Glorious Soup

My husband and I argue about will power.  What we could or would give up or how long we could endure not having something we love... and we're constantly testing ourselves... on and on, we go at it.  As for me, I can give up almost anything for a month, except soup.  He tells me that if he took away my soups, I would be a shell of a person, and it's probably true.

"Soups puts the heart at ease, 

Calms down the violence of hunger, 

Eliminates the tension of the day, and

Awakens and refines the appetite"

-Auguste Escoffier

One of my favorite soup is the West African Peanut Soup, I first had it at a local McMenamins. Our kids hate the place, limited menu and really slow service, but my husband and I love the small batch craft beers and the peanut soup...  Here's a vegetarian version.  

 Sauté diced 1/2 white or red onion (whatever you have) about 4 minutes, give it a turn or two and add minced 3 or more cloves of garlic.  Stir in spices 1/2 tsp curry powder, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper and   1 tbsp or more chili powder (you can make your own - 1 tbsp ground cumin, 2 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp cayenne pepper, 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp ground oregano).  

Add 3 tbsp of tomato paste, or a couple of big squeezes out of the tube and 1/2 cup of chopped tomatoes and give it a stir and cook for about 3-4 minutes, add 3 cups of vegetable broth, turn the heat to med-high and let it come to a boil.  Add 2 big spoonfuls of peanut butter (chunky or creamy), taste and add more 1 tbsp at a time to your taste.  Add cubed 1/2 yam or sweet potato and 2 small or 1 large yukon gold potato (you can add carrots, turnips, parsnips, etc).  Bring back to a boil, turn heat to medium-low and cook for about 20 minutes, check to see if the potatoes are soft and if the soup is too thick, thin it by adding a little water, add salt as needed.

Garnish with chopped peanuts, green onions and cilantro and feel the glory of soup!

Chillin with Veggie Chili

Every January (for the past 3 years), I start the year with a little cleanse.  My husband dreads it... "not even a glass of wine?" he whines... as he pours himself a glass of Adelsheims 2009 Elizabeth's Reserve Pinot Noir... "oh, what's so bad about a prawn, it's not red meat?" again he whines as he takes a bite out of the sweet tender morsel lathered in freshly grated horse radish cocktail sauce, and it's not even him on the cleanse... I guess gluttony loves company.

The first two weeks of the new year, I give up wheat, dairy, and meat. I avoid caffeine and alcohol for the entire month.  It's a nice little break for the body and soul, and a good chance to load up on fruits, veggies, grains, and nuts.  The one drawback is that I am cloistered in my house, which isn't too bad considering the 30 deg temps and howling winds in the NW and it gives me a chance to update this blog.  I may venture out, but I'm never far from home, out of fear of being stuck "out" at mealtime - there's not many good choices unless you're stuck at Whole Foods.  I do love the challenge of excluding items from my daily eating life, it's creepily fun.

Here's my version of Veggie Chili

Cube eggplant and toss with olive oil and sea salt (be sure to add enough olive oil, 4-5 tablespoons),  bake in 350 deg for 30 minutes (I've lined and oiled my baking sheet with aluminum foil so that the eggplant doesn't stick and no baking sheet to clean).

 I'm using tins of black and white beans (that's cans to you - it's the Downton Abbey influence)

Zest half a lemon, more if you like (I got this great bowl and lemons from a beautiful friend, thanks Kellie) and chop some cilantro, 6-8 sprigs.

Chop, zucchini, red bell pepper, onion, garlic, pepper (serrano or jalepeno) - for some heat, do not discard seeds - (I left half in and removed the other).  You can use any veggies you have on hand, I just happened to have these left over from a veggie curry.

Put a pot (I use a dutch oven) on the stove on medium-high heat, and drizzle some olive oil (about 2 tablespoons), add onion - why do onions smell so good when they are cooking? cook for about 4 minutes, until translucent, add garlic, cook 1 minute, add the rest of the veggies including the lemon zest and juice of 1/2 of a lemon, then add the spices, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp of fennel seeds, 1 tsp of oregano and 1 Tablespoon of chili powder.  Toss the veggies and spices a bit... and cook for about 5 minutes.  Open a tin (yes, I am done with cans forever!) of chopped or cubed or whole tomatoes, if using whole tomatoes then smash them with your hands right into the pot (that's the fun part), add tomatoes and the juices to the pot and cook for about 20 minutes.  Add the roasted eggplant (I know everything taste better roasted but these you can eat as a snack - try it), beans, and cilantro and cook for about 5 minutes, until the beans are heated through.  Of course for those of you not on a "cleanse," can top a bowl of this chili with sour cream and grated cheese, but you won't miss it if you don't.

