recipephile

Recession Cooking -- Ham, Barley and Shitake Soup

On Sunday Jeffrey and I visited one of my favorite grocery stores in the city.  New May Wah is located on Clement St. in the Richmond district and has one of the largest selections of Asian foods that I have ever seen. More importantly however is myriad of fresh vegetables, meat and fish that they carry at VERY affordable prices.  When it comes to recession cooking, this is the place to shop.  Honestly however, I think their selection is so amazing that I shop at New May Wah frequently - recession or no recession.

I went with one thing in mind, I wanted to make black bean soup with the ham hocks that I purchased from another favorite Asian grocery store Pacific Supermarket. The aisles however got the best of me and I found myself roaming up and down and oogling all of the products, sauces, beans and things we do not have in our "regular" grocery stores. Then it appeared, a bag of pearly barley and my mind took me back to a restaurant in Pittsburgh that has the best barley soup.  Snatching them up I quickly dialed Jeffrey's mother for her thoughts on how I should make the soup and I was on a mission.

Her wisdom came quickly and she advised making a broth from the hocks using carrot, celery, onion, a bay leaf and peppercorns.  Cook it for a while and then add your barley.  I hurried to the fresh veggies and gathered what I needed, but the Shitakes stopped me dead in my tracks and so I snatched those up too (they were only $2.79 a lb. -- NO LIE).

Making our way to the meat department Jeffrey spotted a chicken carcass display. $0.59 for a chicken carcass?  What?  A can of broth costs more than that.  We knew immediately what needed to be done.  We grabbed four.  Three for chicken stock and one to put into my soup.  An important lesson that I have learned while shopping at Asian groceries is that they use every part of the animal in food preparation. I've seen lamb testicles, pork uterus, fresh blood... Seriously.  This was the first time I saw a carcass display and it was truly a thing of very affordable beauty. 

I highly encourage you to break your regular stride and discover new places to shop.  If you are in the Bay Area and looking for a place to shop you will find a list of Asian groceries here.

I also suggest you try this soup.

- 1 very large stock pot
- 5-6 ham hocks
- 1 chicken carcass or collection of chicken bones
- 4 medium carrots
- 4 celery stalks
- 2 medium onions
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tbsp peppercorns
- 2 cups of pearly barley

- 4 cups of Shitake mushrooms, cut into strips
- Kosher salt

Place the ham hocks, chicken carcass, 2 carrots, 2 celery stalks,1 onion (remove skin and chop in half) and the bay leaf and peppercorns into the stock pot. Cover with water, add about 4 additional cups of water and cook on medium heat until the liquid has reduced by half (2-3 hours).  About 30-45 minutes into cooking you should skim the top of the soup removing the foamy muck that presents itself during the cooking process. 

While the broth is cooking clean the remaining veggies and dice into small pieces.  Cut the mushrooms into strips. Set aside.

Once the liquid has reduced, remove from the heat and strain the broth into another pot. Remove the ham hocks and chop off the cooked meat. Add the meat, veggies, mushrooms and barley to the pot with the stock and cook until the barley is tender.

Taste the soup and add salt as desired.

 

Recession-Proof Dinner Party - Cost Conscious Lemon Roasted Chicken Thighs with Mint and Red Onion

Jeffrey and I decided to host a dinner party the other night, but in these tough economic times we decided that we needed to be frugal. In addition to frugality we also wanted to promote our desire for peace in the middle east.  The Israeli/Palestinian Peace Meal that we were planning would include foods from both cultures living in harmony on one plate. 

Our menu consisted of:

• Toasted Baguette with lox, labneh and dill
• Hummus topped with Zatar and served with toasted pita and veggies
• Couscous salad with feta, Kalamata olives, red pepper, red onion, grape tomatoes and artichoke hearts
• Cost conscious lemon roasted chicken thighs with mint and red onion
• Cucumber salad
• Key lime pie (We realize that this is not very Middle Eastern, but we really wanted it and justified it by calling it the Jimmy Carter solution. The middle man (or pie) so to speak, on peace negotiation.)

In order to be frugal we had to find ourselves a market that would be priced accordingly.  We thought about heading to the Mission where the food is always affordable and delicious, but opted for Pacific Supermarket as recommended by our friends Tim and Jim.  They swear by this supermarket for its meat department and recession pricing. 

Pacific Supermarket is the Chinese Safeway, as one Yelper puts it, and has the look, feel, products and music of a grocery story in Asia.  The meat department is a hoot and very very very different from the traditional American grocery.  They sell every part of the animal.  We saw brains, fresh blood, tripe, sliced ears, hooves and even testicles (yes testicles) for sale.

We walked away from the brains and such and picked up some chicken thighs, which are a great alternative for those on a budget (and to be honest, much more flavorful).

The party was a blast and everyone bought into the theme.  When all was said and done we ended up spending about $80, while utilizing products that we already had at home.  We served 10 people, lots of delicious food, for only $8.00 and change (if you count the items we had at home).  Pretty impressive for wonderful food.  And... everyone brought wine with them so we were set on the libations.

