Steamed Artichokes with Dijon Vinaigrette

Most people look at an artichoke and think: "What do I do with this?" But artichokes only look intimidating, they're actually easy to prepare once you know how. Originally from the Mediterranean, artichokes have a history that dates back to Roman times. There are countless cultivated varieties, especially in Italy, where artichokes are enjoyed in many different preparations including raw salads, stuffed and baked, steamed, grilled, etc. In the States we have just two varieties: the large globe and small baby. The simplest way to prepare artichokes is steaming. Not only is it easy to do, the method also retains the subtle flavors that make artichokes so revered.

Artichokes make a fun party food since they require a hands-on approach. Each leaf is removed one by one and nibbled on. Once all the leaves have been removed, and the choke has been scraped away, only the heart remains. The heart and the stem have the most flavor. The leaves are not entirely edible, so you need to use your teeth to scrape the bit of flesh from each leaf. Typically steamed artichokes are served with melted butter or hollandaise, but I like to dip into Dijon vinaigrette, which is much lighter. Serve steamed artichokes as an appetizer for any occasion.




Now is a good time to buy artichokes since production is at its height in spring into summer. California supplies all of the United States. You can find artichokes at most supermarkets. Look for beautiful bright green globes with tight leaves and few blemishes. The stem is a good indicator of freshness: If it's extremely dry, the artichoke is not fresh. When you get them home, it's best to cook the artichokes within a day or two. Keep them in a plastic bag with a spritz of water until ready to cook.

Steamed Artichokes with Dijon Vinaigrette

for the Dijon vinaigrette:
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons white-wine vinegar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
fine sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

for the steamed artichokes:
3 large globe artichokes
1 lemon
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 tablespoon coarse salt

To make the vinaigrette: Combine mustard, vinegar, lemon juice, and olive oil in a medium bowl. Whisk until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper.

Prepare a bowl of acidulated water: Squeeze half a lemon into a large bowl of cool water.

To prepare artichokes: Cut about 1 inch from the top of each artichoke. Using kitchen shears, trim the thorny leaves. Cut off the stem and trim the base so the artichoke sits flat. Don't discard the stems, trim using a knife or vegetable peeler. While preparing the artichokes, rub them all over with the lemon half and add to the bowl of acidulated water until ready to cook.

Fill a large pot with about 2 inches of water. Add the bay leaf, peppercorns, and salt. Squeeze in the remaining lemon half. Fit the pot with a steamer basket or rack. Bring to a boil. Add the artichokes and their stems. Cover and lower to a simmer. Cook until the artichokes are tender when the centers are pierced with a knife, about 25 minutes. Remove artichokes to a platter and serve with individual dipping bowls of vinaigrette. Yield: 4 to 6 servings as an appetizer.

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Incanto

I've been a fan of nose-to-tail dining for quite some time, but I haven't actually eaten true offal cuisine. After booking my March trip to San Francisco, the first thing I did was make a reservation to Incanto, the mecca of offal (animal innards) cuisine. Chef Chris Cosentino uses meat, particularly pork, as his muse. He creates amazing cured meats at his shop Boccalone in the Ferry Building Marketplace and serves rustic Italian cuisine with at his restaurant Incanto, where the menu changes daily. If you haven't heard of Chris, you've probably seen him on the Food Network, running around with fellow chef Aarón Sanchez on Chefs vs. City. If you're prepared to try offal, Chris's restaurant is the best place to start.

Located in the Mission District of San Francisco, Incanto looks like any another unassuming restaurant. The only indications of what may be beyond the door are the little grinning piggy sculptures above the windows. The restaurant has the feel of an Italian farmhouse with walls adorned with butchering equipment: saws, cleavers, and knives. An archway splits the space into two, one side is the bar and the other, the dining room. The wine room and the kitchen are just toward the back. Fellow blogger Amy Sherman of Cooking with Amy joined me for a wonderful dinner that was offal-y good!

For our appetizers, we divided our attention among three plates. First, marinated sardines were served with thinly shaved watermelon radish and citrusy sorrel leaves. The fish was buttery and flavorful and was a nice introduction for me to the bay area's famous sardines. Next we enjoyed thin slices of Boccalone Ibérico lardo over sliced Nakita pear and mint leaves. The lardo simply melted in the mouth like butter. The salad was a true play in textures with the crisp pear and ruffly mint leaves. Our warm appetizer consisted of foie gras with pig's trotters topped with citrus marmalade. Unctuous—a word I seldom use—is the only way for me to describe the dish. The marmalade really worked well to cut through the over-the-top richness.

