Naan ...on a pizza stone

I've always enjoyed cooking Indian food at home. I enjoy it even more when I have appreciative and enthusiastic dinner guests in attendance, as I was lucky enough to recently have at my Tucson apartment. I typically don't make Naan (the Indian flatbread, pictured in the foreground of the photo), but I was in an ambitious mood this time. I've had mixed results making Naan on sheetpans in past, but a light-bulb flashed on in my head when I thought about doing 'em on a pizza stone. Results were great! Even my run-of-the-mill electric oven produced great Naan via this method. I've modified a Food.com recipe to approximate the experience ... Ingredients: 4 cups all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1/4 teaspoon baking soda; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 egg, beaten; 6 tablespoons plain yogurt (room temperature; 3 tablespoons butter or 3 tablespoons ghee, melted; 1 cup of luke warm milk (may use a little less, just add gradually until soft dough forms); 1 tablespoon poppy seed (optional); Directions: 1 Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together into a bowl. 2 Stir in the beaten egg, yogurt and 2 tablespoons of the butter/ghee. 3 Gradually stir in enough milk to make a soft dough. 4 Knead dough very well. 5 Lightly grease bowl and cover the dough with a damp cloth and place in a warm place for 2 hours. 6 Preheat your oven to 425 degrees - place pizza stone in the oven and let it sit for at least half an hour - the stone should get quite hot; if the oven has a Broiler setting, this is preferable. 7 Knead dough on a floured surface for 2 or 3 minutes until smooth. 8 Divide into 8 pieces. 9 Roll each piece into a ball, and then into ovals about 6 to 8 inches long. 10 Grease a baking sheet with oil and brush both the sides of the rolled out Naan with oil (melted butter works even better). 11 Sprinkle one side with poppy seeds if you wish to use them. 12 Place the Naan on the pizza stone, carefully. 13 Bake for 4-6 minutes until puffy and lightly golden brown (each oven is different, so check frequently and carefully at first to gauge the amount of time needed to make Naan that's golden brown but NOT burnt! 14 The bread puffs slightly, and will lightly brown on the sides.

Lamb braised in Red Wine

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Lamb and red wine go well together. When cooked properly, lamb can be tender; the acids and alcohol in wine help tenderize lamb during the braising process.

Everyone has a favorite variety of lamb (or beef) stew, here are some basic ingredients:

- Lamb (preferably lamb leg, cut into chunks)
- Flour (or matzoh meal)
- vegetable oil (I tend to use extra-virgin olive oil)
- carrots, celery, onions, each cut into 1" dice (you can also add chopped garlic and tomatoes to these)
- red wine
- salt and pepper

The basic instructions are as follows:
- season the flour/matzoh meal with salt and pepper
- dredge the lamb chunks in the flour/meal
- heat a large skillet over medium-high heat; when hot, add oil
- add dusted lamb chunks to the oil (carefully), in a single layer - don't crowd them, or they won't brown! (Brown them in batches if you have to.) Allow each side to brown, turn for even coloring. Remove from pan, allow to sit in a bowl.
- meanwhile, in a separate pot that's large enough to hold the lamb and vegetables, bring the wine to a boil.
- de-glaze the skillet used for browning by adding the vegetables; stir the vegetables until they've started to sweat and become translucent.
- add the sauteed vegetables + browned lamb pieces to the boiling wine; bring to a boil again, reduce to a simmer, and allow to braised (partially covered), until the lamb is tender.
- when the lamb is just about done, you can add some minced herbs (thyme and rosemary are best).

Contact me if you have any questions!

Wine-based sauces

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Pictured here are Chicken Breasts, stuffed with Goat Cheese Feta and poached Rapini. They are served with a Cabernet Sauvignon reduction and sauteed wild mushrooms.

Reducing the Cabernet (or any wine) should best be done slowly. Let the wine reduce over a low heat. The point is to let the flavors concentrate, not boil them away. By such time as the wine is ready to use, it should be thickened to an almost syrupy consistency.

At this stage, there are a number of options. One can simply serve the sauce as is ... but it is possible that very strong tannic, resiny elements (for red wines) or acidity (for white wines) will have been overly accentuated by the reducing process. I typically like to finish the reduced wine with butter and/or demiglace (for red wines), or butter and cream (for white wines). These rich additions help mellow out the flavors and lend an attractive shine and gloss to the finished product. Be sure to whisk thoroughly over heat to ensure the butter doesn't fall out of suspension, and finish with salt and pepper.

