Pour Me a Guinness!

Everyone's favorite holiday is upon us! St. Patrick's day! Origin's aside (let's be honest... it's become a real good excuse to drink in excess) St. Patrick's day is also the one day a year where everyone becomes a huge fan of Irish cuisine. Most people go straight for the corned beef and cabbage, myself? I wanted to experiment a little. While perusing two of my favorite recipe sites- Epicurious (a compilation of gourmet magazine's and cook book recipe's) and foodgawker (a site for food bloggers to share their achievements) I came across two recipes that sounded right up my alley with one common factor- Guinness!! The most delicious and surprisingly low calorie beer out there can also add a unique depth to both desserts and savory dishes. To showcase this beer in both aspects I tried two different recipes- Guinness Chocolate pudding with a Guinness Whipped Cream topping and Guinness & Onion Soup with Irish Cheddar Crouton.

Chocolate Guinness Goodness
Created By Chef Shane Coffey of Alias Restaurant in NYC

Ingredients:
8 large egg yolks
1 cup sugar
One 14.9-ounce can Guinness Draught
3 cups heavy cream
7 ounces high-quality bittersweet (70 to 72% cacao) chocolate, finely chopped

In large nonreactive mixing bowl, whisk together egg yolks and sugar.
Open can of Guinness and slowly pour into large measuring cup with a pour spout, pouring down side of cup to reduce foaming. Pour half of Guinness (about 7 ozs) into heavy-bottomed 3-quart saucepan. Add 2 1/4 cups cream and whisk to combine. Set over medium heat and heat, whisking occasionally, until bubbles just begin to form at edges. Remove from heat, add chocolate, and whisk until smooth.
Slowly pour hot chocolate mixture into eggs, whisking constantly to prevent curdling. ( I cheated a little here to both save my arm strength- of which I have none, and ensure consistency I used my hand mixer on a low setting in my right hand while drizzling the chocolate mixture into the eggs with my left) Return mixture to saucepan and set over moderately low heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until mixture thickens and coats back of spoon, about 15 minutes. (Pudding will look separated.) Pour into blender (to save myself some cleaning I again used my hand mixer in a bowl this time on high.... there may have been some light splattering... whatever a clean kitchen is a wasted kitchen) and blend on high for 1 minute. Divide pudding among glasses, leaving at least 1 inch of space at top of each. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled and set.
Meanwhile, pour remaining Guinness into small saucepan and bring to boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to moderately low and simmer, uncovered, until reduced to 1 tablespoon, about 20 minutes. Pour syrup into small bowl and let cool.
Beat remaining cream until soft peaks form. Add Guinness syrup and beat until combined. Divide cream among 6 glasses of pudding and serve.

I brought this treat to my weekly Glee watching party and it was very well received (granted it was just Abbie and her mom... but they really liked it!) Definitely one I would make again. The pudding is VERY rich but has a nice silky texture and the whipped topping really offsets the richness but without mussing with the flavor too much since they both have the silky hint of Guinness in them


Guinness & Onion Soup with Irish Cheddar Crouton
From Michael Chiarello Via The Fake Ginger (blog)

2 tablespoons olive oil
5 cloves garlic, minced
8 cups thinly sliced yellow onions (about 2 large onions)
Salt
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
1/4 cup sherry vinegar
1 1/2 cups Guinness Draught (not Stout)
6 cups beef stock
1 bay leaf
Country bread loaf, cut into six 1/2-inch thick slices, then toasted
1/2 lb Irish Cheddar, thinly sliced

Heat the olive oil in a 6 quart Dutch oven over high heat. Stir in the garlic and cook until just fragrant. Add the onions, season with salt and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often. Reduce the heat to medium-low and saute the onions for another 20 to 30 minutes (really take your time here you want these onions to be melt in your mouth), stirring occasionally until they are a deep amber color.
Add the thyme, vinegar and beer. Cook until the liquid is reduced by half, then add the beef stock and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer and continue to cook for 20 more minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the broiler and set out individual oven-proof soup bowls. Discard the bay leaf, then use a ladle to transfer the soup to the individual bowls. Top with toasted bread slices, then 3-4 slices of the cheddar cheese. Broil until the cheese is bubbly and slightly browned. Serve piping hot.

