I decided that I will start putting up the menus from my monthly members-only Supper Club here on my blog..
Ok, maybe not all the full menus, all the time, because let’s face it, I happen to be an ego-driven megalomaniac who is convinced that other chefs will rip off my ideas..
But, I will post some of them, I promise, and add photos from the dinners the next day..

Tonight happens to be a Wine Pairing Dinner, with one of my favourite Israeli boutique wineries, Alona Vineyards, and I wanted to create a menu that captures all the delicacy, yet, well, let’s not beat around the bush-
Bombastic Israeli Strength, of these incredible wines- using all the ingredients from the region.

So with no further ado- I present the menu for tonight’s dinner:

Omnivore Gastronomic Society and Supper Club

Presents on Thursday, April 15, 2010, at 8:30pm

“Symphony in shades of Grape”

A very special Omnivore featuring the beautiful wines of Alona Vineyards.

The winemaker will be in attendance.

A Delicate Salad of Crispy Duck

with confit strawberries, fresh herbs, and cardamom and rosepetal dressing

Wine: Alona Rose, 2008

Goose Liver “Bijoux”

Tiny profiteroles filled with goose liver, cherries, pistachios, spices, star anise and black tea syrup

Wine: Alona Merlot, 2008

Rare Beef Filet with Tempura Sage Leaves

Corn and white truffle fritters, artichoke and enoki mushroom salad

Wine: Alona Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, 2008

Red Tuna “Kubeh”

Moroccan black olives, cured anchovies, tarragon, oranges, and green almonds

Wine: Alona Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, 2008

Lamb Chops with Aniseed Crust

Goats cheese and mint crispy Yemen pancake turnovers, grilled grapes, and figs in balsamic

Wine: Alona Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, 2008

DESSERT:

Caramel au Fleur de sel Tarts with Brulee Figs and Mint Ice Cream

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black rice fields in Laos

Ok!!  I admit it- I’ve been  little lazy in posting this part 2 of Rice Papers-
But I have a good excuse! It’s the holidays here, and, I must tell you-
I made the mistake of drinking RUM last night, and well, you know how that can end- And it doesn’t usually end in being able to write coherent sentences.. *ahem*

this photo may seem irrelevant, but this is Rick’s Cafe in Negril, Jamaica- I happen to love this place and I have been plenty drunk on rum many a day here!!!

Anyway! to get back to the point, which is Rice Papers and their various uses..

“Hanoi House Party” Omnivore last month

As I mentioned in part 1, I adore these things, and find them supremely versatile.
I have made all kinds of freaky things out of them, from the full-on old school classics from the Thai and Vietnamese kitchen, to weird variants of my own creation, for example, a delectable version of the Thai dessert of Sticky Black Rice and Mango- which I made into a springroll-

bruleeing mangoes for rolls

  (enclose the classically prepared sticky black rice (cook black rice, then add coconut milk to it in a saute pan and cook it til the coconut milk is evaporated..) diced fresh mango, plus a few threads of fresh ginger, cut in fine julienne..
Wrap in a rehydrated rice paper, and fry in hot canola or soy oil..
Drain, dust with powdered sugar mixed with pure vanilla powder or if you are lucky enough to get hold of it, pandan flavoured sugar.. Serve with dipping sauce of coconut milk reduced with sugar and a piece of bruised fresh lemongrass…

I think I used this photo in the part 1, but the point is, the leaves I am holding here with the orchids are Pandan leaves

*If you will excuse the digression, pandan leaves, which is the name for an Asian screwpine, are an amazing thing- a leaf which until it is heated, has no scent at all- and once it comes into contact with steam or heat- releases an unbelievable aroma similar to vanilla- it is used all over Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Indonesia, for making everything from desserts (also Pandan leaf is used powdered for it’s vibrant green colour) to wrapping meats, fish, etc before steaming or grilling, And if you see these in an Asian market, or in Asia- BUY THEM and USE THEM!!!*

As for other fun and er, well, let’s face it, unhealthy things you can make from Rice Papers-
Delicious rolls made from a combination of minced pork, shrimpmeat, crabmeat, coriander, ginger, green onions, and seasoned with sugar, naam pla (fish sauce), fresh bird chiles, and white pepper, then wrapped and fried and served with  sauce of naam pla, lime juice, sugar, and chopped chiles, is DIVINE!!!!
It’s worth spending the whole next day in the gym!!

