Inspired by Haven (Carrot Coconut Ginger Soup)

Often I am asked what is my favorite restaurant in Oakland. I can answer, without question, Haven in Jack London Square. Open for just over a year Haven is an outstanding example of the talent and fine dining Oakland is attracting. Haven's cuisine is probably best described as New American, or better yet, New California Cuisine. Chef Kim Alter's* dishes are among the most creative I have personally sampled. She is particularly adept with vegetables and grains. Two of her dishes score in the top two positions on my list of best food I have ever eaten. The menu at Haven changes frequently and some of the best dishes evolve with the change in season. I view this as the mark of a truly great restaurant, and ultimately a great chef. I hate to harp on a new idea, and I understand the argument for consistency. But, with Americans amidst our own food renaissance, diners attitudes are changing. This is paving way for chefs to boldly express themselves through their food. I believe that one day some of their menus will be widely accepted as a fine art.

While I am sure by the time this post is published the menu at Haven will have changed; it is worth mentioning the two dishes I will never forget. On my first visit to Haven I ordered Smoked Black Rice and Squid. I was initially intrigued by the smoked black rice, but a bit apprehensive about the squid. Squid is a difficult ingredient to work with. When cooking it quickly it should only be cooked for between one and two minutes. Further cooking by even 30 seconds can take it to a texture not unlike rubber bands. When braising squid, in soups for example, it must be cooked for upwards of 40 minutes to return it to a softer texture. This dish was executed perfectly! The smokey flavor of the rice came through just beyond a hint and complemented the nutty flavor of the rice. The squid was softened nicely with just a bit of bite. I gather a similar dish is now being served with Uni (Japanese sea urchin) which I must try!

The second dish came from the chef's tasting menu on my second visit. This is perhaps the most creative dish I have ever eaten. Served in a fairly small portion, probably due to its richness, was a Sunflower Seed Risotto. I was assured that this dish was cooked exactly as you would a risotto, but with sunflower seeds instead of rice. This risotto was nutty, rich, and perfectly al dente; the flavor was exquisite! I suspect that duck stock was used as apposed to chicken stock used in a more traditional risottos.

Much of the allure behind eating at places like Haven is being exposed to these creative dishes. Some of the techniques and equipment used in preparing these dishes are a bit beyond my capabilities as a self-taught home cook, but that never prevents me from drawing on these dishes for inspiration.

The recipe in this post is my take on the Carrot Coconut and Ginger soup from the chefs tasting menu at Haven. The soup was served with an accoutrement of "compressed apples" made by soaking apples in ginger beer in a vacuum bag. The apples paired perfectly with the ginger and carrot. I don't have a vacuum sealer and I was looking for something a little simpler. I made eight trials of this soup before settling on this recipe. I am quite pleased with this version. This soup is simple, delicious, and makes an impressive first or second course. Be sure to read the notes section of the recipe.

If you are an adventurous eater I highly recommend the chef's tasting menu when visiting Haven. Call first and make a reservation. If you want to be a little more in control of your meal you really can't go wrong with anything on the menu. I highly recommend ordering anything made with grains or duck.

* I do not personally know Chef Kim Alter, but it is important to mention her name because the dishes at Haven are of her own vision and she deserves every bit of credit for her part in the success of Haven.

(My recipe for Carrot Coconut Ginger Soup inspired by Haven Restaurant, Oakland CA follows)

Spiked Tzimmes

(Before baking)

This post is about four weeks overdue. I've been cooking, but I haven't been writing. It feels good to put the proverbial pen to paper. After about 10 days of actual spring weather, tonight, the rain is beginning to fall. I'm eating a leftover pasta dish that probably won't win a spot on the front page of Oakland Skillet. Tonight just feels like a good night for blogging.

As I'm sitting here looking over photos of the dishes I've cooked since my last post. There is one in particular that I have been wanting to share: my Spiked Tzimmes. This dish is rather out of season, save for the carrots, but there is a significance behind it that gives exception to my recent custom of shopping  farmers markets for what is in season. April 6th was Passover. I'm not Jewish, but I've been to a few Passover Saders before. I have always felt honored when invited to share in this cultural tradition. This year the invitation came from my girlfriend's family. Actually, there is some debate as to whether I invited myself. The conversation went something like this:

(Having dinner with girlfriend's parents. Things are going well. I'm pretty relaxed and feeling pretty confident.)

Girlfriend's Mother: "Have you been to a Sader before?"
Me: "Yes, two."
Girlfriend's Mother: "Have you been invited to a Sader this year?"
Me: "No. But if that is an invitation to yours then I accept."

(Two days pass) I realize that I didn't actually wait for an invitation and kind of stuck my foot in the door. It turns out it was more or less an invitation, but it does point out where I might lack some social graces, but I digress.

Along with the invitation came a "challenge", or at least I took it as a challenge. I was asked to bring a traditional Ashkenazi-Jewish stew called Tzimmes. Traditionally the stew is made with carrots and dried fruit, but other root vegetables are often added. I had about a week to research the dish and come up with a recipe. I found many variations, but having never eaten Tzimmes before I felt I had a little free license. I loved the idea of using dried fruit with sweet potatoes and yams. I was reminded of my step-mothers recipe for baked yams with bourbon spiked apricots. After reading more about the dietary rules for passover I'm not sure the bourbon was appropriate, but the combination of flavors is magnificent. Besides, Tzimmes is more traditionally served in the Fall during Rosh Hashanah when bourbon is probably okay (don't quote me on that). My version also adds dried cherries along with more traditional raisins, and prunes.

I was quite pleased with the outcome of my Tzimmes recipe. I think the addition of dried cherries and bourbon soaked apricots made this my own rendition.

Recipe for Bradley's Spiked Tzimmes follows