Friday Food

Food:

1. Tom's kick-ass chile

Wednesday Food

Food:

1. Leftover White Asparagus Tortilla


2. Scrambled Egg Sandwiches with Canadian bacon, pepperjack cheese, green chiles, and garlic on "low carb" toast

Wine:

1. Roderer Estate Anderson Valley Brut

Monday Food

Food:

1. Sardines, Asparagus, and Piquillo Peppers with Mayonnaise Vinagrette


2. Grilled Chimayo-seasoned Lamb Chops


3. White Asparagus Tortilla


4. Macerated Strawberries with Unbaked Marscapone Cheesecake

We used canned (Alba) sardines for the tapa this time & it was still very good. For dessert, I blended 2 containers of mascarpone, 1 "tube" natural cream cheese, cream, fresh lemon juice, splenda, rum, and vanilla extract and then used prep bowls lined with plastic wrap as forms for individual servings. The refrigerated mixture popped right out & we served Tom's strawberries macerated with cognac, lemon juice, and splenda over the top. Yum. (Made 6 servings using 2 baskets of strawberries.)]

Wine:

1. Roderer Estate Anderson Valley Brut


2. Linne Calodo 2002 Paso Robles Syrah
3. 
   
4. Tobin James 2002 Dusi Ranch Zinfandel


5. Albiker 2003 Bodegas Ruberri Rioja

Friday Food

Food:

1. Chicken Parmigiana


2. Broccoli

Wine:

1. Le Cuvier 2001 Sangiovese McGourty Vineyard

Thursday Food

Food:

1. Lentil & Chorizo Stew


2. Shrimp sauteed in Garam Masala & Tumeric infused oil with Fava Beans, served over Spicy Tomato, Onion & Cilantro Sauce
   A very successful new Tom recipe. Somewhat inspired by Amber's Karavelli Prawns.

Wine:

1. Domain Des Coteaux Des Travers 2003 Rasteau

Wednesday Food

Food:

1. Mesquite-grilled NY Steaks with Chimayo


2. Green Salad

Wine:

1. Zenato 2003 Delle Venezie Pinot Grigio


2. Le Cuview 2000 Cabernet Sauvignon

Tuesday Food

Food:

1. Jambalaya (without rice)
   
   
   
   1. Dice 1 onion, red bell pepper, 2 stalks celery
   
   
   2. Mince several cloves garlic, cilantro.
   
   
   3. Shell 1 lbs of shrimp, reserve shells & boil in chicken stock, white wine, & water to make quick "shrimp" stock.
   
   
   4. Saute veggies in pressure cooker & offload.
   
   
   5. Cube 1 lb ham, 1 lb andouille sausage, and shrimp.
   
   
   6. Saute ham and sausage in pressure cooker.
   
   
   7. Deglaze w/ 1 cup red wine, add 1/4 tsp ground cloves, allspice, cumin, black pepper, and cayenne. Season with Crystal Sauce.
   
   
   8. Add veggies back to pot.
   
   
   9. Add ~3 tbsp of flour mixed with stock.
   
   
   10. Add 1 16 oz can tomatoes (chopped) and 1 8 oz can chiltomate
   
   
   11. Add stock
   
   
   12. Pressure cook for ~20 minutes.
   
   
   13. Reduce.
       
   14. Finish with chopped parsley.
   
   
   15. 
       
   
   

Wine:

1. Lucia 2003 Santa Lucia Highlands Chardonnay
   Quite good.

Sunday Food

Food:

1. Mesquite Grilled NY Steak with Peppers & Onions

Sauteed Fresno chiles, jalapenos, and onions with a little meyer lemon juice were the perfect accompaniment to chimayo-seasoned steaks. Yum.

Wine:

1. Solo Rosa 2004 California Rose
   Fresh strawberries and cherries on the nose, with enough acidity to make this a "real" wine. Not flabby like so many roses--perfect for a sunny afternoon, but has the structure to stand up to food.


2. Tobin James 2002 French Camp Vineyard Zinfandel
   Ridiculously good, bursting with yummy fruit. I didn't remember French Camp being so awesome, but this was a winner. Complemented the grilled steak very nicely.

