Recipe: White Quinoa Grits with Shrimp and Mexican Grilled Corn

White Quinoa Grits with Shrimp and Mexican Grilled Corn
Food and Wine Magazine, July 2015
4 stars

Lovely summertime dish that is a nice take on traditional 'shrimp and grits.'  The white quinoa was interesting . . .  with the garlic, chicken stock and leeks adding nice flavor to it.  I'll make the quinoa that way any day!

Quinoa Grits Ingredients:  white quinoa, leeks, garlic, chicken stock, unsalted butter, Kosher salt, pepper

Shrimp and Corn Ingredients:  shrimp, corn, pumpkin seeds, basil, cilantro, scallions, butter, chile powder, cotija cheese, extra-virgin olive oil, Kosher salt, pepper, lime

Recipe: Spaghetti with Mushroom Bolognese

Spaghetti with Mushroom Bolognese
Food and Wine Magazine, Mar 2016, p.86
4 stars

A bolognese is a sauce made of ground beef, tomato, onion and herbs, typically served with pasta.  So really, this shouldn't be called a bolognese!  Regardless, it was surprisingly delicious (and healthy) and didn't take hours to make.  Most bologneses take 3-5 hours, including prep and simmer time.

The sauce does require 1 hour and 30 min to simmer, so this isn't a quick weekday dinner.  It took me about 30 min to prep everything.

The flavor was so good, I didn't miss the meat at all.  Also, the white miso was an interesting addition; it and the Parmigiano-Reggiano chunk added a nice umami flavor/dimension to the sauce.

Ingredients:  spaghetti, dried porcini mushrooms, cremini mushrooms, shitake mushrooms, small onion, carrots, baby eggplant, garlic, tomato paste, 28 oz can of whole peeled tomatoes, white miso, a chunk of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, thyme, turbinado sugar, parsley, extra-virgin olive oil, Kosher salt, pepper

Tips/What I Did:

• Used bucatini pasta instead of spaghetti
• Used a mix of mushrooms
• Used 4 carrots instead of 2
• Used 2 thyme sprigs instead of 1
• Added red pepper flakes
• Left out the baby eggplant
• Left out the dried porcini
• Next time: could add ground meat or sausage

Recipe: Carrot Cake Pancakes

Carrot Cake Pancakes (a Bobby Flay recipe)
People Magazine, Oct 5, 2015, p. 100
4.5 stars

I totally missed making the Maple Cream Cheese Drizzle (syrup!) and will have to make that next time to top the pancakes.

This was in one word, delicious.
Fluffy pancakes.  Somewhat healthy (there are carrots in this!).

Pancake Ingredients:  all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, fine sea salt, eggs, buttermilk, melted butter, vanilla extract, carrots, orange zest, candied ginger, toasted pecans or walnuts

Maple Cream Cheese Syrup Ingredients:  cream cheese, pure maple syrup

Tips:

• Instead of candied ginger, I added 1/4 cup of raisins
• Next time, I think a pinch of cinnamon would add to the flavor

Restaurant: The French Laundry

The French Laundry

Chef's Tasting Menu

May 14, 2016

Amuse Bouche:
Salmon Tartare and Creme Fraiche "Cone"

Amuse Bouche:
Gougeres

---------------

"Oysters and Pearls"
"Sabayon" of Pearl Tapioca with Island Creek Oysters
and White Sturgeon Caviar

---------------

Sacramento Delta Asparagus Salad
Hard Boiled Bantam Hen Egg, Green Tomato Relish, Garden Lettuces
and Brokaw Avocado Mousse

OR

Hudson Valley Moulard Duck Foie Gras "Terrine"
"Mara de Bois" Strawberries, Marcona Almonds, Nasturtium Leaves
and Riesling "Gelee"
served with 6 different salts
(supplement)

---------------

"Clam Chowder"
Stonington Maine Halibut, Manila Clams, La Ratte Potato Confit, 
Celery Branch Salad and "Chowder" Sauce

---------------

Alaskan King Crab "Poelee"
Cracked Rice and White Corn "Porridge," Chanterelle Mushrooms,
Wilted Ramps and Daylilies

---------------

Cornbread Stuffed Griggstown Farm Pheasant
Garden Blackberries, Roasted Ruby Beets, Shiso Britton
and Foie Gras "Mignonette"

---------------

Herb Roasted Elysian Fields Farm Lamb
Crispy Chickpea "Panisse," Cerignola Olives, Garden Basil
and Spiced Tomato Conserva

OR

100 Day Dry Aged Beef "Tournedo"
Bone Barrow "Panade," Braised Brisket Stuffed Morel Mushrooms,
Garden Snow Peas and "Sauce Bordelaise"
(supplement)

---------------

Nettle Meadow Farm "Kunik"
Devin Knell's 3 Year Aged Mangalitsa Ham, Wild Oregon Cepes
and Pearson Farm Pecans

---------------

Assortment of Desserts

Descriptions below are in our words. . . 

