Vacation

Off to South America. New posts coming in January 2010. Sweet.

Maple Bacon Ice Cream

Who knew a dessert could be so polarizing? Everyone agreed that the maple ice cream was a great success. The addition of bacon, however, was more controversial. Some people loved the smokey & salty contrast, while others were freaked out by having little bits of meat in their dessert.

Heat, in a small saucepan:
1.5 Cups Milk
1.5 Cups Heavy Cream
.5 Cup Pure Maple Syrup
1.5 Tablespoons Sugar
1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract

Allow mixture to cool, and then run through ice cream maker.
Meanwhile, cook, until very crisp:
6 Slices Bacon

Break bacon into small bits.
Stir into ice cream.
Freeze 15 minutes.

Really Easy Soup

Add to a pot:
1 1/2 Cups Chicken Stock
1/2 Cup Pureed Tomato
2 Carrots, diced
1 Onion, diced
1 Cup Broccoli Florets 
2 Teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

Two Cooked Chicken Breasts, diced 

Simmer for 30 minutes. 
Add salt and pepper as desired.

Roasted Butternut Squash

One of the things I miss most about living in the east coast is having some kind of winter. Not a full winter or anything, just a little bit of cold. In Los Angeles, that hardly happens. Since it's early December, I decided to make it feel like winter a little bit by roasting the ultimate winter vegetable, squash. Added bonus- this side dish is stupidly easy to make.

Split in half, and then seed:
One Butternut Squash

Place squash on a roasting pan.
Roast in a 375 degree oven for about 45 minutes, until squash is tender.

Remove flesh from squash, and mix in:
2 Teaspoons Butter
1 Teaspoon Pure Maple Syrup
1 Teaspoon Salt
Fresh Grated Nutmeg (about 1/4 teaspoon)

If you want to get all fancy-pants, you can return the squash to its shell and serve it like that.

Gravy Train

You might want to bookmark this little tidbit for next year's Thanksgiving, because it was the finest turkey gravy I've ever made.  This is yet another proof of how a little bit of playing with your food can take you someplace special.

Started by straining:
Turkey Pan Juices

The turkey had been stuffed with onions, sage, orange, celery, thyme, and garlic.
It had been brined and dried before roasting.
One and one half hours before end of cooking, I poured .5 can Coca-Cola over bird.

*You're think crazy thoughts now.  I know.  Coke?  WTF?!  This is the only time per year that I have a coke.  Hey, it helps make amazing gravy.  After I pour half the can, I take a sip from the rest and remind myself how horrible this stuff is!

Once all the juices are strained, allow them to sit so that the fat can rise to the top.  This will happen fairly quickly.  Remove all fat, reserving 4 tablespoons in a small pan.

Now, for the roasting pan:  Remove all big bits of leftover skin and gristle.
Then add:
3/4 Cup White Wine
1/2 Freshly Squeezed Orange
1 Tablespoon Sherry Vinegar

Place over medium heat, and scrape until leftover brown bits melt into the liquid, and the sharp alcohol flavor cooks off.  Strain, and add to pan juices.

You're going to make a roux out of the previously reserved turkey fat, and 4 tablespoons flour.  Whisk the fat and flour over medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes.  The longer you go, the deeper flavor you'll be rewarded with.  Just don't let it burn.

Slowly whisk the pan juices into the roux.  Continue to whisk for two minutes once all pan juice is added. 

Finish with:
Squeeze Fresh Orange
1/2 Tablespoon Sherry Vinegar
Salt, as necessary

If you're into that kind of thing, you can strain again before serving.  I didn't.

Making Bacon at Home, First Attempt

It was only a matter of time before I did this.  I love bacon.  Love it with all my heart.  So why not make my own, right?

I did.  It was a time intensive process, but the actual work time was very limited.  The result was decent, but too salty.  

Don't try this at home (yet).
Actually, do try this at home.  Make some adjustments to the recipe, and let me know how it turns out.

I began with:
Three Pounds Uncured Pork Belly

Washed and patted dry pork belly.
Covered completely with:
One Head of Celery, juiced 
1 Tablespoon Salt
1 Tablespoon Sugar


Left pork in celery juice for 48 hours, turning occasionally.

Removed pork from juice, rinsed, and patted dry.
Painted pork with a thin layer of:
Pure Maple Syrup

Crushed, and then rubbed pork with:
1 Cup Salt
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
1 Clove
2 Bay Leaves
1.5 Teaspoon Whole Black Pepper
1.5 Teaspoon Whole Coriander

6 Juniper Berries

Placed rubbed pork in plastic bag, and then refrigerated for one week.  (One week!)
Turned it every day, draining excess liquid.

After one week, rinsed and dried pork.
Smoked, over very low heat, for 6 hours.

Sliced, and cooked.

Lessons learned:
1) This, unlike making yogurt, is worth the effort.  Making bacon at home is damn satisfying.
2) For next time: reduce salt by at least 1/4 cup, and increase sugar by 1/4 cup.
3) Leave more liquid in curing bag?  I think if I hadn't drained the bag so much, the pork belly might have reabsorbed some of the liquid, decreasing the salt concentration in the meat.
4) There is only one smell better than having your apartment (and neighborhood) smell like sweet smoking wood for 6 hours--it's having your apartment (and neighborhood) smell like sweet smoking wood for 6 hours, and then having your apartment smell like bacon for 2 hours after that.

