TrelayneNYC

Slow-roasted cherry tomato crostini with cow's milk ricotta cheese and salsa verde

Beet greens crostini with anchovy, onion and raisins

Castelvetrano and Kalamata olive crostini with sheep's milk ricotta cheese, Meyer lemon and pine nuts

I had forgotten to get the pistachios yesterday; oh well

Thanks!

I found out about

which is what B will be using in the sauce for the brisket. 

I'm hoping there's enough brisket. Some of our guests have prodigious appetites.

More food porn for @DaveO

Beet greens with anchovy, onion and raisins

This is the second of three crostini toppings we'll be offering on Thursday, on top of garlic-rubbed bread that's been lightly toasted and seasoned with extra-virgin olive oil, sea salt and pepper.

We started our T-day cooking in earnest today.

Brandied pumpkin pie.

Recipe: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1015413-brandied-pumpkin-pie

Not bad. This was the first pie I've ever baked and it turned out well.

Non-traditional Thanksgiving menu for eight:

Crostini platter -

slow-roasted tomato and heirloom garlic with ricotta cheese;
olive, Meyer lemon and pistachio;
beet greens with chile and anchovy onion, anchovy and raisins

Braised brisket
Romano beans stewed in tomato sauce
Roasted potatoes with rosemary oil
Roasted yams with sage and garlic orange juice, butter and brown sugar

Brandied pumpkin pie
Warren pears poached in Malbec
Chocolate salami

today, we bought quite a bit for T-day cooking:

beets, heirloom tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, butternut squash, potatoes, onions, herbs (basil, oregano, rosemary, sage), Romano beans, Meyer lemons, celery, ricotta cheese, heavy cream, unsalted butter.

Our T-day celebrations are decidedly not traditional. I think regular T-day (with turkey, green beans, cranberry sauce, etc.) is fucking boring but if it works for other people, more for them! Personally, I'd rather starve. I ate that type of food when I was growing up and when I left home, I decided to make my own traditions and be with my family of choice so I wouldn't have to be reminded of where I came from.

On Monday, B will pick up a brisket which we had pre-ordered a few weeks ago.

8 hours ago, kitkatpaddywak said:

You had me at roast piggie. hmmm, good.

It was awesome if a bit rich. I could only manage one serving.

Great birthday party too.

Italian for dinner tonight - big surprise there...

Patate e fagiolini con pesto
Spaghetti alle vongole
Baked pears with Marsala, served with crème fraîche

For the contorno

2 cups tightly packed basil leaves
1 garlic clove
1/4 tsp. salt
3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp. pine nuts, toasted
2 tbsp. grated pecorino cheese
2 tbsp. grated Grana Padano cheese
1/4 trimmed green beans
4 medium-sized Yukon Gold potatoes

In a food processor bowl, combine basil, garlic, salt and 2 tbsp. olive oil. Pulse until you obtain a coarse paste. Add pine nuts and remaining olive oil. Pulse until nuts are finely ground. Stir in cheeses, then use as desired. If not using right away, transfer to a container and cover with more extra-virgin olive oil (to prevent oxidation of the basil which will cause discoloration).

Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add green beans and potatoes. Boil until potatoes are easily pierced with a fork. Once vegetables are cooked, drain and transfer green beans to a serving bowl. Peel the potatoes (peel should come right off), quarter them and transfer to the bowl.

Dress vegetables with 2 heaping tbsp. pesto, then toss. Grind some black pepper over, then serve at once.

For the pasta

Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil,. Add approx. 10 oz. dried pasta and prepare according to package directions.

Warm 2 tbsp. olive oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add a crushed garlic clove. Fry garlic until fragrant. Add 2 lbs. clams to pan along with 1/2 cup white wine. Cover pan, then cook, shaking pan every so often until clams open. Uncover, after about 15 minutes or so, then remove clams with a slotted spoon and transfer to a bowl. Discard any clams that don't open. Reserve about half of the clams in their shells, and shell the remainder. Chop clam meat finely; set aside. Strain clam broth in pan. Reserve clam broth.

By this time, the spaghetti should be nearly done. Drain pasta, making sure to reserve 1 ladleful pasta cooking water.

