Dad Cooks Dinner

Rotisserie Lamb Shoulder

2010-03-18T07:00:00.108-04:00

I'm a fan of shoulder cuts of meat, like beef chuck and pork butt. Lamb shoulder is another of my favorites, but it can be harder to find in my local grocery stores. It is worth the effort to hunt down. Lamb shoulder gives you all the advantages of shoulder cuts; it is tough to overcook, well marbled with fat, and has lots of connective tissue that melts into tender gelatin, if it is cooked long enough As a bonus, lamb shoulder is cheaper than the "better" cuts from the loin and leg, but still gives you the distinctive flavor of lamb.

Luckily, I have a source for my lamb shoulder. I put in a special order for a boned and tied lamb shoulder roast from the Great American Lamb company, and picked it up at the Cuyahoga Valley Winter Farmer's Market last month.
*Don't be afraid to talk to your butcher! They are happy to special order cuts like this, as long as they have some advance notice. It will also show your butcher that you have a seriousness of purpose, and will probably get you better service next time.

Recipe: Rotisserie Lamb Shoulder

Equipment:

Grill with Rotisserie attachment (I used a Weber Summit 650 with an infrared rotisserie burner. Here it is.)
Aluminum foil drip pan (9"x12", or whatever fits your grill)
Butcher's twine

Ingredients:

3 to 4 pound boneless lamb shoulder roast
1 tsp kosher salt
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp minced fresh rosemary
1 tsp lemon zest

Rosemary olive oil baste

1/4 cup olive oil
2-3 sprigs fresh rosemary (tied together to make a brush)

Directions:
1. Dry brine the lamb shoulder (optional): One to two days before cooking, remove the lamb from any wrapping or netting, and rinse under cold water. Pat dry with paper towels, then trim the exterior fat from the lamb shoulder. Open the lamb up if it is rolled - there should be an "inside" and an "outside". Sprinkle the lamb evenly with the salt, then put it with the inside facing up in a baking dish. Sprinkle with the garlic, minced rosemary, and lemon zest. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to cook.
*If you don't have the time for the dry brine, do this step just before cooking.

2. Prepare the lamb shoulder for cooking: Two hours before cooking, remove the lamb from the refrigerator. Roll the lamb into a tube shape, and truss every two inches with the twine. Skewer the lamb lengthwise with the spit for your rotisserie. Let the lamb rest at room temperature until it is time to cook.

3. Prepare the grill: Set your grill up for rotisserie cooking at medium heat. For my Weber Summit, this means removing the grates, turning the two outer burners (burners 1 and 6) to medium, and turning the infrared burner to medium. Then I put my drip pan in the middle, over the unlit burners, and let the grill preheat for ten to fifteen minutes. (See here for more rotisserie setup details.)

4. Cook the lamb: Put the spit on the rotisserie, start it spinning, and cook with the lid closed. After one hour of cooking, baste the lamb with the olive oil, using the rosemary brush. (Also, if you have an infrared rotisserie burner, turn it off after one hour of cooking, when the exterior of the lamb should be well browned.) Baste the lamb with the olive oil and the rosemary brush every 15 to 30 minutes until the lamb is done. Cook until the lamb reaches an internal temperature of 180*F, measured in the thickest part of the roast. This should take 1 hour 15 minutes to 2 hours, depending on the thickness of the roast. Start checking the lamb's temperature after 30 minutes, and watch out for the spit - it can throw the reading off.
*This roast was on the small side, slightly under 3 pounds, so it took 1 hour and 15 minutes to cook.
**Shoulder cuts need to be cooked to well done. If you want medium-rare lamb, cook a lamb leg instead.

5. Serve: Remove the spit from the grill, remove the lamb from the spit, and remove the twine from the roast. Baste one last time with the olive oil and rosemary brush, then let rest for 15 minutes. Slice the lamb into 1/2" thick slices, and serve.

Notes:
*Normally, shoulder cuts give you a large cushion in cooking - they're tough to overcook. However, my lamb wound up with a very thin section on one end when I was done tying it. That section overcooked by the time the lamb was cooked through in its thickest part. It wasn't awful, but it was a little chewy. My lesson? Next time, I'm going to try to truss it into a more even shape.

*When I think of lamb on the rotisserie, I think of Greek food, thanks to "My Big Fat Greek Wedding". Even though this is more of a generic Mediterranean flavor profile, I served this roast with a Greek salad and tzatziki sauce. And, as I've said many times, leftover lamb is begging to be used in gyros. Just buy some pita bread, make some more tzatziki sauce, thin slice some red onion, and dinner's ready.

What do you think? Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.

Related Posts:
Rotisserie Boneless Leg of Lamb, Greek Style
Rotisserie Leg of Lamb Provencal
Rotisserie Beef Chuck Roast Barbacoa
Click here for my other rotisserie recipes.

Inspired by:
Boned and tied lamb shoulder from the Great American Lamb company at the Cuyahoga Valley Winter Farmer's Market

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March Winter Farmer's Market Reminder

2010-03-17T07:00:00.003-04:00

The March Winter Farmer's Market in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park is this weekend. It is on Saturday, March 20th from 9AM to noon. The market is located in the Happy Days Lodge, 500 W. Streetsboro Road in Peninsula, Ohio.
*If you don't live in Northeastern Ohio, make sure to find your own local winter farmer's market.

Here's my post about the market, including a map: Winter Farmer's Market in the Cuyahoga Valley
Here's the official site for the market: Cuyahoga Valley Countryside Conservancy

See you there!

Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage

2010-03-16T07:00:00.148-04:00

Slow cooker corned beef and cabbage is my St. Patrick's day tradition.
*At least, that's what we've always called it, "corned beef and cabbage". It is really a mix of vegetables - cabbage, carrots, onions and potatoes.

When I started cooking this meal myself, I'd buy the biggest corned beef I could find and squeeze it into the pot. Now that I'm older (and...wiser?), I buy a small corned beef. Somewhere along the line I realized: even though I love corned beef, the best part is the vegetables. The corned beef flavors everything else in the pot, giving the vegetables its wonderful pickled, meaty flavor.

Now, this is not an authentic Irish meal. The Irish original is bacon and cabbage. When the waves of Irish migration to the United States happened, they couldn't find bacon like they had in the old country. But their Jewish neighbors had something that was very similar - corned beef. In other words, this is Irish-American cooking, just like spaghetti and meatballs is Italian-American, and burritos are Tex-Mex. That doesn't mean it isn't a delicious combination, and it defines "St. Patrick's Day" for me.
*I made a great, authentic, Irish lamb stew once, and while it was good, it just seemed...wrong. Like serving chicken on Thanksgiving.

Recipe: Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage

6 quart or larger slow cooker (Crock Pot brand is fine, but I like my fancy ones from All-Clad and KitchenAid)

Ingredients:

2-3 pound corned beef roast (with seasoning packet)
1 lb new potatoes
1/2 cup beer (Guinness is most "authentic". Or you can substitute water.)
1 lb carrots, peeled, trimmed and cut into 2 inch pieces
1 large onion, peeled and cut into 8 wedges
1 medium sized cabbage, cored and cut into 8 wedges
1/4 tsp + 1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground mustard

Directions:
1. Layer ingredients in the slow cooker: Put the corned beef on the bottom of the slow cooker, and fit the new potatoes in around it, then pour the beer over the corned beef. Sprinkle with the seasoning packet. Add the onions and carrots, then sprinkle with 1/4 tsp of kosher salt. Add the cabbage on top, and sprinkle with another 1/4 tsp of salt and the ground mustard. (Make sure the lid can close on the slow cooker. Move the cabbage around or remove some to make sure the lid seals against the crock.)

Layer 1- Corned beef and potatoes

Layer 2 - Carrots and onions

Layer 3 - Cabbage

2. Cook: Cover the slow cooker, and cook on low for 8-10 hours, or high for 4-5 hours.

3. Slice and serve: Remove the vegetables to a serving platter with a slotted spoon, and moisten with the juices in the slow cooker. Slice the corned beef crosswise into 1/2" thick slices, put on the platter with the vegetables, and moisten with more of the juices from the slow cooker. Serve.

Done!

Oh, my

Dad, is it ready yet?

Variations:
*Simple version: Skip everything except the corned beef, cabbage, and 1/2 cup of water or beer.

*Skip the potatoes: Potatoes are not slow cooker friendly - they either cook to mush, or don't cook enough and are rock hard in the middle. I include them in this dish because, well, it doesn't seem like it would be very Irish without potatoes. I use the new potatoes because I think the skin helps them from overcooking, and the small size helps them to cook all the way through. Sometimes I just leave them out, which leaves more room for the vegetables I really love, the cabbage and the carrots.

*Other starchy root vegetables: Parsnips, turnips, rutabaga, sweet potatoes - they're not very Irish, but they all go well in the slow cooker. Cut into 2 inch chunks, and add to the cooker with the rest of the vegetables.

Notes:
*Serve with soda bread and mustard. Oh, and lots of Guinness. A little Bushmills or Jameson's for an after dinner drink would be a good idea as well.
*Cue Michaleen Flynn in The Quiet Man - "Sorry, my mouth is like a dry crust, I can't continue this post...I don't suppose there's a drop of anything wet in this house?"

*You don't really need to use beer in the crock; it tastes fine with plain water. But it just feels right to cook with beer on St. Patrick's day.

What do you think? Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.

Related Posts:
Slow Cooker Beef Barbacoa

Slow Cooker Pork Pot Roast
Basic Technique: Slow Cooker Dried Beans

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Much Depends on Dinner - Michael Ruhlman at TEDxCLE

2010-03-15T07:00:00.021-04:00

I've been trying to explain why dinner is so important for over 200 posts now. As usual, Michael Ruhlman says it much better than I can:

"Don't underestimate how powerful the routine act of cooking can be."
-Michael Ruhlman, TEDxCle

See Michael's other thoughts on the importance of cooking at ruhlman.com

Michael Ruhlman: Why I Cook
Michael Ruhlman: Why I Cook Part II - The Cooking Imperative (The above video is from this post.)

What do you think? Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.

Chicken Legs Provencal A La Pebrade

2010-03-11T07:00:00.084-05:00

Here is another recipe in my A Week In Provence series

As I've said before, I love dark meat chicken. I was excited to learn a new technique for cooking it when I was with Patrick Payet at Famous Provence.
*Patrick said that this recipe would work well with chicken legs, and he was right. The original used rabbit, not chicken. See the notes section at the bottom for details.

The technique is to cook using a hybrid of baking and braising. Start the chicken in a hot oven, and halfway through the cooking time add liquid to come halfway up the chicken. This technique gives you tender, braised meat with crispy, browned skin, and the braising liquid becomes a delicious sauce! The pan drippings combine with white wine, vinegar, tomatoes and onions to give you a sweet, earthy sauce with a sharp edge.

Recipe: Chicken Legs Provencal a la Pebrade

Equipment:

13 inch by 9 inch baking dish (Pyrex is what I use; Emile Henry would be more authentic.)

Ingredients:

4 chicken legs, trimmed of excess fat
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
2 tsp herbes de provence
2 tsp olive oil
(optional) giblets from chicken legs (or giblets from a chicken, or 2 chicken livers)
1/2 cup white wine
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
1/2 medium onion, sliced thin

Directions:
1. Prepare the chicken legs: Start by preheating an oven to 400*F. Put the chicken legs in a 13 by 9 inch baking dish. Sprinkle the legs evenly with the salt and pepper, then coat with the dijon mustard. (I put 2 teaspoons of mustard on each leg, then smear it over the leg with my hands. If you want to be neat about it, you can brush it on with a pastry brush.) Arrange the legs in the baking dish so they are in one layer and skin side up. Sprinkle the herbes de provence evenly over the legs, then drizzle with the olive oil.
*If you are using the optional giblets, put them in the pan with the chicken legs. Chicken legs usually come with a little bit of the giblets still attached, which is where I get them for this recipe. I carefully cut them loose from the edge of the thigh. See the pictures below.

Removing the giblets

Chicken legs ready for the oven

2. Cook the chicken legs: Put the baking dish in the oven, and cook for 25 minutes. Pour the white wine, vinegar, and diced tomatoes over the chicken. (You want the liquid to come no more than half way up the chicken. Add more or less wine as necessary.) Scatter the sliced onions on top of the chicken, return he dish to the oven, and cook for another 25 minutes. Baste the chicken with the juices in the pan, then cook for 10 more minutes.

Adding tomatoes, onions and liquid

Basting

Mashing the giblets

3. Serving: Remove the pan from the oven. Put the chicken legs on a platter, then scoop the tomatoes and onions onto the platter using a slotted spoon. Pour the liquid in the pan into a gravy separator, and let the fat rise to the surface, about five minutes. Pour the liquid over the chicken, then serve.
*If you have the optional giblets, move them small bowl, and mash to a paste with a fork. Pour the defatted liquid into the bowl with the giblets, and whisk to combine, then pour over the chicken and serve.

Chicken and sauce ready for the table

Variations:
*Skinned chicken: Replace the chicken legs with 8 chicken thighs, and peel the skin off before cooking them. This is more faithful to the original version (rabbits are sold skinless), and you can skip the defatting step in the recipe. The mustard coating will protect the chicken while baking.
*I don't do this with chicken legs because it is hard to get the skin off of the drumsticks.

