Cocina Savant

Comfort Zone

2011-01-22T10:03:00.000-05:00

Things for the restaurant are flying by at a meteoric pace right now and it seems hard to slow down enough to do anything but work and cook for sustenance; yet Christmas was such an incredible respite from hectic life. Life moves at a slower pace in the South and I will forever love that and be linked to the concept of whole animal eating due to my grand and great grandparents heritage and my mother's gracious gift of the seminal texts by Fergus Henderson "The Whole Beast" and "Beyond Nose to Tail." I grew up with fried hog jowl and black eyed peas every New Year's Eve and have now graduated to Fergus' fried pigs tails and warm pig head salad.

There is something disconcerting to the American psyche to see an animal's head sitting on a plate. I was a bit offput at times trying to cook it but it was truly an opportunity for growth and liberation. The idea that one of the most delicious salads I have ever made was born out of a necessity meat- a cut that our ancestors took great pleasure in turning into headcheese. To think something beautiful can come from a cut that terrifies so many that would ultimately agree that the end result is a success.

The peppery arugula paired with the richness of the pork and the tang of the mustard vinaigrette harmonize as much as Henderson meant it to. We must throw caution to the wind and try to cook foods out of our comfort zone. You will find yourself with combinations beyond your wildest dreams when off bits are added to your repertoire.

Unlike my usual form of posting a recipe I am going to leave you with a final thought. Find one of Fergus Henderson's books and use it to change the way you look at waste and the way you approach cooking. May every bone have a chance for a stock and every head have a chance for a salad.
Happy cooking!

Painting by Numbers

2011-01-10T19:22:00.000-05:00

It's funny to me to take note of how people talk and share stories about food and meals, recipes in particular. Typically if I receive a recommendation for a recipe, it's because there is some family history to it, or its been copied on to a scant, wrinkled sheet of paper with little to no attachment to its original source. I'm not saying this is a bad thing. Food should be inspired and original. Nine times out of ten, I would say that citing off chef, cook book, and page number is less likely to make motivate me to try a recipe than hearing someone describe at as similair to a dish their grandmother made, or a recipe they could do something unique and interesting too.

For Christmas this year, Daniel and I received a plethora of cookbooks, including Nancy Silverton's Breads, Michael Ruhlman's Ratio, and Fergus Henderson's Nose to Tail Eating and Beyond Nose to Tail.With books like Breads and Ratio, it's easy to adapt recipe and personalize them to your own tastes. A cookie is a cookie by any other name, and a baguette is a baguette. These are framiliar, comfortable. This may not be as true with Fergus Henderson (more on that later), but there are still elements of framiliarity and comfort that give you courage to try something new, go out of order, add or subtract components, and basically make something your own.

Every once in awhile though, a recipe just catches your eye that I think you have to go at verbatim, teaspoon by teaspoon, step by step. It's these recipes that remind me of the 'paint by number' paintings I remember doing growing up. I'm much more comfortable with a pen and paper to write, than I am with a paintbrush and pallete to fill. Similairly, I'm much more comfortable whipping up a delightful dessert or warming soup than I am creating a silky veloute to combine with some odd meat puree. But, it's in these moments of unfamiliarity that you can be comforted (I think anyway) by the culinary delights created by others, and reawaken your culinary curiosity.

Mortadella Smear Taken from this recipe in the Jan/Feb Edition of Saveur
1/3 Cup Balsamic Vinegar
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp flour
1/3 cup chicken stock
1 lb mortadella without pistachios
1/3 cup heavy cream, whipped
1 small loaf of a crusty sourdough
4 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp crushed pistachios
1/2 cup arugula

1. Reduce vinegar by half in small saucepan over medium heat.Set aside.
2. In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and continue whisking for one minute. Slowly whisk in stock and cook until thickend to make veloute. Set aside to cool.
3. In meat grinder or food processor, process mortadella until pureed. Transfer to bowl and fold in whipped cream and veloute sauce.
4. Rub bread with olive oil and toast.

To Serve: Smear the bread wit the mortadella, garnish with arugula, pistachios, and a drizzle of balsamic. Serve warm. Enjoy!

Published by Saveur, and originally taken from Chicago's Purple Pig restaurant, this produce a delightful and "devastatingly addictive" treat. A simple creamy, meaty, satisfying mortadella spread atop a toasty baguette, topped with a little bit of peppery arugula, nutty pistachios, and a splash of reduced balsamic for the tiniest hint of sweetness. Truthfully, this new recipe is nothing earth-shattering. If you've never tried mortadella, its basically an Italian bologna that looks, smells, and tastes, pretty much like bologna if you sample the variety without pistachios. Even if you're thrown off by the bologna comparison, it truly is an intriguing delight.When selecting the next post to blog about, someone may have scoffed at my desire to share this verbatim rendition of a recipe, but it struck me as something new, and something I may not have tried if someone hadn't drawn the lines and numbered the color palette or taste palate for me.

Holiday Turkey

2011-01-03T23:47:00.000-05:00

I have been reintroduced to the joys of fried turkey in recent months. What a holiday delight to pull such an utterly delicious and gleaming bird out of the depths of peanut oil. That moment of realization that it is juicier than any roasted turkey you have ever laid your lips on is truly a cherished one.

Turkey expedition number one began in the back yard of a friend of mine's apartment. He had injected an eighteen pound turkey the night before with worcestershire sauce and cajun seasoning. We rubbed the outside with cajun seasoning to add an extra element and lit the gas to get the party started. After lowering the large bird into the grease and checking it about an hour later the outside was an astounding shade of sienna that immediately shouted "eat me."

The result was very similar to the second turkey I cooked for Christmas dinner although I sincerely wish I would have photographed the first one Nate cooked. The grandness of the larger bird is certainly an undertaking well worth your time. And all those around you will thank you for your efforts.

The Christmas bird had to share room with a ham so we opted for a twelve pound bird so as not to overwhelm my mother-in-laws already full fridge. The holiday goodies were flowing from the homemade fudge, buckeyes, and chocolate covered cherries, to homemade egg nog and bacon cinnamon rolls. I can not promise when or if we will post some of those recipes. The bacon pecan cinnamon rolls were certainly a hit even with Dawn's grandparents despite their initial hesitant glances.

But after all the holiday celebrations and preparations on Christmas morning I set out to cook a bird that was dressed to impress. By that I mean I tried to spice up the preconceived sage nuances that I was told every turkey should have (sorry that I disagree). I mixed up a nice bowl of spices to blanket the bird from head to toe. But, after the meal the synopsis was unanimous that whether you call it unsophisticated or countrified or delicious for that matter- everyone agreed it was one of the best turkeys they had ever eaten.

Cajun Sage Fried Turkey

12 # thoroughly thawed and dried turkey

1/4 C kosher salt

3 T crushed black pepper

1 1/2 T smoked paprika

2 T dried sage

1 T ground coriander

1 T white pepper

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

The night before you are going to cook the turkey mix the seasonings together thoroughly and rub into the outside and underneath the skin of the turkey on the breasts. Refrigerate overnight and pull out of the fridge an hour and a half before you are going to cook it.

Heat your turkey fryer up to 355 to 360 degrees, because your oil will cool down a bit with the turkey in it. Lower your thoroughly dried turkey (preferably on a tube to keep it centered) into the oil and cook at 350 degrees for approximately three and a half minutes per pound or forty minutes for an twelve pound turkey. Check with a thermometer in the breast to assure the meat is 170 degrees. Pull out of the oil carefully and allow to cool for at least fifteen minutes. Enjoy with a nice glass of cava.

The Beginnings of Tradition

2010-12-18T09:31:00.000-05:00

Since I think I expressed my adoration for this time of year earlier, I wont bother with reaffirming those sentiments once again. Instead, I think I'll offer for your close approaching Holiday pleasure, what is quickly becoming a tradition in our home, an annual Bûche de Noël, aka a Yule Log.

The Bûche de Noël is closely related to (or has almost replaced) the tradition of the "Yule Log," when the carefully selected Christmas log was burned to bring warmth and prosperity to the home. Although it's now used in relation to Christmas traditions, it had its origins in a "Winter Solstice" tradition. Some traditions suggest the yule log was burned with the remnants of last years log, while others suggest the 'log' was actual a bundle of sticks tied together, and as each binding broke they toasted with a beverage. There were apparently many variations of the Yule Log, but as people slowly replaced the hearth with other forms of heating in many countries, the tradition slowly declined and was replaced with the edible cake version.

The cake itself is typically prepared using some sort of sponge cake, buttercream frosting, and various decorations possibly including branches, fresh berries, meringue mushrooms, and powdered sugar. Once iced, the log is usually sliced and placed on the side or top as another branch. I didn't want the cake to dry out (and what's wrong with more chocolate!), so I iced this piece as well.

We had our first version of the Bûche de Noël a couple years ago as part of our Christmas Eve / Dad's Birthday celebration, and have managed to find an excuse to make a new one each year since. The extra dose of sweet from chocolate ganache I use to top the log makes for an exceptionally sweet dessert that looks nice and festive sitting on the table with just a little extra adornment.This is by far the most enjoyable recipe of the three that I've tried, so I thought it an appropriate time to share it with you.

For the Cake:
1/4 cup water
1/3 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 large egg yolks
2/3 cup sugar, divided
1/2 cup flour
4 large egg whites
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

1. Preheat oven to 425. Line a jelly roll baking sheet with a 17" x 10-1/2" with parchment paper. Butter & dust with flour.

2. Boil water. Pour over cocoa and begin to stir. Add vanilla and continue to stir until smooth.

3. In a separate bowl, combine egg yolks and 1/3 cup sugar. Beat until smooth and pale yellow. Add chocolate mixture and beat until smooth and well combined.Add flour and beat one more minute.

4. In a clean bowl, beat egg white until soft peaks form. Add cream of tartar and sugar and beat until it holds stiff, glossy peaks.

5. Using a spatula gently fold 1/2 of meringue mixture into chocolate. Gently fold in remaining.

6. Using a pastry bag with wide tip (or coupler), place mixture into bag and pipe in long rows filling the prepared pan.

7. Bake cake 8 minutes, until it springs back when touched in the middle.

8. Remove from oven and place on a rack to cool. Place a damp towel over the cake. When cool, invert it onto the towel and gently peel parchment paper away.

For the Filling Icing:
1 Stick Salted Butter, at room temperature

1/2 Tsp Pure Peppermint Extract
1/2 lb Powdered Sugar
3-4 Tbsp Milk
2 Tbsp Dutch Process Cocoa

1. Cream butter. Add flavoring. Add cocoa, powdered sugar a 1/2 cup at a time adding milk when needed to achieve desired consistency.

For the Ganache (outer frosting):
1-1/4 Cup Heavy Cream
10 Oz Semi-Sweet Chocolate finely chopped

1. Bring heavy cream to a boil. Pour over chopped chocolate and stir until smooth. Chill covered, and stir occasionally until set.

For the decorations, use your imagination! You can sift powdered sugar over the cake and make Meringue Mushrooms as I did here, or you can do whatever suits you, your guests, and your Christmas or Holiday wishes.

Enjoy!

Seasonal Faux Pas

2010-12-12T21:56:00.000-05:00

I know we all have predicaments of craving a dish that is far from seasonal but sounds amazing at the moment. I got home from work the other night and was really thinking about some perfectly cripy edged and melting buttery-centered crab cakes. I have been to Baltimore and sampled some excellent specimens and some that were subpar, but the object of perfection in my opinion has a hint of sea saltiness, a bit of an herbal note, and a hit of spiciness to balance out the richness.

With the impending snow on the way, that is now piling up, I had crab meat up to my wrists and the scent of Old Bay wafting around the kitchen. I have been dabbling in curing over the last couple months with a simple bacon and pancetta under my belt and dreams of a meat grinder in my near future. The herbal salty kick of the pancetta with crisp edged crab cakes resting atop a thin sliced tomato seemed like an excellent dinner, even with the snow flinging itself against the windows.

Sriracha Bay Crab Cakes
1 # crab claw meat
1 1/2 T mayonnaise
1 tsp mustard
1/2 tsp sriracha chili sauce, or to taste

7 T buttered cracker crumbs, such as Ritz
1 tsp Old Bay seasoning, plus more for garnish
1/2 tsp dried oregano, plus more for garnish
1 egg
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

3 oz. pancetta sliced into batons
canola oil for frying
2 tomatoes thinly sliced

Mix all the crab cake ingredients together and form into patties the size of the tomato you are serving them with (about the circumference of a baseball seems just right). Stick the cakes onto a sheetpan in the freezer for 20 minutes to chill enough to make them maintain shape. Fry pancetta for about 3 minutes in a cast iron skillet, or until a deep mahogany shade and remove, leaving drippings in pan. Add enough oil to fill pan 1/2 inch deep. Fry crab cakes until they are a crisp pecan brown, regulating heat until it warms the cakes all the way through when both sides are crisp. Serve crab cakes over a tomato slice with pancetta cracklings on top sprinkled with oregano and Old Bay. Enjoy.

It's the Hap-Hapiest Season of All

2010-12-08T17:50:00.000-05:00

Christmas is undoubtedly my favorite time of year. There's so much to enjoy and to do from decorating the tree, decorating the house, enjoying a plethora of Christmas movies, making homemade gifts (a tradition in our home), putting gingerbread houses together, wrapping presents, Christmas parties, get-togethers and events. You have so many more opportunities to reach out into you community in some way, and people are for the most more giving and kind than any other time of the year. And of course, let's not forget the food. The cookies, the candy, the egg nog, Christmas Eve dinner for my family (with my Dad's birthday on Christmas Eve), Christmas morning goodies, and finally Christmas Dinner. Yes, my jeans are groaning as I write this.

The only problem (if you even want to call it that) that arises with the holidays is there just is never enough time to try and squeeze in absolutely everything you want to do or try. I probably have a list of a hundred different peppermint Christmas treats I want to try, not to mention dozens of cookies and candy recipes. There is just no time to try every new holiday recipe and still enjoy the holidays. I guess sometimes, you can either just choose to settle with only three types of Christmas candy (instead of seven), or you could throw in a couple of these quick Christmas Candy treats.

I’m not sure why, but I have never made peppermint bark. Never. I’ve enjoyed it plenty over the past few Christmas holidays, but never actually made it myself. So, over the weekend we were booked with Christmas related plans and I thought I would make a batch to tote along on our festivities. Low and behold, when I consulted my trusted candy guide, candy thermometer laid out and ready to go, I quickly discovered that this is probably the easiest candy in the world to make. The hardest part is probably breaking up the candy canes. It's so easy, in fact, that at Daniel's suggestion for an additional version, I quickly whipped up this "Egg Nog Bark" to enjoy as well. Safe for the kiddies, don't worry.

Peppermint Bark

1 12 oz bag white chocolate

About 3 regular sized candy canes, crushed

½ tsp peppermint extract

1. 1. Line baking sheet or glass baking dish with wax paper.

2. 2. Carefully melt chocolate (over low heat or preferably in a double-boiler), being careful not to scorch.

3. 3. Once melted, add peppermint extract and a handful of crushed candy canes (less than half).

4. 4. Carefully pour chocolate mixture on wax paper lined sheet or dish. If necessary, carefully spread to even out slightly. Quickly top with remaining candy cane bits.

5. 5. Allow to set (15-20 minutes). Break apart, and enjoy!

To dress it up, first melt 1 (12 oz) bag of chocolate (milk/dark/semisweet your choice), adding ½ tsp peppermint extract and pour into wax paper lined glass baking dish. Follow above directions, pouring mixture on top of regular chocolate.

Egg Nog Bark

1 12 oz bag white chocolate

2 tsp nutmeg, divided*

1 tsp rum flavoring

1. 1. Line baking sheet or glass baking dish with wax paper.

2. 2. Carefully melt chocolate (over low heat or preferably in a double-boiler), being careful not to scorch.

3. 3. Once melted, add rum flavoring and one teaspoon of nutmeg.

4. 4. Carefully pour chocolate mixture on wax paper lined sheet or dish. If necessary, carefully spread to even out slightly. Quickly top with remaining nutmeg, using more or less as desired for appearance.

5. 5. Allow to set (15-20 minutes). Break apart, and enjoy!

* Typically, I’m a strong proponent of using freshly ground nutmeg. It’s relatively inexpensive and packs a strong flavor. BUT, in this case, because you are going to want to use more for appearance purposes, I would use a high quality ground nutmeg.

Last, but certainly not least, it wouldn’t be Christmas without fudge, and nor would it be Christmas without sharing a family story. Luckily, this recipe will give you both.

Given my baking and all things sweet addiction, for our first Christmas together as husband and wife I went on a baking extravaganza, making peppermint fudge, chocolate fudge, tons of cookies, and tossing in this super easy peanut butter fudge for a last minute gift for co-workers. Our next Christmas together, on my first day of baking, I did not begin with all three fudges. Instead, I began with my assortment of cookies, and only had time to do a peppermint fudge. My sweet husband comes home and as I show him the gems of my days labor one by one, he looks perplexed and confused. As I show him the peppermint fudge (that is somewhat labor intensive I might add), he responds, “but I like peanut butter fudge.”

So, despite giving him a hard time every year for this incident, every year we also enjoy this super easy, takes-you-longer-to-do-the-dishes-afterward, peanut butter fudge.

5 Minute Peanut Butter Fudge

1/2 cup butter, plus more for greasing pan

1-1/2 cups peanut butter

1/2 cup half & half

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 pounds powdered sugar

1. 1. Grease 10x10 dish with butter.

2. 2. Pour all ingredients into a microwave safe dish.

3. 3. Microwave on high for three minutes.

4. 4. Stir well with a wooden spoon.

5. 5. Pour into prepared dish. Allow to cool and set.

6. 6. Cut and store in between sheets of wax paper in air-tight container.

Enjoy!

Winter Warmer

2010-11-30T09:19:00.000-05:00

We are trying hard to take more pictures of our food. It is not that we quit cooking or thinking of you all. Quite the opposite in fact. It seems like ages since I have posted and talked to you all. As I was cooking a chili that would offset the cold weather, the memories of enjoyable dialogue and sharing with you all flooded back.

The more I contemplate chili and the way so many of us relate to it, from the simplistic homage to hormel to the offspring of time and effort with countless ingredients, the more mysterious and central it seems. The varieties are as countless as there are mothers as was evidenced at our church chili cook-off. Everything from vegan pumpkin to a spicy beef pomegranate version. It strikes me that chili may be as close to Indian food as any one of us have ever tried, at least without the beef. All the glorious mix of textures and spices are combined to create a dish as integral to our childhoods as it is warming in the middle of winter. It feels awfully good to be blogging again, and I certainly hope you can circle the table for a steaming bowl of chili in the near future.

Mahogany Port Chili

2 tsp. fresh ground coriander

1 T smoked paprika

1 tsp. vindaloo

8 deseeded and rinsed ancho chiles

5 deseeded and rinsed guajillo chiles

1 cinnamon stick

2 bay leaves

1 T sea salt

2 T cocoa powder

3 small yellow onions diced

4 garlic cloves minced

2 T raisins

1 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 15 oz. can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

24 oz. 85/15 ground beef

1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes

3 T ruby port

2 T canola oil plus more for sauteing

2 T masa harina

3/4 C grated cheddar cheese for granish

Combine port, chiles, peppers, oil and raisins in a food processor. Pulse until pureed. Meanwhile brown the ground beef with the canola oil for about 6 minutes. Remove beef from the pot and saute the onion, garlic, and ground seasonings in the beef drippings until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add tomatoes, beans, beef, pureed chile paste, bay leaves, and cinnamon stick. Mix until a rich red color is achieved then add the cocoa powder to bring the chili to a dark mahogany color. Cover and simmer over low heat for approximately 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the masa harina and stir to combine well adding a pinch more to thicken if needed. Enjoy with a sprinkle of sharp cheddar cheese.

Memorable Meals

2010-10-01T16:38:00.000-04:00

This month has been a whirlwind of activities other than blogging. In that category we are not doing very well, but I am attempting to rectify that with a pretty awesome pasta that is conducive to the hectic lifestyle. On the other hand, reading the newest Saveur with its 25 most memorable meals makes my mind go back to a time when I couldn't conceive the impact of food on my life. I am not sure whether any of you have thought about your most memorable meals but mine goes back to around the age of ten when seventeen of my Dad's family would gather every Sunday after church to eat lunch at my great-grandmother and great-grandad's house. The spread seems so enormous to me in restrospect from the fried venison backstrap, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn on the cob, green beans amply studded with country ham, steaming golden cornbread, an iceberg salad with garden tomatoes, mustard greens also studded with dark red bits of ham and garlic, crispy fried crooked neck squash, and plenty of ice cold tea and lemonade to go around. It seems unbelievable to think that we would sit down to a spread like that every Sunday or even sometimes Nanny's homemade deep fried taco shells just waiting to be filled with ground beef and tomatoes.

My love and respect of food has grown so much since then as I have realized the time and effort my eighty year old great-grandmother, Nanny, would put into such a feast. Since then I have eaten foie gras, duck prosciutto, escargot, and countless other delicacies that she probably had never even heard of. But the fact of the matter still remains that those incredible meals and every one in the future are always best shared with family and friends.

