Cooking San Francisco

David Eyre's Pancake

This classic puffy pancake was introduced by David Eyre via Craig Claiborne and the New York Times in 1966, and we can't believe we missed it until now. In the past, we have relied on more complicated German pancake recipes that were reserved for weekend breakfasts. If we get up just few minutes earlier we can actually pull off this recipe on a weekday morning, much to the delight of our kids. We like to use a stainless steel or cast iron skillet for this dish, but any oven-proof frying pan will do.  We've also made it with white whole wheat flour which works just fine, though the resulting pancake is not quite as puffy. If you have a few minutes, do check out Amanda Hesser's 2007 piece in the New York Times Magazine on this popular pancake and it's history, including the fact that the pancake was originally intended to be served for dessert. Ms. Hesser recommends limoncello, an Italian lemon liqueur, as an accompaniment. Excellent idea!

Butternut and Acorn Squash Soup

The original recipe found in the December 1996 issue of Bon Appétit magazine explains, “In France, this soup would be prepared with a baking pumpkin. A mixture of butternut and acorn squashes mimics the French pumpkin's exceptional taste and texture.” It's true; the flavor of the two squashes simmered together with fresh herbs produces a great soup. However, we won't lie; peeling and cutting the squash is a bit of a pain. To make things much easier, though slightly more expensive, you can purchase 8 cups of pre-cut and packaged butternut squash at Whole Foods (as much as we love Trader Joe's for many grocery items, we don't recommend their pre-cut, bagged squash) and omit the acorn squash. You might not end up with the aforementioned perfect French pumpkin flavor, but you will still have a satisfying and healthy winter soup. Alternatively, you could bake the acorn squash beforehand and scoop it out when it is tender (see baking instructions below).

Also, we omitted the sugar in the original recipe and substituted yogurt for whipping cream and we preferred both the taste difference and the health benefits. The croutons are a nice crunchy, salty addition, but we have served the soup without them when pressed for time.

Soup
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 large garlic cloves, chopped
5 1/2 cups low-salt chicken broth
4  cups 1-inch pieces peeled butternut squash (about 1 1/2 pounds)
4  cups 1-inch pieces peeled acorn squash (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh sage

1/4  cup thick, 2% fat Greek yogurt

Croutons
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
24 1/4 inch-thick baguette bread slices
1 cup grated Gruyère cheese
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
1 teaspoon minced fresh sage

Melt butter in large pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté until tender, about 10 minutes. Add broth, all squash and herbs; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until squash is very tender, about 20 minutes.

Turn off the heat and puree soup with a hand blender. (Alternatively, working in small batches and being careful not to fill the container too full, puree soup in the blender. Return soup to same pot.) Whisk in the yogurt and bring to simmer. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill. Reheat over medium heat before serving.)

For croutons:

While soup is simmering, preheat broiler. Butter 1 side of each bread slice. Arrange bread, buttered side up, on baking sheet. Broil until golden, about 1 minute. Turn over. Sprinkle cheese, then thyme and sage over. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Broil until cheese melts, about 1 minute. Ladle soup into bowls. Top each with croutons and serve.

Variation: Baking acorn squash
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Halve squash and remove seeds.  Place cut side down on a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes, or until tender.

Serves 8

Prep Time: 30 minutes to 45 minutes (if cutting and peeling squash yourself and making croutons)
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes

Crispy Carrot Fries

The carrot, while available all year round, is a quintessential October vegetable with its vivid orange color and earthy taste. In our case, it's an ideal vegetable to push on family members before the full force of Halloween snacks and candies descend upon us. We love this dish because it couldn't be more simple to prepare, and the roasting transforms this ordinary snack vegetable into a sweet and smoky side dish. Even though the roasted carrots are quite sweet by themselves, a small drizzle of honey adds a nice depth of flavor.

1 1/2 pounds carrots (10 medium)
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2  tsp salt
pinch of ground pepper
honey

1.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2. Cut away the tips and ends of each carrot and peel.
Cut each carrot in half and then cut in quarters,
place on a rimmed baking sheet.

3. In a mixing bowl, combine the carrot sticks, olive oil, salt, and pepper.  Coat the carrots evenly.

4. Roast for 15 minutes and toss once. Continue cooking until the carrots are tender and well browned, about 5 minutes more.  Remove carrots from oven and drizzle with honey, if desired. Serve the carrot fries hot or at room temperature.

Serves: 4

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

Chicken with Rosemary and Lemon Salt

This recipe comes from renowned Napa Valley chef, Michael Chiarello and his book Casual Cooking.  We wanted to adjust something about the recipe, but we couldn't. It's just too good the way it is. The skin is crisp and flavorful and the chicken meat is tender and juicy. Because we can actually grow rosemary and lemons in our foggy backyards, we have the fragrant, amazing salt mixture in our fridge at all times. It's important to use chunky sea salt in this recipe because using the same amount of table salt or kosher salt will make the rub too salty. If you only have kosher salt, decrease the amount of salt to 1 tablespoon.

