Supper Seed

eating in manhattan

2012-01-29T15:15:00.001-06:00

waiting feet at Russ & Daughters

I need to finally get around to finishing my NYC posts, since I've already been on another food-heavy trip in the meantime. There are just so many photos of delicious foods backlogged in iPhoto that I get overwhelmed and keep putting it on the back burner! It's gotten so that I have neglected photographing meals that I cook, since I haven't been posting them anyway. I want that to change! And maybe it will soon enough, since I am now in my final semester of grad school. We shall see.

On our trip in August, we didn't even make it onto the island of Manhattan until the last two days, and then we had a lot of catching up to do, food-wise.

Lower East Side

We are always on the lookout for a good donut, so I knew we couldn't miss the Doughnut Plant. To start off our day of devouring fried doughs from all over the world, we bought a half dozen donuts. Besides the one you see below, we also enjoyed flavors such as oatmeal, fresh peach, salted peanut, blackout, and a creme brulee raised donut. Man, my mouth is watering just typing this.

tres leches donut

Cocoron Soba came highly recommended from Serious Eats and provided one of the lighter options of our day--yes, noodles dipped in scalding pork and kimchi was light, relatively speaking. And it was incredibly satisfying to boot.

pork kimchee dip soba

Apparently the LES location of BaoHaus has closed since we went there, but it would be worth seeking out their new location for the tender, flavorful pork belly they serve.

the Chairman Bao: braised Berkshire pork belly, crushed peanuts, cilantro, Haus relish, and Taiwanese red sugar

After recommendations from our buddies Joey and Tony, we had to hit up Russ & Daughters for bagels and lox to eat on some park steps. To be honest, it was my first experience with lox (I realized lox was really not the same thing as smoked salmon) and I'm not sure I want to have it anywhere else after this. It was that good.

everything bagel with lox, scallion cream cheese, red onion, and tomato

On the same park steps, we enjoyed our first knish. Every little place on Coney Island sells knishes, but our traveling host let us know that those are typically just frozen, heavy prepackaged things that they reheat. Although this knish from Yonah Schimmel Knishery was not exactly light (you should feel the heft of these things), the pastry was flaky and buttery and the potato filling well-seasoned. Since we were amateurs at knish-eating, we got ours topped with cheese. You can take the kids out of Wisconsin...anyway.

mozzarella knish

Vanessa's Dumplings was just on the edge of Chinatown and on many lists of the best dumplings in the area. I didn't have any other dumpling with which to compare, but I certainly wasn't complaining about these. Be sure to find the Chinatown location, though, where dumplings come 5 for $1. The newish midtown location gets away with charging $3 for the same number. Please excuse the terrible photography as we were shooting in the low light of an apartment stoop.

pork dumplings

steamed pork buns

sesame duck pancake - we were so stuffed by this point, but couldn't pass up the chance to try this

Midtown

I don't know my New York geography all that well, so if I put a restaurant in the wrong neighborhood, please go easy on me.

One of my major goals in visiting NYC was to eat in Flushing. The other was to eat at a Momofuku location. Weird how I wanted to eat at the most authentic Asian restaurants and also one of the most popularized Asian chains.

Because we couldn't afford--or even get a spot in--the high-end Momofuku restaurant, we opted for the Ssam Bar, with their delicious-sounding duck lunches. Indeed, delicious they were.

rotisserie duck over rice with greens and many tasty sauces

steamed bun with pulled duck, sauerkraut, and smoked mayo

Waddling across the street, we completed the Momofuku experience by visiting Milk Bar. We had read some complaints that the quality was compromised when Milk Bar had recently centralized their baking operations and sent prepackaged sweets out to their several locations. I couldn't say for sure, but I do wonder whether the cookies wouldn't have been better fresh. However, we had no complaints about the pies...

candy bar pie

aptly-named crack pie

compost cookie - not pictured: cornflake marshmallow and blueberry cream

We waited in line for an hour to get ice cream at the Big Gay Ice Cream Truck (since expanded into the Big Gay Ice Cream Shop), but it was worth it. The line moves slowly because the proprietor does everything himself: he takes your order, pulls the soft serve, carefully injects it with dulce de leche, grinds sea salt over it, dips it in chocolate shell, and handles the money. So good.

the Salty Pimp

West Village

Our only foray into the West Village was motivated by--surprise--food. We had read--and had it confirmed by a New Yorker--that Taim had the best falafel in the city. I had not had a ton of falafel, and the falafel Matt had tasted he had not enjoyed. We both loved this. The green variety really is green, packed with herbs and flavor. Coupled with a refreshing mint ginger limeade, the sandwich made me forget my tired feet for 20 minutes.

green falafel sandwich with hummus, israeli salad, pickled cabbage, and tahini sauce

That's it (finally) for my New York photos! Hope they were informative and inspiring. Check back for pics from our recent Portland trip and (hopefully) more home-cooked meal posts!

b00kl355

2012-01-29T13:51:00.003-06:00

Last night Matt and I had a great time at the Bookless Party inside the gutted Madison Central Library. I wish it would stick around longer than one night. Here's a gif I threw together of some cute pictures from the "photo booth" station.

librarians know how to party

eating in queens

2011-12-09T22:54:00.001-06:00

Here comes the next stop on our NYC food tour...only three months after the first installment! Better late than never?

Oddly enough--and it seemed to strike New York residents as especially odd--we stayed exclusively in Brooklyn and Queens the first 2/3 of our week-long summer trip. We didn't even make it across the water to Manhattan until the last two (food-filled) days. Those photos will be coming along, hopefully soon. It's not necessarily that we didn't want to go to Manhattan, but there was already so much to see and to eat in Long Island's boroughs. So, without further ado, Queens!

Long Island City

We spent one hot day in LIC and managed to swing by M.Well's diner for brunch between "Warm Up" festivities at MoMA PS1 and just before the diner was scheduled to move from its location at that time. (Not sure what the status is currently.) M.Wells had just been named in the Bon Appetit list of Best New Restaurants in 2011. So, it was justifiably very busy, but worth the wait. All our food was amazing. Would definitely seek it out again when we return to the city.

adorable diner car interior

egg-sausage sandwich with cheddar, pickled jalapenos, and tomato

fish & chips

simple, but rich hamburger

custardy maple pie

Flushing

After seeing Serious Eats writers repeatedly gush about the food courts in Flushing, I knew we had to go. We took the long train ride out on a miserably rainy day and felt almost like we had left the states completely, the smells and sights were so fully Asian.

Here's a photo of the lovely food court at Flushing's New World Mall.

Here's a small corner of the food court where we actually ate something: Golden Shopping Mall's food court.

At the experts' insistence, we sought out Xi'an Famous Foods' cold skin noodles, a Chinese dish--and a combination of textures--like none I'd ever experienced before. Hand-cut noodles with plenty of bite, cucumber, onions, and cilantro sit in a tear-jerkingly spicy sauce that's soaked up by spongey cubes of wheat gluten. I want to go back to try stir-fried skin noodles, plus everything else on the menu.

Later on that evening, in sheer, wet exhaustion, we stumbled into a shabu shabu place called La Mei. The kind couple sitting near us recommended the all-you-can-eat-in-two-hours option. Even though we weren't all that hungry, we couldn't pass up the chance to dip a ton of different things in scalding pots of broth. Seasoned buffet-goer Matt broke down during the last leg of our eating marathon, but I got a second wind when the fresh udon noodles showed up. Oh man, I want some right now.

just some of the many things we tasted: fish balls, beef, napa cabbage, corn on the cob, pork blood rice cake, lamb, whitefish, cuttlefish, shrimp, spinach

tasty little straw mushrooms

Check back for food tours of the Lower East Side and midtown Manhattan!

eating in brooklyn

2011-09-07T00:16:00.002-05:00

So, a couple weeks back we were in NYC, doing a veritable walking food tour of the city, armed with suggestions from the trusty Serious Eats and Everybody Likes Sandwiches blogs. I am not going to review the places we went, since I'm pretty sure Serious Eats has covered every place we went at some point. I am simply going to tempt you with food photos and hopefully provide at least one idea for a place to stop next time you're in the Big Apple.

Let's start in Brooklyn! Bear in mind, I know there are more neighborhoods in each of the NYC boroughs--I'm just listing the places we managed to make it to!

Crown Heights

We stayed with our friend in this neighborhood and had a lovely breakfast at Carribbean restaurant Trini-gul.

a "double" from Trini-gul

I could eat doubles every single morning for breakfast. The heavily seasoned chickpea stew glues two soft flatbreads together and fills my stomach with a satisfying ball of starch to start off the day right. Pictured with authentic Brooklyn chain link fence.

Our last meal in New York was a memorable one. A couple of days before we had passed on eating pastrami at Katz's Deli (the Lower East Side food tour coming soon!) in favor of wrapping up our trip with the pastrami at David's Brisket House & Deli. I guess I will never (?) know what I missed by skipping Katz's, but I do know I was not disappointed at David's.

a classic pastrami on rye with mustard from David's Brisket House

My eyes probably grew wide when the fellow assembling sandwiches pulled a huge hunk of fragrant meat from a steam tray and put it on the meat cutter, juice dripping off the edge of the table and onto a strategically-placed towel. So tender, so fatty, so hard to forget.

Williamsburg

Sunday morning we made it out to the Brooklyn Flea at the East River Waterfront in Williamsburg. There's also one in Fort Greene on Saturdays. It was every bit the foodie haven that it had been advertised to be.

pupusas from the Red Hook Vendors: pork "special" at left and chicken/cheese at right

Matt, posing dutifully with watermelon juice from the Red Hook Vendors

a fatty, crunchy (!) roast pork Porchetta sandwich

for dessert: the "goodwich" from The Good Batch

I wanted so badly to have stroopwafels from The Good Batch, especially the peanut-butter-filled kind. Somehow, even after we purchased an ice cream sandwich from that very stand, we failed to realize that it was indeed the stroopwafel place. Oh, well. They were probably out of them anyway and that would have just made me more crazy.

Not pictured (our camera battery died at dinner) is pizza at Forcella in Williamsburg. Now, none of us ordered the montanara pictured in the Serious Eats review, but we did have a couple of the fried pizzas, and they were folded up and fried like calzones plus sauce, rather than flat as depicted. We were confused, but no less satisfied.

Coming soon: a pictorial food romp through Queens!

all good summer things

2011-08-17T22:18:00.001-05:00

I have been criminally lax about updating this blog, especially for the summertime! In my defense, I've had a full course load this summer, but I have a few weeks between summer classes and fall classes to try and be productive. I am going to really make an effort to update things this fall, if for no other reason than to feel like I'm doing something.

Anyway, I thought it was about time I posted a recipe. We made this a few weeks back with one of the first summer tomatoes (from the farmer's market--we killed our tomato plant). We also happened to have an abundance of blue cheese leftover from another meal. We always have basil (out back), crusty bread, and our old standby, Sashay Acres bacon, on hand. A meal was born.

Actually, we ate this as an appetizer, but it would be more than enough as an entree. I only stacked our salads a few tomato slices high, but next time I'd go even lower--one or two slices only--for easier eating. Next time I also think I'll splurge on the fancy French gray shallots at the farmer's market for more intense shallot flavor in the dressing.

Heirloom Tomato Salad with Bacon, Blue Cheese, and Basil
very slightly adapted from Gourmet via Epicurious
serves 2 (easily multiplied)

2 slices crusty white bread, like sourdough
4 slices bacon (depending on how porky you like your veggies)
olive oil (if needed)
1/4 c finely chopped shallot
3 tbsp Sherry vinegar
2-3 assorted medium heirloom tomatoes, cut 1/4- to 1/3-inch thick
15 small fresh basil leaves
1 1/2 oz blue cheese, at room temperature, crumbled

Cook bacon in (cast iron, preferably) pan until crisp, and remove to paper towels. Leave bacon drippings in pan.

In the same pan, toast bread on both sides in bacon drippings over medium heat. If you don't like your bread bacon-y, pour off drippings into a heatproof bowl and reserve. Heat about a tablespoon of olive oil in the same pan and toast bread.

Using remaining bacon drippings (pour them back in the pan if you poured them off), plus a couple tablespoons olive oil if the pan is getting dry, cook shallots over medium heat, stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add vinegar and simmer, whisking, until emulsified, about 1 minute. Season dressing with salt and pepper and keep warm.

