Serge the Concierge

Salad Inspiration, Roasted Red Pepper and Anchovy Salad from 'Spanish Flavors'

After Orange Scented Apple Bunuelos, a quick dessert to serve to friends from Spanish Flavors (Kyle Books, US publication January 2013) by Jose Pizarro, time for salad inspiration.

Roasted red pepper and anchovy salad on roasted garlic toasts 

The red peppers in Spain are outstanding and there is almost nothing better than peppers roasted in a proper wood-fired oven, a service that during my childhood was provided by the village baker. I’ll always remember the aroma that filled the house when my mother returned from the baker’s bearing a large tray of these wonderful vegetables. The combination of sweet roasted red peppers and salty anchovies is always a winner. This can be served as a tapas, as the larger Basquestyle pintxos or even as a light lunch with a dressed green salad and a poached egg. If you’re in a hurry, instead of roasting the red peppers, use a jar/can of Piquillo peppers, which are already roasted and skinned, and have a great smoky flavor. 

Serves 4

2 large heads of garlic, unpeeled, plus

1 fat clove, finely chopped

4 large thyme sprigs

11/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 large red bell peppers

2 tablespoons sherry vinegar

8 small slices of rustic white bread,

about 1/2-inch thick

16 good-quality anchovy fillets in olive oil,

drained

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Remove the outer papery skin from each head of garlic and take a thin slice off the top of each one to expose the cloves.

Tear off a large square of foil, place the heads of garlic in the center, add 2 of the thyme sprigs, drizzle each head with 1 teaspoon of the olive oil, and sprinkle with a little salt. Wrap securely in the foil, place in a small roasting pan along with the peppers, and roast on the top shelf of the oven for 20–30 minutes, turning the peppers once or twice until the skins have blackened in places. Remove the peppers from the pan, drop them into a plastic bag and leave until cool enough to handle. Return the garlic parcels to the oven and roast for another 35 minutes, or until the cloves feel very soft when pressed.

Meanwhile, slit open the peppers, working over a bowl so that you catch all the juices, and remove and discard the stalks, seeds and skin. Tear the flesh into 1/2-inch-wide strips, and add to the bowl of juices with the chopped garlic clove, vinegar, the remaining thyme leaves, and the rest of the olive oil. Stir well together.

Remove the garlic from the oven and set the parcel aside. Toast the slices of bread. (I like to put mine on the bars of a preheated cast-iron ridged griddle long enough to give the bread a slightly smoky taste, then finish it off in the toaster.) Unwrap the roasted garlic, squeeze some of the purée from each clove and spread it onto the toast while both are still hot.

Sprinkle with a few sea salt flakes and some black pepper. Season the pepper strips with a little salt to taste and spoon onto the garlic toast. Garnish each slice with the anchovy fillets, drizzle over some of the pepper juices, and serve while the toast is still crisp. 

(* Recipe from Jose Pizarro's Spanish Flavors-Published in US by Kyle Books, January 2013- Photos by Emma Lee) 

Orange Scented Apple Bunuelos, Quick Dessert to Serve to Friends from 'Spanish Flavors'

All meals are not planned way ahead.

Sometimes we decide to invite friends spur of the moment and there is not much time to put a meal together. 

This recipe from Spanish Flavors (Kyle Books, US publication January 2013) by Jose Pizarro seems like a natural addition to 'quick recipes'list.

Orange-scented apple bunuelos

Bunuelos are crisp deep-fried fritters popular all over Spain. I came up with the idea for these one day when I had a few apples to use up, and needed a quick dessert to serve to friends. I have to say they were very well received. I love to serve them with the Crema Catalana Ice Cream on page 61.

Serves 6

For the batter

Scant 1/2 cup whole milk

1/2 teaspoon superfine sugar

3/4 cup all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast

pinch of salt

1 extra large eggs, separated

3 tablespoons hard cider

1 tablespoon olive oil

olive or sunflower oil, for deep-frying

For the orange-scented apples

3-4 small dessert apples, such as Macintosh

Finely grated zest of 1/2 orange

1 tablespoon orange juice

1 tablespoon orange-flavored liqueur,such as Grand Marnier

To finish

1/2cup superfine sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the batter, warm the milk with the superfine sugar. Sift the flour, yeast, and salt into a bowl. Make a well in the center, add the egg yolk and gradually whisk in the milk and cider, followed by the oil to make a smooth batter. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place for 1 hour until frothy.

Quarter, core and peel the apples and cut each pieces into 3 wedges. Put them into a bowl with the orange zest, orange juice and orange liqueur and mix well together. Set aside for 1 hour alongside the batter.

When you are ready to cook the fritters, heat some oil for deep-frying to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Whisk the egg white in a clean bowl into soft peaks and gently fold into the batter.

Using a fork, lower one piece of apple at a time into the batter so that it takes a thin, even coating, and then drop it into the hot oil. Cook 6 pieces at a time, for 3 minutes, turning them over halfway through, until crisp and golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain briefly on plenty of paper towels while you cook the remainder.