Not surprisingly, the menu has a lot off unusual offal offerings, beyond the expected, including tuna heart, tripe, and calf's kidney. To keep to the Italian tradition of having pasta or rice as a primi (first course), we chose to try the Sardinian cured tuna heart over spaghettini with egg yolk. The pasta dish looked like a bird's nest with a glistening yolk in the center. We were instructed to mix it together before eating. The result looked a lot like spaghetti carbonara. The cured tuna heart is not like you might imagine. It isn't a whole heart on the plate, but a cured heart, shaved to create flakes. What does it taste like? The consensus was kalamata olives. On a blind tasting, I would not have been able to say: "Yes, that's cured tuna heart."

I couldn't do it. I couldn't order the calf's kidney. First, it's kidney, and second, it's from a calf. For some reason I just do not like eating veal, so calf's kidney was out. Instead we chose the classic duck confit, which came with spring roots and flowers. Some giblets also made it onto the plate. The dish was poured over with a very subtle tasting Meyer lemon broth. I found the duck itself to be somewhat bland and undersalted, but we did eat it after having the other main course of the very flavorful octopus. The pulpo inzimino consisted of stuffed baby octopus served in its own ink along with cavolo nero (black kale) and a topping of aioli. To my surprise, the dish was amazing. The flavors were powerful and the octopus was tender though unsightly. It was probably my favorite dish of the night.

By now you know my rule: I don't leave any restaurant without trying dessert even if there's barely any room left. Both Amy and I were filled to the brim and were packing doggie bags. But I convinced Amy we should try a dessert—or two. At Ubuntu, I ordered the entire dessert menu, but here I had to limit myself. There was just no room! First we had the pink peppercorn panna cotta with stewed cherries. I love panna cotta, so this dessert was a must. The pink peppercorns added fruitiness and sharpness to the creamy dessert. The cherries were nice, but I craved fresh fruit instead. The second dessert was a simple chocolate pudding, which I unfortunately found to be very stiff and chalky in taste. Each of us could only stomach a few spoonfuls of dessert before setting out.

Inacnto was a great and gluttonous experience. I surely could only do a restaurant like that once or twice a year. Both Amy and I had fun talking about the food world and reality TV. Surprisingly the Voltaggio brothers of Top Chef fame were also diners that evening, sitting sulkily in the corner. Chef Cosentino had been checking on their table all night, before it dawned on us that the diners were indeed Michael and Brian. If I'm ever in San Francisco again, I'd love to dine on an entire pig at Incanto, but I'd have to gather a crowd of people to help me finish it all. I highly recommend sharing pretty much all the plates at the restaurant. It offers a chance for everyone at the table to taste the unique food and it also lessens the need to finish everything yourself.

Visit Chris's Web site, Offal Good to learn more about chef Chris and his passion for offal.

Incanto
1550 Church Street
San Francisco, CA 94131
415-641-4500
Open Wednesday through Saturday from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday and Monday from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Closed Tuesday.
Appetizers range in price from $4 to $17 and entrées from $23 to $25.

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Ferry Building Marketplace

Every city has its famous market building and San Francisco is no exception. On my trip to the city by the bay last month I couldn't help but visit the Ferry Building Marketplace, a collection of shops and restaurants all housed under one roof. The Ferry Building began in 1898 as a hub for ferries crossing the bay before the bridges existed. During the 1950s it had fallen into neglect, but in 2003 a thorough renovation was completed and the once derelict building was reborn as the modern market it is today. With more than 35 shops, there are plenty of places to visit for buying gifts, eating lunch, or picking up a number of foodstuffs.

What better time to visit the marketplace than on an a rainy day in the bay. On my first day in San Francisco, we stopped at the Ferry Building to take refuge from the terrible rain that was very unusual for March. The marketplace is almost always crowded, and on a rainy day that is especially true. For me it was hard to stay away, I ended up returning to the Ferry Building two more times during my stay in San Francisco—to buy gifts and to have lunch at the Oyster Bar. There are so many things to eat and do, that one day just doesn't seem to be enough, especially for a foodie like me.

