A Busy Weekend With Family

Ah, a little bit of time to myself to catch up on one of the things I enjoy most: blogging! Here are some photos from the weekend. My sister-in-law graduated and got her Masters degree and my husband's parents spent a couple of days with us. It was a lot of fun!

Thai Roast Duck Noodle Soup

Category:		Soups & Stews
Style:		Thai
Servings:		2

Description:
The combination of the savory roast duck atop a steaming noodle soup is divine.

Ingredients:
2 Duck leg quarters, bone-in and skin on
1 pkg. of dried rice noodles (whatever style you prefer; here, I used thin rice noodles)
Beef or chicken broth, your preference
1/2 chopped yellow onions
Chinese Five Spices
Sweet Soy Sauce
Salt & pepper
Broccoli florets
Green Onions
Cilantro for garnish
Garlic for crispy garlic oil as condiment

Directions:
ROAST DUCK
-Set oven to 350 degrees
-Season liberally duck leg quarters with Chinese 5 Spices, sweet soy sauce and salt and pepper. The goal is to make it as close to a dry rub as possible. Place on cooking sheet and bake 30 - 45 minutes, depending on the size of the leg quarters.
-Remove the tray from the oven and change the oven setting to broil. When sufficiently hot, reinsert the duck in order to crisp its skin, about 3 minutes.
-Remove and let stand to cool. Once cooled, use a cleaver knife and chop into 1-inch wide slices. Set aside until ready to serve.

NOODLE:

-While the duck is baking in the oven, Bring 2 cups of water and 2 cups of either beef or chicken broth to a boil. Season with salt and pepper, and if you have Star Anise, drop a couple of cloves in there to add a unique Asian flair. Don't eat it - it's only for flavoring purposes only! A good substitute is a cinnamon stick.
-Add chopped onions
-Grab a handful of dried rice noodles and place it in a hand strainer. Dip into boiling broth to soften the noodle, about 1 minute. Strain from broth and put into a serving bowl.
-Do the same thing with the broccoli florets, but this time a bit longer so the broccoli is cooked but still crunchy. Place atop the cooked noodle.
-Add broth to the serving bowl. Atop it with the chopped roast duck.
-Garnish with chopped green onions, cilantro and garlic oil (recipe to follow).
-Season with hot chili sauce, fish sauce and a pinch of sugar.
Enjoy!

GARLIC OIL:

Crush one whole and peeled garlic and brown in 2 tbsp. of vegetable oil. Cook until the garlic appears light golden brown. This will keep in the fridge for about two weeks, and it can be used as a condiment for a variety of dishes.

Just Me

I'm bored, so I'm just going to post this mindless, not much about anything video clip. That's all.

Green Papaya Salad With Chilies and LIme ("Som Tum")

This salad is wildly popular all over Thailand, but it’s a signature dish of the northwestern regions. In Thailand, you can order it in upscale restaurants or, even more traditional and somehow more delicious, order it to go with a street vendor. He or she will wrap it up in plastic bags, accompanied with sticky rice. It’s made from pale green shreds of unripe papaya with a vibrant balance of sour, sweet and hot, hot, hot! “Som” means “sour,” and “Tum” means “to pound.” As an added bonus, papaya is full of good things for your body!

If you want to make the dish the way Thais make it, you’ll need a mortar and pestle and some ingredients from an ethnic grocer. ; ) There are different variations, but this is my favorite version.

INGREDIENTS:
6 fresh “kii noo” - that is , Thai chilies or 2 serrano chilies. I use LOTS more b/c we love it burnin’ hot! Can you handle it?!
1 Tbsp coarsely chopped garlic
1 Tsp coarsely chopped shallot
1 small hard, green, unripe papaya, peeled and finely shredded (about 2 cups). I buy mine pre-shredded at 99 Ranch Market in Clairemont Mesa, which saves a lot of time! A food processor does a good job too.
A little bit of shredded carrot as well to add color to the dish
1 Tsp palm sugar or sugar
1/4 Tsp salt
2 Tbsp fish sauce
1/2 lime, quarter length-wise
7 cherry or grape tomatoes, quartered, length-wise. I prefer grape tomatoes because I think they’re more flavorful.

METHOD:
In a bowl of a large, heave mortar, combine the chilies, garlic and shallot. Grind and pound w/ a pestle until they are broken down, but not completely mushy.

