May 2012

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the travel issue

living in the west May 2012

s Food find

Camping in style | Small-town Alaska | Eastern Washington wine country | the Cool new side of San Diego

The beiscth sanduw’ll yo at ever85e p.

LIVING IN THE WEST

Camping in Style

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Perfect sites, amazing views, and great hikes

Gourmet recipes for campfire meals Small-town

Alaska

10 reasons to go now

Long weekend

The cool new side of

MAY 2012

San Diego Move over, Napa.

sunset.com

This is the hot new wine country visit us at Sunset.com

Garden to table

Rau ram

Liven up your summer with this hard-to-find (but easy-to-grow) Asian herb

By Julie Chai and Amy Machnak

In your garden

Also known as Vietnamese cilantro, rau ram makes an unusual, and pretty, addition to your herb garden.

(Its bright green leaves have maroon “inkblots.”) The plant is a perennial in warm, frost-free regions; buy organic seedlings from Mountain Valley Growers (mountainvalleygrowers.com).

Plant GROW seedlings in full or filtered sun (and afternoon shade where possible) in a large pot or in the ground.

Rau ram grows fast—one plant may be all you need.

Care Rau ram is thirsty, so KEEP the soil moist. If the plant stops producing new leaves in midseason, CUT it back almost to the base to promote new growth. If it’s growing in a container, you might need to repot it into a bigger one—or divide it and replant in the same pot—a couple of times a season.

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Sunset May 2012

From left: E. Spencer Toy, Annabelle Breakey (2; food styling: Randy Mon)

+3with more ways rau ram

In your kitchen Similar in flavor to cilantro that has bolted, rau ram has a slightly peppery, aromatic, almost soapy taste. It’s best when served with other strongly flavored foods, especially Southeast Asian ones.

Harvest PULL young leaves from stems, rinse, and dry in a salad spinner. STORE clean leaves, layered between slightly damp paper towels, in an unsealed plastic bag. SOAK any wilted leaves in ice water briefly to refresh them.

Red curry fish stew with rau ram SERVES 4 | 30 MINUTES 1 can (13.5 oz.) reduced-sodium chicken broth 1 can (14.5 oz.) coconut milk 1 to 2 tbsp. red curry paste 2 quarter-size slices fresh ginger 2 tbsp. sugar Juice of 1 lime 1 cup rau ram leaves 1/2 cup mung bean sprouts 4 oz. cleaned and deveined medium shrimp, cut in half lengthwise 4 oz. cleaned calamari (squid), cut into bite-size pieces 4 oz. firm white fish such as black bass, cut into cubes

1. Whisk broth, coconut milk, and curry paste together in a 4-qt. pot. Heat over high heat until boiling. Add ginger, sugar, and lime juice, then reduce heat to a simmer. Add rau ram and sprouts and cook 2 minutes.

2. Remove from heat and add seafood. Stir gently to combine and let residual heat cook fish until opaque, 3 to 5 minutes.

Sauté rau ram leaves with chopped green onion, garlic, and shelled cooked crab in a little butter. Fill an omelet with crab mixture and a few dollops of cream cheese.

Mix fish sauce, lime juice, vegetable oil, and sugar.

Pour over chopped cabbage, rau ram leaves, carrot ribbons, chopped green onion, sliced serrano chile, and shredded chicken.

Fill a slit baguette with cold roasted pork, sliced red onion, rau ram leaves, cilantro sprigs, and a drizzle of hoisin sauce.

PER SERVING 333 Cal., 69% (230 cal.) from fat; 2.6 g protein; 26 g fat (20 g sat.); 13 g carbo (1.2 g fiber); 545 mg sodium; 117 mg chol. ■

More recipes USING Asian herbs: sunset.com/asianherbs To change background color (fill), with direct selection tool (hollow arrow) in layer palette to select “background shape” layer, then choose color from swatch

Sunset May 2012

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In the Western kitchen

surprising vegetables

Aldo’s pork melt

Morty’s Delicatessen, San Francisco Chef-owner Tim Brown

I created it as a nod to one of my favorite pasta dishes—orecchiette with pork sausage and broccoli rabe—and named it after a friend of mine. The pork is amazing, but it’s a three-day process. First, I make a rub out of garlic, ginger, shallots,

whole-grain mustard, fresh rosemary, honey, toasted fennel seeds, kosher salt, pepper, and olive oil. I pat a pork loin dry, cut small slashes

all over it, and then rub on the paste, making sure to get it into all the slashes. I chill it overnight. The next day, I braise it with a bit of chicken stock. Then I chill it overnight again, slice it cold so it’s easier to cut, and rewarm it in the braising juices. To make the sandwich, I slather a toasted ciabatta roll with our housemade roasted garlic aioli, fill it with the pork and a few slices of fresh mozzarella, and top it off with braised broccoli rabe. Then I stand back and wait for the compliments.” one key element

Braised broccoli rabe MAKES 4 CUPS | 30 MINUTES cup extra-virgin olive oil 5 medium garlic cloves, peeled 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced 1 tsp. kosher salt, divided 1 tsp. red chile flakes, divided 3 tbsp. balsamic vinegar 1 bunch (1 lb.) broccoli rabe, trimmed and cut into 3-in. pieces

From top: Thomas J. Story, E. Spencer toy

1/4

1. Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook garlic until lightly browned, 3 minutes. Add onion and 1/2 tsp. each salt and chile flakes and cook until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes more. Add vinegar and broccoli rabe, stirring to coat.

2. Reduce heat to medium-low and add 1/2 cup water. Cook, covered, until thick stems are fork tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in remaining 1/2 tsp. each salt and chile flakes. >86

state of the art Top sandwiches, and the tre that make them great––p nds upgrades for your own cr lus eations interviews and recipe

s By Amy Machnak

Sunset May 2012

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In the Western kitchen

White truffle egg salad sandwich

Masterpiece Delicatessen, Denver Chef Justin Brunson

We wanted an egg salad sandwich on the menu because it’s one of my favorites, and naturally I thought of truffles—or in this case, truffle oil—since it’s a classic pairing with eggs. We use white bread because it doesn’t mask the flavor of the egg salad. Put a 50/50 mix of butter and extra-virgin olive oil into a frying pan. I’m a big fan of olive oil and butter for toasting, because you get the best of both flavors. Once the butter is melted, lay 2 slices of

white bread in the pan and cook

over medium heat until they’re toasted golden brown—but only on one side, so the sandwich ends up crunchy on the outside but still soft on the inside. Then—and this is my little trick—stand the bread slices on a cutting board in a tipi shape for about 2 minutes to let the steam out; otherwise it will make the sandwich soggy. Lay the slices down, soft side up, and top one with a couple of scoops of egg salad and a piece of crisp romaine lettuce. At the deli, we sprinkle on white truffle oil, but you can also mix it into the salad if you’re going to use it all right away. Cut the sandwich in half so it’s easy to eat.”

one Key element

White truffle egg salad MAKES 2 CUPS | 30 MINUTES 8 large eggs 1/4 cup mayonnaise 1/4 cup minced red onion 1 tbsp. capers, rinsed and chopped 11/2 tsp. high-quality white truffle oil, such as Blis (find online at blisgourmet.com) 1/2 tsp. kosher salt 1/8 tsp. pepper

1. Put eggs in a saucepan, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Remove from heat and let sit, covered, 12 minutes.

Drain eggs in a colander, rinse with cold water until cool, and peel.

2. Mash eggs with remaining ingredients, leaving eggs a little chunky.

from left: E. Spencer Toy, laurie smith, THomas J. Story

classic made fancy

big and bold

Pork cheek BLT

Larry’s, Venice, CA Collins Executive chef Brendan

We put pork cheeks—or you could use pork shoulder that’s cut into big chunks—in a salt and sugar brine overnight. We rinse the cheeks, then roast them in duck fat slow, low, and long—about 8 hours. We pull the cheeks out of the fat, pour our homemade barbecue sauce over them, and let ’em sit in that to absorb the flavor. To serve, we cut a brioche hot dog bun in half, brush with butter, and toast it in the oven. Top with a chopped salad of romaine lettuce dressed with a little lemon juice, extra-virgin olive oil, salt, pepper, and diced tomato drizzled

with more oil, salt, and pepper. The sauce-dripping pork cheek goes on the tomato. We top that with bacon we’ve grilled over a flame so it gets good and charred, smoky, and a little bitter—a good contrast to the sweet barbecue sauce. We drizzle the whole thing with our barbecue mayo, which is a mix of the same barbecue sauce, chopped herbs, a squirt of Tabasco, and mayonnaise; then we top with chervil. It’s different from anything else you’ll find served here at the beach.” one key element