In the same skillet you used to cook the clams, warm 2 tbsp. olive oil, then add a crushed garlic clove. A sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes is nice if you like some heat. Fry until garlic colors, then add chopped clams. Sauté clams for 1 minute, then add clam broth. Bring broth to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 1-2 minutes. Add spaghetti to the pan along with the reserved clams (the ones still in their shells). Cook spaghetti in pan until al dente, making sure that each strand of pasta glistens with the clam broth. If pasta seems too dry, add reserved pasta cooking water. Once pasta is done, stir in some chopped Italian parsley, then serve immediately.

For the pears

Pre-heat oven to 425 F.

Trim four pears by cutting them in half and removing the seeds with the tip of a teaspoon. Arrange in a baking dish. Sprinkle 1/4 cup granulated sugar over them, then pour 1 cup Marsala wine over and around the pears.

Bake for 1 hour or until pears are caramelized. Transfer to a serving bowl and top with a dollop of crème fraîche or fromage blanc. Greek yogurt is also nice, if you have it, or a splash of heavy cream.

Fried potatoes

Begin by melting some unsalted butter in a skillet, then add in some onion or shallots. Fry for a minute or two, then add some potatoes that you've sliced thinly by hand or with a mandoline. Season with salt and pepper. Fry potatoes on medium heat until potatoes are golden brown. Stir in some minced parsley, then serve at once.

Broccoli e salsicce

The bowl on the left has crushed red pepper flakes.

Ordinarily I'd serve this with pasta but since we're having pasta tonight, decided to go without. My hubby and I are a fan of eggless breakfasts whenever possible. American breakfasts can be rather boring when you think about it.

There are many ways to make this, and here is one variation: Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add broccoli to pot. Return to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Drain broccoli, then coarsely chop. Set broccoli aside. Warm olive oil in a skillet over low heat and add crushed garlic cloves. Fry garlic on low heat until garlic browns. Do not burn. Lift out garlic with a slotted spoon and discard. Add sweet Italian sausage that have been stripped of their casings. Season with salt and black pepper. A touch of crushed fennel seed is nice. Fry sausage until meat is no longer pink. Deglaze with white wine. Add broccoli to the pan. Season with salt and black pepper. Add a pat or two of unsalted butter. Reduce heat to medium-low and cover; simmer for 15 minutes. Uncover pan and stir every so often, then re-cover. When the 15 minutes are up, raise heat to high and reduce until all but a few tablespoons of liquid remain. Remove from heat and serve at once. Top each serving with extra-virgin olive oil.

We went to a birthday party where the birthday boy roasted a pig.

Wish you were there...the skin was worth the price of admission.

We're headed to a birthday party where the birthday boy is roasting an entire pig.

Our contribution to the feast is:

Blueberry, olive oil and ricotta cake

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/4 cups ricotta cheese
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup + 1 tbsp. granulated sugar
2 tbsp. grated lemon zest
3 eggs
1 pint blueberries
Confectioner's sugar

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Butter and flour a 10-inch springform pan.

Combine flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder in a small bowl. Whisk all ingredients together.

In a separate bowl, combine ricotta cheese, 1 cup granulated sugar, olive oil and 1 tbsp. lemon zest. Whisk together until smooth. Crack in eggs, one at a time. Whisk egg in before adding the next one.

Fold in flour mixture. Mix together until dry ingredients are incorporated; do not overmix.

Add batter to buttered and floured pan. Spread evenly. In a small bowl, combine blueberries, remaining lemon zest and 1 tbsp. granulated sugar. Mix well. Top cake batter with blueberry mixture.

Bake for 65 minutes in a pre-heated 350 F oven or until cake is golden brown and pulls away from the sides of the pan. Cool for 15 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack and cool a bit more. Sprinkle top with confectioner's sugar, then serve warm or at room temperature.

This recipe is sized for 8-10 people.

Ok, I joined

1 hour ago, DaveO said:

It may be "Classic Neapolitan" in the literature, but being from the NYC metro area and being old, it was the predominate style for all those old "red sauce" Italian restaurants with which I grew up and was the classic presentation in all the home kitchens operated by all the mothers and grandmothers who had learned their recipes from a an even older relative.

