Dining In: Durham, NC - Scratch Bakery Pizza Night

Long time no blog! However, we have a good excuse. We are eagerly awaiting baby spoonraider and life has been very hectic. I have to admit that this post should have gone up last fall since that's probably the last time we went to Scratch for Pizza Night, but I figured I'd still share. 

Scratch Bakery is an adorable coffee shop/bakery/cafe nestled in a side street of downtown Durham. We went to their Pizza Night with some friends and it was BYOB. Perfect! The beet and greens salad was quite flavorful and so refreshing. The pizza had a doughy crust and yummy toppings. The atmosphere is fun and casual. Perfect for those chill fall nights when you just want to eat a no-frills, all comfort meal. 

Hope you have a great week! 

Pao de Queso

Have you ever been to a Brazilian churrascaria such as Texas de Brazil or Fogo de Chao? If you have, then you've definitely had these delectable little cheese poufs. They are chewy, soft, and cheesy. If you've never had them, make this recipe now. You can thank me later.

What is even more awesome is that everything gets blended in a blender. That's it. You are done. Stick it in the oven and you have appetizers for your dinner.

Ingredients

1 ½ cups of parmesan cheese (you can also use swiss, cheddar, or any other grate-able cheese)

1 ½ cups of corn oil

1 cup whole eggs

2 ½ cups of tapioca starch (often found in Asian grocery stores)

1 cup of 2% milk (we used whole milk)

Several pinches of salt

Directions

1. Blend all ingredients in a blender.

2. Spray a mini-muffin tin with vegetable oil. Pour mix into cup tray filling each to the top.

3. Place it in oven 350 degrees for 15min, until light brown.

4. The bread should be baked and served immediately, so you can truly enjoy its full flavor. This can be frozen and reheated, but fresh is probably best.

Probably the easiest appetizer you can ever make!

Seafood and Chive Dumplings

Dumplings are perfect little packages of bite-sized food and totally easy to make. We decided to make a seafood version after being inspired by a new show called Easy Chinese (horrible name, but good recipes!) on the Cooking Channel. I liked how this dumpling did not use pork, which tends to be much fattier and instead utilizes fish as the primary protein.

Seafood and Chive Dumplings

From Easy Chinese, Cooking Channel

Ingredients

6 ounces fresh skinless striped bass or other firm white fish, finely chopped

6 ounces shelled and deveined shrimp, finely chopped

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 tablespoon peeled and grated fresh ginger

1 tablespoon Shaoshing rice wine or dry sherry

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

Pinch minced seeded red chile, optional

Pinch sea salt

Pinch ground white pepper

6 Chinese chives or flowering garlic chives or 3 scallions, finely sliced

4 dried Chinese (shiitake) mushrooms, soaked in hot water and finely diced

36 square wonton wrappers

2 large carrots, thinly sliced on a sharp bias

Directions

1. Mix the bass, shrimp, cornstarch, ginger, Shaoshing wine, soy sauce, sesame oil, red chile, salt, white pepper, chives and mushrooms in a medium bowl until well combined.

2. Place a teaspoonful of the seafood filling into the center of each. Rub the outer edges of the wrapper with water using your finger and then place the wonton into your hand. 

3. Fold the wrapper into a triangle, pressing the edges together to seal in the filling, and then create 6 to 8 pleats along the sealed edges using your thumb and index fingers, pinching well to adhere. Repeat with the remaining filling and wrappers. 

4. Lay the carrot slices in a bamboo steamer and place a dumpling on top of each.

5. Fill a wok or large skillet with 1 inch water and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Place the lid on the bamboo steamer and lower it into the wok. Steam the dumplings until the fish is cooked through and the dumpling wrappers are translucent, 5 to 7 minutes.

Enjoy!

The Perfectly Cooked Salmon Fillet

The Husband usually cooks our high quality proteins. Part of this is because I don't cook meat very often and another reason is that I fear the tough, stringy texture of overcooked meat. Unfortunately, I was on my own for dinner one night this week and decided I needed to (wo)man up and just cook it myself. So I literally googled "how to cook perfect salmon fillet" in hopes that I didn't ruin the Wild-Caught Salmon I had just purchased from Whole Foods.

Well my google search led me here. I know. It's a very unassuming website and looks almost too simple to be good. However, I decided to commit to the instructions to a T. Even chilling the oiled fish, which I normally wouldn't take the time to do.

The result? A perfect sear. Moist, juicy, and tender salmon. This was my most successful salmon attempt. I don't know if it was the cooking method, the high quality fish or both, but this would rival restaurant salmon in texture and tenderness any day.

Perfectly Cooked Salmon Filets
From Inland Eats

1. Start with very fresh salmon. Fish smell = not fresh. Make sure it is deboned and you can leave the skin on.

2. Drizzle both sides of the salmon fillets with extra virgin olive oil, and lightly season with salt and pepper. Rub the oil over the entire surface.

3. Place the oiled fish in the refrigerator for 20 minutes. (Don't skip this. I warned you.)

4. Preheat the oven to 425 F. Pour a small amount of olive oil into a non-stick, oven-safe skillet, and preheat over high heat.

5. Place salmon fillets in hot skillet. Cook for two minutes, turn and cook for an additional two minutes. Absolutely resist the urge to move the fillet or flip before the 2 minutes are up. (Again, you have been warned.)

6. Place the skillet into the oven and bake for 6 to 8 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets. My fillet was approximately 1/2 lb and cooked PERFECTLY in 6 minutes. I let the fish rest a few minutes before digging in. The salmon should be moist and flake easily with a fork.

If you are fearful of messing up your salmon, TRY THIS RECIPE. Enough said.

Bon appetit and have a wonderful weekend!

Paris Fridays: Au Levain D' Antan

Every year there is a baking competition across France for the top baguette in the country. The bakery that wins this distinction is able to provide their baguettes to the French government for a year! We trekked out to Au Levain D' Antan in Montemartre to try the 2011 winner and boy was it worth the trip. 

The baguette was perfectly crunchy on the outside and soft and chewy in the center. We were so delighted with our first baguette that we returned to purchase another to take back to our place for a midday snack with cheese. If you can imagine the little mouse from the movie, Ratatouille, holding the baguette and listening for the delicate crackle of the crust, that was us outside of the adorable little bakery. 

Have a fun-filled weekend! 

Paris Fridays: La Pistacherie

If you ever find yourself in the 1st arrondissement of Paris, this would be a great location to purchase gifts for loved ones at home. La Pistacherie is a beautiful little shop offers a delectable assortment of roasted and flavored nuts. The flavors range from cheese and chocolate covered to curry and spicy seasonings. They allow you to sample all of the nuts so you can have a little fun tasting everything.

What actually drew our taste buds was the case of beautiful ice cream filled mochi in a wide range of flavors such as mango, pistachio, lychee, raspberry, chocolate, etc. They also allowed us to sample these delicious flavors and we walked away with several to eat along our walk around the neighborhood. 

What are your favorite gifts to purchase for friends and family while traveling? 

Happy weekend everyone! 

Paris Fridays: L' Auberge du Louvre

escargot

pâté

beef bourguignon

sorry, i don't remember what this was

In our week in Paris, we found that many of the bistros or brasseries offered affordable and delicious Prix Fixe menus. We spent a long day walking around the Louvre and stumbled upon L' Auberge du Louvre on our walk home. The location was packed with both locals and tourists in addition to offering some warmth from the evening chill. The menu was hearty and filling, perfect for warming the toes and the taste buds. 

The pâté was delicious and so was the beef bourguignon. The Husband's entree was something very creamy and cheesy with vegetables and meat inside. It was good, but somewhat too heavy for the type of meal we were having. All in all a decent experience for an "off guidebook" meal and good value for the price. 

Hope you have an adventurous weekend! 

Dining in Raleigh, NC - Waraji

fun and interactive sushi chefs

fried squid appetizer

chirashi bowl

young hamachi and toro nigiri, spider roll

nabeyaki udon

The Husband would be Japanese if he had a choice and could survive on a diet of only sashimi and rice. Therefore we are always on an unending search for the freshest and tastiest Japanese restaurants in any city. Unfortunately, we had been very disappointed by the Japanese restaurants in the area. None of them seemed to offer sashimi that was fresh enough and prepared the traditional way. 

We are happy to announce that our search may have ended with our recent trip to Waraji. This restaurant has a great selection of sashimi, sushi, and non-raw offerings. The Husband had the Chirashi, which he described as fresh and quite filling. He also ordered young hamachi and toro nigiri, both of which were also quite good. The appetizer and my nabeyaki udon were also so flavorful and delicious. We will definitely be making our way back here again and again (... and again). 

Happy July 4th and hope you spend it with people you love! 

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread

Our neighbors have a thriving garden with tomatoes and zucchinis, which they graciously share with us once various items ripen. We were lucky to receive 2 zucchinis from them a few days ago, which prompted me to try this recipe. (I thought there was vanilla in the recipe, hence its inclusion in the picture, but there wasn't!) 

This recipe was tweeted by the Food Network and it was only until later did I realize it was Paula Deen recipe. This often means two things: too much sugar and too much fat. However, since this recipe did not have butter (her usual poison), I decided to give it a try. (I included the parchment paper lining suggestion because both of my loafs got stuck on the bottom despite using non-stick spray.)

When I attempt new baking recipes, I usually try to follow it exactly to see if it is worth making and then proceed to make substitutions for health reasons for future attempts. I will definitely be cutting the sugar and making some substitutions for the oil in the future with this recipe. However, I must say that this recipe is quite good. The result was moist and tender bread that conveniently hid the fact that it was vegetable based. The Husband made 2 slices disappear within minutes, so I guess he liked it too! 

* If you read the 842 reviews, you'll find many suggestions for substitutions for sugar and oil. 

Ingredients

3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3 cups sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs, beaten

1/3 cup water

2 cups grated zucchini

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans or chocolate chips 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prep 2 standard loaf pans, sprayed with nonstick spray, and line bottom of pan with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, nutmeg, baking soda, cinnamon and sugar. In a separate bowl, combine oil, eggs, water, zucchini and lemon juice. 

3. Mix wet ingredients into dry, but don't over mix. Add nuts/chocolate chips and fold in. 

4. Bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick/skewer comes out clean. Alternately, bake in 5 mini loaf pans for about 45 minutes.

5. Remove from oven and allow to cool in pan for 20 minutes. Then remove from pan and cool completely. 

Hope you have a great Monday! 

Paris Fridays: Huitrerie Regis

Sweet. Briny. Oceanic. There are few food items in life that can mimic the taste of fresh raw oysters. France is one of the top producers of oysters and the French certainly do enjoy these bivalve treats. 

Huitrerie Regis was definitely one of the highlights of our French culinary journey. The restaurant itself is tiny but beautifully decorated with blue spheres hanging from the ceilings and everything is clean, white, and beautiful. Hands down these oysters were the best I've ever had (sorry Seattle!) and if we ever return to Paris we will definitely be here to try the ultra-coveted Belon oysters! 

For approximately 29-30 euros, you receive a dozen oysters, 1 glass of white wine, and an espresso to end the meal. A perfectly paired meal. It is required that all individuals who enter the restaurant must order at least a dozen per person so definitely only bring your raw food inclined friends. 

Thanks for reading and have a wonderful (seafood-filled) weekend! 

Baked Garlic Parmesan French Fries

Ok, seriously. Who does not love garlic fries? They are the perfect pub snack for after work happy hours or even a tasty side dish to a homemade grilled burger. I made these a while back, but never had a chance to share and I am craving them again. They are so simple to make and are packed full of flavor. These fries would complement any summer outdoor meal that you are planning for the summer. Recipe adapted from here. 

