Archives for December 2017

Chefs Who Inspire Dinner with Justin Woodward

You may have heard that in September, Earl Ninsom of Langbaan (and also PaaDee and Hat Yai) announced a new special monthly dinner series, the Chefs Who Inspire dinner series. I recently attended the Chefs Who Inspire Dinner with Justin Woodward of Castagna. Here’s a look at my dinner experience.
Chefs Who Inspire Dinner with Justin Woodward Chefs Who Inspire Dinner with Justin Woodward

Each dinner of the Chefs Who Inspire series will offer six tasting menu courses with wine pairings for $180 (gratuity not included) with a guest chef that Chef Earl admires and believes is inspiring to him and others and wants to highlight as the culinary talents that they are. Chef Earl introduced at the beginning of this dinner that he ate at one of the best restaurants in Bangkok with other chef friends – and thought to himself – Justin can do this. And he can do it better.

I have to agree that Chef Justin and Castagna is one of the huge underrated gems of Portland – the restaurant would have a waiting list and he’d be a rock star in a lot of other cities. Part of it is Portland is less into fine dining then other metropolis cities (which face it, often have more business expense accounts also) and the Portland dining scene doesn’t have enough that embrace modernist high end and Michelin star quality menu prices that are normal in San Francisco and New York. Chef Justin is also a more introverted personality who works quietly, thoughtfully, to the beat of own drum. He seems to shy away from attention, and just wants the food to speak for itself.

Langbaan PDX Chefs Who Inspire Dinner with Justin Woodward, First course of Dungeness crab, mussel jus, leeks, blank trumpet mushroom Langbaan PDX Chefs Who Inspire Dinner with Justin Woodward, Third course of Duck, apple, broccolini
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Animating Life, the Laika Exhibit at Portland Art Museum

I’ve seen all the Laika movies – first Coraline, then ParaNorman, Boxtrolls, and finally the most recent (and my favorite), Kubo and the Two Strings. If you haven’t heard of Laika, they are a Portland stop-motion animation movie studio. Think of them like our local Pixar, bringing storytelling to the screen that appeals to adults and children. Recently the Portland Art Museum opened a special Laika exhibit Animating Life that showcases some of the behind the scenes of how Laika created those movies, and it’s worth a visit. The exhibit runs until May 20.
At the Laika exhibit at the Portland Art Museum, this display shows how Laika scaled the giant skeleton (here 18 feet, which is 1/5 scale of the 90 feet in human scale the monster is in the story) to the average height of the other characters Kubo (9.25 inches), Monkey (13 inches), Beetle (21 inches), and Hanzo Origami (2 inches). At the Laika exhibit at the Portland Art Museum, this display shows how Laika scaled the giant skeleton (here 18 feet, which is 1/5 scale of the 90 feet in human scale the monster is in the story) to the average height of the other characters Kubo (9.25 inches), Monkey (13 inches), Beetle (21 inches), and Hanzo Origami (2 inches).
Laika scaled the giant skeleton (here 18 feet, which is 1/5 scale of the 90 feet in human scale the monster is in the story) to the average height of the other characters Kubo (9.25 inches), Monkey (13 inches), Beetle (21 inches), and Hanzo Origami (2 inches). I am not to scale with the characters. 
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Merry Christmas! Santas and Cookies and Casseroles!

I want to wish a Portland Merry Christmas 2017 to everyone! If you’re in Portland, you know we got a surprise on Christmas Eve during the day in which we got snow! That snow stuck (along with icy rain layers) to make for a white Christmas, yay! I had purchased some Christmas flowers for myself and left it out for 5 minutes or so to get the contrast of the snowflakes.
Christmas flowers in the snow Christmas flowers in the snow

For fun, I just wanted to write a quick post on our plans this year. 2 years ago, F and I spent Christmas in Japan, and last year we spent it apart while I was in LA with my new 3 month old niece and family. This year both of us are staying in PDX, though it isn’t as fun as I hoped because he currently is sick and is congested and gross. Thankfully, I have Santa displays from town to keep me in a cheerful mood.

