A Summer veggie I’m not allergic to!!!…

August 12, 2008 in northwest nosh by piday | 24 comments

I’m allergic to so many Summer foods that sometimes it can really bum me out. But fresh corn time is the best! I love, love, love good fresh sweet corn. I have been known on more than one occasion to eat just bowls of corn for dinner. Just corn cut right off the cob sauted in butter, then a splash of cream and some sea salt. Mmmm(I am making myself hungry).

The other way that I love corn is when it is in a chowder. My chowders aren’t super thick but they are loaded with all incredibly bad for you(read tasty) things like cream and butter. But I am quite sure the veggies balance that out, right?

Crab and Corn Chowder

¼ cup diced celery
¼ cup diced onion
1 garlic clove, chopped
¼ cup of butter plus one TBSP
2 cups red potatoes, peeled and chopped
a dash of white pepper
sea salt to taste
4 cups of lobster stock(or fish stock if you don’t have lobster stock)
1 TBSP chicken flavor base
2 ½ cups heavy cream
¾ pound Dungeness crab
2 cups fresh corn, cut off of the cob
chopped chives for garnish

In a large stock pot, cook celery, onion and garlic in 1 TBSP of butter. Saute for about 5 minutes, until tender.
Add potatoes, white pepper and lobster stock. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for about 30 minutes, while the stock reduces.
Add chicken base, cream and ¼ cup butter(bad I know but really good). Simmer another 20 minutes.
Check soup to see if it needs salt, it might not.
Stir in the corn. Cook another15 minutes.
Add the crab and cook another 5 minutes.
Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with chopped chives if desired.

Just like Mom used to make…

July 30, 2008 in restaurant highlight by piday | 14 comments

I have been doing an incredibly bad job about keeping up on this blog. I can barely keep my head above water the last couple weeks and both my blogs have suffered because of it. BUT August appears to be less involved so I will be throwing myself into my blog…I promise. I already made a huckleberry BBQ sauce that I will be putting with some pulled pork. Yum.
When we went to Portland I did a little research before we left about where to eat. Mother’s Bistro and Bar kept popping up on people’s places to go. When I looked it up it had two things going for it. Number one, comfort food, which I know my picky husband would eat. Number two it was very close to the hotel we were staying at. Works for me.

We went early, around 5:30 and boy I was glad we did. When we got there it was not that busy but by the time we left there were plenty of people waiting to get in. And after eating there, I know why.  My husband went for the ultimate in comfort food, Swedish Meatballs, which he enjoyed immensely. I went for a Roasted Cauliflower and Cheddar Cheese Soup that had me licking the bowl clean.

I went for an appetizer of Fried Calamari with Sweet and Sour Garlic Sauce. The garlic sauce was a little too spicy for me(I am a wimp) so I ended up eating it with their homemade marinara sauce.

And most importantly was dessert. There was my favorite starring at me on the menu…key lime pie. It did not disappoint in any way.

Mother’s Bistro and Bar

212 Sw Stark Street
Portland OR 97204
Telphone: (503) 464-1122

Knot your average pub….

July 18, 2008 in restaurant highlight by piday | 14 comments

If you are ever to run into Peabody while you are out visiting the PNW chances are you will run into her and her hubby throwing back beer and playing trivia at the Diamond Knot Pub and Brewery. It’s not the kind of place you dress up for. Most of their wait staff has some sort of piercing and have the look of someone who might beat up you for wearing a tie. The pub floor is covered in peanut shells and there is probably a chance that there will be a sticky spot on the table left over from the last group that spilled their beer. All that being said, we love the beer, we like the food and we like the laid back atmosphere. Plus my hubby and I like to go and beat everyone at trivia. I have a mind full of useless facts.

 

One thing that makes it fun is that you cook your own food. Well, not all of it, just some of it. The use a Stonegrill. Your food comes out raw on a hot stone and you cook it in front of you.

I like to get the Garlic BBQ Beef Sandwich(thinly sliced Top Sirloin covered in homemade Apricot-Porter BBQ Sauce topped with Garlic and Shredded Cheese). Good stuff. My hubby usually just goes for the steak, which you also cook on the stonegrill.

