Let's Make. . . Twice Baked Potatoes

There is an Italian cookie called Brutti Ma Buoni. . .translation: ugly but good. These could be called that as well. . they ain't pretty but they are really delicious. This is a super basic recipe that is completely open to interpretation. Potatoes are a chameleon of the cooking world, they sort of take on whatever flavor you want to throw at them. I think of this version as quintessentially American. But you could make them with ground chicken or turkey browned with a little chorizo, pepper jack, roasted zucchini. . .for a Tex-Mex profile. You could roast a ton of your favorite vegetables, mix them with herbs and top them with goat cheese. You could use ground lamb, Greek oregano, roasted eggplant and feta for a Greek flavor profile. The possibilities are endless. This isn't fancy food but it's sort of soulful and it's definitely tasty. The pictures here are for a large batch I made for Tim to take on the road with him. They keep well and can be popped in a microwave to heat up. . . I personally do not believe in microwaves but I am told they exist. I did a whole photo essay but even just editing them almost put me to sleep. . the steps are basic and boring but the result are delicious.

Twice Baked Potatoes
4 large russet potatoes, scrubbed
1 lb. ground beef
1 stick butter
2 bunches of scallions, thinly sliced white and green parts
1 jalapeno, minced - remove the seeds and ribs if you don't want too much spice
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/4 bunch Italian parsley, finely chopped
4 oz of cream cheese - I use the lower fat neufchatel with good results
3 oz. of sour cream or greek yogurt
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 bunch broccoli, steamed to your liking
Sharp cheddar cheese, thickly sliced

Bake the potatoes at 375 for two hours. . . you want them to be completely tender (btw, I do not poke my potatoes to bake them. . I find they come out fluffier if they don't lose any steam - I haven't had a any exploding potatoes). Set aside to cool slightly. Meanwhile, brown the meat, seasoning with salt and pepper. Once it's completely cooked, set it in a colander to drain well. Once the potatoes are cool enough for you to handle, split down the middle. Scoop the warm potato pulp into a large bowl, leaving behind 1/8 of an inch of potato in the skin. You are going to use all the potato pulp but only six of the potato skins so pick the best ones and discard two. In the same pan you cooked the meat in, melt the butter. Brush the inside of the potato skins with melted butter and season the skins with salt and pepper. Heat the butter to bubbling and add the scallions and jalapeno. Cook until the scallions are tender then add the garlic and saute for about two minutes. Tip the scallion mixture, butter and all into the bowl of potato pulp. Add the cream cheese, sour cream and Parmesan with some salt and pepper and mash all together being careful not to over do it or you'll end up with a gluey mass. Adjust seasoning. Fold in the meat, then fold in the broccoli. Stuff the potato skins with the potato mixture making sure to pack it in well. Place a thick slice of sharp cheddar cheese atop the potato and bake at 350F until heated through and the cheese is melted, about 1/2 an hour. Serve with a nice green salad.

Let's Make . . . Roasted Vegetable Fideos with Swiss Chard

How to explain fideo. . . first of all it's a sopa seca, which in Spanish means literally means "soup dry" or dry soup. It's pure simple comfort. I've seen it referred to as a casserole on the interwebz but I would liken it more to a Mexican style pasta pilaf. No matter, in the end you'll just call it delicious!
look at that chicken stock!


Roasted Vegetable Fideos with Swiss Chard

4 ripe tomatoes, stemmed and halved

1 white onion, 1/2 whole, 1/2 diced finely

8 cloves garlic

2 jalapenos, split

1 large carrot, peeled and diced in 1/4 inch pieces

1 green zucchini, diced in 1/4 inch pieces

1 yellow zucchini, diced in 1/4 inch pieces

1 bunch swiss chard, stemmed and cut into 1/2 inch chiffonade

garlic olive oil*

olive oil

1 7-oz. bag fideo

4 cups chicken stock (homemade if at all possible)

1/2 bunch cilantro

avocado slices, crema, cotija cheese (or parmesan)

* Garlic Olive Oil
2 cups olive oil
10 garlic cloves, chopped finely
heat olive oil until hot. Place garlic into a heatproof container and pour olive oil over garlic, stir and let cool. Garlic will settle to the bottom. Spoon olive oil from the top. Store in refrigerator for up to one week.

Place fideo in a single layer on a baking pan and low (275F) until nicely toasted. Set aside. (you can fry the noodles but I like it better toasted in the oven.)

untoasty
toasty!


Place the tomatoes, onion and jalapenos cut side down and roast on high until bubbling. Add the garlic cloves at this point and continue to roast until tomatoes, onion and jalapenos are caramelized.
roasty!

