Wednesday Dinner

My friends from Montana and I have had a great few days together, the last few in restaurants in the city; one Spanish the other Peruvian. Today, I am cooking again for a group of our friends. I am making short ribs cooked in red wine and port, mash potatoes, roasted carrots and wilted spinach. My husband is asking for octopus salad again so he is at the Japanese market as I write, picking up three tentacles. My friends found some beautiful artichokes on their trip here and will grill those and serve with a tarragon aioli. Since I have willing hands later this afternoon, I will also make suppli, risotto rice balls with motzarella cheese, deep fried. My youngest daughter’s absolute favorite! I will take pictures and give everyone recipes.
I have already made my short ribs and they are curing in its stock in the refrigerator. I definitely think it is better to make this type of braise a day or two before so the flavor can really develop. I have a different cooking technique from lingy58 who flours and fries her ribs. That is more traditional, but since I am cooking for 12 and need to cook up A LOT of short ribs, I cut them into serving pieces, season and olive oil them then place them on a rack on a baking pan and roast them for around 25 minutes at 450 degrees to brown them. I then place them in my roaster and deglaze the roasting pans with my wine and port to pick up those flavors. SO much easier and truly have not noticed any taste difference. Since there is no flour on the meat to help bind the sauce, you may need to make a roux to thicken the sauce at the end. I will let you know what I end up doing after I make it today. Again, I will include the recipe once I finish it. My historian will still be here and am hoping she will still be willing to take pictures!

Departing Menu for our Montana Friends

Have a GREAT Trip Back Home!

12-16-09

With Cocktails and Conversation

Lemon Marinated Grilled Artichokes with Tarragon Aoili

*

Suppli al Telefono

*

Cowgirl Creamery’s Mt Tam Cheese with Honey Comb

First Course

Grilled Octopus Salad in a Cava Cava Orange Vinaigrette with fennel and Nicoise Olives

Entrée

Port Wine Braised short Ribs with Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes

*

Roasted Carrots and Wilted Spinach

Dessert

A La Karen

(I will tell you later!!)

Paella!!!

Seafood, Chicken and Chorizo Paella

Flank Steak with Harrisa

Beet Salad with Goat Cheese and Pecans

Ceasar Salad with Parmesan and Homemade Croutons

If someone asked me what my signature dish was, I would have to say Paella. It was the first dish my husband and I cooked together in college. He swooned me by cooking pheasant (that he shot and had in his freezer), rice pilaf and broccoli with hollandaise sauce, after a study session. Seeing that he liked food, I bought him a cookbook and it was in that cookbook, Julia Child and Company, that we found An American Paella in a Chinese-Style Electric Wok to cook and the rest is history.

Since then we have had years of consecutive Paella parties where we have woke up with with way too many people sleeping in our living room. Paella was the first dish we cooked at our christening dinner party in Barcelona, Paella was the main entrée for the Teacher’s Appreciation Luncheon and Paella was a station at my friend’s wedding. When I tell my family I am cooking paella, everyone comes home.

It was last summer that we cooked paella for my cooking partner’s 50^th birthday. She did not want to celebrate her birthday. I had to talk her into a party. All my suggestions of fun things to do fell on deaf ears. To me, a birthday is a REASON to celebrate, whether it is a luncheon, dinner cooked by loving friends or a dinner out. She loves to bike so I twisted her arm to a weekend party encompassing all of the above along with her favorite, a grinding bike ride. My partner in crime is an Iron Man triathlete and I ride with her and THAT is my claim to fame. Anyway, her 50^th turned from nothing, into a great, three day weekend of daytime outdoor adventures and nighttime kitchen fun.  You know, kind of like Woodstock.

The highlight of the weekend was us at my stove cooking two paellas side by side! I was famished after a 40 mile, difficult bike ride, so the dish we created tasted better than ever. My husband cooked flank steak with a harissa sauce and our friends helped make a Caesar and beet salad. Her birthday was a weekend to remember!

I have changed my paella a touch since I first made it, changed it enough to just perfect it! I hope you enjoy all the recipes!

