San Francisco Foodies: Open Casting Call with Soy Vay

Thank you to Soy Vay for providing complimentary samples for my review.

Guess what? I just found out that one of my favorite marinades has a gluten-free option. If you aren't gluten-free, you really should try the Soy Vay sauces. I used to love them. Use it for chicken skewers or beef skirt steak. Yum. 

If you are a foodie or just want to have some fun, here's something that might be of interest to you. Do you know what’s good in San Francisco cuisine? Do your friends constantly look to you for restaurant recommendations? Then Soy Vay, the delicious sauces and marinades company with a unique history, is looking for you! Starting this month, Soy Vay is headed out on a cross-country adventure to find one lucky local to be the face of a new web series – ‘Flavor Underground’ – to help discover the best neighborhood restaurants and chefs. First up— the city of San Francisco.

Beginning today, food lovers in San Francisco, Oakland and Berkeley are invited to create a short video review of their favorite neighborhood restaurant and upload it to www.flavorunderground.com any time before November 30^th, 2012. The top five applicants will be called back for a screen test and then one Bay Area foodie will be announced as the San Francisco host of ‘Flavor Underground.’

Why not give it a shot??

Grandma Hoerner's Applesauce review and Duck Sauce recipe

Last year, I met the nice folks at Grandma Hoerner's at The Fancy Food show. I loved their products like the preserves and the dark fudge sauce. I must have made a comment about how much it was like the low sugar preserves I buy from Trader Joes. Guess what? That's their product!

Last year, I posted a recipe for Apricot Dijon Chicken which I use for both my family and in cooking classes. I love that their products are natural and mostly organic. For the preserves, they reduce the sugar rather than use a substitute sugar. As a mom, I love that the preserves are not as sugary.

We recently tried the Big Slice Applesauce and served it with gluten-free latkes. This applesauce has no added sugar; it's sweetened from fruit juice instead. This makes it just sweet enough. Both of my kids loved it. I wanted to share some other ideas for how you could use it:

• Serve with a pork or turkey roast as a side dish.
• Serve with potato pancakes, aka, latkes.
• Add to yogurt with a little cinnamon for a snack.
• Make a "duck sauce" (see recipe below) to serve with eggrolls or wontons.
• Eat it out of the jar with a spoon (ok, maybe just when it's almost finished).
• Serve warm over vanilla ice cream (skip the pie crust).

I hope you will give it a try. I don't think they sell this at Trader Joes; maybe they should. You can also order it on-line. Enjoy the recipe!

Amy's Duck Sauce

1 cup of unsweetened or low sugar applesauce
¼ teaspoon each ground garlic and ginger
2 teaspoons low sodium soy sauce
½ teaspoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons sugar (use only 1 Tablespoon if applesauce is sweetened)
2-3 Tablespoons apricot or peach preserves (another great Grandma Hoerner's product!)

Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender and pulse for 20-30 seconds or until pureed. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes if possible. Serve with eggrolls, wontons, or grilled chicken or shrimp.

Roasted salmon with cilantro cashew pesto recipe

Dish Assembly: Brown rice, Wilted greens and Salmon topped with Cilantro pesto.

During a cleanse I did this summer, I was craving something yummy. There was a recipe for salmon in the book but I wanted to make a variation. I was amazed at how satisfying and filling this dish was. I hope you will give it a try! The salmon and greens were on a bed of brown rice.

I ate this for two meals and still had plenty to share with my family. The key to healthy eating when you are busy is cooking in bulk. I roasted 1 1/2 pounds of salmon one day and used it for 2 days after. I'm going to break down the dish into parts. 

Roasted Salmon
Try to buy wild salmon as some of the salmon that is farmed can be dangerous.

Pre-heat oven to 400F. Cut salmon into similar sized pieces (or ask your fish monger to do this for you) so it cooks at the same time. Check for bones. If you feel any, pull out.
Place salmon pieces on a baking sheet lined with foil (this makes clean up much easier) or a greased glass roasting pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in hot oven for approximately 15 minutes or until salmon is mostly firm. Cool slightly before serving. Save remaining salmon for other meals or salads.

Cilantro Cashew Pesto
Place the following in a food processor or blender and process until a paste forms. Add more oil if it's too thick.
1 cup cilantro leaves
1/2 cup raw cashews
Juice of 1/2 lime
2-3 Tablespoons safflower oil (or any plain vegetable oil)
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper

Wilted Greens
Slice 1/2 onion while heating a medium saute pan. Add 1 teaspoon of olive oil to the hot pan and then immediately add the onion. Add some black pepper only. Cook for about 5 minutes or until onion is translucent and soft. Add 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt.

Add 2-3 cups of spinach and/or arugula to the pan. Toss with onions and cook 1 minute. Turn off heat and remove from burner. Let rest at least 3 minutes.

Mushroom Marsala Sauce recipe (gluten-free)

I recently had a request for this sauce. It's excellent with the Lentil Loaf (meatless meatloaf) and happens to be naturally gluten-free. See below for the version made with butter and flour. Here is the gluten-free version of the lentil loaf.

