Rachel here.
First off, check this out (pardon the blurriness--my hands were shaking from excitement):
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A mother and daughter dish and cook their way through life, one recipe at a time.
Showing posts with label cheese. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cheese. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
My brother, S, is staying with us this week (happy happy happy!) and our brother G shipped us this delicious surprise, replete with the appropriate cheese knife and everything. G is in Spain and these are some delicious local delicacies. Needless to say, I only snapped one picture before we dug in.
Thanks, G! Wish you were here to enjoy it with us.
But onwards.
My mom mentioned on Monday that we are moving over to a new internet home, ditching our current site and name in favor of one that we think fits us a bit better: Table1095. Part of what makes a house a home, though, is having your friends and family there with you.
To that end, we're really excited to announce a number of giveaways we're doing over the next couple weeks to welcome you to our new digs. Be one of the first to join us at the Table (by March 31st) and be entered to win great prizes. Here are the details:
Like our new Table1095 Facebook Page and Share with your friends! (To Share, click the drop-down arrow directly below the bottom right-hand corner of our cover photo, choose Share, add your own message if you like, then hit the Share Page button.)
Prize: Our Tex-Mex Package, including a copy of Mexican Cooking, More than Everyday Recipes by Cecilia Hae-Jin Lee from Chronicle Books AND The Homesick Texan Cookbook by the popular blogger Lisa Fain.
Follow @Table1095 on Twitter! Hit the blue Follow button at the top right.
Prize: Our Quick Tips prize, How to Squeeze a Lemon: 1,023 Kitchen Tips, Food Fixes and Handy Techniques from the editors and contributors of Fine Cooking mag, Taunton Press.
Follow Table1095 on Pinterest! Just click Follow All under our profile picture.
Prize: Our Very Visual cookbook prize, They Draw & Cook: 107 Recipes Illustrated by Artists from Around the World from a popular blog by Nate Padavick & Salli Swindell.
Table1095.com
Follow the new blog itself for all the dish! Visit table1095.com, click the Follow button at the bottom right, and enter your email address.
Prize: The Grand Prize, incuding three must-have books:
Melissa Clark's (NYT food columnist) book Cook This Now, from Hyperion
Jamie Oliver’s Meals in Minutes from Hyperion
Fast Breads by Elinor Klivans from Chronicle Books
Can't wait to see you all there for our official launch next Monday, March 19th.
XOXO.
Friday, September 16, 2011
Broccoli, Cauliflower and Onions = Fabulousness
Rachel, this post is not for you. Go do yoga or something while I talk to Miss M.
Maxine, your mother is a wonderful human being who really loves you and is a terrific mother. But she has this one genetic flaw: Apparently she has mutant taste buds that tell her broccoli and cauliflower taste bad. As someone who eats broccoli multiple times weekly and thinks it is perhaps the best veggie ever grown, I find it a little hard to believe your mother came out of my body. (I assume this genetic flaw is from the Reynolds side of the clan, along with premature gray hair and height deficiencies.)
Anyway I'm here to tell you that when (note that was not an if) I make this casserole for you from Faith Durand's new cookbook, Not Your Mother's Casseroles, you are going to love it and, therefore, broccoli. It's just the truth. Nana wouldn't lie.
ingredients
1 head broccoli, chopped, florets only about 4 cups
1 head cauliflower, florets only, chopped about 4 cups
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 large onions, diced
3 teaspoons salt
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup minced fresh chives
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups shredded Gouda cheese
1/2 teaspoon pepper
for the bread crumb topping
1 cup bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
method
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 9X13 baking dish.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the broccoli and cauliflower in the pot for 10 minutes or until tender. Drain and mash together in a large bowl until soft. Drain off any additional water. Set aside.
Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat and add the onions. Sprinkle with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and cook for about 10 minutes or until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another 3-4 minutes or until the garlic is fragrant and golden. Add the chives, stir for about a minute and remove from the heat.
Beat the eggs in a small bowl. Then stir them into the mashed cauliflower and broccoli. Stir in the cheese, the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, pepper and finally the onion mixture. Place in baking dish.
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For the topping, mix he breadcrumbs with the salt, pepper and olive oil. Spread evenly over the vegetable mixture in the baking dish. Bake uncovered for 40 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
Monday, August 1, 2011
Brunch Schmunch
Janet here:
This recipe (or my variation) was touted in the most recent issue of Food Network Magazine (I swear I am not a paid shill for this magazine; it's just that this month had a ton of inspirational recipes!) as a brunch recipe. I made it (with a few tweaks) for dinner and it was fabulous. So whatever. You decide.
Eggs with Squash
serves 3
ingredients
2 pounds zucchini, grated
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 scallions, diced
red pepper flakes to taste
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon butter
4 eggs
1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
method
Grate the zucchini into a colander. Toss with 1 tablespoon of salt and let drain in sink for about 40 minutes. Squeeze to remove as much liquid as possible.
While the zucchini is deliquifying, heat the oven to 375 degrees. Put the olive oil in a large ovenproof skillet. Add the scallions and saute. Add the red pepper flakes and salt. Cook until the scallions are soft, about 3 minutes. Add the shredded and dry zucchini. Cook about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the parsley, nutmeg and pepper to taste. Cook until the mixture is slightly dry. Remove from heat and cool
Make sure the zucchini is evenly spread out in the pan. Make four little holes in the mixture. Put a little pat of butter in each hole. Crack an egg one at a time and pour into each hole. Add the grated cheese on top. Put the skillet into the oven and cooked 12-15 minutes until the eggs are cooked the way you like them.
Serve and enjoy
Friday, July 8, 2011
Chicken and Peaches. Yes Peaches. Oh and Bacon
Janet here:
I was looking for something to make that said summer but didn't involve grilling. I also didn't want to spend all afternoon making it. It was too darn hot.