I have recently become a great lover of French Onion soup. The thing I love the most about it is the richness of the beefy broth and the stringy cheese with the bread soaking up the flavors. I have to say in all these aspects this recipe fell short. However to pay proper respect to this recipe- it was still very tasty and was a unique item on its own with just a similar style to classic french onion soup. I may have chosen a beef stock that wasn't going to bring the depth I was looking for. Some people also may not like an overly beefy broth. The Irish cheddar is a really tasty cheese though it doesn't quite get that stringy quality when melting into the soup. Try it for yourself and let me know what you think!

Hunger - Seattle

I recently took a trip up to visit a long time college friend who is a Seattle native. I have been up to visit him a few times before but since my last visit I was pleased to discover that he had moved to a new area which meant new adventures. Given some free time while he had to work I got to indulge in a little me time discovering his wonderful little neighborhood. This area north of downtown Seattle, home to Dave Matthews as well as the famous Fremont troll statue under the bridge (10 Things I Hate About You anyone?? before we realized Joseph Gordon Leavitt is actually smoking hot), in my opinion typifies the ideals of Seattle life. The main Fremont Ave drag is full of unique individual restaurants, yoga studios, homeopathic remedy shops, as well as a grocer and free trade coffee shop with vegan pastries. In the morning I took in Caffe Vita where I had an excellent soy latte and a slice of some kind of breakfast bread packed with all sorts of seeds and other things that I don't doubt were exceptionally healthy for me and my digestive system.

I took the next hour after that to walk the avenue looking for dinner prospects. This was how I first came across Hunger. Marketing it's self as an American tapas style restaurant the menu looked inventive and unique, but the price point was just above what I was hoping to spend on dinner that evening. Turns out I was in luck! Later that night while browsing my UrbanSpoon iPhone app I discovered that Hunger in fact had an amazing Happy Hour deal and I was just in time to enjoy a full hour of it! I quickly walked down to check it out.

Although there were plenty of available tables the tine bar was packed full of locals enjoying the happy hour specials. I was lucky enough to get a single seat at the end of the bar and settled in to check out my dining options. The Happy Hour Menu featured 6 unique sounding specialty cocktail options, a white and red wine by the glass, and about 7 tapas plates- all for just $5 a piece. I started with the featured glass of red which was a nice Chianti and perused my dining options. I have recently had a growing affinity for beets and chose to start with the Beet salad. What an exciting flavor combination. The salad was plated with paper thin disks of roasted beet on the bottom and topped with micro greens tossed in an aged balsamic vinaigrette with smoky toasted nuts and goat cheese. I think the most delicious surprise in this dish for me was the smokiness from the mixed nuts which seemed to permeate the cheese as well, overall a sweet, smoky, tangy, and fresh dish that was gobbled down (guilt free) by yours truly.

Since I was so impressed with the salad and the service I decided to keep going and ordered the Boar Sliders with Fennel slaw and the Truffled french fries. I had already struck up a rapport with the bartender who as it happened was an amazing Mixologist and had come up with some exceptionally unique and tantalizing cocktail concoctions. I asked for his suggestion of one of the features to pair with my sliders and fries and he went with the whisky rose. Normally I'm not a whisky drinker but after it was described to me I thought I would give it a try. For this cocktail the bartender combine whisky, apple juice, cranberry juice, and a house made rose water simple syrup. Wow! Shaken and poured over ice this drink is delightfully light the essence from the rose water making it exceptionally unique. Sweet but not sugary this beverage would be the perfect thing on a patio on a a warm summer day. I hope to be able to recreate it for myself because it was far to good to only have once. My sliders and truffle fries did not disappoint either. The boar was cooked in the style of pulled pork and the fennel slaw made the perfect crunchy cooling condiment. The truffle fries really hit the spot as well. And all this for $25 ++ What a steal!!!

I'm not sure when I'll be able to visit the area again, chances are it will be awhile, but I sincerely hope hope that Hunger is still going strong!

To Check out their full sample Menu click here! Hunger

Valentine's day Chocolate Tart

I realize it is a little late for a valentine's post unfortunately the time to put fingers to keys to get this recipe in just did not come between my making this decadent rich dessert and the day actually passing. None the less you can make any day romantic and special by making this tart! Even if it is just for your other soul mates- your girlfriends (women everywhere thank you Carrie Bradshaw!)

I found this on my favorite recipe web site - epicurious. It was originally from Gourmet magazine's September 2008 issue.

Ingredients:
For crust:

• 9 (5- by 2 1/4-inch) chocolate graham crackers (not chocolate-covered), finely ground (1 cup)
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1/4 cup sugar

For filling:

• 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
• 9 ounces bittersweet chocolate (not more than 65% cacao if marked), chopped
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

For glaze:

• 2 tablespoon heavy cream
• 1 3/4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon light corn syrup
• 1 tablespoon warm water

Equipment:

• a 9-inch round fluted tart pan (1 inch deep)

Make crust:
Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.

Stir together all ingredients and press evenly onto bottom and 3/4 inch up side of tart pan. Bake until firm, about 10 minutes. Cool on a rack 15 to 20 minutes

Make filling:
Bring cream to a boil, then pour over chocolate in a bowl and let stand 5 minutes. Gently stir until smooth. Whisk together eggs, vanilla, and salt in another bowl, then stir into melted chocolate.

Pour filling into cooled crust. Bake until filling is set about 3 inches from edge but center is still wobbly, 20 to 25 minutes. (Center will continue to set as tart cools.) Cool completely in pan on rack, about 1 hour.

Make glaze:
Bring cream to a boil and remove from heat. Stir in chocolate until smooth. Stir in corn syrup, then warm water

Pour glaze onto tart, then tilt and rotate tart so glaze coats top evenly. Let stand until glaze is set, about 1 hour.

My experience making this dish found it to be much easier than expected. I do suggest that you make sure the graham crackers a ground VERY VERY fine and I would use more butter than they suggest my crust crumbled to easily. Pack it in very well and definitely let it cool the whole way. I may even suggest (GASP!!) purchasing the chocolate crust. I know this pretty much goes against everything I love about cooking but a nice strong crust can really let the filling shine!

Good luck and good eating!

Fresca!

When you think of Peruvian cuisine what do you think of? ...... not much come to mind? That was me until last Friday night. Visiting San Francisco's West Portal neighborhood you can find just about any style of cuisine your little heart desires- Sushi, Pizza, Chinese, Indian, American Cafe fare, Classic San Francisco Seafood Melts, Bagels, and not only a Starbucks but also a Peets! West Portal Ave really has it all. On a search for Thai food (turns out this may be the one thing they no longer have) we stumbled upon Fresca, a seated Peruvian restaurant with classy dim lighting and exciting Cultural art pieces. The layout initially reminded me of a few of the small independently owned restaurants I had been to in the city's residential neighborhoods, small but busting to the brim with tables with a long bar at the back. Walking into the restaurant I could see a number of dishes on the tables of nearby diners that looked fantastic so I was confident we were in for a treat. During our short wait we perused the menu and got a feel for what Peruvian cuisine really meant. Fresh fish was by far the most prominent menu item, with multiple ceviches on their appetizer list as well as scallops, prawns, crab, and octopus dishes. Although we chose to forgo the appetizers this time around we were presented with bread in a tall cone shape metal basket. The bread was soft and slightly sweet and was served with a tangy olive tapenade. For our main courses we each went a different direction. I had the paella - aji panca spiced rice, packed with calamari, clams, mussels, prawns, fish, scallops, chicken and chorizo. Abbie had the lenguado - pan roasted halibut, crispy risotto cake, steamed spinach, aji panca beurre blanc. Andrew had the espinacas y cangrejo - spinach and crab salad, crispy avocado, feta cheese, candied walnuts, creamy tarragon dressing. And my Dad had a elegantly plated sea bass (description was not available on the website).

On presentation alone these dishes get 5 stars. Each was unique and well composed. The flavors were vibrant as well. All the seafood in my dish tasted fresh and sweet just as it should nothing over cooked. The rice was the perfect al dente texture as well. The sumptuous butter sauce over Abbie's Halibut was to die for and we enjoyed a unique treat in the breaded and fried pieces of avocado from Andrew's salad. As we enjoyed each of our dishes a new table was seated next to us and owed and awed at our plates asking what each dish was and what we suggested. Not one dish disappointed and we all left full and very happy. I hope to return soon to check out some of the appetizer dishes and intriguing sounding desserts as well! If you enjoy an excuse to explore a new neighborhood in SF West Portal is a great place to check out and Fresca will leave you with a fun new experience you won't soon forget.

Fresca has 3 Locations in San Francisco, visit the website to learn about each one!

Risotto- a Labor of Love

When I began really cooking on my own more than anything I was drawn to the idea of mastering techniques that are considered daunting by many. I wanted to really break them down and see what it was that made them scary. My first project was risotto. I looked first to Ina Garten who is my culinary idol for her class and ease with both cooking and entertaining. Any time I am trying something new I like to browse a number of sources to compare and contrast their ingredients, cooking styles, and advice. I was most drawn to Ina's Spring Green Risotto from her Back To Basics cookbook. After working with this recipe and a few others I have fallen into a technique for basic risotto that I will share with you below along with suggestions of things to add in to customize it for yourself!

In a large saucepan or french oven heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil, one medium diced yellow onion, and a couple diced garlic cloves (I say a couple because most recipes call for 2 large....I tend to use 4 or 5) over medium heat. Take the time to let the onions really cook down till they are translucent soft and sweet, about 5 -8 minutes. When they reach this point add in 2 cups of dry Arborio rice. In my experience this is about half the Trader Joe's package. Mix well letting the rice start to absorb any liquid released by the onions and garlic. Next add about a half cup of dry white wine. This often turns out to be whatever white wine I happen to have lying around. This begins the part of risotto making that turns many people off but is actually one of my favorite parts. The never ending stirring. Personally, I find this very therapeutic and a great way to unwind at the end of a hectic week. To slow down my mind, focus on the task at hand, and stir away my concerns. Slowly stir the rice as it absorbs the wine making sure it isn't sticking to the bottom of the pan, as soon as it is absorbed almost fully begin adding the chicken (or veggie if you prefer) stock in small splashes. Most recipes suggest adding the stock by the 1/2 cupful. I am frankly to lazy to measure that so I just do one pour from the box around the pot so it looks brothy but not thin and begin to stir again. Many recipes also suggest the use of hot stock. I find that room temperature works just fine. Ultimately you will use one standard size box of prepared stock. If you want a recipe with stock made from scratch - well I don't doubt there are plenty out there!

For the next half hour pour and stir, stir and pour, until you have run out of stock and the rice has fully bloated and creamy pearls. Take your time to really let each stock addition absorb. Don't rush risotto, I promise you will not be pleased with your results. It is now time to add the cheeses. At the most basic I will add half an 8 oz container of mascarpone cheese to really add to the creamy texture and also lend a slight sweetness to the dish along with a generous hand full of Parmesan cheese. Season with salt, pepper, and your herb of choice and Voila! You are done! Of course this recipe is really just a canvas for you to create your own culinary artwork on. Risotto is a fantastic vehicle for any number of vegetables and proteins. A few of my personal favorites:

Wild Mushroom: Chop into bite sized pieces your favorite varieties of mushroom such as shitake, porcini (which most frequently come dried and will require some reconstituting), or my favorite Crimini (baby portabella). Saute the mushrooms with a little butter or olive oil (be careful not to crowd them in the pan so the don't get mushy) for 3 to 4 min till they have cooked through. Set them aside to be added about halfway through the cooking process.

Pancetta: Get some very thinly sliced pancetta from the deli of your grocery store. Chop it roughly into pieces and add to the pan along with the onions and garlic. You may want to saute at this stage a little longer than you would have with just the onion and garlic.

Quattro Formaggi (4 Cheese): along with the Mascarpone, and Parmesan I like to add some Asiago and goat cheese to create this one!

Mixed Veggie: I have tried both diced and grated zucchini and squash and I have yet to really decide which is better so try either for yourself! If you are going to grate fresh zucchini into the risotto I suggest waiting till just before the last addition of stock so it can maintain it's color. If you would like more bite sized pieces, either blanch or saute the pieces before adding them also around the same time. The same can be said for small broccoli florets, cubed butternut squash or other seasonal veg.

