Today I made pesto to prepare for a weekend meal. My friend who is dining with me is 100% Italian and she is EXTREMELY PROUD of that. Guess what? She LOVES my pesto and has told her Italian family members that my pesto is soooo delicious! I consider that to be a humbling compliment considering that the last time I checked... my mutt blend does not include a single drop of the Italian blood. *grin*
When I traveled to Italy and France several times, I would die for their pesto. The Provence region of France makes great soupe au pistou (translated into pesto soup). The emphasis was on the flavors rather than the oil. Here... I see pesto in American looking like mostly oil with a pinch of herbs.
Pesto is simple to make... the general formula: Something green, good quality oil, garlic (or something spicy), cheese, nut, something sour (vinegar or citrus), and salt.
Varieties:
-Something green- may be used alone or in combinations: Basil (of course!), parsley, cilantro, mint, dill, sage, argula (yes it's not a herb but it has a distinctive flavor that makes it a great pesto)
-Oil: Extra virgin olive oil, sesame oil
-Garlic alternatives: Shallots, serrano pepper
-Cheese: Parmesan, Romano, Asiago, Goat, Kashkaval (Romanian), Cotija (Mexican)
-Nut: Pine nuts, pinons, walnuts, peanuts, pecans, sunflower seeds, almonds
-Something sour: Lemon juice, lime juice, champagne vinegar, red wine vinegar
-Salt: I swear by my kosher sea salt!
The most important thing to remember- make sure to be careful when adding oil because you do not want the pesto to be too oily. I put tablespoonfuls of pesto on a piece of wax paper and put them in the freezer for an hour. After an hour, I put the pesto tablespoonfuls in a container to be used for future meals. One tablespoon= one serving. Some people use the ice trays- that's another way to do it.
Now... what do I use pesto for? Oh... the possibilities are endless! The common use is to mix it with pasta but I have used pesto as sauce for fish or chicken, in soups (like soupe au pistou), in pasta or bread dough, to make spreads for crackers/ bread, mix with fresh vegetables to be grilled, as a base for making salad dressings, etc etc!
As you can see, you can get quite creative following the formula listed above. Have fun!
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Sunday, December 27, 2009
The End of Pumpkins?
Christmas has come and gone. Does that mean the season of pumpkins has ended? For many people, yes. For me, no. *grinning happily*
Every year between October and November, I have a ritual of roasting sugar pumpkins to make puree to last me through the year. I LOVE pumpkin and why should I be forced to live without pumpkin for about 3/4 of a whole year? Being the food snob I am, I do not do canned pumpkins. It does taste significantly different. I was thrilled to learn that doing the pumpkin pie from scratch does run in my family. My aunt roasted pumpkin puree for the Thanksgiving feast's pumpkin pie.
Making pumpkin puree is really easy:
There was a shortage of pumpkins this year: http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-pumpkin18-2009nov18,0,5196858.story. This alerted me because I do not want to face next year with less pumpkins to roast. I decided to go on a roasting marathon and have accumulated about 21 cups of puree that are sitting in my freezer. I am running out of freezer space and containers! I think 21 cups will last me for a good while.
Trader's Joe's sugar pumpkins ran out quickly. I only managed to get 17 cups of puree. Whole Foods had pumpkins available well into December but they were of a different variety. They were slightly bigger. The taste was different. The color more brownish than the bright orange splashed all over my freezer. Those four cups from Whole Foods will be the first to go.
So... what the heck do I do with all the pumpkin puree?! When the general public think of pumpkin, they think of pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread/ muffins... the sky's really the limit when it comes to pumpkin! Some of my favorites:
Every year between October and November, I have a ritual of roasting sugar pumpkins to make puree to last me through the year. I LOVE pumpkin and why should I be forced to live without pumpkin for about 3/4 of a whole year? Being the food snob I am, I do not do canned pumpkins. It does taste significantly different. I was thrilled to learn that doing the pumpkin pie from scratch does run in my family. My aunt roasted pumpkin puree for the Thanksgiving feast's pumpkin pie.
Making pumpkin puree is really easy:
- Cut the pumpkin into half.
- Take out the seeds.
- Scrape the stringy parts out. Some people use forks to accomplish this. I discovered by accident that an avocado slicer does the trick!