Grant Achatz's Alinea

We leave for NYC in a couple of days, and my mind is filled with midtown Michelin starred restaurants, downtown small farm to table hole in the walls, lower east side's seedy bars you enter through a secret door inside a hot dog shop, uptown rooftop wine bars with twinkling lights overlooking the city, dumbo taverns where you drink beer before noon, ever present pain de quotidiens and all the momofukus in between.  After all, the city's symbol is an apple, you're supposed to take a bite out of the big apple, but the dilemma is when you only have a few days, actually I operate in meals (we only have 8 meals!), you have to pick the choice bites.  I've written and re-written our food itinerary a few dozen times in the past weeks.  


So to take my mind off this trip, I've decided to share with you our trip to Chicago last fall.  Yes, it was to re-visit a fabulous "big" city where people are still "small" town, where glass skyscrapers meet the waterway and run into the vast Lake Michigan, where beautiful people stroll in and out of envious shops on Michigan Avenue, and where deep dish pizza reins supreme.  But those were disguises for the real reason I wanted to go to Chicago... why I had to go to Chicago; Grant Achatz's molecular gastronomy restaurant, Alinea.  


Chef Achatz's food has been exalted, criticized but ultimately voted one of the best in the world. Alinea took the #6 spot on the coveted San Pellegrino's "The World Best 50 Restaurants" 2011 list - that's #6 in the World, that's a lot of restaurants to beat out.  To fully appreciate it, it is best to leave your preconceived notions at their automated sliding doors and let him take you on a journey between art and modern cuisine.  He manipulates seasonal ingredients through flavors, textures, temperatures, aroma, even your memories and then serves the courses with custom made service pieces as props in his magnificently orchestrated performance to provide you with a culinary experience that you get to keep as a souvenir in your treasure box of food memories well after the show has ended. 

Sept 25, 2011 Menu

1723 North Halsted Street, Chicago, IL 60614 (the grey building)

If it weren't for this sign, we would have walked right past the restaurant

Served with Cocktail of Gimonnet Brut with Nittnaus Beerenaslese and Linie Aquavit

Steel Head Roe - watermelon, kaffir lime, oxalis

Hamachi - west indies spices, pineapple, ginger

The next couple of bites were composed on a bed of driftwood and seaweed,
smelling of the fresh ocean, you can almost hear the waves crash 

Oyster Leaf - mignonette

Taylor Bay Scallop - hitachino white ales, old bay

Razor Clam - carrot, soy, daikon

Mussel - saffron, chorizo, orange
Served with Josef Leitz 'Rudesheimer Berg Scholossberg-Alte Reben' Riesling, Rheingau 2009

Yuba - shrimp, miso, togarashi
Served with Doamine des Baurnard 'Trie Speciale', Savennieres 2007 

Mackerel - mango, radish flower, juniper

We were instructed to take it in one bite, with our arms at our sides

Wild Mushrooms - pine, sumac, ramps
Served with Lignier-Michelot Morey-Saint-Denis 'Vielles Vignes' 2006

Hot Potato - cold potato, black truffle, butter

Agneau - sauce choron, pomme de terre noisette
Served with Cedar Knowll Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2007

Short Rib - olive, fermented garlic, blackberry
Served with Costers del Siurana 'Clos de l'Obac' Priorat 2005

Pasta sheets

Build your own (with instructions) short rib roll up

Black Truffle - explosion, romaine, parmesan

Octopus - eggplant, coriander, red wine
Served with The Rare Wine Co. 'Charleston Sercial Reserve' Madeira

Snow - yuzu 

Peach - jasmine, basil, balsamic
Served with Disznoko 5 Puttonyos, Tokaji Aszu 2005

Lemongrass - dragon fruit, thai basil, finger lime

Chocolate - red pepper, bitter orange, banana
Served with Santa Lucia 'Gazza Rubina' Aleatico, Puglia 2008