Crumble bacon. Arrange bread on plates and divide tomato slices among them, stacking slices and sprinkling some basil and bacon between slices. Sprinkle cheese and remaining basil and bacon over and around tomatoes. Spoon some of warm bacon dressing over and around tomatoes and season with salt and pepper.

portland: dinner highlights

2011-07-13T22:29:00.001-05:00

So, onto the other meal we ate in Portland. There were no lunches, since the breakfasts were so huge. Even though we ate at a lot more breakfast spots than dinner places, the dinners we had were some of my favorite meals on our trip.

Pause

Wonderful seasonal and local dishes. I got to try my first fiddlehead fern and huckleberries. Seemed like sort of a Portland version of our favorite restaurants in Madison. Great for grown-ups and kids.

special: seared halibut with morels, fingerling potatoes, fiddlehead ferns, and tarragon vinaigrette

braised pork collar over greens and potatoes with apple butter

cuban sandwich with ham, roasted pork, house-made pickles, and mustard aioli

huckleberry cheesecake

Toro Bravo

A Spanish tapas joint--my first tapas meal. We each ordered something we thought sounded good, then shared. It was a very nice, though dark, birthday meal for Matt.

fideos with spring vegetables and bacon

drunken grilled pork over avocado salad

braised lamb with coriander and apricots over house-made noodles

(my personal favorite of the night)

Pok Pok

Would definitely return for more spicy, rich, sticky Thai food. Whiskey Soda Lounge would make a fun stop--their related bar across the street serves really intriguing Thai appetizers.

clockwise from top right:

khao soi kai - curry noodle soup

duck larb issan

sticky rice & sides

sai ua samun phrai - Ching Mai spicy sausage

Vietnamese fish sauce wings

huckleberry drinking vinegars

portland: breakfast highlights

2011-07-11T21:47:00.002-05:00

Matt and I went to Portland in May to visit his folks. It was a great trip. We ate pretty much constantly, as there are so many places to eat and we only had four days. Previously unbeknownst to me, Portland is full of great breakfast places. I'll try to do the quickest rundown possible of a very small sampling of Portland breakfasts.

Gravy

Their namesake is delicious, especially the vegetarian version, full of sage and thyme and mushrooms and reminiscent of Thanksgiving dinner. Plus, a huge menu with lots of omelette and scramble choices, life-changing beignets, and a short walk to vintage and record shopping made this a fast favorite.

beignets with powdered sugar and maple syrup

biscuit with vegetable gravy

Slappy Cakes

Everything was great here, though to be honest, I've had better chicken-fried bacon. You really can't beat fluffy pancakes with house-made strawberry syrup and something called "pork belly benedict" (which, by the way, Matt can't stop talking about).

huevos rancheros

chicken-fried bacon with caramel sauce

pork belly benedict with bacon fat hollandaise

Arlita Library Cafe

A solid breakfast was had here as well. Nice specials and, based on the coffee cake, I'd say wonderful baked goods too.

pear & fig coffee cake

scrambled eggs, asparagus, bacon, and stout cheese sauce on toast

new finds

2011-06-28T11:08:00.000-05:00

Lately I've only been posting about food, and mostly (or exclusively) Meatless Monday posts. So, I thought I'd share some of the rad things I've picked up in various locales as of late. The dress I found at a great little vintage shop on a recent trip to Portland, Oregon (can't remember the name, but it was on Mississippi). I wore it to me and Matt's fourth wedding anniversary dinner.

60s wiggle dress, $25

American Tourist "Tiara" suitcase, $15

I got the perfect travel accessory at a little antique store in Dickeyville, Wisconsin, home of this place:

Dickeyville Grotto

Luckily, the church adjacent to the grotto had a garage sale! I grabbed this super cute sewing box (the chimney is a pin cushion!) and also a coat, but it's way too hot right now to even look at a wool coat.

sewing box, $0.50

Matt and I also had a very successful trip to our favorite local consignment shop a few weeks back and got the following items:

metal cabinet, $25

set of 6 coasters, $2

vintage fan--watch your fingers!

greens overload--conquered!

2011-06-20T22:29:00.001-05:00

Our CSA has been pretty much straight greens for the first two weeks. Spinach, kale, arugula, bok choy, mustard greens. Although I could freeze the spinach and possibly some of the other greens, I've decided to take on the challenge of working through bag upon bag of leafy greens.

spicy greens and soba noodles

Have you ever had the experience where you look at a beautiful seasonal cookbook in late winter and salivate over the early spring recipes? Then you realize you're in the upper Midwest and those spring ingredients won't be available locally until June, or late May if you're lucky. I'm trying not to whine about other parts of the country being way ahead of our growing season. Instead I'm pulling out my spring recipes and enjoying the first crops of the Wisconsin summer.

heat sources utilized

I've been taking some liberties with my recipes since I have had spring garlic and onions readily available. In addition to a couple of cloves of garlic, I added my last spring garlic stalk and tripled the green onion input. I was also pretty liberal with the ginger. And I opted to use some teeny tiny serrano peppers from the farmer's market in place of the crushed red chili flake. But when I got to tasting the noodles, the heat from the peppers was not coming through, so I threw in a scant teaspoon of gochugaru, Korean chili powder. When that wasn't cutting it either, Matt suggested we turn to togarashi, a tasty Japanese seasoning mix of sesame seeds, chili powder, orange peel, and more that was one of the only spicy things to cross our lips in Japan. My good friend togarashi finally did the trick.

This is an easy and solid stir fry that could be very flexible with the greens and seasonings used. Throw in whatever greens you've got on hand--they cook down quite a bit. It calls for balsamic vinegar, which I can only assume is a stand-in for Chinese black vinegar. Along with the rice vinegar, I thought it lent kind of an odd sweetness to the dish, so I think next time I might try sherry vinegar instead.

Spicy Greens and Soba Noodles

very slightly adapted from Cookstr.com

6 oz soba noodles; or substitute other Asian noodles such as udon, somen, or ramen
2 tsp sesame oil; or substitute peanut oil
1 tbsp vegetable oil, preferably peanut
1-2 tbsp grated fresh ginger
2 tsp minced garlic
½ tsp crushed red chile, such as piquin
¼ c chicken or vegetable broth (be sure to use vegetable broth for a completely vegetarian dish!)
8 oz mustard greens, bok choi, spinach, or other greens, stems removed and coarsely chopped
2 oz straw mushrooms (I omitted these this time)
1 c mung bean sprouts
1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds for garnish, plus sriracha, sambal, or togarashi as desired

For the sauce:

1 tbsp balsamic or sherry vinegar

4 tsp rice vinegar

1 tbsp peanut oil

2 tsp light soy sauce

1-3 green onions, chopped

¼ tsp dark sesame oil

¼ tsp crushed red chile, such as piquin or gochigaru

¼ tsp sugar

Cook the noodles according to the directions on the package. Drain and rinse the noodles and place in a bowl. Add the sesame oil and toss to coat. Combine all the sauce ingredients in a bowl and stir to mix.

Heat a heavy skillet or wok over medium-high heat, add the vegetable oil, and when hot, add the ginger, garlic, and chile and stir-fry for a couple of minutes. Add the broth, and when simmering, add the greens and cook until done. Add the mushrooms and mung beans and cook for a couple of minutes. Stir the sauce into the vegetable mixture, add the noodles, and toss to coat and reheat. Put the noodles into a bowl, garnish with toasted sesame seeds, and serve.

A meatless meal actually on a Monday...imagine that!

happy mother's day

2011-05-08T11:50:00.001-05:00

Today on Mother's Day I'm thinking about how much of my cooking abilities and interests are because my mom also loved to cook. I have often observed that I was never taught to do things like cut fruits and vegetables--I just sat and watched my mom. I know how to make basic meals without a recipe the same way my mom did, which oftentimes I think she learned from her mom. I hope I can pass that knowledge along someday. I also give her credit for helping me develop my tastes in food. She introduced me to different flavors from early on and set the ball rolling for me to expand my tastes more and more. Cooking and eating are such a big part of my life and I enjoy sharing it with my mom still. Thanks, Mom!

Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe and Goat Cheese
from Serious Eats (I think there's a missing step in their recipe, so I've filled in the blanks below with what I did.)

1 lb broccoli rabe, chopped
1/3 c extra-virgin olive oil
6 garlic cloves, chopped
3/4 tsp crushed red chile flakes
12 oz orecchiette (I can never find orecchiette at my grocery store, so I used a short-cut pasta that looked close enough.)
2 tbsp lemon zest
4 oz goat cheese, sliced

salt

Pour about 8 quarts of water into a large pot, add a few tablespoons of salt, and bring it to a boil. Toss in the broccoli rabe and cook for 4 minutes. Remove it with a pair of tongs and immediately toss it in some ice water. Chill for a few minutes then drain and pat dry.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and saute 1-2 minutes until garlic is just golden. Add the broccoli rabe and cook 3-5 minutes until stalks are tender and the leaves wilted.

Meanwhile, bring the pot of water back to a boil and cook the orecchiette according to the directions on the box. Taste the pasta with a minute left on the timer. If al dente, turn off the heat, drain the pasta, and transfer it to the skillet. Turn the heat to high, add the lemon zest, and season with salt. Cook for a minute, stirring constantly.

Transfer the pasta to bowls or plates. Add a bit of goat cheese to each one. Serve.

easy french onion soup

2011-04-18T21:58:00.002-05:00

Okay, so here comes the second soup post in a row. But that's because I could probably eat soup every other day. And it's an easy meal to make hearty and yet vegetarian. The soup I made used chicken broth, but could easily be made with a nice homemade veggie broth. I keep scraps of veggies and chicken or other meat bones in large bags in the freezer, then when I need broth, I just pop the contents of the bag into the crock pot, covered with water, and cook it on low for 18-24 hours. How long you let it go depends on how strong you want your broth and how stinky you are willing to let your house get. Ha.

french onion soup on Matt's grandma's handmade hotpad

I liked that this recipe was simple, but I thought it was just a tad bit too simple, so I added a couple of garlic cloves and some dried thyme to the onions. Then it seemed just right.

you know it's good--look at that doggy snout trying to get at it!

Quick, Light French Onion Soup
slightly adapted from Serious Eats
serves 4

1 pound sweet white or yellow onions, peeled and thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1 tsp dried thyme
2 cups dry white wine, such as Muscadet
2 tablespoons butter
6 cups chicken or vegetable stock, preferably homemade

1 bay leaf
4 slices crusty bread or baguette
2 cups (5 ounces) freshly grated Gruyere cheese

Preheat the oven to 500°F. Combine the onions, garlic, thymewine, butter, and a large pinch of salt in a baking dish and cook, uncovered, until the wine is absorbed almost completely into the onions, and they are tender and golden, 45 minutes or perhaps a little longer.

In the meantime, bring the chicken or vegetable stock and bay leaf to a simmer in a large saucepan. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

When the onions are finished, divide them among 4 deep broiler-safe bowls. Cover the onions with chicken stock to fill the bowls, and place a slice of bread on each. Distribute the grated cheese over the bread and broil until the cheese is golden and bubbling, 2 to 3 minutes.

early spring warmth

2011-04-10T16:35:00.002-05:00

We're still at a point in the spring season where we'll see chilly and rainy and generally miserable days, so I still need soup. But I'm definitely getting to the point where I want lighter, more vegetable-based foods. This soup provided a nice balance.

I love Cook's Country's take on posole, but I can only take that fatty, pork-filled stew so often. This potato soup begins with a similar pureed onion and chili base. I opted for a can of crushed fire-roasted tomatoes instead of crushed fresh, but if you have nice fresh tomatoes around, go for it.

I also wanted to add another texture or flavor, and debated between frozen sweet corn or hominy. I decided on hominy this time to keep the flavors smoky and earthy like the pork posole. If I make this later into the spring or summer it would be nice to use frozen or fresh sweet corn to brighten up the whole soup.

Mexican Potato Soup

adapted from Serious Eats

1 lb boiling potatoes, peeled and diced (about 2 cups)
Kosher salt

28-oz can crushed fire-roasted tomatoes or 3 large red ripe tomatoes, about 1 1/4 pounds, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped (about 1 cup)
2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 canned chipotle in adobo sauce, coarsely chopped
2 c homemade chicken or vegetable stock (of course, go for veggie broth if you want it vegetarian)

28-oz can hominy (optional)
1/3 c cilantro, finely chopped

Place in large saucepan and cover with water by about three inches. Season water with salt. Bring to a boil and cook until tender but firm to the bite (potatoes will cook further in step 2). Drain potatoes and set aside. Meanwhile, blend tomatoes, onion, garlic, and chipotle pepper in blender at high speed until smooth, about 30 seconds.

Pour tomato mixture into large saucepan. Add vegetable stock and potatoes. Stir to combine and season to taste with salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until potatoes are completely tender, about 7 to 8 minutes. For thicker broth, mash a few potatoes against side of pot with wooden spoon. Add cilantro and hominy (if using) simmer for 2 minutes longer, or until hominy is warm. Serve immediately with extra cilantro and sour cream (I use Greek yogurt) as desired.

in case you didn't notice...

2011-03-28T18:50:00.000-05:00

I set up new links at the top of the blog to take you to various types of posts. It's not exactly how I want it, but it's kind of a big deal for me, since I am certainly no web programmer! But it's a first step toward making my blog more my own, so I'm proud. Hope they make things easier to navigate. I welcome feedback!

nickels and anchors

2011-03-28T18:47:00.001-05:00

I haven't done a wardrobe post in a long time, and I really haven't taken any shots of my outfits lately, but I happened to get some pictures at a nickel arcade in Chicago last weekend.

I made Matt stop taking pictures of my slack-jawed concentration face and catch my outfit.

dress - Zara in Tokyo

tights and cardigan - Target

boots - Good Style

The arcade was the greatest place to spend the afternoon! Tetris and PacMan for free and skee ball for nickels. My dress was perfectly comfortable for playing skee ball and had great big pockets for nickels!

We finished the night off with a nice dinner with friends. This was the only shot of the front of the dress, with its cute little anchor buttons. I picked up the dress in Shibuya last summer at Zara--pretty much the only affordable place in that neighborhood. Nautical style was everywhere, so there were lots of tempting pieces. I still sort of regret not buying an oversized T-shirt with a huge anchor.

Lucy & me

gorgonzola tortellini

2011-03-27T22:22:00.001-05:00

Awhile back I picked up a package of gorgonzola tortellini from a great Madison pasta maker, RP's. Our local grocery store just started carrying it again to my delight. Anytime I can buy a local product I'm happy, but especially so when the product is high quality and not prohibitively expensive. I figured I'd find something to do with it and went searching for a recipe.

gorgonzola tortellini with walnut cream sauce

on my favorite Charley Harper book!

What do you know, but RP's has suggested recipes at their site for their pastas! I gladly accepted the suggestion, but added some sauteed mushrooms and peas. The vegetables brought some much-needed freshness to the otherwise heavy dish. I also swapped the sour cream out for non-fat Greek yogurt, which may have been the reason my sauce was less than smooth. I'll take any pointers anyone has for keeping a cream sauce from breaking! In any case, the texture was not ultimately affected since the final addition of ground walnuts makes the sauce lumpy anyway.

Oh, and this is the prequel to the mascarpone post from the other day.

Gorgonzola Tortelloni with Walnut Cream Sauce
adapted from RP's Fresh Pasta
serves 2

I used less pasta then the recipe called for, but kept the sauce ingredients the same, since I like a saucy pasta. If you like things a bit drier, cut back the sauce ingredients or up the pasta to 1 lb.

1/2 c walnuts
9 oz RP's Fresh or Frozen Gorgonzola Tortellini
3 tbsp butter
5 crimini (baby bella) mushrooms, sliced
1 clove garlic crushed
1/3 c milk
1/2 c sour cream or plain yogurt
1/3 c mascarpone cheese
1 c fresh or frozen peas
1/4 tsp salt

Heat an empty pan over medium heat and cook walnuts until browned. Grind toasted walnuts in a food processor or spice grinder. Wipe out the pan carefully with a paper towel.

Return pan to heat and melt 1-2 tbsp butter. Cook mushroom slices in butter until browned and cooked down, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1-2 more minutes. Add milk, sour cream or yogurt, and mascarpone. Add peas and bring to a light simmer and reduce slightly.

Add ground walnuts and salt. Boil gorgonzola tortellini until tender and top with sauce. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley.

breakfast of champions

2011-03-25T10:54:00.000-05:00

You know how you buy an ingredient for a recipe, use the tiniest scoop, then have the majority of it left to deal with? How sometimes those things go bad before you can find a use for them? With the recipe I found, a leftover container of mascarpone is not a problem.

strawberry mascarpone grilled cheese

This sandwich was inspired by a recipe for a mascarpone and Nutella grilled cheese topped with strawberries, but if I bought a jar of Nutella, I'd be in the same mess all over again. And as good as Nutella is, I didn't want it around to chocolify every breakfast. So, I cut the Nutella and put the strawberries inside the sandwich. Also, the recipe called for brioche, which I couldn't find at my local grocery store, so I went with challah. I was pleasantly surprised that the challah I got happened to be orange-flavored. That meant the bread was the sweetest part of the sandwich, with the cheese mild and creamy and the strawberries a welcome tartness.

Tomorrow, I might put bananas with the strawberries. Or maybe I could top the strawberries with some fresh basil and make a sweet, syrupy balsamic reduction to dip the sandwich in. I was just telling my friend that my incredibly technical grad courses this semester are killing my creative brain. I hope today a little of that brain came back!

In my tweens, I developed a fail-proof system for making grilled cheese (since that was basically all I could cook). Butter both pieces of bread, then place them buttered sides together on the cutting board, so as not to get butter everywhere. Ingenious, right? I thought so. Anyway, then put your cheese and whatever else on top of the bread stack you made, then when you're ready to cook them, separate the buttered pieces and assemble the sandwich in the pan. This worked well for me today, since I could add one more smear of mascarpone to the top piece of bread before closing the sandwich.

Strawberry Mascarpone Grilled Cheese
adapted from Sweet & Saucy (be forewarned--the blog plays music)

4 slices brioche or challah bread
2 tbsp butter
2-4 tbsp mascarpone, as much as your heart desires
6 strawberries, rinsed and sliced

Butter one side of each slice of bread. Then smear 1-2 tbsp mascarpone on the other side of each slice. Place strawberry slices, overlapping, on top of mascarpone.

Heat cast iron skillet to medium heat. Cook sandwiches until browned on each side. Attend to the pan carefully, since these went from golden to black for me very quickly. Also, turn with care since the mascarpone doesn't really stick the slices together like a slice of American cheese would.

graham...crackers?

2011-03-24T16:26:00.001-05:00

I happen to have a lot of Japanese posts to make lately, but in the interest of showing that I do not only eat Asian food, I'll post a good ol' American burger recipe today. Actually, I'm just going to share the instructions for the onions. If you're like me, you know how to make sandwiches and burgers. You just need some ideas for different toppings sometimes. Even my beloved chipotle caramelized onions get old.

bison patty with brie, quick-pickled red onion, garlic mayo, and greens on ciabatta

The onions atop Graham Elliot's Grahamburger are simple enough that I'll be making them many times in the future and flavorful enough that they stand out against a meaty burger patty. The vinegar and oil marinade gives the onions a kick that actually makes them seem fairly fresh and bright. The only change we'd make to this next time is to grill the top of the bun as well, a la the chargrilled lamb burger from The Breslin restaurant in NYC (no, we didn't take a trip there--I saw it on "The Best Thing I Ever Ate: Burgers "). The ciabatta bun was a tasty and substantial, but got a little bready on top and needed some crunch.

Quick-Pickled Red Onions

from Serious Eats

Follow the link above to see full burger recipe.

1 c apple cider vinegar
1/2 c olive oil
1 lg red onion, thinly sliced

Mix vinegar and oil in a medium bowl and toss onion slices in the mixture. Let sit for at least 10 minutes.

Heat grill pan over medium until very hot. Pat marinated onions dry and grill until soft and colored, about 3 minutes per side. Remove to bowl.

umami

2011-03-23T11:54:00.001-05:00

At the beginning of March was the grand opening of Madison's new ramen and dumpling restaurant, Umami, on Williamson Street. It's tucked up into a residential stretch, so if you blink, you might miss it. The Wednesday before the grand opening we tried a sampling of their menu for their "soft opening". We've had our eye on the development of the restaurant since the fall, so we were were thrilled when we finally got to try the food.

The restaurant's shell is a quaint old home that looks like it could have come out of a Miyazaki movie, but the interior is surprisingly modern with great atmosphere. We sat at the bar, which had a rough-hewn feel reminiscent of the ramen-ya where we ate at in Tokyo mixed with a sleek contemporary feel complete with backlighting.

We started out with tasty salads, which were not particularly Asian, but definitely solid. The inclusion of some not-so-Japanese items on the menu will prove helpful when we take less adventurous friends and family to Umami--and we certainly will!

We did not get shots of the gyoza (dumplings) since for the soft opening we were served passed dumplings on a platter. We enjoyed the traditional pork dumplings, but surprisingly liked the chicken and mushroom best. The pork bun and tuna poke were both impressive--the pork bun with a nicely cooked piece of pork belly on a fluffy steamed rice bun, and the poke a pile of fresh raw tuna tossed in a pleasantly spicy and gingery sauce. This from a woman who would never have considered eating raw fish a few years ago.

pork belly with hoisin and pickles on a steamed bun

tuna poke

The main event--and honestly the reason we went--was the ramen. Matt ordered the thicker, richer tonkotsu broth topped with pork and I tried the lighter miso broth with chicken. They also had a vegetarian option that we did not try. I had not had miso ramen previously, and that might be why I was surprised at its lightness. The miso ramen had a nicely cooked egg and tender chicken on top, but I still preferred Matt's (perhaps because a richer broth is what I'm used to) and ate a lot of his noodles. Tonkotsu broth is cloudy, salty, fatty, porky--definitely multidimensional--and the flavor seemed to soak into the noodles more than in the miso bowl. I didn't get any of the pork, but Matt (obviously) liked it and wished there had been more. Ultimately, both bowls had that essential smell and flavor of ocean that typifies Japanese food and took us right back.

tonkotsu ramen with pork (left) and miso ramen with chicken (right)

My dessert order was a no-brainer--green tea creme brulee. The tea flavor was not overwhelming, but present. I always enjoy a good creamy creme brulee with a nice crackly crust, and this hit the mark. Matt's ice cream sandwich was fine, but not a stand-out. I'd go with the brulee again next time.

green tea creme brulee

chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwich

For their first week in operation, Umami made a great first impression. I look forward to trying their menu again and taking others there for the variety of tasty dishes and fun atmosphere.

tv dinner

2011-03-22T10:32:00.002-05:00

So, I've already missed my goal of blogging every day during break. Last night the internet was out for awhile in the evening, and then I fell asleep on the (very orange) couch. Oh well.

I had already enjoyed Makiko Itoh's Just Bento and Just Hungry websites, so when Serious Eats posted recipes from her Just Bento Cookbook, I was ready to jump on the chance to try some reliable and fairly simple Japanese recipes. By the way, I just found out that Makiko lives what must be an amazing life split between Japan, Switzerland, and Southern France. Wow.

My first foray into Just Bento recipes was Chicken Karaage - Japanese fried chicken. I typically avoid frying foods at home, but this sounded too great to pass up. Unfortunately for my health, but fortunately for my taste buds, this frying adventure led to several more fried dishes in the following weeks.

The recipe called for boneless chicken thighs, which I was unable to find, so I struggled with pulling the bones out of a package of thighs. I do recommend using thighs, despite the hard work. All the fatty strains liquefied and just made the already juicy dark meat even more succulent. I opted to leave the skin off this time, but I'm sure my husband would have appreciated the inclusion of the skin.

The chicken karaage was meant to be a bento meal for the following day's lunch, but after our first bite, we couldn't stop eating until it was all gone. Best TV dinner ever.

Chicken Karaage
from the Just Bento Cookbook by Makiko Itoh via Serious Eats

This recipe was intended for one serving for a bento lunch. I quadrupled the recipe to use a 1-lb package of chicken thighs and it served two, although it could serve more if you are not as gluttonous as we were! We dipped our chicken pieces in green onion sauce as we ate them, but I'd be interested to see what the texture would be like if I followed the directions and dipped them right after frying.

