Thursday, December 24, 2009
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Happy Holidays!
Happy Holidays from all of us here at Cucina di Campo! Many more stories to come in the new year!
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
The Worst Italian Food in Arizona
Where not to go - Andiamo Bistro. We just got back from dinner at the worst restaurant in Arizona. This atrocity is located in the Albertson's shopping center at Indian Bend and Hayden in Scottsdale. Please, do us all a favor a do not waste your time there.
I could spend time talking about how ridiculously overpriced the food is, but I won't. Instead, allow me to throw a little learning at you. From the minute we entered the strip mall fronting "bistro" we felt like we were uninvited. There were 4 people huddled around the bar watching a basketball game on the tiny television. It turns out that 3 of those people actually worked there. The fourth was a kid that looked like he just left the gym.
We were shown to a table in the empty restaurant right next to the only other guests. Why bother spreading us out - that would make us feel too much at home. Water came, and eventually a waitron completely unable to make eye contact took our wine order. The overpriced swill was delivered, and our orders taken. In an effort to get out of there quickly, we ordered no appetizers or salads, heading straight to the cheaper pasta entrees. Cheap is a relative term - $18 for linguine and clams, $15 for spaghetti Bolognese. No, these were not fresh, housemade pastas as you would expect.
About a half hour later, without so much as a "How ya doin'" from the waitstaff, the hostess came out and said "Sorry, we are out of clams. Can we substitute mussels or shrimp?" Uh, sure, give me shrimp. A half an hour to figure out you were out of clams? It's not like you have multiple tables to cook for. We were the only people in the place at this point. Well, except for that sweaty kid at the bar. He kept ducking into the kitchen, playing with the food. He ended up with a big plate of something, but whatever.
So, now about 40 minutes after we sat down in this empty restaurant we received our entrees. Two gargantuan portions of horribly overcooked pasta. Here is one of the funniest parts - the "waiter" asked if we wanted cheese. Go figure, Italian restaurant with two pasta dishes on the table and all, but I digress. He goes to the kitchen, gets a dish of cheese, and proceeds to sprinkle about a tablespoon on one of the pastas. He promptly runs out. Whoops! Guess it looked like there was more in there! He up-ends the cheese dish over my plate and smacks it the back of it with his hand, asking "do you need some more?" Yes, please, I'd like just a little cheese.
The cheese debacle over, I tuck into my pasta Bolognese. Have you ever been to Sbarro? If not, you should try it. Sbarro is a 4-star restaurant compared to this place. Even a 5 year old child would know to take pasta out of the water sooner than this fraud of a chef. How can you possibly justify serving $15 pasta when the spaghetti is so water logged it looks like bucattini???
The linguine vongole was an abomination. This plate had 3 clams and 3 shrimp. There was no sauce. I think the cook poured some clam juice into a pan and added garlic salt. There ya go - white clam sauce. Please. Is this for real?
We muscled through and had to stifle a laugh when asked if we wanted anything else. I was tempted to ask for my time back, but I knew they had a hard enough time cooking. It is a wonder this place has stayed open as long as it has. Good night Andiamo - we won't be back, and you shouldn't either. This is without a doubt the worst restaurant in Scottsdale, probably Arizona.
I could spend time talking about how ridiculously overpriced the food is, but I won't. Instead, allow me to throw a little learning at you. From the minute we entered the strip mall fronting "bistro" we felt like we were uninvited. There were 4 people huddled around the bar watching a basketball game on the tiny television. It turns out that 3 of those people actually worked there. The fourth was a kid that looked like he just left the gym.
We were shown to a table in the empty restaurant right next to the only other guests. Why bother spreading us out - that would make us feel too much at home. Water came, and eventually a waitron completely unable to make eye contact took our wine order. The overpriced swill was delivered, and our orders taken. In an effort to get out of there quickly, we ordered no appetizers or salads, heading straight to the cheaper pasta entrees. Cheap is a relative term - $18 for linguine and clams, $15 for spaghetti Bolognese. No, these were not fresh, housemade pastas as you would expect.
About a half hour later, without so much as a "How ya doin'" from the waitstaff, the hostess came out and said "Sorry, we are out of clams. Can we substitute mussels or shrimp?" Uh, sure, give me shrimp. A half an hour to figure out you were out of clams? It's not like you have multiple tables to cook for. We were the only people in the place at this point. Well, except for that sweaty kid at the bar. He kept ducking into the kitchen, playing with the food. He ended up with a big plate of something, but whatever.
So, now about 40 minutes after we sat down in this empty restaurant we received our entrees. Two gargantuan portions of horribly overcooked pasta. Here is one of the funniest parts - the "waiter" asked if we wanted cheese. Go figure, Italian restaurant with two pasta dishes on the table and all, but I digress. He goes to the kitchen, gets a dish of cheese, and proceeds to sprinkle about a tablespoon on one of the pastas. He promptly runs out. Whoops! Guess it looked like there was more in there! He up-ends the cheese dish over my plate and smacks it the back of it with his hand, asking "do you need some more?" Yes, please, I'd like just a little cheese.
The cheese debacle over, I tuck into my pasta Bolognese. Have you ever been to Sbarro? If not, you should try it. Sbarro is a 4-star restaurant compared to this place. Even a 5 year old child would know to take pasta out of the water sooner than this fraud of a chef. How can you possibly justify serving $15 pasta when the spaghetti is so water logged it looks like bucattini???
The linguine vongole was an abomination. This plate had 3 clams and 3 shrimp. There was no sauce. I think the cook poured some clam juice into a pan and added garlic salt. There ya go - white clam sauce. Please. Is this for real?
We muscled through and had to stifle a laugh when asked if we wanted anything else. I was tempted to ask for my time back, but I knew they had a hard enough time cooking. It is a wonder this place has stayed open as long as it has. Good night Andiamo - we won't be back, and you shouldn't either. This is without a doubt the worst restaurant in Scottsdale, probably Arizona.
Friday, October 2, 2009
The Frontera Empire
Everyone knows Rick Bayless. The impish, bespectacled, goatee sporting Chicago chef famous for his Mexican cuisine and PBS television series. I must admit, Cucina di Campo has fallen under his spell and loves everything Bayless. We make his salsas, drink his margaritas, and wish we could travel to Mexico City with him. There is something about his smile, that glint in his eye and the pace of his speech that pulls you in, not letting go until you ask for more. Yes, we've been Baylessed.
A recent trip to Chicago offered an opportunity to visit the Frontera Empire run by Rick and his wife, Deann. Rick has three restaurants - Frontera Grill, Topolobampo and the new Xoco. Topolobampo is the critically acclaimed upscale Mexican restaurant, awarded 4 out of 4 stars by Chicago magazine. White tablecloths, fine wine, and expensive Mexican food. Frontera is the original, a casual Mexican grill featuring Rick's authentic cooking. Both spots share a front door, and can be identified by the incredibly long line awaiting entry. Xoco is Rick's take on a Mexican street food restaurant, and is located around the corner from his other two places, in the same building.
Rick has built quite an empire, a paean to traditional Mexican cuisine in a stiffly upscale environ. Don't be confused; this is not a local Mexican joint. The average wait is 2 hours, and your bill will most likely rival that of a steak house. If rumors are to be believed, and throngs of anxious patrons any reflection, Rick's food is worth both the wait and the cost.
A dining companion and I tried to get into Frontera a few weeks ago, and encountered the typical 2 hour wait. We were offered a chance to wait at the bar for our table, or stand in line outside with 50 other people. The bar it was. Or wasn't, as it turns out. This was no bar, rather a mass of hungry humanity 10 deep trying to get the attention of the bartenders, praying to pay inflated prices for a chance to sip a signature Margarita. Did we just walk into a fallout shelter in Mexico City with news of a nuclear holocaust in the air? Incredulous, we turned around and left.
How about Topolo, I mused. Wrong again. Same wait, but this time I could spend three times as much once I sat down. Ok, this is crazy. It's Tuesday night. The hostess kindly informed us that Xoco had just opened earlier in the week but would be closing at 9, less than an hour from now. Let's go!
Xoco looked promising with a line only about 25 deep. Finally we will get to taste some of Rick's creations. Yes readers, I was wrong again. Xoco's concept has you lining up to order sandwiches (tortas), soups, hot chocolates, pastries, and small bowls of hot food. You pick from the menu, order at a counter, and wait for your food to be delivered in the seating area. Unfortunately, Xoco has instituted a policy of no take-away. This means that you have to wait for someone to leave the seating area before you can even place your order. So what looked like a 15 minute wait was really another 2 hour wait. Unbelievable. Nobody's food is this good.
