An Earth Day celebration FARM TO TABLE DINNER and Asian Style Black Cod with Roasted Vegetables

A few weeks ago, I attended an Earth Day celebration highlighting urban farmers, sustainable food practices, and a Farm to Table dinner in which we had the opportunity to meet Long Beach local farmers and learn about small farm economics firsthand.  Urban farmers and advocates set up booths in an empty city lot on Pine Ave, just blocks away from the Long Beach Grand Prix, to showcase their spring bounty and provide information about the local food movement.

In the same empty city lot as the sun was setting, preparations were at hand for a Farm to Table Dinner put on by Long Beach Primal Alchemy Catering.  A long community table was set with glistening wine glasses and beautiful flowers, local Old-Time band Moonsville Collective warmed up on a stage set against a graffiti art painted brick wall, and the chefs prepared the food in an open kitchen.

While watching the chefs prep in the open air kitchen, we socialized and enjoyed appetizers such as Spring Vegetable Ragu on Crostini, topped with Mustard Lemon Aioli.  Passing a multi-course family style dinner down the table, we sat amongst strangers but quickly made friends.  My favorite was the Asian Style Black Cod and the Roasted & Seasoned Vegetables.  The black cod melted in your mouth like butter; I didn’t know something so healthy could taste so good!  Before the dinner I observed the chef preparing the vegetables and asked the head chef about the marinade for the black cod.

If you are a Long Beach native and are interested in experiencing a Farm to Table dinner, the next is a brunch at Farm Lot 59 on June 23, 2013.  The information is not on their website yet, but I will try to post it when it is available.

Needless to say, this experience inspired me to make an Asian Style Black Cod with Shitake Mushrooms atop of Quinoa with Roasted Farmer’s Market Vegetables.  I have learned how to cook Asian food (though with my own twist) over the last three years from a wonderful Taiwanese roommate.  Even though LA offers amazing Taiwanese Pho, Chinese Dim Sum, Korean Barbeque, and Japanese Sushi it is only by opening myself to new cultures and making Asian friends that I’ve created my own style of Asian cooking.

Asian Style Black Cod and Shitake Mushrooms and Quinoa

Dry Shitake mushrooms are available at Asian markets such as 99 Ranch Market and Zion (in LA) and come whole or sliced.  Though you can simply soak the mushrooms before cooking with them, if you boil in water with green onions and ginger they will retain moisture and therefore more readily soak up the flavor of your soup or stir fry.  Boiled mushrooms can be stored in your fridge for up to one week.

Ingredients (serves 3-4)

• 1 large black cod (3/4-1 lb) frozen or fresh
• 2 ounces dry Shitake mushrooms (about 20)
• 1 cup quinoa
• 5 Green Onions, chopped
• 2 tsp ginger, minced
• 2 Tbs Soy Sauce
• 1 Tbs Sesame Oil
• 1/4 tsp fish sauce
• 1 lemon grass stalk, chopped

Directions

• If the fish is frozen, remove from the fridge the night before to thaw.
• Boil 2 quarts of water in a large pot.  Add 3 green onions and 1 tsp ginger along with the dry Shitake mushrooms.  Reduce the heat to low and cover.  Simmer for at least 30 minutes.  Remove from the heat and set aside.  Retain at least 1/2 cup of the broth.
• Mix the soy sauce, sesame oil, fish sauce, remaining green onions, remaining ginger, and lemon grass for the marinade.
• Lay the black cod in a large baking dish and cover with the marinade.  Cover and place in the fridge for 3o minutes.
• In the meantime, prepare the quinoa according to the package instructions.
• Remove the fish from the fridge and bring it to room temperature.  Slice 4 of the shitake mushrooms and add to the fish.  Broil on high for 8-10 minutes per inch of flesh measured at the thickest park of the fish or until fish is cooked through.  Add 1/2 cup of the mushroom broth and swirl around the pan until all the soy sauce is absorbed my the broth.
• Note: if preparing with the Roasted Vegetables, broil the black cod after the vegetables are ready to serve.

Roasted Farmer’s Market Vegetables with Grape Seed Oil and Lemon

Pick an assortment of vegetables from your local organic market or Farmer’s Market.  I like to browse the Farmer’s Market and see what inspires me.

