tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66120302781030838852024-03-21T20:08:58.931-05:00Inventing the Universe"If you wish to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first invent the universe." - Carl Sagan [Cosmos (1980) Page 218]
I usually like to cook from scratch, but how close I come to inventing the universe varies.Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06741092811012405089noreply@blogger.comBlogger42125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6612030278103083885.post-46534507722430938852013-10-20T17:23:00.001-05:002013-10-20T17:23:24.293-05:00Bacon-infused Old Fashioned Cocktail<p>I recently had a similar cocktail at the Ravenous Pig in Orlando, Florida (wonderful experience there). I found several recipes for <a href="http://inventingtheuniverse.blogspot.com/2009/07/blt-challenge-bacon.html" target="_blank">bacon</a>-infused bourbon online, but decided to try it with rye as I prefer that spirit for Old Fashioned cocktails.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-HCzJ_LnQlGc/UmRXzVD3WcI/AAAAAAAAA8Y/-66_Nj9xp00/s1600-h/IMG_1005%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_1005" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_1005" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Rg7ugsPtJn8/UmRXzyxNifI/AAAAAAAAA8c/Rvrp5PprR5w/IMG_1005_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="364" height="484" /></a></p> <p>I picked a happy medium of the recipes I found for the amount of <a href="http://inventingtheuniverse.blogspot.com/2009/07/blt-challenge-bacon.html" target="_blank">bacon</a> drippings to use (from 1 oz. fat to 750 ml liquor, to 1 cup fat to 2 cups liquor {at Restaurant August}). I used about 1/4 cup of my homemade bacon (using the <a href="http://modernistcuisine.com/books/modernist-cuisine/" target="_blank">MC</a> cure) drippings that I had saved in the refrigerator with 750 ml Old Overholt Straight Rye whiskey.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-CjtfNRFWQvo/UmRX0OCsV3I/AAAAAAAAA8o/yA-8NlIen-c/s1600-h/IMG_1009%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_1009" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_1009" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-EPT312XeBR0/UmRX0w3oj3I/AAAAAAAAA8s/LqfCBQUniU4/IMG_1009_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="364" height="484" /></a></p> <p>You  add the liquor to the melted fat and agitate the jar frequently over 6 hours, warming as needed to keep the fat liquid; then freeze overnight to solidify the fat for removal.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-fyFP6Dv9Ftw/UmRX1W5oO0I/AAAAAAAAA8w/SUvicCEGqlo/s1600-h/IMG_1019%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_1019" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_1019" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-KJREwrK06oE/UmRX1xUWHxI/AAAAAAAAA88/iFT4F9Up83s/IMG_1019_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="364" height="484" /></a></p> <p>The recipe for the infusion and cocktail that I found on the New York Magazine site called for maple syrup which was also listed as an ingredient in the Ravenous Pig menu. I was so happy I already had some maple syrup on hand.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Q9gr3FoZ3A4/UmRX2ViqJhI/AAAAAAAAA9E/ih_6id0xXoQ/s1600-h/IMG_1021%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_1021" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_1021" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/--FuilB0XNyU/UmRX29TWgEI/AAAAAAAAA9M/NDnLuKCNhdE/IMG_1021_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="829" height="623" /></a></p> <p>The Ravenous Pig used the maple glazed bacon strip garnish. I wanted to use that idea, but I didn’t want to take 20 minutes to cook up just a couple of slices of my homemade bacon so I (gasp!) used my “emergency freezer bacon” – Hormel Microwave Ready bacon that I keep in the freezer for bacon emergencies (anyway, it’s still BACON). This was very easy to do and I think the cocktail is <em>very</em> good.</p> Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06741092811012405089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6612030278103083885.post-40527429925716577922013-10-20T11:28:00.001-05:002013-10-20T11:28:21.581-05:00My First Nomiku Recipe: Deep Fried Egg Yolks<div id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:b964bb48-30af-47b8-9852-dff0af7e6f67" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Sous+Vide" rel="tag">Sous Vide</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Eggs" rel="tag">Eggs</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/fried" rel="tag">fried</a></div> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-DMSIUPerWUU/UmQEnK9bjJI/AAAAAAAAA7g/xTBprE72w84/s1600-h/Deep%252520Fried%252520Egg%252520Yolks%252520%2525281%252529%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="Deep Fried Egg Yolks (1)" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Deep Fried Egg Yolks (1)" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-EieXsHmvFjc/UmQEnYsCybI/AAAAAAAAA7k/LXuDMELHMk4/Deep%252520Fried%252520Egg%252520Yolks%252520%2525281%252529_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="364" height="484" /></a> <p>I received my Kickstarter reward Nomiku immersion circulator last week, the night before I was leaving for vacation. I didn’t let myself even open the box because I was afraid of getting sucked into trying it when I really needed to get to sleep.</p> <p>Being the egg yolk fan that I am, I’ve been anxious to try the recipe for Deep Fried Egg Yolks that I saw in the web version primer kindly provided by the founders for the backers to look at while waiting for their unit to ship.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-eqBOQ0pZkD0/UmQEnzEd-2I/AAAAAAAAA7s/DSZZldofGHU/s1600-h/Deep%252520Fried%252520Egg%252520Yolks%252520%2525282%252529%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="Deep Fried Egg Yolks (2)" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Deep Fried Egg Yolks (2)" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-l9vhKwSI_Tk/UmQEoHGC0eI/AAAAAAAAA70/4xBgpESd9rA/Deep%252520Fried%252520Egg%252520Yolks%252520%2525282%252529_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="364" height="484" /></a></p> <p>The unit seemed to keep a stable temperature as specified and the yolks came out perfect (though I popped one, being too vigorous when pinching off a chalaza). I was able to rescue it by proceeding quickly to the breading and frying.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-V3OFadKOXxM/UmQEonsdLMI/AAAAAAAAA78/wn6KHaF3NB4/s1600-h/Deep%252520Fried%252520Egg%252520Yolks%252520%2525284%252529%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="Deep Fried Egg Yolks (4)" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Deep Fried Egg Yolks (4)" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-NGCVgirrAxs/UmQEo_QVqlI/AAAAAAAAA8I/iN9sdnm6QtY/Deep%252520Fried%252520Egg%252520Yolks%252520%2525284%252529_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="829" height="623" /></a></p> <p>Served the yolks with homemade <a href="http://inventingtheuniverse.blogspot.com/2009/07/blt-challenge-bacon.html" target="_blank">bacon</a> and hash browns fried in duck fat. I’m very pleased with the result and the Nomiku.</p> Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06741092811012405089noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6612030278103083885.post-65348161899142116022013-01-10T17:14:00.001-06:002013-01-10T17:14:27.468-06:00Duck-Fat Powder for Popcorn<p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-sGRT3nYbFtM/UO9LSVkntbI/AAAAAAAAA4M/v1GdYokI8KE/s1600-h/IMG_0671%25255B8%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_0671" border="0" alt="IMG_0671" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-aYQJX6QJT8Y/UO9LS6zfoNI/AAAAAAAAA4U/_7zmlVKK2Qg/IMG_0671_thumb%25255B11%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="745" height="699" /></a></p> <p>THE perfect popcorn seasoning? At least it’s the best I’ve ever tasted.</p> <p>It was finally cold enough to light a fire last weekend, and I love popcorn and hot chocolate by the fire. I had a quarter tub of rendered duck fat from D’Artagnan in the fridge and some tapioca maltodextrin in my pantry and thought, “Eureka! I can make duck-fat powder for my popcorn.” I decided to search online for some relevant recipes to get an idea of the ratio (since I was sitting in my office and didn’t feel like going to my cookbook shelf to check <a href="http://modernistcuisine.com/books/modernist-cuisine/" target="_blank">MC</a>). Much to my chagrin, I found that Scott Heimendinger of Seattle Food Geek and <a href="http://modernistcuisine.com/books/modernist-cuisine/" target="_blank">MC's</a> Director of Applied Research had posted a <a href="http://seattlefoodgeek.com/2011/03/powdered-duck-fat-popcorn-seasoning/" target="_blank">recipe</a> for just that. I’m sure I must have seen his post in the past; and here I thought I had had a genius idea…</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-zoqn1zhBwLU/UO9LT3noGkI/AAAAAAAAA4c/EJxwmu3OM2o/s1600-h/IMG_0670%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_0670" border="0" alt="IMG_0670" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-c6Mi00AmFo0/UO9LURZZHlI/AAAAAAAAA4k/Q24txP3p2X0/IMG_0670_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="829" height="623" /></a></p> <p>It’s a very quick and easy modernist cuisine technique with the addition of a tiny bit of cornstarch to prevent clumping and some popcorn salt. I popped 1/3 cup of popcorn in about 3 tablespoons of duck fat, then tossed it with the duck-fat powder. Oh my! It was so good, I may serve it at my next party. My husband skeptically deigned to try some; he went through the rest of the bowl like a wood-chipper. In fact, it was so wonderful, and since it used half of my small bag of tapioca maltodextrin, I immediately ordered a one pound tub of it to keep on hand.</p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:7dc1bd33-94bd-46fd-a20b-0131235bcd47:13814ff5-288e-4c54-a724-0d56bc818e33" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="400" border="0" unselectable="on"><br /><tbody><tr><br /><td valign="top" width="400"><br /><p><a title="WillPowder Tapioca Maltodextrin, 1-Pound Tubs: Grocery & Gourmet Food" href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00250U9BI/inventingt-20"><img src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00250U9BI.01.MZZZZZZZ.jpg" border="0" align="left" style="float:left">WillPowder Tapioca Maltodextrin, 1-Pound Tubs: Grocery & Gourmet Food</a><br><br><b>ASIN</b>: B00250U9BI</p><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div> Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06741092811012405089noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6612030278103083885.post-38953003310055182852012-10-21T09:08:00.001-05:002012-10-21T11:33:26.877-05:00“B” Dinner: Buffalo Wings, Blue Cheese Dip, Broccoli Soup<p>I recently purchased </p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:7dc1bd33-94bd-46fd-a20b-0131235bcd47:a50f6d0a-e471-419c-869d-287b4c13ac7a" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="400" border="0" unselectable="on"><br /><tbody><tr><br /><td valign="top" width="400"><br /><p><a title="Modernist Cuisine at Home: Nathan Myhrvold,Maxime Bilet: 9780982761014: Books" href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0982761015/inventingt-20"><img src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0982761015.01.MZZZZZZZ.jpg" border="0" align="left" style="float:left">Modernist Cuisine at Home: Nathan Myhrvold,Maxime Bilet: 9780982761014: Books</a><br><br></p><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <p>and finally gave in and bought a pressure cooker. </p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:7dc1bd33-94bd-46fd-a20b-0131235bcd47:f175010f-538e-4b12-9f68-a2358ca14cc3" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="400" border="0" unselectable="on"><br /><tbody><tr><br /><td valign="top" width="400"><br /><p><a title="Fagor Duo Combi 5-Piece Pressure Cooker Set: Kitchen & Dining" href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00023D9S0/inventingt-20"><img src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00023D9S0.01.MZZZZZZZ.jpg" border="0" align="left" style="float:left">Fagor Duo Combi 5-Piece Pressure Cooker Set: Kitchen & Dining</a><br><br><b>ASIN</b>: B00023D9S0</p><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <p>I love this set since I couldn’t decide which size to buy. This comes with a 4 and 8 quart pot, trivet and steamer basket, a glass lid in addition to the pressure lid so it’s not a single purpose item, two pressure settings, and it works on my induction burner.</p> <p> </p> <p>Tried the much lauded (from Modernist Cuisine) @ Home version of the Caramelized Carrot Soup and brown chicken stock last weekend to christen the pressure cooker.</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-_krMbzG5Efk/UIQBs46WlKI/AAAAAAAAA1M/8XURh80hFLU/s1600-h/IMG_0538%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_0538" border="0" alt="IMG_0538" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-mdHEg0cE6ic/UIQBtWsD6SI/AAAAAAAAA1U/hQ_DhqFq7dE/IMG_0538_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="364" height="484" /></a></p> <p>I strained the stock first through a colander, and then through a 100 micron mesh bag.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-pMj7QjViCSg/UIQBt90_B9I/AAAAAAAAA1c/PHMUizLB-Ms/s1600-h/IMG_0557%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_0557" border="0" alt="IMG_0557" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-5YbOakoQlhw/UIQBubKxqhI/AAAAAAAAA1k/Cmu1fEzv3v4/IMG_0557_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="364" height="484" /></a></p> <p>Very tasty and wonderful body. I used it 50:50 with water in the carrot soup because I didn’t want to search for carrot juice.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ka4dm9OlW3w/UIQBum9p-NI/AAAAAAAAA1s/gi57AIftcCk/s1600-h/IMG_0541%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_0541" border="0" alt="IMG_0541" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-rvuC1tUEGTY/UIQBvCUSg4I/AAAAAAAAA10/X7N28DhK4xM/IMG_0541_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="623" height="829" /></a></p> <p>I see what all the fuss is about. The soup was wonderful.  And I wish I’d bought that pressure cooker set last year when I got MC.</p> <p> </p> <p>Yesterday I was indulging in my usual Saturday morning food blog surfing and followed a link on egullet.org to a <a href="http://www.seriouseats.com/2012/10/the-food-lab-korean-fried-chicken.html" target="_blank">Food Lab article</a> on Korean Fried Chicken by Kenji. I had been tempted by the crispy wings in MC@H, but I don’t have the sous vide capacity to make very many at once, and if I make wings (and have to share with my husband), I want a lot.</p> <p>The Korean Wings post lead me to Kenji’s Food Lab article on <a href="http://www.seriouseats.com/2012/01/the-food-lab-how-to-make-best-buffalo-wings-fry-again-ultimate-crispy-deep-fried-buffalo-wings.html" target="_blank">The Ultimate Extra-Crispy Double Fried Confit Buffalo Wings</a>. This recipe uses four pounds of wings – now that’s more like it.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-TiizAikNzdE/UIQBv08QtEI/AAAAAAAAA18/ZmV0pui9q3c/s1600-h/IMG_0555%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_0555" border="0" alt="IMG_0555" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-K_Qdmv3JpDc/UIQBwOL_pfI/AAAAAAAAA2E/A8OUQkQQRzw/IMG_0555_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-iktOqIMH97A/UIQBwgNdZFI/AAAAAAAAA2M/yZ1C3a7IgOA/s1600-h/IMG_0556%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_0556" border="0" alt="IMG_0556" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-TyfHwKOiM8c/UIQBxA6wD5I/AAAAAAAAA2U/3v_zinqWUqs/IMG_0556_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244" /></a></p> <p>I used the oven method to confit the wings; I like the unattended cooking aspect of it. Even though it’s not from MC@H, it does have the same spirit.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-j5xtsa5Z6bE/UIQBxaFY7lI/AAAAAAAAA2c/z5DYvqbk3Hw/s1600-h/IMG_0561%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_0561" border="0" alt="IMG_0561" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-fqFHhxXm4c0/UIQBx50oYcI/AAAAAAAAA2k/VaukqrwIdbA/IMG_0561_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244" /></a></p> <p>With all this impromptu cooking, conceived that morning, I didn’t want to burden my husband who was shopping for me on his way home by adding all the ingredients needed for the MC@H Buffalo sauce. I went with my standard sauce of half butter and half Crystal Hot Sauce.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-SbPoD83pHwk/UIQByRkJzrI/AAAAAAAAA2s/-8ditdfP-lI/s1600-h/IMG_0558%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_0558" border="0" alt="IMG_0558" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-FzeB-yaCWOg/UIQByk5Wd7I/AAAAAAAAA20/TJOo0Rtz9Nc/IMG_0558_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244" /></a></p> <p>I did feel I could impose on him enough to find some blue cheese and milk so I could make the Blue Cheese Sauce. He brought home some lovely Stilton.</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-IPB87Cb2URc/UIQBzDA74MI/AAAAAAAAA28/kdboCAKqt38/s1600-h/IMG_0560%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_0560" border="0" alt="IMG_0560" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-fFDqYDChNrc/UIQBz-kG-kI/AAAAAAAAA3E/UC3R3TCA9uE/IMG_0560_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="364" height="484" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p>The Caramelized Carrot Soup was so good, I was anxious to try the Broccoli-Gruyere Soup (especially since I had broccoli, gruyere, and the MC@H brown chicken stock  in the fridge already).</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/--CkNhBe-5xA/UIQB0EtGtaI/AAAAAAAAA3M/bbLxKQNv6wg/s1600-h/IMG_0563%25255B8%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_0563" border="0" alt="IMG_0563" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-N23tZzK-6UI/UIQB0_NcIBI/AAAAAAAAA3U/shLNlq3wYlM/IMG_0563_thumb%25255B8%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="808" height="642" /></a></p> <p>I didn’t have hazelnuts for the garnish, so I used roasted-salted pumpkin seeds with the thyme. My husband and I loved it. It’s more olive toned than Gordon Ramsey’s bright green broccoli soup. I may cut down on the pressure cooking time next try to see if I can keep a better color.</p> <p> </p> <p>Since the MC@H Blue Cheese Sauce is heat stable with the sodium citrate, I warmed a portion of the sauce to use in my whipper and try it in addition to the chilled sauce. I think I prefer the contrast of the cold sauce with the hot wings.</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-N97DpN_s8S0/UIQB1N3hnCI/AAAAAAAAA3c/aseNkLXx4Rs/s1600-h/IMG_0566%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_0566" border="0" alt="IMG_0566" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-W-EMqs3rvzA/UIQB2Jm8dAI/AAAAAAAAA3k/JKXkyGLjnpQ/IMG_0566_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="623" height="829" /></a></p> <p>(Sorry about the messy plating, by this time my husband and I were so hungry, we just put the food on the plate and I took one quick photo.)</p> <p>Either way, the Blue Cheese Sauce is great. Well worth making rather than using store-bought or standard home-made dressing. Intense blue cheese flavor. The wings were as Kenji promised; ultra-crispy and kept their crispiness even with standard Buffalo sauce.</p> <p>I will be making all of these again, and hopefully frequently.</p> Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06741092811012405089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6612030278103083885.post-54909286243083173762011-07-05T15:25:00.002-05:002011-11-08T08:12:08.524-06:00Modernist Cuisine | Tomato Spheres with Basil OilFor my first shot at spherification, I thought I'd try the summery take on familiar Insalata Caprese with Tomato Water with Basil Oil served in mozzarella cups. I originally wanted to try to make balsamic caviar, but decided that would be too ambitious for a first attempt.<br />
No centrifuge at my house. Luckily found a pointer to McMaster-Carr 100 micron filter bags somewhere in the egullet forums a few weeks ago. The output is not clear as in the centrifuged version, but at least I get to try it.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-xEIEX5srk8k/ThNy7XD0edI/AAAAAAAAAys/V-nBIoqUuk8/s1600-h/IMG_1000000166%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="IMG_1000000166" border="0" height="484" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-t9R7XjpPU4w/ThNy72imMBI/AAAAAAAAAyw/USX_85stJGU/IMG_1000000166_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_1000000166" width="363" /></a><br />
<strong>Tomato water made from my BIL's homegrown tomatoes</strong><br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-TBtRZpAsvt4/ThNy8CaLMbI/AAAAAAAAAy0/d2JLb3T3XlI/s1600-h/IMG_1000000167%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="IMG_1000000167" border="0" height="484" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-6K7lScwxygE/ThNy8r2SjKI/AAAAAAAAAy4/zSkxc6aMLyQ/IMG_1000000167_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_1000000167" width="363" /></a><br />
<strong>Basil Oil</strong><br />
<br />
The day before I used Algin and Calcic from the <br />
<div class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" id="scid:7dc1bd33-94bd-46fd-a20b-0131235bcd47:39427836-7dbb-4737-98f4-8351c42a6818" style="display: inline; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" style="width: 400px;" unselectable="on"><tbody>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="400"><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B001TJOL24/inventingt-20" title="Experimental Kit Texturas, 150 Grams (Limited Time Offer- While Supplies Last 15% Off): Grocery & Gourmet Food"><img align="left" border="0" src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B001TJOL24.01.MZZZZZZZ.jpg" style="float: left;" />Experimental Kit Texturas, 150 Grams (Limited Time Offer- While Supplies Last 15% Off): Grocery & Gourmet Food</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div>for the tomato water and bath, and made the basil oil. I planned to use a 2 1/4 tsp. yeast measuring spoon for the spheres (wanted a bit smaller bite than 1 tablespoon), and molded Ciliegine mozzarella cut in half and softened in hot water on the back of it to hold the spheres for service. <br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-sXE8kxynBhA/ThNy9MBVBCI/AAAAAAAAAy8/eLWgb2aTotU/s1600-h/IMG_1000000169%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="IMG_1000000169" border="0" height="363" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-uGMXPT2k5_Y/ThNy9uYj9_I/AAAAAAAAAzE/1wJAHIVYL4o/IMG_1000000169_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_1000000169" width="484" /></a> <br />
<strong>Mise</strong> Tomato water, measuring spoon, small syringe for trial with 18g needle containing basil oil, Calcic bath is out of photo to left, and water rinses to right. Slotted spoon is in my hand as I forgot to put it down to take the photo.<br />
I made 4 miserable looking blobs – none decent enough to even try to inject the basil oil - then quietly gave up and quickly put everything away in the refrigerator. Time to step back and relax. Company expected soon for the 4th, don’t push it.<br />
<br />
On vacation this week, quiet day at home, time to try again.<br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-fADhxkwWeOg/ThNy-FgERDI/AAAAAAAAAzI/IB6ipmsn8DY/s1600-h/IMG_1000000168%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="IMG_1000000168" border="0" height="484" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-FaZi6xScUmc/ThNy-VcBSCI/AAAAAAAAAzM/lgX0Xgr0Y7A/IMG_1000000168_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_1000000168" width="363" /></a> <br />
<strong>Not very spherical but the basil inclusion is fairly nice and round.</strong><br />
<br />
<strong></strong><br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-lA59Qx8rf1U/ThNzGK_WeCI/AAAAAAAAAzQ/L64IXxj4HG4/s1600-h/IMG_1000000171%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="IMG_1000000171" border="0" height="620" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-sGMss_3MZdE/ThNzGwMzV3I/AAAAAAAAAzU/O7Hg9JRHIcI/IMG_1000000171_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_1000000171" width="829" /></a><strong>Much better, though the basil oil is wonky.</strong> I almost like it better this way, doesn't look so much like an eyeball.<br />
I'll practice a bit more when my husband gets home this evening so he can try one.Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06741092811012405089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6612030278103083885.post-17855393588013288562011-04-06T19:52:00.002-05:002011-07-05T15:27:28.746-05:00Modernist Cuisine Mac & Cheese | Make Your Own “Top Shelf” Processed Cheese Block<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TZ0KotzB_6I/AAAAAAAAAxA/dyxkMyNw_Eo/s1600-h/MC%20Mac%20%26%20Cheese04062011_13%5B4%5D.jpg"><img alt="MC Mac & Cheese04062011_13" border="0" height="623" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TZ0Ko92O9xI/AAAAAAAAAxE/8FXkm7WpZ4U/MC%20Mac%20%26%20Cheese04062011_13_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="MC Mac & Cheese04062011_13" width="829" /></a><br />
I’ve been waiting like a 6 year old for Christmas for my copy of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Modernist-Cuisine-Art-Science-Cooking/dp/0982761007/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1302132592&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Modernist Cuisine</a>. Thanks to the wonderful Chris Amirault on eGullet, I was able to make the Modernist Cuisine Mac & Cheese while waiting for my copy of the opus (which I’ve finally received the shipping email notification on). The underlying theme of this recipe is to create your own processed cheese that will be “break proof” (you can even boil it and it won’t separate into globs of cheese and fat) but made from high quality cheese rather than unripe scraps, etc. Imagine having a homemade processed block of cheese in your freezer that will melt and be as stable as Velveeta, but made with a fine aged Cheddar and Gouda. You need to have a couple of “chemicals” on hand; but they are ingredients that have been used in certain areas of the world for hundreds, if not thousands of years. It’s just recently that we have them available in a shelf stable, convenient form. When I did a medical school rotation in Scotland (many years ago), the wonderful 80 year old woman that befriended me made me a traditional island pudding that had been made for centuries from carrageenan in seaweed that she harvested, dried, and processed herself. So, you can’t get away with saying this is made with mad scientist chemicals – it’s actually old school, many Americans just aren’t familiar with the wonderful properties of these ingredients. As Chris Hennes on eGullet so eruditely put it:<br />
<em>“No, this isn't some kind of play on words, or a joke-recipe, or some kind of fascinating modernist creation. It's just macaroni and cheese. This recipe is a clear demonstration that while you can use modernist ingredients to create some really crazy stuff, you can also apply them to simply take a classic dish and make it better. And believe me when I say it: this version of mac and cheese is so vastly, clearly superior to anything I've ever had it is mind boggling. <br />
There are two keys to the dish, both related to problems with the original: the first is that when you make a cheese sauce with a béchamel base, you have to use a LOT of béchamel, and there is a limit to how much cheese you can add before it breaks. This winds up diluting the cheese flavor, and is part of the reason I would never consider making a traditional mac and cheese with a really great cheese: its subtlety would simply be lost, and you'd gain nothing over using a simpler cheese. The second key is that not only does béchamel dilute the cheese flavor purely by volume, it also has poor "flavor release" compared to, say, carrageenan: the book spends a great deal of time talking about this sort of thing, and it's very helpful for understanding why these techniques work as well as they do. <br />
So, the modernist version of the dish does away with the béchamel base: instead, you make a small amount of a solution of beer, water, </em><a href="http://wiki.egullet.org/index.php?title=Sodium_citrate"><em>sodium citrate</em></a><em> (to emulsify the cheese) and </em><a href="http://wiki.egullet.org/index.php?title=Carrageenan"><em>carrageenan</em></a><em> (the thicken the sauce). You then melt a huge quantity of excellent cheese into it (I used Cabot clothbound cheddar and Roomano Pradera Gouda), in effect making your own processed cheese block. You chill it down until you literally have a block of processed cheese more or less the consistency of Velveeta, and then you shred it. The pasta is cooked in just enough water for it to absorb, and then the shredded cheese product is stirred in. You wind up with a mac and cheese the same texture as if you had used Velveeta: perfectly, flawlessly smooth. Except it tastes incredibly intensely like the best cheeses in the world! Perhaps you have gathered here that I rather liked the stuff. If this is "Modernist" then consider me modernified.”</em><br />
When I read this, I was hooked! Unfortunately, when I was shopping for the cheese for this recipe, Whole Foods was having a bad cheese day; my result was good, but not transcendent. The Cabot clothbound Cheddar isn’t available until Friday, and I need to search for a good, aged Gouda. Anyway, the results were still phenomenal.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TZ0KpS9V0zI/AAAAAAAAAxI/KBaXH4spdjU/s1600-h/MC%20Mac%20%26%20Cheese04062011_01%5B4%5D.jpg"><img alt="MC Mac & Cheese04062011_01" border="0" height="484" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TZ0KpuixZwI/AAAAAAAAAxM/rkUc0odz0nY/MC%20Mac%20%26%20Cheese04062011_01_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="MC Mac & Cheese04062011_01" width="364" /></a><br />
I found the Sodium Citrate and Iota Carrageenan on Amazon.com. I already had a precision scale for my natural perfume work.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TZ0Kp3lS9PI/AAAAAAAAAxQ/RzTQHwGHQOw/s1600-h/MC%20Mac%20%26%20Cheese04062011_02%5B4%5D.jpg"><img alt="MC Mac & Cheese04062011_02" border="0" height="484" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TZ0KqPK8ypI/AAAAAAAAAxU/c2Firejnhw8/MC%20Mac%20%26%20Cheese04062011_02_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="MC Mac & Cheese04062011_02" width="364" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TZ0KqQgdjfI/AAAAAAAAAxY/bK_QN9lz45c/s1600-h/MC%20Mac%20%26%20Cheese04062011_03%5B4%5D.jpg"><img alt="MC Mac & Cheese04062011_03" border="0" height="484" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TZ0Kqg72R5I/AAAAAAAAAxc/hJXRcrgLU1k/MC%20Mac%20%26%20Cheese04062011_03_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="MC Mac & Cheese04062011_03" width="364" /></a><br />
Uniodized, please.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TZ0Kq__qX9I/AAAAAAAAAxg/1cDWhiRhI6I/s1600-h/MC%20Mac%20%26%20Cheese04062011_05%5B4%5D.jpg"><img alt="MC Mac & Cheese04062011_05" border="0" height="364" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TZ0KrJmwJeI/AAAAAAAAAxk/fxmIF_lui2s/MC%20Mac%20%26%20Cheese04062011_05_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="MC Mac & Cheese04062011_05" width="484" /></a><br />
These are decent, but could be improved on.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TZ0KrhfnrPI/AAAAAAAAAxo/m-O-o7B60wA/s1600-h/MC%20Mac%20%26%20Cheese04062011_06%5B4%5D.jpg"><img alt="MC Mac & Cheese04062011_06" border="0" height="364" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TZ0Kr3bKweI/AAAAAAAAAxs/Irmpu73anTM/MC%20Mac%20%26%20Cheese04062011_06_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="MC Mac & Cheese04062011_06" width="484" /></a><br />
About 140 g each cheese.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TZ0KsZj5zHI/AAAAAAAAAxw/bbUC-LazAcI/s1600-h/MC%20Mac%20%26%20Cheese04062011_07%5B4%5D.jpg"><img alt="MC Mac & Cheese04062011_07" border="0" height="364" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TZ0Ksl8ceBI/AAAAAAAAAx0/Mi3G3WgIhcI/MC%20Mac%20%26%20Cheese04062011_07_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="MC Mac & Cheese04062011_07" width="484" /></a><br />
Wheat beer plus (not shown) 100g water.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TZ0Ks4sQzMI/AAAAAAAAAx4/1LY0wtcufQE/s1600-h/MC%20Mac%20%26%20Cheese04062011_08%5B4%5D.jpg"><img alt="MC Mac & Cheese04062011_08" border="0" height="364" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TZ0KtRpVmtI/AAAAAAAAAx8/uEwCRn1_Hl4/MC%20Mac%20%26%20Cheese04062011_08_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="MC Mac & Cheese04062011_08" width="484" /></a><br />
Melted like a dream.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TZ0KtkN3UqI/AAAAAAAAAyA/HLmUJ_lxHTM/s1600-h/MC%20Mac%20%26%20Cheese04062011_09%5B5%5D.jpg"><img alt="MC Mac & Cheese04062011_09" border="0" height="364" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TZ0Ktz6UuaI/AAAAAAAAAyE/Eu8-Jo7NFRQ/MC%20Mac%20%26%20Cheese04062011_09_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="MC Mac & Cheese04062011_09" width="484" /></a><br />
Looks just like Velveeta, but smells divine.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TZ0KuC6KWKI/AAAAAAAAAyI/b9guz6eBmNc/s1600-h/MC%20Mac%20%26%20Cheese04062011_10%5B4%5D.jpg"><img alt="MC Mac & Cheese04062011_10" border="0" height="364" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TZ0KuX24ClI/AAAAAAAAAyM/OIB5D1MKHRI/MC%20Mac%20%26%20Cheese04062011_10_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="MC Mac & Cheese04062011_10" width="484" /></a><br />
Wrapped up to freeze to aid in grating.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TZ0KurBIYJI/AAAAAAAAAyQ/kiAK9Rzt73A/s1600-h/MC%20Mac%20%26%20Cheese04062011_11%5B4%5D.jpg"><img alt="MC Mac & Cheese04062011_11" border="0" height="364" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TZ0Ku4-ow3I/AAAAAAAAAyU/m77mu_27Gps/MC%20Mac%20%26%20Cheese04062011_11_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="MC Mac & Cheese04062011_11" width="484" /></a><br />
For two servings; cooked for 7 min. in 300 g water and 2.4 g salt. With this “low water” pasta method, you don’t drain the pasta, but the small amount of pasta water left in the pot when the pasta is <em>al dente</em> is used to make the sauce.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TZ0KvW4O64I/AAAAAAAAAyY/QCE6vQ3nlzQ/s1600-h/MC%20Mac%20%26%20Cheese04062011_12%5B4%5D.jpg"><img alt="MC Mac & Cheese04062011_12" border="0" height="364" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TZ0Kvrw_pmI/AAAAAAAAAyc/ViqxtKpJUgA/MC%20Mac%20%26%20Cheese04062011_12_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="MC Mac & Cheese04062011_12" width="484" /></a><br />
Roughly 1/2 the block of processed cheese grated. Even though I pretreated my box grater with Pam (perish the thought), I still made a streaky mess. I think next time (as I read on the forum topic), I’ll just cube the cheese. I like a cheese wire for soft cheese such as this, and I think it will work well. The processed cheese melts so beautifully, you could almost throw a huge chunk in there and have it turn out well.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TZ0Kv_7ENUI/AAAAAAAAAyg/sCIVPLMsYZs/s1600-h/MC%20Mac%20%26%20Cheese04062011_13%5B9%5D.jpg"><img alt="MC Mac & Cheese04062011_13" border="0" height="623" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TZ0KwOUw2SI/AAAAAAAAAyk/yI0D6DhGV9M/MC%20Mac%20%26%20Cheese04062011_13_thumb%5B3%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="MC Mac & Cheese04062011_13" width="829" /></a><br />
I served this with the wheat beer used to make the sauce in a frosted mug. Once your processed cheese in made, this mac & cheese is nearly as convenient as the blue box. By the time you boil the water and cook your pasta (maybe 10 min. total depending on your cooktop); you can have your cheese grated or cubed, and your plates warmed. I’ve lain awake at night thinking of all the ways to use this “break proof” processed cheese: nearly instant cheese sauce for vegetables, fool-proof fondue, bow-down-and-worship-me Rotel cheese dip! (When I was growing up, my mother always cooked from scratch. I’ve never tasted boxed mac & cheese, Hamburger Helper, etc. I never thought Velveeta would cross my lips until an old grade school friend from Louisiana made me try Velveeta-Rotel dip on a visit during my college days) I can’t wait to bring this to a party and see the stunned reaction.<br />
Whole Foods is supposed to carry Cabot clothbound cheddar on Friday, I imagine I’ll be there the minute they open. I may even add a soupçon of dry mustard and cayenne to my next batch. I have a premonition that my signature processed cheese will be a staple in my freezer for the rest of my days.Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06741092811012405089noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6612030278103083885.post-72186495536751782002011-03-26T18:30:00.001-05:002011-03-26T18:30:36.729-05:00Bacon Jam and Sous Vide Egg Yolk Sandwich<p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TY53FGdrf5I/AAAAAAAAAwk/AhNy8XLOiq0/s1600-h/Bacon%20Jam%20%26%20Egg%20Sand03092011_03%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Bacon Jam & Egg Sand03092011_03" border="0" alt="Bacon Jam & Egg Sand03092011_03" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TY53FllqkpI/AAAAAAAAAwo/TEZfpmMmYng/Bacon%20Jam%20%26%20Egg%20Sand03092011_03_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="829" height="623" /></a></p> <p>I love egg yolks on toast, but find rubbery egg whites a crime against nature. I used to make Eggs Mollet in my Chef’s Choice egg cooker and carefully (and frequently unsuccessfully)  try peel off the whites for a spreadable egg yolk “curd” for my <a href="http://inventingtheuniverse.blogspot.com/2009/07/blt-challenge-bacon.html" target="_blank">bacon</a> and egg sandwich.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TY53F9q2ccI/AAAAAAAAAws/5xFkqusHq_U/s1600-h/Bacon%20Jam%20%26%20Egg%20Sand03092011_02%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Bacon Jam & Egg Sand03092011_02" border="0" alt="Bacon Jam & Egg Sand03092011_02" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TY53GcltmBI/AAAAAAAAAww/07IohQPuSjQ/Bacon%20Jam%20%26%20Egg%20Sand03092011_02_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a></p> <p>Since I bought my Sous Vide Supreme, I have learned to cook eggs at 64C for 1 hour to produce eggs that can be denuded of the (nasty, jiggly) white; leaving a yolk that is the consistency of lemon curd that can be spread on a slice of toast to make the perfect bacon and egg yolk sandwich.  I usually make this with strips of my home-cured <a href="http://inventingtheuniverse.blogspot.com/2009/07/blt-challenge-bacon.html" target="_blank">bacon</a>, but I was very pleased with <a href="http://inventingtheuniverse.blogspot.com/2011/03/oooh-mommy-bacon-jam-thanks-to-foodie.html" target="_blank">the bacon jam</a> version. </p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TY53GnRqKpI/AAAAAAAAAw0/ns_z2SRag7Y/s1600-h/Bacon%20Jam%20%26%20Egg%20Sand03092011_03%5B9%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Bacon Jam & Egg Sand03092011_03" border="0" alt="Bacon Jam & Egg Sand03092011_03" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TY53HKJ_nyI/AAAAAAAAAw4/aiZqNkOPZ5M/Bacon%20Jam%20%26%20Egg%20Sand03092011_03_thumb%5B3%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="829" height="623" /></a></p> <p>I don’t have the vocabulary to describe how wonderful this was with fresh ground pepper, Maldon sea salt and Lurpak butter on white toast.</p> Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06741092811012405089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6612030278103083885.post-9846603640313308042011-03-26T18:15:00.003-05:002011-03-27T05:00:36.071-05:00Oooh-Mommy :) Bacon Jam thanks to Foodie with Family<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TY5zhStjJ5I/AAAAAAAAAvo/3qnsDf2JODY/s1600-h/Bacon%20Jam03082011_08%5B4%5D.jpg"><img alt="Bacon Jam03082011_08" border="0" height="623" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TY5zhntqL8I/AAAAAAAAAvs/B2ouZMMGdws/Bacon%20Jam03082011_08_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Bacon Jam03082011_08" width="829" /></a><br />
Through many convoluted steps, I found this recipe for <a href="http://www.foodiewithfamily.com/2011/01/17/bacon-jam-a-k-a-oooh-mommy-jam/" target="_blank">Bacon Jam</a> on Foodie with Family’s site (via <a href="http://ruhlman.com/" target="_blank">Ruhlman.com</a>, <a href="http://www.theperfectpantry.com/2011/01/recipe-for-bacon-jam-and-cheese-panini.html" target="_blank">The Perfect Pantry.com</a>…) <br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TY5ziEypocI/AAAAAAAAAvw/KnwKNRVyiQo/s1600-h/Bacon%20Jam03082011_01%5B4%5D.jpg"><img alt="Bacon Jam03082011_01" border="0" height="364" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TY5zias-jjI/AAAAAAAAAv0/uQEQfxQbtKw/Bacon%20Jam03082011_01_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Bacon Jam03082011_01" width="484" /></a><br />
The recipe started with 3 pounds of bacon; as my husband says “any recipe that starts with a pound of bacon must be good”, I thought this must be extra special.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TY5ziqCvPYI/AAAAAAAAAv4/Db5mDh4iUVc/s1600-h/Bacon%20Jam03082011_02%5B4%5D.jpg"><img alt="Bacon Jam03082011_02" border="0" height="364" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TY5zi5AFadI/AAAAAAAAAv8/K3QyxWvz_CA/Bacon%20Jam03082011_02_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Bacon Jam03082011_02" width="484" /></a><br />
First you cut <a href="http://inventingtheuniverse.blogspot.com/2009/07/blt-challenge-bacon.html" target="_blank">the bacon</a> into bits and crisp it.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TY5zjenvjWI/AAAAAAAAAwA/fOD1ii_sbs0/s1600-h/Bacon%20Jam03082011_05%5B4%5D.jpg"><img alt="Bacon Jam03082011_05" border="0" height="364" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TY5zjgMOyZI/AAAAAAAAAwE/fKZQ2DBhmII/Bacon%20Jam03082011_05_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Bacon Jam03082011_05" width="484" /></a><br />
One could almost stop right here and be happy.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TY5zj0qMKCI/AAAAAAAAAwI/f3tD3lPSKHk/s1600-h/Bacon%20Jam03082011_06%5B4%5D.jpg"><img alt="Bacon Jam03082011_06" border="0" height="364" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TY5zkF5AaUI/AAAAAAAAAwM/vuWz6OUK7lM/Bacon%20Jam03082011_06_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Bacon Jam03082011_06" width="484" /></a><br />
Then caramelize a bunch of onions in the bacon fat.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TY5zktuwMxI/AAAAAAAAAwQ/zMCQVKAPbaE/s1600-h/Bacon%20Jam03082011_07%5B4%5D.jpg"><img alt="Bacon Jam03082011_07" border="0" height="364" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TY5zk33fbKI/AAAAAAAAAwU/5-Ng-1mVl9o/Bacon%20Jam03082011_07_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Bacon Jam03082011_07" width="484" /></a><br />
Add garlic cloves, smashed and peeled; cider vinegar; packed brown sugar (light or dark; I prefer light); pure maple syrup; and brewed strong coffee. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TY5zlZruEmI/AAAAAAAAAwY/0vq16rqRl14/s1600-h/Bacon%20Jam03082011_08%5B9%5D.jpg"><img alt="Bacon Jam03082011_08" border="0" height="623" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TY5zl3zAWfI/AAAAAAAAAwc/Mzy2DypugMU/Bacon%20Jam03082011_08_thumb%5B3%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Bacon Jam03082011_08" width="829" /></a><br />
Reduce to a spreadable mixture with an immersion blender and store in a sterilized quart Mason jar.<br />
Umami (Oooh-Mommy) Jam!Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06741092811012405089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6612030278103083885.post-9019107523789779472011-03-05T17:47:00.001-06:002011-03-05T17:47:46.020-06:00Cookbook addiction | mild severity<p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TXLLn4K35_I/AAAAAAAAAvY/G5zN9sL4Kzw/s1600-h/P1300070%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1300070" border="0" alt="P1300070" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TXLLoflkloI/AAAAAAAAAvc/AK_I4-yHJSI/P1300070_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="623" height="829" /></a></p> <p>I finally have enough bookshelf space to get all my cookbooks in one place, near the kitchen.  I’ve seen others whose addiction required three times the space I have, so I don’t feel <em>too</em> guilty.  And, there’s a bit more space for new acquisitions!  I’m eagerly anticipating the arrival of my copy of <iframe style="width: 120px; height: 240px" marginheight="0" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=inventingt-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&asins=0982761007" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no"></iframe>.</p> Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06741092811012405089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6612030278103083885.post-88542138120932192672011-02-01T17:07:00.001-06:002011-02-01T17:07:19.067-06:00Roasted Beef Bone Marrow<p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TUiSHteYiTI/AAAAAAAAAu0/pZ-CcLUUM-I/s1600-h/P1150040%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1150040" border="0" alt="P1150040" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TUiSIAeWzwI/AAAAAAAAAu4/quBxkYYmiQY/P1150040_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="829" height="623" /></a></p> <p>I’ve been wanting to try beef marrow, especially since I read about them in this cookbook - <iframe style="width: 120px; height: 240px" marginheight="0" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=inventingt-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&asins=1580089356" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no"></iframe>.  As I was shopping in Whole Foods a couple of weeks ago, these frozen marrow bones literally jumped into my consciousness from my peripheral vision.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TUiSIUfprDI/AAAAAAAAAu8/XwSp99soBEQ/s1600-h/P1150015%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1150015" border="0" alt="P1150015" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TUiSI40OnEI/AAAAAAAAAvA/3k0mmieL1oA/P1150015_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a></p> <p>One is supposed to soak the bones in changes of salted water for 12-24 hours to leach out the blood. I thought they looked good at 12 hours and was anxious to try them; but, as you can see, there was still a bit of blood in them. At least it flaked off easily before we ate them on crostini.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TUiSJGOlI-I/AAAAAAAAAvE/4vDkBBWAuFk/s1600-h/P1150041%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1150041" border="0" alt="P1150041" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TUiSJk3MMaI/AAAAAAAAAvI/mD8JAPjc4yA/P1150041_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="829" height="623" /></a></p> <p>Having no marrow spoons, we used the handle of some narrow spoons to spread the marrow on the crostini. We served them with a nice red wine and some pesto (for a “green vegetable” angle to the meal). It was like eating beef butter on toast – very unctuous; rich, fatty, and delicious.</p> Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06741092811012405089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6612030278103083885.post-53848847898898602722011-01-02T13:46:00.001-06:002011-01-02T13:46:24.398-06:00Sous Vide Supreme<p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:36724071-169f-4aa2-ac2a-231e1247ea8f" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Sous+Vide" rel="tag">Sous Vide</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/beef" rel="tag">beef</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/chicken" rel="tag">chicken</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/eggs" rel="tag">eggs</a></div> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TSDV4OeUjaI/AAAAAAAAAtE/sMFCTxKjgmk/s1600-h/PC230049%5B5%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="PC230049" border="0" alt="PC230049" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TSDV4f1QgfI/AAAAAAAAAtI/g8MWxtF6_SA/PC230049_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="623" height="829" /></a></p> <p>I convinced my husband that if I got a Sous Vide Supreme for Christmas, it would be a great excuse to use our blowtorch more often.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TSDV4h6LPvI/AAAAAAAAAtM/AGIp_9z8Nf8/s1600-h/PC230053%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="PC230053" border="0" alt="PC230053" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TSDV4wKyTvI/AAAAAAAAAtQ/Grlp9YaHRb0/PC230053_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="829" height="623" /></a></p> <p>First, I made creamy scrambled eggs with thyme cooked at 158 F for 1 hour. Served with my <a href="http://inventingtheuniverse.blogspot.com/2009/07/blt-challenge-bacon.html" target="_blank">bacon</a>.