Best Spread Ever: Oven Roasted Garlic

I believe the title says it all: oven roasted garlic is truly the best spread ever. In just a few simple steps, you can make yourself a soft, caramelized, not-quite-so-pungent spreadable garlic.

Way back in my retail days (well, I'm still in retail, but I'm referring to being on the sales floor) there was a run on terra-cotta garlic roasters. They look like little domes with a small dish whose lip comes up and around the bottom of the dome. You put a whole head of garlic in the dish, with the tops and ends trimmed off, added some salt and olive oil, covered it with the dome and put it in the oven. In about an hour, you had yourself some nicely roasted garlic cloves.

Coming from a family where Gran Fran was pretty much against any kitchen gadget except for her Kitchen-Aid mixer, this little device was a hard sell for me. It was the early '90's when cooking was just becoming a spectator sport. The Food Network was still showing old Julia Child episodes, no superstar chefs were jamming the airwaves yet.

When a box of garlic roasters landed in front of me to be unpacked and shelved, I heard Gran Fran in my head with the following words of wisdom:

"What's the point of this? Why can't you just take a bit of aluminum foil, make a pouch out of it and roast the garlic in there? It's good enough for me...And, you never know with the terra-cotta how to get them as clean as possible. They hold germs, you know? Salmonella, botulism, who knows what else? I'll stick with my foil, thank you very much."

I had to agree. And continue to agree. Over the years I've had some bad roasted garlic (not enough oil to keep the cloves moist) and some stellar ones (see the pictures above and below). Foil is your friend, as well as a hot oven. Actually, you could do low and slow roasting for a very long time, but I just don't have that kind of time to be in the house with the oven on, so I choose to do mine on a higher temperature, always keeping an eye and a nostril out for burning.

Enjoy this roasted garlic on pasta, with roasted veggies, as a base on your pizza crust before you put the sauce on, or as I did, on toast with anchovies on top. And make sure to use the olive oil you cooked the garlic in, it's very flavorful.

If you love garlic and live our here in the Bay Area of California, you can stop by the Gilroy Garlic Festival in late July.

Roasted Garlic

Ingredients

• 1 large head fresh garlic, top and ends cut off
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons ground kosher salt

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Take a large piece of aluminum foil and place the garlic in the center.
3. Pick up the foil, placing the bulb in your hand so that the foil creates a pouch.
4. Add the oil and salt and seal the packet at the top by twisting the foil over itself.
5. Roast in the oven for 40 minutes.
6. Be careful opening up the pouch, there will be some steam.Remove the now softened garlic from the aluminum foil.
7. Once it has cooled enough to work with, push the garlic out of its skin.
8. The roasted garlic can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 1 week.

Father's Day Special: Slowcooker BBQ Pulled Pork

Today is a day to go out and have fun with your dad. Whether you're playing golf, running races or taking a boat ride, you can make a wonderful meal for your dad with little to no effort.

Pull together these 4 ingredients, throw three of them into the slow cooker and head on out to your fun day with dad. When you get home from all your fun, a nice BBQ pulled pork awaits you. Served on bread, rolls or even over pasta, this pulled pork is the base for many satisfying meals.

So go ahead, celebrate dad and make his day with a BBQ pulled pork meal!

Happy father's day to all you dads out there!

Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork

Originally published on the Kraft website.

Ingredients:

• 1 boneless pork shoulder (3 lbs.)
• 3 onions, sliced, separated into rings
• 18 ounces Barbecue Sauce (I used Stubb's Sweet sauce)
• 8 Udi's Gluten Free Rolls

Method:

1. Place meat in slow cooker; top with onions and barbecue sauce.
2. Cover with lid. Cook on LOW 8 to 10 hours (or on HIGH 4 to 5 hours).
3. Remove meat from slow cooker
4. Cut off excess fat  and fry it in a pan over high heat to serve as a crispy topping for the pork.
5. Chop meat into small pieces or shred with fork. Return to slow cooker and stir to coat with sauce.
6. Fill rolls with meat mixture and serve.

Gee My Dad Smells Terrific

Father's day. A day to celebrate your father. I've already posted one missive about my dad Joe here.

There are many things that remind me and my daughter, Isabella, of Joe, most of which have to do with scents.

Herewith, a small list (with pictures) of just three of the many scents of Joe.

