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Oishii has found a new home at http://oishiifood.wordpress.com! We hope that the cleaner-looking format and more customizable features will enhance your enjoyment of our blog! And in case you're new to the concept, don't worry - all of our posts that you've been reading over the past two years have been transfered over to the new place! For the next few weeks, we may be playing around with different looks and features, but we invite you to start following along from the beginning.

Thanks in advance for updating your bookmarks and blogrolls and for your continued readership of our culinary journey!

Peace,
D & B

Lamb Tikka Masala

Our lamb traveled from Greece to India this week, appearing first in gryos and then in a spicy masala sauce. We used Jamie Oliver's recipe for this one. It just so happens to be in his top 10 favorite meals. You can use any kind of meat you like, since it's cooked separately from the sauce; making it ideal for using up leftovers. The only change we made was adding a lot more spices than the recipe called for. We tasted it at the end and pretty much doubled the amount of paprika, cumin, coriander, and salt. Did you know that some of the best Indian food we've ever had was in Japan of all places? We used to go to this one place in a small town called Minou -- the people who worked there were always so friendly. Maybe they were happy to see some fellow foreigners come into their restaurant. One man in particular was very animated and used to beam at us through the kitchen window, while he was preparing chicken to throw into the tandoori oven.

Lamb Tikka Masala
(From Jamie's Dinners)

6 cloves of garlic, peeled
3 inches of fresh ginger, peeled
2-3 fresh red chiles, de-seeded
olive oil
1 TBS. mustard seeds
1 TBS. paprika
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. ground coriander
3 TBS. garam masala
a generous 3/4 cup plain yogurt
leftover cubed lamb, or 4 medium skinless chicken breasts, cut into large chunks
1 TBS. butter
2 medium onions, peeled and sliced
2 TBS. tomato puree
1 handful of ground cashews
salt
1/2 cup heavy cream
a handful of fresh cilantro, chopped
juice of 1-2 limes

• Grate the garlic and ginger on the finest side of a grater into a bowl. Chop the chiles very finely and add them to the bowl. Mix together.

• Heat a good splash of oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds. When they start to pop, add them to the bowl with the ginger-garlic mixture, along with the paprika, cumin, coriander, and 2 TBS. of the garam masala. Put half of this spice mixture into a slightly larger bowl and add the yogurt and the lamb (or chicken) pieces to it. Stir to coat the meat and allow to marinate for about 20-30 minutes.

• Melt the butter in the same pan the mustard seeds were in and add the sliced onions and the remaining half of the spice mixture. Cook gently for about 15 minutes without browning too much. It will become very fragrant and you'll want to eat it right then and there!

• Add the tomato puree, ground cashews, 2 1/2 cups water, and 1/2 tsp. salt. Stir well and gently simmer until it reduces and thickens slightly. Turn off the heat.

• Take the meat out of the mariade and cook until done on a bbq, or in a pan (if using already cooked meat, this obviously won't take as long. You mostly want to reheat the meat and let the marinade cook off a bit).
  

• Warm the sauce and add the cream and the remaining 1 TBS. of garam masala. Taste and correct the seasoning if necessary (this is where we added more of every spice!) As soon as the sauce comes to a boil, take off the heat and add the grilled/cooked meat. Check the seasoning once more and then sprinkle the cilantro over the top. Finish with the lime juice. Serve with steamed basmati rice. Serves 4.
  

Grilled Lamb Gyros with Tzatziki & Summer Chickpea Salad

We've been thinking about gyros ever since we went to a Greek Food Festival with our friends last month. I think my favorite part of a gyro is the tzatziki. The cucumber, lemon and yogurt make for a refreshing sauce that goes perfectly with grilled meat, tomatoes and onions. Last night we made our own version of a gyro by wrapping pita bread around grilled lamb that was marinated in olive oil, herbs, and garlic, some homemade tzatziki, and a summery salad of chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, red onion, feta cheese and herbs that I found in one of my favorite Jamie Oliver cookbooks. Some grilled summer squash rounded out what we deemed the perfect summer BBQ meal.

Last night was a wonderful night to eat outside. Not only are we approaching the longest day of the year so it stays light long enough to finish both dinner and dessert (and a bottle of wine or two), but it's been staying warm until the sun goes down. Also, we planted a little vegetable garden today and wanted to be near it! Some sugar snap peas will soon be growing up bamboo sticks. Grow, peas, grow!

We also planted two varieties of tomatoes (Early Girl and another that I'll have to get back to you on, but it's an heirloom variety), an artichoke, a zucchini, and basil! Look how cute this little sugar snap pea plant is! I haven't gotten around to photographing the other plants yet, sorry!


Unrelated to vegetables, the hydrangeas are gorgeous right now! Don't they make you want to be outside? My cats love to jump around and try to catch the bees that hover over their flowers. Sometimes they do little back-flips in the process and it's very entertaining to watch. Cats really do always land on their feet! Ok, now let's get to some recipes ...


Summer Chickpea Salad
(Slightly adapted from Jamie Oliver)

1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 fresh red chilies, de-seeded and sliced
2 handfuls of yellow pear tomatoes (or cherry tomatoes), halved
2 limes
extra virgin olive oil
salt & freshly ground black pepper
cumin
chili flakes
1 14 oz. jar of chickpeas, drained
a handful of fresh mint, chopped
a handful of fresh basil, finely ripped
7 oz. feta cheese

• In a bowl, combine the sliced onion, garlic, chilies, and tomatoes. Dress with the juice of 1 1/2 limes and about 3 times as much olive oil. Season to taste with salt, pepper, cumin, and chili flakes (or whatever combination of spices you desire).

• Heat the chickpeas in a pan. Add 90% of them to the bowl. Mush up the remaining 10% and add these to the bowl as well (Jamie says they give a nice, creamy consistency. They sure did).
  

• Allow salad to marinate for a little while and serve at room temperature. Just before serving, add the fresh mint & basil. Taste one more time and adjust the seasoning. You can also add the juice from the remaining lime half if you think it needs it. Crumble the feta cheese over the salad and gently mix. Serves 4.

Tzatziki


1 english cucumber
1 cup yogurt
2 garlic cloves, minced
juice from 1/2 a lemon
1/4 of a small red onion, minced (optional - we had some leftover from the salad)
a handful of fresh oregano, chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper

• Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds with a spoon. Grate the cucumber onto a kitchen towel or heavy duty paper towel. Pick up the towel and squeeze the excess moisture out of the cucumber. Do this several times until no more water is coming out of the towel.

• In a small bowl, combine the grated cucumber, yogurt, lemon juice, red onion, minced garlic, oregano, and salt & pepper. Mix well. Cover and let chill in the refrigerator for a little while so the flavors can mingle. Taste again before serving and adjust seasoning if necessary.
  

Grilled Boneless Leg of Lamb Gyros
(We explained to our butcher that we wanted to grill lamb to slice to make gyros. He was very helpful and offered to sell us the boneless legs that they usually use to make the marinated lamb cubes. The moral of the story is - don't be afraid to ask your butcher if you don't know exactly what kind of cut of meat to get! They are there to help you out!)

2 lbs boneless leg of lamb
paprika
cumin
salt & freshly ground black pepper
extra virgin olive oil
several cloves of garlic, minced
fresh rosemary, chopped
fresh oregano, chopped
about 1 TBS red wine vinegar

• Make a dry rub out of enough paprika, cumin, salt and pepper to cover every surface of your lamb. Place in a baking dish or pie pan.
  

• In a small bowl, combine enough oil, minced garlic, chopped herbs, and vinegar to create a pesto-like consistency. Rub this mixture all over the lamb. Allow to marinate for at least an hour. Two is even better. Prepare a charcoal grill (we used mesquite charcoal for a delicious, smoky taste). Let lamb come to room temp before grilling.
  

• Remove the lamb from the marinade and place on the grill. Cook, turning occasionally until the meat reaches an internal temperature of about 145 degrees for medium-rare. Let rest 10-12 minutes before thinly slicing.

• Assemble the gyros by heating up some whole wheat (and/or regular) pitas on the grill. Top with a few slices of lamb, a spoonful of chickpea salad, and some tzatziki. Alternatively, you can enjoy "de-constructed gyros" by placing all these components on your plate and enjoying in whatever order/combination you like!
  

Banana-Blueberry-Oat Muffins

These muffins pretty much sum up everything I like in a muffin: The taste of banana bread, the tangy burst of seasonal blueberries in every bite, and the hearty texture (and health-benefits) of oatmeal. I came across this recipe on one of my favorite blogs - Vintage Victuals. I made only a few changes to her recipe: I didn't have any wheat flour so I used regular all purpose flour (so they're not quite as healthy as she originally intended), I didn't have any apple sauce on hand so I used the same measurement of vegetable oil, and instead of buttermilk or sour cream I used the plain yogurt that was in the fridge. I still think they turned out great! Tomorrow I think one of these muffins will fuel me before rock climbing at the gym. Happy Weekend, everyone!

Banana-Blueberry-Oat Muffins
(From Vintage Victuals)

1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup oats, rolled or quick
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 eggs
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (I used 2 bananas)
1 cup fresh blueberries

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a muffin pan or line with baking cups.
  

• In a large bowl combine the flour, oats, sugars, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Whisk until completely combined.
  

• In a small bowl, beat together eggs, oil, yogurt, and bananas. Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until almost completely moistened. Add blueberries and continue stirring just until completely moistened, being careful not to over-mix. Batter should be lumpy.
  

• Fill muffin cups about 2/3 of the way full. Bake for 17-20 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. This recipe yielded 16 small-ish muffins for me, but I could have just as easily made 12 larger muffins.

I ate one (ok, fine ... two) right away (almost burned my mouth, but I was impatient and they smelled so good), stored some in an airtight container (which will keep for a few days), and froze the rest for a future breakfast or snack.

Asian Meatloaf with a Sweet & Spicy Glaze

I have to admit I was more the souf chef for this one. Dustin comes up with the greatest recipes. I'm proud to have a husband who enjoys being in the kitchen! I had an idea a few weeks ago about making some sort of Asian flavored burger. He was thinking along the lines of meat loaf (which we've never made before). So we combined the two and the result was one of the best dinners we've had in a while (though the spicy pork tenderloin on Sunday was pretty hard to beat). You can change this recipe any way you like - try adding shredded carrot or chopped water chestnuts, or anything else you desire. We used ground pork and beef, but you could also sub turkey or chicken. Steamed rice seemed like the natural accompaniment, and since the oven was already on for the meatloaf, we roasted some asparagus that I tossed with sesame oil and chili flakes.

For the Meatloaf:

2 TBS. red miso, dissolved in a little water to form a paste, divided
1/2 lb. ground pork
1/2 lb. ground beef
1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 egg
4 green onions, white & green parts chopped
1/2 cup chopped shitake mushrooms (we used baby shitake mushrooms)
a thumbnail-sized piece of ginger, peeled and minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 TBS. soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp. fish sauce
1 1/2 tsp. rice vinegar
a squeeze of honey
1 1/2 tsp. mirin
1 tsp. brown sugar

Simply Asparagus

For the Glaze:

1 TBS. chili paste (such as Sambal Oelek)
squeeze of honey
squeeze of hot chili sauce (such as Sriracha)
1/2 tsp. brown sugar

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a little bowl, combine the red miso and a little water to form a paste. Set aside.

• In a large bowl, combine the ground meats, breadcrumbs, egg, green onion, mushrooms, ginger, garlic, and 1 TBS. of the miso paste. Mix with your hands until combined.
  

• In the same little bowl as the remaining miso paste, add the soy sauce, fish sauce, rice vinegar, honey, mirin, and brown sugar. Mix well. Spoon this mixture a little at a time into the meat mixture, and use your hands to incorporate it in. Reserve about a spoonful of sauce in the bottom of the bowl to make the glaze.
  

• Shape the meat-mixture into a loaf-shape on a greased baking sheet.
  

• To the bowl with the reserved spoonful of sauce, add the chili paste, honey, hot chili sauce, and brown sugar. Stir to combine. Spoon on top of the meatloaf.
  

• Bake the meatloaf for about 45 minutes or until done. If making a side of roasted asparagus, toss the asparagus on another baking sheet with a drizzle of sesame oil, a sprinkling of chili flakes, and some salt & pepper. Put in the oven for the last 10-12 minutes of baking time.
  

• Serve with steamed rice. Serves 2.
  

Spice-Rubbed Pork Tenderloin with Ancho Chile-Mustard Sauce

We took pork tenderloin to a whole new level last night. I had confessed over dinner with our friends that I often get bored with pork tenderloin. Well, when I took the first bite of the meal that we had made together, I took it back. Wow. The pork was tender, moist, and spicy! The sauce provided another layer of spiciness, this one more subtle, and balanced by the sweetness of maple syrup. We owe the complexity of flavor to the fact that we had at least 4 different kinds of chiles in our kitchen doing various things - being ground into powder, being steeped in hot water, and being pureed into a paste. The smell lingered in the house for awhile, and if we closed our eyes it was like we were standing in the middle of a spice market. As we always say as we're sitting down to dinner, "Go team!" We're thankful to have friends who enjoy cooking together and savoring the results! Speaking of savoring, the Primitivo that we opened went wonderfully with the earthy spiciness of the various chiles.

Spice-Rubbed Pork Tenderloin with Ancho Chile-Mustard Sauce
(Adapted from The Cookbook Critic. Original recipe from The Food Network)
Serves 4

For the Spice Rub:

3 TBS. olive oil
1 TBS. achiote paste
3 TBS. chile de arbol powder (we used whole dried chile de arbol and pulsed them in a food processor)
2 TBS. chile powder (whatever is in your spice rack)
salt & pepper

For the Ancho Chile-Mustard Sauce:

4 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup maple syrup
3/4 cup water
6 black peppercorns
zest of 1 lime
2 tsp. puréed canned chipotle in adobo
4 TBS. ancho chile purée (*see below for instructions)
1 TBS. dijon mustard
2 TBS. plain yogurt
juice of 1 lime

For the Tenderloin:

2 pork tenderloins, about 12 oz. each

• Prepare a charcoal or gas grill. Make the Spice Rub: Put the olive oil into a small bowl. Add the achiote paste and mix together. Add the remaining rub ingredients and stir together. Set aside.
  

• Combine the chicken stock, maple syrup, water, peppercorns and lime zest with the chipotle and ancho purées in a medium saucepan over high heat and reduce to a sauce-like consistency, about 15 to 20 minutes. Whisk in mustard and yogurt and cook for 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper to taste and stir in the lime juice. Set aside.
  
  
• While sauce is reducing, rub with tenderloins with the olive oil-spice rub mixture.
  

• Grill until the tenderloins reach 155 degrees on an instant-read thermometer. Remove from grill and let rest for 10 minutes.

• Slice tenderloins and spoon the ancho chile-mustard over the top.
  

*Ancho Chile Puree:

Soak a 3-oz. package of dried chiles in hot water to cover for about 1 hour. Drain, then pull the stem ends off and discard. The seeds can be discarded or blended with the chiles, depending on how spicy you want the purée to be. Blend the chiles in a food processor until smooth, adding a small amount of their soaking water if necessary (no more than 1/4 cup). This makes plenty of chile purée (more than what is needed for the recipe) You can freeze the leftovers for up to 3 months.

What did we eat with our spicy pork tenderloin? I was getting to that! We made a salad of baby tatsoi, strawberries, pasilla peppers, and red onion with a cilantro-lime vinaigrette. It was inspired by a salad that our friend enjoyed at Red Restaurant & Bar in downtown Santa Cruz. We made two major changes, however: 1) the store was out of poblano peppers so we had to use pasilla peppers and 2) we forgot to grill the pasilla peppers. Oh well. The salad was still refreshing and summery! We'll be trying it again soon the *real* way!


For dessert we had strawberry shortcake, using my Quick Yogurt Biscuits as the base (I added 2 TBS. of sugar to the recipe this time). They were a great canvas for sliced strawberries and freshly whipped cream!

Chili-Lime Shrimp Stir Fry

Finally. FINALLY! We are back! Since I last posted, I joined the world of twitter. Immediately I thought of the episode of The Daily Show, where reporter Samantha Bee makes fun of the "tweet" frenzy. But nevertheless we're jumping on the bandwagon. If you aren't already, please follow along here. (You can also view our tweets on the right side of this page). I'll be keeping people updated not only on what's going on in our kitchen, but other random musings in my life. Ok, on to dinner. I was craving shrimp, and I love the flavors of chili and lime together. I suggested to Dustin that we make a stir fry involving all those things. When we got to the store, we couldn't resist two cute baby bok choy, so we threw those in there as well. The result was a sweet/spicy combo that we really enjoyed on top of steamed rice with a side of our (now almost-perfected) miso soup!

Chili-Lime Shrimp Stir Fry

1 lb. shrimp
1 lime
2 TBS. fresh chili paste (such as Sambal Oelek)
2 good drizzles of honey
1 large splash of soy sauce
1 thumb-nail sized piece of fresh ginger, peeled and minced
salt & pepper
2 tsp. sesame oil
1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
2 baby bok choy, tough white part of the leaves removed

• Peel and de-vein the shrimp leaving the tails attached. Place in a medium sized bowl. Add the juice of a lime (reserve a little juice from one of the halves to finish off the dish), chili paste, honey, soy sauce, ginger, and salt & pepper. Set aside.

• Heat the sesame oil in a wok until hot. Add the garlic and cook for less than a minute, stirring consistently so it's golden, but not burnt.

• Add the bok choy leaves and and stir. Add a small amount of water (or broth) and bring a lid down over the wok. Cook for 1-2 minutes more. Remove the lid.

• Add the shrimp. Cook, stirring frequently, until opaque. Off the heat, add the last little squeeze of lime juice. Serve over steamed rice.
  

This was our third time making miso soup, and it really was the charm! The first time we used white miso, which resulted in a really sweet-tasting soup. Good, but not the kind we remembered eating in Osaka. The second time we used vegetable stock because we didn't have the ingredients to make dashi stock. Still, the wakame seaweed, cubed extra firm tofu and sliced green onions that we threw in made it almost taste like the real thing. This time we finally used some dashi powder (that one of my students in Japan sent us) to make a stock that tasted just like how we remembered. We also added these cute little baby shitake mushrooms that we saw at the store.


Miso Soup our Japanese friends would approve of:

4 tsp. dashi powder
3 cups water
a handful of baby shitake mushrooms
2 TBS. dried wakame seaweed
4 TBS. red miso paste
5 oz. firm tofu, cubed
1 green onion, sliced

• Dissolve dashi powder into the water in a medium pot, and bring to a boil. Add the mushrooms. Cook for a minute or two. Turn off the heat.

• Add the dried seaweed and stir.
  

• Place the miso paste in a small bowl and stir in a little of the soup liquid until the paste is of pouring consistency.

• Gradually stir miso paste into the soup and add the cubed tofu and green onions.

• Ladle into bowls

Vegetable Lo Mein with Salmon

Our bowls and chopsticks often inspire me to make dinner. Each one tells a different story and conjures up a different time and place. These bowls were hand-crafted at a local artisan shop downtown and were given to us as a wedding gift 3 1/2 years ago. I love that they have little indentations on the edge for resting your chopsticks. The chopsticks came from a student of ours in Japan as a goodbye present. My decision to make something Asian-inspired for dinner came from looking at these bowls and wanting to eat something out of them! Stir fried noodles seemed appropriate because it was one of our weeknight standby meals in Japan. I don't know how it never made it on the blog, but finally it's making an appearance. We enjoyed a nice Junmai-style sake (best when served at room temp) with this meal and it transported me back to our tiny apartment in Osaka.

Vegetable Lo Mein with Salmon:

1 package Chinese Style Noodles (such as Nasoya brand)
3 to 4 TBS. canola oil
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 white onion, diced
1 cup snowpeas, ends trimmed and cut in half
1 cup sliced shitake mushroom, stems removed
a small head of broccoli, florets removed, and stems cut into equal-sized pieces
3 to 4 TBS. soy sauce
1 TBS. hot chili sauce (such as Sriracha)
2 TBS. rice wine vinegar
2 tsp. mirin
2 tsp. brown sugar
salt & pepper to taste
3/4 lb salmon, cooked and flaked*

*This recipe is ideal for using up leftover salmon (or other meat), but this time we cooked ours on the same night: We preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a small bowl, Dustin mixed up our usual Honey-Soy Glaze that we often put on tuna in Japan. We poured some of the glaze mixture over the salmon in a baking dish before putting it in the oven, then based it every 10 minutes until the salmon was done (about 20 minutes) and we could easily flake it with a fork.

• Cook the noodles according to package directions (we boiled them for 3 minutes), drain, rinse with cold water, and drain again. Set aside.
  