If you don’t feel like cooking your meal, the do have plenty of other things that they will make for you. For example, the Pizza Da Greek that my friend E had the night we went. It’s topped with pesto, chicken, sun dried tomatoes, feta and mozzarella cheese and kalamata olives. E and her husband were the first to introduce us to the Diamond Knot when we moved here and we are so glad they did.

P.S. Excuse all the bad photos…many beers had already been drunk at this point. :P

Diamond Knot Pub and Brewery
621 Front Street, Mukilteo, WA 98275
Phone: (425) 355-4488

Pacific Northwest…in pasta form

July 13, 2008 in northwest nosh by piday | 26 comments

Before moving to the Pacific Northwest I knew very little about Oregon…still don’t. But I knew Rouge beer. Full Sail Ale. And Tillamook cheese. Beer and cheese. That is what I knew. Well, and I knew they had good wines.
I love Tillamook cheddar, it has such a great flavor and is pretty much the only type of cheddar I buy(the exception being a Irish white cheddar). I thought I would throw out a vegetarian meal for the non-meat eaters that are out there using the cheese I love so dearly.
A simple pasta dish with a creamy cheese sauce topped with crunchy hazelnuts for a little texture contrast. If you are a meat eater the sauce is also nice for making what I call heart attack lasagna. You take lasagna noodles and over them with a 1/3 of the sauce(spread out). Sprinkle ½ cup of cooked bacon followed by ½ cup more Tillamook cheddar. Repeat the layers two other times. Bake for  30 minutes(350) until nice and bubbly. Be sure and do some extra exercise that day if you do make the lasagna version. ;) Your heart will thank you for it.

Three Cheese Hazelnut Pasta

1 lb fettuccine pasta
½ cup white wine(I used A to Z Pinot Gris(Oregon)
2 cups heavy cream
1 TBSP unsalted butter
1 tsp minced shallot
1 ½ cups chicken stock
¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
¾ cup Tillamook cheddar cheese, grated
1/3 cup Fontina cheese, grated
½ cup hazelnuts, toasted, skinned or not depending on your preference
salt and pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente.
In a saute pan add butter and let melt. Add shallot to pan and saute for two minutes.
In a medium saucepan combine cream, wine, and chicken stock. Reduce until it has slightly thickened but not to sauce consistency(you still have cheese to add!).
Add cheeses to cream mixture and whisk until you have a smooth sauce.
Season with salt and pepper.
Drain the pasta.
Place the pasta back into it’s original pan. Pour the sauce over the pasta and toss to coat.
Fold in half of the hazelnuts.
Pile pasta onto a serving platter and top with remaining hazelnuts.
Makes about 4 meal servings or 8 appetizer servings.

Oozing with cheesy goodness…

July 7, 2008 in restaurant recreation by piday | 21 comments

So for my birthday lunch I met up with my friend A. We went to Purple. Curiosity was getting to me to see if they were back on their game. I am happy to report they were. I had the scallops that did not look cremated this time as well as the baked goats cheese topped with honey and dried cherries. Yum.
One of the appetizers I do eat their often was luckily featured in a fabulous cookbook called Pacific Northwest Wining and Dining: The People, Places, Food, and Drink of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and British Columbia(by Braiden Rex-Johnson). I got to review this book for a magazine and I can not say enough great things about it. If you are a wine and food lover this cookbook is for you. The contributers for this book are all from local wineries, restaurants and chefs in the Pacific Northwest. Not only do they contribute a recipe but they suggest the wine to go with it as well. Takes the hard work away from you for trying to guess! If you don’t own it…go get it.
Purple Cafe and Wine Bar was one of those contributers, giving their recipe for Baked Brie with Candied Walnuts and Caramelized Onions. I must say it does taste just as yummy as the version I get in the restaurant, so this is a true restaurant recreation.

