A Tale of Two Mushrooms from The Slanted Door

San Francisco Eater reported in 2014 that Charles Phan's SF waterfront establishment, The Slanted Door, was California's top grossing restaurant that year.  Serving Vietnamese cuisine, the restaurant secures the corner of the Ferry Building culinary complex with great views of the waterfront and Bay Bridge, and some of the most flavorful Asian cuisine you will find in a city known for its great food. I love Phan's story of opening at his first location and then becoming so successful that a larger space was needed.  In true entreprenuerial spirit (meaning: he took a huge risk and had a lot of obstacles to overcome), Phan bit the bullet and closed his original South of Market location and then orchestrated a wildly successful relaunch in the Ferry Building.  

With dishes like crispy wild Florida frog legs with Thai chiles  or banh bot loc gulf shrimp & pork belly tapioca dumplings, you can see why reservations can be hard to come by.  After trying for several months a couple of years ago to get a table on a Saturday night, I finally gave up and bought Phan's flagship cookbook, The Slanted Door.  Phan's talent for creating umami-packed vegetable dishes is why today's project - Roasted Mushrooms with Buckwheat Crepe Noodles - is probably my favorite plate made so far in this month of vegetable posts.  

King Trumpet Mushrooms:  Meaty, Tender & Meant for Great Things

I adapted this recipe to suit the ingredients I had on hand; it was 5 AM in the morning when I cooked this, and I was not interested in going to the store to pick up the things I was missing. Additionally, I had a few items on hand that I wanted to use up like kumquats from the over-ladened bush outside my kitchen window and fresh wood ear mushrooms that I'd picked up at Ranch 99 (the most amazing market - a huge Far Eastern megapolis filled with thousands of Asian foodstuffs with unfamiliar pictures and undecipherable labels).  

Buckwheat crepe batter poured over hot parchment

One ingredient called for in Phan's recipe was Yuba which is a thin, noodle-like tofu skin. I didn't have this, so I decided to try to construct a noodle out of egg whites instead. It dawned on me that I could make something like a crepe and then cut that into noodles. I had recently tried making David Lebovitz' recipe for buckwheat crepes, which are dark brown in color and have a very nutty/earthy taste and texture.  Building on this concept, I blended a little buckwheat flour with some eggs, milk, and spices to come up with a batter. I then heated a parchment-covered baking tray in the oven for a few minutes before pouring the egg mixture over it into a very thin layer.  

Gently pull the crepe off the parchment

Roll it into a log 

Slice it into "noodles"

The batter was baked for about 10 minutes, until it was firmly set.  The crepe peeled easily off the parchment, and I was able to roll it up then cut 1/2 inch pieces to make crepe strips.  They worked really well as noodle substitutes -- they were firm enough to hold together without tearing, yet porous enough to soak up the sauce for an amazing taste eruption when eaten. I also loved their color for this dish, because their dark color blended in so well with the mushrooms

The thing that really makes this dish sing is the infused oil which becomes a main part of the sauce.  Yotam Ottolenghi, master of Middle Eastern vegetarian cooking, uses a lot of sophisticated oil infusions in his recipes, and I was really excited to see one pop up in Phan's recipe as well. Blending some flavors I'd used before with Ottolenghi's preparations into Phan's recipe made an extra-special oil blend.  I ended up doubling the amount called for so I'd have leftovers to use in something else. 

Roasted wood ear mushrooms

Sliced, Roasted King Trumpet Mushrooms

The recipe calls for roasted mushrooms, and the aroma of these and the crepes was overwhelmingly inviting so early in the morning. I had intended to save the finished product for dinner later that day but Bob and I could not resist and we ate the whole thing for breakfast instead.  Yum!  If the recipe was doubled, it would make a very hearty stand alone vegetarian main course for lunch or dinner.

RoastedMushrooms with Buckwheat Crepe Noodles
 Preheat oven to 375 degrees

1 lb mixed fresh King Trumpet, thinly sliced, and Wood Ear mushrooms
4 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
1/2 tsp kosher salt

3/4 cup egg whites (whites from about 3-4 eggs)
2 tbsp buckwheat flour
1/4 cup lowfat milk
1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup grapeseed oil
1 large shallot, sliced thinly
1 two inch long, 1 inch thick knob of fresh ginger, peeled and cut into fine julienned batons
3 pieces star anise
1 kumquat, thinly sliced, seeds removed

3 Tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp splenda or sugar
1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Line a rimmed baking tray with parchment paper and place in the oven as it preheats.  Mix the eggs, flour, milk and salt in a blender for 30 seconds, then let sit for 5 minutes so the flour becomes hydrated. Remove the baking tray from the oven and pour the crepe mixture over the parchment paper, spreading it out into a thin rectangular layer. Return to the oven and bake for 10 minutes. When completely cooked and firm, remove from the oven and let cool while you prepare the remaining ingredients.