1 lb boneless chicken thigh, with or without skin, cut into 3–4 pieces

4 tsp soy sauce (if you are not making the green onion sauce, increase to 2 tsp)

4 tbsp sake

4 tsp peeled and grated fresh ginger

vegetable oil, for deep-frying

8 tbsp cornstarch (or enough to cover chicken pieces)
handful green salad leaves or other vegetable

cooked short-grain rice

For the green onion sauce:

4 tbsp rice vinegar

4 tbsp soy sauce

4 tbsp finely chopped green onion
Pinch sugar
A few drops sesame oil

4 tsp peeled and grated fresh ginger

Combine the chicken, soy sauce, saké, and ginger. Let marinate for at least 10 minutes or overnight. (If you need to leave it marinating for more than 12 hours, omit the soy sauce and add it 10 minutes before cooking, or the salt will draw out too much moisture from the chicken and make it dry.)

Remove the chicken pieces from the marinade, drain, and coat in the cornstarch.

Heat 1 inch (2.5cm) of vegetable oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Test the oil temperature by putting a little of the cornstarch-and-marinade coating on the end of a wooden chopstick and dipping it into the oil. If the coating sizzles and turns brown immediately, the oil is hot enough. If the oil starts getting smoky, turn down the heat.

Fry the chicken pieces in the oil, turning once, until a deep golden brown. Drain well on paper towels.

To make the green onion sauce, combine all the ingredients in a small frying pan over medium heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Put the chicken pieces in the pan and toss to coat each piece with the sauce.

Let cool completely before packing into a bento box. Putting a layer of arugula or other salad leaves under the chicken enhances the color of the chicken and provides another texture in the bento.

Note from Serious Eats: You can cook chicken karaage the night before. If I’m making this for dinner, I usually set aside a few pieces for the next day’s bento. Chicken kara-age can be frozen uncooked and marinated, or cooked. To freeze it uncooked and marinated, put the chicken and marinade (excluding the soy sauce) into a freezer bag. Defrost in the refrigerator in a bowl, adding the soy sauce before frying. Cooked frozen pieces can be defrosted in the refrigerator, then crisped up for a few minutes in a toaster oven. I don’t recommend defrosting cooked pieces in a microwave, since this will make the chicken tough.

friday night pizza

2011-03-20T20:57:00.009-05:00

I'm on spring break for the next week, so my goal is to blog every day--I definitely have plenty of pictures backed up.

On Friday nights I often feel like "junk food" to wind down the week and kick off the weekend. Sometimes it's a burger or nachos. Last week it was pizza. As spring creeps out of hiding more and more, I find myself wanting to eat more fruits and vegetables. On the other hand, it's still chilly at night and I want something hearty. So, I made a vegetarian pizza, but one with enough heft to fill me up. Meaty veggies like zucchini, eggplant, roasted peppers, or mushrooms are a must. This one involves roasted marinated mushrooms and zucchini. The marinade with its soy sauce for salt and maple syrup for sweetening may sound a little crunchy-granola, but trust me, it gives the whole thing a lot of depth. The recipe is from a whole foods (and I think vegan?) cookbook, so the original recipe didn't include cheese, but--hey--this is Wisconsin.

I am typically not ambitious enough to make my own pizza dough on any night of the week, but I am certainly not in the mood on Friday nights. I'd tried various flatbreads and pre-made crusts with some success, but I really liked the pita-marketed-as-pizza-crust from Kontos that I tried this time. The chewy, crispy crust was topped with the rich and tangy roasted and marinated veggies, a smoky and garlicky sauce, and melty fresh mozzarella. It was a hit and will certainly reappear in the summer when the vegetables are available locally.

My only complaint is that the zucchini left a bit of unwanted liquid behind under the cheese, so next time I would squeeze out some of the excess water before placing it on the pizza.

Rustic Tomato Thin Crust Pizza with Roasted Zucchini, Portobello Mushroom, and Red Onion
slightly adapted from The Balanced Plate by Renee Loux

Try this with a sprinkle of aleppo pepper or some peperoncini and a nice beer like New Glarus apple ale!

3 tbsp + 2 tsp olive oil
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp maple syrup
2 tsp fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried (optional)
1 large portobello mushroom or 5 baby bella (crimini) mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
Kosher salt
Black pepper
2 round flatbreads (6"), 2 tortillas (9"), or 1 large flatbread (9'-12')
1/2 c tomato sauce, purchased or homemade (see below for recipe)
2-4 oz fresh mozzarella, sliced

1/2 c thinly sliced red onion
6 cherry tomatoes, halved

Preheat the broiler. In a small bowl, mix together 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil, the garlic, balsamic, soy sauce, maple syrup, and thyme (if using). Pour over the mushroom and toss to coat evenly. Let stand for 10 minutes or more to absorb and develop flavor.

In a separate bowl, toss the zucchini with 2 tsp of olive oil. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper. Place both the mushroom and zucchini on a baking sheet under the broiler until browned, about 10-12 minutes. Set aside to cool. When cool enough to handle, gently press on the zucchini with a paper towel until the vegetable has released most of its excess water.

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. Brush one side of the bread or tortillas with the remaining 1 1/2 tbsp of olive oil. Place the oiled side face down on a baking sheet or pizza stone. This will make it crisp nicely. Spread the sauce evenly over the bread or tortillas, leaving just a 1/4" border at the edge. Distribute the mushroom and zucchini evenly. Cover with the mozzarella slices, then sprinkle the red onion slices and cherry tomato halves over the top of the cheese.

Bake on the middle rack for 15-20 minutes, until the edges are golden brown. Let cool enough to cut and serve.

Quick Tomato Sauce

28-oz can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
olive oil

Drizzle about 1 tbsp olive oil in a large saucepan. Heat on medium heat, then add the garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes, until beginning to brown. Add can of tomatoes with juices and cook, stirring frequently, until liquid is mostly cooked off and the sauce is thickened. Add salt if you like.

eat your veggies

2011-02-20T16:31:00.001-06:00

creamy cauliflower and pasta

I love cauliflower. Raw, cooked, in cheese sauce, and especially in this pasta. Luckily, my husband, who is usually cauliflower-averse, also likes this pasta. The cauliflower is meant to be creamy and fall-apart tender. Really it just melts in with the pasta and Parmesan. I made this once before, but didn't cook the florets long enough--trust me, you don't want the cauliflower tender-crisp in this case. I also added in a can of diced tomatoes this time, which added to the pizza-type flavor of this dish along with the garlic, oregano, and cheese. I used the end of a block of Wisconsin Parmesan to top the pasta, but recently I bought a chunk of Parmesan from Hook's cheese out of Mineral Point. It's by far the best Parmesan I've ever tasted and would have made this meal even better. Alongside a piece of baguette slathered with roasted garlic, the whole wheat pasta and cauliflower made this a hearty (and fairly healthy) winter meal.

Every time I browse through my favorite cookbook, Simply Organic, I find more to try. This recipe is located in the "deep winter" section of the book, but I'm looking forward to trying it again when we can get local cauliflower from our CSA or the farmer's market. And, as a side note, we signed up for the CSA through Amazing Grace once again. So excited for spring to come!

Creamy Cauliflower and Pasta
from Simply Organic by Jesse Ziff Cool

1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
1 lb whole wheat pasta, such as shells or rotelle
1/3 c olive oil
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/2 c dry white wine
15-oz can diced tomatoes, drained (optional, but recommended)
1 1/2 tbsp chopped fresh oregano or 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 c kalamata olives, pitted and chopped (I omitted these--we're not olive fans.)
1 tsp red pepper flakes
4 sprigs fresh Italian parsley, stemmed and chopped
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
1/4 c shredded Parmesan or Asiago cheese

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil over high heat. Add the cauliflower and cook for 5 minutes, or until tender. Remove with a slotted spoon to a medium bowl, reserving the water. Cook the pasta according to the package directions in the reserved water. Drain and transfer to a large serving bowl.

While the pasta is cooking, in a large skillet heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cauliflower and cook for 5 minutes, stirring and breaking the cauliflower into bite-sized pieces. Add the wine, oregano, tomatoes and olives (if using), and red-pepper flakes and cook for 3 minutes, or until the cauliflower is very tender. Add the parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour over the pasta and toss to coat well. Top with the cheese.

one pound

2011-02-19T23:18:00.000-06:00

pork and lemon meatballs

I know I've mentioned before that when I'm not cooking meatless dishes, I try to stretch our meat to make several meals. Whenever I buy a pound of ground meat (lamb, beef, buffalo, or pork), I plan to make two recipes with it. This week the meat of choice was a package of wonderfully fatty ground pork from a local farm that supplies our bacon and the recipes were both knock-outs: pork and lemon meatballs and pork and scallion dumplings. This is a two-for-one recipe post, outlining how well you can eat if you have just one pound of pork.

pork and scallion dumplings

First, a meatball recipe from a favorite Serious Eats column, Dinner Tonight. I have two or three meatball recipes that I rotate, but this one stands out. The pork is mixed with breadcrumbs, herbs, anchovies, Parmesan, and some lemon, then dredged in flour before frying in butter and olive oil to create a nice crispy coating. Then chicken stock is added with the meatballs, which I thought might have made the meatballs soggy, but it actually had the effect of making the coating into a velvety glaze. I want to try other meatball recipes with this technique! The flavor was great too--the Parmesan and anchovy provided nice depth. The citrus and pork combination reminded me a bit of the delicious Laotian lemongrass pork sausage I had at Lao Laan Xang awhile back.

Pork and Lemon Meatballs
from Serious Eats
serves 2

The recipe here is halved from the original since I wanted the other half pound of pork for dumplings later in the week. Click the link above for the original recipe.

1/4 c flour

3/4 c fresh breadcrumbs

1/2 lb ground pork
Juice and zest of 1/2 lemon

2 tbsp parsley leaves, chopped
6-8 springs thyme, leaves removed
3 tbsp grated good-quality Parmesan

5 anchovy fillets, minced (or about a tbsp anchovy paste, if you keep that on hand like I do)
salt and pepper

1 tbsp olive oil

1 1/2 tbsp butter
3/4 cup chicken stock
1 pound cooked couscous or pasta (I made couscous with butter, salt, and chicken stock. Yummy!)

Sprinkle flour on large baking sheet. Combine breadcrumbs, pork, lemon zest and juice, parsley leaves, thyme, Parmesan, and anchovy filets (or paste) in large bowl. Add good pinch salt and pepper and mix ingredients thoroughly by hand. Shape into 18-20 balls, about heaped tablespoon each, and put on floured baking sheet.

Heat olive oil and butter over medium heat until butter melts and foam subsides, then roll enough meatballs that will fit comfortably in skillet in light coating of flour. Cook until golden all over, in batches if necessary, 10-12 minutes total. Avoid moving unless necessary to promote caramelization.

Pour off most of fat from skillet and add chicken stock. Bring to a boil and reduce for 2-3 minutes. Serve with pasta or couscous and juices from pan.

* * *

Tonight we enjoyed the following pork dumplings. Recently we've tried a couple different methods of cooking dumplings. I made gyoza which were meant to be fried, then doused with water to steam. Those fell apart when we added the water. On New Year's Day, I made shrimp and cilantro shu mai, which were very tasty, but stuck to the basket when I tried to steam them (should have sprayed the basket first!). This recipe called for the dumplings to be simmered in a pot of water, which has been the most successful technique yet. The directions say to fish the dumplings with a slotted spoon, but I seem to have lived on my own for 6 years without picking up that kitchen tool. We tried just dumping the contents of the pan through a strainer, but the force of the water tore some of the dumplings. I finally just pulled them out with a regular spoon. Needless to say, I will be purchasing a slotted spoon soon, plus one of those handy little wire skimmers.

In any case, these were very flavorful and pretty easy. If you're like me, you'll have most of the ingredients on hand and will only have to pick up a few items. I actually had half a package of dumpling wrappers left over from the New Year's shu mai, so I really only had to pick up scallions. I love it when I can use up what I already have in the freezer or cabinet! I served them on a bed of red cabbage for a bit of freshness and crunch. I could see serving them the same way for a party--they can be frozen in advance and cooked as needed which would be ideal for entertaining.

Pork and Scallion Dumplings
from Epicurious
serves 2 as a main dish (24-30 dumplings)

We had a bit of pork leftover, which made yummy a few meatballs with some panko thrown in.

1/2 lb fatty ground pork
1/2 tbsp Shaoxing wine (I substituted sherry)
1/4 tsp Asian sesame oil
1/2 tsp Vietnamese chile-garlic sauce (preferably Huy Fong brand)
1 1/2 tsp finely grated peeled ginger
1/2 tsp rice vinegar (not seasoned)
2 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp kosher salt
Pinch of white pepper
3 tbsp finely chopped cilantro stems
3 tbsp finely chopped scallions, flowering chives, or flat Chinese chives (garlic chives)
24 to 30 round dumpling (gyoza) wrappers

Make the dipping sauce by mixing all the following ingredients and let it sit while you make the dumplings.

