Thanksgiving 2012

It was just the two of us this year.
Instead of turkey and endless leftovers, when James and I heard that one of our favorite innkeepers, Margaret Grade of Manka's, was opening her still being renovated new property, The Olema, for Thanksgiving dinner we decided to join in. The menu, so local she seems to know every purveyor's name and family, hit all the seasonal favorites --  pumpkin, crab, peppery cress, and of course locally grown turkey.

A Tradition Is Born

If you've been checking here for me, you can see I have not been cooking. james and I have been traveling for two weeks literally crossing paths in airports as we head to opposite destinations.
Tonight we needed something special, a little treat.
Dungeness crab season is open here in Norcal and fish markets and grocery stores are stuffed full of fresh cooked, plump, meaty, delicious crab. The season here is so celebrated that besides local calendars boasting a plethora of charity crab feeds for every local cause (Sons of Italy, fire departments, Lions, etc) many locals include the delicacy as part of their Thanksgiving menu. Most people serve the steamed crabs cold, cleaned and cracked, along with cocktail or maybe a mayonnaise based dipping sauce.
At our house we elaborate on an idea from San Francisco chef Reed Hearon and marinate our crustaceans in fennel seeds, chili flakes, parsley, thyme, garlic and olive oil and roast them in a 400º oven. Spicy warm delicious. Make plenty of bread and potatoes for soaking up the delicious sauce.
We've decided -- this is our night before dinner.

Fall Harvest

Despite the morning frost with the warm afternoons our tomatoes are still hanging on. I'm trying to get every last one -- I miss them so during the winter.
Our neighbor has turned over her garden and had a picturesque collection of squash which she kindly shared with us. They are so beautiful I think I'll look at them a while before cooking them up.

Nothing Pretty About Stew

Not exactly a photogenic dinner dish. But this chicken stew, flavored with bacon and white wine, was just what today's early winter weather demanded -- and simple. I started with chopped carrots, onion, celery and plenty of thick chunks of double smoked bacon sautéing in hot olive oil. I added in the chicken (I used bone in leg and thighs)  to brown a bit and then tossed in about 2 cups of white wine, around a pound of diced tomatoes (I used yellow ones from our garden), 4 sprigs of thyme and brought everything up to a boil. The stew simmered for about an hour and a half until the meat was tender. I took the chicken off the bone and returned it to the pot along with a good quantity of cut up potatoes and shredded kale. After about 10 minutes I added in fresh green beans cut into about 2 inch pieces and let everything simmer together until the potatoes and vegetables were cooked through. Nothing much to look at but warm and tasty and right to eat by the fire.

Sheep Ladies

 Time for the soon to be sheep mommies to get their shots and we're lucky enough to have friendly sheep raising neighbors who let me join in to help. One pink dot for the vaccine, one blue dot for the "drench," the sheep de-wormer. Whoever passed around the idea that sheep are docile has obviously never tried to hold 150 pounds or so of wriggling wool but they are so sweet, and so pretty with their new polkadots. I can't wait to see this year's babies.

Saturday Night Sliders

King's Hawaiian Rolls, tiny broiled burgers topped with buttery sautéed shallots. One of James' all-time favorites.

A Cold Rainy Night

Rain is falling outside but inside the wood stove is roaring and I've got a pot of creamy, cheesy, polenta bubbling on the stove. On top just a simple sauté of spicy Italian sausage, kale from the garden and baby spinach. A perfect warm dinner for a cold rainy night.