Cassoulet

We resurrected our dinner club this month.  We hosted and the theme was French food so we decided to tackle cassoulet for the main.  It was pretty easy (decided against including Duck Confit to the mix) and it was tasty.  Probably better saved for a cold January night, but it was fun.  Great for a dinner party as you can make it ahead and was great for leftovers as the favors seemed to be even  better the next day.

The cassoulet was accompanied by delicious mussels for starter, carrots and turnips, green beans for sides and we finished off the meal with creme brulee which was also a crowd pleaser!

Cook's Illustrated Cassoulet:

	Table salt
1	pound dried cannellini beans (about 2 cups), rinsed and picked over
2	medium celery ribs
1	bay leaf
4	sprigs fresh thyme
1 1/2	pounds fresh French garlic sausage (see note)
4	ounces salt pork , rinsed of excess salt
4	tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2	pounds pork shoulder , cut into 1-inch chunks
1	large onion , chopped fine (about 1 1/2 cups)
2	medium carrots , peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice (about 1 cup)
4	medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 4 teaspoons)
1	tablespoon tomato paste
1/2	cup dry white wine
1	(14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
4	cups low-sodium chicken broth
	Ground black pepper
4	large slices high-quality white sandwich bread , torn into rough pieces
1/2	cup chopped fresh parsley leaves

INSTRUCTIONS

1. 
   
   
   1. Dissolve 2 tablespoons salt in 3 quarts cold water in large bowl or container. Add beans and soak at room temperature, 8 to 24 hours. Drain and rinse well.
2. 
   
   
   2. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Using kitchen twine, tie together celery, bay leaf, and thyme. Place sausage and salt pork in medium saucepan and add cold water to cover by 1 inch; bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to simmer and cook 5 minutes. Transfer sausages to cutting board, allow to cool slightly, then cut into 1-inch pieces. Remove salt pork from water; set aside.
3. 
   
   
   3. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until beginning to smoke. Add sausage pieces and brown on all sides, 8 to 12 minutes total. Transfer to medium bowl. Add pork shoulder and brown on all sides, 8 to 12 minutes total. Add onion and carrots; cook, stirring constantly, until onion is translucent, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 30 seconds. Return sausage to Dutch oven; add white wine, using wooden spoon to scrape browned bits from bottom of pan. Cook until slightly reduced, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes, celery bundle, and reserved salt pork.
4. 
   
   
   4. Stir in broth and beans, pressing beans into even layer. If any beans are completely exposed, add up to 1 cup water to submerge (beans may still break surface of liquid). Increase heat to high and bring to simmer. Cover pot, transfer to oven, and cook until beans are tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Remove celery bundle and salt pork and discard. (Alternatively, dice salt pork and return to casserole.) Using large spoon, skim fat from surface and discard. Season with salt and pepper. Increase oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake, uncovered, 20 minutes.
5. 
   
   
   5. Meanwhile, pulse bread and remaining 2 tablespoons oil in food processor until crumbs are no larger than 1/8 inch, 8 to ten 1-second pulses. Transfer to medium bowl, add parsley, and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
6. 
   
   
   6. Sprinkle 1/2 cup bread-crumb mixture evenly over casserole; bake, covered, 15 minutes. Remove lid and bake 15 minutes longer. Sprinkle remaining bread-crumb mixture over top of casserole and bake until topping is golden brown, about 30 minutes. Let rest 15 minutes before serving.

Beet Salad

My friend Ripley makes this amazing beet salad. He gave me the recipe but it took me four, yes four, times to finally make it work. The problem was getting the beets to cook through. His recipe said to bake them, but boiling them is best I later learned and it takes 45-60 minutes to really get them soft depending on the size.

Here is the Barefoot Contessa version of this salad. She calls for canned beets (bleh!!), please use fresh ones. You can use any color beet but I find the red ones a bit strong but the color is really nice in the salad - ideally you'd use a mix of colors. You can also add feta or goat cheese and I had this salad at Pasta & Co. the other day with blue cheese and walnuts which was also good. I also put orange wedges in this salad too which is a nice variety of color and texture.

Sticky Buns

I decided to tackle the Sticky Buns recipe in the Martha Stewart Baking Handbook for Easter at the Pannoni's. They turned out great but they were A TON of work. It called for Danish Pastry and I was excited to try my hand at it, but it took pretty much all day to make - not much active time but 8 hours of total time.

I am glad I tried making them, but really doubt I will make them ever again.

