Fighting Like a Girl: Ghirardelli & Vino at District Wine

On Sunday, my very dear friend Oakley Boren hosted a very lovely wine and chocolate party at the very sexy Long Beach wine bar, District Wine. It was very fun. And quite delicious.

Sponsored by Ghirardelli Chocolate, the Intense Dark Pairing was in support of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. For every code entered at their website, Ghirardelli will donate $1 to the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

So we ate chocolate and drank wine to fight boobie cancer! We were also joined by a breast cancer survivor Melissa Keyes, who shared her story with us. Cancer didn't run in her family, she found it during a routine breast exam. It was a sobering reminder: ladies, check your boobies!!

Host Oakley, owners Mark & Angela, and cancer-kicker Melissa

There were three different chocolates:

• 60% Evening Dream paired with the Frogmore Creek Iced Riesling from Tasmania
• 72% Twilight Delight paired with the Taft Street Zinfandel from the Russian River Valley
• 86% Midnight Reverie paired with the Layer Cake Malbec from Argentina

All of it intense. All of it marvelous. Mark and Angela know their vino and my favorite wines. I'm a big fan of both Zinfandels and Malbecs, but this time my taste buds favored the Riesling. I tend to stay away from sweet wines, but those Tasmanians and their devils put out a nice white.

We had choices of food bits, like dried apricots (great with the Riesling), parmesan and water crackers (made to eat especially with the Malbec), and marshmallows like I've never tasted (that went with EVERYTHING). Turns out they're called Plush Puffs and available at Fresh & Easy. Add these to your shopping list!

As a finishing touch we indulged in a the Toffee Interlude Dark Chocolate with caramelized almonds, with which we had the choice between an Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout or the Taylor Fladgate Tawny Port from Portugal. I opted for the wine (I'm not one for dark, bitter beer). A nice end to a delightful afternoon.

I was also lucky enough to win a raffle prize of a tasting kit and three large bars of various Intense Dark chocolates. Expect to see future chocolate-flavored posts. Mmm, chocolate. And if you'd like to win your own tasting treasure trove, check out this post on Oakley's blog. You have till Saturday to enter to win!

As a side note, on Sundays District Wine also has a bottomless mimosa special for a mere $9. There is also cool abstract art on the walls, and yummy appetizers on the menu. Like pineapple and gorgonzola flatbread with balsamic vinegar. Or prosciutto bon bons. Fellow chocolate and wine lover Tina Cruz claims they're better than sex. I only wish I'd ordered them!

Know what's also better than sex? Not having cancer. So don't forget to do those monthly exams!!

Thanks to Oakley, District Wine and Ghirardelli for a relaxed afternoon. We should all spend more Sundays like this.

Maraschino Cherry & Mango Brie Pizza

And we're still talking personal pizzas!

But this one won't be found on any typical pizzeria. It's a G+F kitchen specialty. A very personal specialty.

Again, I was working with what I had in the fridge. I'd cut up a mango for breakfast, so I still had some fingers. I love me some mangoes. And there was brie (a gift from the hotel I had stayed at during a recent event—it's like they did their homework!). I had discovered that this particular brie (a double cream variety) paired exceptionally well with my go-to Belgian white, Blue Moon. No orange necessary. But that's a story for another time.

(There may have been beer consumed with this meal. I can neither confirm nor deny that fact.)

Back to the ingredient list, food from the refrigerator: mango cubed, spinach, the gifted brie, Rachel's maraschino cherries, and caramelized onions. It basically was 5 of my favorite ingredients on flat bread. There was no way this could go badly.

It was delicious. The sweetness from the fruit and onions coupled with the richness of the brie married so nicely with the crispy spinach. And the cherries tended to burst in my mouth, like an explosion of happiness. Mmmm.

I will admit there were huge chunks of cheese on this pizza. I love cheese! I used nearly the entire 5 ounce wheel. You could probably scale back if you're not a rabid cheese-oholic.

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Maraschino Cherry & Mango Brie Pizza

by Paulette Fontanez September-20-2011

A delicious combination of fruits, veggies and cheese on flatbread.

Ingredients

• 1 package personal size pizza dough or 2 ounces of a dough ball
• 1 wheel double cream brie
• 1/4 cup mango, cubed
• 1/4 cup maraschino cherries
• 1/4 cup caramelized onions
• A few spinach leaves
• Olive oil for brushing on dough
• Cornmeal or flour for sprinkling

Instructions

1. Follow the directions for resting the pizza dough and preheating the oven.2. Spread the dough out to the desired thickness. Sprinkle flour or cornmeal on a baking sheet and place the dough on top.3. Brush the dough with olive oil to keep the dough from absorbing too much liquid from the ingredients.4. Cut the wheel in half and make thin slices. Use as much of the wheel as you feel is necessary.5. Top with remaining ingredients. 6. Put the pizza in the oven and bake until the cheese is bubbly and the dough is browned, about 10-15 minutes.7. Remove from the oven, pour a beer, and eat. Suggested pairing: a Belgian white like Blue Moon.

Details

Prep time: 5-20 minutes (depending on dough's resting time) Cook time: 10-15 minutes Total time: 15-35 minutesYield: 1 personal size pizza

BBQ Chicken Harissa Caramel Pizza

This pizza was a true concoction of simply what was in the fridge. It was just after our Labor Day barbecue and I had leftover chicken. And there was that delicious harissa caramel sauce. Mmm.

Once I learned Dorothy's trick for caramelized onions, they became a kitchen staple. Same with the roasted tomatoes (this bruschetta is a base for many meals in this house these days). So, of course, they were in the fridge and given an invitation to the pizza party. Because caramel and caramelized veggies just meld so damn well.

This experiment was good just by itself, with a little oregano sprinkled on top. And then I squeezed some lemon on it and WOW. I had invented my new favorite pizza.

It was a little sweet, sour, tangy, and all around perfect. With oozy cheese. Mmmm, oozy cheese!

I was making petite pies, enough for just one, but use more dough and a bit more of all the ingredients, and you can have a big ol' pizza pie.

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BBQ Chicken Harissa Caramel Pizza

by Paulette Fontanez September-15-2011

A delightful blend of yumminess.

Ingredients

• 1 package personal size pizza dough or 2 ounces of a dough ball
• 1/2 cup shredded barbecued chicken
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
• 1/4 cup caramel harissa sauce 
• 1/4 cup caramelized onions
• 1/4 cup roasted grape tomatoes, marinated in balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• Juice of half a lemon
• Olive oil for brushing on dough
• Cornmeal or flour for sprinkling

Instructions

1. Follow the directions for resting the pizza dough and preheating the oven.2. Spread the dough out to the desired thickness. Sprinkle flour or cornmeal on a baking sheet and place the dough on top.3. Brush the dough with olive oil to keep the dough from getting soggy from the ingredients, then sprinkle with about half the cheese.4. In a small bowl mix the harissa caramel with the shredded chicken and spread over the cheese. Add the tomatoes and onions. Cover with the remaining cheese.5. Put the pizza in the oven and bake until the cheese is bubbly and the dough is browned, about 10-15 minutes.6. Remove from oven, sprinkle with oregano and the lemon juice. Cut and eat.

Details

Prep time: 5-20 minutes (depending on dough's resting time)Cook time: 10-15 minutesTotal time: 15-35 minutesYield: 1 personal size pizza

Roasted Mushroom and Cauliflower Pizza

I spent a week making pizza almost every night because a ball of dough makes a lot of personal pizzas. I took the opportunity to experiment with a bunch of different toppings based on whatever was in the kitchen. It was fun.

This particular pie was inspired by Pamela of My Man's Belly. She had posted a pizza recipe using roasted mushrooms. I'd never thought about roasting mushrooms, but the idea intrigued me. I was out of shallots so I couldn't make her exact recipe, but I did have roasted cauliflower which, if you've been reading for any amount of time you know, is the only way I'll eat it.

