ways of preparing them. I had come across this recipe a while back and thought it sounded wonderful. I was right! Yummmm! I found Stilton cheese with apricots at my local Trader Joe's. The cheese is good all by itself but mixed into this salad it is totally divine.

White Stilton and Apricot Salad
Serves 4 
1 bunch watercress
1 bag of spinach 
8oz White Stilton with Apricot cheese
1 bunch of beets, steamed
2oz hazelnuts, toasted
Dressing:
1 mandarin orange (or regular orange for zest) 
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. To make the dressing, finely grate the rind from half of the mandarin orange, squeeze the juice and put both into a small bowl with the extra virgin olive oil and the balsamic vinegar, season then whisk together.
2. Wash the watercress and spinach, put into a bowl, quarter and add the beets to the bowl.
3. Cut or break the White Stilton and Apricot cheese into small chunks and add to the salad. Roughly chop the hazelnuts.
4. Pour the dressing over the salad, toss together then scatter over the nuts.

Roasted Beets:

3 medium beets (red or gold), scrubbed, leaves trimmed
Olive oil

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Coat beets lightly with oil. Wrap beets in aluminum foil, place on a baking sheet, and roast in the oven until cooked through, approximately 45 to 60 minutes. Remove from the oven; let cool and then peel and slice into 1/4-inch thick slices. This can be done a day or two ahead.

Apricot Season - JAM's JAM

2008-07-15T13:51:00.000-07:00

Apricot Season

I grew up in the Santa Clara Valley and we had apricot trees all around us. Apricots reach their peak in July and I can remember lying under the trees reading a book and nibbling on the sweet, fat and juicy fruit. When I was about 12 or 13, my older sister and I, along with the kids across the street from us, hired out as farm workers cutting cots. We sat in front of large trays cutting the cots in half, scooping out the pits and placing the sections on large trays. When the trays were full, they were stacked into the sulfur smoke oven to cure and then out into the hot sun to dry. Today most of the apricot orchards around there are gone, replaced by Silicon Valley high tech organizations. The majority of the apricots grown today come from the San Joaquin Valley in Central California. They are often picked green and left to ripen, if they can, in grocery stores. They often don’t ripen and, although their color looks tempting, their flesh can be hard and tastes terrible. One of my big fears is that many of the children of tomorrow will never have the opportunity to taste a tree-ripened apricot. Fortunately we have a many farmers’ markets around the San Francisco Bay Area and in July they offer an abundance of tree-ripened apricots.

Apricot jam has always been my son Timothy’s favorite. He eats it by the spoonful directly from the jar. So, naturally, every year I wait until the apricots are at their peak and then declare that it is Apricot Jam day. Somehow the ritual of making the jam is comforting and the smell of the cooking fruit is heavenly.

JAM’S Jam
APRICOT

Prepare Jars:
Sterilize 10 pint canning jars, along with lids and seals, in your dishwasher. Be sure to set it on high heat. Leave in dishwasher until cool enough to handle and you are ready to pour in the finished jam.

If you don’t have a dishwasher, place jars and lids in large pot and boil for ten minutes. Drain water but leave jars and lids in pot until they are cool enough to handle and you are ready to pour in the finished jam.

Ingredients:
8 cups of apricots (approximately 4 pounds), pitted, and chopped
3 tbsp of lemon juice
6 cups of sugar , to taste (The amount of sugar used depends on the sweetness of the fruit.)
1 (3 oz) pack of liquid pectin
1 tsp of butter

Directions:
Combine the apricots, lemon juice and sugar in a pan and place the pan over a medium-high heat; stir constantly until the sugar dissolves.

Bring the mix to a boil for ten minutes, stirring often. Skim off any foam that accumulates.

Add the butter and bring the mixture to a boil again.

Add the pectin; bring back to a boil, stirring constantly.

Boil for 1 minute.

Pour into prepared jars, screw on lids. Wipe off any spills and invert jars to cool. When completely cooled, turn right side up.

One of my favorite sounds is the little popping noise the lids make as they seal the jars.

I store my jams in the refrigerator.

Tomato Season is here

2008-06-28T11:36:00.000-07:00

Tomatoes are among my favorite foods and the season has really just begun. I return from the Marin Farmer's Market on Sunday's with bags of goodies: a wonderful variety of tomatoes, fruits and vegetables bursting with flavor.

I recently came across a recipe for a Tomato Tart that sounds divine! It is for four people but I don't see any reason why one couldn't make a smaller one when dining alone.

Tomato Tart

Servings: 4
Preparation and cooking time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

4 tomatoes
1 sheet of round puff pastry
2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/2 pound fresh goat cheese
Fresh Basil (optional)
2 teaspoons Herbs of Provence (mixture of thyme, rosemary, basil, wild thyme)
4 Tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper

Directions:   Cut the tomatoes into slices, salt lightly and place in a strainer for 30 minutes to allow the extra water to drip off.   Place the puff pastry into a round, buttered 10 inch pie dish.   Spread the mustard onto the pastry sheet.   Place the tomato slices on the mustard.   Add pepper; spread the herbs and the fresh basil.   Slice the goat cheese into fine slices and place onto the tomatoes.   Add the olive oil onto the tart.   Place in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes   Serve with a green salad.   Bon appétit !

