StickKing.com

Braised Short Ribs

noreply@blogger.com (StickKing) — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 23:00:00 +0000

If you know me or read the blog you know my Father-in-law is a cattle rancher in Wyoming. We are fortunate to get a yearly shipment of amazing grass fed beef. One of my favorite cuts are the short ribs. We usually get a couple in a shipment, so I save them for a special occasion. Well, another shipment is in the mail so I had to make room in the freezer. What I love about this recipe is that you can just throw all these ingredients in a slow cooker and let it cook all day. When you get home for work it is good to go. The problem with short ribs is the amount of fat, it's also what provides the flavor. I separated most of the fat and removed the bones before reducing the left over sauce. I served it over creamy Parmesan polenta. Enjoy!

Domaine Gilbert Picq Chablis 2006

noreply@blogger.com (StickKing) — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 11:00:00 +0000

Since 1976, father and sons have been running this small domaine where all the vines are situated in the commune of Chichée about 3 km south of Chablis on the left bank of the Serein. The terroir of Chichée does not yield high alcohol wines and Didier Picq has been keen to keep the need to capitalize to a minimum by moderating his yields. Chablis is the Northern section of Burgundy where Chardonnay grapes rule. Aromas of tangerine, orange and curry powder, with a slightly grilled character. Round, rich and dry, with fresh acidity.

Halftime Chili

noreply@blogger.com (StickKing) — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 23:00:00 +0000

We always cook chili on Super Bowl Sunday. But a good chili recipe is hard to find. I have never followed a recipe when it comes to making chili. So I have finally accepted the fact that chili is just one of those things you tweak until you get it right. The good thing is, you can not overcook chili. Which gives you the opportunity to fix the consistency by reducing, change the ratio of beef by adding beans and adjust the heat by adding more spice. So I say, use this basic chili recipe and create your own. It was a good base but I doubled the beans, added chipotle peppers, more tomato puree and more beer. In the end I got it right and we topped it with raw onion and shredded cheese. We could hardly wait until halftime. Enjoy!

Le Fraghe Bardolino, Italy

noreply@blogger.com (StickKing) — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 18:35:00 +0000

My favorite wine store ran out of the Valpolicella that I usually buy, but they suggested this instead. It is from the same region in North east Italy called Veneto. Bardolino it is a sub region on the south east shore of lake Garda. It is made with Corvina and Rondinell grapes like Valpolicella, but wines from Bardolino tend to use a little less Corvino (the variety that provides structure). It appears a purple-tinged ruby red of medium intensity. You can smell sweet-sour cherry and blueberry, and spicy nuances of cinnamon and black pepper. The distinctive hallmark of this wine is without a doubt the elegance that one experiences on the palate. Nice soft tannins and a balance between acidity characteristic of wines of this area. You can get this for around $15. Enjoy it with anything Italian, especially light meats, cheese and highly acidic sauces.

Stewed Apples

noreply@blogger.com (StickKing) — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 11:00:00 +0000

The only fruits left at the farmers market these days are apples. At the Fort Greene Farmers Market in Brooklyn there must be at least 15 different varietals. This recipe calls for either Fuji or Gala apples along with some Apple cider from the same vendor. I usually double or triple the recipe because they keep in a sealed container for at least a week. The apples don't last long because we eat them over waffles, pancakes and cereal. It can also be used as the filling for an apple tart. Enjoy!

Huevos Rancheros

noreply@blogger.com (StickKing) — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 11:00:00 +0000

I love taco night because you can customize your taco with a variety of textures and flavors, but what do you do with all that left over toppings? When taco night is over I start looking forward to breakfast the next morning. Here is my recipe for this traditional Mexican breakfast.

Evenly spread out your left over black beans or pinto beans on two corn tortillas.

Add salsa and caramelized onions and top with cheese. Place under the broiler until the cheese is bubbling and the tortilla just starts to brown around the edges like picture below.

Pile up the two tortillas and top with two eggs and cilantro. It's easy and delicious, enjoy!

