Duck Confit, Buttermilk Mac & Cheese, Collard Greens with Pancetta June 4, 2008

Coming clean and being public about just what I need to use up just may help to motivate a speediness that’s been absent in my kitchen. You already know about the poppy seeds that’s been hanging out in the fridge for two years. I still have about more than about cup and a half to use up after the lemony cupcakes. In the freezer I have a variety of grated cheese leftover from the grilled cheese days, six confited duck legs from way back, and frozen vegetables. In the pantry I have nuts and nut oils I should definitely step to using up before they go rancid. It’s very dark and packed in the pantry. I’ll have to assess as I move along.

For today though I concentrated on using up the grated cheeses (consisting of cheddar, truffled Italian cheese and gruyere) and just two of the duck confit legs. I have a few more ideas I want to try with the duck so I’m saving the others. Well I never really freeze my cheeses but since I had such an abundance left after the whole grilled cheese invitational thing I threw them into the big chill to worry later. It was either that or bags of moldy cheese and me left feeling very guilty.

I thought I would give the duck confit a southern twist this time around by pairing it with creamy mac & cheese and collard greens. The mac & cheese was super easy. I cooked up the ridged elbow macaroni in a big pot of salted water and when they were cooked, drained them and added them to a bowl with all the grated cheeses. I added some buttermilk until everything looked well moistened and seasoned it with salt and black pepper. I had to buy more cheddar to support the cheese part of this dish but at least out with the old and in with the new. I let the pasta soak up the liquid for a few minutes then poured the whole mixture into a well buttered baking dish and crumbled over Trader Joe’s delicious cornbread over the top along with grated parmigiano reggiano. I drizzled the top with olive oil and popped the dish into a 375 degree oven for about 30 minutes finishing it with a quick broil for extra browning on top. This is the easiest mac & cheese recipe ever. I guess because it’s not really a recipe at all. Just eyeball everything. I should have put in more cheddar though!

The collard greens likewise were super easy. I rendered pancetta in olive oil then added a smashed garlic to the pot along with a good pinch of red pepper flakes. I added sliced collard greens to the pot with a small cup of water and covered and cooked it over low heat until the mac n cheese was done. I finished it with a light squeeze of lemon juice. Since the duck was all ready to go this was a super easy meal. All I had to do was heat it up in a super hot oven to crisp up the skin. Feeling pressured to use up duck confit sitting around the freezer is not such a bad thing after all.

Girls’ Dine In May 5, 2008

Opportunities to host dinner tend to be few and far between since I live at home with my parents. But just my luck, the past weekend my folks were off to a wedding up north and I would have the place all to myself. So I snatched up this chance to have a little dinner gathering with my girl friends. I kept the menu quite simple and assigned each girl to match a wine to the course of their choice to make things little more interesting.

We started off with the romesco queso fundido which was basically a base of romesco sauce, a layer of smoked gouda, pepper jack, gruyere, and lastly a topping of sauteed peppers and onions all blasted together in the hot oven until the cheese was bubbling beautifully. This was an adaptation of Rick Bayless’s queso fundido con rajas y chorizo - melted cheese with roasted peppers and chorizo. We scooped up this cheesy goodness with French baguette toasts and accompanied it with a glass of refreshing prosecco provided by Han Nah.

Next up was a farmer’s market salad of baby chard, baby romaine, frisee, radicchio, baby spinach, toasted hazelnuts, cherry tomatoes, avocado, and parmigiano reggiano. I dressed it simply with lemon juice, red wine vinegar and olive oil. This salad satisfied my vegetable needs. I could have eaten another plate of this nutritious goodness. Natasha matched this salad nicely with a Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc 2007, Marlborough. This wine was great - light, fruity and nicely acidic. The palate descriptions on the website state that it is “a full flavored, medium-bodied wine, with an abundance of archetypal currant and gooseberry flavours, that linger on the dry, clean finish.”

I recently got a manual pasta roller so I finally got to try my hand at fresh pasta. This was my first batch so I gave a fair warning to the girls beforehand but the noodles actually came out edible and dinner disaster was averted. I made fresh pasta with white asparagus, black truffle butter and fines herbs. It was finished with a beautiful shower of parmigiano reggiano. Yum. I paired this with a 2005 Lacrima di Morro d’Alba, a DOC designated medium-bodied ancient vine Italian red. The flavors of this wine are described as violet, lychee, berry, and rose. Honestly all I remember is that it was delicious and that I will be looking for another bottle soon.

We finished the meal with homemade ice yogurt and macerated strawberries. We sipped on Lindeman’s Framboise while enjoying the sweet juicy strawberries and the tart and cold ice yogurt (aka frozen yogurt). It was a nice relaxing time eating some good food and gabbin it up with the girls. What’s better than the combination of good company and good food?

Turmeric Shrimp Noodles April 11, 2008

I’m still waiting for my brand new spankin camera to arrive in the mail so I’m hailing back to some old dishes I never posted about. A while back my friends and I headed to Viet Noodle Bar in Atwater for a leisurely weekend lunch. I had a delicious bowl of dill & turmeric fish noodle. The fish is marinated in soymilk with turmeric. Hence the beautiful golden hue. I rather enjoyed this light and clean Hanoi-style noodle dish so I decided to make a quickie version at home with shrimp. I marinated peeled and deveined shrimp with turmeric, soymilk, garlic, and fish sauce. I boiled some rice stick noodles which never softened up enough for my taste but did its job anyhow.

However the shrimps were so plump and tasty. I topped the shrimp and noodles with crispy fried shallots, refreshing cilantro, and toasted peanuts. I also made a little sauce with minced Thai chili peppers, fish sauce, garlic, and lime juice. I need my spice you know. Delicious.

Chimichurri-Marinated Pepper & Chickpea Couscous April 7, 2008

I wanted to make something quick and simple with my left over chimichurri. Chimichurri goes well with practically all types of meats and fish, working as both marinade and condiment. But I decided to go a vegetarian route. I charred and peeled red, yellow and green peppers and marinated it with chimichurri along with a can of chickpeas and cubed feta. And then poured it over fluffy whole wheat couscous and let it soak up some of the marinade.

Tagiatelle with Chanterelles, Black Truffle Butter & Creme Fraiche February 18, 2008

Sometimes all you need is a warm bowl of pasta. In this case a bowl of tagiatelle with chanterelles, black truffle butter and creme fraiche. The earthiness of the chanterelles, the pungent (and affordable) aroma of black truffle butter, and the creaminess of the creme fraiche combined well to make this rich but not too rich pasta. I herbed it up a little bit with fresh thyme, parsley and chives and finished it with a grating of parmigiano reggiano.

I made a quick stop at Larchmont Village Wine, Spirits & Cheese and the wine buyer and specialist, Simon, made a great white wine pairing for the pasta. It was De Concilis, Fiano, Donna Luna (I think ‘06) - fruity, medium-bodied with a touch of acidity and creamy finish. Imagine that with the creamy earthy pasta. Yeah, not so bad huh?

Romesco Pork Belly Pasta January 28, 2008

So after the gougeres I still had some pork belly left. Looked like just enough to make two servings of ragu. Hot meat sauce over pasta on a cold day? Ragu seemed like a great idea. It’s not a traditional ragu though, not unintentionally. I wanted to make the og style one from Marcella’s book but since I would have to get more meats and such I thought I would freehand this one with stuffs in the fridge. So if we want to be picky, let’s just call it romesco pork belly pasta.

Here is how it went down, quick and simple. I chopped up the pork belly lardons into little pieces. I opted for the better texture of hand chopping than blitzing it in the ol’ processor. I sweated some mirepoix with garlic and thyme to which I then added the chopped pork belly (finally using it all up!) and sauteed it together. I deglazed the pan with red wine (an open bottle on the kitchen table) . Then went in a few scoops of creme fraiche (which was crying out to be used from back of the fridge), chopped san marzano tomatoes with its juice, and romesco (the special guest ingredient). I simmered the whole lot until my kitchen smelled edible and I was uber hungry. Once the pasta (perciatelle which perfect for a meat sauce, imo) was done I tossed it with the sauce and added a sprinkling of chopped parsley.

