A conversation at our “Fat” cookbook club sparked the idea for July’s Egyptian themed luncheon. Our favorite IT guy, Amro, had an Egyptian upbringing in Sacramento and we were all very curious as to what Egyptian cooking entailed. So we put on our gold bangles and snake headdresses and began researching. We chose “Dining On The Nile: Exploring Egyptian Cooking” by Sally Elias Hanna. We had a wonderful time sharing our mixed experiences with this new style of cooking. Some of us were thrown off by the international names and lack of quantity indicators with some of the ingredients. However, everything turned out edible and surprisingly delicious!

Our first course was perhaps my favorite. We had a Fava Bean Dip with Pita Chips sprinkled with an Egyptian spice blend called Dukkah. Dukkah contains sesame seeds, peanuts, cumin, coriander, and salt. It was great on top of pita and could definitely be used with other foods like shrimp. We had two salads: Salatit ‘ads and Tabbouleh. Both had a light, summery taste that paired perfectly with the Peppermint Iced Tea. The Taboulleh consisted of tomato, lemon, and curly parsley, which gave it a great fluffy look. The Salatit ‘ads had cilantro instead of parsley and green onions and lentils. The peppermint iced tea had very little sweetening and was made with fresh mint and peppermint tea. This was a great refresher, especially during these hot summer days.

All of the main course items turned out wonderfully and everything had a great unique flavor. We had Felafal, which were patties made of dill, parsley, onion, lots of garlic, garbanzo beans, and chickpeas. They were served in mini pita pockets with lettuce, cucumber and a tahini drizzle. Negresco (chicken tetrazzini) was a comfort food dish made of pasta, creamy bechamel sauce and chicken. The Goulash Bil Lahma was a meat pie with ground beef, allspice, salt, pepper, and onions. It is layered with phyllo dough, Parmesan cheese, milk, and egg, and then baked. It was flaky and delicious with a perfect amount of meat. The Roz bil Zebeeb was a rice dish with golden raisins, onion, toasted almonds, and cinnamon. It was delicious and paired nicely with the Dawood Basha but could also be served alone. The Dawood Basha were meatballs of ground beef, cilantro, parsley, and cumin. This was a great recipe for meatballs but we all thought incorporating a little dairy would have made them more tender. I know the names sound intimidating but they were all fairly simple recipes that put a new twist on traditional dishes.

The desserts seemed to be a difficult course. All of the Egyptian desserts sounded delicious but we got the impression that they needed to be perfected and passed down over time. Practice makes perfect! We had Zalabya which are honey beignets. I found myself describing them as Chicken McNuggets minus the chicken, plus powdered sugar. Baskoot bil ‘agwa is a date biscuit. It used fresh date paste surrounded by a unique dough made of melted butter and toasted sesame seeds, sugar, flour, yeast, and no salt. They looked adorable and were equally as delicious. Keika Il Shokdata Wil Kirfa translates into chocolate cinnamon cake. It was made of cocoa, cinnamon, vanilla extract, water, sugar, vegetable oil, and flour. It didn’t seem to have much flavor and we later found out that this dish was used during fasting periods. The cake’s chef commented, “I guess it would taste good to starving people!” Our Egyptian expert/IT wiz Amro had his mother make Baklava and Basboussa. They were both light and delicious. The flakiness of the Baklava was great after a big meal and the Basboussa had a slight coconut flavor that surprised and delighted us.”

Although some of us struggled with our journey down the Nile, Amro gave our ‘Dining on the Nile’ cookbook club his seal of approval and said it was a drastic improvement from the Egyptian restaurant in the area! We gave ourselves a pat on the back and are looking forward to seeing what we’re cooking up next for our August cookbook club!

Contributed by guest blogger Leigh Hermansen

For years, I have heard about the magic of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.  San Miguel is a colonial, hilltop town located 3 hours outside of Mexico City.  People seem to go there for vacation, fall in love with the city, then move there.  I was curious to know what the fuss was all about so decided to go and see for myself.

I got it at first glance.  The whole town is designated as a historical landmark.  The streets are cobblestone and the buildings are painted in vibrant colors. The locals and the tourists gather on weekends at the town square to socialize, dance, and just celebrate life.  Now this is the kind of place I could get use to!