From olive oil to chocolate, you'll find a little bit of everything here. The famous Blue Bottle Coffee Company has an outpost here. They specialize in organic coffee that is roasted in small batches to ensure freshness and best flavor. I picked up their popular Bella Donovan blend. Miette patisserie features all types of Parisian confections including macaroons, eclairs, and cupcakes. Acme Bread has its only San Francisco outpost here at the marketplace. Founded by Steve Sullivan in Berkeley, Acme bread features a full selection of artisan breads made of organic flours. Since San Francisco is famous for sourdough, I couldn't help but buy a small loaf of the most crusty and sour bread I've ever tasted.

Did someone say cheese? Cowgirl Creamery has mountains of cheese wheels on display. I wish I could have tasted all of them. They sell both their own cheese, produced in Point Reyes, and cheeses from around the country and France. Boccalone is a salumeria owned by Chris Cosentino and Mark Pastore of Incanto restaurant. Here the tag line says it all: "tasty salted pig parts." They offer more than twenty house-made cured meats, but if you can't make a choice, try a selection of their best, go for the mixed salumi cone, which I couldn't resist. I love mushrooms, and there's no better place to buy a number of varieties than Far West Funghi. The shop offers both cultivated and wild mushrooms in every form imaginable: dried, fresh, on the log, spawn plugs, etc. The truffles looked tempting, but unfortunately they were beyond my budget.

Stopping for lunch at the Ferry Building is a treat, there is so much to choose from, including classic Bistro food and Vietnamese cuisine. But since I had promised myself not to leave the West coast without trying pacific oysters, I made sure to have lunch at Hog Island Oyster Company. Here the oysters are definitely the star of the menu. Sit around the u-shaped bar and watch the oyster get shucked. Try the oysters raw, baked, or in chowder, but having them raw is a must. Their briny flavor comes through the best without any mignonette sauce, hot sauce, or squeeze of lemon. Makes sure to try the Hog Island oysters, which are from the company's Tomales Bay farm.

For everyone who loves the farmers' market, there's a wonderful one at the Ferry Building every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. The Saturday market is the largest with stalls in front of the building and in the rear. On Thursdays you will find stands selling foods like pizzas, grilled meats, sandwiches, and tacos. I happened to visit on a Tuesday, so the market was much smaller, but the offerings were still beautiful. Citrus fruits including lemons and oranges were in abundance. Bouquets of ranunculus were placed right next to piles of bright orange carrots. I saw the first signs of spring with ruby red strawberries and succulent asparagus. I would have loved to take home one of everything.

To all the cities I have been and all the markets I have visited, the Ferry Building Marketplace has made my list for best city markets. The market not only calls many tourists to its shops, but you will easily find locals stopping for a quick lunch or showing up after work for happy hour. It's a real gathering place for everyone. If you're in San Francisco, make sure to put the Ferry Building on the top of your must-see list. Stop by on a farmers' market day and mingle with the locals. Have lunch at one of the many restaurants and pick up some gifts for your friends—or for yourself.

Ferry Building Marketplace
One Ferry Building
San Francisco, CA 94111
415-983-8030
Marketplace open Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Farmers' Market open Tuesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

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Split Pea Soup

The day after Easter I always find myself with a huge pot of leftover ham stock. In my family we traditionally eat boiled ham and eggs for the holiday. It's a very simple meal that I look forward to every year. I love hard-boiled eggs, so Easter has always been a favorite time of year, because I get to eat all the foods I love, including chocolate. But what to do with all the leftover ham stock? My mom typically makes ham and bean soup, but in the past few years I've started my own tradition of making ham and split pea soup.

Since we're already enjoying spring with the suddenly warm weather, it might seem out of place to be making soup. But actually this in-between brisk weather has me craving a soup like this. Fresh peas will be in season soon, but until then split peas are a wonderful substitute. The ham stock is immensely flavorful and works well in this soup. You could also use chicken or vegetable stock. If you have leftover ham, cube it and add it to the soup near the end of cooking time. Enjoy this Easter leftover soup!

Split Pea Soup

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 medium carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 pound split peas, picked through and rinsed
10 cups ham stock
1 bay leaf
fine sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

Warm oil in a large pot set over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic; cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add carrots and celery; cook until almost browned, about 15 minutes. Add split peas, stock, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until split peas are tender, about 35 minutes. Check seasoning. Remove bay leaf and serve. Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

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Meyer Lemon Bars with Coconut-Graham Cracker Crust

Easter isn't complete without eggs, be it chocolate eggs, plastic eggs, or desserts made with eggs. Eggs are popular around Easter time, not just because it's what the Easter bunny delivers, but also because of it's religious symbolism. The sunny yolks just look so vivid, that they alone can fill the holiday with the promise of new beginnings. Braided breads and yellow cakes made with eggs are traditional but for something even sunnier and sweeter, these lemon bars really make a beautiful dessert for Easter.

