Mesclun Straight from the Garden

Sweet. Bitter. Tender. Spicy. Perfect. All of these words can be used to describe the classic French salad greens known as mesclun. "Mesclun" literally means "mixture." Introduced to the U.S. about 20 years ago, this salad consists of a diverse mixture of sweet and spicy young lettuces and greens: arugula, oak leaf lettuces, endive, mache, radicchio, frisee and others. Each of the components of this salad contribute a unique taste and texture to the salad, resulting in a bracing combination of greens that is a perfect way to start a meal.

I have been growing this tasty mixture of greens in my small backyard garden for quite a few years now. If you have a sunny location on your property or even a large pot, mesclun is quite easily grown from seed. The Mesclun Classic Mix from Burpee (http://www.burpee.com/) is a nice, well-balanced mixture that we can plant here in Arizona in the fall and be harvesting greens by early December if the temperate weather holds out.

Tender salad greens such as mesclun prefer cool conditions, so they should be planted in the early spring in most parts of the country. In the Southwest or parts of the deep South, they can be planted in October. The greens should be harvested regularly to ensure steady production (this is not a problem for most of us).

Once you harvest a bowl of mesclun, the best way to dress the salad is really the simplest and lightest. Overloading these tender greens with a heavy ranch or similar dressing would be a mistake. A very simple French vinaigrette works well here.

A basic vinaigrette is about 2 or 3 parts olive oil to one part vinegar (white wine or red wine vinegar work well), or to taste. A small quantity of salt and pepper should first be dissolved in the vinegar before adding the oil in a steady stream while whisking. Adding about one teaspoon of good Dijon mustard to the vinegar before adding the oil adds a nice flavor and acts as an emulsifier, bringing everything together. You can make it fancy by adding some minced shallot or garlic, but this is not necessary.

Mesclun salad is a good example of why simple preparations of very fresh ingredients taste the best. Crisp, young greens right from your garden, dressed quickly with good olive oil and vinegar - it just doesn't get any better than this.

Thanksgiving Traditions

It never fails, every Wednesday before Thanksgiving day, you will find me in the kitchen late at night baking the pumpkin pies. Always two, crust first and filled with the pumpkin pie filling on the back of the can of Libby's pumpkin. These pies look homemade, from the imperfect zigzags of the pastry to the small fissures in the center of the custard. For certain, this is not haute cuisine, but it is the kind of nostalgic cooking on which traditions are based.

Thanksgiving is, perhaps, the most traditional of the food holidays, marked by tables laden with recipes handed down through generations. The menu rarely, if ever, changes.

This year, like nearly every other, the cook in me wanted to tweak some of the recipes - add ginger to the cranberry relish, omit the marshmallows on the sweet potatoes (I admit, I like them...) or try some exciting new dish from Gourmet Magazine. In the end, we succumb to the cries of horror from our families and friends, shocked that we would dare change the sacred feast.

After the flurry of activity during the last 20 minutes before the meal is served, we finally sit down to the table with a glass of wine and a ridiculously overfilled plate. At that moment, I have to admit, I am very glad that everything is as it should be - unchanging, comforting and familiar.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Wines of the Pacific Northwest

Whenever we hear about American wines, it seems as though we only hear about California. While many wines from Napa and Sonoma certainly live up to their reputation for quality, they have becoming increasingly out-of-reach for many of us who enjoy wines on a daily basis but don't care to shell out $50+ per bottle for a quality bottle. The great news is that wonderful wines are being made all over the United States for those willing to seek them out. One area, in particular, that has experienced a giant leap in quality, is the Pacific Northwest.

Washington and Oregon are producing some really excellent wines - many of which can be had for under $20 per bottle. Best of all, they tend to be widely available.

A couple of producers we like include:

Columbia Crest - Yes, we know, Columbia Crest is a market giant, and its wines can be found in any grocery store. However, a few of their labels arguably represent some of the greatest values in American wine today. Columbia Crest's H3 wines come from Washington's Horse Heaven Hills region. CC's H3 Chardonnay 2006 (91 points, Wine Spectator) will change the way you think about Chardonnay (think ripe pears and creme brulee) if all you've ever experienced is the inexpensive plonk from Napa. Their 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon (90 points, Wine Spectator) is balanced, earthy and complex. If you can't find the H3 label, try one of the Grand Estates wines, which are also very drinkable.

Duck Pond Cellars - Duck Pond Cellars (only around since 1993!) has vineyards in both Washington and Oregon. We like the Pinot Gris 2006 a lot - a grape that seems to be tailor-made for this part of the country. This wine is crisp, with flavors of peach, vanilla and citrus. It is an excellent wine to enjoy with mild cheeses or salad.

In addition to these widely available labels, there are many smaller producers that are making some amazing wines. The Pinot Noir from Oregon, in particular, has been getting rave reviews.

