I like a little spice cookie and am always looking for new recipes to incorporate spice into my holiday cookie basket. I found this interesting recipe on Food52 from user Kelsey the Naptime Chef, who credits a neighbor for this recipe. It's a straight-forward recipe that results in a moist, cake-like cookie with a nice apple pie-like flavor as promised by the baker.
Serves 3 dozen
1 cup raisins I omitted these out of personal bias
1/2 cup shortening I used butter instead - this does change the flavor and character of the cookie, but I was not disappointed with this choice
1 1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1/4 cup whole milk
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup chopped walnuts I also omitted these as with the raisins
1 cup chopped unpeeled apple (seeds and core removed)
1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. In a small saucepan add the raisins and fill with water until raisins are just covered. Bring to a boil and then
remove pan from heat. Allow to stand for 5 minutes. Drain raisins and reserve.
3. In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment beat together shortening and brown sugar. Then, beat in the egg
and the milk.
4. In a separate bowl stir together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, cloves and nutmeg. With the mixer
on low, slowly add this to the shortening mixture. Beat until everything is well blended.
5. With a wooden spoon stir in the nuts, apple and drained raisins. Drop by heaping teaspoonful onto cookie
sheet. Press the tops of the cookies down slightly with two fingers. Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes. In my oven, these took about 15 minutes.
I had no troubled with this recipe, and I really liked these cookies, but my counterpart felt they could use a bit of icing. The next time I try this recipe, I'll take his advice.
Showing posts with label holiday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label holiday. Show all posts
Sunday, December 15, 2013
Tuesday, November 26, 2013
Holiday Baking: Old School Pumpkin Pie
I've never made a pumpkin pie. This is primarily because I've never had a pumpkin pie that I like as much as a good fruit pie. So, for the holidays, my counterpart gets what was traditional for my family growing up in close proximity to Wisconsin's cherry orchards - a nice tart cherry pie. Even on Thanksgiving.
This year I decided to give the man a break and muster up a home made, fresh pumpkin pumpkin pie. I always kind of liked my mom's approach. She uses a standard recipe but doubles the spice except for the clove, which she halves. This creates a nice spicy pie. But, there's still something weird about the texture of most pumpkin pies. Maybe it's the prevalence of canned pumpkin?
I did a bit if research and found an old-school recipe for pumpkin pie on the Food52 blog. And, by old school, I mean it predates the era in which I was raised, where condensed milk was as ubiquitous in the kitchen as flour, sugar, and eggs. I feel as if the women who raised me put that stuff in everything. My first fudge recipe called for a fair amount of the stuff.
And, maybe this is also part of my issue with pumpkin pie. I can't get beyond that tinned milk flavor of so many fillings. So when I found a recipe that used good old fashioned cream, I knew I had a winner.
Food52 attributes this recipe to Meta Given, who published the two-volume Encyclopedia of Modern Cooking sometime in the 1940's. It calls for caramelizing the pumpkin, as well as limiting the spice to cinnamon and ginger. It also bakes in about 25 minutes.
For Meta Given's Caramelized Pumpkin Pie you will need:
A 9-inch pie pan lined with pastry (I like the Deluxe Butter Pastry from Joy of Cooking)
1 3/4 cups cooked pureed pumpkin
3/4 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
2 eggs
1 cup cream
1/2 cup milk
To prepare the pureed pumpkin, you'll want a sharp knife, a kitchen shears, and a vegetable peeler. First, cut the pumpkin into quarters and use the kitchen shears to cut out the seeds an all those little threads. Then, use the vegetable peeler to peel the skin. Roast them in the oven at about 350 until the internal temperature of the pumpkin is 140 or so. While your pumpkin is roasting, you can prepare your crust.
When your pumpkin is out of the oven and has cooled a bit, use a parking knife to cut it down into smaller pieces. Then mash it with your potato masher before pureeing it with an immersion blender.
Make sure to roll out your pie crust and get it in your pie pan before you start the filling. This comes together quickly, and the recipe calls to pour the fresh-from-the-stove-top filling into a chilled pie shell. So, get your crust in your pie pan and place it in the freezer to chill while you make the filling. Also, I made enough pie crust for two pies. This is a good thing to do if you are making a recipe for the first time, or if you are a holiday baker only and haven't really baked since new year's brunch. This way, if the pie doesn't turn out, you've got another crust on hand to quickly try again.
Here's something else that will help, especially with this recipe. Basically, you've got three main components: the pumpkin, your dry ingredients, and your wet ingredients. Premix the sugar, salt, and spices and set aside. Then, beat your eggs and pre-mix the egg, cream, and milk.
Now you are ready to caramelize your pureed pumpkin. Place it in a heavy saucepan over direct heat. I started mine out on high heat and watched while it looked (and smelled) like it was scorching. It stuck to the pan and really made me more than a little anxious. So, I turned the heat down a bit and kept going. The recipe says it should take about 10 minutes to caramelize. And, after about 5 minutes, the scent changed, and it did indeed begin to smell a bit like caramelized sugar. After about 8 minutes, the pumpkin was starting to brown and had achieved a slightly dry texture.
