superbowl "slaw"

Hello Ladies! I know that we certainly will not be watching the Superbowl but that doesn't mean we can't think about meals we would have on sports night. I mean, really, Mr. P needs nourishment while watching snooker! So, tonight's meal is:

bbq'd sausages with radicchio smoked coleslaw and home fries. A big bold California Zin will pair beautifully with the grilled foods and the smoked slaw.

Yes, I said bbq. Guys dig the danger of fire, bracing against the elements to sear flesh for the women folk. Hah!

Today's shopping list is:

• Oyama Sausages - as you have both been to bbq's at my house I don't need to explain why.
• russet potatoes (1 potatoe for two people) or large yukon gold
  
• onions
• 1 head radicchio - size of your fist
• 1 head cabbage - red, napa, green, whatever
• carrots
• green onions
  
• buns for the sausages - again, go local!
• lemon
• secret ingredient: smoked, sweet, spanish paprika*
• one bottle zinfandel - beer for the boys
  

* tNb you should be able to find this in Portugal as it is found in many spanish dishes. Yogi, look for a brand called La Chinata. The product looks like this and make sure it is sweet.

I assume in the pantry you have: dijon, sugar, mayonnaise, salt, pepper, condiments for your sausages, butter, olive oil, flour, eggs, sour cream.

Today's local items:

• Chez Stucco-low: carrots
• BC: sausages, buns, radicchio, red cabbage, russet potatoes
  
• WA: onions
• CA: green onions, lemon
  

Right then, we are going to make the salad, turn the bbq on, start the potatoes, grill our food and hopefully have everything on the table within an hour.

THE SLAW

Coleslaw is dead easy to make. Chop up lots of things and add a very simple dressing of mayo and lemon. The basic dressing is:

1 tbsp dijon mustard
1 tsp sugar
3/4 c mayo
juice of half a lemon
s & p

to spice it up add:

1 tsp smoked sweet paprika
or
use apple cidar vinegar instead of lemon and add blue cheese for interesting flavor change
or
add an apple and pecans to the recipe above
or
add raisins ... you get the idea

Make the dressing in a separate container and only use what you need to cover the cabbages. I don't like my slaw swimming.

Slice the green onions, cabbage, and radicchio into a bowl. Grate the carrot. Pour a little sauce over, add s&p, toss and set aside.

THE POTATOES

As you have seen me do - normally I cheat by chopping up potatoes, whole garlic cloves, onions, put in a metal dish, pour olive oil over top, toss and throw on the bbq to roast. But, because you are learning how to cook we have three potatoe options: home fries, latkes, baked.

Yogi, go fire up the bbq.

Home Fries (serves 4)

2 tbsp olive oil
1 yellow onion*, sliced thin
1 lb potatoes, please no peeling
s&p

* if you like roasted onions on your sausages make this 2-3 large sweet onions

. step one - Yogi, did you turn the bbq on high so that you can cook off the previous crap?
. In a large, heavy skillet (preferable cast iron but doesn't have to be), over medium heat pour in the olive oil. Add the thinly sliced onions and saute until golden brown (about 20 minutes). If you have cast iron, screw the stove top, turn the oven on to 425F, toss the onions in olive oil and a pinch of sugar (like 1 tsp) and roast in the oven, stirring occasionally until nicely caramelized (this can take 40 mins or more depending on how many onions).
. step two - Yogi, check the bbq - has it now reached max temp? please turn the burners down to low.
. in a separate pot, boil your potatoes in salted water until partially cooked (roughly 15 mins). Drain and cool. Then cut into wedges.
. step three - Yogi, go put the sausages on the bbq. Remember, do not turn the sausages until the bbq 'releases' the meat. If you pull and it sticks it is not ready to be turned.
. push to one side the onions in your pan and start frying the potatoes cut side down until brown and crusty.


Latkes (makes a dozen)

2 tbsp olive oil
1 lb potatoes
1 onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp flour
1 egg lightly beaten

. heat oven to 450F
. brush a baking sheet with 1 tbsp oil
. grate the potatoes into a large bowl then add the onion, flour, salt, pepper, eggs and a tbsp of oil. toss and mix well (I use my hands).
. Yogi, go turn down the burners on the bbq to low.
. drop rounded spoonfuls onto the baking sheets, press down to make 'patties'.
. Yogi, go put the sausages on the grill.
. bake 10 minutes or until golden brown on the bottom. flip the latkes and then bake another 5 minutes or until brown.
. serve with sour cream and/or sprinkle leftover chopped green onion on top.

Baked Potatoe

. can't believe I'm doing this...
. rub the outside of your russet potatoes with a bit of oil (I like crispy skins)
. prick it with a fork in several places*
. bake in the oven at 400F on the oven rack or directly on the grill (rotating) for 45 - 60 minutes
. serve with sour cream and left over green onions from the slaw

* my dad, the engineer, never pricked a potatoe in his life. When I did it he asked: have you ever seen a potatoe explode? I thought "no" because I always pricked the potatoe. Who knows. If you want the element of danger than don't prick and see what happens. Live on the edge.

