It’s been raining for the last few days, so the weather is perfect for a steaming bowl of soup. But you already know how much I love soup, so really it doesn’t need to be raining to be the perfect day for me!

As I was working on the computer yesterday, I took a break to check in on  Facebook, and right there on my wall, I saw this post from Chelsea’s Kitchen (yes, the same same Chelsea’s Kitchen that serves THIS amazing Brussels Sprout Salad).

“Chelsea’s Kitchen is the perfect place on a rainy day to get some good ‘ole comfort food. Try our potato fennel soup with crispy shallots and parsley!  It’s amazing!”

Mind you, I had no intention of driving the 9 miles, in the rain, to eat a bowl of soup and to lunch all by myself.  But… I did have a fennel bulb, potatoes, and shallots in my own kitchen.  Although I don’t know if this soup is anything like the one served at CK… I can assure you, it too is amazing!

Potato and Fennel Soup with Crispy Shallots

2 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup olive oil, divided
1 large fennel bulb, trimmed and diced, fronds reserved
1 large onion, peeled and diced
1 pound potatoes, peeled, chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup milk or half-and-half
1 teaspoon fennel seeds, lightly crushed
1 teaspoon dried tarragon or 1 tablespoon fresh tarragon
2 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced

Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add fennel, onions, and potatoes; season with salt and pepper. Sauté until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Cover pot and sweat for 5 minutes. Remove lid and add broth, bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring milk, fennel seeds, and tarragon bring to a simmer in heavy small saucepan. Reduce heat to a low simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 20 minutes so that flavors blend.

As soup continues to simmer; heat the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil in a small skillet over medium high heat.  When hot, add half of the shallots and cook, stirring frequently, until golden. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the shallots to paper towels to drain, repeat with remaining shallots.  (Cool and save the shallot-oil, use it the next time you sauté vegetables – yum.)

Puree soup in two batches in a blender until smooth. Return soup to same pot. Place a fine mesh strainer over the pot and add the milk mixture Stir to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish with reserved fennel fronds and serve.

Serves 8

Oh, and hopefully you’ll notice that I don’t just talk the talk, I walk the walk! Several of my favorite things are already shared here with you in my previous posts… from the Brussels Sprout Salad to the Bacon BonBons and the De Lujo Margarita. I’m always thinking about you people!

Linda Hopkins’ Perfect Food Day
By Jennifer Woods Tue., Nov. 29 2011 at 7:00 AM

Linda Hopkins has been a Phoenix culinary mainstay for more than 20 years. She’s best known for starting the Valley’s first and longest running children’s only cooking school called Les Petites Gourmettes. The name is a nod to her love of all things French. Each summer, Hopkins helps  kids from ages 8 to 18 spend 4-5 day weeks by getting their hands dirty and their minds filled with the technique and love of food and cooking. She got her education at culinary schools in France, San Francisco and New York. You can find her exuberant posts and many recipes on the Les Petites Gourmettes’ blog and twitter (@LHop1027). Her recipes have been included in several cookbooks, including Cooking with Les Dames d’Escoffier: At Home with the Women Who Shape the Way We Eat and Drink — she’s also a member of Les Dames d’Escoffier International, the invite only club for female culinary professionals. Today we’ve invited her to share her perfect food day.

Here’s Linda Hopkins’ perfect food day:

To make my Perfect Food Day work, I would need to be able to apparate from one place to another, à la Harry Potter. And we will also assume that apparating in this manner burns off all calories consumed and all feelings of a full stomach. For it to be a truly Perfect Food Day I would also need to be able to partake in these meals with my favorite people, so here we go…

Pre-breakfast stop: Essence Bakery Café for a croissant and to pick up a huge box of Eugenia Theodosopoulos’ heavenly macarons, at least a dozen of each luscious flavor, to sustain me and my dining partners throughout the day.

Breakfast: I would travel to Flagstaff to enjoy a leisurely brunch at Criollo Latin Kitchen with my son, Connor. We would indulge in the Huevos Español; Two Poached Eggs with Jamón Serrano on a toasted English Muffin topped with a spicy Hollandaise and served with Home Fries. And wash it down with a Bloody Mary.

Lunch: Connor and I would meet up with my husband, Dave, and all my girlfriends and their kids and share huge portions of Brussels Sprout Salad from Chelsea’s Kitchen, the perfect Braised Leeks from FnB, and a stack of Housemade Mozzarella, Local Tomato, and Basil Sandwiches from Pane Bianco.