*Italian style: Italy and provence are very close together, so they share a lot of flavors. Skip the dijon mustard, replace the white wine vinegar with balsamic vinegar, and replace the herbes de provence with a mix of fresh thyme and rosemary.

Notes:
*Rabbit: In the original, Patrick used rabbit legs. Rabbit legs are smaller than chicken legs, so you have to use more of them (I would go with six), and you only cook the recipe for 40 minutes (20 min, add wine, 20 min, done). I use chicken legs because they work well with the technique. Rabbit is really hard to find in my area. When I did find it, it wasn't as good as the rabbit in provence.
*Finally, I don't have to worry about anyone having a "Oh no! We're eating Bugs Bunny!" reaction.
**For some reason, no one ever has a "Oh no, we're eating Foghorn Leghorn!" reaction.
***Update: I wrote this post a couple of weeks ago. I didn't know the New York Times was about to publish Hip-Hop Cuisine - Rabbit for Dinner, and kick off Rabbit Week on the food blogosphere. If I had known, I might have tried to find some rabbit. I could have been on the cutting edge of food!

What do you think? Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.

Related Posts:
Steam-sauteed leeks
Baked Chicken Thighs with Mustard and Herbs

Adapted From:
Patrick Payet, and my week at the Famous Provence [famous-provence.com].

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Steam Sauteed Leeks

2010-03-09T07:00:00.002-05:00

*Here is another recipe in my A Week In Provence series

When I think of leeks, I think of French food. Leeks, a relative of onions and garlic, are one of the key aromatics in French cuisine. Leeks aren't as strong tasting as onions; they add a more subtle base of flavor to any number of wonderful French dishes.
*Leek and potato soup is the recipe Julia Child chose to go first in "The Art of French Cooking"

I've always used leeks like I use onions. They were a supporting player, something to add depth to a dish, not something you eat on their own. That is, until Patrick showed me how to make them into a simple side dish. Leeks, boiled until tender, sauteed in butter. The result is very sweet, with a mild hint of garlic and onion to it.
*Patrick, being French, boiled them in a large pot of water, drained them, then sauteed them in butter. That's too much work for me on a weeknight, so I use the steam-saute technique I learned from Pam Anderson to get the same effect.

Recipe: Steam Sauteed Leeks

Equipment:

Fry pan with a lid

Ingredients:

3 to 4 leeks, depending on thickness (I used four because mine were thin, about 2 inches around)
1/3 cup water
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1 tbsp butter (optional, but pretty plain without it)

1. Trim and clean the leeks:Trim the root end off of the leeks, as close to the end of the leek as possible. For the leeks to hold together while cooking, keep the end of the leek where it all joins together. Trim the stems off of the leek where they turn dark green; the dark green is very tough, and not good to eat. Cut the leek in half lengthwise. Under cold running water, separate layers of the leek and rinse out all the dirt that is trapped inside.
Yes, there will be a lot of dirt. Make sure you get it all, or your leeks will be gritty.

2. Steam the leeks: Put the halved leeks in the pan in a single layer, cut side down. Add 1/3 cup water and the butter to the pan, then sprinkle the leeks evenly with the salt and pepper. Cover the pan, and put over medium-high heat. Wait for the water to come to a boil, then cook, covered, for 5 minutes.

3. Saute the leeks: Remove the lid, and check the bottom of the leeks. They should be well browned, and most of the water should be evaporated. (If not, continue to cook cut side down until the leeks are well browned.) Flip the leeks, and cook another 3-5 minutes, until they are tender all the way through. Check for doneness with a paring knife - it should glide through the thickest part of the leek without resistance.

Variations:
*Olive Oil: Substitute olive oil (or any other vegetable oil) for the butter, or do half butter, half oil.

*I want to be really healthy version: Cut the butter back to 1 teaspoon. I wouldn't eliminate it entirely. Even a little butter adds a big hit of flavor to the leeks.

*Lemon leeks: Zest a lemon. Cut it in half, and squeeze its juice over the leeks after they are done cooking. Sprinkle 1 tsp of the zest onto the leeks, and serve.

Notes:
*Why do leeks need such careful cleaning? Why is there so much dirt trapped in there? While leeks are growing, dirt is piled up around their stems to protect them from sunlight. This is what keeps the bottom of the leek white, which is the good part - the green leaves are tough and inedible. As the leek grows, it is pushing itself up through this pile of dirt, trapping it between the layers of the leek. So, to have an edible leek, you need the dirt trapped between the layers.

*Which leads to my leek buying advice. Because the white part is the only edible part, buy leeks with as much white on them as you can. The dark green part is just going to be trimmed off, so make sure you are getting enough white leek to be worth it.

*Instead of throwing away the dark green leaves, I rinse and save them. They make an excellent replacement for onions when making chicken stock. I save them in a ziploc bag in my freezer, right next to my ziploc bag with leftover chicken bones, waiting for my next batch of stock.
You do make your own stock with leftover chicken bones, right?

What do you think? Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.

Related Posts:
Sauteed Swiss Chard
Steam-sauteed green beans
Barbecued Frozen Corn

Inspired by:
Cooking with Patrick Payet in Provence
Pam Anderson: How to Cook Without a Book

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A Week In Provence

2010-03-08T07:00:00.076-05:00

Gordes, France

*Apologies to Peter Mayle for the title.

A few years back, Diane, my loving wife, gave me my 40th birthday present. She sent me off for two weeks in France while she stayed home to watch the kids.
*Yes, she loves me. A lot.

I went looking for a cooking school in Provence; I've been in love with the region ever since reading Patrick Mayle's books, and the Provencal influence on Judy Rodgers and Alice Waters make me think of the area as my culinary True North.
*That, and I'm a long time fan of the Tour de France, watching Greg LeMond, Miguel Indurain, Marco Pantani and Lance Armstrong hammer their way across France. Seeing Mont Ventoux off in the distance was one of the high points of my trip.

I found Patrick Payet and Famous Provence through the internet, entirely by chance. I was going to be there in early March, not exactly peak time for Provence, and he was the only one I could find who had cooking classes that time of year. I signed up, bought my airline tickets…and waited, impatiently, for my flight to France.

I stayed in a house just outside Roussillon, where the ochre deposits give the hills an amazing burnt orange color. Across the valley at night, I could see the twinkling lights of Bonnieux and Lacoste. Due to a scheduling mishap, I was the only student there. Another group was supposed to be staying the same week I was, for a cooking and hiking tour in the hills of the Luberon. But, at the last minute they delayed their trip by a week. As a result, I got to spend the entire week one-on-one with Patrick.

Patrick stops by to visit his old restaurant

Patrick was a gracious host, and a genial tour guide by day.
*Patrick went to college in Los Angeles, so his English is great. It is much better than the French I had crammed into my head in a year's quick study, preparing for the trip. It may even be better than mine…
He took me all over Provence; I saw farmer's markets, bakeries, the Papal Palace in Avignon, the corkscrew museum in Menerbes, the Lavender museum in Coustellet, and the weekly antiques market in L'Isle Sur la Sorgue. We walked and talked as I learned the history of all the little hill towns in the Vaucluse. We would eat lunch over a newspaper and a bottle of beer (for him) and a glass of rose (for me) at small restaurants. Patrick seemed to know everyone - he had business partners, connections, family members, and old friends almost everywhere we went.
*I loved the markets and grocery stores. The Les Halles market in Avignon was gorgeous - it reminded me of our own West Side Market, only larger and better lit. It is housed in its own permanent structure in the middle of downtown, a couple of blocks from the Papal Palace.

Les Halles, Avignon

After touring Provence in the morning, we'd return to the house for the afternoon, and I could relax for a while. Then, at 4PM, we'd start cooking. Patrick would turn into a stern task master, demanding to know why my potatoes were cut 1/2 inch thick when he asked for 1/4 inch. I learned how to cook vegetables the French way (boil in lots of salted water until well cooked, then drain and saute in a little butter), how to make clay pot chicken using dough to seal the lid shut, and how to cook rabbit. More important, I learned how a former restaurateur organizes himself in the kitchen, makes things ahead of time for use later in the week, cleans as he goes, and creates works of art on the plate, making sure each sprig of asparagus is just so before serving.
*Patrick makes a brief cameo in Peter Mayle's A Year in Provence, from when he owned the restaurant Le Tonneau.

What was all this cooking for? Every night, at 8PM on the nose, we would serve the dinner we were preparing. Some nights, it was just me, Patrick, and his wife, Babeth; other nights, Patrick had organized a dinner with friends from the area. These dinners were the highlight of the trip - I got to be a temporary local, having dinner as the only American in the room. We dined with a sports psychologist who had studied at the University of Texas, an engineer who worked on satellite launches in Brazil, Babeth's son, the college student, who despised both of the choices in their upcoming presidential election (Selogene Royal and Nicolas Sarkozy), and any number of neighbors and friends. I got tips for where to eat in Paris, heard dirty jokes, listened lectures on the political system in France, held forth on where I thought the stock market was headed, and enjoyed an entertaining story about a lost dog who preferred his new owner. I learned that, if you're done with a glass of wine, you leave it about a third full, otherwise it will be filled for you. Again and again. I was raised to clean my plate, and this led to a couple of tipsy evenings before I got the hang of it. (Either that, or the UT graduate was trying to get back at me for mentioning that I rooted for Ohio State.) My French wasn't good enough to keep up with the conversation, but their English was always good enough to explain what was being said, if I looked too lost.*
*That said, my favorite conversation was with the engineer, who spoke as little English as I speak French. We had a great time, trying to discuss satellite launches in Cape Canaveral (him) and computer programming (me) even though we didn't have more than 100 words of common language between us. Just goes to show you - a geek is a geek, regardless of language barriers.

Mike and Babeth

I must have done well enough for Patrick's drill sergeant side, because on my last day in Provence, Patrick asked me to stay for the next week, when the hikers would arrive. He said I could stay, free of charge, to work as his kitchen assistant, and spend another week learning. It was very, very tempting. But all I had seen of Paris was through the window of the TGV as I zoomed from the Airport to Avignon. Reluctantly, I had to turn down Patrick's generous offer, because I had to see Paris.
I didn't realize how badly I had to see Paris…but that's another story, for another day.

I'll leave you with my favorite quote from Patrick. He was struggling with the corkscrew, trying to remove the foil from a bottle of wine. I asked if I could have it, then used a trick I had learned at a winery in Napa Valley. If you grab the foil on the top of a bottle of wine, and pull hard, it will usually pop right off. No messing with foil cutters or anything like that. I did this, and the foil popped right off the top. Patrick looked shocked.

What are you doing? Louis XIV is rolling over in his grave!

I explained where I learned the trick, and he said:

Napa…pfft. What do they know about wine? Talk to me when they've been making it for centuries.

Someday, I'm going back, and the first thing I'm going to do is go visit my friend. Patrick, thank you for a wonderful week!

Patrick and I working in the kitchen

Related Posts:
Steam-sauteed Leeks (Coming soon)
Chicken Legs A La Pebrade (Coming soon)

Inspired by:
Patrick Payet and Famous Provence [Famous-Provence.com]
Peter Mayle - A Year in Provence (really, just about every book Peter's written)

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Pressure Cooker Short Ribs

2010-03-04T07:00:00.061-05:00

Short ribs, braised until they are melt-in-your mouth pieces of beefy goodness, are one of my favorite meals. But they are a little finicky for a home cook.
*I had Michael Symon's short ribs at Lola's, years ago. It is one of the best meals I've ever had at a restaurant, and I've been working on my short ribs at home ever since.

Part of why they are so delicious is they are loaded with fat. When cooking short ribs, there has to be a plan to get rid of the fat, or the ribs and the sauce will be much too greasy. Once again, the pressure cooker comes to the rescue.

Why pressure cook short ribs? First, they're done with 25 minutes under pressure, instead of the 3 to 4 hours of simmering they would need. Pressure cooking seems to break down the collagen in the meat better as well - I like how tender the ribs are after pressure cooking.
*Thanks to the pressure cooker, all the collagen from the bones winds up in the sauce as well. The sauce, once it is defatted, is rich, luxurious, and full of beef flavor.

Finally, there is the fat issue. The best way to get rid of all the extra fat is to cook the short ribs, then refrigerate them overnight in their sauce. The fat will come to the surface and congeal into an easily removed fat cap. This is where the shortened cooking time from the pressure cooker really comes in handy. I can make my short ribs in about an hour, end to end, the night before I want to serve them. I make them while I clean up tonight's dinner, and they are ready to go for dinner tomorrow.

Recipe: Pressure Cooker Short Ribs

Equipment:

Pressure Cooker (I use my Fagor Duo 10 Quart pressure cooker)
Fat separator (You need a big one, at least 4 cups in size).