The chicken we served was very easy to make.  This version has been adapted for 5 people.

- 10-12 chicken thighs
- 1 large red onion
- 2 whole lemons
- 5-10 cloves of garlic (we used roasted garlic and believe this imparts a better flavor)
- 1/2 cup of mint leaves, chopped
- 1/2 cup of dry white wine or dry vermouth
- 3 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tsp Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper (5-6 turns of the grinder)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Assemble the chicken in a large roasting pan making sure to cover the bottom and do your best to ensure that they are not on top of each other.  Coarsely chop the onion and place into the pan.  Slice one of the lemons into rounds and place into the pan. Cut the other lemon in half, juice and add to the pan. Add vermouth, olive oil, salt and pepper.  Mix well, making sure that all ingredients are evenly distributed, and bake for about 30 minutes.  About 15 minutes into the baking process open the oven (stand away and let the steam escape) and stir the chicken ensuring an even distribution.

Close and cook for 15 more minutes.  Open again and check, using a knife, that the chicken is cook all of the way through.  Turn off the heat and let the chicken sit in the oven for 15-20 more minutes.

Remove and using a slotted spoon take the chicken, onions and garlic out of the pan.  Arrange onto a platter.  If you have left over mint chop for garnish.  You can also spritz with some additional lemon (1/2 of a lemon).  Reserve the juice on the bottom of the pan as gravy. 

You can thicken the gravy using a little bit of flour (about 1 tbsp).  Take about 1/2 cup of liquid and mix well with the flour being sure to eliminate any lumps.  Whisk into the remaining liquid and heat over the stove in a sauce pan.  If you are using Pyrex or a glass roasting pan DO NOT place it over direct heat or the glass will shatter.  You can add more flour depending on how thick you want the gravy.

SERVE!

Much Ado About Oysters - Part Deux

Last weekend my friends and I did something totally awesome.  We rented out one of my favorite inns in the Bay Area and hosted a day long event.   The Pelican Inn was the location for the event, which included an afternoon oyster shucking party with copious amounts of Champagne, delicious appetizers and dinner for 18 of us at a beautiful farm house table.  The inn is pretty fascinating and resembles an old English cottage.  Each of the rooms are styled with gorgeous antiques and overstuffed, comfy beds. We had the pleasure of working with Andrea the inn's party planner on the day and she was an incredible resource from start to finish.

Courtney, Chris, Scotty, Jason, John and I all got up early on Saturday morning and headed north to pick up 5 dozen oysters for the shucking fest.  We stopped at The Marshall Store, which is the best place to get Oysters in Tomales Bay.  They were so fresh and delicious so I emailed them to find out exactly what kind of oysters they are. 

We initially thought they were Miyagis, but Heidi from The Marshall Store got back to me and told me that they are Pacific Oysters.  I emailed her back and told her that we thought they were Miyagis and she told us that they are in the Miyagi family.

So I sent the email to Chris and this started a conversation between the two of us.  Chris did some research and this is what he learned...  This is cut and paste from Chris' email to me:

------------------------------
They are Pacific Oysters first and foremost.

Some people have named different varieties of Pacific Oysters by different names including Marin Miyagi, Tomales Bay Oysters, Drakes Bay Oysters, and Hog Island Sweetwater Oysters--but they are all Pacific Oysters (which were introduced to the region from Japan around 1930.)

The oysters will have a variety of sizes, shapes, flavors, and textures depending on where they are grown and how they are grown. For instance, oysters from the warmer, shallow water of Tomales Bay near Pt. Reyes Station may actually look and taste different than those grown in deeper, colder water closer to the mouth of the bay at Dillon Beach. Hence different "local" names for these oysters--even though they are all the same species of Pacific Oyster. They way in which the oysters are cultivated can also influence the taste, texture, and size/shape. Oyster farmers use different types of structures to support the beds and some even experiment by regulating the water flow past the reef.

Interestingly, the Hog Island Company is actually cultivating two other species of oyster along with manila clams in their northern territory of Tomales Bay. The two other major species of Oyster are Eastern and Kumamoto. Eastern Oysters, like Pacific Oysters, are often known by a variety of names depending on the region where they are grown (Blue Point, Apalachicola, etc...) but Kumamoto Oysters are only known as Kumamotos.

I think a lot of the oyster naming business is based on marketing--much like Mondavi's successful Fume Blanc among the typical grassy California Sauvignon Blancs of the time... In fact, wine is probably the best analogy to use when discussing oysters. Think of the three major varieties of oysters as Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and Vigonier. Three different grapes make these distinctly different white wines, yet each type of wine can vary greatly depending on the growing conditions. A label that reads "Fume Blanc - Sonoma County" and another that reads "Sauvignon Blanc - Marlborough" will differ greatly, even though they are both Sauvignon Blancs. This principal can be equated to oysters in the sense that Tomales Bay Co.'s "Marin Miyagi" is a different oyster than Hog Island's "Sweetwater," though they are both Pacific Oysters. Following the analogy, Eastern Oysters would be the Chardonnay and Kumamotos the Vigonier (slightly more exotic than the other varieties.)

