Sunday Night Cooking

Sunday is without a doubt my favorite day of the week. I love waking up on Sunday mornings and just hanging around the house in my pj's, reading magazines, drinking coffee, hanging out with Durham and Jason. There is no morning so calm and comfortable to me. This kind of relaxing start to the day usually spawns the motivation to research and cook an elaborate dinner.

I really enjoy reading Saveur magazine. There are so many articles that touch on the history and cultural stories of food, rather than just focusing on the recipe. It is a nice holiday from the "save x amount of calories" type messages you see in other cooking magazines. The best part is that most of their recipes are healthy, yet food for food lovers is the sole focus of this publication.

A couple weeks ago, while perusing Saveur I came across two recipes that looked like they would go well together. One, was Stanley Tucci's mothers' recipe for risotto with shrimp. The other, grilled vegetable stacks. I coupled this meal with fresh rosemary and olive oil bread, from Bread and Cie, and truly loved every bite.

Risotto con Gamberetti (Risotto with Shrimp)
Serves 4

3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled, deveined, and halved
lengthwise
1 small yellow onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
1 cup arborio rice
1⁄2 cup dry white wine
1 tomato, peeled, seeded, and diced
3 cups chicken stock, hot
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1⁄4 cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano (optional)

Heat 2 tbsp. of the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and cook, stirring, until shrimp are almost done, about 1 minute. Remove shrimp with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Add remaining 1 tbsp. oil and reduce heat to medium-low. Add onions and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions begin to soften, about 10 minutes.

Add rice, stirring to coat with oil. Add wine and tomatoes and cook, stirring, until rice absorbs all liquid, 2–3 minutes. Add hot stock 1 cup at a time. Continue cooking, stirring constantly and allowing rice to absorb all liquid before adding additional stock.

Add shrimp and cook, stirring, until rice is tender and risotto is creamy but not wet, about 5 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper. If desired, stir in parmigiano-reggiano.

Grilled Vegetable Stacks
Serves 8 (because there are 2 of us, I ate these left overs all week for lunch)



2 medium eggplants
Salt
1 medium yellow squash
1 medium zucchini
2 medium tomatoes
1⁄2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus additional for brushing
vegetables
2 1⁄2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 tbsp. coarsely chopped fresh parsley
1 tbsp. coarsely chopped fresh basil
Freshly ground black pepper
1⁄4 cup diced red bell pepper (or hot chile, such as
serrano)

Slice eggplants into 1⁄4"-thick rounds, sprinkle with salt, and layer in a colander. Weigh down with a plate and set aside to drain for 20 minutes. Brush salt off eggplant.

Preheat a gas or charcoal grill (or place a stove-top grill pan over medium-high heat). Slice squash and zucchini into 1⁄4"-thick rounds and slice tomatoes into 1⁄2"-thick rounds. Lightly brush all vegetables with olive oil, then grill, turning once, until tender and slightly charred, about 30 seconds per side for tomatoes, 2–3 minutes per side for eggplant, squash, and zucchini.

Whisk together 1⁄2 cup olive oil, vinegar, parsley, and basil in a mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper. To assemble, place 1 eggplant round on a plate and stack on top a tomato round, a second eggplant round, and squash and zucchini rounds. Drizzle with dressing and top with diced red pepper.

Stuffed Peppers

Some of my favorite meals come from gathering all the scraps left in the fridge, placing them all together in front of me, and concocting a meal. It's efficient. I would rather use what I have then go and buy more. These stuffed peppers are the result of such incidence. They were delicious - the first night and for left overs the next.


Stuffed Peppers
Serves 4

4 bell peppers (any color or kind you prefer)
ground turkey
extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium zucchini
1 yellow squash
1 onion
Wild rice (or any rice you like)
1-2 cloves of garlic
pinch cinnamon and cumin
kosher salt
pepper
pick a combination of fresh and flavorful herbs and spices that you like/have around
tomato sauce
parmesan and mozzarella cheese for grating


The peppers: Carefully slice the top portion of the pepper off and set aside. Clean the inside of the peppers and de-seed. Boil water and place each pepper in and hold them under water until their color changes to a bright crayola green. Blanching the peppers before you stuff and bake them, makes the consistency soft enough to melt in with the rest of the ingredients, but still firm enough to contain them. Remove the blanched peppers and set in baking dish. I like to use a deeper dish to allow for spillage.

The rice: Cook as the package instructs. Set aside.