1. Dial Soap

The other night, I washed my hands with Dial soap before going in to say goodnight to Isabella. She inhaled deeply and said "Oh! That smells like Joe, I can't wait to go to New York this summer." When I recounted this to Joe, he laughed and said that though we grew up using Dial soap, it wasn't always in our house. Apparently, this was the soap they used in the Navy boot camp Joe was at in the '60's. He said he couldn't stand the smell of it for years because it reminded him of boot camp. Go figure, one girl's great scent memory is another man's nightmare.

2. Tide Detergent

I recall a lot of laundry going on around our house, everyday, several loads a day. With five kids and two adults, I suppose it was necessary. Joe is the king of laundry. He taught us how to sort, which temperature water to use and how much detergent to put in. There were definitely rules around when you could do the laundry, timing the drier just so, making sure the end of the cycle coincided with whatever TV show was on that night, so folding might be a bit more enjoyable. The Tide I show here is my own scent. Joe and Gran Fran use the original style Tide.

3. Mrs. Meyer's Geranium Scent Cleaning Products

Several years ago during one of our many New York visits, my sister Danielle invited the entire family over to her house. She was doing dishes when we walked in with a new dish soap that smelled fantastic. Joe went over to the sink and stood quietly while he inhaled the beautiful geranium aroma. It was Mrs. Meyer's dish soap, and Joe was immediately hooked. My sister Nicole and I, who both live out here in San Francisco, are kept in Mrs. Meyer's cleaning products sent in shipments by Joe. What a treat, huh?

There are many more scents from the present (cedar mountain shampoo) and the past (vanilla pipe tobacco) that are Joe-tastic. Happy Father's Day to you, Joe Claro, you wonderful smelling guy!

Repost for Father's Day: Shrimp Salad and a Love Song

reposted for Father's Day, 2012.

My dad, Joe, made a really good shrimp salad when I visited NY last week. He knows just how much mayonnaise to add and includes celery, too. I'll share the recipe in a minute, but want to tell you another thing or two about Joe that makes him extra spectacular.

1. He teaches English (used to be HS level, now tutors at the College level).
2. He has a great sense of humor and has taken to emailing New Yorker cartoon clippings he has saved over the years to all of us.
3. He is a fantastic writer with several children's books under his belt, as well as novelizations of 80's movies that made me proud in Jr. High.
4. He has a love for musicals, especially ones with great lyrics like "Guys and Dolls".
5. He writes lyrics.

Wait, what? I didn't know he was a lyricist until this summer when Ms. Iz and I visited for two weeks. Joe's friend Bobby wrote a piece of music and asked Joe to come up with some lyrics to go with it. Secretly, I guess, Joe had been waiting for someone to supply him with some music so he could try his hand at lyrics. I do recall him taking music theory classes when I was a kid, but thought that had to do more with learning how to write music.

Well, let me tell you something. I had the joy (with some heartbreak thrown in) today to hear a version of the song he wrote with the music Bobby crafted. The song was fantastic. The heartbreak comes with the news that Bobby got a late diagnosis with cancer and died within two weeks. The song was recorded by his daughter for his memorial service and shared with my family.

The lyrics are beautiful, and take on a new meaning with Bobby's passing. I know that Joe was pleased to have been able to collaborate on this project and I'm proud of the result.

We didn’t know the road ahead.

How could we know,

So long ago?

Because we didn’t know, we said

It will go on

Forever.

Yet time has many tricks to play,

And  time, we know,

Has played them all.

But still, when I look back today,

I see us then

Forever.

            If we knew

            All we know now,

            Then could we two

            Even know how

            To promise each other

            True happiness?

We thought we’d found the magic key.

We didn’t know.

How could we know?

We thought that we would always be

Like fine Bordeaux.

We did not know.

Make this shrimp salad and think of Joe's friend Bobby while you do so.

Shrimp Salad a la Joe

• 1.5 pounds of medium shrimp (20-25 to a pound)
• 2 stalks celery
• 2 scallions
• ¼ cup whole pepper corns
• 1 bay leaf
• ¾-1 cup mayonnaise
• salt, pepper, cayenne

• In a non-reactive pot, add pepper corns and bay leaf to about three quarts of water and bring  to a boil.
• Cook the shrimp for 4-5 minutes, until they’re the color of shrimp cocktail.
• Drain the hot water.  Run cold water over the shrimp, or let them sit for about 10 minutes.
• Dice the shrimp and put the pieces into a serving bowl.
• Chop the scallions and celery and add to the bowl.
• Add two tablespoons of mayonnaise and stir. Add more mayonnaise until you’re pleased with the mixture.
• Add salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste.
• Refrigerate for at least an hour, or as much as 24 hours.
• Serve with crackers or bite-size pieces of toasted bread.
• Serves 4-6 people.

