MSG’s fortunes began to go downhill in 1968 when a US doctor wrote a letter to a medical journal titled “Chinese Restaurant Syndrome.”
In the document, he described symptoms like “numbness in the back of the neck,” “general weakness” and “palpitations.” He suspected MSG, along with other ingredients like cooking wine and high amounts of sodium, may have caused these symptoms.
MSG took the biggest hit, with the effects of that letter rippling on throughout the decades, all over the world.
The etymology is traced to a 1968 letter that appeared in the New England Journal of Medicine claiming that Chinese food brought forth ailments. The letter was uncovered to be a hoax, but the myth remains. The US Food and Drug Administration has long approved MSG for consumption, and studies have failed to show that the chemical causes the alleged “syndrome”.
Restaurants publicly swore off MSG. Food and beverage publicists begged not to be asked about it. Diners experiencing discomfort after a meal blamed it on MSG.
“Many didn’t know that MSG is plant-derived,” says Tia Rains, a Chicago-based nutrition scientist and Ajinomoto’s vice president of customer engagement and strategic development.
“Our process [of making MSG] is by fermentation, which is very similar to how beer is brewed or how yogurt is made.”
A number of celebrated chefs are now openly embracing MSG – some even going so far as to promote it on their menus. Here’s a look at the history behind this complicated flavor enhancer and how it got such a bad rap.
A cast iron pan is an essential piece of equipment for any cook. It not only transitions from grill to stovetop to oven with ease, but it’s versatile enough to sear steaks and seafood or bake fluffy frittatas and cakes. Plus, the skillets are practically indestructible (especially if you know how to clean and handle them).
But not all cast iron is created equal—you’ll want something that won’t only last, but improve with time. So to help you find the best cast iron skillet for your needs, we turned to reviews from real customers who have purchased and tried these products for themselves. What we found were eight skillets so beloved, customers couldn’t stop raving about them.
A cast iron pan is an essential piece of equipment for any cook. It not only transitions from grill to stovetop to oven with ease, but it’s versatile enough to sear steaks and seafood or bake fluffy frittatas and cakes. Plus, the skillets are practically indestructible (especially if you know how to clean and handle them).
In our inaugural episode, we use the humble and ubiquitous bean to explore historical and current topics in Texas food. Beans here tell stories of belonging, from a 19th-century border dispute to a recent trip to Terlingua.
Welcome to The Range, where you’ll find unexpected stories about Texas foods and cultures. The Range explores the rich variety of Texas foods: from old traditions to new innovations, you’ll hear from a diverse set of Texans who are in the thick of growing, cooking, distributing, and eating food.
AUSTIN FOOD BLOGGER ALLIANCE SPICES UP THE CITY WITH SECOND ANNUAL CURRY COOK-OFF
Colossal Curry Cook-Off Brings the Community Together to Raise Funds for Local Non-Profit
AUSTIN, TX (April 5, 2017): The Austin Food Blogger Alliance (AFBA) announces their second annual Colossal Curry Cook-Off fundraiser, occurring Saturday, April 22, 2017, from 2:00pm-4:00pm at Shangri-La.
Open to the public, this irresistibly spicy event will give Austinites the chance to vie for the coveted title of Curry Champion of Austin. Everyone from professional chefs to home cooking enthusiasts are encouraged to enter the cook-off and compete for prizes by emailing AFBA at cookoff@austinfoodbloggers.org by April 10, 2017. All curry styles from across the globe are welcome – entries will be judged based on taste.
For those who aren’t ready to flex their own curry cooking muscle, tickets to the Colossal Curry Cook-Off are on sale now on EventBrite and cost $20 per person, or $25 at the door the day of event (venue restrictions limit attendees to 21+ only). Guests of the cook-off will enjoy tastes of all the curry recipes and tunes from DJ Dolomike, and will cast their votes for the People’s Choice award.
“Everyone in the Austin Food Blogger Alliance is so excited for this cook-off,” says Kristin Sheppard, President of AFBA. “We think this will be such a fun event for the community and a unique way to raise some funds for a quintessentially Austin nonprofit. We appreciate our local friends’ support however they can provide it, whether it’s buying tickets to attend the cook-off or entering as a contestant and showcasing their curry-cooking chops!”
Sponsored by Shangri-La, American Lamb Board, Savory Spice Shop, Austin Gourmet Popcorn, Wheatsville Co-op, Central Market and Uchi, the Colossal Curry Cook-Off is sure to be a flavorful afternoon no one will forget. To enter or get more information on this event, please email AFBA at cookoff@austinfoodbloggers.org.
About Austin Food Blogger Alliance:
The Austin Food Blogger Alliance (AFBA) seeks to support a local membership of food bloggers and the community through educational initiatives, social events, philanthropic endeavors, and by upholding a commonly shared code of ethics. Formed in 2011, AFBA has over 100 active members blogging on a range of topics, including:
∙ Cooking or baking
∙ Restaurant reviews
∙ Beverages
∙ Special diets, gluten free, vegan, vegetarian
∙ Food photography
∙ Food trailers
∙ Farming and gardening
∙ Sustainability
The Austin Food Blogger Alliance is an organization of local food bloggers that seeks to support one another and the community through educational initiatives, social events, philanthropic endeavors, and a shared code of ethics. AFBA is a 501(c)(7) nonprofit organization led by an all-volunteer Board of Directors. Benefits of membership include:
∙ Invitations to members only events, classes, and informational panels
∙ Volunteer opportunities within the Austin food community
. Opportunity to contribute to the AFBA City Guide, which averages about 15,000 views per month
∙ Blog promotion via the AFBA website, Twitter feed, and Facebook page
∙ Access to the members only Facebook group
∙ Monthly newsletter with news, event announcements, and job opportunities
∙ The opportunity to connect with more than 100 likeminded Austin food writers
An unctuous, flavor-packed demi-glace that’s wheat free, gluten free, and vegetarian. Did we say vegetarian? We should probably mention that it’s in fact vegan—with no dairy at all. And yet, you won’t believe its rich, satisfying taste and texture. Oh, and hey, you can make this stuff in less than two hours!
North Atlantic lobster meat, organic, whole wheat macaroni, aged Vermont white and cloth-bound cheddar, fresh cream, chives and pimente d’Espelette..
Lobster Mac and Cheese
1/2 pound organic, whole wheat macaroni
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup shell stock
blond roux as needed
1-1/2 tablespoons good sherry (not cooking sherry!)
1/2 pound aged white cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 pound extra-sharp Cheddar, grated
1/4 teaspoon freshly-grated nutmeg
1-1/2 tablespoons pimente d’Espelette
3 tablespoons fresh chives or slivered green onion tops
3/4 pound lobster meat, poached
1/2 cup organic panko
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
Prepare macaroni according to package instructions, but reduce cooking time by 2 minutes. Drain pasta (don’t rinse) and set aside.
Lightly poach lobster meat until a little underdone in simmering water with a little fresh lemon juice,a tablespoon of butter and some fresh parsley. Remove from heat, drain and transfer the lobster meat to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Set aside.
Add cream, stock, sherry and nutmeg together in a heavy saucepan. Heat just until tiny bubbles come to the surface, but do not let it boil. Whisk in just enough roux so that the sauce coats and clings to the back of a wood spoon. Remove from heat.
Fold in cheeses, chives, pasta, pimente d’Espelette and lobster. Adjust seasoning with sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper.
Turn mixture out into a small skillet or individual gratin dishes. Sprinkle lightly with panko and place into a 375 degree oven until bubbly and cooked through, about 20-25 minutes.
Sprinkle lightly with additional chives/green onions and chopped parsley and serve immediately.
In that flaky crust is a whopping three and a half pounds of tomatoes, cooked down with caramelized onions and herbs and cozily blanketed with an oh-so-Southern hit of mayo and a not-so-Southern-but-really-really-good dose of fontina and parmesan. More tomatoes sit on top—fresh instead of roasted—for a pretty visual touch alongside some leaves of basil. It’s a gorgeous pie, and to be perfectly honest, one of the best things to come out of our test kitchen all summer.
MAKES 1 10-INCH PIE
2 HOURS, 30 MINUTES
For the pie crust
1 1⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
2 1⁄2 tsp. granulated sugar
1⁄2 tsp. salt
6 tbsp. cold butter cut into 1⁄2-inch cubes
2 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. ice-cold water
1⁄2 tsp. white vinegar
For the filling and topping
3 1⁄2 lb. vine-ripe tomatoes (about 12), cored, seeded, and cut into 1⁄2-inch dice, divided
2 tsp. salt, divided
1 tsp. sugar, divided
1 tbsp. butter
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced with the grain
1 tsp. picked thyme
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1⁄4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1⁄3 cup packed whole basil leaves
1⁄2 cup mayonnaise
1⁄3 cup grated fontina
1⁄3 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
2 large Roma or heirloom tomatoes, thinly sliced and blotted dry with paper towels
Instructions
Make the pie crust: Place the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium for a few seconds. Begin adding the butter one cube at a time. Continue until the flour is speckled and crumbly, about 4 minutes. With the mixer still running, add the water and vinegar until just combined. Do not overmix. Press the dough into a 6-inch disk, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator overnight.
Bring the crust to room temperature and lightly butter a 10-inch metal pie pan. Preheat the oven to 400°. Dust your counter and rolling pin lightly with flour and roll the crust slightly larger than your pan. Lay the crust in the pan and press gently into its edges. Cut off the edges that hang over and discard. Freeze for at least 15 minutes or until you’re ready to blind-bake.
Lay foil or parchment paper on top of the crust and weigh that down with dried beans or rice. Blind-bake the shell for 30 minutes. Remove the pie weights and foil or parchment and bake 5 minutes more. Set the cooked crust aside as you prepare the filling.
Make the filling: Toss half of the diced tomatoes with 1⁄2 teaspoon salt and 1⁄2 teaspoon sugar. Set them over a colander to drain while you get everything else ready, at least an hour.
Lower your oven to 375°. In a medium sauté pan or skillet, melt the butter and then add the onion and 1⁄2 teaspoon salt. Cook over medium-low heat until deeply caramelized. This will take about 45 minutes. If the onion gets away from you and burns a little, add 1⁄4 cup of water to the pan, scrape up the overbrowned bits, and keep going. In the end, you have a scant 2⁄3 cup caramelized onion.
Toss the remaining diced tomatoes with 1⁄2 teaspoon salt, thyme, and olive oil. Spread in a single layer on a sheet tray with as much room separating the individual pieces as possible. Slide the tray onto the middle rack of your oven and roast for 30-35 minutes. You’re looking for the tomatoes to dry out and brown slightly.
Once all the individual components are done, stir together the onion, the fresh and roasted diced tomatoes, the remaining salt, sugar, black pepper, and basil.
Make the topping and finish the pie: In a separate, smaller bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, fontina, and Parmigiano. Spoon the filling into your blind-baked crust. Top with the cheese mixture and tomato slices. Bake in the middle of your oven for 30 minutes. You can serve this warm or at room temperature. Both have their virtues.
The perfect poached egg. Tender whites around a warm liquid yolk that oozes out like liquid gold when you cut into it. They’re an essential part of Eggs Benedict, they can turn any salad into a meal, or any vegetable into brunch.
The problem is, they’re really tough to make right. So you’ve probably read all the tricks and know all the secrets: Add vinegar to your water. Add salt to your water. Don’t add salt to your water. Stir a vortex into the water. Wrap your eggs in plastic wrap. And guess what? None of them really work.
There IS one method that works every single time, and all it requires are two things.
The first is: a really fresh egg. Fresh eggs have tighter whites and yolks that help them retain their shape better as they cook.
The second tool you need is a fine mesh strainer..
Directions:
1. Bring a medium pot of water to a simmer, then reduce heat until it is barely quivering. It should register 180 to 190°F on an instant-read thermometer. Carefully break 1 egg into a small bowl, then tip into a fine mesh strainer. Carefully swirl egg around strainer, using your finger to rub off any excess loose egg whites that drop through. Gently tip egg into water. Swirl gently with a wooden spoon for 10 seconds, just until egg begins to set. Repeat straining and tipping with remaining eggs. Cook, swirling occasionally, until egg whites are fully set but yolks are still soft, about 4 minutes.
2. Carefully lift eggs from pot with a slotted spoon. Serve immediately, or transfer to a bowl of cold water and refrigerate for up to 2 days. To serve, transfer to a bowl of hot water and let reheat for 2 minutes. Serve immediately.
Austin Fermentation Festival, October 25th, 2015, Austin, TX
Keynote Speaker: Jennifer McGruther of Nourished Kitchen
October 25, 2015 (AUSTIN, TX) – Texas Farmers’ Market and Presenting Sponsor Barr Mansion announce the 2015 Austin Fermentation Festival with keynote speaker, blogger, author, and traditional foods advocate Jennifer McGruther.
The Austin Fermentation Festival is an educational event that celebrates all things fermented in Central Texas and will run from 9am – 4pm at Barr Mansion (10463 Sprinkle Road, Austin, TX 78754). Proceeds from this event will benefit the Texas Farmers’ Market Farmer Emergency Fund, which offers financial assistance to TFM farmers and ranchers in times of environmental, personal or other crisis.
The day will include a series of fermentation workshops (covering topics such as kimchi, kefir, cheese making, charcuterie, beer, sourdough, vinegars and lacto-fermented vegetables); a community culture swap; a kraut mob; fermented foods and product vendors; book sales; festival-inspired lunch for purchase from local purveyors; fermented beverages and alcohol; a mini farmers’ market; and live music.
The Pi Day of the century, 3.14/15 is only a little over a week away. For a time now Pi Day has been all about fun and of course pie, but with the way in recent years, science and even reality itself have come more and more under attack, I’m thinking maybe this year it’s time for Pi Day to emerge as something more than just fun.
For so much of our history, the people of our country and the world have benefited greatly from the science-based reality that has shaped America’s future. Science may be based on numbers, but science’s actual value is in its humanity. It’s beyond doubt that through science and the honest representation of reality our lives have become safer, healthier and happier.
Yet today the very science that has done so much to reduce suffering in our lives is now under attack. From the climate, to vaccines, to Wisconsin’s own Governor Walker’s belief that there are more votes in denying evolution than there are in embracing it, clearly somewhere something has gone very wrong. There is more than enough blame to go all around for how we got here, but maybe this is one of those times that where we are is not nearly as important as where we need to be.
Maybe rather than a debate of our differences, what we need is a celebration of what we share. At Penzeys we think Pi Day could grow into just the holiday we need. There really is no time to lose to get on to celebrating the truth of science-based reality and the math behind it. And there is also no time better than now to get back to celebrating the kindness, compassion and the nurturing nature of our shared humanity that has always been behind the very best that science has brought to our lives.
In Pi, the number is all the value and beauty and wonder that is at the heart of the reality science holds. In the gift of a good slice of pie, the desert is all the kindness and compassion that our shared humanity encompasses. Pi Day really is ready to become so much more. And could there be a better day to relaunch Pi Day as the holiday we truly need than 3.14/15; the Pi Day of the Century?
So we are reaching out to our customers for help. We need your stories and a recipe or two. We already have good stories in the works for living with climate change, the value of vaccines, evolution, and the psychology/brain chemistry of why as humans we are so resistant to seeing the certainty of climate change.
Where we still really need your help is in finding an economist or two to speak to why our deficit spending has left our economy and our humanity in so much better shape than what Europe is facing today. And we could also use one more person with the knowledge to speak to the monetary cost and the human cost of sending to prison people who simply need treatment instead.
For recipes we are flexible. Pies are great but not necessary. Maybe you have another baked good you like to share. Or possibly you have a way you like to make some other circular item: a sliced carrot recipe, scallops are always popular, or even a beet salad that’s an old family tradition would do the trick. We really are flexible.
The important thing is if you have the science, or the numbers, or the knowledge that is needed for good policy making in the fields of economics or restorative justice please actually contact us. Don’t wait for someone else to do it. Just email a phone number where we can reach you and I will have one of our friendly writers give you a call.
It’s time to get off the sidelines. We can’t let science and all the goodness it can bring to our lives be a victim of our cultural wars. I don’t mean to be overly dramatic, but the future really is at stake here. With your help 3.14/15 could be the turning point the world so very much needs.
We realize we are looking for a needle in a haystack here, and on short notice. If you know someone who fits what we are looking for, please forward this email to them, or better yet, give them a call.
Tamatem Ma’Amrine is a Moroccan dish of roasted tomatoes stuffed with albacore, capers, olives and preserved lemon..
Tamatem Ma’Amrine (click to enlarge)
Adapted from a recipe by Claudia Roden
Carve a lid out of the tomatoes and scoop out the insides as you would a jack-o’-lantern. Don’t let the walls get too thin, or the tomatoes will split while roasting. Turn the tomatoes upside down and let the water drain.
Meanwhile, flake apart US Pacific troll or line-caught albacore and toss gently in extra virgin olive oil with bits of roasted red pepper, coarsely chopped capers and black olives, thinly slivered preserved lemon and chopped flat-leaf parsley.
Season tuna mixture with cracked coriander, fennel and white sesame seeds and stuff into the tomatoes.
Drizzle with a little more olive oil and season with sea salt and cracked pepper. Roast in a 375 degree oven until slightly blackened, perhaps 30 minutes.
Serve warm or refrigerate and serve cold; a crisp salad goes well in either case.
After a tip off by a member of the GMO Free USA community, we called Lodge Cast Iron today and they confirmed that they are using Roundup Ready GMO soybean oil to pre-season their cookware at the factory. “Seasoning” is when oil is baked on to give cast iron cookware a non stick finish. The customer service rep was very helpful and she explained that the GMO soybean oil can be removed in a two step process. First, put the pan in the oven and run the oven’s self clean cycle; let cool. Second, give the pan a good scrub. Then you will need to start over and re-season your cast iron cookware with shortening or the oil of your choice.
I’ve been in the barbecue business all my life. This is just a small little place. I just build a fire and keep the fire low and cook it slow. ~ George Archibald, Jr.
Cooking can be daunting, but what you may not know is that a lot of foods are governed by some very basic math. Once you understand it, you’ll always be able to make a batch of freshly baked bread, make a rich and savory sauce, or mix up a simple syrup to sweeten cocktails or drinks. Knowing these ratios is liberating (you’ll never buy a pre-made box or mix again), and they serve as a platform for you to begin experimenting with your own favorite flavors and ideas. Think of it: Once you’ve mastered how to make any bread, it’s just a few minor tweaks to make something special, like a sourdough, or an herb bread, or to try something entirely new that you dreamt up, no recipe required.
“When you know a culinary ratio, it’s not like knowing a single recipe, it’s instantly knowing a thousand.”
Professional chefs understand the power of these ratios (although they don’t refer to them as such)—they’re part of any basic culinary education. This is also why professionals don’t need to fumble for a recipe every time they need to make bread, and why a good chef can instantly scale a recipe from a family of four to a banquet of four hundred without worry. So can you.
For example:
Vinaigrettes are always 3:1, oil to vinegar. Simple and easy—no matter what kind of vinaigrette you plan to make, this simple ratio should help you make it—and the best part is that once you start making your own, you’ll never buy bottled salad dressing again. Mix up some balsamic with a nice olive oil and you’re done. Expand the idea a bit by adding some diced shallots or chopped herbs for a little added freshness and flavor.
Stocks are generally, 3:2, water to bones. Want to make your own chicken or beef stock? Next time you roast a chicken (or even get a rotisserie chicken from the supermarket) or cook a bone-in beef roast, save the bones. Then get a nice big pot (or use your crock pot), and add in 3 parts water to 2 parts of the bones from your old meal. That alone will get you a simple stock. As usual, you can doctor it up with salt, herbs, and other seasonings, but this basic ratio will hold true and net you a stock that’s good for anything.
Bread is generally 5:3, flour to water (plus yeast/baking powder and salt). Almost any bread dough follows this general ratio. You’ll also need to add salt (a pinch is enough for a small batch, but the general rule is about 2% of the weight of the flour) and yeast or baking powder for leavening (1 teaspoon for baking powder for every 5 ounces of flour, or 1 teaspoon of yeast for every 16 oz/1 lb of flour). From there, the sky’s the limit on the flavor or type of bread you want to make. You’re free to add herbs like rosemary or thyme for an herb bread, or lemon and poppy-seeds for a savory quick-bread.
