Easy Eggs Florentine Two Ways

29 Sunday Nov 2015

Posted by Bob and Robin in Acme Bake Shop Sourdough, Boise Farmers Market, Breakfast At The Captains Shack, Breakfast With Robin, Buy Idaho, Captain's Shack, Comfort Food, Eggs Poached, Food Photos, Meadowlark Farms, Photos By: Bob Young, Purple Sage Farms, Recipe: Bob and Robin Young, Recipes, Spinach, What's For Dinner?

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tarragon, tarragon vinegar

Really very easy to do. Fresh spinach that the center ribs have been removed and spinach is chopped. Then soft cooked eggs in water and tarragon vinegar. Served with french fries. That’s one way.
Here’s another. Remove ribs from spinach. Steam 30 seconds in tarragon vinegar and water. Soft cook eggs in the same water. Toasted Sourdough with Raspberry Jam. Either way is quick, easy and yummy!
And yes, eggs from Meadowlark Farms, sourdough from Acme Bakeshop and spinach from Purple Sage Farms, all local farmers. Tarragon from our garden last year. We made the tarragon vinegar November of 2014.

Chopped Raw Spinach Topped with Two Soft Cooked Eggs and served with French Fries.

Chopped Raw Spinach Topped with Two Soft Poached Eggs in Water and Tarragon Vinegar and served with French Fries.

Fresh Spinach Steamed in Water and Tarragon Vinegar and then topped with Two Soft Poached Eggs. Toasted Sourdough with Raspberry Jam.

Fresh Spinach Steamed in Water and Tarragon Vinegar and then topped with Two Soft Poached Eggs that were poached in the vinegar water. Toasted Sourdough with Raspberry Jam.

As Ina would say, “How easy is that?”

A Thankful and Traditional Thanksgiving!

27 Friday Nov 2015

Posted by Bob and Robin in Acme Bake Shop, Apple, Boise Farmers Market, Classic Cuisines, Comfort Food, Dessert, Dinner At The Captains Shack, Dinner With Family, Party Time, Photos By: Bob Young, Photos By: Robin Young, Recipes, Recipes - Dessert, Turkey, What's For Dinner?, Wine and Food, Zhou Zhou Winery

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cranberry, pecan pie recipe, stuffing, traditional dinners, turkey

Yes it was! A very good Thanksgiving with family. (Sorry you had to work, Chris. There’s a platter waiting for you.) Mac, Marnie, Sophia, Robin, Buddy and me. That made a good group. Mac may have a new Holiday Dinner job – The “Making of the Rolls“. They were super! The stuffing did not turn out so good. (Pictured here to the left) I think next time I will leave it in the turkey. It dried out too much. Crunchy. Difficult to eat. The turkey, though, was delicious and there is some leftover. Yea!! Dried corn was off, for some reason. Even with those drawbacks, we had a good time. Here are some photos. Enjoy! To see any of these photos enlarged, Left-Click the picture.

The wines for dinner.

Good start to the stuffing – making our own – just a not so good ending.

Tried to make individual Stuffing Cakes. I will work on this.

Herb butter is getting “Happy”. Dried corn is soaking.

Robin made this super good appetizer dish from fresh veggies and dips and roll-ups. Delicious and fun!

Mac’s new job – Making of the Rolls!

Buddy watches and waits for any tidbits that may end up on the floor. He was patient!!

The table is set and full!

Sophia brought the delicious ham.

The turkey was worth waiting for. The drippings made super gravy! Smooth, rich and wonderful.

Plated meal: Green Bean Casserole, Dried Corn, Stuffing, Cranberry, turkey and mashed potatoes with gravy.

Plated meal: Green Bean Casserole, Dried Corn, Apple Stuffing, Cranberry, turkey and mashed potatoes with gravy.

And finish off dinner with Bourbon Ginger Pecan Pie that Marnie made. Here is the Recipe. Enjoy!

Winter At The Boise Farmers Market

14 Saturday Nov 2015

Posted by Bob and Robin in Acme Bake Shop, Apple, BFM, Boise, Boise Farmers Market, Buy Idaho, Carrots, Coffee, Eggs, Idaho Polenta Floriani, Idaho Polenta Roys Calais, Idaho's Bounty, Local Farmers Markets, Photos By: Bob Young, True Roots Produce, What's For Dinner?

