Warm Corn Salad in Brown Butter Vinaigrette

2 ears corn, cut off cob
1 red bell - small dice
1 jalapeno - seeded, brunoise
4T butter
juice of three limes
1/2 small red onion - small dice
1/4 c finely chopped parsley
2T minced chives

Preferably the night before, but if not, then do at least 4 hours before you are serving the salad, make the pickled onions by putting the lemon juice and chopped onion in a jar in the fridge.
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Brown the 4T of butter in a sauté pan over medium heat. Stop the browning by pouring the lime juice from the pickled onions into the butter. Quickly add the corn and sauté over med/low heat for around 1 minute. Add the peppers and continue for another minute. Finish with the pickled onion, parsley, and chives. S&P to taste.

Beet and Merlot Soup

Yield: 6 servings

6 med/large cooked, peeled, and chopped beets)
8 shallots, chopped
1 c merlot
1 sprig fresh thyme
3T butter
1 qt vegetable stock
1/2 c heavy cream
12 1"x1" pieces gruyere cheese
12 sourdough croutons
6 t greek yogurt, thinned with about 2 t milk

Caramelize shallots in butter. Add red wine and reduce by ½. Add beets and thyme sprig, and broth, partially cover pot, and simmer slowly for about 30 minutes, or until beets are very soft. Puree soup in a blender. Add cream and bring soup back to a simmer. Season with salt,pepper, and a touch of lemon juice if more acid is needed. (If an even smoother texture is desired, strain it through a medium-mesh strainer.)

Take your sourdough croutons and melt the gruyere on top (oven, toaster oven, microwave: your choice)

To serve, ladle soup into 6 bowls, top with a spoonful of the yogurt and two gruyere-topped croutons.

Note on the croutons: I made mine by slicing a thin Grace Bakery sourdough loaf very thin, brushing with melted butter, and toasting in the oven until light brown and crisp. These are bread slices, not the cubed kind you put in salad.

Butternut Squash au Gratin

Butternut Squash au gratin:

4 butternut squash, peeled, necks only (save the butts for soup), sliced on your mandolin 1/8" thick

6 shallots, sliced, carmelized

1 bu fresh sage, chiffonade

1 1/2 c parmesan

1 pint (you heard me) whipping cream (OK you wuss, you can sub 1/2 and 1/2)

shitloads of salt and pepper

1 c fresh breadcrumbs

1/2 c walnuts

4 T butter, melted

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Heat oven to 400 F

Layer in this order: squash (overlapping), shallots, parmesan, sage, salt and pepper, drizzled cream. Repeat until you're out of ingredients. Top with foil and bake for about 1 1/2 hours or until squash is soft.

While squash is in the oven, add crumbs, walnuts, and melted butter to your food processer. Pulse until texture is consistent.

When squash is soft, remove from oven, remove foil and spread crumb topping over the top of the squash. Return to the oven for about 7 minutes or until topping is crispy and toasty brown.

This is my recollection of what I did. Hope I didn't forget anything. It was pretty awesome.

Beans and Greens Soup

This soup was unexpectedly good, especially considering I did not think about what I was doing when I made it and was on the phone leading a meeting.

1T olive oil
2 shallots, cut in half rings and caramelized in olive oil
3 large mushrooms, cut in ½" cubes, sautéed and slightly browned
2c veggie stock
¾ can cannelli (white) beans
3T minced Italian parsley
1c curly kale, cut in strips

Sautee shallots and mushrooms in olive oil until brown and squishy and caramelized
Add veggie stock and cannelli beans
Bring to an almost boil (just very hot)
Add parsley and kale, season and serve right away.

It made enough for me (but I ate a lot) and took 7 minutes.

Fred Soup

1/4 small head cauliflower (rough chopped)
1 med parsnip (peeled, chopped)
1/2 russet potato (peeled, chopped)
12 roasted pearl onions (peeled)
2 cloves roasted garlic
1 leek (white part only, washed, chopped)
1 c roasted celery root
3 1/2 c veggie stock
2 star anise stars
1T fennel seeds
1 t anise seeds
4 T slightly "off" chardonnay
1 T olive oil

Tie spices in cheese cloth (or put in a cute mesh metal tea strainer)
In 3 qt pot, saute leek, parsnip, and potato in olive oil
Add stock, roasted veggies, and spice bundle
Simmer until veggies squish under gentle pressure and potatoes fall apart (~25 min)
Remove spice bundle and puree soup in batches, seasoning with wine (or lemon juice - it's for acidity), salt, and pepper as needed.
Serve immediately

This would go well with a crouton or two...

