San Francisco's Chinatown Hotspot

Cantonese Style Dungeness Crab

Salt and Pepper Roast Prawns

Classic Peking Duck

A very crowded table full of tasty foods

When visiting a restaurant in San Francisco's Chinatown, most locals will know how to stay clear of the many non-authentic tourist style restaurants. But those in the know can agree on one restaurant that is good and has been around for many years, Yuet Lee Seafood restaurant on Stockton Street which serves Chinese and Cantonese foods. Maybe you have even seen it on some of those cable TV food shows? This brightly lit hole-in-the-wall does not look like much on the inside but they do a really great job with the food.  It's so good that you will find local chefs hanging out and eating there after they finish working in their kitchens. Staying open 'till 3 am on weekends is also a plus with the night club crowd . Be sure to try the salt and pepper squid and the Dungeness crab that they will present to you for inspection before cooking. As for non-seafood dishes, be sure to try the Pork Chow Fun noodles which were amazing!

Yuet Lee Restaurant
1300 Stockton Street
San Francisco, CA
415-982 -6020

Friday Night Pasta

Spicy Puttanesca Pasta with Sea Bass

It's been a long week at work and tonight I just want to keep my dinner quick and easy, so it's going to be pasta. One of my all-time favorites is the spicy classic pasta puttanesca with the addition of sea bass. Tonight when I started cooking,  the stress of the work week melted away and I was able to finally relax and enjoy my dinner. 

Puttanesca Pasta

Ingredients:
1 pound Linguine pasta
1 cup diced sea bass
1 can diced tomatoes (14oz)
1/2 cup sliced olives
1 teaspoon dry chili flakes
1/4 diced yellow onion
1/4 diced fennel bulb
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves chopped garlic
1 splash of white wine

Method:
1. Saute the fennel, onion, garlic in olive oil.
2. Add the wine and tomatoes, simmer for about 15 minutes.
3. Blend the sauce or leave chunky if you like, check seasoning.
4. Add the olives and chili flakes.
5. While the sauce is cooking bring  2-3 quarts of salted water to a boil.
6. cook pasta till just done, drain and add the sauce, enjoy.

Yield = 4
Note: For the sauce: chopped capers and anchovies can be added but they are salty, so watch the amount of salt added.
Cooking tip: The hot drained pasta water can be used to preheat the pasta bowls.

It's Spring, Get Cooking

A huge display of Asparagus at the Market

 

When asparagus shows up to market it signals that Spring has arrived and that Summer foods are right around the corner. This weekend I made an oven roasted chicken and grilled vegetable salad using plenty of asparagus.

Spring Time Chicken & Grilled Vegetable Salad
Ingredients:
1 whole chicken, cooked
1 bunch asparagus
1 yellow onion, sliced into thick rings
1 fennel bulb, sliced thick
1 handful baby arugula
1 dash extra virgin olive oil
1 dash champagne vinegar
Salt/pepper

Method:
1. Season and roast a whole chicken; shred meat after it's cooled.
2. Season vegetables and drizzle with olive oil.
3. Grill till tender, slice into bite size pieces.
4. Toss all ingredients well, adjust seasoning if necessary.

Yield = 4-6

Home Made Mustard

Whole Grain Ale Mustard

Most of us have seen and used mustard our whole lives but are not really sure what it is or how it's made. In the most basic form it's just ground mustard seed paste with spices and it's really very easy to make. My recipe uses beer as one of the primary ingredients and it will give great flavor. With Summer comes many grilled foods like sausages, and the addition of your very own mustard will bring many compliments.

Whole Grain Mustard
Ingredients:
1 bottle ale or stout beer
1 cup red wine vinegar
2 cups whole mustard seeds
1 T kosher salt
1/2  t ground cinnamon
1/2 t ground cloves
1/2 t ground allspice

Method:
1. Place ingredients in a non reactive container, cover.
2. Store mustard mixture for two days. (Does not have to be refrigerated.)
3. Blend mixture till it becomes a semi-smooth paste; water can be added if too thick.
4. Place mustard in jars or other container, The flavor will mellow after a week or two.
Note: will keep refrigerated for 3 months.

Late Winter Comfort

Braised Chicken Leg with Creamy Polenta

I was all ready for Spring to start when a big late season storm blew into town this week.  It's one last chance for a rainy night comfort meal. The first idea that came to mind was doing chicken legs slowly braised in wine, tomatoes, garlic and fresh sage. Very easy to prep and it cooks unattended while you relax and watch the rain. The perfect side and a personal favorite of mine is creamy polenta. While it's slowly cooking, open up a bottle of a good red to sip in front of the fireplace.

