Opa!

This week in San Francisco we had such a heatwave. The temperature reached into the 100's! These drastic times call for drastic measures. Lots of iced coffee, a dip in the kiddie pool and easy to prepare refreshing fare. This heat reminded me of an episode of "Sex and The City" when the ladies got caught sneaking into a posh NYC rooftop pool and were thrown out. If Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte lived in San Francisco I would have them over for mojitos and a cooking lesson. When it gets this hot outside I crave fresh, lemony, chilled foods laced with fragrant herbs. Hmm, sounds Greek to me! And well that's exactly what was on the menu this past Wednesday at the cooking class I taught at Sur La Table. I truly enjoy Greek cooking. I wonder if I were Greek in a past life. My name(Alexandra) is of Greek origin. It wouldn't be the first time a Mexican takes on a role as a Greek. In "Zorba The Greek", Anthony Quinn, who was Mexican, played a Greek man in the 1964 Academy award winning film. I would love to visit Greece. In the meantime I will be dancing around my kitchen and throwing plates onto the floor!

Since I have to maintain a budget yet always want to provide a quality product I typically shop at Berkley Bowl. I would love to buy all my food at the farmer's market, but trying to keep receipts from all the vendors would just be a nightmare. This week was too hot, and traffic would be no picnic across the Bay Bridge, especially with gas prices spiking at $4 a gallon! Can you say MUNI pass? So, I remember my friend Byron telling me about a produce market that he frequents on 22nd and Irving. So, off to market I headed. I ventured towards the Outer Sunset district and figured that I was close enough I should take a cruise over to the beach. I parked my car, and sipped on the rest of my iced coffee and just strolled along the shore. It's moments like this that make me grateful to be living in the Bay Area, and for just a brief moment helped me to forget about the crazy cost of living. I think to myself "hey, it's worth it!".
So, my coffee melted, I got too hot and drove back towards Irving street. I first noticed the huge displays of fresh produce on the front of the market. As I walked inside I got a little excited. Rows upon rows of imported items in bottles, jars and bundles were intermingled with local produce, nuts and dairy fresh cheese. This Greek owned grocery has been offering great international products for 30 years. Greek, Armenian, Israeli, and Turkish foods were represented on the shelves like little ambassadors. It was the equivalent of the culinary United Nations. Amazing yogurt, assorted cheeses, dried fruits as well as preserved items such as olives, capers, small fish and grape leaves. Sweet items as well, cookies, candy, fruit syrups, honey, pomegranate molasses, rose water and almond cakes made up a bulk of the grocery items. I was very delighted! If you are ever in the neighborhood I highly recommend stopping in.On the menu for my Greek class were little purses stuffed with spinach, crumbled feta and walnuts; my dressed up version of spanakopita. Orzo salad with gypsy peppers, kalamata olives and pine nuts was fresh, easy and very tasty. My students and I rolled and baked fresh whole wheat pita bread.

We seared and braised chicken with tangy lemon and fresh oregano from my garden. Little baby eggplant, the shape of spin tops, were stuffed with mint and roasted with kasseri cheese and breadcrumbs. My recipe for lamb meatballs is always a hit. My secret, a shot of ouzo in the tomato sauce, opa! The licorice notes from the ouzo compliment the fruity, tang of the tomato. For the sweet finale we made sticky loukamades, which are Greek doughnuts glazed with a honey-orange syrup then rolled in sesame seeds. I enjoy eating and cooking Greek food. It is humble, honest, and very approachable just like the people who make it and serve it. Always hospitable, festive and full of pride the Greek community is a tight knit group of individuals. I miss Greek Town in Chicago. I always head back to Halsted street whenever I return to the Windy City. Whenever possible I seek out Greek festivals. I love the culture, the energy from the people and the food, glorious food. Next week I will be at the Greek Festival in Marin. Join me for some grilled lamb, icy cold ouzo shots, flaky phylo pastries and some sirtaki dancing. Until then I am going to pop in my DVD of "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" and have a good laugh. Happy eating, keep cool this summer!

Ay, ay, ay...not my taco truck!!

I was over on MySpace checking out the bulletins of the day to get the latest happenings. One of my fellow MySpacers posted an article from the New York Times about the demise of taco trucks in LA. Hmmm..apparently the lunch trucks providing honest, simple, Mexican food are being targeted by the city of Los Angeles as well as some restaurant owners. Fees and other political jargon are getting in the way of foodies like me getting some inexpensive good grub. And hell, I'm not to happy to hear about that. If it is happening in LA, it can happen in San Francisco, Chicago and New York. There is a petition you can sign in support of keeping the taco trucks from paying outstanding fees and going out of business. Check out the site and give your support at SaveOurTacoTrucks.org. Those of you that know me, know that I have an affinity to my local taco truck El Tonaynese on 14th and Harrison. In fact, I was there yesterday for lunch. Being the carnivore that I am, I don't even want to think about my truck not being there. Ay, ay, ay, not my taco truck!! Fellow meat lovers, unite in support of the taco truck and go sign the petition!

Sweet Suenos Are Made Of This

Hola amigos! I just returned from an amazing, and long overdue, vacation. Well, it was more of a mini-vacation, however terrific and enjoyable. I was whisked away to the sunny and sandy shores of Puerto Vallarta, in Jalisco, Mexico. I stayed at La Jolla de Mismaloya, which was the site of the 1964 steamy film "The Night Of The Iguana" starring Richard Burton and Ava Gardner. The breathtaking shoreline, where mountain meets water, was the perfect backdrop and helped to put Puerto Vallarta on the map. Combined with the majestic sunsets, balmy breezes and laid back feel who wouldn't get caught up in finding love (or lust) here? Speaking of love, I left my corazon in Mexico. A handsome guy with an amazing smile, playing soccer as he waited for turistas to board his boat, caught my eye and captured my heart. Ay, ay, ay, I want to go back, four days was not enough. I still have sand in my shoes, I can hear the vibrant cumbia playing by the poolside bar and well I never got that guy's name. I am a hopeless romantic and know I will find him. Or at least see visions of him in my suenos.In the meantime I'll be in the cocina cooking.

Puerto Vallarta offers some of the most amazing seafood in the world. Everyday something fresh and exquisite in it's own simplicity. Scallops, shrimp, snapper, squid, octopus, dorado, wahoo and marlin made it's way onto the daily menu board and onto my plate. Some fish grilled, others fried, but overall the best of the best, was ocean fresh seafood served ceviche style.

The ceviche was clean and sweet with a fresh tang of lime, a bit of spice was present with the addition of habanero, crispy sweet onion added a variant of texture and herbaceous oregano and cilantro played nicely with the sweet tomato and rich olive oil.

Upon my return from Mexico I was scheduled to do a culinary demo for CUESA's "Market To Table Program" celebrating Cinco de Mayo. Excited to be back for my second demo, I was honored to be invited back and was happy to share my recipe, inspired by the seafood in Puerto Vallarta. My scallop ceviche with creamy avocado and tangy grapefruit is easy to make, delicious and will transport you to the sandy beaches of Mexico. The demo went very well and the ceviche was a crowd pleaser. Thank you Sarah and Mark from CUESA and thank you Monica, Molly and Stephen for coming out.

Scallop Ceviche with Grapefruit and Avocado

Serves 6 as an appetizer

1 pound bay scallops (fresh or dry packed)
2 pink grapefruits, peeled and cut into segments (reserve juice)
2 cups freshly squeezed lime juice
1 spring red onion, minced
1 medium jicama, peeled and cut into petite dice
2 avocados, diced
1/4 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
pinch of Mexican oregano
salt and pepper to taste
tortilla chips on the side

In a medium non-reactive bowl set over ice, combine scallops with lime juice. Set aside and let "cook" for about 20-30 minutes, or until scallops become slightly firm and opaque. Once scallops are "cooked" remove from juice and transfer to another bowl. Do not allow scallops to sit in the acid for too long, or they will become tough.

In another bowl combine grapefruit segments, jicama, avocado, cilantro, oregano and mix in the drained scallops. Dress with olive oil , reserved grapefruit juice and season with salt and pepper. Serve chilled with tortilla chips on the side.

If you can't wait to get your ceviche fix then check out the 2008 May issue of San Francisco Magazine. The Bay Area's best regional Mexican food establishments are featured in this month's issue. Mariscos La Costa, in Oakland is one of the places mentioned.The speciality of the house is fresh mariscos, seafood. Ceviche is on the menu along with shrimp cocktail and other well known beach side seafood fare. I plan on heading out there this weekend. During the Cinco de Mayo weekend I took in all the Mexican culture I could. On Saturday after my culinary demo at the farmer's market, I headed over to Dolores Park and enjoyed some mariachi music and a cold paleta de sandia (watermelon ice pop). On Sunday I drove down to San Jose and strolled around the Santa Clara fairgrounds. Live music, crafts and food were sprinkled throughout the fair. I munched down on some tacos, an icy cold Coke and enjoyed some fruta con chile e limon. Growing up in Chicago I felt that we had a large Mexican community. However, there is more Latino presence here in California, and for that I say ole! I love the heavy cultural influence and sabor that Mexico has brought to the States and how it's made it easier to stay in touch with my family's heritage.

Back To Basics

With the arrival of spring the farmer's markets in the Bay area are over flowing with amazingly sweet produce. Leeks, fennel, spring onions, strawberries, beets and butter lettuce are at their peak of perfection and ready for the taking. Upon my return from the market this weekend, I began to unload my goodies from my earth friendly "green" canvas bag and set out my fresh selections on my kitchen table. I had the TV on, but was not really paying much attention. I then remembered that a new show was airing on Food Network, so I flipped the channel. "Cooking For Real", hosted by Sunny Anderson debut episode aired Sunday morning. Seeing that I have not been too impressed with the latest Food Network hosts, I was skeptical of Ms. Anderson's cooking ability. A refreshing surprise Sunny, was great. Sunny is friendly, knowledgeable, personable but not over the top "cute", and her food looked appealing. On today's show Sunny was preparing creamy Cajun shrimp pot pies with flaky pastry bowls. The dish looked yummy! Succulent shrimp, tender veggies and a luxurious cream sauce kicked up with cayenne. Inspired by Sunny I got in the kitchen and cooked. Since I teach people how to make pastry almost everyday I opted out on the puff pastry bowls and decided instead to make a seafood and fennel chowder. What better way to capture the essence of spring than to make a soup with tender leeks, sweet fennel and new potatoes.

The backbone to any good soup or sauce starts with the stock. I know not everyone has time to make it from scratch, however I am an advocate for those who truly want a magnificent soup, MAKE YOUR OWN STOCK! If available, ask your fish monger for fresh fish bones as well utilize all clean shells from any seafood you are using for your soup, for example shrimp, crab or lobster. Build your flavors by using essential aromatics such as onions, shallots, carrots and celery also known in the culinary world as mirepoix. Fresh herbs like parsley, thyme and tarragon add mild aromas. Unlike veal or chicken stock, which is more robust because of longer cooking, fish and seafood stocks do not require much time on the stove. The flavor is clean, bright and reminiscent of a sweet ocean mist. A touch of acid from citrus or a crisp white wine helps to round out the flavors.

I simmered a lovely stock with shallots, leeks, fennel fronds, celery, carrots, parsley stems, shrimp and clam shells over a mild heat for about an hour. When the stock was ready, I strained it and set it aside. In another soup pot I melted butter and slowly cooked minced shallots, chopped celery, carrots and thinly sliced leeks and fennel bulb until tender. I deglazed the aromatics with a hearty splash of Sauvignon blanc and scrapped all the tasty bits off the bottom of the stock pot. I added the stock along with a few cups of petite diced gold potatoes, brought the soup to a slight boil, then covered and simmered until the potatoes were fork tender. Next I added chunks of sole filet, chopped shrimp and plump clams. I finished the chowder with some heavy cream, sniped chives and wispy fennel fronds. Classic techinques and local fresh produce helped to create a luscious chowder rich in flavor, hearty in texture and oh so deleciousThis week the Food Network aired new episodes of Chefography. I was pleased to see that Julia Child was featured. Julia is my culinary hero. She is, and always will be, a culinary icon. As a young child I was mesmerized by her sense of play in the kitchen, her unique accent, and all of the mishaps that occurred while she cooked. Creative production allowed Julia to be in the moment and think on the spot. No rehearsing, no editing, just real live cooking. Can we go back to this? I would love to bring this to the masses. Back to basics cooking, where anything goes, the flow is organic and unpredictable. Where host and viewer learn something new. Until then, I will cook in my San Francisco kitchen, continue to blog and explore new trends in the food world as well as refer back to tried and true culinary techniques. Thank You Julia.

Dining Out For Life 2008!!

I am getting the word out on Dining Out For Life 2008!!
It is a great benefit that helps to raise money and awareness towards prevention of HIV. Many restaurants across the US and Canada will be participating in this extraordinary event. On April 24Th, go out to dine at participating restaurants and they will donate 25% of their profits to STOP AIDS Project. I am volunteering as a restaurant ambassador in San Francisco, and encourage you to do the same if you can. If you can't volunteer please be sure to at least dine out for a good cause!

Thanks and God Bless!

For more info visit: http://www.diningoutforlife.com/