Bon appetit!

Working with Lemongrass

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Lemon grass lends a lot of flavor but requires patience to work with. I recently served Lemongrass-and-lime-seared Pork Tenderloin Slices on Baguette (pictured here); these are the steps I took to make the marinade:

- First, I cut the lemongrass into pieces about 1" long.
- I sauteed the lemongrass pieces with onions and ginger in a wok, then added red wine, soy sauce, and lime juice. I covered it and let it simmer for about 40 minutes. Then I removed the lid and reduced the mixture until the liquids were the consistency of a thin syrup.
- I transferred the mixture to a cuisinart and processed as much as possible. The mixture still was pulpy and fibrous (lemongrass is a tough plant!), so I strained it, saving only the liquids.
- I mixed the liquids with a little more soy sauce, plus vegetable oil. I then marinated the pork tenderloins in this mixture for about 45 minutes.
- I seared the pork tenderloins, sliced them, and served them on baguette. The marinade lent an ineffably savory and aromatic essence to the meat!

A healthy cooking demonstration in Montclair, with a presentation on nutrition by Body Worx Fitness, LLC

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Learn more about our company - www.chefdanleff.com

For more on my colleague, Butch Strehlow, contact Body Worx Fitness, LLC

It was fun and informative to work with a personal trainer/nutritional coach for a recent cooking class. Butch of Body Worx Fitness provided detailed nutritional information based on the menu we prepared and served for our clients at a beautiful home in the Oakland Hills. Here's a selection from the evening ...

Soy-glazed Salmon (or Chicken Breasts) with Fresh Salsa

Ingredients:
• Salmon filets (or Chicken breasts) = 1 – 3 to 4 oz. piece per guest
• Soy sauce = approx. 2-3 ounces
• Olive oil = approx. 2 ounces
• Roma Tomatoes = approx. 3-4 each
• Lime juice = approx. 1-2 ounces
• Red onion, diced fine = 1 each
• Jalapeno or Serrano chilies, minced = 1-2 each
• Handful fresh cilantro, chopped = 1 bunch
• Salt and pepper = to taste

• To prepare the salsa: (Do this before preparing the salmon). Dice all fruits (small dice). Mix in red onion, chilies, cilantro, and lime juice. Allow to stand for 5-10 minutes, and then transfer to a colander set over a bowl. Allow to drain for an additional 5-10 minutes. The salsa will shed a lot of liquid – this liquid will be used as the basis of the salmon glaze. After draining off the liquid, transfer the drained salsa to a bowl and refrigerate.
• To prepare the salmon: Take the drained off liquid from the salsa, and whisk in soy sauce and olive oil. Judge the number of salmon pieces you have; will there be enough glaze? If not, add more soy sauce and lime juice, as needed.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lay salmon on a lined sheet pan. With a pastry brush, stir the glazing liquid briskly and thoroughly, and then brush each piece of salmon with this mixture. Cook in oven for 8-10 minutes; may vary depending on the thickness of the piece and exact oven used.

Mushroom Risotto

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Thanks to Michael Corsentino for this beautiful image - www.michaelcorsentino.com

Mushrooms and Risotto have a natural affinity. This recipe utilizes Chanterelles and is not difficult to make:

Mushroom Risotto – serves 4-6

Ingredients:
6-10 oz. Chanterelle Mushrooms, cleaned
1 shallot, peeled and julienned
1/2 cup white wine
2 yellow onions, fine chopped
3-5 cloves of garlic, fine chopped
2 cups Arborio or Carnaroli rice
9-10 cups of chicken or vegetable stock, heated in a sauce pan over a low heat
3 TB. Olive oil, plus an additional 2-3 TB. For sautéing the mushrooms
Salt and Pepper

Directions:
1. Prepare the mushrooms: shred the Chanterelles into thick pieces
2. Sauté the julienned shallots in 2-3 TB. Olive oil over high heat, when brown, add the musrhooms. Saute for a few minutes, until the mushrooms start to reabsorb their liquids, then add the white wine. Stir fry 1-2 minutes more, then season with salt and pepper and set aside.
3. In a pan at least 8” wide by 2” deep, heat the remaining 3 TB. olive oil over medium high heat.
4. When the oil is hot, add the chopped onions and garlic and sauté until the onions become translucent
5. Add the rice – stir until the rice is evenly coated with any oil in the pan
6. Using a 4- or 6-oz. ladle, add stock to the rice; stir until the rice absorbs the stock, and keep adding more stock, stirring all the while with a wooden spoon
7. The risotto will be ready when the rice is tender with just a hint of chewiness – kernels will be just barely translucent at this stage
8. Season with salt and pepper; stir in the mushrooms, or place them on top of portioned servings of risotto as a garnish.

