Anson Mills Corn Bread

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by Lydia Ellison

When Drew and I were in the South last month his foodie cousin Chris gave us the most wonderful gift… 2 bags of Anson Mills corn meal (and 4 silver mint julep cups)! Anson Mills sells “handmade mill goods from organic heirloom grains.” Chris gave us the perfect starter selection, one bag of yellow course ground corn meal and one bag of white grits.

Anson Mills cornmeal

Anson Mills corn meal

I brought the bag of yellow cornmeal in my suitcase up to Marin for Mother’s Day weekend. For the first night, my Mom and I planned a BBQ menu and I wanted to make corn bread (yes, my Mom and I plan our menu’s in advance for a weekend’s visit). I used the recipe on the Anson Mills website because an insert in the packaging warned: “Our products won’t work with standard recipes. Standard recipes won’t work with our products.” Word.

Corn Bread, butter and honey

Corn Bread, butter and honey

As they say in the South, the corn bread was “Divine.” It really tasted like corn, sweet fresh farmer’s market corn in July! The flavor was vibrant and sweet (and mind you there is no sugar in this recipe or in any authentic Southern corn bread). The texture was dense but moist. I’ve never tasted better corn bread.

BBQ dinner

BBQ dinner

Honestly y’all need to order some of this corn meal for your summer soiree’s. There is no comparison to the grocery store offerings (even organic corn meal from Whole Foods/natural food stores, I’ve tried them all.) This company makes all kinds of corn products (grits, cornmeal, polenta), plus wheat flours, rice and more. I’m going to place a big order. Just make sure you store them in the freezer once you get the products. They don’t have preservatives and will spoil.

the star of the meal

PS- I will def post when I make the grits, probably sage grits to serve with lamb.

Spring Pea Risotto

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By Sarah Lagrotteria

It’s hot.  When I went to meet Lydia at Suzanne Goin’s new Tavern (more on that amazing meal later!) at 8 last night, my car thermometer read 91 degrees!   So, it was with some sadness that I prepared my favorite spring risotto–fresh pea and mint– for what will be the last time this year.  I got a bit of an aromatherapy facial as I stirred (and stirred) the steaming pot.  What I love about making risotto (and pasta too) is how the fresh ingredients intensify upon hitting the hot starch.  In this case, the smell of the mint as it warmed to the rice was fresh and mildly spicy, followed by the rich scent of melting parmigiano-reggiano. It’s like crushing anew on old friends.

I used Carnaroli rice in lieu of the more common Arborio variety and the difference is really noticeable.  You can tell from the picture-the risotto is luscious but more textured than normal, as the Carnaroli is starchier and holds more of its shape than the Arborio.  I’m going to use it next time with my summertime risotto ingredients of choice.

Risotto with spring peas and fresh mint

2 tablespoons butter and/or olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup white wine

2 cups risotto rice (arborio or carnaroli)

7 cups chicken stock, held at a simmer

2 cups freshly shelled peas (can substitute frozen)

1/2 cup fresh mint, cut into chiffonade

Parmigiano-reggiano for shaving

1.  Melt the butter and/or oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.  Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 8 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.

2.  Add the rice, stirring, until the edges of the rice being to look translucent.  Add the wine, stirring until the wine is absorbed.  Add the hot stock, one ladle at a time, sitting continuously until each ladle is absorbed before adding the next.

3. Taste the risotto when about half the broth is gone.  The outside of the grains should be tender but the insides still hard.  Stir in the fresh peas and continue adding the broth ladle by ladle until the stock is completely absorbed, the peas are cooked, and the risotto is creamy but retains a bit of a bite. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

4.  Stir in half the mint.  Plate the risotto in a large serving bowl and top with a generous dusting of grated Parmigiano-reggiano.  Serve with the remaining mint and the cheese for grating on the side.

Note: I love to serve this with broiled prawns.  Just preheat the broiler, toss the peeled and de-veined prawns with olive oil, salt and pepper and broil for 2 minutes on each side.  Add a squirt of fresh lemon juice and serve on top of the risotto.

