::pork and beans::

flourless chocolate cake

2011-03-09T16:10:00.000-08:00

1 nine inch spring form pan

butter to grease your pan

sugar or flour to coat it after greasing

6 large eggs separated
6 oz butter (cut in to small cubes)
6 oz sugar
12 oz dark chocolate
1 T brandy

I admit it.... although I have a good grasp on it, I'm not the best pastry chef. This is one of the first cakes I learned to make that consistently turned out nice with little effort.

First, turn your oven to 350° and smear your pan with enough butter to coat it. Then pour enough sugar in the pan to coat the sides dumping out the excess. Next in a double boiler start to melt your butter and chocolate. At this point separate your eggs, put the whites in your mixer with half of the sugar, the yolks in a large mixing bowl with the rest of the sugar. Turn on the mixer and let it go until the whites are whipped with stiff peaks. In the meantime whisk the yolks until they lighten in color a bit then whisk in the brandy. Once the chocolate and butter are melted slowly pour them into the egg yolk mixture whisking the whole time. To complete the batter fold the whipped egg whites into the chocolate mixture.

Pour this into your prepared pan and bake for 15 minutes then rotate and let it cook another 5.
Check it with a toothpick to see if it's ready. Most people would say "when the pick is clean the cake is ready" but I like it when the cake is just a bit gooey in the middle and a little batter is on the pick. Let the cake cool for 20 minutes or so then... eat it!

This cake is great served with whipped cream, ganache, iced cream, fresh berries.... the list goes on and on. This should go off without a hitch.

timpano

2010-03-22T13:41:00.000-07:00

chocolate mousse

2010-03-08T12:40:00.000-08:00

6 oz dark chocolate
2.25 oz butter
3 oz sugar
3 eggs (separated)
2.5 oz cream (whipped)
.5 tsp vanilla extract

Start by cutting the butter into small cubes and putting it in a double boiler with the chocolate. While that is melting whip the egg whites, with 1/3 of the sugar, until they are stiff. Now whip the cream, with another 1/3 of the sugar and the vanilla, until it's stiff. You will use these in a minute.
Whip the egg yolks and the rest of the sugar until it's light yellow or lemon in color. Slowly whisk the chocolate and butter mixture into the yolks. Don't do this to fast or you will cook the eggs and the mousse will be ruined.

Once you have finished the last step fold in 1/3 of the whipped egg whites, then 1/3 of the whipped cream. Repeat that until all has been incorporated. Place the mousse in the container you plan to serve it from such as a glass or tart shell and let it chill for a least 4 hours. That's it.... eat up!

fried onion

2010-03-05T07:57:00.000-08:00

These are a great garnish for a steak, good on a sandwich, atop a salad or by themselves with some sauce for dipping them in. The recipe is very simple, only 4 ingredients, and fairly quick. The only hassle is the oil but you can use it several times before disposing of it. the recipe follows;

(first mix these together and place in the fridge)
1 yellow onion (julienned)
a few pinches of salt

(you'll use these next)
.5 cup self rising flour
fry-daddy or pot with 2 inches of vegetable oil (heated to 350°)
salt and pepper

You want to salt the onions at least 4 hours in advance, preferable a whole day. When you are ready to start preheat the oil to 350° and toss the onion in the flour. Place the onion in the oil, making sure not to crowd the pan, and fry until golden brown and crispy.

bacon and garlic croutons

2010-02-26T10:57:00.000-08:00

(first you'll need theses items)
stale bread cut into 1'' cubes (enough to cover a 10'' by 10'' pan)
6 cloves of garlic (peeled and smashed just a little)
1/4 cup fresh oregano leaves (loose)
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp salt
some black pepper
1 T extra virgin

(next)
3 slices of bacon (cut into 2'' pieces)

(last)
some butter

Preheat you oven to 325°. With the bread cubes and garlic in a large bowl, toss in the olive oil, oregano, smoked paprika, salt and pepper. Place the contents of bowl on a sheet pan and put it in the oven. Let the croutons cook for about five minutes, take them out, lay the bacon on top, rotate the pan and return it to the oven for ten more minutes. Now add the butter, in three or four small dollops around the pan, once it's melted toss the bacon and croutons in it. Place them back in the oven, checking and flipping them every two minutes, until the bacon is brown and crisp.

These were served with bibb lettuce, blue cheese, boiled egg and buttermilk dressing. You should toss them with the lettuce and fix'ns while still warm.

spinach risotto with meyer lemon

2010-02-24T11:57:00.000-08:00

I saw Meyer lemons at the store... they made me make this dish. Check this link for more info on the Meyer lemon.