Ingredients:

4 pounds beef short ribs, cut into 2 to 3 inch segments, trimmed of as much fat as possible
2 tbsp plus 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tbsp fresh ground pepper
2 cups chicken stock (preferably homemade chicken stock*) or water
1 cup red wine (Preferably a fruity blend, like a Cote du Rhone)
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried)
1 tbsp tomato paste (I like Amore from a tube)

Untrimmed vs trimmed short ribs

Directions:
1. Season and sear the ribs in two batches: Trim all the fat you can from the short ribs, which usually is on the top and the bottom (along the rib). Heat 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil over medium-high heat in your pressure cooker pot until it is shimmering. Add half the ribs, and sear for 3 minutes per side, or until well browned. (I treat the ribs as if they have four "sides", so this should take about 12 minutes. Make sure one of the "sides" is bone side down - that will help render some of the fat.) Remove the browned ribs to a bowl. Add the second half of the ribs to the pot, and sear for 3 minutes per side. Move the second batch into to the bowl with the rest of the browned ribs. Pour off all but 1 tablespoons of the oil and fat in the cooker.

Ready to sear

2. Saute the aromatics: Add the onion, garlic, bay and thyme to the pot, and saute for five minutes, or until the onions are softened. Add the chicken stock and wine to the pot, increase the heat to high, and scrape the bottom of the pot to loosen any browned bits from the bottom.

3. Pressure cook the ribs: Add the ribs and tomato paste to the pot, and stir everything until it is well mixed. Get as many ribs submerged in the liquid as you can, then lock the lid on the pressure cooker. Wait for the pressure cooker to come up to high pressure, then lower the heat to maintain that pressure and cook for 25 minutes. Remove from the heat, allow the pressure to come down naturally for 10 to 15 minutes, then quick release any pressure left in the pot.

4. Prepare the sauce: Remove the ribs to a serving platter with a slotted spoon. Pour the sauce into a fat separator, let it rest for ten minutes for the fat to surface, then pour over the ribs and serve.
*If you have the time, refrigerate the ribs overnight to help remove the fat. After cooking, let the ribs cool to room temperature, then refrigerate overnight, or up to 3 days. This will let the fat rise to the surface and solidify. To serve, lift the solid fat from the ribs, then reheat the ribs over medium heat on the stove.

Variations:

*More refined sauce: After letting the fat separate, pour the sauce through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl, then use a hand blender to puree the sauce.

*More rustic sauce: Add 2 diced carrots with the onions, and replace the tomato paste with a 28 ounce can of diced tomatoes. Remove them with a slotted spoon before you defat the sauce, then add them back in before serving.

*Don't have a pressure cooker? Replace step 3 with:

Dutch oven: Put the ingredients in a dutch oven and bring to a boil. Cover the dutch oven, and move to a 325*F oven. Cook in the oven for 3 to 4 hours, until the ribs are tender. Remove from the oven, and continue with step 4.

Slow cooker: Put the ingredients in a slow cooker, and cook on high for 4 hours, or low for 8 hours. Continue with step 4.

Notes:
*As I said in my I love pressure cookers post, every pressure cooker works differently. Make sure you have read your pressure cooker manual before starting this recipe, so you know how to lock it, tell when it's up to high pressure (15 PSI), and how to release the pressure when you're done.

*Instead of browning the pork in two batches, I use two pans. I brown half in my pressure cooker, and half in my fry pan. Then, I saute the onions in the pressure cooker, while I heat up the chicken stock and wine in the fry pan. This loosens up the browned bits in the fry pan, so I get their flavor in the final stew. Also, the pressure cooker comes up to pressure quicker if you add boiling liquid, so I'm heating up my stock at the same time I'm sauteing my onion.

Two batches, two pans

*I'm sorry about the lack of photos in this one. I was distracted during my preparations, and forgot to take them during the middle part of the cooking.

What do you think? Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.

Related Posts:
Pressure Cooker Chinese Pork with Plum Sauce
Pressure Cooker Chicken Stock (the best way to get chicken stock for this recipe)
My other pressure cooker recipes

Adapted from:
Lorna Sass Pressure Perfect (And check out Lorna's pressure cooking blog at pressurecookingwithlornasass.wordpress.com)

Pressure Cooker Chinese Pork with Dried Plum Sauce

2010-03-02T07:00:00.078-05:00

I was introduced to the idea of pork and prunes (excuse me, dried plums*), by one of Tom Johnson's cooking classes at the Western Reserve School of Cooking. He did a traditional French pork and ~~prune~~ dried plum dish. Then, in a different class, he did a Chinese lamb and dried plum stew. Both dishes were excellent - the earthy, fruity, and sweet flavor of dried plums makes a great backdrop for both pork and lamb.
*Dried Plums is the new name for prunes. The California Dried Plums Association decided that prunes needed a makeover.

Then I came across Lorna Sass's recipe for pressure cooking meat in gingered plum sauce. Now, instead of a recipe that simmers for two hours, I have a recipe that is cooks for 15 minutes under pressure. This combination of Tom and Lorna's recipes has made a a regular appearance in my kitchen ever since.

Recipe: Pressure Cooker Chinese Pork with Dried Plum Sauce

Equipment:

Pressure Cooker (I use my Fagor Duo 10 Quart pressure cooker)
Hand Blender (Not absolutely necessary, but it helps when making the sauce)

Ingredients:

3 to 4 pound pork shoulder roast, cut into 1 1/2" to 2" cubes, trimmed of as much fat as possible
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed
1 inch fresh ginger, grated
2 scallions, trimmed and cut into 1 inch lengths
2 cups chicken stock (preferably homemade chicken stock) or water
2 cups pitted dried plums (also known as prunes)
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp seasoned rice vinegar or dry sherry

Directions:
1. Season and sear the pork in two batches: In a large bowl, toss the cubes of pork with 2 tablespoons of soy sauce. Heat 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil over medium-high heat in your pressure cooker pot until it is shimmering. Add half the pork, and sear for 2 minutes per side, or until well browned. (I treat the pork cubes as if they have four "sides", so this should take about 8 minutes.) Remove the browned pork to a bowl. Add the second half of the pork to the pot, and sear for 2 minutes per side. Move the second batch into to the bowl with the rest of the browned pork. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the oil and fat in the cooker.

2. Saute the aromatics: Add the onion, garlic, ginger and scallions to the pot, and saute for five minutes, or until the onions are softened. Add the chicken stock to the pot, increase the heat to high, and scrape the bottom of the pot to loosen any browned bits from the bottom.

Toss pork with soy sauce

Aromatics

Mix until well combined

3. Pressure cook the stew:Add the seared pork, plums, 2 tablespoons soy sauce and vinegar to the pot, and stir until well mixed. Lock the lid on the pressure cooker. Wait for the pressure cooker to come up to high pressure, then lower the heat to maintain that pressure and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat, allow the pressure to come down naturally for 10 to 15 minutes, then quick release any remaining pressure.

After pressure cooking

Taking the stick to it

Pureed plum sauce

4. Prepare the sauce: Remove the pork to a serving platter with a slotted spoon. Let the sauce rest in the pot for ten minutes, then skim off as much fat as you can from the surface. Using a hand blender, puree the liquid in the pressure cooker to make a thick sauce. Taste the sauce, and add more soy sauce or vinegar if you think it needs it. Pour the sauce over the pork on the platter, and serve.
*Be careful - you get a lot of sauce with this recipe. Don't overflow the platter. Not that I spilled plum sauce all over my counter while I was taking pictures of this recipe for the blog, or anything like that...

Variations:
*Don't have a pressure cooker? Replace step 3 with:

Dutch oven: Put the ingredients in a dutch oven and bring to a boil. Cover the dutch oven, and move to a 325*F oven. Cook in the oven for 2 hours, then remove and continue with step 4.

Slow cooker: Put the ingredients in a slow cooker, and cook on high for 3 hours, or low for 6 hours. Continue with step 4.

*Lamb: From Tom Johnson's original recipe, use 3 to 4 pounds of cubed lamb shoulder (or lamb shoulder steaks) instead of the pork.

*Busy Weeknight Version: Skip the searing in step 1 - just toss the pork with the soy sauce, and add it to the pot in step 3. You don't get the depth of flavor that seared pork and its fond add to the sauce, but there are enough other flavors in this recipe to make up for it. Skip the resting and skimming of the sauce in step 4, go straight for the stick blender. The sauce will be a little fatty, but it still tastes delicious.

Notes:
*As I said in my I love pressure cookers post, every pressure cooker works differently. Make sure you have read your pressure cooker manual before starting this recipe, so you know how to lock it, tell when it's up to high pressure (15 PSI), and how to release the pressure when you're done.

*Instead of browning the pork in two batches, I use two pans. I brown half in my pressure cooker, and half in my fry pan. Then, I saute the onions in the pressure cooker, while I heat up the chicken stock in the fry pan. This loosens up the browned bits in the fry pan, so I get their flavor in the final stew. Also, the pressure cooker comes up to pressure quicker if you add boiling liquid, so I'm heating up my stock at the same time I'm sauteing my onions.

*If you have the time: make the recipe the night before, refrigerate, then reheat. This gives you two advantages: the flavors combine better after a day of resting, and the fat all congeals on the surface, making it easy to lift off in big chunks. To do this, finish the recipe through step 3 (pressure cooking), then let the stew cool to room temperature. Store it, covered, in the refrigerator overnight. The next day (or up to 3 days later), remove from the refrigerator, and scrape the fat cap from the top of the pot. Reheat over medium heat until simmering, then, continue with step 4 (remove pork cubes and puree the sauce.)

*I love this plum sauce with white rice. The combination of the sticky, sweet, earthy sauce and the plain white rice gives me that same homey feeling that I get from mashed potatoes and gravy. I'm tempted to save leftover plum sauce, without the meat, just to serve on rice. It is a huge upgrade over the plum sauce you buy in jars at the chinese grocery.

*Oh, and in a tip of the hat to Tom at ExploringFoodMyWay - yes, that's Sriracha sauce you see in the picture up top. A spark of heat adds a nice finish to this dish.

*If you're really in a hurry, you can quick release the pressure on the cooker after the 15 minutes of cooking time. But, I think the texture of the pork is a little better if you let the pressure come down naturally.
*And it freaks my kids out when the pressure cooker is unloading steam from high pressure - it is quite loud.

What do you think? Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.

Related Posts:
Pressure Cooker Short Ribs (coming soon)
Pressure Cooker Chicken Stock (the best way to get chicken stock for this recipe)
My other pressure cooker recipes

Adapted from:
Tom Johnson's Chinese cooking class at the Western Reserve School of Cooking
Lorna Sass Pressure Perfect (And check out Lorna's pressure cooking blog at pressurecookingwithlornasass.wordpress.com)

Things I Love: Pressure Cooker

2010-03-01T07:00:00.018-05:00

Fagor Duo 10 Quart Pressure Cooker

Things I Love: Pressure Cooker

I don't think of myself as a cook who likes gadgets. My favorite kitchen tools are my knife and my wooden spoon. But there are a few gadgety* tools I use often. One of them is my pressure cooker.
*Is gadgety a word? If not, it should be.
**My rotisserie is not a gadget! It is an essential piece of grilling equipment!

I use a pressure cooker when I need to compress cooking time. When I have a recipe that says "simmer for 4 hours", but I need it done in one hour, my pressure cooker comes out. I view the pressure cooker as the time-bending opposite of the slow cooker. One is useful when you don't have much time; the other is useful when you have a ton of time.

The pressure cooker joined my batterie de cuisine years ago. It was back when Diane was pregnant with Tim, our youngest child. He decided, after only three months of pregnancy, that he was tired of waiting and wanted to join us. Diane was put on bed rest, and only allowed to get out of bed once a day for the last six months of the pregnancy. Ben was three years old, Natalie was one, and I was suddenly Mr. Mom on top of DadCooksDinner.
*After this experience, I marvel at single parents. How do they get through the daily batch of whining, late night wake-up calls, illnesses, and all the other trials that being a parent brings? When I'm tired, cranky, sick, or busy with work, I have Diane to back me up. And vice versa. In this case, I knew I just had to hang on for six months. How do you do it when you have to hang on until eighteen? If you are a single parent, and are reading this, you have my admiration and respect.

My pressure cooker helped me hold on to my sanity. Some people exercise for their mental health; I cook. With the pressure cooker, I could cook stews and chilies when I had a few minutes to myself, after the kids were in bed. I would start them while I cleaned the kitchen, and they would be done in about an hour. Then I could collapse with a good book for the rest of the evening. The next night, I would take them out of the fridge, scrape off the congealed fat, and reheat them on the stove. Dinner was ready in fifteen minutes, and I had leftovers for lunch the rest of the week. For the next six months, I worked my way through Lorna Sass's The Pressured Cook, and Ben, Natalie and I got to bond over trips to daycare and early morning ear infections. Six months later everything was back to normal.* Or as normal as things get with a new baby in the house. The pressure cooker has been in regular use in my kitchen ever since.
*The end result of the bed rest was a healthy baby, born one month early. I can't believe Tim is five years old; it seems like this happened only yesterday. He has the personality you would expect for someone who wanted to be born six months early - stubborn and determined to do things his way.
**I have no idea where he gets that from.

