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Realfilf Featured in the Wall Street Journal

April 18th, 2010 · San Francisco

Before you send your heartfelt congratulations, maybe the title of this post should’ve been: “Realfilf Spotted at Cafe Claude.” Screw it.

Here’s the story:

Earlier in the month, I was contacted by an important executive from a large multi-national software company. He asked if a lunch meeting could be arranged to discuss matters of great importance.  We chose to rendezvous at Cafe Claude. Nestled in a small alley off the beaten path, Cafe Claude assured the privacy needed to talk serious business.

I knew something was afoul when I arrived.  The maître d was tense and the wait staff seemed more buttoned up than usual.  Was the placed bugged? Had we been followed? Or was the staff just nervous?  I get that sometimes.  My associate arrived and we were seated at the corner table we’d requested.  Just then, as I was handed the menu, I noticed some commotion near the door.  A woman was setting up a tripod.  We were made!

Despite making the reservation under an alias, I suspect a mole tipped off the management at Cafe Claude that the Realfilf blogger would make an appearance.  In turn, Cafe Claude must have tipped off the Wall Street Journal to get some extra cred for my appearance as a food critic (not a business person).  Don’t let the title of the Wall Street Journal article fool you. This is all about Realfilf, of course.

Nonetheless, I can assure you that Cafe Claude still “has it.” You can see the entire Wall Street Journal slideshow and article here.

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I’ll Smoke Anything

April 17th, 2010 · Tools, recipes, salmon

Well not really, not anymore anyways….

I have started smoking salmon with my new Camerons stovetop smoker.  This is a great kitchen tool and easy-to-use too.  Just rinse it off and get busy.  Add wood chips to the basin, put a piece of fish on the grill, seal the lid and put the entire contraption on the stove over medium heat for 20 or so minutes and bam!

I marinaded the salmon for an hour.  Here’s the marinade recipe:

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons of orange juice

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon crush red chili flakes

1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

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Vik’s Chaat Corner, South Indian Chaos

April 4th, 2010 · Curry, Indian, casual, comfort food, street food

There’s an old warehouse in a sleepy corner of Berkeley where flocks of people from all walks of life race to eat made-to-order South Indian street food. The experience is dizzying. Grab a menu, get in line, and get prepared to order – fast! Do some recon while in line because you’re going need a place to sit – and so does everyone else. There’s no table service.  A loudspeaker summons you to a huge counter in front of an open kitchen to pick up your order. Welcome to Vik’s Chaat. It’s time to strap on some spice.

The menu of  dish descriptions includes vignettes from daily life in South India – there’s the one about the grandma that grinds lentils for dumplings and another tale of the street vendors selling fiery, puffed puris filled with spiced water. These stories bring a sense authenticity to the food – and from what I’ve heard, it’s close to the real deal. Despite the school cafeteria style room with bright yellow walls and the Slumdog Millionaire soundtrack blaring in the background, you do feel like you are in the chaos of South India.

Pani Puir

As a first timer, I may have been a bit “ambitious” with my order at Vik’s.  I was swayed by all sorts of new dishes that I’d never heard of from the Chaat menu. We tried dahi pakori: ground lentil dumplings dipped in yogurt then topped with mint and tamarind chutneys. As KU put it, they seemed well executed but the sour yogurt may require an acquired taste to really enjoy.  We had a similar tasting plate of pani puri: a hollow puff pastry dumpling stuffed with potatoes and garabanzo beans, filled with mint water, and then topped with a healthy does of tamarind chutney.  Aside from the texture, these taste a lot like the pakoris.

dosa at Vik's Chaat

On the more conventional front, we ordered fish kabobs that were fried and served with onions and chutney. It’s tough not to enjoy fried fish- fried anything for that matter.  Rushed during the ordering process, I’d meant to order fish tandoori and likely would’ve enjoyed the preperation more. By far the best decision I made was to order a dosa. Vik’s stuffs they’re light, savory crepes with a spicy filling of potatoes, peas and carrots seasoned with a turmeric and coriander rich masala. Dipped in the accompanying sambar, soup-like South Indian sytle lentils, and chutney Vik’s dosas are worth the trip and the chaos by themselves.

Vik’s is located at 2390 4th St in Berkeley.

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Please Pass the Pickled Peppers

March 14th, 2010 · Uncategorized, condiments, pickles, pickling, recipes

This a simple pickling method. Just fill a jar (s) with peppers, bring the pickling liquid to a boil. Let it cool and pour it over the peppers – done.  I recommend letting them sit in the fridge for a week or so before use. Let them mellow out a bit.  They’ll keep for a couple of weeks.

