Author Archives: Renate Valencia

Library Book Sales for Cookbooks!

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stack of books bought at albany library book sale in may 2010

Stack of cookbooks bought at the Albany (CA) library book sale in May 2010

When Friends of the Albany Library holds used book sales, I’m there with my bags, egg sandwich and coffee in the parking lot in my car at the Albany Community Center (1249 Marin Avenue) 30 minutes before the doors open on the first day of the sale.

There is no better place to vamp up your cookbook collection than library book sales, and Albany’s are top-notch, especially the one or two big sales they have each year, though the smaller ones are good, too.  There are no restrictions, meaning you can buy as many books as you want, and they are not “picked over,” meaning professional book buyers have not had first dibs on the stock.  This is important information, and I suggest you check out a site like this one before you travel.  I guess everyone has to make a living, but you’ll see these professional buyers arrive at sales first thing with huge containers, which I find, well, kind of obnoxious, but maybe I shouldn’t.  I certainly wouldn’t turn my nose up at a valuable find, but this is pure serendipity for me, because I buy for myself and to give gifts to my friends.  My good karma has paid off, because I found first editions, early printings, of both volumes of Mastering the Art of French Cooking, several copies of Victoria Wise’s American Charcuterie, based on recipes from the Berkeley store she owned and operated for 12 years – Pig-by-the-Tail – the first real charcuterie market in the US.  Victoria Wise was Chez Panisse’s first chef, to boot, so a pretty good pedigree there and her out-of-print book is wonderful.

At the Albany sale, as with many others, stock is replenished throughout the day, but I find it’s best to come on Saturday for a weekend event, because there is often serious competition for cookbooks.  The Food Network, celebrity chefs, and all the other hoopla have elevated the status of cooking from respectable trade to cult, so you won’t be the only one looking.

I bought 10 books for a total of $8 this Saturday.  I go to the $1 room first, and then the 50 cent room, where I often find fun, kitschy works, like manufacturer’s cookbooks, or crazy stuff from the 60’s and 70’s that feed my obsession with molded salads and terrines and other scary things.  This week I got a couple of Betty Crocker 1964 spiral bound planners and a C&H book, where everything calls for C&H sugar.  Don’t turn your nose up at this kind of book, because they often have good information in addition to being fun to look at and read, given how dated they are.  The C&H book has a nice little chart of the stages of cooked sugar, for example.

betty crocker parties for children

Here’s the C&H book, from which I learned right off the bat that C&H stands for California & Hawaiian.  I didn’t know that.  I grew up with Domino sugar.

C&H dessert cookbook

I also picked up Escoffier’s Cook Book of Desserts, Sweets, and Ices, from 1941, which is an extract of a larger work published in English.  Every cook should have a book by Escoffier to keep them humble.  His recipes are arcane, written in paragraph form, and esoteric.  Often you won’t have any idea what to do, and you’ll think, “What does THAT mean?”  Outrageous reading.

With general cookbooks, I gravitate toward antiques, but will pick something up if it grabs my eye.  I could have done without 1974’s The Great Cooks Cookbook, but it involves a couple of chefs whose recipes I love, and it was only $1.  Besides, look at the young and handsome Jacques Pepin!

While a book sale is great for oddball things, it can save you a fortune on books in print costing an arm and leg elsewhere.  You have to have patience, but eventually you’ll come across some things you’ve been wanting to buy.  These books go first, though, so this is why I suggest you start early in the day and hang around a bit for stock replenishment.

I live in El Cerrito, and there’s an annual sale in September at EC library (6510 Stockton Avenue), but in a room so small I can’t deal with it very well.  Long and thin, and access only from one end.  No room to pass.  They also have stuff outside.  That said, when I went it was rainy, so maybe they move more outside when the weather’s good.

Berkeley, Richmond, Kensington, Oakland and other East Bay cities also have used book sales.  A good way to start is by looking at library websites.

Happy hunting!

Fried Sweet Plantains

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fried plantains 5-10

I reviewed Yardie Jerk in Oakland for GraceAnn Walden’s Yummy Report recently, which has me on a fried sweet plantain kick.

Sweet, soft and sticky fried sweet plantains taste almost like a dessert, and go very well with spicy grilled chicken or fish.  They’re good with pretty much anything or with nothing, when you get right down to it.

Plantains, or cooking bananas, are a staple in tropical countries and served multiple ways – kind of like how we use potatoes.  I love them – especially fried.  My Puerto Rican friends in New York used to make tostones for me when I was a kid.  Tostones are twice-fried plantain slices made from green (not ripe or minimally ripe) fruit.  The level of sweetness is dependent upon ripeness.

plantains 5-10

The plantains in the photo are getting nice and ripe, and, if fried slowly in oil that’s not too hot, will get you an exterior with a little texture, as in the photo at the top of this post.  Overripe fruit will turn out very soft and sticky, as in the photo of Yardie Jerk’s version, below.

Fried plantains from Yardie Jerk in Oakland, CA

Remember to fry slowly so the sugar caramelizes and you don’t wind up with something like chips, though they’re good, too.  It takes a little practice to deal with the oil.  If it’s way too low, though, you’ll wind up with greasy plantains, and you don’t want that.

Use a cast iron frying pan, if you have one.  The one in the photo at the top is an Erie skillet that’s over 100 years old.  Nothing, but nothing, sticks to that baby.  I like that people were frying things in there before my Grandparents were born, and here I am, with my plantains, in 2010.

Fried Sweet Plantains
   Makes a large plate

3 plantains, very, very ripe (they will have quite a bit of black)
1/2 cup olive or canola oil (you may need more, but this is a good start in a 9 or 10 inch skillet)
Sea or Kosher salt, for finishing, if desired

1).  Wash and dry plantains.
2).  Cut off ends and make a slit through the skin along the entire length, but try not to cut into the flesh.
3).  Roll skin off plantains.
4).  Slice (at a 45 degree angle) into approx. 1/2 inch lengths.
5).  Heat oil in your heavy skillet, but don’t get it too hot.  Test with one slice of plantain.  You want a little bubbling action but not a real sizzle.
6).  Add plantains to pan, but don’t overcrowd.
7).  Fry on one side until you have the color you are looking for, then turn over with tongs.  With overripe fruit you can get a nice, dark color.
8).  When done remove to paper towels and sprinkle a little salt on them, if you want.
9).  Fry remaining slices in batches in similar manner.

Greek-style Chicken Halves

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greek roast chicken 2010

Since we’re heading into grilling season big-time, I thought I’d share one of my go-to recipes for moist, golden, flavorful chicken.

The original recipe came from a friend who is of Greek extraction and whom I knew during my many years as a resident of Astoria, Queens, in New York City.

Astoria was and is a great place to eat.

Though the ethnic make-up of Astoria has been changing over the years,* there is still a large Greek community, whose roots go back to the 1960’s.  There’s a European feel to this part of Queens, which lies right across the East River from Manhattan.  In the early 1980’s, when I was young and single, I used to take the subway from Midtown Manhattan the few stops home and then pop into a cafe on 30th Avenue for a snack and an iced coffee to people-watch.  Getting off the train in Astoria was like entering a little oasis.

While the neighborhood has grown, it still feels like a distinct community, and there are wonderful Greek restaurants and stores.  I really miss being able to buy 10 kinds of feta and 30 kinds of olives at Titan, a large Greek market, whose prices now seem mind-boggling considering how much these things cost in the San Francisco Bay Area!

And the pastry shops!  In Astoria you can go have Greek pastry, or even tartufo, an Italian ice cream ball stuffed with fruit and covered with chocolate, in the middle of the night.  Given the heat during Summer, and the state of the wiring in our apartment building that would not support AC, this was a good way for us to cool off.

My son was 8 when we moved to California, so, at 23, he is a more a Californian than anything else, though he likes to go down memory lane via his taste buds.

This chicken recipe is something that really reminds us of warm nights spent in outdoor restaurants eating pita bread with dips and lemony chicken that came to us right off the grill or spit.

I’ve since adapted my friend’s recipe, but it remains true to its heritage, with bright, straight-forward flavors.

