Chillin and Grillin

I am taking a break from the Mediterranean tour today. I am in a serious grilling mood and a grilled Chimichurri covered steak sounds good to me. This sauce also works well with skewered grilled shrimp. Grill some up with a steak for a tasty surf and turf. Marinade the beef for 2 hours, and the shrimp for 1 hour, grill and serve with more sauce.

Chimichurri is a pesto style sauce and marinade used with grilled meat in Argentina and Uruguay It is usually the only seasoning used for steak and chorizo sausages in Argentine asados. It can also be used as a marinade for any kind of grilled meat.

Chimichurri Sauce

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup extra virgin Olive Oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh Lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons fresh Lime juice
• 1/2 cup minced fresh Cilantro
• 6 cloves crushed Garlic
• 1 tablespoon chopped or crumbled fresh or 1 teaspoon dried Oregano.
• 1 tablespoon Cumin
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
• 2 minced Shallots
• 1 teaspoon minced Basil, Thyme or Oregano, or mixture
• Kosher Salt and Course ground Black Pepper to taste

Preparations

1. Puree all ingredients in food processor.
2. Reserve 1/4 of a cup for use as a marinade.
3. Transfer remaining sauce to a bowl.
4. Cover and let stand at room temperature.

Babaganoosh

Here we go with another middle eastern appetizer that can be made well in advance.

Babaganoosh is a paste made of roast or grilled eggplant and tahini.This is a delicious healthy snack that can be eaten with pita. It is served along with hummus and tabouli as an appetizer course.

Ingredients

• 3 eggplants broiled
• 4 cloves garlic
• fresh lemon juice, to taste
• Olive oil, to taste
• Kosher or Sea Salt
• ½ cup tahini
• 1½ teaspoon ground cumin
• chopped fresh mint, and parsley for garnish

Preparation

1. Pierce eggplants with fork.
2. Place the eggplants in a baking dish.
3. Roast in oven on shelf furthest from the flame.
4. Broil 20 minutes on one side.
5. Turn and broil 10 minutes on other side.
6. Cool for easy handling.
7. With a spoon scoop out the flesh of the eggplant.
8. Place the flesh in bowl, sprinkle with salt.
9. Press to remove water from the flesh.
10. Drain the water and sprinkle with more salt.
11. Repeat this 3 times.
12. Combine all the ingredients in food processor or blender
13. Process until the mixture is smooth.
14. Garnished with chopped fresh mint, and parsley
15. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.

Tabouli

I am still on my middle eastern food making binge. Here is another one of the recipes I like a lot. Since I have said to hummus and tabouli make a good pairing; I should give you the recipe for one of my favorite salads.

Tabouli is a refreshing bulgar wheat salad combining tomatoes, green onions, cucumber. fresh flat leaf parsley, fresh mint leaves, olive oil and lemon juice. The bright lemon flavor is great for cleaning your palette and waking up your taste buds. I like it as an appetizer, side dish with a meat course, or for a light lunch with some hummus and pita bread.

Ingredients:

• 1¼ cup bulgar wheat fine grind
• 2 cups boiling water
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ½ cup fresh lemon juice
• 1¼ cup green onions chopped
• 1¼ cup fresh flat leaf parsley chopped
• ½ cup fresh mint chopped
• 1½ cup tomatoes, chopped
• 1¼ cup cucumber - peeled, seeded and chopped
• 1¼ teaspoon Kosher or Sea salt
• coarsely ground black pepper to taste

Preparation:

1. Combine bulgar and boiling water in a large bowl.
2. Cover, and set aside to soak for 1 hour.
3. Finely chop the parsley and mint.
4. Chop the green onions.
5. Peel cucumber, remove the seeds.
6. Slice the cucumber into thin strips, dice finely.
7. Dice and chop the tomatoes.
8. Juice the lemons strain out the seeds

Assembly

1. Once the bulgar has cooled, but still warm uncover the bowl.
2. Fluff the bulgar with a fork to separate the grains,
3. Add oil, lemon juice, stir until the grains are coated.
4. Stir in the onions, parsley, mint, tomatoes, and cucumber
5. Toss the ingredients to combine them.
6. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
7. Cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. 24 is better.

Makes 8-10 Servings

Hummus

Lately I have been into a Mediterranean journey through recipes that I had the pleasure of tasting while visiting friends homes as a young man. Their grandmothers would stuff us on Middle eastern cooking. I tried to pay attention so I could try my hand at making it at home. This is the first of a few of my favorite middle eastern recipes.

Hummus is made from garbanzo beans a.k.a. chickpeas. Dried chickpeas are usually soaked in water overnight then simmered for an hour or more. It is also possible to cook chickpeas in a pressure cooker without the pre-soaking. Personally I go for convenience and speed, so I use canned chickpeas instead.

The chickpeas are ground, using a food processor or hand blender, with olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, cumin, and tahini. A bit of the water in which the chickpeas were boiled may be added to reach the desired consistency.

Garnish with chopped parsley and roasted pine nuts. Serve with a good flat bread. Hummus goes well with a tabouli salad for a light appetizer course.