The Frontera empire believes it is still living in the heady days of the early '90s when buzz made the place. Sorry, but that is no longer the case. Velvet ropes outside of empty clubs have gone the way of parking limos in front of restaurants to make them look fancy. Rick, there is no reason to make people line up to eat a small sandwich. Give us our food and let us go! Long lines may make you look good in the beginning, but will turn away the rest of us. Sure, your die hard fans may not have a problem waiting 2 hours to eat a taco, but let's be real.
I came back to Chicago this past week and thought I would give Xoco a try, just to be sure I wasn't getting the wrong impression. I arrived at 1:30 and got into line. I was informed that it was only a 20 or 30 minute wait, and I was determined to make it in this time. 45 minutes later, I was in front of the counter ordering food.
45 minutes of staring at the menu and watching people cook is plenty of time to work up an appetite and set your expectations high for the food you are about to receive. I ordered a carnitas torta in a bowl of tomato broth, the "Aztec," a hot chocolate with chiles and nutmeg, a churro and a cookie to go. $20. Not bad, not cheap either. The hostess directed me to a shelf along the wall to await my food. You know these kinds of seats - an 8 inch shelf with some stools set against a wall. Yeah, I get to stare at plaster and rub elbows with other suckers as I eat my overpriced sandwich!
Let me tell you, that was the best hot chocolate and churro I have ever tasted. No joke, the best. Great job guys (is this Rick's food, or the chef's?). The sandwich came, and it was cut in half an resting in a bowl of thick, smoky, spicy tomato soup. Good idea, until you pick it up. Yes, soggy bread and pork does not mix. My sandwich completely fell apart, leaving me with a bowl of spongy bread, pork pieces, pickled onions and tomato soup. Oh well. Hey, where is my silverware? Oh, that's right, you don't get that here. It is a "street food" shop. Imagine a street vendor charging 100 pesos for a pork sandwich - don't think he would last very long.
I proceeded to use my hands to get the rest of the sandwich in my mouth and slurped the soup. It was delicious, everything I was anticipating. The Frontera crew really know how to make food.
After all of the effort that I went through to try Rick's food, I have to say I was disappointed. There is no excuse for the kind of wait you are faced with. Of course, from Rick's perspective it all makes sense. Too bad I'm not Rick Bayless. It's good to be the king.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Calling All Recipes
In the interest of community, Cucina di Campo is calling for your recipe submissions! Feel free to add your recipes as comments to this posting.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
"Traditional" Bloody Mary
This is the presentation of a bloody mary at the Tradition Golf Club in La Quinta. Quite amazing!
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Olive Oil Cake
A good friend of ours invited us to a dinner party with the promise of her moist olive oil cake. I was a bit taken aback by the name of this dessert, and was intrigued at the possibility that it represented. Olive oil in a dessert? I had heard of stranger things (anyone remember the Trout Ice Cream from Iron Chef?), and was keeping an open mind. Well readers, that mind was blown last night. This chef, not known for desserts, has found a must make cake that will grace the table of Cucina di Campo as often as possible. You simply must try this. Thanks E!
3 eggs, beaten
2 cups sugar
10 oz olive oil
10 oz milk
2 oz lime zest
3 tsp lime juice
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 10" round cake pan. Whisk the eggs, sugar, olive oil, milk, lime zest, and lime juice. Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, whisk until blended. Pour into the prepared pan, bake for 1 hour.
The cake achieves a crackly patina on the top, ready to accept any number of garnishes. Our host chose to mix a bit of the homemade Lemoncello we brought with powdered sugar to create a simple glaze. Poured over the cake and some fresh strawberries, the Lemoncello glaze was the perfect complement to the olive oil cake's moist, citrus flavor.
3 eggs, beaten
2 cups sugar
10 oz olive oil
10 oz milk
2 oz lime zest
3 tsp lime juice
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 10" round cake pan. Whisk the eggs, sugar, olive oil, milk, lime zest, and lime juice. Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, whisk until blended. Pour into the prepared pan, bake for 1 hour.
The cake achieves a crackly patina on the top, ready to accept any number of garnishes. Our host chose to mix a bit of the homemade Lemoncello we brought with powdered sugar to create a simple glaze. Poured over the cake and some fresh strawberries, the Lemoncello glaze was the perfect complement to the olive oil cake's moist, citrus flavor.
Chile Verde
I am famous for several dishes, but this Chile Verde recipe is at the top of the list. Every summer the amazing Hatch chile pepper is made available to us at a few local markets. I usually get mine from Arriba Mexican Grill, where every weekend in August the chiles are brought in from New Mexico and fire roasted right in the parking lot. My friends start getting excited in July when Arriba runs its ads announcing the start of Hatch chile season, and for good reason. While you can get these delicious peppers year-round in cans, nothing compares to driving home with a still warm 4 pound bag of freshly roasted Hatch chiles. The smell is intoxicating, and one never truly knows how hot the batch will be. If you must use canned chiles, make sure you buy the Hatch brand. There is a specific terroir in Hatch, New Mexico that produces a unique breed of chile unmatched by California grown anaheims.
This recipe may seem arduous, but you will discover that the effort is well worth it when the final product is tasted. The yield is fairly high - invite some friends and freeze leftovers.
4 lbs pork shoulder, cubed*
4 lbs fire roasted Hatch chiles, skins and seeds removed, roughly chopped*
8 cloves garlic, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 bunch green onions, both green and white parts, chopped
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 brown onion, chopped
2 cups chicken stock
2 tbsp cumin
4 bay leaves
1 Serrano chile, diced*
Working in batches, brown the pork cubes in canola oil over medium-high flame. Do not crowd the pan - you want the pork to brown, not steam. Remove each browned batch to a plate - the pork will not be cooked through, but will be brown on the outside (it will finish cooking in the sauce).
When all the pork has been browned and removed from the pan, add the brown and green onions, bell pepper, celery and garlic. Add 1 tbsp kosher salt to vegetables. Stir and saute until wilted, about 5 minutes. Add the pork back to the pan with any juice remaining on the plate. Add the chicken stock. Add the Hatch chiles.
Add cold water to cover the ingredients in the pan, leaving at least 1 inch between the water and the top of the pan. Stir in the cumin and bay leaves, add 2 tbsp kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste. Bring to a boil.
Place the cover slightly ajar, reduce flame to medium-low, and simmer for at least 1 hour. This dish gets better as it cooks, but after too long (around 3 or 4 hours) the pork will disintegrate and you will have something totally different.
Chile verde is delicious topped simply with sour cream and served with warm flour tortillas. Add a bit of crumbled cotija cheese on top if desired.
This recipe may seem arduous, but you will discover that the effort is well worth it when the final product is tasted. The yield is fairly high - invite some friends and freeze leftovers.
4 lbs pork shoulder, cubed*
4 lbs fire roasted Hatch chiles, skins and seeds removed, roughly chopped*
8 cloves garlic, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 bunch green onions, both green and white parts, chopped
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 brown onion, chopped
2 cups chicken stock
2 tbsp cumin
4 bay leaves
1 Serrano chile, diced*
Working in batches, brown the pork cubes in canola oil over medium-high flame. Do not crowd the pan - you want the pork to brown, not steam. Remove each browned batch to a plate - the pork will not be cooked through, but will be brown on the outside (it will finish cooking in the sauce).
When all the pork has been browned and removed from the pan, add the brown and green onions, bell pepper, celery and garlic. Add 1 tbsp kosher salt to vegetables. Stir and saute until wilted, about 5 minutes. Add the pork back to the pan with any juice remaining on the plate. Add the chicken stock. Add the Hatch chiles.
Add cold water to cover the ingredients in the pan, leaving at least 1 inch between the water and the top of the pan. Stir in the cumin and bay leaves, add 2 tbsp kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste. Bring to a boil.
Place the cover slightly ajar, reduce flame to medium-low, and simmer for at least 1 hour. This dish gets better as it cooks, but after too long (around 3 or 4 hours) the pork will disintegrate and you will have something totally different.
Chile verde is delicious topped simply with sour cream and served with warm flour tortillas. Add a bit of crumbled cotija cheese on top if desired.
Friday, August 28, 2009
Best new tequila
Just found the best new tequila - Dos Lunas. Delicious, this agave liquor is a must try.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Deconstructed Guacamole, or Avocado Salad
I can't remember where I first got the inspiration for this recipe, but I know that it is not entirely my own. Avocado salad is a new twist on guacamole - instead of mashing everything together, why not chop the ingredients and make a cool summer salad? The addition of black beans makes this a filling side dish that people will love at your next barbecue.