Loire Valley - France

2008-06-05T15:37:00.001-07:00

I recently returned from a whirlwind trip through the Loire Valley in France. I visited the famous Chartres Cathedral, a cooking school in Orléans, a porcelain factory in Gien and the Sancerre wine-growing region, where I drank some incredible wines, including Menetou-Salon Blanc, which is by far my favorite wine from the Loire.

Menetou Salon vines are planted on ancient limestone sediment and are well adapted to the production of Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir used in making this wine. The wine is pale yellow in color and smells a little like butterscotch and white flowers. A deeper breath reveals hints of melon, mango and citrus. It tastes of fresh fruit and spice and leaves a soft finish and elegant flavor in my mouth.

I dined like a Queen at every meal with elegant platters of meat, poultry, fish, great slabs of buttery foie gras and fleshy white asparagus. Oh my!

One memorable dish was grilled beef cheeks topped with fois gras and drizzled all over with a reduced balsamic sauce. Another dish consisted of boiled new potatoes with the skins left on, then sliced in half, dusted with salt and pepper and draped with deliciously cured salmon Gravlax, and topped with a delicate lemon-cream-butter sauce (see recipes below).

The deserts were works of art in themselves. Multi strands of golden spun sugar draped across fresh strawberry ice cream, a soft yellow Creme Anglaise surrounding a dense dark chocolate log, floating island that looked like a giant iceberg making its way around the table and, of course, my old favorite Tarte Tartine (see recipe below) with a scoop of homemade vanilla ice cream.

GRAVLAX

Two fresh salmon fillets with skin on
1/4 cup kosher salt
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon freshly ground pepper
1 bunch dill sprigs, rinsed and patted dry
1/4 cup Tequila, optional

Line a baking dish just large enough to hold salmon with plastic wrap. Place one salmon fillet, skin side down on top of plastic wrap. In a bowl, combine the salt, sugar, and pepper. Scatter evenly over fillet. Scatter dill evenly over salmon. Sprinkle Tequila over salmon, if desired. Top with the other half of the salmon, skin side up. Cover with plastic wrap and weight with a plate and brick or heavy cans. Chill for 48 hours. Scrape away dill and seasonings and
pat dry with paper towels. Slice thinly and serve.

BUTTER LEMON CREAM SAUCE

1/3 cup heavy cream
8 Tablespoons cold, unsalted butter cut into small pieces
3 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Sea salt and freshly ground white pepper

To make the sauce:

Pour the cream into a one quart saucepan and cook over low heat, whisking occasionally to prevent the cream from boiling over, until the volume is reduced by half (about 8 minutes). Increase the heat to medium and add the butter, one piece at a time, whisking constantly, until the sauce is shiny, emulsified, and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Add the lemon juice and simmer briefly. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Keep the sauce warm until ready to serve.

APPLE TARTE TARTIN

1 (12-inch) round piece of puff pastry, about 1/8-inch thick
3/4 pound Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and quartered
3 tablespoons softened butter
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup fresh whipped cream

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Coat the bottom of a 10-inch cast iron skillet with 1 tablespoon of butter. Sprinkle 1/3 cup of the sugar on the buttered surface of the pan. Arrange apples in circles to cover the entire surface of the skillet. Sprinkle the remaining sugar on top of the apples and dot with the remaining butter. Cover the apples with the puff pastry, tucking it under the edge of the dish. Place in the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.
Place a serving dish on top of the skillet and turn it upside down and the tart should gently fall out of the skillet. Serve warm with fresh whipped cream.

Fried Pickles

2008-05-02T13:55:00.001-07:00

My recent trip to Nashville was quite an adventure. It was a big thrill to play Elvis’ 1948 Steinway grand piano in Studio B and get my photo taken with Charlie Daniels but being back stage at the Grand Ole Opry during a broadcast was a high point. It was all very exciting and I fell in love with Nashville, its music, people and especially the food.

Not only did I enjoy biscuits and gravy at breakfast, bar-b-qued pulled pork sandwiches at lunch and heavenly friend chicken for dinner but I made the discovery that fried dill pickles are delicious as a mid-afternoon snack. No kidding! Dipped into a tangy tomato sauce they were a big hit with my friends and me.

Deep Fried Pickles

Peanut oil
1 quart dill pickles
1 cup buttermilk
2 cups plain cornmeal
1 tablespoon kosher salt

Place enough peanut oil in a 4 to 5-quart cast iron Dutch oven to come halfway up the side of the pot. Place over medium-high heat and bring to 390 to 400 degrees F.

Remove the pickles from their brine and cut lengthwise into quarters, like spears. Lay the spears on a sheet pan lined with paper towels and pat them dry. An alternative is to slice the pickles crosswise into chips.

Place the buttermilk in a shallow dish and mix together the cornmeal and salt in a separate dish. Dip each pickle, one at a time, first into the buttermilk, then into the cornmeal and then back into the buttermilk and then into the cornmeal. Carefully place each spear into the hot oil and cook until golden brown, approximately 2 minutes. You can fry 3 to 4 pickles in the pot at a time. Adjust the heat, if necessary, in order to maintain a constant temperature of 390 to 400 degrees F.

Transfer the pickles to a cooling rack set in a half sheet pan and allow to cool for 5 minutes before eating. Season with additional salt, if desired.

Ravioli Pasta Dough request

2007-12-03T10:09:00.000-08:00

Several of you have requested my pasta dough recipe for raviol, so here is one of them. Making pasta is a fun experience so do give it a try.

