What to do with all of the cherries?!?

Cherries are one of my favorite fruits--I won't say favorite because that changes with my mood and the season. However, I eagerly anticipate cherry season each year. I love bing cherries--Mt. Rainier's are good, but nothing compares to perfectly ripe, sweet, dark purple bing cherries. The perfect cherry is dark, firm, no blemishes or mold, slightly pops when you bite down on them and if you eat enough of them will tint your 'California-ized' whitened and brightened teeth an eerie shade of violet. I eat cherries out of hand until I am going to pop and only then do I start cooking with them. My second favorite way to eat them is in a very quick fresh cherry compote to have over vanilla ice cream for a decadent after dinner treat. That same compote is delicious mixed with plain yogurt for breakfast or a healthy afternoon snack. (A compote is dessert or sauce containing fruit cooked in a sugar syrup.) It's a great alternative to purchasing processed yogurt and fruit and very easy to make.
Bing Cherry Compote
2 cups of pitted Bing Cherries
3 Tbsp. mild honey
1/4 c. water
1 cinnamon stick or 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 star anise
*use a cherry or olive pitter to pit the cherries quickly and efficiently
Combine all of the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil on the stove top. Lower the heat to a simmer and continue to cook for 15 minutes. (Helpful hint *If you don't lower the heat to a simmer, it will over flow and leave you with a sticky mess on your stove top.) Remove the pan from the heat and let cool. Refrigerate and consume within 7 days of making.

Pomegranate and Cumin Glazed Lamb Kabobs

Yesterday the weather was perfect. The sun was shining, the sky was a lovely shade of blue and there was a slight breeze. Weather like this, especially in San Francisco is fiercely coveted. It makes me want to kick off my shoes and feel the sun warmed sidewalk on my bare feet. I love to cook outdoors when the weather is like this--everything seems to taste better and I feel deliciously free when I have the opportunity to cook outside of the confines of a kitchen. Everyone loves this recipe for pomegranate and cumin glazed lamb kabobs. It's a simple but delicious marinade that you can throw together in just a few minutes and tastes terrific--like you spent far more time in the kitchen than you actually did. The secret ingredient is pomegranate molasses. The secret technique is to cut the lamb into small bite sized pieces so that you get the maximum marinade to meat ratio.
Pomegranate molasses is an essential ingredient to middle eastern cuisine. It has a wonderful aroma and adds a lovely sweet-sour edge to foods. It also helps to tenderize meat.

Pomegranate and Cumin Glazed Lamb Kabobs
adapted from epicurious.com
1# of boneless lamb shoulder or leg, cut into 1 inch cubes
Marinade
1/4 c. pomegranate molasses
1/2 c. olive oil
1 tsp. ground cumin
1tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
2 cloves of garlic, minced or put through a garlic press
3 skewers (metal or bamboo. If you are using bamboo, soak the skewers in water for 30 minutes prior to skewering the lamb.)
Combine the ingredients for the marinade and put the lamb pieces in. Let the lamb marinate for a minimum of 30 minutes and up to 2 hours. Thread the lamb pieces on the skewer. If you like, you may alternate the pieces of lamb with pieces of red pepper. Cook the lamb over medium high heat on the grill, about 5-7 minutes per side. (You may also broil the lamb kebabs for the same amount of time if grilling is not an option.) I like to serve this dish with pita bread, hummus, baba ghanoush and muhamara for a Mediterranean inspired meal. Grilled vegetables and couscous would also be a nice accompaniment. For a wine, I would recommend a red such as a domestic pinot noir or a cotes du rhone.
Bon Appetit!

Phoebe's Phamous Salt and Sugar Cured Shrimp

Shrimp must be one of the food world's great luxuries. It cooks quickly, absorbs flavors well, is low fat and is a good source of protein. There are a couple of different varieties of shrimp, but I divide them into two main categories. Big and small. I grew up eating the small ones, also know as 'Northern Shrimp', Maine shrimp, salad shrimp--you know the ones--they are small, tender and delicious. When they are fresh, not frozen and quickly steamed they have a heavenly buttery quality that Iadore. I have fond memories of going to my grandparents' house and standing next to my grandfather at the sink while he cleaned pounds of shrimp. He would hum under his breath and quietly get to work. Some to eat, and some to freeze to eat later. He would tell me stories about life in a small town in early 20th century New England. To this day whenever I eat Maine shrimp I think of being small and snug--well loved in a warm house.
It wasn't until I was a young adult that I tried the big shrimp, also called cocktail shrimp, prawns, etc. and I was disappointed. Overcooked and rubbery, they were less than appealing. Haven't you ever gone to a restaurant and been disappointed in the quality of the shrimp cocktail? When my clients started to request grilled shrimp for salads and dinners, I knew that I had to be able to come up with something more appealing for them. It took some searching and recipe testing, but I finally came up with a system to cook tasty big shrimp. Although they are not the same as the 'small' shrimp, cooked my way they are delicious.
The secret lies in curing the shrimp briefly with salt and sugar. This was inspired by a recipe found in Sunset magazine, but I have also seen similar recipes in cook's illustrated.