This Thanksgiving, instead of the usual Napa Cabernet, try incorporating a wine from America's Pacific Northwest into your meal.

The Farm at South Mountain

Since the 1920s, the Farm at South Mountain in Phoenix, Arizona, has been producing agricultural products just on the outskirts of an urban center. The Farm has an interesting history and was originally part of a large parcel of land owned by the wealthy Dwight Heard, for whom Phoenix's famed Heard Museum was named. Planted with over 100 pecan trees, the Farm is now a welcome escape from the concrete and asphalt of Phoenix's increasingly modern downtown area.

The Farm's property includes a pecan grove, certified-organic gardens and both casual and high-end dining options for visitors. The Farm's
restaurant main restaurant, Quiessence, features a seasonal, ever-changing menu with produce from the Farm and other local purveyors. The Cafe is a wonderful place to order a "basket" lunch of a salad or sandwich on weekends, and diners are welcome to eat on a picnic table in the pecan grove or on a shaded patio. After a harsh Phoenix summer, lunch in the pecan grove is pure bliss.

The Farm is not only a pleasant place to visit for a bit of relaxation, but it is also educational for a society that has become increasingly removed from its agricultural roots. At the farm, guests are welcome to wander the fields and see the baby romaine lettuces, Italian basil and other culinary delights growing in its well-tended gardens. If you are in Phoenix between October through May, take a few hours to visit the Farm - you will be glad you did.

Pumpkin and Chocolate - A New Classic Pairing

There is something mysteriously sublime about the unlikely combination of pumpkin and chocolate in desserts. The earthy, warm qualities of pumpkin echoed by fragrant spices of cinnamon and nutmeg is the perfect foil for dark chocolate. She sharpness of the chocolate contrasts so beautifully with the homey pumpkin flavors, making this pairing seem classic yet extremely modern at the same time.

These soft, cake-like pumpkin chocolate chip cookies really hit the spot in the fall when you no longer crave light fruit desserts and ice creams. They are easy-to-make and extremely addictive. Here is the recipe:

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 t baking soda
1 t baking powder
1 1/2 t ground cinnamon
1/4 t allspice
1/8 t ground cloves
1/2 t nutmeg, freshly grated
1/2 t salt
1 c granulated sugar
1/2 c light brown sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 egg
1 t vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 F and lightly grease baking sheets.

Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices and salt in a medium prep bowl. In a separate large bowl, cream the butter with the sugars until light and fluffy. Add pumpkin, egg and vanilla and mix until smooth. Slowly beat in dry ingredients until just blended. Fold in chocolate chips.

Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, drop walnut-sized spoonfuls of dough onto baking sheets.

Bake cookies for about 15 minutes. Cool slightly on baking sheets and transfer to wire racks to cool.

Makes about 30 large cookies

Rhone Valley "Everyday" Wines

If you've never tried any wines from France's Rhone Valley, now is a great time to do so. According to wine experts, growing conditions over the last several years (2005, in particular) have been outstanding in the region. While the Rhone is known for producing some really outstanding (and expensive!) Hermitage and Chateauneuf du Pape, we should not forget about some of the other regions that can produce some very good wines meant to be enjoyed every day - wines from the Cotes du Rhone, Cotes du Ventoux, Gigondas and other regions that don't quite have the prestige of the big-name regions. These wines often come at more affordable prices and, in a good growing year, can represent real value.

Some of our favorites include:

M. Chapoutier Belleruche Cotes du Rhone - 2005 or 2006
La Vieille Ferme Rouge Cotes du Ventoux - 2005 or 2006
Louis Bernard Le Garrigon Cotes du Rhone 2005

All of these wines are under $15 per bottle and exhibit the spicy, earthy qualities that make Rhone valley red wines special. While these wines are packed with rich flavor, their relatively low alcohol content make them extremely food-friendly. The next time you are making a roast chicken or pork stew, pick up a bottle of Rhone Valley wine and transport yourself to a rustic French farmhouse for a real taste of the French countryside.

Produce from the Farmer's Market

Over the weekend, we visited the new local Farmer's Market and picked up this beautiful produce. Farmer's markets have generated a lot of buzz over the last few years and have fast become an important part of the movement toward eating local, sustainably grown organic foods. While it is easy to dismiss such a movement as a fad, a short visit to one of these culinary gatherings will quickly convince anyone interested in food that they just make good sense.

Farmer's markets are chock full of the freshest ingredients one can obtain for the kitchen. Just look at these crisp white turnips with the bits of soil still clinging to them and the pristine bok choy that has obviously not travelled halfway around the world to reach the consumer.

In so many communities around the United States, small farmers are providing a variety of wonderfully fresh food directly to consumers. These foods are seasonal, which means they will generally taste better than foods grown out of season in foreign countries. As most good cooks know, the quality of your cooking is only as good as the ingredients you use, which means that fresh seasonal produce is a must.

These peppery turnips inspired a fall Shepherd's pie in which the turnips found their way into both the filling and the mashed potato covering. Here is a photo of the turnips sauteeing with other aromatic vegetables in the skillet:

Shopping at farmer's markets is a wonderful way to support local farmers and obtain the very best foods for your family. To locate a farmer's market or other source of locally grown foods in your community, visit Local Harvest and type in your zip code: http://www.localharvest.org/

Roasting a Chicken

Maybe it's the weather cooling down or the holidays approaching, but there is something really appealing about having a bird roasting away in the oven right now. The entire house fills with the scents of crisping skin, caramelized root vegetables and aromatic herbs. Roasting a chicken makes a house smell like a home.

There has been a great deal of discussion in the culinary world about the "proper" way to roast a chicken. Everyone seems to have their own "correct" method, whether it involves brining, trussing, oven temperature changes or other more elaborate procedures. I prefer a more simple, straightforward approach that does not involve a lot of attention during the roasting process. Most people would probably agree that your goal should be to achieve a crisp skin, fully-cooked dark meat and moist breast meat.

Roast chicken can be as simple as using salt and pepper with a little melted butter or olive oil. I really like the way that the aromatic vegetables and herbs infuse the chicken with complex flavors. And besides, if these preparations can be done quickly, in advance, without having to babysit the chicken while it cooks, they are really not much of a bother. Here is my approximate recipe:

Roast Chicken with Root Vegetables and Herbs

1-4 pound chicken, giblets removed, and patted dry
1 yellow onion, peeled and sliced
1 carrot, peeled and roughly chopped in large chunks
2 stalks celery, roughly chopped in large chunks
1 garlic clove, peeled and sliced
2 sprigs rosemary, leaves removed and roughly chopped
1/4 cup Italian parsely, roughly chopped
3 T olive oil
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
Equipment: Medium Roasting Pan, Instant-read thermometer

Preheat the oven to 425 F. Place the chicken breast side up in the pan on a layer of about 1/2 the onion slices and the celery and carrots, creating a "rack" of vegetables. Using your hands, carefully lift the skin away from the breast and the legs, creating a pocket.

Rub about 1 T of the olive oil on the breast and leg meat and then salt and pepper both the areas under the skin and the cavity of the chicken. Place the garlic and a few onion slices and scattering of herbs in the cavity. Stuff the remaining herbs and onion slices under the skin covering the breast and legs, taking care to completely cover the breast meat with the onions to keep the white meat moist. Wrap the skin back up over the onions. (Note: You could truss the bird at this point if you are fanatical about appearance, but, as you can see, I am not.)

Rub the remaining olive oil over the skin of the chicken. Sprinkle generously with coarse salt and pepper. Place the pan in the center of the oven and roast for approximately 1.5 hours, or until the thigh meat registers 170 F using an instant-read thermometer. If, during the roasting process, you notice that the skin is becoming too dark, cover the bird with a piece of aluminum foil.

When the bird reaches the desired temperature, remove it from the pan to a carving board, and let the bird stand about 15 minutes. During this time, the bird will continue to cook. (Note: This resting period is critical for a moist bird. Do not skip it.)

Carve the bird using a sharp knife, removing the legs, thighs, wings and breast meat. It is nice to place the meat on a platter with dark meat on one side and white meat on the other, surrounded by the accompaniments.

Serves 4

Variations: Be creative with roast chicken preparations. You could change some of the herbs, use lemons or balsamic vinegar, or splash the chicken with dry white wine while cooking. All are delicious.

Accompaniments: Roast chicken is nice in the fall with root vegetables roasted alongside. In the photo, I have used sweet potatoes, which were roasted (coated with olive oil, salt and pepper) for about 40 minutes on a baking sheet.

Wine: We drank a 2004 Georis Estate Merlot (Le Sanglier) with the chicken because of its earthy flavors and soft tannins. The wine really picked up the flavors of the caramelized onions.

Roast chicken can be served with a white or red wine. Some people prefer dry white wines such as Chardonnay with roast chicken. I would avoid the overly oaked Chards. Reds with an "earthy" quality, such as Pinot Noir, are pretty classic with roast chicken, especially when prepared in this manner. "Old World" style wines that are low in alcohol are very nice with this chicken. A Spanish Tempranillo would be delicious.

Comfort Soups

Every so often, we all have the kind of day that leaves us feeling weary, stressed or maybe even a little under the weather. These are the times when everyone needs an unfussy, reliable "comfort" soup that can be quickly prepared without much thought. These are, by nature, dishes that are perfect for improvisation. A rustle through the pantry and refrigerator drawers for some staple items and produce is all that is needed to get you started on this quick potato soup so that you can start feeling better.

