Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Where to eat in San Diego

There is a lot to love about San Diego. We have a great laid back vibe, nice beaches, tons of outdoor activities, good mobility(awesome freeway network gets you nearly anywhere in the county in 20 - 30 mins,) and lots of good restaurants. Yes, I did say good not great, but that is in comparison to NY, SF, & Chicago. In reality, we have plenty of very good restaurants and some(less traveled) might even say great. Now I came across a Twitter feed the other day requesting restaurant advice for Diego, and here we are.

That said, this list is not intended to be comprehensive by any means. Merely off the cuff suggestions based upon my recent dining experiences, current favorites, and some old standards. An advanced apology to my co-packing clients as I will not be mentioning any of you out of fairness to you all, and eliminating conflicts of interest. So in no particular order here it is.

San Diego has a very nice Little Italy on India St. with some really good Italian restaurants, but I don't normally go there for Italian. No, I go to Little Italy for the Indigo Grill, which is in the Cohn Restaurant Group(a family restaurants that are partnered with local chefs, most of which are good.) I normally mix it up and order something different each time I visit, but my wife always gets the steamed mussels & clams appetizer, and is also partial to the Pappardelle. The Plank Salmon is a favorite with both of my daughters, but the truth is that there really are no bad choices here.  

So, I guess that begs the question "Where do i go for Italian?" Though we like to try new restaurants often, we always seem to come back to Vigilucci's, and Piatti. Vigilucci's is a local success story, with the owner coming over to America from Milano with nothing. He started as a dish washer saved up and opened his first restaurant in 1994. He has been rapidly expanding ever since and shows no signs of slowing down. We prefer the Carlsbad Village location, but with eight others to choose from you shouldn't have to travel far. Though their Arrabbiata and Puttanesca sauces are not as good as mine(forgetaboutit - Nobody's is) they are still good and nearly everything on the menu is great. Piatti, located in La Jolla Shores is another favorite with la famiglia. Starting with the hot crusty bread(which I can no longer partake...damn gluten!) served up with delectable EVOO with fresh garlic, herbs and Balsamic Vinegar, through to the great dolcis you will not be disappointed.

It is my opinion that it is really hard to mess up Mexican Food(especially when the Margaritas and Cervezas are flowing,) but is equally difficult to make it exceptional. That said, here are a few standouts. If you need a quick taco fix, head on over to Mama Testa in Hillcrest or Mestizo Mexican Grill in Clairemont. Both are fresh, good, and delicious, with nice fresh salsa bars(especially Testa's,) and Testa's Cesar Gonzales even took on(and beat) Bobby Flay in a Fish Taco throw down. For the sit down experience try Fidel's Little Mexico in Solana Beach, and Casa de Bandini in Carlsbad(formerly in Old Town.)

If Classic Americana comfort food is what you're craving, try Urban Solace in North Park, Vagabond in South Park, Hob Nob Hill(Downtown,) or Hash House A-Gogo in Hillcrest. Honorable mention to the Crest Cafe also in Hillcrest.

Stay with me(I know this is long winded) I'll try to wrap this up.

Thai - Spices Thai Cafe, or Spice and Rice, Honorable mention to Taste of Thai
Vietnamese - Pho Bolsa
Chinese - Mandarin House
Seafood - Top of the Market
French -  Chez Loma in Coronado
Breakfast - The Green Flash, Brockton Villa, or Bernini's

Okay, that's it for now(suddenly I'm very hungry, go figure,) I may add to this later and/or add some photos.

Take care, God bless, and for Pete's sake keep it Saucey!!

Visit us online at www.SanDiegoSauceCo.com

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Gluten FREE Potato Pancakes Test Batch #1

So I haven't had potato pancakes in ages(before I went gluten free for sure,) and I felt that a rainy day like today, with my Chargers losing, I'm long over due. Now this was only a test batch and thus I don't have exact measurements yet. However, by the time I perfect the recipe I will reveal correct measurements. So let's get into it, Shall we?


Ingredients

  • 1 cup GF All Purpose Baking Flour  
  • 1/2 tbsp Xanthan Gum  
  • 1.25 cup Whole Milk  
  • 4 Eggs  
  • 4 Tb Butter, melted  
  • 2 Tbsp. Tapioca Flour  
  • 1/4 tsp Baking Powder  
  • 1/2 tsp Sea Salt
  • 1/4 tsp. Chipolte Powder  
  • 1 Tb Jalapeno, minced  
  • 1/2 Medium Onion, Minced  
  • 16 Red Potatoes, grated or shredded
  • 1 Garnet Yam, Shredded(could substitute w/carrot if desired)  

Whisk or beat all ingredients except for the onion, potato, and yam together in a large mixing bowl. When well mixed add the rest of the ingredients and fold in until it is all well mixed. Set aside and allow to rest while the griddle heats up to 350F. When griddle is nice and hot, give the batter a final few turns and spoon about .25 to .33 cup for each pancake, flattening it out on the griddle. cook for about two minutes per side initially, and another 1 min per side after that. Place cooked pancakes on platter and cover with foil while you cook the rest of the batter.

