You can’t deny it, we have great food in Lodi. These are a few of my favorites.
- Alebrijes Mexican Bistro: Shrimp Cocktail and Seasonal Guacamole – oh so good.
- Shangri La Asian Bistro: Ma Po Tofu and the spicy noodle soup – wonderful on a cold night.
- Rosewood Bar & Grill: Fried Calamari with shrimp – perfectly prepared.
- Casa Mexicana: house-made flour tortillas, refried beans and albondigas soup – the perfect breakfast.
- Wild Dogz: strangely my favorite thing there isn’t a hot dog at all, but their black bean burger with cheese – spicy and satisfying, you won’t miss the meat a bit!
What are your favorite Lodi eats?
What is wonderful about Boulette’s Larder at the San Francisco Ferry building except for everything? Their delightful breakfasts and cookies of course! Not to mention the wonderful foods and kitchen stuffs they have for sale in the restaurant. I was just there on Monday and enjoyed what was probably the best breakfast that I have had in my life. I started out with three very small, perfect cookies: peanut butter, gingerbread and a jam thumbprint cookie. The cookies were absolutely wonderful; Plato would have put them up there with his chair. I have not had better. I then had and interesting combination of farm fresh scrambled eggs cooked with a lot of fresh butter, topped with farro, then a mound of good parmigiano reggiano, served with a side of micro greens in a light olive oil based dressing. The combination of flavors and textures were incredible. Not to mention, the meal fueled me well for the rest of the morning. I will definitely be back to visit soon to try the other wonderful things they offer. For more information visit bouletteslarder.com.
To try farro, a delicious and nutty grain, I have seen it sold at Fiori’s Butcher Shoppe, where one can find everything delicious and Italian. Give it a try, you will love it!
Another tried and true recipe from Giada de Laurentiis. Best of all it is delicious, easy, and affordable,
Stracciatella Soup
Serves: 4
6 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
1 cup lightly packed spinach leaves, cut in thin strips
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Bring the broth to a boil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. In a bowl, whisk the eggs, cheese, parsley, and basil to blend. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Stir the broth in a circular motion. Gradually drizzle the egg mixture into the moving broth, stirring gently with a fork to form thin strands of egg, about 1 minute. Stir in the spinach, then season the soup, to taste, with salt and pepper.
Ladle the soup into bowls and serve.
Source: Giada de Laurentiis
Oh so good served with prosciutto wrapped breadsticks. Also try it with Parmesan Frico crisps – yum!
Frico Crisps
Serves: 4 Crisps
1 teaspoon butter
1/2 pound Montasio, or Asiago or Parmesan cheese, coarsely grated
In a medium non-stick skillet melt enough butter to just coat the bottom of the pan over medium heat. Sprinkle a fine layer of grated cheese in a circular pattern over the bottom of the pan and shake the pan to evenly distribute, as though making an omelet. Cook over medium heat until it has melted and formed a light crust, 3 to 4 minutes. Continue to cook until the edges set and a golden crust develops, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Gently lift and turn with a spatula or fork and cook until lightly golden on the second side, 2 to 3 minutes, being careful not to let it burn.
Remove the frico from the pan and either set it flat on a paper towel, shape it over an inverted custard cup, or drape over a rolling pin or dowel. Continue with the remaining cheese.
Source: Emeril Lagasse
Also know as Curcuma Domestica, Turmeric is a popular Indian spice that is spicy and savory. A close relative of ginger, turmeric offers a distinct flavor and color to dishes that I just adore. If you don’t use turmeric in your cooking now, when you start to, you may say to yourself, “where have you been for so long?” I love to cook with it, especially in the fall, as it is very warming at the end of rainy and cold days. Due to turmeric’s antioxidant power, it is thought to be good for your immune system.
Fall Butternut Squash Soup with Turmeric
½ Onion, chopped
2 Carrots, chopped
2 Celery stocks, chopped
2 Tablespoons of olive oil
1 Butternut squash: peeled, seeded and cubed
32 Ounces of vegetable stock
1/2 Cup of water, add more if too thick
1 Teaspoon of turmeric, add more to taste
½ Teaspoon of cinnamon
Pinch of nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste
Sauté the onion, carrots and celery in olive oil for a few minutes with a pinch of salt until softened. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer until butternut squash is very tender. Blend in a standard blender or hand blender until smooth. Serve warm with toasty bread. Yum!
I can’t say enough good things about my CSA membership. The produce is to die for and I feel good about supporting local farmers. Let’s not forget that this is a town centered around agricultural, our farmers are and integral part of this community. A CSA from an organic source is healthy for you and our environment. I realize that we are all on a budget these days. A great way to save money and be healthy is to enjoy more non-animal protein dinners. When you have great produce, you don’t even miss the meat! Follow the link below to learn more about CSAs and Lodi’s own Lucero Organic Farms.
http://www.localharvest.org/farms/M23490
The veggie recipe below is delicious and hearty!
Greek Caponata
3-4 Main course servings
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with their juice
2 zucchini, cut into 1-inch rounds
2 summer squash, cut into 1-inch rounds
2 tomatoes, cut into wedges
1 large Japanese eggplant, cut into 1-inch rounds
1 red onion, peeled and cut into 1-inch wedges
1 potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
4 to 6 slices toasted sourdough bread, optional for main dish
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Pour the canned tomatoes into a 3 1/2-quart baking dish and spread to cover the bottom. In a large bowl combine the remaining ingredients (excluding the bread). Toss to coat. Pour the vegetables over the canned tomatoes in an even layer. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until the edges of the vegetables are golden, about 30 to 40 minutes.
