The Squeeze Inn Cheeseburger

Drew and I hit up Squeeze Inn in Napa last week to try their famous Squeeze Inn burger with cheese.  I posted the picture above on Facebook and I had a trillion comments asking where in the world they could find this restaurant so I figured it was worthy of its own blog post.  The Squeeze Inn has various location in Sacramento and just opened up in Napa.  It's a small joint with a long counter where locals (mostly high school kids) roll up their sleeves and get down.  The menu is small, I mean it's really about the burger, so don't expect much variety.  It's cheap, delicious and I suggest you workout before you go or the next day.  Go and get yourself some!

The Squeeze Inn Cheeseburger

Guajillo Braised Beef Short Rib Tacos with Avocado-Tomatillo Salsa

Happy Cinco de Mayo!!!

Time to pound Mexican food and drink lots of cold beer with lime wedges. The weather in the bay area has been out of control so tonight we're having a neighborhood taco party on the roof. On the menu? A tribute to one of my favorite tacos in San Francisco, the Guajillo Braised Beef Short Rib Taco from Tacolicious.

Tacolicious is located in our old hood in the city, the Marina. Everything is good there but this taco really stands out. On top of the fact that this is ridiculously good, they have amazing fresh salsa and original hot sauces that they should bottle and sell - I'd buy them!

Aribba!

Guajillo Braised Beef Short Rib Tacos with Avocado-Tomatillo Salsa

Braised Short Ribs

1 tablespoon whole cumin seeds
6 dried guajillo chilies
2 dried chipotle chilies
¼ cup vegetable oil
3 pounds beef short ribs
1 yellow onion, peeled and chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon oregano
Salt, to taste

Salsa
½ teaspoon whole cumin seed
6 small tomatillos
2 avocados, sliced in half, seed removed, flesh scooped out
1 jalapeno, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic
Juice of 1 lime
Salt, to taste

To serve
Corn tortillas

PREPARATION

For the short ribs

1. Preheat oven to 350º. In a pan over a medium flame, lightly toast cumin seeds until fragrant. Grind cumin seeds using spice grinder or the bottom of a heavy pan and set aside.
2. Slice open chilies and remove the seeds. Toast chilies in the oven for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and soak in 2 cups of water and set aside.
3. In a heavy-bottom pot, heat oil and sear ribs until golden brown on all sides. Remove ribs from pot and set aside. In the same pot, add the onion and cook until it begins to caramelize, then add the garlic and continue cooking for about 2-3 minutes, being careful not to burn the garlic. Add the chilies and their soaking liquid to the onions and garlic. Stir to combine, then puree in a blender with the oregano and a pinch of salt and place back into the same heavy bottom pot. Add the ribs back to the pot, cover and cook in the oven for 3 – 3 ½ hours. You may do this a day or two in advance; reheat when you are ready to serve.

For the salsa

1. In a pan over a medium flame, lightly toast cumin seeds until fragrant. Grind cumin seeds using a spice grinder or the bottom of a heavy pan.
2. In a food processor blend tomatillos, avocados, jalapeno, garlic, lime juice and cumin until smooth. Season with salt to taste and reserve.

To serve

Heat tortillas on a flat-top griddle or in a large frying pan. Keep warm as you cook them by wrapping them in a clean dish towel. For each taco, put two tortillas on a plate, add a scoop of the braised beef, top with salsa, and enjoy!

Guajillo Braised Beef Short Rib Tacos with Avocado-Tomatillo Salsa

TEASPOON WILLIE’S SAVORY CHILI

An old friend from high school reached out to me on Facebook and told me about this new company he started with some friends called Teaspoon Willies. He was nice enough to send us a couple bottles to check it out and sure enough we blew through it in a matter of weeks. It's good on everything from eggs to marinades and even in bloody mary's. Fall weather has arrived and football is well under way. I can't think of a better way to use Teaspoon Willie's sauce than in this savory chili recipe. To get some of your own sauce, visit their site. Thanks for sharing this with us, Kevin!

TEASPOON WILLIE’S SAVORY CHILI(Serves 8-10)
Ingredients:
• 1.5 lb of ground beef/buffalo
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 1 yellow green pepper, chopped
• 1 charred pablano pepper*
• 2 charred hatch chili’s (medium heat)*
• 1-2 carrots, chopped
• 1-2 stalks of celery
• 1 can of black beans
• 1 can of pinto beans
• 1 can of navy beans
• ¼ Cup of olive oil
• handful fresh parsley
• handful fresh cilantro
• 4 cloves garlic
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 bottle of Teaspoon Willie’s Spicy or Everything Sauce
• 2-3 lbs tomato sauce all natural/organic
• 1 can of tomato paste

Directions:
*To char put the pablano and hatch chilies in a bowl and cover with olive oil and salt.
Make sure the pablano and hatch chilies are covered well. Turn on the grill or
broiler and char the outside. After they are charred, let them cool and chop up the
peppers. Make sure you keep the burned skin on the peppers, it gives great flavor
to the chili.

Heat a pot to medium-high. Chop up all the veggies, herbs, and spices. Put some oil
in the pot and mix veggies, herbs and spices. Add some salt and pepper to taste.
Cook for about 3-4 minutes. Next add beef/buffalo and the charred pablano and
hatch chilies. Chop up meat until it becomes fine, about 3-4min. Add about 10 oz of
Teaspoon Willie’s, tomato sauce, and tomato paste. Drain the beans of their liquid
and add to the pot as well. Let this simmer on low-medium for a couple of hours. Add
more Teaspoon Willie’s if you want to bring out more flavor.

*Remember that Teaspoon Willie’s Spicy will build heat with prolonged cooking.
This will produce VERY spicy Chili with phenomenally great taste. Add some of your
favorite cheese and/or sour cream (this will also bring down the spiciness). Enjoy!

TEASPOON WILLIE’S SAVORY CHILI

Beef and Guinness Pie

If you live in Chicago, you have been celebrating St. Patty's all weekend. For those of you planning to celebrate on Wednesday, here is your recipe. If you don't own ramekins, don't stress. You can find them anywhere from Target, the grocery store and even at your local drug store. Have a safe and fun St. Patty's day!

Beef and Guinness Pie

• 2 pounds boneless beef chuck, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, coarsely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 cup Guinness or other Irish stout
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons drained brined green peppercorns, coarsely chopped
• 2 fresh thyme sprigs
• Rough puff pastry dough
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 tablespoon water

• Special equipment: 4 (14-ounce) deep bowls or ramekins (4 to 5 inches wide; see Shopping List, page 301) or similar-capacity ovenproof dishes

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.

Pat beef dry. Stir together flour, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish. Add beef, turning to coat, then shake off excess and transfer to a plate. Heat oil in a wide 5- to 6-quart ovenproof heavy pot over moderately high heat until just smoking, then brown meat in 3 batches, turning occasionally, about 5 minutes per batch, transferring to a bowl.

Add onion, garlic, and water to pot and cook, scraping up any brown bits from bottom of pot and stirring frequently, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in beef with any juices accumulated in bowl, broth, beer, Worcestershire sauce, peppercorns, and thyme and bring to a simmer, then cover and transfer to oven. Braise until beef is very tender and sauce is thickened, about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours. Discard thyme and cool stew completely, uncovered, about 30 minutes. (If stew is warm while assembling pies, it will melt uncooked pastry top.)

Put a shallow baking pan on middle rack of oven and increase oven temperature to 425°F.

Divide cooled stew among bowls (they won't be completely full). Roll out pastry dough on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 13-inch square, about 1/8 inch thick. Trim edges and cut dough into quarters. Stir together egg and water and brush a 1-inch border of egg wash around each square. Invert 1 square over each bowl and drape, pressing sides lightly to help adhere. Brush pastry tops with some of remaining egg wash and freeze 15 minutes to thoroughly chill dough.

Bake pies in preheated shallow baking pan until pastry is puffed and golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Reduce oven temperature to 400°F and bake 5 minutes more to fully cook dough.

Beef and Guinness Pie

Horseradish-and-Herb-Crusted Beef Rib Roast

This rib roast is the perfect wow-factor for the holidays and big enough to feed a small army. Food and Wine Magazine suggests serving it with popovers and I second that idea!

Horseradish-and-Herb-Crusted Beef Rib Roast

1. 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
2. 1 head of garlic, cloves coarsely chopped
3. 1 cup prepared horseradish
4. 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons chopped thyme
5. 3 tablespoons chopped rosemary
6. 3 tablespoons chopped sage
7. One 16-pound rib roast of beef
8. Salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 325°. In a food processor, combine the butter with the garlic, horseradish, thyme, rosemary and sage and process to a paste.
2. Stand the roast in a very large roasting pan. Season generously all over with salt and pepper and set it fatty side up. Spread the horseradish-herb butter all over the top. Bake for about 3 1/2 hours, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 125° for medium rare. Transfer the roast to a carving board to rest for at least 20 minutes or for up to 1 hour before serving.

The horseradish-herb butter can be refrigerated overnight. Let the butter soften before using.

Horseradish-and-Herb-Crusted Beef Rib Roast

Roast Beef with Yorkshire Pudding

There are some classics that just can't be messed with and Roast Beef with Yorkshire pudding is definitely one of them. This British poster child is typically served for Sunday Roast, a traditional main meal served on Sundays in the UK and other Commonwealth countries. It's hearty, packed with flavor and somewhat easy to make.

Don't let the word 'pudding' throw you off. This pudding is not like the chocolate stuff Bill Cosby used to pound on TV commercials. Rather, the pudding is more like a popover and, if done properly, should melt in your mouth.

