simple cooking

I learned to cook from, and along side, some really incredible chefs.

From them, I learned tricks and tips, style and efficiency.  I learned to how to season, about balance on the palate and on the plate, and a few secrets along the way.  (I also learned how to survive - and jest! - among the male-centric back-of-the-house and to speak some kitchen Spanish, but that is beside the point.)

Somewhere in there, I found my own sense of cuisine: simply seasoned and prepared, plated with a simple hand.  When you are able to work with deliciously fresh ingredients, they don't need to be layered with (sometimes competing) flavors or shaped on your plate using a PVC pipe and tweezers.

Generally, dinner at home is created by a quick rummage through the refrigerator: What vegetables are there?  What protein do we want?  How will these combine best?

Recently, we had some beautiful haricot vert, cremini mushrooms, and fingerling potatoes kicking around the kitchen that begged to be eaten.  A quick stop by the fish market and we had a fast and simple weeknight dinner.

Pan seared salmon

Season the skin side of a filet with salt and some pepper.

Pour a little bit of olive oil into an oven safe, preferably nonstick saute pan and let it get hot.  You don't want it to smoke- that is too hot- but to just begin to shimmer.

Place skin side down into the hot saute pan, sear for a minute or two, or until the skin begins to get crispy.

Transfer the saute pan to the hot oven to join your veggies.

Everyone likes their salmon cooked to a different temperature - I tend to like mine more rare, about 130 internally, so I pull it about 125 to allow for some carry-over cooking.

Roasted Veggies

Cut veggies to desired piece sizes. 

Toss with olive oil, salt and a little pepper. 

Roast in a hot oven (425- 450) until golden brown and delicious (GBD!), about 10 minutes.

Boiled Potatoes

To a sauce pan, add the fingerling potatoes, cold water and lots of salt.
Bring them to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.  

They are done when a sharp paring knife inserted into the potato easily slides away.

Drain the water, toss potatoes with salt, chopped parsley and a little bit of lemon zest.

tricks and tips for you:

Don't be afraid of a hot oven or lots of salt.

Salt helps to potentiate flavors, whereas pepper has a flavor of it's own.  I use pepper sparingly.

Always put presentation-side down first into your saute pan.  This creates the most even cooking and best appearance.

Season your cooking water - pasta, potatoes, anything you cook in water - add flavor to the cook by adding plenty of salt.

Starting the potatoes in cold water allows an even cooking of the potato.  If you were to start with hot water, the outside would become mushy and mealy while the inside cooks.

Boiling your potatoes in a hard boil will break your potatoes.  Use a gentle simmer to keep the skins intact.

A sprinkle of chopped parsley and a little bit of lemon zest add brightness to nearly anything.

"The mountains are calling and I must go."  ~ John Muir

valentine's day love

I've never really cared much for Valentine's day.

I really like the concept of expressing your appreciation and love for those important to you, I just feel like it should be done more frequently than the one day a year, surrounded by pink and red hearts, prix fixe dinners, and velveted boxes of chocolates.  To me, the Valentine's day with which we are most familiar is a bit contrived and very heavily marketed.

That said, I still like to make a nod to the spirit of Valentine's day.  Some years, I have sent "valentines" to my friends and family, sharing with them some of the things I love (like the smell of freshly ground coffee, or the sound of rain on the rooftops), asking them to consider what they love around them.  Other years, I send a simple text to those important to me, simply wishing them a happy day.

This year, my sweetheart and I headed to a place that has a very special place in both of our hearts. There, we spent time with family and friends, played in the mountains, and simply enjoyed being together.  The fact that this fell on Valentine's day is purely coincidence.

home cooking

While in culinary school, I once asked a chef-instructor where he liked to eat in the surrounding Napa Valley.  His response surprised me, "I don't eat out often.  I find I can make everything better, faster, and cheaper."  These words resonated with me, even years later.

Dining out can be a very enjoyable experience: The ambience of a well thought-out dining room, finding inspiration in the chefs' passionate creations,  and the luxury of someone else taking care of the meal preparation and clean up.  (All of this assuming, of course, that there is available parking in the general vicinity and the wait to be seated is less than two hours!)

However,  I find myself wanting to dine-in more and more, my chef's voice echoing in my head, "Better.  Faster.  Cheaper."  Healthier, too.