Chez Panisse Take Two

Pizza with artichokes, olives, onion and herbs

This post has taken me awhile to write. But I think it is perfect that I decided to post this on Malia's (and my) birthday. Malia is my best friend, and I hope that when she reads this she feels like we're eating dinner and celebrating our birthday together. Feliz Cumpleanos Mi Gemela! (No we're not spanish, but I do love the spanish language).

So back to the post - when Malia last came to visit, we spent a fabulous day together hiking in Muir Woods and exploring Berkeley. After a morning of hiking I knew we would be hungry and have a perfect excuse for a three-course lunch at Chez Panisse. As you may recall, I took my parents to Chez Panisse for dinner when they came to visit. I really enjoyed the meal, but there were a few things that could have been better - namely the service.

My second trip to Chez Panisse was quite different, the service was impeccable. Malia and I were seated promptly, at a cozy table, with the sun shining through the windows. The warmth of the cafe comes through much better at lunchtime. There were a number of regulars eating at the same time, but we were treated no differently. Our waiter was very conscientious, refilling our glasses with water before they could ever become empty.

We started our first course with a woodfired pizza, topped with artichokes, olives, onion, garlic, and fresh herbs. The last time I visited, I was remiss about not ordering a California pizza.

This time I ordered it and was not disappointed by the blistered crust - crispy on the edges and chewy on the inside. The toppings played together beautifully. I never would have thought of this combination myself.

The caramelized onions, garlic, and fresh rosemary and thyme really stood out. And the robust olives were not to be overshadowed. After two small slices, we both refrained from eating more so as not to ruin our appetites.

Sweet corn souffle with roasted beets, carrots, and beet greens.

For my main course, I chose the sweet corn souffle. Corn was nearing the end of the season, but boy did the corn work well in this dish. The sweet corn shone in this incredibly light souffle. This is how a souffle is made! The vegetables were tender, sweet, and buttery (I don't think I want to know how much butter was on them). A cream sauce was drizzled over top of everything. Just thinking about it takes me back to that lovely afternoon.

Malia ordered the chicken with parsnip chips and sauteed spinach. The chicken was pounded thin and was incredibly moist and tender. It was crusted with herbs and bathed au jus. The parsnip chips were salty and crisp and the spinach was incredibly garlicky (something both of us love).

Close up - corn souffle and roasted turnips, carrots and greens.

Close up - Chicken, parsnip chips, and garlic spinach.

You may be wondering if we had saved room for dessert. I don't know if "saved" is an appropriate term, but we couldn't resist ordering dessert. We split the fig tart with creme fraiche ice cream. Oh it was the perfect end to the perfect meal. I can't wait for Malia to come visit again, so we can share another wonderful meal together!

Fig Tart

Love you Malia!

A Vegan Valentine's Day - Sprinkle's New Red Velvet Cupcake

By now you all know how much I love cupcakes. When done right the red velvet is one of my favorites. If done poorly it can be rather flavorless. But a good one is not just a vehicle for cream cheese frosting, but something moist and fluffy with a subtle cocoa flavor.

"V" could stand for velvet or vegan.

Of all of the red velvets I have tried, I must say Sprinkles makes a mean red velvet. And now you can get a VEGAN red velvet! It is amazing how the food world has responded to dietary needs - vegan and gluten-free items are just popping up everywhere. Now if only they made a zero calorie version...

But back to the matter at hand - VEGAN baked goods. I tend to love my dairy products, and am very impressed by those who eliminate them from their diet completely. Now when you hear the words "vegan" and "cupcake" in the same sentence most people expect the words "disgusting" or "flavorless" to follow. But I have had some delicious vegan baked goods - particularly these awesome choco chip cookies my friend Travis made (perhaps he will share the recipe?) So while vegan goods can certainly go wrong, it just takes the right recipe. I was hoping Sprinkles would deliver.

Banana with dark chocolate frosting.

