Monthly Archives: November 2012

Dinner at Serafina – Friendship Celebration in Seattle

07 Wednesday Nov 2012

Posted by in Dinner, Lamb, Restaurant Review, Seattle

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A dear friend from culinary school was in town visiting me from Washington DC.  She flew in just for a few days, to see me, and for me to meet her lovely 14-month-old daughter.  I was quite flattered, excited, and slightly worried.  What would we do?  Where would we go?  Would Seattle weather cooperate?  Of course, the weather did not cooperate – it was cold and raining.  On top of it all, the weather on the East Coast did not cooperate either, and my friend had to leave a day early to ensure a safe return home.

Meanwhile, I am happy to report that great time was had by all! For our first dinner out, my friend chose a local neighborhood restaurant – Serafina – that serves Italian and Mediterranean cuisine. 

The service was impeccable for both the grown ups and a lively toddler.

We started with a cocktail, a glass of wine, and a complimentary bread plate with delicious herbacious olive oil, spiced up with red pepper flakes.

And we got more bread for the appetizer.

Grilled calamari

Any guesses what this below might be?  It’s a piece of yarn/string that served as a perfect toy for a 14-month old.  There were also copious amounts of dried peas, fish crackers, and two metal restaurant-supply ramekins.

The star of the evening was the lamb shank! Fall-off-the-bone tender, perched on top of cheesy grits.  My friend and I shared, but I probably could have easily devoured the shank on my own.  There, I said it!

And then there was a plate of ravioli with toasted hazelnuts.  The hazelnuts were my favorite part of the dish.  Maybe I’m just not a pasta girl.

My dear friend, I miss you already!  Come back and visit, next time in the summer.
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Brunch: Poached Egg with Smoked Salmon and Salsa Verde on Toasted English Muffin

04 Sunday Nov 2012

Posted by in Breakfast, Brunch, Cooking, Eggs, Recipe, Vegetarian

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I am in love with poached eggs.  And smoked salmon.  And a properly toasted English muffin.  But I must admit to my dislike of Hollandaise sauce.  Instead I chose to use salsa verde for its brightness, acidity and flavor.

Simple enough.  Toast an English muffin.  I toasted mine three times to get the right crispness on the inside and the outside of the split muffin.

Poach an egg in barely simmered water with a touch of vinegar to keep the egg white coagulated.  Carefully dry the egg on a paper towel to remove access water.

Lay smoked salmon on one side of the muffin and top with the egg.

Spoon salsa verde over the egg and top with the second half of the toasted muffin.

Time to eat!

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Mediterranean Pizza with Sausage, Olive, Artichokes ~ Redemption Recipe

01 Thursday Nov 2012

Posted by in Cooking, Pizza, Recipe

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I pride myself on knowing what to do in the kitchen.  I can cook.  Most often, by feel, touch, idea of what ingredients go together, rather than by a recipe.  When my abilities are questioned or challenged, I take notice. 

Last year, the Artist and I attended a Make Your Own Pizza Channukah get together at my friend’s house. My pizza was topped with arugula, thinly sliced pears, goat cheese, and toasted pine nuts. “I’m sorry to tell you this honey, but this pizza is horrible,” said the Artist. He said it a few times that night, and has been saying it occasionally since. It was time to redeem my pizza-making abilities!
And so on a late Saturday night after strolling through the streets of Seattle, visiting the Art Museum and reliving our first date at a coffee shop, we shopped for the pizza supplies and picked up a bottle of wine, just in case.
Mediterranean Pizza with Sausage, Artichoke Hearts and Pesto
Ingredients
1 pizza crust
1 cup hummus
1 chicken sausages, sliced
2 roasted red bell peppers, sliced
1/2 cup canned artichoke hearts, sliced
1/3 cup black olives, sliced
1 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1 cup cheese, shredded
Directions
1.  Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.  Oil a sheet pan or a pizza pan if you have one.  If you have coarse cornmeal on hand, sprinkle it on the prepared sheet pan – your pizza crust with have an extra crispiness.
2.  Spread the pizza crust on the prepared pan.  Spread hummus over the crust.
3.  Top with sausage, peppers, artichoke hearts, and olives.
4.  Sprinkle with feta and shredded cheese.  You might want to add some herbs or pepper flakes if you wish.
5.  Bake in the preheated oven until the cheese melts and the crust is crisp.  Cut in slices and enjoy with a glass of red wine.

The Artist approved!  Happy pizza making.

PS There was half of a pizza left from dinner.  I intended to use it to take better photos in the morning, with natural light.  Alas, by the time I got to taking the pictures, the pizza was mysteriously missing.

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