Come join Miner Family Vineyards at Press Club tomorrow night to help raise money for breast cancer awareness. My good friends at Miner have been working VERY hard to pull this special event together so be sure to not miss out on all the fun. Enjoy top-tier wines and cheese pairings from 6-9pm, including the heavy-hitting Oracle red wine and the small production Rosella's and Garys' Pinots. 
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.
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
We just got back from a camping trip in Anderson Valley. This has quickly become one of my all-time favorite spots in all of California. First of all, it's tiny. My graduating high school class has more people in it. It's surrounded with vineyards, apple orchards and redwoods with a running creak going right down the middle. It's also home to some family-owned wineries that are cranking out some excellent Pinot Noir.
Nothing screams fall like butternut squash soup, especially when it is pouring rain outside like it is in San Francisco today. Caraway seeds, carrots and a Granny Smith apple give this recipe a whole new dimension.Farmhouse Butternut Squash Soup
4 bacon slices 4 large garlic cloves, chopped 1 teaspoon caraway seeds 2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and chopped 1/2 pounds carrots, chopped 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and chopped 3 thyme sprigs 2 Turkish bay leaves or 1 California 3 1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth 2 cups water 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons cider vinegar Cook bacon in a 4-to 6-quart heavy pot over medium heat until crisp. Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Add garlic and caraway seeds to fat in pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic is pale golden, about 1 minute. Add squash, carrots, apple, thyme, bay leaves, broth, water, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and boil, uncovered, until vegetables are tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Discard thyme and bay leaves. Purée about 4 cups soup in a blender, in batches if necessary, until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids). Return to pot and season with salt, pepper, and vinegar. Serve topped with crumbled bacon. From Gourmet |
When people travel, they typically like to shop. Maybe they'll buy some souvenirs to remember their trip by, some toys for the kids or perhaps they'll take advantage of department stores and local designer storefronts. Well, I'm not your typical traveler. When I get home, I unpack a suitcase filled with food products.1. To prepare the rolls, combine the first 8 ingredients.
2. Add hot water to a large, shallow dish to a depth of 1 inch. Place 1 rice paper sheet in dish; let stand 30 seconds or just until soft. Place sheet on a flat surface. Arrange 1/3 cup shrimp mixture over half of sheet, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Folding sides of sheet over filling and starting with filled side, roll up jelly-roll fashion. Gently press seam to seal. Place roll, seam side down, on a serving platter (cover to keep from drying). Repeat procedure with remaining shrimp mixture and rice paper sheets.
Serve with Big Bowl Spicy Peanut Sauce
I think a little piece of every foodie died this week upon hearing the news of Conde Nast's decision to shut down the 70 year old publication, Gourmet, led by the great Ruth Reichl. A decline in ad sales coupled with a portfolio overhaul by the publication giant are deemed the culprit. If this isn't a sign of the tough times we are in then I don't know what is.
We were just in Chicago for a week catching up with old friends and family and with the dishes and restaurants we miss the most. One of the highlights of our trip was our very first visit to my friend Josh's new hot dog joint in Northbrook, Wolfy's.
It's starting to cool down across the country which means it's time to start thinking about hearty comfort food dishes. Nothing beats a bunch of cheese on potatoes and this gratin recipe takes it to the next level. Pair this dish with some lamb and a glass of Pinot.
When my best friend came to visit me from Chicago, I had a difficult time deciding where to take her for dinner for our only night in Napa. Then, I thought back on a great date I had 6 years ago in NYC where we restaurant hopped all over the meatpacking district. At that time, the meatpacking district was the spot to be and we managed to hit about 5 places before we called it a night. The system was simple: sit at the bar to avoid a wait and order a drink and dish at each. This is exactly the strategy I used when Carrie and I went to Yountville.
Next stop was Bouchon for Salt Aire oysters and a glass of Domain Chandon. Bouchon is owned by world-renown chef, Thomas Keller (he also own 3 other spots within a 3 block radius). It celebrates his love for classic bistro fare and is very, very consistant. After pounding a dozen oysters or so, Carrie and I ventured off to our next stop, Redd.
It was here, at Redd, that Carrie had a culinary epiphany. For the first time in her life, Carrie had burrata cheese. After her first bite, her world started spinning and she looked at me and said with great disappointment and frustration, "how am I almost thirty and just discovering this now?"
Next up was Bistro Jeanty. Chef Jeanty is a James Beard award winner and a man that loves to cook the classics from his homeland. At Jeanty, you can get your fix of escargots, duck foie gras pate and many other favorites. We saw a couple enjoying the pork belly with lentil and foie gras ragout and decided to go for it. I have to say that following burrata is a tough act to beat but the pork belly may have been the winner of the night. Carrie and I fought over bites and moaned between them. It was so freaking good you must go try it now. We paired this dish with a Domaines des Romains Pinot Noir.
