Fair Weather Vegan

Recipes: Green Beans, Jam Tart

These were part of a lovely lunch served by a friend in her sunny backyard, complete with wandering cat and amazing company. I'm fairly sure the meal was parve, but I didn't even think about it until afterward.  It's always a good sign when it doesn't feel like anything is 'missing' just because there's no dairy.   

This lightly spiced green bean recipe is Mizrachi (via Middle Eastern Jews), and comes from here. 

6 garlic cloves, chopped (about 1 tablespoon)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 pounds sting beans, ends trimmed
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
1/2 teaspoon white pepper (optional)
One 6-ounce can tomato paste

1. In a medium saucepan, sauté the garlic in the vegetable oil over medium heat for 2 minutes, or until soft. Add the string beans, allspice, salt, 2 cups water, and, if desired, cinnamon and white pepper. Dollop the tomato paste by the heaping tablespoon over the surface of the cooking liquid. Do not stir. By letting the tomato paste remain undistributed, its thick consistency allows for maximum adherence to the string beans as the cooking liquid reduces.

2. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes.

Note: some people braise the beans in a 350 degree F oven for 2 hours after simmering so that the beans are exquisitely tender.

Yield: 10 servings

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The pastry 'coins' on top of the jam tart looked so beautiful that it was intimidating, but my friend swore it was in fact easy as...tart.   She used peach jam, which was perfect, but I'm sure it will work with any other fruit.  The source is here.  If cornmeal strikes you as being too heavy for pastry dough, be assured it does not taste at all like it has cornmeal in it. 

1 1/2 cups (210 grams) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (70 grams) stone-ground cornmeal or polenta
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
9 tablespoons (4 1/2 ounces or 130 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
1 large egg, whole
1 large egg, separated
1/8 teaspoon almond extract
1 1/3 to 1 3/4 cups (450 grams) jam (see Note above; I used the smaller amount) or marmalade
2 tablespoons (30 grams) coarse-crystal or granulated sugar

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt. In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or in a food processor, mix the butter and 1/2 cup (100 grams) sugar together until smooth. Add the egg, egg yolk (keep the egg white from the second egg on hand for later) and almond extract and beat until combined. Gradually add the flour mixture and mix until the dough just comes together.

Transfer about one-third of the dough to a lightly floured counter and shape it into a log about 2 inches (5 cm) in diameter. Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate it until needed. (As always, I was in a rush and put this in the freezer.)

Transfer the remaining dough to a buttered 9-inch (23-cm) tart pan with a removable bottom of a 9-inch (23-cm) springform pan. Using your hands, press the dough evenly into the bottom. If using a tart pan, press the dough up the sides to the rim of the pan and set the tart pan on a baking sheet. If using a springform pan, press the dough about 3/4-inch (2-cm) up the sides of the pan. Refrigerate the dough-lined pan until firm, at least one hour. (Again, I used the freezer and it was firm in 30 minutes. I am impatient.)

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Spread the jam or marmalade evenly over the dough in the pan. Cut the chilled dough into very thin discs with a sharp paring knife. Arrange them slightly overlapped in concentric circles over the jam to form a top crust. Whisk the remaining egg white with a teaspoon of water until frothy; brush evenly over the tart lid and then sprinkle with 2 tablespoons (30 grams) coarse sugar. Bake until the top crust is golden brown, about 25 minutes. Let cool completely.

Neighborhood Eating Tour 2011

I was briefly convinced that I should tell you about the giant octopus that might block your way or pick up your car during this tour: he seems fierce but it's really only because he's shy.  Then I realized I must have been dreaming about writing this post.  That was followed by a dream about finding Little Debbie snack cakes at my local Safeway.  I leave it to you to decide which is more improbable. 

Cole Valley- We chose to come to Zazie straight from the airport, on the off change that at lunchtime on a weekday there wouldn't be a line.  Unfortunately nowadays its reputation has gone so far that there's always a line at Zazie.  When we told the fellow in charge that my parents had been up since 4 a.m., however, he gave us a free bowl of fresh fruit to 'keep our blood sugar up' while we waited to be served.  The food was high quality as usual.

Sunnyside- You'd think K's Kitchen would hold no surprises, being my favorite restaurant and all, but I've discovered a new second-place roll here: the Super Dynamite.  It's a bit like a tuna-based version of the Volcano Roll, with tuna and jalapeno in a crispy tempura.  Plus for the first time ever we had a brief wait to get in. This historic moment hopefully means K's will be in business for a long time. Neighborhood standard Gialina has rolled out a superb chard and ricotta salata pizza; try calling for pick-up, it's much quicker. 

