First, Make a Roux

Cajun Thing of the Week - Papillotes

noreply@blogger.com (Make a Roux) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 03:14:00 +0000

pä'pē-yôt'

The word, papillote, typically conjures up thoughts of French cooking and fresh fish baked in a pouch.

Mention the word to a Cajun mom or grandma, and they'll assume you mean hair curlers or rollers.

"Chere, I'm going out tomorrow. I'd better put some papillotes in my hair!"

GEAUX SAINTS!

noreply@blogger.com (Make a Roux) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 01:58:00 +0000

Just a quick post to say, "Geaux SAINTS! Make some Falcon gumbo tonight!"

Now back to my heaping plate of red beans 'n rice with a side of grilled andouille sausage!

Halloween Sugar Hangover - PB2 Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Make a Roux) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 04:14:00 +0000

Did you buy too much Halloween candy this year? I may have bought a little too much candy BEFORE Halloween this year. I did a little experiment with one of my favorite, low fat high protein products (PB2) and one of my favorite candies, Reese's peanut butter cups.

PB2 is powdered peanut butter that has been defatted. It is the invention of the smart folks at Bell Plantation in Tifton, GA. You can use PB2 dry, as I have done here, or mix it with water, jam, honey, and anything else you can think of.

The resulting cookies were as rich and decadent as any cookies made with full fat peanut butter. They were chewy on the inside and crisp on the outside, studded with the occasional decadent chunk of peanut butter cup.

Freezing the peanut butter cups beforehand helps slow their melting in the oven, with the resulting cookies just slightly chewy and oozing with peanut butter and chocolate.

If you've got leftover peanut butter cups and some PB2 on hand, give these cookies a try. You won't regret it.

PB2 Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
Yield: 32 cookies
2 eggs
1 c dark brown sugar
1 c sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
4 Tbsp cane syrup
1/2 c water
2 c PB2
1 1/2 c unbleached flour
8 0.75 oz Reese's peanut butter cups, cut into sixteenths and FROZEN, divided with approximately half the pieces for the dough and half for garnishing tops of cookies.
Oven @ 350 degrees.

Line three cookie sheets with parchment.

In mixer bowl, mix eggs, sugars, vanilla, baking soda, salt, syrup, water and PB2 until smooth.

Gradually add flour to mixture, mixing til well combined.

Gently stir in half of the peanut butter cups.

Drop by 1 1/2 Tbsp onto cookie sheets.

Press two pieces of Reeses pb cups onto the tops of each cookie.

Bake for 12 minutes. Rotating pans half way through baking time.

Cool in pan for 2 - 3 mins, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Roast Beef Po'Boys with Debris

noreply@blogger.com (Make a Roux) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 05:11:00 +0000

Q: Would you like a detritus sandwich?
A: ICK!

Q: A garbage hoagie, perhaps?
A: GROSS!

Q: Howzabout a roast beef po'boy with debris?
A: MMM! Yeah, you right, doll!

Don't worry. Debris refers to the little bits of meat cooked into a gravy that is served on the po'boy. It's how we eat roast beef po'boys in the areas in and around New Orleans and Cajun Country.

By the way, this beef isn't roasted. It's braised in wine and stock for about 4 hours.

Roast Beef with "Debris" Gravy for Po'Boys
I like to cook the roast one day in advance of serving. That gives me time to refrigerate the cooking liquid so I can remove the fat.

DAY 1:
Make the roast beef:
5 large cloves garlic, quartered
salt-free or reduced salt Creole seasoning
kosher salt
pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil
3 c beef stock (homemade is best)
1 750 ml bottle dry red wine
1 Tbsp worcestershire sauce
1 - 2 Tbsp Cajun Power Garlic Sauce
4 ribs celery, halved
4 whole carrots, peeled and halved
2 - 3 large onions, thinly sliced
1 bay leaf
4 sprigs fresh thyme

Pat roast dry. Cut 20 x's into the roast, about six on the top, six on the bottom, and four on each side.

Stuff each x with a piece of garlic.

Heat the oil in a pot large enough to hold the roast, liquid, and veggies.

Season roast liberally with Creole seasoning, salt and pepper on all sides.