So I started thumbing through my cookbooks and found what I wanted in Rachael Ray's Look + Cook. (I reviewed it here if you want to more about it.) I had never made anything that combined fruit with chicken so I was intrigued. We grilled some green beans (okay, so we grilled one thing), and mixed them up with some diced shallots, olive oil and mustard. I'm here to say, it was a damn fine meal, I'm not going to lie.
Glazed Chicken and Peaches
with cheese and bacon biscuits
serves 4
Biscuits
ingredients
Jiffy biscuit mix. Yup a box of biscuit mix. You can certainly make them from scratch but these were just fine.
one cup of grated sharp cheddar
about 2 tablespoons bacon bits
method
Mix the biscuits according to the box, and then mix in the cheese and bacon.
Bake in oven following the box directions.
Chicken
ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
2-3 large peaches, halved or thickly sliced
juice of 1/2 lemon
3 boneless chicken breasts
salt and pepper to taste
1 shallot choppped
1 tablespoon dried ginger or 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and grated
3/4 cups chicken stock
a little more than 1/3 cup peach preserves
2 teaspoons hot sauce
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
method
Melt the butter with the lemon juice. Add the peaches to the skillet. Cook about 10 minutes until peaches are tender.
While peaches are cooking, put some EVOO in a pan and add the chicken. Cook about 10 minutes each side until tender. Take off the heat, put on a plate and cover.
In the pan that held the chicken, add a little more EVOO, chicken stock, peach preserves, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce. Cook until thickened. Put the chicken on a plate and cover with the glaze. Serve with biscuits and dig in.
Friday, January 21, 2011
Back Breakingly Good Bacon Burgers
Rachel here.
It is my distinct pleasure today to introduce to you all for the first time the culinary stylings of my little brothers (ok, little they are not--and definitely not littler than me--but any older siblings out there know as well as I do that they'll always be my baby bros). The recipe they have to offer today is--no joke--a recipe for the best burgers I have EVER eaten (and this is coming from a girl who likes her beef and likes it bloody). Read and then head to the kitchen. You won't be sorry.
Gerrit here.
For the first time in two decades S and I are taking over the helm in the kitchen arena; be afraid...be VERY afraid. Why, you ask? The menu for the evening is simply a turkey burger, complemented by turkey bacon. What's the worst that could go wrong? A charred bird?
Wrong. Try a flavor explosion in your mouth, one so powerful that the salivary glands on your tongue beg for mercy and an immediate reduction of flavor. I am, of course, speaking hyperbolically; however, the flavors are quite explosive by design, so enjoy and do not be afraid to stylize the recipe and make it your own!
Historically, we are both BIG fans of big-taste burgers. Over the years, from barbecues to fast food joints to fine-dining establishments, we have experimented and explored the wide variety of burgers out there. Our family, generally speaking, does not consume (and never has) red meat, not even the occasional burger. There is where I, and especially S, stray from the beaten path. I love beef burgers and often order one when out when presented the opportunity. S takes things one step further and is an appreciator of steaks, ribs and more, albeit rather infrequent consumption.
As mentioned the typical Reynolds household burger is of the turkey variety, and let's be real meat-eaters — it’s less flavorful than its beef counterpart. We desired to create a more flavorful burger experience, not only for ourselves, but for the beloved and beautiful cooks Janet and Rachel who have so selflessly cooked for us over the years. We decided to hit the grocery store and hit it hard; the following is the resultant beauty...
S here –
I played what could be considered the sous-chef role for most of the preparation of this meal, and will therefore give advice with regards to this side of the operation. My first words of wisdom: Be liberal in the siphoning of freshly-cooked bacon pieces for your personal supply. This is, after all, a deserved perk of being in charge of the single most delicious ingredient in the recipe.
I would also state the fairly obvious advice of trying to think a couple of steps ahead in the recipe (key with a gourmet platter like the B.B.G.B.B.) and try to anticipate what your head chef and burger master will need. Our family kitchen is on the smaller side, so the importance of keeping tasks going and ingredients flowing were evident very quickly to us.
Most of all have fun making this meal, though. I had a blast with G making this meal and I think it may be the first substantive thing I’ve ever made in the kitchen more than once. The whole idea is to treat yourself to a decadent, satisfying chowdown, and the more you enjoy creating your burger, the better it will taste. See for yourself!
Triple-Cheese Turkey Bacon Burgers avec Fried Egg
serves 4 (ridiculously large portions)
ingredients
8-10 slices turkey bacon
2 lbs. ground turkey
1/2 lb. mild cheddar
1/2 lb. Sharp cheddar
1/2 lb mozzarella
4 oz. Crumbled Blue Cheese container (will last more than one meal)
4 eggs
Spices Used:
minced onions, garlic powder, Mrs. Dash Extra Spicy, Grill Mates Smokehouse Maple, Frank's Red Hot Sauce, Worcester Sauce, EVOO
method
I did not measure out any spices or sauces, however, the following philosophy should clear up any confusion and also could be the motto for Rush Limbaugh's next hiring campaign: Apply liberally.
Put some EVOO in a big pan on your biggest burner, and warm skillet to a high level. When nice and hot, cook the bacon strips (think 2-3 strips per burger depending on bun-size) and keep warm in oven once cooked.
Depending on the residual amount of bacon fat left, add a little more EVOO.
While the bacon is cooking, or your sous-chef cooks the bacon, prepare the patties. I made each patty a half pound and did not regret it for a second. Patty preparation includes: spicing both sides of the burger with every spice mentioned. My personal approach involved a light coating of each spice, evenly distributed over the surface-area of side of the burger. For the onion and garlic, I did not apply to the patties, but rather spiced the bottom of the pan and let the burger juices cook in the two flavors.
