CASE: Brandon and I spent the weekend with two other couples, really good friends from law schoool, for the holiday weekend. Emma and Tom and I were good friends in law school, and kept in really good touch. Tom moved to Alaska, I moved to Los Angeles and Emma stayed in San Francisco. So, we started setting up a yearly trip where we basically drank lots of champagne. Emma is married with two kids, and now that Tom and I had significant others (SOs), we decided to try an SO trip. (Actually I insisted. Yup. I told them that if Brandon couldn't come, I wouldn't go. It was like bluffing in a poker game. Scary but worth the risk. Everyone was SUPER nervous about the SO trip because who knows what an SO can do? SOs are prone to misbehaving.) Anyway. We rented a cute home in the outskirts of Portland and basically let the weekend revolve around food and drinking. Portland has amazing food. I don't know why. Just trust me. The food there is amazing. As Tom said, he loved this trip because at any time, he felt like we were about to eat or drink beer. It was always beer o'clock!
Here's how I organized the trip: Each couple was responsible for two meals. One lunch, one dinner. The suggestion was one meal at home and one meal out, since Emma was bringing her newborn and besides, who doesn't want to save money? We had amazing pizza at Apizza Shotts or Apizza Scholls...amazing fish tacos at Por Que No...amazing tapas at Navarre...and amazing beer and Pinot Noir just everywhere.
We went to the Portland Saturday Farmer's Market to get vegetables, and the very first place we saw had chanterelle mushrooms! I know! For $12 a pound! As soon as I saw it, I decided to make risotto with some kind of pork. Since it was November, I figured the squash would add a nice something. Leeks, beautiful doughnut onions and small red onions, big fatty garlic, hearty and fragrant rosemary and sweet shallots and I was done.
Amy (Tom's SO) found these amazing doughnuts--orange and anise. No kidding! Delicious. Oh so delicious.
PORK LOIN
2/5 pound pork loin
1 head of big garlic
2 T fine chopped rosemary
1 finely chopped garlic clove
3 T oil
salt and pepper
2 pounds of nice onions, peeled and quartered
2 T balsamic vinegar
1 T olive oil
salt and pepper
Pre-heat oven to 350. Cut slits into the pork and insert slices of garlic. You want to absolutely COVER the loin with garlic pieces. Top, bottom, sides. Rub the rest of the ingredients into the pork and then pop it into the oven. Cook for 45 minutes then add the onions (which you've tossed in the vinegar, oil, salt and pepper). Cook for about 45 minutes more, or until it registers 155 degrees on the meat thermometer. If you want a nice crust, up it to 400 degrees for the last 15 minutes. Let the meat sit at least 10 minutes, loosely tented with foil.
NOTE: You really want the pork to be at room temperature when you put it into the oven. Cooks better. Beautiful presentation.
LEEK AND DELICATO SQUASH RISOTTO WITH CHANTERELLE GARNISH
Okay. I already put a very long risotto recipe a few weeks ago. So I am not going to do it again. I will summarize. Suffice to say that you should chop the leeks very finely, and use delicato squash. Brandon was so sweet in the kitchen. He peeled all the skin off of them, which isn't really necessary, but in this situation made for a better presentation.
Saute the garlic first til it's starting to brown, then add the leeks and shallots with a bit of rosemary, garlic and olive oil. Salt and pepper. Add the risotto and stir with more olive oil for at least a few minutes. Toss in the squash. Start adding the beef stock and white wine. For flavor, I added a couple of pinches of cinnamon. It really made it more interesting.
I wash my chanterelles. Maybe you should get a brush and brush off the dirt, but maybe you need to get a life. Maybe the chanterelles are too moist and don't get a nice brown when you brown them because they're too wet, but they are still delicious.
Get a pan nice and hot with lots of butter and a bit of oil. Fry them up. They will start to juice, and you should not throw that away. Once you've plated the risotto, add the bits of mushroom to the top and spoon the juice on top.
For garnish, I did a simple watercress salad. Just toss with salt and pepper, balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Lemon oil would work well too. I would garnish with the watercress on the side, since mushrooms were on the top.
NOTE: The only reason these chanterelles were separate was because it turns out Tom hates mushrooms. No kidding. He ended up liking them, though! Must have been Brandon's cooking. Anyway, I would have liked to put the mushrooms into the risotto at the last minute. The only change I would do is chop it up into smaller bits and stir it in at the last minute. I also think sage would have been a nice herb for this dish.