- Place the pumpkins face down in a glass baking pan in a 350-degree oven.
- Bake for 1.5 hours or so until the pumpkin is soft (poke the outside).
- Let cool
- Spoon out the squash part and place in a blender to puree!
There was a shortage of pumpkins this year: http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-pumpkin18-2009nov18,0,5196858.story. This alerted me because I do not want to face next year with less pumpkins to roast. I decided to go on a roasting marathon and have accumulated about 21 cups of puree that are sitting in my freezer. I am running out of freezer space and containers! I think 21 cups will last me for a good while.
Trader's Joe's sugar pumpkins ran out quickly. I only managed to get 17 cups of puree. Whole Foods had pumpkins available well into December but they were of a different variety. They were slightly bigger. The taste was different. The color more brownish than the bright orange splashed all over my freezer. Those four cups from Whole Foods will be the first to go.
So... what the heck do I do with all the pumpkin puree?! When the general public think of pumpkin, they think of pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread/ muffins... the sky's really the limit when it comes to pumpkin! Some of my favorites:
- Pumpkin smoothie
- Pumpkin lentil soup
- Turkey-pumpkin chili
- Pumpkin ravioli
- Pumpkin-potato soup
- Pumpkin oatmeal (my favorite breakfast)
- Pumpkin waffles/pancakes
Sunday, December 13, 2009
The Cooking Race
At the rate I am going... my readers must think I dine out more than I cook which is far from the truth! I personally cook a lot more than I dine out. I live in an awesome neighborhood in the city and many people would tell or ask me about specific restaurants. I would always shrug because I do not even go out to eat. If it became a choice of eating out or cooking, I would sign up to cook!
I had an adrenaline rush when cooking on Friday evening. What happened... I had just finished my regular swim and was on my way home when I re-read the invitation to a friend's holiday party. I read that each person was supposed to bring a holiday dish to the party. YIKES! By the time I walked in my place, I had exactly one hour to pull off everything: meaning get showered, dressed up and make a dish. I clearly did not have time to go to the food store and cook something. I do not like to buy things ready-made. Besides I figured the other party attendees would be bringing packaged and ready-made food. So... I had to whip up something quick AND use whatever was available in my refrigerator. I took five minutes to scan my refrigerator and look through a cookbook for ideas. Aha! Butternut squash-apple soup. After showering and getting dressed in 25 minutes, I had about 30 minutes left. I was in a race against time.
Luckily I already had cubed butternut squash that I previously prepared. I quartered the apple. Then I steamed both. While the squash and apple were being steamed, I chopped and sauted the onion. Using my VitaMix, I blended fresh thyme from my Aerogarden, a bit wheat flour, water and chicken base. (NOTE: When any recipe calls for chicken broth, I usually use water and add chicken base. This means less packaging= less impact on the environment). I added the steamed squash and apple to the blender to puree. I was done in 20 minutes- whew! I took a moment to unwind a bit before leaving. After a race like that, one needs a quiet moment! I packed the blender container, a saucepan, a ladle, and tiny cups in a bag and I was out the door leaving a fine mess in the kitchen. I served the soup in those tiny cups which beat using bowls and spoons. The soup was a huge hit.
If I did not have the modern equipment, would I still be cooking? I probably would not. I challenged myself to try whipping the egg whites until they peaked (because I could not find what I needed in my friend's kitchen) and wow...even after alternating arms, both of them felt like they were going to fall off! My friends tell me that people do not have time to cook. I think it is more of what one has in the kitchen that makes cooking much faster. Many of the things that I cook are pretty fast and easy because of what I have in my kitchen. On Friday evening, VitaMix saved my neck. I have other important friends in my kitchen that help cut down the time spent on cooking. The modern technology in the kitchen made it possible for me to have a lifelong love affair with cooking.
I had an adrenaline rush when cooking on Friday evening. What happened... I had just finished my regular swim and was on my way home when I re-read the invitation to a friend's holiday party. I read that each person was supposed to bring a holiday dish to the party. YIKES! By the time I walked in my place, I had exactly one hour to pull off everything: meaning get showered, dressed up and make a dish. I clearly did not have time to go to the food store and cook something. I do not like to buy things ready-made. Besides I figured the other party attendees would be bringing packaged and ready-made food. So... I had to whip up something quick AND use whatever was available in my refrigerator. I took five minutes to scan my refrigerator and look through a cookbook for ideas. Aha! Butternut squash-apple soup. After showering and getting dressed in 25 minutes, I had about 30 minutes left. I was in a race against time.
