kitchensink unplugged

Oatmeal Obsession

2012-01-06T10:47:00.000-08:00

I'm not being a malicious trickster. It's just the fact that oatmeal is said to help lower cholesterol that has propelled me into an obsession to get my husband to unknowingly consume it by masking its presence.

But it was imperative to find out what exactly it was about oatmeal that turned him off. In an effort to reveal his repulsion, I pummelled him with questions that were met with answers like: "I don't know." "It's gross." and "I can't see the tv."

Reading between the lines, I determined that it was the creamy/slimy texture and sweetness of a hot bowl of oatmeal that was unappealing to him.

The key would be to make it savory and more rustic. Furthermore, I needed to add to the allure of the final dish by incorporating some of his favorite flavors into the recipe.

With my thinking cap firmly in place, I concocted this mélange:

Oatmeal Breakfast Pilaf

For the oatmeal:
Sauté 1 cup of steel-cut oats with a little butter in a heavy saucepan until it smells toasty.
Add 3 cups of boiling water and a good pinch of salt.
Give a quick stir and lower the heat until it is barely bubbling.
Do not stir.
It should be done in 20 minutes or so. The oatmeal should not be too soft.

Sauté in a skillet an assortment of embellishments:

Onion, mushroom, sausage are shown here. But the possibilities are endless! Ham, chorizo, bacon, bell pepper, fresh herbs, leeks...the list goes on and on!

Finally, scoops of cooked oatmeal are added to the pan, stirred in and browned a bit. A little salt and pepper are added to taste.

I've made Oatmeal Breakfast Pilaf several times now and Mr. Sutter cleans his plate. At first, I was reluctant to divulge the key ingredient. When I finally did, he was receptive. He didn't spit it out and shout YOU LIAR! YOU CHEAT! HOW DARE YOU BETRAY ME!

So my work here with oatmeal is done. Problem solved. Husband eating oatmeal 3-4 days a week.

They say that cheaters never prosper, but perhaps, they have lower cholesterol.

Further Escapades with Oatmeal

2011-12-06T15:00:00.000-08:00

Last weekend, my 14 year old daughter had a friend over. I spent most of the day cooking, but finally emerged from the kitchen and asked,

Honey, would your friend like to stay for dinner tonight?
Maybe...but first, she wants to know what you're making.

My daughter's friends know me well. I'm like a mad scientist in the lab brewing up exotic foodstuffs, testing recipes on the willing (or unaware) and sneaking in a bit of caramelized onion or a little gorgonzola into their powdery, processed, instant mac & cheese.

I pause for a moment to think about how I'm going to answer her tonight.

The fact is I'm making "Brotchan Foltchep", an ancient recipe for leek and oatmeal soup. But I know if I blurt out that name, it will strike fear and panic into their young hearts and my taste-testers will flee for the pantry in search of a can of Spaghetti O's.

I'm just making some soup. And it's delicious. There is just some onions and butter and chicken broth in it. Nothing scary. I promise.

I served their "Brotchan Flotchep" (which means leek broth, but is also referred to as "the king's soup") in small, pretty, floral teacups to add to the innocence of this rather odd, though totally harmless, soup.

Here it is. Just take a taste. One spoonful. You don't even have to finish it. Just try a little.

And try they did. It was a heavenly soup. Soul renewing and heart warming. Big pieces of tender leeks, creamy, soft, delicate. And the girls loved it. They had seconds and thirds.

Finally, I came clean on the origins and ingredients of the concoction.

"Brotchan Foltchep" was a favorite dish of one of Ireland's spiritual and literary icons, St Columbkille who lived in the 6th century. Columb means "dove" in Gaelic and kille means "church". There's oatmeal in it to add heartiness and thicken the soup a bit. According to "The Country Cooking of Ireland" by Coleman Andrews, this is possibly one of the oldest Irish recipe that we can actually reconstruct!"

And then, as I finished my food history lecture with a wave of my spoon, the girls smiled, nodded and dismissed me by slowly closing the door of her bedroom, leaving me to return to the kitchen glowing with success.

And as for Mr. Sutter, he finished his bowl of "Brotchan Foltchep" and declared it quite tasty. But he still doesn't know there was oatmeal in it : )

Brotchan Foltchep

2 T. butter

6 leeks, washed, trimmed and sliced into 3/4" pieces

5 cups of chicken stock and whole milk, mixed

1/2 cup pinhead (steel-cut) oatmeal

1/2 tsp. ground mace (or nutmeg)

salt and pepper to taste

half & half for garnish (optional)

Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the leeks and sauté over gentle heat until softened slightly.

Add the stock and milk and bring to a boil. Sprinkle in the oatmeal.

Add the mace and season to taste.

Simmer for 20-30 minutes until the oatmeal is cooked and the flavors have melded.

Serve in bowls with a little cream swirled in, if desired, and who doesn't desire that?

(This recipe is a combination from both "Irish Food & Cooking" by Biddy White Lennon and Georgina Campbell and "The Country Cooking of Ireland" by Coleman Andrews)

The Wonderful World of Oatmeal

2011-12-04T15:01:00.000-08:00

If someone had told me that one of the chapters of my memoir would be "Oatmeal", I'd have told them to go pack porridge. But here I am testing recipes that revolve around oats.

I grew up eating oatmeal and other hot cereals a couple times a week. Over the years I have come to shun this humble breakfast food because of it's high CARB status, not to mention my husband hates the stuff.

But after considering the basic elements of traditional Irish fare...of which oatmeal is certainly a key player, I am left with little choice but to embrace it once again. Which leaves me to the issue of my husband.

Oatmeal is good for you honey.

I'd rather have water, that's good for me too.

It's great for high blood pressure, cholesterol and it's low glycemic!

I'm not eating it.

Oh come on, try a little spoonful. It's full of antioxidants.

No. I hate oatmeal. I'd rather eat anything but that.

Really? If you were starving and both the refrigerator and your wallet were empty...would you turn down this lovely bowl of hot oatmeal, laced with brown sugar, cinnamon and blueberries?

Yes. I'd eat the cat. Or some leaves. I hate oatmeal!

Oh, such drama over a wee bowl of cereal.

So now, my mission is to enrich recipes with oatmeal when no one is looking and happily force health and Irishness on my family whether they want it or not.