Paella

All colors of wine goes with Paella. Just make sure it is not too strong of a red. We like Pinot Noir, a Rioja, a Napa Chardonnay, even a French Rose

Serves 8

8 chicken thighs
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound chorizo (Spanish cure), cut into ½ inch slices
1 cup onions, chopped
1 ½ cups peppers (I use a mix of red, orange and yellow
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1 tablespoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup vermouth or dry white wine
4 cups chicken or shrimp broth (Swanson's is just fine but if you have some shrimp shells, a      nice, salted shrimp broth is lovely)
2 cups rice (if you can get Spanish rice, by all means use it but arborio rice will also work. Uncle Bens is fool proof.)
16 large shrimps, prepped, and seasoned with olive oil, salt and pepper
6 large scallops, prepped and seasoned with olive oil, salt and pepper
16 clams washed
Any other fish you want like squid, mussels, halibut, etc., just do a piece for everyone, do not crowd.
1 cup chopped, peeled and seeded, tomatoes
1 cup garbanzo beans
1 cup cooked or defrosted peas or green beans or a mixture of both

Heat the olive oil in a large paella pan over medium high heat and sear the chicken on both sides. Remove chicken and add chorizo; sear well on one side only, remove and add to chicken. In the fat from the chicken and chorizo, saute the onions two minutes or until soft, add the peppers, garlic and all the spices and cook until spices are aromatic, two more minutes. Add the wine and let it reduce for one more minute and add the chicken or shrimp broth; bring back to a boil. Add the chicken, cover with either a lid or piece of foil (if your paella pan is too big for a lid), reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes or until the chicken is almost done. Add chorizo. At this point you can let the mixture rest until you are ready. You could actually cook this recipe up until this point and refrigerate the mixture until you are ready.

From here on out, you have 20 minutes to a half an hour to finish the dish. I like to have my paella pan ready to go with all my accompaniments; rice, shrimp, clams, fish of your choice, tomatoes, garbanzo beans and peas or green beans. Bring your liquid back to a boil and add rice making sure all the rice has settled evenly on the bottom of your pan and not hanging out on top of the chicken, I shake the rice down into the broth. After that you want to stir the rice as little as possible, really not at all, to avoid making risotto and bringing out the starch. Open boil the rice until you see rice starting to float to the surface. This should take around 5 to 7 minutes. Add all of you fish, pushing them evenly down into the broth to cook. If you are cooking the clams and mussels in the paella, I place them hinge-side down, half way into the broth. (If you cook them separately, add a little of the wine in the pan to steam them and add them in at the end along with the broth, maybe the broth a little earlier, so it can absorb). Turn the heat down to low and strew on the tomatoes, and garbanzos and just a bit later, the green beans and peas. You are just heating up the garbanzos, green beans and peas. I then start playing with the fish, pulling out the fish that is cooked and placing in on top of the rice, on the side of the pan, like a warming tray. If it is getting to dry add more stock or wine, if it is too soupy, be thankful, the broth is WONDERFUL and in Spain many even ask for their paella "wet". Do not stir the rice though. If you feel the rice is not cooking properly for some reason, pop it into a 400 degree oven for a few minutes. Once the rice is al dente and the fish is cooked and vegetables hot, turn off the heat and cover the paella with a tea towel while you dress your salad. Serve directly from the paella pan with a Caesar salad with homemade croutons to soak up all the wonderful paella juices!!

Sunday Fun! Duck Two Ways with Port Poached Pears

Boy, we know how to have fun! We had a wonderful time cooking together at the beach last night and finally had a historian to take pictures!! Thank you! Literally, this experience of applying for the best home chef has taught me to learn how to blog, navigate a foodie network site, research wine pairings (my husband usually does that but he thought it is high time I learn!!), download pictures, shrink images, upload pictures AND take pictures! I do not think I have taken a picture in years!! So really, even though Food and Wine might not find me worthy of their honor, I feel like I am already a winner! Thank you for the opportunity to be part of this community and learn! It has truly been a wonderful few weeks and a humbling experience to learn how my passion has touched others.

But about last night! I forgot the soup so we had to ditch the pumpkins soup shots (having another gather on Wednesday to bid our friends goodbye so will have them then!) but nobody noticed! Everyone arrived around 4 and we snacked and talked until 5:30 or so. Then I gave everyone a job and we cooked. And we ate and we drank! The food was wonderful and the company the best! And we had all of this fun with the sound of the crashing waves in the distance. Too cold to hang outside but we did manage a midnight walk in the pitch black! Here are some of the recipes for the dishes I cooked last night.