Ingredients

• 3 cloves garlic roughly chopped
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• ¼ cup liquid from the can
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• 14 -15 oz canned chickpeas rinsed and drained
• ½ cup tahini
• 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
• Toasted Pine Nuts for garnish
• Chopped Flat Leaf Parsley for garnish

Preparation

1. Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender.
2. Process until smooth, scraping the sides occasionally.
3. Transfer the hummus to a serving bowl.
4. Garnish with roasted pine nuts and chopped parsley.
5. Drizzle Extra Virgin Olive Oil over the top.
6. Serve with lemon wedges and lots of good pita bread.

Pesto Time

I have patiently waited, watching my herb garden in anticipation, Today was the day I had been waiting for. My basil plant was ready for mass harvest today. Once they start flowering it's time to cut them back and make one of my favorite seasonal treats, pesto.

Overview:

This classic Italian sauce is easy to make and versatile in usage, I keep it on hand for quick dishes. Pesto is traditionally made with pine nuts, garlic, olive oil, basil, and Parmesan cheese. Pesto can be tossed with pasta, added to soups and salads, or used instead of a tomato based sauce on a pizza.. I had better stop there, we are getting into a completely different post.

Pesto Recipe

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup coarse-crushed roasted pine nuts
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled
• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 cups sweet basil leaves (about 4 ounces)
• ½ cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmigiano Reggiano
• ¼ teaspoon kosher or sea salt

Preparation:

1. Heat a large dry flat bottomed saute pan over medium heat.
2. Add the pine nuts to the pan.
3. Pine nuts burn easily so keep them moving by shaking the pan
4. Roast until they are fragrant and lightly browned.
5. Remove the pan from the heat and let them cool.
6. Put the pine nuts in a ziplock bag and seal
7. Lightly smash the bag with a heavy skillet to coarsely crush the pine nuts.
8. Crush and peel the cloves of garlic.
9. Rough chop the garlic.
10. Process the pine nuts and garlic until finely minced.
11. Add the olive oil and pulse three or 4 times.
12. Add basil, Parmesan cheese, and salt to the processor bowl.
13. Process until finely minced, scraping down sides.
14. add more olive oil if you want to make a thinner looser sauce
15. Store for later by pouring the pesto into an airtight container.
16. To prevent oxidation add a thin barrier layer of olive oil over the pesto.
17. Seal the container and store refrigerated for around 1 week.

Bagna Cauda

The name Bagna Cauda, means hot bath or warm sauce. Bagna Cauda was first created in Piedmont, Italy. It is usually kept hot in a pot over a flame, but you may see it presented at the table in a serving dish or in individual small bowls without the flame.

Bagna Cauda is a bold mix of olive oil, anchovies, garlic, and butter. Bagna cauda is served as a warm dip with a variety of raw fresh vegetables, including fennel, mushrooms, cauliflower, broccoli, Belgian endive, sweet peppers, cucumbers and zucchini as an appetizer or a sauce for penne pasta. Trust me, anchovies can be your friend.

Here is the way to eat Bagna Cauda: Spear bite-size pieces of raw vegetables on a long fork-like prong (fondue forks work well). Hold the morsels in the hot sauce for a few seconds. Eat over good crusty bread. Eat the bread when it becomes covered in sauce. Repeat until it feels good.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 5 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely minced
• 10 anchovies in olive oil, drained and chopped
• ½ cup unsalted butter, cut into chunks
• For dipping:
• A crusty Italian bread, sliced.
• a variety of raw fresh vegetables including:
  • fennel
  • mushrooms
  • cauliflower
  • brocolli
  • Belgian endive
  • sweet peppers
  • cucumbers
  • zucchini

Preparation:

1. Pour the olive oil into a saucepan or saucier.
2. Add the garlic and anchovies.
3. Cook over a low heat.
4. Stir until the anchovies and garlic disintergrates.
5. Whisk in the butter, until it is melted.
6. Remove the pan from the heat.
7. Whisk to a creamy consistency.
8. Pour into a dish over a warmer service.

Variations

Penne with Mixed Vegetable Grill

I do like Bagna Cauda as a dressing for pasta. Here is a quick and simple recipe for a variation using grilled vegetables and penne pasta.

Ingredients:

• 1 large Portabella mushroom
• 1 Fennel bulb
• 1 medium Red onion
• 3 young small Zucchini
• 2 sweet peppers red and green
• 1 pound Penne pasta cooked al dente
• Bagna Cauda sauce
• Kosher salt to taste
• Black Pepper corse ground to taste.
• 1 teaspoon Capers
• Sprig of Sweet basil

Preparation:

1. Remove the fronds from the fennel and save for a garnish
2. Slice the vegetables into pieces that will not fall apart on the grill.
3. Lightly dress the vegetable slices with Extra Virgin olive oil.
4. Season with Salt and Pepper.
5. Grill the vegetables until just done. They should still be slightly firm.
6. Dress the drained pasta with the sauce and capers.
7. Plate and arrange the grilled vegetables over the pasta.
8. Garnish with fennel fronds and basil leaves.
9. Serve Immediately

King Cakes

The King Cake is an oval-shaped bakery delicacy rich in flavor and history. The Cake is made with a rich Danish dough which is a cross between a coffee cake and a French pastry It is covered with a poured sugar topping and decorated with the traditional Mardi Gras-colored sugars. Purple which signifies "Justice" Green for "Faith" and Gold for "Power."

Hundreds of thousands of King Cakes are consumed at parties every year, making the King Cake another fine Louisiana tradition. A Mardi Gras party just wouldn't be a Mardi Gras party without a King Cake!

The King Cake Story

The King Cake is believed to have been brought to New Orleans, Louisiana, from France in the 1870's. It evolved from the Twelfth Night or Epiphany pastry made by those early settlers. They added their own touches with the Spanish custom of choosing Twelfth Night royalty. A King Cake is shaped like a crown to represent the kings.

A dried bean or pea was hidden inside the cake and whoever found it received a year of good luck and was treated as royalty for that day. Starting around the 1930s, a tiny naked baby was used instead of the bean or pea. The baby can be pink, brown, or golden. Some people believe that the baby represents the baby Jesus because Twelfth Night was when the three kings found the baby in Bethlehem.

The payback for being king or queen for the day is that person has to buy the king cake for the next day. That can cost from $4.00 - $6.00 for a small, plain grocery store cake to well over $25.00 for an elaborately filled and decorated cake. The good thing is it keeps the party rolling along throughout the holiday season.

King Cake season lasts throughout Mardi Gras from Epiphany until Mardi Gras Day. The royal colors of purple, green and gold on the cake honors the three kings who visited the Christ child on Epiphany.

The three colors appeared in 1872 on a Krewe of Rex carnival flag especially designed for the visiting Grand Duke of Russia. He came to New Orleans just for the carnival, and the universal colors remain his legacy.

Bring the Mardi Gras celebration to wherever you live! Bake a King Cake and start the tradition. Once you have tasted a homemade King Cake, those you buy from the grocery store can't hold a candle to it. This recipe may look long and complicated, but it really isn't.

King Cake

(From Southern Living 1990 Annual Recipes)

Ingredients

• ¼ cup butter or margarine
• 1 (16-oz.) carton sour cream
• 1/3 c. sugar
• 1 t. salt
• 1 pkgs. dry yeast
• 1 T. sugar
• ½ c. warm water (105° to 115°)
• 2 eggs
• 6 to 6 ½ cups all-purpose flour, divided
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 ½ t. ground cinnamon
• 1/3 cup butter, softened
• Colored icings
• Colored Sugars

Preparations

1. Combine the first 4 ingredients in a saucepan
2. heat until butter melts, stirring occasionally.
3. Let mixture cool to 105° to 115°.
4. Dissolve yeast and 1 T. sugar in warm water in a large bowl
5. Let stand 5 minutes.
6. Add butter mixture, eggs, and 2 cups of flour; beat at medium speed with an electric mixer for 2 minutes or by hand until smooth.
7. Gradually stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft dough.
8. Turn dough out onto a lightly-floured surface
9. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes).
10. Place in a well-greased bowl, turning to grease top.
11. Cover and let rise in a warm place free from drafts, for 1 hour or until dough is doubled in bulk.
12. Combine ½ cup sugar and cinnamon; set aside.
13. Pinch dough down and it divide in half.
14. Turn one portion of dough out onto a lightly floured surface
15. Roll to a 28" X 10" rectangle.
16. Spread half of the butter and half of the cinnamon mixture on the rolled out dough.
17. Roll dough, jelly roll fashion, starting at the long side.
18. Gently place dough roll, seam side down, on a lightly greased baking sheet.
19. Bring ends of dough together and form an oval ring.
20. Tuck a tiny plastic baby or a large, dried bean into the seam before sealing.
21. Moisten and pinch the edges together to seal.
22. Repeat this procedure with the second half of the dough.
23. Cover and let rise in a warm draft free place, 20 minutes or until doubled in bulk.
24. Bake at 375° for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden.
25. Decorate each cake with bands of colored icings
26. Sprinkle with colored sugars.

Makes 2 cakes.

Note: If you prefer, you can replace the cinnamon and sugar inside the roll of dough with a cream cheese filling or a pie filling in the flavor of your choice... just spread it thinly on the center of the rectangle before you roll it up. Popular flavors are blueberry, cherry, and lemon.

Christmas Cookies Part 2

This is another old holiday family favorite.The cookie is rich, flavorful and chewy. I got the recipe from my mother. She got it from her mother, and now I give it to you. I hope you enjoy.

Hedgehogs

Ingredients

• 2 cups chopped English Walnuts
• 1 cup chopped Pitted Dates
• 1 cup Brown Sugar
• 2 cups shredded Coconut
• 2 large eggs

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 350°.
2. Combine the following ingredients:
   • Brown Sugar
   • Eggs
   • Dates
   • Walnuts
   • 1 cup Coconut
3. Form a bit of the mixture into a 1" by ½" log.
4. Roll the log in the remaining coconut.
5. Place on a greased baking sheet.
6. Bake for 15 minutes

makes about 60 cookies

Peppermint Pie

My grandmother Jessie was in love with peppermint candy. So it was no surprise that she would make a peppermint pie. She was a very intuitive cook who did not always write recipes down, or measure. Either you watched and figured out her tricks or you were left in her dust as she whipped up her delicious dishes.

One of my sisters wanted the recipe and I started thinking back to the days when I watched my grandmother make this dessert. I had a rough idea of the recipe and with a bit of searching and remembering I came up with something very close to her original recipe. The only real difference was using whipping cream instead of condensed milk.

Candy Cane Chiffon Pie

Ingredients

• 1 - 9" pie crust, prepared
• 1 envelope unflavored gelatin
• 1/2 cups cold water
• 1/4 teaspoon. peppermint extract
• 3 egg whites
• 1/3 cups sugar
• 1 cups whipping cream, whipped
• 1/2 cups crushed peppermint candy canes

Preparation

1. Have the baked pie crust ready.
2. Soften the gelatin in water in a 1-quart saucepan.
3. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat.
4. Cook until the mixture bubbles and the gelatin is dissolved.
5. Remove from heat. Cool.
6. Stir in the peppermint extract.
7. Beat the egg whites in a 3-quart bowl with a mixer at high speed until soft peaks form.
8. Beat in the sugar gradually until stiff and glossy.
9. Beat in the gelatin mixture at low speed until mixed.
10. Fold in the whipped cream and candy.
11. Heap into shell.
12. Decorate with small candy canes if desired.
13. Chill 2 hours or until firm.
14. Sprinkle with crushed candy just before serving for an added sparkle.

Yields: 1 - 9" pie

Preparation Time: 45 minutes, plus chilling time

Sweet Potato Pie

Sweet potatoes are a good food. They are fairly inexpensive, tasty, and very good for you. Personally I like sweet potato pie better than pumpkin pie. The bright color and flavor are wonderful. Add the fact that fresh ingredients are better than canned ones, it makes it a clear choice for me. Have you ever tried to prepare fresh pumpkin? It can be a lot of hard work, and that is the last thing I want when preparing for a holiday dinner.

Pie Crust:

Ingredients

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2/3 cups lard or shortening
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 - 6 tablespoons water

Preparation

1. Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl.
2. Work it into the flour till it is a uniform grainy consistancy.
3. Mix the water into the mixture but do not overwork the dough.
4. Form a ball and wrap it in a plastic wrap.
5. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for later use.
6. Once the dough is chilled roll the dough into the shape you need.

The pie crust can be prepared in advance and frozen. You can either freeze prerolled pie shells, or as slabs you can thaw and roll out as needed.

Filling

ingredients

• 4 large potatoes
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 stick unsalted butter (¼ pound)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 pinch ground cloves
• 2- 8 inch pie crusts
• 1 cup evaporated milk

Preparation

1. Boil potatoes in their skins until tender.
2. Let them cool
3. Peel the sweet potatoes
4. Put the potatoes in a large mixing bowl.
5. Mash them thoroughly with a potato masher.
6. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each egg.
7. Melt the butter. Pour it into the potatoes.
8. Add vanilla, spices, salt and evaporated milk.
9. Stir the mixture until well mixed.
10. Pour the potato mixture into the pie crust.
11. Put into an oven preheated to 375°.
12. Cook for about 35-45 minutes.
13. If a toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry, it's done.
14. Let the pies cool for at least 1 hour before cutting and serving.

Makes 2 pies.

Simply Delicious

Pound Cake

A pound cake is one of life's simple pleasures. This golden, rich cake is the basis of many wonderful desserts. Making a pound cake is a very simple project..

This cake gets it's name from the fact that each of the ingredients used in the recipe weigh one pound. Try this recipe, you will not be disappointed.

Ingredients

• 1 pound cake flour
• 1 pound unsalted butter
• 1 pound granulated sugar
• 1 pound egg (8 large eggs)
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 350°.
2. Generously butter 2- 9 inch loaf pans.
3. Place a sheet of parchment in the bottom of the pan.
4. Cream the sugar into the butter.
5. Add the vanilla extract to the creamed sugar.
6. Mix the eggs into the mixture, one egg at a time.
7. Gradually fold ithe flour and salt into the mixture.
8. Mix until the ingredients are completely combined.
9. Pour the batter into the pans.
10. Tap the pans on a firm surface to remove any air pockets,
11. Bake the cakes for 1 hour.
12. Remove the pans from the oven.
13. Test with a toothpick, if it comes out clean, the cakes are done.

Talking Turkey

The holidays are upon us so I am posting a few links for anyone facing the task of cooking a turkey.

• Thanksgiving Survival Guide

  How to roast a stuffed turkey

  Good no nonsense advice.

• Turkey Basics: Safe Cooking

  Food Safety: United States Department of Agriculture

  Everything you need to know to have a safe holiday dinner.

• Roasting a Turkey

  Roasting a Turkey - Hormel Kitchens

  A well organized and informative site with a lot of tips.

Christmas Cookies- Part 1

Kolatchkis

No matter how you spell it these Polish or Ukrainian Christmas cookies are wonderful addition to any Christmas cookie list. These flaky pastry like delicacies were always the first to disappear during the holidays. My mother would make them by the gross. It was a very big family and they all were Kolatchki junkies. You can use any flavor filling you prefer, but most of the ones I have seen were either apricot, cherry, and almond. If you do not have a large family, or you are a dainty eater, you can scale the recipe easily. Just scale down the amount of flour, butter, cream cheese and filling.