This recipe, found in Biddy White Lennon and Georgina Campbell's "Irish Food & Cooking", is titled Oatmeal Pancakes, but I have other ideas for them...

1 cup fine whole-wheat flour

1/4 cup fine pinhead (steel-cut) oatmeal

pinch of salt

2 eggs

1 1/4 cups buttermilk (approximately)

Stir everything together, adding enough buttermilk to create a pancake batter consistency.

Ladle the batter into a very hot, greased skillet, griddle or cast iron pan.

Spread it about or tilt the pan to spread.

Cook about 2 minutes, flip and cook for another minute or so.

I used them as a wrap filled with bacon, lettuce, tomato and a little mayo and dijon, which garnered a thumbs up from Mr. Sutter.

This is a nice Irish adaptation on the Oatmeal Pancake, but the melting-pot-American in me has further plans to use them for soft tacos, and maybe a quesadilla.

Healthy, delicious, and Tex-Mex-Irish.

Knock - knock...

2011-11-29T16:47:00.000-08:00

Hellooooo....anyone out there?

Good heavens, it's been a while hasn't it?

After taking time to regroup from my trip to the motherland (UK), and squeezing out the experience from every brain cell to formulate the draft of my book AND eat a mess of turkey, it's time for me to venture back into the kitchen with you in tow.

Since spending so much time analyzing my culinary roots in Ireland and England, it has become near impossible for me to cook or eat without considering how each ingredient, recipe, technique and tool ended up in my 21st century suburban kitchen.

I have an overwhelming desire to identify and weed out much of the contemporary elements and reveal the traditional foodways of my kin.

Not so far back as the Paleolithic era mind you...just the 18th and 19th centuries.

A stroll down the grocery store aisles laden with their other-worldly products causes monkey wrenches to be thrown into the pot on my stove. There are far too many choices and flavors. Do we really need so many types of milk, the hundreds of varieties of colorful boxed cereals and the vast sea of canned soups?

Now, I really don't want to churn my own butter or behead and pluck a chicken. I just want to unscramble my cooking. Sift through history to find the recipes of bygone days and let meals be a little simpler.

So with that, I am going to put aside a moniker that I gave myself long ago when I pulled my first 1 inch high, 20 pound loaf of bread from the oven. It was on that day (there were a couple attempts actually) that I told myself,

"Kevi, you are NOT a bread baker."

But with the determination of an Irish warrior, I re-enter the bread-making arena and tackle the classic:

Brown Soda Bread

I'm using a recipe that I found in Colman Andrews classic The Country Cooking of Ireland. It's one that he adapted from Myrtle Allen of Ballymaloe House in County Cork.

It begins with a mix that every good Irish cook should have in her pantry: wheat flour, pastry flour and Irish steel-cut oats. A bit baking soda and salt are tossed in.

A well is created in the dry ingredients and buttermilk is added. A wooden spoon is specified for the blending (don't think for a minute that I was going to grab a silicone spoon because that could be the beginning of a bad loaf).

The resulting dough could be formed into a classic flat round or pressed into a nonstick loaf pan. I went with the loaf.

And then, I held my breath as the soda bread baked and filled my kitchen with a wonderful aroma.

Then out it came, and it wasn't pretty...

...from any angle.

But once the brown soda bread was sliced and buttered, it was magnificent. Toasty, crunchy outside, rustic, chewy, nutty - it was fantastic!

My husband couldn't believe I made it! Neither could I!

But I did! I did it. I am a bread baker.

A new day has dawned at last and I am feeling my Irish roots unfurl.

KITCHEN AROMATHERAPY

2011-08-19T10:04:00.000-07:00

Early this morning, while barely awake, I zested 16 lemons and my thumb. It hurt. But I didn't care. I bandaged it up and went on to finish my triple batch of lemon bars.

You just can't be sad when you're zesting lemons. I highly recommend zesting if you have the blues. Yellow and blue, a classic combination.

Of course, since I do my best thinking while cooking, other kitchen fragrances continued to wander through my mind as I juiced the lemons and creamed the butter and sugar.

There is something comforting and wondrous about certain food smells. I remember reading that the smell of pumpkin pie is more attractive to men then the finest perfume. My husband came home the other night after a hard day at work. I was baking chicken with lots of garlic, onions and herbs.

I watched his weary and stressful look pass from his face as he exclaimed, "I am really looking forward to dinner."

Then guess what? I totally overbaked the chicken. It was dry and not up to par, but he thought it was the best meal ever. I credit the fabulous aroma that he first encountered when he walked in the door.

Thought I'd share a bit of culinary insight today as I kick off the 5 Day Countdown to Goal for my Kickstarter Project.

Thank you thank you for the support thus far! Both from pledges and the "you go girl" emails.

If you haven't made your pledge, better get your debit card out and do it now. CLICK HERE

I wish you could smell these lemon bars baking.

Celebrated Chefs Cook-thru: Fun Facts Featuring Fritters...

2011-08-14T22:44:00.000-07:00

In reference to a foodstuff, "fritter" originates from Middle English, Old French, and Late Latin words meaning "to fry".

Normally, a fritter consists of batter incorporated with another ingredient such as fruit, shellfish or vegetables. Sometimes that ingredient is mixed into the batter, an example being the exquisite apple fritter. Other times you might find the ingredient dipped into the batter as found in the county fair delight and one of my all-time favorites...the corn dog. (I've longed to create a recipe for a patty-style corn dog fritter...but I'll save that for another day.) Either way the fritter is fried in oil, lard, or butter.

Let the fun begin!

With a handful of bacon and a smattering of feta, this Celebrated Chefs Cook-thru recipe (no I'm not done with this yet) is a corn fritter gone wild!

Celebrated Chefs Cook-thru

Corn Fritters with Bacon and Feta

Dinette

Chef Melissa Nyffeler

First a simple vinaigrette is made from

red wine vinegar, olive oil, Dijon,

salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar.

Next corn is taken from the cob.

and tossed with cooked bacon, sheep milk feta,
beaten egg, flour, fresh basil, parsley and green onion.

The resulting fritter batter is plopped in hot fat
in a non-stick pan, browned, turned and voila!

The corn fritters are served alongside a simple salad
tossed with the simple vinagrette.

