Choosing a Mandoline

I recently wrote a story about mandolines on Tasting Table. I’ve had a lot of experience with mandolines and yes, some of it involves band-aids. Here’s the thing, a mandoline is a serious tool. I was once sent one that had so many blades and was so big and heavy it scared me. I’ve used a low end model for years, but frankly the blades are getting dull and there isn't an easy way to sharpen them. 

BEST FOR VOLUME AND PRECISE CUTS IN A VARITY OF THICKNESSES

OXO has been making and perfecting their high end model for years. The OXO Good Grips Chef’s Mandoline Slicer 2.0 has lots of features that make it really worth considering. It sells for $79

Here are what I consider the highlights: 

1. The hand guard is really well designed and stores conveniently under the slicer. It is spring loaded so it grips the food firmly. Still, you might want to consider using a cut resistant glove.

2. The dial on the side allows you choose the thickness of your slices, allowing up to 21 different cuts. 

3. Only one removable blade! And it stores inside the mandolin. 

And the drawbacks: 

1. It’s large and bulky and really can only be used safely for larger items that you can use with the guard. 

2. The thinner slices and waffle cuts can be a bit tricky to master and to get as uniform as other cuts such as julienne and matchsticks.

3. It really is a chef's tool, it might be overkill for many home cooks. 

BEST FOR EVERYDAY SLICING & SHREDDING

If, like me, you like the uniformity you get from using a mandoline but don’t need to make 21 different cuts, you might be satisfied with the OXO Good Grips Complete Grate & Slice Set. You could argue that it isn’t really a mandoline, but it functions very much the same way. It sells for about $29 

It’s also very well-designed, the slicing blades all fit in a container which doubles as the base when you are using the blades. It’s easy to use (no instruction guide necessary), takes up very little space, stores easily. 

On the downside the hand guard is extremely flimsy and each blade only slices or shreds to one thickness. But to be honest, I don’t find that to be much of an issue. If I need thicker or thinner slices I can use a knife or food processor instead. 

BEST FOR SALADS

Last but not least, I’ve written about this tiny mandoline slicer before, but I’ll mention it again because it’s so great for slicing small items that can’t be sliced on a mandoline such as radishes, carrots and cucumbers. It’s perfect for slicing vegetables for salads. I got mine at a Japanese housewares store for about $2

Disclaimer: My thanks to OXO for providing products for me to review. I was not compensated monetarily for this or any other post. This post includes affiliate links.

Lugana Wines

Lugana is a small Italian wine region that you’ve probably never heard of before.  It straddles Veneto and Lombardy, right around the Southern shore of the the stunning Lake Garda. It's neighbors are Soave and Valpolicella and there are just a little over 100 producers. Lugana wines are made from an indigenous varietal called Trebbiano di Lugana or most accurately Turbiana which is related to Verdicchio. The clay soil adds a touch of salinity and savory quality and the wines are zesty and bright with lemon, grapefruit and tangerine and sometimes sweeter notes of peach, almond and even mint. I visited Lake Garda and Lugana in the Fall of 2015 and Cantina Castelnuovo winery. I was struck by how much more delicious and compelling the wines were than the more common and often insipid Pinot Grigio. The most challenging thing about Lugana white wines is finding them in the US. 

The un-oaked Lugana DOC wines are fun and fresh and represent about 90% of the wines that are produced. The Superiore wines are aged for one year and Riserva wines are aged 2 years, they have an added layer of salinity and minerality in addition to a rounder character but still have great acidity and freshness. I think of these wines as an analog to the Margarita. Youthful, juicy, refreshing with great acidity the wines are easy to enjoy (with salt of without!). They go great with spicy food but also seafood and even blue cheese. I opened a bottle of Lugana and served it chilled with a Cobb salad. It was perfect. But honestly, it’s a wine that drinks well as an aperitif too. Not surprisingly these wines are popular with Germans who are accustomed to drinking wines like Riesling. 

Recently I was at a tasting and particularly enjoyed trying wines from producers including Borgo La Caccia, Selva Capuzza, Ca Dei Frati and Bulgarini. Unfortunately these were not the wines I was able to locate in stores here in the Bay Area. However I did find a bottle or two of Lugana at Biondivino, Enoteca Vino Nostro and K&L Wine Merchants. But the best selection was from The Wine House. They import directly from Ca’ Lojera and had seven different bottles of varying vintages, including the Riserva and Superiore. The prices for the wines generally range from the mid teens to the high thirties. Personally I’ll be heading back to The Wine House to buy more of the 2014 Ca’ Lojera Bianco, on sale for just $9.99, it’s a riduclous bargain and is destined to be my house wine this Summer. 