1/2 c soy sauce
1/3 c water
1/2 tbsp Shaoxing wine (or sherry)
1/8 tsp Asian sesame oil
1 garlic clove, smashed
3 (2-inch) dried red chiles, wiped clean
1/8 tsp sugar

Combine all filling ingredients (except cilantro stems, chives, and wrappers) in a large bowl, then stir in cilantro stems and chives. Set bowl in a larger bowl of ice to keep chilled while forming dumplings.

Place a slightly rounded teaspoon of filling in center of a wrapper and moisten area around filling with water. Fold in half to form a crescent and press to seal. Moisten one corner and bring corners together, pressing them, to form a tortellini-shaped dumpling. Repeat with remaining filling and wrappers.

Cook dumplings in a large pot of gently simmering water until pork is just cooked, about 3 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a platter.

meatless with mushrooms

2011-02-13T22:34:00.000-06:00

This week was a pretty good week for animals. We had several vegetarian meals, which were all very yummy. This meal will be my first official "Meatless Monday" link for the Midnight Maniac blog (whose author I was delighted to discover is a fellow Wisconsinite!). Our vegetarian attempts have recently become even more appealing, as our trip to Japan helped Matt and I both get over our mushroom "issues" once and for all. Their earthy, meaty qualities were perfect for these flavorful meatless tacos.

I was able to whip this up fairly quickly since I had roasted and peeled the hot peppers earlier in the week to make our own rendition of this decidedly meat-ful torta (I'll leave description for another post). I am about ready to start roasting up a huge batch of peppers--poblano, red, yellow, orange, and otherwise hot--on the weekends to have on hand all week for sandwiches, salads, soups, and the like. I could also use a vat of roasted garlic in the fridge at all times.

Anyway, I digress. I simplified the taco recipe a bit by switching out fresh epazote for dried oregano and omitting the coxita cheese. I also used some frozen fresh salsa I stored away last fall instead of making the salsa quemada, though it sounds quite tasty as well. Next time we thought we'd add a bit of Greek yogurt (our go-to sour cream substitute), but overall this turned out very well. But look out--for us this made a ton of filling. I'll be eating this as a salad topping all week!

Mushroom, Rajas, and Corn Tacos with Queso Fresco
adapted (slightly) from Epicurious

2 Anaheim chiles
1 poblano chile
1 c frozen or fresh corn kernels (about 1 ear)
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
Kosher salt
1/2 white onion, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 lg clove garlic, thinly sliced
6 oz cremini or white button mushrooms, trimmed and quartered
1 tsp oregano, preferably Mexican
Fresh-ground black pepper
1/2 c queso fresco, cut into small cubes
6 warm corn tortillas
Salsa quemada or your favorite salsa
Cilantro sprigs

Roast the chiles as for rajas. If you have a gas stove, it's simple to quickly char the skin on the peppers directly over the gas flame. If you're like me and are stuck with electric, it's not much more difficult. I roast the peppers under a hot broiler in a small pan lined with foil for about 5 minutes on each side, staying nearby to check every so often, until all sides are blackened and beginning to blister. Put the peppers in a plastic zippered bag and seal for about 15 minutes, or until the chiles have cooled and the skin is readily peeled. Pull the stem from the top and strip the skin from the peppers, then remove the seeds and cut into 1/2-inch dice.

Heat a heavy pan (preferably cast iron) over medium-high heat until very hot. If using frozen corn, place corn in colander and rinse until thawed. Allow to drain and dry somewhat before the next step. In a bowl, toss the corn with 1 teaspoon of the olive oil and a sprinkling of salt. Spread the corn in the hot pan and let it blacken slightly, without stirring, for 30 seconds. Have a lid ready in case the kernels begin to pop. Remove the roasted corn from the pan. In the same pan, heat 2 teaspoons of the olive oil. Add the onion and diced chiles and cook, stirring often, until the onion is soft and beginning to brown. Season lightly with salt and remove from the pan.

Reduce the heat and add the remaining olive oil. Add the garlic and mushrooms. Cook, stirring often, until the mushrooms are cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. Return the corn and chiles to the pan and stir to reheat. Turn off the heat and stir in the oregano, black pepper, and queso fresco.

To assemble the tacos, spoon some vegetables onto a tortilla. Top with a generous tablespoon of salsa. Top with cilantro and sour cream or Greek yogurt, if desired.

six new-old things

2011-02-08T19:54:00.001-06:00

Over my break from grad classes, I finally put inspiration from Casey's blog to work and made this jewelry holder.

I painted an old bulletin board with an old off-white paint on the cork, then taped the cork off and spray-painted the frame glossy black. Then all I had to do was screw in some inexpensive gold cup hooks and I had a much more attractive and organized way to keep my jewelry. The cork holds my brooches and pins as well as extra pendants on straight pins.

Next up is a new Madison spot we like that is not really all that new to the city. In the past year or so, Madison Sourdough opened a restaurant featuring their yummy breads.

I got a the bacon/goat cheese deal, which I liked better than Matt did. He got the chicken salad, which he liked better than I did. Both were really solid sandwiches with tasty side salads. Plus we ordered a chocolate croissant, too quickly inhaled to be photographed. We will be returning.

bacon with fig marmalade and goat cheese on five grain sourdough

chicken salad with apple, pine nuts, red onion, aioli, and greens on country sourdough

Right after the holidays, Matt and I had a very successful trip to Good Style Shop, which has just changed hands but will likely still be providing a great deal of my vintage wardrobe. I found this lovely spring coat. Let's hope the groundhog was right so I can wear it soon! It has a nice houndstooth wool lining, but it's not nearly heavy enough to tackle these below-zero windchills. And, since I've been practically living in my boots this winter, I was thrilled to pick up this cute new-old pair. Apparently, I've got a thing for camel-colored clothing right now.

Below is a video of my favorite new song, played live. It's from Ty Segall's last full-length, Melted, which came out last summer. I'm just a little slow on the uptake sometimes. (I'm working on getting the sizing of the video right...) Edit: I finally got the size of the video right!

Finally, just for fun, is a brand-new picture of my old dog. Not all the white on that face is snow!

Stay warm!

new favorite

2010-12-31T11:45:00.003-06:00

The people at Cook's Country magazine come across as mad food scientists. They make and remake and mess with and test a recipe so many times that it makes me impatient just reading about it. The result is typically a reliable recipe, but sometimes involves ingredients I'd rather not keep on hand (anybody keep apple brandy in the cabinet??).

In the case of their "New Mexican Pork Stew", the result is a delicious and fairly simple posole. When deciding to make this recipe, I did something I really shouldn't do. I decided to make an ethnic dish from a recipe when I had never tasted any other version of the dish, good or bad. I've attempted this foolishness with varied results. Spanikopita was only so-so. Korean bulgogi was actually pretty great. And so was this posole. The problem is, I don't know whether these recipes even begin to approximate the authentic dish. If you're some kind of posole expert, please enlighten me. I guess when it comes right down to it, I don't particularly care--this stew is that good.

Many meals in our home either start out spicy or get some kind of spice added to them later (red pepper flake, jalapenos, sambal). This was not one of those meals, and yet we both found it immensely satisfying. The ancho chiles, which Wikipedia tells me are a dried poblano, are not particularly spicy. Instead, they are smoky and earthy. Between the chiles and the intensely corny hominy, this dish reminds me of the first particularly earthy Mexican dish I ate, a tortilla soup at La Mestiza in Madison. This is one recipe that will be going into our regular rotation.

One major benefit of Cook's Country (and they don't pay me to say this) is the mad scientist's report on the process which led to the recipe. While mind-bogglingly involved, it does provide the justification for each step of the recipe that might seem unnecessary, like, say, browning hominy. Steps that I might be tempted to skip, which would be very silly of me. I will not be typing up Cook's Country's introduction to the recipe. Just trust me and follow the directions. As a side-note, the pork ribs from our butcher had little bones in a few of them, but they had no adverse effect. Just pull them out when you shred the pork. Also, my grocery store doesn't carry 15-ounce cans of hominy, so I went with two huge 28-ounce cans. The more hominy, the better, I say.

New Mexican Pork Stew (Posole)
from Cook's Country-January 2011

3/4 oz dried ancho chiles (about 3 chiles)
8 c low-sodium chicken broth (I used homemade)
2 lbs boneless country-style pork ribs
salt & pepper
3 tbsp vegetable oil
3 (15-oz) cans white hominy, rinsed and drained well
2 onions, chopped
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp minced fresh oregano (or 1 tsp dried)
1 tbsp lime juice
chopped avocado, cabbage, and radishes for serving (optional)

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Place chiles on baking sheet and bake until puffed and fragrant, about 6 minutes. When chiles are cool enough to handle, remove seeds and stems. Combine chiles and 1 cup broth in medium bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave until bubbling, about 2 minutes. Let stand until softened, 10 to 15 minutes.

Pat pork dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Cook pork until well browned all over, about 10 minutes. Transfer pork to plate. Add hominy to now-empty pot and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant and hominy begins to darken 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer hominy to medium bowl.

Heat remaining oil in now-empty pot over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Puree onion mixture with softened chile mixture in blender. Combine remaining broth, pureed onion-chile mixture, pork, oregano, 1/2 teaspoon sald, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in now-empty pot and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, until meat is tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Transfer pork to clean plate. Add hominy to pot and simmer, covered, until tender, about 30 minutes. Skim fat from broth. When meat is cool enough to handle, shred into bite-sized pieces, discarding fat. Return pork to pot and cook until heated through, about 1 minute. Off heat, add lime juice. Season with salt and pepper.

Posole can be refrigerated in airtight container for 3 days. We did not really skim the fat off the soup, thus the shiny spots in the photo. We did, however, scrape some of the congealed, bright-orange fat off the top of our leftovers before reheating. Only some though. Matt's turned me into an animal-fat fan.

nostrano/madison

2010-12-25T21:34:00.002-06:00

Wow. It's been ages since I last blogged here. This semester I discovered that I can only maintain one blog at a time. My grad class blog had a grade attached to it, so of course it took precedent. I probably wouldn't bother reading it unless you too are a library grad student. I have months of recipe photos backlogged, but the summer and fall ingredients I used in those are no longer available, so they can wait!

Dinner from last weekend is fresh on my mind, so here goes! We like to have excuses to try pricier restaurants and my birthday's as good a reason as any. Matt and I went to Nostrano on Saturday night, a brand new restaurant on the Capital Square. I would call it loosely Italian, with several pasta dishes and house-made Italian-style meats. The atmosphere is great in there, with old architectural pieces and pretty bottles giving the place a modern yet comfortable feel.

charcuterie plate: (clockwise from top) grilled focaccia, salsiccia, caponata, piparras, turkey liver mousse, pate campagnola, salame nostrano, fingerling potato salad

We had read that their charcuterie plate was excellent, and unsure as we were about liver-based snacks, we gave it a try. I knew I would like the salsiccia, pickled peppers, and smoked shallots. What surprised me was how much I liked the pate with smoked pork (bottom left) and turkey liver mousse (bottom right, my favorite!). If you are a connoisseur of fine meat platters, please don't read my amateurish exposition too carefully. But if you are a newcomer to charcuterie (like I was) and iffy on the merits of chopped and formed liver (as was I), let me assure you that both the pate and mousse were delicious. The mousse we've decided must be something like a turkey liverwurst and tastes like a soft, smooth, smoky summer sausage. The pate is harder to compare, but both items were pleasantly meaty and fatty. I am very glad we tried everything.

crispy chicken thighs & boudin blanc, bacon, pickled honeycrisp apples, arugula, fennel puree

Our entrees were just as good as the starter. Matt had the chicken thighs, which had some of the best-cooked chicken skin I've ever tasted, on top of juicy and moist meat. The boudin blanc was a vaguely anise-flavored house-made chicken sausage with a very fine texture. To my husband's relief, the fennel puree did not taste like fennel. This is a benefit to the licorice-flavor-averse, but would disappoint those looking for the fennel flavor as advertised. The lightly-dressed arugula salad made for a well-balanced plate.

braised beef short ribs with gnocchi, cipollini, ceylon cinnamon, swiss chard, and microgreens

I think balance is one of Nostrano's strengths. A bite of tender short rib, pillowy gnocchi, and smoked cipollini was heavenly. Then the swiss chard with what tasted like a bit of citrus offered a nice break from the heaviness of the meat and potatoes. Again, one of the flavors advertised was not pronounced--the cinnamon. I'm not sure whether it is to the chef's credit that the cinnamon was not overpowering or whether I should have expected more of a punch of flavor. In any case, the dish was very satisfying (sorry the picture is fuzzy--it was pretty dark in there).

finanziera: brown butter cake, roasted pears, hickory nuts, maple gelato, pomegranate sauce

Dessert was interesting. My dessert, the finanziera, was ultimately what drew us into Nostrano, and it did not disappoint. It's hard to go wrong for me with maple, pears, and butter. Matt, however, did not find any dessert that really suited his preferences. He went for the crema, which was more of an "interesting experience" than a lick-your-plate bonanza like mine was. Matt's verdict was "not bad" but not something he'd order again.

crema: milk chocolate cream, pumpkin sponge, olive oil gelato, px sherry, roasted pumpkin and cranberries

Matt and I agreed that for a restaurant in the first few months of its life, Nostrano is on the right track. We've recently tried two other new restaurants on the square, Graze and Cooper's Tavern, and Nostrano is my favorite (though comparing them is really comparing apples and oranges--more about Graze later). If they lent difficult winter ingredients such appeal, I will be happy to return to Nostrano to see what they do with bright, fresh summer ingredients. Anniversary dinner, here we come!