A Special Menu to Celebrate My Montana Friends!

December 13th, 2009

With Cocktails and Conversation

Ricotta, Gruyere and Prosciutto Filo Triangles

First Course

Beet and Spinach Salad with Warm Pancetta Vinaigrette,

Goat Cheese and Hazelnuts

Entrée

Duck Two Ways, Confit and Seared Breast with Port Poached Pears

In a Port Wine Sauce

*

Yukon Gold Potatoes fried in Duck Fat

*

Wilted Swiss Chard and Turnip Greens with Turnips

Dessert

Ginger Bread with Poached Persimmons and Whipped Cream

Beet and Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Vinaigrette, Goat Cheese and Hazelnuts

Talk about a great combination of flavors; sweet beets, salty bacon, creamy goat cheese and crunchy hazelnuts! My idea of heaven on a plate!

Serves 6

The Salad

• 
  
  2 small or 4 large beets
  
  
  
• 
  
  8 cups spinach or combination of spinach and radicchio
  
  
  
• 
  
  ½ cup crumbled goat cheese
  
  
  
• 
  
  ½ cup toasted hazelnuts, chopped
  
  
  

The Vinaigrette

• 5 ounces bacon, cut into ¼ inch batons
• 
  
  1/3 cup good quality olive oil
  
  
  
• 
  
  1/3 cup hazelnut oil (if not available use all olive oil)
  
  
  
• 
  
  ¼ cup good quality balsamic vinegar
  
  
  
• 
  
  Freshly ground black pepper
  
  
  
• 
  
  Salt to taste
  
  
  

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash and trim beets then wrap each beet individually in aluminum foil. Roast the beets until a knife slides through, about 40 to 60 minutes depending on the size. Once cool enough to handle, slip off the skins and cut in half inch dice. Place in a bowl and set aside with the spinach/radicchio, goat cheese and hazelnuts.

Cook the bacon in a small sauté pan over medium heat in a bit of the olive oil until the bacon has rendered its fat and is slightly crisp. Add the remaining olive oil, the hazelnut oil, vinegar and season to taste with salt and pepper. Whisk lightly to incorporate and continue to heat the oils lightly. Toss the beets with a bit of the dressing and then the spinach, making sure you place all of the bacon on the spinach. You may not need all the dressing. You can serve on individual plates or on a platter by placing the lettuce first, top with the beets then add the crumbled goat cheese and the hazelnuts.

Pan Seared Duck Breast with Port Poached Pears

This easy entrée must become one of your entertaining stables. It is unusual and absolutely delicious. You can use chicken stock in place of the duck, just make sure it is true stock, not canned chicken broth. You can find stock in the freezer section of your well stocked super markets.

Serves 6

For the duck

• 3 large duck breasts or 6 small
• 8 cups body temperature water
• ½ cup salt
• ¼ cup sugar

For the pears

• 
  
  2 to 3 cups port wine
  
  
  
• 
  
  3 large bosc pears or any other firm pear, peeled cut in half with the core removed
  
  
  

For the salad

• 
  
  3 tablespoons olive or almond oil
  
  
  
• 
  
  6 cups arugula
  
  
  
• 
  
  ½ cup sliced almonds, toasted in a 350 degree oven for 7 minutes
  
  
  
• 
  
  Salt and pepper to taste
  
  
  

For the sauce

• 
  
  1 cup port from the pears
  
  
  
• 2 cups duck or chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons butter (optional)

For the potatoes

• 
  
  6 medium Yukon gold potatoes, cooked, peeled and cut in ½ inch cubes
  
  
  
• Left over duck fat from the cooking the breasts

Mix the water, salt and sugar and whisk until completely incorporated. Score the fat on the duck breasts in a diamond shape being careful not to cut through the skin. Place the duck breasts in the brine and refrigerate for one hour.

While the ducks are brining, place the prepared pears in a small saucepan and cover with port wine. Bring to a simmer, turn the heat down to a low simmer and poach for about a half hour or until tender. Let cool in the liquid. Once cooled fan the pears by cutting 1/3 inch sliced into the pear keeping the slices intact at the neck of the pear. This can be done a day ahead just bring the pears to room temperature for the recipe.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Remove the duck breast from the brine and dry well. Heat a skillet just large enough to hold the breast to a low heat and add duck breasts. No need to add oil, as the duck cooks, it will release the fat which will sear the skin. Cook the duck breast, again over a low heat (to slowly render the fat and cook the meat) for around 20-25 minutes or until the skin is lightly browned. Turn the breast over and cook for an additional 5 minutes and then place on a baking pan (this can all be done ahead of time but bring the duck back to room temperature before continuing). Cook in the preheated oven for 5 minutes. Remove the duck from the oven and let rest in on a plate covered with foil for at least 10 minutes.