The tasting results are in...

husband these would be great with bacon in them.

me there is bacon in them!

husband these would be great with ham, bacon, a fried egg, a steak and some toast.

me you don't like them at all do you?

husband no. do you?

me I think they are the greatest thing ever! I'd eat them for breakfast, lunch and dinner! The cheese adds a hint of creaminess and richness. I love the smokiness of the bacon and the freshness of the herbs and the crunch of the corn. These fritters are sublime!

And my mom and daughter gave them a thumbs up as well.

Well, you can't please everyone.

Maybe he'll like my hot dog fritters. Or perhaps I'll call them frank fritters.

Reminder!

ONLY 8 DAYS LEFT ON MY

KICKSTARTER PROJECT!

PLEDGE TODAY!

kickstarter update #4

2011-08-13T16:45:00.000-07:00

I'm a sucker for positive signs...symbols, omens, clues, winks, thumbs up, green lights.

But sometimes I worry if, as a headstrong human, I manipulate simple facts to be signs from God.

Brie is on sale! Could this be a sign that I should go to France?

I am still far from my Kickstarter Project Fundraising Goal, and I find myself wondering if this is God's way of telling me that I shouldn't go on this trip. Or that perhaps I shouldn't write this book.

I pray constantly that I am on God's path and I ask him to steer me in the right direction if I'm going the wrong way.

But then I see a sign. The apartment that I plan to rent in London sits below a cooking school and my writing is focused around the kitchen. The address is #52 which is the age that I hope to publish my book. Their website is Food at 52, check it out!

Next I open my email and read the Bible Verse of the Day, "If you had the faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it would obey you." Luke 17:6

Does God talk to me through email? Yep. Today He did.

Thank you for all the support I have been given so far on this journey. Pledge if you can and keep passing the link along and let's get this project funded! CLICKHERE

Butterflies and Sweaty Palms

2011-08-05T06:06:00.000-07:00

Today I pitch my book, Tales of a 21st Century Scullery Maid, to an editor at the Pacific Northwest Writer's Conference.

Remember to check out my Kickstarter Project for more information and to help fund the research!

Thanks!

Can't We Just Get Along?

2011-07-30T13:32:00.000-07:00

I consider myself a tolerant person. I embrace people from all walks of life. Various ethnicities, sexual orientations, religions, incomes and, yes, even those with opposing political views.

But there is one group who I distance myself from. Try as I might I simply cannot accept their opinion and feel that there must be something wrong with them. Perhaps an incident during childhood or a disorder of some kind.

These people are the "tomato haters".

We can be conversing happily, chit chatting about weather, finances, family, recipes, but once the appalling statement, "I don't like tomatoes" is uttered, my eyes glaze over and my jaw drops. I turn into Star Trek's Mr. Spock and think, "This is illogical." Like the robot in Lost in Space, I repeat over and over, "That does not compute. That does not compute." And smoke comes out my ears.

Well, maybe I watched too much TV as a kid, but my passion for this fruit is intense! They are an integral part of most of my recipes. In fact, a brief glance at my diet indicates that I consume 1.5 tomatoes per day on average.

Despite the fact that I can't grow a decent tomato to save my life, I have found that I can BUY a tasty one (or 12) at my local farmer's market here in Issaquah.

This morning, I invested $8 of my grocery money on a sack full of tomatoes and enjoyed one sliced on sprouted wheat bread, slathered with mayo, a few slices of avocado and a sprinkle of salt.

I sat on the back porch in a shady spot under a sprawling walnut tree and savored that sandwich while pondering life.

Like a overzealous preacher confronting a slovenly sinner, I want to lecture the "tomato-hater's" to come to their senses and reform their ways. Just toss cubes of Green Zebra's with olive oil, fresh basil and mozzarella. Dip a little Sun Gold cherry tomato in Ranch dip. Put a thick slice of Beefsteak on your hamburger or thin slices of Early Girl on your pizza!

C'MON! WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU?

Certainly there are must be foods that I too simply can't tolerate. I can't think of any off the top of my head. Oh, yes, Liquid Smoke and most of the organ meats.

I suppose I'm being intolerant. I'll try to be more accepting and not grimace when I see one of "them" pick juicy, tangy tomatoes out of their salad.

Enough learning on this glorious weekend. I'm headed back out in the sunshine to check on my Roma's.

LOST ITEM!

2011-07-27T09:00:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I lost my sense of humor...again.
   It's a big deal to me because, if I had to list my favorite things about myself, a splendid sense of humor would be on the top (double chin is at the bottom).
   A sense of humor is a great tool to have in your arsenal. It can be used to encourage others and keep yourself from taking life too seriously.
   The culprit that doused my humor did not do so intentionally. She had no idea that I was sitting in the middle of a paperwork explosion in the office. She was unaware I had been phoning the bank she worked at on a weekly basis for the past 14 months. She didn't realize that it would be mindboggling to me to be asked for a 2010 Interest Income statement for $1.00 we had listed on our taxes. She didn't know that it would push me to the edge of giving up and turn my reasonably cheerful mood into one of darkness. But it did.
   Not even cooking a fine dinner could bring me to a "happy place".

I carried the crappy-ass mood with me throughout the remainder of the day and woke up with it in the morning. I frowned. snapped, stomped, slumped and grimaced. At everyone. I even cursed the chickens and severely shushed my brother-in-law.

Then, I prayed. Yes I did. I asked God to forgive me for being so rotten to my family, friends, and employees. And I pleaded with Him to restore my sense of humor and show me what to do next.

Like always, He told me not to give up. So I'm not.

I feel more positive and determined now. It's easy to fantasize about walking away. New options have come to me and I am thankful.

And now, I must go back in the office and find that 2010 Interest Income Statement for one *!&*(!!@?!^% dollar.

SMILE! and don't forget to check out my Kickstarter Project: BOOK RESEARCH

PROJECT G2 KITCHEN

2011-07-25T16:06:00.000-07:00

Today I launched a 30 Day Kickstarter Project to fund some upcoming book research.

Great, Great Granny's Kitchen

Check it out, make a pledge, pass it on!

Post Power Outage

2011-07-10T19:45:00.000-07:00

As you can imagine, yesterday's power outage left me reeling and in need of an outing.

My daughter and I were able to muster the wherewithal to drive into Seattle this morning for a bit of wandering, writing, women's world cup watching and wonderful sushi at one of our favorite restaurants Japonessa.

