Recently our friends Julie, Dean, Barb and Tim wanted to come over to Bret’s Table to cook and enjoy dinner together.  Barb also wanted to show-off our kitchen to her son and daughter-in-law who were visiting from California.  Of course, anytime friends call and ask, “Can we cook at Bret’s Table?” if we’re available, the answer is always, “Absolutely, come on over and bring a bottle of wine.”

Being inspired by Hiroko’s recent visit, I wanted to come up with a Japanese menu for the occasion.  With both her books sitting on the counter, The Sushi Experience and The Japanese Kitchen, I picked up the latter and started thumbing through it, asking myself, “hmm what to have, what to have.”  Due to the August heat, I was looking for recipes where the oven would not have to be used at all or if so, only briefly.  Let’s just say, I wasn’t about to roast a whole stuffed salmon, when it’s 90 degrees outside.

Also, as with any multi-course menu that I plan, I was looking for flavor combinations that would compliment each other or at least tie each course together with a common thread.    Sometimes I’m more successful than others in accomplishing that goal.  This time, it seemed to work beautifully.  Maybe it’s because I sent a quick email off to Hiroko to verify that my ideas would tie together or at least be successful enough so that if one was Japanese, one wouldn’t be offended.

Barbs’ son, Lance, is a big foodie and wanted to learn a new technique or two in the process of our cooking together.  He’s such a foodie that the last time Barb and Tim and Julie and Dean were over prepping for a dinner together, we called Lance and his wife, Meghan, for we were cooking out of Thomas Keller’s book, The French Laundry.  Lance and Meghan had been fortunate to have just eaten at the restaurant of the same name.  Since none of us had ever eaten there, we could say that what we were cooking was just as good and wasn’t costing $250 per person.

Anyway, for the Japanese menu, I decided that we should tackle Hiroko’s Heavenly Rice Crackers which are quite simple to make and truly heavenly to eat with their crisp texture and nutty flavor.  To accompany them, we made an Edamame Pâté.  I had recently been given the recipe for the pâté and had been wanting to try it out.  However, as soon as we tasted the original recipe, we promptly changed it, as it was too bland for our taste.

For the second course, I was intrigued by Hiroko’s recipe for a Duck Dumpling in Consommé for two reasons.  One was the fact that the dumpling was made by combining duck breasts and sea bass into a paste.  I would have never thought of combining these two proteins.  And secondly, how Hiroko explained making the dumpling shape, I immediately thought of  a quenelle.  Of course, I’m always a sucker for wanting to practice a technique and a quenelle does take a little effort to get the hang of it.

To continue the fish theme, I decided on a Miso-Marinated Salmon with Spinach Sauce alongside perfectly-steamed brown rice.   Hmm…spinach sauce.  I like spinach, but pureed?  However, I thought that since Jon’s been on this spinach kick lately, now would be the time to venture into this territory before it was too late.

For dessert, we would repeat what Hiroko and I made for a party when she was here :  a rhubarb soup with Izzy’s vanilla bean ice cream and brandied cherries.  I know it’s not very Japanese, but the rhubarb was from the garden and we had brandied the cherries earlier and they were sitting on the refrigerator shelf, begging to be enjoyed.

I handed out the recipes and divided everyone into teams.  Julie and Dean, after many taste tests, came up with the new version of the Edamame Pâté.  Meghan rolled out and baked the crackers.  Lance and I dug into the dumpling and consommé recipe and Barb and Tim tackled the sauce for the spinach and well as cooked the rhubarb soup.  Last but not least, Jon was in charge of the dishwashing throughout the evening.

After much laughter and no kitchen mishaps, we sat down to enjoy dinner and several bottles of 2009  Shine  – Heinz Eifel – Riesling.  We took lots of pictures, but unfortunately, not one photo of any of the food.  We were all too busy taking pictures of each other.  You’ll have to trust me that it all turned out beautiful as well as delicious.

I have made another batch of the crackers.  They are easy to make and could be enjoyed not only with the Edamame Pâté but also with a fresh tomato salsa.  Making the salsa may be a challenge though if you happen to have a partner that turns every last tomato into a paste before you can say “fresh tomato brusschetta”.

HEAVENLY, CRISPY RICE CRACKERS

We are in the height of tomato season.  These nightshades, with so many flavors, colors, and sizes, can now be found at your neighborhood market, often grown locally.  Even better, seek them out at a farm stand, farmer’s market, or, if you are lucky enough, plucked from your own garden.