1 chicken 4 ways: number 4

2010-09-26T14:23:00.000-05:00

Finally I'm getting around to telling you how I finished using the beer-can chicken--after about a month of avoiding it. Whenever I make a whole chicken, the last step is using the bones to make chicken broth. I made a summery zucchini basil soup from the last batch of broth. If you've got zucchini coming out of your ears, this is a great way to use quite a few up. I happened to be overrun with pattypan squashes at that time, and they worked just as well. I wasn't happy with any of the available recipes that I found, so I combined a couple.

Creamy Basil Summer Squash Soup
adapted from myrecipes and epicurious

This soup gets nice and creamy and tastes like summer. We liked it topped with grated parmesan, roasted red pepper strips, and pine nuts.

1 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, diced
2 lbs zucchini or other summer squash, chopped (about 6-8 cups)
4 c reduced-sodium or homemade chicken broth
1 c loosely-packed rinsed basil leaves
2-4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
salt

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add squash and cook another 2 minutes; then add chicken broth and 1 cup basil leaves. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook 20 minutes. Purée the soup in batches in a blender. Pour the soup through a strainer into a bowl, using a ladle to push any solid bits through. Add the cayenne pepper. Season with salt to taste.

"the best tuna salad"

2010-09-19T14:24:00.000-05:00

I'm not kidding. I have a recipe for the tastiest, best-textured tuna salad I've ever had. And yes, you do need a recipe for tuna salad. Plus, making easy flavorful lunches is what I'm all about during the school year.

I've had a love/hate relationship with canned tuna over the course of my life. When I was little, I don't think I knew that it was fish. And once I realized that it was not some sort of canned chicken, I was done. Since then, I've been back and forth, craving tuna salad and then taking a hiatus after gagging on the fish taste. I recently got over my fish issues (Japan had a great deal to do with that), so I was ready to hop back on the tuna saddle. I know that's a catfish--use your imagination.

image from cowancollectionanimation.blogspot.com

I have tried many different kinds of canned tuna with varied satisfaction. At the suggestion of Cook's Country, I'm sticking with white albacore packed in water from now on. I ate some of this on a spinach flatbread with lettuce and tomato today. So good.

The Best Tuna Salad
from Cook's Country magazine

3 cans white albacore tuna packed in water
2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 c minced onion
2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp sugar
salt & pepper
1/2 c plus 2 tbsp mayo
1 celery stalk, minced (I always skip this because I don't like crunchy tuna salad)

Drain tuna and pat dry with paper towel (so the olive oil won't bead up on the water). Microwave olive oil and minced onion for about 2 minutes, until onion begins to soften. Mix onion mixture with tuna, lemon juice, sugar, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper. Let marinate for 10 minutes. Stir in mayonnaise. You can add dill or roasted red peppers and capers for something different.

Oh, and by the way, this is me.

1 chicken 4 ways: numbers 2 and 3

2010-08-29T12:41:00.005-05:00

In the last several years, I have endeavored to make a few meals a week meatless and to make the most of our meat. Think Michael Pollan's mantra: eat meat, not too much, mostly plants. When I buy a piece or package of meat, I want it to make several meals, complementing the vegetables and starches, but not dominating the meal. It has also been important to me that the meat we do eat comes from local and humane sources. I've been heading out to a nearby butcher to get pork and whole fresh chickens. That's where I got the meat for our beer-can chicken.

A few days later, the rest of the chicken became a lunch and a dinner. Sorry about the dark photos. We've been eating really late for the last few weeks, so my natural lighting for photos has been nearly gone.

Curry Yogurt Salad
from Serious Eats

2 to 3 ounces of boneless, skinless shredded turkey or chicken or 1 shredded Quorn Naked Chik’n Cutlet
1 squeeze of lemon juice
1 pinch of salt
1 pinch of pepper
1 to 2 teaspoons of curry powder
7 ounce container of single-serve Fage 2% yogurt, or other Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons of cashews
2 tablespoons of golden raisins (sultanas)
1 pinch of nutmeg (optional)

Mix the curry powder into the Fage, add a pinch of salt or pepper to taste. Add the raisins and cashews. Add a pinch of nutmeg if desired. Squeeze lemon on the cooked, shredded Quorn or poultry. Stir into the yogurt mixture. Add more curry powder, salt, pepper, or lemon to taste. Serve on shredded lettuce or on a slice of warm cinnamon raisin bread, whole wheat bread, or Naan bread.

Minced Chicken in Lettuce Cups
from Serious Eats

I had less chicken and more mushrooms than were called for, but everything still balanced well.

2 pounds chicken, skin removed and bones removed (in my case, precooked chicken)
1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil
1 tablespoon ginger, minced
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1/2 cup water chestnuts, drained and finely chopped
2 scallions, white part diced and green part chopped
1 cup cremini mushroom, chopped
8 leaves Boston, bibb, or iceberg lettuce
Salt and pepper

Finely dice the chicken. Pour the oil into a work or large iron skillet set over high heat. Add the ginger and scallion whites and stir-fry until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Dump in the chicken and mushrooms. Continue stirring, breaking up the chicken pieces, and cook for about a minute, or until the chicken is white and no longer raw (if using precooked chicken, just stir-fry until the chicken is warmed). Pour in the oyster sauce and cook for 2 more minutes, stirring frequently.

Remove from the heat and add the scallion greens and chopped water chestnuts. Stir until everything is combined. Season with salt if necessary. Fill each lettuce cup with a little bit of the mixture and serve.

I felt like this could have used some kind of soy-based sauce to top the lettuce cups. I liked a bit of okonomiyaki sauce and Matt used some Sichuan black bean paste. I thought something like a ponzu might be nice too. Any ideas?

1 chicken 4 ways: summer edition

2010-08-23T21:31:00.006-05:00

At the very end of last winter I used one chicken to make three different meals, oven roasting the various parts and then making stock with the carcass. Unfortunately, just as I was getting the hang of the process, it was getting warm and I didn't want the oven on in the house. That's when we made a grilled beer-can chicken.

grilled beer-can chicken

The chicken in the picture is actually one we made back in June or July, but I forgot to get a shot of the one this week and they turned out essentially the same anyway. It doesn't look that exciting, but the skin gets nice and crispy and it has an appealing barbecued flavor. The beer (or soda, whatever you like) keeps the chicken very tender. Each time I've used a Penzey's seasoning mix, first Northwoods seasoning and then Bangkok mix. Like on an oven-roasted chicken, most of the flavor stays on the skin, so the meat does benefit from a gravy, mustard, barbecue or other sauce. There is a good set of directions for grilling a whole chicken here. The only adjustment I have made is to place a crushed garlic clove and some additional seasoning inside the can of beer.

We had a lovely dinner of about half the chicken, plus corn on the cob, grilled cherry tomatoes, and grilled brussels sprouts. Next time I'll show you the lunch, dinner, and soup I made from the rest of the chicken.

korean out and in

2010-08-23T10:33:00.006-05:00

Since we got back from Japan, at least half of the recipes I've added to my list to try have been Asian recipes of one kind or another. Actually, more of them have been Thai or Korean than Japanese. I have tried a couple of Korean and Korean-inspired recipes and have really enjoyed them. We also made it Chicago for dinner at Dancen Korean restaurant (it is really, really dark in there).

fire chicken with cheese

seasoned rice balls

I tried making a Korean barbecue chicken earlier this year that turned out just okay. The daeji bulgogi, or barbecue pork that I made recently knocked my socks off. It's sweet, spicy, oniony, and meaty--in other words, pretty complex.

daeji bulgogi, pickled kohlrabi, kimchi, & rice

I can't say how authentic this is since I have never eaten its equivalent at a restaurant. I just know that I thought it was really great.

daeji bulgogi

Daeji Bulgogi
from Serious Eats

I let this marinade for at least 24 hours, and that seemed to be the key to the pork's tenderness.

1 lb pork tenderloin, trimmed of silver skin and excess fat
1/4 c soy sauce
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp light brown sugar
2 tbsp gochujang
2 tbsp mirin
2 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp crushed ginger root
1 tsp red pepper flakes
2 green onions, minced
1 small onion, thinly sliced

Place the pork in the freezer until it firms up, about 1 hour (or if frozen, thaw until it is still slightly firm). While the pork is in the freezer, combine the soy sauce, garlic, brown sugar, gochujang , mirin, sesame oil, ginger, red pepper flakes, and green onions in a small bowl.

Remove the pork from the freezer and slice into pieces 1/8 inch thick. Place the pork and sliced onion in a large Ziploc bag, pour in the marinade and seal. Toss to evenly distribute the marinade, then open and reseal the bag, removing as much air as possible. Place in the refrigerator and let marinate for at least one hour to overnight.

Light one chimney full of charcoal. When all the charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour out and spread the coals evenly over the charcoal grate. Clean and oil the grilling grate. Place the pork slices on the grill and cook over direct, high heat until the meat is seared on both sides and cooked through, about 1 minute per side. Remove from the grill and serve immediately with bibb lettuce or rice, kimchi, and quick pickles.

Chinese-style pickled kohlrabi

We're always up for a breakfast sandwich, so we jumped on the chance to have a Korean-inspired bacon muffin. I made some adjustments to the original recipe, swapping out the Canadian peameal bacon for plain old American bacon. I also added a fried egg, which you can see dripping out of the sandwich in the photo and left off the sesame-vinaigrette salad.

bacon, egg, & kimchi sandwich

Bacon, Egg, & Kimchi Breakfast Muffin
adapted from Closet Cooking
makes 2 sandwiches, can be easily multiplied for more

4 slices bacon
1/2 c kimchi (drained and chopped)
2 eggs
3 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tbsp gochujang
2 English muffins (lightly toasted)
1/2 c shredded Cheddar cheese
shredded romaine in a korean sesame vinaigrette, optional

Cook bacon until crisp (we like a cast iron skillet), then drain on paper towels. Pour off all but a couple tablespoons of the bacon fat. Add kimchi to the skillet and saute until a bit caramelized. Carefully crack one egg at a time into skillet, cook over medium until bubbling, then flip and cook just until set, 1-2 minutes.

Mix mayonnaise and gochujang in a small bowl. Sprinkle bottom of muffin with cheese, then top with fried egg. Add bacon, kimchi, and romaine salad, if using. Slather top muffin with gochujang mayo mixture, join the halves, and enjoy!

summer at home 2

2010-08-21T18:36:00.007-05:00

It seems I've taken quite a break from blogging! The summer has just flown by. Now we're entering the beginning of both the school year and the best time of the year food-wise. The farmer's market has finally broken out of its strictly green phase and now features melons, squashes, and sweet red peppers. Our CSA boxes are bigger now so I'm enjoying the slight panic I experience when I see four large patty-pan squashes come out of the box. Yes, enjoying. How else would I find out that chocolate zucchini cake turns out fine with patty-pan? And if I had used up my zucchini on cake, how would I have made a deliciously creamy zucchini basil soup? Ah, conundrums I'm happy to encounter.

I'm going to unload a few of my summer recipes, lazy style, before summer produce is gone like my lazy summer.

caprese frittata
with green tea in my Japanese house mug

roasted potatoes with sage and bacon, revisited

Sichuan-style braised eggplant

grilled tomatoes stuffed with goat cheese and sage

summer succotash with bacon & croutons
(steamed green & wax beans replacing lima and cranberry beans)

summer at home

2010-07-21T14:06:00.006-05:00

herbs (from left): cilantro, oregano, thyme, basil

I'm taking a needed break from Japan posts to revel in being at home. After a very busy first half of the summer, I've greatly enjoyed the past couple of weeks--shopping at our town's farmer's market, cooking with herbs from our backyard, reading on the back steps.

our "new" table & buffet: Matt's great-grandparents' set & his grandmother's tablecloth

Summer Bean and Tomatoes Bruschetta
from Simply Organic by Jesse Ziff Cool
Makes 12 servings

I halved everything and this made a nice light dinner for two along with a kale salad. I used a very nice Italian loaf from a Milwaukee-based bakery and a box of incredibly sweet mixed cherry tomatoes from the farmer's market. This really tastes like summer.

1 c miniature or cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 c sliced fresh basil
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
2 oz small green or wax beans (I used some of each), cut diagonally into 1/2-in pieces
12 thick diagonal slices whole grain or hearty Italian bread
6 oz fresh goat cheese, such as chevre
freshly ground black pepper (addicted to Penzey's four-peppercorn blend!)

Preheat the broiler. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil over high heat. (Note: If you're making this as an appetizer with a pasta dish, consider blanching the beans along with the pasta to conserve energy and water. Or if you're a real planner, blanch the veggies you'll need cooked for the week all at once and store in the fridge.)

In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, onion, garlic, basil, oil, vinegar, and salt. Toss to coat well. Let stand for at least 15 minutes. Meanwhile, add the beans to the boiling water and cook for 3 minutes or until tender-crisp (I preferred them pretty soft so they were easier to eat in the bruschetta topping.) Drain and rinse with cold water. Add to the tomato mixture.

Place the bread slices on a broiler pan. Broil for 2 minutes, or until lightly browned on one side. Turn the slices and brush each with some of the juices from the marinated tomatoes. Broil for 2 minutes longer, or until browned. Remove the bread and place on a large serving platter, moistened side up. Divide the cheese evenly among the bread slices and spread over each.

Scatter the tomato mixture over the cheese and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

japanese food: izakaya

2010-07-19T10:30:00.007-05:00

One of the greatest opportunities we were given in Japan was to attend an enkai (office party) of our host's fellow teachers, unwinding on a Friday evening. Not only did we get to try many new foods, we had a blast at the noisy festivities. We met up with them in progress at an izakaya, which is basically a Japanese pub. There was already food on the table and much more to come.

We started with yakitori, a common type of Japanese bar food involving chicken or some other meat and veggies grilled on skewers, and sashimi, or raw seafood.

yakitori (clockwise from left): fish cake, chicken tendon, chicken & green onion, tiny green peppers, chicken hearts, chicken wings

sashimi: hamachi, scallop, squid, shrimp, tuna

Drinking is also a huge part of the enkai, so an overflowing glass of sake was a necessity.

sake

The sake was followed by what seemed like an unending barrage of delicious foods.

"Have you ever tried (insert food name here)?"

"No."

"Let's get some."

korokke: breaded & fried potato pancake

nigiri sushi (from left): tuna, hamachi, salmon, squid, tamago (egg)

breaded & fried baby octopus

shabu-shabu

Shabu-shabu was a revelation. Very thinly sliced & perfectly marbled beef, cabbage, and mushrooms are quickly dipped in hot broth until gently cooked. Grab some beef, swish for 3-5 seconds, then remove and drag through ponzu (we think) for the most tender and flavorful piece of meat.

dunking the shabu-shabu

Perhaps the most surprising offering at the izakaya was horse-meat sashimi, a specialty of Yamanashi. Matt partook in the chewy raw horse-meat and was glad he tried it, though he says he would not go out of his way to eat it again. In the interest of full disclosure, I did not try it at all.

horse-meat sashimi with wasabi, ginger, & green onion

We felt fortunate to be a part of the enkai, to commiserate with other teachers, and to experience an important event in Japanese work culture. That evening left us with some lovely memories.

the aftermath

japanese food: donuts

2010-07-16T13:07:00.008-05:00

We headed to Japan with many things that we wanted to eat. Among our culinary priorities loomed Japan's gourmet donuts. Donuts were everywhere in Tokyo; it seemed as though a Mister Donut chain was on every corner. We never did get around to eating at Mister Donut, but we were not disappointed by the smaller donut shops that we patronized.

First we searched for (and found) Hara Donuts in Shimokitazawa. Like most shops in this area, it was tiny and super cute.

We opted for three varieties: plain, tomato, and grapefruit. None of them were overly oily or too dense. Similar to a cake donut but lighter, Hara's donuts were subtly sweet and a bit chewy. The grapefruit, with its citrus-y glaze, was my favorite by far. The tomato was not as weird or as interesting as we had hoped as it was somewhat bland and also tougher than the other two.

hara donuts: grapefruit, plain, and tomato

When visiting Yamanashi Prefecture, we had hoped to visit Sendaiya Donuts, whose claim to fame is making treats out of ground natto flour. Using natto, a fermented soybean product, is apparently an attempt to make the sweets more healthy.

When our hosts took us to their friends' house, we were offered two unexpected items to sample: Sendaiya's donuts and natto.

natto

Natto smells like a strong cheese and tastes (to our American palates) somewhat like coffee. The texture is unlike anything I'd ever had before: think baked beans suspended in phlegm. Matt was not a fan to say the least, while I thought it paired nicely with some kimchi or spicy mustard. I've also seen it served with rice, which I would definitely try.

I will not be eating natto every morning for breakfast as does one person we met, but I will certainly gobble up some natto donuts from Sendaiya at any chance I get.

sendaiya donuts: sesame, plain

These donuts were dense and moist, much like a pound cake (which we saw on many menus). Like Hara donuts, Sendaiya's are also lightly sweetened and fried compared to American donuts.

We saved the best for last...drumroll, please!

In the last few days of our trip, we headed to Yoyogi-Uehara in the rain, specifically to try Harrits Donuts.

harrit's donuts: milk tea & precious little packages

Staying with the trend of the donuts we tried, these were subtle, light, and tended toward being a healthier breakfast treat. The texture was somewhere between a cake and raised donut and even resembled a pastry somewhat.

cinnamon cranberry donut

kinako (soybean flour) donut

cream-cheese-filled donut...ichiban!

Along with the flavors we tasted in the store, we also took some home in our carry-on to share with family. Those included carrot-honey, kiwi, green tea with Azuki bean paste, and more of our favorites, kinako and cream cheese.

I would recommend any of these donut shops without reservation. If you're ever in the area, it's worth seeking them out!

If you have tried Mister Donut, I'm curious: did we miss out?

japanese food: osaka specialties

2010-07-07T15:50:00.010-05:00

I won't attempt to deny that there were a lot of Japanese foods that I did not expect to try. I never, ever thought that I could handle a ball of fried dough with a piece of octopus tentacle inside. I mean, the fried dough part sounds great, right? I just didn't know what I'd do once I got an octopus arm in my mouth. Turns out I'd chew it (for awhile) and love it.

takoyaki

Takoyaki are little lava-hot spheres (think half-cooked pancake balls) that burst open when you bite them, revealing a mildly fishy, quite chewy bit of octopus. They are topped with a barbecue-like sauce, then mayo, and typically katsuobushi (fish flake) and aonori (seaweed flake).

Takoyaki hail from Osaka, as do the gentlemen who prepared them inside this pink VW bus. Matt spotted this stand in Shimokitazawa and decided it should be the place for us to lose our takoyaki virginity. They were proud to have a couple of gaijin (foreigners) eating behind their stand.

And I do mean behind...

I think they had a great little set-up.

Possibly my very favorite food that I tried in Japan turned out to be a dish from Osaka. Okonomiyaki is a Japanese pancake that is similar to takoyaki in that it is topped with the same sauces and sprinkles, but is much easier to eat due to the absence of molten dough. Our friends in Tokyo took us to a great little place for our first experience with okonomiyaki.

First, mix your ingredients that include egg, cabbage, meat, and veggies...

Then fry it on the griddle in the center of your table...

"Sakura-yaki": shrimp, squid, pork, white onion, green onion, and mushrooms topped with a fried egg and bacon strips

And top with okonomiyaki sauce, mayo, katsuobushi, and aonori. Share with your friends!

pork & kimuchi okonomiyaki

I was such a fan of okonomiyaki, I may get brave enough to try it at home! I'll let you know how that turns out...

japanese food: noodles

2010-07-06T13:54:00.009-05:00

I think that since sushi is Japan's most popular export to the U.S., some Americans assume that people in Japan eat sushi constantly. On the contrary, much of what we ate on a day-to-day basis was noodle-based. Our first bowl of noodles on our first full day turned out to be one of my favorites.

kimchi ramen in Taito

The ramen is widely available in narrow little bars like the one we visited near our hotel. This bowl of ramen is fairly standard in our short experience, with a thin slice of pork, greens (spinach in this one), and large sheets of nori (seaweed). We enjoyed the addition of some kimchi for spice and crunch.

However, it's the broth that makes the bowl and totally blows any cup ramen out of the water. The broth was salty and complex, giving off smells and tastes of fish, pork, and soy. I would have loved to drink it down completely, but I wasn't sure I could handle the sodium. Anyway, this was an amazing bowl of soup.

ramen with wonton in Naka-meguro

Ramen itself is an import from China and both times we ate ramen it was topped with something foreign (kimchi from Korea and wonton from China). I was surprised by how much sort of "Asian fusion" we ate in Japan.

Another ubiquitous noodle dish is soba. Usually served cold with fried sides, soba are buckwheat noodles that you dip in a self-mixed concoction of soy sauce, ginger, green onions, and wasabi.

soba with tempura shrimp in Shintomi

When we visited friends in the country, we ate at a charming soba place where we watched the noodles being prepared. The noodles were paired with delicious tempura...everything.

cutting the dough

dusting off the freshly-cut noodles

basket of soba in Katsunuma

grating my own fresh wasabi

tempura soba, carrot, sweet potato, mushroom, eggplant, leaves

Last but certainly not least we have udon. These are thick, chewy noodles served either in a soup or warm topped with vegetables or a soft-boiled egg. Our friend took us to a Tokyo chain where you order your bowl of ramen, then pick your fried sides from trays cafeteria-style. One of the best parts of udon is being able to top your noodles with tiny tempura crumbles, ginger, spicy red pepper seasoning, sesame seeds, and soy sauce. Why can't fast food in the States be more like this?

in Kichijoji (left to right): kakiage (vegetable tempura fritter), korokke (breaded fried potato cake), udon with egg

udon with pork, tempura fish cake, tofu skin, and soft-boiled egg

I've saved the best for last. This bowl of udon was eaten in a little restaurant in the woods near Mt. Fuji and was the granddaddy of all noodle dishes we ate on our trip. The noodles were especially thick and chewy, apparently a specialty of that area. The tender sweet pork, rich egg, and flavorful broth topped everything off, but those noodles with their ample bite made them one of the more memorable dishes we had in Japan.

udon shop--the line out the door is a good sign!

japanese food: fried food

2010-07-05T22:50:00.005-05:00

As we were planning our trip to Japan, I wasn't quite sure what to expect of the food. I mean, I had eaten at the (very American) hibachi place and had tried (with little success) a few sushi rolls. The only Japanese foods I knew for certain that I liked were inari and rice crackers, and I didn't think I could live off of those for 2 weeks. I was a tad bit nervous.

All that changed when we ate our first Japanese lunch and I discovered the wonderful world of fried food in Japan.

tonkatsu, rice, miso, and pickled vegetables

Enter tonkatsu. Matt might deny it, but it seems to me that this could be his favorite Japanese dish. A panko-breaded, fried pork cutlet is dipped in either tonkatsu sauce (a sweet soy sauce) or ponzu. At this particular restaurant we were given a mortar and pestle to grind soy sauce, to which we then added a sauce for dipping.