2 avocados, cut into large dice
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into medium dice
1/2 cup diced red onion
15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 tbsp diced jalapeno
1/2 tsp lime zest
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (the juice of about 2 limes)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp chopped garlic
Add all ingredients to a large bowl and gently toss. Let sit in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before serving.
2 avocados, cut into large dice
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into medium dice
1/2 cup diced red onion
15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 tbsp diced jalapeno
1/2 tsp lime zest
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (the juice of about 2 limes)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp chopped garlic
Add all ingredients to a large bowl and gently toss. Let sit in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before serving.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Chicken Marsala
Chicken Marsala is one of those underrated dishes that people usually only eat at restaurants. This simple dish can be made at home and should become a part of your menu rotation. Make sure to use a good Marsala wine imported from Italy - California Marsala doesn't even come close. Yes, good Marsala will cost a bit more, but it will make many iterations of this dish; splurge on the good stuff. Pounding out the chicken breasts serves several purposes - the chicken cooks faster and goes farther, and you can work out the stresses of your day on the meat. Regular white flour is fine for dredging the chicken, but I've found that Wondra works very well for frying. Give it a try in this recipe, and keep it around for making exceptionally smooth sauces and gravies.
2 chicken breasts, pounded to 1/4 inch thick*
3 tablespoons Wondra flour*
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp dried Oregano
3 tbsp butter at room temperature*
3 tbsp olive oil
1/2 lb mushrooms, sliced (cremini or white button)
1 cup Marsala wine
1/2 cup chicken stock
4 tbsp Italian parsley, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 shallot, minced
Mix the Wondra flour and a pinch of salt and pepper together on a plate. Dredge the chicken breasts in the Wondra mix, set aside. In a large, heavy bottomed skillet* heat the olive oil over medium high flame. Fry the chicken breasts for about 4 minutes a side or until golden brown and remove to a plate. Don't worry about cooking all the way through, the chicken will finish in the sauce. Keep the chicken warm in a 250 degree oven.
Add the garlic and shallots to the skillet used for the chicken (add another tablespoon of olive oil if there is not enough left in the pan). Saute over medium high flame until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook until they release their moisture, about 5 minutes.
Add the Marsala to the pan. Scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the skillet - the Marsala will deglaze* the pan and the bottom should become clean. Continue cooking the mushrooms and Marsala for 5 minutes. Add the chicken stock, oregano, and parsley. Taste the sauce, correct the seasonings with sea salt and pepper. Cook the sauce for another 5 minutes, return the chicken to the pan. Reduce the flame to medium low and finish cooking the chicken in the sauce (about 5 minutes). You may cover the pan, reduce to very low, and hold for 15 minutes if needed.
When ready to serve, remove the chicken to a warm serving platter. Increase the flame to medium high and add the butter to the sauce. Stir in the butter until melted and fully incorporated. Check the seasonings again, and correct if necesary with salt, pepper, and Marsala.
Pour the finished sauce over the chicken, and serve with peas and capellini*.
*To pound the chicken breasts, put one in a gallon size zip-top plastic bag with a few drops of water. Seal the bag and pound with a french rolling pin or empty bottle of wine. You can also put the chicken between two pieces of plastic wrap, but I find that the chicken always slips out. The bag method is much cleaner. Flattening the chicken breasts is a great way to feed four people on two breasts - the chicken goes much farther when pounded and then breaded and fried. Wondra flour is an incredible invention. I won't go into detail here (check the website for the full story), but the process basically involves pre-cooking the flour with steam and adding some barley flour as a dough conditioner. This flour is perfect for use in sauce and gravy as it does not lump. I love using it for coating things that are to be fried; Wondra coated chicken fries up with a beautiful golden brown patina. Adding room temperature butter to a sauce is called "mounting" and it is essential. Yes, butter isn't the best for you, but go ahead, it tastes so good! The sauce will thicken and take on a gossamer sheen. As you know by now, Cucina di Campo highly recommends All-Clad stainless steel skillets for their superior cooking performance. Deglazing a pan is a process of adding liquid to a skillet that has become coated with the residue of frying. Adding liquid to the hot pan will remove the stuck-on brown bits (called fond) from the bottom of the pan, adding depth of flavor to a sauce. I love to serve Chicken Marsala with whole wheat capellini (angel hair), but you can serve it with any other pasta on hand or even rice.
2 chicken breasts, pounded to 1/4 inch thick*
3 tablespoons Wondra flour*
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp dried Oregano
3 tbsp butter at room temperature*
3 tbsp olive oil
1/2 lb mushrooms, sliced (cremini or white button)
1 cup Marsala wine
1/2 cup chicken stock
4 tbsp Italian parsley, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 shallot, minced
Mix the Wondra flour and a pinch of salt and pepper together on a plate. Dredge the chicken breasts in the Wondra mix, set aside. In a large, heavy bottomed skillet* heat the olive oil over medium high flame. Fry the chicken breasts for about 4 minutes a side or until golden brown and remove to a plate. Don't worry about cooking all the way through, the chicken will finish in the sauce. Keep the chicken warm in a 250 degree oven.
Add the garlic and shallots to the skillet used for the chicken (add another tablespoon of olive oil if there is not enough left in the pan). Saute over medium high flame until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook until they release their moisture, about 5 minutes.
Add the Marsala to the pan. Scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the skillet - the Marsala will deglaze* the pan and the bottom should become clean. Continue cooking the mushrooms and Marsala for 5 minutes. Add the chicken stock, oregano, and parsley. Taste the sauce, correct the seasonings with sea salt and pepper. Cook the sauce for another 5 minutes, return the chicken to the pan. Reduce the flame to medium low and finish cooking the chicken in the sauce (about 5 minutes). You may cover the pan, reduce to very low, and hold for 15 minutes if needed.
When ready to serve, remove the chicken to a warm serving platter. Increase the flame to medium high and add the butter to the sauce. Stir in the butter until melted and fully incorporated. Check the seasonings again, and correct if necesary with salt, pepper, and Marsala.
Pour the finished sauce over the chicken, and serve with peas and capellini*.
*To pound the chicken breasts, put one in a gallon size zip-top plastic bag with a few drops of water. Seal the bag and pound with a french rolling pin or empty bottle of wine. You can also put the chicken between two pieces of plastic wrap, but I find that the chicken always slips out. The bag method is much cleaner. Flattening the chicken breasts is a great way to feed four people on two breasts - the chicken goes much farther when pounded and then breaded and fried. Wondra flour is an incredible invention. I won't go into detail here (check the website for the full story), but the process basically involves pre-cooking the flour with steam and adding some barley flour as a dough conditioner. This flour is perfect for use in sauce and gravy as it does not lump. I love using it for coating things that are to be fried; Wondra coated chicken fries up with a beautiful golden brown patina. Adding room temperature butter to a sauce is called "mounting" and it is essential. Yes, butter isn't the best for you, but go ahead, it tastes so good! The sauce will thicken and take on a gossamer sheen. As you know by now, Cucina di Campo highly recommends All-Clad stainless steel skillets for their superior cooking performance. Deglazing a pan is a process of adding liquid to a skillet that has become coated with the residue of frying. Adding liquid to the hot pan will remove the stuck-on brown bits (called fond) from the bottom of the pan, adding depth of flavor to a sauce. I love to serve Chicken Marsala with whole wheat capellini (angel hair), but you can serve it with any other pasta on hand or even rice.
Friday, August 7, 2009
Korean BBQ Pork
When I lived in San Francisco's Diamond Heights district we would frequent a place called Hahn's Hibachi. This Korean BBQ restaurant served Everest sized plates of barbecue, and one of our favorites was the "Pile O' Pork." Last night I pulled a couple of pork loin chops out of the freezer and decided to attempt to replicate the Korean barbecue flavor of Hahn's pork. It turned out perfectly - so sweet yet tangy, with that lovely sesame aroma. Served with some jasmine rice, this is an excellent summer meal.
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sesame oil
1 tbsp onion powder
1/2 cup water
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1-2 tsp crushed red pepper*
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
1 tbsp shallots, finely chopped
6 thin cut pork chops*
In a bowl combine the soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, onion powder, water, garlic, green onions, red pepper, vinegar, ginger, and shallots. Add a dash of salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Whisk the marinade ingredients together well.
Place the pork in a resealable bag, add the marinade. Seal the bag and rub the marinade into the pork. Let the pork marinate for at least 30 minutes, overnight if possible.
Remove the pork from the bag, reserving the marinade. Put the left over marinade into a pan and bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes, than reduce heat to medium and simmer while the pork cooks on the grill.
Preheat a grill to medium high, and oil the grates. This is an important step - the pork will stick if the grill is not oiled. For more on proper barbecueing tips, visit Steven Raichlen's site. This guy is the authority on everything grilled. Grill the pork for several minutes per side, until cooked through.
Add the cooked pork to the pan with the leftover marinade, and toss the pork to coat. You can simmer the pork and sauce combination for a few minutes while you prepare the table - this adds even more flavor to the meat.
Serve pork and sauce over jasmine rice.
* I use crushed red pepper to add heat to this dish, and I like about 1 tbsp. Depending on your tolerance for heat, add more red pepper or explore the wonderful world of Capsicum annuum and thrown in a Thai chili. Hahn used several cuts of pork in his Pile O' Pork, and you can do the same. I used loin chops, but shoulder blade chops and/or ribs work well. Check out this site for more information on the various cuts of pork: Guide to Meat Cuts: Pork. If you make this for a party, double or triple the marinade recipe and use ribs, loin chops, and blade chops to add a little variety.
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sesame oil
1 tbsp onion powder
1/2 cup water
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1-2 tsp crushed red pepper*
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
1 tbsp shallots, finely chopped
6 thin cut pork chops*
In a bowl combine the soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, onion powder, water, garlic, green onions, red pepper, vinegar, ginger, and shallots. Add a dash of salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Whisk the marinade ingredients together well.
Place the pork in a resealable bag, add the marinade. Seal the bag and rub the marinade into the pork. Let the pork marinate for at least 30 minutes, overnight if possible.
Remove the pork from the bag, reserving the marinade. Put the left over marinade into a pan and bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes, than reduce heat to medium and simmer while the pork cooks on the grill.
Preheat a grill to medium high, and oil the grates. This is an important step - the pork will stick if the grill is not oiled. For more on proper barbecueing tips, visit Steven Raichlen's site. This guy is the authority on everything grilled. Grill the pork for several minutes per side, until cooked through.
Add the cooked pork to the pan with the leftover marinade, and toss the pork to coat. You can simmer the pork and sauce combination for a few minutes while you prepare the table - this adds even more flavor to the meat.
Serve pork and sauce over jasmine rice.
* I use crushed red pepper to add heat to this dish, and I like about 1 tbsp. Depending on your tolerance for heat, add more red pepper or explore the wonderful world of Capsicum annuum and thrown in a Thai chili. Hahn used several cuts of pork in his Pile O' Pork, and you can do the same. I used loin chops, but shoulder blade chops and/or ribs work well. Check out this site for more information on the various cuts of pork: Guide to Meat Cuts: Pork. If you make this for a party, double or triple the marinade recipe and use ribs, loin chops, and blade chops to add a little variety.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Lot's Wife
You know what salt is. At least you think you do. I'm not talking about that salt shaker on your table, rather that quixotic mineral responsible for the rise and fall of primitive cultures. You know, "worth your weight in salt." It's that important. Regular table salt, or iodized sodium chloride, is akin to white paint. Yes, it does the job, but have you tried painting a room with eggshell or linen? Subtle variations in those colors are much more pleasing that standard white, as are the enormous variations in salt.
A quick salt primer:
- Table salt is fine for enhancing the flavor of food at the table, and it contains iodine which is necessary for your health.
- Kosher salt, the most widely used salt in restaurant cooking, has a large flake and is by volume much less saline that table salt. The shape of the flake makes it easy for chefs to grab a pinch while cooking, and the lack of iodine makes it a chef's first choice. Avoid using in baked goods, as the flakes may not dissolve.
- Sea salt, as its name suggests, is produced by evaporating sea water (table salt is usually made from mined rock salt, or halite). There are many variations of sea salt, each with a distinct flavor that most people associate with the word "gourmet."
- Fleur de Sel, or "flower of salt," is produced by scraping the top layer of salt while producing sea salt. The best Fleur de Sel comes from Brittany, and is very expensive. The flavor here is divine, and worth every penny.
- Himalayan Pink Salt, usually from Pakistan, is most often used in curing meats. Some high end restaurants are using blocks of ancient mined pink salt (some say many millions of years old) as a serving vessel for charcuterie. I've never had a need for this salt at home, but it looks cool!
- Smoked Salt has a deep, smoky flavor, as evidenced by its name. This salt adds wonderful flavor to salads.
- Grey Salt is a moist unrefined salt from France. The sea salt is sometimes called Celtic Sea Salt. With a wonderful, mineral flavor, this is the salt revered by chefs for finishing dishes.
- Rock Salt has its home in three main areas - removing ice from your driveway, aiding in the freezing process for ice cream, and as a base for serving shellfish.
Now that you understand the different types of salts, let's explore their uses in a bit more depth. When cooking, I keep a ramekin of kosher salt by the stove. This is my cooking salt for everything on top of the stove; as mentioned earlier, I never bake with it. You can also use kosher salt to crust a steak - plain old rib eye steaks generously coated with kosher salt and cracked black pepper cooked over a hot grill are wonderful. Kosher salt is used to rim the glasses of classic margaritas, and as an accompaniment to shots of tequila.
Table salt only comes into play when guests think I have under seasoned my food. They are welcome to their opinion, as wrong as it might be. I love to use sea salt in my cooking, but there is a problem. Its cost is fairly high when compared to kosher salt, and its flavor tends to "cook out" if used too early in the process. Most chefs will use sea salt as a finishing salt unless they have the financial means to be wasteful.
Fleur de Sel is my favorite salt of all time. The flavor is incredible, and my guests are amazed at the flavor of food cooked with it. Again, as the cost is high, use this salt to finish dishes - sprinkle a little bit on the food just prior to service. I find that grey salt, generic sea salt, and Fleur de Sel are excellent finishing salts, and I will use which ever one I happen to have at the time.
When I serve oysters or stuffed clams, I prepare the serving platter with a generous layer of rock salt. This bed of rock salt allows you to balance the shells on the plate and provides a nice presentation.
Which salt should you use? I recommend starting with a box of kosher salt and some generic sea salt. Once you switch from table salt to kosher salt, you will begin to get a handle on layering flavors - the most important element of good cooking. Gradually introduce sea salt at the end of the cooking process until you understand how it works as a flavoring agent, and then branch out into other more expensive salts.
Over time you will come to understand the wonderful world of salt and all the depth of flavor it can bring to your table. Just don't look back - we all know what happened to Lot's wife.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Happy Kisses
I don't hide the fact that I am a Happy Hour junkie. Why pay twice as much for the same food and drink if you don't have to? We've been searching the Scottsdale area for the best happy hours, and have identified a few contenders. At the top of our list right now is Un Bacio, a beautiful Italian restaurant in the Gainey Ranch area (down the road from The Kitchen, see earlier post). Un Bacio means "a kiss" in Italian, and I think most of you are just now figuring out the title of this post...
Un Bacio has a special menu for its happy hour, which runs from 4:30 to 7 pm, Tuesday through Friday. There are half price drink specials - wine, beer and cocktails - and "small plates" of food. These plates are definitely not small - you will probably have left overs (I guess you could call them small if you were Brobdingnagian). A few of our favorite "small plates" are the Capellini with Baby Clams ($7.50) and the Stuffed Eggplant ($7). The Capellini is an incredible dish with plenty of fresh clams, more than enough for dinner. The Stuffed Eggplant is deliciously cheesy with a wonderful red sauce. Also try the Antipasto Plate ($8) and the Margherita Pizza ($9). In fact, the whole menu is a culinary masterpiece at unbelievable prices.
This is one of those places that understands the value of a good happy hour. Un Bacio will suck you in with a chance to taste the menu on the cheap, but they know you'll be back for the complete dinner soon. Cucina di Campo ranks it the "Best Happy Hour in Scottsdale" for now. You didn't think we would stop looking for great deals, did you?
Sunday, August 2, 2009
A Couple of Cocktails for Summer
It's summer, and we must drink tequila. Here are a few ways to do it that taste great and will refresh you while sitting by the pool. Please, serve some food with these cocktails - I don't want to be responsible for your guests passing out before dinner.
