Al Dente

Happy Boxing Day! Who's Up For Curry?

For our neighbors to the North, the day after Christmas looks a lot like our Black Friday, a time for competitive bargain hunting. But this "bank holiday" goes way back to pre-retailing times.

Thanks to Wikipedia for filling us in on the nitty gritty: As long ago as the 17th century, this day was traditionally recognized as a time for the upper crust to be charitable and generous to the people working for you. Right before you hopped onto a steed and gallop off on a fox hunt!

Naturally, I was curious about the menu for this under-the-radar holiday. Sure, I've seen the 2001 film Bridget Jones Diary a dozen or so times, and I adore the scene where Ms. B meets the stuffy Mark Darcy over a Boxing Day buffet of turkey curry. Could that be the quasi-official dish of the day celebrated in England and Canada?

I love the idea of dispatching leftovers into a aromatic stew flavored with that intriguing mix of spices known by its generic title "curry powder". I've long been marinating on the idea of creating my own curry powder, something that's long on notes of tumeric and cumin, cardamon and fenugreek, but a little lighter on the fiery chilis. Which is why I finally invested in spice grinder.

This isn't one of those instances where a small appliance has got to multi-task. It's not going to be a coffee bean-slash-spice grinder. It's going to be dedicated to the task of turning whole herbs and spices into powdered versions that can be blended together. 

For the skinny on that process, I turned to a super nifty cookbook I've had a lot of fun playing with, 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer. I love the straightforward how-to in this thick tome, describing the best way to make your own curry powder. The most important thing to remember about getting the most out of almost any spice is to gently heat it first in a dry saute pan, releasing its essential oils and maximizing the flavor. The fragrance this creates is unbelieveable. Just be careful not to take it too far, too fast.

Because my family had leg of lamb for Christmas dinner, our Boxing Day buffet will feature Lamb Vindaloo instead of Turkey Curry. Can't wait! What's on your Boxing Day menu?

-- Leslie Kelly

Easter Tweeps, Treats & Eggy Goodness

 
With Easter fast approaching, it's time to stock up on wonderful treats and eggs to later hide for kids and adults to find. Colorful jelly beans. Marshmallowy yellow chick or pink bunny Peeps®. Chocolate Easter bunnies. Once Easter is over, what do you do with the leftovers?

 Turn those leftover Easter treats into other tasty goodies of course! With a few more incredients you can turn those jelly beans and Peeps® into my Butter Toffee Almond & Jelly Bean Tweeps. Another idea is to use those jelly beans for my Spiced Jelly Bean Oatmeal Cookies, which is chock full of delectable tasties like pistachios and raisins. Don't forget the extra chocolate! Crush and melt those extra chocolate bunnies for my Bunny'licious Adult Chocolate Mocha Fondue  (for a more kid friendly recipe, use less brewed coffee/espresso and nix the liqueur!). 

Now it's all fun and games to color and decorate those Easter  eggs (seen to the right),  hide them  everywhere and then have all your guests (kids and adults alike) hunt for them. You can always turn those extra eggs into a classic egg salad sandwich (always yummy!) or turn them into a fantastic deviled egg appetizer. My Chipotle Deviled Eggs uses a chipotle chile puree for a slight spice kick while my Deviled Eggs N' Bacon combines two breakfast staples into a tasty appetizer. 

I had a great time preparing and showing some of these tasty Easter treats today on KING 5's New Day Northwest (seen to the left). For the video clip, click here.

I hope you enjoy the Easter holiday and have fun dishin' out "leftover treat" recipes. Make sure to cook up some springtime fun!

-Kathy

Butter Toffee Almond & Jelly Bean Tweeps
You can also press and mold these into muffin or cupcake tins 
for fun-sized treats.   

Makes 30 tweeps

3 Tbsp. butter
6 (4.5 oz) packages yellow Peeps® (you can use bunnies too for pink treats)
5 cups Rice Krispies® cereal
1 cup small jelly beans
1 package Almond Accents Butter Toffee Glazed

Pull 30 of the peeps heads off and set aside for garnish.

In a large sauce pan heat butter over low heat melt the butter until melted.  Then add peeps and stir over low heat until melted (as seen to the right). Then stir in Rice Krispies, jelly beans and almonds. Stir until cereal is well coated and the jellybeans and almonds are distributed.

