Foie Gras & Flannel

Easy Sunday dinner:

• Fresh swordfish, seasoned with herb salt, grilled and topped with a little butter (from Central Fish)
• Organic asparagus, grilled (from Vineyard Farmers Market)
• Favas, seasoned with herb salt and pan-fried (from a road-side stand–recipe from The Year in Food)
• Whole wheat sourdough (from La Boulangerie)

What are you eating?

One of my earliest memories of childhood in northwest Louisiana is of picking honeysuckle blossoms, in front of our home in a lakeside community of about 800 people.

Paired with that memory is a lesson in treating bee stings with chewing tobacco, but the reward always seemed worth the risk. In fact, at one time I was going to collect the nectar in mason jars and sell them to my neighbors; consider that my first entrepreneurial failing.

Anyway, it’s been years since I’ve recognized that fragrance, but as I rode through the countryside this evening, just outside of city limits, it tickled my nose. It was incredible.

It’s not often that I’m taken back to search early memories—in fact, it’s quite rare. So I’m curious: What scents or flavors take you back?

Rumor of a “not to be missed” taco stand at the Selma Raisin Festival is all it took to get Mike Oz and me out on Saturday. We found two options: “Juicy Tacos” prepared by Trinity Life Assembly, or “Delicious Steak Tacos” offered at Peppe’s. (For comparison’s sake, we tried both…but let’s focus on Peppe’s.)

When Joe, the owner, saw the camera, he offered Mike and me half his profits if we’d make him famous–too bad he doesn’t have a restaurant! He sets up the booth at fairs and events as a hobby. As a hobby.

Overall, not a bad excuse to drive to Selma. The meat was tender and flavorful–not a spice mix I’d want every day, but a nice change. The only disappointment was the green salsa, which was unnecessarily labeled with a “caution” label. I can take the heat.

Last week I received a jar of herb sea salt from Woody’s Gourmet, as a preview of what’s coming in this month’s Tasting Box from Foodzie, and a challenge to use the ingredient in a recipe worth sharing.

After smelling and tasting the salt, my first inclination was to simply sprinkle it over fresh tomatoes, which I’m starting to see at the farmers market. The flavors from the herbs were incredible with the raw tomato! But that’s not much of a recipe, so started to experiment with fava beans (also found at the farmers market).

At last month’s Eat Retreat, I learned how to make a fava crostini from fellow-retreater Lauren Ladoceour. This is my take:

Ingredients

• 3 pounds fava beans, in the pod
• 3-4 Tbsps. virgin olive oil, plus 1 Tbsp. for the bread
• 1 Tbsp. water, plus more as needed for desired texture
• 3-4 leaves fresh mint
• 1 lemon
• 1/2 tsp. fresh ground black pepper, or to taste
• 1 tsp. Woody’s Gourmet Fresh Basil & Lemongrass Herb Sea Salt
• 2 oz. parmigiano reggiano
• 1 loaf seed bread or thin baguette, sliced thin and toasted

Instructions

Fire up the grill (I like mine about 400°F). Line up the fava pods—if you can’t fit all of them at once, grill them in stages. Close the lid on the grill and cook for 4-5 minutes; flip, then cook for another 4-5 minutes. A little char is good for flavor, but if you leave them on too long, the beans will start to dry out and will be difficult to shell.

Remove the cooked pods from the grill, and let cool (this only takes a few minutes). Zest the lemon; squeeze and reserve 1/2 of its juice. Using the zester or a microplane, grate the cheese and set aside.

Once cool, peel the pods and pile the beans in a bowl. Now comes the fun part: use a fingernail to open each bean shell and squeeze the bean out. If you’re scaling the recipe for a larger serving, get comfortable.

Once shelled, combine the beans, 2 Tbsps. of the olive oil, water, mint, lemon zest and juice, and lightly mash to combine—use a stick blender cream everything together. Taste and adjust flavors as desired. Fold in 1 Tbsp. of the olive oil to add texture and make the mixture easy to spread.

Heat an oven to 400°F; slice the bread and toast until crispy. In a small bowl, mix the herb sea salt in 1 Tbsp. olive oil. Brush the mixture over the toasted bread.

To serve, spoon the fava mixture on the oiled bread, and top top with the parmigiano reggiano.

Makes 8-10 servings

Yes, it’s April. But May 5 falls on a Thursday this year, so PBID Partners of Downtown Fresno are celebrating early. And they know how to throw a party.

If you’re going for the food, expect to wait in line—I’ve heard estimates from past events of more than 60,000 people, throughout the weekend. A full lineup of performances and non-food activities is available for download on PBID’s website. Festivities continue through 7:00 p.m. Sunday night.