I am not a sushi connoisseur, but I love the atmosphere, the selection and the prices at Japonessa. Not to mention, the fabulous location: a block down from the Pike Place Market and right next door to the Seattle Art Museum.

My daughter had a Sashimi Set

of tuna, salmon, yellowtail,

albacore and shrimp.

We shared a spicy spider roll and an "Area 51" chosen from their many signature rolls. Can't quite remember what all this had going on. Must be the result of the trauma from losing power the day before. Nonetheless, I do recall some saucy, spicy crab on top, avocado and cucumber for sure...and some sort of raw fish inside.

Certainly the absence of cooking makes sushi an ideal food for a power outage...or at least a post power outage adventure.

Japonessa

1401 1st Ave

Seattle, WA 98101

(206) 971-7979

Steak for Breakfast

2011-07-09T09:00:00.000-07:00

If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times...

I AM NOT A PIONEER WOMAN!!

Around 6 o' clock this morning our neighborhood lost power due to a transformer malfunction and there I stood in the kitchen like a deer caught in the headlights.

I had wanted to work out on the eliptical machine - electric.

Okay, how about my favorite yoga dvd - electric. I thought about finishing a writing project stored in an internet program - no internet. I considered making a smoothie - no blender. After some time, I fashioned a coffee maker by lighting the gas stove with a match, boiling water and pouring it through a filter - NO! dear Lord, I couldn't drink it.

I fretted about the disposal, the shirt I needed to wash and wear tonight, the smoke alarm's incessant chirping and suddenly, the oven clock began blinking, the hot tub motor whirred back to life and all is well in my world.

This occurred in less than 2 hours. I was thrown out of my routine but now, excellent cup of coffee in hand, I will share with you a recipe that could indeed be cooked over an open flame or barbecue without the need for power whatsoever.

ADOBO SIRLOIN

I like Top Sirloin. It's important to look for pieces with some marbling or it can be tough and dry. I found a decent buy on it (not grass fed or local unfortunately) on sale for $5.99 per pound. It's usually $7.99 per pound and the local, grass fed, organic stuff (which I rarely find marbled) is $9.99ish.

This recipe uses a couple tablespoons of chopped canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.

What to do with the rest of the can? A tip I read recently in a magazine while hanging out in the waiting room at the doctor's office with my mom, suggested that you chop the entire can in your food processor...

...and drop the unused portions by tablespoon onto a sheet (baking not bed) and freeze them. (Note: the food processor requires electricity as does the freezer...but you could hand chop them and store the leftovers in an ice box for up to 2 weeks).

When frozen, simply take them off the sheet and store in a bag in the freezer until your next recipe. The chipotle "patties" can be thrown into chili, or thawed and used. The magazine tested the flavor of fresh vs. frozen and found little difference.

For my recipe, you combine the peppers with garlic,
lime juice, oregano, cumin, salt and pepper...

and rub it on the steaks
(yes, chicken or pork would work nicely).

These marinade for just a few hours and then get thrown on the grill.

Imagine slices of the adobo sirloin tucked into tortillas with a little guacamole a sprinkle of Cotijta cheese and cilantro!

I enjoyed it simply served alongside a good cup of coffee (finally)...for breakfast.

Celebrated Chefs Cook-thru: A Salad with Morals

2011-07-05T08:00:00.000-07:00

Ha ha! I meant "morels"! But there IS a moral to this recipe as well as a secret "ingredient" hiding in several of the pictures...if you find it, let me know by commenting on the post!

Before I begin, please note that I am having problems composing my blog posts in Blogger, so photos aren't centered and line spacing is whacky. Excuse the mess.

Celebrated Chefs Cook-thru

Morel & Pea Salad

Chef Tiffany Layco

Library Bistro

To be honest with you, there was something troubling to me about this recipe. Perhaps it was because the ingredients were foreign to me. I had never eaten a morel mushroom. I eat peas maybe once every 2 years and fingerling potatoes? hmmmm...can't really recall having cooked or eaten those.

Shameful, I know. But at least I'm not like one of the pea addicts of the 1700s of whom Madame Maintenon wrote in a letter dated May 10, 1696,

"This subject of peas continues to absorb all others, the anxiety to eat them, the pleasure of having eaten them and the desire to eat them again, are the three great matters which have been discussed by our princes for four days past. Some ladies, even after having supped at the Royal table and well supped too, returning to their own homes at the risk of suffering from indigestion, will again eat peas before going to bed. It is both a fashion and a madness." Hedrick, U.P. editor. 1919. Sturtevant's Notes on Edible Plants. Report of the New York Agricultural Experiment Station for the Year 1919 II. Albany, J.B Lyon Company, State Printers.

To begin prepping the salad, I recruited the help of Miss Cora to shell the peas, as she is both fashionable...

...AND mad.

I went about prepping the morel mushrooms by halving them,

and slicing the fingerling potatoes.

I then started a large pot of salted water boiling,

and prepared a large bowl of ice water.

The potatoes, peas,

and morels were separately plunged into the

boiling water and then into the ice bath

and set aside to drain.

For the dressing, a beautiful assortment of herbs:

rosemary, sage, thyme and parsley

were chopped along with some shallots.

The herbs are mixed in with lemon zest and olive oil.

And tossed with the cooked ingredients.

This is put on plates along with a delicate greens that have been tossed in lemon juice, olive oil, salt & pepper.

Wow. Wow. And Wow. I loved this!

At first I was apprehensive about morels because they looked like dry, spongey, alien creatures. But the moral of the recipe is that you should always try things at least once. These little mushrooms trapped bits of herbs and shallots and added a mild earthy flavor to the salad.

And the peas? Yes, totally understand why these became the "crack" of French courtiers hundreds of years ago. They burst with sweetness, which was a fabulous contrast to the tart lemon zest.

The potatoes were sturdy and gave more earthiness and texture to the whole dish.

We loved this salad. Definitely could be served as a main dish.

Be sure to let me know if you spotted the secret "ingredient" that showed up mysteriously in a few of the photos...