I've had many good and bad lemon bars, but the best I've ever had were at Baked Bakery in Brooklyn. About five years ago, I made my first pilgrimage to this exceptional bakery. I still remember my first taste of the lemon-lime bars I had that day. I never forgot them and knew immediately one day I would try making them myself. When Baked came out with their first book, I was overjoyed to have the recipe. Here I adapt it to use Meyer lemons, which lend more sweetness and flavor than regular lemons.



Believed to be a cross between a mandarin orange and standard lemon, the golden-hued Meyer lemon is revered for its fragrance and flavor. Their mellower, less acidic taste makes them very appealing in many dishes, both sweet and savory. The popularity of Meyer lemons have surged over the past years from features in magazines and other media. But only lately have I started to see them in farmers' markets but not necessarily supermarkets. They are somewhat difficult to find, but specialty grocers do carry them. I was in luck, though, when I found them for a great price at my local Trader Joe's. I knew immediately then that I'd be making my favorite dessert of lemon bars.

Meyer Lemon Bars with Coconut-Graham Cracker Crust

Adapted from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking.

for the coconut-graham cracker crust:
1 cup shredded coconut
2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 16 crackers)
2 tablespoons light-brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
cooking spray

for the Meyer lemon curd filling:
11 large egg yolks
3 large eggs
1-3/4 cups granulated sugar
pinch of salt
1/2 cup lemon juice plus 1/4 cup zest (about 6 Meyer lemons)
3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup heavy cream

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Add the coconut to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped. Spread coconut on sheet pan and toast until pale and golden, about 7 to 10 minutes, tossing periodically. Watch carefully as coconut will burn if left unattended.

Spray a 9-by-13-by-2-inch pan with a removable bottom with cooking spray. Line just the bottom with parchment and spray again.

Add toasted coconut to a large bowl with cracker crumbs and sugar. Toss to combine. Drizzle in butter and mix thoroughly to moisten crumbs. Press the crumbs into the prepared pan using your hands or a spatula, pressing up the sides about an inch. Chill crust for 15 minutes. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool.

Increase oven temperature to 325 degrees F.

In a large bowl, whisk together egg yolks, whole eggs, sugar, salt, and lemon juice and zest. Place bowl over a pot of simmering water. Whisk mixture continuously for 10 minutes until thick. Temperature of mixture should reach 180 degrees F. Off the heat, whisk in butter, a tablespoon at a time, until incorporated. Whisk in cream. Pour mixture through a fine sieve over the crust, pressing through with a spatula. Spread mixture evenly in pan and rap a few times to release any air bubbles. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Surface should look set.

Let bars cool completely, then chill, uncovered, for at least 2 hours or, covered, overnight. Remove from pan by placing over a small bowl to help release the bottom from sides. A large spatula can be used to carefully slide it onto a cutting board. Use a sharp knife to cut into bars. Wipe knife clean after every slice. Yield: 16 bars.

Storage Note: Bars keep for up to 2 days in the refrigerator. To store, return bars to pan, cover with a long sheet of paper towel and then plastic wrap. Use binder clips to secure. The paper towel will absorb any moisture and prevent condensation from forming on the bars.

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Lamb Tagine with Prunes and Preserved Lemons

From Asia and the Middle East to Africa, Europe, and back, spices have traveled far to find their place in the cuisines of many nations. But there's something very special about the flavors used in Moroccan food. Even though individually the spices seem similar to ones used in other cuisines, Indian per se, it's the unique blend that makes them so distinctively Moroccan. Arabic, Mediterranean, Moorish, and nomadic African cultures have had a great influence on the food culture of Morocco. And the ancient spice trade profoundly effected the play with flavors, contributing to how we recognize Moroccan cuisine today.

The need for preservation led to the liberal use of spices and the techniques of drying, salting, pickling, and fermenting. It's quite common to find dried or preserved fruits in many Moroccan dishes. This slowly braised lamb tagine features dried prunes and preserved lemons. Dried dates, apricots, and raisins are also very common. Lemons, preserved in salt, are used in a variety of dishes for adding citrus flavor or as a condiment. The tart/bitter lemon flavor truly brings out the savoriness of meats, particularly lamb. Instead of the usual roast lamb for Easter, how about a Moroccan tagine?

