1/25/10
Peta's brother Sean sent a wonderful Christmas present of Elk Sausage with Madiera (along with other treats about which we will blog as we cook them). Jim boiled the sausages until the water was gone and then let them brown and deglazed with even more Madiera. So tasty!
He whipped up some Creamed Spinach as cooked by Emeril. Yeah, yeah, Emeril's a donkey and we that, for once, he'd take it down a notch. But it's hard to find a recipe that doesn't involve milk which Jim cannot eat due to the whole lactose thing (TMI!!!). Emeril uses cream. Muuuuch better, and dirtier!
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Gool-ash.
Monday 1/18
So Jim had a lunch of the Hungarian Goulash and Cucumber Salad that we made yesterday along with some homemade Spätzle that he made today. We ate it all week. The goulash was inspired by these recipes: 1, 2, 3
We can't remember everything that we did, but Jim always uses at least a 1/4 cup of Sweet Hungarian Paprika in his Goulash. We think that our recipe was mostly from the "We Are Never Full" site. It was the first time he used caraway seeds, as well. They gave an earthy, musty flavor to the Goulash which was fine, if a bit dominant. So we added more paprika. We also used venison, because we have so much, with presents a problem discussed below.
The nutmeg called for in the Spätzle [German egg and flour noodles] was overpowering alone, especially to Peta who doesn't much care for the "sweet" spices, but it worked OK in concert with the Goulash. However, the spätzle all stuck to the pan when frying it and it was a complete bitch to clean. Plus, Tyler Florence is also kind of a ponce, so we'll find a new recipe next time (probably next year as it gets warmer here).
Cucumber Salad
• 2 cucumbers
• Seasoned salt
• 1/2 onion
• 1/2 cup white vinegar
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon sweet paprika
• Pinch dill, dried or fresh (optional) (We added)
• Dollop sour cream (optional) (Replaced with yoghurt)
Because venison is so lean, it has a tendency to get either chewy if over cooked or dry (yet tender-ish) if stewed. Because we are the FoodFixers, were going to do a test where we browned the venison and put half into the goulash to stew for hours and the other half in at the end. We got tired and bailed, so the meat was tender, yet dry. Once we get our freezer, we'll have a source of grass-fed beef two towns over. Perhaps a 1/4 cow? Moooooo....
So Jim had a lunch of the Hungarian Goulash and Cucumber Salad that we made yesterday along with some homemade Spätzle that he made today. We ate it all week. The goulash was inspired by these recipes: 1, 2, 3
We can't remember everything that we did, but Jim always uses at least a 1/4 cup of Sweet Hungarian Paprika in his Goulash. We think that our recipe was mostly from the "We Are Never Full" site. It was the first time he used caraway seeds, as well. They gave an earthy, musty flavor to the Goulash which was fine, if a bit dominant. So we added more paprika. We also used venison, because we have so much, with presents a problem discussed below.
The nutmeg called for in the Spätzle [German egg and flour noodles] was overpowering alone, especially to Peta who doesn't much care for the "sweet" spices, but it worked OK in concert with the Goulash. However, the spätzle all stuck to the pan when frying it and it was a complete bitch to clean. Plus, Tyler Florence is also kind of a ponce, so we'll find a new recipe next time (probably next year as it gets warmer here).
Cucumber Salad
• 2 cucumbers
• Seasoned salt
• 1/2 onion
• 1/2 cup white vinegar
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon sweet paprika
• Pinch dill, dried or fresh (optional) (We added)
• Dollop sour cream (optional) (Replaced with yoghurt)
Because venison is so lean, it has a tendency to get either chewy if over cooked or dry (yet tender-ish) if stewed. Because we are the FoodFixers, were going to do a test where we browned the venison and put half into the goulash to stew for hours and the other half in at the end. We got tired and bailed, so the meat was tender, yet dry. Once we get our freezer, we'll have a source of grass-fed beef two towns over. Perhaps a 1/4 cow? Moooooo....
A Fish Stew By Any Other Name...
Sunday 1/17
Today, we made a massive amount of food! We'll blog about the Hungarian Goulash that we made tomorrow, but we also made Boulliabasse with Rouille from Peta's Escoffier Cookbook. The Rouille was from Janet Weir's Tapas to Meze. [we are posting "from the future" and Jim has been using the Rouille with scrambled eggs (along with tomato puree) and Peta has used it as a sauce for venison and wild rice]
Peta thought that the soup was delicious and relatively simple, albeit expensive with all of the Marine Stewardship Certified seafood.
Oh yeah, we bought some Blue Cheese washed with Sauternes (sp?) from the cheese shop at Oxbow next to the Spiceman and the expensive seafood counter. We ate it with a discontinued, but tasty, late harvest Chardonnay from William Hill Estate Winery.