Making risotto seems like it would be pretty simple. Some rice, some stock, cook it till its soft... but to make a truly amazing, super creamy, risotto takes a bit of technique. I have made a some in my time. These are a few things I've learned...

1. Always cook risotto in a thick bottomed steel or enameled pot. Reactive metal will turn your rice gray.
2. Stir it with a wooden spoon. It's easier on your pot and it just feels right.
3. Make sure the stock you will be cooking with is hot. This will make for a creamier risotto.
4. Most recipes will tell you to stir the rice constantly. That is true, in the first steps of preparation, when you are toasting the rice in butter or oil. Once you've started adding stock you should stir it initially, then let it start to stick a bit before adding more stock and stirring again to loosen any grains from the pot. This will make your risotto even creamier.
5. Make sure you find the right balance of salt and acid.
6. Don't over cook the rice. It should be al dente. Mushy risotto = no good.
7. Be patient. Good risotto will take you around thirty minutes on the stove top.
8. Always add any cheese right before you serve it and make sure you finish it with a bit of cold butter.
9. Serve it immediately after stirring in the butter and cheese.

Apply these techniques to any risotto recipe and it is sure to come out very nice... the recipe is as follows;

(first)
2 T butter
4 cloves garlic (diced)
2 shallots (diced)
1 2/3 cups Arborio rice

(next)
2 oz white wine
6 cups veggie stock (you may not need all of it)
2 springs of thyme
1 piece Meyer lemon peel about 2 inches long and .5 wide

(last)
4 oz spinach (blanched, chilled, squeezed of excess water and pureed)
2 T crème fraîche or cold butter
4 T grated Parmesan
juice from Meyer lemon to taste
salt and pepper

(for the garnish)
Meyer lemon zest
Parmesan
extra virgin
Meyer lemon wedges

To start bring your veggie stock to a simmer. On low heat, sweat the garlic and shallot with the butter until they soften up just a bit. Add the Arborio rice and continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the rice becomes translucent on the edges but is still white in the center. Now pour in the wine and let it evaporate. Start adding the stock, four or five ounces at a time stirring in the method I describe above. once you are halfway through the stock add the lemon peel and thyme leaves, continue adding the stock a bit at a time until the rice is al dente and the risotto has the consistency of a stew or creamy polenta. Stir in the spinach, Parmesan and crème fraîche. Now its time to season... do this carefully. Add some Meyer lemon juice (the juice of one lemon to start) then add some salt. Continue alternating until you can taste the lemon and the risotto is salty enough.

Zest some lemon on top, through a lemon wedge on the plate, a little olive oil, some pieces of peeled Parmesan and a twist or two from the pepper mill... I also put some oven dried tomatoes on mine. Now you can eat it.

simple ceasar dressing

2010-02-22T13:07:00.000-08:00

I made this last night in a hurry and it came out really nice. Obviously you can dress a salad with it but... I would suggest drizzling it over a piece of roasted meat such as veal or over some seared fish. You could also use it as a simple sauce for some fresh noodles with... I dunno... shrimp, red chili and mint or toss it with cooked veggies like haricot vert, rapini, chard, brussels sprouts, the list goes on. Here is the recipe...

2 oz lemon juice
1 clove of garlic (smashed into paste)
2 red anchovy (sliced)
1 tsp minced shallot
.5 tsp dijon
a little salt and fresh ground black pepper
5 oz olive oil

Simply place all the ingredients in a container with a tight fitting lid and shake the s**t out of it. Don't worry about the anchovy pieces being to big, they will break up when you shake the dressing.

torta de chorizo

2010-02-21T12:46:00.000-08:00

This is really just a recipe for the rolls you use to make tortas. These rolls are called teleras. I was really craving a good torta and since I don't know of any good taquerías around here I had to take matters into my own hands. On my torta I put chorizo, refried black beans, avocado, cilatro, red onion, tomato and mayonnaise. So good.... I really wanted a torta al pastor but all I had was chorizo. So that is now on my list of things to cook. I can't wait. The rolls are easy to make just follow the recipe from my notepad... then divide the dough into 5 equal pieces and let rise until they double in size. Score each roll twice and bake in a 350° oven for 25 minutes or so.

roasted red pepper soup

2010-02-21T10:17:00.000-08:00

The ingredients
(first these ingredients)
1 oz extra virgin
1 T butter
2 celery branch (rough chop)
4 cloves garlic
1 small spanish onion (rough chop)
2 carrots (rough chop)
1 tsp salt

