A Real Simple Asparagus and Pine Nut Pasta

Now that asparagus is in season, it’s time to enjoy the emerald green vegetable in delicious dishes. One of my favorite ways to use this spring sprig is in the following flavorful pasta, adapted from a recipe in Real Simple magazine. I love the way it marries the subtle flavors and different textures of asparagus, pine nuts, Parmesan, garlic, olive oil, and fettucine. It’s quick to put together and looks marvelous.

I try to find local ingredients for this dish: asparagus from the farmers’ market, locally made olive oil, and garlic from Gilroy. Also, be careful what pine nuts you use. I had a bad experience one time after eating pine nuts from China. They altered my taste buds for about a month, which was quite unpleasant.

I varied the original recipe a bit. For one, I think it works better with fettucine instead of linguine because of the chunky asparagus pieces. I also like incorporating the salt with the vegetables in the saute pan instead of at the end.

The next time you see some bright green, pert asparagus, try this out for an edible homage to the lush spring season.

Asparagus and Pine Nut Pasta

(Adapted from a recipe in Real Simple magazine)

Ingredients:

12 oz. fettucine

1/4 cup olive oil (I used Olivas de Oro brand)

1/4 cup pine nuts (I used Diamond brand)

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 pounds asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

1 t salt

1 cup shaved Parmesan

Directions:

1. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and return to the pot.

2. Heat the oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add the pine nuts and garlic and cook, stirring frequently until golden. Add the asparagus and salt and continue stirring and cooking until just tender, about 3 minutes.

3. Add asparagus mixture to the pasta and toss. Sprinkle with Parmesan before serving.

Cauliflower, Onion, and Parmesan Intermixture

I love eating foods that offer satisfying flavor, nutrition, and easy preparation all in one. My latest go-to warm vegetable concoction combines cruciferous cauliflower, caramelized onion, always welcome Parmesan, and healthy olive oil. It takes just minutes to make, and never fails to deliver.

It’s also a flexible dish in that you can add ingredients according to your preferences: any favorite herbs like thyme or rosemary, garlic cloves, or pepper would add another layer of taste. But I like it simple with just five ingredients.

Parmesan-Roasted Cauliflower

(Adapted from a recipe in Bon Appetit magazine, February 2013)

1 head cauliflower

1 medium onion

3 T high quality olive oil

salt

½ cup grated Parmesan

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

2. Wash cauliflower and cut into florets. Place in large roasting pan.

3. Slice medium onion and place into pan.

4. Toss vegetables with olive oil and salt.

5. Roast for 35 minutes, tossing a couple of times.

6. Remove pan from oven. Add Parmesan and toss to combine.

7. Roast 10 more minutes.

Bon appetit!

Moaning at The Melt

If you’re in the mood for a new spin on good old fashioned comfort food, take a trip to The Melt, a grilled cheese and soup mecca at the Stanford Shopping Center (and across the Bay Area, and moving into SoCal). Even if you can’t make it to the restaurant, you can try recreating these moan-inducing combinations at home:

The Classic: Sharp Cheddar on Potato Bread with Tomato Basil Soup

The Mission: Jalapeno Jack on Sourdough with Sweet Corn Tortilla Soup

The Outlaw: Colby Jack on Eight Grain with Spicy Black Bean Soup

The Italian Job: Fontina and Provolone on Garlic Bread with Italian Sausage and Pepper Soup

The Parisian: Brie and Apple Butter on Country French with Creamy Wild Mushroom Soup

Orders come with crispy potato chips, and they even offer a S’more dessert sandwich if you want to go all out.

The Melt has a clean white and orange interior, friendly service, a high-tech screen to show the status of your order, and comfortable seating. The sandwiches taste especially good dipped in the soup, the flavors complementing each other in delightful combinations.

They offer occasional specials too, like the delectable savory Portabello mushroom and Swiss cheese sandwich. It had mushrooms practically falling out of the sandwich, always a good thing for me.