Let cool and puree in a blender until smooth.


Toss carrots with garlic oil, season with salt and pepper, roast until tender, about 20 minutes. Toss the zucchini with garlic oil, salt and pepper and roast (making sure they are not too close together) until tender, about 10 minutes or until tender.
Heat some garlic oil in a heavy bottomed pot. Add swiss chard, salt and pepper and saute until tender. Remove from pot, set aside and wipe out the pot. Heat olive oil in the pot and add diced onion. Saute until translucent. Turn heat to high and add fideo, stirring and coating evenly with oil. Fry until noodles darken.

more toasty!

Add tomato puree and stir until noodles soften and puree thickens.

ready for the stock!



Add chicken stock and simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring frequently. The noodles will absorb the stock.

ready for the vegetables!

When there is barely any stock left, add the roasted veggies and swiss chard, distributing veggies gently. Add cilantro and adjust seasoning as needed. Let rest, uncovered for 10 minutes - the noodles will absorb the stock.
perfect!

At this point some cooks stir in crema and queso cotija. I like it simply dressed with fresh cilantro and cool avocado slices.

Looks like dinner!

Let's Make . . . my favorite simple pasta

When I say this is my favorite simple pasta dinner, I have to add that modifier because my favorite pasta is Spaghetti Bolognese which is not, in any way, a simple pasta. This one though. . this is a taste of summer. .. fresh basil, lemons, good fruity olive oil. It can be made in 12 minutes. . .it'd be shorter is the pasta cooked faster!

Five Simple Ingredients!


Spaghetti al Limone

8 oz. spaghetti (I like to use Rustichella)
juice of 2 lemons (half regular/half meyer if they're available)
2/3 cup olive oil (nice, green and fruity)
1 1/4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, freshly grated
salt and pepper
Lemon zest from one lemon
1 cup of fresh basil leaves

Heat a generous amount of water, season like the sea with kosher salt. When the water is boiling vigorously, add the pasta.
While the pasta cooks, hand tear the basil leaves into a small bowl and add the lemon zest to the basil. Drain the spaghetti once it's cooked to your liking and return it to the warm cooking pot. Whisk the olive oil with the lemon juice until it's lightly emulsified. Whisk in the parmiggiano - it will become somewhat creamy. Season with salt and lots of freshly ground pepper and toss with the pasta until all the pasta is coated. Add the basil and lemon zest, toss well and adjust seasoning if needed. . at this point you might want to add a small pinch of red pepper flake - this is how I like it but the person who taught me how to make this says it "compromises" the integrity of the dish. I won't tell if you don't! :) Also remarkably good with this pasta is roasted prawns added as a condiment.

Simple and utterly delicious!

Let's make . . . a dinner out of leftovers

So yesterday was my mom's meatloaf birthday dinner. My favorite thing about having meatloaf for dinner is the leftovers. I love nothing better than a meatloaf sandwich. Cold meatloaf, thinly sliced on homemade white bread with homemade mayonnaise. Yes, please!

Here is a recipe for my favorite simple loaf of white bread. It's as quick and easy as a yeasted bread can be - great flavor, great crumb and very easy to make - I use rapid rise yeast with good results.

I also am including my favorite mayo recipe. . . because let's face it, when you have three ingredients (if you don't count the slices of dead ripe brandywine tomato I added) in a sandwich, they should each be their own little islands of deliciousness so when put together, the sum of parts is incredibly delicious!

Good Old Fashioned White Bread
(I think I got this from Fleischmann's years ago)

6 cups unbleached all purpose flour
3 T. sugar
2 pkgs RAPID RISE yeast
2 t. salt
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup milk
2 T. butter

Combine 2 cups of flour with the sugar, yeast, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer. Melt the butter, add the milk and water and heat to very warm. Add to the yeast mixture and beat until smooth using the paddle attachment. Add 1 cup of flour and beat until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Change to the dough hook and add enough of the remaining flour to form a soft dough that grips the dough hook and cleans the sides of the bowl. At this point you can either knead the dough by hand for about ten minutes or knead it on the mixer - I've done both with identical results. When the dough is smooth and elastic, cover it and let it rest for 10 minutes. Divide the dough in half and press it into a rectangle and shape the dough by rolling it tightly like a jelly roll. Pinch the edges together and place the dough into lightly greased 8 1/2 by 4 1/2 loaf pans. Proof until doubled, about 45 minutes. Bake at 400F for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove to cool on wire racks.

