A Taste of Portland, OR

My husband and I recently spent a long weekend in Portland, Oregon. We went armed with a list of restaurants that friends said we just had to taste, and spent a lot of time walking the city from restaurant to restaurant.

Here’s a recap of some of our favorite eats and recommendations:

Fried Oyster and Bacon Omelet and Cinnamon French Toast at Cafe Bijou

Sour Beers at Cascade Brewing. My favorite was a fig flavored one. They offer lots of tasters and flight options so you can get a feel for the different kind of sour beers.

Lots of whiskey drinks all over the city.

Hush Puppies at The Waiting Room.

“Pig Candy,” Bruschetta with Burrata, and a Grilled Romaine Salad at The Fireside.

Ice Cream at Cool Moon

Obligatory stop at VooDoo Doughnuts (admittedly, not my favorite).

The Reggie Deluxe and the Chatfield at Pine State Biscuits. The Reggie Deluxe has a super flavorful sausage gravy over the whole thing but was a little rich for me. I enjoyed the Chatfield which paired sweet and savory with cheddar cheese, fried chicken, bacon, and apple butter on a biscuit.

We were encouraged to go to the Whiskey Soda Lounge instead of the crowded Pok Pok where we could still try the wings that they are known for. We also had an amazing Tamarind Whiskey Sour (which we have occasionally made at home), Roasted Cashews with Green Onions and Chiles, a Crispy Pigs Ear appetizer, and their famous Ike’s Vietnamese Fish Sauce Wings.  All delicious.

More whiskey cocktails at the Richmond. The Richmond was my favorite bar that we visited. Located in the Division district, it had a fun, laid back vibe and slightly retro decor.

Ice Cream at Salt and Straw: I got the rhubarb crumble and salted carmel, very good ice cream but this place is usually packed and I thought our ice cream at Cool Moon was just as good.

Ramen at Mirakutei

And, to try to burn off some of these indulgent calories, we enjoyed a tough hike to the top of Multnohmah Falls.

Until next time Portland, you were great!

Bigos: A polish hunter’s stew

I know spring is happening in other parts of the country and people are craving salads and fresh veggies, but here in San Diego we’re in the middle of a few rainy weekends. If you’re looking for a warm hearty dish to simmer on your stove for an at-home afternoon, try this Bigos: a Polish hunter’s stew.Pretty standard stewing procedure: brown your meat, saute your aromatics in the rendered fat, add meat, veggies, and liquid to the pot and simmer happily away until delicious. This made for an easy week of lazy, comforting dinners.

Bigos

• Servings: 8-10
• Time: 1 hour active, 2-6 hours simmering
• Difficulty: Easy
• Print

Adapted from New York Times Cooking

INGREDIENTS

1 pound beef stew meat
Salt and pepper, to taste
Vegetable oil, as needed
1 pound boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch chunks
¾ pound smoked kielbasa, cut into 1/2-inch coins
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 ½ tablespoons whole caraway seed
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 large onion, sliced 1/4-inch thin
3 medium carrots, grated
32 ounces canned diced tomatoes, with juice
1 pound cabbage, sliced 1/4-inch thin
1 pound sauerkraut
3 bay leaves
Rye bread, for serving.
PREPARATION
Pat the beef very dry with paper towel. Season it with salt and pepper. Over medium-high heat, slick a large, heavy pot with oil. When the oil shimmers, sear the beef in one layer until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Remove to a large bowl. Pour off the fat from the pot, add 1/4 cup water and stir to dissolve the browned bits. Pour these juices into the seared meat. Rinse and wipe out the pot, and repeat this process with the pork shoulder.
Place the clean pot over medium heat with a slick of oil. While it heats, add the kielbasa in 1 layer. Brown it until deep golden, about 2 minutes per side. Remove the kielbasa to the seared-meat bowl, but keep the fat in the pot.
Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, then add the caraway seed and allspice, and stir for 20 seconds or until very fragrant. Add the onion and a few pinches of salt. Stir to pick up any browned bits; if the bottom of the pot looks dry, add a few splashes of water. Cook the onions, stirring frequently, until soft, about 10 minutes.
Add the carrots, tomatoes, seared meat and juices, and raise the heat to high. When it boils, add the cabbage and sauerkraut. Cook, stirring, until the cabbage is wilted and has released its juices. The liquid should nearly submerge the solids; add water if needed. Bring the pot to a simmer, add the bay leaves, then turn heat down to low to maintain a barely bubbling simmer, and cover the pot, leaving the lid slightly ajar.
Simmer the stew for 2 to 6 hours. At 2 hours, the meat should be tender and the flavor of the bigos will be bright and acidic. At 4 hours, the meat and cabbage will be very tender, with a balanced flavor. (This is my preference.) At 6 hours, which is more traditional, the meat will be falling apart into the cabbage. Adjust seasoning with salt or pepper to taste, and serve with rye bread.