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Hey 2012, We Threw You a Dinner Party.

January 1, 2013 Rivka
new year leftovers
new year leftovers

Well hi there. Hopefully you're curled up on the couch in pajamas, eating something tasty and sipping something warm.

We're in comfies on the couch, with coffee in hand. I'm already contemplating a mug of hot chocolate with one of last night's vanilla-bean marshmallows plopped on. There's so much time to run around like a crazy woman with my head cut off; today is for staying warm and full.

I mentioned that celebrated the new year at home, with friends. It was almost the same crowd we had over last year, and I think it's becoming something of a tradition. We'd planned to keep things low-key, given that we'd been traveling and didn't think we'd have much time to cook. But as it turned out, last week was a sleepy one at the office, giving me a few afternoons with enough time to plan a proper menu. Here's how it all went down.

We almost always serve dinner family-style, but D and I decided to go more formal for NYE, so I knew I wanted to plate the salad and main course. We quickly settled on fish, and at the market, black cod really called to me, so I splurged. Miso black cod - a Nobu recipe that's been copied by chefs worldwide - would be a sure hit, and it fit with the French-Japanese menu that had started to emerge.

I'd bought ingredients for lemon gougeres, which are probably the number one party trick up my sleeve. Gougeres mix up in a matter of minutes, bake just as quickly, and best of all, keep in the freezer indefinitely. You can make the dough and form the gougeres in advance, then freeze them raw on the baking sheet, stick'em in a bag, and stockpile them in the freezer until the unexpected guests come knocking.

Keeping with the French part of my French-Japanese menu, I bought leeks for the leeks vinaigrette recipe David Tanis published in the Times last week. Coincidentally, he'd also published a riff on that recipe using miso for Diners' Journal, but given that the fish was coated in miso, too, I decided stick to the original.

My rule of thumb for dinner parties is that only one dish can require in-the-moment fussing. In this case, the black cod won a-la-minute attention. Leeks were boiled in advance and left to hang at room temp until dinner, when all they needed was a swipe of dressing and a sprinkle of capers. The other element on the plate was equally easy, and I can tell you right now that it's going into the regular rotation. It was a simple sweet potato puree that tasted kind of chef-y. Anna asked me if I'd pushed them through a tamis, and given that I didn't even bother, what a compliment that was! It's from Martha (perfection defined) and it's really a template, designed to tweak and tinker to your menu and your appetite. The beauty of sweet potato puree is that, unlike potatoes, you actually can make them in advance. I did that, left them at room temp until the party, and -- yea, I did it -- threw them in the microwave before plating. Here's the recipe.

There was wine. There were cocktails. Of course, there was champagne. But first, there was punch: crimson bulleit punch, specifically. It was a hit. Especially fun to make and show off was the ice ring, which I made on a whim and will definitely make again. Here's a little video I shot about the punch, using an app called Directr, which my friend Eli designed and which you positively must check out:

(If the embedding won't work, here's a direct link.)

The great thing about the friends who came over last night is that when you tell them 24 hours before the party that you're planning a French-Japanese menu, they pull perfect spring rolls and a salad with a glorious ginger dressing out of nowhere. That's not to mention a whole bag full of good drinks and a lot of cheer.

For dessert, I knew I wanted a showstopper. After tossing around Gateau St. Honore, Gateau de Crepes, and a few other Big French Desserts, I decided to depart from my theme and make Dobos Torte, which has nothing to do with either French or Japanese cuisine. It's a serious project, but I had the time, and I couldn't stop drooling over the pound of chocolate ganache. So it was.

DSC_0176
DSC_0176

Not to jinx the good karma, but last night went off without a hitch. I opted not to brown the fish on the stove before broiling it - too much fuss, too much smoke, too much smell - and that was a good decision. 12 minutes in the broiler left my beautiful, expensive fillets of black cod as luscious and perfectly cooked as any piece of fish I've ever had. Leo emailed me this morning to say that he dreamt about the fish last night. The leeks and sweet potatoes cooperated as needed, and I managed to plate 8 servings of food, sit for dinner with my guests, and still not serve cold food. A true victory.

D was in charge of "mood and decor," as she put it, and of course, she delivered. Menus were printed and wrapped with alternating colors of ribbon, denoting our teams for games later in the evening. Kazoos and confetti were purchased. And we even held a round of "good, bad, ugly, 2012 edition" over dinner.

I'm feeling particularly grateful today. We're lucky to afford good food, to splurge on black cod without thinking too much about it. We're lucky to have a home that can fit 8 of our good friends and keep them (mostly) warm, even with a broken HVAC. We're lucky to have those friends, who make us laugh and make us think, and are always there to celebrate or comfort. And we're lucky to have each other, and our families.

2012 was a difficult year for so many. I'm counting our blessings from this past year, and I'm hopeful that 2013 will bring better things for everyone. And lots of delicious food.

Happy New Year, friends.

In menus, various and sundry
8 Comments

2012, You've Been Swell

December 31, 2012 Rivka
2012-06-24 16.06.43
2012-06-24 16.06.43

This year. I can't believe it's almost through.

There was a tremendous trip to the Sugar Bowl (and one of the best food cities there is). There was a 29th birthday, a surprise trip to New York, and a beet dish that so haunted me, I tracked down the recipe and made it myself. There was a whole lot of yogurt, with granola and in soups galore. And there was the happy discovery that just about anything tastes better when you caramelize it. I guess we all learn at our own pace.

2012 brought many new siblings into my life, and 2013 will bring quite a few more. D's brothers and sisters, and my brother, are getting engaged and married seemingly everyday. We both feel so lucky about our expanding family.

Many dear friends of ours had children in 2012, making our lives livelier, and creating a pretty strong incentive to finally break down and stock our little condo with toys that aren't of the breakable-pottery variety. We're pretty psyched about all the little ones.

2012-07-04 20.09.49
2012-07-04 20.09.49
through november 2012 093
through november 2012 093
through november 2012 415
through november 2012 415

(Also, about our friend who makes the most amazing birthday cakes:)

through november 2012 430
through november 2012 430

We're closing out this year and ringing in the new one at home, with good friends and good food. There'll be gougeres and rice paper rolls, miso-broiled black cod and leeks vinaigrette. There are also pureed sweet potatoes as smooth and silky as I've ever had. And then, since New Years Eve is the time for showstoppers, I made a Dobos Torte.

Hope you all have a wonderful evening. Here's to 2013!

In menus, various and sundry
Comment

What I'm Reading, April 2012

April 12, 2012 Rivka
iphone 566
iphone 566

I've been collecting these little links and iphone shots for a while now, planning to share them during a particularly slow cooking week. That up there is a little dish I riffed after our meal at Lupa - it's salsify, braised in citrus and butter. It was delicious. Passover is usually quiet in the kitchen, though this week I've cooked a bunch: crisp-skinned roast chicken, beets with pesto vinaigrette, and my favorite Passover cookies. I'd tell you to check in for (another) chicken post later this week, but sadly that's on hold, as I tried to spatchcock a bird for D's birthday but people, I cut the wrong side of the chicken. Would you judge me if I posted pictures of a bird spatchcocked backward? Breasts on the bottom, legs on the sides - really, totally, backward.  No less delicious, but sort of goofy-looking. I can't quite bring myself to share it. Meanwhile, I figure it's time I shared all these with you.  Enjoy, and happy holidays.

The genius Kristen Miglore on moderation, April Bloomfield's new book, and a lemon caper dressing I will be making asap: "It's the simple law of diminishing returns. Grown-ups know better than to pack a whole avocado in their salad, lest they compromise the pleasure of finding a single slice in the bottom of the bowl. 'It's the difference between giving people what they think they want and giving them what will be truly amazing," Bloomfield explains in the book.'"

iphone 576
iphone 576

Tamar Adler's inspiring video on roasting the vegetables you'll need for the week all at once. I've used this technique a couple times now, and it's really perfect. I love having roasted chunks of beets, carrots, cauliflower, parsnips, and more, all at the ready for a grain or salad dish.

Just Hungry's posts on basic Japanese cookingtechniques. Somehow, the more I know about sushi rice, the more daunting making it becomes. These posts take the guesswork and mystique out of making sushi rice at home.

Zach and Clay over at The Bitten Word wrote a fantastic post about the Malaysian beef dish called Rendang, which I've always wanted to try. Theirs looks delicious, and the post is a testament to the juicy reward of a recipe that takes lots of time and hard work. Sometimes - and it looks like this was one of those times - the results are worth it.

iphone 572
iphone 572

There's a great conversation over at Food52 about Control-Freak Eggs. Folks have weighed in with wonderfully anal-retentive suggestions, and I'm no exception. I'll be blogging about my OCD egg method - borrowed from the Momofuku masters, Peter Meehan and David Chang - soon.

Homemade butter has always intrigued me, so when I recently stumbled upon this piece by Daniel Patterson, I became determined to give it a go. Patterson is chef at the lovely Coi in SF (where I had the most phenomenal -- ok, the only -- heirloom chile consomme I've ever had), and if he loves this butter, I know I will, too. I've got out to buy nice cream from the farmers market. I'm planning to try my hand at making butter this week. I'll report back.

In the "recipes that aren't for everyone" department, this black sesame pear tea cake from Lottie and Doof has me tripping to replenish my black sesame seeds. If I do actually make butter at home, maybe I'll use the buttermilk left over for this cake.

