The Weekend Gourmet » My Life

Mainland-Style Ahi Poke, Tuna Tartare

admin — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 22:27:50 +0000

No single dish says “Hawaii” to me more than Ahi Poke. It brings back memories of when I first lived in the Hawaiian islands, on Maui, during my windsurfing-bookwriting-sabbatical-from-San-Francisco-lawyer-life days. My roommate, Rick, and I used to get ”Poke” (make sure you say Po-Kay, not Po-Key, I think that means something else!) from the market every time we went shopping. It was spicy and rich, and crunchy from the green onions, all at the same time. We were both on tight budgets, so it was a luxury item we looked forward to. Even so, the small container we picked up never lasted more than a few hours.

Ahi Poke means simply “Ahi, Sliced.” Ahi Poke originated with Hawaii’s fishermen and was nothing more than a blend sliced fresh raw ahi tuna, limu (seaweed) and Hawaiian salt. With the Japanese influence in the islands, the recipe has evolved to often include Shoyu (soy sauce) and/or wasabi.

Local-style Ahi Poke is something you’ll find here on the islands at almost any gathering or special occasion. But it’s not just for parties. It’s an every day kind of thing. Many grocery stores even have a special deli section that features just Ahi Poke, in several different preparations.

On the mainland, people know Ahi Poke as Tuna Tartare. Tuna Tartare (and Ahi Poke) come in more variations that you can name. One of my favorite dishes for years, at Michael Mina’s renowned San Francisco restaurant, Aqua, was the Tuna Tartare. I really don’t think I have ever had a better version than that original recipe.

So luckily for me, the other day, our neighbor, Michael, brought over some fresh Ahi that he had just caught. Perfect opportunity to make my own version of Ahi Poke. This recipe is loosely based on the Tuna Tartare that was once served at Aqua. I’ve tried to remember what I think was in it, but it has been about 10 years and my memory fails me!

Mainland-Style Ahi Poke (aka Tuna Tartare)

1 Pound Fresh, Sashimi Grade Ahi
1 1/2 TBS Sesame Oil
1 Tsp Kosher Salt
1 Tsp Fresh Grated Ginger (or 1/4 Tsp of Ground Powdered Ginger)
1 Tsp Red Chili Powder
1/4 Tsp Allspice
1/4 Tsp Cinnamon
1 Red Anjou Pear (Peeled, cored)
4 TBSP toasted Pine Nuts
Optional: 1 Raw Egg Yolk (if not using egg yolk, increase sesame oil by 1/2 TBSP)

Toast the pine nuts on foil, on a baking sheet, in the oven at 450 degrees, for about 10 minutes. Be careful not to burn. Remove from oven and from the baking sheet.

Mix together, in medium glass bowl, oil, egg yolk, salt and spices. Dice the Ahi into small cubes, 1/4 to 1/3 inch is best. Use a very sharp knife or you will not have a lot of success dicing the tuna into small, uniform pieces.

Dice the pear into 1/4 inch cubes. Make sure you are using a relatively firm and not an over-ripe pear.

Toss the ahi into the bowl with the oil mixture, stir to cover tuna with the oil and spices. Add the grated fresh ginger, diced pears, and pine nuts. Stir gently to combine all ingredients.

Serve Mainland-Style Ahi Poke immediately on plain crackers, Lavosh, or Toast Points (toasted bread, crusts cut off, cut into 4 triangles).

Serves 4.

Tsunami Tri-Tip with Tangy Garlic Bread

admin — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 18:29:08 +0000

Recently, some friends invited us over for a casual supper. We were greeted by the warm ambiance of Karl & Gina’s tropical home, near Kailua Beach. We started with light pupus, including cheese and fruit, as well as having some of my favorite Smoked Ahi Spread.

Karl and Gina proceeded to serve up a delicious spread which included Grilled Tri-Trip, Garlic Bread and a crisp green salad. Simple, fresh and tasty. And the champagne wasn’t bad either! Needless to say, it was a very enjoyable evening, with great food, old friends and fun conversation. My husband and I immediately decided that this was a meal we would replicate at home. And the opportunity arose soon enough.

Yesterday, the Hawaiian islands were expecting a tsunami. You may have heard about it on the news – one of the reprecussions of the tragic, recent 8.8 earthquake in Chile. Both my husband (who was busy working at his job with the Marines and Homeland Defense) and I had an extremely stressful day, as we evacuated our home in Kailua and prepared for the worst.

