Vegan Chinese vs Hamburger Joint

I had dinner at Garden Fresh Restaurant, http://gardenfresh.us/,  last night for dinner (and leftovers for dinner tonight because the portions are huge!)   For some reason, I hadn't been there in several years.  Everything on their menu is vegan.  The so-called "meat" is made with wheat gluten or soy protein.  We started with scallion pancakes that were very good, but not very healthy because they had been deep fried.  They were crispy and reminiscent of onion rings; not a bad thing!  The minced veggies and "ham" in lettuce cups was OK, but needed something more.   I added hoisin sauce with the leftovers and it improved them.   The "chicken" and vegetable chow fun was very good with the flavor I think you only get from a well-seasoned wok.  We certainly didn't miss having real chicken.  They also gave us a large serving of steamed brown rice which had a better texture than the usual brown rice.  A great place to go to make sure you get all your veggie servings and if you have vegan or vegetarian guests, but also just a good neighborhood Chinese place.

About a week ago, I shared a hamburger at Clarks in Mountain View, http://www.clarkes.com/.  A lot of people think the hamburgers there are great, but I think they are just OK, a little dry and oddly seasoned.  This time I noticed they had sweet potato fries; don't know if they are a regular or seasonal.   They were wonderful.  Those fries and a chocolate milk shake would make a great splurge lunch!  Who needs the hamburger?

Bagels this morning

Last night, on a whim, like I didn't have a million other things to do, I decided to make bagels.  I had made them several times over the years, was never particularly satisfied with the results, yet never worked on perfecting them.  But I had lox, cream cheese and no bagels.  So I decided to give them a try using Peter Reinhart's method from The Breadmaker's Apprentice.  (Peter was my "Breads" instructor at the California Culinary Academy.)

Bottom line:   the bagels were wonderful; chewy, flavorful and surprisingly easy to make.  I mixed and kneaded the stiff dough in the breadmaker.  After giving the dough a brief rest, rather than using the traditional rope method,  I formed bagel shapes using an easy method of making rounds, punching a hole in the center, and stretching,  After resting at warm temperature for 20 minutes, they were "retarded" in the refrigerator overnight.   This morning, they had a 2 minute dip in boiling water and were baked 10 minutes.    I had fresh, warm bagels this morning in less than an hour after I woke up.   I would never have gotten dressed and over to the bagel shop that early.  

Sfratti: Honey and Nut Sticks or Evictions!

Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, starts this coming Friday night.  Honey is traditionally eaten on Rosh Hashanah as a symbol for a sweet new year, and  I was looking for something different to make that included it.  According to Eddi Servi Machlin, sfratti are a traditional Rosh Hashanah sweet of Italian Jews.   "Sfratti" means "evictions" in Italian and the long sticks of dough from which sfratti are made are supposed to resemble the sticks with which tenants, or Jews, were forcibly ejected from places they were no longer wanted.  Like the Hamentashen (Haman's Ears) made for Purim, these treats make fun of historical enemies.

 

Regardless of the history, these sfratti are really good.   The dough texture resembles that of Fig Newtons and the filling is reminiscent of a chewy pecan pie.  A photo will be forthcoming.

Sfratti
(adapted from Eddi Servi Machlin’s The Classic Dolci of the Italian Jews)

Dough


3 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour


1 1/4 cups sugar


¼ teaspoon salt

1/3 cup olive oil

2/3 cup chilled, dry white wine



Filling


1 cup honey

15 oz. chopped walnuts
(about 3 ¾ cups)

zest from a medium orange, finely chopped or grated

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon


1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

dash of ground nutmeg


1/4 teaspoon freshly grated black pepper



Make dough first: Mix flour, sugar, and salt together in a large bowl. Stir in the oil and wine and mix with a rubber spatula just until dough holds together. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate while making filling.