When I travel, I like to eat like the locals do.  Even better, I like to learn how the locals cook so that I can bring the trip experience back to San Francisco.  I decided to learn from a local chef at a private cooking class offer by the Sazon Cooking School.

My chef instructor was Norma Guerrero, a local pastry shop owner of El Petit Four and seasoned savory chef.  Norma’s sister, Lourdes, provided translation as we strolled through the Tuesday market for fresh ingredients. Both Norma and Lourdes knew all of the purveyors so I got a chance to learn about their produce plus we got to taste everything as we went.

My favorite was the Queso de Oaxaca sold by Maria the cheese lady.  It’s similar to string cheese sold here in the US but has more of a briny taste like a feta or ricotta salata.

The herb lady at the market

Maria the cheese lady selling Queso de Oaxaca, a cheese similar to string cheese.

Back in the classroom the cooking began.  In the Guanajuato region, most dishes utilize the same 15 ingredients (onions, tomatoes/tomatillos, garlic, chilies, peppers, chayote, avocado, corn, cactus, cilantro, eggs, oregano, epazote, cheese, and protein) but each dish manages to taste different so I never tired of them.  In one hour, we managed to make about 8 dishes which was a testament to their simplicity.

Setas Con Epazote: Oyster Mushrooms With Epazote

Salsa Verde Con Aguacate: Raw Tomatillo And Avocado Salsa

Salsa Ranchera En Molcajete: Red Tomato Salsa

Norma crushing the tomatoes in the mortar.

Salsa De Xoconostle: Prickly Pear Salsa

Sopecitos (Sopas) Con Chorizo: Little Corn Tortillas Baskets with Pork Sausage

Nopales A La Cazuela: Cactus Paddles in a Clay Pot

Dulce De Guayaba: Guavas with Syrup and Cinnamon

Chayotes Salteados En Mantequilla: Chayotes Sautéed in Butter

With a full belly, I wandered back to my hotel for a nap.  But when I woke up, I booked myself for another class – this time in the home of a local lady.  Stay tuned for international cooking class post #2.  And who knows, I might just have to call San Miguel my home!

Contributed by Bibby Gignilliat

Aside from warm summer days, another thing to look forward to was this month’s cookbook club. We chose Jennifer McLagan’s cookbook Fat: An Appreciation of a Misunderstood Ingredient, With Recipes, a drastic contrast from last month’s selection of Heidi Swanson’s Super Natural Cooking. McLagan’s book just recently won two James Beard awards for “Cookbook of the Year” and “Best Book: Single Subject.” The author says our society has become increasingly opposed to fat, but her cookbook helps educate us in appreciating fat when cooking with it as well as eating it. Different fats are used in each recipe from butter to pork, duck, poultry, and beef fat.

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There was a range of international cuisines represented at lunch from Indian butter chicken, and French cassoulet, to Mexican pork carnitas. All three of these recipes followed common preparation with ample amounts of marinating/soaking, browning, and simmering. Everyone agreed upon the wonderful flavors and tenderness these slow cooked meat dishes developed.

Murgh Makhani (Butter Chicken) served with Spinach Chapati
Similar to Indian butter chicken and made with spices, tomatoes, whipping cream and butter. Served with Indian flat bread made with spinach, whole wheat flour, and ghee (or lamb fat if preferred).

Carnitas served with Fresh Tomato Salsa
Pork shoulder simmered with ground cumin, oranges, chipotle chile in adobo sauce, brandy, garlic, and pork fat. Served with tomato salsa made of Roma tomaotes, serrano chiles, poblano chile, garlic, salt, and cilantro (no fat included!)

Cassoulet
Traditional slow-cooked white bean casserole from southern France with pork, pork sausages, lamb, and duck.

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Vegetarians need not be alarmed, because dishes using butter and not animal fat, were equally as impressive and enjoyable. Most salad dressings use oil, but the Double Butter Salad cleverly uses browned butter with some chives, salt, and pepper mixed in. With duck fat not as easy to find, the Fat Fat-Cooked Fries can be made using butter and still a winning side dish at the table. This also goes for the Spinach Chapati which can be made with lamb fat or butter. The vegetable cake would be a great addition to any meat or vegetarian Thanksgiving meal.

