Seared Sesame-Porcini Tuna with Three Sauces in Chocolate Bowls

Seared Sesame-Porcini Tuna with Three Sauces in Chocolate Bowls

This is my entry to the Chef Curtis Duffy Recipe contest hosted by Leela at She Simmers (This lady never posts anything that I don't like, you should go check out her blog). The winner of this friendly contest receives $100 off a dinner for two at Chef Duffy's restaurant, Avenues courtesy of The Peninsula here in Chicago. At that dinner the chef will present the winner with his interpretation of their recipe and it will become a selection on the restaurants menu. Talk about bragging rights! And a gift set from BLiS that contains a bottle of Bourbon Barrel Matured Pure Maple Syrup and a bottle of BLis Elixer Extra Old Fine Solera Sherry Vinegar both used by some very top named chefs. Yes please!


This was a really tough one I must admit. There were four ingredients that had to be used in the creation of my dish. They all seem harmless enough on there own: fish (any variety), mushrooms (any type), fennel (the whole thing: bulb, stems and fronds) and 85% chocolate. See harmless. Yeah, until you try to put chocolate and fish together! I have never heard of this and my first thoughts, while intriguing, were also bordering on the icky side. My first attempt at this involved salmon, maple, chipotle, a smoky bacon broth and chocolate sour cream. I can honestly say I have never produced anything so disgusting in my life! There are no words to describe just how gross this was. None, except wretched, putrid, barf-making, nauseating and down right awful! What was I thinking? I don't think I was. Not clearly anyway.


Unfortunately this was the only concept I had come up with and had been so sure that it work beautifully that I simply had no clue where to go from there. I began to freak out! Not a pretty sight. Not a pretty sight AT ALL! So after much agonizing and brainstorming this is what resulted. It's not perfect, but everything ended up working surprisingly well together and nobody gagged or threw up! Always a plus. It really was very delicious and fun to make and eat as well. I never knew balloons could be a kitchen tool! I would love to see how a real chef would refine this to make it even better but I used up all of my resources and then some and took this as far as my abilities were able. You should check out Chef Curtis Duffy's website if you are in need of plating ideas. His dishes and photographs are just gorgeous and he isn't hard to look at either! Really. I'm not just saying that to be a kiss-up. Relax. I'm almost old enough to be his mother. Almost ;).


I don't have a really great name for this that isn't 25 words long and would be open to your suggestions. What you're looking at here is seared tuna that was first coated with a black pepper-porcini powder and then sesame seeds. The tuna has Chinese jade gren rice between the pieces and is sitting atop sauteed fennel with fennel fronds and sesame leaves. There is fennel oil drizzled over the tuna but mine wasn't green enough to show up. The three sauces are in little chocolate bowls that I made with the 85% chocolate. They are a miso-sriracha mayonnaisse, a strawberry-balsamic-cocoa nib-chipotle sauce and a fennel-star anise-porcini-wasabi cream made with the stems and fronds of the fennel. The coolest discovery I made was completely serendipitous. I found these beautiful sesame leaves at an Asian market and bought them strictly for decoration but quickly realized that wrapping them around the tuna and rice with a dab of sauce made for some very delicious eating! I love when things like that happen! Really cool. Here then is what I did.

Recipe: Seared Sesame-Porcini Tuna with Three Sauces in Chocolate Bowls

The Chocolate Bowls

These are fun to make and very easy. A word of caution. Do not put your lovely chocolate bowls under hot lots so you can take pictures of them! See below. Duh. You should have seen me freaking out. It was a sight to behold!


Blow up some balloons to the size you want your bowls to be and set aside. Melt your 85% chocolate on a plate and roll the bottom of the balloon around in the chocolate until you have the desired look you want. Stand balloons on a parchment lined baking sheet and let chocolate harden. Keep your little lovelies refrigerated until ready to use. See easy!

The Sauces

                                                     

Miso-Sriracha Mayonnaise

1/4 cup white (Shiro) miso
3/4 cup good quality mayonnaise
Sriracha to taste


Mix in a small bowl and refrigerate

Strawberry-Balsamic-Chipotle sauce with Cocoa Nibs

1 quart strawberries, sliced
3/4 cup balsamic vinegar (6% acidity)
2 tablespoons cocoa nibs
chipotles in adobo, to taste


Put everything into a saucepan and reduce until thick and syrupy. Strain and cool.

Fennel-Star Anise-Porcini-Wasabi Cream

1 1/2 cups light cream
2 cups fennel stems and fronds, sliced
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
2 star anise
1/2 ounce of  dried porcini mushrooms
wasabi paste to taste


Put everything except the wasabi paste into a saucepan. Bring slowly up to a simmer. Reduce heat and let steep and thicken for 5-10 minutes. Turn off heat and let the sauce cool to room temperature. Strain, stir in wasabi paste and then refrigerate. Garnish with fennel pollen and meyer lemon zest.