*Uncured pork belly can be hard to find.  Your best best is to seek out a neighborhood butcher and ask.  If they don't carry it, they can usually order it for you.


*Celery juice?  Really?  Yup.  Celery contains natural nitrates which will help cure the meat.  I also like the subtle flavor it adds.  If you want to skip this step, you're going to have to order something called Insta Cure #1- pink curing salt. 

Not Your Mama's Brussels Sprouts: Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Balamic and Cashews

First things first- my momma actually makes some pretty terrific brussels sprouts.  But most people don't.  They're often boiled to death, or, even worse, microwaved- I actually saw a bunch of tired looking sprouts packaged with the instruction "simply cover with plastic and microwave for 5 minutes".  Well, no wonder these little things get such a bad name!  Let's change that, because brussels sprouts are very tasty, and full of healthy vitamins and minerals. 

Wash, remove outer leaves from, and then cut in half:
One Pound Brussels Sprouts

Toss in a bowl with:
2 Tablespoons Clarified Butter or Olive Oil
2 Pinches Salt

Place on a roasting pan, cut side down, in a pre-heated 400 degree oven.
Roast for 10 minutes.
Return to mixing bowl, and add:
3 Cloves of Garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar

Place back on pan, and back into oven.
Roast 15 more minutes.

Remove from oven, and top with:
1/4 Cup Roasted Cashews, smashed
1/4 Cup Smoked Gouda, grated


*Feel free to use whatever cheese you like for the topping, or no cheese at all.

Foodbuzz Blogger Festival Favorites

Sharing is caring indeed.  Here are a few outstanding taste-makers I met last weekend at the Foodbuzz blogger festival. 

Hog Island Oyster Company:  Read my last post?  It's pretty clear why I love these guys.

Hearst Ranch Beef:  Went to a fascinating farm-to-table discussion with Brian Kenny from Hearst Ranch Beef, and Chef Paul Arenstam from the Americano restaurant.  Kenny is totally on the ball, really pushing the conversation forward- by resorting to a traditional way of raising beef.  Hearst Ranch beef are free roaming, grass fed & finished cows.  Hearst's operation is growing step by step- Kenny started by selling directly to progressive chefs like Arenstam, and has now taken the bold move to convince convention centers to buy better beef.  Very clever, Mr. Kenny.  Consumers can order directly online.  Next time you're in San Francisco, stop by the Americano for one of Chef Arenstam's Hearst Ranch beef creations- the meatballs are outstanding!

Frog Hollow Farm: Located in Brentwood CA, Frog Hollow Farm is justly famous for its legendary fruit.  They've been farming organically for 20 years, making them leaders in the fields.  Want to know how committed to flavor they are? Well, Frog Hollow Farm is one of just two commercial operations in the United States to grow the warren pear.  It's a temperamental thing to grow, so most don't.  It's also, hands down, the best pear I've ever had- soft, buttery, complex, sweet, and just delightful.  Also recommended- the dried fruit.  "Better than candy" doesn't even begin to do the dried peaches justice.  Find them if you're in the Bay Area, especially during summer and autumn- and order online if you want some amazing dried fruit for the holidays!

The Ball Whisk: I love this whisk.  It has an innovative design- long, straight wires with a heavy ball of plastic at the end, and a shorter, heavier wire in the middle.  It's 3432423532 times easier to clean than the traditional whisk, and is more effective, too.  And it looks awesome.

Notes on Cooking: Written by Lauren Braun Costello & Russell Reich.  This little book of basic kitchen tips would make a terrific holiday gift.  If you're new to the kitchen, you're going to learn a lot.  Even if you're experienced, there are tips & tricks in there for you.  Just remember to ignore #35- "Banter Down".  Costello & Reich, probably due to too much time in professional kitchens, seem to think that the home kitchen should be a place of work and silence.  Screw that- talk all you want- cooking should be fun.

Trying More New Foods: Hal B. Eats an Oyster

I ate a raw oyster. Actually, I ate fifteen of them.

As many of you know, I grew up a really picky eater. Terribly picky. I didn’t even eat carrots until I was 24. Seriously. During the last few years, however, a marvelous thing has happened—I’ve started to enjoy foods that I had convinced myself I hated.

So last weekend, at the terrific Foodbuzz food blogger festival, I took the biggest jump yet. Oysters. Why not? Raw? Well, if I’m going to eat an oyster…

The oysters were from Hog Island Oyster Company, a sustainable oyster farm located about an hour north of San Francisco. They were kind enough to set up a stand at the first night’s event. I was feeling brave, and, with a dash of mignonette, sucked down a Hog Island sweetwater oyster.

It was sweet and briny. Fresh. Mineral. Smooth. As soon as I swallowed the thing, I totally understood why oyster lovers are oyster lovers. There is a certain joy that envelops you when you eat an oyster. It’s hard to explain what that feeling is—if you’ve experienced it, you know what I’m talking about. If you haven't, you ought to.

