A year and change ago at Thanksgiving, I had more pureed pumpkin than I had pie so I decided to try a little something different with it. I browned onions, deglazed them with vermouth, seasoned and simmered them with pumpkin the result was a savory, pleasantly sweet sauce that was glorious on a pizza topped with mozzarella, sage, pine nuts and bacon. It has become a wintertime favorite at my house and I hope it will be in yours too.

2 TBS. olive oil

1 onion, diced

1 garlic clove, minced

1 c. dry vermouth

3/4 c. pumpkin puree (home roasted or canned are both fine)

1 TBS. sage, chopped

sea salt, to taste

freshly ground pepper

pizza dough, rolled out to desired thickness (I recommend going a little thick, so it can handle the weight of the sauce)

1/2 c. bacon, diced

20 small leaves sage rinsed and dried

mozzarella, sliced

1/2 c. pine nuts

Preheat the oven to 425F.

Add the olive oil to a warm saute pan, add the onions and garlic then cook until golden. Deglaze the pan with the vermouth, before adding in the pumpkin puree, sage, salt and pepper. Simmer the mixture to until thick, remove from the heat and allow to cool. If you want a smooth sauce, puree it, but I personally like the onion pieces in it.

Fry the bacon in a small saute pan. Remove the bacon and drain. Fry the sage leaves in the rendered bacon fat and drain.

Top the pizza dough with the sauce and sliced mozzarella and place in the oven for ten minutes. After the ten minutes is up, top with the bacon, sage leaves and pine nuts and return to the oven for an additional five to ten minutes.

Last night Phil and I were talking about Mutineer and I realized that it has been nearly two years since started writing my column “Hungry Mutineer”. Time has flown by so quickly, it seems just like yesterday that I was harassing my editor to let me take the lead on food. Since then, I’ve gone from contributor to columnist to Food Editor. It still makes me laugh.

Anyhoo, I realized that I have never shared any of my Mutineer recipes with you all, so I’ve poked around some back issues and chosen some of my favorites to share with you. This week I’m sharing a delicious recipe for olives cooked with absinthe. I was really shocked by the reaction to this recipe. I adored it, but I wasn’t sure how well it would be received, but my fears were totally unfounded, this flavor packed cocktail snack was a hit. As a new columnist with an uncertain future all I could think of was, thank goodness.

I hope you like it.

Olives and Absinthe

2 TBS. Butter

3 c. olives, rinsed and pitted

2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

1 TBS. fennel seeds

1 tsp. freshly ground pepper

1/4 c. absinthe

zest or 1/2 an orange, use a veggie peeler to ensure large pieces

1/2 c. pine nuts

2 TBS. fresh mint

Lightly toast the pine nuts in a 350F oven for 8-10 minutes.

In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat then add in the olives and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic, fennel and pepper and cook for another minute. Deglaze the pan with the absinthe, lower the heat and stir in the zest and cook for 2 more minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the pine nuts and mint before serving.

When I was a kid on nights my parents would go out, they’d pick up dinner for my siblings and I. Dinner was often  accompanied by savory potato wedges called JoJo Potatoes. I can’t stand the name, which probably has something to do with why we started calling them Jo’s. I hadn’t had Jo’s in at least 15 years, but a couple of weeks ago I decided to make them to go with dinner.

It took a few tries to recall the flavor, but these are very similar to what I remember. I gave them a little tang through the addition of lemon and I love how it works with the smoked paprika and garlic. Enjoy!

Jo’s Potatoes

4 Russet Potatoes, sliced into wedges and parboiled

2 tsp. Smoked Paprika

2 Garlic Cloves, minced very fine

1/2 tsp. or so Sea Salt

1 tsp. Freshly Ground Pepper

Juice of 1 Lemon

2-3 TBS. Olive Oil

Preheat your oven to 375F.