Double Butter Salad
Salad using butter lettuce and browned butter.

Fat Fat-Cooked Fries
Large, soft potato wedges cooked in duck fat and garlic.

Vegetable Cake
Thinly sliced layers of potatoes, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, and apple baked with duck fat or butter.

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The desserts at the end of our meal were truly sinful and rich. The salted butter tart and butter cake sweetened our meal, and the spicy buttered popcorn grew addicting from the heat of the chipotle peppers. These recipes showcase how butter and sugar can alone unite so well in desserts.

Kouign Amann (Breton Butter Cake)
Flaky butter cake with caramelized bottom and top.

Salted Butter Tart
Pastry tart with salted butter filling similar to butterscotch or caramel.

Spicy Buttered Popcorn
Snack made sweet from butter, corn syrup and brown sugar, plus made savory with a kick from pureed chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.

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Surprisingly, our spread of dishes didn’t leave us too heavy after lunch. We learned a little bit of fat in moderation can go a long way! For the month of July, we will be cooking like Egyptians with the cookbook Dining on the Nile: Exploring Egyptian Cooking by Sally Elias Hanna. Stay tuned for tales of our culinary adventure!

Contributed by guest blogger Sandra Vu

• Grill fruit like peaches and plums for a salad or as an accompaniment to a polenta or pound cake that has been brushed with butter then grilled for a about 30 seconds a side
• Grilled romaine or radicchio for a salad then top the salad with thinly sliced grilled lemons and grilled Halloumi cheese
• Grill olive-oil-brushed bread for a crostini, for a bread salad or on skewers (along with lemons and Halloumi)  Check out our Grilled Chicken Skewers with Lemons and Salsa Verde Recipe.
• For a twist, grill oysters until they open then brush them with barbecue sauce or a dollop of lemon relish. Try our Barbecued Oysters On The Half Shell Recipe.

But my favorite grilled dish is pizza.  Recently, I had friends over for dinner and made a lamb pizza cooked on the grill.  Check out the photo of the pizza and recipe here.

Tips for Grilling Pizza:

There are a few ways to successfully grill a pizza.  The first is to put a pizza stone directly on the grill.  Close the grill lid and let the stone heat for 30-45 minutes.  Roll out pizza dough then transfer to a cornmeal-dusted pizza peel, transfer the pizza directly to the stone.   Immediately add the toppings close the grill and cook until the crust is golden and the cheese is melted.

The second method is cooking the pizza directly on the grill.  Heat your grill for 30 minutes.  Using a grilling or pastry brush, brush your dough with olive oil.  Transfer the pizza to the grill, oil side down.  Cook the pizza for about one or two minutes, until the pizza starts to develop a crust.  While waiting for it to cook, brush the side facing up with olive oil.  Once the side facing down has developed the crust, turn the pizza over and quickly add the topping.  Close the lid to the grill so that the toppings can melt.  Let the pizza finish cooking for about 3-4 minutes or until the bottom is well browned and the toppings are melted.

Serve hot off the grill!

Contributed by Bibby Gignilliat

Summer always goes by way too fast. It is hard to believe the 4th of July is sneaking up already! However, it’s not too late to plan a great party that is in everyone’s budget. In a down economy, cheap thrills are the name of the game so what’s better than getting together with your friends to cook a delicious meal? Here are some great suggestions for a successful Fourth of July party:

Decorations:
No need for all the traditional kitschy decorations. Keep it simple and fun!

• Wind a strand of white, red, or blue Christmas lights (or find inexpensive, outdoor lights at your local home store), around table legs or clip to the table edge and cover with a table cloth. This adds a bit of elegance and flair to any late afternoon or evening festivity. Also try the lights under an umbrella, canopy, or wrapped around small trees.
• For centerpieces, skip the messy table glitter and create a simple centerpiece of fake flowers or balloons attached to a weight with a short string. Make sure to feature red, white, and blue!
• Saltwater taffy in a tall vase in the center of the table makes another fabulous centerpiece. It can also double as a prize should you have any fun games planned later on at the party.
• Use food as decoration! With scrumptious items such as heirloom tomato and mozzarella cheese stacks, strawberry and blueberry fruit tarts, and colorful margaritas, the food can be a perfect patriotic touch. Also, be sure to satisfy everyone’s cravings for traditional backyard BBQ with American favorites like burgers, watermelon slices,
  homemade lemonade and ice cream.