I also lost count of how many times I moaned while eating a Parisian sandwich and soup lunch. It tasted even better since I’d worked up an appetite while shopping, a perfect excuse to stop and enjoy a mouthwatering meal at The Melt.

The Enchanted Broccoli Forest

Berkeley-based chef Mollie Katzen wrote the classic vegetarian cookbook ‘The Enchanted Broccoli Forest’ in 1982. It offers not only some delicious, imaginative recipes, but also drawings and hand-lettering all done by Mollie. This whimsical, lavender-colored cookbook is named after one of her signature dishes, a delightful rice and broccoli creation. EBF is so beloved there’s even a Stanford University dorm named after it. I decided to simplify it when I realized I could order extra Chinese food take-out and repurpose it the next day in the recipe.

I ordered extra cartons of vegetarian fried rice and spicy garlic broccoli, then eliminated many of the steps and ingredients in the original recipe. The dish turned out wonderfully tasty and scrumptious, with everyone in the family eating it heartily. So try this by getting some extra take-out the next time you order Chinese food, or treat yourself to Mollie’s enchanting cookbook and try the original recipe.

The Simplified Enchanted Broccoli Forest
Adapted from a recipe in the cookbook ‘The Enchanted Broccoli Forest’

1 pint carton of Chinese broccoli takeout (I used spicy garlic broccoli)
1 quart carton of Chinese vegetarian fried rice takeout
3 T butter
1 cup chopped onion
3 eggs
1 ½ cups grated Swiss cheese

Saute chopped onion in butter in a saute pan over medium high heat until the onions are soft and translucent (about 8 minutes).

Whisk the eggs together in a large bowl. Add the shredded cheese and combine. Add in the fried rice and stir well to combine. Add in the sauted onion to the mixture.

Butter a 10” x 6” baking pan or its equivalent in size. Spread the rice mixture evenly into the pan. Arrange the stalks of broccoli upright in the bed of rice mixture to create the enchanted forest.

Cover gently with foil and bake at 325 F degrees for 30 minutes.

Enjoy!

The Exceptional French Laundry

I recently experienced one of my bucket list items, a dinner at The French Laundry restaurant. Recipient of three Michelin stars for ‘exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey’, The French Laundry has earned its accolades through innovative cuisine, impeccable service, elegant presentation, and an overall unforgettable dining experience.

The first challenge was figuring out how to get a reservation. I’d already made our hotel reservations at the nearby Villagio, but became concerned when I discovered online how difficult it was to secure a spot at the famed restaurant. Open Table apparently only has one or two tables available per day, reservations fill up quickly exactly two months before the desired dinner date, and it is so difficult to get through via phone to the restaurant’s host that some people call 500 times before success.

Luckily our hotel concierge came through for us. I don’t know how many spots they’re able to obtain, but I’m sure being just a few blocks away helps. I contacted her several months before our desired dinner date, and had already made our hotel reservations. I mentioned that it was a wish of mine to celebrate a milestone birthday there, pleading my case. By the way, we thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Villagio as it was comfortable, spacious, near all the great Yountville restaurants, and included a very tasty brunch and afternoon tea.

My husband Brad ordered the regular menu, while I opted for the vegetarian. Besides the nine courses listed, we received the usual bread service with several types of bread and two kinds of butter, a canape course, and many extra and welcome sweets at the very end. The canapes included a perfect, crisp little cone with creme fraiche and salmon tartare, and a little cheese puff. Each menu included some pricey supplements, but we opted out of those.

The servers showed astute knowledge of the food and drink, the observational skills of an anthropologist, and the understated service I imagine royal families expect from their staff. They knew just how much interaction and service to provide, whether diners wanted less hovering and talking as we did, or wanted to talk more about the various wines and dishes as some neighboring parties preferred. They seemed to know what we wanted before we did, anticipating, guiding, and revealing the meal’s gems.

