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Selasa, 31 Januari 2012

Cheesy Ham and Potatoes



You may notice a trend here at A Blog About Food. Most posts will be clean and healthy, since that it how we strive to eat in our home. And then every once and a while I post a not so healthy recipe like this when I hit a "healthy brick wall" and lose my freaking mind.

I've been asked a few times what I miss the most since eating healthier. While it seems natural to say things like "chocolate, cake or french fries," what I have missed more than all of those things is CHEESE. Cheddar, Mozzarella, Havarti, Gorgonzola, Parmesan, Brie, to name only a few. I am a total cheese head and I LOVES my cheese.

So, during Christmas, whilst I was on my brief healthy eating hiatus (I refuse to use the word diet, it's a lifestyle, right?) I made these potatoes. We had a ton of ham leftover and this was the perfect thing.

The tangy and delicious flavor is actually inspired by my blog buddy Kim at Stirring the Pot. She talks often about her love for mustard, and has even featured an amazing Dragon Ale mustard cheese from Whole Foods, which I now purchase every Christmas. While I was making the potatoes I felt the sauce was a bit bland and definitely needed a kick. In goes the rest of that creamy Dragon Ale cheese, along with a couple tablespoons of yellow mustard and we were all in cheesy, hammy (it's a word), heaven. Thanks Kim, your love for mustard saved our meal!



Ham and Potatoes
Adapted from Cooking Light June 2005 (see, it's Cooking Light, not too bad, right?)

Ingredients

2 teaspoons butter
1 medium onion (about 5 1/2 ounces), thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 ounces all-purpose flour (about 2/3 cup)
6 ounces extra shredded sharp cheddar cheese (1 1/2 cups), divided (or Dragon Ale mustard cheese if you have it)
1-2 tablespoons yellow or Dijon mustard, to taste
6 ounces diced ham (about 1 1/4 cups)
3 pounds peeled baking potatoes, cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices
Cooking spray

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°.

Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté 5 minutes or until onion is tender. Combine milk, salt, pepper, and flour, stirring with a whisk. Add milk mixture to pan. Bring to a simmer; cook until slightly thick (about 2 minutes), stirring frequently. Add 4 ounces cheese, mustard and ham, stirring until cheese melts. Stir in potatoes.

Place the potato mixture in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle potato mixture with remaining 2 ounces of cheese. Cover with foil coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 30 minutes or until lightly browned and potatoes are tender. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

What I'm Reading



Technically I'm not reading this, I read it a few months ago, but even if I'd read it a few years ago, I'd be completely remiss not to share it with as many people as possible. It's easily one of the best books I've ever read.

Usually after a read a book, I smile, close the book, and start thinking about my next one right away. This was one of those books that I closed and then sat on the couch for about fifteen minutes absorbing the amazingness that was this book. I then had to get online and find any extra info, photos or interviews that I could.

Whether you are a WWII buff or not, read this book. It follows the life of Louis Zamperini from childhood, into the war, and then his life after the war. It is gripping, intense, inspiring and so touching. His experience as a bombardier, fighting on the Pacific side are just incredible. I also loved learning more about what happened in Japan during the war, where most of my WWII books are centered around the Holocaust.

Read it, and then let me know so we can cyber-highfive about how great this book is.

Taiwan Cafe

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If the queues out the door of this tiny Swanston Street spot are any indication, Melbourne can't get enough of Taiwanese at the moment.  We carpe diem'd at a momentary lull and got the last table right away.

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It sure is tiny inside, with tables just a hair's breadth apart.  I don't mind eating like this if I'm in the mood - the busyness creates a real buzz, and the dark decor here adds to the sense of cosiness.  The lanterns and wall art give a feel of winding through a busy Taipei backstreet in search of great eats.

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Over gorgeous fresh soy milk and lemon tea, M broke it to me.  He's joined the good guys - he's gone vegetarian.  NOOOOOOO!!!!  Where has my cartilage-chewing, bone-nibbling, stock-dribbling eating buddy gone? Sigh..........  It's cool.  We can still be friends.  Just...  I can't do vegetarian ma po tofu.  I just can't.