After eating my first oyster, I walked away. I felt proud being such a brave dude, trying something new. “Great, I ate an oyster. Now on to the steak and cheese meat pie.” But a few minutes later, I was back at the oyster stand. One, two, three more oysters. I wanted that joy again. Four, five, six, seven. One with a little hot sauce. One with lemon. One just as it was. On and on. This is why I love food.

I felt the joy all night long. Part of it was the magic of the oyster, and part of it was the joy at trying something new. When you taste something you’ve never imagined before, you’re going to be happier for it. I speak often of having courage in the kitchen when you’re trying something new. The courage translates well to food festivals, too.

That happiness was still clearly evident the following morning. As I wandered through the Ferry Building farmers’ market, I found myself at the Hog Island stall. I told the fellas working the stall about my experience the night before. “I think we have convert,” the dude with the beard said as he shucked me another oyster.  He sure does.  Next time I'm in the Bay Area, I think I'm going to have to head up to Tomales Bay, and learn more about the process. Until then, I'll be chasing the buzz you get when you eat your first oyster.

*Check out Foodbuzz for quite a few recaps of the blogger festival, as well as a ton of other excellent content.  

Hal B. Klein Cooks (and Talks About Presidential Facial Hair)

Interviewed last night on Live! From the Future with Stuart Paap. Showed the crew how to make a simple creamy pesto sauce, talked about some movies I've been in, and shocked the world with my brilliant knowledge of mustachioed United States Presidents.

Watch the interview. I'm on about 30 minutes into the show.

Special message for the dudes out there: If you needed more proof of why you should learn how to cook, check out IM Girl Jessie Schneiderman's reaction to my killer pesto.

Apple Obsession

I'm enamored with apples. They are amazing little things. Thousands of different apples exist in nature, as each apple seed will produce a unique variety. Although most of them are not great for eating, hundreds of them are.

Sadly, much of the diversity has been lost to the ages, and, more recently, giant agriculture's decision to bring just a few types to the MegaSuperMarket. Happily, I'm not the only person who is obsessed with apples, and a handful of good people have kept many heirloom apple trees producing tasty fruit.

I recently spent 10 days in New York. It's an apple state. So, naturally, I ate my way through the greenmarkets, one apple at a time. With one exception, I chose apple varieties that I was unfamiliar with.

Golden Russett: The Golden Russet was grown as a cider apple. It has been grown in New York since before 1845. It's a smallish apple that has a bronze-green, sandpaper textured skin. The apple's flesh is fairly crisp, and very airy- reminiscent of an Asian pear. The flavor is soft, mellow, and sweet, with a faint cider-like taste.

Winesap: Grown since 1817, the Winesap is one of the more popular heirloom apples on the east coast. It's a medium sized apple, with a thick red skin that has speckles of green. I found the skin a little too thick for my taste, so enjoyed most of the apple with the skin peeled- seems like the thickness would make for a great baking apple. The flesh is very crisp & juicy, with a well rounded apple flavor. It tasted almost like drinking a great apple juice.

Keepsake: The Keepsake is a medium sized brick-red apple, with mottled green undertones on its thin skin. It's a crunchy, snappy apple. I found the flavor reminiscent of apples I ate growing up- sweet, earthy, and a hint of tartness. This is one fantastic snacking apple.

Golden Supreme: From what I understand (information is limited), the Golden Supreme is a fairly new variety of apple, grown from a lucky seed. The thin skin is pale yellow, with a very slight pink hue. The flesh is fairly crisp, and on the juicy side. It has a mellow flavor, with a slight white wine aftertaste. It's not terribly sweet, with just a tiny hint of acidic tartness.

Rhode Island Greening: One of the oldest cultivated apples in America, first documented in 1650. That's just amazing. The Greening is, as you might have guessed, green- though it develops yellow undertones as it ripens. Its medium-thick flesh makes it a perfect cooking apple, which has been its historic use. Raw, the Rhode Island Greening's soft (but not mealy) flesh has a pronounced tartness. Although the tartness isn't overwhelming for hand snacking, it is probably best suited to cooking, juicing, and blending with other apples.

Margil: Another classic apple, the Margil is believed to have originated in England or France in the 1750s. It's a small apple. The russet skin has green undertones, and is of medium thickness. The flesh is fairly delicate- soft and airy. Its flavor is on the tart side, but is balanced by an earthy flavor reminiscent of hazelnuts.

Ida Red: Cultivated since the 1940s. The Ida Red lives up to its name- the thin skin is bright, brick red. The flesh is firm and fairly crisp, and keeps its texture for a long time in storage. The flavor is very well balanced- nice & sweet, with just enough tartness to keep it interesting. Perhaps not the most exciting apple, but certainly one of the best to snack on.

Chestnut: A red/orange apple with very thin skin. It's a crisp apple, with a bold sweet flavor. There is a hint of tartness at first bite, but after that, it's all sweetness. Super sweet, actually. This would be a good apple for people who want to convince kids that fresh fruit is better than candy. Less successful for adults who already know that, and want something a little more complex.