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TSDV5LekwsI/AAAAAAAAAtU/4ktJa4jYoks/s1600-h/PC260056%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="PC260056" border="0" alt="PC260056" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TSDV5k6oqdI/AAAAAAAAAtY/KKEQNmBVuJM/PC260056_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a></p> <p>Then, beef short ribs at 135 F for 48 hours. </p> <p> </p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:f4987801-1202-415c-8aa6-9e7b1f82cc55" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><div id="a5400cad-90da-412a-b7e6-d42a39b092b0" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline;"><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOpqHSDTszQ" target="_new"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TSDV6PRUYgI/AAAAAAAAAtc/Cs17ZIPRDVc/videoa337c4228b7e%5B80%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('a5400cad-90da-412a-b7e6-d42a39b092b0'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "<div><object width=\"448\" height=\"277\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/ZOpqHSDTszQ?hl=en&hd=1\"><\/param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/ZOpqHSDTszQ?hl=en&hd=1\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"448\" height=\"277\"><\/embed><\/object><\/div>";" alt=""></a></div></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">My husband torching the short ribs.</div></div> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TSDV6VFTRNI/AAAAAAAAAtg/MCW2-I9kakI/s1600-h/PC260058%20cropped%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA " border="0" alt="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA " src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TSDV6hWomII/AAAAAAAAAtk/DHdZNt1pdz8/PC260058%20cropped_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="829" height="672" /></a></p> <p>Served with cauliflower pureed with horseradish and cheddar cheese. As I’ve learned from further reading, large bits of fat might not render out at this low temperature. The ribs were fork tender, but a bit “blubbery”.  I’ll try a higher temperature next time.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TSDV7DlQXAI/AAAAAAAAAto/5AOnE047EVQ/s1600-h/PC280067%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="PC280067" border="0" alt="PC280067" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TSDV74aNLOI/AAAAAAAAAts/RgjUuFzwBR0/PC280067_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a></p> <p>Next up, chicken breasts with herb sachets: sage, thyme, and oregano.  Cooked at 140 F for 3 hours.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TSDV8IDy3PI/AAAAAAAAAtw/Caghb-ydjww/s1600-h/PC280062%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="PC280062" border="0" alt="PC280062" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TSDV8e4qulI/AAAAAAAAAt0/YvRuXoPfBIE/PC280062_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a></p> <p>In <iframe style="width: 120px; height: 240px" marginheight="0" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=inventingt-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&m=amazon&f=ifr&md=10FE9736YVPPT7A0FBG2&asins=1579653510" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no"></iframe>  it is recommended to wrap herbs in plastic wrap to make sachets so the herbs don’t come in direct contact with the food and create sites of overpowering flavor. The juices from the meat seep in the cut ends of the plastic wrap and steep the herbs to extract the flavor.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TSDV8nN6SoI/AAAAAAAAAt4/RWXKCkEdFIc/s1600-h/PC280071%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="PC280071" border="0" alt="PC280071" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TSDV82CPuxI/AAAAAAAAAt8/WqEAecTv7sg/PC280071_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="364" height="484" /></a></p> <p>I quick-chilled 4 of them to freeze for later.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TSDV9Um3BSI/AAAAAAAAAuA/O2UTnQNNDuc/s1600-h/PC280073%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="PC280073" border="0" alt="PC280073" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TSDWA2WsabI/AAAAAAAAAuE/Ep2cSY6bo90/PC280073_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a></p> <p>Rather than sear the two chicken breasts with oregano that I was serving for dinner, I made a sauce with sundried tomatoes, goat cheese, lemon juice, garlic and basil.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TSDWBW73NYI/AAAAAAAAAuI/PHgmjEB82dA/s1600-h/PC280077%5B5%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="PC280077" border="0" alt="PC280077" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TSDWBqR3sHI/AAAAAAAAAuM/6KSVdkFm6PI/PC280077_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="829" height="623" /></a></p> <p>Very tender, juicy, and tasty (except for too much lemon juice in the sauce).  I wish I had thought to take a photo of a cut surface of the chicken breast.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TSDWB09y_NI/AAAAAAAAAuQ/CKOh1Eb-rPM/s1600-h/PC290080%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="PC290080" border="0" alt="PC290080" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TSDWCJBP1oI/AAAAAAAAAuU/CJ0kHasrkss/PC290080_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a></p> <p>Prime rib eye steaks.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TSDWCiYL4lI/AAAAAAAAAuY/17JdrGOMl4A/s1600-h/PC290089%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="PC290089" border="0" alt="PC290089" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TSDWC874rXI/AAAAAAAAAuc/vN-aTp7BEqc/PC290089_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a></p> <p>After cooking 4 hours at 135 F.  I had planned to take them out after 2 hours but my husband had to work late unexpectedly – not a problem with Sous Vide.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TSDWDN53oWI/AAAAAAAAAug/fo2QrPrbroM/s1600-h/PC290091%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="PC290091" border="0" alt="PC290091" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TSDWDS-0ssI/AAAAAAAAAuk/myNh4T0l0LM/PC290091_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a></p> <p>Seared in an enameled cast-iron skillet.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TSDWDs_uhqI/AAAAAAAAAuo/U-5fnR2chYY/s1600-h/PC290093%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="PC290093" border="0" alt="PC290093" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TSDWD53NBDI/AAAAAAAAAus/SVowsKqPS7s/PC290093_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="829" height="623" /></a></p> <p>I think we might have seared them a touch too long.  Almost have a grey ring at the very edge, but not too bad.  Certainly not a regular bull's-eye you’d get from grilling. Nearly perfect medium-rare throughout.</p> Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06741092811012405089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6612030278103083885.post-82842998449515247192010-11-21T17:01:00.001-06:002010-11-21T17:01:18.613-06:00Osmanthus (Sweet Olive) Sweet Water Ice & Hudson Valley Duck Confit<p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TOmkrVLB87I/AAAAAAAAAsU/xanI324CsqY/s1600-h/Osmanthus%20Ice%20%26%20Duck%20Confit20101120_08%5B10%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Osmanthus Ice & Duck Confit20101120_08" border="0" alt="Osmanthus Ice & Duck Confit20101120_08" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TOmkrtOCtEI/AAAAAAAAAsY/tcj1mYKJ5IA/Osmanthus%20Ice%20%26%20Duck%20Confit20101120_08_thumb%5B4%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="829" height="623" /></a></p> <p>I recently found some lovely floral extracts from <a href="http://www.silvercloudestates.com/" target="_blank">Silver Cloud Estates</a>. Osmanthus, Jasmine, Rose, Pimento (Allspice)… I bet their vanilla is very good too. I lurve sweet olive and have enjoyed many iterations of Harold McGee’s various Ice recipes from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Curious-Cook-More-Kitchen-Science/dp/0865474524/ref=tmm_hrd_title_0" target="_blank">The Curious Cook: More Kitchen Science and Lore</a> (Fig, Mango, Strawberry). This is from his Sweet Water Ice chart for “Water” infusions.</p> <p>I dissolved 2 1/2 C. sugar in 4 C. water and added 2 Tb. Lemon juice, 4 Tbs. Osmanthus extract and then added about 1/2 C. water to bring the total to just under 6 C. of liquid which will fit in my KitchenAid Ice Cream maker attachment. I had added the extract and lemon juice teaspoon by teaspoon to try to get the correct flavor (cold foods usually need to be stronger than those at room temperature to get the same effect).  It seems to taste stronger than what I thought it would, so I may cut back on the extract next time for guests (though I like it over-the-top for myself).  By luck, my Sweet Olive trees were in bloom to provide a fresh flower garnish.</p> <p>At the opposite extreme of cooking from scratch, my local grocery store – <a href="http://www.calandros.com/" target="_blank">Calandro’s</a> – has recently started stocking Confit de Canard from <a href="http://hudsonvalleyfoiegras.com" target="_blank">Hudson Valley Foie Gras</a>.</p> <p>So our decadent, almost fast-food meal consisted of steamed broccoli with Plugra butter, sea salt, and fresh-ground black pepper;  skillet heated duck confit with crostini from Whole Foods French baguettes. Almost an unventing of the universe.</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TOmksGj6mjI/AAAAAAAAAsc/gDLRwJkuJQo/s1600-h/Osmanthus%20Ice%20%26%20Duck%20Confit20101120_01%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Osmanthus Ice & Duck Confit20101120_01" border="0" alt="Osmanthus Ice & Duck Confit20101120_01" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TOmksRFFFGI/AAAAAAAAAsg/l5By1Oty5Ow/Osmanthus%20Ice%20%26%20Duck%20Confit20101120_01_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TOmks4OqvpI/AAAAAAAAAsk/rUC7ld-x_6k/s1600-h/Osmanthus%20Ice%20%26%20Duck%20Confit20101120_04%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Osmanthus Ice & Duck Confit20101120_04" border="0" alt="Osmanthus Ice & Duck Confit20101120_04" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TOmktAns7FI/AAAAAAAAAso/O7sR0xR99JQ/Osmanthus%20Ice%20%26%20Duck%20Confit20101120_04_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TOmktkRC8YI/AAAAAAAAAss/sHVHxtvhAxU/s1600-h/Osmanthus%20Ice%20%26%20Duck%20Confit20101120_07%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Osmanthus Ice & Duck Confit20101120_07" border="0" alt="Osmanthus Ice & Duck Confit20101120_07" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TOmkt-eCyaI/AAAAAAAAAsw/71HRy-ui7Kg/Osmanthus%20Ice%20%26%20Duck%20Confit20101120_07_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a></p> <p>Steamed broccoli with Plugra, pan-seared duck confit, baguette crostini, and Pinot Noir from Saxon-Brown Winery.</p> <p>I had to sneak out in the middle of the night and have “just-one-more” bite of the Osmanthus Sweet Ice before I went to bed.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TOmkuzvG3SI/AAAAAAAAAs0/4bsMhreCJbI/s1600-h/Osmanthus%20Ice%20%26%20Duck%20Confit20101120_09%5B9%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Osmanthus Ice & Duck Confit20101120_09" border="0" alt="Osmanthus Ice & Duck Confit20101120_09" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TOmkvfRuNGI/AAAAAAAAAs4/UE9iml3Z59M/Osmanthus%20Ice%20%26%20Duck%20Confit20101120_09_thumb%5B3%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="829" height="623" /></a></p> Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06741092811012405089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6612030278103083885.post-17051138188109213712010-09-09T16:46:00.001-05:002010-11-21T16:26:27.963-06:00McDonald’s type French Fries and Fresh Ground Beef Burgers<p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TIlVmOxM8LI/AAAAAAAAAqs/mzEW56bN6XE/s1600-h/McD%27s%20Fries%20and%20Fresh%20Burger20100906_21%5B5%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA " border="0" alt="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA " src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TIlVmsshS-I/AAAAAAAAAqw/DHW3Y9KBWD0/McD%27s%20Fries%20and%20Fresh%20Burger20100906_21_thumb%5B12%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="829" height="601" /></a> </p> <p>I’ve been looking forward to trying this method for making McDonald’s type French Fries at home ever since I read this post, <a href="http://aht.seriouseats.com/archives/2010/05/the-burger-lab-how-to-make-perfect-mcdonalds-style-french-fries.html" target="_blank">How to Make Perfect Thin and Crisp French Fries</a>, by J. Kenji Lopez-Alt. My husband just completed 3 months of exercise and dieting, and wanted to have an over-the-top nasty (in a good way) dinner to celebrate. I decided I wanted to try frying the potatoes in beef fat for old-style McDonald’s fries.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TIlVm-y5YtI/AAAAAAAAAq0/jjB_H6-KhDY/s1600-h/McD%27s%20Fries%20and%20Fresh%20Burger20100905_01%5B6%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA " border="0" alt="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA " src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TIlVnPHb4aI/AAAAAAAAAq4/miUKjYpZY3I/McD%27s%20Fries%20and%20Fresh%20Burger20100905_01_thumb%5B4%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a> </p> <p>My husband persuaded a local butcher to save us some beef fat to render for frying. This is 12 lbs. trimmed beef fat ready to go in a slow oven to render over several hours.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TIlVnM0iGTI/AAAAAAAAAq8/Pcvm4Xg4nmM/s1600-h/McD%27s%20Fries%20and%20Fresh%20Burger20100906_09%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="McD's Fries and Fresh Burger20100906_09" border="0" alt="McD's Fries and Fresh Burger20100906_09" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TIlVnaqivDI/AAAAAAAAArA/dOOrl7a0S8g/McD%27s%20Fries%20and%20Fresh%20Burger20100906_09_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a> </p> <p>After straining and cooling overnight; I got lovely, creamy-white beef tallow.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TIlVnuUB_PI/AAAAAAAAArE/9rbeZjQR7aM/s1600-h/McD%27s%20Fries%20and%20Fresh%20Burger20100906_07%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="McD's Fries and Fresh Burger20100906_07" border="0" alt="McD's Fries and Fresh Burger20100906_07" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TIlVnwKrafI/AAAAAAAAArI/wEzBR7rUcq0/McD%27s%20Fries%20and%20Fresh%20Burger20100906_07_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a> </p> <p>The fries must be exactly 1/4 inch for the process to work. My Oxo mandoline worked very well with the French Fry insert.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TIlVoGM2-GI/AAAAAAAAArM/IF-ZlGQn-I8/s1600-h/McD%27s%20Fries%20and%20Fresh%20Burger20100906_11%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="McD's Fries and Fresh Burger20100906_11" border="0" alt="McD's Fries and Fresh Burger20100906_11" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TIlVoeAZEBI/AAAAAAAAArQ/3aKgBHha1AM/McD%27s%20Fries%20and%20Fresh%20Burger20100906_11_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a> </p> <p>The cut potatoes must be parboiled in acidulated, salted water until tender. Unfortunately, I made a slightly larger batch than called for in the recipe and since the water took longer to come to a boil, the potatoes were overdone. It finally occurred to me to check them before the time specified, but I was a bit too late. They didn’t crumble into mashed potatoes, but most of the long ones broke in half when I drained them. I’ll start checking them much earlier next time.</p> <p>After drying on a paper towel-lined baking sheet, I fried the potatoes in the beef fat for 50 seconds, then spread them on another paper towel-lined sheet and froze them for several hours. They are supposed to be even closer to McD’s fries if frozen overnight, but I didn’t have the time.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TIlVoi556oI/AAAAAAAAArU/BcOhbo75lz4/s1600-h/McD%27s%20Fries%20and%20Fresh%20Burger20100906_14%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="McD's Fries and Fresh Burger20100906_14" border="0" alt="McD's Fries and Fresh Burger20100906_14" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TIlVpHIDjPI/AAAAAAAAArY/7f3e_x20pSg/McD%27s%20Fries%20and%20Fresh%20Burger20100906_14_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a> </p> <p>I wanted a great burger to serve with the fries, so I adapted another of Kenji’s recipes:  <a href="http://aht.seriouseats.com/archives/2010/05/the-burger-lab-the-worlds-best-burger-for-a-single-man-or-woman.html" target="_blank">The World's Best Burger for a Single Man (or Woman)</a>. I ground a well-marbled chuck roast and some boneless beef short ribs with my KitchenAid meat grinder attachment.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TIlVpZyI-xI/AAAAAAAAArc/6527YlHP-Tk/s1600-h/McD%27s%20Fries%20and%20Fresh%20Burger20100906_15%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="McD's Fries and Fresh Burger20100906_15" border="0" alt="McD's Fries and Fresh Burger20100906_15" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TIlVp4y7VeI/AAAAAAAAArg/jVeQDlPgdTY/McD%27s%20Fries%20and%20Fresh%20Burger20100906_15_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a> </p> <p>Very minimal handling is key to preserve the ground beef “noodles” for a greater surface area for crisping and catching melted cheese, and to prevent a dense interior. I ground the meat directly onto the lined sheet pan and gently coaxed the burgers into shape. </p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TOmcj6zpE4I/AAAAAAAAAsE/nneW9oYDTj4/s1600-h/P9060018%5B5%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P9060018" border="0" alt="P9060018" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TOmck16M6qI/AAAAAAAAAsI/aWwR_jvV9Ok/P9060018_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a></p> <p>A close-up of the desired loose structure of the patty.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TIlVqendcHI/AAAAAAAAArk/CKRMc7WcZJA/s1600-h/McD%27s%20Fries%20and%20Fresh%20Burger20100906_19%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="McD's Fries and Fresh Burger20100906_19" border="0" alt="McD's Fries and Fresh Burger20100906_19" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TIlVqk7hn7I/AAAAAAAAAro/gXj4xhrwd44/McD%27s%20Fries%20and%20Fresh%20Burger20100906_19_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a> </p> <p>The burger recipe called for frying one burger at a time (hence the “Single” modifier) in a small skillet so the fat from the burgers would get about 1/8” deep to get the edges as crispy as the bottom. To get all the burgers to finish as the fries were getting their final 3.5 minute fry (by my husband outside on the grill side-burner), I just added a bit of the beef tallow I had made to reproduce the effect.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TIlVrOG4M_I/AAAAAAAAArs/VHw85Ucrv-A/s1600-h/McD%27s%20Fries%20and%20Fresh%20Burger20100906_23%5B5%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="McD's Fries and Fresh Burger20100906_23" border="0" alt="McD's Fries and Fresh Burger20100906_23" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TIlVrTGl0KI/AAAAAAAAArw/BPGeJAcxHFc/McD%27s%20Fries%20and%20Fresh%20Burger20100906_23_thumb%5B3%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a> </p> <p>My goodness! Everything came out so delicious. The burgers were crispy outside – tender and juicy inside with lots of crags for the cheese to melt into. The fries (though shorter than they could have been) were light-golden bits of heaven. They were fluffy inside, not greasy (really), and stayed crispy to the last fry. I hope to get the gumption to make some batches up to the freezing stage (they are supposed to keep frozen for 2 months). How nice to be able to serve fresh fries like this in just a few minutes. But, I’ll think I’ll just buy the tallow next time…</p> <p> </p> <p>Can I get a little extra credit for difficulty - cooking in the American Mastiff Obstacle Course?</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TIlVrgvzQgI/AAAAAAAAAr0/u_4XU_NikGk/s1600-h/Mastiff%20minefield20100906%5B6%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA " border="0" alt="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA " src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TIlVr0fe7FI/AAAAAAAAAr4/dxymp2j8I7U/Mastiff%20minefield20100906_thumb%5B4%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="623" height="829" /></a></p> Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06741092811012405089noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6612030278103083885.post-63648599005214017872010-08-18T11:50:00.001-05:002010-08-18T11:50:58.271-05:00Ice Chest Sous Vide<p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TGwPZWqSA6I/AAAAAAAAAqA/waIzeIx8IN0/s1600-h/Cooler%20Sous%20Vide%20Steak08152010_11%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Cooler Sous Vide Steak08152010_11" border="0" alt="Cooler Sous Vide Steak08152010_11" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TGwPZ_jp1CI/AAAAAAAAAqE/WQtpVOpHH7Q/Cooler%20Sous%20Vide%20Steak08152010_11_thumb%5B6%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="829" height="752" /></a> </p> <p>Ah, near perfect medium-rare steak from edge to edge with no large, grey ring of overdone meat around the sides. (I’m sorry the plate is so messy; I’m always rushing to eat when the food is done and forget proper plating.)</p> <p>I’ve been interested in trying sous-vide for a couple of years but didn’t want to try to build a homemade system and certainly couldn’t afford a commercial setup. With the <a href="http://www.sousvidesupreme.com/" target="_blank">SousVide Supreme</a> now available for home use, the technique is approaching the realm of the possible; but I wanted to give it a trial run before thinking of plunking down around $500 (though it’s not that much more than a nice KitchenAid mixer). Thanks to J. Kenji Lopez-Alt at Serious Eats, a limited version (not hot enough for vegetables, thickness of meat and cooking time limits) of sous-vide is possible for just about anyone. In the comments section of the article <a href="http://www.seriouseats.com/2010/04/cook-your-meat-in-a-beer-cooler-the-worlds-best-sous-vide-hack.html" target="_blank">Cook Your Meat in a Beer Cooler: The World's Best (and Cheapest) Sous-Vide Hack</a>, I found a wonderful calculator <a href="http://www.yawniton.com/yawnitonAssets/sousVideCoolerAssets/simpleVersion/main.html" target="_blank">Sous-Vide in a Cooler - water temperature calculator</a> that will tell you what temperature of water is needed based on the dimensions of your cooler; type and starting and ending temperature of the meat, etc. Check out Kenji’s <a href="http://www.seriouseats.com/2010/03/how-to-sous-vide-steak.html" target="_blank">Sous-Vide 101: Prime Steak Primer</a> for a detailed explanation of the process.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TGwPaCskfxI/AAAAAAAAAqI/34U1F3izRH4/s1600-h/Cooler%20Sous%20Vide%20Steak08152010_04%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Cooler Sous Vide Steak08152010_04" border="0" alt="Cooler Sous Vide Steak08152010_04" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TGwPaZglspI/AAAAAAAAAqM/ir0mciWNIak/Cooler%20Sous%20Vide%20Steak08152010_04_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a> </p> <p>Start with a couple of rib-eyes.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TGwPa_5ut3I/AAAAAAAAAqQ/kpc202xUUJk/s1600-h/Cooler%20Sous%20Vide%20Steak08152010_06%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Cooler Sous Vide Steak08152010_06" border="0" alt="Cooler Sous Vide Steak08152010_06" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TGwPbHfVWaI/AAAAAAAAAqU/00K1dbBNgjc/Cooler%20Sous%20Vide%20Steak08152010_06_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a> </p> <p>Season with fresh-ground black pepper and Kosher salt and enclose in plastic. You can use Ziploc bags with the immersion method to remove as much air as possible, but it’s nice to vacuum seal the bags if you have one.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TGwPbf-45gI/AAAAAAAAAqY/ReSrZfakxLE/s1600-h/Cooler%20Sous%20Vide%20Steak08152010_07%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Cooler Sous Vide Steak08152010_07" border="0" alt="Cooler Sous Vide Steak08152010_07" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TGwPcPH-SoI/AAAAAAAAAqc/tZR9PmEUZUk/Cooler%20Sous%20Vide%20Steak08152010_07_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a> </p> <p></p> <p>The steaks relaxing in their (should have been) 139.6 degree bath. (I swear I scrubbed out the cooler – those are stains – not dirt. And the steaks are vacuum sealed anyway.) I was pretty lucky for a first try. My hot tap water is 130 degrees. I filled the cooler to 8” deep with the hot tap water then added 1” of simmering water from a large pot on the stove. It looked like about a gallon of simmering water (and that’s what the <a href="http://www.yawniton.com/yawnitonAssets/sousVideCoolerAssets/simpleVersion/main.html" target="_blank">Sous-Vide in a Cooler - water temperature calculator</a> shows). I had figured on a final water depth of 9” and the temp. was 139.9 degrees at this point. I probably should have added some ice to get the temp. to 139.6, but I was afraid to mess with it too much. That may be why the steaks weren’t quite perfectly medium-rare; or, perhaps the final sear on the charcoal grill lasted a tiny bit too long. I’m sold on the technique, however. The steaks were tender, juicy and delicious. There’s no need to rush with sous-vide steaks. Suddenly decided you want to oven-bake rather than microwave your potatoes, forgot to decant the wine, or expecting chronically-late dinner guests? The steaks will stay at your chosen doneness for another hour or two, no worries.</p> Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06741092811012405089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6612030278103083885.post-26905313432216806322010-08-16T12:48:00.001-05:002010-08-16T12:48:13.459-05:00Goat Cheese Stuffed Peppadew Peppers<p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TGl51hJ-rMI/AAAAAAAAApY/teJHf81EjPs/s1600-h/Goat%20Cheese%20Peppadews08112010_02%5B11%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Goat Cheese Peppadews08112010_02" border="0" alt="Goat Cheese Peppadews08112010_02" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TGl52HCcY8I/AAAAAAAAApc/UKx61kbcEUA/Goat%20Cheese%20Peppadews08112010_02_thumb%5B9%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="623" height="829" /></a> </p> <p>I only recently heard about Peppadew peppers (though they’ve been around for several years), so when I saw them at Martin’s Wine Cellar, I had to give them a try. I thought they would be good stuffed with goat cheese. I’ve made a goat cheese spread before with a bit of butter blended in to make it spreadable, but decided to try a bit of Colatura (a wonderful essence of anchovies I also only recently heard about).</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TGl52a0dbaI/AAAAAAAAApg/JO3a4qyv4Z4/s1600-h/Goat%20Cheese%20Peppadews08112010_04%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Goat Cheese Peppadews08112010_04" border="0" alt="Goat Cheese Peppadews08112010_04" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TGl52uKaFVI/AAAAAAAAApk/kEo0wffn7zM/Goat%20Cheese%20Peppadews08112010_04_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a> </p> <p>I drained the peppadews in a sieve, blended about a tablespoon of the colatura into the softened goat cheese, and stuffed the peppers.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TGl529ze-EI/AAAAAAAAApo/G7pjLPFPPUQ/s1600-h/Goat%20Cheese%20Peppadews08112010_07%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Goat Cheese Peppadews08112010_07" border="0" alt="Goat Cheese Peppadews08112010_07" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TGl53JOSTfI/AAAAAAAAAps/gHlv6eGpWrg/Goat%20Cheese%20Peppadews08112010_07_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="829" height="623" /></a> </p> <p>I placed them under the broiler until the cheese was warm and bubbly, and the peppers charred just a bit. Wow, it was hard to share half of them with my husband. They are addictive – sweet peppers with just a bit of heat – tangy goat cheese with that extra bit of umami from the colatura. I ordered a case of the peppadew peppers so we can have them often. I may even be able to part with some for guests.</p> Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06741092811012405089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6612030278103083885.post-45153781295159039522010-06-26T19:19:00.002-05:002010-06-27T07:54:17.799-05:00Mai Tai<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TCaY99kEuhI/AAAAAAAAAok/WG_zisYpRFY/s1600-h/Mai%20Tai20100626_08%5B9%5D.jpg"><img alt="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA " border="0" height="829" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TCaY-fP-j-I/AAAAAAAAAoo/56B0TVFXW-Y/Mai%20Tai20100626_08_thumb%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA " width="623" /></a> <br />
My first job in high school was at a Tiki restaurant in Key Largo with the Polynesian fire dancers, Pu-Pu platters, and tropical drinks…<br />
I recently found Beachbum Berry’s <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sippin-Safari-Search-Tropical-Recipes/dp/1593620675/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1277596723&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Sippin’ Safari</a>, “America’s leading authority on tropical drinks and Polynesian pop-culture” on Amazon and have started to collect the myriad ingredients necessary to recreate these tropical libations.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TCaY_AJ2eTI/AAAAAAAAAos/aDOA2xd9bIs/s1600-h/Rums%20for%20tropical%20drinks%5B15%5D.jpg"><img alt="Rums for tropical drinks" border="0" height="364" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TCaY_ea5WtI/AAAAAAAAAow/XM0Qs3H-c5k/Rums%20for%20tropical%20drinks_thumb%5B11%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="Rums for tropical drinks" width="484" /></a> <br />
I found most of the rums at Martin’s Wine Cellar, though I still need a good Demerara 151 for Zombies.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TCaY_pU4hqI/AAAAAAAAAo0/vj1gRRnlfnU/s1600-h/Mai%20Tai20100626_03%5B5%5D.jpg"><img alt="Mai Tai20100626_03" border="0" height="364" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/TCaY_805-gI/AAAAAAAAAo4/zMi-II7ubwA/Mai%20Tai20100626_03_thumb%5B3%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="Mai Tai20100626_03" width="484" /></a> <br />