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This Ma Po Tofu was yummy with cloud-like silky tofu pieces with a light sauce, tasty pork mince, lots of black pepper and chilli.  The "thing" here, however, is the range of bento-type boxes with rice (dressed with a little pork mince), greens, fried egg and something fried to outrageously golden crispiness.  I tried, I really did, but I just have to have some time away from batter.  Those jeans aren't gonna shrink themselves.

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The menu helpfully picks out the recommended dishes, but when you order one that doesn't have the little stamp of approval, it's with trepidation.  These vegetarian noodles were one such unmarked.  They were of good consistency and flavour but the total lack of wok hei made them a bit tedious.

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Their pork dumplings, apparently a specialty, were merely acceptable.  The mince was not very juicy and it was slightly grainy.  Far better at Shanghai Street or next door Dumplings Plus.

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Their vegetarian counterparts were quite horrid unfortunately, with muddy, underseasoned spinach and not much else.

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At least we found some common omnivore ground in the spring onion pancake DMZ.  This was great with a flaky, roti-like texture.

Taiwan Cafe isn't a very vego-friendly restaurant which constrained our ordering.  I enjoyed the ma po tofu a lot and am keen to try the fried offerings when I'm out of elastic waistband territory.  Taiwan Cafe is hot but a commitment in the face of all this deliciousness to karma-free eating is decidedly hotter - well done my friend.

Taiwan Cafe on Urbanspoon

Taiwan Cafe
273 Swanston Street, Melbourne
Phone:  9663 6663



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Eggplant Parmesan Soup Recipe


I've started off this year eating more soup. It's amazing what can go in soup. I mean, pretty much anything. And many classic comfort food dishes can be transformed into soup. Macaroni and cheese, baked potato, even eggplant parmesan.

I got the idea to make this soup when I was contacted by Whole Foods about a Parmigiano Reggiano promotion they were planning. I wanted to make something with the flavors of eggplant parmesan, but lighter and healthier. I used a few croutons and roasted the eggplant, instead of breading and frying it and skipped the mozzarella altogether. And you know what? It still pretty much has the flavor of eggplant parmesan! I thought I was being terribly original, but it turns out there are several eggplant parmesan soup recipes out there on the internets.

I topped my soup with a couple tablespoons of Pamigiano Reggiano. It's the cheese that really makes the soup into something special. It adds that distinctive flavor and texture. I'm sorry that you can't see in the photo that the soup has chunks of eggplant in it. You could puree it if you prefer a smoother soup. Also the croutons absorb a good bit of the soup and add even more body to it. Best of all, it's very healthy, so you can help yourself to a second bowl. I won't tell.

Eggplant Parmesan SoupMakes about 6 servings

Ingredients

1 large or 2 small eggplant cut in 1/2 lengthwise (about 2 lbs)
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced
1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes with basil
3 cups water
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, grated

Croutons
Fresh basil leaves, optional

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cut eggplant in half, lengthwise and place cut side down on a lightly greased foil-lined broiler pan. Roast for about 45 minutes, or until eggplant is tender. Allow eggplant to cool. Meanwhile heat olive oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions, sauté 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Scoop out the eggplant from the shells and chop roughly, discard the shells. To the dutch oven add the chopped eggplant along with the tomatoes, water and salt, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Top each serving with croutons and two tablespoons of Parmigiano Reggiano. Garnish with torn basil, if desired.

Enjoy!

My thanks to Whole Foods for providing me a gift card and inspiring me to create this recipe

And the winner is...

Ultramix Pro

Comment number 28 turned out to be the lucky winner - congratulations to Jis, who's planning to use the mixer to blend delicious baby food for her little boy Waldemar. Good luck with that - let's hope he's a better eater than Titus was. (I had such plans, and turned out he wasn't at all interested... it'll be interesting to see how things turn out with the second one!)

Senin, 30 Januari 2012

Forty Days, Forty Nights and Forty Cloves.


Good gracious. Where have I been? I promise I haven’t forgotten about you. I only hope you haven’t forgotten about me. I guess the past month has been filled with curve balls. But mostly my Time appears to have changed. Again.
  
I’ve talked about Time a lot on here over the years. How intrigued I am by how it passes away and how it moves forward - the memories we create from our past, the things we look toward in our future, and most of all, how, at different times, it has the uncanny power to expand and/or contract. How does the same twenty-four hours have the ability to feel like more or less than what it actually is?