Yield: serves 8

Vintage Bridal Shower

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By Sarah Lagrotteria

My Aunt Holly and my cousin Katie threw me the most beautiful bridal shower at their home last Saturday.  It was a vintage-themed ladies luncheon for my Los Angeles girlfriends–complete with bridal bingo from 1970!

My cousin baked, painted and “bejeweled” sugar cookie engagement rings as favors.

My Aunt styled the table after a beautiful bridal gown…

….and decorated the tabletop with “vintage” wedding pics from the women in my family as well as cake toppers from their weddings and her friends’ weddings. It was a treat to see them side by side and appreciate all the different wedding styles.

Check out my parents!  My mom wore a high-neck lace mini for her wedding dress–so chic!

My grandmother wore a beautiful suit.

They also asked my friends to write out their favorite recipes on these beautiful cards. Lydia included her mom’s famous carrot cake! I can’t wait to share them all with you.

….lucky lucky lucky me.

xoxosl

Snapper in a Salt Crust

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By Sarah Lagrotteria

Before parchment, seaside cooks made use of what was naturally abundant–salt–to keep their roast fish moist and flavorful.  Nowadays, restaurant chefs do so for effect–presenting a salt mold roughly the shape of a whole fish and cracking it tableside with one loud thwack of a hammer, releasing steam and the warm smell of lemon and herbs.

We spent last weekend with my family in Chicago and my brother Brian and my dad decided to try their hand at this method.  My dad got three beautiful red snappers and he and Brian went to work, using Mario’s recipe of 4 egg whites per 2 cups kosher salt (times 4 to cover all 3 fish).   We buried the fish in the salt and egg white combo and then baked them at 450 degrees for exactly 30 minutes.

My Dad cracked the salt crust open…

It took two tries to get a snapper out clean!

Brian made a beautiful spinach risotto…

While my dad and I skinned and filleted the snappers. We finished it off with lemon slices and fresh parsley.

Pros, the fish was delicious and it was a fun family project.  Cons, DJ Foods in my hometown is now out of kosher salt and my mom did not appreciate having to vacuum salt shards off the kitchen floor the next morning.  All in all a happy time.

xoxosl

P.S. Dessert was a french almond cake from 3 Tarts Bakery which is making my wedding cake.  More on that later…

Cookbook Club- A Homemade Life

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By Lydia Ellison

The first meeting of the Silverlake Cookbook club was a few weeks ago over at Anjali’s hip, sunny apartment. What is a cookbook club you ask? Well it’s self explanatory, just choose a cookbook, read it and cook from it for a month and then meet with other ladies in the club to discuss your experience of the book and it’s dishes. The best part, everyone brings their favorite dish from the book to share in a potluck feast!

The shared spread from A Homemade Life

The shared spread from A Homemade Life

The book we chose for our inaugural meeting was A Homemade Life by Molly Wizenberg, the creator of the wonderful food blog Orangette. Many of the girls in the club have food blogs themselves so we thought it fitting to support Molly, our contemporary and a mascot of success in the food writing world (she now has a column in Bon Appetit.)

pickles, potatoes and pound cake

pickles, potatoes and pound cake

I enjoyed this book immensely, I love the memoir style of the writing and the recipe at the end of every chapter. My favorite dish hands down is the cabbage salad with lemon, parm-reg and black pepper. It’s what I brought to the club meeting to share and everyone loved it! I’ve been making it once a week all winter and spring and will probably carry with me into summer or as long as I can find small red cabbage heads at the Farmer’s Market.

Cabbage Salad with lemon and parmesean

Cabbage Salad with lemon and parm-reg

I also enjoyed the Berry Pound Cake, soft and subtly sweet cake studded with ruby berries….

Raspberry Pound Cake

Raspberry Pound Cake

and the Bouchons au Thon (we renamed them tuna muffins) are savory, moist and luscious…

Bouchons au Thon aka Tuna Muffins

Bouchons au Thon aka Tuna Muffins

…both of which I tried for the first time at the club meeting but will make again soon. For a much more thorough, witty and well photographed summary of the meeting please visit Angali’s amazing blog Delicious Comma.

