Dish and Spoon Cafe - for dinner

Restaurant Review

Dish and Spoon Cafe Once again, I was amazed by the beautifully prepared food and the creative menu at this lovely little spot on Old Santa Fe Trail. It's not often you get food this well made for reasonable prices and served by fine folks with a great attitude. They serve beer and wine and have an excellent selection of teas. You must stop in for lunch or dinner, or a snack. This is what eating locally is all about!

Old Fashioned Buttermilk Cake Doughnuts

The Altitude Adjustment Section
Remember when doughnuts were fresh baked and actually tasted good? Well those days are here again. Here is your feel- good recipe of the day for old fashioned buttermilk cake doughnuts from Nancy Silverstone of La Brea Bakery.

Ingredients
1/4 cup crème fraiche, or sour cream
3 1/4 cups unbleached pastry flour or A.P. flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon dry yeast
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk
1 large egg
2 large yolks
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Procedure
In a small stainless steel bowl over a pot of gently simmering water, heat the crème fraiche or sour cream until just warm. In a large pot, heat the canola oil for frying to 375 degrees. Over a large bowl, sift to combine the flour, sugar, soda and powder, salt and nutmeg. Make a well in the center and place the yeast in the center and add the warm crème fraiche. Allow to soften about 1 minute. Pour the buttermilk, whole egg, egg yolks, and vanilla extract into the well and whisk together all the liquid ingredients. Using one hand, gradually draw in the dry ingredients. Mix slowly and gradually until the mixture forms a sticky and smooth dough. Wash and dry your hands and dust them with flour. Sift a layer of flour onto your cutting board. Scrape the dough onto your board and dust with more flour. Working quickly, pat the dough into a 1/2 inch thick round. Dip the cutter into flour and cut a circle then get another small round and cut out the center. Fry the doughnuts and the holes a few at a time in hot oil. Sift powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar over warm doughnuts and eat all up! This recipe makes 15 doughnuts and holes. After this you will never stop at Dunkin Doughnuts again!

Scallion Flatbread

Seasonal Recipe of the Week
I thought today I would do a recipe for a simple scallion flatbread. You make this and a little hummus or Baba Ganouj, then all you need is the cocktails and you have a party!

Ingredients
1 cup A.P. flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons peanut oil
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
5 scallions, green parts only, diced on the diagonal
3/4 cup warm water
1/2 cup additional peanut oil for brushing

Procedure
In a large bowl, sift together the flours, sugar, and salt. Pour in the peanut oil and sesame oil and mix till slightly crumbly. Add the scallions and 1/2 cup of warm water. Then add the remaining water 1 tablespoon at a time until a soft, non-sticky dough forms. Add more water if necessary. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead till smooth. Roll the dough into a thick rope and slice into 8 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball. Pour about a tablespoon of oil into the bowl where you made the dough and roll each ball in the oil. Leave them in the bowl and cover with a clean slightly damp dishtowel. Allow dough to rest 10 minutes before cooking. Now for the rolling process. Take one ball and roll into a circle on a floured surface. Roll into as thin of a circle as possible, brush with oil, fold in half brush with oil and fold again. Now roll back into a circle. About 1/8 inch thick. Do all 8 pieces and stack up with wax paper between them. Heat up a heavy cast iron pan. Lightly brush the circles with oil and fry one at a time about 2 minutes on each side. They will get bubbles in them and puff up. Push down as they are cooking. They will harden as they cool. To soften, wrap in a moist paper towel and microwave, or wrap in foil and heat in the oven.

Pronto Cafe

Restaurant Review

Pronto Cafe Seldom have I had a worse meal in such a stylish setting. The place was full so I kept wondering "Is it just our food, did the other customers get their food from a different kitchen?" They all seemed so happy! We had a tasteless chicken paninni sandwich which fell apart at first bite, a tomato vegetable soup which really did not taste homemade as claimed (but "homemade" where, exactly? there's no kitchen!) and an overdressed salad with goopy dressing. At least it wasn't expensive.

Italian-style Sage-infused Vin Rosé

Refreshing Beverage of the Week
This is a traditional recipe for sage wine from Italy. It only takes a few minutes to assemble but must be left to infuse the flavors for a few hours, so make another cocktail while you are waiting for this one to mature.

Ingredients
1 bottle vin rosé
3 sprigs of fresh sage
strips of lemon zest

Procedure
Add the sage leaves to the bottle of wine and put the cork back in, let rest at room temperature for 8-10 hours. Then strain the wine and chill for at least 6 hours before serving. Add a strip of lemon zest in every glass and pour in the wine and serve. Nice with lunch, or a picnic. On my yacht perhaps? "Have more wine dear!"

Chocolate Raspberry Cookies (which happen to be vegan)

The Altitude Adjustment Section
Here is a easy little recipe from the cookbook of the week Veganomicon for a chocolate raspberry cookie. It is so easy even my mother could make these! Sorry Bernice!