Today, we made a massive amount of food! We'll blog about the Hungarian Goulash that we made tomorrow, but we also made Boulliabasse with Rouille from Peta's Escoffier Cookbook. The Rouille was from Janet Weir's Tapas to Meze. [we are posting "from the future" and Jim has been using the Rouille with scrambled eggs (along with tomato puree) and Peta has used it as a sauce for venison and wild rice]
Peta thought that the soup was delicious and relatively simple, albeit expensive with all of the Marine Stewardship Certified seafood.
Oh yeah, we bought some Blue Cheese washed with Sauternes (sp?) from the cheese shop at Oxbow next to the Spiceman and the expensive seafood counter. We ate it with a discontinued, but tasty, late harvest Chardonnay from William Hill Estate Winery.
Jerk Chicken and Greens (Kale and Chard)
Friday 1/15/10
We've been using up the chicken parts pretty well these days, especially since Christmas when Peta gave Jim a meat cleaver. Yes! The breasts go for Indian dishes or Italian food such as Chicken Marsala or Milanese, the legs for Peta's Italian chicken, the wings for Jerk Chicken (the link is for Jerk Pork, but the Jerk is the same), the livers for Chicken Paté and the wing tips, back and innards for homemade stock.
We went with Jerk Chicken Wings tonight and, because Peta hasn't worked with much in the way of greens, Jim decided to sauté some kale and Swiss chard he and Page picked from the Stanford organic garden. We can't remember if we've posted about greens before, but essentially, you sauté some minced garlic (perhaps in bacon fat?) for a minute, add the chopped stems of the greens and red wine vinegar and water (or stock) and simmer until tender and liquid is almost gone, then throw in the chopped leaves, let them wilt, add more liquid and simmer for ten minutes. We apologize for the slap-dash "recipe", but it's really just a matter of having a little fat, some aromatics and some acidity to balance the bitterness of the greens.
A super easy and mostly healthy (healthful?) after work meal for pennies. Cheers!
We've been using up the chicken parts pretty well these days, especially since Christmas when Peta gave Jim a meat cleaver. Yes! The breasts go for Indian dishes or Italian food such as Chicken Marsala or Milanese, the legs for Peta's Italian chicken, the wings for Jerk Chicken (the link is for Jerk Pork, but the Jerk is the same), the livers for Chicken Paté and the wing tips, back and innards for homemade stock.
We went with Jerk Chicken Wings tonight and, because Peta hasn't worked with much in the way of greens, Jim decided to sauté some kale and Swiss chard he and Page picked from the Stanford organic garden. We can't remember if we've posted about greens before, but essentially, you sauté some minced garlic (perhaps in bacon fat?) for a minute, add the chopped stems of the greens and red wine vinegar and water (or stock) and simmer until tender and liquid is almost gone, then throw in the chopped leaves, let them wilt, add more liquid and simmer for ten minutes. We apologize for the slap-dash "recipe", but it's really just a matter of having a little fat, some aromatics and some acidity to balance the bitterness of the greens.
A super easy and mostly healthy (healthful?) after work meal for pennies. Cheers!
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Homemade Biscuits and Gravy
After Jim's marathon workout (1200 calories burned plus lifting and a bike ride home), he felt the need to cook a massive amount of venison biscuits and gravy by adding fennel, red pepper, black pepper and salt to a package of ground venison that had been cut with 10% pork fat.
As the meat was browning, Jim made the recipe for Cream Biscuits with Cheddar Cheese from The New Best Recipe book. They only took 20 minutes or so. After the biscuits were in, he turned his attention to the gravy. Flour was added and browned then, because he has to add cream rather than milk, Jim added chicken stock. Three eggs cooked in schmaltz and it was a good thing. Then he went down hard.
Peta's Italian Chicken with beets and leftover spelt made a tasty dinner.
As the meat was browning, Jim made the recipe for Cream Biscuits with Cheddar Cheese from The New Best Recipe book. They only took 20 minutes or so. After the biscuits were in, he turned his attention to the gravy. Flour was added and browned then, because he has to add cream rather than milk, Jim added chicken stock. Three eggs cooked in schmaltz and it was a good thing. Then he went down hard.
Peta's Italian Chicken with beets and leftover spelt made a tasty dinner.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Mussels and... Feta?
Jim was reading Joanne Weir's "From Tapas to Meze" to fall asleep last night. Seriously? So when Peta had a hankering for Mussels in the near future. Jim doesn't like Ms. Weir after having seen her cooking show on KQED and thinks that she really talks down to her "students". But we've been getting into a rut with our mussels and Jim wanted to be ready with something new. They didn't have any at Raley's on Friday night, so we put them on hold until Monday night at which time we'll halve the recipe. (It's presented below already halved.)
