Anchor and Hope

This fine Friday evening found us at Anchor and Hope, enjoying happy hour with a few friends we hadn't seen in awhile. $1 oysters, $4 Abita, and $5 champagne. What's not to like? Today's oysters were especially plump and creamy. I forget the exact name; sweet points? They were from the British Columbia and really hit the spot.

But the crowning moment of the night was when Anchor and Hope's famous seafood specialty appeared at our table. This uni dish has graced the pages of many newspapers and magazines since Anchor and Hope's opening night. My first taste did not disappoint! Encased in what has to be the biggest uni shell I've ever seen was a bed of buttery, creamy, almost runny mashed potatoes studded with crab meat and slices of sweet uni. It's one of those dishes that sounds so simple but demands exact precision and quite some imagination on the part of the chef. Kudos, Anchor and Hope, for a very happy hour indeed.

Napa Cabbage and Milkfish

I usually don't highlight our vegetable side dishes, but tonight's was so vibrant I had to take a photo.

This was a very simple but very tasty twist on a standard sauteed napa dish. I heated some oil in a saucepan, then sautéed dried baby shrimp and carrots until the carrots were half cooked. Then, I threw in thinly sliced napa cabbage and covered the pan with a lid. The cabbage steams while it cooks, simultaneously building a little (very little!) caramelization while being steamed to perfection. 

For our main dish, I seared a milkfish filet on both sides and served it with a big wedge of lemon. Simple and healthy--most nights we manage to pull it off!

Steamed Rock Cod

Today brings us a very exciting before and after. After a few weeks of searching, J finally found a rock cod this weekend at Seafood Center in the Inner Richmond.

We steamed the fish for exactly 11 minutes. 

Then, we sprinkled slivered green onions and ginger over it, and drizzled it with a mixture of boiling hot oil and soy sauce. This is a pretty classic Chinese preparation for food; it adds some fragrance and saltiness while letting the fish's natural flavors shine through. It's really a lovely way to eat fish, and something we enjoy doing whenever we can get our hands on a fresh whole water dweller. 

Swann's Way

With or without a madeleine in hand, I find Marcel Proust's writing absolutely captivating. I know, what a food-lover's cliche, right? While I'll admit it takes awhile to slow down my helter-skelter modern mind to Proust's ambling pace, but once I'm there it's actually very calming. Concentrating on a quarter-page long sentence about asparagus is undoubtedly more fun than dealing with the trials of modern life. 

And two thumbs up for the new translations, which are a collaboration amongst Proust scholars rather than a one-man project like the Moncrieff translations I read in college. Maybe I'm older and more patient, or maybe the translation needs of today's readers differ from those of Moncrieff's early twentieth century audience. In any case, the new translations flow better and are causing me to stop and re-read less less. It makes for a much smoother reading experience. Now, if only I had a madeleine.

Cocoa Bella Chocolates

Nothing too much to report today, just taking the chance to spread a little sweetness. Happy viewing, everyone. 

Spring Dishes

Spring is here! J doesn't believe me, but spring = a lot more tastiness at the market. Even in this global economy, it's readily apparent to me that spring and summer vegetables taste better and are cheaper. So enjoy while you can, everyone! Eating my five colors a day should be a breeze for the next few months.

Our main course tonight was spring asparagus (California grown, please, not Mexican. Eat local!), carrots, celery, green onion, and a handful of shrimp. I know, we shouldn't be eating too much shrimp because of sustainability and cost concerns, but I can't resist. 

And rounding out the color wheel, something a little unusual: lotus root! This is definitely something you don't see all year long, but when it's available I love cutting it into large chunks and simmering it in a simple pork bone and ginger soup. Today, we didn't have time for that so I sliced the lotus root into very thin slices using a mandoline, then simmered it for about 20 minutes in some salt, hondashi, ginger, and water. The result was slightly crispy and very flavorful. I would only do this with very fresh, tender lotus root. Sometimes older roots can be a little fibrous, which is fine stewed but would be terrible for this application.

Strawberries were another sign today that spring has arrived. These are hardly summer berries, but they were on sale and smelled delicious. I figured why not? They were red to the core and quite nice for the first strawberries of 2010.

For those who are counting, dinner today included SEVEN colors. Yay! The hidden color is yellow, blended into this strawberry-pineapple smoothie. Who says desserts have to be calorie-laden? This was better than store bought ice cream, hands down. 

Two Ways to Save

The remodel's winding down, and soon rabid money-saving will set in. But don't feel too sorry for me; with a brand new kitchen to work in, saving money on food is a breeze.

