Stuffed Squash

Lately, some of my girlfriends and I have been doing ladies dinner.  Each person brings something, appetizer, entree, side dish, dessert, wine, etc.  It is always super easy, we keep it pretty small, and we all have an amazing time.  This past time we decided on a Fall Theme for our dinner.  Perfect time to use some fall vegetables such as squash, kale and sage.

Oh, and Happy Halloween!

Apologies for the quality of the photo, I only had my phone with me

Stuffed Squash (serves 4-6):

2 acorn squash (or small pumpkins), halved vertically and seeds scooped out
.75 lb breakfast chicken sausage links, removed from the casings
1 sweet onion, diced
3 carrots, peeled and diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups of raw kale
1 heaping cup of diced stale bread
1 cup of chicken broth
EVOO
S&P
nutmeg
cinnamon
chili powder
5-6 sage leaves, minced finely
1/2 cup or more of graded Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400F.

Brush the halved squashes with olive oil and season liberally with salt and pepper.  Dust the squashes with whatever seasonings you like (I used nutmeg, cinnamon and chili powder) maybe 1/4 tsp of each.  Flip over so they're face down and roast in the oven for 30-40 minutes until the squash is soft but not mushy.

Take out of the oven, flip over and let cool for a few minutes.

While the squash is roasting, heat a little oil in a deep skillet and brown the chicken sausage, breaking it up with the back of your spoon into smaller bits.  Once browned, take out with a slotted spoon and let cool and drain on a paper towel.

Add the diced onion, carrots and garlic, season with salt and pepper and saute for 4-5 minutes until the onion is translucent.  Add the kale and cook for another few minutes.

Add the bread and the chicken broth and stir to combine.

Now it's time for the squash, take a spoon and carefully scoop out some of the flesh, not all of it, and contribute it to the stuffing mixture.  Be careful, the squash is still very hot and it's easy to puncture the skin, we need the skin in tact.  Once you scoop out all four squash halves, add half of the Parmesan cheese mixture, a little more salt and pepper along with the minced sage.  Stir together and taste for seasonings.

Return the stuffing mixture back to the hollowed out squashes equally distributing the stuffing.  Sprinkle the remaining of the Parmesan onto each squash and bake for another 10 minutes.

Christmas Roast

Christmas this year was a little out of the ordinary, we had the boy, his roommate, my college roommate and her mother all over for Christmas Dinner.  Every Christmas we either do a Duck or a Standing Rib Roast.  This Christmas because we had so many people a Roast was not only requested but required.  This year I decided to do something different and add a breadcrumb crust.  It came out juicy on the inside, and crisp on the outside, most of all, everyone loved it.

Photo courtesy of the boy's roommate...

Standing Rib Roast:


1 4-5 pound rib in roast
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
3 cloves of garlic, finely minced
zest of 1 lemon and 1 orange
1 tbsp. salt and pepper
1 tsp. sugar
few pinches of red pepper flakes
1/2 - 1 tsp. chili powder
1 tbsp. garlic powder
1 tbsp. freshly chopped thyme
1 tbsp. freshly chopped rosemary
1/4 - 1/2 cup olive oil


Take out the roast 1 hour before cooking, pat dry with paper towels, and let come up to room temperature.  Preheat the oven to 425F.
 Combine the breadcrumbs and all the herbs and spices together.  Add the olive oil in till the breadcrumbs will "paste" together or so.  Once combined thoroughly, press all over the roast firmly so it sticks to the meat.

Place on a rack in a roasting pan, fat side down, and put in the oven.  Roast for 45 minutes, turn the pan around, and check temperature of the meat.  Continue to roast the meat till it is medium rare (about 1.5 hours), you should take out the meat at 140 F.  Let the meat rest for at least 20 minutes (it will still stay warm) and slice thinly after resting, then serve.

Citrus Ginger Beef

I appologize for the quality of the photo, I only had my point and shoot with me...

The boy and I had a fun couple over for dinner the other night.  Some wine, The Blind Side and very full tummies later we decided that this dinner was post worthy.  Before, we had deliberated on what I would make and decided on an Asian menu: Citrus Ginger Beef, Brown Rice, and a Cucumber Salad.  The stir fry turned out extremely delicious and we ate ALL of it.

Citrus Ginger Beef:

1 - 1 1/2 lb of flank steak, sliced very thin, against the grain
zest of 1 orange + juice of 1 orange

zest of 1 lime + juice of 1 lime

2 inch knob of ginger, pealed and sliced into discs

3 tbsp corn starch

3 tbsp soy sauce + 2 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp Amontillado sherry

1/4 tsp of red pepper flakes

2 tsp hoisin sauce

1 bunch of hericot vert or green beens, cut into bite sized pieces

1 tbsp peanut or canola oil
1 tsp toated sesame seeds
2 scallions, thinly sliced at an angle


In a large bowl take the sliced beef and coat it with the corn starch.  Add the soy sauce, sherry, and half the zest of the citrus.  Toss to coat evenly.  Let marinate for 30 minutes, toss around each 10 minutes.