(next these)
2 large red bell peppers (roasted, peeled and diced)
1 T tomato paste

(then these)
1.5 qt of chicken or veggie stock
1 russet potato (peeled and chopped)
1 tsp fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
a pinch of cumin seed
a pinch of fennel seed

(and last)
4 oz cream
1 oz lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

First, how to roast the peppers. The easiest way to do this is simple. Turn on two of your burners and place a pepper on each one directly in the flame. Rotate the peppers every minute or so until they are charred all over then through them in a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Remove them from the bowl after about fifteen minutes, the charred skin should slide right off. Rinse them to get off any remaining burnt bits and simply pull the stem and seeds out.

Start the soup by heating the butter and olive oil in a large pot. Once the butter starts to brown add the celery, garlic, onion, carrot and salt and cook on low until soft. Now add the tomato paste and roasted peppers, cook until the tomato paste gets stuck to the pot a bit. Deglaze the pot with your stock, make sure to scrape it with a wooden spoon, and add the potato, thyme, fennel, cumin and bay leaf. Let the soup simmer for an hour, puree in the blender or with a stick blender, and stir in the lemon juice, cream and season with salt and pepper.

I garnished this soup with bacon, blue cheese and crème fraîche....

working in london

2010-02-14T13:35:00.000-08:00

I was in London this January and had the pleasure to work at Le Cafe Anglais. I ate a lot of good food there the best of which was the parmesan custard with anchovy toast. They have two large rotisseries there that you can use to roast large pieces of meat or hang smaller things like a single steak or small bird. It was a great experience for me.... really opening my eyes to a different type of food. Not that the recipes or techniques varied much from what I'm used to but the ingredients available were very different.

Most notably at the farmers markets where you can only buy items which have been "grown, raised, baked, caught, shot or made by hand by the people selling it". The markets have rules guaranteeing that everything is sold by the farmer who grew it. Here are some examples of whats available...

game birds of all types (grouse, woodcock, mallard, etc.)
all sorts of lovely local cheeses
a variety of cured meats and sausage
artisanal breads and pasties
nice local veggies

and of course a wide variety of different seafood (langoustine, scallops with their coral, red mullet, fresh sardines and the list goes on...)
Like I said awesome food to be had.

Here are a few pics from Cafe Anglais.....

and here are some from the Borough market...

ragù bolognese

2010-02-12T13:16:00.000-08:00

What you will need:
(first to prepare the meat)
8 oz pork shoulder
8 oz beef round or chuck
the peel of 1 orange
6 cloves garlic
2 tsp salt
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp fennel seed
2 tsp rosemary
1 tsp pepper corns
1 tsp coriander seed
4 bay leaves
1 dried red chili seeded

(you will use these next)
2 oz extra virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion sliced
3 T tomato paste
2 cups beef or chicken stock
1 cup water

salt and pepper to taste

This is simple... just run the first eleven ingredients through your meat grinder with the large die plate. If you don't have a grinder grind the spices in a food processor and mix with pre-ground meat. Next heat up a large sauce pan and add the olive oil and the meat mixture. Cook this on medium heat until the meat is nicely browned. Now remove the meat and add the onion. Sweat the onion until soft then add the tomato paste, keeping the pan on medium heat and stirring, cook until it just starts to brown. Stir in your stock and water until all the tomato paste is incorporated. Now let it reduce on low heat until the liquid part of the ragù will coat the back of a spoon, season with salt and pepper to taste, and enjoy.

Toss the ragù with fresh pasta and flat parsley, basil or whatever herbs you like. Top the dish with a bit of extra virgin olive oil and some freshly grated parmesan.

pickled cabbage

2010-01-28T15:21:00.000-08:00

This is great with chicken or fish, on a sandwich or taco, or by itself.

The ingredients:
(mix the next three ingredients together and stand for at least 5 hours)
4 cups thinly sliced green cabbage
.5 cup thinly sliced red cabbage
2 T salt

.5 cup thinly sliced shallot
1 small carrot peeled and shredded
.5 cup flat parsley leaves
.5 cup cilantro leaves
1 tsp chili flake
.5 tsp crushed coriander seed
.5 cup pickling liquid from my recipe

Preparation steps

After the green and red cabbage have "cured" in the salt overnight submerge them in cold water and drain to rinse the salt off. Repeat this step two times. Next you need to expel the excess water... you can either squeeze it out with your hands or place the cabbage in a kitchen towel and twist it until no more water comes out. I find the second method to be more effective.

Once you've done that simply mix the remaining ingredients with the cabbage. You should let it sit for an hour of so before you eat it. You will find that the longer the vegetables marinate in the pickle the more delightfully pink it all turns. The cabbage will keep in the fridge for at least a week.

too short ribs

2010-01-25T07:04:00.000-08:00

The ingredients you will need:
4 pieces of short rib (about 2# with the bone in)

(for the marinade... just mix this together and let the short ribs soak in it overnight)
1 cup red wine
2 celery branch rough chopped
2 bay leaves
2 cloves garlic
black pepper

(for the braise)
dutch oven
the short ribs dried off and seasoned with salt and pepper
the short rib marinade
1 oz olive oil
1 cup diced yellow onion
2 cups carrot large cut
1 bulb garlic with the top cut off and smeared with bacon fat
1 medium tomato diced
1 tsp diced fresh rosemary

(and for the sauce)
2 cups chicken or beef stock
4 oz red wine
everything from the braising pot after you remove the short ribs and skim off the fat
4 oz mushrooms... I used king oyster mushrooms
1 T butter
salt and pepper

You can start by getting your dutch oven hot on the stove and preheating the oven to 325°. Now pour the olive oil in the pot when it starts to smoke add the short ribs. Turn the heat to medium and brown the meat on all sides. Once you've done that remove the shorties from the pot and reserve the excess fat. Return the pan to the heat and add the onion and carrots allow them to get a bit of color. Add the tomato and rosemary. Once the pot starts to stick place the shorties back in along with the marinade and garlic put the lid on and stick it in the oven. It should take about 2.5-3 hours depending on how tender you like the meat.

After the shorties have reached your desired tenderness remove the from the bone and set aside. Add your stock to the pot, while you let it simmer for five minutes or so, and scrape all the caramelized bits off of the pot and into your sauce... then strain it skim off the fat and set aside.

In a hot sauce pan toss a bit off the beef fat, the mushrooms, and a pinch of salt. Cook until the mushrooms start to caramelize then add the red wine, burn off the alcohol and pour in the stock/braising liquid. Let this reduce by about half then put the shorties back in the pan to warm up. Once they are hot plate'em, perhaps with some pomme puree or roasted root veggies, whisk the butter into the sauce season the sauce and pour it on top.

I always like to top the too short ribs with some flat Italian parsley... they should be really good.

pickled pearl onions

2010-01-22T13:50:00.000-08:00

I love pickled onions! They are good with some cured meat, on a salad or atop some pasta. The following recipe is just a basic pickle solution that can be applied to any veggies but the focus here is onion. For onion I like the pickle to be a bit sweet hence the sugar... for say cucumbers I would add less sugar, a bit more salt and some dill. I also like to use a vinegar that matches the color of the veggie. The recipe below turns a nice golden yellow... that's why I like it for the pearl onions. If you're pickling red onions, or beets replace the champagne vinegar with red wine vinegar. So you can tweak it as you see fit.

First ingredients for the pickle:
(the next three spices are to be toasted)
1 T coriander seed
1 T fennel seed
1 tsp pepper corns

(you'll add these next)
1 cup apple cider vinegar
.5 cup champagne vinegar
.5 cup H2o
.75 cup sugar
1 t salt

(then these)
1 tsp mustard seed
.5 tsp chili flake

(this last)
1 10 oz package of pearl onions, peeled

Cooking steps
First, on low heat, toast the coriander, fennel and peppercorns in a sauce pan that will fit all the ingredients. Once the spices become fragrant and maybe smoke just a touch add the water. You don't want to add vinegar to a hot pan without proper ventilation or it will become very uncomfortable for your eyes and throat. So now that the pan has cooled off a bit add the vinegars, sugar, salt, mustard seed and chili flake. Let it cook on medium heat until the sugar dissolves and then on low for five minutes more, remove the pan from heat and let it sit at room temp, so the spices will steep.

Now it is time to prepare the onions. I find the simplest way to do this is as follows. Fill a large pot with about three quarts of heavily salted water and bring it to a boil. While the water is getting hot slice off the very end of the root side of the pearl onions. This should cut into the onion no more than a 1/16 of an inch. You will also need an ice bath large enough to fit the onions. Once the water is boiling add the onions... leave them in the pot for about a minute, drain and place them in the ice bath. After they cool for a few minutes they should peel with ease. Just pick one up and squeeze from the top... the onion should pop right out of the peel! Repeat this until you're finished.... place the onions in a jar and cover with the pickling liquid. You can strain the pickle first for a more refined look. Let them sit, refrigerated, in the pickle for a week before you eat them. This is so they will soak up the vinegar and become tender.

fettucini carbonara

2009-12-14T06:54:00.000-08:00

Ingredients
for the sauce:
(you'll use these ingredients first)
4 oz bacon cut into .5 inch cubes
1 T extra virgin olive oil
1 shallot sliced thin
4 cloves garlic sliced thin
a lot of fresh ground black pepper
salt

(you'll use these ingredients second)
1 oz stock
a splash of the pasta water
1 oz cream

(you'll use these ingredients last)
. 5 cup peas (fresh or frozen)
1 T or so fresh parsley
12 oz fresh pasta
3 egg yolks
1 oz shredded parmesan

For pasta, use my past dough recipe.

Cooking steps
This one is really tasty and easy. Before you start making the sauce get the pasta water boiling. Make sure the water is salty like sea water and add some olive oil to it... just a splash.

First crank up the heat on a large saute pan. Then add the olive oil and bacon.... turn the heat to low after the bacon gets a little color on it. Let the bacon brown very slow turning it occasionally. Once the bacon is fully browned and crisp add the shallots and garlic. At this point you should also start cooking the noodles. Let the shallots and garlic sweat a bit then add the pepper and salt. Now that the veg is soft, add the stock, cream and a splash of the pasta water. Reduce the liquid in the pan by half and remove from the heat.

When the noodles are almost done return the sauce to heat adding the parsley and peas. Once the noodles are cooked to your desired tenderness drain them and toss them in the pan with the sauce. last add the parmesan and egg yolks one at a time as you stir the pasta. Finally plate it and grate some parmesan on top.

pasta dough

2009-12-14T06:00:00.000-08:00

For the dough
500 g tipo 00 flour
18 medium egg yolks
1 oz olive oil
a splash of milk

This is easy... just put the all the ingredients except the milk in your mixer and turn on low. Let it mix about 5 minutes. At this point the dough should still look dry, a bit like bread crumbs, but moist enough that if you grab a bit and squeeze it will stick together. Now add a splash of milk and watch the dough as it mixes... it shouldn't look dry anymore. If it does add a few more drops of milk. Your pasta dough should be in a few big pieces, very firm, not sticky and a golden yellow color. Now you can roll it into whatever you want or wrap it in pastic and store in the cooler up to 3 days. I find it easier to roll after it has rested for at least 45 minutes and is room temp.

really good beef stew with mint gremolata

2009-11-09T16:50:00.000-08:00

For the garnish (mint gremolata):
2 oz extra virgin olive oil
1 T finely sliced parsley
1 T finely sliced mint
1 red chili seeded and diced
1 tsp orange zest
salt & pepper

Just mix the above together and set aside.

Ingredients
For the stew:
(you'll use these ingredients first)
1 dutch oven with a lid
2 beef shanks
2.5 T flour
1 T paprika
2 oz extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper

(you'll use these ingredients second)
5 carrots rough chopped
2 celery branch diced
3 red beets .5 inch cubes
1 chunk of fresh horse radish the size of my little finger
1 red and 1 yellow onion diced
5 parsnips rough chopped

(you'll use these ingredients third)
1 head of garlic peeled
4 T paprika
1 T dried onion flake
1 tsp mace
salt & pepper
1 T finely chopped orange zest
2 bay leaves
5 peeled and seeded plum tomatoes
juice of an orange
3 T chopped flat parsley
2 tsp fresh thyme
2 tsp fresh rosemary

1 qt chicken or beef stock

Cooking Steps
Start by dredging the shanks in flour and paprika then sear them until they are nice and brown. Next remove the beef, turn the heat to low and add the chopped veggies. Sweat them until all the brown bits from the beef shanks come loose from the pan.

Now add the next twelve ingredients. Stir until the spices are completely mixed in bring the pot to a simmer return the beef shanks and add your stock. Put the lid on and put it in the oven on 250º. The stew should cook for about 3.5 hours. Take a look every hour or so... add a bit of water if the stew looks to thick. Once the meat is tender and almost falling from the bone remove the pot from the oven. Now take the beef shanks out pull the meat from the bone, pop out the marrow and remove the connective tissue. Put the meat and marrow back in the pot, give it a stir and check your seasoning.

Finally put some of the stew in a bowl add a spoon of the mint gremolata and serve with some crusty bread.