My talented and lovely friend made me some granola last week. I've already finished the batch she brought me, and decided to toast up some of my own to tide me over until she gives me her recipe (hint, hint). To make about four cups of granola (more than what you get in the average air-filled cereal box), preheat oven to 350 degrees and gather these ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup almonds, walnuts, or pecans
• 1/2 cup second type of nuts, or your choice of dried fruit
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 1/8 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup canola or olive oil
• 1 pinch salt

Combine the syrup, sugar, oil, and salt in a large bowl and whisk well. Add the dry ingredients and mix well, making sure all the oats are well coated. Spread evenly onto a baking sheet, pressing oats tightly here and there if you like large chunks of granola. Bake for 20 minutes and let cool completely before putting in an airtight container. This recipe makes a light, crispy granola. Stay tuned for a chewy granola recipe (hint, hint!)

For dinner tonight, J and I had fried rice. I have to admit, a basic fried rice is one of my favorite foods. The following makes an entrée for two, which we rounded out with a big plate of greens and a large Korean pear for dessert. Fair warning: this has a lot less rice and a lot more filling than most recipes, and the procedure is not what I'd call traditional. But it's easy, tasty, and I figured why not cut down on the refined carbs and enjoy some more of the stomach-filling good stuff today? I'm not lifting weights for nothing over here.

• 1/2 large yellow onion, diced
• 1 small carrot, diced
• 1 Chinese sausage, diced
• 3 cups cold leftover rice, crumbled using damp hands
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 1 green onion, chopped
• soy sauce
• salt
• white pepper

Sautee onions, carrots, and sausage over medium high heat until the onions are translucent. Pour into the rice and coat well so that some of the fat from the sausages coats the rice and keeps the grains separate. 

Scramble the eggs until they are still fairly runny and set aside. Pour peas and green onions into the hot pan and sauté just until the green onions start to wilt. Pour a tablespoon of soy sauce into the pan, and as soon as it spreads out and heats up, pour in the rice and toss or stir to coat the rice with the soy sauce. Keep stirring the rice well until it is completely heated through, adding salt and white pepper as you go along to adjust the seasoning. Stir in the half-cooked eggs and break it up so it's evenly distributed in the rice. Top with ketchup (but don't tell on me! My mom always told me to please not tell people I eat ketchup on fried rice--it's disgraceful). 

Pot Holders

Sometimes, I need a break from painting. I know, I should be done by now, but I'm not. Today, I took a housewarming present and re-created it using fabric from my Peapod Fabrics stash. For those who enjoy sewing and live in SF, Peapod is not to be missed. For cute contemporary patterns, I think it actually surpasses Britex by a long shot. 

Not bad, huh? Careful observation will reveal which was homemade, but I think that's only because I didn't have thick enough batting. My desire to use up what I had at home overpowered my desire to make a perfect pot holder.

Stir Fried Beef

A few nights ago, J whipped up something with leftover sirloin that had me wondering: why don't I do this more often?

As everyone knows, I love beef. A lot. But I don't eat a lot of beef because it's expensive, especially for good beef raised the right way. But if you slice beef up thin and stir fry it with a lot of vegetables, a little piece goes a long way! With under a pound of beef we had a nice dinner for three, rounded out with a side of vegetables.

We also served up a block of fermented tofu, a special treat that J's mom brought back from Taiwan. This isn't the kind of sodium-laden food one should be eating every day. But it sure is good!

Dining Room, Done!

After a morning of battling with allen wrenches and wooden dowels, I have fully assembled our dining room! Actually, that's not true. Obviously I'm still missing two chairs, but let's pretend I already assembled those.

We are now the owners or a lovely 6 person dining set. We purchased our dining set through furniture2go.com, which has amazing prices. The table has an 18" butterfly leaf. That means, unlike removable leaves which have to be stored in a closet, this table actually has hinges that store the leaf under the table at all times. When you pull the two large sections apart, the leaf rises and flips out, making this an 8 person table. I can't extend the table without the help of another person, but I'm looking forward to trying it and posting on how well it works.

For now, I can say I'm very happy with furniture2go. I have assembled a lot of furniture in my time: IKEA, Target, random Chinese furniture warehouses...this was the easiest by far. All the parts fit, there were no spare or missing parts, and the rubber wood that the pieces are made of is actually quite heavy and feels like it has a decent amount of oil in it. Time will tell whether these pieces are durable, but for the price I'd be happy if they lasted even a few years.

