Zucchini & Herb Frittata

Good morning. Did you sleep well lastnight?

I have a treat for you in honor of my love for the weekend breakfast.
This dish is somewhere between a moist frittata and a light souffle. You won't believe how easy it is to make and it is great for a brunch or lunch meal for a large group of people. The frittata can easily be made a day ahead as well and warmed in the oven when you are ready to eat.

Note: This dish can also be made with 4 cups of fresh spinach OR 2.5 cups of artichoke pieces instead of the zucchini...

INGREDIENTS:

* 3 cups shredded zucchini (about 4 medium sized ones)
* 1 large onion, chopped
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 3 Tbsp. smart balance (or butter, if you prefer)
* 4 egg beaters (or 6 egg whites or 4 eggs, if you prefer)
* 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
* 1/2 cup grated monterey jack cheese (or mozzarella)
* 1/2 tsp. salt
* 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
* 1/4 cup freshly chopped parsley
* 1 Tbsp. freshly chopped basil
* 2 Tbsp. freshly chopped chives (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

* Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
* In a skillet on medium heat, melt the smart balance (or butter) and saute the onion and garlic until tender and add zucchini shreds and saute for another 3 or 4 minutes until tender.
* In a large mixing bowl, combine egg beaters (or eggs), both cheeses, salt, pepper, parsley, basil and chives.
* Add zucchini mixture to the egg mixture and fold together gently.
* Pour into a 2-quart casserole dish and bake for 35-40 minutes.
* Allow at least 20 minutes to cool so it can set properly.

Supper Club: French Cuisine

I was so excited for this Supper Club. I really like French food, but it doesn't always translate well into vegetarian cooking. Amongst the many amazing French restaurants & bistros in San Francisco, I really want to try Chez Maman, Clémentine, and Fleur De Lys. But, I would also like to see a French restaurant specialize in vegetarian cooking so I could see the creativity in action. Wouldn't you?! I don't know of any restaurant like that, but, luckily, my lovely friends, Lindsay and Patrick, were up to the task of making a delicious vegetarian French meal.

Of course, I had boldly requested my all time favorite dish: French Onion Soup. French Onion soup, when done right, can taste incredibly complex and rich with carmelized onions stewed in wine and broth...but if done poorly, it tastes like onions in brown water. I have had my fair share of mediocre onion soup at various cafes and restaurants, but if you happen to be in San Francisco (and eat meat), the absolute *best* French Onion soup I have ever had is at Lark Creek Steakhouse. The vegetarian version of French Onion Soup was fantastic despite its lack of traditional beef broth. I am not sure what type of broth was used, but I imagine a vegetarian version of beef broth would work quite nicely...The soup was flavorful and rich and perfectly complemented by a nice fresh slab of bread from the lovely Tartine with melted cheese on top. Tartine can forever be counted on for the best bread. Ever. Lindsay had also purchased a loaf of their olive bread, which is the best I have ever had (and could devour an entire loaf with nothing on it and still want more).
The second course was, in my opinion, the star of the show. And now my new favorite salad. A mix of red and yellow endive topped with toasted walnuts, creamy roquefort cheese crumbles, and a fan of steamed and thinly sliced beets and then drizzled with a very simple creamy vinaigrette. The textures and flavors were just perfect and I was so busy eating every bit of my salad (and onion soup) that I hardly noticed that everyone else at the table had moved onto the main course. I might have even considered reaching over and helping myself to someone else's salad plate if it hadn't been all of my very good friends sitting at the table. Plus, I really wanted to be invited back over for dinner.
The main entree was a traditional Ratatouille made with a mix of tender vegetables like eggplant, tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, and zucchini, which was scooped into a flaky pastry cup. It was served with a side of wild mushroom risotto, which was absolutely delicious.

Since dessert and drinks were my responsibility, I really wanted to bring something traditionally French. I brought over a Lavender Saison homebrew (made by the Henry brothers) and a French wine (Côtes du Rhône). As for dessert, I sifted through all sorts of recipes for fabulous gâteaus and silky crêpes, and finally settled on making a clafouti with fresh blackberries instead of the traditional cherries.
I was looking for something light with a silky custard texture, but the recipes I came across were so vastly different (especially in the various quantities of flour) that I ended up making modifications to create my own recipe. The result was really tasty, but not quite recipe-worthy without another trial.

Dinner was so marvelous...We topped the night off with a game of Settlers of Catan.

Lentil Barley Soup

It rained today. And it is supposed to rain tomorrow. And the day after that.

