Monthly Archives: July 2019

Going With The Grain Part II: Smoked Barley with Blistered Tomatoes & Burrata

Posted on by One comment
Milky sweet burrata is the crowning touch on this smoked barley-charred tomato salad.

Milky sweet burrata is the crowning touch on this smoked barley-charred tomato salad.

 

If you’re a pyromaniac when it comes to cooking, this new cookbook is surely going to stoke your desire to light things up.

“Thank You for Smoking: Fun and Fearless Recipes Cooked with a Whiff of Wood Fire on Your Grill or Smoker” (Ten Speed Press) is not only a cleverly titled cookbook, but a very creative one, too.

The book, of which I received a review copy, is by Austin-based Paula Disbrowe, a grilling expert and veteran cookbook writer.

There are 100 recipes included. What’s really fun is that most go way beyond the norm of just throwing a steak or piece of chicken on a grill or in a smoker. Instead, Disbrowe really opens your eyes to possibilities you may never have even considered.

Just get a load of recipes such as “Smoked Arbol Honey,” “Dirty Martini with Smoked Castelvetrano Olives,” “Smoked Onion and Cheddar Tart,” Beef Tenderloin with Smoked Garlic Aioli,” and “Burnt Marshmallow Krispies.”

Thank You For Smoking

With its luxurious cream center that spills out of a ball of mozzarella, burrata is one of my favorite cheeses. So I just had to take a go at “Smoked Barley with Blistered Tomatoes & Burrata.”

Is it really worth it to set up a smoker and spend about 35 minutes to smoke barley grains?

Read more

Going With the Grain Part I: Fig, Walnut & Freekeh Salad

Posted on by 2 comments
The two F's: figs and freekeh.

The two F’s: figs and freekeh.

 

WTF.

As in what the freekeh?

If you don’t know this ancient grain, summer is the perfect time to give it a try.

It’s a lot like bulgur, except that freekeh is roasted young green whole wheat kernels, while the former is cracked, hulled parboiled whole wheat kernels. As such, bulgur cooks in a flash, while freekeh takes about 20 minutes or so. The tiny grains of both are packed with fiber and protein, and cook up with with a slight chewy texture. I think freekeh tastes just a little toastier.

Grains like these, which are staples of Middle Eastern cuisines, make incredible summer salads or side dishes. You’re probably already familiar with bulgar in tabbouleh salads. Freekeh can be used in the same way.

Enjoy it in this tasty, texture-tantalizing “Fig, Walnut & Freekeh Salad.”

SaffronintheSouks

The recipe is from the new cookbook, “Saffron in the Souks: Vibrant recipes from the heart of Lebanon” (Kyle), of which I received a review copy. It’s by John Gregory-Smith, a food and travel writer who specializes in Middle Eastern and North African cuisine.

Read more

Free Scoops of Humphry Slocombe in Cupertino, Plus More

Posted on by Leave a comment
Betty the Truck will be doling out free scoops this Wednesday in Cupertino. (photo courtesy of Humphry Slocombe)

Betty the Truck will be doling out free scoops this Wednesday in Cupertino. (photo courtesy of Humphry Slocombe)

Humphry Slocombe Truck Rolls Into Cupertino With Free Scoops

From now on, you might want to time your shopping trips to Whole Foods Cupertino to take advantage of the fact that Betty the Truck, aka the Humphry Slocombe ice cream mobile, will be in the parking lot regularly.

In fact, this Wednesday, noon to 9 p.m., marks the start of this new attraction. For this inaugural date only, the truck will be doling out free scoops. Yes, free scoops of such creative, iconic flavors as Secret Breakfast (bourbon ice cream with house-made corn flakes), and Queer  Eye Cookies & Graham (chocolate cookies and graham crackers in olive oil ice cream).

Secret Breakfast cones. (photo courtesy of Humphry Slocombe)

Secret Breakfast cones. (photo courtesy of Humphry Slocombe)

You can also buy pints, including the newest Whole Foods exclusive flavor, Mango Mojito (mango ice cream with mint, lime and rum). It was created in collaboration with “Top Chef” competitor Chef Melissa King.

After this Wednesday free day, look for the truck in the parking lot at 20955 Stevens Creek Blvd. in Cupertino every day, noon to 9 p.m., unless it has prior commitments elsewhere. Just bring your wallet, though, as you’ll have to pay for those scoops from then on out.

Rev Up the Appetite for “Dine Downtown San Jose”

From July 19-28, you’ll find a host of special prix fixe menus, chef specials and other limited-time creations at 22 top San Jose restaurants.

It’s all part of the 11th annual “Dine Downtown San Jose.”

Read more

Sushi Sundays at The Sea by Alexander’s Steakhouse

Posted on by 2 comments
The Sunday Sushi platter made for two at The Sea by Alexander's Steakhouse.

The Sunday Sushi platter (doubled in size here to serve two) at The Sea by Alexander’s Steakhouse.

 

After Meatless Mondays and Taco Tuesdays, now comes Sushi Sundays.

At least now at The Sea by Alexander’s Steakhouse in Palo Alto.

The upscale seafood-focused restaurant with the chic, Tiffany-like blue dining room can be a spendy experience, often more suited to a special occasion or a business account meal.

But on Sunday nights from now through Sept. 1, the restaurant is featuring a chef’s choice sushi platter for a reasonable $35 per person. Recently, I had a chance to try the new sushi special when I was invited in as a guest of the restaurant.

Sunday evenings are definitely a quieter time for the restaurant. Only a few people nursed drinks at the bar, while in the dining room, a few tables definitely seemed like they were celebrating a noteworthy moment.

The swank bar.

The swank bar.

The seafood theme carries over into the decor.

The seafood theme carries over into the decor.

We left ourselves in the hands of the kitchen and Executive Chef Yu Min Lin, who created a truncated tasting menu for us with the sushi platter included.

Read more

Summer’s Finger-Food: Charred Padron Peppers with Goat Cheese and Sage

Posted on by 2 comments
A pile of just-seared shishitos gets dressed with lovely goat cheese and sage leaves.

A pile of just-seared shishitos gets dressed with lovely goat cheese and sage leaves.

 

Stone Edge Farm Estate Vineyards and Winery in the Sonoma Valley takes pride in everything it does. It grows its own organic olives and Bordeaux varietal grapes, and makes its own olive oil and wine. It’s even won state awards for its sustainability practices.

Moreover, it has its own culinary team, whose talents are on full display in the new cookbook, “Stone Edge Farm Kitchen Larder Cookbook” (Rizzoli), of which I received a review copy.

The book is by John McReynolds, Mike Emanuel, and Fiorella Butron, who are respectively the culinary director, estate chef, and chef de cuisine for the winery.

The winery boasts a restored 1910 farm house, where tastings can be enjoyed by appointment-only, along with options for food and wine pairings, private cooking demonstrations, and private dining events.

The recipes reflect the bounty of produce the estate raises: “Lacto-Fermented Vegetables,” “Asparagus Tempura with Meyer Lemon Aioli, ”Oak Ember-Grilled Pork Chops with Quince Mostarda” and “Cabarnet Sauvignon Grape and Wine Granita.”

Stone Edge Farm cookbook

I gravitated to “Charred Padron peppers with Goat Cheese and Sage,” which also can be made with shishito peppers instead.

Read more

« Older Entries Recent Entries »