Pasta Dough for Ravioli

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs, plus 1 for egg wash
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Cornmeal, for dusting

To make the pasta dough: In an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook*, combine the flour and salt. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and continue to mix. Drizzle in 1 tablespoons of the olive oil and continue to incorporate all the flour until it forms a ball. Sprinkle some flour on work surface, knead and fold the dough until elastic and smooth, this should take about 10 minutes. Brush the surface with the remaining olive oil and wrap the dough in plastic wrap; let rest for about 30 minutes to allow the gluten to relax.

*Alternatively if you don't have an electric mixer: Combine the flour and salt on a flat work surface; shape into a mound and make a well in the center. Add the eggs and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil to the well and lightly beat with a fork. Gradually draw in the flour from the inside wall of the well in a circular motion. Use 1 hand for mixing and the other to protect the outer wall. Continue to incorporate all the flour until it forms a ball. Continue as directed above.

Cut the ball of dough in 1/2, cover and reserve the piece you are not immediately using to prevent it from drying out. Dust the counter and dough with a little flour. Press the dough into a rectangle and roll it through a pasta machine, 2 or 3 times, at widest setting. Pull and stretch the sheet of dough with the palm of your hand as it emerges from the rollers. Reduce the setting and crank the dough through again, 2 or 3 times. Continue tightening until the machine is at the narrowest setting; the dough should be paper-thin, about 1/8-inch thick (you should be able to see your hand through it.). Dust the sheets of dough with flour as needed.

Beat 1 egg with 1 tablespoon of water to make an egg wash. Dust the counter and sheet of dough with flour, lay out the long sheet of pasta, and brush the top surface with the egg wash, which acts as a glue. Drop tablespoons of your favorite filling on 1/2 of the pasta sheet, about 2-inches apart. Fold the other 1/2 over the filling like a blanket. With an espresso cup or fingers, gently press out air pockets around each mound of filling. Use a sharp knife to cut each pillow into squares and crimp the 4 edges with the tins of a fork to make a tight seal. Dust the ravioli and a sheet pan with cornmeal to prevent the pasta from sticking and lay them out to dry slightly while assembling the rest.

Cook the ravioli in plenty of boiling salted water for 4 minutes; they'll float to the top when ready, so be careful not to overcrowd the pot. Lift the ravioli from water with a large strainer or slotted spoon. Bath the ravioli in your favorite sauce to lightly coat and serve.

Pumpkin Ravioli Tradition

2007-11-05T10:34:00.000-08:00

Pumpkin Ravioli with Sage Butter Sauce

The leaves are turning gold and red. The summer fruit and vegetables have all been harvested. Halloween officially ushers in the fall season and bright orange pumpkins are everywhere.

It’s time for my granddaughters, Isabelle 8 and Sophia 6, to make our traditional Pumpkin Ravioli. It’s a high point in my autumn calendar and the thought of tender, pumpkin stuffed home made ravioli, dressed in a sage butter sauce has me salivating.

Pumpkin Ravioli

1 1/2 pound pumpkin
2 tablespoons softened unsalted butter
1 egg yolk
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon minced fresh sage
Freshly grated nutmeg to taste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

To make the filling; quarter the pumpkin, removing the strings and seeds and place, flesh side down, on an oiled baking sheet. Bake for 35 minutes, or until tender. Peel and puree flesh. Add egg yolk, butter, cheese, sage, nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste.

On a floured surface, roll out the pasta as thin as possible. My stand mixer has a pasta roller attachment, which makes this process much easier. Cut into 2 sheets and brush 1 of them with egg wash. Using a teaspoon, place equal mounds of the pumpkin puree on the egg-washed dough, about 2 inches apart. Cover the mounded dough with the second sheet of pasta and press around the mounds of pumpkin to seal the dough.

Using a ravioli cutter or a sharp knife cut the ravioli. Dust a tray with semolina and place the ravioli on it.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a sprinkling of salt.

Place the ravioli to the rapidly boiling water and cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Carefully remove with a slotted spoon and drain.

Place in heated serving bowl and lightly toss with sage butter sauce. Correct seasonings, dust with grated Parmesan cheese and serve.

Sage Butter Sauce

4 tablespoons butter
8 sage leaves
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

In a skillet over high heat add the butter when pan is very hot. Let butter sit undisturbed until almost all melted and outside edges have begun to caramelize. Quickly swirl the skillet and add minced sage. Let cook for 30 seconds longer, season with salt and pepper to taste.

Guinness and Onion Soup with Irish Cheddar Crouton

2007-09-01T13:47:00.000-07:00

It’s high summer here in Tiburon and certainly not the time of year to think about hot soup but Michael Chiarello’s Guinness and Irish cheddar cheese onion soup sounds delicious. Having just returned from Ireland I’m still in my Irish mode.

Guinness and Onion Soup with Irish Cheddar Crouton

Recipe courtesy Michael Chiarello
Show: Easy Entertaining with Michael Chiarello
www.foodnetwork.com
Episode: Pub Crawl

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
5 cloves minced garlic
8 cups thinly sliced onions
Gray salt
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
1/4 cup sherry vinegar
1 1/2 cups dark beer (recommended: Guinness)
6 cups beef stock
6 slices country bread cut 1/2-inch thick, toasted
1/2 pound Irish Cheddar, sliced thin

Directions:
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add garlic and cook briefly to release aroma. Add onions, season with salt and cook for about 5 minutes stirring often. Reduce heat to low and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until the onions are golden brown.