Serve with sour cream, applesauce, or if you really want to get fancy you can cook up some spiced sliced apples beforehand. You could also serve with some of our Grilling Sensations-Mango Ginger Sauce or some of our delicious hot sauces.


Now I thought these turned out pretty good(but not great.) For my taste they definitely need some more punch, so I will add more jalapeno, chipotle, salt, and onion next time. Until then,
Enjoy, God Bless, and Keep it Saucey!!

Friday, October 15, 2010

Gluten Free Tadik(Persian Rice)

I had the good fortune of having a friend from Iran show me how to make Tadik which is a Persian method of preparing rice. It not only is delicious, but makes a nice presentation on the dinner table. The traditional method is to use lavash or other thin flat bread(tortillas work well.) Anyway, since going gluten free 2 years ago I really missed having Tadik especially when I make stoups. So after a few experiments I finally perfected(at least I think so,) a gluten free recipe for Tadik. So here it is:

2 cups Basmati Rice
about 5 cups of water
1/2 tsp. Salt
3 Tbs Butter divided
1 Tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil(EVOO for the Rachael Fans)
1/2 cup crushed tortilla chips
Spices(I like Cayenne, Pepper, Cumin, Smoked Paprika, Ancho, etc.)

Rinse Basmati well in a large nonstick stockpot. Add 4 cups of water, salt, and 1 Tbs butter. Heat on stove at high heat until it begins to boil, turn heat down to Med-High. Keep rice on low boil and add water as needed. Allow rice to cook until just about done(5 to 10 minutes,) but should still have a little crunch. remove from heat(don't turn off stove) and pour into fine mesh strainer. Now for the fun part. Put pot back on burner and add 1 Tbs Butter, 1 Tbs EVOO, and about 2 Tbs water. When the butter is melted and mixture starts to boil, add the crushed tortilla chips, and spices. Mix well and make sure that it is evenly distributed on the bottom of the pan. Pour the rice back in the pot over the tortilla mixture, and spread around until it is even. Divide the final Tbs of butter into 3 - 4 pats and place on top of rice. Take a paper towel, place it over the top of the stockpot, and cover with lid(the towel makes a tighter seal for steaming.) After about 2 minutes the steam coming from the rice will take on a roasted aroma. When that happens turn the heat down to the lowest setting, and set a timer for 10 minutes. When the timer goes off, remove the lid/towel and place a large plate over the top of the pot. In a swift move invert the pot so that the rice cake(Tadik) drops to the plate. This takes practice, I usually lift the pot by the handles with my thumbs and secure the plate with my other fingers. Then I flip it quickly. Remove the pot and you should have a nice looking rice cake, golden brown and crispy on top, fluffy flavorful rice bellow.


That's it, pretty simple and a great side dish for saucy meals, juicy meat dishes, or alone with a good sauce like Grilling Sensations Korean Kalbi

Enjoy, God Bless, and Keep it Saucey!!

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Chicken Marsala Recipe

So here is a quick and easy staple in my house. I vary the recipe from time to time based upon my mood or what i have in the fridge, but here is the basic recipe.


Chicken Marsalsa


Great over Pasta or by itself with a nice Caesar salad. Bellissimo!!

1 ½ lbs Boneless Thighs
1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 tsp. Italian Seasoning
¼ tsp. Smoked Paprika
¼ tsp. Chili Powder
¼ tsp. Ground Black Pepper


2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 Medium Onion Sliced Thinly
4 Ribs Celery Sliced
2 Large Carrots Diced
½  cup Sweet Marsala Wine
1 Tbsp. Tapioca Flour
¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

1 cup Cucina Italia Marsala Marinara

Preheat oven to 350  degrees

In large bowl combine 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil, Italian Seasoning, Paprika, Chile Powder, & Pepper and mix well. Add chicken and toss well to coat each piece evenly. Heat large skillet on medium high heat, and brown chicken on both sides(about 2mins per side.) Remove and set aside.
Add 2 Tablespoons oil to skillet and cook onion, celery, and carrot over medium-high until onion is translucent. Add red pepper if desired . Add Marsala mixed with Tapioca and cook off alcohol (about two minutes.)
Add chicken to skillet and pour Cucina Italia Marsala Marinara over the top along with ½ cup water. Heat covered in oven for 1 hour or until desired tenderness is achieved removing the cover for the last 10 minutes.
SERVES 4 -6
Buon Appetito, God Bless, and as always, keep it Saucey! 

Sunday, October 10, 2010

UPDATED RECIPE "World's Best" Mac and Cheese NOW "Gluten FREE"

UPDATE: Since posting this recipe I have made it Gluten FREE a few times by substituting brown rice penne and gluten free baking mix in place of the flour and traditional pasta. I made it once again last night with the traditional ingredients, and the comments were that the family likes the Gluten FREE version better! Also I am pretty generous in my measurements on the cheese, but I found that I can use a whole 16oz bag of pasta for this recipe with out sacrificing flavor. Finally, I'm sure you will all be shocked and amazed that this Mac&Cheese is one of OPRAH'S favorite things(I'd like to think she was talking about my recipe, but as it turns out she was referring to the Beecher's prepared frozen version... Close enough say I, and she doesn't know what she is missing.) Happy Holidays, God Bless, and keep it Saucey!!