Serve alone as a side, or over toasted sourdough bread for a main dish.
Source: Giada De Laurentiis
Not sure what to cook, but have lots of leftover meats and/or veggies in the fridge? Make it a frittata! My favorite pan to use is a well-seasoned cast iron skillet, but any oven-safe large sauté pan will do. However, please do not use non-stick pans for high heat cooking, it is not healthy. Simply warm your ingredients in the pan over medium heat with a little olive oil and add six to eight eggs, or any combination of whole eggs and eggs whites, whisked with a little milk. Add cheese and fresh herbs if you so desire. Cook for three to five minutes over medium-high heat until the ends start to pull away from the sides of the pan. Place under the broiler until the top is golden brown. Allow it to sit for a few minutes before serving in order to set. I love it with some fresh sliced tomatoes or a simple salad with vinaigrette dressing. Easy, affordable, delicious, and nutritious – the perfect busy family dish!
Frittatas are also great for entertaining. The recipe below is excellent and easy to modify with whatever ingredients you have on hand. Have fun with it and find which combinations you like best.
Mini Frittatas
Giada De Laurentiis
Serves: Roughly 40 mini frittatas
Nonstick vegetable oil cooking spray
8 large eggs
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 ounces thinly sliced ham, chopped
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Spray 2 mini muffin tins (each with 24 cups) with nonstick spray. Whisk the eggs, milk, pepper, and salt in a large bowl to blend well. Stir in the ham, cheese, and parsley. Fill prepared muffin cups almost to the top with the egg mixture. Bake until the egg mixture puffs and is just set in the center, about 8 to 10 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, loosen the frittatas from the muffin cups and slide the frittatas onto a platter. Serve immediately.
September 27th, 2009 in
General by
Robyn |
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Don’t just watch Michael Chiarello on television, go check out his new restaurant Bottega in the Napa Valley. Chances are you may even run into him there! Rumor has it that he is a perfectionist and a bit of a social butterfly, fluttering around the dining room and patio flirting with patrons. I know we are all watching our budgets, but you have to treat yourself once in a while. Nothing could be more inspiring to the home cook than his classic Italian, yet wonderfully creative, menu. Don’t miss the organic house-cured prosciutto and the wood grilled octopus – incredible! I assure you, the food is well worth the drive.
http://www.botteganapavalley.com
http://michaelchiarello.com
Bottega Ristorante
V Marketplace
6525 Washington Street, A9
Yountville, CA 94599
707.945.1050
September 21st, 2009 in
General by
Robyn |
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Congrats to Ruben Larrazolo for winning the Ultimate Chef’s Tomato Challenge in Stockton. I met Ruben last year while doing a tasting of foods at the Grape Festival for a column. He is a very nice person and an excellent chef! Alebrijes is a wonderful restaurant with delicious fresh food and a creative and exciting menu. I love the seasonal guacamoles and the healthy fare portion of the menu. The tortilla soup is to die for!
What to do with an abundance of tomatoes? Don’t let them go to waste! I love making a simple marina sauce and freezing it for use later. Marinara is so versatile, as it can be used as a base for variety of sauces and soups.
Easy Marinara
1 Small onion, chopped
3 Cloves garlic, chopped
2 Pounds ripe tomatoes, seeded and roughly chopped
2 Tablespoons olive oil
¾ Cup dry white wine
3 Shakes of Tabasco sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
Start out by sautéing onions in olive oil with a pinch of salt for five minutes over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté for an additional five minutes until both are softened. Add tomatoes and wine and cook on medium high, stirring often for about fifteen minutes until tomatoes are softened. With an immersion blender or standard blender, blend tomatoes until smooth. Cook for an additional ten minutes, adding Tabasco sauce and salt and pepper to taste. Lasts for four days in the fridge and freezes beautifully!
You absolutely have to check out the cooking show Emeril Green if you have not already. It is a great show with terrific recipes geared toward healthy eating. Follow the link below to find out more about the show and the recipes featured. The oven baked fries are just delicious without the greasiness and all of the fat!
http://planetgreen.discovery.com/tv/emeril-green/
It is time for all of us to start eating healthier!
The bounty of good, local and organic produce that we have right now is amazing! We are so lucky to live where we do. I hope you are taking the time to prepare and enjoy all of the wonderful fruits and veggies that are in season right now. Cooking in season is not only budget smart, but delicious! At a loss for affordable ways to cook veggies? Make it a pizza! A whole wheat crust is the way to go; it is healthier than its white flour counterpart and offers more flavor and a delicious chewy texture. If you are not up for making your own, Trader Joe’s offers a great whole wheat pizza dough for just a couple of bucks. I made a delicious pizza last night by sautéing tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, squash and onions in a little olive oil. I added a pinch of dried oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper to round out the flavors. I topped the pizza dough with the veggies and finished with a handful of crumbled feta. Ten minutes in the oven and it was done. It was so delicious, not to mention healthy and nutritious. Don’t forget to eat your veggies!
