Breakaway Salmon

A couple of years ago, I was fortunate enough to meet Eric Gower, author of The Breakaway Cook. Not only is he a super nice guy, he cooks with a style that I love - non-fussy, simple, healthy, and with a lot of flavor. While some of his dishes have a Japanese influence from his years of living there, his style is focused not on any one culture, but what we can draw on from those cultures to turn the everyday into the extraordinary. We did a cooking class with him at one of my friends' homes a few years ago, and I will never forget the amazing fish that we made there - sushi-grade hamachi, roasted at a very high temperature, with excellent seasoning. So when it was time for me to make lunch for my friend Andrea a few weeks ago, I turned to his book.

I wanted to make something elegant, cost effective, easy, and special. So I settled on the Pomegranate-Glazed Salmon. It calls for pomegranate molasses, which is available online or at Middle Eastern stores, and sells for about $4.50 for a big bottle.

For the salmon fillets, I picked up some wild salmon (skin on) from Trader Joe's. I'm not always a huge fan of their meats, but the fish was great quality and not terribly expensive (about $11 for 2 large filets).

What a wonderful dish! It took no time at all, and was incredibly flavorful. I put it on a bed of Inca red quinoa from Ancient Harvest (available at Mollie Stone's), and it was filling but not heavy at all, and the color was gorgeous. We both had seconds, and there was even some left over. This is one that I will make over and over, and it lends itself to variations. I halved the recipe for 2 people, so the instructions below would easily serve 4. Don't worry about exact measurements - Breakaway style is not about numbers. Just look at the ratios and use your own judgement and taste.

Pomogranate-Glazed Salmon

• 4 4 oz. wild salmon fillets
• 1 T. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 T. pomegranate molasses
• Pinch of Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon, preferably Meyer
• 1 T. maple syrup
• 1 T. fresh chives

Preheat the oven to 500.

Rinse and thoroughly dry the fish, then place on an oiled broiling pan.

Spoon the oil evenly over the fillets, then do the same with the pomegranate molasses.

Dust liberally with salt and pepper.

Place the fish in the oven, and roast for about 10 minutes, until the top is nicely browned and crispy and the inside is barely done.

Meanwhile, put the lemon juice in a small cup, add the maple syrup, and mix. Spoon over the cooked fish, sprinkle on the chives and zest, and serve hot.

Eric is in the process of writing a vegetarian cookbook - I can't wait to see what he comes up with.

A Goji in Wolf's Clothing

Have you heard of Goji berries? Also known as "Wolfberries", they have been around for a long time, grown in either China or Tibet, and are highly regarded for their numerous health benefits - such as these that I copied from some site on the internet:

• protect the liver
  
• help eyesight
  
• improve sexual function and fertility
  
• strengthen the legs
  
• boost immune function
  
• improve circulation
  
• promote longevity

I first learned of them from my very health-conscious brother-in-law Dan a few years ago, and then saw them at Leaf in Sherman Oaks, a very cool raw food restaurant that I wish we had in San Francisco. They come dried, like raisins, and are usually pretty expensive, like $15.00 for a little bag. Then, a few months ago, I found a big bag of them in Chinatown for $4.50 and it's been sitting in my cupboard ever since. They're pretty good, kind of like a cross between a vegetable and a fruit (like a dried plum), but not something I would mindlessly pop into my mouth while watching reruns of "Sex & the City".


So I was very excited when Eric posted a recipe for "Sauteed Kale with Goji" this morning. I have been thinking of ways to incorporate more dark, leafy greens into my diet (thinking about it a lot since my doctor told me to!), and also looking for something that I could make quickly after yoga, when I am feeling both virtuous and ravenous. A big, fat sandwich just doesn't cut it - afterwards I feel naughty, lethargic and bloated - and you know how easily bored I am with big monotonous salads. I've tried going the protein shake route, but swilling down a Big Gulp of chemicals only staves off my hunger for about an hour, then I need to eat real food.

After yoga class today, I ran out and bought kale and onions, dusted off my unopened package of Goji berries, and voila! Yummy, healthy, gorgeous lunch in just a few minutes. I decided to add toasted walnuts for a little extra protein (although Goji berries already have a good amount), and the flavor and crunch worked really well. I ran out of regular olive oil, so I sauteed everything in Lemon olive oil and that added a nice brightness. The kale wilted nicely, and the berries taste far better when cooked a little. Basically, it's sauteed onions, kale, Goji berries, salt, and pepper (and toasted walnuts if you wish):


I love this dish. The photo shows steam rising from the bowl as it was just out of the pan, and I was so excited to snap the picture so I could eat it. It is my new Go-to Goji lunch of choice!

P.S. if you are already a Goji berry fan, check out this UK-based blog for news and recipes.