Unlike many of our friends, we’re having the good fortune of harvesting a bumper crop of this summertime goodness.  Jon has already roasted four large pans filled to the brim with a variety of tomatoes.  To the roasting pan he added onions, garlic cloves, fresh thyme, oregano, winter savory, and rosemary.

It all went into a convection oven at 375º F for about two hours.  Then everything was run through a food mill, put back in the pan, and continued roasting at 200º F until it reduced to the desired consistency of tomato paste.

If you don’t want to heat up your kitchen, now’s the time to grab your cutting board and tomato knife.  Within five minutes, you can make yourself a tomato salad which is as easy as it is delicious.  The key to the salad is to gild these big boys and yellow pears with a drizzle of really tasty extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar.  Sprinkle it all with a course fleur de sel and freshly ground black pepper.  This is all that is needed to do the trick.  With so few ingredients involved, seek out only the best.

You could also tuck in a couple of wedges of cheese.  On my plate, I enjoyed a Saint Pete’s Blue and a vodka-soaked, nettle-wrapped sheep’s milk cheese from LoveTree Farms.

No excuses about not having the time, as preparing this salad takes practically no time at all.  The tomato paste, on the other hand, takes a little more time, though most of it is unattended.  However, it’s well worth it, come autumn, when you’re making pasta or lasagna.

Beet season is in full swing.  This still baffles me, as I was always under the impression that beets were harvested in the autumn along with parsnips, turnips, and Brussels sprouts.  Has the beet season changed, now prolonged due to global warming, or have I just been sleeping in the field all these years?  Regardless, the wooden planks of every other stall at the farmer’s market are heavy with ruby red or golden beets.  Some still have their shiny leaves, which are perfect chopped as part of a salad or sautéed with bacon lardons.  Others are clipped, snipped, and sold by the quart.

I’m finding that folks have strong opinions about beets.  Those from a can were the most often mentioned, and then there are the ones filling a stainless steel container sitting next to the cottage cheese in a salad bar.  Neither versions are my favorite, nor have they ever been.

It was many years ago that I was served a beet that had been roasted over hot coals in an aluminum foil packet.  Before being offered to the fire, they were simply drizzled with olive oil, sprinkled with salt and pepper, and neatly wrapped in its shiny package.  After coming off the grill, they were allowed to sit, still bundled up, where they continued to steam for about 15 minutes, before being unwrapped.  I can still remember taking a whiff of the heady aromas of caramelized sugar and char.  Using a dry paper towel, the outer skin was easily removed by rubbing it off.  Some recipes recommend performing this step under running water, but I find that too much flavor is washed away.

More recently, I experienced beets in a new arena — pickled!  I was dining with friends at Moscow on the Hill, a neighborhood restaurant in Saint Paul, MN.  Along with their myriad vodkas, the Hill serves many types of pickled vegetables, including cauliflower, carrots, bell peppers, and celery, each with their own flavor.  Of course, I honed in on the beets, as these babies were sweet and tangy with hints of cloves and mustard seed.  We attempted to take apart each profile, grilling each other with questions, like “I’m tasting cloves — does this have cloves?  What about coriander?  I could swear I’m tasting coriander in this pickled cauliflower!”

Then last December, my brother Mark brought over a jar of pickled beets that was gifted to him by a co-worker.  These beets were delicious!  And, come to find out they are very simple to make, can, or “put up,” so to speak.

So, since beet season is happening now, and may or may not be around when we start raking leaves, it’s time to get out your canning jars and “put-up” some of these delicious but often maligned root vegetables.

Pickled Beets

About 30 small to medium beets, washed
4 cups granulated sugar
4 cups water
4 cups white distilled vinegar
2 teaspoon whole cloves
2 teaspoon whole allspice
1 two to three inch cinnamon sticks
½ teaspoon yellow mustard seed (per jar), optional
1 jalapeño pepper per jar, optional

Select small young beets, cutting off stems and roots and wash thoroughly.  Reserve leaves for another use, if desired.  Place beets in large pot and cover with cold water.

Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook until beets can be pierced with a paring knife, about 15 minutes.  Drain beets in a large colander.  Place colander in a bowl and run them under cold water for about 3 – 5 minutes to loosen skin.  Skin can then be easily removed by slipping it off with your fingers.

