My Kitchen My Table

MKMT Cookbook Club ~ Canal House Cooking Vol.4

This summer, the MKMT cookbook club will be cooking from Canal House Cooking vol.4 by Christopher Hirsheimer & Melissa Hamilton, veterans of Saveur magazine who now have the pleasure of working together at their atelier devoted to “good ideas and good work relating to the world of food.” Their studio is an old red brick warehouse situated next to a canal, hence the name Canal House.

The way the story goes, the two meet in the morning and over breakfast tell stories of what they cooked for their families the night before. Then they spend the day cooking together and talking about food. Sign me up for that existence, can I be a guest visitor some day?

I first discovered Canal House Cooking Vol.2 last fall at Terrain. The authors were there the week before for a signing. Something about the shiny bronze cover caught my eye so I picked it up and it was love. From the stunning photography to the simple design, to the recipes; all seasonal and completely approachable. I snapped one up and read it cover to cover on the flight home dreaming up grocery lists and dinner party menus. I even made Sister Frances’ Potatoes for Christmas Eve dinner.

Vol. 3 is just as wonderful and when I saw Vol.4 had recently come out I knew it was the perfect cookbook for our next cookbook club. I am already counting the days when the first of my tomatoes will be ready to make the Tomato Tart and plan to get a box of apricots towards the end of the season to make some of Patty Curtain’s Apricot Jam.

The most brilliant part of Canal House Cooking is the publishing. Three volumes are published each year. In addition to being able to buy the books individually, an annual subscription is available. It is genius from managing print runs and costs as well as inventory. Vol.1 is no longer available so I suspect they publish for what they have subscriptions for plus early commitments from key retailers and a few extra then they are sold out which would instantly place a premium on volumes once they are no longer available.

Leave it to the founder of Saveur magazine to implement the magazine subscription model with cookbooks. But enough of the business behind the book… I’m off to find a blood roange to make that Pink Lemonade Granita.

How Does My Garden Grow?

I’ve been asked a lot recently about my garden and what is growing in it now that it has doubled in size.

Witness a couple carrots from a recent harvest and the softball sized beet that was plucked Sunday afternoon and eaten a couple hours later.

Then there is the Basilico Italiano that was started with heirloom seeds that my sister inlaw gave me – isn’t it pretty?

There’s a lot more than that… Yellow crookneck squash, black beauty zucchini, Love Joy Farm tomatoes, several types of lettuce, red peppers and various herbs. I’m sure I’m forgetting things too.

Back to the beet and carrot harvest. The word that comes to mind is sweet. Now, I’m not a beet eater but was given some heirloom seeds by a friend – orange and purple. Both were planted this winter and I am confessing here that since I’ve never grown beets before some of those seeds never had a chance – I thought they were weeds when they first poked through the dirt and my weed picking compulsion picked them out and discarded them in the compost bin. Now I know better. A new row has been planted and the summer beetlings are breaking ground.

Getting back to why I don’t like beets – it’s simple – they taste like dirt…. Except for the one plucked on Sunday. Not only did it not taste like dirt but it was beautiful. After peeling, I sliced it open. It was bright fuscia with swirly white patterns throughout. I can’t believe I didn’t take a picture. I stared at it for a few minutes thinking about how amazing mother nature is before putting it on the chopping block.

Within 2 hours of picking it was eaten. I cubed it up, tossed it in olive oil, seasoned with s&p, put it in foil and popped into a 425 degree oven for 45 minutes.

The carrots, while not growing to be very big were little pop in the mouth nuggets. What they lacked on size surely made up in flavor – unbeliveably sweet and crunchy. I need to figure out how to make them grow bigger so they last longer than a little nugget. More carrots are being planted too.

Warm Goat Cheese Bruschetta

This Warm Goat Cheese Bruschetta recipe is my favorite new appetizer. Also from the Insalata cookbook, it is quick and easy and the spread can be made ahead – perfect for weeknight entertaining. The combination of herbs (now all growing in the garden) and lemon zest will have party guests asking “what are these interesting flavor combinations?”

1 lb Laura Chenel goat cheese, or use your favorite fresh goat cheese, at room temperature for 30 minutes
2 tbsp chopped sweet herbs – chives, chervil, tarragon and Italian parsley
2 oz extra virgin olive oil
Zest of 1 lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
Artisan bread, ciabatta or even a walnut bread.