 

Baked Brie with Candied Walnuts and Caramelized Onions

serves 2 to 4 as an appetizer

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 small white or yellow onion, very thinly sliced
pinch kosher salt
4 sheets phyllo dough
6 tablespoons clarified butter, melted
one 4-to-8 ounce wheel of ripe Brie cheese
1 ½ to 2 tablespoons apricot jam, or orange marmalade(note: stir or whisk jam/marmalade until is loosens enough to spread)
3 to 4 tablespoons Candied Walnuts(recipe follows)
Fresh fruit of your choice, such as red grapes, apple slices, or pear slices
Baguette slices or crackers

Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. When oil is hot, add the onion and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are tender and golden., 25 to 30 minutes; adjust the heat if necessary so the onions don’t brown too quickly or burn. Set aside.
While the onions are cooking, arrange the oven rack in the center of the oven. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray or line with parchment paper.
 Lay the phyllo dough on a clean, damp kitchen towel on a dry work surface and cover with another damp kitchen towel. Lay a sheet of dough on the baking sheet. Brush the dough lightly with melted butter. Place a second piece of dough across the first piece of dough to form a cross shape and brush lightly with butter. Place a third piece of dough diagonally over the cross and brush lightly with butter. Place the fourth piece of dough diagonally over the third piece of dough(to form a “x” shape) and brush lightly with butter.
Cut the Brie horizontally through the middle to form a top and bottom layer.
Place the bottom layer of brie in the center of the phyllo dough.
Brush with the apricot glaze, and arrange 2 to 3 tablespoons of the reserved onions and the Candied Walnuts evenly over the glaze. Cover with the top layer of brie.
 Form a beggar’s purse by gathering all eight ends of the phyllo dough, bringing them together over the top of the brie, and pinching them together until the brie is totally encased in dough. Brush lightly with butter, place the phyllo package in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour before proceeding to the next step.
Preheat the oven to 450F.
Cover loosely with aluminum foil and place in the oven for 5 minutes.
Remove the foil and continue baking for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the phyllo turns golden in color.
Remove from the oven and transfer to a serving plate. Arrange the fresh fruit and baguette slices around the brie and serve immediately.

Candied Walnuts

1 large egg white
1 cup whole walnuts
 ¼ cup sugar
2 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar
 ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 300F.
For easy clean up, line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk the egg white until light and frothy.
Add the walnuts and mix well. Sprinkle the nuts with granulated sugar and brown sugar, add the vanilla, and stir until the walnuts are evenly coated with sugar.
Arrange the walnuts in a single layer on the baking sheet with out crowding and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and stir the nuts.
Continue cooking, stirring the nuts every 5 minutes, for a total of 25 to 30 minutes of cooking time, or until the walnuts not longer look moist and are medium caramel in color.
Remove from the oven and transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack.
When cool enough to handle, break apart the nuts, then dry completely on the baking sheet on the wire rack. Store in an air tight container at room temperature until serving.

Adpated from Pacific Northwest Wining and Dining: The People, Places, Food, and Drink of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and British Columbia by Braiden Rex-Johnson.

Ham and Leek Chowder…

July 2, 2008 in restaurant recreation by piday | 11 comments

In April I visited Portland for the very first time. We went for the weekend with the only intent on relaxing and trying to get through a long list of restaurants I wanted to try. One of those restaurants is Wildwood. I own the cookbook and so it was on top of my list. I will highlight it later.
While there I had a super yummy ham and leek chowder. I tried to recreate it but must admit it does not taste like the soup I had(something is missing but I can’t figure out what), but tasty nonetheless.
Not writing too much more. It’s my birthday today and I am off to have fun. Enjoy your week!

Ham and Leek Chowder

¼ cup diced celery
¼ cup diced carrot
1 garlic clove, chopped
¼ cup of butter plus one TBSP
2 cups russet potatoes, peeled and chopped
sea salt to taste
¼ tsp fresh thyme, finely chopped
5 cups of vegetable or chicken stock, divided
2 ½ cups heavy cream
1 ½  pound smoked ham hock
2 leeks, cleaned, white part only, thinly sliced

In a large stock pot, cook celery, carrot, leeks and garlic in 1 TBSP of butter. Saute for about 5 minutes, until tender.
Add ham hock and stock. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for about 45 minutes. Remove ham hock from pot and let cool slightly(enough to handle). Using a fork, remove pieces of ham from the hock. Cut up ham into piece and place back into the soup pot. Discard the unused portion of the ham hock.
Add potatoes, thyme and remaining stock. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for about 20 minutes, while the stock reduces.
Add cream and ¼ cup butter. Simmer another 20 minutes.
Check soup to see if it needs salt, it might not.
Top with croûtons and serve.