Mix the shallots, ginger, star anise, and kumquat together in a small bowl or jar.  In a second microwave safe bowl, heat the oil in the microwave for 1 1/2 minutes then pour over the shallot mixture. It should sizzle as you add it.  Stir to combine then set aside to marinate for at least 15 minutes.

Slice the king trumpet mushrooms.  Line two baking trays with parchment and brush a layer of sesame oil over the parchment.  Place the mushrooms on the parchment, leaving space between them to prevent them from steaming each other.  Sprinkle with salt then brush the tops of the mushroom with additional oil. Roast in the preheated oven for about 15-20 minutes, until they begin to brown but before they become dry and crisp.

While the mushrooms are cooking, mix together the soy sauce, splenda or sugar, and cilantro into your serving bowl.  When the mushrooms are roasted, add them to the sauce and toss well.  Strain out about 1/3 cup of infused oil into the mushroom-noodle mix. (Reserve the rest for another use).   Scoop out about 2 tbsp of the shallot mixture from the oil, taking care to remove any pieces of star anise, then finely chop and mix in with the mushrooms.  Add the crepe noodles, toss lightly, and serve.

Kumquats and Cucumbers, the new Breakfast of Champions

Kumquats are abundant this time of year

One of the reasons I dedicated this month to posting about vegetables is because I eat a lot of them as part of my ongoing weight loss regimen.  I found that significantly reducing carbs and sugars from my diet while increasing vegetables, protein and probiotics had the dual benefits of squelching my appetite and increasing my energy level.  As a result, I've found it relatively easy to gradually lose weight and keep it off.   My refrigerator is typically stocked with an array of probiotic-laden foods such as greek yogurt, kefir, kimchee, kombucha, and raw sauerkraut.  I have even started to experiment with fermentation which is a lot of fun and will no doubt be the topic of some future posts.

The recent rain has caused my mint plants to go crazy

Typically I eat yogurt in the morning as part of my breakfast.  Since I am watching my carb intake, I don't usually combine it with fruit or honey.  As a result, I'm always seeking ways to make it more interesting, and today's recipe for a cucumber and kumquat salad provided a welcome change from more mundane preparations.  The best part of this salad is the simplicity of the ingredients and the way the flavors marry when left to marinate for a short while. The tart - sweet kumquats, cool mint, crisp cucumbers and licorice-scented fennel pollen manage to maintain their distinct flavors while at the same time, build on each other to provide a wonderful sapid explosion.

Cucumber and Kumquat Salad

1 medium cucumber (peeled or unpeeled), cut in quarters lengthwise, and diced 1/2 inch thick
2-3 kumquats, sliced into thin rings, seeds removed
10 mint leaves, washed and julienned
1/2 tsp fennel pollen
pinch of salt

1/3 cup greek yogurt  (nonfat or regular)

Toss the first 5 ingredients together and let sit for 15 to 30 minutes to marry the flavors.  Top with greek yogurt and serve.

Saving the World one Spaghetti Squash at a Time

More and more articles are hitting the web-waves these days about the problem of food waste.  It's more than just throwing away good food when there are "starving people in China", to quote all moms of all times.  Wasted food means wasted resources like land, water, and energy. To understand the enormity of the problem, take a look at this extensive National Geographic article on one man's crusade to curb excessive waste: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2016/03/global-food-waste-statistics/

Inspired by this post, I decided to go through my refrigerator and find some vegetables in need of attention. The result of my quest was a half of a spaghetti squash (already roasted), a bunch of broccolini that was on the verge of turning yellow, and a bunch of very wilted kale.  A couple of weeks ago I'd received an ENORMOUS spaghetti squash in my farm box - about the size of two average cantaloupes set side by side - and earlier this week Bob had cut it in half and roasted it for an hour in the oven until it had gorgeous, sweet, caramelized bits along the edges. We ate half that night and now was a good time to use up the rest of it.  I'd found a recipe in the NYT Food blog for a squash gratin that looked incredible, sort of like scalloped potatoes with a crusty cheesy top.  I had intended to supplement the recipe with the waning kale and brocollini but after reading the reviews, one common complaint was that the dish had a tendency to become watery on the bottom.  Since I was making this before work, I didn't have enough time to properly blanch and dry out the broccolini, so I omitted it and went with just the kale instead.  (Don't worry Broccolini - your day will come).