Entertainment:
Sometimes the best parties have nothing to do with the food or the decorations but with how you spend your time. With fireworks being illegal, it may seem difficult to throw a successful Fourth of July party, but there are a ton of other games and activities that rival the excitement of fireworks!

• Bocce ball – Assign your guests to teams and get them mixing and mingling out on the lawn!
• Water balloon toss – this reminds me of middle school picnics at the local park. The more competitive it gets, the more fun it is, especially with prizes for the winner (i.e. taffy centerpieces!).
• Test your flexibility with a limbo contest or participate in old-time games like bobbing for apples.
• Tape packing bubbles onto concrete and let the younger crowd have fun creating a firework-like ambiance without the fire hazard!
• As the sun goes down, sparklers are always fun to have, especially if
  everyone is winding down and hanging out by a bonfire.

  Food:
  The Fourth of July is a great time to get creative with old favorites. Here are some perfect recipes for the holiday:

• Heirloom Tomato, Eggplant and Fresh Mozzarella Stacks with Arugula Salsa Verde Recipe
• Blueberry, Raspberry, and Peach Dulce De Leche Crisp Recipe
• Blueberry and Raspberry Smoothie Recipe
• Grilled Chicken Skewers with Lemons and Salsa Verde Recipe
• Mini Sliders with Smoky Cheddar Recipe
• Soy Marinated Flank Steak with Cilantro Sesame Pesto Recipe
• Salad of Watercress, Watermelon, Ricotta Salata, and Pine Nuts Recipe
• Baby Back Ribs with Espresso BBQ Sauce Recipe

Entertaining Tips:
Don’t get stressed if you haven’t hosted many parties before! Here are some tips for making any party, large or small, a successful one:

• Spotlight your creations: Put your food on plain platters so that the food is the focus. Also, make sure that the garnish is edible and related to the food it is complimenting.
• Don’t forget the drinks: Make sure the drinks you serve parallel the food it is accompanying. Use a light white wine for foods like Scallops and Mint Chutney. Pair red wine with dishes that have bolder flavors. Also, carry over the theme of the food into the drinks so that the entire meal flows seamlessly. A self-serve bar allows for a more relaxed atmosphere.
• Let music set the mood – Keep music going throughout the party. Upbeat music is perfect for a lively party and don’t be afraid to carry the culinary theme over into your music selections.
• Get help: For a large party, ask for help from children (yours or someone else’s) for setting the table or helping with dishes. It is also a great idea
  to have prep stations for each course and allow your friends to help with
  the cooking.
• Give party favors: Take pictures and email copies to your guests the following day. At the end of an event, present your guests with a new wooden spoon or whisk as well as a clean copy of all of the recipes you used for the event. Better yet, our Sumptuous Small Plates deck makes for a class-act party gift. It includes 30 of our clients’ favorite recipes that we use over and over at events!

Parties That Cook has more fantastic party ideas and recipes to make the holiday memorable. Check out our website at www.PartiesThatCook.com and peruse the Cooking Parties section for original and thrilling cooking party ideas, and the Recipes section for more delicious recipes!

Contributed by guest blogger Leigh Hermansen

Last summer, I was seeking out the best frozen yogurt places. Now, I’m after the best cupcake. One thing is clear from this adventure: cupcakeries are the newest fad. I have always thought of cupcakes in terms of little kids’ birthdays, day old sprinkles, and plasticky frosting. Now they are being used as an alternative to hostess gifts, wedding cakes, and even inserted into people’s regular meal regimen. Move aside iPhone and Angelina Jolie; 3-dollar mini cakes have taken over popular culture.

Some of the most popular cupcakeries in the Bay Area:

Sprinkles (San Francisco, CA) – This cornerstone of the cupcake phenomenon has its roots in Beverly Hills, CA. The creator of Sprinkles, Kimberly Nelson, has made a huge splash as she expands her stores nationwide. There was so much hype about Sprinkles coming to the Bay Area that all of the other cupcakeries followed suit. Sprinkles makes their cupcakes fresh throughout the day and also sells mix for their most popular cupcakes in their retail stores!