VERDICT: GUILTY! OF BEING DELICOUS! The weekend was so, so much fun. No kidding. Everyone got along so well, and everybody just loved Brandon. In fact, I think we talked about how great he is at every meal. He's just so cute and smart and nice!
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Spaghetti and Meatballs
CASE: What to eat after the banana bread snack? The meatballs are rather time-consuming, but really worth it. Brandon's mom and step-dad are vegetarians, so it was super easy for them to heat up some veggie meatballs and just toss them in. Brandon and I actually like the kind of pasta that looks like tubes for spaghetti. We couldn't find them, so we just used regular spaghetti.
NOTE: I was so worried that it might be too flavorful for the children to eat. Not a problem at all. There is so little red pepper flakes, and it cooks so long, that it was fine for adults and kids.
SPAGHETTI SAUCE
MEATBALLS
1 package veal
1 package pork
1 package beef
2 eggs
1/4 cup chopped parsley
2 cups (or so) of Italian bread crumbs
3/4 cup grated parmesan
1 cup (or so) of milk
1 T Worcestshire sauce
1 squirt of ketchup
1/2 chopped onion
3 cloves chopped garlic
dried oregano
salt and pepper
Saute the garlic and onions with oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Meanwhile, mix the raw meat with the parsley, salt and pepper. Toss in the sauteed garlic and onion mixture when it's cooled off a little bit. Judiciously add the wet ingredients, bread crumbs, grated parmesan and flavorings of worcestshire and ketchup. The cheese is kind of salty, as is the pork, so don't just add a lot of salt without tasting it. You want it super moist, like it's a meat loaf, and yet stiff enough from the bread crumbs to hold it's circumlar shape. It should look moist but hold its shape. Try making a small little meatball and frying it to test its shape and flavor.
Pour a T of oil with a pat of butter. Get the pan pretty warm, medium or medium high, and fry up the little guys. You want to keep them moving, and lower the heat to medium if they start to brown too quickly. They don't have to be fully cooked, because they're going to fully cook in the sauce.
NOTE: I made too many meatballs. Brandon's mom had the great idea of making burger patties and freezing them. I am sure it tasted great! Keham (Brandon's sister's husband) liked these meatballs so much he kept nibbling on them before they got into the sauce. Apparently these are so good they are worth risking salmonella! Also, the three types of meat is key. The veal adds a nice flavor and texture, and the pork keeps it moist. If you want to get fancy, get the ground sirloin, but it really doesn't matter. Also, I have a real preference for tiny meatballs, but it is all up to you. If you like big meatballs, you're probably going to have to pop them into oven because they'll brown too quickly in the pan.
SPAGHETTI SAUCE
1/2 red bell pepper chopped fine
1/2 onion, chopped fine
1 pinch red pepper flakes
3 cups of chopped mushrooms
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
3 finely chopped garlic cloves
2 big cans tomato sauce
1 big can tomato paste
salt and pepper
Saute the vegetables and then add the sauce. Cook for about 5 minutes, then add the meatballs. Let these simmer for at least 30 minutes, but longer is fine. Just keep the heat really low. You want to see at least a few bubbles, but not excited bubbles. Just a few mellow, happy bubbles. Add the parsley, salt and pepper at the end of cooking. Keep checking for flavor.
NOTE: If it's just adults, then you can add a fair amount of red wine or white wine to the sauce. You can also add the grated parmesan at the end.
VERDICT: GUILTY! OF BEING DELICIOUS! It was a huge hit! The kids were slurping up the noodles. The adults were happy.
NOTE: I was so worried that it might be too flavorful for the children to eat. Not a problem at all. There is so little red pepper flakes, and it cooks so long, that it was fine for adults and kids.
SPAGHETTI SAUCE
MEATBALLS
1 package veal
1 package pork
1 package beef
2 eggs
1/4 cup chopped parsley
2 cups (or so) of Italian bread crumbs
3/4 cup grated parmesan
1 cup (or so) of milk
1 T Worcestshire sauce
1 squirt of ketchup
1/2 chopped onion
3 cloves chopped garlic
dried oregano
salt and pepper
Saute the garlic and onions with oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Meanwhile, mix the raw meat with the parsley, salt and pepper. Toss in the sauteed garlic and onion mixture when it's cooled off a little bit. Judiciously add the wet ingredients, bread crumbs, grated parmesan and flavorings of worcestshire and ketchup. The cheese is kind of salty, as is the pork, so don't just add a lot of salt without tasting it. You want it super moist, like it's a meat loaf, and yet stiff enough from the bread crumbs to hold it's circumlar shape. It should look moist but hold its shape. Try making a small little meatball and frying it to test its shape and flavor.