Cauliflower Pizza

noreply@blogger.com (StickKing) — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 23:00:00 +0000

Jim Lahey, the founder of the Sullivan Street Bakery recently released a cookbook with all his bread, sandwich and pizza recipes. The "Pizza Cavolfiore" or Cauliflower Pizza is our new favorite pizza because it has a great mix of flavors. I have been using Jim's no-knead bread recipe for a couple of years, and now I use his new no-knead pizza dough recipe. Just combine 3 3/4 cups of bread flour, 2 1/2 tsp. of instant or active dry yeast, 3/4 tsp. salt, 3/4 tsp. sugar, and 1 1/3 cups of room temperature water. Let it rise for only two hours and you are good to go. It will make enough dough for two 13/18 inch pies in rimmed baking sheets of the same size. Before you spread it out the dough you want to evenly spread out a tablespoon of olive oil on the sheet.

As for the the toppings, Jim Lahey's theory on pizza is that it each bit should have a mix of toppings, so the directions call for the cauliflower to be sliced with a mandolin set at 1/16, which is paper thin (watch your fingers!). Here are the ingredients for the topping, in a bowl combine:

1 medium Cauliflower

1/2 cup of green olives (I used black olives)

2 large cloves of garlic (minced or crushed)

3/4 tsp. of salt

1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

1/4 cup of olive oil

1 or 2 tbsp. bread crumbs

Evenly spread the mixture on the dough and cook for 25-30 minutes until topping is golden brown. Enjoy!

Calderona Cigales Tempranillo 2004 Crianza

noreply@blogger.com (StickKing) — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 14:56:00 +0000

Even if the food at Socarrat was not good, I would still return just for this wine. Luckily, this Paella Bar serves some of the best Spanish food in the city. Tempranillo has become one of my favorite varietals. It's seems to go with everything, like a Pinot Noir or a Sangiovese. Just enough tannins to eat with meat, enough acidity to drink with tomato sauce, but it is softened with just a touch of oak, so it can be enjoyed with delicate fish and shellfish. Cigales is a region south west of Rioja. For more about the region look at this previous post. I find myself always enjoying Spanish Tempranillo with the Crianza classification. When you see Crianza on the label it means it's been aged for 2 years with at least 6 months in oak. This particular wine was aged in American oak for 12 months and left another 6-12 months in the bottle before being released. The color is a dark cherry/purple and looks bright and clear. It's full of flavor and has good body. It's about $32 in the restaurant. I am currently looking for the distributor so I can buy my own case.

Foul Medammas

noreply@blogger.com (StickKing) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 10:00:00 +0000

It might not look appetizing, but it tastes amazing. This is Ful medammas or Foul Medammas and is widely eaten for breakfast in Egypt. My co-worker told me about this, so I looked it up in The New Book of Middle Eastern Food. Its one of her favorite foods and her Egyptian grandmother makes it all the time, so I made extra for her to taste. It passed the test, so this recipe is the real deal. It is usually served with the cumin, parsley, lemon juice, cayenne/red pepper flakes and garlic on the side, so it can be customized. Hard boil eggs are also often on the side as it is a breakfast staple. Her Grandmother says "it makes you strong". Here is the recipe. Enjoy!

Sourdough Pancakes

noreply@blogger.com (StickKing) — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 10:00:00 +0000

I've almost had my sourdough starter for a year now. It was from a master starter that has been in my wife's family for over 40 years. At an artisanal bread making class in Brooklyn, I was given a recipe that utilized extra starter. Unless you are making bread every week you will no doubt be overwhelmed with too much starter and this is a great way to use some of it. In a medium size bowl whisk the following together: 1 cup of sourdough starter, 1 egg, 1/4 tsp of salt, 1 tsp of baking soda, 1/2 tsp of baking powder, and a splash of melted butter and maple syrup. Cook is a medium fry pan or cast iron skillet until bubbly, then turn. Use a measuring cup (1/4 or 1/3 cup to keep the size consistent. Add some fruit and some warm maple syrup on top of a stack. Perfect for a Saturday morning! Here is a link for more info on making your own starter

Con Vongole

noreply@blogger.com (StickKing) — Mon, 11 May 2009 00:17:00 +0000

If I go to a restaurant and this is on the menu I'm getting it. It doesn't matter if it is linguine, spaghetti or vermicelli, it is the garlic, white wine, olive oil and lemon juice sauce that makes this dish. Finish it off with some red pepper flakes, parsley and of course cockles/manila clams. PS, "con vongole" literally means with clams. One of my favorite restaurants to order this is Celeste on the Upper East Side in Manhattan. It's also easy to make for a fast weekday dinner. Everybody celebrity chef has a recipe for this simple Italian dish, but I use one from the Boston Globe. Enjoy!