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BFM, Boise

The “Spoon”

It’s winter! Snow in the mountains where it should be. In the high 20’s at night. And the Boise Farmers Market has moved inside at 8th and Fulton in the Linen Building. Free parking for the first hour, but you will need to get a receipt for that hour at the pay booth. They are open each Saturday now, through December 19th, from 9am – 2pm. Then we go through “Produce Withdrawl”. You can follow the BFM on their website at Boise Farmers Market. Be sure to sign up for their newsletter on their web page. Here are two photos that I took this morning at The Market. I have my specific vendors who I look for: Meadowlark Farms, Purple Sage Produce, Rollingstone Chevre, Acme Bakeshop, Desert Mountain Farms, True Roots Produce, Gaston’s Bakery, Next Generation Organics, The Mushroom Farm and Neckar Coffee, to name a few. There are more. Left-Click any of the photos to see them enlarged. These are panoramic photos and quite large.

The Boise Farmers Market

I was asked this morning, “Why do you come to the market?” I told him: I go to see the people. To visit with the farmers. To support our local farmers as much as possible. To make “my rounds” at the above listed farmers. And I miss the Market between December 20th and March 1st. I totally believe in Buying Local and I support that philosophy as much as possible.

The Boise Farmers Market open indoors now through Dec 19th.

Great Night at Richard’s Cafe Vicino in Boise

04 Wednesday Nov 2015

Posted by Bob and Robin in 5-Stars, Appetizers, Boise Farmers Market, Boise Food Adventures, Boise Restaurants, Buffalo, Buy Idaho, Chef Richard Langston, Cinder Wines, Classic Cuisines, Dinner With Robin, Dinner With The Winemaker, Duck, Gumbo, Healthy Eating, Idaho Chefs, Idaho Greens, Idaho Wine, Idaho's Bounty, Local Farmers Markets, Local Harvests, Local Markets, New Orleans Food, Oysters, Photos By: Bob Young, Restaurant Reviews, Restaurants To Try, Seafood, Shrimp, Special Dinners, Special Events, Squash, What's For Dinner?, Wine and Food, Wine Dinners, Wines - Idaho

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buffalo, Chef Richard Langston

Actually, this restaurant used to be Cafe Vicino’s. Now it is known as Richard’s Cafe Vicino, owned and operated by Chef Richard Langston. It is a superb place to go. Every bit a 5-Star restaurant. Great date night or special occasion restaurant. The food and the service is superb. We were there for the South by Southwest Wine Dinner, featuring wines from Cinder Winery. Winemaker Melanie Krause and Joe Schnerr were both there to describe and talk about the wines. Here is what we had. Enjoy! We did. Left-Click any of these photos to see them enlarged.

The menu and accompanying wines.

Cornbread with Andouille Sausage and Mustard Greens
Grits with BBQ Shrimp
Oysters Bienville

Duck Confit Crepe with Raisin Mole

Crawfish Gumbo

Braised Buffalo Short Ribs
with
Winter Squash

Intermezzo: New Orleans Lemon Ice

Salted Caramel Upside-Down Cake
with
Pine Nut Brittle

What is “passata”?

26 Monday Oct 2015

Posted by Bob and Robin in Boise Farmers Market, Boise Food Adventures, Captain's Shack, Classic Cuisines, Classic Sauces, Comfort Food, Ethnic Foods, Heirloom Tomatoes, History of Food, Italian Food, Local Harvests, Passata, Recipes, Recipes - Sauces, Tomatoes, What's For Dinner?

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passata, Pomi, tomato

In the normal course of events of a daily schedule, we usually try to watch the Rachael Ray Show, just another in our long list of cooking shows we watch. Inquiring minds need to know. So today, she was making a tomato sauce and she used passata. We had no idea what this was, except it looked like tomato. It is. Uncooked, processed and strained to remove seeds and skins. Simply stated – passata is not cooked and it is made from fresh, de-stemmed and cored tomatoes. I did find this link on the web, What is Tomato Passata? on The Kitchn website.

It seems as if passata is an uncooked tomato puree that has been strained of seeds and skins. It originated in Italy but is used throughout Europe. Some passatas are chunkier and some are smoother, depending on the brand. Some people claim that passata can also be cooked, but most agree that it is uncooked. You will also see it spelled passato and passata di pomodoro … How is passata different from tomato sauce or tomato paste? Well, both the sauce and paste are cooked tomato products to begin with. Tomato sauce often has other ingredients such as carrots, onions, garlic, etc. And tomato paste is cooked down and much thicker. You would not want to substitute either product if passata is called for in your recipe. If you cannot find it in your store, take plain canned tomatoes and run them through a sieve or a food mill. While most passatas are just plain tomatoes, some are sold with additions, such as basil, so read your label carefully if this is an issue … In general, passata is considered to be a superior product to canned tomatoes, using higher quality tomatoes and processing methods. I’m really looking forward to giving it a try!

