Albóndigas Soup with Hatch Chiles

Mexican-style Meatball Soup

Pasilla & Cumin Scented Beef Broth with Rice & Zucchini

Roasted Chiles from Hatch, New Mexico

Garnished with Fried White Corn Tortilla Strips

Lime and Cilantro

Last summer I wrote about Hatch chiles. The famous chile from the "Chile Capital of the World" in Hatch, New Mexico. I addition to lots of fresh chiles, I also bought some pre-roasted chiles to keep on hand in my freezer. They were perfect for this albóndigas recipe.

Albóndigas Soup with Hatch Chiles

Onion and garlic are sautéed in olive oil, then pasilla chile powder and ground cumin are added.

Pasilla chile powder is a flavorful, medium-heat chile powder with overtones of berries, grapes, herbs and licorice, traditionally used in Mexican dishes, it adds a terrific depth of flavor to this soup.

Defrost the roasted Hatch chiles, then peel and remove seeds and stems.

Dice chiles.

Lean ground beef is mixed with grated zucchini, diced Hatch chiles, onion, garlic, cumin, dried Mexican oregano, panko breadcrumbs, egg whites, and Kosher salt. Form into meatballs.

Beef broth (homemade, or I like Wolfgang Puck's brand) is added to the sauteéd onion and garlic mixture and brought to a boil. Add dried Mexican oregano and simmer for 10 minutes. Then add grated zucchini, long-grain white rice, and the meatballs. Cook gently until the rice and meatballs are cooked through, about 20 minutes. Add salt if needed.

Meanwhile, slice white corn tortillas into strips and fry in canola oil. Drain on paper towels, season with sea salt.

Ladle soup into bowls, top with a generous squeeze of fresh lime juice, tortilla strips and cilantro.

I just found this super albondigas recipe in Bon Appétit January 2010 issue highlighting meatballs. The exact recipe can also be found online at bonappetit.com here.

Cheese Fondue

Cheese Fondue - the National Dish of Switzerland

So... we were snowbound in New Jersey (not Switzerland) on a cold blustery winter night. But we were not lacking provisions. Susan held her fabulous annual Holiday Party the night before, and there were leftovers galore, including lots of fine cheeses and French bread...and it turned out she had a fondue set in the pantry just waiting to be broken in.

Fondue - it's easy, social, delicious, cheesy, fun, unique, and oh so 60's. We went online to find a fondue recipe, the one by Tyler Florence sounded good, but alas, we did not have all the ingredients. So we improvised, and it turned out great! Don't be afraid of fondue...melt cheese in wine, eat with bread. Instant party success.

Our recipe:

• 1 pound of mixed cheeses including Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 2 T. flour
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 c. dry white wine, we used our favorite, Grüner Veltliner
• 1 T. lemon juice
• 1 T. Rémy Martin (Cognac)
• 1 T. Grand Marnier (Orange-flavored Liqueur)
• 1 t. Dijon mustard
• nutmeg

Grate the cheeses and toss with flour, set aside. Rub the inside of the fondue pot with the garlic clove. Then add wine and lemon juice and bring to a simmer. Gradually stir in the cheese, adding more as the cheese in the pot melts. Traditionally Kirsch, a cherry brandy, is added at this point. We used what we had on hand, Rémy Martin and Grand Marnier. We also added a teaspoon of Dijon mustard and a pinch of ground nutmeg. I think it is important to use fine cheeses and high-quality wine for a superior result.

Serve with cubes of French bread and blanched vegetables. Have your guests swirl the bread cubes in a figure-eight motion. Mixing of the cheese by the guests keeps it from separating. And if the fondue starts to clump, just whisk in a tablespoon of lemon juice to smooth it out.

We hope you had a wonderful warm cozy holiday celebration

with your family and friends and pets.

Did you get a Snuggie for Christmas?

Snowbound Brunch & Snowball Fight

Asparagus Frittata

Festive Breakfast Table

Smoked Salmon with Bagels

Onions, Capers, Cream Cheese,

Olives, Lemons, Dill

Fresh Fruit Salad

"Adult" Mac & 4 Cheese

(Stone thought it was too stinky).

Veuve Clicquot Rosé Champagne

Menu

Asparagus Frittata

Smoked Salmon, Bagels and Accompaniments

Fresh Fruit Salad

Adult Mac & 4 Cheese

Veuve Clicquot Rosé

Coffee & Juice

Isn't that an awesome holiday brunch buffet?

We were guests at the home of our dear dear friend Susan in New Jersey. Just like last year, we thoroughly enjoyed spending time with Susan, family, old friends, and making some new friends as well. Susan, you are truly the warmest and most generous hostess in the world! Thanks again!

Now, perhaps you heard about the blizzard that blanketed the East Coast this past Saturday? We woke up to a winter wonderland.

But we didn't have snow gear!

Athena and Eric make snow boots for us with trash bags and tape.

Here I am with my nephews, Jett, 5, and Stone, 7, ready to play in the snow!

My brother Don brings out the shovel and we build our forts.

I'm going to get you!

Lisa and Stone are on one team.

Gotcha!

Making snow angels.

May your Christmas be merry and bright!

Black Cod with Miso, Black Radish & Ponzu

Black Cod with Miso

Over Black Radish and Ponzu

Radish Sprout Garnish

Fresh Black Cod, also known as Sablefish is rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Population levels are moderate and no overfishing is occurring. The life-span of a Sablefish is estimated to be longer than 90 years! More information on habitat and sustainability can be found at FishWatch U.S. Seafood Facts here.

