Commons on Fire, pt. 2

 Culinary Week at my university kicked off this year with The Commons On Fire, our annual cooking competition. Three teams of staff members and students work together to create an appetizer and entrée from a list of ingredients that they are given minutes before the competition begins. After an hour, the plates are presented to a panel of four judges for tasting and are given a score based on presentation, creativity, and taste. I had competed in this event last year, so being a part of the judging panel this time around was even more exciting for me.

After an explanation of the rules by Master Chef Ken Arnone, the teams set to work on their plates. The theme of Culinary Week was an exploration of Asia, so many of the ingredients are popular in some cuisine from the East. Common ingredients like bok choy and Japanese beer crashed against grape gum and wasabi peas. Some of the teams struggled to incorporate all of the ingredients into their dishes, and the activity and energy in the kitchen is accurately described as frantic. The crowd was boisterous and supportive of their favorite teams; people milled around watching the action and snacking on handmade sushi rolls.

Once the hour of cooking was approaching its end, the judges were rounded up and secluded in the Chef’s Table. We sampled six plates, three appetizers followed by three entrees. Interestingly, each team chose to use their Manila clams in their appetizer; one team served them with undressed pea shoots while the other two teams served them in broth. The undressed vegetable would be a running theme with this team; an unfortunate downfall, as their plating was some of the best of the night.

One broth was very sweet, flavored with Mirin and scallions. This was my personal favorite clam dish of the event. The fried yam chips were irregularly cut and suffered uneven frying because of it. But the colors and flavors of each dish were on point; the clams were perfectly cooked across all three plates and the portions were appropriate for an appetizer. The plating here seemed a little sloppy with the chips loosely piled on; another small dish or paper cone would have made it seem much more put together. 

The other clam dish was salty and earthy; hunks of sausage contrasted the accompanying ssam-like salad nicely. Some of the judges approached the salad with a fork, but I picked it up as a bundle and went for it; it definitely worked much better this way than as more separate components. Almost unanimously, we judges agreed the salad was a particular high point, especially when rolled like a lettuce cup or ssam (the Korean description for ‘wrapped’.)

The entrees were presented in the same order as the appetizers; the first entrée came from the same team who presented the first appetizer, and so on. In the first course, two teams had chosen to present their clams in similar styles; in the entrée course, two teams elected to stuff and roll their chicken as a roulade (originating from the French word 'rouler,' meaning ‘roll.’) The chicken roulade from both teams was outstanding, and their sauces were delicious as well. One team served a baby bok choy that looked wonderful but was completely unseasoned. The same dish was plagued by a miscalculation in time, and the pile of potatoes had gotten cold by the time we received the plates.

The third team broke the mold and served a beverage with their dish; a combination on honey, grape gum, tea, and lemon juice. It was simply outstanding and the first time we really got a sense of the grape gum from any team’s plates. While the two chicken roulade dishes were perfectly cooked and very tasty, the third team served their chicken with a wonderful crispy skin and a wonderfully simple, minimalist presentation. The Oolong rice was tasty, but a little overdone and glutinous.

The final entree was the second of the chicken roulades. I liked this one slightly more than the first offering, possibly only because the other components on the plate weren't off target. That being said, I preferred the glaze on the other roulade; it was a thicker, stickier sauce and this plate seemed to be on the runny side. The presentation here could have benefited from a little more composition, too. 

The judging was intense. The presentation of the plates across the board was at a pretty high level; there were very few technical mistakes made by any team, but as we deliberated over the plates, it became clear how the team’s performances had played out. We handed in our score cards and joined the crowd for the announcement of the winners. When the dust had settled, team Saute Hautes (led by Anthony McGinnis) took first place to enormous applause. One of the team members actually won her third first-place medal too! This event has been running for three years now, and she has been a member of each winning team, every year. Each team had presented a fantastic meal and all competitors should be extremely pleased with their efforts. 

For more photos of this event, click over to Audrey's page!

Commons on Fire, pt. 1

Recently, I had the opportunity to judge a cooking competition at my university kitchens. It was a great experience made memorable by a great (and rambunctious) crowd, excellent dishes, and extremely competitive cooks. My own photos are forthcoming along with a dish-by-dish recap of the event, but head over to Audrey's page to see some photos of the dishes and of the event. Stay tuned!

RECIPE - Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

If breakfast is the most important meal of the day, you might as well make it good, right? Breakfast food really resonates with me; salty pork, crispy potatoes, runny eggs, toast...it really doesn't get much better. I don't really have a dog in the fight between pancakes and waffles, unless the pancakes are stuffed. Chocolate chips or blueberries are classic additions, but add a mixture of lemon zest and ricotta cheese, and you'll create believers in the almighty pancake.

I took this recipe directly from CHOW; follow up with it there if you like, or use my shorthand directions here. 

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for coating the frying pan and serving
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon fine salt
• 3 large eggs, yolks and whites separated
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon packed finely grated lemon zest (from about 2 to 3 medium lemons)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
• Powdered sugar, fruit, or maple syrup, for serving (optional)
• 
  
• 1. Melt the butter in the milk and let cool.
  2. Sift the flour, baking powder, and 1/2 tea. of salt together.
  3. Separate eggs, keeping whites and yolks. Mix yolks, 1 tab. sugar, lemon zest, and vanilla together. Add cooled milk/butter mixture slowly in doses so you don't cook the eggs. Mix until smooth, then incorporate dry mixture from step 2.
  4. Whip egg whites until you get soft peaks. Halfway through, add the rest of the sugar and salt. Fold the whites into the mixture. 
  5. Add ricotta. The ricotta should be streaky and lumpy in the mixture; do not overmix the batter.
  6. Heat pan and add butter. Use 1/4 cup doses to make pancakes. Flip once you see bubbles on the top of the pancakes. Cook second side for only a minute or two.
  
  
  Now, I served mine with a fruit salad. I really like the salad from Chez Shea, a mix of pears and pecans. I made a simple homemade version, dicing a pear, a granny smith apple, some mint, and adding some roasted pecans. Instead of a champagne vinaigrette, I used some lemon-lime soda and lemon juice. The salad was alright, but I suggest you chop the pecans or season them. It was definitely better as leftovers, when the soda had a chance to permeate the fruit. Happy eating!

RECIPE - Skillet Pizza

Yesterday, I decided to try out J. Kenji Lopez-Alt's recipe for homemade Neapolitan-style dough. I've been wanting to find a good dough recipe, and following Mr. Food Lab's advice is almost always a good place to start.

The recipe itself is ridiculously simple. I cut it in half for my first go:

2 cups flour. (Almost all serious pizzaioli will recommend '00' flour, which is much more finely ground than what most of us have on hand, but even regular all-purpose flour (which I used) is just fine.)

1 1/8 t. salt. (I used sea salt; Kenji calls for kosher.)

1/2 t. active dry yeast.

1 t. sugar.

6 oz. water.  

Combine dry ingredients and add water until the dough just comes together. You can do this with a mixer or by hand. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes, then knead it again for 10 minutes. You can add a little more flour or water if you need to; the dough should almost be sticking to the bowl, but will keep together. At this point, you can put the dough in plastic bags on in covered bowls and keep it in the refrigerator. I let mine sit in a plastic bag for a day in the fridge.

When you're ready, portion the dough. Use whatever method you like to stretch the skins, but make sure to handle the edge as little as possible; you want to keep it slightly thicker than the rest of the dough. You should also prep your toppings; I cooked a can of diced tomatoes down with a little salt and fresh basil, sliced fresh mozzarella, and picked more basil leaves. Move your oven racks as high as you can while still leaving room for your widest, thickest, heaviest, oven-safe skillet. Dust the inside of the skillet with flour, making sure to tap out the excess, and heat the skillet under the broiler. Kenji recommends heating until the skillet is just smoking. This will go quickly.

Being very careful from here on, remove the skillet (always, always use a hot pad or thick towel. Even that handle you're so used to grabbing is going to be very hot.) Place a skin of dough in the skillet; ideally, you'll want the dough to take up the entire base of the skillet but not climb the walls. Quickly add sauce and toppings, then return to the broiler.

Whatcha know 'bout Hello Kitty toasters?

Your pizza will cook very quickly; probably no more than five minutes and probably less than three. Again, be very careful when handling the skillet. Remove the skillet from the oven and slide the pizza onto a plate or peel. Drizzle with olive oil and add last minute toppings, then serve. Bonus points for serving the pizza whole, arming your guests only with scissors to cut slices from the pie. Re-flour/re-heat your skillet for the next pizza. It's that simple!

Margherita.

Mozzarella and Egg.