Cannellini beans simmered in homemade chicken stock with olive oil, cooking chorizo, garlic, onions, red peppers, smoked paprika, saffron, kale and fresh rosemary..
Low in saturated fat and cholesterol with tons of Niacin, Vitamin B6, Dietary Fiber and Vitamin C, this winter vegetable is made sublime with the addition of spinach, specially-prepared bacon, red pepper flakes, pastured butter, sea salt, cracked pepper and freshly-grated nutmeg.
Boldly-flavored and satisfying, this dish is inexpensive and easy to make..
1 organic spaghetti squash (cucurbita pepo, squaghetti)
1-1/2 cups spinach, blanched and squeezed dry
4 oz thick-cut bacon
1 cup filtered water, boiling
olive oil as needed
sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons pastured butter
red pepper flakes to taste
Split the squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds and fibrous material as you would do before carving a pumpkin for Halloween.
Place the squash cut-side-up on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Mist with olive oil and season liberally with sea salt and cracked black pepper.
Place the squash in a 300 degree oven and roast slowly for 1-1/2 hours. Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees and continue to roast until squash begins to brown and char slightly, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside, keeping warm.
Meanwhile, prepare the bacon by cutting it into 1/2-inch strips and placing it in a heavy skillet set over medium high heat. Pour the boiling water over the bacon and allow to cook until the water is half gone.
Pour off the water and rendered fat and return the pan to medium-low heat. Cook the bacon until nicely browned, then remove from heat and set aside, keeping warm.
Melt the butter in a large saucepan set over medium heat.
Using the tines of a fork, shred the cooked squash into the pan with the butter, separating it as best you can.
Toss the squash so that its coated with the butter, then add the spinach and red pepper flakes and stir to combine.
Continue cooking and stirring the squash and spinach until heated through, then taste and adjust for salt and pepper.
Turn the squash out into serving bowls. Top with bacon (including some of the drippings) and just-grated nutmeg. Serve immediately.
“Spaghetti squash are relatively easy to grow, thriving in gardens or in containers.
The plants are monoecious, with male and female flowers on the same plant. Male flowers have long, thin stems that extend upwards from the vine. Female flowers are shorter, with a small round growth underneath the petals. This round growth turns into the squash if the flower is successfully pollinated.
Spaghetti squash plants may cross-pollinate with zucchini plants.”
Rarely seen in the US, these wild North Atlantic scallops with roe still attached are seared until opaque in a fiercely hot skillet with local, farm-fresh butter. The scallops are plated while black garlic, Louisiana shallots and bits of double-smoked bacon are sautéed and then quickly poured back over the top. Finished with a grind of black pepper and a few flakes of crunchy Fleur de Sel..
Roe-on Diver Scallops
A diver scallop is a sea scallop that has been hand-picked off a rock by a scuba diver. More ecologically friendly and less gritty than the boat-harvested variety, mature scallops are selected from areas with strong water currents, helping to assure that they have firm, plump flesh and nice color. Diver scallops also tend to be fresher, since they are shipped directly instead of being held in boats while they are sorted. (paraphrased from cookthink)
Fresh broccoli and cauliflower cut into small florets, then tossed in a mixture of coconut oil, chopped peanuts, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves and a pinch of blonde palm sugar. Oven roasted at high heat until fork tender and partially caramelized, then served over a curry of coconut milk, galangal, red chilies, star anise and coriander..
Thick, soft and chewy cookies made with organic peanut butter, pastured eggs, sea salt, freshly-ground sweet cinnamon, and much less sugar..
Flour-less Peanut Butter Cookies (makes about 2 dozen cookies, recipe adapted from Saveur Magazine)
2 cups organic peanut butter without added oil or sugar, creamy or chunky
1 cup granulated piloncillo or rapadura sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
2 large, pastured eggs at room temperature
1 teaspoon organic, pure vanilla extract
2 teaspoons aluminum-free baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground Sweet Cinnamon (True Cinnamon, Ceylon Cinnamon)
Cream together peanut butter and 1 cup of the sugar in a large glass bowl. Using a hand mixer at low speed, beat in eggs, vanilla, baking soda, salt and cinnamon until just combined. Mixture should be slightly grainy.
Using a small cookie scoop (or your hands), form mixture into 2-inch balls and place 4 inches apart on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet. Use the tines of a fork to flatten slightly, pressing a cross-hatch pattern into each cookie. Sprinkle with the remaining sugar.
Place the tray into an oven preheated to 350 degrees and baked until puffed and lightly browned on the edges. Allow to to stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before removing from tray.
Kept at room temperature, the cookies will remain soft for a day or two, assuming they last that long.
Pole-and-line-caught maguro (yellowfin, ahi tuna) from the pristine waters of Hawaii is seasoned simply with sea salt and cracked pepper, then seared over high heat for two minutes per side.
Served with a sweet and sour puree of pineapple and mango seasoned with tōgarashi (dried Japanese chili peppers) and a splash of fresh lime juice.
While yellowfin tuna is found throughout most of the world’s oceans, troll/pole-caught from U.S. waters are contain less mercury than the larger longline and purse seine-caught fish found in international waters. Hawaii enforces strict bycatch regulations, helping this fish to earn a “best choice” rating from Seafood Watch.
Gorgeous, pastured lamb from Menzie’s Farm in the Hill Country outside of Austin is misted with Texas olive oil and seasoned with sea salt and cracked black pepper, then flashed in a 500 degree oven for 10 minutes.
The lamb is then packed with a persillade-like mixture of fresh bread crumbs, melted butter and garlic with a bouquet garni of both fresh and dried herbs including rosemary, thyme, savory, marjoram, sage and tarragon.
Next, the lamb is roasted at 400 degrees until the internal temperature reaches 125 degrees (approximately 15-20 minutes), then removed from the oven and allowed to stand 15 minutes before being carved into double chops.
While the lamb rests, dried wild porcini mushrooms are soaked in just-boiled water enhanced with porcini powder, then strained into a pot containing brown stock and toasted shallots. The sauce is furiously reduced by a third and the mushrooms added and simmered for a couple of minutes before being finished with a spoonful of demi-glace and a knob of cold butter.
Served a perfect medium rare, this is one of my all-time favorite things to eat..
American lamb, especially those that are pastured and grass-fed, are generally milder/less gamey in flavor than those from New Zealand and Australia, with young lamb (less than 1 year old) being preferred for its tenderness.
A bounty of fresh garden vegetables including green bell peppers, tomatoes, onions, and celery, with loads of herbs and fresh spices like thyme, oregano, bay and cayenne.
Toss in a pound of Gulf blue crab and serve over steamed rice topped with garlic chives. Don’t forget the hot sauce!
I eat Créole whenever I have the chance, which is a lot. If you need it, here’s an easily adaptable recipe for the base.
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The Gulf of Mexico (Spanish: Golfo de México) is an ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In Texas and Louisiana it is often called the “Third Coast,” in comparison with the U.S. Atlantic and Pacific coasts. –Wikipedia
Fresh cauliflower is cut into florets, misted with olive oil and seasoned with sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper. Slow-roasted until tender-crisp and brown, then dressed with Buffalo sauce (equal proportions of Frank’s Hot Sauce and melted butter, with a dash of vinegar) and returned to the oven for a few more minutes to glaze.
Served hot with a cooling combination of crumbled bleu cheese, buttermilk, shaved celery, sour cream, chives, parsley and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice..
“Cauliflower is very low in Saturated Fat and Cholesterol. It is also a good source of Protein, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Magnesium and Phosphorus, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Vitamin B6, Folate, Pantothenic Acid, Potassium and Manganese.” –NutritionData
Wild Alaskan halibut seared in clarified butter and topped with spiced lemon confit, English peas and fresh parsley, cracked pepper and crunchy sea salt..
For the Lemon Confit (Saveur Magazine)
2 lemons
1-1/2 cups extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon cracked coriander seeds
1 teaspoon cracked fennel seeds
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed red chile flakes
2 bay leaves
Halve lemons crosswise and squeeze their juice into a bowl; set juice aside.
Thinly slice juiced lemons crosswise and transfer lemons, reserved juice, and remaining ingredients to a 1-qt. saucepan over high heat. Bring mixture to a simmer, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.
Remove pan from heat; let cool. Transfer lemon confit to a glass jar, cover, and refrigerate. Confit will keep, refrigerated, for 3 weeks.
For the Halibut and Peas
2 wild Alaskan halibut filets, skinned, about 5-6 ounces each
2 tablespoons clarified butter
1 cup English peas, shelled
fine sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
coarse sea salt for finishing
Gently rinse the halibut in cold water, pat dry and season lightly on both sides with salt and pepper.
Meanwhile, heat the butter in a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat until shimmering.
Carefully slide the halibut filets into the hot pan and sear without moving for 3 minutes.
Use a fish spatula to carefully turn the filets over and cook another 3 minutes (depending on thickness), basting all the while with the butter from the pan (the fish is done when it becomes opaque and easily separates into large flakes). Transfer fish to warm dinner plates.
Quickly sauté the peas in the fish pan until just done, about 2-3 minutes.
Spoon some lemon confit over the fish, then spoon the peas on top of that.
Finish with coarse sea salt and parsley and serve immediately.
Pacific halibut is a bottom-dwelling groundfish that nestles into the sandy seafloor, often seen with only its eyes and mouth uncovered. Primarily found in the coastal North Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea, it migrates hundreds of miles from shallow coastal waters to the deep, open ocean to spawn in winter. Most return, year after year, to the same coastal feeding grounds.
Most Pacific halibut are caught in Alaska where fishing for Pacific halibut is strictly limited to the bottom longlining method, which causes little habitat damage or bycatch. Pacific halibut is also caught using troll lines and bottom trawl nets. —Seafood Watch
Organic, stone-ground grits with fresh jalapeños, charred onions and sharp cheddar, topped with a smoked sausage link and red enchilada sauce..
For the Grits
1/2 cup organic, stone-ground grits
1/2 cup yellow onion, chopped
2 medium jalapeños, optionally seeded, chopped
1-1/2 cups stock or filtered water
1/2 cup fresh, whole milk
1-1/2 cups sharp, raw cheddar, grated
1 tablespoon butter
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
Dry-roast the onion and peppers in a cast iron skillet until partially charred, about 10 minutes. Set aside.
Bring the stock or water to a low boil and slowly whisk in the grits. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring continuously until nearly done, about 20 minutes.
Add the butter and milk and stir to combine. Simmer 5 minutes, stirring continuously.
Remove from heat and add cheese. Stir until melted.
Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve immediately.
Perhaps most familiar to Americans as a component of gumbo, this West African plant happens to be a high-fiber, fat and cholesterol-free source of vitamin C, folate, calcium and potassium. High in antioxidants, this health food is also popular in weight loss diets.
When cooked, okra can be quite mucilaginous (gooey), which some people find off-putting. In response, this recipe results in a crispy, non-gooey dish of delicious goodness..
For the Rice
1 cup germinated brown rice, rinsed and drained
1-1/2 tablespoons pastured butter
2-1/2 cups homemade chicken or vegetable stock
1-1/2 teaspoons celery seed
2 tablespoons fresh oregano
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
Heat the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan until bubbling, then add the rice. Stir to coat each grain with fat, then cook and stir until lightly browned, about 2-3 minutes.
Add the stock and celery seed and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until tender, about 45 minutes. Remove from heat, add oregano and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and hold for service.
For the Tomatoes, Onions and Peppers
1-1/2 cups fresh heirloom tomatoes, cut into large chunks
3/4 cup yellow onion, cut into 1/2 to 3/4-inch pieces
1/2 cup fresh banana peppers, trimmed and sliced
olive oil for misting
sea salt and smoked black pepper
Line an oven-proof pan with foil or parchment paper.
Arrange vegetables around pan and mist with olive oil. Season with salt and smoked black pepper.
Place pan in 425 degree oven and roast until slightly blackened, about 30 minutes.
For the Okra
3/4 pound fresh okra, washed and trimmed
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning (typically paprika, garlic, black pepper, red pepper, caraway, dill and cumin)
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
olive oil for misting
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, reserved
Arrange the okra on a rack set inside a cookie sheet. Lightly mist the okra with olive oil and dust liberally with Cajun seasoning.
Season with salt and pepper, then place the pan in a 425 degree oven and roast until tips and edges begin to brown, about 15 minutes.
Remove okra from roasting pan and add to the tomato mixture. Toss and turn, return pan to oven and roast another 7-8 minutes.
To Serve
Spoon rice into serving bowls, then top with roasted vegetables. Drizzle with lemon and pan juices and serve immediately.
Generations of of French, African and Spanish heritage come together in this classic Louisiana preparation featuring fresh Gulf shrimp, homegrown tomatoes, onions, celery and green bell peppers.
I like to use stock-simmered, germinated brown rice instead of the traditional boiled white rice, lots of fresh oregano and thyme, green onions and celery.
My version is thicker than gumbo (a natural reduction vs. roux) and spicier than jambalaya (fresh cayenne andTabasco peppers), shrimp Creole is one of those deceptively simple dishes that are lately difficult to find well-made outside of the local parishes..
Onions, fresh garlic and ginger are quickly fried in olive oil along with fennel and mustard seeds, coriander, turmeric root powder, fresh curry leaves and Tellicherry black pepper.
Rinsed urad dal (split black lentils) and chana dal (split black chickpeas) are added to the pan and simmered for about an hour and a half in homemade vegetable stock. Chopped fresh tomatoes are added during the last 20 minutes, with chopped fresh cilantro added just before service.
The dish is topped with oil-fried fresh green beans and red chilies, with some of the hot oil drizzled over the top.
Low in cholesterol and high in protein, this easy, inexpensive dish is full of flavor and very satisfying..
For the Vegetable Stock (adapted from a recipe Gourmet magazine)
1/2 lb portabella mushrooms, caps and stems cut into 1-inch pieces
1 lb shallots, left unpeeled, quartered
1 lb carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 red bell peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces
6 fresh flat-leaf parsley sprigs (including stems)
5 fresh thyme sprigs
4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup dry white wine
2 fresh bay laurel leaves
1 cup fresh tomatoes, diced
2 qt filtered water
Preheat oven to 425°F.
Toss together mushrooms, shallots, carrots, bell peppers, parsley and thyme sprigs, garlic, and oil in a large flameproof roasting pan. Roast in middle of oven, turning occasionally, until vegetables are golden, 30 to 40 minutes.
Transfer vegetables with slotted spoon to a tall narrow 6-quart stockpot. Set roasting pan across 2 burners, then add wine and deglaze pan by boiling over moderate heat, stirring and scraping up brown bits, 2 minutes. Transfer to stockpot and add bay leaves, tomatoes, and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 45 minutes. Pour through a large fine sieve into a large bowl, pressing on and discarding solids, then season with salt and pepper. Skim off fat. Use within 1 week or freeze up to 3 months.
Originally a peasant dish (perhaps of stewing hen or rooster) from the Abruzzo region in Italy, Americans were likely first introduced to this classic in a 1969 article from the New York Times.
My riff on America’s Test Kitchen’s modern adaptation (see video below) uses locally pastured chicken thighs, prosciutto, garlic, fresh herbs, chicken stock and white wine, all served over fennel-scented brown rice with toasted shallots and flat-leaf parsley..
Pollo Canzanese (serves 2-4)
4 large skin-on, bone-in, pastured chicken breasts
2 ounces prosciutto, cut into 1/4-inch dice
2-3 cloves garlic, slivered (not minced)
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 teaspoons sprouted wheat or spelt flour
1-1/4 cups dry white wine
3/4 cup homemade chicken stock
2 bay leaves (fresh preferred)
2 sprigs rosemary, stripped, leaves chopped (reserve the stems)
8 leaves fresh sage
3 whole cloves
juice of 1/2 fresh lemon
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon cultured butter, cold
freshly-cracked black pepper
Rinse chicken and pat dry. Refrigerate, uncovered 4 hours or overnight to help ensure a crispy skin when cooked.
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add prosciutto and sauté until lightly brown, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute more. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the prosciutto and garlic to a side dish.
Return the pan to the heat and add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Once the oil is shimmering, season the chicken with pepper and place in the hot oil skin-side down. Allow the chicken to cook without moving until golden brown, about 5-6 minutes. Turn the chicken over cook another 5 minutes, again without moving. Transfer the chicken to a side dish.
Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of olive oil/fat, reserving the remainder for the rice.
Sprinkle the flour into the pan and whisk continuously to form a light roux, about 1 minute.
De-glaze the pan with the wine, taking care to scrape up all the brown bits (the fond) from the bottom.
Add the cooked prosciutto and garlic back into the pan along with the bay leaves, sage, cloves, rosemary stems (without leaves) and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine.
Add the chicken to the pan, making sure that the volume of liquid is sufficient to rise to a point just below the crisp chicken skin. Pour a little liquid off if there’s too much, or add a little stock if there isn’t enough.
Place the uncovered pan into a 325 degree oven and cook until the chicken is fork tender, about 1 hour.
Toast the fennel in a heavy-bottomed saucepan set over medium heat until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add the reserved oil/fat and shallots and cook until lightly browned, about 2 minutes.
Add the rice and stir to coat.
Add the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until done, about 45 minutes.
To Finish and Serve
Remove the pan with the chicken from the oven. Transfer the chicken to a platter and cover with foil.
Working quickly, put the chicken pan on the burner over medium-high heat. Pick out and discard the cloves, sage, bay and rosemary stems.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the lemon juice, chopped rosemary leaves, parsley and butter and whisk until smooth.
Line a platter with the rice and ladle the sauce over the rice. Place the cooked chicken on top of the rice, drizzle with a little of the sauce and serve piping hot.
“…if there’s one preparation that separates a great home cook’s from a good home cook’s food, it’s stock. Stock is the ingredient that most distinguishes restaurant cooking from home cooking.” -Michael Ruhlman
Here, then, is a proper yet relatively easy way to make a rich and delicious beef stock at home..
Beef Stock (makes about 1 quart) (informed by recipes by Ruhlman and Darina Allen)
6 cups (more-or-less) cold, filtered water, divided
2 pounds meaty beef bones (shin bones with meat attached are ideal) from a clean, non-industrial source
1/3 pound unpeeled yellow onions, roughly chopped
1/3 pound carrots, roughly chopped
1/3 pound celery, roughly chopped
5 cloves garlic, unpeeled
1 large fresh, ripe tomato, cut into wedges
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
2-3 whole cloves
1 bouquet garni of parsley stalks & leaves, fresh bay leaves and fresh thyme
Arrange the beef bones on a roasting pan or in a large cast iron skillet, allowing plenty of space between each (as you can see, I wasn’t able to find any bones with meat attached, so I rummaged around in the freezer and found an old tri-tip to add to the pan). Place the pan in a 400 degree oven and roast until nicely browned, about 45 minutes. Take care not to let the bones burn, or the stock will be bitter.
Remove the pan from the oven and scatter the chopped vegetables, garlic and peppercorns over and around the bones. Return the pan to the oven and roast until the vegetables are browned around the edges, about 20 minutes.
Transfer the roasted bones, vegetables, garlic and peppercorns to a clean stockpot or Dutch oven.
Pour the grease off from the roasting pan and deglaze with 1 cup of the water. Bring the water to a boil, then use a wood utensil to scrape up the fond (the brown bits) from the bottom of the pan. Pour the liquid over the bones and vegetables in the stock pot.
Add enough of the remaining water to cover the bones, then add the cloves and bouquet garni.
Bring the pot to a rapid boil, then lower the heat to a bare simmer. Skim and discard any foam that may be present on the surface.
Partially cover the pot and allow to simmer for 6-8 hours, skimming and adding water as necessary to keep the bone submerged.
Turn off the heat and allow the stock to cool in the pot for 30 minutes. Strain the stock through a cheesecloth-lined fine mesh strainer to ensure a clear and clean-tasting stock.
Store stock in the refrigerator and use with 3-4 days, or freeze for up to 6 months.
Pastured veal sautéed with fresh crimini mushrooms and cipollini onions, simmered in a reduction of port wine, bone broth, shallots and demi-glace, flavored with fresh English thyme and cracked black pepper..
Sauté quartered brown mushrooms and small cipolline onions (about 1/4 pound of each) in a tablespoon of clarified butter in a heavy skillet until amazing-looking, about 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer vegetables to a side dish.
