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I just finished reading a great book, Major Pettigrew's Last Stand, and it has me in a very English countryside kind of mood.  Add the consistently gloomy weather we've had in LA and the fact that the cover of this month's Saveur is a Classic Roast Beef and, now you'll understand why I was inspired to make a classic Sunday supper for my family and guests last night.  Standing rib roast, potato gratin, green beans  and a nice, tart, butter lettuce salad to finish a very decadent meal.  And, oh yeah, our friends brought over a 1997 cab that was so delicious and paired so perfectly with the meal, it almost brought tears to my eyes.  Now, that's my kind of school night.

I love this recipe because it truly is stress-free.  Well, once you get past the expense of the meat, that is!  But if you're going to splurge on a standing rib roast, you don't want to mess it up and this recipe is fool-proof.  The technique (which is brilliant) comes from Amanda Hesser's The Essential New York Times cookbook and the flavor rub comes from The Complete Meat Cookbook.  Cheers!

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Standing Rib Roast

One 2 to 4 bone beef rib roast (4 1/2 to 12 pounds)
Dry rub (see recipe below)
Flour for dusting

Dry Rub (Crush the garlic and salt in a mortar and pestle and mix with the pepper and herbs)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary or thyme

1.  Rub the dry rub all over the roast, especially in any spaces between the meat and bones.  Let the roast sit at room temperature for 2 hours before cooking.

2.  Heat the oven to 500 degrees.  Place the roast in a shallow roasting pan, fat side up.  Sprinkle with a little flour and rub the flour lightly into the fat.

3.  Put the roast in the preheated oven and roast according to the roasting chart below, timing the minutes exactly.

4.  When the cooking time is finished, turn off the oven.  DO NOT open the door at any time.  Allow the roast to remain in the oven untile the oven is lukewarm, about 2 hours.  (Enough time, according to the original recipe from the 1960's, "for a game of golf or an appointment at the hairdresser."  Lol.)  The roast will still have a crunchy brown outside, and an internal heat suitable for serving even after 4 hours.  The meat will be perfectly medium rare in the middle with the end cuts being closer to medium well.

5.  Separate the roast from the ribs (you can ask the butcher to do this for you beforehand and they will tie it together again for roasting) and slice the meat.  Finish with olive oil and Maldon sea salt.

Roasting Chart (at 500 degrees)

2 ribs(4 1/2 to 5 lbs): 25 to 30 minutes
3 ribs (8 to 9 lbs):   40 to 45 minutes
4 ribs (11 to 12 lbs): 55 to 60 minutes

Roasted Cauliflower (from Gwynnie's My Father's Daughter, again!)

1 head cauliflower, hard core, discarded, cut into small florets
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Pinch coarse salt
Pinch freshly gound black pepper

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees, or 400 if you plan on using convection (my preference).  In a baking sheet or dish large enough to hold the cauliflower in one layer, toss all the ingredients together.  Roast for 35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cauliflower is caramelized all over. 

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This is one of the easiest, family and guest-friendly meals you could make. Don't be intimated by the length of the recipes.  Chopping the herbs is a breeze, the pork can be marinated earlier in the day and the rest of the meal is quick and mostly hands-off.  I made this yesterday while helping the kids with homework and getting a lot of emailing done.

If you read braisd regularly, you know I love me some pork.  So, I don't know why it's taken me this long to get pork tenderloin in my repertoire of weeknight meals!  Maybe it's always looked a little too lean and boring to me.  Anyway, I think this recipe will make a convert out of you too.  

The tenderloin comes out moist and delicious with a nice, browned crust of herbs.  The creamy polenta is the perfect accompaniment to the pork.  And an easy pan sauce adds just the right touch of savoriness. Toss a nice salad and, voila--an impressive yet easy meal.  Both recipes serve 4 to 6 people.  Bon appetit!

Roasted Pork Tenderloin (from The Complete Meat Cookbook by Aidells and Kelly)

Herb Rub for Pork [Combine all ingredients to make the herb rub.  If you're too busy for this, you can just season the pork with salt and pepper--but this doesn't take very long and the flavors are worth it]
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1 tablespoon crushed fennel seeds
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons garlic powder or granulated garlic
2 tablespoons salt
2 teaspoons coarsely ground pepper 

Two 3/4 to 1 1/4  pound pork tenderloins, trimmed of silverskin and fat
1 tablespoon olive oil 

Pan Sauce
2 tablespoons chopped shallots or green onions or scallions (I used some baby red onions that my farm fresh delivery had sent earlier in the week--delicious)
1/2 cup dry white wine
3/4 cup chicken stock
salt and freshly ground black pepper 

Rub the herbs and spices over the meat.  You may cook it right away or put in a shallow bowl with the marinade; cover the bowl.  Marinate for 1 to 2 hours at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator, turning the meat occasionally.  If the meat has been refrigerated, remove it from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking.  

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Heat the olive oil in a heavy, ovenproof skillet (I use a cast iron pan) over medium high heat.  Brown the tenderloins lightly, turning them frequently to brown on all sides, 3 to 4 minutes total.  place the skillet in the oven and roast the pork for 12 to 15 minutes or until the internal temperature is 145 to 150 degrees.  Let the meat rest on a platter for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Meanwhile, make the pan sauce.  Place the pan over medium heat.  Add the shallots or green onions and cookd for 30 seconds, stirring well.  Stir in the wine.  Bring to a boil, add the stock, and reduce until the sauce just turns syrupy.  

Taste for salt and pepper.  Carve the meat into 1/2 inch thick slices and serve with the sauce.

4 cups water
1 cup polenta
Coarse salt
Kernels from 1 fresh ear of corn
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup cream
1-2 tablespoons white truffle butter or white truffle oil (optional)
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives, for serving

Bring the water to a boil in a small soup pot.  Slowly whisk the polenta and a pinch of salt.   Turn the heat as low as it can go, put a lid on slightly ajar, and cookd the polenta for 40 minutes, stirring every 5-10 minutes.  Add the corn, milk, cream and truffle butter or oil and cook for 5 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper and serve sprinkled with chives.

This recipe falls in the deceptively simple, yet impressive, delicious and special enough for guests category.  I love whole fish the same way I love roasting a whole chicken.  It results in an incredibly flavorful, moist fish.  I've grilled a lot of whole fish this summer and the flavor has been great, but I haven't gotten the hang of getting it to look pretty.  The skin keeps sticking to the grill and it's difficult to tell when it's done!  I'm still working on it--will report back.  But meanwhile, this recipe has you roasting the fish which is a lot more foolproof.  Great flavor, timing is a breeze and the fish actually remains intact and pretty for the table.  Hmmm...come to think of it, I may never go back to grilling a whole fish.

Plus, the seasoned fish can sit in the fridge for a few hours, so there is no last minute prep and it allows you to enjoy cocktail hour with your guests.  And, by the way, this recipe come from Gwyneth Paltrow's new cookbook, My Father's Daughter, which is surprisingly awesome.  Lots of simple, healthy and family-friendly recipes.  Shout out to Gwynnie (and Kenny and Jenny who gave me the cookbook!).

Whole Roasted Fish

 1 very fresh whole sea bass or whatever fish is good, fresh and local (at least 2 pounds), scaled and gutted [I used a whole white fish from Santa Monica seafood--perfection)
1 tablespoon each fresh tarragon, basil, chives and parsley
1 lemon, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
Coarse salt

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  

Cut 4 or 5 slits on each side of the fish, about 1/2 inch into the flesh.  Combine the herbs and roughly chop them.  Stuff each opening with a slice of lemon and a little bit of the herb mixture.  Put any remaining herbs and lemon slices in the cavity of the fish.  Lay the fish in a large roasting pan (or sturdy baking sheet with a cooling rack on top, which is what I did).  Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with black pepper and salt.  The dressed fish can sit in the fridge for a few hours, if you want to prepare ahead. Roast for 30-40 minutes, or until the fish is firm but still moist.

To serve, gently spoon the top fillet of the bone.  You can then easily peel the spine off in one piece from the bottom half.  Serve with plenty of Salsa Verde.