Now as soon as I heard about the Vegan red velvet at Sprinkles I knew I wanted to try it. Luckily AJ and I happened to stop by the Stanford Mall one afternoon, and I dragged him into Sprinkles for a snack. We chatted up one of the Sprinkles cashiers who told us that she actually prefers the vegan red velvet to the original (high praise indeed)! She also told us that they use coconut oil in the frosting (very interesting).

A very dark interior.

I of course ordered up a vegan red velvet and AJ went with the Banana with dark chocolate frosting. Let me start with the red velvet. First to note, the "V" is still as tasteless as those dots they put on the cupcakes. But the cake itself was extremely moist and perhaps slightly denser than the original red velvet. The frosting is where the big difference occurs - instead of the traditional cream cheese you get a fluffy coconut frosting. It was very tasty, especially if you like coconut. I myself still prefer the tangy cream cheese frosting, but this vegan cupcake is a winner in my book. The banana with dark chocolate frosting was amazing with visible flecks of banana. It was moist and fluffy and the dark chocolate frosting was the perfect accompaniment - not too sweet.

Any time you step into Sprinkles you can't go wrong. Head on out and buy your best bud or sweetie a cupcake this Valentine's Day!

A nifty way to eat your brussels sprouts

Health gurus are always pushing leafy greens on us. Although incorporating things like kale and brussel sprouts into your diet can seem intimidating, all you need is a good recipe. I never cease to find inspiration for vegetarian dishes from 101 Cookbooks. And if you don't like the recipe I post here, please check out the website, I guarantee you'll find something you like.

Now back to the brussels sprouts. I always enjoyed brussels sprouts as a kid, and maybe that makes me one of the weird ones, but I think preparation can make all the difference. If you don't like steamed or boiled brussels sprouts, try shredding them and sauteeing them. I find this gives them a sweeter flavor.

For this dish, I took inspiration from 101 Cookbooks' Shredded Brussels Sprouts and Apples. Brussels sprouts and apples are in season. The dish is really rather simple - chop up a bunch of veggies and apples and saute them with oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper and the secret ingredient - maple syrup.

I used brussels sprouts, carrots, apples, toasted cashews and tofu in my saute, but feel free to experiment. The maple syrup adds this lovely caramelization. I would also recommend using a hickory baked tofu, as it totally complements that maple flavor. To add in some whole grains serve up with some quinoa or brown rice.

Shredded Brussels Sprout Saute
Adapted from 101 Cookbooks.com

1 large apple, julienned (I used a Pippin)
2 large carrots, julienned and cut into 2 in lengths
1 lemon, juiced
4 oz extra firm tofu, cut into cubes (I recommend a baked hickory)
a couple pinches of salt
2-3 tsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic
2 tablespoon maple syrup
1/3 c toasted cashews
12 oz (or 3-4 handfuls) brussels sprouts, washed and cut into 1/8 in ribbons

Cook the tofu in a large skillet over medium high heat with a bit of salt and tsp olive oil. Saute until golden, about 4-5 minutes. Add the carrots and saute until start to soften, 5 minutes. Turn heat down to medium and add apples, garlic, and maple syrup and saute 2-3 minutes. Transfer mixture into a large bow.

Turn heat up to medium high and add brussels sprouts with 1-2 tsp oil, salt. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Add 1 tbsp maple syrup. Add tofu-apple mixture back to skillet and heat for another 2 minutes. Sprinkle cashews on top.

Remove from heat and serve immediately with quinoa.

The new kid on the block recommends...

As the new blogger on the JAM, I figured it was my duty to introduce myself and start off by giving readers a clue into the best meal of my life. That's me to the right. I am so freakin cool right?! So here goes...

I guess that food has always been in the background of my life and has only come to the forefront of my interests within the past 3 years. Senior year of college ushered in a desire to have some artistic outlet from my science-driven academic career and cooking somehow drew me in with its savory wiles.