Nobu-style Saikyo Miso

• 3/4 c. saké
• 3/4 c. mirin
• 2 c. white miso paste
• 1 1/4 c. granulated sugar

1. Bring the saké and the mirin to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Boil for 20 seconds to evaporate the alcohol.

2. Turn the heat down to low and add the miso paste, mixing with a wooden spoon. When the miso has dissolved completely, turn the heat up to high again and add the sugar, stirring constantly with the wooden spoon to ensure that the bottom of the pan doesn’t burn. Remove from heat once the sugar is fully dissolved. Cool to room temperature.

Miso recipe from Nobu: The Cookbook by Nobuyuki Matsuhisa. This recipes yields 3 cups. Since we did not use it all for the cod, we tried it the following night with fresh salmon and it was equally impressive.

Rinse the cod, pat dry with paper towels, then coat with the miso mixture. Nobu recommends marinating for 2 to 3 days. Since I only had an hour, that is how long it steeped. And it was still fabulous! Broil the cod under high heat until it browns, then bake at 350° for about 10 minutes until the fish is cooked through.

Black Radish

Black radish is at its peak in winter. Peel completely and slice into very thin rounds.

It has a lovely interior pattern. The crunchy somewhat pungent radish and slightly salty and citrusy ponzu are a great complement to the caramelized luxurious cod.

Nobu serves his Black Cod with Miso with a simple garnish of a few more drops of miso and a stalk of hajikami (pickled ginger stick).

We served the Black Cod with Miso over sliced black radish and ponzu sauce. Radish sprouts make a lively garnish.

If you are a fan of all types of fish, you will love Nobu: The Cookbook.

Savory Hanukkah Latkes

LATKES!

Potato Zucchini Latkes

Non-Fat Yogurt

Smoked Wild Sockeye Salmon

Whitefish Caviar

Today is the first day of Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights, referring to the lights kindled on each of the holiday's eight nights. We eat foods fried in olive oil to commemorate the ancient miracle that occurred in the second century BCE. A jug of olive oil, which held enough oil to last for one day, burned for eight when the Holy Temple in Jerusalem was rededicated.

The word Hanukkah means rededication. Our latkes (potato pancakes) are fried in olive oil and served with yogurt. Dairy products are also a traditional Hanukkah food, in honor of our Jewish heroine, Judith.

2 peeled russet potatoes

1 zucchini

1/2 red onion

fresh dill

Grate the potato, zucchini, and onion in a food processor.

Add a handful of fresh dill.

Remove the potato mixture from the food processor, one handful at a time. Squeeze out as much moisture as possible by hand. Place each handful in a large bowl. Add enough flour to lightly coat the mixture. Add Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste. Mix well. Lastly add egg whites to bind the mixture.

Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan. When oil is hot, add mounds of the potato mixture. Turn the heat to medium. When the bottom of each latke is nicely browned, flip and brown the other side.

Cooking latkes over medium heat turns the outside a nice crispy golden brown and gives the interior a chance to cook through. Drain on paper towels.

Since the latkes are fried, non-fat yogurt is a balanced accompaniment while egg whites help keep the cholesterol content down as well. And with the salmon's heart healthy omega-3 fatty acids, could these latkes be considered a guilt-free holiday indulgence?

Smoked salmon rosettes are made by slicing the smoked salmon into strips with one end thicker than the other. Roll the thick end towards the thin end to make a rosette. Top each latke with a small dollop of non-fat yogurt, a salmon rosette, a small scoop of whitefish caviar, and fresh chive garnish. Serve with extra yogurt and fresh dill.

Enjoy the Festival!

Happy Hanukkah!

Unique Almond Pizza

Unique Almond Pizza

Sliced Blanched Raw Almonds, Mozzarella,

Shaved Garlic, Olive Oil, Sea Salt

I buy pizza dough and shredded mozzarella at my local Italian Market, the A-1 Deli.

Roll out the dough and arrange on a pizza screen. Top generously with shredded mozzarella and shaved garlic. Drizzle olive oil on top. Scatter sliced blanched raw almonds about and finish with course sea salt. Bake at 450° until golden.

This pizza is great with a green salad for lunch, or cut into small slices and served as an appetizer at a party.

foodbuzz

And thanks to the folks at Foodbuzz for choosing Unique Almond Pizza as one of the Top 9 photos last week! Please give this unique pizza a try, you won't be disappointed!

HELP WANTED

My nephew Stone was setting up a "restaurant" in my kitchen. He put out his "Help Wanted" sign and I applied for the job. After I was hired, he crossed out Help Wanted, applications were no longer being accepted.

That is Jett in the left of the photo, he calls himself the "King of Liberty." The King is an excellent waiter.

The "restaurant" served Cheese Pizza for the kids and Maple Barbecue Smoked Chicken Pizza for the adults.

The pizza screen is such a handy tool. It makes it much easier to spread out the dough, and get the pizza into and out of the oven. The perforated surface allows moisture to escape during baking, resulting in a nice crispy evenly-baked crust.

Those of us who were fortunate to attend the Foodbuzz Blogger Festival in San Francisco received a goodie bag including products from a company called Made in Napa Valley, of which one was this tasty Maple Barbecue Sauce with Horseradish.

Maple Barbecue Smoked Chicken Pizza

Spread a mixture of half pizza sauce and half the barbecue sauce over the pizza dough, top with shredded mozzarella and shredded smoked chicken. If you shop at Whole Foods Market definitely try their fabulous whole smoked whole chicken from the smokehouse.

The restaurant was a huge success, food and service were exceptional. Three Stars. Congratulations Stone & Jett!