Northern Spy: Believed to have originated in New York in the early 1800s. The Northern Spy is a red & green apple with a thin skin. It's very juicy, with a nice crisp bite. The apple is on the tart side, though there is a hint of sweetness. Probably better suited for cooking or as a highlight in a salad. Or, here's a great idea- use a mix of Northern Spy and Chestnut in your juicer for a perfect apple juice blend!

Macintosh: The Mac is one of the few heirloom varieties to remain popular through the ages- it's been around since 1811. And there is a good reason for it- a fresh picked Macintosh apple is one of the most satisfying bites around. It's has a perfectly balanced, prototypical apple flavor. Not too sweet, not too tart, just wonderful all around. The white flesh is soft and airy, a beautiful bite. However, the soft and airy flesh is also the apple's Achilles's heel- the poor Mac doesn't store very well, before you know it, the poor thing has gone all mealy. If you're lucky enough to find one fresh off the tree, grab it while you can.

As you can see, there is more to the apple than "fuji" or "gala".  Take a trip sometime this autumn to the farmers' market, and try something new.

*Apples were grown by Red Jacket Orchard and Locust Grove Fruit Farm.
*All apples were eaten raw.
* I sourced the dates of earliest known production from Trees of Antiquity, Orange Pippin, and Apple Journal.

Beef & Barley Soup

Poor barley has somehow gotten the short shrift in the grain world. This is sad, because barley is totally terrific- chewy, nutty, and wholesome. It's also really easy to prepare- you can simply boil one cup of barley in three cups of water for 25 minutes and you're good to go. Better yet, you can make my amazing beef & barley soup, and see first hand how tasty this little grain is.

Begin by browning:
2 Lbs. Chuck or Top Round, cut into 2 inch squares

Remove from pan.
Add:
4 Carrots, quartered
3 Ribs Celery, halved
1 Large Onion, diced into large chunks
1 Parsnip, halved
4 Whole Cloves Garlic

Cook veggies for 5 minutes, and then return beef to pot.
Add:
2 Cups Beef Stock
1 Cup Purred Tomatoes
1 Cup Stout Beer
2 Tablespoons Dried Italian Seasoning

Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low.
Cook 1.5 hours.

Remove as much of the celery, parsnip, and garlic as you can.
Wash and then add:
3/4 Cup Barley

Cook for one more hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

*To shorten final cooking time, you can start the barley in a separate pot. Cook it for the first 30 minutes in this pot, drain, and cook the final 30 minutes in the soup pot.

*You don't have to remove the celery, parsnip, and garlic. I like to do so because I feel it helps the final texture of the soup.

Roasting a Pepper

Roasted peppers are expensive to buy. And the quality is generally mediocre. Why spend money on something mediocre, when you can easily do it better at home?

All you need to roast a pepper are:
A Pepper
Fire or Heat
Tongs
A Brown Bag
Oil

You have two options for roasting: oven & open flame.

Fire

Clearly, it's much more fun to roast something over an open fire, so let's start there. Turn your gas burner on high (sorry, electric range users, no fun for you- go to the back yard and build a campfire...). Grip the stem of the pepper with the tongs, and place over heat. Rotate when the sides begin to blacken. You're going to need some courage here- there will be smoke and burning. Enjoy it.

When all sides are blackened, place pepper in a brown paper bag. Roll the top. Let the pepper cool in the bag for 15 minutes. This will allow the pepper to cook through, and the steam will help separate the skin from the flesh. To fully remove the skin, rub the sides of the bag. The friction will expose most of the flesh- use your fingers to do the rest.

Heat

A less fun, if more elegant, method for roasting a pepper is to use your oven. Brush the pepper with vegetable oil, and place on a baking sheet. (To avoid messy cleanups, you might want to line the sheet with aluminum foil.) Put that in a 400 degree oven. Every 10 minutes, use your tongs to turn the pepper. After about 45 minutes, you'll have a wonderfully roasted pepper.

No need to for the brown bag here, as the pepper will be more evenly cooked. Simply allow the pepper to cool, and then peel off the skin.

After that, remove the stem and seeds- they will be very easy to get rid of. Serve warm or cold. Or mixed into something else. However you want to. They're very good.

Turkey Stew

It gets "cold" and rainy in Los Angeles just a few times per year. Today is one of those days. So I decided to try something new, and make a turkey stew. Had some fun playing with flavors, especially the apple notes. It turned out pretty terrific.

Cut into good-sized chunks, and then brown:
2 Pounds Turkey, white, dark, or mixed

Remove turkey from pot.
Immediately add:
3 Carrots, quartered
3 Ribs Celery, quartered
1 Onion, quartered
2 Green Apples, quartered (remove core!)
3 Cloves Garlic, smashed
Pinch Salt

Roast veggies for 4-5 minutes, and then remove from pot.

Add:
2 Tablespoons Butter or Chicken Fat
2 Tablespoons Flour
Cook fat & flour for 3 minutes. Whisk constantly.

Whisk in:
1.5 Cups Chicken Stock
1/2 Cup White Wine
1/2 Cup Apple Juice
1/2 Cup Water
1/4 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
2 Tablespoons Dried Thyme
1 Tablespoon Dried Sage

Allow the liquid to come to boil.
Return turkey and vegetables to the pot.