My Default….

June 30, 2008 in restaurant highlight by piday | 6 comments

When my friends and I can’t ever seem to decide where to eat we usually fall back on our default place, Purple Cafe and Wine Bar. This highlight is of the one in Kirkland, they have two other locations, one in Woodinville(wine country) and downtown Seattle(where there is a tasting menu after 3pm).
I must say that on the day I went I was a little disappointed to say the least. It was so unlike Purple. And even though that day was less than stellar I am still choosing to highlight the restaurant because it does have a good track record with me.

When I go I usually end up getting appetizers instead of an actual meal(though I do love the lobster mac and cheese they have). This time out was not exception. My friend J and I split some baked brie with apricot preserves, caramelized onions, candied walnuts with grapes and crackers(pictured above). That was good and up to the usual standard.

Then came my other go to, bacon wrapped scallops in a huckleberry port sauce. As you may recall I recreated the recipe(though using blackberries). If you go and look at mine compared to theirs, mine look a whole lot better! What I got that time around were cremated scallops. I was so very sad. I should have sent them back but didn’t, I am sometimes was too nice.

For dessert I had the Southern Peach Cobbler with Spiced Bourbon Ice Cream. J had the Blackberry and Lime tart. Which she said tasted good but I could not get past how they just threw it all together. So much so that I ranted about it on my other blog and made my own blackberry and lime tart just to show them how it was done.
I have since been back and had no issues. So I am hoping it was a fluke. As it is one of my favorite places to sit, throw back some wine(okay, a lot of wine) and eat some good grub.

Purple Cafe and Wine Bar

323 Park Place
Kirkland, WA 98033
P 425.828.3772

One of my favorites…

June 24, 2008 in restaurant recreation by piday | 17 comments

This is a recipe based on an appetizer dish(one of my favorites) at Purple Cafe and Wine bar(3 locations), which I will review in the next post. Still sick, so not writing very much. Enjoy your week!

Bacon Wrapped Sea Scallops with Blackberry Port Sauce

1 lb. sea scallops
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 TBSP olive oil
1 lb. sliced bacon( pre cooked in oven….see note)
salt to taste

Preheat broiler. Pat the scallops dry with a paper towel. Dip scallops in melted butter. Sprinkle both sides of scallops with salt. Wrap each with 1/2 slice of bacon. Fasten with toothpick.
In a saute pan that can be placed in the oven, set pan on medium-high heat with olive oil in it. After two minutes sear each scallop for one minute on each side. Transfer to the oven to broil. Broil, turning once, for 5 minutes or until bacon is crisp. Serve with a blackberry port sauce.

Note: Bake bacon in oven at 400F for about 10 minutes to help the crisping. The 5  minutes under the broiler usually does not get the bacon crisp enough. If you do not like crispy bacon you can skip this step).

Blackberry Port Sauce

1 cup blackberries
1 cup port wine
3 Tablespoons sugar, plus sugar to taste

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the blackberries, port, and sugar(The amount of sugar will depend on the sweetness of the berries). Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, until the liquid is reduced by 1/3 and the berries are tender (about 25 minutes).  Transfer the contents of the pan to a blender and puree until smooth (about 35 seconds). Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a small, clean saucepan and set aside.

Who Knew….

June 21, 2008 in northwest nosh by piday | 11 comments

I’ve been sick. And I mean sick. But I had signed up for a cooking class at J. Matheson’s Gift Kitchen and Gourmet awhile back and I was not going to miss out. Why not skip? Well, my class was with Greg Atkinson.
In my quest of learning all about Pacific Northwest cuisine, I ran across Greg Atkinson’s name quite a bit. I now own all of his cookbooks(some of which were a little hard to find as they are out of print). His latest one, West Coast Cooking(yes, I own it) was what they were featuring at the class.
Now, I will admit that when I go to demonstration classes I really don’t learn that much. Most cooking techniques I am familiar with at this point. But I do love to go and listen to the chefs point of view and soak up their inspiration for their dishes and their cooking style in general. Greg had great stories and was a pleasure to listen to. He definitely has a passion for cooking food, especially that of the Pacific Northwest.
The place itself is very cute. Carrying all my favorites from Emile Henry to fun bowls from TAG. . Who knew there was a gourmet kitchen shop in downtown Everett?
As far as the class itself, you are welcomed by a glass of wine and some appetizers that they pass around while you are waiting for the majority of everyone to show up. Our menu that night was:

Mango and Avocado Salad
Slow-Roasted Alaska Halibut
With Spring Vegetables and Aioli
Strawberries Brulee

All simple flavors and all very tasty. I will be making a version of the Strawberries Brulee over on Culinary Concoctions.