While the duck is in the oven (or set aside if you are doing this ahead), place the fat into the pan you plan to cook the potatoes. Reheat the duck pan and add the port wine to deglaze. Boil the wine until reduce to around 2/3 cup. Add stock and continue to reduce until the sauce is syrupy and has flavor. Again, this can be done ahead of time, just reheated when you are ready to finish the serve the dinner. Just before serving, reheat the sauce and add butter to create a shiny more finished sauce.

While the duck is resting, heat the duck fat over high heat and add potatoes. Salt well and let potatoes cook, undisturbed until a nice crust is formed. Turn potatoes over and continue on the other side until well browned. Again, season well with salt and a bit of pepper. All of this cannot be done ahead of time, or you will lose the crisp of the potato.

Dress the salad with the almond oil and season with salt and pepper (no need for a vinaigrette, the meat juice and sauce will properly season the greens). Toss in the almonds. After the duck has rested, slice the breasts in ¼ inch slices. Place the salad on the plates and top with the duck breast on the side of the salad. Place a pear half onto the duck and dress with the warm sauce. Scatter around the fried potatoes and serve!

Gingerbread with Poached Persimmons

Gingerbread

· 1 ½ cups boiling water

· 1 cup molasses

· 1 teaspoon baking soda

· 4 ounces (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature

· 1 cup firmly packed, light brown sugar

· 1 large egg

· 2 teaspoons ground ginger

· 1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

· Pinch of ground cloves

· 2 1/2 cups flour

· 1 tablespoon baking powder

· 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Persimmons

• 
  
  6 persimmons
  
  
  
• ½ cup dry white wine
• ¾ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon

Gingerbread

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch square pan.
Bring the water to a boil in a small pot and remove it from the heat. Stir in the molasses and the baking soda. Set aside to cool to lukewarm.

In the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg and mix until incorporated.

Sift together the ginger, cinnamon, cloves, flour and baking powder. Add the salt. On low speed, alternately add the dry ingredients and the cooled molasses mixture to the butter mixture in 3 additions, stirring well after each addition. Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool to room temperature.

Poached Persimmons

Peel and quarter persimmons. Take the hard center out of the quarters and then cut each quarter in half or thirds, depending on the size of the persimmon

In a saucepan, add the wine, orange juice, sugar, ginger and cinnamon; bring to a boil. Add persimmons, reduce heat and simmer until tender, about 5 minutes. Remove persimmons from liquid and reduce to develop flavor, about 5-7 more minutes. Add poaching liquid back into the cook persimmons and cool. Place in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Sunday Supper

My friends from Montana are coming to visit for a few days today and will be cooking a fun dinner for a group of our mutual girl friends to celebrate their arrival. I have a large vat of duck fat in my outside refrigerator begging to cover duck legs so I created a duck confit with ten legs which will be ready to pan sear today. Since I gave you the recipe for the Duck Breast with Port Poached Pears in one of my earlier blogs, I thought it would be fun for me to make that so I could take some pictures. I will do duck two ways, the confit of legs and a pan seared breast. My friend loves beets so will do a beet salad in a warm bacon vinaigrette. I gathered all my ingredients from the farmer’s market and my grocery today and will head over to the beach in a few minutes to cook over there. I will take pictures and give you the recipes tomorrow.

A Special Menu to Celebrate My Montana Friends!

December 13^th, 2009

With Cocktails and Conversation

Ricotta, Gruyere and Prosciutto Filo Triangles

*

Pumpkin Soup Shots

First Course

Beet and Spinach Salad with Warm Pancetta Vinaigrette,

Goat Cheese and Hazelnuts

Entrée

Duck Two Ways, Confit and Seared Breast with Port Poached Pears

In a Port Wine Sauce

*

Yukon Gold Potatoes fried in Duck Fat

*

Wilted Swiss Chard and Turnip Greens with Turnips

Dessert

Ginger Bread with Poached Persimmons and Whipped Cream

Indian Butter Chicken

In a medium sized bowl, mix the onion, tomatoes, cucumber and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper. Add the yogurt and mix well. Let sit at least 15 minutes but no more than two hours before serving.

