Dinner with Gary Barlettano

I was thrilled to once again be invited to have dinner with Gary at Bistro Barlettano on a recent trip to northern California. (I must not have been too obnoxious on my previous visit.) It was another great evening with great people! (Ok, so I missed chat... I was chatting with a WLDGer or two in person!)

We started off with a delicious pasilla chile vichyssoise created by Gary that I posted about here:

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=17684



Next up was a delicious heirloom tomato caprese. 'Cause it's summer and you can't have enough great tomatoes.


Rubbing the plates with garlic.




Crostini made from some outstanding Acme bread.

Then we moved on to a Persian dish made by Gary's SO, Zari. It's called Kuku Sabzi and is sorta kinda an herb frittata.



And a roasted vegetable orzo salad.



And wild mushroom risotto.



And finally a delicious dessert of figs, Humboldt Fog, and honey.



Yes, it seems like a lot of food, but this was all prepared and consumed over the course of several hours.

We also had some wine.




A wonderful host, and equally superb spokesmodel!

Caprese......wild mushroom risotto......figs with Humboldt Fog and honey......Ogier Cote Rotie.....

I detect an influence here.

It also sounds like an absolutely great supper.

I have learned a lot from my WLDG buddies!

I have learned a lot from my WLDG buddies!

Thanks for the luscious recap. You and your beau are welcome any time, especially since you bring most of the food and do most of the cooking!

Thanks for the luscious recap. You and your beau are welcome any time, especially since you bring most of the food and do most of the cooking!

What???!!



Um, Cynthia, you might want to consider a visit to the extremely lovely town of Sacramento some time. Just sayin'.....

Thanks for the luscious recap. You and your beau are welcome any time, especially since you bring most of the food and do most of the cooking!

What???!!
Um, Cynthia, you might want to consider a visit to the extremely lovely town of Sacramento some time. Just sayin'.....

Mike, I've got plenty of Kraft Mac 'n Cheese. Just drop by any old time.

Mike, I've got plenty of Kraft Mac 'n Cheese. Just drop by any old time.

Mmmmmmm.........Krafffttttt....... [/Homer]

I have learned a lot from my WLDG buddies!

Thanks for the luscious recap. You and your beau are welcome any time, especially since you bring most of the food and do most of the cooking!

The Phantom...who was that masked man? Oh hang on, that's the Lone Ranger.

The Phantom...who was that masked man? Oh hang on, that's the Lone Ranger.

You are BAD, girlfriend!

The Phantom...who was that masked man? Oh hang on, that's the Lone Ranger.

You are BAD, girlfriend!

Celia's got it all bass akwards! If the guy's working at a cooktop, then he's a Range Loner.

Great to see y'all having such a nice time .... food and wine pics, look very nice indeed .... thanks for the report.

The Phantom...who was that masked man? Oh hang on, that's the Lone Ranger.

You are BAD, girlfriend!

Celia's got it all bass akwards! If the guy's working at a cooktop, then he's a Range Loner.

Very clever, Moe .... but if it just happens to turn out he's not the Range Loner .... could he be the Rogue Lounger?

Very clever, Moe .... but if it just happens to turn out he's not the Range Loner .... could he be the Rogue Lounger?

Actually, he was using my stove so that makes me the Range Loaner.

Great looking dinner, and great looking people, too.

Gary, does Zari prepare chellow or jube-je? kebabs for you?

Cynthia, didn't you say you were coming to the Finger Lakes this summer?

Gary, does Zari prepare chellow or jube-je? kebabs for you.

I see more polo than an aristocratic equestrian sports fan. Some folks argue chelo and polo are about the same thing with the big difference being between them and kateh. But I get lubiya polo, zereshk polo, alabaloo polo, ghorme sabzi, juje kabab, kababe koobideh, dolme, khoreste badamjan, khoreshte fesenjan, kuku sabzi, kuku sib zamani, koofteh, ashe addas, ashe jo, torshi of all sorts, and anything else you might find on an Iranian menu. My recipe box has grown a whole new section! So has my gut.

Gary, does Zari prepare chellow or jube-je? kebabs for you.

I see more polo than an aristocratic equestrian sports fan. Some folks argue chelo and polo are about the same thing with the big difference being between them and kateh. But I get lubiya polo, zereshk polo, alabaloo polo, ghorme sabzi, juje kabab, kababe koobideh, dolme, khoreste badamjan, khoreshte fesenjan, kuku sabzi, kuku sib zamani, koofteh, ashe addas, ashe jo, torshi of all sorts, and anything else you might find on an Iranian menu. My recipe box has grown a whole new section! So has my gut.

Oh boy, you bring back memories. The chellow kebab we had was lamb on skewers with raw onion, served with either a white or turmeric rice mound with a cracked raw egg cooking in a crevice at the top of the steaming rice mound. Mix it all up...chase with a cool ab-a-jo (beer) or a red wine named yech-hezaar-yech (1001) and then take a hit of the hot flat bread on the table.

Cynthia, didn't you say you were coming to the Finger Lakes this summer?

Yes, I was planning on going home, but it didn't happen. Timing just didn't work out with everyone and everything. Which left my folks and my kid who remains there all bummed out. (Well, me too. )

Cynthia, didn't you say you were coming to the Finger Lakes this summer?

Yes, I was planning on going home, but it didn't happen. Timing just didn't work out with everyone and everything. Which left my folks and my kid who remains there all bummed out. (Well, me too. )

Ah, it hasn't been a good summer anyway--too much rain and not enough heat for my okra, eggplants, and Israeli melons.

At Dave_R's request, in the following you will find a recipe for kuku sabzi, a kind of Persian frittata, pictured above in the hands of my lovely girlfriend, Zari.

Kookoo Sabzi
(4 servings)

This was Zari’s tasty dish. One thing I find interesting about Persian cuisine is that herbs are elevated to vegetable status. They will eat a heapin’ helpin’ of dill or cilantro just like we might eat a side of string beans or spinach.

Ingredients:
2 ½ lbs. mixed greens (fresh Italian parsley, dill, coriander, lettuce, scallions)
4 eggs
1 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp all purpose flour
3 tbsp cooking oil
salt
black pepper


Directions:
- Wash vegetables and rinse thoroughly.
- Chop finely and fry in oil for about 5 minutes. Let cool completely.
- Beat eggs well.
- To the eggs add baking soda, salt, black pepper, flour, greens and mix well.
- Heat oil in a non-stick pan until it is hot.
- Pour in the mix, flatten the surface with the back of a spoon, and place the lid on.
- Reduce heat and fry for about 10 minutes, until kookoo is browned underneath.
- Cut into 4 equal pieces, turn over, and fry for another 10 minutes.

You can, of course, put whatever greens you want into this dish. Some folks add a spoonful of barberry and/or a spoonful of crushed walnut.

Gary,

Thank you very much! I really appreciate the details.

Gary, Thank you very much! I really appreciate the details.

Eat well and enjoy! (But you'll have to get your own Persian girlfriend.)

Awesome pics and the food looks delicious! I bet it was a great time!

Awesome pics and the food looks delicious! I bet it was a great time!

Dinner affairs of the East Bay Eaters Anonymous might be lengthy, but they are always enjoyable and charged with erudite, eloquent conversation, plenty of dirty jokes and good chow.

Gary, Thank you very much! I really appreciate the details.

Eat well and enjoy! (But you'll have to get your own Persian girlfriend.)

LOL! My girlfriend makes a to-die-for Baklava so I will stick with her for a while.

Serious question though... Are the flour and baking soda necessary to make the dish a success? I'm not at all familiar with Persian food.

Thanks.