Best San Francisco Cippino Recipe

San Francisco is a beautiful place, and the food there is beyond fabulous! One of my favorite meals is cioppino which is a sort of soup or seafood stew.

Cioppino is San Francisco's answer to bouillabaisse without the saffron broth. Like that famous Provencal seafood soup, cioppino is made with a variety of the freshest seafood available. Feel free to use whatever seafood and fish you can find that is fresh and your favorite.

Here's a recipe that you will absolutely love!

Cioppino Recipe

1/4 cup olive oil or vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, mashed or pressed
1 large green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and diced
2/3 cup chopped parsley
1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
1 can (28 ounces) tomatoes
1 cup dry red or white wine
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon dry basil
1/2 teaspoon dry oregano leaves
12 clams in shell, suitable for steaming, scrubbed
1 pound large shrimp, (30 per pound), shelled and deveined
2 live or cooked large Dungeness crab (about 2 pounds each), cleaned and cracked

In 6-8 quart pan over medium heat, combine oil, onion, garlic, bell pepper, and parsley. Cook, stirring often, until onion is soft. Stir in tomato sauce, tomatoes (break them up with spoon) and their liquid, wine, bay leaf, basil, and oregano. Cover and simmer until slightly thickened, about 20 minutes.

Add clams, shrimp, and crab to the broth. Cover and simmer gently until clams pop open and shrimp turn pink, about 20 minutes. Ladle hot broth and some of each shellfish into large bowls. Serve with warm sourdough or crusty french bread.



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Chocolate Fig Cake Recipe

Chocolate fig cake is also known as pudding in Great Britain, where the recipe originated. This moist, dense cake is quite rich and also quite tasty. We enjoyed it at a restaurant called "The Muffin Man" while we were visiting London recently, and I was lucky to find a very authentic recipe for it at a rather nice website called Online Free Recipes. The owner of the site has graciously given me permission to re-print the recipe.

Chocolate Fig Pudding Cake

1/3 cup unsalted butter

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/3 cup ground semisweet chocolate

1/2 cup ground almonds

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup milk

1 cup diced, dried black figs

In food processor or large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs and vanilla extract. Add cocoa powder, ground chocolate and almonds; mix until light and fluffy.

In separate, medium-size mixing bowl, sift together flour, salt, cream of tartar and baking soda. Add dry ingredients alternately with milk to chocolate mixture. Blend slowly until smooth. Fold in figs. Pour batter into greased 1 1/2-quart pudding mold.

Place on rack in large, deep steamer pot or roasting pan with 1 inch boiling water.

Steam at moderate heat on top of stove for 1 1/2 hours, checking water level every half hour.

Unmold. Serve warm, dusted with confectioners' sugar or topped with whipped cream.

NOTE: This may be made several days in advance and refrigerated. Reheat in steamer before serving. Makes approximately 8 slices.

I hope you enjoy this as much as we did!

Chococlate Fig Cake Recipe

7 Layer Salad Recipe - Great for Summer Picnics

A 7 Layer Salad is a great summer time side dish. It's one of those salads that can be prepared well ahead of an event or picnic, and easily carried along. For a beautiful presentation, use a glass serving bowl to show off the layers.

Where I come from, the Seven Layer Salad is a must at most family and holiday get togethers. Try it for your Fourth of July Picnic or Barbecue. Here's the recipe:

Ingredients:

6 cups chopped iceberg lettuce
salt and pepper
6 hard-cooked eggs, sliced
2 cups frozen peas, thawed
8 to 16 ounces bacon, crisp-cooked, drained, and crumbled
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded mild Cheddar cheese or crumbled Blue cheese
1 cup mayonnaise
1 to 2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup sliced green onion with tops
paprika

Preparation:

Put 3 cups of the iceberg lettuce in bottom of large glass bowl; sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Layer egg slices over lettuce in bowl and sprinkle with more salt and pepper. Continue to layer the remaining ingredients in this order: peas, remaining lettuce, crumbled bacon, and shredded cheese, along with light sprinklings of salt and pepper. Combine the mayonnaise and sugar; spread evenly over top, spreading to edge of bowl to cover entire salad.

Cover and chill 24 hours or overnight. Garnish with green onion and a little paprika. Toss just before serving.

