The Lush Chef

Libations used: 1 cup white wine...
Libations left over: Pretty much the whole bottle, so serve with dinner...
I had bought a ton of fresh peas from the Farmers' Market last weekend without thinking about what I was actually going to make with them.  I used to hate peas as a child.  I mean, truly, truly despised them.  Perhaps it was because we only got the frozen kind, and they were thawed out in the microwave.  After buying them fresh, now I just love them.  I was having a few girl friends over for Sunday dinner, and I wanted something easy and light tasting.  Food & Wine had this beautiful recipe in their April issue for Salmon with Mashed Peas & Tarragon Butter from Viña Casa Marín, a Chilean Winery, that captured the beautiful colors of spring.

























I took a little trip to Santa Monica Seafood for some fresh salmon, and got a little sidetracked by the oyster bar.  There's nothing better than treating yourself to a few freshly shucked oysters on a Sunday afternoon.  For the wine, use a dry white such as a Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc—something that pairs well with the fish.  If you don't have a grill pan to get those lovely grill marks, just use a regular sauté pan.  This recipe comes together quickly and I just absolutely loved the herbed butter sauce in it—it's divine drizzled over the salmon and peas.  At least you're getting your veggies, so all that butter offsets it, right?
Salmon with Mashed Peas & Tarragon Butter - serves 4
Ingredients:

• 1 pound fresh or frozen peas (about 3 cups)
• 7 Tbs cold, unsalted butter, 6 Tbs cubed
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• Salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup dry white wine (I used a Sauvignon Blanc)
• 2 tsps lemon juice
• 2 Tbs roughly chopped tarragon
• Four 6 oz salmon fillets, with skin on
• 2 Tbs olive oil

- In a large sauce pot of boiling water, cook the peas until tender, about 3-4 minutes, and drain.
- In the same pot, melt 1 Tbs of butter in the cream.
- Add the peas and mash with a potato masher until it's chunky (you don't want a smooth, perfect mash here).
- In a small saucepan, simmer the wine with the lemon juice over medium heat until reduced to about 1 Tbs (about 8-10 minutes).
- Reduce the heat to low and whisk in the remaining 6 Tbs of butter, one cube at a time, until the sauce is thickened.
- Whisk in the tarragon and season with salt and pepper, and turn the heat off.
- Heat a grill pan or sauté pan over medium heat.
- Rub the salmon fillets with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Grill the salmon, skin side down, turning just once, until just cooked through (about 10-12 minutes).
- Spoon the mashed peas onto the plate and top with the salmon, skin side up.
- Spoon the tarragon butter over the salmon and serve immediately.

Libations used: one bottle of beer...
Libations left over: well, hopefully you bought a whole pack, so pop open another bottle while you're stirring that risotto...
Ah, risotto.  The downfall of nearly every contestant on Top Chef.  It's a process that shouldn't be rushed, which is inevitably while these folks fail because they're trying to make it with such a short amount of time.  But don't be scared off by it.  It's really quite easy, and the key is to have a warm stock, room temperature beer or wine, patience, and a strong stirring arm.  Making risotto is a great way to tone your arms!  This version from Cherry on My Sundae's blog is what I would consider a guy's risotto.  It's got beer, spicy sausage, and plenty of cheese.  What's not to love?  Use a dark beer, like a brown ale and make sure it's at room temperature.  I grabbed a pack of spicy Italian chicken sausages from Trader Joe's and a nice, smoky gouda.  So pop or crack open a cold one, and get to stirring.

Beer Risotto with Sausage and Gouda - serves 4
Ingredients:

• 1 Tbs olive oil
• 8 oz spicy sausage, sliced
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup arborio rice
• 12 oz dark beer at room temperature (I used Mission St. Brown Ale)
• 3 cups chicken stock, warmed in a small sauce pot on the stove
• 1 Tbs butter
• 1/2 cup grated gouda
• Salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 1-2 Tbs parsley, chopped

- In a large sauté pan over medium heat, add the olive oil.
- Add the sliced sausages and sauté until browned, about 3 minutes.
- Remove the sausages with a slotted spoon and set aside in a bowl.
- Add the onion and garlic to the pan and sauté for about 3-4 minutes, until they're translucent.
- Add the rice and stir, cooking for about 1-2 minutes so you get a nice, nutty aroma.
- Add half of the beer and stir until the liquid is fully absorbed.
- Add the remaining beer and stir until that's fully absorbed.
- Add a ladle of warm chicken stock and keep stirring away until it's absorbed. Take a swig of beer - this is hard work!
- Keeping adding the stock in increments, stirring until all the liquid is absorbed.
- Cook until the rice appears creamy and is al dente, about 20-30 minutes after all is said and done.
- Stir in the butter and grated cheese.
- Add the sausages back in and season with salt and pepper.
- Divide evenly, and garnish with the chopped parsley.