Add the thyme, vinegar, and beer. Reduce beer by half and add the beef stock. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 more minutes.

Preheat the broiler. Transfer soup to an ovenproof serving dish or individual ovenproof soup bowls. Top with toasted bread slices and sliced Cheddar. Broil until cheese melts and starts to brown slightly. Serve piping hot.

When Irish eyes are smiling they are surely eating typical Irish food!

2007-07-28T18:42:00.000-07:00

I celebrated my birthday this year in Dublin, Ireland and I wanted typical Irish food for dinner.

My friends and I decided to try the highly recommended Gallagher’s Boxty House. We had no idea just what Boxty was, but we were excited to try something new. (recipe below) Boxty, or Arán Boct Tí, is about as Irish as you can get. As with other potato dishes like Champ and Colcannon, Boxty is a part of a unique tradition in Irish food. The difference between Boxty and other potato bread and pancake recipes is that it is made with a mixture of cooked mashed and grated raw potatoes.

Below are a few of the dishes we enjoyed that night:

CHAMP
Ingredients:
1 3/4 pounds potatoes
1 bunch scallions, trimmed and sliced fine
2/3 cup whole milk (or cream)
Salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

Directions:
Peel the potatoes and cut them into small pieces. Bring to a boil in a pot of salted water, then cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until tender.

Meanwhile, simmer the scallions gently in the milk for 2 to 3 minutes.

Drain the potatoes, then return them to the pot and place them over low heat for a minute or so to allow any excess water to evaporate.

Add the milk and onions, and pound or beat the potatoes to a soft, fluffy mash. Add plenty of salt and pepper as you go.

Mound the champ in a large bowl. Make a little hollow for the butter and allow it to melt into the potatoes before serving.

Makes 4 servings.

BOXTY PANCAKES ON THE GRIDDLE
Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lb. floury potatoes
1 cup flour
2 cups milk
salt and pepper
bacon fat or lard (or oil) for greasing griddle

Directions:
Cut half the potatoes into large chunks and boil in salted water until tender. Peel while hot and mash thoroughly. Place in large bowl.

Peel the remaining potatoes and grate onto cheesecloth. Gather up the ends of the cloth and squeeze out as much starchy liquid as you can. Mix into the mashed potato bowl and then sift the flour over the top and add little salt and pepper. Gradually add milk at little at a time to make a thick batter.

Grease a heavy frying pan on griddle and heat thoroughly. Drop a ladle full of the mixture on the surface and spread out thinly. When browned underneath, flip over and brown the other side. Repeat until all the mixture is used up. Serve hot with butter, or alternatively like an ordinary pancake with an appropriate filling.

Suggested fillings:
Slow cooked beef or chicken with vegetables
A variety of roasted vegetables
Chili beans with grated sharp cheddar cheese

STICKY TOFFEE PUDDING
Makes 6 to 8 servings.
Ingredients
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened, plus additional for greasing pan
1 cup self-rising cake flour plus additional for flouring pan
1 cup pitted dates (5 oz), finely chopped
1 1/4 cups packed dark brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1/3 cup water

Diections:
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour an 8- by 2-inch round cake pan.

Simmer dates in 1-cup water in a 1-quart heavy saucepan, covered, until soft, about 5 minutes. Let stand, covered, off heat 5 minutes.

Beat together 1 stick butter and 1/4-cup brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Beat in egg until combined. Add flour and 1/8-teaspoon salt and mix at low speed until just combined. Add dates and mix until just combined well.

Pour batter into pan and bake until a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center comes out clean, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt remaining stick butter in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat and stir in remaining cup brown sugar, 1/3-cup water, and a pinch of salt. Boil over moderately high heat, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved and sauce is reduced to about 1 1/4 cups, 2 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat and cover.

Transfer pudding in pan to a rack and poke all over at 1-inch intervals with a fork. Gradually pour half of warm sauce evenly over hot pudding. Let stand until almost all of sauce is absorbed, about 20 minutes.

Run a thin knife around edge of pan. Invert a plate over pudding and invert pudding onto plate. Pour remaining warm sauce over pudding and serve immediately.

Cooks' note:
Pudding, soaked with half of sauce, can stand at room temperature up to 2 hours. Reheat in pan in a 300°F oven 10 minutes. Warm remaining sauce before pouring over pudding.

Maple Horseradish Glazed Beets

2007-06-01T15:49:00.000-07:00

I bought some beautiful looking beets at the Marin Farmer’s Market the other day to try out a delicious sounding recipe from Gourmet Magazine. It was incredible! The color of the beets and the sauce was amazing.

I made a change in the recipe. Instead of wrappingthe beets in foil, baking and then peeling before putting them into the sauce, I cut mine up in chunks, drizzled olive oil on them and roasted them until they were fork tender. About 40 minutes at 400 degrees.

I didn't peel the beets because I always feel there are extra nutrients in the skins of veggies.

Maple Horseradish Glazed Beets

1 3/4 lb beets, stems cut to about 1 inch.
1/2 stick unsalted butter
3 tablespoons bottled horseradish (not drained)
2 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup
21/2 teaspoons cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400degrees.

Wrap beets in foil and roast until tender, about 1 hour. When cool enough to handle, peel beets and cut into eighths then transfer to a bowl.