Ingredients

• 2 Golden Beets, tops removed and quartered
• 1 large green onion bulb, sliced (like an orange)
• 2 cups small Brussels Sprouts, whole
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1-3 Tbs Grape Seed Oil
• 1/4 lemon juiced
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.  Arrange the brussels sprouts and golden beets in a baking dish.  Scatter the sliced onions on top.   Top with the garlic and drizzle with 1 Tbs Grape Seed Oil (or extra virgin olive oil).
• Cover and bake for 30-45 minutes until tender, removing from the oven every 15 minutes and adding more oil.  At 30 minutes squeeze the lemon juice on top.  Remove the lid for the last 5 minutes of baking.  Season with salt and pepper.

To serve, place a slice of black cod on top of the quinoa, add a few mushroom slices and drizzle with a tablespoons of the mushroom stock/soy sauce mixture.  Serve alongside the roasted vegetables.

Red Quinoa Strata with Roasted Mushrooms, Swiss Chard and Aged Cheddar Cheese

I planted bok choi, swiss chard, strawberries and fennel in my garden about a month ago despite telling myself that I would keep up only a small garden this summer.  When I purchased the starter plants, they looked easy enough to maintain but have proven otherwise.  I find that with my busy schedule I don’t have time to water, a few of the pots aren’t large enough, and bugs are eating my bok choi.  Last summer gardening was much more of a hobby than it is now!

And so I am experiencing the same with blogging.  I am cooking more now but my busy schedule has made blogging difficult.  Summer is quickly approaching but my style of cooking is stuck in winter.  My time seems filled with bridal showers, weddings, and special dinners (some of which I will share soon).

I cooked this Strata about a month ago, but it feels like ages now.  I have so much that I want to share about what is going on, but it feels that I must catch up first.  I must catch up on what I’ve blogged and try to catch up with fellow bloggers.

I am now beginning to see just a glimpse of what other bloggers experience when they have cookbooks to write, traveling for photography, or cooking for parties; though my time has mostly been filled with cooking for people I love and blessing them with good food.  Isn’t it exciting when much of your free time is filled with the things you love to do?

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 1/2-1 cup cooked red quinoa (depending on how deep you want the “crust”)
• 4 thin thin slices of polenta
• 8 ounces large crimini mushrooms, sliced
• 2-3 stalks of rainbow swiss chard, chopped with stalks separate
• 2 Tbs of extra virgin olive oil
• 2 stalks of thyme
• 7 eggs
• 1/4 cup half and half or coconut milk
• 1 cup aged cheddar cheese, shredded such as Kerrygold Vintage Cheddar
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Butter a 9″x9″ glass pan.
2. Cook the quinoa according to the package instructions.
3. Preheat oven to 400 deg. F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Spread the mushrooms in a single layer over the parchment paper and sprinkle with 1-2 Tbs olive oil.  Cover with leaves of 1 stalk of thyme.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
4. Bake for 10-15 minutes, turning every 5 minutes until soft and lightly browned.  Remove from the oven and set aside.
5. Reduce oven temperature to 35o deg. F.
6. Heat 1 Tbs of olive oil over medium high heat in a large pan until the oil begins to shine.  Add the chopped swiss chard stalks and cook for 1 minute.  Mix in the remaining swiss chard until all the oil is absorbed.  Cover for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Steam will form when covered, helping the swiss chard to cook.  During the last minutes, add the remaining thyme leaves and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
7. In a medium size bowl, mix the eggs and half and half.
8. In another medium size bowl, mix half the mushrooms, half the swiss chard and the cooked quinoa.
9. Now layer the strata in the glass pan, first with the cooked quinoa mixture, then the polenta slices, then the egg mixture, then the remaining mushrooms and swiss chard, and finally the cheese.
10. Bake at 350 deg. F. for 25-35 minutes, until the egg is cooked, cheese is melted and the edges are browned.  The egg will look juicy and continue to cook when removed from the oven.