Campanelli with saffron-infused carrot broth, scallops, and truffle oil

I adapted a recipe from the Dean and Delucca Food and Wine cook book for this dish.

This paired well with both a Viognier and a dry Sauvignon Blanc.

4 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
1 carrot, small dice
1 sm zucchini, small dice
12 scallops (vegan option: oyster mushrooms)
3 c carrot juice
2 T olive oil
healthy pinch cayenne
1/4 t cinnamon
healthy pinch saffron
a few gindings of nutmeg
4 c small pasta (such as campanelli)
1/2 c slivered almonds, toasted
parsley, minced
4 t white truffle oil
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Put a pot of salted water on to boil (for the pasta).

Put a medium sauce pan over medium heat with 1T olive oil. Add sliced garlic and saute until golden. Add carrots and toss until coated in oil and a little soft, around one minute (don't let the garlic burn). Add carrot juice, nutmeg, cinnamon, and cayenne. Simmer; don't let the carrot juice boil.

Put around 1/4 c of the warm carrot juice mixture into a teacup and add the saffron to it to steep.

Add the zucchini to the carrot juice and continue to simmer.

In another pan, heat the other 1T olive oil.

Add the pasta to the boiling water.

While the pasta is boiling, season and sear the scallops (or oyster mushrooms). Set them aside on a warm plate.

Add the saffron to the carrot juice sauce and fix seasoning.

Drain the pasta and scoop one cup of pasta into each dish. Scoop around 3/4 c of the carrot sauce over the pasta, making sure to get equal amounts of veggies into each dish. Sprinkle each dish with 1/4 of the almonds. Pile three seared scallops (mushrooms) in the middle of the dish and sprinkle with parsley. Right before serving, drizzle ~1t of white truffle oil over each plate.

Oatmeal Almond Cherry White Chocolate Cookies

4 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp kosher salt
2 cups butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
4 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 bags (12 oz each)white chocolate chips
1 cup slivered almonds, toasted
3 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup dried cherries (unsweetened), cut into raisin-size pieces

Preheat oven to 375 F

Wisk flour, baking soda, and salt into a bowl and set aside.

In the bowl of a standing mixer, blend sugars and butter until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, then vanilla. Mix until smooth. Add the flour in three batches, mixing until incorporated, but being careful not to overmix.

Remove bowl from standing mixer and stir in chocolate chips, almonds, cherries, and oats by hand.

Bake 8-9 minutes and cool on a rack.

**NOTE**
If you prefer cookies with a more "bready" texture, leave the dough in the fridge overnight before baking.

Mache with Pomegranite Seeds, Oranges, Toasted Hazelnuts, and Manchego Cheese in a Persimmon-Cinnamon dressing

Salad Ingredients:
1/4 c Toasted Hazelnuts with skin removed, roughly chopped
1 Naval Orange, Segmented
1/2 Pomegranite, De-Seeded
4T manchego cheese, shaved with a vegetable peeler
9 oz mache (usually one bag)

Dressing:
2 Fuyu Persimmons - peeled, seeded, and pureed
3T white wine vinegar
3T extra virgin olive oil (a mild one)
pinch cinnamon
salt, pepper, honey to taste (only if needed)

Place all salad ingredients save manchego cheese and hazelnuts in a bowl. Toss with some of the dressing (to taste) and garnish with cheese and nuts.

