Guittard chocolates for baking (or, um, eating)

The first Seattle Luxury Chocolate Salon was a resounding success! 20+ chocolate artisans showed up to offer samples and talk about their work. For only a $20 entrance fee and unlimited tasting, this was a fantastic bargain for anyone who lusts for cacao.

This year's event was made slightly surreal by the sight of an enormous cruise ship docked right outside the the Bell Harbor Conference Center, filling the view out the salong windows. Apparently the ship caused a short circuit in the building, which in turn lost air conditioning. Some of the chocolatiers said the warmth was affecting the "snap" of their chocolates, but I have to say it wasn't a big deal. Definitely an application of Murphy's law!

I had the awesome responsibility of being a judge for the event, which was sponsored by TasteTV. I spent a couple of hours wandering from booth to booth, gorging, being awed by both the natural flavors of chocolate and the amazing confections built on top of them. Here are a few of my favorites:

• Amano Chocolates really demonstrated the principle of terroir. Their Ocumare Grand Cru and Cuyagua Premium are from adjacent valleys in Venezuela, yet taste completely different.
• Kekau Chocolatier, out of Eugene, Oregon, makes truffles in both very traditional and quite extreme flavors. The Black Truffle Honey, with juniper and rosemary was spectacular. I was a little scared of the Smoky Blue, with Rogue River smoky blue cheese and chipotle, but I have to admit it worked!
• Local favorite Theo showed beautifully with both their single origin bars, and their 3400 Phinney line of flavored bars. My new favorite is the Fig, Fennel, and Almond Dark Chocolate.
• Poco Dolce, out of San Francisco, makes this great line of "tiles", which are little stacked squares of chocolate in a box. You can sometimes find them at Whole Foods. Try the Burnt Caramel, and I dare you not to eat them in one sitting.
• Claudio Corallo is an agronomist who makes some of the most ideological chocolate you will ever find. The heirloom varities of chocolate are beyond Fair Trade. Everything is grown sustainably and with biodynamic principles. He's working with local growers to revive abandoned plantations for future generations. The chocolates are not conched, so they have somewhat of a gritty texture. (Some of the Blanxart bars you find in good stores have a similar quality). No flavors, not even vanilla is added, nor are any emulsifiers.  I'm not going to say I exactly loved the experience on a pure palate level, but it is educational and fascinating and I'd try it again.
• Last but not least, I was thoroughly impressed with the offerings from Guittard. I love all of the new micro=boutique chocolate artisans out there, but we shouldn't forget the old-school gangsters. Guittard has been doing it right since 1868, and they have clearly learned a few things along the way. I found that their single origin bars had extremely clear flavors on the palate, and the 91% Nocturne bar was amazingly smooth for a product with no added cocoa butter. I also loved Quetzlcoatl bar, and of course they offer a complete line of baking chocolates and cocoa powder.

Several other bloggers wrote reviews of the event, including Gastrolust, Seattle Bon Viv, Culinary Fool, and Cookie Baker Lynn.

If it seems like there aren't a whole lot of new posts and recipes for the next few weeks or so, it is because we just had our second baby! I'm a proud and sleepy Dad with quite a bit different priorities for the next bit, but I'll be back soon.

I'm more than a little obsessed when it comes to roasted or grilled corn. Anytime we go to a State Fair or Sons of Norway festival, I head straight for the corn booth, wolf down 3 ears and then regret that I don't have room for a cream puff. Well, not until after we play Whack-A-Mole.

I've been working on the technique at home. Some folks like to peel back the husk, remove the silk, then tie the husk back up before roasting but I've never tried that. I just soak the whole ears in the sink or a clean bucket for 30 minutes, then roast for about 45 minutes over a moderate fire, turning occasionally. You can carefully peel back a bit of husk to see if the beautiful browning is starting to happen. When they are done, let them cool slightly, then peel the husk and remove the silk. I'd recommend gloves and you still have to be careful not to burn yourself.

The ancho chili butter I made to go with the corn has one of the highest yumminess to difficulty ratios of anything I've made in awhile. It tastes great right after you make it, but if you can let it rest in the refrigerator overnight, the fruitiness of the pepper comes out. Just be careful when working with the chilis so you don't get any hot stuff in your eyes or elsewhere. Wear gloves, and work over a surface you can easily clean.

Of course this technique of making compound butters can be applied to just about any herb, spice or flavoring you crave.

(Chili pepper can also be spelled chile pepper, and anchos are sometimes mistakenly called pasilla; if you don't have ancho peppers, you could also use (real) pasillas, New Mexicos, mulatos, or California chilis.)

Ancho Chili Butter
Yields 8 tablespoons, enough for 6 ears of corn
Vegetarian and gluten-free, not vegan

• 1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted (sweet cream) butter, softened to room temperature
• 2 dried ancho chilis
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• pinch of salt

1. Lightly toast the chilis using tongs over a flame, or in a dry skillet.
2. Allow to cool, then carefully (see discussion above), remove the stem and seeds.
3. If you have a mini food processor, put the chilis and the lemon juice in it and grind as fine as possible. You'll have to push it down a bunch of times. Then add the butter and salt and process until well mixed. The chilis will still be in small bits, not perfectly smooth, but they will soften in the butter so that is fine.
4. If you don't have a food processor, chop the chilis as fine as possible with a knife or use a mortar and pestle. Then mix in the butter and salt.
5. Refrigerate in a ramekin, or wrap into a log shape in parchment paper.

Bing Cherries

No, I haven't been watching too many episodes of the Sopranos. These beautiful Bing cherries are from Batch's Best Family Farms. I got them from my friends over at ChefShop.com. Tim Mar & his crew have a knack for tracking down great food.

I've never seen 3 pounds of cherries without a single bad one or blemish in the bunch. Clearly the Batch family takes pride in what they do. They are picked ripe and shipped fast, and would make an incredible gift for someone who doesn't live in a cherry-favored part of the country. It is too late to get Batch Bing's for this year, but they still have Sweethearts and Lapins for a few more days.

When I saw "French Horn Mushrooms" at Whole Foods (for $19.99/lb), I thought they looked awfully familiar. In fact I would have sworn they were the same as the "King Oyster Mushrooms" for sale at $6-8/lb at our local Asian groceries. Sure enough, either one is Pleurotus eryngii. (Click over to see what they look like raw.)

One way to get a lot of umami flavors from these fungii is to slice them thinly and sear them. I was forced to correct the Wikipedia article that claimed they were tasteless. They brown beautifully, developing a meaty texture which can easily stand up to a flavorful sauce.

For this dinner I paired the King Oysters with grilled polenta, white beans with caramelized onions, and pesto. I made the pesto using Marcella Hazan's decadent method. She has you mix in 3 tablespoons of softened buttter. I wouldn't have tried it if the recipe came from any less of an authority, but I have to say it is awfully good, adding another dimension of smooth sweetness.

This is definitely the time of year to make pesto, as super-fresh basil should be available by the  bushel at your farmer's market (or in your back yard?). If you are shopping at Whole Foods, they also carry a "living basil" with roots still attached in a moist packet. Bring it home and store it on the counter in a glass of water until you are ready to use it, and you'll be rewarded with maximum flavor.

Note that to make the grilled polenta, you have to cook the cornmeal and then let it cool for a couple of hours or overnight, so plan accordingly.

King Oyster Mushrooms With Pesto, Grilled Polenta, and White Beans
Serves 4
Vegetarian & gluten-free (*); not vegan

For Marcella Hazan's pesto (makes a little extra):

• 2 c. packed fresh basil leaves, rinsed and dried
• 1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons pine nuts (or I used pepitas because of allergy issues)
• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• salt to taste
• 1/2 c. fresh grated parmesan cheese (parmigiano-reggiano)
• 2 tablespoons fresh grated romano cheese
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

1. In a food processor, spin the basil, olive oil, nuts, garlic and salt until it is a uniform green paste with a bit of texture left.
2. Remove the pesto from the food processor and mix in the cheese by hand.
3. Finally, mix in the softened butter.

For the grilled polenta:

• 2 c. polenta
• 2 t. salt
• 1/2 c. grated parmesan cheese
• olive oil

1. If using a packaged polenta, prepare according to the directions. I really like de la Estancia, which cooks up in just a minute because it is so finely ground. If you are using a bulk polenta, cook in the normal way.
2. Butter or oil a 12" x  12" pan (or something a little larger than that), and pour in the polenta. Refrigerate until cool and firmly set. (You can do this the night before, or at least 2 hours before you plan to serve). You want them fairly thin so the inside will heat up properly; definitely no more than 1/2" thick.
3. Slice into 3.5" squares, brush with olive oil and cook on a grill pan or skillet until they develop a nice crispy crust. Oil well to be sure they don't stick. Remove and season with more salt. You will have more polenta left for another meal.

For the white beans:

• 1 white onion, medium dice
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced thin
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• salt

1. In a small skillet over medium heat, cook the onion and garlic in the olive oil until starting to brown.
2. Add the beans, reduce the heat to low, and simmer 5 minutes.
3. Season with salt to taste.

For the king oyster mushrooms:

• 4 large king oyster mushrooms (aka king trumpet or french horn), sliced 1/8" thick lengthwise
• 1/4 c. olive oil
• sea salt (Maldon if you have it)

1. In a large skillet over medium high heat, heat the olive oil.
2. Add the mushroom slices in a single layer. Cook for a few minutes on each side until they develop rich browning on the edges and a slight tenderness. (They will remain moderately chewy / meaty).
3. Drain off any excess oil and season with a good sea salt.

To serve:

1. Divide the beans evenly on 4 heated plates.
2. Top the beans with two squares of polenta.
3. Add 1/4 of the mushrooms.
4. And finally add a generous dollop of pesto. Pass more at the table.

(*) Recipes marked as gluten-free are not guaranteed, and of course I can't be responsible for anyone's safety. The ingredients listed are gluten-free to the best of my knowledge, but if you are serving someone with a gluten allergy (or any other serious allergy), be sure to discuss with them the requirements for their safety.