Cooking with Eric

Last week we had the much-anticipated private cooking class with Eric Gower, local chef & author of The Breakaway Cook, among other books. He has a unique style of cooking that incorporates techniques that he learned while living in Japan for 15 years, combined with a sort of California-style cuisine, and his own never-ending ingenuity. He is big on world flavors, and giving simple recipes a lift from "flavor blasts" to make the ordinary extraordinary.

What a great event! We decided to have it at Susan & Warren's house, since they have more than ample space, and a great kitchen. It was perfect for the 6 of us, plus Eric, to have room to move around and participate in the process.

We decided to do a wine pairing with each course, which of course was a great add and mood-enhancer, starting with Belgian beer and ending with some remarkably well-priced reds from K & L.

All of the food was fantastic, and seemed easy to make (after all of that wine, I kind of lost track a little...). Here is the menu from that evening, and the dishes that we made:


Japanese Cucumber with Miso and Pomegranate Molasses:


Soft Tofu with Ume Vinegar and Maccha Salt:


Toro Crostini with Avocado and Yuzu:


Fava Salad with Pickled Ginger and Roasted Almonds:


Plating dinner:


Roasted Hamachi with Miso and Apricot:


Roasted Hamachi with Winter Greens Ohitashi-Style, Beet "Tartare", Unplain Rice


Strawberries with Lavender, Lemon, and Greek Yogurt:


The best part was the easy camaraderie between all of us and Eric, from enjoying the food and telling stories at the table. And that is the point of all of this wonderful cooking anyway, to get it on the table with a minimum of effort, so that you can spend your time enjoying it and the company of your friends, both old and new.

New World/Old World Truffles

I was successful at finding organic, decent-grade Maccha at Nijiya Market, so I spent an afternoon trying my hand at truffles, and they were a great success! I brought them to Susan's party, and complete strangers were introducing themselves to me after finding out that I had made them from scratch. One very generous woman told me that they were the best truffles that she had ever had - she even took one home to her husband!

Once I got the hang of rolling them, they were not difficult to make. Messy, but in a fun way, like making mud pies. One adjustment to the recipe that I made was to roll them in cocoa powder after forming them, but I have since talked to Eric and that was the correct thing to do - it will be corrected in future editions of the Breakaway Cook. I also dusted them with Maccha and then finished them with kosher salt.

Maccha Truffles
1 C. heavy cream
1/4 C. maple syrup
2 T. brown sugar
2 T. maccha
12 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
Pinch of Maccha salt or kosher salt

- bring the cream to a simmer in a small saucepan over gentle heat, add the maple syrup and brown sugar, and stir until dissolved, about 2 min.
- add 1 T. of maccha, stir until dissolved, set aside.
- place the chocolate in a large mixing bowl and pour in the cream mixture
- mix thoroughly and and pour onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, smooth it out with a rubber spatula
- cool in the refrigerator for about an hour
- scoop out a heaping teaspoonful and make a ball using your palms (* then roll in cocoa powder to coat - *my addition). Place on a tray or plate and dust with the remaining tablespoon of maccha. Use all of the chocolate, which will yield about 40-50 truffles.
- top with a light sprinkling of kosher salt

Cooking Out of the Box

I realize that I am well past 101 Cookbooks at this point. But in this case, a cookbook (and cook) found me!

Eric Gower contacted me on Facebook to introduce me to his blog, which is a offers a tasty glimpse at his life in modern, world-influenced cooking. From the first look, I was intrigued. Flavor, color, and a minimum of ingredients dominate. In several posts, "umami" is discussed and demonstrated with inventive, healthy, and easy to prepare recipes.

For a quick visual explanation of umami, I give you the FlavorWheel - more on this later, but it is plays a key role what Eric is into now, and is a term that is getting a lot of attention in the cooking world. He has also coined the term "flavor blasts" to describe the exotic punch of taste that he likes to add to a dish. For example, combining maccha powder with coarse sea salt to create maccha salt, a flavor enhancer which can be added to poached eggs or even chocolate to add a new and interesting dimension.


I had to wait for over a week to receive my cookbook, as it is on backorder and understandably in demand. Now it floats between the kitchen and my bedside table for access at all times. The photography is stunning, and the recipes all look amazing. This is truly a book for the home chef - someone who wants to cook unique and delicious meals, from what exists in the vegetable bowl from a visit to the farmer's market. I like the simplicity of the ingredients and instructions, and the fact that there is some technique, but it is not overwhelming.

Eric spent 15 years in Japan learning to cook in tiny kitchens, and clearly his style shows his love of food and tenacity in teaching himself to create new dishes that are influenced by, but not confined to, many cultures. I don't know many people in San Francisco that don't have kitchen challenges - a lot of us live in old houses, without much counter space, and with a motley crew of equipment in our arsenal. But what he teaches us is that it is not fancy gadgets that create great meals - it is us. And good, creative food does not have to be complicated. These are lessons that I look forward to being taught again and again.

I am working on putting together a group of people for a private lesson with Eric - that should be a real treat. Stay tuned, and I promise that exiting things are in store. And now, could you please pass the maccha salt?