Phoebe's Salt and Sugar Cured Shrimp
1tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp. sugar
1 # peeled and deveined Shrimp, tails on
In our search for a more sustainable way of living it is important to purchase food that supports our long term goals for the future. When purchasing shrimp, try to avoid buying imported farm raised shrimp, such as Tiger Prawns or Black Tiger Prawns. Instead, look for wild caught shrimp from the U.S Gulf of Mexico and U.S South Atlantic, called white or pink shrimp. U.S. farmed shrimp called Pacific White Shrimp or West Coast White Shrimp is also a good choice. ( The Monterey Bay Aquarium website www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/SeafoodWatch has a terrific guide to sustainable and safe seafood. Check it out for more information.) If you have questions while shopping your fish market should be able to advise you.

Optional Flavorings
2 tsp. minced garlic
2 tsp. lemon zest (about 1 lemon's worth)
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 Tbsp. chopped herbs--Parsley is good and adds a nice note of color while accentuating the lemon and garlic flavor. I have also experimented with basil successfully and a variety of spice rubs, so be creative.

Rinse the shrimp in a colander under cold running water. Next, toss the shrimp with the sugar and salt. Let the shrimp sit in the cure for as little as 20 minutes and up to an hour while you prepare the rest of dinner. I use this time to start cooking rice and set up the steamer for steamed vegetables. Once I have the rest of dinner underway I proceed with the shrimp recipe.
Mince the garlic and zest the lemon. Set aside. Rinse the shrimp and pat dry between two sets of paper towels. Drying the shrimp is important--it will help the shrimp to sear and seal in juices instead of steaming, so don't skip this step. Toss the shrimp with the lemon zest, garlic, herbs and olive oil.
These shrimp are equally as good when they are pan seared, grilled or roasted in an oven. Whatever cooking method you decide upon the most important thing is to have a hot surface to cook the shrimp quickly. If you are cooking in the oven, pre heat to 425 or 450F and cook for about 5 minutes or so on at pre heated sheet pan. I prefer to cook these shrimp in a grill or saute pan. Heat your pan over a medium high heat and place the shrimp in a single layer in the hot pan. They should start to curl and turn pink almost immediately. The flesh will sear to a light golden brown where it has had direct contact with the pan. Turn the shrimp and sear on the second side. Remove from the pan and serve. Leftovers make a great addition to a lunchtime salad. I also like to toss leftover shrimp with a thin pasta such as angel hair.

Morels and Mother's Day

Happy belated Mother's day everyone! It was my first one, and I have to admit the feeling was a bit odd. Should I be celebrating my mom? Should she be celebrating me? Should I celebrate myself? It was a lovely day and I did positively nothing. We did not go out for brunch--when I was still working in restaurants Easter brunch and Mother's day brunch were both days of reckoning. I've lived through horror stories about running out of food and people keep coming.P and I had very low key plans for dinner--takeout from the new Thai place that we like, but then our farmer's market basket arrived and plans changed.
Our Farmer's market basket arrives every Sunday, hand delivered and fresh from the farmer. For me, emptying the whole foods re-usable bag that it arrives in is almost like Christmas morning, without all of the wrapping paper to recycle. And yes, I realize it is a luxury to have someone shop the farmer's market for me, but really it's the best thing that I have done for myself all year. There is always fresh fruit and vegetables in the fridge, I can support the farmer and the local economy and with a well stocked pantry I can easily put together a yummy meal in no time. There are always one or two items that surprise and inspire me. Mother's day was Morels. When I opened the small paper bag that contained them, I was positively delighted! I have a very special relationship with Morels, you see. Morels are the honeycomb shaped mushrooms that are available from about mid april to mid june. They have a haunting woodsy taste and are among my favorite mushrooms. Morels are best purchased fresh--they dry ones have lost much of their elusive flavor. They are best simply prepared, sauteed with garlic and butter and if you are feeling really decadent, finished with heavy cream. They are a wonderful companion to asparagus, sugar snap peas, omelets and as a sauce for chicken or beef. The first time that I had a morels was in Paris, from the farmer's market and I was immediately and completely in love. When my mom visited me that spring it was one of the food discoveries that I shared with her (that and my favorite place to get pastries from) I managed to make her the most perfect omelette with farm fresh eggs and fragrant morels. She still talks about it to this day. This Mother's day, however, we had leftover roast chicken in the fridge and pasta in the pantry. With the addition of asparagus, morels, a touch of garlic and heavy cream P and I were enjoying meal fit for a king (or new parents) in no time at all. Here's how to do it.

