Back to cooking homemade meals

   Been a busy two months--work has picked up and really has been difficult to find the time to blog.  I decided to use the foamer and made my take on the classic caprese salad. This time I took goat cheese and infused it with thyme and made a foam. I served it on homemade baguette with garden fresh tomatoes, and basil. It was good, however, the foam was too light in flavor.

  The main course was sous vide medium rare sirloin over roast potatoes with a salsa verde and a side of haricot vert. The meat was splendid. The meat was evenly cooked, and the salsa verde was tangy and enhanced the meat. The haicot vert was balanced and finished in butter and walnuts.

Lunch at the Alan Wong's Pineapple Room

     My family and I were walking through Ala Moana Shopping center--I tell you it has my high-end shops than Rodeo Drive. We wanted to have lunch and decided to go to Alan Wong's Pineapple Room in Macys. For those who don't know, Alan Wong is one of the founders of the Hawaiian Regional Cuisine Movement which is a culinary  movement that inventively blends Hawaii’s diverse, ethnic flavors with the cuisine of the world.  Lately, we have been doing mainly French/Spanish cuisine--so this was a good choice. 


     They were also were having a fund raiser for the Japanese Tsunami if you ordered the locally grown tasting menu.   Menu is shown:




The first course was a locally grown tomato and beet salad with locally made goat cheese. I love this type of salad--the creaminess of the goat cheese blends well with the acidity of the tomatoes, and vinaigrette. 

     The next course was crab-stuffed monchong. Monchong is a white flaky fish that has ugly look.The fish taste great, though. The sauce was outstanding. I love the flavors of South East Asia. The Laksa sauce was tangy with that great south east Asia flavor. It was spicy and good.

     The next course was a Lobster Congee--who doesn't like lobster, but as a whole the dish was ok. 

     The next course was Maui Beef striploin with Hamakua Mushrooms. A classic combination. Mushrooms on anything is great. Loved the pairing with Au Bon Climat Pinot Noir--fruity contrast with earthly mushrooms.

Lastly, was the dessert. A Wailua (Oahu North Shore) chocolate tart. It was crunchy and not overly sweet. I dislike desserts that are too sweet.

     All in all a great meal that reminds me of the wonderful mix of flavors in Hawaii. The availability of locally sourced food has increased so much over the last 10 years. If you are in Ala Mona shopping center and like a good meal with local flavors, head to the Pineapple Room.

Been Busy at Work....Tomato soup, Beef Stroganoff, and mango ice cream

        Been a busy last few weeks at work. We have been getting take aways lately from a really good Thai place down the road, and off course pizza. Finally, I have been able to make mushrooms again (couldn't make them as  my brother-in-law was staying with us and is allergic to them). I decided to make beef stroganoff, tomato soup, and mango ice cream.  I like using tri-tips for this recipe, but you have to make sure you can simmer for a hour or so to make the meat tender.

         I cut the meat into 1.5 inch strips, and covered them in flour with salt and pepper. I browned them in butter. I removed them and added the mushroom in batches-(never overcrowd mushrooms--as they will stew in their own juices --thanks Julia Childs). Lastly, I added some onions and let them caramelized. I deglazed the pan with red wine (cup) and added the beef and mushrooms. I added 2tbls of dijon mustard, 3 oz of tomato paste, 1 tbls of worcestershire sauce, salt/pepper, thyme and some chicken broth.

   In the meantime, I followed a recipe from Delicious magazine and roasted 2lbs of roma tomatoes, with thyme/basil and oil oil. I added some grape tomatoes as well. In 30-40 minutes. I sauteed some onions, and garlic and added a can of chopped tomatoes and added the roasted tomatoes and simmered for 25 minutes. I ran the mix through a ricer to get rid of the skins, and baked some mozzarella balls.  I served the tomato soup over the cheese. It sweet yet savory--very delicious.

      Next, I boiled some rigatoni and sour cream to the beef stroganoff and served. It had a wonderful, thick,  tangy sauce and the beef was tender. As an encore I made homemade mango ice cream using mangoes from my tree.  

