25 July 2007

Peachy Keen

There's something wonderful about a peach picked fresh from a tree, sun kissed and blushing pink; it's summer embodied and package to fit in the palm of your hand. I was spoiled growing up and had three peach trees in my small back yard that would give my family several bushels of fruit each year. But while we ate fresh peaches and canned our peaches, we never did bake any of them. Now flash forward many years later and I just made my first peach pie last weekend.

As desserts go, pies are something wonderfully warm, straightforward, and simply good. There's an elegant to its elements: the crust, a filling, and topping. And I'm very fond of fruit pies in general. I usually make at least one apple pie during the holidays and a couple berry pies in the spring and summer, if there's occasion. But a peach pie was never on my baking radar probably because I never found a recipe I was tempted to make—I've made my fair share of peach cobblers, though.



But that all changed when I grabbed a couple food magazines, Bon Appétit and Gourmet to be precise, from the airport newsstand for light reading on my flight to Washington DC. Bon Appétit's July issue article on "Luscious Fruit Pies" proved too must to resist; I wanted to make every one of their summer pies: Summer Peach Pie, Triple-Cherry Pie, and Wild Blueberry Pie.

Of the three, the peach pie was the most intriguing with its vanilla sugar and cardamom; it didn't seem like an ordinary peach pie—and it wasn't. The spiked sugar and intense spice added a noticeable warmth and pleasant complexity to the peach filling; although if I were to make the pie again, I would cut the cardamom in half, a scant 1/2 teaspoon as oppose to a scant 1-teaspoon. I felt the whole teaspoon created a spicy depth that sacrificed some clean sweet flavor I would have preferred more of. And while the recipe suggested keeping the skins on, I peel them off my peaches—I'm a purist in that way—but I might experiment with leaving them on the next time.


SUMMER PEACH PIE WITH VANILLA AND CARDAMOM

Makes 8 servings.

INGREDIENTS
2/3 cup plus 2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 vanilla bean, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
3 tablespoons unbleached all purpose flour
1 teaspoon (scant) ground cardamom
3 3/4 pounds firm but ripe unpeeled peaches, halved, pitted, each half cut into 4 slices (about 10 cups)

2 Best-Ever Pie Crust dough disks
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Whipping cream (for glaze)
Vanilla ice cream

PREPARATION
Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 400°F. Combine 2/3 cup sugar and vanilla bean in processor; blend until vanilla bean is very finely minced. Sift vanilla sugar through strainer into large bowl; discard any large bits in strainer. Mix flour and cardamom into vanilla sugar. Add peaches to flour-sugar mixture and toss gently to coat.

Roll out 1 pie crust disk on floured surface to 12-inch round. Transfer to 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish. Trim dough overhang to 1/2 inch. Spoon peach mixture into crust; dot with butter. Roll out second pie crust disk on lightly floured surface to 12-inch round. Drape dough over peach filling; trim overhang to 1 1/2 inches. Fold top and bottom edges under, pressing together to seal. Crimp edges decoratively. Using small sharp knife, cut 2-inch-long X in center of top crust to allow steam to escape. Brush crust lightly with whipping cream; sprinkle with remaining 2 teaspoons sugar.

Place pie on rimmed baking sheet. Bake until crust is golden, peaches are tender, and juices bubble thickly through cut in top crust, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Transfer pie to rack and cool until lukewarm, about 2 hours.

Serve pie lukewarm or at room temperature with vanilla ice cream.

Bon Appétit, July 2007
Jeanne Thiel Kelley

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14 July 2007

Maryland is for Crabs

I found myself in the Washington DC area at the end of June for a mix of equal parts business and pleasure. While I grew up in Maryland, I haven't had many opportunities to return to the area after moving to the West Coast for graduate school; so I wanted to make the most of this trip, which from a food point of view meant eating as much Maryland Blue Crab within reason. There are many things I miss from Maryland living in LA, but the food thing I pine for the most are those wonderful crabs—Maryland Blue Crabs rule, but I'm bias, of course.