Brown the roast on all sides.

Pour in the stock, wine, worcestershire, Cajun Power, and add the celery, carrots, onions, bay leaf, and thyme.

Cover and simmer for 4 1/2 hours, or until beef is falling apart.

Remove meat to a storage dish to cool.

Strain the cooking liquid, discarding the solids.

Reserve 3/4 c of the cooking liquid for the roast. Refrigerate the rest.

When roast is cool, slice is as best you can. It will probably just fall apart further.

Place the roast into a dish with the reserved cooking liquid and refrigerate overnight.

DAY 2
Make the gravy:
liquid from roast
small bits of roast leftover from carving
1 1/2 Tbsp flour
salt
pepper
Creole seasoning
garlic powder

Skim the fat from the refrigerated cooking liquid and discard.

Place the remaining liquid into a saucepan and reduce by rapidly boiling for approximately 30 mins.

Turn the heat down and whisk in the flour.

Bring to a boil, then let simmer until thickened slightly. You don't want a thick gravy, but you do want it thick enough so that you can spoon it over the meat without it completely saturating the bread.
Season with s&p, Creole seasoning and garlic powder to taste.

You're ready to make the po'boy!

Assemble the sandwiches:
Sorry, no measurements here. Adjust all to your taste and to the number of sandwiches you plan to make. You should get about 7 or 8 good-sized po'boys from the roast beef recipe.

roast beef, gently reheated
1 or more loaves of the best French bread you can get(I had to settle for one that was a bit gummier than I like. If you can find a French bread that is light and airy, use it!)
Shredded lettuce or cabbage (iceberg lettuce is commonly used, but I used butterhead from my garden)
sliced tomatoes
dill pickles, drained
mayonnaise (I used light mayo)
roast beef
debris gravy
Louisiana Gold hot sauce (optional)

Cut about a 9 or 10" section of French bread for each sandwich and split each lengthwise.

Lightly toast the cut sides of the bread under a broiler. (Optionally, you can butter them first, but I don't do it.)

Spread a thin layer of mayo on both sides of the bread.

Place a generous portion of the beef on the bottom half of the bread.

On the top half of the bread, layer tomatoes, pickles, and then shredded lettuce or cabbage. (Optional: I like to shake a little hot sauce atop the lettuce/cabbage.)

Spoon as much of the debris gravy over the meat as you think you can handle.

Close up the sandwich.

Repeat and make as many sandwiches as you like.

Grab a roll of paper towels. You'll need it!

If you have leftover roast and gravy, try having some over rice. This is what we call "roast, rice and gravy". It is commonly found at many a Cajun or Creole momma's house on Sundays.

Doux Youx Make Roux?

noreply@blogger.com (Make a Roux) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 02:45:00 +0000

It's about time I lived up to my blog's name and dished out a recipe for roux.

Roux is a mixture of fat and flour that is the basis for many a Cajun and Creole dish, including gumbo and crawfish stew. Roux is time-consuming to make. It will give you a massive bicep from all the constant stirring. Oh, and you might as well handcuff yourself to the stove, because you really can't walk away for very long while making it.

Did that scare you away from making a roux? I hope not. Yes, making roux still takes time, but there's a much easier way to do it -- in a slow oven.

I hope you'll try this method the next time you need to whip up some roux. You can even make several batches of it to store in the fridge or in the freezer.

One word of caution... they don't call roux "Cajun napalm" for nothing. It burns like heck when it gets on your skin. Make sure the kiddies and kittens are out of the way anytime you work with roux.

Again, be not afraid. Just follow this recipe and youx, toux, can make a roux!

Roux
Equal parts of:
fat (oil or butter)
flour (white or unbleached work best)

Heat oven to 325 degrees.
1. If using butter, melt it on the stove in an oven safe pot.
2. Whisk the flour with the melted butter or oil.
3. Place in the oven.
4. Stir every 20 mins until you get a tan color (light roux), medium brown (peanut butter roux), or a darker reddish brown color (dark roux).

The darker the roux, the more flavor your dish will have, but the less thickening power the roux will have.