Larry’s barbecue sauce MAKES 4 CUPS | 11/2 HOURS 1 tbsp. vegetable oil 1 large onion, sliced 8 large garlic cloves 1 cup packed brown sugar 1 tbsp. black peppercorns 1 qt. (32 oz.) ketchup 1 tbsp. liquid smoke (optional) 1 cup Coca-Cola, reduced over medium-high heat to 1/4 cup

1. Heat oil in a 4-qt. pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until translucent, about 15 minutes.

2. Add sugar and peppercorns and cook, stirring frequently until sugar melts, about 1 minute. Add ketchup, liquid smoke, and Coke reduction.

Reduce heat to a simmer.

3. Cook for 1 hour to meld flavors.

Using a blender, whirl mixture until smooth, about 4 minutes. >88

26 more delicious sandwiches: sunset.com/sandwiches

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Sunset May 2012

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To change mouse tail (str 87 layer, then ch “mousetail”

In the Western kitchen

unusual cuts

Beef tongue Reuben

Ink.Sack, Los Angeles ltaggio Chef-owner Michael Vo

super-local

Oregon tuna melt

Bunk Sandwiches, Portla nd Chef and co-owner Tom my Habetz

88

Sunset May 2012

One key element

Quick sauerkraut MAKES 3 CUPS | 25 MINUTES 1 head cabbage, thinly sliced 1 onion, halved and thinly sliced 11/4 cups apple cider vinegar 1/3 cup apple cider 1 tbsp. crushed toasted caraway seeds 2 tbsp. kosher salt

Mix all ingredients together in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover with a large piece of plastic wrap and seal edges. Microwave on high, 4 to 5 minutes. Let sit, still covered, until cabbage has absorbed its brine and bowl is cool to the touch, about 15 minutes.

one key element

Bunk’s Oregon albacore tuna salad MAKES 13/4 CUPS | 15 MINUTES 2 cans (5 oz. each) local sustainable albacore tuna 1/4 cup minced red onion 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 tbsp. each balsamic vinegar and minced fresh basil leaves 1/2 tsp. red chile flakes 1/2 tsp. each salt and pepper

Mix all ingredients together. ■

from left: E. Spencer Toy, Andrea Gómez Romero, John Clark

Brine the beef tongue in a mix of 8 or 9 spices, sugar, salt, fennel, curing salt, and water for 12 hours.

Then vacuum-pack the beef with some of the brine and cook it in a sous-vide machine at 158° F. We peel it, then put it back in brine until we’re ready to serve it. It’s basically like the moist corned beef you buy in a bag, and we treat it like lunch meat. We use milk bread rolls, which are a lot like white sandwich bread. We fill them with the sliced tongue, goodquality Swiss or gruyère cheese, and some quick sauerkraut. We warm the sandwich in the oven until the cheese melts, then add a drizzle of Russian dressing. Ours is equal parts ketchup and mayonnaise with a handful of chopped cornichons and grated fresh horseradish. The idea is that we take something people are familiar with, in this case a Reuben, and put it together with something a bit unusual.”

We call this the Ultimate Oregon Sandwich because everything except the condiments comes from local sources. Cut ciabatta rolls—we get them from Fleur de Lis Bakery— almost in half, so they’re still attached on one side. Spread mayonnaise on one side and Dijon mustard on the other, then lay in sliced Tillamook medium-sharp cheddar and sliced local garlic dill pickles. Add freshly made tuna salad and fold the rolls over to close; brush the outsides with melted butter. Grill them in a panini press—you can also use a cast-iron pan with another pan on top to press down. Or just finish it in the oven. I love how all the flavors come together when the sandwich is hot and melted.”