The Fennel Oil

From The French Laundry; Thomas Keller
2 cups fennel fronds
2 cups parsley
3/4 cup canola oil


In a large pot of boiling water add 1/4 cup of kosher salt per quart of water. Put fennel and parsley into a strainer and blanch for 15 seconds. Immediately plunge herbs into an ice water bath. Drain and squeeze as dry as possible. Use scissors to cut into small pieces. Put half of the herbs into a blender with just enough canola oil to cover. Puree on medium speed for 1 minute and then on high for 2 minutes. Add 1/2 of the remaining herbs. High speed again for 2 minutes, let rest 2 minutes and then blend for 2 minutes more. Now do this one final time with the remainder of the herbs. If at any point the oil starts to get hot, stop and refrigerate until cool. Refrigerate for at least 1 day to intensify the color. This can be kept for up to one week, if you don't strain it. Once strained oil will discolor in about 2 days. Strain oil through a cheesecloth. Let it filter for about an hour. Don't squeeze or press it through or it will become cloudy.

The Rice, The Fennel, The Tuna and The Plating

After all of that is done, make your rice, finely dice a fennel bulb and saute with olive oil salt and pepper. Fill your chocolate cups with the sauces and garnish. Take your pieces of tuna and dredge them in a mixture of 1 T. black pepper and 1/3 cup ground porcini mushroom powder. Dip tuna in egg whites and then into a mixture of black and white sesame seeds. Quickly sear the tuna in a hot pan. Layer tuna, rice then tune and cut into squares. Use a toothpick to hold the stacks together. Place a sesame leaf on your plate, then a spoonful of sauteed fennel, then your tuna stacks and drizzle with fennel oil.

Read more »

Wild Mushroom Cakes with Morel Mushroom Pate

Wild Mushroom Cakes with Morel Mushroom Pate

Let me start by saying that this appetizer that I concocted was phenomenal! It ended up to be exactly what I had conceived. Rich and decadent crispy mushroom cakes with a creamy morel pate shmeared between two of them. They are served with a mozzarella-morel cream and topped with a tangy "relish" of roasted grape tomatoes, sauteed fennel dressed in a wonderful Pecorino-Romano dressing. This is one of my best creations EVER!
That being said, I'm not happy with the plating or the pictures...at all! I could just scream. I wanted this submission to the 2nd Annual Morel contest sponsored by Marx Foods to be totally perfect but as usual I didn't leave myself any extra time to re-plate or re-photograph because it HAD to get done. ARGH! Why do I do this to myself? Why?
Okay, enough of THAT! What I did follows. I would highly recommend preparing ahead of time and not try to do this all in one day. It will make your life a lot easier. Consider yourself warned. It's not difficult at all it is just a bit time consuming. I would first like to thank Justin and Elizabeth at Marx Foods for sending such a wonderful assortment of dried wild mushrooms and the fabulous dried morels all being highlighted here. These are really nice people with fantastic and very unique gourmet food products. They have a wonderful assortment of dried products like the mushrooms used here as well as chiles and fresh ingredients such as fiddle head ferns, ramps and morels. If you've never visited their website you really should. Let the voting begin and who ever wins the 2 pounds of fresh morels has to invite me over for dinner! Good luck to all who worked so hard!

Recipe: Wild Mushroom Cakes with Morel Mushroom Pate, Tomato-Fennel Relish and Mozzarella-Morel Cream

In two separate bowls, add 3 ounces dried morels to one and 6 ounces mixed mushrooms (chanterelles, matsutake and lobster in equal amounts) to the other. Cover each with boiling water and let soak at least 20-30 minutes. Strain and set aside to allow the mushrooms to dry off a bit.

The Relish

Pecorino-Romano Dressing

In a small bowl, add 1/2 cup finely grated Pecorino-Romano Cheese. Add 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon good quality sherry vinegar and 1 tablespoon of hot tap water. Whisk vigorously until well combined. Set aside.
Cut grape tomatoes in half length wise and put on a cookie sheet. Drizzle olive oil, salt and pepper and toss. Turn all of the tomatoes cut side down and roast in the pre-heated oven until caramelized. Remove from oven and pour the tomatoes and any olive oil left on the cookie sheet into a bowl and set aside.
While the tomatoes are roasting, dice fennel and saute over medium-high heat in some olive oil until crisp-tender. Season lightly with salt and black pepper and add to the bowl with the roasted tomatoes. Reserve skillet to use again later. Drizzle approximately 2 tablespoons of the Pecorino dressing and toss gently. Check for salt and pepper then set aside until ready to plate.

Morel Pate

In a skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add two minced shallots and saute until light golden in color. Add one small, minced garlic clove add saute 1 minute. Add 1/2 of the re-hydrated morels. Saute for a few minutes then add a splash of dry sherry (or two). Cook until the sherry is almost completely evaporated. Remove from heat and pour into your food processor. Add 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions and 1-2 tablespoons neufchatel cheese. Puree. You may want to add a little more sherry depending on your tastes.Check for salt and pepper. Spoon into a small bowl and set aside.

Mushroom Cakes

On a large plate, put 1-1/2-2 cups of panko bread crumbs and set aside.
In a large skillet, melt 4 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add 8 ounces mixed mushrooms (chanterelles, matsutake and lobster in equal amounts), 4 ounces morels and 8 oz. fresh creminis, sliced. Saute over medium heat 5-7 minutes. Add 1 cup of chicken stock and 1 cup of reserved morel soaking liquid (the liquid should come half way up the mushrooms. Cover and simmer 15 minutes. Remove lid and add 1 clove of minced garlic continue to cook until all of the liquid has evaporated. Take out of the pan roughly half of the morels and reserve. Put all of the remaining mushrooms into a food processor with 2 eggs, 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup fresh parsley, and salt and pepper. You may need to add some plain dried bread crumbs if it ends up too wet. Coarsely chop everything. Form mixture into small cakes and press each side into the panko to lightly coat.
In a skillet, add 1-2 tablespoons olive oil then saute the cakes in batches. Keep warm in the oven until all are cooked.

Mozzarella-Morel Cream

In a food processor, add reserved morels, 3 ounces fresh mozzarella with 2 tablespoons of the juice that the cheese came in and 3 tablespoons olive oil and salt and white pepper. Puree until smooth. Transfer to a small bowl.

Plating

These are very rich so one stack is plenty per person. Spoon some mozzarella cream into a circle on your plates. Place one mushroom cake. Spread some pate on that and top with another cake. Top the stack with the tomato-fennel relish and garnish with a fennel frond. You can drizzle a little bit of the remaining Romano dressing over the top if desired.


Everything here can be made a day ahead except, obviously, the frying of the mushroom cakes. Just bring all to room temperature except the mozzarella cream, before proceeding.

Read more »

Double Mushroom and Marsala Cream Fettuccine

Double Mushroom and Marsala Cream Fettuccine

Once again, Manly is out of town on business so I got to have pasta night. There's always a silver lining in there somewhere! I had this Rachel Ray version tucked away for just such an occasion and it was very very good. I've always loved the combination of mushrooms and Marsala or mushrooms and Sherry or mushrooms with wine or...yeah I really like! This is easy, quick, full of wonderful flavor and very satisfying comfort food. Enjoy!

Recipe:Double Mushroom and Marsala Cream Fettuccine

Ingredients

3 cups chicken stock
1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms (a generous handful)
Salt and pepper
1 pound fettuccine pasta
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
1 pound cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh sage or 2 teaspoons dried sage
1/2 cup marsala wine
1/2 cup heavy cream (eyeball it)
1 cup grated pecorino-romano cheese, plus more to pass around the table

Directions

In a medium saucepan, combine the chicken stock and porcinis and let steep over low heat.


Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain.


While the pasta is working, in a large skillet, heat the EVOO, 4 turns of the pan, over medium-high heat. Add the creminis and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 8 minutes; season with salt, pepper and the sage. Stir in the marsala and cook for 1 minute.


Using a slotted spoon, remove the porcinis. Strain the chicken stock and reserve 2 cups. Finely chop the porcinis and add to the cremini mixture; stir in the reserved chicken stock. Stir in the cream and cook until thickened, about 10 minutes. Add the pasta and cheese and toss.

Read more »

Kimchi Jeon (Kimchi Pancakes) With Two Dipping Sauces

Kimchi Jeon (Kimchi Pancakes) With Two Dipping Sauces

Recently, Saveur magazine did a whole center spread on Kimchi with recipes to make your own at home (an odoriferous and arduous undertaking) and recipes utilizing said kimchi. There is a cucumber kimchi that looks very intriguing and I really want to try, they aren't appropriate for this application. So I chose to purchase a high quality traditional cabbage version to make these kimchi pancakes with. The first go around with these left me unimpressed...too much pancake, not enough kimchi. Thankfully that was easily fixed by cutting back on the flours used and adding a bit more from my lovely jar of fermented cabbage. These also have little bits of ground pork in them that make for a very unique taste but if you're not a pork eater they will still be very good without it.

I also had made two different dipping sauces for my little cabbage cakes.  I found the recipes for those in "Growing Up In a Korean Kitchen" by Hi Soo Shin Hepinstall. She recommends serving either one or both as an accompaniment. The sauces were quite good but none of us particularly cared for them with the pancakes and opted for a drizzle of our lovely albeit ubiquitous Sriracha instead. YUM!!! I would love either of these sauces with an Asian dumpling of some kind to be sure and you and yours may very well enjoy them with the kimchi pancakes so I've included the recipes for both in case you wish to try them. Enjoy!

Recipe: Kimchi Jeon

Adapted from Saveur Magazine; Issue #124
Serves 4-6; Makes about 18-20 small pancakes

Note: You can also do bigger pancakes that cover the bottom of your skillet and cut them into triangles before serving. I found using that approach to be more difficult in terms of flipping them over so opted for the little ones.

Ingredients

1/4 lb. ground pork
2-2 1/2 cups chopped Cabbage Kimchi
3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup rice flour
6 scallions, finely chopped
1 egg, lightly beaten
10 ½  tbsp. canola oil
Kosher salt, to taste


Directions
Combine ground pork, kimchi, flour, rice flour, scallions, egg, and 1 cup ice-cold water in a bowl; whisk to combine. Set aside to let rest for 10 minutes.


Working in 7 batches, heat 1 1/2 tbsp. oil in a 12" nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; scoop four 2-tbsp. portions batter into skillet; flatten each portion with the back of a spoon. Cook until edges crisp, about 2 minutes. Flip pancakes; cook until set, about 2 minutes. Transfer pancakes to paper towels and wipe out skillet after each batch. Serve sprinkled with salt.

Recipes: Allspice Sauce and Vinegar Soy Sauce

From "Growing Up In a Korean Kitchen" by Hi Soo Shin Hepinstall
Copyright 2001; Ten Speed Press

Allspice Sauce

Makes 1/2 cup

Ingredients

3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon ch'ongju (rice wine) or vermouth
1 tablespoon sugar, corn syrup or honey
1 green onion, white and pale green part only, finely minced
2 cloves garlic, crushed and finely chopped
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
1 walnut half, finely chopped
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1/2 tablespoon koch'u karu (hot red pepper powder)(I used Korean chile flakes)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

In a small bowl, combine all of the ingredients and mix well. Store leftovers in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator. It will stay fresh for at least a week.

Vinegar Soy Sauce

Makes 1/2 cup

Ingredients

2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons ch'ongju (rice wine) or vermouth
2 tablespoons rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Pinch of salt
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped pine nuts or toasted sesame seeds
Pinch of freshly ground black pepper

Directions

In a small bowl, combine first 6 ingredients and mix well. Before serving, sprinkle the pine nuts and black pepper on top. Store leftovers in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator. It will stay fresh for at least a week.

Read more »

Black Pepper Pasta with Roasted Asparagus, Miso Butter and a Poached Egg

Black Pepper Pasta with Roasted Asparagus, Miso Butter and a Poached Egg

Saveur magazine did a whole spread this month on the revitalization of Roman iconic dishes and I found a very simple technique amidst some really amazing recipes that I hope to try soon. "What is this technique, Danielle?", you ask...sauteing coarsely cracked black peppercorns in olive oil until nice and toasty and then tossing your favorite pasta (in my case pappardelle) into it and topping it with the best Italian cheese you can find and a sprinkling of good sea salt, that's what. Can't get too much simpler than that!  See...easy peasy. The peppercorns become a little softer so that when you bite into them they're sort of crispy then they just melt away into the pasta and cheese. The aroma and flavor is incredible! Why I never thought to do this is beyond me.

This revelation happened to coincide with the arrival of a copy of David Chang's "Momofuku" yesterday in the mail. I promptly plopped my butt on the couch and dove in. I was reading along and there were two things I immediately needed to try (actually there were three but the third belongs in an upcoming post yet to be written). The first? Miso butter. Miso. Butter.Think on that for a moment...yeah, I know, fabulous, right?

"Well that was wonderful, Danielle, but what is the second thing?" I'm glad you asked! Slow-poached eggs in the shell. "Huh?" You heard me. Chang and his crew developed this technique by way of re-inventing the Ramen noodle bowl. Typically, Ramen is served with a hard boiled egg but they wanted to be different so they came up with using poached eggs but poaching an egg for every bowl of Ramen that got served in the restaurant was simply impossible. And you say, "Yeah, so...?" Well, think for a minute...have you ever wanted to make Eggs Benedict for a brunch? Serve a salad with frisee topped with a poached egg for a dinner party? These can be made a day ahead and be simply heated up under warm running water for a minute or so! Holy crap! This is huge! I had to give it a try. My first and only attempt thus far was almost successful. The water temperature went a little higher than it should have while I was distracted by something else so I ended up with a medium-boiled yolk instead of one that was nice and runny. The final dish was still delicious but I will just have to pay close attention next time. Not easy to do. I have the attention span of a gnat!

Chang serves his slow-poached egg atop roasted asparagus with a shmear of miso butter and a sprinkle of black pepper. I added the black pepper pasta on the side to make it more substantial for dinner and my mind was blown. You kind of drag a little of the miso butter in with some pasta asparagus and egg with a fork so you get a little bit of everything and it is so fabulous you are really not going to believe it. The miso butter is a very strong flavor so i wouldn't toss the pasta with it. Just little bits here and there while your eating is plenty. You can of course just make a regular poached egg for this if it's just for a couple of people but now you have the option of making this for a crowd. How cool is that!

One other important note: If you are going to try the whole recipe it is very important to omit the cheese from the pasta recipe and to use unsalted butter for the miso butter otherwise the whole dish will become too salty and overpowering. Enjoy!

Recipe: Cheese and Pepper Pasta (Cacio e Pepe)
Saveur Magazine; Issue #128

Ingredients

Kosher salt, to taste    
1 lb. pasta, preferably tonnarelli or spaghetti
4 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 tsp. freshly cracked black pepper, plus more
   to taste
1 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano
3⁄4 cup finely grated Cacio de Roma
 
Directions
Bring a 6-qt. pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta; cook until al dente, 8–10 minutes; reserve 1 cup pasta water and drain pasta. Meanwhile, heat oil in a 12" skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add pepper; cook until fragrant, 1–2 minutes. Ladle 3⁄4 cup pasta water into skillet; bring to a boil. Using tongs, transfer pasta to skillet; spread it evenly. Sprinkle 3⁄4 cup each Pecorino Romano and Cacio de Roma over pasta; toss vigorously to combine until sauce is creamy and clings to the pasta without clumping, about 2 minutes, adding some pasta water if necessary. Transfer to 4 plates and sprinkle with remaining Pecorino and more pepper.

Recipe: Black Pepper Pasta with Roasted Asparagus, Miso Butter and a Poached Egg

Ingredients

1 recipe Pepper Pasta (without the cheese)

Miso Butter:

1/2 cup Shiro Miso (White)
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter at room temperature
1 bunch of asparagus, roasted
4 poached eggs

Directions

I think you can take it from here!

Technique: Slow-Poached Eggs

From Momofuku by David Chang and Peter Meehan
Copyright 2009; Clarkson/Potter Publishers

Ingredients
4 large eggs

Directions
1. Fit a large pot with a rack and fill with water. Place over lowest possible heat.
 