Heat a pan over medium heat and add olive oil, chopped onion, and crushed garlic. Sautee for 3-5 minutes, until lightly browned. Add ground turkey and brown (if you want to add a little sausage it helps with taste/flavor). While this is cooking, chop the rest of your vegetables (including the tops of the peppers that we set aside earlier) into small bite size pieces. Once the meat is almost cooked through, add it to a large bowl with all of the vegetables, rice, and fold together. Add a dash of cinnamon, cumin, a tablespoon of salt and freshly ground pepper. Use a large spoon and fill each pepper about 3/4 of the way to the top. Top with sauce and a handful of grated cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 30-35 minutes. Enjoy!

A Bottle of Red...

I have not been inspired to write for some time, as I had not come across food that has wowed me in awhile. However, I think what I was needing was some variety. Something different than what I am used to being served or serving. Thus, during a trip to visit one of my favorite people to eat with in Brooklyn, when asked "what do you want to eat?" I gave thoughtful consideration to what I have been missing in my life. I decided not only have I been missing authentic Italian food but when in New York City...

Frankie's is everything you want in an Italian restaurant. Modestly set on Court St. in Brooklyn, its small and warm entrance stands out among brownstones and storefronts and draws you right in. The interior is cozy and the low lights and rich wood exemplify this, yet with true simplicity. There are a few tables right as you walk in next to a window looking out onto the street. A long bar separates the front from the back of the restaurant where there are just a few more tables. We sat in the front looking out onto the street. The menu is very simple as are the ingredients. To my delight, there are no heavy sauces, overly breaded foods, and the menu states that locally grown foods are used as much as possible. I already love this place.

We start with a cheese board appetizer which allows us to select from a menu of eclectic cheeses. The board comes with small portions and a few bite-size crustinis, which is perfect because it tastefully warms your appetite. For dinner, I ordered one of the house specials: cavatelli with hot sausage and sage butter. I have never had cavatelli and did not know what to expect of a seemingly simple dish. Yet, once I tasted this meal so many fresh flavors harmoniously melted in my mouth. The pasta was homemade and actually melted in your mouth. The butter was very lightly tossed on the pasta and infused with the aroma and taste of fresh sage. The sausage was also light, fresh, and perfectly spiced. This was, by far, the best pasta dish I have ever had. This amazing experience was enhanced with a great bottle of red wine and a thoroughly enjoyable conversation with one of my closest friends. I could not have asked for a more enjoyable evening.

A New Favorite

Coming from a Persian background, I naturally love rice and stews and equate these savory foods to home. I am always open to different cultures' versions of similar dishes, and for about a year I have been wanting to make arroz con pollo. Each time I found a prospective recipe I would get lost in the details and abandon the idea. Until now. While perusing Smitten Kitchen, I came across an intriguing recipe that was simple and enjoyable to create. I made some minor modifications to the recipe in order to keep it healthy. The result was both flavorful and delicious. I served the arroz con pollo with a side salad consisting of green cabbage, romaine lettuce, avocado, and cilantro to add a cool crunch to compliment the rich heat of the main dish.

Arroz Con Pollo
Serves 4

Chicken
1.5 large garlic cloves
1 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
2 chicken breasts, halved crosswise
4 chicken thighs

Rice
2 oz. soy chorizo
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
.5 green bell pepper, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 bay leaf
1 large tomatoe, seeded and chopped
6oz. bottle beer (not dark - I used Pacifico)
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 cup whole-grain brown rice

Marinate chicken: Mince and mash garlic with 1 teaspoons kosher salt. Stir in vinegar and oregano. This creates a paste-like texture that is perfect for marinating the chicken.

Remove skin and excess fat from chicken, then rub the chicken with the marinade until coated. Covered and chill for at least 1 hour.

Cook chicken and rice: Cook chorizo in olive oil in a large pot over medium heat, stirring a few times, for 2 to 3 minutes. Add onions, bell pepper, and garlic and cook, stirring until softened, about 5 minutes.

Add cumin, oregano, paprika, 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, and bay leaves and cook, stirring, 1 minute.

Add chicken with marinade to chorizo mixture and cook, uncovered, over medium heat, stirring frequently, 10 minutes.

Once chicken is well-coated with the mixture and browned on the outside, use tongs to temporarily remove the chicken from the pot. Stir in tomatoes, beer, broth, and rice and bring to a boil, making sure rice is submerged. Replace the chicken and press it into the broth a bit.

Reduce heat to medium-low, then cover mixture directly with two paper towels and cover pot with a tight fitting lid. Cook, stirring once or twice, until rice is tender, 40 to 50 minutes.