Happy Southern Food Heritage Day!

noreply@blogger.com (Make a Roux) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 21:16:00 +0000

Did y'all know that today is Southern Food Heritage Day?

Y'all didn't? (Gasp!)

That's okay. Just get yourself a nice plate of biscuits and a cup of coffee with chicory, set yourself down, and get to thinking about your favorite Southern vittles!

It'll be a nice slow pork roast in the oven for me. Maybe a mess of greens and a nice slaw.

So, whatcha cookin' tonight, honey?

They Like Me! They Really Like Me!

noreply@blogger.com (Make a Roux) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 03:55:00 +0000

Today, I feel a little like Sally Field when she accepted an Academy Award for Places in the Heart.

A few weeks ago, Anne at HalfHourMeals.com contacted me to do an interview about my blog. The interview was published today and you can read it here.

Thanks to Anne and to the rest of the Half Hour Meals staff for showing me some blog love. Please be sure to head on over to HalfHourMeals.com for some delicious recipes and great talk about food.

There's the (Dry) Rub

noreply@blogger.com (Make a Roux) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 05:47:00 +0000

Good barbecue is easy to make. Great barbecue is much more difficult. Getting all the elements just right is a challenge. There's the meat, the cooking time, the cooking method, wood choices, and sauce. It's enough to make your head spin.

And then there's the rub!

Dry rub can help you in your quest for terrific barbecue. Use it to season your meat in advance and you'll get some knock-your-socks-off flavor from your favorite charred flesh.

This rub is reminiscent of the spice on a BBQ potato chip. It is a bit sweet, with subtle heat from the smoked paprika. You can make it hotter by adding cayenne or ground chipotle powder. Start with 1 tsp of either and add more to your liking.

I shook the dry rub onto some ribs, patted it on, wrapped them in plastic and let them chill in the fridge for four hours.

I haven't tried it on chicken or salmon yet, but I'm confident it will taste great.

BBQ Dry Rub
1/2 c sugar
3/4 c brown sugar
1/4 cup kosher salt
1/4 cup smoked paprika
1/4 cup paprika
1 tsp ground lemon peel
4 Tbsp garlic powder
1 1/2 Tbsp ground black pepper
1 tsp thyme
2 tsp ground rosemary (or crushed rosemary)
1 tsp cayenne or ground chipotle powder (optional)

Mix all ingredients well and store in an airtight container.

Seasons about 10 - 12 slabs of ribs.

Saturday Night Cocktail Party at HalfHourMeals.com

noreply@blogger.com (Make a Roux) — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 03:52:00 +0000

Come one, come all to Half Hour Meals' First Saturday Night Cocktail Party online at 8PM EST at Half Hour Meals.

Half Hour Meals is a great new food blogger community.

If you are a food blogger, you can post your idea of a cocktail party, complete with appetizers and your favorite party frock at www.halfhourmeals.com.

Hope to see you there!

Tell them Make Roux sent you, chere!

The Veggies of My Labor -- Grilled Pepper and Onion Slaw

noreply@blogger.com (Make a Roux) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 03:48:00 +0000

How many times can I post about coleslaw?

The answer is, as many times as possible!

Recently, when I found myself with leftover grilled peppers and onions from an Italian sausage dinner, I tossed them with cabbage to make a tasty slaw. The sweet and smoky flavors of the grilled veggies added a new dimension to the dish.

As I was mixing the slaw, it occurred to me that the peppers, onions, cabbage, and the cucumbers for the pickles, had all come from the backyard.

Damn good stuff and all I had to do was walk out of the back door.

If you want to revisit another of my slaw recipes, check out:
Slaw with Pistachios and Hummus-Chive-Yogurt Dressing

Grilled Pepper and Onion Slaw

1/4 c light mayo
1/4 c lowfat Greek yogurt or light sour cream
a few splashes of white wine vinegar (I like a lots of it.)
2 tsp honey
3 Tbsp pickles, minced
2 c grilled peppers and onions, chopped into bite sized pieces
3 c cabbage, thinly shredded
salt and pepper and/or Creole seasoning to taste

1) In a large bowl, whisk together the mayo, yogurt/sour cream, white wine vinegar, pickles and honey.
2) Add the cabbage and the grilled peppers and onions to the bowl, stirring to coat with the mayo mixture.
3) Adjust the honey and/or vinegar to taste.
4) Season with Creole seasoning, salt and pepper, as desired.