According to some sources, passata is rarely used in the USA and can be hard to find. However, Robin and I have found it – sold as Pomi – at Albertsons Grocery Stores and at Whole Foods. You can also try World Market Cost Plus. Whenever we come across a tomato recipe that calls for tomato sauce, a passata is what we use. And we use the brand Pomi. We like the richness and thickness of this product. Plus, it tends to be low in the sodium content. But then too, you can make your own if you so desire. Cheers and enjoy!

5 Hour Roasted Duck with Cherry, Cranberry and Rosemary Sauce

22 Thursday Oct 2015

Posted by Bob and Robin in 5 Hour Duck, 5 Hour Duck Sauce, Acme Bake Shop Sourdough, Beans, Boise Farmers Market, Captain's Shack, Carrots, Classic Sauces, Cooking Styles, Dinner At The Captains Shack, Dinner For Robin, Dinner With Robin, Duck, Heirloom Carrots, Local Farmers Markets, Photos By: Bob Young, Ravenswood Winery Zinfandel, Recipe: Bob and Robin Young, Recipes, Recipes - Dinner, Recipes - Sauces, Side Dishes, What's For Dinner?

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5 hour roasted duck, duck sauce, Joseph Swan Zinfandel, white beans

Yes, I know, I have made another post about this 5 Hour Roasted Duck. And it is always a great way to make duck – not greasy or fatty, yet moist and succulent. This time we have a twist. We made a Cherry, Cranberry and Rosemary Sauce (aka: 5 Hour Duck Sauce) for this entree. It was a perfect match! (It probably would go quite well with pork, too!) The cherry sauce is sweet, yet tangy from the cranberry. And the rosemary adds a really good flavor level that pairs well with the duck. Cooking the duck slow and low, really enhances it and creates a wonderful crispy skin. Here are some photos. Enjoy!

The duck after two hours at 300 degrees F. The duck is not covered throughout the entire cooking process.

5 Hour Roasted Duck
After 5 hours, this duck is crispy, moist and generally not greasy.

The cherry, cranberry, rosemary sauce for the duck.

The cherry, cranberry and rosemary sauce for the duck.

Side dish of white beans, heirloom carrots and baby turnips. This accompanies the dinner very well.

5 Hour Roasted Duck
Cherry, Cranberry and Rosemary Sauce
Sourdough Toast
White Bean and Heirloom and Baby Turnip Vegetable Medley

Add to the dinner, a wonderful

1989 Joseph Swan Vineyards Zinfandel

and you have a wonderful dinner. Decant the wine first.

Salmon with Mango Cream Sauce and Fennel and Peas

06 Tuesday Oct 2015

Posted by Bob and Robin in Boise Farmers Market, Cabbage, Captain's Shack, Harsch Fermenting Crock, Herbs and Spices, Local Farmers Markets, Local Harvests, Local Markets, Photos By: Bob Young, Pinot Grigio, Sauerkraut, What's For Dinner?

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Harsch Fermenting Crock, Housemade Sauerkraut

After putting together 13 lbs of cabbage for Sauerkraut, from the Boise Farmers Market – shredding, salting, herbing, packing in the Harsch Fermenting Crock – I heard a faint voice asking, “What’s for dinner?” It was 4:15pm. Where did the time go? So we discussed salmon and fennel. Good start. I’ll come up with the rest. Here was our dinner and it was yummy.

Sauteed Salmon
with
Mango Cream Sauce
Sauteed Fennel and Peas
Green Salad with Tomatoes and Beets
2014 Marchesi Winery Anjola Pinot Grigio

Celebrating Jacques Pépin’s 80th Birthday Today!

06 Tuesday Oct 2015

Posted by Bob and Robin in 5-Stars, Boise Farmers Market, Breakfast At The Captains Shack, Captain's Shack, Caviar, Eggs, Herbs and Spices, Local Farmers Markets, Meadowlark Farms, Photos By: Bob Young, Recipes - Breakfast, What's For Dinner?

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caviar, Jacques Pépin

Jacques Pépin, one of the world’s most famous and skilled Chef’s, celebrates his 80th birthday. Here is some information about him from Wikipedia.