I read cookbooks like a novel. If I need a lift, I buy a cookbook. Actual I buy a pair of shoes first then read the cookbook while glancing at the new shoes on my feet. That truly does put me in a good mood and back in the kitchen with my new high heels! When the head of fundraising for our children’s school asked me to organize a community cookbook to celebrate the 50^th anniversary of our school, I never imagined how much I would enjoy the project. I know she was thinking of a smattering of recipes in a binder, but I saw a professional cookbook with tested recipes, headers and comments. She wanted the book by December and it was January.

First I bought two books on recipe and food writing and studied. I also interviewed some of my cooking mentors that wrote books and all they said was edit, edit, edit. Through a community email I asked for help from the parents at the school and had a coffee to enlist my crew and cherry pick some key people. Someone to choose and learn the software, someone to work with the design, someone to coordinate the recipe testers, a person or two to write about the history of our wonderful school and a community to give recipes.

As the recipes came in I began to realize how much I LOVE to write, review and edit a recipe. I ran home from work excited to get onto my computer to see what recipes were sent me. Kind of like now, looking at my homepage to see if any new comments or ratings came in! While we had a group of 35 testers, I tested more than 50% of all the recipes. I definitely choose the best ones to test AND to this day I cook about ten of those recipes on an everyday basis.

I received recipes that were just a list of ingredients with cryptic instructions, recipes so perfect I KNEW they came straight out of a cookbook and the author needed to be recognized. I received a recipe for coke cherry jello that I REALLY wanted to like but all in all, they were all good home cooked recipes without much packaged products. I then took all of these different formats and began changing them to a single recipe style as the books taught me. I took some liberties and changed recipes to make them better. Sautéing an ingredient to build more flavor, putting in a homemade dressing when it called for bottled, changing an order to make it easier. Once I was done, I edited the recipe at least twice more before I gave it to my recipe testers. I asked the testers to interview the recipe originator to ask where they got their recipe and why they chose the recipe in the first place. The tester’s results helped me make sure the instructions were clear and also guided me in writing the headers.

When we were done, which meant editing each recipe at least 10 more times on top of my work, I got nervous. I had made so many changes to our community’s cherished recipes, they might feel the new “perfected” recipe was not their own anymore. When we were almost ready to hand over our finished product to our computer software wiz, we were all concerned we might have to go back to the drawing board and rewrite recipes! We all agreed though, we had to print them out and send them to the recipe originator and ask for their approval. We gave them five days to respond, if we did not hear from them, it was a vote of approval. Those five days were long but to our surprise, we got more compliments than complaints. A few did feel that I made things too complicated and they were right. To make both of us happy, I changed the recipe back to the original and then in the tester’s comments, gave the recipe for the homemade dressing, for example. It worked and the book was a complete success and we had it in our community’s hands before Christmas break!

Tonight we had one of my favorite recipes from the cookbook, Indian Butter Chicken. It was given to me by my twin. We always get confused for each other and I LOVE it because she is a doll! It is one of her good friend’s recipes and she was kind enough to share it with us.

Indian Butter Chicken with Raita

This dish must be accompanied by the recipe at the end, raita. It cools the heat of the dish, add a fresh crunch and acts like your vegetable. I made this dish last night, in December so was worried about the tomatoes. I bought cherry tomatoes and they were surprisingly good. If they weren’t, I was going to use extra cucumber. You can make raita a number of ways and may do not call for tomatoes at all. So if your tomatoes are bad, do not use them.

Indian food can be a bit difficult with wine pairings because of the spiciness and complex flavor blends. My first thought would be a Gewurztraminer again more dry and the same with a Riesling. But like my last wine recommendation, this dish also goes well with beer!