Roast Beef with Yorkshire Pudding
Saveur

1 3–4-lb. beef top sirloin roast, tied
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper,
to taste
1⁄4 cup olive oil
2 tbsp. finely chopped fresh thyme
2 tbsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 1⁄4 cups milk
1 cup plus 2 tbsp. flour
3 large eggs
1 large shallot, finely chopped
1⁄2 cup red wine
1 cup Beef Stock

1. Season beef with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, mix together oil, thyme, rosemary, and garlic. Rub beef with herb mixture. Place beef in a small roasting pan, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight.

2. Remove beef from refrigerator 2 hours before you are ready to roast; allow it to come to room temperature. Meanwhile, make the yorkshire pudding batter: Whisk together milk, 1 cup flour, 1 tsp. salt, and eggs in a bowl. Cover; let batter sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour.

3. Heat oven to 500°. Remove plastic wrap and roast beef until browned, 18–20 minutes. Reduce temperature to 250°. Roast until a thermometer inserted into center of beef reads 120° (for medium rare), about 25 minutes. Remove from oven, transfer to a cutting board, and let rest, tented with foil, while you make the yorkshire pudding and gravy. Pour pan drippings into bowl, leaving about 3 tbsp. in pan. Set roasting pan aside.

4. Raise oven temperature to 450°. Spoon 1⁄2 tsp. reserved drippings from bowl into each cup of a nonstick muffin pan. Heat in oven for 15 minutes. Uncover batter; whisk in 1 tbsp. drippings from bowl. Remove pan from oven; pour batter evenly between cups; bake until risen and brown, about 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°; bake for 10 minutes to set puddings. Remove pan from oven; set aside.

5. Make the gravy: Heat reserved roasting pan over medium heat. Add shallots; cook until soft, 4–6 minutes. Add wine; cook, scraping up browned bits, until reduced by half, 4–6 minutes. Whisk in remaining flour, followed by stock. Cook, whisking, until thick, about 5 minutes. Slice beef; serve with pudding and gravy. Garnish with chopped parsley, if you like.

SERVES 8

Roast Beef with Yorkshire Pudding

Bacon Swiss Burgers with Tomato and Avocado

It's almost impossible to make it through Memorial Day Weekend without grilling burgers. Whether it's turkey, veggie, lamb or beef, chances are you'll be at least eating one. Nothing beats grilling with friends and family on a sunny afternoon with some cold beers. It's the type of meal where everyone can chip in on prep and groceries and clean up is usually a snap if you use disposable plates and utensils. The best part about BBQ is that you usually eat more than once. In fact, seconds and thirds are often encouraged. So, dust off your grill, chill some beers and get a group together. Here's a burger recipe that is sure to hit the spot.

Bacon Swiss Burgers with Tomato and Avocado

• 8 slices of bacon
  
• 1 pound ground beef chuck or sirloin
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 or 2 dashes Tabasco sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Vegetable oil, for grilling
• 4 slices Swiss cheese
• 4 hamburger buns, toasted, for serving
• Thinly sliced ripe tomato, for garnish
• Thinly sliced red onion, for garnish
• Sliced ripe avocado, for garnish
• Boston lettuce leaves, for garnish

1. If you will be grilling the burgers, preheat a barbecue grill to medium-high.

2. While the grill is heating up, cook the bacon on the stovetop in a large skillet over medium-low heat until it is just crisp, 6 to 7 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels and set it aside to drain. (If you prefer to panfry the burgers, reserve 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat in the skillet.)

3. Place the beef, Worcestershire, Tabasco, thyme, and salt and pepper in a bowl, and toss lightly with a fork to combine. Form the mixture into 4 patties, each about 3 inches in diameter and 1 inch thick.

4. When you are ready to grill the burgers, oil the grill grate well. Add the burgers and grill for about 3 minutes for rare, 4 minutes for medium-rare meat. Turn them over and grill for another 3 or 4 minutes, topping the burgers with the cheese in the last minute of cooking. (Or panfry the burgers in the hot bacon fat over medium heat for 3 minutes per side for rare meat, adding the cheese as described.)

5. Place the burgers on the toasted buns, and top them with the bacon, tomato, onion, avocado, and lettuce. Cover with the tops of the buns and serve immediately.

Bacon Swiss Burgers with Tomato and Avocado

My First Passover

I have to hand it to my friend Steph, last night's Passover dinner was amazing! When we were invited, I didn't know what to expect. Bring Kosher wine? But what's Kosher mean? Should I wear a dress? Am I supposed to bring a gift? Will Drew be wearing a yamika?

I went a little early because I donated my supper club set up to help seat the 18 people that attended. Now, 18 people for ANYTHING is aggressive especially in a San Francisco apartment. She had converted her entire living room and hallway into a dinning room. This was a valiant effort given that Steph's not Jewish AND it was her birthday. And that was truly the best part of the evening.

Steph has been studying Judaism and is serious about converting. Is it for her boyfriend of 5 years? Nope. She just digs it and reads up on it like a historian. Every questions I asked had an answer. But what I found most interesting was the meal and the ceremony around it. This was a group of young adults that called their parents for traditional recipes and took great pride in their dishes. Russ showed up with a brisket that had been simmering in caramelized onions and tomatoes for over 5 hours. Let me tell you, this thing was good. And, he said, Jews eat leftover brisket for days just like a Thanksgiving turkey. Ideas for brisket sandwiches bounced around my head...a toasted baguette with horseradish, brisket, caramelized onions and arugula. Yum.

But the star of the night was the Matzo ball soup. I think the combination of being pretty hungry coupled with reading the Haggadah and the 4 glasses of wine your instructed to consume during the ceremony had something to do with it but it really hit the spot. I made a joke that waiting so long to eat was torture but I guess that's what you are supposed to feel. You see, Jews honor their history and suffrage. I was supposed to starve in remembrance. La chaim!

Matzo Ball Soup

1. 8 large eggs, beaten
2. 1/3 cup olive oil
3. 1 cup seltzer or club soda
4. 2 teaspoons kosher salt
5. 1 teaspoon ground white pepper
6. 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
7. 2 cups matzo meal (10 ounces)

1. 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2. 1 cup coarsely chopped dill
3. 2 tablespoons finely grated fresh horseradish
4. 1 garlic clove
5. 1 teaspoon salt
6. 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
7. 1 medium turnip, peeled and finely diced
8. 1 celery rib, finely diced
9. 1 large carrot, finely diced
10. 5 quarts chicken stock, preferably homemade
11. 8 cups diced chicken (3/4 inch), from two 3 1/2-pound chickens

Directions

1. Make the Matzo Balls: In a bowl, whisk the eggs with the olive oil, seltzer, salt, white pepper and ginger. Add the matzo meal and stir until moistened. Refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours.
2. Line 2 baking sheets with wax paper. Scoop the matzo meal mixture into fifty 1-inch balls. Using lightly moistened hands, roll the matzo balls until smooth. Transfer to the baking sheets and refrigerate the matzo balls briefly.
3. Meanwhile, Make the Pistou: In a blender or food processor, pulse the olive oil with the dill, fresh horseradish, garlic, salt and white pepper until the dill is finely chopped and a sauce has formed.
4. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Add the turnip, celery and carrot and cook the vegetables until they are crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and refresh under cold water.
5. In a large pot of boiling salted water, simmer the matzo balls over very low heat, covered, until they are plump and cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, in another large pot, heat the stock with the vegetables. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the matzo balls to the soup; simmer for 5 minutes. Add the chicken and cook until heated through. Serve the soup in bowls with a dollop of the dill pistou.

The recipe can be prepared through Step 3; refrigerate overnight.

My First Passover

Momma Shaw's Beef Tenderloin

Hands down my favorite meal of the year is the one my mom cooks on Christmas. Nothing beats a slice of perfectly cooked peppered beef tenderloin smothered in Bearnaise. Yum. This year, I'll be joining my boyfriend's family for Christmas so I will miss this delicious feast. However, I've decided to recreate this dinner for some close friends in early January so all is not lost! The full menu includes a green salad, green beans, wild rice and Parker House rolls.

Some things to mention:
1) Tenderloin is expensive so go to Costco or Sam's Club. The meat there is great and less expensive.
2) You must know the EXACT weight of the tenderloin and calculate accordingly
3) Do not and I mean DO NOT ever open the oven while it is cooking. The rest of the menu needs to be done on the stove top.
4) If you don't serve it with Bearnaise sauce you shouldn't even make it.

Momma Shaw's Beef Tenderloin
1 beef tenderloin, room temperature
2 cups coarse ground black pepper
4 tablespoons oil

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Pat room temperature beef tenderloin dry. On a sheet of wax paper, pour pepper and spread out evenly. Rub oil on tenderloin and roll and dredge tenderloin in pepper. Coat sides as well. Cook meat 3 minutes per pound. Once time elapses turn off oven and let meat rest in oven for an additional 1 hour and 45 minutes. Meat will be medium rare. DO NOT OPEN OVEN. My mom actually tapes it shut...

Momma Shaw's Beef Tenderloin

Grilled Skirt Steak with Chimichurrie Sauce

Skirt steak is really underrated. It's cheap, it takes about 5 minutes to grill and with a fresh chimichurrie sauce it really can't be beat. I like to marinate my skirt steak in a little worcestershire sauce and seasoning before I pop it on my grill pan. In addition, I add some more heat to my chimichurrie by adding some Sriracha.

Grilled Skirt Steak with Chimichurrie Sauce

• 1 pd skirt steak
  
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2/3 cup sherry vinegar
• 3/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 3 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped
• 3 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 6 large cloves garlic, chopped
• Salt & pepper

Season steak and marinate in 1/4 cup worcestershire sauce for a minimum of 1 hour and up to 6.

Heat grill pan. Chop parsley (can use flat parsley) and add to rest of the ingredients. Grill steak 3 minutes a side for medium rare and served slices pieces with chimichurrie sauce.

Grilled Skirt Steak with Chimichurrie Sauce

Pho Bo

Pho (pronounced 'fuh') is a classic Vietnamese rice noodle soup that is delightful, especially on a foggy night like the one we we are having in San Francisco today. Pho is traditionally made with beef in a beef broth however you can substitute chicken or prawns with a chicken or seafood stock broth instead. The best part about this soup is the multiple garnishes that you can choose from and add to your liking. Choose from cilantro, bean sprouts, green onions, Thai basil and lime wedges. Sauces range from (sweet) housin to my uber favorite (spicy/hot) Sriracha.

Here's a take on the recipe by our friends at Gourmet.

Pho Bo (Hanoi Beef Noodle Soup)

6 cups beef broth

1 (1/4-inch thick) slice ginger

2 whole star anise*

1 cinnamon stick

1/2 pound piece boneless beef sirloin, trimmed of any fat

3 ounces dried flat rice noodles*

1/4 cup Asian fish sauce*

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 cup fresh bean sprouts, rinsed and drained

1/8 cup minced scallions

1/4 cup fresh cilantro sprigs, washed and finely chopped

1 small thin fresh red or green Asian chilie, sliced very thin

1/2 cup fresh basil leaves

Lime wedges for garnish

*Available at Asian Markets

In a 2 quart saucepan bring broth, ginger, star anise, and cinnamon to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. With a very sharp knife cut sirloin across the grain into very thin slices. In a large bowl soak noodles in hot water to cover 15 minutes, or until softened and pliable. While noodles are soaking, bring a kettle of salted water to a boil for noodles. Drain noodles in a colander and cook in boiling water, stirring 45 seconds, or until tender. Drain noodles in a colander. Set aside.

Strain broth into saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir in fish sauce, salt and pepper. Add sirloin and sprouts and cook 30 to 45 seconds, or until sirloin changes color. Skim any froth from soup. To serve, divide noodles into 4 bowls. Ladle soup over noodles. Sprinkle scallion greens, cilantro, chilies and basil over soup and serve with lime wedges

Pho Bo

Mexican Torta

Those with high cholesterol beware of the Torta. It takes no prisoners...

It's good to be back in the land of good Mexican food. Napa Valley is over 65% Hispanic and there are great local markets, such as La Luna and Azteca Market, that don't mess around. Both usually have lines around the block during lunch so go during off hours. La Luna is a store I have been going to since I was a kid. I used to ride with my friend from her nearby vineyard (now a HWY 29 hot spot by the name of Peju Province) on their 3-wheeler to grab lunch and go to their nearby stable and ride horses in the afternoon. They sell everything from hot peppers to wedding dresses. It's a town gem.

Regardless of my history with tasty Mexican cuisine, it's hard to go a long day of hard work in the Valley without filling up on a torta. Now, these are no joke. Beginners should split one. They don't mess around and Mexican food is never good left over. You MUST eat on-site. Take-out is for rookies and drunks.

If you cannot find this sandwich locally at a Mexican or Cuban joint than try to make it at home after a day of some hard labor or if you are just in the mood. Tortas are a pretty generic term so basically all you you need is to pick a protein (beef, pork, shrimp, fish...) and choose from refried beans, scrambled eggs, milanesa, chipotle, avocado, sour cream, lettuce, jalapeño, tomato, and cheese. The bread is key so expect a nice soft white roll with a house sauce (red or green). Also, if I were you, I'd add spice wherever possible.

Enjoy your next (or first) Mexican sandwich.

Mexican Torta

Shanghai Fried Noodles

We went to San Francisco for the day to apartment search and stayed with my sister and her husband at their new house in the Haight. As much as I have loved living in Napa this summer, there really isn't a lot of ethnic food at your finger tips (with the exclusion of Mexican, of course). So when my sister asked me what I was in the mood for I didn't hesitate to say Asian. Turns out that she has a fantastic spot around the corner where dishes run in single digits called Citrus Club. This place really hit the spot and portions ran very large so you get a huge bang for your buck. I ordered the Shanghai Noodles with Flank Steak so I did a quick search and pulled this recipe from Food Network so I can try to make it at home. I heart udon noodles.

Shanghai Fried Noodles
Ingredients
1 pound fresh Shanghai noodles, or Japanese udon noodles
2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon cornstarch
12 ounces flank steak, sliced into 1/4-inch strips
3 tablespoons dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon minced ginger
1/2 teaspoon minced green onions, plus 1 cup cut-on-a-bias green onions
3 cups julienned Napa cabbage
1/2 teaspoon minced jalapeno

Directions
In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the noodles until al dente, about 8 minutes. Rinse under cold running water and drain well. Set aside. In a small bowl, combine the rice wine, hoisin, and cornstarch. Add the beef, toss to coat, and marinate for 15 minutes. In another bowl, combine the dark soy, soy sauce and sugar, and stir well to dissolve the sugar. Place a wok over a high heat and add 1 tablespoon of the peanut oil, swirling to coat. When hot, add the garlic, ginger, and minced green onions, and cook, stirring quickly, for 10 seconds. Add the beef and stir-fry for 3 minutes. Add the cabbage and stir-fry for 3 minutes.

