"that roma's hot, for sure, but I've got my mind set on "fleur"

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...)

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.

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:)

crispy sautéed cauliflower

(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.)

1 head cauliflower, cut vertically, into 1/2 inch slices (see pic)

olive oil

coarse sea salt, peps

chili flakes

grated parmesan

lemon wedge (optional. i squeezed this over mine at the end. was delicious, forgot it for the pic)

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...

ps. I suppose you could do this in the oven. I suppose...

DISH recommends: All clad saute pan. I use this all the time. it has fast become a workhorse in my new kitch. kind of pricey, but will last forever.

I was introduced to smut at an early age...or...guacamole en molcajete!!

Well, it's officially summertime. The weather is getting warmer, the rain is seeming to dissipate, and it won't be long until we are able to get some really fresh produce. I have a tiny garden this year. I planted some tomatoes and a jalapeno plant. you see, every time I try to go big and have a huge garden, I end up failing to keep up with it. I'm more of a do-er than a maintain-er. So, this year I thought I would plant a small amount that I could manage, and so far things are looking pretty good. I love making pico de gallo, so I thought that having tomates and jalps would be a good thing. another thing I will be using these for is guacamole en molcajete. (click below for vid!) It's very simple to make and really fresh and versatile.

I also have a video up on you tube if you'd rather see it there. Other food pics are sticky chicken thighs with chickpeas, tomatoes, and bacon, and a little tuna and potato salad with sugar peas. The chicken dish was sort of an improv of a jamie oliver recipe called "pot roast meatloaf", but I obviously switched out the ground beef for chicken.

other stuff:

summer also has had me thinking about food memories. for example: corn day. Two words that can strike fear into the heart of any nebraska kid. You see, corn day involved waking up super early and picking 47 truckloads (ok, perhaps my number has been a bit skewed by nostalgia) and then bringing it back to your grandma's house to shuck ear after ear while the grown-ups sit inside and laugh at the toil that overcomes your soul (I later learned that they were blanching, cutting, and bagging the corn to be frozen. The worst part about corn day was smut. No, we didn't have a secret stash of nudies to browse, I'm talking about the straight-up funk that lives under the husk of some unlucky ears of corn. It stinks, is usually covered in bugs and was usually wiped on some part of me by my brothers. I hear it's a delicacy in some countries, probably the same ones who eat donkey wieners and boar buttholes. there was an upside to corn day, however, and that was, well, obviously the abundance of corn that would later grace our tables throughout the year. Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, and tuesdays were all incomplete without this sweet golden staple. Since it is just mames and I, corn day has kind of fallen by the wayside, but I know it still goes on strong. perhaps I will revive the tradition when I have kids of my own who can learn the value of the sweet sting of sweat from a hard days work...

do you guys have fond/unfond(?) food memories? let me know in the comments secth. pieces

dish

DISH recommends:Lodge cast iron 10.5 inch griddle. I use this thing almost every day. It's great for everything from frying eggs and searing meats, to roasting potatoes (I like to slice the tates thin and fan them out in a galette, like this. seasoned with a little salt and peps and olive oil and roasted at 400, they're hard to beat. $22.95, but I picked mine up at the teej for way less. also, they still have those sweet wusthof ikons I posted about, and they have added a couple of santokus to the mix. check it...

also recommended:flip video camera. Mames got one of these free at neocon and I have been playing around with it. used it to record the guac vid and is pretty handy. the youtube link is a better quality...don't know the price as we got it for free, but loves it...

set your watches to FEAST!

hope everyone had an awesome july 4th weekend. Rest assured that the dish's did. We kicked off the weekend by devouring (at least I did, wife had her usual birdy amount:) a mixed grill. Grilled some sausages, potatoes, peppers, onions, corn, squash, broccoli, and beans. and some sourdough. Sounds like a lot huh? it was. I forgot to eat lunch on friday so I was starving by the time I woke up. Yeah that's right, I forgot to eat lunch. Someone who is as obsessed with all things food, forgot to eat. Sad thing is, I do it quite often. I get it from my pops. If my mom doesn't remind him he's hungry, he'd probably waste away:) I think it's a baker thing. We get pretty tired at the bakery. ok REALLY tired. Marth and JOHN and P-bear can testify to that. You would think that the four of us working crazy hours day in and day out would get used to it, but we don't. I know I never will, but I love my job, so I am willing to do it.

