Spiced Shrimp with Orzo

This is a recipe that nicely blends spicy, salty, briny, and creamy all in one. Orzo is the great pasta base which absorbs some of the competing flavors. Spicy shrimp makes a nice contrast to the briny capers and the tart lemon juice. Parmesan and Mascarpone cheeses finish out the creaminess. 

For the spicy shrimp, the original recipe called for Calabrian chili paste. I tend to favor harissa as the best substitute. One could also use Sriracha, Sambal Oelek, or Gochujang.

Ingredients:

• Shrimp - 20 oz., tails off and deveined 
• Garlic - 2-3 cloves, minced
• Chili paste - 1 Tbsp.
• Orzo - 1 cup
• Capers - 4 Tbsp. rinsed
• Parmesan - 3/4 cup, grated
• Zucchini - 2, sliced
• Lemon - 1, juiced
• Mascarpone - 1/4 cup

Directions:

1. Fill medium pot 3/4 way up with salted water. Turn on high heat and bring to a boil.
2. Grate the Parmesan.
3. Halve the zucchini lengthwise then thinly slice crosswise.
4. Quarter and deseed the lemon. Squeeze all sections into a small bowl removing any seeds. 
5. Dry the defrosted shrimp with paper towels and place them in a large bowl. Mince the garlic into the bowl and add the chili paste. Drizzle with olive oil (about 1 Tbsp) and stir to mix. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside
6. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook 9 minutes. When done, drain pasta in a colander.
7. 
   In a 12" skillet, heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil over medium high heat. Add the sliced zucchini in a single layer and cook, without stirring, for 3 minutes (until lightly browned). Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for another 3 minutes. Transfer cooked zucchini to a bowl and cover with foil.
8. Wipe the skillet with a paper towel. Reheat the skillet with olive oil. Add the spiced shrimp and cook, without stirring, 3 minutes per side. 
   
9. While shrimp cook, return orzo to the pot and stir to mix. Add the mascarpone, capers, Parmesan cheese, and lemon juice. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Turn on a low heat to help melt the mascarpone and get it to mix with the pasta. 
10. Serve the pasta mixture in a pasta bowl and top with the finished shrimp. Sprinkle some dried parsley on top for color. 

Suisun Valley AVA Wineries

I recently purchased some wines online and noticed that the appellation of origin was the Suisun Valley here in California. Even though I like to think I know a lot about wine, I had never seen this appellation listed on a bottle of wine before. I'd never heard of the Suisun Valley which, I discovered is about an hour or so (depending on traffic) from the East Bay. So I decided to do a bit of research. 

The Suisun Valley website says it best:

The Suisun Valley appellation was established in 1982, and is nestled between two coastal mountain ranges, southeast of Napa Valley. We offer a very diverse agricultural region. We have approximately 10 wineries, our vineyards grow 23 different wine grape varieties, and we’re best known for our Petite Sirah, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon. We have many farm stands, which sell everything from fruits and vegetables, to dried fruits, nuts and freshly produced olive oils. All of our fruits and vegetables are grown in the excellent soils located between the eastern slope of Mount George Range and Twin Sisters, on family farms. Many of these farms have been handed down for generations. We have regular, seasonal events that are fun and laid-back, while we offer visitors our world-class wines, as well as our farm fresh, diverse fruits and vegetables.

We’re very easy to find, just off the I-80 freeway in Fairfield. Suisun Valley’s wineries are so close together that it’s easy to navigate the Suisun Valley “Loop.” Directional signs make it even easier. Each winery offers a unique tasting experience. With genuine hospitality and quality wines, Suisun Valley is sure to be a favorite destination.

Summary

There are only 10 wineries (as of 2023). It's all still rustic and rural. A transplanted Napa wine maker described the Suisun region as how Napa was the 1970s (pre-"Judgement of Paris" covered in the 2008 film Bottle Shock). Tasting fees are still reasonable and one gets a genuine experience most of the time. You only need to purchase one $20 bottle of wine to waive the modest tasting fee. This will be a fun region to watch grow over the next few decades. Right now, it's a steal and well worth investigating. Our haul:

Suisun City

We spent two nights at a generic but nice waterfront hotel in Suisun City, which is a funky little town that has not changed much in the last 30 years and I'd love to explore more of it.

The city has a little under 30,000 residents but that number will grow due to the new housing developments are being built on the east side of town. I expect the wine region will also grow just as we've seen in the Livermore Valley. 

Most of the small number of wineries here are only open on weekends. Here are the wineries we visited during our exploratory visit:

Wooden Valley Winery

Wooden Valley Winery has been in business for over 90 years. It's a generations-old winery that started back in 1933 with Italian immigrants Mario and Lena Lanza who moved from Oakland to the Suisun Valley and began growing grapes after the Prohibition. Some wines are labeled under the Lanza label and the rest are the Wooden Valley label. We had a nice visit in their tasting room, but there are also outside picnic tables that one could take advantage of. There is a nice display on the back wall of the tasting room that describes the local history as it pertains to growing grapes for wine. We took home a few bottles of their Sauvignon Blanc.

Mangels Vineyards

Mangels was our favorite winery of the visit. The winery itself seems like it used to be a small roadside market made out of cinder blocks and a glass wall looking out onto the parking lot and Suisun Valley Road. It's a relaxing, unpretentious place. You can sit at one of a few casual tables and go at your own pace. Most wines are between $20-$25 a bottle. We brought home the Coara Red Blend and the Tempranillo. 

Suisun Creek Winery

Suisun Creek Winery, up the road from Mangels, is easy to miss. The signage is not the best. You will feel like you're driving into someone's private residence. But go past the houses and you'll find a metal refurbished airplane hanger where they have their tasting room. One side of the hangar is open and you look out of their vineyard. Tasting there is a homegrown experience. We went home with a couple bottles of their Chardonnay.

Suisun Valley Coop

The Suisun Valley Coop houses three different wineries under one roof: Sunset Winery, Blacksmith Winery, and King Andrew Winery. It's another cool and quirky place (next to Pioneer Brew Pub) where you can sit at a table and staff will come around a pour whatever wines they are pouring that day (the line up changes). We brought home some King Andrew Albarino and Petite Sirah.

Bally Keal

I have to admit that I dismissed Bally Keal during my initial research. They have this Celtic theme coupled with an opulent Tuscan-looking tasting room and event center. It all seemed out of place in rural Suisun Valley and it all just smacked of someone with too much money on their hands. But we went there anyways because it was open earlier than some of the others. I have to say that we were pleasantly surprised and we would return again. Despite the over-the-top buildings, the staff was very down-to-earth and we were told that founder Joe Cassidy might come into the tasting room in jeans with a tool belt around his waist. We never saw him but that description helped dispel my biases. The wines are pricier but we still went home with a couple of bottles of their Rosé.

Vezer Family Vineyard

The Vezer Family Winery is a bit more complicated but the wines are worth the effort. First off, there are two locations. We first visited the Blue Mansion tasting room north of town.
We tasted there and were directed to the other tasting room a bit south, and close to what felt like a small town center. We sat at some couches and tasted some very good wine. We came home with a Verdhelo and a Gary & Jack Red Blend. 

Tolenas Vineyards & Winery

Tolenas was a treat. It's in the backyard of a historic house with several large old-growth trees providing shade. The staff was pleasant and low-key. We loved that we could spend more than one hour under the shade trees enjoying the wine at an unhurried pace. 

Caymus-Suisun Winery

This was the most unique experience of the Valley. Caymus-Suisun is an established winery in Napa and also part of the Wagner Family of Wines. They have been expanding into the Suisun Valley. They recently built a state-of-the art building designed by the architect who designed the new Apple stores. But given the over-the-top building and the high tasting fees, we figured out a way taste some $200+ bottles of wine and still waive the tasting fee by purchasing some, yes, expensive wines but I think we still came out ahead. We brought home some Chardonnay and a Merlot.

If you visit Suisun Valley, it's best to avoid the area when there's high heat. Also, don't miss the many fruit and vegetable stands around town selling farm fresh produce from the area. 

Here is a cardinal rule you should have in your kitchen: Never throw away old bananas.

Everyone's tolerance for aging bananas is different. My tolerance to continue eating bananas after the brown spots have begun to appear is higher than the other member of my house. But there is that point when no one in the house is interested in eating a mottled-skin banana that's going to be mushy and starchy. That's exactly when this new cardinal rule needs to kick in. It is the moment where you tell yourself that these are going to into my banana muffin recipe. All you need is a minimum of three overripe bananas. If you have four or five, no problem. The more overripe the bananas are, the better. 

This is a simple recipe which doesn't take a lot of time to make. The ingredients are pretty simple and straightforward. These will last awhile if stored in a closed plastic bag. They also freeze well. 

This recipe was one I found online. I made them once and decided to cut back on the sugar. The most recent time I made these (and took the photos), I decided to add some currants to batter and then I sprinkled a few on top prior to getting placed in the oven. This is completely optional but do consider adding other ingredients such as: crushed nuts, chocolate chips, raisins, dried cranberries, etc. 