Joseph Faiveley Bourgogne Blanc

noreply@blogger.com (StickKing) — Mon, 04 May 2009 10:00:00 +0000

I'm almost embarrassed to say I have not made a single post about Chardonnay. To tell you the truth I haven't drank that much white wine other then at the odd cocktail party. At restaurants I always order red and when I buy wine from the local wine shop it's also red. Lately I have been re-discovering white wine, particularly those from France. Burgundy white wine is for the most part always Chardonnay. It is also slightly different Chardonnay from California because it is generally a little less "oaked". Chardonnay is not an aromatic grape on it's own so it is suitable for expressing the nuances that oak has to offer. Within the Burgundy region there are three districts for growing Chardonnay; Chablis is the most Northern and the coolest district with bone dry wines, Cote d'Or is the heart of Burgundy, and Maconnais is the most southern district offering more reasonably priced Chardonnay that are light and fruity. Founded in 1825, Faiveley is first and foremost a domaine. Situated in the heart of Nuits-Saint-Georges (Cote d'Or), it has expanded strategically over seven Faiveley generations. Today, 80 percent of Faiveley wines come from family-owned vineyards and the balance from select vineyards under long-term contracts with the family. In December 2004, after directing the family Domaine for 30 years, François Faiveley handed over the reins to his young son, Erwan. This Chardonnay is very nicely balanced typical of a Chardonnay from the heart of Burgundy. You can get this for $22.99 at your local wine shop.

Pompodoro Al Forno

noreply@blogger.com (StickKing) — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 10:00:00 +0000

I found this recipe in the September 2008 Bon Appetit Magazine. The author quoted a man as saying it's the best appetizer in Seattle. The ingredients are simple and can be made at the peak of tomato season or with canned tomatoes any day of the year. The key is the slow, low temperature roasting which develops the sweet flavors of the tomatoes. It says it can last up to a week in the fridge, but this appetizer has never lasted a day, it's that good! Serve with toasted baguette slices. Enjoy!

Guanciale (Pig Jowl)

noreply@blogger.com (StickKing) — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 10:00:00 +0000

I have previously blogged about a Pig Butchering class I took at the Brooklyn Kitchen, but I have not written about how I used the meat from the class. This picture is of Tom Myland, cutting out the Pig Jowl which I cured and dried for 4 weeks using a Guanciale recipe from Mario Batale's restaurant Babbo. You've never had a true carbonara until you try it with Guanciale! A special thanks goes out to my mother-in-law for allowing me to use one half of her fridge for 4 weeks! If you ever find yourself with some extra Pig Jowl laying around, this is a great recipe!!!

2006 Lavradores de Feitoria Douro, Portugal

noreply@blogger.com (StickKing) — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 10:00:00 +0000

Portugal continues to gain the respect for producing great wines and the Douro region (known for making the finest Port) is the countries best known wine region. The valley spans from east of the city of Oporto all the way to the border of Spain. Lavradores de Feitoria was founded in 1999 by a group of owners of some of the best vineyards and quintas in the Douro Valley, with a clear and strong commitment to excellence. Combining an assortment of indigenous grape varieties like Touriga Nacional, Tinta Barroca, Tinta Francisca and Tinta Roriz. It's Ruby red in color and ripe plum and raspberry in the nose, an overall balanced, elegant, mouth. A wine for every occasion, this is a crowd pleaser, especially because it is only $12.99!

The Holy Trinity

noreply@blogger.com (StickKing) — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 11:00:00 +0000

It was an old episode of Food 911 when I first heard Tyler Florence describe the Holy Trinity of continental cooking. He went on to describe a few different world cuisines which had a base of the same three ingredients. I keep on coming across this term as I try new recipes from around the world. Below I have included some of the Holy Trinity's from around the world. Enjoy!