Mix the paprika, garlic, sea salt, pepper, lemon and oil together in the bottom of a large bowl. Place the parboiled potatoes in the bowl and toss until evenly coated. Arrange on a baking sheet and place in the oven for 40 minutes.

Enjoy warm!

My brain is completely empty today, but thankfully I remembered about these yummy olives. I made them a couple of weeks ago to serve with aperitifs when some dear friends came to dinner. I served them alongside slices of pain levain, from Della Fattoria, some amazing Sicilian salami with orange and anise from Fatted Calf and a vibrant bottle of chilly vinho verde . They were a huge hit and the leftover seasoned olive oil is perfect for dipping those slices of pain levain.

I used two particularly fascinating ingredients for this one you may have heard of; preserved lemons and one you may not; urfa pepper. The salty pungent lemons add a little variety and interest to your run of the mill dish of olives while the urfa pepper adds a rich earthy tone with a mild kick of spice.

Enjoy, and sorry for the scanty post this week. I’ll deliver a better read next time.

8 oz. Your Favorite Olives, drained and pitted (seriously, no one likes fishing pits out of their mouth)

2 Preserved Lemons, chopped into bite sized pieces

1/4 tsp Turkish Urfa Pepper

1 Garlic Clove, minced

1/4 tsp Fresh Thyme Leaves

1/4 cup Olive Oil (use something fresh and full bodied)

Combine the ingredients in a little dish, stir and allow to meld for an hour or so.

I recently spent about two-seconds in Los Angeles in order to attend Mutineer Magazine’s Red Carpet Tasting. We flew in from Barcelona and aside from hitting up the Falcon Club for the party did not leave the hotel the entire time opting to sleep as much as humanly possible. We did manage to drag our muddled carcasses down to the hotel restaurant where we split a dish of lime, avocado and shrimp “salsa” (was nothing like salsa). What they actually served is more similar to a Mexican coctel only without the tomato based liquid. It was pretty good as far as hotel food goes, but I had expected more than a few sad pieces of avocado since it is one of the title ingredients.

What I loved about this dish was the fresh, light way the dish was presented. It was delicious and I felt good eating it. When I got home I set to creating my own version and it eventually evolved into the Prawn Ceviche Tostadas you see here. I used lime as the cooking liquid and flavored it with garlic, onions, jalepeno and oregano. This combination combined with the prawns and veggies was fantastic spooned over crispy fried corn tortillas, wrapped in crispy lettuce or even served on its own.

For those of you who don’t like the idea of eating raw prawns, the citric acid does cook it, albeit in a slightly unconventional way. If that is not comforting to you than cooking your shrimp ahead of time is acceptable, just do not under any circumstances overcook it.

Enjoy!

On another note, I am on Facebook and Twitter, so if you are too look me up!

Also, those of you in or around L.A. should definitely check out Manila Machine the first Filipino food truck in L.A. run by fellow food blogger and Mutineer Magazine contributor Marvin of Burnt Lumpia. If you need a little more persuading all I have to say is;”Sweet calamansi beef, achara slaw, and spicy sriracha mayo on a pan de sal roll”. Sounds like a little piece of heaven to me.

Oh, and once again the photo is my own feeble attempt to shoot my food. I really can’t wait until Phil is back in photographer mode. The hipstamatic just didn’t cut it for this dish.

Prawn Ceviche Tostadas

Juice of 3-4 Limes, (try to find nice juicy ones)

1 Garlic Clove

1/4 to 1/2 an Onion, diced relatively small

1 Jalepeno, seeded and minced or 2 TBS Hot Sauce

2 tsp Dried Oregano Leaves, crush in your palms

Sea Salt, to taste

Freshly Ground Pepper, to taste

1 lb. Very Fresh Prawns, cleaned and sliced in half from top to tail (quality counts here)

2-3 cups Grape or Jewel Tomatoes, sliced two or three times

1 cup Jicama, diced

1 Avocado, diced

A good hefty handful of Shredded Cabbage

12-16 Corn or Flour Tortillas, fried until crispy and drained (do not do these in advance)

Creme Fraiche, to dollop on top

Combine the lime juice, onion, garlic, jalepeno, prawns, sea salt and pepper in a large bowl, stirring to coat. Refrigerate for one to two hours stirring frequently.