Melt butter with horseradish, syrup, vinegar, sale and pepper in a 12inch heavy skillet over moderate heat. Stir in beets and boil, stirring occasionally, until liquid in skillet is reduced to about 1/4cup and beets are coated, 4 to 5 minutes.

I'm telling you, the color of the sauce is incredibly beautiful and the the beets taste divine!

Balsamic Reduction with Berries

2007-04-06T16:36:00.000-07:00

The other night I was dining with the Wild Writing Women at Puccini and Pinetti. We always go there after our first Wednesday of every month Literary Salon at the Monticello Inn. The restaurant is right next door to the hotel.

Puccini and Pinetti
www.pucciniandpinetti.com
129 Ellis St
San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 392-5500

The restaurant has a new executive chef, Keira Moritz, and is in the process of a complete menu makeover. I dined on the Veal Picatta and I have to tell you, it was delicious!

For desert Keira recommended the cheesecake with a balsamic vinegar reduction. The sauce was out of this world! I convinced her to give me the recipe so I could share it with all of you.

Balsamic Vinegar with Berries Reduction

3 cups Balsamic Vinegar (older the better)
1 cup berries of your choice (think blackberries)
1/2 cup brown sugar

Combine all in saucepan bring to a boil and then lower the heat. Cook until the sauce is reduced to a thick consistency.

Spoon over cheesecake, ice cream, yogurt or whatever you think sounds good.

Trust me on this one. It is totally divine!

Everything changes

2007-04-02T16:27:00.000-07:00

I've had a very hectic couple of months. I sold my condo, found a rental apartment in Tiburon (Marin County) CA, have suffered with horrible asthma, heart problems and now am up to my neck in packing boxes. Official moving date is April 10th.

I'm sad about leaving my condo at Ocean Beach, but excited to move to a warmer and sunny location and I'll be nearer my granddaughters.

So, wish me luck in my new incarnation.

Stay tuned for further developments.

JAM

Jacqueline Harmon Butler
3 Circle Drive #B
Tiburon, CA 94920
415-380-8466
Fax: 415-380-8427
http://www.JacquelineHarmonButler.com
http://www.WildWritingWomen.com
http://www.FoodFlirtblogspot.com

Tortellini Soup

2007-01-05T17:42:00.000-08:00

It’s been a bit rainy and cold around here lately and the perfect weather for a nice hot bowl of soup. The following recipe was sent to me from one of my Italian cousins. She was kinda vague about the measurements so you'll have to improvise a little bit. Taste as you go along. I made it last night and was delighted with the results. It isn’t a heavy, dense soup but the Tortellini gives it a satisfying finish.

Spinach Tortellini Soup

You need:
A bunch of fresh spinach, wash and de-stemmed
Olive oil, a couple of tablespoons
Garlic, about two cloves, chopped
Onion, chopped
Mushrooms, chopped up
Stewed tomatoes, diced a couple of cans.
Cheese Tortellini, one package (I like the multi-colored ones)
Shredded/grated Parmesan cheese (for on top at the end)
Broth* (I use veggie, but chicken is okay) - amount depends on how many you want to serve (you need a little extra added for left-overs (the tortillinis tend to soak up all the water/broth)
Salt, pepper, you can throw in basil/oregano if you feel like it

1. heat olive oil in soup pot, heat up onion and garlic
2. add spinach, cook it down
3. add mushrooms, cook 'em up
4. add stewed tomatoes with the juice, heat
5. add broth, get it nice and hot
6. season to taste
7. boil soup and when you are ready to eat, add the Tortellini (you only need to cook them for 10 or 12 minutes, look at the package directions), don't let them cook too long before serving, they tend to bloat and fall apart.
8. serve hot with some Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top

*Jacqueline: I use my own chicken stock that I keep in my freezer.

Christmas Cookies

2006-12-20T14:25:00.000-08:00

I’m baking cookies today. The whole place smells heavenly – sugar and butter – oh my! At the top of my cookie list are Snowballs. They have always been my children’s favorites. I remember one year, long ago, when my son Tim and his friend Ted ate so many they had to lay down for a little while.

SNOWBALLS

1 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup sifted confectioners’ sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla
2/1/4 cups flour
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup finely chopped nuts (I use lightly toasted walnuts)

Mix butter, sugar and vanilla thoroughly. Measure flour by dipping method or by sifting. Stir flour and salt together; blend in. Mix in nuts. Chill dough.

Heat oven to 400° (mod. Hot). Roll dough in 1" balls. Place on ungreased baking sheet. (Cookies do not spread) Bake 10 to 12 min., or until set and lightly browned. While still warm, roll in confectioners’ sugar. Cool. Roll in sugar again. Makes about 4 dozen 1" cookies.

Tribute to Marseille, France

2006-12-03T17:19:00.000-08:00

I fell in love with Marseille on my very first visit. The sea and the hills Marcel Pagnol wrote about sang to me too. And the food, oh yes, the food! My mouth waters remembering incredibly delicious dishes filled with succulent fish, perfumed with herbs and spices.

Here is one of my favorite Marseille recipes. You can substitute other types of white fish. I sometimes just cook the whole trout, head, bones and all.