Remove the pumpkin from the heat and fold the sugar mixture into the still-hot pumpkin. Use a good spatula, too, as the sugar is going to react with the hot pumpkin. As I mixed the sugar, I noticed that all the pumpkin residue that I saw sticking to my pan came right off and mixed in with the rest.
Once everything is well combined, mix in the cream mixture. I used my immersion blender, but a hand mixer would probably be more appropriate.
Now, here's the second area of concern for me. The filling is liquid. Like really liquid. I got a little concerned that I had skipped a step or something. But, no, it is supposed to be this way. There are eggs in there, and they will cook. So, I removed my pie shell from the freezer and used a small soup ladle to gently transfer my steaming hot pie filling into the very chilled pastry, ladling some off into a small glass dish to serve as a taste test. This is another good thing to do if you are trying a new recipe as it gives you a chance to sample the filling before the pie is out on the table in front of guests.
Bake the pie in a pre-heated 400-degree oven for about 25 minutes, or until the filling has set. The recipe says this is when it is slightly jiggly and the area in the center is still liquid. It also says that a pumpkin pie that has been cooked properly has a smooth surface that has not cracked. My pie cooked in about 30 minutes and was somewhere in between these two guide posts.
Plus, it looked burnt. So, after allowing my taste test some time to cool, I gave it a try. This is a unique pie filling that does indeed taste strongly of pumpkin. The light spicing of ginger and cinnamon allow the actual flavor of the pumpkin to dominate, as the recipe promised. Plus, there is an undertone of caramel that is subtle but noticeable. The texture is clearly an egg-based filling, although not quite a custard. Overall, I am pleased. I hope my counterpart is also.
This year I decided to give the man a break and muster up a home made, fresh pumpkin pumpkin pie. I always kind of liked my mom's approach. She uses a standard recipe but doubles the spice except for the clove, which she halves. This creates a nice spicy pie. But, there's still something weird about the texture of most pumpkin pies. Maybe it's the prevalence of canned pumpkin?
I did a bit if research and found an old-school recipe for pumpkin pie on the Food52 blog. And, by old school, I mean it predates the era in which I was raised, where condensed milk was as ubiquitous in the kitchen as flour, sugar, and eggs. I feel as if the women who raised me put that stuff in everything. My first fudge recipe called for a fair amount of the stuff.
And, maybe this is also part of my issue with pumpkin pie. I can't get beyond that tinned milk flavor of so many fillings. So when I found a recipe that used good old fashioned cream, I knew I had a winner.
Food52 attributes this recipe to Meta Given, who published the two-volume Encyclopedia of Modern Cooking sometime in the 1940's. It calls for caramelizing the pumpkin, as well as limiting the spice to cinnamon and ginger. It also bakes in about 25 minutes.
For Meta Given's Caramelized Pumpkin Pie you will need:
A 9-inch pie pan lined with pastry (I like the Deluxe Butter Pastry from Joy of Cooking)
1 3/4 cups cooked pureed pumpkin
3/4 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
2 eggs
1 cup cream
1/2 cup milk
To prepare the pureed pumpkin, you'll want a sharp knife, a kitchen shears, and a vegetable peeler. First, cut the pumpkin into quarters and use the kitchen shears to cut out the seeds an all those little threads. Then, use the vegetable peeler to peel the skin. Roast them in the oven at about 350 until the internal temperature of the pumpkin is 140 or so. While your pumpkin is roasting, you can prepare your crust.
When your pumpkin is out of the oven and has cooled a bit, use a parking knife to cut it down into smaller pieces. Then mash it with your potato masher before pureeing it with an immersion blender.
Make sure to roll out your pie crust and get it in your pie pan before you start the filling. This comes together quickly, and the recipe calls to pour the fresh-from-the-stove-top filling into a chilled pie shell. So, get your crust in your pie pan and place it in the freezer to chill while you make the filling. Also, I made enough pie crust for two pies. This is a good thing to do if you are making a recipe for the first time, or if you are a holiday baker only and haven't really baked since new year's brunch. This way, if the pie doesn't turn out, you've got another crust on hand to quickly try again.
Here's something else that will help, especially with this recipe. Basically, you've got three main components: the pumpkin, your dry ingredients, and your wet ingredients. Premix the sugar, salt, and spices and set aside. Then, beat your eggs and pre-mix the egg, cream, and milk.
