Recipes: Make it a party

November/December 2007

Need some new recipes to grab the attention of holiday guests?

California Country sought out three of San Francisco's most celebrated chefs for their ideas. Using ingredients that highlight the best of California, they offer these unique creations to help you make it a party any time of year.

Dungeness Crab Cakes and Saffron Aioli

Serves 6

Crab cakes
2 lb. whole Dungeness crab or 10 to 12 oz. cleaned crabmeat
3 oz. fresh scallops
1/2 tsp. sea salt
Fresh ground white pepper, to taste
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. chopped cilantro
Pinch cayenne pepper
1/4 cup grapeseed oil

Aioli
1 egg yolk
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. champagne vinegar
1/2 tsp. fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1/8 tsp. saffron
Pinch cayenne pepper
1/2 cup grapeseed oil

For crab cakes
Crack and clean whole crab, removing all shells and keeping only the meat. Place crabmeat in a mixing bowl and keep refrigerated. A 2-lb. crab should yield approximately 10 to 12 oz. cleaned crabmeat.

Place scallops in a blender with 1/2 tsp. sea salt and a pinch of white pepper. Turn on blender and slowly add cream in a steady stream. Stop blender and scrape down sides with a rubber spatula. Blend mixture one more time to make sure the scallop mousse is a nice, homogeneous mixture; set aside.

Add mustard and cilantro to the bowl with the crab; gently toss to evenly disperse ingredients. Lightly mix in scallop mousse, taking care not to break up the crab. Season mixture to taste with sea salt, white pepper and cayenne pepper.

Form cakes into a free-form shape about 1 oz. each and place on a lightly oiled baking dish. They can be made up to this stage several hours in advance and kept in the refrigerator.

Before serving, turn the broiler on high and allow it to heat up. Lightly brush the tops of crab cakes with grapeseed oil and place under the broiler for 3 to 5 minutes until they begin to lightly brown on the top and are heated through. Remove from the broiler, and with a spatula, place on a serving platter or plate each serving individually. Serve with saffron aioli and a lightly dressed mixed green and herb salad.

For aioli
Place all ingredients in a blender except grapeseed oil. Turn on the blender and slowly add oil in a steady stream until all oil is incorporated and mixture is emulsified. Adjust seasoning. Refrigerate until ready to use.

One Market Restaurant
American cuisine
1 Market Street
San Francisco
415-777-5577
www.onemarket.com

Since its opening nearly 15 years ago, this bustling downtown dining emporium has served as a backdrop for the Bay Area's natural bounty--most notably the fresh fish and shellfish, produce, meats, poultry and game offered by local producers and artisans.

"I truly enjoy experimenting with the freshest of ingredients to create entirely new and unexpected dishes," says chef/partner Mark Dommen. "I make a point each day to ensure that the menu is a reflection of the finest produce prepared in a unique, delicious and artistic way."

Endive and grapefruit salad with smoked trout

Serves 6

2 ruby grapefruits
1 tbsp. champagne vinegar
1 tbsp. minced shallot
3 tbsp. crème fraîche
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
4 large endives (about 1 1/2 lb.), leaves separated
2 Hass avocados, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 lb. smoked trout fillets, skinned and flaked into 1-inch pieces

Carefully peel grapefruits with a knife, making sure to remove all of the bitter white pith. Working over a bowl, cut in between the membranes to release the sections to a plate. Squeeze any extra grapefruit juice from the membranes into a bowl and stir in vinegar and shallot. Whisk in crème fraîche and olive oil. Season grapefruit vinaigrette with salt and pepper.

Arrange endives on a large platter. Top with grapefruit sections, avocado and smoked trout and serve, passing vinaigrette at the table.

Marinated goat cheese

Serves 4

4 rounds fresh goat cheese, each 1/2 inch thick sliced from a log 2 1/2 inches in diameter
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 to 4 sprigs fresh thyme
1/2 tsp. red chili flakes (optional)
2 tsp. fennel seeds, lightly toasted (see note)
2 fresh or dried bay leaves

Place goat cheese in a shallow dish. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with thyme, chili flakes (if using), fennel seeds and bay leaves. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 day and up to 3 days. Remove from refrigerator at least 1 hour before serving to bring cheese to room temperature.

Note: To toast seeds and bring out their flavor, spread in a dry frying pan and heat over medium heat until fragrant. Watch seeds carefully to avoid burning.

Foreign Cinema
California-Mediterranean cuisine
2534 Mission Street
San Francisco
415-648-7600
www.foreigncinema.com

The daily-changing menu at Foreign Cinema reflects the deep-rooted commitment of chef/owners John Clark and Gayle Pirie to use only the freshest ingredients available. Establishing long-term relationships with local farmers has proven essential to their success.

"These relationships are vital for us because not only is the produce organic, it comes to us the night it was harvested or the next morning," Clark says. "This is the food we are passionate about, the kind of food we get excited about putting on the menus, the inspiration one needs to be a chef."

Roasted salmon

Serves 6

2 to 4 oz. applewood smoked bacon
1 medium russet potato, peeled
2 carrots
2 stalks celery
2 leeks, thoroughly rinsed, white part only
1 fennel bulb
Extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and pepper, to taste
2 shallots, peeled
1 bay leaf
2 to 3 lb. fresh littleneck clams, rinsed (mussels may be substituted)
2 cups dry vermouth or white wine
1 cup whipping cream
2 bunches chives, minced
6 (3-oz.) salmon fillets, skin off
Chervil, picked to garnish (dried parsley flakes plus dried sage may be substituted)

Cut bacon, potato, carrots, celery, leeks and fennel into an 1/8-inch dice. Blanch bacon for 2 minutes in boiling water then transfer to a saucepan to let it sweat in its own fat; strain and set aside. Blanch potatoes for 2 minutes, or until just underdone; set aside. Sweat carrots, celery, leeks and fennel over medium heat with olive oil until tender. Season with salt and pepper set aside to cool.

Roughly chop shallots and sweat in a saucepan with olive oil or butter and bay leaf. Add clams and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Add vermouth and bring to a boil. Cover saucepan to steam; shake constantly for even cooking. When all clams are open, remove from heat and strain liquid from clams through chinois. Discard shallots and bay leaf but reserve clam juice; also reserve 3 clams in the shell per serving for garnish. Pick remaining clams and discard empty shells.

In a saucepan, bring cream to a boil. Add reserved clam juice and bring to a boil. Add reserved potatoes; let cook for 5 minutes or until tender. Gently stir in vegetables and bacon. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes more. Add picked clams and chives just before removing from heat.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place salmon portions on a half sheet pan and rub with olive oil. Slow roast uncovered until medium rare, 6 to 8 minutes depending on thickness. Season with salt and pepper.

To serve, reheat reserved clams in the shell in the vegetable-clam sauce for 1 minute. Place a spoonful of the sauce in the center of a bowl or plate. Place salmon on top of the vegetables. Spoon sauce and vegetables around salmon. Place clams in the shell around salmon. Garnish with chervil.

La Folie
French cuisine
2316 Polk Street
San Francisco
415-776-5577
www.lafolie.com

With a name like La Folie, it should be no surprise that adventure and conviviality are offered in equal portions with some of the finest French cuisine in Northern California. Chef/owner Roland Passot laughs as he offers this explanation: "The name means 'craziness' or 'madness' because you have to be crazy to be in the restaurant business."

The engaging Frenchman--who opened La Folie 20 years ago--says the pressures of business are tempered in part by the enjoyment he gets from twice-weekly visits to the farmers' market.

"It's fun to go to the market. You really feel the seasons that way. I like being able to have a relationship with the farmer and then bring the experience back to my customers."