All Things Chill

Grilled Portobello Mushrooms and Soba Noodle Salad with Broccoli and Tofu

When planning a vegetarian offering for last weekend’s BBQ, I made a decision not to make a salad or mushrooms. Living in Seattle, I’ve been beaten over the head COUNTLESS times that vegetarians eat MORE than eggplant and mushrooms. So.. what did I make?

LOL MUSHROOMS IN A SALAD. Sorries.

Whenever I come across serving family styled dish, I have to keep in mind that it has to be accessible (for their sake) and yet interesting to the palette (for my sake).

Back when I was in culinary school, chef asked us to make something vegetarian using only the ingredients in the walk-in. I found some portobello mushrooms and a sexy bunch of broccoli. I poked around the pantry for a bit and found some soba noodles and remembered that they’re sometimes served with a dipping sauce. That earthy flavor would pair well with something like grilled mushrooms - all I would need was something to brighten those flavors up so it wouldn’t taste too “muddled.”

To assemble, I macerated the the portobello mushrooms in a bit of balsamic and soy to add a bit of meaty mouthfeel and grilled ‘em off. I blanched the broccoli and let sit in an ice bath. While the mushrooms were grilling and the broccoli was cooking, I boiled the soba, drained them and rinsed with cold water. I threw everything (with one package of pre-fried tofu) in a big bowl, dressed it with a combination of soy, honey and rice wine vinegar, mixed everything gently with my hands and let sit for at least an hour.

When ready to serve, I sliced green onions at a very steep angle and garnished with toasted sesame seeds. It’s an easy way to get everyone (vegetarians and omnivores alike) to buy into the dish because there are grilled bits, chewy noodles, crunchy veggies and a relatively familiar Asian dressing.

Let me know if you make it! As much as I’d like to expand my vegetarian arsenal, I know that I’ll be falling back on this recipe for years to come!

YAY VEGGIES

~Spec

I wanted to make a special breakfast before Steve and Jade flew back to SF, so I grabbed a few things from the Ballard market and mashed it up with the leftover grub from Saturday’s BBQ. Enter: HUEVOS RANCHEROS. WHHEEEEEEEE.

Here’s how I layered these bad boys (from bottom to top):

Fried corn tortilla
Black beans (w/ cumin and Mexican oregano)
Grilled corn (cut off the cob)
Ranchero sauce (tomato / ancho / jalapeno)
Fried eggs
Green onions
Grated monterey Jack cheese
Cilantro

I also had a bowl of crispy mojo pork to pick at too. I also served that with a huge plate of chicken hot wings (thanks Dallas). HAHA. Not the most traditional of breakfast side dishes, but these leftovers aren’t gonna eat themselves AND HEY WE’RE ALL ON VACATION. LOL.

Bfast with friends makes food taste better!

~Spec

Again, for the party on Saturday. Hee hee. The iPhone remote.app can now request and vote on songs in an iTunes playlist… as long as the computer is connected to WiFi via the Apple Airport Express. It’s pretty freaking cool.

For example, if I find a song that I want to play, I would touch it & then hit “request” song. VOILA. It shows up as the next requested song. If your buddy also wants to hear it, he/she can vote that particular song “up” to boost up the charts. Once again, it’s pretty freaking cool.

Reason #23985723 to love your iPhone.

~Spec

Bastille! Totally had fun at “neighborhood night” at the restaurant’s soft opening. We said hello to Tracy and Kevin from MoshiMoshi (seriously, thanks for the tip!) and passed along a few food samples to the guys and gals of Ocho. Lorna got a chance to get a sneak peek into the restaurant early this month and I’ll just say that they’ve done A LOT of work since then. It’s a beautiful place. The white tile, fireplace and huge archways felt like a traditional French bistro while the dark wood & exposed brick in the back room actually had me jonezin’ for a trip back to Chicago, getting my grub on before I hit the cloooobs (a la Sonotheque). Hee hee.

They’re not officially open yet, but a few things stood out last night: the octopus + preserved lemon, the Veil-styled lamb burger, falafel served on a spoon and the peanut butter ice cream were all top notch.