Happy Hour Part 1: We’d leave my husband and the kids to their own devices and the girls and I would travel to San Francisco and meet up with my daughter, Marissa, at the lovely Gitane Restaurant and drown ourselves in Gitane’s fruity sangria and devour platters full of their Bacon Bonbons; Prunes stuffed with Goat Cheese, wrapped in Smoked Bacon, swimming in a Spiced Port Glaze. Oh my!

Happy Hour Part 2: Next I’d pick up Connor and we’d all grab our significant others and head to Florence, Italy to revisit a place that my family has been dreaming about since May 2008! Ballerini Pasticceria il Cioccolato is just around the corner from all the car rental agencies, near the train station in Florence. It is a chocolate shop that also has breakfast pastries and a focaccia counter in the back. The focaccia is like no other. It is a double-crusted or filled focaccia and the top crust is delightfully thin, crispy, and salty. The Margarita, Spinach and Feta Stuffed, and the Sausage and White Cheese are what we enjoyed all those years ago, but I just have to go back and try all the varieties they offer!

Happy Hour Part 3: Back in Arizona, we would go to Elote Café in Sedona and indulge in the namesake Elote appetizer; fire roasted corn with spicy mayo, lime, and cotija cheese, served with crisp corn tortillas. Chef Jeff Smedstad recently taught a class at Les Gourmettes and served the most wonderful “fall and winter” De Lujo (Luxury) Margarita. Even if it’s not on the menu, we’d have to request several pitchers for the table.

              Photo courtesy of PenandFork.com

Dinner: No question about it. We would be at Binkley’s Restaurant in Cave Creek, order the 6-course tasting menu, with wine paring, and delight with awe at each and every one of the multiple amuse-bouche and courses that Chef Kevin Binkley placed in front of us! If frog’s legs are in season, that would be the Pièce de résistance to my Perfect Food Day!

If you’re anything like me, when you think of margaritas, you think of a warm summer day. Last week I was introduced to a cold-weather margarita that will knock your socks off! Chef Jeff Smedstad was the visiting chef teaching at Barbara Fenzl’s Les Gourmettes Cooking School last Monday night and everyone in the class swooned when he served this luxurious (de lujo) concoction.

Chef Smedstad is the chef/owner of Elote Cafe in Sedona. Dave and I dined at Elote the first night we were up in Sedona, last month. I failed to mention it before, because back then, it was all about my sprained ankle. And that’s a shame because it was one of the best meals we’ve had in a very long time.  For a fantastic rundown (with drop-dead gorgeous pictures) on Elote go to my friend, Gwen Walter’s blog and check out her professional and spot-on review.

While you’re reading the review and drooling over the photos, enjoy this somehow “warming” cold margarita. Chef Smedstad calls for Añejo tequila. Añejo, or “aged” tequila sits in oak barrels for at least one year and up to two years, eleven months, and thirty days. On the next day (3 years), it would be called Extra Añejo. Although the Añejo or Extra Añejo really make this drink shine (see Chef’s notes at the bottom of the recipe) you may use Blanco (white) tequila or Reposado (rested) tequila, just be sure to use a high quality tequila and not anything along the lines of the dreaded José Cuervo!

Elote’s De Lujo Margarita

Base Mix
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
5 cups water
Margarita
Ice
Añejo tequila
Grand Marnier

Base Mix: Briskly whisk until sugar is completely dissolved.

Margarita: In a 14-ounce glass with a salted rim (if desired) and filled with ice cubes, pour a full-shot of Añejo tequila. Then almost fill with the base mix and top off with a half-shot of Grand Marnier.

Drink and Enjoy!

Chef Smedstad’s Notes:  “Why brown sugar, vanilla, and lemon… brown sugar and lemon are soft and rich. The name lugo means luxury and the vanilla mirrors the oak notes in both the Añejo tequilla as well as the Grand Marnier.

I’ve mentioned before how much I enjoy True Food Kitchen. In fact I celebrated with two different birthday lunches there, the first with my dad and the second with my good friend, Karen (who was one of my bridesmaids, all those years ago).  When Dad and I were there, the two women at the table across from us were enjoying this huge bowl of vegetables. It is True Food’s gorgeous crudités bowl with tzatziki and black olive dips. The next week, when Karen and I went, I had to order it so that I could check it out more closely and recreate it at home. I think this is one of the prettiest ways to serve crudités that I’ve ever seen! That is True Food’s bowl above… and mine is below.

