Onion soup for Cold Summer nights

I would have to agree with Frank Sinatra's tramp, whoever she is, the one who "hates California, it's cold and it's damp..."

I thought I was out of soup season and into salad season, but apparently not. Summer does not exist in the middle of the Bay. Oh well, a good excuse to make onion soup! My garden is poppin' with onions and leeks- I'd say I have more than I know what to do with...except I know exactly what I am going to do :)

Classic onion soup

half to 3/4 a pot full of onions, sliced. don't skimp! They cook down to nuthin'!

2 T butter

a healthy pour of olive oil

Salt- a pinch with all 5 fingers

1 tsp brown sugar (optional, to help the onions brown)

1/4 c flour

1 qt Chicken stock

1 qt Beef stock

Thyme, parsley, bay leaf bouquet

1/2 cup dry white wine or dry vermouth

a dash of Worcestershire

fresh ground pepper

a healthy splash or good brandy or cognac

Fill the pot with the sliced onions, butter, olive oil and salt. Let them cook over a very low heat for a very long time- I cook them for about an hour. You can speed this process up and turn up the heat a bit, but I think the results are

richer with slow cooking.

You can also add a little sugar to help them along.

Stir in the flour once the onions are caramelized. Stir in the hot stocks. Add the worchestershire, wine and herb bouquet and simmer for about 45 minutes. I used sherry vinegar this time around, I don't recommend it- too tart.

Season to taste, and add the brandy or cognac last. I will also be garnishing this with a baked baguette slice heavily coated with gruyere and parmesan!

4th of July kebabs

Awesome little treat for your 4th of July party! All of our guests will be getting one in their party bags this Monday!

Shrimp, Watermelon, & Padron Pepper Kebabs with Basil-Parsley Gremolata

what you will need:

Watermelon cubed

Shrimp shells on or off, big or small....just please de-vein them meticulously for god's sake- no one likes pulling a string of black doodie out of their meat! Pet peeve.

padron peppers ('tis the season, California) if you can't find them, use jalapenos or serranos, or any pepper of your choice left whole or cut into any shape you like that will fit securely on a stick. I like the padrons because they are cute and mysterious, same way I like my men ;) Apparently, every 1 out of 10 is a hottie. I have been told the bigger they get and the later in the season the better your odds are.

Basil fresh, obviously.

Parsley

Mint, if you're feeling frisky

Garlic

Olive oil

Lemon

Salt

Skewers if using wood, soak them in water for a half hour so they don't burn up.

Make your gremolata. Mince garlic, fresh herbs, and salt. Make a paste in a paste-making vessel of your choice- I use a mortar and pestle. Add a healthy squeeze of lemon and its zest and some olive oil. BTW, garlic turns from minced to paste much easier with the help of its abrasive friend, salt.

Prep your players.

Toss your watermelon and shrimp with the gremolata. Toss the peppers with some olive oil and salt.

Thread them up and throw them on the grill. Baste them again with the gremolata right before they are done. Watch them carefully because they don't take long. You will be amazed at how many people ask you, "what's the red stuff?"

Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Peach and Tomato compote

I've been making this one for the past few weeks. It is a summer menu staple. I was walking through the farmers market, admiring the summer fruits and remembered a sweet little partnership I read about a few years ago in some cooking magazine: peaches and tomatoes.
I was feeling southern, so I threw some oinker in the mix. I love pork. Why, you ask?

1. it's not chicken

2. it's easy to dress up

3. it's reasonably priced, especially when you are feeding a big group

4. It sure is tasty!

This is how I make it:

I recommending splurging and paying the extra few cents a pound for the tenderloin vs. the whole loin, it's worth it.

BRINE YOUR SWINE- pretty essential. you can make a quick brine with whatever you like. I get a stock pot 3/4 full of water, throw in about a cup of salt and cup of sugar, some peppercorns, bay leaf, maybe a half cup cider vinegar and some soy sauce- whatever you want. I don't think the meat really retains that much flavor from the add-ons in the brine (unless it has like a strong portion of soy sauce, or ginger, etc...). The salty, sugary, water is what penetrates and flavors the meat, enabling it to retain its moisture and tenderness. Let it soak half a day or up to 5 or 6 days.

RUB YOUR PIGGY DOWN- but before you do this, make sure you trim the tenderloin of all the silver skin. If you don't know what this is, it is the silvery looking tendon-like stuff on the surface of the meat that is really tight up next to it. If you don't cut this off, you may as well not brine it either, because it is going to be tough. Smash up some garlic and ginger in a mortar and pestle (I grate the ginger in on a micro-plane first, then smash it with the garlic. Grind it into a nice paste. Crack some pepper over the pork, then rub it down with some olive oil, a curry spice mixture of your choice, and the garlic-ginger paste. Let it sit at room temp for a little bit and soak it all in.