• Chocolate Marshmallow – Belgian dark chocolate cake and marshmallow cream with bittersweet chocolate ganache.
• Ginger Lemon – Spiced ginger cake with lemon cream cheese frosting.
• Red Velvet – Southern style light chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting (it lives up to its reputation and then some!)

Pros: They are one of the originators!, delicious flavor combinations, multiple locations create convenience, seasonal flavors are created throughout the year, good-sized cupcakes
Cons: high prices for cupcakes and merchandise, lots of hype and high expectations has created some disappointment for customers, the only mini cupcakes they have are for dogs!

Love At First Bite Cupcakery and Bakery (Berkeley, CA) - With a cute name like this and a menu like theirs, it is difficult to dislike this bakery. Here are some of the cupcakes that I found the most enticing:

• Chocolate Razzle - Guittard chocolate cupcakes frosted with raspberry buttercream, made with fresh raspberries
• Lemon Kiss - light & fluffy lemon cupcakes kissed with lemon buttercream frosting
• Pumpkin Bliss - pumpkin spice cupcakes wedded in bliss with cream cheese frosting

Pros: Their use of fresh ingredients (doesn’t the thought of fresh raspberries going into your dessert make you feel healthier and that much hungrier?), the price ($2.75!), the option to create your own, offering of cookies and cakes as well
Cons: all the way in Berkeley!, the decorations are not as decadent as some of their competitors.

Kara’s Cupcakes (San Francisco, CA) – Kara’s was started by a woman right here in San Francisco. She had a childhood sweet tooth that grew into a passion and then a career after she enrolled in pastry school. She started with a small word of mouth cupcake catering business that eventually got so popular she was unable to fill all of the orders. She opened her first store in San Francisco’s Marina District and now even has a retail store in Ghirardelli Square. Kara can still be found working in the store kitchens!

• Fleur De Sel - chocolate cupcake with caramel filling, ganache frosting and fleur de sel
• Banana - banana cupcake with silky soft cream cheese frosting
• Java - chocolate cupcake with a rich espresso buttercream

Pros: mini cupcakes, regular sized cupcakes, and filled cupcakes, Bay Area roots, multiple locations, locally bought products, donation of cupcakes to local charity organizations
Cons: many people complain about poor customer service

Sibby’s Cupcakery (San Mateo, CA) – I feel that Sibby’s is for the cupcake insiders of the Bay Area. It doesn’t have a storefront but is available for delivery anywhere! They can specialize cupcake decorations according to the theme of an event or a favorite color combination. Decorations are flawless and incredibly impressive. All of the cupcakes, except for the Super-Chewy Chocolate, are made in mini and regular sizes as well.

• Grandma’s Chocolate Tea Cake – Rich chocolate cupcake with cream cheese/chocolate chip center, topped with Sibby’s rich and fudgy chocolate frosting. The most popular cupcake!
• Snickerdoodle – vanilla cupcake and cinnamon cream cheese frosting topped with sugar and spice and everything nice
• Super-Chewy Chocolate (mini size only) – Extra rich “brownie-like” chocolate cupcake with glossy dark chocolate frosting

Pros: amazing, customized decorations that will impress anyone, quick delivery, made fresh for every order, seasonal cupcake flavors
Cons: no storefront, order ahead and pickup/delivery only, $39 per dozen plus a delivery fee

That Takes the Cake (San Francisco, CA): This cupcake company began because the founders loved the trip down memory lane that came along with cupcakes. Everyone can relate to a nostalgic childhood memory with a sweet treat in his or her hand. That Takes The Cake has enticing, witty names for their cupcakes and bake with fresh ingredients that you can taste! They sell gifts and are big on the icing.

• Tuxedo - Double chocolate buttermilk cake with chocolate chips topped with vanilla butter cream with chocolate jimmies.
• Samoa - Rich chocolate devils food cake with chocolate chips filled with caramel topped with cream cheese frosting, toasted coconut and a drizzle of caramel.
• Key lime-o-licious - Green lime cake topped with cream cheese frosting with graham cracker and green sanding sugar.