Tagine, named after the vessel the stew is cooked in, is pretty much the nationally recognized dish of Morocco next to couscous. It can be made with almost any meat and even seafood. The clay cooking vessel has two parts, a bowl-like pan and a conical lid, sometimes with a small vent hole. Cooking in a tagine produces the most succulent meat because the dome top locks in moisture by allowing condensation to recirculate and help along the cooking process. The meat ends up being so tender that it just about falls apart when pressed with a fork. There's really no better stew than a Moroccan tagine.

I cook this dish in a traditional glazed earthenware tagine, which I have seasoned first. To do so, soak the tagine overnight in water and dry thoroughly. If the tagine is unglazed, rub it inside and out with olive oil. Place it in the oven, turn it to 300 degrees F., and cure for 2 hours. Let it cool completely in the oven before using. This procedure ensures the tagine won't crack. When cooking on the stove-top, use a heat diffuser under the tagine to ensure even heat distribution. It's another step in safeguarding the vessel from cracking. For stove-top cooking, bring the heat gradually to medium. Do not use the tagine on high heat. Some cookware manufacturers make tagines with cast-iron bottoms, which work well with high-heat. But in keeping with tradition, I prefer a clay tagine.

Lamb Tagine with Prunes and Preserved Lemons

Note: Instead of a tagine, a small Dutch oven or braiser can be used.

2-1/2 pounds boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 1-1/2-inch chunks
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground ginger
6 cilantro sprigs
6 parsley sprigs
fine sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes with juice
1-1/2 cups vegetable stock or water
pinch of saffron
12 pitted prunes
1 preserved lemon (4 quarters), rinsed, pulp discarded, thinly sliced
steamed couscous, for serving
toasted slivered almonds, for garnish
cilantro sprigs, for garnish

Add lamb to a large resealable plastic bag. Combine spices and pour over lamb, seal bag, and shake until lamb is coated in mixture. Let marinate in refrigerator overnight or for at least 1 hour. Let lamb rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before cooking.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare the bouquet garni by combining cilantro and parsley sprigs on a square piece of cheesecloth. Bring corners together and tie securely with kitchen twine.

Heat a seasoned 13-inch tagine, with a heat diffuser, over medium heat. Drizzle a thin layer of olive oil in the bottom. Season the marinated lamb chunks with salt and pepper. Sear in batches until brown all over. Refresh oil as needed. Remove to a plate.

Add onion and a pinch of salt and saute, scraping up any brown bits, until soft and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes with their juice and bouquet garni. Add back seared lamb. Cover with stock. Crumble in saffron and season with salt and pepper. Slowly bring liquid to a simmer. Cover with lid and place in oven for 3 hours. Half way through cooking time, check to make sure lamb is still covered by liquid. Additional stock can be added. Add prunes and preserved lemon slices 20 minutes toward end of cooking time. Check seasoning. Serve over couscous and top with toasted almonds and cilantro. Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

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Flourless Chocolate Cake

Most everyone loves chocolate cake. It's just one of those classic desserts that no one can refuse. A good chocolate cake is moist and tender, sweet but not saccharine, and very chocolaty, of course. Melted chocolate—not cocoa powder—separates an excellent chocolate cake from a mediocre one. The best quality chocolate will always yield excellent results. But what about a chocolate cake made without flour? You would think it would be horrible. But it actually works, with just two ingredients: chocolate and eggs.

The best way to describe it would be to call it a baked mousse, because basically that's what it is. Melted chocolate is first combined with a mixture of beaten egg yolks and sugar, then egg whites are folded in. I choose to flavor this cake with instant espresso powder and vanilla, both of which help heighten the chocolate flavor. The final product is a dense yet moist and tender cake just right for chocolate lovers. It also makes a great dessert for Passover since there's no flour at all.

This cake falls purposely so there's no need to think you've failed as a baker. If you have an oven with a window, keep an eye on the cake and watch it rise, then watch the surface crack. Just don't open the door too much. As the cake cools, the interior collapses somewhat and the crusty top breaks into shards. Enjoy the cake warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream on the side.



Flourless Chocolate Cake

cooking spray
8 large eggs, separated
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 pound semisweet chocolate, chopped or chips
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter or margarine
1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Line the bottom with a parchment paper round and the sides with a collar. Spray again.