Return skillet to temp, add a little more butter and quickly sear a pound 1-1/4-inch cubes until well browned on the edges, but still rare on the inside. Transfer to the side to keep company with the vegetables, leaving the skillet on the burner.
De-glaze the skillet with about 1/3 cup of a good quality port wine, scraping up all the fond (the brown bits on the bottom of the pan, i.e. the best part!) with a wooden utensil.
Add a cup and a half of good roasted bone stock, 1/2 tablespoon of minced shallots and a loose tablespoon of fresh thyme. Bring to a boil then lower to a fast simmer and cook until reduced in volume by half (patience shall reward).
Return the veal, mushroom and onions to the pan and add a tablespoon and a half of demi-glace. Simmer slowly, stirring constantly until the sauce is thick and the veal is just heated through (still a little pink on the inside), maybe 5 minutes.
Off the heat, whisk a tablespoon of cold, cultured butter into the sauce, taste for salt and pepper and serve hot with a favorite side (French beans or asparagus, perhaps).
Inch-and-1/2-thick pork porterhouse steaks (New York and filet attached) are seasoned with sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper, then quickly seared over an open fire before being slathered in a rich red chile sauce flavored with toasted cumin, coriander and garlic, with coffee beans, guajillo honey, cloves and fresh lime juice. The chops are dressed with toasted corn, fresh avocado and slivered radishes..
4 large dried New Mexico chiles, stemmed and seeded
2 cups boiling water
1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
2 teaspoons whole coriander seeds
2 cloves garlic, peeled
3-4 whole cloves
1 heaping tablespoon whole coffee beans
1-1/2 tablespoons fermented ketchup
2 teaspoons raw cider vinegar
1 tablespoon (more or less) guajillo honey
1 tablespoon freshly-squeezed lime juice
fine sea salt to taste
Toast chiles, cumin, coriander, garlic and coffee in a dry comal or heavy skillet over medium-low heat until the chiles are pliant and the coriander begins to pop, about 5 minutes.
Put the toasted chiles and cloves into a bowl and cover with boiling water. Allow to stand 20 minutes.
Transfer soaked chiles, cloves, cumin, coriander, garlic and coffee to the bowl of a food processor. Add the ketchup, vinegar, honey and lime juice and process until thoroughly combined.
With the blade of the food processor spinning, slowly pour in enough of the chile soaking water until the sauce is thinned enough to barely coat the back of a spoon.
Season the sauce to taste with sea salt and if necessary, adjust the bitterness with just a little more honey.
Hold for service.
To assemble, season pork chops with salt and pepper and allow to stand at room temperature while you prepare your grill in the usual fashion (I like to use charcoal and soaked mesquite wood chunks).
Once the grill is seriously hot, place the chops on the lightly-oiled grate and sear 3-4 minutes without moving (to get great grill marks and to help prevent sticking). Turn the chops over and grill another 3-4 minutes, again without moving.
Move the chops to the cooler side of the grill and baste heavily with adobada sauce. Cover the grill and roast chops for 10 minutes. Turn the chops over, baste and cover for another 5 minutes.
Transfer chops to a serving platter and dress with toasted corn, avocado, slivered radishes and a spoonful of adobada sauce.
Locally-pastured chicken breast halves (off-the-bone, skin removed) are marinated overnight in a mixture of mango juice, fresh ginger, sea salt & cracked black pepper, then dredged in coconut flour, dipped in egg wash and breaded with toasted panko. While the chicken is baking (about 30 minutes at 350 degrees), a gastrique of fresh mango, cultured butter, chicken stock and champagne vinegar is reduced and blended for the accompanying sauce. The finished plate is dressed with toasted coconut and slivered scallions..
Maine lobster, sweet corn, scallions and parsley in a fritter batter of fresh cream, sprouted flour and pastured egg. Seasoned with sea salt and lemon pepper, served with red chili paste and fresh lime..
Makes 4-6 4-inch Cakes (basic fritter batter based on a recipe by Michael Ruhlman)
1 cup lobster meat, blanched, cooled and coarsely chopped
1 cup organic sweet corn (no GMOs here!)
2 fresh scallions, slivered
1-1/2 tablespoons parsley, chopped, rinsed and squeezed dry
1/4 cup sprouted flour
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper
1 tablespoon aluminum-free baking powder
2 ounces fresh cream
2 ounces lobster stock
1 egg
oil for frying
Stir lobster, corn, scallions and parsley together in a bowl.
Combine flour, salt, pepper and baking powder together in another bowl.
Whisk together cream, lobster stock and egg in a third bowl.
Pour flour mixture into cream mixture and whisk until smooth (batter will be very thick).
Pour just enough fritter batter over the lobster mixture to hold it together. You may not need all of the batter.
Heat 1/4-inch of oil over medium heat in a wide, heavy-bottomed skillet until a flicked drop of water pops, then carefully drop quarter cupfuls of batter around pan, flattening slightly with the back of a spoon.
Shallow fry cakes until golden brown on both sides, then transfer to a side plate to drain for a moment before serving hot with your choice of condiments (I like red chili & lime).
Locally pastured pork butt and chopped yellow onions are browned in a bit of pure leaf lard, then slowly simmered for hours in a base of homemade chicken stock with roasted tomatillos, jalapeños, poblanos and garlic. Seasoned with toasted cumin & coriander, Mexican oregano, sea salt and cracked black pepper..
Chili Verde may be served with any number of toppings or accompaniments; grated cheese, diced onions, and sour cream are common toppings, as are broken saltine crackers, corn chips, cornbread or rolled-up corn or flour tortillas, though I often just serve it as-is alongside of pot of Frijoles charros.
While “there are as many gumbo recipes as there are cooks”, one of my favorite preparations includes freshly-shucked gulf oysters and hand-made andouille sausage from LaPlace, Louisiana along with the usual suspects of chocolate-brown roux cooked down with onions, garlic, green pepper and celery. There’s some fresh okra and tomato in there, with plenty of cayenne, fresh thyme and oregano as well.
I like to use sprouted brown rice instead of the traditional white rice, adding in the salty-sea liquor from the oysters in place of some of the water..
Tender baby Brussels sprouts get the royal treatment.. pan-roasted in bacon fat with onions and lightly drizzled with champagne vinegar, then bathed in seasoned Béchamel and topped with shredded Cantal entre deux, hickory-smoked bacon and fresh breadcrumbs with parsley..
For the Béchamel
2-1/2 cups fresh, whole milk
2 ounces cold roux blanc (recipe follows)
a pinch of freshly-grated nutmeg
fine sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
Heat the milk in a heavy-bottomed sauce pan until simmering, then whisk in bits of roux one at a time, incorporating each one before adding the next. This will help to ensure that the sauce is creamy and without lumps. Add the nutmeg and season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat, cover and set aside.
For the Roux Blanc
3 ounces organic flour (can use soaked or sprouted flour if desired)
2 ounces clarified butter or ghee
Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed sauce pan over medium heat then whisk in the flour. Continue whisking and cooking until past the raw flour taste and completely smooth in texture, maybe 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Rinse the Brussels sprouts in cold water, then peel off the outermost layer of leaves and trim off the stem. Split the larger sprouts in half lengthwise, leaving the smallest ones whole.
Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a skillet until well-browned and crisp, then transfer to the side to drain and pour of all but about 1 tablespoon of the the fat.
Add the Brussels sprouts and butter to the pan and cook until the cut edges begin to brown. Add the onion and continue to cook, stirring often until the onions are brown and the Brussels sprout are crisp/tender, maybe 8 minute. Remove from heat, add vinegar and toss to coat.
Use a slotted spoon the transfer the cooked vegetables to a casserole dish and pour the béchamel over the top.
Add a layer of shredded Cantal, then arrange bacon pieces over the top.
Add a light layer of fresh breadcrumbs and chopped parsley.
Place casserole in a 375 degree oven and cook until brown and bubbling, about 15 minutes. Serve hot.
Brussels sprouts are a good source of Riboflavin, Iron, Magnesium and Phosphorus, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Thiamin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Potassium and Manganese.
A seasonal, Franco-Italian dish of fresh cauliflower, EVOO, homegrown garlic and thyme and the zest & juice from a Meyer lemon. Topped with sea salt, cracked pepper and local sprouts. Slightly crisp on the outside, with a luxurious, creamy interior. Look for the recipe in the comment section at the bottom of this post..
From Wikipedia..
Cauliflower has a long history. François Pierre La Varenne employed it in Le cuisinier françois after it had been introduced to France from Genoa in the 16th century. Cauliflower is featured in Olivier de Serres’ Théâtre de l’agriculture (1600), as cauli-fiori “as the Italians call it, which are still rather rare in France; they hold an honorable place in the garden because of their delicacy”, but they did not commonly appear on grand tables until the time of Louis XIV.
Cauliflower is low in fat, low in carbs but high in dietary fiber, folate, water, and vitamin C, possessing a high nutritional density.
Cauliflower contains several phytochemicals, common in the cabbage family, that may be beneficial to human health.
Sulforaphane, a compound released when cauliflower is chopped or chewed, may protect against cancer.
Other glucosinolates
Carotenoids
Indole-3-carbinol, a chemical that enhances DNA repair and acts as an estrogen antagonist, slowing the growth of cancer cells.
Boiling reduces the levels of these compounds, with losses of 20–30% after five minutes, 40–50% after ten minutes, and 75% after thirty minutes. However, other preparation methods, such as steaming, microwaving, and stir frying, had no significant effect on the compounds.
A high intake of cauliflower has been associated with reduced risk of aggressive prostate cancer.
100g of cauliflower contains the following nutritional information according to the USDA:
A simple, classic Roman preparation of fresh broccoli sautéed in olive oil with loads of garlic and red pepper flakes, finished with Mediterranean sea salt, freshly-ground black pepper and a few shreds of soft Bel Paese.
Highly nutritious and pretty seriously delicious..
Dark red kidney beans in a curry of fresh ginger, onions, garlic, tomatoes and chilies with toasted cumin and coriander, turmeric and cilantro, served over a bed of green tea-germinated brown rice..
Germinated brown rice is approximately 10-20 times higher in protein and amino acids (including GABA) than white rice. Soaking the rice in freshly-brewed green tea adds a pleasing flavor and increases the medicinal value. It also helps to prevent the rice from spoiling during its 18-24 hour germination period.
For more information about germinated brown rice, please see this excellent article at Kitchen Stewardship
Locally pastured chicken breasts are skinned and boned, then dusted in rice flour and quickly shallow-fried in peanut oil until golden in color. The chicken is then placed in a hot oven for about 15 minutes, basted twice with a mixture of wild honey, fermented tamari, Shichimi tōgarashi and a pinch of sea salt. The finished chicken is served over organic black rice noodles and topped with chopped peanuts. The whole dish is gluten-free..
“Dating at least to the 17th century, Shichimi tōgarashi (Japanese: 七味唐辛子, “seven flavor chili pepper”) is a common Japanese spice mixture containing seven ingredients:
coarsely ground red chili pepper (the main ingredient)
ground sansho (Sichuan pepper)
roasted orange peel
black sesame seed
white sesame seed hemp seed
ground ginger
nori or aonori
Some recipes may substitute or supplement these with poppy seed, yuzu peel, rape seed or shiso.
Shichimi should be distinguished from ichimi togarashi (一味唐辛子), which is simply ground red chili pepper, and means literally “one flavor chili pepper” (ichi meaning “one”).” –Wikipedia
Organic couscous is simmered in homemade vegetable stock with Ras el Hanout until light and fluffy, then served with a medley of roasted carrots, onions, green and orange bell peppers and the season’s last ripe tomato. Topped with a dollop of harissa for a little kick..
While I try to eat at least one homemade meal every day, I don’t always have the time or inclination to blog about it. Still, I’m interested in keeping up with my food journal one way or another, so I’ll often post a picture (sometimes with the recipe) to a photo sharing site. If you’re interested in seeing these, just follow me on Twitter for announcements, or jump straight to the pictures on Mobypicture. Here’s a sample from the other day..
Loaded with protein, omega 3’s and life-giving amino acids, this hearty and delicious soup has just a few carefully selected ingredients. Perfect fare on a cold winter’s eve..
Peel and cut 1 medium Yukon gold potato into 1/2-inch dice. Place in a pot and barely cover with light chicken (or fish, vegetable) stock and bring to a low boil. Cook until the stock has thickened with potato starch and the potatoes are very nearly done. Turn off the heat and keep warm.
Cut a couple of thick slices of hardwood smoked bacon into 1-inch lengths and cook over medium-low heat until the fat has rendered and the bacon is crisp. Transfer the bacon to a side dish to drain, leaving the fat in the pan.
Add about 1 cup each of diced yellow onions, diced carrots and bias-cut celery to the pan with the bacon fat and cook without browning until al dente.
Meanwhile, remove the skin from 6 or 8 ounces of wild Alaskan salmon filets, tear into large chunks and set aside.
Add the potatoes and their cooking water to the pan and simmer for 5 minutes.
Add the salmon and 1/2 cup of heavy cream to the pan, stir and simmer until the base has thickened and the salmon is just cooked through, about 8 minutes.
Add chopped fresh parsley and a squeeze of fresh Meyer lemon juice and stir to combine. Simmer for one last minute, then season to taste with freshly-ground black pepper.
Ladle soup into warm bowls, top with pieces of bacon and finish with a few flakes of black sea salt.
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Pastured veal rib-eye steaks are dry-marinated with sea salt, garlic and herbs, then lightly coated with freshly-cracked black pepper and seared in a very hot, dry cast iron pan. The streaks are finished in a 500 degree oven and served with fresh herbs and a rich, brandied demi-glace with chanterelle mushrooms..
Chocolate-colored roux, the Cajun/Creole “holy trinity” of red bell pepper, celery and roux, homemade shrimp stock, pecan wood-smoked Andouille, fresh crab and oysters..
1/2 cup organic, all-purpose flour
4 ounces pastured butter
1 Spanish onion, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 fresh bay leaf
5 cups homemade shrimp stock (substitute chicken stock)
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 jalapeno, minced
1/2 pound fresh okra, sliced 1/4 inch thick
3 large tomatoes, finely chopped
1 pound andouille sausage, sliced 1/4 inch thick
3 cups bottled clam juice
1 pound lump crabmeat, picked over
2 dozen shucked oysters and their liquor
3 tablespoons organic Worcestershire sauce
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch dice
3 tablespoons filé powder (divided)
3 large celery ribs, cut into 1/2-inch dice
sea salt and black pepper
parsley, chopped for garnish
green onions, sliced for garnish
In a large pot, stir the flour and butter until smooth. Cook over moderate heat, stirring every 45 seconds, until the roux turns a rich brown color, about 20 minutes.
Add the Andouille, celery, onion, red pepper, jalapeno, garlic, okra, thyme, bay leaf and half of the filé powder and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.
Add the stock, clam juice, Worcestershire and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Stir in the remaining filé powder and add the crab, oysters and their liquor. Season with salt and pepper and simmer gently for 1 minute to just cook the oysters. Serve the gumbo with rice or bread.
Not the same recipe, but who doesn’t miss Justin Wilson?
Free-range, pastured American bison, onions, garlic, chilies, homemade stock and a selection of herbs and spices simmered on the back burner for hours..
For the All-Important Stock
2 pounds meaty, cross-cut oxtail
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup onions, chopped
2/3 cup celery, chopped
2/3 cup carrots, chopped
1 cup Madeira
8 cups cold, filtered water
3 cloves garlic, smashed
1/2 tablespoon peppercorns
1-1/2 tablespoons fresh thyme
Scatter the chopped vegetables in a cast iron skillet. Place the oxtail sections over the vegetables and top each with a spoonful of tomato paste, then place the skillet in a 350 degree oven and roast until the meat is brown, the tomato paste has caramelized and the fat has rendered, about 75 minutes.
Use a slotted spoon to transfer the meat and vegetables to a heavy-bottomed stock pot, leaving the fat behind. Pour in the wine and enough cold water to cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and skim off any foam. Add the garlic, peppercorns and thyme and slowly simmer until reduced in volume by half, about 6 hours.
Strain the stock through a fine mesh strainer and store in clean glass jars for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 1 year.
For the Chili
1 pound bison stew meat
1-1/2 cups onions, chopped
2 tablespoons beef tallow
1 teaspoon cracked cumin seeds
2 teaspoons cracked coriander seeds
1 quart brown stock, divided (from recipe above)
1 14.5 ounce can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup New Mexico chili powder
1/4 cup smoked paprika
1 tablespoon Mexican oregano
1 teaspoon chipotle powder
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1/2 tablespoon granulated piloncillo (optional; use if the chili powder tastes bitter)
1/2 teaspoon cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon dried lemon peel, crushed (cuts through the fat and brightens the dish)
Melt the tallow in a Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add the meat without crowding (you may need to do this in batches) and brown on all sides. Add the onions, cumin and coriander and cook 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add 2 cups stock, tomatoes, paprika, chili powders and oregano and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the bison is tender, about 1-1/2 hours. Add remaining stock a little at a time as the chili reduces and thickens.
Add the piloncillo, cocoa and lemon peel, stir and simmer 20 minutes.
Ladle finished chili into bowls, top with Queso Manchego and chopped cilantro and serve immediately.
Help make a difference! Please pledge to use only Animal Welfare Approved products in your recipes this winter.
Quite similar to the French classic Blanquette de veau à l’ancienne popularized in America by Julia Child, this preparation features ethically-raised, pastured veal, brown mushrooms, garlic, onions, demi-glace, Madeira wine, heavy cream and fresh thyme. Serve over smashed potatoes or egg noodles..
“Veal usually comes from the male dairy calf or Bob calves, mostly of the Holstein breed. The meat is delicate in flavor, firm, fine grained and of a light pink color. A good Ossobucco con Polenta, made of veal shank, and accompanied by a glass of robust Sangiovese wine, can be the perfect meal for a cold winter evening.
Organic and industrial farming methods of raising the calves differ:
In factory farms, calves are raised indoors in small individual pens and fed intensively and exclusively on milk substitutes with plenty of antibiotics added in for good measure. Herbaceous food is excluded from their diets, resulting in iron deficiency which produces the “desirable” almost white meat of most supermarket veal.
Organically raised calves are fed with their mothers’ milk; fresh, whole and still warm from the cow. After the calves are two weeks old they are kept outdoors (weather permitting), untethered and in small groups of 4-8 where they have adequate space for exercise and social contact with other calves.
Calves will want to pasture when outdoors, which is only natural as grass provides iron and vitamins which they need to grow healthy.
The meat of pastured veal will not be as white as ordinary veal, but that’s a small price to pay for supporting farms that raise healthy and happy calves. ” –LocalHarvest
Related articles
British veal is back on the menu (telegraph.co.uk)
Recipe: Veal Shank With Shallots and Chanterelles – Recipe (nytimes.com)
Thick-cut, locally pastured Red Wattle pork chops are marinated overnight in fresh apple juice, garlic, sage, sea salt and black pepper, then grilled over an open wood fire to medium doneness. The tender, moist chops are served with a glaze of caramelized onions and apples with a side of roasted baby Brussels sprouts with croûtons..
“The Red Wattle hog is a large, red hog with a fleshy, decorative, wattle attached to each side of its neck that has no known function. The origin and history of the Red Wattle breed is considered scientifically obscure, though many different ancestral stories are known. One theory is that the French colonists brought the Red Wattle Hogs to the United States from New Caledonia Island off the coast of Australia in the late 1700’s. As they adapted well to the land, the Red Wattle quickly became a popular breed in the US.
Unfortunately, as settlers moved west, the breed began to fall out of favor because settlers came into contact with breeds that boasted a higher fat content, which was important for lard and soap. Red Wattles were left to roam the hills of eastern Texas, where they were hunted to near extinction, until Mr. H.C. Wengler came across a herd in the dense forest and began breeding them into what they are today. Five year later, in a similar incident, Robert Prentice located another herd of Red Wattle hogs, which became known as the Timberline herd, after its wooded origins in eastern Texas…
Red Wattle pork is exceptionally lean and juicy with a rich beef-like taste and texture.” –Slow Food USA
Homemade pizza, that is. Roasted fresh red peppers, tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil and heirloom garlic, thinly-sliced Soppressata di Puglia, fresh mozzarella and Texas-grown Albahaca basil, all on a thin, crisp cornmeal crust. Sea salt and cracked black pepper..
