The Croque Monster

I am a San Francisco girl, born and raised in the east bay, and my heart is broken over the 49ers loss yesterday. What better way to deal with disappointment than with bacon? I'm making a croque monsieur for dinner tonight, which is basically a fancy, French named for grilled ham and cheese sandwich. I had to make these in culinary school where I started calling it a "croque monster" and the name just stuck.

There are countless varieties of a croque monsieur. Aside from using Canadian bacon instead of ham, I'm going pretty traditional. I've got white bread with crusts removed, a Swiss cheese (Gruyere), and bechamel sauce. It sounds simple, and it is, but it's so delicious. It's crunchy on the outside and ooey-gooey cheesy on the inside. 

Ingredients (makes 4 sandwiches):

• 8 slices white bread, crusts removed, toasted, and lightly buttered on both sides
• 16 small slices/8 oz Swiss cheese (Gruyere or Emmental)
• 8 oz sliced ham (or Canadian bacon)
• 1 tablespoon butter 
• 1 1/2 tablespoons AP flour
• 1 cup hot milk
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• pinch of nutmeg

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. First make bechamel sauce. Place butter in sauce pan and melt over low heat. Once, melted, add flour and stir for 2-3 minutes. Slowly whisk in milk. Increase heat to medium, stirring continuously until thickened. Season with salt and nutmeg. Remove from heat and cover with plastic film to prevent film from forming until ready for use. 
3. Place a slice of cheese on each piece of buttered toast and put it in the oven until the cheese is meted.
4. Warm the ham either in a skillet or grill top - or a microwave will do too. 
5. Assemble the sandwich, placing 1 oz of ham on one slice of bread and a smear of bechamel sauce on the other. Gently push the 2 pieces of bread together and slice diagonally. Variation: Instead of putting the bechamel sauce in the sandwich, you can pour it over the top, making it a knife and fork sandwich. 

The Food Truck Craze

Unless you've been living under a rock, you know that food trucks are all the rage. No longer referred to as "roach coaches," these trucks even reach gourmet status. What's the big deal with these trucks anyway? Well, the obvious is that they come to you. They are there when you drunkenly stumble out of the club downtown or are parked in front of your office building on your lunch break. In my opinion the best thing about food trucks is that you, potentially, get superb food at a low price. With lower overhead costs than a restaurant they can afford to give you gourmet food for much cheaper.

Just this year food trucks have started popping up in Santa Barbara and I couldn't be happier. Next time you are here, be sure to hit up these guys; you'll often find them parked along the beach or off of State Street. And tell them Dina sent you.

The Burger Bus

The Burger Bus has actually been around for a couple years. They serve- you guessed it- burgers. But they also make the best pickle chips I've ever had. If you've never had pickle chips, they are simply dill pickle slices in a beer batter and deep fried, and they are amazing! Their onion "rings" are pretty darn good too. What I really love about The Burger Bus is their commitment to high quality local ingredients. Everything is local; the meat, cheese, bread, spreads, and produce. Their signature burger is known as the "CB&J" which is short for cheeseburger and jelly. Jelly on a burger isn't as crazy as it sounds once you've tried one.

The O Street Truck

The O Street Truck prides itself on it's French-Mex-Vietnamese fusion cuisine. They frequently feature new, seasonal items on their menu, but they always sell banh mi style sandwiches and tacos. For only $5, the banh mi sandwiches come on a 6 inch baguette with your choice of marinated chicken or steak, or BBQ pulled pork (my favorite), carrots, cucumbers, cilantro, and their spicy "cha cha" sauce. Occasionally, I'll splurge on one of their french pastry pizzas which aren't really pizzas, but are sinfully delicious.

THAI on a Truck
When I went to Thailand I tasted some of the best food I've ever had. The problem was coming back to the United States and finding that all Thai food failed in comparison to the real thing. Well, these guys at THAI on a Truck are the real deal and never leave me disappointed. They go all the way to LA to find specialty ingredients to make their food as authentic as possible. Their Panang curry is, hands down, my favorite dish, but everything is delicious. They offer a few main dishes and usually a daily special, a variety of small bites, and a not-too-sweet Thai iced tea.