Fortunately, the tsunami never arrived and the Hawaiian islands were spared. We were all incredibly relieved and decided to celebrate with a great meal on the grill. And so the Tsunami Tri-Tip evolved.

Tsunami Tri-Tip is quick, easy and tasty. The Harissa and Montreal Seasoning give it a little spice. Karl still gets credit, though I am not sure what he uses for his rub. This is how we make it:

Tsunami Tri-Tip

1- Approx. 1.5 pound Trip Trip Roast

1/4 Cup Montreal Seasoning

Harissa Paste (pick up at any gourmet food store and many grocery stores)

Rub Harissa paste all over meat, use as much a you need to very lightly cover all the meat, about 1 oz. If you like more spice, add a little more. Harissa contains chili, and spices like coriander and caraway, among other ingredients, so use with care.

Spread Montreal Seasoning on a plate and dip the meat in the seasoning, so that it sticks to the meat. This can be done a few hours to a day in advance. If you do this in advance, wrap the meat in plastic wrap after the rub is applied and refrigerate.

Preheat grill on high. When the grill reaches about 400 degrees put the meat on, and turn down heat to Medium. Close grill lid. Cook to desired doneness, approx. 7 minutes on one side. Flip and cook 7 minutes in the other side.

Slice Tsunami Tri-Tip and serve pupu style (in bite-sized medallions).

Tangy Garlic Bread

1 Large, Soft, French loaf
1 Stick, Salted Butter
1/2 cup Shaved Parmesan Cheese
6 Cloves Fresh Garlic,
(smashed well and diced or sent through a garlic press)

Turn oven on Low Broil. If your oven does not have this setting, make sure your oven rack is pretty far away from the broiler flame and watch the bread closely while cooking, because it will very quickly burn.

Mix butter and garlic together. Cut loaf in half, lengthwise, separating top and bottom. Put back together and cut loaf again, across the top, into 2 or 3 pieces, depending upon how long the bread is. You want it to fit on the baking sheet. Spread butter mixture on bread. Sprinkle top with shaved Parmesan Cheese.

Toast in oven until slightly browned at edges and butter and cheese are melted.

Serve Tsunami Tri-Tip with Tangy Garlic Bread, and a crisp green salad. Feel free to make sandwiches with the meat and bread. Enjoy!!

Julia’s Kitchen at the Smithsonian

admin — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 22:39:26 +0000

You may have already read that I am attempting to do Kitchen Remodel. Well, it is only a part remodel, in actuality because I am going to redo and reuse all my old cabinets, keep all existing appliances (luckily, all newer) and try to stay otherwise on a limited budget. This is not exactly easy considering the cramped, dark, poorly laid out kitchen that I started with.

As a result, I have spent most of my time and dollars thinking about and trying to improve basic functionality. The focus is concepts of space planning and layout — and lighting — also very important. So I decided to take a gander at Julia’s Child’s Kitchen, now memorialized in the Smithsonian Institution, to see how she had things arranged. I figured, why not? Julia moved into her Cambridge home in 1961, the same year my house was built. Her kitchen was 14 x 20, which is pretty close to the overall space I now have allocated to mine. Her cabinets are now dated (like mine) and she had none of the most modern and pricey conveniences (also, like mine). Nevertheless, for 45 years she used this kitchen to cook up a storm and a filmed a cooking show there to boot! Apparently, quite a lot of thought was put into the design of her kitchen, both to accomodate her prolific kitchen artistry and her 6’2″ frame, as well as the TV show she filmed there.

So, low and behold, Julia Child’s Kitchen is proof that a functional space does not always have to look like one in a magazine! happended to stumble along the interactive online version of the kitchen recently and found it to be pretty cool, so I thought I would share the link.

Julia’s Online Interactive Kitchen allows you to browse the various work stations on her kitchen, giving you and idea how she organized her tools and supplies, and how she stored her dry goods. It also has vignettes featuring personal and kitschy items she had in her kitchen, sharing with online users more of her unique personality.

Noteworthy Areas of Julia’s Kitchen:

The Wall of Pans - She has an entire peg board wall of cookware, much of it copper or copper bottomed. She also has peg board racks for lots of cooking tools and gadgets in various areas of the kitchen. I like the idea of the convenience and it showcases her nice items beautifully, but I am not jazzed about the pegboard. IMHO, Pegboard and particle board have NO place in a Hawaii kitchen, with the humidity here. They just don’t last well. She did paint it a lovely French Blue, but I need to use this idea a bit differently in my own kitchen.

Mixed Working Surfaces - I like that Julia has a variety of working surfaces in her kitchen. She has an integrated stainless steel sink/drainboard counter, a separate butcher block, and maple countertops on three different work stations. She had no soapstone, granite or other hard surfaces. I’d like to see concrete counters with an integrated drainboard into my farm sink in my own kitchen and at least one hardwood work space, most likely on my center island.

Work Stations - Julia had all her baking and pastry supplied organized on one side of the kitchen. She kept her oils and vinegars by the stove. She did a good job in organizing her work stations for maximum functionality.

I am using a similar concept in my own kitchen, creating three (besides the stovetop and sink) functional areas:

(1) Beverage Center: located between the refigerator and sink. This is where glassware is kept. Near the water/ice maker. The coffee maker and grinder are here, as well.

(2) Wet Prep Area: Between sink and stove. Pull-out garbage underneath, for easy disposal. Cutting block here. Knives above. Perfect for cutting and chopping and getting ingredients straight to the pan, with easy clean-up to sink.

(3) Dry Prep Area: On kitchen island across from sink, stove and refigerator. Integrated cutting surface here. Perfect place to make a sandwich or mix ingredients.

Colorful Painted Cabinets – I love colorful kitchens! Julia’s was blue and green. (Mine is going to be green with accents of bamboo and dark wood.)

Personal Touches - Julia’s Kitchen has many personal touches and even some unique one-of-a-kind items, which I like. Not too sure about hanging paintings on my cabinets doors, but to each his own. Some people like kitchens that are sterile and minimalist, but I like a little personality.

What do you think about Julia’s kitchen? What do YOU like and dislike? What are your best tips for desiging a functional kitchen?

Filet Mignon, Pupu-Style with Baked Garlic and Gorgonzola Sauce

admin — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 02:31:11 +0000

I served this Pupu (Appetizer) on New Year’s Eve 2009 for a special treat for my family and friends, Tom and Holly, who were joining us. I had already pre-prepared my entree, Seafood Gratin, and it was ready to go in the oven. So, I could get started on the Filet Mignon Pupu.

Serving a filet as a Pupu is a more economical great way to give everyone a taste of a great cut of meat, with delicious flavor. Count on about 1 filet for every two people. This recipe can also be used to serve Filet Mignon as an entree. My husband and guests swooned over this recipe. Definitely a keeper.

Filet Mignon Pupu-Style with Baked Garlic & Gorgonzola Sauce

Serves 8
Filet
4 – 4-6 oz Filet Mignon Steaks
Extra-virgin Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
1 Tbsp finely chopped Rosemary
4 large cloves baked garlic
4 pats butter

Baked Garlic

2 heads of Garlic
Cut top of head of garlic
Drizzle with olive oil
Bake is small oven-proof dish at 400 for about 25 minutes. Let cool.
Remove 4 large cloves from one of the heads for the Filet Mignon recipe, and save the rest to serve with and spread on a fresh French Baguette.

Gorgonzola Sauce

1 Large Shallot (diced)
2 Cups Beef Stock
1 Tsp finely diced Rosemary
1 Cup Dry Sherry or Madiera Wine
1/4 Cup Dry Red Wine
4 oz Crumbled Gorgonzola Cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 Tbsp Butter

Cooking the Steaks – This is a FOOLPROOF way to cook Filet Mignon

Preheat oven to 375.

Salt and pepper all sides of 4 Filet Mignon steaks (4-6 oz each)
Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in stainless steel or enameled cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking.

Add steaks to pan. Sear each side for 3 minutes, flipping with tongs.

Remove steaks and place on baking sheet.
Bake steaks in oven for 8 minutes (med rare) – set timer. Start making Gorgonzola Sauce with same pan used to sear steaks (see below).

When timer goes off, remove baking sheet, leave oven on. Flip steaks.
Smash a baked garlic clove (see Baked Garlic, above) on each filet and spread with butter knife. Sprinkle each steak with a about 1/2 tsp of rosemary, and top with a pat of butter.
Return steaks to oven. Bake for an additional 8 minutes (med rare) – set timer. Go back to making sauce.

When timer goes off, remove steaks from oven. Let rest for a few minutes, while finishing up Sauce.

Save any accumulated juices and add to Gorgonzola Sauce.

Slice and serve Pupu-Style with Gorzonzola Dipping Sauce, French Bread & Baked Garlic OR
Serve Filets individually, as entrees, in a pool of Gorgonzola Sauce or with a Gorgonzola Sauce drizzle.

Preparing Gorgonzola Sauce

In same skillet used for searing steaks, which should still have some olive oil remaining, saute shallot and 1 tps rosemary for 2-3 minutes, over medium-high heat, until shallots are slightly translucent. There should be some accumulated brown bits from the steaks. Add the sherry or madiera, and red wine. Deglaze pan and reduce liquid to about 1/2, stirring with a wire whisk. Add 1 Tbsp butter, stirring to melt. Add 1 cup beef stock, reducing again to about 1/2. Add another Tbsp of butter. Continue stirring. Add 2d up of the beef stock, reduce again to about 1/2.

Add gorzonzola cheese crumbles, stirring with a whisk until melted and blended. Add any available drippings from cooked filets.
Reduce sauce, if necessary, until slightly thickened. It will still be a bit runny. Add salt and pepper to taste. Use as dipping sauce or drizzle on meat.

Champagne Seafood Gratin

admin — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 02:28:07 +0000

This year my husband had to work late on New Year’s Eve. Since President Obama is in Kailua, Marines involved in Homeland Defense all had to work overtime and split up the holidays. But I still wanted to make dinner special and memorable, even if late. So I needed something I could prepare in advance and then pop in the oven just before he was due home (around 10:00pm) — a real treat. After all, this was his first New Year’s Eve home after spending a year in Iraq.

And besides being New Year’s Eve, this day was extra special because we got to meet President Obama, in person, near our home in Kailua. Along with several of our neighbors, my son and I gathered, watching him play golf, and were delighted when he stopped to chat and shake hands. Needless to say we were excited and happy and even more hopeful for 2010 after shaking hands with the President. But I digress.

I decided to make a Seafood Gratin, livened up with Champagne, and Filet Mignon, served Pupu style, with a Gorgonzola sauce. Side dish was White Asparagus Wrapped in Prosciutto. French Bread with Baked Garlic and a Nice Tossed Salad. Champagne to drink!

I started with the Champagne Seafood Gratin. This a a delicious and rich dish which may be served as either an entree or a first course, depending upon the serving size. I made this in entree size, in medium sized gratin dishes. You can also make this really festive by serving in large scallop shells.

Champagne Seafood Gratin
1 stick (8 Tbs) butter
2 lbs scallops (foot muscle removed) and/or shrimp (peeled and deveined, with no tails)
3/4 tsp Dried Thyme Powder
1 Bay leaf
1 large shallot
1 cup heavy cream
3 egg yolks
1 cup dry champagne/sparkling wine (or any dry white wine)
6 Tbsp Panko bread crumbs (Italian-style preparation, if you can find them)
2 Tbs Wondra pre-sifted flour
3 oz Pancetta (gently cooked, diced bacon may be substituted)
1 pound button mushrooms
6 Tbsp Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 1/4 cup Shredded Gruyere Cheese
Juice of 1 small lemon
1 tsp lemon zest

Prep Work:
Mash together until combined 3 tbs softened butter and all of the Wondra flour.
Dice the shallot
Finely dice the tarragon (for topping)
Finely dice the pancetta (for topping)
Finely grate Parmesan Cheese (for topping)
Slice all mushrooms
Juice the lemon, remove seeds, zest skin (zest for topping)
Whisk together heavy cream and egg yolks
Shred Gruyere Cheese

Tools:
Large stainless steel or enameled cast iron skillet, Slotted spoon, spatula, sieve, large plate, 1 medium bowl.

(1) Add the diced shallot to the skillet and saute over medium heat, with 3 tbs butter.

(2) Add Bay Leaf and dried Thyme. Stir.
(3) Add seafood. I used about a pound of bay scallops and a pound of bay shrimp, because that is what I already had in my freezer. I prefer to use larger scallops and shrimp. You can use all shrimp or all scallops, any size is fine.

(4) Toss seafood in butter. Add champagne and lemon juice. Depending upon the size of the seafood, cook 1-4 minutes, until just undercooked.

(5) Remove seafood from pan, with a slotted spoon, and set aside on a plate. If seafood is large, cut into bite sized pieces.
(6) Strain cooking juices from pan through a sieve into a medium bowl, removing shallots and bay leaf & disgarding them.
(7) Add 2 Tbsp butter to same pan. Toss in sliced mushrooms and saute, over medium heat, until softened and reduced, about 3-4 minutes. Remove mushrooms with a slotted spoon and add to seafood plate.
(8) Add reserved cooking liquid back to same pan in which the mushrooms were cooked. Reduce by 1/2. Add the four/butter mixture to the pan gradually in small plops, whisking to combine and make a smooth mixture.

(9) Add the heavy cream/egg yolk mixture slowly, while continuing to whisk, over low heat for 2 minutes, making sure that mixture does not boil. Sauce should be thickening.
(10) Slowly whisk in 1 1/4 cup gruyere cheese, making sure sauce stays smooth. Turn up heat slightly to melt the cheese, if necessary.

(10) When all cheese is melted and you have a thick sauce, add the mushrooms and seafood back into the sauce stirring gently. Remove from heat.
(11) Evenly pour seafood mixture into six indvidual gratin dishes. Set aside filled dishes on a baking sheet.

Topping: Combine bread crumbs, grated parmesan cheese, diced pancetta, diced tarragon, and lemon zest in a dish. Spinkle topping evenly over each gratin dish.

To serve immediately, place under low broiler for a few minutes until topping is toasted.
Or you can refrigerate, to serve later. To reheat, bake at 375 for 25-30 minutes.

Serve with a tossed salad, something very light and simple. This is a very rich dish. French bread is great, as a side, and delicious when dipped in the sauce.

Herbed Garlic-Horseradish Crusted Prime Rib

admin — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 07:06:16 +0000

This year we spent Christmas on Oahu. Just had a small gathering with a few of our friends and neighbors. We missed our extended family, but it was still one of the best Christmas seasons ever. People in Hawaii are suprisingly festive, despite a lack of cold weather, and there are many events for the entire month. Most, if not all, of the holiday traditions on the mainland are followed here in Hawaii. Especially when it comes to food.

Nothing says Christmas Dinner more, to me, than Prime Rib. I have nothing against turkey or ham, but these are my favorites only for Thanksgiving. Something a little more special is perfect for Christmas. Delicious, savory, satisfying … just as good for left overs. Prime Rib on Christmas has become a tradition in our home and one well worth continuing. When you taste this recipe, I think you will agree!

Christmas Dinner – Island Style!!

Herbed Garlic-Horseradish Crusted Prime Rib

1 – 5 lb boneless standing rib roast (cooking instructions are the same for a bone-in roast)
6 Medium Bunches of Fresh Herbs: rosemary, thyme, sage, tarragon
2 TBSP Chopped Rosemary
2 heads Baked Garlic
Sea Salt
Pepper
1 4 oz Jar prepared Horseradish
1 Stick Butter
2 Boxes Beef Broth

Make Crust for Meat:
Cut top 1/2 inch off of two garlic heads, drizzle with olive oil and then bake 2 heads Garlic at 350 degrees for about 40-45 minutes, until soft. Can be done in advance. Let cool. Squeeze the insides of each clove of baked garlic into food processor bowl. You should have around 30-40 cloves of garlic. Cream garlic together with prepared horseradish and 2 TBSP fresh chopped rosemary.

Sear Meat:
Before cooking, pat roast completely dry. This well help the meat sear. Liberally salt and pepper all sides of the roast. Heat 2 tbs olive oil on med-high heat in heavy stainless steel or cast iron skillet. Place roast in heavy pan and sear each side (all sides) for about minutes each, until browned. Remove meat. Deglaze pan with 1/2 cup red wine. Remove liquid and bits and reserve for later.

Roast Meat:
Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees. Get out large roaster pan with rack. Spread garlic-horseradish mixture thickly on all sides of the seared meat with a spatula. Press and spread three bunches of herbs into bottom crust of roast. Lay roast on roasting rack. Press remaining three bunches of herbs into top and sides of roast. Place several pats of butter on top of herbs on roast. Pour in 1 box of beef stock and the reserved liquid from deglazing. This can all be done in advance, if desired, and the meat refrigerated overnight, but you MUST let roast come to room temperature prior to cooking (this may take up to 2 hours).

Make sure roast is at room temperature. Place roast in the oven. After 15 minutes, turn heat down to 325 degrees. Continue to cook. Cooking time will depend on exact weight of roast and doneness desired. You will need a meat thermometer to test. I recommend checking the internal temperature after 1 hour, no matter the size of the roast, just to check progress. Also, every 1/2 hour, check beef broth at bottom of pan to ensure that it has not dried up or burned. Continue to add more broth or water, if necessary, so that you have about an inch of liquid at all times.

When the roast reaches the desired doneness (temperature), remove from the oven. After you take the meat out, cover loosely with foil and let rest for 25-30 minutes, during which the meat will continue to cook a bit more.

For Rare meat, the thermometer should read 120-125 degrees, when inserted into the center at the thickest part of the roast, not touching any bone or fat. Medium-rare is 130-135 degrees. Medium, 140-145 degrees. Medium-Well, 150-155 degrees, Well-done, 160 degrees or more.

As an example, a 5 pound roast will take about 1 hr to 1 1/4 hrs total in the oven for Rare. A 10 pound roast will take about 2 to 2 1/4 hrs for Rare. Cooking times may vary greatly, so please use a thermometer. You do not want to ruin this gorgeous and expensive cut of meat.

Making the Jus:
Remove all the pan drippings from the roasting pan, combine with any juices which have settled from the resting roast. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, slightly thickening the liquid. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve with and drizzle over meat.

Heaven on Earth Scalloped Potatoes (with Mushrooms)

admin — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 14:27:02 +0000

My friend Karla decided to host a Christmas party at her waterfront home in Hawaii Kai. Fortunately for us, the party coincided with the date of the Hawaii Kai Boat Parade of Lights. How cool to watch the parade from the ideal location on her lanai, while enjoying a lovely dinner party and Christmas celebration!

The menu for the evening was split between the guests and included:

Filet Mignon
Scalloped Potatoes
Brussels Sprouts
Glazed Carrots
Popovers
and Assorted Pupus

I was assigned to the Scalloped Potatoes, which was great because I love this dish had some good ideas based on Karla’s suggestion to get fancy and add mushrooms to the dish. This is how super rich and cheesy Heaven-on-Earth Scalloped Potatoes evolved. A classic dish, it also gets earthiness from the addition of the mushrooms. This is a make-again dish the whole family will enjoy.

Heaven on Earth Scalloped Potatoes

4 pounds Peeled Russet Potatoes
1 TBSP extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tsp Salt for Potatoes
1 Tsp Salt for Mushrooms
2 Tsp White pepper for Potatoes
1/2 Tsp Black Pepper for Mushrooms
4-6 medium garlic cloves, sent through garlic press
1/2 TBS Garlic Powder
1 Tsp Ground Nutmeg
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 1/4 cup grated or shaved Parmesan cheese
1 8 oz package of Creme Fraiche
1/2 of an 8 oz package of Gorgonzola Crumbles (4 oz)
3 TBS fresh thyme leaves (or 1 TBSP dried thyme)
1/2 Pound Crimini (Baby Portabellos) Mushrooms

Preheat oven to 375°F. Slice potatoes about 1/8 inch thick with a mandoline slicer or sharp knife. Potatoes need to be evenly sliced or they will not cook evenly.

Toss potatoes on a baking sheet with 2 Tsp salt and white pepper, fresh garlic and thyme to lightly and evenly coat. Pour heavy cream into a 2 cup glass measuring cup and stir in garlic powder and nutmeg, mixing well. Separate potatoes into four approximately even piles. Remove 1/4 of the potatoes from baking sheet and arrange evenly in a 2 1/2 quart glass or ceramic baking dish. Pour 1/4 cup of the cream mixture over the potatoes.

Sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Add 1/2 of the creme fraiche, distributing evenly in small dollop and 1/2 of the blue cheese crumbles (2 oz). These cheeses, along with the creme fraiche, will add a nice tang to the dish without being too strong. If you really like gorgonzola cheese, feel free to double the amount of cheese in this recipes to 8 oz. total. This works well, too.

Repeat the layering with another 1/4 of potatoes, 1/4 cup heavy cream mixture, and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, 2 more times. Add the final 1/2 of creme fraiche and 1/2 (2 oz.) of blue cheese crumbles. Add last 1/4 potatoes, drizzle with another 1/4 cup of the cream mixture.

Slice and toss mushrooms in medium bowl with 1 TBS of olive oil and 1 Tsp salt and 1 Tsp black pepper.
Arrange mushroom slices on top of potatoes around edge of dish. Cover top of mushrooms with remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese and remaining 1/2 cup of the heavy cream. If you don’t have crimini mushrooms, you may substitute with button mushrooms or mushrooms may be omitted, as well.

Bake uncovered until potatoes are cooked through, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. (If potatoes have been refigerated prior to cooking, either allow to come to room temperature prior to baking or you will need to bake longer.)

Remove from oven and let stand 15-20 minutes, serving from the dish. Or if you choose to make this dish in advance, let potatoes cool completely and refrigerate. When ready to serve cut into pieces, place on baking sheet and cover with foil. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and bake for about 15-20 minutes until fully heated.

Kitchen Rejuvenation in Progress

admin — Thu, 28 May 2009 23:47:43 +0000

Being any kind of Gourmet, “Weekend” or otherwise, can be difficult when you don’t have a great kitchen to cook in. In my opinion, you need not have a Wolf stove, refrigerated drawers or beautiful aesthetics, but at least you need the basic functionality. Unfortunately, my kitchen has had next to none of that since we moved to our new house last year!

I have cabinets where the openings are not wide enough to insert my cookware. My refrigerator does not fit in its cabinet sticks out into the entry from the family room. I don’t have enough counter space and my dishwasher is in a very inconvenient location. There is no kitchen seating and the “bar counter” has no ledge. I even have a top-load washer and dryer in my kitchen, which is competing for both my time and space.

All that is about the change. My husband and I are now embarking on a journey into home remodeling. I am a little nervous because we don’t really have the experience, but he assures me that it will all work out.

We have one other problem too — lack of serious funds to finance the remodel. We can spend on a few things, but we are going to have to make due with the existing cabinets. Luckily, we already have new or newer appliances, which include a gas stovetop. It is not ALL that bad. We are going to get a new sink, flooring and rely mainly on paint and reorganization for the rest.

The major changes are mainly going to be low cost ones that will improve the usabilty of the space:

(1) Open up and remove the single wall (tongue and groove) between the kitchen and family room
(2) Rearrange the cabinets/island to include seating, as well as work space
(3) Add a pot rack for more storage
(4) Remove doors and center stiles from several cabinets to create open shelving, so I can reach and store my cookware. Add extra shelves to some cabinets.
(5) Move dishwasher and refrigerator to create better use of space. Remove clothes washer and dryer from the kitchen, and reinstall into carport area.
(6) The last step in the process will be installation of some new lighting. This is bound to be a more pricey piece, between the rewiring and the fixtures themselved — but still very necessary. Our lighting is terrible right now! We will plan it now, but complete it later.

I apologize in advance for the likelihood of fewer than normal posts during this process. Stay tuned for progress… ~ Aloha

A Gas Shortage

admin — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 17:32:02 +0000

This last week has been a challenge. A gas pipe broke in my garage and, as result, we have been without gas for about 5 days now. Needless to say, this is an inconvenience — having no hot water, oven, stove or clothes dryer.

Cold showers have been a bear. And I had to temporarily give up my Bialetti, stove-top espresso maker. But the microwave is now my friend. Did you know they actually sell instant 100% Kona Coffee? It is pretty good in a pinch. The one I found is made by Honolulu-based Mulvadi. It’s products are distributed in Hawaii, California and Nevada and internationally, right now, and are available online. Just microwave the water and add a few teaspoons – not too shabby for instant. Of course, the French Press (with microwaved water) and regular coffee maker were also available, and are a bit better options.

The food bar at Whole Foods Market has also become a new favorite this week, as the brand new Kahala location of the mainland grocer is very near my office. They make some fabulous hummus — extra garlicky, and great Indian food, as well. I dare say, this store has the largest food and salad bar I have even seen in a grocery store, and is a little more healthy than the usual take-out.

With no gas in the house, I even pulled out the outdoor gas grill, which had gone unused since my husband was deployed in September. Grilling has been his domain since we were married, but I guess, it is time I reinstated the grill into my own repetoire. After all, Neil still has 9 more months in Iraq.

So, with the grill, dinner tonight will actually be a little better tonight that I had previously imagined — grilled Natural Filet Mignon, Microwave Steamed Baby Haricot-Verts With Melted Mutter and Sliced Almonds, Grilled Garlic Toast and Strawberries stuffed with Double-Creme Cheese for dessert. Yum, even my 4 year old will eat this!

The lack of gas has been inconvenient, but had also forced me to try a few new things and break out of my weekday routine. I was able to recover some some under-utilized cooking skills and ideas, and to rediscover new uses for a much maligned, but still very useful, convenient and time-saving cooking tool – the microwave!