Ingredients
1/2 cup raspberry preserves
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sifted unsweetened cocoa
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

Procedure
Preheat oven to 350. Line a cookie sheet with parchment. In a large mixing bowl, combine the raspberry preserves, sugar canola oil, vanilla, and almond extract. In a separate bowl, sift together the cocoa, flour, soda and salt. Now add the dry to the wet in three separate batches. When you get to the last batch you might need to use your hands to work it into a soft and pliable dough. Roll dough into walnut size balls, flatten slightly — they should be 2 1/2 inches in diameter — and place 1/2 inch apart (they do not spread) on cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes and then transfer to cooling rack to cool completely. This recipe make 2 dozen cookies.

Pasta Puttanesca

Seasonal Recipe of the Week
Pasta Puttanesca is one of my favorite pasta dishes, and not just because the name means little whore — that’s just a fun detail. The flavors are deep and rich. It’s the anchovies, capers, and olives which combine to make a great flavor. And then there is the heat — spice not temperature, which you can adjust to your taste.

Ingredients
1 pound spaghetti, spaghettini, or linguine
5 garlic cloves, forced through a garlic press
2 teaspoons anchovy paste
1/2 teaspoon hot red-pepper flakes
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes in juice (preferably organic Italian)
1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives
2 tablespoons drained capers
Pinch of sugar
3/4 cup coarsely chopped basil

Procedure
Cook spaghetti in a pasta pot of boiling salted water (2 1/2 Tbsp salt for 6 qt water) until barely al dente. While pasta boils, cook garlic, anchovy paste, red-pepper flakes, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper in oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and pale golden, about 2 minutes. Meanwhile, purée tomatoes with juice in a blender. Add tomato purée to garlic oil along with olives and capers and simmer, stirring occasionally, until pasta is ready. Stir in sugar if desired. Drain pasta and add to sauce. Simmer, turning pasta with tongs, until pasta is al dente, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle with basil.

The Flying Tortilla (this time it's about the burgers)

Restaurant Review

The Flying Tortilla This visit was to find out if they really use the same meat as Bobcat Bite and if the burgers measure up. No, trust me! Yes the quality of the meat seemed to be very good, it's a shame they can't cook them properly to order. I also would rather have the meat formed in a proper juicy patty then pressed flat and dry on the grill. They serve stealth fries, use a decent sesame bun and even the pickle was good. If only they could do a proper medium rare.

Real Vanilla Wafers

The Altitude Adjustment Section
Have you noticed most cookies aren’t as good as they used to be? Take for instance, the classic vanilla wafer. The ones in the supermarket use fake vanilla and taste like cardboard. Why not make your own? They are so easy and have numerous baking applications. I found this cool recipe in Retro Desserts by Wayne Harley Brachman which I checked out of the Southside Library.

Ingredients
1 1/4 cups A.P. flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) room temp. Butter
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon lemon extract

Procedure
Set your oven racks in the middle and upper 1/3 of your oven and preheat to 375 degrees. Into a large bowl, sift the flour, cornstarch, powder, soda and salt 3 times. I am serious! In the bowl of your electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar till creamy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the egg and then the vanilla. Next add the 2 extracts and mix till completely blended. With the mixer on its lowest speed, gradually add the flour mixture till just combined. Drop rounded teaspoons of dough onto sheet pan lined with parchment at 2 1/2 inch intervals. With a moistened fingertip, flatten and round out the cookies a little bit then bake for 8 minutes, turning the pan midway through baking. The cookies are done when they are lightly browned around the edges. This recipe makes 4 dozen little cookies. Save the old ones for crumble crusts.

Brown Rice and Wild Rice Salad with Dried Fruit

Seasonal Recipe of the Week
Here is a very creative recipe for a healthy brown and wild rice salad which can work both summer and winter. This time of year, I use dried fruit but in the summer you can go all fresh. The wild rice cooking technique makes all the difference. This recipe serves 6-8 people.

Ingredients
3 cups water x2
1 1/2 tablespoons Tamari sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons unsulphured Molasses
3/4 cup wild rice, rinsed
3/4 cup brown rice, rinsed
1 cup dried sour cherries
1 cup dried mango diced
1 cup toasted pecan halves chopped
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup chopped scallions
5 tablespoons good olive oil
5 tablespoons aged sherry vinegar
4 teaspoons orange zest
Salt and pepper to taste

Procedure
In a medium saucepan, combine the water, Tamari, and molasses, and bring to a boil. Add wild rice, partially cover and simmer till tender, about 45-50 minutes. Drain well and cool. Bring another medium pan of water to the boil and add the brown rice and a teaspoon of salt and cook till tender as well, about 40 minutes. Drain well and cool. In a large bowl combine the 2 rices with all the rest of the ingredients. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature.