Daily Loaf

When I began eating red meat again after a 10-year hiatus, the satisfaction was immediate. I ordered a dry-aged, grilled filet topped with seared foie gras and a cabernet-truffle sauce at Harris’ Steakhouse in San Francisco’s Pacific Heights. All I remember from that epic first bite is taking in the rush of rich flavor, leaning my head back with closed eyes, and falling deeply in love.

Since then I’ve only been brave enough to buy and prepare filet mignon at home on one occasion. I’m afraid that the bar is just too high, and so I leave it to the experts and opt instead for a selection that is more home-cook friendly.

Also known as bavette to the French, flank steak Read the rest of this entry »

As the temperature starts to rise (at least in this part of the country), its time for some refreshing and simple dishes for those hotter days, like my Asian-inspired cold soba noodle salad. Soba noodles are made from buckwheat flour and have a heartier, more substantial texture than regular pasta noodles. In Japan, they’re used in a variety of ways throughout the year: cold in the summer in a salad (like this one) or hot in a soup or broth in the winter months, and in a multitude of variations. Surprisingly enough, soba noodles are now more widely available now bring in the ethnic aisle many grocery stores. Or you could take a culinary adventure to your local Asian market and pick up other interesting ingredients to play with.

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Freshly made island green seasoning – heroin for meat

I’m tired of clarifying my little marinade secret so I decided to blog it! It may look like a pesto but it’s really a spicy, aromatic and herbaceous marinade– a universal marinade for meat and seafood on my little island. 

In our family, simply using salt and pepper to season meat results in loss of kitchen credo. In the islands, big flavor and heat have become our signature tastes and those start with a great marinade made from the various abundant herbs that grow like weeds. This green seasoning has many iterations in other cultures, my Puerto Rican friends call it a soffrito. You can use it to spice up your Sunday BBQ or your weekday stew, it’s very easy to make and stays in the freezer while awaiting your next meatfest. Read the rest of this entry »