cook: lemongrass pork rice noodle bowls

I was not wanting to skewer tiny pieces of meat--a time-consuming and tedious task. Jagalchi copper grill to the rescue, and so I defrosted pork shoulder, cut the meat into bite-sized pieces and marinated the protein in lemongrass, garlic, fish sauce, soy sauce, lime juice, and baking soda for the day. Before leaving for the clay studio, I peeled, cut in halves and julienned daikon and carrot, salted and then pickled the vegetables in a brine of sugar, vinegar, and water. Evening arrived, and I placed all the pork into the copper grate. While the meat grilled over burning charcoal, I took out the pickles and rinsed 3 Persian cucumbers.      

I also boiled water and put out the rice sticks or noodles and then gathered mint and Thai basil from the herb garden.

While the meat was grilling to golden brown delicious, I plunged the vermicelli rice noodles into the boiling water for a few minutes and then into an ice bath.

For the mise en place, I had chopped butter lettuce, sliced cucumbers, drained radish and carrot salad, herbs and the herbs.

My neighbor kindly made the nuoc cham or sauce of sugar, warm water, fish sauce, sambal oelek, and lime juice. Dinner was served. We ate. And the leftovers became my lunch the next day.                  

Such an easy meal. I placed leftover noodles and vegetables in a bowl and zapped the meat separately in the microwave for 2 minutes before tossing all together with leftover nuoc cham. Healthy and delicious.

cook: zuni cafe zucchini pickles

Summer means lots of zucchini, and at a loss of what to do with what I couldn't give away, I looked for recipes and made pickles. I sliced the large zucchini and half a yellow onion on a mandolin and salted the vegetables. Pulled out the mustard seeds, mustard powder, turmeric, sugar, and apple cider vinegar to make the brine.

Cold water and ice cubes into the vegetables for at least 20 minutes while I simmered the brine and then divided both into quart jars.

Intended to give one jar to a friend for a birthday, but the jar broke:( And so will cook zucchini fritters and give her the other jar this Thursday :)

cook: herb baked eggs for breakfast

I rarely eat breakfast, but when I do and usually on a Sunday morning, the meal involves eggs which I've come to love. I also love herbs, so no brainer that for breakfast a few Sundays ago, I prepared Ina Garten's herb baked eggs. I stepped into the herb box to snip rosemary, thyme, parsley, and garlic chives--chopping and then adding them to a couple cloves of mashed garlic.

I happened to also have on hand a loaf of Capitola sourdough, and our pantry always has the staples of eggs, shredded Parmesan, Irish butter, and heavy whipping cream.

I love a quick and easy breakfast, one that just uses a very hot oven.

Yah I don't have a toaster as I don't want it taking up residence on the kitchen counter.

But a 400 degree oven gets the job done.

Scrumptious as always.

(stay)cation: standup paddle board lesson and a monterey getaway

Exhausting but exhilarating weekend. My Friday started with a stand-up paddleboarding lesson in Redwood Shores with Nicole. And because of outrigger canoe paddling and surfing, standing up on that humongous fiberglass board with a long paddle felt somewhat easy. No pictures because I can't take photos when engaged in open water activities, and that's more than okay. After the lesson, I drove immediately to Monterey. T'was cold and windy, and I turned my beach weekend into an eating vacation. Right away I spotted a seafood restaurant where the locals eat.                             

It's not a beach vacation unless I eat oysters, and omg ate 6. Should've asked the waiter if I could just order 3.

 

The oysters were ginormous.

Then I ordered the halibut special which came with penne pasta and sauteed organic vegetables. I think I prefer more tender white fish to halibut, which I find kind of tough when grilled--they're better boiled and then dipped in melted butter.

The next day at the regatta, my women's novice team of Ho'okahi Pu'uwai came in 5th in our heat, BUT I was a "loaned paddler" to the Napa's Ohana Wa'a club and our co-ed novice team came in 2nd though really we were 1st in our heat because the 1st team was penalized 10 seconds. In the finals, we came in 2nd or 3rd. I then just sat in my beach chair and watched races as well as helped with food prep and serving for our club.                

I didn't stick around for the awards ceremony and started packing up the rice cooker and foldable chair for my car. Saw this boat and thought of my parents because all 3 of us are Libra.

We finished the regatta at 2:30, and so I walked Fisherman's Wharf (ugh) and then the commercial Wharf #2, where I found the Sandbar & Grill and ate my second seafood meal of a bowl of mussels before returning to my hotel and finally collapsing into sleep. Got up the next morning to meet Nicole at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, for which we were both nostalgic.            

 

The Monterey Bay Aquarium seemed smaller than we remembered. Mainly we relished the views of the bay.

We got hungry and looked for a restaurant on Cannery Row for lunch. Nicole mentioned the 2 that were her family's favorites, and we went to the Fish Hopper. Now there's an idea for a Bloody Mary: prawns instead of bacon.                                 

I dithered over the petrale sole stuffed with crab and prawns and the sanddabs while Nicole was indecisive over seabass or halibut. She ended up going with Taste of Monterey while I went with the Sanddabs, but we both...

 

...shared the Oysters Rockefeller.

While I drank a glass of Chardonnay, Nicole drank the fancy Watermelon Cucumber Refresher, infused watermelon cucumber vodka, triple sec, fresh lime juice, and agave nectar.

We both liked what we ordered. I enjoyed my grilled sanddabs in butter lemon caper sauce with mashed potatoes and sauteed organic vegetables (every waiter seems to rave about the veggies) while she relished her Cajun seabass and prawns with artichoke ravioli and spinach and tomatoes in a cream sauce.

 

Afterward we ate mini ice cream sundaes at Ghirardelli Square and again relished the views of the bay.

I did want some more last views of the giant kelp forest, so we returned to the aquarium. Again I think we enjoyed views of the Monterey Bay more.                            

But if you're a kid, the Monterey Bay Aquarium is definitely a highlight.

I definitely love giant kelp...

 

...though the leopard sharks and rockfish and sturgeon also fascinate.

I was also entranced by the rainbow trout and steelhead.

Farewell to Monterey...

I hope to return and spend longer than a weekend, standup paddleboarding and maybe even take up an invitation by Hi'ilani 'O Ke Kai and do outrigger canoe at Del Monte Beach.