THE BBQ

Yup, it snowed again and I am asking you to use your bbq. It is completely acceptable to bbq all year round in Vancouver. It is a badge of honor and Yogi if you start practicing now you will be ready when 'bbq season' begins for the rest of the city.

You have the steps in the bbq book so just remember: get it really hot, turn down to low, add meat and turn when the meat is ready to be turned. It takes approximately 20-25 minutes to cook sausages on the grill over low heat. I also like to toast the buns for a minute or two at the very end.

Or, if you have guests over - you make the coleslaw before they arrive. Put out a selection of cheeses that goes well with Zin like Manchego, Smoked Gouda or Peppered Goat Cheese. You make the potatoes while they do the bbq'ing. Together you make dinner, drink zinfandel, chat about the insanity of bbq'ing in the snow and have a giggle that you are not watching the aging Bruce Springsteen at half time.

Bon Appétit!

winter - soup, salad and sauvignon blanc

Yogi wants a soup. Right then. Better get on that.

Normally I make soups in the late fall and freeze them so I can have great soup all winter. But, Yogi is cold and she wants something hardy. So this morning I trundled out to the back yard, got the pitch fork, broke through the first layer of frost and dug up some potatoes. Got to love nature's refrigerator. Keep in mind it is also citrus season in California so ladies this evening's menu will be:

a hardy leek and potatoe soup with a thick crusty bread, radicchio and blood orange salad, a lovely sauvignon blanc, and for dessert fresh citrus over raspberry sorbet with a splash of Grand Marnier.

When I went to the store today they had loads of Fraser Valley mushrooms in so the other option is wild mushroom soup.

Today's shopping list is:

• 3 large leeks or one sweet onion if you want mushroom soup
  
• 1 head of garlic
• enough potatoes that amount to the size of your fist 3 times or enough mushrooms to fill an entire cookie sheet (portabello, brown cremini, oyster and shitake were all at the store so I had to buy some!) - atleast half the mushrooms have to be cremini
  
• 5 cups chicken stock*
• fresh thyme
• green onions
• 1 head radicchio slightly larger than your fist - radicchio has a slightly peppery, almost bitter taste - it is a bit like arugula if you need to substitute
• 2 blood oranges and 1 grapefruit
  
• small amount (1/2 c) of feta cheese or ricotta or fontina - essentially white, salty cheese
• small amount (1/4 c) of hazelnuts or pine nuts or almonds
• small container of raspberry sorbet
  
• one loaf of crusty bread - I bought Terra Walnut Bread but I was eyeing those breads at Seb's the other day too
• one bottle sauvignon blanc, sancerre, pouilly-fume or any dry, non-oaked white wine

* I would love it if you guys made your own chicken stock but I know: baby steps. Because you are buying it try to get the best available (organic, home made, not a lot of crap, go for tetra pack over tinned).

I assume in the pantry you have: butter (atleast 4 tbsp), olive oil, salt, pepper, flour, dijon mustard, balsamic vinegar, honey, Grand Marnier.

So, today's local items were:

• Chez Stucco-low: potatoes, thyme, chicken stock (and next year garlic)
• BC: radicchio, mushrooms, crusty bread, feta cheese, garlic
  
• WA: onions, leeks
• CA: blood oranges, green onions
• sadly the grapefruit came from Florida. Ugh.

So, here's what we are going to do - about an hour or so before you want to eat dinner make the soup, then make the salad, chop the fruit up for dessert and we are good to go. The soup recipes serve four people as an entree.

THE SOUP

Alright then, assemble the following for Potatoe Leek:

3 tbsp butter
3 large leeks, trimmed and sliced thin (only the white and pale green parts)
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 large potatoes (or whatever you got), chopped coarsely (you're going to puree them later so size doesn't matter) - I leave the skins on but it is a personal preference thing
5 cups chicken stock
4-5 sprigs fresh thyme*
one green onion, chopped for garnish

* UPDATE: yes, Yogi, for this recipe put the entire 'stick' of thyme in (do not chop this up) and pull them out before you mash everything up.

. melt the butter over medium heat in your soup pot until bubbly
. add the leeks and garlic and sautee for atleast 5 - 7 minutes
. add the potatoes and give it a stir so that the leeks are kinda coating the potatoes
. add the stock and bring to a boil, then add thyme, salt and pepper
. reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are soft and almost falling apart
. remove from heat and puree soup (either with one of those funky braun hand mixers, in batches in your food processor or the old fashion way with a masher and a lot of upper body strength)
. put the lid on it and let it rest while you make the salad

If you want to make this soup even more hardy when you puree you could add: 2 heads of roasted garlic or sprinkle a couple slices of cooked thick bacon.