• Heat the oil in a wok until very hot. Add the onion and garlic and stir fry for 1 minute. Add the broccoli and put a lid down over the veggies for about 3 minutes to speed up the cooking. Remove the lid and add the shitake mushrooms and snowpeas. Stir fry for about 2 minutes. Add soy sauce, vinegar, chili sauce to taste (we add a lot), mirin, brown sugar, and salt & pepper to taste. Stir together with the veggies. Tilt the wok so the sauce runs to one side. Cook sauce over the heat for a minute until it begins to thicken a little, then combine with the veggies again.
  

• Add the noodles to the wok, and drizzle a little oil over them (about 1 tsp). Stir fry for a few minutes, combining them with the veggies and sauce. We found using tongs worked best for this!
  

• Add the flaked salmon and toss to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Serve in your most beautiful bowls :)
  

Asparagus Pesto Pasta

My cousin Nikita emailed me this recipe a few weeks ago and said that we had to make it together. Embedded in the email was a mouth-watering picture that drew me in: two asparagus tips neatly garnished a tangle of green pasta, dotted with pine nuts and sprinkled with Parmesan cheese. How could I say no? For the entire week I looked forward to this meal. I love that our family is so food oriented. We can plan an entire evening around the food, whether it's a holiday, or a weeknight meal like this one. And while we're eating one meal we're already talking about the next one! Anyway, asparagus is my favorite spring vegetable. I thought I'd had it prepared every way until I saw this recipe. What a great idea - blanching asparagus and turning it into a pesto with baby spinach, pine nuts, garlic, and olive oil! It tastes so fresh and surprisingly the asparagus flavor was not as strong as we thought it would be. But it's just subtle enough to remind you of its presence. Leaving some whole pine nuts to toss in at the end adds the perfect crunch to this beautifully verdant pasta dish.

Asparagus Pesto Pasta
(From Simply Recipes)

1 bunch asparagus spears (about 1 lb), trimmed of tough ends and halved crosswise
3 handfuls baby spinach leaves
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
1 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for topping
Juice of 1/2 a lemon*
1/2 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
8 ounces of dried pasta or 12 ounces fresh -linguini, fettuccini, or spaghetti**

*we used a lime from our tree instead

**the original recipe suggests mixing regular pasta with spinach pasta for a medley of colors

• Bring two pots of water to a bowl - one large one for the pasta and one medium sized one for the asparagus.

• While the water is heating, put the pine nuts in a single layer in a large skillet. Heat on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and lightly browned. Remove pine nuts from pan and set aside. (You will use 3/4 cup of the pine nuts for the pesto and 1/4 cup to mix in whole).

• Salt the asparagus water and drop the spears into the pan. Cook for only 2 or 3 minutes, until the spears are bright green and barely tender. Drain under cool water to stop the cooking. Cut the tips off, and set aside, several of the asparagus (diagonal cut about an inch from the end) to use for garnish.

• Add the asparagus, spinach, garlic, Parmesan, and 3/4 cup of the pine nuts to a food processor. Process until smooth. With the motor running, drizzle in the 1/4 cup of olive oil until a paste forms. If too thick, thin it with a bit of the pasta water. Add the lemon juice and salt, taste and adjust seasoning.

• Salt the pasta water well and cook the pasta until just tender. Drain and toss immediately with 1 cup of the asparagus pesto.

• Serve sprinkled with the remaining 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts, a dusting of Parmesan, and a light drizzle of olive oil. Serves 4 to 6.
  

Fava Bean & Green Garlic Hummus on Crostini

Fava beans and green garlic make hummus especially "springy" and an even more fabulous spread for crunchy crostini! (Special thanks to our friends Tony & Miriam for sharing their veggies from Live Earth Farm!)

Fava Bean & Green Garlic Hummus:

1/4 cup + 2 TBS. olive oil
1 stock green garlic, washed, tough outer layer of stock removed, and sliced
a few handfuls of fava beans, shelled
1 can of chickpeas, drained
1 spoonful of tahini
juice from 1 lime
a handful of chopped, fresh oregano
paprika, cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper to taste

• Saute the green garlic in some olive oil (about 2 TBS.) until tender. Add the shelled fava beans and saute for a minute more. Remove from heat.

• In a food processor, combine the chickpeas, green garlic-fava bean mixture, tahini, lime juice, oregano, and other seasonings. Process until smooth. While processor is running, add the olive oil (about 1/4 cup) in a light steady stream until it becomes a nice consistency.
  

• Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Transfer to a serving bowl. Serve with homemade crostini. Serves 4-6 as an appetizer.
  

And this is the beautiful and delicious stir fry that Tony made for our main dish, using the other veggies from the farm - carrots, baby tatsoi, mizuna greens, oyster mushrooms, and broccoli. The sauce involved soy sauce, rice vinegar, mirin, chili paste, and fish sauce. Oishii! It was served over an exciting (well, exciting to me) green rice, made green from bamboo extract.

Blueberry Streusel Muffins

What makes blueberry muffins even better? A crumbly cinnamon & sugar topping! I made these several times in Japan for my students. In true Japanese fashion, the students would always request that the muffins be divided into quarters. Then they would eat one quarter at a time (until they had eaten a whole muffin) with a small dessert fork. Picking up a whole muffin and biting into it must be an American thing! Anyway, cultural differences aside, this is a very easy and delicious muffin recipe that's even better made with fresh blueberries. Try this crumb topping on any muffin!

Blueberry Streusel Muffins
(From Annie's Eats who got it from Allrecipes.com)

1 ½ cups flour
3/4 cups sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
1 cup blueberries (or more)

For streusel topping:

1/4 cup sugar
2 TBS. and 2 tsp. flour
2 TBS. cold butter, cubed
3/4 tsp. cinnamon

• Preheat the oven to 400°. Grease or line 8 muffin wells with muffin liners.

• In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. Place vegetable oil into a 1 cup measuring cup; add the egg and enough milk to fill the cup. Mix this with flour mixture.

• Fold in blueberries. Pour into lined muffin cups; fill to the top.

• Make streusel topping by combining the listed ingredients and mix well with a fork until crumbly. Sprinkle over tops of muffins.

• Bake at 400° for 20-25 minutes. Makes 8 large muffins.
  

BBQ Chicken Taco Salad with Sour Cream-Lime Dressing

It's HOT. The cats are sprawled out underneath the ceiling fan (I may just join them), and I'm thinking about how growing up on the California central coast has really spoiled me when it comes to weather! But thanks to some leftover BBQ chicken breasts from the night before, we didn't have to cook anything on the hottest day in Santa Cruz since 1899! We heaped chopped lettuce onto two plates, scattered some grated pepper-jack cheese over it, added the chicken that we shredded, and some sliced avocado and tortilla chips. Dustin made a cool sour cream-lime dressing that tied everything together! A bottle of crisp & minerally Big House White finished off the meal. Keep this one in mind when ridiculous weather is happening in your town!

For the Dressing:

4 ounces sour cream (from an 8 oz. container)
2 small limes
cumin
chili powder
salt & pepper

For the Salad:

red leaf lettuce, chopped
a few handfuls of grated pepper-jack cheese
a few handfuls of cilantro
2 chicken breast halves, (preferably grilled) cooled and shredded
1 avocado, sliced
a few handfuls of tortilla chips
salsa

• In a small bowl, combine the sour cream, juice of 2 limes, and seasonings. Taste and add more of something if you think it needs it. Set aside.
  

• Wash and dry the lettuce, then roughly chop it. Divide between two plates.
  

• Scatter the grated cheese on top of the lettuce, followed by the cilantro and shredded chicken.
  

• Place half a sliced avocado on the side of each plate. Scatter some tortilla chips (lightly crushed, if you prefer) around the plate.
  

• Spoon the dressing on top of each salad. Finish with a dollop of your favorite salsa.
  

Happy Easter! Part 4: Paskha

In our family, Easter is not Easter without this traditional Russian dessert. This version is made by heating buttermilk until it separates into curds and whey (yep, just like what Miss Muffet ate). Then the curds are combined with eggs, butter, sour cream, sugar, vanilla, and lemon zest to create a delicious creamy mixture that's poured into molds lined with cheese cloth. As a child I always looked forward to eating it for breakfast on Easter morning before church, and then again for dessert after Easter dinner. I loved watching it come out of its mold, and then helping decorate it with almonds and raisins, making the letters XB, which stand for Христос Воскресе (Xristos Voskrese), meaning Christ is Risen!


Paskha
(Serves 12-16)

1 gallon buttermilk
zest of 2 lemons
2 eggs
2 cups sour cream
2 vanilla beans, split lengthwise and seeds scraped out
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
almonds, raisins, and/or edible flowers for decorating
special equipment: cheesecloth

Pour buttermilk into heavy 5-6 quart pan and warm over medium low heat, stirring once or twice until separated into curds and whey (about 20 minutes).

Line a fine mesh strainer (or colander) with 2 layers of cheesecloth, rinsed and squeezed dry.

Pour curds and whey through strainer. Let stand until curds stop dripping, 10-15 minutes.

Pick up the cheese cloth around the curds and squeeze to discard clear whey.

Tada! You have beautiful curd cheese made from buttermilk!

Combine the curds, lemon zest, eggs, sour cream, and vanilla bean seeds in a food processor. Process until very smooth. In the heavy pan, combine the butter and the sugar. Heat over low heat, stirring, until the butter melts. Add the processed mixture to the pan with the butter and sugar, and cook over low heat, stirring frequently, for about 20 minutes. Remove from heat.

Line several 3 small bowls or clay pots with 2 layers of cheesecloth.

Spoon cheese mixture into containers.

Fold excess cloth over cheese. Transfer to refrigerator to chill for 6-24 hours.

Invert onto serving plate, decorate with almonds/raisins or edible flowers, and serve. Or chill up to 3 days.

Happy Easter! Part 3: Rhubarb Tart with Orange Glaze

I love rhubarb. It's a vegetable with an identity crisis because it's usually prepared and eaten as a fruit would be. The night before Easter, we ate dinner at La Posta, where my mom ordered a salad special that contained thin slices of raw rhubarb. I tried a bite and agreed that its subtle flavor and light crunch was appealing and a nice change from the usual baked or stewed rhubarb. Happy to have enjoyed rhubarb in its pure state, we baked it in a puff pastry tart for a light Easter dessert the next day. It was simple to make and the orange glaze on top is the perfect match to the tart rhubarb!

Rhubarb Tart with Orange Glaze
(From the April 2009 Gourmet)

1 cup fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 pound rhubarb stalks, thinly sliced diagonally (about 1/8 inch)
1 sheet frozen puff pastry (from a 17 1/4-ounces package), thawed
1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest

• Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in middle.

• Stir together orange juice, lime juice, and sugar in a bowl. Add rhubarb and let stand, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes.

• Meanwhile, cut pastry in half lengthwise, then roll out each piece into an 11-by 7-inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface with a floured rolling pin. Arrange pastry rectangles side by side on an ungreased large baking sheet.

• Make a 1/2-inch border around each pastry rectangle by lightly scoring a line parallel to each edge (do not cut all the way through). Prick pastry inside border all over with a fork.

• Strain rhubarb mixture through a sieve set over a bowl, reserving liquid. Top 1 pastry rectangle (within border) with half of rhubarb, overlapping slices slightly. Repeat with remaining pastry and rhubarb.

• Bake until pastry is puffed and golden (underside of pastry should also be golden), about 30 minutes.

• Meanwhile, boil reserved rhubarb liquid in a small saucepan, skimming foam if necessary, until reduced to about 1/4 cup, 15 to 18 minutes.

• Transfer tarts to a rack. Brush rhubarb and pastry with glaze and sprinkle with zest. Makes 8 servings.
  

Happy Easter! Part 2: Lemony Couscous with Peas, Mint, and Pea Shoots

This may have been another Easter side dish, but my fork kept gravitating to it on my plate, as if it were the main dish. We dressed couscous up for spring with peas, cumin seeds (ground in a mortar and pestle), fresh mint from the garden, refreshing pea shoots (I love how much delicate pea flavor is concentrated in the shoot), and a scattering of crunchy almonds. It would be delicious on its own for lunch, with kabobs, salmon, or ham for dinner ... ok, pretty much anything! The measurements aren't specific because depending on how much couscous you make, you add the other ingredients in proportion to that, using your own judgment.

Lemony Couscous with Peas, Mint, and Pea Shoots:

1 package of couscous
olive oil
green onion
snow peas
ground cumin seed
fresh mint, chopped
1-2 lemons
fresh or frozen peas
salt & pepper
a splash of tangerine (or orange) juice
pea shoots
almonds, roughly chopped

• Cook the couscous according to package directions, adding some olive oil or butter along with the hot water. When it's ready, fluff with a fork and set aside.
  

• In a large serving bowl, toss in some sliced green onion, snow peas that have been cut in half, some ground cumin seed, chopped fresh mint, and the juice of a lemon.

• Add the couscous (it's ok if it's still warm) to the bowl, and a few handfuls of peas. Gently combine. Taste and add more lemon juice. Season with salt & pepper. (Can be refrigeratred overnight at this point, covered).

• Just before serving, add a splash of tangerine juice to the couscous salad and gently stir. Arrange the pea shoots around the bowl. Sprinkle some chopped almonds on top.
  

Couscous making its debut next to the Easter ham.

Happy Easter! Part 1: Farro Salad with Marinated Baby Artichokes

May the freshness of spring remind you of new hope, new life, and new beginnings. This Easter felt extra special because it was the first one in 3 years where we were surrounded by family and friends back in our own country. We enjoyed a feast full of fresh spring produce, ham that came from a happy (and local) TLC Ranch pig, a few ping-pong games, and of course an egg hunt or two! I'll be posting some recipes in a few separate posts, but in this one I'll paint the general picture and share the first of two springy salads.

Farro Salad with Marinated Baby Artichokes:

Farro is my new favorite grain. I'm glad that I recently became aware of its existence. It takes longer to cook than other grains, but its sweet, nutty flavor and slightly chewy texture in the end is worth the wait, especially in this simple salad with baby artichokes, bell pepper, rosemary and lemon. When my mom and I went shopping for Easter dinner ingredients, we were immediately attracted to some cute little artichokes. When we got home, we boiled them, pulled off the leaves until the tender ones were exposed, trimmed the stems, cut them in half lengthwise and threw them into a bowl, where they mingled with the juice of a lemon, chopped fresh garlic, olive oil and parsley overnight ... resulting in the perfect DIY marinated artichokes!

We toasted the farro in some olive oil in the bottom of a heavy pot until it was fragrant and nicely coated with oil, about 3 minutes. Then we added water to the pot, brought it to a boil, and cooked the farro until tender (according to package directions, about 20 minutes). After draining the farro, it cooled on a cookie sheet for a little while. Meanwhile, we cut bell peppers into strips, chopped some green onions, and some fresh rosemary. When the farro was cool enough to touch, we poured it into a large bowl, added the marinated baby artichokes from the day before, the bell pepper, green onion, rosemary, more lemon juice to taste, and seasoned with salt.

Colorful flower pots containing spring seeds, chocolate, and other springy surprises awaited each "kid" (though most of us have grown up):

Easter is that special day on which you can keep a bowl of pastel-colored candy on the counter and eat it all day.

My brother unveiled the 3rd batch of his beer - this time an Irish Porter. We enjoyed its refreshing, complex flavor while devouring a cheese plate. Then we piled as much of this menu as we could onto our plates and ate outdoors on the deck, taking in one of the first warm days of spring:

*recipe coming soon ... these are the things that I helped make this year.

Thyme Honey Glazed Ham
Grilled Salmon
Grilled Asparagus with my brother's homemade Green Garlic Aioli
Farro Salad with Baby Artichokes
Couscous with Peas, Lemon, Mint & Pea Shoots*
Roasted Beet Salad with Pine Nuts & Goat Cheese
Mixed Greens with Edible Flowers
Francese Bread

And of course something sweet:

Pashka (a traditional Russian Easter dessert)*
Chef Panisse Almond Cake
Rhubarb Tarts with Orange Glaze*

Faith takes a moment to rest. It takes a lot of energy to beg for Easter ham.

Egg-Noodles with Green Garlic, Chiles, Cilantro & Steak

Dustin thought up this comforting dish using my leftover steak from dinner the night before at Cafe Cruz, where I conquered the delicious (and unwieldy) open-faced "Bistro Steak Sandwich" - a piece of garlic bread, topped with a perfectly medium rare steak, and finished off with a handful of thin, crispy onion rings. Well, I should say I conquered the garlic bread and the onion rings, because there was a lot of steak left over! Lucky for us, leftover steak is great for throwing into recipes! We also had some lovely green garlic to use from my family's Two Small Farms CSA box. Green garlic looks like green onions, and you can chop it up as such and use in any recipe where you'd use regular garlic. It has a more subtle garlic flavor, which worked really well in this simple, olive oil-based pasta dish!

Egg-Noodles with Green Garlic, Chiles, Cilantro & Steak :

2 "nests" of egg noodles (about 1/2 lb. total)
3 TBS. extra virgin olive oil
1 TBS. butter
1 stock of green garlic, white and green parts chopped (remove the outer layer of the stock if it seems too tough)
2 canned or fresh mild green chiles, chopped
a handful of cilantro, chopped
salt & pepper
leftover steak, cut into bite-sized pieces

• Heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet until butter melts.

• Add the green garlic and saute for a few minutes until tender, about 3 minutes.

• Add the green chiles and cilantro and saute for a few more minutes.
  

• Meanwhile, in boiling salted water, cook the egg noodles according to package directions and drain.

• Add the steak to the skillet and stir until heated through. Season with salt & pepper.

• Pour the drained noodles into the skillet and stir to coat with oil and combine with the other ingredients. Divide between two bowls and enjoy!
  

Spicy Peanut Noodles with Fresh Vegetables

Yesterday it was 75 degrees. My cousin Nikita, Dustin, and I were in the backyard wearing short sleeves, enjoying pints of Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing Company beer, BBQ-ing Cornish game hens to accompany spicy peanut noodles, and listening to the screams of delight that waft up the hill from people riding the Giant Dipper at the Boardwalk. Ok, hold that picture in your mind because today it's cool and rainy and it feels sort of funny to write about such a summery dish. Now pair that first scene I described with cool noodles tossed with crunchy peanut butter, tangy rice vinegar and lime, sweet & spicy Sriracha chili sauce, and fresh, crunchy veggies. Do you feel like it's summer? We sure did! As we were chopping the vegetables for the noodles, Nikita and I were laughing because we didn't have the patience to cut everything into matchsticks. Instead we ended up with small, misshapen vegetable pieces that amused Dustin. Consider it the "rustic" look. We hope you'll keep this recipe in mind for your next BBQ or outdoor party. We really enjoyed it with a Dry Riesling.

Spicy Peanut Noodles with Fresh Vegetables
(Slightly adapted from Rachael Ray)

3/4 pound spaghetti
3/4 cup crunchy peanut butter
Juice of 2 limes
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
a few squeezes of Sriracha Chili Sauce
Salt
4 carrots—peeled, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
1 cucumber—peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded and sliced crosswise
1 red bell pepper, cut into matchsticks
6 scallions, thinly sliced

• In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the spaghetti until al dente. Drain, rise with cold water, and return to pot. Set aside.

• In a medium bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, lime juice, vinegar, red pepper flakes, Sriracha, and a 1/4 cup water. Taste and season with salt.
  

• Pour the sauce over the pasta and toss to coat. Add the carrots, cucumber, bell pepper, and scallions, and toss. Serve immediately, or cool completely in refrigerator before eating with your favorite grilled meat. Serves 4 hungry people.
  

Ma-Po Tofu

We enjoyed this dish several times in Japan. Ma-Po Tofu is to Japan what maybe Kung Pao Chicken or Chicken Chowmein is to America. In Japanese supermarkets you can buy an instant version of it in a box. You cook the pork and tofu and then squeeze in the little packet containing the flavorful sauce. Sort of gross, yeah, but we were guilty of trying it out once. Now that we've made the real thing, we've found that it's really quite simple! We were excited to use the authentic red miso that one of our dear English students mailed us all the way from Japan. This rendition is from my favorite Iron Chef - Masaharu Morimoto - so I trust his Japanese twist on a Chinese classic. We served this dish on top of steamed short grain rice, homemade miso soup (the real thing this time - made with dashi stock instead of chicken! woo hoo!), and a cucumber salad with rice vinegar and sliced chilis.

Tofu & Spicy Pork Rice Bowls
(Slightly adapted from the book Morimoto - The New Art of Japanese Cooking)

1 large or 2 medium dried shitake mushrooms*
1 TBS. vegetable oil
2 cloves finely chopped garlic
1 TBS finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
1 scallion, white and green separated, finely chopped
1 TBS. finely chopped bamboo shoot**
1 TBS. finely chopped celery
12 ounces (250 g) ground pork
1 cup chicken stock
1 TBS. red miso
1 TBS. Chinese hot chile sauce (tobanjan)***
1 TBS. sugar
1 TBS. soy sauce
2 tsp. cornstarch, dissolved in 1 TBS. water
1 pound (450 g) firm tofu, diced
steamed rice
scallion, sliced, for garnish

* we used 3 medium fresh shitake mushrooms
** we could only find canned bamboo shoot in our store, but it worked out fine
*** we used Sriracha hot chili sauce

• If using dried shitake mushrooms, soak in hot water to cover until soft, about 20 minutes. Drain, squeeze to remove as much liquid as possible. Remove stem and finely chop mushroom caps. If using fresh shitake mushrooms, simply remove the stem and finely chop the mushroom caps.

• In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, ginger, white part of the scallion, bamboo shoot, celery, and hopped shitake mushrooms. Cook, stirring often, until the garlic is tender, 2 to 3 minutes.
  

• Add the pork and raise the heat to medium-high. Cook, breaking up any lumps of meat with the side of a spoon, until it is cooked through, with no trace of pink, about 7 minutes.

• Add the chicken stock, red miso, chili sauce, sugar, and soy sauce and bring to a boil. Stir in the dissolved cornstarch and cook, stirring, until thickened, about 30 seconds.

• Shortly before serving, add the tofu and gently stir to mix. Cook until it is heated through, about 3 minutes. Serve in bowls with steamed rice. Garnish with a little chopped scallion. Makes 4 servings.
  

Mustard-Green Onion Potato Salad

Spring makes me think of eating outdoors and all the food that traditionally gets piled onto a paper plate at barbecues and picnics - potato salad is one of my favorites. This is a delicious mayo-based recipe, but the real focus is on my favorite condiment, the mustard - 3 kinds in fact. And you'll always find chopped hard boiled eggs in my potato salad, just like my mom puts in hers. However, because this was Dustin's request for his lunches this week, I had to leave out the chopped dill pickles, my other favorite addition. Add them if you're a fan like I am!

Mustard-Green Onion Potato Salad
(Adapted from The Food Network.com)

2 pounds red new potatoes, boiled and sliced into rounds
2 hardboiled eggs, peeled and chopped
3 green onions, white and green parts, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 handful parsley, chopped
3/4 cup mayonnaise
3 TBS. Dijon mustard
2 TBS. whole grain mustard
1 TBS. honey mustard
2 TBS. red wine vinegar
a generous pinch (or more) of chili powder
salt & pepper to taste

• Throw the warm sliced potatoes, hard boiled eggs, green onions, garlic, and parsley in a large bowl.
  

• In a smaller bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustards, vinegar, and chili powder. Taste and season with salt & pepper.

• Pour the dressing over the potatoes and carefully mix until combined. Serve immediately or refrigerate, covered with saran wrap, until serving.

Say "I love you" with Coconut Hot Chocolate

I originally intended to post this recipe around Valentine's Day, but obviously that didn't happen. Then I thought of saving it until next year, but I'm too impatient. Luckily the temperature has still been dipping into the low 40s in the evenings, therefore I deem hot chocolate still "in season." I found this recipe in an article in the Food & Wine section of our local newspaper, in which a woman shared the story of her husband's request for hot chocolate on Valentine's Day. Since he couldn't have dairy, soy milk, rice milk or even nut-milk, this proved to be a challenge for her! After several attempts at various recipes, this hot chocolate was born: rich and creamy with a nice bitterness from the cocoa. Served with some raspberries on the side, you have a decadent dessert for both you and the lactose-free friend/relative/sweetie/person in your life.

Coconut Hot Chocolate for Two:

2 TBS. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 15-ounce can coconut milk
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
Pinch of kosher salt
1 ounce bittersweet chocolate, chopped (about 1/4 cup)
1 tsp. vanilla extract

• Bring 1/3 cup of water to a boil in a small saucepan. Whisk in the cocoa. Set aside.

• In a saucepan, combine the coconut milk, brown sugar, and salt. Simmer, stirring, until sugar is dissolved, about 2 minutes.

• Whisk in hot cocoa and chocolate until smooth. Stir in vanilla.

• Pour into two mugs.

• For an (optional) dairy-free topping: Beat 1 egg white with an electric mixer on medium speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Add 3 TBS. of sugar (one tablespoon at a time) while the mixer is running. Continue to beat until egg white forms soft peaks and is shiny, about 5 minutes. Dollop onto mugs of hot chocolate.
  

Chocolate-Guinness Cake & Black Velvet Cocktails

This is the last cake I'll be making for a while. No, it's not what you're thinking. I didn't have a baking disaster that ended in tears. Quite the contrary. I enjoyed making this cake very much. The recipe was easy to follow, the ingredients simple, and I even got to drink the leftover stout while it was baking. No, the reason I won't be making any more cakes for a while is that when we returned home last night from our corned beef eating-frenzy at my parents' house, my two naughty cats had gotten into the dish drainer and chewed my silicone baking pan. Little holes are now all over the bottom and sides of the poor thing. Their intentions I'll never know, but anyway I'm quite pissed about it. Now that I've vented to you about my pan, I must turn to the cake. It kicks ass. The Guinness Stout gives it a wonderful depth of flavor, sort of nutty and caramely. I'm usually not a fan of the ultra rich, death-by-chocolate sort of cakes, so this one was a nice surprise. Its complex flavor was pleasing both to my brother's palate (the chocolate lover) and mine. Instead of the icing in the original recipe, I decided to finish it off with a dusting of powdered sugar in order to highlight the flavor of the cake itself. I should also note that the recipe below (halved from the original) fits in a 9-inch circle cake pan, but not my silicone one anymore, thanks to Arius and Jonas!


Chocolate-Guinness Cake
(From Smitten Kitchen, which was adapted from the September 2002 Bon Appetit. Original recipe from the Barrington Brewery in Barrington, MA)

1 cup Guinness (or other stout)
1 cup (2 sticks) butter (I always use salted)
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)
2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
2/3 cup sour cream

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9-inch round cake pan and set aside.

• Bring 1 cup stout and 1 cup butter to a simmer in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa powder and whisk until smooth. Let cool slightly.

• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt until combined.
  

• Using electric mixer, beat the eggs and sour cream in another large bowl to blend. Add stout-chocolate mixture to egg mixture and beat until just combined. Add flour mixture and beat briefly on low speed. Using rubber spatula, fold batter until completely combined.

• Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Transfer cake to rack; cool completely in the pan, then turn cake out onto serving plate. Dust with powdered sugar and serve with Black Velvets:

Black Velvets

If you've never heard of a Black Velvet, it's worth trying, even if it's just for the oddity of the sound of it. It's a very intriguing combination of Guinness (or other stout) and sparkling wine (or champagne) which you'll find to be both rich and effervescent. If you are patient and carefully poor the sparkling wine over the back of a spoon, you can get it to sit on top of the stout. If being the key word. We were too excited to dig into the cake to perfect the method! A little research taught me that this cocktail originated at the Brooks Club in London. It was served in 1861 when people were mourning the passing of Prince Albert.

Guinness Stout
Sparkling Wine

• Fill a champagne flute half way with Guinness.
• Gently pour the champagne over the back of a spoon so it runs down the sides of the glass and doesn't mix with the beer. If it doesn't work, don't worry. Just enjoy the drink as it is!
  

Flank Steak with Arugula Pesto & Roasted Fingering Potatoes

On the eve of St. Patrick's day I inadvertently made a lovely green pesto as an accompaniment for pan-fried flank steak, roasted fingerings, and a salad with avocado and mushrooms. Using arugula for the pesto gave it a nice spicy edge; so easy to make and delicious on many things! Dustin made a creamy lime dressing to go on our salad - he mixed a few spoonfuls of mayonnaise with the juice of a lime, a tiny splash of cream, and salt & pepper to taste. A great weeknight meal.

Flank Steak with Arugula Pesto & Roasted Fingerling Potatoes:

a few heaping handfuls of fingerling potatoes
a couple handfuls of arugula
a handful of pine nuts, toasted
3 cloves of garlic
a handful of grated Parmesan cheese
juice from 1 small lime
olive oil (a few Tablespoons)
1 to 1 & 1/2 pounds flank steak
paprika
salt & pepper

• Preheat oven to 375. Rinse any dirt off the potatoes, pat them dry, and place on a rimmed baking sheet with a couple drizzles of olive oil, salt & pepper. We threw some garlic cloves in there too for good measure. Who doesn't love roasted garlic!? Roast until potatoes can be pierced easily with a fork, about 15-20 minutes.

• Meanwhile, prepare the pesto by placing the arugula, pine nuts, 1 clove of the garlic, cheese, and lime juice in a food processor. Process for a few seconds until combined. While processor is running, pour in a light steady stream of olive oil until the consistency is how you like it. Taste and season with salt and pepper if necessary. Transfer pesto to a small bowl and set aside (or refrigerate) while you make the steak.
  

• Season the flank steak on both sides with paprika and salt & pepper. Mince the remaining 2 cloves of garlic and press into the meat. Heat some olive oil in a skillet until hot. The steak should sizzle nicely when it meets the skillet. Cook until desired doneness, depending on the thickness of your steak (medium rare took about 7-9 minutes for us, flipping several times).
  

• Transfer steak to a cutting board and let rest for several minutes. Slice the steak and put onto 2 plates.
  

• Place the roasted potatoes on the plate and spoon some pesto over the steak and/or the potatoes. Enjoy with a nice Syrah. We like to drink local:

Honey Mustard Pretzel Chicken with Sautéed Collard Greens

A restaurant in downtown Santa Cruz, Clouds, used to have a pretzel-encrusted chicken entrée that always intrigued me. I only ordered it once because I'm more of a small-plate kind of girl (I love to try little amounts of a lot of things) and I could never pass up their sushi offerings on the menu, but the pretzel chicken obviously stuck with me. When I couldn't fall asleep the other night, I was pondering what to make for dinner. I thought about chicken because we hadn't had it in awhile. Then my mind wandered to the pretzel coating at Clouds, then it jumped to Dustin's favorite flavor of Snyder's of Hanover Pretzel bits: honey mustard & onion. Hmm ... instead of coating chicken with honey-mustard flavored pretzels, the honey-mustard could act as the adhesive for the crushed pretzels. I won't bore you anymore with the thought processes of Brianna, but I will share the recipe. To go with the chicken, Dustin sautéed some lovely collard greens in olive oil until they were wilted, then he added salt, pepper, and a small spoonful of ... you guessed it ... mustard (but not honey mustard; spicy brown), covered the pan, and continued cooking until the greens were tender. The mustard flavor went really well with the greens, and the slight bitterness was a nice contrast to the chicken.

Honey Mustard Pretzel Chicken
Serves 2

1 chicken breast half
3-4 TBS. prepared honey-mustard (or mix Dijon with some honey and a squeeze of lemon juice)
One 7-ounce bag of pretzels (we used Newman's Own Organics' Salt & Pepper Pretzels)
olive or canola oil

• Split the chicken breast in half again lengthwise (or ask your butcher to do it for you), and cut into 6-8 "chicken tender-sized" pieces, about an inch thick.

• Pour the pretzels into a gallon zip lock bag. Seal securely and pound with something like a skillet or a can of soup until pretzels are broken up in breadcrumb-sized bits. Place pretzel bits on a plate.

• Spoon the honey-mustard into a wide bowl.
  

• Put a drizzle or two of oil in a large frying pan or on a griddle. Heat over medium heat.
  

• Working with one chicken piece at a time, place in the mustard bowl and lightly coat with the honey mustard using one hand. Carefully lay chicken onto pretzel plate and press to adhere pretzels to bottom of chicken.
  

• Using your dry hand, flip chicken over and press to coat other side of chicken. Repeat with remaining chicken pieces.

• Cook until done, about 4-5 minutes per side, and the pretzel crust is lightly golden.

• Serve with sautéed collard greens.
  

Welsh Rarebit & Roasted Broccoli

Whether you say welsh rarebit or welsh rabbit, when Guinness Stout meets melted extra-sharp cheddar cheese, an irresistible open-faced sandwich is born. You might need a knife and a fork, but even if you tackle it with your hands, it's well worth it and might even become your new favorite comfort food. I served this sandwich with some roasted broccoli spiked with chili flakes, because broccoli is one of those vegetables that has a great relationship with cheese. Enjoy this meal with a glass of Guinness, of course!

Welsh Rarebit (From the January 2009 issue of Food & Wine) and Roasted Broccoli

1 cup Guinness Stout
1 cup heavy cream
9 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (3 cups)
4 large egg yolks
1 1/2 TBS. Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp. dry mustard
salt & freshly ground pepper
1 sweet baguette, halved lengthwise and cut into 8 pieces, toasted
2 small heads of broccoli
extra virgin olive oil
chili flakes

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees for the broccoli

• In a small saucepan, boil the Guinness over high heat until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 4 minutes.

• Add the cream and boil until reduced to 3/4 cup, about 4 minutes.

• Scrape into a bowl and let cool to room temperature.

• Meanwhile, cut the tough stems off of the broccoli and toss the florets with olive oil, salt, pepper and chili flakes on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. Stir with a spatula and continue roasting for 5 more minutes or just until starting to brown on the edges. Take broccoli out of the oven and set aside.

• Turn off the oven and preheat the broiler.

• To the Guinness-cream mixture, add the cheddar, egg yolks, Worcestershire sauce and dry mustard. Stir to combine and season with salt and pepper.

• Arrange the toasted baguette pieces on a large rimmed baking sheet. Spread the toasts with a 1/4-inch-thick layer of the cheddar mixture. Broil 4 inches from the heat for about 2 minutes, until the topping is bubbling and browned around the edges. Serve right away with the roasted broccoli. Serves 3-4.