Mix the superfine sugar with the ground cinnamon, sprinkle over the fritters, and serve immediately,while they are still hot and crisp.

(* Recipe from Jose Pizarro's Spanish Flavors-Published in US by Kyle Books, January 2013- Photos by Emma Lee) 

Do you have to Preorder? 30 Minute Lunch Guaranteed at CinCin in Vancouver, Weekdays Only

As long as your office or workplace is around the corner with offers like that made by CinCin Restaurant in Vancouver of a 30 Minute Lunch Guaranteed (weekdays only) you might be able to take a 30 (35) minutes lunch break away from your desk.

Do you need to pre-order your meal and make a time specific reservation to make this work?

It would have been nice if their introduction of 30 Minute Lunch was accompanied by a menu.

Is tab kept under $30 per person?

Instant Cider, Forget About Powdered Lemonade, Here Comes Powdered Cider

Innovation rules in food sector in my native Morbihan (Brittany).

Worried that your fresh cider might go bad, Cidrerie des Terroirs solves the problem with its just introduced Powdered Cider that gives you Instant Cider anytime you feel like having a 'Bolee'.

Congrats to Cidrerie des Terroirs.

Year Number 9 of Serge the Concierge Starts on Easter Sunday 2013

I often let the mark of a new year starting for 'Serge the Concierge' pass me by.

Not in 2013.

Past 7 months have seen my writing slow down more because of an increased work load than a lack of interest (on my part) or topics.

This new vintage will be made of less words and more photos and I hope at least a video or two each month.

I also hope to reboot 10 Do's and Don'ts and a steady stream of interviews, some in video form.

Thanks all for reading

Happy Easter, Joyeuses Paques!

(* Photo take at Cite de l'Espace in Toulouse in August 2012, Galaxies, a Billion Light Years view-gives you sense of perspective)

No Watering on Sundays, Las Vegas Spring Landscape Watering Restrictions, til April 30

This is more of a Green Day topic yet while exploring what Las Vegas has to offer (for client) in past 2 weeks, i noticed that Spring brings landscape watering restrictions to Las Vegas.

They are all spelled out by Las Vegas Valley Water District and are in effect until April 30, 2013 and in a number of videos.

 

You can water the lawn only on 3 assigned days per week.

No watering allowed on Sundays.

Breakfast is More than Food, The Breakfast Bible by Seb Emina of London Review of Breakfasts

My introduction to London Review of Breakfasts took place while having breakfast at home on a Saturday morning and browsing the Food & Drink pages of the Financial Times and stumbled upon an article The Meaning of Breakfast (February 1, 2013) by Seb Emina one of the London Review of Breakfasts founders. 

Seb Emina notes that even though breakfast is called the most important meal of the day, for many of us it means grabbing coffee and a bite to go on the run Monday through Friday.

I am guilty of that myself.

As Seb mentions, it's always breakfast somewhere around the world and this meal comes in many flavors. As a teen, i worked in the vineyards in Armagnac region at harvest time and breakfast was a solid affair with soup, ham, dry cured sausage and eggs.

Maybe it's time to start saving some mornings during the working week to meet with a friend, a mentor over breakfast and begin the day sasiated and inspired.

Seb's musings on breakfast in book form, The Breakfast Bible is scheduled for publication in the US by Bloomsbury in May 2013.  It is credited to Seb Emina and Malcom Eggs (Seb 'nom de plume' on London Review of Breakfasts').

I have not read the book yet.

Under 25 Minutes Recipe, Sumac Crusted Tuna with Watermelon Salad from the Lebanese Kitchen

After spending hours in the kitchen to make that perfect Thanksgiving Meal, shorter and simpler is in order.

Here's an under 25 minutes recipe from The Lebanese Kitchen (Phaidon Press, October 2012) by Salma Hage.

Sumac Crusted Tuna with Watermelon Salad 

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 2-4 minutes

Serves 2 

Ingredients:

2 x 6 oz/180 g tuna loin steak

Olive boil, for brushing

1 tablespoon ground sumac 

For the Watermelon Salad:

¼ watermelon, seeded and cubed

2 shallots, thinly sliced

¾ cup (3 oz/80 g) pitted black olives

4 mint sprigs, picked

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

2 teaspoons red whine vinegar

2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and pepper 

Instructions:

Put all the ingredients for the watermelon salad into a large bowl, season with salt and pepper, and mix well. Set aside until ready to serve. Next, brush the tuna with olive oil and rub in the sumac Heat a heavy skillet or frying pan and, when hot, add the tuna steaks and cook for 2-4 minutes on each side, according to your taste. Serve immediately with the watermelon salad on the side.

(* Recipe from 'The Lebanese Kitchen' by Salma Hage- Phaidon Press, October 22, 2012- reproduced with permission of the publisher, all rights reserved)

Tapioca Coconut Cake Adds Twist to Holiday Sweets, Happy Thanksgiving

Pumpkin pie, apple pie, ice cream will be part of the dessert offerings on the holiday table. 