Road Dogs

The newest mobile cuisine in town is the Road Dogs, a mobile gourmet hot dog cart. I can't express to you how happy my husband was when these guys opened up. These aren't just any wieners, but are Hoffy, and if you're a hot dog connoisseur that means something. Long and thin, and with a great snap, you won't be disappointed. You can get anything from a plain, no-fuss dog to dogs loaded with all kinds of homemade toppings. My favorite is the Sweet Baby Ray which comes topped with BBQ sauce, crunchy bacon, and fried onions.

Chocolate Cloud Souffle

Taking a bite out of a souffle is like eating a cloud. A delicious cloud.

A souffle consists of 2 parts: the base and the lift (the eggs). The base of the souffle should be about the same consistency as thick cream sauce so the souffle is not weighed down. The base should be fully cooled before adding in the whipped egg whites. Over-mixing the whipped egg whites into the base will cause the air trapped in the egg whites to deflate, so fold the whipped egg whites in gently. Lastly, serve it as soon as it comes out of the oven as a souffle will fall after just a couple minutes of being taken out. Your guests will wait for the souffle, but the souffle will wait for no one.

Ingredients:

• 7 oz semisweet chocolate chips
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 large egg yolks
• 3 tablespoons warm water
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 8 large egg whites
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
• garnish: confectioners sugar, fruit, or caramel sauce

1. Brush 6 6 oz ramekins with butter, then coat with sugar. Place them in the freezer.
2. Set oven rack in lower third of oven and preheat to 400 F.
3. Put the chocolate and butter in a medium heatproof bowl and place over double boiler. Stir the chocolate until it's melted and smooth. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract. Set aside.
4. Combine egg yolks and warm water in a large bowl and beat with electric mixer until frothy. Gradually add 2 tablespoons sugar, and continue beating until ribbons form, about 5 minutes.
5. Lightly fold the yolks into the chocolate mixture.
6. Place the egg whites and lemon juice in clean bowl and beat with electric mixer of medium speed until frothy. Then gradually add the 1/2 cup sugar and increase speed to high. Beat until the whites hold a stiff but not dry peak.
7. Working quickly, fold about a third of the egg whites into the chocolate to lighten; then fold in the remaining whites until blended.
8. Gently spoon the souffle mixture into the ramekins and place on a baking sheet. Level the surface with a straight edge, scraping any excess mixture back into the bowl.
9. Immediately bake until the souffle rises about 1 1/2 inches from the ramekins, and the tops are touched with brown, about 18-20 minutes. Remove the oven, garnish, and serve immediately.

Je T'adore Crepes

Crepes evoke so many different memories. They make me think of eating a Nutella and banana crepe in a Parisian park, mushroom and cheese blini (a Russian crepe) in downtown Moscow, and of a crepe cafe in Oakland which my husband and I visit a couple times a year. The great thing about crepes is their versatility. They can be sweet or savory, they can be for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or just a snack, but they are always a special treat.

The history of crepes begins with the basic pancake. People have been making flat, unleavened dough since prehistoric times, and they were probably round in reverence to the sun. Almost every culture has its own version of the pancake. The French eat crepes, the Russians eat blinis, Americans eat pancakes, Indians eat lentil cakes, and Mexicans eat tortillas.

It's not hard to make crepes and you don't need one of those fancy griddles or a special tool to spread the batter around. To get kids involved let them choose what fillings they want and they can create their own crepe.

Here is a basic crepe recipe:

• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup flour
• 3 tablespoons melted butter
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• if you are making sweet crepes, you can also add a couple tablespoons sugar and a tablespoon vanilla extract
• or if you are making savory crepes, you can add some finely chopped fresh herbs

1. In a blender, combine all ingredients and pulse for 10 seconds.
2. Place batter in refrigerator for at least an hour. This allows the bubbles to dissolve.
3. Heat small non-stick pan and add butter to coat. You will need something to measure out 1.5 ounces- I usually use a shot glass which is about the perfect size.
4. Pour 1.5 ounces of batter into the pan and swirl around to spread it evenly around. let cook for 30-60 seconds and flip the crepe. Cook for another 30-60 seconds. If you are using some ingredients you want to melt (like cheese) you can place them on the crepe while the second side is cooking.
5. Fill your crepes with whatever ingredients you desire and really get creative! You can roll your crepes like an enchilada, fold in halve or in fourths.

