Osso bucco with risotto milanese.

As anti kill and eat poor baby cows as I am, I am very pro meat being so tender that it falls of the bone and melts in your mouth......

Moral dilemma. What else is new?

osso bucco with risotto milanese.

Ingredients:

Veal shank

Onion

Celery

Carrots

Garlic

Tomato paste

Flour

Tomato- seeded and sliced

Orange zest

White wine

Veal stock

Thyme

Bay leaf

Olive oil

Butter

Salt and pepper

Method:

Heat oil in large dutch oven (Le Creuset, duh.) Sear both sides of the veal shank and set aside. In the same pot saute the onion, carrot, and celery until they begin to color. Add garlic and saute for 2  minutes. Dust ingredients with flour and cook another 2-3 minutes. Stir well. Add tomatoes and cook until the liquid evaporates. Add orange zest and then deglaze the pan with white wine. Reduce the wine, add herbs, and return the veal to the pot. Add enough stock to almost cover the meat. Cover and braise until soft (2-3 hours)

While the veal is braising you can make the risotto milanase. 

Ingredients:

Italian arborrio rice

Bone marrow (optional, but delicious)

Warm chicken stock

Onion- finely chopped

White wine

Saffron

Butter

Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper

Method:

Heat oil in pan. Add bone marrow and cook over low heat until melted. You can use butter instead of bone marrow and somewhere a European with a better palate than you will cry. 

Sweat the onion until it is soft. Add the rice and cook until opaque. Add white wine and saffron. Turn the heat up to medium high and cook until all of the wine has been absorbed. Add some chicken stock and stir the rice consistently until the liquid is completely absorbed. Repeat this step a few more times until the rice is 'al dente'  and the consistency is creamy, but not sticky. Finish the risotto with butter and parmesan cheese before serving. 

Back to the Osso Bucco....

Remove the dutch oven from the heat. Set the veal shank aside and strain the sauce through a fine mesh strainer. If possible, push some of the veggies through for added flavor. Reduce the liquid in a medium saucepan until 'nappe' Finish with butter and season. 

Return the shank to the sauce and serve with risotto. 

I topped mine with chopped parsley, garlic, and lemon zest.

Just call me Nana.

If anyone can name someone under the age of 60 that spends their day between the garden and 8 hours making meatballs--- please let me know.

Yes, this happened.

Before you have some smart ass remark run through your mind please be aware that my meatballs are effing amazing. Like "Nana spent the day in the kitchen pouring blood sweat and tears into these babies" kind of amazing.

meatballs.... 

pre homemade, garden fresh marinara sauce.

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef

1 pound ground pork (you can also do 1/2 pound veal and 1/2 pound pork.... but I did not this time)

Finely chopped onion

Fresh parsley

Garlic

2 Eggs

1 1/2 cup or so of breadcrumbs (fresh are best, but I was lazy)

Onion Powder

Dried Oregano

Whatever other herbs I found in the pantry that looked like they would taste nice.....

1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (if you have a microplane, then use it. If you don't, then get one.)

Salt and pepper

Method:

Meatballs are one of those things that I make different every time. So.....

Meatballs: April 26, 2011. Version 12, 578.

Combine meats, eggs, breadcrumbs.... and the rest of the ingredients. Yep, put everything in a big bowl and get your hands nice and dirty. It won't kill you. 

Form mixture into 2 inch balls (this is obviously a rough measurement, but be my guest- pull out that ruler and have at it.)

Heat oil (I use half olive oil and half canola oil) in a cast iron skillet. Keep pan over medium-low heat so that you do not deep fry your balls. Nana would never deep fry balls. 

Brown the meatballs evenly on all sides. Once browned, place them in the homemade marinara sauce that you already have cooking at a low simmer. (That means you should have started prepping your sauce about an hour prior..... unless you use store bought and then we are not on speaking terms and you are on your own.) The meatballs should be covered in sauce or else they will dry out. 

Technically, you can cook the meatballs for 30 minutes or so (until they are cooked through) and they will taste great. I had to go to work and left them on a very very VERY low simmer for upwards of 4 hours and they were absolutely delicious. Keep in mind- I used such low heat that there was no browning on the bottom of my pot or any simmering bubbles. Very low heat. 

Serve with marinara sauce on top of spaghetti (all covered with cheese.....) Duh.  

I am preparing for my birthday by acting like an old woman (one month and counting.... presents will be accepted.)

I will totally be a G.I.L.F. 

So hot. 

Engagement Chicken? Please.

We have all read about Glamour Magazine's famous engagement chicken. It has a lemon inside of it. Seriously. That's it. It looks pretty and all, but let's be honest..... if you are trying to lock that boy down, maybe try a bit harder to win his taste buds over first.

There is no secret that a perfectly roasted chicken looks impressive. And yes, if you are cooking for someone who is more of a "can of soup chef" then please, stuff that chicken with a lemon and watch him drop to his knee. But come on, any one with any culinary expertise if going to need a little bit more than citrus to pop the question.

Personally, I always thought of chicken as an absolute last resort for an easy dinner or something that I had to eat when I was pretending to diet. However,  last summer (as I was spending a little too much time galavanting around New York City while forgetting how to be a responsible member of society) I stumbled upon this chicken dish in a small restaurant outside of Brooklyn, NY called Vinegar Hill House.

Now, I am never one to order chicken, but after a little convincing I asked for the Cast Iron Chicken and have dreamt about it ever since.

Secret: perfectly roasted chicken + to die for sauce = possible knee drop/ a good sheet ruffling.... whatever you are looking for. 

Apparently I have some good karma floating around (only God knows how) because I opened up a copy of The New Brooklyn Cookbook and found the recipe for this life changing chicken right in front of my eyes.

Ok, maybe I am embellishing a little (shocking) but this chicken is seriously amazing and..... shhhhhh...... a version of it will absolutely be in my ("our") cookbook.

Cast iron skillet chicken

Roasted Shallots

Ingredients:

Shallots

Butter

Salt and Pepper

Fresh thyme

Method:

Coat shallots in about 2 tablespoons of butter (for 8-10 shallots) Sprinkle with salt and pepper and top with a pinch of chopped fresh thyme. Tent in foil and roast in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes. Uncover and roast for 5-10 more minutes to add a little color. 

You can find the original recipe for this chicken in the cookbook listed above..... my adapted version is written down in a cute notebook titled "Cookbook Recipes." Be excited. 

Happy Easter.

Happy Easter everyone!

I hope finds you surrounded by friends and family...... and boyfriends meeting the family. (ah!)
Yes, Richard is meeting the fam today which was pretty good timing because I could stress bake without looking like a nut. I am not stressed. If anything I should be stressed about any judgment on what an outstanding catholic I have become.

Ah, baking pies.....

farmer's market strawberry rhubarb pie

Strawberry rhubarb is my absolute favorite pie which is great because I am absolutely amazing at baking it. I will post the recipe soon. Seriously.... soon.

Since I apparently not only gave up exercise for lent, but also blogging.... now that Easter is passing I will be more on top of my blog.... and maybe exercising. Probably not, though. 

While the pie is in the oven....

Easter morning baked eggs

Ingredients:

Eggs

Ricotta cheese

Mushrooms

Prosciutto

Shallots

Black truffled cheese

Fresh herbs

That's right. I am covering pies, Easter, and breakfast in one blog.... check me out. 

blackberry lemon pie with a graham cracker crust

Ingredients:

Graham cracker

Sugar

Cinnamon

Butter

Fresh Blackberries

Fresh lemon juice

Cream cheese

Sweetened condensed milk

Lemon zest

Method:

Combine crushed graham crackers, sugar, and butter to form crust. Bake about 10 minutes in a 350 degree oven. 

Combine cream cheese, condensed milk, lemon juice, and zest. Pour mixture in cooled crust. Top with blackberries and lemon zest. Refrigerate over night.

Thank you Tom Rice for this amazing recipe

And because I have to.....

braised bunny in a mustard cream sauce served with carrot ravioli

Yep, Easter week at Le Cordon Blue.....

I scream. You scream.

6 days since my last post. Yikes. What's scary is that my phone has almost 1300 pictures on it right now of which 3/4 are food pictures and most of them have yet to be uploaded and blogged about.

I have sucked at blogging lately, but the bills must be paid. Sorry.
Speaking of bills being paid, I am now officially a private chef.... personal chef.... I can't decide which title sounds hotter, but let me know and I will call myself that one.