Ingredients

• 1 lb unsalted butter
• 4 cups flour
• 1 lb Cream cheese
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten with 2 teaspoons water for egg wash
• 2 cans Solo canned filling

Preparation

1. Whisk together flour and salt in a bowl until combined.
2. Beat cream cheese and butter in a large bowl until pale and creamy.
3. Add flour mixture and mix just until combined.
4. Divide dough into 8 equal pieces and wrap each in plastic wrap.
5. Chill until firm, about 1 1/2 hours.
6. Put oven rack in middle position
7. Preheat oven to 375°F.
8. Line a large baking sheet with parchment.
9. Divid the dough into 8 equal pieces
10. Roll the dough between sheets of well-floured wax paper into an 11" square.
11. If dough gets too soft, and chill until firm.
12. Discard top sheet of wax paper
13. Trim dough with a pastry wheel or sharp knife into a 10-inch square.
14. Cut square into 4 equal strips
15. Cut crosswise in fourths again to form a total of 16 squares.
16. Place 1 heaping teaspoon filling in center of each square.
17. Brush 2 opposite corners with egg wash
18. Bring the coated corners together and pinch firmly to adhere.
19. If dough becomes too soft, freeze it on a baking sheet for a few minutes.
20. Arrange cookies 2 inches apart on baking sheet.
21. Bake 17 to 20 minutes until golden brown.
22. Transfer with a metal spatula to racks to cool completely.
23. Sprinkle with powdered sugar .
24. Make more cookies with remaining dough and filling on a lined cooled baking sheet.

makes around 128 cookies.

Kitchen Bootcamp Number 1

This series is about getting back to basics in cooking. Tips and tricks for people wanting to roll up their sleeves, throw away the box and do some real cooking. Please feel free to share any questions or tips you may have in the comments.

Basic Pasta Dough

Fresh pasta is something that is so easy and cheap I wonder how they got people to eat the dried stuff. I got this recipe from my grandmother. The recipe is easily scalable so you can make large batches and store it in the refrigerator or freezer. I usually roll and cut mine as needed. It is still is faster than cooking dried pasta. Personally I like my Italian made pasta mill but roll and knife cutting works ok for a more homey feel. This dough makes great ravioli and lasagna noodles too.

Ingredients

• 2 cups of hard semolina wheat flour
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• a pinch of salt

Preparation

1. pour the flour on a clean work surface
2. make a depression in the middle of the mound
3. widen the "well" so you have room for the wet ingrediants
4. break the eggs into the well
5. add the salt. water and oil
6. use a fork to mix the eggs water and oil
7. begin pulling flour into the liquid as you stir
8. keep working the flour into the center till you have a ball of dough
9. dust the ball with flour and cover with plastic wrap.
10. let the dough rest for half an hour
11. roll into a thick sheet and cut into squares.
12. Dust with flour and stack them up
13. Seal the pieces in a plastic bag for storage

Ok, What Can I Do With All This Dough?

Think of it as play time. The choices are nearly limitless. For starters you can make your own home-made lasagna noodles.The beauty of home made pasta is you roll and cut the noodles as needed. It's faster and easier than you may think. Fresh pasta cooks much faster than dried. The amount of time required for preparing fresh and dried pasta is the same.

The Joys of Harvest Season

The leaves have not begun to turn yet but the change is in the air. Autumn has arrived and the pace of harvesting and processing food for the long hard winter is in full swing. The orchards are pressing cider, the markets are full of this season's bounty and wild mushrooms are beginning to pop up.

Some Seasonal Food Recipes

Red Cabbage Hunter's Pot

This dish is influenced by Polish and Eastern European Cooking. It is a great cold weather meal using many of the autumn harvest fruits and vegetables.

Ingredients

• 1 large head Red Cabbage, roughly shredded
• 1 large Red Onion, crescent cut
• 2 tbsp Canola Oil
• 3 cloves of Garlic, minced
• 1 pound Smoked Sausage,
• ½ pound Slab Bacon, cubed
• 1 Large Bay Leaf (Laurel)
• 1 tsp Caraway Seeds, roasted
• 1 tsp Kosher Salt
• ¼ tsp Red Pepper Flakes
• ½ tsp Black Pepper, coarse ground
• 1 cup Apple Cider, Fresh-Unfiltered
• ½ Chicken Broth or Stock
• 1 tsp Dijon Mustard
• 3 tbsp Brown Sugar
• 3 tbsp Cider Vinegar

Preparation

1. Roast the caraway seeds in a large dry skillet.
2. Keep the seeds moving so they do not burn.
3. Remove when the seed color turns a bit gray.
4. Set the seeds aside to cool.
5. Combine the cider, chicken broth and vinegar.
6. Add the mustard, brown sugar, salt and pepper.
7. Mix well and reduce in a saucepan.
8. Remove from the heat and reserve.
9. Heat a heavy wall casserole
10. Add the oil to the casserole.
11. add the bacon and onion to the oil
12. Cook till the start to turn transparent
13. add the garlic and red pepper
14. Add the sausage and stir well
15. Use a slotted spoon to remove the food from the casserole.
16. Drain well so the fats go back into the pan, we will use this.
17. Lightly sauté the cabbage until it is beginnng to wilt.
18. The surface should be glistening and you hear a sizzle.
19. Add the caraway seeds and bay leaf, stir.
20. Add the meat and onion to the cabbage.
21. Stir Well to combine all the ingredients.
22. Add the cider sauce and toss well.
23. Reduce heat, cook covered till cabbage is just tender.
24. Serve immediately.