Rebecca on the Wine Insider's Podcast

Recipes can be found here

Venison Stew with Bacon and Wild Mushrooms

1 cup dry red wine
1 ounce dried black trumpet mushrooms
6 strips bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 pounds venison stew meat
Black pepper
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 large onion, diced
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
2 ribs celery, diced
1 large parsnip, peeled and diced
1 leek, white only, diced
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 12 ounce bottle Newcastle Brown Ale or similar
1 1/2 quart veal stock or beef broth
2 russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
6 sprigs fresh thyme
1 teaspoon allspice
3 bay leaves
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 lb wild mushrooms such as king trumpet, chanterelles, and shitakes.
3 tablespoons butter, divided.
1 pound cooked egg noodles
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Bring the red wine to a boil in a small saucepan. Remove from heat and add the black trumpet mushrooms. Set aside until the mushrooms are very soft, then remove the mushrooms, finely chop them and set them aside. Strain the wine to remove any grit from the mushrooms. Set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large stockpot cook the bacon over high heat until crispy. Remove the bacon from the pan and drain on paper towels.

Season the venison with salt and pepper, and then lightly dust with flour. Add the oil to the bacon grease remaining in the pot and sear the venison in batches on all sides over medium-high heat. Remove the meat from the pot and add the remaining flour, stirring constantly to make a roux. Deglaze the pot with the red wine, scraping with a wooden spoon.

Add the onions and cook over medium high heat until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the carrots, celery and parsnips and sauté for 2 minutes.
Add the leeks, black trumpet mushrooms, and garlic and cook for 2 minutes.
Add the beer and scrape to remove any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
Add the beef broth, potatoes, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, allspice, bay leaves and tomato paste.

Place the stew in the insert of the slow cooker set on high for at least 5 hours. (Can cook as long as 7 hours)

1/2 to 1 hour before serving, sauté the wild mushrooms in 2 tablespoons butter for around 5-7 minutes, or until they begin to release their juices. Add to the slow cooker.

Season to taste and serve with egg noodles tossed with the remaining butter. Garnish with a generous helping of the reserved bacon and a teaspoon of chopped parsley.

Thank you, Kurt, for sharing Bambi with me!

Pumpkin Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust

A take on the Magnolia Bakery Pumpkin Cheesecake

Crust
1 ½ cups gingersnap cookies, crushed into crumbs
½ cup toasted pecans or hazelnuts, chopped into crumbs
¼ cup melted butter

Cheesecake filling
3 sticks (8 oz each) cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp bourbon
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground cloves
¼ tsp allspice
¼ tsp ground nutmeg

Maple Whipped Cream
1 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons maple syrup

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a medium bowl, mix gingersnap crumbs, nuts, and melted butter. Press into the bottom and about 1” up the sides of a 9” springform pan. Set aside in the refrigerator while preparing the rest of the cheesecake.

Beat cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and bourbon in a standing mixer until cream cheese mixture is smooth. On low speed, add eggs one at a time, stopping to scrape down the sides between each addition. Remove 1 cup of the batter and set aside. Add pumpkin puree and spices into remaining batter and mix until smooth on low speed. Pour pumpkin mixture into gingersnap crust. Dollop reserved plain cheesecake mixture onto the top of the pumpkin filling and swirl through the two several times with a long butter knife to create the marbled effect. Place prepared cheesecake on a rimmed cookie sheet.

Bake until cheesecake is firm on the outsides and not quite set in the middle, around 45 minutes. The cake must cool completely before it can be eaten. Let it cool to room temperature and then put it in the refrigerator at least 3 hours or, preferably, overnight.

When ready to eat, beat the heavy cream with the maple syrup. Serve each slice with a spoonful of cream.

Panzanella

I made this panzanella for a wedding, but the recipe I developed was for 77 people. When one of the guests requested a copy, I had to modify (and test) it for a smaller group. Happily, I had an opportunity on Sunday to do just that! Another guest at the wedding requested the panzanella on the menu for her 70th birthday party and I was happy to oblige.

As with all things, but especially with simple things like panzanella, the quality of the dish is directly proportional to the quality of the ingredients. I think people like this dish so much because I used real (wild yeast) sourdough bread from a local bakery, a mix of fresh organic heirloom tomatoes, and Cabernet vinegar that I made from lovely Napa cabs. I would encourage you to seek out the best ingredients you can find.

4 cups sourdough bread cut into 3/4" cubes
4 cups mixed heirloom tomatoes cut into 3/4"cubes
2 cups arugula, washed and shredded
1/4 c reggiano parmesan, shaved with a vegetable peeler

1 c basil, shredded
1/4 c red wine vinegar
1/4 c extra virgin olive oil
1/2 c red onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper

At least one night before you make the dish, cut your sourdough bread into cubes and leave it out on the counter in a paper bag to get stale. Using stale bread will keep it from breaking down and melting into the salad. If your bread is very stale, you can mix this salad up to an hour before serving. If your bread is closer to fresh, you'll want to drain your tomatoes in a colander prior to tossing and serve immediately.

