Jolly Green Pancakes, Lime Butter & Cherry Thai Basil Sauce

Pancakes. Is there anything better than a fluffy, warm, buttery pancake? I mean, really?? Well, ok, there are probably a few things better, but not by much. And especially if you are in the mood for pancakes, nothing else will curb that craving.

Now let's think about pancakes for dinner. Ohhh yes! Now we are talking! So it was well past breakfast time, and not even in the area for brunch, and I was in the mood for pancakes. So what better way to celebrate dinner time, than with a big plate of savory sweet pancakes.

I recently became the happy owner of Yotam Ottolenghi's cookbook, Plenty, and this is where my savory pancake idea became a reality. I wasn't the only one out there wanting a savory pancake to sink my fork in. So I set out to make his dish, that you can find here.

A few days prior, I picked up a small bag of cherries, because I simply couldn't resist them. They were sitting so pretty and practically singing my name. I was hesitant because I have a slight allergy to raw fruits. But the cherries were at a quite reasonable price, so I picked some up. I figured I would try a few in their raw state, and see if I have any reaction. And If I did have an allergic reaction, (which I did), I would make a sauce or syrup from them, (which I did).

I also had some stunning Thai basil, so thought I would combine the two to make a savory sweet syrup sauce...

To make the sauce, simply throw the cherries and basil leaves into a pot, add a few pinches of sugar and a little bit of water, and bring to a simmer to let the cherries cook down. 

Once the cherries are cooked, and cooled, you can easily take the pits out. Remove the basil leaves. Taste and adjust sugar if necessary. Using an immersion blender, blend until smooth. Lastly, strain to get rid of the skins.

Next let's move on to the lime butter for the pancakes. In mine, I used butter, lime juice, lime zest, garlic, cilantro and salt...

Mashed all that together and rolled into a log shape using parchment paper...

And finally it is time to start on the pretty little pancakes! Finally! I really liked the batter recipe for these, as it calls for whipped egg whites as a leavener. Awesome. I chose to do this by hand rather than using my hand mixer, because I am not a cheater-cheater-pumpkin-eater! It just takes some elbow grease, which we all have somewhere in the depths of our kitchen...

And, as I always like to make my own mostly minor adjustments to recipes I find, I did make some small changes to this one. So rather than using spinach in the batter, I used parsley and cilantro in mine. I did do a taste test on the first cooked pancake, as I wanted to make sure that my cherry Thai basil sauce would be a compliment, and not an unnecessary accessory. And I found that the cakes definitely called out for a something sweet sauce. Because even though these are a savory pancake, they are still a pancake, that yearns for the safety and comfort of a sweet syrupy blanket.

I Say Miso, You Say Miso, Now Go Miso Glaze Me Some Japanese Eggplant

Miso Glazed Japanese Eggplant over Garlic Roasted Asparagus and Jasmine Rice, with Thai Basil, Scallion, and Toasted Sesame Seed

It's been an interesting few weeks here in my small island town of Alameda. So I have a few little stories to share with you today. Three main events come to mind so let's start with that and see where we go....

Let's first, and quickly, get the ugly out of the way. As some of you already heard, I had an almost-run-in with a large van about a week back. No, I wasn't in my car. And, no, I was not on my cell phone. Thank you very much. I was walking. With my tiny little angel-dog. In the cross walk. Thank you very much. Oh, and, yes, I had the right of way, as the little green man in the box was blinking at me, telling me to "go, it's your turn!".

And even now, I can't help but think what would have happened had I just been one or two steps ahead of where I was. If I hadn't paused that extra five seconds to let my dog sniff around in the bushes. Just exactly what would have happened? To me, and to my wee little girl that I cherish so much. I wonder....and I can't help but wonder if my dear passed momma has had anything to do with my just scooting out of any harm to come my way lately. If so, I hope so. I'd like to think that she is here, all around me, watching over me. I wonder.....

Luckily, this week has been starting off on a much brighter note. Again, this story involves my precious little pup, Rocky. She is actually the main star in this story. I am so proud to say that she has won herself on the Jones Soda label contest. Yay for Rocky! I submitted this picture to Jones Soda a few months back, when my best girlfriend suggested that I should submit it. It is definitely a cool shot...

It was taken at Crown Beach in Alameda. I noticed the bench, and of course, because I am kinda obsessed with taking pictures of things, especially my dog. I had to get some snaps. And, Rocky, being the perfect little poser dog, we got this awesome shot.

And just yesterday, I checked my mail box, and got the letter from Jones Soda...

And here is here label...look for it on your shelves today! We are pretty excited over here, and on the search for our very own bottles....

My final happy story for the day, is to share with you this amazing recipe I found of Miso Glazed Japanese Eggplant. This is, afterall, supposed to be a food blog! I was craving a particular dish that I would order at Tamarine in Palo Alto. Theirs was a baked eggplant, with some sort of savory-sweet sauce, that was just addicting. So I decided to try a version of my own. I found this online recipe that I thought sounded pretty darn tasty. And it sure as heck-fire was!

I started with these gorgeous ingredients...Japanese Eggplant and Thai Basil

My only changes were that I used wine, a Rose cause that was all I had opened, in place of sake. And I used a bit more mirin because my sauce seemed to be too thick. I also added some chopped garlic to my sauce to give it more depth of flavor. I may have also added a touch of water to thin it out the sauce even more. And to round out my dish, I added some roasted asparagus with garlic, and Jasmine Rice. And garnished the plate with some chopped scallion, Thai basil, and toasted sesame seed.

As I sat down to saveur this dish, I had no idea that I was going to enjoy it as much as I did. It had beautiful bold flavors, and exciting textures. The miso glaze actually crisped up under the broiler, while the eggplant inside was soft and creamy. The cripsy, smokey, tangy, sweet glaze reminded me of the BBQ chicken I would eat as a kid. (You know, when you get a good piece with all that crispy chicken skin! ) And, as being a vegetarian today, boy, have I missed that flavor and texture combination.  I was so excited to have that experience again!

So, even to all of you eggplant haters out there, I highly recommend you give this dish a try. Trust me, you won't be disappointed :)

The Fungi Trifecta

Brown Buttered Corn Bread with Sauteed Mushrooms and Black Garlic

The fungus that we have among us today are shimenji, king oyster, and shitake. That last one, shitake, is not one of my favorites, as I think their flavor can be very overpowering, so their presence in my dish today is quite limited. But I do believe that they certainly have their place in the world of fungi. Which, by the way, is probably my all time favorite vegetable variety. I love their savoriness, earthiness, textures, and their elegant and organic shapes and colors. They are simply exquisite.

This is very reminiscent of a dish that I learned of from a former chef that I had the opportunity to work for. Ever since I saw his dish, I have been wanting to make a version of mine own. And in my last few trips to the Berkeley Bowl, I have been noticing something new. They started carrying black garlic. So I took that as a sign that it was time to make this dish.

I started by baking off a small pan of corn bread, then sauteed the corn bread in some browned butter, and set that onto a plate. I prepped my mushrooms, and sauteed them in some butter, garlic, salt and pepper, then laid them on top of the corn bread. I chopped up my black garlic, and arranged some beet tops onto the plate to add color and a fresh leafy texture. And there we have it folks, my mushroom trifecta!

Heirloom Tomato and Basil Marinated Burrata

Heirloom Tomato and Basil Marinated Burrata

I absolutely love fresh and vibrant flavors, and colorful and lively food on a plate. So, what better way to spend a relaxing spring evening at home than with a beautiful plate of fresh burrata with baby heriloom tomato's and a Semifreddi's fresh baguette? Just add a chilled bottle of Francis Coppola Sofia Rose, a cozy spot on the couch, my pup and some good movies and it's going to be a fantastic night!

For this simple dish, I spiced it up just a wee-bit by toasting some fennel seed and then crushing it, to add to the marinade. I chopped some baby heirloom tomato's, minced some garlic, and chiffonaded some fresh basil. Tossed all that in a bowl with a light coating of extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper, and let marinade for a bit. Gently cracked open the fresh burrata cheese and laid it out onto a plate. Then drizzled the tomato basil mixture onto the burrata, and sprinkled with fresh cracked pepper and lemon zest, and let that sit for about 30 minutes.

Slice up a french baguette, pour a glass of vino, press play on the remote, and... Cheers!

Empire State of Empanadas

I was in an empire state of empanadas recently. It was a few weeks ago, so yes, I am doing some catching up on my postings here. I was offered an assignment, to make 140 empanadas for a woman's 50th birthday party on Cinco de Mayo. And I gladly accepted the mission.

The details of my mission were simple. Make 70 pulled pork empanadas, and 70 black bean and corn empanadas. Yet, the actual work of completing these little pockets of goodness were not so simple. It was a time consuming process. So let's quickly get started on this review of my mission a la empanada madness....

The first thing I did after getting home with all of the needed ingredients, was to get the pork and its braising liquid prepared. I seared the pork to give the outside some color and flavor, and sauteed some onions and garlic. Then all the braising ingredients got tossed together in one large container...
dried chiles, oranges, onions, garlic, bay leaf, cinnamon stick, salt and pepper.

...then covered with chicken stock, and covered with foil, and placed in the oven for a good four hours.

While the pork was cooking, I put together the black bean and corn filling...
black beans, corn, diced tomato, onion, garlic, jack cheese, fresh cilantro, chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper.

Next, it was time to get started on the dough. Ohhh, the dough!! I used the same recipe that I used when I made empanadas in school. I was so proud of that dough as it came out beautiful, so I was hoping for the same results this time around.

I threw together the ingredients, and worked it up with my fingertips in the bowl. I remembered that the dough is supposed to be of "pea size" lumps, so it was looking good...

Then dumped the mix out onto a lightly floured work surface and formed into a ball...

The dough rested for 30 minutes, then it was ready to be rolled out...

And cut into small rounds...

I think I did all of this three or four times. I lost count. I needed a lot of dough, and I had to consider the size of my containers. So I just put my head down and focused. I became a dough making machine!

Then it was time for the filling and stuffing, folding and pinching, coating with egg wash, and finally baking! I did a few of the veggie ones first as a test batch...

And once those came out of the oven, nicely browned, perfectly delicious and melty in the center, I knew I was good to go on the whole lot. After making over 70 of the veggie ones, I moved on to the pulled pork...

I was pretty thrilled to finally get down to the very last batch, filling the dough and folding each one over into a half moon. Pinching the ends together gently but assertive. Laying the soft pillowy shapes down, and sealing the ends together with the twines of my fork. And lastly, brushing on the egg wash, and sliding the tray into the oven. Timer set for 15 minutes. Go!

Once they were all out of the oven, counted, and cooled, they were carefully laid to rest, side by side, like sardines in a can, so that they could travel easily to their final destination...

I chose to also make a fresh salsa verde as a dip, or dressing. Because I just can't seem to be happy with simply putting these on the plate alone. I mean, they are so much more than just some browned baked thing on a plate. They deserved to be dressed for the party too!

Banana-Fana-Fo-Fana Chewy Cookies

A friend of mine was recently in a local play of Annie, and we were lucky enough to get tickets for the family night showing. And it wasn't just my friend that we were so excited to see on stage, his dog was also in the show, acting as "Sandy". It was pretty hilarious watching the dog, Spencer, as at first he was so nervous with his tail between his legs, slightly quivering, and backside towards the audience, all until "dad" came out onto stage. Then he would suddenly whip his tail up and over his back, and a big doggie smile came across his face. Pretty adorable. Oh, and our friend was fantastic too! :)

For such the occasion, as I had some extra time on my hands before heading down the Penninsula to the show, I decided I wanted to bake a little something sweet for our stars. I looked around my kitchen and found that I had some very ripe banana's, and all the fixin's for cookies. So I decided on banana cookies. I found a good looking recipe online here. I followed the recipe pretty exactly, except that I think I used all spice in place of the cinnamon/nutmeg/clove. I also added brown sugar, by reducing the white sugar by half and adding the remainder in brown sugar. And I used walnuts, as that is what I had on hand.

I whipped the batter together, and got them baking...

They came out of the oven smelling delightful, just like a banana bread does. And these cookies very much reminded me of banana bread. They are soft, pillowy, and chewy, with great nana flavor. But I thought that these nana-cookies needed a little extra oomph. I whipped up a vanilla icing to drizzle on top...

mmm....Whoop, there it is!

Chocolate Malted Cupcakes

Chocolate Malted Cupcakes

Mmmmm... Chocolate... Malted... Cupcakes....

I had the chance to do some more birthday time baking recently, so I jumped at the chance to bake a batch of these beautiful little babies. I had made these once before, sometime last year, and didn't get the chance to do a photo shoot with them, so this time, I made sure that we got some quality time in front of the camera.

It was a perfect Saturday morning, I woke to the excitement of making it a baking kind of day. I put some coffee on, and gathered all my ingredients...

I quickly got to work, this time, I used this recipe from The Culinary Chronicles. I found it to be a perfect recipe, my only changes were that I did not add the crushed malted milk balls to the batter, (because I did not want crunchy bits in my cake), and I did not use coffee in my buttercream frosting.

Before and after...

Once I had the batter done and the last batch in the oven, I got to work on the buttercream frosting. I was a bit nervous about doing a buttercream, because I have had some not so great luck with buttercream before. And my last experience with buttercream was when a former classmate called me in a panic asking how to save his buttercream frosting, as it wasn't quite thick enough. I didn't know what to tell him on the spot, in fear of giving him wrong information and making his situation worse. I quickly did a Google search for him and found that if he chills the frosting, that should thicken it up. He ended up freezing the frosting and it never came back to life. I sort of knew that it wasn't save-able, when he told me that he added melted butter to it. I told him to toss that batch and start over, but he was out of ingredients. Adding melted butter will destroy a buttercream. It will make it too runny and it will not come back to proper consistency. That is my belief anyway. So if you think that using melted butter to save time on bringing your butter to room temp, think again.

And never use just butter for your buttercream frosting, as it will be very unstable. Using half shortening and half butter will make it much more stable. However, if it is a hot day, or it will be outside for a long period of time, use all shortening, forget about using any butter. Using butter makes any buttercream very unstable, as the butter will obviously begin to melt.

I was so incredibly happy, ecstatic, pleased, thrilled, tripping the light fantastic, that my buttercream came out wonderfully perfect. Hooray! Rocky even came by to witness such an exciting event...

Ok so now that we have the buttercream whipped to perfection, it is time for some quality control testing, phase 1, initiate now....

Pass!

And now that all my pieces to the Chocolate Malted Cupcake puzzle are in order, it was time for my favorite part, putting the pieces together to form a perfect little package...

Soooo purty...

and absolutely delicious...