Summer Squash Lattice Tart

And I'm back...not sure where I went. I've been cooking plenty, but just haven't been blogging about it. I think I got off track with the holiday craziness. I'm about to have my first baby so we'll see how long I can keep this up, but until then I am back.

I've made Martha's Summer Squash Lattice Tart tart lots of times when entertaining as it always gets lots of "ooohhhs and ahhs" both for appearance and taste. We enjoyed a wonderful Christmas dinner at the Pannoni's this year with friends and I brought this over as an appetizer. While no, it's not the easiest dish to make it's not really hard either (just don't make this on top of five other complex dishes when entertaining).

Shortbread Fingers

Growing up I was never a fan of shortbread, but as an adult I've really come to love their buttery delicousness. I think I truely came to appreciate them while living in London as they are the perfect accompanyment to "a spot of tea".

These were delicious adn was another Martha Steward Baking Handbook recipe. I couldn't find the exact same one on line, but I think this one is pretty close.

Lemon Pine Nut Torta

My fiend Jinny and her husband Rob have great pallets and impeccable taste. Jinny served this lemon pine nut torta at one of their great dinner parties many years ago and it's become a personal favorite. It's not very sweet, which I think is sophisticated but may not be for everyone. I also like the twist of pine nuts in a dessert which you don't see too often.

It is super easy and I don't bother with the poached fruit in the recipe. I am not a huge fan of cooked fruit and the torta is delicious all on it's own.

Beef Barley Soup

Growing up at least once a week I had lunch at the Nordstorm Cafe with my Grandma. While we usually had their signature clam chowder, every fall beef barley soup would pop up on the menu. So when the Count mentioned beef barely soup sounded good to him a few weeks ago, it was a great opportunity for some nostalgic comfort food moment.

I used this recipe out off of Epicurious and I was really happy with it. I am not a huge fan of mushrooms but left them in for this recipe and was glad a did as they added a lot of depth and flavor complexity.

Add a piece of crusty bread and this soup will warm you up on even the coldest and rainiest day!

Butternut Squash Ravioli

Every year as the leaves turn and the air gets cooler, I look forward to butternut squash ravioli. I've been making this Bon Appetit version, Ravioli with Herbed Walnut Sauce, for nearly a decade and it is delicious.

This dish can be made start to finish in less than 30 minutes and is great for easy entertaining. I buy premade ravioli (yes, you can make your own but it's a lot of work and probably best reserved for special occasions) at Pasta and Co. but you can find them just about any where.

Don't cut back on the butter or substitute with olive oil or chicken stock - I've tried to make this dish healthier and it really makes it from a hit to a miss. Just save this dish for a day you've been out raking leaves, on a hike or when you are feeling particularly trim!

Yakisoba

As I've mentioned previously, ever since I trip to Istanbul, I cannot get enough yakisoba. We found a great Japanese restaurant there and went twice over a five day period. Since then, it's been surprisingly hard to find yakisoba in both Seattle and London and I haven't found any recipes on the Internet - hard to imagine!

My brother in law recommended I try and whip some up on my own. After ten wonderful noodle filled days in Tokyo, my craving motivated me to give it a try. With Todd's encouragement and tips, I must say it turned out very good....not Istanbul good, but as good as anything I've had outside of that.

Todd's Tips:

- Go to an Asian market like Uwajimaya here in Seattle and pick up yakisoba or ramen noodles. They are basically the same thing, but you can usually find yakisoba noodles in the refrigerated or frozen sections. The other item you will need is Japanese Worcestershire sauce.
- To cook, saute some chicken or pork and onions, cabbage and carrots. Once the carrots have softened up, combine the veggies, meat and noodles in a pan over medium/low heat. Add enough Worcestershire sauce to coat, it will turn brown and look like yakisoba from a restaurant.

- You can top with pickled ginger strips if you want.

Japanese Worcester Sauce

Marination

Marination, Various Locations

Background - I work in Sodo and let me tell you, lunch use to be a very bleak affair down by the Starbucks HQ but in the last few years, things have really started to pick up. In particular, the Seattle food cart scene has included Sodo as part of it's regular rotation. Enter Marination Mobile, Seattle's version of Korean-Mexican fusion.

Atmosphere - Located in a gravel lot, not a lot can be said for the atmosphere aside from the great energy being given off by all those eagerly anticipating a delicious lunch.

Service - Fast and friendly. The line is usually 25+ deep if you don't get there before noon, but they move people through pretty quickly and you get your food pretty fast once you place your order.