To combat the potential for excess liquid, I lightly salted the squash to draw out some of the moisture, and then sauteed it along with some garlic and onions on high heat while the oven was preheating.  This worked really well, with the finished dish having the consistency of stiff roasted potatoes.  Another change I made to the NYT recipe was to substitute an extra sharp high quality cheddar in place of gruyere, because I wanted more color.  Any strong, full flavored cheese would work well, however.  I also used more cheese than called for, and less milk and eggs to avoid a quiche-like consistency that some reviewers mentioned. My final change was to add a half-teaspoon of hot Hungarian paprika which oomphed up the flavor profile just a bit without adding too much heat.

The final product was amazingly delicious - the whole house smelled like roasting cheese, and the dish was creamy and reminiscent of scalloped potatoes.  It was hard not to eat it right as it came out of the oven.  Instead, I forced myself to wait until lunch time, and then had another bowl of it with dinner. It makes a scrumptious vegetarian main course (especially when topped with some toasted slivered almonds and served with a small salad), or a perfect side dish to accompany just about any type of meat or fish (shortibs anyone??).  Use it like you would scalloped potatoes -- all the comfort without the high carb content. This gratin will definitely be on my lunch and dinner rotation going forward.    

Spaghetti Squash and Kale Gratin
makes 4 servings
Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees

1 spaghetti squash
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 medium white onion, cut into fine dice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch kale, tough stems removed, cut into thin shreds
1/4 cup low fat milk or unflavored soy or almond milk
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp hot Hungarian paprika
1/2 tsp dry mustard powder
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
8 oz by weight high quality sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
butter, margarine, or cooking spray for greasing ramekins or a small casserole dish

Cut the squash in half and place on a parchment lined baking tray in the pre-heated oven (400 degrees).  Roast uncovered for about an hour, until the edges become carmelized and the squash shreds easily when a fork is dragged across it.  Remove from oven and cool.  Can be frozen for up to a month or refrigerated for 3-4 days if you don't want to use it immediately.  (A side note: an uncooked, uncut spaghetti squash will last a couple of months when stored in a cool, dry place).

If using frozen squash, thaw completely.  Shred the squash and discard the peel.  You should have about 4 cups of stringy pulp.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and grease 4 large ramekins (each capable of holding a cup and a half), or a small 8x8 casserole dish with butter, margarine, or cooking spray.

Heat a heavy bottomed skillet on high, then add the olive oil.  When oil is shimmering, reduce heat, add the onions and saute until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes, then stir in the squash.  Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp of salt and stir well to combine. Fold in the kale.  Raise the heat to high and cook so that as much excess moisture as possible is evaporated and the squash begins to stick to the pan, about 4-5 minutes.  

While the squash is cooking, whisk together the milk, eggs and spices.  Add in the squash mixture and stir to coat well.  Mix in the cheese then transfer the mixture to the ramekins or casserole dish. (If necessary, you can refrigerate these at this point and finish cooking up to a day later).  If using ramekins, place on a baking tray in case they leak while cooking.  Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Put the ramekins or casserole dish in the center of the oven and bake for 40 minutes, at which time a browned, bubbly crust will have formed.  Remove from oven and let cool for 15 minutes before serving.  Can be chilled and reheated later.

Chinese-salad Brussels Sprouts and a dose of inspiration from a bowl

I needed a bowl to toss and mix the ingredients for today's Brussels sprouts salad so I reached for one of my good ole' standbys:  an enameled metal bowl which I'd received nearly 33 years ago at my bridal shower from my neighbor Nona.  I have always loved this bowl - it is the perfect size for mixing cake  batters, it's pretty, and and it has proven to be incredibly durable over the years, with only one small chip on the inside.  It got me thinking how sometimes even seemingly inconsequential things can be inspiring.  Today is my mom's birthday - she would have been 80 years old had she not died at the too early age of 44, when i was just 19.  This bowl reminded me of her because Nona was a good cook and she knew I didn't have a mom to teach a new bride the basic kitchen skills. She gave me this bowl with a set of assorted sized and shaped mixing spoons and a beautiful card offering to provide me with any lessons or advice I might need.   I used this bowl to mix the birthday cake for my first daughter's first birthday, and also to serve my mother-in-law's famous potato salad at more family gatherings than I can count.  Someone recently told me that she translates the word "inspiration" to "in spirit" and when I use this bowl, I do really feel one in spirit with all the memories of the good things that have come from it.