After what seemed like an eternal simmering I tasted the ragu. The romesco and tomato had melded together to provide a great base for the pork belly. The red wine added a robustness to the whole sauce. I did add this with a heavy hand if I recall. It was delicious. A cold day remedy.

Comfort in a Dish - Meatloaf December 28, 2007

The Girls and I got together for a midweek holiday dinner and I offered to bring dinner. I wanted to stick to something comforting and simple so decided on meatloaf, one of my favorite comfort dishes. I went with my favorite turkey meatloaf recipe adding a twist with a version of ras el hanout, a Moroccan spice blend (or as Wiki more accurately states “a popular blend of herbs and spices is used across the Middle East and North Africa”). I added chopped red bell pepper, parsley and cilantro to the meat mixture while leaving out the tomato paste, Worcestershire, and thyme. I kept the ketchup glaze on top of the meatloaf. That’s a must!

I made a vegetable stew made with chickpeas, zucchini, carrots and tomato. I also spiced this with the ras el hanout I made for the meatloaf. This stew was simple, rustic and delicious with the warm spices running through it. I think this is going to be a stew I’m going to turn too often when I need something fast and simple.

To sop up any juices couscous was in order. I would love a couscousier someday, perhaps when I get more acquainted with Moroccan cuisine. But until then I applied the quick method of pouring hot water over a bowl of couscous, sealing it with plastic wrap and letting it steam. I added chopped parsley and cilantro to it after fluffing it with a fork.

I packed everything up and off I went to the dinner house. The Girls loved it! Great company, comfort food, and a relaxing time - what holidays should really be about.

*Take a look at the beautiful dessert my friend brought to dinner!

Japchae - Sweet Potato Starch Noodles with Vegetables November 12, 2007

Japchae is a sweet potato starch noodle dish with a variety of vegetables, mostly commonly with onion, spinach, carrots, and mushrooms. It is a special occasion dish made for parties, family gatherings, and holiday celebrations. This time it was one of my coworker’s birthday. (Happy Birthday Johnson!)

There is usually a little bit of marinated beef in japchae but I made mine with the vegetables only with the addition of red peppers. The onion, carrots, red peppers, and shiitake mushrooms were sliced thinly and sauteed separately in a combination of canola and sesame oil. The spinach was blanched and squeezed well to rid it of its excess water then marinated with a touch of sesame oil, soy sauce and sesame seeds. When the noodles were done cooking (seven minutes in boiling water), I rinsed it in cold water and drained it.

Then it was time to bring everything together. I sauteed the drained noodle in sesame oil for few minutes then added all the vegetables and soy sauce and sesame seeds to taste. It’s quite festive, colorful and delicious.

Soba with Cucumber, Radish Sprouts & Microgreens April 17, 2007

I love soba noodles! Hearty and tasty, they make a quick and flavorful meal. After cooking and rinsing the noodles under cold water, I seasoned it with ponzu, sesame oil, chili oil, and black sesame seeds. Refreshing and cool batons of cucumber, crunchy spicy radish sprouts, and delicate microgreens crowned the seasoned noodle. After a sprinkling of sliced nori I had some seriously good & fast eats in my hands.

Meatballs & Pasta March 22, 2007

My friend E bakes and I cook, so we are trying to get on the ball about catering together. We haven’t worked on any events together yet but a referral later we were sending off our proposal for a casual wedding reception party. According to E the couple already had another proposal from their local Italian restaurant but were looking into other possibilities. Here is the info I received: it was a casual wedding reception in an art gallery for 80 people, the couple was open to any kind of food, maybe looking for something different than the restaurant’s brie with dried fruit marsala reduction, grilled eggplant-ricotta rolls, meatballs in marinara, stuffed mushroom, cheese pesto sun-dried tomato torta, bruschetta.

So I made an hor d’oeuvres menu taking those things into consideration and sent it over to the couple. I didn’t get any questions or requests to add/remove any dishes so seemed like we were set. We held a tasting featuring the dishes and then waited for the answer.

A few days later E got a call saying they weren’t going to have us cater their reception, but instead were going with the other company. Arse… First, they told us they were open to anything. Second, they didn’t read the menu before they came up for the tasting. Third, doing the tasting was a waste of time and completely pointless since the couple didn’t even read the menu. I assumed that they were pleased with it which was why we were even doing the tasting in the first place.