2. Heat water to between 140 and 145 degrees; add eggs to pot. Cook eggs 40 to 45 minutes, checking temperature regularly; add ice cubes if water gets too hot.
 
3. Use eggs immediately or transfer to an ice-water bath to chill. Drain, and transfer to refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Warm eggs under piping hot tap water for 1 minute before using.

Read more »

Caribbean-Style Oxtails

Caribbean-Style Oxtails

For those unfamiliar with oxtails, they are indeed from the tail of oxen or other cattle that has been skinned and butchered into rounds. They have a high ratio of bone and muscle to meat and release a great deal of collagen as it is braised. They are officially categorized as offal (waste parts left after the animal has been butchered i.e., brains, liver, intestines etc.). Oxtail soup is a venerable English dish and most widely recognized but I learned that oxtails are extremely popular in the Caribbean, specifically Jamaica, where a soup or stew similar, to some degree, to the following recipe is a widespread favorite.

Variations on this recipe abound. Some with beans, some without. Some blazing hot, some not and the seasonings used are as varied as fingerprints. So I cannot say that this is the real deal but I can say it was outrageously delicious and ultimately that is all that matters.

I did get some help with this starting with an Emeril recipe and adding a little bit from here and there and then finding a recipe for green seasoning (caribbeanpot (dot) com) that is apparently a fundamental addition to many dishes in Jamaica. I adapted it wildly. You should make the green seasoning ahead of time to let the flavors meld and so you can add a little to the braising liquid.

What I ended up with was a dish of slow braised oxtails, the flavors of the Caribbean: allspice, thyme and habanero pepper with a bottle of Guiness thrown in for good measure. This combination of savory ingredients was really a no-brainer once I discovered a handful of recipes that utilized them so beautifully. If you've been following this blog you know very well that chiles and booze are two of my most favorite ingredients(they're food groups, aren't they?) and when I can combine them in the same dish I am a very happy woman indeed! This yields rich, luxurious, fatty, oily, beefy...unctuous(I love that word) pieces of oxtail that are quite remarkable and completely unforgettable. I served them over some pan-fried sweet potato with a light salad that was topped with thin slices of ripe mango tossed with lime juice, French sea salt and lots of black pepper. Serve with some ice cold Red Stripe.
Enjoy!

Recipe: Caribbean-Style Braised Oxtails

Ingredients

1/4 lb. bacon, cut into 1/4-inch strips
2 tablespoons olive oil
3-4 pounds oxtails
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup small diced onion
1/2 cup small diced carrot
1/2 cup small diced celery
1/4 cup small diced leeks
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced green onion, white part only
2 teaspoons minced ginger
1/2-2 habanero peppers, minced, optional
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 (12-ounce) bottle beer (recommended: Guinness)
1 1/2 cups low-sodium canned beef broth
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1-1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
1-2 tablespoons green seasoning (see recipe below)
1-2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves

Directions

In a Dutch oven, cook bacon strip. When done, remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Add the olive oil, if needed to the pot and heat over medium heat until hot. Season the oxtails with the salt and pepper. Add half of the oxtails to the pot and cook until well browned on both sides, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Set the seared oxtails on a platter once browned and repeat with the remaining oxtails.


Once all the oxtails are browned and set aside, add the onions, carrots and celery to the pan. Saute the vegetables until softened, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the leeks, garlic, green onions, ginger and habanero (is using) to the pan and saute for 1 minute, stirring often. Add the tomato paste and stir well to incorporate. Brown the tomato paste until very dark being careful not to burn it. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir to combine. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add the beer to the pot and increase the heat to medium-high. Bring the beer to a boil and cook for 5 minutes.


Add the stock, allspice, dreid thyme, green seasoning and brown sugar. Stir to incorporate. Return the oxtails to the pan and bring to a boil. Cover and lower the heat to a simmer. Cook the oxtails until tender, about 2 hours. Stir in the chopped parsley. Serve immediately.

Recipe: Green Seasoning

I added a little of this to the stew and served the rest on the side. It really made the dish!

Ingredients

1 cup cilantro
1 stalk of celery with leaves, if possible
5 cloves of garlic
4 green onions
10-12 springs fresh thyme, stripped from stems
2 shallots
1 banana pepper
2 tablespoons water
pinch of salt

Directions

Throw everything into a food processor and puree. You may need a little more water.

Read more »

Cheesburgers In Paradise

Cheesburgers In Paradise

"...I like mine with lettuce and tomato, 

a big fried egg and french fried potatoes.

Big kosher pickle and a cold draft beer
Well good God almighty which way do I steer for my
Cheeseburger in Paradise"

A man who can sing about my two favorite things...cheeseburgers and margaritas...is okay in my book! Anyway, this post isn't for a recipe. Something that rarely if ever happens here but it's Friday, my brains feel like scrambled eggs (that may already be apparent to you) and I just wanted to post something fun to get us to the weekend. It's my blog, I'm allowed.

I haven't been able to figure out exactly where or when topping a burger with a fried egg began. I've ascertained that the French do this but also people in the Philippines and Malaysia do too. Honestly, this is such a delicious thing to do to the All-American burger that it's origins don't really matter. If you like burgers and can handle a sunny-side up egg you must try this at least once before you pass from this life!

