Coconut Panna Cotta

1 13.5 oz can coconut milk
1 1/2 cup half and half
1/2 vanilla bean, split
6 green cardamom pods, cracked open
1 packet gelatin (~2 tsp)

The great thing about panna cotta is that it's super easy, yet so many people are so impressed by it - it's really just creamy jello.  I currently work in an Italian style kitchen, so we make these all the time.  It's so foolproof I'm usually doing two or three other things while making one.  The only trick to the consistency is the correct amount of gelatin.The consistency should be custard-like.  Soft and creamy, yet firm. 

Because this is such a simple, basic dessert, you can have a lot of fun experimenting with it.  Here, I replaced some of the cream with coconut milk (which is equally fatty).  I felt cardamom and vanilla would both highlight the coconut nicely.  The flavor was reminiscent of Indian rice pudding..

This is so easy you'll wonder why I'm bothering.  Place coconut milk and 1 cup of half and half in a small pot.  Scrape seeds from the vanilla bean and add.  Add the vanilla bean hull and cardamom seeds, and bring to a gentle simmer.  Let it cook for about 10 minutes over very low heat.  While waiting, hydrate the gelatin in the remaining 1/2 cup of half and half.  When the mixture is cooked, strain it through a cheesecloth-lined strainer.  While it's still hot, slowly whisk in the gelatin mixture.  Pour into martini glasses and chill for at least 4 hours.  Wipe the rims of the glasses before serving for a nice presentation.  I was thinking that a few brandy-soaked golden raisins might be a nice garnish for this as well.

Autumnal Steak Bliss

NY Strip Steak
Heavy Cream
Vermouth
Rosemary
Shallot, minced
Garlic, minced
Crimini mushrooms, quartered
Thyme
Butternut squash, cubed
Sage chiffonade
Nutmeg
Pine nuts, toasted
Salt and pepper
Butter and olive oil

More fall flavors again, and obviously you'll be seeing them for a while.  It was my day off yesterday, and of course I had to make something special for Meg and I (she gets jealous of the restaurant patrons I'm paid to cook for).  When I have steak for dinner, I usually find that a full pound of meat is far more than enough.  For this reason, I'll usually buy one 12-16 oz steak and split it by thinly slicing before serving.  Strip steak works best for this, and it's also a nice, tender cut.

Start with the sauce.  Heat some butter in a pan and fry 2 or 3 rosemary sprigs to infuse the fat with flavor.  Saute some shallots and garlic with the rosemary.  Why they are aromatic, hit the pan with a splash of vermouth.  Allow most of the alcohol to cook off, then add about a cup or two of heavy cream.  Allow to reduce by 1/2 volume, then strain.

The mushrooms are simple.  Sautee in olive oil with shallots, garlic, and thyme.  For the butternut squash, peel and dice, then pan fry in butter with sage until tender.  Add a touch of freshly grated nutmeg at the end and garnish with the toasted pine nuts.

Season the steak with salt, pepper, rosemary, and olive oil and sear in a hot pan on both sides until rare.  Allow to rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

That's it, you've got all the components.  Now make 'em look purty!...Maybe I'll do an entry on basic plating ideas in the future.  Enjoy!

Mushroom Ravioli with Buttenut Squash Sauce

Mushroom Raviolis
Ravioli dough (eggs, flour, olive oil)
Mushroom duxelle (mushrooms, shallots, thyme)
Parmesan, finely grated
Butter
Sage

Butternut Squash Sauce
1 Butternut squash, roasted and pureed
1 c Heavy cream
1 tsp curry powder
Dash of vanilla extract
Dash of balsamic vinegar
Water


It's almost fall...the autumnal equinox is in 3 days.  As far as flavors and foods go, this is one of my favorite times of year.  Warm spices, rich, earthy, and sweet flavors.  Food that warms the soul.  This dish has several components, but the duxelle and butternut squash sauce can be made a few days ahead of time.

Start with the sauce.  Bring the cream and squash puree to a gentle simmer.  Use the ingredients listed to create a balance of flavor that you like.  The vinegar is essential...the slight bit of acidity really rounds out this very rich sauce.  The sauce will be very thick, so add a little water until you get the consistency you like.

A Wild Hen of the Woods

For the duxelle, I did a 50/50 mix of maitake (a.k.a. hen of the woods) and shiitake mushrooms, though any variety you like that isn't poisonous will be fine.  To make the duxelle, saute the mushrooms in olive oil with some shallot, onion, and thyme, then mince in a food processor.  Fold the parmesan cheese into the duxelle, and now you have ravioli filling!  For the ravioli dough, you can buy some at the store or make it yourself if you're the ambitious type.  Fill the raviolis and cook in boiling water for about 2-3 minutes.

