Thursday Taco Cravings

So it turns out that today, Thursday, is an amazing day for tacos. Eric and I have been suffering from taco cravings for at least the past three days, made several failed attempts to procure them, and finally decided to satiate our search today at not only one meal, but two! I got home from work to sadly discover that there were no tortillas to be found in the kitchen and rather than venture out into the noisy, overly-populated city, I decided to try my hand at hand-made corn tortillas, which turned out a little less than perfect, but when topped with smoked salmon and parsley were delicious nonetheless! I'm definitely determined to get those tortillas perfect... stay tuned for that! Yumm!!!

And then later, for dinner, we made the most delicious steak and corn salsa tacos that inspired every single taste bud in my tongue to tingle with delight and.. well.... the taco cravings are now gone!

Craving-Satiating Steak Tacos:

1 lb steak of your choice

Pinch of Cinnamon, Pimentòn, Cumin, Salt, and Pepper

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1/2 red onion, diced

1 stalk corn, steamed in it's stalk and the corn cut off

2 scallions, chopped

1 tomato, diced

1/4 fresh lime juice

1 Tbs cilantro

6 corn tortillas

1. Marinate the steak in the spices, garlic, and 1/4 cup of the onion (let it sit for at least 1 hour)

2. Make the salsa by combining the corn, 1/4 cup red onion, scallion, tomato,cilantro, and lime juice

3. Sear the steak and cook about 4-6 minutes on each side. Remove from heat when it's just under the desired done-ness and let rest for a few minutes

4. De-glaze the pan with water and add the marinating ingredients to the liquid while it reduces

5. Slice the steak and add back to the reduced sauce just to glaze

6. Cook the tortillas and add meat and salsa

Happy Eating!!!

Luv,

Andreya

Not that long ago, Eric and I found ourselves finished with the day's work and discovered a magnanimous void in the pit of our stomaches... What was that? we wondered. Could it be hunger? Yes, indeed! A mighty hunger so great that minstrels from near and far would sing of it's endless greed. There was but one solution, and being that it was so near the end of a very long day, we scrounged through the fridge and pantry to find, much to our joy, a zucchini, onion, tomato, parsley, fresh mozzarella, and same day-old baguette. Without much ado, we hastily sliced and diced our treasured objects, gingerly caramelized the onions, quickly sautéed the zucchini, and neatly dressed the tomato in balsamic vinaigrette. After the baguette came out of the oven all oozing and goozing with melted and browned mozzarella, we adorned its scrumptiousness with a crown of lovingly prepared veggies and feasted a meal so full of delicate and powerful flavor, that the mighty hinger void was satisfied and forever silenced... well... at least until the following morning.

Stomach-Void-Satisfying-Bruschetta:

Serves 2-4

1 day-old or toasted baguette cut in half lengthwise

1-2 balls fresh mozzarella, sliced

2-4 fresh tomatoes, diced

1 onion, sliced and caramelized

2 zucchini, diced and sautéed in extra virgin olive oil until just softened (1-2 minutes)

Freshly chopped Parsley to taste

Salt and Pepper to taste

2-3 Tbs Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling and the vinaigrette

1-2 tsp Balsalmic Vinaigre

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and then add the baguette topped with the mozzarella. Toast until the cheese is nicely browned

2. Put the cut tomatoes into a large bowl and coat with the vinaigrette (1:3 ratio Balsalmic to Olive oil)

3. Add the zucchini and caramelized onions and right before the bread comes out of the oven, toss together being sure to taste for seasoning

4. Once bread is removed from the oven , immediately add the chopped parsley and drizzle with olive oil. Cut into desired-sized pieces, and top with the veggie mix (be sure to use a slotted spoon for the veggies so that you don't end-up with a soupy mess).

5. Eat already!

Hope you enjoy!

Luv,

Dre

First Official Cooking Class: Bread and Tomatoes

Alison and I reviewing the menu and recipes for class

Last Friday, I hosted my very first official cooking class to my very first official student, Alison, and all I can say is that it was bliss! The menu was a bit over-ambitious, but Alison toughed it out like a champion and made some the most beautiful and tasty food I have ever experienced! The pièce de résistance was a completely made-from-scratch pizza topped with a sweet and spicy tomato sauce, Crimini mushrooms caramelized in Port, caramelized red onion, fresh mozzarella, and freshly-chopped Basil and Parsley all accompanied by a red and green leaf salad dressed in walnut-sherry vinaigrette (all crafted by my star pupil!). The lesson lasted nearly 4 hours, but by the end of the evening, we feasted like two queens and a king (Eric) and I can honestly say that I've never tasted food that touched my heart the way Alison's did. Thanks Alison, for letting me be a part of your journey through the kitchen and, hopefully, to a newly-found enjoyment in cooking.

Alison and her masterpiece!

Sweet & Spicy Tomato Sauce:

1 28oz can Fire Roasted Tomatoes, puree

1 red onion, minced

2-3 cloves of garlic, minced

2-3 pinched red pepper flakes

Pinch of cinnamon, freshly-grated nutmeg, cloves, and pimentòn

Salt and Pepper to taste

Extra Virgin olive Oil

2-3 Bay leaves

Fresh basil and parsley

1. Heat a large sauce pan, add olive oil to coat the bottom, then add the onion, pinch of salt, pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and red pepper flakes then mix together

2. Add garlic and another pinch of salt

3. Mix again and then let the onions sit for a few seconds until a brown syrupy-type liquid begins to form on the bottom of the pan

4. De-glaze with the puréed tomatoes, being sure to scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan

5. Add the bay leaves and a few stalks of the basil and parsley, cover, and let simmer for at minimum 1 hour, but the longer the better.

6. When done (should be a thick consistency), taste for seasoning and adjust (add more salt and pepper if needed) and add freshly-chopped basil and parsley to your liking.