Food - Amazing! I always get their tacos - the chicken, pork and beef are all delicious. Their sliders are fantastic as well. Honestly, you can't go wrong.

Drink - They have some assorted sodas and fruit soda like things. Bonus points for uniqueness, but nothing to really to get excited about.

Verdict - Delicious. Fantastic. Amazing. Marination will take away any Monday blues. Worth a drive from wherever you are - it will not disappoint!!

Molly Moon's

Molly Moon's, Wallingford

Background - With two sets of house guests in one week, we found lots of excuses to go to the hottest ice cream spot in Seattle. The line is usually 30+ out the door as late as 10pm at night. Twice in a week is crazy - we went for three but they were closed on the last one which might not have been a bad thing after all!

Atmosphere - Simple and crowded. You aren't here for the atmosphere!

Drinks - Nor the drinks unless it's a malt or a shake which I tried both and they were delicious.

Food - The ice cream doesn' t disappoint. They have a mixture of exotic flavors like balsamic strawberry and thai ice tea as well as more traditional coffee and scout mint. They will let you get two flavors in a "small" but the servings are huge, so consider a kiddie cone.

Service - Genterally, great. They dole out the samples here without making you feel the slightest amount of guilt. While there is a line, it moves fairly quickly. My only complaint was showing up at the Capitol Hill location at 10:58 and being told they were closed (they close at 11pm) - not the kind of service I expect from a neighborhood spot.

Verdict - Three times in a week...need I say more. This spot lives up to the hype and is worth the wait. I am not even a huge ice cream person and it's worth it.

Blueberry Muffins

My friend Donna generously offered me some of her hand picked blueberries so I used it as an opportunity to make blueberry muffins. I used this Cook's Illustrated recipe to make mini muffins and I must say while this recipe has a few extra steps, they turned out delicious!




The lemon sugar topping really makes them, so don't lazy out and skip this step! Also, don't overfill the tin or they all run together and the sugar topping makes it a bit hard to get them out of the pan.

Use the excuse that blueberries are a superfood and make some today!

Ingredients

Lemon-Sugar Topping
1/3cup sugar (2 1/3 ounces)
1 1/2teaspoons finely grated zest from 1 lemon

Muffins
2cups fresh blueberries (about 10 ounces), picked over
1 1/8cups sugar (8 ounces) plus 1 teaspoon
2 1/2cups unbleached all-purpose flour (12 1/2 ounces)
2 1/2teaspoons baking powder
1teaspoon table salt
2large eggs
4tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter , melted and cooled slightly
1/4cup vegetable oil
1cup buttermilk (If buttermilk is unavailable, substitute 3/4 cup plain whole-milk or low-fat yogurt thinned with 1/4 cup milk.)
1 1/2teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions
1. FOR THE TOPPING: Stir together sugar and lemon zest in small bowl until combined; set aside.

2. FOR THE MUFFINS: Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Spray standard muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray. Bring 1 cup blueberries and 1 teaspoon sugar to simmer in small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, mashing berries with spoon several times and stirring frequently, until berries have broken down and mixture is thickened and reduced to ¼ cup, about 6 minutes. Transfer to small bowl and cool to room temperature, 10 to 15 minutes.

3. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in large bowl. Whisk remaining 11/8 cups sugar
and eggs together in medium bowl until thick and homogeneous, about 45 seconds. Slowly whisk in butter and oil until combined. Whisk in buttermilk and vanilla until combined. Using rubber spatula, fold egg mixture and remaining cup blueberries into flour mixture until just moistened. (Batter will be very lumpy with few spots of dry flour; do not overmix.)

4. Following photos below, use ice cream scoop or large spoon to divide batter equally among prepared muffin cups (batter should completely fill cups and mound slightly). Spoon teaspoon of cooked berry mixture into center of each mound of batter. Using chopstick or skewer, gently swirl berry filling into batter using figure-eight motion. Sprinkle lemon sugar evenly over muffins.

5. Bake until muffin tops are golden and just firm, 17 to 19 minutes, rotating muffin tin from front to back halfway through baking time. Cool muffins in muffin tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack and cool 5 minutes before serving.

Southwestern Beef Kebabs

This recipe from Cooks Illustrated caught my eye because of all the beautiful colors. The are easy and really delicous. The grilled pineapple is wonderfully sweet and the marinade adds a great kick of spice. A great summer option but tasty enough to eat yearround.

Serves 4 to 6 as a main course. Published May 1, 2000.