A classic dish of wild-caught Gulf shrimp with lots of fresh celery, onions, garlic and green peppers in a base of tomatoes, shrimp stock, fresh thyme, parsley and oregano, cayenne, black pepper and sea salt..
Shrimp à la Creole (adapted from a recipe at nolacuisine.com)
2 pounds fresh shrimp (save shells to make shrimp stock)
2 tablespoons pastured butter
1 tablespoon bacon grease
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
2 ribs celery, finely chopped
1 small green pepper, finely chopped
2 tablespoons creole seasoning
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2-1/2 cups very ripe fresh tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 cups shrimp stock
2 tablespoons garlic, minced
2 fresh bay leaves
cayenne to taste
sea salt to taste
1 tablespoon freshly-ground black pepper
1 teaspoon freshly-ground white pepper
1 bunch fresh thyme
1/4 cup fresh oregano leaves
2 tablespoons Tabasco
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup green onions, green tops thinly sliced, white part sliced into 1/4″ thickness
1/8 cup flat leaf parsley, minced
Melt the butter in a large sauce pan with the bacon grease over medium high heat. When the butter begins to froth, add 1/2 cup of the onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are golden brown. Add the remaining onions, celery, and bell pepper, reduce the heat to medium and season with 1 tbsp creole seasoning and a healthy pinch of salt. Sweat the vegetables until soft.
Add the tomato paste mixing well, and cook, stirring constantly, until the paste begins to brown, then add the fresh tomatoes and another healthy pinch of sea salt (this will help the tomatoes break down). Stir well.
When the tomatoes start to break down into liquid add the white wine and bring to a low boil. Add the shrimp stock, remaining creole seasoning, garlic, bay leaves, black pepper, white pepper, cayenne (to taste), oregano and thyme. Simmer for 30-45 minutes.
Add the hot sauce and Worcestershire and season to taste with sea salt.
Reduce the heat to low and add the shrimp, simmering until just cooked through.
Serve with boiled rice and garnish with the remaining green onions and parsley.
Our Gulf friends are still struggling to recover from last summer’s devastating oil spill. Please support them at every opportunity!
Inch-thick filets of fresh grouper are gently poached at exactly 120 degrees in top quality Spanish olive oil, thinly-sliced Meyer lemon, fresh Italian parsley and imported caper berries. Freshly-ground black pepper and crunchy sea salt top off this Mediterranean-inspired, velvet-textured dish..
Deceptively simple, the key to success in poaching fish this way lies in ensuring that the olive oil is kept at a constant temperature throughout the entire process (about 15 minutes to pre-heat, and another 10-15 minutes to cook over low heat). Use an instant-read thermometer to keep the temperature as close to 120 degrees as you can; if the oil is too hot the fish will be tough and the flavors will lose their delicate balance.
“…Groupers, widely distributed in warm seas, are characteristically large-mouthed, rather heavy-bodied fishes that tend to remain in discrete areas. Some are very large fishes, attaining a length and weight of about 2 metres (6 feet) and 225 kilograms (500 pounds)—in some instances reportedly much more. Groupers are often dully coloured in greens or browns, but a number are brighter, more boldly patterned fishes. Some, such as the Nassau grouper (Epinephelus striatus), are noted for their ability to change from one to any of a number of other colour patterns. Also, in many species, such as the blackfin and yellowfin groupers (Mycteroperca bonaci and M. venenosa), individuals inhabiting deeper waters are much redder than those living near shore. Groupers are protogynous hermaphrodites; that is, they first function as females and later transform into males. Groupers are prime food fishes and also provide sport for anglers and spearfishers…” –Encyclopedia Britannica
Organic macaroni, extra sharp Vermont white cheddar, extra sharp Wisconsin yellow cheddar, caramelized onions, heirloom garlic, smoked ham, roasted poblano peppers and local, pastured half & half. Seasoned with sea salt, black pepper and Piment d’Espelette, topped with fresh breadcrumbs and baked until golden brown and bubbly..
Similar to the traditional Pozole Rojo, this thick stew features leftover roast pork shoulder that has been cubed and simmered in stock with heirloom pozole, toasted cumin, cracked coriander, canella and Mexican oregano, with roasted tomatoes, onions, garlic and fresh chilies. Topped with crispy fried corn tortilla strips..
1 pound (more or less) leftover roast pork (including some fat), cut into 3/4-inch cubes
4 cups homemade smoked pork/chicken stock
1-1/2 cups fresh yellow pozole (hominy)
1 tablespoon whole coriander seeds, toasted and cracked
1 teaspoon whole cumin seed, toasted and cracked
1 2-inch piece canella
1 large Spanish onion, coarsely chopped
2 large fresh tomatoes, cored and wedged
3-4 large, fresh Anaheim peppers
1/2 head of garlic, unpeeled
2 tablespoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon finely-minced lemon peel
1/4 cup New Mexico chile powder
2 teaspoons granulated piloncillo
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
Heat stock to a low boil, then add cubed pork, cumin, canella and coriander and simmer 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, roast tomatoes, onions, peppers and garlic in a 500 degree oven soft and charred. Set aside until cool enough to handle, then squeeze out the garlic, chop the vegetables and add to the simmering pork along with the cooked pozole, dry spices (except s&p) and tomato paste.
Partially cover and simmer until the pork is very tender and the pozole has just begun to break apart, about 30 minutes.
Add cilantro, stir and simmer another 5 minutes. Season to taste with sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper, then ladle into clay bowls and serve hot with fried tortilla strips.
Split green and yellow peas simmered in vegetable stock with smoked pork neck bones, garden carrots, onions, celery and green beans, fresh bay leaves, thyme, sea salt and black pepper. Served with homemade croûtons and a dollop of crème fraîche..
For the Crème Fraîche
6 oz fresh heavy cream
2 oz cultured buttermilk
Gently heat heavy cream to 105 degrees (use a thermometer), then remove from heat and stir in buttermilk. Transfer to a glass jar, cover with a napkin and allow to stand at room temperature until thick, about 24-36 hours. Transfer to the refrigerator and age for 24 hours. Use within 7-10 days.
For the Vegetable Stock (recipe adapted from Gourmet magazine)
1/2 lb portabella mushrooms, caps and stems cut into 1-inch pieces
1 lb shallots, left unpeeled, quartered
1 lb carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 red bell peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces
6 fresh flat-leaf parsley sprigs (including stems)
5 fresh thyme sprigs
4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup dry white wine
2 bay leaves (not California)
1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
2 qt water
Preheat oven to 425°F.
Toss together mushrooms, shallots, carrots, bell peppers, parsley and thyme sprigs, garlic, and oil in a large flameproof roasting pan. Roast in middle of oven, turning occasionally, until vegetables are golden, 30 to 40 minutes.
Transfer vegetables with slotted spoon to a tall narrow 6-quart stockpot. Set roasting pan across 2 burners, then add wine and deglaze pan by boiling over moderate heat, stirring and scraping up brown bits, 2 minutes. Transfer to stockpot and add bay leaves, tomatoes, and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 45 minutes. Pour through a large fine sieve into a large bowl, pressing on and discarding solids, then season with salt and pepper. Skim off fat. Use within 1 week or freeze up to 3 months.
For the Soup
1 cup split green peas
1 cup split yellow peas
2 quarts homemade vegetable stock
1/2 pound smoked pork neck bones, meat attached
1-1/2 cups yellow onion, diced
1-1/2 cups celery with leaves, thinly sliced
1/2 cup fresh green beans, coarsely chopped
1 cup carrots, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons pastured butter
3 fresh bay leaves
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon freshly-squeezed lemon juice
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
Bring vegetable stock to a boil, add pork neck bones and bay, reduce heat and simmer 1 hour, skimming occasionally. Remove pork bones and allow to cool enough to handle. Add peas and thyme to the stock and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Pull the meat from the pork bones, dice and add to the pot.
Meanwhile, melt butter in a heavy-bottomed pan set over medium heat. Add carrots and cook until almost soft, about 5 minutes. Add celery, onions, green beans and garlic, stir and cook until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add to the pot, partially cover and simmer until the peas are tender, about 20 minutes.
Stir lemon juice into soup to brighten, then season to taste with sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper. Discard bay leaves. Serve soup piping hot with croûtons and crème fraîche.
Bavette d’aloyau (flap steak), cut from the bottom sirloin of grass-fed beef. Marinated for 2 days in olive oil, fresh garlic, rosemary and thyme, then quickly grilled over high heat to rare-medium rare. Rested, then thinly sliced across the grain and served with a reduction of dry red wine, red wine vinegar and shallots with knobs of cold, pastured butter whisked in to form an emulsion. Finished with Fleur de Sel and freshly-ground black pepper..
The classic Austrian dish, not the American fast food chain.
Free-raised Limousin veal leg pieces are uniformly pounded into to 1/4-inch-thick cutlets, seasoned and breaded in freshly-made bread crumbs before being gently fried in pure beef lard, drained and served hot with freshly-squeezed lemon, parsley and mustard potato salad. Totally old school, totally delicious..
4 4-oz veal cutlets
sea salt and black pepper
fresh lemon
2 tablespoons heavy cream
3 pastured eggs
4 thick slices fresh bread
1/4 cup fresh parsley
gluten-free multi-purpose flour for dredging
pure beef lard for frying
Trim veal of any remaining fat or sinew, then place between slices of wax paper and pound with a meat mallet until of uniform thickness between 3/8 and 1/2 inch. Pat dry and season with sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper (add a pinch of granulated garlic if you like) and let stand.
Lightly toast the bread, trim the off crust and add to the bowl of a food processor along with the parsley. Pulse until crumbs are approximately 1/8 inch across. Set aside.
Beat the cream with a wire whisk until thickened, then add the eggs and whisk until thoroughly combined.
Meanwhile, melt pure beef lard in a heavy skillet over medium heat to a depth of about 1/2 inch (the veal should float rather than stick to the bottom of the pan. It actually absorbs less fat that way) and hold at no more than 350 degrees.
Lightly dredge the veal in the flour, patting it between you hands to shake off any excess.
Using one hand, dip the floured veal into the egg wash and hold aloft for a moment to let the excess drain off. Drop the veal into bread crumbs and coat on all sides without packing the bread on too tight.
Carefully slide the breaded veal into the hot lard and fry until cooked through and golden brown on both sides (about 4-5 minutes total, depending on thickness. Don’t overcook). Transfer cook veal to a paper plate to drain for a minute, then dress with freshly-squeezed lemon juice and serve hot with a side of mustard potato salad.
Fresh, locally-sourced duck is rubbed with cracked cumin, coriander and garlic, seasoned with sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper and roasted until golden brown. Served with a sauce of pan juices, crushed oranges, fresh hibiscus leaves, red onions, jalapeño and cilantro..
Fresh jumbo gulf shrimp are briefly boiled in a stock containing sea salt, cracked cumin and coriander and fresh lime juice, then plunged into ice water to stop the cooking process. Half of the shrimp are coarsely chopped and set aside along with the remaining whole pieces. Next, a sofrito of garlic, onions and tomatoes is sauteed in a mixture of bacon fat and butter along with a couple of sliced Anaheim peppers. Bomba rice is added and stirred to coat each grain in the flavored fat, then the cooking stock is added along with a spoonful of achiote paste. Stirred continuously until most of the stock has been absorbed, the chopped shrimp is added along with a little more stock and heated through. Seasoned to taste with freshly-ground black pepper and a handful of chopped fresh cilantro, then turned out into pre-warmed dishes and topped with the reserved whole shrimp and a little more hot stock..
Bits and pieces of leftover smoked pheasant with onions, garlic, mushrooms, asparagus, Arborio rice, pheasant stock, French vermouth, fresh herbs and lots of cracked pepper..
Smoked Pheasant Risotto with Field Mushrooms and Baby Asparagus
1/2 cup white onion, diced
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon pastured butter
1 cup French dry vermouth
1 bunch fresh herbs
5 cups pheasant stock, divided
2/3 cup mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup fresh asparagus, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 pound smoked pheasant, torn into small pieces
1 cup Arborio or Bomba rice
pieces of pheasant skin
pink peppercorns
aged Parmesan
Toast the onions in a dry skillet over medium heat until nicely browned. Add the butter, olive oil and garlic, stir to combine and cook 1 minute. Add the vermouth and scrape loose any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Allow the mixture to cook down until the liquid has been reduced to about 1/3 cup.
Add the rice, stir to combine and cook 2 minutes. Add 3 cups stock and reduce heat to a gentle boil and cook 20 minutes, stirring frequently.
Meanwhile, toast the pieces of skin in a heavy skillet until the fat has rendered and the skin has begun to darken and crisp. Transfer the skin to a cutting board and allow to cool enough to handle. Chop the skin into small pieces, add to the rendered fat (add a little butter if there isn’t enough) along with the mushrooms and saute until golden. Set aside.
Once the rice has absorbed most of the liquid, add another 1-1/2 cups of stock and simmer, stirring constantly, until half the liquid is absorbed. Add the pheasant, mushroom mixture and asparagus and cook (again stirring constantly) until the asparagus is tender and the pheasant is warmed through. Use the last 1/2 cup of stock if needed to prevent the pan from getting dry. Season liberally with freshly-cracked pink pepper and taste for salt (although it usually doesn’t need any).
Turn the finished risotto out onto pre-warmed plates and finish with a little aged parmesan if desired. Properly made risotto has a creamy texture and is wet enough to slide around the plate a little.
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In Texas, most pheasant hunting takes place in the 3 dozen or so northernmost counties (the Panhandle), where the next season runs December 3rd through January 1st. Playa lake bottoms are a consistently productive location for both ducks and Ring-necked pheasant.
Fresh Red Snapper filets from the Texas Gulf are grilled and basted over an open fire until crisp and a little charred on the underside..
Gulf Snapper on the Half Shell
To prepare, filet fresh red snapper (or redfish), leaving the skin and scales in place to form a protective “half shell” that protects the flesh from the fire.
Lightly coat the grill grates with olive oil, then lay on the filets skin-side down. Without moving the fish, grill until the underside is crisp and a little charred, basting all the while with a compound butter. The fish is done when it flakes easily with a fork.
Example Compound Butter for Grilled Snapper
4 ounces pastured butter at room temperature
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 scant teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon rosemary
1-1/2 tablespoons sweet paprika
1 teaspoon freshly-squeezed lemon juice
Combine all ingredients together in a heat-proof bowl and keep near enough to the fire to keep it soft during use.
The single most sought-after offshore fish, Red Snapper are caught from reefs, rigs and banks along the entire Texas coast. Hand line, manual reels and electric reels are used, all equipped with heavy weights and multiple hooks. Bait with fresh squid or cigar minnows; live pinfish or pigifsh will catch larger snapper.
After years under protection due to overfishing, Gulf Red Snapper has made a welcome recovery. The NOAA Fisheries Service opened a 48-day recreational season this past summer, with an estimated catch of some three million pounds (adults average from 2 to 5 pounds, but can be much larger).
Fresh, local peaches are drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with fennel seed before being grilled until lightly blistered and caramelized. Cooled, chopped and mixed with diced red onion, sliced Serrano peppers and fresh cilantro..
Grilled Peach Salsa
Grilled Peach Salsa (inspired by a recipe by Vivian Henoch)
3 fresh peaches
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 teaspoons fennel seed (or 1 teaspoon fennel pollen)
2 Serrano peppers, thinly sliced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/3 cup red onion, chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon freshly-squeezed lime juice
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
fine sea salt
Plunge fresh peaches into boiling water for about 1-1/2 minutes to loosen the skin, then chill in a bowl of ice water. Peel or rub the skin from the peaches, split them in half and remove the pit. Blot the peaches dry, then lightly rub with olive and sprinkle with fennel seed. Grill the peaches until slightly blistered and caramelized, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to cutting board and allow to cool enough to handle.
Cut the peaches into 1/2 inch dice and combine with1 tablespoon of olive oil and the remaining ingredients (except salt) in a non-reactive bowl. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour. Remove from refrigerator, season to taste with salt and serve.
Imagine the iconic New England lobster roll on a late summer evening. Delicious, right? Now re-imagine that as a Texican creation with homemade Key lime-ancho mayonnaise, fresh avocado and heirloom tomatoes served on a top-split, oven-toasted bolillo..
Butter-Poached Lobster on a Salt-Crusted Bolillo
For the Aioli (adapted from multiple recipes by Michael Ruhlman)
1 large, pastured egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon filtered water
2 teaspoons freshly-squeezed lemon juice
1 cup avocado oil
2 teaspooons cumin seeds, toasted and ground
1 teaspoon coriander seeds, toasted and ground
1/2 teaspoon ancho chili powder
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed Key lime juice
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh red chili pepper, seeded and chopped
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste
Whisk the yolk, salt and lemon juice together in a large, non-reactive bowl. While whisking, drizzle in a few drops of oil, then a few more to establish the emulsion. Whisking continuously, add the remaining oil in a thin stream. The mixture should be thick enough to cling to your whisk (i.e., not pourable).
Whisk in the remaining ingredients (except the salt & pepper), then season to taste with the salt and pepper. Cover tightly and refrigerate 1 hour before using. If the avocado oil has begun to solidify, simple allow the mayonnaise to come to room temperature and give it a quick whisk.
To Prepare the Lobster
1/2 pound Canadian or Maine lobster knuckle and claw meat
6 oz pastured butter
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 fresh bay leaves
Put the wine and bay leaves into a heavy-bottomed sauce pan and bring to a quick boil. Lower the heat and simmer until the wine has reduced in volume by half. Add the butter and cook until you hear the milk solids begin to sizzle on the bottom of the pan. Skim and discard the foam from the top, then regulate the heat until bubbles are barely breaking the surface.
Add the lobster and poach until just done, maybe 10 minutes. Don’t let the butter boil and don’t let the lobster cook too long or it will be rubbery. Transfer the lobster to a side dish to cool, reserving the butter for another recipe.
To make the Lobster Salad
1/2 pound poached lobster meat, coarsley chopped
1/4 cup key lime-ancho mayonnaise (more or less)
1/2 cup ripe, red heirloom tomato, coarsley chopped
1/2 cup fresh avocado, coarsley chopped
Lightly fold all ingredients together in a bowl, taking care not to let things get mashed up. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
For the Bolillos
Use a bread knife to split fresh bolillos from the top, taking care not to cut all the way through. Brush the split bolillos all over with lots of the leftover lobster poaching butter, then sprinkle with coarse sea salt. Place in a 400 degree oven until nicely toasted, then remove from oven and allow to cool enough to handle.
To Serve
Mound the still warm, split bolillos with the chilled lobster salad. Dress with a squeeze of lime and garnish with a grind of chili and a little fresh cilantro and serve immediately.
I don’t eat pasta very much these days (I’m trying to cut down on the carbs), so when I do, I want it to count. This hand-rolled Italian semolina pasta with fiery red chili and homemade roasted tomato sauce with fresh herbs fits the bill quite nicely..
Filei Piccanti al Pomodoro
For the Pomodoro Sauce
8 ripe red tomatoes, cored, roasted and skinned
2/3 cup yellow onion, finely diced
3-4 cloves fresh garlic, slivered
2 tablespoons raw olive oil, plus more if needed
1/4 cup (loosely packed) whole purple basil leaves, dried
1/4 cup (loosely packed) fresh herbs such as oregano and green basil
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste
Heat the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until the garlic has “melted” and the onions have all but disappeared, about 20 minutes. Drizzle in additional olive oil if needed to keep the vegetables moist while cooking, taking care to prevent browning.
Crush the tomatoes by hand into the pan with the vegetables. Crumble the purple basil into the tomatoes and stir to combine. Allow mixture to boil for a moment, then partially cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer, stirring often, until most of the water has evaporated, about 30 minutes. The sauce should be very thick.
Cook the pasta according to package instructions, cutting the time by 2 or 3 minutes. Stir enough of the boiling pasta water into the tomato sauce to thin it to a spoon-able consistency, then quickly add the pasta and herbs to the pan. Stir and simmer for the remaining 2-3 minutes until the pasta is finished.
Season the dish with sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste, then turn out into individual bowls. Lightly drizzle with raw olive oil and top with a little sharp cheese, if desired and serve immediately.