Disclaimer: I was a guest at a Lugana tasting and dinner, however I purchased the full bottle of wine. 

Salted Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

When I see a recipe repeatedly I sometimes feel compelled to give it a try. Salted Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies from Danielle Oron's Modern Israeli Cooking is one of those recipes. It was published in the New York Times a little over a year ago, then Food52 got in on the act and reprinted it as well. 

Just recently David Lebovitz published his version of the recipe, which he had adapted and then raved that they were "some of the best chocolate chip cookies to ever come out of my oven." His goal was to make the cookies a bit more chewy and to increase the chocolate. Those are goals I thoroughly support. While I pretty much used his recipe, I took it a bit further. Instead of using one half cup of light brown sugar in place of one half cup of white sugar as he did, I used one half cup dark brown sugar. I also increased the chocolate. While Lebovitz uses chocolate chunks, I used chocolate chips and the whole bag, why not? It’s 12 ounces and 340 grams of semisweet chocolate chips. Next time I might try 3/4 of a cup dark brown sugar and just one quarter cup white sugar for even chewier cookies. 

So the name really gives it away—the key to what makes these cookies so irresistable is the dusting of salt on the top and the tahini in the cookies which adds a particular richness. The cookies are chewiest on day one, but still delicious on day two. If you have any left. Speaking of which, I recommend portioning some of the dough into a zip top bag and freezing it so you can bake fresh “cookies on demand.” Simply heat the oven and put the frozen blobs of dough directly on a parchment lined baking sheet and minutes later you have fresh cookies.

Note: If you have a scale, I implore you to use it instead of measuring cups especially for the sugar and flour. It makes a big difference. 

Salty Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies

Adapted from David Lebovitz and Danielle Oron

Ingredients

8 Tablespoons (115g, 4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup (120ml) tahini, stirred

1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar

1/2 cup (90g) packed dark brown sugar

1 large egg, at room temperature

1 large egg yolk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (150g) flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 package 12 ounces (340g) semisweet chocolate chips

Flaky salt

Instructions

Beat the butter, tahini, granulated sugar and brown sugar with an eletric mixer, until fluffy. Add the egg, the yolk, and vanilla, and continue to mix just until the eggs are incorporated. Add the dry ingredients until just combined, then stir in the chocolate chips. Do not over mix. Cover the dough and refrigerate overnight.

Heat the oven to 325ºF. Form the cookies using a scoop or spoon about 2 tablespoons in size (a #30 disher is perfect). Place them evenly spaced on a parchment lined baking sheets about 3-inches apart. Bake the cookies, turning the baking sheet in the oven midway during baking, until the cookies are golden brown around the edges but still pale in the center, about 13 minutes. Remove from the oven, sprinkle cookies with flaky sea salt, and let the cookies cool on the baking sheet. Store in a tin or air tight container. 

Enjoy! 

Shrimp & Feta Recipe

I have made many versions of shrimp and feta over the years and maybe you have too. Sweet shrimp and salty feta is such a great combination and while you really don’t need a recipe to make it, this one is a particular favorite. I’ve simplified the steps—no need to saute and bake as many recipes require. The recipe also uses mostly pantry staples. Keep some good quality shrimp in the freezer and with just two purchases—feta and a fennel bulb, you can make this dish in no time flat.

Speaking of shrimp, the gorgeous shrimp I used for this dish came from the American Shrimp Company an online retailer of wild caught American shrimp. They are mostly sourced out of the Gulf and Southern Atlantic. If you purchase them online, they arrive in perfect condition, fresh and ready to use. I used half the shrimp I received right away and the other half I froze to use later. I am a strong believer in using the best quality ingredients you can afford, especially when it comes to seafood. American gulf shrimp are not only more sustainable but much more delicious than ones imported from farms in Asia. Just 4 large shrimp per person makes for a very satisfying meal in a dish like this one.

The reason I like this recipe so much is that it includes lots of fresh vegetables making it a one pot dish when served with orzo or cooked grains. I’m particularly fond of the fennel in this dish. If you like it too, you could also add a splash of ouzo or Pernod to the vegetables before adding the tomatoes.

Shrimp & Feta 

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 cup diced onion
1 cup diced fennel bulb

2 cloves garlic, minced

14 oz can crushed roasted tomatoes

1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined, tail on or off

1 cup crumbled feta cheese
Fresh herbs—chopped dill or fennel tops

Instructions

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and fennel and cook, stirring, until soft about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds then add the tomatoes  and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let simmer for 2-3 minutes.