Makes 6 servings

Serving Suggestions

• A good pint of hard cider
• Rye Bread
• Lentil and Leeks Soup
• Roast Rosemary, Apple Stuffed Chicken
• Small Boiled Red Potatoes dressed with Parsley Butter
• Thick Egg Noodles in a Sour Cream Dill Sauce
• Hot Caramelized Cinnamon Apples on a scoop of French Vanilla Ice cream.

Maitake Mushroom Facts

Hen-of-the-woods or Maitake Mushroom

scientific name: Grifola frondosa

AKA Sheep's Head or Dancing mushroom

The Maitake mushroom has been cultivated for many years in Asia, especially Japan, where it originated. Maitake means "dancing mushroom," because they were so valued that whoever found them would dance for joy. It's a very versitile and delicious mushroom. Freshly picked and cooked Hen of the Woods are wonderful

Season and Habitat

Grifola frondosa fruits anytime from early September to late October and seems to be triggered by the first cold nights of the end of Summer. It is found mostly with dead or dying Oak trees, though some regularly find clusters under a dead Maple

Description:

Widely variable in color, from pure white to tan to brown to gray. It appears to get darker depending on direct sunlight. Large overlapping leaf-like fronds grow in bushy clusters that get larger with time. Each frond is from a half to four inches across and is usually darker to the outward edges. The entire fruiting body can be as big as several feet across. The underside of individual caps consists of a pure white pore surface. Grifola frondosa is a polypore, a mushroom which disperses its spores from pores as opposed to gills. The pores are close together and tiny, almost difficult to see. The caps are firm and juicy. The stem is thick firm, white and branched. The spore print is white.

Flavor:

Maitake mushrooms have a distinctive aroma with a rich, woodsy taste.

Cautions:

Many gilled mushrooms grow in large clumps-remember that hen-of-the-woods is a pore fungus. This mushroom has no poisonous look-alikes, but there are some similar species of pore fungi that are tough and inedible. If what you have tastes leathery or otherwise unpleasant, you probably didn't pick a hen-of-the-woods.

Shelf Life:

Maitakes usually last 7-10 days. Keep refrigerated in paper bags.

Some Serving Suggestions:

• Sauté lightly in butter or oil.
• Adds richer taste to any cooked recipe calling for mushrooms.
• Goes well as main dish ingredient, in side dishes and soups.

Storing The Hen of the Woods Mushroom

Hen of the Woods Mushrooms as big as forty or fifty pounds are not uncommon, I have tried numerous ways to store them for use all winter. Some people dry or can these mushrooms, but freezing is the best method of preserving them.

All you need to prepare for freezing is a knife, a towel, a bowl and lots of freezer bags. It is simply a matter of cleaning and bagging them, then popping the bags directly into the freezer. That's all there is to it, sweet simplicity. No pre-cooking or par-boiling is needed. Once frozen the mushrooms can last up to two years. Chop the mushrooms into different size pieces in different bags to use different ways. I also shred it like you would string cheese.

The cleaner the mushroom the better when bagging because you'll want to defrost right in the pan. If the mushrooms were growing under a rotten tree, the mushroom can actually grow around the wood particles and they'll be embedded in the mushroom flesh. Those mushrooms may not worth cleaning unless you have no choice.

Wild Mushroom Season is On it's Way!

Hen of the Woods Fritters

This experiment turned out quite well. This may become a favorite seasonal recipe, A light, crispy and very tasty batter filled with fragrant succulent mushroom shreds.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups hen of the woods mushrooms
• 1 cup flour
• 2 large eggs
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• cold beer
• 1 tablespoon melted butter

Preparation

1. Pull apart the mushroom into long thin strands.
2. Beat the yolks of the eggs well.
3. Add the flour, beating very lightly.
4. Add the melted butter and the dry ingredients.
5. Thin with water to the consistency of a very thick crepe.
6. Add the egg whites beaten to a stiff froth.
7. Dip the shredded mushroom into the batter.
8. Immerse them well at one dipping.
9. Lift out with a large cooking spoon.
10. Drop into 350 degree oil and fry to a golden brown.
11. Drain well and serve immediately.

These make a great appetizer or side dish. Try it with your favorite dipping sauce. The batter must be thick enough to coat the shredded mushroom all around in one immersion, yet it must not be so thick as to be heavy or tough.

Makes 4 servings.

Filipino Chicken and Pork Adobo

Adobo is considered the national dish of the Philippines. This dish consists of chunks of chicken or pork or both cooked in soy sauce, vinegar, bay leaf, lots of garlic and whole peppercorns. The stew is allowed to cook until the meats are tender and the remaining sauce slightly thickened. Some people prefer their adobos dry which may entail frying them afterwords, while others prefer them moist served in their original sauce. As a style of cooking, it can be applied to fowl, fish, shellfish and vegetables.