Remove from heat and let stand, uncovered, for 5 minutes.

Cabbage Salad
1/2 head green cabbage sliced
1 cup of romaine lettuce (cabbage should be about 2 or 3 times the amount of lettuce)
1 small avocado - cut into bit size chunks
handful of chopped, fresh cilantro

Dressing
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
juice of 2-3 limes
sprinkle of kosher salt
fresh ground pepper

Toss all above ingredients together and serve on plate next to main dish.

Farmer's Market Delight

After a few days of authentic southern Mexican fare, I was seeking a light and refreshing meal to prepare for dinner. Megan recently recommended the Hillcrest Farmer's Market, and described all of its greatness, so I decided to take a walk through on a late Sunday morning. I was not disappointed. What I found there was exactly what I was looking for: fresh, homemade, delicious, and inexpensive.

Fresh, Homemade, Delicious, and Inexpensive: Spinach-feta bread from Charlie's Best Bread. Bought half a loaf for $3.50 and it was baked early that same morning. The bread was thick, soft, and had great flavor with a subtle hint of cheese. Pork taco for $2.00. This was not just any pork taco. There was a Mexican woman behind the counter frying fresh tortillas to create a perfect crispy taco shell that she filled with carnitas, shredded cabbage, and pico di gallo. The first bite was so juicy that I almost walked away without paying because I was so excited to eat more. My final purchase was a large piece of ahi tuna, chilled on ice, for only $5.00. There was no doubt in my mind that in a few hours this chunk of tuna would become my dinner...

Seared tuna with avocado (adapted from Simply Recipes)
Ingredients:
1/2 c. chopped cilantro leaves
2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced ( I first diced the jalapeños and then minced them through a garlic press)
4 tsp. grated fresh, peeled ginger
4 garlic cloves, minced
Juice of 4 limes
1/3 c. soy sauce
1/4 tsp. sugar
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
a couples dashes of kosher salt and a good amount of freshly ground pepper
2 - 1" thick tuna slices (coat both sides lightly with kosher salt and fresh ground pepper)
1 avocado thinly sliced

Mix together the cilantro, jalapeño, ginger, garlic, lime juice, soy sauce, sugar, salt, pepper, and 1/4 cup of olive oil. Use the remaining two tablespoons of oil to coat a pan, over medium-high heat. Sear the tuna for about one minute on each side (or until the exterior of the fish is no longer translucent). Pour half of the cilantro mixture into the pan and allow time for it to heat up on and around the fish. Place the tuna on a plate, garnish with avocados, and serve the remaining sauce on the side.

Arugula and corn salad
Ingredients:
Arugula spring mix
Corn on the cob
Scallions
Prosciutto
Extra virgin olive oil
1 lemon
Rice wine vinegar
Kosher salt
Fresh ground pepper

Place leafy greens in a salad bowl. Boil water and add 2 stalks of corn. Once ready, drain and cool the corn. Once corn is cool to the touch, cut the kernels from the cob into the salad bowl with the greens. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Place the prosciutto (about 8-10 slices) on a cookie sheet and in the oven until just crisp. Chop into pieces and add to salad. Finely chop scallions and add.
For the dressing pour extra virgin olive oil, juice of a lemon, a couple sprinkles of rice wine vinegar, and salt and pepper directly into the salad. Toss and enjoy!

I served the ahi and salad with wild rice. Nothing but compliments from Jason, which anyone who really knows him, knows that his praise is primarily saved for deserving moments. I like knowing that this meal was as delicious as I envisioned it to be.

Unexpected & Delicious Meal

I was on the phone with Afsan, while trying to put together dinner. I found the following ingredients in my refrigerator: chicken breast, cremini mushrooms, onion, garlic, a red russet potato, and fresh basil. I mentioned something about not knowing what to do with these ingredients and just like that I was given the following idea that was both healthy and delicious.

The following recipe was made for one person, but can be easily doubled, tripled or quadrupled to make more.

Ingredients:

1/3 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breast - cut into bite size pieces
1/2 c. of small yellow onion - diced
1/4 c. mushrooms - white, cremini, or shitake
1-2 cloves of garlic
1 small-medium red russet potato - diced
1 tblsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/4 c. good tomato sauce
fresh basil
some white wine (I used Charles Shaw - Chardonnay)
sprinkles of kosher salt
fresh ground pepper

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over low to medium heat. Once warmed in non-stick pan, add yellow onion. Stir with a wooden spoon until golden. Add minced garlic cloves and mix together with onions. After a minute or two, add the chicken and turn the heat up to medium-high. Once the chicken is lightly browned, add the potato and mushrooms. Allow enough time for the mushrooms to release its natural juices and then sprinkle some salt and a generous amount of pepper on top. Stir the contents once or twice and cover for about 5 minutes. Add the white wine and tomato sauce, lower the heat, and cover until potatoes are tender to the bite. Uncover and toss fresh basil slices in the pan. Lower heat and serve.