Progress to date: Bacon cooked and warming, Patties prepared, time to cook the patties!
Cook patties on pan two at a time; get another pan going if you feel like it. Flip four-six times, each time noting how the meat is cooking and adjust accordingly. (An adjustment may include making a cut in the bottom of the patty to let in more heat and to allow the flow of juices when pressure is applied with a spatula.)
While burgers cook, toast and butter BOTH sides of the bun (otherwise the burger may fall apart heehee.)
Place patties on burger with a layer of each cheddar blanketing them. Place bacon strips on top of the cheddars, add mozarella on top of bacon, add crumbles of blue cheese on top of the mozzarella. Place in oven while eggs quickly cook.
Throw eggs on top of hot pan, fry them leaving yolk in tact, and place on top of Blue Cheese.
Dot the top of burger blood red with Frank's Red Hot Sauce and add ketchup as well.
Cut in half and enjoy the layered beauty that is the BBGBB!!!!
It is my distinct pleasure today to introduce to you all for the first time the culinary stylings of my little brothers (ok, little they are not--and definitely not littler than me--but any older siblings out there know as well as I do that they'll always be my baby bros). The recipe they have to offer today is--no joke--a recipe for the best burgers I have EVER eaten (and this is coming from a girl who likes her beef and likes it bloody). Read and then head to the kitchen. You won't be sorry.
Gerrit here.
For the first time in two decades S and I are taking over the helm in the kitchen arena; be afraid...be VERY afraid. Why, you ask? The menu for the evening is simply a turkey burger, complemented by turkey bacon. What's the worst that could go wrong? A charred bird?
Wrong. Try a flavor explosion in your mouth, one so powerful that the salivary glands on your tongue beg for mercy and an immediate reduction of flavor. I am, of course, speaking hyperbolically; however, the flavors are quite explosive by design, so enjoy and do not be afraid to stylize the recipe and make it your own!
Historically, we are both BIG fans of big-taste burgers. Over the years, from barbecues to fast food joints to fine-dining establishments, we have experimented and explored the wide variety of burgers out there. Our family, generally speaking, does not consume (and never has) red meat, not even the occasional burger. There is where I, and especially S, stray from the beaten path. I love beef burgers and often order one when out when presented the opportunity. S takes things one step further and is an appreciator of steaks, ribs and more, albeit rather infrequent consumption.
As mentioned the typical Reynolds household burger is of the turkey variety, and let's be real meat-eaters — it’s less flavorful than its beef counterpart. We desired to create a more flavorful burger experience, not only for ourselves, but for the beloved and beautiful cooks Janet and Rachel who have so selflessly cooked for us over the years. We decided to hit the grocery store and hit it hard; the following is the resultant beauty...
S here –
I played what could be considered the sous-chef role for most of the preparation of this meal, and will therefore give advice with regards to this side of the operation. My first words of wisdom: Be liberal in the siphoning of freshly-cooked bacon pieces for your personal supply. This is, after all, a deserved perk of being in charge of the single most delicious ingredient in the recipe.
I would also state the fairly obvious advice of trying to think a couple of steps ahead in the recipe (key with a gourmet platter like the B.B.G.B.B.) and try to anticipate what your head chef and burger master will need. Our family kitchen is on the smaller side, so the importance of keeping tasks going and ingredients flowing were evident very quickly to us.
Most of all have fun making this meal, though. I had a blast with G making this meal and I think it may be the first substantive thing I’ve ever made in the kitchen more than once. The whole idea is to treat yourself to a decadent, satisfying chowdown, and the more you enjoy creating your burger, the better it will taste. See for yourself!
Triple-Cheese Turkey Bacon Burgers avec Fried Egg
serves 4 (ridiculously large portions)
ingredients
8-10 slices turkey bacon
2 lbs. ground turkey
1/2 lb. mild cheddar
1/2 lb. Sharp cheddar
1/2 lb mozzarella
4 oz. Crumbled Blue Cheese container (will last more than one meal)
4 eggs
Spices Used:
minced onions, garlic powder, Mrs. Dash Extra Spicy, Grill Mates Smokehouse Maple, Frank's Red Hot Sauce, Worcester Sauce, EVOO
method
I did not measure out any spices or sauces, however, the following philosophy should clear up any confusion and also could be the motto for Rush Limbaugh's next hiring campaign: Apply liberally.
Put some EVOO in a big pan on your biggest burner, and warm skillet to a high level. When nice and hot, cook the bacon strips (think 2-3 strips per burger depending on bun-size) and keep warm in oven once cooked.
Depending on the residual amount of bacon fat left, add a little more EVOO.
While the bacon is cooking, or your sous-chef cooks the bacon, prepare the patties. I made each patty a half pound and did not regret it for a second. Patty preparation includes: spicing both sides of the burger with every spice mentioned. My personal approach involved a light coating of each spice, evenly distributed over the surface-area of side of the burger. For the onion and garlic, I did not apply to the patties, but rather spiced the bottom of the pan and let the burger juices cook in the two flavors.
Progress to date: Bacon cooked and warming, Patties prepared, time to cook the patties!
Cook patties on pan two at a time; get another pan going if you feel like it. Flip four-six times, each time noting how the meat is cooking and adjust accordingly. (An adjustment may include making a cut in the bottom of the patty to let in more heat and to allow the flow of juices when pressure is applied with a spatula.)
While burgers cook, toast and butter BOTH sides of the bun (otherwise the burger may fall apart heehee.)