Pros: Daily rotation of flavors, clever new flavors, filled, mini, and regular cupcakes, catering option, known for lots of icing on each cupcake, cute gifts sold in store
Cons: depending on the batch, some Yelp reviewers claim to have had dry cupcakes, no seating except for one table outside, inconsistent texture.

Overall, this experience taught me a few things:

1. Don’t take your cupcakes too seriously. Try not to ruin your favorite childhood treat by judging and analyzing each cupcakery like it’s that weird girl in your high school Biology class. It’s hard to go wrong!
2. Experiment! Some of the flavors may sound out of the box but try it out. This cupcake fad has allowed for some really cool new flavors that might just inspire your own kitchen creations. Try our very own Mini-Banana Cupcakes with Chocolate Dulce de Leche Buttercream!
3. Less is more. Lots of these sugary delights can end up weighing you down (literally and figuratively) for a few days following consumption.

I love that the food industry is always improving and innovating. I have yet to be bored with whatever is on the forefront of popular cuisine.  So put on your stretchy pants and throw your inhibitions to the wind! You only live once, and these cupcakes are making it fun and delicious.

By Guest Blogger: Leigh Hermansen

When I travel I plan my entire itinerary around restaurants, bakeries, and markets. For instance, during a recent trip to Seattle, my travel partner and I ate at over 10 food places and went to 16 bakery and dessert spots in our three day visit. I’ve learned this can be overwhelming for someone who doesn’t travel in this manner (e.g. my mom), so I was nearly forced to abandon my Zagat guide when she accompanied me on a weekend trip to New York City.

It was initially distressing to not have a meticulous food plan mapped out. I didn’t consult my travel books, restaurant guides, and on-line reviews from Yelp as I normally do. To my surprise, I quickly learned how aimless wander can be just as good for the food traveler. I let go of my rating dependencies for a weekend and came across some great and cheap food finds in New York City.

When visiting Washington Square Park in the heart of Greenwich Village, I stepped inside the New York University Welcome Office across the street to ask where I could find a good bagel. I figured a student, or local New Yorker at the very least, could point me in the right direction. The young man at the front desk did not fail me and pointed us to Bagel Bob’s on University Place at 10th Street. I’ve eaten a lot of bagels, but Bagel Bob’s showed me what a true bagel should taste like. Steam traveled from the light, chewy interior and the delicate crisp of the outside proved it didn’t even need to be toasted. The cream cheese costs over two times the amount of the .90 cent bagel, but this bagel experience was worth the $3.75.

Many know going to Chinatown can be an experience on its own.  We always go when we visit a city and I still get initially overwhelmed by the noises, smells, and trinkets crammed into every Chinatown. My mom’s craving for a bowl of shrimp wonton soup led us inside Great N.Y. Noodle Town on Bowery.

It was hard to ignore my first thought before sitting down, “But what are the ratings on this restaurant?” We ordered a bowl of shrimp wonton noodle soup for my mom, bean curd and vegetables for myself, side of chinese gai lan broccoli with hoisin sauce, and roast duck wonton noodle soup for our guest. The food portions were generous and the quality of the flavorful Chinese dishes were no stranger in this small restaurant. Our dinner in Chinatown for a party of three came out to a mere $17.50, so our stomachs weren’t the only thing that left happy.

Discovery can be part of the gastronomic process, and often times finding a great place to eat is a matter of stumbling across it or by simply asking someone! You’ll notice the majority of the highest rated restaurants listed in Zagat guides are often the most expensive. I think I’ll save myself some money and retire my little red sidekick during this economic downturn.

Contributed by guest blogger Sandra Vu

This month, I hosted the club at my house.  My cookbook choice, David Tanis’ A Platter of Figs, resulted from my experience assisting him during a class he taught at Tante Marie’s.  His use of fresh seasonal ingredients and simple preparations left a lasting impression on me – not surprising since he was the head chef at Chez Panisse for many years.  David now lives in Paris and runs an underground restaurant 6 months of the year.

For our dinner, I selected a delicious recipe, Indian-Spiced Halibut with Spicy Yogurt Sauce.  I purchased fresh halibut at Bryan’s Market in Laurel Village.  Though Bryan’s prices are expensive, their fish market is the best in town.  Since I wanted to wow my guests, I decided to go for it!  Everyone knows that good dishes start with good ingredients, but every good ingredient can always get better and my secret weapon was brine.