I’ve made this with my Weber charcoal grill and in the oven.  If you grill outdoors and can use the indirect method with charcoal, it works very well,  The wind patterns in my current yard don’t allow me to crank up the heat sufficiently, so I use the direct method with some heavy-duty foil.  I do not yet have a gas grill, so I can’t give you any tips for that.

I use a sheet pan with a flat rack for this if I’m using my oven.  The rack is more or less like a cooling rack.

This is great served with pita wedges and a Greek salad.

*There is now a large Arab community in Astoria/Long Island City, which gives you an even greater variety of food and drink options these days than when I lived there!

Greek-style Grilled or Roast Chicken Halves
   Makes 4 halves

2 nice young chickens, cut in half with poultry shears (use good chicken!)
2 or 3 fresh lemons, squeezed of their juice (no bottled lemon juice!)
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1/3 cup olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper

1).  Rub lemon juice into chicken halves very well, getting into all the nooks and crannies.
2).  Salt and pepper the chicken halves very well.
3).  Whisk mustard and olive oil together.
4).  Brush mixture over entire surface of chicken, again being thorough.
5).  Place in fridge for a couple of hours.
6).  Roast in oven at fairly high heat (something on the order of 400 deg. F.), skin side up, on a rack, until internal temp reaches 165.  If you grill chicken outdoors, use your best method for browning the skin and keeping it intact.

Spanish-style Brown Rice and Chard

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Spanish-style chard and brown rice in a wok ready to serve

I’ve been on a mission to get more brown rice into my family.

I try to hide it behind great flavor and color.  It’s not that they don’t like the texture, but Americans are so used to white rice that they often consider brown rice “not as good” and look at you like you have five heads when you present it to them.

Both my husband and son have great diets.  They eat a wide variety of things and avoid food that’s not really food – like trans fat and all that processed stuff.  The main problem I have involves rice and bread.  When left to their own defences, they choose white rice and white bread.

Myself – I love brown rice.  Especially Jasmine, which is fragrant and delicate.  It works well in dishes where it gets beaten up, like in a stir-fry, because it holds its shape, and it comes out separate and fluffy.  It’s also fairly easy to disguise, if you have to resort to this tactic.

This recipe is, loosely, a Spanish incarnation of Greek spinach rice, which I love, but which doesn’t work as well with brown rice because of the cooking time.  By the time the rice is done, the spinach is a shadow of its former self.  By replacing the delicate spinach with hale and hearty chard, that problem goes away.

Another crops up, though:  the bitterness of the chard.

By switching to a Spanish-inspired version with bacon, the bitterness issue is remedied, too.

You can buy beautiful chard in the East Bay at Berkeley Bowl (two locations) and Monterey Market (1550 Hopkins Street) – and many other stores and farmers’ markets.  High-end supermarkets often have smoked paprika, and I’ve seen it at Trader Joe’s.  If you stop by The Spanish Table in Berkeley (1814 San Pablo Avenue), they have qute a selection.

Jasmine brown rice can be found at most Asian markets.  I usually get it at 99 Ranch Market in Richmond – 3288 Pierce Street.

This is one dish where a non-stick wok works well.  I use my Wolfgang Puck electric wok for this – I kid you not.  If you have a surface that tends to stick badly and where prying off caramelization is a non-starter, take care with the last step of the recipe.

Spanish-style Brown Rice with Chard
   Serves 3 as a main dish, 6 as a side, depending upon appetites!

4 ounces bacon, cut into medium-small pieces
1/2 large yellow onion, small dice
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1 teaspoon chopped shallot
2 cups Jasmine brown rice
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Salt – dependent upon saltiness of stock used
4 cups chicken stock
1 pound of Swiss chard, leaves cut into fairly large pieces (If your store carries rainbow chard, which Berkeley Bowl does, get this; it’s a mix of colors.  To get it really clean, wash in a sink full of cold water.)