Our favorite cut of beef for kebabs is top blade steak (known sometimes as blade or flatiron steak), but you can also use top sirloin. If you do, ask the butcher to cut the top sirloin steak between 1 and 1 1/4 inches thick (most packaged sirloin steaks are thinner). For maximum efficiency, prepare the fruit and vegetables while the meat is marinating. For a gas-grilled variation, see "Gas-Grilled Beef Kebabs."

3/4teaspoon table salt
1/2teaspoon ground black pepper
2pounds blade steaks (about 4 to 5 steaks), trimmed of fat and prepared according to illustrations below

Fruit and Vegetables

1large pineapple (about 3 1/2 pounds), peeled, ends trimmed, halved lengthwise, core removed, and each piece cut into six chunks (see illustrations below)
1medium red bell pepper (about 5 1/2 ounces), halved, cored, and each half cut into 9 chunks (see illustrations below)
1medium yellow bell pepper (about 5 1/2 ounces), halved, cored, and each half cut into 9 chunks
2tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Table salt and ground black pepper
1large red onion , ends trimmed, peeled, halved lengthwise, core discarded, each half cut into four pieces, and each piece cut crosswise into thirds (see illustrations below)
lemon wedges or lime wedges for serving (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS
1. For the Marinade: Combine oil, garlic, cumin, chili powder, chipotle chile en adobo, cilantro, salt, and pepper in large bowl. Add steak cubes and toss to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate until fully seasoned, at least one hour or up to 24 hours.
2. Ignite 1 large chimney (about 6 quarts, or 5 pounds) of charcoal and burn until covered with thin coating of light gray ash, about 20 minutes. Empty coals into grill and spread over three-quarters of grill surface. Position grill rack over coals; heat until hot, about 5 minutes. Scrape rack clean with wire brush.
3. For the Fruit and Vegetables: Toss pineapple and peppers with 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil in medium bowl and season with salt and pepper. Brush onions with remaining oil and season with salt and pepper. Using eight 12-inch metal skewers, thread each skewer with a pineapple piece, a stack of onion, a cube of meat (skewering as if it were an uncut cube), and one piece of each kind of pepper, and then repeat this sequence two more times. Brush any oil remaining in bowl over skewers.
4. Grill kebabs directly over coals, uncovered, until meat is well browned, grill marked, and cooked to medium-rare, about 7 minutes (or about 8 minutes for medium), turning each kabob every 1 3/4 minutes to brown all sides. Transfer kebabs to serving platter, squeeze lemon or lime wedges over kebabs, if desired; serve immediately.

Berry Crisp

As we've transitioned from strawberry and raspberry season to blueberry and blackberry season, I shifted from cobbler to crisp. I really like the crunch of this Cook's Illustrated Master Recipe for Fruit Crisp. You can use just about any fruit you like and while I didn't make extra topping and freeze it this time, I definitely will next time for impromptu berry goodness.

Don't forget the vanilla ice cream!

If you make the crisp topping in large quantities and freeze it, this dessert can be as simple as slicing up some fruit. Just store the topping in a large container or zipper-lock bag. When you need a quick dessert, scoop out the required amount (about two cups for the quantity of fruit in this recipe), sprinkle it over the prepared fruit, and bake.

INGREDIENTS

7	cups fruit , prepared (see below for suggestions)
1	teaspoon lemon zest , grated
1	tablespoon lemon juice
2/3	cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2	cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2	cup quick-cooking oats
1/2	teaspoon ground cinnamon or nutmeg
1/4	teaspoon table salt
4	tablespoons butter , cut into small bits (chilled, if using food processor)
2	tablespoons vegetable shortening , cut into small bits (chilled, if using food processor)
Suggested Fruit
2 1/2	pounds apples (about 6 apples), peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
3	pounds apricots (15 to 20), pitted and quartered
2	pounds berries , rinsed and patted dry; if tart, add 1 tablespoon or more of sugar to taste
2 1/2 - 3	pounds nectarines or peaches (8 to 10 pieces of fruit), peeled, pitted, and cut into sixths
2 1/2 - 3	pounds pears (6 to 7 pears), peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
3	pounds plums (15 to 20), pitted and quartered

INSTRUCTIONS

1. 1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Toss fruit with lemon zest and juice in a large bowl. Spread evenly in 8-inch square baking pan, pressing down lightly.
   

2. 2. Mix next 5 ingredients in a medium bowl or in workbowl of a food processorl add butter and shortening. If mixing by hand, use fingertips, a pastry blender, or 2 forks to blend fat into dry ingredients until mixture looks like coarse irregular crumbs, with no visible lumps of fat. If mixing in a food processor, pulse about 10 times, then process 5 to 10 seconds, until there are no visible lumps of fat.

3. 3. Spread topping over prepared fruit; bake for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees; back until topping browns and fruit is tender when pierced, 30 to 40 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Pizza

My sister is famous for her homemade pizza. She even makes her own sauce from fresh tomatoes in her yard and her own mozzarella cheese. I didn't get quite that fancy with mine, but it was still pretty good. It's quick (you can go from start to eating in less than an hour) and, for pizza, pretty healthy.

Part of her secret is a great recipe for the dough which uses quick rise yeast so there is no waiting for dough to rise. If you like a think and crispy crust, try and roll this crust as thin as you can...less than a 1/4".

For the sauce, you can either use a jarred tomato sauce or I bought boxed tomatoes (If you haven't found boxed tomatoes, give them a try. They don't have the metallic taste that you find in the canned ones) and added some garlic and Italian herbs to give it more flavor.

As for toppings, my sister always uses fresh mozzarella for her pizza. She slices the balls into 1/3" pieces and places them around the pizza. I topped one with red onion and peperoni and prosciutto, cherry tomatoes and basil (add basil after pizza cooks) to the other. They were delicious.

Mixed Berry Cobbler

It's mid July here in Seattle which is the heart of berry season and that means it's time to celebrate summer with cobbler. This recipe from Cook's Illustrated for blueberry cobbler is really easy and provides the right berry to biscuit ratio - use what ever berries you have on hand or are your favorites.

Vanilla ice cream for this is a must!

Serves 6 to 8. Published July 1, 2002.

While the blueberries are baking, prepare the ingredients for the biscuit topping, but do not stir the wet into the dry ingredients until just before the berries come out of the oven. A standard or deep-dish 9-inch pie pan works well; an 8-inch-square baking dish can also be used. Vanilla ice cream or lightly sweetened whipped cream is the perfect accompaniment. To reheat leftovers, put the cobbler in a 350-degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until heated through.

INGREDIENTS

Filling
1/2	cup granulated sugar (3 1/2 ounces)
1	tablespoon cornstarch
	pinch ground cinnamon
	pinch table salt
6	cups fresh blueberries (30 ounces), picked over
1 1/2	teaspoons grated lemon zest
1	tablespoon lemon juice
Biscuit Topping
1	cup unbleached all-purpose flour (5 ounces)
2	tablespoons cornmeal , stone-ground
1/4	cup granulated sugar , plus 2 teaspoons for sprinkling
2	teaspoons baking powder
1/4	teaspoon baking soda
1/4	teaspoon table salt
4	tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 stick), melted
1/3	cup buttermilk
1/2	teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8	teaspoon ground cinnamon

INSTRUCTIONS

1. 1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees.
   
   

2. 2. For the filling: Stir sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and salt together in large bowl. Add berries and mix gently with rubber spatula until evenly coated; add lemon zest and juice and mix to combine. Transfer berry mixture to 9-inch glass pie pan, place pie pan on rimmed baking sheet, and bake until filling is hot and bubbling around edges, about 25 minutes.
   

3. 3. For the biscuit topping: Whisk flour, cornmeal, 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in large bowl to combine. Whisk melted butter, buttermilk, and vanilla in small bowl. Mix remaining 2 teaspoons sugar and cinnamon in second small bowl and set aside. One minute before berries come out of the oven, add wet ingredients to dry ingredients; stir with rubber spatula until just combined and no dry pockets remain.

4. 4. To assemble and bake cobbler: Remove berries from oven; increase oven temperature to 425 degrees. Pinch off 8 equal-sized pieces biscuit dough and place on hot berry filling, spacing them at least 1/2 inch apart (they should not touch). Sprinkle each mound of dough with cinnamon-sugar. Bake until filling is bubbling and biscuits are golden brown on top and cooked through, 15 to 18 minutes. Cool cobbler on wire rack 20 minutes and serve

Tomato and Goat Cheese Tart

I got this recipe from a personal chef and it's perfect for a luncheon or dinner on a hot day with a side salad. It's particularly good when heirloom tomatoes are abundant. It's very easy, delicious and great if you have a vegetarian in your life.

1 pie crust - you can purchase one and shape into a tart pan or make your own from scratch (it's really easy, I promise and much better than most packaged brands) from just about any recipe book. I usually use the one in Joy of Cooking and using whole wheat pastry flour gives it a nice rustic feel.

1 sweet onion
1 T olive oil
4-5oz of chevre (goat cheese), you can use plain, herbed or peppered
1.5lbs of mixed tomatoes - different colored tomatoes really make this tart extra beautiful
Fresh basil
Salt and pepper

Bake tart crust for 10 minutes at 350 degrees. When crust is done baking, preheat broiler. Meanwhile, thinly slice the onion and saute over medium heat in olive oil until beginning to caramelize. Spread sauteed onion in cooked tart crust, crumble half of the chevre over the onion. Arrange the tomatoes on top, sprinkle with salt and freshly cracked pepper. Crumble the rest of the chevre over tomatoes.

Place tart on baking sheet. Use thin pieces of tinfoil to protect edges of crust (they will burn otherwise). Bake on top rack of oven under broiler for about 10 minutes, but check to make sure cheese is not burning. It may take a minute or two longer to get the tomatoes lightly cooked - keep a close eye on it. Remove from oven, cool, and top with basil

The Stand

The Stand - Seaside, Oregon

Date - Most recently, May 24, 2009

Background - The Stand was discovered my my in-laws well over a decade ago when they started spending many weekends in Seaside. I've been at least a dozen times over the years and look forward to a meal there every time we are at the coast.

Atmosphere - Umm...you definitely don't go for the atmosphere (it's pretty basic) but the food and service more than make up for the lack of ambiance. There are a few outside tables which are nice on a sunny day.

Service - Very attentive and friendly with no small town attitude. My only critique is their hours of operation and days of the week change frequently and often doesn't seem to accommodate a weekend visitor in need of a taco fix.

Drink - Your standard soda fountain options and a couple of Mexican beers.

Food - The best Mexican in at least 100 miles and ranks up there in the top 5 Mexican spots in the northwest in my opinion. My favorite is the carne asada tacos (with a side of extra corn tortillas) but I've had the veggie quesadilla, rice and bean burrito and a few other items and have never been disappointed.

Verdict - A must stop if you find yourself on the North Oregon Coast. Not fancy, but very satisfying. 4 stars.

Sambar

Sambar, Ballard

Date -May 1, 2009

Background - It had been a long week, it was Friday night and the sun was out and Sambar seemed like the perfect spot to kick off the weekend

.

Atmosphere - While the indoor space is hip and tiny, it's their outdoor garden and courtyard that makes this place such a gem.  In fact, they don't open until 5:30pm and when we arrived at about  5:25pm, there were about four couples already lined up to secure an outdoor table.

Service - Good but with a slight "too cool for school" edge.

Drink- Amazing.  They have a great cocktail list along with a good assortment of wines and a few beers.  I had a Frobisher - gin, champagne, lemon and crushed ice.  This is also the spot where I discovered one of my all time favorite sparkling wines, Bugey Cerdon.

Food - While this spot is really about the drinks but has a small menu with some nibbles to accompany the cocktails.  We had a delicious cheese plate and their french fries are notable as well.

Verdict - 4 stars, maybe 5 on a sunny evening in Seattle.  

Guacamole

After years of not liking avocados, and hence guacamole, a few years back I turned a major corner and now I love it.  I just wish they weren't so high in fat!  But what's a Cinco de Mayo party with out guacamole? 

Greg actually prepared this Cook's Illutsrated dish for the party and it was Delicious.  

Makes about 1 1/2 cups.   Published July 1, 2002.  

INGREDIENTS

2	small avocados , ripe, (preferably Haas)
1	tablespoon minced red onion
1	small clove garlic , minced or pressed through garlic press
1/2	small jalapeño chile , minced (about 1 1/2 teaspoons)
2	tablespoons minced fresh cilantro leaves
	Table salt
1	tablespoon lime juice from 1 lime

INSTRUCTIONS

1. 1. Halve 1 avocado, remove pit, and scoop flesh into medium bowl. Using fork, mash lightly with onion, garlic, jalapeño, cilantro, and 1/8 teaspoon salt until just combined.

2. 2. Halve and pit remaining avocado. Using a dinner knife, carefully make 1/2-inch cross-hatch incisions in flesh, cutting down to but not through skin, (see illustrations below). Using a soupspoon, gently scoop flesh from skin; transfer to bowl with mashed avocado mixture. Sprinkle lime juice over and mix lightly with fork until combined but still chunky. Adjust seasoning with salt, if necessary, and serve. (Can be covered with plastic wrap, pressed directly onto surface of mixture, and refrigerated up to 1 day. Return guacamole to room temperature, removing plastic wrap just before serving.)