Place softened goat cheese in a mixing bowl. Add herbs, oil, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Slice bread into 1/4 inch slices. If the loaf is large, cut slice in half. Brush slice with olive oil. Either on a grill with medium fire, or in a 375 oven, toast each slice until lightly brown.

Smear 1-2 tablespoons of goat cheese on to each slice.

The Perfect Summer Salad

There is no mistaking that for the past couple of days it has been summer in the city! Everyone is out and about soaking in the sun. Finding myself not particularly motivated to cook when it is 85 degrees in the loft, I decided that the Fattoush Salad I had recently made would be a good call for dinner.

Recently I was invited to be the special guest at a friend’s cookbook club. Her group was cooking from Insalata’s Mediterranean Table cookbook by Heidi Insalata Krahling whose eponymous restaurant in San Anselmo has become a staple in the Marin restaurant world for the past 14 years for both residents and visitors alike.

The cookbook is only available at the restaurant which is unfortunate, and inconvenient (I had to drive to the restaurant to pick mine up – but hey, I was the special guest visitor, it was necessary) as it is a wonderful book.

This is the recipe from the book. Heidi is very passionate about ingredients and flavors and throughout the book weighs in with tips and suggestions about how to make each recipe the absolute best it can be. A few additional recipes can be found on the Insalata’s website. I would encourage you to take a look and give some a try.

Use only the hearts of the romaine–don’t be tempted to use the tough outer leaves. Also, tear off the top of the heart if it seems limp and leathery.

Traditionally, Italian parsley is used in place of cilantro, but I like the flavor balance of the mint and the cilantro. The size of a bunch of cilantro or mint in the summer months is double the size than in the winter. So, if you have big bunches in the summer, use 1/4 of a bunch, instead of 1/2 of a bunch.

Splurge on French sheep’s feta or a good quality imported feta cheese. It’s rich with a nice salt and acidity balance. Don’t skimp!

Use fresh lemon juice, cumin seed and real Kalamata olives. Remember that the taste of the lemon juice varies through the year so use your buds and adjust accordingly. Adding a pinch of sumac to boost up the flavors of the lemons is one trick.

Use fresh cumin seed, and not the pre-ground powder. There is a big difference in flavor when you toast the seeds to coax out their oils.

And finally, don’t buy canned, pitted olives. Take the extra time to pit real Kalamatas yourself. I promise that you’ll be happy with the results!

Salad
3/4 cup vine-ripened cherry tomatoes, halved
3/4 cup English cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced in 1/4 inch cubes
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onions (about 1/2 of a small red onion)
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro (about 1/2 a bunch)
1/4 cup finely chopped mint (about 1/2 a bunch)
6 cups hearts of romaine lettuce (about 3 hearts), torn roughly by hand
2 pieces of pita bread
2/3 cup sheep’s milk feta cheese
1/4 cup pitted Kalamata olives (about 12 olives)

Lemon Vinaigrette
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic (about 1-2 cloves)
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
3/4 teaspoon toasted and freshly ground cumin (see below)
2 ounces olive oil
5 ounces extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Serves 6 as a side dish

To make the pita chips, preheat oven to 350. Trim edges off of the pita, keeping a circle shape, so that the pita can be split into two halves. Cut each half into 6 triangles and arrange on a baking sheet. Toast for approximately 12 minutes, or until the pita chips crisp up and are golden brown. Turn baking sheet halfway through baking. Set aside and cool. Break the chips into large pieces.

To make the vinaigrette, in a small saucepan over medium-heat, toast cumin until aromatic and light brown, approximately 3 minutes. Toss occasionally to prevent burning. Let cool and set aside. Grind in a spice grinder until cumin becomes almost like powder. In a medium bowl, whisk together the garlic, lemon juice, rice wine vinegar, cumin, extra virgin olive oil and olive oil. Season to taste with generous amount of salt and black pepper. Set aside.

To serve, toss romaine hearts, cherry tomatoes, feta cheese, mint, cilantro, red onions and olives with the vinaigrette in a large bowl, making sure that the leaves are well coated with the vinaigrette. Divide the salad among 6 chilled salad plates. Serve immediately.

Sidebar
Sheep are the most important dairy animal in the Mediterranean. In much of the Middle East, the sheep’s milk cheese of choice is feta. Look for imported sheep’s milk feta cheese which has been barrel aged. To feta aficionados, there is no comparison between artisanal-barrel aged feta and the feta produced in huge automated factories. However, given the expense and in some areas the unavailability of barrel-aged feta, feta cheese imported from Greece, France and Bulgaria are your next best bet.

Brunch in Kellerville

Inspired by my new found appreciation of brunch and the upcoming cookbook club with Ad Hoc, MKMT headed to Kellerville, oops, I mean Yountville for brunch at Ad Hoc.

Ad Hoc is the most casual of Keller’s restaurants in Yountville with a more contemporary, low key vibe. The décor was very natural with tall vases full of flowering and soon to be flowering branches and smaller pots willed with green succulents, lemons and quince. Everything was so perfectly, yet naturally crafted, I felt like Martha had just finished a decoration demo there. Even the raised beds behind the parking lot growing beets and other little sprouting greens looked meticulous.

We walked in to a bright, warm room buzzing with diners enjoying Blood Orange Sangria, a seasonal specialty du maison and the menu du jour.

The format for brunch is the same as dinner – a prix fixe menu, three courses, one option for each course. If you have special dietary needs or are a high maintenance orderer, this may not be the place for you, although I was assured that with advance notice for vegans and others on the spot, the kitchen will and does go to great lengths to accommodate all who step through the doors. Thank GOD I eat it all and was ready for whatever the menu had in store.

The menu, prepared each day Chef de Cuisine, David Cruz is served family style. First was the Basket of Baked Goods – corn muffins with lemon butter, banana bread and the umbra (shadow) that was buttery cheesy goodness. All baked goods were served warm.

The second and main course was a platter with an Omelet with Fresh Herbs, Sliced Hickory Smoked Ham (piled high), and Biscuits and Gravy.

Dessert was Blueberry Cheesecake served in a glass jar. On the bottom was a layer of graham crackers topped with cheesecake, followed by more graham crackers, blueberries, cheesecake then topped with blueberries and graham cracker sprinkles.

What a perfect, leisurely way to spend a lazy, rainy Sunday afternoon.

Beef Tenderloin with Sherry Confit

This recipe was adapted from one found in the Dec 2007 edition of Gourmet Magazine. Preparation began 2 days in advance with making the tomato, sherry confit. Twenty-four hours before roasting, the beef was rubbed then refrigerated overnight. As a result, day-of preparation was minimal. All that remained was to roast the beef and simmer the confit. Making the confit in advance it gave the flavors time to marry and the additional simmering reduced it and intensified the flavor. The result was a rich, smoky sauce that complimented the beef. The left over confit was used as a pasta sauce a few days later. It could also be frozen and served with beef at another time.

Serves 8

For tomato sherry confit
8 large garlic cloves, peeled
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 (28-ounce) cans diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 teaspoon thyme, chopped
1/2 teaspoon rosemary, chopped
1/2 California bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1 cup dry sherry, divided
1/4 cup water

For the beef tenderloin
3-4 garlic cloves, chopped
1/3 cup shallot, chopped
3 tablespoons thyme, chopped
2 teaspoons rosemary, chopped
2-3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 (6- pound) trimmed beef tenderloin roast, tied

Make the confit:
Two to three days before roasting, make the confit. Cook garlic in oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-low heat, turning occasionally, until golden, 10 to 15 minutes. Add tomatoes, thyme, rosemary, bay leaf, sugar, and 1/2 cup sherry and briskly simmer, stirring frequently and crushing tomatoes with a silicone spatula, until tomatoes start to break down and oil separates slightly, about 1 hour.
Mash garlic into tomatoes with spatula, then stir in 1/4 cup sherry. Discard bay leaf. Pour into an airtight container and refrigerate.

Marinate the beef:
Combine garlic, shallot, herbs, olive oil, salt, and pepper, then rub thoroughly all over the beef. Place in a large bag or wrap in saran wrap and refrigerate for 24 hours.
One hour before roasting, remove from the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature.

Roast the beef:
Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.