1).  Saute bacon until just under crispy.
2).  Add onion and saute until golden.
3).  Add garlic, shallot and rice and stir-fry for a minute or two.
4).  Add smoked paprika, pepper and salt and make sure all is combined well with the rice.
5).  Saute this mixture for a minute or two.
6).  Add chicken stock and stir well; bring to a boil.
7).  Add chard to the top – do not mix in – and cover.
8).  Simmer for 5 or 6 minutes or until the chard has wilted down enough for you to mix it in to the rice somewhat.
9).  Continue to simmer, covered, stirring in the chard as it continues to shrink down.
10).  When chard is evenly distributed, cook for about 20 minutes, covered, without stirring.
11).  When liquid is absorbed into the rice completely, it should be done.  If not, add a little more stock or water and continue cooking until done.
12).  Allow rice to cook, covered, for an additional few minutes on medium-high heat so that you create a little caramelization on the bottom.  Do not stir, but do not allow to burn!
13).  With a spatula, mix well, pulling up the caramelized rice (this will have stuck to the pan) and distributing it throughout.

Stuffed Savory ‘shrooms

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Large stuffed mushroom

The way I figure it, stuffed mushrooms need a MacGuffin.

If you remember your Hitchcock, a MacGuffin is a device in a fictional work that drives the plot and hooks viewers.

Without a distinctive element, a stuffed ‘shroom is just so much breadcrumbs and cheese, and many of them taste the same because they all have basically the same kind of stuffing.

What I set out to do was create a version that was familiar and comforting, but had a little more impact.

Stuffing for mushrooms on stove

First, I wanted to really bring out the umami* in the mushrooms.  Next, I had to be able to use the stems for frugality’s sake.  Finally, there would have to be an ingredient that would separate my version from the pack. 

Mincing and browning mushroom stems and adding anchovy paste and a nice dose of vermouth resulted in a savory, substantial stuffing with a little kick.  If you think of what vermouth does to risotto, you’re on the right track.

These come out of the oven nicely brown, too.

I suggest you use the large mushrooms called for in the recipe because they’re easy to deal with and work well on a dinner plate in place of a protein.  They look big, meaty and inviting.  Berkeley Bowl almost always has them.

Stuffed mushrooms ready to go into oven 

Savory Stuffed Mushrooms
   Makes enough for 5 as a main dish served with sides, 10 as an appetizer10 extra-large (huge,            really) white mushrooms
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons chopped shallots
2 teaspoons chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground marjoram
2 teaspoons dried parsley
1 teaspoon anchovy paste (or 1 anchovy fillet that has been mashed to a pulp with a fork)
Scant 1/4 cup dry vermouth
1 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs, which are coarse and unseasoned)
3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Olive oil for brushing

1).  Prepare mushrooms by wiping well or washing and drying.  Make sure they are very dry!  Pull out stems carefully and set aside.  Lightly grease a sheet pan and arrange caps bottom side up.
2).  Mince the stems finely.  Do this with a food processor unless you have the patience to arrive at a very fine mince by hand.  I use a Kuhn-Rikon “Twist & Chop.”  Set aside all but 1/4 cup.
3).  Saute the 1/4 cup minced stems in the olive oil in a small but heavy saucepan until golden brown.
4).  Take the pan off the heat and allow it to cool for a couple of minutes.
5).  Place butter, shallots, garlic, pepper, marjoram and parsley in saucepan with browned stems and saute over low heat until butter is melted.
6).  Cover and cook for about a minute.  You want to sweat this mixture and not brown it.
7).  Mix in anchovy paste and cook for a few seconds.
8).  Mix in remaining stems, cover and cook over low heat until mushrooms are cooked through – about 2 minutes.
9).  Stir in vermouth and cook for about a minute, uncovered.
10). Remove from heat and mix in panko.
11). Transfer mixture to a bowl and allow to cool for about 20 minutes.
12). Fold cheese into stuffing until well incorporated.
13). Stuff mushroom caps, pressing filling in well.  Do this with all of them and then distribute the excess evenly to overstuff slightly.
14). Brush olive oil on stuffed mushrooms, being sure to get oil on the mushrooms, not just the stuffing.
15). Bake at 375 deg F. until they are brown on the outside and hot throughout.  Use convection, if you have it, but keep an eye on them so they don’t burn.  Will be something like 20 – 25 minutes.

stuffed mushrooms just out of the oven

*Umami is a fifth taste (savory), occurs naturally in certain foods, and has to do, roughly, with glutamates.  This is complicated, so you should do a little research for the full story