Braised Chicken Legs
Ingredients:
4 chicken legs
4 garlic cloves, sliced
1 onion, sliced thin
1 bunch fresh sage, rough chopped
3 roma tomatoes, diced
2 cup red or white wine
Dash olive oil
Kosher salt/fresh cracked pepper

Method:
1. In a deep, heavy oven-proof pot with lid, heat olive oil.
2. Season the chicken legs and place skin side down in pan to brown.
3. Turn chicken on all sides to evenly brown, add garlic, tomatoes, sage, & onions.
4. After vegetables have softened, add the wine with enough water to cover the chicken.
5. Put lid on and place in 325F oven for at least two hours.
6. Remove chicken legs and keep warm.
7. Bring liquid to a boil and cook till reduced and it becomes a slightly thickened sauce.
8. Check seasoning and adjust if necessary, spoon sauce over chicken.

Note: Great with pasta or polenta.
Yield=4

Urban Garden in San Francisco

Growing Cabbage

Most of the time I notice the changing of the seasons by seeing new produce arrive at my local farmers market, the other somewhat odd place I see seasonal vegetables is a small urban garden in downtown San Francisco.  I have been driving by this garden for years and I always notice what's being planted and harvested; I always like to see the bright red summer tomatoes surrounded by grey buildings. This small plot of land is called the Tenderloin People's Garden and all the volunteer-grown vegetables are given away free to local residents.  It's a win for everyone.

A Spot of Green in a Sea of Grey

Grilling Dinner on San Francisco Bay

I just had a weekend with the kind of weather that makes it so nice to live here, a warm breeze and crystal blue skies. When it's this nice I will always try to take the boat out for a sail, which I did. After a long and lazy bay cruise with the sun getting lower in the sky, it was time to fire up the BBQ mounted on the back of the boat. Tonight's menu was tandoori marinated chicken with a Greek style salad and a bottle of chilled Pinot Gris.
This Mediterranean menu went perfectly with the balmy "Winter" evening.

Cooking with a San Francisco view

Tandoori Chicken
2 Chicken breasts, cut into smaller pieces
2 T Tandoori paste*
2 T plain yogurt
1 t kosher salt

Greek Salad
1/2 English cucumber, diced
2 Tomato, Diced
8 Kalamatta olives
1/4 Red Onion, sliced thin
2 T Extra Virgin olive oil
1 T Sherry vinegar
Pinch Kosher salt
1 t Pepper
1 t Oregano

Method:
1. Mix chicken, tandoori paste and yogurt well, store in plastic zip bag, keep chilled till ready to use.
2. Toss all the salad ingredients together, keep chilled in a Ziploc plastic bag.
3. Cook the chicken over a hot and clean grill till just cooked through, turning occasionally.
4. Pour yourself a glass of wine to enjoy with dinner while admiring the water view.

Yield=2

*Note: Tandoori paste or powder can be found in the international section of well stocked markets.

A story of "Gregs World on a Plate" in my local paper

I was recently interviewed for a story by the a local newspaper the Marin Independent Journal. They're doing a series on local food blogging for their Lifestyles section. This is the recipe that was featured in the article. I chose to do this because it highlights some of my favorite ingredients and quick cooking methods. Give it a try; it's really quite easy and delicious.

Oven Roasted Salmon with Mediterranean Tomatoes

Ingredients:

Pan Seared Salmon

4 skinless king salmon fillets, 5 ounces
1 lemon, segments and juice
1 tablespoon capers, rinsed in water
2 tablespoons country olives, pitted and quartered
½ cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 pinch flat leaf parsley, chopped
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 big bunch kale, washed and rough chopped
6 Yukon gold potatoes, sliced thick
Kosher salt/fresh cracked pepper

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. In a small bowl mix together the lemon segments, lemon juice, capers, olives, cherry tomatoes, parsley and two tablespoons of the olive oil. Set aside.
3. Season the sliced potatoes and the salmon fillets.
4. In a large heated nonstick pan, add a splash of olive oil and the potatoes and place pan in oven.
5.   In a separate heated nonstick pan, add a splash of olive oil in pan, when hot place the salmon fillets in pan and put in oven.
6. After about five minutes, bring the pan of potatoes back up on to a burner and add the kale, tossing till just wilted, taste and season if necessary.
7. After five minutes, flip the salmon over, continue to cook in the oven till just done.
8. Using four oven-heated plates, divide the potato/kale mixture in the center of each plate.
9.  Place a salmon fillet on top of each and spoon the tomato relish on top.
Yield = 4

Note: Any other type of fish, or chicken breasts can be substituted in this recipe.
Wine: A big Napa Chardonnay or maybe even a Russian River Pinot Noir would go nicely with this dish.

My Breakfast Alaskan Style

Smoked salmon hash, my kind of breakfast

Real Alaskan gold

Nothing is more satisfying to me then a hearty breakfast on a lazy Sunday morning and sometimes it's a form of hash. This recent weekend I made one using all of my normal ingredients including potatoes, onions, and bacon but with the addition of the somewhat luxury ingredient of smoked Alaskan King Salmon.  To finish I added a still-runny fried egg on top for even more richness, and the salmon adds a whole new dimension of flavor and smokiness. Go ahead and splurge with a glass of good rose champagne to go with it.

