Mention potatoes on pizza and you’ll get one of two responses. From the folks who’ve tried it, you can expect an enthusiastic thumbs up. From everyonce else: a resounding “huh?” That’s the thing about pizza with potato – it sounds strange, until you try it, and then you just get it.

Tasting the ‘You Say Potato’ slice for the first time at Escape from New York Pizza on Haight Street in San Francisco was this moment for me.  Still in high school at the time, far out pizza toppings went about far as bacon and clams as in my Dad’s favorite New Haven-style pie from Pepe’s in New Haven, Connecticut.  A diehard pepperoni fan, I was blown away by the idea of putting a potato on a pizza.  Actually I probably wouldn’t have tried it had my vegetarian buddy not touted it as being “the best” slice of pizza he’d ever eaten.  He was right. Tender yet toothsome potatoes and savory whole-roasted garlic cloves come together in a one of a kind pesto pizza experience.

Over a decade later, I finally got around to trying it at home.  Don’t wait as long as I did; add this unbeatable flavor combination to your pizza-making repertoire now.  Then when someone mentions potatoes on a pizza, you’ll know.

PESTO PIZZA WITH ROASTED GARLIC & POTATO

Inspired by the You Say Potato Slice at Escape from New York Pizza, San Francisco

As the addition of potatoes are what really sets this pizza apart, it is important to make sure they are cooked and seasoned properly before they go on top of the pie.  To ensure that the potatoes are cooked all the way through when the pizza comes out of the oven, I blanch them in boiling water, just until they lose their crunch.  After draining them off, toss them them with a bit of leftover oil from the roasted garlic, sprinkle with herbs and a bit of salt and they’ll be ready to shine. By the way, making this a second time I added in crumbled bacon I had lying around and it was excellent; I highly recommend it to my pork-loving comrades.

INGREDIENTS:

• 24 ounces homemade or store-bought pizza dough, divided
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, for dusting
• About 1 cup homemade pesto (or store-bought)
• 2-3 cups grated mozzarella/provolone cheese
• 1 cup roasted or confit garlic cloves (recipe below)
• 4 red skinned potatoes, very thinly sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• Olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Crushed red pepper flakes

METHOD:

1. Place a pizza stone in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 500°.  Allow the stone to heat for at least half an hour before baking pizzas.
2. Allow the pizza dough to come to room temperature.  On a lightly-floured work surface, form the dough into two large balls, collecting the sides and tucking them under to create a smooth outer surface.  Cover the dough with a damp towel and allow to rest for at least 20 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, blanch the potato slices in boiling water until just cooked through, anywhere between 1 – 2 minutes.  Drain and allow to cool slightly before drying the slices with paper towels and coating them with a touch of olive oil, a pinch of Italian seasoning and kosher salt.
4. Generously dust a wooden peel or the back of a sheet pan with flour or cornmeal. With lightly-floured hands, press the dough with your fingertips to form a flattened disk.  Lift the dough up and use the back of your knuckles to stretch and thin-out the dough into a circle with a diameter of 12-inches. Be careful to preserve the edge of the dough if you want a light, chewy crust. Carefully position the stretched dough onto the prepared peel or baking sheet.
5. Using a large spoon, spread an even layer of the pesto onto the dough and carefully spread it to within 1/2-inch of the edge, being careful to leave a sauce free edge.  Top with an even layer of the grated mozzarella/provolone cheese followed by slices of parboiled potatoes and roasted garlic cloves.  Top with a light sprinkling of a bit more mozzarella, season with salt to taste and a pinch of red pepper flakes.  Lightly brush the exposed crust with a bit of olive oil (or leftover garlic) oil to promote browning.
6. Carefully slide the pizza onto the preheated stone and bake until the crust is crisped and golden and the cheese is bubbling and just beginning to brown, about 6-7 minutes.  Remove the pizza from the oven and allow it to rest for a few minutes before slicing.

Makes enough for 2 pizzas

Roasted or Confit Garlic

In this recipe I like to confit the garlic cloves as opposed to roast them whole in an effort maintain the integrity of the garlic.  If you have some roasted garlic cloves laying around or prefer to roast a head of garlic wrapped in foil, feel free to do that instead.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 or 2 head of garlic, broken down into individual cloves and peeled
• Olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• Kosher salt

METHOD:

1. Preheat the oven to 300.  Add the peeled garlic cloves to a small saucepan and pour in olive oil until just barely covered.  Add a pinch of Italian seasoning and Kosher salt and roast in the oven for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until golden brown and soft.  Remove the saucepan from the oven and allow the garlic confit to cool.  Remove garlic cloves and store infused oil in the fridge for up to a week for another dishes.