Friday Food

Food:

1. Halibut "Salad"
   
   
   
   1. Poach halibut filet in water with some champagne vinegar and thyme.
   
   
   2. Remove and chill over ice.
   
   
   3. Mix diced red bell pepper, jalapeno, onion and shredded lettuce in a bowl, season with salt & pepper.
   
   
   4. Make a dressing of mayo, sour cream, a little mustard, salt, and pepper.
   
   
   5. Dress salad and fold in halibut.
   
   
   6. Serve chilled.
   
   
   
   


2. Lamb & Lentil "Stew"
   
   
   
   1. Cube meat from a "lamb block" and season with salt, pepper, chimayo, olive oil, and a little crystal sauce.
   
   
   2. Saute leftover bone/sinew chunks in a medium cazuela (in lieu of salt pork) and remove.
   
   
   3. Brown lamb chunks in cazuela.
   
   
   4. Add minced onion, garlic, bell pepper, and diced parsnips.
   
   
   5. Deglaze with red wine (Martin Ray Mariage Pinot)and add undiluted veal stock.
   
   
   6. Add green lentils and cover with foil and bake in a 425 oven for 15+ minutes.
   
   
   7. Remove to stove, add minced garlic, & reduce as needed.
   
   
   8. Top with shredded cotswold cheese and broil.
   9. 
      
   
   

Thursday Food

Food:

1. Sardine & Asparagus Tapa
   

   
   

   
   
   1. "Filet" small sardines, season with salt & pepper, and spray with olive oil.
   
   
   2. Quickly cook fresh asparagus spears in boiling water, cold shock, and slice in half lengthwise.
   
   
   3. Broil sardines for ~2 minutes, until just done.
   
   
   4. Serve sardines with asparagus and piquillo slices, drizzle a light mayo/lemon oil vinagrette, and serve.
   
   
   
   Got some insanely fresh sardines from Whole Foods in Cupertino & Tom invented this awesome spring tapa.
   

Halibut "Piccata"

1. Season halibut filets with salt & pepper.


2. Saute in clarified butter, offload to serving plates & cover


3. Deglaze pan with lemon juice & white wine, add capers,reduce.
4. 
   
5. Season with salt & pepper and finish with butter.


6. Serve over halibut on plate with sauteed spinach.

Sauteed Spinach with Garlic

Wine:

1. Piper Heidsieck Brut


2. Marsanne/Viogner

Friday Food

Food:

1. Burgundy Beef
   
   
   
   1. Dice 1 onion, 2 small carrots, and 1 clove garlic.
   
   
   2. Cube 2.4 lb Tri Tip
   
   
   3. Marinate vegetables, beef, and fresh thyme in 1 bottle burgundy/pinot noir. (The longer the better, anywhere from 30 minutes to several hours.)
   
   
   4. Halve ~1 lb button mushrooms
   
   
   5. Dice 1 strip thick-cut bacon
   
   
   6. Remove beef from marinade, pat dry, season with salt and pepper, and brown in batches (in pressure cooker) & offload
   
   
   7. Brown bacon, add mushrooms, adding olive oil as needed.
   
   
   8. Mix ~1 tbsp of flour with some of the reserved marinade & add to pot.
   
   
   9. Add beef, reserved marinade, dijon mustard, bay leaf.
   
   
   10. Pressure cook for ~25 minutes
   
   
   11. Reduce to desired consistency, season to taste with salt & pepper.
   
   
   12. 
       
       
       
   
   

This essentially applies Tom's chili technique to classic Burgundy beef.
Tip: Freeze bacon in single strips (vacuum packed) so you always have it on hand.

Wine:

1. Martin Ray 2000 Mariage Sonoma County Pinot Noir (for the marinade)



2. Martin Ray 2000 Mariage Sonoma County Pinot Noir (to drink)

Thursday Food

Food:

1. Bad Bird in a Pot: Chicken legs & thighs, chorizo, piquillos, onion cooked in a clay pot

Wine:

1. Tablas Creek 2003 Cote de Tablas
   Very nice rhone-style wine. Zero funkiness, nice fruit, slightly tannic--very drinkable. In between typical Paso and true French wines--with the good characteristics of both.
   