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, minced
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 inch piece ginger, peeled and sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, skinned
• 1 to 2 Serrano chilies or to taste, roughly chopped
• 1 cup chopped cilantro leaves with stems
• 2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs or breasts cut into small pieces
• 12 each blanched almonds and raw cashews, ground fine in a food processor
• 1 ½ cup peeled, seeded and chopped tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon Tandoori paste, available in any Indian grocery store
• 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
• ¼ cup sour cream, or more to taste
• Cilantro leaves for garnish, chopped
• ½ cup sliced almonds, toasted for 7 minutes in a 350 degree oven

Heat oil is a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add onion and cinnamon and fry until the onions are lightly browned.

While the onions are cooking, place the ginger, garlic and cilantro in a food processor and pulse until completely minced and smooth. Add to the onions along with 2 tablespoons of water and cook until the mixture is dry, about 2 minutes.

Add the chicken pieces and sauté until the chicken has turned white. Pour in the ground nuts, chopped tomatoes with juice, tomato paste and Tandoori powder; mix thoroughly. Bring to a simmer, cover, reduce heat to low and cook for 20 minutes.

Add sour cream, mix and simmer, uncovered for an additional 10 minutes on low heat. Salt to taste.Garnish with cilantro leaves and serve with raita (recipes below) and Bastmati rice.

Raita

• 1 small sweet yellow onion, chopped in ¼ inch cubes
• 2 small tomatoes, cut in half, seeded and chopped in ¼ inch cubes
• 1 cup cucumber, seeded and chopped in ¼ inch cubes
• ½ cup chopped cilantro, lightly chopped
• ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• ½ cup plain whole fat yogurt

In a medium sized bowl, mix the onion, tomatoes, cucumber and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper. Add the yogurt and mix well. Let sit at least 15 minutes but no more than two hours before serving.

Fish Night

Monday is not supposed to be a good day for fish. Most say, fisherman do not work on Sunday or even Saturday so the fish is last week's catch and old. It is our tradition to always have fish on Monday, not Friday even though I was raised Catholic. We like to eat light on Monday after our weekend of richer food, wine and desserts, so to make up for a decadent weekend, fish is on the menu.

If it were my husband’s choice we would eat fish three or four nights a week yet we still have a sixteen year old in the house and she would protest. So I shop at my favorite fish and poultry market on Monday and let my fish monger guide me to the best fish of the day. Today I chose salmon. After writing about Susan Spicer’s cookbook, “Crescent City Cooking”, I am craving her chourcroute, a traditional, French, Alsatian and in general central European dish that normally blends sour cabbage with smoked pork and sausage. I also love making that dish, in the depth of winter, but Spicer’s dish is a twist, lightened up by using salmon as the meat. Perfect for a Monday night dinner. It is made more elegant by adding a sauce; a tangy Gewurztraminer beurre blanc. I served this dish with Yukon gold potatoes that I peel, cut up, boil then drain. I heat a pan to medium high, add a few tablespoons of olive oil and place the potatoes in the pan and then break them up with a potato masher. I seasoned the potatoes with salt and pepper then let them sit in the pan to brown while I cook the salmon. The combination of the tangy sauerkraut, crunchy salmon (coated with panko then pan seared), smooth butter sauce with the potatoes to catch all of the flavors makes this dish one that I cook over and over. Please see my picture of this dish on my photos. I hope you enjoy it!

Salmon with Choucroute and Gewurztraminer Sauce

Susan Spicer of Bayona in New Orleans’s loves this dish because of the tart of the sauerkraut and spiciness of the Gewurztraminer that balances the richness of the fish. I completely agree and would recommend a dry Gewurztraminer, Riesling, or Pinot Gris; if you are in the mood, your favorite beer.

Chourcroute

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 carrot, julienned (I use a benriner mandoline)
• 1 (16 ounce) jar sauerkraut
• 1 cup chicken stock
• ¼ cup white wine (I used the Gewurztraminer)
• ½ teaspoon coarsely chopped whole juniper berries
• 1 bay leaf
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• Snipped fresh chives, for garnish

Gewurztraminer Sauce

• 1 cup Gewurztraminer (you can substitute Riesling or another Alsatian white wine)
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
• 2 tablespoons cream, optional (this is my addition, find the sauce breaks less with the addition of a bit of cream)
• 4 tablespoon (1/2 stick) butter
• Pinch salt

Salmon

• 4 salmon fillets (about 6 ounces each)
• Salt and pepper
• 1 cup panko or dry bread crumbs, mixed with 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and carrot and cook, stirring, until just wilted. Stir in the sauerkraut, stock, wine, and seasonings. Bring to a simmer and cook, about 15 minutes, then set aside, to keep warm.

