F is for fish stew

Well, I decided to go for it and try to beat the Sicilian at her own game: cioppino (I even had to ask how to spell it). A savory tomato-based fish stew. Like many Italians, and their dishes, simple but tasty. All in all, I was very satisfied, as was my wop wife, and until someone ships in my truly Sicilian mother-in-law to disapprove, I will tell any one who can listen that I can cook it like they do in la patria. Simona said it could use "more garlic," but I think that is only because she has the tastes of a peasant.

ingredients
1/8 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1 large green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup water
½ cup fish stock
1 large can crushed tomatoes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound rock cod (any white flaky fish will do), cut into 2- to 3-inch pieces
4 ounces medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
18 to 24 littleneck clams
1/2 small bunch flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped, for garnish
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 demi-baguette, sliced and toasted

preparation
Heat oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and bell pepper and cook until they begin to soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic, bay leaves, oregano, white wine, water, fish stock, balsamic vinegar, and tomatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Add the fish, shrimp and clams, in that order. Let cook, covered and undisturbed, until the clams have opened and the shrimp and fish are cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove lid and garnish with chopped parsley. Spoon into bowls and serve, immediately, with toasted baguette.

Phoenix eateries

Farewell, Phoenix! We'd like to leave behind a short list of local restaurants we've tried. They're not all on here, but we've included the ones we love and the ones we were told to love but didn't love so much. The restaurants in red are our favorites.

• Chelsea's Kitchen (5040 N. 40th Street): This is a great neighborhood spot run by the LGO/Radio Milano family. Chelsea's turns out delicious bougie tacos (we recently had duck tacos) and simple but satisfying grilled fish. One of our friends complains of the portion sizes, which tend more toward the Californian and less toward the American. There's often a wait.

• Cibo (603 North 5th Ave): The pizza is good and does not require the ridiculous wait time of Bianco's or LGO. The appetizers are enormous. This is a good place for a casual downtown dinner. Simona liked the bresaola pizza best.


• Circa 1900 (628 E. Adams): We popped in here during the eternal wait for a table at Pizzeria Bianco (next door). We were pleasantly surprised by the well-stocked wine bar (with a half-glass tasting option) and the creative bruschetta. It's a good place for wine and snacks.


• Coronado Cafe (2201 North 7th St): The menu tends towards California cuisine and is somewhat inventive. This restaurant gets points for its ambiance - it's set in a small restored house. It's a nice date spot.

• Fate (905 North 4th Street): The Thai food here is better than we've had anywhere else in Phoenix (warning: means nothing), and the atmosphere is more vibrant. Don't try to eat here during First Friday artwalk, unless you want to wait two hours for a table. (Although a two-hour wait outdoors on a Friday night in Phoenix in July is actually a refreshing experience. It's not often you get to bathe in your own sweat.)


• Cafe Lalibella: Highly recommended for excellent Ethiopian. One of the best Ethopian places we have ever been to.

• La Grande Orange: The pizza's buttery sourdough crust is divine. This is hands-down our favorite Phoenix casual spot.


• Los Dos Molinos: We went craving a San Francisco burrito and we left disappointed. We've eaten here twice and have been unimpressed with the food, which is usually smothered in cheese and seems to always taste the same. The atmosphere is unique, if kitschy.


• Los Sombreros (2534 Scottsdale Road): We have a divided panel on this one. Eli loves it. Simona thinks it's ok. We agree that the guacamole is excellent and that it's the best Mexican food we've had in town.


• My Florist Cafe: This is a good place to grab a salad and perhaps our favorite downtown lunch spot. The brie and berry salad is particularly tasty.


• Noodles Ranch: The place to go for a quick bowl of Pho and some fresh spring rolls. It's run by a Vietnamese family and very authentic. They also have a great ginger iced tea.


• Phoenix City Grille (5816 North 16th Street): We are sorry we judged this place as soon as we walked in. We ended up being dead wrong. The food has been great every time. The atmosphere may not be as exciting, but don't let it deter you.


• Pizzeria Bianco (623 East Adams Street): The pizza was fine - thin-crusted and simple, just the way we like. It was decidedly NOT worth the two-hour wait. Overhyped.


• Richardson's (1582 E. Bethany Home): This was recommended to us as a great place for New Mexican cuisine. We were not impressed. The wait was long and the food was very heavy.


• Tommaso's: Someone told us this was the best Italian restaurant in Phoenix. We may have been unlucky, but neither of our meals were very good. And it seemed overpriced.


• Quiessence: This is our favorite romantic spot - the restaurant is set in a tranquil South Phoenix pecan grove, and eating outside is wonderful (if the season allows). They use local, seasonal ingredients and make delicious desserts. Highly recommended.


• Zinc Bistro: We have another divided panel. Simona liked the French cuisine but Eli was not particularly impressed. There is probably little reason to make the trek to North Scottsdale if you don't live there, but if you are in the area it's worth visiting.

E is for eggs

Tonight I adapted a recipie by French Laundry chef Thomas Keller. I was a little demoralized after a series of SNAFUs, including not finding fresh chanterelles or chervil leaves (thanks a lot, Phoenix) and forgetting the shallot. In the end, the chanterelle omelets with fines herbes sauce turned out okay, though I thought the dish was a bit heavy and salty. Eli liked the presentation and decided that we'd try the recipe with different fillings, perhaps for breakfast. I accompanied the dish with a simple goat cheese salad.