Casanova Pizzeria - Boise

Casanova Pizzeria is situated in a large corner building off Vista Ave. in Boise, Idaho. It's a big space with surprisingly few tables, but it somehow still doesn't feel very spacious. The interior is decorated with a nice minimalist style, and huge windows lining the front of the restaurant let sunlight flood in. The restaurant describes itself as 'neo-Neapolitan', and the New Haven style pizzas come through with big flavor and crazy good crust.

Before getting into the pizzas, the antipasti offerings are really worth looking into. Really good salads are big enough for a meal, but I was most impressed by the Pagniotielli, a round of puffed dough that somehow keeps it's internal air bubble and hole structure even when it's torn open. (Pro tip: save half the pagniotielle, take it home and eat it the next morning for breakfast with butter.)

Everyone will find a pizza at Casanova that hits them right in their comfort zone. Vegetarian pizzas don't feel tacked onto the menu as vegetarian options; meat pizzas aren't there just for salty, fatty overindulgence. The pizza menu is surprisingly huge, from the Clam Bacon (to the right) to the Medusa (gorgonzola, pineapple, and fig.) My favorites are the Clam Bacon, with huge chunks of thick, salty bacon and sweet clams that are happy at home on the crispy-chewy crust, and the Juno, a red sauce pie with prosciutto and arugula. 

The crust at Casanova is something special to behold. Thin and crisp but with a great chewy pull that isn't too dense, it's a great canvas for the pies to take shape on. The cornicone has good hole structure and a uniform golden glow. While the upskirt might look a little pale, don't be fooled; that's a perfectly timed bake. The only tip sag comes from the sheer weight of the toppings; the pies are perfectly balanced and not overwhelming, but these are not minimalist pies. This is one of the best pizzerias you've never heard of, and you should not miss it if you're in Idaho.

Louis Prima Suprima
(Sausage, Meatball, Pepperoni, Bacon)

Eggplant
(Roasted Eggplant and Basil)

RECIPE - Parmesan Chips

This quick chip is ridiculously easy to make and is a nice addition to dips, soups, and salads.

Ingredients:
Parmesan cheese, freshly grated (not prepackaged shredded. It's very waxy and doesn't melt well.)
Dried oregano and/or basil, to taste
Fresh cracked pepper, to taste

Grate the cheese and mix in herbs and pepper. Make small piles of the mixture on a baking sheet and spread until just thin enough that you can see slivers of the baking sheet through the cheese. Bake at 350 for 2-4 minutes, until melted and beginning to color. Remove from oven and let sit for 5-10 seconds. Using a spatula, gently remove from the baking sheet. Immediately drape over a dowel and seal the overlap to make tubes, press into muffin tin to make cups, or let sit flat to make chips. While still warm, you can slice the chips into strips. Arrange in a salad, on top of a soup (immediately before serving to avoid sogginess,) with a dip, or just as a snack.

Staple and Fancy Mercantile - Seattle

Tucked into a warehouse in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle, Ethan Stowell's newest venture, Staple & Fancy Mercantile is ultimately impressive in every aspect. The atmosphere is reminiscent of many trendy restaurants: it's a relatively small space, but not cramped (but every table was full, and on a Wednesday night.) An antique painted-brick billboard makes up the largest wall of the building, a strangely comforting and appropriate choice of decor. The staff could have painted over it, but it seems to tie the whole place together. Ultra sleek and modern flatware, seating, and tables contradict the unfinished floors and bare rafters of the ceiling. It sounds like it would be a dissonant clash of style, but it just comes together so perfectly. Staple & Fancy houses an open kitchen armed by a small line of cooks who seem to smile a lot. It's no surprise why; based on the food they turn out, it's obvious the kitchen is having just as much fun at Staple & Fancy as the customers. My companion and I decided to heed the staff's advice and let the kitchen decide what to feed us. This option is printed directly on the menu: 

"Thanks for joining us at Staple & Fancy Mercantile. Please feel free to order as much or as little food as you like. And, if you would like to avoid the trouble of ordering altogether, please feel free to hand your menu back to your server and let the kitchen prepare you a family style supper served in four courses for $45 per person. Participation by the entire table is required. We would also like to inform you that you really should do this." 

We needed no other encouragement. The onslaught of food that was to come blew us away. What is advertised as four courses is a little misleading. It is more like four distinct performances, four symphonies, or four novels. It all comes together as a cohesive whole of a meal, but it is far beyond what you might expect. First course actually spanned over seven (yes, seven) different plates. 

First was Bluefin Tuna Crostini, a thin and crispy baguette slice topped with a creamy but meaty bluefin spread.

