Terra : Cooking from the Heart of Napa Valley (9780307815323)
Page 1
Copyright © 2000 by Hiro Sone and Lissa Doumani
All rights reserved. Published in the United States by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New York.
www.crownpublishing.com
www.tenspeed.com
Cover design by Stefanie Hermsdorf
Copyediting by Carolyn Miller
Editorial development and headnote revision by Steve Siegelman
Photo on this page by Barry Michlin
Line illustrations by Hiro Sone
Front cover photo by Wyatt Counts
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Sone, Hiro.
Terra : cooking from the heart of Napa Valley / Hiro Sone and Lissa Doumani.
p. cm.
1. Cookery, American—California style. 2. Cookery—California—Napa Valley.
3. Terra (Restaurant) I. Doumani, Lissa. II. Title
TX715.2.C34 S66 2001
641.59794’19—dc21 00-057758
eBook ISBN: 978-0-307-81532-3
Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-58008-149-8
v3.1
Contents
The Story of Terra
A Day in Our Life at Terra
Before You Start Cooking Our Recipes
Appetizers
Grilled Miso-Marinated Beef Salad with Ginger-Mustard Vinaigrette
Fried Rock Shrimp with Chive-Mustard Sauce
Panzanella with Feta Cheese
Grilled Rare Tuna with Tomato-Cucumber Salad and Tahini Sauce
Miyagi Oysters in Ponzu
Wild Mushroom and Smoked Bacon Vol-au-Vent
Radicchio Salad with Parmesan-Balsamico Vinaigrette
Escabeche of Lake Smelt
Baked Mussels in Garlic-Parsley Butter
Petit Ragout of Sweetbreads, Mushrooms, Prosciutto, and White Truffle Oil
Fried Haricot Verts with Anchovy-Garlic Mayonnaise
Salmon and Tuna Tartare with Spicy Lemon-Ginger Vinaigrette and Sesame Tuiles
Goat Cheese and Artichoke Spring Rolls with Arugula and Tomato Salad
Warm Scallop Salad with Lemon-Coriander Vinaigrette
Dungeness Crab Salad with Avocado Mousse, Beets, and Ruby Grapefruit
Japanese Eggplant Salad
Lacquered Quail with Hong Kong Noodles
House-Cured Sardines with White Bean–Tomato Salad and Pesto
Tataki of Tuna with Whole-Grain Mustard and Soy Vinaigrette
Fricassee of Miyagi Oysters in Chardonnay Cream Sauce
Passed Appetizers:
Dungeness Crab Wontons with Spicy Sweet and Sour Sauce
Lobster Salad in Rice Paper
Gravlax on Potato Latkes with Dill Sour Cream
Sacramento Delta Crayfish with Thai Chili Mayonnaise
Foie Gras Terrine with Pear Chutney on Toast
Salmon and Tuna Tartare on Cucumber Discs with Wasabi Tobiko
Miyagi Oysters in Ponzu
Wild Mushroom and Smoked Bacon Vol-au-Vent
Goat Cheese and Artichoke Spring Rolls
Soups
Tomato-Beet Gazpacho
Chanterelle Mushroom and Lentil Soup with Sautéed Foie Gras
Crème Vichyssoise with Caviar
Sopa de Ajo (Spicy Bread and Garlic Soup with Poached Eggs)
Soup Pistou with Goat Cheese Ravioli
Mussel Saffron Soup with Caramelized Onions and Garlic Croutons
Spring Garlic and Potato Soup with Morel Mushroom Croutons
Potage of Sweet Corn and Masa with Fried Soft-Shell Crab
Pasta, Risotto, and Gnocchi
Bone Marrow Risotto with Braised Veal Shanks
Goat Cheese Ravioli with Fresh Tomato Sauce
Kabocha Pumpkin Ravioli with Pecorino Cheese
Foie Gras Tortelloni in Game Jus with Périgord Truffle and Fava Beans
Potato Gnocchi in Gorgonzola Cream Sauce
Chinese Egg Noodles with Gulf Shrimp, Shiitake Mushrooms, and Pea Tendrils
Spaghettini with Tripe Stew
Capellini with Smoked Salmon, Sevruga Caviar, and Lemon-Caper Vinaigrette
Fish and Shellfish
Sautéed Maine Scallops on Garlic Mashed Potatoes with Chanterelle Mushrooms and Parsley Nage
Grilled Fillet of Pacific Salmon with Thai Red Curry Sauce and Basmati Rice
Croquettes of Copper River Salmon with a Ragout of Morel Mushrooms and Asparagus
Fricassee of Catfish with Tomato-Garlic-Caper Sauce
Pan-Roasted Local Halibut on Garlic Mashed Potatoes with Jus de Mer
Roasted Risotto-Stuffed Monterey Squid with Black Olive–Balsamico Vinaigrette
Acqua Pazza
Sautéed Pesto-Marinated Tai Snapper with Grilled Langoustines and Tomato–Black Olive Vinaigrette
Grilled Tournedos of Tuna and Fried Miyagi Oysters with Lemon-Caper Aïoli
Poached Skate Wings on Napa Cabbage with Ponzu
Sautéed Alaskan Spot Prawns with Curry-Shrimp Sauce, Black Trumpet Mushrooms, and Snow Peas
Grilled Lingcod with English Peas and Peeky Toe Crab Risotto
Pan-Roasted California White Bass with Preserved-Lemon Beurre Blanc and Roasted Shad Roe
Broiled Sake-Marinated Chilean Sea Bass with Shrimp Dumplings in Shiso Broth
Pan-Roasted Medallions of Salmon on Brandade with Cabernet Sauvignon Sauce
Grilled Swordfish Steak on Caponata with Tuscan White Beans
Meats
Grilled Spice-Rubbed Pork Chops with Yam Puree and Pickled Red Onions
Lamb Shanks Braised in Petite Syrah with Black Mission Figs
Grilled Duck Breast on Foie Gras and Sourdough Bread Stuffing with Sun-Dried Cherry Sauce
Paillards of Venison with French Fries
“Cassoulet” of Quail Confit with Pancetta and Lentils
Daube of Lamb Shoulder and Artichokes
Malfatti with Rabbit and Forest Mushrooms Cacciatore
Daube of Oxtail in Cabernet Sauvignon Sauce
Pan-Roasted Quail on Braised Endive with Sultanas and Napa Valley Verjus Sauce
Grilled Lamb Tenderloins on “Tagine” of Riblets with Minted Israeli Couscous
Grilled Dry-Aged New York Steak with Potatoes Aligot and Cabernet Sauvignon Sauce
Ossobuco with Risotto Milanese
Merlot-Braised Duck Legs with Wild Mushroom and Bacon Vol-au-Vent
Roasted Rack of Lamb with Ratatouille, Hummus, Tabbouleh, and Raita
Pork Belly “Kakuni” on Steamed Tatsoi with Wasabi
Grilled Quail on Eggplant and Goat Cheese “Lasagna” with Herbed Game Jus
Slow-Cooked Veal Cheeks on Roasted Yukon Gold Potatoes with Salsa Verde
Roasted Squab with Wild Mushroom Risotto and Pinot Noir Essence
Grilled Natural-Fed Veal Chops with Stir-Fried Japanese Eggplant in Miso Sauce
Medallions of Lamb with Anchovy–Black Olive Sauce and Artichoke Fritters
Desserts
Almond Pithiviers with Meyer Lemon Ice Cream and Huckleberry Sauce
Apple Tart with Vanilla Ice Cream and Caramel Sauce
Fig Fritters with Ginger Ice Cream
Chocolate Truffle Cake with Espresso Ice Cream
Stone-Fruit Crostata
Lemon Crème Brûlée
Macadamia Nut Tart with Banana-Rum Ice Cream
Tart of Fromage Blanc with Caramelized Pears
Chocolate Bread Pudding with Sun-Dried Cherries and Crème Fraîche
Mixed Berry Shortcake with Caramel Sauce
&nb
sp; Orange Risotto in Brandy Snaps with Passion Fruit Sauce
Pavlova with Frozen Yogurt and Tropical Fruit Salad
Baked Apple Crème Brûleé with Maple Cookies
Sunshine Cake with Cashew Brittle and Peach Compote
Sautéed Strawberries in Cabernet Sauvignon and Black Pepper Sauce with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
Chocolate Mousseline on Pecan Sablé with Coffee Granité
Tiramisù
Apricot Tarte Tatin with Noyau Ice Cream
Feuilletée of Carmelized Bananas with Chocolate Fudge Sauce
Basic Techniques and Recipes
Preparing Artichoke Hearts and Baby Artichokes
Deveining Foie Gras
Preparing Beets
Roasting and Peeling Bell Peppers
Blanching and Shocking Vegetables
Peeling and Seeding Tomatoes
Oven-Dried Tomatoes
Tomato Sauce
Clarified Butter
Garlic-Parsley Compound Butter
Mayonnaise
Aïoli
Terra House Vinaigrette
Lemon-Mustard Vinaigrette
Ponzu
Sake Marinade
Momiji Oroshi
Preserved Lemons
Pesto
Cutting Vegetables
Fontina Cheese Polenta
Mashed Potatoes, Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Veal Stock
Chicken Stock
Brown Chicken Stock
Lobster Stock
Fish Stock
Cooking and Shelling Lobster
Making Ravioli, Wontons, and Tortelloni
Almond Cream
Caramel Sauce
Crème Anglaise (Vanilla Custard Sauce and Vanilla Bean Ice Cream Base)
Variations: Espresso Ice Cream, Banana-Rum Ice Cream, Ginger Ice Cream, Myers’s Rum—Currant Ice Cream, Noyau Ice Cream, Meyer Lemon Ice Cream)
Pâte Sucrée
Vanilla Sugar
Acknowledgments
Versatile Recipes Index
About the Authors
General Index
The Story of Terra
by Lissa Doumani
We are always amazed that no matter what we say or serve, the first thing most people want to know is our story—how we met, how our relationship evolved, how we ended up building our dream restaurant in an agricultural hamlet that hadn’t yet blossomed into one of the world’s top destinations. In the decade since we opened Terra, we’ve told our story over and over, but until now, we’ve never really stopped to think about it … then again, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that as chef-owners of a fine dining restaurant in the heart of Napa Valley we don’t have much time to stop at all! Writing this book, however, has given us plenty of opportunities to reflect on the crazy mix of serendipity, beginner’s luck, and downright foolishness that has made our story quite a tale and our restaurant one of a kind.
Like most partners, our relationship is a division of labor. Unlike many partners, we keep each other honest by candidly critiquing each other’s work, constantly pushing one another to stay fresh and refine what we do. I am responsible for the front of the house, the desserts (I’ve been dubbed the pastry princess), the accounting, the PR, and most of the talking. Hiro creates all the menus, manages and trains the kitchen staff, and wields the sauté pan night in and night out while leading his team of chefs through the rigors and artistry of dinner service. In writing this book, the lines have blurred and we’ve both done a lot of everything. But in the interest of doing what comes naturally, we decided I would tell you our story, which begins at the now world-famous Spago in West Hollywood.
Late one night the week after Spago opened in 1983, I marched in, walked right up to owner Wolfgang Puck and asked how I could get a job in a restaurant like his. Wolf, as he’s affectionately known, suggested I sit at the bar for 15 minutes and told me he would come and talk to me when service was over. Well, a young woman sitting alone at a bar gets bought a lot of drinks, so when he came over about an hour later, the only thing I retained from our talk was that I should call him the next day. We began a series of stop-and-start conversations—the only type the professional kitchen allows—until Wolf finally asked me when I wanted to start working. I boldly named a date just a few days from then, and he said fine.
When I showed up for work, the only problem was that Wolf hadn’t told anyone in the prep kitchen I was coming. So the kitchen manager, Kazuto Matsusaka, just looked at me in my street clothes and long, long red nails, and told me I wasn’t to do anything until Wolfgang arrived. Eventually, I got to peel a case of asparagus. The next day, I was asked if I wanted to work with Nancy Silverton in pastry; she needed someone and anyone would do. Working alongside Nancy became one of the most formative experiences of my professional life. In addition to the technical pastry training I received, I also learned two rules that we still follow at Terra: Chocolate can diffuse almost any flare-up. And people like what they like—whether it’s ketchup omelets, Tab, or iceberg lettuce, so give them what they want within reason.
After the first year of Spago in West Hollywood, Wolf and his business partner (and wife), Barbara, accepted an offer to build a Spago in Tokyo. It was agreed that the Tokyo chefs would have to come train in L.A. Enter Hiro Sone, a star culinary student from the finest cooking school in Japan, Ecole Technique Hoteliere Tsuji, where he had trained under the tutelage of such formidable French chefs as Paul Bocuse, Pierre Troisgros, and Joel Robuchon. A country boy from a family of premium rice farmers for eighteen generations, Hiro was accustomed to the type of hard work and resourcefulness that reigned in Wolf’s kitchen.
When Kazuto returned from the airport with Hiro, I kissed Kazuto hello and saw Hiro back away. He didn’t know what to think of this affectionate “cleaning lady” in street clothes covered with chocolate. Hiro quickly realized his mistake, but the memory cemented an important difference in our styles. Even to this day, he remains immaculate while he works and I end up looking like a Jackson Pollock painting.
Soon after Hiro came to work, we had dinner together, talking and eating (probably flirting, too), as we prepared for the evening’s work. I overheard Kazuto ask a friend how we were managing to talk, since Hiro didn’t speak English and I didn’t speak Japanese. Somehow, despite all the cultural differences and obstacles, we were able to communicate from the start, relying on the universal language of laughter to carry us through.
After two months of intensive training, it was time for Hiro to go back to Tokyo. Despite the grueling pace and physical toll of the work—or maybe because of it—we had become close friends, which Wolf and Barbara had noticed. So Hiro went back to Tokyo and I immersed myself in the workings of Spago sans Hiro. Then Barbara and Wolf started to play Cupid. Sometimes late at night, Wolf would call Tokyo, get Hiro on the line, and then just hand the phone to me. I didn’t know who would be on the other end but humored Wolf and was delighted to hear Hiro’s voice, each of us accompanied by a kitchen concert in stereo. Later, when Barbara and Wolf were in Tokyo, Barbara had Hiro hold up a sign that read, “Lissa, I miss you madly, love Hiro.” She took a picture, and casually gave it to me as she sorted the snapshots from their trip. Another time, when Wolf was doing a cooking demo in Tokyo, he told the class that Hiro trained in Los Angeles and that he had returned to Japan with a passion for American girls, or one specifically.
Ready for a new adventure after two years at the flagship Spago, I decided to cook and taste my way through a few more countries and kitchens. I headed for Sydney, planning to travel through Southeast Asia and end up in Japan. Hiro and I had continued to write each other, hoping our paths would cross again. And about a year later, they did.
Hiro and the Tokyo Spago manager, Johnny Romoglia, had been lobbying the management to hire me when I arrived in Japan. Only catch was, no one knew when I was coming. So Hiro only found out that I had arrived when we ran into each other in the elevator. We reconnected instantly. Hiro was proud
to show me his town, and I was hungry to experience so many new things. He would take me to Tsukiji fish market to buy fish, a shopping experience unlike anything in America. Just looking at the rows and rows of fish stalls made us want to head right back into the kitchen. In what little free time we had, we sampled the cuisine of Tokyo’s finest chefs and embarked on expeditions all over the city to find the best neighborhood spots. That was a great time, working together in Tokyo, but the best part was that we discovered our relationship translated no matter the locale.
When it was time for me to go home, Hiro told me he wanted to move back with me. We felt our paths merging permanently, except for the small matter of finding work. Chefs spend so much time in the kitchen that if they don’t work together, they never see each other. I called Wolfgang and asked him if he would hire Hiro if he moved to L.A. and Wolf said, “Of course.” When Hiro asked his parents for their blessing, they agreed but only for a year. I used to wonder when the call would come for Hiro to pack up and move back home, and if I would be moving to Japan.
About the time that Hiro took over as chef at Spago, I left to become the pastry chef at Roy Yamaguchi’s 385 North, also in Los Angeles. Hiro and I then spent much of our time together talking about what we thought made the ideal restaurant work, laying the foundation for what would become our business plan someday. Surprisingly, we agreed about almost everything, except the size of the dining room. Hiro wanted a restaurant of about 50 seats, where he could personally construct customized menus for a small circle of guests. I thought we’d work ourselves to death and still be in the red. I wanted a restaurant with 75 to 90 seats, where we could be ambitious and personal, but still balance the books. Little did we know that the perfect place would present itself—and become ours—almost overnight.
We had been looking for a space in Los Angeles to no avail. Everything we saw was too ugly, too expensive, or the wrong size. On September 11, 1988, at an ungodly hour, my dad called and asked us if we would be interested in the restaurant in the Hatchery building in the Napa Valley town of St. Helena. I sleepily said, “Sure,” and hung up. When we woke up, we couldn’t remember what Dad had called about. After tracking him down and hearing more about the place, we decided it was a long shot that we simply had to try for. On September 19, Hiro and I flew up to see the space.