Now you are ready to caramelize your pureed pumpkin. Place it in a heavy saucepan over direct heat. I started mine out on high heat and watched while it looked (and smelled) like it was scorching. It stuck to the pan and really made me more than a little anxious. So, I turned the heat down a bit and kept going. The recipe says it should take about 10 minutes to caramelize. And, after about 5 minutes, the scent changed, and it did indeed begin to smell a bit like caramelized sugar. After about 8 minutes, the pumpkin was starting to brown and had achieved a slightly dry texture.
 |
| Caramelized Pumpkin |
Remove the pumpkin from the heat and fold the sugar mixture into the still-hot pumpkin. Use a good spatula, too, as the sugar is going to react with the hot pumpkin. As I mixed the sugar, I noticed that all the pumpkin residue that I saw sticking to my pan came right off and mixed in with the rest.
 |
| With sugar and spice |
Once everything is well combined, mix in the cream mixture. I used my immersion blender, but a hand mixer would probably be more appropriate.
 |
| With cream and egg mixed in |
Now, here's the second area of concern for me. The filling is liquid. Like really liquid. I got a little concerned that I had skipped a step or something. But, no, it is supposed to be this way. There are eggs in there, and they will cook. So, I removed my pie shell from the freezer and used a small soup ladle to gently transfer my steaming hot pie filling into the very chilled pastry, ladling some off into a small glass dish to serve as a taste test. This is another good thing to do if you are trying a new recipe as it gives you a chance to sample the filling before the pie is out on the table in front of guests.
 |
| Ready for the oven |
Bake the pie in a pre-heated 400-degree oven for about 25 minutes, or until the filling has set. The recipe says this is when it is slightly jiggly and the area in the center is still liquid. It also says that a pumpkin pie that has been cooked properly has a smooth surface that has not cracked. My pie cooked in about 30 minutes and was somewhere in between these two guide posts.
Plus, it looked burnt. So, after allowing my taste test some time to cool, I gave it a try. This is a unique pie filling that does indeed taste strongly of pumpkin. The light spicing of ginger and cinnamon allow the actual flavor of the pumpkin to dominate, as the recipe promised. Plus, there is an undertone of caramel that is subtle but noticeable. The texture is clearly an egg-based filling, although not quite a custard. Overall, I am pleased. I hope my counterpart is also.
 |
| The finished product |
Sunday, November 17, 2013
All About the Gravy
Thanksgiving is about 10 days away, so it's time to get serious about cooking again. The nice thing about Thanksgiving is that it is really all about the meal - that opulent turkey dinner that most of us only muster this one day of the year. And because that turkey is really the cornerstone of the day, you want to bring your A game.
To help prepare for this major cooking event, today's posting is all about the gravy.
But first, an important note about the turkey, because the wrong bird will stop you dead in your tracks. I bring this up because over the last few years I've seen an increase in turkeys that come with a sad little packet of pre-made gravy instead of the traditional packet of neck and giblets. Read the packaging carefully and make sure you pick up a bird with the giblets. Pull them out of the carcass, and trim the ends off the wings, and set them all aside for a moment.
Here's also a nice trick for roasting that will keep the bird moist and flavorful. Turkeys are pretty lean and are prone to drying out in the cooking process. While a free range bird is less likely to dry out than conventional birds, many of us keep it from drying out by adding fat like butter. Put the butter away and try this: Mix dried rubbed sage and salt into a couple of tablespoons of duck fat and rub that on the exterior of your turkey. Duck fat is easy enough to come by. Sometime between now and Thanksgiving, pick up a duck and treat yourself to a duck dinner. Drain off the fat and save it until Thanksgiving.
Once the turkey is in the oven, go back to those giblets. Now, most of us just cover them with water and leave them on the back burner to stock all afternoon. The key to a really flavorful giblet gravy is to brown them first - neck and all - in about a tablespoon of butter with some more sage and maybe a bit of oregano.
A bit if veg will also boost up the flavor. You'll want to add some carrot, leek, onion, and celery hearts as if you were preparing a mirepoix. Let the veg cook until softened. Then add a couple of cups of water to the pot and throw in about half a bullion cube. Now you can set it aside to simmer while the turkey roasts.
When the turkey is cooked through, you'll want to let it rest for a moment. While it is resting, go ahead and cut off some of those nice fatty bits near the butt. And, if you really want all those juices, pull the stuffing and turn the bird on its end to let everything drip down into the roasting pan.
With giblets, stock, pan drippings, and some nice fatty meat, you are now ready to make your gravy. You will also need flour, butter, olive oil, heavy cream, and some variety of flavoring like Worcestershire sauce. We use a bit of sriracha sauce and some Pik-a-Peppa.
Start with a simple roux. In a heavy pan, melt down 3 tablespoons butter and 1/2 tablespoon olive oil. Add to that about 4 tablespoons flour and mix with a spatula until the flour has blended with the fats and has cooked off. This is important because cooked flour makes sauce but raw flour only makes paste. Mind the heat so that you don't end up at the other extreme with scorched flour as this is not appropriate for this application.
Add your flavoring to the roux along with some heavy cream.
Use a spatula to scrape everything off the sides and bottom of the pan and carefully pour it into your gravy. Then, take those giblets off the back burner and strain the stock into the roasting pan to deglace the remaining sucs and add this to the gravy, keeping the heat fairly low.
