Cindy Pawlcyn's Mustard's Grill Cookbook: Truck Stop Deluxe in Napa Valley

\ \ \ \ Chapter One\ \ \ Appetizers\ \ \ When I eat out, I'll often order two or three appetizers, split the main course with a friend, or maybe even skip it, and go straight on to dessert. That way I get to taste a little bit of a lot more dishes.\ \     We do a lot of fish and shellfish appetizers at Mustards. It's a wonderful way to take advantage of the bounty of our coastal California waters, and it also allows us flexibility, which is important, as availability varies from day to day. We call our fish purveyor the first thing in the morning to see what we're going to get (as opposed to what we thought we were getting), and then we decide what seafood appetizers will go on the specials board for the day.\ \     The most difficult thing about appetizers is keeping them small. Shellfish, in particular, is rich, so don't get carried away when you're serving clams or crab as starters, unless, of course, you want to serve any of these appetizers as main dishes, which is easy enough to do. In most cases, you only need to double the recipes and add a side dish or two.\ \     Depending on the rest of your meal, you might want a simple appetizer, like grilled asparagus or leeks served with a vinaigrette or aioli, or maybe some grilled polenta. Or try something completely different and experiment with strong flavors, exotic combinations, and some complex dishes. Appetizers are one of the best ways to introduce people to something they have never tried before. Often we will do sweetbreads, sardines, or whitebait (aka fries with eyes) as appetizers because people are more apt to try them, knowing they'll be followed by something "safe," like a platter of ribs or a steak. This is my theory, in any case, and I'm sticking to it, even though in fifteen years of marriage I've never gotten my husband to try any of the above.\ \ \ \ Whole Roasted Garlic with Croutons\ Serves 6\ \ \ This dish has been on our menu since the day we opened. You can bake the garlic earlier in the day, set it aside at room temperature, and reheat it on the grill just before serving. That last step adds a great smoky flavor to the garlic. Save the oil from the garlic to use on the croutons.\ \     For a casual get-together with a grilled main course, set the garlic out with roasted peppers, olives, cherry tomatoes, and bread or croutons. People can help themselves while you cook the main course. With a bottle of Napa Valley wine, it makes a light lunch or supper.\ \ \ \ 6 very large heads garlic\ 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil\ 2 or 3 bay leaves (fresh, if you can find them)\ 3 or 4 thyme sprigs\ 1/4 teaspoon salt\ Freshly ground black pepper\ \ \ \ 1 baguette\ \ \ To make the roasted garlic, preheat the oven to 300°. Cut a thin slice off the very top of each head of garlic to expose the tops of all the cloves. Set the garlic heads in a 9- to 10-inch-wide shallow baking dish. (For best results, use a terra-cotta dish that will hold the heads together snugly.) Pour the oil slowly over and into each head, distributing it as equally as possible. Scatter the bay leaves and thyme over the garlic, and season with the salt and pepper to taste. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 1 3/4 hours, until the garlic is very soft and tender. Don't rush it; older garlic may take longer. Drain and reserve the oil, and set the garlic aside. Discard the bay leaves and thyme.\ \ To make the croutons, preheat the oven to 375°. Cut the baguette at a severe angle. You need 12 slices each about 1/4 inch thick. Brush one side of the slices with the reserved oil from the garlic, and bake oil-side down for 5 to 7 minutes, until crisp and golden. You can also grill the bread slices over coals.