You might be asking yourself what a Southern man, with a rich heritage of individuals who were/are involved in small town politics, dairy farming, and steel and factory work, has doing opening a pizzeria. I have thought about that many times during the stages of planning and I think Frank Stitt of Bottega and Bottega Café in Birmingham, Alabama has hit the nail on the head. Italian cooking has a real kinsmanship with the Southern-American fresh ingredient mindset and sheer love of large family-style meals. I am still fleshing out some of my own embedded links between the two, but the more Italian/Southern food I prepare the more it feels right and I hope this dish rings true to you as well. No matter what your circumstance, food shared with family is one of the most elemental and extraordinary events.

The other day I was tinkering around with a San Marzano tomato sauce and it certainly played an important part in the creation of the dish. Sometimes we are forced to be more practical than eccentric minded and often times it grounds me enough to create something amazing. Chickpeas also play a roll in this pasta venture because I had a can left over from purchasing too many for making hummus last weekend. Their versatility never ceases to amaze me and I am forever grateful. They are one of those canned ingredients that is every bit of as good as its dried counterpart.

Orecchiette works like a charm in this dish cupping the chickpeas and sauce as any marriage of pasta, ingredients, and sauce should. A hint of floral rosemary and a handful of diced potatoes thrown in while the sauce is simmering create a symphony in a flash. The porcine nuggets of Sopressata give that Southern/Italian umami combination that makes me feel right at home and hopefully you will agree. If you have a memorable meal you would like to share we would be glad to hear it.

Pasta Sopressata

8 oz. orriechette
2 oz. sopressata, diced
1 C. homemade tomato sauce (mine was canned San Marzano tomatoes, garlic, salt, pepper, and a few rosemary leaves)
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 C fontinella cheese, grated for sprinkling
1 sprig rosemary, leaves removed and finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 russet potato, finely diced
1/2 C reserved pasta water
1 pinch dried red pepper flakes
salt/pepper
olive oil for drizzling

Begin sauteing the garlic and sopressata in a large saucepan. Meanwhile bring a large pot of salted water to boil for the orriechette. Cook orriechette three minutes shy of al dente and drain reserving the pasta water. Add the potatoes and chickpeas to the saucepan and cook together for another minute or so and then add the tomato sauce, rosemary, and pepper flakes. Once sauce has reduced a bit and potatoes are nearly done add orrecchiette and stir to combine. The sauce will be rather thick but add the pasta water by spoonfuls to make the pasta come together. Once the pasta sauce has reached the desired consistency taste and adjust seasoning lightly with salt and pepper. Spoon into shallow bowls or saucers and top with grated fontinella cheese and a drizzle of olive oil. This recipe makes enough for two or three but can be multiplied to be enjoyed with friends and family.

Braising and Business

2010-09-14T16:59:00.000-04:00

The last month has been a whirlwind of activity and business for Dawn and I and I am sure that shows in our infrequent posts. Last weekend we visited The Greenhouse Tavern in Cleveland which is run by Chef/Owner Jonathon Sawyer, one of the 2010 Food&Wine top new chefs. The food was imaginative and superb, beginning with the complimentary country pork pate served with fresh baked bread to the deconstructed pan seared pork chop saltimbocca including country ham and pommes puree instead of the more traditional prosciutto and polenta. The dish truly shined with the addition of a maple glaze on the pork chop, but that gets me to the main reason why we have been so busy and infrequent in our posts.

We have been crunching numbers and researching over the last couple months in preparation of opening a small pizza venture here in Columbus. It is simultaneously nerve racking and exciting. Exciting because of the opportunity to bring extraordinary pizza to an area with a million pizza places and a mere handful of outstanding pies. Nerve racking because the economy is in the shape that it is. We are working on bridging the gap between locally sourced quality ingredients and affordability that customers are looking for in our modern time. But, I will not ramble on forever about the future when there is a dish I want to share with you.

I recently finished a book by Bill Buford titled "Heat: an amateur's adventures as kitchen slave, line cook, pasta maker, and apprentice to a Dante-quoting butcher in Tuscany," that resonated with me when I saw beef short ribs in the market. The preparations of meat that are prepared by Dario Cecchini are wonderful and foreign to me in their homage to Italian tradition. This foreignness could be the fascination toward the amazing cuisine of Northern Italy. I altered the slow cooked beef dish to incorporate short ribs with a similar focus on rusticity and the divine nature of slow cooking tough cuts.

One aspect that always draws me toward braising, other than the delicious melt in your mouth texture, is the simplicity. With a handful of ingredients, including beef short ribs, carrots, garlic, wine, milk, rosemary, red pepper flakes, butter, polenta, salt and cinnamon, magical things happen. The name of the dish is 20 Hour Short Ribs over Polenta and Cinnamon Brown Butter Sauce. I hope you will try it, even when you are strapped for time and don't feel like making something after work. It is snap to prepare the night before you are going to eat it. The oven does all the heavy lifting and you can sleep and go to work then pull it out of the oven in time for dinner with only a quick polenta and sauce to prepare.

20 Hour Short Ribs over Polenta and Cinnamon Brown Butter Sauce

1 1/2 - 2 # beef short ribs

2 carrots peeled and chopped in eighths

4 garlic cloves roughly chopped

20 oz. cabernet sauvignon or other old world red

2 T dried rosemary

1 T dried red pepper flakes

Preferably brown short ribs for a few minutes in the pot you are going to cook them on the stovetop. If you are strapped for time you can skip this step. After you have browned the short ribs add the other ingredients, stir well, and arrange evenly. Transfer in the covered pot to a 250 degree oven for twenty hours checking once or twice to assure there is still a bit of liquid. After the liquid is nearly evaporated and the ribs are falling apart tender remove from the oven.

Cinnamon Brown butter sauce

8 T unsalted butter

1 T light brown sugar

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp sea salt

Melt butter until all the milk solids have evaporated then add the other ingredients and stir to incorporate dissolving the salt and sugar. Continue cooking over low heat until browned.

Polenta

2 1/4 C whole milk

2/3 C instant polenta

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1/2 cup good (2 year) grated parmigiano reggiano

1 T unsalted butter

Bring the milk to a boil in a heavy bottom saucepan. Add the polenta, pepper, and cheese whisking to combine. Turn the heat down to low and add butter at the time the polenta is the desired consistency. Whisk to combine and spoon onto plates.

Spoon polenta onto plates then short ribs and carrots on top. Drizzle cinnamon brown butter, a sprinkle of parmigiano, and pepper flakes on top and enjoy with a nice supple Primitivo.

Who says?

2010-09-07T19:12:00.000-04:00

There are few things in life more rewarding than a tasty breakfast. Sadly, for most of us I think, we tend to miss out on the many joys offered by this one meal. The type of brekfast I'm referring to isn't the one doused in milk or peeled back from a plastic container. Despite my love for scones and the warm goodness they entail, nor is it a warm scone with homemade gooseberry jam (maybe I'll share that with you later, this summer's favorite new treat). Those are all well and good, but the kind of breakfast I'm reminescing about with you today is the super traditional, capital b, Breakfast.

Nothing quite beats the traditional breakfast. While I can't (and know very people who can) have the bacon or sausage, some form of of eggs, and pancakes or waffles every morning, there are some mornings where I pine and yearn for the extra twenty minutes to perfume the air with frying bacon and to sink my teeth into the paradoxical crispy chewyness of the perfect waffle.

When such yearnings strike, its rather uncommon to actually be able to live up to and enjoy them that morning. Usually, I've sacrificed said breakfast for an extra twenty minutes of sleep, or for an early start on the Saturday morning bustle, and I have a feeling most of you probably have too. Luckily however, no one ever said breakfast isn't just as good for dinner. Hence the inspiration, for these:

These my friends aren't any ordinary waffles. To make them into a meal almost all on their own (that pair quite nicely with a summer goat cheese and arugula salad oddly enough), these guys take some extra care and devotion. First, they require a perfectly cooked piece of bacon Now, I'm a crispy bacon girl. I love bacon, but any sign of chewyness and I've lost my appetite. With these though, it's important first and foremost to fry them until barely crisp, meaning that the very edges should be crisp all the way around and starting to darken slightly, the middle should be firming up, but you don't want the super crispness on its way to burnt texture. They'll cook a teeny bity more when you get them into the waffle iron ad you don't want bacon pebbles.

Second, is timing. Breakfast is all about timing. Waking up early enough. Cooking the eggs at the appropriate time so they don't become rubber. Cooking the waffles at the right time so they don't become soggy, etc. This dish is no different. So, you'll want to cook your bacon, leaving enough time for the pan to cool slightly.This will ensure you don't make scrambled eggs in the waffle batter later.

Last, is variety. We were lucky enough on a recent trek to Cleveland to score an assortment of cheddar cheese cubes. Although I had envisioned an awesome grilled cheese out of it, this proved to be even more rewarding, giving just the touch of variety in each bite to keep you wanting more.

Bacon Waffles with Apples and Cheddar

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 3/4 cups whole milk

2 large eggs

4 tbsp bacon grease, cooled

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

6-8 pieces of bacon cooked until almost crisp and crumbled

4 oz assorted cheddar cheeses (white, smoked, sharp, etc).

2 Apples, sliced thin*

1. Prepare bacon as described.

2. Preheat waffle iron as needed. Combine flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar.

3. In a separate bowl, combine milk and eggs. Carefully whisk in melted butter and cooled bacon grease.

4. Combine wet and dry ingredients, whisking to remove most lumps.

5. Cook waffles per manufactures instructions, sprinkling with crumbled bacon before closing iron.

6. When waffles are done, top with crumbled or shredded cheese while warm.

7. Top with apples.

* You can top the waffles with raw apples sliced thin for a fresher taste. For a truly decadent treat, saute them for a few minutes in the same pan you cooked the bacon in.

There's not much else to say here. It's simply a magical marriage of apple pie and cheddar, and a breakfast super waffle. Enjoy!

Pizza Night

2010-08-24T09:07:00.001-04:00

Some weekends are so enjoyable you wish they would never end- and when Monday rolls around you wish Saturday was the day that followed. That sums up my sentiment at the moment. My brother flew into Columbus on Thursday to visit and we made the most of every meal and adventure. In fact the pizza night was a mixture of both from trying to find room to let the formed pizza dough rest to spilling an egg into the oven. If you're curious what it looks like to have dough resting on all open counters and inside the microwave or what egg smells like cooking on the door of an oven you should have been there. Well, minus the unpleasant egg smell.

Before he came up I planned a carnitas dinner and a pizza night since he is a big fan of both and to attempt better organization. Dawn had to work during the day while we had all the fun, which left the cooking and shopping responsibilities to me. And, as I told someone the other day, Columbus is a city of markets. From small chain grocery's and independent grocers to ethnic markets and corporate giants. If the ingredient is available in the country, for a population of just over three quarters of a million there is a good chance you can find it here.

Maybe it is due to the ingredient selection but I am an equal opportunity pizza topping guy. I am not going to gawk at people throwing something other than mozzarella and basil on a pie. I picked up some leeks, potatoes, and pepper bacon while at the market on Thursday. (It sounds more like the making of an Irish dinner than Italian, right?) Saturday I found some uber cool white sweet plums at the farmers market. In the fridge was a chunk of Romano cheese that goes well with a variety of pizza toppings. Throw in a few eggs that were mentioned in the earlier fiasco and in my book you have the making of a pretty darn good pizza night. Oh, and did I mention we watched Raging Bull while he was up too. You get the picture. It was an awesome weekend that I will remember for a long time.

Pizza Dough

3 C bread flour
1 C durum flour
1 T extra virgin olive oil plus more for coating the bowl
1 1/4 C filtered room temperature water (approximate, depending on humidity)
1 T honey
1 T active dry yeast

Dump all ingredients into a bowl and mix with a fork until it forms a shaggy shaggy ball. With a mixer and dough hook or by hand, knead ten minutes or until dough is shiny and smooth. Splash a drop of olive oil into the bowl to coat the dough ball and the sides of the bowl to keep it moist and from sticking too bad.

At this point the dough can be frozen for a week or kept in the refrigerator for a couple days. Just bring to room temperature and let dough relax. This make ahead version works in a pinch because the dough still rises some in the fridge or has to come to room temperature and rise for a good hour out of the freezer. I made the dough and let it rise covered on the counter for four hours. Stretch to the preferred thickness and cover with pizza toppings. I split the dough into fourths and sprinkled a mist of cornmeal on parchment paper and on top to roll it out extra thin with a rolling pin so it cooks up nice and crisp. Form a small lip, also known as the cornichone, which will swell nicely on the heated baking stone.

Plum and Bacon Pizza

6 pieces thick cut pepper bacon
1 to 2 small white plums or purple, halved and thinly sliced
romano cheese, parmigiano reggiano, or hard cheese of your choice

Preheat pizza stone in a 550 degree oven for an hour. Cook some of the fat out of the bacon but not until it is crisp or it will burn while the pizza is cooking. Leaving the bacon somewhat soft also allows the fat to cook into the plums. The good thing about Romano is it adds flavor without detracting from the ingredients or crust. Spread plum slices out in a single layer and top with diced bacon and then cheese. Slide pizza on parchment paper onto pizza stone and cook for 5 minutes then broil for one to two minutes to crisp and enjoy.

Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Pizza

6 slices thick cut bacon
3 eggs
sprinkle of sel gris salt
romano cheese, parmigiano reggiano, or hard cheese of your choice

Preheat pizza stone in a 550 degree oven for an hour. Cook some of the fat out of the bacon but not until it is crisp or it will burn while the pizza is cooking. You can also cook the bacon crisp and sprinkle the bacon crumbles on top after cooking the pizza. Crack the eggs evenly out onto the pie, sprinkle diced bacon on top, and grate cheese on top. Slide pizza on parchment paper from peel onto baking stone. Cook for 4 minutes then broil for a little over a minute. Make sure not to cook too long or the yolks will become tough. Sprinkle salt on top and enjoy.

Leek and Potato Pizza

1 leek washed thoroughly and finely julienned, mostly white with some tender green
1 medium russet potato peeled and sliced thinly with mandoline
a few drops of extra virgin olive oil
sprinkle of coarse sea salt
romano cheese, parmigiano reggiano, or hard cheese of your choice

Preheat pizza stone in a 550 degree oven for an hour. Place potatoes evenly in a single layer on dough and sprinkle salt on top. Spread leek heavily on top of pizza and shake a few drops of olive oil for moisture. Grate cheese on top and slide pizza on parchment onto baking stone and cook five to six minutes. Broil for about two minutes or until cornichone is a deep walnut color and leek tips are just browned. Enjoy.

Broccoli Breakfast Blogaversery

2010-08-16T21:23:00.000-04:00

Wow. It's hard to believe that it has only been a year since we decided to start sharing our kitchen adventures with the rest of the world. It seems as if most people who celebrate their first year cook something extravagent to share and celebrate. But instead of sharing the wonderful leg of lamb and buttermilk polenta meal we shared on our actual blogging anniversary, instead I opted for a throwback of some of our first pictures. In other words, giving you something completely unidentifiable, and highly questionable. At least this is slightly more focused than our first blogging attempts.The picture above is of a green egg salad by the way, just in case you were dying of curiosity.

Although the questionable picture is a small reminder of how far (some) of our pictures and hopefully our writing has come since the early days, the recipes really signify the beauty of the blogging world. Like so many of the recipes we've tried on our adventures, even something as simple as a scrambeled egg salad has bits and pieces of inspiration and techniques picked up from browsing the blogging world. One of the first factoids we came across when we started blogging was that you could actually use those huge stems of broccoli once you get done with the florets. All you have to do is peel them, and voila! This was somewhat of a revelation to us at the time, and maybe there's someone out there who is unaware of this now.

Over the last year we've gone on many adventures, from our Ohio Wine Dinner and Buitoni Dinner, to Daniel's two months of non-stop bread baking, and to the many culinary adventures we've been glad to pursue but haven't had the camera or time to turn into a post to share with you. Even when we don't share our posts with everyone, the feedback and encouragement we've received from you all has given us even more ambition and an ever growing desire to share our new adventures with you. So thanks!

Broccoli Pancakes (makes 4)
2 Broccoli Stems, peeled and shredded, divided
2 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves
1 egg
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
Additional oil for pan
Additional salt and pepper to taste

1. In food processor, puree all but 1/4 cup cup shredded broccoli with garlic cloves, and olive oil. Remove from processor and combine with one egg.
2. In a separate bowl, sift together cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt and pepper. Combine with broccoli and egg mixture. Add buttermilk slowly to achieve right consistency.
3. Heat skillet over medium high heat with additional olive oil. When pan is hot, add half of reserved broccoli and divide in half. Quickly saute. When broccoli begins to brown , spread each pile into a thin layer and top each with 1/4 of the pancake batter. When batter begins to bubble, flip.
4. Repeat with remaining broccoli and pancake batter.

Green Egg Broccoli Salad

5 Eggs
2 Broccoli Stems, peeled and chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove
2 tbsp buttermilk
salt and pepper to taste
1 medium sized carrot, peeled and shredded
1 tbsp soy sauce

1. In food processor, puree broccoli stems, olive oil, and garlic.Combine broccoli, eggs, and buttermilk and whisk quickly.
2. Heat skilled over medium heat. Add eggs and scramble, adding salt and pepper to taste.
3. When eggs are finished (they will be a different texture than regular scramble eggs because of the extra moisture from the broccoli), plate and top with a handful a carrots and a splash of soy sauce.

So, thanks for a great year!!! Let us know if there's anything you'd like to see on our blog in the next year so we can continue to grow and improve. Who knows where the next year will take us!

Sailing Away

2010-08-07T09:25:00.001-04:00

It sounds dreadful to be unhappy with summer weather. Almost like you are ungrateful to the fact that fresh produce is abundant and the sun is generally shining. I have a problem with, the lack of sunshine and the need to grill even during the dreary overcast days to trick myself into thinking the sun is out. Maybe it is a spoiled mindset from growing up in Florida, but I feel entitled to a certain allotment of UV rays every day during the dog days.

The other day when I was tricking myself that the sun was out and it would be marvelous to be sipping a Pimm's Cup and breathing quintessential charcoal fumes while the meat is marinating. Instead, the weather was reminiscent of San Francisco haze but there was still chicken marinating and smoke trickling out of the Weber. In line with tricking myself there was sunlight trickling through the leaves of the trees, I planned a dinner with everything we love about summer- a salad highlighting cool fresh fruits and vegetables and spicy grilled meats as a counterbalance.

Jerk chicken is such a classic summer dish but sometimes classics should be updated to stay current and stylish. New peppers and new colors that change the whole outlook of the grilled bird. Departing from the familiar orange hue imparted by the Habanero peppers in the marinade, I switched it up a bit by adding Serrano's to elevate the marinade to an intriguing shade of green. This imparted a fresh heat alongside the musky bitterness of the ground allspice and cloves.

But what is a nice grilled piece of meat alone on a plate without an opposite or arch rival to show the strengths and differences. A cool bright salad of soft nectarines and mangoes with fresh tomatoes and cucumbers and crisp cabbage all laced with a peppery allspice vinaigrette. All superheroes begin in similar ways and the salad must marinate for optimum performance just like the moist heat of the chicken that brings to mind sunny days whether it is outside or not.

Emerald Jerk Chicken

1 3-5 # chicken cut in 8 pieces

3 serrano peppers, 1 deseeded

1 bunch green onions

5 garlic cloves

1 T allspice berries, ground

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 C extra virgin olive oil

1/4 C apple juice

5 grinds black pepper

a couple pinches of sea salt

After chicken has been cut into pieces, pulse all the marinade ingredients in a food processor until fully incorporated. It helps to grind the spices before everything is added together so they are ground fine enough. They can also be crushed in a mortar. Place chicken in a large glass bowl and pour marinade over and allow to marinate for at least an hour at room temperature or up to four hours refrigerated.

Grill over hardwood charcoal and wet mesquite chips until done (approximately 170 degrees) depending on heat of grill. Enjoy.

Summer Salad

1 nectarine finely diced

1 mango 1/4 inch dice

2 C diced cabbage (1/2 large head)

1/2 cup finely diced cucumber

10 cherry tomatoes quartered

Vinaigrette

1 tsp. allspice berries ground

1/3 C. apple cider vinegar

3 T. extra virgin olive oil

a few grinds of pepper and sea salt to taste

Grind berries before pulsing vinaigrette. Then pulse the vinaigrette until all components are incorporated. Mix the vinaigrette well with the chopped salad and refrigerate at least an hour or up to a day for the flavors to meld. Enjoy the salad and chicken with a nice French Rose.

Take Time

2010-07-31T20:00:00.000-04:00

Did anyone else blink July first or second, and suddenly find themselves on July 31st going what happened? Undoubtedly, everyone has experienced that before in some form or another, and for whatever reason. For me, starting a new Monday-Friday 8-5 and having "normal people" hours, running a booth of baked goods at a local market, and sorting out (or trying in some form to sort out) our future plans, have contributed to that feeling.