Chicken & Pork Adobo

Ingredients

• 1 cup distilled white or cider vinegar
• 1 cup water
• 2 tbs. peeled & crushed garlic
• 2 tsp. salt
• 2 bay leaves (laurel)
• ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound chicken, cut into serving pieces
• 2 pounds pork butt, cut into cubes
• soy sauce
• vegetable oil

Preparation

1. Combine the vinegar, water, garlic, salt, bay leaves & pepper into a large casserole.
2. Bring the mixture to a boil.
3. Add the meat to the mixture and stir.
4. Cover the Casserole & bring to a boil.
5. Simmer & cook for about 30 minutes.
6. Sprinkle liberally with soy sauce
7. Cook for an additional 10 minutes.
8. Remove the meat & reduce sauce.
9. Remove sauce to a bowl.
10. Put oil into the casserole & brown cooked meat.
11. Drain oil from the casserole,
12. Return the sauce to the meat.
13. Serve with rice.

In Memory of What We have Lost

I have not posted here in a while. Recent events have forced me away to write about the ruin that I had called my home years ago. To me the Gulf Coast was paradise. Friendly living in a place where people had a deep and abiding joy of living and a wonderful tradition of excellent cooking. I lived close to Biloxi, near to Ocean Springs and Vancleave.

I see images of restaurants where they knew our names and drink orders. The building is now hundreds of feet from where it stood. A gutted derelict beached and broken. You always think that our dreams work out. I have longed to return to the Gulf, but it looks like a while before I could make a real difference by being there.

I have not been able to contact people I care about, a friend shared the good news that her family in New Orleans is safe. I am so happy for her. I send my prayers to all those people who are without a home tonight. Please help in whatever way you can. What hurts one hurts us all, What heals someone heals us all.

Confessions of a Foodie

It's no secret to those who know me that I am seriously into food. Whether I am cooking it, eating it, thinking about it or writing about it; food is a very important part of my life. I see it as something that brings people together in shared pleasure, which is always a good thing. It binds generations together through recipes passed down from long ago. The next generation building on and interpreting a living culinary heritage.

I grew up in an ethnically rich area where we ate at Greek picnics, Polish weddings, Italian home cooking and Christmas tamales from our next door neighbors. My grandmothers were both formidable cooks with completely different styles. I was a quick learner, grabbing as many of their secrets as I could.

Recently I have been busy rebuilding my Thai cooking site. I had forgotten how big the damn thing had become. It is a complex project but the work is worth it. I need to get a new camera so I can get enough pictures of food to suit me. I like to use my camera to get into kitchens of restaurants. Sometimes I even get to cook.

Chicken Sausage Red Jambalaya

My last two posts on Jambalaya were Shrimp Jambalaya and a Brown Chicken Jambalaya. This time I am going to post another New Orleans style of Jambalaya with a creole influence. The tomatoes add to the flavors married together. This is the home style jambalaya I remember from living on the Gulf Coast of Mississippi. You can use substitute shrimp, crab, or any meat you have on hand.

Ingredients

• 1 lb Boneless Chicken Breast or Thigh
• 1 lb Smoked Andouille or Kielbasa Sausage
• ½ stick Butter
• 1 medium Onion, chopped
• 1 Bell Pepper, chopped
• 2 stalks Celery, chopped
• 4-6 cloves Garlic, chopped
• 2 Bay (Laurel) Leaves
• ¼-½ cup Fresh Parsley, chopped
• 1 tbs. Lea & Perrins® Worcestershire Sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon Tabasco® Sauce
• 1 tsp. roux - dark caramel color
• 2 tablespoons Tomato Paste
• 1 10-oz can Rotel Tomatoes/Green Chilies
• 1 cup White Rice uncooked
• 1 cup Chicken Broth
• 2 tsp. Cajun Seasoning Mix

Preparation

1. Chop the vegetables.
2. Wash chicken thoroughly.
3. Cut the chicken into half-inch cubes.
4. Slice sausage into bite sized pieces

Sauté Meat and Vegetables

1. Heat a large, heavy dry pan over high heat.
2. Brown the sausage.
3. Remove sausage from pan with slotted spoon
4. Reserve drippings for next step.
5. Brown the chicken in the remaining oil.
6. Return sausage to pan
7. Add butter, onion, celery, garlic and peppers.
8. Sauté until vegetables are cooked through.
9. Add the tomato paste to the pan
10. Stir to prevent burning as you caramelize the sugars in the paste slightly.
11. Add the Rotel diced tomatoes.
12. Stir well to get those tasty bits off the bottom of the pan.
13. Add the Worcestershire sauce, roux and seasoning.
14. Season to taste with Tabasco®.
15. Simmer for 5-10 minutes or so.

Mix and cook the jambalaya

1. Add the uncooked rice and broth to the meat and vegetable mixture.
2. Make sure there is enough liquid to cover the mixture.
3. Add water if needed.
4. Cook in a heavy walled pot until the rice is soft, but firm.
5. Keep the lid on the pot, especially once the mixture comes to a boil.
6. Do not stir the pot or peek!

Yield:

Makes 4-6 Servings

Final Notes:

A good jambalaya should be moist. It is best served and eaten right after it is finished cooking. After sitting too long, the rice absorbs the moisture and the jambalaya drys out.

I also like to use a rice cooker to cook this dish. A rice cooker makes it easy and foolproof. Besides with the tomatoes adding more sugars that can scorch to the mix you can use all the help you can get. The rice cooker automatically cuts off when the rice is done, so you never burn the rice and the jambalaya is always cooked just right.

Some say a rice cooker is just another gadget. But I say if you like rice and low temperature cooking a rice cooker is a handy tool. After all, several billion Asians can't be wrong. Personally I like to automate some of the mundane tasks so I can get on to the fun stuff and eventually get to eat.