Apparently I'm on a sesame kick, because I've been eyeing these Gilded Sesame Cookies from - sigh - Gourmet.

iphone 577
iphone 577

Some of you may already know and love The Canal House. Christopher Hirsheimer and Melissa Hamilton cook beautiful food and put out books - roughly 3 a year, I think - that are somewhere between traditional cookbooks and quarterly magazines. They're beautiful, and worth checking out. In the meantime, get ye straight to their blog, Canal House Cooks Lunch, and feast your eyes.

iphone 573
iphone 573

As some of you already know, before Passover kicked in, I was having a ball with my homemade sourdough starter. I made some of the best loaves I've ever baked, and one of them was this glorious chocolate sourdough bread from Clotilde. It's not an enriched bread - no butter, sugar, or eggs - so it's rich in flavor without feeling heavy or like dessert. Highly recommended.

Lastly, for those of you who are food bloggers and/or who have contemplated a career in food writing, Amanda Hesser wrote a must-read piece yesterday that's already gone pretty viral. It's frank, somewhat sad, but very true advice to those weighing the prospects for making money writing about food. Lord knows I've thought from time to time about whether this blog might become a larger part of how I spend my day and earn my paycheck. For now, I'm keeping my day job. If you've thought about this too, please: read Amanda's post. If you're skeptical of her conclusions, you can join the club - but I think her piece started a conversation that's been dormant for some time.

That's all for now. I'll be back soon with something delicious to share.

In various and sundry
3 Comments

What I've Been Cooking: February 2012

February 6, 2012 Rivka
DSC_0279
DSC_0279

A different sort of post today, because while I've been too busy this week to cook anything noteworthy, there are many little things I keep meaning to mention. So here they are, in one fell swoop.

It's slim pickins'  at the farmers' market these days, but carrots are in abundance. I bought a few pounds from a guy who's known for his carrots, and I put some of them to work in this simple soup from Deb. I loved the clean, pure carrot flavor, and the miso added just the right punch of umami. One change: I found the sesame oil overpowering, and I didn't love the texture of raw scallions in such a smooth soup. Still, I didn't want to lose that scallion flavor. So I took a page from Francis Lam's playbook, and drizzled the soup with some of his genius ginger-scallion sauce. The combination was such a winner, I couldn't resist sharing it.

~

I've been making granola for long enough that I know what I like and how to get it. It was all the more surprising, then, to be blown away by this deceivingly simple recipe from Nekisia Davis, by way of Food 52. Olive oil and maple is a combination I've used on many batches of granola - but never as effectively as this. There will still be times when I want my standby granola with tahini; it's a bit more wholesome, and it bakes up in clusters, which I rather like. Still, I know I'll be putting this recipe in heavy rotation, so I wanted to share it with you.

~

sourdough
sourdough

Like somanyother bloggers, I've caught the sourdough bug. I've got two mason jars full of burbling, gurgling starter in my fridge: one is mostly white with some rye; the other is half white, half wheat. Both are showing off for this first-time baker, rising eagerly with each feeding and behaving themselves in the fridge (no overflows, yet). (The rubber bands in the picture are the where the dough started immediately after I fed it and put it back into the jar. See how much they rise? And that's only from 3 hours!) I was told to wait until day 9 to bake, but my starter was so active, I went ahead and baked my first two loaves last week. The crusts definitely need some work - I'm thinking of borrowing the technique I used in baking baguettes of spraying the loaves with water in the oven - but the crumb is beautiful, and the flavor is some of the best in any bread I've made to date. I'm excited about the starter gaining strength and tang, and I've already got my eye on a few non-bread sourdough recipes. Pumpkin-maple sourdough cake, anyone?

~

Another excellent Food 52 recipe, this one from "Mrs Larkin." Scones made with a generous helping of baked butternut squash puree and fresh sage. Lest you think they're some health food-type of thing, you brush the tops with cream and sprinkle them with sugar. Definitely not health food. I've made them three or four times; I can't get enough of them. Their bright orange color doesn't hurt, either.

~

DSC_0125

If you haven't been following Tom Hirschfeld, now's the time to start. Between his blog, Bona Fide Farm Food, his standby Food 52 column, On a Farm in Indiana, and his newest Food 52 outlet, Sunday Dinners, Tom is cooking (and writing) up a delicious storm. His recipes are confidence inspiring; quite simply, they don't fail. At a recent gathering of DC cooks, I made Tom's Madeira Tart. It's a custard tart that comes together without the fussy and often nerve-wracking step of stirring eggs over a flame. Nope, none of that: you just scald the milk, then mix the ingredients together, pour them into the crust, and bake. Out comes a delicate custard, perfectly smooth and perfumed with Madeira. What more could you ask for?

I fancy rye the ugly stepsister to bourbon, with a spicier flavor and a drier finish. Despite its rougher edges, I've come to find a friend in the spirit. I suppose it was the natural next step for this bourbon lover. I've got a couple different varieties on the bar, including the rye from Bulleit, which is lovely, and one from Redemption. If you are curious but less keen on trying it alone, this Apple Rye Punch from Food 52 is lovely.

~

I could go on and on, couldn't I? Well, that's enough for now. I'll be back later this week to share another wonderful winter soup.

In various and sundry
5 Comments
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