I can hear it already- a deafening roar of outrage and offense, at the very mention of the dreaded word- “Anise” !!
Well, sorry guys, but I am compelled to try to clear the wrongly slandered name of the sublime Anise!!

First of all, you might not be aware of this, but “All Anise Is Not Created Equal”- what I mean is, people have a tendency to say,  ‘I despise anise!” across the board, as if fennel, liquorice, star anise, aniseed, etc are all the same thing…

Well- they are not.
Most of you have heard of, if not taken a drink of, the legendary French liqueur Pernod, or Pastis- which admittedly, to a novice, or a hater, is, well, let’s just say “hardcore!!”.

Not everyone feels the same desire as I do to sit in a market in Provence at 6am, with the, ahem, “Rustic” companionship of the men of the woods and farms who have come to the market to sell their exquisite treasures, and after unpacking, sit in the market cafe, smoking non-stop, arguing over the day’s upcoming sporting matches, and of course drinking Pastis-

And you know what?
I don’t blame you!! However- I do blame anyone who refuses even to try Anise in food, or as an accent, in certain preparations.
You are really going to miss one of the more ethereal  sensory delights on the planet!!

Pastis is a subject which afficionados can spend hours discussing..
Suffice it to say, I do not have all day to spend on this topic-
Because, if I did, I would be late for cocktails, and my evening “Arak” (a Middle-Eastern anise liqueur of varying degrees of sophistication- from the highly refined and elegant arak of Lebanon and Syria, to the somewhat more proletariat versions produced in Israel.. “elite” (as pictured here, is cheap as chips (aprox. 5 dollars per bottle, and although blue-collar, delicious nonetheless!!!)

All of them potent, intense, and absolutely delicious mixed either with ice-cold water, or fresh squeezed red grapefruit juice- or  superb as a sherbert on a hot day! (or, at my beloved “Gabe’s”-mixed with cheap, artificial, grapefruit soda!! Yikes!!!)

Here is how to make a arak or pastis sherbert to die for!!
-take 1 cup half- and –half (1/2 cup each, heavy cream, half milk)
Scald in a pan with 1/3 cup sugar. (note: i do not think this sherbert should be too sweet. in fact i prefer it on the sour side. If you disagree, add more sugar, but remember not to add to much or your sherbert will not freeze completely)
Let cool to room temp.
Mix with 2 cups fresh-squeezed fresh pink grapefruit juice, and 2 shots of Arak, Ouzo, Raki, or Sambuca  (do not use Pastis or Pernod for this as it is too strong!!)
Chill thoroughly, then freeze in an ice-cream machine. Either serve immediately, or put in freezer til later, then scoop out and serve in highball glass with additional shot of Pastis poured over plus pink grapefruit segments and chopped fresh mint… Anyway, as usual, I digress:
Pastis (which by the way, is distilled from the Asian herb “Star Anise”) first appeared in France in the 1930’s,

following the ban on Absinthe, which was made from the totally different tasting European herb “Green Anise”- distilled to a dangerous 74% alcohol content, and made even more lethal by the addition of Wormwood,( “Artemisia Absinthia”which is a powerful soporific and hallucinogenic compound, with addictive qualities as well! However, in it’s defense, it was used in the middle ages as a water purifier and antibacterial!! 
Now that’s some Good Medicine!! Hardcore!!

Some of the paintings of Van Gogh, Manet, and Picasso, were done under the influence of Absinthe, and their increasingly erratic behavior now can be attributed to the brain-altering effects of Absinthe- otherwise known as “Le Fee Verte”- or “the Green Fairy”-

 
In any case, things got so out of control in the late 1800’s, that a total ban on the drink was ordered, and it took a while, 17 years to be exact, for  Paul Ricard, to formulate a drink which tasted similar, without using wormwood, and without the sky-high alcohol content of the forbidden, and sorely missed, Absinthe..

Today, 130 milllion liters of Pastis are sold in France alone- and this is not mentioning the enormous popularity of other Mediterranean anise liqueurs such as Greek Ouzo, Turkish Raki, Italian Sambuca, and my beloved Middle-Eastern Arak! 