This is one of my favorites; a gift to you! Please leave a comment if you like it.

Mushroom Marsala Sauce (and it's gluten-free! Make sure to use gf broth)
By Amy Fothergill, The Family Chef

2 tsp olive oil
1-2 Tbl butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 tsp Herbs de provence
1/4 tsp ground pepper
2 lbs of assorted mushrooms, sliced (Portobello, crimini, shitake, white, oyster, porcini)
1 tsp sea salt
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup of marsala
2 cups of chicken or veggie broth
2 Tbl cornstarch

1. Place large sauté pan on medium heat. Add oil and only 2 tsp of the butter, then onion, herbs and ground pepper. Cook in pan, stirring once or twice until golden and translucent.

2. Once softened, add the thicker mushrooms first like portobello or oyster. Stir once. Raise heat slightly and cook, stirring only occasionally until mushrooms become brown. If mushrooms are very dry, add a sprinkle of salt. Add the other half of the mushrooms and continue cooking until all of the mushrooms are cooked and brown. There should not be a lot of liquid in the pan; if there is, raise the heat to try to cook off the liquid.

3. Add salt and garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring.

4. Add marsala and allow to cook for 1 minute or until mostly evaporated.

5. Add chicken broth and stir. Bring to a simmer.

6. In a small bowl, make a cornstarch slurry with cornstarch and 2 Tbl cold water. Add to pan and simmer until thickened. If sauce is not thick enough, make more slurry and add more. Cook for 3-5 minutes and serve. Add more butter to give the sauce a creamier consistency.

Note: If you want to make it with regular flour, add 1 Tbl butter to the cooked mushrooms (after step 5). Melt the butter, then add 3 Tbl white flour and stir. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, and add the broth. Continue to cook for about 3-5 minutes until the sauce is thickened. You should not need to add extra butter (but it never hurts!).

Weeknight Tomato Sauce

I ate a lot of tomato sauce growing up (although I didn't like it until I was 5 yrs old). It was a staple in our diet. Some times even I think it's hard to make or I'm maybe not in the mood. But when I taste fresh sauce, I wonder why I would eat anything else. I've learned to make a bigger recipe and freeze half of it so when I do want spaghetti, I can simply defrost my sauce in a matter of minutes.

Although you can use fresh, very ripe tomatoes, I often opt for canned because I know I'll have a consistent product. In August and September, Roma tomatoes should be ready but using fresh takes more time. Otherwise, don't be afraid to use something from the grocery store shelves; it makes this sauce easy to do even when it's a busy night. There are many good quality, domestic, canned tomatoes like Muir Glen. Try a few and see which one you like best.

Remember to keep your pantry stocked with 2 cans of whole, peeled tomatoes as well as onions, carrots and garlic. If I open a small can of tomato paste, I freeze the left overs for next time.

This recipe is right out of the upcoming cookbook. Let me know what you think.

Amy's Tomato Sauce

Think you don’t have time to make your own? This version is quick and easy and nothing short of delicious! This is how my mom taught me how to make sauce.

Makes about 3-4 qts; great for leftovers or freeze for another night. Can be halved.

1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 carrot or 2 baby carrots*, chopped
1 Tbl olive oil
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp Salt
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4-1/3 cup water
2 -28 oz can whole, peeled tomatoes plus 1/3 can of water from each can (this gets all of the tomato out so there is hardly any waste)
1-2 Tbl tomato paste
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
5-8 basil leaves, 1 tsp pesto sauce, or 1 Tbl fresh parsley

*You can add other veggies to this sauce like peppers, zucchini, mushrooms, etc. to add extra flavor and a bit more nutrition

1. Sauté onions and carrots in olive oil in a large pot. Sprinkle pepper over veggies while cooking. Cook until onion is soft, adding a few sprinkles of salt if it’s drying out.
2. Add salt and garlic, stir and cook 1 minute. Add water and cook for 3-5 minutes. This softens the carrots and helps to get the flavor from the pan into the sauce.
3. Add 2 cans of tomatoes and water and cook for 5 minutes on medium. Shut off heat and wait until slightly cooled, about 5-10 minutes.
4. Using an immersion blender, puree tomatoes in the pot, being very careful not to splatter the hot sauce. Start on a low setting and slowly increase the speed. You can also use a regular blender but may need to do in 2 batches.
5. Add tomato paste, sugar and salt.
6. Return to the pot and cook for 15-30 minutes, simmering.
7. At the end, add basil, pesto, or parsley and cook for an 5 additional minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.

The Best-o Pesto

I remember when I first moved to California. I had never heard of a Farmer's Market back east. Sure, we had farm stands but I grew up in the country. Back then, everything was organic; my neighbor was dropping off bags of zucchini she grew in her yard. Man, that makes me sound old. "Kids, when I was your age, grandma made me pick green beans and onions in the back yard."