Pickling Liquid
sherry vinegar
champagne vinegar
sugar
salt
2 bay leaves
3 tablespoons whole coriander
2 teaspoon cumin seeds
10-15 cloves garlic (can’t have enough pickled garlic)
3 tablespoons whole  black peppercorns
3 tablespoons whole white peppercorns
1 to 2  pounds chilies

Fill jar (s) with chilies and add water. Pour off the water into a measuring cup. Record the volume, pour off half the water and replace it with vinegar. I use half sherry vinegar and half champagne vinegar. Add 2 tablespoons sugar and 2 tablespoons salt for every three cups of liquid.

Combine the liquid, spices and garlic in a non-reactive pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, then let cool . Pour the  liquid over the peppers, seal the jar and refrigerate.

This time around, I used two types of chilies:  ”cherry bombs” aka “big bombs” aka “hotter than hell peppers” and jalapenos.  The jalapenos turned out great.  I’ve been using them in salsas and salads.  The cherry bombs are another story. They’re  irresponsibly hot. The pickled garlic also turned out great. I made a simple relish out of diced jalapenos and garlic.

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How to Make Spicy Dill Pickles: Experiment One

February 25th, 2010 · pickles, pickling

I have a thing for pickles.  Get your frickin’ mind out of the gutter – pickles as in dill pickles. Recently, I started paying more attention to “pickling” recipes particularly those from Michael Symon and Thomas Keller.  After consulting Harold McGee to learn a little about the science of pickling, I started my first modest experiment.  The experiment was a success.  Here’s how it works.

Ingredients:

5 tablespoons of sea salt

1 bunch of fresh dill

15 cloves of garlic, some crushed

1 lb of pickling cucumbers

2 tablespoons of hot chili flakes ( I used some Bhutanese stuff KU brought home from her recent trip)

1/2 cup white vinegar

1 half gallon jar that you can seal completely.

Combine 6-7 cups of water with the dill, salt, vinegar, garlic and chili flakes in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.

Put the Cucumbers in the jar and pour brine mixture over the cucumbers.  Make sure they are completely submerged in the liquid.

Seal the  jar and store it in a cool place to begin fermentation process.  Don’t open the jar for at least one week.  I waited 8 days.  The longer you leave them in the brine, the more sour they’ll become.

Now, drain the liquid brine mixture into a sauce pan setting aside the cucmbers.  Bring the brine to a boil again and then let cool back to room temperature.  Pour the brine back over the pickles.  I’ve read that the pickles will last in the refrigerator for about a month.

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Vietnam Street Sandwich Recap

February 6th, 2010 · Reviews, Sandwich, Silf, Travel, Vietnam, Vietnamese, condiments, street food

slinging banh mi

A couple of weeks before I left for Vietnam, my buddy, Mike, and I visited the acclaimed Saigon Sandwich in San Francisco. I hadn’t tried a Vietnamese sandwich before. After washing down my first “banh mi” with a couple of red beers, Mike suggested that I write a follow up post reporting on any sandwich findings in Vietnam.

Armed with a camera, notebook, map, and full cache of imodium, I toured Vietnam on a mission for authentic sandwich experiences. Here’s what I found: There’s no right way to fix a bahn mi. All the street sandos  in Vietnam had a couple of hallmark staples – a crunchy French roll, cilantro, pickled vegetables, and some variety of pork – oh, and some secret sauces too.  But, each vendor also offered their own tricks, separating their sandos from the guy’s down the street. Whether it’s a splash of fish sauce, a slathering of mayo, a squirt of chili sauce or a slice of pate, every sandwich is unique.

Since I was never really sure what I was going to get, I’d order and then hover closely as each sandwich was made, asking questions, snapping pictures, trying to exact the ingredients.   The folks making the bahn mi always embraced my enthusiasm, freely sharing their specialties with a warm smile, which very much represented the welcoming nature of the Vietnamese culture and people.

So here it is, the Realfilf Vietnamese street sandwich recap.

