Jane Kim Eats Out

Jane Kim Eats Out

I’m happy to say that I’ve endorsed Jane Kim for State Senate. She’s currently working on a project to save the fifty year old STUD from closing along with being one of the cities most progressive voices fighting for our homeless.

Wednesday September 28th I’m hosting an event at the Starlight Room which reflects my voting guide for the November ballot. Almost everyone I’ve endorsed will be in attendance and there are no scheduled speeches or fundraising planned. It is just a chance for people to meet and talk to the candidates I feel will shape the future of San Francisco politics.

To learn more about the event read the article over at the Bay Area Reporter.

Jane and I applying lipstick at Floor 21, Starlight Room / Image Gooch

Jane Kim is a current San Francisco Supervisor and candidate for State Senate, District 11. Jane is a proven progressive leader who has fought to expand access to affordable housing, protect renters, close the income gap and improve public schools.

Jane answers my foodie questionnaire here:

What is your favorite dessert?
Chocolate Chip Cookies with a lot of butter.  Butter is big for me.  I am not really big into sugar or most sweets, but I like a lot of buttery things like croissants.

What restaurant would you call your home?
There are actually like 3 restaurants I spend my time at: Turtle Tower – I LOVE LOVE LOVE their Phô, Tin Vietnamese because it is a couple blocks from my house and their food is delicious and Happy Shabu Shabu – I love hot pot and ponzu sauce!

What was your favorite breakfast cereal as a kid?
I never ate cereal as a kid; although my family got into cereal after I left the house.  I remember coming home and my mom was eating cereal with kim chi because she always had to have kim chi with everything, and the milk turned orange and she still drank it.  That was too much even for me!

What is your favorite food to pig-out on after the club?
There are always two places that I want go eat at after the club – Korean food because the restaurants usually stay open until 2AM. And, I used to also really love Sparky’s on Church Street when I lived nearby. I’d always get the tomato, cheese and fried egg sandwich with a strawberry milkshake.

Seared Shrimp & Garbanzo Bean Salad

Seared Shrimp and Garbanzo Bead Salad

Dozen shrimp, cleaned and shelled

Salt and pepper

Olive oil

1 small clove garlic, minced

Pinch chili flakes

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

Season the shrimp with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large skillet on high and add the shrimp searing on each side for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic, chili flakes and zest and lemon juice. Remove the shrimp from pan and save remaining juices for the vinaigrette.

15 ounce can garbanzo beans

1/4 cup Olive oil

4 teaspoons red wine vinegar

Salt and pepper

1/4 red onion, sliced thin

Radishes, sliced thin

1 stalk celery, sliced thin + celery leaves

1 small cucumber, sliced

Handful cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

Watercress

In a bowl combine the red wine vinegar and onions with some salt to macerate for 10 minutes. Prep your vegetables and place in a large bowl. Transfer onions to bowl and make the vinaigrette, whisking the olive oil into the vinegar. Add the juices from the shrimp pan. Mix the vinaigrette, shrimp and salad vegetables together and taste for salt. Serve over watercress.

Serves 4

I’ve been inspired by San Francisco’s Real Foodie’s Compost campaign to share more about composting. If you live in SF you can order a free compost pail from Recology  HERE! I’m all about meeting the SF Zero Waste goal by 2020. I get pissed when I open the green bin in my apartment building and see that other tenants have dumped the wrong things in it!

 This is what I had left over from this recipe to add to my pail.

http://files.markerly.com/tracker.min.js#tracker_id=sfenvironment3528&blogger_id=22283

Juanita’s Summer Sangria

Juanita’s Summer Sangria (by Kevin Hoskins)
Serves 12
2 bottles Sancerre blanc
8 ounces Giffard Crème de Pêche de Vigne
8 ounces cognac
4 ounces freshly squeezed lemon juice

Mix all the ingredients in a large Cambro container. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Transfer into a pitcher and pour into tall glasses filled with ice.

 

Blood Tangerine Tart with Raspberries

Last week I found these gorgeous Blood Tangerines at Whole Foods – tangy and sweet. I decided to make a tart with them by incorporating them as a curd.

Pate Sucree

My favorite tart dough because it is unforgivable!! It won’t get tough from rolling and doesn’t shrink when you bake it. The texture is very similar to a cookie.