What, Really? You Want Me To Make Bolognese Tomato Sauce, Vegan Style?

I have discovered that, although I love my homemade tomato sauce with meat, I've managed to make a vegan version that is just as good.

I'm not kidding. I've had a few people taste it: vegetarians, newly-healthy eaters, and avid meat eaters. All of us agree that it is amazing.

The most important part of the sauce is the canned tomatoes you use. My mother, Gran Fran, swears by canned San Marzano tomatoes. They just taste better, even if they cost way more than the others. I think she learned about these from her Italian grandmothers, who hail from Southern Italy, not sure. They make for a much richer flavor, real tomato-y and not metallic at all. I used the diced ones. I'm sure Gran Fran is not happy with this at all, but the pre-diced ones make my life easier and the sauce chunkier.

When we were kids Gran Fran used to make use push whole canned tomatoes through a sieve to extract the seeds, skin and core. No matter what, I somehow always had a cut on my hand, which the acid from the tomato would burn. Gran Fran had no time for these kinds of complaints. There was likely some sort of a response along the lines of "When I was your age, we had to can the tomatoes ourselves." Or some such other silliness.

The addition of a generous handful of fennel seeds to the sauce makes it taste just like it does when I put sweet Italian sausage in there. I've tried it without the fennel, and it's just kind of bland, still better than store bought, but nothing special. A great trick that Gran Fran uses is to heat up the tomato paste in a small saucepan and most of the dried spices to it and some olive oil. By cooking them together, the tomato paste picks up the flavors and distributes them into the sauce more evenly. I think Gran Fran told me once that cooking the spices this way makes their flavors release more strongly. It's one of those things I do because my Mom told me to.

Oh, and don't forget to brown some garlic lightly before putting the tomato sauce and wine in the pot.

I do also add a half bottle of red wine. Any kind will do, even cheap stuff, though more expensive wines definitely add a little more depth to the sauce.

Cooking for a really long time over a low heat once everything is incorporated (Gran Fran-ism) is key to your sauce's success. This time I had to go out for a few hours after I started to sauce. I turned the flame off and let the pot sit until I came back, partially covered. This seemed to help the sauce thicken because when I came back, it was more set than when I left. I turned the flame back on and cooked it for another two hours, for a total cooking time of 4 hours. Slow cookers can be tried here, but I have not had the best luck with getting a good thick sauce in my slow cooker until the second day, reheating on the stove.

I'm going to make a bunch of this and can it for future use (or sale, who knows?). Last night, in a rush to make myself something to eat, I was lucky enough to find a gluten-free pizza crust in my cupboard and a jar of this fabulous tomato sauce in my fridge. Let me tell you, with a couple of anchovies and some pine nuts, I had myself a wonderful pizza, in under 20 minutes.

Bolognese Sauce: Italian Vegan Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:

• 2 cans San Marzano diced tomatoes
• 4 cloves garlic, smashed, skins removed
• 1/8 cup olive oil
• 2 tbsps tomato paste
• 1/2 bottle red wine
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 teaspoons fennel seeds
• 2 teaspoons oregano
• 1 spring fresh rosemary
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons ground black pepper

 Method:

1. Heat the olive oil in a heavy bottomed non-reactive pan. Add the garlic and let sit for two minutes, just before it browns.
2. Pour both cans of diced tomatoes into the pan, bringing it to a boil.
3. Heat a small saucepan over medium heat and add the tomato past, fennel, oregano, rosemary, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.
4. Cook the tomato paste and spices for three minutes, until fragrant.
5. Add the tomato paste with spices, the red wine and the bay leaves to the boiling tomato sauce.
6. Boil for one more minute, stir, then reduce the heat to a simmer.
7. Cover the pan halfway and cook for two hours, stirring occasionally.
8. Turn off the heat for an hour or two, keeping the sauce in the partially covered pan.
9. Return the heat to high, bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for an additional two hours, stirring occasionally.
10. Serve over pasta, on pizza or over broiled chicken breasts.

Juice Cleanse....Two Great Raw Juice Recipes

I tend to do a cleanse once or twice a year. This is the first time it's a full-on juice cleanse, with no solid foods for 3 days. My friend and I are in this cleanse together. I made it 66 hours total, pretty close to the 72 hours I had committed. I've been keeping myself going on store-bought raw juices, coconut water, herbal tea, and a small amount of probiotics.