I was able to make good on my crab vow as soon as I landed. I took a noonday flight from Los Angeles that brought me into Washington at 9 PM Eastern Standard Time and with a hunger that hadn't been feed since breakfast. Now, I'm not a person that likes to eat too late. About 9/10-ish is the cut off unless I'm having a late night out for other reasons, but I was actually feeling too worn to unpack my suitcase when I got to my room unless I had some sustenance. I went down to the hotel lobby looking for anything that was open. The only place that was, was a bar lounge. Not the ideal place I was looking for, but it needed to do, so I founded the quietest corner possible in the a bar that was pumping dance music through its sound system and running four flat-screen television simultaneously on different channels.

bin 1700's crab cakes were a twist on typical crab cakes, but at least they used Blue Crab and a lot of it so there was more meat than bread filler in the cake—a must for any quality crab cake. I'm not exactly sure what the spiky string-like things they used to coat the crab cakes were; they tasted like some kind of starchy root vegetable, but at least they gave them a light crunch, although it wasn't substantial enough against the creamy filling to impart a significantly satisfying contrast of textures.

However, the hotel kitchen proved they could do traditional crab cakes fairly well when I was served them for dinner the next day, but since it was a meal I was eating with colleagues and recent acquaintances I didn't think whipping out a camera and taking pictures of food was the best way to make a good first impression—I have friends who still laugh at my food shutter bugging practice.



It would be five more days before I ate my next crab cake meal, but I did snack on them as appetizers in between. The first instance came at A. and N.'s wedding held on the lovely grounds of the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley in the quaint colonial town of Winchester, VA. After the ceremony in the Rose Garden, we walked to another garden for cocktails where the flow of food and drinks began. Along with the bite-size crab cakes was a particularly tasty lamb croûte that I wish I could have gotten my hands on once more before having to walk to dinner.

Dinner began with a chunky chilled gazpacho served in a hollowed out tomato, which my table almost didn't get because the servers missed us. But thankfully E. was at my table, and being as passion about food as I, she wasn't about to let us go hungry and went into the catering area to alert the staff. The bits of pepper, cucumber, and tomato were tossed on the plate like confetti giving the dish a festive feel; it was a happy food start to a joyous occasion. The entrée was Surf-n-Turf served table side. The "Surf" was a lightly breaded Snapper and the "Turf" a grilled Beef Tenderloin. The beef was cooked particularly well, very tender, and nicely season so that it didn't really need the sauce that came with it. But the couscous provided somewhat of a challenge for our server as he lost control of those small grains and pushed them around the tray as much as he scooped them on his large spoon. There was also a chocolate buffet bar at the end of the meal, which made the chocolate lover in me so pleased that I saved room for it while I was eating the meal.



After the weekend in Virginia, I was finally in Maryland proper—vs. DC or Northern VA—Sunday evening. On my first night, I had dinner in Downtown Silver Spring—much changed in the pass several years. The area is home to the corperate headquarter of the Discovery Channel and across the way is a promenade with a movie multiplex, restaurants, and water fountain that children liked to play around.

P. and I went to Cubano's and ate a meal of calamari, Tostones with Ropa Vieja or fried green plantains with shredded beef, seafood paella, and flan. It was a lot food, especially the paella which went home in a doggy bag that fed P. for lunch the next day and a neighborhood cat the next night.

I don't order paella as much as I could considering how much I like it, but I've been consistently disappointed the last couple times I've eaten it that I've become shy about it, which is a shame. However, Cubano's paella renewed my faith so I'm more incline to give it a chance from now on. The rice was finely seasoned and cooked so it was tender without going to mush, and it was chockful of all sort of seafood—shrimp, squid, scallops, and clams—and spicy chrozio. It was hearty and comforting dish, something nice to linger over and savor with good wine and conversation, albeit I had mine with a mojito.



My next go at crab cakes came at a reception the following night at 701 in DC's Penn Quarter, and I popped a couple down along with a few buttery smoke salmon on toast and brushetta, but my most "serious", super-size crab cake would still be a day away, but oh was it worth the wait.