Wednesday Food

Food:

1. Mesquite & Hickory Smoked Salmon
   
   
   
   1. Soak hickory chips in water.
   
   
   2. Start mesquite-charcoal in a chimney starter.
   
   
   3. Season Salmon with salt, pepper, and chimayo chile.
   
   
   4. Arrange hot coals in Weber kettle for cooking over indirect heat & top with wood chips.
   
   
   5. Cook salmon over indirect heat (covered) for approximately 17 minutes. ]
      Times vary depending on the size of the fish, how hot the fire is, the weather, etc.
      
   
   
   6. Serve with Tom's Tartar Sauce.
   
   
   
   


2. Tom's Tartar Sauce
   
   
   
   1. Dice pickled jalapenos.
   
   
   2. Add jalapenos to Mayo and Sour Cream/Creme Fraiche
   
   
   3. Season with salt, pepper, crystal sauce, and dill (preferably fresh).
   
   
   
   

Wine:

Tuesday Food

Food:

1. Stir fried beef with asparagus


2. Stir fried chicken with broccolli

Using up what's in the fridge. The chicken was prepared with a mild sauce & finished with butter.

Wine:

1. Sancerre


2. Monkey Bay Sauvignon Blanc

Monday Food

Food:

1. Raw Cauliflower & ranch dip


2. Grun Kohl with Smoked Bratwurst

Wine:

1. Le Cuvier 1999 Zinfandel


2. Roederer Estate Anderson Valley Brut

Saturday Food

Food:

1. Cheesy Gulf Shrimp "Etouffe"
   
   
   
   1. Peel shrimp & make "quick" stock with water, shells, and Old Bay seasoning
   
   
   2. Blanch snow peas in the stock & remove
   
   
   3. Saute onion, jalapeno, celery in *lots* of butter
   
   
   4. Thicken stock with cornstarch and add to vegetables, along with grated pepper jack cheese
   
   
   5. Season to taste--crystal sauce, salt, pepper.
   
   
   6. Add shrimp
   
   
   7. Spoon onto plate, garnish with snow peas & parsley, and serve
   
   
   
   Fresh (not frozen) gulf shrimp (prawns) from Whole Foods looked to good to pass up, so
   Tom created an appetizer worthy of them.


2. Day Boat Dover Sole "Piccata" with Haricots Verts
   
   
   
   1. Season both sides of the sole filets with salt & pepper and dust with flour.
      (Yeah, flour--sift flour over both sides of the filets--you'll shake most of it off
      before you add it to the pan, the few extra carbs are worth the result. Don't flour until
      you're ready to cook.)
   
   
   2. Shake filets well & saute in butter. Plate and cover loosely when done.
      The "Scanpan" can in this case--it's semi-nonstick, 12" broad bottom is great for this sort
      of thing. (Sort of like a lighter-weight cast-iron skillet.)
   
   
   3. Deglaze with fresh lemon juice, add white wine & chicken stock and season to taste.
   
   
   
   4. Blanch haricot verts, cold shock, & set aside.
   
   Gotta love Whole Foods' "day boat" local fish. Their seafood is generally high-quality, but this stuff
   is amazing. Until it's local salmon season, this sole is definitely the fish of choice.
   
   
   


3. Strawberries & Cream
   
   
   
   1. Slice strawberries & macerate in cognac, lemon juice, ceylon cinammon & splenda
   
   
   2. Serve with splenda-sweetened whipped cream
   
   
   
   Strawberry shortcake without the cake...who needs cake? First strawberries of the season. Yum.
   

Wine:

1. Chateau la Roque 2003 White Coteaux du Languedoc


2. Four Emus 2004 Sauvignon Blanc Semillion

Friday Food

Food:

1. Spicy Beef, Mushrooms, and Bamboo Shoots


2. Chicken, Baby Corn Stir Fry

Wine:

1. Bollinger Special Cuvee
   
2. Sula 2003 Chenin Blanc
   
3.