Indian: garlic, ginger and onion
Chinese: scallions, ginger and garlic
Sichuan: green garlic, ginger and chili peppers
Greek: lemon juice, olive oil and oregano
Thai: galangal, kaffir lime and lemon grass
Filipino: garlic, onions, and tomato (the base for ginisa)
French: celery, onion and carrot (Mirepoix) or butter, cream and eggs
Korean: garlic, ginseng and kimchi
Lebanese: garlic, lemon juice and olive oil
Italian: tomato, garlic and basil or carrot, onion and celery (sofrito)
Spanish: bread, olive oil and wine or garlic, onion and tomato
Mexican: corn, beans and chilies or ancho, pasilla, and guajillo
Cajun: bell pepper, onion, and celery

2005 Domaine de la Claretiere Lirac Le Gourmand

noreply@blogger.com (StickKing) — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 23:00:00 +0000

Lirac is one of the 13 in the southern Rhone Valley, across the river from Châteauneuf-du- Pape. It was the first appellation in France to produce all three types of wines; red, white and rose. This is a blend but I could not find the exact % of each grape. Based on the regions AOC regulations it is made from Grenache Noir (minimum 40%), Syrah and Mourvèdre (minimum of 25% together) and probably either Cinsault or Carignan (maximum 10%). Lirac is a lesser known, less expensive option in this region, which means its a great value wine. This bottle was $15

Garlic Shrimp

noreply@blogger.com (StickKing) — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 11:00:00 +0000

I bought this Le Creuset Petite Casserole for this very appetizer. Based on a simple and popular tapas in Spain, Garlic Shrimp is a great appetizer that can be served in any small oven safe dish. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees. Just place shrimp in the dish with one dried pepper, one chopped garlic clove, plus a pinch of salt and pepper. Fill the dish with good olive oil so the shrimp are barely covered. This baking dish came with a top so I could just place it straight into the oven, but if you don't have a lid you may want to cover it with aluminum foil. It only takes 5-10 minutes to cook. You are basically just cooking the shrimp until they turn pink. I always take the tails off so they are easier to eat. Make sure and serve this with some toasted bread, you'll need it to sop up the delicious, flavorful oil. Enjoy!

Dedication: Melville King (1924-2009)

noreply@blogger.com (StickKing) — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 03:00:00 +0000

I want to formally dedicate this blog to one of StickKing.com's biggest fans, my Grandfather Mel King. At age 82 he bought a computer and learned to use the Internet. Soon after he proceeded to read every blog entry before being hospitalized and eventually losing a battle with cancer on February 24, 2009, at age 84.

Many memories of my Grandfather revolve around food, and in the last few years we found a common connection through cooking and recipes. He smoked his own meat, mixed his own sausages and made his own pickles, things I have also attempted in recent years. I remember him taking me for walks in the forest near his house where we would collect Raspberries, Black Berries and various edible mushrooms. He always kept a beautiful garden where he grew tomatoes, carrots and rhubarb among others things.

I was looking through his recipe books and found many stuffed with hand written directions and ingredients, some of which I plan to try. I also found a recipe we discussed in our last conversation. He said to me “before you die, you need to make “pickled mustard beans” he went on to describe them as tasting “luscious”. A word he often used to describe the flavor in food.

My Grandpa loved the flavors in food and it was so hard for him when he lost his sense of taste and eventually his appetite. Although I was not there when he died, I was glad to hear he went in peace, after a long, full, flavorful life. I’ll miss you Grandpa!

Domaine Notre Dame de Cousignac 2007

noreply@blogger.com (StickKing) — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 11:00:00 +0000

This Notre Dame de Cousignac is a Grenache & Syrah blend, with full body, dark fruit flavors and spice. This wine is from the AOC of Cotes du Vivarais in the northwestern extreme of the southern Rhône wine region of France. Within this AOC Red wines account for 80% of the production and are made from Grenache Noir (minimum 30%), Syrah (minimum 40%), Carignan (less than 10%) and Cinsault (less than 10%). For seven generations, the Pommier Family has managed to keep things relatively the same, by valuing nature’s checks and balances, neither insecticides nor chemical fertilizers were used. Also, much of the work like harvesting and pruning was done by hand. Not bad for a $12 wine!