In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Transfer to another bowl.

Wipe mixer bowl and whisk clean. Beat egg yolks until pale and frothy. Add sugar gradually and continue to whisk until mixture is pale and ribbony.

In a large heat-proof bowl set over a pot of simmering water, melt chocolate and butter. Add espresso powder and salt and stir to combine. Once chocolate has cooled slightly, stir in vanilla. Add the egg yolk mixture, a little at a time, mixing to incorporate. Fold in the egg whites in thirds until no streaks remain. Pour mixture into prepared pan and bake until a skewer inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs, about 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool slightly before removing springform. Dust with confectioners' sugar and serve warm or at room temperature. Yield: 8 to 10 slices.

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Braised Short Ribs with Horseradish-Potato Mash

Even though spring is officially here, I'm still craving comfort foods, like stews and braised meats. Since cold weather isn't a prerequisite for braising, this past weekend I braised short ribs. After a low, slow braise, the meat turns buttery, soft and absolutely tender enough to cut into with a fork. With Passover and Easter just around the corner, a braised meal is just right for a holiday dinner with family. Instead of the more typical brisket for Passover, why not bring braised short ribs to the Seder table?

Every year around this time, I love to enjoy Passover foods even if I'm not Jewish. (I am still waiting for someone to invite me over for Passover.) I love matzo ball soup and can't get enough of chocolate-covered jelly rings, which I add to my homemade sorbet. But I'm in love with short ribs. It's definitely still popular—I saw it on the menu at Orson restaurant when I was in San Francisco last month. A meal of short ribs is literally a stick-to-your ribs kind of food. So, no, I wouldn't eat it every day, but on special occasion, why not?

For this recipe I use English cut short ribs, which are ribs cut to short lengths. Previously I've used flanken-style, which are ribs cut crosswise. With English cut, you end up with beautiful large rectangular chunks of meat, and if you so like, leave them with the ribs attached for that Flintstone's look. It makes an impressive dinner. This recipes isn't hard to prepare. It just takes time to cook. Start it in the morning to have it ready for dinner. Or Make it whenever, and refrigerate. It's just as good—if not better—rewarmed the next day.

Braised Short Ribs

3 sprigs rosemary
3 sprigs thyme
2 bay leaves
8 beef short ribs (about 4 to 5 pounds), trimmed of surplus fat
olive oil
fine sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
flour
3 large white onions, coarsely chopped
1 head garlic, cloves separated
4 large carrots, cut into 1-1/2-inch lengths
4 stalks celery, cut into 1-1/2-inch lengths
1 750-ml bottle dry red wine
Horseradish-Potato Mash, recipe follows
chopped parsley, for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare the bouquet garni by combining bay leaf, rosemary, and thyme on a square of cheesecloth. Bring corners together and tie securely with kitchen twine.

Warm a thin layer of oil oil in a 6-quart Dutch oven set over medium heat. Liberally season ribs with salt and pepper. Dust with flour. Once oil is hot, sear ribs in two batches, until all sides are brown. Remove ribs to a plate.

Add onions and a large pinch of salt. Saute, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the casserole, until onions are translucent and have released their moisture. Add garlic, carrots, celery, and bouquet garni. Nestle ribs back among vegetables. Pour over with wine. If needed, top off with water to make sure contents are covered with liquid. Bring to a boil. Cover casserole and place in oven for 3 hours.

Remove ribs and carrots to a platter. Discard the bouquet garni. Strain the remaining vegetables over a large saucepan. Let the fat rise to the surface of the sauce and skim with a ladle. Alternatively, pour into a fat separator. Discard the fat. Using the back of the ladle, press the vegetables through the strainer into the sauce until pureed. Discard the remaining pulp. Stir the sauce to combine and check seasoning. Set over medium heat to reduce slightly. Return the ribs and the carrots to the sauce and rewarm. Serve over horseradish-potato mash. Garnish with parsley. Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

Horseradish-Potato Mash

fine sea salt
4 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/2 cup freshly grated horseradish
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, cut into pieces
1-1/2 cups milk, warmed

Boil potatoes in a pot of liberally salted water until knife tender, about 10 minutes.

Using a potato ricer or food mill, press potatoes into a large bowl. Stir in horseradish. Add butter, a little at a time, stirring until melted. Add milk, a little at a time, until absorbed. Check seasoning. Serve immediately. Yield: 6 servings.