Bastille will be open seven days a week and will be serving dinner from 5 - 10PM. Their bar area in the back will be open until 2am for late-night noshing. Good times, good times.

Hooray Ballard!

~Spec

WHOOO HOOO. I bought a handful of new tracks for the “Rock Band” station for Saturday. Everyone likes karaoke as long as it’s masked with plastic drums and guitars, right? Hee hee.

“Are You Gonna Go My Way” Lenny Kravitz
“The Joker” Steve Miller Band
“Shining Star” Earth, Wind & Fire
“Pick Up the Pieces” Average White Band
“Don’t Stop Believing” Journey
“Even Flow” Pearl Jam
“Smooth Criminal” Alien Ant Farm
“Linger” Cranberries The Cranberries
“Juke Box Hero” Foreigner
“Buddy Holly” Weezer
“Zero” Smashing Pumpkins
“My Best Friend’s Girl” Cars The Cars
“Just What I Needed” Cars The Cars
“Margaritaville” Jimmy Buffett
“Dr. Feelgood” Motley Crue Mötley Crüe
Jimmy Eat World “Sweetness”
“Mr. Brightside” Killers The Killers
“Just a Girl” No Doubt
“Sunday Morning” No Doubt

I might download the entire No Doubt “greatest hits” album, since I figure Mark was (is?) such a fan. What’s the most disappointing is that the drum parts aren’t very difficult on any of the songs. SRSLY. I WANNA RAWK.

I wish Harmonix would allow users to export a list of downloaded songs and let you know what you’re missing. I’m sure that SOMEONE’S response would be to BUY EVERYTHING just to make sure. YEAH THANKS JASON. LOLS.

That being said, am I missing any Rock Band gems?

\m/

~Spec

HD video here. REALLY short, but uber cute surprise breakfast that Liana’s office threw for her. I had NO hand in any of it and everyone pitched in to make her feel warm and fuzzy inside. Frittatas from Stacy, Hashbrowns from Emi, fancy yogurt, Deb and her freaking Belgian waffle maker (lol), Shanti’s Prosecco and freshly squeezed OJ (OMG TOTALLY). Thanks EVERYONE who was there. I GET TEARY THINKING ABOUT IT. LOL.

It was awesome

~Herschell

SUUUUPER excited for Liana’s Bday on Saturday. I made a small “what you’d expect” list and a “sign up to bring stuffs” page for some of the invited guests. I’ll be doing some more grilling that day, but these are just things that I can get started on this week. OKAIES? Okaies.

WHEEE! EXCITED.
~Herschell

They’re giving away free softserve ice cream cones for the first week of operation!

Yay Ballard!

~Spec

Pork Tenderloin Stuffed with Cremini Mushrooms, Goat Cheese and Herbs served with Roasted Spring Onion Bulbs

Larger view here. Pork tenderloin is available at most supermarkets, but it’s really the quality of the meat that prohibits most people from cooking this tender and juicy cut of meat a second time. Because “today’s modern” pig is leaner than ever, pork tenderloin is often served dry and overcooked… pretty much CARDBOARD. *shudder* I hate eating dry pork. Hate hate hate.

So, what should you do? Go to a real butcher. A REAL ONE. Like with the paper hat and the super wholesome smile (lol just kidding). They will carry pork with FLAVOR and even tell you what to do with it when you’re clueless. Also, you can safeguard yourself from a horrible meal by stuffing the damn thing with delicious goodies inside. It thins the meat for faster cooking and gives you a bit more leeway when cooking your roast.

Before we begin, big ups to our landlords - I procured lemon thyme, sage, rosemary from their garden and some wild fennel fronds (sooo tasty) right outside our front door. I HEART FREE HERBS!!! Quick instructions follow:

Butterfly pork tenderloin in half. Pound out until 1/2” thin. Carefully spread your filling on top, starting one inch from the bottom. Roll from the top down and tie with kitchen string.