Make the dressing by whisking the olive oil into the vinegar slowly. Add the onion, half the basil, and the garlic. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

To make the salad, mix the bread and tomatoes and arugula in a large bowl. Toss with the dressing and season to taste with salt and pepper. Top with the remaining basil and garnish with reggiano parmesan shavings.

Pappardelle with Hot Italian Sausage, Butternut Squash, Sage, and Taleggio Cheese

1 package hot Italian sausage (around 5 sausages), removed from casings
2 1/2 cups butternut squash, peeled and chopped into 1" cubes
2 cups chicken stock or low-sodium canned chicken broth
5 tablespoons fresh chopped sage
1 lb pappardelle pasta
4 oz taleggio cheese
Salt and pepper

Start a large pot of water on to boil for the pasta. Once boiling, add the pasta and cook until al dente, usually around 10 minutes. Drain, but do not rinse. Add pasta back to its cooking pot with around 1/4 cup of the water it was cooked in.

Crumble and brown the sausage in a pan. Set aside. Add the butternut squash and stock and cook over medium high heat until the squash is soft and the broth is bright orange. Add the sausage back to the pan with the soft squash and sage. Season to taste. Toss the mixture in with the pasta. Split the pasta and sauce evenly into four pasta bowls and top with 1 oz of taleggio cheese each.

Serves 4

Dinner with Darren and the Scots

Dinner tonight was a trip. We had three meat eaters, one vegetarian, and one vegan. The meat eaters were not willing to go veg, so I cooked both ways!

I found the most amazing produce at the farmers' market, so the menu features some of those exciting finds.

Sourdough Crostini with Muhamara (vegan)
Figs wrapped in Prosciutto


Vegan tartlets of Roasted Beet and Rye Groats in a Merlot Reduction Sauce served with Salad of Wild Arugula and Jujubees

Prime Rib au Jus, Fingerling Potatoes, Brussels Sprouts
or
Pappardelle Noodles with Oyster and Lobster Mushrooms, Foraged Red Spinach, and Sea Beans in a Saffron Cashew Cream (vegan)

Vegan Cookies and Cream Cupcakes

Wild Mushrooms with Bacon and Orecchiette Pasta

This dish was created to show off some beautiful mushrooms I got at the farmer's market. I used Yellowfoot and Lobster mushrooms, but other wild mushrooms could be substitued. I wouldn't use button mushrooms from the supermaket for this dish though, the flavor will not be intense enough to carry the dish.

2 1/2 cups wild mushrooms brushed clean of dirt and ripped into uniform pieces
1/2 yellow onion, chopped (about 1/2c)
4 slices bacon cut into small pieces
3 ounces cream cheese
1 lb orecchiette pasta (farfalle will do if orecchiette cannot be found)
salt and pepper
8T chives, chopped

Set a large pot of water on to boil and boil the pasta for the recommended time on the package (until al dente). Strain (do not rinse) and reserve 1/4c of the pasta water. Place the hot pasta back into the pot with the reserved pasta water.

While the pasta is cooking, fry the bacon until mostly crisp in a medium sautee pan. Set the bacon aside, pouring off all but 2T of the grease. Sautee the onion in the bacon grease. Once the onion becomes translucent, add the mushrooms and sautee until soft. Add the crisp bacon and set aside

Add the cream cheese to the hot, strained pasta and stir until melted. Add the mushroom and bacon mixture and stir until combined. Season to taste, pour into four bowls and garnish with 2T of chives per bowl.

Serves 4

Bridal Shower Cake

This is an 11"x15" chocolate cake layered with whipped ganache, coated with buttercream, and topped with chocolate covered strawberries.

Vegan Cupcakes

Several years ago, I worked as the pastry chef for a well-known vegan restaurant in San Francisco. Imagine my surprise at how far vegan baking has come since then! There are countless products and resources for you now - it's just fantastic!

I tried this recipe that I got off Chow.com. It's from the book "Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World."

Of course the buttercream is not as good as real butter (I mean, come on, is anything?) but if you're a vegan craving a old fashioned cupcake, look no further!

Late Summer Dinner Party

Papaya and Avocado salad with Baby Spinach, Pickled Onions, and Spiced Pumpkin Seeds in Lime Dressing


Masa Cakes with Refried Beans, Chorizo and Potatoes, Cotija Cheese, Casa Crema, and Cilantro


Salmon Sashimi with Cilantro Pesto and Brunoise of Salsa Fresca


Mole Poblano with Green Rice and Refried Beans (no photo)

Homemade Mexican Chocolate Ice Cream with Cinnamon Cookies (no photo)

Strawberry Cupcakes with Strawberry Buttercream

STRAWBERRY CUPCAKES
1 pint frozen whole, hulled strawberries
1/4 c sugar
zest of one lime
2c cake flour
1 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t kosher salt
1 stick butter (room temperature)
1 c sugar
3 eggs
1 t vanilla extract
3/4 c buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare 18-20 muffin tins lined with cupcake papers (yield is dependent upon the amount you put in each cup).

Place the strawberries, 1/4c sugar, and lime zest in a small saucepan over medium heat and cook until the sugar is dissolved, the mixture is somewhat soupy, and you can break the strawberries into pieces with a spoon. Pour the mixture into a food processor and pulse until the consistency is mostly smooth but with many small lumps of strawberry floating around. The mixture should still be cool or room temperature. If it's not, put it in the freezer until it cools down some.

Meanwhile, measure the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a small bowl.

Beat the butter and sugar in a stand mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time until smooth. Add vanilla.

Slowly add buttermilk and flour in alternating thirds until incorporated.

Remove the bowl from the mixer and swirl in the strawberry mixture with a spoon. Fill the cupcake liners 2/3 full and bake until a toothpick comes out clean, around 18 minutes.

While the cupcakes are baking, make the frosting.

STRAWBERRY BUTTERCREAM:
3T strawberry jelly
2 drops red food coloring
1 box powdered sugar
1 stick salted butter (room temperature)
1/4 c milk
1 t vanilla

Put ingredients in the clean bowl of a stand mixer and mix on low until smooth, scraping down the sides frequently.

Garnish the cupcakes at the last moment with halved fresh strawberries (Note: if you leave the strawberries on the cupcakes for any longer than an hour or two, the sugar in the frosting will begin to macerate the strawberries and your cupcakes will get wet from all the strawberry juice!)

Homard a l'Amoricaine

This recipe came to me from Chef Herve during French Regional Cooking class during my time at the California Culinary Academy in 1994 (I graduated in '95). This is one of my all-time favorite recipes, though it may be a little advanced for some.

4# Live Main Lobster
3/4 c olive oil
2 c onion finely chopped
1 c carrot, finely chopped
1c leek, white part only, finely chopped
1/2 c celery, finely chopped
1/3 c shallot, finely chopped
1/3 c garlic, finely chopped
3/4 c brandy
1 c white wine
2 c tomato concasse
3/4 cup tomato puree
1 c demi glace (if you don't have this at home, just don't add.)
1 c white stock
1 c heavy cream
2 T chopped parsley
2 T chopped tarragon
pinch cayenne
salt and pepper
butter

Kill lobster by cutting them in half and then into four pieces. Throw away the tip of the claw and the pincher of the claw. The tails and pinchr pieces are good to eat. The rest becomes the sauce. Set aside the tommaly in a bowl.

Saute the mirepoix. Add shallots, garlic, parsley, tarragon, salt, pepper, and cayenne. Add lobster and flambe with the brandy. Add white wine and reduce by 80%. Add tomato concassee and tomato puree. Add lobster juice (lobster blood and sea water). Add white stock, demi (if using), and cream. Cover and let simmer 10 minutes. Remove meat from sauce (tail and claws) and set aside. Puree the rest with a bazooka (huge immersion blender). Strain sauce, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and finish with tomally and butter (50% tomally, 50% butter). Once tomally has been added, do not boil b/c the sauce will break. Strain again and finish with parsley, cayenne, and tarragon.

Pour sauce over meat and serve.