I know that roasted cauliflower on a pizza sounds odd. But add in some shredded mozzarella, spinach sauteed with garlic, a little adobo seasoning, and 10 minutes later there was a pizza waiting to be devoured.

I used crimini mushrooms, but just about any mushrooms should work. Pamela used a mix. Do whatever you like!

So simple, yet so delicious. Thanks to Pamela for her inspiration. Turns out that roasted mushrooms are really good in lots of dishes!

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Roasted Mushroom & Cauliflower Pizza

by Paulette Fontanez September-12-2011

Roasted veggies on a pizza pie.

Ingredients

• 1 package personal size pizza dough or 2 ounces of a dough ball
• 1 pint crimini mushrooms, chopped
• 1 cup roasted cauliflower florets
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups spinach, packed
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 teaspoon Adobo seasoning (or regular salt & pepper)
• Cornmeal or flour for sprinkling

Instructions

1. Follow the directions for resting the pizza dough.2. While the dough is resting, heat the oven to 400 degrees. Toss the mushrooms and cauliflower with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and seasoning. Line a baking sheet with foil and spread the mushrooms and cauliflower out evenly. Roast for 20 minutes. Mushrooms will turn a deep brown and the florets will look burnt—don't worry, they're supposed to! (If using a pizza stone, put it on the lowest rack while the vegetables are roasting.)3. While the vegetables are roasting, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Sauté the minced garlic but don't let it burn, about 1 minute. Add the spinach and sauté for a few minutes, until it wilts slightly. Remove from heat.4. Remove the pizza stone (if using). Check the instructions on the pizza dough and adjust the temperature accordingly.5. Spread the dough out to the desired thickness. Sprinkle flour or cornmeal on a baking sheet or the pizza stone (if using) and place the dough on top.6. Sprinkle half the cheese all over the dough. Add the vegetables, then the remaining cheese.7. Put the pizza in the oven and bake until the cheese is bubbly and the dough is browned, about 10-15 minutes.8. Remove from oven, slice, and eat.

Details

Prep time: 20 minutesCook time:  10-15 minutesTotal time: 30-35 minutesYield: 1 personal size pizza

Harissa Caramel Sauce

The other day, I tried making pralines. It was a spectacular failure.

But I was left with a caramel sauce that was looking for a home. I had just attempted to make paneer, and though it crumbled more like cottage cheese than the solid store-bought variety, it was still edible. The idea for very simple paneer came from an episode of Aarti Party, where she made it look so easy. (I've since learned the secret to solid cheese was letting it drain for longer.)

In that episode she fried the cheese and then made a spicy sauce to serve it with. I figured I could adapt a spicy honey recipe for this, and it was the exact opposite of a failure. It was, simply, spectacular.

The spicy honey recipe came from this Moroccan recipe for eggplant, which I'm sure is delightful. But the caramel was super sweet, so to balance it out, this needed more of the spicy pepper, more spicy ginger, more spices period! Also, I've taken to cooking with coconut oil instead of olive oil.

So in increasing the ginger and harissa, adding coriander, using caramel instead of honey, and sautéing it all in coconut oil, we have a sauce I have fallen in love with. It makes a wonderful barbecue sauce, a glaze for paneer or...anything. Let me know what you end up putting it on!

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Caramel Harissa Sauce

August-26-2011

Adapted from Girl Cooks World.

*For caramel sauce, see this recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
• 2 tablespoons  harissa
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• 1/4 cup caramel sauce*
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• Salt & pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Melt the coconut oil in a pan over medium heat and add the garlic. 2. Sauté for about a minute (don't let it brown) and then add the rest of the ingredients. Stir to combine.3. Cook until the sauce is thick and syrupy, about 3-5 minutes.

Yield: About 1/2 cup

Pralines Fail Becomes A Caramel Sauce

That right there looks like a cookie, right? Well it's not. It's overcooked sugar with pistachios in it.

It's what should have been pralines with pistachios in it. It is, in a word, failure.

