Tag: PDX

Weekend Finds 2:9:14

February 9, 2014February 9, 2017

This edition of weekend finds is full of seriously useful articles and tips. Not just fun restaurants to try, but things that are actually good to know. Also, the polar vortex has hit Portland. Let’s get to it.

1. How to prep lemongrass

Lemongrass prep tips from Bon Appetit on Weekend Finds // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler — Lemongrass prep tips from Bon Appetit

This little tutorial would’ve been helpful a couple of weeks ago for that slow cooker Asian pork. Is it time yet for a second attempt?

2. How do you send back a dish?

How to send a dish back, from Food Republic on Weekend Finds // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler — Also, when I did a google image search for “how to send a dish back at a restaurant” this was the hilarious picture I found.

I don’t know that I’ve ever sent back a dish at a restaurant. Members of my family, who will go unnamed, definitely have. I honestly don’t know if I could have the gumption to do it! But now that I work at a restaurant, I realize how often it happens, simply via miscommunications and misunderstandings. Let me tell you, your server will be way nicer, and is way more likely to comp you a dessert or something, if you are kind about sending a dish back.

3. Keep your pan on the stove to clean it

Best way to clean those tough pans from the Kitchn, on Weekend Finds // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler — Get all the bits from the bottom of your pan with this cleaning tip.

Jonah and I have recently become big fans of this method of cleaning our pans (though we usually take the food out of the pan first, and sometimes even add a little soap to help with the really nasty ones). It makes such a big difference in cleaning our stainless steel pots and pans, and saves us time and elbow grease.

4. Butter chicken recipe/Indian food blog

Butter Chicken recipe from Quick Indian Cooking on Weekend Finds // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler — Butter Chicken recipe from Quick Indian Cooking on Weekend Finds

I have long been looking for a good resource for Indian food. I’ve been hurt (only emotionally) by internet recipes many times in my search for a Murgh Makhani recipe that mildly resembles the heaven that Swagat makes (if you haven’t been, I recommend it). Not only does this Butter Chicken recipe look good, but a lot of her recipes look good. Maybe it’s time for another try?

5. What wine to bring to a dinner party when you have no idea what’s for dinner

What wine to bring to dinner? From the Kitchn on Weekend Finds // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler — I have spent far too long in the wine aisle at the grocery store staring blankly at all the bottles.

This is a serious issue. Very serious. Everyone experiences it. You’re going over to a friend’s house for dinner, you ask what you can bring, and they say, “Oh, just bring a bottle of wine!” And then you want to text or call and say “What are we having?” “Red or white?” “Do you like Riesling? Dry or sweet?” But then you’re pestering them while they’re slaving away making you dinner. I don’t know that I would ever bring sparkling wine over for dinner, unless it’s a special occasion, but I love these recommendations for what wines go with most things. And as far as lighter reds go, this Underwood Pinot Noir from Union Wine Co. in Oregon is one of my (very affordable) favorites right now.

Restaurant review: Brunch at Ataula

February 5, 2014February 7, 2017

Brunch at Ataula // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler

I am writing this post while on hold with my health insurance company. I just thought you should know that. And it’s snowing outside. Little bitty flakes, nothing like the giant snowball-like flakes that fell for approximately 10 minutes yesterday here in Portland. But still. Snow.

A couple of weeks ago, when my dad and Darla came to town, we had to have the famous “where will we eat” discussion. Brunch was a big deal for us because I work on weekends, so brunch was the kind of normal meal we could eat. (We ate other normal meals, they were just very late, much later than normal dinnertime.) I had heard great things about Ataula, a new-ish tapas restaurant in NW Portland, and after glancing at their brunch menu, decided we should try it.

Having heard great things about Ataula, I expected it to be full – I mean, you know Portland at brunch. Or maybe you don’t, so I’ll just say that sometimes people wait an hour and a half or two hours for a good brunch. Seriously. Anyway, I was surprised and a little saddened that upon arrival at around 10:30, there were plenty of open tables. I nabbed one, and while we waited for Dad and Darla to arrive, we admired the space. The room is very open, and very bright thanks to two big skylights. I loved the decor, particularly the light fixtures – it felt like a kind of funky little bistro. Once my parents arrived, we got down to examining the menu. (Please forgive the crummy iPhone photos.)

We started healthy, with a light salad, and then moved onto the croquetas, or salt cod fritters, with aioli. The salad was dressed perfectly, and a great little start to the meal. The croquetas were lovely – really salty and fishy, perfectly crispy on the outside, and the aoili brought a nice touch of heat to the bite.

We got two “tortillas,” which were like a small frittata: one potato for the vegetarian among us, and one chorizo. Both were delicious, but I certainly preferred the chorizo, as I found the potato to be a little bland. The chorizo was better, with some spice and lots of flavor. I also really enjoyed the toasted bread rubbed with tomato that the tortillas came with.

