Plate Fodder

Peering Down the Pie Hole - Rustic Apple w/ Sage and White Cheddar

2013-05-21T00:50:00.000-04:00

I tend to go for the gender/bender kind of flavor combinations when it comes to dessert. I don't know about the rest of you... but ice cream with bacon, or pancetta brittle sounds pretty damned good to me. I like the play of savory against something bracingly sweet.... Nothing really finishes a meal more perfectly than a well thought out cheese plate

Those of you that follow us on Twitter or FB know that I did a pig roast this past weekend for my birthday. I'll talk about it more later in the week, but I bring it up because of one of the sides that went into the magic box.
I made a compound butter with parsley, sage and black pepper - and stuff it deep into cored granny smith apples.

They got wrapped in foil and spent the afternoon simmering away in the box with the pig.
They were, in short, fabulous.
I loved that herbaceous scent folded through soft, tender, tart apples.

And that got me thinking...
If sage made baked apples so much more than just an apple - then how would it do in a pie?

As a matter of fact, It does quite well. The sage isn't overpowering; adding just enough height to the pie to elevate it to company worthy.

Here's the thing:
The pie is lactose free but not dairy free (you know, the cheddar), but - Daiya© Makes a dairy free Havarti and a pepper/jack Havarti and if you wanted to go that route, I think either would work perfectly.. even with the pepper kick... for more of a brunch kind of vibe.

Rustic Apple Pie
with Sage and White Cheddar
Serves 6 - This makes 1 small 8" pie. With the crust, cheese and filling - it's a pretty rich thing. The recipe will easily double if you wanted to make the pie for a larger crowd. In that case, I'd probably make 2 small pies so they'll be easier to manage.
Ingredients
1/2 of your favorite pie crust recipe (if you're going gluten free - grab Simply Gluten-Free's GF Pie Crust Recipe)
2 Gala Apples
1 Teaspoon Fresh Sage Chiffonade
1 Tablespoon Self Rising Flour
1 Tablespoon Butter Substitute (Make sure you use something with less than 50%water)
1 Ounce White Cheddar
1 Tablespoon Sugar
1 Tablespoon Sorghum Syrup
Pinch Salt
Baking Sheet
Large Mixing Bowl
Spatula
Rolling Pin

Preheat the oven to 375
Leaving the peelings on, core the apples and slice thinly
Roll out the dough into a rough 12" circle and place on the baking sheet
Chiffonade the sage - roll the sage leaves (about 4 make a teaspoon) into a tight cigar and cut across the tube into very thin slices
Thinly slice the cheddar
Place the apples, sage, sugar, flour, syrup and salt into the bowl and mix well to coat all the apple pieces
Pour the mixture into the center of the prepared dough (leaving about 2 or 3" exposed all around) and fold up the exposed dough over the apples - leaving the center open
Dot the exposed area with the sliced cheese and butter
Place on the center rack and bake for 35 minutes at 375
Cool in the pan to room temperature

Garden Project 2013 - Children of the Hay

2013-05-18T00:22:00.003-04:00

As with all living things, our offspring and progeny begin flexing their muscles, testing the waters and moving out on their own... even the Hay Garden has not been spared.

Through the past three seasons, I've poked and prodded the limits of the bales, trying to coax out the best possible production from this unorthodox medium... with mixed results.

Courgettes, tomatoes, and cucumbers - all perform beautifully producing ample stock for the summer growing season.
The okra, while it never ceases to amaze me how well it does, But with 8' plants it really strains the ability of the hay bales. By mid summer I'm already augmenting the medium with additional garden soil just to keep the root system cool and moist.
Greens and Root vegetables... not so much. I've been awash in lackluster, affected plants with little to no production

So things must change.

Tomato Bales:

Judging by my past season notes, I'm sticking with Pink Brandywine, Parks Whopper, and Better Bush. I know, only one of those is an heirloom.

Here's the thing - Trying to grow in a challenged medium is tough at best. Having to deal with white flies and assorted tomato pests when I'm trying not to use copious amounts of chemicals is even worse. Heirlooms haven't been inbred with critter deterrents - hybrids have. So, to insure that I get a satisfactory production from the plantings, I'm sticking with the only heirloom that successfully fended off the predators - and two other strong producing varieties.

I'm augmenting the bales with three patio tomato plants set into last year's hay mulch for salads, saute's. and the like.

The Tomato Ground Lease:

Since the bales just suck for growing greens, I've planted the conditioned earth in front of the bales with Savoy Spinach (the dark, curly leafed stuff I grew up on... not that pale crap they sell in the market), Red Leaf Romaine and Curly Leaf Lettuces, and Chard

Vertical Potato Hills:

Something new this year are the vertical hills. Each cylinder contains 18 potato slips.

One tower contains Kennebec Potatoes, the other is standard Russet

The "hills" are 2' diameter wire cages, lined with hay.
Inside are layers of composted leaves, 10" garden soil, and 6" top soil - with a layer of 6 potato slips before
the process is completed. to recoup my costs, I'll need to harvest double the number of potatoes to consider this a viable venture

Okra:
Truthfully, I fully intended to plant the okra in the bales this year. It's worked perfectly fine regardless of their height and constant watering.
But early this spring I bought cabbages for a bed on the back side of the house...

... aren't they pretty? They are Farao and Purple Cabbages - an early quick maturing variety.
Checking on them last weekend, I find this:

In case you don't know what you're looking at - this is a bolting cabbage. "Bolting" means the cabbage is going to seed. Intense cold, or extended cold temperatures at just the wrong time will trick the cabbage into thinking it's dying and for it to seed.

Bolting cabbages will never make a head.

Bolting cabbages just take up space.

Bolting cabbage flowers aren't pretty.

So I dug them up and planted Dwarf Long Pod Okra in the bed... and down the walkway to the bed... and in the azalea beds on the other side of the walk. If my trip to Crazytown proves fruitful, I'll have something over 85 okra plants.... I'm thinking of becoming "that guy" selling okra on the side of the road.

Onions:
Around each potato hill are 30 onion slips.
30 Spanish
30 Late Season White
The front real estate for the courgette beds has been planted with 30 Shallot and Garlic bulbs

Courgettes:
Picking my favorites from past seasons, I'm sticking with Patty Pan (a white, scalloped squash), Grey Zucchini (the only variety with flavor), and Butternut (a late season, oblong hard squash)

Peppers, Peppers, Peppers and Aubergine
I went a little overboard this year on peppers and chilies. The day long - beat down on your head - sun in the garden treats them well, so I'm taking advantage of it this year.These are all planted in 3 yards of garden soil mixed with 5 yards of last year's hay mulch and another 2 yards of old hay on top for weed control.

This year's crop is:
Cowhorn, Big Jim, Basque Fryer, Tabasco, Habanero, Pasilla, a mild variety of Jalapeno,and Thai Chili.

In with the peppers are Greta White and Lavender Jewel Eggplant.

The Last Bale:
Last year's okra spot is being sublet to 1/2 Runner Pole Beans or Cranberry Beans (I haven't decided yet). It's the best non- direct spot in the garden and they should do very well.
That bale's front space is planted with Detroit Red Beets.

Herbage:
This year, herbs have flown the coop. There is oregano and sage growing in amongst the rocks and stepping stones, Thyme, Lemon Verbena, Lavender and Rosemary are filling in between the shrubs in the conifer garden; peppery Nasturtium plants dot the front and side flower gardens; and the Greek Oregano and Mint have taken over the retaining banks.

I'm looking forward to a stellar year.

Gooey Gluten-Free / Dairy Free Pineapple Cake

2013-05-10T00:05:00.001-04:00

It's not often that I see a food posting on some social networking thing and immediately run off to make it.
But, that's kinda, sorta, exactly what happened here.

Food.Com shared a photo of a "Do Nothing" Cake. And. if you know my baking skills, that sounded right up my alley.

Here's the thing - the recipe is stupid simple. So whether you do the original from them (click on the name to follow their link) or try my Gluten-Free version - you aren't going to have a lot of time or effort invested in it... so, in that sense, it's definitely a doer.

And, if the STUFF-MY-FACE-TIL-I-HIT-A-SUGAR-OVERDOSE actions of earlier this evening are any indication, anyone you make this for will think you hung the moon, or name a street after you, or lay beds of roses at your feet.

Seriously, it's that good.

Gluten Free
Pineapple Cake with
Seriously Gooey Topping
Serves 1, go make your own. Actually, it will generously serve 8
Ingredients
For the cake:
2 Cups Gluten Free Baking Mix
2 Eggs
1 Egg White
2 - 8 ounce Cans Crushed Pineapple
1 1/2 Teaspoons Baking Soda
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Paste (or Extract)
2 Cups Sugar
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
For the Topping:
1 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Unsweetened Coconut Milk (the canned type, not the daily dairy alternative)
1/4 Cup Coconut Oil, plus 1 Tablespoon for greasing the pan
1 Cup Grated Coconut
1/2 Cup Chopped Pecans
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
Other Things:
11x9x2" Baking Pan
Spatula
Large Mixing Bowl
Strainer
Tin Foil for Tenting
Medium Sauce Pan

Preheat the Oven to 350
For the Cake:

Strain 1 can of the pineapple, leave the other full juice
Mix all the cake ingredients into the large mixing bowl and stir well to incorporate and eliminate all lumps
Grease the baking pan with the oil
Pour in the batter, dust the top with nutmeg, and place in the oven
Place a tin foil tent over the cake to reduce over browning
Bake at 350 for 45 to 50 minutes. (This is based on my particular elevation. You'll need to start watching it at 30 minutes. The cake is done when the center of the cake is firm and set.)
As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, pour all of the icing (See below for those instructions) over the cake and allow it to soak in.
Cool to room temperature before serving.

For the Icing:

Over high heat, bring the coconut oil, coconut milk, and sugar to a boil
Reduce to medium , add the coconut and pecans, and allow to reduce by 1/3
Once it has thickened, set it off the heat and wait for the cake to be ready.

10 (tamales) the hard way

2013-05-06T10:07:00.000-04:00

I guess first and foremost I should say these aren't what you'd call authentic tamales. I didn't learn to mix the batter on my Hispanic Nana's lap. There were no Mexican housekeepers bringing sacks laden with those beautiful little jewels when they came to the house. Nor, have I ever lived with anyone that made them.. I am the walking / talking embodiment of an Anglo/Saxon gene pool, and my childhood idea of a tamale came in those little glass jars stuffed with six paper-wrapped, cigar shaped cumin flavored cylinders. So, no instinctive knee jerk aptitude there.