Julia Child's Food Processor Mayonnaise
We learned how to make mayonnaise by hand in school. . as I beat the ingredients together to form the emulsion, all I could think about was this recipe and how I wish I could just make this. This is the first mayonnaise I have ever made and it's still my favorite!

1 egg
2 egg yolks
1/4 t. dry mustard
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. lemon juice
1/2 t. white wine vinegar
1 cup excellent olive oil
1 cup vegetable oil
freshly ground white pepper

Using a steel blade, process the egg and yolks for 1 minute. With the machine running, add the mustard, salt, lemon juice and white wine vinegar. Combine the two oils in a measuring up. If you have a Cuisinart, there is a little hole in the white sleeve that fits into the feeding tube - this hole is there to use when making emulsified sauces. Pour half the oil into the white sleeve and continue processing until the mixture has emulsified. If it is too thick at this point, add a little more vinegar, then continue with the rest of the oil. Season as needed with more salt, pepper and/or lemon juice or vinegar.

I have no pictures for this post as by the time I baked bread and made mayonnaise I was starving. Suffice to say that these sandwiches are what heaven is made of!

Let's Make . . . Mom's Birthday Dinner!

The Birthday Girl rockin' her new Snuggie!



I am a classically trained chef. I can pretty much cook anything. I am not bragging - I seriously can throw down on most things and do it well. As my mom's birthday approached, I was prepared to go to yet another steakhouse (mom is seriously into meat and potatoes) but she said she wanted me to cook her dinner. As I rubbed my hands together in anticipation, I asked what she wanted. . .visions of caprese salads, gnocchi al pesto, Bistecca alla Fiorentina swam through my mind and taste buds. .. "I want meatloaf, mashed potatoes and peas." *insert sound of slide whistle here".

oh.

man.

Okay, fine. Simple is good. I have made quite a few meatloaves over the years - fancying them up with ground bacon, ground pork, ground veal, sauteed mushrooms, pancetta wraps, etc. But I think my basic one is pretty damn good. It's simple and delicious. So while this blog post is in no way groundbreaking, it is beautiful in it's simplicity.

As I prepared the pie crust for the inevitable birthday "pie" my mom always request, I was thrown for a loop when I called to ask her what kind of pie she wanted.

"I don't want pie, I want a carrot cake, please."

Oh. No problem. Pie dough freezes beautifully.

Lainie's Simple Loaf of Meat
(please note this makes quite the meat zeppelin - the recipe is intentionally large to accommodate the requisite meatloaf sandwich that is a MUST the next day - you can easily halve the recipe)

Olive oil
1 large onion, diced
6 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 bunch flat leaf Italian parsley, stemmed and finely chopped
3 1/2 lbs. ground beef (80/20 is best. . any leaner and it will be dry)
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
4 eggs
1 cup bread crumbs (fresh is best - but if you don't have fresh, store bought will do but I will cry. . you don't want to see me cry, do you?)
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup ketchup
2 T. tomato paste
3 T Worcestershire sauce
1 good squirt sriracha (back in the day I used tabasco, but Rooster sauce is the new tabasco)
Salt & pepper

Heat olive oil and add onions, sauteing until translucent. Add garlic and season mixture with salt and pepper, stirring over low heat - make sure the garlic does not burn. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, add chopped parsley. Add onion/garlic mixture to the parsley in the bowl and mix together to wilt the parsley. Let the mixture cool. Add remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly with your hands. . .really working all the ingredients together. Fry up a small patty and taste for season. Add more salt and pepper if needed. Turn the mixture into a roasting pan and shape into a loaf - it ain't pretty but it will be delicious.

Glaze:
1 cup ketchup
2 T. tomato paste
Squirt of Sriracha (not too much - even if you love the stuff, it goes a long way here)
1/2 cup brown sugar


Whisk the glaze ingredients together until sugar is incorporated. Top the meat loaf with the glaze, covering it evenly.

Bake at 350 for 50 minutes to 1 hour.

Remove from oven and let rest at least 15 minutes before serving.

naked!

glazed!

cooked!



Elaine-O's (aka the best mashed potatoes in the world)
I know that's a tall statement but these are pretty damn good - they aren't fancy like the potato/butter/cream puree you get at a restaurant. These are homey and somewhat homely - lumpy in a good way.

4 russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 large Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 sticks butter (I ain't playin')
1 8 oz. package cream cheese
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
salt and freshly ground pepper

Cook the potatoes in highly salted water until very tender. Drain well. In the same pot you cooked the potatoes in, melt the butter and add the milk to heat through. Return the potatoes to the pot. Add the cream cheese, sour cream, salt & freshly ground pepper. Mash well being careful no to overwork the potatoes as they will get gluey. Taste for season, adjust if necessary.

