tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83188514403276006512024-03-05T09:51:19.954-06:00the latest DISHThe Latest Dish is a blog about food,artisan baking, outdoor adventures,fun times, intense Prep work, and things of the sort. I enjoy all things meat, but also love anything to do with vegetables. I love to take on challenging ideas and coming up with better ways to prepare delicious food.the DISHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12183261862775142331noreply@blogger.comBlogger226125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8318851440327600651.post-25998135051282455452014-06-10T15:33:00.000-05:002014-06-10T15:41:25.003-05:00Solid Gold on a Carbon Steel Budget...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jWSJuKf0h-k/U5dbxAoneAI/AAAAAAAAB2Y/Jad_Ctmx5W0/s1600/IMG_2512.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jWSJuKf0h-k/U5dbxAoneAI/AAAAAAAAB2Y/Jad_Ctmx5W0/s1600/IMG_2512.JPG" height="239" width="320" /></a></div>
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There is something very zen about making stir fry. There is a reasonable amount of knife work involved and you get to cut veggies and whatnot into shapes you might not usually use in your everyday cooking. I like that. lots. the flavors are fresh and vibrant and you can tailor the dish to your personal tastes pretty easily. You like chicken? AWESOME! You hate chicken? AWESOME! stir-fry won't judge you. It embraces the challenge. It's like the hippie drum circle (everyone's invited) of easy recipes, but as any hippie worth their djembe will tell you, you're only as good as the tools you use.</div>
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For years, I put off buying a real wok, thinking there wasn't much difference in a wok and a big sauté pan. Like most things in my life, I was wrong. A good wok is usually made of carbon and very thin. this facilitates the super intense heat you need to get that unmistakable flavor of your favorite chinese food. I bought a pretty basic one from sur la table that required seasoning, but now I treat it just like a cast iron pan and it never fails me. That sucker heats up super fast and consistently cranks out superb stir fries and curries. </div>
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Look people, I'm not asking you to go get yourself some <a href="http://www.clipjunkie.com/SNL---Marble-Columns-vid1119.html">"mahble cahlums"</a>, here. It's a wok. it's less than 30 bucks, but you'll feel like a million bucks when you're guests say, "who cooked this, the pope?"</div>
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Basic Stir Fry</div>
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1 pound meat, sliced as thin as you can (I usually use chicken or beef, but pork is good too) or firm tofu</div>
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1/2 cup soy sauce</div>
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1tbs+1tsp brown sugar</div>
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3 garlic cloves</div>
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combine this stuff in bowl, let sit for 30min-1hr</div>
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from here on, its kind of up to you but I like to use</div>
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handful of almonds</div>
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dried red chile (chile de arbol)</div>
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broccoli (about 1/2 a head</div>
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1 red bell pepper, matchstick cut</div>
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1 carrot, matchstick cut</div>
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some greens (usually 2-3 big collard green leaves)</div>
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14 oz. Broth (chicken, beef, pork stock,veg stock, whatever)</div>
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1/4 c soy sauce</div>
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2tbs cornstarch</div>
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whisk this last group of ingredients together in a small bowl</div>
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heat up your wok. get that sucker super hot. put in about a tbs of a high smoke point oil (peanut, preferably, but canola or grape seed or veg oil will work). Add the almonds and the dried chiles, be careful not to burn them. When they start to toast, remove and set on paper towels to drain, we'll add these back in later. see what you just did…toasted almond and chile oil to flavor your stir fry. nice move, kids. now, use a slotted spoon (or your sparkly clean mitts) to add the meat (or tofu) to the oil without transferring the marinade. too much liquid would steam the meat and probably burn your face off, and we don't want that. give the meat a couple trips around the pan until it starts to looked cooked. add it back to the bowl with the marinade, set aside. now, add your veggies. give them 1-2 minutes, tossing them around, and add the broth, soy, cornstarch mixture. now, add the almonds and chiles and the meat, marinade and all. let this cook, stir frying it around the pan for about 5 minutes or until the sauce starts to get thickened to your liking. you can thin the sauce out with a little more stock or water if you need. </div>
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serve with rice.</div>
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some essentials:</div>
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<a href="http://www.surlatable.com/product/PRO-1408186/Sur+La+Table+Professional+Carbon+Steel+Wok">This is the wok I have</a>. it rules. its inexpensive and a workhorse. it requires seasoning but you can do it, don't be a wuss and get a nonstick. they're crap.</div>
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<a href="http://www.surlatable.com/product/PRO-576959/Bamboo+Wok+Spatula">wok spatula</a>- you need something to move a lot of food at once. these are good, but i prefer </div>
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<a href="http://www.surlatable.com/product/PRO-195057/Rosle+Skimmer+with+Round+Handle">this guy</a>- I like that its slotted, I find it better for stir fry, and you most likely have a spatula already. I'm surprised at how much I use this spoon and yes I know its more expensive than the wok. sheesh.</div>
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<a href="http://www.thehouseofsolidgold.com/chopsticks-24k-gold-vermeil/">if you really want to up your game...</a></div>
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ALSO!!!!!</div>
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As much as I would love you all to go out and buy carbon steel woks, I'd love it even more if you'd check out my super talented friend, Angela's, awesome blog, <a href="http://www.goldenrodpastries.com/">here</a>. She is one of the sweetest, most kind hearted people I've ever met, and that would be enough, but she's also a pastry goddess. you heard me right. PASTRY. GODDESS. Angela's got the skills to pay the bills. She's as real as it gets in the pastry world and a pretty good writer to boot. you will not be disappointed. cheers.</div>
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the DISHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12183261862775142331noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8318851440327600651.post-8521692811834021782014-02-24T11:57:00.001-06:002014-02-24T11:57:17.375-06:00Chicken (or paneer or mixed veg) Korma…or…How Dish got his groove back...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I know, I know. It's been like, forever, trevor. Many things have been a changing', and I'm here to fill you in. First thing- I am no longer a baker. I know. Weird. Its weird for me too. But I am now chief soup and sandwich guy at the bakery. And its wonderful. I thought I loved making bread all day, but I love this even more. The fam is doing well and I hope you all are in good health and such. And now lets get down to it. Lets make some curry.</div>
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at casa Dish, we eat curry once a week. I was greatly relieved when I found out my kid liked curry as much as i do (that crap about kids not liking strong flavors is, well…crap.). It's a crowd pleaser, a tongue-teaser, and a budget squeezer (in a good way). It can be tweaked here and there to suit lots of different tastes and diets (the lady of the house is allergic to dairy so this is actually a dairy free version). </div>
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If I want a veggie version, I'll substitute with chunks of grilled paneer or I've also made it vegan with some chickpeas and mixed veg. The main thing is that you get the sauce down. After that, the sky is the limit on what you can do with this.</div>
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Basically, we start by searing our well seasoned chicken. I use (and recommend) a pressure cooker for curries for then sake of time and cleanup. After it has some nice color, set it aside and then ad your veg and spices to the same pot. Maybe drizzle in a little more oil. Saute until they start to get translucent and then add some liquid (chicken stock or veg stock). put the lid on and make sure its sealed, bring it to the highest pressure and cook for five minutes. It'll look something like the pic above. Then, I blend it up with my immersion blender. You can use a counter top blender if you want, just don't burn your <a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/0c/FaceOff_%281997_film%29_poster.jpg">face-off.</a> (seriously, the only travolta worth watching, and only because he's nicolas cage).</div>
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add the chicken back to the pureed sauce and cover with the lid. Bring to the highest pressure again cook for five more minutes. release pressure and then check seasonings for taste. I'll stir in a little almond milk at this point and some dairy free butter. obviously if you can eat dairy, add heavy cream or milk and regular butter. Boom. Easy. If you don't have a pressure cooker (WHAT?! SERIOUSLY?! HOW DO YOU FUNCTION?!) that's just fine. It'll just take way longer, and maybe you're cool like that. Well, zen-master, I am not. When I want curry, I want it now. </div>
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Serve it up like this, and your guests will think you know a thing or two about cooking. shhh, it'll be our secret that it only took 30 minutes.</div>
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Chicken (or whatever) Korma </div>
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veg oil</div>
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1 pound chicken (or paneer or mixed veg of your choice)</div>
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1 med onion, doesn't matter how you slice it (its still an onion!)</div>
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2 cloves garlic</div>
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1 inch piece of fresh ginger</div>
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1 stalk celery</div>
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1 carrot</div>
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1 tsp turmeric</div>
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1 tbs garam masala</div>
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1 tbs coriander powder</div>
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1 tsp chili powder</div>
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2 tsp dried curry leaves (crumbled up into powder, just use your hands)</div>
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1-2 tsp fenugreek powder</div>
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14 oz stock</div>
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salt and pepper</div>
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I went over the method above, you got this.</div>
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DISH recommends: <a href="http://www.cutleryandmore.com/fagor-duo/stainless-steel-pressure-cooker-p115247">Fagor Pressure cooker</a>. the <a href="http://www.cutleryandmore.com/kuhn-rikon-duromatic/stainless-steel-top-model-pressure-cooker-p123074">Kuhn Rikon</a> ones are nice too.</div>
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the DISHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12183261862775142331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8318851440327600651.post-38704147150578140962012-09-24T13:32:00.000-05:002012-09-24T13:32:01.359-05:00I'm only mostly dead (which is still barely alive)...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Wow. It definitely has been some time. But I'm here and I'm in the mood to do a post so here we go! This post is going to be about one thing, and by that I mean several things, but mostly it's about getting dinner on the table as fast i can. Now, for someone who is a pretty big fan of prep work, this is a different ball game for me. Its not that i am against fast meals (especially now), but I just never had the time constraints/sleep deprivation/bath-time/daycare pick-up,drop-off/cloth diapers/wrangling a floppy seventeen pound salmon/trying to dress,undress, said salmon/nap time, etc. that I do these days. and, obviously, my daughter is way cuter than a salmon, but no less hard to clothe...</div>
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ok, this big hot mess you see here is a big skillet of sausage, veggies, and beer. I'll say that again: SAUSAGES, VEGGIES, and BEER!! its dead simple, beyond delicious, and pretty healthy. Full of vitamins, and just the right amount of spice to warm you up and give some comfort on these brisk days ahead. It kind of just happened on accident because I was trying to use up all of the glorious veggies i get every week from robinette farm csa (more on that later), but it was so good and fast that it has been a welcome addition to our rotation.</div>
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I wanted to show you guys a little bit of the other reason I have been so absent lately, This here baguette is the result of about three years of trial and error. You see, normally at work, we were mixing baguettes in the early morn' and then baking them that same day, which is fine, but it also requires someone to get up super early (12 or 1 am) and then process the dough so it can be baked off. Well, after much trial and error, we figured out a way to freeze the dough and hold it overnight so instead of coming in at a super early time, we can come in at a still early, but not early as to be quantified as "super" time. this probably does not excite you, but it means that I can have more of a normal schedule and more of a normal sleep cycle, which feels like heaven.<br />
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This is just a picture of me devouring a cake that mames had made for me for fathers day. Our friend Angela (the pastry machine. It's not just a nickname, folks, lady's got skillz...). It was delicious. and it was all mine. Which sounds lovely, but mames and pops can't have dairy right now and I like to share, so I can safely say that it was the only time that cake will be bittersweet.<br />
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This is a typical pick up from my robinette csa. I was skeptical at first, but it has proven to be such a great deal. I think we paid around 300 clams (which averages out to about 15 dollars a week), and every wednesday we get fresh, organic veggies. they also had melons for a while...<br />
I can't say enough good things about the csa program.<br />
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A beer bread that I was making for the farmers market for a while. It was made with cutthroat porter and then rolled in oats before baking. I'll probably bring a version of it back for the hols.<br />
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Alright, so my wife is obsessed with the Pinterest. I have no idea what it is, all I know is that she brings me dozens of recipes to try. I like this. I suspect that there are other uses for pinterest, but this is the only one that matters to me. recipes for days.<br />
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This is just a steak. cooked perfectly. with some chips and 'spargus.<br />
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I had to put this one in:) Apparently the pears I made her were a little tart. and yeah, my kid is already a food nut. she likes just about everything and eats like it's the business. this makes me happy.<br />
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Beer braised sausages and veg<br />
olive oil<br />
5 good quality brats<br />
1 onion, red or white or yellow, your choice<br />
2 cloves garlic, sliced thin<br />
1 red bell, small dice<br />
2 good sized potatoes, cubed<br />
1 stalk celery, extra small dice, include the inner leaves if you can<br />
1 bunch rainbow chard, or kale, or greens of your choice<br />
1/2 dark beer, such as a porter, stout, or dark ale<br />
salt and pepper<br />
1tbs plus 1 tsp sweet paprika, I've used smoked too, also good.<br />
<br />
get the biggest lidded skillet or sauté pan that you have, put it on med heat and once its hot add some olive oil. sear the sausages on all sides , but not until done. remove them from the pan and set aside. sauté the onions, garlic, bell pepper, and celery until they are getting some nice color and then add the potatoes. slice the sausages into the size you would like them (use a serrated knife, as they will be raw-ish in the middle and hard to slice) and then add to the skillet. sprinkle in the paprika, salt and pepper, an then give it all a stir. pour in half of the beer and cover the skillet. drink the rest while you wait for the potatoes to cook through. Wash the greens and then chop them up fairly thin. add to the skillet when the potatoes are almost done. your skillet should be really full, it takes some finessing, but the greens will cook down, I assure you. if it starts to dry out a little you can add a little bit of water, just adjust the seasoning accordingly. I hope you give it a try!!<br />
<br />