We’ve all had good spinach dip. A little sour cream, a little cheese, some thawed frozen spinach and you’re in business. It’s the type of party dish you throw out on a table with a few crackers, maybe some slices of toasted baguette, and it’s guaranteed to be gobbled up in a matter of minutes. You may be used to seeing it served cold or at room temperature on most occasions, but those of us who take our dips seriously know that there is nothing quite like a hot version.

Somewhere between a french onion dip and everybody’s favorite green side dish, creamed spinach, this warm rendition satisfies in ways a cold version simply cannot. Just think — all those wonderful, rich flavors that are usually muted by the frosty interior of your refrigerator come alive when warmed through in the oven. Creamy, gooey and indulgent, this spinach dip is guaranteed to become one of your new favorite appetizers. Serve it to guests or bring it to your next potluck, but whatever you do, beware: I’ve seen a small group of people easily polish this off, so it may be worth doubling if you’re serving it for a party.

HOT SPINACH DIP

Adapted from Martha Stewart

This recipe is awesome as a dip and would be just as delicious as a side. While the original version of the recipe calls for three dashes of Worcestershire sauce, each time I’ve made this I find myself using double that — same goes for the hot sauce, too. But that’s my own preference; feel free to play around with flavors. I would even recommend mixing in some freshly grated nutmeg and forgoing the topping of mozzarella, if you’re serving it as a side. I’ve tried this using both fresh and frozen spinach — and a combination of both! — and honestly, the difference isn’t noticeable enough in the finished product to deem one better than the other. Thus, the choice is yours. The frozen spinach is definitely a bit easier — you’ll just add it, completely drained of excess liquid, directly to the cream cheese sauce and then add in the mozzarella cheese.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 teaspoons olive oil, plus more for the baking dish
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 pounds spinach, cleaned, trimmed, and coarsely chopped, or 2 10-ounce packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and thoroughly drained
• 1/4 cup stock or water
• 1/2 cup milk
• 6 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese
• Worcestershire sauce, to taste
• Hot sauce, to taste
• 1 cup grated mozzarella
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• Baguette slices, breadsticks, or crackers, for serving

METHOD:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a Dutch oven or large pot, heat oil over medium. Add onion and garlic; cook until lightly browned and softened, 5 to 8 minutes.
2. Add spinach in two additions adding a portion of the stock or water with each and cover with a lid. Let the first batch wilt before adding the next; cook until completely wilted, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a colander; drain, pressing to release all excess liquid.
3. In the same pot, warm milk over high heat. Whisk in cream cheese until melted, about 3 minutes. Add spinach, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and 1/2 cup mozzarella; stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour into a lightly oiled 1 1/2-quart shallow baking dish; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella.
4. Bake until bubbly and golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve hot with accompaniments, as desired.

Makes 3 cups

I should start by saying that I’d never actually eaten stromboli before making this recipe.  After seeing a rendition on TV, I set out to make one in the style of Stuff Yer Face in New Brunswick, New Jersey.  Where most versions seem to be rolled into a pinwheel-like log, this version is more like a burrito — er, Hot Pocket.  Not quite a pizza, almost like a calzone, stromboli seemed like a perfect hand-held version of one of my favorite foods.  Then again, I’m the kind of person who likes to fold my pizza slices in half before biting into them — there’s just something so satisfying about biting into gooey cheese surrounded by crisp then chewy dough.

Sure enough, the ‘boli satisfied this particular craving. Cheesy, salty with tart feta cheese, chalk full of wilted spinach and steaming hot, if you even kind of like pizza (and who doesn’t?), then you’re going to like biting into one of these. Plus, if you have the dough on hand already, they’re easy enough to put together for a lazy weeknight dinner.

SPINACH, FETA & KALAMATA OLIVE STROMBOLI

This recipe uses a your classic Italian-American, New York-style pizza sauce.  If you were hoping for a light, San Marzano sauce, look elsewhere because this one is packed with basil, oregano and tomato paste.  Even so, choose your tomatoes and paste wisely as each brand can vary dramatically in terms of acidity and sweetness so use your taste buds and adjust for the sauce for balance after it’s been processed.  A six ounce can of paste might seem like a lot, but keep in mind that this is a thick, sweet pizzeria-style sauce.  A good melting cheese is key for these stromboli.  Look to use a low-moisture mozzarella or a blend of mozzarella, provolone, fontina or Parmesan for a fantastic final dish.  If kalamata olives, feta cheese and spinach aren’t your thing, go with hand-sliced, quality pepperoni from an Italian deli for an upscale riff on the classic Hot Pocket.

