Memorable Meals

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

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?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!