Month: March 2011

Crispy, Oven-Fried Cod with Homemade Tartare

/ Ren

Wild Alaskan cod filets are dipped in melted butter with sea salt, black pepper, dried lemon peel and a bit of Old Bay seasoning, then rolled in freshly-crushed, unsweetened organic corn flakes (gluten-free).   Baked until flaky and crisp and served with a tartare of homemade mayonnaise, capers, gherkins and chives..

Crispy, Oven-Fried Cod with Homemade Tartare

Pacific cod (Gadus macrocephalus or true cod) is found mainly along the continental shelf and upper slopes with a range around the rim of the North Pacific Ocean, from the Yellow Sea to the Bering Strait, along the Aleutian Islands to a depth of about 900 meters.

Cod is very low insSaturated fat. It is also a good source of Niacin, Vitamin B12 and Potassium, and a very good source of Protein, Vitamin B6, Phosphorus and Selenium.

Austin Bake Sale for Japan

/ Ren

Austin Bake Sale for Japan is a group of local bloggers, foodies and businesses who have come together to raise money for relief efforts in earthquake and tsunami-ravaged Japan.

80 volunteer bakers and several business partners strong, with fundraising coordination through AmeriCares, Austin Bake Sale for Japan is scheduled for this Saturday, April 2nd at various locations around town including:

  • Downtown: Woof Gang Bakery, 1204 N. Lamar Blvd., Austin, 78703 (10am-2pm)
  • North Central: Foreign & Domestic, 306 E. 53rd Street, Austin, 78751 (10am-2pm)
  • South: Hotel San Jose, 1316 South Congress Avenue, 78704 (10am-2pm)
  • East: Nomad Bar, 1213 Corona Drive, Austin, 78723 (10am-2pm)

Austin Bake Sale for Japan is still accepting donations of baked goods, volunteer help, and business support. By spreading out across Austin, Austin Bakes for Japan will give everyone a chance to pitch in and raise money for a great cause!

For more information and/or to make a donation, please visit the Austin Bakes for Japan homepage.

For press inquiries or to volunteer, contact:

Kathryn Hutchison
email: AustinGastronomist at gmail dot com
phone: 512-695-2242

Related Articles

Rally For The Right To Know!

/ Ren

From the Institute for Responsible Technology

Genetically Modified Foods need to be labeled!

The Organic Consumer’s Association, Millions Against Monsanto campaign is organizing a coordinated rally to demand labeling of GMOs. Events are being held around the United States, with the main event at the White House.

Current events are listed below.  New locations are being added, so please check the campaigns’ Facebook page for updates in your area:  http://on.fb.me/gv2VLS

MAIN EVENT: Washington, D.C., 1600 Pennsylvania Ave, The White House Sidewalk (The White House Sidewalk is the sidewalk between East and West Executive Avenues on the South side of Pennsylvania Avenue NW) 11am- 3pm

Dates for ALL locations is Saturday March 26, 2011 and include (alphabetically):

Albuquerque NM, UNM 12pm – 3pm
Atlanta GA, Around Centennial Olympic Park across from the CNN Bldg. 11am – 4pm
Ann Arbor MI, Southeast corner of Catherine Street and N. 4th Avenue 12pm – 3pm
Austin TX, at The Capitol 12pm – 3pm
Colorado Springs CO, Acacia Park 11am – 1:30pm
Indianapolis IN, 200 W. Washington Street #220 12pm – 2pm
Kansas City MO, The Plaza Downtown Kansas City 11am – 3pm
Los Angeles CA (Westwood) Federal Bldg, 11000 Wilshire Blvd. 11am – 2pm
Maui HI, in front of Long’s streetside on Ka’ahumanu Ave in Kahului 8am – 11am
Milwaukee WI, Water and Wisconsin 11am – 2pm
Montpelier VT, Outside City Hall 11am – 3pm
New York City, City Hall steps, between Broadway and Park Row 12pm – 1pm
Saint Paul MN, Capitol Building – South Mall 12pm – 2pm
Salem OR, 900 Court St. NE, Salem, Oregon 97301 12pm – 3pm
Seattle WA, Westlake Park 12pm – 2pm
Tampa Bay FL, Downtown 11am – 2pm

Related Articles
  • Rally for the Right to Know About GMOs in Your Food (news.change.org)

Bison and Wild Boar Meatloaf with Chile Molido BBQ, Sweet Potato Mash

/ Ren

Free-range bison from Thunder Heart is loosely mixed with coarsely-ground wild boar from Broken Arrow Ranch, browned onions, garlic, a pastured egg, a little chile molido BBQ sauce and just enough bread crumbs to hold it all together.