INGREDIENTS

For the Pizza Sauce:

• 1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1 6-ounce can tomato paste
• 1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons chopped basil or 2 teaspoons dried
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt
• Red wine vinegar to taste
• Olive oil, for brushing
  

For the Stromboli

• 24 ounces homemade or store-bought pizza dough, set out at room temperature
• 1 – 1 1/2 cups, sauce
• 4 cups loosely packed spinach leaves
• 4 cups mozzarella cheese, or other good melting cheese
• 1 cup pitted kalamata olives, halved if desired
• 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled

METHOD:

1. Make the sauce: Place all of the sauce ingredients in a food processor and blend until well incorporated. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more salt, sugar or vinegar to balance the flavor. Set aside.
2. Assemble the Stromboli: Preheat a pizza stone in a 500° oven for at least 1/2 hour. Divide the dough into 4 equal-sized pieces, roll them each into tight balls and allow them to rest at room temperature while the oven heats.
3. Working on a well floured surface and using a rolling pin, roll each dough ball into a 1/8-inch thick, 12×6-inch oblong oval shape.  Spread 1/4 cup of the pizza sauce into the center of each dough round and top with 1 cup of spinach leaves, 1 cup of the mozzarella, 1/4 cup of kalamata cheese and a couple of tablespoons of crumbled feta cheese.  Working as if you were rolling up a burrito, stretch the dough a bit towards the center of the stromboli and wrap the edge closest to you around the filling and roll the whole thing up like a log — pinch the seam firmly to ensure a good seal.  Lightly score the top of each stromboli to allow them to vent slightly during the baking process.
4. Brush the stromboli with olive oil and bake them directly on the pizza stone until golden brown, about 5-7 minutes.  Remove them with a pizza peel and allow to rest for about 5 minutes before going in.

Makes 4 Stromboli

To round out my week of Middle Eastern cuisine, I present to you a vehicle for all those tasty homemade recipes — the falafel sandwich.  This is the kind of sandwich that makes me feel like maybe, just maybe, I could be a vegetarian.  Afterall, with a sandwich as filling and flavorful as this one, who needs meat?  With mixed baby greens, crunchy cabbage and carrots, this version is everything but authentic.

Admittedly, I don’t typically order the falafel sandwich — I prefer a loaded schawerma wrap most days — but that’s because most places serve their sandwiches with some wilted iceberg lettuce, chunks of flavorless tomatoes and the withered tennis balls they call falafel. As it turns out a good falafel sandwich is its own kind of wonderful, and as is the case with many things, all the much better when you’re the one deciding what goes into it.

I knew I wanted something a bit brighter than usual; something that included textures and flavors that would enhance the soft, savory falafel. The combination listed below promises balanced bites — the pepper and pickled turnips add a tangy kick, the cabbage and carrots the right kind of crunch and the tahini sauce and baba ganoush are creamy and bold without overwhelming the flavor of the falafels themselves — but feel free to throw in tomato, eggplant, Middle Eastern pickles or any other additions you think would be good. And if you come up with an inspired combination, don’t forget to share your secrets in the comments.

FALAFEL SANDWICH

The best part about making this kind of sandwich at home is that you can add as much or as little of just about any ingredient you want.  I’ve included a few selections below, but feel free to use whatever you have in your fridge.  Avocado, marinated eggplant and even fried potatoes would all make great additions.  Pink pickled turnips serve as a welcome crunchy counterpoint on top of this sandwich.  If you are having trouble finding them in the supermarket, make them yourself by peeling and slicing turnips into long, 1/4 inch thick planks and soaking them overnight in a vinegar, sugar and salt brine along with a few quarter-sized pieces of red beet root.  Mixed baby lettuces, cabbage and carrots are far from traditional, but I’ve found that they add a welcome contrast to the creamy spreads and light falafel.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 warm, sturdy pitas
  
• 8-10 warm, freshly fried falafel
• 1/2 cup baba ganoush or hummus
• 1/2 cup tzatziki or thick Greek yogurt (optional)
• 1/2 cup red cabbage, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup carrots, julienned
• 1/2 cup mixed baby greens
• 1 lemon
• 2 pickled banana peppers
• 4 pickled turnip spears
• Tahini sauce, for drizzling
• Hot sauce
• Kosher salt

METHOD:

1. Warm the pita bread in a low oven while you prepare the ingredients for the sandwich.
2. Dress the baby greens with a just bit of lemon juice and light sprinkling of Kosher salt and set aside.
3. When the pita are warmed through and pliable, remove from the oven and slice off the top third of each to create a pocket.
4. Slather the inside of each pita with half of the baba ganoush, hummus or optional tzatziki and stuff the pocket with 4-5 of the warm falafel.  Drizzle on a bit of tahini sauce/hot sauce and top with the dressed baby greens, carrot and cabbage.
5. Finish each sandwich with a garnish of one pickled banana pepper and a couple of pickled turnip.  Serve immediately with plenty of napkins.