Slow Club, Still a Cool Spot

San Francisco's Slow Club Restaurant is celebrating 20 years in business. It's one of the first hip, modern warehouse restaurants in the up-and-coming Potero Hill neighborhood. It was started by my buddy and fellow Chef Jim Moffet, who would then go on to open several other cool neighborhood spots such as 42 Degrees and BarAcuda in Hawaii. His original style of food is still largely unchanged, simple, seasonal and sustainable. The restaurant space is modern with lots of concrete, steel and glass housed in a condo converted warehouse. The crowd is mostly young and local with lots of drinks flowing in the evenings. I loved it twenty years ago, and I still like going there any chance I get.

Romanesco Broccoli

Romanesco

Simply Roasted Romanesco

I visited my local Marin County Farmers Market this last weekend and one thing I like about it is that year 'round you will see foods appear as they come into season. The dominate item I saw everywhere flooding the market right now is Romanesco, a form of a cauliflower borrowing some of broccoli's color and flavor. It's a beautiful large bud with a series of smaller spiky buds that give it a very distinctive look.With all the different vendors selling this vegetable I was able to shop for the best quality and price, I found some nice Romanesco for a cheap $1.00 a pound from Coachella Valley, California, other vendors were selling it for as high as $3.00 a pound. My favorite way to prepare it, is to cut it into small pieces and roast at 400 degrees tossed in extra virgin olive oil and fresh garlic. Roasting it gives it a almost smoky taste and intensifies the flavor. I am becoming quite fond of this vegetable and have the idea of maybe making a gratin out of it as well.

Flour from Grapes? Yes.

Cabernet Grape Flour Pasta with Prawns

I recently discovered a California company called Marche Noir who have developed a type of flour made from spent grape skins from the wine industry; actually it's more of a powder to be used along with wheat flour. This powder is derived from Cabernet grape skins and after drying it is ground to a fine powder. Because the bitter tannins make the flour too strong to used by itself, a 10-15 percentage of this powder mixed with flour will produce the color and flavor which makes this product so unique. Marche Noir also makes a line of dried pastas and brownies using this special flour. The color and somewhat strong flavor of the pasta reminds me of pastas made with squid ink, and it can look very dramatic on the plate.

Marche Noir
Marchenoirfoods.com
949.852.5122 (USA)

A Meat & Potatoes Night

Pork T-Bone Chop with Glazed Carrots

Potato cakes in the Cast Iron Pan

A classic combination. Tonight for me it was thick-cut pork chop with a crispy potato cake and honey glazed carrots. I started by brining the pork using water, sugar and salt and let it sit overnight to allow the brine to soak in and season the meat. For the potato cake I used both a russet potato and sweet potato. The sweet potato was cut into small cubes and cooked with sliced yellow onions and bacon and the russet was peeled and cut in big chunks, boiled in water until soft then drained and mashed. I combined the cooked sweet potato mixture with the russet mash and then formed it into thick cakes using a ring mold. The cakes were browned in a saute pan and finished in the oven until hot. The peeled and cut carrots went into a pan covered with water and a dash of honey, and they were simmered until the liquid reduced and a sweet sticky glaze formed. The pork was simply grilled and went on a plate with the carrots and potato cake. So simple and good.

Weeknight Halibut Dinner

Pan Seared Halibut with Fennel and Kale

My common weeknight theme is often quick and easy, but that doesn't mean it has to be boring. Tonight I chose to do a one-pan meal with halibut, fennel and Dino kale. For a flavor boost I added a touch of smoky bacon which as most people will agree, makes everything taste better.

Pan Seared Halibut with Kale

Ingredients:
4 halibut fillets, 4 ounces each
1 bulb fennel, quartered
1 head Dino kale, washed, chopped
2 strips smoky bacon, diced
1 splash extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt/fresh pepper

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. In a large nonstick pan, add the olive oil and bacon, cook for a few minutes.
3. Next season the fish and fennel, add to pan.
4. Place pan in oven for about five minutes, add the kale to wilt and cook.
5. To plate, divide the cooked kale on four preheated plates, next the fennel, then the halibut on top.

Yield = 4

Cauliflower Steak Curry

Cauliflower Curry

Tonight I was in the mood for a vegetarian dish and a spicy curry was exactly what I had in mind. Normally I would incorporate cauliflower florets in the fragrant vegetable stew but I had the idea of slicing the head of Cauliflower into thick "steaks". These thick cuts were then simply sauteed in olive oil till tender and then the chick pea curry was spooned over the Steaks. The end result was a vegetable dish that had to eaten with a knife and fork just like a real steak.