East Coast flavored Good Stuff

There are a few food items I really miss being on the West Coast - that chewy Italian sliced bread covered in little sesame seeds (was it Maas's?), fried clams and chowder, thin flavorful pizza from the Pizzeria Regina in the North End, and grinders (especially from Nick's in Concord MA where I had my first real job). So it was a very sentimental taste weekend last when we stumbled across two of those flavors we miss with out even meaning to!

Delivery pizza in SF is just not good usually. They say the water in New York is what makes the crust just so - possibly the yeast in the air as well and ours is different. We have many wonderful artisan pizza's available but none of them do (or would withstand) delivery. Following a Yelp suggestion - we ordered from Marcello's just over the hill in the Castro for the first time and baby, after 15 years here we finally found it! Almost like home! Thin, tasty, the right amount of cheese and seasoned so you actually can taste what the chef put in there!

After a long morning of enjoying Fleet Week activities on the embarcadero, we found ourselves wandering through North Beach some distance off from what used to be the SF Brewing Company (now Comstock) where the family usually recharges in that part of town. We stopped to think about where to go - and busy as the city was with all the troops and visitors in town we saw right in front of where we stood four perfect seats at the "bar" of Cheese Steak. So we took 'em.

The Mr. and son split a traditional East Coast style (ie. provolone not cheese sauce, as both options are offered) Philly cheese steak, the little miss had an order of fries and a side of chili con carne, and I had a mushroom/onion with provolone hold the meat. We just didn't know what we were going to get as it seems there is just two guys and a griddle, $2 Pabst Blue Ribbon in a can, and the chili is meant to go on a hot dog, but it was really really good! Perfect, crispy fries, delicious sandwiches, and the little miss ate all her chili saying it was really good! They even offered to add tomatoes and pickles to my no-meat which was awesome. Made me miss Nick the Greek Pizza man just a little...

Everyone has been asking about the brown rice bake I have been making (using those peppers that are all in season right now) so here goes, kind of my take on Southwestern rice bake but with healthier ingredients.

Cook 1/12 cups brown rice in 3 cups liquid ( I usually use half and half veggie stock and water)

Roast 5-7 mixed peppers over a flame or under your broiler until the skin is all charred all over, put them into a paper bag and close the top and let them cool until you can handle them. I usually include 1 -2 Serrano chilis and a Pasilla with what ever cool colorful sweet peppers they have at the farmer's market (this week they were burgundy, deep red and orange). You can substitute a jalepeno but they are a hotter and less tasty pepper than Serrano so only use one. Remove all the peppers' skin and seeds under running water, chop fine (make sure that you save any juices that come out while you are chopping to add to the dish. You can roast the peppers ahead of time and just stick them in the refrigerator in the bag even over night.

(I use my black iron pan for this one)

Saute over medium heat until golden brown (stirring occasionally to keep them browning evenly)

4 T olive oil

4 t cumin

4t oregano

sprig thyme

1 large onion chopped (can use the food processor if you have it out)

2 cups corn kernels ( I use frozen all the time if I do not have fresh, no need to defrost just toss 'em in)

1t fresh ground pepper

1t sea salt

Mix everything together with

one can of black beans (drained)

4 ounces grated extra sharp cheddar

1-2 chipotle chilis in adobe chopped fine

1/3 cup roasted pepitas ( I sometimes forget to put them in and so sprinkle on top)

place in a lightly oiled 9X13 " baking dish and sprinkle another 2 ounces cheddar on top, lightly cover, bake 350 until heated through (25 minutes or so), uncover to fully melt and lightly brown the topping(s)

skinned, seeded, chopped tomatoes make a nice addition to this dish as well, chopped cilantro or parsley is also good if you have it.