This post is part of Meatless Monday, a non-profit initiative of The Monday Campaigns,
in association with the Johns Hopkins’ Bloomberg School of Public Health
Homemade flatbread, ghee-fried spiced lamb, roasted peppers, onions, heirloom tomatoes and garlic, with fresh goat cheese and Neapolitan parsley..
Naan Pizza with Spiced Lamb, Roasted Vegetables and Fresh Goat Cheese
For the Vegetables
1/2 pound heirloom tomatoes, cored, seeded and chopped.
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1/3 cup assorted fresh peppers (I like to use both hot and sweet peppers), chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon cracked coriander seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
Toss the vegetables together then lay out on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Place the tray in a 500 degree oven until slightly charred. Remove from the oven and set aside.
For the Lamb
1/2 pound freshly-ground, pastured lamb
2 tablespoons ghee
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 tablespoon spice blend such as Penzeys Vindaloo, containing a mixture of ginger, cinnamon, brown mustard, red pepper, cardamom, turmeric, black pepper and cloves. Reserve a tablespoon or two of the butter, spice and lamb juices to spread on the naan.
Gently form the lamb into 1-1/2 inch balls, taking care not to press too tightly. Sprinkle with the salt and set aside. Heat the ghee in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add the spices and whisk to incorporate. Carefully add the lamb to the ghee and shallow fry until nicely seared on the outside but still rare in the middle. Transfer to a side plate and allow to drain.
For the Naan(adapted from a recipe by Madhur Jaffrey)
8 ounces organic all-purpose flour (can use sprouted or soaked flour)
6 cloves garlic, peeled, roasted and mashed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
1 teaspoon unrefined sugar
1/3 cup fresh whole milk, hand-hot
1 tablespoon ghee, melted, plus a little extra
1/3 cup plain yoghurt, lightly beaten
1 small pastured egg, lightly beaten
Sift the flour, salt, baking powder, yeast and sugar in a bowl and pour in the hand-hot milk, ghee, garlic, yoghurt and the beaten egg and mix it all together to form a ball of dough. Place the dough on to a clean surface and knead it for 10 minutes or more, until smooth.
Pour about 1/4 tsp ghee into a large bowl and roll the ball of dough in it. Cover the bowl with a towel and set aside in a warm, draft-free place for an hour or until the dough has doubled in size.
Preheat oven and a heavy baking sheet to 500 degrees.
Punch down the dough and knead it again and divide into 9 equal balls. While working on 1 ball, keep the remaining balls covered. Flatten the ball using your hands (or rolling pin) into a tear-shaped naan, about 6 inches in length and about 4 inches at its widest. Brush the top with melted ghee.
Remove the hot baking tray from the oven, grease it well with ghee and place the naan on to it.
Put the pan into the oven on the top rack for 2-3 minutes. It should puff up and brown slightly. It will go from browned to burnt quickly, so keep an eye on it.
Once puffed up and browned on one side, flip the naan and place back into the oven until browned, about 1 minute.
To Assemble
Lightly brush the naan with the reserved butter mixture. Scatter the roasted vegetables around the naan, then position the lamb around and about. Tuck in a few wedges of fresh goat cheese here and there, then place the naan directly on the center rack of a 500 degree oven and bake until the cheese is soft and the edges of the naan have begun to char. Remove from oven, dress with torn parsley and a light squeeze of fresh lemon and serve immediately.
Wild-caught grouper from the Gulf of Mexico is dipped in melted butter mixed with herbs and spices (smoked paprika, sea salt, freshly-ground black pepper, red pepper flakes, caraway, dill, fresh bay, mace and cardamom), then seared in a white ash-hot cast iron skillet until opaque in the middle and slightly charred on the edges (about 2 minutes per side). Served over a creole sauce of celery, onions, green peppers, garlic, fresh tomatoes and fresh basil, oregano and thyme..
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“The word ‘grouper’ comes from the word for the fish, most widely believed to be from the Portuguese name, garoupa. The origin of this name in Portuguese is believed to be from an indigenous South American language.
The grouper’s mouth and gills form a powerful system that sucks their prey in from a distance. They also use their mouth to dig into sand to form their shelters under big rocks, jetting it out through their gills. Their gill muscles are so powerful that it is nearly impossible to pull them out of a cave if they feel attacked and extend those muscles to lock themselves in.
There is some research indicating that roving coral groupers (Plectropomus pessuliferus) sometimes cooperate with giant morays in hunting.” –Wikipedia
The warm heat of Kashmiri chili with fresh ginger, garlic, toasted spices and cooling, fresh watermelon, served with pan-seared, wild Gulf shrimp and aged Basmati rice..
Watermelon Curry with Pan-Seared Shrimp
1/2 pound fresh shrimp, peeled & deveined
2-1/2 cups fresh watermelon, cut into 3/4-inch cubes, divided
1/3 cup diced onion
3 garlic cloves
1-1/2 tablespoons ghee or clarified butter
1-inch piece true cinnamon
1 tablespoon Kashmiri chili powder
1 inch fresh ginger, peeled
1 tablespoon whole coriander seeds, toasted
1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds, toasted
1 teaspoon nigella sativa (charnushka)
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
pinch of sugar
sea salt and black pepper to taste
1 fresh lemon
Combine garlic, coriander, cumin, nigella, turmeric, ginger and sugar in a large Molcajete (a mortar made of volcanic stone), using a pestle to grind into a pulp. Add half of the watermelon and grind into a thin paste. Scrape contents into a clean bowl, season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.
Heat ghee in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat. Place cinnamon in hot ghee and cook until it begins to unfurl, about 5 minutes. Don’t let the butter burn.
Remove cinnamon and discard; increase heat to medium high. Once the ghee is shimmering, add the onions and shrimp and sear quickly until very lightly-browned, about 2 minutes. Add watermelon and spice mixture, and let sizzle and fry until thickened, about 3 minutes.
Add remaining chunks of watermelon, stir to combine and heat another 2 minutes. Squeeze a fresh lemon over the top and serve hot with aged basmati or naan, if you like.
Smoked whitefish from the deep, cold waters of Lake Superior, tossed with homemade, roasted garlic mayo (seasoned with freeze-dried shallots, chives and scallions), celery, freshly-squeezed lemon juice and chopped egg. Placed atop “everything bagels” with slivered red onions, thick slices of homegrown summer tomato, crunchy sea salt and fresh dill. I think I’ve died and gone to a New York deli..
Whitefish Salad on Everything Bagels
Freshwater whitefish belong to the same family (Salmonidae) as salmon, trout and char. A slightly oily fish high in protein and B-Vitamins, this species is rated a Seafood Watch Best Choice.
Dried kidney beans are picked over and soaked overnight, cooked, drained and simmered with fire-roasted tomatoes, onions, garlic, ginger, chiles and toasted whole spices. Served over a bed of Indian-spiced, aged basmati rice, this dish totally rocks the taste buds while remaining inexpensive and easy to prepare..
Rajmah (Vegetarian Kidney Bean Curry)
For the Rajmah, I adapted a recipe from Smitten Kitchen, while the cardamom and cinnamon-scented rice preparation comes from Simply Recipes. In the latter case, you can simply substitute olive oil for the ghee to suit your vegan needs. Both recipes are seriously delicious just as they are.
This post is part of Meatless Monday, a non-profit initiative of The Monday Campaigns,
in association with the Johns Hopkins’ Bloomberg School of Public Health
Locally-pastured, bone-in chuck roast is marinated in mesquite BBQ sauce, crushed chilies, cocoa and cold-brewed coffee with onions, garlic, sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper, then braised in a covered earthenware pot for three hours at 300 degrees. While the roast rests, the cooking liquids are strained, reduced and thickened, then the roast is cut into thick slices, dipped in the finished sauce and served over long-cooked heirloom yellow corn grits with aged cheddar, fresh jalapeños and chopped cilantro..
Wild Alaskan cod filets are soaked in a batter of corn flour, beer and chile molido (ground chile pods without additives), then quickly fried in oil and served Baja-style in a warm tortilla with a salad of blanched cabbages with freshly-squeezed lime and sea salt. Topped with a dab of crema Mexicana and salsa and served piping hot..
Chili/Beer-Battered Fish Tacos
For the Batter
2/3 cup organic corn flour
1/4 cup organic all-purpose flour
1 pastured egg
2 teaspoons chile molido
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
1 bottle beer (not dark)
Sift the dry ingredients together in a bowl. Whisk in the beer and egg. Rinse and pat dry inch-thick pieces of cod (or other firm, white fish), place in the batter and refrigerate 1 hour before frying.
“Real Baja fish tacos are nothing like what you’re used to eating when it comes to Mexican food. In fact, true Mexican cuisine might be our biggest missed chance. Satisfied by the (admittedly tasty) Tex-Mex-style with its copious cheese, sour cream, pile-it-on technique, we are missing a world of subtlety shot through with spicy excitement, flavors that emphasize festivity and celebration, not fullness and indulgence–a rich tradition of indigenous techniques influences by European sensibilities, infused with a penchant for bold flavors.” –The Paupered Chef
Wild grouper (Hapu’u, Mero) from the Northwest Hawaiian Islands are briefly marinated in raw coconut and toasted sesame oils, seasoned with sea salt and Shichimi tōgarashi and grilled over a wood fire until slightly crisp on the edges and flaky and moist on the inside. Served with a broth of roasted corn, aged red miso and scallions, finished with a knob of cold butter and a touch of fresh lemon..
Grilled Wild Grouper with Aged Miso Corn Broth
The word “grouper” comes from the word for the fish, most widely believed to be from the Portuguese name, garoupa. The origin of this name in Portuguese is believed to be from an indigenous South American language.
In Australia, the name “groper” is used instead of “grouper” for several species such as the Queensland grouper (Epinephelus lanceolatus). In the Philippines, it is named lapu-lapu in Luzon, while in the Visayas and Mindanao it goes by the name pugapo.
There is some research indicating that roving coral groupers (Plectropomus pessuliferus) sometimes cooperate with giant morays in hunting. –Wikipedia
Orange and Fennel-Roasted Chicken, risotto with green beans, browned pearl onions and fried capicola..
Orange and Fennel-Roasted Chicken
Marinate locally-pastured chicken pieces (I’m using bone-in, skin-on thighs) in a mixture of raw olive oil, freshly-squeezed orange juice, garlic and cracked fennel seeds for 4-8 hours, turning once.
Remove chicken from refrigerator, wipe off excess marinade and season liberally with sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper. Allow to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes, then roast in a 375 degree oven until crisp and the juices run clear, about 40 minutes.
Meanwhile, saute pearl onions and roughly-chopped dry coppa (capicola) in a bit of olive oil until nicely browned and slightly crisp. Use a slotted spoon to remove the onions & coppa to a plate, then add bomba rice to the pan, stirring to coat each grain with the flavored oil that remains.
Add three times the amount of vegetable stock, chicken stock or water to the pan as you have rice, and allow it to come to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, add cut fresh green beans and allow to simmer, stirring continuously until the rice is tender, about 20 minutes. Add the onions and coppa, stir to combine and remove from heat. Allow to stand 3-5 minutes before spooning onto a serving dish.
Top cooked rice with the roasted chicken and pour the pan juices over the top. Garnish with fennel fronds and serve immediately.
The word ‘organic’ gets tossed around a lot these days, but what does it really mean for consumers who are looking to eat well, but not spend a lot of money?
Farm To Trailer, a new documentary from local film producer Christian Remde highlights the award-winning Odd Duck food trailer in Austin, Texas and chef Bryce Gilmore’s use of only locally-grown, organic food for their menu. The film also examines the Farm To Table movement, how it’s effecting the Austin food scene and the benefits for consumers.
The film was really cool for me to watch, as it honors some of the very people and causes that I’ve come depend upon for my own nourishment (indeed, it is where most of the food on this blog comes from). Thank you, Christian! Thank you, Austin!
Getting a healthy, delicious dinner on the table every day is hard enough as it is. Kids, work, school.. you know how it is. Add in a bad economy and a generally broken food system, though, and it becomes well nigh impossible.
Inspired by the Hunger Awareness Blog Project between the Capitol Area Food Bank and the Austin Food Bloggers Alliance, I put this BBQ Beans with Burnt Ends dish together with an eye towards simplicity, flavor, nutritional density and cost.. no exotic ingredients, equipment or technique are necessary.
Meet the deep, rich and smoky flavors of BBQ Beans with Burnt ends..
BBQ Beans with Burnt Ends, Jalapeño Corn Muffins and Guajillo Honey
For the Beans
1/2 pound (8oz) dried pinto beans (substitute 2 15oz cans)
1/2 pound burnt ends (smoked brisket, flank steak or whatever you can get your hands on), chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
4 cups filtered water (less if using canned beans)
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 tablespoon lard (try Dai Due in Austin, or use bacon grease (optional, but not as good without)
2 fresh tomatoes, chopped (substitute 1 small can chopped tomatoes)
1 tablespoon whole cumin
1-1/2 cups Texas-style BBQ sauce (homemade, Stubb’s, Salt Lick, or whatever you like)
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 fresh jalapeños, chopped (can use less or none at all if serving to little kids or scaredy cats)
1 tablespoon chili powder
Soak dried beans overnight in a quart of cool, clean water. Drain the beans, rinse and place into a large saucepan with 4 cups of fresh water (or the liquid from 2 cans plus 1-1/2 cups fresh water). Bring to a rapid boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Add everything except the tomatoes, cover and simmer for 1 hour. Add the tomatoes, taste for salt and continue to simmer until both the beans and meat are tender, about another hour.
For the Corn Muffins
5 oz cornmeal
2 oz organic, all-purpose flour
1 oz stone-ground yellow corn grits (adds a nice texture; if not available, simply increase the cornmeal by 1 oz)
1 oz piloncillo or honey (optional)
2 teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup fresh milk
2 large eggs
4 oz butter (1 stick), melted
1/2 cup corn kernels (optional)
1 or 2 jalapeños, seeded and diced (optional)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
Combine the cornmeal, flour, grits, piloncillo, baking powder and salt together in a bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk and butter. Slowly whisk the flour mixture into the milk mixture until just combined. Fold in the corn, jalapeños and cilantro if using.
Pour the batter into a greased muffin tin, cast iron skillet or bread pan and bake in a 350 degree oven to the usual golden brown/toothpick state, about 25-30 minutes for muffins, longer for skillet or bread pan.
Guajillo Butter
1/2 stick butter, softened
1 tablespoon guajillo, local wild flower or just plain honey
Stir honey into softened butter (add a pinch of salt if using unsalted butter), then chill until ready to use.
To Serve
Transfer cooked beans to a cazuela or casserole dish and bake at 350 degrees until a crust forms (about 20 minutes; this is an optional but recommended step). Spoon the beans into individual serving dishes and top with minced onion and cilantro if you like. Serve with hot corn muffins and honey butter.
Extra thick, locally pastured lamb loin chops are marinated for half a day in a mixture of olive oil, chile molido, fresh garlic and toasted cumin & coriander before being grilled over a wood fire and served with a gastrique of xoconostle (prickly pear fruit from Hidalgo), caramelized pilloncillo and raw cider vinegar. Accompanied by roasted cherry tomatoes and fresh peppers and garnished with fresh chopped Mexican mint marigold..
I don’t keep ready-to-eat products at home, but hummus is a high-protein, healthy (and delicious) exception to that rule. Made from easily-sourced, individually inexpensive ingredients, hummus is nonetheless becoming expensive to buy already made. My solution of course, is to make it at home to my own taste..
Hummus with Harissa Oil, Parsley and Toasted Pita
1 cup dried chickpeas, soaked overnight
3 cups filtered water
2-3 garlic cloves
juice of 1/2 fresh lemon
1 tablespoon harissa (a Tunisian hot chilli sauce, optional)
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 cup organic white sesame seeds
1/3 cup olive oil, divided
Lightly toast the sesame seeds in a dry skillet over medium-low heat (about 15 minutes). Allow to cool to room temperature, then transfer to the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Pulse repeatedly until broken up, then begin to drizzle in up to 1/4 cup of olive oil while still processing, resulting in a paste with the consistency of thin peanut butter. This is tahini paste, a component of hummus. Scrape the tahini into a clean container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Discard any chickpeas that are floating along with the soaking water. Place the chickpeas in a saucepan and cover with the fresh, filtered water. Bring to a full boil, then reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook until just tender, about 1 hour. Set aside to cool.
Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked chickpeas to the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the garlic, lemon juice, tahini and remaining olive oil and process until smooth, adding a little of the chickpea cooking liquid along the way.
Transfer the hummus to a serving bow, drizzle with olive oil mixed with harissa and serve with toasted pita bread. Leftover hummus will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Stir a little olive oil into it if it gets dry.
The earliest known recipes for something similar to hummus bi tahini date to 13th century Egypt as a cold purée of chickpeas with vinegar and pickled lemons with herbs, spices, and oil, but no tahini or garlic…
The earliest known documentation of hummus (حمّص) itself comes from 18th-century Damascus; it appears that it was unknown elsewhere at that timeHummus is high in iron and vitamin C and also has significant amounts of folate and vitamin B6. The chickpeas make it a good source of protein and dietary fiber; the tahini (طحينه) is an excellent source of the amino acid methionine, complementing the proteins in the chickpeas. Hummus is useful in vegetarian and vegan diets; like other combinations of grains and pulses, it serves as a complete protein when eaten with bread. –Wikipedia
Skinless Pla Krapong (Asian sea bass, ปลากระพง) filets are dipped in beaten egg, then dusted in a seasoned mixture of 65% organic rice flour and 35% organic corn flour, then shallow-fried in 1/4-inch of raw coconut oil until light golden brown and flaky.
Served over a curry of coconut milk, lemongrass, fresh ginger, galangal, red and green chilies, kaffir lime peel and coriander seed, with crispy scallion scapes, edamame and fresh Thai basil..
Fried Sea Bass with Ginger Lemongrass Curry, Scallion Scapes and Edamame
Generally mercury and PCP-free, the mild-tasting, high-protein Asian sea bass (barramundi in Australia) contains roughly 800mg of omega-3s per serving. With a texture similar to wild Alaskan cod, the Asian sea bass is suitable for frying, grilling and broiling.
Did you know that mangoes are grown in Texas’ lower Rio Grande Valley?
The English word “mango” probably originated from Tamil mangai or Malayalam manga via Portuguese (also manga). The word’s first recorded attestation in a European language was a text by Ludovico di Varthema in Italian in 1510, as manga; the first recorded occurrences in languages such as French and post-classical Latin appear to be translations from this Italian text. The origin of the “-o” ending in English is unclear.
When mangoes were first imported to the American colonies in the 17th century, they had to be pickled due to lack of refrigeration. Other fruits were also pickled and came to be called “mangoes” (especially bell peppers), and by the 18th century, the word “mango” became a verb meaning “to pickle”. –Wikipedia
Refreshing Mango Mint Lassi
flesh of 1 large, fresh mango
1/3 cup farm-fresh milk
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon real vanilla extract
1-2 teaspoons raw, organic palm sugar
pinch of sea salt
4 ice cubes
Toss it all in the blender and give it a few whirls..
The "hedgehog" style is a common way of eating mangoes (left). A cross section of a mango can be seen on the right, not quite fully halving the fruit as the large stone is not visible
The newly-formed Austin Food Blogger Alliance has teamed up with the Capitol Area Food Bank to promote awareness of the resources available to area residents (such as the SNAP program). As AFBA members, we have specifically been challenged to come up with affordable, kid-friendly recipes that are tasty, healthy and easy to prepare.
I did some quick research on which low-cost foods are chemical-free, whole (minimally processed) and nutrient-dense, and decided that quinoa [keen-WAH] fit the bill quite nicely. Cultivated in the Andes Mountains since the pre-Columbian era, this seed is prized for its extraordinary nutritional value, particularly protein and essential amino acids. Gluten-free and easy to digest, quinoa is being considered as a possible crop in NASA’s Controlled Ecological Life Support System for long-duration manned spaceflights.
Here, then, is my recipe for surprisingly satisfying, delicious quinoa burgers..
Quinoa Burgers
Makes 3-4 patties, depending on size (recipe inspired by a post at Eating Welll…Living Thin)
2/3 cup quinoa (choose from black, red or brown varieties)
1-1/3 cup water or broth
1/2 cup shredded cheese
2 green onions, slivered
2 eggs
1/3 cup corn flake crumbs or bread crumbs
salt and pepper
Place quinoa and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until all the liquid has been absorbed. Remove from heat, fluff with a fork and allow to cool to room temperature.