Steak with blue cheese butter over tomato cannellni beans, with haricot de vert

     I love cannellini beans. I got some last week and soaked them during the day in water.  I sauteed some onion, garlic, and carrots. I added the beans with tomatoes, tomato paste, thyme, and chicken broth. I simmered them for an hour. In the meantime, I made a rub of thyme, oregano, garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper on the 1/4 inch ribeye steaks. I fried the steaks in butter, about 3 minutes a side. In the meantime, I blanced the haricot de vert and sauteed them in butter.

  I plated the steak with a blue cheese butter  over the beans, and harcot de vert. The beans were amazing. Tender, warming flavor, with a touch of sweetness and acidity. The harcot de vert were crispy. The steaks melted in your mouth. 

Sous Vide Lobster, Sous Vide Duck breast, over Kali Masoor/Black Lentils, with a starter of homemade chicken soup

     Logan and I went to wholepaycheck, and I picked up some lobster, and duck breast. Logan loves duck. I scored the duck breast skin, and added salt, pepper, and paprika. I put it in a container and added hickory smoke. I vacuum sealed them and put them n the sous vide at 145 deg for two hours. In the meal time, I shelled 4 lobster tails, added oregano, and butter and put them in a vacuum sealed pouch. In a hour I added them to the sous vide.

    I made some Kali Masoor (spicy black lentils) by adding chicken broth, black lentils, onions, tomatoes, and chili pepper. This simmered for 30 minutes. I also roasted asparagus in the oven. I took the duck out of the sous vide, and pan fried the skin until crispy--rendering the fat. I added a little red wine vinegar, chicken broth and reduced the fat to make the sauce.

          Prior to this, I made homemade chicken soup. I used the leftover meat from a costco chicken. I sauteed onions, carrots, celery. I added thyme, oregano, potatoes, chicken, and chicken broth. I simmered for a hour.I also added curry powered (thanks Mike Hinds). The soup was delicious. A warming, spicy chicken soup. The kids love the soup.
   

I sliced the duck and served over the Kali Masoor, with asparagus and lobster with butter. The duck was amazingly tender with the crispy skin, the lentils were great--the spiciness a contrast to the duck. Sous Vide lobster was tender. Unbelievably, tender, with a touch sweetness. I paired the meal wth a 2008 Louis Bardot Red Burgundy wine. The wine's lightness was great for the duck, however, the lobster clashed with it.

Sous Vide Pork belly, Moussaka and Cauliflower Mash

          I hadn't made moussaka is a long time--one reason was that my eggplants withered and I planted more of them, but they haven't fruited. Logan always has always loved moussaka--it was his favorite at 4 months. I browned some organic ground beef, added onions, garlic, thyme, tomatoes, white wine, chicken broth, salt, and pepper. Let it simmer. Prior to that, I sliced the eggplants, and salted. (this removes any bitter taste). I rinsed the   eggplants, and brushed with olive oil and put it in a pre-heated 375 deg oven for 10 minutes. In the next few minutes I made the bechamel sauce. Mixing milk, egg yolks, flour, heavy cream and butter. I added cheese (manchego).

  I layered the eggplants, and meat mix (I added the egg whites to the meat) and covered with the bechamel sauce. I added a layer of cheese.

   In the meantime, I had previously put pork belly in the sous vide for 9 hours at 185 deg.  I took it out and caramelized the skin. I also, made a cauliflower mash with pureed cauliflower, and cream.


    I plated the meal as follows. I put down some cauliflower mash, with a cube of moussaka and a side of pork belly and roasted asparagus. I added a sala verde to the pork belly.

     The moussaka was great--nice warming, casserole of cheesy/egg sauce over meat with eggplant. The cauliflower mash needed to be more viscous. The pork belly was amazing--crispy skin with a delicate meat with a tangy sauce. I matched the food to a Clos LaPostelle 2005 Apalta wine from Chile
. This wine lived up to its number 2 wine spectator ranking. Lush fruit with a long finish.

   

Pepper Veal Steak, mashed potatoes and asparagus.

    This week has been hectic--I was sick with the flu and didn't eat much the first two days.Afterward, i had pizza. Finally, on Friday I cooked. I like to cook veal scallopini, but my brother in law is allergic to    mushrooms--so I decided to make veal pepper steak. I took the veal out and added salt and 5 peppers to it. I fried them 3 minutes a side. I also made mashed potatoes with onions and garlics. I roasted some asparagus ( as you know I love asparagus.
      When the veal was done, I added chicken broth, heavy cream, and more peppercorn. I let it reduce for 5 minutes and seasoned. I served the veal over the potatoes, with the sauce and asparagus. I served it with with a Roaring Night New Zealand Pinot Noir, 2009.