Sprinkle the feta over the top, then add the shrimp in one layer.  Cover the skillet and simmer over low heat just until the shrimp are cooked through and the cheese begins to soften, about 3 minutes.

Serve hot over orzo and garnish with fresh herbs.

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: My thanks to the American Shrimp Company for providing me with the shrimp for this recipe. I was not compensated monetarily for this or any other post on Cooking with Amy. 

Chang Sensory Trails & Learning About Thai Food

If you’re looking for something fun to do this upcoming holiday weekend, I have a suggestion. Chang beer, one of the leading beers in Thailand is sponsoring Chang Sensory Trails, a free un-ticketed festival in San Francisco that focuses on Thai food, art, music and of course, plenty of beer.

The festival has taken place in Los Angeles, London and Singapore and is coming to San Francisco for the first time this year. It’s taking place on Saturday May 27th 2017 from noon until 10 pm at Fort Mason Center’s Festival Pavilion. 

But even if you won't be able to make it to the festival, I think you will find it interesting to learn a little bit more about Thai food from Chef Duangporn Songvisava, or ‘Bo’ as she’s more commonly known. She was chosen Asia’s Best Female Chef 2013 and runs the Bangkok restaurant Bo.Lan with her husband Chef Dylan Jones (it's ranked 19 on the list of Asia's 50 Best Restaurants 2017). Chef Bo along with Chef Dylan helped to curate the food for the festival from local Thai restaurants.

How do you see Thai food evolving in Bangkok and outside of Thailand?
In a promising way, there are more and more restaurant outside Thailand that try to cook Thai properly. This brings more awareness to the cuisine of Thailand.

What are your recommendations for diners looking to discover the real flavors of Thailand?
Be brave and take on spiciness. If you can eat spicy, then your real Thai flavors will just shine.

What do you want people to know about Thai cuisine that they probably don’t know?
That it is not cheap, sweet or full of peanuts. Don’t use chopsticks when eating Pad Thai; instead, use a fork and spoon.

What’s your goal of the Chang Sensory Trails festival?
To share our passion of Thai food and showcase dishes that are less known.

What are the main reasons people should attend?
There will be lots of Thai food to taste, try and eat and plenty of Chang Beer for people to cool off from the heat and Thai spices.

What dishes do Thai restaurants get right and which do they get wrong, outside of Thailand?
I think it is not about the dishes but it is about the ingredients; like fresh coconut cream is the better option over processed coconut cream. Homemade curry paste is always better than a highly-processed curry paste. (Note from Amy: If you want to try curries made from curry pastes made from scratch, I highly recommend you visit Kin Khao, San Francisco's only Michelin star Thai restaurant)

Thanks Chef Bo! Curious about the dishes you’ll get a chance to try? Here’s the list:

Baan Thai House & Wine Bar: Steam Dumplings
Tamarind Hall: Classic Pad Thai Shrimp
Saap Ver: Som Tum
Ben Thai Café: Khao Soi
Tycoon Thai Restaurant: Sai Ua
Lao Table: Larb Duck Pakxe
Lers Ros: Beef Noodle Soup
House Of Thai: Kao Mun Gai

To learn more about the festival head to Chang Sensory Trails. See you there!

The Basque Culinary World Prize

Do you know a chef who is making a difference? The Basque Culinary World Prize is a competition not based on the typical achievements of the kitchen and dining room, but on  a ‘transformative project’ in gastronomy that has had a positive impact on society. This could be through culinary innovation, a commitment to social responsibility, sustainability or the economic development of their community. Nominees for the prize must have a background as a professional chef though they don’t currently need to be a chef and they can be from anywhere in the world. 

The winner will receive €100,000 to devote to a social project of their choice that demonstrates the wider role of the chef in society.

Credit: Cassie Borreson 

Back in March I attended an event with Dominique Crenn and Joxe Mari Aizega, the Head of the Basque Culinary Center, the host of the competition, to kick off the nominations in the US. They both emphasized the importance of setting a positive example and how crucial it is for chefs to have a public voice. This is the second year of the competition and they are looking for as many nominations as possible. 

Do you know a chef who is making a difference? Please take a moment to nominate them. Nominations are being accepted though May 19th and then between June 12-14 the Prize Committee will decide which nominations meet the judging criteria and finalize a list of the 10 strongest candidates to forward to the Prize Jury. 