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Chicken Scaloppine

Italian food isn't just all about pasta and tomato sauce. Much of it is simple and rustic home-style cooking, like simple sautes and slow braises. The recipes I like the most are both simple and elegant, such as scaloppine, which involves cooking thin pieces of meat. All that the word scaloppine means is thin piece of meat. Veal or chicken are commonly used in classic recipes. The meat is breaded, fried, and then served in a sauce, such as a piccata, which features white wine, capers, and lemon.

What's great about a recipe like scaloppine is that it's great for dinner for two or a large family gathering. It's a perfect dish for a quick weeknight meal because it's fast and easy. I update the classic recipe by replacing the breading with just Wondra flour. The low-protein flour creates a brown exterior that's light and just thin enough so as not to get soggy. Plus I don't add the chicken to the sauce. This way the coating stays crisp as long as possible. Simply serve the sauce spooned over the chicken and enjoy it right away.

Chicken Scaloppine

olive oil
1 garlic clove
1 cup dry white wine
4 thin lemon slices
1 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup Wondra flour
fine sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 chicken breasts (tenderloins removed), pounded 1/2-inch thin
2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Warm 1 tablespoon oil in a saute pan set over medium heat. Add garlic and saute until fragrant but not brown, about 3 minutes. Pour in wine. Add lemon slices. Raise heat and simmer until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Pour in stock and simmer until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Season with salt. Off from heat, stir in butter until emulsified.

Meanwhile, season flour with salt and pepper. Dust chicken with flour.

Warm a thin layer of oil in a nonstick skillet set over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook 3 to 4 minutes per side until cooked through and no longer pink. Plate chicken and spoon over with sauce and lemon slices. Garnish with parsley.

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Chez Panisse

Organic, seasonal, sustainability, locavorism—these are some words that are heavily thrown around in the food world. The power of their meaning might be lost to us now, but forty years ago these were the philosophies that founded Chez Panisse. Alice Waters is the mother of it all, the doyenne of slow food, and a great chef on top of it. Her restaurant has been dishing out simple and rustic food since 1971, long before organic became trendy. It's difficult to name even a handful of restaurants that have been around for that long. Chez Panisse is the Mecca of Alice Waters' brand of slow, organic, local food.

The restaurant places emphasis on subtlety, simpleness, clean taste, and plainly beautiful food. On my recent trip to San Francisco, I spent much of my time in Berkeley, staying with a friend who lives just a street or two away from the restaurant. A group of us had a wonderful dinner in the upstairs cafe, which has the more affordable à la carte menu than the ground floor dining room's prix fixe. The menu that night was inspired by Julia Child. I couldn't have chosen a better night—reserved a month in advance, of course.

From outside and within, the restaurant has a very rustic feel. We were seated in a booth right alongside the cafe's open kitchen, which features a wood-burning oven and charcoal grill. It was wonderful to witness the chefs and crew preparing meals out in the open. Much of the dishes are prepared in the oven, which adds superb flavor to simple preparations.

That night the menu had a great selection of salads, all featuring seasonal produce. The cardoons with sunchokes and anchovy salad was robustly flavored and the anchovy was a nice touch without being overtly fishy. I was surely seeing a trend or an overabundance in sunchokes, because I saw it on the menus of every restaurant I visited in the bay area. Other salads ordered included a frisée with smoked bacon and crumbled egg--I presume a new take on the classic salad Lyonnaise. And the arugula salad with beets and grated celeriac was especially refreshing. It was a very nice way to combine winter root vegetables with spring greens.

All the options for mains looked fantastic, and since there was a number of us, we all ordered different dishes so we would be able to try almost all. The pasta dish was such a humble-looking plate of my favorite pasta shape, gemelli. Instead of standard basil pesto, it was coated in arugula pesto. Dollops of ricotta cheese and sun-dried tomatoes dotted the dish. The halibut fillet was simply one of the best cooked I've had in a long time. The chervil butter added a nice herbal flavor without being as heavy as sauce might be. Green asparagus and baby potatoes made a nice complementary side. The shrimp entree featured Louisiana gulf shrimp. This was probably the only item on the menu that was not local. I'm glad the restaurant is supporting the community there. I hope more restaurants would do the same. Served over spinach and artichokes with gaufrette (waffle) fries and aioli for dipping, the shrimp dish was an excellent compilation of components. The oven-roasted quail was a little masterpiece: a tender gamebird cooked to perfection. The salad of escarole and radicchio was nice as was the crostini, but it seemed out of place paired with this dish. I would have expected roasted potatoes tossed in herbs as a better side.

