I planted something!

Tomatoes. Yummy, sweet, summer tomatoes - fresh off the vine! Oh boy, I can hardly wait! The last 2 years I've been really disappointed with the Farmer's Market tomatoes, so I'm taking matters into my own hands. Even if it means cutting a hole in my very expensive lawn because that's where the sunniest spot is.



Friday night, after work... we're driving home and did an impromptu detour - to Lowe's Home & Garden Center. I had had the tomatoes on my mind for a few weeks now, so I just decided to bit the bullet and do it. While walking around looking for stuff we didn't need, we spotted these cute little kid's gardening sets, and since they had a Disney Princess design... well, we of course had to get it! Then, something to plant of course, so we got Charlotte some sunflowers. She was beyond excited. We came home and immediately went out back. I planted the tomatoes, and she planted her seeds. Wish us luck!

Update: July 15th. See below! They're doing good! We've eaten quite a few of these sweet tomatoes... and as you can see, more are coming :)

Next year I'm planting 3 times as many-- They're THAT good.

Pretty Fingerling Potatoes

I love Whole Foods. We have a huge one in southern California (in Tustin) and it's so inspiring to just walk through and pick up all the beautiful veggies.

So I got these fingerling potatoes and decided to roast them. Simple, but always a classic. Since there were 3 different kinds, I cut them in different shapes for character (the reds in circles, the purple were diced, and the whites were cut lengthwise).

I tossed them in olive oil, some fresh rosemary, and dried, granulated garlic (fresh garlic would burn in the high heat). Then added some red carrots and Nature's Sweet cherry tomatoes.

Baked @ 425 until golden. Seasoned with s & p after they came out of the oven.

Blueberry Limeade Martini

It's warm outside ... so I was in the mood for something refreshing. But not a beer.

Opened the fridge. Hmmm. I have Limeade.... and in the freezer I have some frozen blueberries. So far so good.

But do I just do boring vodka?

I'm in the mood for something a little different.

How about a little lemon vodka, and then some Hendricks?

Muddle a couple blueberries with a little ice.

Add 1 oz. vodka,

1 oz. Hendricks,

4 oz. Limeade.

No sweetener for me. You can add Agave if you like.

Add more ice, shake, serve. Perfect.

(makes two modest sized drinks, or one honkin' big one)

Swordfish Steaks with Dijon Butter Sauce

I've been trying to think of a way I could keep this food blog going, because I do really love it, but ever since I started my new company at the beginning of this year, it has just been SO busy that I barely have the energy at the end of the day to cook anything, much less cook something fancy, photograph it, and then write up a post about it. So, to match my new life of "home cooked fast food," my posts will from now on will probably just be pictures and ingredients for inspiration. No recipes. I know most of the people who read this can cook anyway, so for most of us (me anyway) we just like seeing what other people cook, just to get ideas for our own version of something similar. And maybe it will even somehow get me out of my own cooking funk. :)

I think I'll start with this easy swordfish dish.

I had a dish like this once at a place called Jazz de Opus in Portland in the 90's. That was back when they had a great chef. I think they're closed now... but anyway. They simply pan seared swordfish in butter & olive oil, seasoned with salt & pepper - then made a simple sauce to go over with butter, a little bit of stock, and dijon mustard. The combination of flavors go very well with swordfish. Remember to cook the fish medium-rare, as overcooked swordfish is tough as a boot.

POACHED GULF SHRIMP with GARLIC BUTTER FOR DIPPING

Gulf shrimp, poached (shell on) in water flavored with bay leaf, lime juice, red pepper flakes, salt and thyme.

Dip in lightly browned butter with a tiny bit of fresh garlic and some red pepper flake.

MASCARPONE MASHED POTATOES FLAVORED WITH FRESH RAMPS

My first post back after a LONG break had to be something easy. I've had total "cookers block" the last few months. I started a new business, and it's just been hectic. I rarely cook anymore because at the end of the day I'm too tired to deal with it. But I'm slowly getting back into things. I'm forcing myself because I'm sick of eating pork chops and roast beef.

So, first up - a side with a seasonal twist. Mashed potatoes with ramps! Ramps (Allium tricoccum) are those great oniony-garlicky things that have a unique and delicious flavor that is familiar, yet unique. Mine are flown in to me each year at this time, and I always try to make something new each year.

Because my 3 year old was going to be eating these, I diced the ramps pretty small. If it were for adults, I would have probably left them larger. Whatever your preference is.

Sautee in butter with a little salt & pepper.

Since I'm a busy mom - I didn't warm the milk and mascarpone in a pan.

We used the microwave :)

Add the ramps & butter to the milk, black pepper, a dash more salt to taste,

and then a drizzle of olive oil (makes me feel as if it's healthy now).

I prefer a ricer for my mashed potatoes. Not only is it easy, but you don't have to work the potatoes as much, which prevents them from getting gluey.

Turns out... I should have made a double batch. The bowl was drained instantly.

Q: Where can I buy ramps?

A: We get ours from Doug. :) You can e-mail him at wrn453(at)aol.com and he will gladly add you to his mailing list to remind you when it is ramp season, and you can order fresh ramps from him too! He also sells them here during season.

EGGNOG MARTINI

I accidentally poured eggnog into my coffee the other morning, thinking it was half & half. It was not good.