Credit: Cassie Borreson 

The Prize Jury will be chaired by Joan Roca of Spain and will include some of the most well-known chefs in the world -- Ferran Adrià of Spain, Michel Bras of France, Massimo Bottura of Italy, Dominique Crenn of the US, Yoshihiro Narisawa of Japan and Enrique Olvera of Mexio. Leaders from related disciplines will join the prize jury as well including celebrated Mexican novelist Laura Esquivel (author of Like Water for Chocolate); Kirmen Uribe, renowned Basque novelist, poet and playwright; and Cristina Francini, an expert on International Law and Human Rights.

Learn about the incredible work of the past winner, Maria Fernanda Di Giacobbe. 

Japanese Restaurants in Honolulu Spring 2017

It’s not uncommon for restaurants and or chefs to come to Honolulu from Japan and set up shop. This phenomenon leads to a particularly exciting Japanese food scene. Here are my top picks of recently opened Japanese restaurants in Honolulu, direct from Japan, from my most recent visit.

Located on Kapahulu and tucked away on the second floor of an office complex this hidden treasure is insanely popular after being open just a few months. And for good reason. Tamafuji Tonkatsu is an import from Sapporo and everyone is talking about it. A local friend told me I must order the shrimp, the oysters and the pork. All are prepared in the tonkatsu style, meaning breaded and fried until shatteringly crisp on the outside yet gushing with juiciness on the inside. It’s a simple formula. You pick one of three different kinds of rice, grind some sesame seeds in your bowl and add sauce to taste. There is unlimited shredded cabbage and some jars with Japanese pickles on the table. But oh, the tonkatsu! It’s definitely as good as the tonkatsu I stood in for in Tokyo. Take my friend’s advice. Go with some friends and order a bit of each. No reservations, prepare to wait in line. 

Tonkatsu Tamafuji

449 Kapahulu Avenue

Hee Hing Plaza, second floor

808-922-1212

Denizens of Los Angeles know Tsujita, a branch of a Tokyo noodle shop that opened over 5 years ago. Lots of ramen shops thrive in Honolulu and each has their own specialty and Tsujita is no exception. At Tsujita Hawaii the must order dish is tsukemen, also known as dipping noodles. Stretchy ramen noodles are served in a bowl with a ridiculously thick syrup like soup on the side. It’s all so that your noodles stay chewy and don’t soften in the soup. The effect of perfectly cooked noodles and a rich thick soup to dip them in is pure genius. A little comic strip explains how to eat tsukemen. You can add a squeeze of lime to cut through the richness and once your bowl begins to empty you can request some broth to be added. You can also add kuro-shichimi seasoning to you noodles if you want some heat.Tsujita is located downstairs in Yokocho Gourmet Alley in Waikiki. 

Tsujita Hawaii

2250 Kalakaua Ave

(808) 777-3546

Yakitori Hachibei is located in Chinatown in a lovely exposed brick building. The best seats are at the counter where you can watch the yakitori chef grilling away. It’s a restaurant that originated as a butcher shop in Fukuoka Prefecture. They now have locations in Tokyo and Taiwan and at each location they pride themselves on using high quality local produce. In addition to classic styles of grilled skewers and grilled pieces of chicken, they also offer innovative and unique creations such as sukiyaki on a stick, a kalbi skewer with vegetables, bacon and grilled egg maki and grilled mozzarella maki. I also thoroughly enjoyed the salad which was overflowing with fresh vegetables in addition to greens. It’s difficult to get a reservation so be sure to call as far in advance as you can! 

Yakitori Hachibei

20 North Hotel Street

808-369-088

Good sushi is not hard to find in Hawaii. Maru Sushi another Sapporo import, from a Michelin-starred sushi bar no less takes it to another level. The vast majority of the fish they serve comes from Hokkaido. Located in a strip mall location right around the corner from the Hawaii Convention Center, it can be a bit tricky to find since there is no obvious sign. The sushi bar has just 8 seats and the cost for the omakase only menu is around $200 per person. But the experience is exquisite. Some standouts included squid “somen” filely sliced into delicate slivers topped with yuzukosho, crispy white shrimp and sayori cured in kombu also known as Japanese half beak or needlefish.

Maru Sushi

1731 Kalakaua Ave

808-951-4445

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I use this Honolulu Dining Guide Google map to keep track of all my favorite restaurants in Honolulu. But I recently got another beautiful Honolulu map, the one at the top of this post, to keep stay focused on my home away from home. It's from Modern Map Art and is available as a poster in various sizes. Head over to find the city of your dreams! 

Disclaimer: I paid for all meals myself, however I was given the lovely map as a gift. I was not compensated monetarily for this or any other post.