Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen
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For August:
Mustards Grill
 
For August:
 
CINDY'S  RECIPE
  OF THE MONTH
 "HIRO"
Summer Greetings!

Life has surely changed at my house. We have a new puppy, Hiro. Our chocolate lab Lucy is 12, relatively young enough to help train the new addition and John has never raised a puppy before. I have had dogs since I was 2 when I got a basset hound, Tiny, for Christmas. I have been hooked on dogs ever since.

I am the farthest thing from a gluten-free eater but a book by the highly respected Bay Area baker Alice Medrich has my attention. Her cookbook, Flavor Flours features recipes that use non-wheat flours including whole and ancient grains, coconut flour, and nut flours. She uses Teff flour, which I am familiar with from Injera the flat bread of Ethiopia, in a delicious bittersweet Teff brownie recipe. As a chef I am always trying new recipes to see what the restaurants can make from non-wheat flours.
 
At Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen Chef Jim is bringing back the wildly popular month of pork. Look for Cuban sandwiches with mojo-rubbed roast pork loin, Hawaiian style kalua pig, house-smoked bacon BLT's, Freddy's Famous Pozole Rojo, Berkshire pork saltimbocca, and much more. I can't wait to try them.
 
Chef Michael celebrates the Bumper Crop from the Mustards Grill garden for Pair Off Pour Off Friday's. Featured are a grilled halibut with summer bean ragout, a lamb with fresh shelling bean gratin, and a Wagyu ribeye steak with green bean and cherry tomato salad. Click on the Pour Off Pair Off icon to see the full menu.
 
The Napa Register wrote a fine article on Nick and the Mustards garden recently. Check it out.
 
One of my favorite things to ask for at the Farmer's Market or a local vegetable stand what farmers call "soup or sauce tomatoes." They are vine ripened but too old or blemished to be sold as salad tomatoes. Often sold by the bag they can be half the price of premium tomatoes. I core them, split them in half, put them in a large roasting pan, squeeze the juice of a lemon, add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste, toss in some fresh basil or dill leaves, some olive oil and roast at 450� until tender. I pass the contents through a strainer or puree first then strain. I have fresh or freezable tomatoes ready for soups, sauces or condiments with that sweet sun ripened taste-year round.
 
Highly recommended is a visit to the Monterey Bay Aquarium with its extended summer hours until 8pm on Saturday and Sunday's through September 4. During the late hours, stroll through the galleries with a glass of Monterey County wine and listen to live music. It's such a great way to see the Aquarium in the less crowded evenings.
 
Speaking of the Aquarium, I was very pleased to read the  Forbes.com article that mentioned Cindy's Waterfront as one of the 10 great "real food' restaurants in the United States.

With so many fabulous vegetables available in gardens and farmer's markets, the recipe this month is a summer vegetable stew with farm fresh eggs. It can be served for breakfast like I did, or as a lunch or dinner entr�e.
  
P.S. Remember to check out my South American cruise with TOR Kenward Family Wines in March, 2017. Come join us and be sure to mention Cindy referred you.
 Cindy Pawlcyn Napa Valley
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