Here, you can place in plastic wrap and pull from the fridge when you’re ready to cook - I’d give it a few minutes on the counter to get relaxed when it hits the hot pan.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Preheat saute pan over medium high heat. Add 2 rounds of canola oil and preheat as well. Place the pork tenderloins on the pan and dance to the wonderful sound of “the sizzle” and don’t (OMG DON’T) touch it until you see a golden brown color creeping up the sides. Repeat for the rest of the sides and throw in the oven 20- 25 minutes. Pull out of the oven, let it rest for at least 20 minutes on a cutting board and slice evenly.

Serve with roasted onions, garnish ‘em with an herb of your choice (I used wild fennel fronds), make a quick pan sauce (add shallots & white wine, scrape the stuck bits and a whisk in a bit of butter off heat) and plate carefully (PRETTY ROCKS HELP TOO LOL JOKES).

I’ve NEVER liked those Hormel tenderloins you find at Safeway. Like I said, FIND A REAL BUTCHER AND GET TO KNOW THEIR NAME. If you eat meat, chances are you’ll eat meat 40 years from now - might as well start eating the right stuff right away, right? RIGHT? As always, let me know if you have questions!

WHEEE PORK TENDERLOINZ.

~Spec

Oh hi there! This is Liana. She’s been my sweetheart for 2+ years. This is not her normal face. LOL. She’s my harshest food critic and has the UNCANNY ability to determine who left his socks in the couch from the previous night or who left the toilet seat up. I MEAN, IT’S LIKE SHE’S FREAKING PROFESSOR X HERE PEOPLES.

I sent out invites for Liana’s (OMG GOLDEN) birthday party this month. We have a few things locked down, but the menu (couldn’t find a spit to make traditional Al Pastor) and some of the logistics (where’s the Wii and Rock Band gonna go) are still in the “conceptual” phase. lol. That’s the best way to say it really. We’ll be ready soon! There’ll be a ton of food, close friends and one or two of their doggies.

I JUST HOPE IT DOESN’T RAIN. *crosses fingers*!!!

NO. NO. NO.

~Spec

Vegetarian: Shiitake Mushrooms, Garlic Scapes, and Spring Onions

Beef Noisettes with Shiitake Mushrooms, Garlic Scapes, and Spring Onions

We’re in garlic scape season, which means you really should be hitting up your local farmers’ market and asking for them. This is what they should look like. They’re a crisp, young stalk and impart a garlicy “aura” on the tongue. You know how shallots are a combination of garlic and an onion? Well think of that “garlic-ness” and apply that to an asparagus stalk - without all the hassle of blanching, shocking in cold water and sautéing it with garlic. IT’S EASY TO COOK AND ALREADY FLAVORED! Fabrication deets follow:

For the beef, I bought two lbs. of skirt steak and sliced them AGAINST the grain (easier for our carnivorous teeth to break down) on a bias (for looks) in small chunks the size of 3 sticks of chewing gum. I marinated in 1 cup of soy sauce, a few tablespoons of sake and nubs of ginger. Culinary trivia: a “noisette” is a tender chunk of meat found near the rib and the loin. The skirt cut of beef is right between both, so… WIN!

I cut the UNRULY garlic scapes into relatively uniform pieces, making sure to make the top of the roots extra pretty. I also took a handful of dried shiitake mushrooms and soaked them in hot water. When they plumped up, I squeezed out the liquid (reserving for later) and sliced them thinly. In a last act of “huh, I should really use these soon,” I pulled a few spring onions and sliced them thinly to secure that Asian “garlic, ginger + onion” connection.

Here’s the secret to Asian stir-frys: HEAT. You must heat your pan in an amazingly heat-concentrated environment. IF you don’t, your beef will be grey, your veggies limp and your sauce SUPER watery… which will only force you to use cornstarch, which, in my opinion, muddles flavors and makes things “chalky.” RIGHT DTRB? Hehehehe.

Most modern ovens go to 500 - 550 degrees. So, preheat your oven and make sure that ALL of your ingredients are ready. Throw one or two of your stainless-steel (oven-ready) pans in for at least 7-8 minutes to get SCREAMING HOT.

