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

Recipe: Kale Rice Bowl

Kale Rice Bowl
3 stars
Food and Wine Magazine, Dec 2014, p. 132

This recipe was average -- it was good, and I'd make it again but it wasn't super amazing.  It's one of those simple, healthy recipes that's good for a weeknight meal when you're craving healthy Asian cuisine.

Ingredients:  kale, pork, rice, garlic, ginger, Asian fish sauce, chopped basil and cilantro, canola oil and Kosher salt and pepper

Serve with Sriracha sauce.

Not much else to say on this one.  Decent flavor and again, it's healthy.  I mean, it has kale in it!

Recipe: Amanda Freitag's Buttermilk Pancakes

Amanda Freitag's Buttermilk Pancakes

Food and Wine Magazine, Nov 2015, p.163-164

5 stars

If you like light and fluffy pancakes, this recipe is for you.  This is the best pancake recipe I've made; I could eat these all day!

It's 6 ingredients for the pancake batter:  all-purpose flour, baking powder, eggs, buttermilk, butter, kosher salt.  I'd add vanilla next time, so that makes it 7 ingredients.

Then, there's the confectioners' sugar and maple syrup for serving (not shown in the photo above).

This takes a little time more time than normal pancakes since you have to beat the eggs in a mixer for 4 min, but other than that, it's pretty easy.  This made 6 medium sized pancakes.

The recipe at the link above has a quince and cranberry compote recipe as well; didn't make it since that's more of a fall/winter compote but will try it at some point and will report back.

Recipe: Glazed Carrots with Goat Cheese and Honey

Glazed Carrots with Goat Cheese and Honey
Food and Wine Magazine, Feb 2016, p. 38
5 stars

This dish involves a lot of ingredients, but it was WORTH IT!  Really nice flavor that all of the herbs and spices imparted on the carrots.  We had this alongside Japanese Yams and an Aleppo-rubbed pork loin.  I would make this side dish for guests.

Ingredients:  butter, EVOO, carrots, garlic, tarragon sprigs, thyme springs, rosemary sprig, bay leaves, star anise, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, mustard seeds, honey, apple cider vinegar, chicken stock, Kosher salt, pepper

And then, there's the gremolata ingredients:  chopped parsley, chopped tarragon, garlic, lemon zest, EVOO, goat cheese, Kosher salt, pepper, flaky sea salt

Couple of notes:

• I cooked the carrots for about half the time that the recipe calls for.  Didn't want the carrots to get mushy (plus, we like a little crunch), so definitely keep an eye on the carrots.
• Didn't use grated garlic in the gremolata.  I actually forgot to include it, and it still tasted great.

Recipe: Andouille Mac & Cheese

Andouille Mac & Cheese
Food and Wine Magazine, Nov 2015, p.52
4 stars

A Cajun take on mac & cheese and the perfect accompaniment to brisket or ribs.

I didn't rate this a 5 because while there is a lot of delicious goodness, it doesn't have that bam(!) flavor.  The flavors meld together -- which is a good thing; I was just expecting a little more of a flavor punch and kick because of all the ingredients.

Ingredients:  shredded mild white cheddar, shredded sharp cheddar, andouille sausage, red bell pepper, onion, scallions, cilantro, parsley, pasta shells, whole milk, heavy cream, unsalted butter, flour, panko, garlic, thyme, cayenne, nutmeg, white pepper, Kosher salt, black pepper, canola oil, hot sauce, jalapenos

And by the way, the serving size for this is not 4 -- it's more like 8 or 10!  If you take a look at the photo of the item on Food and Wine's website, it looks like a huge chicken fried steak portion.

Recipe: Simple Bolognese (Giada De Laurentiis)

[Will insert a photo the next time we make it!]

Simple Bolognese

Recipe from Giada De Laurentiis

4 stars

Most bolognese recipes take a minimum of 3 hours to make, so I was skeptical about this recipe, but it turned out great!  Super easy -- took about an hour, and we made fresh pasta to go with the sauce.

Tips from reading the reviews:

• Add at least 2 tbsp of tomato paste to the veggie saute
• Add a bay leaf (and remember to take it out)
• Add red pepper

My tips/what we did:

• Use 2 carrots and 2 celery stalks
• Used regular parsley instead of flat-leaf Italian parsley

New tips as of 7/3/2022

We made a different bolognese sauce and liked the spice mix that was used.

• 2 bay leaves, 3 whole cloves, 2 tsp fennel seeds, 1.5 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, 1/4 tsp black peppercorns
• Toast spices in a dry small skillet over medium heat, tossing often, until fragrant, about 2 min (to release their flavor). Let cool, then finely grind in a spice mill.

Recipe: Butternut Squash and Farro Salad

Butternut Squash and Farro Salad
Us Weekly Magazine, Oct 19, 2015, p. 51
5 stars

Talk about a healthy, hearty winter salad that's so easy to make!  I saw this recipe in US Weekly magazine of all places -- it's a recipe from Katie Lee, the co-host of The Kitchen on the Food Network.

Just 13 ingredients:  butternut squash, shallots, raisins, farro, smoked Gouda, walnuts, arugula, grainy mustard, extra-virgin olive oil, sherry vinegar, ground cayenne pepper, salt and pepper

Well, 14 ingredients because we added bacon.  Bacon makes everything better!

In short since I can't find a link to the recipe online:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Peel and cut butternut squash into 1/2-inch chunks and slice 4 large shallots -- place them on the lined baking sheet and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.
• Roast until squash is soft and shallots begin to brown (about 25-30 min)
• Pour 4 tbsp sherry vinegar over 1 cup of raisins.  Soak for 15 min then drain the vinegar into a small bowl; place raisins in another bowl.
• For the dressing:  Whisk 2 tsp whole grain mustard into the sherry vinegar from the step above;  add 6 tbsp oil, season to taste with ground cayenne pepper, salt and pepper
• Toss 2 cups of cooked farro, the butternut squash, shallots, raisins, 6 oz diced smoked Gouda and 1 cup of walnut halves and toss with the dressing.  Season to taste with salt and pepper and toss in arugula.

Recipe: Shanghai Noodles with Golden Garlic and Soft Tofu

Shanghai Noodles with Golden Garlic and Soft Tofu
Asian Flavors of Jean-Georges (cookbook), p.235
5 stars

After being so impressed with Jean-Georges' restaurant in Deer Valley, I checked out his cookbook from the library to test out some recipes.  (This was my first time borrowing a cookbook from the library which is such a great idea!  Got the idea from reading a review on Amazon.com.  I hate buying cookbooks only to test out recipes and be disappointed.)

So. . .  we didn't make this exactly per the recipe.  Changed it up a bit, but it turned out delicious!  With all the changes we made to the recipe, I should make this as-is next time.

HUGE learning for me:  Steeping the mint and basil and adding chicken broth to it made an incredibly flavorful base.

Changes we made to the recipe:

• Sauteed some ground beef with onion and garlic and added it when mixing the final dish.
• Added green beans
• Added shitake mushrooms
• Did NOT use 1 cup of garlic -- used 4 cloves instead
• Did NOT use 1/4 cup of serrano chiles -- sliced up 2 instead
• Couldn't get fresh Shanghai noodles so used some other similar Asian noodles we had
• Couldn't find pea shoots so left that out

Recipe: Cumin Fried Rice

Cumin Fried Rice

Food and Wine Magazine, March 2015, p.60

4 stars

Great, easy side rice dish.

Ingredients:  basmati rice, shallot, ginger, cumin seeds, chickpeas, spinach, salt, pepper oil

Tips:

• Since spinach wilts down to almost nothing, I used almost 10 cups of spinach instead of 4.  I cooked it separately to keep the rice from being too wet.
• Added garlic and red pepper.
• Will try cannellini beans instead of chickpeas next time!

Restaurant: J&G Grill at the St. Regis in Deer Valley

J&G Grill at the St. Regis in Deer Valley, Utah

7452 Mary (Bloody Mary)

Brioche Bread Pudding with Roasted Pineapple
and Condensed Milk Ice Cream

This was my first dining experience at a Jean-Georges Vongerichten restaurant, and it did not disappoint.  Even though we didn't have a full sit-down meal (we sat at the bar), I'd rate this in my top 5 dining experiences in my lifetime.

It's rare when I dine at a restaurant and enjoy every single item I ordered and where service is flawless.  To help me remember our amazing experience, here is what we enjoyed:

Drinks:

• 7452 Mary:  At 7,452 feet, Deer Valley's signature Bloody Mary is topped off with a wasabi and celery espuma, cayenne pepper and black lava salt.  
• It was served with a pipette of Worcestershire sauce (fun!).  It's the best Bloody Mary I've ever had in my life.  Super fresh, spicy, unique with the wasabi/celery/green apple foam and the slightly sweet black lava salt.
• Smoke & Fire:  Don Julio Reposado Tequila, High West Campfire Whiskey, Lemon, Spiced Hibiscus, Orange
• Who would've thought to put tequila and whiskey in a drink together?  Smooth and balanced with lots of complexity.  Loved this.

Appetizer:  

• Tuna Tartare with Avocado, Spicy Radish and a Ginger Marinade
• Amazingly fresh;  I could've eaten 3 of this app since it was small; would've been perfect with crostini.

Entree:

• Sichuan Pepper Crusted Yellowfin Tuna
• It was served with 2 Shishito peppers and a soy-miso mustard sauce.  Ordered it rare, and it was amazing just like the app -- suprisingly not spicy even though it had the Sichuan peppers on the outside crust.  I must find Jean-Georges' recipe for the soy-miso mustard sauce!  

Dessert:

• Brioche Bread Pudding with Roasted Pineapple and Condensed Milk Ice Cream
• This is what bread pudding should always be like -- moist and decadent with every single bite.  It was topped with a thinly sliced dried piece of pineapple.  A lovely end to our meal.

Regarding drinks, I think their cocktail list was one of the best I've seen.  I wanted to try all of them!
Here was their specialty cocktail  menu:

I'd HIGHLY recommend dining at J&G grill or going there for apres-ski!  (Apparently, there is a way to ski down to the bar!)  Note that we took a nice finicular ride from the bottom to get to the hotel that's mid-mountain.

Restaurant: High West Distillery & Saloon in Park City, Utah

High West Distillery & Saloon in Park City, Utah

Fun, apres-ski hangout.
Creative strong cocktails.
Comfortable bar with knowledgeable bartenders.
Will definitely be back.

We ordered:

• Le Bouvier:  American Prairie Bourbon, Yellow Chartreuse, Cognac, Fino Sherry
• The Grand Duel:  Double Rye!, Amaro Nonino, Aperol, St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram, Lagavulin 16
• Pretzel & Beer Cheese:  House Pretzel, Whiskey Whipped Beer Cheese, Mustard Dip & Pickles

Recipe: Skillet-Roasted Cauliflower with Panko

Skillet-Roasted Cauliflower with Panko

Bon Appetit Magazine, Nov 2015, p. 12

5 stars

Someone wrote to Bon Appetit and asked for Chef Stephanie Izard's recipe from her restaurant Girl & the Goat in Chicago;  I'm so glad that they did and that they published this recipe.

If you don't like cauliflower, try this and you may change your mind -- this side dish has tons of flavor and texture and is oh so easy to make.  This will be served at our next dinner party.

Ingredients:  cauliflower, toasted pine nuts, panko, Parmesan, thinly sliced pickled red peppers (such as Peppadew) garlic, butter, Kosher salt, pepper and mint (we didn't add the mint but that would have added yet another layer of flavor)

Recipe: Chicken Parmesan Pot Pie

Chicken Parmesan Pot Pie - recipe from Fabio Viviani
People Magazine, Feb 2, 2015 issue, p.82
5 stars

I'm sometimes wary of recipes in non-food magazines but decided to try this chicken pot pie recipe -- with an Italian twist that was in this week's issue of People Magazine.  Really great recipe (winter comfort food), and we would definitely make it again!

Tips:

• Cook the vegetables less so that they remain their texture.  (Remove vegetables from the pan temporarily while cooking the chicken in the pan; then add the vegetables back.)
• Cook the potatoes just a tad less
• Add red pepper
• Cut the amount of flour down by at least 1/3 so the overall texture is less "thick"
• Add thyme
• As you can see -- we baked this in a large casserole dish vs. in individual ramekins

Recipe: S'mores Bars with Marshmallow Meringue

S'mores Bars with Marshmallow Meringue
Food and Wine Magazine, April 2015, p. 72
5 stars

This was so good that I forgot to take a photo of it!
Of all the s'mores desserts I've made, this is one that I'd make again -- the recipe is a keeper!  It has a great balance of graham cracker crust (much thicker crust than most recipes), cakey/brownie middle and lovely marshmallowy fluff of meringue.  And best thing about it is that it's not super sweet.

Here is a photo from the magazine so you can see how it ended up looking:

I'll update this post with a photo the next time I make this *craveable* dessert!