Crudités Garden Bowl with Caesar Dip and Tapenade

Green and yellow green beans
Snow peas
Long baby broccoli stems
Thin asparagus spears, tough ends snapped off
Ice
Cherry or teardrop tomatoes
Long and thin carrots, peeled and cut in half lengthwise if needed
Persian cucumbers, cut in half lengthwise
Red and white Belgium endive, separated into spears
Caesar Dip (1/2 recipe)
1 small jar black olive tapenade spread

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and fill a large bowl with a lot of ice and just enough cold water to cover the ice.

Drop in the green beans into the boiling water and blanch for 1 minute, then lift out with a slotted spoon and drop immediately into a large bowl of ice water. Once the beans are completely chilled, lift out of the ice water and place on paper towels to drain. Next, blanch the snow peas in the same manner. Now, the broccoli and finally the asparagus in the same way.

Keeping the four vegetables separate, roll up in damp paper towels, wrap each roll in plastic wrap and refrigerate to crisp the vegetables, for a least 2 hours.

When ready to serve, fill a large serving bowl one third of the way full with ice. Sprinkle with ice with a couple handfuls of cherry tomatoes.

Now start “planting” your garden. Poke the various vegetables into the ice, finishing with the endive spears. Sprinkle with more cherry tomatoes.

Place the tapenade in a food processor and thin with 2 tablespoons water. Use the pulse button to smooth just a bit. Place the Caesar dip and the tapenade in two separate bowls and serve alongside your beautiful vegetable crudités garden. Enjoy!

Last night was the first time I’ve cooked any sort of food for Dave and myself… in… let’s see… 11 days. Unbelievable! I think that is the longest stretch of “no-cook” time for me since back in 2008 when we were traveling through France and Italy with the kids. But, I’m back and the recipes will again be flowing, thanks for hanging in there with me through the trip to Sedona, the foot injury, and birthdays. :-D

On Wednesday, my dad took me to True Food Kitchen at Scottsdale Quarter for my birthday lunch. I usually order the light and luscious Edamame Dumplings, or their delicious Herb Hummus, or the fabulous Wild Ahi Sliders… but this time I decided to try the Mediterranean Chopped Salad. Good choice! Actually, I’ve never had anything I didn’t enjoy from the menu. The photo at the top is the True Food salad – taken with my new iPhone 4s, which I LOVE!  Once I got home, I just had to recreate it for Dave.  He, of course, loved it… and you will too.

True Food uses red quinoa in their salad, I had the white on hand (you can also find black quinoa), otherwise, this salad tasted exactly like the one you’d be served at the restaurant. They also offer the salad with the addition of grilled chicken or salmon, obviously you can too.

True Food Kitchen’s Mediterranean Chopped Salad Knock-off

2 cups cold water
1 cup uncooked quinoa

Lemon-Oregano Vinaigrette
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons honey
2 teaspoons fresh oregano, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
5 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 of an English cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
3/4 cup pitted Kalamata olives
2 large handfuls green beans, trimmed and steamed
2 cups cherry or teardrop tomatoes
3/4 cup Marcona almonds
3 cups arugula or spinach leaves
1 cup crumbled feta or queso cotijta cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the quinoa and stir, simmer over medium heat, stirring often, until all the liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat, cover, and set aside for 15 minutes.  Fluff with a fork and spread out on a plate to cool to room temperature.

While the quinoa is cooking and cooling, make the vinaigrette. Place the garlic, lemon zest, juice, vinegar, mustard, honey, oregano, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl and blend well.  While continually whisking, slowly drizzle in the olive oil, until dressing is emulsified.

In a large salad bowl, toss together the cucumber, olives, green beans, tomatoes, almonds, and arugula. Add the cooled quinoa, cheese, and vinaigrette.  Toss until all ingredients are coated with the vinaigrette, taste for seasoning, and serve.

Serves 4

On Sunday night, Peggy and I attended a wonderful event at a fun new venue called The Accidental Yard, in Old Town Scottsdale. Doesn’t she look so pretty standing in front of the door that is the address of The Accidental Yard? Although I’m not actually certain that the door opens or if it really leads to anywhere… since we followed the cute signs and walked around the corner to the entrance.

The property is between the Cavalliere Blacksmith Shop (est. 1910) and the Mission Restaurant and Lounge on Brown Avenue and Second Street. The Accidental Yard will encompass about 10,000 square feet on the L-shaped property that includes the two buildings and a yard that stretches to an area behind the blacksmith shop. The property had been vacant for years. It is being renovated by co-owners and founders, Joe and Kelly Garcia, into an urban garden which will soon have an attached coffeehouse, bakery, and restaurant. Joe and Kelly, are long-time vendors at the Old Town Farmer’s Market and Kelly owns Butter & Me Cupcakery.

This multi-use space was the perfect space to host Stephanie Izard, owner of The Girl & The Goat in Chicago, who was the Top Chef Season 4 Winner. Stephanie is a former Scottsdale Culinary Institute  (SCI) graduate who was in town to promote the release of her first cookbook, Girl in the Kitchen, with this one-night, pop-up collaborative dinner benefiting Share Our Strength, a non-profit organization whose mission is to put an end to childhood hunger.

The outstanding meal was prepared by not only Stephanie, but also in collaboration with Chef Beau MacMillan (elements at The Sanctuary Resort in Paradise Valley) and Chef Randy Zwelban (Province Restaurant in Chicago and Phoenix).

Stephanie created the first course, a goat sausage and arugula salad.

Next, Beau served an outstanding pork belly masterpiece.

Randy followed up with a quail dish. Each chef also made luscious desserts… one word… YUM!

We didn’t only have great cocktails, food, and wine – we were also fortunate enough to sit at a super fun table. Amongst our table-mates were Edible Phoenix publisher, Pamela Hamilton; SCI pastry chef, Robert; social network diva and SCI administrator, Deejah; Chow Bella contributor, Jennifer Woods; and Chef Gwen Walters along with her lovely husband, Jeff.

The entire Yard should open with the coffee shop, a front patio, restaurant, and bakery in January 2012.  In the meantime, if you receive an invite to a private event at The Accidental Yard, but sure to go… you will love it!

Except for the very discouraging fact that our AZ Diamondbacks dropped the first two games of the National League Division Series and our AZ Cardinals lost their third (3rd!!!!) game in a row – we had a great weekend. Third game in a row!!! Ouch!

Tram, Matt (Valley Dish producer), Linda, Ginger, and Mario 12/10

On Saturday night, Dave and I dined at our friends, Mario and Ginger Vincitorio’s, restaurant in Tempe… called VinciTorio’s Restaurant.  The evening was extra special because we went with my dear friend, Tram Mai and her adorable husband Steve.

Not only is Tram the host of EVB Live on NBC channel 12, but she and Steve own Press Coffee Roasters, with locations at CityNorth and the Scottsdale Quarter… and another opening at Sky Harbor airport in spring 2012!

Mario and his gorgeous wife, Ginger, are the nicest people and most gracious hosts in the world! We had the absolute best time, closing down the place and laughing at all their side-splitting funny stories. Ginger, like me, is an Arizona native and Mario is from Puglia, Italy.

Photo by Chris Bassett, Phoenix Magazine

Their restaurant is beautiful and the food – the fresh pasta – out of this world. As Tram said to me, “I wish Mario and Ginger were closer… but then again, we’d be 500 pounds!”  Well tiny Tram would never see 500 pounds, but the rest of us, yeah, probably!

Yep... 500 pounds, easily! - photo from VinciTorio's website

To top off the weekend, I just learned that Tram is the cover-girl for the October issue of  Frontdoors Magazine – accompanied by a lovey article about lovely Tram. CLICK on THIS LINK to check out the cover and read the article (beginning on page 26)… then you’ll know why my friend is such an amazing, sweet, and authentic woman. Congratulations Tram, well deserved!

If you have ever eaten at Chelsea’s Kitchen, here in Phoenix, then you have most likely enjoyed or watched someone else enjoy the out-of-this-world Brussels sprout salad.  The only thing I can’t get over is the price… $14 for a salad seems a tad pricey. Luckily this delicious salad is easy to make at home for just pennies on the restaurant dollar.

And this mustard vinaigrette… one of the best and most versatile vinaigrettes you will ever make. So although you don’t use even half of it for this salad, you are going to want to use it on salads from here on out!