By the way, everyone has their own favorite brands-  In France, the most popular being “51”, Ricard, or Pernod- and always served with a carafe of
ice-cold water to mix it with (usually 4-5 parts water to 1 part pastis-) The effect of it turning from clear yellow or clear, to milky white is the result of the decreasing alcohol level, due to diluting with water, and some of the components becoming insoluble- This is known as the Ouzo Effect..and it is beautiful..Like looking at a liquid Opal glowing with it’s own internal light…

Here are some excellent drinks to make with Pastis:

Mauresque: (“Moorish”) 2 shots Pastis, 1 shot Orgeat Almond Syrup, 1 drop Orange Flower Water, mix, pour over ice cubes in tall glass, top with soda water

Marie la Sanguine: replace vodka with Pernod or Pastis in a Bloody Mary

“Tomate”: Pastis with a splash of grenadine, with an orange twist and soda

One of the more delicious examples of anise I can remember was last year when we were shooting “Duet” in Istanbul.. 
Alon and I went after I finished for the day to an amazing small fish restaurant in the Taksim (the main promenade through the center of Istanbul) where there was not a tourist to be seen, only dozens of Turks, dressed to the nines, eating huge, outlandish platters of all kinds of fresh fish and seafood, and washing it down with bottles of ice-cold “Tekirdag Gold” Raki!!

Of course, we followed suit- and finished a whole bottle with our 2-kilo “Kalkan”- the mighty and aristocratic Bosporus Turbot!!

I still have half a bottle of that stuff which I carried home with me, and I treat it like gold!! Smooth as silk! Powerful as a upper left hook punch encased in a velvet glove!! Divine!!!!

by the way- the best way to enjoy  Raki is with chilled green melons, green or red plums, and Turkish Feta cheese -“”Yufka”- the very best Feta in the world.  Heaven!!!!!
 

Another thing I really love about anise liqueurs, besides the decadent buzz, and overall euphoria- and never with the aggression or melancholy that may strike you as when you are drinking gin, or vodka, I might add- is it’s absolute irreplaceable benefit to cooking- especially in dishes involving fish or seafood.

My mom, (who as all of you know, is world-famous for being one of the most exquisitely horrible cooks on the planet-)  hates and despises anise, fennel, and all it’s cousins with an almost religious intensity bordering on fanaticism..
Just the insinuation that anise may be lurking in a dish she is about to eat is enough to drive her into a rage, or tears!!
Nonetheless, this does not prevent me from slipping liberal splashes of Pernod into a Bouillabaisse,  or on top of a grilled lobster, and if she eats it, she proclaims it delicious!  If she only knew what she had just eaten, she would disown me!!

Just this week I made a strange, bizarre, and completely delicious confiture of forest mushrooms, in a star-anise gelee, which I served with a lamb “Pastilla”, for Omnivore….. Which was duly devoured by one of my best friends,
pronounced “delectable”, and then when confronted with a written menu mentioning the star-anise- he turned a ghastly shade of green and asked me, voice quivering with horror -“But you didn’t actually use star anise in that dish, did you?!”

The same folks who claim to despise garlic, yet when confronted with a bowl of perfectly made, delicate, melting garlic Confit, will eat it all and ask for more, are usually the same ones who will love a creamy, nutty, delicate, and gentle soup, made with nothing more than fresh fennel bulbs braised in olive oil, pureed, mixed with fish stock, some tangerine zest, a splash of cream, and some fresh mussels, and toped with a slice of Pan Levain fried in olive oil..  and chances are, they won’t even notice it is fennel unless you tell them!
Fennel, like garlic, loses all of it’s harshness and aggression when made into confit, or braised, grilled, or roasted..

Me and my old Hippy Dad used to collect wild fennel and use it to grill fresh chanterelles and porcinis from the woods, and to make tea from it’s flowers- which by the way, is extremely healthy and cleans the blood and liver and removes toxins from the body..

In short-  What I am trying to say here, is- “Give Anise a Chance”!!”
It may indeed be a stretch to think that everyone should be downing tall glasses of Pastis or Pernod..  And I’m not recommending that you do! or, maybe I am!!

What I am recommending is that those of you who hate and fear the stuff, try to be a little open minded, and use it in a way that you would use, say, saffron, or vanilla, or bay leaves.. All delicious, unique, and amazing flavours when used carefully and with restraint- which will bring out all the delicacy and potential of the dish it is in…. and yet, if overused, will overpower, and destroy it.

Here, to prove my good intentions, are directions for how to make a sublime Lebanese style Tabbouleh Beef Tartare..
And please! Trust me and add the arak/raki/pastis… you won’t feel it, but the complexity it adds to the dish is incredible..

First- soak 1/2 cup Bulghur Wheat in cold water til al-dente, drain, set aside.

Hand chop about 400 grams (about 1 lb)  fresh beef filet, finely.

brunoise 1/3 red onion

chiffonade 1/2 cup (packed- about 1 bunch) fresh mint leaves

chiffonade 1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves

finely grate 1 clove garlic

juice plus zest from 1-2 big lemons

1 hot green chile (or to taste- can leave out if you want, but i think it’s better with..) minced

Mix all of these ingredients, kneading well with your hands, add sea salt/atlantic salt and plenty of fresh ground pepper to taste, plenty of extra-virgin olive oil, plus a big handful toasted pine nuts..

Form into a “patty” shape on a platter, score with a diamond pattern, then pour 1 shot  Arak, Raki, Ouzo, or Pastis over top, garnish with whole mint leaves, more pine-nuts, generous drizzle of olive oil and some edible flowers plus grilled Pita or toasts….

So til next time…I hope you will have taken the plunge and overcome your Anise Fears.. and don’t forget to thank me next time you are sitting around eating a huge plate of grilled fennel with orange and fennel seed vinaigrette, and Crottin goats’s cheese!!!

A’Sante!!!

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Well, I guess I don’t need to point out that I am not a typical girl-
I mean, I love shoes, and don’t mind a nice session of vicious gossip with my friends (99% of whom are a bunch of cooks- Men cooks I might add)
but that’s about the end of the similarities between me and a normal girl.

Itamar Davidov, Bishara Hinnawi, Mena Strum, Nitzan Raz

For one thing, I don’t own any jewelry, I drool over high-performance sportscars, I adore really aggressive sports and go out of my way to involve myself in truly nasty debates and discussions- and the more hostile they get, the better I like it.

The Gang

Bishara the "Meat Man"

But I guess the thing that really makes me doubt whether my chromosomes are in order, is my obsessive passion for KNIVES!!!!

Me and my Knives!!!

Now to be fair, I have been in the kitchen for 27 years, so it’s only natural that I should have accumulated a few knives over the years. But this goes way beyond a normal set of professional knives that every chef should own.

My knives are truly my most valuable possessions, and every chance I have to add to my collection- I do!
Alon has caught this disease as well now, and he is just as likely as me to be the one busting out the “beaucoup d’argent” for a really special one..

Alon cuts up a $700 fish with a Spanish fish knife!!!

When we are in Europe or elsewhere we always make sure to go to a few really top- end knife shops, and we usually discover a few hidden gems of our own, too!

Like the handmade, teflon-coated filleting knife from Finland we bought at
“Cotelleria Galli”, Via Spada 36R, in Firenze, Italia!

Now, I could really waste endless time on this subject, but bragging aside, I think it’s a damn shame that so many home cooks, even ones who are quite accomplished, and quite a few professional chefs too, NEGLECT their knives, or worse yet, don’t even bother to own a really varied set and don’t appreciate just how much better their experience in the kitchen will be when you are using the EXACT knife meant for the EXACT job!! 

This Maguro Tuna was swiming 12 hours ago, Thanks for airplanes!

Nothing gets on my nerves more that seeing someone sawing away at a tomato with a dull kitchen knife! Or trying in vain to thinly slice a piece of raw fish using a damn boning knife or worse yet a Chef’s knife, instead of a razor-sharp, Japanese slicer!!! Sacrilege!!!

Now, I can hear what you guys are saying right now: “What’s the @#$! big deal?! a Knife is a knife! as long as it’s sharp, there just isn’t that much difference!”

Moshe might look like a mass murderer here, but I assure you he is a nice guy!!!

NONSENSE!!!
Just as you wouldn’t wear a pair of 6” Christian Louboutin stiletto heels on the tennis court, using a knife for a purpose other than what it was intended for ruins both the ingredient you are working with, and your pleasure in the kitchen as well.

I will describe here a few general and specific types of knives, and why I think they are worth owning- and I sincerely hope you will take my advice and stop being cheap and lazy when it comes to knives! You will thank me!!

First of all- everyone needs a Chef’s knife.
This is the most versatile and necessary knife in the kitchen, and even though it’s true as with anything else ‘You Get What You Pay For”, in this case, you can actually buy a very effective and high-quality Chef’s knife which won’t make you have to take out a second mortgage, (unlike the really esoteric Japanese sushi and sashimi knives)

My Shun sashimi knife

For example, “Wusthof” (Germany) makes exceptional knives, and their new series “Culinar” is not only beautiful, but great fun to use, too.
http://wusthof.com//desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-74/52_view-99/categories-99 
I just bough a fish slicer in Prague a few months ago, and ever since then, all my cooks try to stael it every chance they get!!
Wusthof’s “Classic Ikon” series is also stellar and I tell everyone, if you can afford just one top-end knife, get this series’ Chef knife to start.
OVERALL GRADE:A

Wusthof "Culinar" series fish filleting knife I love it!!!

Zwilling J.A. Henckels makes many series of knives, and in fact I’ve been using Henckels knives for over 20 years, they are probably my overall favourite knife company.
http://www.zwilling.com/en-WW/Product-Range–sortiment/Knives–knives/Series-overview–serien.html
And up until recently, their “FiveStar” series was my top choice. That is, until they premiered their new “Cermax” series.
Made for Henckels, in Japan, by a centuries- old Japanese knifemaking firm, this is the god damn Ferrari Scuderia 16M Spider of knives!

The Cermax of cars!!!

 
It’s the wet-dream generator for all knife freaks!!! In short, it ABSOLUTELY SETS THE WORLD STANDARD for quality and performance. It blows any other knife I have ever used out of the water!!!! Made from high-tech Japanese MicroCarbide Powder Steel. It’s as sharp as a scalpel!!
However- it’s frighteningly expensive, extremely high-maintenance, and unless you are someone like me who needs a knife that won’t give me blisters after using it for 9 or 10 hours straight- this probably isn’t the right knife for everyone.

Cermax : The best knife I own

I don’t use mine that often, as I use it mainly as a tool to dominate and lord over other cooks, once in a while letting them test it to slice a green onion or something, after which they leave my kitchen, stifling sobs of jealousy and rage, and go home to throw all their knives in the trash in disgust!!!!!
However, their “Miyabi” series is similar in feel and precision, and at less than half the price, it is also an EXCEPTIONAL knife.
I own one, and it sure won’t be the last!

I used it for the very first time on camera shooting an episode of “Duet” with Chef Zdenek Pohlreich in Prague, and it cut through a huge chunk of meat like it was butter!
The director made us do the shot again because I said “Fuck!! This is GREAT!!”
OVERALL GRADE:A+

“Global” Knives: No doubt you have heard of this brand, because it has been overhyped and aggressively marketed to the point that every amateur cook, housewife, and many chefs seem to think this is supposed to be the world’s best knife.
To this i say, HAH!!
They are no better than a “Trophy Wife”- that is to say, it looks beautiful, but their annoying and superficial characteristics do not justify the investment in owning one.

I myself own a few, and if I make the mistake of using them to cut anything tougher than a bunch of parsley and the job takes longer than 10 mins, I have a nasty blister and a bad attitude.

I use them for NOTHING except chiffonading herbs, and I keep them razor-sharp, which helps. 
They are made from Molybdenum-Vanadium, which is a metal I  love, but not in these knives.. I must admit I find them beautiful, but …
OVERALL GRADE: C-

JAPANESE KNIVES:
Obviously, this is a category which could go on for hundreds of pages.
In general, Japanese knives for professionals are made from Damascus, or layered, high-carbon steel, and are fully or partially handmade.
They are precision tools for top professionals and are horribly easy to damage, very high-maintenance, and useless to anyone other than a specialized chef who really needs these tools.

This being said- I cannot live without my Shun yanagiba, my Masamoto sashimi knife, my “Takobiki”, and my Saiku vegetable knife.

however- I have decided life is not worth living until I get my hands on THIS:
A handmade, Suminagashi Deba ( called“ink on water”- because of the beautiful patterns of the dozens of layers of folded and pounded steel)

Suminagashi Deba : My next big life goal-to own this!!!

Now, as you probably have figured out.. I could beat this subject like a proverbial Dead Horse.
So before Alon beats me, for staying up all night writing about knives…I will leave you with the hope that I have at least given you a desire to go out and improve your knife collection.. And consider yourself warned!!! Once you start down this path of knife obsession.. There’s no going back!!!!!

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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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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.

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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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Guys-

I think it’s very symbolic that my very first blog post coincides with the fact that this Monday is the very first time that Shuk ha’Carmel is starting the Night Shuk- and I will be at Monterey Bay Aquarium– MAKING SUSHI! and pouring sake! and having fun with one of my best friends, Moshe..

All of you who know me know that is the ONLY place i will buy fish.. and also coincidentally,  because of Moshe and his exquisite fish.. I ended up becoming his friend, and did i tell you he held up one corner of my “Chuppah” when we got married??

And his beautiful speech reduced everyone there to tears??!

well- in any case- I am looking forward with joy to a great Monday night over at the Carmel market… and i am even going to bring some of my precious shiso leaves from my garden! The only ones in Israel!

and remember.. It’s traditional to send the sushi chef a cup of sake to say thanks.. hehehe… so- See you all there!!  7pm-11pm Monday night..

And by the way.. my show, “Duet” is premiering here in Israel on “Arutz ha’Ochel” this Wed. Aug 26 at 10pm..

so I hope you will watch, and let me know (honestly!) what you think …

From the album:
“תכניות חדשות באוגוסט 2009 בערוץ האוכל” by Israel FOOD channel

דואט – Duet הפקת מקור חדשה! בשפה האנגלית!
ימי רביעי, החל ב-26 באוגוסט בשעה 22:00
סדרת יוקרה חדשה מבית היוצר של ענני-תקשורת. שפית-העל רימה אולברה פוצחת באודיסיאה קולינרית חובקת עולם ומתחקה אחר מיטב השפים ומאכליהם. במסגרת בילויים משותפים בני יממה תתלווה אולברה אל אשפי בישול מקומיים שידריכו אותה בנבכי המטבח של ארצם ואף יספקו לה הזדמנות לבשל כמה מן המנות המקומיות בעצמה. בטורקיה תחבור אולברה אל השף ודאט בסארן, בעל מסעדת “פרייה” הנחשבת לאחד המוסדות הקולינריים החשובים באזור. שמו של בסארן יצא למרחוק כמי שאמון על שימורם של מתכונים עות’מאניים אותנטיים וכמומחה לשחזור המדויק של המטבח העות’מאני על שלל תבשיליו המסורתיים. בניס תתלווה אולברה אל השף כריסטיאן פלומייל, בעל מסעדת L’UNIVERS, המחזיקה בכוכב מישלן. אולברה תבלה את היום כולו עם פלומייל, החל מביקור בשוק המקומי, הילוות אל תחנת הרדיו בה מגיש פלומייל את תכניתו הקבועה וכלה בבישול ארוחת יום הולדת ליום הולדתה ה-60 של אימו. אולברה תמשיך בסיוריה הקולינריים-הגלובליים, כאשר תתלווה בהודו אל השף סנג’יב קאפור, הכוכב האולטימטיבי של המטבח ההודי המחזיק ב-15 מסעדות ברחבי העולם, ובאיטליה תתוודע אל השף אליה ריצו ובנו – מתיאו, שניהם מנהלים את מסעדת ‘איל דסקו’, אחת המסעדות הידועות בורונה, המחזיקה בשני כוכבי מישלן.
רימה אולברה מחזיקה כיום בחברת קייטרינג פרטית הפועלת בישראל ובסן פרנסיסקו. בין לקוחותיה של אולברה נמנים ד”ר קארל דג’ראסי ממציא הגלולה למניעת הריון וחתן פרס נובל, וטביתה סורן, כתבת MTV לשעבר. כמו כן תפקדה במהלך ארבע שנים כשפית ראשית במסעדת אנריקוס הקליפורנית בעלת 180 מושבים שהתמחתה בבישול ים תיכוני איכותי.

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