Cover, and transfer to a 300 degree oven.
Cook 1.5 hours.

Nature's Pride Meets Toasty Goodness

My friends at Foodbuzz sent me a few loaves of Nature's Pride bread. I am not a fan of commercial sliced bread, as it is usually filled with chemicals, filler, and air. So I was prepared to write a nasty "worst thing since sliced bread" review. Much to my surprise, I actually really enjoyed the bread- especially the 100% Whole Wheat.

Nature's Pride bread manages to maintain decent shelf life stability (it kept fresh in my pantry for one week), without the addition of preservatives and stabilizers. There is a subtle sweetness to the bread, achieved with only 4g sugar (sugar, honey, brown sugar, molasses, and concentrated raisin juice form the sugar blend). A touch of vinegar balances the sweetness, and helps bring out the great malty flavor of the wheat.

Best of all, the slices are generously thick, without being too overwhelming. In fact, they are the perfect thickness for a toasty sandwich. So, Nature's Pride 100% Whole Wheat...meet my favorite open faced sandwich:

To build the sandwich, layer:
One Slice Nature's Pride 100% Whole Wheat
Spicy Apricot Dippin' Sauce
2 Slices Rosemary Ham
1-2 Slices Swiss Cheese
Dijon Mustard
2 Slices Rosemary Ham
Grated Parmegiano Reggiano Chese

Toast until cheese begins to brown, about 6 minutes.

*I was also given a sample of the 12 Grain bread. The flavor was nice. However, I'm not a big fan of bits of seed and grain in my bread. If you like that sort of thing, go for it. I'll stick with the smooth bread.

*Interstate Bakeries, the owners of Nature's Pride, also make Wonder Bread. Wonder Bread, of course, is the bread that's most symbolic of the collapse of good bread in America. Strange. But impressive. This represents a step in the right direction; A massive (often low quality) bread company introducing a line of bread with high quality ingredients will allow more people to have the choice to eat Good Food. That's the key- the choice. You need to read the labels, and choose bread made with wholesome ingredients.

Matzo Balls

If you're making chicken soup, you might as well make some matzo balls, too. They're a lot easier to make than you think, and you can use the flavor of the soup to enhance the flavor of the matzo balls.

Whisk together:
2 Eggs
2 Tablespoons Chicken Fat
1.5 Tablespoons Chicken Soup
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
Small Pinch Salt

Add:
1/2 Cup plus 2 Teaspoons Matzo Meal
Stir matzo in until just combined- do not over mix, or your balls will be less fluffy.
Refrigerate for one hour.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Roll matzo mix into one inch balls.
Boil, with pot covered, for 40 minutes.

*Chicken fat. Listen. You're not going to have a heart attack if you use it. It adds immeasurably to the flavor and texture of the matzo balls. So just use it. The best thing to do is to skim it from the top of the soup.

Simple Wicked Good Potatoes

So what if this dish has spent many a night as part of a buffet line. It's wicked good, and very easy to make.

Boil, for 20 minutes:
One Pound Fingerling Potatoes

Drain potatoes, and allow to cool slightly.
Sliced potatoes into 1/2 inch slices.
Set aside.

In a hot pan, add:
2 Tablespoons Butter
2 Cloves Garlic, chopped

Once butter and garlic begin to brown remove from heat.
Stir in:
Sliced Potatoes
1/4 Cup Italian Parsley, chopped
2 Pinches Salt

Spicy Lemon Sherbet

Simmer, over medium-low heat, for 10 minutes:

¾ Cup Heavy Cream

¾ Cup Milk (at least 1% fat)

1 Serrano Pepper, seeds removed

1/4 Cup Fresh Mint, chopped

Strain.

Use the back of a spoon to press out extra liquid.

Discard solids.

Whisk in:

1 ½ Cups Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice

1 ¾ Cups Sugar

Allow mix to cool.

Use in ice cream maker, according to machine’s direction.

Serves 5

Heirloom Tomato and Onion Salad

I feel bad for the tomato & onion salad: Watery, crappy tomatoes. Overwhelming sharp onion flavor. Relegated to mediocre steak houses and South Florida old-folks homes.

It's time to bring the tomato and onion salad back. But better. Much better.

Mix:
2 Tbs. Olive Oil
1 Tbs. Balsamic Vinegar
1/8 Cup Italian Parsley, chopped
1/8 Cup Basil, chopped
Pinches of salt & pepper


Add:
One Pound Ripe Tomatoes, cut into large chunks
1/2 Small Red Onion, diced

Mix gently.
Let sit at room temperature for up to one hour, or refrigerate for up to 8 hours.

Spoon into serving dish.
Discard excess dressing.

*I recommend using heirloom tomatoes for this. They were grown for flavor, not for ease of transportation. If possible, try to get tomatoes from your garden, a friend's garden, or the farmers' market. Don't, under any circumstance, use shitty tomatoes.

Quick Braised Green Beans

Trim, wash, and cut into 1 inch pieces:
One Pound Green Beans
Set aside.