Hella Elaine-O's!


Peas
So my intention was to buy fresh English peas to shell and cook but the ones I found at two different stores were disappointing. I ended up getting frozen organic ones and I was happy with them. The only thing I do to peas that might be a little different is that I cook them, drain them and then I brown some butter in a pan - just until it gets the slightest tint, I add the peas back, add a little salt, pepper and a tiny pinch of sugar and saute them in the brown butter - the brown butter adds a nice, nutty nuance to the peas.
Grub!


Mile High Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

This is a recipe I have been making for years. It is adapted from the Silver Palate Cookbook and what attracted me to this recipe was the fact that it uses pureed carrots instead of shredded ones. It is supremely moist and delicious. I also amp up the spice profile quite a bit as the original recipe only has cinnamon in it. I also add golden raisins because I like them in this cake. Other than cooking and pureeing the carrots, this cake comes together really quickly.

3 cups flour
3 cups sugar
1 t. salt
1 T. baking soda
1 T. ground cinnamon
1/2 t. ground nutmeg
1/2 t. ground ginger
1/2 t. ground cloves
1 1/2 cups corn oil
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 T. vanilla
1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts
1 1/2 cups shredded coconut
1 1/3 cups pureed carrots (about three)
3/4 cup drained crushed pineapple
1 cup golden raisins (optional)

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and line two 9-inch pans with parchment paper.
Sift dry ingredients together into a large bowl. Add oil, eggs and vanilla. Beat well. Fold in walnuts, carrots, coconut, pineapple and raisins. Place in prepared pans (they will seem alarmingly full but the cake does not overflow!) - bake 35 to 40 minutes until the edges have pulled away from the sides and the centers are set. Cool and frost.

Cream Cheese Frosting
I CANNOT stand frostings that are powdered sugar based. They taste sandy to me and I can always detect the cornstarch in the powdered sugar. This is my own version and it's smooth, creamy and tangy.

3 - 8 oz. packages cream cheese
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 stick butter
1 T. vanilla
Juice of 1 lemon

Beat the cream cheese with the sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy and the sugar has dissolved into the cream cheese (about 7 minutes), add the butter, vanilla and lemon juice. Beat until smooth. If the frosting is too loose, let it rest until it's spreadable.

Split the cake layers in half. Frost and fill all layers.

cake!

Let's make. . . reservations!

So, usually I make a good Sunday night supper. . something comforting and rib sticking. My friend Nicole came over and we were visiting and talking and having a wonderful time. The sun started to go down and our bellies started growling. . . I had a chicken ready to be roasted but we decided that we didn't want to wait for it to cook, so off to A Cote Restaurant we went. A few glasses of nice wine, a nectarine and prosciutto flatbread, wood oven roasted game hen with panzanella, a nice cheese plate with a perfectly ripe Brebiou and a dessert, of course and we were happy and sated. Which proves the point that sometimes the best thing to make for dinner is a reservation!


A Cote Restaurant
5478 College Ave
(between Forest St & Kales Ave)
Oakland, CA 94618
(510) 655-6469
www.acoterestaurant.com

Let's make. . . Dinner!

Inspired by this article for the New York Time by Michael Pollan, I decided to dip my toes back into the blogging waters by writing about what I cook/eat for dinner for one month.



Sure, the article is long but it does touch on some important topics - why are we always in such a rush to get things on the table? Why is it so valued to do things the fastest or more importantly, with the least effort? This is food. Fuel for our bodies. Why shouldn't we take the time to prepare something for ourselves that takes time or that has the best ingredients possible? I feel like it's time to put real love back into our food. Mr. Pollan mentions Julia Child in the beginning of the article. . .she is the reason I cook - she is the first person to ever show me that cooking can be a joy instead of a chore. Both my grandmothers were excellent cooks in their own way but they did it because they HAD to. My mother cooked because she HAD to and took no joy in putting food on our plates. Julia was the first person I ever saw who actually smiled as she cooked. .. and I realized that cooking and sharing food could feed not only your belly, but your soul.

That being said, my month of dinners started off with me going out. Tonight I ended up going to my favorite Vietnamese restaurant - Bodega Bistro. I had their superlative Papaya Salad, Pot Stickers (yes, it's a Vietnamese restaurant but OH MAN can they make a mean Pot Sticker!) and Shaking Beef. Just the right thing to start off my weekend.

Bodega Bistro
607 Larkin St
San Francisco, CA 94109
(415) 921-1218
www.bodegabistrosf.com