Chinese-style Brussels Sprout Salad

3 cups thinly sliced brussels sprouts

3 tbsp finely chopped onion of your choice

Dressing:
2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
2 tsp light soy sauce
2 tsp rice wine vinegar
1/2 tsp Splenda or honey
1 inch knob of ginger, peeled and grated

2 tsp toasted sesame seeds
1 tbsp coriander (cilantro) leaves

Wash and thinly slice the Brussels sprouts. Note: If preparing this ahead of time, note that the dressing will soften the sprouts;  if you plan to let this rest for more than 1/2 hour, slice your sprouts more thickly to keep some crunch in them when served.   Mince the onion and toss together with the sprouts.

Add the dressing ingredients to a large (possibly cherished) mixing bowl, and whisk together until incorporated and emulsified. Toss the sprout mixture into the bowl of dressing and coat thoroughly. Add the sesame seeds and coriander leaves and serve or chill for later.

I took this to lunch and added some sliced smoked chicken and additional lettuce to make a filling, hearty meal.

Savory Oatmeal

This was a simple recipe designed to use up some of the leftover Burnpile Squash puree from yesterday's post:  http://sobremesastyle.blogspot.com/2016/02/burnpile-red-kuri-kanocha-and-poblano.html. 

I forgot to take pictures - sorry - so you will just have to imagine its beautiful, mac 'n' cheese texture.  I love savory breakfasts and the combination of cheese and chili peppers. This oatmeal has all those elements and is so delicious when you lift up your spoon and strings of cheese pull up from the bowl.   It's hearty and filling and makes a great camp breakfast.  I know I am usually harping about carbs but for some reason this oatmeal does not have a negative impact on my blood sugar, especially when combined with the cheesy protein. I could eat the whole pot myself, which would not be a good thing, so if you make this, be sure to have someone to share it with!

It's critical to use a nutty, crunchy oatmeal with as large of oat kernels as you can find. I prefer McCann's steel cut oats (not quick cooking) for this purpose.  The choice of cheese is up to you, but I had smoked Jarlsberg on hand so that's what I selected.  It went exceptionally well with the slightly smoky squash puree.

Savory Burnpile Squash and Poblano Oatmeal

Makes 2 servings

1/2 McCann's Irish steel cut oats
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 cups water
1/2 cup leftover burnpile squash and poblano puree
1/2 cup grated smoked Jarlsberg cheese

Add the oatmeal, salt, and water to medium saucepan.  Bring the water to boil for 5 minutes then reduce heat to a simmer and continue to cook until the oatmeal is tender but still retains some crunch, and most of the water is absorbed, leaving the oatmeal with the consistency of thick yogurt.  Stir in the cheese and squash puree and continue to simmer until the puree is warmed and the cheese is melted. 

Burnpile Red Kuri, Kabocha and Poblano Puree

Having property in the country means there will always be a long list of chores, including constantly clearing brush to minimize fire danger.  In 2008 the Telegraph Fire engulfed over 34,000 acres, came within a stone's throw of our property on 2 sides, and destroyed many of our neighbor's homes.  The Rim Fire in 2013 was visible from our land and burned over 250,000 acres.  In this part of the woods, we take fire very seriously, and therefore, I have developed several recipes for cooking in the winter burn pile, which can be tended as the brush is burned.

Foil-wrapped gourds roasting in the coals

Today's recipe turned is one of my favorites.  Made with Red Kuri and Kabocha winter squashes and Poblano Peppers which were roasted in the burnpile, this sweet, smoky, and spicy puree was a great side dish to accompany pan-fried sole with capers and lemon, also made over the camp fire.  Any type of winter squash will work, including pumpkin, butternut, and acorn.  Red Kuri is a little harder to find but i s loaded with vitamins and has a creamy, very sweet flavor.
To roast the squash and peppers, I wrapped them in heavy duty foil and placed them on the edge of the coals.  The peppers cooked fairly quickly but the squash took longer, about 45 minutes. I turned it every 15 minutes to ensure even cooking.  Some parts of the skin will blacken but this just adds smoky flavor to the pulp.  The trick is to ensure that the vegetables don't dry out - you want the flesh to be moist so it can be pureed to the consistency of mashed potatoes.

I used a hoe to turn the gourds occasionally as they cooked. Once I removed them, I let them sit for a while as I tended to other chores.  This helped them to cool down and made them easier to handle once I started cooking.  After peeling open the foil, I pulled them apart and scraped out the seeds, reserving these for later use.  I then scraped the flesh into a medium saucepan.  It was so delicious and sweet!  I followed the same process with the poblano peppers.  With poblanos, you never quite know how intense their heat will be, so if you don't like too much spiciness, it would be better to use fewer peppers and add dried chipotle chili powder back in to achieve your desired level of heat.  I would rate this dish a 6-7 on the heat scale with the particular peppers I used.