Add, to a warm skillet:
3 Slices Thick Cut Bacon, diced
Cook bacon until crispy.

Add:
2 Cloves Garlic, diced
1 Shallot, diced
2 Tsp. Ground Coriander
Cook one minute.
Add green beans, and then cook one more minute.

Add:
1/2 Cup Chicken Stock
1 Tbs. Sherry Vinegar
Cover.
Reduce heat to low.
Cook 20 minutes.

*The bacon and stock should add enough salt to the dish. Don't add extra salt until you taste, but do add more if necessary.

*Beans should be cooked through, but not overcooked. The texture should resemble a cooked piece of pasta.

*If desired, thicken leftover liquid with a small pat of butter.

Pizza Failure

Every few months, I have to fly to New York to eat pizza. It's genetic. My dad feels the same urge. When you grow up with NY pizza, nothing else really satisfies. So, I've been experimenting with various methods (pizza stone in oven, brick over hot coal, terra cotta stone in smoker) to stop the cravings, and nothing has quite worked.

Last night, my pizza making dreams took a step backward. I thought making my own dough would be the way forward. Unfortunately, I suck at baking. Therefore, my dough was...not great. It turned to crisp flatbread fairly quickly, but didn't cook all the way through for 25 minutes. Effort to delicious ratio was far too tilted to effort. Failure.

Back to the drawing board.

*I had a ton of leftover dough, so I threw it in a bread pan and made a loaf of bread. The bread was about as good as the pizza.

Minty Glazed Carrots

Add, to a hot pan:
1 Tbs Butter
2 Carrots, sliced to about 1/4 inch
1 Shallot, Diced

Cook one minute, then add:
1 Tbs Rice Wine Vinegar
1 Tbs Agave or Honey
1 Tbs Fresh Mint, chopped
Pinch Salt

Cook for one more minute.
Serve hot or cold.

Idea: Dust Off Your Cooler

The problem with farmers' market shopping during the summer is that, unless you go straight home after, your fresh eggs are going to be cooked before you get the chance to cook them yourself. We've all had it happen- raspberries turning into compote, lettuce wilting, good beef gone bad. Fear not, though. A solution is at hand.

Remember when you used bring a cooler full of beer down to the shore? Maybe you still do. Well, grab some ice packs and bring your cooler to the farmers' market. This way you can keep your perishables nice and cool while you go on with the rest of your day.

Whiskey Soaked Flank Steak

Whisk together:
1/2 Cup Whiskey
1/2 Cup Apple Juice
1/2 Cup Worcestershire Sauce
1/4 Cup Water
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
1 Serrano Chili, chopped
3 Cloves Garlic, smashed
1 Tbs. Agave Nectar
2 Tsp. Onion Powder
2 Tsp. Salt
2 Tsp. Fresh Black Pepper
1 Tsp. Liquid Smoke (optional)
15 Stalks Fresh Time

Pour over:
2 Pound Flank Steak

Marinate for about 24 hours.
Grill over direct heat for about 7 minutes per side.

*If you don't have agave nectar, use the same amount brown sugar.
*If you have a smoker, feel free to smoke beef instead of adding liquid smoke. That's what I did.

Beef Neil Diamond

What does one do with leftover red wine? Create a recipe named after one of their favorite performers, of course.

In a small saucepan:
1 Medium Carrot, diced
1 Small Parsnip, diced
1 Large Shallot, diced
2 Cloves Garlic, smashed
3/4 Cup Beef or Chicken Broth 3/4 Cup Red Red Wine

Simmer everything for 30 minutes.

Then, in a very hot pan:
Two 1/2 lb. Filet Mignon steaks, seasoned with salt & pepper
Cook to desired doneness- about 4 minutes for medium-rare.

Remove steak from plan, and allow steak to rest 5 minutes.

While it does, add to sauce:
1 Tablespoon Butter

Pour sauce over steak, and serve.

Curried Potatoes

These were the tastiest potatoes I’ve ever made.

In a large pot, boil until tender:
Two Pounds New Potatoes

Drain Potatoes. Cut them in half.

Add to pan:
1/2 Cup Butter 1 ½ Tsp. Curry Powder 1 ½ Tsp. Masala Powder

Stir for one minute.
Return potatoes to pan.

Add:
One Cup Fresh Tomatoes, diced

Serves 5 people.

*You can find masala powder at any Indian grocery. If you can’t/don’t want to find it, use 1 extra tsp. curry powder, and ½ tsp. chili powder.

Grilled Chicken, Variation 235

Chicken Breast

Season with a pinch of:
Salt
Pepper
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder

Grill for approximately 6 minutes per side. Remove from grill, and top with:
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
2 Teaspoons Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
2 Teaspoons Diced Fresh Tomato
1-2 Teaspoons Chopped Fresh Parsley

*This recipe only works with really fresh, ripe tomatoes. Avoid, at all costs, the cheap grocery store tomato. Only attempt during summer.

*If you don't have access to a grill, bake chicken at 425 degrees for 6 minutes per side.