Whatever the reason though, often it seems like we don't realize what has caused time to suddenly slip from our hands and jump to warp speed. It's only after the fact that we can stop and reflect about what produced this whirlwind of time commitments and constraints. Reflecting on this loss of time often creates a sometimes even longer list of things you didn't do or missed or wanted to get done but couldn't, etc., etc., all of which can create a very unpleasant view of how you're spending your time these days. But luckily, I think I've found a solution. Naturally, it takes the form of food.

Garlic Scape Polenta Topped with Mushroom and Garlic Scape Saute

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp Olive Oil, divided
2 Tbsp Butter, Divided
1 Cup Diced Garlic Scapes, Divided (from about 8 long scapes)
1/2 Cup Cornmeal
2-1/2 Cups Vegetable Broth
1/2 tsp salt
8 oz portobello mushrooms, sliced thick and halved
1/4 Large Onion Diced
Additional Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:
1. In medium pan, melt 1 tbsp butter and heat 1 tbsp of the oil over medium high heat. Add 1/2 cup of the garlic scapes and saute over medium heat for 3-5 minutes until they begin to become tender. Set aside.
2. In stock pot, bring 1 quart vegetable broth to a boil over high heat. Very slowly, add cornmeal to broth, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer stirring often.
3. After five minutes, add garlic scapes, 1/2 tsp salt and stir to distribute. Simmer for an additional 15-20 minutes, stirring often.
4. Meanwhile, in medium pan, melt remaining butter and oil over medium high heat. Add garlic scapes and saute 2-3 minutes. Add onions, mushrooms and continue to cook, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper and continue to saute until onions are translucent and mushrooms browned.
5. To serve, spoon polenta onto plate and top with serving spoon full of mushroom and garlic scape saute. Take a breath, and enjoy.
This is really a simple dish. Sauteed mushrooms and garlic scapes atop a garlic scape polenta. Easy peasy. But the entire dish provides everything you need to stop and take time to reflect and enjoy the moment, stopping that vicious little cycle in its tracks. First of all, when making polenta, all you really have is time to think. Well, and stir of course. Don't be to hasty in cutting this step short, not only do you not not want lumpy polenta, but the methodical stirring can be an instant tranquilizer to calm any frazzled nerves, the first step needed to step back from your routine.

The second component of the dish may be a piece of cake for anyone spending time much time in the kitchen. Sauteing is typically quick, letting you get from point A to point B, but at the same time produces the wonderful aromas of garlic, butter and mushrooms coming together that urges you to take a deep breath.

Finally, the best part, eating the dish. Perhaps because of its simplicity, this is the perfect dish from beginning to end to help you step and breathe before you loose control of your time. With how hectic our life is getting and will continue to be for a little while, we may be eating this a lot! Daniel will be making friends with the farmer who brings scapes to the farmer's market fairly soon.

Enjoy!

Good Addiction

2010-07-27T11:17:00.001-04:00

It seems strange that I am writing about a breakfast dish considering my irregularity of morning eating. But lately I have been eating a small breakfast as long as that consists of whole milk somewhere. When I was growing up my mom would whip up huge batches of peanut butter granola that I would eat more consistently than anything. The crunchy peanuts and oats and sunflower seeds made a perfect breakfast. If you are waiting for a peanut butter granola recipe please don't start scratching your head, but if you are looking for a simple and equally addictive granola recipe to my mom's you have come to the right place.

I have only made granola a couple times but the other morning I ran out of breakfasty foods and started contemplating and when that happens sometimes wild things occur. Well, maybe this recipe is not that off the wall, but it is something that can be produced year round thanks to the dried goods and makes one heck of a perfect breakfast food and snack with loads of protein and chocolaty goodness. Well, not chocolate exactly, but the crunchy bittersweet goodness of cocoa nibs. Oh, and did I mention the dried figs and currants that pack a syrupy sweetness, and pumpkin seeds and oats for a nutty kick of protein. Even if you aren't a full time breakfast eater like myself, this stuff is aptly addictive.

Addictive Granola

1 1/4 C old fashioned oats

2/3 C green shelled pumpkin seeds

4 T amber honey

1/4 C packed dark brown sugar

1/2 C dried black mission figs, cut in 1/4 inch dice

1/2 C currants
1/3 C cocoa nibs
3 T canola oil

salt to taste

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Mix honey, sugar, oats, oil, and seeds together well in a bowl and spread thinly on a non-stick baking sheet. Sprinkle some sea salt on top and bake for ten minutes and stir. Turn the pan and bake for ten more minutes. The granola should be crisp and browned. Bake a minute or so more if not as crisp as desired. When the mixture has cooled combine with the currants, cocoa nibs, and figs. Enjoy with whole milk, Greek yogurt, or by the handful.

I guess it would keep for about a week if it ever lasted that long...

Attack of the Killer Tomatoes

2010-07-19T22:28:00.001-04:00

Don't worry. This isn't an ode to the mutant tomato cartoon of my childhood. I didn't even watch that to be honest. Instead, this is a small meditation on the beauty and delicious summer perfection that is a tomato in July. There are an infinite number of ways to enjoy the summer tomato, and undoubtedly ballads of devotion are a dime a dozen at this point. But oh well. We'll throw our ten cents in too.

Personally, as I start thinking of the different ways to enjoy its juicy perfection, I find myself echoing the memorable shrimp dialogue from Forest Gump, citing the infinite ways to enjoy it on a sandwich or a pizza and the ultimate tomato pie.Of course one of the best compliments to the tomato is bacon. Of course. The smoky salty taste pairs with the slight acidity, reminiscent of plain sliced tomatoes sprinkled with salt (a staple summer side for Sunday dinner). So, for out first killer tomato dish, we prepared a summer tomato and bacon focaccia. Simple and enjoyable as the best outdoor summer fair should be.

Summer Tomato & Bacon Focaccia
1 recipe pizza dough ready to cook
1 Large perfectly ripe tomato, sliced thin
4 Slices bacon, fried crisp and broken into small pieces
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp olive oil
sea salt & pepper

1. Place pizza stone in the oven and preheat oven to 475.
2. Toss pizza dough and roll thin. Allow to rise slightly.
3. Combine balsamic and olive oil and sprinkle on prepared dough. Top with sliced tomatoes and bacon.
4. Sprinkle tomatoes with sea salt and pepper. Place in oven for 10-15 minutes until golden.
5.Serve immediately

But, to really pay tribute to the tomato, we should take a moment to appreciate it in all it's summer forms. Naturally the heirloom tomatoes have their place, but, we should take a moment to enjoy the other versions of the fruit as well. Particularly, in its green form as well.

While I'm not a huge fan of fried foods, fried green tomatoes are the quintessential way to enjoy a green tomato. Until Daniel's pickled green tomatoes a little while ago and this recipe for a green tomato salad with pistachio relish in last month's Food & Wine, I didn't have the faintest idea there was another way to enjoy the tart version of summer's treat. Suffice it to say, the curious compliment of the sweet nutty vinegary dressing with the tart tomato made for a refreshing summer dish that was even better the second day. There was probably enough left for two meals...I managed to polish it off in one. Even if you're skeptical about green tomatoes, this one is well worth the try!!! You can find the recipe here. We didn't have the champagne vinegar, so I substituted a white wine vinegar with a teeny pinch of sugar. For an extra kick, I added a little bit of sumac to the dressing as well.

Whatever direction your summer market finds take you, hopefully you'll take advantage of developing a repertoire of your favorite summer dish too. Enjoy!!!

Necessity Meats

2010-07-13T22:56:00.001-04:00

It seems that food eaten out of necessity during tough times continues on to steal the show during food renaissances later down the road. You know the items that I am thinking of like beef tongue that Americans are beginning to devour from taquerias like a pack full of wolves, pork belly that is leaping off menus at countless fine dining establishments in New York and L.A, and tripe at some of the more authentic Italian trattorias. It's no wonder we are devouring these cuts more and more these days other than the fact we find some kind of social link to our past in their consumption. Once you have taken the first bite you realize why you picked up that terrifying tongue that will match any beef roast and taco filling or pork belly that looks like a slab of meat reserved for the butchers wife from yesteryear. These are the items that fill your home with the smell of tradition and everything wholesome we associate with a meal around the table with family.

When you braise a pork belly in the fashion I did the results are truly mesmerizing. It punches our taste buds and mentality in the face like that perfect roast chicken demanding an answer to why we won't take a tiny bit of prep time to create these amazing centerpieces. Try serving one of your friends or family that chows down on a baby back ribs and pulled pork a slice of pork belly. Reserve the opportunity for someone who is too terrified to try something as "outlandish" as pork belly and let them try to deny they like it after you see them reaching for another bite. This dish in all its unctuous umami, sweet, and spicy glory will turn any cynic into a believer- except a full blown vegan (and for them you may have no hope). About the only thing better than this amazing food renaissance that has brought us back to the goodness of everything pork, and pork belly in this case, is the ease in which it is prepared.

Soy-Ginger Pork Belly

I cannot steal all the spotlight for this dish because I stole the idea from chef Daniel Boulud, that I respect very much, and altered it some to my tastes. His cookbook titled "Braise" is a masterpiece of inventive recipes from varying cultures that I highly recommend.

1- 3 pound boneless, skin-on pork belly

2 C beef broth

1/2 C apple cider vinegar

1/4 C dark soy sauce (high quality soy sauce is important here as the cheap stuff can be cloyingly salty)

1/2 C peeled finely chopped ginger

2 bunches green onions, one diced and other for garnish

3 T brown sugar

kosher salt

3 T hoisin sauce

1 T olive oil

Score the pork belly on the skin side just deep enough to reach the meat in a diamond pattern. Place pork belly in a plastic bowl the night before cooking along with soy sauce, ginger, vinegar, brown sugar, hoisin, and one bunch diced green onions to marinate.

Preheat oven to 275 degrees. When ready to cook, rake any onions and sauce from the belly and brown in a large cast iron skillet or dutch oven approximately 12 minutes. When thoroughly golden turn pork fat side up and add marinade back to cooking vessel, cover, and move to oven.

Cook about 4 hours or a little longer if not tender enough to your liking. Taste sauce to assure it is seasoned properly: it may need a touch more vinegar to cut the richness or saltiness. Cut in small diagonal chunks and sprinkle with garnish onions. Serve very warm with sauce poured over, a side of steamed snow peas, and steamed rice. Enjoy with a French Chardonnay.

The fat can be removed and cooked under the broiler to crisp and serve alongside the pork belly. I did this when I made the dish but forgot to photograph it.

Cheesy Compensation

2010-07-08T22:33:00.000-04:00

One day, we'll go on one of these series of vacations and either (a) write a post in advance and accurately schedule it, or (b) not let the two weeks pass without looking at the blog. One day. Doubtful, but one can hope I suppose. But nonetheless, when returning from trips often we find ourselves in a quandry.

One the one hand, a couple weeks of indulgent eating usually requires a week of boring super light meals to compensate for the excess of the last week or so. If included in this vacation series is a week of visiting family and a spectacular array of favorite meals, trips to favorite restaurants and of course a few infamous donuts however, it's probably time to lighten things up a bit. On the other hand however, after sampling dishes from Philadelphia's finest and rediscovering some of the dishes responsible for our love of all things food however, who wants a bland-boring-tasteless low calorie dish. No one. Your still holding on to the adventures undertaken by your palate and the memories you've just made. Hence, instead of a boring-back-from-vacation salad, we offer you instead a plate of these two dishes--a combination of vegetables and protein packed legumes to help you feel satisfied and a nice way to reminisce about recent adventures.

In case you are unfamiliar with the green snail shaped vegetable, these are the elusive fiddlehead ferns. In the US, fiddlehead ferns are typically found throughout the north east and new england states and harvested in early spring. How we managed to stumble across an abundance of these beauties in July I'm not entirely sure, but we wont complain! The fronds supposedly have a number of health benefits, including twice as much antioxidant power as blueberries. Be warned however, when undercooked they can not only be exceptionally bitter, but can also cause stomach troubles. Taste wise, they have a texture similar to asparagus, and while some describe the taste as similar too, we actually found the taste to be somewhat earthier. Most sources recommend blanching them in boiling water for two minutes twice if possible, but at least once. Once you've blanched them, quickly sauté with a little fat or oil, and season appropriately. Naturally, when trying to eat healthier or lighter we decide to use bacon for the oil or fat component and flavor. Maybe it all evens out in the end, but even if not the bacon provides a delicious depth of flavor somewhat reminiscent of southern style green beans and bacon that taste best only from a grandmothers table.

Sautéd Fiddlehead Ferns

1/2 lb Fiddlead ferns, washed, long woody stems and dark spots removed.

2 Pieces of thick cut bacon

Salt & Pepper to Taste

Sufficient Water and Ice Water for Blanching

1. Clean fiddlehead ferns while bringing a large pot of water boil. Prepare ice bath.

2. Once water is boiling, place fiddlehead ferns in water and return to a boil. Allow to cook for two minutes.Quickly drain and place ferns in ice bath to stop cooking.

3. Change water and bring a second pot of water to a boil. Prepare second ice bath. Repeat step2.

4. Once ferns are in second ice bath, fry bacon in heavy frying pan until crisp. Remove bacon and approx 1/3 of bacon grease and reserve and allow pan to cool slightly. Place ferns in warm grease and sauté over high heat until brown spots begin to appear. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Our other tastier dinner choice was a cheesy bacon and lentil dish reminiscent of mac & cheese. I know, you see bacon and mac & cheese and lighter options are not high up there on you initial thoughts. But, we consider this a better alternative. Instead of filling up on pasta, you get to feel up on the protein from the lentils with the smoky rewarding flavors of a bacon mac & cheese. For us, this dish reminded us vaguely of the truffled mac & cheese we devoured from Varga while in Philly.

Faux Mac & Cheese
1/2 Cup Split Orange Lentils, picked over and rinsed
3/4 Cup Water
2 Pieces of Crisped Bacon and approx 1 Tbsp of reserved bacon grease
1/2 Small Shallot, Minced
1 Garlic Clove
1/4 Onion Chopped
1/4 Cup Sharp Italian Cheese (i.e. Pecorino)
Salt & Pepper to Taste
1. In small saucepan, bring water to boil over medium high heat. Add lentils and bring to a boil. Cook for two minutes and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer 15-20 minutes until tender.
2. Meanwhile, in skillet, sauté garlic, onion, and shallot in bacon grease until tender.
3. Once lentils are tender, quickly add to skillet with garlic and onions and gently stir over low heat to combine. Add bacon, cheese, and salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm.

No matter where your summer adventures may have taken you or may take you soon, consider keeping the adventures going when you return to your home kitchen! Enjoy!

Taste of the Nation

2010-06-24T02:57:00.001-04:00

As we walked out of Distrito the first day of our visit to Philadelphia, we crossed paths with numerous homeless people begging for change or asking us to walk into McDonalds to buy them a burger. Maybe some of you have experienced this, but walking home, stomach full, wallet empty, I can honestly say I felt slightly guilty to have spent a significant amount of money on an unbelievable meal, when there are so many people hungry in our country today. After running into two, we were out of anything to offer. We can make ourselves feel better about seeing this everyday by reasoning that we will actively do some "good" in our food adventures. Despite our budget, we try to buy local whenever possible. We rarely eat meat, and typically grass fed or fair farmed or free range alternatives. But according to Share Our Strength's sources, nearly 17 million children go hungry each year in the US. Through event's like Taste of the Nation, Share our Strength hopes to end childhood hunger in the US by 2015.

Attending taste of the nations was like a food lover's dream come true. Where else can you sample foie gras stuffed cherries, popcorn cupcakes, beef tartare, and truffled mac and cheese all at one time? Where else can you sample drinks from some of the most creative mixologists under a single roof? Where else can you walk away having sampled all of this knowing that the money you spent is going to help fight child hunger? If you have an answer that isn't the Taste of the Nation event put on by Share our Strength, please let me know. I'll be there next! For obvious reasons, I'll only touch on some of the dishes or restaurants that were memorable, but keep in mind that I speak for both of us when I say everything fell somewhere along the tasty to sublime spectrum.

Our first favorite dish of the evening came from Fish. We tasted a tuna sashimi on a bacon waffle, topped with a little whole grain mustard that was not only tasty, but after talking with the staff there, they apparently have a nice reasonable tasting menu to offer guests on Sundays (second set, right column, middle row). For something a little more fun Varga Bar offered the truffled mac and cheese I mentioned that is made with gruyere, fontina, and marscapone cheese with black truffles and topped with bacon (first set, top left corner). This was slightly more filling than the array of grape tomato and pineapple gazpachos offered (although they were quite tasty in their own right), and packed a ton of flavor. From Sole Food, located in the Lowes Hotel, we sampled a lightly fried squash blossom stuffed with all kinds of deliciousness including ricotta, lima beans, and anchovies (first set, top middle). I wish I could remember everything else that was in it, because the range of flavors and textures that danced across the palate was quite delicious. Everyone else apparently felt the same way, as when we got to their booth, there were only four left!

Daniel's favorites included a savory shortbread topped with apricot jam and duck prosciutto from Funky Lil' Kitchen (last set below, bottom right corner). We managed to devour one of these each rather quickly, and will hopefully be recreating them in the very near future. From Lacroix, we tasted a foie gras stuffed cherry, topped with a smoked balsamic and sitting on a bed of toasted pine nuts (second set, middle row, right column), a perfectly balanced blend of flavors and textures. I can't help but mention that throughout the event, we enjoyed various cocktails as well, the most inventive being the beet flavored drink (first set, top right corner).

If you take a look at the ticket costs and initially gasp, factor in the ability to sample amazing cocktails from some of the best mixologists in your area as well. Not to mention that tor dessert, we had our choice of a few unique cupcakes from Mugshots Coffee House & Cafe including a popcorn and margarita cupcake (last set below, top right corner and bottom left corner), as well as artisan gelato from Capogiro, and a delicious yogurt panna cotta from Eric Ripert's 10 Arts Bistro & Lounge (third set, middle row, left column).

And as if that wasn't enough to get you to go to your next event, you never know who you'll run into! We planned to meet up with Emily Malloy of Cleanliness is Next to Godliness, and after some back and forth phone and texting tag, finally met up about halfway through the event! If you've never read Emily's blog, not only should you do so (and soon!), but it's always neat to see how someone's bright personality shines through in their blog. Emily was as friendly and awesome in person as she is in her blog, AND if it hadn't been for her prompting, we would have missed the squash blossoms at Sole Food! And as if that wasn't a cool enough person to meet, guess who else we ran into?

Aaron McCargo Jr. who won The Next Food Network Star in 2008 and who currently hosts Big Daddy's House on the Food Network! We felt kind of silly asking to take a picture with him, but he was really nice and really cool.

So now. What more reason do you need? You. You should ~~consider clicking~~ click over to the Taste of the Nation's website and see if there's an event near you. If so, GO!!!!! Even if you've already missed the event closest, consider looking at all of the other ways to contribute your time and your taste buds to this great cause. We will not only be attending the Great American Dineout (although we'll cross our fingers that more restaurants in our area get involved), but I'm also going to look into a bake sale sometime soon. See what works for you!

Philadelphia- Part 1

2010-06-23T22:01:00.000-04:00

Where should I begin explaining about our food exploits in Philadelphia. You'll have to be a bit gentle when critiquing our pictures for this post. We are definitely not the seasoned veterans that many of you are when it comes to "in-restaurant" photography. We are still infants in this field, but you have to crawl before you can walk, and Philly is truly a city for walking.

Our food odyssey begins with an overnight rendezvous at Dawn's grandparents who warmly greeted us with chocolate cake despite our arrival at midnight and filled us with a blueberry crumble cake and fresh cantaloupe in the morning. We toured their thriving box garden of squash, hanging tomatoes, cabbages, onions, and a rainbow of decorative flowers. Every time we visit the food is delicious and the company is comforting and occasionally competitive when the Wii bowling gets going.

Around three on Saturday we reached Alexander Inn, which served as a nice cool respite from the miles of walking that also served as penance for the indulgent eating. The Alexander Inn is a nice boutique hotel bordering Antique Row and convenient to Market Street and the Rittenhouse square area. For the most part there is a big city ambiance of wafting kitchen scents, what can only be described as 'back alley odor, all the specialty shops that cooks dream of, and enough new and old standby restaurants to keep anyone busy.

Around 5:30, we walked the two and a half miles from our hotel to the University District to partake in Jose Garces' Mexico City tapas style restaurant, Distrito. From the moment I walked in, I couldn't stop thinking that the decor reminded me of a a mixture of Nacho Libre and Alice in Wonderland. The whimsical hot pinks, the luchadore wall, the gold specked tables, and the lime green taxi car tables provided an oddly outstanding backdrop for his interpretation of Mexican and Spanish cuisine. First, Dawn ordered the fresh watermelon margarita (12), and I ordered a glass of Tecate (2) to accompany the chips and Mexicana salsa (5). The Los Hongos Hurache (12) was by far the best item we had all night. From the shaved truffle specks and truffle oil, the dish was mushroom heaven with a hint of microgreen herbage.

Dish two was the lengua tacos (7) that I'm always a fan of and was glad to see on the menu. These were lusciously rich with a hint of radish, just enough tang from the pepper sauce, and a nice corn tortilla to surround it.

Next was the Hamachi taco (14) which was a pillar of whitefish, coated with panko and fried, topped with a creamy chipotle sauce and surrounded by a flour tortilla. Although it could have used a touch less breading and a touch more sauce, we happily devoured the set of three mini tacos.

Dish four was an Amarillo mole of rabbit (10) that had a very nice presentation. The tiny staub cast iron casserole presentation was perfect with the rabbit fanned out and the sauce puddle in a vibrant cheddar orange hue. Unfortunately the habanero sauce needed more basics such as salt, pepper, and a hint more body.

Garces' take on the black bean quesadilla (6) was an empanada like version that won both of us over with the presentation and its onslaught of flavor. Surrounded by a terra cotta red sauce and drizzled with a creamy sauce that married well with the turtle beans, it was an awesome dish.

Dessert was truly an homage to Spanish cuisine in the shape of churros (7), or starfish as my dad refers to them because of their shape. They were crisp, chewy, and mesmerizing. The effect was like sinking your teeth into the perfect pomme frites, fries, or chips, yet these churros included a lovely thick cajeta sauce, a spicy chocolate sauce, and of course a perfect scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Overall the whacky themed restaurant prepares picturesque food, that was for the most part an exciting trip for the palette, ample service although at times too much, and great drinks and atmosphere. It is well worth a try if you are in the area.

After a rewarding breakfast provided by the hotel, we spent the morning out and about visiting the historic sights of Philadelphia. For lunch, we stopped at a little hole in the wall in Chinatown called Chung King. We rarely go on a trip without eating somewhere we stumble upon and this is the restaurant. Unfortunately the pictures inside didn't turn out at all, but as we sat down and looked over the menu, we were surprised at the astounding selection of delicacies they offered. Generally I am more adventurous when it comes to ordering strange dishes at restaurants, but Dawn went above and beyond when I ordered the twice cooked pork, and selected spicy pig ears. The waiter looked at her oddly and asked if she liked pig ears, and she responded, "we'll see," after which he brought us a complimentary pot of green tea. Although the pig ears had a unique flavor and were served over a delicious chili broth, they were served cold and were texturally a little much for her to handle. The more I ate them, the less the texture seemed to bother me. The double cooked pork I ordered consisted of thin slices of pork belly along with a rich sauce produced by the fat in the pork, onions and currants. For a meal where you're thinking about your wallet and feeling a little adventurous, this was a nice place to stop for around $20.

After more sightseeing and walking, we were ready for our next culinary adventure and and set off for Pietros Coal Oven Pizzeria. There are a couple more locations around Philadelphia and in New Jersey, so it is not a singular pizza joint, but one that produces a mean pie. We sat down inside instead of on the patio because moments before we arrived, Dawn suggested we stop by Max Brenner's chocolate shop. It reminded me of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory when just inside the door you are welcomed by a gust of cool air perfumed by chocolate ecstasy. Inside the doors we were given a candied chocolate coated pecan that told me this pit stop was a good idea. After perusing for awhile we decided to pick up a Textures box of eighteen truffles (24), a single giant truffle (3) and a small bag of toasted pistachio and coconut chocolate balls (4). Everything was fantastic and a worthwhile stop in Philadelphia. We missed the restaurant the store was attached to this trip, but maybe next time!

Back to to the pizza. The decor inside Pietro's was homey and inviting with tables adorned in green and jugs of herb infused olive oil. After we were seated the warm complimentary foccacia rolls were simply delicious. Dawn ordered a "small" salad for us to split before the pizza arrived, and their definition of small is certainly relative. The arugula salad with sun-dried tomatoes and pecorino with a honey olive oil vinaigrette was easily enough for three. But, we were starving and finished it before moving on to the pizza. The pizza we ordered was a piccante pizza consisting of spicy ham, aged provolone, crushed red hot peppers, and Italian tomatoes for a change of pace from what we normally order. The crust was crisp and lightly charred in spots with a really nice crumb. The spiciness of the ham went well with the lightly fruity dry edge of the sangiovese.

Monday, we perused every nook and cranny of Reading Terminal market. Iovine's produce does make me quite envious, but glad I had a chance to stop in. While there we purchased some dry ingredients that would survive the trek home, but were sad to pass up the fresh morels. We did manage to score some dried morels, dried black mission figs, and dried currants though. So many meat and seafood purveyors under one roof are truly astounding. We stopped by the spice rack and picked up some smoked peppercorns, and Dawn eagerly chose some new extracts to try.

But who can visit Philadelphia without sampling the cheese-steak. My choice was as close as I could get to sampling both the famous roast pork sandwich and the famous cheese-steak at the same time. I choose an Italian cheese-steak with roasted peppers, broccoli rabe, and sharp provolone. It was messy goodness in a bun.

All the amazing food and drinks we enjoyed in Philly can't compare to the extraordinary fare and drinks we enjoyed at Taste of that Nations though, held at the Loews Hotel. Sorry for the lengthy description of our endeavors so far, but while we finish sorting through pictures you'll have to wait a few days for the big event! Stay tuned for more about the event, including a meet up with Emily Malloy of Cleanliness is Next to Godliness, and even a surprise run in with a Food Network star!

When Life Gives You Onions...

2010-06-16T09:49:00.001-04:00

When life gives you onions, don't cry. You can always make jam! Granted, you may cry a little in the process, but it will be worth it in the end. Last year I made my first batch of jam with the last of the fresh summer tomatoes. Within a couple weeks we had devoured it and the summer farmer's markets were well over. Since then, I've been wanting to expand my jam repertoire. Thanks to Daniel's canning adventures last week and the extra mason jars we had lying around, I quickly felt the urge to jam.

Like many delights from the kitchen, making jam is not nearly as daunting a task as you may think. Just keep stirring! This onion jam recipe yields a buttery onion spread that offered a burst of sweetness and delectable onion flavor that will make even a piece of dry toast dance across your palate.I used vidalia onions for this recipe because they are sweeter and have a higher water content. More natural juice means you don't need to add liquid and more onion flavor.

Onion Jam

Although there are plenty of alternatives you could throw in our substitute, for this batch I wanted a strictly aromatic onion jam with a nice caramel color and a burst of sweet onion flavor.

3 lbs Vidalia Onions, halved and quartered
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
1/2 tbsp salt
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
2/3 Cup Sugar
2 tbsp vinegar

1. Place oil and onions in medium stock pot. Season with salt and stir onion quarters to coat with oil. Place over medium heat and cover with tight fitting lid. Allow onions to cook 20-30 minutes until tender, checking s little as possible.
2. Add both sugars and vinegar. Stir to dissolve and coat onions evenly.
3. With medium heat, using a wooden spoon stir occasionally at first, and more often as it gets closer to being done. As you stir, use the spoon to begin squashing onions. Continue cooking and stirring until you reach desired consistency.
4. Place in glass jars, allow to cool, and seal.
5. Enjoy!

There are a plethora of options for you to choose from as you decide where to use your delicious homemade goodies. I already have plans to use it on a bacon tomato foccacia and am contemplating a savory thumbprint cookie. But, since we weren't going to be able to try them until this morning, I choose to use them in our breakfast fare atop some warm rosemary scented scones. Whatever you choose to use it on, you and whoever you choose to share it with will be delighted.

Rosemary Scented Scones

The rosemary in these provides a subtle herbaceous note that pairs beautifully with a slightly sweetened scone on its own, and becomes a delectable breakfast treat with the extra sweetness and onion goodness from your own onion jam

1 Cup All Purpose Flour
1 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
2 Tsp Baking Powder
1/4 Cup Sugar
1 Tsp Dried Rosemary Powder
4 Tbsp Butter
1 Egg
1/2 Cup Half & Half plus additional for brushing
Himalayan Pink Sea Salt for Sprinkling

1. Preheat oven to 425. Line baking sheet with baking mat. Mix flours, baking powder, sugar, and rosemary in bowl to combine. Cut in butter until mixture resembles crumbs.
2. In a separate cup, mix egg and half & half. Once combined well pour over dry ingredients and stir until mixture just comes together.
3. Remove mixture from bowl (there may be some dry ingredients left behind, don't worry), and pat into a circle on baking sheet. Cut circle into 4 or 8 wedges depending if you want small or larger scones.
4. Separate across baking sheet and brush with half & half. Sprinkle with pink salt and place in oven.
5. Cook 10-15 minutes until golden brown.

Enjoy!

A Happy Marriage of Flavors

2010-06-10T09:47:00.000-04:00

Relaxing weekends are such an adventurous cook's dream. The time passes and you begin churning thoughts, taking action, and then if you are in the process of pickling---wait, wait, wait. Like a fine piece of braised meat, waiting is of the essence and oftentimes pays you back with an incredibly delicious and economical snack.

When I thought of pickling certain items over the weekend (grapes, radishes, carrots, and green tomatoes), my taste buds wandered to pots of simmered mustard greens drenched in pepper vinegar. You know, the kind sitting on the table of some barbecue joints and roadside stands and country kitchens. Bottled in old liquor bottles or soy sauce bottles with conducive drip caps already provided to contain dozens of varieties of peppers, depending on what is at hand. Why is this concoction so prevalent at the aforementioned institutions you might ask? The answer is simple---at least in my estimation---fried food.

That tang of vinegar and spice is mystifying when combined with the warm crunch of fried food. Fried chicken with pepper vinegar, fish-n-chips with malt vinegar, even the acidic spritz of lemon juice on fish straight out of the fryer. The concoctions are endless and paramount to the iconic dishes we cherish.

We snacked on a handful of the pickled radishes after I initially pickled them over the Memorial day break, but the fish-n-chips certainly thanked us for the vinegary kick in the salad from the carrots and green tomatoes. Who says you can't make a mean fish-n-chips with the American sustainable fish that so many foodies used to snear at. If you guessed the substitute for the traditional cod or haddock was catfish, you would be correct.

Catfish and fried spuds will certainly surprise when they are shown some respect and attention. The sesame oil gives these fish a piquant earthiness, and double frying the chips will put a smile on your face. This dinner deserves a nice cold ale to accompany it, but you certainly wouldn't be out of place to drink a chilled sauvignon blanc. Either way, it is a weekend pleaser for just two, or a crowd.

Kickin' Fish-N-Chips
You will find it hard not to dig right in to these morsels of delight, but you have to whip up some tartar sauce to go with them first. Or, if Dawn won't give you her tartar sauce recipe, English mustard does the trick as well.

1 lb Catfish Fillets

2 Lbs Russet Potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/8ths

6 oz lager or other pale beer

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1-1/2 tsp Old Bay Seasoning

1 Tsp Sesame Oil

5 Grinds Black Pepper

1 tsp kosher salt

Canola Oil for frying

1. Whisk flour and dry ingredients to remove clumps. Combine sesame oil and lager.

2. Whisk until smooth consistency, similar to cake batter. Add a bit more flour or beer if necessary and adjust salt and pepper to taste. Batter will have a bit of a nutty flavor from the sesame oil.
3. Heat oil to 325 degrees and add chips in batches, cooking 5 minutes then draining.
4. Heat oil to 350 degrees and fry chips a second time for 5 minutes in batches until golden, wait a few seconds so they don't burn your tongue, I know it's hard.
5. Dip catfish in batter and drop gently into the grease frying in batches 6 to 8 minutes. Turn several times while cooking to achieve a nice amber brown hue.

Dilled Carrot Pickles (Adapted from "The Lee Bros. Simple Fresh Southern")
If you think about it carrots have the perfect texture for pickling just enough crunch to keep them crisp and mesmerizing in just about an hour.

2 medium carrots peeled and sliced into 1/8 inch rings
6 sprigs dill
1 tsp. sugar
8 whole black peppercorns
1 small shallot thinly diced
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 C white vinegar
1/2 C apple cider vinegar

1. Wash out two pint jars extremely well with hot water.
2. Fill two pint jars with equal amounts carrots and shallot.
3. Bring the rest of the ingredients to a simmer in a small pot.
4. Pour the liquid over the vegetables until completely submerged and cover loosely until they cool at which point they can be transferred to the fridge for about 3 weeks. I doubt they will last that long once you try them.

Spiked Green Tomatoes
These are so unique with the bite the jalapeno imparts to the tomatoes. These would be an awesome accompaniment to tacos or to make a mean version of salsa verde.

2 medium green tomatoes, cored and cut into half moons
1 jalapeno thinly sliced
1/2 yellow onion thinly sliced
1 C white vinegar
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. sugar

1. Wash out two pint jars extremely well with hot water.
2. Fill jars with equal amounts tomato, onion and jalapeno.
3. Bring the rest of the ingredients to a simmer in a small pot.
4. Pour the liquid over the vegetables until completely submerged and cover loosely until they cool at which point they can be transferred to the fridge for about 3 weeks.

Rosemary Pickled Grapes (Adapted from "The Lee Bros. Simple Fresh Southern")
What a cocktail hour treat or something to nibble on when you are outside watching the grill. These are the most intriguing snack your friends have seen in a while.

1- 1/2 # green grapes or a mixture of varieties
1 C white vinegar
1 C apple cider vinegar
2 tsp. sugar
2 sprigs rosemary, only the leaves
5 grinds black pepper
3 garlic cloves crushed

1. Wash out two pint jars extremely well with hot water.
2. Fill jars with equal amounts of grapes.
3. Bring the rest of the ingredients to a simmer in a small pot.
4. Pour the liquid over the fruit until completely submerged and cover loosely until they cool at which point they can be transferred to the fridge for about 3 weeks. Once you notice how weird it seems that these remind you of olives yet in a fruity sense you will be back for more.

Fennel French Radish Pickles
If you are as lucky as me to find a couple bunches of beautiful candy white tipped French radishes at the farmers market you should consider making these. It has already made a convert out of several non-radish fans I know.

1 # french white tip radishes, washed and sliced 1/4"
1 C white vinegar
1 tsp. ground fennel
1 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. salt
10 whole black peppercorns

1. Wash out a pint jar extremely well with hot water.
2. Fill it with radish slices.
3. Bring the rest of the ingredients to a simmer in a small pot.
4. Pour the liquid over the radishes until completely submerged and cover loosely until they cool at which point the can with canning lid can be transferred to the fridge for about 3 weeks.

*All of these are quick pickles, meaning the cans are not sealed. But if you desire to seal them you can bring a large pot of water to a boil with the cans full of pickles and brine already in the pot. In about five minutes you will hear a pop from the top of the can meaning it is sealed. Make sure the cans do not sit on the bottom of the pot- they make a crab like device to prevent this- but either way happy pickling.

A Different Approach

2010-05-31T12:04:00.003-04:00

It's been very warm outside the last few days, and due to some prior overindulgent eating, salad sounded like the appropriate replacement. I don't like giving up rich food even in a salad, but still this salad screams fresh vibrant colors and tastes. The salad and side are meatless, yet satisfying with a variety of textures that always makes the palate jump up and down for joy.

It was only last year that I first ate arugula. I know, I know--how could I have made it so long without that natural peppery goodness? The alchemic interaction of sweet cucumber vinaigrette along with the peppery arugula and crunchy carrot strings. Oh and I forgot to add, the rich creaminess of the poached egg resting there rounds out the whole bit.

I have also been thinking about sweet potatoes and weird or unorthodox uses for them lately. Along with the joy brought by going home in July come thoughts of foods I love the most. Hush puppies are usually beaming crispy salty balls of goodness. The onion chunks studded beneath the surface punctuate the orbs, except I was wondering what would happen if you added sweet potato. Donald Link has some fascinating recipes in his "Real Cajun" cookbook, and I used a skeleton of his "Cast-Iron Hush Puppies" recipe to form my Honey Sweet Potato Hush puppies loaded with herbs giving them flashy colors as invigorating as the taste.

Sunny Carrot Arugula Salad

1 carrot, julienned

2 eggs, poached

2 C arugula

2 C baby spinach

Dressing:

1 cucumber peeled and deseeded

1/2 tsp dijon mustard

1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp sea salt

3 grinds black pepper

Heat 1 quart canola oil in a heavy bottom skillet until it reaches 325 degrees. Drop a handful of julienned carrot into the oil and cook for about a minute, stirring so that it does not tangle into a ball. Remove when the carrot becomes crisp and just golden.

Place cucumber, mustard, oil, salt, and pepper in a food processor and pulse until it is a smooth puree. Pour into a fine tipped squirt bottle.

Arrange arugula and spinach in bowls gently placing poached eggs on top and then carrot strings. Drizzle a few stripes of cucumber vinaigrette on top and enjoy.

Honey Sweet Potato Hush puppies

9 green onions

1 jalapeno, deseeded

1/4 C fresh parsley

1/4 C fresh thyme

1 small sweet potato peeled and grated

1 1/4 C yellow cornmeal

1/2 C all-purpose flour

2 T light amber honey

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 C half and half or buttermilk

1 egg

Use oil that is still hot from frying the carrot strings, just heat up to 350 degrees.

Combine first five ingredients and egg in food processor and pulse until ingredients are a bright shamrock green. Stir dry ingredients together in a large bowl and then incorporate green ingredients, adding honey and sweet potato.

Drop large metal tablespoonfuls of mix in hot oil and cook about 3 minutes and flip cooking about 3 more minutes on the other side. Hush puppies should be milk chocolate brown and vibrant green with cheddar yellow specks inside. Enjoy while still warm, alongside salad.

Summer Comfort Food

2010-05-26T20:48:00.001-04:00

Hopefully none of you have this problem, but despite our adoration for the color and flavor that comes with using fresh herbs, we are unable to grow them ourselves for the most part. Mainly because I have black thumb. Plants come into my possession, and their life expectancy declines by 80-90%. Within a few days, they're typically wilted and decorated with increasing brown, black, or yellow tones. I've grown accustomed to this occurrence, so when after two weeks of planting this little guy, I open the door to this, you can imagine my excitement!

But what is it, you ask? On top of my black thumb plaguing our herb ambitions, we also have a very limited space that gets enough sunlight in our small yard. So, in a similar vain to our more adventurous culinary pursuits and purchase, we naturally decide to be adventurous in the herbs chosen to ~~die~~ grow. Who wants to use their tiny 1 x 1 space of sunlight for the parsley or basil available in the store? Nope, what you see pictured is a cutting celery plant, a leafy refreshing herb that provides all the taste of celery in its fresh form, but without the strings! I imagined this particular herb would do wonders to compliment some form of a seafood dish, so out of my competing desires to use it in shrimp & grits or a lobster mac & cheese emerges this summer comfort food.

Lobster Grits & Cheese (serves 2-3)
2 Cups Seafood Stock
1/2 Cup Stone Ground Grits*
3 Tbsp Crumbled Pecorino**
4 oz Langostine Tails
1/2 Tbsp Butter
1 Clove Garlic
Salt & Pepper to Taste
1 Tbsp Chopped Cutting Celery
*Stone ground grits are much coarser than conventional grits bought in the store, and take significantly longer to cook. Be sure to adapt package instructions if using another type.
**A younger pecorino works best with the fresh tangy taste of the sheeps milk. Preferably one that's less salty, not a romano.
1. Bring 2 Cups Seafood Stock to a boil. Stir in grits and reduce to a simmer over medium low heat. Partially cover and stir occasionally to prevent sticking on the bottom and clumping.Allow to simmer 30-40 minutes until all of the liquid is absorbed and grits are creamy in texture.
2. Meanwhile, melt butter in small nonstick skillet. Saute garlic and langostine tails. Set aside until grits finish cooking.
3. Once most of the liquid has been absorbed and the grits are creamy in texture, add cheese and sauteed langostine tails. Stir and remove from heat.
4. Stir in chopped celery. Season with salt an pepper to taste (be sure to be careful and taste as the cheese and stock will alter the saltiness of the dish).

Typically coarser grits are cooked using milk, cream, or lots of butter to really make the creamy texture of the dish shine and really make the dish a warming comfort food. To lighten it up a bit without sacrificing the richer taste, I used a nice seafood stock to improve the flavor profile of the dish. Paired with a nice summer salad, the rich creamy texture of the grits, tangy refreshing taste of the cheese, and the salty seafood flavor of the dish made a simple and tasty summer dinner.

Enjoy!

Just in case you don't believe me about the black thumb, witness the thai basil plant we gleefully purchased at the same time. If you have any gardening tips you'd like to send our way, feel free!

RIP

A French-Italian-American Remix

2010-05-22T16:46:00.000-04:00

Our Buitoni pasta dinner went through a lot of revision and "winging it" as I would say. We came up with the tentative menu one night which sounded like a unique spread of Italian-American inflected fare. We (Americans) have a way of turning every cuisine we get our hands on into a kind of morphed offspring. Take Chinese carryout restaurants for example; all around the country they serve food to please the customer which is nothing like what you see them eating if you happen to walk in during their meal time. But, the surge of change causes some helpful and some detrimental alterations, the key being to find the glimmers of beauty in the offspring that looks nothing like the parents but more like a completely different cuisine.

Back to the revisionist theme I began with, I did some research and wanted to use all California wines with dinner to highlight the way Italian immigrants impacted the way California wine is produced today. Instead, after I struck out on the majority of the wines from California we both decided plan B would consist of French wines. I found it rather intriguing when I was looking through George Locatelli's stunning book "Made in Italy" that originally the cuisine consumed by Italian aristocracy was prevalently French for the first few hundred years. The combination of refined French wine to highlight the hybrid rusticity of Italian fare and freshness of American cuisine turned out very well. It was quite an enjoyable evening, and thanks to Buitoni an evening that was not as stressful as it could have been had we handmade all the pasta.

Pasta Nests with a Garlic and Herb infused Olive Oil, paired with Les Jamelles Savignon Blanc.

This is a nifty play on bread used to dip in herbed oil. Instead the crispy pasta stands in the place of the bread. The slight char on the pasta adds depth to the dish makes it harmonize with the acidity of a sauvignon blanc.

For the Herbed Oil

1 pint good Italian olive oil

2 sprigs rosemary

5 sprigs thyme

4 garlic cloves halved

1 T salt

3 grinds black pepper

Add all the ingredients into a carafe without the lid and heat for a minute and a half in the microwave to heat the oil to prod infusion of the herbs. Let rest at least two days for the flavors to become prevalent.

For the Pasta Nests

2 packages Buitoni Fettuccine

olive oil

3 T salt

Bring the pot of water to a boil and cook longer than suggested, about eight minutes, so that the pasta becomes very sticky. Drain the water off and do not rinse in cold water. The starch will help the nests stick together. Bring a heavy skillet to an extremely high temperature and smash a small handful of the cooked pasta as flat a possible to achieve an almost pancake shape. Pour a drop of olive oil into the middle and cook until the noodles are slightly charred. Flip to cook the other side. Remove and repeat to make about 12-15.

To Serve, pass around a platter full of nests and a carafe of the herbed oil. Pour glasses of the chilled sauvignon blanc, and begin enjoying the meal. The Les Jamelles we choose had a particularly tart acidity with a long lemony finish. The tartness balanced the slight char on the nests particularly well, and the lemony aftertaste really made first the fruitiness, and then the herbed taste of the oil come through.

Sweet Pea and Prosciutto Pasta Salad paired with Drouhin Laforet's 2008 Chardonnay

The vibrant green colors of the salad and light, fresh taste of the pasta, pesto, and buttermilk cheese really made this a refreshing, colorful, and easy to prepare dish for our guests to enjoy.

For the Assembled Salad you will need:

1 Large Package of Buitoni's Whole Wheat Chicken and Prosciutto Ravioli

1 Recipe Sweet Pea Pesto (recipe below)

1 Recipe Buttermilk Ricotta (recipe below)

2 Cups Fresh Spinach

1/2 Cup Fresh Arugula

1/2 Cup Chopped Prosciutto for Garnish

for the Sweet Pea Pesto:

2 Cups Green Peas (frozen works well)

1/2 Cup Water

1/4 Cup Loose Fresh Baby Spinach

3 or 4 Leaves of Fresh Arugula

Zest from half of one Lemon

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

1 Tsp Balsamic Vinegar (white wine vinegar would work well also)

Salt & Pepper to Taste

1. In a medium sized saucepan, simmer peas in water until thoroughly warmed and they begin to soften. Remove pan from heat.

2. Add 1/2 cup peas, spinach, arugula, lemon, olive oil, and balsamic to blender and puree until smooth. *Always be careful blending things that are warm.* When smooth, add reaming peas and blend again, adding some of the water the peas were cooked in, 1 tbsp at a time to achieve desired consistency.

3. When the pesto is thick, but not chunky, remove from blender and salt and pepper to taste. Allow to cool to room temperature before placing in the refrigerator. Can be prepared a day ahead.

for the Buttermilk Ricotta:

1 Gallon whole buttermilk

1/2 C fresh squeezed lemon juice

4 T sel de gris salt

(cheesecloth)

Pour milk into a large thick bottomed pot and heat, stirring constantly for about an hour or until milk just boils and has reduced about one third. Add lemon juice and take off heat, stirring for about three minutes. Pour into cheesecloth over a colander over a bowl. The whey can be saved to make some excellent bread or pancakes or many other uses. Let the ricotta drain for three hours, after which time you can squeeze the ball to wring out any more juices and place in a bowl, discarding the cheesecloth. The ricotta will keep between three and four days.

This fresh cheese will add some zing to a wide range of dishes from an accompaniment to dessert or wine, to salads, or a willing topper for crostini. But, if not preparing your own Ricotta, add Juice from 1/2 Lemon to the Pea Pesto, and substitute with traditional ricotta.

To Assemble Dish: Prepare Chicken and Prosciutto according to package directions. Once drained, quickly toss pasta in Pea Pesto to coat. Place a handful of spinach and a few leaves Arugula on each plate. Top with a few raviolis, prosciutto, buttermilk ricotta. Open chilled Chardonnay, and serve. Be sure to choose a Chardonnay that is not overly sweet and fruity. A Burgundian style Chardonnay like Drouhin Laforet's paired nice as it was rich, but not heavy, and lightly fruity. A few of our guests who weren't big fans of Chardonnay in general really enjoyed this particular selection. The flavor profile matched the earthiness of the spinach, the buttery flavor of the ravioli, the tang of the cheese, and the hint of sweetness in the pesto exceptionally well.

Blistered Corn and Roasted Tomato Soup with Spicy Beef and Sausage Ravioli, paired with Chateau du Donjon Minervois wine, a Grenache and Syrah blend.

One thing that distinguishes American cuisine from the Italian and French influences shaping our dinner, is our use of the many versatile flavor profiles, uses, and textures created using corn. As a play on this, we came up with this dish as a sweet and slightly spicy pairing with Buitoni's spicy beef and sausage ravioli.

For the Assembled Soup you will need:

2 Packages Buitoni Spicy Beef and Sausage Ravioli

Roasted Tomato Soup (Recipe Below)

Blistered Corn Soup (Recipe Below)

1/2 Lb Mild Italian Sausage

for the Roasted Tomato Soup:

1-1/2 Lbs Fresh Tomatoes

1/2 Small Onion

1/2 Cup Water

1 Roasted Red Pepper

2 Tbsp Canola Oil

Salt and Pepper to Taste

1. Use Canola Oil to coat large cast iron skillet. Place skillet over moderately high heat.

2. Core and quarter tomatoes. Quarter onion half. Once skillet is extremely hot. Place tomatoes and onion in skillet, stirring occasionally. Continuing cooking until tomatoes and onions are covered in brown and black spots.

3. Working quickly, remove tomatoes and onion from skillet and place in blender. Before skillet cools, place 1/2 cup water in, scrapping blackened remains of tomato and onions. Reserve liquid.

4. Once tomato and onion mixture has cooled slightly, add roasted red pepper, and blend thoroughly, adding reserved liquid to achieve desired consistency. Salt and pepper to taste.

*Can be prepared the day before and reheated before serving.

for the Blistered Corn Soup:

6-7 Ears Fresh Sweet Corn

2 Tbsp Canola Oil

2 Tbsp Minced Onion

1/2 Cup Water or Vegetable Stock

Salt and Pepper to Taste

1. Remove kernels from corn and place in bowl.

2. Use Canola Oil to coat large cast iron skillet. Place skillet over high heat.

3. Once skillet is extremely hot, add corn, stirring quickly initially to coat for 1 minute.

4. Add a dash of salt and pepper and minced onions, and continuing stirring every 3-4 minutes until corn develops brown and black spots.

5. Working quickly, remove corn and onion mixture from skillet and place in blender. Before skillet cools, place 1/2 cup water in, scrapping blackened remains. Reserve liquid.

6. Once corn has cooled slightly, reserve 1/2 cup corn kernels for garnish. Blend remaining corn and onion mixture until smooth, adding reserved liquid to achieve desired consistency. Salt and pepper to taste.

*Can be prepared the day before and reheated before serving.

To Assemble: Brown mild italian sausage while bringing a large pot of water to a boil. Once water is boiling, prepare Buitoni Spicy Beef and Sausage per directions. Meanwhile, once sausage has browned, remove skillet and place on paper towels to drain. Once you finished cooking the pasta, drain, and toss with browned sausage. Reheat tomato and corn soups if needed. Spoon a few tablespoons each soup base on bottom of the plate or bowl. Top with three or four raviolis, a little extra sausage, and reserved corn. Serve with a bold but fruity wine that pairs well with smoky mildly spiced dishes, such as a grenache or a syrah. We choose a Minervois wine for our French wine theme, which was a blend of the two with charred wood and blackberry notes that complimented the pasta and sauces quite well.

Roman Oxtail Ragu paired with La Bastide Blanche Bandol

The richness of the oxtails play well with the braised veggies and mushrooms to become a silky whole laced with red wine sauce and juices from the meat.

Roman Oxtail Ragu

5 lb oxtails

4 pieces thick cut bacon, cut into one inch squares

1 bottle cab/ Merlot wine (the blend works well here, but a 100% Merlot would work)

1 can tomato paste

1 carrot peeled and diced

12 oz. cremini mushrooms and stems, caps quartered and stems halved

2 stalks celery finely diced

1 medium yellow onion finely diced

6 cloves garlic, finely diced

1/2 cinnamon stick

1 large bay leaf

1 chuck of carrot peeled and studded with 10 whole cloves

4 T hickory smoked sea salt
2 Packages Buitoni Fettuccine

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Saute the onion, garlic, carrot, celery, and bacon in a large thick bottomed pot until the onions are translucent and the bacon had rendered its fat. Scoop out vegetables and leave as much bacon fat as possible to brown the oxtails all over, sprinkling some of the salt on them. Spread the removed ingredients back over the oxtails and spread the tomato paste all over the tops of the vegetables. Pour the bottle of wine over all the ingredients and add the rest of the salt, cinnamon stick, the clove studded carrot, and bay leaf. Move the pot to the oven and cook covered for three and a half hours, checking one hour into the cooking time to add the mushrooms. Pull meat from the bones with a fork and serve with the juices, vegetables, and mushrooms. Discard the bay leaf, clove studded carrot, and cinnamon stick. This dish improves overnight, and can be refrigerated and reheated over low heat.
To serve, prepare Buitoni Fettuccine per directions. Divide preheated ragu in bowls and top with fettuccine. Add an additional sprinkle of smoked sea salt if desired. Serve with a rich, robust and dry red that can stand up with the flavors of the ragu and the buttery noodles.

Frozen Savory Duet featuring Fried Four Cheese Ravioli, Garlic Sorbet, and a Cab Shallot Granita, paired with Pierre Chermet's Beaujolais.

This was an exceptionally fun dish to prepare, and one that I have no doubts will surprise and delight your guests.

For the Assembled Dish you will need:

1 Package Buitoni Four Cheese Ravioli

Garlic Sorbet (Recipe Below)

Cabernet Shallot Granita (Recipe Below)

Oil For Frying

For the Garlic Sorbet

Cloves from 5 heads of garlic (60-70)

1 Cup Water, divided

8 Tbsp Simple Syrup

1/4 Tsp Salt

Zest from 1/2 Lemon

1. Alternating between two pots of boiling water, blanch garlic 6 times. To blanch the garlic, once water is boiling, add garlic, and allow to cook until water returns to a boil. Immediatley remove, drain, and submerge into ice cold water. Drain again, and repeat.

2. Place garlic and 1/2 cup water into a blender and puree until smooth. Pass mixture through a fine mesh sieve, discarding any solids. Add remaining water, simple syrup, salt, and lemon zest and mix well.

3. Refrigerate 2-4 hours until thoroughly chilled.

4. Add to ice cream maker and follow directions.

For the Cab Shallot Granita:

2 Bottles (750 mL) of a Cabernet Sauvignon.

3 Shallots, chopped

1/2 Tbsp Olive Oil

1 Cup Simple Syrup

1. Heat oil in bottom of heavy bottomed large saucepan or stockpot. Add shallot and cook, stirring frequently, until shallots are browned. Add enough of the wine to deglaze the pan, using a wooden spoon to scrap the bottom. Remove from heat.

2. Add remaining wine to pan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Once mixture reaches a full boil, reduce heat to medium and simmer for about an hour, until the wine is reduced by half.

3. Once reduced, remove from heat, and pour through a strainer, reserving shallot pieces. Add the simple syrup to the wine mixture, and stir to incorporate.

4. Puree shallot (using some of the wine mixture if needed), until smooth. Add to wine mixture and mix thoroughly.

5. Allow mixture to cool to room temperature before covering. Once cooled, cover, and place in a freezer.

6. Check every 2-3 hours, using a fork to stir and break up frozen pieces. Continue until frozen throughout, about 12 hours.

To prepare: Heat oil for frying in electric fryer. While oil is heating, remove Buitoni four cheese pasta from package, and using a fork prick at least once, all the way through the pasta to prevent them from exploding (trust me on this one). Once oil is heated between 350 and 375 F, begin adding pasta, leaving enough room for them to move around. Once pastas are a rich brown color on both sides, remove and place on paper towels to drain. Place two or three generous spoonfuls of the granita, and one or two spoonfuls of the garlic sorbet in a dish. Add three or four raviolis, and serve. You have several wine options with this particularly dish. An easy pairing would be a cab that would compliment (or be identical to) the one used to prepare the sorbet. We chose a beaujolais to pair with it since we would be transitioning to a dessert course next, and thought the beaujolais would be a fun pairing to complement the play of flavors and textures going on in this dish.

Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta paired with Caves De L'Angevine 2009 Rose D'Anjou

Although we briefly considered leaving the previous course as our dessert, in the long run we decided the sharp salty cheese edge to the ravioli, and our "trick" in the garlic sorbet may not be the best ending. Or, we just wanted to have another dessert. And open another bottle of wine. Since we had given our guests quite the carb heavy meal, I choose a vanilla bean panna cotta as the light tasting finish to the meal.

Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta with Strawberry and Cherry Sauce

2 envelopes unflavored gelatin

1/4 cup cold water

4 cups heavy cream

2 cups half and half

2/3 cup sugar

2 vanilla beans

1 Pint Fresh Strawberries, hulled and quartered

1 Cup Fresh Cherries, stems removed, pitted, and halved.

1. In a small saucepan sprinkle gelatin over water and let stand about 1 minute to soften. Heat mixture over low heat until gelatin is dissolved and remove pan from heat.

2. In a large saucepan bring cream, half and half, and sugar just to a boil over moderately high heat, stirring.

3. Remove pan from heat and stir in gelatin mixture. Divide cream mixture among ten martini glasses or other dishes, and cool to room temperature. Chill dishes, covered, at least 4 hours or overnight.

4. Place rinsed strawberries and cherries in saucepan over medium low heat. Once strawberries and cherries begin to soften and give up juices, using a potato masher, begin to mash (carefully) in the pan. Allow to continue to cook until juices begin to reduce and thicken. Remove from pan, and allow to cool to room temperature. Place in covered container, and refrigerate until ready to use.

To Serve: Remove panna cotta from fridge, top with a spoonful of strawberry cherry sauce, and serve. The panna cotta was a perfect, refreshing ending to our meal, and like the rest of the meal, required minimum time in the kitchen and could all be made in advance. The strawberry cherry sauce added a very lightly sweet fruity note to the dessert that was brought out even more by the rose we chose to pair with the final course. Unlike many of the roses you find, the Rose D'Anjou was not overly sweet and even our non-Rose fans in the room approved, and enjoyed.

Using Buitoni's pasta and choosing dishes that were prepared almost entirely in advance helped make our dinner a relaxing evening. Other than having to boil water before they arrived and plate a few dishes during the meal, we were able to spend the majority of our time with our guests and willing taste testers.

Enjoy!

**Legal Disclaimer; as part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker program, we received coupons to create dishes using Buitoni's pasta. All opinions reflected in the post indicate our personal opinions and those of our guests of both these dishes and wine suggestions.

A Wild Side of Hummus

2010-05-17T22:00:00.001-04:00

Hummus is definitely an under-appreciated condiment, if you will, in the United States. Call it opinion or upbringing, but I had never tried the stuff growing up. Not that we disliked it, chickpeas were an occasional part of our diet; hummus was just as foreign a substance in my household as grits are in the average Midwest establishment. The idea of a bean dip being so utterly delicious and versatile is a continuing revelation that I am glad to partake in.

Hummus purists may stone me for saying it, but here goes. The more I tinker and blend the concoction the more convinced I become that chickpeas and tahini are not essential ingredients. Ok, I got that off my chest and am now ready to talk some serious blasphemy. These hummeses were created with the mindset that to break the mold is a good thing. Getting a little radical and funky is what good food is all about. Not that these are Wylie Dufresne bizarre, but they are certainly not combos to be found in a market and that is definitely the point of good food. These party pleasers or snacking gems are so tasty you will wonder why you have never used some of these under-appreciated peas for some now appreciated dips.

Smoky Blackbean Jalapeno Hummus

This dish may sound more familiar than the others, but believe me the hickory smoked sea salt is a real incredible thing with the meaty turtle beans. This would also make a killer burrito topper.

1 can black beans drained

2 garlic cloves

2 jalapenos halved and de-seeded

1/2 C olive oil

1 tsp. hickory smoked sea salt

*2 pieces bacon, crisped and crumbled

Puree ingredients thoroughly and check consistency which may vary according to bean. Add a splash more olive oil if needed. Crumble bacon on and enjoy with sesame crackers or chips.

Black-eyed Pea Verde Hummus

The citrusy tang of the salsa verde really marries well with the earthiness of the peas and cumin. If you are not accustomed to eating black-eyed peas now is the perfect opportunity.

1 can black-eyed peas drained

1/2 C. salsa verde (or 1 tomatillo and a squeeze of lime juice)

1 garlic clove

1/4 C. olive oil, may vary

1 small shallot

1/2 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. sel de gris salt

Puree ingredients thoroughly and add a little more salt or a grind of pepper to taste. Garnish with a dollop of salsa verde and a sprinkle of cumin. Enjoy with sesame crackers or tortilla chips.

Butterbean Pimento Cheese Hummus

This version is where it gets radical. Dawn was unsure of using cheese but the end result is delicious. It is a hybrid between cheese dip and hummus with added creaminess from the butterbeans and just enough spice from the pimentos.

1 can butterbeans drained

1 4 oz. can pimentos drained, reserving some for garnishing

6 oz. colby cheese

1/2 C olive oil

1/2 tsp sea salt salt

1/4 tsp. smoked paprika

Puree until ingredients become a smooth creamy cheddar orange. Sprinkle a few pimentos on top for garnish and enjoy. This dip goes excellent with saltine crackers, chips, or as a spread.

2 Sesame Crackers

These crackers really pop from the duo of good sesame oil and toasted sesame seeds. They accompany dip perfectly and won't last long after they are baked if there is anyone in the kitchen.

1 large egg

1 1/2 T. water

3/4 C. all purpose flour

3/4 C. white wheat whole flour

1 T. sugar

1/2 T. salt

1/2 tsp. baking powder

3/4 stick of cold butter chopped

2 T. toasted white sesame seeds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl until fully incorporated. Cut butter into dry ingredients until clumpy sand consistency. Add egg and stir until incorporated without overdoing it. Roll out to 1/4 inch thickness and cut into squares with fork prick marks or cut into circles and bake for 17-22 minutes.

Triumphant Return

2010-05-13T11:52:00.001-04:00

It's amazing how even just a small break can make you miss the blogging world so much. Although I was able to browse a few blogs and comment while I was preparing for my exam, it was not nearly as much as I would have liked. Not to mention it has been quite literally a month since my last post. Luckily, Daniel was able to carry a good bit of the blogging load so we didn't completely loose touch. But how some of you blog everyday or every other day by yourselves I have no idea, kudos to you. But after weeks of reading, writing, editing, having mini breakdowns, etc. etc., I can assure you from experience that this is a wonderful ice cream treat to take a second and unwind with.

Perhaps just by coincidence, the few blogs I was able to browse the last few weeks all featured or mentioned using rhubarb in some interesting way. I'd never had rhubarb. Never had any desire to have rhubarb. I kind of have a strong texture discomfort with cooked soggy fruit. Even though rhubarb is technically a vegetable, since texture seems to be the biggest turn off for most people when it comes to this elusive tart pink stalk, I had stayed far away. But, when I cam across not one, but two recipes for chilled rhubarb treats in a cookbook and on one of my favorite blogs, I couldn't help but give it a try. Unfortunately, both called for rose water however, and as much as I procrastinate, a trip across town was not possible at the moment. Instead, I elected to make not one, but two ice creams. One tart and tangy rhubarb concoction, and one sweet perfumed lavender concoction.

Rhubarb and Lavender Swirl Ice Cream
For the Rhubarb:
2 Cups Rhubarb cut into 1 inch slices
2 Tbsp Salted Butter
1/2 Cup Light Brown Sugar
1 tsp Almond Extract
1 Cup Heavy Cream
1/2 Cup Buttermilk
1. Place everything except the heavy cream and buttermilk into a heavy saucepan. Over medium heat, allow rhubarb to simmer until soft, but still holding its shape, about 10-15 minutes.
2. Remove from heat. Crush rhubarb pieces with the back of a wooden spoon. Combine rhubarb with heavy cream and buttermilk. Chill in refrigerator at least six hours.
3. Freeze according to ice cream maker directions.
For the Lavender:
1 Cup Heavy Cream
1/2 Cup Whole Milk or Half and Half for a slightly more decadent dessert
1/3 Cup Honey
1 Tbsp Dried Lavender Flowers
1. Place all ingredients in medium heavy saucepan. Bring to a simmer and continually stir until mixture begins to thicken, 15-20 minutes.
2. Remove from heat and strain through a fine sieve to remove lavender flowers. Chill in refrigerator at least 6 hours. Freeze according to ice cream maker directions.

To combine
1. Once prepared, place rhubarb ice cream in container, preferably wider than taller for better effect.
2.While the lavender ice cream is preparing, soften the rhubarb ice cream so it will mix well.
3. Once the lavender is complete, gently place lavender atop the rhubarb mixture. With a small spatula or knife, swirl the two ice creams much as you would when you marble a cake.
4. Freeze for a few hours to set.

For mine, the lavender ice cream was a barely tinted white, so the colored swirl did not show quite as much. You could optionally include a few drops of food coloring to achieve a better swirl effect if you would like.
The ice cream itself is a rewarding experience exciting different tastes as it dances across the palate. To offset a little of its decadent creaminess, I brought made some almond cornmeal short bread cookies to pair with it, but you could use any slightly less sweet, crunch cookie to pair well.

Nonetheless, this is the type of ice cream that demands you stop, relax, and enjoy it for just a little while. Enjoy!

Taste of the Nation and Thinking of Italy

2010-05-09T19:55:00.001-04:00

I am sure you have noticed that we have yet to announce a winner to the Taste of the Nation event coming up in about a month and a half. We have contacted a couple bloggers who were chosen as winners and they are unable to attend, therefore it is up to you. The first person who emails me at lunsford.daniel@yahoo.com wins the ticket to Taste of the Nation in Philly (http://strength.org/philadelphia/)on June 21. Good luck and we can not wait to find out the lucky winner.

Also on Dawn and my mind as of late is what we will be preparing for the Buitoni Foodbuzz Dinner coming up later this month. And that sets my mind on Italian food, gondolas, Vatican city, and other bizarre and tasty artifacts only originating in Italy. You know that my cooking if far from straight-lined with a veering toward outlandish fusion and rarely sticking to the flavor profiles and ingredients of a central area. It is the child in a candy shop affect, what can I say. My mind starts running wild through ingredients that would tasty heavenly in a dish and then the Aristotelian logic side says that ingredient has nothing to do with said dish. Back and forth they go sometimes like bad step children until one- usually the tougher more agile creative side says why not use shiitake mushrooms in a summer dish of sauteed rapini and orechiette and while you are at it place some fried zucchini strings on top for the added crunch.

That is the dish I am sharing today, and one that is quite simple and tasty. Orrechiete, those whimsical ears seem the proper pasta shape for spring eating anchored by the indecisive rapini and hyper fried zucchini strings. It is a dish to sweep away the doldrums of this Midwest cold front and bring to mind Venetian canals, San Marzano's, or whatever comes to mind when you think of that wild boot shaped country.

Spring Orecchiette with Rapini and Zucchini Strings

12 oz. orecchiette

2 T anchovy paste or 2 to 3 anchovy fillets

4 cloves garlic crushed

1/2 tsp fish sauce

2 T butter melted

1/2 red pepper julienned

1 bunch rapini

4 fresh shiitakes sliced and browned

4 T olive oil (plus 1 for sauteing)

1 zucchini julienned

1 C canola or peanut oil for frying

all purpose flour for dredging

salt and rep pepper flakes to taste

Cook orecchiette according to manufacturers instructions and set aside. Blanch rapini for one minute in boiling pasta liquid then saute it, garlic, and rep pepper in heavy skillet over medium high heat with one tablespoon oil for 3 to 4 minutes and remove from skillet. Dry skillet and cook mushrooms for about 5 minutes or until beginning to brown. Dredge zucchini strings shaking excess flour off. Heat canola oil in cast iron skillet until it reaches 350 degrees and drop zucchini strings in stirring frequently for 2 minutes to keep them from becoming a zucchini ball. Place on paper towels or newspaper and sprinkle on kosher salt. Combine oil, butter, a splash of pasta water, and anchovy paste well and toss with pasta and veggies. Taste and add salt and pepper to taste, about 1 1/2 tablespoons of salt and nearly a tablespoon of red pepper flakes. Top with zucchini strings and enjoy with a nice zinfandel.

Southern Nouveau

2010-04-29T08:42:00.000-04:00

The most recent cookbook I have been perusing is The Lee Bros. Southern Cookbook which is stock full of down home goodness with the twists of the nouveau while remaining loyal to generations of Southern delicacies. Dishes range from novel takes on the humble peanut in the form of Boiled Peanut Soup and Boiled Peanut and Sorghum Swirl Ice Cream to a paean of Dixie classics like red velvet cake, gumbo, fried chicken, and cornbread. This is an excellent offering from Low-country innovators well worth your time. And an added bonus I picked it up at the library, so you might give that a shot.

Reading some of the descriptions and recipes brought me to an adaptation of Carolina Mustard Barbecue Chicken (not barbecued, instead oven braised) and an Airy Jalapeno Cornbread. In the mood for another Southern twist I concocted a Crispy Chickpea Salad with Maple Mustard Dressing.

Faux Carolina Mustard Barbecue Chicken

Sometimes grilling is not an option, but why give up barbecue.

3 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

1 C white wine (dry riesling would be good)

2 T olive oil

sel gris salt to taste

Sauce

1 C yellow mustard

3 T Roses Lime Juice

1/4 C light brown sugar

2 T ketchup

1 T olive oil (or lard would make a fantastic supplement)

1 T black pepper

1 tsp dried oregano

2 tsp apple cider vinegar

a small pinch of cayenne pepper (or a dash of hot sauce would suffice)

Mix barbecue sauce thoroughly and cook on the stovetop until thickened to your taste. If you are pressed for time the sauce can be heated in the microwave to thicken.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sprinkle a fine mist of salt over chicken thighs and place in a heated cast iron skillet with oil skin side down. Baste chicken thoroughly on under side and cook for about 3 minutes on medium heat. Flip chicken and baste thoroughly on skin side and cook until a nice gold-yellow color. Transfer skillet to oven, add wine and cook about 35 minutes, or until you can press on the thighs and they are tender. Serve with a good side of the leftover mustard sauce.

Airy Jalapeno Cornbread

The real fruitiness of the jalapeno pepper shines in this dish wrapped in an airy down home cornbread.

1 T lard (or vegetable shortening)

3/4 C yellow cornmeal (stone ground is good but not essential)

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/3 tsp sel gris salt

1/2 tsp sugar (optional)

1 large egg (free-range preferably)

3/4 C whole or lowfat buttermilk

2 T unsalted butter

1 jalapeno, seeded

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Whisk dry ingredients together in a bowl to remove any clumps. Soften butter, and while it is softening place cast iron skillet on stovetop with lard or shortening to melt for lubrication. Meanwhile add jalapeno, softened butter, egg, buttermilk to food processor and pulse until pureed. Continue until egg is pretty frothy to promote an even lighter cornbread. Fold pureed ingredients into dry ingredients and pour into your 9 inch cast iron skillet that heated lard or shortening has been swiped around with silicon brush. Transfer skillet to oven and bake approximately 28 minutes. (Using a larger skillet, even up to 12 inch, produces a crisper crust while frothing the eggs well still keeps the cornbread light.)

Crispy Chickpea Salad with Maple Mustard Dressing

Texture here really surprises for the best here in the form of nutty crunchy chickpeas complimented by the light crunch of cabbage and sweet tangy dressing.

1- 15 oz. can chickpeas (garbanzo beans) drained

2 T English mustard (or dijon will work in a pinch)

1 tsp. brown sugar

1 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. guajillo chili powder

1 3/4 cup shredded green cabbage (Savoy)

2 T maple syrup

1 tsp English mustard

1 tsp lemon juice

a good dash of salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine first six ingredients and place in one layer in large non stick skillet in the oven to cook for about 35 minutes. Check periodically and shake to give a nice golden crust. They will be crunchy on the outside and almost nutty on the inside.

Toss cabbage with bottom four ingredients for dressing and top with chickpeas. Enjoy the fruits of your labor with an ice cold hefeweisen.

Taste of the Nation Ticket Giveaway (Philadelphia) and Carnitas

2010-04-21T21:18:00.000-04:00

I am unsure what the definition of cloud nine is, but you could describe Dawn and my mood as like that description. Dawn is still in apprehensive-worry-mode about her M.A. exams coming up in the near future, but following shortly after we will be attending Taste of the Nation in Philadelphia, being thrown by the Share our Strength organization. Jennifer Carroll, the chef de cuisine at Eric Ripert's 10 Arts Bistro and Lounge and second runner up on Top Chef, will be speaking and cooking, as well as other chef's from around Philadelphia. The event is being held to raise money to alleviate child hunger, and we are heartily grateful for the opportunity Foodbuzz has given us.

Fortunately, we were given three tickets, which not only benefits us, but the extra ticket also benefits you. Everyone who joins our blog or is already a follower and comments on this post will become eligible for a winning ticket valued at $85.00 This is perfect if you live in Philadelphia or within driving distance. We only have one ticket to give away, but we'd love to meet whoever wins and spend some time with you, or, if you have a loved one or several loved ones you would like to bring along, tickets are still available and the money is going to a great cause. The winner will be announced this weekend. You've got to eat--might as well be excellent fare cooked by some wonderful chefs with their hearts in the right place.

I read Lebovitz's The Sweet Life in Paris recently and was inspired to make some carnitas, both by him and my next door Mexican grocer. She made my mouth water when she explained that she was preparing carnitas and two varieties of tamales on Sunday when we were at church. That meant I had to whip it up myself. Lebovitz's addition of cinnamon sticks and bay leaves were splendid along with a few of my additional piquant touches of ground guajillo pepper, lime juice, beer, and brining the roast for a day.

Bear & Lime Braised Carnitas
1-2 # Pork Loin Roast

Brine* (Below)
12 oz Lager Beer.
5 Tbsp Rose's Sweetened Lime Juice
1 Tbsp Guajillo Pepper
3/4 Tbsp Ground Cumin
Water for Basting

Brine
2 Quarts Water
5 Tbsp Salt
1 Tbsp Ground Pepper
4 Tbsp White vinegar

1. For the brine, heat liquid, salt and pepper to a bowl in microwave safe bowl. Stir to make sure salt is dissolved. Add ice cubes to cool brine at least to room temperature. Add pork, cover and let sit overnight in the refrigerator.
2. Preheat oven to 350.
3. Dry pork off, cut into 1" cubes and salt thoroughly. Brown pork in a heated roasting pan or large oven proof skillet over medium-high heat, 8-10 minutes. Remove pork pieces. Add beer, lime juice, and spices, scraping to remove any browned bits on the bottom of the skillet.
4. When the liquid begins to thicken, add the pork pieces into the sauce. Add water until it almost reaches the top of the pieces. Place into the oven and braise an hour.
5. Check to add more water to same height. Braise for another hour or until pork crumbles when pressed (it will look dark and almost burnt, but trust me, its not).
6. Serve with spiked guacamole, lime quarters for squeezing on tortillas, and finely diced roma tomatoes.

Spiked Guacamole
This guacamole is lively due to the pureed fresh garlic and onions.
1-1/2 Roma Tomatoes
1 Avocado
1/2 Yellow Onion
3 Garlic Cloves
1/4 Tsp Ground Guajillo Pepper
1/2 Tsp Cumin
1/2 Tsp Apple Cider vinegar
3/4 Tsp Salt
Dash of lime juice

Combine all ingredients in container for blender or food processor. Puree ingredients and taste to adjust salt if needed or add additional lime juice as desired.

Just Laying Around

2010-04-15T20:58:00.001-04:00

Don't worry, I do realize Easter's over, and no, I wish I was just laying around lately. I've seen recipes for Momofuku's infamous compost cookie lurking around the last year or so. When I saw them originally I was amused at the novelty, but never got around to trying them. I haven't been to New York since I was a sophomore in high school, which is to say it was a little before Mr.David Chang's time, so, although I love the salty sweet combination, I had never experienced said cookie and was just never motivated to try to make them.

But. While taking a break from writing, reading, and staying awake during my own lectures about the joys of business letters, I came across another version of it from one of my favorite bloggers, and thought, wouldn't that be a fun break to take with some Easter candy. Then Easter came and went (hope everyone had a wonderful holiday by the way). No time for said break. A week of half-off stale Peeps and Easter candy passed. No break. And another...

Luckily for me however, I have the sweetest husband who spent the better part of his day off this week proof reading and editing one of my drafts, leaving me time to bake and blog and say hello. As I headed to the store, passing the coffee shop that has become my permanent reading writing space for the month, I remembered wanting to try these, but felt quite certain no gimmicky deeply-discounted Easter treats would be left. To my surprise though, I did indeed find some left over Easter candy. COOKIE TIME!!

But nonetheless, just in case you aren't familiar with the cookie, the idea is that you throw whatever ingredients you have around (half salty, half sweet), into a very sweet dough, half salty ingredients, half sweet. For mine, I grabbed four different "eggs" filled with candies, that conveniently hold about 1/4 a cup each. Two were pastel M&M's, one with Milk Chocolate eggs, and one with Starburst jelly beans. The chocolate was kind of an obvious choice, other than the candy coating on the eggs being ridiculously hard to try to cut in half. I was torn between peeps and jelly beans to highlight the latent Eater status of the cookie. But then I remembered one of my roomates as an undergrad blowing up discounted post-Easter Peeps in the microwave. I realize its probably totally different, but went with jelly beans nonetheless. I'm not a huge jelly bean fan, but I was hoping by choosing the fruity flavored Starburst ones that I remember my grandmother loved, and the absence of the licorice flavored black beans of death would work well. The salty part was a little trickier. We never have chips or snack food in the house. If we want tortilla chips, nine times out of ten we bake some using corn tortillas. I didn't want to buy three bags or boxes and use only half, but I still wanted some variety of textures (most people use a combination of chips, pretzels and cracker). I ended up opting for a bag of Chex Mix and just crushing it all up as best I could. It worked.

We have yet to purchase or check-out David Chang's book yet, so I don't have the actual recipe. Looking through a bunch of blogs, I found a ton of variations; some much more complicated; some for people trying to make a harder/softer version. Our preference is a softer cookie, which is what you'll get following something like this:.

Compost Cookie
3/4 Cup Butter
3/4 Cup Dark Brown Sugar
1/4 Cup White Sugar
1 Egg
1 Tbsp Vanilla
1-1/2 Cup All Purpose Flour
1/2 Cup Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
1 Tsp Baking Soda
1-1/2 Cups Crushed Salty Ingredients
1 Cup Sweet Ingredients
1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Cream butter and sugars until pale brown and creamy. Add vanilla and egg, mix well until fluffy.
3. In a separate bowl, combine flours and baking soda. Add salty and sweet ingredients to flours, mixing lightly to incorporate.
4. Add dry ingredient to wet. Stir to combine. Cover dough and refrigerate 10-15 minutes. Meanwhile, line baking sheet with non-stick mat or parchment paper.
5. Remove from fridge, drop by rounded tablespoons onto prepared baking sheet leaving 1 inch around.
6. Bake 8-10 minutes until golden brown color. Remove from oven let cool 2-3 minutes. Let cookies cool completely on a cooling rack.

This is probably a much more timid first attempt, and although these are quite honestly the weirdest cookies I've ever made, I already have three much more daring and creative variations in mind to try. Not only should these work as a nice thank you for someone who you are deeply indebted to as I am, but would work well to get rid of any extra snacks or candy you may have laying around. Enjoy!

A Golden Surprise

2010-04-08T11:11:00.000-04:00

I hope you will forgive me for posting twice in a row in Dawn's absence, as she toils over M.A. exams and teaching, but I hope this post comes with as much happiness and surprise as the beautiful mangoes I received yesterday did. You may have heard me mention the advantages of working next door to a Mexican grocery before, from the fresh homemade chorizo and chicharones to a nice variety of dried peppers, but the surprise came from the kind Mexican gentleman who hails from Chicago driving a delivery truck and happens to have a crush on a coworker of mine. The other day when he came bearing her gifts of chocolate covered strawberries and chocolate cake he asked us if we liked mangoes which followed with our direct approval of the idea if such fruit were offered. About a week after that encounter, he entered the store with a small crate of the luscious golden specimens, which I had never seen before.

My coworker hacked into one and tasted it after he left and set it down, not touching it for a while. I asked her if she didn't like it, and she responded that it was too sour for her taste. As I was heading out the door I asked her if half of the said mangoes, which happened to be the Mexican Ataulfo variety, were mine and she said I could have them all. I envisioned mango chutneys and salsas and a pantheon of other possibilities. After reading up a bit on the mangoes, I found out to my happenstance that she had chosen one that was not ripe. It happened that the majority of the ten that I so graciously received were not ripe either, save for a couple. After cubing the specimen that seemed the ripest out of the bunch, I tasted it in all its citrusy tropical goodness and was amazed at how much different its qualities were from the Kent mangoes I had previously consumed. It contained very little to none of the piney resinous taste, instead reminding me of a mix of less earthy papaya and citrus fruit.

With the aforementioned mangoes, sweet short grained rice, red peppers, sweet corn, onion, and scallops on the counter, I set out to create a meal on the wings of good fortune. Framed in my mind was the idea of how to make the salad, and thanks to an idea from Donald Link's book "Real Cajun," after rinsing my rice to render it less sticky, I added a bay leaf to the salted water in my rice cooker and set it to steam. A favorite spice in repertoire is certainly cumin and that seemed a perfect accompaniment with ground guajillo pepper for the seared scallops. The salad is utterly simple and as surprisingly delicious as the mangoes and can accompany such a variety of spring and summer dishes that you should definitely give it a go whether you are pressed for time or have all afternoon. You can enjoy this meal with a crisp minerally Gascogne white or certainly a margarita as the weather is just getting right for those sorts of things.

Mango Sweet Corn Slaw

1 ataulfo mango in 1/4 inch cubes
1/4 large red pepper finely diced
1/2 yellow onion finely diced
3/4 C sweet corn (frozen or fresh)
2 T shredded coconut
1/4 C cider vinegar
3 T Rose's sweetened lime juice
1 generous pinch sugar
1 T red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 T sel gris salt

Sauté red pepper, onion, sweet corn, coconut and red pepper flakes on medium heat for a couple minutes until onion is softened and flavors begin to meld. Add lime juice, cider vinegar, sugar, cumin, and salt, and cook until liquid is just evaporated. Add mango and extra coconut, if you desire, before serving and enjoy.

On a side note: you can tell a mangoes ripeness by smelling of the fruit near the stem and if it has a fruity aroma it is ripe. If there is no aroma or a green fruit scent, it should wait a bit.

Bay Infused Sweet Rice

1 C yellow short grained sweet rice
2 C water
1 whole bay leaf
1 T sel gris salt

Rinse rice thoroughly before placing in rice cooker with water, bay leaf, and salt. Cook until water is evaporated and rice is slightly sticky and softened. Check rice once liquid has evaporated to assure it is softened, if not add another quarter cup of water and let it cook until it is evaporated.

Cumin Seared Scallops

6-8 large fresh scallops
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground guajillo pepper
1 tsp sel gris salt

canola oil for sautéing

Dry scallops well and rub spices over tops and bottoms. Heat stainless steel saute pan over medium heat with enough oil to coat bottom of pan. Place half of scallops in pan and cook approximately 3 minutes until a chestnut crust is formed and turn over cooking other side until the same coloration is achieved about another 2 minutes. Cook second batch in the same fashion and serve while still warm. Sprinkle with a small pich of sel gris and enjoy the simplicity of the cumin's earthiness and the freshness of the sea in the scallops.

Basque Fare

2010-04-03T09:19:00.000-04:00

Spanish cooking is something I am becoming more and more acquainted with as one does a new friend; everything is so fresh and new yet becoming more and more comfortable with each adventure. I scanned through a couple Spanish cookbooks and a Basque cookbook this week. And the largest difference that popped out initially was the way Basque fare offers a more relaxed straightforward approach.

I am no Basque expert but the braised pork loin idea definitely appealed to my sensibility. When I have more time I don't mind pretending I have a French mustache while bones are roasting and stock is simmering away for hours on end. But my sensible alter ego reminds me I grew up on humble honest vittles and that must never be overlooked. My curious nature screams at me to modify as I did with the side dish since moving water always stays fresh.

