Recipe: Spicy and Quick Pho Lon (Pork Pho)

Making traditional pho broth can take days... so I cheat mightily to get this recipe down to a more manageable time frame AND add more veggies than would be traditional because, well, it's healthier.  Oh, and I pull the Japanese trick of adding a whisked egg to the soup at the end to add some richness :)

Ingredients:
4 cups low-salt chicken broth
3 cups water
1 cup dry sherry
1 package bonito flake, approx. 4 oz. (available in bulk in Asian markets)
2 tbsp. fish sauce
2 tbsp. chili/garlic paste
1 tbsp. minced ginger
2 tsp. ground corinader
2 star anise cloves
2 tsp. ground white pepper
2 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp. sea salt
1 1/2 lbs. of pork butt, VERY thinly sliced (have your butcher do it)
1 1/2 cups of chopped spring onion or leeks
2 cups of fresh carrots, thinly sliced
1 whole Napa cabbage, cored and shredded
2 cups of chopped rapini (i.e. broccoli rabe)
1 cup chopped shitake mushrooms
1 cup chopped Tokyo turnips or other soft turnip
1 large package (20 - 24oz.) of thin rice noodles (Vietnamese vermicelli)
10 large eggs

Directions:
Prepare the rice noodles according to package directions, shocking with water at the end to chill.

In a large stock pot, combine chicken broth, water, sherry, and all spices and condiments.  Cover and bring to a boil over high heat.  Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 - 20 minutes to allow the flavors to fully combine.  Remove the star anise cloves with a slotted spoon before continuing.

Add the pork butt and onion.  Simmer covered for 15 minutes.  Add the carrots, mushrooms, and turnips.  Raise heat to return to boil, then reduce heat and simmer covered for 15 minutes.  Add the cabbage and rapini, return to boil, then reduce heat to simmer again covered for 10 minutes.  Remove from heat.

Place approx. 1 cup of cooked noodles into the bottom of a bowl.  Ladle in 1 1/2 cups of the soup mixture.  Crack an egg into a separate small bowl and whisk with chopsticks then pour into the hot soup bowl.  Mix the egg into the soup with chopsticks thoroughly before eating (this will cook the egg).

Makes approx. 10 servings.

Recipe: Orecchiette with Roasted Winter Vegetables

I made this last night for the first time based on a dish I had at the Adobe Cafe last week.  The foundations of this dish I have used many times before, but the combination ended up the perfect comfort food for a winter's evening.  My guests wildly approved.

Ingredients:


1 lb. of ground pork or beef
4 oz. prosciutto, diced
3 large turnips, diced
3 large carrots, diced
1 fennel bulb, cored, diced
1 bunch kale, washed, chopped
4 tbsp. minced garlic
2 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. dried basil
1 bunch fresh dill, finely chopped
2 tsp. ground white pepper
1 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. cracked red pepper
1 cup dry white wine
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/3 stick of unsalted butter
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup of unsalted bread crumbs
3 tbsp. olive oil (with additional for drizzling to roast vegetables)
Sea salt (to taste)
1 16 oz. box of orecchiette pasta, cooked according to package directions about 2 mins. shy of al dente

Directions:


Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.  Line baking sheets with foil.  Scatter the chopped turnips, carrots, and fennel onto the baking sheets.  Drizzle generously with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt to taste.  Place into the hot oven and roast for approximately 35 - 40 mins. until the vegetables are turning brown.  Set aside to cool.

In a large, deep pan, melt the butter into the olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add the garlic and saute until fragrant.  Add the remaining dry spices, dill, and the ground pork and prosciutto.  Cook until the pork begins to brown.  Add the white wine and chicken broth and increase heat to high and cook for approximately 15 minutes until the sauce begins to reduce, stirring frequently.  Add the chopped kale, reduce heat to medium-high, cover, and simmer until the kale is fully wilted (about 8 - 10 minutes).  Add the roasted vegetables, heavy cream, and cooked pasta.  Mix thoroughly and cook for an additional 2 - 3 minutes.  Turn off the heat and add the parmesan and bread crumbs, mixing thoroughly.  Serve immediately.

Makes 8 appetizer or 4 dinner portions.

Recipe: Bubble and Squeak

While definitely inspired by the British pub food staple, my version is just a bit healthier and has a lot more flavor and kick. Cook in a very deep and large cast iron skillet with a lid available for best results.

Ingredients:

5 large chicken apple or other chicken/turkey based sausage link (I use Trader Joe's Sweet Apple), diced
2 large russet potatoes, cubed
1 large or 2 small turnips, cubed
2 large leeks, finely chopped
6 small or 4 medium radishes, finely chopped (I used small French breakfast radishes)
1 head of savoy or other green cabbage, core removed, finely chopped
2 1/2 tbsp. minced garlic
2 tsp. Cajun seasoning (I use Emeril's)
1 tsp. ground white pepper
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. cracked red pepper
1 1/2 tsp. fresh or 1/2 tsp. dried rosemary
2 sprigs fresh or 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 stick unsalted butter
1 tbsp. canola or other neutral oil
1/3 cup chicken broth
1 tsp. of cornstarch, dissolved in water

Directions:

Put the potatoes and turnips in a large pot full of boiling water. Boil for 10 minutes to soften then drain and set aside.