I got to work this morning literally minutes before the ominous dark clouds flooded in between the buildings of the financial district and dumped huge droplets of water on the unsuspecting people just going about their business trying to get to work. I don't mind the rain, really. And what I mean by that is I don't mind the rain as long as I am indoors where it is warm and cozy and I have a mug of tea and a sleepy kitty on my lap. If I have to go outside to run errands and get around in said rain, well, then that's a different story and then I completely mind the rain. Rain calls for what I like to call "the 4 S's": shower, socks, soup, and sleep. It's the perfect recipe for rainy weather.

So, dear friend, here is a soup recipe that I am sure you will love. The lentils and barley puff up to give a nice chewy texture throughout the rich tomato broth and chunky vegetables.
I have to warn that it makes a really big batch, which is just perfect because you can freeze it in individual servings for later when you need something comforting and hearty. So, what's so good about this soup recipe? Well, let's see...

* Inexpensive
* Healthy
* Easy
* Good use of barley and lentils!
* Fat Free
* Low Calorie
* Vegan
* Flavorful
* Hearty
* Yummy


INGREDIENTS:

* 2 celery ribs, diced (about 1 cup)
* 1 large onion, chopped
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* 1/4 cup vegetable broth or water for cooking the onions
* 7 cups water
* 1 8-oz. can tomato sauce (low sodium)
* 1 28-oz. can diced tomatoes, including juices
* 3/4 cup dried lentils, picked over for debris and rinsed
* 3/4 cup pearl barley, rinsed
* 4 Tbsp. vegetable stock powder or 5 cubes
* 1/2 tsp. oregano
* 1/2 tsp. dried rosemary leaves (preferably ground into a powder)
* 1/4 tsp. freshly cracked black pepper
* 1 large carrot, diced (about 1 cup)

DIRECTIONS:

* In a large stock pot, heat the 1/4 cup of vegetable broth and cook the onions, garlic and celery over medium-high heat until tender.
* Add the water, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and juices, lentils, barley, vegetable powder or cubes, oregano, rosemary and pepper.
* Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for about 40 minutes until lentils and barley are nearly tender.
* Add in the diced carrot and continue to simmer for another 10-15 minutes until tender.

Serving suggestions: Serve with a salad and nice crusty chunk of bread...

Mexican Chocolate Pudding

Oh, Mondaaaaaay. I can't think of a single redeeming quality for you, Monday. I've got nothin. Is Monday's anybody's favorite day? Anyone? Bueller? Monday leaves me with a muted and sleepy outlook and I just look forward to coming home, taking a hot shower to wash away the Monday and watch a little Heroes (which, I have to admit, has also been a bit disappointing lately). I thought pudding might improve said Monday...

I am sincerely intrigued by pudding. By the concept of pudding. Wiggly. Thick. Creamy. Smooth. Yummy. Pudding. Except for the fact that scary little plastic containers with the ominous "Jello" labels are full of preservatives and high fructose corn syrups. So, I thought I might make some real pudding where you know exactly what the ingredients are going to be. Now, generally chocolate is my favorite pudding flavor, but my dear friends, Matt & Emily, gave me some Ibarra Mexican Chocolate and I thought it might be the perfect flavor to try. And Mexican Chocolate has a simple clean little list of ingredients: Sugar, Cacao Nibs, Soy Lecithin and Cinnamon flavor. Now that is more like it!

Once again, this is going to seem like skeptical recipe, but I have tested it out myself (since everything on here is straight from my kitchen) and I promise you, it is delicious. It is down right shocking how easy it is to make too!

INGREDIENTS FOR MEXICAN CHOCOLATE PUDDING:

* 2 wedges of Ibarra chocolate
* 1 12-oz. box of Mori-Nu soft silken tofu
* 1 tsp. pure vanilla
* 1 tsp. cocoa powder (optional)
* 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
* 1/4 tsp. chili powder (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

* Melt the 2 wedges of chocolate over a double-boiler on the stove over medium heat. If you don't have a double-boiler (I don't), you can create one using a heat safe pyrex or glass bowl over a pot that is filled with a couple of inches of water. This just creates hot steam to gently melt the chocolate without exposing it directly to heat. The chocolate will melt down to a gritty sand-like paste.
* Combine melted chocolate, tofu, vanilla, cocoa powder, cinnamon and chili powder (if you like a little kick) in a blender and puree until smooth.

Ta-da! Spoon pudding into ramekins or little cups and refrigerate for at least one hour. You can also top it with a little whipped cream and shaved chocolate if you want to be fancy about it...I topped these beauties you see pictured with some chopped chocolate covered almonds.