Here’s one from North Mississippi – Snowman vs Santa – which asks whether you are #TeamSnowman or #TeamSanta #illuminatedpdxmas2017 at the All American Holiday Window Display
Snowman vs Santa - are you #TeamSnowman or #TeamSanta #illuminatedpdxmas2017 at the All American Holiday Window Display Snowman vs Santa - are you #TeamSnowman or #TeamSanta #illuminatedpdxmas2017 at the All American Holiday Window Display Snowman vs Santa - are you #TeamSnowman or #TeamSanta #illuminatedpdxmas2017 at the All American Holiday Window Display

Another Santa display this year was by Pioneer Courthouse Square, the Santa Clones. The Santa Clones have been around Portland for several years, where everyone doesn’t exactly disclose the address but you get hints at where they are, so it is a mini quest to find them.
The Santa Clones - a collection of Santa figure lights that appear with only hints to the location that you then have to find. #thesantaclones2017
The Santa Clones - a collection of Santa figure lights that appear with only hints to the location that you then have to find. #thesantaclones2017 The Santa Clones - a collection of Santa figure lights that appear with only hints to the location that you then have to find. #thesantaclones2017 The Santa Clones - a collection of Santa figure lights that appear with only hints to the location that you then have to find. #thesantaclones2017 The Santa Clones - a collection of Santa figure lights that appear with only hints to the location that you then have to find. #thesantaclones2017

Last year for the holidays I made a Biscuit and Sausage Gravy Egg and Cheese Casserole. You can find the recipe here, but here’s a picture just to get you in the mood – super easy to prep the night before if you want so you pop it in the oven and enjoy in your PJs all day. This year for New Year’s Day brunch I’m planning on making a Savory Shrimp and Oatmeal, lots of crispy bacon, and a Croissant Breakfast Casserole.
Biscuit and Sausage Gravy Egg and Cheese Casserole Biscuit and Sausage Gravy Egg and Cheese Casserole

For Christmas Day I’m all about Dorie Greenspan’s 3-Ingredient Almond Crackle Cookies which were super fast to make and only 3 ingredients – though I ran out of almonds so I also mixed in some chopped pecans so technically I guess my cookies were 4 ingredients. They are not the most beautiful cookies because of the dough being thin so they tend to be free-form shaped, and they are thin and crispy. I won’t reprint the recipe here, but I did link to it.
Easy Christmas Cookies - from Food 52 I followed the Dorie Greenspan's 3-Ingredient Almond Crackle Cookies recipe Easy Christmas Cookies - from Food 52 I followed the Dorie Greenspan's 3-Ingredient Almond Crackle Cookies recipe

My mother in law also sent us these amazing Juustoleipa (yoo-stoh-lay-paa), which means “Bread Cheese”, a buttery flavored baked cheese that has been produced in Finland and Sweden for over 200 years. And this adorable plate is from West Elm.
Juustoleipa (yoo-stoh-lay-paa) means Bread Cheese, a buttery flavored baked cheese that has been produced in Finland and Sweden for over 200 years. And this adorable plate is from West Elm Juustoleipa (yoo-stoh-lay-paa) means Bread Cheese, a buttery flavored baked cheese that has been produced in Finland and Sweden for over 200 years. And this adorable plate is from West Elm

What are you doing for Christmas and/or New Year’s?
Christmas Tree at Pioneer Square

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Recipe for Sheet Pan Smoked Salmon and Dill Quiche

Really, this recipe for a Sheet Pan Smoked Salmon and Dill Quiche I made for a White Elephant Party Potluck is an accumulation of three recipes and a lot of cheating. I was inspired to make a sheet pan quiche in the first place from Smitten Kitchen’s Mushroom and Spinach Sheet Pan Quiche, but then mashed up the idea from Saveur of Salmon and Dill Quiche, and added in the dill sauce from a recipe on Food 52 for Salmon with Dill Slather.

