King Salmon, the ultimate fish.

This week’s topics include more fresh fish cooked by the Wannabe Foodie, the perfect corn on the cob recipe, a wine recommendation, and pizza the way it should be made (it’s not this guy’s first rodeo). 

Pizza, revisited.  Mofo's Pizza and Pasta, Incline Village, Nevada.  This is a locally owned place serving great food.  Everything, including the dough and sauce, is made in the restaurant.  Nothing canned here. 

We walk in and there's a guy hand tossing the pizzas and making it look easy.  Clearly it's not his first rodeo.  There were lots of people in the kitchen, but only this guy tossed the pizzas.  Made it look ridiculously easy.

I like this place already. 

Decor - exactly what you expect from a family owned Italian place, including the red and white checkerboard table cloths.

We order a large pizza with sausage and black olives.  Thing 1 ordered a meatball sub (with homemade meatballs, of course!).  At this point I have high hopes and high expectations.    

Check out the pizza.  It was delivered piping hot and looked beautiful.  

First - the dough.  As I said in a prior blog, the dough is literally the foundation of good pizza, and Mofo’s gets it.  This dough is fabulous. Flavorful and chewy in a good way. Nice and thin, except the outer edge of the crust, which was thick enough to chew on as you pondered your next piece.

The toppings.  The sauce was exactly what it should be and there wasn’t too much of it.  The menu said that it came from the owner's dad. He was shot down in his P-38 over Italy during WWII.  He lived for six months with Italian sheepherders.  The implication is that he learned how to make his sauce during that time.  Cool story and true or not, this is good sauce.

Back to the toppings.  The mozzarella was clearly fresh.  You could tell by the elasticity of it when you took a bite.  However, the star was the sausage. Sliced flat and laid on the pizza like large medallions of happiness. 

I washed the pizza down with a glass of wicker basket chianti.  No, this isn't the best wine in the world.  But, it's nice and dry and always goes great with Italian food.  I need to remember to buy some for home. 

All in all, Mofo's is a great little local place.  Loved it. Very basic menu, but what they do they do well.    Washed down the bitter memory of the Gordon Biersch pizza!

I can't wait to try the lasagna next time.  Apparently it's one of their specialties.

Side note - the guy tossing pizzas like he was in Brooklyn was the owner's son. Think he's made a few pizzas in his time?  The Things went up to watch him and he handed them small balls of dough to play with.  Very cool.   

What am I working on?  When you have as much fish as I do, it’s fish.  This week King Salmon that the Wannabe Foodie caught about a week ago. 

People often ask me the best way to make salmon.  That depends upon the type of salmon.  King Salmon is the ultimate salmon and, in my ever so humble opinion, should only be seared at high heat to nothing more than medium.  It’s almost like a fine beef steak that only needs minor seasoning and high heat.

I brined these thick fillets for about 4 minutes in a very salty brine to season the fish and firm the flesh up.  I let it dry out and come up to close to room temperature.  Then I lightly seasoned it with Herbs de Provence.

I seared 2 of the fillets to just under medium rare and the other to just about medium.  Check ‘em out.  Take a good look at the fillet in its own pan.  If that doesn't look good to you, there's something wrong with you and I can't help you.  

Served them with broccoli tossed in fresh garlic, olive oil, kosher salt and pepper, and fresh corn on the cob tossed in butter, kosher salt, and lime zest.  Here’s a picture of most of the meal.  By the way, that's my fancy cooktop that we installed in the kitchen remodel.  Isn't she pretty?!

The review?  Not too bad.  The fish was cooked just how I like it and the flavor was the brine was just barely noticeable.  The brine firmed the flesh up nicely and allowed it to sear perfectly.  Nice crust. 

The broccoli was seared at high heat and carmelized in spots.  It was nice, sweet, and crunchy and the perfect compliment to the fresh garlic. 