Getting that smoky flavor...

   I love the smoky flavor of meats--however, I always disliked the process of using smoking chips and having to monitor the process. Yesterday, I went to William and Sonoma and picked up a Polyscience smoker. Afterward, I went to Wholepaycheck and picked up some halibut and New Zealand lamb.

          I got home, and put the rack of lamb with herbs and garlic into the sous vide at 146 degrees for two hours. In the meantime, I prepped some vegetables for my quinoa and prepared the asparagus for roasting. Next, smoked the halibut. I prepped the halibut with salt and pepper  and let me smoker do the work. I chose apple wood smoke, and put the smoke in a container with the halibut and covered it for 20 minutes.

    Next, I put the halibut in the sous vide. Also, I got the quinoa going on the stovetop. In 30 minutes, I put the asparagus in the oven to roast. I also, made my version of salsa verde---fresh parsley, basil, capers, lemon juice, garlic, dijon mustard and salt and pepper.

      The fish was oh so smoky--it had rich smoky flavor--unbelieveable and so easy. The salsa verde acidity cut through the tender halibut. The lamb was moist and flavorful and of course the quinoa was great as always. I matched this with a French Red Burgundy. A wonderful meal.

Sometime you just need a steak and of course wine as well...

           I was getting off work, and was wondering what to cook. It then hit me---Steak. I stopped by the grocery store and picked up some porterhouses and potatoes. I drove how thinking how I was going to prepare them. It was getting late, so sous vide was out. I decided to grill them in butter with salt and pepper.  I grilled my steak medium rare, and medium for the rest of my family. Logan takes great pleasure in eating meat from the bone. For the potatoes,  I put bacon in the pan, and peeled and sliced them 1/8 of an inch. I waited until the bacon was crisp, and added the potatoes, sliced onions, fresh rosemary, sage and crumbled bacon. I let them cook for 16 minutes, and added garlic. I also cooked a side dish of peas. The steak was tender, but I have to say I have been spoiled with the sous vide. The potatoes were great--nice tender, with smoky flavor.

The wine that was served was a Karma, 2006, Cabernet Sauvignon. It smooth, leather taste, with hints of raspberry. It matched great. Dinner was great---sometimes a steak just hits the spot.

Dinner like Hemingway

       Last year in Spain, I was fortunate enough to visit Valencia and had lunch at La Pepica. I had paella, of course and this was a restaurant that Ernest Hemingway used to visit. Fast forward to now, I also in my attempt to make paella. I first start with sliced onions, red capsicum sauteed in with Spanish sausage. I remove the sausage and add chicken, and fish--in this case mahi-mahi. I put in the rice, and added the chicken broth along with a healthy dose of saffron. I added salt and pepper to taste.
        About 10 minutes later, I added the peas and waited about 6 minutes and added the shrimp. The shrimp must be added last so that they do not overcook.  I tasted again and added salt and pepper. I added Italian Parsley for garnish. It was great. It had a very deep yellow color, and tasted incredible. I matched this with a Spanish Rosado wine, from Rioja. Great meal and conversation.

Hailbut--wow

 Wow--I have never made fish in the sous vide--but this time I did halibut--it was soooooooo tender. I put it in the sous vide bag with butter,fresh garden dill, salt and pepper . I drizzled lemon juice on it. I also made a risotto. I took basil and kale from my garden and pureed it in chicken broth. I used this with to make the risotto. I used white wine, and manchego cheese in the risotto. The asparagus, I roasted in olive oil with salt and pepper. Wonderful meal. Logan ate momma halibut--oh well.

Continuing with the trip around the world...

        I realized I had been cooking dishes from around the world. I started in India, next was Bologna, afterward, went to the US for ribs, made a  jump across the pond to France and Spain. Now, I have went to Morocco.

    I picked up some lamb at wholepaycheck. I looked at my spice rack and decided to make lamb tagine.  I made this over my vegetables quinoa. I served this with a wine from St Emillion.