When I re-read that last sentence, I realized just how crazy this cleanse may be. Even though I'm an avid meat eater, there is something I love about eliminating everything but raw veggie and fruit juice for a few days. The challenge of making the smoothies taste good enough to satisfy my desire to eat keeps me going.

I make smoothies regularly, but they always have almond or rice milk in them. I'm using coconut water for the cleanse smoothies. As long as there is some avocado mixed in the texture is similar to the ones I usually make. Nice to know that I can eliminate the milk from the smoothie and not miss the flavor, but cut down on the calories.

The way I see it, if I can get in the habit of making one or two smoothies a day that are primarily veggies and good stuff, I can eat all the other stuff I love without worrying about getting all my nutrients in.

I do have to say that so far I feel great and very calm. That might just be because I'm a little crazy from not eating, but I think it has to do with giving my system a rest. Your body uses up a lot of energy trying to digest meats, grains and processed sugars. Eating this way always gives me perspective on how much and how often I eat or snack. It's a kickstart to remembering portion control and being more aware of my eating habits.

Not to worry, the mouthwatering meats, gluten and dairy free treats and all the other wonderful dishes I love to make will be back shortly. I'm sure to have a new appreciation for them!

Raw Beet, Avocado, Basil, Peach, Nectarine, Ginger, Cucumber, Celery Juice

Ingredients

• 1/2 avocado, skin removed, cut into chunks
• 1 small nectarine, pit removed, sliced
• 1 small peach, pit removed, sliced
• 1 beet, skin removed, sliced
• 2 stalks celery, cut into pieces
• 1 small cucumber, sliced
• 4 basil leaves, roughly chopped
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground ginger
• 1 cup coconut water
• Ice cubes

Method:

1. Put all the ingredients in a blender or drink mixer with a good blade.
2. Pulse on high until everything is chopped up.
3. If you want the juice to be thinner, add more coconut or regular water to the mix.

Raw Spinach, Carrot, Beet, Avocado, Peach, Strawberry and Banana Juice

Ingredients

• 1/2 avocado, skin removed, cut into chunks
• 15 to 20 spinach leaves (a small handful)
• 1 beet, skin removed, sliced
• 2 carrots, skin removed, cut into rounds
• 1 small peach, pit removed, sliced
• 1 banana, sliced
• 2 strawberries, hulled, sliced
• lime juice (about 1/4 of a lime)
• 1 cup coconut water
• Ice cubes

Method:

1. Put all the ingredients in a blender or drink mixer with a good blade.
2. Pulse on high until everything is chopped up.
3. If you want the juice to be thinner, add more coconut or regular water to the mix.

Enjoy!

Re-Post From Paris: The Bon Marche Epicerie + Nougat Noir Recipe

Please enjoy my re-post from Paris, 2010, where my friend introduced me to the most wonderful food market I've ever seen. The link I've included to their site is of thematic collections of products: this one is from America, including Wishbone dressing!

While Isabella and Kristen were at Parc Asterix, Michelle helped me find the Bon Marche Epicurean store. Oh, my, I nearly passed out. How to describe that first impression?  So many beautiful products everywhere. Not to mention on such a hot day, the freezing air conditioning was a welcome relief. I couldn’t get over how calm the store was, as well, in comparison to the large gourmet stores back home.

There was an international section where they showcased foods from all over the world. The meat section was very impressive with a whole section dedicated to duck products. Not to mention the huge selection of both fresh and packaged pate.

But, I’d have to say the assortment of treats was my favorite. The color of the fondant, the smell of the chocolate and the overall displays were amazing. There was a whole house a al gingerbread houses, covered in gummy bears. Another one covered in marshmallows and a third one in a variety of treats.

It is just next door to the Bon Marche department store and well worth a trip!

I'm including a link to some delicious French style candy,

nougat noir,

like the ones I saw at the market. Enjoy!

Almond Milk Rice Pudding with Strawberries and Basil

I love this recipe. It is super easy and so delicious.

The combination of the sweet strawberries and the savory, delicate floral quality of the basil tastes like summer to me.  There was always a basil plant on my mother's windowsill in the summer. My grandfather grew strawberries that would twine around a trellis on the side of his garage. Using almond milk in the rice pudding brings a fresh unexpected taste and a lighter texture. Combining all of these flavors, textures and scents just brings me back to my childhood summer of family and fun.