Makes 2 large sandwiches

Looking for good falafel in San Francisco can leave one feeling like Goldilocks.  In a town with so few options to choose from, compared to a city like New York, finding real, quality falafel around here can be hit or miss.  Oftentimes too dry, frequently too large and almost always too dense, my misadventures in the quest for the perfect fritter have lead me to create a recipe that produces perfectly light, moist and delicious falafel every time.  In Goldilocks’ words, these are just right.

Dehydrated chickpeas are soaked overnight and ground with onions, parsley and garlic then seasoned with aromatic spices before being fried to a rich, golden brown. Top with a drizzle of garlic and lemon spiked tahini sauce and you have a version that I’d bet rivals some of the best you’ve ever bought.

FALAFEL

I like to use a meat grinder set with the finest disk to process my garbanzo beans.  If you don’t have one yourself, don’t despair, as falafel made in the food processor will be equally delicious.  Whichever route you choose, make sure to season your mix well and taste it before frying — there is nothing worse than a bland falafel.  Another crucial aspect of producing tender, airy falafel comes from the rolling process.  No matter what you do, DO NOT press and compact the mixture into a tight ball.  Instead, take some of the mixture and apply just enough pressure to have it hold its shape.  It takes a bit of practice at first, but you will be rewarded with beautiful, light falafel in the end.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb dried chick peas (garbanzo beans), soaked in water overnight
• 2 red or Spanish onions, coarsely chopped
  
• 2 large garlic cloves, crushed
  
• 1/2 large bunch of parsley
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 2 teaspoons sesame seeds
  
• Kosher salt & cayenne pepper to taste
  
• Canola or vegetable oil for frying
  

METHOD:

1. Drain the chick peas from their soaking liquid and pass them, along with the onion, garlic, parsley, through the finest holes of a meat grinder. Alternatively, place the same ingredients into the bowl of food processor and pulse until the texture is that of a coarse, moist meal.
2. Add the cumin, coriander, sesame seeds, cayenne and salt to the ground mixture. Stir to distribute the spice and allow the mixture to rest for at least a 1/2 hour at room temperature.  Taste a small amount for seasoning and adjust accordingly.
3. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.  With slightly moistened hands, take walnut-sized lumps (about 2 tablespoons) of the rested falafel mixture from the bowl and gently roll into flat, round shapes, about 1 1/2 inches in diameter.  Place the falafel on the lined sheet pan and repeat with the remaining mix.  Allow rolled falafel balls to rest at least another 15 minutes at room temperature before frying.
4. Pour oil into a 4-qt. Dutch oven to a depth of 2″ and heat over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 350˚. Working in batches, fry the falafel until they are a dark, rich brown color, about 4-5 minutes.  Remove from the oil and drain on paper towels.  Repeat with remaining falafel.
5. Serve the falafel warm or at room temperature along with tahini sauce for drizzling.

Makes about 2 dozen falafel

TAHINI SAUCE

Adapted from Claudia Roden’s A Book of Middle Eastern Food

INGREDIENTS:

• 1-3 cloves garlic, to taste
• Kosher salt, to taste
• Juice of 2 1/2 lemons, or more to taste
• 1/4 pint tahini paste
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  

METHOD:

1. Crush the garlic with salt to for a paste. Mix it with a little of the lemon juice in a large bowl. Add the tahini paste and mix well.
2. Add the remaining lemon juice and enough cold water to achieve a thick, smooth cream, beating vigorously.
3. Season with salt and cumin; taste and add more lemon juice, garlic or salt until the flavor is fairly strong and tart. Add a few more drops water if too thick. It should be just pourable.

Another day, another classic Mediterranean/Middle-Eastern dip, this time Tzatziki, or Cacik as it’s known in Turkey. (It’s certainly not Irish, but at least I’ve got some green going on!)  Whatever you want to call it, this dip stands out as one of my all-time favorites.  Cool, thick Greek-style yogurt is combined with crisp, refreshing cucumbers and laced with pungent garlic and mint for a concoction that is as good on the humble pita as it is on spicy grilled meats.

