Carne Asada Tacos

A popular filling for tacos or burritos is Carne Asada which simply translates to grilled steak and for tonight that's what I cooked, one real nice New York strip steak that thick and well marbled. For the steak I made a marinade using dry Pasilla chillies, charred tomato, onion and garlic that was blended and allowed to soak in the meat for a few hours. Next on the list was to cook it on my stove top grill pan, using high heat with the vent fan set on high to capture all the smoke coming from the pan. The meat achieved a nice char on the outside while locking in all the flavorful juices, (remember to always let the cooked meat rest before cutting) With the meat cooking I made a chunky guacamole using mashed avocado, diced onion, jalapeno, lime juice and plenty of chopped cilantro. It is very common in Mexico to make tacos using two small tortillas stacked together and then filled with the meat and garnish. One strip steak made about ten of these little flavor packed tacos, a good snack for a few people or dinner for two with the addition of beans and rice. Don't forget the ice cold beer!

Perfect Cooked New York Strip Steak

Carne Asada Taco with Guacamole and Pasilla Chili Sauce

Summer Vegetable Ratatouille



Summer Squash

My favorite Summer vegetable is actually a combination of lots of different vegetables. I really like a Mediterranean vegetable ratatouille, which is basically a mix of zucchini, eggplant, tomato and onion cooked in lots of good olive oil. I used a assortment of vegetables recently bought at my local farmer's market and they included green and yellow patty pan, crookneck and other types of zucchini squash. I added diced fennel bulb, red onion, garlic and tomato. The trick is to cook each ingredient separately so that color is retained and also different vegetables will take different times to cook; they should be just done while staying slightly firm. I use plenty of extra virgin olive oil and generous spoons of my freshly made basil pesto to finish. It's so good and it will even get better after a day or two of the flavors coming together. It's a great side or good simply tossed with fresh pasta.



Ratatouille with Roast Chicken

Pork chops and fennel salad with Risotto Cake

Grilled Pork Chop with Risotto Cake and Fennel Salad

It's June and warm out which means the start of lots of outdoor cooking. Today's menu will be a grilled pork chop with some stone fruit chutney I made the other day, a crunchy shaved fennel salad and a crispy risotto cake. What I like about risotto cakes is that they can be made a day or two ahead and then reheated when ready to serve; I put a cast iron pan on the outdoor grill and with a splash of olive oil reheat them there, which gives them a really nice crisp exterior. The fennel salad is almost like a slaw of shaved fennel bulb and arugula; it will hold up well without going limp after being dressed with a light vinaigrette. For the pork chops I like using the really thick double ones and being brined for a day or two will really improve the flavor. The brine will flavor the meat and also help retain moisture so the pork will be juicy when cooked. Brining is good for all meats that can dry out when cooked like pork and poultry.

Basic Brine
Ingredients:
4 cups water
1/2 cup white or brown sugar
1/2 cup kosher salt
3 cloves garlic
1 T black peppercorns
3 bay leafs

Method:
1. Bring all ingredients to a boil.
2. Allow to cool completely.
3. Completely submerge meats in brine.
4. Refrigerate for one or two days.
5. Remove meat, dry off and it's ready to use.

Important note: You will not need to season the meat because the brine has already done it.

Basil Pesto, The Summer Condiment

A recent trip to my local farmers market gave me huge amounts of fresh basil which is now starting to appear in abundance at a decent price of $2 a bunch. My idea is to make a big batch of basil pesto to use in various preparations like pasta or grilled vegetables. I like to add a equal amount of Italian parsley to the pesto recipe to boost the color and flavor of the sauce. This sauce begs to be tossed in fresh hot pasta with lots of grated Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.

Fresh Market Basil

Basil Pesto
Ingredients:
1 large bunch fresh basil
1 bunch Italian parsley
3 cloves peeled garlic cloves
1 cup olive oil
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
fresh cracked pepper
dash of salt
1/2 cup pine nuts (optional)
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (optional)

Method:
1. Its simple, blend all ingredients till smooth and creamy.
2. Cover and refrigerate.
Y= 3 cups

Rich and Fragrant Basil Pesto

Simple Roast Chicken Breast with Wilted Kale

Roasted Chicken with Kale and Chutney

Weeknight cooking has to be simple because sometimes you just don't have time for a elaborately made meal. Tonight is one of those nights, so chicken it is. I had a little nectarine chutney that I made a few nights ago which I paired with a roasted chicken breast, while the chicken is cooking a bunch of dino kale is sliced thin and sauteed with a piece of chopped smoky bacon for added flavor. About one hour of total cooking and dinner's ready.

Sushi Ran of Sausalito

With San Francisco just a few miles away, getting world class sushi is never a problem but sometimes small local restaurants can be hit-or-miss. When you find a good one it can be a long lasting relationship. There is one in Marin County, California called Sushi Ran, tucked away on a side street away from the tourist zone of Sausalito. It has been there for many years and has expanded to include more seating and a bigger bar serving a extensive sake list. It's not cheap, but you pay for pristine quality and skill. Besides a full sushi menu they also serve a full hot menu with favorites like miso glazed black cod, grilled hamachi kama and wagyu beef carpaccio. On I recent trip I discovered a roll made with huge sea scallops, avocado and miso aioli topped with spoonfuls of tobiko caviar that is flavored with bonito, WOW is all can say and I want more!