After the allotted time, add in the prepared veggies, stirring to coat and checking for seasoning and adjusting to taste. Using a slotted spoon to allow excess juice to escape, top the crispy tortilla with the ceviche, garnish with creme fraiche and serve.

Note: Do not under salt this dish, trust me it will be a disappointment.

* I took the photo this week instead of Phil. Go Hipstamatic app!

One gorgeous clear morning last week, a small band of bleary eyed travelers made their way to Barcelona’s temple of culinary delight, Mercat de la Boqueria for breakfast and a little shopping. We didn’t have much time, but I was able to fill my stores with sea salt packed anchovies, mojama (similar to bottarga), some sort of dried mystery fish, saffron and pimenton (all will be making an appearance here). After my market whirlwind we met up with our gorgeous host Eva at the incredibly famous tapas bar Pinotxo for a bite to eat before we boarded the train south. We had a lovely cream filled pastry that I believe is called xuixo and my favorite which was a perfectly seasoned tortilla with zucchini and onion.

Before my breakfast at Pinotxo, I had only seen the tortilla made with potatoes. So, I was pleasantly surprised to see this it bursting with green goodness. The combination of the onion, zucchini and egg was fantastic. Now, I have always heard this eggy dish described as an omelet, but I see it as more of a fritatta. Whatever it is, it is delicious and I guess that is all that matters. Mine is by no means authentic, but it is incredibly tasty nonetheless. I blend nice thick yogurt and mustard in with my eggs to give them a little tang and richness. I hope you enjoy my version as much as I enjoyed the one I had at Pinotxo.

Pinotxo Tortilla

4 Small Zucchini, sliced thin

1/2 an Onion, sliced thin

6 Eggs (use really fresh eggs, you’ll thank me later), room temp

1/2 cup Thick Plain Yogurt, room temp

1 Garlic Clove

1 TBS Stone Ground Mustard

Sea Salt, to taste  (just don’t skimp)

Freshly Ground Pepper, to taste

1/4 tsp Paprika (I used hot)

2 TBS Olive Oil + more to saute the onions and zucchini

Over medium heat saute the onions and zucchini in olive oil until they are brown.

In a large bowl combine the eggs, yogurt, mustard, garlic, salt, pepper and paprika and whisk to combine.

Heat a smallish skillet over medium heat and add in the olive oil. Add the egg mixture and then the zucchini to the pan and allow to cook. After a few minutes begin to run a rubber/silicone spatula around the rim of the skillet to ensure the tortilla doesn’t stick to the pan, don’t force it this will get easier the longer it cooks. When it is cooked about halfway through run it under the broiler until the egg is set on top and golden brown.

To serve; run the spatula around the sides to ensure release and invert carefully onto a plate and slice into wedges or small squares for a crowd. Can be eaten hot, cold or at room temperature.

-Phil and I were in Barcelona working on a story for Mutineer Magazine. I can’t tell you what just yet, but I officially love what I do.

-To join me on Facebook click here.

I have a few bits of information to pass on to you today. The first of which is in regards to the Mutineer Magazine annual party in L.A. on May 23rd benefitting water relief. Those of you who read Mutineer will know that we are committed to supporting the amazing clean water organization A Child’s Right. So, if you are in the Los Angeles area on Sunday, May 23 I hope that you will attend.