Garlic Serrano dipping sauce

Life has been so busy the last few weeks that I’ve found it difficult to make the time for blogging.  The last two weekends were consumed with a birthday and then a bridal shower.  I’m here just checking in to share this dipping sauce that I created a month ago.

I love discovering new foods and experimenting with well known foods.  I got the idea for this sauce at a farmer’s market stand serving a Serrano pepper sauce with lettuce.  It was unique, but got me thinking.  What if I use a green like kale or dandelion greens instead of the lettuce and punch up the flavor with garlic and green onions?

I would like to have a dipping sauce or dressing that I could whip up with every meal, but since that doesn’t fit my nature of experimentation well I will settle for discovering them as I go.

Ingredients

• 2 Serrano peppers, seeds removed
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 green onions
• 1 handful dandelion greens (optional)
• 1/2 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
• 1 Tbs agave nectar
• juice of 1/4 lime
• Milk to make the sauce creamy (as needed)

Directions

• Pulse the Serrano peppers, garlic cloves, green onions and dandelion greens in a food processor.
• Transfer the greens to a blender and add the sour cream, agave nectar, and lime juice
• Fully mix all the ingredients in the blender.  Add a tablespoon of milk if the sauce is too thick.

Spicy Tuna Wraps with pickled cabbage, mushrooms, sprouts, and dandelion greens

Today I went to the doctor for a check up and I had to write out my occupation.

Engineer.

A few years ago I was a Barista and it was so strange to admit my occupation.  This was after graduating from college and landing my dream job, just to be laid off months later with the recession.  I wasn’t prepared would be an understatement.

Each occupation comes with it’s set of preconceived notions.  A few friends of mine are artists and it can be easier to consider myself completely different than to actually try to understand them.

This blog is part of a journey to understand who I am; something that was so malleable in my early 20′s now feels so rigid.  Just as our bodies get stiff with inactivity, I am feeling that my career has become stiff and needs to be massaged; new exercises need to be put into practice.

My friend over at The Talking Kitchen turned me onto spring roll wrappers.  You can purchase them at your local Chinese market or surprisingly Whole Foods; 99 Ranch Market is my favorite for spices and meat.  If you thought the samples at Cosco are amazing, you HAVE to get samples at an Asian market.  It is an adventure!

I thought they were rice paper, but the ingredients listed are: flour, salt, and water.  So, if you only eat Gluten free look for rice paper on the label.

What I love is that the possibilities are endless.  It’s a buffet in a wrap!  You can even roll them in olive oil and bake them at 400 deg. F for an extra crispy version.

Ingredients

• 6-8 spring roll wrappers
• 1/4 lb of ahi tuna
• 2 Tbs soy sauce
• 1 Tbs sesame oil
• 1 Tbs Sambal
• 1 Tbs expeller pressed canola oil or extra virgin olive oil
• 2 green onions chopped
• 2 cups purple cabbage, thinly sliced
• 3/4 cup rice wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced if large
• 1 package sprouts
• handful of dandelion greens, chopped with stems set aside
• sesame seeds
• additional soy sauce, sesame oil, and sesame seeds for dipping

Directions

1.    Make or buy sambal.  If this is not available use the following to taste:

• 1/2 fresh chili minced, 1/4 inch piece of ginger minced, 1 tsp of lime juice, 1 small garlic clove minced, 1/2 Tbs rice vinegar, 1 tsp honey or agave nectar when preparing the marinade.

2.    Prepare the pickled cabbage:

• Heat the vinegar in a pan over medium-high heat.  Add the sugar and salt and simmer until they dissolve.  Put the cabbage in a large bowl, cover with the vinegar mixture, and let sit for at least 30 minutes.  Drain the cabbage and store in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.

3.    Slice the tuna carefully into cubes.  In a medium bowl mix the tuna, soy sauce, sesame oil, sambal, and green onions.  Marinate for              30 minutes.

4.    Saute the mushrooms in the oil over medium-high heat.  When the oil is absorbed, turn the heat to medium.  Add the stems and incorporate with the mushrooms.  Lay the remaining dandelion greens over the mushrooms and incorporate after about 15 seconds.  Turn the heat to low and cover, stirring occasionally until the desired tenderness is reached.