The first time I experienced this was about a year or so ago when Manly and I went back back to Madison, WI to see some old friends and cure our homesickness. A new restaurant had opened on the downtown square called The Old Fashioned and I had been reading really good reviews of the place so we had everybody meet us there to have a few adult beverages and catch up.

That's one heck of a Bloody Mary, right there!!!

For four of us happy hour turned into dinner hour and one of our friends (that guy with the sinister smile) suggested that I try this burger/fried egg combo. I looked at him like he was crazy but since I'm willing to try just about anything once I decided  to go for it. First bite...HOOKED! The egg yolk ran down into the center of the perfectly prepared pink, medium-rare Black Angus burger and added a richness and almost creaminess that I really can't describe with words. It's not a flavor thing as much as it is a mouth feel thing. Heaven!

I hope you all have a happy, fun safe weekend. I'm heading to Margaritaville around 4, meet me there?

"Wasted away again in Margaritaville
searching for my lost shaker of salt..."

"If life gives you limes, make margaritas." -Jimmy Buffet. Wise man.

Read more »

Chiles Rellenos with Tomato-and-Avocado Salsa w "Refried" Beans

Chiles Rellenos with Tomato-and-Avocado Salsa w "Refried" Beans

These two recipes, one from Food and Wine, the other from Ms. Stewart turned an otherwise high-fat-battered/refried-in-lard meal into a dinner that was light, fresh and flavorful. The beans are not fried or even refried for that matter. They're the ones that get made first and then the leftovers are mashed and refried in lard. The recipe does call for you to mash them but I left mine whole and let them swim around in the delicious pool of sauce. They have a whole head of garlic in them! How bad can they be? Manly likes his Mexican beans anyway he can get them but he really loved these (I had to sleep on the couch that night if you catch my drift).

As for the rellenos and the star of this dinner...the first time I made this recipe I followed the ingredient list given here. This time I used cheddar and tossed in a little bit of cooked chorizo. DON'T DO THAT! While they were very good it kind of mucked up the fresh flavors of the pepper and the salsa. Speaking of fresh...where have all the grape tomatoes gone? Four grocery stores and all I could get were those things they call "vine-ripened". Vine-ripened my butt! They were mealy and tasteless. Hold out for good tomatoes for this. It will look and taste much better if you do. Oh summer, oh summer. Where for art thou, summer? *sigh*

One last note, the rellenos here are baked in the oven but they are even more fantastic if you lightly grill them and let the cheese get all melty. Not neccesary at all but it does give them yet another flavor component that is most enjoyable. Enjoy!

Recipe: Chiles Rellenos with Tomato-and-Avocado Salsa

Food And Wine Magazine; January 2010

Ingredients

Rellenos

6 medium poblano peppers (about 3 ounces each)

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1/2 small onion, minced

1 small garlic clove, minced

1 small jalapeño, seeded and minced

6 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (1 1/2 cups)

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Salt

Salsa

1 1/2 cups grape tomatoes, quartered

1 Hass avocado, finely diced

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

1/2 small jalapeño, seeded and minced

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

Make the Chiles Rellenos: Roast the poblanos directly over a gas flame or under a broiler, turning occasionally, until they are charred all over. Transfer the poblanos to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let cool. Peel the poblanos. Using a small, sharp knife, make a small lengthwise slit in each one, near the stem end. Using kitchen scissors, carefully cut out the core and seeds, then remove the core and seeds without tearing the poblanos or enlarging the opening.

Preheat the oven to 425°. In a small skillet, heat the vegetable oil. Add the diced onion, garlic and jalapeño and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Let the vegetable mixture cool, then stir in the Monterey Jack, Parmigiano-Reggiano and chopped cilantro. Press the cheese filling into 6 logs.

Lightly season the insides of the poblanos with salt. Carefully stuff the cheese filling into the poblanos and press the poblanos closed. Place the stuffed poblanos on a baking sheet and roast in the upper third of the oven for about 12 minutes, until the cheese is melted.

Meanwhile, Make the Salsa: In a bowl, combine the grape tomatoes with the diced avocado, onion, cilantro, jalapeño and lime juice and season the salsa with salt and pepper.

Transfer the chiles rellenos to plates, spoon the salsa on top and serve.

Recipe: "Refried" Beans

Martha Stewart's Living Magazine; June 2009

Ingredients

1 pound dried pinto beans, soaked overnight in cold water, rinsed, and drained

1/2 medium white onion

1 head garlic, halved crosswise

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 smoked ham hock (about 4 ounces)

2 jalapeno chiles, halved lengthwise (optional)

1 tablespoon coarse salt

2 teaspoons paprika

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Directions

Combine soaked beans, onion, garlic, oregano, cumin, and ham hock, and jalapenos if desired, in a heavy 6-quart pot, and cover with water by 3 inches. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and cook until beans are tender, adding more water if needed to keep beans covered, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Remove onion, garlic, and jalapenos from pot; discard. Remove ham hock, and reserve for another use. Ladle out cooking liquid and reserve, until it covers beans by only 1/4 inch. Add salt, paprika, and pepper. Using a potato masher, mash beans into a coarse puree, adding reserved liquid if desired. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 5 days. Reheat in a 350-degree oven in a skillet (preferably cast-iron), adding water if needed, about 20 minutes.