However, the corn was almost the star of the show, and I say almost only because it’s hard to beat King Salmon that’s prepared well.  The corn was cooked just past firm, tossed in warm butter, and lightly seasoned in kosher salt and fresh lime zest.  If you’ve never tried it corn like this, you really should.  The lime with the sweetness of the butter and corn is a wonderful combination. 

Oh yeah, we also served a romaine salad with homemade vinaigrette, homemade garlic croutons, and cherry tomatoes. 

That’s an all around healthy meal.  I hope you’re impressed.  Remember that the next time I write about beef, bacon, or some other wildly unhealthy meal. 

Wine Recommendation.  Domaine Serene Pinot Noir.  This is what Pinot is all about.  Lighter in texture and the wine doesn’t punch you in the face, though it has complex flavors that come out as the wine opens up (I remember plum, cherry, and berry).  Awesome wine. 

Happy cooking.

WF

This ain't no Fillet o' Fish. No, wait. Yes it is.

This week’s topics include more fish than one person should have in his freezer, homemade fish sticks, the Wannabe Foodie tries out his deckhand skills on a boat, the best cocktail I’ve had in a long time, and the ugly American traveler (on a Southwest flight!).

What am I working on?  Fish!  First, the backstory.  This is a mess ‘o King and Chinook salmon which my brother and I caught on a boat in Sitka, Alaska. 

This is what my freezer now looks like.  It’s filled with 200 lbs. of fillets of salmon, halibut, black bass, Pacific cod, and miscellaneous rock fish. 

The first dish I made with my new-found bounty?  Fish sticks made from Alaskan black bass I caught two days ago.

I put the fillets in for a very quick brine of 1 part kosher salt to 10 parts water.  I’m not trying to impart any complex flavors.  Just perk up the fish meat a bit.  3-5 minutes, depending upon the thickness of the fillets, and then a thorough rinse.

I then cut them into mostly even pieces.  Quick egg and milk wash, rolled in Panko bread crumbs, and set aside on a rack for everything to dry out a bit before frying. 

Fried them in my fryer for about 5 minutes at about 340 until they were golden brown.  Yes, I have a fryer.  Does that surprise you?  Here they are.  Served with lemon slices and/or vinegar, rice pilaf, and some broccoli. 

The review?  I sprinkled the first few with a little fine sea salt when they first came out, which is normally the way to go.  However, the extra salt made the fish a little salty due to the brine.  So, no salt.  The remaining pieces were truly delicious.  Crunchy, light, and just enough salt coming through from the inside of the meat from the brine.  This bass is an amazing white fish that flakes nicely when you bite into it.  Perfect for frying.

This is what fish sticks should taste like!  Makes me wonder if all those fish sticks I had as a kid were actually ‘fish’….. .  

What’s next?  I’m going to work on a good brine to smoke some of the salmon.  Then grilling, searing in my cast iron, searing on my slab o’ Himalayan salt (more on that in a future blog), frying, soups, and pasta.  Frankly, I’m going to prepare this fish every way imaginable.  Lord knows I have enough to experiment.

You want to learn to fillet fish?  On the last day of our fishing trip, I asked the captain if I could fillet some of the mess ‘o fish we caught.  He probably thought I was nuts.  But, I figured this was my golden opportunity to learn to fillet properly.  Let’s face it.  These guys fillet hundreds of fish per week, so who better to learn from? 

So, I filleted 25-30 whole fish that afternoon on the boat.  The resulting fillets were certainly not as good as the skipper would have cut, but not bad and it was a great learning experience. 

Butchering your own proteins is clearly one of the best ways to produce high quality food at home.  This experience was a step in the direction of the Wannabe Foodie being able to do so. 

Best cocktail I've had in quite a while.  The screwdriver at Crosby's in Incline Village, Nevada.  Before you say it, I know what you're thinking.  "Wannabe Foodie - it's just vodka and oj!   How impressive can it be?!"

Very impressive is the answer. Ralph, the bartender, squeezes the orange juice fresh from this big pile of oranges at the bar.  He fills the glass with ice and roughly half orange juice and half skyy vodka. I think he might put crack in them as well, but I can't be sure of that.