Almond Milk Rice Pudding

Ingredients

• 1 cup jasmine rice
• 2 cups almond milk, unflavored
• 1 cup water
• 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons sugar

Method

1. Put the rice, almond milk, water, cinnamon and sugar into a large pot and stir to mix.
2. Bring to a boil over high heat. Stir once, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pan.
3. Cook for 12 minutes on low heat.
4. Turn off the heat, stir the mixture once and return the cover to the pot.
5. Let site for 8 minutes covered.
6. Serve with basil marinated strawberries (recipe below).

Basil Marinated Strawberries

Ingredients

• 4 basil leaves minced
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 4 large strawberries cut into pieces

Method

1. Put basil, sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat.
2. Stir constantly until all the sugar has dissolved.
3. Pour the basil simple syrup over the strawberries and let them sit for five minutes.
4. Serve on top of the almond milk rice pudding.

Andrew Scrivani: Photo Workshop Extraordinarie

I received my BFA in photography about 20 years ago. I haven't taken a photo class since. When I was in school, we shot film and the closest thing to digital photography we had at that time was the Kodak Disk camera. I had one, and let's just say it never really came into its own on the camera market.

I work day in and day out with photographers, all of whom have been very helpful in getting me up-to-date on how to use my camera. (Umm, guess what? it works the same as the film 35mm, but there's no film). And they've all given me crash courses in Photoshop, editing software and general photo tech tricks of the trade.

I've been shooting and posting quite a bit lately, but to be honest, I've been feeling kind of stuck. It's not that I haven't been happy and proud of the work I've been posting. It's more that I feel like I've been moving too quickly and missing some of the grace I used to see in the food I was preparing and shooting. My dad said to me once that the photos are just as important as the story I write for each post, which is just as important as the recipe being accurate. I was beginning to worry that the photos were becoming formulaic.

When I heard that New York Times photographer, Andrew Scrivani was coming to town to hold a small workshop, I considered going, the hesitated. But when I found out it was being held at Contigo, a Spanish and Catalan restaurant just a block-and-a-half from my house, I signed up on the spot.

The day began with Andrew showing our little group (7 attendees in all) a slideshow of his work. Each piece he chose demonstrated a different kind of lighting, propping, perspective or technique that he felt would give us some ideas to think about when shooting our own work. There was plenty of conversation and lots of great questions. Andrew, a former high school teacher, really took the time to answer all the questions with thoughtful and detailed responses.

His style of teaching was just what I needed. I believe he took the time to look at each of our personal websites before coming to San Francisco. He was really good at recognizing the kind of feedback each of us needed when we moved into the hands-on working session. The lovely folks at Contigo not only provided us with a great paella for lunch, they also supplied a whole bunch of plated dishes, props and raw foods, and they gave the students  free rein throughout their entire restaurant space.

I was ecstatic. Not only did I take pictures of the food, I also got a bunch of shots of the bottles and glassware. Over the years, I had forgotten that in college, the main topic of my photography was glass bottles. I used to spend countless hours finding ways to shoot glass. There was more than one trip out to Jones Beach (winter included) where I worked with sand and bottles for the better part of a day. All of my negatives were lost at some point, which I mentioned to Andrew. His response? "Well, it's a new beginning, make something new."

After our hands-on photo work, we had a critique. Andrew took the SD cards from each of our cameras and put them up on the screen. What a great exercise. Most of us had at least one or two subjects in common (the artichokes and the pie seemed to get a lot of attention). It was just like being back in college: looking at composition choices, lighting and overall look and feel.  Andrew shared all of his skills with us. His take is that everyone has a different eye and there is plenty of room for all of us in the field. There's no way I'll create exactly the same photo he will. This realization allowed me to relax and really look at my work knowing that the images I create are unlike anyone else's.

My camera is much less sophisticated than those of the rest of the workshop participants, but it didn't matter. I got some good advice on a relatively inexpensive lens that might work better for the type of shooting I do. During the hands-on workshop, Andrew saw what I was trying to do and was able to give me some tips on how to shoot with my current equipment.

The biggest lesson which I'm still trying to incorporate into my work, was the idea of post-production work. Coming from a film background, I do try to get everything set in-camera: lighting, exposure, composition, etc. My inclination is to get the shot and not mess too much with it in Photoshop. I think there is some middle ground that I need to find, and not be so concerned with the fact that "in the old days, we did it all in-camera." Have to join the current digital times, you know?

If you have an opportunity to work with Andrew Scrivani, I highly encourage you to sign up. The workshop was good for all levels of photographers, and for any kind of equipment. He will inspire you.