Stir in cheese, green onions, eggs and corn flake crumbs. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then refrigerate mixture for 1 hour.
Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Form quinoa into hamburger-shaped 1/2-inch patties, then gently place in hot pan and cook until golden brown on both sides. Serve plain or on a bun, with toppings of your choice (tomatoes, onions, hummus, etc.).
Two kinds of couscous (pearled and Israeli whole wheat) are sautéed in olive oil, then simmered in a rich, homemade vegetable stock flavored with harissa and fresh mint and tossed with a medley of lightly-cooked, seasonal vegetables..
Israeli Couscous with Fresh Vegetables, Harissa and Mint
1/2 cup pearled couscous
1/2 cup Israeli whole wheat couscous (Ptitim)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
2 cups homemade vegetable stock, boiling
1 to 2 teaspoons harissa
1 small bunch fresh mint, chopped
2 carrots, cut into small, oblique shapes, about 1/2 cup
1-2 large spring onions, including green tops, bias-cut, about 1/2 cup
1/2 cup fresh green peas
1 fresh tomato, chopped
1 or 2 cloves garlic, minced
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
Sauté couscous in olive oil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly to coat evenly. Add boiling vegetable stock and harissa, reduce to a simmer and cook until nearly all the liquid has been absorbed, about 8 minutes. Stir in peas and mint, cover and remove from heat.
Sauté carrots, garlic and onions in olive oil, stirring frequently until just softened. Stir in tomatoes and cook 1 minute longer.
Stir cooked vegetables into warm couscous and serve garnished with fresh mint. Offer harissa on the side if desired.
This post is part of Meatless Monday, a non-profit initiative of The Monday Campaigns, in association with the Johns Hopkins’ Bloomberg School of Public Health
Freshly-ground wild boar from the Texas Hill Country is mixed with chopped yellow onions, Italian sweet chili powder, fresh garlic, sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper. Formed into patties, then fried in sage brown butter and served over two-corn polenta (fresh kernel corn and stone-ground yellow flint corn) with sweet peppers and fresh chives..
Savory Wild Boar Sausage with Fried Sage, Two-Corn Polenta
Plump, briny cherrystone clams from the cold waters of the Northern Atlantic, in a spicy, clear broth of clam juice, crushed tomatoes, sauteed celery, onions and garlic, red pepper flakes, bacon, parsley, sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper. A true classic..
Manhattan Clam Chowder
Manhattan Clam Chowder (adapted from a recipe by Martha Stewart)
Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Add clams, cover, and cook until shells open, about 10 minutes. Transfer clams to a large bowl, reserving cooking liquid. Discard any clams that do not open. Remove meat from shells, and return to bowl. Discard shells. Pour reserved liquid through a fine sieve lined with cheesecloth into a large bowl (you should have 2 1/2 cups). Sprinkle a few tablespoons liquid over clams to keep them moist.
Heat a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add bacon, and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 7 minutes. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon, and drain on paper towels. Pour off excess drippings, leaving just enough to coat bottom of pot. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, and reduce heat to medium. Add onion, celery, garlic, and red-pepper flakes, and cook, scraping bottom of pot, until vegetables are light gold, about 7 minutes.
Raise heat to high, and stir in tomatoes, 1 cup reserved tomato juice, 2 1/2 cups reserved clam broth, and the potato. Reduce heat, and simmer until potato is tender, 8 to 10 minutes.
Cut large clams in half. Stir clams, bacon, parsley, and oregano into broth, and heat until warmed through, about 30 seconds. Season with salt and pepper, and serve immediately.
Manhattan clam chowder has clear broth, plus tomato for red color and flavor. In the 1890s, this chowder was called “New York clam chowder” and “Fulton Fish Market clam chowder.” Clam chowder, in its cream-based New England version, has been around since the mid-18th century. Many restaurants in northern Rhode Island sell both red and white chowders, while the southern coast favors clear and white chowders.
The addition of tomatoes in place of milk was initially the work of Portuguese immigrants in Rhode Island, as tomato-based stews were already a traditional part of Portuguese cuisine. Scornful New Englanders called this modified version “Manhattan-style” clam chowder. –Wikipedia
Pastured pork shoulder is braised in a red chile-tomato sauce with cumin, coriander and a little raw apple cider until tender enough to be pulled apart with a pair of forks.
Coarsely-ground yellow flint corn is slow-cooked in butter, bone broth, sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper. A touch of cream and some aged cheddar cheese are folded in just before serving with a perfectly poached farm-fresh egg and a few dashes of hot sauce..
“Created in the tradition of the stone-ground, hand-milled grits of the Antebellum era, coarse grits have a large particle size that imparts a toothsome texture and pronounced corn flavor. Coarse grits do take time to cook—about an hour, at least—but are any cook’s first choice when served as a stand-alone dish or as a complement to entrées such as fish, greens, or eggs. They make beautiful grits cakes, too.” –Anson Mills
Wild Alaskan cod is lightly spritzed with olive oil and seasoned with freshly-toasted cumin and coriander, sea salt and black pepper, then broiled until just done and easily separated into large flakes (I really like Red Snapper for fish tacos, but that species is still recovering from overfishing).
Fresh prickly pear cactus paddles (nopales) are spined and skinned, then grilled with sea salt and black pepper and finished with a squeeze of fresh lime.
Yellow tomatoes are chopped along with fresh pineapple, sweet red peppers, red onion, jalapeño and cilantro.
All served up in a thick, fresh white corn tortilla..
Fish Tacos with Yellow Tomato-Pineapple Salsa, Grilled Prickly Pear Cactus
For the Salsa
3/4 cup fresh yellow tomatoes, chopped
1/3 cup fresh pineapple, diced
2 tablespoons fresh pineapple juice
1/3 cup red onion, diced
2 small, sweet red peppers, thinly sliced
1-2 fresh jalapeño or serrano peppers, minced
1/4 fresh cilantro, torn
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients except salt and pepper together in a non-reactive bowl and refrigerate 2 hours, stirring occasionally to allow the flavors to combine. Season to taste with sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper and keep chilled until ready to serve.
“Nopales are very rich in insoluble and especially soluble dietary fiber. They are also rich in vitamins (especially vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin K, but also riboflavin and vitamin B6) and minerals (especially magnesium, potassium, and manganese, but also iron and copper). Nopales have a high calcium content, but the nutrient is not biologically available because it is present as calcium oxalate, which is neither highly soluble nor easily absorbed through the intestinal wall. Addition of nopales also reduces the glycemic effect of a mixed meal. Nopales are low carbohydrate and may help in the treatment of diabetes.” –Wikipedia
Pastured quail from Bandera, Texas are dry-brined with sea salt containing sage, rosemary and black pepper, then allowed to air dry in the refrigerator for two hours. The quail is quickly pan-roasted in a small spoonful each of rendered bacon fat and rendered chicken fat until the skin is crisp and the flesh is slightly pink. Served over a bed of stock-simmered farro with roasted vegetables, and topped with a chicken demi-glace with black figs, bacon and roasted spring onion..
Pan-roasted Quail with Black Fig/Bacon Demi-glace over Piccolo Farrotto
For the Sauce (about 1 cup)
1-1/2 cups rich, homemade chicken stock, divided
2 tablespoons roasted chicken demi-glace
1/3 cup black figs, trimmed and quartered
4 pieces thick cut, smoked bacon
roasted spring onions (from the Farro recipe), coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon pan drippings (from the quail)
1 small sprig fresh rosemary, stripped and bruised
Heat the chicken stock in a skillet over medium-low heat until simmering. Add the demi-glace, stir to combine and simmer until reduced and thickened, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, cut bacon into 1/2 inch pieces and cook until nicely browned. Transfer bacon to the side to drain, reserving the bacon fat for the next recipe.
Just before service, add the bacon, figs, rosemary and onion and allow to heat through, about 5 minutes.
For the Piccolo Farrotto (adapted from a recipe by Anson Mills)
1 cup farro piccolo
1 quart rich, homemade chicken stock
2-1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large shallot, minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 fresh bay leaf
2 stalks fresh celery
4 small, fresh carrots, trimmed
2 small spring onions, trimmed (reserved)
fine sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Roast the carrots, celery and onion in a 375 degree oven until browned, about 45 minutes. Set aside.
Turn the farro into a food processor and give it ten 1-second pulses to crack some of the bran that encases the grains. Transfer it to a small bowl.
Bring the chicken stock to a simmer in a heavy-bottomed 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and keep the stock just below a simmer as you cook the farro.
Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed 3- or 4-quart saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the minced shallots and cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the farro, increase the heat to medium, and stir until the grains are hot and coated with butter, about 1 minute. Stir in the wine and simmer until reduced to a glaze. Add the bay leaf and 1 cup of hot chicken stock and stir once to make sure the grains are covered with liquid. Cook the farro uncovered at the barest simmer; when the liquid has been almost entirely absorbed and the farro begins to look dry, add about 1/2 cup of hot stock, stir once, and simmer until the liquid is absorbed and the farro once again begins to look dry. Continue to cook the farro in this fashion for 1 hour. Coarsley chop and stir in the celery and carrot and continue to cook, adding stock as needed, until the grains have expanded and are tender throughout, without hard, starchy centers, about 20 minutes longer.
Stir in the salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. The farrotto should look creamy, not wet or soupy. Taste for seasoning, stir in the parsley, and serve immediately.
For the Quail (serves 4-6)
12 skin-on, boneless quail breasts
2 tablespoons more-or-less sea salt, black pepper and aromatics such as rosemary and sage
2 tablespoons rendered bacon fat
2 tablespoons rendered chicken fat
Season the quail on all sides with the salt mixture then place skin-side up on a plate and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Remove from refrigerator and allow to stand 20 minutes at room temperature.
Heat the bacon and chicken fats over medium in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Blot the quail breasts dry, then place into the skillet skin-side down without crowding. You may need to do this in batches. Allow to cook until nicely browned, then turn and cook until almost medium doneness.
To assemble
Spoon piccolo farroto onto dinner plates and arrange quail breasts on top (2-3 per person, depending). Spoon demi-glace over the top, garnish with a piece of rosemary and serve piping hot.
A simple, classic Venetian dish of fresh hard clams steamed in a broth of clam juice, Prosecco frizzante [1], crushed red pepper and loads of garlic. Tossed with fresh linguine and flat-leaf parsley, drizzled with olive oil and remaining pan juices and seasoned with cracked black pepper and crunchy sea salt..
Linguine con Vongole
In culinary use, within the eastern coast of the USA, the term “clam” most often refers to the hard clam Mercenaria mercenaria. It may also refer to several other common edible species, such as the soft-shell clam, Mya arenaria, and the ocean quahog, Arctica islandica. Another species which is commercially exploited on the Atlantic Coast of the US is the surf clam Spisula solidissima.
In Italy, clams are often an ingredient of mixed seafood dishes, or are eaten together with pasta. The more commonly used varieties of clams in Italian cooking are the Vongola (Venerupis decussata), the Cozza (Mytilus galloprovincialis) and the Tellina (Donax trunculus). A variety of mussel called Dattero di mare (Lithophaga lithophaga) was also once widely popular as seafood.
1. Compared to other sparkling wines, Prosecco is low in alcohol, about 11 to 12 percent by volume. The flavor of Prosecco has been described as intensely aromatic and crisp, bringing to mind yellow apple, pear, white peach and apricot. Unlike Champagne, appreciated for its rich taste and complex secondary aromas, most Prosecco variants have intense primary aromas and are meant to taste fresh, light and comparatively simple. –Wikipedia
Locally pastured, bone-in heritage pork loin chops are brined in a 5% sea salt solution with rubbed sage and cracked black pepper, then patted dry and grilled over an open wood fire. Basted with a mixture of melted maple butter, raw apple cider vinegar, more sage, salt and pepper and finished to medium doneness. Served with stock-simmered brown and wild rice with sautéed brown mushrooms and sliced spring onions..
Ethically-produced pork is raised on open pasture, with plenty of fresh air and sunshine. They are free to dig, root and run as they please. Unlike industrial pork confined in foul and fetid cages, these animals are clean and healthy, receiving no antibiotics, hormones, or artificial supplements over their entire lifetime.
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.
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
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.
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.
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
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.
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?
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
Fresh jalapeños, scallions, sea salt and a touch of sesame oil is sandwiched between layers of pole-caught ahi tuna (1/4-inch dice) combined with olive oil, fresh grapefruit juice, sea salt, black pepper and freshly-ground coriander.
The dish is plated with fresh Texas grapefruit pieces tossed with raw coconut aminos (think soy-free soy sauce), mirin and cilantro. Toasted hemp seeds top the raw tuna..
Tuna Tartare with a Texas Twist
When eating raw tuna, take care to ensure that it is exceedingly fresh and that you keep it well chilled at all times. I cut the tuna into steaks and place them in the freezer just until they begin to firm up, then dice, season and serve as quickly as possible.
Please don’t use any threatened species of tuna or those caught in an environmentally destructive manner!
CLA-rich, grass-fed sirloin steaks are rubbed with kosher salt, then loosely wrapped and refrigerated overnight. The steaks are wiped clean and seared in an iron skillet over high heat until nicely browned, then finished to medium-rare in a 550 degree oven. Meanwhile, fingerling potatoes, brown mushrooms, pearl onions and elephant garlic are sauteed stove-top.
While the steaks rest, the roasting pan is deglazed with cognac and the brown bits scraped loose with a wooden spoon. The finished vegetables are added to the pan with demi-glace, fresh thyme and smoked black pepper and heated through. A knob of cold, pasture butter is whisked in just before serving..
One of the most flavorful cuts of beef, the sirloin is a steak cut from the rear back portion of the animal, continuing off the short loin from which T-bone, porterhouse, and club steaks are cut.
The sirloin is actually divided into several types of steak, with the top sirloin generally being the most prized. The bottom sirloin is less tender, much larger, and is typically what is offered when one just buys sirloin steaks instead of steaks specifically marked top sirloin.
Sustainably rope-grown in the cold waters surrounding Prince Edward Island, these plump, tender mussels are steamed over a reduction of white wine, saffron and preserved lemon, with green garlic, roasted tomatoes and shaved fennel. Served over gluten-free, non-GMO corn pasta with fennel fronds and crunchy sea salt..
P.E.I. Mussels with Roasted Tomatoes, Green Garlic and Preserved Lemon
Consumed by humans for thousands of years, mussels are an excellent source of protein, vitamin B12, iron and selenium.
“Mussels must be thoroughly cleaned and rinsed several times before cooking; wild mussels will need to be scrubbed with a stiff brush to remove any barnacles, sand or grit and their beard must also be removed. This can be done by giving the beard a forceful tug with your fingers and pulling it away or by cutting it off with a small and sharp knife.
Rinse the wild mussels several times but do not let them sit in water, as freshwater will kill them.
Farmed mussels will have already been prepared for cooking and it will suffice to just give them a quick rinse under a running tap of cold water.” –helpwithcooking.com
Trivia: the pale white meat indicates a male mussel, while the females are a yellowish rust color.
A densely nutritious meal from the Boreal forest, true Northern wild rice is cooked in roasted fowl stock with fresh lingonberries, then tossed with torn pieces of pan-fried smoked turkey, wild onions, fresh sage and rosemary. Drizzled with hot stock and pan drippings..
Wild Rice with Smoked Turkey, Lingonberries,Wild Onions and Fried Sage
1 wild rice (if the instructions on the package call for less than 1 hour of cooking, it probably isn’t true wild rice)
2-3/4 cups homemade fowl or vegetable stock, boiling
1/2 cup fresh lingonberries, stemmed, rinsed and picked over (substitute cranberries)
1 tablespoon rendered turkey or chicken fat
pinch of sea salt
1 smoked turkey leg, skinned, pulled and torn into bite-size pieces
1/2 cup wild onions (both green and white sections), trimmed and cut into to 1/8-inch thick slices
12 whole, fresh sage leaves, stemmed
1 heaping tablespoon fresh rosemary needles
2 tablespoons rendered turkey or chicken fat
freshly-cracked black pepper
Heat 1 tablespoon rendered turkey or chicken fat in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add wild rice and stir to coat. Continue cooking and stirring for 5 minutes until each grain is coated and glossy.
Add 2-1/2 cups boiling stock and berries and stir to separate rice. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until just tender, about 1 hour. Salt to taste.
Heat 1-1/2 tablespoons rendered turkey or chicken fat in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add turkey and onions and quickly sear. Add sage and rosemary and cook until herbs are crisp, about 2-3 minutes.
To serve, combine rice and turkey in warm soup bowls. Stir the reserved stock and pan drippings together and drizzle over the top. Season with freshly-cracked black pepper.
The species of wild rice most commonly harvested is the annual Zizania palustris. Native Americans and non-Indians harvest wild rice by canoeing into a stand of plants, and bending the ripe grain heads with wooden sticks called knockers, so as to thresh the seeds into the canoe.
The size of the knockers, as well as other details, are prescribed in state and tribal law. By Minnesota statute, knockers must be at most 1 inch in diameter, 30 inches long, and one pound in weight. The plants are not beaten with the knockers but require only a gentle brushing to dislodge the mature grain. The Ojibwa people call this plant manoomin meaning “good berry”. Some seeds fall to the muddy bottom and germinate later in the year.
Several Native American cultures, such as the Ojibwa, consider wild rice to be a sacred component in their culture. The rice is harvested with a canoe: one person vans (or “knocks”) rice into the canoe with two small poles (called “knockers” or “flails”) while the other paddles slowly or uses a push pole. For these groups, this harvest is an important cultural (and often economic) event. –Wikipedia
Inspired by a recipe from the Moosewood Restaurant, this vegetarian dish features cumin-roasted sweet potatoes with assorted fresh chiles, green garlic and wild onions in a light vegetable stock-based sauce with tomatoes, cilantro and a bit of chipotle salsa.
Vitamins A & C and fiber- rich, naturally sweet, smokey and dense, with a moderate heat. Serve with flat-bread or Anasazi beans..
The Moosewood Restaurant was founded by Mollie Katzen and others in 1973 in downtown Ithaca, New York, a university town in New York State which is the location of Cornell University and Ithaca College.
Known for its vegetarian cooking, Moosewood was named one of the thirteen most influential restaurants of the 20th Century by Bon Appetit magazine. It won a James Beard Foundation “American Classic” Award in 2000. –Wikipedia
This post is part of Meatless Monday, a non-profit initiative of The Monday Campaigns,
in association with the Johns Hopkins’ Bloomberg School of Public Health
The finest Carnaroli rice is cooked in a soffritto of fresh garlic and raw olive oil, with Pinot Gris, homemade chicken stock, baby peas, soft sun-dried tomatoes, bits of Jamón Serrano ham, fresh herbs, cold butter and Parmigiano-Reggiano..
“There are many different risotto recipes with different ingredients, but they are all based on rice of an appropriate variety cooked in a standard procedure.
The rice is first cooked briefly in a soffritto of onion or garlic and butter or olive oil to coat each grain in a film of fat, this is called tostatura; white or red wine is added and has to be absorbed by the grains. When it has evaporated, the heat is raised to medium high and very hot stock is gradually added in small amounts while stirring gently, almost constantly: stirring loosens the starch molecules from the outside of the rice grains into the surrounding liquid, creating a smooth creamy-textured liquid. At that point it is taken off the heat for the mantecatura when diced cold butter and finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese are vigorously stirred in to make the texture as creamy and smooth as possible. It may be removed from the heat a few minutes earlier, and left to cook with its residual heat. Fish and seafood risotti generally do not include cheese.
Properly cooked risotto is rich and creamy but still with some resistance or bite: al dente, and with separate grains. The traditional texture is fairly fluid, or all’onda (“wavy, or flowing in waves”). It is served on flat dishes and it should easily spread out but not have excess watery liquid around the perimeter. It must be eaten at once as it continues to cook in its own heat and can become too dry with the grains too soft.” –Wikipedia
Yellow onions and leeks are mandoline-sliced and browned in a little butter with fresh thyme, bay and cracked allspice, then simmered in equal parts homemade chicken and beef bone broth, a little raw cider vinegar, sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper. Served with Parmigiano-Reggiano-crusted sourdough croutons..