Friday Cocktail #27 - Pink Lychee Slush

noreply@blogger.com (Make a Roux) — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 03:27:00 +0000

Store-bought maraschino cherries, bright red and otherworldy in appearance, are sickly sweet. I'd prefer to preserve my own cherries, but hadn't gotten around to doing so the last time Hubby and I threw a cocktail party. Now that I'm down to a few cherries in the jar, I'm trying to rush it along on its trip to the recycling bin. Every so often, I look at the jar in the fridge and think about tossing it.

Today, I looked at the jar and wondered if the cherry "juice" would make a worthwhile cocktail ingredient. Yes, the juice has HFCS, which I try to avoid buying or consuming, but it also has a nice almond-cherry flavor and that undeniable red color.

I added just a smidge along with some pineapple juice to make a nice, icy slush from my new, favorite bar ingredient -- Soho Lychee liqueur.

One of these days, I'll get around to making my own maraschino cherries. Until then, I'll have an occasional slush.

Pink Lychee Slush

1 1/2 c ice
4 oz SoHo Lychee liqueur
2 oz pineapple juice
1 Tbsp maraschino cherry juice

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender.
2. Blend until slushy.
3. You know what to do next.

Friday Cocktail #26 - Lillet Blanc Refresher

noreply@blogger.com (Make a Roux) — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 04:28:00 +0000

Lillet Blanc is a French apéritif wine. Like other apéritifs, it is said to help stimulate one's appetite.

I paired my Lillet Blanc with some lemon seltzer because all I could think about while standing over a hot stove was a cool and refreshing drink.

Oh, how refreshing it was! And it certainly didn't hamper my appetite, either. ;)

Lillet Blanc Refresher
Serves 2

6 oz ice
8 oz Lillet Blanc, chilled
6 oz lemon-flavored seltzer water, chilled
2 orange wedges

1) Divide the ice evenly among two 10 oz rocks glasses.
2) Pour 4 oz of the Lillet into each glass.
3) Pour 3 oz of the seltzer into each glass.
4) Gently squeeze an orange wedge into each glass, dropping the orange atop the drink.

Serve with your favorite appetizers and toast to your appetite!

Four Years Ago Today

noreply@blogger.com (Make a Roux) — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 04:45:00 +0000

Four years ago today, a tragedy called Hurricane Katrina happened. Many people across the South, especially those in Louisiana and Mississippi were never the same again.

A culture and way of life were forever changed.

I am not from New Orleans proper, but I am from a small town not so far away, which made it tough enough to endure the horrors of Katrina. Wherever you may call home, think of how you would feel if the fabric of your heritage was torn asunder, never to be the same again.

Friday Cocktail #25 - The Day Before

noreply@blogger.com (Make a Roux) — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 02:34:00 +0000

Four years ago tomorrow, Hurricane Katrina made landfall at Buras, La.

I'll be rehashing a bit more on that here tomorrow. For now, here is a cocktail I'll call The Day Before.

This cocktail incorporates Peychaud's Bitters, which were invented in New Orleans and widely used in one of my favorite cocktails, the Sazerac.

Because I didn't have any rye around for a sazerac, I wondered what else I could pair with the bitters and eventually settled on sweet vermouth. As a garnish, I used a sprig of thyme, because it is widely used in Louisiana cooking.

I was pleasantly surprised at the results of my concoction -- the sweetness of the vermouth intermingled beautifully with the floral notes of the bitters.

Day Before Cocktail

1) Fill a cocktail glass halfway with ice.
2) Add 1 shot sweet vermouth and 3 good shakes of Peychaud's Bitters.
3) Top off with tonic or lemon seltzer.
4) Garnish with a sprig of thyme.

Drink to the pre-Katrina world.

Too Hot to Cook - Quinoa & Marinated Feta Salad

noreply@blogger.com (Make a Roux) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 03:36:00 +0000

Is it too hot to cook where you live? If so, consider this making this melange of quinoa, veggies, beans, and chunks of marinated feta cheese for dinner.