Duck l'Orange, homemade macaroni and cheese, and Pea Ravioli a la Ferran Adria

      Today, was the bold day---I picked up a duck  decided at wholepaycheck and decided to make duck l'Orange. Logan grabbed a box of macaroni and cheese at wholepaycheck, and I said no Logan--I will make this from scratch. I also decided to try a molecular gastronomy recipe. I was able to bring back the ingredients from San Diego. I tried a pea ravioli a la Ferran Adria.

     The duck came out great and the sauce was not too sweet. The macaroni and cheese was good--I used cheddar, swiss, and gouda cheese. The pea ravioli was so-so. It tasted fine, I couldn't get the right shape. I served it with a 2008 Domaine Chandon Pinot Meunier. It pared well--nice mellow taste, with a fruity taste and raspberry finish.

Ribs, ribs, ribs

  My brother in law loves ribs--so today was ribs. I made a rib rub courtesy of Alton Brown---changed it by adding more cayenne pepper. I put them in the sous vide for 12 hours. Afterward, I put them under the broiler for 5 minutes and covered them with BBQ sauce (vinegar based sauce). I made a warm potato salad and a side of green beans.

I served with a Cabernet from California, Karma. The meat was so tender.

Indian Dinner

      Last week in San Diego, I went by Cost-Plus in Gaslamp. I love going to the store since they have s particular type of hot sauce I like name Sontava. While we we there, I naturally looked around and found some spices (juniper berries, mace, and sumac). I also found Indian serving dishes as well as tiffins. Indian lunch-pale like. Check out this article: http://www.bpic.co.uk/articles/dabawallas.htm

   I made tandoori chicken in the sous vide for two hours at 149 deg and grilled afterward. I also made mahi-mahi vindaloo (Maya Kaimal) and brown rice. I used cilantro to garnish and served with  Costco naan. It came out great. the tandoori chicken was tender, with a touch of spicy. The vindaloo was loaded with fresh vegetables, like spinach, onion, and carrots nand went well with the brown rice's nutty flavor. Great Meal

Donovan's Steakhouse, La Jolla

           We were lucky to take a trip to San Diego last week. I went to attend a work conference and Kim and Logan came along. we first went to Legoland--wow---Logan went crazy. We then moved to La Jolla, and had dinner at Donovan's Steakhouse. The Donovan's chopped salad was good--it needed a little more acidity.

     I ordered the filet mignon and Kim ordered the steak and shrimp. I have to say--it was good. We usually go to Morton's in Honolulu fairly regularly and this steak was great. Logan had the macaroni. The wine was a 2006 Hitching Post 2007 Syrah.

Making Tortellini

     Sorry for the delay in posting. Last week I decided to make tortellini with ricotta, herbs, and spinach. I used a shortcut by using wonton wrappers. I filled them with the filling and folded in a triangle, and folded them back.

    I prepared the filling, by putting sauteing spinach, with salt. I let it cooled and chopped it up. I mixes oregano, garlic, ricotta cheese, and chopped spinach. Next, I placed a small amount i the middle of the wonton, and folded the wonton into a triangle. I folded the two ends of the triangle towards the back.

Lastly, I boiled the wontons until they floated and put them in a saute pan with the simmering pesto sauce. I added romano cheese and served. It is fantastic.

Duck, pork sausage, twice baked potatoes roasted vegetables, and fresh blueberry, vanilla ice cream

     Great show last night by George Lopez---didn't cook anything last night. Got 4 stitches in my left ankle--long story. I first started prepping the blueberry ice cream. I mixed a cup of fresh blueberries and heavy cream. I heated 2 cups of milk and put a fresh Tahitian vanilla bean in it. I whisked two egg yolks and a cup of sugar. i mixed them together and let them cool. 

   I put duck beast with African curry spices in the sous vide at 149 degrees. I also put russet potatoes in the oven at 375 degrees. I prepped the squash, onions, garlic, carrots, mushrooms, and fennel with olive oil and herbs. After an hour I took the potatoes out and sliced ff the top and took the potatoes filling out. I mixed the filling with fresh chives, basil, scallions, butter,garlic, and herbs. I stuffed the potatoes with potato filling and baked it. I also put the vegetables in the oven.

   I took the duck breast out, and seared the skin. I used the dripping to make a sauce. I sliced the duck breast and added fried Italian ham to the potato. I pared this with a 2001, Penfolds RWT (Red Winemaking Trials) Shiraz. Great wine--blackberry, svelte taste

Dessert was fresh blueberry ice cream.