Behind the scenes 

So diligently creating and placing each component

Amazing show that included an equally amazing meal
at Chef Atchaz's Alinea

Watch dessert being "created" on our table

Paris - Day 5 Paris's Best Maitre'd at Helene Darroze

Oct 8, 2010

When you're in Paris, you expect to eat well.  Your will power will be tested every minute, you have to fight NOT to eat everything in sight.  The food is visually pleasing, and it beckons you (you know you're in trouble when a pyramid of rainbow colored macaroons wink at you... or is it just me?).  On our way back to our apartment from the rue Cler market neighborhood, I suggested that we stop at La Salon d'Helene Darroze, for tapas and cocktails in our own 6th arrondisment, in the St. Germaine neighborhood.  Restaurant Helene Darroze is an upscale gourmet restaurant serving southwestern cuisine of the Basque country, and Le Salon resides on the lower level of the restaurant (or so I read).  Helene Darroze is one of two women chefs who is michelin starred in France, but more importantly, her food has had rave reviews and is noted for putting a twist on classic French food, whether with fresh local ingredients or worldly spices.  We arrived around 8:00 pm and entered through the dark glass doors.  The hostess stands guard at the tall table directly behind the door and you can hear the usual noise of the dining room, clinking of glasses, silverware moving about, whispered conversations, an errant cough.  It is just a few feet away but draped in dark, thick fabric.  The drapes were drawn, making it all the more curiouser.

Restaurant Helene Darroze - 4 Rue d'Assas, Paris

I asked if we could dine in the Salon, but they didn't seem to acknowledge the Salon, the hostess asked the maitre'd if there were any tables available, and the tall well groomed animated maitre'd was broken hearted that we didn't come in a few minutes earlier, when he gave away his last table.  He truly looked distressed, but in a humorous way.  I noticed a small bar area separate from the dining room just off the entry way, I asked if we could sit there?  He checked with someone?  Maybe Helene?  He came back all smiles and situated us in the cozy bar area in a casual but comfortable low seats and small round tables.  We were in!  Not only in, VIP-in.  I still don't know where the Salon was hidden? After serving us a flute of bubbly, we were in for the one of most entertaining meals of our lives, and the food was delectable.

Helene comes from a long line of chefs at her family's Relais & Chateau empire, but she didn't decide to become a chef herself until 1990 when she found herself working for Alain Ducasse in Monaco after getting her business degree.  She is an innovator within the framework of classical French cuisine, which is why her food is contemporary, with old world flavors.  This is her eight course meal.

First course:  French caviar... in jelly, 

Gillardeau oyster tartare, chilled cauliflower veloute

2nd Course: Duperier's duck foie gras from "les landes"... 

confit with spices, chutney of figs from Sollies

3rd Course:  Line-caught calamari... and sauteed blue lobster, 

Joel Thiebault's Swiss chard, iberico lomo, 

slightly bitter jus with Taggiasche olives, confit tomatoes 

4th Course:  Ceps from Bordeaux...
raviole in a poultry cooking jus, lardo di Colonnata,
kokotxas, parmesano reggiano foam

5th Course:  John Dory.... seared on one side,
Fregola sarda, paella vegetables and jus 

6th Course:  Mallard... roasted breast,
presse of confit legs, celery puree and black truffle dressing

7th Course:  Apples and quinces...
Ceylan cinnamon perfumed panna cotta, green apple jelly,
 quince sherbet, crunchy cake 

8th Course:  Manjari chocolate... passion fruit tart

Oh... and the extra course.... chocolate popsicles

As I said the food was delicious and the presentation amazing.  But it was the maitre'd, Nadir from Morocco, that made this meal possible and beyond memorable.

At the end of our meal, Nadir took us behind the scenes to meet the chef, not chef Helene, she was in London overlooking another restaurant project.  On our way to the kitchen, we got glimpse of the "dinning room", a dark space with lush seats, more of a den than a formal dining room.  We watch Chef Joel Thiebault execute and plat the well thought out menu of Helene Darroze - so exciting!

Chef Joel Thiebault plating

Be sure to put Restaurant Helene Darozze on your next Paris itinerary, and prepare to be dazzled by the exciting food, great service and Nadir, the BEST maitre'd in all of Paris.