Salsa Verde [I modified this recipe a bit after tasting, adding more vinegar and olive oil]

6 oil packed anchovies
1 generous teaspoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/4 cup roughly chopped parsley
1/3 cup roughly chopped fresh basil
1/3 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh chives
1/3 cup olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper

Put anchovies in a bowl and cut into small pieces with a knife and fork (great tip on how to save a cutting board to wash---thanks Gwynnie).  Stir in the mustard and vinegar.  Add the herbs, slowly stream in the olive oil, and season with pepper.  Can be made ahead, but it must be eaten on the same day.

Bon appetit!

The best way to describe the menu is Southeast Asian tapas, heavy on the Vietnamese and Thai influences.  The meal was perfect through and through.  Cocktails are outstanding and the liquor, wine and beer selections are eclectic, obscure and wonderfully curated.  The service was attentive and and the waitstaff was very knowledgeable and well-oiled--impressive, since the place just opened a few days ago.  But ultimately, it's all about the food, right?  Well, the food was mind-blowingly good.  Beyond good--everything we had (and, trust me, we had a lot of the menu) was so excitingly different, yet so comfortably delicious and satisfying.  

One word of caution.  This place is not for the spice-adverse.  As you'll see below, most of the dishes have a nice kick to them--which I happen to love.  It's also probably why the six of us ended up having three bottles of wine at dinner!

Instead of a formal review--here's a virtual tour of our amazing meal.  Bon appetit.

Lukshon sour.  Their twist on the whisky sour, made with small batch rye and kalamansi juice (a popular citrus in the Philippines that is a cross between orange and lime).  Great start to a great meal.

Spanish Mackerel sashimi with a spicy, pickled green papaya salad.  Spanish Mackerel is not normally one of my favorites--a little too oily and fishy for my taste.  But this was so delicious--the fish was perfectly balanced by the tart, spicy salad-- we ordered seconds.  

Malpeque oysters with a Thai-influenced mignonette.  The briny silkiness of the oysters played oh so very well with the sweet-spicy sauce.  We had seconds of this too.

Spicy chicken pops.  The kechap manis (a sweet soy sauce) lent an Indonesian touch to these chicken drumettes and the spicy Sichuan salt was the perfect foil to the sweetness of the soy sauce.  An elevated version of chicken wings.  

Scallop sashimi with a water chestnut cucumber relish and prawn salt (this place knows how to have fun with its salts!).  The relish and the salt really highlighted the natural sweetness of the scallops.  Divine.  

Garlic pork belly with rice cakes cabbage and garlic chives in a deep, dark sauce with a kick.  Wow.

Mussels in a Thai green curry sauce thickened by tapioca.  Yep, we ordered seconds of this too.

Shrimp toast.  What's not to like about the fried goodness of shrimp with croutons, chiles and cilantro?

Kurobuta pork ribs in a spicy chicory bbq sauce.  The combination of the caramelized crust, the falling-off-the-bone tenderness and the finger-lickin' good sauce could bring happy tears to your eyes.  

Duck popiah.  A riff on Vietnamese spring roll with pickled jicama and house-made hoisin chile sauce.  Light and refreshing.

Heirloom black rice with onion, roasted garlic and fried egg.  I'm a sucker for anything served with a fried egg on top and this did not disappoint.  The rice had an awesome nutty, garlicky flavor that melded perfectly with the runny egg yolk.  So simple and so good.

Dandan noodles with ground pork, preserved mustard greens and Sichuan peppercorns.  This goes down as one of the most interesting dishes I've ever had.  When we ordered it, the waitress warned us that it would be served last.  Why, do you ask?  Well, apparently, Sichuan peppercorns have a numbing property that, when served in copious amounts can, errr, numb your tongue.  We, of course, ordered it to satisfy our piqued curiosity.  Verdict.  The noodles had a pleasant, intense, umami flavor that defies description.  Good in small amounts.  And, yes, our tongues were numb for a few minutes afterward.  Not a spicy sensation, but just a plain tingling numbness.

It's that time of year again.  The Saveur 100 is an eclectic, creative and enlightening list of all things related to food and I look forward to its arrival every January.  This year, they've decided to do a Chef's edition, allowing chefs from all over the world submit some of their favorite tools, books, ingredients, restaurants, tips, recipes and more.  Fun!  After devouring the issue from cover to cover in one sitting, I thought I'd share some highlights.