1 chicken, about 4 lbs.
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 fresh rosemary sprigs
4 lemons, zested, then cut into chunks
Lemon Rosemary Salt (see below)

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees, or to 425 degrees if you have a convection oven.

2. Rinse the chicken inside and out and dry well with paper towels.

3. Make the salt mixture (see recipe below). Rub the chicken all over with the olive oil, then rub with 3 Tbsp of the seasoned salt.  (Reserve the remaining salt for another use.)  Tuck the rosemary sprigs and lemon chunks into the chicken cavity.

 

4. Place the bird on a rack in a roasting pan and roast for 15 minutes.  Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees (or 350 with convection) and continue roasting until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees, 50 to 55 minutes longer.  Transfer the chicken to a platter and let rest for at least 15 minutes before carving.

Lemon Rosemary Salt:
The recipe makes extra seasoned salt, which you can use on pork chops, leg of lamb, or roasted potatoes.  It will keep in the refrigerator for several days or in the freezer for a month.  If you prefer not to have leftover seasoning, cut the salt recipe in half.

2 Tbsp very finely minced lemon zest
2 Tbsp minced fresh rosemary
2 Tbsp sea salt, preferably gray salt
Freshly ground black pepper

In a small bowl, combine the lemon zest, rosemary, salt, and pepper and mix well.

Serves: 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 70 minutes
Total Time: 80 minutes

Tofu Baked in Soy, Ginger and Honey Sauce

We have (or least one of us has) historically been a little wary of tofu. The wobbly texture and subtle taste never seemed particularly enticing. But, years pass, cholesterol levels rise, and it's time to try new things. The sauce in this recipe is so simple to make and adds so much of flavor to the tofu that even the skeptics in our families were convinced that tofu is a perfectly reputable and delicious dinner option. We served it with nutty brown rice and crisp sugar snap peas, tossed with toasted sesame oil. (We always have pre-cooked brown rice in the cupboard since we often fail to account for the requisite 45 minutes needed to cook the rice ourselves). If you are looking for another great introductory tofu dish that you don't have to make yourself, try the Shitake Spring Rolls found at our local organic cafe The Plant.

1 firm tofu cake (12oz)
1 Tbsp +2 tsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp dark sesame oil
2 tsp freshly grated ginger root
1 tsp tomato paste
1 tsp rice vinegar
1 tsp honey

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

 

2. Remove tofu from packaging and place in shallow bowl. Place a plate on top of the tofu and put something heavy on top of the plate, like a large can of tomatoes. Let sit for at least 15 minutes, or until most of the moisture has been released.

3. Meanwhile blend the rest of the ingredients in a small bowl.

4. Slice tofu into 12 pieces. Arrange tofu in small baking dish and cover with sauce.

5. Bake for 35 minutes, turning once, until tofu is hot and nicely browned.

Serves: 4

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes

Chopped Chicken Salad

Here in the City, while we don't always get to enjoy the hot, dry weather of the surrounding farm areas, we certainly do enjoy their bounty at our farmer's markets and local stores. This salad is particularly exuberant in late summer and early fall, when nearly all the ingredients are in season and available locally. We love the cool crunchiness of the cucumber, onions and corn as they meld with the creaminess of the avocado and tomatoes. Lemon is an essential ingredient. We've written the recipe using lemon juice, but we also tried it with a lemon champagne vinegar which is lovely as well. As you can imagine, this salad scales very well and is ripe for variations and substitutions. If you'd like to make the salad ahead of serving, you can chop everything except the avocados and tomatoes and store in separate containers in the refrigerator.

1/2 English cucumber, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 heirloom tomato, chopped into 1/2 inch cubes
1 cob of corn, cooked, or 3/4 cup of frozen corn, defrosted
1/8 medium red onion chopped in 1/2 inch cubes
1 avocado, chopped in 1/2 inch cubes
1 chicken breast, cooked
juice of 1 large lemon
olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1 Tbsp fresh basil, julienned

 

 

1. Layer all ingredients on a large plate or small platter.

2. Drizzle salad with lemon juice and olive oil to taste. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Lightly toss and serve.

Serves 2

Total Prep Time: About 15 min

Pasta with Sun-cooked Tomato Sauce

The pasta course for our Sonoma County weekend dinner was a simple sugo di pomodori fresco (i.e. uncooked tomato sauce) inspired by a recipe in The Best of Italy by Evie Righter. We quickly threw together the ingredients in the late morning, while the leg of lamb was marinating (more on that in the next post) and then let the Geyserville sun meld and enhance the flavors. This is a perfect dish to try in San Francisco in September, since during the summer the sun is hard to find behind all the fog. Tomatoes are still in season now, so if you run across some perfectly ripe tomatoes and bright, unblemished basil to use in this sauce, the results will be exceptional. Stay tuned for the main course of our country weekend dinner, Grilled Leg of Lamb, Marinated in Red Wine, Mint and Rosemary.