This lovely specimen of a traditional, no-nonsense crab cake was purchased at place on Rockville Pike so nondescript that I don't think the place had a name beyond the word "seafood" in neon on its door and a decorative fisherman's net and lifesaver tacked on the side of the light blue building. It was one of those places that fits perfectly the description, "only the locals know about", and I certainly would have missed it unless P. said in passing that his sister and brother-in-law sometimes picked up steamed crab there as we drove by on our way to dinner somewhere else. It only fishmonger and takeout place, but once I heard "crab", I made P. stop.

It only took them 10 minutes to cook the crab cake, which they took fresh from their case, but it's not the length of the time, but what they achieved in that time, a wonderful golden crust that contained the sweet crab meat, rich and dense, that was special. This crab cake was basically all I ate for dinner, although we did continue to our dinner destination.

Although I didn't get to visit every museum I wanted to while I was in DC, I managed to eat enough Maryland Blue Crab to make me happy thus making making it a pretty good trip.


bin 1700
1700 Jefferson Davis Hwy
Arlington, VA 22202
Ph: 703-553-5334
www.bin1700.com

Cubano's
1201 Fidler Lane
Silver Spring, MD 20910
Ph: 301-563-4020

701
701 Pennsylvania Ave.
Washington, DC 20004
Ph: 202-393-0701
Fax: 202-393-0242
www.701restaurant.com


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09 July 2007

Fraîche is Good

If I wanted to tell you only one thing about Fraîche in Culver City, it would be to go there now—immediately, as soon as possible. It gave me one of the nicest meal I've had in Los Angeles in a while and I want to spread the joy.

My pleasure was immediate; the first course—fresh figs with speck and burrata—was a plate of luxury. Fig season came early according to our server, and I was oh-so glad it was premature the minute I took my first bite. The sweet figs yielded its plump flesh with the lightest pressure, while the burrata intensified the lushness with its silky texture, eating was like lying back on a soft velvet cushion—luxurious. But the pièce de résistance that tied it all together and took everything to the next level were the ribbons of speck that wrapped the fruit and cheese. Their effect was expansive, adding sweet saltiness and tender chewiness to the soft fruit and cheese.



And as sensual and sultry as our first course was, our second course was sweet and sensitive—ravioli with English peas, ricotta, and mint. Everything about this dish was gentle; it's taste and texture serene. Our server said another diner described its as a "whisper", and I would agree. It was a hushed dish that didn't scream how lovely it was; instead, it let the summertime ingredients do the talking—sweet peas and fresh mint bound with creamy ricotta.



Feeling in a seafood mood, I got the branzino en papillote or branzino cooked in parchment with purple potatoes, corn, leeks and clams. It was a pretty dish with the deep purples and bright yellows popping out against the paleness of the fish; and it was food that was light on the tongue and tummy. The only downside was that in the pleasant effort to clean my plate, I picked up bits of wet paper that stuck to the fish in my last few bits, adding a touch of unexpected fiber to my meal.

D. got the roasted half chicken, which was pressed in its cooking process so that meat came out tender and juicy and the skin brown and crisp. But the pea purée on which the chicken rested was the real delight of the dish; it was soft and sweet with a hint of mint that accented the creaminess with encouraging freshness. S. ordered the lamb spezzatino with ricotta gnocchi. It was a warm, comforting dish, wonderfully rich and hearty. The super tender lamb melted in your mouth, along with the gnocchi that looked and felt like plump pillows.




We dined well that night and got two desserts for the table to close out the meal. The blackberry and peach cobbler had a pleasant tartness that was smoothed out with fresh cream or accentuated with blackberry sorbet depending on how you paired your spoonful. The pine nut tart had a warm custard center that was a delightful surprise; and the caramel sauce and caramel ice cream were pure indulgences, they were rich and buttery without being cloy or syrupy.



Fraîche is a welcome addition to Culver City's restaurant row, if not one of its brightest stars.