so here's the deal, alright: My kid, my precious sweet shoogy boogy, is finally starting to sleep through the night. This is a good thing. especially for this blog. I promise to make an effort to be nicer to ol' bloggy and update more often. Ive been trying a lot of new stuff and cooking lots of tasty treats so I hope to get on here and share them soon. piece out. (<--I know that's a typo, haters, I'm trying to be ironic).<br />
DISH recommends: <a href="http://www.robinettefarms.com/content/8704">robinette farms csa.</a> Get your veg on. such high quality tasty stuff. I feel like it was a really great deal for my family and was really nice veg. the DISHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12183261862775142331noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8318851440327600651.post-6351539360153408872012-04-25T13:01:00.001-05:002012-04-25T13:03:54.157-05:00how 'bout a little pep...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ACB7E83Zdno/T5gxzyvfZaI/AAAAAAAAByU/gXE6U6L5ESA/s1600/IMG_1173.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ACB7E83Zdno/T5gxzyvfZaI/AAAAAAAAByU/gXE6U6L5ESA/s320/IMG_1173.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
i love pepper steak. It exists in that spicy no man's land between fajitaville and stir fry country. It's relatively cheap to make and fast to prepare. Two things that are high on my list these days. It's well-spiced with cumin, coriander, and chile powder and has the consistency of a perfect curry. I like to serve it with rice, but the wife show and I have been known to eat it over mashed potatoes. it's delicious. get over yourselves. In the photo above, I was cooking it outside, since it just so happened to be a billion degrees inside our house and I wasn't about to add to the inferno. I actually like cooking some things like this. It was a method that i started using when we renovated (ahem, still renovating:) our kitchen and turned out to be pretty slick. I'll post the do below.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-um9kPumTBpo/T5gx_W022MI/AAAAAAAAByc/IS0j0JH1d10/s1600/IMG_1226.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-um9kPumTBpo/T5gx_W022MI/AAAAAAAAByc/IS0j0JH1d10/s320/IMG_1226.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Behold, the carburetor. or carbonator. or irish carb-bomb. I haven't decided what to call this sandwich I've been making, I only know that it haunts my waking moments and beckons to me like a starchy, salty siren. Baguette, mayo, avocado, crispy roasted potatoes and onions, and arugula. It's all you need. ever. <br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-82g9XpuPImw/T5gyGC37pXI/AAAAAAAAByk/rMI6QQr2h3E/s1600/IMG_1220.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-82g9XpuPImw/T5gyGC37pXI/AAAAAAAAByk/rMI6QQr2h3E/s320/IMG_1220.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
This is me, walking my pups, and carrying little pops. I get so much done because of this baby carrier we received from our dear friends. I'm able to do laundry, go on a hike/walk, cook, get groceries, and whatever else I might need to do whilst holding my little one and retaining the use of my mitts. It distributes her weight really perfectly too, so I don't wear my back out.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bfvnJl67sj4/T5gyOmDChuI/AAAAAAAABys/kjgsxCfM_KY/s1600/IMG_1237.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bfvnJl67sj4/T5gyOmDChuI/AAAAAAAABys/kjgsxCfM_KY/s320/IMG_1237.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
This started while our family was in town and I can't stop. If you zoom in there, you'll see a brat split down the middle and resting on top of burger heaven. It's solid gold wonderment. the snap of the brat paired with the burger is not only delicious, its a time saver...<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MBHdcIQAJGs/T5gyWYStCoI/AAAAAAAABy0/EyVHGXQ4rEU/s1600/IMG_1221.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MBHdcIQAJGs/T5gyWYStCoI/AAAAAAAABy0/EyVHGXQ4rEU/s320/IMG_1221.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
...and that's something that I can totally get down with. Any spare time I can wrangle, I try to spend with my two lovely ladies. Seriously, take a look at this kid, who wouldn't want to hang out with this cool little chubster. The entire time mames' was pregnant, people would always tell us, "everything changes", or "soak up this time together", and we did, we really did and I cherish that time I had with just the two of us. Everything did change. i learned that my heart was bigger than I ever imagined, I learned what it was like to see my wife's smile on someone else's face, I learned that my wife was stronger than I (or her) ever imagined (10 hours of labor with no meds of any kind, sheesh.), but the biggest revelation Ive had in these past three months was that the way I feel about my daughter, is the way my parents feel about me. <br />
ok, down to biznass:<br />
Pepper Steak:<br />
olive oil<br />
1lb flatiron steak, cut super thin (like ally mcbeal, or daphne, pre-niles), seasoned with s&p<br />
1 red bell pepper, strippified<br />
1 poblano pepper, ""<br />
1 orange or yellow pepper, ""<br />
1 onion, sliced thin<br />
2 cloves garlic<br />
nice handful cilantro<br />
2 tsp each, chile powder, cumin, coriander powder<br />
salt and peps<br />
(i usually prep everything above and put it in a large bowl of love)<br />
<br />
1 8 oz can tomato sauce<br />
water.<br />
get a cast iron or heavy bottomed skillet super hot and add a little olive oil, then add the contents of the love bowl into said smoking pan and stir until you start to get a little color on the veggies, about 4-5 minutes. now add your sauce and stir until it coats all of the other ingredients and then fill up the sauce can with some water. add this and reduce it down until desired thickness is achieved, about 5 mins. you can make this as saucy or dry as you want, i like it just a little saucy, but on the thicker side. serve with rice or over potatoes, or you could spoon it into tortillas and have some pretty bomb tacos. pieces.<br />
Dish Recommends: <a href="http://store.ergobaby.com/Baby_Carriers/Performance/BCP03405"> Ergo Baby Carrier</a>. this is the only way I get anything done around here. <br />
<br />the DISHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12183261862775142331noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8318851440327600651.post-72897589656874061172012-02-17T09:46:00.001-06:002012-02-17T09:48:10.270-06:00You may have noticed my absence...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I feel like i owe everyone an apology. You see, lately, I've felt a lot like this.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cZmTSpZ0M7s/Tz5xvwOkEaI/AAAAAAAABwk/1bGnJn6TkG8/s1600/DSC_0365.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cZmTSpZ0M7s/Tz5xvwOkEaI/AAAAAAAABwk/1bGnJn6TkG8/s320/DSC_0365.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">I've kind of gotten bored with this blog and haven't updated much, because, well, I got into the habit of thinking that I always needed to have a recipe that correlated with my photos or whatever, and that just got to be a little too much work (I started this thing to show my mom/friends what I had been cooking for dinners/working on and it became really fun, and that is what I am going to go back to doing. because I like it. and this blog is mine.) You see, I've been quite busy. While I would have loved to have been writing about things like this, this, and this,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yWSOHZqODGE/Tz5yk5W_okI/AAAAAAAABww/chShR-uZFNk/s1600/DSC_0777.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yWSOHZqODGE/Tz5yk5W_okI/AAAAAAAABww/chShR-uZFNk/s320/DSC_0777.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WWNSG36GglM/Tz5yvoweLFI/AAAAAAAABxA/0JE1je5ddKo/s1600/DSC_0785.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WWNSG36GglM/Tz5yvoweLFI/AAAAAAAABxA/0JE1je5ddKo/s320/DSC_0785.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cEV6yaXm0mQ/Tz5yphklkTI/AAAAAAAABw4/INSxzwXUmWo/s1600/DSC_0780.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cEV6yaXm0mQ/Tz5yphklkTI/AAAAAAAABw4/INSxzwXUmWo/s320/DSC_0780.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">I have been busy doing things like this</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TsKB8DIRhJE/Tz5zNbe9nDI/AAAAAAAABxI/t-K6yjIG1Cw/s1600/DSC_0540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TsKB8DIRhJE/Tz5zNbe9nDI/AAAAAAAABxI/t-K6yjIG1Cw/s320/DSC_0540.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">getting ready for these :)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hLLN_7Y396c/Tz5zar-iOLI/AAAAAAAABxQ/BJgtcxsC1x0/s1600/DSC_0813.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hLLN_7Y396c/Tz5zar-iOLI/AAAAAAAABxQ/BJgtcxsC1x0/s320/DSC_0813.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">and while that hasn't given me a whole lot of time to spend on this blog, I still want these people</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7SiYn1183uQ/Tz5z9YWWshI/AAAAAAAABxY/TwP-62OHUyo/s1600/Screen+Shot+2011-11-12+at+9.25.37+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7SiYn1183uQ/Tz5z9YWWshI/AAAAAAAABxY/TwP-62OHUyo/s320/Screen+Shot+2011-11-12+at+9.25.37+AM.png" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">and these people,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3LLxVWMneKs/Tz50QSbl9RI/AAAAAAAABxg/UvtfsNsPUaM/s1600/DSC_0441.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3LLxVWMneKs/Tz50QSbl9RI/AAAAAAAABxg/UvtfsNsPUaM/s320/DSC_0441.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">and these people,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HqczGQly8JM/Tz50sIE1KaI/AAAAAAAABxo/ngBbi0FlMdg/s1600/earthFromSpace.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="317" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HqczGQly8JM/Tz50sIE1KaI/AAAAAAAABxo/ngBbi0FlMdg/s320/earthFromSpace.gif" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">to know that even though I may be elbow deep in this</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ILJDUFC__4I/Tz51MW47UuI/AAAAAAAABxw/NzjzD9857Bc/s1600/IMG_1053.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ILJDUFC__4I/Tz51MW47UuI/AAAAAAAABxw/NzjzD9857Bc/s320/IMG_1053.jpg" width="239" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Or spending time with her:)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sL8TMnyJEQk/Tz51fnpz6XI/AAAAAAAABx4/kJRaWOqjWsc/s1600/IMG_1104.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sL8TMnyJEQk/Tz51fnpz6XI/AAAAAAAABx4/kJRaWOqjWsc/s320/IMG_1104.jpg" width="239" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">I will do my best to try and write more about things like this</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DMS4q9Cc_F0/Tz513k0vn_I/AAAAAAAAByA/ArJpuMKOGTo/s1600/DSC_0300.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DMS4q9Cc_F0/Tz513k0vn_I/AAAAAAAAByA/ArJpuMKOGTo/s320/DSC_0300.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>the DISHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12183261862775142331noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8318851440327600651.post-4278884956680828942011-11-14T10:14:00.001-06:002011-11-14T10:19:28.086-06:00cooking a steak indoors (*Grill stance, still required)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I suppose its only right and fair that I offer all of you some sort of explanation. At first, my posts were delayed because I was trying to think of a way to follow up that entry on snacksgiving (not an easy task, to be sure). Then, we were a man short at work. Then, we were a woman short at work, which just left john and I and one helper. for six weeks. one day off per week. all this on top of getting a house ready for a new babe (!!!!!!!:), you get the idea. sorry for the sparse postings, my friendlies, but alas, I am but a single dish in this cupboard we call life...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Soooooo, this is my first week with two days off and dagnabit, I'm fixin' to write a blog. about steak. and iron. and gravy. so, I hope you all accept my apology and let us march on and STEAK our claim. Let us CAST aside these IRON shackles of occupational obligations. ok, i'll stop. let's get down to this...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Hyn8zK23dqs/TsExZEvlGXI/AAAAAAAABvU/F6DFTsxArSg/s1600/DSC_0713.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Hyn8zK23dqs/TsExZEvlGXI/AAAAAAAABvU/F6DFTsxArSg/s320/DSC_0713.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> Just because grilling season is all but done, there is no reason you can't enjoy a nice steak. Cooking a steak indoors is something that everyone should know how to do and should do. often. I recommend picking up a cast iron pan for this, but any heavy skillet would probably work. the reason i go for the cast iron is because they are super cheap and maintain their heat for a long time (perfect for getting a good sear on our steak). You want to heat your skillet over med high heat until that sucker is starting to smoke.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0ZTWi1qon2I/TsExcQLbY0I/AAAAAAAABvc/zYj4CcxKR64/s1600/DSC_0715.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0ZTWi1qon2I/TsExcQLbY0I/AAAAAAAABvc/zYj4CcxKR64/s320/DSC_0715.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> Season your meat (however you fancy. I just use salt and pepper, because I'm going to cover these guys in some gravy) and drizzle it with a little olive oil. You want to oil the meat instead of the pan, because if you added oil to that super hot pan, your house would look like <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Yd857aaZ_UCPuyq4ZBuo8cXroFyrs_Qyq6LXwztoei0e4wYVQmGHdp_OkRAusV606UoBx46l84LRWCLDE3L9dPJQPQsbmwwO4l_ngeqK8BlZ8_1kEEbeq6fgOjsr67bGloaz7bwhvw/s400/CC_UpInSmoke_MS_5.jpg">tommy chong</a> was in the next room.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ynwlZmwshFo/TsExiNnJNuI/AAAAAAAABvk/tsvNbteXatk/s1600/DSC_0718.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ynwlZmwshFo/TsExiNnJNuI/AAAAAAAABvk/tsvNbteXatk/s320/DSC_0718.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> let your steak brown for about 3-4 minutes on the first side and take this time to season and oil the top sides of your steaks. be patient, no peeking. leaving these alone will ensure a better browning on each piece of meat.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kDNMVFJi3mg/TsExpInAjnI/AAAAAAAABvs/AIUH6li1UKg/s1600/DSC_0723.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kDNMVFJi3mg/TsExpInAjnI/AAAAAAAABvs/AIUH6li1UKg/s320/DSC_0723.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> using a pair of tongs, give them a flip and cook them for another 3-4 minutes. Now, here is where a good thing can turn bad in a hurry. If you like your steak on the rarer side, these are probably done enough for you. unless of course, you have a really thick piece of meat. the steaks you see above were actually only two steaks that I cut down to make cooking go quickly. If you prefer the thicker option that's just fine, but you will probably need some additional cooking, either in a 400F oven, or just longer in the skillet. how do you tell when it is done to your liking? you can use one of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Taylor-Classic-Instant-Read-Pocket-Thermometer/dp/B00004XSC4/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1321285961&sr=8-9">these </a>and then consult<a href="http://www.colinmcnulty.com/blog/images/cook-a-steak-blue-rare-medium-welldone.jpg"> this</a>, but I just do <a href="http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/the_finger_test_to_check_the_doneness_of_meat/">this.</a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN0hLnKQH1ZUNAyn2foNKqUOKjiD7sc2ORQlXxr05NqPZGsawNlJ3A77_bKHQve6DD2ptYuizZZV3DZqIzZE4NniyajfQIVdBStd8Yj9FSH3qFM6l0ORTukyGo_FZVp5LjNTAeLuPhjEs/s1600/DSC_0728.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN0hLnKQH1ZUNAyn2foNKqUOKjiD7sc2ORQlXxr05NqPZGsawNlJ3A77_bKHQve6DD2ptYuizZZV3DZqIzZE4NniyajfQIVdBStd8Yj9FSH3qFM6l0ORTukyGo_FZVp5LjNTAeLuPhjEs/s320/DSC_0728.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>ok, its gravy time. Gravy is ridiculously easy to make and I am often surprised that more people don't do it. What were making here is basic beef gravy. its not a reduction or a jus or a glaze. this is just gravy. and its what I was in the mood for. after you have removed the meat from your skillet, turn the heat to a little lower mark, and then add a tablespoon or two of butter and let it melt, scraping the beef goodies from the bottom of the pan. then, however much butter you added, add the same amount of flour and whisk it together until it starts to darken. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nuu4BVRJG6g/TsExy9z8QjI/AAAAAAAABv8/0v3h6geR8nE/s1600/DSC_0729.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nuu4BVRJG6g/TsExy9z8QjI/AAAAAAAABv8/0v3h6geR8nE/s320/DSC_0729.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Now, add some beef stock or broth (I think i used about half of a 14 oz. can here in this pic) and whisk to combine with the butter and flour. Let this mixture bubble up and reduce, whisking from time to time, until it reaches the thickness that you desire.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xhH5WVc72XU/TsEx6H1kaQI/AAAAAAAABwE/MhlF8F0l7OY/s1600/DSC_0731.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xhH5WVc72XU/TsEx6H1kaQI/AAAAAAAABwE/MhlF8F0l7OY/s320/DSC_0731.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>By now your meat has rested for about 5 minutes (perfect timing) and you are ready to plate up those beef treats and dig in like a BAWS! If you've never made a steak inside, I hope that you all give this one a go. I can get down with a grilled steak, don't get me wrong, but i like the option you have with this recipe to take the juices and fat that you lose during grilling and make a tasty sauce for which to bathe your beef with. I've missed writing this blog these past few months, hope to not take that big of a break again. thanks.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5DWxrzRTp_o/TsEx8wVp7RI/AAAAAAAABwM/zkcIByImpzw/s1600/DSC_0733.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5DWxrzRTp_o/TsEx8wVp7RI/AAAAAAAABwM/zkcIByImpzw/s320/DSC_0733.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>DISH recommends:<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-Logic-10-Inch-Chefs-Skillet/dp/B00008GKDJ/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1321286892&sr=8-7"> getting acquainted with ol' "casty"</a>. Lately, these are the only pans that I use. you can pick one up from a place like tjmaxx or target or even a yard sale. keep them well-lubed and you will never go back to nonstick.<br />
I was going to post a recipe but I thought that might be kind of redundant. I still can if you prefer that method, but I'll just leave as is for now...<br />
*in case you are not familiar with grill stance, I thought<a href="http://media.cleveland.com/taste_impact/photo/9698817-large.jpg"> this</a> was a pretty good representation.the DISHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12183261862775142331noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8318851440327600651.post-20935854240904471892011-08-22T11:52:00.005-05:002011-08-24T18:20:43.177-05:00Snacksgiving<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PyqrfmjPWVc/TlJy32JftPI/AAAAAAAABu0/YWcJUZAOk0A/s1600/IMG_0876.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PyqrfmjPWVc/TlJy32JftPI/AAAAAAAABu0/YWcJUZAOk0A/s320/IMG_0876.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Everyone likes holidays. We have holidays that involve turkey, holidays where we dress up like monsters and give and eat candy, and many more holidays for religious purposes. but we have no holidays that celebrate the art of snacking (which, it could be argued, is a religious purpose in and of itself). Who doesn't like snacks? nobody, that's who. Snacks were here looooooooong before the whole breakfast, lunch, dinner thing, and it's time we pay proper homage to le snack.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdxpCxG02qab0259OS3PSQlPFntECd-L7fL5eSh10z4mOkjfJc2PbGZ4VL-DcIpGGbnZG-rcy7rJJwWqeS1ktaUfimZYjqr7fir8EQZNolCnxGvEuL-TALF93iZ0Dm7lCwuuj6_frCueA/s1600/IMG_0877.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdxpCxG02qab0259OS3PSQlPFntECd-L7fL5eSh10z4mOkjfJc2PbGZ4VL-DcIpGGbnZG-rcy7rJJwWqeS1ktaUfimZYjqr7fir8EQZNolCnxGvEuL-TALF93iZ0Dm7lCwuuj6_frCueA/s320/IMG_0877.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">That's why I hereby propose a floating holiday (the only stipulation is that it be celebrated on a sunday afternoon) called, snacksgiving. Now, much like any other festive day of delight, snacksgiving, can be open for interpretation. However, there are a few rules here and I would like to take this time to lay the groundwork for this most precious of days:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Rule #1:</b> Snacksgiving must involve at least 4 of the following 6 snack groups, with certain exceptions, and exemptions applying to dietary needs</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Group #1</b>: The chip/crisp family. no snacksgiving would be complete without this crispy addition. Whether it's kettle cooked, baked, or made in the traditional way, flavored or plain, we must have potato chips (pringles are somewhat acceptable, but only in a pinch. I'm still not convinced they are potato chips, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/01/opinion/01mon4.html">bugger what the lord justice says)</a>. I prefer plain to flavored and that leads me to another sub-section</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i>sub-section 1a</i>:</b> dips: Dips are glorious. they coat that crispy piece of heaven in a silky layer of goodness and say "nice to meet ya". nice indeed.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>note: you may also choose to include a corn chip option in your snacksgiving, but let it be known that it must pair with a choice from the sub-section of salsas. nobody likes plain corn chips, nobody. these may be savory or sweet, hot, mild, of the guacamole nature, blah, blah, blah. this is my blog and I say potato chips. </i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Group#2:</b> Meat snacks. Pretty self explanatory. a good snacksgiving spread usually has chicken wings. Just saying. and something from the sausage family. meatballs are good too. Jerky is acceptable, but only for host gifts. This group is obviously one of the optional ones, which can be set aside for vegetarian observers.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Group #3: </b>the snack mix group. Nothing gets a snacksgiving going like a bunch of separate snacks tossed together and then shoved in your face. I love it, you love it, your neighbors even love it. its called snack MIX for a reason. it puts the tingle in your mingle. it's always encouraged to make a mix up yourself. store bought is marginally acceptable (c'mon, it's snacks giving, here folks!). You don't have a recipe for the most delicious snack mix in the world? it's ok, I've got you covered (recipe below).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Group#4: </b>Veggie Snack. Every snacksgiving needs some veg. It needn't be raw veg, either. We had mexican corn on the cob at ours. it was delicious. branch out and make your favorite veg, just make sure it fits in the small bite/handheld category. vegetables wrapped in bacon are deemed acceptable, and encouraged. you could also do stuffed mushrooms, cauliflower fritters, potato skins, etc.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Group #5: </b>Cheese. spreads, soft, semi-firm, firm, they're all good, they're all acceptable. Go out of your way and get some nice cheeses for this one that run the gauntlet. four or five should suffice. crackers are encouraged, but not entirely necessary.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Group#6: </b>Stick food (i.e. kabobs). People love food on sticks. it's never going to change, so better to embrace it, than try and erase it. Now, you've a lot of room to work with this one, so be creative and be careful, these suckers are sharp. fruit on sticks (raw or grilled), grilled meat, grilled veggies (or both), tofu or paneer kabobs, you name it. deconstruct your favorite salad and stick it! the possibilities abound.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Rule #2: </b>Drinks. Must. Flow. a party isn't a party without drinks, whether they be alcoholic or non. It's always great to have a pitcher of something at snacks giving. Pitchers of drinks make people feel like they can have as much as they like, and that's what this holiday is all about. It can be anything from iced tea to ice cold beer, as long as its in a pitcher. <a href="http://latestdish.blogspot.com/2011/06/life-was-being-stingy-i-had-to-pay-for.html">And as long as we're on that topic...</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Rule#3:</b> Dear friends. While most holidays are about family, this one is for your pals. your homies. your cronies, etc. family is definitely welcome, but most times, most of us aren't lucky enough to have them close by.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5B33JDKozL0/TlJy8F1QvyI/AAAAAAAABu4/Atl-_58dMI8/s1600/IMG_0875.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5B33JDKozL0/TlJy8F1QvyI/AAAAAAAABu4/Atl-_58dMI8/s320/IMG_0875.jpg" width="239" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">ok, you want that mix recipe? I thought so, just be forewarned that it makes a ton, and you'll need a good guard dog to keep it safe.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">"The Drake" Mix:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">(note: this recipe was given to me by an old workmate of mine. I have since elaborated on it, but the drake deserves a nod...)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 small box Crispix cereal</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 16 oz bag pretzels</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 16 oz bag fritos</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 8 oz bag goldfish crackers</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 bag bugles </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 pound of mixed nuts</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>for the dressing:</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2 cup brown sugar, not packed</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 pound butter</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2 tbs curry powder</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 tbs, plus 1 tsp garlic powder</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 tbs, plus 1 tsp chili powder</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2 tbs worcestershire sauce</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">heat oven to 250F. Empty dry stuff into a very large mixing bowl, or into several large mixing bowls. heat and stir the dressing ingredients until incorporated. pour over the dry stuff and mix well. Empty mix onto two large baking sheets (they will be heaped pretty high, don't worry) and bake, stirring every 20 minutes. rotate sheets once at the 30 minute mark. pour into parchment lined paper bags on the counter to cool.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">DISH recommends: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Quart-Stainless-Mixing-13-0777-Category/dp/B001E0JKKQ/ref=pd_sim_hg_1">A big mixing bowl</a>. My mom gave me something similar to this. I never thought I'd use it. I use it all the time.</div><br />
the DISHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12183261862775142331noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8318851440327600651.post-40562842733735818082011-07-18T11:05:00.000-05:002011-07-18T11:05:39.409-05:00you had me at french fries tossed in ketchup...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--bFVcGkxvg4/TiRF7Jkj-UI/AAAAAAAABus/B17_CCUmeW8/s1600/DSC_0453.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--bFVcGkxvg4/TiRF7Jkj-UI/AAAAAAAABus/B17_CCUmeW8/s320/DSC_0453.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I like to eat a lot of different things. I think that most of us do (at least I hope so). But once in a while, I stumble upon something that I<a href="http://bbsimg.ngfiles.com/1/22776000/ngbbs4dc89d79c0c44.jpg"> REALLY dig</a> and can't get enough of. Sort of like seasonal eating( the consumption of a food at it's tasty peak to the extent that you never want to see said food until the following season, i.e. sweet corn, nectarines, grapefruit, etc.) but instead of fruits and veggies, i'm just using condiments (kind of like a U.S. school cafeteria).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The first time that I had tried this sauce was at a snacky party my friend Rashi was throwing. I had loaded up a plate with all sorts of goodies and then came to a dish that looked to be just french fries tossed in ketchup and garnished with scallions. I was already excited about ketchuppy fries, but when I tasted these, it was far more than I had bargained for. if you've ever gone to a szechuan restaurant and ordered prawns in chili sauce, this sauce is sort of similar to that. except it's less ketchuppy, and more awesomey. It's not too sweet like a lot that I've had and the saltiness of the soy and the spiciness of the sriracha really round out the flavors. Most of you probably have the three main ingredients knocking about your pantry/fridge, so let's give it a go and cover the world in tangy waves of crimson!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">ok, I know that somewhere on this site there is a little blurb about me loving intense prep work (and I do), but you know what else I like? easy prep work. causal friday prep work. there isn't much to this sauce ( even with a few of my own additions) and it takes very little time to make. so honey, throw on those khaki pants and a polo shirt and let's make some magic happen!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Indo-chinese chili sauce</b>: (this is enough sauce for about a pound of boneless chicken pieces. If you need more just make accordingly and don't forget to adjust the seasoning to your taste. if you want more sweet- add more ketchup, more salty-add more soy, and spice it up with more sriracha, it's totally up for interpretation).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1/4 cup ketchup</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 tbs. soy sauce</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 heaping teaspoon sriracha</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">small handfull cilantro, minced</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">scallions, sliced to garnish</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">ok, if I am making this for chicken or shrimp, I stir fry the meat (seasoned with a little salt and peps) in a wok over high heat in a little peanut oil. when it is nearly done, i'll add the sauce (mixed up ahead of time, all but the scallions), and toss the meat in it until it glazes all the pieces. If I am going to be eating it with rice, I will also add already cooked rice to the wok so that all of the rice gets coated with the tangy goodness. If you find that the sauce is a little dry, go ahead and add a little water or stock until you reach your desired consistency. Like I said before, give it a taste and add more ketchup/soy/sriracha, as you like. enjoy.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">this sauce woud also be good on: shrimp, prawns, squid, fried tofu or paneer, french fries, anything...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Dish recommends:</b> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Huy-Fong-Sriracha-17-Ounce-Bottles/dp/B001EO5ZHO">sriracha hot sauce</a>. flavor booster. regal rooster. this cocky sauce will keep all of your other condiments in check. don't mess with the rooster.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">ps--I was out of scallions at the time that I took the above pic so I used cilantro as a garnish. I'm aware.</div>the DISHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12183261862775142331noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8318851440327600651.post-1603555131260419752011-06-14T13:37:00.003-05:002011-06-14T17:27:49.679-05:00Life was being stingy, I had to pay for mine...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jn_CMVPHuOM/TfefCkoWFrI/AAAAAAAABuM/oSEyCxsqn18/s1600/DSC_0408.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jn_CMVPHuOM/TfefCkoWFrI/AAAAAAAABuM/oSEyCxsqn18/s320/DSC_0408.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">About this time of year, we all could use a little bit of refreshment. Now you could try <a href="http://www.dailyhaha.com/_pics/PBR_man.jpg">this</a>, or if that didn't work there is always<a href="http://profile.ak.fbcdn.net/hprofile-ak-snc4/50553_362011524807_3843896_n.jpg"> this</a>, but I prefer to drown my tonsils in lemonade. It's pretty easy to do and it takes under twenty minutes. so give it a go and you'll be making your own versions in no time.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Rvf5syAfihI/TfefEvLTNFI/AAAAAAAABuQ/rnmXWp0kk-U/s1600/DSC_0409.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Rvf5syAfihI/TfefEvLTNFI/AAAAAAAABuQ/rnmXWp0kk-U/s320/DSC_0409.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">you could just use your hands for the squeezing, but I prefer to employ some sort of press here. it's way more efficient at getting out all of that lemon sauce and they're relatively inexpensive.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o1LC74Qctjc/TfefGy3CA-I/AAAAAAAABuU/nIurABJnFGA/s1600/DSC_0410.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o1LC74Qctjc/TfefGy3CA-I/AAAAAAAABuU/nIurABJnFGA/s320/DSC_0410.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">this is just a picture of lemon bodies...and some ginger skin...</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eAkEP-PQVc0/TfefJN1mZhI/AAAAAAAABuY/AxwrS_c0VAg/s1600/DSC_0413.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eAkEP-PQVc0/TfefJN1mZhI/AAAAAAAABuY/AxwrS_c0VAg/s320/DSC_0413.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I like to peel my lemons (being careful to only get the yellow, outer later and not the bitter white parts) with a veg peeler and steep them in the simple syrup along with the grated ginger and the mint sprigs. It's important to use the stems of the mint because they also have a lot of concentrated flavor in them. After a good ten or so minutes of steeping, the syrup is ready to strain and be combined with your lemon juice and cold water. it's great just like this, but if you're feeling sprightly, it makes for a great mixer. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kbsHWFCOi7g/TfefK6eScuI/AAAAAAAABuc/gvi1MX7LdMU/s1600/DSC_0417.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kbsHWFCOi7g/TfefK6eScuI/AAAAAAAABuc/gvi1MX7LdMU/s320/DSC_0417.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I like to garnish the finished product with a sprig of mint and a lemon wedge. Think of it as dressing up your drink, but not too much. business casual beverage wear.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Ginger Mint Lemonade</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">5 lemons (juiced and peeled)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1.25 c sugar (I used sugar in the raw)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1.25c water</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, grated</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 handful fresh mint (stems and all), reserving a few leaves for garnish</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 cup of ice</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">additional 1 quart of cold water</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">first we make the syrup:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">peel the zest from your lemons, set aside. cut lemons in half and squeeze juice into a bowl, set aside juice. peel your ginger and grate it. now, in a saucepan over med-low heat add the sugar, the 1.25c water, lemon zest, ginger, and most of the mint. stir until sugar is dissolved, kill the heat and let steep for about 10 minutes. strain the syrup into a bowl and add the ice to cool it down. once it has cooled, combine with the lemon juice and the quart of water. stir, pour, garnish, and guzzle. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>DISH recommends:</b> <a href="http://www.cutleryandmore.com/microplane-classic/zester-grater-p1789">microplane zester</a>. Use this thing all the time. indispensable in the kitch.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div>the DISHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12183261862775142331noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8318851440327600651.post-20078085036147961492011-05-16T11:36:00.001-05:002011-05-16T11:37:58.338-05:00Say hello to your mutter for me...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ci94AyqP6zs/TdErksM7TiI/AAAAAAAABtU/NPDAnGpsmO0/s1600/IMG_0750.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ci94AyqP6zs/TdErksM7TiI/AAAAAAAABtU/NPDAnGpsmO0/s320/IMG_0750.jpg" width="239" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I'll be the first to admit that I have a lot of different interests. that's probably why I have a hard time finishing some things. like a kitchen remodel...or writing a book...or lists of things that mames gives me to do around here... but you know what I'm good at finishing? curry. in most any shape or form. I love it, and I can polish off a bowl of curry like it's no one's bizzz.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vgKHJLmNP1E/TdFAWnJa0II/AAAAAAAABtY/LVdPsvMPyzU/s1600/DSC_0387.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vgKHJLmNP1E/TdFAWnJa0II/AAAAAAAABtY/LVdPsvMPyzU/s320/DSC_0387.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">it's versatile, and up until recently, I've discovered, is a lot easier to make than you might think. the recipe I am going to post is for a savory, somewhat spicy curry that has its roots in Indian and Pakistani cooking. I made it two different ways this week, one with spiced meatballs (beef pork mixture (50/50), minced garlic, coriander, cumin, garam masala, cilantro) and peas, and the other I used to make a curry with peas and paneer (semi-firm indian cheese, found in asian markets, or made by yourself, which is actually quite easy). both turned out really well and I'm sure there are tons of other possibilities for this sauce. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4NiU9EQDXao/TdFAafdDDBI/AAAAAAAABtc/HUAP9-ReHfE/s1600/DSC_0374.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4NiU9EQDXao/TdFAafdDDBI/AAAAAAAABtc/HUAP9-ReHfE/s320/DSC_0374.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">ok, non-foods: I've been getting into photography a little bit more lately and am having a lot of fun with it. As you can see, I am a fan of the close-ups. My sis sent me this crazy little toy from germany. If you press his backpack he squirts water out of his head. and he's really happy about it. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XDh_PTp_q34/TdFAeSSQ2vI/AAAAAAAABtg/EWXUZZty1JE/s1600/DSC_0341.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XDh_PTp_q34/TdFAeSSQ2vI/AAAAAAAABtg/EWXUZZty1JE/s320/DSC_0341.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">these are pics of flowers from our yard that only survive because of my lady. she spends a lot of time trying to beautify things that I would probably otherwise kill.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hckHnOYd3cs/TdFAh-XfvoI/AAAAAAAABtk/Uf-E8-zqXvc/s1600/DSC_0346.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hckHnOYd3cs/TdFAh-XfvoI/AAAAAAAABtk/Uf-E8-zqXvc/s320/DSC_0346.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">the smell of lilac mixed with curry is intoxicating, lowering your inhibitions and whispering "go ahead, have another helping, we'll take it from here..." I reckon it will soon be available in candle form, </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W2sO79ulpbs/TdFAkjMKffI/AAAAAAAABto/TQtrnkwVOpI/s1600/DSC_0370.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W2sO79ulpbs/TdFAkjMKffI/AAAAAAAABto/TQtrnkwVOpI/s320/DSC_0370.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">or available in a diffuser...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'm going to label this recipe as Mutter paneer, because that is what I think it most closely resembles. you can substitute whatever you want once the basic sauce has been made. I would think that it would be good with chicken thighs, lamb, beef, or also with some root veg or chickpeas.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Mutter Paneer:</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>STEP 1</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">don't worry about being too even with the dice on your veggies, it's all going to take a ride in the blender...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">all of these veg are roughly diced</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 tbsp ghee (<a href="http://latestdish.blogspot.com/2011/01/sole-food.html">clarified butter</a>. it's important to use this fat as it gives a unique flavor to the dish, you can use olive oil if you want, but it won't be the same)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2 onion</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 red bell pepper</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">3 clove garlic</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 inch ginger root, peeled</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 pablano or green bell pepper</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">small handful cilantro (stalks included)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 tsp cumin</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 tsp coriander</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1.5 tsp paprika (if you are using a hot paprika, omit the chile powder)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">.5 tsp pure (hot) chile powder (check the ingredients, most reg chile powders have cumin, etc.)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2 tsp turmeric</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 tsp garam masala</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">salt and pepper</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 28 oz can whole tomatoes with juice</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">ok, in a wok or dutch oven, melt the ghee and saute the veg (except the toms, those are later) until they soften and start to get some color. add a little salt and pepper and all of your spices. saute for a few minutes more and then add the can of tomatoes. cook the sauce about 5-8 minutes more over med heat and then transfer to a blender and blend until smooth. pour into a bowl and repeat until the whole batch has been completed ( you will have to do this in batches (only filling the blender to half, max) or you will burn your face off in a curry explosion, which might not be all that bad of a way to go...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>STEP 2</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">1 tbs ghee</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 onion, minced fine</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 scant teaspoon cumin seed</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">sauce from above (the curry you just made, not gifts bestowed upon you from the heavens. however, one could argue...)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">small handful minced cilantro</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">bag of frozen peas</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">1tsp garam masala</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">1-2 tsp chat masala (start with one and then see if you want more) (you're going to have to go to an indian grocery for this, or track me down and I will give you some)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">1.5 tsp fenugreek powder</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">salt and pepper</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">2 tsp sugar (I used sugar in the raw, because that's what i had)</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">.5 cups milk/cream/yogurt (optional, I only add this if it is getting a bit too spicy)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">couple tbs butter (also optional, but I think it really rounds out the flavor)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">14- 16 oz paneer. they come in packages of differing weight, so just get close</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">ok, wash and wipe out your wok or dutch oven and heat the ghee over med heat. now add the onion, cilantro,and the cumin seed, along with some salt and pepper and saute for about 5 minutes or until it is starting to soften and get some color. now, add your sauce, peas, and the rest of the spices, sugar and simmer, uncovered for about thirty minutes to let the flavors party and thicken. taste your sauce, if it's too spicy for you, add the milk/cream/yogurt (the slashes mean "or" not "and") and stir. you may need to let it go a little bit longer to thicken back up to where you were before the milk. add the butter and stir until incorporated. now, add your paneer cubes or squares or whatever you want to cut them/shape them into, and simmer for 2-3 minutes more, making sure that they are immersed in the sauce, and kill the heat. put a lid on the curry and let sit for 10 or so minutes so the curry can get all of its flavors up into that paneer. serve with rice or naan or chapati. or whatever you want, really.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div>the DISHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12183261862775142331noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8318851440327600651.post-15148952595210581902011-04-18T10:20:00.000-05:002011-04-18T10:20:34.490-05:00a good mayonnaise hard to find...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It seems lately that there has been a shift in american consumerism. Words like Artisan and Organic are becoming more and more commonplace on grocery shelves and this is a good thing. We go out of our way to buy free range eggs and hormone free milk, but people, we are overlooking one crucial thing. Condiments. that's right, all the fixins, and more specifically, mayonnaise. Mayonnaise, you ask? yes, I'll say it again, Mayonnaise! Where has the artisan mayonnaise gone? Does it even exist? Is it thinking of me? and, will it ever return someday? Ok, you get the point. there aren't a lot of options out there for good mayo. So what's a peep to do when they don't want to buy a jar of the ubiquitous, white fluff? I'm glad you asked...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zib0MpuAF4g/TaxNIxRPu0I/AAAAAAAABs4/qrk7HpfSdK8/s1600/DSC_0323.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zib0MpuAF4g/TaxNIxRPu0I/AAAAAAAABs4/qrk7HpfSdK8/s320/DSC_0323.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Homemade mayonnaise:<br />
1 egg yolk (free range, please. seriously, quit buying factory farmed meat and eggs, it's bad stuff.)<br />
healthy pinch of sea salt<br />
tsp dijon mustard<br />
lemon juice squeeze<br />
1/2 cup olive oil<br />
ok, if you have a blender, this will be a lot easier, but you can do this with just a big bowl and a whisk, if not. place the egg yolk in the blender along with the salt and mustard and lemon juice and give it a quick whizz, until incorporated. now, slowly ad the oil a couple drops at a time, until it starts to thicken. now, increase the oil to a very small stream and mix until an emulsion is created (about a minute or two). if your mayo breaks and the oil is resting on top, you went too fast, try it again. it should look like the thick stuff in the pic above. transfer to a small dish and add a couple grinds of black pepper if you like. this recipe is totally up for interpretation too, so if you would like to add more salt/lemonjuice/whatever, do it. you could even add some other tasties like pesto or chipotle peppers, or roasted garlic. the point of the whole thing is that this stuff is wicked easy to make, takes less than 5 minutes, and it's all stuff that you should have lying around anyway. <a href="http://i549.photobucket.com/albums/ii377/Razor_Sharpblade/1234477563286.jpg">Store-bought mayo</a> is full of canola or vegetable (highly refined pirates) oil which is not very good for you, by making it with a good fat (olive oil), you increase the health value of this popular condiment. give it a try, you'll be the most popular kid on the block.<br />
<b>DISH recommends</b>: <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2002/07/07/magazine/what-if-it-s-all-been-a-big-fat-lie.html?scp=1&sq=gary">reading this article.</a> we've been lied to, people. it will change the way you feel about fat. and maybe mayonnaise.the DISHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12183261862775142331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8318851440327600651.post-25518401516629196432011-04-11T12:39:00.002-05:002011-04-11T12:44:55.107-05:00spaghetti bolognese<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">I'm sure that most people have made spaghetti with some sort of meat sauce. I know i've had (and made) my fair share of them, but up until recently, I had just not been that big of a fan of meat sauces with pasta. That is, until I read the book <i>HEAT.</i> In this book, we follow bill buford around on his quest to learn more about the origins of italian cooking (which entails everything from working in mario batali's kitchen at babbo, to being a butcher's apprentice in italy.) It is the time that buford spends in tuscany (more on this later) that inspired me to give this dish another go. You see, the problem I have with most meat sauces is that they usually end up just tasting like a bad version of italian chili. If I am going to deny the beauty of a traditional, meatless, red sauce, I want it to taste like, well...meat. lots of meat. I want to feel like it was worth giving up the perfect tomato sauce. I want to be rewarded with a <a href="http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.aprildunford.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/kid-with-trophy.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.packerranter.com/2010/05/lets-bake.html&usg=__TUuxk7dfa-sg92yh0t8HJiFvZ3I=&h=317&w=378&sz=90&hl=en&start=1&sig2=Fi-Qdxl_QQT5kbSQxhSvKg&zoom=1&tbnid=COqVH5VmrqSnNM:&tbnh=155&tbnw=192&ei=Mh2jTZ-sAabXiALGuuGAAw&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dbeef%2Btrophy%26tbnh%3D152%26tbnw%3D189%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dsafari%26rls%3Den%26biw%3D1402%26bih%3D982%26tbs%3Dsimg:CAESEgkI6pUflWaupCEziKHL7mf_1Jg%26tbm%3Disch0%2C10%2C1&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=142&vpy=114&dur=107&hovh=206&hovw=245&tx=203&ty=119&oei=Mh2jTZ-sAabXiALGuuGAAw&page=1&ved=1t:722,r:0,s:0&biw=1402&bih=982">meat trophy</a>. and what better place to achieve such a badge of merit, than in tuscany, where most of the food is brown.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EtqtaX-_-u8/TaMXC0BxDQI/AAAAAAAABs0/kCarZQsfC1Q/s1600/DSC_0316.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EtqtaX-_-u8/TaMXC0BxDQI/AAAAAAAABs0/kCarZQsfC1Q/s320/DSC_0316.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div>Buford spent some of his time in the book as a butcher's apprentice to a man named dario. he is often revered as one of, if not THE best butchers in the world. Mario batali's dad also trained under this guy before opening <i><a href="http://www.salumicuredmeats.com/">salumi</a>,</i> in Seattle, Washington. Anyway, one of buford's tasks whilst there, was making a meat sauce that was sold at the shop. It was heavy on the meats, with spices I had never used in italian cooking, light on the tomato, and well, let's just get to it, shall we:<br />
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<b>Bolognese Sauce</b> (Inspired by the book HEAT, and by my ladyfriend's constant request to meat up my sauce)<br />
1.5 pounds mixed ground meats (your choice here, I used a pound of ground beef and .5 pounds ground pork, but you could get all crazy and use lamb, turkey, venison, yak, you get the point. OK, fine if you want the truth, I actually had some bratwursts that I squeezed out of their intestinal home for the ground pork part. sometimes we make food, sometimes we make do...)<br />
2 slices prosciutto, minced<br />
1 onion, minced<br />
2 garlic cloves, minced<br />
1 red chile, minced<br />
1 green (I used poblano) pepper, minced<br />
small handful of flat italian parsley, minced<br />
2 tbsp tomato paste<br />
1 8 oz can tomato sauce<br />
salt and peps<br />
2 tsp coriander powder<br />
couple healthy dashes fresh ground nutmeg<br />
1/4 tsp marjoram<br />
1/4 tsp fennel seed ( crush with the side of your knife or something blunt before adding)<br />
1 tsp dried oregano<br />
handful of fresh basil, stems and leaves separated, minced<br />
port wine<br />
big handful of cherry or grape tomatoes (left whole)<br />
pasta water<br />
ok, here's the do:<br />
take all of your minced veggies (including the minced basil stems) and saute them over med heat in olive oil, about 10 or so minutes until softened and starting to golden-ize. add the prosciutto, ground meats, and a little salt and pepper. go until your meat is browned, breaking up any large chunks with a wooden spoon. now, add the tomato paste, cherry tomatoes, and spices (along with a bit more salt and peps), give it all a good mix and deglaze your pan by going around it a couple of times with some port wine. cook until most of the liquid has evaporated and then add your tomato sauce, an empty tomato sauce can full of water, and a little more port. turn to low and boil your pasta. once your pasta is done check your sauce. it should be pretty dry (if not turn heat up and cook off most of the liquid. now, add a couple ladles full of pasta water to the sauce. this will help mix all of the flavors and add some more liquid into the mix. I like my bolognese more on the dry side, but this last minute addition really ties the sauce together (does it not!). <br />