Baked at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, then slathered with more BBQ sauce and returned to the oven until done.  Thickly sliced and served over a bed of mashed sweet potatoes seasoned with cracked cumin and coriander..

For thousands of years the Coahuitecan people have lived as indigenous hunter-gatherers in extended family groups or tribes from just north of present day San Antonio south to the Rio Grande and the Northern Mexico state of Coahuila. They were a Bison culture whose lifeways, religion, and culture revolved around their relationship with the sacred animal that sustained them.

For the Native American people the Bison is the symbol of abundance; a powerful reminder from the natural world that through respect for our earth and the creatures who inhabit it, we are provided for. –Shape Ranch

Breakfast Tacos Redux

/ Ren

AFAR, named as America’s Best Travel Magazine by the Society of American Travel Writers, has just published an article entitled “Wander, a guide to four unexpected destinations” in its March/April 2011 edition.  Featured are Singapore, Cartagena, Columbia, Azores, Portugal and Austin, Texas.

Mentioned in Austin’s article are local staples SXSW, the Congress Avenue bat colony, music, theater, arts and of course, breakfast tacos.

I’m really honored that AFAR chose to use one of my photos (Tortilla Sunrise, above) to illustrate the breakfast taco, one of our most favorite comestibles.

Thanks, guys!  Come again anytime!

Speaking of leftovers..

/ Ren

Here’s last night’s chipotle-roasted chicken on a crisp cornmeal pizza crust with sliced red onions, fresh pineapple and some slightly burnt asadero.  Fresh cilantro from the patio..

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For the Crust  [makes 2 7-inch crusts] (adapted from a recipe by Martha Stewart)

1 teaspoon active dry yeast
1/3 cups warm water
3/4 cups sprouted wheat flour, plus more for work surface
1/4 cup organic, stone-ground cornmeal, plus more for pizza stone
1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for bowl

In a small bowl, sprinkle the yeast and sugar over the warm water. Let stand until yeast is dissolved and mixture is foamy, about 10 minutes.

Combine flour, cornmeal, and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center, and add the yeast mixture and oil. Slowly stir ingredients with a wooden spoon just until dough starts to come together. Turn out dough on a lightly floured work surface, and knead until smooth and elastic, 7 to 10 minutes.

Divide dough into four 4-ounce balls. Place balls in a shallow oiled bowl, turning to coat with oil; cover with plastic wrap, and let rise 1 hour at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees with a pizza stone on lowest rack. Stretch dough into 7-inch rounds. Sprinkle cornmeal on a pizza peel or inverted baking sheet.  Place dough rounds on top, and cooked until light golden brown, about 10 minutes.  Set aside to cool.

Slide rounds onto pizza stone, and bake until crust is crisp and golden and toppings are bubbling, 5 to 7 minutes.

Chipotle-Roasted Chicken with Mexican Mint Marigold, Tomato Bomba

/ Ren

Bomba is an ancient strain of slowly-maturing rice grown in fresh mountain water around the town of Calasparra in Murcia, using aqueducts first built by the Romans.

Bomba absorbs three to four times its volume in stock (rather than the normal two), yet the grains remain firm and delicious.

Plump, locally pastured chicken (Dewberry Hills) joints are brined for half a day in cold, filtered water with coarse sea salt, cracked cumin and coriander.  Blotted dry, then roasted at 500 degrees until the skin is good and crisp, then transferred to a hot skillet and finished in sauce of reduced chicken stock, chipotles en adobo and a touch of apple cider vinegar.  Served over stock-cooked rice with browned onions, garlic and fresh tomatoes.  Garnished with freshly chopped Mexican mint marigold..

Chipotle-Roasted Chicken with Tomato Bomba

For the Brine (5%)

2 litres filtered water
100 grams coarse sea salt
1-1/2 tablesponns cumin seed, cracked
2-1/2 tablespoons coriander seeds, cracked

Bring the water to a rapid boil, then remove from heat.  Add cumin, coriander and salt and stir to combine.  Allow to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until chilled.  Place chicken pieces in a glass bowl and submerge in brine.  Cover bowl and refrigerate 6-8 hours.

For the Chipotle Sauce

2 cups rich, homemade chicken stock
2 tablespoons raw cider vinegar
2-3 chipotles en adobo, minced
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon piloncillo (substitute high-molasses raw can sugar)
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Combine chicken stock and vinegar in a heavy-bottomed sauce pan and bring to a rapid boil.  Reduce heat to medium, add chipotles, tomato paste, oregano and piloncillo and simmer until reduced and thickened, about 1 hour.  Adjust seasoning with sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper.

For the Rice

2 tablespoons cultured butter
1/2 cup bomba
2 cups homemade chicken stock
1/2 yellow onion, cut into 1/2-inch dice
2-3 green onions, slivered, divided
1 tablespoon minced elephant garlic
1 cup fresh tomato, diced

Heat the butter in a heavy skillet and add yellow onion, garlic and  1/2 of the green onions and saute until fragrant, about 5 minutes.  Add bomba and stir to coat each grain with butter.  Add stock and tomatoes and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat simmer, stirring frequently until tender, about 30 minutes.

For the Chicken

Assorted chicken pieces, brined and air-dried
Smoked paprika

Arrange chicken pieces skin-side up, without crowding in a large skillet.  Lightly dust with smoked paprika and place into a pre-heated 500 degree oven, cooking until skin is nicely browned and crisp, about 25 minutes.  Chicken should be slightly underdone at this point.

Remove pan from oven and set on burner over medium heat.  Baste liberally with chipotle sauce and continue to cook, turning occasionally until chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes.

To assemble

Spoon rice onto dinner plates and place chicken pieces over the top.  Dress with additional chipotle sauce and garnish with Mexican mint marigold.  Serve piping hot.

BBQ Oysters

/ Ren

Fresh, plump oysters from the Texas gulf are carefully scrubbed and briefly shocked in iced salt water before being grilled over a wood fire (cup side down, about 8 minutes cooking time depending on size).  Quickly and carefully opened so as not to lose the precious liquid inside, then given a shot of tangy BBQ sauce and a little crumbled bleu cheese.  Back on the grill for a minute or two, seasoned with a little sea salt & freshly-ground pepper and served piping hot..

BBQ Oysters

“Corpus Christi gave birth to a tall Texas tale adding to the state’s oyster lore. As the story goes, Texas Rangers chased a band of marauding Indians onto a beach jutting into the bay. Knowing the Indians were surrounded by water and couldn’t escape the Rangers decided to camp until morning. When the sun rose, the beach was empty. All they found were footprints leading into the water.

Some say the story marked the discovery of Reef Road, a series of oyster shell beds between Corpus Christi and Nueces bays. Reef Road could be crossed by horse wagon at low tide, and for years locals used the submerged route to cut travel time between Nueces and San Patricio counties. Meanwhile, other enterprising Texans were reaping a harvest that would develop into the country’s second-leading oyster industry. By 1890, four years before the Grand Opera hall opened in romantic Galveston, oystermen harvested more than 2 million pounds of meat. Fourteen years later, as Galveston rebuilt from the devastating hurricane of 1900, the figure had climbed to a record-breaking 3.5 million pounds.”  –texasoysters.org


Bucatini All’Amatriciana

/ Ren

Sugo all’amatriciana or alla matriciana (in Romanesco)is a traditional Italian pasta sauce based on guanciale (cured pork cheek), Parmigiano-Reggiano and tomatoes.  Originating from the town of Amatrice (in the mountainous Province of Rieti of Lazio region), the Amatriciana is one of the most well-known pasta sauces in Roman and Italian cuisine..

While in Amatrice the dish is prepared with spaghetti, the use of bucatini has become extremely common after the recipe became popular in Rome, and is now prevalent.

Bucatini All’Amatriciana (adapted from a recipe by Anne Burrell)

Extra-virgin olive oil
8 ounces guanciale, cut in 1/4-inch strips
2 large onions, cut in 1/2-inch dice
1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
2 (28-ounce) cans San Marzano tomatoes, passed through the food mill
1 pound bucatini or perciatelli
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus extra for garnish

Coat a large saucepan with olive oil.  Add the guanciale and saute over low heat  until it is brown and crispy and has rendered a lot of fat.  Remove and reserve 1/3 of the guanciale for garnish.

Bring the pan to a medium heat and add the onions and crushed red pepper.  Season generously with salt, to taste.  Cook the onions until they are translucent, starting to turn golden and are very aromatic.

Add the tomatoes and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer the sauce for about 1 hour, tasting periodically.  Adjust the salt, as needed.