Good tzatziki is all about texture.  Yes, balance of flavor is always important, but when it comes to this specific herb-inflected spread, I like mine thick and creamy. Here, liquid is the enemy so my version calls for not one, but two ‘purges’ of moisture (once for the yogurt and once for the cucumbers) in an effort to control the final consistency of the dish.  Now, you can go out and buy thick, Greek-style yogurt at the supermarket, but if you’ve been swept up in its recent trend then you’ve probably already noticed that their not exactly giving that stuff away.  That’s why I buy plain, whole-milk yogurt and drain away the excess whey overnight in the fridge — less money, more moisture control.

This stuff is so refreshing that I’m sure once you try it you’ll be making it for dolloping and dipping throughout the spring and summer months. Plus, once you get the technique for straining the yogurt down, you  can forgo the savory addition of garlic and cucumbers and try drizzling it with honey, stirring in fruit or topping it with granola for an exceptionally delicious breakfast or snack.

TZATZIKI

Making good tzatziki at home requires a bit of patience, but believe me when I tell you that the results are well worth the wait.  Start the recipe the day ahead of when you plan on serving it in order for the whey to drain away from the yogurt. For best results, I’ll sometimes do this by hanging the yogurt from wooden spoon suspended over a deep bowl in the fridge. If you don’t have the refrigerator real estate for this type of setup, you can always drain the yogurt in a cheesecloth lined sieve instead.  If you decide to go the sieve route, stir the yogurt occasionally over the 24 hour period to facilitate the draining of the whey.  Be sure to save this liquid as you might want to add some back in to adjust the consistency of your dip before service.  In another effort to control the water content of the dish, I also have you salt the cucumbers in order to remove further moisture that might dilute the dip.  Once prepared, tzatziki will continue to develop flavor as it sits and is best served just slightly chilled — not straight from the fridge.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 24-ounce container of plain, whole milk yogurt
• 3-4 small Persian cucumbers or about 1 seeded English cucumber.
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint or dill leaves
• 1-2 cloves garlic, finely minced or smashed in a mortar and pestle
• Lemon juice, to taste
• Kosher salt

METHOD:

1. Line a medium bowl with several layers of cheesecloth pour in the contents of the yogurt container. Gather the loose ends of the cheesecloth and fasten them tightly with a rubber band or a length of butcher string.   Suspend the yogurt over a deep bowl in your refrigerator overnight, allowing the liquid to drain away.
2. The following day, pour the strained, thick yogurt into a bowl and reserve some of the whey that has drained away.
3. Peel, dice or grate the cucumbers.  Sprinkle with salt and leave for 1/2 to 1 hour in a colander for the juices to drain.
4. Beat the yogurt in a serving bowl with the minced garlic and the mint or dill (or a combination of both) and fold in the cucumbers.  Season to taste with salt, taking into consideration the residual saltiness of the cucumbers.  Add lemon juice to taste and a splash or two of the reserved whey if the dip is too thick for your tastes.

Makes about 2 cups

After a weekend of less-than-healthy eating — the Super Bowl has that effect — I figured it was high-time to post one of my all-time favorite salad dressings.  In fact, this dressing is so special that I decided to give it its own post (tune in tomorrow for the perfect salad).  While Italian, ranch and blue cheese might hold the throne as America’s favorite salad dressings, I’d like to introduce you to what you’ve been missing out on — poppy seed dressing.  I know, I know.  Poppy seeds? While you might be wondering how poppy seeds could still be relevant, especially in a salad dressing, consider the words of Kay Rentschler from her New York Times article on this misunderstood spice, “Ultimately, it is as a finely granular, dusky backdrop that poppy seeds make their point best, a point well articulated in the presence of lemon or orange peel, the smoke of sweet spices or the fragrant notes of honey or orange flower oil.”  Sounds like they might find a nice home in a unique sweet and sour salad dressing, doesn’t it?

Romanticism aside, I’ve eaten this dressing since I was a boy, on salads as varied as tender red leaf lettuce with grapefruit segments and blue cheese to sturdy spinach leaves with strawberries and feta — you really can’t go wrong.  In fact, the beauty of this dressing is its ability to compliment ripe fruit regardless of season.  Wintertime salad? Use crisp apples or tangy orange segments for a refreshing contrast to this dressing’s sweet notes.  Have pears from the farmers market lying around?  Toss them in as a sweet foil to the same tangy dressing.

As tasty as it is beautiful, this one-of-a-kind dressing is worth making for the work week when you’re in the need of something light and refreshing. Whip up a batch in the blender, throw it in your fridge and eat like a king for the week.