Secondly, The May/June issue of Mutineer has hit the stands and it is great. My column this issue is on Cooking with Bourbon and I am really proud of it. It contains recipes for a gorgeous Mint Julep and Orange Salad, smoky and mildly piquant Bourbon Maple Collard Greens, sticky Bourbon Barbecue Ribs and my piece de resistance the gooey, salty, smoky and rich Bourbon, Bacon Brownies. I had a great time writing this one, sniffing, tasting and matching the flavor profile of each recipe to a different small batch bourbon. It’s a difficult job, but someone must do it. Here’s a peek at the cover.

Last but not least, I have finally started a Facebook page for The Endive Chronicles. If you are registered with Facebook, I would love it if you checked out the page.

Now, on to the main event.

Three weeks ago Phil and I enjoyed a lovely weekend at Healdsburg’s Jordan Winery. After a fantastic day of bento box lunches, chatting with Chef Knoll and other Mutineer business we went to the guest house where a few of the Mutineers were staying to have a bite to eat. The Chef Knoll had supplied us with a lovely spread of cured meats, local cheese, chevre stuffed peppers and foie gras. Everything was wonderful, but there was one thing so unexpected and gorgeous that I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it ever since; that is dried apricots with lemon thyme and drenched in young olive oil. Wow.

I have never hear of anyone doing this before. I’ve seen apricots in honey, but that makes my teeth hurt just thinking about it. But this, this contained three things I really love; the sweetness and intensity of dried fruit, herbaceous notes and the fresh green flavors of some really delicious olive oil.

Now I am pretty sure they simply sliced up some dried Turkish apricots and tossed them with lemon thyme and olive oil which is sort of what I did. The one big different in our recipes is that I used my  favorite Blenhiem apricots. I love them both, but I generally prefer the tangier, chewier Blenhiem. I also did not slice my apricots, instead I packed them in a jar as I would sundried tomatoes, added lemon thyme and a pinch of sea salt and covered them with some of the great olive oil that I received on our visit to Jordan. I let them stand a few days to soften in the oil before eating, it was worth the wait. They can be eaten on their own or on top crostini spread with mascarpone, served with a wedge of a creamy floral blue cheese like Ewe’s Blue from Old Chatham Cheese Company or even served with crispy seared chicken for dinner. I am pretty sure this is the new sundried tomato. I hope you like it as much as I do.

Well done Jordan Kitchen, well done.

Jordan Inspired Apricots in Olive Oil

1-2 cups Dried Apricots (as many as you can pack into the jar

A few sprigs Lemon Thyme (or regular thyme and a strip of lemon zest)

Pinch Sea Salt

Extra Virgin Olive Oil, to cover (choose a young and fruity one)

In a smallish jar, pack in the apricots and lemon thyme. Sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt and cover with the olive oil. Cover and allow to soften for a few days before use.

Since I have been on orders to take it easy and elevate my feet for the last several weeks a lot more emphasis has been the simple things. You see, I am finding myself more easily bored these days, as soon as any work I have to do is done for the day I find myself staring out the window thinking about what Jeff Jefferies saw out his window in Hitchcock’s “Rear Window”. So to avoid gross boredom, little things like movie night have become much more of an event. The important elements of movie night are a classic movie such as “Casablanca” (I would have chosen Laszlo hands down) or “North by Northwest”, a nice bottle of wine or an exciting new beer (have you tried the Belgian sours?), and one stellar batch of popcorn.

When I was a kid we had movie night. My parents would serve sliced apples with cheese and a big bowl of popcorn dressed with garlic and parmesan cheese. I always really loved those nights spent with my parents and siblings cackling away to movies like “The Gods Must Be Crazy” or “North Avenue Irregulars” and snacking away on these yummy treats. So naturally even today when I plan a movie night some type of specially flavored popcorn is always on the menu.

My current favorite is a popcorn dressed with warm olive oil and a lovely Yemeni herb blend called zhug. I was introduced to zugh by Shuli the proprietor of the local spice company Whole Spice when I stopped by his Oxbow Market shop. Shuli had me tasting all sorts of lovely, vibrant spices, one being zhug which is a delicious blend of chile tianjin, garlic, coriander, cumin, salt, cardamon, clove, cilantro. The flavor is completely unexpected and just plain wonderful.

