Local Lemons

California Paella

This may upset a few people. Before I even say it, I'm going to apologize up front because I do not mean any disrespect. The thing is, I've traveled through Spain, I've been to Valencia, and I was not impressed with the paella. That sounds crazy, doesn't it? Logically, it would mean that I just don't like paella. But that's far from the case.

My issue with the paella from Valencia was the ratio of rice to, well, everything else. There was way too much rice, and not enough meat and seafood to make it worth the 25 euro price tag. When I finished eating it, I felt slow and sluggish, much like a carb-filled meal tends to do, and not ideal when you're sightseeing around a beautiful country.

I wanted my paella to be different. I kept the technique of traditional Spanish paella, but used ingredients that are closer to home. My first thought was to only use local ingredients, but I fell short after visiting The Spanish Table in Berkeley, where I bought paella rice from Spain. This was an all seafood paella. I purchased the fish at Ver Brugge in Rockridge, and it must have been my lucky day because they had homemade seafood sausage available, a perfect substitute to chorizo. I also used fresh squid, scallops and local halibut, combined with tomatoes, peas, chickpeas, capers, olives and mint. The mint was the biggest surprise, lending its refreshing aroma to the entirety of the dish.

I didn't use broth in this recipe, and that was semi-intentional. I wanted to use either vegetable or seafood broth, but when I didn't have time to make it myself, I opted for water instead. I thought it a much better solution than ruining the meal with processed stock from a box - after all, you don't drink wine from a box, do you?

How to Make Fresh Mozzarella Like Giuseppe

I can’t yet compete with 40 years of experience, but I’d like to think that my homemade fresh mozzarella at least comes close to that of Giuseppe’s, the master cheesemaker at Caputo’s in Brooklyn.

Since I was young, one of my favorite things to eat was creamy mozzarella cheese with olive oil and tomatoes from our garden – I know, my parents fed us well. But, my standards rose along with my age, and after traveling through Italy and living in the old Italian neighborhood of Carroll Gardens, the mozzarella must be exceptional to get my stamp of approval.

It’s rare these days to find fresh mozzarella with the texture and richness that I once took for granted, so I often rely on my own two hands to get the cheese I want. It’s actually quite easy – I use the recipe from  Ricki’s Mozzarella Cheesemaking Kit, which I purchased about two seconds after reading Barbara Kingsolver’s Animal. Vegetable. Miracle.

I’ve made this cheese many times, and a few small tweaks have transformed it into cheese that’s great melted on something, to cheese that you want to savor all on its own. First, the quality of the milk is the most important. My top choice is the organic, whole, cream-on-top milk from Straus Family Creamery. I’ve also used their raw milk with great results, but I like the flavor of their whole milk better. On their website, Straus explains it’s the combination of the fog, salty coastal air and special vegetarian diet they feed their cows that give the milk its unique aroma and taste. I can’t attest to their methods, but I can say that their milk is the best I’ve ever had – actually the second best. First place goes to the almost mythical dairy products that come from Valle d’Aosta in Italy.

Another trick to this cheese is the kneading process. I try to work the cheese as little as possible. Ricki suggests stretching the cheese before you shape it into a ball, but I often leave that step out to produce an ultra-creamy texture similar to mozzarella di bufala. It also improves the texture if you only let the curds set for three minutes instead of five. It may take a few turns to get your cheese exactly how you like it, but I’m sure every batch will be even tastier than the last. And the best part? It only take a half hour to make.

See the “About me” photo at the top of the page? That’s me making cheese in my tiny Brooklyn kitchen. When I told my neighbor I was making homemade cheese, he just had to run over and take a picture. You’ll find that’s a common response when you tell people you’re making cheese from scratch.

Halibut Diablo with Ancho-Corn Tortillas

Since moving to the west coast, I have been trying to learn as much as I can about California cuisine. While I knew I’d be eating a lot of organic, local produce, I was already doing that in New York, and wasn’t quite clear on how my diet would be changing. The most obvious difference was the availability of vibrant local foods all year round. As Alejandro loved to point out when I dragged him to NY farmers’ markets in the winter, all you really find there are apples.

California is also known for their Mexican fare, which for the most part is superior to that in New York. I love Mexican food when it’s freshly made, but it’s hard to find quality food from south of the border that’s not chock full of artery-clogging lard and melted cheese. This is why I was thrilled when I came across the California Rancho Cookbook, which beautifully combines the flavors of Mexico and Spain with the freshness of California. You'll find recipes that combine olives, figs and raisins in otherwise familiar plates like tamales and quesadillas. This recipe wasn’t in the book, but after reading it I was inspired to try a dish of my own in the same vein. If you have yet to get your hands a copy, I can't recommend it enough. Author Jacqueline Higuera McMahan taught me techniques that I now apply to many of my Italian dishes as well.

Use the freshest fish you can find for this dish, and preferably a thick and meaty one. I would suggest the Halibut, but only if you live on the west coast – I never had Halibut in New York as tasty as it is here. Tilapia and other thin, flaky fish may fall apart in the stew, which isn't necessarily bad, but I wanted chunky pieces of fish to bite into. Red snapper would work well, and maybe even arctic char. For the sauce, I blended tomatoes, lime, cumin, cilantro and onions and cooked it with thin slices of sweet red pepper and the just-caught pacific halibut. Serve it with homemade ancho-corn tortillas and top with a little avocado mashed with sea salt and olive oil. I would advise against adding any cheese to this - I think it would just distract from the pure taste of the fish and spices.

Pan-Roasted Cauliflower with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto & Wild Rice

Earthy and dense, cauliflower can easily turn a vegetarian side dish into a hearty main course. Unlike the distinct flavor of, say, broccoli, cauliflower blends itself into its surrounding flavors and complements even the spiciest of dishes. This particular recipe combines a pesto made of sweet sun-dried tomatoes, green garlic and walnuts, with wild rice and cauliflower that I roasted in a cast iron pot.   

I don't usually pick solid wild rice because it is so much more expensive than brown rice, but since I was incorporating so many other ingredients I didn't need much, and it proved to be well worth the $7.50 per pound price tag. My favorite part of this recipe was the chopped walnuts that I picked up at the Old Oakland farmers' market. I never knew walnuts could taste so fresh!

Salt & Pepper Drumettes over Roasted Reds

It always amazes me how the most simple chicken recipes always turn out the best. This was a lesson I learned from Marcella Hazan, one of my favorite chefs. As long as you buy high-quality, happy chickens, there is little you have to do for it to turn out juicy and delicious.

Roasting is probably the way I prepare chicken most often, and because of that I've picked up a few tricks along the way. First, always make sure your chicken is DRY. Pat it down thoroughly after you wash it. This is true for vegetables too - if you wash them right before cooking, dry them with a cloth before putting them in the oven. Second, put your tray in the upper-middle of your oven. If it's too close to the bottom everything will cook unevenly.

I didn't have much on hand when I made this, but the combination of tomatoes, peppers and onions was really all the chicken needed, and the final dish was definitely worth blogging about. I almost thought this recipe was too simple to post, but I didn't want to deprive you of a perfect alternative to the chicken dish you make most often. Served with some brown rice to soak up the juices, and you have a super easy happy chicken recipe.

Spaghetti d'Arvier

Without thinking too long, can you recall the best meal of your life? I know it's a tough question, but I am lucky enough to remember every minute detail of the most amazing food I have ever tasted.

The meal was at Cafe Du Bourg, in the small town of Arvier located in the Valle d'Aosta in northern Italy. This town has two restaurants, and is known for their local red wine, Enfer d'Arvier. This particular region of Italy churns out magnificent dairy products, and this is because the fresh water that rolls down from Mont Blanc feeds the grass, which in turn feeds the happy cows.

As for the meal, it included fresh cheese, two homemade pasta dishes, and a steak I still drool over. When the waiter asked us how we liked the food, Alejandro responded, "The chef is truly an artist!" To that, the waiter replied, "La chef? Es la mia mama!" From there, to say they treated us as family would be an understatement - it was the Italian experience you only dream about.

This dish is my adaptation of my favorite part of the night, spaghetti with wild mushrooms, tomato and fontina cheese. I bought homemade porcini spaghetti from the farmers' market, and found fontina from Aosta at my local Italian shop. If you spot this cheese at your market, pick it up! It is earthy, creamy and nothing like fontina from elsewhere.

Roasted Asparagus Salad with White Beans & Arugula

While the asparagus season here in Berkeley has not yet begun - and I know I should wait until I can get it locally - you can find it at Berkeley Bowl almost all year round. These pencil asparagus are from Mexico, but again, it's been a while and I've been missing the distinct grassy flavor.