1 stick + 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

1 egg yolk

1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

Beat together the butter, sugar and salt with an electric beater or stand mixer until creamy. Add the vanilla and egg yolk and mix until combined. Add the flour until the dough comes together. Shape into a flat round disk and refrigerate until firm.

Roll the dough out between two pieces of flour dusted parchment paper big enough for your 10-inch tart pan – so about a 12-inch round. Don’t worry if the dough breaks when you are transferring it to the tart pan – like I said this dough is very forgiving and you can just gently press and piece it in.

Pre-bake the tart shell at 350* for about  25 minutes until slightly golden.

While the tart is baking start making the curd. I added the zest of a Meyer Lemon I had for a little extra flavor.

Grated zest of 3 Blood tangerines

6 tablespoons Blood tangerine juice

3 tablespoons water

1/2 cup sugar

1 stick butter

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 whole eggs

3 egg yolks

Place the zests, juice, water, sugar, salt and butter in a saucepan and heat slowly over low heat until the butter melts. Whisk all the eggs together in a bowl and slowly start to drizzle all of the warm mixture into the bowl. Pour back into the saucepan and constantly stir and scrape over low heat until thickens about 5 minutes. Strain through a sieve directly into the pre-baked tart shell and spread evenly.

Top with 3 pints of raspberries. Gently warm some apricot jam and use it to glaze the tart. Chill until the curd is firm about 3 hours.

Chunky Bittersweet Chocolate Cookies

 

Warning: These cookies have more chocolate and nuts then they do dough!

Chunky Bittersweet Chocolate Pecan Cookies

1-pound bittersweet chocolate, cut into small chunks

2 cup pecans, roasted lightly and chopped coarsely

2 sticks butter, softened

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1-teaspoon salt

2-cups all-purpose flour

Maldon’s Sea Salt

 

This dough is similar to a shortbread cookie.

Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees. Position rack in the middle of the oven.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the butter and sugar until they are just combined. Add the vanilla and almond extracts. In a medium bowl sift together the flour and salt, then add them to butter / flour mixture. Add the pecans and chocolate and mix on low speed until the dough sort of comes together.

Chill the dough in a refrigerator for at least an hour.

Start scooping the dough into small golf ball sized balls with your hands. When making the cookie balls I’ve found that the dough sometime starts to stick to your hands when you are working with it. If this happens, run your hands under cold water. Then continue to make the cookie dough balls. Firmly shape the cookies into 2 ½ inch rounds and place on a parchment lined backing sheet. Sprinkle sea salt on top before baking.

Bake approximately 18 minutes. Rotate cookie pans if baking more than one sheet at a time.

Remove cookies to a rack and cool completely. Though, they will be tempting to eat. I find it is better to allow the chocolate to become firm again.

Makes 18 – 20 cookies

Spicy Carrot Spread

I created this spicy carrot spread for my menu collaboration with Kitchit Tonight. It is reminiscent of hummus – and is super easy to make and a great starter for any party.

Spicy Carrot Spread
6 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons Harissa
½ teaspoon ground cumin
3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
3 tablespoon Tahini
2 teaspoons lemon juice
Salt and pepper

Set a steamer basket in a saucepan with 2 inches simmering water. Add carrots. Cover and steam until tender, about 12 minutes.
Heat oil in pan and saute until lightly browned.
Transfer carrots, onions, Harissa, cumin, pine nuts, tahini, and lemon juice to a food processor. Season with salt and pepper. Process until smooth, about 1 minute, adding up to 2 tablespoons water if necessary.

Serve with toasted pita bread.

Russel Tovey Eats Out

Russell Tovey is an English actor with numerous television, film and stage credits. He is now currently playing Kevin Matheson on the HBO original hit series Looking. This queer friend story is in its second season -filming 10 episodes in San Francisco. The series is set to air at 10PM on Sunday, January 11, 2015. Russell and I are both die-hard Frenchie owners and lovers. We both spend way too much of our time posting pics of our beloved little pooches on our social media platforms – you must follow Russell on Instagram to see all the cute pics of his handsome son Rocky! Someday our two little beasts shall meet. When Russell is not busy busting his acting chops on set – he’s following me around San Francisco.