I am enjoying reading and updating.  Cacciatore will be filling my kitchen with its aroma any day now.

Italian cooking is regional, which was really my point

The version you're most familiar with evolved out of one style out of a universe of many and once it came over here, developed into its own style. They're all alla cacciatora. There is no one correct version.

If you go 50 km in any direction, it becomes an entirely new thing.

Cacciatore embraces a wide variety of styles. The classic Neapolitan version with tomato is the one you're familiar with.

The one I posted is common in Rome as well as in Le Marche.

And this one (recipe in Italian) features carrot, celery, chicken broth and porcini mushrooms:  http://ricette.donnamoderna.com/pollo-alla-cacciatora-italia

Oooo

Thanks Kat

Maybe SF will be next

2 hours ago, DaveO said:

Beautiful photos.  I've been making chicken cacciatore for 4 decades.  One could say I love it.  I've definitely NEVER made it that way; always with tomatoes, onions, mushrooms, bell peppers, etc; (some other ingredients) possibly 99% of the time served over pasta.  Never with olives.  Never.

But your photos are terrific food porn.  I'll give that version a try.  The zucchini also looks wonderful.  Why not give it a try?   Lets see.  12 months coming up--possibly 6-8 cacciatore's on the horizon- about 40 years of cacciatore history.  I think going with olives sounds about right!!!!    (oh yeah...never skimp on the garlic!!!    )

Thanks @DaveO - you can also substitute rabbit for chicken. It's marvelous.

I know this is technically not dinner but there's no thread for it so this is just a convenient place for it. Although I suppose a mod could move it to a dedicated baking thread if there is one.

Earlier on Sunday, I had made some almond, pine nut and fennel seed biscotti. They're awesome, and pair well with dessert wine or a cappuccino.

Pollo alla cacciatora ("braised chicken, hunter's style")
Sautéed zucchini
Watermelon and pineapple for dessert

The chicken

This version doesn't use tomatoes, onions and red peppers. It begins with a base of olive oil and lard in which you brown the chicken. Then, once the chicken has browned, add some minced garlic and rosemary, and a cup or two of white wine. Let the wine come to a boil, then reduce heat to low and braise for 1 hour, uncovered. The liquid in the pot will slowly reduce. Turn the chicken every so often. When the chicken is tender, transfer to a platter. Add some pitted olives and a tablespoon of red wine vinegar. Raise heat to high, reduce sauce even more, then ladle olives and sauce over chicken. Serve at once.

The zucchini

Begin with a few crushed garlic cloves warmed in 3-4 tbsp. olive oil in a pan. Fry garlic over low heat until soft and golden brown, then remove and discard. Add some sliced zucchini to pan. Toss until zucchini slices glisten with the garlic-flavored oil. Season with salt and black pepper. Add a few tbsp. water to the pan, then raise heat to medium. Sauté for 15-20 minutes or until water has been absorbed and the zucchini becomes "creamy".

Serve immediately.

We have a dinner there next month. Looking forward to it.

Our prepaid tix were $230 per person. B and I are light drinkers so that price doesn't include wine pairings. It'll be one glass for me and none for B (good thing too, since B is the designated driver). Alcohol makes me sleepy; one glass of anything is my limit.

Tomato and coconut fish curry, from "Modern Spice" by @Monica Bhide, page 187.

This was served with lemon rice (recipe follows in the slideshow), Keralan cashew chutney (cashews whizzed in a food processor along with ginger, green chiles, lemon juice, salt, water and cilantro until smooth) and green mango pickle. 

I had toned down the spicing since my partner is sensitive to "hot" flavors. He found it wanting and thought that the rice was the best thing served tonight. So that is a work in progress.

Since moving to San Francisco two years ago, I haven't had much opportunity to eat homemade Indian food and only discovered Jai Ho recently. I expect that the present circumstances will change drastically in the near future. Some of the things we bought today were, in addition to the mango pickle, a bag of sev and fresh curry leaves. The sev will be used for bhel puri and Monica's famous Indian Rice Krispies snack. The curry leaves are a mandatory pantry item.