Brussels Sprout Salad

Salad
1 pound Brussels sprouts
1/4 cup dried Trader Joe’s Triple Fruit Treat, or a mix of dried cranberries and blueberries
1/4 cup whole Spanish Marcona almonds
2 ounces Manchego cheese shavings (using a vegetable peeler)
2 slices maple bacon; cooked crisp, drained, and crumbled

Mustard Vinaigrette
2 tablespoons honey or agave nectar
1  1/2 tablespoons Champagne or white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons whole grain mustard
1 large garlic clove, peeled and minced
3/4 cup olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Slice the end off of each Brussels sprout and peel off the outer leaves. Once the leaves become difficult to remove, slice off a bit more of the bottom of each sprout until the leaves come off easily.  Discard the cores or save for another use. You will have about 6 loose-packed cups of leaves.

In a large pot of boiling water, blanch the Brussels sprouts leaves for about 1 minute, or until they are a vibrant green and just tender-crisp.

Use a slotted spoon or spider to lift out and immediately transfer to a large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking.

Drain and place in a single layer on paper towels, layering paper towels, if needed.

Then roll up the paper towels and place in the refrigerator to chill and crisp the leaves for at least 45 minutes.

In the meantime make the vinaigrette: In a large bowl, whisk together the honey, vinegar, lemon zest, lemon juice, mustard, and garlic. Continue whisking while slowly drizzling in the olive oil until the oil is thoroughly incorporated. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Chill.  (Makes about 1 cup which is more than is needed for this recipe.  It will keep for 1 week, covered and refrigerated.)

In a large bowl, toss the Brussels sprouts leaves, dried fruit, almonds, and just enough vinaigrette to lightly moisten.

Mound the salad on a plate, and top with the Manchego cheese shavings and crumbled bacon. Serve immediately.

Serves 4

Chef Tim Lipman in the Leftovers kitchen

While in Jupiter, Florida last week, Chris and Kathy took me to their favorite “sister” restaurants, Food Shack and Leftovers.  The food was some of the most creative, seasonal, colorful, and flavorful I’ve ever had- especially at Leftovers.

We had the privilege of sitting at the bar that looks directly into the kitchen and catching up with the Leftovers chef, Tim Lipman. What a cool guy! I would love for him to come to Les Gourmettes next spring and share his unique creativity and philosophy.  And of course, he’d need to bring all that wonderful fish at his disposal, along too. Barb, we need to talk!

Both restaurants offer a different menu each and every day.  Whatever fish was caught and brought in fresh to the kitchen that day is offered. It is then crusted and served on a salad with the most amazing flavor combinations.  For instance, when we visited the fish choices were Corvina, Cobia, Wahoo, Grouper Cheeks, Yellowtail Snapper, or Tuna.

Once you decide which fish you would like, you choose the crusting and salad.  Check out these options:

• Sweet Potato crusted over greens, green beans, mangoes & garlic lime dressing
• Peanut & Curry crusted over greens, snap peas, grapes, peaches, and pineapple-cilantro dressing
• Tex-Mex Yucca crusted over romaine Caesar with capers, onions,  & roasted peppers
• Butternut & Gorgonzola crusted over greens, mixed melon, & balsamic vinaigrette
• Teriyaki & Coconut Rice crusted over greens, green beans, sun-dried peaces, apples, cauliflower & tropical fruit dressing
• Butternut & Shallot crusted over greens, snow peas, jicama & carrot with balsamic dressing
• Boniato & Mint crusted over greens, multi-melon salad with sun-dried tomato dressing

Amazing, right?  The night I arrived, we dined at Food Shack.  The three of us split the Yellowtail with the Butternut & Gorgonzola crust along with the Sweet Potato crusted Grouper Cheeks.  I could eat this way every day!

A few nights later, at Leftovers, we strayed from the crusted choices and instead opted for a couple of the “exotic entrees” – oh my goodness! The best seafood linguine imaginable. I am going to try to duplicate it at home and I promise, Dave will think he has died and gone to heaven if I can pull it off – so good!

Seafood Linguine with shrimp, scallops, shiitake mushrooms, squash, pineapple and artichokes in an almond-roasted pepper pesto cream with lemon & mozzarella

Island Plate with Jerk rubbed pork shoulder, tempura shrimp, roasted corn, peach salsa and blue cheese grits

The Island Plate was something special too. And I haven’t even mentioned the appetizers and free dessert that Tim sent out to us.  We need him in Scottsdale! I would be his number one groupie.