Roasted poblanos and reserved seeds from the squashes

I added the rest of the ingredients from the recipe and pureed them with an immersion blender but you can also use a food processor, regular or high speed blender, or just mash everything by hand for a more chunky texture. The finished puree was drizzled with a must-have ingredient:  toasted squash seed oil.  Mine was a Delicata Squash Seed Oil which I'd ordered online.  You can omit this, because it is a specialty ingredient that is a little hard to find, but believe me, it puts this dish over the top, with its nutty, almost peanut buttery taste.  I would strongly recommend you try to obtain some if you want to get the full benefit of flavor.  I served the puree alongside some lemon and caper seared sole, and the miner's lettuce salad that I wrote about yesterday.  It was a delicious and healthy meal!

Puree of Roasted Poblano Peppers, Red Kuri Squash, and Kabocha Squash

makes 4 generous servings

1 Red Kuri squash

1 medium Kabocha squash

3 medium poblano peppers

1/2 cup vegetable broth (or more if needed)

4 tbsp butter or margarine

1/4 medium white onion

2 cloves garlic

1/2 to 1 tsp kosher salt

3 tbsp toasted Delicata squash seed oil

Prepare a fire with hardwood and burn down so you have a nice bed of coals (I used the oak and pine trimmings we had from clearing brush).  Wrap the gourds in two layers of heavy duty foil and place on the edges of the fire, turning every 10-15 minutes to ensure even cooking.  Test for doneness after 30-45 minutes by gently pressing on the packages in two or three places with a stick; if they give in easily they are ready. If you find any sides that are still firm, rotate those towards the fire and test again in 10-15 minutes. Carefully remove from the fire and let cool.

In the meantime, chop the onion into fine dice.  Melt the butter in a medium saucepan and add the onion. Rain 1/4 tsp of salt onto the onion and saute until translucent. Mince and add the garlic, cooking for about 2 minutes.  Turn off heat and set aside. 

Wrap the poblanos together in a single layer in a foil package.  When the squash has been cooking for about 35 minutes,  place the poblanos on the coals.  Cook for 5 minutes then turn over and continue cooking for an additional 5 minutes on the other side.   Remove from heat and let steam in the foil for 15 minutes.  Once cooled, pull off the stems and cut open the peppers to scrape out most of the seeds.  You can also remove any severely blackened skin, but it is not necessary to remove all the skin. Place the peppers in the saucepan with the onions.

Open the cooled squash packages and carefully split open the squashes, removing and reserving the seeds and stringy pulp.  You can save the seeds for another recipe, and discard the stringy pulp.  Using a spoon, gently scrape off the flesh into the saucepan with the onions.  Depending on the size of your squashes, you will end up with 3-4 cups of soft flesh.

Mash up the mixture then add the broth and the remaining salt. If the mixture is really thick, add additional broth and continue to stir until the mix is broken up and warmed through.  Using an immersion blender, or a regular blender or food processor, pulse the mixture until you get the consistency you desire. I left my mix a bit chunky, but a smooth puree would also be nice. Taste and add additional salt as needed. When serving, drizzle each individual serving with 1 - 2 teaspoons of the squash seed oil. 

Lived a Miner, 49er

I had the pleasure of spending an incredible weekend at our getaway camp in Mariposa, CA this weekend.  Mariposa was the central player in California's goldrush, and the most profilic mine in California's history, the Whitlock mine, is located down the road from our property.  We had exceptionally nice weather this weekend, and I was able to spend some time preparing my vegetable garden for spring. At this time of year, everything is verdant with bright blue skies abounding, green grass everywhere, and one more wonderful jewel of the season sprouting up in every moist pocket of soil:  Miner's Lettuce.   So-called because it was a staple for the gold-seeking 49ers, this crisp green plant with tiny white flowers has a spinach flavor and is loaded with Vitamin C.  I love to pick and eat it where I find it, and it was the inspiration for a simple but tasty salad.

Hand picked bunch of Miner's Lettuce

Salad of Miner's Lettuce, Blueberries, and Goat Cheese

1 handful of Miner's Lettuce, washed and patted dry
1 tbsp blueberries
1 tbsp crumbled goat cheese
1 tbsp high quality extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp white wine vinegar
1/2 tsp dijon mustard
dash salt and pepper

 Make a simple vinaigrette by blending the olive oil, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper together with a fork.  Drizzle a very slight amount of dressing on the greens, then compose the salad and enjoy!