Get Creative and let me know how yours turns out!

Basic Ingredient List:

2 Table Spoons Olive Oil
1 Medium Yellow Onion
2 - 4 Large Cloves of Garlic
2 cups Arborio Rice
1/2 Cup Dry White Wine
1 32oz Carton of Chicken or Vegetable Stock
4 oz (Half a container) of Mascarpone Cheese
Parmesan Cheese to taste
Salt, pepper, and herbs to season (my favorite is thyme)

How Wine Became Modern @ SF MOMA

Learning can be fun! One of the great joys of getting older and no longer being trapped in an institution of higher education where you quickly forget things you have no interest in and are motivated solely by the promise that this is the only path to a fulfilling life, is that you can finally enjoy learning about things you find interesting! Always looking for something sophisticated to do up in San Francisco I was thrilled to see the Museum of Modern Art is featuring a new installation centered around one of my favorite interests, wine! "How Wine Became Modern" is a multi-sensory multi-media learning experience showcasing the world wide grasp of the wine industry.



Although it only takes up a small portion of one floor this exhibit had so much to offer. When initially entering you are greeted by a large scale painting of a tasting panel from one of the first international wine competitions (a depiction of the panel known as "The Judgement of Paris" that judged the Chateau Montelena Chardonnay- putting California wine on the map for France). This was huge turning point in the globalization of the wine industry which becomes an important theme throughout the exhibit. From here the exhibits starts exactly where it should when teaching about wine, it starts with the soil. 17 prime wine growing regions from around the world are featured with soil samples as well as intrinsic information about the terroir in which the various grapes were grown. Not only was this portion of the exhibit informative it was also visually interesting with dim ambient lighting punctuated by back lit wine bottles of different varietals from each region. Forming a wide hallway this portion of the exhibit was capped by a digital video presentation showing the chronological growth of wine world wide as it coincided with important historical events.



Entering the second portion of the exhibit viewers are greeted first by a full size vine and root suspended above a mirrored surface to show what is rarely seen by the eye. I was most fascinated by the fact that both the above and below ground portions were almost the same size. The room is filled out by a huge wall installation of a vast variety of wine bottle art, designated by style and theme. Some simple, others intricate works of art it was fun to browse all the bottles and see some that I was familiar with and others that I hope to try. Bottle art is frequently one of the primary selling points for the novice wine drinker. This piece was a true testament to the culture that has grown from that mind set. Along with bottle art this portion also featured many pieces of both usable and simply artistic glassware including some really intriguing and gorgeous decanters.



The third portion of the exhibit then began to delve in the growing interest in winery architecture. With both pictures and models of wineries from around the world it was fascinating to see what true pieces of grand scale artwork many of these properties are. No two were alike and spectrum ran the gamut from classical and rustic, to truly modern and flamboyant.



Though I was not particularly drawn to it there were a few video pieces available to watch, both for entertainment value and education.



Rounding out the multi sensory experience, the wine aroma portion was the perfect way to finish (and by far my favorite part). Along the last wall were decanted pours of a variety of wines sealed with a stem and squeeze ball to pump the aroma into a funnel letting the observers smell for themselves the different styles and learn how to recognize some of the descriptors such as petrol, black pepper, and flowers. Each sample was a distinct learning opportunity and in my opinion was a wonderful way to give novice tasters the information and experience of identifying these smells for themselves.



All in all this was a very fun and well put together exhibit. It will continue to be featured at the Museum of Modern Art till April 17 so if you have a chance go check it out!



http://www.sfmoma.org/

By Popular Demand

In recent months I have found great joy in bragging to friends and family about things I am cooking and eating. Usually I send them pictures. I realize this sounds mean... that's probably because it is. I like to eat well! I also love the feeling of accomplishment I get learning a new technique or successfully creating a new recipe. When I day dream I menu plan. Now I want to share these day dreams and dining adventures with all of you. Every other week I'll be publishing a culinary related entry on what I'm cooking, where I'm eating out, or something in the Wine & Food industry that I find exciting! I hope you all enjoy and maybe get inspired to try something new in the center of your plate.