2009-10-22T14:26:00.000-07:00

Eamons....

Ben's Chili Bowl....

both were good.

red stripe smoked ribs

2009-08-05T11:29:00.001-07:00

I went to the West Side Market in Cleveland the other day... man it was awesome! There were a lot of butcher shops and fish mongers. So anyways I got some ribs there... they looked really nice and were only $2.29 a pound (see below). This is how I cooked them...

First the rib rub;
You want to grind all the spices that need grind'n (coriander, bay leaf & black pepper) and mix them with the rest.

1 bay leaf
1 T coriander seed (fresh if you have it)
1 T black pepper
1.5 T salt
1.5 T sugar
1 T granulated garlic
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp mace
1 tsp dried oregano
about 4 T chopped cilantro

You should rub your ribs at least a day in advance. First peel off the connective tissue on the concave side of the ribs. The easiest way to do this is peel up one corner with your fingernails and then grip it with a towel and yank it off. Next rub the the ribs with your spice mixture so they are coated in an even layer... just enough to stick to them. Cover the ribs and refrigerate for a day or two.

I smoked these ribs with a small amount of coal using cherry wood to make the smoke. I also opened a red stripe and placed above the coal to keep the smoker nice and moist (hence the name). The cook time was about 5 hours... obviously this will vary with the size of your smoker/grill and the amount of coal. Another option is to smoke them for about an hour and then cook them in the oven in a pot with a tight fitting lid. Add some beer and leave them in there for about 2 hours.

I made some jerk sauce to go with them. I suppose it felt like the ribs were Caribbean style. Here's that recipe;

1 oz o.j.
.5 tsp lime zest
2 red chilies seeded and minced
1 T chopped parsley
2 T chopped cilantro
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground allspice
1 oz olive oil
1 minced shallot
1 tsp sriracha
salt and pepper

Just mix these ingredients together and pour it on the ribs before you eat them. Next time I'm going to marinate the ribs in the jerk sauce before smoking them.

blood orange & oil cured olive relish

2009-04-19T14:42:00.000-07:00

I made this today for a snack... it was delightful. The recipe follows.

First smash and pit the olives, dice the roma and garlic. Put these ingredients in a mixing bowl. Now segment the orange and juice the skeleton. Add the supremes, o.j. and the (italian) parsley chiffanade. Season the mixture and mix with a fork to mash the blood orange just a bit.... done.
This was really damn good too.
I served it with broiled ciabatta, shaved pecorino, citrus salad and fresh grapefruit juice. It was refreshing... nice for a spring afternoon.

spinach and garlic soup

2009-02-09T06:17:00.000-08:00

This was good and easy to make. The total preperation time including knife work, cooking, pureeing and storage was just a bit more than an hour. I recommend trying it.

First dice and sweat these items in 1 tb olive oil and a knob of butter.

a pinch of salt
1 medium yellow onion
1 carrot
.5 bulb fennel
5 cloves of garlic

Then add the following elements and simmer for about an hour

2 peeled and diced russet potatoes
1 cup cream
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
20 coriander seeds

Next put all of the above in the blender with the ingredients listed below and puree. This will take 2 or more batches depending on the size of your blender.

10 oz spinach
2 clove garlic
4 oz frozen peeled edamame

Now put everything back into the pot and season with salt and pepper to your liking. This soup was a lot better the second day after the garlic had time to blossom.
I garnished it with crème fraîche and mosta olive oil... i think that some smoked bacon would have been a good addition as well.

pictures of food from work and home

2009-02-02T10:44:00.000-08:00

red snapper.

sweet potato and blue cheese gratin.

quiche in the oven... me in the reflection.

veal breast.

foie gras with sour apple, huckleberry jam and brioche.

grouper.

golden hedgehogs, shimeji's and thyme.

hazelnut pana cotta with carmelized pears and.... i don't remember the rest.

goat cheese mousse packed cherry peppers

2009-01-18T11:07:00.000-08:00

I bought pickled cherry peppers (approx 24) from the olive bar at Whole Foods. I know that lots of gourmet food stores carry these. They are sweet and slightly spicy which goes great with the goat cheese mousse.

For the mousse you need the following:
1 pastry bag (small tip required) or a ziplock
3 oz goat cheese
3 0z heavy cream
1 tbs chives sliced thin
1 tsp thyme fresh leaves
sea salt
black pepper

1. put everything but the cream into your kitchen aid fitted with the paddle attachment
2. mix on low until cheese is softened
3. remove contents from bowl
4. put cream into mixing bowl with the whip attachment
5. whip until it has stiff peaks
6. fold the goat cheese mix into the whip cream with a spatula
7. fill pastry bag or ziplock (is using ziplock, just cut the corner off making a hole the size of the end of your pinky finger)
8. fill peppers with mixture
9. i garnished the finished platter with olive oil and fresh parsley

guglhupf

2008-07-08T15:32:00.000-07:00

Today Marty and I went to a bakery in Durham for lunch. Best sandwiches I've eaten in a long time — roasted beet and a brat on a pretzel roll. I highly recommend it if you live in the area. The name of the place is Guglhupf.

pictures of food from work and home

2008-07-08T12:58:00.001-07:00

avocado, sweet peas, leeks, mixed greens, fresh corriander grilled shrimp (not yet on plate in this pic) :

carrot soup portioned out:

some kind of oregano:

filo "package" testing:

filo testing with two cold soups (carrot/cucumber):

lamb tenderloin with sweet potato maytag gratin:

frozen pickled grape and beet salad:

tuna carpaccio:

last pic: lamb tenderloin roulade with fried artichokes

garden update

2008-06-30T14:47:00.000-07:00

garden

2008-06-26T08:06:00.000-07:00

Marty and I planted a garden again this year... far larger than last years. We have 6 kinds of tomatoes, basil, lemon thyme, cilantro, thai basil, purple basil, chives and squash. The squash plants win the prize for growing the most but everything else will soon be ready.

My point is that all it took was about $50 and one afternoon and we will have herbs all summer for free. At the store most herbs come in a 2 or 3oz bunch for $3... what a rip off! Not to mention we have more squash than we can cook and soon tons of tomatoes. I can't wait.

Do your self a favor and plant a garden.

dressings

2008-05-29T06:38:00.000-07:00

Here are a few dressing recipes that I have made at various restaurants where I have worked. All of the dressings are easy to make and require few "specialty" ingredients. At work I would just make these by eye most of the time. I am sure they are good.... we wrote them on the plane ride back to Raleigh so all the measurements are from memory.
Enjoy.

all salads should be seasoned with freshly ground salt and pepper.
all herbs should be fresh.
all dressings should be tossed.
+++++++++++++++++

Cranberry Vinagrette
2 oz red wine vinegar
2 oz cranberry juice
2 oz craisins
1 tsp dijon
1/2 tsp sugar
5 oz olive oil

puree in blender, slowly add olive oil.
recommended with cashews, blue cheese and craisins.

Blue Cheese a la Pork
2 tbs minced red onion
1/4 c blue cheese crumbled
2 oz white wine vinegar
pinch of thyme
5 oz extra virigin olive oil

whisk

Country Captain Roasted Garlic Buttermilk Dressing
1 bulb roasted garlic
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
2 oz white wine vinegar
1 tsp dijon
4 oz buttermilk
4 oz vegetable oil (more or less based on consistency)

puree in blender, slowly add oil until slightly thick.
you are looking for a consitency like common ranch dressing.

Garden Dressing
3 tbs parsley
2 tbs oregano
1 tbs mint
1 tbs basil
1 tsp thyme
1 small clove minced garlic
1/2 shallot minced
1 tsp dijon
2 oz buttermilk
6 oz olive oil

chop in food processor until minced while adding olive oil.
when preparing the salad, squeeze lemon juice on top and toss.
add the lemon at the very end, as it will discolor the dressing.

Sesame Orange Dressing
1 cup orange juice reduced to 1/4 cup (until syrupy)
1 tbs toasted sesame seeds
1 shallot minced
1 1/2 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1 cup olive oil

whisk

Lemon Parmesan Dressing
juice from 1 lemon
1 pinch microplaned lemon peel
1 clove minced garlic
2 tbs finely grated parmesan
5 oz olive oil

whisk

Sherry Vinagrette
1 shallot diced
1 tbs thyme leaves roughly chopped
2 oz sherry vinager
4 oz olive oil

whisk
good on oysters, blanced potatos, or green beans

Honey Mustard
2 tbs dijon
1 tbs honey
1 egg yolk
1 oz white wine vinager
6 oz vegetable oil

blend in food processor and slowly add oil until it emulsifies

tuna roll

2008-03-24T08:30:00.000-07:00

This is a new technique i've recently learned for processing tuna loin. This approach makes the tuna look like a perfect cylinder after you prepare and plate it. First clean the loin removing the blood line and chain. Next section the tuna into long rectangular pieces slicing down the middle from one end to the other. Following that cool the tuna in the walk in for about half an hour until it has firmed up again.