I always brine bland fish – a trick I learned from Jacques Pepin when I worked on his TV show many years back.  His tip for making the brine is simple.  First, he fills a bowl with salt water then adds a good amount of kosher salt and mixes it until dissolved.  Next, he puts a whole, uncracked egg in the water.  If the egg is buoyant, he knows he has enough salt in the water.  If it sinks, he adds more salt until the egg becomes buoyant.  Finally, he immerses the fish in the water for 30 minutes.  When I applied this technique to my halibut recipe, I received rave reviews!  Everyone commented that it was quite moist and flavorful.  A Moroccan spice rub also offered a flavor boost, however I knew from experience that spice rubs alone can’t hide dry fish, while brining wins every time.  Another tip for cooking fish – allow cooking time of 10 minutes for every inch of thickness.

Brining aside, I had another trick up my sleeve for the halibut.  While the fish was delicious, the true piece de la resistance that took it over the top was the yogurt sauce.  I used Greek yogurt which has most of the whey removed, rendering it thick and creamy.  David Tanis says to sauté the spices (cumin and mustard seed) in olive oil which I did.  But I also added some coarsely ground coriander.   Once the spices were fragrant and crackling on the stove, I added the garlic AND the Serrano (he says only the garlic but I wanted a quick sauté of the Serrano too).  I stirred this mixture into the yogurt then added a good amount of kosher salt and some ginger juice.  (To create ginger juice, just grate a hand of ginger on the large holes of a box grater and squeeze the juice out by tightening your fist).  After tasting, I decided I wanted more acid.  I added the juice of half a lemon but also some preserved lemon rind.  Lastly for color, I added a bit of chopped cilantro.

The yogurt was a huge hit – everyone was eating it on everything – the Berber Pizza, a dollop in the Harira Soup and on the Halibut itself which is what it was intended for.  (I am now making some to dollop on my Lamb Pizza for dinner tonight).

All in all, we loved the book and would highly recommend it.

For this month’s cookbook club, we prepared dishes to sample each chapter of Heidi’s cookbook.

Chapter 1 | Build a Natural Foods Pantry
Heidi explains the first step in natural cooking is to expand your pantry with whole and natural flours, oils and fats, sweeteners, spices, and seasonings.  For most cookbook club participants, we found needed ingredients at Rainbow Grocery, Whole Foods, and Trader Joe’s if we didn’t already have the items in our pantry.

Chapter 2 | Explore a Wide Range of Grains

Savory Amaranth Souffle
A gruyere soufflé baked in ramekins lined with toasted amaranth seeds. Just from the first bite, the abundant flow of creamy nuttiness caused everyone to ask what type of cheese was used for the soufflé. Though simple in appearance, the toasted amaranth seeds framed the soufflé well and complemented the soft texture with a grainy crunch. Bibby had mixed feelings about the soufflé texture and felt it would be a great breakfast dish given its texture noticeably similar to grits. Bibby admitted she didn’t make this recipe completely “natural” because she used white flour instead of amaranth flour, which may have given the soufflé its lighter texture.

Otsu
Japanese buckwheat noodles tossed in toasted ginger-sesame dressing with pan-seared tofu, sliced cucumbers, and green onions. This was applauded as a light, refreshing Asian alternative to pasta salad. Sandra marinated the tofu in the ginger-sesame dressing before pan-searing it to create a robust and flavorful browning. She learned “shoyu” sauce called for in the dressing is the Japanese word for “soy” sauce.

Chapter 3 | Cook by Color

Clemenquat Salad with Walnuts and Parmesan Shavings
This gorgeous salad of clementines, kumquats, celery, and walnut halves clearly demonstrates Heidi’s philosophy of cooking with colorful foods full of phytonutrients. Tanya was surprised by the salad’s beautiful colors and visual appeal because it was comprised of only a few simple ingredients. It was, however, a labor intensive salad to remove the skin and membrane from the clementines and celery.  Sweet, crunchy, and slightly salty, this bright salad would be the envy at any buffet.

