Sex and the Kitchen

The Prodigal Chef

The summer ran away with me! I was so busy running up and down the coast to sign cookbooks and plan my wedding that I haven't had time to blog.

But the summer is over, and I'm back.

I'm working on a new cookbook, all about crab, and this is one of the recipes I'm playing around with. Like most of the things I enjoy making, it's simple and delicious. Sure, you could make a dishe with fifty ingredients and nearly that many steps, but really: who has the time? When you're cooking with - or for- that special someone, you want to balance the time in the kitchen with time to talk and take a walk and... well, whatever else comes to mind.

This is a great salad for a weekend afternoon. You can find Dungeness crab in the markets all year around, and check out this great photo tutorial I found for preparing octopus: Octopus Techniques. Okay, so I take back what I said about "easy" - but hey, at least you'll be having fun!

Fall Salad of Octopus, Crab, and Baby Red Potatoes

- 1/2 pound baby red potatoes, boiled and cooled, then cut into quarters
- 1/2 small Bermuda or Maui (sweet) onion, diced
- 2 tablespoons ponzu sauce
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Sea salt
- 4 ounces Dungeness crab meat
- 1 small octopus, boiled and sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
- 2 tablespoons chopped chives, plus extra for garnish
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lemon, cut in half
- 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes

In a small bowl, combine the potatoes and diced onion. Toss with ponzu sauce, and season with salt and pepper. Set aside for about 10 minutes to let the flavors combine.

In another bowl, combine the crab, octopus, garlic, parsley, and chives. Gently toss with olive oil. Squeeze the lemon halves over the top and toss again. Finish with red pepper flakes. Add the dressed potatoes and onions; toss to combine. Only add more salt and pepper after you have tasted the salad, because it will likely not need any more.

Arrange on a large salad plate and garnish with chives. This salad can be made ahead of time and refrigerated for up to 24 hours without significant loss of flavor, but it tastes best when it is eaten within 2 hours of preparation.

Serves 2.

Getting Frisky with Garlic

I'm packing up a cooler full of goodies for the next few days... I'm on my way to the Gilroy this afternoon, where I'll be one of the judges in the Great Garlic Cook-off at the Gilroy Garlic Festival tomorrow. I'll be on the stage myself on Saturday. It should be a fun weekend, even if it is going to be hot! Come on down, if you dare...

I know what you're thinking, and yes: garlic does have something to do with sex. For centuries, garlic has been known to be an aphrodisiac. I can vouch for it myself, because I've been cooking with garlic all my life, and oh, baby! Everything is working quite well. One tip: if one of you eats it, the other one better eat it, too.

I'll leave you with one of my favorite garlic recipes, Crunchy Marinated Cauliflower Salad. This one is from the Stinking Rose Restauarant Cookbook ~ speaking of which, last week Time Magazine named listed it as one of the six restauarant cookbooks that will keep you "dining in." How about that?!

I like this recipe because it's simple and tasty; it's perfect for summertime, and it goes well with a piece of chicken or steak from the grill. You can also toss it into a batch of hot pasta and top with a bit of grated cheese for a quick lunch. Mmm.

Naughty, Spicy Fun

Today I wanted to share one of my favorite sites with you: it's called Naughty Curry, and it's all about cooking with spices. It's written by four girls (excuse me - ladies? women? hotties?) from New York, who write each entry as if it was a story. They re-create recipes from dishes they enjoyed at a restaurant, or they invent their own, or they adapt recipes from cookbooks, and then they post dialogue and conversation about what happened along the way.

On their About page, the girls say that "the Naughty Curry project is a creative rebellion against blandness." I say: Bravo! It's so nice to see something completely fresh and different out there. Oh, and I like the word "naughty." Anything with "naughty" in the name is worth checking out.

They are very funny, but they are passionate about food, and they often raise questions like: Is it worth the extra time to soak rice? and Is the Great Madhur Jaffrey REALLY all that?. They take the time to note when it is important to toast spices, and they give a lot of information on shopping for ingredients.

So go ahead... be naughty!