Now, before you add the giblets, you'll want to get out the immersion blender to smooth out the roux. If you have a uniform texture to your gravy before you add the meat, your gravy will be much more like a sauce. Which is actually what it is.
You'll now want to mince the giblets and that fatty turkey butt meat and add them to the pot. And, finally, you'll take on the neck. This will need to be done by hand to ensure you get the maximum amount of meat without also getting any of the bone. And it's worth it. This is some tender flavorful meat. Carefully pick as much as you can from the neck and mince it up before adding it to the gravy.
Give everything a good stir. If it is not as thick as you'd like, get out the potato starch.You can find this at Asian markets, as well as at some kosher grocers. Mix a little with some water before adding to your gravy; then give it a couple of minutes to thicken up.
And, that is the perfect Thanksgiving gravy.
To help prepare for this major cooking event, today's posting is all about the gravy.
 |
| Perfect giblet gravy |
But first, an important note about the turkey, because the wrong bird will stop you dead in your tracks. I bring this up because over the last few years I've seen an increase in turkeys that come with a sad little packet of pre-made gravy instead of the traditional packet of neck and giblets. Read the packaging carefully and make sure you pick up a bird with the giblets. Pull them out of the carcass, and trim the ends off the wings, and set them all aside for a moment.
Here's also a nice trick for roasting that will keep the bird moist and flavorful. Turkeys are pretty lean and are prone to drying out in the cooking process. While a free range bird is less likely to dry out than conventional birds, many of us keep it from drying out by adding fat like butter. Put the butter away and try this: Mix dried rubbed sage and salt into a couple of tablespoons of duck fat and rub that on the exterior of your turkey. Duck fat is easy enough to come by. Sometime between now and Thanksgiving, pick up a duck and treat yourself to a duck dinner. Drain off the fat and save it until Thanksgiving.
 |
| Neck, giblets, wing tips, and butter |
 |
| Mirepoix |
A bit if veg will also boost up the flavor. You'll want to add some carrot, leek, onion, and celery hearts as if you were preparing a mirepoix. Let the veg cook until softened. Then add a couple of cups of water to the pot and throw in about half a bullion cube. Now you can set it aside to simmer while the turkey roasts.
 |
| Giblet stock |
When the turkey is cooked through, you'll want to let it rest for a moment. While it is resting, go ahead and cut off some of those nice fatty bits near the butt. And, if you really want all those juices, pull the stuffing and turn the bird on its end to let everything drip down into the roasting pan.
 |
| Letting gravity do its thing |
With giblets, stock, pan drippings, and some nice fatty meat, you are now ready to make your gravy. You will also need flour, butter, olive oil, heavy cream, and some variety of flavoring like Worcestershire sauce. We use a bit of sriracha sauce and some Pik-a-Peppa.
 |
| A little extra flavor |
Start with a simple roux. In a heavy pan, melt down 3 tablespoons butter and 1/2 tablespoon olive oil. Add to that about 4 tablespoons flour and mix with a spatula until the flour has blended with the fats and has cooked off. This is important because cooked flour makes sauce but raw flour only makes paste. Mind the heat so that you don't end up at the other extreme with scorched flour as this is not appropriate for this application.
 |
| Cooked flour makes a sauce |
Add your flavoring to the roux along with some heavy cream.
Then, remove your turkey from the roasting pan and place it on a platter because it's time to add the drippings.
 |
| Pan drippings |
Use a spatula to scrape everything off the sides and bottom of the pan and carefully pour it into your gravy. Then, take those giblets off the back burner and strain the stock into the roasting pan to deglace the remaining sucs and add this to the gravy, keeping the heat fairly low.
 |
| Making use of the giblet stock |
Now, before you add the giblets, you'll want to get out the immersion blender to smooth out the roux. If you have a uniform texture to your gravy before you add the meat, your gravy will be much more like a sauce. Which is actually what it is.
 |
| Emulsification |
You'll now want to mince the giblets and that fatty turkey butt meat and add them to the pot. And, finally, you'll take on the neck. This will need to be done by hand to ensure you get the maximum amount of meat without also getting any of the bone. And it's worth it. This is some tender flavorful meat. Carefully pick as much as you can from the neck and mince it up before adding it to the gravy.
 |
| Giblets |
 |
| Neck meat |
 |
| Just needs a quick stir |
Give everything a good stir. If it is not as thick as you'd like, get out the potato starch.You can find this at Asian markets, as well as at some kosher grocers. Mix a little with some water before adding to your gravy; then give it a couple of minutes to thicken up.
And, that is the perfect Thanksgiving gravy.
Monday, November 4, 2013
Counting Points, and Surviving the Holiday Buffet
Quite recently, I went in for my annual physical. There I was made to step on a scale and was then forced to acknowledge my actual weight and discuss the health ramifications. Now, it wasn't too bad. It's certainly been worse. But it wasn't actually good either. So I signed up for Weight Watchers' online program and have been counting Points ever since. And I've lost 10 pounds, affirming my belief that Weight Watchers still is the safest easiest way to lose weight.