How does it work?
Pressure cookers use the steam from cooking to build pressure in the cooker. The lid has an airtight seal, and locks onto the top of the pot. In the lid is a regulator that will not allow air to escape until it reaches operating pressure at 15PSI (roughly 1.0 bar). Under pressure, water comes to a boil at a higher temperature, 250*F instead of 212*F. The higher temperature combined with the pressure cooks food much faster than normal. How much faster? Pressure cooking cuts simmering time by two thirds. For example, take my favorite pressure cooker recipe, homemade chicken stock. Normally, chicken stock should simmer for 4 hours. In the pressure cooker, chicken stock takes 45 minutes once you're up to pressure. Chili goes from 3 hours of simmering to 25 minutes under pressure. Pot roast? Done in an hour. Pressure has the amazing ability to compress cooking times.

What does it do well?
The downside to the pressure cooker is the lack of specific control while you're cooking. Once you lock the lid, you can't check on anything until it is done cooking. Don't pressure cook anything that takes careful timing or measuring of temperature.*
*Examples: Chicken breasts, rare beef, or anything ever described with the word "lean".

Pressure cooking is best for braises, stews, chilies, curries, pot roasts, dried beans, and soups. In other words, it is a good replacement for long, slow, wet cooking methods, where overcooking doesn't happen easily.
*If a recipe has the words "simmer for X hours" in it, then it will be perfect for the pressure cooker.

Also, because it needs steam to come up to pressure, it won't work with any recipes involving dry heat. You have to have some liquid in the pot, usually a half a cup or more.

Is it going to explode?
When I tell people I love my pressure cooker, that is always the first thing they ask. Everyone has a story about that time in the 70's when mom's pressure cooker exploded. The lid was embedded in the ceiling, pea soup coated every surface in the kitchen, and mom never used the pressure cooker again.

I know why these stories are from the 70's, but I can't explain why mom was always cooking pea soup. Those were first generation pressure cookers, often called "jiggle tops". They regulate pressure using a weighted regulator, which lifts off the pressure valve when the steam in the cooker is strong enough to lift the weight. The problem is, that valve is the only way for steam to escape. If something blocks that valve (like, say, a stray pea skin), the pressure keeps building, and building, and...boom.
*They're called jiggle tops because once they are up to pressure, the weighted regulator rocks back and forth, letting a little burst of steam out every time it rocks. And because "jiggle top" is more fun to say than "rocking top".

Starting in the 80's, European companies developed second generation pressure cookers. These cookers have spring-loaded valves to maintain the pressure. No steam escapes from the pressure cooker unless it is over-pressurized; you can tell they're up to pressure by watching the marks on the regulator. They are built with multiple safety systems and release valves, to make sure the pressure will escape before the cooker blows its lid off.
*Worst case, it will hiss and sputter a lot, until you turn off the heat. No more exploding! No more pea soup on the walls!

Which one should I get?
Obviously, you want a second generation cooker. Stay away from all-aluminum models, which are really meant for pressure canning. The brands that are recommended by sources I trust are Kuhn Rikon, WMF and Fagor. Kuhn Rikon is often called the Mercedes-Benz of pressure cookers, and it has the quality and price tag to match that description. I've also read good things about WMF pressure cookers. Both are second generation cookers, but I've never had my hands on either brand. My pressure cooker is the Fagor Duo 10 quart pressure cooker. It has the spring loaded valve and multiple safety systems of a second generation cooker, but you can tell that it's up to pressure once it begins releasing steam, like a first generation cooker. I think of it as a one and a half generation cooker. The Fagor doesn't have a marked regulator, and the constant hissing can get a little annoying.

That said, I haven't upgraded it because I love its size. The Fagor is 10 quarts, and 10 inches in diameter. This is unusual in pressure cookers; most manufacturers stop at an 8 quart capacity, and most cookers are 8 to 9 inches in diameter. And…that brings me to head space. Buy a larger pressure cooker than you think you need. A pressure cooker needs "head space" to come up to pressure - if it is filled over 2/3rds full, there isn't enough space for the steam to build up pressure. So, my 10 quart cooker only gives me 6.6 quarts of usable space. A 8 quart cooker gives you 5 quarts of space, and so on.
*I like the 10 inch diameter because it gives you extra space when you're browning meat to make a stew or braise. It's the difference between having to brown in two batches or three batches.

For that 10 quarts, the Fagor costs around $100. The only other pressure cooker I've been able to find that is 10 quarts (or larger) is the Kuhn Rikon 12 quart family pressure cooker. It is two quarts larger, has a real second generation pressure system, and it has an 11 inch diameter. Why don't I own one? Because it costs $399. I can't justify four times the price for the extra two quarts.*
*Yet. But I'm weakening. I can go an awful long way to justify a purchase when I really, really want something. Everyone seems impressed with the Kuhn Rikon cookers, and I'd love to try one out. Someday, when this blog has made me rich and famous, I'll upgrade.
**Yes, gadget lust is an ugly thing.

RTFM - Read the F(ine) Manual
Read the manual. All pressure cookers work a little differently. The manual will explain how to use the cooker, how to lock the lid so the cooker can come up to pressure, and how to release the pressure so the lid can be unlocked.
*That's another safety feature that has been added. Modern pressure cookers lock until all the pressure is released. That way, the lid can't be forced open while the cooker is still under pressure, causing the aforementioned pea soup explosion.

Pressure Cooking Sources:
My discussion of pressure cooking sources has to begin with Lorna Sass*. She is my pressure cooking guru. Her cookbooks taught to use my pressure cooker, and are resources I still turn to for timings when I'm adapting a recipe for the pressure cooker. The one I recommend to people just starting out is Pressure Perfect; it has the widest range of recipes, and timing suggestions for just about any cut of meat or bean you could think to put in a pressure cooker.
*I own all of her pressure cooking cookbooks, and started with her The Pressured Cook.

And! Part of why I'm writing this post is that I just found out that Lorna has a blog. Check out Pressure Cooking with Lorna Sass [pressurecookingwithlornasass.wordpress.com] for videos with Lorna, and links to other pressure cooker recipes around the web.

Other sources where I've found good pressure cooker recipes are:
The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook has a very good section on pressure cooking.
Madhur Jaffrey's Quick and Easy Indian Cooking has a lot of pressure cooker recipes; pressure cooking is very popular in India
Jaques Pepin has a few pressure cooker recipes in his Fast Food My Way and More Fast Food My Way
Alton Brown (my hero!) has done a couple of episodes using a pressure cooker: Pressure and The Big Chili

What do you think? Do you use a pressure cooker? Have any questions? Other ideas you want to share? Leave them in the comments section below.

Related Posts:
Using my pressure cooker to make stock is my "killer app" - I make chicken stock once or twice a month with my pressure cooker. After roasting a chicken for dinner, I take the carcass and toss it in the pressure cooker while I clean the kitchen. One hour later...stock!
Pressure Cooker Chicken Stock
Pressure Cooker Turkey Stock
Pressure Cooker Asian Pork with Dried Plums
Pressure Cooker Short Ribs

Inspired by:
Lorna Sass: Pressure Perfect
Fagor Duo 10 Quart Pressure Cooker

Salmon Saute With Tequila Orange Sauce

2010-02-25T07:00:00.224-05:00

Let's put the Saute with Pan Sauce basic technique to work again.

If you have been reading this blog, you probably know my first choice for cooking fish is the grill.
*OK, OK, you caught me. My first choice for cooking anything is the grill.

What do I do when there are two feet of snow on my deck, and I don't feel like shoveling?* I return to my trusted saute technique. And I get some salmon. Salmon's bold, meaty flavor helps me get through a cold winter's night.
*Yes, I know I talked tough in my winter grilling post, but after two weeks of non-stop snow, the last thing I want to do for a quick weeknight dinner is shovel my deck.

Sauteed salmon has a seared, crispy exterior to go with perfectly cooked, tender flesh. The pan sauce adds the sweet citrus flavor of oranges, butter for a rich mouth feel, and complex undertones from tequila. Even better, the recipe comes together quickly; it takes longer to read than it does to cook the salmon.

Recipe: Salmon Saute With Tequila Orange Sauce

Equipment:

12 inch stainless steel fry pan (I love my All-Clad 12" fry pan).

Ingredients:

5 to 6 Alaskan salmon fillets, each 1 1/2 to 2 inches wide (I used 12 ounces of frozen Alaskan Salmon, and cut it into fillets myself)
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt (1/4 tsp per fillet - about a three-finger pinch)
1 1/2 tsp ancho chile powder (1/4 tsp per fillet)
2 tbsp vegetable oil

Sauce ingredients:

1 1/2 oz tequila (one shot glass)
juice of 1 orange
1 tbsp unsalted butter (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
*For an overview, see my Saute with Pan Sauce basic technique
1. Prepare the Sauce: Measure out the tequila and butter, juice the orange, and set aside.

2. Prepare the Salmon: Sprinkle the salt and ancho chile powder evenly over the salmon fillets.

3. Prepare the pan: Heat the oil in your pan over medium-high heat, until the oil is shimmering and just starting to show wisps of smoke.

4. Saute the Salmon: Place the salmon fillets in the pan, skin side up. Shake the pan to get the oil under the salmon, then let sit for 3 minutes, or until well browned. The salmon should release easily from the pan, or it needs another minute of cooking. Flip the salmon, and cook with the skin side down for another 3-5 minutes. The timing on this side depends the thickness of the salmon. Small pieces, roughly 1 1/2 inches thick, will be done after about 3 minutes; thick pieces (2 inches or more) need four to five minutes.* Remove the fillets to a plate.
*To determine the doneness, I watch the side of the salmon fillets - you can see the pink, uncooked part getting smaller and smaller. I like my salmon cooked to medium doneness, so I wait until the salmon just looks cooked through on the side. If I have sushi grade salmon, or Copper River salmon when it first hits the market in June, I cook it rare. I sear the top and bottom, but get it off the heat while I can still see that uncooked line in the middle. See the sauteing picture above - the thick filet in the middle on the left has an uncooked line in the middle; the thinner filets on the right are already cooked all the way up the side.

5. Make the Pan Sauce: Pour off any oil left in the pan. Off the heat, add the tequila to the pan. Wait about a minute, until the tequila stops steaming, then put it back over the heat.* Add the orange juice, and scrape any browned bits of salmon from the bottom of the pan into the sauce. Boil until reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Turn off the heat, and whisk in the butter. Taste the sauce, and add salt and pepper until it is well seasoned.
*If you want to add some showmanship to your cooking, flambe the tequila. Immediately after adding it to the pan, put it back over the heat, and light the tequila with a click lighter or by tilting the pan until the tequila fumes ignite from the burner. Shake the pan occasionally until it stops flaming, then add the orange juice.
**Make sure you have a lid that will cover the pan nearby, just in case. If the fire gets out of control, cover the pan with the lid to smother it.

6. Serve: Serve each salmon fillet with 1 teaspoon of sauce drizzled on top, and pass any leftover sauce at the table.

Serving suggestions:
I served the salmon with mango salsaTKLink, quick couscous and a side of steam sauteed green beans.

Variations:
*Margarita sauce: Replace the orange juice with the juice from two limes, and 1 teaspoon of sugar.

*Screwdriver sauce: Replace the tequila with vodka.

*Non-alcoholic sauce: Replace the tequila with 1 cup of chicken broth, preferably homemade.

*Need some other ideas for the sauce? See the Saute with Pan Sauce basic technique.

*Simple Salmon: Use salt and ground black pepper, and skip the pan sauce. Squeeze a little lime or lemon over the fish, and serve.

Notes:
*I cook my salmon in a stainless steel pan, instead of a nonstick pan; I get a better sear on the salmon that way. Just make sure you don't skimp on the oil in the pan when you do this, and give the salmon enough time to develop a good crust - it releases from the pan once it is has that crust built. Even then, you may have to help it release from the pan by gently working any stuck sections loose. I like my slotted spatula for that.

*As I've said before, please buy sustainable seafood. In this case, that means Alaskan wild salmon is the right choice for this recipe.

*Thawing frozen salmon: If you follow my advice and buy Alaskan salmon, it is probably going to be frozen, unless you're buying it in season (or have a very good fishmonger available to you.) To thaw, I just leave the vacuum pack in the refrigerator overnight. If you're in a hurry, put the vacuum sealed package of salmon in a bowl under cold running water. It will take about an hour to thaw.
*Does anyone know why my frozen salmon says to remove it from the plastic vacuum package before I thaw it? I never do, and it seems to turn out OK, if not quite as good as when they thaw it at the store.

*Yes, frozen salmon. "Fresh" fish means "Fresh frozen", unless I buy it at the dock, directly from the fisherman. My understanding is that all the fish at the grocery store or fish market is flash frozen at sea, then thawed once it reaches the store. And really, that's OK - it results in higher quality fish. There's no way fish would make it to market in Ohio, all the way from the Pacific ocean, without freezing it to keep it from spoiling.
*Source: Warming Up to Frozen Fish [alaskaseafood.org]

What do you think? Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.