Place mixture in a pan sprayed 8”x8” baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap and press down to compact the crispy treats. Let set for at least 15 minutes before serving. Garnish with reserved peep heads. To serve cut (5x6) into 30 squares. 

Recipe ©2010 Kathy Casey Food Studios®

 

Bunny’licious Adult Chocolate Mocha Fondue  

Makes 4 servings

6 ounces of left-over chocolate bunnies
1/4 cup hot, strong brewed coffee or espresso
1 Tbsp. liqueur such as Grand Marnier

For dipping: cut fresh fruit into chunks, such as pineapple, strawberries, raspberries, apple wedges and oranges

Other fun things for dipping include pound cake chunks, holiday cookies, small chocolate chip cookies, marshmallows, other candies such as Peeps®

Break up or cut bunnies into small pieces (chocolate chip size) into a glass or ceramic bowl and pour hot coffee over them. Stir until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. If coffee is not hot enough to melt chocolate, then microwave for 10 seconds. Stir in liqueur if desired.

Transfer mixture to a fondue pot or pretty bowl and serve warm with long forks and lots of goodies for dipping.

Recipe ©2010 Kathy Casey Food Studios®

Spiced Jelly Bean Oatmeal Cookies
My mom has made these cookies ever since I can remember but she used cut up gumdrops in them. Jelly beans taste just as great! I like to use spiced jelly beans.

Makes 24 cookies

1/2 cup butter
1/3 cup shortening
6 Tbsp. brown sugar
6 Tbsp. sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
3/4 cup flour
1 cup oatmeal (rolled oats)
1 cup (1/2 lb) small spiced jelly beans
1/4 cup rough chopped Wonderful Pistachios, Shelled
1/4 cup raisins or chopped dried cranberries

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cream butter sugars, egg and vanilla. Sift together dry ingredients and blend in. Mix in oatmeal, jelly beans, pistachios and raisins. Chill 2 hours, then drop by tablespoonfuls on a greased baking sheet. Bake about 14-16 minutes or until golden. 

Recipe ©2010 Kathy Casey Food Studios® 

Deviled Eggs N’ Bacon
 
Makes 24 stuffed eggs  
1 dozen Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs (procedure follows)
3 Tbsps. regular or low-fat sour cream
3 Tbsps. mayonnaise or reduced-fat mayonnaise

1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard, optional
1 tsp minced garlic
1/4 cup finely grated medium or sharp cheddar cheese

 

Topping
1/4 – 1/3 cup finely chopped crispy-cooked bacon
2 Tbsps. very thinly sliced green onion
Freshly ground black pepper for sprinkling

Cut the eggs in half lengthwise and remove the yolks to a mixing bowl. Set the egg white halves on a platter, cover, and refrigerate.

Mash the egg yolks to a smooth consistency with a fork or potato masher. Mix in the sour cream, mayonnaise, salt, black pepper, mustard, and garlic until smooth. (You can also do this in a mixing bowl with a whip attachment.) Stir in the cheese until evenly mixed in.

Spoon the yolk mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a plain or large star tip, then squeeze (pipe) the mixture evenly into the egg white halves.

To make the topping: In a small bowl, mix together the bacon and green onion. Top each egg half with about 3/4 teaspoon of this mixture, then sprinkle with black pepper.

 

Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs

Place the eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water to 1 inch above the eggs. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat and simmer the eggs for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and run cool water over the eggs. When they are cool, carefully peel them under running water.

Recipe created by Kathy Casey Food Studios®.

Chipotle Deviled Eggs
My favorite deviled egg recipe and a great way to use up those leftover colorful Easter eggs!

Makes 24 stuffed eggs

1 dozen large eggs
3 Tbsps. regular or low-fat sour cream
3 Tbsps. mayonnaise
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard, optional
1 to 2 Tbsps. chipotle chile purée*
1 tsp. minced garlic
2 Tbsps. very thinly sliced green onion

 

Topping
1/2 cup diced (1/4-inch) tomatoes
1 Tbsp. minced white onion
2 Tbsps. minced fresh cilantro
1 to 2 tsp. chipotle chile purée*

Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with cool water to 1 inch above eggs. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then 10 minutes. After eggs have cooked for 10 minutes, remove from the heat and run cool water over them. When eggs are cool, carefully peel under running water.

Cut the eggs in half lengthwise and remove the yolks to a mixing bowl. Set the egg white halves on a platter, cover, and refrigerate.

Mash the yolks to a smooth consistency with a fork or potato masher. Mix in the sour cream, mayonnaise, salt, mustard, 1 to 2 tablespoons chipotle purée, and garlic until smooth. Stir in the green onions. Spoon the yolk mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a plain or large star tip and then squeeze (pipe) the mixture evenly into the egg white halves.

To make the topping: In a small bowl, mix together tomatoes, onion, cilantro, and chipotle purée. Top each egg half with 1 teaspoon of the tomato mixture.

*To make chipotle purée: Place 1 can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce in blender and purée until smooth. Freeze any remaining purée for another use.

© Dishing with Kathy Casey

Chipotle Deviled Eggs

Food-and-Wine-Pairing the WineWise Way

Having taken the better part of two years to write Pacific Northwest Wining & Dining, a 270-page book focusing on the wine regions of the Pacific Northwest (Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and British Columbia), I know how challenging it can be to distill hundreds of interviews and folders full of information into something useful and comprehensible to the reader.

So I can only begin to imagine the task undertaken by Steven Kolpan, Brian H. Smith, and Michael A. Weiss, co-authors of WineWise: Your Complete Guide to Understanding, Selecting, and Enjoying Wine, when they sat down to write about all the world’s major wine regions--from California and Australia to France and Italy and even “Up and Coming” regions, such as Greece and Canada.

In the book’s opening chapters, the three authors, who have served as professors of wine at the prestigious Culinary Institute of America (CIA) for more than 20 years, explain how to taste wine, and give an exhaustive overview of major white and red grape varieties.

The book’s final chapters discuss ways to cut costs on wine in restaurants and the best bargain wines, just the kind of information budget-conscious wine consumers are looking for in these tough economic times. 

Even more laudable is that, while covering so much ground, the authors manage to keep the language and lingo understandable by the average Joe. Bravo!

While flipping through the 360-page, gloriously produced tome, I was particularly drawn to the chapter on food-and-wine pairing, including a chart on page 292 that offers 10 simple guidelines to use when selecting a wine to pair with a meal. Reading and understanding this chart alone is worth the price of the book. Among the tips?

1. Acidity: Acidic wines--low, medium, or “so tart you drool with pleasure”--cleanse your palate of richness and also pair well with tart foods.
2. Alcohol: Lower alcohol is best for spicy or salty foods.
3. Bitterness: Bitter wines pair better than semisweet wines with earthy foods.
4. Body: Use the body of the wine (very light, light, medium, medium-full, or full) to balance a dish’s power.
5. Complementary Flavors: Pair wines with food that have complementary flavors. For example, Syrah/Shiraz often contains aromas and flavors of black peppercorn, so match it with pepper-crusted New York strip steak. Trout Amandine is a natural with the nutty notes of a Manzanilla Sherry.
6. Complexity: Complex wines shine when paired with complex foods, and vice versa.
7. Oak: Highly oaked wines complement smoky flavors or grilled fish and meats.
8. Sweetness: Whether dry, semidry, semisweet, or sweet, the wine should be at least as sweet as the food.
9. Temperature: Try a chilled glass of wine on a hot summer day; save the big dry reds for a day on the slopes (or even try a glass of glögg--hot spiced wine).
10. Experiment: Most importantly, take a chance!

“Part of the fun of pairing food and wine is that potential rush of excitement that comes from discovering an unorthodox but magnificent combination,” according to the savvy authors of WineWise.

--Braiden Rex-Johnson

Photo of Braiden by Ingrid Pape-Sheldon.

“Punch” Up Your Holidays!

With Thanksgiving on the horizon, many (most!) of us are in planning mode for the biggest meal of the year. And along with the turkey and the trimmings comes another important part of the meal: what to drink.

Instead of the usual suspects--Pinot Noir, Beaujolais, or Chardonnay--I’d like to propose something quick, easy, and economical that serves a crowd and looks lovely on the buffet table to boot: warm wine punch.

In their enticing book Hot Drinks: Cider, Coffee, Tea, Hot Chocolate, Spiced Punch, and Spirits (Ten Speed Press, 2007), my friends Mary Lou and Robert Heiss, who run an atmospheric tea, coffee, and kitchenware shop in western Massachusetts and are the authors of several authoritative books on tea, serve up 50 recipes for classics such as Hot Buttered Rum and Spicy Mulled Cider, along with new inspirations such as Hot Wasabi Red Snapper and Pan-Asian Pear William.

In the Welcome Cups and Party Punches chapter, the husband-and-wife team feature 10 recipes including Glögg, a wintertime favorite in Sweden made of red wine, Aquavit, and brandy. Glühwein is another winter warmer featured in this informative and beautifully photographed book. “European punch” includes hard cider, brandy, dark honey, all manner of spices, not to mention citrus slices and twists.

You’ll want to go a’ wassailing when you read the recipe for Wassail, an ale-based punch that Brits drunk on Twelfth Night (January 5), at the end of the Christmas season. According to the recipe’s headnote, “The holiday Wassail bowl is popularly associated with medieval England, but is also part of even earlier Norse and Saxon traditions of celebrating the passage out of the darkest night of winter into a new year.”  Sounds promising.

I’ve included the Heisses’ recipe for Cranberry Claret Cup--a contemporary warm red-wine punch--below. Should you have any left over (highly unlikely), it makes a perfect poaching liquid for fresh pears or a heady foundation for a hot fruit soup.

Cranberry Claret Cup

Serves 12 or more

Ingredients:
1 bottle (750 ml) red Bordeaux wine
4 cups cranberry juice cocktail
1 cup (8 ounces) brandy
1/4 cup granulated sugar
12 whole allspice berries
8 whole cloves
8 thin slices of fresh ginger
2 (5-inch) Ceylon cinnamon sticks
2 teaspoons whole coriander seeds
1 lemon cut into 8 wedges

Directions:
1. Combine all of the ingredients in a large saucepan over medium heat and bring to a very low simmer. Lower the heat and simmer gently for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Ladle into heatproof punch cups or demitasse cups and serve warm.

Recipe reprinted with permission from Hot Drinks: Cider, Coffee, Tea, Hot Chocolate, Spiced Punch, and Spirits. Copyright © 2007 by Mary Lou Heiss and Robert J. Heiss, Ten Speed Press, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, Berkeley, CA.

--Braiden Rex-Johnson

Cranberry Claret Cup photo by Marshall Gordon.

Photo of Braiden by Ingrid Pape-Sheldon.

Kathy Casey Talks Turkey: How to Avoid the Top 10 Turkey Sins

The holidays are upon us and it's time to start planning those holiday dinners for friends and family. Everyone has their favorites--from old-school marshmallow-topped sweet potatoes, to the classic green bean casserole. But for me it’s all about the turkey! Juicy and golden, it graces most of our holiday dinner tables. But, alas, there can be many turkey tragedies, “turkey sins” I call them. From the overcooked and dried out, to the not-fully-defrosted-and-then-baked-raw travesty! Zowie!

Ample planning and some good rules of thumb can ensure a low-stress turkey roasting day. Below, I’ll walk you through the 10 turkey sins, and provide tips on how to have a d'lish holiday meal.

Turkey Sin #1: Roasting a Half-Frozen Bird
If you’re buying a standard bird at the grocery store, take into consideration most of these babies are frozen or "half" frozen. The rule of thumb is: You should start defrosting your bird in the refrigerator about five days in advance—up to seven if it's a biggie! If you can order one fresh, then great; get your order in at least 2+ weeks ahead at your favorite market or butcher/poultry shop. Remember to get to “know your turkey”--if your going for local and free range it will cook a bit quicker (and need more seasoning) than a traditional “plumped” turkey.

Turkey Sin #2: Leaving the Bag of Giblets in the Bird
How many of you have seen these left in during baking?! Once your bird is ready for the big day, take it out of the wrapper. Remove the bag of "goodies and giblets" from inside, and also check inside the neck cavity. (NObody wants a turkey “butt” surprise.) You can use the neck and giblets to make a little pan of turkey stock for adding to gravy if you like.

Turkey Sin #3: “Steaming,” Rather than Roasting, Your Bird
Roasting your turkey in a big old deep roasting pan creates steam from the turkey juices and does not make for a crispy-skinned bird. To avoid this, rinse your turkey inside and out; then pat it dry. Place in a wide shallow pan, up on a roasting rack. Stick some aromatics, such as quartered onions, an orange, and a few big sprigs of fresh herbs, such as thyme, sage and rosemary, in the inside cavity.

Turkey Sin #4: Underseasoning
All the gravy and cranberry sauce in Plymouth Rock can’t hide an underseasoned bird. You can carefully stuff fun things, like fresh sage leaves, sprigs of thyme, fresh basil leaves, and small tufts of rosemary, under the turkey’s skin, but watch out for tears in the skin. Herbs will add a nice flavor to the meat. Season your turkey liberally with kosher salt and fresh-ground black pepper--or I love to use my Dish D’Lish French Seasoning Salt! This means really season it well--rub it all over, under the wings, on the back of the bird--massage that baby! For a medium-sized turkey, you want to use at least 1 tablespoon of kosher salt plus about 1 teaspoon of pepper or about 2 tablespoons of my Dish D’Lish French Seasoning Salt.

Turkey Sin #5: An Undercooked or Overcooked Bird
Undercook your bird, and put your guests at risk. Overcook your bird, and you’ll need to offer guests a LOT of wine for washing it down…which could lead to family drama! Cooking your bird just right is tricky. To start with, there are a million different methods. I'm a roasted-turkey gal, but I know there are lots of you turkey-fryers out there. And it does make a good bird (but beware of garage fires!)--but I gotta have my gravy. To keep it simple, get yourself a good instant-read thermometer and be sure to preheat your oven. See my favorite recipe and tips, below, for roasting. To avoid overcooking your bird, plan your day. When are you serving dinner? Work back from there. Unless you are cooking a 40-pound monster turkey or eating dinner at 11 a.m., there is no need to get the bird in the oven at 6 a.m.!! Yes, I have succumbed to eating one of those roasted-for-eight-hours birds, and it wasn't pretty! Turkey sin #5-B, note--do not leave the thermometer in the bird when you are roasting it--see photo….

Turkey Sin #6: An Improperly Carved Turkey
After all that hard work put into creating a picture-perfect, delicious-tasting bird, do not let the knife get into inexperienced hands! It may be tradition to let the man of the house perform the ceremonious carve, but not if he’s going to hack it to death (Family Note: Seen at the in-laws frequently--for God sakes just let me do it)! Give the bird 20 minutes to rest. This will allow you to get the rest of the dinner on the table. To start carving, take off the breast first, and slice thin. Disjoint the legs, thighs, and wings and slice the thighs if desired. My in-laws use an electric knife (it was probably a wedding gift from the 60s!) and, actually, the thing works pretty darn well. I favor my super-sharp Henckels chef’s knife. But, hey! use whatever gets you the nicest slices.

Braiden-Rex Johnson: Cool Cocktails

It was a red-letter day in June when the editors of Food & Wine magazine’s Cocktails 2009 named ART Restaurant and Lounge in the Four Seasons Hotel Seattle as one of the top 100 bars and lounges across America. Food & Wine’s annual cocktail compendium presents more than 150 of the best cocktail and party recipes from cutting-edge bartenders coast to coast.

I was particularly pleased when ART was chosen since it’s right across the street from our downtown Seattle condo, so it’s easy to slip across the plaza for a sip and a nosh without getting in the car.

ART took home the bacon for one of its signature cocktails--Sorriso. The creative cocktail--which translates as “smile” in Italian--includes pear vodka, gin, cream sherry, cherry brandy, and Angostura bitters, all garnished with a twist of lemon.

Recently, I’ve been taken with another of ART’s signature cocktails--The Big Dill. It’s the kind of drink that’s fashionable of late, with savory ingredients (fresh cucumber) muddled with herbs (fresh dill) and mixed with freshly squeezed lime juice and agave syrup (a healthy sugar substitute, although simple syrup works just as well). The citrus and sweet syrup create a sort of sweet-and-sour effect, while good-quality vodka adds the final cool, crisp, alcoholic punch.

Since I’m really more of a wine aficionado than cocktail expert, I turn to books by two of Seattle’s cocktail kingpins and buddies of mine, whenever I have a question.

Just this spring, Seattle celebrity chef Kathy Casey whipped up a delightful new tome (her ninth) entitled, Sips & Apps: Classic and Contemporary Recipes for Cocktails and Appetizers.

With a hip, yet retro feel, the book is stylishly produced in Casey’s signature colors--robin’s egg blue, celadon, chocolate brown and silver--and includes more than 100 appetizer and cocktail recipes, a bar-basics section, recipes for cocktail cornerstones such as infused syrups and fresh fruit purées, along with insider tips.

A.J. Rathbun, kitchen editor at Amazon.com, is one of the most prolific writers I’ve ever met. His award-winning Good Spirits: Recipes, Revelations, Refreshments, and Romance, Shaken and Served with a Twist is an entertaining and engaging collection of 450 classic and contemporary cocktail recipes with quirky names (Headshrinker, Flaming Dr. Pepper, Obituary Cocktail), lively headnotes, and gorgeous photos by the aptly named Melissa Punch.

For those who want to try their hand at making a cool cocktail at home, here’s a recipe for The Big Dill courtesy of ART Restaurant and Lounge.

The Big Dill
Serves 1

Ingredients:
3 sprigs fresh dill, leafy parts only (no stems)
4 (1/2-inch) slices fresh cucumber
1/2 ounce agave syrup or simple syrup (See Cook’s Hint, below)
Juice of half a fresh lime
1-1/2 ounces Square One Vodka or other good-quality vodka 

Directions:

1. In a cocktail shaker, with a muddler or wooden spoon, gently press the dill and 3 slices of the cucumber. Add the agave syrup and gently press to combine the ingredients. Add the lime juice and gently press to combine. 

2. Add the vodka and enough ice to fill the shaker and cover. Shake vigorously and strain into a chilled martini glass until you reach the last half inch of liquid, which should be discarded as it may contain large flecks of dill.

3. To garnish, slice the remaining cucumber halfway into the center and position it on the rim of the martini glass.

Cook’s Hint: To make simple syrup, in a small saucepan, bring equal parts sugar and water to a boil; simmer until the sugar is dissolved, 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool completely. Use immediately or cover and refrigerate in a glass jar for up to 1 month.

--Braiden Rex-Johnson

Photo of Braiden by Ingrid Pape-Sheldon

Kathy Casey Dishes on Perfect Produce, Plus a Recipe for Greek Salad

Recently my executive chef Cameo and I headed to Anaheim for the International Produce Marketing Association’s (PMA) annual summit.  As a celebrity chef for Mastronardi & Sunset Produce, I attend every year with them to dish up fabulous tastings for nearly 16,000 attendees. PMA Fresh Summit is the world’s largest gathering of produce packagers, retailers, and growers. And it is BIG-time! We were greeted at baggage claim in a bright green--and I mean Kermit-the-frog green--Hummer wrapped with Sunset Kids veggies photos! Pretty easy to spot on the airport drive! 

This year, we skewered a few zillion Champagne tomatoes (small, super sweet cherry tomatoes) for Caprese Skewers with Balsamic Drizzle. We diced up buckets of sweet peppers, luscious tomatoes, and crisp mini cucumbers for a fresh and fun Greek salad (recipe below). All along with coring out an unmentionable amount of mini cucumbers for Goat Cheese, Pistachio, Apricot Curry Stuffed Cuke Bites!

Throughout the year I develop recipes for Sunset that they post online, highlighting their unique and flavorful products. You’re probably familiar with Sunset-brand products from the grocery store; they grow gourmet, mini cucumbers and loads of varieties of tomatoes and peppers. A family-owned company whose vision is to provide unique varietals of vegetables in an environmentally responsible and innovative way--an idea we can all get behind.

This year they launched the Kumato tomato. It is deceivingly sweet with a golden-brown hue and has a “crisp exterior with a full-flavored tomato flavor and a flavor finish of apple”! I believe I may have said that 16,000 times!

The show is a big networking experience for more than 50 countries of importers, buyers, growers, packagers, and innovators in the field.  But not to worry, we didn't see any square watermelons and very little GMOs on the floor.  The focus for many of the big suppliers was “greener packaging” and energy conservation.  This is not your weekend farmers market but it is refreshing to see the "big boys" learning to play responsibly. 

Friends of ours from La Mar Cevicheria in San Francisco shook Pisco sours, and chicha morada, purple chicha made with purple corn for the Peruvian Agricultural Board.  The drink was an electric purple with a sweet, refreshing cinnamon and pineapple flavor.
 
This years conference boasted its largest attendance and by the end of day two we were all to ready to curl up in the hotel, finish off a couple glasses of wine and catch up of our favorite reality TV (yes, it’s one of my favorite ways to relax!). Unfortunately the hotel didn’t have Bravo, so we settled for My Monkey Baby and Hoarders. We’re back at the studio now looking for a place to keep a few monkeys and thinking it’s time to start organizing the closets… After we get the feeling back in our feet!

Braiden Rex-Johnson Serves Up Oysters Gratineé

September is my favorite month of the year because it signals the onslaught of oyster season.

Pairing the proper wines with raw oysters on the half shell is a delicious challenge, one of particular interest in the Pacific Northwest, the nation’s leading oyster-producing region.

Young, lean white wines with crisp acidity that slices through the briny, metallic, cucumber-y, sea-breeze flavors of oysters, routinely win oyster-and-wine-pairing contests.

Varietals that “let the oyster be an oyster” while refreshing the palate are common favorites: Sauvignon Blanc (sometimes labeled as Fumé Blanc), Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc-Semillon blends, Chenin Blanc, Chablis, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, and Melon (which in France is known as Muscadet).

Best to steer away from big, buttery, and heavily oaked Chardonnays, though. Their bold flavors clash with, and silky mouth feel often overwhelm, the beloved bivalve. Also nix anything red, Rosé, sweet, hot (high in alcohol), full-bodied, or overly flavorful in comparison to the oysters.

And be sure to serve your oyster wine cold--as cold as your oysters--so the two are simpatico. Pre-chilling the bottle in a wine cellar or refrigerator, then keeping it an ice-filled ice bucket as you enjoy it with the oysters, works well for this.

Cooked oysters are equally fun to pair with wine. Just keep in mind the sauce, herbs, and spices served with the oyster, and you’ll be in good shape.

As an excellent example, here’s a recipe for a true classic--Oysters Gratinée--oysters baked in a creamy cheese sauce. It comes from my seventh book, Pacific Northwest Wining & Dining (Wiley, 2007) and is the inspiration of Philippe Boulot, long-time executive chef of the venerable Heathman Restaurant, adjacent to The Heathman Hotel in downtown Portland.

The busy chef once cooked a 10-course dinner at the venerable James Beard House in New York City in which every course incorporated oysters! In keeping with the tips above, he suggests pairing his oyster dish with a good-quality Semillon.

Oysters Gratinée
Varietal: Semillon
Serves 4 as an appetizer

20 fresh Pacific Northwest oysters, such as Westcott Bay European Flats, Kumamoto, Kushi, or Pacific
Rock salt
1 pound leeks, chopped (green parts only)
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) grated Swiss cheese
1 large egg yolk

1. With an oyster knife, shuck the oysters over a mixing bowl to catch all the juices. Reserve the bottom (cupped) shell from each oyster. Set the oysters aside. To prepare the reserved oyster shells for stuffing, rinse the shells in hot water, drain, and pat completely dry. Place a layer of coarse salt on a rimmed baking sheet and arrange the oyster shells cup side up without crowding. Set aside.

2. Add the oyster juice, leeks, and cream to a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the leeks are tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the Swiss cheese, stir well, and allow to cool. Once cool, whisk in the egg yolk.

3. Ten minutes before cooking, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Divide half the leek mixture among the prepared oyster shells, cover with an oyster, and divide the remaining leek mixture over the tops of the oysters. Cook 5 to 7 minutes, or until the oysters are cooked through but still tender and the sauce is slightly browned.

4. To serve, place a fresh layer of rock salt on a decorative platter or 4 individual plates. Arrange the oysters over the rock salt and serve immediately.

Recipe reprinted from Pacific Northwest Wining & Dining: The People, Places, Food, and Drink of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and British Columbia (Wiley) by Braiden Rex-Johnson.

--Braiden Rex-Johnson

Photo of Braiden by Ingrid Pape-Sheldon

Kathy Casey Throws a Summer Tropical Dinner Party, Part 2

In yesterday's post about my recent luau-themed dinner party, I featured four tropical recipes: a luscious Lilikoi Rum Punch, Tropical Chile Lime Shrimp bursting with flavor, a succulent Pineapple Avocado Salsa, and finally, a Tender Lettuce and Watercress Salad with Toasted Macadamia Nuts, Papaya, and Lychee Vinaigrette. I know you're hungering for the rest of the menu! Today, we round out the tropical evening with Coconut Scallion Rice, Grilled Baby Back Ribs with Mango Ginger Glaze, and, of course dessert, a sumptuous grilled banana sundae. All these recipes give you the opportunity to prep in advance--so you'll be able to kick back with your Lilikoi Rum Punch and enjoy a little island time.

All recipes copyright ©2009 by Kathy Casey Food Studios®

Coconut Scallion Rice
Makes about 8 servings

Ingredients:
2 cups basmati rice, rinsed and drained well
1 tablespoon oil
3/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
2 cups water
1 can (13 to 14 ounces) unsweetened coconut milk*
2 teaspoons kosher salt
Small pinch cayenne pepper
Garnish: thinly sliced green onions

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Put the very well-drained rice in a 2-quart baking dish, and set aside.