Luckily I already had cubed butternut squash that I previously prepared. I quartered the apple. Then I steamed both. While the squash and apple were being steamed, I chopped and sauted the onion. Using my VitaMix, I blended fresh thyme from my Aerogarden, a bit wheat flour, water and chicken base. (NOTE: When any recipe calls for chicken broth, I usually use water and add chicken base. This means less packaging= less impact on the environment). I added the steamed squash and apple to the blender to puree. I was done in 20 minutes- whew! I took a moment to unwind a bit before leaving. After a race like that, one needs a quiet moment! I packed the blender container, a saucepan, a ladle, and tiny cups in a bag and I was out the door leaving a fine mess in the kitchen. I served the soup in those tiny cups which beat using bowls and spoons. The soup was a huge hit.
If I did not have the modern equipment, would I still be cooking? I probably would not. I challenged myself to try whipping the egg whites until they peaked (because I could not find what I needed in my friend's kitchen) and wow...even after alternating arms, both of them felt like they were going to fall off! My friends tell me that people do not have time to cook. I think it is more of what one has in the kitchen that makes cooking much faster. Many of the things that I cook are pretty fast and easy because of what I have in my kitchen. On Friday evening, VitaMix saved my neck. I have other important friends in my kitchen that help cut down the time spent on cooking. The modern technology in the kitchen made it possible for me to have a lifelong love affair with cooking.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Balance is the key to enjoying life's passions!
Today I was part of an intense consensus panel which meant my brain was working non-stop. Don't get me wrong... I thoroughly ENJOYED my day. It was stimulating to be part of a group with talented people who came together to exchange ideas and share our knowledge. After the day was over, a small group of us went out to dinner at one of my favorite places, Roy's.
Upon seating, it dawned to me that I was not that hungry. I was just pooped and knew I needed fuel. Roy's does a great job in taking an unique approach to seafood. I believe it was Roy's that got me to fall in love with fish. I came from a place where they typically served fish just as is. No sauces, no spices, no herbs, no flavors. Of course it was no surprise that a foodie like me would detest fish! I tried Roy's for the first time a long time ago and was impressed fish tasted far better than just that flaky thing laying on the plate. Tonight, I was feeling adventurous and tried the Australian barramundi with sun-dried tomato pesto. Yes... it was delicious. But... I was not in the right mindset to savor the dish. I was too exhausted to pay attention to how my palate was reacting... whether it was jumping in joy, , awestruck, thrilled, or floating on cloud 9... I will never know. Guess that's a boon for Roy's because that might mean I would have to go back and sample the dish again and pay attention to the details.
Roy's is also well-known for their melting hot chocolate souffle. It not only literally melts in the middle but it also makes me melt! If any of my close friends knew I skipped the souffle at Roy's, they would be like, "You WHAT?!!" I believe tonight was the first time I ever left Roy's without the melted chocolate floating happily in my tummy. I was not up for the souffle. Dang.
As I drove home, a valuable reminder came to me... if one wants to truly enjoy the flavors of life (both literally and figuratively), one must have balance in life. I am grateful that I have a job that gives me the freedom to enjoy the flavors of life outside my work hours. This left me wondering about how many people out there only eat to survive and re-fuel. If that was the case for me, I wouldn't be sitting here writing this.
Signing off as I curl up on the couch recovering from a wonderful but tedious day with my dessert- a can of R.W. Knudsen Ginger Ale Spritzer. Hey... it was the only available sweet thing in my home and it's sugar free! They use apple juice instead- awesome! As I drink it, I imagine it's the thick melting chocolate.... and they say visualization is a powerful thing. We shall see about that!
