From Barr
The team that brought Zolo, Centro and Jax (with Top Chef champion from Season 5, Hosea Rosenberg!) has opened another winner here in Boulder: The Happy Noodle House.
Brussell Sprout Fries - they change the greens featured but all 3 times I had these they were tasty, crispy perfection.
House pickled vegetables were superb. Choices included: Soy marinated daikon radish, classic kimchi, pickled beets and cucumbers. We also tried a Japanese Fava bean pickle which was very surprising and very good.
Villa Wolf Gewurztraminer was the perfect pairing, especially on a hot summer night. The noodles are all made in house so they are tender and delectable. Most combinations are inspired and well executed; they have a wonderful bar too with creative tipples. I hope they think of expanding on the idea into Denver and beyond.
July 2nd, 2009
From Kimberly
I’ve been meaning to get around to farro for about five years. Mary Ann Esposito used farro in one of her Ciao Italia cooking shows; it looked intriguing and I made a mental note to give it a try. Sometimes things just get away from me, farro happens to be one of them.
So what exactly is farro? It is a type of wheat grown in Italy. The farro that I found at Micucci’s (my local Italian market) was semi-pearled which simply means that it was slightly processed to remove some of the hull (outer shell of a grain) and that it cooked more quickly.
For a recent dinner, I made a Citrus Parmesan Farro Salad from 101 Cookbooks. I have tried out quite a few recipes from 101 Cookbooks and they all have been spot on delicious with an added bonus of "healthy too."
Once the farro was cooked (which could be done ahead of time and chilled until need for the salad), this dish came together in minutes and it was soooooo tasty.
Spring green are tossed with farro in a orange-Parmesan dressing and topped with Spanish almonds and crumbled goat cheese. Totally delish! There are pecans in my photo because I ran out of almonds the 2nd time I made this salad (and remembered to take its picture). I preferred the almonds, but the pecans worked just fine as a substitute.
For the recipe, click here (there’s even a quick video for your viewing pleasure).
July 1st, 2009
From Barr
Between family and local friends, we quickly had 40 people on the guest list for Lily’s "Sweet Sixteen" celebration. For the main course, I made a lasagna with pesto (stayed tuned for the recipe). Early in my planning, I decided that a Costco cake was not going to cut it for my wonderful niece.
In order to appease the vegans, I offered Vegan Pistachio Cake. Perfect for crowds, Rich Chocolate Muffins made my life easier because the batter can be made the night before and baked in the morning. Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting got Lily’s "thumbs up." Decorated with edible flowers, it looked really beautiful. It tasted pretty fantastic too!
Lily’s Carrot Cake with "The Best" Cream Cheese Frosting
1 lb. carrots
6 eggs at room temperature
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups safflower oil
2 Tbsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup bran
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
Peel and grate carrots. Pulse grated carrot in a food processor until pieces are broken up slightly. Set aside. Preheat the oven at 375°F. Spray and lightly flour a 10-inch round cake pan, and line with parchment paper.
Crack the eggs into a large mixing bowl and beat with the sugar for a few minutes. Add the oil, vanilla and bran. Sift together the remaining dry ingredients and then sift the dry mixture into the wet mixture in small batches. Stir in carrots. Scoop the batter into the cake pan and bake for 45 to 50 minutes. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
Cream Chesse Frosting
Makes 2 1/2 cups
1 (8 - ounce) package of cream cheese at room temperature
1 stick of butter @ room temperature
seeds of 1 plump vanilla bean (carefully scrape out with a paring knife)
pinch of sea salt
4 cups of powdered sugar, sifted
Place the butter, cream cheese, vanilla bean seeds and sea salt in a food processor and blend together until smooth. Add the powdered sugar in one cup at a time and process until smooth.
Allow cake the cake to cool completly before frosting. Place in the the refrigerator for an hour before serving, to allow the icing to set up.
June 30th, 2009
From Kimberly
It is time for my annual mommy getaway. I am off to the big city or a little R&R and for the Fancy Food Show. First, I plan to do a whole lot of nothing except for reading the newspaper from cover to cover. Then, once restored, I’ll sample my way through the showroom floor: Olive oil, tea, jams, chocolate and so much more.
I promise to report back next week. Enjoy the weekend!
June 26th, 2009
From Kimberly
Rumor has it that one of my favorite chef educators has recently celebrated a milestone birthday, twenty five has never looked so good 
I met Paul Charpentier when I worked as an adjunct faculty member in the Culinary Arts Department at Southern Maine Community College. Oh how I miss his Mussels Dijonnaise, Clams Casino and Crab Cakes! Paul was also a master at the humble potato taking his class from proper mashed potatoes to Pommes Anna.
When I was working on The Big Book of Low Carb, I asked Paul if I could include one of his recipes and he graciously agreed. The brilliance of this salad is its simplicity and the fact that it is best made ahead of time. With five ingredients, including salt and pepper, this Fennel and Red Onion Salad is perfect for potlucks, picnics and cookouts. I served it on Father’s Day alongside rich, beef short ribs and creamy polenta.
Fennel and Red Onion Salad
Serves 4 - 6
2 medium fennel bulbs (about 20 ounces), ends and brown spots trimmed
1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced (about 1 1/4 cups)
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
1/4 cup canola oil
Cut the fennel bulbs into 1/4-inch thick slices. In a medium mixing bowl, toss the fennel and onion slices together with the salt and pepper; set aside.
To make the dressing: Whisk the vinegar and oil together until blended and smooth. Pour the dressing over the fennel and onion mixture and toss to coat the vegetables with the dressing. Refrigerate the salad for at least 4 hours or even overnight. Toss again before serving.
I like to think that behind every great chef is a great instructor who had the patience to teach him/her the proper way to prepare hollandaise, beurre blanc and consommé. Joyeux Anniversaire à vous mon cher ami!
June 25th, 2009
From Kimberly
Well rhubarb has gone full circle in my kitchen: Traditional stewed rhubarb from the Fanny Farmer Cookbook, totally amazing rhubarb jam and a tangy, sweet rhubarb BBQ sauce.
This recipe for compote is still on my list but rhubarb is on the wane so it might have to wait until next year. It is now time for Maine strawberries, although I am worried about what all this rain is going to do to the harvest.
Last year, I made this BBQ sauce from Taste of Home to rave reviews. With an ample supply a rhubarb, I figured that I should make it again. This BBQ sauce should be used as a finishing sauce or as a dipping sauce at the table. It is delicious on grilled chicken, pork, salmon or tofu.
I have played with the recipe a bit using a combination of honey and molasses in place of the dark corn syrup but honestly, I like the original version best. I used my immersion blender to puree the rhubarb and the sauteed onions. You needn’t puree the onions unless you happen to be cooking for someone with onion-aversion. Click here for the recipe.
June 23rd, 2009
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