Make the filling: In a large skillet over high heat, bring the honey to a boil, then reduce heat to medium high and cook for 3 minutes. If it starts to foam over, lower heat slightly. Add remaining ingredients and cook, stirring constantly for another 5 minutes, reducing heat if mixture threatens to burn (the nuts should brown slightly)

Let the mixture stand, stirring occasionally, for about five minutes, then pour mixture onto a silicone mat or floured surface and let rest until cool enough to handle.  Divide into 6 equal portions, and shape the portions into 14-inch-long sticks.  Set aside to cool completely (refrigerate if your kitchen is warm

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. 
 Divide thoroughly chilled dough into 2 equal pieces and put one back in the refrigerator (it is easier to roll chilled dough; it will soften quickly in a warm kitchen).  On a floured surface, roll a piece of dough into a 14-by-12-inch rectangle, then cut each rectangle lengthwise into three long rectangles. Place one of the strips of filling near a long side of each rectangle, then wrap the dough around the filling, pinching the ends, and making sure the filling is covered completely. Repeat with the second piece of dough.  You will have six long sticks of dough with filling in each.  Place sticks seam side down on the prepared baking sheet, leaving at least 1 inch between the sticks.  Bake sticks until lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Let cool slightly and wrap each stick with aluminum foil while still warm.  They will stay fresh for several weeks.   When ready to serve the sfratti, cut slantwise into about 1 ½”  pieces.  (The sfratti may be sliced ahead, but keep longer whole.)   Makes about 48  pieces. 

Preserving Plums

I picked almost all the remaining plums on my trees this week.   I made more plum butter, plum jam flavored with orange liqueur, and plum pie filling.  The plum pie filling is new to me.  Won't publish a recipe until I make a test pie with a jar sometime this fall.  But I did use some leftover filling in a plum "crumble" and liked the cardamom and almond flavors I used.   Regular cornstarch, tapioca, flour, and other usual thickeners for fruit pies don't stand up to canning.  The USDA recommends a modified cornstarch which home canners can buy online under the brand name "Clear Jel."

"Julie & Julia"

Saw Julie & Julia last week and really enjoyed it, partly for the the nostalgia value.   I literally learned to cook from Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking, volumes I and II, and remember making many of the recipes "Julie" prepared in the movie.  Some, such as the Boeuf Bourguignon and Coq au Vin have become staples in my repertoire .  The Lobster Thermidor from the recipe in first volume is fantastic and remains one of my all time favorite eating experiences.  And I even learned how to bone a duck from Julia Child, though I made a galantine rather than the pastry-covered duck shown in the movie.   My favorite duck recipe of all time is from a later Julia Child book, The Way to Cook."  Her Designer Duck features duck that is briefly roasted, then carved and cooked three ways:  the rare breast sliced and warmed in Port, the legs and thighs coated in mustardy crumbs and roasted, and the skin turned into cracklings.  Time consuming, but definitely worth it.

Can you tell how "beloved" (aka, tattered and dirty) my volumes are from the photo above?

Shiva's Indian Restaurant, Mountain View

I had dinner at Shiva's a couple of times this month.   I hadn't been there in a couple of years, partially because they seemed to have a problem with the spiciness of their food.   Sometimes, a dish was blazing hot and at other times the same dish was almost bland.   I didn't have this problem in my recent visits, and all the food was quite good.   I especially liked the tandoori prawns.  Service is pleasant but uneven; we were surprised rice wasn't served with our food at the first visit (it was never mentioned and we had ordered plenty of naan, so didn't ask for it).   The second visit we were asked if we wanted rice and said "yes" but it came well after the rest of our food.   Portion sizes are also variable; the tandoor dishes are quite large but some of the other dishes are quite small.   Prices are higher than other Indian restaurants on Castro, but I think the food quality, and ambiance, is better.   It's also a good choice for vegetarians.

Plums, and more plums

My plum trees are very productive this year. So far, I have canned spiced plums, plums with orange liqueur, and plum butter. I have also made a plum candy (a kind of pâtes de fruits, aka fruit jellies) and lemon verbena plum ice cream. The former is just mixture of plums and sugar, about 1 cup of sugar for each pound of plums. I pit the plums, puree them in a food processor, and combine with the sugar in a big microwave-safe bowl. The mixture is microwaved until very thick, spread in a sheet pan, cooled, cut in squares and dipped in sugar processed with orange rind. You could cook this on top of the stove, but would have to stir like crazy to keep it from scorching. The microwave is similarly a boon when making fruit butters.

