Gastronomic Tour of San Francisco

San Francisco welcomed me with unseasonably warm and welcoming weather.  There wasn't even a hint of of fog until the morning of my departure.  While in SF I took advantage of the fruits of the city.  The Westin St. Francis on Union Square offers historic elegance.  The proximity to Union Square offers cable cars, shopping and fabulous dining!  Within 2 blocks I enjoyed the both Scala's and Kuleto's.  I jumped right in to an Italian themed tour at Scala's Bistro at the Drake.  For lunch I enjoyed Duck Confit with Brussel Sprout Squash Risotto with fresh bread and olive oil!!!  My friend Bob suggested Kuleto's for dinner and it did not disappoint.  The highlights at Kuleto's were the Salumi Misto, Risotto with saffron, scallops, shrimp and basil and the Chocolate Mouse Torte. 

Just a couple blocks from where my meeting was being held I found this great little Italian Restaurant, Ristorante Umbria.  On two different days, I enjoyed both the Cioppino Alla Salvadore and Rolatini Al Fattore.  A great little find off of Market Street.

Walks from Union Square through China town with North Beach as the destination were rewarded with a colorful and textured walk through this beautiful city.  Two favorite spots in North Beach include Colosseo and Calzones.  Outdoor dining at its best!  At Colosseo, I enjoyed delicate Carpaccio and a robust Cioppino served in a 12 inch cast iron skillet!!!!  At Calzones,  I enjoyed a new favorite, Scallops wrapped in Pancetta with Wasabi Aioli and old time favorites, beet salad with Humboldt Fog goat cheese and Shrimp Alfredo made with Swiss Chard, Artichoke Hearts, Point Reyes Blue Cheese and Pine Nuts.

Sunday Supper Oct 10 -- Knock, Knock Puddin Head

October 10th, was beautiful fall day it was in the 80's and was sunny with blue skies. 

Ria says, "Lynn, I think they made this Pyrex measuring cup for a Lefty" Lynn replies "or they made it in a country who uses metrics instead of US measurements" ...Ria responds "yeah, that must be it" ...Ria is thinking...Good Lord!  It is a good thing I was only responsible for teaching Lynn the basics, like coloring, counting to 10 and the ABC's, if I were left with more responsibility she would have grown up to think Pyrex makes measuring cups for lefties....




Tom and Lynn

 Sunday Supper

Giorgio's Beet Salad
Garlic Sauteed Spinach
Ria's Chicken Marsala Rigatoni
Brownie Pudding with Caramel Sauce and Almond Flavored Whipped Cream

Ria's Rigatoni (Ria's Chicken Marsala Rigatoni)

Ingredients:

• 1 Whole Chicken Breast
• EVVO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
• 12 oz Rigatoni Pasta, Cooked
• 4 Tablespoons Butter
• 1 Cup chopped Onion
• 8 oz. Cremini Mushrooms
• 2 oz White Wine
• 6 oz. Marsala Wine
• 14 ounces Chicken Broth
• 2 Cups Cream
• 1 clove Garlic
• 1/2 Cup Parmesan,
• 2 Tablespoons Chopped Fresh Italian Parsley
• 2 Tablespoons Chopped fresh Basil

Directions Ria's Rigatoni:

• 1 Whole Chicken Breast split and rubbed with EVVO, S & P and roast in oven on 375 for 40 minutes. Cool Chicken slightly 12 ounces of Rigatoni Pasta, drain and set aside. I cook it for 1 minute less than the box indicates. It will cook a little while it cools and when you put it back in with the sauce.
• In wide bottom saute pan melt 4 T. butter and add 1 cup chopped onion. Saute on medium until caramelized (30 minutes or more), add 8 ounces cremini mushrooms (sliced in half)brown lightly.
• Remove onion mushroom mixture from saute pan, and set aside.
• In the same saute pan, add 2 ounces of white wine, 6 ounces Marsala Wine, 14 ounces of Liquid Gold (chicken broth).
• Bring to boil, reduce to simmer and reduce by half (15-30 minutes).
• Add 16 ounces of heavy cream, bring to boil, reduce to simmer and reduce until thickened (10 minutes).
• Add chicken, cooked rigatoni, onion mushroom mixture, 2 T butter, 1 clove chopped garlic, fresh cracked pepper, bring to simmer and heat through.
• Finish with 1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan, 2 T fresh chopped Italian Parsley, 2 T. Fresh Chopped Basil.

Giorgio's Warm Beet Salad

Ingredients for Honey Mustard dressing:

• 1/4 Cup Dijon Mustard
• 1/4 Cup Whole Grain Mustard
• 1/4 Cup Honey
• 1/2 Cup Olive Oil

Directions Honey Mustard dressing:

• Combine 1/4 cup Dijon, 1/4 cup whole grain mustard, 1/4 cup honey and 1/2 cup olive oil.
• Mix, shake or blend until emulsified

Ingredients for Warm Beet Salad:

• 1 Pound Beets
• 1 Onion
• 8 ounces Cremini Mushrooms
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 1/2 Cup of Goat Cheese (Chevre) 

Directions for Warm Beet salad:

• Roast beets (I use both yellow and red), skin on, at 425 for 30 minutes or until beets are soft all the way through. After beets cool, peel and cut in quarters. Set beets aside.
• Cut 1 onion in eighths, slice 8 ounces of mushrooms in half. Toss onions and mushrooms in olive oil and s & p and roast in oven for 15 minutes.
• Combine beets, onions (red onions add color and are a little sweeter), mushrooms (crimini are my fav). On top of veggies top with 1/2 cup of small pieces of goat cheese.
• Top with S & P and bake for 5 minutes until goat cheese is slightly browned.
• Drizzle dressing over beet salad mixture, serve beet salad warm.

