Black Bean-Coconut Bisque

This soup was inspired by a bowl of black bean and coconut soup the very first time I ever went to Nearly Normal's. I have not stopped thinking about this soup and finally took the plunge at trying to recreate the delicious soup. I had no idea what was in Nearly Normal's bowl of soup so I did my best at trying remake that soup. I succeeded!!!

Before I share the recipe for my Black Bean-Coconut Bisque, let me share one of my favorite memories of Nearly Normal's. I had been living in Corvallis a few months when my sister came out to visit me. For her last supper in Corvallis, I wanted to take her somewhere that was like nothing she could get in the Old Country (or Wyoming as everyone else says). I thought immediately of Nearly Normal's. Yes, it would get her out of her comfort zone (there are no dead animals on the menu) but some of the  food came in reasonably familiar shapes like burritos and (veggie) burgers.

I think my sister was immediately concerned. The sign proclaiming the restaurant's name, the only clue to the undiscerning eye that the modest two-story house we had just walked up to was indeed a restaurant. Once inside the entry way, a few boards share the daily specials or you can grab a menu, where you then walk up to the dark, wooden counter, place your order, and pay your bill. There is none of the usual bright, shiny gimmicks my sister was so used to. We could have had a seat at one of the few tables around the corner (don't run into the tree that's growing there) or upstairs where there is a lot more seating. Nearly Normal's is a favorite summertime hangout for us when we sit outside in the back shaded by lush tree branches and vines. My sister failed to see any of this. She was too distracted trying to decipher the menu. What in the world is tempeh?

While pondering my menu and future menu I mentioned the delicious falafel, great soup, fresh salads, cookies(!), and one of my favorites, Carey's Greek which is a nutty rice pilaf folded in a tortilla topped with some veggies and tzadziki sauce. Not getting much of a response I looked over at my sister. I could see her features become much more concerned the farther down the menu her eyes moved. I felt bad and wanted her to enjoy her last evening in Corvallis so I suggested we go get a burrito at a nearby chain restaurant. I didn't know which to laugh at first: the look of complete relief or how fast she ran out the door.  Well, I didn't have Nearly Normal's that evening but I felt like I was there again on my very first visit with this bowl of soup. Enjoy!

Black Bean-Coconut Bisque, serves 6

2  1/2 cups dried black beans, picked over, and soaked overnight
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 onion, finely chopped
4-6 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno, seeds removed, minced
3-4 carrots, chopped
1 14 ounce can light coconut milk
8-10 cups water/vegetable stock
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
2 teaspoons harissa paste or red pepper flakes to taste
Lime wedges, garnish
Chopped cilantro, garnish

1. In a large soup pot, heat oil over medium heat.
2. Add onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender. A little color will not hurt.
3. Add garlic, jalapeno, and carrots. Cook, stirring occasionally, until carrots are tender, 5-7 minutes.
4. With water/vegetable stock nearby, add turmeric, curry powder, cumin powder, and harissa to the pot. Cook about 1 minute, toasting the spices.
5. Add water/stock and beans. Bring soup to a boil, lower the heat, and let simmer until the beans are tender, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Stir the soup occasionally.
6. Let soup cool enough to blend in a food processor or blender safely. In batches, using a slotted spoon, transfer the bean and vegetable mixture into the food processor or blender, saving the leftover broth. Add enough coconut milk or broth to process. Transfer to a clean pot to reheat for serving. Continue with all the beans and vegetables. Add the remaining coconut milk to the now pureed soup and thin with the reserved cooking liquid to the desired consistency.
7. Serve with chopped cilantro and lime wedges for juicing, if desired.

San Francisco Vacation

I strongly believe traveling is one of the best things a person can do for themselves. Traveling always changes me in ways that I cannot quite explain. I think the most powerful force is seeing that there is a whole world bustling along outside of my quiet little universe. I get into a routine of work, play, and cooking, preoccupied with worries and reaching my goals that I tune out the world. Visiting someplace else, particularly a major city, is a nice reminder that I am not at the center of the universe.