So if you are in the Everett area(or are willing to drive up from Seattle) you will want to check out this  place out for a  cooking class or two. And while you are there you just might have to buy something as well(I know I did…shocker).

Mango and Avocado Salad

For the Salad:

3 ripe Mangoes
3 ripe Avocados
3 cups cleaned and dried lamb’s lettuce(or spinach if you can not find lambs)
½ pint fresh raspberries

For the Dressing:

2 TBSP Dijon mustard
¼ cup raspberry vinegar
¾ cup canola oil

Cut mangoes in half(get rid of the middle part).  Scoop out the flesh with a large spoon. Discard the skin. Cut each half into 6 vertical slices. Do this to all the mangoes. Set aside.
Cut each avocado in half and discard seed. Remove the peel. Cut each half into 6 vertical slices. Do this to all the avocados.
For each salad, arrange half a sliced mango in a fan design on a chilled salad plate, and lay a slice of avocado beside each slice of mango, creating a striped fan design. At the “handle” of the fan, place ½ cup lamb’s lettuce leaves.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the mustard and vinegar until combined thoroughly. Whisking rapidly, add the oil in a very thin stream to create a smooth emulsion.
Drizzle about  2 TBSP of the dressing over the intersection of the lamb’s lettuce and the fan of avocado and mango on each plate. Distribute the berries evenly among the salads. Serve immediately.
Makes 6 servings.

Adapted from West Coast Cooking by Greg Atkinson

(Slow-Roasted Halibut with Spring Vegetables and Aioli)

J. Matheson Gifts
2615 Colby Avenue
Everett, WA 98201
(425) 258-2287

J. Matheson Kitchen & Gourmet
2609 Colby Avenue
Everett, WA 98201
(425) 258-4589

(Strawberry Brulee)

Got Salmon?

June 15, 2008 in northwest nosh by piday | 19 comments

Don’t have salmon but want some? You could win the chance to receive three separate 5 lb. shipments of wild salmon fillets (15 lbs. total); one in July, August, and September, 2008, on the date of the winner’s choosing. Each shipment will contain a different type of wild salmon, varying by species and river origin.   And all you need to do is submit an original recipe of your own on the MarxFood.com website. Sounds like a pretty good deal to me…that is why I am passing on the info to you.
I am lucky enough that my parents friends B and M go salmon fishing every year in Montana and then smoke and canned(see below) the fish right there. It may not be that pretty to look at, but boy does it sure taste good! We use it a lot in pasta as well as quiche, which is what I made this time around for the contest. Smoked Salmon, Leek and Goat Cheese Quiche. It’s made with a super simple cream cheese pie crust that you swear wouldn’t turn out good, but it always does.
So get to making your own recipe. You only have until June 20th to submit your recipe. Good luck.

Smoked Salmon, Leek and Goat Cheese Quiche

1 9-inch cream cheese pie crust(pre baked for 10 minutes at 375F)(recipe follows)
8 ounces canned smoked salmon, pulled into pieces
1 medium leek, cleaned and chopped
4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
3 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1 ½  cups cream
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
1 tsp chopped fresh Chervil

Arrange salmon, leeks and goat cheese over the bottom of the partial baked crust.
In a large bowl, beat the eggs, yolks, and cream. Add salt, pepper and chervil and whisk to combine. Pour over the salmon, leek and cheese mixture into the pie shell and  bake until the custard is golden, puffed, and set yet still slightly wiggly in the center, 30 to 35 minutes.

Cream Cheese Pie Crust

2 cups all-purpose flour
8 ounce cream cheese, softened but still cool
2 sticks(8 ounces) unsalted butter, softened but still cool

In a mixer, combine all ingredients and mix on medium-low until it forms a dough. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in fridge for 30 minutes.