\ \ If you've roasted your garlic ahead, reheat it either in a 375° oven or on the grill. Put 2 crisp croutons and a head of garlic on each serving plate. People can use the tip of a knife to fish the roasted garlic out of the individual cloves and smear it on their bread, or they can, as we do it in the restaurant, grab the whole head with a napkin and squeeze all the garlic out into one luscious pile, then smear it liberally onto their croutons.\ \ \ \ Curry Chicken Skewers with Eggplant Relish and Tomato Chutney Vinaigrette\ Serves 6\ \ \ My husband really only likes potatoes, well-done steak, cheeseburgers, and boneless, skinless chicken breasts. So when we dine at Mustards, he'll order these chicken skewers of he doesn't have a side of mashed potatoes for an appetizer, that is). You can marinate the meat and arrange it on the skewers the day before, if you like. We have found that 8-inch bamboo skewers, presoaked in water for 30 minutes, work best. Make the relish and the vinaigrette ahead, too, and you'll be all set.\ \ \ \ 1 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts\ 1 tablespoon curry paste, homemade (page 213) or purchased\ 1 1/2 teaspoons rice vinegar\ 1 1/2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil\ 3/4 teaspoon soy sauce\ Pinch of salt\ Pinch of freshly ground black pepper\ \ \ \ Tomato Chutney Vinaigrette\ 1 tablespoon golden raisins\ 3 tablespoons Tomato Chutney (page 204)\ 2 tablespoons rice vinegar\ Salt and freshly ground black pepper\ 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil\ \ \ \ Eggplant Relish (page 207)\ 6 tablespoons Lime Crème Fraîche (page 196) or plain yogurt\ 6 cilantro sprigs or fresh mint leaves\ \ \ \ To marinate the chicken, cut the chicken breasts crosswise into 36 equal-sized strips about 2 inches long by 1/2 inch wide. Whisk together the curry paste, vinegar, olive oil, soy sauce, salt, and pepper in a container large enough to hold all the chicken. Toss in the chicken strips, stir to make sure they're well coated with the marinade, cover, refrigerate, and allow to marinate for at least 1 hour, or for as long as overnight. To prepare the skewers, weave 3 strips of chicken lengthwise onto each 8-inch skewer. Refrigerate again until ready to grill.\ \ To make the vinaigrette, whisk together the raisins, chutney, vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste in a small bowl until the salt is dissolved. Gradually whisk in the olive oil, and continue to whisk until fully emulsified.\ \ When you're ready to serve, place the skewers on the grill rack and grill for 2 minutes. Turn the skewers and grill for 1 to 2 minutes more, until cooked through.\ \ To serve, place a mound of relish on each plate and crisscross two skewers over the relish. Drizzle with the vinaigrette and a little crème fraîche. Garnish with cilantro.\ \ \ \ Grilled Figs with Pancetta, Balsamic Vinaigrette, and Walnuts\ Serves 6 to 8\ \ \ In Napa, we are blessed with two fig seasons, one early in June and the other at the end of August. Figs prepared this way—wrapped in pancetta, threaded onto skewers, and grilled—make delightful mouthfuls on their own or as an accompaniment to grilled meats and poultry. We have discovered at Mustards that when figs are not available, ripe peaches, pears, or plums make great substitutes. Just remember to pit them first. Have your butcher slice the pancetta as thinly as possible. The strips will be slightly curved, but that's okay because you want to wrap them only once around the fruit. You can also use applewood-smoked bacon in place of pancetta.\ \ \ \ 24 large Black Mission figs or green Adriatic figs\ 24 very thinly sliced strips pancetta\ \ \ \ Vinaigrette\ 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar\ 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar\ 1/2 teaspoon salt\ 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper\ 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil\ 1 tablespoon finely shredded fresh basil leaves\ 1 tablespoon finely shredded fresh mint leaves\ 1 tablespoon finely minced fresh chives\ \ Extra virgin olive oil for the figs\ Salt and freshly ground black pepper\ 2 cups walnut pieces, almonds, or pistachios, toasted\ 1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions, white parts plus 2 inches of green (cut on the diagonal)\ Fresh mint leaves for garnish\ \ \ \ Wrap each fig in a strip of pancetta, and thread 3 or 4 figs together onto an 8-inch-long bamboo skewer, securing the pancetta with the skewer. If the figs are large, use 2 skewers, placed parallel to each other. Prepare the skewers several hours ahead of time, and refrigerate them on a baking sheet. They handle better when chilled.\ \ To prepare the vinaigrette, whisk together the balsamic and sherry vinegars, salt, and pepper in a small bowl, until the salt dissolves. Gradually whisk in the olive oil, continue to whisk until fully emulsified, then whisk in the basil, mint, and chives.\ \ When you're ready to serve, brush the figs with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill until the fat on the pancetta is rendered and the figs are heated through.\ \ Drizzle the figs with the vinaigrette, sprinkle the walnuts and scallions around, garnish with the mint leaves, and enjoy.\ \ \ \ Crab Cakes with Red Beet and Horseradish Rémoulade\ Serves 6\ \ \ Believe it or not, the secret ingredient in these crab cakes is grated baked potatoes. Most recipes call for a lot of bread crumbs, which makes for very dry crab cakes, but we've found that substituting potatoes for part of the bread crumbs keeps the cakes nice and moist. We use yellow Finns, but if you can't find them, use any small, creamy potato or even a russet type. We have made these crab cakes with our local Dungeness crab, which works well, but we like the East Coast blue crab better. It has a sweeter flavor and a better texture for this dish. Other decisions to make: The crab cakes can be deep-fried or sautéed in a nonstick skillet, and you can make them any size. I like appetizer-sized crab cakes, but Brigid loves them so big you could make sandwiches with them.\ \ \ \ Red Beet and Horseradish Rémoulade\ 1 bunch small beets\ Extra virgin olive oil for coating if baking plus 1/4 cup\ 1 tablespoon rice or champagne vinegar\ 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard\ 2 to 3 tablespoons freshly grated horseradish\ 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper\ \ \ \ 3/4 to 1 pound yellow Finn potatoes\ 1 pound fresh blue-crab meat, picked clean\ 1 red bell pepper, roasted, peeled, seeded, and minced\ 3 scallions, white part only, minced\ 3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley\ 1/2 jalapeño, seeded and minced\ 1 egg\ 6 to 7 tablespoons mayonnaise\ 2 teaspoons salt\ 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper\ 1/2 to 3/4 cup fresh toasted bread crumbs\ Peanut oil for frying\ Red Beet and Horseradish Rémoulade (recipe follows)\ Lemon wedges for garnish\ Chervil or tarragon sprigs for garnish\ \ \ \ To make the rémoulade, bake or steam the beets. To bake the beets, trim them, leaving 1 inch of the stem intact, but do not peel. Lightly coat with olive oil and put them in a roasting pan or baking sheet. Bake at 375° until fork tender. This should take 30 to 50 minutes, depending on their size and age. To steam the beets, trim as directed but do not rub with oil. Place on a steamer rack over boiling water, cover, and steam for 15 to 25 minutes, until tender. Allow the beets to cool, then peel and grate enough to measure 1 cup. Save any leftover beets for salads.\ \ Whisk together the vinegar, mustard, and 1/4 cup oil in a bowl, until emulsified. Stir in the 1 cup beets, the horseradish to taste, and the pepper. Cover and refrigerate until serving.\ \ Preheat the oven to 375°. Bake the potatoes for 15 to 20 minutes for small ones and up to 1 hour if they're very large, until tender. Allow them to cool, then peel and finely grate.\ \ To make the crab mixture, combine the crabmeat, potatoes, bell pepper, scallions, parsley, jalapeño, egg, 6 tablespoons mayonnaise, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Mix gently. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon mayonnaise if the mixture seems too dry. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the bread crumbs over the mixture and combine gently, adding more bread crumbs, as necessary, until the mixture just holds together. (If you are going to panfry the crab cakes, the mixture can be looser.) Cover and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes (or for as long as several hours).\ \ When the crab mixture is well chilled, form the cakes. Make 12 small ones or 6 large ones, depending on your preference, making each one an equal thickness at least 3/8-inch thick. To deep-fry the crab cakes, pour the oil to a depth of 2 inches into a deep, heavy saucepan and heat to 375° on a deep-frying thermometer. Working in batches, add the crab cakes and fry until golden brown and warm through. This should take 4 to 6 minutes, depending on how cold they are when they go in. Do not crowd the pan, and turn the cakes over if they float. Using tongs or a wire skimmer, transfer the cakes to paper towels to drain briefly and keep warm in a low oven while you fry the remaining crab cakes.\ \ To panfry the crab cakes, use just enough oil to coat the surface on a nonstick skillet. Place over medium-high heat, and when hot, add the crab cakes, again being careful not to crowd the pan. Cook for about 7 minutes, until golden brown and crisp on one side. Turn the crab cakes over and cook on the second side for about 5 minutes until browned. Place on a platter in a low oven while you cook the remaining crab cakes.\ \ To serve, divide the crab cakes among serving plates and top each with a small dollop of the rémoulade. Garnish with lemon wedges and chervil sprigs and serve at once.\

Way Too Many WinesIntroductionAppetizersWhole Roasted Garlic with Croutons5Curry Chicken Skewers with Eggplant Relish and Tomato Chutney Vinaigrette6Grilled Figs with Pancetta, Balsamic Vinaigrette, and Walnuts7Crab Cakes with Red Beet and Horseradish Remoulade9Cornmeal Pancakes with Caviar and Creme Fraiche11Artichokes with James Beard's Beer Batter and Tarragon Aioli12Stuffed Squash Blossoms with Cherry Tomato Salsa14Goat Cheese From the Very Beginning16Smoked Trout with Warm Sweet Potato Salad and Horseradish Cream18Morel Mushroom and Goat Cheese Toasts23Morel Mushroom and Green Corn Tamales24Grilled Quail with Sesame Dressing and Papaya-Lime Relish26Smoked Salmon, Pasilla Corncakes, and Creme Fraiche28Coconut Curried Mussels29Grilled Pasilla Chiles with Tamale Stuffing and Salsa Ranchera30Crispy Calamari with Curried Slaw31Seared Ahi Tuna on Sesame Crackers with Wasabi Cream35Steamed Manila Clams or Mussels37Mustards' BBQ Smoked Chicken Wings38Chinese-Style Chicken Wings39Duck Carnitas Tostadas with Ancho Chile Salsa and Tomatillo Salsa40SoupsAsparagus Soup with Arugula and Creme Fraiche44Hot-and-Sour Mushroom Soup45Red Tomato Gazpacho46Grape and Almond Gazpacho47Pear and Rutabaga Soup48Tomato, Basil, and Tortilla Soup49French Country-Style Vegetable Soup with Pistou50Roasted Squash Soup51Golden Gazpacho52Yucatan-Style Chicken and Vegetable Soup54White Vegetable Soup55Cauliflower Soup with Truffles58Curried Cauliflower Noodle Soup60Spiced Lentil-Vegetable Soup61SaladsMixed Greens with Those Nuts and Blue Cheese64Arugula and Maytag Blue Cheese Salad with Maple-Sherry Vinaigrette65Sean's Butter Lettuce Salad with Maytag Blue Cheese Dressing66Warm Spinach and Frisee Salad67Thai Lamb and Ginger Salad with Curry Vinaigrette69Blood Orange and Chioggia Beet Salad71Haricots Verts, New Potato, and Torpedo Onion Salad72Heirloom Tomato Salad73Grilled Potato Salad with Goat Cheese, Fried Garlic, and White Truffle Vinaigrette76Grilled Salmon Salad77Chinese Chicken Salad with Sesame Noodles and Rice Vinegar Cucumbers79Beet and Goat Cheese Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette81From the Smoker & GrillJapanese-Inspired Beef Filet "Rolls"86Steak and Potatoes "Truck Stop Deluxe"87Veal Chops with Roasted Red Bell Pepper and Black Olive Relish89Spicy Mustard and Garlic Poussin with Black Beans and Tomatillo-Avocado Salsa90Grilled Halibut with Tomato Vinaigrette91Grilled Beef Tenderloin con Tres Salsas92Hanger Steak with Watercress Sauce94Double Lamb Chops with Tapenade and Polenta96Achiote-Marinated Chicken Breasts with Black Beans and Mango Salsa97Mongolian Pork Chops99Grilled Salmon with Red Beet and Orange Relish and Coarse-Grain Mustard Beurre Blanc100Columbia River Sturgeon with Brussels Sprouts and Thyme and Parsley Beurre Blanc101Grilled Tuna with Moroccan Pepper Salad and Grilled Potatoes104Chilean Sea Bass with Sake-Braised Shiitakes and Grilled Asparagus105Tea Smoked Duck with 100-Almond Sauce and Ginger Pickled Mango107Thai Garlic Crab109Honey-Glazed Spiced Duck with Wild Rice and Tomatoes in Ginger Vinaigrette110Half-Slab BBQ Baby Back Ribs with Crispy Yams and Coleslaw112Grilled Rabbit "Coq au Vin" with Winter Vegetables114Grilled Squab with Dijon Mustard Sauce and Spicy Herb Salad118Out o' the PanButternut Squash and Goat Cheese Risotto123Cauliflower and Sweet Pea Penne124Linguine with Morel Mushrooms, Garlic, and Sage125Lemon-Garlic Chicken129Braised Duck Legs131Louise's Bouillabaisse with Rouille132Sean's Salmon Roulade with Kalamata Olive, Orange, and Celery Relish137Mixed Wild Mushroom Risotto with Grilled Chanterelles139Sweet Potato and Leek Ravioli with Morel Mushrooms and Brown Butter Sauce140Liver Diablo with Applewood-Smoked Bacon and Polenta144SandwichesGrilled Eggplant and Zucchini Sandwiches with Muffaletta Mix149Wild Mushroom "Burgers" with Apple-Jicama Slaw151Soft-Shell Crab Club Sandwiches153Ahi Tuna Sandwiches154Ahi Tuna and Shiitake Mini Burgers156Smoked Turkey, Bacon, and Grilled Apple Sandwiches with Guacamole160Smoked Beef Tri-Tip Sandwiches with Horseradish Cream and Watercress161Slow-Smoked BBQ Pork Sandwiches with Ooo-Eee! Sauce162Herb-Cured Chicken Breast Sandwiches with Eggplant Relish and Romesco Sauce164Smoked Ham and Jarlsberg Cheese Sandwiches with Basil Mayonnaise and Tomato and Apricot Chutney165SidesSweet-and-Sour Coleslaw168Carrots with Onion and Cumin168Erasto's Coleslaw169Braised Red Cabbage169Sauteed Greens170Baby Zucchinis with Garden Herbs171Summer Succotash172Fava Bean Succotash174Crispy Yams174Winter Squash Gratin175Grilled Yams and Yukon Gold Potatoes with Harissa176Mustards' Mashed Potatoes178Celery Root Mashers179Grilled Potatoes with Rosemary and Garlic180Mashed Potato Pancakes with Jarlsberg Cheese181Cumin Potato Salad182Erasto's Chile and Orange Black Beans183Crispy Black Bean-Rice Cakes184Polenta185Stilton Polenta186Sharp Cheddar Polenta Cakes187Steamed Basmati Rice189Roasted Potatoes189Wild Rice191CondimentsRoasted Garlic Aioli194Basil Pesto194House-Made Ketchup195Chinese-Style Mustard Sauce196Lime Creme Fraiche196Salsa Ranchera197Turmeric Pickles200Caramelized Onions200Aioli201Avocado and Pumpkin Seed Salsa202Mango Salsa203Black Olive Relish203Tomato Chutney204Mint-Tarragon Pesto204Tomato and Apricot Chutney205Smoked Tomatoes205Onion Jam206Ginger Butter206Eggplant Relish207Thyme and Parsley Beurre Blanc208Erasto's Oaxacan Mole209OdditiesThose Nuts212Croutons212Curry Paste213House-Made BBQ Spice213Mustards' Secret Coating214Madeira-Herb Marinade214Fresh Pasta215Vegetable Stock215Light Chicken Stock218Veal Stock219Corn Stock220Mushroom Stock220Fish Stock221DessertsCindy's Tapioca Pudding with Bourbon Cream228Vanilla Bean Creme Caramel229Chocolate-Anise Pots de creme230Caramel Apple Bread Pudding231Lemon-Lime Meringue Pie234Apple Pie with Cheddar Cheese Crust236Bing Cherry and Almond Tart237Conconut Dream Pie with Gooey Chocolate-Coconut Sauce238Chocolate-Hazelnut Truffle Tart240Double Berry Sorbet with Chocolate O's242Tangerine Sorbet with Blondies243Pear Sorbet with Cornmeal Sugar Cookies244Milk Chocolate Malted Ice Cream245Mint Julep Ice Cream246Caramel Ice Cream247Strawberry-Rhubarb Cobbler with Black Pepper Biscuits248Red Raspberry, White Peach, and Blueberry Cobbler with Cornmeal Brown Butter Biscuits252Cinnamon-Oatmeal Strawberry Shortcakes253Chocolate Pecan Jack Daniel's Cake with Jack Daniel's Chocolate Sauce254Blueberry Cornmeal Upside-Down Cake256Brown Sugar Angel Cake with Whiskey Creme Anglaise257Peach Melba Cake258Coco-Nutty Cake260Glossary262Sources269CP's Book List269Index270

\ From Barnes & NobleThe Barnes & Noble Review\ "Sorry, Everything Is Delicious": So reads the sign at Mustards Grill, the culinary mecca in Napa, California. For 18-plus years, Mustards has been serving up BBQ sandwiches, goat cheese mashed potatoes, and lemon-lime meringue pie in an atmosphere some describe as "truck stop deluxe" -- which would only be accurate if the truck stop had a great wine list and topped its steaks with a red-wine butter sauce. \ Cindy Pawlcyn is the spirit behind Mustards, and her personality and humor run rampant through this beautifully designed book that is graced with many color photographs. This collection of 150 recipes from Mustards' most-wanted offerings consists not of not fancy dishes but ones you can make at home.\ As you'd hope, there's a great chapter on grilled and smoked foods, and an outstanding one on sandwiches, including Pork Sandwiches with Ooo-Eee! Sauce and the one Pawlcyn's husband allegedly married her for (Smoked Ham and Jarlsberg Cheese Sandwiches with Basil Mayonnaise and Tomato and Apricot Chutney). From Appetizers (Chinese-Style Chicken Wings, Duck Carnitas Tostadas) all the way to Desserts (Coconut Dream Pie with Gooey Chocolate Coconut Sauce), fans of the restaurant can now bring a little Mustards home. (Ginger Curwen)\ \ \ \ \ \ Publishers WeeklyChef Pawlcyn (Fog City Diner Cookbook) reveals the secrets behind the cuisine of wine country restaurant Mustards Grill in this latest cookbook. A Napa Valley institution, Mustards is noted for its fabulous California food and innovative wine list. The cookbook echoes this theme. Starting with the tasty Morel Mushroom and Goat Cheese Toasts through the grilled Halibut with Tomato Vinaigrette and ending with the easy Cinnamon-Oatmeal Strawberry Shortcakes, the dishes have a light, simple touch. But simple is not the same thing as easy. Many recipes, like the Wild Mushroom Burgers with Apple-Jicama Slaw, rely on previously prepared ingredients found elsewhere in the book. The food ranges from appetizers and soups through main courses to desserts, and also includes chapters on sandwiches, sides and condiments. Pawlcyn often uses smokers and grills, and devotes a separate chapter to recipes involving those methods. Many recipes in other chapters also require smoking or grilling, like the Smoked Trout with Warm Sweet Potato Salad and Horseradish Cream and the Ahi Tuna Sandwiches. The dishes even something as simple as the Roasted Potatoes, prepared with garlic and thyme are uniformly fresh and innovative. Alongside each of the recipes are enjoyable descriptions, hints, tips and anecdotes that enhance readers' know-how. However, the often lengthy lists of ingredients may put off the beginner, gearing this book toward more experienced cooks. (Dec.) Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.\ \