Russell and I at The deYoung Museum for the Tiara Sensation Pageant. Image / Robbie Sweeny Photography

What is your favorite dessert?
Cheesecake. Growing up as a kid in the UK we have a dessert called vienetta – which is basically an ice cream loaf… I was obsessed with that!

What restaurant would you call your home in San Francisco?
Squat & Gobble this year – last year it was Orphan Andy’s.

What is the strangest or most inspiring thing you’ve ever eaten?
I ate fried crickets as part of a play performance in London once. Totally gross. I have also chewed on a witchetty grub in Australia. Also seriously totally gross.

What was your favorite breakfast cereal as a kid?
I grew up cereal obsessed. Still am. I would eat cereal at every meal break if I could. Fruit Loops were my dream cereal as a kid after visiting Disney World and discovering them in the hotel buffet. We didn’t get them in England. I even wrote to Kellogg’s as a 7 year old asking them why they weren’t stocked there. Apparently it had something to do with the amount of sugar in them that didn’t pass UK guidelines. At the time I was devastated. Looking back it was probably for the best.

What is your favorite food to pig-out on after the club?
I am sure everyone says pizza? My go to is either peanut butter on brown toast or a grilled fish finger sandwich. And if neither of them are available – Fruit Loops!

Russell stopped into QBar to say hello at Booty Call Wednesdays. Image / Shot In The City

Black Beef Stew (Chichilo Negro)

Black Beef Stew (Chichilo Negro)

I made this stew this weekend. I was craving something rich like a mole but not as heavy. You can add more stock to your sauce if you like it thinner. This mole doesn’t have the added richness of nuts and seeds. And it isn’t much more work than making classic braised short ribs – though the flavors here are much richer and reminiscent of a traditional dark Mexican mole. Serve it with black beans or steamed white rice and accompany with warm tortillas and pickled vegetables. It may be hard to find avocado leaves (which add a nice anise flavor)  ask around – maybe someone you know has a tree in their backyard (like me) or you can combine a few bay leaves and some cracked anise seeds to simulate the flavor. Moles in general are based on personal taste – so, if you like more of a certain herb or spice or when making more traditional moles –  nuts or seeds, feel free to add a little extra as you like.

6 bone-in short ribs (about 5 pounds), cut into 3 pieces each
1 small head of garlic, peeled and separated into cloves
2 medium white onions, cut into quarters
3 tablespoons lard
6 cups beef stock
Sea salt
6 chile pasilla
6 chile negros
3 tomatoes, cut into quarters
3 flour tortillas
1 tablespoon Mexican oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
4 fresh or dried avocado leaves

Season the short ribs well with sea salt on all sides. Coat a pot large enough to accommodate all the meat with the lard and bring to medium-high heat. Add the short ribs to the pan and brown very well, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Do not overcrowd pan. Cook them in batches, if necessary. You want them to get a nice dark brown color.

Browning the short ribs

Broil the onions, garlic and tomatoes under a broiler on high heat until they turn black. Add them to the meat along with the beef stock. Gently bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Meanwhile toast the pasilla and negro chiles for a few seconds on each side in a dry pan until they turn dark. When they are cool enough to handle split them open and pull out the veins and discard the stems and seeds. Rinse the chiles under cold water and then add them to the broth with the meat. If you would like the mole to have more heat you can toast the seeds and grind them in spice grinder and add them back into the broth. I don’t think this is necessary – just depends on your taste.

Chile Negro & Pasilla

Toast all of the spices together in the same pan from the chiles until they turn a darker brown and also add them to the broth. Cut a round of parchment paper to fit down into the pan and press to cover. Simmer for 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

The meat should be tender but not falling apart when done. Gently remove the meat from the broth and let it rest covered. Once the broth has settled and is cool enough to handle – skim off any fat that has floated to the top. You are know ready to finish the sauce. Over an open flame toast the tortillas and the avocado leaves until charred and add them to the sauce. The tortillas act as a thickening agent – here you could also substitute corn tortillas if you prefer.

Puree the sauce with an immersion blender and strain through a sieve. Your sauce should be velvety and thick. Check for seasoning and add more salt if needed. Gently rewarm the meat in the finished sauce and serve.