Matt, Alisa, Ryan and I headed out yesterday to beat the crowds:

Kim’s back on a baking kick, and made these one evening just for the heck of it. WARNING: These are not for the faint of heart—just the thought of this much butter makes my arteries hurt.

And yet, it also makes me so happy…

From Kim:

I saw these on an out-of-country bakery site. I knew that the hubbers wouldn’t consider a $1,000 plane ticket a “justified expense,” so I had to find another way to get my hands on one. It took me a while to find the right recipe.

The best part about these? They are super easy and you’ll look like a miracle worker when you show them off to your friends. However, I suggest that you not openly divulge the amount of butter (or sugar or condensed milk) the recipe calls for before the cupcake is consumed. For some reason, people shy away from six and a half sticks of butter…

I know, I don’t get it either. Butter is nature’s way of saying “I love you.”

For the cupcakes:

• 3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 11/2 cups light brown sugar, packed
• 4 large eggs
• 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 cup chocolate chips (Kim used Ghirardelli chocolate chips, which are larger than standard chips)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two 12-count cupcake pans with paper liners; Kim likes decorative liners. Combine the butter and brown sugar and beat together on medium-high speed in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment until light and fluffy. Mix in eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well blended. With the blender on low, add the dry ingredients to the butter, brown sugar and eggs, alternating in the milk, until combined. Blend in vanilla. Fold in the chocolate chips with a spatula and mix by hand (you can do it the lazy way and just dump in the mixer and blend–I prefer that way).

Divide the batter evenly in the pans. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan five minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the filling:

• 4 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 6 tbsp. light brown sugar, packed
• 1 cup plus 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 7 oz. sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips (the smaller the chips, the better)

Combine the butter and brown sugar and beat together on medium-high speed in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment until light and fluffy. Beat in flour slowly (to save yourself the mess), along with the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla, until incorporated and smooth. Mix in chocolate chips.

To fill the cupcakes, take a tea spoon and round out a small portion out of the center of each cupcake, no more than a ¼” down. Fill each hole with a chunk of the cookie dough mixture. Be giving–you want people to know there is dough in there!

For the frosting:

• 3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 3 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 3 tbsp. milk
• 2 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Combine the butter and brown sugar and beat together on medium-high speed in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment until light and fluffy. Mix in the confectioners’ sugar until smooth (this may take a while, so be patient!). Beat in the flour and salt, scraping down the sides as needed. Mix in the milk and vanilla extract until smooth and well blended.

Putting it all together:

Now for the finish. Frost the cupcakes–you can be generous here. Sprinkle with the mini chocolate chips, or chop the large chips into small pieces (my preferred method) and sprinkle on top of each cupcake. Violà!

Makes 24 cupcakes. Recipe adapted from Young Married Chic.

When I was in high school, I remember going on summer retreats with the church youth group; after climbing to an emotional high, we’d return home with energy and excitement. Eat Retreat reminded me of those youth retreats, only without Jesus and with much better food. Also, several bottles of really good whiskey (we didn’t drink the good stuff back then.)

Beyond that “feeling,” I’m still not sure how to adequately put last weekend’s experience in writing, so I’ll start with the photos. There are a lot of them, but even with what’s here I can think of many moments I missed. What an amazing time!

Sincere thanks to Laura, Kathryn and Emily for pulling so many incredible people together.

Shortcuts:

• The night before
• The road to Eat Retreat
• People and Activities
• Just Eats
• The Scenery

The Night Before

Berries, fresh cheese, a little wine, and the best ice cream sandwiches I’ve ever tasted helped to break the ice. We practiced taking pictures of other people eating.

The Road to Eat Retreat

We hit up the local bakery, then headed north, stopping only for the necessities. Like heirloom seeds in Petaluma, and flash-fried brussel sprouts, grass-fed beef and a bottle of rosé in Guerneville.

People and Activities

We cooked together, learned new recipes and techniques, and then we ate. And ate. And took more pictures of others eating.

Just Eats

Let’s just say we never went hungry.

The Scenery

Go ahead, be jealous.

Another delicious lunch at B&K, in celebration of Oliver’s birthday. He’s the blurry one on the right.

Beef pad see ew and chicken wings (the best in town):

Chinese broccoli and shitake stir-fry

Ginger and mushroom soup (I can’t remember the name of this – it was heavy on the ginger and vinegar)

What did you eat?

Friends, meet Foodzie (as if you hadn’t met already), which describes itself as an “online marketplace where you can discover and buy food directly from small passionate food producers and growers.” If you’re near me in the Central Valley, you may recognize local names like Bravo Farms on the Producer Map.