ok back to food, back to food. We partied with ISKE-squared on the fourth (actually the whole iske clan) at the new lake house, which let me just say is one of my new favorite places. Wife and I rode the jet-ski (first time, it was like a scoot on the water[fire in the sky, sorry...]) and had a lot of good food with pals. We ended up making some roasted red pepper hummus and a potato salad of sorts (using garden tates, yeah!) that had green beans, walnut vinaigrette, and black sesame seeds. I added tuna to it later, that's the sandwich in the photo. Last night we smoked some pork chops and tended to the garden. Also grilled some sweet potato "chips", which are a new favorite thing. just slice them thin and toss in olive oil, salt and peps, and then layer on a hot grill. they bubble and get crispy. I like to drizzle some olive oil over them at the end, but they would be great with aoli or pesto. If you use regular tates, add some fresh rosemary to the mix.

Oh yeah, headed to an indian feast tonight! Our pals Dipti and Anuj (hope I spelled those correctly) have family in town and wanted to have a feast to send them off in style. Apparently, Dipti's mom is quite the cook...SO...SUPER...STOKED. maybe I'll take photos. pieces.

DISH Recommends:

Thriftiness. I never thought I would re-use ziploc bags and foil, but here I am telling everyone else to also. Yeah, I've become that person. My mom is reading this and smiling. but seriously, there is no reason not to. I try to not think of things as immediately disposable, I'm sure you save a marginal amount of money, but you save a considerable amount of waste. just think about it...

Let me take you down...sorry, couldn't resist

I'm convinced that until yesterday, I had never tasted a strawberry. I have no idea what the cardboardy, bland dull pink things I was eating were, I just know that they pale in comparison to the hoard I ate yesterday. Wifeshow and I went out to roca berry farm yesterday afternoon and picked strawbs for about an hour. We netted 10.5 pounds. we were so excited the whole way home, driving in our deliciously berry-scented saturn, until we realized, "uhh...what are we going to do with 10.5 pounds of strawberries. Besides eat them as is, of course. Well, so far we made some preserves (which are mind bending, I must say) and a pretty tasty vinaigrette, but I think that I will make some strawberry-rhubarb something or other later on in the day. I am also going to make some smoked pork butt and convert it into a cassoulet of sorts. Better get going, here are a few recipes to try out, but do yourself a favor and go to roca berry farm, you can buy already picked if you are a lazy sack:)

strawberry preserves.

4 pounds cleaned/stemmed/hulled strawbs

1 cup sugar

couple good squeezes lemon juice.

put the berries and sugar in a large mixing bowl, and squeeze them, mashing them up with your (clean) hands (think playing in the mud when you were little, except you can lick your fingers afterwards, even though I probably did anyway). Pour this mixture into a large saute pan with high sides and reduce over med-low heat for about 40 minutes, checking every 5 minutes to skim off foamy stuff. make sure it is not sticking to the bottom, you don't want to burn it. let cool completely and then store it in clean jars or whatever in the fridge. You can also can this stuff, just sterilize your jars and lids and then pour into those and following the directions here: canning tips

strawberry walnut vinaigrette:

1-2tbs balsamic vinegar

salt and peps (pinch or so)

3-4 strawbs

roasted walnut oil

in a medium mixing bowl, smash up the berries with a fork, or spoon, or your thumb, or whatever, add the balsamic, salt and peps, and sugar. give it a little mix. while whisking this mixture, slowly pour in your oil until it emulsifies, you'll know when...trust me. use on salad or grilled fish/chicken, or as a dip for bread.

(note) the "1-2" tbs, is just depending on how much you want to make. Obviously, the more vinegar you add, the more oil you'll have to whisk in to get an emulsification. I tend to make dressing in small batches. just my own pref.

DISH recommends:

Cuisinart saute pan w/cover, 5.5 qt. I used this to make my preserves. I use it for tons of stuff, if you don't have a high-sided saute pan, you really should invest in one. I would consider it essential in your kitch.

The hotness never ceases

  We have been trying to eat outside as much as possible lately, and it has been pretty easy except for the past couple of days.  Yesterday was about a million degrees outside and it looks like that trend will continue throughout the week.  Well, that just means primo grilling time!

We made some barbecued chicken the other night.  Pretty self explanatory.  Also roasted some beans and peas with shallots and some potatoes and cherry tomatoes.  The cherry tomatoes were nice, they kind of caramelized and became super sweet.  Try it out.

I don't know if it is the warm weather or what, but around this time of year I always start to get the desire to eat healthier/ lighter.  So, with that in mind, the coming posts should be somewhat healthy and light.  Not that it's a bad thing.  Who can eat a ton in this heat anyway?  

I made some granola/energy bars last night from a recipe that was in one of amy's martha stewart magazines.  Really tasty, kind of like a cliff bar sans chemical aftertaste.  On my days off, I will also be making shortbread and cupcakes, etc.  peace

barbecure for the common...

I smoked a pork shoulder on my days off this week.  It turned out great.  I made some oven fries and coleslaw to go along with it.  Also, My mom really wanted brussels, so she and amy made those too.  REALLY simple stuff, but really tasty. Methods to follow.

As you can see, had some buddies over to enjoy it because there was an abundance, (check out Brandon's giant piece of bread) forgot to take a picture before we "tucked in."  The coleslaw was something new, it had julienned apple and snow pea in it, gave it a nice, crisp sweetness, and the oven fries were some of the best ever.

For all you smokers out there, my method for pork shoulder is pretty simple.  Sea salt, crushed peppercorns, garlic salt, paprika, and/or your favorite steak seasoning.  One thing that I have found crucial is that once you put the meat in the smoker, never NEVER lift the lid (unless you are too hot. Lifting it adds about 30 extra minutes!)  I am usually able to go about 8 hours on one chimney of charcoal plus wood and a few extra coals.  

Oven fries are crazy delicious, in fact, I prefer them to fried fries.  I've found that "klondike rose" potatoes are your best bet here simply tossed in olive oil, grey salt, cracked pepper and fresh rosemary.  Oven @ 400F...about 1 hour...single layer on sheet pan...Score!  You'll Never go back, Jack!  What can I say about Caramelized brussels sprouts?  Nothing bad, that's for chure. Quarter them, rinse under water, toss into a hot skillet with olive oil, and some kind of minced onion/shallot/garlic.  Season with salt/pepper and any other seasoning you like (I'm a big advocate of cavenders greek seasoning) and saute, loosening the pan up with some stock/broth any time you build up some fond.  Add a couple splashes of balsamic vinegar and let the whole thing get super sweet and sticky.  you'll love these, promises.  (DISCLAIMER:  Amy always ends up taking over this dish and she will tell you that you need to turn the heat down a bit after you add the vinegar:)

Tomatoes are almost here, along with pasillas peppers, beans, and ancho chiles.  Meet me at the mall tomorrow? (I can't wait.)

I was wondering if I could...

 Borrow the car?  Take you out to dinner? Ask you for a kidney even though you only have one? Well, the answer will be a big, fat YES if you serve this salad beforehand!

Tomato season is almost here!  I have quite a few green tomatoes on my plant, and am getting really excited.  one of my favorite things to do with them is make this salad.  Avocado is the base and is topped with diced tomatoes and bacon and then scallions that have been flash fried in the rendered bacon fat.  A scattering of nice sea salt and cracked pepper really rounds out the salad.  The "dressing"  is just two-thirds balsamic vinegar and one third pomegranate juice that has been reduced to a thin syrup consistency.  This is an old picture but I was checking out my tomatoes the other day and thinking about this.  Cilantro chiffonade would also be a nice addition.

I am planning on pulling my lettuces and broccoli rabe this week and replanting some arugula and kale.  I want to make something with lentils and linguica this week, and also Amy and I will be making cupcakes soon!  Today, I am smoking a pork shoulder on account of my parents being here (I heart smoking meat), and will probably make some delicious coleslaw also.

lots to do today so I had better get a move on.  still need to do some bike maintenance, yard work, work out, and exercise the dog (his body, not his demons).  peace.

picked some beans and peas from the garden yesterday and sauteed them with some shallots.  Also, I picked up a baby potato medley from the grocery (stoked they had purple peruvians) and roasted those with heavy cream and parmesan...healthy.  Also scored some cheap cherry tomatoes.  I had some chicken on hand so I sauteed that with the cherry tomatoes and shallots, deglazing with vermouth.  All in all, pretty good stuff.

pretty excited that the new batman is coming out.  I'm sure it will be sold out for a while, so I will wait until next week.  It hasn't been a very good summer for riding bikes, at least not trail riding.  It seems that it rains pretty consistently on wednesdays and thursdays. I know I haven't been riding as much as I would like to.  

well, its another friday so another market day is under way.  they seem to be getting easier and easier.  be sure to check us out at both lincoln and omaha locations.  peace.