Chicken Parmesan

In a small bowl, mix:
One Egg
1/4 Cup Milk

Pound, to even thickness, then lightly dust in flour:
Chicken Breast

Dip pounded chicken into egg mix, then coat with:
Bread Crumbs

Add Two Tablespoons Oil to a hot pan, wait 30 seconds, then add breaded chicken. Cook for two minutes, flip, and cook for another two minutes. Chicken should be golden brown on both sides.

Pat excess oil from browned chicken, place on a baking sheet, then top with:
Two Tablespoons Tomato Sauce
1/4 Cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
1 Clove Garlic, thinly sliced
1/8 Cup Shredded Parmesan Cheese

Bake at 450 degrees until cheese is bubbly and brown, about 5 minutes.

Hiatus

This Man's Kitchen will be taking a wee break. Come back early July for more exciting goodness!

Bourbon Brined Pork Tenderloin

In a medium sized bowl add:
3.5 Cups Warm Water
1/2 Cup Bourbon
1/8 Cup Salt
1/8 Cup Sugar
1/16 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
1 Tbs. Cinnamon
1 Tbs. Onion Powder

Whisk ingredients for 30 seconds, then add:
1 Cup Ice

Whisk again, and add:
1 Pork Tenderloin
Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, up to 12 hours.

To make glaze, cook, in a small saucepan, two tablespoons each:
Bourbon
Maple Syrup
Butter
Boil until mix is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Grill brined pork over high heat. After the first 5 minutes of cooking, baste occasionally with glaze (reserve a small amount of glaze). Remove from heat when pork reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees- about 15 minutes. Cover with foil, and allow to rest 10 minutes. Slice, and top with a drizzle of glaze.

Early Summer Potato Salad

This potato salad is great for early summer parties. It's a French style potato salad, meaning there's no mayo in it, making it easy to transport and keep out. The flavor is lighter & fresher than traditional American potato salads.

In a large pot, boil for 25 minutes:
2 Pounds Waxy New Potatoes

Meanwhile, whisk together:
4 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
3 Cloves Garlic, chopped
1 Tablespoon Spicy/Brown/Dijon Mustard
1 Teaspoon Salt
Fresh Cracked Pepper

Slowly whisk in:
10 Tablespoons Olive Oil
*Add olive oil one tablespoon at a time, making sure it all incorporates into vinegar

Allow cooked potatoes to cool 15 minutes, then cut them in half. Stir in dressing, until potatoes are just coated. Don't over-dress them! Finally finish in dish by stirring in:

1/4 Cup Fresh Italian Parsley, chopped
1/8 Cup Fresh Dill, chopped
1 Small Bunch Chives, snipped

Chili Lime Chicken

This is an easy to make grilled chicken that has a bit of a kick. Eat it as is, or add some cheese and make it part of a killer grilled chicken sandwich.

3-4 Chicken Breasts
Juice of 2 Limes
1/8 Cup Olive Oil
1 Tsp. Dijon Mustard
1/2 Tsp. Salt
1/4 Tsp. Fresh Cracked Pepper
1/4 Tsp. Garlic Powder
1/4 Tsp. Onion Powder
1/4 Tsp. Chili Powder
1/4 Tsp. Cumin
1/4 Tsp. Ground Coriander

Juice limes. Whisk in mustard. Slowly whisk in olive oil. Whisk in spices. Stop using word whisk.

Coat both sides of chicken with mixture. Let stand, at room temperature, one to two hours. Grill over high heat, 7 minutes per side.

(Almost) Success

Awhile back, I decided to try to make pizza at home. Not just any pizza- coal oven pizza. Sadly, previous attempts ended in failure. Terrible failure. Happily, the new smoker opened up new possibles.

I picked up a nice square of terra cotta for 25 cents at the Home Depot. Yup, 25 cents! Screw you, expensive pizza stones. Made a crazy hot charcoal fire. Threw in a chunk of hardwood just for kicks. Grew excited. Very excited.

Excitement. That was the big problem. Lack of patience. I'm pretty sure the stone needed at least another twenty minutes to get to ideal heat. One of the things that makes coal oven pizza is the charred crust. The biggest thing lacking in my pizza was...charred crust.

Although the pizza lacked charred crust, it was otherwise pretty good. I had a nice sauce/cheese balance, and the addition of a little garlic and basil was fantastic. Overall, I was much happier with the result- especially compared to previous attempts. But pretty happy is not the goal.

Next time, more time. And, hopefully, success. Good thing I'm off to New York next week. For research, of course.

GiGi's Farmers' Market

What do you get when you take a handful of food vendors and pair it with a production designer? GiGi's Farmers' Market.

Every Saturday from 10AM to 2PM, the Americana at Brand plays host to GiGi's Farmers' Market. Award winning production designer Kelly Van Patter was hired to create "an atmosphere that conjures the spirit of European marketplaces." From a design perspective, at least, Van Patter's work is a great success.

The market, named after developer Rick Caruso's daughter, is, undoubtedly, the prettiest farmers' market in Los Angeles. The vendors' stalls are clean and bright, overflowing with beautiful looking food. The European homage is unmistakable. It looks as if the market is a permanent fixture, rather than a passing four hour fancy on Saturday afternoons.