Bernal Heights- We went for brunch at Liberty Cafe, having also previously gone for dinner and its famous pot pies, and everything was perfectly fine (once we convinced my father that if he ate everything together he wouldn't even taste that the eggs in his huevos rancheros were over-easy).  But the lunch menu is much more diverse and interesting.  It was at this juncture that I experienced something I hadn't known existed: Benedict satiation point. 

Mission- Specchio's spinach pasta with salmon is still, I'd argue, the best pasta dish in the city.  It may be simple but it never disappoints.  Is it wrong that since we have three people we always grab a table while we're in line at Tartine? I'd been looking forward to Grub's mac and cheese bar, but it turns out that by planning the mac as a base for more interesting ingredients, the dish itself gets neglected.  It's serviceable but lacking in creamy decadence, even if you add truffle oil as I did.  Almost tastes like it's made with two-percent milk, and certainly with very toned-down cheeses.  Grub does serve sweet potato fries of such tastiness that even avowed haters will scarf them down, and the burger bar, with several vegetarian/pescatarian options, is a solid if less interesting alternative to The Counter.  Mission Beach Cafe is getting its own post. 

Noe Valley-Any day you can hit Chloe's and not stand there for an hour is a good day.  It's hard to be blown away a second time, especially given the number of brunches we'd been eating (see: Benedict satiation point), but everything was still tasty, especially my croissant french toast.  The trout sandwich is still the standout item here.  

Castro- It is a rare thing when you have a jones for a particular food item, can go and get it right then, and it's exactly as you imagined it.  I figured my parents wouldn't understand my need for Indian food for breakfast, but after our meal at Chloe's we headed over to the Castro Philz to pick up a few pounds of Tesora for the journey back to Indiana.  That Philz is, quelle surprise, right next to Kasa.  One karahi paneer kati roll later, I was a happy woman. 

Hayes Valley- The stories to be told about my parents' first foray into this neighborhood don't really concern food, but we did happen upon Christopher Elbow and buy some chocolates.  Despite having waited a year+ to try its wares, I was disappointed with my tupelo honey truffle.  Once I accepted it as savory rather than sweet it was interesting, but when I order a honey truffle I want a sweetness explosion, not an academic paper.  My parents really liked theirs, and they also purchased some bars which they selfishly saved until they got home to eat ;)  Apparently these were fantastic, and as specialty bars go they weren't insanely expensive.  I don't know how $7 got to be reasonable, but there you are. 

Russian Hill- The clash between my dietary restrictions and my mother's came to a head on our final evening.  Ethnic food is easiest and most satisfying for me.  She only eats it on sufferance, and loves classy New Americans, especially serving seafood which is hard to come by in the Midwest., If I have to face one more fillet of salmon or trout in some kind of sauce I shall scream.  A brief trip onto the tiny internets reveals Pesce, a relaxed but sophisticated small plate seafood joint where my father can get a dish with duck, my mother can eat scallops or sole to her heart's content, and they have something called tuna bolognese which creatively mimics one of the dishes I miss most in the meat pantheon. 

As my mother was pointing out that we'd visited almost all the neighborhoods in the city, we also noted we'd been to SOMA but not to eat (Asian Art Museum: go even if you think you wouldn't be interested), and even briefly to the Marina, although having been to Hayes Valley already that day our allotment of snotty was already filled.  On the other side of the socio-economic spectrum, my parents also drove through Ingleside one day to get to me.  It's rare we actually get to experience working-class San Francisco these days. 

This morning, I had a dream that I was on the Upper West Side at a sandwich shop that resembled a very frou-four Ike's (and in a gourmet ghetto in which many things from that neighborhood had moved onto the same street).  And I was walking the length of the counter back and forth, back and forth because I couldn't decide what kind of sandwich to get, veggie chicken?  What kind of veggie chicken?  How did I order since I could never find a counter person to pay attention to me?  Maybe I should get a cheesesteak instead, but did they have veggie cheesesteaks?  And then one by one the lights went off and they pulled down the shades and the place was closed around me.  I think this is a sign, but of what I don't know.  

A Trend Whose Time Has Gone

Afficianados of '20s style and the Prairie School will adore the interior of Chicago's North Pond, which is perfect in every detail.  Except for the open kitchen running the length of the inside room.  I truly fail to see the appeal of the open kitchen movement.  Unless your chefs are practicing for a major aesthetic culinary competition, or you want to prove how sanitary your kitchen practices are (and that's damning with faint praise indeed), there seems to be no reason for it.  At North Pond the interior room is clearly the schlub area, so if you make a reservation be sure to specify that you want the outer room, which has windows/French doors open to the outside in summer and a cozy fireplace in winter.   In what is supposed to be a sophisticated dining experience, the last thing you want is to look at is your frat-boy-esque line chefs at work, or peering out in smug colloquy over the diners. 