Another really cool thing about Rice Papers is the fact that they are completely transparent in both fresh and fried preps, and that makes it possible to make extremely beautiful things with them-

making herb and flower wrapped fish

 If you carefully arrange your herbs, flowers, etc in the center of the papers before rolling them- you will see the aesthetic arrangement of your ingredients in a delicate and lovely way-
And as you know, I believe that the beauty of the food is as important as everything else- because in any dish – you first SEE it, and if it is beautiful, you already are appreciating it before you even take a bite-

here is another really esoteric and  beautiful dish from Vietnam which I LOVE- it is called (rough translation) “Net Wrap Summer Rolls”
Here is a photo of me making the nets, and a finished roll, before frying:

These weird treasures actually don’t use pre- made dried rice papers, but instead, a “Net” that you make out of a thin batter made from rice flour, egg whites, and water- and then, by dipping your hand into the batter and then by dripping the drops from your hand into lace patterns in a hot, dry, nonstick pan- you create “nets” which you then fill with a mixture similar to the springrolls I described above..   and you serve then in chilled Iceberg lettuce cups-
You will not imagine how delicate and special the sensation is of eating the very hot, crunchy rolls, enclosed in chilled, crisp lettuce, and dipped in a sweet and sour lime juice and spicy chile sauce..  an absolute TON of work.. and worth every second..Heaven!!!!!!

Now listen! I could rant and rave all day about all the delicious things you can make out of Rice Papers.. but I think the best thing is for you to go out and get some, and try a few experiments of your own..
And don’t get discouraged if it’s hard to get the hang of working with them right away.. it takes a little practice, but like everything good in life- things that come too easy are seldom worth much..:)

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Hi again!!  did you miss me?! Did you run out last night in search of a plate of oysters?! hope so!
Well, as promised, I am continuing my post about oysters..

And one of the very best oysters in the world, in my opinion, is the Kumamoto.
It is a tiny oyster, and almost round.
It is now, like most oysters, farm- raised in the Pacific Northwest or in Europe- but it originated from Kyushu island in Japan.

Hog Island Oyster Company- In Tomales Bay- is where we used to get ours when I was a Chef in SF- and if you are over there, I really recommend a trip there! It’s amazing! Fun! and you can eat as many oysters as you want!

the Kumamoto’s flavour is creamy- almost buttery- and has no harshness or aggression whatsoever to it.  By the way, they go perfectly with sevruga, osetra,

or of course, if you have plenty of spare money lying around- Beluga- caviar.

And speaking of caviar, spare money lying around, and other APHRODISIACS- let’s briefly discuss the legend that oysters will give you a Tiger in the Tank in the bedroom!

it’s no secret they look and taste sexy…
but, well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but research pretty much disproves that eating them will turn you into a Sex-God.. sorry.. 
Although in the case  of the mythologically fantastic lover Cassanova, he was famous also for eating 50 oysters for breakfast every morning, so who knows!!!!

I don’t know why talking about sex reminds me of this place, but-
Next time you are in my home town of San Francisco, make sure that you go to my all-time favourite restaurant there :

Zuni:

1658 Market St San Francisco, CA 94102 (415) 552-2522

Get at least 36 of them! And order a sapphire martini to with them! Trust me! I used to do it all the time!Sadly, it’s almost impossible to get Kumamotos outside of Japan or the States, so I have taken up eating Belons, or Fines de Claires- also absolutely top grade oysters, and carefully and proudly grown and harvested in Brittany and Marennes by people who have generations of history as oyster producers-Beautiful Breton

And when I’m in France- I have been known to devour them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner! 
here are two places which you MUST go to-  if in Paris:

I was sitting in Paris for 2 days waiting for Alon to join me after a meeting in Zurich, and every night I sat there (by myself) and ate 36 Fines de Claires and drank a whole bottle of Sancerre!
they treated me like a God! You will love it!

And in the unfortunate event that you are ever in Nice:
(sorry, but it reminded me of Netanya! Not that there’s anything wrong with Netanya, mind you- but when in France, I like to feel like I’m in France!!)

We were there filming “Duet” with Chef Christian Plumail of the Michelin- starred “L’Universe”!
Oh La La!

Alon and I were lucky to find this place!
We ate perfect oysters and oursin every day there after I finished shooting!
while the rest of the crew was sitting in some tourist trap, eating 25-euro pizza! 
Why?!  because they do not eat oysters!! Ha!

Cafe Turin
http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Europe/France/Provence_Alpes_Cote_dAzur/Nice-100528/Restaurants-Nice-Le_Cafe_de_Turin-BR-1.html

Now- I gess you guys think I will be giving some sort of recipes, blah blah blah.
Sorry- as well as my hatred for recipes, I truly believe nothing more than a squeeze of lemon belongs on a fresh Oyster..
Oh- and maybe a spoonful of Tobiko caviar! (NOT the tiny, yucky,”mintay”  used for making ikra that is  sometimes passed off as Tobiko by unscrupulous sushi bars here!)

Tobiko is Flying- Fish caviar, crunchy, delicate, and excellent!
You can order it from Moshe! It’s damn cheap, too! it comes in Wasabi flavour as well! Yum!

Other than that- great company, and a great bottle of wine (or two!) are the only things you need to have a truly memorable Oyster feast!

Enjoy!!

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If there’s one thing I simply cannot get enough of- it’s oysters!!

Freddy eats an oyster at our wedding

The season has just started this week, so I thought, what better time to write about the celestial joys of the noble Ostreidae ?!
 

First of all- I find it a crying shame that many people here in Israel have never tried an oyster.
It’s a crime! A sin! It’s inexcusable!
I’ve heard people say things like: “You want me to.. eat that thing?!”
But it’s..alive!!” “it’s slippery… slimy!”   “it’s fishy!”
And you know what I say to this?! “NONSENSE!!”

www.rimaolvera.com
( See my blog updates www.rimaolvera.com/blog )

A really fresh oyster is one of the most sublime of culinary delights-
The first of it’s surprises is it’s ability to transport one back in time, to places of happy memory- 
in my case,  I grew up always next to the sea- and some of my happiest times were when I was wading through tide-pools with my dad, him showing me the infinite worlds contained in these saline microcosms- salt spray from the breakers beyond the cliffs misting over us from below, the clean, salty, air full of freshness and life-

THAT is the scent of a really fresh oyster- the ONLY scent, by the way, it should have- If it has even the remotest hint of , let’s say, *ahem*, the beach in Jaffa in summer, or anything similar or worse- Throw it away!

here is a link to Monterey Bay Aquarium- It’s an incredible place, like no where else in the world..
This is the place where I grew up, and my dad, a marine biologist, did a lot of research in this area in the 60’s.
They have one of the world’s top Ocean Research and Conservation Centers there, and I strongly urge you to read about Sustainable Seafood-
Your choices in what you eat from the sea impact the fate of the world’s oceans!

http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/seafoodwatch.aspx

The second of it’s gifts is the delicacy of it’s texture- There is nothing slimy about a fresh oyster! it has a crisp, yet delicate feel, like a perfectly cooked al-dente pasta!

Each type varies in flavour and colour depending on where they are from, the temperature of the water (the colder the water, the better. That’s why the season ends at the first of the warm months, and begins at the end of them.) what type of material it feeds on, and the salinity of the water.

And perhaps the very best of the sensory treasures the oyster will bestow on you, is the unmistakable Frisson of feeling absolutely decadent and privileged when you are eating them!

We are lucky now to be able to get good oysters in Israel- you just have to know where to get them!
I order mine from Moshe Penster, in the Shuk ha’ Carmel- you remember- the guy I recently had the “Night Shuk Sushi Bar” with?!
Here’s his number: 03-510-1863. Make sure you tell him I sent you!
and make sure to specify that you want them only on the day they arrive here from France!

2 Yoezer Ish Habira St.
Jaffa (near the clock)
03-6839115

And make sure to ask Shaul Avron, the charming, sophisticated, and knowledgeable owner, to choose for you an Aligote  (A lovely Bourgogne white wine!) to accompany them!

I had a 2004 Aligote over there recently (by the way, 2004 and 2007 are two of the very best vintages for Aligote in recent years..) which blew my mind!
it actually TASTED like a plate of fresh oysters! Whoah!!

Another wine which goes great with oysters (besides Champagne,obviously.. And I mean CHAMPAGNE, not Cava!!) is Sancerre, as I mentioned before.
It is just perfect.
And a really top-notch French Rose (NOT Israeli- sorry- not dry enough at all)  is excellent, too. As a matter of fact, there is a Rose de Sancerre!

As for different kinds- well, that would take a whole separate post to really get into-
and as usual- this post has gotten out of hand!
so let’s say I will continue this tomorrow.. and include lots more details, links, and places to go.. both in France, and in California..  so see you tomorrow!!!

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Living in Tel-Aviv has it’s advantages; don’t get me wrong- For example, if you want to go out to a club at 5am, and still get served a drink, or buy a load of cheap clothes which wouldn’t be out of place in a Baghdad brothel, or risk your life every time you get on your bike and ride across town thru traffic- This is the place to be!
However- if you love having tons of perfect Vietnamese food all over the place on every corner, like I got used to in SF-
Well- this is when things go south if you happen to live in TLV.
So what’s a girl to do?!

MAKE IT MYSELF!

making herbs and flowers ricepaper wrapped fish!

As most of you know, I have an elite Supper Club! “Omnivore”! Once a month, a group of people come, and I make a dinner from a different place, or a different inspiration, for them.

www.rimaolvera.com 

Omnivore Dinner last night

usually, it happens to be what I most feel like eating, and last night was no exception.

I decided to make a supreme feast of a lot of really unusual Vietnamese dishes, things you don’t see on the menus of places in the States or Europe, but must go to Vietnam to taste.. Here’s the menu:

Now, when I write a menu, I keep it simple! Unlike when I write this Blog!
No paragraphs-long- paragons of overblown, philosophical, long-winded nonsense! no poetry and pomposity describing the pedigree of every ingredient in the dish! (unlike some people I could mention..!) No way!
Just get to the point, and let the DISH speak for itself!!!
Besides, I hate photos of my actual food.
I  think it kills the spirit of it, it never looks as beautiful as in real life, and of course, you can’t really smell, see, or taste it, you won’t hear the crackle of a shrimp roasting on the grill, you can’t smell the burst of fragrance as a handful of fresh herbs is added to a bowl of perfect, wok- seared mussels!
and you can’t hear the clink of glasses and bursts of happy laughter from the guests!
So forget it! If you are there- Enjoy!!!

I’m not even going to get into all the details- but i will describe one dish, and why I think this will give you an insight into the exquisite delights of the elevated and delicious cuisine of Vietnam-

Soft-Shell Crabs with Spicy Caramel:
”what the hell?!” 
Don’t lie! I know that’s what you are thinking!
To make this dish, you need some soft-shell crabs. All crabs shed their shells once in a while to grow bigger. And when they do, their brand- new shells are soft as a baby’s bottom for 2 or 3 days! And this is when you grab ‘em , and devour ‘em, shells and all!! YUM!!
Then, you caramelize sugar, when it is a medium brown, toss in a load of sliced shallots! let them sizzle in there! add some black pepper! 
some fresh lemongrass! rice vinegar! Fish sauce!
(made from fermenting all kinds of small fish, out in the sun! it stinks like hell! And it tastes like heaven!!) Coconut milk! Lime juice!
when it’s nice and thick, fry up the crabs in riceflour, and coat ‘em with this crazy sauce! squeeze a bunch of fresh limes over them , and add a big handful of fresh coriander, asian basil, hot green chiles, and green onions!
Now- doesn’t this sound sublime?! I told you!

Me and Alon make soft-shell crabs

So go and if you are lucky enough to be near a good Vietnamese restaurant, forget about ordering this, because this is really esoteric! Order the “Pho”, which is an incredible soup , and the national dish of Vietnam, and be thankful! In fact- order two bowls, and eat one for me! It’s my favourite!!
Hopefully this unique and surprising dish will inspire you to go out and try to find this food from Vietnam, try it’s delights, and maybe even one day to try cooking it for yourselves! And don’t forget to write and say thanks!!!

Typical Vietnamese Market

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