Place patties on burger with a layer of each cheddar blanketing them. Place bacon strips on top of the cheddars, add mozarella on top of bacon, add crumbles of blue cheese on top of the mozzarella. Place in oven while eggs quickly cook.
Throw eggs on top of hot pan, fry them leaving yolk in tact, and place on top of Blue Cheese.
Dot the top of burger blood red with Frank's Red Hot Sauce and add ketchup as well.
Cut in half and enjoy the layered beauty that is the BBGBB!!!!
Thursday, December 23, 2010
A Beery Good Dinner
We have known Mike for years in various capacities, including music (he and I played in an orchestra together while he was in high school and drove to rehearsals each week together, including one snowstorm where neither one of us could see the road) and Rachel playing regularly with his sister and then it all just moved from there for her and Mike and that's all I'm going to say.
We were thrilled to learn Mike is a regular LTIR reader AND that he makes his own beer. When he noted on facebook he was hosting a beer pairing party, I asked him to share ... which he has in wonderful detail and with photos aplenty. So, without further ado, let the beer pairing begin!
Hi Janet and Rachel -
My little beer dinner the other night was a HUGE success. Everything was paired perfectly, and overall, we were very happy with how the food turned out. Big thanks to my sister (who was in town for my graduating recital a few days earlier) and my boyfriend, who is an excellent cook and an even better party planner...
I’ve been making my own beer for a few years now; I started when I was living in Boston and it has progressed and evolved into a crowd pleaser for my friends and family. And of course, if you bring your own homemade alcohol to any party, you INSTANTLY have tons of friends. As my friends and I have been partying together for the last few years, I have consistently been bringing different styles of beers to our gatherings. The problems becomes that as I only bring a single growler (about 4 pints worth), many of my friends don’t get a chance to drink any!!! I just run out!!
So I decided to host a party pairing my favorite styles of beer with food to go along with them! I must admit, though, that I did make a beer that I had never made before. .. BUT it turned out amazing! All of my decisions basically had to be made 3 months in advance, since that’s the amount of time I needed in order to get all the styles done, have them ferment, and age and condition properly.
So here is everything that I have done, including the beer recipes. The food recipes are either things we just put together from epicurious.com, or from family/friends’ recipes. The beer recipes are mostly based on recipes by Jamil Zainasheff (available in publication and free online ... just google it all) and have been changed by me over time. I’m not going to write out all the steps needed to brew the beer. If people are interested in recreating the recipes, there are tons of resources out there if they are novice brewers; try northernbrewer.com, howtobrew.com, or they can email me for my specific process. All of the recipes were designed to please a crowd of people ... I’m sure you could increase or decrease as needed!
Cheers
-MW
Carrot and Squash Soup with Bacon & Rosemary
Paired with a Scottish 60/- (reads “60 shilling”)
Not subtle, just quiet... with notes of toast, honey, and very smooth
ABV 2.5%
Soup ingredients
1 acorn squash
Butter
Brown sugar
3 lbs of carrots, peeled and diced into 1-inch chunks
2 medium onions in 1 inch pieces
Chicken stock to cover
1 rounded teaspoon ginger, peeled and grated
1/2 rounded teaspoons each of Allspice, ground cloves
Red pepper flakes (just a dash)
Salt/Pepper to taste
Garnish with rosemary and bacon
method
Heat oven to 300 degrees. Cut the squash in half and scrape out the seeds; place two pats of butter on a rimmed baking sheet and top with brown sugar; invert the squash halves on the butter, and bake for 45-60 minutes. (We added a bit of water to the bottom of the baking sheet to keep the squash from sticking).
While the squash is baking, prep the carrots and the onions and put them in a big stock pot. When the squash is done, scrape out the flesh and add it to the stock pot. Cover the veggies with chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, add the spices, and cook until all the veggies are tender. To finish, let the soup cool overnight (first on stove top and later in the fridge), and then puree in a blender. Reheat and serve! Garnish with bacon and rosemary chopped up (the rosemary is from my indoor herb garden ... ok ok, I have this plant and a basil plant, but it’s a garden, right?!?!?!).
Scottish 60/ Beer
(all beer recipes are for 6 gals at the end of the boil, 5 ½ gals fermented, 5 gals in keg/bottle)
This is an easy-drinking pub ale. Like many people, I use a beer like this to grow yeast. I’ll pitch 1 commercially bought package of yeast, ferment the beer, and then collect the “offspring” to re-pitch into more beers (usually I can get 3 or 4 beers off of a first generation). This is one of the ways I maintain my house culture. When I feel the yeast has given me all it’s going to (after about 5 or 6 generations), I’ll either buy another commercial package or build up a culture off of a plate (my friend, who is a scientist and works in a lab doing all sorts of experiments, plated the yeast for me!). So I keep this beer on hand, not only for function, but it has a lot of flavor for an easy drinking beer.
ingredients
1.038 SG, 1.010 FG
5 ½ lbs base malt (I use American 2-Row for just about everything. Continental malts will definitely add more flavor, but I don’t always have it on hand.)
½ lb Munich malt
1 lb Crystal 40
½ lb Honey malt
¼ lb Crystal 120
3 oz Pale Chocholate
⅔ oz East Kent Golding hops for 60 min
House Yeast (I have been keeping an active culture of Pacman yeast for a while now, which is what I used... Jamil uses WY1056 or WLP001, available from Wyeast and White Labs)
method
Mash at 158*, sparge and lauter as normal. Add hops as indicated. Cool and pitch a good amount of yeast. Ferment WY1056/WLP001 at 65*, but I went around 62* with Pacman. Cold condition for a few months will round out the flavors and mellow the bitterness. Carbonate on the low end. When I served this at the party, I brought the keg up to cellar temperature (we have an area of the basement level that is just around 52*) and served off of a portable CO2 charger rather than with my big tank. The result was very similar to cask, which would be more authentic. If I were to try this again for a party, I would naturally carbonate in a “cube,” which is available online, and serve with gravity rather than forced CO2.
Moules-Frites
Traditional Belgian dish of Mussels in broth with Potato Pancake “frites”
Paired with a Belgian Saison
Sweet, spicy, sour, funky
ABV 6%
This is a traditional Belgian dish with an AWESOME Belgian/French style beer. Both are some of my favorites (if you’re not familiar with Saisons, it can be sweet or dry, high or low in alcohol, spicy or fruity, sour or clean; it’s a very versatile style. Jamil writes that it should be dry, and I agree to some extent, except that I think some residual sweetness adds to the spicy complexity. But he is an expert, so it’s ok to trust him and not to trust me!!! Regardless, this is probably my favorite style of European beers). We were very lucky to find Cape Cod mussels flown in right on the morning of the party. Instead of fries, we opted for Potato Pancakes, just to make it a little different. The pancakes were made a few days before the party; the mussels were done right before serving!
Pancake ingredients
5 lbs potatoes
3 medium onions
3 eggs
Flour
Salt/Pepper
Lots of oils... to fry with
method
We started (and when I say we, I actually mean my sister) by grating the potatoes and the onion. Poor Sarah did this by hand, since we don’t have a food processor. Add a few eggs to hold everything together; add another if you think it needs it. Same thing with the flour. Please season liberally (there’s nothing worse than bland fried potatoes!) and fry away. We drained the excess oil with paper towels. Since we knew we would keep them in the fridge for a day and then reheat in the oven, we slightly under-cooked the pancakes.
Mussels ingredients
Olive Oil
Shallots
Garlic
White wine
Chicken Stock
Tomatoes, diced
Mussels
The pot that was big enough to cook all of the mussels (we used about 4 lbs for a crowd of 20, with enough to go around for people to have seconds, thirds, even fourths!) had a flimsy bottom, so we had to build the broth in one pan and then transfer it to the big pot.
Heat a pan; add the olive oil and, after it's hot, saute the shallots and garlic. Deglaze with the wine, add stock, and bring to a boil. (From here, we transferred the broth to the bigger pot and added more wine and stock so that we didn’t scorch the bottom of the pan. if you’re using the same pan or pot, just keep everything happy where it is!) Add tomatoes and bring everything back to a boil. Add the mussels (make sure they are all washed first), and steam just until the mussels open, about 6-7 minutes. Because we were making so many, we stirred the mussels every so often so that the ones on the bottom didn’t cook faster than the ones on top.
Belgian Beer
This beer is very difficult to ferment. I actually made 2 batches for the party, since I didn’t like the way the first came out (it’s the same recipe for both batches; I just monitored the fermentation better). In the past and in the batches I made for the party, I used WLP565, but in the future I will try a blend of yeasts that White Labs has available. Supposedly, you get all the flavors of the straight-up Saison yeast, but without the crazy fermentation problems!
ingredients
1.066 SG, 1.012 FG
7 ¾ lbs Light LME
1 ½ lb Cane Sugar
½ lb Munich LME
½ lb Wheat LME
2 oz CaraMunich (steeped)
1 ½ oz East Kent Golding hops for 60 min, ½ oz EKG hops at end of boil
WLP565 Saison Yeast
method
Do your normal extract with steeping-grains process: steep, add your extract, boil with hop additions, cool, ferment, etc. I began fermentation around 70* and raised to about 80 or 85 over the course of a week. Carbonate on the high end, but not too high, since that will mask many of the subtle yeast flavors!
Korean Style Braised Beef
Served with Mushrooms, Carrots, Kimchi, and Pickles
Paired with a Dark Belgian Saison
Dark as Midnight, earthy, musky, and funky
Partially fermented with Brettanomyces
ABV about 5.5%
Many of my friends in Boston are of Korean decent. One friend in particular, who is also an amazing violinist, had a few of us over to her family’s home one night for Kalbi-chim, which is Korean Braised Short-ribs (I guess “kalbi” is the word for beef and “chim” is the word for braised). My boyfriend and I ended up making this for our Thanksgiving dinner, and it was so good I decided to use it for my party instead of what I had originally planned; this probably worked sooo much better! To make our Thanksgiving meal, I contacted my friend’s mother for her recipe, which is what I’ll give you below. It is a little confusing (seriously, I’ll give you exactly what I was given), but if you make it like a Korean mom with lots of time and love, it will be excellent. I wanted similar flavors for this dish, but didn’t want to spend a ton of money on beef ribs, so I opted for 1 ½ inch thick steaks of chuck roast. And I didn’t use chestnuts but substituted carrots instead. The pickles are homemade as well. This is the only beer I had not made before figuring out what I wanted for the party... definitely Belgian inspired (Belgian brewers are notorious for coloring outside the lines!) and certainly experimental!
Pickles:
ingredients
10:2:1 ratio of Water, Cider Vinegar, and Salt (I did 5 cups, 1 cup, ½ cup)
Kirby Cucumbers
Onion
Jalapeno Pepper
Garlic
method
Bring the water, vinegar and salt to a boil and keep it going for 20 min or so (I don’t know if that is what you’re “supposed” to do, but it made me feel better than if I didn’t do it). Meanwhile, quarter the onion and slice the peppers into ½ inch rounds; put all the veggies in a container (I used a big plastic thing with a sealing lid. I’m sure most people would use canning jars.) Once the boiling is done, let the liquids cool slightly and then pour it over your veggies. I let my pickles cool on the counter before putting them in the fridge. I had then heard from some source (which of course I can’t remember) that you should boil your brine again, just to ensure that it is sanitary. Being a beer brewer, this seemed reasonable to me. So 24 hours later, I drained my brine into a pot, boiled it again for about 10 minutes, and put it back over my veggies. I prepared the pickles about a week and half before the party, and they were amazing. As I write this a few days later, I tasted the pickles and I can feel the intensity strengthen from just sitting a few extra days!