It’s a simple quiche made for a lot of people, but the use of smoked salmon and dill and a side sauce still makes it fancy, at least I think! Sheet pan quiche is so practical for a group while being pretty low effort in the kitchen and can be served warm or room temperature.
Recipe for Sheet Pan Smoked Salmon and Dill Quiche Recipe for Sheet Pan Smoked Salmon and Dill Quiche

I found recipes that included making the dough from scratch – but I just didn’t feel like putting that much work into it. I also wanted something lighter then pie dough, and so I chose instead to use frozen puff pastry sheets so if people at the party wanted to hold it to eat, they could. They could choose to eat it plain, or add in the dill sauce for a little richness.

Recipe for Sheet Pan Smoked Salmon and Dill Quiche

Ingredients:

  • For the Sheet Pan Quiche
    • 12 eggs
    • 4 cups half and half
    • A few pinches freshly grated nutmeg
    • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
    • 8 ounces smoked salmon, cut into small pieces – add more salmon if you want more fish per bite but I didn’t want it too fishy for the party
    • 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh dill
    • 1 tablespoon melted butter
    • Olive Oil or other cooking spray
    • 1 Package Frozen Puff Pastry Sheets, defrosted
  • For the Dill Sauce
    • 1 cup sour cream
    • 3/4 cup Greek yogurt
    • 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh dill

Directions:

  1. First, let me emphasize this – puff pastry sheets dry out very quickly. You will want to already have made the quiche filling and have it ready before you start rolling out the sheets. However, you do need the sheets to be softened, so defrost it from the freezer in preparation the night before.
  2. Combine the 1 cup of sour cream and 3/4 cup of Greek yogurt in a bowl. Add in the 1/4 cup of chopped dill, along with a good pinch of sea salt and some cracked black pepper. Mix well and then chill in the refrigerator for a few hours.
  3. Beat the 12 eggs, 4 cups half and half, pinches freshly grated nutmeg, salt and freshly ground black pepper until well blended in a mixing bowl.
  4. Spray an 18″ x 26″ sheet pan with the olive oil. Unwrap the puff pastry sheet and lay out on the pan, spraying between layers. You will have to layer the sheets slightly on top of each other to get them fully across the length of the pan, and need a few on each half to make it thick enough. I left a little bit of an edge along the four sides that was maybe 1/2 inch, and I brushed these with the 1 tablespoon of melted butter.
  5. Pour in the egg and half and half mixture. Sprinkle in the small pieces of smoked salmon and liberally scatter all over with the 1/4 cup of chopped fresh dill.
  6. Bake at 375 F for about 20 minutes or until you see the quiche set.
  7. Let cool before you but it into the size squares you want to serve at the party. Serve with a dollop of optional dill sauce.

Recipe for Sheet Pan Smoked Salmon and Dill Quiche Recipe for Sheet Pan Smoked Salmon and Dill Quiche

The dill sauce is also pretty much good for everything – people were dipping in veggies into it too! The recipe for the dill sauce comes from something I saw that could be served with a salmon dish – so you could also just make it for dinner with your fish. As in all quiches, this tastes great room temperature or warmed up.

What’s your favorite dish to bring to a potluck party?

 

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Roe PDX

I enjoyed the original Roe PDX restaurant by Chef Trent Pierce when it was a hidden restaurant in the back of Block and Tackle (formerly Wafu), and have been excitedly awaiting the opening of the new Roe PDX location downtown. Dining here is completely reservations only, and you select your date and time of seating from Tock or OpenTable – they have a smaller Theater menu, or go the full chefs menu course dinners. The price includes gratuity. The food here is contemporary seafood, with an intimate fine dining atmosphere – the level of service here is worthy of any white tablecloth restaurant in the top cities in the world, not the usual Portland casualness.

You’ll find Roe in the back of Morgan’s Alley (515 SW Broadway), only blocks from Pioneer Square. It is slightly hidden on the second floor with no clear Roe sign, only a congratulatory “Yes! You’ve Found Us!” as a hint.

Roe PDX Waiting room before you enter the dining room of Roe PDX

When you first enter the otherwise unmarked door, you find yourself in a waiting room with no view of the restaurant space yet, only another note that someone would be with us and some seats against the all and flower arrangement in the middle on a table. At first, it felt a little Alice in Wonderland.

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