Tag Archive: Seafood

Seafood & Wine: The Perfect Combination

Monday, July 5, 19990

Q San Francisco
July 1999
Pages 54-55

Seafood & Wine: The Perfect Combination

seafoodwineWhen I was a trifle younger, during my early days at college, I maintained this fantasy that I would be a marine biologist – the next Jacques Cousteau – traipsing around the world on my boat (the Calypso) and making documentary films about wet guys in speedos who just happened to be surrounded by colorful, tasty fish. Unfortunately, I soon learned that marine biologists tend to be far more interested in how fish dine than in how we dine on fish. While the other students were busy fishing for research grants, I was busy fishing for lunch.

This love of fish and shellfish have had a profound influence on my culinary life. I could never be completely vegetarian – never again to flake apart a perfectly roasted sea bass gives me more nightmares than a visit to a cattle feedlot. I also could never keep kosher – the thought of giving up a roasted lobster with drawn butter negates all the points I could earn giving up roast suckling pig. I can’t even consider what it would do to my psyche to pop my next bottle of riesling without a dozen raw oysters at the ready.

England without fish and chips. France without sole meuniere and bouillabaisse. Spain without paella or mariscada. Italy without baccala. All of latin America without ceviche. The U.S. without Mrs. Paul’s. It just won’t do. So there you have it. We’re stuck with seafood. There’s really nothing we can do about it. So tuck that lobster bib in and get your plates ready.

I started going through my menus from the last year to try and pick something to present here, but I quickly became overwhelmed by the choices before me. Lobster souffle with blood orange-wasabi hollandaise; warm sea scallops with heart of palm and white truffle oil; pan-seared butterfish with daikon pudding and mentaiko sauce; pancetta wrapped salmon and tuna roll; salmon, eggplant & sweet basil lasagna; flounder with roasted corn and coconut-lime dressing; cured swordfish with tapenade; red-cooked red snapper with jicama, bamboo & oyster mushrooms; blue-cooked mackeral with root vegetables and tomato-bacon dressing; roasted tuna with peach scales & matsutake ragout; sesame fried soft-shell crabs & grilled spring onions. Where could I even begin?

In anticipation of the many days for love, relaxtion and feasting that this season provides, I decided on a perfect little summer dish.

Salad of Roasted Lobster, Mango, Oscetra Caviar and Cauliflower Cream

4 live lobsters, 1-1½ pounds each
2 mangoes, peeled and diced
1-2 ounces of oscetra caviar
1 small head of cauliflower or one 8 ounce package frozen
1 lime
1 cup of heavy cream
salt
white pepper
mixed edible flowers for garnish

You want your lobster as fresh as possible, so I recommend obtaining them live. Line them up on a sheet pan, put the pan in the oven, turn it on, to 400°F, go outside and have a cocktail to steady your nerves. Roast till done – about 20-25 minutes. They’ll be bright red, and they’ll be cooked.

Let them cool. Remove the tails and claws from the shells, as intact as possible. If any of the lobsters have coral or tamale (the red and green stuff in the main body, respectively, eggs and liver), reserve these to add to the sauce.

Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil. If using a fresh cauliflower, break apart into florets. Boil till tender. Take the rind of the lime (just the green, scrape off as much of the white pith as possible) and chop it finely in a food processor. Add the cauliflower florets, and, if there was any, the coral and tamale from the lobsters. Puree. Add the cream a little at a time till you have a consistency similar to mayonnaise. Season to your personal taste with salt, white pepper and approximately 1 teaspoon of the juice from the lime.

Artfully, and now is the time to bring all those hours of watching Martha to bear, arrange the lobster tails (I like to slice it in half inch slices and line them up) and claws on the plate, one lobster per person. Pour sauce, again with all your creative flair, in some pattern on the plate. Scatter the mango dice and flowers here and there. Top with spoonfuls of the caviar. Have another cocktail for your efforts. Eat. Serves four.

Choosing the Right Wine

White wine with fish. Right? Says who? Not that, in general, you’d go wrong with such a match, but let’s face it, whomever first propounded this rule did it just to make it easier to sell white wine. There’s no earthly reason that fish, shellfish, and red wine can’t be perfect bedfellows. Some of the most fish-rich regions of the world have incredible red wines that work perfectly with their local marine cuisine. Sure you might not want a dover sole in lemon butter with a bottle of youthful Côte Rôtie, but you might just want a roasted sea bass bayaldi.