This salad serves 12 to 15.

Shortbread Cookies Recipe

One of my favorite afternoon treats with a spot of tea, is shortbread cookies. They are delicate and crisp, and just barely sweet. Shortbread cookies are good with berries or other fruits on the side for a nice, light dessert, too.

Although these cookies are a traditional Christmas cookie, they are good year round for snacks or desserts. They are easy to make, and require few ingredients. You probably have all the ingredients on your shelf.
They are surprisingly easy to make, and should be in the repetroire of all bakers and non-bakers out there. Here is an easy shortbread cookies recipe that you'll want to make over and over again.

Shortbread Cookies

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup powdered sugar (confectioners or icing)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. Whisk the flour with the salt. Set aside.
2. Cream the butter until smooth with an electric mixer (about 1 minute). Add the sugar and beat until smooth (about 2 minutes). Beat in the vanilla extract, then stir in the flour mixture until just incorporated. Flatten the dough into a disk shape, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for at least an hour or overnight.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) with the rack in the middle of the oven.
4. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
5. On a lightly floured surface roll out the dough to 1/4 inch thick. Cut into rounds or whatever shape you prefer using lightly floured cookie cutters. Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheet and put in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes. This will firm up the dough so the cookies will maintain their shape when baked.
6. Bake for 8 - 10 minutes, or until cookies are lightly brown. Cool on rack.

Shortbread keeps best in an airtight container for about a week or frozen for several months.
Makes about 20 shortbread cookies.

You can play with the texture of shortbread, too. You can change it by replacing 1/4 cup of the flour with rice flour, which will give them a somewhat crunchy texture. If you prefer a more delicate tasting shortbread with a melt-in-your-mouth texture, replace 1/2 cup of the flour with cornstarch (corn flour).

Shortbreads can be cut into various shapes using your favorite cookie cutter, or baked in a tart pan. For more variations, sprinkle the baked cookies with granulated white sugar or dip the ends of the shortbread in melted chocolate.

The secret to good shortbread is to use a good quality unsalted butter (look for Grade AA or A) and pure vanilla extract. The best pure vanilla extract that I have found, although it is quite expensive, is Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract. It can be found in specialty food stores and online. Just don't use those labeled "imitation" vanilla extracts as they are made with synthetic vanilla (from glycoside found in the sapwood of certain conifers or from coal extracts) and leave a bitter aftertaste.

Tres Leches Cake Recipe

Living in Miami, we have come to enjoy the Latin American favorite dessert, Tres Leche Cake. My friend Ana, who is from Venezuela, gave me this Tres Leche cake recipe, and we have enjoyed it over the years for holidays, birthdays, and special occasions.

If you want to try a taste of Miami, try this cake:

Tres Leche Cake

5 eggs
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups white sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 cups whole milk
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract


DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan.


2. Sift flour and baking powder together and set aside.


3. Cream butter and 1 cup of sugar together until fluffy. Add eggs and 1/2 teaspoon of the vanilla extract, beat well.


4. Add the flour mixture to the butter or margarine mixture a little at a time, mix until well blended. Pour batter into the prepared pan.


5. Bake cake layer at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and pierce cake all over with a fork or skewer. Allow cake to cool.


6. Combine the whole milk, evaporated milk, condensed milk, and almond extract together. Pour over the top of the cooled cake.


7. Whip the heavy whipping cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 1 cup of the sugar together until quite thick. Spread over the top of cake, and refridgerate until ready to serve.

Recipe for Pulled Pork

Several people have asked me recently for a recipe for pulled pork. Pulled pork is a traditional southern United States favorite, and their are as many recipes out there for it as there are pulled pork fans.

Here is a recipe for pulled pork that is not only easy to prepare, but tasty too. Try it for yourself:

Recipe for Pulled Pork

1 4 pound boneless pork shoulder
4 tablespoons kosher or coarse salt
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
1/4 cup paprika (I use the Szeged Hungarian Paprika)
2 to 3 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only
4 cloves garlic
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

6 buns or hard rolls


Put the pork shoulder, fat side up, in a roasting pan on a rack insert. Pulse the salt, pepper, brown sugar, paprika, thyme leaves, garlic, vinegar, and cayenne in a food processor until well combined. Add extra-virgin olive oil and pulse the mixture becomes a paste. Rub the spice paste all over the pork. Cover the pork let rest in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours or overnight.