TRUITE Å LA TOMATE
Fillet of trout with tomato

4 trout fillets, about 6 oz each
Salt
1 tablespoon capers
2 tablespoons green olives, pitted
8 to 10 pearl onions, chopped
1 pound ripe plum tomatoes, chapped
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 cup dry white wine
3 tablespoons olive oil
freshly ground black pepper

1) Preheat the oven to 425 degrees
2) Place the trout fillets on an oiled baking dish, season with salt.
3) Combine the capers, green olives, pearl onions, tomatoes, chopped parsley and chopped garlic and spoon the mixture over the trout fillets
4) Pour the white wine over the fillets and vegetables, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and bake until the fillets are just cooked through, about 20 minutes.

Pearl's Pumpkin Pie

2006-11-25T17:17:00.000-08:00

Around this time of year I really miss my mother. She died back in 1987 but the memory of her pumpkin pies live on in my heart. Oh my how she could bake. Her pies were so light they seemed to float off the plate. The crusts so tender and flaky they would melt in your mouth.

I decided to share mother’s treasured pumpkin pie recipe with you. If you decide to try it, please give a little prayer of thanksgiving to my mother Pearl.

Pearl’s Pumpkin Pie

2 cups pumpkin
2 cups milk
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ginger
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
Dash of nutmeg

Mix pumpkin, milk, sugar, beaten eggs, salt, spices.
Beat 2 minutes.
Pour into pastry* lined pan.
Bake for 15 minutes at 475°, then 45 minutes at 400° until done.

Pie Crust

Mother always used the pie crust recipe on the back of the Crisco can. I know some of you might not like that idea, so just use whatever recipe you like best. However, the Crisco recipe is delicious!

This is enough for either two one crust pies or one two crust (top and bottom) pies.
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup Crisco Shortening
5 tablespoons cold water

Mix flour and salt in bowl.
Cut in Crisco using a pastry blender or two knives. Mix until mixture forms small pea-sized chunks.
Slowly sprinkle cold water over mixture. Toss with a fork. Add water as needed until dough forms a ball. (This could be done in a food processor if you want.)
Divide into two balls.
Lay a sheet of wax or parchment paper on rolling surface.
Dust with flour
Place one ball on paper, add another sheet of paper on top.
Gently roll dough out to size needed.
Remove top sheet and flip pastry into pie plate. Gently remove the bottom sheet of paper. Fill with pie mixture and bake.
Serve with a blob of whipped cream and enjoy.

Chestnut Soup from Jardiniere

2006-11-10T14:21:00.000-08:00

Last week at the Red Tie Gala I sampled a most incredible soup made from chestnuts. It was prepared by the chef from Jardiniere, which is one of the top San Francisco restaurants. When I asked for the recipe, Christina Perez graciously said she would get it for me. And, voila, here it is. You simply MUST try it. Happy slurping:

CHESTNUT SOUP yields 1 gallon

1/2 BUTTERNUT SQUASH, ROASTED
1 PT CHESTNUT, PEELED
1 APPLE, PEELED, CORED AND CHOPPED
1 ONION, SLICED
1 LEEK, SLICED AND WASHED
1 BULB OF FENNEL, SLICED
4 CLOVES OF GARLIC
2 STALKS OF CELERY, SLICED
2 BU SAGE- keep tied with string or bundle up in cheesecloth so you can remove it easily
1 STICK OF BUTTER
1 CUP MADEIRA OR MARSALA WINE (some kind of sweet Italian wine)
1 GALLON WATER
1 CUP CREME FRAICHE

To roast the butternut squash, place cut side down on a baking sheet with parchment. Bake at 350 until soft. Let cool.

While the squash is baking, melt the butter in a stockpot.
Add your chestnuts, apple, onion, leek, fennel, garlic and celery.
Sweat down your vegetables on medium- low heat.
Covering with lid will speed up this process.
Add the sage and some salt.
You don't want caramelization, so make sure the heat is med-low.
Let the vegetables cook until they are tender.
Add Madeira.
Deglaze.
Add the water. Simmer 30 mins.
Scoop out the flesh of the squash. Add to the soup.
Simmmer for 15 mins. Remove the sage.
Puree. Taste and add salt if needed.
OPTIONAL: Pass through strainer.
Finish with creme fraiche.

At the Gala we served it with creme fraiche flavored with truffle oil. We garnished with chopped chives.

Cristina Perez
Jardiniere
300 Grove St.
San Francisco, CA 94102
415-861-5555
www.jardiniere.com

Red Tie Gala

2006-11-04T15:27:00.000-08:00

Pasta Sauce – Peppoli Restaurant

A good friend had a ticket to the Red Tie Gala last night and couldn't go so she gave her ticket to me. The Red Tie Gala is an annual benefit for the Little Sisters of the Poor and held at Neiman Marcus, downtown San Francisco. Lucky me!

The store was packed with beautiful people, delicious food, wine, champagne, various cocktails and live music on all five levels. I joined a group of friends and we made our way through the crowds, up and down the escalators, laughing and tasting and drinking as we went along.

One of the memorable food treats was a tiny cheese filled pasta draped with an elegant sauce, compliments of Peppoli Restaurant at the Inn at Spanish Bay. Naturally I had to ask the chef for his recipe and he gladly shared it with me. I haven't tested it yet, but wanted to share it with you anyway. If you do try it, please let me know what you think.

Now, remember I was drinking champagne and scribbling on a small piece of paper so I'm not sure if I got it right, but here goes:

Saute one shallot in olive oil.
Add a minced garlic clove
Stir around until golden
Sprinkle with pepperincino
A touch of salt
Add two anchovy fillets
Stir around until anchovies are melted
Add about a cup of chopped cherry tomatoes
Stir until tomatoes are incorporated and begin to break down

Put mixture into blender and blend until smooth
Put through a sieve and pour over your favorite filled pasta, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and enjoy.