I ate this on its own, but it would taste great served with rice.

A Lovely Way to Spend a Saturday Night

One word comes to mind when I think of my experience at this new restaurant-bar in North Park. Comfort.
When I first see Urban Solace I am reminded of the south of France because of its charming pastel yellow hue and delicate, rod-iron balconies. It is the one building, on the up and coming 30th street, that stands out as warm and inviting.
Once I enter the solace I am again comforted by the atmosphere, but this time for a multitude of reasons. The interior design is simple, yet contains subtle and beautiful intricacies such as stained glass windows, a narrow, softly curved, elongated bar, and rectangular cut-outs in the back wall that span from the ceiling to the floor with down lighting that draws my eyes to the gradation of its burgundy color.
We sit at the bar and the people surrounding us are exactly the kind of people I want to be around - mature adults of all ages, out enjoying a glass of wine and some good conversation. This brings me a lot of satisfaction and throughout the night conversation is flowing in many directions. The 40-something couple to our right could not be more comfortable in their own skin as they tell us their story about how they met and the humorous realities of their five year marriage. Attentive is an understatement to describe the bartender, and it is clear she genuinely cares that we enjoy the experience.
The food is good and not overpriced. However, it is not the highlight of the night and at the same time does not take away from it.
Without a doubt I would, and will, go back there any time.

San Diego Beauty

Spring is right around the corner. The evidence is in these pictures I took while walking in Pacific Beach.

Recent Meals Worth Mentioning

Shore Club - Pacific Beach, San Diego
I had no expectations of this establishment. Overall, I have been disappointed in Pacific Beach's ability to build an enticing waterfront. I want a plethora of outdoor cafe's with over-sized funky umbrellas, flowers abound in the day, diverse candle light at sunset, and too many choices of fun/casual/classy places to go to. Instead, there are eateries and bars that primarily cater to anyone who is looking for bar food and a lot of drinking. The Shore Club seemed like another one of these places, and in a sense it is. However, their veggie and grilled mahi tacos were a very close second to South Beach (OB) fish tacos. In the five years that I have lived in San Diego I have not been able to say that about any other fish taco, so that means a lot to me. The veggie taco was filled with marinated and grilled zucchini, eggplant, and squash, and then topped with lettuce, diced tomatoes, a small/perfect amount of guacamole, and white sauce. Other notable things: it is on the second floor and has wall to wall opening windows, with seating overlooking the ocean. This entire experience was a pleasant surprise and I will certainly add it to my rotation.

Bite - Hillcrest - San Diego
Bite is a new, modern, wine bar and bistro that offers eclectic tapas and small plates. I went with three of my friends and we ordered eight "bites" (two rounds of each of us picking one) and two desserts. The following are descriptions of my favorites, in no particular order:

1. Grilled Cheese Baguette of Cremini Mushroom, Fresh Thyme, Roasted Shallots and Melted Fontina. This was so cheesy and flavorful. The thin baguette was pressed and grilled to perfection. This is a smaller plate....two, (about) three inch sandwiches.

2. Yam Gnocchi with Rock Shrimp, Toasted Hazelnuts, Haricot Vert and Sage Butter. The gnocchi in this dish was good, but what made it amazing was the rock shrimp. The combination of the hazelnuts and sage reminded me of a light horseradish flavor which I loved.

3. Medjoul Dates Stuffed w/ Gorgonzola and Wrapped w/ Apple Wood Smoked Bacon. I have had bacon wrapped dates before, but these were taken to a whole new level with the gorgonzola stuffing. We loved these so much, we got two orders. Four dates per order.

4. Warm Cream Cheese Bread Pudding with Blueberry Buttermilk Sorbet. I think the name says it all. One of my new favorite desserts. Perfect size for sharing.

The poet, Rumi, said -"let the beauty of what you love be what you do." I could not agree more.

Timeless San Francisco

If you happen to be in San Francisco, and looking for a good and quick lunch, check out Nonna Rose. Touristy - definitely as it is in the heart of Fisherman's Wharf, but worth it. The crab salad sandwiches were packed with fresh crab meat and were very light on the mayonnaise. For under $10.00 and a view of the bay, you can't go wrong.


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