Pour a T of oil with a pat of butter. Get the pan pretty warm, medium or medium high, and fry up the little guys. You want to keep them moving, and lower the heat to medium if they start to brown too quickly. They don't have to be fully cooked, because they're going to fully cook in the sauce.
NOTE: I made too many meatballs. Brandon's mom had the great idea of making burger patties and freezing them. I am sure it tasted great! Keham (Brandon's sister's husband) liked these meatballs so much he kept nibbling on them before they got into the sauce. Apparently these are so good they are worth risking salmonella! Also, the three types of meat is key. The veal adds a nice flavor and texture, and the pork keeps it moist. If you want to get fancy, get the ground sirloin, but it really doesn't matter. Also, I have a real preference for tiny meatballs, but it is all up to you. If you like big meatballs, you're probably going to have to pop them into oven because they'll brown too quickly in the pan.
SPAGHETTI SAUCE
1/2 red bell pepper chopped fine
1/2 onion, chopped fine
1 pinch red pepper flakes
3 cups of chopped mushrooms
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
3 finely chopped garlic cloves
2 big cans tomato sauce
1 big can tomato paste
salt and pepper
Saute the vegetables and then add the sauce. Cook for about 5 minutes, then add the meatballs. Let these simmer for at least 30 minutes, but longer is fine. Just keep the heat really low. You want to see at least a few bubbles, but not excited bubbles. Just a few mellow, happy bubbles. Add the parsley, salt and pepper at the end of cooking. Keep checking for flavor.
NOTE: If it's just adults, then you can add a fair amount of red wine or white wine to the sauce. You can also add the grated parmesan at the end.
VERDICT: GUILTY! OF BEING DELICIOUS! It was a huge hit! The kids were slurping up the noodles. The adults were happy.
Banana Bread
CASE: Bring a nice house-warming gift to Brandon's sister. We were set to stay with his sister's family, three kids, as well as Brandon's mom and her husband. What to bring, what to bring? I wanted to bring something that would have a nice presentation, be yummy for adults, and be yummy for the kids. This is my favorite banana bread recipe, from Martha Stewart, but of course I tweak it a little bit. We baked it the morning before we left, and then I wrapped it in clear cellophane bags with a red string. Very pretty.
NOTE: What's so great about this recipe is that it is so basic. One cup, two cups, 1 stick. Really easy and quick to make!
BANANA BREAD
1/4 Pound (1 stick butter), room temp
1 c sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 c flour
1 t baking soda
1 t salt
At least 1 c mashed very ripe bananas, I use anywhere between 3-5 bananas!
1/2 c sour cream
1 t vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate chips (or more!)
Preheat oven to 350°F, butter 9X5X3" loaf pan. With an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs beating well. Sift (yeah right) the dry ingredients together and combine with the butter mixture. Blend well. Add the bananas, sour cream, and vanilla. Stir well. Stir in the chocolate chips and pour into the pan. Bake 1 hour until a cake tester comes out clean. Turn out onto a rack to cool.
VERDICT: GUILTY! OF BEING DELICIOUS! Everyone loved it! Even the kids! I have baked in this in mini-bundt pans and even cupcake pans. Always turns out great.
NOTE: What's so great about this recipe is that it is so basic. One cup, two cups, 1 stick. Really easy and quick to make!
BANANA BREAD
1/4 Pound (1 stick butter), room temp
1 c sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 c flour
1 t baking soda
1 t salt
At least 1 c mashed very ripe bananas, I use anywhere between 3-5 bananas!
1/2 c sour cream
1 t vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate chips (or more!)
Preheat oven to 350°F, butter 9X5X3" loaf pan. With an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs beating well. Sift (yeah right) the dry ingredients together and combine with the butter mixture. Blend well. Add the bananas, sour cream, and vanilla. Stir well. Stir in the chocolate chips and pour into the pan. Bake 1 hour until a cake tester comes out clean. Turn out onto a rack to cool.
VERDICT: GUILTY! OF BEING DELICIOUS! Everyone loved it! Even the kids! I have baked in this in mini-bundt pans and even cupcake pans. Always turns out great.
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