Lookahere, son! Don't stand there gawkin'! Eat real, pastured eggs.

I happened to ride by a friends house the other day while cycling, and noted that he was out working around the barns. Hmmm. Chickens are out roaming in the spring sunshine. Could there possibly be eggs in the coop?

Yes, indeedy! Real eggs. With those intense orange yolks that say “Peep! I been eatin’ bugs, grass and all manner of stuff while playing around the ranch”. I came home with a carton of six of the finest - one had a little chicken poop on it, but that’s nature for you.

We love eggs here, and eat eggs for dinner often (cereal and yogurt are out breakfast mainstays), as I make a really good omelette, poached eggs etc. They’re fast, easy (with practice) and economical. Eggs are also an excellent source of protein.

Egg manufacturers - with loads of lobbying money - will tell you that there is absolutely no difference between factory farmed eggs and pastured eggs. Bushwa! Balderdash! That only goes over with city folks who’ve never tasted a real egg.

True free-range, pastured eggs are those where the chickens are allowed to run and roam freely to graze and browse, hunt and peck, as nature intended them to. In the laboratory, pastured eggs have been shown to have higher levels of Vitamin D3, 2/3 more Vitamin A, 2 times the Omega# fatty acids, 3 times the Vitamin E, with 1/3 less cholesterol and 1/4 the saturated fat. And they are more humane!

So, you may say “But where can I get real eggs and taste the difference?” Well, if you don’t have a friend with chickens, you could look into the growing trend of raising your own ‘urban chickens’, or find a producer in your area.

Reno Egg is local pastuered egg producer, and they sell at Whole Foods and some local markets on weekends.

Gee, but what if you don’t live in the Reno area? No worries, Local Harvest can help you locate a local farm or Community Supported Agriculture source near you! Here is a list of Northern Nevada pasteured egg sources.

Now get crackin’!

Just a joke,son. Just a joke.

Oh, and here’s a post about poaching eggs the right way. And a bit about making a swell souffle omelette.

Wine Maven: FogDog Pinot Noir and Austrian Pepper Gruner Veltiner

Uh, bring home one of each, please. Or two. Better yet …

These are keepers.

I loved the FogDog Chardonnay so much, that when I saw the Pinot on the tasting menu at Whispering Vine, I snagged a sip. Oh my. That’s everything I expect out of an affordable Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir.

FogDog Pinot Noir, 2008

Great clarity and garnet color in the glass. Beautiful nose. Intense perfume, wonderful aromatics. Violets, red cherry, tangerine, spice. Hmmm, maybe black tea? Persistent tannin backbone with a fresh and lively acidity. Nice full mouth. Price: $35.00

Austrian Pepper Gruner Veltliner

I had a bottle of this in the fridge, opened the other evening, and was so impressed I had to go get another bottle. It’s perhaps still a little too cool to really appreciate this wine fully, as my palatte changes with the seasons and temperature, but this is going to be a killer warmer weather wine.

The Gruner Veltliner grape is grown in Austria, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, and has a reputation for being particularly food friendly. I can vouch for that. It’s generally drunk young, but can be aged. The Gruner Veltliner grape accounts for at least a third of Austria’s wine production.

The color is a pale gold with green. Very aromatic, it has distinctive citrus notes with wild herbs, salad greens. You’ll also note a very slight, nice effervescence. Although it’s fruit forward, the Pepper in the name is there for a reason. There is a very distinct white pepper note on the finish. Nice mouth. Clean finish.

Try this very affordable wine, and I guarantee you that you will become hooked. Price: $15.99

This can certainly become one of your fav go-to white wines for spring and summer.

-maven

Yellow Cauliflower Tastes As Good As It Looks

I simply think the yellow cauliflower is one of the most beautiful veggies in the market these days. That golden yellow color almost screams sunny healthfulness, and it has a mellow flavor that melds easily with so many other veggies that you might have handy.

Tonight, I had half a head of the yellow wonder left in the veggie bin, along with a yellow squash, a zuchinni and some cherry tomatoes that needed to be used up. A simple braise with wine, butter and fresh herbs sounded like the right technique to showcase it all.

When I talk about the right technique for the ingredients, I hope you will take me seriously. For any food to be successful, you have to marry it to the appropriate technique. This is why I say beginning cooks should learn technique first - then they can quickly adapt on the fly to fresh, seasonal ingredients, creating a beautiful marriage of taste, texture and presentation.

This dish proves that you don’t have to rely on heavier Indian recipes to deliver really tasty, easy to love cauliflower to the table quickly and easily.

In this case, I set the cauliflower to steaming (for about 6-8 minutes) while I prepped the other ingredients - yellow squash, zuchinni, shallots, a couple cloves of garlic, and minced fresh herbs.

In a hot non-stick pan, with some grapeseed oil, I lightly sauteed the squash and shallots, adding the cherry tomatoes, garlic and herbs after a couple minutes. By this time, the cauliflower was al dente, and ready to join the party.

I love the sweet-tart pop of the cherry tomatoes as you bite into them!

After combining all the veg and ingredients, up the heat and add a couple generous splashes of white wine and a couple pats of butter. A sprinkle of sea salt and ground pepper are next. Let this all cook over medium-high for just a couple minutes more, stirring occasionally. Add a bit more wine and butter, if you want - why not? If you’d like a bit of heat, toss in some red pepper flakes. Hmmm. Shoulda’ done that.

Having learned this technique ( steaming, saute and braising), you can use it to cook any number of vegetable combinations - again, taking advantage of what is fresh and seasonal and beautiful. The wine, butter and fresh herbs take it all up several notches in flavor, and I think you will be able to please the most veggie-resistant members of your family. This side dish only took about 15 minutes total - prep, steam and braise.

The guy across the dinner table from me tonight pronounced it “really good.”

High praise, indeed.

-maven

The Pain and Glory of Local Restaurants

As regular readers will already know, we’re big supporters of local restaurants. Confronted with a choice of A) The Chain vs B) The Local, we’ll opt for the local eatery each and every time. I believe that local eaterys contribute much more to a community than just jobs and chow. Local restaurants - especially in the current economy - are bucking the tide, going it alone. They are putting it all on the line to be a part of a neighborhood and community that is richer for having them there.

This is why it pains me when I frankly just don’t like a beloved local joint.

The Squeeze In opened their third iteration this weekend. It’s so convenient, actually walking distance or a short bike ride from our house, at The Grove on Foothill and South Virginia. The Grove is a welcome new addition to our south suburban Reno scene - hosting Whispering Vine wine shop and Yosh’s Deli (opening soon), in addition to a fine little farmers market in the summer.

I’ve had issues about the Squeeze In up in northwest Reno since it opened there. The service is awesome, and it’s abundantly clear that they have a successful formula that seems to work for a lot of folks over time. It just wasn’t working for me and mine. Somehow, I hoped this third try might be different somehow.