Place beef in a 17- by 11-inch shallow heavy baking pan and roast until meat thermometer inserted into center of thickest part of meat registers 120°F, 45 to 50 minutes.
Transfer to a cutting board and let stand, loosely covered with foil, 15 to 20 minutes (temperature of meat will rise to about 130°F, for medium-rare).

While beef is roasting, remove confit from the refrigerator and pour into a sauce pan. Bring to a soft simmer until beef comes out of the oven. Once beef is removed, add water and remaining 1/4 cup sherry to the baking pan and deglaze over medium-low heat, stirring and scraping up brown bits, 1 minute. Once deglazed, stir into tomato confit and continue to simmer until beef is ready to slice.
Remove and discard string from beef, then cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Serve with confit on the side.

Fish, Sausalito

Trying to stay true to my New Year’s intentions I had lunch at Fish in Sausalito. Fish takes their mission of serving organic and sustainable seafood and doing their part to save the oceans, watersheds and fisheries seriously. Example, on Friday night they will be closing at 6pm for a special event, Fish and Flicks. Tickets to an evening of sustainable snacks, screening of the movie The End of the Line, and post-flick discussion will be served up to those who attend.

Situated next to the bait shop at the unassuming end of Harbor Drive in Sausalito before you get to the parking lot for the marina, if you’re hankering for seafood, Fish is worth the trip. The vibe of Fish is Marin Mom’s and their tots and dogs with a few people sans kids in the mix. There are several tables outside overlooking the water – making it a great place to go on a warm day. Inside tables are few and family style, we opted for seats at the counter which was the best call since we were served quickly and chatted it up with the staff.

We started with The White Chowder Bowl. “Award winning” traditional New England style white chowder swimming with hand-shucked surf clams, bacon, potatoes, onion, celery and a special blend of dried herbs. And of course, oyster crackers…

Tuscan White Bean and Tuna Salad is Fish’s spin of the old Italian classic, served with Iacopi bombaloni beans, house-poached albacore tuna, red onion, black olives, fresh lemon, olive oil and aged red wine vinegar. My lunch mate had The Fish Tuna Salad Sandwich. (The morsel shared with me is in the upper left of the picture) Line-caught, house-poached local Albacore tossed with niçoise olives, celery, red onion and a lemon caper mayo served on a toasted Acme torpedo roll. Served with shoestring fries or greens, (clearly we opted for the fries…).

One note – Fish is a cash only operation and the tab adds up quickly. That aside, count me in to make the drive across the bridge to Fish again soon. And rumor has it the Fifth Annual Fish Fat Tuesday Mardi Gras Party is taking reservations…

MKMT Brunch Cookbook Club Re-Cap

The MKMT Brunch was a winner. The new time and different format was enjoyed by all and everyone out did themselves with sweet and savory dishes. It was intriguing to see the selection of cookbooks and recipes that were selected by the group and the variety from Bloody Mary’s to muffins to savory Griddle Cakes.

Some of the cookbooks included…
Baking From my Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan

The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook by Ina Garten
Cranberry Harvest Muffins
Homemade Granola
Fruit Salad with Limoncello

Bruce Aidell’s Complete Sausage Book
several homemade sausage recipes

The Bacon Cookbook
Savory Griddle Cakes with Maple Syrup and Molasses Maple Syrup

Chocolate for Breakfast by Barbara Passino
Breakfast Budin (a.k.a. Mexican Green Lasagne)
Chocolate Brownie Macadamia Nut Waffles with Bellini Peaches
Ricotta Ice Cream

A Table in the Tarn by Orlando Murrin
The Raynaud Smoothie “lipstick-pink goodness”

Tuesday Recipe by Tori Ritchie
Roasted Tomatoes
Ham & Cheese Strata

And what a better way to start the brunch than with Bloody Mary’s and smoothies.

The Bloody Mary’s were some of the best ever. Here is the foundation to Pat’s secret recipe. You will need to tinker with the last 5 ingredients to find your own perfect balance, but that’s part of the fun, right?

1 46oz can V-8 juice
1 ½ cups Vodka
1 cup lime juice
Worcestershire Sauce
Hot Sauce
Pepper
Dill
Celery Stalks

Pour the first three ingredients into a pitcher. Add remaining ingredients to desired taste and serve with a celery stalk or two.