Upon seating, it dawned to me that I was not that hungry. I was just pooped and knew I needed fuel. Roy's does a great job in taking an unique approach to seafood. I believe it was Roy's that got me to fall in love with fish. I came from a place where they typically served fish just as is. No sauces, no spices, no herbs, no flavors. Of course it was no surprise that a foodie like me would detest fish! I tried Roy's for the first time a long time ago and was impressed fish tasted far better than just that flaky thing laying on the plate. Tonight, I was feeling adventurous and tried the Australian barramundi with sun-dried tomato pesto. Yes... it was delicious. But... I was not in the right mindset to savor the dish. I was too exhausted to pay attention to how my palate was reacting... whether it was jumping in joy, , awestruck, thrilled, or floating on cloud 9... I will never know. Guess that's a boon for Roy's because that might mean I would have to go back and sample the dish again and pay attention to the details.
Roy's is also well-known for their melting hot chocolate souffle. It not only literally melts in the middle but it also makes me melt! If any of my close friends knew I skipped the souffle at Roy's, they would be like, "You WHAT?!!" I believe tonight was the first time I ever left Roy's without the melted chocolate floating happily in my tummy. I was not up for the souffle. Dang.
As I drove home, a valuable reminder came to me... if one wants to truly enjoy the flavors of life (both literally and figuratively), one must have balance in life. I am grateful that I have a job that gives me the freedom to enjoy the flavors of life outside my work hours. This left me wondering about how many people out there only eat to survive and re-fuel. If that was the case for me, I wouldn't be sitting here writing this.
Signing off as I curl up on the couch recovering from a wonderful but tedious day with my dessert- a can of R.W. Knudsen Ginger Ale Spritzer. Hey... it was the only available sweet thing in my home and it's sugar free! They use apple juice instead- awesome! As I drink it, I imagine it's the thick melting chocolate.... and they say visualization is a powerful thing. We shall see about that!
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Morel's French Steakhouse and Bistro
Last night, I had a great dinner with a dear friend at this restaurant in The Grove of Los Angeles. I avoid Los Angeles because of the traffic and luckily I had a willing chaffeur! I am a sucker when it comes to snow. The Grove of Los Angeles during the month of December creates fake snowfall every night at 7 PM and 8 PM to accentuate their holiday decorations. We had a great seat on the second floor balcony that gave us a direct view of the snowfall! If it was not for the snow, I would not have made the long journey to Los Angeles!
The dinner was an indulgence! I normally eat healthy but... it felt good to 'cheat' last night. French fries with housemade aioli! The ketchup option was so American-like. I was being a French snob. *grin* I love dining with friends who are willing to share. Whoever said, "Love is sharing" was wise. Sharing a meal makes dining even more enjoyable. We split the fries, salad, entree and dessert.
The mixed green salad was disappointing. The menu promised "mixed greens with red and yellow tomatoes with vinaigrette." We were served mixed greens with red tomatoes only. I figured they wanted to get into the Christmas spirit (red/ green). I asked our cute and enthusiastic waiter what happened to the yellow tomatoes. He reported that they ran out. Hmm. When I dine out, I love colorful salads. Duotone salads are not appealing to the eye nor the palate. I would have added yellow bell pepper to make up for the loss of yellow tomatoes along with a handful of different vegetables, dried fruits, nuts, crumbled cheese.... the list can go on and on.
The filet mignon came with a tray of four salt options: sea salt (I personally prefer kosher sea salt), smoked salt, French Atlantic Coast sea salt (tasted just like I swallowed ocean water- ugh) and fleur de sel. We sampled all four salts and agreed that the smoked salt was the winner.
The filet mignon cooked medium with the smoked salt topping= wow. Our side dish was the mac and cheese. The smoked salt made a great topping to this one. To make the meal whole, the Cabernet Sauvignon wine was a tasty touch. We had a charming sommelier who allowed me to have three samples of red wine that would complement the filet mignon. Merlot, Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon. Normally I love Shiraz but last night, I was surprised the Cabernet Sauvignon was the winner. He smiled and winked at me, "I knew you would pick that one." I wanted to know how he knew but he preferred to remain mysterious. That's okay... a little mystery is good.
There are some restaurants that serve great food but not-so-great desserts. Morels falls into this category. I dined there twice before and tried their two other desserts and I was not wowed. Last night, we had the strawberry-rhubarb cobbler with creme friache. I was disappointed to see that it was really a crumble instead of a cobbler. The crumble has more sugar than I would have wished for. I talked with the waiter and told him that the menu should say "Strawberry-Rhubarb Crumble". He humorously thanked me for improving his level of service so that he can warn his customers that it's really a crumble not a cobbler. Nevertheless, I left feeling good knowing I could make a great strawberry-rhubarb cobbler.