Here’s the deal: The off-beat, ski-bum scribble all over the walls decor makes me weary. It totally fit in wacky old Truckee, but when I saw it in a northwest strip mall, it seemed contrived and awkward. At the decidedly upscale and chic ‘Grove’ location, it takes contrived and awkward to new levels. It’s completely out of place. The similarly frantic cutesyness of the menu takes it right over the top. My elderly mom has a hard enough time trying to decode a regular menu. She won’t even try with the menu at the Squeeze Inn, and I’m not sure she’s wrong. ‘Hot Sweaty Busboy’ Omelette? What’s that? Eggs with B.O.?

WTF?

I could chalk all of this up to my own overly picky aesthetic, if the food were consistently good. It’s good … occasionally, as I’ve blogged about …. but not so we can count on it. Saturday’s opening day was a let down - and wouldn’t you know, I left the phone/camera at the house.

We both ordered omelettes. I got a Number 60: Nicky’s Big Fat ‘Greek’ Omelette made with egg whites. The menu said “no windex required… Red bell peppers, spinach, olives, feta cheese and pesto.” The only thing Greek was the feta cheese. To dump an entire small can of sliced black olives into one smallish omelette doesn’t make it Greek. Nor does big wet wads of spinach. The sliced tomatoes that I got instead of potatoes were mushy. Thank gawd for their signature Tomato Pesto sauce on the side to liven things up.

Ron ordered a egg beaters omelette with green and red bell pepper and sausage. He reported the sausage as grey and tasteless, and looking uncomfortably like SPAM. The potatoes were coolish.

For this and coffee, the tab was nearly $35. And, that included the one very small slice of toast.

Sunday morning, we took my mom to Lakeside Bar & Grill on Lakeside and Moana. This is what used to be Truckee Bar & Grill II for nearly 20 years. Cesar is the new chef/owner, and he comes from a solid chain restaurant background. I’m glad he’s decided to risk it here at a favorite location, because he’s got the potential to really shine as a niche player.

Here’s my breakfast omelette:

This is exactly what I asked for, and miles ahead of what I got at SqueezeIn. The spinach, tomatoes and dash of cheese are nicely incorporated, with just enough of each. Not too little or too much. A nice balance between fluffy fresh eggs and the additions. And ‘fresh’ is the operative word at Lakeside. Everything tasted like absolutely fresh high quality ingredients. You never get the sense that Cesar is cheaping out to keep the price down.

I poked my head in back to give my regards and kudos on the meal and watched Cesar, intensely focused and deftly plating a picture perfect California Benedict worthy of FoodNetwork. The fierce pride he takes in each plate of food is obvious.

Cesar also raised the bar with the staff and the restaurant interior. It’s not anything uppity like The Grill at Quail Corners (which I’ll mention in a moment), just really comfy and nice. The help is so well trained and function like a real team, right down to the busboys. They’re classy in spite of their more humble surroundings.

Given a lot of choices around Reno, I’ll default with glee to Lakeside Bar & Grill every time. And for three of us, Sunday breakfast …. $29. That’s some difference from the $35 tab for two at SqueezeIn.

Now, if I could talk Cesar into doing even a simple, cursory webpage - all the better to link you to.

So, I mentioned The Grill at Quail Corners. Ron and I stopped in for a quick lunch there on Friday. Hmmm, what shall I say …. pretentious, expensive and, gee … not special. Won’t make that mistake again. Ron’s burger was dry and tasteless, and plated in what must have been a hurry. Let’s call it unintentionally deconstructed. The french fries weren’t half as good at Lakeside Bar & Grill (Hot. Crispy. Tender.). They were just your same old frozen food service fries … kinda blah, taking up room on the plate. The waitress was confused by Ron’s asking for just a half-order of fries.

I ordered a salad special - a very small portion of fish wrapped in proscuitto and grilled, atop a bed of uninspired, undressed greens and grilled cantalope slices. But it came on a really big goofy plate, which must have justified the price? No? Oh, and I don’t recommend grilling cantalope.

The Grill at Quail Corners might work for the die-hard lunch ladies and the expense account crowd, but I value my dollars too much for that.

Then there’s Pegs Ham ‘n Eggs at South Meadows. Love it. Love it. Love it!

Although they are all owned by the same family, there are different managers at each. The downtown location was always a little too busy and noisy - attracting a younger crowd. The northwest location is just too far away. We eat at the South Meadows Blvd location probably two to three times a week. And although the menu has plenty of huge skillets and large portion offering available, they also don’t make you feel like some sort of annoyance if you’re a light eater.

Their sliders are great. The fries are hot-crispy-tender-yummy. The half BLT is so perfect, served with a cup of fruit, coleslaw, salad or whatever. The house made soups are to die for ( in close competition with Cesar at Lakeside!).  Yes, the decor isn’t going to make the restaurant design magazines, but the food and people are what we come for. And, the prices are entirely fair. The owners know us by name and the staff is wonderful. The love, energy and commitment are truly there.

When we’re not at Peg’s or Lakeside, we’ll often be spotted at Tamarack Junction. It’s not ‘cuisine’, but pretty much what you expect for casino chow. That said, they really have knocked themselves out over the years to give us exactly what we wanted. I can’t say that for every similar establishment in Reno. Again, a consistent level of quality, staff that has been there for the long term, and very fair prices are what keep us going back.

Bistro7? What can I say? I’ve loved it and hated it. Loved it when they weren’t over-reaching. You can guess the rest. I’ve taken some national celebrity types to B7 (that they didn’t recognize, which is funny) since it was a place that could make Reno seem like a little more than it is. But I can only take so much ‘clever’ food hits and misses until I run the other direction looking for well-made classics. I’ve heard they have a new executive chef, so we really should give them another try for lunch. Hope springs eternal.

Although they aren’t strictly speaking a Reno restaurant, Adele’s in Carson City, is still identified by Renoite’s as THE PLACE for that special meal. Quite honestly, I think Charlie Abowd’s cuisine always provides a good reason to drive to Carson City for lunch. Adele’s is light years ahead of pretenders such as The Grill, having withstood the tests of time, recessions and their ill-fated foray into downtown Reno.

We went down to Adele’s with friends last week, and we all had a great experience. I’m not usually a fan of duck, but Suggie’s plate darn near changed my mind. Another of our group tried the individual portion of rack of lamb, and pronounced it very toothsome. My seabass in a saffron butter sauce was a delight, while Ron supped on a downsized portion of beef short ribs that were falling apart tender.