2. Heat the oil in a nonstick or heavy saucepan over medium heat. Sauté the green onion lightly, about 1 minute. Add the water and coconut milk and bring to just barely a simmer; do not boil.

3. Stir the hot mixture into the rice; stir in the salt and cayenne. Seal tightly with foil and bake in preheated oven for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until rice is tender and all liquid is absorbed. Remove from oven and fluff with a fork. Serve immediately or serve at room temperature.

4. If making the morning or day before serving, refrigerate and then reheat in a microwave in a microwavable bowl covered with plastic wrap.

5. Garnish with green onions.

* Available at Amazon.com and from well-stocked supermarkets and Asian grocers.

Kathy Casey Throws a Summer Tropical Dinner Party, Part 1

“Tropical” is such a fun theme for a summertime deck or patio party. Bright colors, flowers, tikis, lanterns, tall iced drinks are festive all on their own, but add a delicious warm-weather menu and you'll be hula-ing on the terrace in no time.

I called up our friends Joani and Pat, who enjoy cooking and eating but are not super gourmets, and then gave our neighbors Dave and Lynn a shout to come on over and be recipe testers and tasters. Dave is a super foodie and is always trying new recipes and having dinner parties. We had a great time sampling these dishes with such a perfect combination of folks for tasting and recipe reviewing.

As regular readers know, my whole entertaining philosophy is, “do as much as you can in advance,” and this is a wonderful example of a menu that lets you do just that. For libations, we started with a delightful drink, Lilikoi Rum Punch--a blend of passion fruit nectar, fresh lime juice, pineapple juice, and spiced rum served over ice. We stirred up a tasty non-alcoholic version as well, omitting the rum and mixing in a splash of soda water.

To nibble with our beverages, I made a tropical salsa bursting with color and flavor and served it with white corn tortilla chips for dipping. This salsa is sweet with a little spice but not as much as is in our other appetizer, Tropical Chile Lime Shrimp, where the chile stars. That one is served chilled and further “cooled” by a bit of fresh mint.

As we sipped and nibbled, I asked Dave to move to the grill to finish off the ribs, which I had marinated for a day, slow-roasted till tender, and then chilled. A glaze is made by reducing the flavorful mango marinade; then the precooked ribs are reheated on the grill while being basted with the glaze till golden and sticky!

We served the ribs up with Coconut Scallion Rice and a tender lettuce salad set off with toasted macadamia nuts, fresh papaya, and lychee vinaigrette. Yum!

Grilled Banana Sundaes are a super ending to the meal. With this dessert I’ve also got a solution to use up all those wooden chopsticks you have hanging around from to-go orders! Bananas are skewered, grilled and then served atop scoops of your favorite tropical-flavor ice creams. Guests can customize their sundaes with sauces, fruit, and garnishes. Who knew a simple grilled banana could be so scrumptious?!

After our feast was over, tasters and cooks were asked for comments and suggestions. All dishes passed the flavor-test with no revisions needed. Most commonly brought up in our discussion was how everything was prepped ahead of time and then just assembled. The cocktail was premixed; shrimp precooked; salsa ingredients premeasured, chopped and then mixed right before serving. Salad dressing and greens were prepared ahead and then just tossed to combine. Rice was made the day before and reheated; ribs just heated and glazed on the Q. Dessert couldn’t be easier or more delicious. Most elements were purchased, and grilled bananas made this course the pièce de résistance. All in all, everyone was excited to re-create the spread this summer at their houses. Thanks, taste-testers!

A phrase I learned on a tour bus in Hawaii when I was eight years old has stuck in my head: wiki wiki. It means quick quick. With all this meal readied in advance, that’s what it will be when you serve your guests. So put on your tackiest and brightest aloha-wear, grab some friends and neighbors, put on some Don Ho and have a party of your own this summer!

Today on Al Dente, you'll find the recipes for Lilikoi Rum Punch, Tropical Chile Lime Shrimp, Pineapple Avocado Salsa, and Tender Lettuce & Watercress Salad. Stop by tomorrow for the rest of this luau menu for eight people: Coconut Scallion Rice, Grilled Baby Back Ribs with Mango Ginger Glaze, Grilled Banana Sundaes. Mahalo!