This next step will take two people and a long flat surface. Remove the plastic wrap from the box, one person will hold the plastic wrap tight while the other wraps the tuna. Roll the tuna once with the wrap to secure the plastic on the fish.

At this point you will roll it very tightly, taking care not to rip the flesh, put as much tension on the wrap as you can and begin rolling the tuna until it forms a cylinder. As it becomes round fold the loose ends of the plastic over the ends of the tuna and keep rolling until it is extremely firm and shaped like a pole. Once you have achieved the baton shape place the tuna in the cooler for a few hours (it works best if you do it over night).

The tuna is now ready to slice. Tranche it into whatever thickness you desire. I recommend about an inch thick, unwrap, season and sear in a hot pan and it should keep its perfect round shape.

steamed clams

2007-08-06T18:00:00.000-07:00

Since moving to Raleigh, where the seafood is readily available, I have been making variations on this recipe. Here I am using clams, but you can use mussels too.

When you purchase the clams, you must put them in cold water for approx 2 hours total. You need to take the clams out of the water and put into a new container with cold water 4 times in the 2 hours. This allows the clams to clean themselves by sifting clean water through them and getting rid of the sand.

For 2 people you will need:
20 clams
2 cups white wine
2 cloves of garlic - diced
1 shallot - diced
2 tbls butter
1 tbls flat italian parsley - diced
1 tbls of fresh chives - thinly sliced
1/2 a baguette
pinch sea salt - i like maldon
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

In a medium saucepan (one that will hold all of your clams) melt 1/2 the butter and add garlic and shallots over medium heat. Cook until softened. Add the clams and the red pepper - allow to simmer for 30 sec, then add wine, turn to high heat and cover. After approx 3 min. take the lid off to check. If the clams haven't opened, cover and wait until they have. Once the clams have opened, remove clams (clams only) and put into 2 bowls. Add herbs to saucepan and cook for 1 minute over high heat. Turn the heat off and add remaining butter, lemon juice, and salt to taste. Stir until the butter is melted and pour that mixture onto clams. Serve with toasted baguette.

You should serve this with an extra bowl to put the empty clams in.

green bean and fresh mozz salad

2007-06-19T07:02:00.000-07:00

This is a great salad for summer time when many different types of fresh beans are available. In this recipe I used green beans but you can use whatever kind you want. I made a sherry vinaigrette to go with it. Marty loved it! The recipe is as follows:

vinaigrette(this makes more than you will need but it will keep for a week in the cooler)

1 shallot diced
2 oz sherry vinegar
2 oz extra virgin olive oil
1 sprig fresh thyme
mix it all together

the salad(for four)

1/2 baguette
a bit of olive oil(for brushing the bread)
1 pound green beans
8 oz fresh mozz
15 leaves flat leaf Italian parsley
salt and pepper(to taste)

First, blanch the green beans in some very salty water until they are slightly softened then drop them in ice water to cool. Next, slice the bread about half an inch thick and brush it with olive oil then put in your broiler until it is very dark. After that, chop up the parsley and mix it with the green beans, salt and pepper. Then add about 2 tablespoons of vinaigrette and put about 2/3 of the salad on the plates. Put a piece of toast on top of that then some mozz. Repeat layering once more and drizzle a bit of vinaigrette on top.

then eat it.

shrimp pasta for marty

2007-04-17T09:00:00.000-07:00

This is a dish I made for my wife when she got off work the other night. I thought it came out great. Most of the things used you can get anywhere but the harissa sauce you might have to get at a middle eastern market or specialty store. Harissa sauce is from Tunisian and is popular in a lot of north African cooking. I like it as a condiment but it also works well as an ingredient as i found out when I made this dish. What you need to get started is as follows:

your favorite type of pasta
2 Tb extra virgin olive oil
1 roasted red pepper sliced
1 shallot diced
3 cloves garlic smashed and sliced
.5 # shrimp peeled, de-vained and butterflied
5oz white wine
4 Tb flat leaf parsley chiffanade
1 Tb harrissa sauce
3 Tb parm
s&p to taste
1 Tb butter

First bring a large saute pan up to medium heat add the garlic shallots and oil cook until they are soft. Next add the shrimp and red peppers cook until the shrimp are about half done then add the white wine and harissa. Toss the shrimp a few times then add every thing but the parm and toss it until the pasta is well coated then add the parm. This completes the shrimp pasta for Marty.