The Basque milk braised pork recipe is one that crosses lines into Italian cuisine as well, but the spices are most definitely Basque in their approach. I can smell the paprika wafting out of the pot now if I think about it enough and the pseudo- Basque flavors of the the seared celeriac and soybean salad with sherry vinaigrette. May your inner Basque chef feel at home with your cuisine in the near future.

Milk Braised Pork Loin

1 1/2 # pork loin

2 1/2 C whole milk

2 1/2 medium Spanish onions roughly chopped

1 shallot quartered

3 red pimento peppers cored and quartered

2 T lard or shmaltz

1 T Spanish olive oil

4 T white wine such as Gewurztraminer

salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and cinnamon for seasoning the loin.

Season loin liberally and let come to room temperature. Cook in heated large heavy pot with melted schmaltz and oil for about 6 minutes turning often to achieve even sear. Add onions, shallot, peppers, and milk and cover pot. Let cook for about 40 to 50 minutes. Remove pork loin from pot, deglaze pan with wine, and puree contents of pot to make sauce for the loin. Water can be added to the sauce if consistency is too thick.

Seared Celeriac and Soybean Salad with Sherry Vinaigrette

1 # celeriac peeled and cut into matchsticks

2/3 C shelled soybeans

1/2 finely diced onion

1 garlic clove finely diced

dressing

3 T cream sherry

1/2 tsp. smoked paprika

2 T apple cider vinegar

1 T Spanish olive oil

3 T fine sugar

2-3 T lemon juice

1 T lemon zest

Saute ingredients in extremely hot pan approximatley eight minutes constantly shaking ingredients until you begin to see some browning. Reduce dressing slightly in a pan to thicken and cook off alcohol. Enjoy salad served warm with thoroughly stirred dressing on top.

Ode on a Grecian Yogurt

2010-03-29T06:44:00.004-04:00

"Beauty is truth, truth beauty,--that is all

Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know."

The title is admittedly a bad pun. In case you are unfamiliar with it, the title comes from John Keats classic poem "Ode on a Grecian Urn," and the final lines are what's quoted above. Keats is one of the poets I study and seeing as I'm waist deep in reading and writing despite it being my spring break, I thought I'd share it with you. He's not one of my personal favorites, nor is the poem one of my favorites to study of his poems. The poem's simple language and complex imagery makes it enjoyable to read and momentarily get lost in. The decades of people writing about it make it a pain to write about though.

What inspired the post was not Keats though, so maybe I should keep on topic. Initially at least.What did inspire this post was a wonderful surprise comment from Stonyfield offering a few coupons to sample some of their Oikos Greek Yogurt. Now, dairy products in general are one of my weaknesses. I don't know what I would do if I suddenly awoke with a dairy allergy. Granted, I love scones and breakfast pastries, but more often than not I prefer some greek yogurt and a little bit of fruit to go with my morning coffee. Peaches or blueberries when they're in season especially.

Anyway, the point being that I was quite ecstatic when the coupons to try them came in the mail. Not only was it the first free sample we received, but it was for something that I love on top of that. Almost like getting paid to sit around and read poetry. More like to try in whatever way possible to motivate students to do so, but whatever. Most of you are probably familiar with Stonyfield, and if you watched Food Inc., you may have seen that they are one of the larger companies that support farm's with better environmental and health practices.On top of that, they make some tasty greek yogurt. I wanted to try out a few different approaches as I didn't figure you would be all to excited to see my routine breakfast up for your perusal.

One of the first things I thought about using the yogurt for though was in an ice cream. The weather has been nice here lately and I've had amazing success using greek yogurt for ice cream before in a Peach Ice Cream and a Bacon Ice Cream. The creaminess of the yogurt carries through to make an intensely smooth and rich frozen treat. So I pull the ice cream freezer out to get it ready and it is inoperable. Alas. "Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard are sweeter, therefore; ye soft pipes play on."

Still wanting to use it some sort of tangy dessert application, Daniel mentioned he was in the mood to make a carrot cake. PERFECT. "How about a carrot cake with a greek yogurt topping" I suggest. He grimaces, but concedes. The carrot cake recipe we used came from was adapted from Michael Richard's Happy in the Kitchen, and was originally designed to help compose a carrot-cake-orange-sauce-cocoa-puff-ice-cream concoction. Intense, I know, and maybe for another day when we aren't starting at 11:30. Perhaps because it was designed to be go into ice cream, or perhaps because of the late hour we initially made the cake, it was quite crumbly, but super moist and delicious nonetheless. The orange-carrot caramel sauce made for quite a sweet cake, and the thin layer of greek yogurt across the top offset sweetness perfectly and let you really enjoy the subtly of the carrot and burst of ginger and spices. As soon as our ice cream maker is repaired, there will be a round two in the immediate future for this concoction.

Tangy Carrot Cake with Greek Yogurt Topping
Carrot Cake
1-1/2 cups almond flour
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1-1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/3 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup maple syrup
8 tbsp melted butter (unsalted)
2 large eggs
2 tsp grated ginger
2 cups finely grated peeled carrots
1/3 cup chopped toasted pecans
1. Preheat oven to 350. Butter a 9x13 cake pan. Line bottom with parchment paper. Butter paper and flour pan
2. Combine almond meal, flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. In another bowl, mix maple syrup, butter, and eggs until well combined. Combine wet and dry ingredients, mix until combined. Add ginger and carrots. Pour into prepared pan.
3. Sprinkle the pecans on top. Bake approx 25 minutes until brown on top and cake tester comes out clean. Transfer to cooling rack and let cool completely. Remove from pan and chill completely.

Orange Carrot Caramel Sauce
1 cup sugar
2 tbsp water
1 cup pureed carrots
1 cup fresh orange juice (strained)
1. Stir sugar and water in medium heavy saucepan to moisten. Place over medium heat and bring to a boil. Reduce and simmer without stirring for about 10 minutes or until amber in color. Have pastry brush with water on hand to remove any sugar that crystallizes.
2.Meanwhile, combine carrot juice and orange juice in saucepan and heat until warm. When caramel is ready, remove from heat and stir in juice gradually. The caramel will bubble, so be careful Return to heat and simmer 20-30 minutes until reduced. Once done, refrigerate in a covered container.
To assemble:
Remove cake and sauce from refrigerator. Place on serving plate. Carefully spread caramel mixture on top of cake. Allow to rest for a few moments. Spread about one cup Oikos Vanilla Greek Yogurt in a thin layer on top (we used one 5.3 oz container and one 4 oz container). Cut, serve, and enjoy!

For a slightly more savory option, I decided to make a chilled corn soup. In case I haven't mentioned it yet, I can't wait for the farmer's markets to get here and am trying to clean out the few frozen vegetables we have to fill the void while we wait. Although initially I planned to do a southwest option, during an episode of procrastination I came across a creamy lemon grass and corn soup in an old issue of one of our food magazines and opted for it instead. The recipe is quite simple with a delicate subtle sweet corn taste that will be infinitely improved with fresh ears of corn

Lemongrass & Corn Soup
3 cups frozen corn kernels
1 medium shallot, diced
1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup vegetable stock
1 small stalk lemon grass, root ends cleaned and outer leaves discarded
1/4 tsp ginger
Salt & Pepper to taste
2 tbsp plain greek yogurt
1/2 tbsp lemon grass leaves chopped finely
fresh cilantro to garnish (optional)
1. Thaw corn in fridge. Toss with 1 tbsp olive oil and a dash each (1/8 tsp) salt and pepper. Heat heavy saucepan or large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When pan is hot, add corn, stirring quickly. 1-2 minutes. Add shallot and continue to saute until shallots are softened. Add vegetable stock, lemongrass and ginger. Simmer 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat. Discard lemon grass. Add salt and pepper to taste. Allow to cool slightly. Using blender, carefully puree soup to desired consistency. If desired, thin with water. Season with salt and pepper. Allow to chill for at least one hour.
2. Before serving, combine greek yogurt and lemongrass. Divide soup between cups or bowls and top with yogurt and cilantro (if desired).
The original recipe I looked at suggested that you press the purred liquid through a sieve to remove any solids from the corn. Daniel's not a big fan of purees that lack no texture for some reason, so I left them for the additional texture and the slightly more chowdery feel. The soup is everything a summer soup should be. Sweet, simple, and refreshing.

For a full version of the poem, please feel free to go here.
Enjoy!

On second thought, that's not all! After the response Daniel had for his sourdough on the last post, we've decided it's time to host OUR VERY FIRST GIVEAWAY!!!

~~Although the process of making a sourdough starter is extremely~~ rewarding, it's rather time and space consuming. After the first few weeks of a mere bowl on the counter, the containers multiply and subdivide, taking up most of very sparse kitchen space. The particular recipe we used made several containers, and because you continually replenish it once you have some ready, there's little need (at least for us) to have more than one or two. Knowing that some of you may be in the same boat we are, we thought some of you may like the chance to win a container of sourdough starter (as well as instructions as to how to keep it alive of course). The rules will be pretty simple, just become a follower of the blog and/or leave a comment on the post saying you'd like to be entered to win. On Thursday, we'll close the contest, run the participants through a random generator, and pick a winner! Either Thursday night or Friday. We'll contact the winner ASAP and announce it on the blog. That's it! That's almost a month of labor handed over to you!

~~Good luck and hope you enjoy!~~

Congratulations to Christine at Fresh Local and Best!

Sourdough Obsession

2010-03-25T10:43:00.006-04:00

I must admit that I am infatuated with sourdough and everything that has to do with it at the moment- from the simple biga so revered by the Italians to the French sourdough with all its simple glory. The biga as delightful and fun as it is to say, is not what I want to revel in during this aside. I have yet to delve into the realm known as German rye bread and there are a multitude of options when it comes to the formulas of white flour to rye, wheat flour to rye, and even a combination of the three. I am still utilizing a grape sourdough starter from The Modern Vegetarian Kitchen that has been working splendidly, but there are apple sourdoughs, strictly bread and water sourdoughs, and those unknown to me yet that may be experimented with down the road.

The first sourdough I tried with my starter is very similar to the recipe in Modern Vegetarian Kitchen which produced two marvelous baguettes with astounding hole patterns. Rather time consuming, but who would not rather be tinkering in the kitchen than thinking about work, bills, etc. The recipe produced an amazing baguette, fitting of Parisian riverside picnics.

French Country Sourdough

1 1/2 C white sourdough starter

3 C lukewarm nochlorinated water

2 T amber honey

6 C unbleached white bread flour

1 C whole wheat bread flour

3 tsp fine salt

cornmeal for mealing baking stone

Combine water, starter, and honey and stir until starter is dissolved. Add the flours and mix until roughly incorporated and let stand 5 minutes.

Scoop sough onto clean floured work surface and knead for at least 10 minutes then let rest for 15 minutes.

Uncover ball and sprinkle salt onto work surface kneading into the ball for at least 5 minutes. Avoid using excess flour, instead flouring hands to prevent ball absorbing too much flour.

Place into an oiled bowl and coat ball with oil covering to let rise 4-6 hours until tripled in volume.

Punch down and cover ball in bowl for 8-12 hours in refrigerator.

Remove from fridge and let dough come to room temperature for 2-3 hours. Divide into two balls and roll balls into torpedo shapes with seam on bottom. Set torpedoes on floured surface sifting a thin sprinkle of flour on top and let rise at room temperature for 1 hour. Meanwhile preheat baking stone in oven to 500 degrees.

Score loaves lengthwise, place an ovenproof bowl of cold water in oven to increase initial spring, meal baking stone, and place torpedoes on mealed area. Turn oven to 450 degrees and bake approximately 25 minutes or until loaves have a hollow sound like a drum on the bottoms. Let rest 10 minutes and enjoy with myriads of options.

The rye bread was an adventure that I seem to frequent, known as the learn as you go method. I can rarely follow recipes, which is why Dawn oftentimes gives me strange looks with my flavor combinations. A few days ago she gave me the look when she smelled cardamom on the cauliflower, but you just never know. In my book there are few ways to learn much better than experience, and this rye bread turned out to be such an experience. The rye bread I made proved to be complex and hearty with an added mellowness combined with a rich molasses finish. And I must add, if you have yet to add rye bread to your baking scheme, it is worth the time and effort especially with rich meats and robust veggies.

German Sourdough Rye

1 2/3 C whole rye flour (preferably Hodgson Mill or other high quality brand)

1 C unbleached white bread flour

1/3 C course ground spelt

1-1 1/4 C white sourdough starter

1 C unchlorinated water

2 T salt

4 T unsulphered blackstrap molasses

corn meal for baking stone

Stir together wet ingredients in a bowl until sourdough is thoroughly incorporated and let sit 5 minutes. Add flours and stir until it forms a ragged ball. Let sit for 15 minutes.

Turn ball onto clean floured surface and knead for between 10 and 15 minutes. Cover the dough ball with the bowl and let rest 20 minutes.

Spread salt onto work surface and knead salt into the dough ball for approximately 5 minutes. Place ball into floured bowl and cover allowing to rise at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours or until doubled in volume.

Punch down and sift a blanket of flour on top and let rise at room temperature for 7 hours or until tripled in volume. Have baking stone preheated in 450 degree oven for one hour.

Carefully score boule in criss-cross or whatever pattern you fancy. Bake for 45 minutes to an hour depending on weather and oven on mealed baking stone. Boule should sound hollow as a drum beat on bottom.

Oh, Sweet Pea

2010-03-20T16:37:00.003-04:00

I'm not sure how the weather has been for everyone else these last two weeks, but here it has been absolutely gorgeous. Rather than quickly jaunting from place to place, I found myself slowing down to enjoy the perfect early spring weather. As soon as Daniel or I got home, the windows were opened to take in in the crisp spring air. To celebrate being one step closer to the Farmer's Markets that will kick into gear later in the spring, I put together this bright Friday Night concoction.

The cornucopia of possibilities that instantly spring to mind as I take a precious ball of our pizza dough from the freezer is perhaps the single reason Daniel and I enjoy making pizza so much, and do it so often. You may notice it comes up often on here, but trust me, there's plenty of more pizza baking going on, usually about one a week.. There's just so much you can do with a few simple, straightforward ingredients and flavors. For this particular pie, for example, I went through a few different possibilities. Originally planning for an arugula centered concoction, I was disappointed to discover its absence, as the fresh produce is at that odd juncture between winter and spring. Instead, I replaced the peppery bite of arugula with the sweet refreshing bite of the green pea to make a bright green sauce for a vivid March welcome to spring.

Green Spring Pizza
Prepared Pizza Dough (recipe available here)
Green Pea Pizza Sauce (below)
2-3 Slices Prosciutto
1/4 Cup Freshly Grated Parmesan
1 Medium Sweet Onion, Halved, Sliced Thinly, soaked in Balsamic Vinegar for 1-2 hours
Cornmeal for covering pizza stone and pizza peel
Directions:
1. Place pizza stone in oven and preheat oven to 475 at least an hour before cooking.
2. Lightly cover pizza peel with cornmeal to prevent sticking. Stretch pizza dough to desired size. Spread pizza dough to coat pizza thinly. Top with onions, prosciutto, and grated parmesan.
3. Place cornmeal on pizza stone and carefully slide pizza onto stone. Bake 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven once crust begins to brown. Let cool slightly before cutting. *Garnish with additional parmesan cheese if desired.

Green Pea Pizza Sauce
3/4 Cup Green Peas
Small Handful Baby Spinach (Stems Removed)
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
Juice and Zest from 1/2 One Medium Lemon
Salt & Pepper to Taste
Directions:
1. Combine all ingredients except salt and pepper in blender.
2. Puree, blending until smooth, adding extra olive oil if needed. Mixture should be smooth but will be thick. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Beacon of Spring

2010-03-16T19:40:00.000-04:00

Spring is in the air and I can feel it, or maybe that is the the taste of fresh tomatoes that my tastebuds remind me of when I am forced to satisfy them with the canned variety. It is rather ironic that all I can think of is fresh tomatoes when this dish includes canned tomatoes that must suffice for a month or so more until the purveyors display tomatoes in all shapes and hues for me to pick through and ponder like some Pandoran mystery with all their possibilities. As Joel Robuchon explains in "The Complete Robuchon," tomatoes found in the market out of season are not tomatoes at all, or in my opinion not the ones that dreams are made of. The book is well worth a peruse for his wealth of cooking knowledge if you get a chance to pick it up at a bookstore or the library.

I have not stopped cooking since the Ohio Wine Dinner, rather just procrastinating about writing another post. Since then I traveled to Virginia and D.C. to visit my brother and friends which instilled an even greater desire to experiment in the kitchen, due to the "garbage" we consumed there compared to the homecooked meals I am used to. But, what is one to do when democracy chooses fast food and my mind envisions Jose Andres' restaurants and fathoms of others located just a tram ride away in D.C. The trip did instill a reinforced love of Spanish chorizo that Andreas would appreciate in all its spicy herbal goodness. Chorizo truly provides bountiful flavor even in the the smallest quantities and aside from bacon is one of the best meat flavorings in my book, though not as versatile.

Another ingredient Americans so often underlook that has become more and more of a winter standby are chickpeas. The creamy textural nuggets provide so much body to stews and curries it is a shame more cooks do not give them their culinary due. Whether pureed in hummus, or whole in a summer salad or soup they are amazing team players. So maybe you guessed chickpeas and chorizo are a part of the meal I am describing and if you did you are correct. There is something homely and consoling about a bowl of stew and a glass of garnache that sweeps the mind away from the chill oudoors, or maybe it assimilates our systems to the two, making us friends.

To go with the chorizo stew I conjured up an airy pilsner challah bread to go with the meal. Before this point my bread baking had yet to unite the yeastiness of blonde beer with bread's inherent fermented nature and hardly to a challah-like braided bread. To compliment the heartiness of the stew I omited the eggs in the bread itself to give it a lighter quality. Instead, I used an egg wash to adhere those most excellent jewels known as toasted sesame seeds. Those beads of welcome always remind me of summer burgers with family and friends and hopefully this stew and bread can be shared with loved ones as all homemade meals should.

Chorizo Stew

2 Shallots finely diced
2 small onions finely diced
5 cloves garlic diced
2 green onions, white part only finely diced
1 28 oz. can plum tomatoes
2 oz. Spanish chorizo finely diced
4 slices smoked bacon finely diced
3/4 to 1 C dried chickpeas soaked over night
1/2 C grated parmesan cheese
2 T unsalted butter
1 T cardamom

Saute onions, shallots, garlic, bacon, and chorizo for approximately 5 mimutes over medium heat or until chorizo and bacon have yielded their juices and other items are softened. Meanwhile in a large pot of boiling water add drained chickpeas and cook approximately 45 minutes or until they begin to soften.

Add tomatoes and juice to saucepan with chorizo and other ingredients. Crush tomatoes with a potato masher and simmer adding chickpeas once cooked. Add cardamom, and salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle grated parmesan over just before serving.

Pilsner Challah Bread
(Adapted from Favorite Beer Bread in "The Easy way to Artisan Breads and Pastries"

1 packet active dry yeast (preferably Hodgson Mill)
1-12 oz. pilsner beer (preferably PBR or Burger Classic)
3 1/4 C. unbleached bread flour (preferably King Arthur)
3/4 C. whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons salt
1 T amber honey

Egg Wash
1 egg
1 T unchlorinated water
1 T toasted sesame seeds

Combine beer 110-115 degrees, honey, and yeast and let sit until yeast is proofed (begins to foam) approximately 10 minutes. Room temperature liquid will proof yeast, but takes longer. Once yeast has proofed add flours and stir to combine, adding salt after dough is mixed because yeast and salt in direct contact are enemies i.e. the salt kills the yeast. Form into a ragged mass and let rest for 5 minutes. Knead for approximately 10 minutes on floured surface and place in buttered bowl covered by a towel allowing to rise for about an hour or until doubled in size. Flip dough back onto floured counter and knead for about 5 minutes or until extremely smooth. Preheat oven with pizza stone or unfinished earthen tiles to 425 degrees. Divide into three ropes, braid, apply egg wash and sesame seeds, placing on floured pizza peel. Cover and let rise for approximately an hour and bake on pizza stone or unfinished earthen tiles approximately 30 minutes or until bread sounds hollow to the thump. Allow to cool for ten minutes, slice, and enjoy.

Marching Through

2010-03-11T11:49:00.002-05:00

So...before our big 24,24,24 dinner, we had managed to be somewhat consistent writing posts. After a week of hogging the computer before finals, and now starting to write final papers, I realize that if I don't post now, half the month will go by without a word from either of us. As I've mentioned before, while I'm busy and stressed I take a lot of baking breaks. So, given the chance we wont be doing much posting or commenting for the week, I thought I'd give you a glimpse of what I would be and have already been doing.

