Pan-Seared Maitake steaks with Pumpkin Risotto

Pan-seared maitake steaks with pumpkin risotto and crispy sage

Last night our menu was:

---

Tiny oven roasted beets on a nest of sautéed beet tops
with a hazelnut & orange dressing

Pan-seared maitake steaks with pumpkin risotto and crispy sage

Tensley Blanc 2007, Santa Barbara

---

While this may look like zombie food it is in fact a maitake mushroom. They’re delicious and in season right now. Try them.

For risotto

• 300 ml (1 1/4 cups) peeled, seeded and diced fresh pumpkin
• 750 ml (3 cups) homemade vegetable stock (or best store-bought)
• 115 ml (1/2 cup) dry white wine
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 15 ml (1 tbs) olive oil
• 350 ml (1 1/2 cups) Arborio rice
• freshly ground nutmeg
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

For maitake steaks

• 2 or 3 medium clusters of maitake (aprox 750 gr)
• 45 ml (3 tbs) olive oil
• 30 ml (2 tbs) thinly sliced plus 6 whole leaves fresh sage

Make risotto:

Cook diced pumpkin in a medium saucepan covered with water until tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain and puré in blender. Reserve.

Bring stock to a simmer in a small saucepan and keep warm.

In a medium size heavy saucepan, cook onion in oil over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add wine and simmer until evaporated. Add 1 cup simmering stock and cook at a strong simmer, stirring constantly, until stock is absorbed. Continue simmering, adding stock 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly and letting each addition be absorbed before adding the next, until rice is tender and creamy-looking but still al dente, about 20 minutes total. (There may be broth left over.)

Remove from heat and stir in pumpkin cream. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste. Cover to rest 5 minutes. Serve immediately after.

Prepare mushrooms:

Clean maitake mushrooms carefully and cut into 2.5 cm (1″) thick slices.

Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the sage and fry until golden and crispy. Careful not to burn it, this only takes seconds. Remove sage from the skillet and drain on a paper towel. Keep the hot oil in the skillet.

Add the maitake to the skillet and sauté, turning once, until golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Keep warm.

To serve:

Ladle risotto onto plates, top with maitake steak and crispy sage. Serve immediately, risotto doesn’t wait very well.

Wine:

Tensley Blanc – 2007

Country :	USA
Region :	California / Santa Barbara
Varietal :	Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, Viognier
Price :	$25

A Rhône-style blend, fruity and aromatic with notes of ripe peach, green apple and tropical fruit. Hint of floral and mineral. Big, round, ripe and lush fall wine.

Winter vegetables stew with turmeric and raisins

Last night’s menu was:

Crostini of chestnut pâté with caramelised onions,
grape must reduction and a drop of truffle oil

Winter vegetables stew with turmeric & raisins
and a simple green salad.

Stew recipe

Ingredients

• 12 small cipollini onions, whole, peeled
• 4 medium parsnips
• 6 small white turnips
• 1 medium ratabaga
• 2 medium parsley roots
• 4 medium carrots
• 500 gr (1 lbs) fingerlings potatoes
• 5 large chard leaves
• 45 ml (3 tbs) olive oil
• 30 ml (2 tbs) flour
• 5 ml (1 tsp) turmeric powder
• 250 ml (1 cup) dry white wine
• 750 ml (3 cups) strong vegetable broth, mushroom and onion is ideal
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• (1/4 cup) large raisins
• 15 ml (1 tbs) each fresh thyme, sage, marjoram, chopped
• 45 ml (3 tbs) fresh parsley, chopped

Preparation

Preheat oven to 175C (350F)

Bring a saucepan of water to a boil and blanch the onions. Cool and peel the. Set aside.

Scrub all root vegetables clean, peel only those necessary and cut into chunky bite size pieces. Remove the ribs from the chard and cut into 1 cm (1/2 “) wide strips.

In a large cast iron pot, over medium high heat, warm the oil. Add all root vegetables and sauté 5 minutes. In a bowl mix the flour, salt, pepper, turmeric. Sprinkle the mixture over the vegetables. Cook, stirring regularly, until the flour begins to brown. Add the wine, stir and cook 2 minutes. Add broth, chard, onions, raisins and herbs, except parsley. Cover and bake in the oven until the vegetables are tender, about 45 mins.

Serve garnished with fresh parsley.

Wine

Geil muskateller trocken 2007

Country :	Germany
Region :	Rheingau / Rheinhessen
Varietal :	Muscat
Price :	$15

A light and crip wine with decent length. Very fruit forward with dominant notes of musky muscat grape of course, also with notes peach, citrus, floral, hint of honey and nutmeg. Slight minerality.

Eggplant and leak crumble

Eggplant & leak crumble

Last night we had a salad of wild roquette, sautéed Bosc pears and lightly candied pecans followed by an eggplant & leak crumble. Here’s a recipe for the crumble.

Ingredients

• 1 large eggplant cut into 2 cm (1″) cubes
• 2 medium leaks, white part only, cleaned and sliced
• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 90 ml (6 tbs) olive oil
• 1 block firm silken tofu
• 15 ml lemon juice (1 tbs)
• zest of 1/2 lemon
• freshly grated nutmeg
• salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 45 ml (3 tbs) fresh parsley, chopped

To prepare

In a blender, put the tofu, 30 ml oil (2 tbs), lemon juice and zest and process until very smooth. Add water if needed to make a very thick cream. Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste. Keep aside.

In a large skillet, over medium high heat, warm 30 ml (2 tbs) oil until very hot, add half the garlic sauté one minute and add leaks, sauté until soft. Add eggplant, sauté until soft. Remove from heat.

Oil a baking dish. Put the eggplant & leak mix at the bottom. Add the tofu cream over top. Bake for about 20 minutes in a 175C (350F) oven.

Mix bread crumbs with remaining 30 ml oil (2 tbs) oil. Season with fresh parley, remaining garlic, salt and pepper. Sprinkle over the crumble. Return to oven and broil for about 3 minutes, or just until breadcrumbs are golden and crusty. Serve.

Wine

Bott Geyl Les Pinots d’Alsace Métiss 2006

Country :	France
Region :	Alsace
Appellation :	Alsace
Producer :	Jean-Christophe Bott

Very Alsatian in character, it’s a beautiful rich golden colour. Overall crisp and fresh and dangerously easy to drink. Dominant notes are pear, apricot, citrus, with a hint of floral, honey and almond. Nice minerality, dept and ripeness. Kind of a steal at $16.

Just potatoes and onions

A last one from the vacation food folder…

Every day food kept getting simpler. Here just some sliced up new potatoes, white onions, rosemary from the garden, a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of smoked Maldon salt. Baked in the BBQ until tender. I don’t think I bothered with anything else but a glass of wine.

Mesclum from the garden

More country vacation food…

The deers were kind enough to leave me some mesclum. No recipe here, just pretty greens.