French Onion Soup with Parmigiano-Reggiano-Crusted Sourdough Croutons
3 medium yellow onions, peeled and quartered
1 medium leek, trimmed and rinsed free of dirt and sand
1-1/2 tablespoons cultured/pastured butter
1 teaspoon freshly-cracked allspice
2 small bay leaves
1 small bunch fresh thyme, stripped
3 cups homemade beef stock or broth
3 cups homemade chicken stock or broth
1/4 cup raw apple cider vinegar
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
2 slices sourdough boule, torn into 1-inch pieces
1-1/2 tablespoons cultured/pastured butter
2 tablespoons shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano
Combine beef and chicken broth in a heavy pot and bring to a rapid boil. Reduce heat to medium and allow to simmer until reduced in volume by about 25%. Add vinegar, reduce heat to medium-low and keep hot.
Meanwhile, slice onions and leeks to about 1/8-inch thickness (a mandoline makes this easy) and add to a hot, dry skillet. Stir often until onions begin to brown, then add butter, bay, allspice and thyme and continue to cook until onions are well browned, about 10-15 minutes.
Pour onion mixture into reduced stock and stir to combine. Allow to simmer 10 minutes. Season to taste with sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper.
Meanwhile, saute torn sourdough in butter until golden brown on all sides. Sprinkle croutons with Parmigiano-Reggiano and allow to melt and get a little crisp. Remove from heat.
Ladle hot soup into bowls, dress with croutons and serve immediately.
Fresh cauliflower, plum tomatoes, green chiles, sweet potatoes and ginger are sauteed and seasoned with toasted coriander, cumin, turmeric, brown mustard seeds, ajwain and nigella seeds. Garnished with fresh cilantro and served with warm onion and garlic naan..
Vegan Aloo Gobi
Aloo gobi (Hindi: आलू गोभी is a dry Indian and Pakistani cuisine dish made with potatoes (aloo), cauliflower (gob(h)i) and Indian spices. It is yellowish in color due to the use of turmeric, and occasionally contains kalonji and curry leaves. Other common ingredients include garlic, ginger, onion, coriander stalks, tomato, peas, and cumin. A number of variations and similar dishes exist, but the name remains the same.
Tangy mesquite BBQ sauce and well-marbled pieces of tender, pastured pork on a crunchy corn crust with onions, thinly sliced Anaheim peppers, crumbled Tajo and fresh cilantro. A little bit Tex-Mex, a little bit San Francisco..
BBQ Pork Pizza on a Crisp Cornmeal Crust with Anaheim Peppers and Crumbled Tajo
Cotija comes in two primary versions. El Queso Cotija de Montaña or “grain cheese” is dry and firm, with little taste beyond salt (the cheese is usually several times saltier than typical cheese, traditionally for preservative reasons). “Tajo Cheese” is a moister, fattier, and less salty version of the cheese that holds its shape when cut, with a flavor similar to Italian Parmesan and Greek Feta.
El Queso Cotija de Montaña is a seasonal cheese and is of limited production. Cotija cheese is produced only during the months of July through October because the cows are fed only on the rich grass that grows naturally on the mountains during the raining season, giving the cheese its unique color and flavor. Queso Cotija is an artisan cheese made by hand, thus every cheese has something unique. This cheese usually comes in 17 kilogram cylinders with a creamy color crust; it is a queso de montaña because the cheese makers live in the mountains as high as 1,700 meters (5,500 ft). -Wikipedia
Similar to a Provençal harvest soup, local pastured chicken pieces are gently poached in homemade chicken stock infused with fresh thyme and marjoram and served with heirloom baby carrots, fresh chanterelles, garlic, melted leeks and shaved celeriac. Tender farro dumplings provide a little déjà vu for those familiar with the Southern US classic..
Chicken and Farro Dumplings with Chanterelles and Melted Leeks
There is much confusion or disagreement about what exactly farro is. Emmer, spelt, and einkorn are called farro in Italy, sometimes, but not always, distinguished as farro medio, farro grande, and farro piccolo, respectively. Regional differences in what is grown locally and eaten as farro, as well as similarities between the three grains, may explain the confusion. Barley and farro may be used interchangeably because of their similar characteristics. Spelt is much more commonly grown in Germany and Switzerland and, though called dinkel there, is eaten and used in much the same way, and might therefore be considered farro. Common wheat may also be prepared and eaten much like farro, in which form it is often referred to as wheatberries. -Wikipedia
Thick chops of heritage black Berkshire pigs are briefly brined in a mixture of cold, filtered water, salt, cracked pepper, Mexican oregano and a few scrapings of piloncillo before being seared in cumin oil over high heat. Finished in the oven and served with habanero bomba (rice, chicken stock, habanero chiles, Asadero cheese) and roasted tomatillo sauce (tomatillos, garlic, fresh green chiles, white onion and cilantro)..
Pan-Seared Berkshire Rib-eye with Habanero Bomba, Roasted Tomatillo Sauce
Berkshire pigs are said to be “Britain’s oldest pig breed”, originally bred in the Faringdon and Wantage regions of the English county of Berkshire (now Oxfordshire). They apparently became popular after being ‘discovered’ by Cromwell’s troops while they were stationed at Reading during the English Civil War. Today’s animals descend from the herd maintained by the House of Windsor 300 years ago
Berkshire pork, prized for juiciness, flavor and tenderness, is pink-hued and heavily marbled. Its high fat content makes it suitable for high-temperature cooking. -Wikipedia
Foodways Texas, the new organization that aims to “preserve, promote and celebrate the diverse food cultures of Texas” has announced their first symposium, to be held in Galveston next month..
“Join us at Texas A&M University in Galveston for our 2011 Symposium, “Gulf Coast Gathering,” February, 25-26. We’ll post the final program and hotel information soon, but plan for meals by featured chefs, Tim Byres of Smoke in Dallas, Chris Shepherd of Catalan in Houston, and Casey Gaido of Gaido’s in Galveston (all scheduled meals included in registration price), an oyster tasting and happy hour, and a full day of speakers and panels regarding Texas Gulf Coast food culture.”
“Foodways Texas is an organization founded by scholars, chefs, journalists, restaurateurs, farmers, ranchers, and other citizens of the state of Texas who have made it their mission to preserve, promote and celebrate the diverse food cultures of Texas. By joining and supporting Foodways Texas, you become part of a movement to preserve the vibrant foodways of Texas through oral history projects, documentary films, recipe collections, and scholarly research. You will join us in highlighting the state’s distinctive foods and food cultures at our annual scholarly symposium, supporting educational food-based seminars, promoting local food networks, and partnering with universities and other non-profit organizations to educate future generations about healthy and sustainable food practices.”
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Southern Foodways Alliance Community Cookbook pulls together recipes that define South (commercialappeal.com)
Fresh filets of wild Alaskan halibut are lightly seasoned with sea salt and freshly-ground pepper, then quickly seared in clarified butter over high heat until the skin is crisp and brown and the fish is moist and flaky.
Served over a sauce of Pinot gris, shallots, green peppercorns, and Dijon mustard, finished with cold, cultured butter and brightened with a little fresh parsley. Accompanied with some bits of fried jamón serrano for flavor and texture..
Crispy Wild Halibut with Fried Jamón Serrano, Dijon and Green Peppercorn Sauce
The North Pacific commercial halibut fishery dates to the late 19th century and today is one of the region’s largest and most lucrative. In Canadian and U.S. waters, longline predominates, using chunks of octopus (“devilfish”) or other bait on circle hooks attached at regular intervals to a weighted line that can extend for several miles across the bottom.
Halibut have been an important food source to Native Americans and Canadian First Nations for thousands of years and continue to be a key element to many coastal subsistence economies. Accommodating the competing interests of commercial, sport, and subsistence users remains a difficult challenge. -Wikipedia
Shrimp stock thickened with sassafras and loaded with lump crab, andouille sausage, jumbo shrimp, garlic, celery, onions and green bell peppers, seasoned with oregano, cumin, bay, thyme and mace..
Pots on Fiyo (Filé Gumbo)
For hundreds of years the Choctaw Indians have had a settlement at Bayou Lacombe on the North Shore of Lake Pontchartrain; they had a way of making Gumbo long before the Africans and Europeans arrived.. –NOLA Cuisine
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Harlem’s Danny Glover’s Seafood Gumbo (harlemworldblog.wordpress.com)
A Northerner tells a waitress that he wants to order grits. “Hominy, sir?” the waitress asks. “Oh, about four or five,” replies the confused customer..
Hominy with Roasted Tomatoes, Bacon and Chipotle Crema
Heirloom yellow hominy corn is nixtamalized, then simmered until the kernels have popped and become tender. The cooked corn is cooled by being rubbed between your palms under cold running water, with the pericarp (the skin that gets stuck in your teeth when you eat corn on the cob) being left behind. The corn is then set aside until ready to use.
To prepare the dish, slowly fry diced bacon on a cast iron comal or in a heavy skillet until all the fat has rendered and the bacon is very crisp. Remove the bacon to the side to drain, and pour off all but a tablespoon of the fat from the pan.
Roast a plum tomato or two in a very hot oven until blistered, then remove and allow to cool.
Meanwhile, return the comal to the stove and add half a chopped yellow onion and a diced Poblano pepper and saute until lightly browned. Add hominy and garlic and cook until vegetables are nicely browned. Dice the roasted tomatoes and add to the pan with some fresh minced garlic, chili powder, a little filtered water and some oregano (Mexican preferred). Allow to simmer, stirring often until the sauce begins to tighten, about 5 minutes.
Pour hominy into serving bowls, dress with reserved bacon, fresh cilantro and chipotle crema and serve immediately.
Fresh broccoli, heirloom garlic and Yukon gold potatoes are lightly buttered, seasoned with sea salt and cracked black pepper and roasted until golden brown. The vegetables are then simmered in a rich base of homemade vegetable stock with vintage yellow and Jasper Hill clothbound cheddar cheeses (in Austin, try Antonelli’s Cheese Shop in the Hyde Park neighborhood). Seasoned with Piment d’Espelette and just a few red chili pepper flakes..
Roasted Broccoli, Potato and Vintage Cheddar Cheese Soup
The Espelette pepper (French: Piment d’Espelette; Basque: Ezpeletako biperra) is a variety of chili pepper that is cultivated in the French commune of Espelette, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, traditionally the northern territory of the Basque people.
Originally from Mexico and to a lesser extent South America, Piment d’Espelette was introduced into France from the New World during the 16th century. After first being used medicinally, it subsequently became popular for preparing condiments and for the conservation of meat and ham.
Espelette peppers are harvested in the late summer, with characteristic festoons of peppers are hung to dry on balconies and house walls throughout the communes. –Wikipedia
This post is part of Meatless Monday, a non-profit initiative of The Monday Campaigns in association with the Johns Hopkins’ Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Butter-poached North Atlantic lobster in homemade shell stock, teeming with fresh thyme, celery, onions, plum tomatoes, heavy cream and aged sherry. Cracked pepper, crunchy sea salt and a few drizzles of chili oil..
Rustic Lobster Bisque
“Bisque is a method of extracting every bit of flavor from imperfect crustaceans not good enough to send to market. In an authentic bisque, the shells are ground to a fine paste and added to thicken the soup. Julia Child even remarked, “Do not wash anything off until the soup is done because you will be using the same utensils repeatedly and you don’t want any marvelous tidbits of flavor losing themselves down the drain.” –Wikipedia
Wild Alaskan halibut fillets with a crunchy topping of shredded potatoes and fresh garlic, served over a dill pollen-infused reduction of butter, white white, red shallots, fresh lemon, cream and chopped parsley (beurre nantais)..
Garlic Potato-Crusted Halibut with Dill Pollen Beurre Nantais
“Halibut feed on almost any animal they can fit into their mouths. Juvenile halibut feed on small crustaceans and other bottom dwelling organisms. Animals found in their stomachs include sand lance, octopus, crab, salmon, hermit crabs, lamprey, sculpin, cod, pollock, herring, flounder as well as other halibut. Halibut live at depths ranging from a few meters to hundreds of meters, and although they spend most of their time near the bottom,[1] halibut may move up in the water column to feed. In most ecosystems the halibut is near the top of the marine food chain. In the North Pacific their only common predators are the sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus), the orca (Orcinus orca), and the salmon shark (Lamna ditropis).”
“Halibut have been an important food source to Native Americans and Canadian First Nations for thousands of years and continue to be a key element to many coastal subsistence economies.” –Wikipedia
Fresh cauliflower is separated into individual florets, then blanched in fresh ginger and lemongrass-infused vegetable stock. The florets are shocked in ice water and patted dry before being tossed in chopped peanuts. The coated cauliflower is then laid out on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and roasted at 400 degrees until golden brown and crisp on the outside, about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, Thai yellow curry paste (yellow chilies, shallots, garlic, cumin, coriander, cinnamon & turmeric) is fried in raw coconut oil with fresh lemongrass, galangal and scallions and simmered with coconut milk..
Peanut-Roasted Cauliflower, Thai Yellow Curry
Galangal (galanga, blue ginger) is a rhizome of plants of the genera Alpinia or Kaempferia in the ginger family Zingiberaceae, with culinary and medicinal uses originated from Indonesia. (Lao: ຂ່າ “kha”; Thai: ข่า “kha”; Malay: lengkuas (Alpinia galanga); traditional Mandarin: 南薑 or 高良薑; simplified Mandarin: 南姜 or 高良姜; Cantonese: lam keong, 藍薑; Vietnamese: riềng).
It is used in various Asian cuisines (for example in Thai tom yum soups and tom kha gai, Vietnamese Huế cuisine (tre) and throughout Indonesian cuisine, for example, in soto). Though it is related to and resembles ginger, there is little similarity in taste. –Wikipedia
This post is part of Meatless Monday, a non-profit initiative of The Monday Campaigns in association with the Johns Hopkins’ Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Ring-necked pheasant breasts are partially boned, then brined for half a day in spring water with onions, garlic, cloves, bay and sea salt. The breasts are patted dry and allowed to air dry while the grill is prepared.
Once the fire is ready, the pheasant is painted with achiote-cumin oil and then grilled as you would chicken pieces. The cooked bird is allowed to rest under cover for 10 minutes before being plated atop white cornbread dressing with onions, jalapeños and sausage. The dish is moistened with glace de viande just before serving..
Mesquite Grilled Pheasant with Jalapeño, Sausage and Cornbread Dressing
Common Pheasants were introduced in North America in 1857, and have become well established throughout much of the Rocky Mountain states, the Midwest, the Plains states, as well as Canada and Mexico. In the American southwest, pheasants can be found in the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge 100 miles south of Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Most common pheasants bagged in the United States are wild-born feral pheasants; in some states, captive-reared and released birds make up much of the population.
Thick cuts of wild Texas fallow deer hind shank are marinated overnight in a mixture of Lambrusco, juniper berries, fresh rosemary, garlic, cracked pepper and bay. The next day, the meat is salted and air-dried before being browned in olive oil in a Dutch oven.
Caramelized onions, chopped Roma tomatoes, porcini mushrooms, homemade stock and reduced marinade are added to the pot and gently simmered until the meat is tender (about 1-1/2 hours).
The meat is removed from the pot and allowed to rest while the cooking liquid is reduced and thickened. The osso bucco (Italian for “bone with a hole”) is added back to the pot just long enough to heat through, then plated atop Italian farro, dressed with sauce and served..
Venison Osso Bucco with Italian Farro
“Fallow deer originated in ancient Persia. Native to the Mediterranean and Asia Minor, they have spread throughout the European continent and to the British Isles. In recent times, they have been introduced into New Zealand, Australia, and the North America where they have become one of the favored species for domestication and deer farming.
There are several thousand fallow deer here in Texas on deer farms, and many thousands more ranging wild on Texas ranches. Farmed fallow have a very mild flavor. Free-range fallow have a more natural venison flavor but are not as readily available. We harvest free-ranging fallow deer.
The fallow deer is about 5 feet long and weighs about 120 to 150 pounds. It is the only deer sporting a wide variety of colors – From solid dark brown (chocolate) to solid white, with over 40 variations in between. Many fallow deer have spotted coats of various colors.
The antlers are also unique. They are often quite large and have flattened spade-like ends. Fallow deer are primarily grazers, preferring grass and forbs, but may also eat twigs and evergreen needles in winter. One particularly interesting phenomenon is an “addiction” that a few fallow deer in Texas exhibit to the consumption of prickly pear cactus. Even when other food is readily available, some fallow deer eat prickly pear cactus and often succumb to massive ingestion of the cactus needles.
Fallow venison is highly valued for its tender texture and beef-like flavor.” –Broken Arrow Ranch
Fresh quail legs from nearby Bandera, Texas are lightly rubbed with peanut oil and seasoned with sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper before being quickly seared in a cast iron skillet. Glazed with a mixture of local guajillo honey, ground Costeño chiles and a bit of coarse mustard, then popped in a very hot over for just a minute or two..
Pan-Seared Bandera Quail Legs, Costeño and Guajillo Honey Glaze
Native to Oaxaca, Costeño chiles have an apricot fruit tone and a heat level similar to the chipotle. Less common in the US, Costeños are frequently used in salsa and soups but can occasionally found in mole recipes as well.
Colossal (U10) wild Mexican white shrimp, sustainably hand-netted in the Sea of Cortés. Briefly marinated in extra virgin olive oil, aji amarillo, a little sea salt, freshly-ground pepper and plenty of fresh garlic, then quickly seared on a hot grill and served with a fresh salsa of heirloom tomatoes, fresh chilies, minced white onion, olive oil, garlic, fresh cilantro, lemon verbena, sea salt and spices..
Aji Mirasol and Garlic-Grilled Shrimp with Lemon Verbena Salsa Fresca
One of the most diverse ecosystems on the planet with more than 5,000 species of macroinvertebrates, the narrow Sea of Cortés is home to creatures like the critically endangered Vaquita Marina, Humpback and Blue Whales, Manta Ray, Leatherback Sea Turtle and these amazingly large and delicious white shrimp.
I get asked about lots of stuff here (mostly about where I do my shopping (nearly all local, including CSA, farmers’ markets & neighbourhood grocers)). Another frequent question is about which recipes have been the most popular over time; here then is the list of the top five most popular posts of the past year..
Roasted Corn Chowder with Scallops and Bacon (all-time most popular) Roasted sweet corn with poblano peppers, onions, seared scallops and smoked bacon..
Tamatem Ma’Amrine(all-time 2nd most popular) A Moroccan dish of roasted tomatoes stuffed with albacore, capers, olives and preserved lemon..
Queso Flameado (all-time 7th most popular) White cheeses with chilies, onions, garlic and homemade chorizo..
Lechon Asado (all-time 6th most popular) Mojo-marinated, slow-roasted pork shoulder with sour orange juice, cumin, oregano and fresh peppers..
Kentucky Bourbon-Glazed Chicken (all-time 3rd most popular) Garlic, peppercorns & lemon peel, mustard, wild honey, fresh tarragon and Kentucky bourbon..
Deep crimson in color with a slightly fruity flavor and mild to medium heat, Kashmiri chiles (Kashmiri mirch) are in such demand that there just aren’t enough to go around. Combined here with ghee-fried onions, garlic, fresh ginger, Ceylon cinnamon and diced sweet potatoes..
Sweet Potato Curry with Aged Cashew Basmati
2 tablespoons ghee (substitute raw coconut oil)
1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
1-2 small green chilies, stemmed, seeded and minced
1 large ripe tomato, diced
1 4″ section fresh curry leaf
1 3″ piece Ceylon cinnamon
2 tablespoons Kashmiri mirch
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 cups sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
2 cups vegetable stock
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut cream, plus extra for garnish
1/4 cup fresh coriander leaf, chopped
sea salt and black pepper
Melt the ghee in a heavy skillet over medium-low heat until shimmering. Add onions and chilies and gently fry until tender. Add cumin, curry leaves and cinnamon and cook 5 minutes, stirring often.
Add Kashmiri murch and turmeric and stir to form a paste. Continue to stir and fry for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add tomatoes, sweet potatoes and stock, partially cover and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in coconut cream and coriander. Season to taste and serve immediately over aged cashew basmati.
Like fine wine, basmati rice tends to improve with age. High quality basmati may be stored for up to 10 years to enhance its flavor, bouquet and cooking characteristics.