In another bowl combine the other half of the citrus zest, the rest of the sherry, soy, red pepper flakes, and hoisin.  Put aside.


Heat 1 tbsp of the canola oil to very high heat in either a wok or a large deep saute pan.  Saute the hericot vert for a few minutes in the oil till they blister a bit.  Take out with a slotted spoon and place in a bowl lined with paper towels to absorb the oil.  Heat the same pan on high and add another 1 tbsp of oil till it smokes.  Add the sliced ginger and let it infuse the oil.  Add the beef 30 seconds later with all of the juice.  Saute for at least 2 minutes, until the beef has nice sear on one side.  Stir it all up and let it cook for another 1-2 minutes.  Add the reserved sauce and let it cook till it gets thick.  Add the scallions and sesame seeds and serve while hot.  Squeeze a bit more orange juice on top at the end.

Cheese Plate

Friday night, roommate dinner, finally. I made a cheese plate and it was just so pretty looking and really tasty that I had to share it. The trick to making a cheese plate look pretty is incorporate different colors and textures. I had a few different cheeses a soft Raclette cheese and an Old Amsterdam Extra Aged Gouda were my favorite. I added cashews and raw almonds along with champagne grapes to make it extra special. Top that with some sliced salami and some coppa and you have yourself a pretty tasty cheese plate. Serve it with crackers or toasted bread.

Asian Chicken Salad

I roasted a chicken earlier this week (recipe to follow) and it was magnificent. I decided to take some of the chicken and make an Asian Chicken Salad with it and it turned out pretty tasty. I julienned (very thinly sliced) some carrots and bell peppers, added some green onions, segmented clementines, thinly sliced white onion and toasted slivered almonds with a nice citrus soy vinaigrette. It's a clean light chicken salad that doesn't need to be refrigerated, so great on a picnic or for a BBQ with friends.



Asian Chicken Salad

1/2 a cooked rotisserie chicken, skin off, shredded
1 bell pepper, julienned
2 carrots, peeled and julienned
2 scallions, chopped
1 small onion, chopped in half and very thinly shaved/sliced
4 clementines, segmented or a can of drained Mandarin oranges
1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds
handful of cilantro leaves

Vinaigrette:
juice of 1 lime
1/2 tsp rice wine vinegar
1 1/2 tsp soy sauce
cracked black pepper
1/2 tsp sugar or honey
1 inch of ginger, graded
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
dash garlic powder
7 mint leaves, chopped finely
3/4 tsp toasted sesame oil
1/2 tsp peanut oil

Prepare vinaigrette, and mix well to combine. Toss all ingredients with the dressing in a bowl and let sit for about 10 minutes to absorb the flavors. Serve room temperature or cold.

Bolognese

Bay to Breakers is a yearly event in San Francisco that consists of a 7 mile trip from The Embarcadero, through Golden Gate Park, finishing at Ocean Beach. The boyfriend hosted everyone the night before so we could all wake up together (at 6am mind you), get ready and start the "race." A few girlfriends and I dressed up as Neon Ballerinas, while other members of our group just went for straight Neon. However, because everyone was staying the night before I decided to make dinner for everyone and decided I was going to attempt Spaghetti Bolognese. It turned out really well, it's not the classic version but it was pretty damn tasty. I made the sauce and let it simmer for a good 2 hours and the flavors developed really nicely.

Bolognese Sauce:

1/2 cup of pancetta

1 onion, finely chopped

2-3 large carrots, pealed, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 pork sausages (removed of their casings) or some sort of ground pork with seasonings

1/2 - 3/4 cup of white wine

1 dash vodka (optional)

2 cans of tomato sauce

2 tbsp tomato paste

1 1/4 cup of chicken or vegetable stock
2 bay leaves

2 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp fennel seeds

1/2 tsp chili powder

pinch of red pepper flakes

salt and pepper (bout a tsp of each)

extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup heavy cream

Fresh basil and parsley chopped for garnish

Brown pancetta in a deep pot with a little bit of olive oil on medium heat till crispy.

Remove pancetta with a slotted spoon and start to sweat the onion, carrot and garlic in the rendered oil from the pancetta, you may have to add a little bit more oil at this point. Add the salt, pepper, oregano, fennel, chili powder and red pepper flakes. Let onions cook till translucent. Pull the vegetables out with a slotted spoon.

Brown the pork sausage and break up into small pieces with the back of your spoon. Once the pork is browned, add back the vegetables and pancetta and stir to combine. Pour in the wine and vodka to deglaze the pan and scrape the browned bits at the bottom of the pan. Add in the tomato paste, the tomato sauce, broth, and bay leaves.