While beets are cooking, in a large sauce pan, bring sugar, water, vinegar, cloves, allspice, and cinnamon stick to a boil.

After beets are peeled, pack them into sterilized jars within ¾ inch of top.  Stuff a jalapeño, if adding, into the jar.

Pour hot pickling liquid over beets to within ½ inch of top of jar.  Add mustard seeds, if using, seal lid and process for 30 minutes in boiling water bath.

It’s only March 21, and this evening was already the second time that we have pulled out the Weber Grill. For a tasty but simple dinner we decided it would be lamb burgers and grilled potatoes. The burgers were from our friend Suvir Saran’s recipe that Allen Brothers carries on their website. Absolutely nothing is needed to enhance the flavor the lamb burgers. They are perfectly delicious right from the package.

For the potatoes, I microwaved 2 large russet baking potatoes until they were just soft when I gave them a pinch. I let them cool a bit, then peeled and cut them into ½ inch thick slices.  I drizzled each slice with some olive oil, sprinkled with salt and pepper and some Garam Masala from Sameh Wadi’s Spice Collection. He is the chef owner of Saffron Restaurant and Bar.

After the coals were glowing red, the grate was laid over them. Using tongs, the potatoes were placed directly over the fire and turned often to prevent them from burning.  A little more olive oil was brushed on those that seemed a little dry. Once they were cooked, all were stacked up off the direct heat, while the burgers were cooking.  A couple of minutes before they were grilled to perfection, buttered sesame buns were placed on the grates to toast.  Everything was then pulled off the grill and enjoyed with a Sam Adams Maibok.

It was another baking  day with Jen and Kevin. This time, our friend Ingrid joined us. The mission was to each make a different croissant recipe, then bake, taste and compare the differences.  I know, I know — it was a chore, but we had to compare each for flavor and texture.

Kevin, Mr. Overachiever, actually took on two recipes from Le Cordon Bleu (LCB). To quote Kevin’s email, “So, I am reading my recettes from LCB. Glad I am reading today!  Recette says to mix flour, milk, water, sugar, salt, yeast, stir, not mix too much.  Sit on counter for ~ 1 hr then cover and overnight in fridge! So tomorrow will be the pounding and turns!”

2kg flour
400g milk
800g water
200g sugar
40 g salt
60g yeast
1.2 kg butter

“Interesting, the recette from the La Boulangerie traditionnelle recette includes milk.  The pate a croissants recette from the month long class has no milk.”

1kg flour
25 g salt
150g sugar
30 g yeast
580 ml water
600 g butter

“Are you guys using recettes with or without milk?” Jen and I also used milk in our recipes. According to several recipes, milk assists in the browning of the crescents.

Jen tested Shirley Corriher’s recipe from Bakewise and I tasted Jacques Torres’ recipe from Dessert Circus.  Here’s what we learned.

Kevin found out that fresh compressed yeast does not equal by weigh dry yeast. Therefore, he used 3 times as much yeast as was stated in the recipe.  For anyone who is interested, 1 ounce of fresh compressed yeast equals 1/4 ounce or 2 1/4 teaspoons of dry yeast (such as Red Star).

Jen realized that if you follow Ms. Corriher’s recipe to the letter,  one ends up adding too much oil and water as the dough is being rolled out. Therefore, Jen gave up on that idea after the first fold. Also, for the amount of flour that she used in her recipe, the butter was increased by 4 ounces as compared to my recipe.

I discovered that one does not have to add any flour to the butter before spreading it on the dough for which some recipes call. Also, there is a fine line between the dough and butter being too soft and just right for rolling and making the first fold without refrigerating beforehand.  For the first batch I was able to roll out and fold, then refrigerate.  The second batch got a little dicey, for when I started rolling it out the butter began oozing out the ends. Instead of fighting with it, I just stopped and put in the fridge to continue the next morning.

Also, when making Pain au Chocolat, be sure and use 2 if not 3 chocolate batons. The more chocolate the better, in my book!

Now comes the best part.  As expected, Kevin’s recipe rose the highest, but surprisingly, were not very yeasty tasting. He would cut back probably 1/3 of the yeast the next time. Jen’s recipe called for the most butter and most number of turns — 6 single turns (letter folds) with resting in between each fold.  Consequently, hers were the most flaky and buttery. Mine were a little less flaky and buttery, due to using less butter and did 1 single turn and 3 double turns (book folds).

All in all, it was a successful day. Making croissants is not as difficult as recipes profess. They just take patience and knowing when to take a break before proceeding, for example;  1) if the butter starts seeping out, refrigerate. or 2)  if the dough springs back when attempting to roll out, stop and let the dough rest.

To serve croissants for breakfast (okay, brunch), start the day prior. Then give yourself four hours before you want to serve them.

Croissants and Pain au Chocolat
Recipe adapted from one by Jacques Torres

Use a stand mixer for this recipe. Most hand-held mixers will not hold up to the strength of this dough.

For the dough:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Scant ¼ cup loosely packed fresh compressed yeast (I used 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast)
Generous ½ cup cold water
3 1/3 cups (500 grams) bread flour, plus extra if needed (I used unbleached all-purpose flour)
2 teaspoons salt
1/3 cup granulated sugar
Generous ½ cup whole milk
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons room temperature unsalted butter

For the pain au chocolat:
9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

For the egg wash:
2 large egg yolks
1 large egg
Scant ¼ cup whole milk

1.    Prepare the dough: Melt the 3 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Allow the butter to cool to room temperature. It should be warm to the touch.
2.    In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in the cold water. Place the flour, salt, sugar, milk, and melted butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Set the mixer on medium speed and mix just until the ingredients are dispersed, about 5 seconds.
3.    Add the dissolved yeast and beat on medium-high speed until the dough is well combined and no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl, about 1 minute. If the dough is too soft, add more flour 1 tablespoon at a time until it is firmer. (The dough is too soft when it cannot hold its shape.) If the dough is too hard, add cold water 1 tablespoon at a time until it has softened. (The dough is too hard when it is difficult to mix in the mixer.)
4.    Remove the dough from the mixing bowl. If the dough is slightly sticky and ropy, knead it with your hands for about 30 seconds, until it is smooth. Pat it into a ball. Place the dough on a lightly floured baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and let it proof at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
5.    Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface and roll it out to an 8 by 15-inch rectangle about ¼ inch thick. Wrap the rectangle in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours. The cold retards the rising process, allowing a slow fermentation to help develop the flavor of the dough.
6.    Remove the dough from the refrigerator, unwrap the rectangle, and place it with a long side facing you on a lightly floured work surface. Spread the softened butter evenly over the right two thirds of the dough. Incorporate the butter by folding the (butterless) left third of the dough over the center, Then fold the right third of the dough to the left, to resemble a folded letter. Roll this out into another 10 by 30-inch rectangle about 1/8-inch thick. Using a dry pastry brush, remove any flour that may be on the dough from rolling out. Fold each short end of the dough to the middle so they meet but do not overlap. Then fold one half over the other half and, if necessary, rotate the dough so that the seam is on your right (this is a book fold). Wrap the folded dough in plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator for a minimum of 2 hours.
7.    Remove the dough from the refrigerator, unwrap it, and place on a lightly floured work surface. Roll it into a 10 by 30-inch rectangle and turn it so a long side faces you. Give the dough a single fold by folding the left third of the dough over the center, then fold the right third of the dough to the left. Now the dough should resemble a folded letter. (I did a book fold here, then repeated the process for a total of 3 book folds.) Wrap in plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
8.    Remove the dough from the refrigerator and place it on a lightly floured work surface. Roll out the dough into a 10 by 36-inch rectangle about ¼ inches thick. Keep the thickness even and the edges straight. This will make it easier to cut the croissants or pain au chocolat.
9.    For croissants: Use a sharp chef’s knife to cut out triangles with a 2 ½ inch base and 10-inch sides. Lay each triangle on a lightly floured work surface with the tip facing you. Gently pull the tip toward you; this light stretch adds layers to the finished croissant without adding density. Use the palms of your hands to roll each triangle up from the base to the tip. (At this stage, they can be frozen for up to 1 week if well wrapped in plastic wrap. Thaw on a parchment paper-covered baking sheet overnight in the refrigerator before proceeding.)
10.    Place the rolled croissants on a parchment covered baking sheet; spaced about 2 inches apart. Loosely cover the baking sheet with plastic wrap. Allow the croissants to proof at room temperature until they have doubled in size and appear light and full of air; about 1 ½ to 3 hours depending on the temperature of the room and of the dough.
11.    For pain au chocolat: With a sharp chef’s knife, cut the dough into 3 ½ by 4 ½ -inch rectangles. Lay each rectangle on a lightly floured work surface, with a long side facing you, and place about ½ tablespoon of the chopped chocolate in the upper third of each one. (I used 2 chocolate batons.) Fold that third of the dough over the chocolate. Place about another ½ tablespoon of the chocolate along one seam of the folded dough. Fold the bottom third of the dough over the chocolate. (At this stage, they can be frozen for up to 1 week if well wrapped in plastic wrap. Thaw on a parchment covered baking sheet overnight in the refrigerator before proceeding.)
12.    Turn over the pain au chocolat so the seams face down. This will keep them from opening as they bake. Place them on a parchment covered baking sheet; spaced about 2 inches apart. Loosely cover the baking sheet with plastic wrap and allow the pain au chocolat to proof at room temperature until they have doubled in size and appear light and full of air, about 1 ½ to 3 hours.
13.    Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
14.    Make an egg wash by whisking together the egg yolks, whole egg, and milk in a small bowl until well combined. With a pastry brush, very gently coat the pastries completely with egg wash. Bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes.
15.    Leftovers can be stored in the freezer if well wrapped in plastic wrap for up to 2 weeks. Thaw at room temperature and warm in the oven before serving.