Tapas with KitchenSink

2011-06-02T13:40:00.000-07:00

Fueled by a recent thumbing through of my recipe/cookbook collection, I've got my experimental wheels turning. If you don't mind being a guinea pig in my mad-scientist lab/kitchen...then I suggest you reserve a seat at the upcoming event:

T A P A S

a t k i t c h e n s i n k

lemon oil + crème fraiche

Salmon Tartare

in cornmeal puffs

grass-fed beef + feta + mint

Greek Keftede

mashed red potato

spuds + spice + aioli

Patatas Bravas

grass-fed beef + fresh ginger + honey

London Broil

on citrus rice pilaf

tomato coulis + basil oil

Eggplant Parmesan

petit fours

join us for a kitchensink dinner of tapas, wines & music

five courses + five wines

6 pm on friday, june 10th in roslyn

suggested donation $35 per person

reply by email to

kitchensinkroslyn@mac.com

Celebrated Chefs Cook-thru: Dessert 101

2011-05-22T20:37:00.000-07:00

If you want kids to get in the kitchen and try their hand at cooking...give them a dessert recipe to conjure up.

Why I can remember when I was elementary school age and decided to surprise my mom with a decadent dessert. She was away on a Girl Scout camp-out with my older sister and since I was a mere Brownie, I was left at home with my dad and baby sister.

But alas, it was not a confection as simple as a brownie recipe that I chose. No, it was a 6 layer cake from scratch filled and frosted with creme Anglais and drizzled with ganache. I can still see the picture in the recipe book. It looked as if it measured a foot tall. Gorgeous cake. There were even some candied violets scattered about.

My final pile up of 6 layers of cake and soupy "frosting" in between may have been 3 inches tall max. The cake was as tough as cardboard and the "frosting" just soaked right in.

The biggest surprise for my mom surely was coming home to find her kitchen covered in flour, egg, sugar from floor to ceiling.

Celebrated Chefs Cook-thru

Hot Fudge Sundaes

Chef Nick Musser

Icon Grill

To encourage kids in the kitchen, find something simple yet delicious. Don't pick something weird like Prunes Stewed in Port or even a lovely Tiramisu.

Innocently, we ordered Tiramisu for dessert to share in an Italian restaurant once and to this day my daughter, Cora makes a face of disgust as she remembers, "That dessert with soggy cookies and bitter, nasty coffee and alcohol - ACK! Who eats that when there's chocolate cake on the menu?"

She was having a couple friends spend the night and I figured that cooking is a great way to keep them entertained AND fed, so I let them loose with this recipe for Hot Fudge Sundaes.

We skipped the homemade ice cream and didn't get too many photos, but here are the steps in a nutshell.

Here are Cora and Mary beginning with the glaze for the Butter Almonds. Brown sugar and egg white are creamed together and melted butter and salt are whisked in.

Slivered almonds are gently stirred in and they are spread out onto a cookie sheet and baked until toasted brown.

At this point, Mary and Cora were left on their own, as Tina (Mary's sister) and I were sucked into watching the first Harry Potter movie and laughing at how tiny the actors were back then.

Suffice it to say no pictures were taken of the hot fudge which was a combination of heavy cream and butter brought to a boil before adding granulated sugar, brown sugar and cocoa.

The serving of the sundaes however, resulted in a profusion of photos,

of which I have only

included a few of the many

angles from which to view

their enticing loveliness.

And how were they?

We licked the bowls and did cartwheels.

FABULOUS HOMEMADE FUDGE SAUCE!

and the crunch of the buttered almonds was delightful.

Despite the fact that we didn't help much, both Tina and I loved them and Tina has already requested these be made for her birthday this year.

And there was hardly any mess. HOORAY!
PS Cora chose to wear a Sutter Paving safety shirt. Safety gear is not a prerequisite for beginning cooks in my kitchen.)

Jesus Christ Superstar - in retrospect

2011-05-18T18:02:00.000-07:00

If there was one thing wrong with last night's performance of Jesus Christ Superstar...it was that we didn't have seats in the "family room".

Because despite the fact that I am 50 and was accompanied by my 14 year old, seats in the "family room" (where small children are free to cry or laugh or talk or eat goldfish crackers during performances) would have allowed me to not only sing along with the show but get out of my seat and DANCE!

It was a fantastic performance! Yes, there were borderline un-biblical references. But some were spot on while being put into a contemporary setting (hoodied street dudes were the apostles who ate fast food for the last supper). And personally, from my perspective as a Christian, I loved hearing the name Jesus Christ said so many times in context (ie not in vain).

Tonight, I am watching the earlier version on DVD, while having dinner (meatloaf, broccoli and salad) and I am dancing and singing between AND during courses.

Hosanna hey-sanna sanna sanna-ho sanna-hey sanna-HOsanna...

ps. click on the Jesus Christ Superstar link above and you will hear many song bits.

Happy Norwegian Constitution Day!

2011-05-17T16:00:00.000-07:00

Ever since I was in elementary school, I've been able to rattle off the nationalities that make up my family history.

English, Irish, Dutch, Norwegian and Finnish

I'd could say it super fast. It became like a mantra.

English, Irish, Dutch, Norwegian and Finnish

I asked a cousin-in-law once what nationalities were in her background. She replied that she believed that her family was from Iowa. This was not an adequate answer for me.

But then, I'm a little obsessed. I have been examining my family roots for a few years now and have been concentrating on the Irish side. I've left the others out for my own selfish reasons. Ireland is simply an amazing place.

Today, however, what with it being Norwegian Constitution Day - I'm flying the red and indigo flag of my Nordic background.

Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, one of the most famous gastronomes of all time, said, Tell me what you eat and I'll tell you who you are...and with that I will crack open the coffee-stained Norwegian cookbook given to me by my sister.

Brilliantly, the front 1//2 of the book contains sweets.

From breads...

To cookies:

To cakes:

And then, sure enough...desserts:

Finally, the book moves on to Meats, Fish, Salads, and Veggies.

Honing in on the sweets, I toyed with the idea of making a nice Kaka, Kringler, Kranser or Kumla. I considered a fruit soup or a rice pudding. Then I found a recipe for Eggadosis which looked like a good way to use up all the eggs our chickens have been laying.

In the end, my day ran out of precious time and I out of much needed energy to try anything new and Norwegian.

We're having taco salads...English, Irish, Dutch, Norwegian, Finnish and TexMex?

Celebrated Chefs Cook-thru: Pan Seared Black Cod with Tomato Keftedes, Horta, and Roasted Tomato Rigani Oil

2011-05-16T18:00:00.000-07:00

Do you ever just want to go OUT to dinner and have someone else cook and clean up for you?

