The Fumbling Foodie

The Park Restaurant, Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles

On a recent business trip I visited The Park Restaurant, 1400 Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles.  

If you are in the neighborhood you must go. Unique food.  Staff that really cares about the food and how it is prepared.

One of the starters on the menu is Mini Cornmeal Pancakes with seared shrimp, chipotle butter, roasted tomato salsa and mexican creme.  I could have eaten them until I burst.

Mothers Day: Blackberry Stuffed French Toast

It's Mothers Day. Even though my son is grown up and gone, I try to make Mothers Day special for my Sweet Lady Wife.

(I still remember the Mothers Day morning many years ago when I was in the kitchen preparing breakfast. I don't remember exactly what event transpired but I remember muttering, "I screwed up". My son, about six years old at the time, was at my side 'helping'. He promptly went to his mother, patiently waiting in bead for breakfast, and said, "Daddy screwed up.") 

Blackberry Stuffed French Toast 

1/2 cup blackberries 

1/2 cup powdered sugar 

8 oz cream cheese 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

4 eggs 

1/2 cup milk 

1 teaspoon almond extract 

1 loaf soft French bread 

2 tablespoons butter 

Beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy, then fold in the blackberries. 

Whisk the eggs, milk, and almond extract together in a shallow container. 

Cut slices of bread about two inches think. Cut on the diagonal instead of straight across the loaf. Cut a pocket into each slice and spoon in 2-3 spoonfulls of the blackberry mixture. Dip the slices in the egg mixture and let them sit for a few minutes. Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat. Melt the butter and put the slices in the pan. Cook slowly until golden brown.

Gourmet Meal for Two: $14.01

I don't often talk about the cost of the meals I prepare but with today's economy I wanted to point out that you can eat very well and cheaply at the same time.

A well-known local French Bistro charges $29 for Dover Sole Meuniere. I created double-portions for two (my wife and I each had TWO filets) for $6.54. It takes about 10 minutes to prepare Sole Meuniere. Granted, there's comes with three vegetables. We're eating a little lighter these days and so my version was served with one veg: Braised Leeks.

Never had braised Leeks, you say? Oh you are in for a melt-in-your-mouth treat. Factoring in the price of the leeks, I spent $14.01 on the ingredients for this exquisite meal.

Sole Meuniere

1-2 boneless, skinless Dover Sole filets per person
3-4 Tablespoon clarified butter or ghee
1/2 Tablespoon chopped fresh parsley per filet
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter per filet

Pat the filets dry, lightly salt and pepper them.

Set the saute pan over high heat and add the clarified butter. Let the butter get hot but not to the point where it starts to brown. Quickly dust each filet with flour and lay them in the pan. Don't crowd them. My 12-inch sautee pan holds four filets comfortably.

Let them saute for a minute or two and then turn them over. Be careful: sole filets are thin and fragile. It helps to have a spatula designed specifically for turning fish. When the filets have cooked a minute or so on the second side remove them from the pan to a warm plate, sprinkle with parsley, and cover with foil.

Drain the butter from the pan and use a couple of paper towels to wipe the pan clean. Put the pan over high heat and add the unsalted butter. When the butter has melted and is bubbling, pour it over the filets.

The leeks, you say?

Shuna Fish Lydon's exquisite leek recipe can be found here.

Roasted Salmon on Braised Spinach

"Meat and Potatoes", said my Sweet Lady Wife, meaning what she wanted for dinner. As I was pondering that, she added, "Fish is a meat." Well, not to me but what the heck.

I keep a folder in my browser full of bookmarks for interesting recipes and I started thru it for fish. I found this recipe that I bookmarked over three years ago: Roasted Salmon on Braised Spinach. Simple; Uses spinach which the garden is producing in abundance; Most of the ingredients were on hand. Sold.

Not only did it taste good, it was one of the prettiest meals I have made in a long time.