Serves 6 – 8

Max Newman Eats Out

Max Newman Eats Out

Max Newman

I love Max and I love his family. He is one of a handful of people I know in this transient city that was born and raised here. Though he has spent some time in LA and on the East Coast – I’m glad he’s back here and has settled into an awesome adventure in pastries. He is one of three bakers at Black Jet Baking Co. They have gotten a lot of press for their PoPs – a modern take on the classic toaster favorite Pop tarts.

PoPs - Image by Paige Green

But it’s their pies that have truly gained them the most respect. During the holiday season they take special orders and ship all over the USA. Pretty awesome. They’ve recently set up shop at the Ferry Building and their concoctions can also be found at numerous cafes, roasters and stores throughout the city.

Image by Paige Green

Max Newman answers my foodie questionnaire here:

What is your favorite dessert?

My mom’s olallieberry pie. We’ve gone to pick our own berries every summer in Half Moon Bay since I was a kid. But at a restaurant I like any of the stuff Zoe over at Outerlands comes up with. She’s a real whiz, makes the best fudge in the world!

What restaurant would you call your home?

I don’t get to eat out much, but recently I’ve been excited about a Vietnamese place in Oakland’s Chinatown called Cam Huong Deli. Its probably the restaurant I’ve returned to most often over the last six months. It’s a busy little lunch counter with some of the best people watching in the bay. I like to order the Bun Bo Hue, or the Ban Xeo and watch all the ladies that work there hustle in and out of the kitchen…..

What is the strangest or most inspiring thing you’ve ever eaten?

That’s a tough one… I can’t think of anything too strange that I’ve eaten. At Mission Street Food I once had a dessert that really inspired me. It was a salty oatmeal sandwich cookie with a gooey cream filling served with a glass of chamomile milk. It was so simple, suggestive, and balanced. A perfect end to an intense meal.

What was your favorite breakfast cereal as a kid?

Grape Nuts of course. Still is….

What is your favorite food to pig-out on after the club?

Popcorn. Or Grape Nuts. Or peanut butter by the spoonful. San Francisco needs more places for late night drunk snacks…

Max Newman

Here’s an awesome video about Black Jet Bakery Co.

Colin Kull Eats Out

Colin Kull Eats Out

Colin Kull

Collin Kull has been working at Tartine Bakery & Cafe in the Mission for a little over a year now. He considers himself a jack-of-all-trades at Tartine – but truly loves producing many of the wonderful croissants and cakes that line the pastry case.

I have a soft spot for a few things at Tartine – things that I won’t bother attempting in my kitchen – like their bread, morning buns, banana cream tart, and the Devil’s food cake. You don’t know how many times I’ve wished someone would bring me that damn cake at 10 o’clock at night.  Since settling this year in San Francisco Colin has managed to find his way into my life via Booty Call Wednesdays and other special events. I hope to get a private lesson on how to roll out a nice rich buttery dough from him soon or a special late-night cake delivery.

Colin Kull answers my foodie questionnaire here:

What is your favorite dessert?

I would have to say a Hazelnut Dacquoise. One of my first plated desserts as a pastry chef was this. It is a five layer two bite dessert. Its a japonaise meringue (hazelnut) layered with swiss meringue espresso buttercream and ganache. Finished with a dense coating of cocoa powder and crushed candied hazelnuts. So tasty!

What restaurant would you call your home?

Thats a tough one. I’d have to go between El Castillito on Church & Duboce or Sushi Time which is tucked away in that strange “mall” on Market next to Books Inc. Castillito wins for most frequented due to the closeness to my house and the delicious carne asada burritos. The men definitely know me and my order there. But when I am not chowing down on a burrito I am most likely craving sushi. Sushi Time is such a small intimate hole in the wall. I love that it seats 15 people max. There rolls are delicious and well priced.

What is the strangest or most inspiring thing you’ve ever eaten?

When I was living in Italy we had to castrate pigs one day and…well, for lunch that day we fried up the testicles and everyone around the table tried it. The actual flavor and texture wasn’t terrible, but psychologically it was rough on us. Some of the older Italian men could not believe that we would eat such a thing. That was definitely more strange than inspiring.

What was your favorite breakfast cereal as a kid?
Peanut Butter Captain Crunch! I used to eat it by the handful. No milk!

What is your favorite food to pig-out on after the club?

I seem to end up at CyBelles more often than not eating their greasy, meaty, delicious pizza!