Moroccan Curried Chicken Couscous

noreply@blogger.com (StickKing) — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 11:00:00 +0000

This is my interpretation of a dish I enjoyed at a French-Moroccan restaurant in NYC's Soho called Cage Gitane. It is basically a Barefoot Contessa Couscous recipe mixed with chicken and topped with hummus. It is a perfect mix of textures including the grittiness of couscous, the creaminess of hummus and the crunch of pine nuts. I simply molded it in a small bowl and placed the bowl upside down on a plate. It will make you want to put on a fez and watch Casablanca.......umm, maybe not. Enjoy!

2005 Bonterra Vineyards Mendocino County Syrah

noreply@blogger.com (StickKing) — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 11:00:00 +0000

Maybe not the ideal wine varietal to enjoy at an Italian restaurant, but we just felt like the big bold pepper of a California Syrah. This one was produced in the tradition of the Northern Rhone valley so it was blended with small amounts of Grenache and Voignier. The grapes are biodynamically grown on the high slopes of Mendocino county, north of Sonoma in California. Even though Voignier (a white grape ) was used in the blending of this wine, the color is dark red. The chocolate flavors are also dark, even the tannins feel dark, like black velvet. Vanilla notes come through the deep finish, and the acidity is almost citric. You should be able to find this for under $20 and even as low as $15.

Potato Pizza

noreply@blogger.com (StickKing) — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 11:00:00 +0000

Inspired by a popular Potato Pizza served at New York City's Five Points restaurant, this is a perfect example of seasonal cooking. When you go to New York farmers markets in the late fall and winter, potatoes are one of the "last men standing". Along with apples they remain as the only fresh produce in a slow season for farmers. With this is mind, I decided to try my own spin on potato pizza topped with olive oil, truffle oil, salt, pepper and some rosemary that I had growing in my kitchen. It was easy and you would be amazed how potatoes can become a featured ingredient in a world that relegates it as a side dish. Enjoy!

Stranahan's Colorado Whiskey

noreply@blogger.com (StickKing) — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 11:00:00 +0000

It all started with a taste at the annual New York City Whiskey Fest in November of 2008. An annual event held at the Marriott Marquis in Times Square that attracts hundreds of Whiskey distiller's from around the world for a night of tasting and seminars about one of my favorite topics. Scotch, Bourbon and Rye all side by side with their own strict ingredients and flavors all competing for Whiskey supremacy. Then out of nowhere comes a Distiller from a state not on the Whiskey map. When my friend first sipped Stranahan's Colorado Whiskey his comment was, "it is a perfect mix of Bourbon and Scotch". I agreed after tasting the smokey peat of Scotch and the sweet caramel of Bourbon. Our next question was "where can we get it?" That was a question with a disappointing answer. It turned out that the Distiller was still looking for an East coast distributor. However, I had a Wyoming trip on the horizon only a few weeks away. This is where the story gets interesting. It turned out there was no Colorado Whiskey to be found anywhere in the small Wyoming town of Sheridan. But, after calling the state liquor board I was able to broker a deal to get a couple cases sent up to a local liquor store who agreed to stock the Whiskey. I ended up buying two bottles, one to leave in Wyoming and one to bring back to New York City. They're not binded by any rules or regulations that Scotch and Bourbon have to follow, so it can dare to be different. If you ever find yourself in Denver swing buy and visit the Distillery located in the heart of the city. If you ever find yourself in a liquor store that sells Stranahan's do yourself a favor and buy a bottle!

Sriracha

noreply@blogger.com (StickKing) — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 11:00:00 +0000

Working at a restaurant when I first moved to New York City was what got me into food and wine. One of the things I learned very early in my short career was I new nothing about specialty ingredients. Sriracha was one of those ingredients I saw for the first time in the restaurant kitchen. It was used in dipping sauces, but mostly used as a condiment by all the chefs. They used this stuff like it was ketchup! I have recently rediscovered Sriracha for myself and have started to enjoy the spicy hot chili pepper flavors it adds to anything and everything. Add it to Ketchup and spice up your french fries, or add a tablespoon to your stir fry, if you like spicy, you'll love Sriracha. I think the rooster on the bottle is saying DON'T BE A CHICKEN! It's time you try Sriracha. It's definitely a Kitchen essential and fun to say!