Burrata Brings in the New Year: Another Epsiode of Making a Wow Dish in Someone Else's Kitchen

You feel like a culinary burglar when cooking in someone else's kitchen:

• A little hesitant with a foreign countertop, knife, pantry.  
• Pulling open 2 or 3 drawers for an item.
• Getting the timing right with another's oven, stovetop, even toaster.

I've mentioned the rules I follow when helping cook a meal in someone else's kitchen.  Here's an updated set of rules for when you volunteer (or are asked) to cook the entire meal as I did for a New Year's Eve dinner:

1. Keep it simple:  The less equipment you touch, the better.  A recipe with less than 7 easy ingredients will also keep you safe and things simple.  Adapt dishes that you've made before.  
2. Give yourself twice as much time: You'll need it.  Hosts will ask questions, you may need to make a last minute ingredient run, etc. Take time with the prep and be social while getting everything ready.
3. Be gracious, give credit to the helpers/host, and clean up.

Here's the menu for a New Year's Eve in beautiful Carlsbad, CA for a group of 7.

New Year's Eve Menu Carlsbad, CA, a photo by atl10trader on Flickr.

The evening began with a St. Paul de Vence, a sparkling wine cocktail named after its location in the south of France. Click on the photo to see how you can easily make it. You can taste the effervescence of the sparkling wine with notes of apples and amaretto. It's an eye opener.

Cocktail St. Paul de Vence - Click to see ingredients, a photo by atl10trader on Flickr.

Next came the first taste. We actually changed the order of the menu and served the butternut squash soup first (simply because the guest who made this delicious creation did not make enough!)

Butternut Squash Soup, a photo by atl10trader on Flickr.

Next dish served is a go-to dish for me if I can find fresh burrata: plated with basil pesto and simple, roasted tomatoes. As the rules say, it's easy, uses a few ingredients, and feeds the eyes as much as the appetite.

Burrata, Basil Pesto, Roasted Tomatoes, a photo by atl10trader on Flickr.

Here's how to make this dish:

Ingredients for 4 people:

• 1 pkg of burrata (sold at higher end grocery stores) - sliced correctly serves 4 people
• 4 big tomatoes - in season
• 3 packages of basil (or 4 bunches) - remove the stems
• handful of either pine nuts, marconi almonds, shelled pecans
• 1/2 cup of olive oil

Steps:

1. Prepare an ice bath
2. Steam 3 cups of water heavily salted
3. Place the basil in a colander and pour the boiling water over all of the basil to turn it a bright green
4. Immediately put the basil in the ice bath to retain the bright color and stop the heat from cooking it
5. Put the basil, nuts, and slowly drizzle olive oil into a blender until the mixture is smooth
6. Cut the tomatoes into slices the width of your index finger, salt and pepper the slices and drizzle with olive oil
7. Put the tomatoes on a cookie sheet into the oven at 400 F for 45 minutes or until you see them nice and roasted
8. Slice the burrata
9. Plate the dish as shown in the picture

By now everyone's in the mood with the right amount of wine and food.  It's like a confessional - I know the meal is working when people start discussing great food they ate in the past.  Still helps to keep passing the wine around too.

Japanese style Snapper in Ginger Oil and Sautéed Mushrooms, Green Onions, a photo by atl10trader on Flickr.

Any fresh fish will do - even whole fish. The trick to this dish which is often served in parchment paper, is to tightly wrap and tuck the paper before steaming it in a pot for 10 minutes - shortly before serving. Salt and pepper the fish before and after. The green onions and parsley are added with a little lemon zest and then some heated ginger oil is ladled over the fish as it is plated.

The dish is served on a bed of caramelized fennel and onions, rice infused with coconut milk, and with a segmented wedge of grapefruit. The citrus adds a perfect contrasting touch of acidity to the dressing and ginger oil as well as dash of color to the plate.

I added an extra side of roasted parsnips in a tahini/greek yogurt and honey dressing. Delicious as it was, I could have saved some time and pressure without it.  Stay simple.

The evening started and ended with sparkling wine, great company, a few resolutions, and plenty to cheer about in a hopeful, new year.  Leave a comment if you have a question about the dishes.  Make a resolution to try some burrata.

Happy New Year 2012, a photo by atl10trader on Flickr.

Plan Ahead for Next Year Using This Year's Thanksgiving Dinner Recap

Chez atl10trader Atlanta, GA, a photo by atl10trader on Flickr.

This will not happen next year.  It would be too soon to host 12 persons.  That's not as huge a number as you might guess but it includes parents and in-laws so it becomes more than just an exercise in eating food.  Fortunately everyone gets along amazingly well. But hey, next year it's someone else's turn.

Maybe yours?

Here then is a recap in photos along with some of the recipes of what made it to the table.  Oh and things get off to a good start by serving some non-vintage Champagne with warm cashews and almonds.

First Course

Thanksgiving Chez atl10trader Atlanta, GA, a photo by atl10trader on Flickr.

Roasted Fennel with Parmesan and Warm Radishes in Harissa Butter. Easy first dishes to excite guests.

Roasted Fennel for 12:

1. Clean 3 bulbs and cut off stalks.  Slice off the very bottom of the bulb.
2. Slice 1/4" thick the fennel and toss in a bowl with sunflower (or other high heat) oil, salt, pepper, and optionally a dash of zatar spice.
3. Line a cookie sheet with foil and spread the fennel on the sheet.  
4. I caramelized the fennel by cooking it at 325 degrees F at the bottom of the oven with the turkey for 2 hours and it turned out amazing OR
5. Cook the fennel at 400 degrees F for 45 minutes in the middle of the overn until a little char starts to form.
6. Drizzle with some good olive oil. Sprinkle with parmesan and serve warm.

Main Dish and Sides

Thanksgiving Chez atl10trader Atlanta, GA, a photo by atl10trader on Flickr.

Cider Braised Turkey with Lager Gravy Served with Mushroom, Celery, Caramelized Onion Stuffing, Green Beans with Shallot Vinaigrette, and Cranberry Compote

Cider Braised Turkey with Lager Gravy:

This recipe came straight from the pages of Food&Wine magazine November 2011.  I only substituted a kosher turkey for the steps involving salting the bird overnight.  A kosher turkey is an excellent way to enjoy a bird that retains its juices and cooks flavorfully.

The Wine

Thanksgiving Chez atl10trader Atlanta, GA, a photo by atl10trader on Flickr.

It's Pinot time and few are finer than Gary Farrell.

I'm sharing notes collected by CellarTracker.com.  I personally think the community way under scored the wine - possibly because many (including me) are drinking it a bit early. No matter. I gave this beauty a 93.  Excellent American Pinot showing restraint in offering notes of cherry, strawberry jam, and cola/hazelnut. Went perfectly with everything served.  Very enjoyable.

Dessert

Thanksgiving Chez atl10trader Atlanta, GA, a photo by atl10trader on Flickr.

My children hopefully will have permanent and fond memories of cooking these pies with their grandmother.  Featured above are apple, pumpkin, and my favorite, mince meat.  Even if I had the recipes for these beauties, I would not have the touch or hand to pull them off as good.

And that's one of the best ways to make hosting a Thanksgiving dinner possible: Make it a potluck.  Give everyone a task to do - even if it's to get out of the way: Go outside to toss a baseball or sweep the deck!

I'm most interested in your sides eaten at Thanksgiving.  Feel free to share in the comments.

And You Thought All Mencia Was From Bierzo?

And You Thought All Mencia Was From Bierzo?, a photo by atl10trader on Flickr.

This is from an area next to RIAS BAIXAS Galencia - Valdeorras http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valdeorras_(DO).

Here's what made this wine so special and such a pleasant surprise:

Mencia is a familiar red grape varietal commonly from Bierzo, Spain. This Mencia, however, like certain reds from the Loire Valley in France, came from a previously thought (foolishly by me) to be an exclusively white growing region. I delight in getting schooled like this - so should you.

The rest of this quick post marks a great evening out in San Francisco last night.

We began with drinks at 15 Romolo, North Beach, for the absinthe tinged Ferdinand's Fizz. Think strawberry shortcake and licorice for a clue to its deliciousness. Dare i say it is worth the plane ride just for this. Caution: the potent concoction will create your own immediate reality distortion field. Ferdinand makes anything seem possible.

Followed the cocktails with a visit to Gitane, a vampire worthy, sultry place from which Moroccan and French stylized fare like Harissa buttered radishes and roasted Brussel sprouts and cauliflower over rockfish are served. Superb flavors, focus and alluring wine list and atmosphere.

A night of exploration, a new wine experience, and fantastic food and company: that's livin.

You've had a similar night of new wine and or experiences. I am certain of it. Care to share?

BATON Supper Series at Gato Bizco Delivers Thanks to M. Wells

Gato Bizco Atlanta, GA, a photo by atl10trader on Flickr.

Gato Bizco is that feline themed restaurant across from the Flying Biscuit in Candler Park, Atlanta, GA that hosted this month's special guests: Hugue Dufour and Sarah Obraitis, the folks behind the recently closed, but widely praised Québeco-American diner M. Wells in Queens, NY.   

On the Line at Gato Bizco, a photo by atl10trader on Flickr.

It's such a tiny space - it makes a subway car seem spacious.  The mis en place is done in the back but the line, where the grill and 'à la minute' cooking is done, runs the length of the restaurant on one side followed by a row of stools, a slim path through, and a row of booths.   It reminded me of the food late night chefs and service types would be eating after work.  In fact Eli Kirshtein of Top Chef fame dined in a booth in the back. 

M. Wells Guest Chefs Menu, a photo by atl10trader on Flickr.

The three of us in my party rotated around 2 stools and passed wine glasses, dishes, aromas, to the sounds of Elvis Costello music.  I enjoyed the bonhomie on full display and sharing personal space with our server (in for the occasion from NY) and/or the couple next to us. On a busy Tuesday night Atlantans who dropped in and/or read about the previous night's success via Blissful Glutton/EatItAtlanta blogs, tasted the menu and agreed this was unique to Atlanta.  Imaginative, casual, technical, delicious, knockout dishes.  My favorite was a fois gras bread pudding.  It. Was. Incrediblely Good.  Below is the Beef Heart Tartare.

Beef Heart Tartare, a photo by atl10trader on Flickr.

The best description I can think of was an Atlanta restaurant mashup of Abattoir meets Nicolai's Roof who then go on a crazy bender and 3-way with Woodfire Grill and then decide to eat late night at the Righteous Room.  


Did I mention I ordered to-go half of a banana cream pie?  It had to be done.  Who eats banana cream pie? These questions don't belong in a place like this.  It's made and offered, you try it.  Only I went all in - for delayed gratification because I was filled to the gills. There's no way I could eat like that every night, but armed with a great Cote du Rhone, it was one night in a tight little corner of heaven.


UPDATE:  Read the interesting debate sparked from this event about foodie elitism, or an embrace of anti-elitism nonconformity.

The Sous Vide Machine Comeback

My own homemade sous vide machine, a photo by atl10trader on Maison Marcel.

The sous vide machine made its first appearance in almost 6 months tonight.  In anticipation of holiday guests this year, I nominated a kosher beef brisket in my freezer to be my trial run.  Luckily the machine still operates perfectly - much to my surprise.  My only question was how long to cook it and at what temperature.

The internet has all kinds of suggestions.  'It depends' is a standard issue response.

• How thick is the cut? (thicker = higher temps, longer times)
• What kind of cut is the meat? (the more sinews and connective tissue = higher temps, longer times)

I read 80 degrees Celsius for 24 hours. I read 48 hours at 55 degrees.

My machine has a constraint: I don't get above 70 degrees Celsius for fear that it starts to melt my water circulation pump. Had that happen once already - the tribulations of a home built machine from someone who knows the feat is impossible to repeat.

Here's how I cooked the beef brisket:

24 hours at 66 degrees Celsius.  The result was a pink all the way through cut of meat that was tender and flavorful.  The meat was medium and I like my beef medium rare i.e., with a little more free flow of juices which this attempt slightly lacked.  I made a very effective and delicious harissa gravy using the liquid from the bag.  The dish was rounded out with roasted acorn and butternut squash and a Chad Merlot.

Roasted Butternut Squash, a photo by Bruce Tretter on WestboroughPatch.

The meal won praise from my toughest critic, and I enjoyed the meal.  My improvement for the next time will be to lower the cooking time to 18 - 20 hours and give the meat a good sear and resting period before serving.

My next project will be to do short ribs for 48 hours +.  It's really the cut of meat the most praised when cooking sous vide.