I'd never made pralines, obviously. I have no idea why I decided to try them, or even look for a recipe online. But it turns out what I found, despite seeming very simple and straightforward, left out a very important step.

It's the step that turns syrup-like caramel into a more solid, praline-like existence that keeps its shape. The important step? Stirring. You have to stir the syrup until it loses its gloss then very quickly drop spoonfuls of it.

I didn't know that, and ended up with a mess of caramel-covered pistachios all over my parchment-lined baking sheets, trying to figure out why it was so syrupy. So I kept on cooking the last bit of caramel that was still in the pot, taking it up to hard ball stage (250° F) and it turned this nice dark brown. When I dropped it on the baking sheets, it firmed up immediately.

That's when I found another recipe, then a video, and realized the all-important stirring step. Too irritated to try again, I simply scooped up all the caramel and tried to find something else to make with it.

For once, I was able to improve upon failure and create something wonderful. But that's a story for another day.

Stay tuned.

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Caramel Sauce

Adapted from a Simply Recipes recipe for pralines. There will be bubbles and maybe some splatters while making this. Wear long sleeves!

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups white sugar
• 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Instructions

1. Mix together the sugars and baking soda in a 3-quart saucepan. Stir in heavy cream. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture reaches 235°F on a candy thermometer. (This is about 1°F over the soft ball stage.) 2. Add the butter stir until it is fully melted and immediately remove from heat. (Burned caramel is useless. Don't burn the caramel!)

Yield: approximately 2 cups

Marinated Roasted Tomato Bruschetta

This kitchen experiment was inspired by an appetizer I had at my birthday dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe earlier this year. They're turning all of 40 this year, did you know? I turned not-40 and was blown away by their bruschetta.

The secret to their dish is that they marinate the tomatoes in balsamic vinegar. Delicious, sour balsamic vinegar. Mmmm.

Ever since learning to turn tomatoes into raisins, I've been wanting to see how that would work in bruschetta. Balsamic-soaked, roasted grape tomatoes are perfect on their own. Throw them in salads, sandwiches, eat them by the handful. But marry them with cilantro and shallots, then add them to grilled bread? Hot. Damn.

Growing up here in not-Italy, I was under the impression that bruschetta is the toppings on the toasty bread. Turns out that's not true. The word bruschetta is derived from the Italian word that means to roast over coals. So those bottles labeled bruschetta are both lying to you and cheating you out of a really great fresh toasted and roasted dish. Don't buy them. Make this instead.

First you roast tomatoes, then marinate them in balsamic vinegar and a bit of olive oil overnight. Or, if you're like me and dare to forget they're in the fridge, let them sit for a week! Hell, just store them in the balsamic after cooking. You can reduce the marinade later and use it as a glaze or salad dressing.

Once you've waited long enough for the tomatoes soak up their tasty sourness, chop up a shallot and some cilantro. Mix them all in the the marinade. Then toast some sliced crusty bread and rub it with garlic. Top with a good Parmesan or an Italian truffle cheese. Enjoy your sexy dish.

Then stuff it in your pie hole.

The instructions below will give you enough for 1 person (about 5-6 slices). Scale as necessary.

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Marinated Roasted Tomato Bruschetta

by Paulette Fontanez August-12-2011

Ingredients

• 1 large French dinner roll (or any crusty bread)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup roasted grape tomatoes, soaked in balsamic marinade
• 1 small shallot, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup loosely packed cilantro, chopped
• salt and pepper, to taste
• Italian truffle cheese

Instructions

1. Roast grape tomatoes according to directions. Cover in balsamic vinegar and a dash of olive oil. Marinate overnight (or longer).2. Cut bread into 3/4-inch slices on the bias. Brush with olive oil and bake oil side up at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool then rub with a cut clove of garlic (or a whole head cut in half--it covers more surface area).2a. You could also simply toast the bread under the broiler, in the toaster, or on the grill.3. Add shallot and cilantro to the tomato marinade and mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste (if you find it necessary, this is optional).4. Spoon the mixture onto each bread slice and top with a bit of grated cheese.

Try not to devour it all at once. You don't want to choke.


Yield: 5-6 slices

Wordless Wednesday: Summer Drinks Courtesy of Picanha

Spiced Baby Carrot Soup

Baby carrots. They're so cute. Teeny. Tiny. Fun size.

And far easier to cook with than regular size carrots because you don't have to peel or chop them.  So right there you're saving yourself two steps worth of elbow grease. You have to save that for the whiskey pouring!

No that there's any whiskey in this recipe. But there are a handful of spices. Cardamom, cinnamon, fresh ginger. (Is ginger considered a spice? It's definitely spicy.) Check it out here, courtesy of Aria Kagan, one of the favorites of the sixth season of Food Network Star.

I've found that most recipes I come upon call for far too little of whatever spice is listed. Even when I halve recipes (which is just about always), I leave the spices alone. Spice is good. At least that's what my taste buds tell me. Your mileage and/or taste buds may vary.

This go-around, however, I actually needed to futz with the spice mixture completely. Cardamom, the main spice in this dish, is very strong. I found that using just half was still too much. So I added more cinnamon. And then even more cinnamon. And then some turmeric, because it fights cancer. (Really, there was no other reason.) And then some dried dill weed. And celery salt. Then some garlic salt. And then I let it simmer. The recipe also called for some orange juice and apple cider vinegar later in the cooking process, and I didn't want to create a completely disconnected Frankenstein dish, so I left well enough alone. Though this probably would benefit from some nutmeg too.

A quick note about sweet potatoes: I don't care for them. I might be confusing them with yams (they're not the same thing), but I do know that I'm over the hoopla of sweet potato fries. Had them once and decided they're gross. I like my fries golden brown, and smothered in cocaine, or whatever it is that McDonald's does to them to make them so damn good. (Note: I never eat at McDonald's because that will kill you, but they're fries are pretty much the best of any fast food chain.)

As such, there were no sweet potatoes or yams in this soup. Just plain ol' Yukon Goldies.

So what do you get when you throw sweet onions, garlic, random spices, freshly squeezed orange juice, and apple cider vinegar together? A soup worth slurping.

This whole recipe experiment was a treat for me because I finally put my immersion blender to use. It's so much easier than lugging the blender out. And less to clean! Again with the time- and elbow grease-saving!

And then, you get this:

Eat it hot or cold!

Another note: I've been cooking with coconut oil of late. It's supposed to be healthier than just about any other fat out there, especially for high heat cooking. No, the food doesn't taste like coconut. But that would not be a bad thing!

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Spiced Baby Carrot Soup

by August-8-2011

Best hot or cold. Adapted from Aria Kagan.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 onion, choppped
• 4-6 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
• 1/2 tablespoon ground cardamom
• 1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon dried dill weed
• Celery salt and garlic salt, to taste
• 1/2 pound baby carrots
• 1/2 pound potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped
• Water, to cover
• Juice of 1 orange
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup creme fraiche or crema
• 1/4 cup cilantro
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. In a large pot, heat the coconut oil over medium heat and sauté the onions, garlic, grated ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, and dill weed. Stir to combine and sauté until the onion is translucent (about 6 minutes). Add a bit of water if the spices start to stick. Add the remaining vegetables and stir to coat with spices. Sauté for another couple of minutes.2. Add enough water to cover all of the vegetables. Bring the mixture to a simmer, add the salt(s) and cook until the carrots and potatoes are soft (about 40-45 minutes).3. Remove the pot from the heat and using a handheld immersion blender if you have one (!!!), or food processor/regular blender if you don't, puree the soup until smooth, and then strain through a sieve into a new pot. This will give you silky soup.4. Place the pot over medium-low heat and stir in the orange juice, apple cider vinegar. Simmer the mixture for 15 minutes.5. In a small bowl, stir the creme fraiche/crema and cilantro together.