Charlie has apparently heard the news that aging upscale diners are beginning to feel the pinch - both in their wallets and waistlines, and are looking for scaled back offerings that might be more in line with who we are today. If he’s really on a less is more approach, offering smaller plates of wonderfully crafted, stunningly, fresh seasonal elements, then he’s on the right track with us. We’ll make the drive even more often.

Oh, and here’s another way Charlie Abowd get’s it. He’s so on to the Social Media marketing reality. I’m seeing Facebook posts that make me drool. I told Katie at Peg’s South Meadows today that they really need to get on that social media/website train or be left at the station. That goes for Cesar at Lakeside Grill, too.

We were at Washoe Grill on Fourth St. about a month ago on one of our very snowy nights. I adore the warmth and more elegant western charm of the place. But the menu just misses for us somehow. Maybe it’s because we’re just not that ‘into’ big portions of meat anymore. If they had offered some smaller portions of really incredible, local grass-fed and finished beef, heritage pork, wild game or something of that nature … maybe we’d be inclined to return. Otherwise, we decided to leave it to the dedicated carnivores. The service that night was lackluster and emotionless, definitely not in keeping with western hospitality. It might as well have been Denny’s as far as the salad and soup selections were concerned.

Francis’ Asian Bistro is another longtime local place that riffed off of the old Palais de Jade on Moana Lane, and the now closed Kyoto. We took my cousins from Arkansas there a few months ago, wanting to really give them an authentic experience. At the end of the evening I was greatful that they were so unaccustomed to upscale dining experiences that they would never realize what a disappointment it was. I told Ron after we parted that the place had lost that certain energy and passion that a place needs to carry it through the tough times. We both sensed that the kitchen was just going through the motions with Asian ingredients in a thick brown sauce. The sushi was at best mediocre.

Perhaps the energy has been diverted to the new Rim in the Grand Sierra Resort, which we haven’t tried. Our experiences with casino offerings of this type have been mostly dismal - more hype than substance.

With Kyoto’s closing, I’m hoping that Reno will be blessed in the near future with another authentic Japanese restaurant, but I won’t hold my breath.

Finally, I’d like to mention Sezmu on Mt Rose Street in Reno. I’ve only been there once, but it was really very good. I like to go back more often, but am waiting for warmer weather. It was blisteringly cold the night we went with another couple, and were seated right by the front door - it’s not a big space and tables are limited. We all thought we’d freeze to death, and asked for another table. We loved the meal, but were pulling our coats around our shoulders all evening. Sezmu is offering some of Reno’s only truly inventive cuisine, and I couldn’t fault the execution in any way.

Sezmu get’s it right, without over-reaching, without letting the food fall victim to creativity. Small plate offerings are there in spades, so it’s great for socializing and sharing. It’s definitely worth being persistant, as I’d like to see them succeed. I’ve noticed that they need to keep their website updated. When we’re planning a night out, I’m on the web immediately, checking specials and such.

Oh, and here’s a pet peeve of mine. If a restaurant is going to have a web presence, then put the damn address, phone and hours of operation right on the front - HIGHLY VISIBLE. If I’m on my iphone, I don’t want to go through two or three tiny pages to find out that you’re not actually open on Sundays or Mondays.

Well, that’s my take on the current crop of local offerings. One thing that I’ve discovered is that creating a restaurant brand that endures over the long haul takes a herculean effort. I really do admire the people who hang it all out there on a nightly basis, take the successes and the criticism’s, and still survive to make it better and stronger.

I salute them. You should too, with your business. Chains come and go. There is no loyalty to the community. It’s the locals that make our city thrive with a rich tapestry of food and culture.

-maven

The World's Most Seductive, Mysterious Spice: A Source Update

Awhile back, I did a post about the use of the most precious of all the world’s spices - Saffron. It’s history is steeped in legend dating back more than 3,000 years, stretching from ancient Persia, to Kashmir, to Moorish Spain, Italy and North Africa.  Cleopatra bathed in it, Alexander used it to cure battle wounds. Those who dared to adulterate it were executed during the Middle Ages. A war was fought over it when an 800-lb. shipment was stolen by European noblemen.

Yeah, I guess you can say it’s just that special and good.

Today, saffron remains rare and prized, since it takes more than 50,000 flowers to produce just one pound of the precious, hand-picked red stigmas. This is why it’s so expensive - luckily a little goes a long way. Therefore, I’m always on the hunt for a trusted supplier who sells quality saffron - preferably Iranian - at fair prices.

One of the online suppliers I mentioned in earlier posts - Sargol Saffron (www.PersianSaffronOnline)- has changed some links, so I wanted to update my readers.

Sargol Saffron offers some of the finest premium grade Iranian saffron available in the United States. You can count on it to be absolutely pure, without any fillers (such as lesser grade saffron) or adulteration by dyes or other substances. Saffron is rightly referred to as Red Gold, so you should be careful about who you purchase it from.

Although saffron is grown in many parts of the world, the Iranian Sargol (the word indicates the highest quality of saffron threads) is the most highly prized and sought after due to it’s complex fragrance and flavor profiles. Just a small package - two grams - can be used to flavor a variety of wonderful dishes, from soups and stews, rice, meats, vegetables and even teas and desserts! You’ll find many great recipes on the Sargol Saffron website, in addition to other food/cooking websites - encompassing several cuisines such as Italian, French, North African, Middle Eastern and Persian, and Indian. For this reason, buying the best saffron is still a very good value.

Sargol Saffron has both 2 and 4 gram packages available at a price of $28 and $56 respectively. Other size packages are available upon inquiry. Sargol Saffron ships free in the United States, from Los Angeles.

-maven

Update on Tuesday, March 29, 2011 at 12:46 by mavenandmeddler

If you are looking for Spanish Saffron at great prices, look no further than JulietMae, one of Maven’s preferred spice vendors.

Use the link below:

FYI; Ironically, I have a sale on for Spanish Saffron-perhaps you saw this listed in our latest newsletter; here is the link in case anyone is interested: http://www.julietmae.com/products/Super-Saffron-Sale-.html

Recipes or Technique? Hard Lessons Learned

I have an enormous collection of cookbooks. They go as far back as the one my great-grandmother jotted recipes down in her light scrawl, with additions and notes made by my late father.  To say I go way back as a foodie is an understatement. But I’ve recently discovered is that collecting all those recipes is nice from a purely archival or historical perspective, but completely useless when it came to learning to cook.

There was something missing.

I could certainly cook, and cook well … as long as I followed a recipe. And if you have access to lots of recipes, then you can really appear to know your way around a kitchen. It works - until you try and ‘wing’ it, or improvise. Shortcuts that went oh, soooo wrong. Throw it all in a big pot and see what happens?

It can go to hell in a soup pot.

Maybe there was something I was missing. Something vitally important.

Last year I decided to put more effort toward finding and filling the gaps in my knowledge of cooking - and I found that those gaps were not in the number of recipes, or the familiarity I had with various types of cuisine. Those things were encyclopedic. The gaps were in basic, fundamental technique.