With the cultural rise in interest in vegetarian, vegan, organic, and local lifestyles, there are now a lot more alternative recipes for sweets that are more 'friendly' to some of these different groups. When I was sorting through the pantry, I found a can of pumpkin I had reserved in anticipation of a Thanksgiving pumpkin shortage. It slowly migrated to the back behind cans of tomatoes, but was rescued to make a fudgy dark chocolate, vegan friendly cookies. For some time, as I spotted vegan bakeries popping up around Columbus, I was quite skeptical as to how, without butter, or eggs, a cookie could be a cookie, a brownie a brownie, etc etc. Then, I was fortunate enough to try half a cookie here, a brownie there, and even a piece of cake. Although my attempt with these cookies is nowhere near as good as any of those yet, and I would perhaps rethink the whole wheat flour choice in favor of whole wheat pastry flour or a whole wheat and oat flour combination, they were very rich, chewy fudgy chocolate cookies, perfect for a 3 am pick-me-up.

Double Dark Chocolate Cookies
1/4 Cup Sugar
2 oz dark chocolate chunks (about 1/2 of a 3.5 oz bar chopped)
1/3 cup + 1 tbsp pumpkin
1/4 Cup Maple Syrup
1 tsp vanilla
3 tbsp dark cocoa powder
3/4 cup + 2 tbsp whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
2 tbsp sugar to coat.
1. Preheat oven to 350. Combine sugar, pumpkin, vanilla and maple syrup until smooth.
2. In separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. Combine well.
3. Add dry mixture to wet mixture. Add chocolate chunks, fold to combine.
4. Scoop rounded tablespoons. Roll into balls, and dip in sugar to coat top. Place dough onto baking sheet lined with parchment paper and slightly flatten (these don't spread hardly at all). Cook 10-12 minutes.
5. Remove from oven. Cool on wire rack. Enjoy when cooled completely.

Moving away from the vegan friendly cookies, I've been using flax seed as an egg substitute quite frequently lately. This somewhat middle ground bar cookie works well as a nice good morning breakfast treat. I think after a disappointing purchase of a bland, tasteless, cardboard like oat bar from a campus coffee shop, I'm trying to make up with my own renditions. The fact that I don't spend much time rolling out the cookies, and they bake 30 instead of 8 minutes, is a plus too! The orange zest gives the bars a unique taste to compliment the incredible chewy but crumbly texture of the oat bar and bursts of tart sweetness from the cranberries. This was my second attempt at these (the first were gone too quick to get pictures), so I hope you can maybe find some use for them.

Cranberry Orange Oat Bars (Adapted from Quaker's Vanishing Oatmeal Raisin Cookies Recipe)
1/2 Cup Butter, softened
1/2 Cup Dark Brown Sugar
1/4 Cup Granulated Sugar
1 tbsp ground flax seed dissolved in 3 tbsp water
1/2 tsp Orange Extract
1-1/2 Cup Old Fashioned Oats
3/4 Cups All Purpose Flour
1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp fresh grated Orange Zest
1. Preheat oven to 350. Combine butter, sugars until creamy and pale brown in color. Add flax seed dissolved in water and orange zest. Mix well.
2. In different bowl, combine flour, oats, baking soda, and orange zest. Mix well.
3. Add dry mixture into wet mixture. Add cranberries and mix well.
4. Spread mixture in square 9x9 ungreased baking dish.
5. Bake about 30 minutes, until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

The last in my series of baking so far has been these guys:

Look pretty boring, I know. Looks more or less like the same recipe for the cranberry orange ones, huh? Wrong. Suffice to say, unlike the chocolate cookies, these are most definitely not vegan, or vegetarian friendly cookies. Besides the butter, and eggs in these, the nice pieces you see are not some dried fruit. Nor are they some nice toasted nuts. Nope, instead, what you see my friends, is some nice, sweet, smokey and salty, candied bacon. Yup, this is when you realize you've gone perhaps too far. Suffice to say, once I pulled these out of the oven, I quickly decided that was enough baking for a little while. Now off to find some hungry stressed colleagues to feed all these to!

Maple Bacon Oat Bars
Use recipe for Cranberry Orange Oat Bars (above)
Substitute1 egg for flax seed dissolved in water
Substitute maple flavoring for orange extract
Substitute 1 cup (about 5 slices) of candied bacon for 1/2 cup dried cranberries
*Optional, once spread in pan, top with 1/4 cup pecan pieces.

For the candied bacon, you can do a Google search for more precise directions from a number of bloggers, but basically, coat thick slices with brown sugar or maple syrup, and place on some sort of non stick surface or roasting rack for 20-30 in 350 oven.

Enjoy!

Foodbuzz 24,24,24: Ohio Wine Dinner

2010-02-28T12:51:00.001-05:00

When Dawn and I began planning our dinner we had tons of ideas concerning themes and concepts, and we ended with the conclusion of an American/European fusion dinner titled Americana Revisited. The reason why we settled on this was to highlight the essence of Midwest America without the humdrum standbys that no one wants to eat again any time soon. We appreciate the fact that Ohio is never considered as a wine growing paradise because that leaves more of the hidden jewels for us. I have to admit, that until recently even I sneered at the idea of excellent wine being made on the shores of bleak Lake Erie. It sounded like a ridiculous concept- but the mind must always be open innovation so it does not shrivel up into a repetitive heap. America is rarely known for a cuisine of its own, but that makes quite a statement in itself. Americana must always be revisited and remelted with shards of the old elements and shreds of the new to keep it the cultural melting pot that makes our cuisine great.

For our first course, I had the challenge of pairing some sort of a salad with a slightly sweet white. For the wine, Daniel and I selected a Gewurtzraminer wine from Fireland's vineyard, located on Isle of St. George in Sandusky, Ohio (home to Cedar Point if you're a roller coaster fan). We'll mention Firelands again later on. This course was our first test if you will, as despite our optimism, there was a slight worry in the back of my mind that the wine would be exceptionally sweet, and the stereotyped jabs to Ohio wine would hold true. Lucky for us, they were wrong! To compliment what the wine described as its "Rose Petal Fragrance," I choose a lemony brussels sprout hash topped with poppy seeds. The zesty flavor from the lemon complimented the delicate sweetness of the wine exceptionally well and created a wondefully refreshing pairing that we will probably plan to enjoy again.

As soon as we found out that we were going to be doing the pairing dinner, I knew I wanted to do some sort of ravioli dish. I love preparing homemade pasta, partly because of the process, and partly because of how versatile the dish can be. I don't get to make it very often because because it does take a little bit of time and space. Luckily though, I had my mom's larger kitchen to take over for the afternoon and an extra pair of hands to help put them together. For the wine, we selected a blend from South River Vineyard in Geneva, Ohio, looking for a sweeter, lighter red to transition to the dryer reds later. We have yet to visit this winery, but if you look at their site, the place looks quite amazing with the unique setting in the church. The Trinity blend was a blend of Chambourcin, Cabernet Franc, and Pinot Noir, and we read would be sweeter, smokier taste. So, to try and compliment the two flavors, I prepared a Mushroom Ravioli with homemade pasta and slow cooked smokey bacon onions in (in place of a sauce). One of our guests (who happens to be related...and share a love for bacon), described the pairing of the slow cooked smoky bacon onions with the mushroom ravioli as releasing a "cornucopia of flavors" when paired with the wines. By this point, Daniel and I were both relieved I think that the myth of super sweet mediocrity was quickly being debunked.

For the soup course I had a few elements in mind that fit the criteria of Americana Revisited including Spanish chorizo, split orange lentils and parmesan crisps. For my birthday a few days ago, Dawn bought me the book Happy in the Kitchen by Michel Richard in which he composes countless dishes similar to yet reinventing the wheel of common American dishes. For example, he revisits pecan pie which, explains as being pleasantly surprised by the first time he had it in the states and inserts macadamia nuts in place the pecans. There is definitely something to be said for reinventing the wheel as long as you don't forget the principles and engineering behind it. I tossed around the idea of using fresh Mexican chorizo and finally settled on Spanish although I believe they would both work in the recipe. The bright orange split lentils added the vibrancy I was hoping for in the dish as well as marrying well with the lamb stock I prepared last weekend for the soup. Just to mesh the spicy chorizo, buttery lentils, salty parmesan crisp, and sweetness of the stock- the Chambourcin added a pleasant dry peppery note that played well as a counterbalance.

Another book I highly recommend for its thoughtful reverence of properly raised meat as well as the head to tail approach that Fergus Henderson has become so famous for is The River Cottage Meat Book by another well intentioned Brit by the name of Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall. His ideas and commentary from the humane approach to meat to the precedence of keeping old recipes alive make the book a must for meat lovers. Near the center I wandered upon a recipe titled something like Slow Roasted Pork Shoulder Alla Donny Brasco which he gives a bit of credit to Nigella Lawson and others for also coining the cooking method, but as usual the ingredients and unique elements are what he wanted to display. I thank him, Lawson, and whoever else is responsible for the method, but like Hugh I tinkered with the flavor profile to stuff the pork shoulder with garlic cloves and rosemary, crusting it in whole grain mustard while still slow roasting it at 200 for approximately twenty hours. The mustard sauce that I prepared with the pan drippings, white wine, and extra rosemary seemed to be a hit. The combo of meat and sauce rested over white cheddar cheese grits. And, contrary to some of our preconceptions, the '05 Firelands Cab was musty and smoky with hints of fruit but not too much as a Cabernet Sauvignon must remain true to its noble old world roots which in our case was the Ohio version. A sort of Midwest Americana that the Old world would appreciate.

Last but not least for my dishes was a wine poached pear dish with homemade ricotta that adds the creaminess that seems inherently sinful yet right when uncorking a bottle of desert wine just for those special occasions. With all the hecticness of the activities which felt a bit like us hosting our first thanksgiving, yet the celebration was not even in our house, Dawn did a nice job capturing as many dishes and angles as she could but at the end of the night we ended with very few pictures of the pears. With something as sumptuous as pears, I try to keep the kiss (keep it simple stupid) approach so as not to overwhelm the natural sweetness and delicacy that comes out during poaching. I poached them in some white wine, a shot of triple sec, brown sugar, and lemon zest. The apple pie Mead from the Brothers Drake Meadery here in Columbus (who we paid a nice visit to earlier this month, and will probably again soon) went together with the pears and cheese as apple pie goes with cheddar cheese yet with a more mellow connection rather than an opposites attract relationship. Americana can always use another apple pie/cheddar combination and my nomination is poached pears and ricotta.

Finally nearing the end. The dessert course. Initially I assumed this would be the easiest course to come up with a pairing for. I love making desserts. Pairing desserts with wine, particularly an Ice Wine that's exceptionally sweet is slightly more difficult however, as you have to be careful that the two are not competing as far as sweetness goes. This type of disaster would be quite a loss with any dessert wine, but with ice wine in particular I discovered this would be quite a travesty, as the process is quite labor intensive and a somewhat more risky venture. Ice wine gets its name because it is made from grapes that have frozen on the vine. The freezing process concentrates the grape flavor and the sweetness, producing an intensely sweet but perfectly balanced wine, but is also quite risky for the wine producers as it depends on a deep freeze occurring while the grapes are still in a ripened state on the vine. Besides the risks involved in the possible loss of the crop itself, the process of production is quite labor intensive as well, explaining why the cost is slightly higher.

The ice wine from Firelands was not too expensive as far as ice wines go, and was absolutely perfect. I think we all sat in absolute silence for a few seconds after the initial sip. The cake I choose for the pairing was a toasted almond cake with a nectarine glaze, dotted with grapes to balance the sweetness. The toasted buttery flavor of the almonds and the delicate sweetness coming through from the nectarine proved an ideal pairing. I wouldn't boast to be able to say my baking is able to compliment such an amazing wine, but it definitely didn't detract from it.

All in all, the meal was absolutely incredible. We successfully found wines to debunk the super sweet stereotype from both larger Ohio Vineyards like Firelands and Debonne, and smaller operations like South River Vineyards and Brothers Drake Fine Meads. Along our journey revisiting Americana, we learned through trial and error the sweet wines created from the different grape varietals that thrive in Ohio. While visiting the Brothers Drake Meadery, we learned about the decline of interest in mead following World War II and a bee blight about the same time, and current growth of the mead industry that emphasizes both local honeys and products, and a revisiting of wine making techniques that extend back to medieval time. The experience with pairings was rewarding and the chance to share it with friends and family in a family style meal was unforgettable. We haven't included recipes we used as this post is quite long, but please ask for any that look interesting and we'd be happy to send them to you. I'm sure you're tired of reading by now, so all that's left is to thank Foodbuzz for the opportunity to not only find some wonderful examples of Ohio Wines, but to share an incredible meal with friends and family.

Our Daily Bread

2010-02-25T20:52:00.003-05:00

Coming down to the basics, the body needs hydration, vegetables and some protein. A lot of our protein actually comes from bread and grains specifically when the principal breads are flat breads made from simple grains. Breads primarily without yeast. Something about this essentialist lifestyle is appealing to me--a cottage by the beach with a some room for a garden. A hearth to bake breads, from the diminutive roll to the might boule and everything in between. A rod and reel to procure fish to salt as they do with salt cod in Spain.

I enjoy bread with mixed pleasure. On the one hand, its nourishing, and on the other it fits into the simple pleasure category. Like salt cod or smoked mullet or a host of other personalized joys, the sensation of pleasure toward bread runs deeper than simple nourishment, although the addition of flax seed, spelt, and millet certainly pack a punch. When you pull a boule from the oven and thump its belly to check for hollowness, much a like jimbe yet more fragile. There is something primitively pleasing about whacking the heel slice off and enjoying a bite instead of untying a bag for instant gratification.

Like meals slaved over yet relishing every minute of preparation, bread baking is much more akin to Thanksgiving in the sense that time leading up to the event is as much a part as the event itself. I have enjoyed the preparation and consumption of bread from our oven more in the last few weeks as Dawn and I have let our imaginations wander to consider a couple of ideas that hopefully you can enjoy as much as we did.

Lately I have become fascinated with cardamon. Due to the fact that Dawn randomly picked up an entire bag of lemons, a combination of the two seemed imminent. Milk or buttermilk adds a tremendous richness to bread that water fails to impart, so I used buttermilk with the combination of earlier mentioned ingredients to fashion a lemon cardamon boule.

Lemon Cardamon Boule

2 Pkg Active Dry Yeast
3/4 Cup Warm Buttermilk
2 cups Spelt Flour
2 Cups Bread Flour
2 Tbsp Cardamon
Zest from one medium lemon
1-1/2 Tbsp Salt
1/2 Cup Buttermlik
3 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Egg White with 1 Tbsp Water
Poppy Seeds

1.Dissolve yeast in warm buttermilk and let proof. Measure flours into mixing bowl. Add cardamon and salt, and mix well.
2. Add lemon zest to flours. Add yeast mixture and begin blending by hand. Add oil and graduatlly add buttermilk to achieve correct consistency; firm enough to pull away from sides of the bowl.
3.Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead until dough is smooth (8-10 minutes by hand).
4. Coat inside of a blowl with butter. Add dough ball and turn to coat. Cover and let rise until doubled (about an hour).
5. Punch down, knead for three minutes; allow to rise a second time.
6. Punch dough once more. Remove from bowl and using both hands, draw dough together in a "circular package," pinching ends together. Turn dough over and set it pinched side down on a baking sheet or pizza stone sprinkled with cornmeal (to prevent sticking). Let rise until doubled in bulk.
7. Slash top in three places for decoration/for steam. Brush with egg wash made with beaten egg white and water. Sprinkle with poppy seeds.
8. Broil at 375 for 20 minutes. Switch oven to bake for 25 minutes (or until the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom).
9. Cool on rack.

From some of the reading I have done lately, I ran across a book titled Boulaugerie which happened to include some French classics like pan de raisin, baguettes, croissants, and other jewels concocted in or around the city of lights. The recipe that I began with for the baguettes was appealing first because it uses bakers yeast which believe me is easier to find in Europe, or at least so it seems. Not too long into the preparation, the mission became a bust, maybe due to the density of the spelt flour I used as a partial substitute. I enjoy a slightly denser loaf though, so maybe it was just meant to be an improvised mission. Ultimately, the loaf became known as a pretzel boule, due to the nuttiness of the spelt and the salty crunch of the sel de gris baked on top.

Pretzel Boule

2 tbsp Brewers Yeast
1 Tsp Sugar
1/4 Cup Lukewarm Water
2-3/4 Cup All Purpose Flour
1 Cup Spelt
3/4 Cup Water
3 Tbsp Sel de Gris
1 Egg White Beaten + 1 tbsp Water

1. Dissolve yeast in 1/4 Cup Lukewarm Water with sugar. Let stand for 10 minutes and proof.
2. In large bowl, combine flours with remaining water. Add proofed flour.
3.Knead until dough is soft (about 10 minutes). Cover bowl and let dough rise until doubled, about an hour, in a warm place.
4.Once doubled, place on floured surface and knead again briefly. Shape into boule and place on baking sheet or stone. Cover and let rise until slightly risen, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 500.
5. Using knife, make 3 slashes in the boule. . Place loaf in oven. Reduce temperature to 450 and bake 10 minutes. Reduce temperature to 400 and bake until crust is golden brown and loaf sounds hollow when tapped, about 20 minutes more.
6. Remove from oven and let cool on baking sheet.

Zesty Winter Sweets

2010-02-22T07:42:00.001-05:00

In case you haven't noticed, winter has seemed to hit everywhere a little harder this year. Last week, we were fortunate enough to receive a few feet of snow, enough to cancel class for the day and give me a chance to catch up. Thus, I don't mind the snow too much (probably because I don't have to drive in it). Riding the bus, iPod playing, watching the snow is actually quite peaceful and calming.The inherent quiet and stillness that snow instills seems to me to be a nice reminder to just slow down and watch nature do its thing for a little while.

What can make the winter a little difficult though, is the gray skies that typically accompany the snow. They aren't just gray clouds, but instead an impenetrable gray that covers the sky. There, I think, lies the source of the infamous 'winter blahs.' While we've spent quite some time attributing this mysterious condition to the cold and combating it with soup, but this I decided to arm ourselves with a different, brighter approach.

While flipping through Dorrie Greenspan's Paris Sweets on my day off, I came across a bright recipe for lemon butter cookies that seemed like a perfect fit for the spring or summer. Initially, I thought I would tuck the recipe away for later use when it warms up. However after a weekend of sweet breakfast pastry baking expeditions, we happened to have a surplus of egg whites in the fridge, leading me to the idea for these bright, refreshing zingers to fight the winter blahs.

Winter snow, meet spring time lemon zest. Make friends.

The meringue is nothing spectacular, just your usually delicate puff of egg white sugar. The cookies are by themselves quite delicious (I added some extra zest to make them extra lemony), and I wrapped one log in wax paper and plastic and froze it for later use. Flavor wise, the meringue and extra lemony cookie balance together well, not a whole lot to say there. Texturally though, these little guys are incredible. As you bite into them, the cookie gives a nice crunch from the bottom, giving way to the soft chewy center of the cookie as the lemon taste invades your palate. Then, just before the lemon becomes too much, the light airy meringue begins to into a sea of sweetness, complimenting and perfecting the taste of the lemon.

Whatever weather you happen to be experiencing this winter, I hope you'll give these a try to brighten up any winter blahs. And besides, when else do you get to use the weather as an excuse for making cookies!

Snow Capped Meringue Lemon Butter Cookies

Lemon Butter Cookies adapted from Paris Sweets

2 Stick Unsalted butter; room temperature

2/3 Cup Confectioners Sugar

1 Large Egg Yolk

Pinch of Salt

2 tsp Vanilla

Lemon Zest from Two Medium Lemon

2 tsp lemon juice

2 Cup All Purpose Flour

1.Combine butter and confectioners sugar and mix until smooth and silky. Add egg yolk, salt, vanilla and lemon zest; and juice, and continue mixing. Slowly add flour until just combined. /Divide in half. Roll each half into a ball. Place ball on piece of plastic wrap. Cover, and refrigerate 30 minutes.

2. Remove from fridge and roll into logs, between 1 and 1/1/2 inches thick. Wrap logs and chill for two hours.

3. Preheat oven to 350. Line two baking sheet with parchment paper.

*prepare meringue while oven preheats.*

4. Using a sharp knife, cut cookies from logs, about 1/4 inch thick. Place on baking sheet leaving 1/2" space.

5. Bake 8-10 minutes until cookies just begin to set (if not adding meringue, bake an additional 2-4 minutes).

6. Working quickly, remove cookies from oven. Carefully Pipe meringue swirls onto tops of cookies, making sure to keep meringue on the cookie, but getting as close to the edge as possible. (The warm cookie should help the bottom of the meringue to cook/set.

7. Place cookies back into warm oven. Cook for an additional 8-10 minutes or until meringue begins to set and brown. Remove from oven and carefully remove from pan. Allow to cool & enjoy!

Quick Meringue

4 Egg Whites

6 Tbsp Sugar

Using a clean, cool, glass or metal bowl, add egg whites. Beat until soft peaks begin to form. Slowly add sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form and meringue is glossy. Carefully using a rubber spatula, add meringue into piping bag fitted with large tip. (Make enough meringue for 1/2 of butter cookie recipe.)