Alright then, assemble the following for Wild Mushroom:

1 lb mushrooms - cremini, portobella, morel, chanterelles, shitake, oyster. If you use shitake the stems have to be removed (they are far too tough)
2 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp butter
1 medium sweet onion, chopped small
3 tbsp flour
2 cloves garlic, minced
2-4 c chicken stock
2 tsp fresh thyme leaves*

* UPDATE: Yogi, for this recipe DO chop up the leaves only (do not put the whole sprig/stick in)

. preheat oven to 425F
. toss mushrooms in olive oil and spread on cookie sheet. roast in the oven for ten minutes or browned.
. once the mushrooms are cooled put the cremini mushrooms in the food processor and mince. slice up the rest of the mushrooms into small bite size pieces.
. melt the butter over medium heat in your soup pot until bubbly
. add the onion and sautee for atleast 10 minutes or until golden brown
. stir in the flour and 'cook' for a few minutes until it browns a bit
. add the garlic and stir
. add the minced cremini mushrooms, season with salt and pepper and cook until the mushrooms have exuded all their moisture and become a part of the sticky concoction.
. add the stock, scraping the bottom of all the browned bits and bring to a boil.
. then add the other mushrooms, thyme and more salt and pepper if needed. turn the heat off.
. put the lid on it and let it rest while you make the salad

THE SALAD

OK, just to review, the five components of salad at Chez Stucco-low are: nuts, cheese, fruit/veg, onion, and greens. So tonight's mix is:

greens = radicchio, shredded or chopped
cheese = feta, crumbled
nuts = almonds, roasted*
fruit = blood orange, peeled, white bits removed and chopped coarsely
onion = green onion (you've got it from the potatoe soup) or shallot

* to roast nuts either put them dry on a cookie sheet in the oven at 350F for ten minutes or until brown. Or, the lazy way (my way), is to put a non-stick fry pan over medium heat and brown them.

My vinaigrette's are always 1 part acid, 3 parts oil with something interesting (dijon mustard, honey, whatever). Tonight's vinaigrette will be:

acid = balsamic vinegar
oil = olive oil
interesting = 1 tsp dijon mustard, 1 tsp honey

Put it all in a bowl, toss, set aside.

THE SAUVIGNON BLANC

Yeah! Time for dinner. If you haven't already, open that bottle of wine! Pour yourself a glass and do the final tasks:

. put the soup on low heat to warm back up again
. pull sorbet out of the freezer to soften
. chop up the other blood orange and the grapefruit - no white bits! - and set aside
. slice some thick slices of bread
. set the table, plate your food
. grab that old bottle of Grand Marnier or some other orange liqueur

Right then. Hot soup in bowls? check. Bread slices on table? check. Tossed salad on table with side plates? check. Wine in glass? check. Then it's time to light the candles and have dinner.

When you are ready for dessert scoop the sorbet into a bowl, put the chopped citrus on top and drizzle a bit of Grand Marnier.

Bon Appétit!

for tNb, my favorite yogi and me

Most of my adult life I have been looking for the perfect cookbook. One that includes recipes sorted by when the main ingredients are in season, includes menu items to go with the particular dish, provides a wine pairing and tastes great through the simplicity of the ingredients. I haven't found it yet.

At the same time I grow a lot of my own fruits, vegetables and herbs and after many years consider myself a bit of an urban farmer. Inevitably I end up sharing this bounty with my friends but many of them are, uhm, culinary challenged so recipes need to be provided with the gift. Unfortunately standard recipes are more often than not meant for those who already know how to cook so I have a few friends that still have 'accidents' in the kitchen which is so unfortunate. Meals should be enjoyed! From preparation through to after meal conversation and preferably with a great glass of wine, or two.

This site is primarily for three people: one who wants to learn to cook, one who is rediscovering the warmth of a shared meal (without poisoning her loved one) and my desire for the perfect cookbook.

But before we begin just a few comments:

• two of us live in Vancouver, BC and one in Serpins, Portugal;
• although I loved the 100-Mile Diet (and was proud they did it while living in an apartment in Kitsilano) we won't be as strict;
• the items 'in season locally'? first preference will be from the lower mainland and BC and go down the west coast stopping at California (my native home state);
  
• The exception will be for avocado's - I just can't give them up and justify this carbon footprint extreme by the fact that most times I just walk to my back yard for food so the average works for me (hah! such a hypocrite);
• the blog will be in four seasons that we have here in Vancouver: winter (December - March), spring (April - June), summer (July - September) and fall (October - November);
• an offering a week is the minimum to keep them in the kitchen but could be more when the bounty is plentiful;
• no question is stupid. Ask away. My mom was a chef and my dad's only hobby is wine. We grew most of our own food while I was growing up in northern California. I think I can handle most of your questions.

So, hopefully a year from now we have atleast 52 easy meal options that were enjoyed with a great glass of wine and had that intense, organic, local taste to them that is lost in the vast noise of availability.

These words were on the wall of Ella Mae's Gourmet Kitchen which I read every day at every meal for almost thirty years:

La bonne cuisine est la base du veritable bonheur.

Bon Appétit!