I recently joined 19 food other bloggers on Foodzie’s Tasting Panel, and have been challenged with creating a recipe each month featuring a product highlighted in the Tasting Box, a subscription sampler of Foodzie favorites. I accepted the challenge because 1) I like to try new things and 2) I want to push myself a bit in the kitchen (as previous posts show, I dine out a lot)!

Our first challenge features Horseradish-Dill Mustard from SchoolHouse Kitchen (check out their story—it’s pretty cool). I felt ambitious, so the salad is the first of two recipes that I created. Everything fresh was picked up today at Vineyard Farmers Market.

The meat:

• 1 lb. pork tenderloin
• 2 tbsps. SchoolHouse Kitchen Horseradish-Dill Mustard
• 2 tbsps. fresh ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp. vegetable oil

The greens:

• Loose green and red leaf lettuce
• Fresh arugula, to taste
• 6-8 golden beets, peeled and quartered
• 1 orange, peeled and sliced
• 1 purple carrot ¹, grated
• 1 oz. dried currants
• 2 oz. fresh goat cheese

Horseradish-Dill Mustard Vinaigrette:

• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tbsps. balsamic vinegar
• 2 tsps. SchoolHouse Kitchen Horseradish-Dill Mustard
• 1 tsp. fresh parsley, chopped fine
• 1 tsp. fresh thyme, chopped fine
• Pinch of salt and fresh ground pepper (or to taste)
• 5-6 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°. On a cutting board or smooth surface, spoon the horseradish-dill mustard over the pork, and rub in to coat fully. Spread out fresh cracked pepper and roll the meat in it.

Heat the oil over high in a cast iron skillet; when hot, sear the pork, about two minutes each side. Remove from stove and place immediately in oven, cooking until the meat reaches your desired temperature – I like pork medium-to-medium-well, so there’s still just a little pink throughout. Once cooked, let rest until ready to slice.

While the meat cooks, peel, quarter and steam the beets until fork tender ². Chill in fridge until ready to use.

When ready to serve, layer the greens on a large plate, mixing in the currants, beets and orange slices. Slice meat and fan out over the salad, and garnish with the grated carrots. Crumble the goat cheese over everything, then drizzle two tablespoons of the salad dressing.

Making the vinaigrette: Combine garlic, vinegar, mustard, herbs and spices in a large mixing bowl and lightly whisk. Continue whisking while lightly pouring in the olive oil to emulsify the mixture. Consistent, repetitive circles with the whisk around the bowl will help.

¹ I’m obsessed with these lately, and get them from a farmer at my local market, but regular carrots will taste just as good.
² I’m also obsessed with golden beets lately, and was informed as I cooked this last night that the juice left after steaming is quite tasty in a martini.

Since Mardi Gras, I’ve been craving Southern flavors, and jambalaya is one of my favorite dishes. Ever. Fortunately, it’s pretty easy to make.

I’ll be honest: I’m having a hard time sharing this batch with Kim—it only made about 10 servings, and it’s that good. In other words, if you want some, you gotta make it yourself. Here’s the recipe (reposted from TasteFresno):

Ingredients

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 Tbsps. Cajun seasoning mix (like Tony Chachere’s)
• 1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 whole chicken (3-4 lbs.), quartered
• 1 lb. andouille sausage, sliced ¼ in. thick
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 2-3 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 5-6 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 bay leaves
• ½ tsp. cayenne pepper
• 2 Tbsp. fresh thyme, roughly chopped
• 2 cans whole tomatoes, drained and chopped
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1 ½ quarts chicken stock
• 1 good beer
• 2 cups long grain rice
• 4 green onions, sliced
• Parsley, chopped, to taste

Instructions

In a large Dutch oven (I use the 9-quart pot for this), heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium high heat. Season shrimp with Cajun seasoning and saute until almost cooked through (about 4 minutes). Remove shrimp and set aside until later. Season chicken pieces with Cajun seasoning; add remaining olive oil to Dutch oven and when hot, add chicken pieces and saute until browned on both sides, about 8 minutes. Remove and set aside. Add sausage and cook until browned.

Add onion, celery, bell pepper, garlic, bay leaves, cayenne and thyme and cook until vegetables are wilted, about 6 minutes. De-glaze with the beer, then add tomatoes and stock and return chicken to pot. Season with salt and pepper and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Add rice to pot, stir well and return to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover pot, and cook for 15 minutes. Remove chicken and cut into bite-size pieces; return to pot.

Add shrimp, green onions and parsley to Dutch oven, mixing carefully, and continue to cook, covered, for another 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit 10 minutes before serving. Serve with warm French bread.