I can hardly believe it's almost summertime again. Osito finishes school this week, and we're looking forward to getting on the open road for a good ol' fashioned family road trip. I can hardly wait to take the T-Tops off and feel the warm sun and sweet breeze blow over my face.
When Osa and I first met, we bonded over travel and love of different cultures. It never ceased to amaze us that no matter where we went (even as huge, wild animals) we were welcomed with open arms. On one of our first trips together, we rode our motorcycles down the Pan-American highway from Mexico City to Panama City, stopping to eat with the locals at every roadside eatery along the way. I didn't tell Osa then, but that's when I knew I loved her.
Our plans this summer may seem a bit more tame, but I suppose that's just how family life is. We'll be visiting some old bear friends in Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks, before Osito's baseball tournament in Montana. He's really smacking the ball this year, and the human kids are calling him 'Bear Ruth.'
In between all that, we'll be hosting dinners in both San Diego and Seattle, of course. In fact, we've added a handful of new summer dates to the calendar in both cities. We'd love to spend an evening with you this summer, so make a reservation and come see us!
Summer San Diego Dinner Openings:
Sunday, June 17 (Father's Day)
Thursday, June 28 // Friday, July 6
Thursday, July 12 // Thursday, July 26
Thursday, August 16 // Friday, August 17
Friday, August 24 // Wednesday, August 29
Thursday, August 30 // Friday, August 31
Summer Seattle Dinner Openings:
Thursday, June 28 // Saturday, July 7
Friday, July 20 // Friday, July 27
Saturday, August 4 // Thursday, August 9
Friday, August 10 // Thursday, August 16
Friday, August 17 // Saturday, August 18
Friday, August 30
We look forward to spending an evening with you!
LIFE ON THE LAMB
Serves 6
1 rack of lamb
2 tbls butter
5 bunches kale, cleaned, stems removed, roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic sliced thin
2 shallots sliced thin
1/2 c white wine or lemon juice
cilantro gremolata*
tamarind-chili sauce*
salt and pepper
oil
*for the tamarind chile sauce
1 c tamarind pulp and water
1 cap can crushed tomatoes
1/2 onion, small dice
3 clove garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
1 tbsp fish sauce
2 pasilla chile
1 c pasilla chili water
splash red wine
*for the cilantro gremolata
1 bunch cilantro stems
1 clove garlic
salt and pepper
oil
1. Preheat your oven to 475F. Get a pan, preferably cast-iron, ripping hot with a bit of oil in it to coat the bottom of the pan. Salt and pepper the rack of lamb very liberally. Sear on all sides just for color. Then throw the butter into the pan right before putting it into the preheated oven. Roast for 6-8 minutes for a medium-rare. Let rest for 15 minutes before cutting into it
2. Right before plating get a very large pan very hot on the stove. Add your oil and let it get hot for a second. Throw in your shallots and garlic. Hit with a bit of salt and continuously stir so the aromatics don’t burn, about 1-3 minutes. Once slightly translucent and browned throw in the kale and continuously stir everything until the kale has a slight sheen on it from the oil. Once your kale is cooked 40% of the way through (taste it!) pour in the white wine or lemon juice and cook until dry. Add salt and pepper to taste Remove from pan.
3. Heat the Tamarind-Chili* sauce up in a separate sauce pan
4. To plate, spoon the sauce in the middle of the plate. Top with the kale, lay a lamb lollipop or two on the top with the bone over the lip of the plate. Place a small amount of the gremolata* on top, and voila!
*Cilantro Gremolata
1. Very thinly slice cilantro stems into little circles and put them in a small bowl or cup. Crush the garlic into the cilantro. Add just enough oil to bring together. Add salt and pepper to taste
*Tamarind Chile Sauce
1. Soak one cup tamarind in 1 quart boiling water, breaking up to create pulp. Pass and strain after 30 minutes, getting as much pulp and liquid as you can. While soaking, sauté onions and garlic. Toast pasillas for 30 seconds, then cover in 1 cup boiling water and soften for 30 minutes.
2. Deseed pasilla, then combine all ingredients. Simmer and reduce by half. Then puree and pass through a fine mesh strainer.
THE BEE HIVE
2 oz aged rum
2 tsp. honey syrup
2 tsp. sweet vermouth
2 dashes bitters
1. For the honey syrup, use equal parts honey and water in a small saucepan. Boil, turn down to a simmer and stir until honey is completely dissolved. Mix all ingredients, stir 10 times, add ice and serve.
Try making this cocktail for the special dad in your life for Father's Day. Better yet, treat him to dinner at Cow by Bear. We still have a few tickets left for our Father's Day dinner in San Diego this Sunday, June 17 at 8pm. We hope to see you there!