But...
I worked for a time with a South American construction company.
We ate a lot of tacos... and tortas... and tamales. So I know a thing or two about them. Well, I know what I like and don't like about them. And, as it happens... I've eaten a lot of crappy ones, especially in Mexican restaurants.

For me- the masa should be dense, cohesive, flavorful - with just the slightest pudding consistency; the filling - plentiful, meaty with a couple of tasty surprises in it.... and there should be sauce. I'm less picky about the wrapper.

So... Tamales..
I knew I was going to cook something south(ish) of the border for Cinco de Mayo. But, with the constant rain the past couple of days, the idea of trying to keep anything crisp and crunchy, or getting anywhere near the grill for carne asada was going to be a bust. I opted for something worry-free and easy:

I had masa on hand. There was meat for a filling. I even had some fresh corn husks hanging out in the fridge still on their respective ears... so how hard could it be.

Most of the recipes I researched involved a long process of whipping the lard and folding in the masa. Just so you know, I split the masa in half and tried it both ways.... it doesn't make any difference. What does make a difference is hydrating your dough.

The trouble I have with the majority of tamales is that the masa capsule is d - r - y when everything finally comes out of the steamer. Most of the recipes I poured over had you mixing everything together just before you assembled the packets. I found that by mixing up the dough, covering it and letting it sit in the fridge overnight fixes that problem. And as a side note - I don't use baking powder. I found that leavening in the dough makes the tamales rather spongy for my tastes.

Since I was going to be behind the 8-ball getting all the components ready to make tamales first thing Sunday morning, I needed a way to quickly cook and infuse flavor into the meat filling - enter Mr. Pressure Cooker.

The pork was cooked in record time (30 minutes), and after a little shredding action...

It was all ready to go.

Let's talk wrappers for a minute.
I've used dried husks, parchment paper, tin foil (hell, even Coffee Filters) in the past. And while the husky things are probably the most attractive for serving purposes; there just isn't a lot of flavor there. Not to mention they're damned fussy and outright difficult to manage. But since I had the green husks I figured they would, at the very least, add some corny goodness to the tamale while they steamed - if not just being easier to handle. Yes, they were easy... yes, they smelled wonderful while they cooked and I could imagine tons of corn husk flavor permeating it's way through those masa boats. But after all was said and done - it really made no difference. They tasted like every other tamale I've made.
The moral of that story? Save yourself immeasurable amounts of trouble soaking husks and trying to figure out what to do with a 1/2 package of leftover dried husks - and use parchment paper.

Just so you all know - yes, these are Gluten Free.
10 Tamales
yes, 10. After all that work I got 10 (ten) little pouches of heaven. No wonder they cost the earth when you get them out at a restaurant.
Serves 4
Ingredients
For the Dough:
2 Cups Masa Flour
2 Cups Chicken Broth
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Cup + 2 Tablespoons Lard
1 Teaspoon Onion Powder
1 Teaspoon Ground Cumin

1 Teaspoon Chili Powder
For the Filling:
1 Pound Pork - Cut into Chunks, or 2 good-sized Blade Chops
2 Cups Water
1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper
1 Tablespoon Hot Sauce
1 Tablespoon Vinegar
1 Clove Garlic
1 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
1 Bay Leaf
1 Large Onion - Peeled and Quartered
For the Sauce:
All Retained Liquid
2 Large Tomatoes
1 Clove Garlic
1/2 Cup Diced Onion
1/2 Cup Diced Bell Pepper
2 Cups Chicken Stock
2 Tablespoons Masa Flour
For Assembly:
1/2 Cup Chick Peas
1/2 Cup Pitted and Stuffed Olives
10 10" x 10" squares of Parchment Paper - or - 20 Corn Husks (Fresh, or dried and soaked)
Ball of Twine
Scissors
Pressure Cooker
Stock Pot
Tin Foil
Steamer Basket
Stick Blender (or regular Blender)
Strainer
Water

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The day before:

In a large bowl, cut together the masa and lard with a fork until you have pea-sized granules of mix.
Add the spices and stock and mix well - you should have something about the consistency of peanut butter.
Cover with plastic wrap and store in the fridge overnight.

The next day:

Place the pork and all the filling ingredients in the pressure cooker, seal, and cook for 45 minutes.
When finished, Carefully release the steam, remove the meat (retaining all the liquid and other stuff in the cooker) and let cool down until it's easy to handle
With the back of a fork, shred the meat into fine pieces. (See the above pic)
Set Aside
With the retained pressure cooker liquid, Add the remaining sauce ingredients (except the masa flour) to the pot.
Seal and pressure cook for 1 hour.
Again, carefully release the pressure and allow to sit.

To Assemble:

Place a husk, or square of parchment on a flat surface
Spread 2 tablespoons of the dough in the center of the wrapper, making a 1/8" thick rectangle
Place 2 tablespoons of the meat with a couple of chickpeas and 2 olives on the dough and top with another tablespoon of the masa dough.
Fold the sides up - rolling the dough packet together and seal, Fold the ends over the sides and secure both directions with twine.
repeat... repeat... repeat...

To Cook:

In the stock pot, Place 5 Baseball-sized balls of tin foil in the bottom of the pot.
Add enough water to come to the top of the foil balls
Add 2 Tablespoons of SALT to the water
Place the steamer basket over the foil balls and stand the tamales on end around the sides of the pot. (I've used a small inverted bowl in the center to keep all the tamales on end.)
Bring the water to a boil, Cover, reduce the heat to medium low and steam for 4 hours.

For the Sauce:

While the tamales are steaming (they aren't going to need anything from you for a while - that's why we increased the amount of water in the stock pot), Open the pressure cooker and puree the contents with the stick blender
Strain the liquid into a medium sauce pan and add the 2 tablespoons of Masa Flour
Whisk to combine
Cook over medium heat for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep the sauce from sticking

Now, yes you can stop here, serve up a big plate of 10 tamales with a gravy boat of sauce and call it a day. But - like I said - I like my tamales wet.

So, once the tamales have finished steaming, preheat the oven to 375, place the tamales and the sauce in a shallow baking dish, cover with tin foil, and bake at 375 for 35 minutes... just enough time to allow the sauce to permeate into the masa a bit.
Then have at 'em.

Peering Down the Pie Hole - Buttermilk Pie

2013-04-22T00:42:00.000-04:00

Is it as good as it sounds?
Hella yeah!
In fact, my slightly bruised ego aside, Jane says it's the best pie I've ever made.

About a month ago, I come into the kitchen and find this...

on the kitchen counter with a note that said, "I want this."
- Yes, that is a clothes pin.
- Yes, that recipe does say tartlet and berries... ignore that for a minute

You know Jane can't eat chocolate, so unless she's muttering "chocolate pie" in her sleep (which she has been known to do) I'm pretty receptive when there is something dessert-wise that she asks for.

Only...
They were nancy little tartlets in puff pastry... eesh! I don't do fussy.
They had berries - she isn't a fan.
There was a 1/2 cup of heavy cream in the recipe - she's severely lactose intolerant.
So, wanting and getting were going to need a little attitude adjustment.

A Couple of Things:
1. The recipe is based on the Williams~ Sonoma New Flavors for Dessert Book, and the crust is (low-end) store bought readi-made. I make a point to say low-end because I've found that, by and large, discount and store brand readi-made crusts are dairy free. As opposed to... say something like Pillsbury or Marie Callander - which typically have butter, milk solids, or whey. But, if you have your own favorite from-scratch crust you like to use - by all means...

2. I would normally have attempted this as a dairy free version, but those dairy-free buttermilk substitutes are just garbage, and I really don't think they would perform the way I needed it to. So this is a Lactose Free pie - but not Dairy Free.

3. Because it is a pie and not tarts the cooking time and the way I handled it are going to vary from the original recipe - meaning, if you decide to do tarts, my cooking times are going to overcook your tart.

4. The products I've listed (Tofutti and Land O' Lakes) are specific. I like, know and trust the results I get from Tofutti, and unlike other cream cheese substitutes - it's bakeable. Land O' Lakes margarine is oil and buttermilk solids with ZERO water added - so it is an even swap for butter in a recipe.

Think of the pie as kind of an icebox in flavor - but lighter. It has a little tang to it from the buttermilk, but not enough from the lemon to read citrus. Think cheesecake custard, and you'll be close.
All I know is that it was damned delicious.

Toasted Coconut Buttermilk Pie
Adapted from:
Williams~Sonoma - New Flavors for Desserts
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients
1 1/2 Cups Cultured Buttermilk
1/4 Cup Tofutti Cream Cheese Substitute
2 Tablespoons Lactose Free Milk
1 Cup Sugar
1 Tablespoon Cornstarch
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
2 Extra Large Egg Yolks
2 Teaspoons Lemon Juice
1 Tablespoon Land O' Lakes Margarine
1/2 Cup Grated Coconut - divided
1 - 9" Readi Made Deep Dish Pie Crust
(or like I said, feel free to make your own)
9" Deep Pie Pan (if you're going that route)
Large Non-Reactive Sauce Pan
Spatula
Whisk
Sheet Pan

Preheat the oven to 400
Pre-bake the crust for 15 minutes on the middle rack.
Toast 1/2 of the coconut over medium heat until lightly browned - set aside
Place the remainder of the filling ingredients (except the margarine) in a non-reactive sauce pan and whisk well until smooth
Place over medium heat - whisking constantly - until the filling thickens to the consistency of pudding. This should take 8 to 10 minutes. Set the filling off the heat and stir in the "butter" until completely incorporated.
Place the toasted coconut in the bottom prepped pie shell and carefully pour the filling over
Top with the remaining non-toasted coconut
Place the pie plate on a sheet pant and bake for 15 minutes at 400 on the bottom rack of the oven
Lower the temperature to 350, move the pie to the middle rack, and bake another 15 minutes.
Cool on a rack to room temperature then transfer to the fridge to chill completely - about 2 hours.
Cut and Serve!

Tales of Woe - That Brown Rice Salad

2013-04-20T11:01:00.003-04:00

The TV is on most days throughout the day primarily as background noise. I don't really think about it being on anymore. It lightens my day when there's nothing going on except my own brooding, it keeps the terrors and worries of my career (or lack thereof) at bay; it keeps me company. But, most importantly - it's just on. Call me wasteful, pummel me about the head and shoulders for the abnormally large carbon footprint I'm leaving for future generations, I don't even care. I have persistent tonal tinnitus (Mine is a constant high "C" with a medium tone hiss that seems to hover somewhere about 6 inches from my head... all the time) and background noise is the only thing that stands between me and the express bus to Crazytown.

... so it stays on.

The other day while reading, I halfway hear Giada on the Cooking Channel talk about a Citrus Brown Rice Salad and my head checks in for a bit to listen in. I like rice salads.
Mentally, as she's talking, I'm making adjustments..

- "lemon" egh, no lemon. That girl puts lemon in everything. I don't really think tart would work very well... and there's that whole thing with with citrus and starch break down.

- "almonds" they're almost as cliche as sun dried tomatoes.

- "brown basmati rice" I did that once, I might as well have eaten cardboard cut into confetti. I do have some of that Integrale Brown Risotto Rice left that I got from Marx Foods a while back. That would be better with a little creaminess to blend things together.

I kinda followed the recipe she gave... there is rice, and a vinaigrette.... and some nuts.

So... why the Tale of Woe?
Unless you really dig brown rice, a little goes a long way. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for being healthy, and it was very tasty, and it made a terrific side dish once for Hadji and a Couple of Thugs. But, it makes a boat load of rice salad. That's a serving each for Jane and me - and a big-ass container in the fridge that just sat there demanding to be eaten even when you aren't exactly feeling rice salad... that's kind of sweet... and tastes like oranges.
And, it doesn't come close to filling the late-night-stand-at-the-fridge-with-the-door-open-and eat-out-of-the-container snack mood.

By sheer serendipity, it did find it's way into several different versions of teriyaki fried rice over the course of the following week, though. Which - oddly - is probably the only reason I'd ever make it again.

Brown Rice Salad
adapted from Giada De Laurentis'
Citrus Rice Salad
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients
For the Salad:
2 Cups Brown Integrale Rice (feel free to use any risotto rice or brown rice - or - for a slightly creamier brown, mix 1/2 and 1/2 with a risotto rice)
1/2 Cup Fresh Peas
3 Cups Vegetable Stock
1 Cup Celery Tops - Roughly Chopped
1 Orange - Zested
3 Scallions - Finley Chopped
1/2 Cup Pistachio nuts - Roughly Chopped

For the Dressing:
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
Juice from the Orange you Zested
3 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
1 Tablespoon Honey
2 Teaspoons Ground Cumin
1/4 Teaspoon Red Chili Flakes
1/4 Teaspoon Cracked Black Pepper
About 1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt (adjust for your own taste)
Other Things:
Rice Cooker
Sheet Pan
Large Mixing Bowl
Spatula
Blender

Amazon.com Widgets

I could go into details about how to properly do brown rice - but to be honest, I use a rice cooker. Plop in the rice, glog in the stock and let it go... it tells me when it's ready. Do yourself a favor and get one.
You can thank me later.

So, Rice and stock in the cooker, wait til the light goes off and it's done. Dump the rice out onto a sheet pan and allow to cool to room temperature.
chop the nuts, scallions, and celery tops; place in the bowl with the cooled rice and zest - Mix well.
Place all the dressing ingredients in the blender and whirr around for 2 minutes
Pour over the rice mixture and mix well
Taste for additional seasoning and add salt as needed.
Let sit for 15 minutes or so before serving. The salad can be served room temperature and transports well to picnics, outings, or pot lucks.

Shank'd - Faux Pho

2013-04-15T01:30:00.000-04:00

I'm a horror when it comes to shopping at the international markets. I buy things that:

I have no idea what they are

What you're supposed to do with them

Buy just way too freakin' much of it.

Sometimes, all three.... shush...

My last outing, I bought 2 - 2.5 pound packages of white miso paste. In all fairness to me, one was miso + dashi, so that makes it all better...

Anyway, I bought them, I own them, and they live in the freezer waiting for that special day when they would earn their keep in my kitchen.
That would be today.

Photo Courtesy of National Cattlemen’s Beef Association

So, I was poking around the meat counter the other day can came across a package of Beef Shank Steaks.
Two beautifully plump, thick marrowed, perfectly packaged 3" hunks of bovine nirvana... and I had to have them.

The thing was... I had absolutely no idea what I was going to do with them... like the miso - I just wanted them.

Last night I got the craving for a beefy, noodle y soup and I thought that those shank steaks would make the perfect base for a faux pho.

I'm calling it faux because:

The dish is Vietnamese
The Miso is Japanese
The 5 spice is...well, Chinese

So, kinda - sorta Asian Multicultural

Faux Pho

Miso Beef Shanks with Rice Sticks

Serves 2 (maybe 3)

Ingredients

2 Good Sized Beef Shank Steaks

4 Cups Vegetable Stock - Divided

3 Tablespoons Reduced SodiumWhite Miso with Dashi

(If the miso paste you're using is sans dashi, Add 1 Teaspoon of Dashi Powder to each Steak)

2 Cloves Garlic - Minced

1/4 Teaspoon Red Chili Flakes

1 Shallot - Sliced Thin

1 Carrot - Cut into very thin rounds

1/2 Cup Shredded Cabbage

2 Scallions

2/3 Package Rice Sticks

(usually there are 3 pillows of noodles in a package - use 2)

Amazon.com Widgets

Coat each steak with 1 tablespoon of the miso / dashi, place both in a large zipper bag with the shallots and garlic. Seal and let marinate for a minimum of 1 hour

Preheat the oven to 325
Place the shanks in a covered casserole (or dutch oven) and add 2 cups of the vegetable broth.
Cover and braise for 2 1/2 hours

Carefully lift the shanks out of the braising liquid and set aside to rest a bit
Skim off all the fat from the remaining liquid
Set the dish over medium high heat, add the remaining broth, carrots and cabbage, the remaining tablespoon of miso, the Chinese 5 spice and chili flakes, and bring to a boil
Once the stock is at a rolling boil, set off the heat and place the 2 bundles of rice sticks into the hot broth - allow to sit for 10 minutes off the heat.
While the noodles are steeping, push the marrow out of the bone and divide into half and thinly slice the shank meat across the grain

In 2 large bowls, divide and place 1/2 the noodles into each
Place 1/2 of the sliced meat with the marrow over the noodles and top each with 1/2 the vegetables and broth

Hadji and a Couple of Thugs

2013-04-13T00:27:00.000-04:00

Here's the thing... so it's not quite Alibaba and the Forty Thieves...
okay - not even close.

But the thought of packing 40 cloves of garlic into a chicken wing dish just gave Jane the Heebie Jeebies , 'cause she's not really the garlic-zoo-breath kind of fan like I am.

But -
What I did have was:

a lone leek that missed getting into the beef stew pool
a shallot, some scallions
a Spanish and Texas Sweet
and a single garlic clove

All just hanging around taking up space.
So, it's not a herd of scimitar wielding, pajama pant wearing, bare-chested thieves... just a couple of smelly onion-y thugs.

Chicken Wings with Mixed Alliums

Serves 2 to 3

Ingredients

8 to 12 Whole Joint Chicken Wings

1 Leek

2 Shallots

1 Spanish (or other strong onion)

1 Texas Sweet (or other sweet onion)

1 Clove Garlic

2 Scallions

1 Carrot

Salt and Cracked Black Pepper

6 to 8 Saffron Threads (a good pinch)

1/4 Teaspoon Ground Cumin

Amazon.com Widgets

Preheat the oven to 375
Tuck the wing tips over the second joint so they look like pajama pants (or a swanky pair of MC Hammer dancin' pants) Season well on both sides with salt and pepper
Clean and chop the leek, Spanish and sweet onions
Peel the carrot and cut into 2" sections; slice length way into thin slices
Peel and crush the garlic
Place all of the vegetables in a shallow covered casserole dish
Place the prepped chicken wings on top and sprinkle with the cumin
Crush the saffron between your fingers and sprinkle over the wings
Cover and bake at 375 for 45 minutes
Finely chop the scallions and top the dish before serving

Serve with tomorrow's recipe - Brown Rice Salad

2013 Hay Garden - Get them bales ready

2013-04-05T14:49:00.000-04:00

Since it's time to start thinking about the garden, I've decided to re-issue the Hay Bale Garden instructions and post from when it first started.

Up here in the hills - unless you're living on the eastern side of Dahlonega, or down in one of those picturesque, lush farming valleys heading out Hwy 52 towards Ellijay - you don't have a lot of options for gardening or growing anything..... except rocks. The result of the clear cut logging in the Appalachians back in the 30's has left most of the surrounding areas completely devoid of any really usable topsoil.

Our property isn't any different.

99.999% of our land is scrub forest and DR (Decomposed Rock), dispersed with intermittent layers of that good ol' sticky Georgia Red Clay.
.... needless to say, gardening is a challenge.

In 2009, we attempted to container garden. It was lackluster at best. Even with drip lines and composted manure, the containers were just no match for the hot summer heat, and the diminutive bounty was the proof.

Opposed to previous years, this year we aren't even starting the bale rotting process until May 1st. I've found that with our extremely hot and humid summers, the bales deteriorate much too quickly and by mid July, the bales have lost most of their heft and need augmenting with garden soil. Which - isn't that bad of a thing....
but remember, I'm cheap. And I don't see the sense of adding more cost to a thing that supposed to be cost and effort free (once it's set up.)
So, I'm waiting.

Bale set up in your particular area is going to depend on temperatures and rainfall. You want the ambient temps in your garden area to be around 60 degrees in the evening to insure the rotting process continues throughout the night - and sufficient rainfall to keep the bales moist for the 2-week prep period.

Hay Bale Garden
Feeds 1 (smallish) Family
Ingredients
Wheat Straw Bales - Use the following as a guide on the number of bales you will need.
Tomato Plants - 2 per bale
Pepper Plants - 3 per bale
Okra - 6 per bale
Squash - 4 per bale
Potatoes (Sweet or White) - 2 per bale
Onions - 16 per bale
Radishes - 16 per bale
Carrots - 24 per bale
Eggplant - 4 per bale
1 Bag Ammonium Nitrate (or 1 bag 32-0-0 fertilizer)
1 Bag 10-10-10 fertilizer
Tomato Cages (Tomatoes, peppers, okra will all need staking - The tomato cages work really well as you can jab them down through the bale and into the ground for added support.)
1 Large Bag of Composted Cow Manure (or just really good composted medium)
Water

Procedure:
Set the bales out in your desired garden area where they get an ample amount of sunlight
Turn the bales so that the binding string wraps around the sides of the bale. (This will hold the bale together better as it rots.)

Days 1 - 3:
Saturate the bales twice a day allowing the water to soak deep into the bale

Days 4 - 6:
Apply 1/2 Cup of nitrate to the top of the bale and soak in into the straw with water

Days 7 - 9:
Reduce the amount of nitrate to 1/4 cup - continue to soak the fertilizer into the straw.