I was having one of those nights a while ago, but decided, NO! It had been too long since my last cook-thru blog. So I decided to stay home, save money and concoct one of the Celebrated Chef recipes.

Celebrated Chefs Cook-thru

Pan Seared Black Cod

with Tomato Keftedes, Horta,

and Roasted Tomato Rigani Oil

Chef Amy McCray

Eva Restaurant

This recipe has an extremely long name. I figured it was because it's not just one item, but was composed of four recipes that made up an entire meal.

Main protein component = the black cod
Side dish = tomato keftedes (a veggie version of a greek meatball/patty)
Side dish = horta (greek for greens in this case kale)
Condiment = herb infused oil for garnishing

Anyhow, here's what I did...

Halved plum tomatoes and placed cut side down

and poured olive oil over the top.

Roasted the little buggers in the oven 'til

they are a little brown and the skin slips right off.

Reserved the oil infused

with some of the roasted tomato essence.

Chopped: tomato flesh, fresh mint,

red onion, fresh parsley and garlic.

Whisked a little batter of flour and sparkling water

together in a bowl.

Tossed the chopped ingredients in

along with crumbled feta.

Stirred it all up.

Dropped spoonfuls of the batter into hot oil.

Flipped 'em carefully when golden brown.

And ate 'em.

No. There's more. But that's where I wish I had stopped, poured myself a nice glass of Peloponnesian white wine to sip and snacked on the delicious keftedes.

But the reality is that I continued the recipe by

pan roasting oily slabs of black cod.

Sautéing a gigantic bunch of kale in butter and lemon.

Adding chopped oregano (rigani), lemon juice and zest

to the afore mentioned reserved tomato oil and drizzling it

over whole lot of it.

I know I'm going to sound like a whiner. But I was disappointed. I don't like black cod and the kale was tough as a burlap sack. I would have been perfectly happy with the keftedes and a drizzle of that rigatoni oil.

And someone to clean the kitchen.

I should have gone out to eat. Sometimes you gotta trust your gut.

Celebrated Chefs Cook-thru: Chestnut Soup

2011-04-09T05:59:00.000-07:00

Now that I'm in the midst of tough economic challenges (translation: being broke most the time) there are a few things I miss:

1) full tanks of gas

2) not thinking about asphalt

3) dining out

I'd be a lying if I said I NEVER go out to eat anymore...just much less frequently.

I love eating in restaurants. It's like performance art - a spontaneous, unpredictable, creative, dynamic, interactive, sensory adventure.

Occasionally, the food is unremarkable, uncreative and dull and I think to myself, I could have cooked better at home and kick myself for having spent the money.

But then, there are the times when the meal is such a treat in every sense and I say to myself, WOW who is the genius behind this recipe? And I fall to the floor rolling in ecstasy and kiss the ground upon which the chef walks on.

Celebrated Chefs Cook-thru

Chestnut Soup with Toasted Orange Creme

Chef Jordan Mackey

Six Seven at the Edgewater Hotel

Now, before you say Aawwww not another chestnut soup recipe! Let me assure you that this is unlike any you've tried.

Just kidding! Who the heck eats chestnuts? The chestnut blight of 1904 pret' near wiped out the chestnut trees throughout North America! And they are sooooo high in carbs - more than a potato! And the color?! YUCK puréed they look like refried beans!

Enough beating up on the lowly chestnut...onto the recipe:

Strips of orange zest are laid out on a baking sheet

and baked for 30-40 minutes

until dry and toasted.

Freshly squeezed orange juice, cream, honey, cardamom,

cloves, bay leaves,

and some of the chestnuts are combined

with the toasted zest and simmered.

This gets puréed into a velvety cream and set aside.

Clarified butter is heated in a saucepan

and in go apples,

...the rest of our beautiful chestnuts,

shallots, chestnut purée. and ginger.

This all is sautéed for a bit until lightly caramelized.

The pan is deglazed with a little apple cider vinegar

and water and bay leaves are added.

After simmering for a little while, the bay leaves

are removed and the remaining

concoction gets a quick

purée.

The warm soup is ladled out for serving

with a good drizzle of warm

toasted orange creme.

And the final result?

On the floor rolling in ecstasy.

Not kidding. That orange creme rocked my world. WOW!! and combined with the tart, earthy, nutty soup and all the fragrant spices and the creaminess...OY.

LOVE THIS!

Sadly to say, I can't kiss the ground that Chef Mackey walks on as he has relocated to Napa.

My husband found this out while he and our crew were paving the parking lot at the Edgewater Hotel. (Sutter Paving 425.391.9091. Free estimates. Great asphalt, yadda yadda, etc. etc.)

Fool me once...

2011-04-01T07:20:00.000-07:00

Well sir, I've become one of those people who likes to know where my food comes from...I guess I'm just curious.

So after examining the ingredients for this recipe, I thought nothing of asking a simple question to my butcher and expected nothing more than a simple answer in return.

Instead, I was mocked and ridiculed.

So dear reader, heed my warning and don't make the same heinous mistake I did...

Celebrated Chefs Cook-thru

Beef Tenderloin with Shallot and Oxtail Braisage

Chef Gavin Stephenson

The Georgian Fairmont Olympic Hotel

I cooked this recipe for my dinner deliver family.

My co-hostess purchased most of the ingredients including some fabulous beef tenderloin steaks. These were delivered uncooked so that the diners could roast them per Chef Stephenson's instructions just before serving.

That being said, my budget didn't allow me to get an extra steak to test. So you won't see that step. Besides, I've had many a beef tenderloin...it was the oxtail braisage I was was looking forward to tasting.

Just to fill you in on the term "braisage", it is the French word for braise...a cooking technique involving both dry high heat and moist low temperatures.

The recipe starts with oxtails, which are browned using

dry high heat and then put in a roasting pot

with celery, carrot, and onion that have been briefly sauteed,

white wine, beef stock and a some sprigs of fresh thyme.

My previous braising experience resulted in dried out meat,

so I reinforced my lid to assure a tight fit

and lessen the release of steam.

After 4 hours of cooking at a low temperature,

the oxtail was tender and falling off the bone.

Both the meat and the veggies are strained out

of the remaining stock.

And then my camera went kaput.