Why and when braise? How to braise? Why certain cuts of meat will never become falling apart tender and succulent in the wrong recipe. How to cook eggs in every way possible - without fail. Every single time. One of my biggest challenges was to pare down recipes and the number of ingredients in them until I had the essence of the thing. Less really is more in this case. You don’t need the entire produce aisle in a great salad with a deftly made, fresh, classic vinaigrette.

Quantity of ingredients only goes so far in masking a lack of technique.

I set forth to learn these things. You would be amazed at the dozens of eggs I went through - to learn to properly scramble, poach and fry. I developed hellish cramps in my arm from hand whipping egg whites by hand for the perfect soufflé or omelet.

Vegetables were another challenge. How to get those perfectly al dente, tasty veggies just like the better restaurants. Keep the color and freshness, yet cooked through. The secret was fairly simple once I figured it out. But oh, I went through a lot of them in the process - and so did my family.

The blog notes the successes, not so much the fails. And the frustrated tears. And swearing. One day, three pots of ‘from scratch’ vanilla bean pudding went down the drain - they curdled. Now I get it.

And, I watched Ti-Vo’d cooking shows. By the freaking hour - from my perch on the treadmill.

I didn’t care so much what they were cooking. I honed in on how they moved, how they held their knives, why cut it one way rather than another. Why this step before that one? Then I’d go into the kitchen and try it myself. Taking some hands on cooking classes helped, too. Particularly when it came to watching other people really muck it up - by not understanding the fundamentals.

Suddenly it began to click. Now I’ll simply glance at a recipe - sometimes just to see which techniques are involved, in what sequence, and a basic grasp of the ingredients. Understand the ‘approach’, and then let mastery of the fundamentals take over.

I finally understand that the sequence of events in the kitchen is very, very important. Let things come to room temperature. Softened butter isn’t created at the last minute in the microwave. Creaming butter and sugar together, and then adding the dry. Let the dough chill.  There’s a point to all of this.

Learning the techniques has helped the bottom line.

Now I can more freely use those ingredients that are seasonal and fresh or on special - rather than slavishly pursuing the ingredient list from a recipe. Now I can comfortably adapt dishes on the fly, which is even more important in this economy.

And at the end, there isn’t a recipe in all of my many cookbooks that frightens me. Since I know they all boil down to basic, well-tested fundamental steps that I’m already in command of. And this is very liberating.

I’m not done learning. I don’t think I will ever be. But I’m a much more confident cook now, and enjoy it much more.

Technique is like knowing the alphabet. It makes reading - or cooking - less of a challenge and opens up a whole new world.

-maven

Tuscan Swiss Chard. Totally Satisfying.

There was a super deal on Swiss Chard at the market the other day - I mean big time. Two huge bunches of gorgeous organic chard for $6.00. I left with, um … a lot, because we really like it. Rainbow chard, green chard, red chard. It was an explosion of outrageous leafy color spilling out of my grocery bags.

Normally, I do chard quickly. Saute pan, olive oil, a bit of garlic. Badda bing, badda boom. Done. Maybe add some golden raisins and toasted pine nuts. But tonight I needed something more to take to a potluck dinner. Hmmmm. Tomatoes - fresh and canned, some Italian brown beans, fresh herbs maybe. Loads of onions. Yup. If you’re dieting, this is for you. If you’re trying to cut down on sodium, this is for you. If you’re trying to branch out and discover that green stuff in the produce section, this is for you.

It was so damn good that I almost decided to keep it at home, except that we’re going out the next two nights. All this needed was some big crusty bread and wine. This is a completely vegan dish that confirmed omnivores can deal with and enjoy.

The ingredients are so simple: One giant bunch of chard - color of your choice - rinsed, drained and cut up. A can of whole tomatoes - and if, like me, you had a bunch of nice little cherry tomatoes - throw those in, too. A half of a small onion - minced. A bunch of fresh garlic - I put four or five cloves in. Smashed. A can of quality beans like Canellini - rinsed and drained. Some really good olive oil - I don’t usually uses the good stuff to cook with, but in this case did. And finally … a lot of good fresh herbs. Rosemary, oregano, marjoram, thyme, parsley.

Oh la, la. The smell of fresh herbs is to die for.

Saute the onions, garlic and herbs in quite a nice bit of olive oil. You’re using the really flavorful stuff, so don’t be skimpy. Toss in the cherry tomatoes, while you’re at it. Let the onions get almost transparent.

Mash in the chard. It’s going to threaten to overwhelm the pot, but be forceful. Don’t take ‘no’ for an answer. Put the lid on and let it cook - braise - for about two minutes.

This is what you get:

Reduce the heat, and now add in the tomatoes - breaking them up with your fingers - and the beans.

A couple pinches of sea salt and a bit of pepper is all that I put in beyond this point. And it was heaven for these serious vegetable lover. I’d be comfy serving this to any of my vegan friends. For the flexitarian crowd, add some nice curds of fresh goat cheese to melt on top.

Now go get a nice loaf of hot bread, some good butter, a glass of wine and enjoy! Oh, and it went very nicely with Suggie’s brisket tonight.

-maven

Swedish Salads: Tasty, Easy and Very Healthy

My namesake Grandmother - Ruth Valborg Isakson - immigrated from Sweden. And, I was raised with a whole big family of native-born Swedes in Salt Lake City. Names like: Ivar, Thorston (Uncle Tuss), Rudi, Esther Ingebor, Elizabeth Dagmar … Yup, the vinegared salads were a frequent thing at our own family smorgasbord. Along with the ever present huge rounds of Knackabrot crisp rye bread with loads of fresh butter from Aunt Esther and Uncle Tom’s dairy on 45th South.

Oh, smoked trout, too. Uncle Ivar had a fish camp at Strawberry Reservoir for probably 50 years. Homemade Lever Pastje, punctuated with black peppercorns, served with little cornichon pickles. Boiled eggs. Pickled beets were always on the table. With loads of strong black coffee. Good mormons all. LOL. The church was a means to get the hell out of old feudal Sweden.

There are times when I just can’t help myself, and have to really get crazy with the marinated salads, particularly in the Spring. Hence the following:

Betade Golden Beet Sallad med Watermelon Rädisa

5-6 small to medium ‘golden’/yellow beets

4-5 Watermelon Radishes or other type radish

Zest of half an orange, plus juice

Fresh dill weed and flowers if you can find it

Apple cider vinegar

Grapeseed or other mild oil

Agave nectar or honey

1/4 tsp Ground white pepper, 1/4 tsp. onion powder, Pinch sea salt, Pinch red pepper flakes

Boil the beets in water (heavy pot) until easily pierced by a sharp paring knife. Drain them and set into cold water to cool slightly. The skins will slip right off with light pressure. Once the beets are cleaned and rinsed, slice them into a bowl. Add the sliced watermelon radish, and the grated zest of half the orange. Add about two tablespoons of roughly chopped dill fronds. Reserve more for garnish.