Kimchi
I bought this from a local Asian market. I don’t think my roommates would like it if I fermented cabbage in our basement!
Beef
ingredients AND method
(I’ll list the ingredients I changed and my comments in parenthesis. Otherwise this is exactly what my friend’s mother, Yoo-kyung Kim, gave me.)
1.) Soak Kalbi in cold water for about an hour to get rid of the blood. (Again, I used mostly chuck, although I did add some thinly sliced short ribs and bones for flavor.)
2.) Boil Kalbi in water with an onion, quartered, until the meat becomes tender.
3.) Add sauce: 5 tablespoons soy sauce, 3 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon farlic, 1/2 tablespoon ginger, 1/2 teaspoon pepper. She also writes, for one pack: you might have to put 3-4 times the amount, I never know (I just kept the ratios close when I made this for the party)
4.) Simmer until the meat becomes somewhat dark. Add Asian turnip, chestnuts, Shitake mushrooms, and simmer a bit longer (I didn’t use any turnips or chestnuts; I let my mushrooms soak for a few hours in water and added that juice along with my sauce in step 3, and, again, I used carrots.)
5.) Add green onions, sesame oil, and sesame seeds (I didn’t use green onions. I think I just forgot! And, I had looked up some other Kalbi-chim recipes online just to compare; some used honey or corn syrup to glaze the beef just before serving, so I did that too for the party)
For No. 2 you should have enough water to cover the Kalbi, since there will be less later as you simmer, and after No. 2, you should leave the Kalbi in a cool place overnight to get rid of the solidified fat. It is basically simmered Kalbi with sauce
Beer:
This is the only beer that I had not brewed before. It turned out AMAZING! The recipe is based from a kit Northern Brewer used to sell with a limited edition Saison yeast. I just used the same WLP565 yeast and added the Brett. when the Saison yeast stopped.
1.061 SG, 1.015? FG (the Brett. fermented out some of the residual sugars)
ingredients
10 lbs Base Malt
1 lb Cane Sugar
1 lb Munich Malt
½ lb Carafa III Special
2 oz East Kent Golding Hops for 60 min
WLP565 Saison Yeast
Brettanomyces Culture (I had a small culture stored in my fridge, so I made a starter and pitched that)
method
Mash low around 149* for 1 ½ hours. Ferment low and raise over the course of a week to 80 or so. Cool down to room temp as soon as the first yeast finishes, and pitch the Brett.; you can transfer the beer and then pitch the Brett., but I just used one carboy. Carbonate moderately (or less or more... it’s a Belgian Specialty Ale, after all)
Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies with Orange-infused Cranberries
Paired with a Light Belgian Ale
Hoppy, spritzy, earthy, and complex
Partially fermented with Brettanomyces
ABV about 6%
Cookie ingredients
1 cup flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons butter
½ cup sugar
½ cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla Extract
1 cup old-fashioned oats
½ cup each semisweet, milk, & white chocolate chips
½ cup dried Cranberries (I used the orange infused from Trader Joe’s)
method
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together dry ingredients together in a medium bowl. Beat together butter and sugars in a separate bowl (with an electric mixer, if you’re not strong enough!); beat in the vanilla and the egg into the butter bowl. Add the flour mixture and the oats nto the butter mixture, and then mix in the chocolate chips and the cranberries. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto the baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake for 16 minutes until the edges are slightly brown. Cool on wire racks. You can also make an “icing” of melted chocolate if you want (or your favorite recipe)!
Beer ingredients
I’m not really sure what I would call this. My original intention was a clone of a Belgian Trappist beer, Orval, but something along the way made me change my recipe slightly. I used a different yeast strain than I should have, and I think I intended to use more hops, but didn’t. Regardless if it is a clone or not, the beer turned out wonderfully, and I am very happy with the result!
1.064 SG, 1.008? FG (again the Brett. took care of some of the residual sugars)
10 lbs Base Malt
1 ½ lbs CaraMunich
1 lb Cane Sugar
2 oz Hallertauer hops for 60 min, 1 oz Styrian Golding hops for 15 min, 1 oz Styrian Golding hops at flameout, 2 oz Styrian Golding hops for dry hops
WY1368 Belgian Strong Ale
Brettanomyces Culture
method
Mash low around 149* for 1 ½ hours. Ferment low and raise over the course of a week to 70 or so. After fermentation has finished (about a week) pitch Brett. culture and hold at cellar temperatures for 4 week. Dry hop when you have 1 week left. (I think I kept the beer fermenting with the Brett. for about 6 weeks total). Carbonate high (nice and spritzy!)
Assorted Cheeses, Crackers, Olives, & Fruits
Paired with an American-style Barley Wine
Smooth, aged, hoppy, and complex
ABV 11%
Cheese Plate:
Barley Wines are very strong in alcohol and flavor, and require some age to meld all the flavors; they are perfect as an aperitif with a cheese place. I am fortunate to have an expert cheese shop in my area. I told the nice lady thre EXACTLY what I was serving, and she gave me some very tasty options for cheeses. We ended up with a Welsh Cheddar (very creamy), an Iowa Cheddar (very sharp and pungent), and a Dutch Gouda (very complex). I also served Mediterranean olives, crackers and dried papaya for some sweetness.