About this time every year my friend Mike mentions his yearning for Zeppole di San Giuseppe, or Saint Joseph’s Day Cream Puffs (Saint Joseph’s Day is March 19).  This year, I did some research and came up with my own version. It’s not exactly traditional, as I did not replace any of the butter with lard and I added almond extract. I figured it didn’t matter, as I’m not Italian. And anyway, according to tradition, each household comes up with their own version anyway.  Peering over at the liquor cabinet, maybe adding Amaretto could be another option next time.

The recipe is now posted on the PastureLand website. Check it out and whip up a batch this weekend or next to celebrate this Italian Feast day

I take the train to and from work so I’m generally reading the latest issue of Food & Wine or Bon Appetit during those 40 minutes each day. I discovered the following recipe by Michael Symon from the March 201o issue of F&W. Of course, I adapted it immediately as I didn’t have a Delicata Squash. I also wanted to give it a little zing, so I minced a dried red chili and added that as well.

Quinoa is definitely a superfood:  a grain-like seed, it’s a “complete” protein containing all eight essential amino acids.  Another plus is that  it cooks much more quickly than most grains.

Instead of stuffing the salad into the squash, I diced the squash, roasted it and tossed it in with the other ingredients.

1 Butternut squash (about 1 pound), peeled, seeded and cut into ¾ inch cubes
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup quinoa
2 tablespoons golden raisins
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
1 Pink Lady apple, finely diced
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into ½ inch dice
¼ red bell pepper, roasted and cut into ½ inch dice
1 large shallot, minced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons chopped mint
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 ounces arugula (2 cups)

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Toss squash with 2 teaspoons of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the squash on a baking sheet and roast for about 30 minutes, or until tender.

2. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, bring 2 cups of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the quinoa, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

3. Stir in the raisins and simmer, covered, until the water is absorbed, about 5 minutes. Transfer the quinoa to a large bowl and let cool.

4. In a small bowl, whisk the vinegar and honey with the remaining olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

5. Add the dressing to the quinoa along with the apple, carrot, bell pepper, shallot, garlic, ginger, mint, and parsley and toss well. Add the arugula and toss gently. Taste and adjust the seasonings.

The quinoa can be refrigerated overnight. Bring to room temperature and add the arugula just before serving.

The Twin Cities Food & Wine Experience was this past weekend at the Minneapolis Convention Center. It was great to see so many local, independent vendors this year specializing in artisan foods. A couple of owners with whom I was able to chat for a moment included Janan Juliff from The Cake Diva and Karen Loomis from Extra Dough. The Cake Diva was offering samples of a delicious chocolate butter-cream cake and tangy tangerine macarons. Extra Dough was serving slices of dense Chocolate Cherry Amaretto Cake and one of their signature nuts, candied walnuts.

Of course, I’m always delighted to taste any wine that Kevin McKinney from MVP Wines is pouring. It may have something to do with the fact that they are all from Provence, but more importantly they are all absolutely outstanding, especially the rosés.