True Margarita
2 parts premium tequila, such as Porfidio or Patron Silver
1 part Cointreau
1 part freshly squeezed lime juice
Shake ingredients over ice, pour into salt-rimmed margarita glasses. Notice the lack of sweet and sour or Margarita mix. The recipe above is the true margarita, not one of those college bar concoctions that makes you gag with all of its sweetness. Be careful, these are dangerous.
Tequila Gimlet (Desert Mojo)
2 shots Sauza Blanco Tequila
juice of 1 and 1/2 limes
1 tsp superfine sugar
Shake ingredients over ice, pour into a lowball glass filled with ice. Again, be warned - only a few of these and you'll be on your back.
If you are a purist, and I know some of you are, these two options may seems like a waste of good tequila. In that case, just shake your tequila wildly over ice and then shake your head wildly as you down your shot. At least people won't think you actually like straight tequila.
True Margarita
2 parts premium tequila, such as Porfidio or Patron Silver
1 part Cointreau
1 part freshly squeezed lime juice
Shake ingredients over ice, pour into salt-rimmed margarita glasses. Notice the lack of sweet and sour or Margarita mix. The recipe above is the true margarita, not one of those college bar concoctions that makes you gag with all of its sweetness. Be careful, these are dangerous.
Tequila Gimlet (Desert Mojo)
2 shots Sauza Blanco Tequila
juice of 1 and 1/2 limes
1 tsp superfine sugar
Shake ingredients over ice, pour into a lowball glass filled with ice. Again, be warned - only a few of these and you'll be on your back.
If you are a purist, and I know some of you are, these two options may seems like a waste of good tequila. In that case, just shake your tequila wildly over ice and then shake your head wildly as you down your shot. At least people won't think you actually like straight tequila.
Friday, July 31, 2009
She said, "Call it Carnitas."
It could be our proximity to Mexico, or maybe it's just because this dish tastes so well. Maybe it's both. Does it matter when you know how to cook something so delicious and fun to eat? Touche. What follows is my attempt to recreate a Mexican tradition - braised and shredded pork served as tacos.
3 lbs pork shoulder, cut into large chunks*
1/4 cup chile powder*
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp onion powder
2 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp allspice*
2 tbsp kosher salt
1 tbsp freshly cracked pepper
2 bay leaves
2 tsp cayenne pepper
1-2 cups chicken stock
1 large onion, diced
2 ribs celery, diced
5 cloves garlic, diced
1/2 cup olive oil
20-30 tortillas*
Large head of cabbage, shredded
4 avocados, cut into slices*
1 lb cojita cheese
6 limes, cut into 8 pieces each
Put the pork, half the seasoning mixture, and chicken stock in a large dutch oven*. Add water to cover the meat. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer 3 hours. Turn off the heat and let rest for an hour or so, until the pork and liquid are cool. Remove the pork to a bowl and shred, removing and bones and large pieces of fat. If you'd like, you can bring the cooking liquid to a boil and reduce until it measures about two cups. Remove the bay leaves and pour into a glass vessel. Allow the liquid to cool, then place in the refrigerator overnight. The fat will come to the top, allowing you to skim it off. This sauce can be used on the tacos, a sort of homemade hot sauce. Doctor it up if you'd like - add tomatoes and puree, maybe some more cayenne pepper. You'll figure it out after a couple of tries.
The shredded pork is now about half done - it can be refregerated overnight and used the next day, or continue with the recipe and use it the same day. This process takes time, so I usually start it on a Friday and finish the pork on Saturday for an afternoon party.
In a large pan (I use the same Le Creuset dutch oven that I started with) heat the oil over medium high flame until almost smoking, add the onions and celery. Cook the onions and celery with 1 tbsp kosher salt until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and the rest of the spice mix, then the shredded pork*. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the pork is heated through. If it looks too dry, add 1/2 cup water or reserved cooking liquid (now taco sauce). Once the pork is hot, reduce the heat to low and cover. The pork can now sit on the stove until ready to eat.
To make tacos, heat an ungreased skillet over medium high flame. Warm the tortillas for 15-20 seconds per side. Arrange three tortillas on a plate, and top each with about two tbsp of pork, a squeeze of fresh lime juice, a slice of avocado, and shredded cabbage. That's it - don't go crazy. People will usually eat at least three of these, so don't overfill them. If desired, you can add a few crumbles of cotija cheese*. Place a piece of lime or two on the plate - the flavor of freshly squeezed lime over pork is intoxicating, and people may like to kick theirs up a little.
If you are having a party, make up a self-serve taco station with shredded cabbage, sliced avocado, limes cut into 8 pieces and crumbled cheese. Heat the tacos to order and dole out the pork. Let your guests help themselves to toppings.
* Pork shoulder comes in many forms, and they are all fine for this recipe. I usually try to get a large piece of pork shoulder, or Boston butt, with some bone. Bones and fat = flavor. What is chile powder, really? I don't know any Mexican cooks that use American chile powder, but for our purposes it will work. If you want to be really authentic, try making your own chile powder - mix ancho chile powder with other dried and ground chiles such as arbol (very hot!), ancho, pasilla, gaujillo, chipotle. I'll make my own chile powder one day and post the recipe. Keep looking for it. We could argue the authenticity of adding allspice to Mexican food, but just believe me when I say that it enhances the flavor of this dish, and the savvy culinary minds at your party might just identify it. For tacos I use the smaller corn tortillas, not those huge flour burrito shells. There are both white and yellow corn - try a mix of both to please your guests. Tacos are small, so you don't need to use a tortilla bigger than 3 inches in diameter. Intimidated by avocados? Don't be. Here's how you do it - cut the avocado in half lengthwise, around the pit. When you seperate it, the pit will be in one of the halves. With your knife, gently whack the blade into the pit and twist. This will remove the pit. Remove the meat from the skin with a spoon, place convexly on a plate (pit side down). Now you can make long slices. Easy peazy. We've talked before about Le Creuset dutch ovens. If you don't have one, you must buy one. Your mother probably used one her entire life - shouldn't that tell you something? Get one. In fact, get a few different sizes. This is the most versatile pot in my collection. Food warmed in a Le Creuset dutch oven will stay at temperature on the table for at least an hour if covered. Can't say that about your Revereware, now can you. When heating the shredded pork with onions, garlic, and celery, you may want to add a diced jalepeno or serrano chile. Some people have said that this dish is not hot enough. I make this for a party, and believe me when I say you can always add heat but you can't remove it. Make it your way and tell the Scoville lovers to add their own hot sauce. Or don't. Just be careful with the heat. It is undisputed that Parmigiano Regianno is the king of cheeses. Have you tried cotija cheese? This is almost a Mexican variation of the famed Parmigiano. For true Mexican flavor, get some cojita and play with it. Wonderful stuff!
3 lbs pork shoulder, cut into large chunks*
1/4 cup chile powder*
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp onion powder
2 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp allspice*
2 tbsp kosher salt
1 tbsp freshly cracked pepper
2 bay leaves
2 tsp cayenne pepper
1-2 cups chicken stock
1 large onion, diced
2 ribs celery, diced
5 cloves garlic, diced
1/2 cup olive oil
20-30 tortillas*
Large head of cabbage, shredded
4 avocados, cut into slices*
1 lb cojita cheese
6 limes, cut into 8 pieces each
Put the pork, half the seasoning mixture, and chicken stock in a large dutch oven*. Add water to cover the meat. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer 3 hours. Turn off the heat and let rest for an hour or so, until the pork and liquid are cool. Remove the pork to a bowl and shred, removing and bones and large pieces of fat. If you'd like, you can bring the cooking liquid to a boil and reduce until it measures about two cups. Remove the bay leaves and pour into a glass vessel. Allow the liquid to cool, then place in the refrigerator overnight. The fat will come to the top, allowing you to skim it off. This sauce can be used on the tacos, a sort of homemade hot sauce. Doctor it up if you'd like - add tomatoes and puree, maybe some more cayenne pepper. You'll figure it out after a couple of tries.
The shredded pork is now about half done - it can be refregerated overnight and used the next day, or continue with the recipe and use it the same day. This process takes time, so I usually start it on a Friday and finish the pork on Saturday for an afternoon party.
In a large pan (I use the same Le Creuset dutch oven that I started with) heat the oil over medium high flame until almost smoking, add the onions and celery. Cook the onions and celery with 1 tbsp kosher salt until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and the rest of the spice mix, then the shredded pork*. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the pork is heated through. If it looks too dry, add 1/2 cup water or reserved cooking liquid (now taco sauce). Once the pork is hot, reduce the heat to low and cover. The pork can now sit on the stove until ready to eat.