Foil Wrapped Pork Chops with Garlic & Figs

2006-10-30T13:29:00.000-08:00

When I was a child we had an enormous fig tree in the back yard. Every year the tree would produce an abundance of fruit, much to the delight of my mother and grandmother. Personally I didn’t like them at all, although I loved Fig Newton’s. It wasn’t until I was all grown up and went to Italy that I found figs to be delicious, especially when served with a cool Vin Santo along with cheese and nuts.

I came across this recipe in the San Francisco Chronicle one day and decided to try it out. Oh my! It was delicious.

Foil Wrapped Pork Chops with Whole Garlic & Figs

2 teaspoons sea or kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons minced fresh sage
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
16 figs, stems trimmed
Four 1-inch thick center-cut pork rib chops with bones (about 2 lbs. total)
20 cloves fresh, firm garlic (peeled)
4 sprigs sage

Preheat oven to 350

In a bowl combine salt, pepper, sage and thyme then mix well. Lay out 4 sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil about 12 inches by 16 inches. Put the olive oil in a bowl then add the figs and turn well to coat. Lay a chop in the center of each piece of foil and season them equally with half the herb mix. Put 4 figs on top of each chop and season them with the remaining half of the herb mix. Tuck five cloves of garlic beneath or around the figs to make a snug bundle, garnish with a sage sprig, then fold the foil corner to corner to make a tight seal. Place the packets on a baking sheet and bake until the port is opaque the just faintly pink in the center, about 55 minutes to 1 hours. Serve the packets on dinner plates letting each diner open their packet.

Serves 4
400 Calories per serving

Creamy Leek and Potato Soup

2006-10-22T10:19:00.000-07:00

It's Sunday morning in San Francisco. The fog rolled in last night, thick and heavy, but is burning off now and the day promises to be sunny and warm. Ah, Indian Summer. My favorite time of year.

I was up in the Napa Valley yesterday. The Bay Area Travel Writers held our monthly meeting at the Harvest Inn in St. Helena. The Inn is nestled in a lovely landscaped garden including many mature trees and a collection of California Redwood trees. Behind the Inn wine vines stretch out across the fields and up the hill beyond. The valley is spectacular this time of year. The vines are all turning gold and rust and here and there bright red, orange and yellow trees dot the landscape.

It's the time of year for soups and casseroles and roasted things. I wanted to share another soup recipe with you. This one is sure to become a favorite.