POPPY SEED SALAD DRESSING

Adapted from San Francisco à la Carte

If you don’t have a blender, this dressing can be made the old-fashioned way, by emulsifying the dressing with a good wire whisk.  I like to use apple cider vinegar, but if you don’t have any on-hand, feel free to use white wine or distilled vinegar.  When it comes time to finely grate the red onion, use the small holes on a box grater for best results and flavor.  When adding the oil, make sure you pour it in slowly to achieve a nice, even emulsion.  This is a resilient salad dressing that will keep for several weeks in the refrigerator if stored correctly, but don’t be afraid to halve the recipe if you wish; it still turns out wonderfully.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoons mustard (I use Coleman’s)
• 1 teaspoon table salt or 2 teaspoons Kosher
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup canola or grapeseed oil
• 1/3 cup apple cider or white wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup finely grated red onion
• 1 1/2 teaspoon poppy seeds

METHOD:

1. Pour the olive and canola oil into a measuring cup and set aside.
2. Add the sugar, mustard, red onion and salt to the jar of a blender.  Pour in the vinegar and blend on high until the sugar has thoroughly dissolved.
3. With the motor still running, remove the lid from the blender and pour in the combined oils in a steady stream until emulsified.
4. Pour the dressing into a jar, add the poppy seeds and shake or stir the dressing to combine.  Seal the jar tightly and refrigerate until use.

Makes about 2 cups

Let me start by saying that this is a recipe for guacamole the way I like to eat it.  Not too chunky, definitely not too smooth, bright with lime juice, and not a tomato or garlic clove in sight.  That’s right — I like to leave out the garlic and diced tomato you sometimes find in other recipes because I want the avocado to be the star.  In fact, I find the addition of garlic, even in small amounts, tends to overpower the delicate flavor of a good avocado. So, what makes my version so unique? Nothing special, really.  Just a few basic techniques that I find produce a perfectly textured, beautifully balanced guac that is as good as a dip with chips as it is a condiment on burritos, tacos and enchiladas.

My guacamole starts with ripe avocados — not the hard, vegetal tasting variety that you’re likely to find when they’ve just been delivered to your local supermarket.  With avocado prices what they are these days, in my opinion, it’s not worth the time or money to make guacamole unless you can find soft-ripe, buttery avocados to do so with.  This sometimes takes some careful planning, giving slightly under-ripe specimens the appropriate time needed to reach the proper level of ripeness.  Next, I give my guacamole a nice, healthy dose of freshly squeezed lime juice for a clean, citrusy note and finely minced serrano chiles and “deflamed” red onion for a bit of heat and textural contrast.  Finished with a bit of chopped cilantro and a good dash of salt and I’m left with a true a crowdpleaser.

This recipe doubles easily, so next time you have a group of friends coming over or are tasked with the duty of bringing a dip to your next potluck, throw out a bowl of this guacamole and watch it disappear.

GUACAMOLE

Good guacamole starts with soft-ripe avocados.  Make sure to look for avocados that yield slightly when gently pressed on their rounded blossom end.  Even the most perfect avocados can have a few dark spots here and there, so be sure to remove those once you get the flesh out of their skins.  Tossing the diced avocado in the lime juice will prevent oxidation from occurring while you prepare your other ingredients.  Be careful not mash the avocado during this step however, or you will be left with smooth puree by the time you’ve had a chance to incorporate your other ingredients.  Everyone’s tastes are different — if you are not a fan of red onion or cilantro, feel free to leave them out.  If you like diced tomatoes in your guac, add them in with the chiles before bringing everything together.  If you decide to make the guacamole earlier in the day, store it in the refrigerator by laying a sheet of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the dip to avoid that brown color that comes from oxidation.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 large (about 1 1/2 pounds) soft-ripe avocados
  
• 1-2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lime juice (from about half of a large lime)
• 1/2 cup finely diced red onion (from about half of a small onion)
• 1 – 2 serrano chiles, minced
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, lightly packed
• 1 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt, plus more to taste
  

METHOD:

1. Begin by slicing each avocado in half, running your knife around the pit from stem to blossom end.  Remove the pit from each avocado by gently lodging the heel of your blade into them and twisting slightly to break them free from the flesh.  Making sure not slice through the skin, carefully score each avocado half in a 1/2-inch crosshatch pattern.  Using a large spoon, gently scoop the flesh out of each half into a large bowl.
2. Pour the freshly squeezed lime juice over the diced avocado and gently fold to coat each piece.  You’re not looking to mash the avocado at this point, just toss it with lime juice to prevent oxidation.
3. Scoop the finely diced red onion into a strainer and rinse it under cold running water to remove some of its pungency.  Drain the onion well before throwing it in on top of the diced avocado in the bowl.  Do not stir to incorporate at this point.
4. Toss in the minced chiles, chopped cilantro and salt.  Stir, lightly mashing the avocado with the back of a spoon or rubber spatula until all the ingredients are well incorporated and you’ve reached your desired texture/consistency.  Allow the guacamole to sit for at least 30 minutes at room temperature in order for the flavors to come together.  Taste for salt and acidity, adjusting as necessary.
5. Serve at room temperature for optimal flavor.