Maybe it was the first cookbook I bought after asking my mom for recipes... or maybe it was the boredom. Regardless of the reason, I still remember that first overcooked, underseasoned mound of meat and spinach on a store-bought roll. That was the sandwich that spurred the incredible culinary journey I have since undertaken.

Today, after having lived in LA, I am all about incorporating the finest, freshest and most beneficial ingredients into my cooking... and about going to the most unique and ingenuitive restaurants I can find. Now in DC, I am looking to explore that some more... especially with my JAM ladies of course.

So are you bored yet? I hope not... because here is the entertainment. What is the best meal I have ever eaten? To date, I would have to give it Bouchon in Napa Valley.

This little bistro is marketed as Thomas Keller's whimsical and modern cafe which stands sadly next to its unassuming brother, French Laundry. Being a in a lower income bracket as a graduate student, I believed I was "settling" for Bouchon. I thought wrong.

Though the seating was meager and we had to make reservations at 2pm... it was worth it! My great friends Muoi and Joao indulged me by joining me for the meal; I was the one excited about the food. It was a meal none of us will ever forget. Simple bread began the sumptuous meal. Something as ordinary bread is worth mentioning? Yes, it certainly is worth mentioning. Eating this bread alone makes the trip to Bouchon worth it, but how to describe its tantalizing perfection... crispy, moist, light and utterly enticing.

Then some foie gras? Yes, yes I believe I will enjoy the artery-clogging goodness. And Tommy Keller did not disappoint. We were given a literal pot of foie; there was no hope of finishing. After eating a seeming pound of duck liver, it was time for more.

Gluttonous, yes, but so incredibly worth it. I proceeded to order a beautiful burgundy to pair with my pan seared pork belly, served on a confit of currants and local sweet corn. When our meals came, it was love at first sight. Muoi ordered the chicken and Joao ordered the trout. Mundane you may think? Nope, not at Bouchon.

Does it look amazing? Are you envious? I am and I ate it...

All the necessary elements achieved: presentation, aroma and most importantly taste. Everything on the plate added to the texture and savory flavor.

We shared, we savored, we fell in love with lunch. For what it was, the food at Bouchon failed to disappoint. The entrees were expertly executed and served on a bed of pure happiness. Clearly this was a culinary adventure gone surprisingly right. I guess going into the meal with moderate expectations allowed those low thresholds to be easily surpassed.

The food was as beautiful as it was delicious... we were all members of the clean plate club that day. Cheers to outstanding meals and voracious foodies everywhere!

Until next time hungry readers!

(Meyer) Lemon Squares

Lemony lemon squares.

If you aren't a huge lemon-dessert-kind-of-person then you may be rather annoyed with my current obsession. However, I would encourage you to make these for the lemon-dessert-kind-of-people you know. These are really easy to make, and they make for cute gifts. I love how the dusting of confectioner's sugar looks on these bars.

I found this particular recipe in My Nepenthe: Bohemian Tales of Food, Family, and Big Sur by Romney Steele. This book was another gift from my parents. What can I say, they know I love cookbooks. The book in and of itself is great - giving a perspective on California cuisine from the vantage point of Nepenthe restaurant in Big Sur. I love the stories of family, Hollywood, and art that surround these simple yet elegant recipes.

Shortbread crust

The first step to these bars is making the shortbread crust. The ingredient list is short - flour, butter, confectioner's sugar, and a pinch of salt. Pulse it together in the food processor, press it into a pan, and it's ready for the oven. The buttery crust is a nice complement to the tart, bright filling.

Mixing the lemon filling.

The filling is almost as easy, with the added grunt work of squeezing a couple of lemons. Make sure to zest your lemons first! I used Meyer lemons, because they are just a little bit sweeter (and I just like the flavor that much more). Sugar and flour get sifted together. One egg (of four) is added at a time until the mixture is smooth. Then the lemon juice and zest are mixed in. The filling is rather runny. I was a little alarmed, but you shouldn't be.

The filling is poured on top of the cool, yet slightly warm crust.