Ok, I'm getting off the subject. So, I started going to Farmer's Markets here because I thought it was cool. I especially liked any dips or bread I could get. I did dabble with roasted beets on the encouragement of a farmer. I think that's when I started to "get it". Soon after, I'd start coming home with bags of fresh veggies to cook up.

Where I live now, there's a weekly Farmer's Market. I have to say, I've gotten quite good at what's in season, what's a good price and how to use what I've brought home. It's quite fun to go and sort of create dishes on the fly, just by being inspired by what's in a basket on a table.

Last weekend, I was planning on making some vegetable soup for some friends. When I walked by one booth and saw all of the herbs, particularly the basil, I thought "Hmm, that soup would be SO much better with a dollup of pesto." And that's how this all began.

I know. I could have just said that I bought some basil but I wanted to give you the backstory first. If you know me, you know there's always a story.

This is a great example of how simple ingredients are just simply delicious. Pesto is so easy to make. You can prepare it in a blender, food processor or even with an immersion blender. Follow the directions below and use it for pasta, a hearty soup, on bread, with tomatoes, for your tomato sauce, or on a sandwich. It will keep in the fridge at least a week (keep some olive oil on top and it will last even longer) and you can even freeze it.

As always, I hope you are inspired and I encourage you to taste the difference between this and store bought. I doubt you'll be disappointed.

Amy's Pesto
2 cups of fresh, organic basil
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup grated romano cheese (or 1 cup of either but use good, Italian cheese!)
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 - 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 - 1/2 cup good quality olive oil

Pulse basil in processor. Add all other ingredients. Add more oil unti the proper consistency of a paste is reached. Keep oil on top to keep fresh and prevent browning.

Lemon Caper Sauce

Grilled Fish with Lemon Caper Sauce on a Bed of Organic Arugula

Does this dish sound like something you would order in a restaurant? Well it might but you can make it at home without a lot of fuss. And you might think it strange but my 2 and 4 year old both ate the fish and sauce. The arugula was a little spicy for them but at least they tried it.

When I think about good food and what I like, I realize it’s generally simple. That’s my new motto. I don’t have time to be in the kitchen for hours. It’s got to be quick and easy. I have to admit, when I cook, I don’t often measure. I really do it because I don’t want to pull out the measuring cups or spoons, let alone have another thing to wash.

Let yourself go in the kitchen! Try to estimate by eye how much is a tablespoon of oil or half a teaspoon of salt. Look at a recipe and get the essence of the technique. Determine if a recipe is simple or just too complex. Sometimes I don’t follow the recipe but I use the ingredients. That works for me.

A friend of mine has recently moved to Spain for 2 years. She sent me an email the other day about a delicious lemon caper sauce her 8-year old daughter made. Apparently, it was so good, her other daughter, who is 10, was licking her plate. In the email, she included the ingredients but not the amounts. I had asked for the recipe but with the 9 hour time difference, I hadn’t received it yet. So, I did what I encourage you to do; I winged it (wung it?).

I had envisioned this sauce over fish but it would also work with chicken or even plain pasta. Earlier in the week, I had gotten some arugula at the farmer’s market. I spotted some nice white fish in the grocery store, and, shazam, this dish came together. I think my mouth started to water a bit, too.

When it was time to get dinner ready, I started with the fish. A little olive oil, salt and pepper, and a hot grill pan; that’s all I needed. While the fish cooked, I prepared the sauce. I finished the fish by placing a large pot cover on top to steam it a bit and make sure it was cooked through. I had already washed the arugula so it was ready to go. When the fish was done, plate assembly was easy: arugula, fish, sauce. The flavors went together so well. I was really in heaven. My husband barely looked up when he was eating, always a good sign of a tasty dish.

Ok, so lets give you that sauce recipe. That’s what you really need. I described the fish technique above. I also want to share with you one of my favorite products. I love using this lemon squeezer; it really gets out all of the juice and leaves the seeds behind. To get out even more juice, your lemon should be room temp. If you just pulled it from the fridge, place in the microwave for 10-15 seconds. Then, roll the lemon on the counter. Once you’ve done this, cut in half and get that juice out. If you don’t have an official juicer, squeeze the juice over your other hand to catch the seeds. Sure you have to wash your hands but they will smell very nice.

I hope you’ll try the recipe and most importantly, enjoy it as much as we did. I used to say to my cousin about cooking “Luke, use the force.” She didn’t think it was that funny. Find your inner chef. Just try it.

Laurel & Siena's Lemon Caper Sauce

Serves 3-4 servings of sauce

Juice of 1-2 lemons
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 - 1 tsp Kosher or sea salt
2-3 tsp of capers, drained
4-8 Tbl unsalted butter

Add lemon, garlic, capers and salt to a small pot. Bring to a simmer. Add butter, 1 Tbl at a time and whisk until melted. Add enough butter to taste or until proper consistency is reached. If you want less fat and more sauce, add broth (vegetable or chicken) and thicken with cornstarch if necessary. I don’t make this everyday; I like to use the butter!