I'll admit the little thing was held together by a rubber band so it wasn't surprising. What was surprising was the final result of this recipe!

This is what happened next...shallots were sauteed in a little butter while the strained stock was reduced.

The meat was removed from the bones, shredded and combined with the stock and shallots.

The resulting braisage was packaged up and sent out with the rest of the dinner deliver to be mounded over the steaks after cooking.

Chef Stephenson suggests tossing any leftover braisage with pasta or serving it over polenta. Either way would have been wonderful. In fact, I think I'd prefer that serving suggestion to the original recipe of meat on meat.

The braisage was savory, rich and warming.

And the foolish question that I asked the butcher?

"What do you do with the rest of the ox?"

His response was suppressed laughter, but soon he fessed up that the FDA allows the meat industry to label it ox, when it is actually from a cow. Duh. Upon further investigation, an ox is simply a castrated cow. So, double duh.

As I've been taught, there is no such thing as a stupid question. Or is it the only stupid question is the one unasked.

Either way, I will keep asking the tough questions and keep you informed about what we are eating. Or at least I'm eating.

Taking the Plunge!

2011-03-22T18:33:00.000-07:00

well. well. well.

Just so you know, I haven't been putting this off waiting for warmer weather or to lose my remaining 25 pounds.

I was waiting for a video camera operator.

So at long last here it is....my United Way Hunger Challenge Plunge.

Rest assured, I was a member of swim team for 3 weeks in high school so there was no risk of drowning despite the absence of a life guard. But be forewarned that there has been no airbrushing or retouching of these images.

Enchanting video is inserted... here.

Thank you to all the generous donors. Continue to remember our neighbors in need this week and beyond.

A Mid-Winter Walk

2011-02-28T21:15:00.000-08:00

What you’re about to read may seem to some kind-hearted folk as a call to arms. But please know that this is NOT a cry for help. If you send money to me, I will return it or donate it to a local charity. Do not rush over with a casserole or offer me a job or gush sympathy at me.

I am writing this for several reasons:

First, for my own sanity. I always feel better when I get things down in writing and out of my head.

Second, it is my hope that it may arrive in the in-boxes of individuals who are experiencing similar problems and offer a bit of encouragement.

Third, it is my hope to eventually publish something, and using my blog as a journal/diary is great practice. (Yes, I’m giving it away for free right now. You lucky pups!)

Last, I’m totally procrastinating on doing my taxes, and what better way to put them off than venting one's frustrations in a blog post?

Here goes...I was feeling uber-over-whelmed today.

I have so much paperwork to complete and numbers to sift through. I know I should just take it one section at a time and babystep my way through the piles…but I keep getting side tracked by life and phone calls from pesky creditors.

I don’t know how to answer these phone calls about past due bills anymore. I hate to lie. I just want to say, Stop calling cuz I’m filling out my bankruptcy paperwork and you’re totally interrupting me.

Or threaten them…You wanna piece of me? You wanna piece of me? You keep calling and buggin’ me and I will put my pen to the paper and it will you be your name on the top of the list of debts to wipe out. I was going to pay you, but now, I’m not so sure, cuz you are bothering me and asking me stupid questions, like, “oh can you just pay us $1,000 today so we won’t send you collections?” Honey, I do NOT have one thousand dollars and I don’t care if you send me to collections! Everyone is being sent to collections! Collections is a cool kid place! You are a total dork if you aren’t in collections!

Where are you going for Spring Break? We’re headed for collections!

Then, I thought…let’s just give up and run away and live on an remote island and grow all our own food and knit our own sweaters and build a house out of palm fronds, but instead I threw on my coat and headed out for a walk to the grocery store.

I pretended like I was living in Paris and walking to my neighborhood patisserie, boulagerie and charucterie to do my marketing instead of the local Safeway to pick up cat food.

I could almost hear the hustle-bustle of the big city streets and smell the ancient buildings mingled with the fresh baked croissants, coffee and flower stalls.

I thought about how everything looks different from other people’s perspectives. That even on the streets of Paris, the sharply dressed women with their baguettes and packages could be struggling with feeling overwhelmed and discouraged by creditors and paperwork and wishing they were somewhere else…perhaps in the suburbs of a lovely city on the west coast of North America where the snow was threatening the clean streets and quiet was just around the corner.

I talked to God on my walk. I asked Him what and why and when and how?

He told me to be still. Be still. Be patient. Don’t force my dreams right now. Struggle through the mess I've made. Work through that paperwork. Do the best you can. Hope is here. Be kind to yourself. Be gentle. Take care. Rest. Stretch. Eat well. Breath. Hope. Work hard. Worry less. Don’t be afraid of bankers. Be honest. Be honest. Be yourself. And listen.

God gave me a good hug, but He didn’t rescue me from the mess I’ve made. He wants me to learn from this and come out of it stronger, leaner and wiser.

I'm actually kind of excited about it.

48 hours

2011-02-20T16:30:00.000-08:00

With better mental preparation, I began the first in the trio of challenges with (once again) the 48-hour fast. I began at 9 PM Saturday night and will end at 9 PM Monday night.

Currently, it is 4:30 pm on Sunday. No breakfast or lunch. No cookie at church. No handful of peanuts or single juicy grape. I've had tea and some vegetable broth.

I am dreading making dinner for my family. If I wasn't on such a tight budget, I'd sent them out to restaurants for every meal. But alas, my fridge is stocked, my checking account is low so homecooking is a must regardless if I get to eat or not.

Otherwise I've been drifting in and out of a comatose stage where I whine about how much I miss food and what I wish I could eat, and begging for a taste of my daughter's Jamba Juice (she wouldn't let me).

I try to focus on other things like taxes and upcoming lawyer meetings and bank documents but they are too confusing.

I consider lying in bed until it's over. All I can think about is food. I'm not even that hungry.

Then I remind myself to make my thoughts obey my goal (thank you Sandi) and that it wouldn't be called a challenge if it was easy. I stop the whining and opt for my favorite distraction: writing.

And what do I write about? Food. OY.

Here is a synopsis of the event that brought this all about, the United Way of King County's fundraiser "Top Chef & Exec".

Envision a typical Palace supper…the long table laden with huge platters of fruits from afar, spicy roasted meats, baskets of buttery breads, mounds of steamed shellfish and colorful trays of fresh vegetables, rich saucy side dishes, and succulent slices of pan-seared Spam.