Wild Alaskan sockeye salmon is pan-seared with hulled hemp seeds, then finished in a hot oven with a sauce of freshly-squeezed yuzu juice, organic tamari and fresh ginger, scallions and shichimi tōgarashi..
Put yuzu juice and sugar into a heavy-bottomed saucepan and bring to a low boil. Lower heat and simmer until reduced in volume by about a third or until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Add remaining ingredients (except scallions and coriander leaves), reduce heat to low and simmer 20 minutes.
Coat salmon fillets with hemp seed then place in refrigerator for 30 minutes. Heat coconut oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat until shimmering, then place hemp-coated salmon in the hot oil, presentation side down.
Sauté until light golden brown then gently turn over and pour yuzu-ginger glaze over the top. Place pan with salmon in a 400 degree oven and roast until just done, about 8 minutes depending on thickness.
Transfer cooked fish to dinner plates, then add scrape pan juices into the yuzu-ginger glaze, add scallions and coriander leaves, stir and pour back over the salmon. Serve immediately.
From Red Gold
“The Bristol Bay region of Southwest Alaska is home to the Kvichak and Nushagak rivers, the two most prolific sockeye salmon runs left in the world. Foreign mining companies Northern Dynasty Minerals and Anglo American have partnered to propose development of what could be one of the world’s largest open-pit and underground mines at the headwaters of the two river systems. Mine backers claim the Pebble exploration site is the second largest combined deposit of copper, gold, and molybdenum ever discovered, and has an estimated value of more than $300 billion.
Despite promises of a clean project by officials, the accident-plagued history of hard rock mining has sparked deep concern from Alaskans who love and depend upon Bristol Bay’s incredible wild salmon fishery. Red Gold documents the growing unrest among Alaska Native, commercial, and sport-fishermen. It’s a portrait of a unique way of life that will not survive if the salmon don’t return with Bristol Bay’s tide...”
Here’s an insanely delicious snack that’s packed full of protein and really easy to make..
Crispy Curry-Fried Chickpeas
1 15oz can BPA-free organic chickpeas
1/4 cup besan (substitute non-GMO corn starch)
2 teaspoons Madras curry powder
1 scant teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup peanut oil
2 cloves fresh garlic, smashed
1/2 small yellow onion, peeled
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
Drain and rinse chickpeas and spread out on a tea towel to dry.
Heat ghee or peanut oil until shimmering in a heavy skillet over medium heat to a depth of about 1/4 inch. Add garlic and onion and cook until golden brown and fragrant.
Combine besan (chickpea flour), curry powder (turmeric, coriander, cumin, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaves, fenugreek, allspice, black pepper, and curry leaves), chili powder and salt in a bowl or zipper bag. Add chickpeas and toss to coat evenly.
Shake off excess flour and carefully add coated chickpeas to the hot oil and fry, shaking the pan often until crisp and golden brown, about 8-10 minutes. Add chopped cilantro and fry 2 seconds.
Use a slotted spoon to transfer chickpeas to a clean towel to drain briefly before serving hot, perhaps with an ice-cold IPA.
Slow-braised Texas cabrito (young goat) in the Jalisco-style, with guajillo chiles, cumin, raw cider vinegar, cinnamon and cloves..
Birria Jalisciense
(adapted from a recipe by Rick Bayless)
1 pound goat shoulder roast
1 tablespoon leaf lard
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 white onion, diced and divided
2 Roma tomatoes, roasted and diced
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
3 guajillo chiles, toasted and ground
1 1/2 tablespoons raw apple cider vinegar
2 cups filtered water or meat stock
1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
sea salt
fresh cilantro
fresh lime
Trim the goat of fat and silverskin and cut into 1-inch cubes. Sprinkle with sea salt and allow to stand 30 minutes at room temperature. Melt the lard in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, then brown the meat on all sides.
Add tomatoes, garlic, cumin, chile powder, pepper and 2/3 of the onion and stir to combine. Add vinegar, stock, oregano, cinnamon and cloves, cover and braise until tender, about 4 hours at 250 degrees.
Transfer the meat to a bowl or plate, then set the dutch over on a burner over medium heat. Skim and discard any fat, then reduce sauce until slightly thickened. Return the meat to the pot and taste for salt.
To serve, ladle stew into serving bowls and garnish with the remaining onion, fresh cilantro and lime wedges. Serve with fresh corn tortillas.
In Austin? Many of these ingredients are available from Farmhouse Delivery
Gently heat heavy cream to 105 degrees (use a thermometer), then remove from heat and stir in buttermilk. Transfer to a glass jar, cover with a napkin and allow to stand at room temperature until thick, about 24-36 hours. Transfer to the refrigerator and age for 24 hours. Use within 7-10 days.
For the Criques,(about 6 2-3 inch pancakes, adapted from a recipe by Jacques Pépin)
1 cup Yukon gold or fingerling potatoes
1 large farm-fresh egg
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 spring onion, slivered
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon cultured butter
fine sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
Peel and dice potatoes and transfer to the bowl of a food processor. Add egg and pulse until smooth. Stir in baking powder and onion and season to taste with salt and pepper. Heat butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat until shimmering, then pour batter into 2-3 inch pancakes. Allow to cook undisturbed until the edges begin to brown and the pancake releases itself from the pan. Flip and cook until golden brown, then transfer to a wire rack hold in a warm oven until ready to plate.
To serve, dress criques with a bit of smoked salmon or applesauce perhaps, or my favorite, crème fraîche and caviar.
A traditional Greek offering of local, pastured lamb, toasted spices and fresh herbs, garlic, lemon and extra-virgin olive oil..
Lamb Keftedes
Makes about 8-10 Meatballs (adapted from a recipe by Michael Symon)
1/4 cup white onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup day-old bread, torn into cubes
1/4 cup fresh, whole milk
1/2 pound freshly-ground lamb, 75% lean
1 pastured egg
1/4 teaspoon coriander seeds
1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon nibs
1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground pepper
sprouted wheat flour for dusting
clarified butter
fresh oregano, torn
fresh mint, torn
1 fresh lemon
Toast the cinnamon, cumin and coriander in a dry skillet until fragrant, then set aside to cool. Meanwhile, sauté the onion with a pinch of salt in a little clarified butter over medium heat until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until softened, about another 2 minutes. Set aside.
Soak the bread in the milk.
Grind the toasted spices and cinnamon together in a mortar, then combine with the black pepper and nutmeg.
In a mixing bowl, combine the onions, garlic and lamb. Squeeze out the bread and add to the lamb along with the spices, pepper and torn oregano. Mix everything together by hand.
Form the meat mixture into golf ball-sized balls then roll in the flour, gently shaking off any excess.
Heat clarified butter in a heavy pan over medium heat, then add the meatballs to the pan. Pan-fry until golden brown and crusty on the outside, then drain briefly on paper towels.
Arrange the meatballs on a plate, drizzle with olive oil then season with sea salt and freshly-ground pepper. Garnish with lemon zest and oregano and serve with olives and lemon wedges.
1 cup sprouted wheat flour, plus more as needed (substitute good organic wheat flour if needed)
1 cup unbleached organic all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 tablespoon aluminum-free baking powder
1 1/2 tablespoons raw honey
5 tablespoons pastured butter, cold
3 pastured eggs
3/4 cup fresh cream
1/2 cup fresh pomegranate seeds
1 tablespoon orange zest
Mix the dry ingredients together in a bowl. Cut the chilled butter into the flour, ensuring that it is thoroughly combined.
Beat 2 eggs with the cream, then stir into the flour. Fold in pomegranate seeds and orange zest.
Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead until barely sticky (about 8-10 times).
Press the dough into a lightly greased 10-inch cast iron skillet. Beat the remaining egg with with a scant amount of water and brush the top of the dough.
Deeply score the dough with a thin knife and optionally sprinkle with a teaspoon of coarse non-refined sugar.
Bake in a 350 degree oven until it passes the toothpick test, about 15 minutes.
Allow to cool slightly before serving with butter, honey or clotted cream.
This post is part of A Moderate Life’s Tackling Bittman Recipe Hop!
Simmering vegetable stock, sourdough croûtons, fresh basil, scallions, Roma tomatoes and raw cheeses..
Grilled Cheese Soup
This recipe is a riff on The Moosewood Collective’s Italian Bread & Cheese Soup
For the stock
Roast such vegetables as you have available. At a minimum, try to include celery, onions, carrots, tomatoes and garlic. Parsley root and celery root add extra flavor.
Place roasted vegetables into a clean pot and fill with cold, filtered water. Bring to a rapid boil, then reduce heat and simmer until reduced in volume by 1/3 or more, about 2 hours. Add a teaspoon each of turmeric and paprika for color if you like. Strain and keep hot.
Tear wild yeast sourdough into irregular pieces and sauté in pastured butter until crisp and golden brown. Place in the center of a deep dinner plate.
Add diced Roma tomatoes, thinly sliced scallions, Italian parsley and fresh basil.
Add shredded cheeses. I’m using raw cheddar and Grana Padano.
Pour hot vegetable stock over the top and garnish with additional minced herbs. Season with a little coarse seal salt and freshly-ground black pepper.
1 1/2 cups organic stone-ground blue cornmeal
1/3 cup organic, unbleached all-purpose flour
1/3 cup roasted corn kernels
1/2 tablespoon dried jalapeño (optional)
1 1/4 teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder
1/2 teaspoon aluminum-free baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 pastured eggs
3/4 fresh buttermilk
1 cup fresh whole milk
2 tablespoons pastured butter
Cut corn from the cob and toast in a skillet with a little butter (and jalapeño, if using) until golden brown. Set aside to cool.
Sift the dry ingredients together in a bowl
Whisk the eggs into the buttermilk, then add to the flour mixture. Add corn and stir to combine, using as few strokes as possible.
Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. Use a bunched-up paper towel to rub melted butter up the sides of then pan, then pour the remaining butter into the cornbread batter and stir to combine.
Pour the cornbread batter into the hot skillet and bake in a 350-degree oven until it passes the toothpick test, about 50-60 minutes.
Similar to scones, blueberry bannock is a traditional Scotch-Gaelic and Cree* leavened quick-bread of whole wheat flour, water and wild blueberries..
Métis Wild Blueberry Bannock
3 cups sprouted wheat flour or 3 cups soaked organic all-purpose flour
1 tbl baking powder
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
1 cup plain kefir or raw whole milk (traditionally just water)
1/2 cup filtered water
1 cup fresh wild or farmers’ market blueberries
pastured butter or coconut oil
maple sugar (optional)
cinnamon (optional)
Sift the dry ingredients together in a glass bowl. Add the wet ingredients and stir to combine. Fold in the blueberries.
Grease a cast iron skillet with pastured butter or coconut oil, then put the dough in the center of the pan and spread it out evenly.
Sprinkle the top of the dough with 1 tablespoon maple sugar, if using, and 1/2 teaspoon freshly-grated cinnamon.
Bake in a 375 degree oven until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Do not over bake, or the bannock will be dry.
For a savory variation, omit maple sugar & cinnamon in favor of fresh rosemary and substitute beef tallow for butter/coconut oil.
* In Canada, the term Métis usually designates a constitutionally recognized individual born of an Aboriginal group, descended primarily from the marriages of Scottish and French men to Cree, Saulteaux, and Ojibwa women in southern Rupert’s Land starting in the late 17th century, and the marriages of French women to Ojibway men starting in Quebec in the middle 17th century. Anglo- as opposed to Franco-Métis in Canada were at one time distinguished by language, the Franco-Métis speaking French and the Anglo-Métis (then known as the Country-born) speaking Bungee, a pidgin language derived from Scotch-Gaelic and Cree. The use of Bungee has waned and Anglo-Métis increasingly identify simply as undifferentiated Métis or as undifferentiated anglophone Canadians with aboriginal antecedents. –Wikipedia
Sometimes described as metallic or overly strong tasting, mushy or tough or simply uninteresting, beef liver has gotten a bad rap over the years. It doesn’t have to be that way..
Liver and Onions with Bacon and Sage
click to enlarge
Pastured beef liver fried with bacon, just-dug onions, brown mushrooms and fresh sage leaves brings this inexpensive, nutritional powerhouse back to the dinner table. Even the kids will dig it.
Select only the freshest, pastured beef liver, never the frozen feed-lot stuff from the supermarket. Cut into 1/2 strips and lightly dredge in sprouted flour seasoned with sea salt and cracked pepper. Set aside.
Fry uncured, pastured bacon until crisp and all the fat has rendered out.
Add sliced onions and continue to cook until well browned.
Pour off all but 1 tablespoon grease and reserve for another use.
Add 2 tablespoons pastured butter to the hot pan and swirl to combine with the remaining bacon fat.
Add sliced brown mushrooms (I like the dark, earthy-flavored varieties) and sauté until they begin to crisp on the edges.
Make sure that the skillet is still good and hot, then add strips of floured liver and coarsely chopped fresh sage and flat-leaf parsley. Cook until well browned, turn and brown on the other side.
Arrange on a plate, drizzle with pan juices and enjoy.
Pan-fried beef liver is a good source of Iron and Zinc, and a very good source of Protein (approx. 22g per 4oz), Vitamin A, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Vitamin B12, Pantothenic Acid, Phosphorus, Copper and Selenium.
This post is part of the Pennywise Platter at The Nourishing Gourmet
A traditional Mexican dish named for her charros (cowboys), charro beans (frijoles charros, cowboy beans) are pinto beans simmered with onions, garlic, chilies and tomatoes. I’m adding black beans, epazote and Mexican oregano and serving it a roasted, scooped-out chayote (Aztec chayotli) squash with red chili corn pone on the side..
Soak dried beans overnight, then drain, rinse and cook in fresh water until not quite done, about 1-1 1/2 hours. Set aside.
For the corn pone, mix together 1 cup of white or yellow stone-ground cornmeal with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of coarse chili powder. Add 1 teaspoon lard or bacon grease, then carefully stir in 1 cup of boiling water (filtered). Allow to stand long enough to soften and cool, then form into 1/2 inch cakes about 3 inches in diameter. Cover with a damp towel and set aside. (this corn pone is based on a recipe by author Crescent Dragonwagon)
Meanwhile, split and seed 1 or more chayote, drizzle lightly with oil, season with S&P and roast in a 375 degree oven until charred and tender, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
Toast whole cumin seed in a dry skillet until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon lard or bacon grease, minced garlic, chopped onion and diced jalapeño and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes.
Add tomatoes and oregano, beans and the scooped out, chopped flesh of the roasted chayote along with enough of the bean liquor to just cover.
Simmer until beans are tender but intact, perhaps 20-30 minutes.
Meanwhile, reheat chayote in the oven or under the broiler and fry the pones in a small amount of butter until golden brown and crispy on the edges.
Spoon bean mixture into chayote shells and serve with hot corn pones and a roasted jalapeño.
Chayote is a good source of Niacin, Vitamin B6, Pantothenic Acid, Magnesium and Potassium, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Folate, Zinc, Copper and Manganese.
Local, pastured rabbit in a sauce of game stock, shallots, mushrooms, thyme and fresh cream..
Rabbit Fricassée
Break down a fresh rabbit by removing and splitting the leg quarters and removing the saddle, backbone and ribs and splitting the loin into 2 boneless halves. Be sure to examine the liver- it should look and smell perfectly fresh and clean. Clean kidneys and reserve with liver for another use (if you like liver, try frying rabbit liver & kidneys in butter and seasoning with plenty of salt and pepper- the taste is absolutely revelatory).
Lay the loins out on a cutting board. Use a piece of wax paper and the flat side of a meat mallet to pound the loin into an even thickness. Spread the loins with raw honey (heather, Tupelo or Guajillo work nicely) and season with fresh thyme, a little salt and black pepper.
Roll the loin up in lean, uncured bacon and secure with toothpicks about 1 1/2 inches apart. Cut between the toothpicks to form little loin fillets. Refrigerate.
Make a stock of the bones and trimmings, cold filtered water, celery, onions, carrots and garlic. Bring to a boil, skim the scum, reduce heat and simmer 3-4 hours.
Poach the leg quarters in the stock until tender, about 1 hour. Remove from stock and set aside.
Sauté the loin pieces in a little olive oil with minced shallots, mushrooms and garlic until browned, about 6 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.
Deglaze the pan with white vermouth and reduce.
Add stock and reduce.
Add fresh cream, thyme and homemade coarse mustard. Add reserved loin and leg pieces and gently simmer until sauce is thickened, about 10 minutes. Adjust seasoning with sea salt and black pepper and serve.
This post is part of the Nourished Kitchen’s Clean Your Plate Recipe Challenge
Adapted from a recipe in The First African-American Cookbook from 1881 using a method described by Sally Fallon, this is a rich, thick fermented (rather than cooked) ketchup. I left out the high fructose corn syrup, in case you feel like calling the food police..
1 1/2 cups organic tomato paste (or make your own)
1/8 cup whey
1/4 cup pure maple syrup (optional)
1/8 cup fermented fish sauce OR 1 teaspoon anchovy paste (optional)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne (or to taste)
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon allspice
Grind dry ingredients together in a spice grinder or mortar. Add to the rest of the ingredients in a non-reactive bowl and stir well to combine.
Add filtered water, if necessary, to achieve the thickness that you prefer.
Transfer ketchup to a jar with a tight-fitting lid and allow to sit at room temperature for 48-72 hours before transferring to refrigerator for long-term storage.
Stew meat, stock, fresh tomatoes, garlic, onion, peppers and spices.
Simple. Delicious.
Brown about 1 pound of local grass-fed beef in a spoonful of annatto oil.
Add in about 4 chopped tomatoes, one or two chopped chipotles en adobo and a cup of good beef stock and simmer, stirring occasionally until meat is tender, about 90 minutes.
Add fresh jalapeno, cumin, Mexican oregano, parsley and cilantro and simmer 5 minutes.
A dollop of crema Mexicana or a spoonful of agave nectar will cool it down if its too spicy for you.
Serve with tortilla chips, rice, beans or whatever suits your fancy tonight.
Pozole Roja is a traditional pre-Colombian stew, adopted as the local cuisine of Guerrero, Mexico. In the US state of New Mexico, pozole (from Spanish pozole, from Nahuatl potzolli) is traditionally served on Christmas Eve to celebrate life’s blessings.
While it looks a little complicated, it really isn’t hard. As long as you have “mise en place” (everything in place) before starting, you’ll get through this fine, and be justly rewarded in the end.
Pork shoulder, dried ancho and guajillo chiles, garlic, achiote seeds, dark chocolate with chipotle, cinnamon and cocoa nibs, crema (think of Mexican crème fraîche), fresh cilantro, fresh mint, key limes, Spanish onion, Mexican oregano, olive oil, peppercorns and nixtamal (white corn/hominy).
Start by toasting the achiote seeds in a hot, dry skillet until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add good olive oil and infuse over low heat for about 20 minutes. Strain the resulting annatto oil through a coffee filter placed inside a funnel. Stored in a cool, dark place, annatto oil will keep indefinitely.
Trim the excess fat from the pork, but leave a little intact. In a Dutch oven, sear the pork in a little of the annatto oil. Add onions, garlic and oregano and cook another 5 minutes.
Add water (or stock, if you prefer) to cover, cilantro and mint (I’ve stuffed the herbs into a cheesecloth bag for easy removal) and S&P. Simmer until pork is fork-tender, about 2 hours.
Split the chilies and remove the stems and seeds. Place on a flat skillet and weight for about 20 seconds. Flip and repeat.
Transfer the toasted chilies to a bowl, cover with boiling water and let stand until soft, about 1/2 hour.
Gather up the ingredients for cornbread. Coarse-ground yellow cornmeal, all-purpose flour, milk, baking powder, butter, egg, chiles and salt.
Lightly toast the cornmeal on a dry skillet to bring out the flavor, then add it to the bowl with the other ingredients (I’ve added a little shredded cheddar cheese). Mix until just combined, about 1 minute. Do not over mix.
Blend the re-hydrated chiles with 1/2 of its soaking water until smooth. Transfer to pan and cook until thickened, about 10 minutes. Add the hominy and simmer another 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, pour the cornbread mix into a pre-heated iron cornstick pan (or muffin tins or 8×8 glass baking dish) and bake at 450 degrees until golden brown, about 25 minutes.
Serve in a bowl garnished with crema, chopped mint and cilantro, and shaved chocolate.
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