I've drank my share of screwdrivers.  These are special. Went there for breakfast with a friend and we only had one screwdriver.  At a time. 

The Red had to come pick us up and drive my car back.  I'm a weak man and these were just too good.

The Ugly American Traveler.  I travel a fair amount for work and I am consistently amazed how often I come across the Ugly American Traveler, in the United States. 

If you don’t know what I’m talking about, stroll through the airport on your next trip.  He’ll be the guy yelling at the gate attendant about his upgrade, not speaking to or making eye contact with the person serving his coffee, rolling a bag the size of a small car onto the plane and yelling at the flight attendant because it won’t fit, or, and my personal favorite, completely ignoring the flight attendant while she repeatedly tells him to end his cell phone conversation as we’re driving down the runway about to take off.

I saw this particular play in person.  It finally ended with “Sir.  End your call now and turn off your cell phone.  If you don’t, the captain has informed me that we will return to the gate and you will be removed from this flight.  We have already informed the airport police.”  I wish I could have seen that!  Well worth a delay.

God knows I don’t agree with the asinine rules the airlines and the TSA impose on air travelers.  I’m pretty sure that my Kindle without the wireless turned on is not a security risk.  Nor is my iPod.  I'm not convinced my cell phone is.  Stupid rules.  However, arguing with the flight attendants while onboard a flying tin can is not the answer. 

Don’t be that guy. 

Happy cooking. 

WF

I wish I had an Italian Momma!

This week’s topics include an old school ristorante in Scottsdale, oenophiles that put me to shame, the Wannabe Foodie acts as your wine drinking therapist, and the best summer cocktail ever. 

Restaurant Review.  Ristorante Giuseppe, Scottsdale, Arizona.  Ristorante Giuseppe, Scottsdale, Arizona.  First, the backdrop.  For those of you who’ve never been to Scottsdale, it is a city north of Phoenix that is filled with lots of fancy restaurants and fancy people.  Ristorante Giuseppe is in Scottsdale, but it is very un-‘Scottsdale’. 

Imagine a little Italian ristorante owned and run by a gregarious Italian man and his son.  Now imagine that its first come first served, they don’t accept credit cards, you can bring your own wine, and there’s no corkage fee for opening the wine.  And finally, imagine Italian food how your momma would make it, if she was first generation Italian.  That’s Ristorante Giuseppe. 

My friends J&K (foodies and oenophiles in their own right) suggested this place and called it a ‘good dive’.  Naturally, I’m in!  A side note – to say that J&K are oenophiles in their own right is akin to saying that I have an affinity for BBQ.  A gross understatement. 

J&K brought 2 fabulous wines.  The first was a straight up American Cab.  The second was a blend.  Both were very nice, wine, though I surprised myself by liking the blend more.  To my taste, it was a more complex wine.  

J&K also ordered for us.  I trust their choices, so I didn’t even ask what we were ordering.  We had a classic antipasto salad, followed by Pasta Alex - large penne pasta tossed with chicken in a light cream sauce, some spices (not all of which I could identify), some tomatoes, and some red pepper flakes (it was somewhat spicy), all topped with some fresh grated parmesan. 

Great dish and quintessential Italian comfort food and it went very well with J&K’s wine choices.

After dinner, we order espresso and cannoli, both of which were some of the best I’ve ever had.  The espresso had robust aromas and flavors, without the bitter flavor you often associate with espresso.  The cannoli was allegedly made by the owner’s mom, and I believe it.  The filling was creamy (not gummy like most cannoli), with a hint of ginger, and chocolate chips.  Too bad the Red wasn’t there.  She would have absolutely loved that dessert!

All in all, Giuseppe’s is a great family-owned restaurant with truly fabulous, no-frills food.  You want value?  How about 3 big pastas, 1 big salad, 3 cannoli, and 3 espressos, all for $91, plus tip.  That’s a bargain for the level of food they’re serving.  Plus, check out the old school bill: 

I can’t wait to take the Red to this place.

