All Hail Caesar

My BFFs know that my favorite restaurant in Seattle is Pomodoro on Eastlake. We've eaten at this cozy neighborhood Southern Italian corner bistro to celebrate my birthday for the past three years.

One of the great things is that you can always get a table. You think this means the restaurant is not good? Nuh-uh. It only means that this place hasn't been found yet. I'd like to keep it that way ... and yet ... I've always been the girl who shared at playtime and let other girls play with my dolls. On that note, you got it here first - GO to this restaurant before the word gets out any further.

Order the Insalata di Caesar as a starter along with any of the other fine appetizers (can't go wrong with the Pomodoro Speciale). Like clockwork, I always order the Linguine con Gambero e Anice: wild prawns, garlic, white wine and light cream anise sauce, tossed with linguine. I don't know how they cook this but it is the best pasta dish around. I've ordered seafood fettuccine at many, many restaurants here in the NW and after eating the typically white based cheesy sauce, felt slightly bloated by the time I got home.

The Pomodoro's pasta dish features plump, perfectly poached prawns ... but it is the light cream sauce the linguine is tossed in that is perfection. The sauce is almost clear and glosses the noodles beautifully. It is like eating a bite from the fresh sea tossed in with a hint of sweet cream. That sauce. Oooh boy.You know, I could go on and on  about that dish ...

But what I'm here to really talk about today is salad. There have been many times in my life that I've been on a semi-liquid diet, carb-free diet, no- white-after-dark diet, and salads diets. Such is the trials and tribulations of trying to be skinny in this super-size everything culture.

There is one salad, however, that I always eat with pleasure .... and place it even in the decadent category. All hail the Caesar. Dieting never crosses my mind when I order a caesar salad. For real. This classic salad doesn't have to play second fiddle to any main entree when done right and accompanied by major other players. I mentioned Pomodoro's Insalata di Caesar above and they do one of the most savoriest that has crossed my palate. I like the kick of spiciness and the crunch of  ice cold romaine in their version.

BUT at home I came across an excellent, delicious recipe recently that must be shared. I made it for the kids last week and my 14 year old had seconds of the salad ... and then thirds. If that is not the best review and from a tough crowd, I don't know what is! The dressing is AMAZING.

Caesar Salad

Adapted from Michael Chiarello's recipe

The only thing I do differently in this recipe is cook the eggs in boiling water for one minute and then put them in cold water to cool before adding the yolks to the dressing. Maybe it's psychological, as the egg yolks are still technically raw, but I like to "cook" them still in advance.

• 4 heads romaine lettuce, outer leaves removed, or 1.5 pounds romaine lettuce hearts
• 3/4 cup Caesar dressing, recipe follows
• Croutons
• 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan

Directions

Put the whole romaine leaves in a work bowl. Add enough of the dressing to coat the leaves and toss well. Arrange the leaves in a serving bowl with their tips up, and intersperse the croutons, if desired. Sprinkle the Parmesan over all.

Caesar Dressing:

2 eggs
2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
6 to 8 anchovy fillets, minced
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Worcestershire sauce
2 cups olive oil
2 tablespoon warm water, if needed
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Place the egg yolk, mustard, anchovies, garlic, vinegar, lemon juice, and a dash of Worcestershire sauce into a salad bowl. Blend with whisk and then add the olive oil in a slow, steady stream until it is fully incorporated. If the dressing stops gets too thick, add the warm water and then continue until all the oil is added. Add the cheese and continue to blend.

Yield: about 1 1/2 cups

Ramen 101

Did you think I'd forget? As promised, this one's dedicated to RAMEN cravings and all you ramen obsessed fans out there. After hitting up Samurai  with weekly fixes the past month or so and finding my pocket book quickly depleting, I had to attempt it at home. Knowing I needed Asian products to go with the ramen and living up north, I drove to my neighborhood Central Market iin Mill Creek. They have a very good Asian foods section, particularly authentic Japanese products.

Here's the thing ... being a working single parent, my goal was to to come up with a good tasting bowl of ramen in less than an hour.

I decided to try and use the same ingredients as the ramen bowl at Samurai, minus the all day soup boiling process and needed a good base: noodles and soup. My friend Keith (another ramen fanatic) had recommended I get the Yamachan Japanese Style Fresh Ramen noodles  as he heard that Samurai gets their noodles from Yamachan too. Good tip. Luckily, Central Market had these packets in their frozen section.

One thing I found odd was that these Yamachan noodles weren't located in the same place as the other Asian noodles (udon, other ramen brands, egg noodles, etc.). I had to walk down another aisle and locate them in the frozen section, plus they were pretty expensive - about $5 - 6 for a packet of two servings. I also picked up some pickled bamboo shoots also packaged by Yamachan and a slab of pretty pink and white  kamaboko. Ready for the cooking.

I had baked my own barbecue pork the day before and cut up the strip into slices. Then, I poached a soft boiled egg, still runny in the center, just the way I like it and set that aside. I chopped up green onions into a small dish. Now to the base: noodles and soup. Rock and roll.

I like my ramen noodles firm and so boiled a pot of water and nestled the fresh noodles in gently, separating them into the boiling water for just under 1 - 2 minutes. I could tell they were done by the sheen on the noodles and their color of dark mustard. Then, I drained the noodles and ran some warm water over them to keep them from sticking and to stop the cooking process.

Now it was construction time: noodles into the bowl, egg, barbequed pork slices, bamboo shoots, kamaboko, and green onions on top. I boiled the soup as instructed on the package, but instead of putting the boiling water into the soup base in a bowl - I took the boiled water off the stove and stirred the soup base into the pot. Note: Be sure to add more water (I added about 1/2 - 3/4 cup more) when boiling as I found the base to be on the salty side.

Finally, I poured the hot soup over the constructed ramen bowl with all the fixings. Delicious, hot, and tasty. The noodles did come out al dente and the soup hearty.

What comes out the winner in this home made version though was the barbecued pork and it stood out through the multitude of flavors. I've made this pork on occasion and used it in other dishes throughout the week, like fried rice. My kids eat the slices as appetizers too, dipped in ketchup and sesame seeds. I think this recipe is very good, and even better than the stuff you can pick up in the International District (ID). I've never been too into the red glossy, syrupy marinade on the restaurant pork.

Something about the tenderness of home made pork and the sweet, saltiness of the light marinade makes you want to take the whole slab, caveman style, and chomp it down when hungry. Wow, I think I'm getting hungry.

Here's Keith's home made ramen version (same noodles and soup base, but with more vegetables):

Now, this isn't restaurant grade ramen but hits the spot on those cold, Seattle rainy days when you don't want to make the drive into town for noodles. Pretty good and gets my thumbs up.

Barbecue Pork

3 - 4 lbs boneless pork tenderloin or shoulder pork, sliced into long strips with the grain about 2" x 2" wide and about 6" long

Mix together:
2 1/2 t salt
7 T sugar
1/4 tsp garlic powder or 1/2 t garlic salt
3 T soy sauce
1/4 tsp salt petre (optional to color the pork red, I usually omit this)

Marinate for at least 2 hours. Place pork strips in a pan about 1" apart and use all the marinade.

Bake 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes. Turn occasionally to brown evenly. Serves 4 - 6.

Ramen Cravings

Some people have ice cream cravings, and some french fries. When I want something bad, it tends to be fried chicken. I'm not sure why. Something about the crunchy, salty, fatty fried skin and juicy bite of chicken leg sends me swooning. 

Growing up, my dad dipped his fried chicken (and pretty much everything else) into ketchup. I do this now too, a learned habit, I suppose. I'm noticing both my kids now are adopting the same eccentric food habits. Like those food magazine interviews of celebrities asking what's in their fridge - mine (a girl can dream!) would be a bottle of Heinz's 57 Ketchup. Anyhoo....

For the past month, I've been having a new craving - Ramen Noodles. This obsession came after I ate at Samurai located in the same building as Uwajimaya in the ID district for the first time about a month ago. I had read many reviews on this place prior to going there. Folks just raved on and on about the ramen bar, claiming it was the BEST ramen in Seattle and comparing its authenticity to a good bowl of ramen in Japan. Of course, I had to try it...

OMG.

I've gone in to Samurai four times over the past month and have now ordered the same bowl of ramen three of the four times. When I like something, I tend to not only be a repeat customer, but a repeat orderer. It's a sure thing and I like to know what I'm getting. Boring maybe, routine, ok ... I just like what I like - especially when it is GOOD! A bit of advice if you're trying to get there at lunch time - go before 11:15 a.m. Trust me - the line out the door typically begins around 11: 15 am. And the place is dime store small, so be prepared to knock knees with the other hungry patrons at the tables next to you. No need to be shy, the ramen is worth it.

The bowl I'm crazy about is called Tampopo. Based on the Tampopo movie with the same name, a ramen western about a woman in Tokyo who achieved to make the best bowl of ramen and recruited two guys to help her. A funny and weirdly charming movie.

There is absolutely nothing funny about the movie's namesake ramen served at Samurai , it's serious business. Seriously tantalizing. Sliced melt-in-your-mouth, chunky pork slices, soy sauce marinated hard boiled egg, tender bamboo shoots, tasty naruto, papery thin roasted seaweed, and green onions are the condiments. 

But the real heroes are the shoyou based soup and the noodles. Geez louise, where did they get those noodles?! Firm, robust, chewy, and just the perfect al dente-ness. Couple those perfect noodles with that briny, complex flavored soup and you have an authentic bowl of ramen.... at least in these parts. About that broth - tasting it made me think of grandma's home soup - the kind she used to boil for hours and hours. 

Tasted like home. Ya.... I could bathe in it, Samurai's soup is that good. Enough said.

A preview hint of things to come... my ramen obsession must now be cultivated at home as I can't keep driving almost 40 minutes to get my ramen hit every week. Plus, the bowls of ramen aren't cheap. If this keeps up, I might need to ask for a job there. Except once they figure out my real intentions and see that I'm always hovering over the soup pot - they'll banish me to the dish washing. 

Looks like I'll need to Tampopo it and try and make a decent imitation at home. Wish me luck, folks. I've thrown down the gauntlet to myself this week. Let's see what I come up with...

Let Them Eat ... More Cake

Cake, cake, lovely cake. I call this one my Bathrobe Cake. I've been known to sneak downstairs in the middle of the night in my bathrobe and take a forkful right out of the pan ... best eaten over the kitchen sink.

I could also name it my Kitchen Sink Cake, another possibility. However, it's original name is Apple Cake. Simple and wonderful, just the way it sounds. This is the recipe I really just can't do without. Like a comfortable pair of loafers you've had and broken in throughout the years. Hold it, is it the shoes that stretch over time or their occupants? I just had a big piece tonight and the only thing stretching right now is my belly. Not in a good way. Note to self - go to gym... soon... real soon.

This cake has seen me through heart aches, potlucks, last minute dinner parties, a divorce, and the most joyful times with my children. The kids love this cake, and it loves them back. I keep making it, and it (and we) keep coming back for more.

In the end, it is my happy cake and has been a good friend to me through the good and not so good times.

Try this one, for sure. My lovely, loyal standby..

P.S. I couldn't resist showing you the picture my five year old took of  my piece of cake (wine and cake couple nicely, don't you think?). She saw mama taking pics and wanted to take one too for you all. So sweet!

Note:  You know that five year olds don't like to stand still, much less do so with camera in hand, right?  Be sure to put your 3D glasses on before viewing the pic. And for goodness sake, bake this cake! So good.

Apple Cake

Mix in this order:

1 1/3 cups Wesson Oil (or any vegetable oil)
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 t vanilla
1/2 t salt
2 cups flour
1 t baking soda
1 t cinnamon
3 cups apples, chopped (3 med size)
1 cup nuts

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour in a 13" x  9" x 2"  greased pan.

Cake and Cast Iron

It would take a lot to bump off my all-time favorite dessert, Creme Brulee. I baked a cake two nights ago that has well, seriously distracted me ... Lemon Yogurt Cake.


This is a dessert that made it worth having my fingers grated along side the lemon rinds. Ya, that good. I think it was the double glaze of fresh squeezed lemon juice and sugar that hit it outside of the ball park. Tart, tangy and satisfying.

The real deal. So much that I perused my other cook books to compare recipes. A research assignment that went on all morning.

My Tharan watched me running around in this heightened state and said with a knowing smirk, "Ya know - you're a little weird." I wish he knew what it was like to be enthralled with food. Its not just the eating, cooking, reading, but to make the dish right ... and then perfect it. Does anyone hear me out there? Can I get a hell-yea?

Lemon Yogurt Cake
from barefoot contessa at home - Ina Garten

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 t baking powder
1/2 t kosher salt
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
1 1/3 cups sugar, divided
3 extra-large eggs
2 t grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
1/2 t pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

for the glaze
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 T freshly squeezed lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8 1/2 x 4 1/4 x 2 1/2-inch loaf pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper. Grease and flour the pan.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt into one bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the yogurt, one cup sugar, the eggs, lemon zest, and vanilla. Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. With a rubber spatula, fold the vegetable oil into the batter, making sure it's all incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 50 minutes, or until a cake tester placed in the center of the loaf comes out clean.

Meanwhile, cook the 1/3 cup lemon juice and remaining 1/3 cup sugar in a small pan until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is clear. Set aside.

When the cake is done, allow it to cook in the pan for 10 minutes. Carefully place on a baking rack over a sheet pan. While the cake is still warm, pour the lemon-sugar mixture over the cake and allow it to soak in. Cool.

For the glaze, combine the confectioners' sugar and lemon juice and pour over the cake.

Cast Iron Dreams




I am baking Maple Baked Beans right now as I type this. Being a parent helps in the area of multi-task-oriented-statedness... yea, just what I said. The glazed stew has been brewing in my friend Keith's borrowed Le Creuset dutch oven for four hours - two more hours to go.

Never made baked beans before, such a shame. Come on now, I grew up in a family of four generations of Asian women all living in the same household. No baked beans, no Wonder Bread, not a Ding Dong in sight. I grew up with salted fish & steamed pork, salted duck eggs (more on this in later postings, I promise) and every kind of greens stir fried.

Delicious and still ... here's to the lone ronin and breaking out of family molds. Organic maple syrup, thick-cut smoked bacon... it smells like Texas all up in here.

Speaking of Le Creuset, I want the dutch oven. I want it bad. Santa came and got me a Le Creuset frying pan this year and I am grateful. So grateful, don't get me wrong ... but it's been my dream to have the cobalt blue big dutch oven (at only $400 retail). I have hijacked my friend's for the past 2 -3 months (lost count) and must return it soon. Uh huh, soon..