Clockwise from foreground: 3 tbsp. minced cilantro; 1/2 tsp. salt; 1/2 tsp. turmeric; 2 tbsp. ghee; 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice; 1 tsp. black mustard seeds; 1/3 cup chopped cashews; 1/4 cup shredded coconut.

 

Prepare basmati rice:

Bring 2 cups of water in a pot to a boil, then adding the salt, 1/2 tbsp. ghee and 1 cup basmati rice.

Reduce heat to low and cover. Cook for 30 minutes or until rice has absorbed the water and is tender. Uncover and fluff with a fork.

Melt ghee in a skillet, add cashews. Fry cashews until golden brown. Lift out with a slotted spoon and transfer to the pot of rice. Cover.

 

 

Fry black mustard seeds in the same pan you fried the cashews in. When the seeds "pop", uncover the pot of rice and transfer ghee and seeds to the rice. Fold in the turmeric, lemon juice and cilantro, then serve immediately.

Top each serving of rice with some shredded coconut if desired.

We had brunch earlier today to make up for a disastrous dinner last night at a local Vietnamese place in the Castro (Jasmine Garden, (708 14th Street (Church Street)). The waitstaff didn't hear that I had ordered chicken pho even though I repeated my order a few times. As a result, I never received my entree. The steamed bass that B ordered was somehow mixed in with glass noodles and a thick cloying sauce. Strike another local place off our list which we won't be returning to anytime soon.

Brunch was much better, in spades.

Monsieur Benjamin
451 Gough Street (Ivy Street)

http://www.monsieurbenjamin.com/

It's a beautiful glass enclosed space with an open kitchen, a marble counter, one communal table, several two- and four-tops and an outdoor seating area.

The room can get loud. At the time we were there, it was half-full and eventually became three quarters-full. Lots of wooden surfaces, glass surfaces, hard edges and square corners mean that there's no sound absorption. You can hear your partner if he or she is sitting next to you but you might have to speak louder than normal in order to make yourself heard by the staff.

That is a valid criticism that we have, so take it for what it's worth.

Butter lettuce salad with fines herbes and radishes.

Very lightly dressed. B loved it, even with the minute amounts of tarragon that were present in the vinaigrette.

Fried frogs' legs en aigre doux, with garlic and lemon.

Expertly fried, and greaseless. Great attention to detail.

It made me sit up and take notice - this is a place we should return to, for dinner.

Oeufs en meurette (eggs poached in red wine), with duck confit, spinach, mushrooms, potatoes and sauce au poivre.

Well-made, although the sauce was a tad oversalted.

Tarte au chocolat, mint sherbet, shortbread cookie.

Was perfect. Can't say much more than that.

Total bill came out to $114 ($57 per person). The restaurant adds a 20% surcharge which replaces the need to add a tip.

Background: Pumpkin miniature cheesecake
Foreground: Key lime tart

B Patisserie
2821 California Street (Divisadero Street)
Lower Pacific Heights

http://bpatisserie.com/

All that work took the better part of two days, and it was scarfed by our friends in a matter of hours. 

Hah!

I almost forgot - we made some lasagna carnevale last week.

For the Sunday sauce:

2 pork chops
2 lbs. ribs
1 lb. sweet Italian sausages
2 tbsp. lard
1 onion, peeled, trimmed and diced
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 cup red wine
4 28 oz. cans crushed San Marzano tomatoes
Italian parsley sprigs

For the meatballs:

1/2 lb. each organic/free-range ground beef and ground pork
1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
5 tbsp. minced flat-leaf parsley
3 cloves finely minced garlic
2 slices stale bread cut into cubes and soaked in milk
1 egg
vegetable oil (for frying the meatballs)

For the ricotta cream:

8 ounces ricotta cheese
two eggs
1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
sea salt
black pepper
2 tbsp. minced flat-leaf parsley
2 balls mozzarella cheese, diced

We ended up braising the meatballs in the sauce.

Served the pork chops, sausages and ribs for dinner

Polpette for the lasagna

Fried some sausages in lard

Stuffed the lasagna with chunks of sausage, some of the polpette and braised spareribs along with ricotta cream and mozzarella

Topped with ricotta cream and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and Sunday sauce

Finito