Transfer to a platter and return the wok to a high heat. Swirl the remaining tablespoon of peanut oil in the wok and once hot, add the noodles to the pan and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the sliced
green onions and jalapeno and sauce and toss all for 1 minute. Add the beef and stir to heat
through. Serve immediately.

Shanghai Fried Noodles

Avocado Butter

At this time of year it is all about the grill. So I am always looking for ways to spruce up any grilled meat. While flipping through a magazine that someone picked up for me at the grocery store check out line called Grill It, I came across a recipe for Avocado Butter. I decided to give it a try. After all, who doesn't love avocados? Not only was this quick to pull together, it was very tasty.

Avocado Butter
Halve, pit, peel, and chop 1 ripe avocado. In a medium bowl combine chopped avocado, 1/4 butter softened, 3 tablespoons of fresh lime juice, 2 tablespoons snipped fresh chervil or parsley, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne pepper. Using a fork, gently mash ingredients together and leave somewhat chunky. Spoon mixture in small bowl and chill. Chill until almost firm.

Avocado Butter

Korean Short Ribs

Made these last week with some sesame noodles I'll write about later. These are great for summer because they're really, really quick on the grill, and it's kinda hard to mess up short ribs. Oh, and cause they're freaking delicious.

sweet soy-grilled short ribs

Steven Raichlen, via epicurious. photo from bon appetit

Prep: At least 1 hour for marinating the ribs

Servings: Theoretically, this makes 4 servings, but when I sent S. to the butcher, apparently he was feeling really hungry cause he came back with twice as many ribs as I needed, so I doubled the marinade, and I think then it actually was 4 servings. 3 pounds of short ribs is mostly bone.

Ribbing: This calls for cross cut flanken short ribs, which means they're cut um, across the bone, not parallel to them. I get mine from Peoria Packing Company.*

Grilling: I put WAY too many coals on the fire, so my grill was blazing hot, which meant I really had to move these around a lot so they didn't burn, but the marinade really does turn into a tasty, charry crust.

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup Chinese oyster sauce

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup sake, Chinese rice wine, or dry sherry (i used sake cause I had some that someone had given me as a gift. )

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 piece (1 inch) peeled fresh ginger, minced (is it just me, or is ginger the most annoying thing EVER to grate or mince? There must be a trick I'm missing, or nobody would ever use the stuff)

2 scallions, white parts minced, green parts thinly sliced

About 3 pounds bone-in individual beef short ribs, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-wide pieces (I think you could have them cut much thicker. I had mine cross cut to this size and they were kinda wimpy)

1. Place the sugar, oyster sauce, soy sauce, sake, garlic, ginger, and scallion whites in a large, nonreactive mixing bowl and whisk to mix. Stir in the short ribs. Cover the bowl and let the ribs marinate in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours.

2. Set up the grill for direct grilling and preheat to high.

3. When ready to cook, brush and oil the grill grate. (yeah, naturally, i forgot this step) Place the short ribs on the grate and grill until sizzling and darkly browned on the outside and cooked to taste, 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium. Be careful, because the sugary glaze is gonna make the fire flare up, so you really want to watch them.

4. Transfer the ribs to a platter or plates, sprinkle the scallion greens on top, and enjoy your meat-ing.

*Totally random tangent: This place is so awesome. First of all, it's basically a giant meat locker. You walk in and there's just huge metal tables full of meat. Their quality is great, and the prices are unreal. I got 16 pounds (!) of short ribs for a New Years feast with 13 people, and I think it cost me, like, $15. You can get a ribeye for like, $3. Oh, and if you happen to be looking for a 3 foot square sheet of tripe or half a pigs head, they have that too. Make sure you wear a coat, cause it's freezing in there. It's at 1300 W. Lake, at Lake and Elizabeth.

Korean Short Ribs

Ode to Mooncakes- Steak Sandwiches

When I lived in NYC, I went to Mooncakes in my SoHo neighborhood (Watts & 6th Ave) about once a week. Mooncakes is a tiny dive that serves quality and fresh food fast and for cheap (hard to find in SoHo). Nothing beats their steak sandwich and a cold Sierra Nevada (right, Friedman?) but other popular dishes include their miso salmon and shrimp summer rolls.

I've been craving a little Mooncakes so last night I decided to try to recreate the steak sandwich I love to so much and introduce it to my boyfriend. They use a homemade wasabi mayo but I opted for pesto mayo instead and it was just as delicious. Drew and I agreed that this needs to cycle into our monthly menu more often. I served it with chopped romaine lettuce and avocado tossed with a red wine vinegar and stone mustard dressing.

Mooncakes Steak Sandwiches
(The Easy Shaw Version)
2 jumbo french bread rolls (rectangular not round)
1 small jar of roasted red peppers
1 10 oz skirt steak
2 parts mayo
1 part pesto (store bought)
2 whole romaine lettuce leaves
1/8 c. Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons cumin
Salt & pepper

Marinate skirt steak in Worcestershire sauce, cumin and S&P for at least 1 hour and up to 6.