And, this past weekend I think I blew through all of them - all my daily Points, most of my Anytime Points. I almost tapped into my reserve of Activity Points. This past weekend was Halloween weekend, a candy free-for-all that for all practical purposes marks the beginning of the holiday food fest that will continue right up until breakfast on the morning of January 2 when we abandon brunches and return to our sensible morning oatmeal in a state of mild shock.
Thus heralds another cycle of Holiday Party Tips. And, in case anyone thinks this is premature, the Indian Festival of Lights was this past weekend, and Hanukkah is right around the corner, taking place in November this year.
- Don't Go to a Party Starving - This is tried and true common sense. If you don't eat something before a big holiday party, you will gorge yourself. I'm not talking about a full meal or anything, but you should get a little something in your system right around the time you start getting ready, like an apple or some nuts. Something to fill the void without feeling like a pre-dinner to the actual dinner.
- Don't Drink Your Calories - Wine, beer, cocktails all pack calories, and empty calories at that. Plus once many of us get a little liqoured up, our inhibitions fall to the wayside, and we tend to graze meaninglessly putting any old thing off the buffet into our belly. So, following this guideline actually accomplishes a couple of things, in addition to helping you dodge a hangover. Many diet gurus recommend the gin and tonic as the party drink of choice for those who wish not to indulge. This is a good choice as it comes in fairly low on the caloric content and doesn't mix well with most foods, forcing you to take a break from the buffet. It's also kind of bitter which makes it difficult to drink quickly, minimizing the number of them you can consume over the course of an evening. If there is only wine at the party, good luck. Wine is the greatest destroyer of good intentions known to mankind, both dietary and otherwise. Whatever you drink, remember to have a glass of water (not soda or juice) between
- Chose Your Calories Carefully - At a typical holiday party you will be presented with a barrage of foods, many of them specialties that we only eat this time of year. Many of them will also be things pulled from the freezer and reheated prior to guests arriving. I'm talking mini quiches, egg rolls, those questionable meatballs in cream of mushroom soup - these items are not fresh-made. They were created in a warehouse and flash frozen gods know how long ago. Ask yourself what you really want to eat. I stick by the "real food" guideline and usually do OK with things like veggies and dip, shrimp cocktail, and the fruit and cheese platter.
- Be Honest With Yourself - This piece of advice is about those inevitable food traps - those items that we know we shouldn't eat but seem powerless to resist. Mine is buffalo chicken anything - wings, dip, sliders. I can't help it! I love the hot and tangy pepper sauce and the creamy bleu cheese dressing, and because it is chicken, I can usually convince myself that it's not the worst thing on the buffet. I would be wrong. But, if it's on the table, I know I will partake. I'll dodge every other questionable food choice (including dessert) to indulge a bit here. And that's the trick,. A little honesty about your favorite bad food will allow you to enjoy it without feeling the need to a) give up entirely on your healthy eating plan because of one "slip" and go hog wild, or b) feel like crap because you were faced with temptation and lost. (If it was resistible, it wouldn't be very tempting, now would it.)
- Keep Track of Things, or Calories In, Calories Out - This is essentially what I am doing with Weight Watchers Online, only I have a Points allowance. You can keep track of your eating and exercise with a number of online tools and apps. My favorite free app is MyFitnessPal. It allows you to track your weight and has a pretty extensive database of foods, exercises, and normal activities (shopping anyone?) to help you stay on top of things. This is especially important if you (like me) enjoy food and end up dancing along the edge of your healthy weight range.
Regardless of what anyone says, the holidays are about eating - sharing meals and special foods with family and friends, showcasing our favorite recipes, baking little treats for our neighbors and coworkers. Take my sensible advice or completely disregard it - just remember to have fun. Enjoy the company around you. And, enjoy the food.
Thursday, July 4, 2013
Freedom Pheasant
On my birthday, I usually get some variety of game, so it only makes sense that on our nation's birthday, this also holds true. And, since it is July, it's going to be grilled.
To mark Independence Day, my counterpart grilled up another pheasant. There are some preparations you need to make for grilling a game bird that are not necessary with a domesticated bird like your typical chicken. First, you'll need to understand that pheasants are only partially domesticated. Even the ones at the grocery store most likely were not raised on a farm but were allowed to fly freely in an open space. They don't go through a factory for cleaning and packaging like our mass-produced chickens and turkeys. They are most likely plucked and packaged by hand. This, combined with their more muscular physique, means that the first step to preparing your pheasant is to ensure that there are no little down feathers or quills on the carcass. You'll need to remove any plucking residue by hand.
And here's one of the rare occasions when you can use your MAP torch in the kitchen as this is a good way to finish the job. Remember you are not trying to sear the bird. You're just trying to burn off any little hairs that might remain.
To ensure even cooking on the grill, you'll want to split it down the middle, or even quarter it. We decided to quarter our bird.