Sashimi Platter

Scallop and Avocado Roll

Sushi Ran
107 Caledonia Street
Sausalito, CA 94965
415.332.3620

Fava's are Here!

These beans are only available for a short time in the spring and early summer and there are a few steps in cleaning and cooking them, but they are clearly worth it so give them a try.
Fava Bean cleaning: for one cup of ready to eat beans you will need to start with about three pounds of bean pods, split open and remove the beans, next quickly blanch in boiling water for about a minute, plunge in ice water to stop the cooking process and to keep the bright green color, next pinch one side of a bean and squeeze the bean out of the thin shell. At this point they are cooked and ready to eat. Great in salads or my favorite way of pureed and spread on crostini with shaved Parmesan cheese.

Grilled Asparagus with Shelled Fava Beans

Summertime Tuna

OK its not quite Summer yet but it is really close, anyway those flavors that I love came together as a chunky relish to go with a fresh grilled tuna steak. I simply char grilled fresh corn and Roma tomatoes and combined them with shelled fava beans with a healthy amount of extra virgin olive oil and a squeeze of lime. The thick tuna steaks were seasoned with a rub of fennel seeds, kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper, drizzled with olive oil and cooked rare on a hot grill, wow was it good, perfect for a weekend evening. Note: Fresh Fava beans can be found at good or farmers markets for a limited time and are labor intensive in preparing.




Fennel Crusted Tuna Steak



The Charcuterie Plate

With Summer coming and having lighter, less heavy meals the charcuterie plate might just be the perfect idea. The term charcuterie comes from the form of cooking devoted to prepared meats most common using pork but also including other foods such as pates, hams, sausage, confits, salami, etc. These meats are normally cured and originally were made as a way of being preserved without refrigeration. It is common to serve cheese, pickles and fruits along with other appropriate condiments with them. It is very easy to buy one or two of your favorite cheeses and sliced meats to arrange on a platter with maybe some crackers or bread. This type of menu is perfect for a picnic and be sure to bring a bottle or two of wine to go with it. On a recent weekday night when I did not want to cook, I arranged this plate of sliced apple, crackers, Drunken goat and Burrata cheese along with some nice sliced Prosciutto ham. Perfect.

Charcuterie plate

Before and After Pizza

Ready for the oven

Ready to eat with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

Pizza night is a common theme at my house and the kids really like to pick out ingredients and design their own pie; they normally go for a cheese or maybe even a sausage pizza. I like to go all out and use ingredients such as basil pesto and thin sliced Parma ham. These small, personal pizzas only take about five minutes to cook in my 500 degree oven and the pizza stone helps gives it a great crispy crust too.

Simple Asparagus

It is often said that simple is better, and with cooking food I totally agree. Tonight I made asparagus with caramelized shallots, balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil and toasted pine nuts. Just a few ingredients quickly put together and it's ready. The asparagus is sauteed in olive oil until just cooked but still with some crunch to it. The shallots are sliced thin and also cooked in olive oil till soft and starting to turn golden in color. A splash of balsamic vinegar over the top of the asparagus, and a scatter of pine nuts give it a nutty flavor and it's ready.

Salmon Season is Here!

Good news for Salmon lovers, the Summer salmon season has started and it's going to be a good one. In the past few years the fishing season was closed or only open briefly because of low salmon numbers, but levels are up this year and fishermen are now catching their limits. These local Chinook salmon have just started to be available in local markets with prices that are still pretty high. It is expected to go down a few dollars a pound in the upcoming weeks as a regular supply will be available. My first salmon of the season was prepared simply by a quick sear in a hot pan and then finishing in the oven, a saute of pancetta bacon and asparagus went with it. One of my favorite sauces to serve with it is the Italian Salsa Verde which is a blend of capers, garlic, parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice. It's perfect for the salmon and great with any fish.

Pan Seared Local Salmon

My kind of Weekend Breakfast

One of my favorite breakfasts is Chilaquiles which is a form of Mexican scramble using tortillas, eggs and beans. This morning I made a version of this using fresh roasted pasilla pepper, corn tortillas, asparagus, pancetta bacon and a poached free range egg. It comes together fast, and having a hot cup of coffee to sip while enjoying this while sitting in the morning sun is perfect. Oh, and don't forget the hot sauce!

Char Roasted Chili Pepper

Runny Egg Goodness

Week Night Grilling

When it's warm like the Summer I often get the urge to cook outdoors and when ever I can I do it on my sailboat. A warm Tuesday night was all I needed for a quick evening sail then to anchor for dinner while the sun sets. The menu was simple marinated flank steak with a tangy salsa verde sauce and my new favorite grilled eggplant and spinach salad. Fast, easy and good. The key is to have everything prepped and ready so that you won't spend all your time cooking and I highly recommend a good glass of Champagne for the sunset.

Grilling at Anchor

Setting Sun

Steaks on the Grill

Last Chance Dungeness Crab Omelet

Ready-to-fold Crab Omelet

The 2012 Dungeness crab season closed at the start of this month and I really wanted to enjoy fresh local crab one more time this year.  I chose to make a simple omelet for breakfast using a filing of wilted spinach, sauted shallots, diced tomato and lots of fresh-picked local crab meat. The goal was to really keep it simple so I could taste all the flavors and textures.  It was really good with a rich taste of the sea and certainly worth all the time it takes to pick the meat out of the shell.  I can't wait till next year!