A perfect pairing with the roasted lobster salad is a pinot noir based sparkling wine. My two favorites to serve with this dish are Argyle’s Cuvee Limited Rosé and Schug’s Rouge de Noir, respectively from Oregon and California.

Pinot noir is undoubtedly one of the most fish-friendly reds. Some recent standouts: Whisson Lake Pinot Noir from South Australia, Alain Gueneau Sancerre Rouge from the Loire Valley, and Domaine Saint-Martin Marsanny “Finottes” from Burgundy. Lighter, more elegant styled zinfandels are also a great match for many fish dishes, especially those with spicy accompaniments. Bald Mountain, Rabbit Ridge and Marietta Cellars have some truly wonderful offerings that work brilliantly with seafood.

A few other random choices that I’ve thought paired beautifully with my latest marine biology projects… Paul Bernard Fleurie, a cru Beaujolais, based on the gamay grape; Castel de Paolis “I Quattro Mori”, a blend of syrah, merlot, cabernet and petite verdot; Reignac “Cuvée Spéciale” from Bordeaux, a cabernet based blend; Vega Sindoa “El Chaparral”, an old-vine grenache from Navarra in Spain; any of Bava’s Barbera d’Alba selections; and an unusual, but absolutely delicious wine from California, Terre Rouge Mourvedre.

Q San Francisco magazine premiered in late 1995 as a ultra-slick, ultra-hip gay lifestyle magazine targeted primarily for the San Francisco community. It was launched by my friends Don Tuthill and Robert Adams, respectively the publisher and editor-in-chief, who had owned and run Genre magazine for several years prior. They asked me to come along as the food and wine geek, umm, editor, for this venture as well. In order to devote their time to Passport magazine, their newest venture, they ceased publication of QSF in early 2003.

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Magazine articles, Q San Francisco

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Passion foods

Wednesday, March 5, 19970

Q San Francisco
March 1997
Pages 42-43

passionfoodsIn preparing to write this column I turned first to that indispensable aid, the VCR. Finding a direct link was easy as I watched with eyes as glazed as candied carrots the preparations in Like Water for Chocolate; Babette’s Feast; Eat Drink Man Woman; and The Wedding Banquet. Passion Fish, while enjoyable, was not as helpful; okra gumbo may inspire some to great heights, but I doubt they are heights of passion. Pedro Almodovar’s Labyrinth of Passion gave me some amusing ideas, though few of them were about food. A young Antonio Banderas as a sort of spindly Islamic bloodhound was kind of fun.

Passion and food have been inextricably linked throughout the ages. Whether as a means of seduction – “The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach” – as an aphrodisiac – “it may be true that a diet based on food and drinks that expand the blood vessels predisposes one to amorous behavior” – or as a simple sex aid as in the case of whipped cream in a can.

Tomatoes were once known as “love apples.” Passion fruit is, well, passion fruit. Generally, those foods thought to engender passion were those that were expensive, and therefore, likely to impress the object of one’s desire. Truffles, foie gras, caviar, champagne, flamingo tongues; that sort of thing. Exotica were also fair game, especially in the world of spices where the filaments of 70,000 or more saffron crocuses are required to put together a pound of saffron, or where Chinese merchants skim the intestinal secretions of sperm whales off the surface of tropical seas to make ambergris. Personally, I have some ideas that involve homemade nachos and a two-liter bottle of RC Cola, but those will have to wait for another column.

My favorite foods for passion are lobster, caviar, and roses. I love Mediterranean cooking, whether Italian, Spanish, Moroccan or elsewhere. Somewhere along the line it became necessary to put all of these together into one dish:

Passion Risotto

2 lobsters, (approximately
1 pound each, preferably live)
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 large tomatoes
1 medium onion
1 bunch scallions
6 dried apricots, chopped
2 ounces pistachios (unsalted, no shells)
1 tablespoon cinnamon
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon whole peppercorns
2 whole star anise
1 teaspoon rosewater
1 red rose
1 cup arborio rice
2 teaspoons caviar (the best you can afford)

Okay, here’s the tough part. The lobsters are alive. For the non-squeamish, take a large, heavy knife and simply cut them in half, starting from the head back to the tail. For the squeamish, have your seafood supplier do it for you. Place on a sheet pan, cut side up, drizzle with half the olive oil and roast in oven at 375 degrees until the shells are red and the meat is cooked through. Remove from oven and let cool. Take the meat out of the shells. Set aside two of the tail halves. Chop the remaining tail and claw meat coarsely.