I loved the lemon verbena prune ice cream, which was a beautiful deep pink color:

About 1 cup fresh lemon verbena (leaves and/or soft stems) 

2 cups half and half 

1/2 lb plums, halved and pitted

2 tablespoons sugar 

4 egg yolks
2/3 cup sugar

Combine the lemon verbena and half and half in saucepan and bring to simmer. Remove from heat and let steep 30-60 minutes. Meanwhile, puree the plums and 2 Tbsp. sugar in a blender or food processor; refrigerate.

Pick big pieces of lemon verbena out of half and half and bring the half and half back to a simmer. Beat the egg yolks and remaining sugar together in a medium bowl. Slowly, beating constantly, add the hot half and half to the egg yolk mixture. Return the mixture to the saucepan and heat only until the mixture thickens slightly. It should reach about 170 degrees and coat the back of a spoon; do not let it boil. Strain it into the pureed plum mixture and refrigerate until thoroughly cold. Freeze according to your ice cream maker's directions. Bon appetit!

Big and delicious tomatoes!

The August issue of Gourmet Magazine featured a tomato corn pie with a biscuit crust. It is almost identical to a Savory Tomato Pie recipe I have made for years from Lee Bailey's Tomatoes, except that recipe doesn't include corn. I wouldn't bother including the corn again, as I couldn't really taste it. What was fun about making it, is that the recipe calls for 1 3/4 lbs tomatoes and I needed to use only ONE tomato, which weighed in just under two pounds (and that isn't the largest one on the vine!) It was a "Kellogg's Breakfast Tomato," a very meaty orange beefsteak tomato I have grown in my garden for several years. I care a lot more about the taste of my tomatoes than the size and these Kellogg's tomatoes are among the best tasting and most prolific of the many kinds of tomatoes I grow. To assure I get the varieties I want, I have been buying my tomato plants online from Laurel's Heirloom Tomatoes.

I have to remember to take photographs of my creations before they are "destroyed." Just not in the habit. You can look at the pie photo at the Gourmet magazine link above!

Zucchini Salad with Caraway and Feta

One of my favorite winter salad recipes is Tunisian and comes from Paula Wolfert’s Mediterranean Cooking. It is called “houriya “ and is made with partially cooked carrots and ground caraway seeds. I adapted the recipe to zucchini, abundant in my garden all summer. It is currently my favorite way to prepare zucchini. I prefer cooking the zucchini in the microwave, so no extra water is absorbed, but you could also steam the zucchini and garlic together on the stovetop.

2 lbs. small to medium zucchini, scrubbed but not peeled (save huge ones for another use)

3 large unpeeled garlic cloves

salt to taste

2 tsp. caraway seeds

harissa or cayenne pepper to taste

2 Tbsp. cider vinegar

2 or 3 Tbsp. olive oil

about 2 dozen pitted kalamata olives

4 oz. feta, crumbled

Cut the zucchini into about ½” chunks. Combine with garlic cloves and a pinch of salt in a covered microwave-safe dish and cook, stirring occasionally, until the zucchini are crisp-tender. Drain off and reserve any accumulated liquid. Coarsely crush the zucchini with a potato masher or fork. Grind the caraway seeds on high speed in a clean, dry blender container. Slip the garlic cloves out of their skins and place in the blender with the ground caraway seeds, cider vinegar and 2 Tbsp. olive oil, Purée, (Blenders all work differently; if yours does not sufficiently purée such a small amount, add up to 1 Tbsp. of the reserved zucchini cooking liquid. You could also add a small amount of the crushed zucchini if needed.)

Stir the blender mixture into the crushed zucchini. Reserve a few whole olives and about 2 Tbsp. of feta for garnish. Coarsely chop or slice the remaining olives and stir them and the remaining feta into the zucchini mixture. Add salt to taste if needed (depends on the saltiness of the feta you use). If the salad is too tart or dry, add a little more olive oil. Transfer to serving dish and garnish with reserved whole olives and feta.

Increasing spectators; decreasing cooks

Sunday's New York Times Magazine had an article about the decline of home cooking. It brings up something I have been curious about a long time: Why are there seemingly so many watchers of cooking programs and so few people who actually cook? According to the article, watching these shows doesn't get people up off the couch to cook. Because of my interest in cooking, people often assume I am an avid watcher of cooking shows, but there is no entertainment value for me in watching others cook. I only watch if I feel I can learn something substantial, like Julia Child when she demonstrated techniques, for example how to debone (de-cartilage?) a skate wing. Watching someone just prepare a recipe is boring. And watching someone prepare food under the stress of time and competition is plain joyless for me. Why turn art into competition when it isn't required? I am for collaboration!