Banh My Van

Banh My Van, Hanoi: I’d done a little research on banh mi before visiting Vietnam. Coincidentally, the NY Times published a snippet on street eats in Hanoi 3 weeks before I left.  This is how I learned about doner kebabs, the newest variation of bahn mi sweeping Hanoi. Against, KU’s repeated warnings, I ordered a doner kabab with all the fixins’: uncooked vegetables, mayo, all of it.  How could I resist? Slices of roasted pork cut from a spit, pickled slaw, chili sauce, cilantro, cucumber and mayo all tucked into a crunchy baguette and then heated in what resembled a panini press. A Western preparation adjusted to Vietnamese tastes, the doner kabab reminded me of a South East Asian version of a sandwich from Mr. Hero. Dirty.

banh mi from the cart lady, Hoi An

The Cart Lady, Hoi An:  After fighting throngs of Western tourists and pushy locals, I was ready for a snack. Just then she appeared – the cart lady – pushing her mobile sando unit towards me as if I were the only one on the street. As she got closer, she grabbed a long torpedo shaped baguette, split it and started filling it: a smear of chicken pate,  a layer of mayo, a couple of squirts of chili sauce, slices of roasted pork, a handful of shredded cabbage, cilantro, and a couple of spoonfuls of fish sauce. Bam! Wrapped up to go in a square of newspaper, the cart lady’s street sando was everything I could’ve hoped for -savory, spicy, rich and satisfying.

banh mi from Phuong, Hoi An

Phuong, Hoi An: There are two universal indicators of a good sandwich shop – a good supply chain and good ingredients. Phuong is the real deal. Watching the three person assembly line work with a medley of fresh ingredients is like going to the Cirque de Sole de bahn mi.

The sandwich artists at Phuong fill their crunchy torpedoes with an incredible variety of delicious ingredients.  I ordered what amounted to the Godfather, the torta con todos, the supreme combos of combos: a pat of pork pate, a slice of ham,  pieces of roasted duck and pork, a spoonful of garlic sauce, a squirt of chili sauce, a squirt of mayo,  a few pickled cucumbers, a couple of sprigs of cilantro and a ladle of fish sauce.  This was  hands down the best street eat I had in Vietnam. I went back three times to make sure I was accurate. And, yes, Phuong’s banh mi are the bomb.

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San Francisco White Bean and Roasted Pepper Chicken Chili

January 27th, 2010 · San Francisco, casual, chili, comfort food, recipes

White Bean and Roasted Pepper Chicken Chili

Lately, it’s been downright cold and rainy in San Francisco.  This hearty combination of white beans, 5 types of roasted peppers, roasted tomatoes, chicken, and plenty of spices hits the spot after walking around with wet feet all day. Slow cooked and finished with white cheddar cheese, cilantro and green onions, this makes a great winter “bowl meal” (thanks Ben).

I use a slow cooker for this recipe.  A crockpot will work but, you may need to cut the recipe a bit.  I make about 10-12 servings at a time so I can freeze some for the next cold spell.

Ingredients:

4 dried guajillo peppers, toasted

2 dried ancho chilies, toasted

3 poblano chilies, roasted

3 jalapeños, roasted

1 red bell pepper, roasted

1 large yellow onion, diced

6 cloves of garlic, diced

2 lbs of chicken (skinless thigh meat works best), cut into 1/2 cubes

1/2 lb @6 cups dried white beans (3 12 oz cans of canned white beans)

2 cans of San Marzano whole tomatoes, roasted

2 tbs coriander seeds, toasted and crushed

2 tbs smoked paprika

3 tbs cumin

2 tbs ancho chili powder

1 tbs ground mustard

3 tbs chili powder ( I used some stuff that KU brought back from Bhutan)

1 1/2 tbs hickory salt (substitute sea salt)

2 tbs ground black pepper

1 tsp unsweetened cocoa  powder (Scharffenberger if available)

1/2 cinnamon stick

1/2 cup olive oil

24 oz chicken broth

Instructions

If you’re using dried beans, soak them over night in water. Make sure the water covers the beans by about 2 inches. Otherwise, use canned beans.  Be sure to drain and rinse them well before use.

Roasting the peppers: Roast the peppers on a grill if possible. Just lightly toast the dried chilies until they start to discolor, about a minute a side. Roast the remaining peppers, turning occasionally until their skin is almost completed charred.  If a grill isn’t available broil the peppers on a baking sheet in the oven (broiler), turning occasionally until the skins are blistered and browned on all sides.  When finished roasting, place the peppers in a paper bag and let them cool.   Take the dried chilies and put them in a bowl with hot water to rehydrate (30 mins).

Roasting the tomatoes: Pour the tomatoes in a large mixing bowl preserving the sauce.  With tongs, place the tomatoes on the hot grill, turning occasionally until grill marks appear on all sides.  Follow the same procedure if you are roasting in the broiler.  The tomatoes should take on some color but not be charred like the peppers. When finished, put the roasted tomatoes back in their sauce and crush with a spoon or spatula.

Now heat some olive oil in large heavy pot  and add the onion and garlic.  Cook until translucent, about 5 minutes on medium heat. Add to slow cooker.  Cut the chicken into 1/2 inch cubes add to the same pot you used for the onions with some olive oil and brown on all sides without cooking all the way through. Cook in batches. Add the browned chicken to the slow cooker.