5.   When ready to prepare the wraps, lay out 3 large plates.  One for wetting the wrap, one for preparing the wrap, and one for laying out the wraps.  The 1st plate needs enough lip to hold water but not damage the paper.  Line the 3rd plate (or baking sheet) with oil to prevent the wraps from sticking.  Rotate the paper in the water until soft and then transfer to the 2nd plate.  Add all the fillings and sesame seeds if desired.  Roll up the wrap, folding in the sides like a Chipotle Burrito.

6.   For the sauce, mix 1 Tbs soy sauce with 1/2 Tbs sesame oil and add sesame seeds.  Serve with Sriracha or Chili Garlic Sauce if desired.

sambal

For the last month I’ve been watching MasterChef Season 3 on Hulu and I have been completely amazed by these home “chefs”.  When I first started watching the show, I thought “I could do better” but as the season went on I saw just how difficult the challenges were.  The contestants usually have 60 minutes to plan and execute a dish for the chefs to judge.

Although the dishes are often simple, the process rarely is.  I realized while watching this that I rarely plan and execute a dish in 60 minutes, ok I’ve never planned and executed a dish in 60 minutes!

Another challenge is that many of the eliminations involve making multiples of one common item that can be prepared in different ways.  Each must be prepared to a culinary standard.  This is really making me think.  For example, though I’ve made pizza dough from scratch I wouldn’t begin to know how to prepare it without a recipe.

I prepared this sambal to mix with ahi tuna, green onions, soy sauce, sesame oil and sesame seeds.  Though sambal is popular in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore, most Asian food that I prepare is a fusion.

I would like everything I post to be perfect, but this blog is a work in progress just like my culinary skills.  The recipe called for the chile, spices, and vinegar to be mixed with sugar over medium heat until the mixture turns pulpy.  The sugar actually caramelized, turning my sambal into a toffee consistancy.

A lesson in Chemistry?  Perhaps?

I really look forward to Season 4 to learn more trade secrets of the culinary world.

Portabella Mushroom, Swiss Chard & Kale Pizza with caramelized onions, goat cheese and espresso balsamic vinegar

I realized this week that I love to cook.  I knew it before, but I realized that cooking is the one activity that I don’t feel pressure over.  And somehow it always turns out how I want it to.  I’m not saying that I’m a perfect cook, but usually if things don’t turn out as I expected I am still happy.  I love food and I love to eat good food, so I am rarely disappointed with what I create.

Do you have an activity that always brings you joy and not pressure?  These are quite a blessing, aren’t they?

This pizza has been a lot of fun to come up with.  I’ve made it three times now and varied it a little each time.  Once I added dates, which was AMAZING.  The espresso vinegar adds a malty sweetness, so a little goes a long way.  I am not a fan of traditional balsamic vinegar, but I am looking forward to discovering other flavors of balsamic vinegar.

Pizza was my go-to meal in college, though ironically I actually made the pizza dough from scratch.  At the time I had a food processor and I discovered that home-made pizza dough was easy with the correct tools.

Caramelized Onions

Ingredients (halve recipe if desired)

• 1 yellow onion
• 1 Tbs organic expeller pressed canoloa oil or extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp cane sugar
• dash of salt

Directions

• I use this recipe to understand the basics.  Prepare the sliced onions.  Heat the oil over medium high heat until it begins to shine and flows freely.  Add the onion slices and turn the onions to fully coat with the oil.  Continue stirring for about 10 minutes until the onions start to get tender.  If the onions begin to burn, reduce the heat to medium.  Incorporate the sugar and salt and reduce the heat to low.  Cook the onions until the desired tenderness and color is reached.  I like my onions to retain some tenderness and bite with the natural sweetness enhanced.