Combine the wine, vinegar, and shallots in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer gently until the liquid is reduced to 2-3 tablespoons. Gradually add butter, in small pieces, whishing constantly, until the butter is incorporated, not melted. The sauce should be a shiny, creamy yellow. Add salt to taste. Taste, and adjust seasonings.

Season the salmon with salt and pepper and coat with the bread crumb mixture. Heat the olive oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat. When it is very hot but not smoking, add salmon, presentation side down. Lover the heat to medium, add the butter, and use a spatula to lift. Cook until it is golden brown, about 3 minutes. Turn and cook about 3 more minutes, until salmon is just medium-rare. Cook a little longer if you like it more done, but not long enough to dry it out.

Divide the choucroute among four plates, top with a piece of salmon, and drizzle the sauce around the fish. Garnish with chives.

Sharing Experience

I have always wanted to teach. My parents bought me a free standing black board when I was 8 and it soon became the focal point of my room with make shift chairs for my dolls and stuffed animals. My toys were the smartest in the neighborhood.

I now live the dream of my past by standing up in front of a group of foodies, giving cooking classes. I started this cooking class passion when a friend of mine was trying to raise money for her city’s public school system. I thought why not rent a kitchen, devise a menu and teach all of our friends to cook while we all enjoy wine? We love getting together and each of us gives to some sort of charity, why not combine them? My girlfriend and I donated the food, I put together a menu and recruited my cooking partner in crime (who is still my Vanna White to this day) and back in the early 90’s we started a tradition. I patterned my cooking classes (demonstrative style) after the series I take every year in our local mountain resort. Yes, standing in front of my audience, teaching, I am in my glory! That first class featured the dinner I made the other night, grilled goat cheese stuffed chicken breast but for the cooking class I did it more traditional, with a Chardonnay mustard sauce. For dessert we did Rene Verdon’s flourless chocolate cake with crème anglaise. The ONLY mishap we had that first night was curdling the eggs for the crème anglaise but we transformed that mistake into a learning lesson, channeling Julia Child!

I have now done cooking classes for all my kid’s school (every year as an auction item), for Catholic Charities, for our local refugee house and all the various charities my children are supporting. I LOVE getting the kids involved; having them prep cook with me, being in the kitchen when we are madly plating for 20 paying guest and then hustling them out the kitchen door to serve the waiting guests. The kids LOVE the energy of the night and hopefully I not only teach them a thing or two in the kitchen but instill a lifelong love of cooking. A gift that has brought me complete pleasure throughout my life.

The wildest cooking class I gave was a Mexican themed class for my kid’s elementary school. I had 20 women sign up for the night and greeted them with margaritas while I taught them a few appetizers to start. I usually serve wine but this was the first time I served a true cocktail. After we sampled the appetizers and began on the heart of the meal, I realized that no one was listening to me. Everyone was having a blast, talking to each other, laughing and paying no attention to me. This does happen when I am teaching 20 people but it usually is easy to round everyone in. This was different. I made a bit of an experiment and left the class (I set everyone up in a enclosed patio area with a makeshift kitchen), joined my helpers in my kitchen to see when they would notice. Five minutes later I came back in and started up the class again, NO ONE noticed! I should have placed them at their tables at that time and gave up on teaching the class, they probably would not even realized I never demonstrated the entrée!

Here is a few recipes from the Mexican cooking class and the beautiful flourless chocolate cake from Rene Verdon, the chef of Le Trianon and chef to President Kennedy.

Braised Duck with Ancho-Ginger Mole

This recipe will make a duck lover out of you. Many think duck is hard to cook, but this is just a simple braise that creates a duck confit type texture to the meat. The mole is a true taste sensation and freezes easily so I always make a double batch. Please do not be put off by the long list of ingredients, it is easy to put together once you clean and rehydrate the ancho chilies’. I developed this recipe from Donna Nordin’s Duck Eggroll recipe. She shredded the meat and then made an eggroll to fry and used the sauce for dipping. It is so wonderful on its own, I omit that step!

Enjoy this dish with our favorite Zinfandel or peppery Syrah.