Happy cooking!

~~~

Creamy Leek and Potato Soup

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 large leeks, sliced white and green parts
3 cloves minced garlic
8 cups chicken stock (I used my home made low fat chicken stock)
1 1/2 pounds boiling potatoes, peeled and quartered (I used leftover chopped up potatoes)
Salt and pepper
chopped fresh parsley
4 to 6 tablespoons soft herbed cheese (I used low fat Boursin)

In a large pot, melt 3 tablespoons the butter over low heat. Add the leeks and cook, stirring often, until tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic. Add the chicken stock and potatoes. Cover and simmer gently about 30 minutes.

Remove from the heat. With a hand-held immersion blender, or in batches in a food processor, puree the soup until smooth. Season, to taste, with salt and ground white pepper. Ladle into soup bowls and garnish with parsley and 1 tablespoon of soft herbed cheese. Serve immediately.

Talk about good! Yummmmmm!

Portuguese Kale Soup

2006-10-18T09:57:00.000-07:00

OK, I know you are thinking "kale soup?" But let me encourage you to give this one a try. I made it a couple of weeks ago as a part of the Portuguese Dinner I prepared for a few friends and I have to say they loved it. I used linguica instead of the chorizo. I found the smoked and fully cooked linquica at my local farmer's market.

I have a happy memory of linguica from my childhood. My mother had a friend by the name of Mr. DiSalvo who made his own linquica and he would often stop by and present us with a few of his delicious sausages. Oh my!

Caldo Verde (Portuguese Kale Soup)

Ingredients:
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large Spanish onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
10 ounces chourico or linquica sausage, diced
6 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
8 cups cold water
1 pound kale or collard greens, cut into very fine julienne
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until they are translucent. Add the garlic and half the chourico and cook for 2 minutes. Add the potatoes, cover everything with the water, bring to a boil and lower the heat, simmering until the potatoes are almost done, about 15 minutes.

2. When the soup is cool enough to handle, puree it in the food processor and return to the pot. Add the greens, bring everything back to a boil and simmer for 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, ladle into bowls and garnish with the remaining cubes of chourico or linguica.

2006-10-15T11:37:00.000-07:00

I had lively dinner at Basil Thai, in the So Ma section of San Francisco, Friday night with Jessica H. Faust, literary agent, and several members of the San Francisco Chapter of the Romance Writers of America.

This is a place we all enjoy and often choose as our destination when we have out of town guests. Jessica lives on the east coast and was the SF RWA guest speaker at our Saturday meeting.

Don't ask me what all I ate -- it seemed like a parade of incredibly tasty dishes kept arriving. All of us chose our favorite dish. Mine was:

hoi ka-ta -- scallops with tempura long beans wok-fried in Thai black bean, chili and wine.

The scallops almost floated off the platter and the fried beans were crunchy and delicious.

If you want to go there, here's the data:

http://www.basilthai.com/

Basil Thai
1175 Folsom Street
San Francisco, CA
Tel: 415-552-8999
Fax: 415-552-8889

Pasta Pomodoro

2006-10-13T17:55:00.000-07:00

I went to dinner last night with the San Francisco Women in Travel at

Pasta Pomodoro
1875 Union St.
San Francisco

The chef prepared a lovely meal for us. We began with a deliciously crunchy Caesar salad, followed by cheese ravioli in a traditional red sauce or rigatoni with smoked chicken in a light cream sauce. Both were delicious! For dessert we had a scrumptious Tiramisu.

When asked what my passion was during the introductions, I told them it was getting people up and moving. To inspire others to travel. To just GO! My comments were well received by all.

Parking in that neighborhood is really difficult and I wound up parking in a nearby parking garage. I almost fainted when my bill was $20.00 for three hours! Yikes!

Low Fat Slow Cooker Chichen Provençal alla Jacqueline

2006-10-12T17:30:00.000-07:00

This is a recipe that I made up one day when I wanted something comforting but low in calories. Most of the comfort foods I like are full of fat and/or carbs. By removing the skin and fat of the chicken thighs I was able to create an absolutely delicious meal that not only tasted divine but also filled my home with wonderful comforting smells.

LOW FAT SLOW COOKER CHICKEN PROVENÇAL alla Jacqueline

6 chicken thighs
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion
3 cloves garlic
1 large can chopped tomatoes
3 chopped zucchini
3 cups chopped carrots
2 cups chopped celery
2 cups chopped mushrooms
1 cup sliced green olives
Bunch of chopped parsley
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon Herbs d’Provençe (or other herbs of choice)
Salt and pepper

Remove all skin and as much fat as you can from the chicken thighs, (partially frozen makes this task easier). In a large skillet, heat olive oil and then brown the chicken on both sides. Season with salt and pepper. Remove chicken and place in slow cooker. Pour chopped tomatoes and bay leaves over chicken. In same skillet, fry onions until golden, add chopped garlic then other vegetables and herbs. Add salt and pepper. Toss until veggies are coated then pour entire mixture over chicken in slow cooker. Place cover on cooker and relax.

Cook on high for 3 hours or on low for 6.

You can bake this dish in the oven if you don’t have a slow cooker. Just follow the same directions, using a large ovenproof casserole dish. Bake at 350 for 1 hour to 1 hour and a half.

Portuguese Chicken

2006-10-11T10:05:00.000-07:00

My great grand parents on my father's side immigrated to the USA from the Azores Islands (just off the coast of Portugal). Many of the recipes handed down through the family had their origins in Portugal. One of my favorites is Portuguese chicken. It was and still is a favorite of my children, Laura and Timothy. Laura now prepares it for her little girls, Isabelle and Sophia, and husband Alfred, so the legacy continues.

I recently had some friends over for a Portuguese theme dinner and, yes, I made the chicken dish and everyone loved it.

PORTUGUESE CHICKEN

PREHEAT OVEN TO 350 DEGREES

Cut into pieces:
4 lb frying chicken

Dredge them with a mixture of
Seasoned flour:
mix 1 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon paprika

Heat in a skillet:
1/4 cup olive oil
Brown the chicken in it. Place in a casserole. Sauté in the oil in the skillet:
1/4 cup chopped sweet onion
3 tablespoons chopped green pepper
1 minced garlic clove

Add:
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cut chopped, peeled, celery
1 cup chopped, peeled, seeded, tomatoes (canned is ok)
3/4 cup tomato juice
Pour these ingredients over the chicken in the casserole.

Bake covered for about 1 hour or until tender. If needed, add hot chicken or beef stock

Five minutes before the chicken is done, add
3/4 cup sautéed mushrooms
1/3 cup sliced stuffed green olives

Uncover casserole and continue cooking for five minutes.

Serve with buttered noodles.

Penne alla Vodka con Salmone

2006-10-10T15:16:00.000-07:00

I made this dish for the Monday Night Tarot group last night -- and wow! They loved it. An old friend used to make this for me at his Italian restaurant. I don't think mine is as good as his but.....it's still really delicious.

PENNE ALLA VODKA CON SALMONE
PENNE WITH VODKA AND SALMON

12 oz. penne pasta
3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 shallot, sliced thin
6 small Roma tomatoes, chopped
3/4 cup whipping cream
3 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped (reserve a few sprigs for garnish)
1/2 cup vodka
6 oz. smoked salmon cut into small pieces
ground nutmeg to taste
ground white pepper

Cook pasta in rapidly boiling water al dente (approximately 10 to 12 minutes). Don’t overcook! Drain well.

While pasta is cooking, heat oil in large frying pan over medium heat. Add chopped shallot, cook, and stirring often, until soft but not brown (about 3 minutes). Stir in chopped tomatoes and simmer for about 5 minutes. Add cream, nutmeg, chopped dill and vodka. Increase heat and bring to a full boil. Boil for 1 minute then reduce heat to low.

Add pasta to sauce directly into frying pan and toss lightly. Add salmon and mix again. Add pepper, taste, and then pour into serving bowl, garnish with fresh dill sprigs and serve.

Food Flirt is live!

2006-10-10T15:12:00.000-07:00

Food Flirt is online! Please stay in touch.