Mother's Day Pasta with Morels
6 oz of dried pasta, I like spaghetti or linguine for this dish.
2 Tbsp. butter
2 cloves of garlic, minced
3 oz of Morels, cleaned and sliced*
8 oz. of asparagus, the tough bottom tips snapped off and the remaining spears cut into 1" lengths.
1 1/2 c. leftover roast chicken, cut into bite size pieces.
1/2c. heavy cream
1 tsp. lemon zest
salt and pepper to taste
*Morels can be full of grit and even insects. Make sure that you clean them thoroughly. Start by placing them in a bowl full of cold water and swish them around a bit. Lift them out of the water. If they are extremely dirty, repeat the bath. Next, split them in half lengthwise and cut them crosswise into strips. If the morels are small you can simply split them in half to check for any extra protein. (i.e. insects.)
Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the back of the box.
Melt the butter in a wide saute pan and saute the garlic for 2 or 3 minutes until fragrant. Toss in the morels and saute for 3 or 4 more minutes. Add the asparagus and pour in the heavy cream. Let the cream simmer for a few minutes until it has thickened slightly. Add the chicken and stir to combine. Season to taste with the lemon zest, salt and pepper. Toss with the pasta and enjoy! I like to serve this with a French style chardonnay, such as Stubbs chardonnay from Marin County. If you wanted a red wine with this, I would recommend a Pinot Noir or another light red such as a Beajolais.

Moving, mayhem and meatloaf

Moving should really mimic the transporter device on Star Trek. Not only should I be able to beam myself up and over to my new place, but all of my furniture too. I haven't been doing a ton of cooking lately--too busy packing and dealing with contractors at the new house. It has been several weeks of ordering takeout and eating off of paper plates, and I am so ready for a home cooked meal it isn't even funny. The one upside of moving is rediscovering cookbooks and recipes that I would like to try. So many recipes and so little time. Sometimes I rush too much--trying to do everything, and this move had me simmering with activity and good intentions. Once I had the kitchen set up I proceeded to make gingerbread (makes the kitchen smell all warm and spicy) but in my haste used the wrong size pan, and ended up with cake all over the oven (makes the kitchen smell like burned sugar--not so nice) but the cake still tasted good, and I enjoyed it with a cup of coffee after scrubbing the oven clean. I also made a 'Flamiche' which is a type of alsatian quiche with leeks and a pungent cheese, such as a ripe camembert. That too overflowed, but at least this time I was smart enough to put a sheet pan underneath the pie plate to catch potential overflow. Really I was feeling quite irritated with myself. I wanted to cook us a nice dinner, something that wouldn't mess up the oven and I could do while entertaining Miss Lils. Old Fashioned Meatloaf seemed to be the answer to all my problems. Now, I came to meatloaf late in life. We were not a meatloaf family as a kid--shrimp in white sauce, teriyaki beef kabobs with pineapple yes, meatloaf no. I had no idea how much I would enjoy the ketchup glaze on the old loaf. But yum! and quick too--I can almost mix it with one hand, except for dicing the onions. My favorite meatloaf recipe comes from cook's illustrated. It's simple, classic and tastes wonderful. I've also included notes on how to adapt this recipe to be gluten and dairy free and a second adaptation using chicken or turkey and ground flax meal if you are feeling ultra hip and healthy. I sauteed some spinach, boiled some new potatoes from the farmer's market, tossed them with butter, parsley, salt and pepper and voila! Dinner is served.

*Just a brief note on potatoes from the Farmer's Market. They are awesome--hands down the best, most flavorful potatoes that I have ever had. They are well worth seeking out. Grocery store potatoes don't even compare.

All American Meatloaf
Adapted from The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook
Preheat the oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with tinfoil.

Ketchup Glaze
1/2 c. Ketchup
1/4 c. brown sugar
2 tsp. cider or white vinegar
Combine the above ingredients and set aside.

