Concert Event Cooking in San Francisco

Whole Lamb with Moroccan Rub ready for the Smoker

John Fink of The Whole Beast with his smoker

Chopping Cooked Lamb for Gyros

I helped out a fellow cooking buddy out on a recent weekend for San Francisco's Outside Lands Concert, this huge concert is a three-day festival with close to 60 thousand people a day and they all were very hungry too! My friend John Fink has a business "The Whole Beast" cooking whole fish and animals over live fire in his custom smoker trailer. He sources natural animals that were raised free of any growth hormones and are 100% organic. For this big job his theme was to use only lamb and he had lots of them, 27 to be exact. He chose to use Moroccan inspired spice rubs for the lamb then serve the cooked meat three ways in the form of Gyros, Mulligatawny soup and added to gravy poured over freshly made french fries that were cooked in rendered lamb fat. It was very popular with a continuous line of people all three days. In my many days of working in kitchens we always have a radio on, this day we had recording artists such as Jack White and Stevie Wonder playing live in the back ground; how cool is that?!

Golden Beet & Peach Salad

Summer Fruit Salad

I made a salad the other night using marinated golden beets and ripe Summer peaches. I harvested some greens from the garden to go along with them all tossed in a simple sherry vinaigrette. The fruit and vegetables gave just the perfect amount sweetness to balance the acid from the vinegar.

Summer Gazpacho, Part Two

Golden Tomato Gazpacho

Another day and another soup, this time using a golden heirloom tomato and a English cucumber. Wow really good and refreshing when served chilled on a hot day. The simple and few ingredients demand only the best to make this recipe stand out, perfect tomatoes are available now through the beginning of fall, so choose your favorite and blend with a touch of good quality vinegar such as a sherry or champagne, then a good healthy drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. I added cucumber in the blend and for the garnish along with diced red onion, avocado and fresh herbs. A cool idea would be to swirl two different colors of soup into each other for dramatic effect.

Padron Chili Peppers

On a recent weekend I visited the city of Portland, Oregon where I attended the weekly farmers market in the downtown area. This is always a great way to see what other cities or even states are growing this time of year, and no big surprise was seeing lots of berries on display there. Oregon being a little cooler then California has a slight delay in warm weather vegetables coming to market, but the berries were out in force with amazing varieties. Another popular seasonal vegetable found there is the small Padron chili pepper, loved for its mild pepper flavor (but maybe one in twenty will be spicy hot). I bought at least four baskets which I brought back with me to California to enjoy here. The very best way to cook them I think is to quickly pan roast with olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. Perfect when served in a bowl as a snack with a cold drink.

Love the Variety 

Berries in all colors

Peppers everywhere

Summer Tomatoes

Gazpacho, Summer in a Bowl

Here in California we are now getting into our prime tomato season. All varieties are starting to flood the markets and will continue until the end of October when the first rain of Winter arrives. One of the best ways to enjoy the pure, raw flavors of these tomatoes is with the classic Spanish soup, Gazpacho. It's perfect on a warm Summer night and can be served chilled or at room temperature. Give it a try when you come across really good tomatoes.

Gazpacho Soup
Ingredients:
2-3 Good quality or heirloom tomatoes
1/4 Red Onion, fine diced
1/2 c Spanish sherry wine or other red wine vinegar
1/2 c Extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Fresh pepper
1/4 bunch Cilantro, chopped
1/2 Avocado, diced (optional)


Method:
1. Put cored rough chopped tomatoes in a blender with a splash of vinegar, olive oil, salt and cilantro.
2. Pulse to make the soup as chunky or smooth as you would like.
3. Remove and add the red onions, check for seasoning.
4. In each serving add a spoonful of diced avocado, fresh pepper and a drizzle of good olive oil.
Yield= 2-4 servings

Notes: try adding poached seafood or maybe diced cucumbers.

Summer Plums with Grilled Pork Chops

Wild Plums and Wild Plum Chutney

Brined Charcoal Grilled Pork Chops

Pork Chop and Plum Chutney

On a recent local hike I came across a tree filled with ripe plums, and after gathering a large quantity I decided to make a chutney. These ripe plums were going to be too soft when cooked so I added a few nectarines for a firmer consistency. Another idea was to serve it with grilled pork chops; two great foods coming together to a form an amazing meal. 

WILD PLUM CHUTNEY

Ingredients:

2 cups diced wild or cultivated plums

3 diced nectarines

1/4 diced yellow onion

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup white vinegar

1 pinch fresh cracked pepper

1 cardamom pod cracked

Method:

1.  slowly cook all ingredients till they become soft and the liquid reduces to a thick jam-like consistency.

Note: Remove cardamom pod shell.

Summer Salmon Tonight

Its the peak of Summer and wild local Salmon is on my menu, quickly pan seared and finished in the oven to give a crispy brown crust with a still moist center, to help cut the richness I made a "jam" out of sliced red onions, vinegar and sugar, slowly cooked till soft. Black forbidden rice and bacon sauteed yellow beans to round out the dish. Perfect for tonight.

Holiday Fruit Salad

Holiday Fruit

This week at work I made a fruit salad for a special request using fresh blueberries, white peaches and strawberries with the U.S. flag as a theme. To make the stars I sliced the peaches into to flat pieces and then cut out stars with a paring knife. The client was happy with the outcome.

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