Now remove the skin on the peppers with your fingers.  You can cheat a little by wiping off the skin with a paper towel. You don’t need to get all the skin off, just most of it.  Once the skin is removed, remove the stem and ribs and most of the seeds and dice. Add to the slow cooker.  Take the now rehydrated chilies, remove the stems and dice, combine with the other ingredients in the slow cooker.

Drain the beans and add to the slow cooker. Now add chicken broth to the mixture followed by all of your spices.  I usually only add half the salt at first as I like to adjust salt towards the end.

Now that you have all of your ingredients in the slow cooker, cook on high for about 3 hours stirring occasionally.  The best way to judge if your chili is ready is to taste the beans. If they’re tender after about 2 hours, you should be good to go.  Adjust spices to taste and you’re about ready to eat.  If you want a little thicker chili, as I typically do, I take a couple of ladles of the chili and put it in the food processor then dump it back in with the rest – little trick to thicken it up.  Use an immersion blender if you have one.

I like to garnish the chili with shredded white cheddar, cilantro and green onions.  I’m also not afraid to add a bit (or ton) of hot sauce.

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Cau Lau: What’s in that Well Water?

January 23rd, 2010 · Travel, Vietnam, Vietnamese, street food

cau lau

Overrun with lurky-lou, Western tourists and vocal merchants hocking chopsticks, t-shirts, and everything in between, Hoi An is said to be Vietnam’s foodiest town. I’m still on the fence on that one. It seems that most of the restaurants here serve the same unimaginative menu catering to bargain conscious tourists.

Ignoring maniacal menu waiving restaurant recruiters, I managed to find a safe haven from the crowds of trinket hunters and aggressive street vendors. Reputed to have some of  the best cau lao, Hoi An’s infamous noodle dish, Restaurant Cafe 96 is literally a hole in the wall. When it comes to food and especially, restaurants, this is another lesson in “don’t judge a book by it’s cover”.

A combination of flat, doughy noodles, slices of fried pork, bean sprouts, thin croutons, and fresh herbs, the locals claim that the dish can’t be replicated outside of town because the water used in the dish must be drawn from Hoi An’s Ba Le well.  Mixed with a hint of soy sauce, nước mắm, broth and ample chili sauce, cau lau is a simple yet distinctively Vietnamese tasting dish and quite a treat.  I’m surprised the local  entrepreneurs haven’t started bottling Ba Le well water. If it can make noodles taste so good, I would’ve left Hoi An with a souvenir.


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Sticking With the Devil You Know

January 19th, 2010 · San Francisco, condiments

Bonnies and Fernet - Devils

The usual suspects and I were out on Saturday night.  After a beers, we decided to eat. This, in it of itself, is blog worthy. We’ve been known to drink our dinner.

It was raining so we just stayed in the neighborhood and hit up our local. Met by a familiar face and a Fernet,  we all ordered burgers, best to go with the devil you know. One of the lads requested some grilled jalapeños for his burger, a respectable request. But, I could tell by the way the bartender said that she’d “try”, it wasn’t going to happen.  The cook, a notoriously stubborn bastard who is also known to grossly over salt everything, isn’t into pleasuring such requests.  In fact, instead just ignoring the appeal, he sent out a plate of raw Scotch Bonnets, one of the hottest peppers on the planet. I interpreted this as the kitchen’s way of saying, don’t order shit that’s not on the menu- tow the line nerds.

You’re probably expecting some story about the heat, the shrieks, the rooster tails. Nah,they ate ‘em, not all of ‘em but, enough.  My buddy with the fabulously irresponsible palate even sliced one up stuck it in his burger. Though he didn’t get his jalapeños, he got some heat and he denied the kitchen even the hint of a sadistic thrill. Me, I stuck with Fernet, the devil I know.


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Buns on Wheels

January 16th, 2010 · Travel, Vietnamese, street food

Everyone has stumbled into good eats at one time or another.  But, how often do they find you? In a place like Vietnam with such an abundance of street food it was bound to happen.

One afternoon, KU and I were exploring  Hoi An when we spotted some sort of cart pedaling towards us. KU was quick on the draw.  ”Look little bun cake things. I’m getting one! The bun cake things were  bahn bao, steamed, fist sized dumplings filled with bbq’d pork, bits of sausage, mushrooms and hard boiled egg. We quickly realized why bahn bao is so popular in Vietnam. They’re the perfect snack. As my friend Larry would say, those buns were “bangin’”!


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