A Foie Gras Primer

When I was in Paris in May, I ordered foie gras at every restaurant I went to. It was rich and silky and utterly addicting. And it's going to be illegal here pretty soon. I can't possibly print my exact feelings about this travesty, but I will say this: make it while you can, boys and girls. And enjoy every bite.

Foie gras is duck liver, often from Mallard or Muscovy ducks. It is a salmon-pink color, and it quickly turns grayish tan on the surface as soon as it is exposed to air. As it ages, and the meat becomes further oxidized, a slice of foie gras looks like it has a band of gray followed by a band of pink. It should smell like liver, but shouldn’t smell rank or rancid.  Foie gras is graded as to its color and texture, A being the “finest” and C having a slightly mottled or “bruised” surface.  You can order it online from the Hudson Valley Company out of New York, or from Caviar Russe, who has a gorgeous selection of products, and from whose site I borrowed the beautiful pictures below.

The recipe du jour: foie gras torchon. The word “torchon” means “dish towel” in French, and here it refers to the method of preparation. The recipe was developed many years ago by French chefs, and is something of a French classic. It is a multi-step dish that is best done over a period of about three days, so you'll have to be patient and let the anticipation build. Gentlemen, if you serve this to your lady friends, they'll make sounds that will drive you crazy. Worth it? You tell me. If there was ever a food that could be equated with sex... this is it.

The order of the recipe is as follows: first, the foie gras is carefully cleaned and packed with a mixture of salt, crushed peppercorns, and herbs, and chilled for at least 24 hours. Next, it is pressed into the shape of a log and tightly wrapped in several layers of cheesecloth. Finally, the torchon is simmered very quickly in broth and then sliced and served with brioche toasts, cornichons, and a mixed green salad tossed with vinaigrette.

Foie Gras Torchon

1 Grade A or B foie gras (about 3 lbs)
2 cups milk
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon pink Hawaiian salt
2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons crushed pink & black peppercorns
2 quarts veal or chicken stock
6 ounces cornichons
Brioche (recipe follows)
Mixed Greens Salad (recipe follows)

DAY ONE: clean the foie gras. The is the most time-consuming step of the whole process, but it is vitally important! The better the foie is cleaned, the more refined and smooth the end result will be. Note: You may want to wear gloves for this, to prevent the foie from slipping out of your hands!

First, rinse it under cool running water. Carefully separate the two lobes from each other. Lay the lobes on a hard cutting surface and inspect for veins and discolorations. The larger lobe is likely to have a substantial vein running through it. With a sharp paring knife, carefully remove any blood vessels and connective tissue. Pare away any bile spots or other bruise spots. When this is accomplished, rinse the lobes again and pat dry.

Place the cleaned pieces into a glass dish and cover with milk. Seal with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator overnight.

DAY TWO: Seasoning the foie gras. In a small mixing bowl, combine the salts, sugar, and crushed peppercorns. Remove the foie gras from the milk and pat it dry with thick paper towels. Discard the milk. Coat the meat with the salt mixture, until it is completely surrounded with seasonings. Wrap tightly in plastic. Refrigerate overnight.

Sweet, Sweet Summer

It has been so hot lately that the last thing I want after dinner is a warm piece of pie, or anything with a "molten" center. What I do want is something light and refreshing, preferably made with fresh summer fruit.

This recipe is just that: a delicate panna cotta with a cap of juicy-tart raspberry sauce, surrounded by a frothy cape of espresso foam. It doesn't take long to make, but you will have to allow a few hours of chilling time. My suggestion is that you whip it up early in the morning, and pop it into the refrigerator so that you'll have something sweet to look forward to at the end of a warm summer day. Be sure to use the best raspberries you can find: they're all over the farmer's markets right now, so you can't possibly miss them... unless you're going to the market to shop for a date instead of actual food. I can't blame you there, but hey: at least this way you'll have something special to eat, even if the cute girl with the tomatoes in her hands doesn't call.

If even this sounds like too much work, you can always just whip up a bowl of cream and dip fresh fruit directly into it. There's nothing like simple and delicious in the middle of July. And there's nothing like feeding pieces of fruit (or bites of vanilla-flecked panna cotta!) to the hottie who happens to be sitting beside you.

Recipe follows...

Do you get Love Notes?

I'm finishing up my latest newsletter, called Love Notes, to send out later this week. It's going to be a good one... I have very special news to share (maybe you can guess from the picture?!), and lots of stories & pictures from my recent trip to Europe.

If you're interested in receiving it, but haven't signed up yet, just go to the web site and submit your e-mail. Don't worry: I won't give or sell your address to anyone. Goodness knows I hardly have time to keep up with everything as it is, with not a second left over for peddling e-mails.

I'm also finishing another recipe to post here. Look for it tomorrow morning!

xoxo,

Andrea

Home Sweet Home

I'm back from Europe, and man! What happened to San Francisco? It's summertime, and it's actually hot! Yes, hot. We occasionally get 80+degree days... in April...or October. But never during June or July or August. We're usually giggling at the tourists who arrive in shorts; now they're the ones giggling at us while we sweat in our too-hot clothes!

I had a wonderful time away. Went to Paris, went to Napoli to see my mamma, celebrated by 50th(!) birthday, spent a glorious few days on Capri Island. I almost didn't want to come home!

But I had work to do... my new cookbook is out, The Stinking Rose Restaurant Cookbook, so I've been busy with that. I'll be doing a radio interview this weekend, and then my schedule is so packed with book signings and events for July and August that I can't even believe it.

But I've got lots of recipes and ideas for you to keep your summer sizzling hot, so don't you worry! You'll be hearing more from me very soon. xoxo - A.

Working on the blog

I'm new to this blog thing, so I hope you'll pardon me while I make a few changes.

I've heard from several people who say that the previous color scheme was hard on the eyes and difficult to read - thanks for letting me know! - and I'm trying to correct that. The last thing I want is for you to get frustrated and leave without getting to one of the recipes!

I would greatly welcome your feedback about the new lighter colors.

Ciao for now!

Mamma Mia!

We Southern Italians are known for making delicious recipes from simple, inexpensive ingredients. A guy from Napoli created the famous Pizza Margherita by spreading pizza dough with tomato sauce, basil, and a little mozzarella. Easy! Inexpensive! But oh-so-good. The south of Italy is generally known for being poor, in comparison with the more wealthy northerners, but what we lack in resources, we make up for in taste!

Pastiera is a simple, rustic cake made out of angel hair pasta, sugar, milk and eggs. It takes only minutes to make, and the result is delicious and somehow comforting. There are other, fancier versions of pastiera out there, but this is the one that my mamma used to mix up on a Sunday morning for us to snack on all day long. She baked it on a large sheet pan and cut it into small, thick squares to press into our hands as we ran in and out. The ingredients only cost pennies, but it tasted like love. Which, if you ask me, is priceless.

In honor of Mother's Day, here's my humble version of pasta cake. I hope you enjoy it!

Ingredients:

• 1 pound angel hair pasta
• 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 10 eggs
• 3 cups milk
• 1 teaspoon orange water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Yes, I know... I usually write recipes that serve two, but this is an exception: this will make enough pastiera to feed a crowd! Make some for your neighbors or your extended family - spread the love around...

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Farenheit.

On the stovetop, bring a deep pan of salted water to a boil, and crumble the pasta into the boiling water. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, just until al dente, and not a second longer! Drain the water and add 2 cups of sugar to the hot pasta, stirring well. Let cool; you want the pasta to be cool enough that it doesn't cook the eggs, which you'll add in the next step.

See the cups with dried fruit and toasted walnuts in the picture to the left? As I was making this, I was thinking about getting fancy and adding them to the mix, but then I decided to keep the recipe the same as I remembered it. But if you would like to add nuts or dried fruit, be my guest!

Crack the eggs over the sugary pasta, and use your hands to combine everything together. As you mix it, the pasta will break into small pieces; that's okay. Add the milk, orange water, and vanilla, mixing until an even, soupy mixture is formed.

I like to divide the mixture among several different baking dishes, for variety. You might choose two 9-inch pie pans, or one larger lasagna-type dish plus two small dishes - whatever you'd like. Divide among baking dishes, spreading with a spatula to a depth of about 2 inches.

Bake the cakes for 50 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown. If you have any smaller pans in the oven, watch carefully for signs of darkening around the edges. Turn oven off and let the pans cool in the oven for an additional 15 minutes. When completely cool, about 45 minutes, place a large serving dish over the top of the baking dish and gently turn upside down, letting the cake fall on to the plate; then repeat this by placing another plate atop the cake and turning it again so that the cake will be face up.

Aren't those beautiful? This is such a versatile cake- it tastes delicious warm or cold. I like to slice it and eat it with my fingers. It makes a great accompaniment to espresso, or fresh fruit, or it makes a great snack when you're on the run!

I'll be in Napoli the day after Mother's Day to celebrate with my mamma... and I have a feeling that this is one of the dishes we'll be eating.

Eat well, and tell your mother you love her. Ciao!

When was the last time you made bread?

Even though the Atkins diet has faded away, I still find that people feel guilty about eating bread. When I was growing up, bread wasn't an indulgence - it was a staple, something we ate every day. Now, it seems that bread has become a taboo. We're so worried about our waistlines that we've forgotten the sheer pleasure of biting into a floury, yeasty piece of bread fresh from the oven.

To hell with bran flakes and protein bars! I'm all for being fit and healthy, but I think it is incredibly sexy when a person knows how ~ and when ~ to indulge. There is something about the occasional hunk of warm bread that can make you feel very, very happy. Are you getting hungry yet? Are you feeling just a little bit naughty?

Well, good. Now we're getting somewhere.

When was the last time you made bread? Can you even remember? Most people never make bread. That's why I think you should try it this weekend, preferably with - or at least for - someone you love (even if that someone is you!). I've written up one of my favorite Italian bread recipes for you, and I know you're going to love it. It's called casatiello, and it is filled with delicious things.

Take it slowly - sink your hands into the dough and feel the sensation of the stickyness in your hands. Feel it change as you knead more flour into the dough, from sticky to smooth and elastic. Enjoy yourself. Making this bread is a series of stops and starts - the dough has to rise, and so you'll have something to do, and then you'll have nothing to do for a long time, and then you'll have to attend to it again. Think of it as a finicky lover.

If you're patient with it, you'll end up with an indulgence that is well worth the effort... I promise! For pictures to guide you through the steps, click here: Making Casatiello: A Photolog

Casatiello

• 2 cups lukewarm water
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 package active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons coarsely grated Parmigiano
• 1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
• 1/4 c chopped dry salami
• 1/4 c chopped pancetta
• 8 whole large eggs
• Coarse sea salt

In a deep mixing bowl, combine the water and sugar. Sprinkle the dry yeast over the top. Let it sit for about ten minutes, until the surface of the water becomes foamy; that is a sign that the yeast is active and working. Add 3 1/2 cups of flour and salt, stirring to combine, and form the dough into a ball with your hands.

On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough for about five minutes. Slowly incorporate the last 1/2 cup of flour, using firm, smooth strokes. When all of the flour has been incorporated, and the dough is pliant and elastic,  form it into a ball. Place the dough into an oiled bowl; cover and let rest in a warm place for 1 to 2 hours, or until it has raised to double.

Remove the dough to a floured work surface. With the palm of your hand, gently punch the dough down and divide it into two equal parts. Put one part aside, and flatten the other piece into a rough rectangular shape. It will be uneven; that is fine. Brush generously with olive oil. Sprinkle the surface of the dough with the grated cheese, pepper, salami and pancetta.

Roll the dough lenthwise into a tube to cover the fillings, and curve the tube around to make a circle. Place into an oiled bundt pan. You can use a jello mold or a brioche mold as well - whatever oven-safe container that you have handy. Oil the pan even if it has a nonstick coating.

Take four whole raw eggs and place them equal distance from each other on top of the bread. Don't press them down too far, because as the bread bakes, it will rise up around them. Repeat all of the same steps with the second piece of bread dough.

Place the bread into a cold oven for 5-6 hours or overnight. Just before baking, remove the pan from the oven and preheat the oven to 400 F. Cook the bread for one hour. Remove from oven, brush with olive oil and sprinkle with coarse sea salt. Serve immediately, or save for later!