We also enjoyed a sausage dish with catalan beans, shoestring fries, and pickled onions. I am not generally a big fan of sausage, but I really liked this dish. The sausage was cooked well, not too fatty, and very rich. The beans were delicious – I could’ve eaten a whole bowl of them, and the fries and onions were a nice little touch on the side.

Lastly, we went for something on the sweet side: churros with dipping chocolate. The churros didn’t have the crunch I usually like, and could have done with a bit more frying time. But the combination of the warm doughy churros with the dark, almost bitter dipping chocolate with fleur de sel was a great way to end the meal.

While I certainly enjoyed some aspects of the meal – namely the sausage dish and the croquetas – a few of the dishes seemed like they could benefit from a little more seasoning. I’m not sure I would go back for brunch, especially with the plethora of options in Portland for that weekend meal, but I would certainly like to try it again for dinner.

Miso Creamed Kale

January 28, 2014February 7, 2017

I’ve posted about this miso creamed kale before, in a Weekend Finds post back in October. This recipe was recommended to me by a foodie friend, whose tastebuds I respect. So I was excited when I finally got around to making it. Easy, super flavorful, and wintry (most creamed veggie dishes are, in my opinion).

Miso Creamed Kale

Ingredients

3 Tbl unsalted butter (divided)
1 large shallot
2 cloves garlic
Salt and pepper
1 bunch lacinato kale, stems removed, roughly chopped
1/2 cup shimeji mushrooms with stems or shiitake mushroom tops, sliced into strips
1 Tbl soy sauce
1/4 cup dry vermouth
1/2 cup heavy cream or half & half
1/4 cup white miso paste

Instructions

In a large pan or skillet, melt 2 Tbl of butter over medium heat. Thinly slice the shallot and garlic, and add them to the pan, along with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Turn heat to low, and let the garlic and shallot cook for a few minutes until they’ve got a bit of color. Add the kale, and cook until it’s wilted.

While you’re cooking the kale, in another pan, melt the remaining 1 Tbl of butter over medium high heat. Toss in the mushrooms (whichever kind you’re using), and cook until… well until they’re cooked through and soft. Add the soy sauce to the mushrooms, cook for another minute, and remove from heat.

Increase the heat under the kale to medium high, and add the vermouth. Cook until it is just evaporated, then add the cream/half & half and the miso. You’ll have to do a fair amount of stirring to break up the miso and make sure everything is evenly distributed and combined. Turn your heat down to medium and cook for a couple more minutes, until the sauce is slightly reduced and thickens up a little bit. Top with mushrooms, and serve.

Weekend Finds 1:25:14

January 25, 2014February 7, 2017

Well, friends, it has been a long week. An emotionally tiring, physically exhausting week, full of phone calls and to-do lists. But it’s finally the weekend, which means weekend finds.

1. Toast and more at Trouble Coffee

Trouble Coffee in the Bay on Weekend Finds // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler — Not only does Trouble Coffee serve toast. It also serves coconuts.

This article starts out about the new toast crazy (funny, I read it while enjoying a large piece of toast slathered in lemon curd at The Sugar Cube), but then winds its way into a story about community. I really like the story of this coffee shop and it’s owner, Giulietta Carrelli. Also, I like that she has freckles tattooed on her cheeks.

2. Gougères

Gougères on Weekend Finds // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler — Little perfect light bites of cheese.

All I want to do is make gougères. And I have everything in my fridge to make them. So, you ask, why am I writing this and not currently stirring together large amounts of butter and cheese? I ask you the same thing.

3. The Salted Peach

The Salted Peach on Weekend Finds // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler — I love how Dylan caught the flour in the air as Caitlyn was flouring her dough.

I don’t know if I’ve told you about my friend Caitlyn before, but I find her to be rather impressive. She went to culinary school for baking and pastry, and now works around Portland. She has this blog, the Salted Peach, and I love her writing – it is guaranteed to make me smile. Her most recent post for a S’more Tart has some of the most gorgeous pictures (which her boyfriend Dylan takes). I told them if they ever want to get me a present, they can give me a print of the picture above.

4. To remove or not to remove garlic germ?

On removing garlic germ from David Lebovitz on Weekend Finds // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler — While we still may not have a certain answer, we’re a little closer.

I have always wondered whether or not you should remove the green garlic germ from garlic. And while you can really do whatever you want, this post from David Lebovitz seems to get us a little closer to at least understanding what that green germ does for our mouths.

5. Salted Rose and Honey Pie

Rose and Honey Pie from Adventures in Cooking on Weekend Finds // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler — Tell me that doesn’t look so delicious.

I still can’t get over this blog. And this recipe is not helping. I love a gentle rose flavor in some dishes (my dad made a rose water and harissa fish dish once that was incredible), and this pie looks so beautiful and sweet.