There is very little cooking involved in making this salad. The corn and green beans get a quick saute' and the quinoa can be cooked in the microwave. Just check the package for microwave cooking instructions.

This salad is best served chilled. Both the salad and marinated feta can be made a day ahead of serving.

Quinoa & Marinated Feta Salad

Marinate the feta:
1/2 c white or red wine vinegar (Red wine vinegar gives the feta a slight pink tinge.)
1/3 c olive oil
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp oregano leaves, chopped
4 - 5 leaves basil, chopped
1 1/2 Tbsp chives, snipped
1 small clove garlic, smashed
3 oz feta cheese, cut into chunks
generous pinch or two of kosher salt
lots of black pepper

1) Place all ingredients except for cheese in a quart mason jar and shake until emulsified.
2) Add the cheese to the jar.
3) Refrigerate until the salad is made.

Assemble the salad:
5 c cooked quinoa
1/2 lb green beans, frenched and halved
2 ears fresh corn, cut from the cob
2 tsp butter
1 8oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 to 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 c orange bell pepper, chopped
kosher salt
black pepper

1) In a small skillet over med-high heat, saute' the corn and green beans in the butter until corn is just cooked. About 2 mins.
2) In a large bowl, add all of the ingredients and toss.
3) Using a slotted spoon, remove the marinated feta from the marinade and add to the salad.
4) Add a few tablespoons of the marinade to the salad and stir to mix.
5) Continue adding marinade and stirring until the salad is well-coated, but not swimming in the marinade. (Refrigerate and use leftover marinade as salad dressing.)
6) Check seasonings and add salt and pepper to taste.

Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.

Pickled Red Onions

noreply@blogger.com (Make a Roux) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 03:31:00 +0000

Oh, vibrant pink, pickled goodness!

Pickled red onions go with anything and everything. And, when I mean everything, I'm serious -- on barbecue sandwiches, on burgers, in tacos, and chopped in bean dishes.

Here are some of the onions atop pulled chicken and remoulade po'boys:

Pickled Red Onions

2 - 3 medium red onions, thinly sliced
1 1/2 c red wine vinegar
1/4 c + 1 Tbsp sugar
pinch of salt
1 - 2 dried chipotle peppers (I highly recommend those from Penzey's Spices)

1) In a medium saucepan, boil the vinegar, sugar and salt.
2) Add the sliced onions and chipotle pepper and turn off the heat.
3) Let sit for 5 minutes.
4) Remove onions and pepper to a quart mason jar.
5) Pour in as much of the pickling liquid as possible.
6) Add seal and ring to the jar.
7) Let stand until cool.

Onions will keep in the fridge for 1 - 2 weeks.

Simple Things - Tomato Salad

noreply@blogger.com (Make a Roux) — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 06:24:00 +0000

In the summer, the things I serve for dinner are often so simple that there's no need to post a recipe. Sometimes though, I still snap photos of dishes before they hit the dinner table.

This dish of tomatoes with nothing but sea salt and cracked pepper looked so pretty that I just had to post it.

What are your simple, yet beautiful dishes?

Friday Cocktail #24 - White Peach White Wine Spritzer

noreply@blogger.com (Make a Roux) — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 06:08:00 +0000

Ah, summer. The days are getting hotter and we want to lighten things up a bit.

If you're looking to save a few calories, or just consume less alchohol this summer, try a spritzer.

White Peach White Wine Spritzer
1 bottle white wine (I like Pinot Gris, Gewürtztraminer, Grüner Veltliner)
2 white peaches
3 c club soda
cheese cloth
ice
mint sprigs, for garnish

1) Peel one peach and chop into large chunks.
2) Puree the peeled peach in a food processor or with a hand blender and set aside.
3) Chop the other peach and place in a large pitcher.
4) Pour the bottle of wine into the pitcher.
5) Place the pureed peach into the cheesecloth and squeeze to strain juices into the pitcher. Discard pulp or reserve for another use (like your next sorbet).
6) Pour the club soda into the pitcher.
7) Place ice into a large wine glass or highball glass.
8) Pour the spritzer over the ice and garnish with mint sprig.

Holy Guacamole!

noreply@blogger.com (Make a Roux) — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 04:25:00 +0000

Just a quick post about my favorite guacamole.

1 Hass avocado, scooped from peeling, pit discarded
1 small lime, juiced
1 medium tomato, chopped
1/4 - 1/2 tsp ground chipotle powder
1 Tbsp cilantro, minced
Tabasco green
kosher salt
pepper

1) In a small bowl, mash the avocado with the lime juice.
2) Stir in the tomato, cilantro, and chipotle powder.
3) Season to taste with kosher salt, pepper, and Tabasco green.

For a nice change, stir in a tablespoon or two of plain, 2% Greek yogurt or light sour cream.

Serve with tortilla chips, veggies, or a spoon.

qfnzp9cayk

Cajun Thing of the Week #17 -- Capoter

noreply@blogger.com (Make a Roux) — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 04:17:00 +0000

This week's Cajun thing is a word.

capoter v. [kä-poe-TAY]

Capoter is the act of falling down or falling out of something.

"Mais, chere! I sat down in that chair and I thought I was gonna capoter!"

Friday Cocktail #23 - Green is the New Red: "Green Mary"

noreply@blogger.com (Make a Roux) — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 02:23:00 +0000

Everyone wants to be green these days. Why not try a green drink?

My super-sugary Green Grape tomatoes inspired me make this cocktail, which is a twist on the traditional Bloody Mary.

The Green Mary was pleasantly refreshing, with just the right bite at the back of the throat. It was the essence of tomatoes and summer -- fragrant, beautiful and light.

If you are used to the uber-high sodium content of a Bloody Mary made with a mix, this one may take a little getting used to. However, if you have access to some green tomatoes, I urge you to try a Green Mary.

Green Mary
Makes 1 cocktail.

1) Muddle the following in a cocktail shaker:
6 large green grape tomatoes, quartered (or 3/4 c chunked large, ripe, green toms)
2 - 3 thin slices cucumber
1/4 of a serrano chile
1 lime, cut into eighths
2 grinds of freshly cracked pepper
pinch of kosher or sea salt
4 drops of Tabasco Green
1/2 tsp sugar or truvia (more if toms aren't very sweet)

2) Add the following to the shaker:
2 oz vodka (citrus-, cucumber-, or pepper-infused)
1/2 c ice

3) Shake vigorously until cold.

4) Place a piece of cheesecloth over shaker spout and strain into a rocks glass filled with 3/4 c crushed ice.

5) Top off with:
3 - 4 oz of sparkling water or club soda.

6) Garnish with any combo of the following:
lime, green grape tomato, cucumber, green beans

These pair beautifully with goat cheese appetizers.

Friday Cocktail #22 - Watermelon Blueberry Sangria for the 4th of July

noreply@blogger.com (Make a Roux) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 22:37:00 +0000

What's the start of a long weekend without a Friday cocktail? And what's the 4th of July without a red, white and blue cocktail. (Okay, there isn't any white here unless you count the ice. Cut a girl some slack, please!)

My Watermelon Blueberry Sangria is adapted from Food & Wine's watermelon sangria. The original cocktail uses a simple syrup, has no blueberries and no clementine juice. I replaced the simple syrup with Truvia, added the blueberries for a more festive look, and squeezed in the clementines for a citrusy accent.

This recipe makes two drinks, but can easily be doubled or tripled.

Watermelon Blueberry Sangria
1 c watermelon
6 oz white wine
2 oz clementine or citrus vodka
2 oz cointreau
2 clementines, juiced
2 packets Truvia
1 c blueberries, frozen

1. Puree the watermelon in a food processor and set aside.
2. In a small pitcher, add the wine, vodka, the cointreau, the clementine juice, and the Truvia.
3. Mix to dissolve the Truvia
4. Stir in the the watermelon puree.
5. Pour over two glasses filled with ice.
6. Divide the frozen blueberries between the two glasses.
7. Celebrate your freedom to drink something different!

Happy 4th!