Mix up your dressing with approximately equal parts vinegar, honey or agave nectar, juice of the orange, and oil. Whisk. Adjust the tartness to taste. Add the pepper, onion powder, sea salt and red pepper flakes. Whisk thoroughly, and taste to adjust the salt etc.

Pour over the beets and chill for at least one hour.

 

Saltgurka mangosallad

One large cucumber, peeled, seeded, sliced lengthwise in half, sliced across

1 ‘Manila’ mango, in bite-sized cubes

1/3 of a red onion, thinly sliced

1 cup of cherry tomatoes

Fresh dill weed - mince up two or three fronds

1/4 tsp Ground white pepper, 1/8 tsp onion powder, Pinch sea salt, Pinch red pepper flakes

Zest of half an orange, plus the juice

Apple cider vinegar, agave nectar or honey, grapeseed or other mild oil (see above).

I leave some of the peel on the cucumber if they haven’t been waxed, for looks, taking about half of it off. When you seed the cucumber, just run a teaspoon down the center to scoop out the seeds.

See the Gold Beet recipe for the dressing. Chill for about one hour. I’ll probably serve this with some crumbled hard boiled egg on top.

Both of these salads are great the same day, and for a couple days following (if there is any left). Makes an excellent lunch box addition.

As, I said on the Facebook post, we’re having this with Rabbit Sausages that have been cooked in beer - with mustard, roasted sweet potatoes, and some sauteed swiss chard tonight.

Ooops. It’s St. Patrick’s Day. Oh, well.

More Knife Skills

Knowing proper knife skills will give you much more confidence in the kitchen. Although I have decent knife skills, I still watch these to refresh my memory. We all get lazy.

I’m including more than one chef, since they all impart information and individual styles in a different way. I got something from each, and I hope you will as well. One thing I always tell friends learning to cook is that they should first invest in good knives and knife skills - both go much further than all the expensive, cutesy food choppers and gadgets out there ( most of which are designed for people with no knife skills).

I love this one on garlic. I’ve stood there and watched people struggle with peeling and chopping garlic, and wondered “WTF?” Even worse, are all those stupid little garlic peeling, crushing gadgets. Who has the money or storage space for all that crap? Learn to use your friggin’ knives.

Skinning and Filleting a Flat Fish

These are invaluable knife skills to know, even if you don’t wish to skin and fillet the fish yourself. I do like to do it myself, since I can then have the bones to use in stock - getting more value for my dollar!

This can also be used with fresh sole, uh, which I happened to see whole, on ice over at Whole Foods yesterday. Hmmmm. May have to nip back over there.

Play the video at SD or slow speed, otherwise it will drive you nuts.

Lentil Stew: Flexible, Flavorful and Frugal

There’s everything to love about lentils - healthy, cheap, flavorful, easy to cook, versatile - that I don’t know why more home cooks aren’t using them these days. Whipping up a lentil stew takes perhaps 20 minutes for the preparation and an hour to simmer, and is perfect for that Saturday night meal that will make a nice brown bag lunch item during the week.

Brown, red, green and yellow lentilsThere are dozens of varieties of lentils, and they are used around the world - especially by vegetarians - in many cultures and cuisines. Called pulses, they are high in protein plus the essential amino acids and lysine that would otherwise be lacking in exclusively plant based diets. Most common types of lentils in America and Europe are the Green Lentils (also called Brown, German, Indian Brown), French Green Lentils (also called Puy), Yellow Lentils, Red Lentils, and Black Lentils (also called Beluga for their resemblance to caviar). The all have slightly different flavor profiles, but the greater difference aside from their color, is textural -whether they cook down soft or retain their shape when cooked.

In the following recipe, I used the Black/Beluga Lentils, since I wanted them to keep the shape and more al dente texture, rather than cooking down to a softer, creamier consistency for soup.

Lentils are so easy to cook, since they don’t take any of the pre-soaking that dried beans do. At the minimum, you need only combine them with sauteed onion, carrot, celery, then add some type of liquid - such as water, a broth, canned tomatoes or wine. Sausage or smoked meats like ham, turkey, duck or bacon are naturals to cook with lentils for the omnivores among us.

As you can see, I just started with small diced celery, onion and carrot which I sauteed in olive oil. I added some minced garlic, too.

When the sauteed vegetables had reached an al dente stage, I added a few Bay Leaves, and a good handful of fresh, minced herbs from those I always have on hand in the refrigerator. Today it was fresh flat leaf/Italian parsley, thyme, rosemary and oregano.

Now I was ready to add my lentils - and you can see why the Black Lentils are referred to as Beluga. They do look like Beluga Caviar! Another thing that you want to add to lentils in ground pepper. After cooking this a bit more, I added a large can of diced tomatoes (no added salt), and a small carton of chicken broth.

To heighten the flavors of my lentil stew - since I wasn’t going to add any meat - was a combination of flavoring ingredients that I keep on hand. In this case, anchovy paste and rich double concentrate tomato paste. I love this tomato paste in the tube, since you can just use what you want, and put the cap back on and toss it back in the veggie bin.

I also put in some ham flavoring and a bit of chicken demi glace. To give it even more depth, I use the juice from one half of a small lemon. Lemon juice or vinegar really helps you to cut down the amount of salt in a dish, while brightening up the flavor profile.

The prep part took about 20 minutes all told, then I added a tight lid to the pot and simmered it for the better part of an hour, stirring occasionally. This type of dish is even better after it’s set a couple days, so it’s perfect for lunch or dinner for several days. I also like to put either some creamy plain yogurt on my warm lentil stew, or soft, creamy fresh goat cheese curds, or a shave of parmesan cheese. You can also serve the stew as a sauce over brown rice, cooked quinoa or other whole grain for a complete meal. Or add some crusty bread and a tossed green salad.

Give lentils a try.

-maven

Poulet Catalan: Chicken In the Style of Catalonia

I wasn’t going to blog about this, but my guests tonight insisted - in those rare moments when they weren’t slopping up the sauce from the serving platter like people who hadn’t eaten all day. Good thing that I made a couple notes, and as is my custom, took a couple photos - to remind myself what the hell I did.

Really, this is an incredible dish, that is actually quite easy to prepare. There are two secrets to it: time (as in slow, low cooking) and using the right ingredients.

This is essentially chicken cooked in a tomato sauce with oranges - and is typical of Spanish cuisine. But that description is deceptively simple. These flavors are complex, highly nuanced, many layered and bold - demanding a decent Zinfandel or Merlot with herbal, chocolate notes. This is a dish that grabs you and won’t let go. I’m glad there were leftovers, since it will be even better tomorrow night.