Huh?

Scratch all that. But keep the Spam. Then add some oatmeal, canned pineapple, canned carrots and canned tomatoes.

These were just a few of the “food bank” ingredients used by the contestants during the fundraising challenge (plus each team was given an extra bonus ingredient for an earlier challenge).

Here was the line up:

Chef & Exec Teams

Team #1

Stewart Lane, Chef at Cuoco (Tom’s new Italian restaurant in South Lake Union)

Dan Fulton (aka “The Timber Titan”, United Way of King County Board Chair and President/CEO of Weyerhaeuser

Team #2

Chris Schwarz Roving Chef, Tom Douglas Restaurants, Etta’s chef for 13 years

Brian McAndrews (aka “The Digital Dynamo”), United Way Board Member and Managing Director of Madrona Venture Group

Team #3

Matt Anderson, Tom Douglas Catering Chef

Colleen Brown (aka “The Media Mastermind”), United Way Board Member and Chairman/CEO of Fisher Communications

Team #4

Brian Cunningham, Tom Douglas Catering Sous Chef and formerly from Etta’s

Shawn Jones (aka “The Financial Foodie”), United Way Donor and VP Loan Center Manager at Wells Fargo (I really wanted to talk to him about my mortgage)

Judges

· Brad Smith, United Way Campaign Co-Chair and General Counsel and Senior Vice President of Legal and Corporate Affairs at Microsoft

· Kathy Surace-Smith, United Way Campaign Co-Chair and Corporate Lawyer

· Renee Behnke, United Way donor and President of Sur La Table

· Hsiao-Ching Chou, Former Seattle P-I Food Writer, Partner & Social Media Director at Suzuki + Chou Communimedia

While the teams worked feverishly to create tasty menus using these limited resources, the rest of the 150 or so guests were treated to a tiny take-out box filled with Asian noodle salad, fried rice and little pork dumplings with a spicy sauce, followed with chocolate cakes and mini cups of chocolate cherry mousse prepared behind the scene’s by Tom Douglas’ Palace chefs.

But back to the Spam and all. Here were the final menus:

TEAM 1 (special ingredient = cheese, borrowed some herbs from team 3)

Frico (melted cheese formed into taco shell shape and filled with glazed canned carrots)

Spam with Tuna Sauce

Herb & Cheese Omelet

Potato Gratin

Oat Dessert with Pineapple Sauce

TEAM 2 (special ingredient = chicken)

Pink Salmon Salad on Toast

Pan-seared chicken with Kidney Bean, Tomato and Spam Cassoulet

Carrot soup

TEAM 3 (special ingredient = herbs)

Spolanese (Spam Bolognese) Sauce atop Potatoes with Sage Gremolata

Tahitian Express (pineapple with brown butter and mint)

Glass of milk

TEAM 4 (special ingredient = fresh vegies)

Braised cabbage with seared spam

Slow cooked beans on green salad

The winner was Team 2. Apparently the cassoulet was exquisite.

Tom Douglas was a gracious host and I learned a lot about the United Way. I hope I get invited back next year. Or I'd buy a ticket. It was a worthy cause and a super fun event.

Now, I better go get dinner cooking for my family...ggggggggrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

Celebrated Chefs Cook-thru: The Recipe that Drove me to Give up Food (for a few hours)

2011-02-19T09:15:00.000-08:00

I was contemplating the order that I would tackle the three challenges that I am required to do as a result of your generous outpouring of donations for the United Way of King County's fundraiser "Top Chef & Exec". (The total is at $550! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU AGAIN!)

Should I jump into Lake Sammamish, then in total shock and awe from the icy chill head to Gravity Jane's for a work-out, then conveniently drop from exhaustion unable to eat for 48 hours?

Or should I revive my weakness from going without food for 48 hours with a jump into the frigid waters of Lake Sammamish, followed by a big meal and then, with renewed energy, head to the G.J. work out?

I thought the answer revealed itself yesterday when I tested this recipe...

Celebrated Chefs Cook-thru

Lobster Mac & Cheese

Chef Robert Kirby & Culinary Director Harry Mills

Purple Café & Wine Bar

First, campanelle pasta (Italian for little bells)

is cooked for only half the recommended cooking time.

An important feature as there is more cooking to come

and we don't want it to be mushy in the end.

Next came an assortment of imported cheeses.

Gruyere from Switzerland, Parmesan from Italy and

a Fontina from the same, whose aroma was so

intensely stanky - you knew it was a goody.

With such fine ingredients to start and lobster to come,

I made sure to search out a particularly rich local cream

as well as some world famous Irish butter.

The butter is heated and chopped shallots

are cooked in the bubbly richness.

The heavy cream is poured in, simmered to thicken

and some white wine is added.

Next came the lobster. I needed 12 oz cooked and diced meat.

Earlier in the day, I had t0 made a judgement call at

my favorite spot for seafood Gemini Fish Market

between frozen lobster tails, live lobsters, or langoustines.

I opted for the mini-lobster - langoustines.

And into the pan they went...

...with the pasta and 3/4 of the cheeses...

...and a good dousing of lemon juice.

I filled one ramekin with the mixture,

topped it with cheese and put it in the oven to bake.

The remainder went into a large pan for transport

to our dinner delivery family.

Overcome with the excitement of the final bubbly brown ramekin emerging from the oven, I forgot to take a picture before I ate it.

It was delicious, cheesy, and rich, rich, rich, crazy rich. I finished it at about 2 pm and couldn't eat the rest of the day. I was stuffed. (ok I had a light snack in the evening BUT I was far from hungry - I felt sick.)

Before going to bed, I determined that this was the perfect time to start my 48 hour fast.

But then...I woke up starving.

I made coffee and a BLT for my husband. Toast and sausage links for my daughter. I fed the cats and chickens. My stomach was growling and I was already getting grumpy.

Can we go to Taco Time for lunch mom?

I can't. I'm fasting.

How about popcorn and a movie tonight?

I can't. I'm fasting.

Are you making that salmon for dinner?

AAAAHHHHHH!

I poured myself a cup of coffee and ate 4 sausages and 2 pieces of buttered sprouted wheat toast.

I thought the 48 hour fast would be the easiest part of the trio of challenges, but now I think I better jump in the lake first...and yes, there will be pictures.