ORIGINAL POST
First off, I am gluten intolerant. So when it comes to making mac and cheese, I just don't get that excited. I've tried gluten free pastas in the past, but they tend to break apart too easily and you end up with a cheesy mess. That said, my wife and daughter came home the other night and wanted me to make this mac and cheese recipe that they sampled at Henry's Farm Market. Again, I wasn't too enthused but it was my daughter's birthday this week and I am a pushover for my ladies. Besides, there was plenty of other food so I knew I wouldn't go hungry. That said, this recipe rocks! Totally lived up to its name and best of all I was able to bake it, the Kalbi Salmon, and Roasted Baby Broccoli(previous post) simultaneously in the oven. Thus stuff is so good that I ignored my gluten sensitivity(but paid for it the next 24hours) and ate a small portion. Actually, one bite turned into two, three, four, and more. It was that good!

Recipe credit needs to go to Beecher's Cheese. Not sure if they developed the recipe or just modified it to use their cheese, but it was great just the same. Without further ado here is the recipe:





Beecher's "World's Best" Mac & Cheese

serves 4 as a side dish

Ingredients
Sauce 
2 tablespoons unsalted butter 
3 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour(substitute Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Baking Mix) 
1 1/2 cups whole milk 
7 ounces Beecher’s Flagship Cheese, grated (about 1 3/4 cups) 
1 ounce Beecher’s Just Jack Cheese, grated (1/4 cup) 
½ teaspoon coarse salt 
¼ to ½ teaspoon chipotle chili powder 
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder 

Pasta 
6 ounces penne pasta (about 3 ¼ cups) (Substitute 16oz package of Brown Rice Penne)
1 ounce (1/4 cup) Beecher’s Flagship Cheese, grated 
1 ounce (1/4 cup) Beecher’s Just Jack Cheese, grated 
¼ to ½ teaspoon chipotle chili powder
Instructions
To prepare sauce, melt butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat and whisk in the flour. Continue whisking and cook for 2 minutes. Slowly add milk, whisking constantly. Cook until sauce thickens, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Add cheeses, salt, chili powder and garlic powder. Stir until cheese is melted and all ingredients are incorporated, about 3 minutes. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 350F. Butter or oil an 8-inch baking dish. Cook penne 2 minutes less than package directions. (It will finish cooking in the oven.) Rinse pasta in cold water and drain well.
Combine pasta and sauce in a medium bowl; mix carefully but thoroughly. Scrape the pasta into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle top with cheeses and then the chili powder. 
Bake, uncovered, 20 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.


Next time I will find a good "gluten free" pasta to make this with so that I can enjoy it without the negative consequences. let me know if anyone has a recommendation on the pasta.

Bon Appetite, God Bless, and keep it Saucey!

Saturday, October 9, 2010

Thai Fried Rice

So, the other night I made Wild Coho Salmon Kalbi style(Actually poured Jamaican Jerk sauce on it by accident but poured it off and added the Kalbi. Both are Grilling Sensations brand available at Whole Foods SoCal locations.) The salmon turned out perfect as usual and roasted some baby broccoli to accompany, but something else was need to round things off. A quick glance in the fridge yielded some two day old jasmine rice that I got from a thai restaurant with some Tom Ka Gai. That'll work, just needed to jazz it up a bit.

Heated a heavy skillet with some EVOO but light sesame would also work well. Dropped in a dollop of thai red curry paste and mixed well to distribute evenly. This formed a nice thin paste that I just threw the old rice in, tossed well and allowed it to sizzle a bit to add a nice chewy texture. That's it!, done, fini! Quickly chopped some fresh cilantro for garnish that really made the flavor pop. Next time might add fresh mint and scallion for more flavor. I must say all was delicious to the point that I almost ate too much(if that is even possible.)

Bon appetite, God Bless, and keep it saucey for goodness sake!

Friday, October 8, 2010

Welcome

We are fairly new to blogging so bear with us. We are a gourmet sauce manufacturer in San Diego(Duh! I guess our name gave that one away,) and we currently market under four brands: Burning Sensations - Hot Sauces, Salsa Sensations - Salsas(I know a bit obvious,) Grilling Sensations - (you guessed it) Grill Sauces, and Cucina Italia - Sugos Italiano(Pasta Sauces.) Many of our products are available at SoCal Whole Foods stores, and also at www.BGDfoods.com.

Anyway, enough about us for now. I will try to keep our posts food relevant and not necessarily only about our products. I might also share recipes, cooking tips, restaurant reviews, etc. I'll also be open to your suggestions.

Oh yeah! I almost forgot to mention that everything we make is 100% Natural, Gluten Free, and all of our Pasta Sauces contain generous amounts of wine and have "No Added Sugars."

So, I certainly hope that you follow our posts, and please feel free to add your comments and/or questions.

Thanks, God bless, and keep it Saucey!!