Corn, chilies, and herbs - on the grill

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I'm a big proponent of grilling, if the weather is right. As I've stated in previous blogs, grilling can be a subtle technique, if handled just so.

Consider the following:
Wash an ear of corn, then stick the un-shucked ear in the microwave, on "High", for about 1 minute. The ear will be hot, but MUCH easier to shuck and de-silk - the silk will come away in one bunch, easily! (Thanks to my friends at Pans on Fire for this neat trick.)
Lay the shucked/de-silked ear of corn on a piece of aluminum foil; top with about 1 Tb. butter. Wash 2-3 Padron chilies - cut them in half lengthwise, lay alongside the corn. On the other side of the corn, lay 2-3 sprigs fresh Rosemary. Sprinkle the whole lot with sea salt, then wrap tightly.

Lay this package over hot coals. You can start when the coals are still flaming, not quite ashed-over. Let sit, turning occasionally, for about 1 hour. At the end, the corn will be tender, sweet and rich from the butter, lightly redolent with the essence of rosemary. The peppers will also leave a hint of piquant sweetness. Goes well with fish and chicken. Enjoy!

On Gazpacho

My appreciation for Gazpacho was kindled by my experiences working Garde Manger station at Lark Creek Inn. After lunch, during Summer months, it was my job to go out to the shed where cases upon cases of heirloom tomatoes were stored. I had to pick out the ones that were about to go rotten but were still just barely salvageable. We took these and made Gazpacho with them. Frugal, but also delicious.

The following recipe serves well for this dish ... know that, as with all such traditional dishes, styles and ingredients can vary quite widely.

Ingredients

* 10 oz of bread
* 21 oz. of tomato
* 2 cloves of garlic
* 2 onions
* 2 red and green peppers
* 1 cucumber (optional)
* 7 tablespoons of oil
* 2 tablespoons of vinegar
* 1 1/2 tablespoon of water
* Cumin (optional)

Preparation

In a big mortar mash the cumin, the garlic and the soaked bread, in a plastic bowl mix the chopped onion, the chopped tomato, the oil, the vinegar, the salt and the contents of the mortar, mash it with the mixer and add very cold water to mix everything. Add salt and strain it. Keep it in the fridge until served.

Serve with the tomato, the cucumber, the pepper and the toasted bread cut to dices.

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Grilling pork

I'm done with pork loins. They are gigantic, far too lean, and easily wind up being too dry. Henceforth ... it's strictly pork TENDERLOINS for me.

You can buy a pack of 4 pork tenderloins at Costco for not much money. They don't even really require any trimming or other prep. Simply put 'em in a plastic bag with some red wine, herbs, garlic, and a little soy sauce. Let them sit over night, then grill them the next day.

The pork tenderloins pictured here were cooked until almost done. Then, they were transferred to an aluminum pan with about 2 cups of red wine, covered, and "braised" for another 10 minutes or so. I then let them sit for about 10 minutes. I sliced them thin and put them right back in the red wine braising liquid. For service, I served them on baguette with mustard and sliced cucumbers. Unbeatable for a Summer afternoon!

For more tips on cooking and catering, contact me.

Thoughts on Beverage Service

During the Summer, successful events often call for a variety of (preferably cold) beverages. Here are some thoughts on the subject, drawn from my experience to date:

- Ice: if you have time and a capacious freezer, you may want to simply go and get this, if it's a small event. For larger events, you might wish to have the caterer buy large quantities of ice - note well that in hot, inland places it's likely easier to simply plan to have lots of ice on hand, rather than to ask someone to run out to Safeway for more ice halfway through the party.

- Alcoholic beverages: many caterers simply can't provide booze, due to insurance issues. Make sure your home-owners' insurance is in good order, or that you're renting space at a venue where liability is clearly delineated.

- Non-alcoholic beverages: gone are the days of the Shirley Temple. Plenty of top-quality, organic iced teas and lemonades (limeades, tangerine-ades) are available to make customized, refreshing beverages. Which brings us to ...

- Additional ingredients: whether it's a catered event or do-it-yourself, it's a "best practice" to have items like limes, lemons, and mint on-hand for flavoring waters, iced tea, or stronger potions.

Contact us to share ideas, or for specific inquiries.

Chef Dan Leff Catering, Inc.

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Cooking risotto

I've cooked risotto in quantities ranging from enough for a dinner for two (and it's not easy to cook that little risotto), to hotel buffets for 400+ diners. Here's a few tips I've picked up:

- Have the stock hot before adding to the pan. If you're making saffron risotto (always a crowd-pleaser), let the saffron strands steep in the stock as long as possible before using it. Stock should be just below a simmer ... and please use stock, NOT water.

- Always use a wooden spoon. If you don't have a wooden spoon, refrain from making risotto until you've acquired one. Know that if you use a metal spoon, the kernels will break up and form crunchy fragments that don't release their starches properly. I learned this the hard way, in a big hotel, when trying to get the lunch buffet out.

- Risotto should not be cooked to quickly or too slowly. At too high of a heat, the liquid boils off before it can cook the rice. At too low of a heat, the mix just sits there.

- I have it on good authority that Carnaroli rice is superior to Arborio, but I've had good results with both.

... And if you have questions or comments, contact me at Chef Dan Leff Catering, Inc.

Oven-fried Chicken

I love fried chicken but the doctor says "no way". If your doctor says the same, try this version that's baked in the oven, NOT deep-fried ....

Oven-fried chicken – makes 5-6 servings
Ingredients:
• 1 quart buttermilk
• 5-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 bunch each of marjoram and sage (can add thyme if desired)
• Flour
• Breadcrumbs (seasoned ones work well)
• 1 egg
• Salt, black pepper, cayenne
• Pan spray

Directions:
• Pour buttermilk into a bowl; whisk in salt, pepper, and cayenne.
• With the back of a knife, bruise half of the herbs – add to the buttermilk mixture.
• Add chicken breasts to this mixture; tried to get them all submerged. Let sit to marinate for about an hour.
• Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Prepare a sheet pan – I like to cover the pan with foil, and then spray with pan spray (much easier to remove the aluminum foil than to scrub and scrub the pan, later on).
• Trim the rest of the herbs off their stems, and then fine chop them. Add the chopped herbs to the flour.
• Mix some salt, pepper, and cayenne in with the flour as well. Don’t go to heavy with the spices, remember, they are in the marinade as well!
• Have breadcrumbs ready in a bowl.
• Remove the marinated chicken breasts from the buttermilk mix, to a bowl. Remove the bruised herbs and discard. Whisk one egg into the buttermilk mix.
• Get an “assembly line” going. Start with chicken breasts at one end, then the flour, then the buttermilk/egg mix, then the breadcrumbs, then the sprayed sheet pan.
• Work as follows: Dust each chicken breast well with flour, and then dunk it completely into the buttermilk mix. Then roll it completely with breadcrumbs to coat; transfer the coated chicken breast to the sheet pan. Repeat until they’re all ready-to-cook on the sheet pan.
• Bake for about 25-30 minutes (depends how big they are … some chicken breasts these days can range up to 8 oz. each in weight!). When done, let them rest for about 10 minutes, then serve. If you are saving them for later, DON’T wrap them up unless they are COMPLETELY cooled-down, or they’ll steam in their wrappers … a big potential health danger!
• Re-heat them in a medium oven for 20-30 minutes … they won’t be as crispy as when first out of the oven, but will be delicious!

On Tapenade

Tapenade is one of the first things I learned to make in Garde Manger ("Cold Kitchen"), the class wherein we learned about pates, terrines, and other applications fit for fine buffet service. After years of making this, I've come up with a few twists on the original concept.

Olives - I use a mix of pitted Kalamata olives plus some sort of pitted green olive. It makes for a more interesting taste and appearance. The briny nature of the Kalamatas is off-set nicely by the more fruity essence of green olives.

Anchovies - I don't use them. Not everyone likes them, and I realized that I could accommodate die-hard vegans simply by omitting them. They do have a very strong taste and add a lot of sodium.

Salt - lightly, if at all! Just a TINY extra bit of salt can make the mixture nearly inedible.

Mortar and Pestle, or Food Processor? - Food Processor wins hands down! For best results, pulse the olives, just by themselves, in the processor for a little bit before adding any other ingredients (garlic, thyme, olive oil, capers, etc.) - if there are ANY pits that didn't get properly removed, they will be detectable by listening closely ... their presence will be betrayed by an unpleasant clacking sound against the blade!

Yuzu and me

"Add a little Yuzu vinegar."

Hunh?

The sharp young sous chef was correcting a spiced-vinegar reduction I was making. It was the basis for one of the vinaigrettes at my station. But something was missing.

I added the Yuzu vinegar and gave it another try, as did the sous chef.

"Perfect! Cool it down and get it on your station, service begins in less than half an hour."

I'd never heard of Yuzu before. After lunch service, I asked about it. It's an Asian citrus with an aromatic, perfumy essence. A new one on me (I'd gotten into fine-dining to learn stuff like this).

I later found a Yuzu syrup at a local farmer's market. Always made a nice addition to various glazes. Never saw a fresh one until recently ... I encountered a particularly fragrant bin of citrus at the Berkeley Bowl and I had to take notice. Fresh Yuzu! The ones I got hold of had tender skin and a somewhat feathery flesh, but they had that ineffably complex perfume and taste. Great for steaming shrimp ... and the client agreed!

Why I don't make my own puff pastry

"DON'T YOU EVER, EVER FAKE IT!!!"

The Pastry Chef-Instructor - a former wrestler and Marine - was right up in my face.

"IF YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO SOMETHING ... ASK! GET INSTRUCTIONS! BUT DON'T EVER FAKE IT!"

In fact I had just badly messed up some bear claws that we'd been working on. I hadn't paid attention to the demo and now it was time to pay for my lack of focus.

I'm a good cold- and hot-line cook. I'm good with a variety of savory cooking applications.

But I'm just not a baker ... a common Achilles' heel in savory cooks. Which is why I don't make my own puff pastry. Why should I, when plenty of top-quality products are available, ready-to-use?

I did wind up passing the class. The Chef-Instructor was tough, but fair, and he gave me other chances to work hard and redeem myself. Ultimately, I learned to respect baking and pastry ... and stick to what I'm good at!

Still want to make your own puff pastry dough? Check out this recipe, and knock yourself out.

Louis XIII

"Would you like to try some Louis XIII cognac?"

Would I?

Does a duck swim?

Frank J. poured me a nice glass of this famous cognac. I'd had it only once before, at a Walnut Creek's "Le Virage" ... sadly, long-defunct. Seeing as how I'm not King Midas, I hadn't expected to taste this luxury of luxuries for years to come, and Frank's offer was a welcome surprise.

Louis XIII is made by Remy Martin. Frank is an educator, with years of top-notch experience and education, employed by Remy Martin. We met a an event where he was providing an educational presentation on cocktails, drinks (there's a difference!), and their components. Before the night was through I'd learned that Louis XIII is among the world's original luxury goods ... long before newcomers like Lamborghini and Rolex came on the scene.

It went down with ultra-smoothness - no wonder, the oldest cognac mixed in with this batch dated from 1900! I'm typically a monk when I'm working, not touching anything stronger than water, but this was an exception that couldn't be passed up. And with no consequences ... it was mellow, not hard-hitting, and I was able to work without any hint of haziness. It conveyed an impeccable warmth, with no ill-effects at all.

A real treat. Thanks, Frank.

Cayenne-infused Vinaigrette

I enjoy the art of making a good sauce, but wanted something different as a means of finishing a plate-up and enhancing the flavor of the dish. I served seared halibut with saffron risotto, squash, rapini, and chanterelles. Typically I might serve a white wine reduction finished with some cream and butter - however, the client specifically asked for something without a lot of cream.

I like using vinaigrettes ... the acid content helps brighten up an otherwise rich plate. I wanted this vinaigrette to have a little zip. I wanted sweetness to accompany the fish, so I opted for a balsamic vinaigrette.

I obtained a fresh cayenne pepper at a local grocery store. I split the pepper in half lengthwise and crushed the fleshy part with the blunt back of a knife blade. This was to release some of the crucial oils in the pepper so they'd be more accessible.

I put the slightly-crushed pepper halves into the vinaigrette. I completed this step before I got into any other prep and production ... this gave the pepper time to macerate in the vinaigrette. By the time I was ready for plate-up, I tasted it and it was pretty much where I wanted it to be - the sweetness of the balsamic vinegar was dominant, but in the back of the mouth I caught some of the essence of the pepper's fire. The client loved it!

A short shelf-life but a merry one ...

Well, like an addict I can't pass by a pawpaw, even if the thing is about to turn black from old age - which sneaks up on these treats mighty fast. Generally, I eat as little fruit as possible but these things are great. I'm a sucker for their custard-like taste and consistency and vaguely floral aroma.

Confusingly enough, some think that the word "pawpaw" comes from the word "papaya". Supposedly of Southern/Midwestern origin, I'm not sure where my local Farmer's Market acquired their specimens. A couple of times a year I'll run across them, and in fact it's rare if they are available two weeks in a row.

An admission ... I haven't kept any of them around the house long enough to do any recipe experimentation with these fruits. I advise all who can find them to buy at least one, eat it QUICKLY, and see why I took up a whole blog entry to rave about pawpaws.

On BBQ Sauce

Making BBQ sauce is neither difficult nor especially complex, but there are certain requirements. One must keep an eye on the temperature and not allow the mixture to scorch. As with any other sauce, I think it should be strained before use.

Here's a recipe that deliberately does NOT include measurements, in keeping with the somewhat rustic nature of the subject.

INGREDIENTS:
- Tomatoes, diced (fresh or canned)
- Tomato Paste
- Chipotle peppers in Adobo
- Dijon Mustard
- Assorted berries (particularly blackberries, blueberries, and strawberries)
- Brown Sugar
- Red Wine
- Soy sauce
- Red Onions
- Garlic

DIRECTIONS:
Add the diced tomatoes to a large pot, preferably with a heavy bottom (a thin-bottomed pot will transfer too much heat and could result in scorched product). Heat the pot + tomatoes over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally.

When the tomatoes come to a simmer, add all the other ingredients, mix in thoroughly, and return to a simmer. Turn heat down to low and allow to simmer slowly, stirring occasionally, for at least an hour (the longer the better, but as always make sure you stir it enough so that the bottom does not scorch!).

If you walk away, get a phone call, or otherwise forget and scorching DOES occur, transfer the contents ASAP to a new pot ... don't scrape up any of the material from the bottom. That scorched taste can "bloom" with cooking, lending an unpleasant burnt/bitter taste to the whole thing, so be careful.

When the mixture is done, taste it. Is the flavor not very distinguished? It may need some salt, or a little more soy sauce. Is it too thin? It may need more tomato paste. Too hot? Add more sugar. Too sweet? Add some hot sauce or pepper flakes. You get the idea.

Working in batches, and with lots of towels handy, puree the mix in a blender. Have a container with a strainer set over it handy ... strain the pureed mix through the strainer into the waiting receptacle. Use a ladle to force the pureed mix through the strainer, this takes time but results in a smoother, more professional product.

Transfer all the strained sauce into a shallow aluminum pan (or hotel pan) to cool. Don't repackage it until it's COMPLETELY cooled down. It keeps a long time and freezes very well!

Working with Marinades and Wood Chips

Smoking is a leisurely and sophisticated way of using a standard kettle grill. Sorry - no propane grills need apply! (I never understood propane grills ... one ends up with petroleum flavor and aroma, not wood/smoky aesthetic.) Ingredients to be smoked should be properly prepared, as should the wood chips themselves.

Some simple guidelines:

1. Most non-root vegetables do well with some combination of herbs, garlic, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar and/or soy sauce. Root vegetables are better roasted, and do well with sweeter marinades (olive oil, salt and pepper, a dash of sugar).
2. For fish and meats, consider ... what would you drink with it? Most recently, I marinaded some halibut filets in white wine, soy sauce, and some sweet-and-spicy chipotle sauce that I bought at the Grand Lake Farmer's Market in Oakland.
3. For the wood chips ... soak them in a liquid that balances the requirements of the wood with the marinade for the meat. For instance, I recently used Alder chips, and soaked them in cheap white wine with a few dried chili peppers added for good measure. Other chips have different requirements ... Apple wood chips do well soaked in apple juice and/or a sweet wine like Riesling.
4. When smoking just about anything, have a "drip pan" filled with liquid in the bottom of the kettle, next to the coals. This is meant for fattier meats, it's to prevent flare-ups - you place the meat, etc. over the drip pan, NOT over the coals directly. This is good practice even for low-fat items, it lets the product cook gently, slowly, and evenly, and allow plenty of time to infuse the true smoky flavor.
5. Fill the drip pan with the liquid you used to soak the wood chips. If there's not enough, add some water or some other interesting liquid (beer, wine).

Not too tough. Play around with the marinades and keep note of which flavors work best for your taste and applications.