Liberte Yogurt

Fantastic product alert! Hie thee to your local Whole Foods or Bristol Farms and see if they have Liberte yogurt! And if you know of any other store that carries it in San Francisco, please tell me.

I'd always heard great things about this brand, but it wasn't until about a week ago that I noticed it in my local stores. And now? I'm in love. Liberte is smooth and sweet without any added sugar, more like eating creme fraiche or Devonshire cream than run of the mill tangy yogurt. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find it in a larger size or without added flavors, but I'm working on it. If not for that little glitch, I'd put this food find right up there with St. Benoit yogurt!

New Capital Seafood (Rowland Heights)

Whenever we're in Los Angeles visiting family, we invariably end up at a seafood restaurant. It just happens. Last weekend, we ended up at New Capital in Diamond Plaza because they were running a $2.99/lb special on Alaskan snow crabs. Order $30 of other food, get a crab on the cheap for the table! Not a bad deal.

Snow crabs are a funny thing. They tend to be enormous--easily 8-12 pounds, fiery red, and spikey all over. I suppose their superior armor is part of the reason they can get so large. As far as their meat goes, they tend to have a milder flavor than Dungeness crabs, and a looser, more tender meat. I personally thought New Capital did a nice job with a heavily garlicky preparation, but some people are put off by what they perceive as a mushy interior. I mean, if you're expecting it to taste like a lobster, you're going to be sorely disappointed. 

The other unique dish we had was listed on the menu as a "red coral clam." I'd never seen it before, and neither had anyone at the table. That's pretty rare for a Chinese family! The clams were very bouncy and crunchy, and cooked up into tight spirals of meat. Though it was interesting to try, I have to say there wasn't any exceptional flavor or texture. This isn't something I'll be ordering again unless someone tells me I simply had a mediocre preparation.

Pismo Beach

J and I drove down to Los Angeles last weekend for a family get together. For once, we got up bright and early and were on the road before 7:00. What a difference an hour makes! We breezed through the first hour of driving in record time and decided to take the 101 all the way down. Neither of us had driven this way before, so imagine our surprise when we saw around noon that the next freeway exit was in Pismo Beach? We decided a detour was in order. 

Pismo Beach holds one distinct childhood memory for me: when I was younger, we went on a family vacation and stopped by a little beachside cafe that had amazing clam chowder. I remember our entire family chowing down in the bustling back room of this tiny, gaudy restaurant. The chowder was piping hot and fragrant, and the restaurant also made it available in frozen blocks for people to take home. As a kid, that really wowed me. I've always remembered Pismo Beach with affection, but I never remembered this restaurant's name. When we walked by Splash Cafe, I knew this was the spot!! Unfortunately, we didn't have time to stand in the line that wrapped around the corner. But now that I know, it will be a future stop for sure!

We settled for lunch at the much less crowded Pismo Fish & Chips & Seafood. We started with a dozen gulf oysters, which were fine but not phenomenal. 

The bowl of chowder, on the other hand, was decidedly unimpressive. It was obviously from a can, and served lukewarm. C'mon people, at least serve your food hot!

The restaurant redeemed itself with its steamed clams. Although Pismo clams are now illegal to harvest (is that the right word? I know the term is "clamming," but it seems silly to say clams are illegal to clam), the manila clams they did have were served piping hot with a little drawn butter. It was a lovely way to end an otherwise mediocre meal.

Liang Fen

We had a few cold dishes today that were a little noteworthy. All these recipes are still being tweaked, but I'll give the gist below:

Liang fen is a Szechuan creation of mung bean (and green bean) starch. The starch, when cooked with water and then chilled, makes a noodle that is very much like Jell-O in consistency, minus the sugar. Traditionally, it is served with chili oil, Szechuan peppercorns, chopped green onions and cilanttro, soy sauce, and (optional) a healthy dose of Chinese black vinegar. Our approximation was pretty good today, but some tweaking is in order before I will post a recipe. 

Simple stir fry of spring asparagus. California asparagus is at its peak this month, and we've been enjoying it a lot as a simple stir fry: flaming hot pan + thinly sliced asparagus + a bare pinch of salt = really good eats!

Lastly, our signature surf clam salad. For most of my life, I had a deep-seated aversion towards surf clams. I viewed them as an extraneous, rubbery, waste of money that always appeared on assorted sashimi plates. But tossed in the proper sauce, the humble surf clam really come to life! We like it with a spoonful of masago, chopped green onions and/or cilantro, a spoonful of soy sauce, and a spoonful of lao gan ma hot sauce.