GRILL IT UP- the tenderloin has 4 sides. Grill it (if using gas, about med-hi, 400+ degrees) for about 5 minutes on each side. The internal temp should only be between 130-145 degrees. Take it off at 130 and let it rest for 5 minutes. There should be a bit of give when you push on it with your finger.

p.s. trichinosis is a thing of the past, relax.

THE COMPOTE-Sautee some red onion, throw in equal parts diced peaches and diced tomatoes, grate in a little ginger, season with salt and pepper. Cook it down until it's not too awful watery. Stir in a handful of chopped cilantro at the end.

That's it!!

Lavender creme brulee

This is really simple, and a house favorite. The only hard part about it is going and getting the little blow torch if you don't already have one. Also, most people I know don't have a bunch of ramekins sitting around. If you like to entertain a lot, they are worth getting.

I pick up the lavender flowers at the San Rafael market for 5 bucks a scoop. You can also get them at Berkeley Bowl (or probably any other health food store) in the beauty section, probably in between the alfalfa seeds and chamomile flowers- or something like that.

1 qt (4 C) heavy cream

3 heaping tablespoons lavender flowers

Put flowers in a pot with the cream and bring almost to a boil. Turn heat off and cover and steep- the longer the better. strain into a pitcher (it's easier to pour into the eggs if it's in a pitcher).

6 egg yolks

scant 1/2 sugar

1 t vanilla (or throw a scraped vanilla pod in with the cream and flowers if you have one)

Whisk together in a bowl until pale yellow and slowly temper in the flowery cream. Mix well and pour the mixture back into the pitcher. Let the mixture sit for a minute, then skim all the foamy bubbles off the top.

Put 9-10 ramekins in your biggest rectangular .pan (like a brownie pan) and pour some water in the pan so it comes about halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Fill the ramekins with the custard. I like to quickly run the torch over the top to burn off any air bubbles to ensure a nice even surface. Bake about 300-325 for 50-60 minutes. They will be a little bit jiggly when you take them out, but they will set up in the frig. Remove from water bath and cool. Chill for a few hours. Everyone's oven is different. Mine has intense heat from the top, so I have to set the temp a little lower and put them on the bottom rack, and cover the top rack with tin foil so the tops don't burn. You might have to make 2 batches ;) I always do at first. Even if they do brown a little, the sugar should cover it up.

Spread a scant teaspoon of sugar over the top so it lies evenly and burn it quickly with a little blow torch. You can pick up a little handheld butane thing at Sur La Table or any store like that. You can also get a big butane torch at the hardware store- that's what I use.

Decorate and enjoy!

Shark fishing off the island...

WOW. had some friends out the other weekend, and they came prepared! Poles and tackle in hand, Taras was ready to make a contribution to the East Brother Family table, and that he did! TWICE! Honestly, I didn't even know we had Leopard sharks in the bay. We do... lots. While Peter and I were plating up dinner, Taras came in and casually asked if we had a tape measure. We couldn't figure out why in the world he might need a tape measure in the middle of dinner, but when I went out to bring him one, there he was with his proud catch in hand. This is the second one he had caught, but threw the first one back because he didn't think it was big enough. Alas, it was. Turns out 36" is the magic number. He was determined to catch another, and managed to do so not a couple hours later. Taras was kind enough to gut him for me. Apparently, you have to gut and bleed a shark right away, otherwise he secretes a horrible smelling urea though his skin. I filleted him up and soaked the meat in milk overnight. This helps diminish any strong taste or odor to the meat. I froze the fillets and intend on pulling them out for some fish tacos when the wind dies down and the sun comes out. I'll let you know how it turns out, stay tuned. In the meantime grab your pole, or your friend that knows how to fish, and come out to the island for a Saturday day trip!

Chocolate-Beet Brownie Sundae w/ Beet-Balsamic "hot fudge"....

...Ooh, Yum.

All your food groups in one dessert! The brownies are delicious on their own for a picnic (or whatever) if you don't feel like messing around with the whole ice cream thing.

For the Brownie:

10 oz dark chocolate (70% cocoa)

10 oz butter (whoa!)

10 oz sugar

3 eggs

9 oz self rising flour (or 1.5t baking powder per cup of flour)

14 oz beetroot; boiled, skinned and pureed (boil up about 5-6 good size beets, this leave extra for topping)

Melt chocolate and butter in a double boiler over barely simmering water (or use a stainless bowl set on top of a pot). Whisk together sugar and eggs, then fold in flour. Fold in beet puree. Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes in a greased pan (9x13).

For the "hot fudge"

mix together about half beet puree and half good quality, aged balsamic vinegar. If you only have the cheap watery stuff, just reduce it until it has some body and add the beet puree to it.

Vanilla ice cream:

You will need an ice cream maker for this. I have the cuisinart model with two bowls. It's awesome, get one. You will never buy store bought ice cream again! This recipe fills both bowls and yields about 10-12 big scoops

sugar (reserve 1/4 cup)

3 c heavy cream

1 c milk

12 egg yolks

1 vanilla bean, scraped (carefully slit it open with and fold the sides back to open flat. Scrape the inside with the back of your knife)

Combine milk, cream, 3/4 c sugar, vanilla bean scrapings, and pod in a pot. Heat and whisk until almost boiling. whisk together egg yolks and 1/4 c sugar. Prepare an ice bath. Temper hot milk into yolk mixture and pour back into pot. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until mixture becomes thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, about 10 minutes. Transfer mixture to a bowl in an ice bath and refrigerate until well chilled, about an hour. Pour into frozen bowls of ice cream maker, push the button and behold the magical wonders of your homemade ice cream!

Catching up; lentil soup and pickled carrots

If you have requested a recipe in the last 5 months and I have failed you...I am sorry! I have finally built this little internet canvas to share with you my not-so-secrets (and unfortunately, some not-so recipes).

So...VOILA, honored are your requests:

Adas Magroush (red lentil soup)

A typical middle eastern soup. "Adas" means lentil in arabic. My Tata (grandma) always made it chunky and with brown lentils. I learned to make it this way (and like it much better, sorry, Tata) working one of my first restaurant jobs at Aladdin restaurant in Milwaukee. I do not have details for this one, I've been making it for years and never used a measuring cup. Make it more than once, and you won't have to either.

Ingredients:

Onion

carrot

red pepper flakes

cumin seeds; roasted and ground fine (use pre-ground if you want, but details matter...)

turmeric

salt & pepper

Chicken stock; please do not buy the bullion cubes loaded with MSG and preservatives. Recommended brands: better than bullion base or kitchen basics. Look at the ingredients.

Method:

Dice up a good amount of onion and carrot and sautee in some oil. Add a little more cumin and turmeric than you think you might need (not TOO much, cause you can always add more later), a sprinkling of red pepper flakes, some salt and pepper (again, not too much now...there is always later). Add the red lentils and stir to coat. Add enough chicken stock to cover the lentils by a couple inches. Cook it for a little while, adding chicken stock as necessary. Red lentils are one of the faster cooking lentils, so this really shouldn't take too long- maybe 20-30 minutes.

Once the lentils are really mushy and falling apart, add some fresh squeezed lemon juice and puree with an immersion blender. Season to taste. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and lemon wedge.

*If you like some chunks in your soup, you can reserve some carrots cut in half moons, and throw them in after you have pureed the soup and simmer until soft.

**I also like to tear Kangaroo pita bread up into little chunks and throw them in.

***Want to make it with a twist?? Add some unsweetened coconut when you add the lentils, and finish it with a pour of coconut milk. I would also use coconut oil to sautee the onion and carrot. YUM!

Moroccan Pickled Carrots

Pickles that don't take weeks! A good snack to have around, I try to reach for them instead of the cheese...doesn't always work, but good to have around anyway. Kill two birds with one stone and make a cheese dip for them. HA!

Basic Brine ratio:

1 1/4 cup water

1 cup vinegar

2 Tb kosher salt

1-2 Tb sugar (depending on your tasty buds)

some cumin seeds

coriander seeds

Red pepper (whole or flakes, whatever you have)

Crushed garlic

lemon slice

sliced shallot

Method:

I usually make a bunch of brine, use what I need and then keep some in the frig for when I want more pickles on the fly.

Cut the carrots (or use those cute little loose baby carrots from the farmers market) to the size of the jar you are using (a quart jar works nicely). Blanch the carrot sticks for no more that about 15-20 seconds. You can also just use them raw if you are in a hurry, but I have done both and for some reason the blanched tasted a little better. Put a handful of (mixed) spices in the jar, a couple cloves of crushed garlic, one lemon slice is enough, and the sliced shallot. Pour some boiling brine over the carrots and run a butter knife down the side of the jar to get rid of any air pockets. You can then just put them in the frig if you are going to eat them up, or you can submerge the jar in some boiling water for 10 minutes, then take it out to cool and listen for a "pop". Then you have officially "canned" it and can keep it on the shelf. You can eat these a couple of hours later! The longer they sit the better they get, obviously. You can even use the shallots on salads.

If this sounds like too much work, come by the harbor and pick them up for $6.00 a quart jar full!

Spring Gnocchi

Pretty much stole this one right off the Food Network~ thanks Ann Burrell! For the gnocchi, I use a box grater instead of a food mill, and russet potatoes. You can use any kind of mushroom- whatever meaty ones are available. I made this sauce the following weekend, but for chicken. I browned the chicken, the wrapped it in prosciutto and finished it in the oven, covered, so the prosciutto doesn't burn. Finish with the sauce.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/anne-burrell/gnocchi-with-prosciutto-spring-peas-and-chanterelles-recipe/index.html

Sorry, Alexis, I could have told you this sooner, I totally forgot!