So Wannabe Foodie, I’ve been embarrassed to ask someone, but what does it mean when a wine ‘opens up’ and why is it important?    

Frankly, I get these questions.  There is way too much snobbery around wine, perceived or otherwise.  It’s sometimes intimidating to ask a question that other wine drinkers seem to know, or one that seems to be so basic.  This is not a basic question.

A quick side note.  Care to guess the secret to good wine?  It’s the wine you like, whether it costs $5 or $150.  If you like it, that’s all that matters.  Personally, there are lots of wine I like that’s in the $10-15 range.  I also believe that any wine over $50 better take my breath away and cause me to hear angels singing.

So back to opening up - what is it?  I think an analogy is the best way to explain it.  I like to think of foggy sunglasses, a steamy mirror in the bathroom, or the first few minutes in the morning when neither your head nor eyes seem to be in focus.  Given a little time, you’re able to see clearly in all of these analogies.

I think wine opening up is the same way.  When red wines are first poured, their flavors are muted, like looking through foggy glasses.  I think this is true for young wines, but particularly older wines.  Keep in mind that wines have been stored in a low oxygen environment for quite sometimes.  Often, it’s many years. 

When the surface of the wine is exposed to oxygen, it’s almost like the wine breathes and comes to life.  The more surface area that is exposed, the faster this process takes place.  As the process unfolds, you start to notice complex flavors in the wine that weren’t there before.  They become more pronounced as the process continues.  Of course, if left unchecked, this process will also turn the wine to vinegar.

I personally believe that all red wines, young and old, need to breathe before they can be truly be appreciated.

So, WF, how do I open up wines?  Aerate them.  The first, and easiest approach, is to pour the wine into a large red wine glass, swirl it around, and let it sit.  Easy and simple way to get a lot of the wine’s surface area exposed to oxygen. 

The second approach is to gently pour the wine into a decanter and let it sit.  Lots of surface area exposure. 

The third approach, and my favorite, is to use a small aerator that you pour the wine through.  My favorite is the rabbit aerator, as you stick it on the bottle and pour the wine.  The Rabbit 

This puts a ton of oxygen into the wine and immediately opens it up.  Don’t believe me?  Pour you favorite wine straight from the bottle into a glass.  Then pour some through the rabbit into another glass.  Try them side by side.  The difference is truly remarkable.

If I’m pouring a wine that really needs to open, I’ll pour it through the rabbit into a decanter.  This jump starts the process fairly dramatically. 

My recommendation?  By a small aerator like the rabbit and use it all the time.  It’s cheap and easy, and will increase your wine drinking enjoyment.

The Best Summer Cocktail.  Ever.  A John Daly.  Ever had an Arnold Palmer?  That’s half lemonade and half iced tea.  Very refreshing.  A John Daly is half sweet tea vodka (yes, they make that) and half lemonade.  Well, if I make them, they’re half and half. 

Very refreshing on a hot day, but be warned – they’re dangerous as they go down WAY too easily.  A bit of advice – don’t bother buying expensive sweet tea vodka.  The Seagram’s version is about $10 and is fine.  After all, you’re mixing it with lemonade!

Happy cooking and eating!

WF

Pizza?!

This week’s topics include pizza snobbery, wonder bread pizza dough, a wonderful visual just for you, a wine recommendation, and homemade chicken noodle soup in a matter of minutes. 

Pizza?  Methinks not.   So I had drafted a restaurant review for this week about a great little ristorante in Scottsdale, Arizona.  But, I had a meal that deserved a good rant and, frankly, I’ve got a hankerin’ for a good rant.   Lately I’ve had far too many rosy reviews and not enough ranting.  The good review will have to wait for a future blog. 

A couple days ago I find myself having lunch at Gordon Biersch in Las Vegas.  I’ve been to Gordon Biersch a number of times.  Moderately fresh ingredients, decent food, and decent beer.  Decent restaurant when you're on the road and not feeling adventuresome.