While the pans are preheating, grab your beef and shiitake mushrooms from the fridge and dry off in paper towels. This is very important. You want that intense heat to cook the beef, not reduce excess soy sauce, right? Right. Pull the pans from the oven using pot holders, put them on your burners on high and squirt some canola oil in (olive oil, sesame oil and butter would burn in an INSTANT). Carefully place one handful of beef and mushrooms in the pan and don’t touch it for 3 minutes. You’ll get an amazing seared color on the meat and mushrooms. Toss in the pan for another two minutes for even cooking and then set the meat / mushrooms aside.

Add the onions and garlic scapes and cook over high for 3 minutes. Again, you’ll see the same color on the veggies. Add a few tablespoons of the reserved shiitake mushroom soaking liquid (strained in cheesecloth) to create steam to finish cooking the scapes. Lastly, throw in 1/4 cup soy sauce, 3 tablespoons of oyster sauce and sake and let cook for another 2 minutes to reduce. Add the meat and mushrooms back in the pan to and toss (just like on TV! lol) to combine all the sauces.

The beef sears so well, the meatiness becomes the base of the sauce. You’ll get an intense umami mouth feel which is mirrored by the shiitake mushrooms, carried out further with the spring onions and is rounded out by the garlic flavor and crisp texture from the scapes.

Serve with chopsticks (reusable, please), a bowl of piping hot white rice and enjoy! I didn’t, but you could totally throw in some thai chilies for spiciness. One last thing, if you value your pans, please let them cool down on their own - if you pour water on top, the metal will “scream” and the flat bottom of your cooking vessel will be no longer.

Happy stir-frying!

~Spec

Grilled Pork Belly Kimchi Buta with Halibut Cheek and Leek Scrape Buchimgae

I managed to get my hands on a few fatty pieces of pork belly from Ballard Market a few weeks ago and finally found the time to cook it. YAY. I was so excited I jumped out of bed, washed my hands, threw on my gloves, pulled it from the freezer, threw it the sink to defrost, placed my hands on my hips and said to myself…

“…now what.” LOL.

I’ve had a lingering thoughts about this meat/fat layered protein ever since it exploded onto the Internet. There was that peanut-butter pork belly that was all over the webz, the many times I tried it at restaurants around San Francisco (DTRB did it with bitter greens) and the fact that it received so much damn interest because YES VIRGINIA, it is “raw” form of bacon.

I ended up scoring the fat 1/2” deep with a knife and marinated the 2 1lb. slabs in 1/2 cup soy, 1 tbsp. of sesame oil, 1/4 cup of white wine vinegar, a squeeze of honey, a few knobs of ginger, 2 garlic cloves and 1 stalk of “back of knife beaten” lemongrass in a zip top plastic bag overnight to get it sexy for the next day.

I started up my grill (switching to hardwood charcoal next -thanks cb!) and placed the meat on a canola oil greased grate directly over the fire for about 5 minutes each side. I then let it cook over indirect heat for another hour, until the fat separated into cute lil’ diamonds like you can see here:

Sexy. After allowing the meat to rest for 15 minutes, I carefully sliced the meat into uniform chunks - the fat is quite delicate so sharp knives will help in your presentation. I then combined it with kimchi (in honor of Kushibar’s kimchi buta) and a few quicly pickled leek scrape buds for color and sharp onion flavor that I picked up from the Ballard farmer’s market last Sunday.

Assuming you receive a bit of everything in each bite, you’ll instantly feel the heat and tartness from the kimchi, a spike of brightness from the leek, the satisfying bite from the pork and the luscious, rounded layer of fat melting in your mouth, begging to be equalized by a small cloud of piping-hot, freshly cooked white rice…

…ROFL.

*ahem*

WHOA. Got a little explicit with the description there! So to recap: marinade, grill direct heat then indirect, let rest and combine with kimchi and serve with white rice. There ya go!

The side dish was an adaptation of this recipe from MyKoreanKitchen of buchimgae (Korean pancake) using halibut cheeks, leek scrapes, shiitake mushrooms and carrot. I’ve got a bit of batter left, so there might be a video forthcoming! WHEEEE.

YAY. Pork belly!

~Spec

Happy birthday Georgia! Also, happy birthday Emi! Celebrating in Ballard! I hope this lil’ guy makes it though the night!

~Spec