The dinner was an indulgence! I normally eat healthy but... it felt good to 'cheat' last night. French fries with housemade aioli! The ketchup option was so American-like. I was being a French snob. *grin* I love dining with friends who are willing to share. Whoever said, "Love is sharing" was wise. Sharing a meal makes dining even more enjoyable. We split the fries, salad, entree and dessert.
The mixed green salad was disappointing. The menu promised "mixed greens with red and yellow tomatoes with vinaigrette." We were served mixed greens with red tomatoes only. I figured they wanted to get into the Christmas spirit (red/ green). I asked our cute and enthusiastic waiter what happened to the yellow tomatoes. He reported that they ran out. Hmm. When I dine out, I love colorful salads. Duotone salads are not appealing to the eye nor the palate. I would have added yellow bell pepper to make up for the loss of yellow tomatoes along with a handful of different vegetables, dried fruits, nuts, crumbled cheese.... the list can go on and on.
The filet mignon came with a tray of four salt options: sea salt (I personally prefer kosher sea salt), smoked salt, French Atlantic Coast sea salt (tasted just like I swallowed ocean water- ugh) and fleur de sel. We sampled all four salts and agreed that the smoked salt was the winner.
The filet mignon cooked medium with the smoked salt topping= wow. Our side dish was the mac and cheese. The smoked salt made a great topping to this one. To make the meal whole, the Cabernet Sauvignon wine was a tasty touch. We had a charming sommelier who allowed me to have three samples of red wine that would complement the filet mignon. Merlot, Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon. Normally I love Shiraz but last night, I was surprised the Cabernet Sauvignon was the winner. He smiled and winked at me, "I knew you would pick that one." I wanted to know how he knew but he preferred to remain mysterious. That's okay... a little mystery is good.
There are some restaurants that serve great food but not-so-great desserts. Morels falls into this category. I dined there twice before and tried their two other desserts and I was not wowed. Last night, we had the strawberry-rhubarb cobbler with creme friache. I was disappointed to see that it was really a crumble instead of a cobbler. The crumble has more sugar than I would have wished for. I talked with the waiter and told him that the menu should say "Strawberry-Rhubarb Crumble". He humorously thanked me for improving his level of service so that he can warn his customers that it's really a crumble not a cobbler. Nevertheless, I left feeling good knowing I could make a great strawberry-rhubarb cobbler.
Introducing GastroNaomi
People have been telling me for a long time that I should open a restaurant. A couple of people came so close to developing a business plan for me! I did open a restaurant in my home for a fundraising cause over ten years ago and came to learn that I did not like mass production. It takes the true thrill out of cooking. Bulk food shopping becomes the norm. If I did the actual restaurant business, I may have to succumb to using Sysco products. Nah. I once asked a successful caterer him if he ever cooked at home. He does not because it became his job and at the end of day, he wanted someone to cook for him. I did not want that to happen to me. After a temporary stint with a catering company, I came to discover that the desire to 'color outside the lines' diminishes quickly. It boiled down to satisfying the clients rather than the chef's desires to go into unexplored territories.
Friends suggested that I become a food critic. And give up the day job I love? Nah. Besides, I would have to butter up to get published. The world of blogging has appealed to me for a while because practically anyone can be published. I did not know what to blog about. I am private. Aha... dining and cooking. I have found a common ground with my audience (assuming they love food which covers pretty much everyone? *a hopeful look*).
So here's GastroNaomi who is eager to share her culinary and dining adventures with you! Read on while cooking and dining with passion.
Friends suggested that I become a food critic. And give up the day job I love? Nah. Besides, I would have to butter up to get published. The world of blogging has appealed to me for a while because practically anyone can be published. I did not know what to blog about. I am private. Aha... dining and cooking. I have found a common ground with my audience (assuming they love food which covers pretty much everyone? *a hopeful look*).
So here's GastroNaomi who is eager to share her culinary and dining adventures with you! Read on while cooking and dining with passion.
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