Add a twist to your sweet treats selection with Tapioca Coconut Cake from Simply Ming in Your Kitchen, 80 Recipes to Watch, Learn and Cook (Kyle Books, October 2012) by Ming Tsai  in collaboration with Arthur Boehm.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Tapioca Coconut Cake

This is my version of a cake created by Damien ‘Big D’ D’Silva, a linebacker of a chef, who appeared on Simply Ming. His cake featured pearl tapioca, whose wonderful texture I love.

The pearls are clearly visible in both of our versions, suspended in a cooked egg mixture. I’ve kicked things up, though, by flavoring the cake with coconut and lime and serving it with papaya. This makes a unique dessert, one I urge you to try.

Serves 10

1 to 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, for greasing the pan

1–2 tablespoons turbinado sugar

PUDDING

1 cup small-pearl tapioca

2 cups whole milk

¾ cup dark brown sugar

2 cans (about 14 ounces each) unsweetened coconut milk

Pinch of kosher salt

Juice and zest of 1 lime

3 large eggs

3 large egg yolks 

PAPAYA

1 papaya, peeled, seeded and diced

Juice and zest of 1 lime

1 Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit the bottom of a 9-inch springform cake pan (see Tip). Grease the bottom and the sides of the pan with the butter. Place the parchment paper in the pan and grease with butter. Add the sugar and tilt the pan to coat the sides evenly.

2 Make the pudding: Put the tapioca in a medium bowl and add cold water to cover it. Let the tapioca to soak for 1 hour. Drain the tapioca in a large strainer, rinse well under tepid running water and set aside in the strainer.

3 In a large saucepan, combine the milk, brown sugar, coconut milk and salt and bring to a simmer over a medium heat. Add the tapioca, stir, lower the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring, until the tapioca is translucent but still slightly raw at the centre, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour the pudding into a medium sheet pan, add the lime juice and zest and stir to combine. Let cool for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, then transfer to a large bowl.

4 Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a medium bowl, combine the eggs and yolks and whisk until just blended. Pour the eggs over the tapioca, fold to combine, and pour into the prepared pan. Bake until the cake is golden brown in spots and still jiggly in the centre, 35–40 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool, then refrigerate in the pan for at least 8 hours or overnight. 

5 In a medium bowl, combine the papaya and lime juice and zest. Remove the pan ring, place a serving plate on the cake, and invert. Remove the pan bottom, peel off the paper, cut the cake into wedges and serve with the papaya. 

Ming’s tips:

To cut parchment paper for lining the baking pan, put the pan bottom on a sheet of the paper. With a pen or pencil, draw around the bottom, then cut out the circle about 1/8 inch in from the line.

After baking, the cake will seem unset, but will become firm when refrigerated. 

To Drink:

A lychee tea, like Blue Ginger’s

(* Recipe from 'Simply Ming in Your Kitchen, 80 recipes to watch, learn, cook and enjoy' by Ming Tsai and Arthur Boehm - Kyle Books, October 2012- photography by Bill Bettencourt, reproduced with permission of the publisher)

One to Please Vegetarians, Kale Chips with Lemon and Ginger from Salty Snacks

Going green with this second helping from Salty Snacks a how to 'make your own chips, crisps, crackers, pretzels, dips, and other savory bites' (Ten Speed Press, September 2012) paperback cookbook by Cynthia Nims .

After the multiple potential flavors of Taralli, here's one to please vegetarians.

Kale Chips with Lemon and Ginger

Makes 4 to 6 servings

1 bunch (about 7 ounces) kale, rinsed and well dried
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more if needed
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt or flaky or coarse sea salt

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set 2 oven racks at the centermost positions.

Trim the tough stems from the kale leaves. Cut larger leaves crosswise into 3- to 4-inch portions; smaller leaves can be baked as is. Put the kale in a large bowl, drizzle 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over the leaves, and toss well with your hands to evenly coat the leaves with oil. The curlier them, the more you’ll want to use your fingers to rub a bit of oil into the nooks and crannies. Just a light gloss of oil is the goal; drizzle another teaspoon or two over if needed, but avoid excessive oil. Arrange the kale pieces on the prepared baking sheets, the leaves touching each other as little as possible.

Combine the lemon zest, ginger, and salt in a small bowl and use your fingers to rub the ingredients together well. (Be sure to do this at the last minute.) Sprinkle the salt mixture over the kale leaves.
Bake for 10 minutes. Switch the baking sheets and continue baking until the leaves are dry and rigid but not browned, 10 to 12 minutes longer. If some leaves at the outer edges of the baking sheets are ready earlier, transfer them to a wire rack and continue baking the remaining leaves for a few minutes.

Use a metal spatula to transfer the leaves to a wire rack to cool. Serve on a platter or in a broad shallow bowl. The kale chips are best on the day they are made but can be stored for up to 1 day in an airtight container.

(*Reprinted with permission from Salty Snacks: Make Your Own Chips, Crisps, Crackers, Pretzels, Dips, and Other Savory Bitesby Cynthia Nims, copyright © 2012. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group. Photo Credit:Jennifer Martiné)