Read more »

Quinoa Salad With Almonds, Coconut, Apple and Asian Flavors

Quinoa Salad With Almonds, Coconut, Apple and Asian Flavors

Quinoa is cooked in carrot juice to give this healthy grain a huge boost of vitamin C and beta-carotene. The original recipe comes from Eating Well magazine and was far too sweet for my taste so I gave it an Asian flair by adding garlic, a fresh red chile, some green onion and a drizzle of sesame oil. The end result was light, flavorful and more balanced. A very welcome change from all of the heavy winter braises and gravies that I've been making.  Here's to Spring! Enjoy!

Recipe: Quinoa Salad With Almonds, Coconut, Apple and Asian Flavors

Adapted from Eating Well; March 2010

Ingredients

1/3 cup of slivered almonds (1-1/2 oz.)

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

1/2 cup onion, diced

2 tablespoons ginger, minced

1 garlic clove, minced

1 fresh red chile, finely diced (optional)

1 cup quinoa

2 cups 100% carrot juice

1 cup frozen peas

1 medium apple, diced

1/3 cup shredded coconut, unsweetened

Directions

Toast almonds in saucepan over medium heat 3 to 5 minutes, or until fragrant and beginning to brown, stirring often. Cool.

Wipe out saucepan; add oil and onion. Saute onion 2 to 3 minutes, or until translucent, stirring occasionally.

Stir in ginger and garlic and chile (if using),  and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add quinoa and carrot juice. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 15 to 20 minutes, or untill all of the liquid is absorbed.

Remove from heat, and scatter peas over cooked quinoa. Cover and let stand 10 minutes, until peas have thawed.

Stir in apple, coconut, almonds, green onion into salad. Drizzle with toasted sesame oil. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Read more »

Jameson Whiskey-Braised Pork Shoulder With Irish Colcannon

Jameson Whiskey-Braised Pork Shoulder With Irish Colcannon

I clipped this from the Chicago Tribune last year and it turned out to be voted reader's favorite recipe of the year from their food section!  It was created by chef Dirk Flanigan of The Gage restaurant in Chicago and is it ever wonderful. Colcannon is a traditional Irish dish with buttery creamy mashed potatoes folded into a mix of tender savoy cabbage, leeks and onions that have been sauteed. Divine! This would be an excellent side dish whether you put it with corned beef or the pork shoulder.  The pork shoulder is braised in Jameson whiskey and the sauce is later reduced for a very intense and flavorful sauce to be drizzled over the pork. Manly said I was hereby released from making the obligatory boiled dinner for St. Patrick's Day but now must make this recipe instead. I will be very happy to do just that. Enjoy!

Recipe: Jameson Whiskey-Braised Pork Shoulder With Irish Colcannon

Originally published March 11, 2009

Prep: 40 minutes

Cook: 3 hours, 35 minutes

Makes: 6 servings

Ingredients

1 pork shoulder (3-4 pounds), boned, tied

2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper plus more to taste

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 each, chopped: yellow onion, carrot

3 sprigs fresh thyme

2 cloves garlic, smashed

1 bay leaf

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

1 1/4 cups whiskey

2 quarts chicken broth

1 teaspoon brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Colcannon:

1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, cooked, peeled

3/4 cup whipping cream

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter

2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 small savoy cabbage, very thinly sliced

2 leeks, sliced

1 yellow onion, diced

10 sprigs parsley, chopped

Directions

1. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Season the pork with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add meat; brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Remove meat to plate. Add onion and carrot to the Dutch oven. Cook until vegetables are lightly caramelized, about 5 minutes. Add thyme, garlic, bay leaf and dry mustard; cook 1 minute. Add whiskey; cook, stirring up browned bits, until liquid reduces by half, about 5 minutes. Stir in broth, brown sugar, nutmeg and black pepper to taste. Add meat; cover. Roast until the meat is tender, about 3 hours.

2. Meanwhile, for colcannon, mash potatoes in a large bowl. Mix in the cream and half of the butter. Season with pepper and salt; set aside. Melt the remaining butter in a large skillet over medium heat; add cabbage, leeks and onion. Cook until the vegetables are crisp-tender, about 8 minutes. Fold vegetables into potatoes; stir in the chopped parsley. Keep warm.

3. Remove braised pork from oven; cool 10 minutes. Transfer meat to cutting board. Strain liquid into a fat separator (or skim off fat); return liquid to pan. Cook over medium-high heat until reduced by three-quarters, about 15-20 minutes; set aside. Cut pork shoulder into thick slices. Spoon colcannon onto dinner plates. Place pork slices on the colcannon; spoon reduced juices around the plate.

Nutrition Information

Per serving: 898 calories, 55% of calories from fat, 54 g fat, 24 g saturated fat, 228 mg cholesterol, 37 g carbohydrates, 62 g protein, 2,161 mg sodium, 5 g fiber

Read more »

Paula Deen's Loaded Oatmeal Cookies with Brown Butter Icing

Paula Deen's Loaded Oatmeal Cookies with Brown Butter Icing

I was delighted when Chefmikey (see end of post) came out to visit us on Tuesday. With his culinary classes and his full-time job we don't get to see him as often as we'd like these days. Anyway, when ever he comes out this way he likes to stay up late and bake cookies (and trash my kitchen). But the last couple of times he did this the end result wasn't very good and I ended up tossing them after he left. So when he wanted to make cookies this time I asked him nicely, in that way that mother's have, not to and explained why. And he said, in that way that cocky young way culinary students have, "That sounds like a challenge to me mom". Uh boy. My response? "Don't trash my kitchen!" So after much bluster and fury he brought a warm batch of these to Manly and I and we flipped! The brown butter icing is what really takes these over the edge. To die for and these will not be getting tossed into the trash (and he more or less cleaned up after himself). The only amendments he made to this recipe was to use craisins instead of the raisins and he added chocolate chips because, why wouldn't you? One warning about the icing: Don't make it until all the cookies are baked. It is very hard to keep it at the right consistency if you try to ice each batch as you go. If you've been looking for a knock out oatmeal cookie this is definitely it. Enjoy!