Related Posts:
Pictured with my Mango Salsa
Saute with Pan Sauce basic technique
Pork Chop Saute with Orange Mustard Sauce
Grill Smoked Salmon
Sustainable Seafood

Adapted from:
Pam Anderson How to Cook Without a Book
(And check Pam out at her blog: ThreeManyCooks.com)

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Mango Salsa

2010-02-23T07:00:00.042-05:00

Salsa is another basic technique that gets used a lot in the DadCooksDinner household. To make a salsa, dice and combine the following: onion, pepper, herbs, and...fruit. Yes, fruit. Remember, tomato is a fruit, not a vegetable.

After tomatoes and tomatillos, my favorite fruit to use in salsa is mangoes. Mango salsa makes a great side dish for chicken, pork, and fish. It has a sweet/hot combination that goes particularly well with grilled food. Also, mangoes make me think of the tropics; I love the effect it has on the the flavor profile a meal.
*Since I'm writing this in February, anything that makes me think of the tropics is a good thing.

Recipe: Mango Salsa

Ingredients:

2 mangoes, pitted, skinned, and diced
2 green onions, trimmed and sliced thin
1 jalapeno pepper, diced (seeds removed if you like milder salsa)
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
leaves 1 sprig of thyme
juice of 1/2 lime
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Toss and season salsa: Put the mangoes, onions, jalapeno, red pepper, cilantro, and lime juice in a medium bowl, and toss until evenly mixed. Taste, and add salt and pepper to taste. You want an even combination of sweet from the mango, sour from the lime, a little heat from the jalapeno, and salty from the salt.

Variations:
*Spicy: Skip the red pepper, and add another diced jalapeno. The sweet/hot taste combination of mango and the jalapeno is why this salsa is one of my favorites. I like it with the red pepper, though, because I like the red/yellow/green color combination you get that way.

*Onions: Substitute 1/2 of a red onion, or sweet onion (like a Vidalia onion) for the green onions.

*Herbs: Substitute 1/4 bunch of cilantro or parsley, minced, for the thyme.

*Pineapple: Replace the mango with diced pineapple.

Notes:
*Pitting and dicing a mango: Mangoes are a challenge to dice, if you don't understand their anatomy. Mangoes have a large, flattened oval pit that you have to cut around. The pit follows the shape of the mango - they have a wide side and a thin side. I use the "hedgehog" technique of cutting a mango. I remove the sides of the mango from the pit, then dice them on the skin.

To do the hedgehog, start your knife at the top of the mango, slightly to one side of the center line. Cut until you feel the pit, then run your knife along the side of the pit, exiting at the bottom of the mango. Repeat on the other side, cutting another fillet of mango away from the pit. Then, using a dull knife or a spoon, cut the dice into the flesh of the mango, without cutting through the skin. Finally, use a spoon to cut the diced mango away from the skin.
*See the middle picture, above, for what this should look like about halfway through. If I'm not explaining this well, check out the National Mango Board's explanation: How To Cut A Mango

*As I mentioned in the opening, this is a very flexible side dish. It adds a punch of sweet heat to a dish, and goes really well with sauteed or grilled meat. You'll see it as the side dish to the salmon saute I'm doing later this week. It also makes a great topping for a salad - Diane used up the leftovers on her lunch salad the day after the I finished the pictures for this post.

What do you think? Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.

Related Posts:
Quick Red Salsa
Tomatillo Salsa
Toasted Ancho Salsa

Inspired by:
Pam Anderson's basic salsa technique in How To Cook Without A Book
(And check out her blog: ThreeManyCooks.com)

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Things I Love: Flat Edged Wooden Spoon

2010-02-22T07:00:00.004-05:00

Things I Love: Flat Edged Wooden Spoon

I've been showing you expensive things that I love: my Thermapen, All-Clad Stainless cookware, Shun Bob Kramer Knives. My flat edged wooden spoon is not expensive, but I love it just as much.

I've replaced every piece of kitchen equipment bought before I became a real home cook.* Everything except this simple, flat edged spoon. It was was part of a stir-fry set I bought just after Diane and I got married. It fits in my hand like it was carved just for me, and the slant to the flat edge is perfect for a (right-handed) scrape of the pan.
*Yes, even the stove and the dishwasher. The microwave was the last hold out from our wedding presents, but it finally gave up the ghost a few years back and had to be replaced.
**Oh, and the refrigerator. We did buy a new one, but the old one just moved down into the basement, to give us backup storage and an extra freezer. I don't know what we'd do without the second refrigerator - with the five of us, it feels like we'd just have room for milk and eggs.

I use this spoon to deglaze pans when I'm making a pan sauce, and to stir simmering pots with ingredients that might burn. The flat edge scrapes the bottom of pans without scratching them, and I can feel if anything is sticking to the bottom of the pan - the wood transfers a rough feel to my hand. I just have to keep scraping until the rough feeling is gone, and the risk of burning has passed. It is the key to pan sauces and braises - once you have a good browned fond on the bottom of the pan, the flat edge helps lift it off and incorporate it into the sauce.

I worry that I only have the one spoon. I hate it when it's in the dishwasher and I need it. Even worse, it's developing a crack (see the middle of the handle in the pictures.) I've bought many other spoons, but none of them have that "fits just right" feel that this one has. The closest I've come is the Mario Batali risotto paddle (see picture below). It works almost as well, and has the slight angle and flat edge that I like. But it is made out of a soft beechwood; the scraping edge of the spoon is starting to wear down already, and has developed an interesting warp on one side. I've only owned it for six months, so I don't think it's going to last.

The last time I was at Sur La Table, I saw an exact duplicate of my favorite, and I'm going to get a spootle from Jonathan Spoons as recommended by DineInDiva in her blog. I want to try them out, but I don't think they'll be able to replace my old friend.

[Update] It's a sad day at DadCooksDinner. Since I wrote this post, my old friend split in half along that developing crack. Sigh. After a moment of respectful silence, I ordered both spoons I mention above. I just hope one of them feels as good in my hand as this spoon did.

What do you think? Do you have any kitchen gadgets that feel less like a tool, and more like a member of the family? Tell us about them in the comments section below.

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Slow Cooker Pork Pot Roast

2010-02-18T07:00:00.087-05:00

I don't understand why slow cookers bring out the worst in short cut cooking. It seems like most of the recipes go something like this:

Put the meat, a can of cream of mushroom soup, and a package of onion soup mix in the slow cooker, and cook on low for ten hours.

Ugh. While this recipe, and I use that phrase loosely, will give you a cooked piece of meat, that's about all I can say for it.
*I'm trying not to get on another rant about cooking with real food. Why, in the name of all that is good in this world, would you use cream of mushroom soup? Why?

I like my slow cooker recipes to have a little more finesse. Today I'm making pork pot roast, a winter staple in our household. I make sure I brown the roast and saute the onions before putting them in the slow cooker. These steps give my pot roast a deep, meaty, caramelized layer of flavor. Then the slow cooker works its magic, tenderizing the meat over the long cooing time. You get great results without any hands-on work after the initial preparation.

Recipe: Slow Cooker Pork Pot Roast

6 quart or larger slow cooker (Crock Pot brand is fine, but I like my fancy ones from All-Clad and KitchenAid)

Ingredients:

1 tsp vegetable oil
3-5 pound pork shoulder roast (aka Boston butt roast)
2 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp coriander seed
1 tsp garlic powder (or 1 minced clove of garlic)
1 tsp dried lemon peel (I get dried lemon peel from Penzeys. You can substitute the zest of a lemon)
2 tbsp vegetable oil
Large onion, peeled and diced
15 oz can diced tomatoes
2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 cup chicken stock (homemade is preferable) or water
1 pound baby carrots (or 1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 1" chunks)
1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus more for seasoning the sauce.

Directions:
1. Season and sear the roast: Sprinkle the salt, pepper, coriander, garlic powder and lemon peel evenly over the pork roast. Heat 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil over medium-high heat in a fry pan or skillet until just shimmering. Sear the roast in the pan, 3 minutes per side or until well browned, about 12 minutes total. Move the pork roast into the slow cooker.

2. Saute the vegetables: Reduce the heat in the pan to medium, and add 2 tbsp of vegetable oil. Once the oil is shimmering, add the onion and cook, stirring and scraping any browned pork from the bottom of the pan, until the onion is softened and starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the diced tomatoes, thyme, and stock, and bring to a simmer. Pour over the pork roast in the slow cooker.

3. Slow cook the roast: Add the carrots to the slow cooker, pouring them around the edge of the pork roast. Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 8-10 hours, or high for 4 to 5 hours. Remove the roast to a carving board, and remove the carrots to a serving bowl.

4. Make the sauce, carve the roast, serve: Let the sauce settle for ten minutes, then spoon off as much of the fat as possible from the top of the sauce. Puree the sauce with a hand blender. (Skip the pureeing if you like a chunkier, more rustic sauce.) Taste the sauce, and add more salt and pepper if it needs it. Carve the roast, cutting it crosswise into 1/2" slices. Sprinkle some kosher salt over the sliced roast, top with a little of the sauce, and serve, passing the rest of the sauce and the carrots on the side.

Serving options:
My favorite thing to serve this with is mashed potatoes, to help soak up the sauce. Crusty bread is another good sauce dipping option. The pork calls out for something green and crisp on the side - green beans are usually my choice. If you want to go for the gold in the slow cooker biathlon*, make Slow Cooker White Beans as a side dish.
*I'm excited about the Winter Olympics. Can you tell?

Variations:
*Simple version: If you're in a big hurry, and you need the dump and cook method, do the following. Skip the browning step; just season the roast, dice the onion, then dump everything in the crock pot and turn it on. It loses the depth of flavor that a good, browned roast gives you, but it also cuts the prep time down to a couple of minutes. The results will put anything involving cream of mushroom soup to shame. Also, skip the settling and pureeing steps - just spoon the sauce over the roast.
*If skipping the browning is the difference between making pot roast and not making pot roast, then go ahead and simplify. But try it with the browning step if you can; I think you'll see why I take the extra time.

*Make ahead version: If you're in a hurry in the morning, but don't want to lose the flavor of the browning steps, you can do them the night before. Do steps 1 and 2, then refrigerate the pork and vegetables overnight. In the morning, take them out of the refrigerator, transfer them to the slow cooker, and continue with step 3.
*If your slow cooker has a removable ceramic insert, do NOT use it to store the ingredients in the refrigerator. Why? Because a refrigerated insert will take forever to heat up, and even worse, the insert may crack from the sudden increase in temperature when you turn the heat on.

*Southwestern version: Replace the rub ingredients (coriander, garlic powder, lemon peel) with 2 tsp chili powder, and add a can of diced green peppers and (optional, if you like heat) 1 tbsp chipotle puree with the tomatoes.

*Other starchy root vegetable options: Parsnips, turnips, rutabaga, sweet potatoes, cabbage - all go well in the slow cooker. Cut into 1 to 1.5" chunks, and add to the cooker. Fish out like you did the carrots when you're done.

Self portrait: "slow cooker reflections of a messy kitchen"

Notes:
*I prefer shoulder cuts for the slow cooker because they're almost impossible to overcook, and that's what the slow cooker does - it overcooks things. 8 hours, even on low, is a mighty long time to cook something. Shoulder cuts are better when they're overcooked; they have a lot of fat and connective tissue that melts during the long cooking time.

*The slow cooker doesn't need much in the way of added liquids; the pork, onions and tomatoes have plenty in them. That's why I only add an additional 1/2 cup of stock; it's real purpose is to loosen up the fond you created by browning the pork and the onions, so you can get it into the slow cooker to add its flavor to the sauce.

What do you think? Questions? Other ideas? Passionate defenses of cream of mushroom soup? Leave them in the comments section below.

Related Posts:
Slow Cooker Beef Barbacoa

Basic Technique: Slow Cooker Dried Beans

Slow Cooker White Beans and Greens with Italian Sausage

Inspired by:
Slow Cooker Pork Pot Roast in Cooks Country magazine [cookscountry.com, subscription required]

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February Winter Farmer's Market Reminder

2010-02-17T07:00:00.022-05:00

The February Winter Farmer's Market in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park is this weekend. It is on Saturday, Feb. 20th from 9AM to ~~12AM~~ 12PM (noon). It's located in the Happy Days Lodge, 500 W. Streetsboro Road in Peninsula, OH.
*If you don't live in Northeastern Ohio, make sure to find your own local winter farmer's market.

Here's my post about the market, including a map: Winter Farmer's Market in the Cuyahoga Valley
Here's the official site for the market: Cuyahoga Valley Countryside Conservancy

See you there!

Stovetop Popcorn

2010-02-16T07:00:00.039-05:00

I was home alone with Tim, my youngest, and he asked for Popcorn as a snack. Now, we've been using Alton Brown's brown paper bag microwave popcorn recipe, and we usually have microwave popcorn in the pantry. But I remembered Michael Ruhlman's recent post on making popcorn on the stove top, and how easy he said it is. Michael hasn't led me wrong so far, so I gave it a try.
*I remembered it because of the great picture by Donna, Michael's wife. It's amazing how a good picture makes me want to try a recipe.

After making the popcorn, I thought "That was too easy." I tasted the results, and thought "How much money have I wasted on microwave popcorn that tastes like cardboard?" Then Tim dug in, and I knew we had a winner.

Now Tim requests "Daddy's Popcorn" a few times a week, and I taught Diane the recipe* so she could make it for him whenever he needs a popcorn fix.
*Say it with me: Another "So Simple It's Barely a Recipe" recipe.

Recipe: Stovetop Popcorn

Equipment:

4 quart pot with a lid. (The lid is critical, unless you want to do a live re-enactment of Snoopy in "A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving ")

Ingredients:

1/2 cup popcorn
1 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil (I used peanut oil)
2 tbsp butter (optional)
fine sea salt (optional, but tastes very bland without it)

Directions:
1. Melt the butter: Melt the butter. I put it in my 1 cup pyrex, and microwave for 30 seconds. Then I check it, and microwave in 10 second increments until the butter is just melted.

2. Pop the corn: Put oil and popcorn in the pot, and stir so all the kernels are coated with oil. Cover the pot and put it over medium-high heat Shake the kernels often, "swirling and hopping", as Ruhlman says, while they heat up. When the first kernel pops, continue to cook, shaking constantly, until the popping slows down to more than one second between pops. Remove from the heat immediately, and rest for 30 seconds for the popping to stop. Pour into a large bowl.

3. Season and serve: Sprinkle the popcorn with some salt, and toss. Drizzle with the butter butter and toss to coat evenly. Taste for salt, and add more if you need it.

Variations:
*Spicy popcorn - If you don't want to add butter, Ruhlman recommends adding a half teaspoon of chili flakes with the oil and popcorn.

Notes:
*This recipe doubles very easily. In fact, Ruhlman's original version has twice as much of all the ingredients - 1 cup of popcorn, and so on. When I used those quantities it was way too much popcorn for my 4 quart pot - it was still popping vigorously as it pushed the lid off of the pot. (See the picture, above.) I pulled the pot off the stove, and had about a quarter cup of unpopped kernels left. 1/2 cup of popcorn is perfect for my 4 quart pot - it fills it right to the top. If you do double the recipe, make sure you have an 8 quart pot to make it in.

*Popcorn salt is very finely ground salt, and is best for this recipe…but why buy it? Grind up some kosher or table salt in a mortar and pestle, or your coffee grinder that you keep to grind up spices*, until it's very finely ground. *You do have a coffee grinder you use just to grind spices, right? But I have to admit, I just use fine sea salt when I make this. It's my default "table" salt, which I buy in bulk from my local health food grocery. I find Kosher salt flakes to be too big for popcorn.

*I want to try this with a quarter teaspoon of ground chipotle powder; I think the smoky heat of chipotle would make a great popcorn. But…every time I get out the popcorn, Tim hears it, and comes running into the room, yelling "we're having POPCORN!" I don't think the heat will agree with him, and he's so excited that I switch back to the regular recipe. I'll have to make a batch after he goes to bed one of these nights, to see how it works.

*If you're trying to get a picture of the popcorn in the pot, take the picture before you put the pot on the heat, not after it's been on the heat for a while. Or, at least make sure you put the lid down nearby, so you can clamp it back on the pot quickly when popcorn goes shooting across the room.

What do you think? Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.

Inspired by:
Michael Ruhlman's Popcorn [Ruhlman.com]

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Weekly Dinner Plans

2010-02-15T07:00:00.004-05:00

"The thing about cooking...I think the big misapprehension that people have is that cooking is time consuming. The shopping part is the time consuming . I mean, the part where you're sitting around saying what are we going to have for dinner tonight is very time consuming. I mean, if it's 4 o'clock and you're in your office and you haven't figured out what you're having for dinner tonight, the battle's half lost."

Ruth Reichl, interview with Terry Gross on Fresh Air [npr.org]

Exactly! The key to cooking dinner every night is planning your meals in advance. Every Saturday morning, I sit down with the flyer from my local grocery store and plan out that week's menu based on what's on sale. I make a grid in my cooking notebook, Saturday to Friday, with four columns. Column 1 is the protein, columns 2 and 3 are the vegetables, and column 4 is the starch.* Once I've made my plan, I make the shopping list for it on the rest of the page. It takes some effort; I usually wind up scratching my head over a few of the days, trying to come up with some ideas for what to make that we haven't done recently. But the benefits are amazing.
*When you're starting out, go with three columns: Protein, Veg, Starch. I do the two vegetables to make my meals healthier, and get me to think about not making the protein the focus of the meal. When you're starting out, setting up the menu plan is more important than making sure you get your extra veggies. Once you've been doing it for a while, you can expand to two vegetables if you want to.

Don't think. Just cook: Now, when I do get home on a busy Thursday, I can immediately start cooking, instead of trying to work through "OK, what do I cook now?" That is the key to cooking at home every night. If I have to think about it, as Ruth says, the battle's half lost. Thoughts about heading over to Tres Portrillos for a margarita and carnitas start to creep in, and it's all over.

There's nothing to cook: Another benefit is avoiding "I don't have anything to cook" incidents. You bought everything you need when you were shopping. Now you won't look in your fridge and find a collection of foods that don't really make a meal.

Saves money, too: It's also a good way to keep your grocery bills down. By planning with the weekly sales right in front of you, it's easy to center your meals around what's on sale. And, even if you don't follow the sales flyer, it is still cheaper to cook at home than it is to eat out. Don't get me started about how much more expensive it gets when you give in to the siren song of a fast casual restaurant.

Setting up your meal plan:
Here's my general plan of attack.

Weekend: adventurous cooking

If I'm making something that goes bad quickly, like fresh fish, it's Saturday dinner. Otherwise, Saturday is probably a new recipe that I want to try out.
Make a big roast or stew on Sunday, and plan a second meal later in the week around the leftovers.

*These two are the recipes that usually wind up on the blog, unless I'm focusing on a weeknight dish.

Then I pick a collection of weeknight friendly recipes for the rest of the week, usually from the following list:

Soup and Salad night
Sandwich and Salad night (great if you're in a hurry, and a good way to use up the weekend roast)
Big Salad with a loaf of bread night (also great if you're in a hurry)
Grilled/Sauteed protein with side of grilled/steamed vegetables, salad and quick starch

Most of my meals fall in this last category of protein with 2 veg and a starch. Some examples of this, spread across different ethnic cuisines:

American Grilled: Grilled chicken breasts with grilled asparagus, salad and a side of rice
American Roast: Sear-Roast chicken pieces with frozen peas, salad and roast new potatoes
American Saute: Pork Chop Saute with steamed green beans, salad and a side of orzo
Chinese: Stir fried chicken with stir fried broccoli, stir fried cabbage and a side of rice
Mexican: Grilled flank steak with salsa, black beans and tortillas
Italian: Italian Sausage with quick pasta sauce, steamed broccoli and spaghetti
Greek: Grilled Lamb Shoulder steaks with steamed green beans, shredded carrot salad and couscous
French: Seared steak with herb butter with steamed asparagus, salad and roast fingerling potatoes

...the variations are endless. I just came up with these off the top of my head over the last five minutes. *Of course, if you've read my blog for any length of time, you know I lean heavily on the grill side of this list, particularly during the summer.

Um. Well. OK, I'll admit it. When we're really in a hurry: hot dogs with frozen corn and canned baked beans.
*The kids love it. Hey, they can't all be gourmet meals...

And finally, when I need a break, Diane pitches in with Pizza night.
*She makes a great homemade pizza dough.
**Yes, I married well. Love you, dear!

I tend to think of the plan as:

New Recipe Saturday
Sunday Roast
Sandwich and/or Soup and/or Salad day
American #1 day
Stir Fry day or Pasta day
American #2 day
Mexican day

...but I shuffle it around quite a bit, depending on our schedule, what's on sale, and what looks good in the grocery store flyer

Notes:
*I stuck with a four week meal plan when Diane was on bed rest with our youngest, and I was both DadCooksDinner and Mr. Mom for six months. I didn't have the energy to figure out a new meal plan every week from scratch. Nowadays, I'm too adventurous a cook to stick with the same plan month after month. I always have some new recipe I want to give a try, and a rotating schedule felt too restrictive.

*Sticking with a meal plan, with some slight variations, will also make you a better cook. You'll start to internalize the techniques and ingredients you need. This is how I learned to cook, really. I made sautes a couple of times a week with different pan sauces, then once I had the technique internalized, I moved on to something else.

*It's tough to tell from all that protein I have listed above, but I try to do one soup/salad meal a week, and one vegetarian meal a week.

*I get my CSA box every other Friday in the summer. That's usually where the vegetables come from when we're in season. If I'm going to the farmer's market, I fill out the plan as best I can, then put things in general terms in the shopping list. Like: "veg for stir fry, veg for roast". Then I fill in at the market.

*Also, once you're comfortable with the general process, don't be afraid to improvise at the store. Green beans look bad? Unadvertised special? Swap something else out.

*Lean on what you know, and what you like. Chicken Tuesdays? Chili Thursdays? Make-your-own-monster-burger-Monday? Go for it.

So, how about you? Do you plan your meals for the week? Any other tips or tricks I didn't mention? Any go-to weeknight meals, for when you're desperate? Let me know in the comments, below.

Inspired by:
Ellyn Satter's Secrets of Feeding a Healthy Family: Orchestrating and Enjoying the Family Meal

*Enjoyed this post? Want to help out DadCooksDinner? Subscribe using your RSS reader or by Email, recommend DadCooksDinner to your friends, or buy something from Amazon.com through the links on this site. Thank you!

Rotisserie Pork Shoulder, Char Siu Style

2010-02-11T07:00:00.006-05:00

My second most popular post is my rotisserie pork shoulder recipe.
*I love that recipe, because it was one of the first recipes I created exclusively for this blog. I was trying to come up with a new rotisserie idea, and it worked out better than I could have hoped. It has become a standard in my recipe rotation.
**Get it? Recipe "rotation"? On the rotisserie? OK, I'll try again later.

I was looking for a follow up, because pork shoulder (aka pork butt) is one of my favorite cuts of meat. I wanted another way to cook it on the rotisserie. When I was researching my Peking duck recipe, the idea came to me. Could I adapt char siu, Chinese barbecued pork, to the rotisserie?

The rotisserie turned out* to be a great way to make char siu. You get the sweet, glazed, crispy exterior that says "Chinese barbecue" with the juicy, tender interior that only long cooked pork shoulder can give you. The only trick to the recipe is…sugar burns easily, so you have to be careful with the glaze. I use the brinerate technique, a salty marinade based mainly on soy sauce, to flavor the roast. I save the sugary, sticky glaze for the very end, when I brush it on for the last ten minutes of cooking time.
*Get it? "Turned" out? Rotisserie? Thank you, thank you, I'll be here all week….wait, where are you going?

**Oh, and don't forget the leftovers! This recipe is worth making, just to have the leftovers for fried rice.

***Finally: Don't have a rotisserie? Don't worry - use the brinerade and honey glaze from this recipe with the regular grill technique in my Barbecued Chinese Boneless Ribs recipe.

Recipe: Rotisserie Char Siu (Chinese Barbecued Pork Shoulder)

Equipment:

Grill with Rotisserie attachment (I used a Weber Summit 650 with an infrared rotisserie burner. Here it is.)
aluminum foil drip pan (9"x12", or whatever fits your grill)
butcher's twine
Basting brush (Preferably a silicon brush, like my Oxo basting brush. Or, to be fancy, make a brush out of scallions. Trim the root end of about three scallions and tie them together. Split the green ends lengthwise, twice per scallion, about two inches from the end to turn it into a brush.)

Ingredients:

3 1/2 to 4 lb Boneless Pork Shoulder Roast, aka "Boston Butt" or "Pork Butt", trimmed of any excess fat

Brinerade

1 cup soy sauce
2 tbsp hoisin sauce
4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press (or 1 tbsp garlic powder)
2 inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated (or 2 tsp dried ginger)
2 tbsp rice wine vinegar (or dry sherry)
1 tbsp sesame oil

Glaze

2 tbsp reserved brinerade (or 2 tbsp soy sauce)
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup hoisin sauce

Directions:
1. Brinerate the pork roast: Whisk the brinerade ingredients in a small bowl. Remove any bones from the pork shoulder, then split the pork shoulder almost all the way through, but not quite - you want to open it up like a book, so the brinerade has less thickness to penetrate. See the picture below; I started by removing the bone, then continued that cut the length of the pork loin. Poke the shoulder all over with a fork, at least once every half inch, again to give the brinerade a way into the pork.* Put the pork shoulder in a gallon ziploc bag, then pour in the brinerade. Brinerate for at least two hours, preferably four hours to overnight.
*This is a chance to really work out your aggression - I pretend I'm the villain in a bad horror movie while I'm doing it.

Bone removed, split open "like a book", poking with a fork

2. Prepare and rest the roast: One hour before cooking, remove the pork from the brine, and pat dry with paper towels. Fold it closed over the cut you made, then tie it tightly with butcher's twine every 1 1/2 inches.* Skewer the roast on the spit through the center of the roast, then let it rest at room temperature.
*When trussing, you're trying to get a nice cylinder shape. The pork shoulder cut may not cooperate, so do the best you can. See the picture on the far right.