Some Thoughts on Brining

I have been busy recently doing some research into brining meats. This new mania started out with an experiment on brining wild game. Some of the most well known brined meats are corn beef and pastrami. For lean meats such as pork and venison it can add a lot of juiciness to the cut of meat.

Ok... So just what is the difference between brining and marinating? Both are a wet precooking process; each method has it's special usage. So I counted off the various items that are needed for each method. In the end it looks like a question of Ph whether you use an Acid or a Base.

Brines versus Marinades

Brining

Is the process of soaking meat in a saline solution. The brine solution permeates throughout the meat to enhance moisture. Other spices can be added to the saline solution to impart flavor. Whether or not the spices impart any significant flavor is debated by some. The primary ingredients used for a brine are water, salt, sugar, and spices.

Marinating

Is the process of soaking meat in an acidic solution, typically a vinegar and oil solution. Other spices are usually added to the solution to impart flavor. The meat is tenderized by the acid breaking down the cell structure of the meat. The primary ingredients used for a marinade are an acidic liquid, oil, sugar, and salt.

Brining Information Sites

• http://bbq.about.com/od/brinerecipes/
• http://www.bbq-porch.org/brining00.asp
• http://www.bbqlodge.com/brine/brine.htm
• http://www.moscowfood.coop/archive/brine.html

Confessions of a Chocolate Junkie

Chocolate Decadence

I had a treat today from the bakery around the corner. It was a chocolate overload. First they take a chocolate box, place a layer of chocolate cake inside on the bottom. Next they fill the box with chocolate mousse and put a huge slab of chocolate on top. I was in hog-heaven even though I got it on my glasses somehow...

Brown Chicken Jambalaya

This recipe makes very good jambalaya, it is a brown Cajun style rather than the red tomato-based jambalaya you see in New Orleans. This one doesn't need a chicken stock because the dish makes it's own while it cooks. But using broth instead of water makes it extra savory.

Ingredients

• One 3 to 4 pound hen cut into serving pieces
• 3 cups long grain rice - uncooked
• ¼ cup cooking oil
• 3 medium white onions - chopped fine
• 6 cups Water or Chicken Stock
• 1 tablespoon salt, or to taste
• 2½ teaspoons granulated garlic
• 1 cup green onions - chopped
• ½ cup green peppers
• ½ cup celery - chopped fine
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• Cayenne pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons Louisiana hot sauce

Preparation

1. Fry chicken in cooking oil until golden brown.
2. Remove chicken and oil leaving just enough oil to cover bottom of pot.
3. Add onions, and fry until golden brown.
4. Put chicken back into pot with onions
5. Add 6 cups of water to the skillet.
6. make a note of the water level.
7. Add remaining seasoning.
8. Simmer covered until chicken is tender.
9. If necessary, add enough water to bring back to previous level.
10. Bring back to a rolling boil, and add the rice.
11. Simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes
12. Turn the rice gently from the bottom to avoid scorching.
13. Cover the pan with a tight fitting lid
14. steam for 15 minutes, or until the rice is tender.
15. Turn rice once more, and remove from heat.
16. Let stand covered for 10 minutes Do Not Peek.
17. Turn out the rice out gently into a serving container.

Jambalaya is more tasty if highly seasoned, so don't forget the cayenne pepper. When adding salt, water should taste a little too salty, as rice absorbs a considerable amount of salt.

Yield: 6 to 8 generous servings.

Helpful Hints For Jambalaya Virgins:

Most jambalaya cooks prefer to cook in cast iron pots. Whether a cast iron or aluminum pot is used, it should be heavy enough to prevent easy burning, and have a tight fitting lid.

To brown onions:

Onions and oil are put into the pot, covered, and cooked over low heat until golden brown, stirring frequently. A little water added to the onions will help prevent sticking.

Jambalaya should never be stirred - turn rather than stir after the rice has been added. This prevents the grains of rice from breaking up. Most cooks turn jambalaya only two or three times after the rice is added, being sure to scoop from the bottom of the pot to mix rice evenly with other ingredients.

A Little Jambalaya History

Similar in many ways to Spanish paella, the term "jambalaya" is derived from the Spanish Jamón for ham. Jambalaya found its way into Creole cookery in the late 1700's where it soon took on the flavor of added local ingredients.

It can be made (separately or all together) with ham, chicken, sausage, fresh pork, shrimp and oysters, to which is added shortening, rice, onion, garlic, pepper and other seasonings.

Thai BBQ Chicken with Sticky Rice

Ingredients

• 1 whole (about 3 pound) chicken, cut in half
• 1 Teaspoon salt
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 Teaspoon white pepper
• 1 Teaspoons minced cilantro
• 2 Tablespoon cognac, whiskey, or rice cooking wine
• 2 Tablespoon coconut milk
• 1 Teaspoons fish sauce (nam pla)
• 1 Teaspoon chopped fresh ginger
• 2 Tablespoon soy sauce

Preparation

1. Rub the entire chicken with the marinade ingredients .
2. Marinade the chicken for at least 15 minutes.
3. Bake at 350 F for 45 minutes
4. Then broil or grill for 10 minutes until done.
5. Cut into smaller pieces before serving.

Serve with Sticky Rice