The setting was cozy, elegant, understated, and quiet. No music played, the rooms slowly growing more animated as more diners arrived and as we consumed the excellent food and drink.

Each dish was a work of art visually, in its delivery, and of course in its flavor. Most often we could not exactly determine what all the various ingredients were, and so were grateful to receive a copy of the menus as we left. Our menus were personalized with my birthday greetings, a nice touch (and they didn’t embarrass me with any more acknowledgement of the occasion).

The meal exceeded our high expectations. The bottom line? We will fondly remember and savor the experience, and will return someday. I’m already looking forward to it.

Here are both menus, the regular first followed by the vegetarian. The menus change every day since the chefs decide at midnight what they will serve the next day based on what’s fresh from the garden across the street. That sense of adventure and uniqueness only adds to the restaurant’s well-deserved reputation.

c h e f ’ s t a s t i n g m e n u | 2 8 D e c e m b e r 2 0 1 2
PRIX F IXE 270.00 | SERVICE INCLUDED
6640 WASHINGTON STREET, YOUNTVILLE CA 94599 70 7.9 44.2380

“OYSTERS AND PEARLS” (Brad enjoyed this with a beer brewed with oyster shells, a perfect and unusual briny complement to the elegant starter)
“Sabayon” of Pearl Tapioca with Island Creek Oysters
and White Sturgeon Caviar

MUSQUÉE DE PROVENCE VELOUTÉ
Candy Cap Mushrooms, “Pain Perdu,” Sour Cherry,
Red Walnut and Mache

HABACHI-GRILLED PACIFIC HAMACHI
Young Fennel, Hass Avocado
and Citrus “Vierge”

NEW BEDFORD SEA SCALLOP “POÊLÉE”
Celery Salad, Black Truffle
and Celeriac Pureé

DEVIL’S GULCH RANCH RABBIT SIRLOIN
Potatoes “Rissolées,” San Marzano Tomato Compote,
Romaine Lettuce and Spanish Caper Jus

HERB-ROASTED ELYSIAN FIELDS FARM LAMB
French Laundry Garden Crones, Broccoli, Garnet Yam,
Pomegranate and Madras Curry

“NOCTURNES”
Flowering Quince, Petite Onions, Dijon Mustard
and Ibérico Ham “Vinaigrette”

BLOOD ORANGE “MIMOSA”
Champagne “Granité,” Brown Sugar Streusel
and Fresh Cream Sherbet

CHOCOLATE “TORTE”
Pearson Farm Pecans, Cinnamon Whip
and Banana Ice Cream

MIGNARDISES (a fun and dramatic flourish to the end of the meal including macadamia toffees, hand crafted artisan chocolates, cinnamon sugar donut holes, and coffee mousse in a little demitasse cup)


t a s t i n g o f v e g e t a b l e s | 2 8 D e c emb e r 2 0 1 2
6640 WASHINGTON STREET, YOUNTVILLE CA 94599 70 7.9 44.2380

PARSNIP VELOUTÉ (incredible flavor, probably the most surprising and delicious soup I’ve had, with a creme brulee sugar coating on my spoon that dissolved as I ate)
Gros Michel Banana, Pearson Farm Pecans,
Sorrel and Noble Maple Syrup

“TARTE AUX BETTERAVES”
Belgian Endive Marmalade, Black Winter Truffle,
Garden Mâche and Juniper Balsamic

SALAD OF ROASTED SALSIFY
Quail Egg, “Pain de Campagne,” Black Trumpet Mushrooms,
Tardivo Radicchio and Oxalis

MUSQUÉE DE PROVENCE “PORRIDGE” (the most dramatic dish I’ve ever had, including the precious black truffles revealed in a silver box, and the waitress shaving large quarter-sized slices of the truffle on top of the parmesan sauce....I was expecting 5 to 7 shavings, but she just kept going and going; it may have been 20 or more all together!)
Parmesan, Sicilian Pistachios
and Black Truffle

HAWAIIAN HEARTS OF PALM
Cranberry Beans, Kale, Peppers, Meyer Lemon
and “Sauce Pimentón”

MASCARPONE-ENRICHED CHESTNUT “AGNOLOTTI” (the most delicious pasta I’ve ever tasted with an unbelievable combination of buttery chestnut and who-knows-what-else flavors)
Celeriac, Cutting Celery

BLEU DU BOCAGE “TRIFLE”
Flowering Quince, Toasted Walnuts
and Peppercress

DASHING RANCH PEAR SORBET (packed with delicious fruit flavor, a definite wow)
“Financier au Beurre Noisette,” Candied Hazelnuts
and Asian Pear Jam

“TRES LECHES”
Spiced Crème Fraîche, Rum Syrup
and Manjari Chocolate Ice Cream

MIGNARDISES

Melt-in-Your-Mouth Macarons

Delicate, light, chewy, creamy, pretty, and oh-so flavorful, macarons make a wonderful sweet treat. With more bakeries offering them, including Starbucks and La Boulange, macarons are gaining in popularity. After trying a few, it’s obvious why more and more people are mad for these sweets. They take familiar flavors and transform them through the unique texture and burst of flavor. One of the newest macarons bakeries in Palo Alto is Chantal Guillon at 444 University Avenue, which has gotten rave reviews and legions of loyal followers spreading the word.

Inside the white bakery, different colorful macarons are displayed as beautifully as diamonds, emeralds, and sapphires at a jewelry store. Only these precious delights are a lot less expensive! I indulged and tried eight of the different flavors, with these reactions and ratings out of five stars:

Green Tea: *** A bit odd. I’d rather have green tea ice cream or green tea itself. One of the things quickly realized about macarons is that I’d compare them to other forms of delivering similar flavors. This was one that didn’t surpass my alternative flavor delivery vehicle.

Rose: *** Lovely, light pink, interesting. A little unexpected melding of flavor and texture. Rose isn’t one of my go-to flavors and it’s not easy to find otherwise, so this one’s worth trying.

Red Velvet: **** Yummy. I prefer it over red velvet cupcakes. It captured the flavor, color, and cream cheese with its filling. I’m sure purists would see this as an abomination, but I see it as American ingenuity.

Dark Chocolate: **** Wow, very flavorful with a deep chocolate bite like a brownie. It satisfied my chocolate craving. It’s a safe flavor to go with, but there are so many other ways to get a chocolate fix.

Raspberry: **** Very good, real raspberry flavor, even with a few seeds. Dark crimson color inside makes for a striking appearance.

Pistachio: **** Very pistachio-y! I appreciated this flavor for its (in my opinion) superiority over its ice cream cousin.

Lavender Poppy: **** An original flavor worth trying with little black poppy seeds on the outside and a sweet, intense, purple lavender pop of flavor on the inside. Surprising and new.

Coconut Lime: ***** Yum, this was my unexpected favorite. It had a great melding of tropical flavors and French technique. Tres delicieux. It had little bits of coconut and lime zest.

Next time you want to try a new dessert, experience some beautiful, original, flavorful macarons.

Easy Pumpkin Spice Roasted Almonds

If you’re looking for an easy pumpkin spice flavored snack that’s healthy and festive enough for entertaining, try these roasted almonds. They’re sweet, salty, cinnamony, and good for you too. If you like the flavor of maple syrup, you could substitute that for the honey. The salt brightens and highlights all the other flavors. Serve them up and share with friends for a guilt-free holiday snack. They make a great hostess gift and will fill your kitchen with a wonderfully warm and spicy autumn scent.

Pumpkin Spice Roasted Almonds

(Adapted from a recipe on Knead to Cook)

2 cups almonds

3 t cinnamon

2 ½ t pumpkin pie spice

4 T of honey or maple syrup

1 t vanilla

½ t salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with foil.

Place all ingredients in a bowl and combine evenly. Spread on the baking sheet. Bake for about 20 minutes. Cool and serve.