Serves 8

For the Duck Legs

• 8 duck legs
• 1 cup white onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons crushed garlic
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• ¼ teaspoon each ground cloves, cumin and cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 cups water
• 2 cups tomato juice

For the Mole

• ¼ cup grated fresh ginger
• 1 cup white wine
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons seasoned rice wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 4 ancho chiles, seeded and stems removed
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons Mexican oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• ¾ cup orange juice
• salt to taste

In a large Dutch oven or roaster with a lid, combine all the ingredients for the duck legs except the legs. Mix thoroughly and add the legs. Cover and cook in a 325-degree oven for about 2 hours, until the legs are completely tender but not falling off the bone. Could take longer than 2 hours. Check after an hour and a half.

After they are cooked, take out of liquid and place on a baking sheet and refrigerate until ready to use. This can be done in advance.

For the ancho-ginger mole, take the first 6 ingredients and place in a saucepan. Boil for 5 minutes. Cool and strain.

Soak the chilies’ in hot water for one hour. Drain and save the water. Puree the chilies’ with the remaining ingredients except the orange juice until smooth. Add orange juice and if not sauce consistency, add a bit of the water of the chilies’. Combine the chili mixture with the ginger mixture and cook until reduced to a nice consistency.

Bring the legs to room temperature. Heat in a 400-degree oven until skin is crisp and the meat is warm about 10 to 15 minutes. Serve with the wild rice a bit of vegetable of your choice and garnish with the sauce. Pass the sauce separately, everyone will want more!!

Gateau Nancy Flourless Chocolate Soufflé Cake

I would serve this with a glass of port or my true preference, a dry Champagne.

Serves 10-12

• 14 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, cut up
• 7 ounces (1 ¾ sticks) sweet butter
• 2 tablespoons Grand Marnier liqueur
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon almond powder (finely ground almonds
• 10 eggs, separated, room temperature
• 9 ounces (1 ¼ cups plus 1 tablespoon) sugar
• Confectioners’ sugar for the top
• crème anglaise
• Two 10-inch round cake pans, buttered and floured and lined with circles of parchment paper.

1. Put chocolate, butter, Grand Marnier, vanilla and almond powder in double boiler. Melt over hot water, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat as soon as chocolate is melted.

2. Beat egg yolks with 5 ounces (3/4 cup) sugar until thick and a slowly dissolving ribbon forms when beater is lifted, about 6 minutes. Blend into lukewarm chocolate mixture using a large rubber spatula.

3. Whip egg whites until foamy, then gradually add 4 ounces (1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon) sugar, whipping until soft peaks are formed. Using large rubber spatula, blend lightly into chocolate-egg mixture, as if it were a soufflé.

4. Divide batter between two prepared pans and bake in preheated 275 degree oven for 1 hour and 20 minutes.

5. As soon as cakes test done, loosens sides with a sharp knife and unmold on cake racks to prevent sogginess. Cakes will have a crisp “sugar bloom” on the outside, and will sink very slightly. The top surfaces will probably crack, which is normal. Let cool, and sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar before serving.

Serve with Coffee Crème Anglaise

Crème Anglaise

Makes five cups

• 8 egg yolks
• ¾ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 quart milk
• 1 vanilla bean to infuse milk, or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Instant espresso

1. Whisk egg yolks and sugar together, or beat in an electric mixer until thick and lemon colored.

2. Mix cornstarch with a little cold milk and add to quart of milk. Scald milk with vanilla bean, and pour hot milk into egg yolks, whisking constantly. (Rinse and dry vanilla bean and store buried in sugar. It can be reused a number of times and will flavor the sugar also!)

3. Pour custard sauce into a heavy tin-lined copper pot or a porcelain insert of a double boiler. (Do not make Crème Anglaise in aluminum, which discolors it, or in a flimsy pan, which tends to scorch the mixture.)

4. Stir with wooden spoon over low to medium heat, or over hot water until custard starts to coat the spoon. In a double boiler it will take about 15 minutes to thicken, and must not be cooked at too high a heat or the eggs will curdle. To test, dip clean wooden spoon in mixture, turn it over and run finger across back of spoon. If the two sides remain separate, it is ready. Or, if you blow on the back of the custard covered spoon, it should “make roses”.

5. Strain into a bowl, stir in vanilla essence if used, and let cool. Stir from time to time to prevent a skin from forming.

6. To make a coffee flavored crème anglaise make a strong mixture of coffee from instant espresso and add to taste.