An Ode to Braised Meat

I have long loved braised meats, or any manner of cheap/fatty cut which requires long cooking in a large pot.  Until recently, though, it had been awhile since I cooked anything.  I think because I think of braises as cold-weather foods, and, although many will disagree, I don't feel San Francisco is ever cold.  Chilly, yes, but not really cold, like an East Coast fall or winter.  Lately, though, it has been endlessly rainy and very cold, as in 40s cold, and for weeks on end.  I finally had to shut my windows at night, and turn the heat on (gasp!).  Thus, the braising.  I should admit that it was initiated by a late Friday evening venture into the Salumeria to buy dinner.  Given the time, there weren't many options, outside of a large, delicious looking osso bucco.  Thus began the braising.  Although I got into a slight bit of trouble for providing dinner close to 11, it was a huge hit.  Capped off by slurping up the marrow from the large veal bone.  Despite the reminder of work (another topic entirely), it was amazing; I adore bone marrow, of any kind.  I ended up reusing the braising liquid for a large beef shank I bought the following week, which, though tasty, was not quite as good.

Then there was the carnitas; amazingly simple, I had no idea.  Who knew milk, stock and an orange could generate such a beautiful pot of perfectly caramelized meat?  Then last night, there were pork ribs.  I am a fan of the braise, no question.  See attached recipes, no modifications.

Osso Buco
Pork Carnitas
Orange and Soy-Pork Ribs

Salumeria

Flour + Water is my neighbor.  Whenever I happen to be outside near my apartment round 5, there is, without-fail, a line extending down the block.  How can this be?  There are so many amazing restaurants in San Francisco, I can barely decide where to eat.  Regardless, I must somewhat ashamedly admit, I have never been to Flour + Water.  It is not that I am disinterested, or that I am doubtful it is worth the wait.  It must be, given the omnipresent line.  It is that when I want to go out to dinner, I want to go out, not just walk across the street.  Especially if it requires planning, which this evidently does.  Who puts in place a plan to walk across the street?  I can't, it just seems wrong.  I could wait in the line, but this also seems absurd to me, given I could just as well sit at home on my sofa (or sprawled flat on my back in the center of the living room, which seems to be my favorite place of late).  If they had pick-up, I would have probably bought at least 10 pizzas at this point.

Back to my point, though; the Salumeria, which was recently opened by the owners of Flour + Water.  I love to live in the city for countless reasons, but near the top of the list is that I like to walk to wherever I am going.  Friends tease me about this, because within a 2-mile radius, I will nearly always walk to my destination.  If I am not in the mood to walk, I won't go.  If it is an appointment, and there is no choice but to take some other means of transit, I will do so, but very, very irritably.  When I run out of coffee beans, I walk to Ritual, or Four Barrel.  Recently, more so to Atlas cafe for Stumptown, because it is oh-so-close, and I cannot be out of coffee, and never think ahead.  I will walk to Rainbow Grocery, or Bi-Rite, and out to dinner in the Mission no matter what vertiginous heels I am wearing  The Salumeria, though, is now my neighborhood best friend, and by a long-shot.  After work, if I can make it home in time, I drop by and get a salad.  I nearly always get some wedge of cheese, and if I can rationalize a treat, the duck liver mousse or a slice of terrine.  I have bought jars of pasta sauce, and cartons of berries; prosciutto.  It is expensive, but all of it is good, and it always gets eaten, and not wasted.  On weekends, I like to get espresso, and sit in the courtyard of Central Kitchen.

If you live in SF, or are even just visiting, you should go.  You may see me there.

Salumeria, Mission SF         

green goddess

I did not realize this originated in San Francisco until I got a sudden-onset, rapid craving to have a jar sitting in my fridge always. To put on sliced radishes, roasted broccoli, chicken; apples, even. It was initiated by a salad I ate from the recently opened Salumeria two blocks away, which I now frequent at least once weekly. I perused a number of recipes, but I essentially made mine up because I was too lazy to go to the store again.

 Who could not love a dressing called Goddess anyhow?

2C. basil
1C. spinach leaves
1/2 avocado
2 anchovies
2 cloves garlic
2T olive oil
1/2C. greek yogurt
1/4C. lemonaise


Add basil, spinach, garlic, anchovies, olive oil to blender, then puree.  Add remaining ingredients, then mix.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

salad

I love salads. I've grown adept at throwing together really good ones very quickly for dinner. These two are especially amazing, I think.

arugula salad
arugula or mache
sunflower seeds
avocado
blue cheese
roasted/salted almonds
dried sour cherries

splash of balsamic vinegar, hazelnut oil

kale salad
finely sliced raw kale, preferably purple kale
3T dried blueberries
3T balsamic vinegar
1T rice vinegar
1T honey
1t salt
1/2C. grated parmesan
1T olive oil
roasted, sliced almonds

macerate berries with vinegar an hour or so in advance. in a large bowl, mix vinegars, oil, honey and salt; add to kale with berries and let sit 20min. add parmesan and nuts.  avocado is also a good addition, or chickpeas.