A Long Weekend in San Francisco

Hello Everyone

A few weeks ago I received an evite for a birthday party that was taking place in the city by the bay. For a moment, I was sad and thought about how much I missed my friends, cool foggy evenings and the smell of eucalyptus and rosemary in the air. Sadness soon transcended into action and I quickly booked on a flight and called my friends to let them know I was on my way.

My good friend and fellow epicurean John picked me up at the airport and the first thing we did was head to Tower Market (1) to buy the fixings for a meal that we concocted on the way to the store. We both decided that we were in the mood for a flavorful stew and that the ingredients would jump out at us as we toured the vegetable and meat aisles. We ended up preparing a stew of lamb, duck and veal with hints of lavender and also a mushroom duxelle bruschetta, which we served as an appetizer. The end result of the entire meal was absolutely delicious.

John is such an incredible inspiration. We truly enjoy being in the kitchen with one another; I love cooking with him and learning from him. This is a meal that I am sure you will enjoy.

Have a great week.

Michael
"Always remember that food is about more than eating, it is about thinking, buying, preparing, enjoying and most importantly, sharing."

John and Michael‚s Lamb, Veal and Duck Stew
This recipe takes some time to prepare and is most tasty after spending anevening in the refrigerator. If you must, you can use canned chicken broth, but make sure you substitute one of the cups of broth with chicken consommé (2).

2 lbs of bone-in lamb stew meat
2 lbs of veal stew meat
12 duck confit drumsticks (3)
8 medium onions
3 leeks (white part only)
2 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tablespoons dried lavender
2 tbsp red and green peppercorns
4 tbsp fresh thyme
4 tbsp parsley
8 cups of rich and delicious homemade chicken broth (4)
2 cans of cannelloni beans, rinsed

Start by placing the lamb and veal meat onto a baking sheet. Use one with high sides as the fat will create lots of juice as it cooks in the oven. Place the meat into a 450-degree oven and brown on all sides. When finished, place the meat and juices into a large stockpot. As the meat is cooking in the oven, melt the butter in a sauté pan, chop the onions and leeks and caramelize until golden brown. Add to the meat mixture. Chop the fresh herbs and using a mortar and pestle combine all of the herbs together, including the peppercorns. Add to the meat mixture. Place the 8 cups of homemade chicken broth into the stockpot. Turn the stove on medium to low heat. While stew is simmering remove the duck meat from the bones. After stew has simmered for 2 hours add the duck and the beans and let simmer for one additional hour. Serve.

Mushroom Duxelle Bruschetta
These are delicious and best when served with a robust Cabernet. The duxelle can be made well in advance, frozen and used over and over again.

8 cups of brown mushrooms, chopped
2 tbsp unsalted butter
10 cloves of roasted garlic (5)
2 medium shallots, chopped
2 cups of a robust Cabernet Sauvignon
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
Freshly ground black pepper
Baguette sliced on the diagonal at 1/2 inch
Olive oil
Sour cream
Chopped parsley

Melt the butter in a sauté pan and sauté garlic and shallots for about 2-3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and sauté for another 3-4 minutes or until mushrooms are slightly cooked. Add cabernet and soy sauce and reduce until the liquid has almost disappeared. Transfer to food processor and process mixture until finely chopped, but not smooth. Transfer to a bowl, add freshly ground black pepper, sesame oil and mix well.

Brush one side of the baguette slices with olive oil and toast in a sauté pan until is golden brown (do not toast the other side). Place a dollop of sour cream on the untoasted side of the bread and a about a tablespoon of the duxelle. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve.

FoodNoteWorthies
(1) For those of you not living in San Francisco, this probably does not apply. Tower Market is a wonderful grocery store. The store has great vegetables and cheeses, but is loved by many for its incredible meat department. The prices are right on and the meat is probably the best in the city. Visit Tower Market and learn for yourself. It is located on Portola, just beyond the entrance to Twin Peaks.

(2) Chicken consommé is a rich gelatinous, cooked down stock. When I do not have homemade stock available and I am making a stew, I will use one can of consommé to add a richness that cannot be accomplished with canned broth.

(3) Duck confit drumsticks ˆ You will have to look long and hard for these if you want to find them in the grocery. This is not something that you will find anywhere. But if you have some time, order them from D'Artagnan, specialists in anything duck.

(4) It goes without saying, homemade stock is always much better than broth from a can. For this recipe, you will want to cook your stock down for about an hour to concentrate the flavor and make it more rich tasting.

(5) Roasted garlic is incredible. The smoky taste takes the bite out of uncooked garlic and adds a wonderful flavor and aroma. To prepare, loosely wrap whole bulbs of garlic and roast in the oven at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes. Let cool and remove skin to reveal the cloves. John roasts a number of bulbs at a time and places them in the freezer for later use.