Arikato Sushi

I always enjoy Arikato sushi in the Costco shopping center at Rengstorff and Charleston in Mountain View, CA. It is decently priced and the servers are always nice and accommodating. While it is not my favorite place for nigiri sushi and sashimi (Sushitomi is the place for those), the sushi rolls, many named after Silicon Valley companies, are fun and interesting. When the Besssss roll is freshly made, the contrast of warm tempura shrimp to the otherwise cool ingredients makes it one of my favorite sushi experiences. Other favorites are the Spider Roll and the Rainbow Roll.

Basil Ice Cream

I was wandering around my garden yesterday trying to decide upon an herbal ice cream that would go with a chocolate zucchini cake. Thought lemon verbena or lavender would be too delicate and mint was too ordinary. I finally settled on purple basil. The ice cream turned out to be delicious, was strong enough in flavor to stand up to the chocolate, and was an attractive pale green. The basic recipe can be found on epicurious.com. However, I made the recipe entirely in the blender (no need to dirty a mixer bowl), plus used a combination of low fat milk, heavy cream and nonfat half and half, because that's what I had on hand. The chocolate zucchini cake recipe, an old standby for using up baseball bat-sized zucchini, can also be found on epicurious.com. This time I substituted 1/2 cup of applesauce for the 1/2 cup vegetable oil, and noticed no detriment in quality.  I do try to reduce calories when there isn't an impact on quality.  Otherwise, I am with Julia Child who wrote "I, for one, would much rather swoon over a few thin slices of prime beefsteak, or one small serving of chocolate mousse or a sliver of foie gras than indulge to the full on such nonentities as fat-free gelatin puddings."

Dinner at Shokolaat/Gateau Basque

Thursday night before TheatreWorks I had dinner at Shokolaat on University Avenue in Palo Alto. Shokolaat is a combination restaurant/patisserie/chocolatier. My main course was delicious; scallops with gnocchi in a lemony butter sauce. My companion's rack of lamb was also very good and cooked as ordered. I didn't get a chance to try their gorgeous chocolates, but hope to do so in the near future. According to the restaurant website, the dessert I ordered, Gateau Basque, is one of the chef's favorites. I did not enjoy the chef's interpretation made with brown sugar as the internal custard was not particularly distinct from the cake-like crust. I guess I prefer a more traditional gateau basque, which I have tried not only in Basque country but at the Basque Boulangerie Cafe in Sonoma and from the recipe in Paula Wolfert's Cooking of Southwest France. These may be less innovative, but part of the charm of the gateau is the smooth pastry cream inside contrasting with the crusty pastry outside. A version filled with cherry preserves is also very good and I especially like what Wolfert terms as Bayonne-style, with both custard and cherry preserves.

Wedding Cake!

I made the cake for my daughter's wedding in January. The bride and groom requested chocolate, but I thought a more traditional ivory-colored cake would look best for the event. The final cake incorporated both. It was a chocolate genoise with an amaretto soaking syrup, filled with whipped dark chocolate ganache and each tier covered with a thin layer of rolled marzipan. It was frosted with white chocolate Italian buttercream, surrounded with white chocolate bands (design made with chocolate transfer sheets.) The garnish was white chocolate "plastique" roses and white chocolate leaves. The cake topper was a family heirloom originally from the 1930's.

Nduja

Made a wonderful pizza with a gift from my cousins, nduja, a Calabrian sausage that can be described as a spicy, spreadable salame. The name "nduja" (pronounced: “en-doo-ya”) is derived from the French "andouille. " Besides the nduja, the pizza featured golden zucchini from my garden, roasted together with Vidalia onion. The nduja was also great simply spread on a slice of sourdough bread and broiled. My gift was purchased at the Boccalone Salumeria in the Ferry Building, San Francisco. I want to go there and try their muffaleta, a sandwich I have only eaten if I made it myself or at New Orleans' Central Grocery, arguably where it originated. It is made of Italian meats, sausages and cheese with olive salad on a split, hollowed round loaf which is cut and served in wedges.