A Table in the Tarn

Shortly before the brunch cookbook club, I purchased the cookbook, A Table in the Tarn. More than just a cookbook it is an account of turning a modest country farmhouse in the southwest of France into a luxury boutique guesthouse and gastronomic destination.

As much as the recipes throughout the last two-thirds of the book have been enjoyed, it was the first 90 pages that I found to be most intriguing. They were full of the tales and foibles of the two year transformation of the farmhouse and its gardens and made for engaging reading. I was completely absorbed in the process, the artisans and the local characters that helped with the transformation. While reading, I coveted the adventure and spirit of the gentlemen from the UK who left their conventional world behind and fantasizing about my own escape to the French countryside.

Such was my curiosity of Le Manoir that I tried to book a night to stay there during last October’s trip to France. It didn’t work out logistically in the end and I figured that with all of the sensational publicity of the guesthouse and publication of the cookbook I would go the next time I was in France. Sadly, there won’t be a next time, shortly after inquiring about a visit, an email came bidding adieu from the staff at Le Manoir. Yes, Le Manoir had been sold and would become someone’s private residence. Quelle horreur!

It doesn’t add up. After rave reviews and seeming successes, why was Le Manoir sold? There must be something greater going on – a back story as to why what appeared to be the perfect place ended up being sold by the proprietors who spent 2 years turning it into their dream.

Whatever the case, all best wishes to the future endeavors or Orlando Murrin and Peter Steggall; I’ll be on the look out for their next adventure and hope to have an opportunity to experience what ever it may be. In the meantime, the cookbook remains a fine tribute to what was.

Here is the smoothie recipe I made for the brunch CBC. I used mixed berries instead of straight raspberries and love the description below of the “lipstick-pink goodness”!

The Raynaudes Smoothie

At Raynaudes we serve the sort of breakfast we would like to eat if we were on holiday: fresh, light, and indulgent – plus almost invariably, a surprise. One of the best surprises has to be our smoothie – an icy cup of lipstick-pink goodness.

Makes enough for 6

2 ripe bananas
2 tablespoons honey
2 cups plain yogurt
½ cup apple juice
2 cups raspberries, frozen
(or mangoes or other fruit)

Whiz everything in a blender till smooth. (Powerful as a food processor is, its blades work in a different way from a blender, and you get a much smoother effect with the latter). Taste and add more honey if necessary, and more fruit juice if too thick. Serve at once though it will still be delicious half an hour later.

Granola and Fruit for Brunch

Both of these brunch recipes are from The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook. The Homemade Granola was adapted by Ina Garten from Sarah Chase’s Open House Cookbook. The granola was so good that since the cookbook club brunch I’ve been keeping it on hand as a staple. I like to change it up each time by adding different nuts and dried fruits. If there isn’t yougurt in the refrigerator granola is great with milk – I usually have it with non-fat but it’s always a treat to splurge with whole!

Homemade Granola
Makes 12 cups

4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
2 cups sweetened, shredded coconut
2 cups sliced almonds
¾ vegetable oil
½ cup good honey
1 1 /2 cups small-diced figs
1 cup dried cherries
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup roasted, unsalted cashews

Preheat oven to 350°

Toss the oats, coconut, and almonds together in a large bowl. Whisk together the oil and honey in a small bowl. Pour the liquids over the oat mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until all the oats and nuts are coated. Pour onto a 13×18 inch baking sheet. Bake, stirring occasionally with a spatula, until the mixture turns a nice, even golden brown, about 45 minutes.

Remove the granola from the oven and allow to cool, stirring occasionally. Add the apricots, figs, cherries, cranberries, and cashews. Cool and store in an air-tight container.

Fruit Salad with Limoncello

7 oz Greek yogurt, plain
1/3 cup lemon curd
1 tablespoon honey
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups sliced strawberries (1 pint)
1 cup raspberries (1/2 pint)
1 cup blueberries (1/2 pint)
2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons limoncello
1 banana, sliced
Fresh mint sprigs

For the lemon yogurt topping, whisk together the yogurt, lemon curd, honey and vanilla and set aside at room temperature.

For the fruit salad, carefully toss together the strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, sugar and limoncello. Allow them to stand at room temperature for about 5 minutes to let the berries macerate with the sugar and liqueur. Gently fold the banana into the mixture.

Serve with the granola or on its own.