Next was an Escolar Crudo w/ Cucumber and Chile. It was nicely sweet and lively, as well as being the first major step from the beaten path of food you normally see in restaurants.

At this point, we thought we were done with the first course. We were most fortunately wrong. Just as we finished with the crudo, two staff members appeared with arms full of plates.

Rabbit Terrine w/ Arugula and Shallot was one of my favorite plates of the night. Having never eaten rabbit before (but perfectly willing to do so), I can say that I had the bizarre thought of "Yes, this is how rabbit should taste. I've never tasted this before, but this is somehow what I imagine rabbit should be like." It was a beautifully smooth and creamy preparation that retained a very specific meatiness. I'm a sucker for arugula and shallots so they disappeared too.


If rabbit was just a step off the beaten path, the next dish was on a different continent altogether. I will openly admit I had a moment's hesitation before diving into the next dish, but am I so glad I did. After all, it's all about being adventurous and trying new things. Eat boldly!

Beef Heart w/ Beets scared me. I am all for the well-being of animals, but I am also a proud omnivore. I readily accept the fact that an animal dies to feed me; I have come to terms with this. But the stigma of eating the heart of an animal gave me pause. It was served very rare, an extremely dark red in color (although my photos appear much brighter.) The texture was slightly firmer than I expected, and the flavor was both new and familiar at the same time. My friend commented "It has four flavors!" It was supremely beef-y, but so much more at the same moment. It also had that added criminal appeal of "should we be eating this?" that happens once in a while, especially when you're presented with something extremely unfamiliar or very special. This dish readily fits both conditions; it was great, but it was not for everybody.

The next plate was probably the only one of the night that was not extraordinary. Octopus Salad w/ Chickpeas and Olives was beautiful, but unfortunately undercooked and swimming in a shockingly astringent dressing. I really wanted to like it, but it was, regrettably, the low point of the meal.

It's hard to go wrong with any combination of garlic, butter, breadcrumbs, and oysters. Broiled Oysters puts it all together in one awesome forkful. Not only are they absolutely gorgeous, but they tasted great too. Slide your fork underneath the meat and gently wriggle it out of the shell. Enjoy!







The final component of our first course was still coming. We're stuffed at this point, and we still have pasta, an entree, and dessert to come. Onward we press! Squash Soup was supremely buttery and a return to the land of the familiar after an exotically adventurous first course. Served in espresso cups, a handful of small sips gets us ready for knockout plate #2.





Remember that rabbit terrine from way back? I would have said I'd go back to Staple & Fancy just for more of that dish, but I'd say the same thing about some of the other plates. The pasta course we shared is one such dish.


Gnocchi with Lamb Ragu was simply perfect. Supremely tender gnocchi suspended in a confounding ragu. Just enough tomato flavor, a nice spicy kick on the back of the tongue, a little bit of weight added by the lamb. I will hands down say this is the best gnocchi I've ever had, and will follow that claim up just as quickly by saying it's the best pasta course I've ever had. If you're going to order one thing at Staple & Fancy, look to this.


The pasta course floored me, but the entree really resonated with my dinner companion. She remarked that it was like comfort food for her and it was one of her favorite dishes of the night. Sturgeon w/ Farro, Butternut Squash, Onion was excellent. The sturgeon was perfectly grilled, just flaking and supremely moist. I remarked that the squash was a nice touch, complementing the fish and tying the other two ingredient together. It was a very nice plate; familiar yet elevated slightly.



After such a great meal, there was some pressure on the kitchen (I thought) to close us out appropriately. Even the greatest films are spoiled by a cheap ending, television series ruined if the cliffhanger isn't catching enough, novels desecrated if the author gives up on the characters. Would Staple & Fancy send us out the door on a high note?

A most definitive yes.

Ricotta Cheesecake w/ Huckleberries was, hands down, the course of the evening. Without question it was the lightest, creamiest cheesecake I've ever had the pleasure of enjoying. The huckleberries were sweet and juicy, complimentary without being obtrusive. It's a trick to have a decadent dessert that doesn't overwhelm; compound that with the previous three courses, and the kitchen is in serious risk of sending you into a deep food-coma. The ricotta is so airy and doesn't weigh you down in the least. It was a perfectly executed finale to one of the greatest restaurant outings of my life.

Staple & Fancy Mercantile is something very special. It's well worth your time and your dollars; trust the kitchen and let them decide what to feed you. You will absolutely fall in love with this restaurant and the food being served. Eat adventurously!