It just came down to the fact that they didn’t like my food. I kind of got that feeling when they were eating it. But I guess it’s just a matter of preference. I like serrano ham, cabrales cheese, homemade rosemary-poppyseed shortbread, and goat cheese mousse for my cocktail parties. I don’t expect other people to like what I like but I also don’t like wasting my time making food that someone is predisposed to dislike or prefer less.

But… the Italian restaurant also proposed “Lavash rolls filled with turkey and cranberry!” Um, first off that’s not Italian and you can pick that up at Costco. Shit, I got rejected over Costco-esque roll-ups!

And you know I adore Italian food. I love poring over Marcella’s Hazan’s Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking. It’s just that I wouldn’t serve meatballs in marinara sauce at a wedding reception (unless it was served like open mini sliders on top of buttered and toasted brioche rounds, with buffalo mozzarella melted over it, garnished with a fried basil leaf and a grating of parmigiano reggiano). And I will never like getting rejected over lavash turkey roll-ups. What the hell. I feel sorry for my tastebuds and tummy everytime my work gets that for some lunch event. And my work only gets em because they have a budget of like $2/pp. I felt kind of bad over the whole thing but whatevers. Not to be so cliche, but you win some, lose some.

So I decided this would be a good time to say screw that and cook myself something delicious. Definitely something warm, comforting, and satisfying - Meatballs & Pasta. Hey, I told you I love Italian food! And I definitely love meatballs. The quiet kitchen, the repetitive peaceful movements of my knife against the cutting board, the utterly intoxicating aroma of Italian food wafting through my kitchen can make any day better.

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Tomato Sauce with Olive Oil & Chopped Vegetables and Meatballs and Tomatoes

(Marcella Hazan)

The carrot and celery in this sauce are put in a crudo, which means without the usual separate and preliminary sauteeing procedure, along with the tomatoes. The sweetness of carrot and the fragrance of celery contribute depth to the fresh tomato flavor of the sauce.

Recommended pasta - This is an all-purpose sauce for most cuts of factory-made pasta, particularly spaghettini and penne.

2 pounds fresh, ripe tomatoes, or 2 cups canned imported Italian plum tomatoes, cut up, with their juice

2/3 cup chopped carrots

2/3 cup chopped celery

2/3 cup chopped onion

Salt

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 to 1 1/2 pounds pasta

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Meatballs

(Marcella Hazan)

A slice of good-quality white bread

1/3 cup milk

1 pound ground beef, preferably chuck

1 tbsp onion chopped very fine

1 tbsp chopped parsley

1 egg

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

3 tbsp freshly grated parmigianno-reggiano cheese

Whole nutmeg

Salt

Black pepper, ground fresh from the mill

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Here is my quick and dirty mash-up adapted version of Marcella’s instructions for the two recipes above:

Process the canned roma tomatoes in the food mill or food processor if you don’t have a mill. [Thanks Hannah for the food mill!] Simmer the tomato puree and vegetables on low 30 minutes without the lid according to Marcella’s instructions.

Meanwhile, make the meatballs. Pour the milk over the crustless bread in a bowl and microwave it for a minutes or so. Then put all the ingredients in a bowl and mush it up. But don’t mush it up too much or the meatballs will be tough. I used pecorino romano instead of parmigianno reggiano because that’s what I had at home. Marcella says “Gently knead the mixture with your hands without squeezing it”. Roll them into about 1 in balls.

Marcella rolls her meatballs in dry breadcrumb and fries in in olive oil. Me: Drizzle or brush a little bit of oil on the meatballs then broil the little suckers for until they were browned all over. (Check yours every few minutes bc your broiler could be hotter/cooler than mine). Now add all of them into the simmering tomato sauce and continue to simmer them together lid on for about 10 more minutes.

Boil a large pot of water; when boiling salt generouly with kosher salt and place pasta in. When the pasta is almost done, fish out the meatballs from the tomato. Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce and toss gently as to not make a total mess of the kitchen in the color tomato. Plate the pasta with a few meatballs. A grate of pecorino romano and sprinkle of parsley and dinner is ready.