Remove two outer leaves from head of romaine. Chop about 1/2+ inch from ends, rinse and pat dry with paper towel. Mix 2 parts mayo and 1 part pesto and set aside. Half french rolls and place on broil pan. Next to rolls, lay out enough red peppers from jar to cover 2 halves of the rolls, about the size of one red pepper total.

Turn on broiler and heat up grill or stove pan (I use a hybrid of the two- a Calphalon grill pan). Generously season steak again and grill until medium rare- about 4 minutes per side. While skirt steak is grilling, pop broiler pan in the broiler for about 1 minute. *Note: watch this closely. All ovens are different. Could take less or more time. If you don't have broiler pan or broiler, use a cookie sheet in 500 degree oven and add more time.

Once bread is toasted, coat with pesto mayo and layer with lettuce and roasted red peppers. Carve steak into 1/2 inch slices. Layer on bread and serve.

Ode to Mooncakes- Steak Sandwiches

A different but similar Braised Short Ribs

I did short ribs for my NYE dinner, cause anything braised is a winner for dinner parties with me. Liz, I was going to do your recipe, it looks so good! But I ended up with a small variation because I ain't pureeing anything. I have a. no food processor, b. no mixer, c. no immersion blender -- all I have is one borrowed blender that gets very upset when I use it for, well, basically anything. Now, this recipe looks like a lot of work, but it's really not, especially for the deliciousness of it. Also, I braised the ribs the day before, let them cool, and refrigerated them overnight so the flavors could meld together and so I could easily scoop out the gloppy nastiness that collects as the fat congeals at the top. Don't need that in my dinner, no thanks. Then I just warmed them up at 350 with some other stuff for maybe, oh, an hour?


I also made a freezer full of stock from the bones because, oh, did I mention? I made TWELVE POUNDS of short ribs. I had ten hungry people coming, and I had to get enough in their bellies to prepare for the copious amounts of champagne, hello! You should have seen me at the meat market -- I could hardly hold the bag it was so heavy and awkwardly shaped. Luckily, Jamie was there for the assist (after I convinced him we didn't need the halved pigs head across the aisle. Or the chicken feet. Or the beef tongue) so thanks, honey. Here's some shreddy beefy goodness for you.



Braised Beef Short Ribs

Gourmet, October 2006
Walter Manzke at Bouchée and L’Auberge Carmel, Carmel


From Epicurious: The signature dish at Bouchée is similar to boeuf bourguignon except it uses short ribs, which create a more elegant presentation for individual servings. The addition of vinegar offsets their robust meatiness. Any remaining sauce would be great served over egg noodles.


For short ribs
4 (8-oz) pieces bone-in beef short ribs (HAAAAAAAA ha ha ha ha. Did you read above? Okay, so now quintuple everything below)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
4 medium carrots, finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 (14-oz) can whole San Marzano tomatoes in juice, puréedin a blender with juice (my stupid blender can handle this, but that's about it. basically, it's a big glass gazpacho-maker)
1 1/2 cups dry red wine
4 cups brown veal stock (yeah, right. a. i hate everything about veal, b. nobody carries veal stock. i used chicken)
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 Turkish or 1/2 California bay leaf
1 tablespoon Banyuls vinegar or red-wine vinegar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Braise short ribs:
Put oven rack in lower third of oven and preheat oven to 250°F.
Pat beef dry. Heat oil in a wide (12 inches in diameter) 3- to 5-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown beef on all sides, turning with tongs, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon sea salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
Add chopped carrots, onion, and garlic to oil in pot and cook over moderate heat, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in 1 cup puréed tomatoes (reserve remainder for another use) and bring to a boil over moderately high heat. Add wine and boil, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened, about 8 minutes.
Add veal stock, thyme, bay leaf, vinegars, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon sea salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper to sauce, and bring to a simmer. Skim fat from surface, then add beef along with any juices accumulated on plate and cover pot with a tight-fitting lid. Transfer to oven and braise until beef is very tender, 4 to 5 hours.


Assemble dish: Transfer a short rib to each of 4 soup plates and keep warm in oven. Pour sauce through a medium-mesh sieve into a large bowl, pressing on and then discarding solids, then skim fat from sauce. Boil sauce, if necessary, until thickened and reduced to about 3 cups. Season with salt and pepper. Add about 2 cups sauce to vegetables (reserve remaining sauce for another use), then spoon mixture around short ribs.

Makes 4 servings. We quintupled to serve 10, with leftovers.

A different but similar Braised Short Ribs

Braised Short Ribs

Santa gave me a dutch oven for xmas so I was excited to start braising anything I could get my hands on right away. We decided to make short ribs. I've never met a man that didn't love short ribs. The best part is that they are so easy to make and always impress. We used duck broth from the smoked ducks we used in my mom's gumbo instead of chicken stock and a bottle of my stepdad's homegrown wine from his ranch. I love cooking at home...