The food they produce is mostly excellent.  North Pond has been lauded for its seasonal New American dishes and commitment to seafood sustainability.  The poached egg and asparagus appetizer was divine.  I expected the spinach and sheep's milk ricotta pithivier (a savory pastry; we had to ask) to be overwhelmingly rich and cheesy but it was surprisingly subtle.  There was a slight fall from the highest standard with a few entrees.  All the side dishes were marvelous, but my father's duck was chewy.  My snapper was perfectly cooked on the inside but the plank cooking method had blackened the outside, which doesn't work so well with this fish, and especially if they're going to be stingy with the (delicious but scant) mango sauce.  The folks raved about the French press decaf coffee, and desserts are inventive, with almost too many ingredients to take in. 

Except to leave lightened in the wallet.  We paid about $70 a person including wine.  A good special-occasion destination for those in the Chicago area. 

20 Under 10

7x7 recently published an item called The 20 Best Dishes Under $10 in the Mission.  Too many of these dishes contain meat, although I suspose that's part of the selling point.  Meat at these prices really is a steal.  What is not a steal for people with actual budgetary constraints is one dish that approaches ten dollars, even if it is a sandwich from Pal's.  But 7x7 does do a good job selling many of the dishes as money-savers. 

To their credit, they include four vegan dishes: Idli vada sambar from Udupdi Palace (whose Peninsula location I wasn't thrilled with; I hear this one is better), cold sesame noodles from Mission Chinese Food (which seems expensive at $8 but the magazine assures us they are special and the ingredients are unique), Senroppen Salad at Cha-ya (if I had ten bucks for lunch I wouldn't spend it on radishes), and Gracias Madre's famous vegan pozole.  There are several other vegetarian and pescatrian options as well, none of which I have tried yet.  The one I'm intrigued by and wary of is the salmon Benedict at Valencia Pizza and Pasta, because who ever heard of a pizza place that serves brunch, let alone something that has hollandaise sauce, and it only costs $6.95.  I've had salmon Benedicts all over this fine city and the South Bay, and they're never less than ten bucks.  Lox is expensive.  Oh and 7 squared...cheese quesadillas?  Like ATM machine?  I know you want to tell us to get the vegetarian versions are the cheapest, but....

Mr. Pickle's Will Serve You Vegetarian Sandwiches

I had not even heard of this Mission institution before She Who Is My Alter Ego* mentioned the little-known fact that they will create many of their signature sandwiches using tofu or other meat substitutes if you ask.  The squeaky wheel gets the buffalo-sauce tofu, apparently.  Yet another entry for my aspirational list. 

*Don't worry, we're actually two distinct people

The Olmec Exhibition And Park Chow- Both Worth A Look

The DeYoung is known for its lavish exhibitions which cause lines to double and triple back on themselves in front of the museum, and the concomitant price tag.  In my experience these shows have been good value for the dollar, since they're usually huge and often contain art which I would normallly have to travel to a foreign country to see.  Plus, you get two dollars off your ticket if you get there by MUNI.  The recently-opened exhibition of artifacts from the Olmec civilization is stunning. The enigmatic grimace of the statues, the massive size of many of the pieces created by a culture that apparently had neither pack animals nor the wheel, and the intricately carved and deeply expressive smaller figures all make for a fascinating and affecting experience.  For me as a professional in the humanities it was an added treat to see how many of the tags basically said 'we don't have a clue what this means.'  Since archaeologists have not found more than rudimentary evidence of Olmec writing we can only guess at the symbolic significance of much that we see.  The Olmec also apparently preferred clear lines, which make the Maya artifacts that were influenced by them seem positively cluttered.  So much explanatory writing!  Chill out, folks! 

The Very Nice People and I took a lunch break before returning to the museum, and I decided to give Park Chow another chance despite a mediocre dinner experience with the parents a few years ago.  Lunch is definitely a better choice for Park Chow's upscale diner fare.  My fish tacos were solid and accompanied by small, crisp french fries.  There was an excellent beet and shaved goat cheese salad, with the perfect accompaniment of grapefruit and a light, unobtrusive dressing.  Another member of our party had a tofu noodle dish which he enjoyed.  The close quarters and noise will not be to all tastes, nor are the prices fantastic, but you do get a good amount of well-conceived, simple American food. 

Today's Scoutmob Deal: Weird Fish

Get 50% off Boogaloo's seafood-oriented cousin.  They've even got vegetarian fish, for Pete's sake.  Scoutmob has apparently fixed the problems with the Android app (don't know if there were concomitant problems with the Iphone version), so get over to the site and sign up. 