To make tacos, heat an ungreased skillet over medium high flame. Warm the tortillas for 15-20 seconds per side. Arrange three tortillas on a plate, and top each with about two tbsp of pork, a squeeze of fresh lime juice, a slice of avocado, and shredded cabbage. That's it - don't go crazy. People will usually eat at least three of these, so don't overfill them. If desired, you can add a few crumbles of cotija cheese*. Place a piece of lime or two on the plate - the flavor of freshly squeezed lime over pork is intoxicating, and people may like to kick theirs up a little.
If you are having a party, make up a self-serve taco station with shredded cabbage, sliced avocado, limes cut into 8 pieces and crumbled cheese. Heat the tacos to order and dole out the pork. Let your guests help themselves to toppings.
* Pork shoulder comes in many forms, and they are all fine for this recipe. I usually try to get a large piece of pork shoulder, or Boston butt, with some bone. Bones and fat = flavor. What is chile powder, really? I don't know any Mexican cooks that use American chile powder, but for our purposes it will work. If you want to be really authentic, try making your own chile powder - mix ancho chile powder with other dried and ground chiles such as arbol (very hot!), ancho, pasilla, gaujillo, chipotle. I'll make my own chile powder one day and post the recipe. Keep looking for it. We could argue the authenticity of adding allspice to Mexican food, but just believe me when I say that it enhances the flavor of this dish, and the savvy culinary minds at your party might just identify it. For tacos I use the smaller corn tortillas, not those huge flour burrito shells. There are both white and yellow corn - try a mix of both to please your guests. Tacos are small, so you don't need to use a tortilla bigger than 3 inches in diameter. Intimidated by avocados? Don't be. Here's how you do it - cut the avocado in half lengthwise, around the pit. When you seperate it, the pit will be in one of the halves. With your knife, gently whack the blade into the pit and twist. This will remove the pit. Remove the meat from the skin with a spoon, place convexly on a plate (pit side down). Now you can make long slices. Easy peazy. We've talked before about Le Creuset dutch ovens. If you don't have one, you must buy one. Your mother probably used one her entire life - shouldn't that tell you something? Get one. In fact, get a few different sizes. This is the most versatile pot in my collection. Food warmed in a Le Creuset dutch oven will stay at temperature on the table for at least an hour if covered. Can't say that about your Revereware, now can you. When heating the shredded pork with onions, garlic, and celery, you may want to add a diced jalepeno or serrano chile. Some people have said that this dish is not hot enough. I make this for a party, and believe me when I say you can always add heat but you can't remove it. Make it your way and tell the Scoville lovers to add their own hot sauce. Or don't. Just be careful with the heat. It is undisputed that Parmigiano Regianno is the king of cheeses. Have you tried cotija cheese? This is almost a Mexican variation of the famed Parmigiano. For true Mexican flavor, get some cojita and play with it. Wonderful stuff!
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Wine Tasting at The Kitchen
Tucked away in Gainey Village is The Kitchen, a wine bar cum restaurant with a serve yourself prepared foods area. The previous tenants tried something similar, but weren't able to make a go of it. Too bad, as this concept is really taking off in Scottsdale now. Free wine tastings are held on Wednesday nights, followed by live music from Mark DeCozio. Mark is an excellent piano player and crooner, covering all the standards from the golden era.
Having attended a previous wine tasting, we were excited to see what Chris, the sommelier, had procured for our sampling pleasure. He did not disappoint. This week's theme was International Value Wines with a bubbly, a white and two reds. We started with a Cremant de Loire from Baumard, a refreshing sparkler with heavy pear and apple notes. At $17.00, this wine is an excellent alternative to underwhelming Cavas or Proseccos when trying to avoid the higher priced Champagnes. The second tipple was an Albarino from Paco Y Lola, and again we were delighted with not only its value ($18.00) but the incredible fruitiness of the wine. Now tired of Sauvignon Blancs from the bottom of the globe, this one, full of nectarines, is a great poolside refresher.
Chris offered us the first red, a Merlot/Syrah blend from Provence by Domaine de la Janasse. Tasty, very tasty. Under 17 bucks? Chris explained that some of the larger houses in France are discoving that they can buy vineyards in the south of France and escape the heavy restrictions of Bordeaux, Burgundy, et al. This freedom allows them to experiment a little, and they are producing some amazing wines at a fraction of the cost up north. Finally, we came to the most exciting wine, a Carmenere from Argentina by Viniterra. I've never had Carmenere, and I fell in love with the first sip. It tasted like the inside of a wine barrel. So dry, and with such a huge flavor. Thankfully this was not another Malbec from Mendoza, but rather a unique and rare lost varietal that we snatched up at under $15.00.
The Kitchen is making a name for itself as a wine destination in Scottsdale. Chris' approach to retail sums up what we love about this place - while other retailers are refusing new stock until they move what they have at current prices, The Kitchen continues to take delivery while slashing prices to move wine. You can find some amazing values here as well as some wines you never thought existed - a vineyard in southern Arizona? Sounds almost as crazy as wine on Long Island, but we all know how that turned out...
Having attended a previous wine tasting, we were excited to see what Chris, the sommelier, had procured for our sampling pleasure. He did not disappoint. This week's theme was International Value Wines with a bubbly, a white and two reds. We started with a Cremant de Loire from Baumard, a refreshing sparkler with heavy pear and apple notes. At $17.00, this wine is an excellent alternative to underwhelming Cavas or Proseccos when trying to avoid the higher priced Champagnes. The second tipple was an Albarino from Paco Y Lola, and again we were delighted with not only its value ($18.00) but the incredible fruitiness of the wine. Now tired of Sauvignon Blancs from the bottom of the globe, this one, full of nectarines, is a great poolside refresher.
Chris offered us the first red, a Merlot/Syrah blend from Provence by Domaine de la Janasse. Tasty, very tasty. Under 17 bucks? Chris explained that some of the larger houses in France are discoving that they can buy vineyards in the south of France and escape the heavy restrictions of Bordeaux, Burgundy, et al. This freedom allows them to experiment a little, and they are producing some amazing wines at a fraction of the cost up north. Finally, we came to the most exciting wine, a Carmenere from Argentina by Viniterra. I've never had Carmenere, and I fell in love with the first sip. It tasted like the inside of a wine barrel. So dry, and with such a huge flavor. Thankfully this was not another Malbec from Mendoza, but rather a unique and rare lost varietal that we snatched up at under $15.00.
The Kitchen is making a name for itself as a wine destination in Scottsdale. Chris' approach to retail sums up what we love about this place - while other retailers are refusing new stock until they move what they have at current prices, The Kitchen continues to take delivery while slashing prices to move wine. You can find some amazing values here as well as some wines you never thought existed - a vineyard in southern Arizona? Sounds almost as crazy as wine on Long Island, but we all know how that turned out...
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Simple Eats - Salmon en Papillote
At the request of a friend with minimal culinary ability, today's post is about how to cook a delicious piece of fish without much effort or cleanup. Cooking in a paper pouch, or en papillote, is a great way to seal in flavor and keep the mess down. Simply throw out the paper when done! We eat this dish once a week, as our local grocer has excellent wild caught salmon pre-portioned and frozen. Of course you can use fresh salmon, or any other fish, but this works so well I had to write about it. The salmon is incredibly moist and flavorful, very easy to make, and the cleanup is akin to busing your own tray at a hamburger joint. Trust me when I tell you, you will make this more than once. Oh, and tin foil is fine in place of parchment paper, but I prefer parchment.
1 piece of salmon, with or without skin (about 1 lb)
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 oz fresh dill*
sea salt
freshly cracked black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
1 lemon, ends removed and sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
1 sheet of parchment paper, at least twice as big as the fish
1 sheet pan
Place the parchment paper on the sheet pan. Place the fish in the middle of the paper. Coat the fish with the oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover the top of the fish with the garlic and dill, then place the lemon rounds over the dill.
To close the package, bring the two long sides of the paper together above the fish, and fold over several times sealing as you go. You are trying to make a tight seal in the paper, so several folds work well. Fold the paper down close to the fish. The ends will be open still. Twist each end closed and tuck under the package. Place the sheet pan with the fish in a 375 degree preheated oven for about 15 minutes.
Remove the fish from the oven and carefully open the package. Be careful of the escaping hot steam. You can scrape the lemon and dill off before serving if you like, or leave it for garnish. I like to serve this with brown rice and glazed asparagus (butter and garlic).