Brownie Pudding

OMG Chocolate Brownie Pudding...These are nestled into a hot water bath and gently cooked to perfection. 

Adapted from Barefoot Contesa Back to Basics Brownie Pudding
Brownie Pudding:
Preheat oven to 325.  Butter Ramekins.  Boil Water in Microwave for hot water bath (I boil 2-- 1 quart batches of hot water).  Put large empty roasting pan in the oven, add boiling water to roasting pan.

In a bowl beat (medium high speed) 4 extra large eggs and 2 cups sugar for 10 minutes until rich, thick, creamy and light yellow in color.  Add seeds from 1 vanilla bean (or 2 t vanilla extract) and 1T Framboise.

Mix 3/4 cup cocoa with 1/2 cup flour, set aside.  Slowly add cocoa mixture to egg sugar mixture and mix until just combined.  Slowly add 2 sticks melted and cooled butter.  Mix until just combined. 

Pour batter into little ramekins or baking dish.  Pour Hot water into roasting pan. Put filled ramekin's in Hot Water Bath in the oven.  Bake for 60 minutes.  If you bake in a larger baking dish, it will probably take 75+ minutes to cook.  Allow to cool. 

Garnish:
Serve with Ice Cream, Carmel, Whipped Cream and toasted peanuts, Creme Anglaise would be good too...or just plain is totally killer....

Notes:
BTW...it will appear under baked.  It will have a crisp, chewy brownie like exterior while the interior will be soft, rich and pudding like. Store wrapped in plastic wrap in the fridge.  Bring to room temp or microwave before serving.

Mexican Chicken Soup

Erick and I both love this soup.  I like to keep a quart frozen for a quick go to meal.  It is easy to freshin it up with the fresh jalepano and cilantro.  I made a big batch of this on Saturday.  It tastes better than this picture looks. :)

Mexican Chicken Soup adapted from Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics Ina Garten Mexican Chicken Soup

Mexican Chicken Soup Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 3-4 Cups Shredded Chicken
• 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 2 Cups Chopped Onions
• 1 Cup Chopped Celery
• 2 Cups Chopped Carrots
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 10 Cups Liquid Gold
• 28 ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1 Tablespoon Hot Sauce
• 1 1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cumin
• 1 1/4 Teaspoon Ground Corriander
• 1/4 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
• 4 Jalepanoes chopped
• 6 Corn Tortillas
• Fresh Cracked Pepper and Salt to taste
• 2 Tablespoons Fresh Cilantro chopped

Directions:

• Saute chopped onions, garlic, celery and carrots in Olive Oil
• Add  Liquid Gold, diced tomatoes, hot sauce, ground cumin,  ground coriander, cayenne,  jalapenos and corn tortillas,
• Season with fresh cracked pepper and salt to taste. 
• Simmer for 25 minutes until tortilla's dissolve into soup 
• Stir in 3-4 cups shredded cooked chicken.
• Top with 1/4 cup of chopped cilantro (optional). 
• Garnish with Tortilla Chips, Lime, Cheddar Cheese, Avacado's and Salsa

Note:
I buy a rotisserie chicken from the store, that is very quick and easy, otherwise I roast 2 whole (4 split) chicken breasts rubbed with EVVO, S& P for 40 minutes in a 350 oven. 

Garnish:
We like to add a little extra chopped jalapeno, guacamole, sour cream, lime, tortilla chips and cheddar cheese as garnish...however..it is pretty good even without all these additions.

The More Things Change The More They Stay The Same

In the last week I have trekked from here to Marquette, MI  and many other places along the way.  Marquette was in full fall bloom with plenty of reds, golds, and toasty hues, I felt grateful to see the vibrant fall colors in such a remote and unspoiled area.  I made my usual trek to picturesque Presque Isle Park.  My favorite spot for supper in Marquette is Elizabeths Chop House, the Prime Rib is out of this world and their corn chowder with crab is worth the trip alone.

This week I actually made Osso Bucco (Veal Shanks), I know what you're thinking....over achiever...LOL no really...it is one of those stick in the oven and it comes out like magic...who would have ever thought it would be so easy. 

One of the weekends highlights was time spent with the Perszyk's.  Lynn's parents came to town for parents weekend and instead of Sunday Supper, John and Jen took Lynn and me to Trocadero for Brunch on Saturday.  BTW the Trocadero Omelet was killer.  Spending time with John, Jen, and Lynn was just like old times.  It was so fun.  

Lynn did great in her first set of exams.  I knew she would do great!  She is still rocking it like when she was 2 and 3...steadfast in her focus and interest in reading and learning.  In addition to that, she has mastered the headband, the messy bun, and knows more things you can do with a bobby pin than MacGyver.  The more things change, the more they stay the same.