As I said, this dish is reminiscent of the Catalan region of Spain, but borrows some of it’s bits from adjoining France. At any rate, this is truly Mediterranean ‘Slow Food’ - trading on real ingredients, authenticity, care of preparation. This is the polar opposite of ‘fast food’.

Smoked Spanish Pimenton, oranges (bitter oranges if you have them) and spanish saffron are the key players.  The incredible, nutty Spanish Romesco Sauce - indicative of Catalonia -adds amazing depth of flamor. Oh, and a free range chicken. The kind with the honest, flavorful yellow fat and meat that actually tastes like something other than the styrofoam containers other factory chicken comes in.

Unless you can do this dish right, don’t attempt it. Sorry to be like that, but anything less … well, you’ll get the ho-hum dish you deserve.

This is where you go the extra effort - for an ‘impress the boss’ or show your new Mother-in-law that you really can cook type dish.

Ingredients - serves 6

One 5lb (approx.) free range chicken - preferrably air chilled, not water chilled. More intense flavor.

1/2 pound bulk chorizo sausage - or two big! Chorizo sausages in the casing, cut up

5 slices of thick, smokey bacon - cut into large bite-sized pieces

2-3 cups of Spanish white wine (you can substitute any dry white wine)

1/2 cup Romesco sauce See the video on this same blog for the easy recipe/technique. I keep a jar of this in my fridge most of the time.

1 large onion - cut into inch pieces

6-8 cloves of fresh garlic, chopped

2 oranges, bitter oranges, blood oranges, or Minneola Tangelos

1 tablespoon of honey

1 28-ounce can of San Marzano ‘Crushed’ or ‘Puree’ tomatoes (or similar quality Italian tomatoes, such as Cento, DeLallo, Carmelina, Bella Terra, Strianese brands. Whole Foods carries them in addition to specialty grocers. )

2 tablespoons Spanish Smoked Pimenton (Paprika) Do Not substitute Hungarian Paprika

.5 gram or one scant teaspoon Spanish or Morrocan Saffron (an expensive ingredient, but see my sources below to save money)

One bunch of fresh rosemary

2 teaspoons sea salt

A couple pinches ground pepper

Olive oil for browning the chicken, and more to brown the sausage and onions

 

Technique

Rinse your chicken under cool water and pat very dry with paper towels. Cut the chicken up. If you don’t know how to cut up a chicken, shame on you. Learn. Paying top dollar for cut-up chicken is silly. Learn to sharpen a knife and how to properly use one.

Once you’ve cut up your chicken, lightly salt it. Heat up a large, heavy bottomed pot, add the olive oil - and when the oil is hot, add one of the cut up oranges and some of the rosemary stems. You’re flavoring the oil. Add the chicken. Brown the chicken all over. Don’t skimp here. Color (browning) equals flavor. Don’t over-crowd the pan with chicken or it will steam rather than brown. Do this step in stages.

While the chicken is browning, prep your other ingredients.

When the chicken is done, remove it to paper towels to drain. Remove the oranges and rosemary. If you need to wipe out the pot and refresh the olive oil, do it now. Add the chorizo, bacon, garlic and onion. Saute for about 5 minutes.

When the chorizo, bacon, garlic and onions are nearly ready, add the paprika and saffron, and stir to combine. Add the wine. You want to raise the heat a bit and let the wine reduce for a few minutes.

Add the can of crushed tomatoes, the Romesco Sauce, honey, the chicken, the other cut up orange, two to three stems of rosemary (cut in half if they’re large). Just tuck all this down into the tomato sauce and sausages.

Cover tightly and simmer over the lowest heat setting for about 2 hours.

Prepare to be amazed.

Serve with lots of crusty artisan bread, a huge salad with a light viniagrette made with Spanish Sherry Vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil and agave nectar. Grate some nice parmasan over the salad and serve.

-maven

Saffron: I have ordered from Sahar Saffron, and find their quality to be excellent, and prices are more than fair. I suggest you try the Sample Pack of all three - Kashmiri, Spanish Mancha and Moroccan for $25. I realize this is a lot, but it does go a long way and keeps well in the freezer. I’ve kept the big hand-tied ‘hanks’ of Iranian saffron - well wrapped - in the freezer for nearly a year.

You can also buy Saffron on Amazon, at La Tienda Spanish grocer. But I haven’t been able to find better prices for the quality on the Saffron anywhere but Sahar. You can get really nice Iranian Sargol saffron from Persian Saffron Online.

Wine: I recommend a Merlot - like the Provenance Vineyards 2007 Merlot or a Cabernet Sauvignon such as Napa Cellars 2008 Cab or a Zinfandel that isn’t on the ‘fruity’ side such as an Earthquake (Lodi) 2008 Zinfandel. I should note that the Napa Cellers Cab is awesome but must be decanted for the flavors to open up. The Provenance Vineyards Merlot should be opened at least 30 minutes prior to drinking.

You want something with ‘earth’, ‘leather’, soft integrated tannins, chocolate, blackberries or cherries, cassis, cloves, herbs and spices. Certainly not a big fruit palate.

For the white wine I used in the cooking, I happened to have a bottle of Jeromin Zestos Blanco Malvar Madrid 2009 in the cooler and used that. It’s inexpensive and nice - but you could just as easily use any decent $10 California white here.

Depression Cooking: Poor Man's Feast

Say what you want, but this woman can beat all the fancy-schmancy cooks - including me - when it comes to putting love on the table in the face of hardship.

Clara is the exact same age as my own mother. Clara cooks way better than my own mother, which is why I learned to cook at such a young age. Ma learned to cook in Kansas, which may explain her inability to do anything more than incinerate okra, and generally ruin every other vegetable she encountered.

My mother would take one look at this woman’s cooking, and immediately tell me that Clara must have come from money. Everything was harder in Kansas, you know. That became my mother’s religion - the dust bowl. Everything being hard. Bitter disappointment.

Ma is devout.

I love Clara.

The Killer Sicilian Caponata of All Time

Yup. I said it, and I heard it. It’s the best caponata you’ve ever tried, and I don’t wanna hear that your old Grannie from Sicily …. yada, yada.

This is to die for. It’s everything vegetable lovers love about vegetables well prepared. It’s everything that people who think they don’t like vegetables will learn to love about good, fresh vegetables well prepared. This is a dream dish for vegans - serve with some brown rice and lentil pilaf, and it’s outta this world.

This is a Mother’s love on a plate. Savory, with a hint of sweet and sour pickle goodness. A bit of smokey heat from Spanish Pimenton paprika. Meat eaters can love this with pork or poultry.

The only thing that you must have in this very flexible dish is eggplant. Ignore the members of your family who think they don’t like eggplant. My husband will tell you he doesn’t like eggplant. He makes faces when he sees me buy it. He loves this dish! I just don’t mention that there’s eggplant in it.

Even better, once you get the technique of this down, then it’s infinitely variable. You can clean out the veggie bin and still serve this for company, and they’ll think you’re a genius. Caponata is good the same day, better the next day, and incredible for the rest of the week - on a sandwich with some great rosemary ham, especially. In fact, Caponata is great served chilled or at room temperature and makes a great make-ahead or potluck dish.

As you look at the ingredients, you’ll probably stop and scratch your head at the celery root. I’m serious. Try it. The celery root makes this Caponata version even more fresh and amazing tasting - along with the Smoked Spanish paprika. See my previous posts about celery root, and I dare you to tell me that it didn’t belong in this dish.

Ingredients

One medium to large Italian eggplant - cut into 1 inch chunks. You can trim all or part of the skin away. It’s your choice. I like the skin. You may like to try the sweeter Japanese eggplant!

One medium to large zucchini squash- cut into half-inch, bite-sized cubes

6 red, yellow, orange sweet mini peppers (the kind you get in the bags at Costco) - cut away the stem end, slice in half, remove the seeds. Cut into bite-sized pieces.

1 large rib of celery - diced

1 small celery root - cut away the unattractive exterior, and dice the creamy white inside into 1 inch chunks.

1/2 of a small yellow onion -  peeled and diced

4 BIG cloves of garlic - minced

1/2 cup pine nuts - lightly toasted in a non-stick pan

1/2 cup dark raisins

1/3 cup caper berries ( or about half of one of those little skinny bottles of capers)

1/3 cup, more or less - minced fresh rosemary, oregano, parsley, thyme. Don’t mess with dried herbs here, this isn’t the place for that. Use dried herbs in soup that’s going to simmer for hours. This is all about fresh taste.

One small can of whole tomatoes in juice - roughly chop the tomatoes. I get fussy here. I really like the imported Italian tomatoes. They’re sweeter and have incredible flavor.

1/2 small can of tomato paste ( or 3-4 tablespoons from the tube)

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more if you like spicy!)

1 tablespoon Smoked Spanish Paprika

3 tablespoons brown sugar

4 tablespoons vinegar - you can get fancy. I used a Moscato vinegar. Spanish Sherry vinigar would be nice, as would a white Balsamic.

sea salt and ground pepper to taste

Extra Virgin Olive Oil - to lightly coat the eggplant to roast, and more (about 5 tablespoons) to saute the caponata. Don’t use expensive olive oil that is better used in salads. That would be a waste.

Technique -You’ll want to use a large sauteuse pan for this, and you’ll need to roast the eggplant in the oven, so round up a small baking dish for that. I prepare the vegetables in stages to fully develop their individual character, and layer flavors.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees, to roast the eggplant. Prep all the vegetables. Put your lightly oiled, lightly salted eggplant into a baking dish, and pop it into a 325 degree oven for about 15 minutes. Check it about halfway through, for doneness. When the eggplant is beginning to brown, and can be pierced with a fork, it’s ready. Remove it and set aside.

While the eggplant is roasting, heat the pan over medium high, add the olive oil and begin to saute the chunks of celery root as you would potatoes. When it begins to brown, add the onions, celery, peppers, raisins (sauteing the raisins heightens their flavor) and zucchini. Saute for about 5 minutes or until the vegetables are beginning to get nice and tender.

Add the minced garlic, the herbs, smoked Spanish paprika, salt and pepper. Continue to saute lightly. Stir frequently for another few minutes.

Now add the roasted eggplant, the capers, pine nuts and tomatoes. Stir. Add the tomato paste. Stir again to combine. Add the brown sugar and vinigar, and stir to combine.

Cover and let the caponata simmer over very low heat for about 10 minutes. Check to make sure it’s not over-cooking or burning. You can add a bit of water to thin.

Serve now, tomorrow or the next day - warm, cold or room temperature.

If you can’t find decent smoked Spanish paprika where you live or shop, I recommend The Spanish Table.

-maven

Oatmeal: Five ways

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2007 Liberty School Central Coast Chardonnay

I had given this Liberty School, Central Coast Chardonnay a sip during a Chardonnay flight a couple weeks back, over at Whispering Vine at The Grove. Somehow it all got lost in the evening, but I’d kept notes on my iPhone wine app, Corkz. That’s the good news, because I stopped by the other night and picked up a bottle just to see if my notes were correct.

A friend who has a wine shop back in New York says this may be good but past it’s prime. That might be, but I enjoyed it so much that I’m going back for a couple more bottles tomorrow. It was just that good.

The color of this wine is simply amazing. Rather reminded me of the color of Citrine gems - a brilliant golden yellow. The nose is faint and nothing much, but don’t let that put you off. Better things are to come. Much better.

The first sip was an explosion of bright, luscious Lemon Drops supported by mild floral honey. Mid-palate doesn’t let you down, with butterscotchy, crisp, juicy apples with a hint of spice. The American and French oak is there, but not overpowering. A confident supporting player. The finish is lengthy and slightly toasty.

The is a nice mouth-filling juicyness to this wine that is very pleasant all by itself, but could be even better pared with shrimp, or alongside a beautiful salad course. We had it with a Portugese Seafood Stew and it was perfect.

I paid $10.99 a bottle.

-maven

So Fresh, Vegan, Whole-Grain and Healthy

Oh, and did I forget to mention that it’s fast? Really, there’s nothing about this side dish that won’t appeal to everybody. Even better, you can substitute veggies, add nuts and still come up with a winner.

I’ve pretty much quit microwaving vegetables. It just makes them come out overdone and horrid. Instead, I bring out my old Black & Decker steamer. I really do mean old, as in nearly 20 years I’ve had the thing. It still produces just right, tender veggies that - given a quick toss in a saute pan with fresh herbs, oil and a bit of sea salt - are just as fast as microwaving yet far, far better.

Steaming just seems to retain the healthful color, shape, texture and flavor that microwaving doesn’t. I’m careful to cut the various vegetables in approximately the same size so they cook evenly. Tonight, I had some butternut squash and asparagus that needed to be used up. Hmmmm. Then how to combine that with some whole grain, sprouted corn tortillas?

I set the butternut squash and aparagus to steaming (for about 10 minutes), then when it was within a couple minutes of ready, I sauteed the strips of corn tortillas and fresh herbs in grapeseed oil with sea salt and pepper. I tossed in the veggies as the herbs and tortilla strips were nearly crispy, just to warm them through and coat with herbs and oil

It was totally great, served along side leftover hearty red chili, accompanied with a mixed green salad. Had the chili been vegan, then it would easily have satisfied the vegan/gluten intolerant/lactose intolerant among us. I could have added steamed broccoli florets, red bell pepper strips, toasted pine nuts for a bit more oomph.

The fresh herbs were the real star here. I used loads of fresh sage leaves, several sprigs of thyme, and rosemary - having striped the thyme and rosemary leaves from the stems. It really made it smell heavenly! A dash of red chili flakes would have also worked.

Get your steamer back out and forgetabout the microwave. Treat your veggies better.

-maven

How to Make Oatmeal ... Wrong

By Mark Bittman, The New York Times

There’s a feeling of inevitability in writing about McDonald’s latest offering, their “bowl full of wholesome” — also known as oatmeal. The leading fast-food multinational, with sales over $16.5 billion a year (just under the GDP of Afghanistan), represents a great deal of what is wrong with American food today. From a marketing perspective, they can do almost nothing wrong; from a nutritional perspective, they can do almost nothing right, as the oatmeal fiasco demonstrates.

One “positive” often raised about McDonald’s is that it sells calories cheap. But since many of these calories are in forms detrimental rather than beneficial to our health and to the environment, they’re actually quite expensive — the costs aren’t seen at the cash register but in the form of high health care bills and environmental degradation.

Oatmeal is on the other end of the food spectrum. Real oatmeal contains no ingredients; rather, it is an ingredient. As such, it’s a promising lifesaver: oats are easy to grow in almost any non-extreme climate and, minimally processed, they’re profoundly nourishing, inexpensive and ridiculously easy to cook. They can even be eaten raw, but more on that in a moment.

Like so many other venerable foods, oatmeal has been roundly abused by food marketers for more than 40 years. Take, for example, Quaker Strawberries and Cream Instant Oatmeal, which contains no strawberries, no cream, 12 times the sugars of Quaker Old Fashioned Oats and only half of the fiber. At least it’s inexpensive, less than 50 cents a packet on average. (A serving of cooked rolled oats will set you back half that at most, plus the cost of condiments; of course, it’ll be much better in every respect.)

Click to read more ...

Fast, tasty and thrifty: Spanish beef ragout

You know how it is … you’re standing there, staring absently into the freezer, cold air pooling out onto the kitchen floor. Helloooooo. Please, something jump out at me. Tell me what to make tonight. Please. There was this small package of stew meat, picked up because it was so cheap, like $4 bucks for grass-fed beef. What to do with you, my lovely?

There was that tin of Spanish Smoked Pimenton on the counter. Ah, the light bulb comes on! Spanish Pimenton will make you throw rocks at regular paprika. It’s pricey, but a tin goes a long way if stored properly. You can buy it online,  or at Williams-Sonoma stores and probably at markets like Whole Foods.

I keep jars of the Roasted Sweet Peppers in the pantry all the time for Spanish dishes, soups and stews. The Dunbar brand is very inexpensive at Winco, and perfect great in this recipe.

This is so damn savory, yummy, cold-winter-night satisfyingly good - make extra because it will freeze really well. And, you can eat it over potatoes, pasta, toasted artisan bread, brown rice …. oh, my. Put some steamed veg on the side and you’ve got a incredibly healthy, rich tasting one-pan meal for cheap.

Ingredients

Get your pound of cubed stew beef defrosting. I cut mine up into smaller chunks so it would cook faster. I wanted this tonight, not tomorrow.

1/2 small sweet onion, finely diced

3 cloves of fresh garlic, minced

4 Roma tomatoes, chopped (forgive me, I used Tomatillos, since that’s what I had)

3-4 tablespoons brown sugar

3-4 tablespoons Spanish Smoked Paprika

1 cup robust red wine - like a Tait Ball-Buster 2008 Red Blend - plus more for drinking while cooking. You can get this at Costco.

one small can of tomato paste

1 12-ounce jar of roasted red sweet peppers, with the juice, pureed

2-4 tablespoons Spanish Sherry de Jerez vinegar

2 tablespoons, finely minced fresh herbs: Rosemary, Thyme, Parsley, Oregano

4-5 tablespoons olive oil

salt and pepper to season the meat with

Technique

In a large warmed skillet, on medium high heat, add the olive oil and swirl. Add the seasoned beef and sauté until browned. Remove and set aside. Add the onions to the pan and sauté for a few minutes until they begin to ‘sweat’ or become slightly translucent, then add the garlic and minced herbs. Stir and sauté for a minute or two, then add the paprika. Sauté for another couple minutes. Let the flavors develop.

Put the meat back into the pan, with the roasted red pepper puree, chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, wine, Sherry vinegar, brown sugar and tomatoes.

Stir to combine. Reduce heat to simmer, and cover. Cook, stirring occasionally for about 30 minutes. Adjust the thickness, by adding a bit more wine or water. Adjust brown sugar/vinegar,  salt/pepper to taste.

Serve.

This could also be made with ground beef, and served over pasta! I also would try it with venison or wild boar.

-maven

A Pinot Noir for the long haul: Laird 2007 Ghost Ranch Pinot Noir

This is another ‘find’ from Whispering Vine out at The Grove, corner of South Virginia and Foothill, in Reno, Nevada. I decided to take a break from sampling whites the other evening, and ended up taking a bottle of the Laird 2007 Ghost Ranch (Carneros) Pinot Noir home for dinner that night.

The bottle gave up a couple glasses that night, then a few more during the week. I finished it this evening, telling Mr. Maven that it was as satisfying and delicious - if not more so, having sat for a week - than the night I opened it.  This is a bottle that you could give with pride. But even better, give one to yourself. And another for me, if you’re feeling generous.

At first sniff, the nose is medium. Not huge, just nicely behaved aromas of fruit - cherries and raspberries - with a bit of forest floor earthiness and maybe a wisp of lavender wafting over a beautiful garnet color. The taste, ah that’s the thing that separates this from all other contenders.

Mouthwateringly smooth, round supple tannins easily support the medium acidity. Think silk and velvet gliding across the palate. Strawberry jam with toasty cinnamon and vanilla are wonderfully juicy and balanced, and belie the 9 months in oak. It’s barely there. The finish is just grand - you don’t want it to end. You could pay a whole lot more, but … why?

The WV had a really good price on it, $31.95 compared to $36.00 to $40.00 I’ve seen advertised elsewhere. I think I’ll get another for the chiller and save it for a great dinner occasion. If you’ve wondered about what the difference is between an alright pinot noir and a really outstanding one, then try the Laird Ghost Ranch against any other $20 and under pinot noir - you’ll just ‘get it’ instantly.

This is what you’ll compare other pinot noir against.

If this doesn’t quite ‘do it’ for you, and you crave something more assertive …  ‘manly’, try the Laird Jillian’s Blend.

-maven