Kudos

Recently I've spent a lot of time perusing menus as I look for the perfect location for a Valentine's dinner. Sacramento has a number of new restaurants, but unfortunately I'm seeing a lot of the same meat-and-potato-style fare. Of course many restaurants will have ~a single~ vegetarian option on their dinner menu. Sorry chefs - it just doesn't make sense for my hubby and I to shell out big bucks for us both to order the same dish. Isn't it so much more fun when you can order a selection of starters and entrées and munch off each other's plates?

Despite my complaints, some kudos are in order. One of Old Sacramento's longtime restaurants The Firehouse is the clear winner when it comes to accommodating the vegetarian gourmet this year on Valentine's Day. They have a dedicated vegan/vegetarian menu.

We're looking to celebrate on Saturday, so I'm sad to report that my hubby and I won't get to enjoy this lovely menu. Nevertheless, here's what I would order:

First Course

Vegan Asparagus Bundle
pistachio-arugula pesto, baby red oak lettuce and savory celeriac purée


Second Course

Brie en Croustade
mission figs and port red onions baked in puff pastry with pistachios and pepper-honey drizzle


Third Course

Vegan Beet Carpaccio Salad
watercress and crystalized ginger, spiced almonds and pear vinaigrette


Intermezzo

White Peach Champagne Sorbet


Fourth Course

Winter Greens Risotto Verde
braised radicchio, endive, arugula and Parmigiano-Reggiano


Fifth Course

Chocolate Devotion
milk and dark chocolate mousse, devil's food cake, raspberry, coulis and chocolate-caramel crème

Sounds pretty fantastic, doesn't it?

Oh, and by the way, hello Internet. It's so nice to be back!

Fancy Beans

I've been trying to pretend spring is truly here, but unfortunately the weather gods don't always listen to me. Today in Northern California it has been cold, WINDY, and wet. So I decided to feature a wintery recipe that I made back when it really was winter.


Lentils are cheap, hearty, and healthy. Since the French eat them, I figure they can also be called "fancy." Back when I made these I used my favorite 3-pronged approach to fancy them up even more, and the result was rich and satisfying. These lentils are vegan-friendly (just omit the cheese) and are great served alone or over pasta.

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Lentil Stew
Serves 6-8 and freezes well

• 2 Tbsp oil
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 2 tsp dried parsley
• 1 8oz pkg pre-sliced mushrooms, preferably cremini
• 4 carrots, chopped
• 1 lb. dried lentils, rinsed
  
• 1 cup red wine
• 1 quart vegetable stock
• 2 cups water
• 1/3 cup grated or shredded parmigiano regiano

Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Add the onion, pepper flakes, thyme, and parsley and saute until just soft, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and saute another 5 minutes. Add the carrots, lentils, wine, stock, and water. Bring to a boil, then simmer over medium-low heat for approximately 40 minutes. When the carrots and lentils are soft but still have some structure to them, the stew is finished. Stir in the parmigiano reggiano until the cheese melts into the sauce and serve alone or over pasta.

Fine Dining

On our trip last week we dined up and down the Monterey Bay. (One of my favorite parts of the trip, of course!) One of my most vivid memories is from our last night there when we had dinner overlooking the water. We were just next to some rocks, so we experienced the full effect of the ocean as the waves crashed against them. We sipped on margaritas and a family of adorable sea otters played just a few feet from us. It was really a hoot to watch them in action!

By the time we got back home I was thoroughly hooked on the whole dining experience. While I had no way to re-create the ocean views, I at least tried to stick with my approach for veggie sophistication. I didn't have any mushrooms, but I did incorporate wine and cheese into the meal.

This recipe is an old asparagus favorite ~ perfect for springtime.


I spruced it up a bit by experimenting with fontina. On our trip I picked up some locally grown and produced Riesling marinated garlic, which I've never cooked with before. As you see from the pictures, I used it in this dish.


While I look forward to trying the marinated garlic in other things, I definitely prefer fresh garlic here. It's such a simple recipe that the kick from the fresh garlic is essential. Enjoy!


Spaghetti with Asparagus, Fontina, and Garlic
Adapted from Giada De Laurentiis

• 2 pounds asparagus, trimmed
• 3/4 pound spaghetti (I prefer whole wheat)
• 4 Tbsp. olive oil
• 4 fresh garlic cloves, minced
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 6 ounces Fontina, cubed
• 6 Tbsp. thinly sliced fresh basil leaves

Cook the asparagus in a large pot of boiling salted water until crisp tender, about 2 to 3 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove asparagus from boiling water to a bowl of ice water to cool and stop the cooking. When cool, strain, cut asparagus into 1-inch pieces, and set aside.

Return the water in the pot to a boil, adding additional water, if necessary. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, tender but still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.

Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 20 seconds. Add asparagus to the skillet. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Add the pasta, and if needed, some of the reserved cooking liquid. Toss to coat. Add the fontina and basil and toss to combine. The cheese will melt and coat the spaghetti as you stir. Turn off the heat. Adjust seasonings, if necessary, and serve.

Veggie Sophistication

A few weeks ago I realized how much my cooking style has changed, particularly since I've been cooking for three rather than two. Not only do I cook less often than I used to, but my cooking has lost a lot of sophistication. I used to make the occasional fancy meal for my hubby and I, sometimes even with multiple courses. Now. . .not so much.

There are several reasons for this change. My toddler's tastes influence my menu selection a great deal. I'm also super practical, so I'm always considering what things will taste like the next day for lunch. But the biggest reason for the current state of things is that I just have so little time.

I've been trying to elevate my style just the teensiest bit. I have tried to make a few meals that are a bit more "upscale," if you will. And the great thing is that I've found that it really doesn't take much to fancy things up a bit.

Perhaps you're wondering what makes a vegetarian meal more "upscale." Afterall, we don't get the benefit of filet mignon or other fancy cuts of meat. In my mind, there are three things that add sophistication to any meal.

• Nice, flavorful cheeses
• Exotic mushrooms
• Any form of cooking with wine

With this tripartite in mind, I recently turned to an old favorite recipe that incorporates all three. It's a recipe from Rachael Ray for a spaghetti risotto. My toddler gets her spaghetti. I get my risotto. And we all get the cheese, mushroom, and wine combo.



I have barely adapted the original recipe, so I'm linking directly to it. I usually use fresh mushrooms if they're available (about 12 oz. of any combination), I use walnuts since I always have them on hand, and I skip the arugula and lemon juice part of the recipe. The result is always fantastic, so I'm so glad to have re-discovered this old {slightly} upscale favorite!