4 ripe heirloom tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 tsp sea salt
½ tsp pepper
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup basil chopped
1 lb spaghetti, uncooked
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Gently combine tomatoes, garlic, salt and pepper in a glass bowl or glass casserole dish with a cover. Drizzle olive oil over tomatoes. Place cover on bowl (or cover with plastic wrap) and put outside or in a sunny window for a few hours.

  

2. When ready to serve, boil 4 quarts of water and add 2 tsp of salt. When water is at a full boil add pasta and cook for 9-10 minutes, or according to package directions. Drain pasta and place in serving bowl. Pour tomato mixture on top of pasta and toss lightly. Serve immediately with Parmesan cheese on the side.

Serves 4

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time:  2 to 6 hours (for tomatoes) plus 10 minutes for spaghetti

Grilled Peaches with Pecorino and Prosciutto

 

We choose this fruity and fragrant appetizer from Bon Appetit’s August 2006 issue to start off our dinner in the vineyards. As Italians and lovers of Italian food everywhere know, salty prosciutto and juicy summer fruit, (especially melon, though we've also encountered pears and kiwi, too) is a natural and popular combination. The slices of Pecorino Romano, a hard sheep's milk cheese similar to Parmigiano-Reggiano, melt into the caramelized peaches and chewy prosciutto, adding a sharp saltiness to each bite. We do love our Italian meats and therefore used more prosciutto than called for in the original recipe.   According to CUESA's fruit chart, peaches are available into October, so there's still plenty of time to enjoy this incredibly easy dish. We recommend using yellow peach varieties as we tried a few white peaches but found that their more delicate flavor didn’t stand up to the cheese and meat as well.

Nonstick vegetable or olive oil spray
4 firm but ripe large peaches, halved, pitted
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
8 thin slices Pecorino Romano cheese
8 thin slices prosciutto

1. Prepare barbecue or grill pan. (Gas grills should be turned to high and briquettes in charcoal grills should be very hot. Grill or pan should be covered with cooking spray or brushed with olive oil.)

2. Brush peach halves with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill peaches until lightly charred and caramelized, about 2 minutes per side.

 

3. Place peaches on large serving platter, skin side down; Top each with cheese slice and drape with prosciutto. Drizzle all peach halves with a bit more olive oil. Serve immediately.

Serves 4-6

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes
Total time: 15 minutes

Roast Chicken with Potatoes, Lemon, and Asparagus

There are few things in life that give us more joy than a really good one-pot (in this case a roasting pan) recipe.  This is due to the fact that there are few things in life that we enjoy less than a kitchen full of dirty dishes at 8 o'clock at night.  This particular one-pot one was adapted from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food and they recommend that you use a shallow roasting pan, so that the chicken crisps nicely in the oven.  According to the California Asparagus Commission, the California asparagus harvest begins in February, peaks in March and April, then tapers off into June, so this is a perfect recipe to capture the last of the year's seasonal crop.  You can easily substitute another vegetable, like carrots, if the asparagus is looking a little peaky.

1 1/2 pounds new potatoes, halved
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
coarse salt and ground pepper
1 whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces (about 3 pounds)
1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 lemon, cut into 8 wedges
4 cloves garlic, sliced

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Toss potatoes with the olive oil in a roasting pan; season with salt and pepper. Roast, tossing once, until potatoes are golden, 20 to 25 minutes.

2. Place chicken, skin side up, on top of potatoes; season with salt and pepper. Roast until chicken begins to brown, about 20 minutes.

3. Scatter asparagus, lemon, and garlic around chicken. Drizzle with remaining olive oil. Roast until asparagus is tender and chicken is opaque throughout, 5 to 15 minutes. Serve chicken, vegetables, and lemon drizzled with pan juices.

Serves: 4

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hr, 10 mins

Wild Greens Salad with Hard Boiled Eggs

This simple salad makes for a delightful lunch (especially if it accompanies a glass of chilled white wine). Use the freshest, wildest greens you can find (Real Foods and Whole Foods tend to have the best selection). We used meyer lemon olive oil from DaVero, in the vinaigrette, because it is one of our favorite products, and brightens any food it touches. Our technique here is great if you want to make just enough vinaigrette for a large bowl of salad. You can, of course,  prepare the vinaigrette in a separate container if you don't want to use all of it at once. For a crunchy, salty touch you can add 2 ounces of crisped pancetta. Click here for tips on hard-boiling eggs.

1 clove garlic, chopped
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 Tbsp champagne vinegar
4 Tbsp meyer lemon olive oil (regular olive oil can be substituted)
12 cups greens, such as arugula, spinach and frisee
4 hard-boiled eggs, cut into quarters

1. Place chopped garlic into a wooden salad bowl. Add a pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper. Use the back of a spoon to grind them into a coarse paste. Add the mustard and the vinegar and mix to combine. Add the olive oil and stir again.

2. Add the salad greens just before salad is to be served. Toss to coat leaves with the vinaigrette. Arrange hard-boiled eggs on top and serve.

Serves: 4-6

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes