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Watch: This Man's Kitchen Beef and Barley Stew

We shot a new episode of This Man's Kitchen. Hooray for that.

This Man's Kitchen: Beef & Barley Stew from This Man's Kitchen on Vimeo.

Interview: Hal B. Klein Talks To Mr. Media

 Have a listen to my interview on Mr. Media.

I sound very smart.

Smothered Pork Chops

Had a few friends over for a great soul food dinner the other night. The highlight? Well, all of it. But the smothered pork chops I made were the centerpiece.

Add, to a medium hot pan:
2 Onions, thinly sliced

Cook for 8 minutes, stirring frequently.
Onions should be translucent, not brown. If you hear a loud sizzle, reduce heat slightly.

Add:
4 Cloves Garlic, smashed
2 Teaspoons Salt

Cook an additional 3 minutes.
Remove from pan.

Turn heat to high, and then brown:
1.5 Pound Pork Chops

Remove pork chops from pan.
Deglaze pan with:
1 Bottle Good Beer
     *I used Newcastle. 




Add:
1 Cup  Chicken Stock
1/2 Can Cola
2 Tablespoons Apricot Jam

1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar

2 Teaspoons Dried Thyme
2 Teaspoons Mustard
Small Handful Juniper Berries (optional)

Return pork chops, onions, and garlic to the pan.

Cover pan.
Reduce heat to low.
Let simmer 2 hours, turning occasionally.

Add:
5 Springs Fresh Marjoram
5 Springs Fresh Thyme
2 Teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce

Thicken sauce.
Impress your friends.

Pizza Madness

I'm obsessed with pizza. Like Ed Levine obsessed. Possibly not quite as obsessed as This Guy, but I'm up there. At home in Los Angeles, it's tough to satisfy the craving. Pizzeria Mozza might have the best crust I've ever tasted, but the sauce is imperfect, and a personal sized pie never manages to satisfy like a proper sized slice. Joe's Pizza in Santa Monica reminds me that I'm missing Joe's Pizza in Greenwich Village. I'm a crap baker, so until I meet an adorable pastry girl, making my own is a challenge.

I had planned on a eating a wide variety of food on my most recent trip to NYC. (By wide, I mean that in addition to pizza, I would eat deli, Chinese, Indian, and bagels...) Turns out, what I ate was mostly pizza.

I ate like a champ. Twice, I visited three pizza joints in a single day. I visited old favorites (Sal & Carmine, I love you with all my heart), and randomly found a terrific slice in Brooklyn (the Grandma at Vinny's Pizza).

There was a moment or two when I thought I was satisfied. But those moments passed quickly. Back in California now, and the pizza dreams have started again.

At the Farmers' Market: Grapefruit

I always thought of grapefruits as horrible softballs of sourness that grandparents eat for breakfast and fad dieters believe are spiritual. And there certainly is something to that stereotype; they are indeed sour & astringent, fad dieters love them for their high lycopene and vitamin C content (as well as a mythical, yet unproven nutrient found only in grapefruit that, when combined with protein causes rapid weight loss), and, as they are grown primarily in Florida, many old people eat them for breakfast.

But there is more to the grapefruit than sour old fads. They're in abundance right now at Los Angeles farmers' markets (CA is third in the nation in grapefruit production, behind Florida and Texas), so it made sense to give some a try.

Oro Blanco: Larger than a softball, the Oro Blanco is a white grapefruit with lemon-green skin. Nearly half of the fruit is pith, with means it will keep at least a week on the counter, even longer in the refrigerator. The sections of flesh are small, and there are a few seeds. When you cut the Oro Blanco open, you'll be hit with a strong citrus smell, almost like surface cleaner. The taste is acidic and astringent, almost as mouth puckering as a lemon. There is a mild sweetness, but I found I needed to add a pinch of sugar to eat the whole thing.

White Marsh: Lemon colored, medium sized grapefruit. The white marsh smells refreshing even before it's cut into. There isn't much rind to it, so store in the refrigerator. The fruit separates easily into individual sections. The flavor is like natural sour candy- it's very tart, but the tartness is pleasantly balanced with sweetness. It was the most complex and interesting of the bunch.

Pink: Slightly smaller than a softball, with deep orange skin flecked with pink. The interior is pink. When you cut the pink grapefruit open, you get a natural burst of grapefruit room spray. Sadly, that was my favorite part of the experience. The fruit itself was acidic and astringent. For me, pink grapefruits are best as part of a juice blend.

Ruby Red: The most popular commercial grapefruit. Sadly, none were available at the farmers' market, so I picked one up at the grocery store (via Texas). The Ruby Red is about the size of a softball, and has a bright orange outside. One the inside, it's deep pink. The flavor is very sweet- it's the least complex of all the grapefruits I tried- but, it's also the most accessible to those new to eating grapefruits.

Pomello: The basketball sized father of the grapefruit. Lemon yellow on the outside, the orange-yellow inside is buried beneath a wall of pith, making it a perfect storage fruit (if you have room for it). It has a soft, sweet flavor, with just a touch of astringency. Very refreshing!

So try a grapefruit. They're great for you, and taste better than you might think.

Brunswick Stew

I have no idea how this wonderful creation avoided my radar for so long. I love southern food, and this stew is a perfect example of why I love it so much.

Brunswick Stew has been cooked in Virginia for at least 150 years, though it's quite likely versions of the recipe go back at least another 100 years. Brunswick County in Georgia also lays claim to the recipe, but historical evidence seems to support Virginia.

Originally cooked with squirrel, the thick stew is now made primarily with chicken- rabbit and pork often being added as well. Like most traditional dishes, everybody and their uncle has their own version, so feel free to experiment. You can use my recipe, or you can work via poem:

First catch your chicken, clean and cut them.
And in an iron pot you put them
And water nearly to the top
And in it salt and pepper drop
Boil slowly.  Your tomatoes peel;
Put in a shin or so of veal;
And for the flavor, bear in mind,
A chunk of middling with the rind.
Next some onions you throw in,
The young and tender skin,
And butter beans do not forget;
And what is more important yet;
The corn, but do not be too fast,
For you must cut and add it last;
For better than the flour you'll find it'll do
To give some thickness to the stew.
Some lemon peel cut very thin
May now be added and stirred in,
And err it's taken from the fire,
Give it a dash of Worcestershire,
And soon you'll hear it's praises ring,
This is a dish fit for a King.
           --Virginia S. Woodroof, 1930   Here's what I did:  Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes:1 1/2 Cups Onion, diced 1 Cup Carrots, diced1/2 Cup Celery, diced  Add:One Whole Chicken, cooked and shredded1 Pound Smoked Pork Shoulder, shredded1 1/2 Cups Crushed Tomato1 1/2 Cups Chicken Stock1/4 Cup Whiskey 1 Cup Potato, diced2 Teaspoons Dried Thyme2 Teaspoons Black Pepper1 Teaspoon Hot Sauce1 Teaspoon Chili Powder1 Teaspoon Mustard Powder2 Bay Leaves  Simmer 45 minutes.Add:1 Cup Frozen Sweet Corn1 Cup Frozen Lima Beans1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce   Simmer 15 minutes.Serve.  *You have options with the chicken and pork. You could boil the chicken first, making a chicken soup that you use later for the dish. Or you can oven roast it. Or smoke it. Or you can buy a pre-cooked one. Same with the pork- I was able to find a wonderfully smoked pork shoulder. This saves a lot of time!    

Frozen Food Test: Pacific Natural Fire-Baked Thin Crust Pepperoni Pizza

I was wandering through the frozen food isle the other day, thinking about how long it had been since I'd eaten anything from it. So I thought it might be an interesting idea to test the quality of frozen foods these days.

First on the list: Hal B. Klein eats a frozen pizza. I chose the Pacific Natural Fire-Baked Thin Crust, with pepperoni. If I'm going to eat a convenience food, it might as well start with a pizza, right?

Pacific Natural is an organic food company located in Oregon. They are known mostly for their organic soups & broths, and have now expanded into boxes teas/mates/nut drinks, as well as frozen pot pies & pizzas.

Pros:

• Good Ingredients: Pacific Natural's pizza is made with better stuff than you'll find in most frozen pizzas. Crust & sauce contain no high fructose corn syrup. Cheese is made from actual cheese.
• Pepperoni: Nitrate free pepperoni. Excellent flavor with a hint of spice. Exactly what you want in a pizza topping. (When you want a topping- I'm generally a purist!)
• Perfect amount of cheese

Cons:

• Topping to the edge: A pizza needs an edge. How am I going to hold it if you top it all the way?
• Not actually a thin crust: You can't call your pizza thin crust, and then not deliver on it. While we're talking crust- it didn't have any give. Too soft, for sure. This is the area that needs most improvement.
• Sauce too sweet.
• Took longer to cook than advertised: Box instructions suggest cooking for 12-14 minutes at 400 degrees.  After 12, the pizza looked very undercooked. At 14, it seemed edible, but still not perfect. I ended up leaving it in the oven for 16 minutes. That's a little too long for something meant to be convenient. One could have a pizza delivered in nearly the same amount of time.

Overall:

Not bad, but it didn't make me feel all giddy inside, either. Pacific Natural is trying to build a reputation for wholesome foods; however, unlike their soups, teas, and pies, the "artisan" pizzas contain no organic or sustainable ingredients. Also, they are factory made, which makes them not artisan at all, and I don't like cheeseball slogans.

Would I get it again? Too soon too tell. My frozen pizza experience is still too limited. It's a step up from Mama Celeste, at least. But is there really a frozen pizza that will ever satisfy my pizza obsession?

Hearst Ranch Flank Steak

I met Brian Kenny, manager of Hearst Ranch Beef, at the Foodbuzz weekend last November. He took part in a conversation on grass fed beef, and the workings of Hearst Ranch, that had me all kinds of excited about the future of beef in America.

A few weeks later, we followed up with a phone conversation. Kenny spoke more of Hearst's commitment to careful stewardship of the land. His philosophy (one that I share) is that cows reared on a natural diet, living a stress free life, produce better meat. We also spoke about Kenny's innovative approach to marketing better beef by supplying convention centers and other large venues.

I love free things, and I love steak, so imagine my happiness when I was offered a gift card for Hearst Ranch beef. This was very nice indeed.

It's one of those strange SoCal days when it seems perfectly sensible to grill in February. So I made a little spice mix, and put a flank steak over the hot hot hot coals. This beef is fantastic.

Pat one Flank Steak with:
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce, per side

Rub both sides with spice mix.
I used:
2 Tsp. Salt
2 Tsp. Sugar
1 Tsp. Celery Salt
1 Tsp. Black Pepper
1 Tsp. Garlic Powder
1 Tsp. Onion Powder
1/2 Tsp. Cumin
1/2 Tsp. Chili Powder
1/2 Tsp. Ground Mustard
Don't overseason. Or underseason.

Let rest for at least one hour, up to twelve hours.

Grill over very hot coals for five minutes per side.
Let rest five minutes before slicing.

*Let the meat come to room temperature before grilling. You'll notice an improvement in the texture.
*You could cook this on a gas grill, or even broil it, but coals are best for this one. I even added a few wood chunks, too!

*Ask for grass fed beef at your grocery store. If they don't carry it, tell them they should. Then walk away, without buying any industrial beef. You can order directly from Hearst if you're having trouble finding well raised cows near you.

Chicken Variation #3: Simplicity

Sometimes you'll see a recipe that called for pre-cooked chicken. This is a simple way to do it. Cook a bunch, and keep them in your freezer. This way you'll always have a base you can build on. (Or just squeeze a little lemon over it, and eat as it is. Nothing wrong with simple!)

Start with:
Chicken Breasts

Rub with:
Olive Oil

Dust with:
Salt
Pepper
Garlic Powder

Bake in a 425 degree oven for 14 minutes, turning once.
Or grill it. High heat, same timing.

Great for:
Really Easy Soup
Penne Pesto with Chicken

 

Garlic Broccoli

It's no wonder so many people hate broccoli. The superdupermega vitamin-packed vegetable is almost always prepared as if it were old shoes. Boiled to death, steamed soft and mushy. Well, no more.

Add, to a hot pan:
One Teaspoon Clarified Butter or Vegetable Oil

Give the oil 30 seconds to heat up, and then add:
1/2 Pound Broccoli Florets

Saute for about 4 minutes, until sides of broccoli begin to brown.
Add:
2 Cloves Garlic, chopped

Saute one minute.
Add:
1/4 Cup Chicken Stock
1 Teaspoon Rice Wine Vinegar
Pinch Salt
Pinch Fresh Nutmeg (Optional)

Cook two minutes, or until liquids reduce by half.

Lemony Leftover Chicken

 What do you do when you grill/bake/fry too many chicken breasts? Sure, you could eat the leftovers as they are--cold chicken is great. Or, you could take five minutes and transform your leftovers into something totally new.

Cut, into chunks:
Leftover Chicken Breast

Add chicken to a hot pan with:
One Clove Garlic, chopped
Two Tablespoons Fresh Meyer Lemon Juice
One Tablespoon Honey
Cook for two minutes.

Add:
Two teaspoons butter
Cook one more minute.


Finish with:
Handful Chopped Italian Parsley

*If you can't find Meyer lemons, use the citrus juice of your choice. Oranges are especially nice with this.
 

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.