Let the sauce simmer on low for at least an hour to let the flavors develop. After an hour taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary. Right before you're about to combine the sauce with the pasta, add the cream and turn off the heat.

Boil pasta (I used whole wheat spaghetti) in very salty water till al dente. In a frying pan, add the pasta sauce and when the pasta is ready combine the pasta in the pan with a 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. Let pasta finish cooking in pasta sauce. Garnish with fresh herbs (basil, parsley and even mint will be delicious) and some Parmesan cheese. ENJOY!

Curry Marinated Shrimp

I had a BBQ last week with some friends and neighbors. We had a fantastic combination of young and old, neighbors and out of towners, new friends and new boyfriends, it was a great time, ICE included. I made sliders and this amazing marinated Shrimp with Coconut Milk and Curry Paste (I used Red Curry Paste but have tried it with Green as well and it tastes just as good). If you're ok with pealing the shrimp after it cooks with messy fingers I recommend you cook the shrimp with the peals on, the flavor is much stronger, but messier.

Coconut Curry Marinated Shrimp:
1 pound of large shrimp
1 can of light coconut milk (TJ's has a great one)
1/2 stick of lemongrass (optional)
1/2 jalapeno, chopped
1 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 onion, roughly chopped
1 handful of cilantro
1 scallion, chopped
zest AND juice of 2 limes
2 tbsp red curry paste
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp coriander
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tbsp fish sauce (found in any Asian grocery store)
1 tbsp canola oil

Combine all ingredients in a zip lock bag and let marinate for 30 minutes to an hour (don't let sit longer than an hour or the shrimp will start to cook from the acid in the lime).

Place shrimp on a hot grill for a few minutes on each side, they will start to curl up when they are done cooking. Serve immediately with chopped cilantro and scallions.

Birthday Fajitas

So my boyfriends birthday was awhile ago, but I promised him that I'd make him dinner and his favorite dessert, Carrot Cake. When it finally came time to pay out my birthday labor, he craved Fajitas. I created this marinade from many a trials but it has a nice combination of sweet, spicy and savory. I use flank steak because it cooks/grills up very quickly and maintains it's flavor and moisture extremely easily. Marinate the meat for at least an hour to really infuse the beef with the spices if you can.

Fajita Marinade:
1 flank steak
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1/2 an onion, chopped
1/2 jalapeno, chopped
1 handful of cilantro
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp ancho chili powder (found in random stores/Mexican food specialty stores)
1 tsp cumin
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp coriander
1 tbsp oregano
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tbsp soy sauce
juice of 1 orange
juice of 1 - 2 limes
2 tbsp tequila
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp canola oil

Combing all ingredients in a zip lock bag and massage meat. Let marinate for at least an hour, if you can hold off...wait a day, the flavor develops greatly.

Preheat a grill to high, sear on one side for 7 minutes, then flip and cook on the other side for 5-10 minutes, till medium rare. Let meat rest for 10 minutes before slicing in thin pieces against the grain. Serve with sauteed peppers and onions, cheese, avocado, cilantro, scallions and salsa on a whole wheat tortilla.

Tacolicious

My good friend and I ventured to the Marina this past week to try Tacolicious. Tacolicious was once Laiola, a Catalan Tapas restaurant that received a great face lift and transformed into a taco and small bite Mexican restaurant. I talked to the owner Joe Hargrave who explained to me that he took a trip to Mexico and had a revelation. There are very few places in San Francisco that will combine sustainability and Mexican food, more specifically tacos, that taste god damn delicious. They say:

"...I should state that Tacolicious was founded on the principals of sustainability. A large portion of our produce comes from the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market where we launched our stand last summer. We use natural meats. Our tortillas may not be organic but they're made daily at our very own local La Palma."

I stumbled upon Tacolicious before they even had the restaurant up and running. I found them at the Ferry Building Farmer's Market on Thursdays for lunch next to Namu, the Korean BBQ place. They had an extremely long line and couldn't help but wonder how tasty are these tacos because that is one long ass line!! I tried their carnitas, beer and a shot chicken, and potato and chorizo tacos. All of them were extremely tasty and very authentic. It reminded me of the taco expeditions I would take in high school with my friends to try and locate the right taco truck in Redwood City. Recently, I then found out that Tacolicious wasn't just going to be a Thursday lunch time adventure, they were opening a restaurant in the Marina completely devoted to tacos, this was something that I definitely had to try.

My friend and I sat down at the counter/bar around 7ish closer to the back of the restaurant. There was maybe one or two tables open and a few bar spaces left. (FYI by the time we left at 8:30, the entire bar was 3 rows deep of people) I ordered a Margarita Picante. This was delicious, it wasn't too sweet and had a nice heat that lingered in the back of your throat for a few seconds after you sipped it. We munched on chips and the most addicting salsa ever, we suggested to the owner, Joe that he should bottle this and sell it because he would make so much money. It had great flavor of tomatoes and spices but wasn't overpoweringly hot.