A Homemade Life

Homemade treats

TasteSpotting

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By Sarah Lagrotteria

from Tastespotting

from TasteSpotting

My sister’s darling boyfriend Matt is good source for cultural funstuff.  He just sent me the link to this gorgeous site.  TasteSpotting has been up and running since 2007, but this is the first I’ve heard of it.  The things I’ve missed!  The TasteSpotting team weeds through submissions from their community of food bloggers and posts the best tidbits, complete with stunning images.  The result is a visual potluck, a Sartorialist for foodies.

I’m going to spend many a workbreak poring over the archives…

xoxosl

Steamed White Fish Provencal

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by Lydia Ellison
Steamed White Fish Provencal

Steamed White Fish Provencal

I created this dish for my first (and very dear) private chef clients, The Sloans, about 4 years ago and it became a staple in their house for entertaining because of the beautiful presentation of the fish in the parchment packets. I always make this for new clients the first week of service because it wins everyone over and is fool proof! Coincidentally, Sarah and I both served this dish at separate dinner parties last month and we both paired it with steamed black rice... we really do share a food brain.

Steamed White Fish Provencal

serves 4

4 white fish fillets (Tilapia or Halibut would work well)
2 lemons, thinly sliced
4 heaping teaspoons capers
1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in quarters
4 tablespoons Niscoise olives, pitted and chopped
salt and pepper
extra virgin olive oil
4 springs of fresh thyme
4 square sheets of parchment paper (you can substitute foil)
Salt and pepper the white fish fillets. Place 2 slices of lemon on a piece of parchment paper. Top the lemon slices with a piece of seasoned fish and then add 1 teaspoon capers, 1 tablespoon of olives and a handful of tomatoes. Drizzle with olive oil and top with a thyme sprig and wrap the parchment around the fish like a packet, taking care to seal the edges well. Repeat with the remaining fillets and place on a baking sheet, at this point they can keep in the fridge for a few hours before being cooked. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 10-15 minutes depending on the size of the fillets. For a rustic presentation serve in the packets.  Before serving, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and a squeeze of lemon.

In Honor of Sarah Jackson Howerton

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by Lydia Ellison
Biscuits with Country Ham

Biscuits with Country Ham

Drew’s beloved Grandmother passed away last week and we traveled to her home town of Mt. Airy, North Carolina for the funeral. His Grandmother was an AMAZING cook, her recipes are the highlight of every meal I’ve shared with his family over these 5 years. Many of Drew’s childhood memories are intertwined with one of her recipes, buttermilk sugar cookies at Christmas, frozen fruit salad alongside every special occasion meal or stealing extra shares of “Hot Boys” (yeast rolls) from the bread basket with his cousins.

Deviled Eggs and Fried Chicken

Deviled Eggs and Fried Chicken

These pictures are not of her of her famous recipes but are from the luncheon following the funeral services generously catered by the women from her church.  It was all so beautiful and delicious even though there we many desserts masquerading as “salads” (more on this topic some time soon I promise,) I couldn’t resist sharing them with y’all.

"Salads" of the South

"Salads" of the South

We feasted on these dishes made with love, washing them down with mini Cokes in a bottle in honor of Sarah Jackson Howerton who always had two Cokes a day, never more, never less.

Homemade Desserts!

Homemade Desserts!

Yam Jacket Potatoes

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Baked Yam all dressed up

Baked Yam all dressed up

By Lydia Ellison

Now this is what I call dinner on many nights. It’s not even a recipe but a list of simple instructions. We call them Jacket Potatoes because of our darling friend Sophia from London who subsides off chicken, broccoli and “jacket potatoes” also known as baked potatoes to us Americans.

Yam Jacket Potatoes or Baked Yam’s

Wash and scrub 1 small yam per person (the one pictured is a tiny one from the Farmer’s Market)

Pierce a few times with a fork or knife.

Wrap each yam in foil and place in a 400 degree oven for 30 minutes.

Then unwrap and place on a baking sheet lines with foil and bake for another 20-30 minutes until the skin is crispy and the yam feels squishy in between your fingers.

Slit the tops of the yams and dress with butter or olive oil, salt and fresh pepper.

Serve with chives or sliced scallions and sour cream, creme fraiche or Greek yogurt (as pictured above because I had it in the fridge.)

Make sure you eat the skin, it has tons of nutrients and tastes fantastic!

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