Life At TJ's: A Very Occasional Series

When's the last time I did one of these, like three years ago?  I've been spending more of my food budget at Trader Joe's than ever, due to the pecuniary situation and some kind relatives who got me gift cards there for the holidays.  I even managed to buy some Irish Cream, which I could never justify in a regular situation (ten to fifteen bucks? that's three burritos!).  So I am once again in a good position to evaluate a number of their house products. Their awesome vegan masala burgers have already made it onto my product recs list, for intance. 

Gorditas- At first, I thought these were terrible, because I had in my mind what Taco Bell sells as gorditas, which are essentially tacos on flatbread.  Plus I'd undercooked it which means it was tough and lukewarm.  Turns out the traditional form is more like a croquette, a fritter with cheese, beans, and diced potatoes inside.  If you cook them thoroughly until they are piping hot and add some sour cream or fresh avocado, they are a filling and tasty meal.   

Organic lemonade- TJ's had two choices with the lemonade, which is to make it taste like real lemonade or to make it taste like fake lemonade, and I feel they failed in both.  It could be that I'm prejudiced because I ate a bunch of sweet stuff before I tried this lemonade, but it was quite sour and had an odd afteraste. And now I'm jonesing for a lemon shake-up like they have at the festivals back in Hoosierville.  Ice, water, sugar, and lemon juice, poured into a cup and rattled around for a bit. 

Baked Mac and Cheese- I had not expected them to make this with their regular mac and cheese recipe, somehow thinking that all mac and cheese appetizers (tried to write that in French but not sure about the spelling) are made with the bland institutional version.  But this is TJ's popular semi-highbrow recipe, formed into little spheres and breaded.  This makes it feel less decadent than a big bowl of the usual, although it does cost a little more per ounce.  I also managed successfully to get two sets of snacks out of these.  TJ's has started making a low-fat version that I have on hand and will report back on.  I am not so sanguine. 

Low Sodium Tomato Sauce- Run in the other direction.  Both too tart and too sweet, and not in any way that seems to come from nature.  Make your own if you're looking for a lower-salt alternative to jarred sauces.  Even I've done it, so it can't be that difficult. 

Granola Bars- TJ's doesn't have sales, so when they set something off in a display it's because they want to draw attention to it, sometimes because it's seasonal, sometimes because it's new, and sometimes because it hasn't been selling well.  I suspect the chocolate-chip granola bars were in this latter category.  I blame the brown rice syrup for no real scientific reason, but these have a sour flavor profile.

Which of these sounds 'healthier' to you, Battered Fish Nuggets or Panko Breaded Tilapia Filets?  Well, you'd be wrong.  At least at TJ's, where a serving of the Tilapia contains almost three times the fat and 100+ more grams of sodium. This is not meant to guide your consumption habits in any way, since you know I don't do that, and there may be many reasons to prefer to the tilapia regardless.  It's just interesting that sometimes our instincts about these things can be totally off. 

Vanilla Bean Joe-Joes- Generic Oreos are like generic breakfast cereal: the cost different is so great that if it's anywhere close to as good as the original it's worth it.  Having just bought a package of Double Stufs (no second f, for no reason I can discern) on sale at Safeway, the comparison is fresh in my mind and Joe-Joes are a pretty decent approximation.  They make a big deal out of having real vanilla, which is subtler than whatever flavoring Kraft uses in its creme, so if you're craving total trash Oreos are still the way to go.  But Joe-Joes beat most other sandwich cookies for sure. 

Of course now I'm sure I've forgetten a number of other products I wanted to talk about.  Well, I'll just have to do another post. 

If You Only Got One Restaurant Meal In San Francisco...

What would you choose?  I always take all out-of-town visitors to K's Kitchen, but in this instance I think it would be out of our way to be in Sunnyside.  The first options that come to mind are Greens and Millennium, but those are of course quite expensive (and let's leave out something like Gary Danko entirely).  There's Osteria del Forno, but I'm not sure about its vegetarian options and is Italian something that really shows off the city's distinctiveness?  Ditto for Slanted Door and Vietnamese.  Then again, for a totally authentic SF experience I'd have to take them for burritos, and these are the rare New Yorkers who live next door to a Mission-style burrito joint.  Not a great one, mind you (people keep insisting on using normal rice, see also: Chipotle), but definitely a burrito place.  Possibly if the crown jewels of veggie cuisine seem unrealistic Gracias Madre might be a possibility, that is if I try it next week and decide we can survive the superciliousness onslaught.  Please make further suggestions in comments. 

Hey Pal's, Kitchenette Is Kicking Your Ass

At least in the vegetarian sandwich department.  Have you served a roasted eggplant and county line collard greens sandwich with cucumbers, red onion, almond-parsley salad and tahini yogurt recently?  I didn't think so.  You may be marginally better located for the southern part of the city but that's not going to cut if you keep your vegetarian fare the least important part of your menu.