Filling Ideas:

• scrambled eggs
• grilled veggies- onions, zucchini, peppers
• cheese- brie, Comte, goat cheese
• meats- bacon, ham, turkey slices
• fruits- banana, apple, berries, peaches
• peanut butter or Nutella
• ice cream

I Heart Tarts

There was a point where I was obsessed with making tarts. It all started when I ran across Andre Soltner's recipe for his famous tart a l'oignon. Andre Soltner was born in 1932 in Alsace, France, where tarts such as this one, are traditional cuisine. Soltner is known for popularizing fine French cuisine in the United States. He became the chef-owner of Lutece, a fine French restaurant in Manhattan, and Lutece was famous not only for its chef, but for its tart a l'oignon, the exact onion tart that began my obsession.

You will need a couple things to make Soltner's Alsation Onion Tart: a tart pan and some patience (if you attempt to make your own pastry. You can always buy premade pie pastry. I won't judge you.). This thing took 4 hours in total to make the first time (I have since gotten much quicker)! But this is art and so worth the time and energy it took to make it. The ingredients are really simple, but all together, it's something much, much more. It's light and creamy, yet rich in flavor. The bacon doesn't over-power the onion, but compliments it perfectly.

For pastry:

• 2 cups flour
• 1 stick butter- cold and cut into small cubes
• 1/4 cup vegetable shortening
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons ice-cold water

For filling:

• 4 slices bacon (1/4 lb)- cut into small pieces
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 lbs onion, thinly sliced or chopped
• 1 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup creme fraiche or heavy cream
• 4 large eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1. First start by making the pastry. Blend together flour, butter, shortening, and salt in a bowl with a pastry blender or pulse in a food processor (I blended mine with a pastry paddle in my Kitchenaid). Blend just until most of mixture resembles course meal with small pea-size lumps. Drizzle with cold water and gently stir with a fork or pulse processor until incorporated.
2. Being careful not to over-mix, roll dough into ball, split in half, and wrap each ball in plastic to keep it from drying out. Put in fridge for at least an hour.
3. Roll dough out on floured surface with floured rolling-pin. Fit into a tart pan and trim excess dough. Put back into fridge for 30 minutes.
4. Line shell with tin foil and fill with pie weights (I used rice). Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Remove foil and weights and bake shell for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.
5. While the crust is cooking, start on the filling. Cook the bacon in large skillet over moderate heat until crisp. Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain and pour off bacon fat. Add butter to skillet and cook onions with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, until wilted. Cover skillet and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft and pale golden. Stir in bacon and remove from heat to cool.
6. Whisk together cream, eggs, nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Then stir in onion and bacon.
7. Pour filling into shell, spreading out onions evenly, and bake for 25-35 minutes. It's ready when the filling is set and the top is golden. 

I love that I can use a basic formula and add whatever ingredients I want to make my own tart. Here are a couple more of my favorite recipes.

Goat Cheese Tart
Here is a link to a friend's recipe for her goat cheese tart which inspired my own version: Sliced Strawberries' Goat Cheese Tart. I stuck with Soltner's pastry recipe and here is my filling:

• 1 cup finely chopped shallot and garlic
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 10 oz soft goat cheese
• 1 cup creme fraiche or heavy cream
• 4 large eggs
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1. Follow steps 1 through 4 from Soltner's recipe above.
2. While the crust is cooking, start on the filling. Saute the shallots and garlic in butter until fragrant and tender.
3. Mix together the goat cheese, cream, eggs, rosemary, salt and pepper until smooth. Mix in shallots and garlic. Pour filling into the shell and bake for 30-40 minutes. It's ready when the filling is set in the middle.

The Man Tart
This tart combines potato, onion, bacon, and Gruyère, but still manages to be light! I like to call this my "man tart" because men love it. For filling:

• 2-3 slices of bacon, chopped
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 medium potato, peeled and grated (with cheese grater, wring out excess water)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup Gruyère cheese, grated
• 1 cup creme fraiche or heavy cream
• 4 large eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1. Follow steps 1 through 4 from Soltner's recipe.
2. While the crust is cooking, start on the filling. Cook the bacon in large skillet over moderate heat until crisp. Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain and pour off bacon fat.
3. Add butter to skillet and cook onions with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, until wilted. Add potato and cook until tender.
4. Mix together the cream and eggs until smooth. Mix in the potato and onion mixture, the cheese, and the bacon. Pour filling into the shell and bake for about 30 minutes. It’s ready when the filling is set in the middle.

Delicious!