Garden Report and an Update

noreply@blogger.com (Make a Roux) — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 17:33:00 +0000

Hello, dear readers.
I've been MIA for a while, but with good reason. I've been dealing with some weird back pain that got me a little sidetracked. Things seem to be mostly under control now, though.

Now that that bit of housekeeping is taken care of, how about an update on the lovely things growing in my garden?

Remember this post? Kitchen Garden Report - Spring 2009 In that post, I vowed to keep track of just how much I saved picking veggies, fruit, and edible flowers from my backyard instead of buying them at the supermarket or farmers' market.

From the time my first veggies (radishes and lettuces) were ready for harvesting, I kept a running total of everything I'd picked. I gave some of the bounty away to friends, but I counted it all here in my total. I grew it and could have eaten it all, but it was worth sharing. When I had time, I even photographed some of my harvests. Finally, I entered everything into a spreadsheet, then went searching for standard pricing.

To determine prices, I used past grocery store receipts, online ordering forms for local CSAs, USDA market prices, and the Rodale Institute price lists for California.

I have noted all items at organic prices, as the only pesticide I use is iron phosphate, which is acceptable in organic gardening practices.

I spent a total of $100 on the spring garden for prep, seeds and plants, plus $9.50 for a box of that iron phosphate when I found some slugs feasting on my beautiful lettuces. That brings us to a total of $109.50 for the entire garden and, as you'll see, I grew over $300 worth of food. Not bad at all.

Of course, it's not all about saving money for me. It's a matter of keeping the spirit of my grandparents alive and putting what they and my dad taught me as a child to good use. It's also about knowing where some of my family's food comes from and what is or isn't on it. Lastly, it's a matter of taste -- nothing can beat fresh food.

What's in your garden? How much money do you think you've saved?

ITEM	YIELD AS OF 6/30	MARKET PRICE	SAVINGS
arugula	8 lbs	2.25	18.00
basil	3 bunches	3.49	10.47
beans, green	7lbs	3.00	21.00
broccoli	2lbs	3.25	6.50
cabbage	1 head	2.70	2.70
carrots, Danvers half long and sunshine	2 bunches	2.50	5.00
cilantro	3 bunches	2.00	6.00
chives	4 bunches	2.00	8.00
cucumbers	9	0.45	4.05
dill	1 bunch	2.69	2.69
chicory	2 lbs	2.00	4.00
escarole	3 bunches	4.99	14.97
garlic, wild	1 bunch	2.75	2.75
lettuces, head	4	2.50	10.00
lettuces, leaf (red and green)	6 lbs	2.75	16.50
mint	2 bunches	5.00	10.00
mizuna	2 bunches	1.50	3.00
mustard, Osaka purple	5 lbs	3.00	15.00
nasturtium, leaves/flowers	1.5 lbs	4.25	6.38
onion, yellow	4	0.85	3.40
onion, green	4 bunches	2.50	10.00
onion, Welsh	1 bunch	2.50	2.50
oregano	5 bunches	6.00	30.00
pepper, banana	3	1.00	3.00
pepper, bell	1	2.99	2.99
radishes, red globe and French breakfast	1.5 pints	2.49	3.74
sage	2 bunches	6.00	12.00
squash, crookneck	10	0.82	8.20
squash flowers	1lb	4.25	4.25
strawberries	1.5 pints	3.00	4.50
Swiss chard	8 lbs	2.69	21.52
tatsoi	2 bunches	3.00	6.00
thyme	2 bunches	6.00	12.00
thyme, lemon	1 bunch	6.25	6.25
tomatoes, cherry	5 pints	4.00	20.00
tomatoes, green grape	.5 pint	4.50	2.25
tomatoes, beefsteak	1 lb	3.49	3.49
upland cress	4 bunches	2.00	8.00
TOTAL SAVINGS			331.10

Friday Cocktail #21 - Tangelo Bourbon Fizz

noreply@blogger.com (Make a Roux) — Sat, 30 May 2009 02:34:00 +0000

Happy Friday one and all. Twas a short week, but exhausting nonetheless.

Today I bring you my twist on the the bourbon fizz.

Your typical bourbon fizz features lemon juice and simple syrup, but I opted to switch out the lemon for tangelo and the simple syrup for agave nectar. I replaced the lemon with tangelo because, even though I enjoy lemons, I just adore anything orange or orange-ish. The agave nectar came into the fold simply because it is simpler than simple syrup. :)

Tangelo Bourbon Fizz
2 oz bourbon
2 Tbsp fresh tangelo juice
1 Tbsp agave nectar
1 shake of Peychaud Bitters
club soda (enough for topping off)
tangelo wheel or wedge

1. Quick-chill a small wine glass by filling it with ice and water.
2. Add all but the club soda and the orange wedge into a cocktail shaker 2/3 full of ice.
3. Shake until icy cold.
4. Dump ice from the wine glass, then strain the mixture into it.
5. Top with club soda, then stir once.
6. Add tangelo wedge or wheel.

Crawfish Boil Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Make a Roux) — Wed, 27 May 2009 04:01:00 +0000

There's nothing like a good, Louisiana crawfish boil with friends and family. Sometimes, though, you just can't make it home because you've used up all of your vacation days frolicking in the sun with your special someone. Yet, you still want to have some crawfish and the communal, convivial experience that is the crawfish boil.

The person who has run out of vacation time and the person who was craving crawfish are both yours truly. I say was, because I finally answered my craving by procuring a real boiling setup, and by having some crawfish shipped via Fedex from Louisiana.

Friends and neighbors showed up for the boil. Hubby helped with the preparations and heavy lifting, and I commandeered the boiling pot. It was a new and interesting experience for my husband and for most of our friends. For me, it was a walk down memory lane and an acknowledgement of the strong, seasonal culinary urges of home.

There may be nothing like a good crawfish boil, but there's also nothing like a good post-boil soup that uses up all of the goodies (garlic, potatoes, onions, sausage) that are thrown into the pot with the crawfish and come out of the pot infused with flavor. You can even use some of the stock if you are willing to invest some time to strain it thoroughly and reduce it.

This soup comes together rather quickly after some chopping. The ingredients have been pretty much cooked for you. You don't have to use the crawfish stock, but it will intensify the soup's flavor. If you go the stock route, don't be surprised if you need to use very little salt or Creole seasoning.

Another thing I do with this soup is whisk in a little flour at the end, rather than starting it with a full-on roux. This soup isn't extremely thick, but it is substantial, tasty, and a great way to re-live the crawfish boil.

Crawfish Boil Soup

Reserved from the crawfish boil:
1 1/2 c smoked sausage and/or andouille, diced
4 garlic cloves, smashed
1 sweet onion, chopped
2 - 3 c fresh corn, cut from the cob
3 c potatoes (baby red or baby Yukon gold (I used both)), cut in eighths
1 lb peeled crawfish tails, rinsed of fat (You could leave the fat on if you'd like, but there's really enough fat in here already.)
1/2 c crawfish stock made by straining and reducing some of the water from the boiling pot (Optional, but gives a deeper flavor profile)

Other ingredients:
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 c dry white wine
3 stalks celery, minced
3 sprigs thyme, de-stemmed
1 c half and half + 3 c skim milk, OR 4 c whole milk (1/2 cup of skim or whole milk set aside for mixing with flour)
1/4 c flour
kosher salt
black pepper
Creole seasoning
Tabasco or Louisiana hot sauce
3 green onions, chopped

1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
2. Add the smoked sausage and/or andouille and saute' to render the fat.
3. Add the garlic, onion, celery, and thyme and saute' until celery wilts slightly.
4. Deglaze the pan with the white wine, stirring up the brown bits in the pot with a wooden spoon.
5. Add the corn, potatoes, crawfish stock (optional), half and half (if using), and milk (minus 1/2 cup for thickening).
6. Stir the mixture, taste and season to your liking with salt, pepper, Creole seasoning and hot sauce.
7. In a small bowl, whisk the flour with the reserved cup of milk to create a paste, then add slowly to soup while whisking.
8. Add the crawfish and simmer for about 10 minutes.
9. Stir in green onions.
10. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Serve with French bread and salad. You've got to get something green into your body to make up for all the decadence in this soup!