Although the market is pretty, the uniformity takes a bit away from a true farmers' market experience. It's hard to imagine individual small farms, when all the vendors are wearing "GiGi's Farmers' Market" aprons. The illusion is further broken by having some of the Americana's corporate tenants setting up stalls beside the family farms. It's a very pleasant atmosphere, but, personally, I'm a bigger fan of the discordant hubbub of Sunday's Hollywood market.

Diversity seemed to be the key word in choosing vendors for the market. In addition to the standard fruit & vegetable offering, shoppers at GiGi's Farmers' Market can expect to find French pastries, organic poultry, fresh fish, preserved and prepared foods, and a small spattering of hand-crafted items. Prices match those found at other Los Angeles farmers' markets. 

Overall, the Americana's addition of GiGi's Farmers' Market is a big plus. Sure, it might be a little more slick in design than other Los Angeles area farmers' markets.  But, by being located in an open air mall, the market will attracted a huge amount of people who otherwise might never experience a farmers' market. Hopefully, they'll enjoy their experience enough to find other local farmers' markets and pay them a visit.

Stupid Labels

Nearly a year ago, I wrote about the importance of reading labels. Clearly, this is a very good idea. It's necessary to provide people with as much information as is practical. But, instead of focusing on helpful things like where our food is sourced, companies tend to use labels either as marketing tools or as a place for useless information.

Fat free water?! Really. Well, thank you Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf for inventing that. Oh...water is naturally fat free? Is that because it's...WATER?! I'm not sure what the point of this is. Does anyone not think that water is fat free? Although, maybe some fat in water wouldn't be such a bad idea. Bacon fat infused spring water, anyone? Now that's a label I'd like to see!

Here's a baffling example of protections applied in the wrong place. Indeed, it is very important for people with wheat sensitivities to know if there is wheat in what they're eating. However, is is really necessary to hit people on the head with it? If the ingredients of something are wheat & water, I bet anyone who takes the time to monitor their wheat intake every day could probably detect that there is, indeed, wheat in this matzo. Perhaps, instead, they could let us know where that wheat came from...

Easy Meat Sauce

This is an easy to make, stripped down meat sauce. Not a lot of hard work involved in this one!

28oz. Can Ground Tomato
1/3 Cup Olive Oil
4 Cloves Garlic
1 Tsp. Onion Powder
1 Tsp. Sugar
1 Tsp. Dried Oregano or Italian Seasoning
Salt

1Lb. Ground Beef
15% Fat, Grass-fed preferred
1 Tbsp. Salt
1 Tsp. Garlic Powder
1 Tsp. Onion Powder

Season ground beef. Brown for about 3 minutes in a large pan. Drain fat, add remaining ingredients. Simmer at least 30 minutes, preferably for one hour.

Spicy Apricot Dippin' Sauce

This sauce is a perfect example of what you can do when you're feeling creative. I had no idea I was going to make this until just before I did.

2 Tbls. Apricot Jam
1.5 Tsp. Apple Cider Vinegar
1/4 Tsp. Chili Powder
Chives or Scallions
Pinch of Salt

Snip a couple of chives or scallions into small piece. Mix everything.

*The combination of apricot jam & cider vinegar does not smell very good. Be prepared! Luckily, it tastes fantastic.

Buitoni Riserva Wild Mushroom Agnolotti

From time to time, the good people at Foodbuzz send me free samples. The idea is that since I (theoretically!) have good taste, I can report back to the vendors about their products. I like this. Free things are nice, and I do (actually) have pretty good taste. However, sometimes the enjoyment of reviewing free samples meets an impassible boundary. In this case, it's my deep dislike of mushrooms.

So when the good folks at Buitoni sent me a sample of their Wild Mushroom Agnolotti, I was in a jam. Must do my duty as free sample reviewer, mustn't eat hated mushrooms. I decided to solve this problem by splitting the task- I would do everything but the eating.

The cooking directions for the agnolotti - basically a large ravioli with a fancy name - are simple, boil for 4-6 minutes. I like the quick cooking time, but I don't like that Buitoni suggests adding oil to the pasta water- it's a big no no in pasta cooking. Step two of the Buitoni process states that "our premium pastas are do delicious, just toss with extra virgin olive oil," so that's what I did. Simple.

On to the taste tester. Tester reported that mushroom flavor was pronounced and very earthy. They found the flavor generally balanced, but a little on the salty side. Texture was good, especially considering the pasta was made to be refrigerated for a fairly long time period. They thought the just serve with olive oil claim was a bit bold, it could have used at least a little garlic. (To be fair, the olive oil instruction does end with "or one of our fine Buitoni sauces," but, if you're going to make a claim that simply oil works, you better back it up!) "Better than your average refrigerator case pasta" was the final verdict.

The "Riserva" brand is Buitoni's high-end line, and that's reflected in the Wild Mushroom Agnolotti ingredients. Everything looks to be of good quality- there are actually a lot of mushrooms in it, and there is a noticeable lack of high fructose corn syrup & preservatives. Good for you Buitoni! It is a very rich dish, however (6g saturated fat, 25% of your daily cholesterol), so I'd suggest either serving in smaller portions or only enjoying occasionally.