3. Prepare the grill: Set your grill up for rotisserie cooking at high heat. For my Weber Summit, this means removing the grates, turning the two outer burners (burners 1 and 6) to high, and turning the infrared burner to high. Then I put my drip pan in the middle, over the unlit burners, and let the grill preheat for ten to fifteen minutes. (See here for more rotisserie setup details.)

4. Cook the roast Put the spit on the rotisserie, start it spinning, and cook with the lid closed for a half an hour. At that point, turn off the rotisserie burner if the roast is well browned. (You have to watch out for burning because of the sugar in the brinerade. On grills without a rotisserie burner, I would turn the heat down to medium at this point.) While the roast is cooking, put the glaze ingredients in a small bowl, and whisk until the honey is dissolved in the rest of the glaze. Cook the pork roast until it reaches 175*F to 180*F in the thickest part of the meat. This should take 1 to 1.5 hours; assume about 20 minutes per pound of meat. At that point, you should only have ten minutes of cooking time left. Brush the roast all over with the glaze, cook for another ten minutes, brush again with the glaze, then remove from the grill.

5. Rest, carve and serve.

Serving options: I love this as the protein in a Chinese dinner. I serve it with a couple of stir-fried vegetables and white rice. I pass any leftover glaze, and a bottle of hoisin sauce, at the table to use as sauce on the pork.

Variations:
*Easy pantry version: Buy a boneless pork shoulder roast, brinerate with whatever ingredients you have in the brinerate list. The only one that is absolutely necessary is the soy sauce, and I always have the garlic powder and ginger in my spice rack in the pantry.
Likewise, for the glaze, the only ingredient you have to have is the honey. The other ingredients give the glaze more flavor, but aren't absolutely necessary.

Notes:
*I love leftovers from this roast. Aside from eating the leftovers straight up as a lunch later in the week. It also makes a great base for sandwiches - I use it, sliced thin, in bahn mi style sandwiches. If I have enough, I freeze a ziploc bag or two of the pork and use it later, chopped up in fried rice or an Asian soup (recipes coming soon, I promise!).

*To quote from my Rotisserie Pork Shoulder Roast recipe: Make sure you trim the fat cap off the top of the roast - there's plenty of fat throughout this roast, so that big hunk of fat on top will just make it greasy. And, this is not the time to go for medium-rare, slightly pink pork. The connective tissue in the shoulder will make it jaw-achingly tough. Cook it to well done and beyond. In fact, you'd have a hard time overcooking this roast. If you have any questions about "is it done?" you should err on the side of cooking it more.

*Sugar burns easily, and you have to be careful when you're cooking something for as long as this pork roast. I try to avoid burning the roast by keeping most of the sugar out of the brinerade, and adding it at the end in the glaze. That's why I turn my rotisserie burner off after a half an hour - my roast is starting to blacken at the edges by then.

*The red band on the outside of char siu made at your local Chinese restaurant? It comes from food coloring. It doesn't add any flavor, but if you really want it, add a few drops of red food coloring to the brinerade.

What do you think? Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.

Related posts:
Rotisserie Pork Shoulder Roast
Rotisserie Boneless Pork Loin Roasts, Brined, Rubbed and Maple Syrup Glazed
Rotisserie Duck, Peking Style
Click here for my other rotisserie recipes.
Don't have a rotisserie? Use my Barbecued Chinese Boneless Ribs recipe instead.

Inspired by:
Everyone who found my Rotisserie Pork Shoulder Roast recipe through Google. Thank you!

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Grilled Flat Iron Steak with Salsa Verde

2010-02-09T07:00:00.003-05:00

Flat iron steak, also known as top blade steak, is a good cut of meat for a weeknight grilling. It is cut from the chuck, but it is much more tender than a chuck roast.
*Even though it is not as tender as the more expensive rib or short loin cuts (like ribeyes, or strip steaks), it makes a good cut for grilling.

It cooks a lot like a flank steak, and has the same affinity for marinades an strong flavors. The advantage is, it isn't as well known as flank steak.
*When fajitas took off, flank steak got expensive.

I can usually find it at my local grocery store for a couple of bucks less a pound than flank steak, and roughly half the price of the expensive rib and short loin cuts. I grill it medium-rare to medium, and cut across the grain to increase its tenderness. In this recipe, I top the flat iron steak with Salsa Verde to give it an Italian flavor profile, but it would also taste great either chimichurri or teriyaki style.

Recipe: Grilled Flat Iron Steak with Salsa Verde

Equipment:

Grill (I used a Weber Summit 650. Here it is.)
Food processor

Ingredients:

1 1/4 pound flat iron steak
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper

Salsa Verde

1 clove garlic, peeled
2 tbsp capers
1 anchovy fillet (optional)
Leaves from 1/2 a bunch of parsley (roughly 1 1/2 cups)
1 tsp Dijon mustard
pinch of salt and pepper
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Directions:
1. Prepare the steak: As soon as possible before grilling, salt and pepper the steak. If possible, I do this 1 to 2 hours before cooking, and leave the steak out at room temperature.

2. Prepare the grill: Set your grill up for cooking on direct high heat. For my Weber Summit, this means turning all the burners to high, and preheating the grill for ten to fifteen minutes.

3. Prepare the salsa verde: While the grill is preheating, make the salsa verde. This works best with a food processor. Drop the garlic clove into a running food processor, and wait until it is completely minced, about 30 seconds. Then, drop in the capers and anchovy, and wait until completely minced, about another ten seconds. Turn off the processor, and add the parsley, mustard, salt and pepper. Pulse until well chopped, five to ten one second pulses. Then, turn on the processor again and drizzle in the olive oil. (The result should be a chunky puree).

4. Grill the steak: Clean your grill grates with your grill brush, then put the steak over the direct high heat. Cook for four minutes a side, turning 90 degrees after two minutes to give the steak a nice diamond grill pattern.
*That is: cook for two minutes, rotate 90 degrees, cook 2 minutes, flip the steak, cook 2 minutes, rotate 90 degrees, then cook for the final two minutes. Eight minutes, total.
This should give you a medium-rare to medium steak. If you like your steak rare, cook it for 6 minutes total; remove it instead of cooking the last 2 minutes.
Remove the steak to a baking dish, and top with the salsa verde. Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap, and let rest for ten minutes.

5. Slice and serve: Move the steak to a cutting board, and cut crosswise into 1/2 inch thick slices. Serve, drizzling with any juices left in the baking dish or on the cutting board.

Variations:
*Salt and pepper steak: Skip the salsa verde - salt and pepper the steak, grill for 4 minutes a side, rest for 10 minutes, slice and serve.

*Salsa verde often has mint or basil in it. Replace half the parsley with mint, basil, or a combination of the two.

*See my "related posts", below, for some other ideas on toppings for the steak.

Notes:
*Removing the leaves from a bunch of parsley: parsley stems are too tough to eat, so you have to pick the leaves off the bunch. But, individually picking each leaf off a bunch of parsley is a lot of work. Not to mention really, really boring. A trick I learned is to shave them off the bunch using your chef's knife - work your way around the bunch, "shaving" the leaves from the stems. See the video and post on this technique at Real Simple: How to Clean, Chop and Store Parsley.

*Don't have a food processor? Mince all the Salsa Verde ingredients, then whisk in a bowl with the olive oil.

What do you think? Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.

Related Posts:
Grilled Flank Steak with Chimichurri
Grilled Teriyaki Flank Steak
Grilled Ribeye Steaks with Mediterranean Herb Butter

Inspired by:
Mario Batali Salsa Verde

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Winter Grilling

2010-02-08T07:00:00.000-05:00

*Thanks to Chantal for asking about grilling in the winter - it got me rolling…

I'm a grill fanatic. I'm not going to let minor inconveniences, like a foot of snow and temperatures in the single digits, stop me from grilling. Of course, it's a lot easier to want to grill when it looks like this:

My back yard on October 11th at 6:00PM

than when it looks like this:

My back yard on January 12th at 6:00 PM

Winter Grilling:
Here is how I deal with the issues that come up in winter grilling.

Cold: This is the obvious problem, and the easiest to deal with. Any good grill can hold the heat in cold weather; it just takes a little longer to come up to temperature, and a little more heat to make up for the cold.

When I'm charcoal grilling in the winter, I make sure I use a little more charcoal than normal. I add an extra quarter of a chimney, or about 25 coals. When I'm gas grilling, I just give my grill an extra five minutes to heat up - fifteen minutes instead of ten.

Keep the lid of the grill closed, unless it's absolutely necessary to have it open. It takes longer for the grill to recover to its full temperature in the cold, because it has to reheat the cold air trapped under the lid. The fewer times the lid is opened, the better.

To keep warm, I stay inside as much as possible. When I do go out, I just shrug my coat on, and trust the heat of the grill to take care of the rest.

Wind: Wind is the real enemy when grilling in the winter. Windchill isn't just for people. It also happens to grills. Wind will suck the heat right out of a grill, unless it is very, very well insulated.
*Windy winter days are one of the times I wish I was a Big Green Egg fanatic instead of a Weber fanatic. The Egg's thick, ceramic walls hold the heat in no matter how hard the wind blows. Insulation is also one of the reasons I love my Weber Summit gas grill - it is really well insulated for a gas grill.

The best trick is, if possible, to put your grill where it is screened from the wind. My gas grill is on my deck, and the house is between it and the prevailing wind we get in the winter. My charcoal grill is somewhat screened by my deck itself, but is more exposed to the wind. If it's really, really windy, I just resign myself to using the gas grill. Or (shudder) cooking indoors.
*Also, if using a gas grill on a windy day, be careful that the flame doesn't blow out. This can cause gas to build up in the grill. When the lid is opened, if the gas happens to connect with a lit burner, the result is a fireball shooting out of the grill. This happened to someone I know, and we were lucky she wasn't seriously hurt. But her hairstylist did have to come up with an interesting "flip" style until the hair grew back on one side...

Snow: Snow doesn't affect your cooking; it only causes a problem in getting to the grill. I keep my gas grill on the deck, near the house, and I keep a shovel right next to the door. My charcoal grill, which lives on a patio next to the deck, is much farther away. If we have a lot of snow I have to be really enthusiastic about charcoal grilling to dig out a path to that grill.
*However, I live in Northeastern Ohio - we get a lot of snow and cold in the winter, but we also get a fair share of days above freezing. It goes in cycles: snow, which sticks around for a week or two, then melt, then snow again.

Darkness: This is another problem with winter grilling - it gets dark early. You need some way of lighting the grill while you work. My Weber Summit has good LED lights built into the handle, and is close enough to my porch light that I don't need anything else when I'm using it. Using my Weber kettle usually involves juggling my tongs, instant read thermometer, and a flashlight. I want to get is one of those camping or miner's LED headlights, so I can have hands-free light wherever I want it.
*Yes, I'll look silly. I already look silly by running in and out of the house to grill in the middle of the winter, so how much worse could it be?

Notes:
*Never, and I mean NEVER, use a grill in the garage, or other enclosed area! Why? I'm breaking out the bullet points for this one:

Using a grill under something that can catch fire is, in general, a bad idea. One good grease fire, and the whole garage (or carport, or whatever is above you) may go up in flames. And, if that something going up in flames is attached to your house…
Charcoal grills: Never, ever, burn charcoal in an enclosed space, or indoors. Charcoal produces carbon monoxide when it burns, and it can build up to poisonous levels when burned in an enclosed space.
Gas grills can also produce carbon monoxide, due to incomplete combustion, if they are not adjusted properly. On top of that, gas grills have the additional danger of propane buildup. If your grill doesn't light right away, or your propane tank or grill have a leak, then an enclosed area can build up enough propane for an explosion. This is why the propane association recommends that propane tanks not be kept in enclosed areas like garages or sheds.

Safe grilling resources:
CPSC Advises Consumers to Avoid Deadly Grilling Dangers
Carbon Monoxide (CO) and Propane
Propane Grill Do's and Dont's

*Winter grilling is why I own a gas grill. The gas grill convenience of "light it and forget it" lets me get back in the house where it is warm, and keeps the heat going no matter how cold it is. Because of how easy it is, I grill once a week, on average, throughout the winter. I do use my charcoal grill during the winter, but only a handful of times after Christmas. As I said above, I really have to be in the grip of grilling mania to do the extra shoveling to get to my charcoal grill.

*Grilling always has more variables than cooking indoors; winter grilling adds a few more (wind, cold, darkness) to the mix. I take this into account when determining my cooking times; sometimes it takes an extra hour to get that roast to finish cooking. Leave yourself some extra time when you're grilling in the winter.

What do you think? Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.

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Super Bowl Snacks

2010-02-06T07:00:00.068-05:00

Chili is my signature dish for the Super Bowl. For years, I've been bringing a couple of big pots of chili to my parent's house for their Super Bowl party.

Chili is the perfect food for watching football - hearty enough to fill you up, surprisingly healthy when compared to the other options, and easily re-heatable so you can make it ahead of time. It lets you eat well, then get on with watching the game. Or the commercials, whichever interests you more.
*When the game's on, I don't want to be messing around with dinner. This is one occasion when even the best cook could be replaced by a pizza delivery. And they will be, if they're interrupting the game...