Fraîche
9511 Culver Blvd.
Culver City, CA 90232
Ph: 310-839-6800
www.fraicherestaurantla.com

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03 July 2007

A Time to Braise

Before I left for my trip to the Washington DC Area, I made another pot of Short Ribs. They've been my cut of choice the last few times I've decide to cook beef, and the recipe I went to this time was by Walter Manzke of Bouchée and L'Auberge (Carmel, CA) fame.

You wouldn't think a couple tablespoons of vinegar could do much in dish, but his addition of balsamic and red-wine vinegars were noticeable—and inspired. They really did the trick to deepen flavors overall. That bit of acidity added more depth to the sauce and intensified the beef's meatiness without making the it seem heavy.

I skipped the vegetables that accompanies the dish, but I did go through the process of straining and reducing the sauce to pour over the beef.




BRAISED BEEF SHORT RIBS

Makes 4 servings.

ingredients
For short ribs
4 (8-oz) pieces bone-in beef short ribs
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
4 medium carrots, finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 (14-oz) can whole San Marzano tomatoes in juice, puréed
in a blender with juice
1 1/2 cups dry red wine
4 cups brown veal stock or 1/2 cup Demi-Glace Gold concentrate (concentrate requires a dilution ratio of 1:8; 1/2 cup concentrate to 4 cups water)
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 Turkish or 1/2 California bay leaf
1 tablespoon Banyuls vinegar or red-wine vinegar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

For vegetables
20 pearl onions (5 oz)
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon Banyuls vinegar or red-wine vinegar
2 cups chicken stock or reduced-sodium chicken broth (16
fl oz)
4 medium carrots, cut diagonally into 1 1/2-inch pieces
3 thick bacon slices (preferably applewood-smoked; 1/4 lb total), cut crosswise into 1/4-inch pieces
8 medium fresh white mushrooms, trimmed and quartered lengthwise
preparation

Braise short ribs:
Put oven rack in lower third of oven and preheat oven to 250°F.

Pat beef dry. Heat oil in a wide (12 inches in diameter) 3- to 5-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown beef on all sides, turning with tongs, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon sea salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Add chopped carrots, onion, and garlic to oil in pot and cook over moderate heat, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in 1 cup puréed tomatoes (reserve remainder for another use) and bring to a boil over moderately high heat. Add wine and boil, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened, about 8 minutes.

Add veal stock, thyme, bay leaf, vinegars, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon sea salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper to sauce, and bring to a simmer. Skim fat from surface, then add beef along with any juices accumulated on plate and cover pot with a tight-fitting lid. Transfer to oven and braise until beef is very tender, 4 to 5 hours.

Cook vegetables while beef braises:
Blanch pearl onions in a wide 2- to 3-quart heavy saucepan of boiling water 1 minute, then drain in a sieve. When just cool enough to handle, peel onions with a paring knife, trimming root end just enough to leave onions intact.

Heat butter in dried saucepan over moderate heat until foam subsides, then cook onions, stirring occasionally, until brown spots appear, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in vinegar, then add chicken stock and carrots and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until vegetables are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Uncover and boil, if necessary, until liquid glazes vegetables.

While vegetables are simmering, cook bacon in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 4 to 6 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring, until mushrooms are tender and bacon is browned and crisp, about 4 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to vegetables in saucepan.

Assemble dish:
Transfer a short rib to each of 4 soup plates and keep warm in oven. Pour sauce through a medium-mesh sieve into a large bowl, pressing on and then discarding solids, then skim fat from sauce. Boil sauce, if necessary, until thickened and reduced to about 3 cups. Season with salt and pepper. Add about 2 cups sauce to vegetables (reserve remaining sauce for another use), then spoon mixture around short ribs.

Cooks' Note: Ribs can be braised 1 day ahead and cooled completely in sauce, uncovered, then chilled, covered. Remove solidified fat from dish before reheating.

Gourmet, October 2006
Walter Manzke
Bouchée and L'Auberge Carmel, Carmel

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