#79 Sea salt coffee.  I love my salty sweet combinations and this Taiwanese concoction sounds right up my alley.  I will have to check out the bakery that serves it next time I'm in Irvine.

So, what are you waiting for?  Grab an issue before it sells out (it does every year)!  Happy reading.

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Ziti With Roasted Zucchini

2 pounds medium zucchini, trimmed, cut into 1/4 inch rounds (great time to bust out that mandoline!)
12 garlic cloves, peeled, halved
8 large shallots, halved, thinly sliced (mandoline comes in handy again)
6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1 lb box ziti, cooked al dente, drained,, 3/4 cup cooking liquid reserved
1 cup chopped fresh basil, divided
3/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Toss zucchini, garlic, shallots, 5 tablespoons oil, and crushed red pepper in a bowl.  Spread on large rimmed baking sheet; sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Roast vegetables until tender, turning occasionally, 30- to 35 minutes.*  

Place cooked pasta in large pot.  Add roasted vegetables, 1/4 cup pasta cooking liquid and 1 tablespoon olive oil; stir over medium heat until heated through.  Add 3/4 cup basil and cheese.  Toss, adding reserved cooking liquid by tablespoonfuls to moisten if dry.  Season to taste with salt and pepper (make sure to taste--the pecorino is salty).  Transfer pasta to a large platter.  Sprinkle pasta with remaining 1/4 cup basil.  

*NOTE:  This can be done 1 to 2 hours ahead of time.  Once cooled, you can even transfer the vegetables to a large pot so you're ready for the next step and clean up the baking sheet.  I'm all about efficiency!

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And, the recipes--well, let's just say I have about one hundred post-it notes marking all the ones I want to make so far.  It's been cold in L.A. and our family has been spending a lot of time in the mountains--so, the hearty French fare in the book is exactly what we've been craving.  I've made about ten recipes from the book so far and the family has given each one a huge thumbs up.  

All the soups have been outstanding--particularly the Spicy Vietnamese Noodle Soup.  So easy to make and the perfect meal after a day of skiing--a total crowd-pleaser.  Continuing on the Asian-French fusion theme, we've also enjoyed the Coconut-Lemongrass Braised Pork recipe.  Such great layers of flavors and so comforting simply served on a bed of rice.  The Braised Short Rib recipe in the book is a winner too.  I particularly like how the recipe calls for broiling the meat before braising--so much easier and much less of a mess than browning it in oil.  We had it for dinner last night and it was a big hit.  

If one of your New Year's resolutions is to cook more often, I highly recommend this book.  The recipes are easy, delicious and impressive.  What more can you ask for?

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The recipe also calls for Maggi seasoning sauce which can be found in the Asian section of most supermarkets (but not Whole Foods)--it is really worth trying to find this sauce if you don't have it.  It adds a level of depth to the marinade that soy sauce just can't provide--it is the ultimate umami flavoring.  Just a whiff of it reminds me of my mom's kitchen when I was a kid.  Enjoy.

Marinade
4 large cloves garlic, finely minced
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 1/2 tablespoons Maggi seasoning sauce OR light regular soy sauce 
2 1/2 tablespoons canola oil

4 pounds chicken (drumsticks, thighs and/or wings)

1.  To make the marinade, in a bowl large enough to accommodate the chicken, combine the garlic, sugar, salt, pepper, Maggi sauce, and oil and mix well.  Add the chicken pieces and use your fingers to massage the marinade into the flesh, distributing the seasonings as evenly as possible.  When possible, peel back the skin to get some marinade between the flesh and skin.  Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours for the best flavor.

2.  Thirty minutes before roasting, remove the chicken from the refrigerator.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and put the chicken pieces skin side down, on the sheet.  Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F.

3.  Put the chicken in the oven.  After about 15 minutes, you will hear gentle sizzling.  At that point, using tongs, turn the pieces over and continue to roast until the skin is nicely browned and crispy and the juices run clear when a piece is poked in the meatiest part with a toothpick.  The roasting time depends on the size of the pieces, but in general it will take 40 to 60 minutes total (including initial 15 minutes).  If a lot of fat and juices accumulate in the pan during roasting, remove the chicken from the pan, pour off the fat, and then quickly return the chicken and continue roasting.  Serve the chicken hot, warm, or at room temperature.