The crust should cool 10 minutes before the filling is poured on top. It is fine if the crust is a little warm. I used a slightly smaller pan (8"x8") so I baked mine for about 30 minutes, until the middle stops jiggling. After the pan had cooled for 2-3 hours, I dusted them with confectioner's sugar, and cut them up into little bars (28 or so). This allows you to eat about 3-4 of them without feeling bad, right? But seriously, I ate like 4 of them out of the oven. They are seriously addictive, tart and sweet, with a nice buttery crust. Luckily I gave the rest to AJ's boss (she loved them) so I didn't eat the whole pan.

Beautiful blocks of gold.

Lemony Lemon Bars

Crust

1 cup flour

1/4 cup confectioner's sugar

pinch salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) cold butter, cut into 1/2-in pieces

Lemon Filling

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

1/4 cup flour

4 eggs

2 tsp finely grated lemon juice

2/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

Confectioner's sugar, for dusting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9-in (I used a 8-in) square pan with overlapping foil.

For the crust, combine the flour, confectioner's sugar, and salt in the bowl of a processor. Add the butter in pieces and pulse until it resembles coarse meal. Scrape into the pan and press evenly onto the bottom. Bake until the crust is golden brown and thoroughly cooked, 18-20 minutes (17 minutes). Reduce the heat to 300 degrees.

For the filling, whisk the granulated sugar and flour in a medium bowl. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time, until smooth. Stir in the lemon juice and zest.

Pour the filling onto the still-warm crust. Bake for 20-25 minutes (25-30 minutes for 9-in pan), until the filling sets and no longer jiggles in the middle. Cool completely in the pan on a rack. Gently lift out the foil liner and transfer to a board. Cut into small squares using a sharp knife. Dust with confectioner's sugar just before serving. (I dusted them before cutting them).

When life hands you meyer lemons you make Lemon Loaf

Look at the beautiful lemon glaze.

Recently I have been on a lemon kick. But not just any lemon will do. I am in love with the meyer lemon, something I only first tasted after I moved to California. If temperate climate and beautiful landscapes haven't convinced me to stay, the meyer lemon may have tipped the scales.

Meyer lemons were brought over to the U.S. from China in 1908 by Frank Nicholas Meyer, a Department of Agriculture employee. Since then, they have been widely grown in California. The meyer lemon is thought to be a cross between a lemon and a mandarin orange. This fruit is more golden in color than your typical lemon and bears a sweeter and brighter flavor.

Golden orbs of goodness

I have been buying mine at our local farmers' market, but I have seen them at Whole Foods and Safeway as well. With a bunch of meyer lemons staring at me yesterday, I began looking for a good recipe. My mother gave me the Barefoot Contessa Parties! book last Christmas, and I found a lovely recipe for lemon loaf.

I pulled out all of the ingredients: the flour, sugar, butter, milk, eggs, salt, leavening, vanila, and meyer lemons. I measured everything out and mixed together the dry ingredients, including the zest. Zesting meyer lemons is a pain in the butt, because their skin is softer and thinner than regular lemons. It actually becomes more of a paste. I creamed the butter and the sugar. I mixed together the milk, lemon juice, and vanilla. I alternated the dry with wet ingredients, forming a lovely batter. Everything was going swimmingly, until I read that I was supposed to make a syrup with lemon juice and sugar. Oops! I added a 1/4 cup extra sugar and 1/4 cup extra juice. At that point it was too late, so I scooped the batter into a pan and popped it in the oven. 50 minutes later it was done.

Lemon Loaf

I decided against the syrup, and instead just made a simple glaze with lemon juice and confectioner's sugar. The cake was delicious. Extremely moist with wonderful lemon flavor. The glaze gave it a little crunch. I brought it into work and it was gone before 10am! I will have to try the recipe as it was originally written, but it is safe to say that my "tweaks" to the recipe worked well.