Banana Muffins

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup (8 tbsp.) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 3-4 very ripe bananas, peeled
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-count muffin tin with paper liners.
2. In a large bowl, mix the softened butter and sugar. Add 2 lightly-beaten eggs and stir to mix.
   
   
   
3. In a separate bowl, add chunks of bananas and vanilla extract and mash together with a fork. Add to the butter/sugar bowl and stir to mix.
   
   
   
4. In a separate, larger, bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir to mix and add to the banana bowl. Using a hand mixer on low, combine all ingredients until well mixed. 
5. Ladle the mixture into the paper liners. Fill to about a quarter inch under the rim line.
   
   
   
6. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
7. Remove from oven and let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes before removing the muffins. Cool muffins and a cookie rack.  

Trader Joe's Wine Deals

For the last number of months I've been making a concerted effort to increase my wine knowledge. I've enjoyed wine for many years and I have been getting some very high quality wines from Sonoma County and the Livermore Valley via the "more than one" wine clubs we belong to. We also get wines from a San Francisco wine negociant who sells his wine online under two different names. 

As a part of my recent wine education, I read Aldo Sohm's Wine Simple, which is a book that I would highly recommend if you want to learn more about wine making and the various varietals there are around the world. Living in California, it's easy to just drink great California wines. You really don't need to venture any further since there is so much great wine right here. But this book really pushed me to  expand my wine knowledge and explore other countries and varietals. I've been exploring French Bordeaux wines and new varietals such as Nero D'Avolo, Nebbiolo, and Barolo. 

But at the same time as I've been exploring wines that might be considered at more of the top end, I've found a few websites that unearth some great, inexpensive wines that I've also been tasting and enjoying. 

If you are lucky enough to live close to a Trader Joe's, then you have a great source of good, inexpensive wine. Think good quality weeknight wines that won't break the bank. 

Here are a few inexpensive wines from Trader Joe's that I've tried recently:

Epicuro Primitivo 

This wine was $5.99. Primitivo thrives in California where it's known as Zinfandel. The varietal is originally from Croatia. This Italian wine is lighter than the over-the-top California fruit bombs Zins, but it had a nice nose. It is dark fruit forward with a nice finish that was slightly peppery. Perfect for a rainy, cold November weeknight pasta dinner. I would get this wine again in the future for weeknight meals. If you don't believe me, check out this review.

Epicuro Nero D'Avalo

This was $4.99. Nero D'Avalo is the name of the grape grown in the Sicilian region of Italy. Unlike Primitivo/Zinfandel, this varietal is pretty unknown here but there are a small number of California winemakers experimenting with it. Despite the dark garnet color ("nero" means black in Italian), the wine is pretty smooth with lot of dark cherry fruit up front. Then it briefly turns a bit bitter like a prune. But the medium tannins on the finish clear it all out. This was very drinkable but not my favorite. But if you're curious to try wine from a grape you've never heard of this is an affordable adventure. I think this would go well with that weeknight pizza you either made or brought home.  

Chateauneuf-du-Pape

This wine was $13.99. It's a Grenache-based, Southern Rhone blend. Chateauneuf-du-Pape is the name of the large appellation that produces almost as much wine as the Bordeaux region. The main grapes that are grown in the appellation are Grenache, Syrah, and Cinsault. This TJ's steal is 50% Grenache, 25% Syrah, 15% Mouvedre, and 10% Cinsault. This wine easily competes with $40 bottles of similar wine. It is a very approachable and friendly wine with lots of red fruit flavors and a touch of leather and herbs. It opens up with time after you have bottle open. I would suggest decanting or at least uncorking for an hour before serving. I will definitely be picking this one up again. 

Pontificis GSM Red Blend

This wine was $6.99. This wine is from the large Languedoc-Roussillon region in Southern France. GSM is shorthand for the red blend that uses Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre grapes. These Grenache-based blends are common in Southern France (including the wine above). This wine is 40% Grenache, 35% Syrah, and 25% Mourvedre. The Grenache is the lightest in color but it adds a lot of fruit flavor. Syrah provides the ruby red color and the darker fruit flavors like plum and blueberry. Mourvedre is similar to Syrah but it adds some tannins and counterpoints to the Syrah. Each winemaker can experiment with the blends to try to get the wine they want. This was a very enjoyable wine. Good fruit flavors and very pleasant to drink. Another wine I will be picking up again for a weeknight dinner. 

Those are just a few of my recent tastings. I will continue to post more. Let me know if you have an TJ favorites. 

Here are some links you can also explore:

https://www.reversewinesnob.com/search/label/trader-joes/

http://thefermentedfruit.com/guide-to-trader-joes-wine-prices-top-selections/

https://thekrazycouponlady.com/tips/store-hacks/trader-joes-wine

https://vinopointer.com/our-lucky-13-most-recent-reviews-of-wines-from-trader-joes/

Making Passion Fruit Juice

A friend recently asked me if I'd like some passion fruit. "Sure," I said but then I thought to myself,  "Now what?" I knew she had passion fruit growing over a trellis in their backyard. But that's about all I know about passion fruit (except that it's the P in POG--that delicious tropical juice they serve [Update: used to serve] on Hawaiian Airlines). 

She dropped off eleven of them and said to wait until they got a little wrinkly--like a raisin--which took about a week. So that gave me some time to do some internet research. After my research, I decided to make passion fruit juice which was so refreshing and delicious. 

But first, depending on where you live you may not have ever seen a passion fruit. They are usually not carried by most supermarkets. In my online research, I learned that if you don't have a friend with a passion fruit plant you can actually buy passion fruit on Etsy (I haven't tried it...yet). But you can look at the photos to get an idea of what they look like outside and in. Everything on the inside is edible but the skin is not. The seeds are edible and high in fiber. 

The fruit is considered a tropical fruit and it seems to have originated in the southern countries of South America but it now grows in many locations across the globe. It goes by many names around the world. The moment I cut into my first passion fruit I could smell the tropical aromas. I thought to myself, "This SMELLS like Hawaii."

Now, to turn that juice into pulp into juice you need some additional ingredients:

Water: The juice is naturally on the thick side so water helps to dilute the juice. 

Sweetener: Sugar is most obvious choice. But depending on your personal health plan you could go for honey, simple syrup, or any of the non-sugar sweeteners that are out there. What's nice here is that you are in control of the sweetness. 

Optional additional flavorings: Some of things that people like to add to their passion fruit juice are: mint leaves, lime juice, and Angostura bitters.

Passion Fruit Juice

Here's how I made my first batch of passion fruit juice:

Wait - Until the fruit is wrinkly. As it gets wrinkly, the fruit gets heavier with pulp.

Cut - Crosswise near the top so you don't lose as much pulp. I cut the fruit crosswise near the top. That gives you a nice cup of skin and you can scoop out the bulk of the pulp with a spoon. If there's any pulp in the top part you can scoop that out too. Eleven fruit gave me 1 1/2 cups of pulp.

Pulse - Put the pulp into a blender or food processor and give it a couple of pulses. You want to break things up but you don't want to break up the seeds too much. 

Strain - Put the pulsed pulp through a fine mesh sieve. Use the back of spoon to get more juice out. Let it sit for a bit before you discard the seed pulp.

Water - I added 2 cups of water.

Sweetener - I added 1/2 cup simple syrup.

The results were delicious and healthy. I had a glass of the juice after returning home from a long hike and it was so refreshing. You can keep the juice in the fridge for a week or two, at the most. But as it sits it will separate. Don't worry, just stir it up with a wooden spoon and you're good to go. 

Now I must confess that once I had this tropical juice, I was reminded of the excellent tropical martinis we had in Puerto Rico with another couple (pre-hurricanes) that consisted of chili-spiced vodka and tropical fruit juice. We had them over for dinner shortly after I made this first batch of passion fruit juice so I made us the martini using passion fruit juice instead of guava juice. It was delicious and it took us back to those days in Puerto Rico. 

Oven Roasted Romanesco

Perhaps you have seen Romanesco before. That strange fractal looking vegetable. 

I think it's a cool looking vegetable, but I can imagine that it may be intimidating to some. One may look at it and assume if it looks strange it must taste strange. Well, that Romanesco is related to both broccoli and cauliflower. They are all part of the Brassica family. 

What does it taste like it? Taste can be subjective, but, to me, Romanesco tastes more like broccoli than cauliflower. But it's somewhat of a blend of both. It's structure is more like a cauliflower. But I think the flavor leans more toward broccoli. While the taste may be similar, the texture is not like broccoli. 

But don't let the alien shape put you off. Romanesco is a tasty vegetable. This is a great and approachable side dish for whatever your main is. Give it a try!

Oven Roasted Romanesco

Ingredients:

• Romanesco - 1 head, cut into large chunks
• Olive oil
• Panko bread crumbs - 3-4 tablespoons
• Flaky sea salt (Maldon) - about 2 pinches
• Black pepper - to taste
• Red pepper flakes - to taste
• Butter - 1 Tbsp.
• Parmesan cheese - 1-2 Tbsp. finely shredded
• Herb or herb mixture - 1/2 tsp. 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Rinse Romanesco and cut or break florets into a large bowl.
3. Drizzle generously with olive oil and stir to mix.
4. Transfer to a sheet pan (keeping some space between each floret) and season with black pepper and flaky salt.
   
5. Place in oven for 20-30 minutes. Keep an eye on it as ovens vary.
6. In a small saucepan, melt the butter and add the breadcrumbs. Stir frequently until bread crumbs are toasty brown (it will take just a few minutes).
7. Remove the pan from heat and let cool.
8. Shred the Parmesan cheese.
9. Add the herb mixture and red pepper flakes to the bread crumbs. 
10. Plate the roasted Romanesco and generously sprinkle the panko-cheese mixture over the top (you will likely have left over bread crumbs). 
11. Plate the roasted Romanesco and generously sprinkle with the bread crumb mixture (you will likely have leftovers).

 

 We were first introduced to quinoa while on a hiking trip in Peru back in 2002. Our guide would pack all of the ingredients and when we stopped for lunch, he'd throw all of the ingredients into a bowl and prepare the hiking group with a salad similar to this one. It was a nice, light lunch salad that we'd enjoy along with some cheese and bread and other local snack foods. Quinoa was available in the US, but it was still relatively new at the time. 

This salad is pretty easy to make but it will still be a crowd pleaser. It's light and healthy yet the quinoa and roasted garbanzo beans give it some satisfying toothiness. It's a good dish to bring to a pot luck. Also perfect for a picnic or concert food. It's a ready-made side salad for weeknight meals. You can also use it as a base for your main protein (I think this would make a nice base for cooked fish or shrimp). You could also make this on a Sunday and then you've got your work week lunch pretty much done. 

Most of the quinoa you find in the store is plain light brown in color. That's called white quinoa. That will work for this recipe but there is also black and red quinoa. Using the red or a mix of all three gives this salad creates a lot visual interest and makes it more colorful. 

You can think of this recipe as a starting point. There are many ingredients that could be used instead of or in addition to. You can create your own personal favorite. Scallions, edamame, chopped olives, pimentos, roasted red bell pepper, and much more could be used. 

Quinoa Vegetable Salad with Roasted Garbanzo Beans

Ingredients:

• Quinoa - 1 cup uncooked, tri-colored preferred
• Water - 2 cups
• Lemon juice - 1/4 cup (about 1 large lemon)
• Olive oil - 1/4 cup
• Red wine vinegar - 1 tablespoon
• Garlic - 2-3 cloves, minced
• Salt - 1/2 teaspoon
• Black pepper - freshly ground to taste
• Garbanzo beans - 1 15 oz. can, drained
• Cucumber - 1 medium, seeded
• Red onion - 1 medium
• Red bell pepper - 1 medium
• Parsley - finely chopped leaves, about 1 cup
• Feta - crumbles, about 1 cup
• Finishing salt - to taste (optional)

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• Drain garbanzo beans in a colander. When drained place on some double thick paper towels. Cover to the top with paper towels. Gently roll beans around to get as dry as possible.
• In a bowl, add lemon juice, oil, salt, red wine vinegar, and minced garlic. Add in fresh black pepper to taste. Whisk the dressing to mix and set aside.
• Add beans to a medium bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper (you can add any other herb or herb mix as well). Stir to mix. 
• 
  Line a cookie sheet or sheet pan with parchment paper. Pour the beans onto the paper and spread  to a single layer. Place in the oven for 11 minutes. At 11 minutes, take beans out and with a spoon, move the beans around. Return to the oven for another 11 minutes. 
• Finely chop red onion and place in a large bowl.
  
• Seed and chop cucumber into small bite-sized chunks and add to bowl.
• Seed and chop red bell pepper into small bite-sized chunks and add to bowl.
• Finely chop the parsley leaves and add to the bowl.
• Rinse the quinoa in a colander and let it drain for a bit. Combine the quinoa and water in a medium saucepan and, with high heat, bring to a boil. Reduce the heat once boiling but maintain a gentle boil. Keep reducing the as the quinoa absorbs the water. Once all of the water is absorbed, about 7-10  minutes, remove from heat, cover, and let rest for at least 5 minutes. Remove cover and let quinoa cool.
• 
• Add the feta crumbles.
• Once the quinoa is cool, add it to the large bowl and begin gently mixing all of the ingredients together. Add half of the dressing and mix well. Add the rest of the dressing and continue to mix. Let the salad rest for 10 minutes before serving. 
• Once plated, add a few pinches of finishing salt (Maldon or other fine salt flakes).
• Serves about 4 dinner-sized portions or 8 smaller side salads. It will last in the fridge for about four days.
• Pairs well with a Roreo Arneis bottle of wine.