Next, heat some butter and fry a few sage leaves in it.  Just before it begins to brown, remove the leaves and set aside.  Toss the raviolis in the butter.  Plate the raviolis, top with the butternut squash sauce, a few of the fried sage leaves, and some freshly shaved Parmesan.  Garnishing with just a bit of fresh, grated nutmeg is a nice touch.  Eat, enjoy, and welcome the autumnal season!

Leftovers Breakfast

Chorizo y Juevos
Rendered, minced chorizo
Potato
4 eggs, beaten
Salsa verde
Tortillas
Garnish:
    Scallions
    Shredded cheese
    Love

It's Saturday, I have to work.  The only thing I really cook at home most of the time is breakfast.  This is a favorite of mine, and I had a bunch of leftover chorizo from that amazing salad I bragged about the other day.  I swear I'll stop making stuff with chorizo for a while.  This was the last of it.  Meg got to have some since it's Saturday and she can sleep in.  This is a breakfast I make frequently since it is very quick, easy, and filling.

First, find a potato in your potato bag that isn't moldy.  Moldy potatoes aren't good to eat and probably aren't good for you.  When you find a nice looking one, wash it and cut it up into really small pieces (maybe a little less than 1/2") so it cooks quickly.

Prepare the rest of the garnish and you're ready to get cooking.  By simply following the three easy steps below, you will have a wonderful breakfast ready to plate.  Fry the potato, then drain some of the excess oil.  Add the chorizo and then scramble the eggs with it.   Don't overcook the eggs.  I like to take them out of the pan just before they're fully cooked.  They'll cook more when they're resting.

Pictured from left to right: Step 1, Step 2, Step3

 Now that you have everything, you can prepare your servings with the garnish!  Just cram everything in the tortillas with some of the salsa, shove it in your face and enjoy!!!

We have no matching bowls.

Ham in a glass!

Last year's batch.  Pretty.

Rauchbier

There's a brewery in Bamberg, Germany  named Schlenkerla.  Maybe you've heard of it?  They make beers using smoked malts.  The beers kinda taste like campfires and bacon.  It's an amazingly delicious experience.  A friend of mine who has frequented Germany claims it tastes like ham and she hates it because of this.  She calls it "ham in a glass," as if that's supposed to be some kind of insult.  But what does she know?

So what do you eat with rauchbier?  Bacon?  Ham?  Barbecue?  Other smokey foods?  Sure.  It works, but you'd have to be dumber than a mole to not think of that combo.  Don't be boring, be creative.  Pair it with a meal that isn't smoked at all.  Maybe a little braised pork shoulder, kraut and potatoes?  Maybe a roasted chicken and roasted fall veggies? Duck?  Poached salmon?  Mushrooms?  I like sweet, herbal, and earthy flavors with it, but it's a very versatile beer.  How about putting out a heavy Schlenkerla Urbock with dessert?  Chocolate ganache cake might be pretty good.  I just made that up!


To the right is my current rauchbier fermenting away.  It smells like sulfur and feet right now, but with a little hard work from the yeast and some time, it will be smooth, smokey, and delicious in the winter.  So long that the beer gods were appeased with my sacrifice.

Rauchbier Recipe

6 gallons
OG 1.053
FG ------
23 IBU

10 lbs German rauchmalt
0.75 lbs Caramunich
0.25 lbs Melanoidin malt
2 oz black patent malt
2 oz Hallertauer (60 min)
WLP833 Bock yeast

Mash 150F
Ferment at 50F for 3-4 weeks, and lager for 3 months.

You can win friends with salad!

Spinach salad with chorizo and chili-cocoa dressing

Paired with Dogfish Head's Theobroma

Chili-cocoa dressing

Rice wine vinegar
Salt

Your favorite chili powder

Yellow mustard powder

Canola or vegetable oil

Sesame oil, just a touch

Cocoa powder

Salad

Baby spinach, washed and dressed

Sweet potato, shredded and fried

Manchego cheese, shredded
Rendered chorizo

Carmelized pears
Jicama, julienned

Oh yeah you can win friends with salad!  If you do it right and put cheese and meat and fried shit on it!  Fail, and you may face a lifetime of ridicule and rejection. 

This is just as healthy as the image makes it appear, and also just as delicious.  So this all started with a day off and plans to go visit some friends for dinner.

I headed to the store and Theobroma was in my hand soon enough...ancho chili, cocoa nibs, annatto.  A few other things and I was back home, ready to start making love to some spinach with some things I had on hand.

You can prep this all ahead of time.  Be sure wait until just before serving to assemble and dress it because you can't win friends with soggy, mushy salad.  Everyone will hate you instantly for serving them a wilted, wet, one texture mess.  A great man once said "Mushy salad is the stuff from which enemies are born."  You don't want to die alone.  You want people to like you.  Just be patient about dressing your salads, and you will have a much more fulfilling life.

The pears can be carmelized in the fryer you use for the shredded sweet potato.  To make the dressing, start with the rice wine vinegar, some salt, a good dash of  chili powder, and a touch of mustard powder.  Start whisking in the vegetable oil to create an emulsion.  At the end, add the sesame oil and cocoa powder until it tastes impressive and worthy of approval.

Dress the spinach and top the salad with all the goodies.  Make it look fancy, but not pretentious.  You don't want to look pompous.  Match the occasion.  That up there, it's total casual.  For a really fancy dinner, I'd plate small servings on absurdly oversized plates and maybe make a cool design with the dressing.  Serve and enjoy a lifetime of approval from your peers!

Tonight, I succeeded.  And the beer pairing was excellent.  The cocoa really brought the salad and the beer together.  I didn't get much of the chili flavor in the beer, but it was still very good.  Smooth for 9% ABV.  The food we were served by our hosts was delicious too, so we left as friends and we were all spared embarassment and shame tonight. 

I can now rest my eyes, knowing that I will not be alone tomorrow.  You can win friends with salad.  Goodnight fellow food lovers.

Eggacados! Avacadeggs! Aveggcados!

Deviled Avocados

by Meg

Hard boiled eggs

  keep 1 yolk

Mayo

Lime Juice

Onion, diced

Salt

Silverfish Sriracha smear

Had to work so Meg was on her own for dinner.  She made this awesome looking dish with one of the avocados.  She was proud enough to take a picture, and now I want to teach you how to make it.

Make egg salad with the eggs, mayo, and some of the onion.  Meg insists you use a 2:1 egg white to yolk ratio or you'll hate the dish entirely.  Grab an avocado from the fridge and cut it in half.  Bathe it gently in lime juice.  Get rid of the pit, it's bad luck to keep it.  So what you do is replace it with the egg salad.

Now for the silverfish Sriracha smear.  I don't know how Meg did it, she claims it happened organically.  So maybe make another animal.  Maybe something not as gross as a silverfish.  Anything that serves as a dipping area will do really.  Use your imagination!

Tuna Steak Sunday!

Tuna steaks, quickly seared and rare, sliced, 4-6 oz per plate
Avocado, thinly sliced – use lime juice to keep from browning

Chili Sweet Potato Corn Cakes

Jicama-pineapple slaw

Wasabi-cucumber yogurt

Sriracha
A day off of drinking

Had the day off Sunday, I wasn’t brewing, so my girlfriend and I went to the store to figure out what to have for dinner. And things for cocktails.  I had avocados I needed to use. Nice cool, rich flavor. I’ve also been playing a lot with making the ultimate chili powder, so I said, let’s do something kinda Mexican. Hey, it’s what I know right now. Then we decided to have tuna since I had avocado, it’d be sushi-like. We got some of the frozen-at-sea tuna steaks – good price and probably fresher than anything else; prepare rare at your own risk I guess. So tuna, avocado…let’s have something crunchy. Something fried. Sweet potatoes. Mmmm. And then we decided on a bunch of other shit and went home. I went to work.

So some kind of sushi-Mexican fusion I guess. Kinda cool. Using two types of heat, chili and wasabi. Combine with cooling flavors, cucumbers, herbs, avocado, yogurt. I like contrast, it can enhance opposing flavors/textures. This isn’t a hard dish. You’re only cooking two things…but there’s a good bit of prep. Some work involved, but it’s easy.

Sear the tuna right before you serve. Coat the steaks with oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Get your pan really hot and do maybe 30 seconds to a minute on either side, depending on the thickness of the steak. The outside edges should just start to cook when you remove it.

Plate however you want. Don’t worry about what I did. It’s kind of sloppy anyway. The plate’s chipped and there’s a big smear on the left side that I didn’t wipe. It still tasted great. You can garnish near the yogurt sauce with cukes and herbs. Maybe a chili with the spicy flavors. Maybe the hot, red, and chili flavors on one side with the cool, fresh, green flavors on the other. Have fun with it. Have some pineapple juice and rum alongside it like we did! Enjoy!

Jicama-Pineapple slaw
Jicama, julienned
Cubed pineapple

Mix it together.

Chili Sweet Potato Corn Cakes
Sweet potato, thinly shredded, and drained
Egg, beaten
Hominy Grits
Good dose of your favorite homemade chili powder
Sesame oil
Salt and pepper

Mix the chili powder, sesame oil, and salt in with the shredded sweet potato, each a little at a time until you like the flavor. Mix the egg in the shredded sweet potato and add the grits until it just starts to bind together well. Shape into small, thin patties and pan-fry in a neutral tasting oil. These are a lot like latkes.

Wasabi-Cucumber Yogurt
Plain full fat yogurt
Buttermilk or water
Cucumber, seeded, minced, and drained
Your favorite wasabi paste
Cilantro, minced
Mint, minced

Just mix everything until you get a consistency/flavor you like. Don’t use wasabi powder directly, make it into a paste first. I like to thin the yogurt out with some fresh buttermilk. Or you could use water.