Mithia Sahanaki (Mussels and Feta)
1/8 cup EVOO
1/4 medium onion, finely chopped
2 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup Sauvingnon Blanc
1/8 tsp dried oregano
Pinch of crushed red pepper
1/2 tsp red wine vinegar
1 pound mussels
3 oz. crumbled feta
*Salt and Pepper
1/2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Sauté onion until soft. Add tomatoes, wine, oregano, red pepper and vinegar and stir. Reduce heat and simmer 20-30 until reduced.
Add mussels and cover. Remove mussels as they open and remove from shells.
Return mussels to pan and add feta for 30 seconds.
Garnish with parsley.
*Do not add salt. The feta makes the dish salty enough. And reduce the cooking time for the mussels. We give this a "meh".
Mithia Sahanaki (Mussels and Feta)
1/8 cup EVOO
1/4 medium onion, finely chopped
2 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup Sauvingnon Blanc
1/8 tsp dried oregano
Pinch of crushed red pepper
1/2 tsp red wine vinegar
1 pound mussels
3 oz. crumbled feta
*Salt and Pepper
1/2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Sauté onion until soft. Add tomatoes, wine, oregano, red pepper and vinegar and stir. Reduce heat and simmer 20-30 until reduced.
Add mussels and cover. Remove mussels as they open and remove from shells.
Return mussels to pan and add feta for 30 seconds.
Garnish with parsley.
*Do not add salt. The feta makes the dish salty enough. And reduce the cooking time for the mussels. We give this a "meh".
Faux Pho (we know it's pronounced Fuh!)
Southeast Asian Rice Noodle Soup with Beef (Pho)
From 5 cups of the stock that we made last night, we decided to add the Asian flavors that make a Pho-like soup. From the recipe our "The New Best Recipe" book from Cook's Illustrated, we added
and we simmered it while Peta cooked bacon and eggs and toast for breakfast. Then we went to Stone's and watched the Pats get crushed by the Ravens. We're having it for lunch tomorrow and will report on the results. To the broth, we'll add and soak rice noodles, thinly sliced, semi-frozen venison, mung bean sprouts, jalapeño pepper, scallions sliced on the bias, basil, mint leaves, cilantro leaves, chopped dry-roasted peanuts and garnish with lime wedges. We didn't list any amounts here because it's an "immediate build" soup and can be made to taste.
NOTE: actually just ate the soup in the future. The noodles took way longer to cook and the broth got cloudy. We discussed this over Mithia Sahanaki (Mussels and Feta) and figured that there was some sort of reaction between the meat protein and something in the broth. But this doesn't happen in the restaurant when the broth is ladled over the meat. The pho broth that restaurants use must be clarified by egg shells or whites or something like a consommé. Jim did a little research and read that the broth is cooked at too high a temperature. "Once it has reached a boil, lower the heat and let it barely simmer slowly for a long time (anywhere from 2 to 24 hours). High temperatures cloud the broth and remember to skim off surface scum once the broth comes to a boil to avoid making the broth cloudy" A more detailed explanation from the same board reads "boiling, in turn, breaks apart the proteins which would flocculate with a gentle simmer. As the flocculated proteins become larger they are too heavy to remain in solution. These broken proteins will not settle to the bottom resulting in stock that is cloudy. The purists may cringe but I cover my stock pot, put it in the oven, and hold it at 220 F overnight. I end up with rich stock that is very clear and flavorful. My best guess is that the gentle cooking allows the solids to flocculate (stick in clumps) rather than be broken into apart by the boiling action. The solids then settle to the bottom of the pot and are discarded. In the morning I still have a clean stovetop and not much to clean up. Also the oven uses less electricity than a burner"
Jim admits that he was pretty bad with respect to skimming and that the above "research" is pretty shitty.
From 5 cups of the stock that we made last night, we decided to add the Asian flavors that make a Pho-like soup. From the recipe our "The New Best Recipe" book from Cook's Illustrated, we added
- 4 medium garlic cloves, smashed and crushed
- 1 2-inch piece of ginger, cut into rounds and smashed
- 2 3-inch cinnamon sticks
- 2 star anise pods
- 2 Tbsp fish sauce
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp sugar
and we simmered it while Peta cooked bacon and eggs and toast for breakfast. Then we went to Stone's and watched the Pats get crushed by the Ravens. We're having it for lunch tomorrow and will report on the results. To the broth, we'll add and soak rice noodles, thinly sliced, semi-frozen venison, mung bean sprouts, jalapeño pepper, scallions sliced on the bias, basil, mint leaves, cilantro leaves, chopped dry-roasted peanuts and garnish with lime wedges. We didn't list any amounts here because it's an "immediate build" soup and can be made to taste.
