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.