Break the shells up and put them in a large saucepan or stockpot with all but one of the scallions. Slice the tomatoes in quarters and add to the pot. Add peppercorns and star anise. Cover with one quart of water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for one hour. Strain the stock and discard the solids.

Finely chop the onion. Heat a large pan over medium heat. Add the remaining two tablespoons of oil, the onions and a pinch of salt. Sauté, stirring regularly, till onions are translucent and soft. Add dry rice and stir to coat with oil and onion mixture. For the next 20-25 minutes, you will have to continually stir the rice around to cook evenly, as you add the reserved lobster stock, one ladleful at a time (approximately one cup each time). After each addition of liquid, continue cooking till it is completely absorbed. The rice is done when it is soft but just slightly chewy and has a bit of creaminess from the starch in the liquid. At this point, add the chopped lobster meat, pistachios, the chopped apricots, cinnamon, and rosewater. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide in two portions, top each with one of the reserved lobster tail halves, warmed. Garnish with the last scallion finely chopped, the rose petals and one teaspoon each of caviar.

Since champagne is a must in the world of passion, I recommend my favorite with this dish, Champagne de Venoge Princesse Rosé, a wonderful gold-pink sparkler that will light up your evening.

Q San Francisco magazine premiered in late 1995 as a ultra-slick, ultra-hip gay lifestyle magazine targeted primarily for the San Francisco community. It was launched by my friends Don Tuthill and Robert Adams, respectively the publisher and editor-in-chief, who had owned and run Genre magazine for several years prior. They asked me to come along as the food and wine geek, umm, editor, for this venture as well. In order to devote their time to Passport magazine, their newest venture, they ceased publication of QSF in early 2003.

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Seduction Dinner

Monday, February 5, 19960

Q San Francisco
February/March 1996
Pages 42-43

Seduction Dinner

The lights are low. No, the lights are off. Candles lit on a beautiful cloth draped table. Crystal glasses. China plates. Real silver. Your best Peggy Lee album is moaning away in the background. The date of your dreams is already sitting at the table.

This is not the moment to bring out the reheated takeout food from the shop down the street. This is your moment to star, to shine, to seduce. You want to be loved not only for you, but your culinary prowess. You want to be introduced to friends not only as cute, smart, and funny, but as someone who can cook, too.

It should look like you worked at it. And you should use every aphrodisiac known to man. Well, at least a few of them. Oysters, caviar, roses, chocolate. Sounds like a winner. I’m going to make this as painless as possible. A four-course seduction dinner that can be made by anyone, whether frying pan challenged or a whisk master.

I should warn you. This is a no expense spared dinner. After all, this is a special night. What’s a couple of weeks’ paychecks in exchange for eternal (or at least a long weekend) happiness? You spent more last month on club entrance fees.

First, the oysters and caviar. Actually, first, the champagne. Pop for a half bottle of Krug Grand Cuvèe. If you want to go domestic, and/or a bit less pricey, and make a subtle (not very) hint, pour out some Iron Horse Vineyards Blanc de Noirs “Wedding Cuvee.” Now just skip dinner and go straight for the bedroom…

Most importantly, have your fishmonger open the oysters for you. There’s nothing worse than struggling to open a dozen fresh oysters in your own kitchen. You probably don’t have an oyster blade and it’s no fun anyway. Just buy them that afternoon.

Now the best thing you could have here would be one of those great cast iron plates on a wood base like you get at the local Sizzler. Otherwise, use a heavy pan. Cover the plate or pan with the salt, about 1/8 inch deep. Set the oysters, each on a half shell, into the salt. Drizzle with champagne. Top with a quick grind of white pepper. Throw it all in a 450 degree oven for five minutes till the oysters just firm up. Top each with a small (demitasse) spoonful of caviar, and serve you and your intended a half dozen apiece.

The next course is the easiest one. It’s taken from an old Italian recipe. I think old Italian women use it to snare husbands for their daughters. It works on non-Italians too.

You have to pluck the rose. That’s all there is to it. It will be a moment to indulge in your Morticia Adams fantasies. Pull those petals right off the flower. Rinse them and dry them.

I prefer serrano ham to prosciutto, but I leave it up to you. Spread the slices out in a fan on your nicest china salad plate. Drizzle with oil and vinegar. Coarsely crack the peppercorns and sprinkle over the plate. Casually strew some marjoram leaves and rose petals over the dish. Serve.

To bring out the rose and spice flavors in this dish, I recommend a Gewurztraminer. This grape is often referred to as the “Don Juan of Alsace,” Alsace being its ancestral home. Women (and occasionally men) are said to swoon just from a sip. My favorite from Alsace comes from Marcel Deiss at his Altenberg vineyards. If your aim is a little closer to home try the Martinelli or Sakonnet Vineyards Gewurztraminer, respectively from California and Rhode Island.

The main course is always the hardest, which is why I left the first two easy. Combining the proverbial partridge, an aphrodisiacal bird if ever there was one, and chocolate, which may just be the queen of seduction, this classic Spanish recipe had better turn the trick, as it were…

If you can’t get partridges, well, let’s face it, you’re not the shopper we thought you were. You can, however, substitute one game hen and split it. Rub the birds with one of the tablespoons of oil. Bake in a roasting pan at 375 degrees for half an hour.

Meanwhile, saute the garlic and onion in the remaining two tablespoons of oil till just golden. Add the wine and cook till it pretty much evaporates. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer over low heat for half an hour. When the birds have baked for thirty minutes, take them out and put them in the pan with the sauce. Continue to simmer, turning the birds, for another 15 minutes. Serve.

This dish calls for something a bit bold to go with the chocolate, garlic and onions in the sauce, but elegant enough for both the partridges and the mood of the evening. Coming from the Bordeaux side of the world, I’d pick Chateau Kirwan from Margaux. From way south of our borders, Bodegas Weinert Cabernet Sauvignon would be high on my list. And for those inclined domestically, I think I’d grab a bottle of William Baccala Estate Merlot.

For dessert, I recommend going light. Remember, you want to have enough energy for after dinner activities. We’ve already filled up with three dishes of food. Poached fruit is the way to go. And what could be more classically seductive than figs and honey?

Melt butter in frying pan over low heat and gently saute the figs for 2 minutes. Mix honey, amaretto and nutmeg together and add to pan. Simmer until amaretto has evaporated and sauce is thickened. Serve warm with a large spoonful of whipped cream. Save the rest of the whipped cream for your after dinner activities.

This is a moment for a small glass of classic sherry. This dish works especially well with E. Lustau Solera Reserva “San Emilio.” In the “also works” category would be a top Vin Santo from Italy, the most prized of which would be Avignonesi Vin Santo Occhio del Pernice. George Bernard Shaw once said, “There is no love sincerer than the love of food.” Starting from there, just imagine your second date…

Seduction Dinner – Appetizer
12 fresh oysters
1 small tin of sevruga or oscetra caviar
a dash of white pepper
Coarse grain salt
1/4 cup of champagne

Seduction Dinner – Antipasto

1/4 pound of thinly sliced serrano ham or prosciutto
1 pink rose
Fresh marjoram leaves
Mixed color whole peppercorns
Good balsamic vinegar
Extra virgin olive oil

Seduction Dinner – Main Course

2 partridges, thoroughly cleaned
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon sherry or balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 cloves
1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves
1 small bay leaf
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate

Seduction Dinner – Dessert

4 ripe figs, quartered
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup amaretto
2 tablespoons butter
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
2 cups whipped cream

Q San Francisco magazine premiered in late 1995 as a ultra-slick, ultra-hip gay lifestyle magazine targeted primarily for the San Francisco community. It was launched by my friends Don Tuthill and Robert Adams, respectively the publisher and editor-in-chief, who had owned and run Genre magazine for several years prior. They asked me to come along as the food and wine geek, umm, editor, for this venture as well. In order to devote their time to Passport magazine, their newest venture, they ceased publication of QSF in early 2003.

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