If you are so inclined, a quick bread such as these biscuits, can be prepared quickly while the soup is simmering, offering additional comfort from the stresses of daily life.

While this soup is one of those spontaneous creations borne from the coffers of the refrigerator that you should feel free to alter, here is the approximate recipe:

Comfort Potato Soup

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 carrot, peeled and diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
4 cups chicken broth (low sodium, if using canned)
2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
1/4 cup Italian parsley leaves, chopped plus additional for garnish
1/2 cup whole milk or cream
Coarse salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Equipment: immersion blender or regular blender

In a medium pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, melt the butter and saute the onion, carrot, celery and garlic until the vegetables soften, about 10 minutes. Add the chicken broth, and bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Add the diced potatoes and parsley leaves, and simmer until the potatoes are very tender, about 15 minutes.

Using an immersion blender, puree about half of the soup to thicken, leaving some of the vegetables in chunks. If using a regular blender, puree about 2 cups of the mixture in small batches, taking care to leave the top of the blender open to allow the release of heat. Add the milk or cream, warm gently and add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately with warm bread or biscuits.

Serves 4

Pain a l'Ancienne - Easy and Extremely Delicious

If you have not yet tried making your own bread, you are missing out on a fascinating experience. Since picking up a copy of Peter Reinhart's incredible book, The Bread Baker's Apprentice, I have become obsessed with making Pain a l'Ancienne. A technique more than a type of bread, Pain a l'Ancienne involves the simple use of ice water and refrigeration to delay the action of yeast in the dough, allowing enzymes in the flour to convert the starches into sugars. While it is not necessary to understand the science behind this recipe, what is important is that the end result is a beautifully caramelized, chewy bread that will put to shame anything you can pick up at the supermarket.

Pain a l'Ancienne is made into baguettes by Philippe Gosselin in his Paris bakery. This is a rustic type of bread, full of irregular holes that indicate a well-made "artisan" bread. While the baguettes are beautiful, you can really form the dough into any shape that pleases you.

Here is a link to the recipe: http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/2723/pain-lancienne-recipe

Always a fan of the KitchenAid stand mixer, I make use of the dough hook for mixing this dough before refrigerating. After an overnight chill, I take the bread out to rest at room temperature for about 3 or 4 hours the next day. The dough is easily shaped into no-fuss, rustic baguettes, and a pair of scissors can be used to "slit" the dough for an attractive finish.

Try making this bread the next time you invite friends over for dinner or for your Sunday supper. I guarantee that everyone will be impressed!

Pizza Night

Homemade pizza - it really doesn't get much better than this. Yes, I know, it is so convenient to call up your local pizza delivery joint and have dinner delivered in 30 minutes. But, do they offer delectable toppings like crisp red onion, crumbled goat cheese and sweet-tart grape tomatoes bursting with flavor? Probably not.

I have been making homemade pizza dough for years now. I have experimented making doughs by hand, using a breadmaker and the KitchenAid Mixer. By far, my favorite approach is to use the stand mixer. Most of the dough recipes out there call for hand kneading. At the end of the workday, I have no desire to knead dough for ten minutes when the stand mixer produces a perfectly fine result.

My current favorite recipe for pizza dough comes from Chris Bianco, the proprietor of Pizzeria Bianco in Phoenix, Arizona. Chris Bianco is a genius with pizza and shared his recipe for dough with Gourmet Magazine back in 2003. Here is the link:

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/PIZZA-DOUGH-108197

When using the stand mixer with this recipe, the kneading time can be decreased to 5 or 6 minutes using a dough hook. The most important thing to remember with pizza dough is to handle the dough carefully once it is risen. You do not want to flatten out the dough and lose all those air bubbles created by the yeast.

Toppings should be added to the dough to suit your tastes. Homemade pizzas generally fare better when the toppings are added with a light hand to allow the dough to rise properly without being weighed down.

Once you flatten out the dough and add your toppings (this can be done directly on a floured pizza peel or even on a baking sheet), the pizza should be baked in a fairly hot oven (at least 450 F or up to 550 F). The baking time will vary depending on the temperature of the oven, but allow 6 to 12 minutes.

In my house, good homemade pizza calls for a good red wine. Yes, I know, the acidity of the goat cheese on this pizza probably calls out for a crisp Sauvignon Blanc, but this is pizza! Pizza is, by nature, casual and comforting. To me, that means a flavorful red wine.

This wine is the Georis Winery Cowgirl Red (a Merlot/Cabernet blend) from Carmel, California. Georis Winery makes wonderful reds crafted with care. You should choose your favorite comfort red wine to drink with your homemade pizza.