Lemon Loaf Cake

Barefoot Contessa (my notes in parentheses)

1/4 lb unsalted butter

1 1/4 cup sugar

2 extra large eggs

2 tbsp lemon zest (or as much as you can get from 5 meyer lemons)

1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

3/8 cup meyer lemon juice

3/8 cup milk (I used 1% milkfat)

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Glaze

1 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted

2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease one 8 1/2 x 4 1/4 x 2 1/2 inch loaf pan. Cream the butter and 1 cup of the sugar (I used 1 1/4 cups) until light and fluffy (about 5 minutes). Add the eggs one at a time, mixing on medium speed.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and the zest. In another bowl combine 1/8 cup of lemon juice (I used 3/8), milk, and vanilla. Add the flour and the milk mixtures alternately to the batter, beginning and ending with flour. Pour batter into the pan and bake for 45-60 minutes (I baked mine for 50 minutes).

(I IGNORED THIS PART) Combine 1/4 cup sugar with 1/4 cup lemon juice in a small sauce pan and cook over low heat until sugar dissolves. When the cake is done let cool ten minutes. Spoon the syrup over the cake. Allow the cake to cool completely.

(I USED THIS GLAZE) Combine lemon juice and sugar and mix until smooth. Pour glaze over cooled cake.

Enjoy!

Gingerbread Cupcakes with Meyer Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

Gingerbread Cupcakes

I have yet to write about our Thanksgiving feast with the Franks, but the big hit of the evening was the gingerbread pumpkin mousse trifle. This masterpiece of gingerbread inspired me to bake up another gingerbread creation. My coworker's birthday was the perfect occasion to test out some gingerbread cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. I found a neat idea for a lemon frosting on epicurious.com. This recipe combines your basic cream cheese frosting with lemon zest and juice. I jazzed up the lemon factor by using meyer lemons. I absolutely adore meyer lemons. They have a slightly sweeter and brighter flavor.

Rich molasses batter.

The cupcake batter came together very easily. The recipe indicates that the mixture will look curdled after adding the boiling water to the molasses mixture. This could not be more accurate. It looks kind of gross, but once mixed into the flour the batter begins to look normal again. The molasses is so dark that the batter almost looks chocolate.

Fresh out of the oven - these smell like Christmas!

Dress them up with lemon cream cheese frosting!

Out of the oven, the gingerbread has an intense molasses flavor, which gingerbread lovers will appreciate. The ginger, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves adds warmth and depth. The gingerbread is complemented by the tangy, sweet cream cheese frosting. The meyer lemon adds a slight tartness and brightness that lightens up the dark cake. Definitely be sure to refrigerate before frosting, as the juice makes the frosting a bit runny before refrigeration. The combination of flavors is really perfect for the holidays.

Sprinkle with crystallized ginger.

Hope you all enjoy!

Gingerbread Cupcakes:

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp allspice

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 stick (1/4 cup) plus 2 tbsp unsalted butter (softened)

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup unsulfured molasses

1 large egg

1 tsp baking soda

8 oz cream cheese (softened)

1 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 tsp grated lemon zest

2 tsp fresh lemon juice

1 tbsp thinly sliced crystallized ginger

In a bowl sift together, the ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and salt. In another bowl, cream 1/2 stick of the butter, add the granulated sugar, and beat the mixture until fluffy. Beat in the molasses and the egg, beating until the mixture is smooth. In a measuring cup combine the baking soda with 1/2 c boiling water. Stir the mixture until dissolved and add to the molasses mixture (the mixture will appear curdled). Add molasses mixture to flour and stir until well combined. Line twelve muffin tins with paper liners and spoon batter into the liners, filling halfway. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool.

For lemon cream cheese frosting:

In a bowl cream together cream cheese and remaining 2 tbsp of butter. Add the confectioner's sugar and vanilla and beat until fluffy. Beat in zest and lemon juice. Chill frosting for 30 minutes and spread on cupcakes. Top with crystallized ginger.