DISH recommends: <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Heat-Adventures-Pasta-Maker-Apprentice-Dante-Quoting/dp/1400034477/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1302543330&sr=8-3">HEAT</a>. </i> usually I'm a nonfiction fan, but this was a really fast informative read. If you are a fan of food and wonder what it is like to work in a professional kitchen, this is a pretty realistic representation.the DISHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12183261862775142331noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8318851440327600651.post-85758937710536494132011-03-14T10:31:00.002-05:002011-03-14T10:46:26.445-05:00homemade yogurt<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEJOEa-rsfFlwEUV5PbPCMOxixo683zeMxjNbwTuzfpKtxBpeHP7bfNrm_hVBSt91L1rkh_iMsWtjGUy9U2iLydfiTcXikXcv0I9mc7fsOIVhXHfKlpW_0kOxT7AQ90qTL1xUIgIRMfKY/s1600/DSC_0296.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEJOEa-rsfFlwEUV5PbPCMOxixo683zeMxjNbwTuzfpKtxBpeHP7bfNrm_hVBSt91L1rkh_iMsWtjGUy9U2iLydfiTcXikXcv0I9mc7fsOIVhXHfKlpW_0kOxT7AQ90qTL1xUIgIRMfKY/s320/DSC_0296.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Lately, it seems that I hear about a new "superfood" every other day or so, but honestly, I don't know if I am buying it. Are we handing out this title without merit, without truly thinking about what it takes to be "super"? I think so. You would probably never rub blueberries all over your (or your goats/sheep) body to get clean, and you certainly wouldn't want to give yourself an artichoke enema, and if you had a case of super-violent blasters no french doctor could cure (I'm talking to you King Francis I), I really doubt you'd have success by ingesting some olive oil. As strange as it may seem, all these things were done using <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoghurt">yogurt</a>. plain old yogurt. It's a fairly new food in the U.S., but it has been around for ages upon ages. This is how I have been making it at home.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-PqYu7CbF3WM/TX4fS0vjyTI/AAAAAAAABsY/fO7Hwc8KsGk/s1600/DSC_0304.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-PqYu7CbF3WM/TX4fS0vjyTI/AAAAAAAABsY/fO7Hwc8KsGk/s320/DSC_0304.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Ok, this is a really simple process, but there are a few key things that you have to do in order to ensure success. The first thing you need to do is heat your milk up to 180F. I use a candy thermometer because it has a handy-dandy little clip that hooks onto the side of my pot. this process is called "denaturing" and is done to eliminate any bad bacteria that may live in the milk and prevent the formation of the good bacteria that lives in the yogurt and that your body needs. once you have heated the milk up to proper temp, it must be cooled down to between 105F-110F, so as not to kill the good guys in the yogurt we will add to the milk. now, it is time to add your culture (I do this by way of some organic, plain yogurt, but I think that you can actually get yogurt starters out there if you want, although I don't really know why you would...). this process is called "inoculating", and just means that you have invited the good bacteria to totally take over the milk party (i like to imagine them as the uninvited guests who bring an acoustic guitar to a house party).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-X2MC3FGitx8/TX4fL3vAD8I/AAAAAAAABsU/BBkN2KCeGMk/s1600/DSC_0301.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-X2MC3FGitx8/TX4fL3vAD8I/AAAAAAAABsU/BBkN2KCeGMk/s320/DSC_0301.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Now, here is where it can get kind of tricky. Your yogurt needs to stay at a pretty constant temp of 90-100F. if it dips down below there, it will never really get thick enough, and you are going to end up with something like thick buttermilk. My buddy John and I came up with the idea that if you added hot water to a cooler and then added the yogurt to it and closed the lid, that it would maintain a pretty decent temperature. I've found this method to work really well. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-uC4ZJNRDb-o/TX4fZvo-BGI/AAAAAAAABsc/z2F8x7MaT3o/s1600/DSC_0305.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-uC4ZJNRDb-o/TX4fZvo-BGI/AAAAAAAABsc/z2F8x7MaT3o/s320/DSC_0305.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I always wrap the pot I heated my milk in with some plastic wrap, to help seal in the heat, and then I put the lid on. This is also done in the rare event that an unsuspecting spouse/co-worker/roommate/raccoon/dog/albatross, disturbs the cooler and causes some <a href="http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Sloshage">sloshage</a>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-5n9gikkObq8/TX4fgulj4nI/AAAAAAAABsg/ArRTzasEJKc/s1600/DSC_0306.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-5n9gikkObq8/TX4fgulj4nI/AAAAAAAABsg/ArRTzasEJKc/s320/DSC_0306.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">set the wrapped and lidded yogurt pot into the hot water and make sure that it only comes up about 1/2-3/4 of the way. you don't want any to sneak into the pot and ruin your end product. Now, go do something else. anything else, but think about your yogurt. not for another good 8 hours at least. I like to leave mine for around 12 + hours because I like it to be pretty tangy. the longer you leave it, the tangier it becomes. the next day, portion it out into containers and refrigerate. The end product is so versatile and can be used in both sweet and savory applications. I like to eat mine with fresh fruit and granola or also with some onion, cucumber, tomato, etc. hope you give this a try. it is a little involved but it is a fun one that has a big payoff. also, It makes quite a bit and keeps for a long time (3 weeks to a month!) so there is definitely enough to share with your homies. pieces.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-peYkSeeKH7g/TX4fnK7wnSI/AAAAAAAABsk/RwC4AFILi-E/s1600/DSC_0310.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-peYkSeeKH7g/TX4fnK7wnSI/AAAAAAAABsk/RwC4AFILi-E/s320/DSC_0310.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">otherstuffs: I am having a go at "corning" my own beef brisket for st. Patty's day. If it turns out, I'll post about it. Also, I finally got my <a href="http://pdf.archiexpo.com/pdf/classic-design-italia/eames-lounge-chair/11215-4255-_2.html">eames lounge chair</a> and have been enjoying it immensely (ultimate reading station achieved). it's probably the reason for my lack of posts lately. you'd understand if you sit in it...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>homemade yogurt:</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1/2 gallon whole milk (preferably organic)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 6 oz. container plain yogurt (preferably organic) (I used stonyfield farm)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">you will need</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">a pot big enough to hold the quantity you are making</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">a therm of some sort</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">a cooler big enough to fit the pot</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">patience</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Here's the do:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">heat the milk to 180F stirring once in a while so it doesn't burn. while that is going on, there are two things you need to do. first, fill your sink with iced water and a little salt (this makes the iced water colder, it's science..saw it on mythbusters) second, fill a cooler with hot water (I just use hottest water from the tap). once you have heated the milk to 180F, set the pot into the iced water and stir occasionally until it has cooled down to 105-110F. cover with plastic wrap and the lid to your pot and set into the cooler (or I guess in this case, the warmer) with the hot water. if you overestimated the water level, simply take some of the water out until desired level is achieved. now, it's just a waiting game. leave at least 8 hours, or longer if you want more tang-age.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">check out this link to <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/17/dining/17mini.html">yogurt cheese</a>. it's good stuff, you should make some. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>DISH recommends:</b> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/All-Clad-Master-Chef-2-Quart-Casserole/dp/B00005AL4N/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1300116490&sr=8-12">All-Clad 3.5 quart casserole.</a> this little guy is one of my favorite pots. I use it for small batches of soup, yogurt, blahblahblah. love it to pieces. a little on the pricey side, but I will never buy anything but all clad for stainless. it has proven itself very worthy of my hard earned clams.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>the DISHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12183261862775142331noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8318851440327600651.post-1866810611542814692011-02-09T10:11:00.002-06:002011-02-09T10:24:50.299-06:00coq au vin...or...braised and infused<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TTmgexuY7oI/AAAAAAAABsE/Ksbvcnb-JTc/s1600/DSC_0252.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TTmgexuY7oI/AAAAAAAABsE/Ksbvcnb-JTc/s320/DSC_0252.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">every meat-eating cook should know their way around a chicken. more specifically, everyone should know how to braise a chicken. now don't get me wrong here, I like roast chicken, and fried chicken will always hold a special place in my heart, but more often than not, if I am going to eat chicken, it's going to be braised. there is something magical that happens when you braise food. It's not just the chicken that takes center stage here, it's anything and everything that you put in this dish. all the flavors seem to combine for a great end product, but still stand out enough that you are able to taste all the great components of this cooking method. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">for the sake of time, we'll focus specifically on a braised chicken dish called <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coq_au_vin">Coq au Vin </a>. Traditionally, it's a rooster braised in wine. I didn't have a rooster. but I did have a chicken.and wine. and that's where we begin.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TTmglnHSD3I/AAAAAAAABsI/VHfJLiYKum4/s1600/DSC_0256.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TTmglnHSD3I/AAAAAAAABsI/VHfJLiYKum4/s320/DSC_0256.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">To do this dish (and any other braised dish, which are numerous in almost every cuisine) justice, you really need to pick up a dutch oven. if you are squeamish about dropping hundreds of clams (which is understandable) on one of these, might i suggest <a href="https://secure.lodgemfg.com/storefront/product1_new.asp?menu=logic&idProduct=3947">this</a> as an introductory dutch oven. Lodge makes great stuff and with proper care, it will last indefinitely. having a dutch oven with a tight fitting lid is necessary for this process because nothing else heats as evenly and seals in steam that in return, ends up basting your food so you don't have to. ok, now that that is out of the way, back to the rooster...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>first of all, we need to break this bird down into manageable pieces. how do we do that, you ask? instead of trying to explain it in words, i made a rough video of how to cut up a chicken. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0IxWIgVW5I">check it here</a>.<br />
note: this method is for braising. It's a rough berakdown and I didn't remove any bones because I wanted maximum flavor, and bones=flavor.<br />
<br />
</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">If you have braised something before, there is no big surprise here (hack up a chicken, brown it, throw it in a pot with half a bottle of wine, some root veg, stock, herbs, and salt and peps. put in 300F oven for a couple of hours, sit back and wait for this boozed up hot tub of love to work it's magic.)</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">on the other hand, if you are new to the braising world, and "boozed up hot tubs of love" have only led to illegitimate children and regret, don't worry, I'll be as thorough as I can:</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Coq au Vin:</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>you'll need</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 whole chicken, butchered by you, backs reserved to make stock (see above video)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">4 slices very thick bacon or side pork (lardon) sliced into 1/2 inch strips</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1/2 bottle red wine (preferably a burgundy, but can be substituted as you like)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">14 oz chicken stock (hopefully made from the hacked up back pieces, hooray!)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">4 carrots, cut into 1 inch pieces</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2 stalks celery, small dice</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2 med onions, minced</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2 cloves garlic, minced</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">herbs de provence, for seasoning chicken (if not available can be substituted with a mix of dried thyme, rosemary, sage, and savory</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 bag (10 oz.) pearl onions</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">8 oz button mushrooms</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">roux</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">brandy </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">olive oil</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">heat oven to 300F</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">season the cut up chicken pieces with salt and pepper and herbs de provence, set aside. brown the bacon/sidepork, in a dutch oven over med heat. remove pork. you want to end up with a couple good tablespoons of bacon fat here, so if you have too much, pour a little off, not enough? you could add some olive oil, or better yet, add some bacon extract (leftover bacon/pancetta/prosciutto drippings that you keep in a can in your fridge...you do this right? I thought so:). next, brown the seasoned chicken pieces in the dutch oven over med heat until golden (3-4 minutes per side). remove from pan and set aside. now, add your carrots, celery, onions, garlic, salt and pepper, another healthy dose of herbs de provence. saute for 5-6 minutes, scraping up the fond (browned tasty bits) from the bottom of the pan. add a good slug of brandy to the mix (take your pan off the flame for this!!) and ignite with one of those aim n flame thingys. a word of caution here: brandy flames can sometimes get out of hand. While I do enjoy kitchen pyrotechnics as much as the next person, I also enjoy having eyebrows...and un-scarred genitals. So, the key here is to anticipate a big flame and cope accordingly. once the flame dies down and extinguishes, add the stock and wine. now, rest your chicken on top of the veg pile. place in oven, covered, for 2.5 hours. Sometime in that next 2.5 hours, you need to get your pearl onions and mushrooms ready. the mushrooms are easy, just trim them up and cut them into pieces you wouldn't mind sticking in your bacon trap. the onions are a little fussier, but really worth the prep time. what you need to do here is par boil these little guys, which simply means to cook them halfway through in boiling water. soooo, fill a pot with salt water and your pearl onions (skin and all), and bring to a boil. let boil for 2 minutes, and then drain and rinse under cold water until cool enough to handle. now, make a small cut off of each end and peel or squeeze the little onion out of its jacket. prep each of them and set aside with the mushrooms. Still here? good. we're almost done, promise. After 2.5 or so hours, remove pot from oven and if your chicken is falling-off-the-bone tender, then remove it and all the veggies with a slotted spoon to a large bowl (if not, then, just wait a bit longer, you do have half of a bottle of wine just sitting there, so...there's always that.). strain your sauce and put in a sauce pot over med heat. Now, while that's heating make a roux (lets say 2tbs flour, 2 tbs butter--melt butter first, then whisk in flour) and add to the sauce, whisking until smooth, and continue to heat until it's as thick as you like. once you get to this stage, add the veg, chicken,bacon pieces (if there are any left!) and sauce back into the dutch oven and place over warm heat. ok, now is the last step. heat a saute pan with some generous drizzles of olive oil over med-high heat until the oil starts to shimmer. now, add your mushrooms and pearl onions and saute those little treats of wonder until they are golden and delicious (see first pic for golden, delicious, visual). remember that brandy trick? if you didn't burn your house down (or your face up) doing it the last time, then repeat it here for an extra flavor burst. once the brandy cooks off, add the onions and mushrooms to the rest of the dish and serve. I like it just with crusty bread. you could do some mashed tates, or snips or something. or noodles. but it's good enough to eat alone (equally good if you are with somebody, but you might have to share...)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>DISH</b> recommends: <a href="http://www.cutleryandmore.com/global/cleavers">global meat axe of doom</a>. this thing is like a hammer. I use it mostly to cut up chickens and the occasional, unsuspecting squash. seems like a lot of clams, but I think it's worth it if you are going to make your own stocks.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>the DISHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12183261862775142331noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8318851440327600651.post-91944860732259712852011-01-03T12:34:00.002-06:002011-01-08T08:56:52.591-06:00Sole Food<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TSIHxiVvniI/AAAAAAAABro/TreyyDx8QqQ/s1600/DSC_0240.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TSIHxiVvniI/AAAAAAAABro/TreyyDx8QqQ/s320/DSC_0240.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">At the end of each year, we make resolutions. Some of us go on diets, some of us vow to f<a href="http://partysurplus.com/ipics/Velcro%20Wall.gif">inally fulfill a lifelong dream</a>, and some us vow to eat more seafood. I fall into the latter category. I recently watched the movie "Julie and Julia", and was motivated by the first dish they show julia child eating while she was in france. It was sole ala meuniere, which is basically a fillet of sole sauteed in clarified butter and then served with a simple pan sauce of parsley, lemon, juice, and (ahem), more butter. In the movie, Julia Child's eyes rolled back into her face as she tasted the first bite and if you follow this method, I guarantee that yours will also.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TSIH49mUV5I/AAAAAAAABrs/e7a27SCx9L8/s1600/DSC_0244.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TSIH49mUV5I/AAAAAAAABrs/e7a27SCx9L8/s320/DSC_0244.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Sole Meuniere is all about the butter. I should clarify (sorry, cheap joke)...instead of sauteing in an oil we use clarified butter here, so unless you have some on hand, this needs to be your first step. it's super easy, all you do is heat a stick or so of butter in a saucepan until melted, and then skim the foamy milk solids off of the top. turn your heat to low, and then wait for the rest of the milk solids to fall to the bottom. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TSIIADCOusI/AAAAAAAABrw/a7ljvR9BDbI/s1600/DSC_0246.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TSIIADCOusI/AAAAAAAABrw/a7ljvR9BDbI/s320/DSC_0246.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;">then, you need to strain what's left through a cheesecloth-lined sieve for later use. Voila!! Butter clarification complete. We do this so that the butter has a higher smoke point, therefore, giving you the benefit of sauteing in oil, with the taste of butter. what you have leftover, you can use for eggs, potatoes, or whatever.</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TSIIKEbfpQI/AAAAAAAABr0/XHGe6rKD9TA/s1600/DSC_0250.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TSIIKEbfpQI/AAAAAAAABr0/XHGe6rKD9TA/s320/DSC_0250.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">from here on out, it is remarkably simple. season your flour and dredge both sides of the sole in it, shaking off the excess. add about 3 tablespoons of the liquid gold that you just so expertly made and give your fish a ride in the butter hot tub for about 4 minutes. Notice how the edges are getting golden brown and crispy like? Of course you do, now it's time to flip, carefully using a fish spatula (like the one in the next pic in the upper right hand corner.). I say this because the sole is an extremely delicate fish that requires a soft touch (like kitties, or rolling out pasta, or brain surgery).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TSIIRkTYnaI/AAAAAAAABr4/1rP1Nw_xXbs/s1600/DSC_0254.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TSIIRkTYnaI/AAAAAAAABr4/1rP1Nw_xXbs/s320/DSC_0254.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">now, once you've flipped, let the fillet cook for about 3 more minutes, and then add your butter, parsley, and lemon juice, and kind of shake your pan to combine everything. there you go. this dish is extremely versatile, pairing wise, and would go well with lots of different sides. we served it with some rosemary baby dutch tates and a small salad. pour remaining pan sauce over fillets and garnish with some lemon wedges (that you put face down into the butter bath for a few minutes).</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TSIIZn7MaoI/AAAAAAAABr8/ESKU3jgXeOw/s1600/DSC_0258.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TSIIZn7MaoI/AAAAAAAABr8/ESKU3jgXeOw/s320/DSC_0258.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">one last thing...this meal had an amazing contrast of being delicate but still being totally rich and amazing. As you can see, we cut the fillet down into two small portions and had reasonable sides. The thing about french food is, they don't skimp, but they don't gluttonize everything either. if you are making a resolution for a healthier life, this is definitely not something that you would eat every day, but it is definitely not something that you should be afraid to make or serve, once in a while either. my personal guideline is one of moderation, not deprivation. it is the small treats and little things in life that make it worth living/enjoying, and if we take those away, it just kind of, well, sucks. Happy new year everyone, I hope that you all are looking forward to learning new recipes, techniques, and methods to enrich your cooking skills.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">peace.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><b>Sole ala Meuniere (serves 2, but i trust y'all can figure it out if you want to make more.)</b><br />
<b>1 fillet sole</b><br />
<b>3 tbs clarified butter (see above on how to make)</b><br />
<b>1 lemon halved</b><br />
<b>2 tbs butter (non clarified), cut into pieces</b><br />
<b>1tbs minced flat leaf parsley</b><br />
<b>seasoned flour for dredging (i just used salt and peps)</b><br />
<b>(see pics and read method above for instructions)</b><br />
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<div style="text-align: justify;"><b>DISH recommends:<a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=chemex&x=0&y=0"> Chemex coffee maker</a>. </b>I love this thing. christmas present from the lady in my life. it makes awesome coffee with no bitterness. it was developed by a chemist, so, you know...</div><b><br />
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</b>the DISHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12183261862775142331noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8318851440327600651.post-69003381220899727792010-12-13T09:56:00.006-06:002011-01-08T08:57:29.717-06:00a recipe so good, you just may have to laminate it...<div style="text-align: justify;">I've always been a pretty big fan of puff pastry (well-made, all-butter puff pastry). It's a very versatile dough to have around, it freezes exceptionally well, and there is no proofing involved, so you can pretty much just prepare it however you like, and when you are ready to bake, it is also. However, the problem(s) with puff pastry, are finding one that actually tastes what puff pastry is meant to taste like (hard to find here in the midwest), and if you actually manage to accomplish that, not spending a ridiculous amount on it. the mainstream brand you will probably come across most often is pepperidge farm, and I'm sorry to say that it not only sucks, but uses a lot of margarine, not butter. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">A couple of weeks ago, I was watching PBS, and stumbled across an <a href="http://video.pbs.org/video/1174110297/">episode of julia</a> (please, please, please, click here and watch this!), where Michel Richard and she were making puff pastry. the old school way. all butter. all the time. it was a revelation. it seemed so easy, it was exactly what I had been looking for. so, in true latestDish fashion, here we go (I could jut assume you all watched that video link, but just in case...)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRT9v_g0x0a7L7Z48ufdIiXd6hiCQ4GZLLMRR55f9KfFBAS1cB_8-P9nLf7zLw4mNtLeCORtor8nl07MDfoHOCTog4S7YX8rEDjnDEhzDn4AH2pLYXeDD4iOs3LHPtR_2p2nGec4FVW6U/s1600/DSC_0202.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRT9v_g0x0a7L7Z48ufdIiXd6hiCQ4GZLLMRR55f9KfFBAS1cB_8-P9nLf7zLw4mNtLeCORtor8nl07MDfoHOCTog4S7YX8rEDjnDEhzDn4AH2pLYXeDD4iOs3LHPtR_2p2nGec4FVW6U/s320/DSC_0202.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">After you have combined your flour and salt with the water (in your food processor) and made a rough dough (the dough ball will clean the sides of your processor), knead it a few times (on a floured surface), and slash the top like this so the dough will be easier to roll out and work with.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TQYs4aLBMZI/AAAAAAAABqM/htGD-FZ93pI/s1600/DSC_0203.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TQYs4aLBMZI/AAAAAAAABqM/htGD-FZ93pI/s320/DSC_0203.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">cover it with a damp kitchen towel and move on to making your butter block. lay a large piece of plastic wrap down on your work surface and line up the sticks of butter(straight out of the fridge, very cold) so they are close together. make sure that your plastic piece is big enough, the butter is going to spread out quite a bit. And please, people, use real butter. don't even try to use margarine or anything of the sort. butter is real. real is good for you, in moderation.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TQYs_lHcXxI/AAAAAAAABqQ/NKxuiEyFtIM/s1600/DSC_0204.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TQYs_lHcXxI/AAAAAAAABqQ/NKxuiEyFtIM/s320/DSC_0204.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Had a rough day? Stressed out? well, lucky you! this is the part where you get to smash the butter together with a blunt object (hooray!). all joking aside, you really have to lay in to this stuff. don't be afraid to commit and connect here. picture your arch nemesis, or the DMV, or the cable company. Whatever foe you choose, just remember to follow through, don't want any damaged countertops here. you want to end up with a uniform rectangle here, like below. you shouldn't be able to see any gaps in the lineup where the butter was touching.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TQYtHOZ7c7I/AAAAAAAABqU/mA9zmq_5Vm0/s1600/DSC_0205.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TQYtHOZ7c7I/AAAAAAAABqU/mA9zmq_5Vm0/s320/DSC_0205.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">now, roll out your dough into a sort of rounded square shape. this dough is great because it has fairly low gluten formation, and rolls out like a champ. really fun stuff to work with. you can see that I left it thicker in the middle, because that is where my butter will rest, and the edges of the dough will be folded over the butter, making it thicker on the edges. It also sort of acts as a little insurance so that the dough won't rip in that area.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TQYtOVQS9bI/AAAAAAAABqY/x7R9_t9zK9o/s1600/DSC_0206.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TQYtOVQS9bI/AAAAAAAABqY/x7R9_t9zK9o/s320/DSC_0206.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">lay your butter in the middle of the dough and then fold the edges over the butter completely sealing the butter square and leaving you with a uniform rectangle.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TQY1dXqjjqI/AAAAAAAABqc/c7mabpWbh2k/s1600/DSC_0207.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TQY1dXqjjqI/AAAAAAAABqc/c7mabpWbh2k/s320/DSC_0207.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">flour your work surface and the dough again, and roll out into a long, vertical rectangle, like below. I don't have an exact measurement for you guys here, but I would say that it is prob close to 24 inches or so ( basically the width of my counter top). once that is done, use a pastry brush to brush off excess flour, and fold like a business letter. (this process is known as lamination. it is used in several doughs and that is what gives us all the buttery, flaky, layers of goodness. We do this at work with the croissant doughs also). We are going to do this a total of 6 times.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TQY1kYM5EAI/AAAAAAAABqg/nsSC_PsekMw/s1600/DSC_0208.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TQY1kYM5EAI/AAAAAAAABqg/nsSC_PsekMw/s320/DSC_0208.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">bring the bottom third up to the middle</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TQY1rhdKt1I/AAAAAAAABqk/QIljFxY1bh0/s1600/DSC_0209.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TQY1rhdKt1I/AAAAAAAABqk/QIljFxY1bh0/s320/DSC_0209.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">and then fold the top down to meet the edge of the bottom third</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TQY1yx9SkII/AAAAAAAABqo/HISZVJvHdu0/s1600/DSC_0210.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TQY1yx9SkII/AAAAAAAABqo/HISZVJvHdu0/s320/DSC_0210.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">you should have a nice square at this point. even if it is a bit wonky, you can use a pastry knife or your hand or whatever to kind of square it back up (it just makes for easier rolling as you go). Rotate the dough so that the seam is running vertically, and repeat this process one more time, and then wrap in a damp towel, and set in the fridge for 30 min to harden the butter. (this step is crucial! do not skip it, or your dough will not turn out.) After the 30 minutes are up, roll out and fold again two more times and then back in the fridge for another 30 minutes. then, after those 30 minutes have passed, repeat the two turns one more time. It sounds like a lot of work but trust me, it's not. it takes maybe 4 minutes to do each two turn process. do some house work during the fridge rests or exercise, or whatever. It's basically like making a soup or stew or something that you occasionally have to check on and should be no reason to deter you from trying this excellent recipe.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TQY16AjBEqI/AAAAAAAABqs/7HC-iwoyPqA/s1600/DSC_0211.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TQY16AjBEqI/AAAAAAAABqs/7HC-iwoyPqA/s320/DSC_0211.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">this is just a pic of me brushing off the extra flour, to enable maximum rollage.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TQY2BahT_XI/AAAAAAAABqw/wo0Pf73onmM/s1600/DSC_0212.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TQY2BahT_XI/AAAAAAAABqw/wo0Pf73onmM/s320/DSC_0212.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">this is my dough after the second rest and fold process. I still have one more fridge rest to go and two more turns (or folds, if you prefer) to make but I made indentions to show how many times I had rolled out and folded it up to this point.</div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TQY61TIbkmI/AAAAAAAABq8/3PCppeZQxHE/s1600/DSC_0215.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TQY61TIbkmI/AAAAAAAABq8/3PCppeZQxHE/s320/DSC_0215.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">this is a just a shot to show how much this dough puffs up after baking. It was probably rolled out a little thicker than a pie crust would be.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TQY68VWUFVI/AAAAAAAABrA/dq1vDuJzSYY/s1600/DSC_0217.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TQY68VWUFVI/AAAAAAAABrA/dq1vDuJzSYY/s320/DSC_0217.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;">this is a shot of the inside of that same trial piece. I can only tell you that it is the most flaky, buttery, piece of goodness that you will ever eat.</div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TQY6uCZqIxI/AAAAAAAABq4/L5hhi7WAphw/s1600/DSC_0198.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TQY6uCZqIxI/AAAAAAAABq4/L5hhi7WAphw/s320/DSC_0198.JPG" width="320" /></a> </div> <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">I wanted to make a sweet treat with some of the dough, so I decided to try my hand at making palmiers. I wasn't sure how to make them so I just did a quick search and<a href="http://www.5min.com/Video/How-to-Make-a-Palmier-Cookies-87883808"> this is the first thing that came up</a>. Might not be the best video, but I did like the technique of brushing the pastry with water and then dipping it in sugar. made a nice caramel crunch.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TQY68VWUFVI/AAAAAAAABrA/dq1vDuJzSYY/s1600/DSC_0217.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TQY6neMf8RI/AAAAAAAABq0/oPNiBnkDsOc/s1600/DSC_0228.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TQY6neMf8RI/AAAAAAAABq0/oPNiBnkDsOc/s320/DSC_0228.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">this is another pic of an apple tart that I made at thanksgiving with the same dough. ridiculously easy. It was from a martha stewart recipe. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Basically, the whole point of this post is to encourage you guys to make this dough. Yeah, it seems like it is a little daunting at first, but just break it down step by step and it is not bad at all. really easy actually. It's really nice to have something in your kitchen repertoire that can be used for everything from a crust for a tart to a flaky little dessert. Being a good cook is all about versatility, and I can't think of many things that could be more versatile than this. give this process a try and I promise that you will never go back to the mass produced versions.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Puff pastry dough</b> (ala Michel Richard) (once again, it would be in your best interest to watch the video link above!)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 pound pastry flour (however, I took julia's advice and used 4 oz. cake flour, 12 oz. All Purpose Flour, because that is what I had on hand)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1.5 tsps salt</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1.25 cups water.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">combine all this in food processor and pulse to make a rough, dough ball.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">you will also need 1 pound butter.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">for steps and process, follow the pics and directions above.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Good Luck! and happy holidays, hope you make this dough and enjoy it as much as I have:)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><b>DISH recommends: </b>Video.pbs.org. I love pbs. I recently got the pbs app for ipad and it is so cool. it downloads all the shows from the week and you can sort through and pick whatever you want to watch. i don't have cable so its a really cool way for mames and I to get our pbs on. however, this website is pretty cool too. I wasn't sure I'd be able to locate that video of Michel and Julia, but a quick search led me to this site. looks like the same deal (lots of julia vids here). check it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div>the DISHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12183261862775142331noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8318851440327600651.post-89039886132237196422010-12-06T12:26:00.004-06:002011-01-08T08:55:05.943-06:00in true thanksgiving style...