Q). Dear Chef, I hope you can answer
this question I have about Portuguese wine. I was recently given a
bottle of tawny port. I know it’s a sweet after dinner wine, can I drink
it now?
Margaret Salinas, CA
Via e-mailA). Absolutely!
There are 2 types of port – Ruby and Tawny. First let’s talk about Ruby.
Both wines were first made in Portugal for the English market. The name
refers to the colors. Ruby has a deeper more youthful red color than
tawny. Ruby spends from 2 to 6 years in the barrels before it is
released (depending on the specific wine). Tawny port is light to medium
bodied and spends far more time in the barrel, between 10 to 40 years.
While many ruby ports require further aging in your cellar after
purchase (2 to 25 years), all tawny ports can
be |
|
|
used upon their release. Try it with some salty blue cheese and chocolate
desserts – watch out – this can become habit forming. P.S. Tawny just
also happens to be the name of one of my beautiful daughters.
Q). I’m looking for the recipes
for mussels recently shown from Washington State.
Duke D.
Via e-mail
A). I think you’re talking about
the show I filmed at Taylor Shellfish Company in Sheldon, Washington
www.taylorshellfishfarms.com. If you love mussels, like I
love mussels, these folks have the finest quality.
Thai Mussels
Recipe
4 pounds of mussels bearded and
rinsed off
2 bunches of lemon grass (white part only – chopped fine) |
|
4 kifer lime leaves
1 large onion chopped
2 pieces fresh ginger (the size of your thumb, chopped fine)
2 jalapenos diced
1 t. fish sauce
2 T. Thai green chili curry
8 limes (juice)
8 cans coconut milkSauté lemon
grass, kifer lime leaves, onions, ginger, jalapenos, fish sauce and
green chili curry in peanut oil for 10 minutes on medium low, stirring
frequently. Add coconut milk and lime juice and cook for another 5
minutes. Add mussels, cover and cook until mussels open, then 5 minutes
more. You got it! You can find all the ingredients in any Asian market
try - Asian Market in Marina 384-3000 or First Oriental Market in
Seaside 393-8989. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
~~~~~ |
|
Q). Your gnocchi are the Whaling
Station are the best I have ever had. Would you share the recipe? Susan
V. Via e-mail A). Susy, I
guess you never heard the story about my dying grandmother. Oh well, I’m
feeling generous today, so, yes, I will share how I make them, and two
other recipes as well. Lately, I have been serving these little pillows
of air at home and our guests just flip out. My favorite is served with
marinara, peas and freshly grated Pecorino. Gnocchi (NYOH-kee) is the
plural of gnocco, which can be translated to mean stupid person, lump or
blockhead. No “gnocchies” please. One of the great Italian comfort
foods, gnocchi flavored with spinach and ricotta are called strozzapreti
or priest-stranglers in Tuscany where, according to popular legend, a priest choked
and died after eating too quickly, because the gnocchi were so
delicious. In Florence they call them topini or “field mice”, |
|
|
|
|
because the homemade ones
resemble mice in size and shape. The most important thing
is to start with the right potatoes. The less water in the potato, the
less flour will be needed to hold your gnocchi together. Less flour
makes for lighter gnocchi. The best potato is a good, floury Idaho
Russet baked rather than boiled, to reduce moisture. Now, let’s get
ready for a trip to heaven.
Potato Gnocchi
Recipe
Makes about 100 pieces
2 pounds Russet potatoes, baked, peeled
and riced
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 t. kosher salt
Bake the potatoes at 400 degrees for 50
minutes or until they are fork-tender. Peel and press through a ricer.
Combine the hot potatoes with 1 ½ cups of the flour and salt in a large
mixing bowl and stir until well mixed. Turn the mixture onto a floured
surface and knead in just |
|
|
enough of the remaining flour to make a
smooth dough that’s not too sticky. To test if the gnocchi has the right
amount of flour, try the float test. pinch a bit of the gnocchi dough
and flatten it a bit. Drip into boiling water. If it starts to feather
at the edges, it needs more flour. If it doesn’t float after a couple of
minutes, it has too much flour. Roll pieces of the dough into ¾-inch
ropes and cut into ¾-inch pieces. Cook in boiling salted water in a
large pot. Do this in batches and don’t crowd the pot. They are done
when they float – about two minutes. Now for some flavoring. First, try
a basic tomatoes sauce by sautéing chopped onions in olive oil for 5
minutes, then adding chopped tomatoes and garlic cloves. Simmer for 30
minutes and add some fresh chopped basil and salt. Ladle the tomato
sauce over the gnocchi and top with grated Pecorino or Parmesan. |
|
|
~~~~~ |
Spinach Gnocchi Recipe
10 ounce package of frozen chopped spinach,
thawed (or cook your own)
2 T. butter
¼ cup finely chopped onions
2/3 cup ricotta cheese
½ cup grated Parmesan
1 large egg
¼ t. kosher salt
dash of ground nutmeg
2/3 cups all-purpose flour |
|
|
|
|
Frozen spinach works well for this recipe.
Again, it’s important to eliminate as much moisture as possible by
squeezing the spinach in cheese cloth or pressing into a strainer. Sauté
onions in butter until translucent then combine in a mixing bowl with
spinach, cheese, egg, salt and nutmeg. Mix well, then stir in the flour.
Using two spoons, place a heaping teaspoon of
the spinach mixture onto a floured |
|
|
surface. Lightly flour your hands
and then roll each portion into balls. Then
finish as before, with the testing and cooking. A great sauce for the
spinach gnocchi is a tomato cream sauce, using the same tomato sauce as
before and whisking in some heavy cream over medium heat. Just heat it,
don’t boil it. |
|