Pizza

Ingredients

• prepared caramilized onions
• Premade pizza dough, I prefer Whole Foods whole wheat dough
• 1 Portabella mushroom, chopped into 1″ pieces
• 3 Tbs + olive oil
• 3-4 stalks of rainbow swiss card, chopped with stalks set aside
• 2-3 stalks of kale, chopped with stalks set aside
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 shallot
• handful of italian parsely, chopped
• 3 sprigs of thyme
• 1 Tbs espresso balsamic vinegar
• 4 ounces goat cheese

Directions

Sauteing is more an art than a science.  I’ve created my own technique through careful observation and preference.  Find a technique that works for you and be observant; using all your senses.  I am watching Master Chef and Gordan Ramsey always asks, “did you taste the food?”  I usually start by sauteing the garlic and then add everything else, in layers depending on how long it will take to cook.  I add the herbs at the very end so that they add flavor but retain their texture.

• Remove the pizza dough from the oven and bring the dough to room temperature.
• Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F.  If using a pizza stone, preheat the stone in the heated oven.
• Mince the garlic and shallot or process in a food processor.  Heat the oil in a large metal pan over medium high heat until the oil begins to shine.  Add the garlic and shallot and stir into the oil, until you can smell the garlic; this usually takes less than two minutes.  Add the portabella mushroom and fold into the oil until all the oil is absorbed.  Add more oil as needed to prevent the mushroom from sticking and to equally saute the mushrooms.  
• Fold in the swiss chard and kale stalks and saute for 1-2 minutes.  Add the remaining chopped swiss chard and kale, laying them on top of the mushrooms.  Leave for 30 seconds to 1 minute.  Incorporate the greens and then reduce the heat to low.  Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring after 5 minutes.  Moisture will be removed from the greens and help them to cook.  Be sure to retain the water while cooking.
• When the greens have reached your desired tenderness and absorbed the water, fold in the balsamic vinegar, herbs and saute for about 3o seconds.  Set aside.

• Remove the heated pizza stone from the oven and place it on a hot pad.  Sprinkle flour or cornmeal over the entire stone.  Roll out the pizza dough or stretch it out by hand.  The key is not to handle the pizza dough more than necessary.  Spread out the sauteed greens over the prepared dough.
• With your fingers, break the goat cheese into chunks and spread throughout.  Add the caramelized onions as desired.
• Bake the pizza for 10-12 minutes, until the sides are browned and the crust is hard to touch.

Enjoy!  Do you have any tips on making the best pizza?  What are your favorite toppings?

Homemade Chicken Vegetable Soup

A few weeks ago I succumbed to the cold that has been going around, along with many others in my office.  I went two years without being sick.  Two years!  The change in the weather from cold to hot and some sleepless nights did me in.

I actually wanted to get sick, at least I wanted the opportunity to stay home from work.  The irony is after two years, I only stayed home for two hours during this cold.

While most of us buy canned soup or beg a friend to make soup for us, a friend of mine recommended that I make my own chicken noodle soup.  The first week I couldn’t even imagine expending the energy to cook, but the following weekend I found it in me to make homemade chicken noodle soup for the first time.  (I forgot the noodles and made them separately to add).

My roommate has the 2009 Food & Wine annual cookbook where I found a great recipe for Classic Chicken Noodle Soup (slightly adapted here)

Ingredients

• One 3-5 pound chicken, neck reserved
• Water to cover the chicken
• 2-3 carrots- coarsely chopped
• 2-3 celery ribs- coarsely chopped
• 1 unpeeled yellow onion, quartered
• 1 large unpeeled garlic clove, smashed
• 1 tsp whole black peppercorns or crushed pepper
• 3-4 thyme sprigs, leaves removed
• handful of Italian parsley, torn into pieces

Directions

• In a large pot, combine the chicken and neck, water to cover the chicken (as much as the pan allows), chopped carrots, celery, onion, garlic, pepper, and thyme.  Bring to a boil.  Cover partially and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes, turning the bird once if needed.
• Transfer the chicken to a cutting board.  Discard the skin and pull the meat off the bones, tearing into 1/2 inch pieces and refrigerate.
• Return the bones to the pot and simmer for about 1 hour.  Remove the bones and the onion/garlic peels and discard.  Remove the carrots, celery, onion, and garlic clove and set aside.   Strain the broth into a bowl.
• Return the broth to the pot and boil until reduced to 8 cups, 30 minutes.  Season with salt.
• Add the chicken, vegetables, and parsley to the pot and bring to a simmer.

What to you eat when you’re sick?