Macarons, Cocoa Macadamia Nuts, Coffee Semifreddo with
Warm Donut Holes, Dark and Milk Chocolate Logs

Cherry Dr Pepper Gel/Pastry in a Boat
and Layered Take on a Petit Four

Floral Meringues filled with Yuzu Cream

Chocolate Truffles
(flavors included S'mores, PB&J, Korean Gochujang, Salted Caramel, etc.)

Wines Enjoyed:

• Krug, "Grand Cuvee," Reims
• Carl von Schubert, Riesling, "Maximin Grunhauser Herrenberg," Kabinett, Mosel
• A Chateauneuf-du-Pape 

A Few Notes, Memories and Impressions. . .

• Overall, the experience was good but didn't blow our socks off.
• Food was more traditional and less inventive than we expected.
• Nice touch that they printed Happy Anniversary with our names at the top of the menu!
• Think we would have enjoyed sitting upstairs where it was brighter and livelier.  Downstairs, it was very austere especially before the dining room filled up.  It was so quiet at the beginning of our meal.
• Surprised that there wasn't a wine pairing for the tasting. 
• The dessert course completely wow'd us.

Recipe: Angry Pig Fried Rice

Angry Pig Fried Rice
Food and Wine Magazine, Dec 2015, p. 108
4 stars

This was one of the better fried rice recipes we've made -- the recipe is from Josh Grinker and Tracy Jane Young of Kings County Imperial in Brooklyn.

Ingredients:  jasmine rice, Sichuan peppercorns, bacon, eggs, ginger, scallions, snow peas, tofu, chile-garlic sauce, distilled white vinegar, toasted sesame oil, Kosher salt, black pepper

Overall, I liked the recipe and would make it again.  The only thing I'd do differently is perhaps make a bouquet garni for the Sichuan peppercorns so that the peppercorns can be removed.  The peppercorns aren't necessarily super hot, they just impart an overwhelming floral flavor that can get to be too much.

Recipe: Zucchini Noodles with Chicken and Ginger Dressing

Zucchini Noodles with Chicken and Ginger Dressing
Food and Wine Magazine, Mar 2016, p.84
5 stars

I've been interested in the 'spiralized' vegetable craze but haven't wanted to buy yet another kitchen appliance.  Fortunately, my mom gave us a handheld vegetable shaver (from the Asian grocery store) a while back, so voila -- we were able to do without a new spiralizer gadget.

I wouldn't call these 'noodles' or even a pasta salad (there's no pasta in it!);  it was a nice, pretty healthy, flavorful salad.

Ingredients:  canola oil, lemon juice, fresh ginger, garlic, scallions, toasted sesame seeds, zucchini, watercress, shredded rotisserie chicken, Kosher salt, pepper

Tips:

• Used extra virgin olive oil instead of canola oil
• Left out the watercress
• Added fresh spinach
• Added fresh basil
• Since the recipe calls for 1/4 cup of finely grated peeled fresh ginger and 1/2 tsp finely grated garlic, I cooked both for a little bit so the dressing wouldn't be as strong/pungent.  Next time, I think I'll cook just half of the ginger and garlic and leave the rest 'raw.'

Recipe: Lemon Tarragon Shrimp and Orzo

Lemon Tarragon Shrimp and Orzo

Edible Dallas & Fort Worth, Spring 2016, p.19

5 stars

Great weekday meal!  Didn't take much time at all to make this very healthy and satisfying dish.  We had lots of leftovers.

Ingredients:  shallot, shrimp, salt, pepper, asparagus, cherry tomatoes, orzo

Vinaigrette Ingredients:  lemon juice, lemon zest, Dijon mustard, tarragon, fine sea salt, pepper, extra virgin olive oil

Tips

• Used green beans instead of asparagus
• Added Andouille sausage
• Added red pepper
• Shaved fresh Parmesan on top