Beer:
This beer was about a year old. I only have a few bottles left and I am clinging on to them with every day that passes. The bottles showed no signs of contamination, oxidation, and hopefully will last for a few more years! Because my mash tun doesn’t fit 25 lbs of grain, I mashed about ¾ of the grain, and made up for the remaining gravity with DME. Rather than make a big yeast starter (I think I calculated I needed a starter of 2 gallons), I made a small gravity batch of a generic wheat beer, and pitched right on top of the trub... I may have over-pitched, but the result still worked out.
15 lbs Base Malt
3 lbs DME
1 lb Crystal 80
1 lb Crystal 10
¼ lb Special B
¼ lb Pale Chocolate
3 oz Warrior hops for 60 min, 1 oz each Centennial and Cascade hops at flameout
House Yeast
method
Mash at 149* for 1 ½ hours. Even though Pacman yeast can ferment as low as 60* and create be very VERY clean, I fermented at 65* for a little spice. Again, the beer is amazing and it has worked for me. Carbonate low to medium-low. Serve small quantities as you would a fine scotch!
Happy Brewing!
Monday, December 13, 2010
Giveaway Winner and Eggplant Lasagna
Ok, folks. The winner of our most recent giveaway is Tyson! We'll be sending you an email with all of the information you need to get your reward. Congratulations and happy shopping!
Hey Ma-
So, we've got friends who are going through a very sad loss of a family member right now. Obviously this calls for the delivery of a warm and hearty dinner. Our friends have dietary restrictions, though, and so our initial thought of lasagna had to be modified. What we ended up concocting was so fantastic that I have to share it with you here. Substituting eggplant for pasta we made the heartiest, yummiest dish.
The only problem we encountered along the way was that the dish turned very liquidy after baking in spite of our having browned the eggplant in a skillet. We learned from a friend that, to avoid this, we could have sprinkled the slices with salt and left them in a strainer for about 30 minutes which would have pulled a lot of the liquid out. We're not sure if the liquidiness was such an issue, based on how much everyone who ate the meal enjoyed it, but we're thinking that next time we'll give this trick a try to see how the results compare.
Despite it's stewy quality, we're sticking to Eggplant Lasagna as our name for this dinner.
XXOO
-R
Eggplant Lasagna
feeds 4-6
ingredients
1 large eggplant, sliced top to bottom in roughly 1/2-inch slices
1 jar pasta sauce (we used puttanesca and highly recommend you do the same)
2/3 lb. mozzarella cheese, sliced into roughly 1/4-inch thick pieces
12 oz. ricotta
freshly shaved parmesan (I'm going to have to say "to taste" because I have no idea how much we used. We were definitely generous, though)
3-4 links italian fennel sausage (or not! go veggie for a Meatless Monday meal)
handful medium brown mushrooms, sliced
5 c. raw spinach (de-stemmed)
1/2 yellow onion, sliced
1 bunch of basil (de-stemmed)
method
Prepare eggplant, either by browning it or by trying the salt-and-drain method (and maybe browning afterwards?). Saute sausage, mushrooms, onion and spinach. Starting with a layer of sauce in a large loaf pan, build upwards in this order: sauce, eggplant, basil leaves, veggies and sausage, cheese. Repeat until loaf pan is full and bake at 375 until bubbly and brown. Enjoy!
Hey Ma-
So, we've got friends who are going through a very sad loss of a family member right now. Obviously this calls for the delivery of a warm and hearty dinner. Our friends have dietary restrictions, though, and so our initial thought of lasagna had to be modified. What we ended up concocting was so fantastic that I have to share it with you here. Substituting eggplant for pasta we made the heartiest, yummiest dish.
The only problem we encountered along the way was that the dish turned very liquidy after baking in spite of our having browned the eggplant in a skillet. We learned from a friend that, to avoid this, we could have sprinkled the slices with salt and left them in a strainer for about 30 minutes which would have pulled a lot of the liquid out. We're not sure if the liquidiness was such an issue, based on how much everyone who ate the meal enjoyed it, but we're thinking that next time we'll give this trick a try to see how the results compare.
Despite it's stewy quality, we're sticking to Eggplant Lasagna as our name for this dinner.
XXOO
-R
Eggplant Lasagna
feeds 4-6
ingredients
1 large eggplant, sliced top to bottom in roughly 1/2-inch slices
1 jar pasta sauce (we used puttanesca and highly recommend you do the same)
2/3 lb. mozzarella cheese, sliced into roughly 1/4-inch thick pieces
12 oz. ricotta
freshly shaved parmesan (I'm going to have to say "to taste" because I have no idea how much we used. We were definitely generous, though)
3-4 links italian fennel sausage (or not! go veggie for a Meatless Monday meal)
handful medium brown mushrooms, sliced
5 c. raw spinach (de-stemmed)
1/2 yellow onion, sliced
1 bunch of basil (de-stemmed)
method
Prepare eggplant, either by browning it or by trying the salt-and-drain method (and maybe browning afterwards?). Saute sausage, mushrooms, onion and spinach. Starting with a layer of sauce in a large loaf pan, build upwards in this order: sauce, eggplant, basil leaves, veggies and sausage, cheese. Repeat until loaf pan is full and bake at 375 until bubbly and brown. Enjoy!
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
It's Ch-Ch-Chili
Janet here: In the winter in the Northeast, I turn to chili when I want an easy dinner that will satisfy. First, I can make it ahead. Second it's easy. Oh and then there's the nutrition factor. It's made of all kinds of stuff that are good for you (which also meant that it was a dish that I used to sneak good food into my kids when they were younger without them realizing it. I have one son, for instance, who will not eat beans or onions in pieces ... except he does in chili so haha.)
But I digress.