Hope this helps. I did a lot of oyster research over the past couple of days...

Turmeric and Wasabi Crusted Red Snapper Served With Shitake Mushrooms, Bok Choy and Brown Rice

The other day I was perusing a cooking magazine and came across a beautiful picture of a piece of fish lightly resting on a bed of polenta and topped with sauteed shitake mushrooms.  The picture stuck in my head and when planning a meal for my friend Darin the other night I recalled that image once again and devised a little recipe plan in my head. 

My feet took me to the Gucci of grocery stores, Bristol Farms, in the Westfield Center in downtown San Francisco.  I call it the Gucci of grocery stores, because it is the cleanest, most beautiful and ridiculously expensive place I have ever visited to buy food. They also have a little bit of an attitude, which I hate, but still go back because their selection is absolutely incredible (and it is conveniently located right near my gym).

When I arrived at the store I immediately strolled up to the fish department and picked up about a ponud of red snapper fillets.  Then I got myself some bok choy, shitake mushrooms and brown rice. My vision, crust the fish with wasabi and turmeric and lay atop brown rice and bok choy seasoned with white wine and dijon.  Then top the pan fried fish with the shitake mushrooms. 

The result was amazing and I highly suggest giving this a try.

The Brown Rice
Follow the directions on the back of the bag for cooking the rice (each brand is a little different). Instead of using water use chicken or vegetable broth. When it is finished cooking add 1 tbsp of ground ginger, 2 tbsp of chopped chives and 1 tbsp of chopped garlic.  Set the rice aside and keep warm.

The Shitake Mushrooms
- 12 shitake mushrooms, stems removed and sliced
- 2-3 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves of garlic, diced
- 1 cup of dry white wine
- Freshly ground black pepper and Kosher salt to taste

Heat the olive oil in a sautee pan over medium heat.  Sautee garlic until the scent fills the room being careful not to burn the garlic.  Add the mushrooms and sautee until almost cooked through.  Remove, place into a bowl and set aside.  You may want to set your oven to the lowest temperature and place the mushrooms inside to keep warm.

The Bok Choy
- 3-4 stalks of baby bok choy
- 2-3 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp of dijon mustard
- 1 cup of dry white wine

Heat the olive oil in a sautee pan over medium heat. Add the bok choy and sautee for about one minute. Mix the dijon and white wine together and add to the pan. Place a lid on top and let steam for a few minutes until the bok choy has wilted. Set aside.

The Fish:
- 1 lb of red snapper filets cut into 4 pieces
- 1/2 cup of flour
- 1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp wasabi powder
- 1 tbsp turmeric powder
- 2 tsp salt
- 3-4 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil

Mix the flour, pepper, salt, wasabi and turmeric together. Place onto a plate and liberally -- very liberally - dredge the pieces of fish in the flour.

Heat the olive oil in the sautee pan and sautee the dredged pieces of fish until cooked through and golden brown (and yellow from the turmeric).

To serve the dish plave a scoop of brown rice at the bottom of a bowl, add a little bit of the bok choy and then place a piece of fish over the greens.  Then top with the mushrooms.  You can really spice it up by mixing together 2-3 tbsps of wasabi with a 1/2 cup of lemon juice.  Spoon a little bit of this mixture over the top and serve.

The Mission Taco Tour and Lamb Testicles

Yesterday afternoon Jeffrey and I took an urban hike through the Mission District of San Francisco.  We started off with no agenda whatsoever and meandered down 18th street to Harrison.  The minute we turned the corner we spotted an El Tonayense taco truck. We decided to help ourselves to a taco.  I ordered the chicken taco and Jeffrey had the pork. MMMM.... they were delicious and so we decided to have ourselves another.  We ended up on the corner of 21st and Treat at El Cachanilla.  El Cachanilla may be the hardest-core taqueria in San Francisco, given its shockingly traditional menu, basement-level prices ($1.25 for a taco; $4.50 for a gargantuan, delicious super burrito), and periodic window sign that reads, "No tenemos tenedores" ("We don't have forks"). The picture to the left is part of the list of available taco treats.  We both passed on the eye taco.  The last thing we wanted was for our lunch to be staring at us.  I must say however that the chicken taco I had at El Cachanilla was incredible and the available condiments they had were just as delicious. 

Our taco tour ended there.  We figured that we just could not top what we had.  So we went to an Halal grocery store on 24th Street so that Jeffrey could buy himself some Labne.  The meats looked amazing at this place and the prices were out of this world.  However, we happened upon an interesting option in the meat section.  Lamb testicles.  Hmmm... I wonder how one would prepare lamb testicles.  A quick search on Google uncovered a number of recipes.  Most of these fall under the category of Rocky Mountain Oysers.

We passed on the testicles, but were both wondering why they charge per pound and not per unit?