There is no substitute for experiencing a place firsthand. A city is more than just some famous landmarks and buildings. The air, smells, grime, sounds, and changes in light are just a few of the variables that create an experience.

And, we cannot forget the food. Trying new foods is one of my favorite parts of traveling. Neither Z. nor myself had ever been to San Francisco. We had two places we really wanted to try: Blue Bottle Coffee and 21st Amendment Brewery. Our Market of Choice carries a few varieties of beer brewed by 21st Amendment Brewery and we have thoroughly enjoyed those so we were looking forward to trying the beer closer to its source. Their IPA is one of the best IPAs I have ever had. Unfortunately for us, the brewery is located in the vicinity of AT&T Park. There were sporting events both days we were available to visit the brewery so we did not go in the brewery but we did walk past it and peer in!

Blue Bottle Coffee came highly recommended to us by a friend who lives just outside San Francisco. We were not disappointed! Blue Bottle served one of the best Americanos I have ever had (the Americano from the Wandering Goat of Eugene is still my favorite). The coffee was a rich shade of mahagony with a layer of crema floating on top. The taste was dark and incredibly smooth. We always visited the Blue Bottle in the Mint Plaza. I fell in love with this location. You walk into a space that is elegant and simple, very understated. The whole place was geared to one thing: serving a great cup of coffee. The enormous windows let in lots of soft light while the vintage-looking crown molding lining the ceiling provided additional architectural interest. The color scheme of soft gray and white contrasted nicely with the dark wooden floors, creating a sophisticated atmosphere. I saw no syrups, pumps, or drinks with silly names that I would be too embarrassed to order.

Around the corner from this particular Blue Bottle Coffee was a Vietnamese sandwich shop. I am not even sure if this place had a name. We ate there twice. Z. and I both thoroughly enjoyed the bánh mì. We discovered this place shortly after arriving in the city. We emerged from the underground subway near our hotel and immediately began roaming the streets looking for a place to eat. The sandwich shop was the first place we found that fit the two criteria we had for all our meals: 1) It sounds good and 2) we cannot get it at home.

 
If you have never enjoyed bánh mì here is what I think makes a bánh mì special:

• For me, bánh mì exemplifies Vietnamese cuisine with its focus on fresh ingredients that have contrasting textures and flavors.
• The bread. Each sandwich is made from its own individual loaf that is the Vietnamese take on the French bagette. The crust is rather chewy while the interior is light and soft.
• The meat. Pork seems to be the predominant and most prevalent topping. My favorite combination is cold cuts, such as steamed pork with pâté. The earthy, minerally quality of the the pâté complements the sweet steamed pork. Z. had what looked like grilled, uncured bacon. He loved it! The other options available were vegetarian, grilled pork, and grilled chicken.
• Pickled vegetables, usually pickled carrot and daikon radish. These provide great crunch and acidity. Sometimes, as in the case of the veggies on our San Francisco sandwiches, they were also a tiny bit sweet. What a delicious combination of crunchy, sour, and sweet!
• Mayonnaise. As far as I know, there is always mayonnaise or butter on the bread. Spreading mayonnaise on a sandwich that already has pork pâté may seem odd but it works. The mayonnaise with the pâté topped with the pork provides a delightful unctuousness that is cut by the pickled vegetables and bright cilantro.
• Garnished with chili pepper and sprigs of cilantro. I love chiles and the varieties of peppers that have always been on my sandwiches. They are flavorful and spicy without being overwhelming. 

We also ate at an Indian restaurant called Bindi. Pleasant and a great choice but the main dishes were nothing spectacular. We had chana masala (Z.'s version is way better) and paneer tikka masala. This is the second time I have had tikka masala in the last few months. The combination of spices, yogurt, and tomato is wonderful. I am looking forward to learning how to make my own tikka masala. If you do go to Bindi, I highly recommend the garlic cilantro naan.

We also partook of some delicious charcuterie from Boccalone located in the Ferry Building in the Embarcadero neighborhood. We were reeled in by words, "Tasty Salted Pig Parts" on the sign. We enjoyed a platter of mortadella, pancetta, and capocollo which was served with some thin, crispy bread sticks and cured olives. Delicious!

San Francisco surprised me in a few unexpected ways that I would like to share.

• I knew the San Francisco Symphony and Opera would be amazing but finally hearing them in person was life changing. The strings had a tough, focused string sound that was unbelievable and inspiring. 
• Architecture. The buildings were amazing. There were the big, imposing skyscrapers that grace any big city. I loved the older buildings with their interesting architectural details and variety in colors. The opera house, symphony hall, one of the theaters, and city hall were all clustered near other creating an imposing and grand scene.
• Doughnuts. I could not believe how many doughnut shops there were or how many restaurants served doughnuts, including the sandwich shop where we ate bánh mì. 
• Chicken shops in Chinatown. As we strolled through Chinatown I saw several shops that only sold raw chicken or chicken parts. I had no idea that chicken was so prized.
• Polite panhandlers. 
• The cable car was awesome! This is a great way to get a view of the city. The first time I saw on the bench that looks out of the cable car while Z. stood on the outside platform. I really enjoyed the trip but Z. was on cloud 9. The next time, I also rode on the platform. If you ride the cable car, ride on the outside, it is a totally different experience!

Brown Lentil and Yellow Split Pea Dal

This recipe is my attempt at recreating a delicious dal I had recently at Nirvana Indian Restaurant in Corvallis using ingredients I already had in my pantry. Before I get to my own dal, let me tell you a little about this restaurant. Nirvana is hands-down one of my favorite restaurants anywhere.

Z. and I regularly treat ourselves to a meal at Nirvana every six or weeks or so. Our favorite server, and I think one of the managers, is always there to make us feel very welcomed and appreciated. Normally, we go for the lunch buffet. Some of the dishes that always remain as part of the buffet are pakoras, tandoori chicken, dal, naan, and rice. There is almost always saag, The other dishes change with an emphasis on vegetarian, carnivores will not be disappointed. I am sure I have tried every single dish offered including different chicken curries, vegetable and/or potato dishes, egg curry, and an endless number of legume recipes. They served a ground lamb dish as part of their New Year's Even dinner buffet that I absolutely loved. Z. looks forward to the pakoras the most and I cannot wait to dive into their saag, it is so light and creamy. We have gone to Nirvana for dinner, ordering off the menu, and been very pleased. I tried a lamb curry (yum!) and we shared aloo paratha, whole wheat bread stuffed with spiced potatoes and peas. Delicious!

I have never had the same dal twice. I must say I have had the toor dal at Nirvana and Z.'s dal is just as good. Some day, I will feel ready to share that recipe. I particularly enjoyed the dal I ate during my last visit. The main attraction was brown lentils that were tender but still toothsome. There was a smaller proportion of yellow split peas, which must have had a chance to cook longer because they were mostly broken down. Fresh tomato added an acidity that cut through the brown lentils.

My creation was delicious and very different from what I ate at the restaurant. I used tomato paste rather than fresh tomatoes. The flavor was great but the effect was unlike that provided by fresh tomatoes. I would like to add, I used tomato paste that I had measured into portions, wrapped in plastic wrap, and frozen a couple of months ago. Here is a picture of what was frozen. The tomato paste seemed to work great and none was wasted. If I were to use fresh tomatoes, I would use 3-4 roma tomatoes that I had de-seeded and chopped roughly. Add them after cooking the spices for 30 seconds or so and cook briefly, just until the tomatoes begin breaking down.

The dal I had at Nirvana had lots of broth that had been thickened by broken down yellow split peas. When cooking my dal I added about 10 cups of liquid, or 1 can vegetable broth and 8 or so cups of water, which seemed like a huge amount. Once the pulses were cooked, my dal was not nearly as brothy as the restaurant dal. This does have advantages. I ate the dal like a soup the first day and as to be expected, much of the liquid was absorbed by the second day, when I ate the dal with rice. Enjoy!

From the top: coriander, garam masala, curry powder, cumin seeds, turmeric

Onions browning

Tomato paste cooking

Brown Lentil and Yellow Split Pea Dal

 2-3 tablespoons canola oil, more as needed
1/2 cup yellow split peas
1 cup brown lentils
10 cups or more water, broth, or a combination
1 onion, chopped
1 serrano chile, seeded and minced finely
5 cloves garlic, peeled and minced finely
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
2 teaspoons cumin seeds or ground cumin
2 teaspoons coriander seeds or 1 teaspoon ground coriander seed
1 tablespoon curry powder
2 teaspoons garam masala
salt, to taste

1. Heat 2-3 tablespoons canola oil in a soup pot over medium-low to medium heat. Adjust heat as needed while cooking to make sure the pot does not get too hot and the food burns. Add onions and season liberally with salt. Cook until brown and soft, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add more canola oil if needed.
2. Add chile and garlic. Cook until soft, about 3-4 minutes.
3. If the pan is dry, add a drizzle of oil, add spices to this oil, and let cook only 30 seconds to one minute.
4. Add tomato paste, stirring frequently, cook 3-4 minutes.
5. Add liquids and yellow split peas. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and let simmer gently 25 minutes.
6. Add brown lentils and cook until tender but still whole, 25-30 minutes. Taste and adjust salt. Garnish with cilantro if desired. Serve as a soup or with rice.

Return to Roxy Dawgs

I made it back to Roxy Dawgs in Corvallis, Oregon! I still really like it. Here is a summary of my first visit to Roxy Dawgs. If you haven't been yet, Roxy Dawgs is a low-key place where you pick your sausage then top it yourself from the toppings bar. The first time I went, I had the Double Smoked Sausage (made with 20% bacon!). This visit I tried their namesake, the smoked Roxy brat. Their menu describes it as "A traditional Oktoberfest bratwurst filled with pork, beef, black pepper and garlic." I can understand why it's called the Smoked Roxy Brat. It's a pleasant, straightforward bratwurst. I went with my usual toppings of sauerkraut, red onions, mustard, and a couple of spicy peppers. There are lots of choices! For my lunch, I just had the sausage and a glass of water. This is the best deal for my frugal pocketbook.

Some of the other sausages you can choose from are : blonde bockwurst, a mild white bockwurst sausage; smoked kielbasa; Louisiana red hot, a beef sausage with three kinds of pepper; my favorite so far, the double smoked sausage, a pork sausage made with 20% bacon; frankfurter; chicken apple gouda; and a vegan dog. I am looking forward to my next tasty visit to Roxy Dawgs.

-Ace

Restaurant Review: Roxy Dawgs

Where: Roxy Dawgs (1425 NW Monroe) Corvallis
What: Sausages and Salads
Niceness of Staff: Very Nice (We appreciate nice staff!)
Rating: Super Tasty


I had no idea Roxy Dawgs existed until last night when Z. found a copy of the OSU student newspaper featuring a story on Roxy Dawgs. Z. made sure to take me their for lunch today. I had a great experience and look forward to returning.

For my first Roxy Dawg adventure, I had their lunch special for $5.95. I had a Double Smoked Sausage (made with bacon!) topped with sauerkraut, red onion, pepperoncini, and brown mustard that came with a soda and a small bag of Kettle Chips. Let me start with the most important part of this: the sausage. It tasted great! The menu mentions the sausages at Roxy Dawgs are made in Portland and they offer eleven different varieties, including a vegan sausage made with soy and wheat (if you're interested). The sausages I am looking forward to trying are the Blonde Bockwurst, Louisiana Red Hot (a beef sausage made with three kinds of peppers), and their Chicken Apple Gouda sausage. My guess is I will get the Double Smoked Sausage, again, it was that tasty. I loved that the sausages were cooked on a flat-top grill right in front. My sausage came very nicely browned (very appreciated on my end) to which I added my own toppings from their topping bar. Driving by the restaurant last night, it seemed like there wouldn't be much seating but there were more seats than I was expecting. When it's a little warmer, sitting outside at the picnic table will be very pleasant.

A couple of things that really clenched my appreciation of Roxy Dawgs were their attention to cleanliness, making sure the sausages were the correct temperature (yes, they used a thermometer), and they serve Dr. Pepper. If you enjoy sausage, definitely try Roxy Dawgs!