* Fresh dill is an excellent bedfellow for salmon, and be sure to use plenty. The flavor is tremendous, and redolent of the best gravlox. If you can't get fresh dill, dried is fine. Use about 1 or 2 tablespoons of dried, being sure to cover the salmon. Experiment with other herbs as well - tarragon is great, especially if you use butter instead of olive oil.
1 piece of salmon, with or without skin (about 1 lb)
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 oz fresh dill*
sea salt
freshly cracked black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
1 lemon, ends removed and sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
1 sheet of parchment paper, at least twice as big as the fish
1 sheet pan
Place the parchment paper on the sheet pan. Place the fish in the middle of the paper. Coat the fish with the oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover the top of the fish with the garlic and dill, then place the lemon rounds over the dill.
To close the package, bring the two long sides of the paper together above the fish, and fold over several times sealing as you go. You are trying to make a tight seal in the paper, so several folds work well. Fold the paper down close to the fish. The ends will be open still. Twist each end closed and tuck under the package. Place the sheet pan with the fish in a 375 degree preheated oven for about 15 minutes.
Remove the fish from the oven and carefully open the package. Be careful of the escaping hot steam. You can scrape the lemon and dill off before serving if you like, or leave it for garnish. I like to serve this with brown rice and glazed asparagus (butter and garlic).
* Fresh dill is an excellent bedfellow for salmon, and be sure to use plenty. The flavor is tremendous, and redolent of the best gravlox. If you can't get fresh dill, dried is fine. Use about 1 or 2 tablespoons of dried, being sure to cover the salmon. Experiment with other herbs as well - tarragon is great, especially if you use butter instead of olive oil.
Friday, July 17, 2009
Yes, it's true.
The best pizzeria in America? How could that possibly be true? It must be political if everyone from the Travel Channel to Bon Appetit agree on the kingly status of this tiny pizza joint in Phoenix. Not New York. Phoenix. The place garnering so much attention from the media that it has a three hour wait for a menu that includes pizza and a few appetizers is called Pizzeria Bianco. And yes, it's true. It is the best pizza that I've has outside Italy. Is it better than the best New York style pizza? Probably not, but then can you really compare an Asian pear to a perfect granny smith apple? Exactly. So, while it is impossible to call this place the home of truly the best pizza in America, we can call it the home of the best Neapolitan pizza in America.
There truly is a three hour wait to get into Pizzeria Bianco, if you don't have a reservation, so we were excited to be included in a group of 10 last night. We arrived about an hour before the reservation to have a few drinks at the wine bar next door (there is such a crowd waiting for pizzas that Bar Bianco is also packed). Pizzeria Bianco is located on historic Heritage Square in Downtown Phoenix. Lucky enough to have a parking lot right in front, the pizza and bar businesses reside in two historic houses that lend the perfect atmosphere for this kind of experience.
There were excellent wine and beer offerings at Bar Bianco, as well as a few quality nibbles. Get a cheese plate and some of the Spanish olives - you won't regret it. This is one of those wine bars you dream of - creaky floors, an extremely simple bar with its modest offerings and slightly snobby service.
With 15 people waiting outside in the heat and another 20 or so waiting in the bar next door, I glanced in the huge wood fired oven and noticed only one pizza in its massive yaw. I chuckled to myself as I thought, "this is my kind of chef." I imagined him saying, "I know you're hungry, but you'll only get perfection out of me. Be patient." It reminded me of the late Methode Bistro with its slogan "Good food takes time."
About an hour and a half later, we were summoned to our table by a hostess that was in danger of blowing away if the summer wind storms kicked up. We had the only large table in the place, near the back. Wine was ordered and several appetizers - antipasto plates, caprese salads and bread and oil. I was thinking before we got there that this place must import all of its ingredients from Italy to receive such raves. I was wrong. Chris Bianco went one better - he makes his own sausage and mozzarella. The caprese was excellent, and the cheese is nothing less than spectacular.
We ordered all of the pizzas with the intention of passing plates. When they finally came, a silence fell upon the table. One would think we were in prayer, but no, it was just that culinary silence that is only broken as one stops chewing and swallowing long enough to ask for more wine. This food was amazing. The crust was so perfectly burnt and thin, the toppings adding the perfect balance to the sauce and cheeses. With whimsical names such as "Wiseguy" and "Sonny boy," these were truly pies that did not disappoint. Mine was the "Biancoverde," a pie with mozzarella, ricotta and Parmesan topped with fresh arugula. The peppery tang of the cool arugula against the salty, creamy cheeses was heaven. The fresh sausage on a neighbor's pizza was captivating with a strong caraway seed flavor.
There is more that can be said, but I will practice some restraint and just tell you that it is worth the trip. Make a reservation for at least 8 if you can (if you can't, introduce yourself to somebody and get a group). Show up early and drink in the wine bar. This is really an experience to savor. Will I be back? Absolutely, unless I become so inspired by Pizzeria Bianco that I move to Naples and live on this kind of pizza at its source.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Amazing Cinnamon Chicken
In rummaging through the freezer looking for a protein for last night's dinner, I pulled out a bag of what looked like bone-in chicken thighs. From now on I am going to label my freezer bags! The bag turned out to be what I expected, luckily. I was going to have to thaw the thighs and then I figured a wet stovetop braise would be the best cooking method. Maybe I should go with a Mexican flavor, and put the chicken and sauce over rice. Perfect. As I perused the spice cabinet, my fingers fell upon cinnamon. Hmm, I haven't made anything savory with cinnamon for a while, let's see what happens! Cinnamon is a very strong flavor when used for savory dishes, so you need to be careful about how much you use. It goes very well with cumin, and is often used in Mexican dishes. Again, another amazing dinner was turned out in our minimalist kitchen with a few modest ingredients. The new motto of Cucina di Campo: Use good quality ingredients and know how to cook. This chicken recipe is extremely flavorful and quite rich; I am especially proud of not having to use flour or butter to enrich the sauce. Once the chicken is ready, remove it and then put the sauce and veggies in a blender. This will make a very thick sauce without adding any fat or starch...
4 bone-in chicken thighs
3 tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp paprika
sea salt
freshly cracked black pepper
1/2 medium white onion, diced
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1 can diced tomatoes
2 cups hot chicken stock
heavy bottomed pan with tight fitting lid*
splatter guard*
blender*
Wash and dry the chicken thighs. Heat olive oil in pan over medium high flame until almost smoking. Add chicken to hot oil and season top with salt and pepper. Cover with splatter guard and cook 5 minutes or until the underside of the chicken is browned. Turn chicken over, season with salt, pepper, cinnamon, cumin, oregano and paprika. Replace splatter guard and continue to brown chicken. Turn the chicken over again so that the spiced side is in the oil and cook another 5 minutes. The spices will cook into the chicken and infuse the oil. There should be plenty of oil in the pan - add more if it looks too dry.
Add the onions, peppers and tomatoes. Add hot stock to cover. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce to a simmer. Cook on low for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Place the lid slightly askew and allow the sauce to reduce for 15-20 minutes.
At this point, the longer you cook the chicken and sauce the better as the flavors continue to develop and get extremely rich. There is a point of diminishing returns however, as the chicken will begin to disintegrate after about two and a half hours. Just turn the pan to very low and wait until you are ready to eat.
Fifteen minutes before you are ready to eat start the Jasmine rice (1 cup dry rice added to 2.5 cups salted, boiling water. Simmer 15 minutes, let stand 5 minutes). Take the chicken out of the sauce, and cover on a plate. Carefully add the sauce to the blender and process until almost smooth (some small chunks are fine). Return the sauce to the pan. Add the chicken back to the pan with any juices on the plate. Cover and keep warm over medium low flame until rice is done.
Spoon chicken and sauce over Jasmine rice.
* I like to use a dutch oven from Le Creuset - the best. I also use a stainless steel sauce pan from AllClad. The point is to use a pan that will retain heat all the way up the sides - Le Creuset is wonderful because it is cast iron; AllClad has an aluminum core that goes all the way up the sides. A splatter guard is a must when browning or frying. Is there anything less fun than cleaning up your kitchen after splattering grease everywhere? Trust me, get a splatter guard. The blender works fine for finishing the sauce in this recipe, but you can also use an immersion blender (stick blender) if you have one. If you do, I probably didn't need to tell you...
4 bone-in chicken thighs
3 tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp paprika
sea salt
freshly cracked black pepper
1/2 medium white onion, diced
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1 can diced tomatoes
2 cups hot chicken stock
heavy bottomed pan with tight fitting lid*
splatter guard*
blender*
Wash and dry the chicken thighs. Heat olive oil in pan over medium high flame until almost smoking. Add chicken to hot oil and season top with salt and pepper. Cover with splatter guard and cook 5 minutes or until the underside of the chicken is browned. Turn chicken over, season with salt, pepper, cinnamon, cumin, oregano and paprika. Replace splatter guard and continue to brown chicken. Turn the chicken over again so that the spiced side is in the oil and cook another 5 minutes. The spices will cook into the chicken and infuse the oil. There should be plenty of oil in the pan - add more if it looks too dry.
Add the onions, peppers and tomatoes. Add hot stock to cover. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce to a simmer. Cook on low for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Place the lid slightly askew and allow the sauce to reduce for 15-20 minutes.
At this point, the longer you cook the chicken and sauce the better as the flavors continue to develop and get extremely rich. There is a point of diminishing returns however, as the chicken will begin to disintegrate after about two and a half hours. Just turn the pan to very low and wait until you are ready to eat.
Fifteen minutes before you are ready to eat start the Jasmine rice (1 cup dry rice added to 2.5 cups salted, boiling water. Simmer 15 minutes, let stand 5 minutes). Take the chicken out of the sauce, and cover on a plate. Carefully add the sauce to the blender and process until almost smooth (some small chunks are fine). Return the sauce to the pan. Add the chicken back to the pan with any juices on the plate. Cover and keep warm over medium low flame until rice is done.
Spoon chicken and sauce over Jasmine rice.
* I like to use a dutch oven from Le Creuset - the best. I also use a stainless steel sauce pan from AllClad. The point is to use a pan that will retain heat all the way up the sides - Le Creuset is wonderful because it is cast iron; AllClad has an aluminum core that goes all the way up the sides. A splatter guard is a must when browning or frying. Is there anything less fun than cleaning up your kitchen after splattering grease everywhere? Trust me, get a splatter guard. The blender works fine for finishing the sauce in this recipe, but you can also use an immersion blender (stick blender) if you have one. If you do, I probably didn't need to tell you...
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Welcome to Cucina di Campo!
7/14/2009
For our inaugural blog, a story about Veggie Lasagna... I'll be blogging about the food I make at home in Scottsdale, Arizona. It's 114 degrees outside, so I might as well cook and write!
Some of the best lasagna I have ever eaten was made with grilled vegetables like eggplant and zucchini. A friend of ours, who happens to be a vegetarian, was in town. We decided to get a ton of veggies, and grill them for a lasagna. We had made fresh pasta the day before (fresh tagliatelle with scampi and another one with white clam sauce) and had about half a batch left. Now, this was hands down the best pasta dough I had ever made and it rolled out perfectly for lasagna noodles - more then I needed for the 8x12 pan I was using.
1 medium eggplant
2 zucchini
2 yellow summer squash
1 red onion
2-3 portabella mushrooms*
1 each green and red bell peppers
1 carrot, peeled and grated
1.5 lbs ricotta cheese
.5 cups Parmesan cheese
.5 cups Italian parsley, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups tomato sauce
lasagna noodles*
.5-1 lbs mozzarella cheese, shredded
1-2 tbsp dried oregano
.25 cups olive oil
sea salt
freshly cracked black pepper
lasagna pan*
Remove top and bottom of eggplant, then make .25 inch slices, cutting lengthwise. You want to make long strips rather than rounds. Do the same with the zucchini, squash and onion. Cut the mushroom stems so they are even with the gills. Cut the peppers in half vertically and remove the stems, white ribs and seeds. Place all of the veggies in a single layer on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt, freshly cracked pepper and oregano. Toss the veggies so they are coated in the oil and spice mixture.
Grill all of the vegetables over a medium flame for 15-20 minutes, or until they are browned. The pepper skins will bubble up and get fairly crisp - this is fine. Make sure to turn the vegetables at times to ensure even cooking. Remove them when done and let cool.
Mix the eggs, ricotta, parsley, garlic, carrot and .25 cups of Parmesan cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Coat the inside of your lasagna pan with olive oil, then spread .5 cups of tomato sauce on the bottom. Add a layer of pasta, then half of the egg and ricotta mixture. Layer half of the vegetables and top with a third of the mozzarella cheese. Top with .5 cups of tomato sauce, and repeat the remaining layers - pasta, ricotta, veggies, mozzarella, sauce. Place one more layer of pasta, then the remaining sauce, mozzarella and Parmesan.
Cook in a 375 degree oven 40-50 minutes. If the cheese starts to brown, cover loosely with aluminum foil. Let cool for 5 minutes before cutting.
*What's the story with portabella mushrooms - was the name "mature cremini" so off putting that it had to be changed by a marketing team? I usually make fresh pasta, and lasagna noodles are the easiest pasta shape to make. The pasta recipe is another story... Feel free to use dried or even whatever pasta you have in the house - then it's just baked pasta, not lasagna. Prepare the noodles as directed on the package. If using fresh pasta, cook in heavily salted water rolling at a boil for two minutes. Cook it in batches without crowding the water. Drain the pasta and place in an ice water bath until needed. I used an 8x12 inches Pyrex dish - use whatever you have around. Those nice stoneware dishes are perfect. Just make sure to trim your prepared noodles to fit the pan - you don't want too much to hang over the sides.
7/14/2009
For our inaugural blog, a story about Veggie Lasagna... I'll be blogging about the food I make at home in Scottsdale, Arizona. It's 114 degrees outside, so I might as well cook and write!
Some of the best lasagna I have ever eaten was made with grilled vegetables like eggplant and zucchini. A friend of ours, who happens to be a vegetarian, was in town. We decided to get a ton of veggies, and grill them for a lasagna. We had made fresh pasta the day before (fresh tagliatelle with scampi and another one with white clam sauce) and had about half a batch left. Now, this was hands down the best pasta dough I had ever made and it rolled out perfectly for lasagna noodles - more then I needed for the 8x12 pan I was using.
1 medium eggplant
2 zucchini
2 yellow summer squash
1 red onion
2-3 portabella mushrooms*
1 each green and red bell peppers
1 carrot, peeled and grated
1.5 lbs ricotta cheese
.5 cups Parmesan cheese
.5 cups Italian parsley, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups tomato sauce
lasagna noodles*
.5-1 lbs mozzarella cheese, shredded
1-2 tbsp dried oregano
.25 cups olive oil
sea salt
freshly cracked black pepper
lasagna pan*
Remove top and bottom of eggplant, then make .25 inch slices, cutting lengthwise. You want to make long strips rather than rounds. Do the same with the zucchini, squash and onion. Cut the mushroom stems so they are even with the gills. Cut the peppers in half vertically and remove the stems, white ribs and seeds. Place all of the veggies in a single layer on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt, freshly cracked pepper and oregano. Toss the veggies so they are coated in the oil and spice mixture.
Grill all of the vegetables over a medium flame for 15-20 minutes, or until they are browned. The pepper skins will bubble up and get fairly crisp - this is fine. Make sure to turn the vegetables at times to ensure even cooking. Remove them when done and let cool.
Mix the eggs, ricotta, parsley, garlic, carrot and .25 cups of Parmesan cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Coat the inside of your lasagna pan with olive oil, then spread .5 cups of tomato sauce on the bottom. Add a layer of pasta, then half of the egg and ricotta mixture. Layer half of the vegetables and top with a third of the mozzarella cheese. Top with .5 cups of tomato sauce, and repeat the remaining layers - pasta, ricotta, veggies, mozzarella, sauce. Place one more layer of pasta, then the remaining sauce, mozzarella and Parmesan.
Cook in a 375 degree oven 40-50 minutes. If the cheese starts to brown, cover loosely with aluminum foil. Let cool for 5 minutes before cutting.
*What's the story with portabella mushrooms - was the name "mature cremini" so off putting that it had to be changed by a marketing team? I usually make fresh pasta, and lasagna noodles are the easiest pasta shape to make. The pasta recipe is another story... Feel free to use dried or even whatever pasta you have in the house - then it's just baked pasta, not lasagna. Prepare the noodles as directed on the package. If using fresh pasta, cook in heavily salted water rolling at a boil for two minutes. Cook it in batches without crowding the water. Drain the pasta and place in an ice water bath until needed. I used an 8x12 inches Pyrex dish - use whatever you have around. Those nice stoneware dishes are perfect. Just make sure to trim your prepared noodles to fit the pan - you don't want too much to hang over the sides.
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