Tempura Fried Calamari topped with napa cabbage, bean sprouts, fresh tomato, cilantro, & peanuts

Grilled Sea Scallops over creamy pineapple & red cabbage slaw with blue cheese-balsamic and bacon reduction

White Chocolate-Coconut-Crème Brulee Cheesecake with toasted almond crust along with Dark Chocolate Nut Mash

I honestly don’t know how some people do it. How they are able to eat out more than once or twice a week. When I come home from vacation, the first thing I crave is a home-cooked meal and the absolute last thing I want for a week or two is to go out to eat. I know of people who dine in restaurants, carry-out, or have delivery more than 7 or 8 times a week. That, to me, is the definition of insanity for multiple reasons: it is expensive, what is in the food and how it is prepared is out of your control, and it is expensive… oh I already mentioned that… but it is!

That said, the three restaurants we dined at in San Francisco were amazing! But I did say “San Francisco”, so what else would you expect… but amazing? I am no restaurant critic. I don’t critique the decor, the location, or even the wait-staff.  I just know if I am “comfortable” in a space, I’m with people I want to be with, and if I have delicious food – well, then I‘m happy and I’ve had a good dining experience. So this won’t be a critique of the three restaurants, just glowing praise and my personal recommendation to go to one, or all three, if you have the chance, and the money; they’re all on the pricey side.

Not that you have to go to a high-end restaurant in San Francisco to have a great dining experience, quite the contrary, there are fabulous places everywhere you look. But we wanted to treat our precious daughter while we were there. After 7 weeks without of place to call her own and eating like a “3rd grader with a drinking problem” – her words, not mine – she deserved parental pampering. (I guess a diet consisting of PB&J’s, grilled cheese, canned soup, cheese crisps, wine and beer, does qualify as she describes!)

Absinthe Brasserie & Bar
398 Hayes at Gough
absinthe.com

We chose Absinthe our first night because San Francisco Magazine (where Marissa works) had just come out with their “food” issue and the pastry chef was profiled. Marissa spoke with him on numerous occasions during her “fact checking” and thought he was a cool guy.  Well that, and that fact that Absinthe has great reviews brought us there.  We had to try the cocktails. With a name like Absinthe, it would be a shame not to.

Wonderlust was the favorite; Bols Genever, Small Hands Food Pineapple Gum, Creme de Violette, lemon juice, & a dash of Absinthe. Shaken & served up with a twist of lemon.

Fame came in a close second; St. Germain elderflower spirit, Aperol Apertif, & lemon juice. Shaken & poured over prosecco with a candied lemon wheel.

Gold Miner was ordered by Marissa, but drank by Dave – a bit on the strong side; El Camp de Encanto pisco, figs, Kubler absinthe, lemon juice. Shaken & served over ice.

For dinner, Dave chose to have soup and one of the “shared plates” increased to entree size. Marissa and I went straight to the entrees.

Once again, I gravitated towards the lamb, I’ve been on such a kick for it lately…

Marissa’s fish was my favorite dish of the night.

Of course, we HAD to try the desserts, that’s why we’d come here, after all.

Listed in the order we ranked them.
Buttermilk Panna Cotta; roasted strawberries, basil meringue, pistachio crumble

German Chocolate Cake; milk chocolate mousse, pressed coconut, candied pecans

Beet Cake; fromage blanc, roasted walnut ice cream

A wonderful night out, at a beautiful restaurant, with 2 of my 3 favorite people in the world – we missed you Connor!

Dave flew home 3 days before me, so at the next two spots, it was just Marissa and I. And for Quince, one of the city’s most touted establishments, it was a good thing. A second mortgage on the house may have be required if there would have been more than two of us! The hype and the expense were deserved, it was a memorable night in a gorgeous place! Chef Michael Tusk was recently named “Best Chef – Pacific” by the James Beard Foundation. Quince is located in a 1907 historically land-marked brick and timber building in the Jackson Square neighborhood.  Funny thing is, we didn’t plan on going to Quince, but rather its sister restaurant next door, Cotogna (quince in Italian).  Once again we chose it because of the magazine, which featured the wine director, David Lynch. Cotogna is more casual and economically priced. We didn’t have reservations at Cotogna and the wait was an hour and half, but we could sit at the bar and eat at Quince instead. All I can say is save your pennies, and get here.  Outstanding!

Quince
470 Pacific Avenue
quincerestaurant.com

We had the 4 course tasting menu, each choosing a different opener, entree, and dessert; but both opting for the risotto as our second course (a supplement of $18 per person and specifically prepared for the entire table).  The pictures are in order of first, second, and third courses with what I had pictured first and Marissa’s plates, second. Let me add, the soup was the best soup I’ve had in my entire life. The cherry tomatoes were peeled, for goodness sake! I could swim in a pool of it and die content.

On this evening, I’d forgotten my camera, so all pictures were taken with Marissa’s iPhone. By the time dessert came, we were “so over” taking pictures of our food. Trust me, they were gorgeous and out of this world delicious. I can’t wait to make the basil and pistachio pesto, so perfectly pure in taste and vibrant in color.

Milk Chocoalte Semifrieddo; basil and sicilian pistachio pesto
Strawberry Vacherin; meringue, vanilla gelato and hibiscus

Finally, the last of the three meals. Luckily I don’t have to post any description or many photos. I blogged about this fun place just two months ago when Dave and I took a trip to Sonoma and then promised Marissa that I would take her there.  We had the exact same things I’d had before, just a few dishes less. This was my last night in San Fran and we were sick and tired of eating out, but neither of us wanted to miss Gitane.

Gitane
6 Claude Lane
Gitanerestaurant.com

Bacon Bonbons – prunes stuffed with goat cheese, wrapped in smoked bacon, in a spiced port glaze

Calamares – stuffed with bacon & onion, manzanilla olives, cherry tomatoes, heirloom potatoes

Catalan Flatbread – serrano ham, delta asparagus, manchego

Seasonal Red Sangria – red wine, assorted fruits, orange liqueur, apple juice, cinnamon

The picture says it all.  We ate and drank every last bite and every last drop, save one slice of flatbread; after all, Marissa needed something to take to lunch the next day.

Thank you Marissa for putting up with me and thank you San Francisco. I can not wait to come back.  Marissa, I promise you won’t have to share a bed with me, I’ll get a hotel room next time. Until then, enjoy your new home and roommates in your beautiful city by the bay. xoxo

The cobb salad was created nearly 80 years ago at the famous Hollywood Brown Derby restaurant and has been an American favorite ever since. I prefer to serve it as individual salads as opposed to presenting on a large platter.  That way it looks lovely for each guest. If served on a platter, it looks great for the first guest or two, but by the end of the line, all the “goodies” on top are either gone or mashed into a nasty looking mess.

Classic Cobb Salad

Dressing
3/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Salad
1 head iceberg lettuce, cored and thinly sliced
1 head romaine lettuce, thinly sliced
1 bunch watercress, leaves only
4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
10 strips cooked bacon, roughly chopped
6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and cut into wedges or slices
4 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 boneless chicken breasts, cooked and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 avocados, peeled, pitted, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons chives, minced

Dressing:  Combine the canola oil, olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, Worcestershire, sugar, and garlic in a food processor or blender.  Puree the ingredients to make a smooth dressing and season with salt and pepper.  Set aside.

Salad:  In a large bowl, combine the iceberg and romaine lettuces along with the watercress. Toss with 1/4 cup of the dressing.  Divide the greens between 8 salad plates.

Arrange the blue cheese, bacon, eggs, tomatoes, chicken, and avocado on top of the greens in wedges or neat rows.

To serve, drizzle salad with dressing, season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with chives.

Serves 8

You’ve heard of the “Six Degrees of Separation” before, right?  The idea that everyone is six steps away from any other person on Earth, so that a chain of, “a friend of a friend” can, on average, connect any two people in six steps or fewer. It was originally set forth by Frigyes Karinthy and then popularized by a play written by John Guare.

That really has nothing to do with today’s recipe, I just love the idea of that, how connected we all are… OK, on to macarons, French macarons to be exact. These are a completely different breed than the coconut macaroons you might be more familiar with.  Those are easy to make, these are not!  And the only reason we even attempted them in the teen class graduation last week was because one of my long-time students, Steven, requested to make them. Steven has been coming to Les Petites Gourmettes since he was 8 years old… he is now 16 and drives himself to class.  How time flies!!!