Garlic Naan

How come when you see people in a movie getting takeout for dinner it is always chinese food?! To be honest, my first inclination when ordering take out (after pizza, of course) is to get Indian food. Or sometimes I whip up a batch of fragrant basmati rice and some Saag Paneer or Crockpot Chicken Tikka Masala and then I run down the street to Indian Oven to just buy some Naan bread. Now, that's a meal! Besides, who has a tandoor clay oven conveniently installed in their kitchen?! I don't have one. But I do have a pizza stone (which is essentially an unglazed ceramic or terra cotta stone that distributes heat evenly and maintains a really hot temperature so that you can crisp up breads and pizza doughs). And, as it turns out, a pizza stone worked out great!

You will be happy to know that it really is fairly easy to make naan! Yes, it takes some planning and some time for the dough to rise, but you can just cover the bowl and go about your day.

INGREDIENTS:

* 2.25 cups flour (plus more for kneading)
* 1.5 tsp. salt
* 3/4 cup plain yogurt (low fat)
* 3/4 cup milk (room temperature or slightly warmed)
* 3 tsp. sugar
* 3/4 tsp. yeast
* 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
* 1/2 tsp. turmeric
* 2 Tbsp. melted butter (or ghee)

DIRECTIONS:

* Sift flour and salt in a large mixing bowl and then stir in the yogurt.
* In a cup, mix together the warmed milk, sugar and yeast and let sit for 3 minutes.
* Add the milk mixture to the flour and mix with your hands.
* Knead the dough for at least 5 minutes. Add more flour as necessary to get a kneadable consistency because the dough will be very sticky.
* Cover the dough in the bowl with a towel and place in a warm place to rise for 4-5 hours.
* Pre-heat the oven to 475 degrees.
* Once the dough has nearly doubled in size, divide the dough into 6 balls and use a floured surface to roll them out to be flat, thin oblong shapes.
* In a little bowl, mix the butter, turmeric and parsley and brush the mixture on each piece with a pastry brush or spoon.
* Bake on a cookie sheet or preheated ceramic pizza stone for 8 or 9 minutes until it is puffed up, bubbled and browned on top.

Makes 6 large pieces of naan.

Blackberry Frozen Yogurt

A good thrift store can really make you feel rich. Like all the good things are within reach and you can have it all. It's not like regular window shopping where you can try on the cashmere sweater to feel its luxurious texture against your skin for a brief second before you remember that you don't have that much money in your wallet. Or your bank account even. I have never been turned off by second hand items (although I can completely understand how it might be scary wearing clothes that were once on some stranger). I guess it is because I come from a big family--my mom has five other siblings and my dad has four other siblings--so there are plenty of cousins. And plenty of cousins means plenty of "hand-me-downs" to go around. Sometimes I stop at thrift stores when I'm visiting new cities because it's a whole new treasure of goodies that I otherwise wouldn't have access to. When I visited Seattle, my friend, Alex, made sure I stopped by the Lifelong Aids Alliance Thrift Store where I found an amazing bead necklace for $2. Seriously, I couldn't be the only one who delights in grandma's old sweaters because there are lots of great blogs out there completely dedicated to thrift store adventures like this one and this one.

There are a few sections that I am quite keen on. Jewelry. Bags/Purses. Jackets. and Hats. Oh, and sometimes I check the dishware section, too, just in case there is an amazing casserole dish or a set of awesome serving platters. I almost never stop by the electronics aisle because that stuff is almost guaranteed to be missing a crucial part or broken. But, about a month ago, I was in the San Francisco Flagship Goodwill Store and I was just whizzing past the electronics shelf when I stumbled upon what may be The-Best-Thriftstore-Find-Ever. I found a Cuisinart Ice Cream and Sorbet Maker. Still in the box. Brand new. With a delightful sticker on it announcing that I could have this amazing machine for only $6.49. YES! Six dollars and forty-nine cents! I was shocked because I had recently seen this same item at Bed, Bath & Beyond for $49.99, which put a fast end to my desire to purchase one every time I read a recipe for basil ice cream or espresso ice cream or yuzu sorbet. I squeezed the box to my chest and practically ran up to the counter to pay for it before anyone else could notice what a bargain I was getting and try to stop me.