Once it's split, you can season it with a little spice rub. For today's freedom pheasant, my counterpart combined mostly bitter flavors with a little heat, which tend to go well with the irony flavor of this game bird. This is a good spice mix for pheasant and other birds:
Ground oregano
Rubbed sage
Ground coriander
Chinese five spice
All spice
Red Tandoori spice
Salt
One of the problems with doing a spice rub is the presence of moisture from the cleaned bird. My counterpart resolves this by using a couple of large, shallow bowls. He placing his quarters in the first bowl for the rub. As he rubs each piece, he places it into the second bowl. Most of the moisture stays in int he first bowl, and the spices end up more evenly distributed.
For grilling meat, we are partial to the charcoal grill. It generates a nice smoke that is easily controlled for both heat and flavor. We didn't do anything fancy with any of the various types of natural wood we have been known to add to the grill. We simply started up the charcoal in our chimney starter, poured it into the grill, and let the flames die down until we had a nice smoldering heat.
Here's a nice thing you can do when grilling: place several lengthy sprigs of fresh rosemary on the grill and put your bird skin side up on the rosemary. Cover it and let it cook slowly, checking on it every so often to flip it. Ours cooked for about 90 minutes over low heat, which was long enough to cook it through without drying it out.
Once it's off the grill, you can glaze it with a sauce before serving. Glazing the bird after it is off the grill rather than while it's cooking prevents the sauce from scorching, especially if you're using a sweet sauce. And, today we definitely went sweet.
While the grilled pheasant was resting, my counterpart make a quick herbed caramel sauce using some of the same flavors from the spice rub. He sauteed fresh basil, sage, and thyme in a good amount of butter. He then added allspice and red Tandoori spice. Once the butter was completely melted, he added a splash of white wine, a couple of drops of habanero sauce, and a generous pour of King syrup. He let it boil for a few minutes before removing it from the stove and pouring it over our pheasant.
Paired with herbed potatoes, this was a spicy sweet sticky greasy mess of a perfect summer grill dinner. I live the robust and gamy flavor of pheasant. The stronger taste and firmer texture make it a superior alternative to chicken. While the price differential means it will never replace its domesticated cousin. But for something a little special from the grill, it's a very good choice.
Sunday, February 10, 2013
Mini Po'Boy Sandwiches
February is a cold and dreary month, shortness being its best quality, for who could take more than 28 days of it? As the hours of sunlight increase, we know that spring will eventually arrive if only that cold wind would just go away. I am huddled in my office looking at a crisp blue sky and a yard full of bright sunshine and am not taken in - it is hovering around the freezing mark today. Even the cat has taken refuge in my bed, having figured out how to turn on the electric blanket. Who among us can blame her?
The saving grace of February is the abundance of mid-winter festivals. Last weekend was Brighid's Day, marking the return of life into the cold dark world with the sprouting of grains and the birthing of sheep. This week brings us the Chinese New Year and Valentine's Day. It also brings us that famous festival to indulgence, the Mardi Gras.
Taken literally, Mardi Gras means Fat Tuesday. This French Catholic celebration is the last day of indulgence before practitioners enter their fasting season of Lent, attempting to emulate the self-induced privations of Jesus as he wandered the wilderness before arriving in Jerusalem to be arrested and crucified. For many modern-day Catholics, and those in other Christian sects, it means foregoing those small physical pleasures to help focus one's attention on the state of the spirit. While I personally think cold and endless February is not the best time for this type of contemplation, this does not stop me from a little Fat Tuesday activities in the cold days of February.
My counterpart and I participated in on of those MeetUp groups. The one we joined is focused on cooking and food, and the organizer planned a little Cajun potluck on Saturday night. Our assignment was to provide an appetizer or side dish. Gareth decided on a New Orleans classic - the Po'Boy.
First, you will need to make a Roulade. For that you will need:
Mayonnaise
Mustard
Sriracha
Leek, minced
Onion, minced
Garlic, pressed through a garlic press
Salt and pepper
Pickles, minced - we used kosher dills
Lemon Juice
Make the mayonnaise as per usual. Gareth likes egg yolk, grape seed oil, and a little light vinegar. Reserve some for a little garlic mayo or a bread sauce if you like.
Then add the remaining ingredients, tasting as you go. If the sauce ends up too bitter, add a little squeeze of Karo light corn syrup. This will incorporate into the sauce more readily than granulated sugar, which will make your sauce gritty.
Then cook your fish. We used tilapia fillets. Gareth cut them to size, breaded them with potato starch, and slowly baked them in the oven.
He also wanted some shrimp in there, so he steamed the medium sized (26-30 count) with just the slightest dusting of Old Bay.
To complete the po'boy, we used butter lettuce, sliced tomatoes, and a little garlic mayonnaise.
We were going to serve ours on a baguette we bought at Wegman's (my bread-making has not ventured into this area yet), but our MeetUp host is a professional chef who was trained at the Culinary Institute of America.He had some sourdough that he baked in (I'm not kidding here) an adobe oven that he built in his back yard. In suburban Maryland. In Joppatown, no less. Who knew?
We cooked the fish in advance and assembled the sandwiches at the potluck. They were well received and fit right in with a spread that included coconut shrimp, jambalaya, roasted sweet potatoes, and the best red beans and bignettes I have ever had. We left with full bellies befitting the holiday and a warn feeling of belonging that comes from finding a group of kindred spirits.
The saving grace of February is the abundance of mid-winter festivals. Last weekend was Brighid's Day, marking the return of life into the cold dark world with the sprouting of grains and the birthing of sheep. This week brings us the Chinese New Year and Valentine's Day. It also brings us that famous festival to indulgence, the Mardi Gras.
Taken literally, Mardi Gras means Fat Tuesday. This French Catholic celebration is the last day of indulgence before practitioners enter their fasting season of Lent, attempting to emulate the self-induced privations of Jesus as he wandered the wilderness before arriving in Jerusalem to be arrested and crucified. For many modern-day Catholics, and those in other Christian sects, it means foregoing those small physical pleasures to help focus one's attention on the state of the spirit. While I personally think cold and endless February is not the best time for this type of contemplation, this does not stop me from a little Fat Tuesday activities in the cold days of February.
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| Mini po'boy sandwiches |
My counterpart and I participated in on of those MeetUp groups. The one we joined is focused on cooking and food, and the organizer planned a little Cajun potluck on Saturday night. Our assignment was to provide an appetizer or side dish. Gareth decided on a New Orleans classic - the Po'Boy.
First, you will need to make a Roulade. For that you will need:
Mayonnaise
Mustard
Sriracha
Leek, minced
Onion, minced
Garlic, pressed through a garlic press
Salt and pepper
Pickles, minced - we used kosher dills
Lemon Juice
Make the mayonnaise as per usual. Gareth likes egg yolk, grape seed oil, and a little light vinegar. Reserve some for a little garlic mayo or a bread sauce if you like.
Then add the remaining ingredients, tasting as you go. If the sauce ends up too bitter, add a little squeeze of Karo light corn syrup. This will incorporate into the sauce more readily than granulated sugar, which will make your sauce gritty.
Then cook your fish. We used tilapia fillets. Gareth cut them to size, breaded them with potato starch, and slowly baked them in the oven.
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| Tilapia fillets, dusted with potato starch and ready for the oven |
He also wanted some shrimp in there, so he steamed the medium sized (26-30 count) with just the slightest dusting of Old Bay.
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| Steaming shrimp |
To complete the po'boy, we used butter lettuce, sliced tomatoes, and a little garlic mayonnaise.
 |
| Washed lettuce |
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| Slicing tomatoes |
We were going to serve ours on a baguette we bought at Wegman's (my bread-making has not ventured into this area yet), but our MeetUp host is a professional chef who was trained at the Culinary Institute of America.He had some sourdough that he baked in (I'm not kidding here) an adobe oven that he built in his back yard. In suburban Maryland. In Joppatown, no less. Who knew?
 |
| Our sad grocery store baguette |
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| Actual sourdough baguettes, cooked in an adobe oven |
We cooked the fish in advance and assembled the sandwiches at the potluck. They were well received and fit right in with a spread that included coconut shrimp, jambalaya, roasted sweet potatoes, and the best red beans and bignettes I have ever had. We left with full bellies befitting the holiday and a warn feeling of belonging that comes from finding a group of kindred spirits.
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| Assembling the sandwiches |
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| Ready to eat |
Sunday, December 30, 2012
New Year's Cassoulet, a Crowning Acheivement
Cassoulet is a slow-cooked dish of beans and fatty meats with a rich sauce originating in southern France. There are many variations on this dish, depending on the neighborhood and the year. The traditional cassoulet contains white beans and a variety of meats that include pork, sausage, mutton, and duck or goose confit, cooked in a casserole dish with a hearty sauce.
For our cassoulet, we decided on a mix of cannellinis and limas. My counterpart started with dry beans, letting them soak for several hours while he assembled the rest of the ingredients and prepared the meats and sauce.
For our sauce, we chose the Espagnole, one of Escoffier's Mother Sauces from which all other are derived. The Espagnole sauce is a brown sauce consisting of a roux of butter and flour, along with a stock of roasted bones, some roasted vegetables, and tomato puree. My counterpart roasted the last of our Christmas lamb shoulder and some carrots, then simmered them on the stovetop to create a rich brown aspic. He added this to a basic roux, then set the bones to stocking one last time. He also added the roasted carrots and juice from a can of tomatoes and let the sauce simmer until thickened.
At that point, more stock is added to the sauce and it is strained. He used a mesh colander to strain our sauce into our 8-cup Pyrex measuring cup.
Once strained, the sauce is reheated and allowed to cook down. The end result is a strong and savory brown sauce with a pronounced roasted flavor.