Meatloaf
2# meatloaf mix--I like using equal parts ground beef, veal and pork. However, I have also used ground turkey or chicken with success. (If you do use ground poultry I would recommend thigh over breast. Ground breast is too lean and dries out in my opinion.)
2 eggs
2 tsp. worcestershire sauce
2 tsp. mustard
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2/3c. crushed saltines (about 1/2 a sleeve) or 2/3c. dried breadcrumbs
1/2c. milk
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 tsp. of dried thyme
1 Tbsp. Oil

Heat the oil in a saute pan on the stove top. Saute the onion over medium heat until it is softened. Add the garlic and thyme and cook for a minute or two until the garlic is aromatic. Set aside.
Place the crushed saltines or breadcrumbs in a bowl and pour the milk over. Let stand for a few minutes until softened, and then add the eggs, worcestershire, mustard, salt and pepper. Stir to combine, then add the cooled onion mixture and the meatloaf mixture. I always mix meatloaf with my hands, but you can use a spoon if you prefer. Once the meatloaf has been mixed, turn it out onto the foil lined pan and shape it into a loaf. I typically make a low and flattish loaf in order to optimize the meat to glaze ratio. Now, brush the loaf with half of the ketchup glaze and bake for 45 minutes. After 45 minutes, pour the remaining glaze over the meatloaf and bake for another 15-20 minutes. It's hard to overcook meatloaf, so if it is in the oven for a few more minutes don't worry about it. It's easiest to slice the meatloaf if you let it cool for 15 minutes or so.
Now, to make a gluten and dairy free meatloaf simply substitute rice or soy milk for the whole milk. Make sure to use plain unsweetened. Save the vanilla flavor for your breakfast cereal. In place of the cracker or breadcrumbs, I use gluten free bread crumbs from kinnikinnick. (kinnikinnick.com) To add fiber and omega 3's to your meatloaf, replace 1/2 of the bread or cracker crumbs with flax meal.

Spring Barley Risotto

Growing up in New England in the seventies, long before the gourmet revolution, the best vegetables were the ones that you grew yourself or purchased at the local farmstand. These days I do not have the time, space or inclination to grow my own food, so I do what many of us do and shop at the farmer's market as often as I can. It's a great way to support the local economy and the small time farmer. In return you really do get the best and freshest produce available. Right now, spring vegetables rock. We have been eating tons of vibrant, slightly bitter asparagus, sugar snap peas that are candy-like in their sweetness, and green garlic so tender the individual cloves have not hardened yet. I love this time of year. I especially appreciate all of the vegetables after months of hearty winter fare and I typically switch to eating vegetarian several times a week. I love risotto. My husband loves risotto--it's a great vehicle for veggies, but it's really tough to stand at the stove and stir constantly for 45 minutes. Instead of a traditional risotto made with arborio or carnaroli rice, I make a shortcut risotto style dish with barley. Barley is a nutritious ancient grain. It has a nutty, chewy flavor, is widely available and very inexpensive. One cup of dry barley yields over 3 cups cooked. I parcook the barley for 35-40 minutes, in stock or salted water, and prep my vegetables while the barley is cooking.

Farmer's Market Spring Barley Risotto

1c. of Pearl Barley (If you are really in a rush, you can use flaked barley, which cooks in about 20 minutes. Farro would also be a good substitute and also cooks in about 20 minutes.)

4 c. of stock or water to cook the barley

1c-1 1/2c. water or stock to finish the barley

1 bunch of green garlic, about four heads with greens attached. Remove any papery skin on the outside of the green garlic bulb, trim the roots and lop off the tops of the green garlic. Quarter the heads and slice the stems.

1 bunch of Asparagus (about a pound), the tough bottom stalks snapped off--about three inches-- and the remainder sliced into 1 inch lengths.

a handful of snap peas or other green vegetable,

a good sized handful of baby spinach, chopped or sliced into strips. *swiss chard works too, just pull off the leaves and save the stalks for soup.