Ingredients

3 cloves garlic, minced (or more fresh garlic for extra punch)

2 tablespoons canola oil

3 large baking potatoes, 12 ounces each

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley leaves

Finely grated parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

2. Heat the garlic and oil in a small saucepan over medium heat for 2 minutes. Strain the garlic from the oil with a small mesh strainer. Set both garlic and oil aside.

3. Cut the potatoes into 1/4-inch sticks. In a large bowl, toss the oil, potatoes and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Lightly spray cooking spray on parchment paper and spread the potatoes onto it in a single layer. Bake until golden and crisp, about 35 minutes.

4. Remove potatoes from the tray with a metal spatula. Toss with parsley, reserved (and fresh) garlic, and additional salt, to taste. 

5. Finely grate parmesan cheese on top. Serve immediately.

So easy! Now you can enjoy these at home too! 

Paris Fridays: A meal of a lifetime

Hello everyone! Spoonraider has been on a blogging hiatus, but hopefully this post is the beginning of more consistent blogging again. It's been far too long and I have missed cooking!

To kick off my return to blogging, I figured I would share about our meal of a lifetime in Paris this past winter. We had planned to have one "splurge meal" and received many recommendations for L' Atelier de Joël Robuchon. He is easily one of the most celebrated chefs in the world with the highest number of restaurants with Michelin Stars. Well of course we could not pass up eating at his restaurant in his home country. The kitchen was right in front of the guests so we could watch the plates being made before our eyes - quite a show!

I went with the tasting menu and The Husband ordered 3 entrees and a dessert. The entrees are designed to be similar to tapas (2-3 orders per person). I have to be honest I don't remember the exact details of each dish and what was in them. They were so artfully crafted that we couldn't place where some of the flavors were coming from. I've included the French names and descriptions (sans some accenting, which I couldn't get to show in this font).

Here was The Husband's meal:

thinly sliced scallop with sea urchin and lime infused olive oil

(special item of the day)

L' Aubergine

confite en mille - feuille a la mozzarella et au basilic

(eggplant, squash, mozzarella, and sun-dried tomato)

L' Langoustine

en ravioli truffee a l' etuvee de chou vert

(langoustine ravioli)

dessert

Coffee ice cream with a gorgeous brittle flame design

My tasting menu had over 7 courses!

 L' Amuse-Bouche

little chicken lollipop lightly battered and fried over sweet and tangy sauce

Le Caviar

et sa creme aigre, sur une pomme de terre mixee a l' huile d' olive des Baux

(not your average potato soup)

La Saint-Jacques

en coquille, chou vert etuve aux truffles d' hivet

(seared scallop with black truffle shavings)

La Chataigne

en fin bouillon au fumet de celeri

(celery soup)

Le Foie Gras

de canard chaud, coing poche dans son jus acidule a l' hibiscus

L' Oeuf

cocotte a la creme legere d' ecrevisse et truffe noire

(gently cooked egg)

Le Saumon Sauvage

laque sur une vierge condimentee au sesame dore

(salmon)

L' Agneau de Lait

en cotelettes a la fleur de thym

(veal chop)

Le Parfum des Iles

cremeaux aux fruits exotiques, granite au rhum ambre, legerete a la noix de coco

(one of the best desserts I've ever had)

Le Mont-Blanc

a ma facon, sur un biscuit aux marrons, perles croquante croustillantes
(chestnut ice cream)

tiny madeleines and homemade caramels

Every bite was met with "mmmmm" and "ooooohhhhh." The flavors were exquisite and so unique. It was amazing how they used such pure and simple ingredients to create such exotic and yet flavorful dishes. The service was naturally impeccable and the server was nice enough to translate all the dishes to English with each new plate served.

We definitely broke the bank with this meal, but in Paris you can easily find cheaper eats to supplement, which I will post about in the future! Thanks for reading. :)

Have a beautiful (holiday) weekend and Bon Appétit!