This cocktail, however, is delicious! I poured the eggnog on purpose this time. No traditional rum. This is lighter.... a "girlie" drink.

EGGNOG MARTINI:

3 oz Vanilla Vodka

5 oz Eggnog

Light shake of Cinnamon (optional)

Candy Cane or Chocolate Pretzel garnish

Add ingredients into shaker, add ice. Shake. Pour into martini glass. Drink :)

Memories from the Hotel Bel-Air

There are a few "Old Hollywood" Hotels here in the Los Angeles area that hold a gold mine of history ... and the Hotel Bel-Air is one of them. Famous guests like Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor and Grace Kelly hung out there and took shelter in the privacy the hotel provided.

That was long time ago though, and let's face it, styles have changed a lot since the 1940's. I guess that is why the Hotel Bel-Air has chosen to close down for two years and do a complete remodel. And when they say complete, they mean complete! Everything down to the doorknobs were removed from the hotel and moved to a location in Santa Monica for a "mega garage sale" of sorts. They sold everything; art, furniture, linens, shower heads, beds ... and all the KITCHEN STUFF! Silverware, napkins, dishes, pans, teapots. EVERYTHING. The professional stuff too! I got to the sale a bit late, but I did manage to score a huge (and very heavy) awesome stainless steel industrial stock pot, a mandoline, and this sterling silver cocktail shaker....

Now, every time I make a martini or chicken broth -- I'll daydream and wonder if the same pot made soup for Jackie Gleason, or if the same shaker made a martini for Cary Grant? You never know...

Cook your Turkey BREAST SIDE DOWN

Cooking the bird "upside down" ... it's not as pretty a presentation - but it makes for much tastier white meat!

This is a post I first did last year for chicken. Today it's about turkey! (so pretend that is a picture of a turkey, and not chicken in a dutch oven).

Actually, turkey is where it began. My mom always cooked the turkey upside down. Upside down, and in a brown paper bag. This is the way I always do it too, because I know it always turns out perfect. The only thing I've added to the overall preparation is that now I'll brine the birds as well. Triple threat!

Does the chicken in this pot look odd at all? It's because it's upside down. Breast side down instead of the way we're used to seeing it - breast side up. My mom always did this with the holiday turkeys, so why not do it with chicken.

1 Whole chicken - drop it into an oven safe dish that you have a lid for. Add a generous amount of salt and pepper. You could stop there and add only a bit of olive oil, but I also like to add a good sprinkling of onion powder & garlic powder, a little paprika, and a little dried oregano. Drizzle a good amount of olive oil over it, then rub it all in real good.

I cook it uncovered at 375 for about 30 minutes, then turn it down to 325, cover it and slow cook it for another 2 hours. It really renders the juices, and creates a very rich, dark carmel-like sauce. Add desired vegetables, a little water (1 cup) and white wine (1 cup) in the last 45 min. When done, the liquid will be reduced down to a thick goo and you'll have a yummy sauce for drizzling over the chicken.

OK, so here is what happens. The breast meat is sitting at the bottom of the pot, drenched in all the juices and fat and it just drinks it up. Like I said, not as pretty - but so much tastier.

Taken right out of the pot - juicy and moist. If you cut this piece of breast meat in half, you'll see the gorgeous caramel colored juice in-between each and every fiber. Go ahead, click on the picture to supersize it... you know you want to.

BRAISED PORK BELLY

So, let's take a poll: Is there anyone here who doesn't like fatty, melt in your mouth pork?

I didn't think so.

Pork, when slow cooked and allowed to just get all tender and juicy, is just one of my most favorite things in the whole. wide. world.

Pork belly is now starting to pop up in fancy restaurants as appetizers and sometimes it's good, sometimes it isn't. To be really good, it has to be slow cooked, like ribs, so the fat is still intact, but as soon as you take a bite it just melts like butter. I happen to looooooove Charlie Palmer's version of pork belly.

This is my version.....

Pork belly is basically unsmoked bacon. I got mine at the Asian market. It's not salty, not cured at all. And, it had the rind. You can take the rind off, but why would you want to? It cooks up so crispy it'll rattle your brain when you eat it. "Cracklins" is what they call it in the south. Soooo yummy!

With all this fat, this is best as an appetizer type dish, rather than a main dish, so I cut it in smaller pieces, each serving is about 2 ounces. Salt each side generously and place into a 325 oven. I like to use a grill pan so the fat has somewhere to go, and the pork doesn't confit in it's own fat. You're looking for tender ... not crispy. Well, the rind can be crispy, but that should be the only part.

If your rind is on, you need to score it before cooking because it contracts quite a bit, and it will totally jack-up the look of your piece of pork belly. And do this the way you want to cut it, because after it cooks, you can not cut through it.

I put my pork in the oven, at 325, for about an hour. But ovens vary, so check yours after about 40 minutes. You're looking for tender pork, and the fat all crispy at the edges - yet almost liquid inside. Crispy is OK, but if you cook it too long it will melt too much fat away and then it'll just be tender, lean pork. Sorta missing the point of the whole "equal parts of meat/fat" thing.

Since it is not salty, I like to add some flakey sea salt or even rock salt on the portions, then I drizzle the plate with agave nectar. If you haven't had agave nectar, it's very good - similar to honey and even a little bit like maple syrup. It's a great sweet & salty thing :)