2 Tbsp. butter

1/2 c. white wine

1/2c. parmesan cheese, grated

2 tsp. lemon zest

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place the barley in a soup pot and pour the four cups of water or stock over. Season the cooking liquid with salt. Set on the stove top and bring to a high simmer. Let the barley simmer away for 35 or 40 minutes. If it starts to dry out, simply add more liquid. Barley is a really forgiving grain. It's difficult to overcook, so don't worry too much about it. While the barley is cooking, prep the vegetables. Be creative with this dish and feel free to use up leftovers from the fridge. Ham, roast chicken or duck confit are all welcome additions to be diced and folded in at the last minute. Melt the butter in a wide saute pan or stock pot. Add the green garlic quarters and the sliced stems. Saute for three or four minutes, until the slices are translucent. Deglaze the pan with the white wine and reduce by half. While the wine is reducing, drain the barley. Add the drained barley to the wine/garlic mixture. Give it a stir, then add 1 cup of your finishing liquid (stock or water). Bring the barley back up to a simmer and stir in the asparagus. Have your vegetables lined up and ready to go next to the stove. This next part goes quickly and smoothly if you are prepared. When the asparagus starts to turn that bright green 'cooked' color, fold in the spinach or swiss chard, and let it wilt. If the barley is starting to dry out, add more liquid a little at a time to moisten. Finish the risotto by folding in the parmesan cheese and the lemon zest. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Enjoy! Serve with a light white wine such as a sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio. For a fancier presentation, serve in shallow bowls and top with grated parmesan and chopped chives or parsley.

Lily's Brisket

My favorite things to cook have always been the ones that yielded the most deliciousness with the minimum of effort. Don't misunderstand me--I love to cook complex, time-consuming multi- course meals, but it is not the only thing I like to do. Friends, sweaty yoga classes, sunny days all beckon me away from my four burner lover. (Really, is there anything better than sitting outside on a sunny day sipping a glass of wine, chatting with friends and people watching? )
I never considered how well this preference for cooking things with ease would work with a baby. I honestly thought that during my maternity leave, she would nap and I would finally have time to experiment and cook four course dinners on weeknights. Wrong! She is a lovely sleeper at night, but during the day she is 'no nap nellie' and my new challenge is not to work around her but to work with her. Braising is perfect for the baby (or just plain busy) lifestyle. I don't need to espouse the benefits and ease of braising. I'm sure that you are familiar with it--'take a cheap cut of meat and turn it into a tender, succulent taste sensation!' No need to be tied to the stove! The busy household's friend!' But it really is true. In honor of Passover last week I braised brisket, but this basic recipe could easily work for pot roast, beef stew etc. I love starting with a base note of caramelized onions--it adds an irreplaceable richness and depth of flavor.

Lily's Busy Day Brisket
Turn on the oven to 375F

2 onions, sliced (put the baby down and frantically slice before she starts to fuss.)

2 Tbsp. Olive Oil

1 Tbsp. Butter

1 tsp. dried thyme or 1 Tbsp. fresh

Over a low heat in a saute pan, warm the olive oil and melt the butter. Add the onions, season with salt and pepper and the thyme. Cook slowly over low to medium heat, until the the onions melt down into a sticky, dark golden brown mass. This takes about 45 minutes, but it is absolutely worth it. You can make this ahead of time and freeze in small containers to use whenever. Caramelized onions are great on sandwiches with roast beef, pizzas or anything else you can imagine. Once the onions are done, deglaze the pan with a little bit of water or stock and set aside.

4 Carrots, large dice

handful of mushrooms, quartered or halved if tiny.

2# Brisket

scant Tbsp. of oil

1 c. of Red Wine

1 c. of Chicken Demi Glace (I love cooking with demi-glace. It adds richness and mouthfeel to foods. However, if Demi-glace is unavailable, use twice the amount of chicken stock.)

3 c. of chicken or beef stock.
I like using a combination of beef and chicken stock. Braising beef with pure beef stock often results in a dish that is just too, well, beefy. I like the lightness of flavor that results from using chicken stock. If you only have beef stock on hand, I would cut it with 50% water.
Season the brisket well with salt and pepper. If you are using kosher beef keep in mind that it has already been salted. Heat the oil in a pot large enough to hold the beef and other ingredients. Sear the beef well on both sides. The beef should be a rich dark brown color from the searing process. *searing to a dark color will add flavor to the overall dish. Pour in the liquids, add the carrots, mushrooms and onions. Bring to a simmer on the stove top and add rosemary or other herbs if desired, then cover and place in the oven. Go about your daily business and let the brisket simmer away. Take a peek after an hour has elapsed--make sure that the brisket is still simmering away with plenty of liquid left in the pan. After 2 hours of cooking time, test the brisket for doneness by sticking a fork in it and lifting up. All braised items are judged to be done when they are fork tender. This means that when you stick a fork in a piece of meat and lift up it will fall off of the fork. Remove the pot from the oven and taste the sauce for seasoning. Add salt and pepper as needed. Since brisket tends to be fatty, you may de-grease the sauce by letting it chill overnight and then skimming the fat from the surface before reheating and serving. To serve, remove the brisket from the sauce and slice across the grain. I like serving this with mashed potatoes, but egg noodles or steamed rice would also be a good accompaniment.
Bon Appetit!