As a kid I thought a year was like forever. I would make a point to tell people I was six and three quarters years old, because that quarter of a year was a significant chunk of Time. A significant chunk of Time that I earned to be exactly that old. Yet over the past few years I have felt that Time has been whirling past me at dizzying speeds. Where did that day go? Where did that week go? Where did that month go? How did a year just happen?

But very recently it feels that Time has changed yet again. Now it feels like it’s on double duty; it feels like it’s both whipping past and inching along. Last week feels like both a second and a month ago, I can hardly hold onto the now and next month feels like it’s taking for forever to be the now.

The really cool thing is that yesterday, today and tomorrow all feel pretty awesome.

This past weekend we had our monthly Dinner at Eight. To be honest, none of us were up for this one. Said curve balls and whatnot. I had also personally wanted a month off to recoup from The Holidays. But we had committed to doing the dinner for a private group, and committed we were. I had even conceived of the menu back in October when the group’s host and I were in the initial talks of the evening. She picked the theme: Garlic.


In the spirit of the way Time is behaving at present, the period leading up to this dinner party ambled relaxingly along while sneakily creeping right on up on us. We were seemingly unprepared, yet at the same time we were disarmed by how smooth everything was going. Maggie had her cocktail set; a classic gin martini garnished with okra that she pickled in garlic and dill (interestingly, this was the only element of the meal that had even a speck of our Southern theme peppered in). Nastassiaand Esi were to put their sweet minds together to materialize my brain flower of dessert: a honey-garlic mousse with pinenut-garlic brittle. My mom was going to bake the bread. Me, I had the rest covered. And even though each and every one of these dinners has had one *&%%@# ingredient that gives me issues, I even found my elusive green garlic at the Wednesday Santa Monica Farmers’Market. This was for the creamy green garlic soup garnished with black garlic chips and bacon.



Then the day was upon us. Forty-three days since the last dinner and an unknown number of days until the next dinner. Mom sliced her finger open the day before and had to get five stitches. Not only was she unable to bake the bread for the dinner, she was unable to attend at all.

OK.

The girls weren’t going to be able to show up to the house until about four-thirty to help – and to bring their dessert.

No problem.

Maggie was in the (tiny) kitchen pickling onions (always a hit) as take-away gifts for the guests (in her union suit!) until late-morning, until she worked her magic on The Room (see picture below).

That’s totally cool.

But you know what? It was OK, and not a problem and totally cool. It all worked out. It always does.

It seems like forever ago, now. But it has only been forty-eight hours.

The main course of this particular dinner (of which you can see the full menu here) was a riff on a famous recipe I first heard about many years ago when I worked in a video store in Atlanta. It was mentioned in the Les Blank documentary, Garlic Is As Good as Ten Mothers.It’s called Chicken with Forty Cloves of Garlic.

Forty-three days, forty-eight hours, forty cloves. Well, I used a few more…


By the by, all photographs in this post are credited to Fred. The reason for my Time being what it presently is can probably also be credited to Fred.



Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic



Ingredients


  • ·      3 whole heads garlic, about 40 cloves
  • ·      2 (3 1/2-pound) chickens, cut into eighths
  • ·      Kosher salt
  • ·      Freshly ground black pepper
  • ·      1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • ·      2 tablespoons good olive oil
  • ·      1 1/2 tablespoons Madeira, divided
  • ·      1 ½ tablespoons Sherry, divided
  • ·      1 1/2 cups dry white wine
  • ·      1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
  • ·      2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • ·      2 tablespoons heavy cream
  • ·      A bunch of Italian parsley, chopped

 

Directions


Separate the cloves of garlic and drop them into a pot of boiling water for 60 seconds. Drain the garlic and peel. Set aside.


Dry the chicken with paper towels. Season liberally with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat the butter and oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. In batches, saute the chicken in the fat, skin side down first, until nicely browned, about 3 to 5 minutes on each side. Turn with tongs or a spatula; you don't want to pierce the skin with a fork. If the fat is burning, turn the heat down to medium. When a batch is done, transfer it to a plate and continue to saute all the chicken in batches. Remove the last chicken to the plate and add all of the garlic to the pot. Lower the heat and saute for 5 to 10 minutes, turning often, until evenly browned. Add 1 tablespoon of the Madeira, 1 tablespoon of the Sherry and the wine, return to a boil, and scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Return the chicken to the pot with the juices and sprinkle with the thyme leaves. Cover and simmer over the lowest heat for about 30 minutes, until all the chicken is done.