We did a pretty decent job with our macarons, and I feel confident passing this recipe along to you.  I researched online for a couple of days before coming up with a composite of various peoples recipes and thoughts on how to make macarons easily on your own, and this ended up working darn well.  It’s just hard to imagine that 4 simple ingredients (sugar, almonds, egg whites and water) could become so difficult to master.

photo courtesy of essencebakery.com

So… if you love French macarons like I love French macarons, I suggest you skip making them yourself and instead drive directly to Essence Bakery and buy a box. I dare you to make it home without cracking into that puppy! Well, you may succeed if you have lunch there first, which you should!  And be sure to tell my good friend, owner/chef Eugenia Theodosopoulous, that I sent you!  Then eat your amazingly delicious and perfect macarons and thank me later!

LPG Macaron

French Macarons

1  1/2 cups finely ground blanched almonds (or almond meal, conveniently found at Trader Joe’s)
1  1/4 cups powdered sugar
3 large egg whites, beaten lightly in a 1 cup liquid measuring cup and divided in half
2  1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Sugar Syrup
3/4 cup granulated
1/4 cup water

Chocolate ganache for filling, if desired

Process the ground almonds and powdered sugar in the bowl of a food processor to combine well, set aside.

In a the bowl of a standing mixer, whip half of the egg whites to soft peaks, add the 2 1/2 tablespoons of granulated sugar and whip on high until completely combined.

Sugar Syrup: In the meantime, in a small saucepan over high heat, bring the water and granulated sugar to a boil, heat to 230 degrees on a candy thermometer.

With the mixer running, slowly add the boiling syrup to the egg whites in the mixer and continue to whip on medium-high speed until the mixture is completely cooled and you have a shiny meringue, about 12 to 15 minutes.

Mix the remaining half of the unwhipped egg whites left in the 1-cup measuring cup and the almond/sugar mixture in a large bowl. Lighten the almond mixture by stirring in one fourth of the meringue. Then carefully fold the almond mixture into the meringue.

Preheat oven to 320 degrees.

Fill a pastry bag, fitted with a plain tip, with the macaron mixture and pipe macarons about 2 inches in diameter on a silpat lined baking sheet.

Bake in preheated oven for 12 to 16 minutes, until tops are set but the macarons are not completely dry.

Remove to a rack to cool and fill if desired with chocolate ganache; sandwiching two macarons together.

Makes about 2 dozen macaron “sandwiches”

No doubt, you’ve dined in many Italian restaurants or perused enough cookbooks and food magazines to know what to expect when you order or see a recipe for pasta primavera.  A lovely pasta dish filled with fresh seasonal vegetables, primavera means spring in Italian, so freshness is what it’s all about.  But did you know that there was no such thing as pasta primavera on menus and in cookbooks until after 1975?

Although the dish is derived from centuries old genuine Italian dishes, its name and widespread popularity was created by two culinary icons, Sirio Maccioni, the owner of Le Cirque in New York City and Craig Claiborne, the legendary New York Times food editor and restaurant critic.

In May 1975 a group of chefs and gourmets, including Claiborn, were traveling through New York City to Canada when Maccioni prepared a dish for the group using spaghetti, fresh vegetables, frozen peas, and cream.  A guest asked what the dish was called and Maccioni responded, “spaghetti primavera.”  A week later, Claiborne wrote in his column that spaghetti primavera was “the best pasta discovery in twenty years.”  As a result, diners flocked to Le Cirque only to find that is was not on the menu. Maccioni hadn’t felt as though he had created a new dish, it was just a variation of a classic Italian recipe he had known from his childhood in rural Tuscany, but he finally obliged his guests and decided that it could be ordered “off the menu.”

This is the penne primavera I created for students to make for our pasta class these past two weeks and HERE IS A LINK to the original Le Cirque version, which was published in the premier issue of Food & Wine Magazine in 1978.

Penne Primavera

1 pound penne pasta
1/4 cup olive oil
6 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
2 pounds asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch lengths
4 cups chicken broth
4 cups frozen baby peas, thawed
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon minced fresh sage
1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano
1 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
In a very large skillet, heat the olive oil.  Add the garlic and cook over low heat, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth and boil over high heat until the liquid reduced by half, about 8 – 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the penne and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain.

Add the cream to the reduced liquid in the  skillet and boil over high heat until the sauce has thickened, about 4 minutes.  Stir in the asparagus and peas and cook until the asparagus is just tender, about 5 minutes.  Toss in the penne and stir until pasta is heated through.

Remove from the heat and stir in the butter, sage, oregano, and the 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Transfer the pasta to serving bowls, sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan cheese, and serve immediately.

Serves 8