And, you wouldn't believe how easy it is--you essentially mix together your ingredients in a blender or food processor, stir in any goodies you like and pour it into the machine and press a button and about twenty minutes later it will have turned into a thick creamy ice cream similar in texture to that of soft serve. And then you can eat it on the spot or scoop it out into a container and freeze until solid. The typical ingredients are usually some combination of heavy cream, whole milk, sugar, but I have found through experimentation that fat-free half-and-half is a great replacement for whole milk or heavy cream when you want to cut out the fat and you can also use soymilk, fat-free milk, yogurt or even silken tofu! Oh, and trick is to always keep the actual tub part in the freezer so you can make ice cream on a moment's notice (because, let's face it--sometimes you need ice cream on a moment's notice).

I was really pleased with this Blackberry frozen yogurt. It is smooth and creamy with a nice berry flavor...now, if only I can figure out how to make it sour like Pinkberry...I suppose I might try this recipe. The hardest part of the whole thing was straining out the blackberry seeds to achieve that smooth texture, but you could purchase 100% fruit purées to save yourself the trouble if you want. I just happened to have a large container of fresh ones so I figured I would try it out. To make the fruit puree from fresh berries, you put them in a blender with a tablespoon of water or lemon juice and blend until smooth. Then, pour the mixture into a fine-mesh sieve or strainer and strain out the seeds by using the back of a spoon. You can also scoop out the remaining seeds and pulp and stir in a little sugar, simple syrup or honey for a really yummy jam for biscuits, toast or pancakes!

INGREDIENTS:

* 2 cups plain low-fat yogurt (or fat-free if you want it to be fat-free froyo)
* 1 cup of blackberry fruit purée
* 1/2 cup fat-free half-and-half
* 1/4 cup evaporated cane juice (a good quality sugar)

DIRECTIONS:

* Blend all ingredients and pour into ice cream machine and process according to your manufacturer's instructions.

Kung Hee Fat Choy! Happy Chinese New Year!

I love noodles. I really do. Which is kind of odd because the noodle section here is quite lacking if I do say so myself. But there is always one day a year where my mom calls me just to say "Eat your noodles! It's for longevity and good luck!". What occasion would systematically and emphatically call--no, demand-- for noodles?! Chinese New Year. Actually, my mother calls me once beforehand to remind me to eat some noodles, and then she calls again the following day to ask if I did, in fact, eat said noodles as promised. She means business. When I was growing up, she also made sure to give us coins or a few crisp dollar bills in those pretty red envelopes with gold embossed writing on them. I loved these little red envelopes. I still love them.

This year, January 26 marks the start of a new lunar year, which is a pretty big deal in Chinese culture. It involves fifteen days of celebrations, family gatherings, parades, and, among other things, eating lots and lots of foods that have symbolic meaning for wealth, longevity, good luck and all sorts of good stuff that we all want in life.

When I was living in Sydney in 2006, I became fondly attached to this family-owned restaurant simply called Chinese Noodle Restaurant. If you are ever lucky enough to be there (and I really hope you are), the address is at 8 Quay Street, Haymarket, Sydney, 2000. It's a bit of a foodie institution, really. They are famous for their hand-stretched noodles and homemade dumplings. And for good reason, too! Their noodles are the best noodles I have ever had. in my entire life. They come soaked in various distinctive sauces that linger with you until you've flown thousands of miles away and feel a little pain in your belly if you think too hard about how much you want to eat those noodles again. I mean, I feel a bit weepy even as I am writing this. It is a tiny little space where people are constantly milling around anxiously outside waiting to hear their name called. And when you finally get in there, things move so quickly you will barely remember who you had lunch with because you are still shoveling noodles in your mouth when the bill comes and then you are tossed out so the next guest can have their noodles too. It's not a place to linger and have conversation. It's a place to eat noodles. Oh, I wish I had a photo of said noodles to show you, but even if I did, I am afraid my writing would fall embarrassingly short of an accurate description of the taste.

I lived in the Chinatown district of Sydney so the produce market offered countless varieties of fresh egg noodles, vegetables and seafood to inspire me to make some noodle dishes of my own. I made these simple hokkien noodles (egg noodles) during my time in Sydney, but I am sorry to report that I didn't use a recipe. It was an experiment that involved a hot wok, some fresh hokkien noodles, fresh prawns, bok choy, and mushrooms tossed around in a mixture of oyster sauce, sesame oil, ginger and garlic.

I thought it might inspire you to have some noodles. Or maybe you might be brave enough to fight your way through the crowds at a nearby Chinese restaurants. Or you could order take-out. Either way, I hope you get a chance to have some noodles. My mom would be proud.

Kung Hee Fat Choy!