Of course, if there are other finger foods around, I'll try them out. (I'll force myself, in the interests of science.) Here are some recipes from DadCooksDinner, and across the web, that will go well with your party:

Chili:
Texas Red Chili - Every year, I bring a big pot of this chili. Every year, it's empty by halftime.
Ranch Hand Chili - If you like beans in your chili, go with this one instead.

Frito Pie with Venison Chili and Goat Cheese Fancied up Frito Pie from Robb Walsh. If it was anyone else, I wouldn't trust them, putting goat cheese on their chili. But he does use 8 pounds of venison, and has argued for the honor of velveeta in the past, so I'll have to take his word on the goat cheese. [houstonpress.com]
*For my readers who are northerners (like, well, me) and who haven't heard of frito pie before:open a bag of fritos, cover it with velveeta, then cover that with chili. Mmmm....

Wings:
Grill Roasted Chicken Wings
Grilled Chicken Wings, Spicy Asian Glazed - Yes, my wing recipes are for grilled wings. I just like them better that way.

Roasted Lemon Chicken Wings - Don't want to grill your wings? Pam Anderson's oven baked wings are a winner. [threemanycooks.com]

The Food Lab: In Search of the Best Oven-Fried Buffalo Wings - Kenji Lopez-Alt looks at chicken wings in his usual manner: informative, hilarious, obsessive-compulsive, and tasty. [seriouseats.com]

Potato Skins:
Baked Loaded Potato Skins: a Recipe of Victory Much to my surprise, I don't have a recipe for potato skins. This one from Kris Swensson at Cheap Healthy Good looks great, and I can't wait to test it out on my unsuspecting family try it on Sunday. [cheaphealthygood.blogspot.com]

And, of course, you need beer. Lots and lots of beer. Just make sure you get good beer, like my local favorites from the Great Lakes Brewing Company.

What do you think? Questions? Recipes that you always make for the Super Bowl? Leave them in the comments section below.

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Grilled Thin Sliced Pork Adobo

2010-02-04T07:00:00.062-05:00

*This recipe was inspired by my trip to La Loma Supermarket.

Here is why I was excited to see the full service butcher at La Loma Supermarket. Thin sliced pork marinated in adobo sauce is a staple of mexican butchers. It is the perfect cut for quick weeknight tacos.
*As I've mentioned before, the kids love tortillas, so anything that will fill them is a good candidate for a weeknight dinner for us. Diane makes us fresh corn tortillas...when she's available. When she's not, I use corn tortillas bought from the mexican grocery, or tostadas (as in the picture above). Corn tortillas don't keep well, so you have to buy them from a high-turnover store like a mexican grocery for them to be decent.

As I said, this cut of pork makes for a fast grilled weeknight meal. It cooks very quickly because it is so thin. Even taking the preheating, resting, and chopping steps into account, the pork is ready to put on the table in as little as 25 minutes.
*If your knife skills are good, the active cooking and chopping steps are 5 minutes of that. Ten minutes, tops.

Recipe: Grilled Thin Sliced Pork Adobo

Equipment:

Grill (I used a Weber Summit 650. Here it is.)

Ingredients:

2 pounds thin sliced pork in adobo sauce
1/2 lime

Directions:
1. Preheat your grill: Set your grill up for direct high heat grilling. For my Weber Summit, this means turning all the burners to high, letting it preheat for 10-15 minutes, then scraping the grate clean with my grill brush.

2. Cook the pork: Carefully place the pork on the grill. Each piece should be spread out, not folded over on itself.* Cook, covered, for 2 minutes, until you can see the pork cooking through around the edges. Turn the pork and cook the other side for 1 minute. Remove to a plate and squeeze the lime over the top of the pork. Rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
*It's tough to spread it out perfectly with this thin of a cut. Some just seem to fold while you're letting them go - see the middle piece on the left in my pictures. Just make sure you spread any folds out after you flip the pork, so it gets cooked through.

3. Chop the pork: Cut the pork crosswise into 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch thick strips. Serve.

Serving: The night I photographed this recipe, I served the pork on tostadas,* and had the following as the optional toppings: toasted ancho chile salsa, chopped cilantro, shredded mexican cheese, and lime wedges. We had brothy black beans and a salad as our side dishes.
*As I said, Diane was in class that evening, so I didn't have my tortilla maker available. Making tortillas myself, on top of the rest of the meal, is too time consuming for a weeknight.

Other good toppings include shredded lettuce, shredded cabbage, thin sliced jalapenos, pickled jalapenos, avocado, diced tomatoes, thin sliced onions, quick tomato salsa, and tomatillo salsa. Go with what you like on your tacos - the sky's the limit!

Notes:
*Normally, I don't like having my meats pre-marinated for me. I don't trust the marinades you get at your local grocery store; the pre-marinated pork tenderloins packaged in cryovac just don't taste fresh to me. In this case, I make an exception - the meat isn't marinated at the packaging plant, it's marinated in the store, and I don't get that same overmarinated taste.

*If you don't have a mexican butcher to make it for you, here's how to make the pork yourself. Get a 6 to 8 inch long piece of pork loin, then slice it lengthwise as thin as you can - you're looking for 1/4 inch thick, very long slices. Marinate in adobo marinade for at least an hour, and preferably overnight.

*Or, if thin-slicing pork is too much for you, get the thin cut pork chops from your grocery store. Marinate it in the adobo sauce as mentioned above. They'll be a little thicker, probably about 1/2 an inch, so cook them for 3 minutes on the first side before flipping them and cooking them for only a minute on the second side.

*I want my grill as hot as I can get it for this recipe. That way, I can get some searing on the pork in the short time it cooks. 2 minutes is just long enough, at my grill's highest heat, to get grill marks on the pork before I flip it. I'm not worried about searing the second side, because the pork will be too dry by the time it sears. I want to just cook it through before pulling it from the grill.

What do you think? Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.

Related Posts:
Toasted Ancho Chile Salsa
Slow Cooker Beef Barbacoa

Inspired by:
La Loma Supermarket
Rick Bayless Mexican Everyday

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Toasted Ancho Salsa

2010-02-02T07:00:00.073-05:00

Inspired by my trip to La Loma Supermarket

I've mentioned that you should buy your dried peppers in bulk from mexican grocery stores. They're much cheaper per pound that way. Of course, this leads to the question: Why would I buy dried peppers in bulk? What do I use them for?

I use them to make salsa. If you want to make your weekly Taco night a little more authentic, dried pepper salsa is an easy place to start. Dried pepper salsas are very different from the tomato-based salsas we're all used to. They have a smooth, saucy consistency, going back to "salsa" in the original Spanish meaning of "sauce". They also have a sweet, earthy taste that goes great with grilled meat. They have some heat, but they're more about the flavor than the heat.
*Also, I toss a dried pepper or two in my crock pot when I'm making black beans for a Mexican dinner. I like to add a little of their earthy, sweet taste to the beans. I discard the peppers before serving.
**Another dried pepper trick (from Alton Brown) is to mince one and add it to your regular salsa recipe . This adds a subtle layer of heat and flavor to your salsa, without much extra effort.

Recipe: Toasted Ancho Salsa

Equipment:

Blender or food processor (I used my KitchenAid blender.)

Ingredients:

2 ancho chile peppers
4 large tomatillos (ping pong ball sized, at least)
3 cloves garlic
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste

Directions:
1. Prepare the ingredients: Pull the stems from the ancho chiles, split them in half, and remove all the seeds and membranes. * Remove the papery husks from the tomatillos, rinse under cold water to remove their sticky coating, and slice the tomatillos in half. Peel the garlic cloves.
*Don't inhale deeply while doing this step, unless you want a low-level simulation of pepper spray.

2. Toast the ingredients: Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium, until the oil is shimmering. Add the chiles and toast until slightly puffed and a little lightened in color, flipping once, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove the chiles to the blender with a slotted spoon. Pour the oil out of the pan, then wipe it clean with a paper towel Put the pan back over medium heat, let it heat up for a minute, then add the tomatillos and garlic cloves. Let them sear for about 3 minutes, or until browned, then flip them and sear the other side, another 3 minutes. Add to the blender.

3. Blend the salsa: Add the water and salt to the blender. Give the blender a few one second pulses to chop up the ingredients, then run on low for 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until the ingredients are blended and smooth. Taste and add a little more salt if necessary.

Variations:
*Easy Chipotle Salsa: Substitute 3 canned chipotles en adobo, with their sauce, for the ancho chiles. Skip the cleaning and toasting of the peppers - just put the chipotles and their sauce in the blender, and move on to cooking the tomatillos and garlic. This gives you a much hotter and smokier salsa than the ancho version; it's different, but also very good.

*Guajillo salsa: In the original recipe, Rick Bayless uses guajillo peppers. They have the same heat level, but are less sweet than ancho peppers. Replace the ancho peppers with guajillos, or use one of each.

Notes:
*I know the oil toasting seems fussy. It adds a lot of depth of flavor to the salsa, and it only takes two minutes. Give it a try before you dismiss the recipe.

*If you're really going to skip this because of the oil toasting, read on. Instead of toasting them, just soak them in hot water for 30 minutes. (Of course, if you're in this much of a hurry, I would recommend the Easy Chipotle Salsa variation. It's easier than dealing with the dried peppers in the first place.)

*Anchos are dried poblano chiles. They have a medium heat level, a little below what a jalapeno has.

*Store this salsa in the refrigerator for up to a week, or freeze for up to three months. When I make this salsa, I double the recipe and freeze the leftovers in 1 cup containers for later use.

What do you think? Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.

Related Posts:
Quick Red Salsa
Tomatillo Salsa
Slow Cooker Beef Barbacoa

Adapted from:
Rick Bayless Mexican Everyday (Recipe: Toasty Guajillo Salsa)

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La Loma Supermarket

2010-02-01T07:00:00.013-05:00

A few weeks ago, Tom at Exploring Food My Way did a review of Taqueria La Loma, a taco truck on the east side of Akron. In passing, he mentioned the truck was parked in front of a Mexican supermarket. I had to check it out; I love shopping at a good Mexican grocery store. It was even better than I had hoped!

La Loma Supermarket is well stocked, with all the staples you need if you want to cook authentic Mexican food. Even better, they have a full service Mexican butcher on the premises, with all the specialty cuts that are unique to Mexican cooking.
*The butcher gave me a sample of chicharrones to munch on while I walked through the store. Mmm…deep fried pork belly…

La Loma Supermarket
421 Darrow Rd.
Akron, OH 44305
Tel: 330-784-9300

My top five list of favorite things they sell:
1. Full service Mexican butcher:Along with the usual selection of pork, beef, chicken and seafood, they have a variety of Mexican specialty cuts. Freshly made chorizo, thin sliced pork adobo, skirt steak…even more adventurous stuff like pork feet, beef tongue, tripe (yuck), and cabrito (young goat) is available!
*That was according to a sign in the back. I'm going to buy some for Rick Bayless's Cabrito Jaliso style (Mexican Everyday)

2. Fresh fruits and vegetables: Well stocked, with a Mexican focus. Limes, avocado and cilantro are all inexpensive compared to my local grocery store prices.

3. Spices and dried peppers: They have an impressive array of mexican spices and dried hot peppers. As I've said before, dried hot peppers are much cheaper at Mexican groceries. If you're going to use them in any quantity, you should seek out your local mexican grocery store.

4. Canned goods: Chipotles en adobo, masa harina, guava paste, mexican hot sauces, canned tomatillos, mexican chocolate…if you need it for your mexican cooking, they've got it.

5. Mexican beer: Sure, they have Corona. Doesn't everybody? They also have good mexican beer, like Pacifica, Bohemia, and my personal favorite, Negro Modelo.
*Check out this great mexican beer review by Tim Leffel, who is also the author of the Cheapest Destinations blog at travel.booklocker.com.

And don't forget to stop at their taco truck right out front, Taqueria La Loma, for a bite to eat to get you through your shopping. You won't regret it; the food is excellent.

Here's the map:

View Larger Map

Thanks again to Tom at Exploring Food My Way for letting me know about this store!

Related posts:
My list of Ethnic and Gourmet stores near Akron, Ohio.

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Deborah Madison is coming

2010-01-31T07:00:00.001-05:00

Deborah Madison, former chef at the Greens restaurant in San Francisco, and author of What We Eat When We Eat Alone* and the award winning Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone, is coming to give a talk in the Cuyahoga Valley.
*When I'm alone, my perfect meal is a grilled steak and a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon.
**She also wrote another of my favorite quotes from a cookbook. I'm paraphrasing her opening to This Can't be Tofu:

I was shopping at my local grocery store, and I put a block of tofu in my cart. A man who was going by stopped and said: "Tofu. My wife doesn't have a good recipe for that. Do you have one?" I thought about it for a minute, then replied: "Well, unfortunately, the recipe I usually use is this. Leave it in the refrigerator until it is past it's expiration date, then throw it out and buy a new one."

His response was: "Darn. That's my wife's recipe, too."

She will be at the Happy Days Lodge on February 12th at 7PM. Tickets are available by calling (330) 657-2909. Details are available here: Lyceum Series - Deborah Madison: Growing Food, Culture, Community, Wellness, and Pleasure.