Add the papaya and pound until the shreds become limp and soft. Turn the mixture as you pound. One at a time, add the sugar, salt and fish sauce and mix well. Squeeze the juice from each lime, then add the lime pieces to the mortar as well. Add the tomatoes and pound another minute, releasing some of their juices. Be careful not to squirt the juices at yourself while your pounding!

Taste and adjust the seasonings, which should be a balance of sour, hot, salty and sweet. You’ll know it when it’s good. ; ) Transfer the salad to a serving dish and serve and drizzle the sauce from the mortar. I always serve this with a wedge of cabbage or Nappa cabbage and rotisserie chicken.

Garlic Soba Noodles

I’ve been trying new tofu recipes. This one was delicious. I love the contrast in the crunchiness of the breaded tofu and the soft and warm soba noodles. Next time, I need to use kale right away because I had to throw out half of it for this dish (some of the leaves were yellow!). Live and learn…
I got the recipe from http://www.101cookbooks.com/. The owner of this site has wonderful recipes! I know I will be a frequent patron of her site. Here is the recipe, adapted to my personal taste:

8 ounces dried soba noodles (I used wheat soba b/c it’s better for you)

3/4 cup bread crumbs

1/4 cup Parmesan freshly grated

big pinch of salt

12 ounces extra firm organic tofu, cut into 6 rectangular slabs

2 eggs, lightly beaten

a generous splash of olive oil

1 bunch green onions, greens trimmed, thinly sliced4 big handfuls of chard, spinach or kale (I used Kale!) - destemmed and cut into bite-sized pieces

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 cup Parmesan, freshly grated

a few baby radishes, sliced paper thin (I left this out - not too crazy about radishes)

Boil a large pot of water and cook soba noodles per packet instructions or until just tender. Drain and set aside.

While the water is coming to a boil, get the tofu started by combining the bread crumbs, Parmesan and salt in a shallow plate. Dunk each piece of tofu in the egg and then press into the bread crumbs. Make sure each piece is nicely coated with crumbs. Pan-fry in a skillet in a bit of olive oil until both sides are golden, flipping once along the way. Slice into strips and set aside.

Add the olive oil (and bit of salt) to a large skillet over med-high heat. Stir in the green onions, kale, and cook for a minute until the kale collapses. Stir in the soba noodles. Stir in the garlic powder and Parmesan. Remove from heat. Serve family-style or on individual plates - each nest of noodles topped with some of the tofu slices.

Culinary Trends - Happy Hour in San Diego

I'm posting this as a note to myself for the next time I am in need of a cool happy hour venue! (Courtesy of the San Diego Magazine)

Happy hour in San Diego isn't just about cocktails anymore. A host of local restaurants are delighting early diners with discounted samples of some of their most popular dinnertime dishes.

Avenue 5 Restaurant & Bar recently extended its happy hour from 5 to 7 p.m. and offers samplings such as crab cakes, mushroom tortellini and the Avenue 5 burger for just $6. A Tuesday-night special features a complimentary wine pairing with a tasting menu. 2760 Fifth Avenue, 619-542-0394; www.avenue5restaurant.com.

Laurel Restaurant & Bar in Bankers Hill also inspires happy customers in the early evening with its "Seven Before 7" happy hour, which offers seven drinks and seven food items for $7 each. Plates include Mediterranean mussels, braised duck and stone fruit flatbread and shrimp falafel balls. Laurel also offers a three-course pre-theater special for $35 or $55 with wine. 505 Laurel Street, 619-239-2222; www.sdurbankitchen.com/laurelrestaurant.html.

Blue Coral Seafood and Spirits in La Jolla is welcoming warmer weather with its "High Tide Happy Hour," available on its two outdoor patios and at the bar. From 5 to 7 p.m. guests can enjoy a menu of appetizers, a specialty cocktail and wine by the glass for $5 each. 8990 University Center Lane, 858-453-BLUE (2583); www.bluecoralseafood.com.

Arterra Restaurant at the San Diego Marriott Del Mar gives commuters a reason to forgo rush-hour traffic at its "Merge @ Arterra" happy hour. From 4 to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, cocktail specials, sushi and appetizers are served on the outdoor patio. 11966 El Camino Real, 858-369-6032; www.arterrarestaurant.com.

Spice-Rubbed Beef With Chimichurri Sauce

I used my food processor for the second time in over a year! This dish was inspired by an entree Cyrus had at Eve, an excellent restaurant in Ann Arbor, MI.

Blanca Restaurant

We were excited about dining at Blanca because we heard that Blanca is one of the first restaurants in San Diego County to reach a level of sophistication, service and style to rival the top restaurants such as the ones in New York and San Francisco. The restaurant opened in June 2006, after an extensive remodel from a former bicycle shop. When we entered, I was impressed by the muted lighting, contemporary design and sultry aura of the dining room. Who would have imagined that an old bike shop could be transformed into an ultra-upscale and swanky restaurant?

The amber lighting urged us to slip into the plush, oversize booth where we felt separated enough from other diners but still have sufficient view to people-watch. Except for one man who spoke too loudly about his adventures in Las Vegas, the other diners were well-dressed and tanned individuals who fit quite well in the setting of the restaurant.

My husband attempted to order a mojito, but the server told us that they were out of mint. How hard is it to run to the store and buy mint? Huh. Not a good start. We then prefaced our dinner with the Loch Duart Salmon Tartare, which was extraordinary. We ordered it because the quail eggs described in the menu caught my attention. The tartare was fresh and delicious.The server then brought out a Salad of Young Greens and the Crow's Pass Cauliflower Soup. Freshly baked bread and butter placed table-side. The slices of butter were presented on a cold, silver brick-shape block. It was surprisingly heavy! The salad was good, but it wasn't extraordinary. However, the soup was out of this world. The cauliflower was smoothly pureed, and I tasted a distinct essence of white truffle oil and smoky bits of bacon. It was served in a soup tureen that was surprisingly light. Such paradox!

Our main entrees were the Merlot Braised Short Rib and the Day Boat Diver Scallop. While we both agreed with one another that the rib was something I could probably make at home, or even something better, the scallop dish was worthwhile. Three large sea scallops were seared and presented on a layer of sauteed vegetables and potato pancakes. I liked the combination of the scallops and the crunchiness of the potato pancake.

As far as table service, we didn't have any complaints. The server was attentive and friendly, but she wasn't as polished as we would assume a restaurant with this level of sophistication would be. She asked how our meals were. At any restaurant, that would be welcomed, but for an especially upscale dining experience, we believe servers should be trained to anticipate the needs of its diners without having to ask. They did, however, confirm our reservation three weeks before our dining date. So, book early if you want to go there.I didn't dare take photos of our dishes. It was that kind of place. But here is a snapshot of the dining room, courtesy of Open Table. We enjoy trying out new restaurants, so we would probably go back to Blanca for their happy hour, when we can enjoy their superior appetizers and wine selection.

Blanca

437 South Highway 101

Solana Beach(858) 792-0072

www.dineblanca.com

Attention, Cooks and Cookbook Fanatics!

Ah-hem. PAULIIINNNNNE! I just discovered a wonderful website where you can put together your own cookbook, filled with your own recipes, photos, and recipes from Epicurious.com, all beautifully bound in hardcover and in full color. What an awesome concept! Check it out - I'm so excited and I can't wait 'til I create one of my own! TasteBook.com

[Again, Multiply is in major need of a Blast/Blurb/Status whatever you wanna call it.]

Yahoo Mash!

First of all, I wish Multiply would have a "Blast" feature like Yahoo 360. Hopefully, they are working on something like it so that I wouldn't have to post this quick announcement in a blog.

Anyhoo, I have access to Yahoo Mash, which many of you probably know is still in its Beta format and people may join by invitation only. If you are interested in checking it out, give me a holler, and I will send you an invitation. In my opinion, it is still in its baby stage right now. There are several modules one can play around with, but my first impression in the first 10 minutes or so of looking around is that it still has quite a ways to go before it is fully ready to be competitive in the social network market. I hope they don't try to mirror Facebook...

For now, I plan to blog here at Multiply because it at least allows me a space to pontificate. Facebook fails miserably in this department - it is fun enough, but it seems very "schizophrenic" with its use of 3rd party applications that encourage friends to send random items as gifts, smiles, comments, but nothing of substance like creating a blog. It lets you peep in on your neighbors, so to speak. MySpace, on the other hand, offers blogging capabilities, but it's a total meat market and my profile has gotten phished, so I step cautiously around MySpace.

Hopefully, within this new year, I will find a permanent home somewhere for my blogs. Too bad they have to eventually shut down 360. That was a fun place to play!