Sam Fox, the restaurateur-wunderkind worked the room, shaking hands, pointing out features to invited guests during a preview of his newest restaurant, which opens to the public Wednesday, January 27.

A band jammed from a tiny stage at one end of the restaurant, just below black and white pictures of iconic rockers, obviously taken during their heyday. A young Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen, among others.

Culinary Dropout is the 13th concept from Fox Restaurant Concepts, located at the Scottsdale Waterfront in what was an unfortunate restaurant called Pink Taco.

The preview dinner was free, but when the hostess seated me, she left a card on the table. It read:

“Enjoy the food, don’t be a pig, tip your server and tell a friend.”

So I did … I wasn’t … I happily did … and I am.

The room is dark and hip. A shockingly purple textured wall frames the exhibition kitchen. Round tables, square tables. A long community table is positioned between the bar and the kitchen. And emerald green glass chandeliers run the length of the room.

The back side of the oversized paper menu sports 46 beers, divided into sections like a wine list: light, medium, fruit/cider, rich. They stock a rising trend in craft brews: ales in aluminum cans.

There are wines, too, but the beers outnumber the wines. Specialty cocktails share space on the front side with the food.

Culinary Dropout is just as much about the drinking as it is the eating.

A separate menu is provided to order an antipasti plate (The Parlor further west on Camelback Road has a similar menu system.) A few vegetables are included on the menu, like house pickled peppers (3) and grilled asparagus ($4).

A bright, cherry-red slicer sits on the counter of the open kitchen, where antipasti meats and cheeses are sliced to order: Iberico ham from Spain ($12), Prosciutto di San Daniele from Italy ($6) and several domestic charcuterie. Cheeses ($4-$5) hail from all over Europe along with a couple domestic ones.

Silverware is wrapped in a trendy kitchen towel.

The main menu is simple, really, although everything is written with mouth-watering descriptions. Appetizers, sandwiches & salads and entrees totaled together only add up to 31 items.

The pork belly Cubano ($9) is a delicious mouthful, piled high with shaved ham, braised pork belly, sweet, house made pickles, tangy slaw and melted Swiss. The chewy roll is grilled to a crunchy brown. It’s a gut-filler and I couldn’t finish the sandwich or the crispy, skinny fries.

Ergo, I didn’t order dessert. An apple monkey bread ($8) was described as cinnamon roll meets apple pie. (It takes about 15 minutes because it’s baked to order.) The chocolate and vanilla pudding parfait topped with caramel corn ($7) sounds tempting, too.

Who am I kidding? How could I ever have room for dessert after fried chicken with a buttermilk biscuit and honey ($15) or chicken hash with a fried egg and black truffles ($12)? Or short rib orecchiette with butter beans, tomato and Parmesan ($15).

Guess I’ll just have to order dessert first next time.

Culinary Dropout
7135 East Camelback Road
Scottsdale, AZ
480-970-1700

Tags: Culinary Dropout, dining near Scottsdale Fashion Square
Posted in Restaurant Journal | 4 Comments »

Is January the longest month or is it just me? Here I am again with another healthy post — a salad built upon a supergrain: Quinoa (KEEN-wha).

Quinoa isn’t technically a grain. It’s a seed. So perhaps we should call it “superseed,” but that just sounds silly.

Taken from a page in my first cookbook, The Great Ranch Cookbook, this salad originally featured wild rice.

Ironically, wild rice is a seed, too, but you cook wild rice and quinoa like grains, so that’s why they’re lumped into the grain category, culinary speaking.

If you’re a farmer or a scientist, knowing the difference is crucial. If you’re a cook, like me, the nomenclature of “grains” vs. “seeds” is a minor diversion from the real point. What does it taste like?

Hang on, I’ll get to that.

Quinoa is a curious bugger. Each raw seed is just barely bigger than a pin-head.

If you, say, drop the bag on the floor, you’ll spend the next eternity trying to pick them all up.

Or so I’ve heard.

When cooked, it sprouts a little yellow tail — and quadruples in size. A cup of raw quinoa makes just shy of four cups cooked.

It’s simultaneously soft and crunchy. Nutty and a little earthy. And a wide-open foodstuff just begging for creativity.

And a toothpick. They like to stick in your teeth.

This ancient, South American staple has received a lot of press lately. (It’s because it’s January, right? We’re all scrambling to distance ourselves from decadent December.)

Or maybe this nutrient powerhouse is getting attention because it only takes 15 minutes to cook.

Interested in the protein-packed, vitamin-and-mineral-rich details? Slide over here. Want to read more about the history of quinoa? Wiki it here.

Just come back for a really tasty salad (and a preview of another way to use quinoa.)

Even though it only takes 15 minutes to cook, I should share a couple things. First, it needs a good rinse. It’s covered in a bitter resin that helps protected it from birds while growing. Most of the bitter compound is removed during processing for packaging, but a good rinse removes any last traces.

Since the seeds are so tiny, I use a chinois set over a bowl and give it four or five good rinses, changing the water in between. (A chinois is a very fine mesh strainer. A few layers of cheesecloth or a coffee filter will work if your strainer is less fine.)

The shape of your pan matters, too. It’s best to use a pan that is wider than it is tall, otherwise the short 15 minute cooking time isn’t long enough to absorb all the water.

Cooking quinoa longer than 15 minutes makes it mushy. Some recipes call for cooking the quinoa in water for 1o minutes, then draining the water off and steaming it.

That’s too much trouble for me, especially since using a wide pan seems to do the trick.

After 15 minutes of cooking, turn off the heat and let it sit for about 5 minutes. Then lift the lid and fluff the quinoa with a fork. (If you lean in close, you’ll get a nice steam facial, too. I always like double-duty tasks.)

This salad is best served room temperature, so toss the quinoa until it cools, or spread it out on a baking sheet to cool (if you don’t mind washing another pan). That will help dry it out, too.

I’ve chosen Cara Cara oranges because I like the pretty salmon color, and they’re in season now. I’m using both dried cranberries and dried, tart cherries.

You can substitute other dried fruits: apricot, dates, pineapple, or even raisins (golden, please…the others look like bugs to me. Of course, what am I worried about? This “grain” has a tail!)

Like most composed salads, this tastes better after it sits for an hour, giving the flavors a chance to get acquainted.

Remember that 1 cup of quinoa turns into 4 cups cooked. I use 3 cups for this salad, saving the last cup for another recipe that I’ll share later this week. And it won’t be quite as healthy as this one.

It’s almost February, after all.

Red Quinoa Salad with Oranges, Cranberries and Pecans

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients
1 cup red quinoa (or white)
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt

2 medium oranges
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup dried tart cherries
3 scallions, sliced thinly on bias
1/2 cup toasted, chopped pecans

3 tablespoons of orange juice*
1 tablespoon champagne vinegar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Method
1. Rinse the quinoa in several changes of water. Drain.

2. Place the quinoa in a wide saucepan and pour in 2 cups of water. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt.

3. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and cover pan. Cook for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let sit for 5 minutes.  Fluff with a fork, or to cool quickly, spread the quinoa on a baking sheet. (If quinoa seems too wet, line baking sheet with paper towels before spreading out to cool.)

While the quinoa is cooking, prepare the other ingredients.

4. Zest one of the oranges and set aside (for the vinaigrette). Peel the oranges and cut into segments (supreme). Save the orange pulp. Cut each segment in half and set aside.

5. Squeeze the orange pulps into a small saucepan. Place the dried fruit in the pan with the orange pulp juice and stir. Bring the juice just to a boil and then turn off the heat. Stir the fruit occasionally while the berries steep.

6. Whisk 3 tablespoons of orange juice with the reserved zest, and the vinegar. Whisk in the oil and season with salt and pepper to taste.

7. Place the cooled quinoa in a large bowl. Top with the reserved orange segments, steeped berries, scallions and pecans. Toss until combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

*The juice from the segmented oranges is enough to steep the dried fruit, but not enough to make the vinaigrette, so you’ll need an additional 3 tablespoons of OJ for the vinaigrette.

Tags: dried cranberries, oranges, pecans, quinoa, red quinoa, salads
Posted in Recipes, Salads | 9 Comments »

It wasn’t my intention to write a post about a bean that you’ll have difficulty locating — the Four Corners Gold bean. Fortunately, this soup can be made with almost any type of dried bean, heirloom or not, but it does illustrate the perils of heirloom seeds, and why we want to save them.

I purchased these gorgeous gold beans in Tucson, at the non-profit Native Seeds /SEARCH store about a year ago and now they’re no longer available. I set out to find more information about them and very little exists. One source says that they were cultivated by the Zuni tribes that populated the Four Corners region (AZ-UT-CO-NM).

So I searched for Zuni Gold beans and found another source: Kokopelli’s Kitchen. In fact, I found them under the “hard-to-find Southwestern ingredients.” Owner Cheryl Joseph says the beans come from southwestern Colorado and this year’s crop will be small, but she has just over 40 pounds in stock.

Frankly, the number of heirloom bean varieties is mind-boggling, and several organizations (both for-profit and not-for-profit) sell a plethora of rare bean varieties.

Besides Native Seeds/SEARCH, the non-profit Seed Savers has a nice collection of heirlooms, as does Rancho Gordo and Zürsun Idaho Heirloom. You’ll likely find heirloom beans at farmers markets, too. I recently saw some yellow-eyed Steubens at my local farmers market.

For this simple bean soup, you really can use any type of bean you want, but I encourage you to try an heirloom variety just to broaden your bean repertoire.

This basic soup recipe is full of flavor, thanks to aromatics like onions and garlic and a healthy dose of dried herbs.