This time I order a pizza, and a basic one at that – roma tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, fresh basil, and maybe some garlic.  Done well, this is a fantastic pizza.  Done poorly, well… there’s no place to hide.

I bite into my pizza and immediately notice that the pizza is not fully cooked.  The dough’s not quite done and the toppings are not truly hot so that they all meld together.  I politely ask the waitress to have them throw it back in the oven for a few more minutes.

Are you *&^%$ kidding me?!  She brings it back and it’s better, but it quickly turns into a mush. Borderline disgusting.  It took some thought, but I finally figured out what was so wrong with this pizza. 

The foundation (literally) of good pizza is the dough.  It’s not bread dough that you roll out and throw in the oven.  It’s pizza dough and, in my ever so humble opinion, it’s the single most important ingredient to a pizza.  Slightly salty, very flavorful, and crispy from being cooked in a VERY hot oven so that it holds up to toppings.  You can’t just use any dough to make pizza.  If that’s your idea, grab a Boboli crust, make some wannabe Domino’s pizza at home, and enjoy it with a Bud Light.  

This dough was more like wonder bread that was rolled out in the shape of a pizza than actual pizza dough.  Better suited for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich than a pizza.  It had no flavor and it was simply too thick.  There was no way that it was going to get crisp, even though it was cooked in a ‘wood fired’ oven.  Yeah, right.  It’s a fancy oven with a big burner on the back end.

As it cooled, it resembled a bad pasta dish more than an alleged pizza.  It was particularly bad because this was a basic, rustic pizza.  It cries out for a dough that will help the fresh ingredients shine.  This dough did the opposite.  It drug some otherwise decent ingredients down with it.  I’ll eat almost anything, and I couldn’t eat more than a couple of slices.

The next time you’re in Gordon Biersch, order a good beer and steer away from the pizzas.  Order a burger.  The bun’s probably made from the ‘pizza dough’. 

Know a good pizza joint?  Email me or post a comment.  I’ll come review it. 

Random travel note.  So recently, I’m driving through a small town in Nevada.  Not what you would call a thriving metropolitan area.  Let’s just say that Wal-Mart in this town would provide some great photo opportunities.

I’m driving by this old liquor store and I see this guy get out of his old, beat up truck.  Fairly large man.  No shirt, no shoes, many tattoos, and heading into the liquor store.  Please to enjoy the visual.  

Wine suggestion – Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Artemis.  For those of you who haven’t read Judgment of Paris, Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the wines that beat the French wines in the 1970’s.  Note I said Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, not Stag’s Leap Winery.  The latter is a perfect good winery, but it is not the world beater winery.

Back to the suggestion.  Artemis is a mid-level Cab from this winery.  Our local Costco recently had a coupon for this wine that made it $36 per bottle.  A little on the pricey side, but I still wanted to try it.

This is truly a wine made by a wine maker who’s got some righteous wine kung fu.  Rich bouquet of flavors, yet no single one that truly jumps out.  Nice from the front of your palate to the back.  I think it’s similar to a good French Bordeaux.  Well worth that price.

What I have in my pantry that you should - Better than Bouillon (Chicken).  As you may have guessed by now, I go through a fair amount of chicken stock.  I use it for paella, soups, chicken and dumplings, sauces, etc.  I try to make my own whenever possible and freeze it, but that’ s not always possible.  

Better than Bouillon is a paste you buy in a jar and it makes very good stock in mere seconds.  You just put into a pot of boiling water and, VOILA, you have chicken stock.  Yes, I know it’s cheating, but not even the Wannabe Foodie can always have the amount of homemade chicken stock on hand that I need.  But, if you’re going to cheat, it’s still got to be good and Better than Bouillon is.

In addition to the uses mentioned above, I’ve even used Better than Bouillon to whip up some chicken noodle soup on the fly.  I made a couple quarts of stock and added leftover chicken, carrots, celery, pasta, and some garlic.  A little salt, a little pepper, a little simmer, and you’ve got a far better soup that you can buy in a can. 

Add it to your supplies. 

Happy cooking.

WF