I finally decided to jump on the churn your own ice cream bandwagon. 
Richard and I purchased our very own ice cream maker last week (yes, our first joint purchase, holy s*)
A week later we have 5 different flavors taking over the freezer.
I am going to be super skinny for Vegas. Can. Not. Wait.

Homemade ice cream 

with fresh mint and oreo cookies.

Ingredients:
Milk
Cream
Sugar
Fresh mint
Pure vanilla extract
Oreo cookies (6-8 cookies)
Pinch of salt

Method:
Bring 2 cups of cream and 1 cup of milk to a slow boil, careful not to scorch milk. Add about 1 cup of sugar and 2 cups of packed fresh mint. Reduce heat. Bring to a simmer to dissolve sugar and steep mint. Remove from heat and cover. Let steep for about 30 minutes until desired mint flavor has been reached.

Remove mint leaves by straining mixture and let cool for about 30 minutes.

Add vanilla extract. Make sure you use pure vanilla extract... you know, like from actual vanilla beans and not chemicals. The fake stuff has antifreeze in it- this is not good for your ice cream (or for you- go figure!)

Add a pinch of salt. Turn on ice cream maker and follow manufacturers instructions from here. I added large chunks of Oreos about 5 minutes before my ice cream was done.

Grab a spoon. Bowls are usually not necessary.

Next?
Make lemon mint sorbet, tart frozen yogurt (like pinkberry!) caramel ice cream with s'mores, and strawberry rhubarb frozen yogurt.

This is going to be a tasty summer!

Mussels with white wine and garlic sauce.

Today in class we prepared mussels in a white wine and garlic sauce served with angel hair pasta tossed in a light tomato sauce.

My pasta was actually tossed in a light tomato sauce and dish sanitizer.... I claim no responsibility for being retarded before 9am.

I will repeat..... I tossed my pasta in dish sanitizer. Dish sanitizer looks like water and apparently is safe for consumption.

Moules mariniers.

Ingredients:

Mussels- cleaned (duh.)

Garlic

White wine

Shallots

Parsley

Butter

Fresh lemon juice

Salt and pepper

Tomatoes

Angel hair pasta

Tomato sauce (obviously fresh.... recipe will be posted soon. Until then.... use google, please.)

Method:

Saute shallots in a little oil. Do not brown. Add garlic to pan. Add about a cup of white wine and bring to a simmer. Add mussels, cover and steam for about 5 minutes until mussels are cooked. They will open up when they are done. Remove mussels from pan and set aside. Reduce sauce to 'nappe' consistency. Finish with butter. Toss with diced tomatoes and a good handful of freshly chopped parsley. Add mussels back to pan, season, and serve hot. Serve with grilled garlic baguette (or just toast it in the oven) and pasta. 

Ok. So I tossed my pasta with dish sanitizer. I am not a complete idiot. My station partner left a bucket of sanitizer next to our stove because she was cleaning her utensils. My tomato sauce was a little too thick and I thought the sanitizer was water. 

I served my pasta anyways and nobody died. 

Karma. 

Mother Theresa? Yes, I am.

Today I channeled my inner do-gooder who has been lost somewhere beneath the extra 5 pounds that I have gained from having no self control and way too many meals with red wine and dessert. 

All for research, right?

Richard (who is to blame for  at least 40% of the lack of self control) and I took a trip downtown to work at a homeless shelter for the day. I envisioned myself spending the day having to wear a big sloppy hair net using a huge ladle to slosh out gross soup while reminding myself that a little good karma never hurt anyone....ugh.

Welcome to the Los Angeles homeless shelter where homeless people can elect to be vegan and crepes are on the dessert menu.

We walked in and were greeted with a "so, who is the one in culinary school?" Special treatment and recognition? Please.... I loved it there.

I ended up being in charge of making dessert for 100 people and getting to boss Rich around. Best day ever. 

best sous chef ever... and he's handsome.

We made about 200 crepes and assembled them with fresh strawberry compote into layered caked topped with vanilla whipped cream. We needed a no bake recipe, which usually do not excited me, but this one was fantastic!

Layered crepes with fresh strawberry compote 

and vanilla whipped cream.

Ingredients:
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 of sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups whole milk at room temperature
3 large eggs at room temperature
1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
6 tablespoon unsalted butter- melted

Method:
Whisk together flour, sugar and salt. In a separate bowl whisk together eggs, milk and vanilla. Gradually pour milk mixture into flour mixture and whisk until smooth. Refrigerate for at least two hours or overnight.

Grease a skillet (or if you are lucky like I was, a griddle) and bring to medium heat. Using a ladle, pour about 2 tablespoons of batter onto skillet and use the bottom of the ladle to thin out the mixture creating a large circle.
Cook about a minute until the edges are browning and starting to look dried out. Flip and cook other side about 20-30 seconds.

We filled the layers with compote, topped with fresh berries and vanilla whipped cream. Amazing.

I used some of the leftover batter for breakfast this morning and layered the crepes with maple and cinnamon glazed bananas, strawberries, and walnuts.

That is the kind of breakfast that gets you laid.

At home..... not at the soup kitchen.

Sunday morning.

I am already getting sick of eggs.
I think I did two blog entries that were actually about eggs.....
A little bit about me? I get bored of things very easily.
However, this is my 4th (?) Sunday morning post, so at least I am still doing that.
At least I am still blogging. (Rachel Hoffman, I hope you are proud of me for sticking to so many things...and words lately. I am such a grown up)

This morning I had a fancy shmancy potato pancake recipe in mind, but opened the pantry to find nothing that I needed and no motivation to drive two blocks to the market.

SO....

Sweet potato pancakes with herbed goat cheese.

All of the ingredients were already in my fridge and probably about to spoil. 

Ingredients:

Sweet potatoes

Fingerling potatoes

Onion

Green Onion

Egg

Flour

Salt and Pepper

Goat Cheese

Green Onion

Parsley

Method:

Two cups of coffee in I was beyond lazy and actually microwaved the potatoes. Yes. I used the microwave and I feel so guilty that I can't even lie about it. 

Pierce the sweet potatoes (I used 4) and the fingerlings (I used 2. You can use any white potato, but this was all I had.) Microwave each potato for 2-3 minutes until cooked. Set them aside and let cool. 

Saute the onion in a little butter. I added maybe half a clove of minced garlic. Peel and mash the potatoes together. Add onion mixture. Add one egg, about half a cup of flour, 2 teaspoons of salt, a pinch of pepper, and some green onion. 

Fry in oil until golden brown. 

For the topping I just finely chopped some green onion and parsley and combined that with some goat cheese. Season and viola. No trip to the market needed. 

5am comes early.

Today was my first day back to school post spring break.
Wake up call!
The 5am kind as well as the "this class is going to be a hell of a lot tougher than the last one" kind.

this little piggy did not make it....

The dishes that we cook will now be spread over two days. A day for prep and a day for cooking.... kind of nice. We will also be expected to not only show up with recipes, but also production schedules and plating diagrams. We will be making full plates rather than single components..... as if I needed to start eating even more. 

(vegas, vegas, vegas. bikini, bikini, bikini....ughhhh)

For tomorrow: beef stew with glazed vegetables and bone in pork chops with braised cabbage and bulgar wheat pilaf. 

Thank you, Oregon.

Pinot Noir (pi-no-'nwa)

a red wine grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. The name may also refer to wines produces predominantly from Pinot Noir grapes. The name iss derived from the French words for "pine" and "black" alluding to the varietals' tightly clustered dark purple pinecone shaped bunches of fruit.

-The Oxford Companion to Wine. Third Edition. 

Dear Oregon, 

You make mighty fine Pinot Noir. 

Love, Sarah

On our way back to a state who's Pinot just doesn't quite compare we stopped at Erath Vineyard for a little tasting tour. Volcanic and oceanic soil mixed with the cool pacific ocean breeze makes for some amazing wine. We tasted 5 pinot noirs and a pinot gris... all very yummy. 

“… Oregon winemakers have wrestled the grape into a wine that is often less flamboyant, less obvious than its California counterpart… a good Oregon pinot, even a light one, can be nuanced and subtle, demanding some thought, even concentration on the drinker’s part.”

The New York Times

Sunday morning.

I may need to stop referring to these as "Sunday morning" posts.

It is now Tuesday.

Blame the vacation..... and being stranded in the middle of nowhere for a night.

nowhere land.

14 hours prior to my Jetta leaving me beyond disappointed in her and me leaving my boyfriend with a glimpse of what a temper tantrum could have looked like.......

Please note the "could have...."