My philosophy is: dinner isn't complete without dessert. And how can you leave a restaurant like Chez Panisse without having dessert, especially on Julia Child night? The floating islands were a spectacular representation of a classic French dessert, Ile flottante. Here two cloud-like orbs of meringue floated in a pool of vanilla bean custard. Mandarin segments peaked out from under the eggy abyss and citrus caramel splatters along with almond flakes dotted the surface. The next dessert was a simple but excellent coffee ice cream with chocolate sauce. A cocoa nib meringue cookie rounded out this chocolate lover's dream. The final dessert, and in my opinion the pièce de résistance of the evening was the Pink Lady apple and sour cherry tart. The pastry was delicate and crumbly and the fruit perfect. A scoop of nocino (walnut liqueur) ice cream sat on the sideline, but whipped cream or no accompaniment at all would have been just as fine. The tart was simply the star.

For a first-timer to the bay area, like myself, I can't think of a better place to start than Chez Panisse. The restaurant follows what it has set out to do. The food is simple, but it's created artfully and thoughtfully with high regard for quality of ingredient and execution. I am more than happy to have had the experience of dining at Chez Panisse and can't wait to go back again.

Chez Panisse
1517 Shattuck Avenue
Berkeley, CA 94709
510-548-5049
Café, open for dinner, Monday through Thursday 5 to 10:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday 5 to 11:30 p.m. Open for lunch, Monday through Thursday 11:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.,
Friday and Saturday 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Closed Sunday.
Prices range from $8 to $28.

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Lemon and Brown Butter Madeleines

Cookies and tea are a classic pairing, made only more special by the type of cookie served. Many like buttery shortbread or crisp tea crackers, but I like delicate tea cakes. Madeleines, originating from Commercy, France, are the quintessential tea cake—they aren't after all cookies. Baked in scalloped shell molds, the tiny cakes plump up, creating a hump on top. When viewed from the side, they almost look like mini submarines. These are the best confections to enjoy with afternoon tea.

Marcel Proust popularized madeleines by writing about them in volume 1 of his novel Remembrance of Things Past. The tea cake has been a part of tea-drinking culture in western Europe ever since. Made from an airy spongecake-like batter, the petite cakes are delicate, soft, fluffy, and, well, cake-like. Biting into one is probably as close as anyone will come to biting into a cloud. It's easy to buy madeleines from the bakery or Starbucks on the corner, but it's quite successful to make them at home following this recipe.

Patience is the best virtue to have when baking madeleines. I should know after testing many batches before settling for nothing but the best version of the classic recipe. Beating the eggs until frothy and pale creates the sponge-like structure. Chilling the batter and the pan before baking helps create a more vigorous rise. Traditionally there is no baking powder in madeleines, so this recipe also has none. The success of the madeleines depends on the eggs and the careful following of the steps. Once baked, the bottom should be brown, the top, yellow and soft, and the edges, crisp. They are the best just warm out of the oven. Or keep them for a day or two in a sealed container.



Lemon and Brown Butter Madeleines

Note: This recipe can easily be doubled. Use 2 madeleine pans. Or bake in two batches. If doing so, the pan should be cleaned and buttered, floured, and frozen again. The second batch may not rise as high as the first.

1/4 cup unsalted butter, plus 1 tablespoon for pan
2 large eggs at room temperature
1/3 cup granulated sugar
pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1/2 cup cake flour, plus more for pan
confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Melt 1/4 cup butter in a small saucepan over low heat until it starts to turn brown. Set aside to cool. Strain to remove large solids.

In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the eggs until frothy. Add sugar gradually and continue to whisk until mixture is pale and ribbony. Stir in salt, vanilla, honey, and lemon zest. By hand, fold in the flour in three additions. Pour in brown butter and gently mix into the batter. Chill batter for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Liberally butter a madeleine pan with 1 tablespoon softened butter. Dust with flour and tap out the excess. Freeze pan for about 5 minutes or until ready to bake.

Spoon batter by the tablespoonful into each impression in the pan. Bake until golden brown and just crispy around the edges, about 9 minutes. The cakes should spring back when touched. Loosen each with the tip of a knife and immediately turn out onto a cooling rack. Serve warm, dusted with confectioners' sugar. Yield: 12 madeleines.

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