<div style="text-align: justify;">ok, first of all, I apologize. As per usual, there has been a pretty giant gap in postings, but I have been extremely bizz...For a while there, we were a baker short at work and so that was eating up a lot of time. then, I had a test to study for/take, so that I may advance in my job, and then it was thanksgiving (which is one of our busiest baking days of the year (I was baking at a 500F oven for about 12 hours straight, but, in true pilgrim form, we made it through. To add to the list, my wonderful ladyfriend in crime, contracted mono and was seriously toast for a solid month. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TP0mPKRghdI/AAAAAAAABqA/KeY2GoJlw4U/s1600/DSC_0221.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TP0mPKRghdI/AAAAAAAABqA/KeY2GoJlw4U/s320/DSC_0221.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">speaking of mames, check out this turkey finger puppet she made. pretty cute, huh? We invited a bunch of indians (holla!) over for thanksgiving (very pilgrim-ey, indeed), along with some other close friends who couldn't (like us) make it home to be with their families. We had such a blast and everyone was so hungry that we forgot to snap pics of the people and food, so these are just a few of the table that amy took in advance.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TP0mARCqj2I/AAAAAAAABp4/aoywcVMHuw4/s1600/IMG_0493.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TP0mARCqj2I/AAAAAAAABp4/aoywcVMHuw4/s320/IMG_0493.jpg" width="239" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">my wife can set a mean table.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TP0l0kI5K0I/AAAAAAAABp0/QFxv37xM_bw/s1600/IMG_0492.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TP0l0kI5K0I/AAAAAAAABp0/QFxv37xM_bw/s320/IMG_0492.jpg" width="239" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">so, on top of these plates we really did have food. we took the napkins and wheat off, of course, and enjoyed some autumnal fare. Actually, I did something quite out of the norm this year and braised my turkey. I bought a small one (10 lbs) and cut it up and braised it in a dutch oven with a little fat tire ale, some chicken stock and root veg. I made the gravy the same way I always do (check out the roast beef post for info), and it turned out really great. It's going to be hard for me to ever roast a turkey again, given how juicy and tender the turkey turned out. the skin even got crispy because of some dutch oven magic! </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TP0mH69VL0I/AAAAAAAABp8/LPyc0RuyP_U/s1600/DSC_0231.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TP0mH69VL0I/AAAAAAAABp8/LPyc0RuyP_U/s320/DSC_0231.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">this is the aftermath. hope everyone had a wonderful thanksgiving and hope you all have a great holiday season. I am planning to do quite an extensive scratch puff pastry post here in the next few days so please check it out and give the recipe a try. it is a really handy dough to have on hand and is so much better than anything that you can pick up in the stores, I assure you. if you love, buttery, flaky, pastry, you will have to give this one a go.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">psst: need some help finding the right gift for those on your list? Of course you do! then check out <a href="http://bungalhaus.blogspot.com/2010/12/give-little-bit-of-your-love.html">this great gift guide</a> and spend, spend, spend away!</div>the DISHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12183261862775142331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8318851440327600651.post-28598173343849173972010-11-10T16:38:00.000-06:002011-01-08T08:57:47.559-06:00Co-operation, makes it happen...I wrote a guest post for the nebraska coffee association. Check it out <a href="http://nebraskacoffee.org/">here</a>the DISHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12183261862775142331noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8318851440327600651.post-9866225845176926292010-11-10T13:35:00.004-06:002011-01-08T08:56:21.277-06:00for british eyes only...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">around christmas time last year I made my first <a href="http://latestdish.blogspot.com/search?q=prime+rib">prime rib</a>. ever. and while it was glorious, it was pretty darn expensive (expect to pay anywhere from $10 per pound on up to ridiculous $$ per pound if you get the prime rated stuff). Lately, I had been craving some roast beef like it was nobody's business. However, since I can't just go rib-roasting it up all the time, I needed to find an alternative cut to satisfy my beef needs.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TNmTJ6WqqSI/AAAAAAAABpo/Nhr7k6_o7lA/s1600/DSC_0201.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TNmTJ6WqqSI/AAAAAAAABpo/Nhr7k6_o7lA/s320/DSC_0201.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">On the whole, the british aren't really known for their food, but one thing that they know how to do is roast a beef treat. I discovered that while they do love their rib roasts, they are also fond of top round roasts. this seemed more my speed. so I headed to the store to see what I could find and EUREKA!! top round roast spotted, not to mention EUREKA EUREKA!! 9 dollars. that's about 5 times less coin than a rib roast of the same weight. While I was excited at this bargain, I was also pretty skeptical. Was this going to taste good at all, I mean you get what you pay for right? I was scared that without all of the intra-muscular fat and marbling that I was going to be feasting on something closer to resembling hydrated jerky than basking in the beef nirvana of my dreams.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TNgrmCZ3uCI/AAAAAAAABpc/qoSab74IwQ4/s1600/DSC_0202.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TNgrmCZ3uCI/AAAAAAAABpc/qoSab74IwQ4/s320/DSC_0202.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">But I figured that at this point 9 bucks was 9 bucks. that was the beauty of this whole experiment. It wasn't like I had coughed up 50+ clams for this thing, so I dove right in. I basically went about this like I do for any roasty treats, Veg-pile (you can call it whatever you like. how about veg-bed, or veg-rack, or you could even call it a veg-table...ahem...), salt and peps, some herbage, throw on the well seasoned meat (always, ALWAYS, fat-side up). and roast away. Cooked to med-rare, thinly sliced, and smothered with gravy goodness, this was fantastic! It was the roast beef I had been looking for. while it was much leaner than the rib roast I had made earlier, it was equally delicious, just in a different way. It was a bit chewier, but in the best way possible. I like to think of it as the beef just taking the long way home. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHnoblH-majAFKAwtllIkoLcMMnIGeD7bs8Um1NPELHhyphenhyphenPE3lKoJVV-tqh1-npNJqiKVuobRl-Th5smhvTt23GbgVNJz6sweCM4NQFQcm_K8ursasszl7R1_o8xhxBq9Iu56-3bhXwv3M/s1600/DSC_0207.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHnoblH-majAFKAwtllIkoLcMMnIGeD7bs8Um1NPELHhyphenhyphenPE3lKoJVV-tqh1-npNJqiKVuobRl-Th5smhvTt23GbgVNJz6sweCM4NQFQcm_K8ursasszl7R1_o8xhxBq9Iu56-3bhXwv3M/s320/DSC_0207.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Psst...Do you like gravy? If your answer is no, then you can leave this blog right now and never come back!!!...Still here? I thought so. ok, I have a trick I use for gravy every time. remember that veg pile we rested the meat on? of course you do. It looked so pretty before, but now it kinda looks like complete annihilation...that's just fine. it's probably swimming in beef fat. and needs to be drained of about 90 percent of that. I drained my beef fat into a pot, added about a spoonful of flour and made a quick roux, and then added stock to the pan of veg, and smashed it up. put the roasting pan with the veg over your burners on high heat, add the roux and add some booze (wine, ale, sherry, port, whatever) or more stock , and then whisk and mix it all up together, scraping up the tasties from the bottom. lower heat and let it reduce to your liking and then pour through a strainer. Now that's a gravy you can be proud of! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TNgr1Y15-eI/AAAAAAAABpk/LRwIGPPHrpY/s1600/DSC_0209.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TNgr1Y15-eI/AAAAAAAABpk/LRwIGPPHrpY/s320/DSC_0209.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A proper Bloke's Roast Beef (adapted from jamie oliver, he's british, I kind of figured it was a safe play)<br />
preheat oven to 475 (do this now, it's important that your oven is crazy hot at the get go)<br />
for veg pile:<br />
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">2 onions rough chop</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">2 carrots ""</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">2 celery stalks ""</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">couple turnips or parsnips ""</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">garlic cloves (to your liking, you can use the whole head if you want), left whole</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">olive oil</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">salt and pepper</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">1 handful Simon and Garfunkel (parsley, sage, you get the rest...)</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">for herb paste:</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">6 good sized sprigs rosemary</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">4 sprigs sage</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">4 sprigs thyme</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">4-5 cloves garlic</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">olive oil</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">salt and pepper</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">the rest:(or in this case, the roast)</div><br />
3-4 pound top round roast<br />
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In a good sized roasting pan or a large skillet, add the chopped veg and herbs. season with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. toss well and set aside.<br />
to make the herb paste, mince all the herbs and garlic together and add a couple healthy pinches of salt and pepper. add to a a bowl and drizzle in some oil. just enough to make it paste like, not swimming. rub this on the meat and then (I know sounds like a lot) salt and pepper the meat again, but don't go overboard. place meat on top of veg stand and either let hang out in the fridge until you are ready to roast, or go for it at this moment (this VERY moment!!!!). put pan in oven (in middle rack) and lower heat to 400F. if you are using a dig-thermometer (like the one i linked up there) make sure to put it in before you put the beef in the oven, it's sort of crucial to your cause (never again...) if you don't have one, don't sweat it, you can get it close by roasting around one hour for medium. If you want med-rare, just take it out around 10-15 min. earlier. and so on. baste the beef around the halfway mark and if the veggies are starting to dry out, you can add a splash of water to the pan to prevent burnage. once roasted to your desired doneness, take the pan out of the oven and let the roast rest on a cutting board (at least 15 minsok. this is normal. pour this stuff into your gravy. you thriftster, you...<br />
serve with <b>roast veggies</b> (not posting a recipe, but what you can do here is par-boil some root veg and then toss them with oil and salt and peps and when you pull the roast out, put these in and then turn the oven to 450 to finish them off and get some color. should be done around the time everything else is).<br />
or mashed tates. or just serve them with your favorite sides.<br />
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<b>DISH recommend</b>s: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/All-Clad-59906-Lasagna-Pan/dp/B0000DI4PG">all-clad lasagna pan</a>. this pan says it's for lasagna, but so far has met all of my roasting needs. and it's way cheaper than their roasting pans and only like an inch smaller. check it.<br />
ps--like the new look? hope so. <a href="http://bungalhaus.blogspot.com/">mames</a> gave me a much needed make-over. hope to actually get organized around here...<br />
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</div>the DISHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12183261862775142331noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8318851440327600651.post-49059724136113287622010-10-25T08:53:00.012-05:002010-11-05T14:44:36.591-05:00sea change...or...we have a MCwinner!!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TNQ9BmweiPI/AAAAAAAABpE/fpfhsgi-95M/s1600/IMG_0376.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; "><img border="0" height="132" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TNQ9WVKm0wI/AAAAAAAABpI/Roxnx9QU0ZQ/s200/DSC_0192.JPG" width="200" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; "><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TNQ9BmweiPI/AAAAAAAABpE/fpfhsgi-95M/s200/IMG_0376.jpg" width="149" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="text-align: left;clear: both; "><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TNQ-OUv1PlI/AAAAAAAABpM/CYDYPnpwzP0/s200/IMG_0364.jpg" width="200" />I've always considered myself to be on the busy side. I like to do things, whether it be cooking, exercise, home projects, whatever. but lately...well, lately I had been <a href="http://tacostothelimit.ytmnd.com/">pushing it to the limit.</a> much of my time has been eaten up at work by learning how to operate/figuring out how to implement <a href="http://lequartierbakery.blogspot.com/2010/09/3rd-phase-for-le-quartier-part-2.html">this</a>, and testing and experimenting with <a href="http://lequartierbakery.blogspot.com/2010/10/freezer-baguette-more-sleep-for-us.html">this</a> (links to John's blog, should check it out and become a <b>follower</b>, very informative, cutting edge stuff.) so yeah, you get it, I needed a break. sooooooo, mames and I decided that on the spur of the moment we would head out west to california. specifically, Santa Catalina Island (a tiny island 26 miles off the coast). we had such a good time, it was definitely rejuvenating. I think that a lot is to be said for little vacations. You can take more of them during the year, and it is just enough to get you out of the craziness of everyday life. we were gone for four days, and I felt like we maximized our time out there. the crazy succulent pic is from a plant called a "red hot poker". We rented bikes the first day we were there and rode up to the botanical gardens and checked out all the cactus (still not going to say it, marth...) and such. was pretty beautiful. other pic is of us at the top of the observatory/memorial thing (I'm a naturally shady person). all in all, it was a great time...but the food sucked. it wasn't just bad, it was flavorless. we're crediting it to the fact that the majority of the inhabitants were geezers. seriously, it should have been fabulous. The seafood was excellent quality, just under-seasoned, or not seasoned at all. that was the only bummer.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">ok, foodstuff: I have been experimenting with my pressure cooker a lot lately. The last pic is potato leek soup that I made in about 15 minutes. yeah, you read that right. I can't believe it took me this long to get one. i love it. for someone who doesn't have a lot of time, it has been a lifesaver. you'd have to pry it out of my dead lifeless hands. for the soups I have made the method has been pretty much the same. saute aromatics and seasoning, add veggies, liquid, whatever, and then cover, lock, bring to pressure (there's a little knob that pops up), and then cook for about 10 minutes. ridiculous. I haven't cooked meat with it yet, but I'm sure that it will happen soon.</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">you didn't think i forgot about the giveaway did you???? well, of course I didn't...not entirely. like I said, super bizz at work and then took a little vacation, and also have been doing a three week experiment on cold brew coffee, but that's another post entirely. anyway, the winner of the giveaway is...<a href="http://parsleythyme1.blogspot.com/">Martha</a>!! Marth and I used to be partners in baking crime. she has been at the bakery for a long time and has since gone on to bake at the omaha location. it's your lucky day. </div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">use them well.</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">for those of you non-winners, an even bigger giveaway is still in the works, stay tuned.</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">also, I apologize for the lack of bloggage lately. like I said, I have been working on a guest post for a different <a href="http://www.nebraskacoffee.org/index.html">site</a> that I want to be really concise. hope to be back to norm soon. </div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#444444;">DISH recommends: </span></b>taking a minication!!! go somewhere, anywhere!! take a plane, take a car, doggone it man, take a bus if you must, just get out of your home city for a few days. sometimes a break is all you need to get things back in order and focus. plus, you can take 3 or 4 of these a year instead of 1 long trip. bonussssss.......</div></div>the DISHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12183261862775142331noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8318851440327600651.post-39893816419645902162010-09-28T11:22:00.006-05:002010-11-05T14:51:44.241-05:00I know you came here for the equinox, but how about a giveaway instead?!?!?<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TKIXOTVZrlI/AAAAAAAABno/CIfUEnAH3EE/s1600/DSC_0190.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522001627585293906" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TKIXOTVZrlI/AAAAAAAABno/CIfUEnAH3EE/s200/DSC_0190.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 133px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 200px;" /></a><br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TKIXN6QYNrI/AAAAAAAABng/8S0y6P3h8-g/s1600/DSC_0183.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522001620853339826" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TKIXN6QYNrI/AAAAAAAABng/8S0y6P3h8-g/s200/DSC_0183.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 133px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 200px;" /></a><br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TKIXNp24_KI/AAAAAAAABnY/bWvRnmOeMj4/s1600/DSC_0181.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522001616451468450" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TKIXNp24_KI/AAAAAAAABnY/bWvRnmOeMj4/s200/DSC_0181.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 133px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 200px;" /></a>My ladyfriend had asked me the other day if I was excited that autumn was here. I thought about it for a minute and then replied that I wasn't any more excited than I would be for the other seasons because I kind of like them all. I was momentarily happy with my zen-like answer (even if it did turn out to be a bald-faced lie). As much fun as it is to see your neighborhood covered in a <a href="http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.i-mockery.com/minimocks/boigah/davethomas.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.i-mockery.com/minimocks/boigah/&usg=__iZMM054kpBgR5dHafKwJVqO0mTU=&h=200&w=175&sz=7&hl=en&start=33&sig2=S_Ts4VZd652F3QlHKxwT3w&zoom=0&tbnid=GVW94gdL5MVGOM:&tbnh=104&tbnw=91&ei=kRyiTKy1MIb2tgO8zpGnAQ&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dwendys%2Bfrosty%2Bblanket%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dsafari%26rls%3Den%26biw%3D1703%26bih%3D954%26tbs%3Disch:10%2C590&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=1106&vpy=421&dur=1091&hovh=104&hovw=91&tx=84&ty=56&oei=IhyiTILqOY6csQPgp8Fy&esq=21&page=2&ndsp=40&ved=1t:429,r:5,s:33&biw=1703&bih=954">frosty</a> blanket, and to then see that blanket turn into all sorts of flora/fauna, and then to bask in all it's glory with icy cold drinks and bathing suits, it all pales in comparison to the season when everything dies, we dress up like monsters, eat lots of candy, and wear sweatshirts (Kirstie Alley, I'm talking to you baby!...or wait, maybe I'm talking about you...). I mean come on people, it's not even close!!! I'm sorry I ever doubted you autumn...<br />
<div>Anyway, the dishes up top are of the heartier fare, one is a ground beef/pork ragu that was slow simmered on the stovetop with some onion, celery, and spices. pretty amazing flavor for minimal ingredients. I was inspired ( I tried to make a "Dario's" version) to make it from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Heat-Adventures-Pasta-Maker-Apprentice-Dante-Quoting/dp/1400034477/ref=sr_1_5?s=gateway&ie=UTF8&qid=1285693435&sr=8-5">this book</a> I read. check it out, was a really great read. Other pic is some chuck roast and carrots braised in wine and stock, blah, blah, blah. let's get down to business here: GIVEAWAY. Yep. I am giving away a set of 8 and 10 inch skillets made by cuisinart. they are stainless steel and built like a team of tanks. can go from stovetop to oven and all that jazz. they treated me well and will last forever if you take care of them. I have recently upgraded and thought they would make a nice giveaway. So how do you enter? just leave a comment saying that you want to be entered into the giveaway. it's that simple. I will accept entries for two weeks (so sign up by Oct. 12!) and then post the winner when I return from a much needed jaunt out west. lavish praises, becoming a follower, and nonsensical flattery don't <i>necessarily</i> increase your odds of winning (notice how I said <i>necessarily</i>...). so, sign up, win some pans, make some treats, and put on a sweatshirt, it's autumn after all.</div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">DISH recommends: </span></b>lavish praises, becoming a follower, and nonsensical flattery. I mean, if there's one thing that can increase your chances in this whole giveaway nonsense, this has GOT to be it! I wish I was kidding...snarks.</div>the DISHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12183261862775142331noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8318851440327600651.post-17922228034671816082010-09-20T10:22:00.005-05:002010-11-05T14:52:21.678-05:00startin' the mornin' off right...<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TJd8qDdTxRI/AAAAAAAABnM/t4hwCUpgvgY/s1600/DSC_0139.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519016930290418962" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TJd8qDdTxRI/AAAAAAAABnM/t4hwCUpgvgY/s200/DSC_0139.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 133px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 200px;" /></a><br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TJd8pX9tMWI/AAAAAAAABnE/WA0SCczqXrM/s1600/DSC_0130.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519016918615142754" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/TJd8pX9tMWI/AAAAAAAABnE/WA0SCczqXrM/s200/DSC_0130.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 133px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 200px;" /></a>if there's one thing that is really important to me, it's breakfast. If there's one thing that I absolutely do not have time for during the week, it's breakfast. You see, when you have to get up around midnight and crawl into work, you tend to maximize the amount of time that you can stay in bed. I basically hit the alarm clock off, throw on some clothes, brush my teeth, and then head out. not leaving a whole lot of time to fill my body with nutrients. That's where my love affair with granola bars began. granola bars definitely fit the bill for a fast breakfast. however, most of them are fluff or far from anything resembling tastiness. I used to eat peanut butter cliff bars, but when you down five a week, they start to get expensive. A while back, I had made a batch of g-bars from a martha stewart recipe. In theory, they sounded great because there was no refined sugar or preservatives or anything of the sort, but in actuality, they sort of came up short for me. I think that I didn't like the whole tropical dried fruit nonsense or something, not my style. the one thing I did really like (and steal for this recipe) was the fact that instead of sugar, this recipe used simmered, pureed dates. they act as your binding agent and hold everything together, also adding another, earthily sweet dimension to this bar, something I can totally get into...<br />
<div>yeah, it seems like there are a lot of ingredients to this, but just hang in there and try it at least once. they are all something you can get at a grocery that sells bulk ingredients ( I picked all of my stuff up at super saver on 48th, with the exception of the local honey, found at open harvest). At first it may seem like a lot to buy, but if you make this once, it won't be a waste, because it will definitely get reruns...</div><div><b> </b><b>wunderBARS</b><b>:</b></div><div>you're going to need: <i>a food processor/chopper, biggest sheet pan you have, big mixing bowl,</i></div><div><i>and your mitts...</i></div><div>start with: </div><div>turn oven to 350F</div><div><b>2 cups pitted dates</b>--put these in a saucepan and cover with water. simmer without a lid for around five minutes, or however long it takes to assemble the rest of the stuff</div><div><b>3 cups old fashioned oats</b>, finely ground in a food processor</div><div><b>2 cups walnuts</b>, coarsely ground in a food processor</div><div><b>1 cup almonds</b>, coarsely ground in a food processor</div><div><b>2-2.5 cups dried fruits of your choice</b> (lately I have been doing dried cranberries and dried currants, but you can use whatever you like. Raisins are good in here, but so are cherries, blueberries, etc)</div><div><b>4 tbs oat bran </b></div><div><b>6 tbs ground flax seed</b></div><div><b>4 tbs wheat germ</b></div><div><b>1 tsp coarse salt</b></div><div><b>6 tbs local honey</b> (make sure to get local if possible, it fights off allergies/asthma. etc, honey that is foreign to the region doesn't do this)</div><div><b>1 tsp cinnamon</b> (optional, I stopped adding this, as i found it unnecessary, but you can decide for yourself.</div><div>ok, here's the do:</div><div>combine ground oats, ground nuts, the dried fruit(s), oat bran, ground flax seed, wheat germ, salt, and cinnamon (if using) in a big mixing bowl, give it a little mix. drain the dates, leaving a couple of tablespoons of water in the pot, and pour this into the food processor. add the honey and puree everything until smooth. go wash your hands. do it. they may seem clean, but just do it anyway. clean? ok, now pour the date mixture over the rest of the ingredients and use your hands to mix everything up uniformly. it's sticky, but that's ok, you have to do it this way or it just won't get fully mixed. the dry ingredients should look moist and it should be slightly tacky to the touch. spray your big sheet pan with cooking spray and transfer the mixture to the pan. don't worry if it doesn't extend to the end of the pan just try and get a uniform rectangle going with about a 1-inch thickness. pop into oven for around 30 minutes. bars will be done when edges start to darken and middle is set. now, if you happen to have a vacuum sealer, let these cool and make individual packages for your breakfast for the next two weeks. if not, I'm sure they will last quite a while in just plastic wrap.</div><div>non-foodstuffs: we recently adopted a 9 year old english setter. who has kennel cough. who has proceeded to give kennel cough to gus. I miss sleeping.</div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">DISH recommends:</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.cutleryandmore.com/fagor-duo/pressure-cooker-p115248">Fagor 6 qt duo pressure cooker. </a> I made a curry in 4 minutes the other day people. FOUR minutes!! I almost cried. I am loving this thing. get one. it will change your life...or at the very least, dinnertime.</span></b></div><div><br />
</div>the DISHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12183261862775142331noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8318851440327600651.post-12463337680955580902010-08-24T11:45:00.006-05:002010-11-05T14:52:51.195-05:00"that roma's hot, for sure, but I've got my mind set on "fleur"<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/THP3UM6_btI/AAAAAAAABmw/ILwakes_cYE/s1600/DSC_0111.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509018695642345170" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zviulFRrqMA/THP3UM6_btI/AAAAAAAABmw/ILwakes_cYE/s200/DSC_0111.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 133px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 200px;" /></a>If you thought about your vegetable garden like it was a high school, then cauliflower would be the timid, shy girl that is actually quite fetching, if only someone would give her the time of day. Not like that showboat, "sweet corn", his silky hair, and towering height, the envy of all the class. or what about that tramp, "tomato", those wicked curves and blushed skin, always saying, "go ahead, give me a little squeeze, I don't mind ;) " and btw, she's been paired up with just about every vegetable possible (girlfriend gets around...)<br />
<div>and then, there's cauliflower...I mean, it looks like a friggin brain, people. who wants to eat a brain (ok, let me rephrase that, who wants to eat a brain when it's not tucked inside some delicious ravioli or made from jello...cause I would eat either of those things)?!? If it weren't for a little ingenuity and a little makeover, we might never tap into the potential that lies within this smart little vegetable. </div><div>Cauliflower on it's own and uncooked is, let's be honest, less than stellar. it has a nice crunch, but I imagine that locusts and crickets do also. it's very pale. it needs a tan. and a spicy outfit. we get this by a trip in the saute pan with some olive oil, sea salt, fresh ground pepper, and some chili flakes. now it's ready to party. throw on some grated parmesan if you want to hit a home run (leave it off if you just want to make it to 2nd base:)</div><div><b>crispy sautéed cauliflower</b></div><div>(I like to cut my pieces vertically into sections about 1/2 inch thick. this way, one individual section is a single serving. also because it looks, like, totally awesome. also also, I really like this method because the cauliflower gets all golden and crispy on the outside, almost as if it were dredged in flour and deep fried.)</div><div>1 head cauliflower, cut vertically, into 1/2 inch slices (see pic)</div><div>olive oil</div><div>coarse sea salt, peps</div><div>chili flakes</div><div>grated parmesan</div><div>lemon wedge (optional. i squeezed this over mine at the end. was delicious, forgot it for the pic)</div><div>heat a few glugs of olive oil in a saute pan over med heat until shimmering. add cauliflower and let cook until golden brown (approx 5-6 mins), turn (carefully, she's sensitive) and repeat. season browned side with salt, peps, and chili flakes. check for doneness by piercing stem with a pairing knife, should be tender, but not mush, set on platter, newly-browned side up and season again. grate cheese over, give a squeeze of lemon and enjoy. I like this paired with lots of things. It's also good alone. it's also good if you are with somebody...</div><div>ps. I suppose you could do this in the oven. I suppose...</div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">DISH recommends:</span><a href="http://www.cutleryandmore.com/allclad-masterchef-2/saute-pan-p12016"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"> </span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.cutleryandmore.com/allclad-masterchef-2/saute-pan-p12016">All clad saute pan.</a> I use this all the time. it has fast become a workhorse in my new kitch. kind of pricey, but will last forever.</span></b></div><div><br />
</div>the DISHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12183261862775142331noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8318851440327600651.post-50043143056733180392010-08-07T10:45:00.008-05:002010-11-05T14:53:33.377-05:00I know that, somebody's frying...<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxW1Oow3gl4XWtDRs43ZqmQjf7f7yT1DyvoDupQJuxEN9gpQPtUD-f_zEoY1Iye0B1KK16YRUMumx9h_9tG2g' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe> sometimes the simplest things can end up being the most difficult. like <i><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHR3zq-mIBo">riding a bike</a></i> (yeah... I had that faceplant out in wilderness last week, then, mames decided to one-up me and ate pavement coming back from the farmer's market and ended up breaking her wrist:(. kind of a bad week), or <i>using a coaster</i> (I may never get that down), and even <i>frying an egg (or in this case, explaining how to properly fry an egg:). </i> yeah, you read that right. It's not that the act of frying an egg is difficult. you've probably done it dozens of times, maybe even hundreds. I may even have entered into thousands territory as I use to be a brunch cook, but until the other day, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">I'd never fried one properly. </span> you see, the problem with frying eggs is getting the yolk (which should always be over easy:) and the white (firm, yet silky, with a crispy outer edge) perfectly done at the same time. to do this, you need to cook the egg at a low temp, which allows for the whites to firm up, but remain soft and not get rubbery, which happens with the introduction of high heat, but you also have to mind that creamy orange-gold orb of goodness on top, and make sure not to overcook the yolk, but you need to apply some heat without totally killing it. whew!, sounds like a lot to deal with? yeah, I know. that's why I made a video. clicksters.<br />
<div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">DISH recommen</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">ds: </span>iPhone4. mames filmed this vid with my new phone. i love it. I'm sure someone will tell me there are better phones out there and bigger screens, and a million other reasons I should have bought a droid, but guess what? iDon'tcare. does that make me an elitist? probably. tell me something I don't know...</div><div>ps: youtube version <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1Yt6Q3KvI0">here.</a></div>the DISHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12183261862775142331noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8318851440327600651.post-63137617394064078432010-07-28T12:04:00.006-05:002010-11-05T13:15:43.874-05:00wild turkey wipeout<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyy_OzPCijaic1GNku0jThnUlhWINQCPNi0l7vZx9hiu7ZRSkuVdmGnLuHsawBYwHIQUNEmBaBXMkL96-A28A' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br />
<div>(video is kinda crappy, "blair witch" style, sorry, for better quality, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHR3zq-mIBo">click here)</a><br />
<div>It seems that most times, the funniest things that happen to me, happen when I am alone. This was yesterday in wilderness park. Was trying to get some good footage (which means one- handed riding, no helmet cam yet) to recruit some of my non-riding friends to get bikes and got a mouth full of <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">single track</span> instead. I work weird hours so its hard to find peeps to go with, but if anyone out there is down for hitting up wilderness (or <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">platte</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">mopac</span>, branched oak, whatever) sometime, let me know. the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">wolfpack</span> needs to grow...at least by one, right now I'm sort of just one wolf...one wolf who has perfected the dive roll. almost forgot--I saw some turkeys out there too!</div></div>the DISHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12183261862775142331noreply@blogger.com4