One thing to remember when using zhug, as with any dried herbs is that the flavor needs to be woken up. Putting a smattering of dried herbs on top of something without cooking it first does not help a dried herb reach its full potential. I simmer it gently in olive oil for a little while before drizzling it over the freshly popped popcorn rather than just sprinkling it on dry. The difference in flavor is amazing.

Do you have any favorite movie night snacks or movie recommendations (no David Lynch please Leslie), I’d love to hear them?

This is a little off subject, but I finally started a page for The Endive Chronicles on Facebook so if you are on FB, I’d love it if you checked it out!

Popcorn with Olive Oil and Zhug

1/4 cup Canola Oil

1 1/2 cups Popcorn Seeds

1/4 cup Olive Oil

3 TBS (or so) Zhug

Sea Salt

Pop your popcorn on the stove according to the manufacturers instructions.

Warm the olive oil and zhug in a small saucepan over low heat for about 5-10 minutes. If it gets too hot turn it off early. After 5-10 minutes turn the heat off and allow to sit for a little while for the flavors to meld. Then gently warm again before pouring over the popcorn. Be careful when pouring the warm oil over the popcorn, splashing oil can be problematic . . . and painful.

The other day I noticed it has been a while since I updated the “My Favorite Things” page here at The Endive Chronicles. I didn’t just stop discovering new things, I have just been a bit negligent about sharing them. So here is an update for you.

Bodegas Dios Baco Fino Sherry- Normally I prefer manzanilla sherry, usually finding fino a little unrefined like nail polish remover. But, good sherry is difficult to find in the United States and so when I was perusing Santa Rosa’s Bottle Barn recently (best selection I’ve found so far) I was delighted to find a small but respectable selection of sherries and so I loaded up. The Bodegas Dios Baco Fino was nutty, nuanced and didn’t make me feel as if I were in a nail salon.

I love dry sherries, but know very little since so few are easily found in the United States. If anyone has any info or recommendations I would be glad to hear them.

Mint and Licorice Root Tisane –  I love this herbal infusion. Licorice root and mint combine for a sweet, refreshing and caffeine free drink I really like to have in the afternoon. Normally I drink it hot, but it is also wonderful chilled with a tiny squeeze of agave syrup. I use a weight ratio of 4 licorice root to 1 mint.

Blood Orange Olive Oil - I just want to preface this by saying that I recently won a recipe competition at The Olive Press, but other than that I have absolutely no connection to them and am not being paid for this mention or the mention of the other products for that matter. I am simply a fan.

I recently used their Blood Orange Olive Oil in a potato salad I whipped up last week to feed my fellow Mutineers Alan, Ian and Chris. The flavor it added was over the top and I wish I could eat it every day. I’ll have salad recipe for you in the coming weeks.

Old Chatham Sheepherding Company’s Ginger Yogurt – I think I am obsessed with Old Chatham Sheepherding Company in itself. Their Ewe’s Blue cheese is the thing dreams are made of and I am always on the lookout for their products.  This is a sheep’s milk yogurt and it is extraordinary. It is simply flavored with nothing more than the most tender candied ginger and is so heartbreakingly creamy that I am constantly nursing a pretty serious jones for it; I generally breakdown about once a week. It is pretty expensive, but is completely worth it for the occasional snack.

My new Eurocuisine yogurt maker – Okay, I actually have an obsession with yogurt period. I eat one or two a day and am constantly on the hunt for a good one. I recently decided that with the amount of yogurt I eat I could save a lot of money and avoid excess waste by making my own. I’m not very good at it yet, but I am counting on tips from the fabulous Debbie to help me out with my next batch!