Bring a large pot of well salted water to a boil over high heat.  Add the pasta and cook for 1 minute less than the instructions on the package.

Drain the pasta from the water and add to the pot of sauce.  Stir to coat with the sauce, and cook until pasta is done, about 1 minute . Add in the cheese and drizzle with olive oil. Toss to coat and serve in shallow bowls garnished with cheese and the reserved guanciale.

Guanciale is a pork cheek is rubbed with salt, ground black pepper or red pepper and hung in the refrigerator to cure for three weeks.  Its flavor is stronger than other pork products such as pancetta, yet the texture is more delicate.

Sometimes difficult to source locally in the US, guanciale can be ordered online from La Quercia.

Currywurst and Fries

/ Ren

Most regions around the world have their own popular forms of street food.  From Pad Thai to poutine, from empanadas to Döner, each region offers a unique glimpse into the local scene.

One of the most loved street foods in urban  Germany today is the multi-cultural currywurst, a grilled pork sausage in a rich, spicy tomato-based curry sauce.  Typically served with French fries or bread rolls, this dish is so popular that it has its own museum.  One bite and you’ll be addicted too..

Currywurst and French Fries

For the Sauce (adapted from Saveur)

2 tablespoons ghee
2 cups fresh tomatoes, chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
1 tablespoon whole coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon whole mustard seeds
2 teaspoons turmeric
1 tablespoon Kashmiri chili powder
fresh curry leaves (optional)
2 pinches asafoetida
1-1/2 inches Ceylon cinnamon
1/4 cup good quality red wine vinegar
up to 2 tablespoons raw cane sugar (or other sweetener of choice)

Place the whole seeds in a heavy-bottomed pan and heat until they are fragrant and begin to pop, about 5 minutes.  Add the cinnamon, ghee and onions and cook until the onions have softened, about 8 minutes.

Add the turmeric and chili powder and stir to form a paste.  Stirring continuously, continue to cook the paste for 2 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, vinegar, asafoetida and sugar and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to medium low, add the curry leaves and simmer stirring occasionally until thickened, about 30 minutes.

Discard the curry leaves and pour the sauce into a blender and process until nearly smooth, then pour back into the pan and keep warm until ready to serve.

So, which Austin food truck will be the first to offer currywurst?

Pan-roasted Filet Mignon with Gorgonzola, Asparagus and Porcini Demi-glace

/ Ren

2-inch thick filets of grass-fed beef tenderloin are dry brined overnight with sea salt and fresh thyme before being pan-roasted to rare in an iron skillet.  The steaks are then topped with Gorgonzola and blanched asparagus tips and finished to medium-rare in a 500 degree oven.  Seasoned with smoked black pepper and served over porcini demi-glace..

Pan-roasted Filet Mignon with Gorgonzola, Asparagus and Porcini Demi-glace

Quick Demi-Glace, Home Version (adapted from Saveur Magazine)

1/4 lb. uncured bacon, finely chopped
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup sprouted wheat flour
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2-1/2 quarts homemade beef stock, divided
1/4 cup good red wine (not cooking wine)
1 cup porcini mushrooms, sliced and sauteed
10 sprigs fresh parsley
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
4 leaves fresh sage
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Render bacon in a large, heavy skillet over medium-low heat for about 15 minutes. Add onions and carrots and cook until somewhat softened, about 8 minutes.  Use a sifter to sprinkle flour over the vegetables and cook another 10 minutes. Add wine, herbs and 8 cups of stock and simmer uncovered until reduced in volume by three-quarters, about 2-1/2 to 3 hours.

Strain sauce, discarding solids. Return to pan with remaining stock and simmer until reduced by half, about 2 hours (add the mushrooms during last 20 minutes).  Demi-glace may be kept in the refrigerator for up to one week or frozen for up to three months.

“Meat from grass-fed animals has two to four times more omega-3 fatty acids than meat from grain- fed animals. Omega-3s are called “good fats” because they play a vital role in every cell and system in your body. For example, of all the fats, they are the most heart-friendly. People who have ample amounts of omega-3s in their diet are less likely to have high blood pressure or an irregular heartbeat. Remarkably, they are 50 percent less likely to suffer a heart attack.  Omega-3s are essential for your brain as well. People with a diet rich in omega-3s are less likely to suffer from depression, schizophrenia, attention deficit disorder (hyperactivity), or Alzheimer’s disease.”  Eat Wild