Jacques Pépin (born December 18, 1935)[1] is an internationally recognized French chef, television personality, and author working in the United States. Since the late 1980s, he has appeared on French and American television and written an array of cookbooks that have become best sellers. In addition to the Daytime Emmy Award won with Julia Child, Pépin has received two of the French government’s highest honors: He is a Chevalier de L’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (1997) and a Chevalier de L’Ordre du Mérite Agricole (1992). In October 2004, he received France’s ultimate civilian recognition, the Légion d’honneur.

On May 13, 2010, Pépin, along with other chefs from The French Culinary Institute (known as The International Culinary Center), Alain Sailhac, Jacques Torres and André Soltner, prepared a $30,000-per-couple dinner for President Barack Obama’s fund-raiser for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee at Manhattan’s St. Regis Hotel.
On February 5, 2010, during the christening of MS Marina, Pépin was named an honorary commodore of the Oceania Cruises fleet,[7] for which he serves as Executive Culinary Director.
He received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from Boston University on May 22, 2011. In October 2011, Pépin was the recipient of the first-ever tribute dinner at the New York Food and Wine Festival. Cooking for Pépin at the event, hosted by Martha Stewart, were some of America’s best-known French chefs including Alain Ducasse, Daniel Boulud, and others.

James Beard Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award
James Beard Foundation, Who’s Who of Food and Beverage in America
Chevalier de L’Ordre du Mérite Agricole
Chevalier de L’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres
Daytime Emmy, Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home
James Beard Foundation’s Cookbook Hall of Fame, La Technique
James Beard Foundation’s Cookbook Hall of Fame, La Méthode
James Beard Foundation Award for Best National TV Cooking Show, Jacques Pépin’s Kitchen: Encore with Claudine
James Beard Foundation Award for Best National Cooking Segment, Jacques Pépin’s Kitchen: Cooking with Claudine
James Beard Foundation Outstanding Culinary Video, Today’s Gourmet
Co-founder of the American Institute of Wine and Food

Scrambled Eggs with Chives, Lumpfish Caviar, Sour Cream and Herring Red Row. Fresh Idaho Cantaloupe and Toasted English Muffin

Scrambled Meadowlark Farms Eggs
with
Garden Fresh Chives, Lumpfish Caviar, Sour Cream and Herring Red Row
Fresh Idaho Cantaloupe and Toasted English Muffin

Chanterelle Omelet, Seafood Stir Fry and Scrumptious Chicken Wings

06 Tuesday Oct 2015

Posted by Bob and Robin in Appetizers, Asian Food, BBQ Chicken, Boise Farmers Market, Brocolli, Bronco Nation, Captain's Shack, Carrots, Chicken, Chicken Wings, Chinese Food, Coconut Rice, Dinner At The Captains Shack, Gameday, Local Farmers Markets, Local Harvests, Mushrooms, Mushrooms - Chanterelles, Party Time, Photos By: Bob Young, Recipe by: Robin and Bob Young, Recipes, Recipes - Seafood, Sea Scallops, Seafood, Shell Fish, Shrimp, Slow Cooking, What's For Dinner?

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chanterelles, chicken wings, coconut rice, seafood, seafood stir fry

Such a good meal combination. No! Not all at once but over three days. The recipe for the chicken wings and the stir fry are listed permanently in the recipe file. The link to that file is at the top of this page. But for now, here is the link to the Shrimp, Scallop and Pineapple Stir Fry recipe and the recipe for the Robin’s Chicken Wings, that would be great at a Tailgate Party! Here is some information about chanterelle mushrooms –