Last but not least was a stop at Michael Chiarello's new place, Bottega. I've had the pleasure of dining here before so I knew the best seat in the house was the outdoor patio with the fireplace. We quickly found a seat and ordered a glass of Foley Pinot Noir. I am a big fan of Bob Foley and this pinot was my favorite wine of the night. We ordered the Parmesan puffs with peaches and prosciutto. This was the dish we enjoyed the least but Chef Chiarello came to the patio to chat with us and it made Carrie's night.
Devils on Horseback
Yields 4 servings
Ingredients
12 whole pitted dried prunes
1½ cup warm dark tea (soak prunes in tea for 4 hrs)
12 3 mm-thick flat smoked bacon
1 pickled pear (sliced into pieces)
1 teaspoon ground chili powder
Directions
Drain prunes into a bowl and reserve juice. Push pear through center, then wrap stuffed prunes in bacon. Place on an oven tray big enough to hold prunes and drizzle a little of the juice over the top. Sprinkle with chili powder, place under broiler and baste until golden brown and slightly crisp.
Make salsa:
Stir together all salsa ingredients and season with salt.
Make fritters:
Cut corn kernels from ears and scrape cobs to extract juice, then discard cobs. Whisk together egg and milk until smooth and stir in cornmeal, flour, and salt. Stir in corn, including juice.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then drop in 2 tablespoons batter each for 4 fritters. Fry until lightly browned, about 2 minutes per side, and drain on paper towels. Make more fritters in same manner, adding oil as necessary.
Serve fritters with salsa.
Labor day is right around the corner so what better way to celebrate than with this recipe for beer steamed crabs from Saveur Magazine? Look for blue crab at your local seafood store. Calling ahead is always a good idea especially around a holiday where demand may be higher. Beer Steamed Crab
FOR THE DIPPING SAUCE:
4 tbsp. fish sauce
2 small red or green Thai chiles,
stemmed and sliced into thin rings
Juice of 2 limes
FOR THE CRABS:
12 live blue crabs (about 4 lbs.)
4 12-oz. bottles of lager beer
2 tsp. kosher salt
10 garlic cloves, smashed
3 Thai chiles, stemmed and split
1 bunch cilantro
2 limes, halved
1. First, make the dipping sauce: Whisk together fish sauce, chiles, and lime juice. Set aside.
2. Rinse crabs under running water. Pour beer into a 6-quart pot; bring to a boil over high heat. Add salt, garlic, chiles, and cilantro. Squeeze in juice from halved limes; add limes.
3. Add crabs to pot; cook, covered, until they turn a vibrant reddish-orange, about 8 minutes. Using tongs, transfer crabs to a platter. Serve with sauce. SERVES 2 – 4
Tofu really gets a bad rep and it's not fair. I actually enjoy tofu quite a bit but it's all about how you use it. For instance, I don't recommend that you cut off a cube and eat it sitting on the couch for a snack otherwise you'll be pretty disappointed. This recipe is a great example of how tofu can really be a star.
This week, I invited a group of friends up from the city to do a day of wine tasting, swimming and BBQ at our place in Napa. I figured that after a long day of tasting wine nothing would hit the spot more than this Bacon Pimento Cheese Burger. Pimento cheese is a childhood friend of mine and it reminds me so much of home and my mom's house.
Often times we forget that making ribs doesn't always require a grill. This recipe only requires a sheet pan, store bought fruit preserves and a couple other things that you should have in your pantry. Fig is the in-season flavor here and nothing goes better with the sweetness of a fig than the saltiness of pork. If you have a fig tree in your yard or access to one, try making your own fig preserves from scratch.5-6 pork spare ribs (about 2 1/4 lbs. or so)
3/4 cup fig preserves
1 Tbls. powdered ginger
1 Tbls. apple cider
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 Tbls. dried parsley
Serves about 2 as a main course or 4 as an appetizer.
Measure out your fig preserves and put them in a medium-sized bowl. Add the powdered ginger, apple cider, and kosher salt.
Whisk together with a fork to combine well. The apple cider will help thin out the preserves. Be sure to break up any lumps of ground ginger.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and/or aluminum foil.
Grab your ribs out of the fridge. Unwrap them and put them in a gallon-sized zip-top bag. Pour the glaze in the bag and over the ribs. Seal the bag well. Smoosh it around between your hands to coat the ribs with glaze. Seal the bag well. Take ribs out of bag and lay out on pan. Sprinkle each rib with a little dried parsley. Cook for 1 hour.
Serve warm.
This recipe is a little hard core but you can sub some stuff to make it a little more approachable. If you're looking for a challenge, here you go.