Not a good idea to have a temper tantrum in front of a boy. Car broken down, stranded, craving pizza, no hot water in the hotel, too tired to get naked.... none of the above in an excuse for acting bat shit crazy. You will be driving that broken down, piece of shit Jetta home by yourself and I will have no sympathy for you. Drama free is the way to be. You're welcome. 

.....Ok, so 14 hours prior we were enjoying our second breakfast at Random Order Coffee where we ate amazing chicken pot pie. Yes, for breakfast. 

We enjoyed breakfast there the day before as well. Coffee, snacks, and a city view. 

We nursed our hangovers with Baileys and coffee and reminisced about all of the things that you should not tell your boyfriend when you have had one too many cocktails. 

Do not ask your boyfriend of 3 months to move to Portland with you when you are in the middle of ordering a grilled cheese and french fries so that you can see straight. 

Ask him when you are sober. 

When he looks at you like you have lost your mind (which you probably have) tell him you were totally kidding..... which you weren't. 

Next Sunday is back to eggs and good decisions. Promise.

Bright eyed and bushy tailed.

For coffee snobs.....

Stumptown coffee.

Best latte ever.

My boyfriend boned a trout.

I just stood there and watched in disgust.

Awful joke courtesy of Richard Keith..... how you are still so charming and irresistible is a mystery.

Also courtesy of RK.... bone free trout, so I should probably watch my mouth.

rainbow trout stuffed with mushrooms and herbs.

Neither of us had ever boned a fish before, but thanks to YouTube (and Mark from Metropolitan Seafood).... it was very easy to learn. 

Also, thank you blogger for making it so easy for a computer illiterate girl like myself to look like she knows whats she's doing..... I totally just inserted a video into my blog!

Thank you, Richard. 

I wish that you could come to school with me to do all of the gross stuff. 

Best sous chef ever. 

Once the trout was bone free I seasoned it and stuffed it with a mixture of mushrooms and herbs, some lemon, and a strip of bacon. Then I baked it in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes. 

I served this with tourned zucchini. Yes, I actually tourned vegetables when I wasn't being graded... shocking. 

This dish was really tasty..... however, I think it s going to take me a few fish before I am comfortable with having my dinner stare back at me. Bleh- fish heads with tiny teeth.

Coastal grub.

A morning at the aquarium looking at living fish usually leads to lunch at a fish shack eating ones that have been hooked, battered, and deep fried.... right?

so good that we went back the next day for more.....

Fish AND chips? 

Lucky me. 

Getting fish and chips is like getting Mexican food. The more a place looks like you're going to walk out with food poisoning..... the better the food. 

Portland, how you charm me.

I have been sitting in front of the computer for about 25 minutes now and all I have managed to do is get up and eat food. Twice. This is exactly the opposite of how one should prepare for a pool side weekend in Vegas coming up in less than two months. Dammit.

I think I am definitely experiencing a case of post-vacation depression. After 10 days of splashing through tide pools and hanging out in my favorite city can you really blame me? We ended up spending the last two nights of our vaca back in Portland gorging ourselves with food and adult beverages (sounds much more dignified than saying "booze.") The usual. 

Dining in Portland is amazing. There are creative and inspiring restaurants on just about every corner and you don't have to pay the La La land rate of $27.00 for a pork belly entree (and a view of some big fake boobs) that should really only cost $16.00. I was in heaven.

family style at pok pok.

Amazing cocktails and appetizers at Whiskey Soda Lounge made the 2 hour wait to get a table at Pok Pok worth every minute. I washed down Ike's Vietnamese Fish Sauce Wings with a Salted Plum Vodka Collins... or two.... and was a very happy girl as we made the trek across the street to famed Pok Pok.

Pok Pok was beyond deserving of all the hype. The 15 table dining area provided a wonderful atmosphere and the food was absolutely delicious. Chef Andy Ricker gives a menu of authentic street like Thai food. No pad thai or basics.... just very inventive and flavorful dishes that you would find in a pub in Asia. MMMMM.

We ordered an array of dishes to share from pork belly, boar's collar meat, and flank steak to brussel sprouts, coconut rice, and mustard greens. Really, REALLY good food. 

The previous night we ate at Grain and Gristle, which was also fabulous. 

If I ever open a restaurant I am moving to Portland. 

I might need to move there anyways....obsessed.