Mise for the Mai Tai: Aged Martinique and aged Jamaican Rum, lime juice, simple syrup (in the Grolsch bottle), Orgeat syrup, and Cointreau [A fine, colorless, orange-flavored liqueur made from the dried skins of Curaçao oranges grown on the island of the same name in the Dutch West Indies. The Generic term is Curaçao, and if redistilled clear is called triple sec. <strong>"...before Prohibition the Cointreau bottle still read Cointreau Triple Sec. The liqueur was not only the <i>first</i> triple sec, it's how the term was coined. After imitators reproduced the signature square bottle and imprinted the words "Triple Sec" in the Cointreau typeface, Cointreau dropped the words from their bottle. The premium liquor has long since transcended the category, but that's how it started out...the first and best triple sec. ... Use generic triple sec only if you are short on cash."</strong>].Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06741092811012405089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6612030278103083885.post-81028378078114542252010-05-02T16:50:00.001-05:002010-05-02T16:50:40.987-05:00“Pesto” Marathon<p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S93yo8643WI/AAAAAAAAAm8/tgBLX3x8VT0/s1600-h/Pesto-20100501_06%5B5%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Pesto-20100501_06" border="0" alt="Pesto-20100501_06" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S93ypo57fiI/AAAAAAAAAnA/jHpcjzGudgA/Pesto-20100501_06_thumb%5B3%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="623" height="829" /></a> </p> <p>I somehow stumbled onto the book <em>Very Pesto</em> on Amazon and noticed in the editorial and customer reviews that it included recipes for “pesto” using many herbs other than basil. As I’m a bit behind on my basil crop and most of the other herbs in my EarthBoxes are growing so exuberantly, I thought trying these recipes would be a great excuse to prune back the over-achievers.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S93yqCI9udI/AAAAAAAAAnE/s6GjBmnDzEs/s1600-h/EarthBox%20Herb%20Garden-20100425_01%5B2%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="EarthBox Herb Garden-20100425_01" border="0" alt="EarthBox Herb Garden-20100425_01" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S93yq9s4fTI/AAAAAAAAAnI/oSoV7hndamo/EarthBox%20Herb%20Garden-20100425_01_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a> </p> <p>Sage and parsley. Too bad my parsley wasn’t a bit larger. It is used as a filler with some of the stronger herbs so they don’t overpower the pesto and I didn’t have enough to make the tarragon or thyme pesto.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S93yrHGK9cI/AAAAAAAAAnM/NIz-uVXZ9Og/s1600-h/EarthBox%20Herb%20Garden-20100425_02%5B2%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="EarthBox Herb Garden-20100425_02" border="0" alt="EarthBox Herb Garden-20100425_02" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S93yr8JUNjI/AAAAAAAAAnQ/M843hN80nGw/EarthBox%20Herb%20Garden-20100425_02_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a> </p> <p>Oregano and cilantro.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S93ysNhxOkI/AAAAAAAAAnU/yTSQp7JOkUs/s1600-h/EarthBox%20Herb%20Garden-20100425_03%5B2%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="EarthBox Herb Garden-20100425_03" border="0" alt="EarthBox Herb Garden-20100425_03" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S93ysWVKR2I/AAAAAAAAAnY/RqREFFpy-bo/EarthBox%20Herb%20Garden-20100425_03_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a> </p> <p>Tarragon and basil. I was able to cut enough basil before taking this photo to make one batch of classic basil pesto.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S93ys9BGCsI/AAAAAAAAAnc/kjmOAhYkNBA/s1600-h/EarthBox%20Herb%20Garden-20100425_04%5B2%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="EarthBox Herb Garden-20100425_04" border="0" alt="EarthBox Herb Garden-20100425_04" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S93ytRezGYI/AAAAAAAAAng/aRg76AuzsI4/EarthBox%20Herb%20Garden-20100425_04_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a> </p> <p>Chervil and thyme.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S93ytqfK70I/AAAAAAAAAnk/eCf9OpLyZvw/s1600-h/Pesto-20100501_01%5B5%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Pesto-20100501_01" border="0" alt="Pesto-20100501_01" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S93yuIpc3SI/AAAAAAAAAno/NFfiCxv9Ohg/Pesto-20100501_01_thumb%5B3%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="364" height="484" /></a> </p> <p>Washed basil, sage and others drying.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S93yucYNfxI/AAAAAAAAAns/HpxaSj5dp_w/s1600-h/Pesto-20100501_02%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Pesto-20100501_02" border="0" alt="Pesto-20100501_02" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S93yuw5mUxI/AAAAAAAAAnw/wNYQ23oxnvw/Pesto-20100501_02_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a> </p> <p></p> <p>Two portions of parsley for the sage and oregano recipes, cilantro and oregano. The Oxo salad spinner was a great help washing all the herbs.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S93yvTNp7eI/AAAAAAAAAn0/VsQvW_s5o0I/s1600-h/Pesto-20100501_03%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Pesto-20100501_03" border="0" alt="Pesto-20100501_03" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S93yvo2hl4I/AAAAAAAAAn4/tF2XS_lvV-c/Pesto-20100501_03_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a> </p> <p>Garlic for the various recipes, lime zest for the cilantro pesto, Parmigiano-Reggiano and Pecorino Romano for the classic basil pesto. I toasted the pine nuts in the microwave; I’m much less likely to burn them than when I try to do it in the oven.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S93ywPR7bFI/AAAAAAAAAn8/eVkjMfyHwSY/s1600-h/Pesto-20100501_05%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Pesto-20100501_05" border="0" alt="Pesto-20100501_05" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S93ywre2fyI/AAAAAAAAAoA/D4s5BElGB-o/Pesto-20100501_05_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a> </p> <p> </p> <p>I grated the P-R in the food processor and portioned it out by weight (about 1 0z. for each 1/3 cup) called for in the recipe. Since I only needed 2 tbsp. of Romano for the basil pesto, I used a microplane to grate it.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S93yw2NnzcI/AAAAAAAAAoE/4TfoNOHnQCs/s1600-h/Pesto-20100501_08%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Pesto-20100501_08" border="0" alt="Pesto-20100501_08" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S93yxkZu36I/AAAAAAAAAoI/FcsSA2UmkhE/Pesto-20100501_08_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a> </p> <p> </p> <p>I didn’t plan ahead well enough to make my own bread so I bought a baguette at Whole Foods to make crostini. My husband stole one end and ate it with spreadable butter while I was making a red pepper tapenade to serve with the pesto.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S93zqUGbkqI/AAAAAAAAAoQ/1oUnWtjzY8I/s1600-h/Pesto-20100501_07%5B5%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Pesto-20100501_07" border="0" alt="Pesto-20100501_07" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S93zqywh5xI/AAAAAAAAAoU/lSDma0wMIeM/Pesto-20100501_07_thumb%5B3%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="829" height="623" /></a> </p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p>I feel rich! All that lovely pesto. And all those abundant herbs are put to great use.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S93zrWuiB7I/AAAAAAAAAoY/zULBHXJU8cg/s1600-h/Pesto-20100501_10%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Pesto-20100501_10" border="0" alt="Pesto-20100501_10" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S93zsCz2GBI/AAAAAAAAAoc/nCRL65fXWjI/Pesto-20100501_10_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="829" height="623" /></a> </p> <p>My husband and I had a smorgasbord of pestos, the red pepper tapenade, salami, goat cheese, gruyere and emmental cheese for dinner.</p> Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06741092811012405089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6612030278103083885.post-67207459263989442962010-04-25T15:00:00.001-05:002010-04-25T15:00:24.379-05:00Egg & Herb Ricotta Ravioli<p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S9SfDrzmRzI/AAAAAAAAAkE/nnXZCJgX3aU/s1600-h/EggHerbRicottaRavioli20100424_393.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Egg & Herb Ricotta Ravioli-20100424_39" border="0" alt="Egg & Herb Ricotta Ravioli-20100424_39" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S9SfEQRd7bI/AAAAAAAAAkI/JLgec3y2ibE/EggHerbRicottaRavioli20100424_39_thu.jpg?imgmax=800" width="829" height="623" /></a> </p> <p>I was trying to think of some way to use up some leftover ricotta and decided to make egg yolk ravioli again. I adapted the filling from this <a href="http://www.deliciousdays.com/archives/2007/05/24/an-extra-dose-of-sunshine-egg-ravioli/" target="_blank">delicious days</a> days post. </p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S9SfFHY62YI/AAAAAAAAAkM/O0hWp3d_mEA/s1600-h/EggHerbRicottaRavioli20100424_192.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Egg & Herb Ricotta Ravioli-20100424_19" border="0" alt="Egg & Herb Ricotta Ravioli-20100424_19" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S9SfFquJ9GI/AAAAAAAAAkQ/1bYuUjnMn1w/EggHerbRicottaRavioli20100424_19_thu.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a> </p> <p>And I’ve been looking forward to using the new ravioli mold my husband got for me.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S9SfGLNA9XI/AAAAAAAAAkU/Dkgl_3bbIh4/s1600-h/EggHerbRicottaRavioli20100424_023.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Egg & Herb Ricotta Ravioli-20100424_02" border="0" alt="Egg & Herb Ricotta Ravioli-20100424_02" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S9SfGchNFHI/AAAAAAAAAkY/0N7--VdziD8/EggHerbRicottaRavioli20100424_02_thu.jpg?imgmax=800" width="364" height="484" /></a> </p> <p>Giant sage leaves (my herbs love their EarthBoxes), oregano, a little thyme, Parmigianino Reggiano, ricotta, nutmeg, extra virgin olive oil, pepper & salt for the filling.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S9SfHJCj6DI/AAAAAAAAAkc/ryLwT9eDois/s1600-h/EggHerbRicottaRavioli20100424_037.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Egg & Herb Ricotta Ravioli-20100424_03" border="0" alt="Egg & Herb Ricotta Ravioli-20100424_03" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S9SfHV7TnXI/AAAAAAAAAkg/AqAbVoiPfXo/EggHerbRicottaRavioli20100424_03_thu.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244" /></a> </p> <p>I love this attachment for the microplane grater.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S9SfHr4aRMI/AAAAAAAAAkk/S-cWJmwH6Wc/s1600-h/EggHerbRicottaRavioli20100424_072.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Egg & Herb Ricotta Ravioli-20100424_07" border="0" alt="Egg & Herb Ricotta Ravioli-20100424_07" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S9SfIJnD20I/AAAAAAAAAko/PA9BG39X5Ts/EggHerbRicottaRavioli20100424_07_thu.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244" /></a> </p> <p>And this mini chopper my mother found for me at a garage sale.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S9SfIZPQP7I/AAAAAAAAAks/h5CWNTrQChE/s1600-h/EggHerbRicottaRavioli20100424_085.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Egg & Herb Ricotta Ravioli-20100424_08" border="0" alt="Egg & Herb Ricotta Ravioli-20100424_08" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S9SfItXbCdI/AAAAAAAAAkw/UDyX_1yiUX8/EggHerbRicottaRavioli20100424_08_thu.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a> </p> <p>It works well when you need herbs very finely and evenly chopped.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S9SfI4EB5gI/AAAAAAAAAk0/ofK987UL8dE/s1600-h/EggHerbRicottaRavioli20100424_116.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Egg & Herb Ricotta Ravioli-20100424_11" border="0" alt="Egg & Herb Ricotta Ravioli-20100424_11" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S9SfJI0hmvI/AAAAAAAAAk4/41DEaYpepAE/EggHerbRicottaRavioli20100424_11_thu.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a> </p> <p>Ready to mix all the filling ingredients together.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S9SfJSr0LUI/AAAAAAAAAk8/s8jCVctLi9s/s1600-h/EggHerbRicottaRavioli20100424_135.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Egg & Herb Ricotta Ravioli-20100424_13" border="0" alt="Egg & Herb Ricotta Ravioli-20100424_13" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S9SfJ-j428I/AAAAAAAAAlA/R3O4hV5vXbc/EggHerbRicottaRavioli20100424_13_thu.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a> </p> <p>I put this in the refrigerator to let the flavors meld while I made the pasta dough.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S9SfKFVTNCI/AAAAAAAAAlE/fRBrWV7-lPE/s1600-h/EggHerbRicottaRavioli20100424_013.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Egg & Herb Ricotta Ravioli-20100424_01" border="0" alt="Egg & Herb Ricotta Ravioli-20100424_01" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S9SfKab86eI/AAAAAAAAAlI/0_tFdWeDrPs/EggHerbRicottaRavioli20100424_01_thu.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a> </p> <p>While surfing for egg yolk ravioli variations, I found a great post on total <a href="http://recipes.chef2chef.net/recipe-archive/25/139766.shtml" target="_blank">food processor pasta dough</a> (no kneading) and was anxious to try it. The instructions may look overwhelming, but the actual method is easy and the detailed instructions are to help insure success and troubleshoot any problems. I found a similar post <a href="http://thesecondpancake.typepad.com/the_second_pancake/2008/08/fresh-pasta.html" target="_blank">here</a> – the instructions aren’t as detailed, but there are some helpful photos of the stages involved to show you what to expect.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S9SfK0tUiLI/AAAAAAAAAlM/xiJLC22FO90/s1600-h/EggHerbRicottaRavioli20100424_153.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Egg & Herb Ricotta Ravioli-20100424_15" border="0" alt="Egg & Herb Ricotta Ravioli-20100424_15" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S9SfLcWxryI/AAAAAAAAAlQ/gba1wL-GDcQ/EggHerbRicottaRavioli20100424_15_thu.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a> </p> <p> </p> <p>Either the instructions were very good, or I’m very lucky. The dough was wonderful to work with on my first attempt. Not too sticky, not too dry.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S9SfLlF32qI/AAAAAAAAAlU/JHaFd1N5XcQ/s1600-h/EggHerbRicottaRavioli20100424_203.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Egg & Herb Ricotta Ravioli-20100424_20" border="0" alt="Egg & Herb Ricotta Ravioli-20100424_20" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S9SfMNl6wsI/AAAAAAAAAlY/7duX3htA_TQ/EggHerbRicottaRavioli20100424_20_thu.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a> </p> <p></p> <p>No cracks, easy to handle with minimal flour.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S9SfMQ4aqdI/AAAAAAAAAlc/SjZsmC69cjA/s1600-h/EggHerbRicottaRavioli20100424_255.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Egg & Herb Ricotta Ravioli-20100424_25" border="0" alt="Egg & Herb Ricotta Ravioli-20100424_25" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S9SfM8WI0eI/AAAAAAAAAlg/DQNV0cpcs5c/EggHerbRicottaRavioli20100424_25_thu.jpg?imgmax=800" width="364" height="484" /></a> </p> <p>Unfortunately, I put in a little too much of the filling trying to make a nice nest for the yolks. I tore the back, right “sling” while pushing the filling low enough to leave room for the yolk and the yolk slipped out the side.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S9SfNI1BHpI/AAAAAAAAAlk/3Ong3dK4gRA/s1600-h/EggHerbRicottaRavioli20100424_283.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Egg & Herb Ricotta Ravioli-20100424_28" border="0" alt="Egg & Herb Ricotta Ravioli-20100424_28" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S9SfNabnkVI/AAAAAAAAAlo/agt-3EEVK1U/EggHerbRicottaRavioli20100424_28_thu.jpg?imgmax=800" width="364" height="484" /></a> </p> <p>I managed to retrieve the yolk from the counter by moistening the spoonula and my fingers with egg white and easing the yolk up onto the spoonula. As the ravioli with the yolks are so rich, I decided to only use eight. I put a sprinkle of P-R on each yolk to protect it while adding the top layer of dough. I used a pastry brush to paint some reserved egg white beaten with a bit of water to seal the dough.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S9SfNzap22I/AAAAAAAAAls/a9XXdQ9FiqQ/s1600-h/EggHerbRicottaRavioli20100424_293.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Egg & Herb Ricotta Ravioli-20100424_29" border="0" alt="Egg & Herb Ricotta Ravioli-20100424_29" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S9SfO4HAjvI/AAAAAAAAAlw/vEVTHOY3kO8/EggHerbRicottaRavioli20100424_29_thu.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a> </p> <p>I was afraid to push too hard with the rolling pin and risk disrupting the yolks so I sealed the dough by pressing along the seams and cutting them apart with a knife run along the cutting ridges.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S9SfPL_NiUI/AAAAAAAAAl0/egUwVXaoUOs/s1600-h/EggHerbRicottaRavioli20100424_363.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Egg & Herb Ricotta Ravioli-20100424_36" border="0" alt="Egg & Herb Ricotta Ravioli-20100424_36" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S9SfQjFQ3VI/AAAAAAAAAl4/GXkMk3jNaCQ/EggHerbRicottaRavioli20100424_36_thu.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a> </p> <p>One of the yolked raviola blew apart when I flipped the form over – hence the smeared yolk on the parchment paper. I also discarded the one the rescued yolk had escaped from. (It’s best to start this recipe with lots of extra eggs.)</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S9SfQ6wR5jI/AAAAAAAAAl8/5ouDuY3Vq-c/s1600-h/EggHerbRicottaRavioli20100424_303.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Egg & Herb Ricotta Ravioli-20100424_30" border="0" alt="Egg & Herb Ricotta Ravioli-20100424_30" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S9SfRDKPbzI/AAAAAAAAAmA/VmaCUVNirao/EggHerbRicottaRavioli20100424_30_thu.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a> </p> <p>I cut up some odd pieces of my pancetta-style <a href="http://inventingtheuniverse.blogspot.com/2009/07/blt-challenge-bacon.html" target="_blank">bacon</a> into near-lardons.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S9SfRqaUmVI/AAAAAAAAAmE/KYbDI9imOoE/s1600-h/EggHerbRicottaRavioli20100424_333.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Egg & Herb Ricotta Ravioli-20100424_33" border="0" alt="Egg & Herb Ricotta Ravioli-20100424_33" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S9SfR00kePI/AAAAAAAAAmI/jyFHBLKLb_g/EggHerbRicottaRavioli20100424_33_thu.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a> </p> <p>While cooking <a href="http://inventingtheuniverse.blogspot.com/2009/07/blt-challenge-bacon.html" target="_blank">the bacon</a> I made beurre noisette.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S9SfSYFvNHI/AAAAAAAAAmM/m7g9e9mPRLI/s1600-h/EggHerbRicottaRavioli20100424_343.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Egg & Herb Ricotta Ravioli-20100424_34" border="0" alt="Egg & Herb Ricotta Ravioli-20100424_34" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S9SfS_pxSII/AAAAAAAAAmQ/K_WXM5Vd3Lw/EggHerbRicottaRavioli20100424_34_thu.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a> </p> <p>Then I fried some small sage leaves in the bacon fat for garnish.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S9SfTKIPNTI/AAAAAAAAAmU/JNGbF7bbW9g/s1600-h/EggHerbRicottaRavioli20100424_383.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Egg & Herb Ricotta Ravioli-20100424_38" border="0" alt="Egg & Herb Ricotta Ravioli-20100424_38" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S9SfT4M2ZaI/AAAAAAAAAmY/UagNfMss1dQ/EggHerbRicottaRavioli20100424_38_thu.jpg?imgmax=800" width="829" height="623" /></a> </p> <p>Served with the beurre noisette, bacon, fried sage and a sprinkle of P-R. I wish I had thought to cut into one  and photograph it before my husband and I ate all of them. Oh well, it looked a lot like my first <a href="http://inventingtheuniverse.blogspot.com/2009/07/headline-photo-egg-yolk-ravioli.html" target="_blank">egg yolk ravioli</a>:</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S9SfUKqBJ2I/AAAAAAAAAmg/oiUZuksqaMs/s1600-h/Egg%20Yolk%20Ravioli-02152009_23%5B2%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Egg Yolk Ravioli-02152009_23" border="0" alt="Egg Yolk Ravioli-02152009_23" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S9SfUvD8weI/AAAAAAAAAmk/TD7xpLpakTc/Egg%20Yolk%20Ravioli-02152009_23_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p>I had enough filling and pasta left over to use the <em>other</em>, smaller form that my husband also got for me.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S9SfUyltg5I/AAAAAAAAAmo/iEKwnkOCROA/s1600-h/Herb%20Ricotta%20Ravioli-20100424_02%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Herb Ricotta Ravioli-20100424_02" border="0" alt="Herb Ricotta Ravioli-20100424_02" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S9SfVPTjlQI/AAAAAAAAAms/NCektuFYX3E/Herb%20Ricotta%20Ravioli-20100424_02_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a> </p> <p>No yolks this time. I will freeze these for another day.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S9SfVfN8NVI/AAAAAAAAAmw/vPRyTENuDgk/s1600-h/Herb%20Ricotta%20Ravioli-20100424_03%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Herb Ricotta Ravioli-20100424_03" border="0" alt="Herb Ricotta Ravioli-20100424_03" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S9SfV0OQZhI/AAAAAAAAAm0/vtbLgK-q_4Y/Herb%20Ricotta%20Ravioli-20100424_03_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="829" height="623" /></a> </p> <p></p> <p></p> <p>I love the little rolling pin that came with this form.</p> Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06741092811012405089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6612030278103083885.post-73650599208313369862010-04-11T11:41:00.001-05:002010-04-11T11:41:02.834-05:00Chopped Liver<p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S8H7gpEqU5I/AAAAAAAAAiE/XSxnccCtpx4/s1600-h/Chopped%20Chicken%20Liver%2004022010_12%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Chopped Chicken Liver 04022010_12" border="0" alt="Chopped Chicken Liver 04022010_12" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S8H7hFtRS0I/AAAAAAAAAiI/vRW7UPF7PHE/Chopped%20Chicken%20Liver%2004022010_12_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="829" height="623" /></a> </p> <p>When I was in college, I was invited to a Jewish friend’s home for dinner.  His mother had made chopped liver for an appetizer.  It was a revelation – I had to tear myself away to save room for dinner.  I’ve been thinking of trying to recreate it for nearly 30 years and thanks to the <a href="http://inventingtheuniverse.blogspot.com/2010/04/chicken-dumplings.html" target="_blank">Chicken & Dumplings</a> I made recently, I actually had some schmaltz (rendered chicken fat) in the refrigerator!  I’m <em>so </em>glad I saved it.  I found what sounded like a good recipe from Ina Garten (<a title="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/chopped-liver-recipe/index.html" href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/chopped-liver-recipe/index.html" target="_blank">Chopped Liver</a>) on foodnetwork.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S8H7hWOHNNI/AAAAAAAAAiM/_5azHkuT4HQ/s1600-h/Chopped%20Chicken%20Liver%2004022010_01%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Chopped Chicken Liver 04022010_01" border="0" alt="Chopped Chicken Liver 04022010_01" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S8H7h_BZAsI/AAAAAAAAAiQ/CsQT1aLXdag/Chopped%20Chicken%20Liver%2004022010_01_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a> </p> <p>Schmaltz, onions, trimmed chicken livers.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S8H7iJCUq9I/AAAAAAAAAiU/tRxlGpal6ds/s1600-h/Chopped%20Chicken%20Liver%2004022010_02%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Chopped Chicken Liver 04022010_02" border="0" alt="Chopped Chicken Liver 04022010_02" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S8H7iRIztpI/AAAAAAAAAiY/Ay6meD7Bnmc/Chopped%20Chicken%20Liver%2004022010_02_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a> </p> <p>Madeira and thyme.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S8H7ipqe2oI/AAAAAAAAAic/jLnp09Ir1DA/s1600-h/Chopped%20Chicken%20Liver%2004022010_04%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Chopped Chicken Liver 04022010_04" border="0" alt="Chopped Chicken Liver 04022010_04" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S8H7jCDG0nI/AAAAAAAAAig/366Equdoat8/Chopped%20Chicken%20Liver%2004022010_04_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a> </p> <p>Sautéing the livers in <em>chicken fat</em>!</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S8H7jW1d4vI/AAAAAAAAAik/hwDyCPxSY7g/s1600-h/Chopped%20Chicken%20Liver%2004022010_03%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Chopped Chicken Liver 04022010_03" border="0" alt="Chopped Chicken Liver 04022010_03" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S8H7jp7TkkI/AAAAAAAAAio/_Xm9-bNnKYE/Chopped%20Chicken%20Liver%2004022010_03_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a> </p> <p>The livers with the onions sautéed in <em>chicken fat</em>!</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S8H7kDjILJI/AAAAAAAAAis/_XS6sY2v6yg/s1600-h/Chopped%20Chicken%20Liver%2004022010_10%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Chopped Chicken Liver 04022010_10" border="0" alt="Chopped Chicken Liver 04022010_10" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S8H7kVGNsDI/AAAAAAAAAiw/ahs8e2KBV9M/Chopped%20Chicken%20Liver%2004022010_10_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a> </p> <p>Added the Kosher salt, pepper, cayenne, and 4 hard-cooked organic free-range eggs (plus – not shown – more <em>chicken fat</em>!).  I wish I’d had the proper bowl and chopper to coarse chop the mixture as it’s hard not to over-do it in the food processor.</p> <p> </p> <p>I wanted to give the chopped liver every chance to live up to my memory of it so I made some seeded rye bread (from <a href="http://www.artisanbreadinfive.com/">Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day</a>) to serve it on.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S8H7klJdepI/AAAAAAAAAi0/jI8nxQswfcs/s1600-h/Rye%20Bread%2004042010_04%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Rye Bread 04042010_04" border="0" alt="Rye Bread 04042010_04" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S8H7lEefMbI/AAAAAAAAAi4/X_etB3iX_Hg/Rye%20Bread%2004042010_04_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a> </p> <p>Free-form loaf.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S8H7lRDu-gI/AAAAAAAAAi8/NBxOzVuhDLI/s1600-h/Rye%20Bread%2004042010_06%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Rye Bread 04042010_06" border="0" alt="Rye Bread 04042010_06" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S8H7lma6_5I/AAAAAAAAAjA/5Iwbib4Cj1c/Rye%20Bread%2004042010_06_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a> </p> <p>And Dutch Oven-method boule in the oven after 15 minutes with the lid on to steam.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S8H7l_q-IcI/AAAAAAAAAjE/kmcFdbGvxf0/s1600-h/Rye%20Bread%2004042010_10%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Rye Bread 04042010_10" border="0" alt="Rye Bread 04042010_10" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S8H7mW3Xr9I/AAAAAAAAAjI/wD_aCcik15k/Rye%20Bread%2004042010_10_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="364" height="484" /></a> </p> <p>Cooling.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S8H7mk3q4cI/AAAAAAAAAjM/7XdP1OklhJo/s1600-h/Rye%20Bread%2004052010_13%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Rye Bread 04052010_13" border="0" alt="Rye Bread 04052010_13" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S8H7m94qfcI/AAAAAAAAAjQ/wci3IMn57_A/Rye%20Bread%2004052010_13_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a> </p> <p>I love the smell of caraway seeds.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S8H7nGGAeWI/AAAAAAAAAjU/kCrbeRwLjuU/s1600-h/Chopped%20Chicken%20Liver%2004052010_16%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Chopped Chicken Liver 04052010_16" border="0" alt="Chopped Chicken Liver 04052010_16" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S8H7nkqLsPI/AAAAAAAAAjY/v2ePkhc6yTU/Chopped%20Chicken%20Liver%2004052010_16_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="829" height="623" /></a> </p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p>It was every bit as good as I remembered. Yes, with all that cholesterol, it may be “artery putty”; but as a very rare treat I think it’s worth it.</p> Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06741092811012405089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6612030278103083885.post-67321539439733660642010-04-11T11:04:00.001-05:002010-04-11T11:04:56.511-05:00Chicken & Dumplings<p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S8HzGoUj4xI/AAAAAAAAAhc/Cxq9kpqY5po/s1600-h/ChickenDumplings20100306_123.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Chicken & Dumplings-20100306_12" border="0" alt="Chicken & Dumplings-20100306_12" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S8HzHGBdF9I/AAAAAAAAAhg/_kQIxeBM7A4/ChickenDumplings20100306_12_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="829" height="623" /></a> </p> <p>I saw this on America’s Test Kitchen (<a href="http://www.cooksillustrated.com/recipes/detail.asp?docid=6924" target="_blank">Chicken and Dumplings</a>). I had the ingredients for <a href="http://inventingtheuniverse.blogspot.com/2010/04/brown-poultry-stock.html" target="_blank">Brown Poultry Stock</a> in the freezer and thought it would be nice to make homemade stock to use in it instead of store-bought chicken stock.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S8HzHZ8lFCI/AAAAAAAAAhk/1mtqfYW8ZwM/s1600-h/Chicken%20%26%20Dumplings-20100306_06%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Chicken & Dumplings-20100306_06" border="0" alt="Chicken & Dumplings-20100306_06" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S8HzHgrVKuI/AAAAAAAAAho/GHlY2JyToDs/Chicken%20%26%20Dumplings-20100306_06_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a> </p> <p> Golden-browned chicken thighs.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S8HzIPt3BMI/AAAAAAAAAhs/WyZHoTwOOec/s1600-h/Chicken%20%26%20Dumplings-20100306_03%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Chicken & Dumplings-20100306_03" border="0" alt="Chicken & Dumplings-20100306_03" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S8HzIrltAEI/AAAAAAAAAhw/tTNCxXnbja0/Chicken%20%26%20Dumplings-20100306_03_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a> </p> <p></p> <p></p> <p>Parsley, thyme, onions, celery, and carrots. (I forgot to photograph the homemade stock, sherry, milk and bay leaves <em>and</em> the mise en place for the dumplings – I was getting really hungry about now).</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S8HzIxuUDyI/AAAAAAAAAh0/WHDHraTBUvg/s1600-h/Chicken%20%26%20Dumplings-20100306_08%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Chicken & Dumplings-20100306_08" border="0" alt="Chicken & Dumplings-20100306_08" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S8HzJClH7uI/AAAAAAAAAh4/XPaS457SaUU/Chicken%20%26%20Dumplings-20100306_08_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a> </p> <p>Sweating the mirepoix.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S8HzJk5KfHI/AAAAAAAAAh8/Xf7yIFEAKTI/s1600-h/Chicken%20%26%20Dumplings-20100306_10%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Chicken & Dumplings-20100306_10" border="0" alt="Chicken & Dumplings-20100306_10" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S8HzJ6QmImI/AAAAAAAAAiA/R-57qCZqsoU/Chicken%20%26%20Dumplings-20100306_10_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a> </p> <p>Simmering the chicken.</p> <p> </p> <p>I added some finely chopped parsley to the dumpling dough. I don’t have a photo of the plating; it smelled so wonderful, my husband and I devoured it before I thought to take a picture.</p> Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06741092811012405089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6612030278103083885.post-18510876786647607982010-04-11T10:48:00.001-05:002010-04-11T11:06:41.392-05:00Brown Poultry Stock<p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S8HvH4txhpI/AAAAAAAAAgg/8mJGFTCxeYo/s1600-h/ChickenStock04112010_023.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Chicken Stock 04112010_02" border="0" alt="Chicken Stock 04112010_02" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S8HvIcym90I/AAAAAAAAAgk/d4GiWl58RZI/ChickenStock04112010_02_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="623" height="829" /></a> </p> <p>I adapted this from Jacques Pépin’s <em>Fast Food My Way, </em>Michael Ruhlman’s <em><a href="http://ruhlman.com/books.html" target="_blank">Ratio</a>, </em>and <em>Joy of Cooking: 75th Anniversary Edition. </em>It’s a great way to use the bones from a few rotisserie chickens.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S8HvJbG96tI/AAAAAAAAAgs/Hlpu9mT-_mA/s1600-h/ChickenStock20100306_013.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Chicken Stock-20100306_01" border="0" alt="Chicken Stock-20100306_01" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S8HvJkyy22I/AAAAAAAAAgw/E7mblgt-yYI/ChickenStock20100306_01_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a> </p> <p>Celery, carrots, and some leek tops and corn cobs I had saved in the freezer.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S8HvJ6TZktI/AAAAAAAAAg0/CgvJbzj4B-g/s1600-h/ChickenStock20100306_043.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Chicken Stock-20100306_04" border="0" alt="Chicken Stock-20100306_04" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S8HvKTgolTI/AAAAAAAAAg4/4wNaWnwue_8/ChickenStock20100306_04_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a> </p> <p>A few rotisserie chicken carcasses, a duck carcass, some turkey and duck “bits” (neck, gizzards).</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S8HvK7H2BdI/AAAAAAAAAg8/Ok-Su2ZhBiE/s1600-h/ChickenStock20100306_063.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Chicken Stock-20100306_06" border="0" alt="Chicken Stock-20100306_06" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S8HvLBo0iOI/AAAAAAAAAhA/UNTCxeOZX_w/ChickenStock20100306_06_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a> </p> <p>Part way through roasting at 425 degrees F for about an hour. You don’t even need to peel the onions.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S8HvLWQUwXI/AAAAAAAAAhE/6terToGTrZs/s1600-h/ChickenStock20100306_078.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Chicken Stock-20100306_07" border="0" alt="Chicken Stock-20100306_07" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S8HvL8EuA2I/AAAAAAAAAhI/dDxHGIIYkXA/ChickenStock20100306_07_thumb9.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="422" /></a> </p> <p>Bouquet garni of celery tops, parsley, thyme and bay leaves; plus a few peppercorns thrown in the pot.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S8HvMSnNGRI/AAAAAAAAAhM/40xbdCDLnbY/s1600-h/ChickenStock20100306_093.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Chicken Stock-20100306_09" border="0" alt="Chicken Stock-20100306_09" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S8HvM_XrImI/AAAAAAAAAhQ/76qIBc9DVSw/ChickenStock20100306_09_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a> </p> <p>Extracting the flavors with a bare simmer.</p> <p> </p> <p>I strained it through a chinoise, refrigerated it, skimmed off the fat and froze what was left after reserving 4 1/2 cups to make <a href="http://inventingtheuniverse.blogspot.com/2010/04/chicken-dumplings.html" target="_blank">Chicken & Dumplings</a>.  I was able to freeze two quart jars, four pint jars and two ice cube trays (nice for roughly 2 tablespoons worth to add to sauces) of stock for very little effort.  </p> Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06741092811012405089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6612030278103083885.post-6215711633685985922010-01-17T13:23:00.001-06:002010-01-17T13:23:30.120-06:00Cozy Winter Lunch | Potato – Leek soup and Croques-Monsieur<p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S1NjljtelyI/AAAAAAAAAdQ/rdeV7fLmpI8/s1600-h/Croques-Monsieur%2001102010_07%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Croques-Monsieur 01102010_07" border="0" alt="Croques-Monsieur 01102010_07" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S1NjmBmC1gI/AAAAAAAAAdU/KeMFJIRMcsI/Croques-Monsieur%2001102010_07_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="829" height="623" /></a> </p> <p>I found this <a href="http://www.davidlebovitz.com/archives/2010/01/potato-leek_soup.html" target="_blank">potato – leek soup</a> on David Lebovitz’s blog. It was wonderful with the sandwich. This may be one of my favorite lunches.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S1NjmnKdgPI/AAAAAAAAAdY/FzcVaqwYhAU/s1600-h/Potato%20-%20Leek%20Soup%2001102010_01%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Potato - Leek Soup 01102010_01" border="0" alt="Potato - Leek Soup 01102010_01" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S1NjnFYO-6I/AAAAAAAAAdc/eBvoLW6wv6M/Potato%20-%20Leek%20Soup%2001102010_01_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a> </p> <p>Butter, leeks, home-made chicken stock (the recipe calls for water, but I figured a couple of cups of stock substituted for some of the water wouldn’t hurt), bay leaves and thyme, russet potatoes (had some sitting around), white pepper and chili powder.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S1NjnQmyuqI/AAAAAAAAAdg/0UzOghvCsJM/s1600-h/Potato%20-%20Leek%20Soup%2001102010_02%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Potato - Leek Soup 01102010_02" border="0" alt="Potato - Leek Soup 01102010_02" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S1Njn37y7AI/AAAAAAAAAdk/vDNVYdGaB4o/Potato%20-%20Leek%20Soup%2001102010_02_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a> </p> <p>Sweating the leeks in the butter.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S1NjoABPyLI/AAAAAAAAAdo/Wf8mDYAeqcg/s1600-h/Potato%20-%20Leek%20Soup%2001102010_03%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Potato - Leek Soup 01102010_03" border="0" alt="Potato - Leek Soup 01102010_03" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S1NjoqPNYiI/AAAAAAAAAds/RxbeVu0_AOg/Potato%20-%20Leek%20Soup%2001102010_03_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a> </p> <p>Simmering until the potatoes are tender.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S1Njo4o2K9I/AAAAAAAAAdw/sauNUL6NHvQ/s1600-h/Potato%20-%20Leek%20Soup%2001102010_05%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Potato - Leek Soup 01102010_05" border="0" alt="Potato - Leek Soup 01102010_05" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S1NjpT4PtHI/AAAAAAAAAd0/LjQiFnpMGUw/Potato%20-%20Leek%20Soup%2001102010_05_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a> </p> <p>Buzzed with an immersion blender. </p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S1NjpiutBAI/AAAAAAAAAd4/paywViHAraM/s1600-h/Croques-Monsieur%2001102010_01%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Croques-Monsieur 01102010_01" border="0" alt="Croques-Monsieur 01102010_01" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S1NjpyYwvbI/AAAAAAAAAd8/jWk86x7c3kg/Croques-Monsieur%2001102010_01_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a> </p> <p>Gruyere (got it sliced into “sandwich slices” at the charcuterie counter), sourdough bread, honey-baked ham I had vacuum-sealed and frozen from Christmas.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S1NjqUkWgnI/AAAAAAAAAeA/sJVu_dliYdw/s1600-h/Croques-Monsieur%2001102010_04%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Croques-Monsieur 01102010_04" border="0" alt="Croques-Monsieur 01102010_04" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S1Njq_FMn-I/AAAAAAAAAeE/_p6y-hLBiyE/Croques-Monsieur%2001102010_04_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a> </p> <p>Two layers of cheese and ham.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S1NjrGV2xJI/AAAAAAAAAeI/MZX7iNSDGOQ/s1600-h/Croques-Monsieur%2001102010_05%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Croques-Monsieur 01102010_05" border="0" alt="Croques-Monsieur 01102010_05" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S1NjruqdJLI/AAAAAAAAAeM/dvqMij8FQb8/Croques-Monsieur%2001102010_05_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a> </p> <p>Microplaned a bit of cheese on top of the skim of butter.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S1Njr45NEtI/AAAAAAAAAeQ/hOcayTqA-Uw/s1600-h/Croques-Monsieur%2001102010_06%5B5%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Croques-Monsieur 01102010_06" border="0" alt="Croques-Monsieur 01102010_06" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S1NjsUDcdxI/AAAAAAAAAeU/B7HE9tjRauU/Croques-Monsieur%2001102010_06_thumb%5B3%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a> </p> <p>Baked, then broiled a bit to brown the cheese. It’s wonderful that something so simple can be so good.</p> Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06741092811012405089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6612030278103083885.post-20038894413678586022010-01-17T12:54:00.001-06:002010-01-17T12:54:02.037-06:00Scallop Gratin<p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S1Ncsa1dW4I/AAAAAAAAAcU/MaPCflXPTIo/s1600-h/Scallop%20Gratin%2001102010_08%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Scallop Gratin 01102010_08" border="0" alt="Scallop Gratin 01102010_08" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S1NcszfumSI/AAAAAAAAAcY/vnbUjMZV3rA/Scallop%20Gratin%2001102010_08_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="829" height="623" /></a> </p> <p>I’ve been wanting to add more seafood to my diet (and use my cute, garage-sale dishes) so I had to try this when I saw Ina Garten make it on <em><a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/bay-scallop-gratin-recipe/index.html" target="_blank">Barefoot Contessa:  Back to Basics</a>.</em></p> <p><em></em></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S1NctnRPy6I/AAAAAAAAAcc/WMUddR5Chk4/s1600-h/Scallop%20Gratin%2001102010_01%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Scallop Gratin 01102010_01" border="0" alt="Scallop Gratin 01102010_01" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S1NcuOLyBhI/AAAAAAAAAcg/uv4Ob90KZw0/Scallop%20Gratin%2001102010_01_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a> </p> <p>Butter, garlic, shallots, lemon juice, parsley, prosciutto, Herbsaint (for the Pernod).</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S1Ncus2tThI/AAAAAAAAAck/e11B0GnAcDI/s1600-h/Scallop%20Gratin%2001102010_04%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Scallop Gratin 01102010_04" border="0" alt="Scallop Gratin 01102010_04" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S1NcvHllYpI/AAAAAAAAAco/8MARDJNcmN4/Scallop%20Gratin%2001102010_04_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a> </p> <p>Topping before adding the olive oil and panko. My goodness, it smelled so good;  it was hard not to eat it by the spoonful.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S1NcvlIaKFI/AAAAAAAAAcs/0mISL4vfjO4/s1600-h/Scallop%20Gratin%2001102010_02%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Scallop Gratin 01102010_02" border="0" alt="Scallop Gratin 01102010_02" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S1Ncv7sFn9I/AAAAAAAAAcw/lMjK2FGaLqU/Scallop%20Gratin%2001102010_02_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a> </p> <p>On the show, Ina said you could use sea scallops and cut them in half.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S1NcwGTvroI/AAAAAAAAAc0/ATbvPGVlb3k/s1600-h/Scallop%20Gratin%2001102010_03%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Scallop Gratin 01102010_03" border="0" alt="Scallop Gratin 01102010_03" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S1Ncwpau1vI/AAAAAAAAAc4/qf8bfPNCTsY/Scallop%20Gratin%2001102010_03_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="364" height="484" /></a> </p> <p>I didn’t have any dry, white wine open; so I used this.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S1NcxKpieNI/AAAAAAAAAc8/4dG8CIPbWRU/s1600-h/Scallop%20Gratin%2001102010_05%5B7%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Scallop Gratin 01102010_05" border="0" alt="Scallop Gratin 01102010_05" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S1Ncxl-NmHI/AAAAAAAAAdA/_q7MwEE5B6Y/Scallop%20Gratin%2001102010_05_thumb%5B3%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a> </p> <p>Scallops cut in half, nestled in the wine, ready for the topping.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S1Ncx_s-VOI/AAAAAAAAAdE/L5HEEIQb0FU/s1600-h/Scallop%20Gratin%2001102010_07%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Scallop Gratin 01102010_07" border="0" alt="Scallop Gratin 01102010_07" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/S1NcyYOQFPI/AAAAAAAAAdI/wD9uyJcG1YA/Scallop%20Gratin%2001102010_07_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a> </p> <p>All set for the oven.</p> <p>It was very good. I’ll certainly be making this again.</p> Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06741092811012405089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6612030278103083885.post-39181470317594825062009-12-31T11:12:00.001-06:002009-12-31T11:12:53.530-06:00Lemon Tart (with thanks to David Lebovitz)<p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/Szzbf8r-0nI/AAAAAAAAAaQ/YDlnMIIWiKQ/s1600-h/PC270057%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="PC270057" border="0" alt="PC270057" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/SzzbgOYQHAI/AAAAAAAAAaU/VJrOhYx-iMM/PC270057_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="829" height="623" /></a> </p> <p>I was intrigued by David Lebovitz’s blog post on an interesting method for making <a href="http://www.davidlebovitz.com/archives/2009/05/french_tart_dough_a_la_francaise.html" target="_blank">French Tart Dough</a> that he used with his lemon curd to make a <a href="http://www.davidlebovitz.com/archives/2009/05/tart_au_citron_french_lemon_tart.html" target="_blank">Lemon Tart</a>. I just happened to have all the ingredients on hand – instant gratification.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/SzzbguwGAKI/AAAAAAAAAaY/RoUG-6wx4do/s1600-h/PC270042%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="PC270042" border="0" alt="PC270042" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/Szzbg6oR0xI/AAAAAAAAAac/o6DCAjJzB3g/PC270042_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a> </p> <p>Unfortunately, I was trying to work quickly and didn’t photograph the intermediate steps; check out the David Lebovitz’s <a href="http://www.davidlebovitz.com/archives/2009/05/french_tart_dough_a_la_francaise.html" target="_blank">French Tart Dough</a> post for what the components should look like. You heat the butter, oil, water, sugar, and salt in a bowl in the oven until it just starts to brown around the edges, then dump in the flour – almost like pâte a choux. Mix it together and pat it into the pan. No rolling!</p> <p>I didn’t have a tart pan, but I thought my springform would do in a pinch.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/SzzbhF4fHjI/AAAAAAAAAag/LmfXOeNHyPU/s1600-h/PC270045%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="PC270045" border="0" alt="PC270045" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/SzzbhuyKYUI/AAAAAAAAAak/NWYDihusVvY/PC270045_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a> </p> <p>It’s a bit too light, I think. I’ll bake it a bit longer next time.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/Szzbh3VFcXI/AAAAAAAAAao/_FLI18XkSyE/s1600-h/PC270039%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="PC270039" border="0" alt="PC270039" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/SzzbiMjHQXI/AAAAAAAAAas/-eyoMe8XO7o/PC270039_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/SzzbiiWDAfI/AAAAAAAAAaw/PFSJjWvXvNU/s1600-h/PC270044%5B2%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="PC270044" border="0" alt="PC270044" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/Szzbi4ULpRI/AAAAAAAAAa0/J0tHREYwKrE/PC270044_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a> </p> <p>Unsalted butter, lemon juice, lemon zest and sugar (plus two large eggs and 2 yolks) for the lemon curd.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/SzzbjNsPNLI/AAAAAAAAAa4/3LbjaTg1RXs/s1600-h/PC270047%5B7%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="PC270047" border="0" alt="PC270047" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/Szzbjy9t1YI/AAAAAAAAAa8/N5qEiPVieuk/PC270047_thumb%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="484" height="364" /></a> </p> <p></p> <p>Ready to bake for 5 min.</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/SzzbkufuLJI/AAAAAAAAAbA/8Sk2IK1Aen0/s1600-h/PC270056%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="PC270056" border="0" alt="PC270056" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/SzzblDsikRI/AAAAAAAAAbE/ZO1DnKfQZMk/PC270056_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="829" height="623" /></a> </p> <p>My husband said it wouldn’t be right without a dusting of confectioner’s sugar. The crust is wonderfully flaky and lovely with the homemade lemon curd filling. </p> Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06741092811012405089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6612030278103083885.post-91292031293710741862009-12-31T10:41:00.001-06:002009-12-31T10:41:24.450-06:00Spice Pepper Tapenade<p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/SzzULlVmiFI/AAAAAAAAAZ8/bhqaajqgSXE/s1600-h/Pepper%20Tapenade%20Ver.%202%2010242009_04%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Pepper Tapenade Ver. 2 10242009_04" border="0" alt="Pepper Tapenade Ver. 2 10242009_04" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/SzzUMO9cVVI/AAAAAAAAAaA/L0VYpEmzUo0/Pepper%20Tapenade%20Ver.%202%2010242009_04_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="829" height="623" /></a> </p> <p>Onion, anchovies, garlic, capers, purple basil, Parmigiano-Reggiano, sundried tomatoes, and roasted spice peppers. I finally realized that as the seeds in these spice peppers aren’t hot, I didn’t have to go insane removing them from the tray full of tiny peppers.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/SzzUMectxHI/AAAAAAAAAaE/f_NeGrefPA4/s1600-h/Pepper%20Tapenade%20Ver.%202%2010242009_07%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Pepper Tapenade Ver. 2 10242009_07" border="0" alt="Pepper Tapenade Ver. 2 10242009_07" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fLNTQK4dIHY/SzzUMxO-QqI/AAAAAAAAAaI/98JEgM1t6eY/Pepper%20Tapenade%20Ver.%202%2010242009_07_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="829" height="623" /></a> </p> <p>This tapenade is so tasty (and now that I know I don’t have to deseed them), I’ll grow these peppers again next season. (This was made in October.)</p> Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06741092811012405089noreply@blogger.com0