This can be served immediately or prepared a day ahead. Hot or cold, add a dollop of the cilantro cream. It's very pretty presented this way, but if you mix it all up, it takes on another whole dimension of flavor!

Details

Prep time: 20 mins Cook time: 1 hour 10 mins Total time: 1 hour 30 mins Yield: 4-6 servings

Raspberry Mint Martini

A few weeks ago, the good people at Food 52 asked for testers for their raspberry recipes. Every time they do so, it becomes a first-come, first-served frenzy as community members call dibs on the various recipes. This time I snagged the Spicy Raspberry Mint Soda.

The directions were easy. Make a simple syrup with raspberries, cinnamon and dried pepper and you've got yourself a spicy pink concoction. Add some mint, ice and club soda, and you've got a summer drink.

It'll make you and the kids forget all about lemonade. I even said so in the testing notes.

Add some gin, and you have an adult summer drink.

The inventor behind the drink, Gr8ChefMB suggested vodka for an adult version. The vodka version was okay. The gin was significantly better. As it always is.

Have I mentioned I'm partial to gin?

The original recipe calls for a dried chipotle pepper. Those can be a bit difficult to find, so I used a dried ancho pepper, instead. When they're dried, they're pretty similar. Ancho peppers can probably be found in your larger supermarkets, in the ethnic aisle. (I had a hell of a time finding a chipotle pepper, and I went to several Mexican stores.)

If you're at all sensitive to spice, make sure to take out all the seeds. Contrary to some sadists' beliefs, there might be such a thing as too much heat.

To relieve yourself of behind-the-bar time and allow yourself more party time, make a full pitcher. Follow the directions to make the simple syrup. Then muddle a good handful of mint (a semi-packed cup), and throw it in a pitcher. Fill halfway with ice, then add the strained, cooled syrup, followed by a liter of club soda.

To keep this child-friendly, leave as is. If you're too mature for virgin drinks, splash an ounce of gin in a martini glass and fill with the mix. Garnish with oranges. They taste good with a squeeze of oj, too.

Original recipe found here.

Wordless Wednesday: Ritz Carlton Tomato Salad

Winning at the OC Fair

Last May, I asked the G+F Facebook fans to pick a favorite blog post from the last year to enter in the Orange County Fair's Blog Competition. My good friend Alexandra suggested one of my personal favorites, the Sweet & Dirty Martini. The black and white picture that accompanies it was taken sometime between 1998 and 2000, when I was experimenting with all things martinis, both in the photo lab and in the kitchen. The recipe in the post was a product of one of these experiments in my parents' kitchen.

One day my dad asked me if I would make us some martinis, but they only had sweet vermouth in the liquor cabinet (with the Tanqueray, of course). We went with it, and the sweet & dirty martini was born.

Entering the OC Fair blog competition meant a free ticket! So down to Costa Mesa I went with my parents. And that's where Chef Louise surprised me with this:

In case you can't make out the little sticker in the upper corner, it's a 3rd place ribbon. G+F impressed the judges enough to garner a little ribbon!

I did a little happy dance (it was a big surprise), got my white ribbon and then we decided to indulge in some ungodly huge portions of fair food.

In order: a giant sausage covered in grilled onions and bell peppers, chocolate-covered bacon, and a plain funnel cake. The funnel cake was the size of a dinner plate. Which might be tiny in comparison to other county fairs, but in California we're careful about our carbs.

There were also artisans, vendors (of all things ranging from knives, mattresses, and barrel-aged balsamic vinegar), and rides! Who doesn't love carnival rides? We love sugar art, as created by Jim Victor.

He said it was going to be a girl eating an ice cream cone. I say he was channeling Picasso. He agreed.

But really, the highlight of the day:

Winning!

My parents also picked up a bottle of Gianni's Fine Foods Six Mushroom White Truffle Balsamic Vinegar. I missed Trufflepalooza last weekend because I was in Orlando, but this almost made up for it. I'm sure you'll see it in a dish on here at some point in the near future.