Remove the chicken to a platter and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm. In a small bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup of the sauce and the flour and then whisk it back into the sauce in the pot. Raise the heat, add the remaining tablespoon of both the Madeira and the Sherry and the cream, and boil for 3 minutes. Add salt and pepper, to taste; it should be very flavorful because chicken tends to be bland. Pour the sauce and the garlic over the chicken and serve hot.


Garnish with parsley.




One year ago: Mercantile




Boil-n-Bake Baby Back Ribs – Crime Against Nature, Or Just Guilty of Being Delicious?

Here’s what I know: I took some baby back ribs, simmered them for an hour in a flavorful liquid, glazed them in sauce, roasted them in the oven for about half an hour, and they looked and tasted really good. I also know these boil-n-bake baby back ribs would be great at any party, preferably a Super Bowl party (during which the Giants win the game).

Here’s what I don’t know: Why so many people will lose their minds over the fact that I boiled these ribs. They’ll say it’s a crime against nature, and that these are just not the same as baby backs slowly roasted over smoky coals for hours and hours. Well, duh.

These aren’t meant to replace, or even compete with, a traditionally barbecued version. This is simply a fast and tasty alternative method for having a nice stack of ribs appear on your snack table. Seriously, what’s the problem?

This is one of those recipes where I don’t want or expect you to use the same stuff I did. This is more about the quick and dirty method than any specific ingredients. I would make sure the simmering liquid is very well salted, and have a decent amount of acid and spice, but other than that, anything goes.

As far as the glaze, I just threw a bunch of stuff in a mixing bowl, in a sort of stream of saucy consciousness, but very much enjoyed the results. Chinese 5-spice is wonderful with pork, and created a beautifully aromatic base for the sweet, sour, and spicy sauce.

By the way, if it looks like I was a little short on sauce, I was, but made a little more while they were roasting, and it was fine. The amounts below will give you plenty for a rack of baby back ribs. I hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!


Ingredients:
1 slab baby back ribs
2 1/2 quarts cold water
1/2 cup rice vinegar
6 cloves crushed garlic
1/2 onion, chopped
2 tbsp kosher salt (less if using fine salt)
1 tbsp Chinese 5-spice
1 tsp red chili flakes
2 bay leaves

For the glaze:
1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
1 1/2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 1/2 tbsp ketchup
1 1/2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tbsp honey
1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp sambal chili paste, or to taste
1/2 tsp Chinese 5-spice

Birthday Cake


Or Valentine's Day Cake?  Look at those adorable edible glitter hearts, which you can purchase HERE...


But technically, this is a birthday cake, because that's what the recipe (HERE) was called.  Katy and I had great friends visit this weekend from Minnesota.  We cooed over babies, reminisced about high school, ate excellent food and enjoyed the ridiculously gorgeous weather.  And there was cake.  Isn't there always cake?  My friend Meghan and I both have early February birthdays, so I made her a cake, and I guess I sort of made it for myself also.  Do you think it's embarrassing to make yourself a cake?  I don't.  I say do it everyday of your life.  OR ELSE.  

(Random unnecessary threat there) 





Delicious cake, by the way.  I was a huge fan of the rich chocolate frosting.  
Best served with ice cream or berries, I think.  

Minggu, 29 Januari 2012

Hawaiian Chicken



Hawaiian Chicken
serves 4-6

700 g boneless chicken thighs
neutral oil for frying
1 green bellpepper, diced
1 red bellpepper diced
1/2-1 fresh pineapple, diced
500 ml chicken stock
2 tbsp soy sauce
100 ml sherry vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
4 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp corn starch
salt, chili pepper

Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Fry in neutral cooking oil, in batches. Set aside.

Mix together chicken stock, soy sauce, sugar and corn starch (hint - start with the corn starchand add a little liquid at a time), set aside.

If your pan holds a lot of oil, pour some of it off. Fry the bellpeppers for a minute or two. Add pineapple and fry for another minute. Add the sauce mixture and the chicken. Stir well and let it simmer for a few minutes. The sauce will thicken. Check to make sure the chicken is cooked through.

Season with salt and chili or cayenne pepper. Serve with rice.

Recipe in Swedish:
Hawaiikyckling

Jumat, 27 Januari 2012

Balsamic Beurre Noir – A Black Butter Sauce Any Femme Fatale Would Love

It’s too bad I didn’t go to film school. If I had, I could have done a clever play on the film noir genre for this balsamic beurre noir recipe. 

Of course, it would have been done in black and white, and featured a chain-smoking, fishnet stocking-clad femme fatale who would eventually double-cross me after a few extended close-ups of spinning ceiling fans. But, I didn’t, so all you get is this plain old video for an incredibly easy and delicious, garlic-spiked, balsamic butter sauce. 

The name is going to confuse a few culinary students out there. Technically, a “beurre noir” refers to a sauce where the butter is cooked until it turns a very dark brown, almost black color. I’m using the term “beurre noir,” as one would use “beurre blanc,” a butter sauce made with reduced white wine, or “beurre rouge,” one made with red wine. The technique is identical for these types of sauces, and we just change the name depending on the color.

For you guys out there looking for Valentine’s Day recipe ideas, you can’t go wrong with this very sexy sauce. Everyone knows cooking dinner for your sweetheart on V-Day is way more romantic than taking her out, and you really can’t beat the old home field advantage for these occasions. You don’t have to hire a private dick to figure that one out.

Anyway, I hope you give this a try soon. Rent some classic film noir, grill up some meat or fish, and spoon over this dark, dangerous, and deeply delicious sauce. Enjoy!



Ingredients for 2-3 portions:
2 tsp melted butter
1 sliced garlic clove
1/3 cup aged balsamic vinegar
1 tsp minced red chilies
1/2 tsp tomato paste
salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp unsalted butter

Dinner!


Oh, this was good. It's a regular mushroom risotto, made with ordinary button mushrooms, and some dried (and re-constituted in warm water) funnel chanterelles. On top is a boneless chicken thigh, wrapped with prosciutto de parma. I browned that in a hot pan, then added a little apple cider and let it braise until the chicken was cooked. I finished off with a spoonful of cream, and let it reduce into the gorgeous caramelly syrup you can see on top of the chicken.

Very good, indeed.

Spaghetti Squash and Meatballs



To quote Barney from How I Met Your Mother (a show as addicting as buttery popcorn) "haaaaaave you met spaghetti squash?"

Well, sadly, for 30 years I've been living completely unaware of this fantastic gourd. Luckily, thanks to the dedicated pinners of the world, I found a delicious, slurpy canvas just waiting to be dressed up however I see fit.


This time around I took a classic route, covering it in rich marinara and tender turkey meatballs. I liked it, my husband liked it, the kids...well, kids are kids. BUT, I can guarantee that the spaghetti squash will be making repeat appearances at our home. There are so many fun ways to prepare it, I can't wait to try more.





Spaghetti Squash with Turkey Meatballs
Martha Stewart

Ingredients

For the Spaghetti Squash
2 spaghetti squashes (about 2 pounds each), halved lengthwise and seeds removed
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Sauce
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cans (28 ounces each) crushed tomatoes with basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Meatballs
1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan-Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving (optional)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 large clove garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup milk
1 pound ground turkey
1 large egg
3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

1. To prepare the spaghetti, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Drizzle cut sides of squashes with oil; season with salt and pepper. Place cut sides up on a baking sheet. Bake until soft to the touch, 1 to 1 1/4 hours.

2. To prepare the sauce, heat the oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, for 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, for an additional minute. Stir in the tomatoes and oregano; season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 20 minutes. Keep warm over low heat.

3. Prepare the meatballs. In a medium bowl, stir together the breadcrumbs, Parmesan, parsley, and garlic with a wooden spoon until combined. Add the milk, and stir until incorporated. Add the turkey, egg, salt, and pepper, and mix with your hands until well combined. Form mixture into 1 1/2-inch balls.

4. Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Working in 2 batches, cook the meatballs until evenly browned, turning often, about 6 minutes. Repeat with remaining meatballs. Transfer meatballs to the sauce, and simmer until cooked through, about 10 minutes.

5. When the squashes are cool enough to handle, scrape the flesh of each squash with a fork into strands, and place into a large bowl. Serve topped with meatballs and sauce, and sprinkled with cheese, if desired.

What I've Been Reading


Any book worms out there? I happen to be an absolute book fanatic. In fact if food and books were to compete for my love, I fear that food might take a close (CLOSE) second, gasp! I feel like a traitor for having even uttered that phrase.

Since this is the case, I thought I would start including a small book review at the end of my posts. So, if the food hasn't been striking your fancy, I hope you at least come for the books.



The Paris Wife by Paula McLain has been my most recent read. I was lucky enough to score it at the library without reserving it. I had been hearing rave reviews for quite a few months now and couldn't wait to get my hands on it.

The Paris Wife is about Hadley Richardson, the wife of Ernest Hemingway, and their years together. It was SO interesting because up until this point I honestly knew nothing about Ernest Hemingway, except that he wrote Old Man and The Sea. I assumed he was a country dude living in Montana, I could not have been more wrong. His life was actually very intriguing, bohemian and tragic, and Hadley's experience with him is nothing short of fascinating. I never want to give too much away, but I do highly recommend it.

And if you are on goodreads.com, for goodness sakes, friend me! You can find me under Teresa Green. Otherwise leave a comment and tell me what you're reading right now. I LOVE hearing about books!

Kamis, 26 Januari 2012

Braised Pork Belly... Asian style with Coca Cola

                            


let's face it...you can't go wrong with Pork Belly.

any way you cook it, it will be delicious...it will be rich...it will be fatty.  it will be unctuous and it will be worth every melt in your mouth delicious guilty morsel you find shoveling in your mouth.   most likely you will have porcine butter dripping down your chin as you polish off your plate and find yourself wanting more.

 i have cooked quite a few pork bellies in the past year and my favorite go-to recipe has been Jamie Oliver's Crispy Skin  Roasted Pork Belly. if you have never cooked a belly before i highly suggest giving it a go.  Jamie's recipe is too easy not to try.  

this time i wanted something different.
 i wanted that soft pillow-like little nugget of meaty fatty goodness.
BINGO...a slow braise with Asian aromatics.
i was looking for something like a Red Cooking or a Chairman Mao style recipe with that caramel looking glaze, but instead i went for a simple flavorful braise.
BUT...to change things up a bit i decided to add a coca cola.  when reduced i think coca cola has a caramel effect....it worked.
did it make a huge difference?   i have no idea.  i didn't get the "mahogany" glaze, BUT i did succeed in making beautiful little porcine packages swimming in a delicious light, well rounded...almost, dare i say, 
UMAMI-ish subtle broth.


for this recipe i combined ingredients and techniques from 2 great bloggers (links below).  please check out their blogs and refer to them as i did.  being this is the first time i attempted an Asian braise with pork belly, they were quite helpful.

this is what i did for...
ASIAN STYLE BRAISED PORK BELLY with COCA COLA

2.2 lbs pork belly
1/3 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1 star anise
1/3 cup dry sherry ( you should use Shaoxing wine if possible)
1 1/2 inch(approx.) fat stub of fresh ginger sliced, thick - 5 or 6 slices
5 scallions, cut into 3 inch sticks
1 3 inch cinnamon stick
2 arbol chili, whole...optional
1/3 cup soy sauce
4 cups water
1 can coca cola

boil some water in a stock pot big enough to fit the whole slab of belly.  par boil the belly for 3-4 minutes.  this removes any impurities that might be lingering.  discard the liquid and clean the pot if using the same one for cooking.  when cool enough to handle cut into approximate 2 -2 1/2 inch squares.  tieing isn't necessary, but it looks cute and it will keep the belly pieces from separating during cooking.  tie them tight because they will shrink.
in a pot big enough to hold the pork belly pieces in one layer (i used a 5 1/2 qt. cast iron-enamel) add the brown sugar, cold water, sherry or Shoaxing wine, ginger slices, cinnamon stick, scallions, arbol chilis, soy sauce and coca cola.  STIR to combine and add the pork belly pieces, skin side down.  at this time i removed about 2 cups of the liquid because you want the liquid to just cover the pork belly.  depending on the size pot you choose you will probably need to remove some liquid...save it in case you need to add some back in during cooking.  the pork should not be just floating around in the pot.  they need to stay skin side down then later skin side up.  bring to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer, cover pan and braise for 30-40 minutes.
after 30-40 minutes, turn the pork skin side up, cover and braise for another 2 - 3 hours.  a knife should easily pierce the pork when done.