NOTE: actually just ate the soup in the future. The noodles took way longer to cook and the broth got cloudy. We discussed this over Mithia Sahanaki (Mussels and Feta) and figured that there was some sort of reaction between the meat protein and something in the broth. But this doesn't happen in the restaurant when the broth is ladled over the meat. The pho broth that restaurants use must be clarified by egg shells or whites or something like a consommé. Jim did a little research and read that the broth is cooked at too high a temperature. "Once it has reached a boil, lower the heat and let it barely simmer slowly for a long time (anywhere from 2 to 24 hours). High temperatures cloud the broth and remember to skim off surface scum once the broth comes to a boil to avoid making the broth cloudy" A more detailed explanation from the same board reads "boiling, in turn, breaks apart the proteins which would flocculate with a gentle simmer. As the flocculated proteins become larger they are too heavy to remain in solution. These broken proteins will not settle to the bottom resulting in stock that is cloudy. The purists may cringe but I cover my stock pot, put it in the oven, and hold it at 220 F overnight. I end up with rich stock that is very clear and flavorful. My best guess is that the gentle cooking allows the solids to flocculate (stick in clumps) rather than be broken into apart by the boiling action. The solids then settle to the bottom of the pot and are discarded. In the morning I still have a clean stovetop and not much to clean up. Also the oven uses less electricity than a burner"
Jim admits that he was pretty bad with respect to skimming and that the above "research" is pretty shitty.
Punjabi Feast
Jim has been champing at the bit to cook Indian food after our wonderful meal at Ajanta last Friday night. Peta picked the Punjabi Feast in the Ajanta Cookbook that we bought after our meal there . We spent a good chunk of time at the spice man at the Oxbow Market and got everything that we needed except the pomegranate seeds. We subbed mango powder to impart the sour flavor, but it may have been lacking in sweet. We'll try to find this ingredient for the next go round. The food was ingredient and time intensive but the results were excellent. The chicken was only marinated for three hours the first day and the second round was better (hotter and more flavorful) the next day.
We did not make the Parathas. But we will for leftovers. Nor did we make the dessert, Aam di Kulfi. No real interest in or taste for desserts with either of us. Less so even for Indian desserts. We were a great team this night. Jim made the Chutney, Peta the Raita. Then Jim butchered two chickens and Peta made the marinade. Then Peta made the Khumb Alu Tikki and Jim made the Cilantro-Mint Chutney. Then we smoked the eggplant and put the sauce together. Then Peta grilled the chicken and Jim cooked the rice. Ho. Lee. Crap.
But what a meal...
Oh yes. After butchering the chickens, Jim put the carcasses and the one in the freezer (minus the livers) into the stockpot with the aromatics and spices.
Brandied Cherries
The cherries that Jim has been putting into his cocktails (we believe that it's the Star brand) have a horrible chlorine-like aftertaste. In an effort to build a better cherry and avoid having to wait for a shipment of Luxardo cherries, Jim went with this recipe.
The first cherries out were a bit too lemony, so we added more brandy and sugar. We'll see how they do after a few days of mellowing...
- Khumb Alu Tikki with Cilantro-Mint Chutney
- Chicken Makhanwala
- Baingan Bartha
- Haldi Chaval
- Gajar Kai Chutney
- Keeray Ka Raita
We did not make the Parathas. But we will for leftovers. Nor did we make the dessert, Aam di Kulfi. No real interest in or taste for desserts with either of us. Less so even for Indian desserts. We were a great team this night. Jim made the Chutney, Peta the Raita. Then Jim butchered two chickens and Peta made the marinade. Then Peta made the Khumb Alu Tikki and Jim made the Cilantro-Mint Chutney. Then we smoked the eggplant and put the sauce together. Then Peta grilled the chicken and Jim cooked the rice. Ho. Lee. Crap.
But what a meal...
Oh yes. After butchering the chickens, Jim put the carcasses and the one in the freezer (minus the livers) into the stockpot with the aromatics and spices.
Brandied Cherries
The cherries that Jim has been putting into his cocktails (we believe that it's the Star brand) have a horrible chlorine-like aftertaste. In an effort to build a better cherry and avoid having to wait for a shipment of Luxardo cherries, Jim went with this recipe.
The first cherries out were a bit too lemony, so we added more brandy and sugar. We'll see how they do after a few days of mellowing...
When you've got pork and you have jerk...
Jim couldn't find mussels at Raley's and he was on his bike, so he wasn't going all over town to find them. He talked to the butcher about cuts of pork and ended up with the fattier, cheaper product (shocker). He brined these in a sugar salt water solution when he returned from the bike ride from the gym. He still had jerk paste from the last round of jerk pork, but he added another habanero and more total paste to the chops ) which were thinner this time.
Peta cooked the chops and we served them with Tropical Mash and something else green.
The chops were juicier (could have been the brine and/or the cut) and then jerk was better. Just a little left for wings this week!
Peta cooked the chops and we served them with Tropical Mash and something else green.
The chops were juicier (could have been the brine and/or the cut) and then jerk was better. Just a little left for wings this week!
Peta's Italian Chicken
Jim did the chicken this time, under Peta's phone tutelage. Here's the original post. He put parmesan under the skin of the chicken legs and added the "goo" from the last round of Peta's chicken along with another bay leaf and more garlic. Then he removed the chicken and reduced the sauce. Always gotta have the sauce.
Vegetables? Sure.
Vegetables? Sure.
Unfamiliar Grains
We took a page out of the Fat of the Land blog from this recipe and made Venison Backstrap Medallion in Pan Sauce with Spelt, Chanterelles and Mascarpone. It may have been better if we had chives to garnish and we couldn't figure out why our spelt was so white compared to the FoTL blog. But apparently, you can make your own mascarpone from cream and tartaric acid. We'll look into that soon!
PS: We swear that we had vegetables...
PS: We swear that we had vegetables...
Chicken "Marsala"
There's no real recipe for this one anymore. Jim butchered a chicken with the new Wüsthof cleaver Peta gave him for Christmas. He pounded out the breasts, put jerk rub onto the wings and into the fridge, put the whole legs into a bag for Peta's chicken into the fridge and chopped up the carcass and froze (liver separate).
After sautéing sliced onion and button mushrooms in butter/oil, Jim took the pounded breasts and dredged in salt, pepper and marjoram flour and fried in butter and oil.
NOTE: In retrospect, the breasts must be shaken thoroughly and the fat must be hot to avoid a gluey coating.
The chicken was moved into a warming oven and the pan was deglazed with Madiera (no Marsala in the cupboard) and the mushrooms and onions were added. Jim added a little butter to the sauce and poured over the chicken. Vegetables? Yeah, we had them but who can remember what they were.
After sautéing sliced onion and button mushrooms in butter/oil, Jim took the pounded breasts and dredged in salt, pepper and marjoram flour and fried in butter and oil.
NOTE: In retrospect, the breasts must be shaken thoroughly and the fat must be hot to avoid a gluey coating.
The chicken was moved into a warming oven and the pan was deglazed with Madiera (no Marsala in the cupboard) and the mushrooms and onions were added. Jim added a little butter to the sauce and poured over the chicken. Vegetables? Yeah, we had them but who can remember what they were.
Stuffed Eggplant Fail
Peta tried to cook up some stuffed eggplant with ground antelope that had been in the fridge for a while. She tried her best but the product that Jim had provided from last year's hunt was not so good. We choked it down and threw the rest out. Not a banner meal. I had a little posole to tide me over.
Winter is Stew Time
On the 3rd day of 2010, Jim decided that it was finally time for posole, a traditional Mexican pork and hominy stew from Jalisco. Hominy is corn that has been treated with lime which makes them more easily digestable and causes them to puff out like little blossoms. The first posole that Jim had made was his best and the last, from the Gourmet big book, was the worst.
In his "research", Jim found that most recipes call for Guajillo and Pasilla peppers to be re-constituted in chicken broth and that many so-called Pasilla peppers are just dried Poblano peppers or Ancho chilies. In reality, the pasilla negro is the dried version of the chilaca chile. We managed to find those peppers at the local Raley's.
We used homemade stock to reconstitute the peppers and then went on to use variations on these recipes: one and two. We used the garlic, mint, cilantro, onion, oregano, peppercorns and cloves of the latter and cumin, pepper amounts and types and browning of the pork.
We've been eating it for days!
In his "research", Jim found that most recipes call for Guajillo and Pasilla peppers to be re-constituted in chicken broth and that many so-called Pasilla peppers are just dried Poblano peppers or Ancho chilies. In reality, the pasilla negro is the dried version of the chilaca chile. We managed to find those peppers at the local Raley's.
We used homemade stock to reconstitute the peppers and then went on to use variations on these recipes: one and two. We used the garlic, mint, cilantro, onion, oregano, peppercorns and cloves of the latter and cumin, pepper amounts and types and browning of the pork.
We've been eating it for days!
AJANTA: The Amazing Indian Restaurant!!
On the first day of the New Year, we smuggled some leftover roast pork and spinach sandwiches on homemade bread and fruit salad into the airports so that we didn't have to waste money on crap food. By the end of the long day though, we were out and wanted Thai or Indian. Jim found Ajanta, the top rated Zagat restaurant in the Bay Area in the Albany area of Berkeley. They were also Voted Best Indian Restaurant in the Bay Area by SFGate Baylist 2009, San Francisco Focus Magazine, Bay Area Restaurant Guide, and East Bay Express had top reviews by: Diablo Magazine, San Francisco Examiner, Oakland Tribune, Contra Costa Times and East Bay Express
and are Michelin recommended 2010.
They hadn't understood how quickly we would be there when we made reservations and how upset Peta gets when she needs food. They sat us at the tiny "bar" and we got some Gewurtztraminer, but they brought out papadam lentil crips and cilantro-mint chutney. We looked through a spice rack full of Indian spices, many of which were unfamiliar, and the Ajanta cookbook. Then a kindly old man began to talk to us about the book and Indian food. He turned out to be the owner, Lachu Moorjani and he tried to sell us a book. Yeah, right! We asked where the map was so that we could see where the regions listed were and he got bummed out that the publishers hadn't included one and that they hadn't let him change the color of the actual recipes. We felt kind of bad for him.
But as we went on and saw how excellent and attentive the service was ("Oh, it's too hot. Let me get you some riata (no charge)). We ordered the special dinner and got vegetable and chicken samosas, Baingan Bagarte (Hyderabad), Goa Fish Curry (Goa), Methi Murg (Andhra Pradesh). We now knew that Methi is Fenugreek leaves. Cool! The fish was either ling cod or something else. Jim wasn't sure and didn't ask that question, but he certainly asked a lot of others!
It was a great experience and we'll tell everybody about this fantastic experience.
and are Michelin recommended 2010.
They hadn't understood how quickly we would be there when we made reservations and how upset Peta gets when she needs food. They sat us at the tiny "bar" and we got some Gewurtztraminer, but they brought out papadam lentil crips and cilantro-mint chutney. We looked through a spice rack full of Indian spices, many of which were unfamiliar, and the Ajanta cookbook. Then a kindly old man began to talk to us about the book and Indian food. He turned out to be the owner, Lachu Moorjani and he tried to sell us a book. Yeah, right! We asked where the map was so that we could see where the regions listed were and he got bummed out that the publishers hadn't included one and that they hadn't let him change the color of the actual recipes. We felt kind of bad for him.
But as we went on and saw how excellent and attentive the service was ("Oh, it's too hot. Let me get you some riata (no charge)). We ordered the special dinner and got vegetable and chicken samosas, Baingan Bagarte (Hyderabad), Goa Fish Curry (Goa), Methi Murg (Andhra Pradesh). We now knew that Methi is Fenugreek leaves. Cool! The fish was either ling cod or something else. Jim wasn't sure and didn't ask that question, but he certainly asked a lot of others!
It was a great experience and we'll tell everybody about this fantastic experience.
German breakfast...
On the New Year's Eve 2010, Jim made Eier auf Steinofenbrot mit BratenSchweinelende und Hollandaisesoße. Helmut had given us some "stone oven bread" and we put it to use in this Eggs Bennie variation. I have a feeling that Eggs Nazi (read previous post) would not catch on.
We had Helmut's pea soup for lunch. Good stuff, but I wish that he had left a few of the smoked pig's knuckles in there...
We had the same NY Steak with Shrimp with Remouladish Sauce as we did a few days ago and Beets and champagne that Mom and Dad gave to us. The walk down by the beach to watch the fireworks was a highlight but we were in bed by 10 PM because of the long day of travel ahead.
We had Helmut's pea soup for lunch. Good stuff, but I wish that he had left a few of the smoked pig's knuckles in there...
We had the same NY Steak with Shrimp with Remouladish Sauce as we did a few days ago and Beets and champagne that Mom and Dad gave to us. The walk down by the beach to watch the fireworks was a highlight but we were in bed by 10 PM because of the long day of travel ahead.
Cocktails with a Nazi
On the 30th, Peta and I continued our program of serious leisure. She whipped up Welsh Rarebit (or Rabbit) for lunch, but the twist was that she has spread a horseradish mayo combo and a layer of tomatoes under the melted cheese, which she poked with a fork and drizzled Worchestershire sauce into the resulting holes.
Mom and Dad's 85-year-old neighbor, Helmut, introduced himself. Jim spoke a little German and he invited us over for cocktails. It was early, but it was vacation! He spoke of being moved to the eastern front and being captured by the Russians and taken to a camp in Siberia. Not many German troops came out of there in the late 40s. Then he moved to the US knowing no English. Due to these hardships, I had a certain respect for his resiliance. As the Beck's went down though, Helmut began to rail against the "liars" and those who argued with him on what they had "heard". I began to see him 70 years ago doing calesthenics at a Hilter Youth Camp.
And then he said he WAS a Hilter Youth and loved the camps. It got weirder from there and I should write more but I don't have the time right now.
We took our leave and swam for a bit. We knew that we had a pork loin roast brining in salt and sugar water and that dinner would be tasty. We couldn't pass up the deal that we got at Publix. So cheap! We roasted the Brined Pork Loin Roast Rubbed in Spices on the barbie and it was fantastic. MORE HERE?
Mom and Dad's 85-year-old neighbor, Helmut, introduced himself. Jim spoke a little German and he invited us over for cocktails. It was early, but it was vacation! He spoke of being moved to the eastern front and being captured by the Russians and taken to a camp in Siberia. Not many German troops came out of there in the late 40s. Then he moved to the US knowing no English. Due to these hardships, I had a certain respect for his resiliance. As the Beck's went down though, Helmut began to rail against the "liars" and those who argued with him on what they had "heard". I began to see him 70 years ago doing calesthenics at a Hilter Youth Camp.
And then he said he WAS a Hilter Youth and loved the camps. It got weirder from there and I should write more but I don't have the time right now.
We took our leave and swam for a bit. We knew that we had a pork loin roast brining in salt and sugar water and that dinner would be tasty. We couldn't pass up the deal that we got at Publix. So cheap! We roasted the Brined Pork Loin Roast Rubbed in Spices on the barbie and it was fantastic. MORE HERE?
I just want to Mer-ci, Falletinme...
On the 29th, Jim finally got to make his original creation:
Eggs Merci (Thanksgiving Eggs)
We mixed egg whites into the herbed stuffing from Christmas dinner, made patties and fried them. They were topped with turkey breast slices, a fried egg and Hollandaise sauce. Naughty and tasty...
Surf 'n' Turf
For dinner we cooked up Shrimp with Remouladish Sauce, NY Strip with Béarnaise Sauce and Grilled Zucchini. Jim just whipped up some mayo, horseradish, capers, pickle relish, parsely, Worchestershire sauce, mustard and other stuff 'til it tasted good for the "Remouladish Sauce".
Eggs Merci (Thanksgiving Eggs)
We mixed egg whites into the herbed stuffing from Christmas dinner, made patties and fried them. They were topped with turkey breast slices, a fried egg and Hollandaise sauce. Naughty and tasty...
Surf 'n' Turf
For dinner we cooked up Shrimp with Remouladish Sauce, NY Strip with Béarnaise Sauce and Grilled Zucchini. Jim just whipped up some mayo, horseradish, capers, pickle relish, parsely, Worchestershire sauce, mustard and other stuff 'til it tasted good for the "Remouladish Sauce".
S.K.O.B.
On the 28th, our first day alone in Florida, we went to the Siesta Key Oyster Bar. We couldn't get a table inside, so we stayed outside in the wind and drank vodka sodas (Jim) and G&Ts (Peta) while eating oysters (not as flavorful as others we've had in California) and crawdad's and wings. The wings were tasty but gastrically damaging. 'Nuf said.
Dad's Birthday
Now THIS was a good day of food. The 27th is Dad's birthday, but we got him to cook Dad's Famous English Muffins. It's English Muffins cooked in an ass-load of butter and smushed down. Spread some jam on there and you are good to go.
Homemade Bread and Turkey Soup
With Dad's duty done, we decided to treat him to some decent food for the rest of the day. We woke early to get the Easy Crusty Bread recipe done, and started work on the soup shortly after breakfast. We included barley and the usual suspects and listened to Dad's advice to add a bit of sugar to curb the broth's bitterness. Good call. The bread was a bit undercooked because we doubled the recipe for the amount to cook per loaf and it was a hustle at the end to finish eating lunch before the Pats game!
Sidecars all around and vino for Mom
Stone Crab Claws with Drawn Butter
These were per-cooked and none of us had eaten them knowingly. We steamed them for a minute and served them while Mike wished Dad a happy birthday from CA.
Seasame Ginger Crusted Tuna Steaks with Sautéed Zucchini
The crust was formed from one of the spice mixes that Mom got for him. Jim tied his steaks together and rolled them laboriously in the spices. Peta just coated the whole steak. Victory: Peta. Jim ended up dipping his tuna in more spice mix and soy sauce due to the lack of coating.
Mom's Pecan Pie
We've written about it here. Always a treat. Weird consistency issues though...
We ate the tasty grub with Woodbridge Sauvignon Blanc and Whitehaven (NZ) Sauvignon Blanc. Much higher acid in the NZ wine and we preferred it.
Homemade Bread and Turkey Soup
With Dad's duty done, we decided to treat him to some decent food for the rest of the day. We woke early to get the Easy Crusty Bread recipe done, and started work on the soup shortly after breakfast. We included barley and the usual suspects and listened to Dad's advice to add a bit of sugar to curb the broth's bitterness. Good call. The bread was a bit undercooked because we doubled the recipe for the amount to cook per loaf and it was a hustle at the end to finish eating lunch before the Pats game!
Sidecars all around and vino for Mom
Stone Crab Claws with Drawn Butter
These were per-cooked and none of us had eaten them knowingly. We steamed them for a minute and served them while Mike wished Dad a happy birthday from CA.
Seasame Ginger Crusted Tuna Steaks with Sautéed Zucchini
The crust was formed from one of the spice mixes that Mom got for him. Jim tied his steaks together and rolled them laboriously in the spices. Peta just coated the whole steak. Victory: Peta. Jim ended up dipping his tuna in more spice mix and soy sauce due to the lack of coating.
Mom's Pecan Pie
We've written about it here. Always a treat. Weird consistency issues though...
We ate the tasty grub with Woodbridge Sauvignon Blanc and Whitehaven (NZ) Sauvignon Blanc. Much higher acid in the NZ wine and we preferred it.
Hey mom, either filet for Wellington or Crown Roast
So Peta, Jim and Jim's dad go to the beach while Jim's mom goes to the store. Don't feel too bad about Mom though, because the beach was super windy and Jim got $200 stolen from his wallet either at that time or the night before. Bummer.
The Publix didn't have either product (we ran into this problem later in the week) so the butcher got Mom to purchase Chateaubriand. Jim had always seen this dish listed on the menu at his favorite steakhouse in Arlington, VA, Ray's the Steaks; however, one always had to order it for two and his friends never wanted it. Now was the time!
Manhattans
Jim's dad seemed to enjoy the Manhattans that Jim made, while Peta stuck to the Sidecar and Mom went with white white. Just a simple 2 parts Knob Creek, 1 part Sweet Vermouth a a couple dashes of bitters. Stir in a pint glass with ice for 30 seconds and serve up in a martini glass garnished with a cherry.
Chateaubrand with Sauce Béarnaise
Peta had received the Escoffier cookbook from Jim, er... Santa. So we cooked it "that way" and went with the more contemporary (by 100 years) Béarnaise rather than the Sauce Chateaubriand. We didn't have chervil and had a make a tarragon vinegar like substance, but the sauce was still good.
Provençal Roasted Red Bliss Potatoes
Dad is a huge fan of a Provençal spice mix that comes in a silver tin. Mom got Dad a set that included the Provençal mix, a Tuscan mix and a ginger, garlic, sesame mix (more on those two later). Dad likes the mix on meats and fish, but we had different plans so we put the mix on the quartered potatoes and baked them in a medium oven. Good stuff.
Steamed Broccoli
Figured that we could dip the Broccoli into the Bearnaise, and we were right!
The Publix didn't have either product (we ran into this problem later in the week) so the butcher got Mom to purchase Chateaubriand. Jim had always seen this dish listed on the menu at his favorite steakhouse in Arlington, VA, Ray's the Steaks; however, one always had to order it for two and his friends never wanted it. Now was the time!
Manhattans
Jim's dad seemed to enjoy the Manhattans that Jim made, while Peta stuck to the Sidecar and Mom went with white white. Just a simple 2 parts Knob Creek, 1 part Sweet Vermouth a a couple dashes of bitters. Stir in a pint glass with ice for 30 seconds and serve up in a martini glass garnished with a cherry.
Chateaubrand with Sauce Béarnaise
Peta had received the Escoffier cookbook from Jim, er... Santa. So we cooked it "that way" and went with the more contemporary (by 100 years) Béarnaise rather than the Sauce Chateaubriand. We didn't have chervil and had a make a tarragon vinegar like substance, but the sauce was still good.
Provençal Roasted Red Bliss Potatoes
Dad is a huge fan of a Provençal spice mix that comes in a silver tin. Mom got Dad a set that included the Provençal mix, a Tuscan mix and a ginger, garlic, sesame mix (more on those two later). Dad likes the mix on meats and fish, but we had different plans so we put the mix on the quartered potatoes and baked them in a medium oven. Good stuff.
Steamed Broccoli
Figured that we could dip the Broccoli into the Bearnaise, and we were right!
Caesar Salad (Lunch) with Turkey
Peta, can you remember whence you got the caesar dressing that we really had to fix?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)