Cantharellus cibarius, commonly known as the chanterelle, golden chanterelle or girolle, is a fungus. It is probably the best known species of the genus Cantharellus, if not the entire family of Cantharellaceae. It is orange or yellow, meaty and funnel-shaped. On the lower surface, underneath the smooth cap, it has gill-like ridges that run almost all the way down its stipe, which tapers down seamlessly from the cap. It emits a fruity aroma, reminiscent of apricots and a mildly peppery taste (hence its German name, Pfifferling) and is considered an excellent edible mushroom. Though records of chanterelles being eaten date back to the 16th century, they first gained widespread recognition as a culinary delicacy with the spreading influence of French cuisine in the 18th century, where they began appearing in palace kitchens. For many years, they remained notable for being served at the tables of nobility. Nowadays, the usage of chanterelles in the kitchen is common throughout Europe and North America. In 1836, the Swedish mycologist Elias Fries considered the chanterelle “as one of the most important and best edible mushrooms.”
Chanterelles as a group are generally described as being rich in flavor, with a distinctive taste and aroma difficult to characterize. Some species have a fruity odor, others a more woody, earthy fragrance, and still others can even be considered spicy. The golden chanterelle is perhaps the most sought-after and flavorful chanterelle, and many chefs consider it on the same short list of gourmet fungi as truffles and morels. It therefore tends to command a high price in both restaurants and specialty stores.
There are many ways to cook chanterelles. Most of the flavorful compounds in chanterelles are fat-soluble, making them good mushrooms to sauté in butter, oil or cream. They also contain smaller amounts of water- and alcohol-soluble flavorings, which lend the mushrooms well to recipes involving wine or other cooking alcohols. Many popular methods of cooking chanterelles include them in sautés, soufflés, cream sauces, and soups. They are not typically eaten raw, as their rich and complex flavor is best released when cooked.

Chanterelle Omelet with Fresh Chives, Sausage and Local Cantelope

Chanterelle Omelet
with
Fresh Chives, Sausage and Local Cantaloupe

Next meal, wonderful Seafood Stir Fry. Look at this!

Scallops, shrimp, celery, broccoli and pineapple in a wonderful stir fry. Here it is cooking.

Scallops, shrimp, celery, broccoli and pineapple in a wonderful stir fry. See the recipe and enjoy. Here it is cooking.

Shrimp, Scallop and Pineapple Stir Fry
Coconut Rice and Chow Mein Noodles

And finally, awesome tailgate fare with these chicken wings. (Recipe above) Don’t bypass marinating the wings for the 2 hours or so. Enjoy!

Chicken wings getting happy!

Sticky Marinated Chicken Wings Fresh Vegetable Mixture

Robin’s Chicken Wings
Fresh Raw Vegetable Mixture

Grilled Avocado for Breakfast; Icelandic Flounder Papillote for Dinner

11 Friday Sep 2015

Posted by Bob and Robin in Acme Bake Shop Sourdough, Avocado, Boise Farmers Market, Breakfast At The Captains Shack, Breakfast With Robin, Buy Idaho, Captain's Shack, Classic Cuisines, Cooking Styles, Eggs, Eggs Poached, en Papillote, Food Photos, Green Beans, Grillin' and Chillin', Icelandic Flounder, Local Farmers Markets, Local Markets, Photos By: Bob Young, Recipe: Bob and Robin Young, Recipes - Breakfast, Recipes - Dinner, Recipes - Fruits, Recipes - Seafood, Reel Foods, Seafood, Vegetarian Foods, What's For Dinner?, Whats For Breakfast?

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avocado, en papillote, grilled avocado, Icelandic flounder, Papillote

Grilled avocado seems like a weird way to prepare the fruit. But really, for a non-avocado lover, this was pretty good. Leave the peel on and lightly caramelize the pulp to a golden brown. Left-Click any of these photos to see them enlarged. Enjoy!
But first, just what is a papillote?

En papillote (French for “in parchment”), or al cartoccio in Italian, is a method of cooking in which the food is put into a folded pouch or parcel and then baked. The parcel is typically made from folded parchment paper, but other material, such as a paper bag or aluminium foil, may be used. [Wikipedia]

In the culinary arts, the term en papillote (pronounced “ON poppy-YOTE”) refers to a moist-heat cooking method where the food is enclosed in a packet of parchment paper or foil and then cooked in the oven.
When cooking en papillote, there are usually some vegetables, herbs and seasonings included in the packet along with the main item. These additional ingredients, along with the main item, give off steam, which is what actually cooks the food. Therefore, en papillote cooking is basically a technique for cooking with steam.
Because it is delicate and cooks quickly, fish is a good choice for cooking in this way. Salmon en papillote is a popular dish.
When serving a recipe prepared en papillote, it is traditional to present the dish by slicing open the paper in front of the guest. [Culinary Arts]

But breakfast comes first! Here is the Grilled Avocado I made.

Grilled Avocado
with
Poached Egg, Micro Greens, Pink Grapefruit Wedges and Toasted Acme Bake Shop Sourdough

And now Icelandic Flounder en Papillote.

The flounder is set in the parchment with lemonn slices, limoncello, Texas tarragon (which has a slight bite to it compared to the French tarragon) and salt and pepper.