2 1/2 cups flat parsley leaves
2 cups chives
1 cup chervil leaves
1/2 cup tarragon leaves
3/4 cup water
salt
2 tbsp and 1 tsp butter
1 small shallot, minced
1/4 pound chanterelles, trimmed and coarsely chopped
1 tbsp creme fraiche
4 large eggs

Preheat oven to 300.

Boil herbs for 4 minutes, remove from water with a slotted spoon, and add to a bowl of ice water to cool. Transfer herbs to a kitchen towel and wring dry. Blend at high speed with 3/4 cup water until pureed. Season with salt.

Melt 1 tbsp butter in a medium-sized skillet. Add shallot and soften for 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring, 8 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in creme fraiche, and keep warm.

In small ovenproof skillet, melt 1 tsp butter over moderate heat. In a small bowl, beat one egg until it foams. Add a pinch of salt to the egg and cook it in the skillet until it begins to set, about 10 seconds. Place the skillet in the oven until the egg sets, about 1 1/2 minutes.

Remove skillet from oven. Slide the cooked egg onto a plate and place a quarter of the chanterelle mix in the center. Fold both sides and roll the omelet over to make a neat package. Spoon a little of the herb sauce on top. Repeat 3 times with the remaining eggs and serve at once.

New Mexico favorites

Roasting chilis

We spent last weekend in northern New Mexico, where we took a cooking class at the Santa Fe School of Cooking. I could have been spared the marginally relevant introductory monologue, which included an exposition on Columbus's non-discovery of America and other historical trivia (e.g. the Italians didn't really invent pasta, etc., etc.). But the lecture on peppers and their qualities was interesting, and I enjoyed the hands-on participation in chili sauce and tortilla making. It was worth the $40 per person.

Our best meal in Santa Fe was at SantacaFe. Their chili mashed potatoes are to die for, and surprisingly simple: they add fire-roasted green and red chilis into the mix with a generous helping of butter. Farther north, at Ojo Caliente, the Artesian Restaurant prepares divine, but heavy, Southwestern-Mexican cuisine.

D is for Durum Wheat Pasta

This week I (Eli) decided to stick with simplicity: a good pasta, a light white wine and tomato sauce, and a good bottle of grapefruity New Zealand sauvignon blanc (yes - again. It is Simona's favorite). The dish was swordfish penne pasta with jalapenos. Next time, I might add some more jalapeno or crushed red. My tongue was expecting a more spritely spanking. Maybe I would add a few olives with the fish, but that's just me - ruining Sicilian simplicity.

3/4 pound fresh swordfish, skin removed and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
3 tablespoons virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
3 cups grape tomatoes, halved
1/3 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
3/4lb pound durum wheat pasta
1 large portabello mushroom, chopped
1/2 broccoli crown cut into small florets
1/2 red onion
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan
salt and pepper to taste

Season swordfish with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Bring water to boil and add 2 tablespoons salt. In a 12 to 14-inch saute pan, heat olive oil, garlic, onion, and jalapeno and cook about 5 to 6 minutes. Add tomatoes, broccoli, mushrooms, white wine and swordfish and simmer 5 to 6 minutes, until swordfish is just cooked. Add mint leaves and stir through. Remove from heat. Cook pasta according to package instructions until just al dente and drain. Pour hot pasta into pan with swordfish and stir to mix. Pour into warm serving dish, sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan and serve.

Seattle favorites

Lobster mushrooms at the Ballard farmer's market



Sea beans at the Ballard farmer's market

The was no date night this week as we were traveling for work, but we did get to enjoy several meals in Seattle. The highlights:

• Cioppino from Jack's Fish Spot in the Pike Place Market.
• Lunch with Helen and Paul at Ray's Cafe in Ballard. We enjoyed a view of the sound while feasting on salmon and halibut. The restaurant makes perfect bloody marys.
• The fish tacos at Flying Fish. They cover their catch of the day in a savory chili rub, grill it, and add charred tomato salsa and fresh guacamole. The handmade tortillas are more substantial, and tastier, than the traditional thin variety.
• The fresh fish at the Oceanaire. Their mahi mahi was perfectly cooked and generously portioned.

We loved watching the salmon run in Ballard. Their return home to spawn is both heroic and mystical.

C is for Curry

A couple of weeks ago, we had some tasty curried mussels at our favorite Flagstaff casual spot, the Beaver Street Brewery. Simona made her own version this week. We paired the dish with some crusty baguette and a bottle of Fume Blanc. The shrimp was an impulsive and welcome addition. This recipie makes 4 servings.

ingredients
1/3 stick butter
3 tomatoes, seeded, chopped
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon chopped peeled fresh ginger
1 14-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
1/2 or 1/3 of the 14-ounce can water
1 tablespoon (or more to taste) Thai red curry paste
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon salt
2 pounds mussels, scrubbed, debearded
6-8 oz shrimp (we used frozen, coooked, tail-off shrimp)

preparation
Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add tomatoes, garlic and ginger; sauté until garlic is tender, about 2 minutes.

Mix in coconut milk, water, curry paste, 1/4 cup chopped cilantro and salt.

Simmer 4 minutes to blend flavors.

Add mussels and frozen shrimp; cover and cook until mussels open, about 5 minutes (discard any mussels that do not open). Transfer mixture to serving bowl. Garnish with remaining cilantro.