Makes about 2 cups

Nooks and crannies.  These three words became my mantra as I set out to bake one of my all-time favorite breakfast staples from scratch.  Afterall, it’s an English muffin’s series of nooks and crannies that really sets it apart from the other breads in the breakfast lineup.  If I was going to replicate anything close to my childhood favorite Thomas’, I was going to have to ensure the development of enough peaks and valleys to adequately support my preferred topping of butter and a little of  my mom’s homemade strawberry jam.

You might be wondering why anyone would set out to make their own English muffins at home when there are perfectly fine specimens available at the supermarket.  To be completely honest, I don’t have a very good answer to that question.  You see, my sister just gave me a copy of the new Momofuku cookbook for my birthday, and while all the recipes looks fantastic, it was the recipe and photo for their signature English muffins that first popped out at me.  As I’ve pointed out in previous posts, I by no means consider myself an expert baker, but it has been in the production of this blog that I’ve developed a renewed sense of adventure in the kitchen.  These days I’m eager to go outside of my comfort zone and share my experiences in the cooking of recipes that I might have shied away from in the past.

It took a couple of days, but the oftentimes finicky process was well worth the effort in the end.  After clumsily navigating the pitfalls involved in working with an extremely delicate dough and the laborious task of religiously flipping the puffy, implant-like balloons of dough as they slowly baked on the cast iron griddle, I found that I was left with a new appreciation for the very makeup of these humble muffins.

So, are they worth making at home?  I’d say yes, if only for the personal satisfaction of watching a pad of butter slowly melt and ooze into all those nooks and crannies of your own creation.

HOMEMADE ENGLISH MUFFINS

From the Momofuku Cookbook, by David Chang and Peter Meehan

If you have a stand mixer, putting together the dough for this recipe is a cinch.  That being said, I found that it is in working with the dough that this recipe presents it’s true challenges.  As author David Chang suggests, leaving the fragile, unbaked muffins on a rimmed baking sheet in the refrigerator overnight aids significantly in the handling of the extremely delicate dough balls.  The secret to an airy, nooks and crannies filled interior is in the slow, methodical griddle-baking process.  I used a cast-iron skillet for this recipe and would definitely advise against using any high-sided pan as this can make flipping the muffins even more challenging than it already is.

INGREDIENTS:

• 12 grams active dry yeast (a little less than the contents of two 1/4-ounce packets)
• 1/4 cup lukewarm water
• 1 3/4 cups buttermilk
• 4 cups bread flour
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• Nonstick vegetable oil spray
• Cornmeal as needed

METHOD:

1. Make the dough: Combine the yeast and warm water in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment.  Stir until the yeast has been sufficiently dissolved.
2. Warm the buttermilk in a small pan over low heat or microwave until it is just lukewarm and no longer cold from the refrigerator.  Stir the buttermilk into the yeast/water mixture.
3. Add the flour, sugar and kosher salt to the wet ingredients in the bowl, turn the mixer on to medium-low speed and process just until a shaggy, loose dough comes together, about 3 to 4 minutes.
4. With the mixer still running, add the room-temperature butter into the bowl one tablespoon at a time until each is almost fully incorporated.  Knead the dough on medium-low speed for 7-8 minutes, or until it is tacky but no longer sticky and holds it’s shape.  The dough will never fully collect from the side of the bowl, but will begin to slowly climb up the hook attachment.
5. Lightly spray a large mixing bowl with vegetable oil and scrape the dough from the mixer into it.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow it to rest and expand for about 1 hour.
6. After the dough has risen, place the bowl into the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour to chill, thus making the dough easier to handle.
7. Shape the muffins: Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and evenly scatter on a 1/4-inch thick layer of cornmeal. Set aside.
8. Scatter your work surface with a very fine dusting of flour and lightly flour your hands as well.  Turn the dough out onto the work surface and knead it a few times to deflate it.  Shape it into a fat, smoothish log.
9. Pinch off a clump of dough slightly larger than a golf ball (about 40-50 grams if you have a kitchen scale) and lightly roll the piece of dough into a neat ball, applying as little pressure as possible.  As you shape each ball, transfer the balls of dough, one by one, to the cornmeal-lined baking sheet, then pat it down gently to adhere some of the cornmeal.
10. Grab the ball very gently by it’s sides and flip it over, gently adhering cornmeal to the other side.  Leave about an inch of space between  each future muffin to allow for rise as they may need.  From here you can proceed with the recipe directly or refrigerate the baking sheet, wrapped in plastic wrap for up to three days.
11. Griddle-bake the muffins: Preheat the oven to 250°.  Warm a cast-iron skillet or griddle over very low heat for 5 minutes.  Sprinkle the skillet with a light, even layer of cornmeal.
12. Grab one of the proofed muffins by it’s uncornmealed sides and dust off any excess cornmeal clinging to their tops and bottoms.  Working in batches, transfer the muffins to the griddle.  Griddle-bake the muffins very slowly, allowing a full 4-5 minutes or until their tops are slightly puffed up.  Using an offset spatula, carefully flip each muffin and allow to griddle-bake on their other side for another 4-5 minutes.  You should notice the muffins beginning to form a noticeable skin.  Flip them again and cook for another 5-6 minutes and then flip them again.  This may seem tedious and unnecessary, but this process aids in the development of a light-as-air interior.  At this point you can slightly bump up the heat and gently toast their tops and bottoms, flipping every 2-3 minutes or until they are patchy brown and uniformly golden.
13. Place the muffins on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake them in the oven for 10-12 minutes to finish cooking.   Remove from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet until cooled to room temperature.
14. To Serve: Using a fork, puncture an equator of tiny holes around the middle of each muffin and then pry apart the two halves.
    

Makes between 1 and 2 dozen depending on size

You’d never know it, but just off of Highway 1, in the sleepy Sonoma Coast town of Gualala, there lives an authentic gem of a taquería the likes of which are seldom found in the heart of a big city.  Tucked into the corner of the ever-depressing Sundstrom Mall and flanked by a glowing bakery case packed with a plethora of sub-par pastries you’ll find, Gualala Pizza & Bakery.  Try not to let the name fool you — or the locals for that matter (they’ll be the ones inexplicably munching away on pizza and burgers), it’s the Mexican food you’re here for, and man is it ever good!  We’re talking handmade corn tortillas, carnitas-packed gorditas, delectable barbacoa burritos and my personal favorite: Baja-style, beer-battered salmon tacos.  Everything is fresh, delicious and affordable, but for me, it’s their “complimentary” avocado-tomatillo salsa that has me coming back to this place.

Slathered on tacos or used as a dip for their fried-to-order tortilla chips, this sauce is good on anything.  I was beginning to think that I was the only one who had an unhealthy relationship with this spicy green salsa, that is, until a family member stepped forward to shed light on their own addiction.  My sister confessed to regularly smuggling out a few extra containers to use at home for her own culinary concoctions.  It may be paranoia, but I think they might have caught-on to our little scheme because they no longer set out those little plastic cups.  So, suffering from severe withdrawal, I finally set out to whip up a batch myself.

It took patience and careful planning, but by asking the ladies behind the counter a few well-positioned questions scattered over the course of a couple of visits, I was able to deduce that it consisted of canned (not fresh) tomatillos as its base with ripe avocado accounting for its creamy texture.  With only a handful of obvious ingredients (lime, chiles, garlic) making up the remainder of the mix, I played around with several brands of tomatillos and searched for the perfect ratio of avocado.  In the end, I think I got something that’s pretty close.  My cravings have been dealt with for now, but it’s only a matter of time before I get a hankering for one of those unbeatable fish tacos.

AVOCADO-TOMATILLO SALSA

This is one of those salsas that is extremely easy to adjust to personal taste, so don’t be afraid to add more or less of any of the suggested ingredients.  I personally love a biting, fiery sauce so I choose to use a minimum of 2 serrano chiles when making my batches.  If you prefer a salsa more akin to traditional guacamole, feel free to use an entire avocado instead of the half for an even creamier texture.  I only like to use a little garlic when making this condiment as adding too much can quickly overwhelm the other flavors.  This is also one of the rare instances where I choose to forgo the use of cilantro, as it’s addition tends to detract from the brightness of the canned tomatillos.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 12-ounce can, drained, whole tomatillos
• 1/2 large ripe avocado, roughly chopped
• 1 small clove of garlic, roughly chopped
• Juice of 1/2 a large lime
• 1-2 medium serrano chiles, roughly chopped
• 3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt

METHOD:

1. Place all of the ingredients into the bowl of a food processor and process until the components are well-incorporated into a smooth sauce, about 30-40 seconds.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups