St Louis Trip

Watching your children grow up is one of the hardest things to do, but I feel my best accomplishments so far in life. Like a well written story of sorts. Filled with love, growing pain, romance, fun, laughter, done right silly'ness, and most of all a lesson in unconditional love for all parties. One of the most important things we go through together with our own parents and our own children is the reality that includes they look and act just like us no matter what you tried to do to stear them in a different direction. Seems like they have the good and bad!

One big reason for this trip was to get myself on the right track. Forcing myself to walk while my son is at work(no car). Not have the usual distractions, and put priorities in place; while I work for clients here on the internet. I have looked in the mirror recently and seen my own mother and father. The belly and middle age aches and pains. Too many things to go into, but not a positive childhood. I read today about another bloggers karma reality coming down, and feel we have to purge and make things right when we see those signs.

For once I was smart enough to notice a book store in the NJ airport and remembered 'Twilight'. This is the book from the movie that just came out. I saw it last weekend without reading any reviews, for which I never do, so I can have my own opinion. (another blog on book and movie)

I got almost half way through the book when I landed, and will save the rest for the trip home. Why? Well because I walked into my son's apartment and found a real bonified bachelor pad. Yikes, no food in the fridge, a few cans of 'Blue Ribbon' beer (all he can afford I guess), and empties all over the place, along with dust, hardly any towels, and dirty laundry up to the ceiling...at least he has a bed for me. Well, I was disappointed since he was little he always kept a neat and organized space...suppose he got used to the girlfriend for three years busting his chops to be perfect that he has gone hog wild and let it all go.

This is where the 'He is just like me' comes in. I remember the working 24/7 to pay rent, no time to properly clean, college, and food on the go. When he got home from work I just looked at him and saw that he has gained some weight, and had a beard, and was happy to see me. He looked just like my dad, with hair on his chest, that corny Akin smile, jokes and laughter...but most of all he grabbed me and hugged me so tight and said 'I love you, Mom'.

He also had taken out his little christmas tree from when he and ex bought two years ago, and I guess he did not put one up when he came home last. Awwwwwweee, more work for me huh? LOL...We went out and he did his laundry, we shopped for food, and I was pround, no junk food in the basket (the beer is his junk now I suppose). We walked a few blocks and went to play darts, rented a movie 'Wanted' (which I love that McAvoy), and talked about his college plans and his current jobs and friends. We also ate at a great Tex-Mex that had awesome Salsa Verde (my fav), and ate pretty darn healthy and light at 5:30 PM; either I am getting old or is that not an early bird dinner meal?

So far, I am glad that I came to spend this time with him. I did not want to wake up in years and not know what he was really like living away from me after 21. I was fearful that he was way into the drinking, but he has admitted he is over that, and moving on. Girls are out for now, because he said he realizes he has to get his act together to attract one worth spending the rest of his life with.

A big fat sigh..............................

Two Weeks of Top Chef Reviewed

For some reason this woman gets on my smallest of nerves!!!

I am leaving for St Louis to visit my son in the morning and decided since I had to pack and missed last weeks show, and I would watch two in a row...this would be a good night to drag out all of my winter and summer clothes and sort through them...throwing any unwanted items at the TV when I was mad...a pile which would go right into the give away pile for a charity!

Last Week- Foo...ie! That was a catering catastrophe...well the ones who just threw food together to do it? Having years of experience in catering...one good dish is better than three mediocre...it is a 'cooking' competition, so listen to what the challenge is...the one who left deserved it with that fallen foam, and simple as that! DashOfStash (Micheal) said it also, it was misleading that the Foofighters were judging...I feel this seasons show is a little on the way they are judging...and I have a feeling the next show will be just as wish washy...


This Week- Okay, now I am remembering why I have a hard time watching these things...I have been in cooking competitions before, once the top four, and it is difficult to do this under so much pressure...think about it...when we cook at home or even in a restaurant...you have things prepared...timed out...and if you miss something (good customers and family will notice)...no one is there to bust you for it...but the guy who went, deserved that one...what was he thinking...creme brulee is a day before set up...even a non-professional would know that...

My opinion on who might win this...Jeff might have a chance...he seems to be the most experienced and calm one...but lets hope he learned from last week his failure to realize he took on too much to try and give his group the edge last week, and he did not know a bunch of wimpy women on TV would be judging his dish; which I thought was better than the other two.

Tom Coliccio says (from the website)- It's amusing to me how so many of our cheftestants said, in response to this week's Elimination Challenge, that they did not want to "do TV" in their careers as chefs ... while they're doing TV to advance their careers...Ha, that was a funny one, and I am sorry who hasn't pretended or thought about being famous if we are serious about our passion in cooking...we are rock stars in our own kitchens!

Have a good weekend, and I will be blogging from St Louis in my son's kitchen next Monday -Chef E

Farmer Brown's Savory Rabbit-Veal Bake

Well my cute little bunny story goes something like this...it is getting colder... hunting season started November 7th...wild game is more active this time of year, and guns are going off in the distance...but...here in NJ things fall off trucks, and end up sold on the street...or given as gifts or favors...and end up in Joe Smoe's freezer...and somehow it gets into my freezer...guns somehow might be related...that is my story...and I am sticking to it!

STOCK: Purchase some bone in veal chops; cut away the meat...make stock from the bones, onions, carrots, leeks, herbs,peppercorns and salt; start from no heat to low simmer on the stove; skim the foam that rises and discard (it is what keeps the stock clear); after a few or more hours hours set pot in ice bath...fridge...ready to use...bag up in air tight containers and keep in freezer for up to three months!

Brine-
Kosher Sea Salt
I Leek
1 Shallot
1 crushed Garlic
Fresh Thyme
1 Bay Leaf
12 Whole Pepper Corns
1 Cup White Burgundy Wine
Enough Veal Stock to cover Rabbit Loin in bowl

-I always barely warm the stock/brine and place all ingredients in...just before meat...makes me feel like it melds more efficiently. Slice the rabbit into chunks; cover and place in fridge overnight. Discard the brine (but I pull out good stuff for baking dish).

Next evening take veal meat with a few piece of the rabbit and brown in pan with shallots; add some cleaned carrots; brown; in baking dish place veal and rabbit loin; along with more thyme, bay leaf, garlic, and chopped carrots.

-bake 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until tender.

I bought a trio of 'pearl' or 'boil' onions and was going to add them, but honestly they were so darn small I just clipped the tops, add to boiling water, cool and then removed the outer skins, and set aside; then I took pan and added boiled onions and wine and deglaze the pan and added at the end. I was going for a look, and if I had cooked them in the bake, they would have yielded to the heat, not as pretty.


I served it with toasted whole grain bread like a good Irish girl would, and sauted a side of kale to add those good greens to our diet!

Check out this bloggers recipe...if I had not already smoked my trout, I had some applewood I could have used on this critter! http://carolcookskeller.blogspot.com/2008/04/saddle-of-rabbit-in-applewood-smoked.html

Gluten Free Omelete/Pancakes

Dosa (crispy savory pancakes) from South India is a staple food in its home region. I absolutely love them with maple syrup and cinnamon for breakfast (above picture) or with coriander powder, fenugreek seeds, and a pinch of spicy cayenne powder. You can even stuff them with fresh steamed vegetables or spinach and raw organic cheese if you want.

There are an abundance of Indian restaurants that have this on their menu here in NJ. My experience with this dish started while working as a personal chef in Indian house holds. This is one of their normal light meal or snack dishes along with dal (lentils) or rajama (curried kidney beans), as well as many other vegetarian favorites.

Having a need to develop my own recipe for my cafe and to eat this at home the recipe below was created. If you live near an Indian Market you may purchase Dosa batter for a little as $2.99 for a one pound container, but I am always up to a challenge! (try making this in smaller batches until you get comfortable; otherwise you have a huge amount to eat by yourself!)

This recipe is also made with 75/25- white rice/brown rice ratio; which gives it an extra healthier edge.

Ingredients:
1 large-deep container (I use a restaurant grade gallon bucket)
2 cups white organic rice
1 cup brown rice
1 cup skinless split urad daal (skinless black gram; if not available use split lentils)

-Many recipes call for salting when it is prepared to cook, but I salt when cooking these tasty treats

Wash the rice and urad daal well. Add to the container and fill enough water in the rice-daal bowl to cover them about 2" deep. Soak overnight.

The next morning, drain all the water from the rice and urad daal. Now put some in a food processor and grind - adding very little water if necessary - to a smooth yet slightly grainy paste.

When all the rice-daal mix is ground, put it into a large mixing bowl and add enough water to make a batter. The consistency of the batter should be such that it thickly coats a spoon dipped in it.

Set aside covered with a damp cloth; a fermentation will occur and it will swell up in size (not much); stir the batter, and place in a pitcher for pouring, adding small amounts of chlorine free water if needed (will thicken from time to time). Place in airtight container and refrigerator; occasionally you might need to stir, but will keep for up to six weeks.


Cooking:

Heat up a non-stick pan to medium high and using a soup ladle pour a pancake like amount into middle of pan; then take soup ladle and swirl the batter out until it is at least double or more in size; moving quickly you will add spices (picture below is traditional Indian spice holder) to the top side; you will see bubbles coming up just like pancake batter but when edges can be lifted up and away from pan then the spatula is slipped underneath, just flip it over.

Notice how it has browned on the other side, and is somewhat crispy? If you do not want that then do not turn up the heat so high... This will only take a few more minutes on the other side and it is ready...go ahead and make plenty more!

With each new one, you should take a towel/paper towel and wet one end; then lifting the pan off the heat, wiping the pan, and start again. This cools down the pan each time so they do not scorch or stick after a while. (some recipes call for oil; if you want then drip a touch after putting the batter down and swirl it around the edges)

The restaurant versions of these are like gigantic crispy large pizza sized cones that usually are eaten before the meal or by children. Home versions are a bit smaller, thicker, and I fill them with fresh spinach, tomatoes, and red onions for a meal!

I guess you could call this an egg'less omelet...Vegan, Vegetarian, Gluten Free, its all good...

To Brine, or not to Brine

I get asked this question a lot and myself have been on a 'Wild' cooking quest the past few days with my Zesty Smoked Trout...the rabbit waiting with my other forestall meat goodies in the freezer...thanks to Farmer Brown down the road! This is recommended for cooking pieces of meat that could be left tough or dry outside of a stew recipe, and deserve to be served up in other creative ways. But you should brine first...I call it 'Flavor Blasting'...let's just start off with what this really means...

Face it every time you open the oven to bast that turkey and ham you are letting out all of the energy your hard earned money pays for, and there is a better way to get moisture deep down into the muscle tissue. Therefore producing a juicier dish, and all just by soaking it in salt water. If you are going to a lot of trouble to cook game meats such as venison, elk, turkey, other wild game birds and rabbit that have strong gamey taste; then you might want to insure their tenderness and added flavor. Some say do not bother with red meats, but I can see the benefits of a tough shoulder roast going for a swim now and then. Pork and fish are definitely on my list if you are planning to smoke it!

Warning! Do not do this if you have bought a chicken, turkey, or any meat that has already been enhanced with saline- read labels.

Here's the concept. If the meat is submerged in a water, a physical and chemical process called osmosis will cause the meat to absorb the liquid. Osmosis is the tendency of two liquids, the one in the meat and the one outside the meat, to equalize the concentration of the stuff dissolved in it. In effect, osmosis causes the water from the outside to enter the meat and dilute the fluids in an attempt to equalize. At the same time, some of the fluids inside flow out. The end result is that osmotic pressure swells the meat with moisture.

By adding salt to the water you can create more osmotic pressure because of salts unique chemical properties, and because salt is a flavor enhancer; therefore you can add flavor to the brine. In addition, salt also changes the way the meat proteins are arranged. They unwind and form a matrix that traps the moisture so less is lost during cooking. This process is called denaturing.

Cuts of meat that are intended for brining usually call for slow cooking at medium to low temperature for extended times to also help break down muscle tissue; thus creating a more tender dish. Not only does adding seasonings like garlic to brine help add flavor but adding stocks, herbs and things like pineapple to the water will give the meat an added your own twist or sweetness.

Salt can enhance flavors, but too much can make it unpleasant. So below I am adding measurements for the brine:

Salt/Water/Stock Ratio-
Use Kosher or Sea Salt- at a 6 % ratio (1 cup to 1 gallon is what you aim for)
With fish I also add a squeeze of lime or lemon juice...be careful you will end up cooking the fish in the acids of the fruit if left over one hour time.
The process does not tenderize. It only adds moisture, improves moisture retention, and it can enhance flavors.

How long do I brine?This depends on what and how much you have...Fish- 1 hour, thawed...Turkey/Wild Game Bird like Quail- 48 hours, thawed...Rabbit/Venison- 48 hours, thawed...Pork- 48 hours, thawed.

What type of container should I use for brining? Well the options are...ceramic, glass, stainless steel, anodized aluminum (not regular aluminum), or gallon sized ziploc plastic bags can be used for small portions and overnight. I use the large pots for large cuts and over night; otherwise the aluminum ones for baking work for brining fish for an hour. I do not recommend plastic; unless it is a large cooler or restaurant grade containers that are FDA approved for overnight food storage, because unless you save labels then you will not know what chemicals are leaching into the brine...that is soaking your future creation!

DISCLAIMER: These are based on my own cooking and family experiences and culinary school teachings of the past. Not everyone will agree, nor do I wish to say I am better than what is out there...I say just keep trying till it works for you!

Zest'E Smoked Trout

Courtesy of Emeril (on-line cookware) a few years ago...I began the quest to smoke as much food as I could; then it went back into the cabinet like all familiar and used tools do eventually...feeling guilty, I brought it back out to heat up my cold...okay no long stories tonight...just pull out the trout from my boastful Northern NJ river adventure blog, and freezer...soak the alder (I just happen to have brought back a log from my PNW blog, and recommended for fish) with a splash of hickory chips...

Calm down you hard core outdoor smoker fans...I use this on and off...the real deal grill! I am from the meat grillin-smokin capital of the...or uh, one of them any ho...



ATTENTION ALL COOKS: You must moisten trout before you put them in the smoker, and add flavor with a brine. Combine about 1 tablespoon of plain or kosher salt to 1 cup of water. You will, of course need enough brine to completely cover the fish, mine look like their in a fish tank.





You want these fish to be cleaned and ready for the smoker before you brine them and have each laid open so the brine can get inside, see I used my lime and lemon ends for that...ah ha. Brining can be completely optional for smoked trout, but taught well, I am a 'Briner', and we do not want 'dry' cat food for dinner do we?





Add small amounts of seasonings to the brine, I am using garlic, limes, red onion and a pinch of something spicy! Smaller fish like trout, don't need to spend a lot of time in a brine, and about 1 hour will do.










I decided to use the last 'White Yam' that has been sitting on the counter; steamed it for a minute and half...stuffed the trout with mostly the same repeated ingredients...












I smoked it whole and no to plating it- just next a bed of salad, smoked yams, onions and with a shot of citrus cilantro oil for the dressing...BAM!

100% Irish Dish to say the least

This is not a great picture of my son, nor the food you wanted to see...just does not capture his fabulous bad ass looks (from me of course...only his 'bad' dance floor moves...but this proud mom couldn't help herself! I saw his former 'girl' friend posted it on here site, so I pirated it to mine...if a song was playing right now it would be...

...Come on play that funky music white boy...

I am happy that they have maintained a friendship after three and a half years of puppy love and yelling at each other all hours of the night at each other...she is Italian...him, bad Irish temper; that we will give credit to the father *snicker*...

Just three more days and this cutie is all mine...my son Aaron Glen Dillion...100% pure pain in the arse Irish dish...and I would like to take credit for making him all on my own...*bow*...he is training to be a butcher, attends college, and worked as a chef just like his Mamma since fourteen, when a chef friend discovered him working along side me in my catering business in Dallas. Mike felt he had talent and took him under his wing, and that is all she wrote.

He told me he has no junk food in his cupboards, and is expecting full on kitchen battles the whole visit...with the exception of I have to go eat some good Tex-Mex at least twice before returning to my NE wastelands...well, at least good Italian and Indian...

We will be blogging together while I am in his kitchen, and I will introduce him to your world then...

Okay...the real food is coming later! (something is smoking *hint*)