This is a quick post, but if you wondered what we served with our awesome Asparagus and Rice Soup, look no further. We made Sage Grilled Cheese Sandwiches. The basic recipe comes (again) from the Zuni cookbook, but this is a recipe we have enjoyed before. Basically it is a grilled cheese sandwich that uses a sage-infused oil, instead of butter. The sage gives the dish a nice aroma and a little extra flavor to the sandwich, but is not too strong. Continue reading
Category Archives: Lunch / Salads / Sides
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Asparagus and Rice Soup
Make this tonight, you will be very happy.
We have been blogging about food for a month and just struck gold. This is not to say we haven’t made some good dishes and cocktails. We have, and we feel great about sharing them. But sometimes you make a dish and it just sings. This is one of those dishes.
Is this the best dish ever? No. But is this the best dish you can make with 2 pans and in 30 minutes? Possibly, yes. We tested it on friends and kids. They agree. Kids happily (as in finishing the whole thing) eating asparagus? Yes, it’s that good. Friends texting you saying “holy s#@t that’s good”? Yes. And we have Judy Rodgers from Zuni in San Francisco to thank for it. Continue reading
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Roasted Beet Salad with Pecorino and Macerated Shallots
San Francisco is not a big city. It has maybe 800,000 residents and the “urban” area of the city (i.e. the parts you want to visit) has maybe 150,000 people. The city does seem “large”, however, in terms of its attractions; scenery, art, wine, food and restaurants. But it is the “smallness” of the city that often shows at odd times and in interesting ways (and yes this has to do with beet salad, bear with me). Continue reading -
“Money” Greens: Kale you will love…without cream
This Kale is MONEY!
In winter I tend to complain
whineabout the lack of fresh produce beyond citrus and winter greens like kale. We have certainly covered citrus in desserts and cocktails (and we will continue to do so). But what about the kale? (and other winter greens?) Well, we have been working on it.It turns out, we all enjoy kale at Putney Farm. Even the kids. Add some butter, cream, bacon and salt- and our kale kicks ass! But that’s just a bit of a cop-out. I can add butter, cream, bacon and salt to tree bark and it would probably taste good. The kids would probably like it, too. Also, the cream-based kale seems less,well….green. When each serving is a thousand calories, I barely classify the kale as a vegetable. While the cream-based kale tastes great, Carolyn and I started working on a recipe for kale or greens that has good flavor, is healthier, but still easy to make. Continue reading
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Adventures in Home Charcuterie: Corned Beef, Part 3- The Reuben Sandwich
If you want to cook and write about food, it is good to have kids. They lack the same “filter” as most adults and if they don’t like a dish they let you know, often in crushing detail. Such was the case with our Reuben Sandwiches. We had a lot of left over corned beef and I was excited to make the Reubens, but as it turns out details really matter, particularly in a classic sandwich like the Reuben.Our first batch, while good, had some “issues”. And Sam, our eldest, let me know about it. “The meat is too stringy” and “needs more sauce and kraut”. He thought the flavor was good but I lacked in execution. He was right. I did not cut the meat completely across the grain, and I discounted that Reubens are messy and a lot ends up on the plate. What makes the Reuben so good is the perfect bite; tangy rye bread, nutty swiss cheese, creamy sauce, tart and crunchy kraut and tender, salty beef. This version did not deliver the “complete” bite. Fail (small, but still a fail). But the good thing about making 5 pounds of corned beef, is that you have enough to try again. Continue reading
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Adventures in Home Charcuterie: Corned Beef, Part 2- Corned Beef and Cabbage
Corned Beef and Cabbage
Well, let’s get right to it. Corned beef is worth doing at home. It is tender and tasty, and the pink color is fun as well. The salt and spices are very smooth and integrated with the brisket. Much better than any store-bought corned beef I’ve had. Making something like this at home sort of feels like alchemy, the creation of something special from average ingredients. Charcuterie, I am finding, is tasty alchemy at home. Continue reading
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