For the Local Chef’s Challenge, I assisted Rick Kimmes, Executive Chef at The Oceanaire Seafood Room, and Jack Riebel, Executive Chef at The Dakota Jazz Club and Restaurant. We used wonderful local ingredients from places like Six Rivers and PastureLand Cooperatives.

Rick got knocked out in the first round, but Jack made it all the way to the winner’s circle with his Lamb Carpaccio with Shaved Parmesan and Lingonberry sauce and a Stuffed Chicken Breast with Whole Wheat Saffron Couscous and Ancho Chilies.  I know it was more complicated, but we were each responsible for one piece of the whole, so I couldn’t give a full description if my life depended on it.  If Jack reads this, maybe he can remember all the details.* All I know is that assisting these fine chefs was an honor and it was amazing how fast 45 minutes can go by.

*Addendum:  For Chef Riebel’s final showdown with Chef Fratzke he prepared a lamb carpaccio brushed with a lingonberry and chipotle gastrique with whole lingonberries on top and garnished with micro-arugula, parmesan cheese, pine nuts and apple.

And it wasn’t the chicken at all as I had stated above, that was the previous round for which I assisted. For the final entrée,  he chose barramundi which he seared, skin-on, and topped with a dressing made of lingonberry jam, roasted peppers, five different herbs, and ancho chiles. The fish was served alongside a saffron whole-wheat couscous atop a kumquat and cumin reduction, which also included tangerines, shallots, butter, and grapefruit. A lingonberry jam vinaigrette was drizzled around the plate as well.

I was also nabbed at the last minute on Sunday to teach a food and beer pairing class with Mike from Summit Brewery. Unfortunately, the scheduled chef was laid up with pneumonia. On the fly, I came up with a recipe, texted a grocery list to a volunteer who happened to be at Lunds and had a scrumptious beef satay with a spicy peanut sauce to everyone within an hour. I called it “Impromptu Entertaining”. We tasted the satay with four of the Summit Brewery beers. It was a whirlwind, but I think the Red Lager paired the best with the spicy notes of the satay.  Here’s the recipe:

Beef Satay with Spicy Peanut Sauce
Yield: 24 one ounce portions

Sauce
Yield: Makes about 1 cup

1/2 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil
1 small shallot, chopped fine
1/2 inch peeled ginger root chopped fine
2 garlic cloves, chopped fine
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup creamy or chunky peanut butter
1/8 cup soy sauce
1/8 cup rice white vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar
1/8 – 1/4 teaspoon sriracha or to taste

1. Heat oil in a saucepan over moderate heat until hot but not smoking.  Cook shallots and ginger, stirring until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add garlic and continue stirring about 30 seconds.
2. Stir in remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer, stirring. Simmer sauce, stirring, until combined, about 4 to 5 minutes and cool to room temperature.
3. Sauce may be made up to 3 days ahead and chilled, covered. If sauce is too thick after chilling, stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons hot water until sauce reaches desired consistency.
4. Serve sauce with grilled beef satay.  Any remaining can be tossed as part of a spinach salad.

Marinade
Skewers
1 1/2 pounds sirloin steak, 1 1/2 inches thick
1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and chopped fine
1 medium shallot, peeled and chopped fine
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
2 scallions, minced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon sriracha
1/4 cup soy sauce
Juice of one small lime
1 teaspoon honey

Garnish
1/2 cup salted peanuts
1/4 cup sesame seeds, toasted
1/4 cup cilantro leaves

1. Cover skewers in water and soak for at least one hour.
2. Cut steak across the grain into strips. Place in bowl and toss with remaining ingredients.  Let marinate for at least ½ hour a room temperature or up to 2 hours in the refrigerator.
3. Thread steak on skewers without overlapping.
4. Cook satay on indoor or outdoor grill until medium rare turning once or twice.
5. Serve warm or room temperature with a bowl of peanut sauce as part of a buffet, garnishing platter with peanuts, cilantro leaves and sesame seeds.

Last spring, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to go morel hunting. I didn’t find any, but friends of mine did and they gladly shared their treasure with me. I dried most of the mushrooms using a dehydrator and luckily, I still had a few left in the pantry.

I reconstituted a ½ ounce of the dried morels and added them to some button mushrooms and other goodies to create a delicious vegetarian frittata. It’s on the PastureLand website. Here’s the link.