Roasted Salmon on Braised Spinach

2 Salmon fillets, skin on
1 teaspoon chopped fresh dil
1/4 teaspon paprika
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Enough spinach to loosely fill a 4-qt mixing bowl
2 large shallots, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 500F

Lay the salmon down on a foil-lines rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with dill, paprika, pepper, and a spritz of lemon juice. Set aside for the moment.

Heat a large non-stick saute pan over medium-high heat. Saute the shallots in the olive oil for 3-4 minutes, until they begin to brown. Add the spinach a handful at a time, toss. When the spinach wilts, add a spritz of lemon juice. Salt and peper to taste.

About half-way through the process of cooking the spinach, put the salmon into the oven. I used a thermometer to check doneness (135F, 18-10 minutes). When the salmon is done, remove from the oven.

Place the spinach on individual plates. Pull a bit of the salmon skin away form the filet, grab the skin with some tongs, and slide a thick spatula between the filet and the skin to neatly remove it. Place the fillet on top of the bed of spinach and serve

Swiss Chard, Part Deaux

A few days ago, I made this Swiss Chard recipe again. Because we were also serving beef, I left out the sirloin. I also added some sliced button mushrooms.

It was just as good.

Sauteed Swiss Chard with Baby Dutch Potatoes and Sirloin Strips

We have a bumper crop of Swiss Chard. I was afraid that row in the new garden wasn't going to give us much but the weather warmed up a little and BAM! After looking at it in the morning, I new that I would be preparing Swiss Chard for dinner.

The internet abounds with sauteed Swiss chard recipes - I wanted to try something a little different. Could I come up with an all-in-one dish? My Sweet Lady Wife is a meat-and-potatoes gal, so I needed to figure out how to put those in there as well.

Time for an experiment. No recipe. Totally winging it. TIme to put on the helmeet, goggles, and parachute. They don't call me the Fumbling Foodie for nothing.

And for added measure, I decided to live stream this experiment via ustream as well as record it. 'Why?', you ask. For the same reason they have a camera on the EOD guys when they work: If something went wrong, at least someone might figure out what it was. Unfortunately the sound volume is a little low. Next time I'll fix that.

The results were outstanding. We loved it. Here's the recipe. SInce I didn't really measure anyting, the quantities are approximate:

Enough Swiss Chard leaves to fill an 8qt bowl
2 slices applewood smoked bacon
1 small boneless sirloin, filet mignon, or other high-quality beef
1 garlic clove, sliced
1 can low-sodium beef broth
3/4 pound Dutch baby potatoes, peeled.
1/4 cup white wine
1/8 cup julienned sun-dried tomatoes.

Slice the beef into very thin strips.

Wash the Swiss chard. Cut the center stalk out of each leaf and then tear the leaves into chunks about 2-inches square.

Fry the bacon in a sauté pan over medium-low heat. When the bacon is crisp, remove it from the pan. Add the garlic. Let the garlic sauté just until it starts to brown, then remove it from the pan and discard it. Add the beef strips. Cook for about 2 minutes then turn each strip over and cook for one minute more. Remove them from the pan and set aside.

Add the wine to the pan and deglaze. Add the beef broth and potatoes. Bring the broth to a boil then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook the potatoes until they are tender when pierced with a fork. Raise the heat to medium-high and cook off almost all the remaining broth.

Begin adding Swiss chard a handful at a time. As it wilts down, add another handful. Repeat. When you have two handfulls left, add the beef and bacon back into the pan. Add the sun-dried tomatoes with the last handful of Swiss chard.

Serves about 4

Restaurants That Twitter

I need some help from my friends.

I've been asked to do some research into the ways restaurants are using Twitter. My list of restaurants is nowhere near complete but I wanted to share it here. If you know of others please feel free to leave a comment. If you own a restaurant that is using Twitter I would love to talk to you:

Ashville, NC:
ninemile

Bethesda, MD:
ChefTony

Boulder, CO:
rbrig2

Buffalo, NY:
Panaros

Denham Springs, LA:
LouisianaCafe

Dublin, Ireland:
herbstreet

Iowa City, IA:
Devotay

Nashville, TN:
OmahaNashville

NYC:
RickshawTruck
waffletruck
TheTreatsTruck

Orlando, FL:
orlandoichiban

Phoenix, AZ:
CrustRestaurant

Portland, OR:
westcafepdx

San Francisco:
12stAmendment

Seattle, WA:
queencitygrill
shultzys

Witchita, KS:
Caffeposto
meadscorner
RiversidePerk
thedonutwhole
Zoomdweebie

Nation-Wide:
Carl's Jr
jasonsdeli
PopeyesChicken
Starbucks
Yats

(A large portion of this list was contributed by OnlineRestaurantMarketing.wordpress.com, many thanks.

Chocolate-Hazelnut Gelato

OK guys, this is it: a rich chocolate dessert that's easy to make.  Perfect for Valentine's day. Just make sure that the chocolate you use is about 70% cocoa or better. And while you are at it, use real vanilla extract.

Chocolate Hazelnut Gelato

2 1/2 cups whole milk

1/2 cup cream

2 eggs, lightly beaten

8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

2 tablespoons vanilla extract

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup cocoa

1 cup hazelnuts, toasted, peeled, and ground

Trader Joe's has the hazel nuts.  They are shelled but raw and unpeeled. Put them on a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer.  Put them in the oven preheated to 350F. Let them roast for 15-20 minutes.  When you can smell that wonderful scent then they are ready.  Remove them from the oven and let them cool completely.

After they've cooled, grab a handful, wrap them up in a dish towel and rub them together.  When you unwrap them, most of the shins will have come off. Don't worry about the skins that are still adhered.  It doesn't matter. I ground the hazelnuts to about the consistency of coffee grounds in my Cuisenart Mini-Prep.

In a medium saucepan, combine the milk, cream, eggs, chocolate chips, vanilla, sugar, cocoa, and half the hazelnuts. Cook over medium heat whisking constantly until the chocolate chips have melted and the mixture just starts to boil.  Strain through a fine sieve and discard the solids. Chill the mixture in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.

Place the chilled mixture and the remaining hazelnuts in an ice cream maker and process.  I have one of these Cuisenart ice cream makers with the built-in refrigeration unit.  No crushed ice to buy.  No rock salt.  No stains on the patio.  Just flip the switch and 45 minutes later you have gelato.

Serves about 6

Stuffed Filet Mignon with Port Wine Sauce

I have prepared this dish several times but I made a couple of small changes that dramatically improved it.  In fact this may be the best beef tenderloin I have ever prepared.

It is a combination of the Beef Tenderloin recipe found in The Cool Mountain Cookbook by Gwen Ashley Walters and the Best Beef Tenderloin article in the March/April 2009 issue of Cook's Illustrated.

4 Filet Mignons or tenderloins, about 2 inches thick

1 slice applewood smoked bacon

1 portabella mushroom cap

8 oz button mushrooms.

1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic

2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary

kosher salt

1 cup port wine

1 finely chopped shallot

1 cup demi-glace

lots of butter

Slice the bacon crosswise into 1/4 inch wide strips. remove the gills from the portabella mushroom using a spoon and cut it into large chunks.   Clean and slice the button mushrooms.

Put the bacon in a cold sautee pan over medium-high heat.  Cook until the bacon begins to brown.  Add the mushrooms, garlic, rosemary, and 1 tablespoon butter. Cook until the mushrooms are tender.  Drain off any liquid and  and place the mushroom mixture in a food processor.  Process until it's the consistency of course meal.  Set aside.

Cut a 1-inch incision in the side of each filet.  Carefully work the knife in so that you've cut a large pocket in the filet. Be careful not to cut all the way through.  Stuff the pocket with the mushroom mixture.

If it is more than one hour before you start cooking, return the filets to the refrigerator.

One hour prior to start of cooking, take the stuffed filets out of the refrigerator, sprinkle them on all sides with kosher salt, and let them sit at room temperature for one hour. Preheat the oven to 300F

Put the filets in a baking dish. Place a slice of butter (preferably european unsalted butter) on top of each and place them in the oven.  I cooked mine until they reached a temperature 150F which on my thermometer is medium-well.

When they filets are almost done, FIre up the range put a a sautee pan with high-temp oil (Tea oil or grapeseed oil) over medium-high heat. When the filets have reached the desired internal temperature in the oven, remove them from the oven and place them directly in the hot sautee pan on the stove.  Sear them for 1-2 minutes until the bottom side is nicely browned.  Turn each filet once, placing another slice of butter on top of each one.  After a minute or two remove the filets from the pan and tent with foil.

Add the shallot and port to the pan and deglaze.  Reduce the port to about 1/4 cup.  Add the demi-glace.  Reduce to the desired consistency.  

Place a filet on each plate and pour a little sauce over each one.

Except for what I've been served at Ruth's Chris, I have never eaten a better steak in my life.

Parmesan Mashed Potatoes

This is my favorite recipe for mashed potatoes.  Unfortunately, it's not my wife's favorite.  

You see, to her, mashed potatoes must have lumps.  If not then the the consistency reminds her of the mashed potatoes you get by using those gawd-awful potato flakes that come in a box.  I'll admit, those are truly bad.

These are different. They have a rich flavor that can come only from gobs of butter and cheese.  Be sure to use authentic imported Parmigiano Reggiano. And use Yukon Golds instead of Russets to avoid ending up with a gluey mess.

Parmesan Mashed Potatoes

3.5 - 5 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, quartered, and rinsed

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1.5 cups whole milk

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 stick unsalted butter

1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano

Salt and pepper

Put the quartered potatoes in a large saucepan with enough water to cover. partially cover the pot and bring to a boil. Uncover, add the kosher salt, and reduce the heat so the water boils gently.  Cook until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.

Meanwhile heat the milk and cream in a separate saucepan until hot but not boiling.

When the potatoes are done, drain them and return them to the still hot pot you cooked them in for about a minute - shaking the pot occasionally - to dry them.  Use a ricer or food mill to mash the potatoes.  Blend the butter and Parmigiano into the potatoes. Gradually add the hot milk/cream mixture until you reach the desired consistency.  Salt and pepper to taste.

The Garden

We planted the garden a little late this year but it seems to be doing OK. From left to right: spinach, romaine lettuce, swiss chard.

Tomato, Squash, and Ginger Bisque

This recipe is from The Garden of Eating Diet cookbook, authored by my good friend Chef Rachel Albert-Matesz. I've modified it a little to include instructions for roasting the squash:

<B>Tomato, Squash, & Ginger Bisque</b>

1 Onion, diced

1 tablespoon minced or grated fresh gingerroot.

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 cup canned diced tomatos

1 cup low sodium chicken broth, divided

1 medium (2-3 pound) butternut squash

3/4 cup coconut milk (I cheated and used cream)

Chives for garnish, chopped

Preheat the oven to 375F.  Coat a rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray. Split the squash lengthwise and place the two halves open side down on the baking sheet.  Roast until a thing knife inserted through the skin easily penetrates the squash.  Remove from the oven, let cool.  Scoop out enough squash to make 1-1/2 cups.  Combine with 1/2 cup of the chicken broth.  Process in a blender or food processor until pureed.

Using a dutch oven or large saucepan, saute the onions in a little olive oil until tender.  Add the ginger, garlic, diced tomatoes, and remaining chicken broth. Cover and bring to a low boil.. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes.

Add the coconut milk, season with salt and pepper to taste.  RUn the mixture through the blender or food processor  until a smooth consistency is achieved..  Ladle into bowls, garnish with the chopped chives.

Dried Herbs vs Fresh Herbs

You needed some fresh thyme.  The supermarket is out.

Two rules of thumb when substituting dried herbs for fresh or vise-versa:

1. If the recipe calls for fresh herbs use one-third of that amount dried.  And vise-versa. (Of course if your jar of dried herbs have been sitting on the shelf for three rears it may take a lot more than that.)

2. Add dried herbs near the beginning of food preparation and fresh herbs near the end.

Potato Leek Soup

Recipe straight out of the Vita-Mix Professional Series cookbook:

2 large leeks

1/4 pound bacon, thinly sliced

4 medium potatoes, peeled and diced

1/2 cup whipping cream

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

pinch sea salt

dash freshly ground black pepper

Slice the white part and half the green part of the leek into 1/2 inch pieces.  wash them thoroughly and drain. In a large saucepan, fry the bacon until slightly crisp.  Add the leeks and saute for 10 minutes.  Add the potatoes, cream, and broth. Simmer until the potatoes are tender.

Place one-third of the mixture in the blender.  Set the Vita-Mix on VARIABLE.  Turn it on and increase the speed to 10. Puree for 15 seconds.  (If not using a Vita-Mix, you may have to strain it.)

Return the pureed mixture to the saucepan, combine and serve.

Sauteed Beef with Rosemary

Proof that you can eat cheaply and still eat well.

My nephew gave me a subscription to Gourmet for Christmas.  Thumbing through it, I spied this recipe for Sauteed Beef with White Wine and Rosemary. I confess: I'm a little burned out on ham and turkey.  When I saw this recicpe, my little inner Homer Simpson said, "UMMMM. BUUURNNNT MEEEAAAT OF THE DEAD COOOOOWWWWW!"

Sirloin is expensive (almost nine bucks a pound at Safeway yesterday!) But I only needed a 1.2 pound package to make enough to feed four people.  Think about it: Ten bucks worth of high-grade beef is enough for four people.  Imagine what that would have cost in a nice restaurant.

The recipe calls for dry white wine.  I used PIno Grigio.  I keep thinking that Madera might work realy well here.  Or some Cab Sav.

1+ pounds boneless sirloin steak

flour

high smoke point oil (Tea oil, grapeseed oil, safflower oil)

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1-2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary

2/3 cup dry white wine

Thinly slice the steak, about 3/16 inch thick.  Toss with flour and a little salt and pepper.

Heat some oil over medium-high heat in a saute pan.  Saute the steak in batches.  Saute until just barely pink and set aside.  Add a little oil to the pan between batches if necessary.

When all the steak has been cooked and removed to a plate, saute the garlic and rosemary until fragrant.  Add the wine and deglaze the pan.  Let the sauce reduce by half, then return the steak to the pan.  Toss to coat.

Mussell Bisque, Roast Beef, Sauteed Mushrooms and Spinach

I spied the January 2009 issue of bon appetit in the magazine rack while waiting in line at the grocery store.  I normally give bon appetit a pass, but I thumbed through this one and it called my name.  I haven't been posting here much because I have been busy.  I have been cooking, but the meals have typically been simple stuff - easy to prepare.  It was time to put some elegance back into my cooking.

Pate de Campagne

The perfect antidote to to many meals starting with chips and salsa.  Not a rich liver pate, the name translates to Country Pate.  It is basically ground pork with some additional pork or bacon fat added for richness. (Yes, I can hear someone saying that it's a cousin to Spam, but there is no comparison.)

Mussel and Fennel Bisque

There it was on page 59 of that issue of bon appetit.  I could already feel that silky-smoothness on my tongue.  I thought for a minute about using clams or crab, but it had been 2 years since I made anything with mussels, so it was settled.  The local high-end grocer (AJs Fine Foods) always has fresh Prince Edward Island Mussels.  Two pounds set me back fourteen bucks. Pricy, but thye've already been scrubbed and debearded.

2 pounds mussels, scrubbed and debearded.

3 cups white wine

2 8 oz bottles of clam juice

3 tablespoons butter

2 1/2 cups diced fennel bulb

1/4 cup diced carrot

2 shallots, chopped

1/4 cup long grain rice

1 teaspoon tomato paste

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1 bay leaf

1 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon brandy

Discard any mussels that are open.  Put them in a large pot along with the wine.  Bring to a boil. Boil until the mussels open, 3-5 minutes. DIscard any mussels that do not open.

Remove the mussels from the pot. Pour the cooking liquid through a fine strainer into a large measuring cup.  Add enough clam juice to make 5 cups liquid.  If you need to add more than the available clam juice then add wine, vegetable stock, or water.    Set aside.

Remove the mussels from the shells. Discard the shells.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat.  Add the fennel. and carrot.  Saute until the fennel is slightly softened.  Add the shallots and saute until soft.  Add the clam juice mixture, rice, tomato paste, thyme, and bay leaf.  Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, partially cover, and simmer until the rice is tender. Discard the bay leaf.

Working in batches, puree in a blender. (I have gotten a lot more use out of this Vita MIx Professional Series 5000 than I thought I would.) Add 3/4 of the mussels to one batch.

Return the pureed liquid to the saucepan over medium-low heat.  Add the cream, brandy, and remaining mussels..  Bring to a simmer, and serve. (Serves 4)

Roast Beef with Dijon-Caper Sauce

For a minute there I was visualizing duck.  AJs Fine Foods has these beautiful duck breasts in the frozen food case.  Duck breast, grilled..... unfortunately my Sweet Lady Wife does care for duck.  Back to Plan A.

The bon appetit recipe called for 'Eye of Round Beef Roast' but Safeway has these Ranchers Reserve Petite Tender Beef FIlets and they never fail to please.  Sold. I love these sear-roasting recipes, they are so easy.

1-1/2 to 2 lb Beef tenderloin

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon high-heat oil - tea oil or grapeseed oil.  Alternatively use a 50-50 mixture of butter and olive oil.

Preheat the oven to 350F. Heat the oil in a large ovenproof skillet.  Add the beef.  Cook, turning occasionally until browned on all sides them put the skillet into the oven.  Stick an oven-proof meat thermometer into the thickest part of the beef..  Roast until the beef has reached the temperature associated with your desired level of doneness. (140-145 for medium).

Remove the skillet from the oven, move the beef to a plate and tent with foil.  Time to make the sauce:

Dijon-Caper Sauce

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon Potato starch or flour

2 cups beef broth

2 tablespoons dijon mustard

2 tablespoons capers

Place the skillet with the juices over medium-high heat.  Add the butter.  Add the potato starch or flour (Since discovering potato starch, it has become my thickener of choice.) Whisk until combined.  Add the beef broth.  Boil until sauce is reduced to your desired thickness. whisk in the mustard and capers. 

Cut the beef crosswise on the diagonal, slicing it about 1/2 inch thick..  Put 3-4 slices on the plate, overlapping them slightly.  Pour the sauce over them.

Sauteed Spinach and Mushrooms

Cooking two courses simultaneously is about my limit.  More than that and things can get out of hand really quickly.  So I knew the vegetable side had to be simple. On the next page of that same issue of bon appetit was a recipe for spinach and mushrooms with truffle oil.  I think the truffle oil would have been great in the bisque, but not on the spinach.  Besides, I didn't have any.  Therefore the recipe devolved into simple sauteed spinach and mushrooms

8 oz button mushrooms, sliced

1 shallot, chopped

1 package fresh baby spinach leaves

2 tablespoons butter

Melt the butter in a saute pan over medium-high heat.  Add the mushrooms, saute until lightly browned.  Add the shallot.  Saute until the shallot is soft.  Add the spinach a handful at a time as it wilts.  When all the spinach is heated through, serve.

Serves 2-3

Now I gotta go clean the kitchen.  Anybody know the number to call FEMA?