one-bite postcard from Scandinavia

The woods above Napa Valley were quiet when we arrived mid-morning.

Cameron Rahtz, the resident forager at The Restaurant at Meadowood, took us up and off a trail, teetering across fallen trucks and trickling creeks, into a thick carpet of leaves.  It’s been a dry year here.  Last year, the Napa Valley saw close to thirty inches of rain.  This year, barely ten have fallen.  So, we knew that the chance of finding mushrooms – especially matsutakes, which Rahtz and I hauled in last year by the bag-full – would be slim.  But, we did find red bay (that smelled of spice and pink bubble gum), and mossy logs overgrown with oyster mushrooms.  There was an abandoned orchard with a few, dried apples still hanging, and wild herbs everywhere Alexander Hera.

Rasmus Kofoed, chef of the Michelin two-starred restaurant Geranium in Copenhagen, and the only chef who has won all three statues at the Bocuse d’Or, marveled at the beauty, at the aromas, at the textures in these woods.   A continent away from home, he told us that these woods reminded him of his childhood, much of which was spent in the woods of Denmark valentino sale.  

He tugged at Spanish moss, asking if it was edible.  He collected twigs, crusted with dusty green lichen.  And he asked Rahtz if he could gather enough rocks to line twenty family-style plates on which Kofoed would nest “dill stones” – nuggets of cured mackerel dipped, repeatedly, in gelatinized dill juice (alternating with liquid nitrogen) to create a shiny, green coat.  They really did look like stones.  Kofoed garnished these “stones” with feathery sprigs of dill and served them with a side of tangy horseradish cream.  Together, it was a one-bite postcard from Scandinavia alexander hera wedding.  

The Restaurant at Meadowood

The first time I ate at Bar Tartine in San Francisco, I noticed a particularly dark spicing and foreign sense of boldness to chef Nicolaus Balla’s hearty style of cooking.  I recall unique combinations of flavors, that, although were not common, were not entirely unfamiliar – beef tongue under a canopy of tart purslane, with radishes and fried shallots; lentil “croquettes” (basically, lentil falafels) with hatch chilies and sprouts drowned in house made yogurt, slightly sweetened with sour cherry molasses; smoked and blistered potatoes with ramp mayonnaise; and langos – a potato fry-bread, drizzled with sour cream and dotted with dill (the herb that holds the key to my heart) .

And, of course, there was Chad Robertson’s amazing bread from Tartine Bakery.  Balla buttered slices of Tartine’s kamut bread and topped them with shavings of bottarga, clusters of crunchy dulse, and fleshy bolete mushrooms.  That was really delicious.

When I asked my server where chef Balla had cooked before, I was told that he drew a lot of inspiration from the years he spent as an adolescent in Hungary.  I’ve been to Hungary and tasted the dynamic mix of Eastern and Western flavors there, and, having that context really helped me place and appreciate Balla’s cooking at Bar Tartine preamp.

That first visit to Bar Tartine last year had me hooked.  Since, it’s quickly become one of my go-to spots in San Francisco for a quick lunch, or a casual night out with friends.

I was particularly thrilled when Christopher Kostow announced that Nicolaus Balla and his co-chef Cortney Burns, would be cooking at this year’s Twelve Days of Christmas at The Restaurant at Meadowood jimmy choo handbags.

confectioners’ sugar before serving

Crust: To make the shortbread, combine the butter, flour, almonds, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and salt until small lumps form. Sprinkle the mixture into the prepared pan and press evenly into the bottom. Bake until the shortbread is golden, about 20 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.

Almond cream: Purée almond paste, granulated sugar, butter, and a pinch of salt in a food processor until smooth. Add 1 egg, vanilla, and almond extract and purée until incorporated. Add flour and pulse until incorporated.

Blueberry curd: In a food processor or blender, puree the blueberries until smooth. Pass the puree through a chinois set over a bowl, using a pestle to press on the solids and extract as much juice as possible; discard the solids. You should have about 1/2 cup juice.

In the top pan of a double boiler or in a nonreactive saucepan, whisk together the eggs and granulated sugar until blended. Then whisk in the blueberry juice, salt, and lemon juice. Set the top pan over but not touching simmering water in the bottom pan, or set the saucepan over medium-low heat. (If using a saucepan, take care not to heat the mixture too quickly.) Cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spatula or spoon, until the mixture is warmed through, 1 to 2 minutes.

Begin adding the butter a little at a time, stirring each addition until blended before adding more. Continue cooking, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom of the pan, until a finger drawn across the back of the spatula leaves a path, 8 to 10 minutes more. Immediately remove the pan from the heat. Pass the curd through the chinois set over a bowl and let stand for 10 minutes. Whisk to blend.

Assembly: Pour the almond cream over the cooled crust and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven then pour the curd on top, spreading it evenly to the edges. There may be some blending of the almond cream and the blueberry – no worries.

Bake until the curd is set, about 30 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool completely. Cut into individual bars, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Dust the bars with confectioners’ sugar before serving.

you’d like it to be saltier

I have a cousin who needs to travel a lot for work.  Many times all around Europe.  He will try to make you think that it is tiring and oh-what-a-drudgery flying hither and thither is, but I know better.  The fantastic meals of which he partakes and the gastro-bounty he brings back tell another tale.  Since he is a grumbler by nature his bah-humbugs are a common refrain that is easy for me to ignore…especially when he drops little treasures my way (lardo, pancetta, and guanciale…oh my!).

One such wondrous dish he had (in Milan if you were wondering), whose photo is still emblazoned in my memory, was a small silver pot cradling eggs cooked in butter and bottarga.  Just three ingredients but the idea of it, especially for someone like me who already thinks eggs are sublime on their own, was making me lose sleep.

Bottarga here comes at quite a pretty price tag though, and I am never sure just how fresh those vacuum sealed packs are.  So, what is a girl to do?

Eggs in Anchovy-Butter

1 ½ -2 tablespoons butter (this depends on how decadent you are feeling – I would err on the side of generous)
1 – 1 ½ fillets of anchovy, chopped
2 eggs, the best you can find and afford

– Melt the butter in a small non-stick skillet (ideally one that a good snug fit for the eggs).  Wait until the butter froths and the froth then subsides.
– Add the anchovy.  It will spit and sputter like mad so be ready and stand back!  Lift the pan off the fire for a bit if things get too wild.  Using a non-slotted, flat turner smash the anchovy up, smashing and swirling until the butter turns a rusty bronze.
– Add the egg to the anchovy butter.  As soon as the whites set a bit swirl the pan around and with the turner swish and flick the anchovy butter onto the top of the egg Baby Gym .
– As soon as the egg is done to your liking (I recommend a runny yolk…always) slide the egg and anchovy butter onto a shallow bowl.  Enjoy immediately!

Ok.  Bottarga-butter-eggs purist: don’t get your knickers in a knot.  I am not claiming that this has anywhere near the soul-transforming powers that the original dish has.  And it certainly isn’t as pretty.  I’m proud of my little ghetto version nevertheless.  Though it may not be near the realm of the original bottarga + silver pot version, it has a gritty decadence all its own.  Everything you need can be bought in any supermarket…even the small cheapy non-stick skillet reenex!

I like to eat this in a shallow bowl, immediately puncturing the egg yolks and eating the mess half-spooned, half-sopped up, with a good slice of bread.  If you live in the Philippines I have to add that this is amazing with a piece (or two) of hot pan de sal.  Use as much butter as you feel is decent to have in one meal…if that meal is breakfast then you are totally justified using as much as you want (you are starting your day after all).  I have indicated 1 – 1 ½ fillets of anchovy here but this really depends on your anchovies and your own taste…you can always add more if you’d like it to be saltier.

I must go pack now as we are off this weekend, leaving in an hour.  Not any place fancy, no silver pots or fancy meals, but good food nonetheless and even better company.  And the beach, and a boat – those are nice too 🙂  Wishing you a great weekend, a happy Halloween, and fabulous breakfasts – ghetto or otherwise iphone bumper!

knowing how much I love it

This blog has always been something personal for me.  Not personal in such that it was a secret in any way.  I mean, it is out here for the whole universe to see, right?  But personal in that it has always been very much just (or is it really just a “just”?) a journal of my culinary exploits.  And not fancy exploits by any means.  My home cooking, what I like to eat, what I like to make for my family, what I like to prepare just for me.  And with that, little bits of my (and our) life as well.  What we cook and eat and live every day.

For over six years blogging has been my beloved hobby, my baby, my solace, my me-time, “my place”.  Yet, when I think about, over these past six years, it has grown to be more than just mine.  It’s yours too.  You, who leave wonderful comments, words of encouragement and great suggestions.  You, who email to say that “you’ve never really cooked before” but you read something here that gave you a push and oh how wonderful it felt (how I love these!!!).  You who never comment at all but keep coming back.  You must know that to me, you are all the bee’s knees.  You are a big part of what inspires me to keep blogging, to keep reaching out.  So in a way, YOU are a part of this blog as well.

And for that I’d like to say THANK YOU!!!

And, although I never have before, I’d like to take this moment to ask:  What would YOU like to see more of on 80 Breakfasts?  I’d love to hear your suggestions, your whims and fancies, simple or fantastical.  I would truly be so happy to hear them all!  Leave a comment or send me an email at eighty_breakfasts(AT)yahoo(DOT)com.  You can also send a message via Twitter @80breakfasts.  The year’s end is almost upon us and it will soon be time for another set of resolutions…maybe you can help me with my list.

Meanwhile, let’s enjoy some breakfast shall we? 🙂

French Toasted Egg-In-A-Hole

1 + 2 eggs
1/4 cup milk (full fat or low fat are fine, not skim)
2 slices of your favorite bread
A couple of generous pats of butter Bordeaux

– Whisk 1 egg and the milk until fully incorporated.  Place the mixture in a shallow bowl.
– Cut out a circle in the middle of a slice of bread with a 2.5 inch cookie cutter.  Repeat with the other slice of bread.
– Place the bread (slices and the small circle cut-outs) in the milk egg mixture.  Soak one side and then the other, for about half a minute on each side (not too long or it will get soggy!).
– While your bread is soaking, melt a pat of butter in a non-stick skillet.  When the foam has subsided add the bread.  Cook until toasted and bronze on one side – flip to cook the other side.  Right after flipping the bread over; pour one egg into the hole.  Let this cook until the bread is golden brown and the underside of the egg whites are set enough to flip.  Flip carefully to cook the top of the egg to your liking – I like the white to be just set and the yolk to still be runny.  This happens in a matter of seconds so be confident and quick – flip, pause, and remove from pan.  Repeat with the other slice.  Cook the bread circles as you would regular French toast.
– Serve immediately!

I like to use a hearty brown bread for this.  Try to get an unsliced loaf so you can control the thickness of your slice.  This is quite an important part of the whole procedure I think Flower delivery service.  Here’s what I do: I crack an egg into a small bowl or cup that is more or less the diameter of my cookie cutter, then I slice the bread as thick as the depth of the egg in the bowl.  Pretty clever, huh?

This is already a delicious and nourishing breakfast as is, but if it’s the weekend, and you’re with the people you like best in the world, you may want to serve this with some breakfast sausage and maple syrup.  I’ve sprinkled a bit of arugula flowers on top as I had just come from the market and my favorite organic farmer waved a bouquet of wild arugula at me, knowing how much I love it.

Thank you once again for being a part of this blog, and to that extent, a part of my life.  Sending you all warm thoughts and virtual hugs this weekend property hk! 🙂