Spiced Garbanzo Beans - This recipe is vying for the first place position with the ginger yogurt. It is simply garbanzos, smoked paprika and sea salt sauteed till crisp on the outside in several glugs of olive oil and served warm. The flavor is rich and smoky. The bean itself is crisp and creamy with a nutty flavor that is reminiscent of peanuts and it makes for a filling and wonderful snack.

Spiced Garbanzo Beans

1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 TBS Onion, minced (I have used both yellow and scallions with great results, just use your favorite)

2 cups Cooked Garbanzo Beans, rinsed and pat dry

1 1/2 tsp Smoked Paprika

Sea Salt, to taste

Add the oil to a hot skillet (preferably cast iron) and saute the onions for a minute or two. Add in the garbanzo beans, smoked paprika and sea salt and cook until the outsides are brown and slightly crisp. Drain briefly on a paper towel and sere warm.

Note: Serving these while warm is important, especially if beginning with dried beans versus canned beans. They will dry out as they cool, it is unfortunate.

I love the flavors of Southeast Asia and most particularly Vietnam. I have dreams about swimming in a vat of pho while eating a bahn mi sandwich; thinking about a bowl of bun cha and gigantic bottles of Sri Racha. When living in the Hamptons there wasn’t a Vietnamese restaurant for miles, so I began to make my own pho. Then we moved back to Seattle, Phil and I were spoiled some of the best Vietnamese food you can find in the United States just south of us in Federal Way. Sadly after having been spoiled by the restaurants there, I am slightly gutted to report that Petaluma has one Vietnamese restaurant and it is a disappointment. So, once again I am going to take matters into my own hands.

Last time I had to do this, I set about recreating pho. This time I am simply taking flavors and making something that is influenced by the gorgeous cuisine of Vietnam. I keep turning over a couple of images in my mind, one of bun, the ground meat sitting over a little grill in all its salty, smoky perfection and the other of the seasoned veggies of the bahn mi. So, I decided to take the best of each dish and create these delicious little bundles. The veggies give the dish a lovely crunch, while the glaze on these spicy meatballs adds a sticky element that is completely addictive as Phil can attest, he devastated the meatball population pretty quickly.

Enjoy!

Vietnamese Inspired Meatball Bundles

1 recipe Grilled Pork Meatballs (recipe below)

1 head Butter Lettuce, taken apart, leaves in tact, rinsed and dried

1 recipe Vegetable Filling (recipe below)

Place a couple of meatballs into a lettuce leaf, top with the vegetable filling and serve with a bottle of Sri Racha nearby.

Grilled Pork Meatballs

1 lb Ground Pork

3/4 cup Old Fashioned Rolled Oats

1 Egg

1 Garlic Clove, grated

1 to 2 inches Fresh Ginger, peeled and grated

1/4 cup Fish Sauce

2 tsp Sri Racha

1/2 tsp Freshly Ground Pepper

In a bowl, combine the ingredients  well using your hands or a spatula. Fashion into meatballs about the size of a Russian teacake or a little larger. Grill over low heat for 30-45 minutes glazing at regular intervals.

Note: Unless you have some sort of bbq friendly pan for cooking you can rig up a little foil tray to place on the bbq so the meatballs won’t fall through.

Glaze

1/4 cup Honey

1-2 TBS cup Fish Sauce

A Good Squirt on Sri Racha

Gently warm the glaze in a sauce pan and brush on the meatballs as they cook.

Vegetable Filling

1 Cucumber, peeled, sliced in half, seeds removed and sliced

2-3 Carrots, julienned

A Handful of Bean Sprouts

2 Scallions, sliced

1/4 cup Basil or Mint or Flat Leaf Parsley Leaves (loosely packed)

1 Garlic Clove, minced

1-2 inches Ginger, peeled and grated

1/4 cup Fish Sauce

1/4 cup Rice Wine Vinegar

1 TBS Sri Racha or Sambal Oelek

Combine the ingredients in a non-reactive bowl and stir. Refrigerate for a few hours or overnight, stirring occasionally. Use for meatball wraps.