Braised short ribs with red wine and pureed vegetables
Bon Appétit September 2006
Antonio Pisaniello

Servings: Makes 6 servings.

Ingredients
5 whole black peppercorns
1 small bay leaf ( I used 2 bay leaves)
2 tablespoons coarse sea salt
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves
2 tablespoons (packed) fresh sage leaves
4 1/2 pounds beef short ribs, well trimmed
1/2 cup corn oil
4 cups low-salt chicken broth, divided
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus additional for potatoes
2 cups chopped onion
1 1/2 cups finely chopped carrots
1 1/2 cups finely chopped celery
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 750-ml bottle red wine from Campania (Aglianico or Taurasi)*
6 large white-skinned potatoes

*Syrah or Cabernet Franc can be substituted.

Preparation
Grind first 5 ingredients in spice mill. Sprinkle beef with additional pepper and 3 1/2 teaspoons herb-salt mixture. Heat 1/2 cup corn oil in heavy large pot over high heat. Working in batches, add beef and brown well, turning occasionally, about 8 minutes per batch. Using tongs, transfer beef to large bowl. Pour off oil from pot. Add 1 cup broth to drippings in pot and bring to boil, scraping up any browned bits. Pour deglazed pan juices into small bowl.Heat 4 tablespoons olive oil in same pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery; sauté until beginning to brown, about 12 minutes. Add tomato paste and sauté 2 minutes. Add deglazed pan juices and bring to simmer. Return beef and any accumulated juices to pot. Add wine and remaining 3 cups broth and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low. Season with pepper. Cover and cook until beef is very tender, stirring occasionally, about 2 hours.Using tongs, transfer beef to large bowl. Tilt pot and spoon off fat from surface of sauce. Working in batches, puree sauce with vegetables in blender until smooth; return to pot. Boil until reduced to 4 cups, about 15 minutes. Add beef and stir to heat through. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool slightly. Refrigerate uncovered until cold, then cover and refrigerate. Bring to simmer before continuing.Cook potatoes in pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 25 minutes. Drain. Place 1 potato on each plate; press to mash slightly. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil. Top with beef. Spoon sauce around beef and potatoes and serve.

Braised Short Ribs

Steak au Poivre

This is an Albert Stockli recipe from my former Harvard colleague, Beardsley Ruml. "The gravy is a flavorful surprise."

One inch thick sirloin or tenderloin steaks

Whole peppercorns, chopped

2 Tbsp Butter

2 Tbsp Flour

2/3 Cup Beef boullion cube dissolved in water

5 oz Brandy

1 tsp Kitchen Bouquet

1/2 Tbsp Dijon mustard

1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1. With a large knife, chop the whole peppercorns into small chunks, 3 or 4 per corn. Spread the chopped peppercorns over both sides of the steaks and press them into the meat. The amount of pepper is variable but my habit is to use about 2 tablespoons for both sides (about 25 peppercorns).

2. Fry the steaks in a very hot pan in a little oil until they are cooked on the outside but still raw in the middle. Place them in a 350 degree oven while making the gravy and they will cook to medium rare.

3. Pour any remaining oil from the pan without losing any dislodged peppercorns. Add the butter and, when melted, the flour and cook the roux for at least a minute. Add the beef stock and brandy and cook for another minute, stirring to smoothen. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Serve over the hot steaks on hot plates.

Steak au Poivre

Blue Cheese Crusted Filet Mignon with Port Wine Sauce

My friend Carrie made these for us last night and they were amazing. Every bite was a burst of flavor and they're very easy to make. Delicious with a glass of red wine...

Blue Cheese Crusted Filet Mignon with Port Wine Sauce
Allrecipes.com

INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup minced white onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh
thyme
3/4 cup low-sodium beef broth
1/2 cup port wine
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 filet mignon steaks (1 1/2
inch thick)
3/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
DIRECTIONS:
1.
Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and thyme. Cook, stirring constantly, until onion is tender. Stir in the beef broth, scraping any onion bits from the bottom of the pan, then stir in the port wine. Bring to a boil, and cook until the mixture has reduced to about 1/2 cup. Set aside. This may also be made ahead of time, and reheated.
2.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Heat oil in a cast-iron or other oven-safe skillet over high heat. Sear steaks quickly on both sides until brown, then place the whole pan into the oven.
3.
Roast steaks in the oven for about 15 minutes for medium rare - with an internal temperature of 145 degrees F (63 degrees C). You may adjust this time to allow the steaks to finish just below your desired degree of doneness if medium is not what you prefer. Remove from the oven, and place on a baking sheet. Stir together the panko crumbs and blue cheese. Top each steak with a layer of this mixture.
4.
Preheat the oven's broiler. Place steaks under the preheated broiler until the cheese topping is browned and bubbly. 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the oven, and let stand for at least 15 minutes before serving. Serve with warm port wine sauce.

Blue Cheese Crusted Filet Mignon with Port Wine Sauce