Sweet Potato Spoon Bread
Baked and mashed sweet potato casserole dotted with goat cheese and topped with parmesan cheese. This recipe appealed to Lauren with the possibility of being a “heartier” whole foods dish, and she was pleased with the ease of making this sweet potato casserole. She used red onions instead of shallots called for in the recipe, and it still paired nicely with the goat and parmesan cheeses. Resembling a sweet potato soufflé, this would be a great side dish for Thanksgiving.

Chapter 4 | Know Your Superfoods

Beluga Lentil Crostini with Chevre-Chive Spread
Goat cheese spread topped with beluga lentils on crostini toast. Erin learned beluga lentil turns shiny when it gets wet, and more than one of us had to look closely to realize it wasn’t caviar! As Heidi instructed, Erin used a splash of milk to help the goat cheese spread easier. The chive blossoms purchased at Rainbow Grocery were used as garnish atop these appetizer masterpieces.

Lime-Bathed Peanut Salad
Tomatoes and raw peanuts dressed with lime juice, olive oil, salt, jalapeno chile, and cilantro. Truly simple and easy to make. Bibby compared this salty, cool mixture to salads that can be found at many Burmese restaurants.

Hijiki and Edamame Salad
Dried hijiki, edamame, daikon, carrot, baby spinach, and soybeans in creamy miso dressing. Using a new ingredient, Rossie discovered dried hijiki at Rainbow Grocery costs $117 a pound! She only needed 2 tablespoons which (thankfully) expanded to an entire bowl. Rosie found this dish easy to prepare and would use the dressing for other salads because she enjoyed it so much. Edamame and canned soybeans were listed as separate ingredients, reminding us that edamame is a type of green soybean.

Garlic Scape Soup
Pureed soup with potatoes, spinach, garlic scapes, and lemon. This soup was akin to vichyssoise soup which also uses garlic, potato and stock. A helpful side tip from the recipe says green onions can be substituted for the seasonal scapes. Crissy thought of using spring (or green) garlic for even more flavor. Crissy used only 2 of the 3 potatoes in the recipe which she felt was still plenty of starch. The baby spinach gave the soup a more vibrant green color. We also tried the soup cold the next day, and agree with Heidi that it tastes even better the day after!

Chapter 5 | Use Natural Sweeteners

Red Quinoa – Walnut Cookies
Cookies made from whole wheat pastry flour, butter, natural cane sugar, eggs, rolled oats, red quinoa, and toasted walnuts. It was Erin’s first time using unrefined cane sugar and she appreciated the opportunity to purchase it in the bulk bins at Whole Foods. She whipped the butter for a long time using a stand mixer. This may have created a runny batter and Erin had to add more flour to the mixture after the first batch spread together. Needless to say, the innovative use of quinoa in cookies helped meet our daily dose of healthy grains (ignore the fact these cookies aren’t guilt free)! Next time, Erin will consider using mini muffin tins to possibly give better shape for these addictive biscuit-like cookies.

Basic Chocolate Cake
Michele branched away from the cookbook to try a recipe from Heidi’s website: www.101cookbooks.com. Sweetened only by maple syrup and coconut milk, Michelene was definitely skeptical to try a cake sans sugar. Perhaps it was a self-fulfilling prophecy, but this recipe was the least favored dish. Heidi described this as a “chocolate-packed, moist” cake, yet we found it dense and dry. Michelene noted the batter was thick and almost dough-like before she baked it in the pyrex dish. However, the maple sweetened chocolate-whipped cream frosting did manage to receive some approvals from the table.

Keep joining us as we cook Fat by Jennifer McLagan in next month’s Cookbook Club at Parties That Cook!

Contributed by guest blogger Sandra Vu

Once you’re mentally situated south of the border, let’s road trip over to the sleepy beach town of Tulum for a Shrimp and Scallop Ceviche Cups with Rosted Bell Pepper and Lime. This no-cook seafood mixture is best served in freshly crisped won ton shells - a surprisingly fun twist on eating with your typical tortilla chips. A jalapeno gives this cold appetizer an extra kick of caliente!

Click here for Recipe for Shrimp and Scallop Ceviche Cups with Rosted Bell Pepper and Lime

For more Mexican-inspired recipes, visit Parties That Cook’s recipe page. Every recipe you see can be made in 1-hour or less!