Day 10:
Discontinue with the nitrate, and add 1 Cup of 10-10-10 fertilizer to the bale and soak through

Day 11:
(For plants):
Transplant your plants into the bales. I used a spatula to make a crack in the bale for each plant. Place the plant down to its first leaf and close the crack back together as best you can.
(For seeds):
With the compost, add about a 2" layer of garden medium into the top of the bale and press it down a bit.
Space your seeds according to the above guide. - or - sow
them in evenly across the top (you will just have to thin them out as they sprout)

3CJ5KUCSNBJW

Baked Oats - Revisited

2013-04-03T00:08:00.001-04:00

I've been eating baked oatmeal nearly everyday since that first post a couple of weeks ago. I've done it with pearled oats, steel cut oats, old fashioned and quick cook. I've changed the ingredient mix-ins, I've monkeyed around with proportions and liquids and cooking times...

And, I've come to the realization of a couple of truths:

I really don't like breakfast. The thought of getting up in the morning before there's even a sun and stuffing anything in my pie hole before I've had 2 or 3.... pots of coffee - is just craziness. I don't know how anyone does that. I found that I like eating it better as a snack cake... or dessert.

It doesn't work with anything other than a smushed oat. Pearled and steel cut oats just can't hydrate enough, and because of the whole graininess it can't merge with the eggs. You get sweetened scrambled eggs with bird feed on top. And while any rolled type oat will work, standard - old fashioned oats give you the perfect balance of texture / creaminess / tenderness. Quick cook oats - while they are rolled - tend to lose much of their structure while hydrating, leaving you with pretty much a bowl of goo.

After 4 attempts at the baked oats, I found I really dislike yogurt. I especially dislike cooked yogurt. And there isn't any way to hide that off-date milk cheesiness it has.

Although I'm something of a butter fiend, (I do love me some full-fat moo cow creaminess) And to be fair, I did try it with 3 different varieties of butter - Standard American Creamery / Irish / and Mountain - I don't like it in the oats. To me, butter is too heavy and flavorful, and it masks the delicate oaty flavor. I found Land O Lakes Buttermilk Margarine lighter in flavor and less heavy. But to be perfectly honest - it's really best made with run of the mill vegetable oil.

It's better with fruit. Specifically - Dried Fruit

After twelve different good attempts, a couple of complete misfires, and one unashamed complete spatula scrape into the trash basket, I've come up with a version to the original that I'm perfectly happy with.

Cranberry Orange ~ Baked Oats
This recipe is based on Just Baked Oatmeal's Basic Baked Oatmeal Recipe - Find that recipe HERE
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
The Hydrate:
2 Cups Old Fashioned Rolled Oats
1 Cup Buttermilk
The Bake:
2 Eggs
1/3 Cup Sugar
1/4 Cup Oil
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1 Cup Craisins (Sweetened, Dried Cranberries)
1 Tablespoon Orange Zest
The Other Stuff

Amazon.com Widgets

Hydrate:

Mix the oats and buttermilk together in the bowl.
Cover and allow to hydrate for 6 to 8 hours.

Baking:

Preheat the oven to 350
Mix the remaining ingredients in the bowl with the hydrated oats. Stir well to make sure everything is good and combined
Spray the pie plate with cooking spray and fill with the oat mixture
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes - until the center is firm and the top is lightly browned
serve with your favorite topping.

I've served it with Tofutti Soy Cream Cheese and some macerated orange slices in syrup.

Bread Whore - Holla', erm... Challah!

2013-04-01T01:23:00.003-04:00

I'm a card carrying member of Bread Hoarders Anonymous. So, Forget that I have a package of English Muffins in the fridge (and one in the freezer). Never mind that there are a dozen buttermilk biscuits, 8 corn muffins, a bag of Tablouleh rolls, 2 packs of flour tortillas, a tube of canned biscuits, and a loaf of sandwich bread lounging around in the cupboards. And you didn't even see the disk of Cracker bread, a half-eaten box of water crackers and assorted saltine shaped things only slightly hidden from prying eyes.

I haven't had any bread in 3 years.

And, Unless they come with a warrant - that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Because I'm such a pillar of the BHA community, I decided to not do bread this year for Easter Dinner.
Regardless what you may have heard, there was none of this...

... parading up alongside of the Herb Crusted Rolled Lamb Steaks.
and there definitely wasn't any of this...

Served up in hearty slabs with the Broccoli & Leek Cream Gratin.
And, there certainly wasn't any..

slathered with butter (or butter-like substitute), eaten with abandon and relish after the plates were cleaned.
So, there's nothing to see here.

That was for the benefit of my sponsor....

Here's the thing...
I religiously make two breads every year at this time - Hot Cross Buns and Challah. But, since I'm really trying to curb the hoarding complex, I really decided not to give in to the old demons to make either. I really wasn't.

But lamb calls out for yeasty bread...
and I'm weak.

The recipe is a basic egg bread, but in pulling together the ingredients, I realized I didn't have enough all-purpose flour, and the only oil on hand was peanut oil. So, this is challah with self-rising added to the mix and peanut oil... two very Southern things; besides, I'm not even Jewish. I didn't even bother with gentle treatment of the dough, I just dumped it all in a bowl together and kneaded the crap out of it. So, I'm taking a firm grasp on my heritage and calling it Holla!

Plate Fodder Holla
Makes 1 18" Braid
Ingredients
For the Holla:
3 Cups White Lily All Purpose Flour
1 1/2 Cups White Lily Self Rising Flour
(White Lily flours are a soft wheat flour. I find they work best for any baking we do here without all the bother and fuss of keeping bread flours, cake flours, high / low gluten flours)
1/4 Cup + 1 Tablespoon Sugar
1 Cup Warm Water
1 Package Yeast (that's 2.5 teaspoons of dry - or - 1/2 ounce of compressed)
2 Eggs
1/4 Cup Peanut Oil
2 Teaspoons Salt
For the Egg Wash:
1 Egg - Beaten
1 Tablespoon Poppy Seeds
Other Things:
Large Mixing Bowl
Spatula
Pastry Brush
Baking Sheet

Dump all the ingredients for the bread into the bowl and mix together with the spatula until a rough ball forms
Turn out onto the counter and knead for 10 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic
Place back in the bowl, cover with a cloth and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled in size
Punch down and let sit for 10 minutes
Divide into 4 equal parts
Roll each piece into 24" logs
Braid the loaf by laying the outer braids over the other two on each side, and repeat until you have approximately and 18" braided loaf
Tuck the ends under and place on a baking sheet Cover with a dry cloth and all to rise for another 45 minutes
Preheat the oven to 375
With the pastry brush, lightly coat the entire top of the braid with beaten egg and liberally sprinkle poppy seeds across the top of the loaf.
Bake at 375 for 30 to 35 minutes - or until the loaf makes a hollow "thunk" when tapped
Cool on a rack

Talkin' Swede (Part 2) - Get in my Belly

2013-03-26T00:37:00.000-04:00

Feasting on Neeps...

We'll dispense with all that background stuff from earlier and just get to the goods today. (Head back THIS WAY if you didnt read PART 1) And, while there are a lot of tasty, ingenious ways to prepare swede out there on the internettyweb-o-matic thingy, not everyone is going to be all that keen on eating Neep Crostini, or Candied Swede, or Rutabaga Sorbet...

Although, Jane did inadvertently make a Rutabaga Pie quite by accident a couple of Thanksgivings ago when she reached for the pureed butternut squash and snagged the mashed rutabagas instead...

...it was god-awful. You can read all about it at Bad Pie, Harbinger of Death in a Crust.

No, Today were going to concentrate on good things on happy memories and good things to eat.

First up - The Basics.
The easiest way to introduce yourself to swede is the way it comes in a can - diced and simmered.... only better than a can, you know.

Swede with Butter and Parsley
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
1 Rutabaga
3 Cups Water
2 Tablespoons Butter (or suitable substitute)
1 to 1 1/2 Teaspoons Salt (Depending on your particular sodium load)
1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper
1/4 Cup Finely Chopped Parsley
Large Sauce Pan

Peel, cut the swede into 1/2" slices and then into 1/2" cubes
Place in the pot with the water, salt and pepper and bring to a boil
Reduce to medium low and simmer for 20 minutes
Drain and toss with butter and the chopped parsley

Now, once you've gotten to this step, you can serve them up like this - of course, but cooked neeps can be substituted for any place you can or would use potatoes...
...or...

Toss Them in your Favorite Scalloped Potato Recipe
Use them instead of macaroni in your Mom's cherished Mac n Cheese
Add them to cooked orzo and fold in some raisins and pine nuts for a pleasing side dish.

But..
They don't have to be precooked in order to utilize them. Feel free to add them to your favorite stew, instead of turnips in your pot roast, or added to your favorite New England Style Boil Dinner

Or, instead of mashed Potatoes...

Winter Vegetable Mash

Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
1/2 Rutabaga (Peeled and Diced)
1 Large Carrot (Peeled and Diced)
1 Cup Diced Sweet Potato
1 Clove Garlic
2 Teaspoons Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper
1/4 Teaspoon Nutmeg
3 Cups Chicken or Vegetable Stock
1/2 Cup Heavy Cream
2 Tablespoons Butter
Large Sauce Pan
Spatula
Strainer
Large Mixing Bowl
Food Mill

As with the simple swede, place the swede, carrots, sweet potato, garlic and stock in a large sauce pan and bring to a boil
Reduce to medium low and skim off the flotsam that rises to the top
Add the salt, pepper and nutmeg and simmer for 20 minutes... or until the swede is fork tender
Drain and pass through a food mill in the mixing bowl to remove the additional fibrous bits
Add the cream and butter and fold in to the mash
Taste and adjust for salt

Or.. Instead of French Fries

Salt and Vinegar
Swede Fries
A typical swede will yield around 4 dozen fries. I suggest doing them in smaller curing batches to insure an even coating while they marinate.
Ingredients
1 Rutabaga (Peeled and cut into 1/2" Slices)
2 1/2 Teaspoons Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Onion Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper
2 Tablespoons Cider Vinegar
2 Teaspoons Sugar
1/4 Cup Oil
Paper Towels
Baking Sheet
Large Zipper Bag
Tongs
Mixing Bowl
Kosher Salt for Finishing

Peel the swede and cut into 1/2" rounds
Cut each of the rounds into 1/2" sticks - set aside
In the zipper bag, add all the remaining ingredients - except the oil - and mix well
Add the swede sticks to the marinade and allow to cure in the fridge overnight. Rutabagas are a dense, dense root vegetable - they are going to need considerable time in order to get the flavors in.

When you are ready for fries:

Preheat the over to 425
Remove the fries from the marinade and dry on paper towels
Toss the fries in the oil to get an even coating and place in a single layer on the baking sheet
Bake at 425 for 45 minutes; turning the fries over 1/2 way through the baking
Drain the cooked fried briefly on paper towels to remove any excess oil and sprinkle with kosher salt

Or, as a smashing substitute for slaw with some killer BBQ:

Swede Salad
Serves 4
Ingredients
1/2 Swede
2 Medium (ish) Carrots
5 Radishes
Dressing:

1/2 Cup Olive Oil
3 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
1 Tablespoon Minced Shallot
1 Teaspoon Dijon Mustard
1/2 Teaspoon Lemon Zest
1/4 Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
1/2 Teaspoon Sugar
Large Mixing Bowl
Mandoline
Zipper Bag
Spring Greens (enough for 4)

Prepare the dressing in a small bowl by whisking together all the dressing ingredients - set aside
With the mandoline, thinly slice each the swede, carrots and radish
Cut each in to julienne strips
Place the carrots and swede in the zipper bag and Micro on high for 45 seconds (you really want to soften each of these up slightly so they will take on the dressing. Yes - you can steam the lightly, but the micro will be quicker, less messy in the long run)
Add the redish, and steamed vegetables to the dressing and coat well
Chill for 30 minutes
Create 4 salad plates with the spring greens and top each with approximately a cup of the swede salad

Talkin’ Swede (Part 1) Just the Facts, Ma’am

2013-03-25T13:56:00.001-04:00

A Cabbage Turnip by any other name…
Call it a Swede, a Neep, a Yellow Turnip, Rotabagge, Snadgers, Snarkies or Swedish Turnip, we’re talking the same language. It’s a Rutabaga.

Swede is a member of the large Brassica family which includes Turnips, Brussels Sprouts, Cauliflower, and Cabbage. Originally noted in Sweden in the early 1600’s (hence the name Swedish Turnip) it is believed to have originated in Russia as the natural cross-pollination love child between a cabbage and a standard turnip. currently, there are four standard varieties:

American Purple Top – Creamy yellow bottom and flesh with (surprise) a Purple top.This is, as the name suggests, an American developed strain with dense, evenly grained flesh and a less sweet note. Commonly the variety used for commercial canning, the Purple Top has a tendency to be slightly astringent or bitter to some non-discerning tastes. When cooked, the swede takes on a deep orange coloration.

Joan – Smaller than the American variety, Joan produces sweet and mild roots which do better for eating after a late season frost, which aids in the sugar development.

Laurentian – Primarily a differentiation in coloring, the Laurentian produces roots with a dark cream colored bottom and flesh with a rich, red top. More starchy than sweet, it is prized for it’s mild flavor and color.

Marian – The gargantuan Swede. Typically roots exceed 8” in diameter A fast-growing rutabaga maturing in half the time as Laurentian, with purple tops and a deep yellow flesh and bottom
.
As well as two heirloom (lesser available – read that as “gourmet”, you’ll tend to spend 20 to 30% more for these varieties when you can find them) varieties:

Champion A Collet Rouge – sweeter, and better suited for frying;

and the

Collet Vert – Green tinted with a rich, deep, buttery flavor.

We LOVE the funk… Gotta have that Funk…
Swede can be, well… aggressive. Like most of the other members of the Brassica family, there is that pungent, sulfuric gassiness to deal with. However, when cooking for a mash, or sautéing - keeping cooking temperatures low and limiting cooking times to around 20 minutes can keep those assaulting fumes at bay.
Another issue is going to be an inherent bitterness in rutabagas that some diners can experience. This is going to vary from slightly astringent to an inedible bitter, and that is solely going to depend on your own particular chemical makeup. There are sites on the web that purport to have solutions for removing the swede bitterness, but I’ve never tried them. I obviously don’t have that gene.

A Neep a Day… Currently, the average American intake of swede is less than a pound. Given the average weight of one American Purple Top – that’s about 1/2 rutabaga per person a year. That’s not a lot, considering that swede provides more nutrients, vitamins (C, and A), potassium and fiber than potatoes, turnips or parsnips. There are also suggestions that eating swede regularly can help reduce the risk of certain types of cancer, diseases from blood impurities and lower gastro difficulties. Also, neeps are an excellent substitution for potatoes in diabetic diets.
And, compared to the alternatives -

NUTRITION PER 100 GRAMS    WHITE POTATO    TURNIP    RUTABAGA
Calories                                                       77                       28               36
Carbohydrate                                        18 grams            6 grams      8 grams
Fiber                                                          2 grams           2 grams       3 grams
Vitamin C                                                33% RDA    35% RDA    42% RDA
Glycemic Load                                            8                        2                  3

A word of warning – Like cassava, sweet potatoes, and lima beans; Swede contains small amounts of cyanoglucoside which does release trace amount of cyanide. The body converts this into thiocyanate, a chemical that inhibits proper thyroid production. Those of you that are sensitive, may want to limit your yearly intake to the average I talked about previously. As a side note, this chemical release and reaction are what causes the bitter taste, so if you find swede distastefully bitter, it’s probably best that you steer clear of them.

Hit me with that rhythm stick. I probably should note that rutabaga aren’t exclusively known for their food value. There is a band called Cabbage Turnip. Swedes are utilized in Ithaca, New York as part of their Fall Celebration in the International Rutabaga Curling Championship (yes, Curling… sliding a weight down an icy track). And Swedes and large turnips were carved into the first Halloween Jack-o-Lanterns, making scary little horrid faces on the flesh that they carried around to ward off evil spirits.

Up next:

Talkin’ Swede (part 2) - Get in my Belly

Weeknight Meals – Chicken with Tomato Chutney

2013-03-23T02:02:00.000-04:00

Here’s the thing…
this is probably less of a chutney and more of an affected curry. But I really hate calling things curry.. that, well… isn’t.
And besides, curry just brings to mind snippets of that forgotten night where me and the donkey woke up covered in roti crumbs reeking of hookah smoke. merrr…
So, since it’s closer to chutney than that other thing… we’re sticking to chutney.

Chicken With Tomato Chutney
Serves 4(ish)
Ingredients
6 Chicken Thighs (Skin On)
6 to 8 Small Ripe Tomatoes (Patio Type) Cut in Half
1 Cup Diced Sweet Onion (Use your geographical favorite – Vidalia, Texas Sweet, Peruvian Sweet, Monrovian Sugar Head, Bora Bora Sweet Tooth…whatever…)
1/2 Cup Diced Celery
1 Clove Garlic – Minced
1 Can Black Olives – Drained (you’ll undoubtedly notice I’ve used the green ripe olives)
2 Teaspoons Garam Masala
1 Cup Vegetable Stock
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Mace
1/4 Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
1/4 Teaspoon Black Pepper
1 Teaspoon Tamarind Paste
2 Tablespoons Ketchup (shush)
1 Tablespoon Honey
2 Tablespoons Oil
1/4 Cup Raisins
1/4 Cup Dried Pineapple
Large Sauce Pan
2” Deep Casserole Dish
Steamed Rice

Pat the Thighs dry and liberally season with salt and black pepper

Place in the casserole dish and place skin side up under the broiler until the skin is lightly browned and crispy (about 5 minutes) Over medium heat, sauté the onions and celery with the garam masala and mace in oil until the onions are fragrant and transparent. Add the tomato, garlic and olives and cook until the tomatoes begin to break down Add the Stock, tamarind, pepper flakes, honey and fruit; cook over medium for another 5 minutes or so

Pour the sauce over the chicken thighs and cover with tin foil Bake at 350 for 45 minutes Serve with that steamed rice

Steakhouse

2013-03-20T00:49:00.000-04:00

So... when I was a kid, our choices for steak night out were limited to:
1). A place called Harvey's that had their menus printed on happy steer-shaped paper place-mats
or
2). A place called Buddy's, a noisy place complete with red shiynl banquettes, wood paneling, and air permeated with the thick aromas of steak fat, french dressing and cigarettes (it was the 60's.)
... we ate at Buddy's more times than not.

And although all that up there now sounds really terrible, it was something really special back then. Even now I can close my eyes and be in the restaurant. All those smells, aromas, and memories of the six of us packed into a corner booth - eating our iceberg salad with the crackers, tomato wedges and onion rings awash in dressing - waiting on our steaks to arrive in those sizzle plates, the juices pooling into those odd tree-shaped valleys in the center of the platter come flooding back. Besides, I have to give it to them, they really did make a good steak.

I just don't do steak much anymore. At my age, it just sits like a brick after dinner... and really - we try to eat healthier most of the time.

But sometimes you just want a steak.

I will almost always peruse the meat counter at the market. That doesn't mean I always buy... but looking doesn't hurt. This past week, the Manager's special was T Bone. They were on sale ($3.50 a pound), and they looked particularly well marbled with a decent fat cap.... because let's be honest - if you're going to eat a steak, you're going to eat that crispy grilled strip of delicious, slightly charred fat as well.

But... looking at the steaks laid out on show I noticed that they were all from the lower end of the loin... meaning porterhouse! The king of Steak! I couldn't resist and picked up an 22 ounce, 1-1/2" T Bone (porterhouse)... and giggled all the way home.

I'm not going to tell you how to cook a steak. From my experience - either you can... or you can't. And no amount of instruction from anyone is going to fix that for you. Instead, I'm going to concentrate on Steakhouse Staples - Namely: Blue Cheese Dressing, Steak Mushrooms, and Salt Baked Potatoes

Salt Baked Potatoes
Serves 2
2 Large Russet Potatoes
1/2 Cup Kosher Salt
Water

Preheat the oven to 485
Rinse the potatoes under water and tip the ends
While the potatoes are wet, liberally coat the skins and ends of the potatoes with the salt and place on a baking sheet
Bake in a 485 oven for 45 minutes
Pinch the center of the potatoes with an oven mitt ,when the meat gives with little resistance, it is done
Quickly rinse off most of the salt, leaving it coating the cut ends
Pop the potato open and fill with fresh butter

Although my own childhood steakhouse salad memory is French dressing, I figured I'd just go FULL FAT BOY adult tonight and make blue cheese.

Chunky
Blue Cheese Dressing
Makes enough for 4 adult salads...
or 2 if your kids are pouring.
Ingredients
1/2 Cup Good Blue Cheese (Maytag), Plus 1 Tablespoon
1/2 Cup Mayonnaise
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
1/2 Cup Buttermilk
1 Teaspoon Coarse Ground Black Pepper
1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
Small Mixing Bowl

In the bowl, smash the tablespoon of cheese into a paste
Add the mayonnaise, lemon juice, and the buttermilk, stir until creamy
Fold in the crumbled blue cheese and seasonings, then give it a couple of good hard stirs
Cover and chill for a minimum of 30 minutes
Serve ladled over a crisp iceberg salad - complete with cucumber and radish slices, red onion rings and Captain Wafers

To be honest, Buddy's didn't serve mushrooms. You got salad, steak and foil wrapped tater. I didn't have mushrooms out until they opened a Victoria's Station near our house. (You remember them... that fancy, if not a tad glitchy, steakhouse in converted boxcars?)
Anyway, these days I can't do steak without them.
And to get them right... there's a trick.

Steakhouse Mushrooms
Serves 2 to 4
Ingredients
1 Pound Button Baby Portabella, Crimini, or to be honest... any button mushroom will work
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon coarse Black Pepper
1 Ounce Amber Liquor (Here's the thing, use the spirit you like. Bourbon will give it a little oaky- smokiness, Scotch will give it a little brightness. I personally love the woodsy, earthy flavors in a good, dark tequila)
2 Shallots
1 Tablespoon Butter
Large Sauce Pan
Spatula

Place the sauce pan on high heat until the pan is HOT.

While the pan is heating - Slice the mushrooms into 1/4" Slices

Cut the shallots into thin rings and separate the rings

When the pan is screaming hot, add the mushrooms

Turn the mushrooms constantly. They will begin to steam

When they start to squeak (trust me, they will) add the salt and continue to turn them over in the pan
The mushrooms will begin to release liquids rapidly - keep stirring until the juices begin to boil

Add the shallots, liquor, and pepper

Continue to cook and stir until all the liquid has evaporated

Remove from the heat and fold in the butter

Serve over your grilled steak

The Corned Beef Conundrum

2013-03-18T23:50:00.002-04:00

You feel obligated because it's St. Patrick's, but does it really belong on the plate?

Sadly... no.

Although technically corned beef is an Irish thing, you're not going to find it anywhere close to something that was eaten or served in any true Irish establishment. If they are going to eat beef, it's going to be fresh. Corned beef was an export item.
But, to get your head around that, you have to look at the background of the beef.

In addition to the rolling hills chucked full of lamb and sheep, Ireland produces a lot of quality beef. (Currently, they control 16% of the export EU beef market.) The fertile grasslands and the constant temperatures allowing the cattle to graze on fresh grass throughout the year, produced some of the highest quality beef in the world. That, made it in demand, and demand meant money. So, beef was exported to other parts of Europe. England and France being the largest customers, consumed somewhere around 90% of the Irish beef market.
So, reasonably speaking, that leaves around 10% for domestic use. It would be expensive and it wouldn't be eaten by the bulk of the Irish population.

Where corned beef came into the picture was on the ships transporting Irish, well... mainly Irish immigrants to our side of the pond. Ships unfortunately are damp, damp places, and a fresh side beef is just going to be a huge gooey mess by the time it reached it's destination. In order for beef to make the two week (plus) trip to the east coast, it had to be cured.... and salt was the cheapest curative available at that time.

So, as our new nationals stepped off the ships, along with them came vast supplies of cured beef to help feed all the new citizens. Yes... Corned Beef.

The corned beef and cabbage dish we've all come to love most likely originated as an adaptation of a local Irish recipe for Bacon and Cabbage, which was really a smoked loin of pork instead of actual bacon. The loin was boiled in water with carrots and cabbage; the boiling removed enough of the salt cure to make the cured beef edible. Since it was a cheap meal to prepare, the immigrants made it frequently - forever endearing Corned Beef and Cabbage as an imported Irish staple.

Corned Beef
with Cabbage and Root Vegetables

(Seriously, you're already doing yourself harm with all that salt. Don't even try to pretend to be healthy by buying a less fatty Round of Corned Beef. By the time you boil and simmer it, it is going to be as dry as a powder keg and tough as a shoe patch. A boiled dinner needs fat to season and tenderize, and connective tissue to create a decent broth. Just don't do it.)

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients
3 to 4 pound Brisket of Corned Beef
2 Cups Water
3 Carrots
1 Medium Head of Cabbage (You'll want to look for the darkest green cabbage you can find. The head must be mature to stand up to 2 hours of simmering. A smaller, more tender head will just turn to mush and ruin the dish.)
3 Turnips or Parsnips or 1/2 Swede (Which we've used)
3 Fingerling Potatoes per Person
3 Boiling Onions per Person
Dutch Oven
Serving Liquid:
1 Teaspoon Spicy Brown Mustard
1 Tablespoon Flour
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Ounce Irish Whiskey
Whisk

Place the brisket, water, and contents of the spice pack (it comes in every package of corned beef... look for it) and bring to a boil
Reduce to heat to simmer (2 or 3 on an electric) and cook for 2 hours

Peel the carrots and other vegetables
Cut the cabbage into quarters
Peel the skins off the onions - leaving the root end attached
If you're using swede, peel and slice into 1/2" sliced
At the 2 hour mark, lift off all the free roaming spices from the boiling liquid and discard. Layer the vegetables on top of the beef, cover and simmer another 1.5 hours

At the end of the cooking, transfer the vegetables to a serving platter
Slice the corned beef into 1/2 to 1" thick slices - across the grain.
Mix together the mustard, oil and flour in a small bowl
With the remaining liquid in the pot, bring the pot liquid to a boil and add the mustard mixture
Whisk the liquid until it thicken a bit and turns glossy
Stir in the whiskey and serve

When you get right down to it....
it's as American as apple pie...
or chop suey...
or fortune cookies.

Weekday Meals - Crispy Potato Cakes with Spicy Shrimp

2013-03-13T23:11:00.000-04:00

Oh, blame it on the copy of "Irish Pub Cooking" Jane left conspicuously lying around with Colcannon earmarked. Blame it on the fact that after I marinated two dozen shrimp destined for the grill, Jane didn't want them. Blame it on the quart of mashed potatoes already cooked in the fridge. Blame it.. well, just blame ME. I wanted something crispy.. and fried, and I hadn't nearly satisfied my weekly starch and grease quotas... yet.

So yes, this started out to be grilled shrimp, but it turned out much better this way. And, even if you don't, My waistline and liver thanks me.

Just so you don't get all freaked out about fried potato cakes for dinner - in all actuality, they're only pan fried a couple of minutes to set the crust and finished off in the oven.

Crispy Potato Cakes
with spicy shrimp and peas
Makes 4 Large Cakes
Ingredients
For the Marinated Shrimp:
1/2 Cup Orange Juice
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Lemongrass Paste
1 Clove Garlic - Minced
1 Teaspoon Cumin
1/2 Teaspoon Chili Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Red Chili Flakes
1 Tablespoon Sorghum Syrup (Feel free to use Honey)
2 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Black Pepper
---------------------------
2 Dozen Small Shrimp (35/40 or 51/60)
The smaller the shrimp, the better. Larger, more dense shrimp wont take on the marinade as well as smaller, more tender varieties. But most pink varieties will work - just as long as it isn't salad shrimp. (I'm not even sure those things are really shrimp, anyway...)
1 Cup Mashed Potatoes
1 Egg
1/2 Cup Bread Crumbs
1 Cup Panko
yes, two types of crumbs here. Regular bread crumbs are for the mix, panko for the crust
1 Tablespoon Mayonnaise
1/2 Cup Fresh Early Peas
1 Shallot - Minced
2 or 3 of your favorite mushroom - Minced
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/4 Cup Oil + 1 Tablespoon
Large Zipper Bag
Large Flat Bottom Skillet
Small Saute Pan
Spatula
Paper Towels for Draining
Sheet Pan
Large Mixing Bowl

In the zipper bag, mix the marinade ingredients
Peel and de-vein the shrimp - removing the tails
Add the shrimp to the bag and marinate for a minimum of 30 minutes, up to 1 hour
In the small saute, cook the peas, shallots and mushrooms in a tablespoon of oil, just until the shallots are translucent
Heat the skillet over medium heat with the remaining oil
Add the potatoes, pea mixture, regular bread crumbs, and mayo to the mixing bowl and mix well
Rough Chop the shrimp and add the shrimp and marinade; stir to combine
Place the panko in a dredging plate and form 4 patties with the potato mixture
Place the patties in the panko and coat evenly
Preheat the oven to 425
Lightly fry the patties on each side for 2 to 3 minutes, just until the panko is lightly browned
Drain and transfer to the baking sheet
Bake at 425 for 15 to 20 minutes - or until the center of the patty is set

Serve with a sliced orange salad with Dijon vinaigrette.

Just in Time for St. Paddy's - Corned Beef Chowder

2013-03-09T07:31:00.001-05:00

Yes, yes, yes...
this is a redo - and I really didn't change the original recipe.
I had a couple of people ask for the recipe, and although they could just go and look it up - this kills 2 boids with one blarney stone.

...think of it as a retro look back at something you probably didn't want to cook the first time around.
And besides, I monkeyed around with the original post and created a fatal error there.... it's gone.

What's This Blarney and why are we kissing it?
I think I'm one quarter Irish...
I'm not terribly sure. Family says we're English / Irish...
But, I've got one great grandmother that looks all the world like a Full Cherokee, and another that looked like she stepped out of a Hummel Display Case.

You could mistake my mom's dad for a leprechaun, and my own father looked Jewish.
And his dad.. Well, let's just say he was hearty stock. (I get my meaty hands from him).
Go figure...

I've never been all that up on the whole genealogy thing, and the thought of putting it down on paper just makes me dizzy... There are other family members who can take care of that.

But, I'll take being Irish.
They've got that sexy accent going for them.

Back when I was working at the Deli, we had a stockpile of recipes intended for each festive time of the year. Being a German restaurant, they were flavorful, heavy... meaty / cheesy.
This isn't any different.

And, if you're not into the whole fake accent, green touted, drunken abandon kind of thing..
well -
It makes a great game day food, a perfect cold day meal, and well...it's Chowder! Do you really need any other reason other than that?

Corned Beef Chowder
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients
1 Pound of Cooked Corned Beef - Shaved (or sliced very thin)
2 Russet Potatoes - Peeled and Diced
1 Cup Carrots - Peeled and Diced
2 Cups Shredded Cabbage
1 Large Onion - Chopped
2 Cups Chicken Broth
1 Can (10 3/4 ounces) Cream of Potato Soup
1 Cup Havarti Cheese - Cubed
1 Beer
2 Cups Milk
1 Cup 1/2 and 1/2
1/4 Cup Chopped Parsley
2 Cloves Garlic - Minced
Salt and Pepper, to taste
6 Quart Slow Cooker
6 Softball Sized Irish Soda Bread Bowls (See Below)

In a 4 to 6-quart slow cooker, combine All the ingredients except the 1/2 n 1/2.
Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours
At about 2 hours, stir the pot and add additional milk if the chowder is too thick
When the time is up, add the 1/2 and 1/2 and Cover and cook for 25 minutes longer

Caraway Soda Bread
Makes 6 Round Loaves
Ingredients
4 Cups All Purpose Flour (Plus extra for Table Work)
1 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1 Teaspoon Cream of Tartar
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Caraway Seeds
1/2 Cup Sugar
1/2 Cup Butter Melted - (cooled to room temperature)
1 3/4 Cups Buttermilk
Large Mixing Bowl
2 Baking Trays
Cooking Spray

Preheat oven to 375
Combine dry ingredients in large bowl
Add the cooled butter and buttermilk and mix well
Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface
Knead for 2 minutes, until dough is firm (Add additional flour if it is too sticky)
Shape into 6 Softball Sized round loaves
Rub each loaf with a little extra buttermilk
Sprinkle each lightly with flour and cut an X into the top of each loaf with a knife
Place on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray dusted with floured.
Bake for 1 hour or until they are a golden brown color.
Cool on a rack
When the loaves are cool, Cut the tops off the loaves and scoop out most of the softer inner bread.
Fill with the chowder and serve.

Tales of Woe - The one with the oatmeal

2013-03-05T18:25:00.000-05:00

I should eat healthier. I know I should...
I'm 50+ (ish),and I'm fully aware of just how much I abused the temple in my younger years. Debauchery, indiscretions, and work related stress aside, my idea of healthy eating was ordering part-skim mozzeralla on my pizza and toasting shredded wheat biscuits with bacon and cheddar. It's not that I didn't eat well, or correctly.... it's just that everything's better with butter.... lot's of butter. ... and an egg.

But times change, my waist-line expands and contracts like a human Continental divide... and when I turned 49, I got somewhat more serious about it. I lost 27 pounds. I spend much more time out of doors. I, for all intents and purposes...quit drinking anything except coffee. And, I pay attention to whole grains.

Which...
is why the other morning following the banal chatter on the twitter-verse, I happened on someone that I follow

http://foyupdate.blogspot.com/

talking to someone that I don't (well, didn't ) follow

http://bakedoatmeal.blogspot.com/

about - oddly enough, baked oatmeal.
... and I was intrigued.

Although, to be honest I wasn't fully invested in the idea. And since I only had steel cut oats on hand, I figured I'd just use them... and some peach yogurt.
Now...
While it was an okay thing (it certainly was a whole grain bonanza) it wasn't anything to rave about. The oats swelled up like cooked barley and sat like a brick, unmovable, in the lower forty the better part of the day.

I decided to bite the bullet, spend the $1.97 for a box of rolled oats, and try again.

Moist, Oat-y, cakey, almost puddin-y deliciousness.
I will say I did modify her original recipe, which you can find here >> Just Baked Oatmeal's Baked Oatmeal

I found it needed a bit more salt for my taste, and using only yogurt left the flavor a little one dimensional - I've listed the recipe here with my modifications.
Either way - it is definitely worth giving it a go for your morning (or brunch) nosh.

Baked Oatmeal
modified from Just Baked Oatmeal's recipe
I've used Greek yogurt because it's all I buy. I found just yogurt made it a little heavy, so I've used the buttermilk to cut it. I have another batch started today with only buttermilk, we'll see how that works out tomorrow - I'll amend this post with the results and my recommendations.
Serves 2 to 4
Ingredients
1 5.3 ounce Container of Vanilla Greek Yougurt
1/2 Cup Buttermilk
2 Cups Rolled Oats
2 Tablespoons Oil or Butter Substitute
2 Eggs
1/4 Cup Turbinado Sugar
A Couple Drops Vanilla Extract
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Baking Soda
9" Cake Pan
Medium Mixing Bowl
Spatula
Shortening or extra Butter to grease the pan

The day before:

In the bowl, mix together the yogurt and oats - stir well to combine
Cover with plastic wrap and set on the counter to hydrate for at least 12 hours. I found that a full day works best.

The next morning:

Preheat the oven to 350
Uncover the oat mixture and add the remaining ingredients
Stir well with a spatula unil it is well mixed
Grease the cake pan and pour the batter into the pan
Bang it on the counter a couple of times to even things out
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until the edges and top are lightly browned

I served mine with a little extra vanilla yougurt and some mascerated navel oranges I had on hand.
Although, cream ,berries, syrup, honey, any or all would work perfectly.

Roll on One - Clara's Chocolate Roll

2013-03-03T06:22:00.001-05:00

Since we're coming up on our anniversary (we're starting our 4th year this month)... or birthday... or however it is that we keep track of non-living things - I'm going back to the recipe that started it all at Plate Fodder. It's my great grandmother's Chocolate Roll. This is a recipe that speaks volumes of that era; when families were large, resources were short, and prepackaged meals just didn't exist.

My maternal great grandmother, Clara, was an extraordinary woman. With my great grandfather dying early in life, she managed to raise nine children, and numerous grandchildren entirely on her own. (Having no children myself, I consider raising even one child alone an impossible task) and doing so in the early part of the last century when resources, money, and a well stocked mega store were non existent.

She was an excellent cook, and my mother, one of the countless grand kids at the house, learned a few things from her.

Growing up at home in Marietta, my mom would make one of Clara's desserts. It was,hot, buttery, chocolaty,...it was heaven in a Pyrex(c) dish. Even now, I can almost taste it while I'm writing and if I close my eyes I can smell the cocoa, butter and browning crust.

Clara Carter's Chocolate Roll
Yield - 6 to 8 servings (or just one long roll-fest)
Ingredients
1/3 Cup Cocoa
1 Cup Sugar
Pinch Salt - 1/8 teaspoon
1 Small Can Evaporated Milk
1 Biscuit Recipe (See Biscuits! post)
1 Stick Butter (yes, Butter - it won't kill you)
water - in reserve

Preheat oven to 450
Grease an 8" x 8" x 2" Pyrex baking dish with some of the butter
Combine the cocoa, sugar and salt in a bowl.
Add the evaporated milk to make a loose paste and set aside.
Prepare one recipe for Biscuits and turn out onto a lightly floured surface.
Gently roll out the dough to a 1/2" thick rectangle
Spread the cocoa mixture over the biscuit dough leaving about 1" of the edge of the dough showing all around. (Save the bowl and left over chocolate mixture - you'll need it later)
Dot the cocoa surface with 1/2 of the butter
Starting with the long side of the rectangle, roll the dough into a long log (like a jelly roll)
Cut the roll in half and place into the baking dish. You will need to curve the rolls to fit it in.
Dot the surface of the roll with the remaining butter
Get the Cocoa bowl and add water, scraping the sides and bottom to incorporate all the left over cocoa mixture, and pour it over the roll
Add enough water so that the roll is completely covered
Sprinkle a little extra sugar over the top and place in the oven
Bake at 450 for about 30 minutes - or until the dough is thoroughly cooked. The water, butter and cocoa mixture will form a pudding around the roll and the dough will be nicely browned.
Serve Immediately - or run to the pantry with a big glass of milk, large spoon and hide.

Be sure to check out Plate Fodder for Jane's Peach & Apple Butter Roll

its a nice twist on this recipe..... or if you just don't like chocolate...
like that would be the reason...

Red Chili

2013-03-01T22:02:00.004-05:00

Back when I was just beginning in the food game, I worked with an exceptional chef that made an incredible chili for one of the hotel's restaurants. It was delicious and green. It was made with chunks of meat. It would set your hair on fire.
It was hot with a capital OH MY GOD! ...I think there was a gallon of roasted jalapenos in the pot., no lie.

Chef guarded that recipe with his life, I believe it had won some awards over the years and he just never trusted anyone else to make it.

Suffice it to say, I never got the recipe.
Over the years I've tried to duplicate the bowl of jet fuel, but time passed, deadened taste-buds, and memory slippage have gotten the best of me and the best I can recall are the three descriptives already stated.

Want to start a good fight in a room full of strangers? State loudly that real chili has beans in it.
In all actuality, it doesn't.
Chili is: Meat / Heat / Spice

But, depending on where you're from, what package your mom opened up, what that place served the first time you ate it - that's what your perception of chili is. And chili purists will take you to the carpet if you come within 100 yards of a chili pot with a can of beans.

Here at Turtle Creek, we're 50/50 on the matter; Jane is adamantly against it. And me? I like a little starch with my fire.
So in order to satisfy both, I've come up with a little trick so everyone can get what they want without relegating the bean folks to plopping bland, uninteresting, flaccid beans in a bowl of cooked chili.....
and the purists wont be eyeing the oak out back for a good hangin' branch.

Plate Fodder
Red Chili (and some beans)
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients

1 1/2 Tablespoons Chili Powder
1 Tablespoon Flour
2 Teaspoons Ground Cumin
1 1 Teaspoon Dried Oregano (Mexican, if Possible)
1 Tablespoon Seasoned Salt
1 Tablespoon Paprika
1 Ancho Chili - Minced
-----------------------
1 14 ounce Can Stewed Tomatoes
1 Large Onion - Chopped
1 Clove Garlic - Minced
1 Cup Sweet Pepper - Diced
1 Red Jalapeno - Seeded and Minced
(or use 2 of the pickled sweet cherry bomb peppers found at the market)
1 1/2 Pound Chuck Roast - Cubed
1/2 Pound Ground Pork
2 Tablespoons Oil
1 14 ounce Can Red Kidney Beans
Dutch Oven
Small Sauce Pan

Mix together the dry ingredients and set aside
Over medium high heat, add the oil, onions, and peppers to the dutch oven - saute until soft
Add the cubed beef and ground pork and brown
Add the seasoning mix and stir well to combine
Add the stewed tomatoes, garlic, and minced chili; bring to a boil
Reduce to simmer, cover and cook for 2 hours
About 1/2 way through ,skim the chili and retain the skimmed oil
In a small sauce pan, heat the retained oil
Add the kidney beans and bring to a boil
Reduce to simmer and cook for 20 minutes
Serve alongside the chili for those non-chili purists that like a little bean in the works.

Wing It! - Asian Spiced Chicken Wings

2013-02-27T23:21:00.000-05:00

Sooo...
did you all do your homework and read yesterday's post about sorghum syrup?
good... let's move on.