Serve over pasta or as a pizza sauce.

Happy Learning, Cooking, and Eating!!!

Luv,

Andreya

Simply Green Dinner

Despite the rampant love affair with cooking and baking that consumes my nearly every thought, I sometimes just don't feel like getting out the pans and knives and tonight is one such night... the ideal night, in fact, for a simply green dinner! Perhaps not as greenly locavore as some might want, but an unmistakable green all the same. Behold What's-In-My-Fridge-Guacamole, Not-Yet-Stale Tortilla Chips, and yesterday's bottle of Kiona 2006 Lemburger- Yumm! Tired simplicity at it's tastiest!

Ingredients:

1 Ripe avocado, diced

1 small shallot, minced

1/2 freshly-squeezed lime juice

1 green onion, chopped

1 Tsp fresh cilantro, chopped

Salt and Pepper to taste

Preparation:

Throw it all into a bowl and crush with a fork to the desired consistency

Happy Eating you lazy slobs!

Luv,

Dre

A Stray in Loyalty...

Ravioli crafted by Pasteria Lucchese- my gracious and talented teachers!

A recent abundance of happy chance and patient teaching has lead me to the sacred world of Italian pasta-making. My teachers are a beautiful couple who can turn an ugly lump of flour and water into the finest silk that sinfully melts upon the tongue and I am slowly finding my heart swoon in a new direction... could it be that I am seriously contemplating a small stray in my loyal relationship with cooking to follow a newly-kindled passion for baking?

Moistly dry dough is coaxed into form; stuffed, shaped, and cut into supple sturdy packages of ravioli, plin, and cappellacci. Aromas of meaty unctuousness waft to the very core of my marrow, sending my skeleton to dance in the delights that are inspired by such simple... such basic... such essentially ancient flavors. It's as if my soul was born to shred and chew the delicate pillows, allow their contents to gently slide down the back of my throat, and humbly sustain my life for one day more.

I am in love. From slumber's first end, my hands yearn to press and turn that lumpy mass; to pour my heart's gladness and sorrows into its rough, round folds; to nurture it and mold it and listen in a way that involves no ears, only my fingertips for the moment when that beautiful dough will whisper to me "I am ready".

Baking, for me, began as a practice in patience, but has become a welcome obsession. Where will it lead? What will I learn? Who can say!?! But, if luck be on my side, then perhaps the journey will know no end and one day I will make a feast for family and friends that will begin with the simple tradition of water and grain.

Personal Rant- a Local One

Errrrght! Let's stop for a moment and switch gears. OK- a small rant: What's the deal with all of this locavore talk?!?! I mean, I'm one to support local farmers and producers as much as the next guy or gal, but ONLY SO LONG AS THE PRODUCT IS OF A QUALITY WORTH SUPPORTING! If local farmers want to make a go of it, I say, "power to you brother! But pretty please with raspberries on top, make it's taste blow my friggin' mind!" Thankfully, in Seattle, WA, this isn't an issue. Our farmers and chefs are producing a top quality-tasting product in addition to the local and organic qualities we hold oh, so dear. But what of those out there who are riding the coattails of the "local" Conga line? Personally, and I don't care if this does sound Republican, I prefer to eat food with flavors that bring me to my knees, even if that means eating food not grown locally!

We, as consumers, should absolutely not support producers for the sole reason that they are local, but rather, because their product is superior and, as a perk, they are also local! May I remind you all that human civilization was built on trade and "globalization"; this is no new concept to our way of being and Mr. Ford had a point about specialization. Whether or not that means we should eat Strawberries in January is another matter. Personally, I say eat what you like, try to eat in season, and for God's sake support products that taste of angel's kisses due to their flavor and not for where they are produced!

Either way, travelling foods will nearly never taste quite as good as ones produced locally anyway, but we should still demand a high quality from our producers all the same. I would rather eat better tasting food from Argentina, than mediocre-tasting food from Washington state!

Scratch March

Hello all!

March was supposed to be dedicated to a story of attempted vegetarianism composed by Eric and myself, but alas, due to a calamity of hectic events that have thus taken over this month, I have decided to postpone Vegetarian March to Vegetarian April. Being vegetarian has proven to be more difficult to manage than anticipated and, as I am not as organized as one would hope, will dedicate myself to unearthing the stories behind what it means to be vegetarian and return in April with a series of tantalizing foodietales just for you!

I do, however, refuse to leave you entirely empty-stomached and amidst the chaos, was able to make one delectable vegetarian meal showcasing a most garlicky and scrumptious home-made hummus accompanied by whole grain bread, apple, olive oil, and red pepper. Not earth-shattering by any means, but, in the infamous words of Colonel Sanders, "finger lickin' good!" all the same.

1 can drained chickpeas (or about 15 oz of dried chickpeas soaked overnight, then added to double the amount of boiling water, then reduce heat and simmer for 2 hours with a bay leaf)

3-4 Tbs cumin seeds dry toasted in a pan

1-3 cloves garlic

pinch saffron infused in 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

handfull of chopped parsley

1-2 Tbs pimentón (Spanish smoked paprika)

Juice of 1/2 a lemon

salt and pepper to taste

1. Add garlic, cumin seeds, and pinch of salt to a food processor. Pulse until well chopped (Use mortar and pestle if you don't have a food processor)

2. Add the drained and rinsed chickpeas, turn the food processor on and add the saffron-infused olive oil

3. Add the lemon juice and additional olive oil until you have a semi-smooth paste-like consistency

4. Arrange on a plate, making a little well around the edges and a hummus mountain in the middle

5. Sprinkle with pimentón, parsley, and olive oil so that it makes a little mote around the mountain

Happy eating and until April!

-Andreya