We then started to examine the menu. They had tasty looking appetizers and we were recommended the Tuna Tostada by our waitress so we jumped on board. We also were looking at the tacos, they offer 4 tacos for $12, perfect for my friend and I to share. I ordered the fish taco with red cabbage slaw and a lemony white sauce, the classic fish taco that I love! I also ordered the chorizo and potato taco which I have had before and knew I would love. My friend also ordered the chorizo and potato and the carnitas tacos.

When our tuna tostada came, we were in love. It was a slightly spicy/sweet white mayo sauce with chili powder atop a crispy circular tostada. Sitting on top was ahi tuna and a slice of avocado with crispy leek. This was sooo tasty, one problem: there were only 3!! My friend and I quickly devoured one each and looked at each other, who's getting this third? I reach for a knife to cut the perfectly plated piece of ahi goodness and I get a tap on the shoulder, it's Joe, the owner who says "Wait, I'll send out another one." I was in love!! No more than 60 seconds pass and we have another Tuna Tostada in hand and ready for consumption. I couldn't believe how nice he was and so attentive to what we were eating and when we were eating it.

Then our tacos arrive. I loved the fish taco, it was perfectly crispy and the slaw added a nice fresh crunch. The chorizo and potato taco was as perfect as it ever was and the carnitas are super tender and juicy. The tacos also come with three different salsas. They have a tomatillo and guacamole creamy mild salsa. Second, is a habanero salsa which is a great yellow color and is hot as hell. I loved it, the better burning sensation after consumption, the better. Finally the third is a chipotle salsa that has a dark red color which has some smoke to it. I loved putting the habanero and the tomatillo guacamole on the chorizo and potato taco.

Overall, the chips were great, drinks were strong, and food was delicious, all leaving me wanting more. I emailed Joe to get the recipe for the Margarita Picante, here it is:

Margarita Picante:

2 oz. tequila

1 oz. triple sec

Juice of 1 lime

1 tsp. Simple Syrup (equal parts sugar and water boiled for a few minutes, then cooled)

1 tsp. red chili vinegar

Shake all ingredients over ice and strain over an ice filled, pink peppercorn rim coated tumbler.

Chili Vinegar:

1 cup of rice wine vinegar

a few of various dried chilies (ancho, de arbol, chipotles, etc.)

Bring both the vinegar and chilies to a boil for 10 minutes. Cover and let cool, strain through a fine sieve. Pepper infused vinegar stores indefinitely.

Pink Peppercorn Salt:

1/4 cup pink peppercorns

1/4 cup vanilla sugar (store 1 vanilla bean in a cup of sugar for a few weeks)

1/4 cup kosher salt

Combine all ingredients in a spice grinder and buzz into a fine powder, or mash in a mortar and pestle.

Please visit Tacolicious:

2031 Chestnut Street., @ Fillmore; Marina

415.346.1966

www.tacolicioussf.com

Parents Away

Last night a bunch of friends and I went over to our friends house to grill and smoke some tasty proteins. I brought some steaks over and marinated them while my friend smoked some chicken breasts and sausages. We also had some Spanish Rice and Coleslaw to accompany the meat. This marinade has been tested and approved by many people and took a very long time to perfect so I hope you enjoy.



STEAK MARINADE:
4 garlic cloves, smashed
2 inches of ginger, smashed
zest and juice of 1 orange
zest and juice of 1 lime
1 jalapeno, roughly chopped
2 scallions, chopped
1/2 cup onions, roughly chopped
3/4 cup of soy sauce
1/4 cup of teryaki sauce
splash of rice wine vinegar



Salt and pepper steaks and throw in all ingredients in a zip top bag and marinate for at least 1 hour, up to 6 hours. Grill to medium rare and devour.

SANTA BARBARA COLE SLAW:
1/2 cabbage sliced thinly
1 tsp celery seed
2/3 cup of light mayonnaise
2 tbsp of vinegar
1/2 tsp mustard powder
1/4 tsp paprika
1 tsp onion salt
1-2 tbsp skim milk
1/2 tsp pepper
salt to taste (the onion salt is salty so be careful not to over salt)

Combine the cabbage and the celery seed in a bowl. On low heat combine all the ingredients minus the milk, cabbage and celery seed in a small pot and heat slowly with a whisk. Once the dressing is warmed through, add the milk and take off the heat (it should be a saucy consistency, like a thick dressing). Let cool slightly and pour over the cabbage and celery seed. Let sit for a few minutes and serve. If not serving immediately, refrigerate. This is a great dish to serve with a BBQ and my family makes it every Independence Day.