NOTE...my broth did not reduce to 1/2 as one of the recipes said.  i did not get the mahogany color on my pork belly...i was hoping for a deeper thicker braising liquid.

BUT... i did end up with a light, smooth Asian flavored broth that was a lovely compliment to the unctuous fatty pork belly nuggets.
for the broth i used a fat separator, then strained the liquid through cheese cloth...do it twice if necessary for a clean-clear broth.  check for seasoning...you might want to add a touch of salt.  your looking for savory, but with a touch of sweet.

as shown in the photos...serving it plain and simple with a bit of the braising broth really let the pork belly shine on it's own.


Addis Abeba

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With the exception of the fabulous, boundary-bending African Taste, the Ethiopian restaurants of Footscray tend to toe the line of their traditional cuisine.  The differences and variations are still there, but rather than the brash contrast of primary colours, the differences you note are subtle, like the gradations of red in the sky of a shepherd's-delight summer night.

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I like many for different reasons but a firm favourite is Addis Abeba.  It's owned and run by Bitsat and Tesfaye, an Ethiopian celebrity couple of sorts - she's a famous traditional singer and he is an actor, writer and director.  The interior of the restaurant is homely and warm, the dusky scent of frankincense hanging thick in the air.

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Vegetarian combination, $12

I can never go past the veg combo.  This is served the traditional way, heaped directly onto the injera on a colourful platter.  From 12 o'clock, soft yellow lentils; meltingly soft cabbage; Bitsat's own creation, potato with berbere; rich red lentils with berbere spice (my favourite); potato and carrot, yellow with turmeric; and nutty, toothsome brown lentils.  If you have room, spring for the salad which is really delicious with a lemony dressing.

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Special tibs, $12

Special tibs are so good - tiny pieces of very tender lamb, cooked with onion in butter and scattered with green chillis for crunch and punch.  The doro wat is amazing too.  This celebration dish of chicken and eggs cooked in deep red berbere spice is only available here on weekends and Addis Abeba's is my favourite version anywhere in Footscray.  Bitsat explains the onions must be stirred continously for hours or they catch and create a burnt flavour.  This is the only version I've tried that doesn't have just a hint of slightly bitter charred onion.

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Plenty of injera for pinching up each greedy mouthful.  I also love the injera on the bottom of the platter which has soaked up all the juices.

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Addis Abeba very kindly hosted us for the photo shoot for this article.  Bitsat is gorgeous - the journalist told me he didn't like African food but with cheeky persistence she wouldn't let him leave until he ate at least one bite, explaining that in Ethiopian culture if you don't eat someone's food, it's a grave insult.  Trust me - you can't stop at one bite, and the only insult will be the way you bump both sides of the doorway as you stagger out, newly rotund but oh so delightfully stuffed.

Check Addis Abeba out in Epicure.  Thanks for the lovely company, Lauren of Corridor Kitchen!

Addis Abeba on Urbanspoon

Addis Abeba
220 Nicholson Street, Footscray (n.b. not Addis Cafe which somewhat confusingly is next door)
Phone:  9687 4363
Hours:  Lunch and dinner daily


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Brown Butter

You guys seemed very much into the idea of brown butter in sweet treats, and you should be, so never change!  I thought if you hadn't seen these yet, I should share them with you.


Um, yes.  

Giveaway! Electrolux Ultramix Pro

Fredrik Lagberg

So, like I wrote last night, yesterday was the biggest professional chef competition in Sweden, Chef of the Year, or Årets Kock. One of the main sponsors is Electrolux, and they had provided each finalist with a new mixer, the Ultramix Pro. Each one used yesterday was engraved with each chef's name, and after the contest, cleaned and returned to their boxes.

And now one of them can be yours! I've been asked to giveaway Fredrik Lagberg's mixer, to one lucky reader. Fredrik didn't win, but was voted "people's favorite". He made a gorgeous roasted beetroot purée with brown butter in his mixer. It's a pretty versatile tool - it can be used as a normal stick blender, but it also comes with a food processor bowl (which is really necessary for super smooth purées) and a beater attachment so that you can use it for whipping egg whites, cream and such things.

Ultramix Pro


All you have to do to be eligible is to leave a comment, telling me what the first thing you'll make if you win would be. (And make sure to leave an e-mail address so I can contact you.) And sorry - Sweden only for this.

The giveaway is open until Saturday, January 28.

Rabu, 25 Januari 2012

Congrats Klas Lindberg!


Klas Lindberg is Årets Kock - Chef of the Year - 2012! He's actually the only one of the six finalists I have met, as I was lucky enough to cook with him right before Christmas. He's a super nice guy, and I was definitely rooting for him today.

I was at the competition for a few hours today, and went to a pretty interesting seminar about Sweden as a culinary country. Nordic cuisine is very popular right now, and no doubt we have some brilliant fine dining restaurants - but we also have a lot of mediocre or downright bad food, and that needs to change.

Another thing that needs to change.. where are all the female chefs? All six finalists this year were male, and a vast majority of the jury, too. I hope to discuss this further, as I find it pretty sad - I'm sure there are excellent female chefs around, and I want to see more of them.

Sloppy Toms – This Sandwich Has a Great Personality

I was so excited I’d been able to make such a fine Sloppy Joe with ground turkey instead of the usual beef, that I didn’t even consider its unsightly appearance as I ate. It wasn’t until later, as I edited the footage and photos that I realized this was not an attractive dish.

Even the best looking Sloppy Joe is a homely plate of food, but this was made even more so by the pale turkey meat. As I mentioned in the video, I believe a more thorough browning of the onions would have helped the color, and I will test that theory the next time I make this.

In fairness, it did look a little better in person, and the taste and texture were exactly as I had hoped. It tasted enough like a traditional beef Sloppy Joe to provide that satisfying comfort food fix, yet seemed much lighter.

Superficial beauty aside, this made for a very enjoyable lunch, and kept warm in a slow cooker, could also work very nicely for a Super Bowl party. I hope you give it a try soon. By the way, thanks to Me.Eat.Food for inspiring today post title! Enjoy!



Ingredients for 6 Portions:
2 tbsp butter
1 onion
salt and pepper to taste
1 1/4 pounds ground turkey plus 1/2 cup cold water
3/4 cup ketchup
1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar, or to taste
cayenne to taste
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp unsweetened cocoa
1 1/2 cup water, or as needed
1/3 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup shredded white cheddar cheese

View the complete recipe

Selasa, 24 Januari 2012

Lentil and Sausage Stew


I don't want to hear it.  Nope, shhh, don't speak.  I swear to god, if you start with "Oh look at Siri making something healthy FINALLY, how cute, she's embracing Paula Deen's new lifestyle..." I will go ballistic on you.  Because come on, I'm like super mega health-conscious like, the majority of the time with the exception of the REAL majority of the time when I'm not.  Ok.

Rubbish aside, this was delicious.  Very hearty and comforting.  Good for your soul and your waistline.  You're welcome.  

Lentil and Sausage Stew
(Serves 6-8)

2 T olive oil
1 pkg turkey sausage
3 carrots, chopped
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. lentils
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dried sage
1 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp black pepper
6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
6 cups chopped kale 

Heat 1 T of the oil over medium-high heat in a large pot or dutch oven.  Saute sausage for approx. 6 minutes per side, until golden and cooked through.  Remove from pan, let cool and then slice.  Set aside.


Pour out excess oil from pan, but do not clean - the drippings from the sausage add flavor!  Return to stove, and heat remaining T of oil over medium heat.  Add onions, carrots and garlic.  Saute until soft, about 10 minutes.  


Add sausage, lentils, seasonings and stock.  Bring to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat and let simmer for 20 minutes.  Then add chopped kale.


Stir in kale, bring to another boil, cover, reduce heat again, and let simmer for another 10 minutes.  


Serve with Parmesan cheese or hot sauce.  You might need to add more salt as well : )