It’s smoky, too, thanks to a slow simmer with a smoked ham shank, and even a little creamy, thanks to a technique the French call garbure [gar-BOOR], which means a portion of the soup is pureed and added back to the soup to thicken it, making it almost stew-like. (Garbure also refers to a specific soup that originated in the Basque region.)

As with most soups, it tastes even better the second day, but don’t let that stop you from spooning out a bowl as soon as it’s made.

Hearty, comforting, delicious.

Heirloom Bean Soup

[printable recipe]

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients
1 pound dried heirloom beans (or try Cranberry or Cannellini)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced (about 3 cups)
3 medium carrots, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch rounds (about 1-1/2 cups)
3 stalks celery, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 1-1/2 cups)
3 to 4 large cloves of garlic, minced (about 1-1/2 tablespoons)
1 tablespoon dried Italian herbs mix
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 smoked ham shank (about 1 to 1-1/4 pounds)
8 cups water
Kosher salt
Garnish with fresh grated Parmesan and fresh thyme leaves

Method
Soak the beans overnight or by using the quick-soak method (cover with water, bring to a boil and turn off the heat. Cover and let stand 1 hour.) Drain and rinse beans before continuing.

Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Stir in onion, carrots, celery, garlic, herbs, and both peppers. Saute for a minute or so, just until the vegetables are coated with oil and the garlic is fragrant but not browned.

Add the drained and rinsed beans to the pot along with the ham shank. Pour in the water. (The shank may not be completely submerged, but only a sliver of the top should be exposed. Add a cup more of water if necessary.)

Bring to a boil and then reduce to a good simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 to 1-1/2 hours, until the beans are almost soft but still offer just the slightest resistance when bitten. (Some bean varieties cook a little quicker, so use the texture of the bean as your guide.)

Remove the ham shank and let it cool slightly, while continuing to simmer the beans. When the shank is cool enough to handle, strip the meat from the bone, removing fat and gristle. Cut or tear the meat into small bite-size pieces. Set aside.

Cook the beans until they are completely soft (no resistance when bitten) but still retain their shape. Total cooking time might be 2 hours, give or take a half hour.

Using a slotted spoon, scoop out about a cup of the beans into a blender. Add enough bean soup liquid to puree the beans to a consistency between heavy cream and sour cream. Pour the pureed beans back into the soup pot and stir. Add the reserved ham pieces and cook long enough to reheat the cooled ham.

Taste the soup and add salt if desired (the shank is quite salty, so you may not need to add any salt).

Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh grated Parmesan and fresh thyme leaves.

Tags: bean soup, Four Corners Gold Beans, heirloom beans, Kokopelli's Kitchen, Native Seeds/SEARCH, Rancho Gordo, Seed Savers, Zuni Gold beans, Zursun Idaho Heirloom Beans
Posted in Book & Product Reviews, Recipes, Soups | 8 Comments »

Generally I’m not one to shy away from fat and calories. I did, after all, polish off a Pine State Reggie biscuit with no problem.

But it’s January and a chocolate-filled Valentine’s Day is sure to follow, so I don’t mind cutting back on calories and fat as long as I don’t have to give up on taste.

One way I’m doing that is with this Spa Caesar Dressing, a recipe from my Cool Mountain Cookbook. The first time I tasted this dressing, from Vermont’s most luxurious spa, Topnotch, I knew it had potential beyond just dressing salads.

A serving (2 tablespoons) is only 120 calories and 4 grams of fat, compared to 200 calories and 16 grams of fat of some traditional Caesar dressings.

This “mock” version has the taste characteristics of the real thing — thanks to anchovies, garlic and lemon juice — and it has great mouth feel thanks to the cottage cheese.

But don’t just toss your salads with this dressing. Use it as a dip for a plateful of healthy vegetables, too.

It also makes a nice sauce for fish, too. Just gently heat the dressing, spoon it over your fish and garnish it with some fresh chopped chives.

Spa Caesar Dressing

(from The Cool Mountain Cookbook)

Makes 2 1/4 cups

Ingredients
2 cups lowfat cottage cheese
1/4 cup lowfat buttermilk
1 tablespoon champagne or white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
3 anchovies, rinsed in warm water, dried and finely chopped
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Method
1. Place all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth, stopping to scrape the bowl once or twice.

2. Chill before serving.

3. Dressing may be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.

Tags: lowfat dressing, mock Caesar dressing, recipe, Topnotch Spa & Resort
Posted in Recipes, Sauces, Salsas & Dressings | 4 Comments »

The Great Ranch Cookbook

Spirited Recipes & Rhetoric from America's Best Guest Ranches

Par Fork! The Golf Resort Cookbook

Culinary Expedition Through World Class Golf Resort Kitchens

The Cool Mountain Cookbook

A Gourmet Guide to Winter Retreats