Bring the pork to room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. and roast the pork for about 3 1/2 hours, uncovered, until the outside is crispy and brown. Let the meat rest for about 10 minutes before slicing.

To serve the pulled pork, cut the buns in half and pile on some pork. Top with a large spoonful of coleslaw if desired, and place the top half of the bun on top.



recipe for pulled pork

Sour Cream Coffee Cake Recipe

Yesterday morning I met a colleague at a small cafe off Lincoln Road to collaborate on a project. (I'm not naming the cafe due to the poor experience we had there.)

My colleague ordered a cappuccino and chocolate croissant. I had a hot tea and a slice of their sour cream coffee cake (a big favorite of mine). The cappuccino was quite large and served piping hot with just the right amount of foam on top. The croissant was adequate. My tea had a very strange medicinal taste, and I'm certain they do not use filtered water (a must here on Miami Beach as our water has a foul taste). The coffee cake was stale and so dry that I could barely swallow it. This was not the sour cream coffee cake of my childhood!

My Grandmother was a wonderful cook, and her sour cream coffee cake was one of the family favorites. After such a disappointing experience, I had to come home and make my own to satisfy my need for a nice, moist coffee cake. Here is my grandmother's recipe. I hope you will try it and let me know if you like it, too.

My Grandmother's Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Streusel Topping:
1/2 cup granulated or brown sugar, or 1/4 cup each
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans

Batter:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon double-acting baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter or margarine, softened
1 cup granulated
3 large eggs
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream or plain yogurt
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

Glaze:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
1 to 2 tablespoons milk

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (325°F if using a glass pan). Grease one 9-inch Bundt or tube pan, and dust with flour.

2. To make the streusel: Combine the sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg. Cut in the butter to resemble coarse crumbs. Stir in the nuts.

3. To make the batter: Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter until smooth, about 1 minute. Gradually add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Blend in the sour cream, vanilla, and lemon zest. Gradually stir in the flour mixture.

4. Spread half of the batter in the prepared pan. Sprinkle with half of the streusel. Carefully cover with the remaining batter and sprinkle with the remaining streusel.

5. Bake unitl the coffee cake is golden and pulls away from the sides of the pan, about 50 minutes. Place on a rack and let cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature. Wrap the coffee cake in plastic and store at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

6. To make the glaze: Combine all the glaze ingredients, stirring until smooth and of pouring consistency. Drizzle over the cake and let stand until set.

Why Food?

Let's face it - food is one of the most important things in our lives. Food not only nourishes, but also gives us pleasure. I love everything about food. Reading about food, preparing and cooking food, and of course eating it!

I plan to share my love of food with every post. I'll review restaurants when I travel. I'll tell you about what I'm preparing in my own kitchen. I'll give you menu suggestions, and much more including recipes, too.

About a year ago, we had the opportunity to travel to Italy. What a trip for a foodie. Unbelieveable extra virgin olive oil, pasta, wine. It was an incredible food adventure.
I'll tell you more about that trip in future posts, but for now here is a recipe for a simple, yet luxurious appetizer that we enjoyed in Rome. Enjoy Bruschetta with a nice glass of Fontanafredda Briccotondo Barbera 2006, a lovely red wine from the Piedmont region of Italy.

Bruschetta con Pomodoro

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
6 small ripe but firm tomatoes, halved, seeded and finely diced (roma tomatoes work well)
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 fresh basil leaves, chiffonade
Cayenne pepper, to taste
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 (1/2-inch thick) slices Italian country bread
2 cloves garlic, halved
Sea salt

In a bowl, combine the olive oil, tomatoes, minced garlic, basil, cayenne, and salt. Set aside for at least 60 minutes to marinate.

Toast the bread in a 400 degree oven until golden; rub each slice of toast with the halved garlic cloves immediately upon removing it from the oven. Drizzle each slice of bread with additional extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of sea salt.

Top the bread with the tomato mixture, garnish with leaves of fresh basil and serve.

Bon appetit!

Tags: italian, food, recipes, bruschetta, wine