Anyway, I make a lot of different kinds of chili, including a very tasty white one that I just discovered this past year. I decided for this post, however, to do the vegetarian one since my carniverous daughter was going to be including some kind of meat. So on to the dish, which of course is also just a great way to have a lot of melted cheese too. :) This batch will serve 6-8.
Ingredients
1 large yellow onion, diced
2-3 cloves garlic, diced
1 19 ounce can red kidney beans
1 15 ounce can black beans
1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes
1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes with jalapeno
about 1/2 cup rice
chili powder, hot sauce, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper to taste
Method
In a large cooking pot, put in the oil and saute the onions and garlic until translucent. Then add the beans, tomatoes, rice and seasonings. Cook, covered, on low heat until the rice is done. Serve with grated cheese and sour cream.
Rachel here: Chili is awesome. I really think this. First, it's a vehicle for cheese and sour cream. Second, it's warm. Third, it's hearty. Fourth, it's easy. Really, it's like a wonder-food. For this batch I used a combination of leftover items in my fridge along with umm...non-leftover items (there must be a better way to say that). And, in the end, I now have new leftovers, but now they are of the chili variety (yeah!) and some will be frozen in portions for a future evening and the rest will be eaten for lunches and whatnot this week. It's a happy day here in Oakland (oh, and it's a bit chilly, too...ha ha ha).
Ingredients
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium sweet potato, chopped
28 oz. whole peeled tomatoes (I use the organic variety and, I dare say, you should, too)
28 oz. ground peeled tomatoes
2/3 lb. flank steak, cubed
1 large bone-in, skin-on chicken breast
1 c. chicken stock (or more if you have it...just use that instead of the water)
2 c. water
4 c. beans (NOT dried...I used the leftover black beans I posted about last week)
6 large fresh basil leaves
2-3 T. fresh lemon thyme
2 c. couscous (already cooked)
2 c. fresh chopped spinach
fennel
dried oregano
paprika
cayenne
orange peel
chili powder
worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper
Method
In a large pot, saute the onion, garlic and sweet potato in butter. Add tomatoes, steak, chicken stock, water, beans, chicken breast (I like to put it in whole and then pull it out after it's cooked, chop it up and throw it back in), couscous, spinach, basil (I just tear these up as I throw them in) and thyme. Let simmer until starts to cook down and chicken is cooked. Add spices listed above to taste. This recipe makes a big old pot of chili so I don't cook it down quite as far as I would if I were serving it all at once so that in future re-heatings I won't have to water it down. Sprinkle cheese on top and add a dollop of sour cream and go get cozy.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Simple Suppers
Rachel here: Oh, we all know those days. You know, the ones where you come home and you sort of realize that your day isn't actually over yet because there's still dinner to figure out. As a city-dweller, this often leads to take-out or delivery in my house. Sometimes, though, even that seems like more effort than I can handle, what with the plentitude of options and then the inevitable waiting. On these nights, there is a staple in my house: the quesadilla. There are always (and I do mean always) tortillas in my freezer and cheese in the fridge. Throw in whatever random vegetable and meat bits we have leftover and a hearty dinner is mere minutes away (particularly if you have made a batch of black beans earlier in the week...see Wednesday's post). After a long day, I can't think of anything better.
Quesadillas
Ingredients
flour tortillas (I prefer corn and John prefers flour, which is what I ended up using for these)
grated cheese (I used a bit of jack and a bit of cheddar)
chicken, chopped into uniform bite-sized piece
medium tomato
avocado (I recognize that avocados and tomatoes aren't in season everywhere, so substitute with a good local alternative)
cayenne
salt and pepper
lime
Method
Cook chicken in large pan, seasoning to your preference with salt, pepper and cayenne. Prepare tortillas by lining one half with a bit of cheese before dividing chicken up amongst them and covering with cheese (Amounts for tortillas, cheese and chicken will vary depending on how many you're looking to feed. I used one large tortilla per person and divided about 3/4 lb. of chicken between them). Place these tortilla pockets back into pan you cooked chicken in (one-dirty-dish cooking is part of the beauty of this easy dinner option!). Flip after a few minutes, once underside is nicely browned and cheese has started melting. Serve when everything is hot and gooey, garnishing with diced tomato and avocado on top and serving with lime wedges on the side. Of course, various hot sauces and sour cream should be waiting on the table to optimal enjoyment. Yum!
Janet here: Rachel has the best idea here for a simple supper you can throw together in minutes. I wish I had thought of it but I didn't so there it is. Anyway my main way of making supper easy these days is cooking ahead. Shepherd's Pie is my go-to comfort dinner in the winter months, and it's a crowdpleaser so it's doubly satisfying. I make this shepherd's pie using ground turkey because I don't eat red meat. I also use taco seasoning as my secret seasoning ingredient. In other words, it's tacos with mashed potatoes, making it a win-win for feel-good meals. Here's how I do it.
Shepherd's Pie
Ingredients
1 pound ground turkey
1 package taco seasoning
1 1/2 cups corn (I use frozen)
dried onion flakes to taste (this is the way I get onions into things for picky eaters)
4 Russet potatoes
1 stick butter
3/4 cup sour cream
salt and pepper to taste
Method
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Brown the turkey in a little oil. Add the taco seasoning and follow directions for regular tacos. Add in the corn. After it's done, place in the bottom of a casserole baking dish.
While the meat mixture is cooking, cut up some potatoes (skins on is my preference), cook in boiling water until tender. Then drain, put back into the pot with a stick of butter. Mash up the potatoes, add salt and pepper to taste, maybe a little chicken broth with the sour cream to make them as smooth as you like. Sometimes I add grated cheese as well if I'm feeling really decadent.
Bake uncovered for 30-40 minutes until it's bubbling slightly.
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