Heat butter and oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. After butter is melted and sizzling, add the garlic and saute for about 4 minutes until fragrant. Add the diced sausage, cover, and cook until the sausages begin to brown, about 8 - 10 minutes. Add the radishes and leeks and saute until the leeks are soft, about another 5 - 6 minutes. Add the potatoes, turnips, cabbage, and all remaining spices to the skillet. Pour the chicken broth over the mixture. Re-cover and saute, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage is fully wilted and soft, approximately 10 - 15 minutes. Uncover, add the dissolved cornstarch, and continue mixing together until the mixture becomes quite stiff. Press the mixture down against the bottom of the skillet and allow to cook untouched. Cook until browned on the bottom, about another 7 - 8 minutes. Remove from heat and serve.

Makes 6 pub-sized portions.

Recipe: Tokyo Turnip and Potato Hash

I have not posted in a while, I know, but real work has kept me way too busy to be as creative as I generally am. But, today, I got more inspired. So here goes... it was excellent and the picture is of the finished product.

Ingredients:

6 small Tokyo turnips, diced, greens separated and cut in thirds (yes, you will use the greens in this recipe, too :))

1 large russet potato, diced

1 small sweet pepper, diced (I used a Flamingo pepper)

1 bunch of scallions, diced, green and white parts

4 strips of bacon, diced

2 tbsp. unsalted butter

1/2 tsp. cracked red pepper

1 tsp. celery salt

1/2 tsp. dried tarragon

1/2 tsp. dried thyme

2 tbsp. minced garlic

3 tbsp. grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

Boil a medium pot of water. Generously salt the water. Place the potatoes into the boiling water for about 5 - 6 minutes to blanch and soften. Drain, set aside.

Heat the bacon and butter over medium heat until the bacon is almost crisp, stirring frequently. Add the minced garlic and saute until the bacon is fully crisp. Add the turnips, sweet pepper, potato, scallions, and spices. Continue sauteing for about 8 - 10 minutes until the turnips soften. Place the turnip greens into the pan, cover, and allow the greens to wilt for about 3 - 4 minutes. Stir all the ingredients together fully, top with the parmesan cheese and mix together again, serve immediately.

Makes 2 entree or 4 side dish servings.

Restaurant Review: Maverick

I have been going to Maverick for quite a long time (an eternity by San Francisco dining standards ;))... my first time was two months after it opened a little more than two years ago and at least once every 4 - 6 weeks since. I can’t help it... I absolutely love the place. It was started by two friends: one, a chef from Cincinnati named Scott Youkilis (yes, he’s the brother of that more famous “Youkilis”) and the other, a self-professed oenophile named Mike Pierce from New Jersey. How these two got to San Francisco I do not know, but I am very glad they did.

The cuisine can be described as “Kentucky meets California by way of the Wild West.” Obviously for a southern boy like me, any restaurant that ventures into the flavors I grew up with is going to at least get some props. But what Mr. Youkilis does with the traditional southern flavors is just consistently so good to me. The only thing that is always on the menu is his fried chicken which is honestly the only fried chicken I can admittedly say I love outside of a) my own and b) my mother’s. The fixin’s underneath it change often (cheesy white corn grits and collard greens are there for winter), but it is just always so good. Their mac ‘n cheese is also one of the best I’ve had and is also one of the menu stalwarts.

I admittedly have been twice over the past several weeks because I had friends visiting from out of town and I love to “show the place off” because everyone I’ve taken there has loved it. As a starter on the first occasion, I had the house-smoked trout salad. It reminded me of a dish I had when I was in Stockholm back in 2006 - slices of perfectly cured fish with fish eggs and creme fraiche over a bed of simple greens. Of course, in Stockholm, they used local salmon - but the preparation was virtually identical. For entree I had the rabbit “three ways” - braised rabbit loin, rabbit leg confit, and rabbit liver served with a sweet potato and turnip hash. I don’t get rabbit that often, but when I do, it’s a treat - and that sir was a treat. As a side I had Scott’s mustard greens. They were cooked very differently than what I grew up with - slightly sauteed in olive oil with cracked red pepper and garlic, but so good (I’m used to boiling the sh*t out of them in salt pork, garlic, and hot sauce... thems good too :)). I skipped dessert ‘cause I was too full!

My next visit was just last week. This time I had the Baltimore crab fluffs in a spicy remoulade sauce. “Why they gotta fly that crab all the way in from Baltimore when we’ve got amazing dungeness crab here” was my first thought. But, then I realized the dungeness would have been too sweet in this particular preparation - so then I got it. For a main course I had the braised short ribs over creamy grits - talk about 100% pure comfort. That was SOOOO good... and so filling I was surprised I had room for dessert! But the second our server said, “there’s a Meyer lemon pie for dessert that’s not on the menu,” I knew I was doomed. For those that know me, I have more of a tart/savory tooth than a sweet tooth and I love anything tart for dessert. Oh, and she had to mention that the pie was made with buttermilk... oy, totally doomed! My friend and I decided to share it. Perfectly creamy and tart, great crust (forgot what it was made out of)... oh, such a lovely end to the meal!

OK... so I think I’ve made it clear that I love this place. If you’re ever in San Francisco, just call me up and I will take you... I promise! Now, on to the wine selection. This wine selection was not made by Maverick, by the way, but is from my own collection here at home that I opened yesterday. I do almost all of my wine shopping by traveling up to Sonoma and Napa so that I can taste the wines. Not only does it allow me to “try before I buy,” I’m also able to get ahold of wines that never show up in the stores or restaurants from small, family-owned producers. I do apologize if you can’t find some of the wines I will talk about on my blog - it just unfortunately sucks that you don’t live here! ;)