I've always had this funny thing about chicken wings.
Not particularly because we ate them all that much at home. I mean... they came attached to the chicken, but buying a package of wings? That never happened. A package of minimal meat anything had no place on the table....
We were human vacuums. Feeding us a pile of wings for dinner just meant that we'd be raiding the fridge later that night for some else to eat. Jane hated it when we raided the fridge and made damned sure we were suitably filled with protein so that didn't occur.

But, I remember an episode of Galloping Gourmet.. I guess from the late 60's... (so you know, it was on in the daytime, so that meant we had to be home sick from school, or spring break, or summer vacation... so it wasn't an all the time kind of thing) where he made this chicken wing dish. I've tried to find it on a video site, but I can't remember the name of the dish... or what was actually in it, just that I think he was wearing an orange shirt in it... don't ask me why I remember that particular point.... I haven't a clue.

Anyway - since I couldn't find it you'll just have to bear with me for a minute.
It had to be his fourth show in a day of shooting because he was perfectly soused by the time he got around to the preparation - and drunk people with knives are always good TV. He took six chickens and cut the wings off to use - tossing the rest of the carcass under the counter. And, I'm quite sure that's why it made such a lasting impression....
that, and him being nearly completely covered in whatever sticky, rich sauce they had been braised, by the end of the program.
Because of that, and that, and that... I kind of think of chicken wings as an extravagance.

So, me actually going out and buying a package of wings is a pretty rare thing, but occasionally I remember those sauce covered wings... and I fold.

No, this isn't the recipe.

Asian Spiced Chicken Wings
Serves 2
Ingredients
2 to 3 Pounds Chicken Wings
1/4 Cup Sesame Seeds
2 Tablespoons Sorghum Syrup
2 Tablespoons Water
Marinade:
1/2 Cup Water
1 Cup Sorghum Syrup
1 Cup Soy Sauce
1/2 Cup Orange Juice
2 Teaspoon Minced Garlic
1 Teaspoon Fresh Grated Ginger
1/4 Teaspoon Powdered Ginger
1 Teaspoon Asian 5 Spice Powder
1 Teaspoon Black Pepper
1 Tablespoon Sesame Oil
2 Tablespoons Vegetable or Peanut Oil
Sheet Pan
Tin Foil
Large Zipper Bag

Mix all the marinade ingredients together in the Zipper bag
Squitch it all around and add the wings
Squitch it again
Refrigerate it for a minimum of 8 hours - it's even better after 24

Remove the wings from the bag and discard the marinade
Place them face up on a lined sheet pan
Mix together the water and sorghum syrup, and brush the tops of each wing
Sprinkle each with a good coating of sesame seeds

Bake at 350 for 55 to 60 minutes
What you're looking for is connective tissue in the wing joints to soften, allowing the joints to move easily
Serve hot or at room temp
As a side note, you can always use the packages of hot wing drummettes, and get the same delicious result - figure on 12 drummettes per serving
The marinade creates enough to properly do 12 wings or 2 dozen drummettes.

And yes - I cheated on a side dish. This is about 2 cups of the frozen Tuscan blend of veggies (cauliflower, carrots, zucchini and broad beans)
I've added 2 julienne sweet peppers, a clove of minced garlic, 2 tablespoons of sesame oil, salt and pepper.

Locally Grown - Sorghum Syrup

2013-02-26T22:21:00.000-05:00

Generally speaking, it's a Southern thing. Although over the years it's been produced across the country as far north as Minnesota. Sorghum syrup is to the South like baked beans are to Boston.

And let me be clear, this isn't anything like maple syrup.
Sorghum originally came to the South in the pockets and packs of the slave trade, and quickly became a favored feed stock because of the drought resistant qualities of the canes. Unlike sugar cane which does best in moist, rich soils, sorghum thrived in the oppressive heat and humidity of the deep south. Sorghum syrup is made from the pressed canes of the sweet sorghum plant. It is similar to sugar cane in sweetness but far more complex in flavor.

By the mid 1800's sorghum syrup production totaled close to 62 million gallons a year. It was the primary sweetener in the southern states. However, syrup production was hard work. The canes had to be cut and stripped by hand, the presses were either livestock or man powered, the canes had to be continually fed into the presses, and the process of boiling down the expressed juice took a very long time. Not to mention an acre of planted sorghum only produced 120 gallons of finished syrup. By the end of the Civil War the cheap labor was gone. The South, without the resources to mechanize, left the back-breaking job of sorghum syrup production to gradually fall into obscurity. Currently, less that a million gallons of syrup are produced in the nation annually.

If you live in Georgia and have never seen sorghum syrup produced, Mark your calendars for the Sorghum Festival of Blairsville, GA October 12, 13 and October 19, 20. It's well worth the trip!

If you'd like to support some great local producers and buy a mason jar of sorghum syrup, here's a couple of great online links:

Sunrise Grocers - Featuring Seabolt Sorghum from Blairsville, GA -

Hillside Orchards - Local sorghum from Tiger, GA

So, why all the talk about an obscure local syrup?
Because several of the recipes from this past year have featured sorghum syrup:

Sorghum Parkin Cake

Paprika Roasted Pork & Figgy BBQ Sauce

Sorghum Christmas Pudding

Pulled Salmon Sammies
Teriyaki Salmon Skewers

and tomorrow's recipe highlights it's musky, nutty, rich goodness...
... and I didn't want you to miss out.

you're welcome.

ps - here's a cool steam engine video of a sorghum press in operation.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yB6ScmnLf1g

Kale Tart

2013-02-13T23:05:00.000-05:00

I've been playing around with the Strong Greens Tart we did back in December. Because?
Well, even though it was uber (don't you hate that word?) tasty - I wanted to see how it would work with a different set of flavorings.... and some different textural components.
I've been a kugel fan for a long time. Ever since the first time I ate at the now defunct Sydney's Just South. .. So, if you're from around here, you'll know how long that's been.

There's something about eggs and egg noodles that's almost as comforting as a big bowl of peppered buttered elbow macaroni.

So, to bolster this recipe, I've augmented the raisins and pine nuts for walnuts and dried cranberries, switched out the broccoli greens for kale, and added a heaping cup of egg noodles to the mix.

You know... I like it just as much as the original.
... and that's not just the noodles talking.

Kale Tart
Makes 1 9" Tart
Ingredients

1 - 9" Pie Crust
2 Cups of Cooked Kale - Chopped
3 Eggs
1 Cup Milk
3 Strips Bacon
1 Clove Garlic - Minced
2 Tablespoons Oil
1/4 Cup Walnuts
1/4 Cup Dried Cranberries
1 Cup Cooked Egg Noodles
1/4 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1/4 Teaspoon Nutmeg
1/4 Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
1 Cup of Grated Extra Sharp Cheddar
Salt and Pepper to Taste
Large Skillet
Large Mixing Bowl

Preheat your oven to 350
Strain the greens and press out as much liquid as possible
Cook the noodles according to packaging - drain
Mince the garlic
Add the oil to the skillet and saute the bacon, garlic and nuts until they are lightly toasted
Transfer to the Bowl
Add the chopped kale, nutmeg, and the baking soda
Taste and adjust for salt and pepper
Saute for another 5 to 7 minutes
Add the pepper flakes
While the greens are sauteing, beat together the milk and eggs
Adjust for salt and pepper and pour into the mixing bowl
Add the greens, cranberries, noodles, bacon mixture and 1/2 of the grated cheese
Mix well
Pour into the crust, top with the remaining cheese and bake at 350 for 40 minutes
Cool on a rack for 5 minutes then remove the spring form

Cool to room temperature and serve with a 60's throwback - Poached pears on iceberg lettuce with mayonnaise and cheddar cheese

A Little Tail...

2013-02-13T00:02:00.001-05:00

Oh,
I could expound on the glory, the finger licking and bone sucking - near orgasmic feat in devouring ox tail...

But that would just be cruel.

Ox tail is, and always will be, the completely misunderstood cut of meat.
Tough, stringy meat? ... sure

Fattiness cubed? ... but, of course

Bizarre weaponized bone structure? .... absolutely!

But, throw all that together in a long, s l o w cook - and you have something that not even your favorite Jewish grandmother's brisket can beat... except for that "back half of the cow thing."

Ox Tail - it is the only muscle in a cow that is constantly on the move. All that perpetual swishing creates some serious dense musculature, fat and connective tissue. The only way to make it palatable is to stew or braise it.

I've chosen to braise.
And, I've chosen to do it with little to no added liquid.
I'm telling you - get the extra wet naps ready... it's going to be epic-ly messy.

Braised Ox Tail
Given the rather large knuckle of tail bone holding everything together - forego the knife & fork and really let your inner animal out - you'll thank me tomorrow.
Serves 2 to 4
Ingredients
2 Large Onions - Peeled and Quartered
2 Stalks Celery - Halved
1 Large Carrot - Quartered
1 Clove Garlic - Crushed
2 Cloves
1 Large Bay Leaf
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Cracked Pepper
1 Tablespoon Spicy Mustard
1/2 Cup Tomato Sauce
2 Tablespoons Ketchup (shush! yes, ketchup)
Dutch Oven
Immersion Blender
Strainer or China Cap
Small Sauce Pan

Preheat the oven to 325
Place everything - except the tomato sauce - in the dutch oven
Cover and bake at 325 for 3 hours
Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature
Lift out the ox tail and set aside
Skim out all the fat - It's ox tail, expect there to be a fair amount (fyi, I skimmed about 1/3 cup from a 6 joint pack)
Add the tomato juice to the veg and remaining juice; puree with the stick blender
Strain into a small sauce pan and reduce by 1/2 over medium heat
Add the tail joints back to the sauce and let simmer over low heat for 15 minutes
Serve with Barley / Pea Pilaf

Barley & Pea Pilaf
While I'd probably just boil the bejeesus out of the barley, I wanted to see how the rice cooker would handle things on a fairly "no hands" technique. I actually like the barley better this way. The grains are perfectly cooked with a wonderful bite and nuttiness that you sometimes lose by submersing them in boiling water
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 Cup Pearled Barley
1 Cup Fresh Peas
1/2 Cup Grated Parmesan
2 Cups Chicken Stock
2 Tablespoons Butter (if your chicken stock is particularly fatty, omit the butter, the fat on the stock will be just fine)
1/4 Teaspoon Black Pepper
6 to 8 Grates of Fresh Nutmeg
Rice Cooker

Add the barley, stock, pepper and nutmeg to the cooker and set to cook. (it will take around 25 minutes in the cooker. Let the barley sit in the cooker for a full 5 minutes before finishing the dish)
When the barley is done, blanch off and drain the peas and fold them in
Gently stir in the Parmesan and serve piping hot with the ox tail.