While the Espagnole was cooking down, we turned our attention to the meat. We chose lamb, ham, mild Italian sausage, and pancetta. Gareth cut down our lamb and browned it on the stovetop in the pot that would eventually hold our cassoulet. Once the outside of the meat was browned, he transferred it to a flat skillet and browned some onion and shallot in the lamb fat. He added chunks of ham to the onions and pieces of sausage to the lamb and continued to cook everything until the sausages were cooked through.
At this point, we very nearly have all our ingredients prepped. There is just once more thing that this dish calls for - onions spiked with cloves. Gareth cut up a white onion into wedges and stuck a couple of cloves in each wedge.
He then layered the meats, beans, and onions. This should not be done randomly, though. Keep in mind that once assembled, this dish will be int he oven for a good six hours or so. You'll want to start with a good layer of meat at the bottom of the pot. Gareth started with the larger pieces of lamb and ham to cover the bottom. He covered that with a layer of thick-cut pancetta and then layered in the soaked beans, a couple of onion wedges, a couple of garlic cloves, and a couple of sprigs each of fresh basil and thyme.
The next layer contained more of the same with a little sausage added, then pancetta, more beans, more onions, and more fresh herbs. The top layer of meat was mostly sausage to allow the juices to drip down and saturate the dish while it cooks.
That final meat layer was topped with the remaining beans, and then the Espagnole sauce was gently poured over the whole thing.
Gareth added a couple of bay leaves, and placed it in the oven to cook.
This is not a passive cooking process. It can take at least six hours and up to three days, depending on your level of commitment. Remember that the dish contains beans. As beans cook, they require liquid, so you will need to keep an eye on things, checking in on your cassoulet every so often to add more stock or water as needed.
For the last hour of baking, cover the surface of the cassoulet with breadcrumbs. Traditional recipes also call for crackling and drippings.
We cooked our cassoulet for a total of six hours. It came out rich and meaty with hints of peppery spice and a subtle sweetness from the veg in the Espagnole sauce combining with the clove. This is a hearty and satisfying dish for a cold wintery day and perfect for a New Year's dinner.
For our cassoulet, we decided on a mix of cannellinis and limas. My counterpart started with dry beans, letting them soak for several hours while he assembled the rest of the ingredients and prepared the meats and sauce.
 |
| Soaking beans |
For our sauce, we chose the Espagnole, one of Escoffier's Mother Sauces from which all other are derived. The Espagnole sauce is a brown sauce consisting of a roux of butter and flour, along with a stock of roasted bones, some roasted vegetables, and tomato puree. My counterpart roasted the last of our Christmas lamb shoulder and some carrots, then simmered them on the stovetop to create a rich brown aspic. He added this to a basic roux, then set the bones to stocking one last time. He also added the roasted carrots and juice from a can of tomatoes and let the sauce simmer until thickened.
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| A roux of butter, flour, and a little roasted stock |
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| Add a little tomato |
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| Add a little carrot |
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| The sauce is ready to be strained |
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| Straining the sauce |
Once strained, the sauce is reheated and allowed to cook down. The end result is a strong and savory brown sauce with a pronounced roasted flavor.
 |
| Reheating the strained sauce |
While the Espagnole was cooking down, we turned our attention to the meat. We chose lamb, ham, mild Italian sausage, and pancetta. Gareth cut down our lamb and browned it on the stovetop in the pot that would eventually hold our cassoulet. Once the outside of the meat was browned, he transferred it to a flat skillet and browned some onion and shallot in the lamb fat. He added chunks of ham to the onions and pieces of sausage to the lamb and continued to cook everything until the sausages were cooked through.
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| Lamb and sausages |
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| Ham and onions |
At this point, we very nearly have all our ingredients prepped. There is just once more thing that this dish calls for - onions spiked with cloves. Gareth cut up a white onion into wedges and stuck a couple of cloves in each wedge.
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| Onion spiked with clove |
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| Building the cassoulet |
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| A layer of pancetta |
The next layer contained more of the same with a little sausage added, then pancetta, more beans, more onions, and more fresh herbs. The top layer of meat was mostly sausage to allow the juices to drip down and saturate the dish while it cooks.
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| Meat and beans |
That final meat layer was topped with the remaining beans, and then the Espagnole sauce was gently poured over the whole thing.
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| Adding the Espagnole sauce |
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| Ready for the long, slow cook |
Gareth added a couple of bay leaves, and placed it in the oven to cook.
This is not a passive cooking process. It can take at least six hours and up to three days, depending on your level of commitment. Remember that the dish contains beans. As beans cook, they require liquid, so you will need to keep an eye on things, checking in on your cassoulet every so often to add more stock or water as needed.
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| Cassoulet, about half way through |
For the last hour of baking, cover the surface of the cassoulet with breadcrumbs. Traditional recipes also call for crackling and drippings.
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| Ready for the home stretch |
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| The finished product |
We cooked our cassoulet for a total of six hours. It came out rich and meaty with hints of peppery spice and a subtle sweetness from the veg in the Espagnole sauce combining with the clove. This is a hearty and satisfying dish for a cold wintery day and perfect for a New Year's dinner.
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