Recipe: Paula Deen's Loaded Oatmeal Cookies with Brown Butter Icing

Recipe courtesy Paula Deen
Makes about 5 dozen

Ingredients

    * 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
    * 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
    * 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
    * 2 eggs
    * 1/2 cup buttermilk
    * 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
    * 1 teaspoon baking soda
    * 1/2 teaspoon salt
    * 1 teaspoon baking powder
    * 1 teaspoon ground ginger
    * 1 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
    * 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    * 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
    * 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
    * 2 1/2 cups quick-cooking oatmeal
    * 1 cup raisins
    * 1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts
    * 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
    
    * Brown Butter Icing, recipe follows

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Grease 1 or more cookie sheets. Using an electric mixer, cream together butter, shortening, and sugar in a bowl until fluffy. Add eggs and beat until mixture is light in color. Add buttermilk. Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice; stir into creamed mixture. Fold in oatmeal, raisins, walnuts, and vanilla, blending well. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto cookie sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Drizzle with Brown Butter Icing.

Brown Butter Icing:
    * 1/2 cup butter
    * 3 cups sifted powdered sugar
    * 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    * 3 to 4 tablespoons water

In a small saucepan heat the butter over medium heat until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Remove saucepan from heat; stir in 3 cups sifted powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Stir in enough water (3 to 4 tablespoons) to make an icing of drizzling consistency. Drizzle on warm cookies.

Yield: enough to ice 5 dozen cookies

P.S. This is Chefmikey at 2 years old after he pulled a bag of flour of the kitchen counter onto himself! Ah sweet irony!

Read more »

Pan-Grilled Pork Chops with Grilled Pineapple Salsa and Poblano-Cilantro Rice

Pan-Grilled Pork Chops with Grilled Pineapple Salsa and Poblano-Cilantro Rice

Manly saw a lovely looking package of pork chops while he was at the grocery store and couldn't resist them. Pork chops are probably my least favorite part of the pig but I decided to make the best of it and made them with this grilled pineapple salsa to counteract the boringness of said pork chops. The salsa was phenomenal and really perked up this dinner and gave me an excuse to make my all-time favorite Mexican rice. I've been making it for years and it goes so perfectly with anything Mexican you'll never make that sticky, tomato sauced "Spanish" rice ever again. The salsa can be served over some pork tenderloin, chicken, fish or just with some tortilla chips. The poblano-cilantro rice as the side dish will make you very happy indeed. Enjoy!

Recipe: Pork Chops with Grilled Pineapple Salsa and Poblano-Cilantro Rice

Cooking Light, MARCH 2010

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 chop and about 1/2 cup salsa)

Ingredients

4 (4-ounce) boneless center-cut loin pork chops (about 1/2 inch thick)

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice, divided

4 (1/2-inch-thick) slices pineapple

1 medium red onion, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices

1 tablespoon minced jalapeño pepper

Combine pork and 1 tablespoon juice; let stand 10 minutes. 

Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add pineapple and onion; cook 4 minutes on each side or until onion is tender. Coarsely chop pineapple and onion; combine in a medium bowl with remaining 2 teaspoons lime juice, jalapeño, and 1/8 teaspoon salt.

Sprinkle pork with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Heat grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add pork; cook 4 minutes on each side or until done.

Nutritional Information

CALORIES 215 ; FAT 7g (sat 2.5g,mono 3.1g,poly 0.5g); CHOLESTEROL 70mg; CALCIUM 42mg; CARBOHYDRATE 10.9g; SODIUM 416mg; PROTEIN 26.4g; FIBER 1.4g; IRON 1mg

Recipe: Poblano Pepper-Cilantro Rice

Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2005

Serves: 4 to 6

Ingredients

* 1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons vegetable oil

* 1/2 cup chopped white onions

* 2 poblano chiles, roasted, peeled, stemmed, seeded, and coarsely chopped

* 2 teaspoons chopped garlic

* 1 teaspoon ground cumin

* 1/2 teaspoon salt

* 1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro leaves, plus more for garnish

* 1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh parsley leaves

* 1 3/4 cups chicken stock

* 1 cup long-grain white rice

Directions

In a medium saucepan, heat 1 1/2 teaspoons of the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and chiles and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, salt, cilantro and parsley, and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Remove from the heat and transfer to a blender with 1/2 cup of the stock. Process on high speed until smooth.

Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in the pan over medium heat. Add the rice and cook, stirring, until translucent, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the puree and cook, stirring, to evaporate most of the liquid, about 2 minutes. Add the remaining stock, stir and cover, and lower the heat to medium-low. Simmer without stirring, until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit without stirring for 10 to 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve, garnished with additional cilantro.

Read more »