It's been weeks since I've played with my home bar as I've been having a bit too much fun going out and trying other people's cocktails!  Easter is coming up this Sunday, and we've been blessed here in SoCal with some amazing strawberries at the market, so I was eager to shake up a drink that centered around the fruit.  I had bought a bottle of St. George Botanivore Gin a couple of weeks ago, so I knew that had to go there in as well.  To French it up a bit, I added St. Germain and lavender simple syrup.  With the fresh squeezed lemon juice and a spring of mint, it's like a spring garden in a glass.  The beautiful pink color and mint makes this a beautiful and refreshing drink to make for the Easter holiday.  Batch this up in a pitcher, and you've got the perfect cocktail for a truly boozy brunch.

Ooo, La, La
Ingredients:

• 1 strawberry
• 1 oz lemon juice
• 1/2 oz lavender simple syrup - recipe can be found here
• 2 oz gin (I used St. George Botanivore)
• 3/4 oz St. Germain
• Mint leaf, for garnish

- In a shaker, muddle the strawberry with the lemon juice and lavender simple syrup.
- Add ice, gin, and St. Germain and shake.
- Pour into a glass.
- Slap a mint leaf between the palm of your hands and add to the drink as garnish.

Libations used: 1 cup white wine
Libations left over: Pretty much the whole bottle, so pour yourself a glass while that chicken is braising...
Apologies dear lushes, for the rather long delay in posting anything.  I've just been having too much fun these past few weeks and haven't had time to sit down at my computer to hammer these recipes and stories out.  Easter is coming up next Sunday, and while most people traditionally serve lamb, my parents are not fans of the protein.  When I cook Easter dinner for them, it's typically a roasted or braised whole chicken — it's simple, delicious, colorful, and doesn't demand a lot of my time at the stove.  I recently made this Braised Chicken from Bon Appetit, but because baby artichokes weren't going to pop up at my market for another week or so, I added in fennel and a whole, sliced lemon.  I almost didn't track down any fava beans, and if you find yourself in the same situation, use some snap peas instead!  This is a great recipe to get creative with, so sub in any fresh, springtime vegetable you have on hand.  Serve with fresh, crusty bread, because you'll want it to sop up all that yummy wine sauce.
Braised Chicken with Fennel and Fava Beans - serves 4-6
Ingredients:

• 1 cup fresh fava beans (from about 1 lb of pods)
• 2 Tbs olive oil
• One 4 lb chicken, cut into 10 pieces
• 8 shallots, peeled and halved 
• 1 large fennel bulb, sliced (reserve the fronds)
• 1 lemon, sliced
• 1 cup dry white wine (I used Sanford's Flor De Campo Chardonnay)
• 3 Tbs white wine or chardonnay vinegar
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 Tbs chopped fresh chives
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

- Preheat oven to 425.
- Bring a medium pot of salted water to boil, and then add the fava beans, cooking until tender for about 4 minutes.
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beans to a colander set in a bowl of ice water to cool.
- Drain, remove the skins, and set aside in a small bowl.
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
- In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add the olive oil.
- Working in 2 batches, cook the chicken, skin side down without turning, until browned and crisp (about 6-8 minutes), and transfer to a plate.
- Reduce the heat to medium, and add the shallots and fennel, stirring often until golden brown and beginning to soften (about 8-10 minutes).
- Add the wine and vinegar and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits, and reducing to half (about 5 minutes).
- Add the broth and lemon slices, and then place the chicken back in the pot, skin side up.
- Top the chicken with some large fennel fronds.
- Transfer to the oven and cook, uncovered, until the chicken is cooked through (about 20-25 minutes).
- Mix in the fava beans.
- Serve the chicken topped with chives and parsley, with the fennel, shallots, and lemon on the side.

Libations used: 1/2 cup white wine...
Libations left over: Pretty much the whole bottle, so serve with dinner or drink a glass while that shrimp is cooking...
The first day of spring is this Thursday, but while we have sunshine and 80 degree temperatures in Los Angeles, many of you across the country are still feeling like it's winter.  This Shrimp and Pasta Stew from PureWow is comforting, hearty, and is a nice winter to spring transition dish.  It's incredibly thick, so feels more like a saucy pasta, but whatever you want to call it, it's delicious!  The lemon, kale, and parsley give it a bright flavor and texture.  The vegetables are cooked in a little bit of dry, white wine, so use a decent wine that doesn't break the bank and that you'd actually like to drink the rest of — I used a Red Diamond Chardonnay. This dish comes together fairly quickly, so it's great to make on a weeknight.
Shrimp & Pasta Stew - serves 6-8
Ingredients:

• 2 Tbs olive oil
• 2 cups pearl onions 
• 3 celery stalks, sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup white wine (I used Red Diamond Chardonnay)
• 1 Tbs paprika
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• 2 Tbs lemon zest, plus more for garnish
• Salt & freshly ground black pepper
• One 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
• 4 cups seafood or vegetable broth
• 2 1/2 cups rigatoni pasta
• 1 1/2 lbs shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 3-4 cups roughly chopped kale
• Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

- In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, add the olive oil.
- When it's warmed up, add the onions and celery and sauté until tender (about 5-6 minutes).
- Add the garlic and cook until fragrant (about 1 minute more).
- Add the wine and bring the mixture to a simmer, cooking until the liquid is reduced to about half (6-7 minutes).
- Add the paprika, cayenne pepper, lemon zest, salt, and pepper, simmering until fragrant (about 1-2 more minutes).
- Add the tomatoes with juice and the broth, and return the mixture to a simmer.
- Stir in the pasta and cook until it's nearly al dente (about 5 minutes).
- Reduce the heat to low and add the shrimp and kale, continuing to simmer until the pasta is tender, the shrimp is cooked through and the kale is wilted (about 4-5 minutes).
- Ladle the stew into bowls and garnish with lemon zest and parsley.

Continuing my ode to Miracle Mile Bitters Co., I bring you lushes a little variation on the Right Hand cocktail.  If you're a Negroni fan, then this is a great drink to shake up your routine.  I made slight changes to the recipe Miracle Mile's Louis Anderman sent me, only because I had no aged rum in the house (yeah, gotta change that situation) and combined it a little bit with Michael McIlroy's (formerly of Little Branch and Milk & Honey) original recipe.  Sometimes you just have to use what's stocked in the home bar and experiment a little.  I opted for Crusoe's Organic Spiced Rum and Punt e Mes for the Sweet Vermouth.  I've included their recommendations below, so feel free to play around!  For the bitters, I used Miracle Mile's not-for-sale "The 7 Deadly" which is infused with tobacco and has hints of clove, cinnamon, and coffee (from what I gathered).  Since you can't get these in stores, any aromatic bitters such as Angostura or Peychaud's is fine, but why settle when you can get more creative flavors that Miracle Mile does actually sell, such as their Chocolate Chili or Forbidden Bitters.

Right Hand 
Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 oz aged rum (Louis recommends Zaya Gran Reserva 12 Year Old Rum or Zacapa and Michael's recipe calls for El Dorado 15 Year)
• 3/4 oz sweet vermouth (Michael's recipe recommends Carpano Antica)
• 3/4 oz Campari
• 2 dashes of aromatic bitters
• Orange peel, for garnish

- Add all the ingredients into a mixing glass filled with ice and stir.
- Strain into a chilled coupe glass.
- Option to garnish with an orange peel (I forgot to add this because I was too excited to just drink it already).

Libations used: 3 Tbs apple brandy
Libations left over: None, but make yourself an American Trilogy...it's as American as this apple bread...
We're finally getting rain here in Southern California and it's been coming down with a vengeance. So on these rainy nights, I'm either making soup or baking bread.  Bread won out this week, and it was this recipe for Brown Butter Apple Bread from The Kitchn that won me over.  This is probably some of the moistest bread I've ever had and there are oodles of apples and pecans in it. You really can't go wrong when you see crème fraîche and apple brandy in a recipe for baked goods — and you do taste the brandy in this recipe.  I'm a fan of Laird's Applejack, but if you don't have any apple brandy in the house (I'll be sad for you), feel free to sub in regular brandy or bourbon.  For the apples, I used a combination of Granny Smith and Pink Lady.  Always do a mix of tart and sweet apples when you're baking, as it varies up the texture and the flavor.  In addition to the above varieties, The Kitchn also recommends Braeburn, Gala, Golden Delicious, Jonathan, McIntosh, and Honeycrisp.  I brought this bread to work the next day, and it was perfect paired with everyone's morning coffee, and a great way to kick off the week.  I can't wait to make this bread again with pears and other stone fruit too.

Brown Butter Apple Bread - makes 1 loaf
Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 cup crème fraîche
• 3 Tbs apple brandy (I used Laird's Applejack)
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
• 3 apples, peeled, cored and diced (I used 1 Granny Smith and 2 Pink Lady)
• 1/2 cup chopped, toasted pecans

- Preheat the oven to 350 and grease a large loaf pan with shortening or cooking spray.
- Place the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat, and melt until it turns golden brown and takes on a nutty aroma (swirl the pan around to prevent it from burning).
- Set pan aside to cool slightly (you don't want scrambled eggs).
- In a large bowl, add the white and brown sugars, and eggs.
- Add the butter into the large bowl and whisk to thoroughly combine.
- Add the flours, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon, stirring until just combined.
- Add the crème fraîche, apple brandy, vanilla bean paste, apples, and pecans and carefully stir to combine.
- Pour the batter into the loaf pan and smooth out the top.
- Bake for one hour, and allow to cool for 20-30 minutes before removing from the pan.