Very quickly into our trip I knew I loved Japanese fried foods. Towards the end I found something that I think most Midwesterners could enjoy: kushiage. Our friend in Tokyo took us to a great little place in Shinjuku where you could order practically anything breaded and fried. The breading didn't seem to be panko, but it was lighter and crispier than most breading. We carefully dipped each skewer into the communal soy sauce vat (but only once!) and enjoyed the fried goodness.

kushiage (clockwise from top right):
beef, ham, sausages, bacon-wrapped tomato wedge, squid, green onions, garlic cloves, eggplant, lotus root, cheese!

fried banana, ice cream, and apple

Our trip was bookended by tonkatsu lunches (the first one was best though). Our last lunch in Tokyo was in a little mom and pop restaurant between our hotel and the station. We had a huge lunch and more of the sweet Japanese hospitality we enjoyed so much.

tonkatsu

fried ebi (shrimp)

Japan even managed to get me--a self-proclaimed seafood-hater--eating and loving shrimp!

japanese food: breakfast

2010-06-29T12:06:00.008-05:00

I got back from Japan this past weekend and am beginning to recover from the jet lag. Matt and I took hundreds of photos, many of them food-related. Needless to say, Japanese dishes will be the topic of many upcoming posts.

Let's get started with the first meal of the day!

bacon & egg sandwich
cinnamon set

Our breakfasts at our first inn in Tokyo were Western-style and plenty filling. It was so important to load up in the morning because we were never sure when or where we'd eat lunch.

The photo above shows our favorite combination to order. The sandwich featured a fried egg, cucumber, tomato, and what they called bacon (we would call it ham). The cinnamon set was basically french toast with cinnamon and powdered sugar. It was wonderful to start the day in the cozy, homey lobby at Andon Ryokan.

cold tofu, miso, rice, and pickled vegetables

We were incredibly fortunate to be able to spend a weekend in a Japanese home in the countryside near Mt. Fuji. That was when we had our first experience with a traditional Japanese breakfast. Every day we ate there was a little different, but all had plain white rice, miso soup, and pickled vegetables of some sort. Each breakfast involved large quantities of food that kept me full until lunch or even later. It seemed like quite a lot of work for our hostess each morning compared to what I might make for breakfast in the states, but she seemed to have a routine worked out.

miso, grainy rice with salmon flake, tamagoyaki, and pickled vegetables

The second day I was introduced to one of my favorite breakfast/lunch items, tamagoyaki (which means "fried egg"). Basically a lightly sweetened thin sheet of egg is rolled up and then sliced. This is also a popular item for bento lunch boxes. I intend to attempt making a version myself, but haven't tried yet. I wish I knew the actual names for some of the things I ate. I can just tell you that the rice had some small black beans, black rice, and millet mixed in and it was delicious. The miso soup had some sort of fried strips that softened in the broth like croutons.

grape compote
peach compote

One day we got to partake in grape and peach compotes homemade by our host's mother from fruit grown on their land. It was very sweet with a touch of cinnamon on the peaches. What a special treat!

sauteed eggplant, miso with tofu, rice, tamagoyaki, and aloe yogurt

I was surprised at how tasty aloe yogurt could be! The texture was quite a bit like peach yogurt.

Check back as there will be much more to come including fried foods and sweets.

what's been cooking

2010-06-10T22:48:00.009-05:00

Matt and I are heading to Tokyo on Saturday. That means the next several blog posts will be about Japanese food, hopefully while we're still over there. Before we go, I want to clear out my stash of recently-cooked meals, especially before all the spring/early summer ingredients are gone. The following are all recommended recipes--some have a link to a recipe and some just have the ingredients listed. Enjoy!

strawberry chicken club sandwich

potato frittata with bacon

burger with horseradish havarti, bacon, caramelized onions, mayo, and greens on pretzel roll

asparagus panzanella

grilled chicken fajitas

mixed green salad with strawberries, grilled chicken, avocado, spring onions, and Bolthouse Farms mango vinaigrette

three-cup chicken with green beans (no photo)

this was really good

2010-06-02T20:26:00.006-05:00

asparagus tofu stir-fry (on my cupcake-aproned lap)

Last week we used asparagus and spring onions from our first CSA box of the season to make a tofu-based stir-fry. I took some liberties with the recipe, including leaving out the spinach, basil, and mint (I didn't have spinach or basil and Matt doesn't like mint). I used more garlic than it called for, which was not a mistake.

I also opted for Wildwood brand super-firm tofu instead of the suggested extra-firm. My philosophy when stir-frying tofu is this--the firmer the better. I've had extra-firm tofu fall apart and turn to scrambled-egg texture too many times. Maybe I'm just not gentle enough, but I am a total convert to this Wildwood stuff. It has that lovely firmness that I usually attribute to restaurant tofu.

Do take the recipe's advice to have all your ingredients prepped ahead. This dish fries up quite quickly. Do include the lime zest and juice. It added a nice bit of sweetness and tang.

Asparagus Stir-Fry
adapted from 101 Cookbooks (printable version available through link)

toasted sesame oil
8 oz super firm tofu, cut into strips the width of a pencil
4 green onions, thinly sliced
scant 1 tbsp grated ginger
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 lb or bunch asparagus, trimmed and sliced into 1-inch chunks
a couple big pinches fine-grain sea salt
3-4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 big handful cashews, chopped up a bit
a few handfuls of spinach or other greens, optional
zest and juice of one lime
2 tbsp hoisin sauce
1 small handful each slivered mint and/or basil, optional

Have all your ingredients prepped and within arms reach of the stove. Heat a splash of sesame oil in a large pan, or well-seasoned wok over medium high heat. Alternately, you can do this in a dry non-stick pan - one of the few occasions I still use non-stick. When it is hot, add the tofu, and cook until golden - a few minutes. Remove the tofu from the pan and set aside.

Add another (generous) splash of oil to the pan and, as soon as it is hot, add the onions, ginger, red pepper flakes, asparagus, and salt. Stir fry for about a minute, then add the garlic, cashews, and spinach and stir-fry for another minute, or until the spinach wilts. Return the tofu to the pan. Stir in the lime zest and juice and the hoisin sauce. Cook for another 10-20 seconds, stirring all the while.

Remove from heat and stir in the mint and basil if using. Taste and add a bit more salt if needed.

neapolitan pizza

2010-05-30T22:02:00.002-05:00

Ever since we were blown away by Bricks Neapolitan Pizza in my parents' city of Hudson, Wisconsin, Matt and I have sought out the Neapolitan pizzerias in Madison. Neapolitan pizza is characterized by a thin crispy crust and a simple San Marzano tomato sauce baked in a very hot wood-fired oven for about 90 seconds. The oven has to be certified by a committee in Italy in order for the pizza to be authentically Neapolitan (that's where my knowledge ends--I'm certainly no expert).

Despite the similar ovens, the pizzerias we've visited have featured quite different pizzas. The topping options are diverse and will suit various tastes, but the real difference is in the crust. All the crusts are thin, crackery in some places and bubbly in others. The best crust we had was at Bricks: chewy and crusty all over the pie. The worst was probably Cafe Porta Alba, whose crust sagged under the weight of the tomato sauce.

Bricks

our winner: Bricks' "Gusto"

Bricks offers creative topping combinations on either a red or white sauce with hand-stretched mozzarella. One of my favorites includes goat cheese, bacon, artichoke hearts, and red onion on the red sauce. Last time we visited we had one with melty gorgonzola, prosciutto, red onion, and red bell pepper. We enjoyed the foccacia di Bricks with Parmesan, rosemary, and olive oil. We were also lucky enough to receive a free salad that had been ordered for take out and abandoned. Named the "Mista", it was a truly delicious combination of greens, bacon, cherry tomatoes, artichoke hearts, Parmesan, and a Vidalia onion vinaigrette.

foccacia di Bricks

"Mista" salad

Pizza Brutta

I really enjoyed the topping options at Pizza Brutta in Madison, which I have posted about before. They also offer both red and white sauces. Matt was not happy with the softness of the crust, but it still had a nice char on it. I would like to try it again. It's a nice, casual place with very fast pizza if you're in a hurry.

the "Diavola": mozzarella, spiced salami, red pepper flakes, and pepperoncini

Cafe Porta Alba

The menu is somewhat more simple at Madison's Cafe Porta Alba. We ordered a buffalo mozzarella pizza and added salame. It was really too simple for our tastes. Our friends had the "Vegetariana". If we went again, I might try the "Alifana" with mozzarella, tomato, basil, artichokes, and salame.

buffalo mozzarella & salame

the Vegetariana

Lombardino's

Finally, Matt also had a Neapolitan-style pizza at Lombardino's Restaurant. This one was fine, but not outstanding. However, Lombardino's pasta dishes are quite nice and their atmosphere is really kitschy and homey.

In the end, we've decided that Bricks' pizza is worth waiting to visit my parents for, but if we're craving Neapolitan pizza in Madison, we'd give Pizza Brutta another try.

best dessert invention yet

2010-05-18T21:20:00.006-05:00

We've always enjoyed the pies, cakes, and shakes at Monty's Blue Plate Diner in Madison. This time they've outdone themselves.

donut sundae

Take two cake donuts. Slice them in half and then slap them on a griddle. Sandwich creamy custard between the double-fried donuts. Add a drizzle of maple syrup and a mountain of whipped cream. I want to eat this again soon.

brew city 2

2010-05-14T17:08:00.008-05:00

Last weekend Matt and I made what was only my second trip to Milwaukee. This time we saw a restored copy of Japanese "horror" film, Hausu or House at the UW-Milwaukee Union. More silly and psychedelic than scary, it's the only kind of horror movie I'll sit through.

Before dinner we ate at a Chinese place called Fortune. The woman who teaches Mandarin Chinese at my school recommended Fortune because they offer separate American and Chinese menus there. Though it looks like your typical take-out Chinese joint from the outside, my coworker told me that it was "real" Chinese food. I thought it was a good sign that more of the restaurant's patrons were Asian than not.

ma po tofu

shredded pork with Chinese pickles

The ma po tofu was flavorful and more spicy than most Chinese dishes that are labeled "spicy". The pork dish was a bit salty for our taste, with soy sauce as the overwhelming flavor. I would like to go back and try some other unfamiliar Chinese dishes, perhaps with ordering recommendations from someone who knows actual Chinese cuisine.

After the movie, we headed across town to a bar that Matt had scouted out. The Palomino Bar is owned by the same people who run Comet Cafe, which I've mentioned before. They both have the same playful vintage charm that I'm a sucker for. They also both have interesting and appealing menus that I would love to try again.

The big draw for Matt was their Velvet Elvis sandwich, a This-is-Why-You're-Fat-worthy creation involving bananas, peanut butter, and bacon on grilled bread. It wasn't as bad as I'd expected, but I couldn't handle much of its richness so soon after the Chinese food. Matt was all about it.

The side options and dipping sauces were many and varied. We opted for onion strings and crispy brown tater tots with Cajun cream sauce. I wish I had some tots right now...

The biggest draw for me was the first item on the cocktail menu: a Moscow mule. I was recently introduced to this drink concept and knew at once that it was my new drink of choice. The Moscow mule is an old school easy-to-drink cocktail that apparently popularized vodka in the U.S. during the 1940s. The Palomino Bar is totally the kind of place that would serve the all-but-forgotten drink.

I first made these at home since I didn't know where I could order one. A couple of shots or vodka (or gin for a Gin-Gin Mule), juice from half a lime, and ginger beer are all you need. Oh, and cute copper mugs that I am now coveting. Does anyone know a place in Madison that serves Moscow mules? Gin and tonics just won't cut it anymore.

spring greens

2010-05-12T19:40:00.008-05:00

With all the restaurant posts I've made lately, one might think we eat out all the time. Here's a recipe to prove that we do still eat at home sometimes (or about 6 nights a week!). As things are starting to sprout again, I'm enjoying using fresh local veggies in my cooking. The asparagus and spinach are from the season's first farmer's market here in town. The eggs come from my school custodian's chickens, and the chives are from the art teacher's garden. I love spring!

Oh, and there are shots of a favorite "new" vintage dress.

vintage dress and shoes, Good Style Shop

tights, Target
teardrop necklace, thrifted

Green Goddess Frittata
from Anne Louise Gittleman

I halved this from the original recipe, which made two frittatas. It would be easy enough to double up again if you were cooking for company.

6 eggs, beaten
1/2 c cottage cheese
1 1/2 c chopped fresh spinach or asparagus
2 scallions, minced
2 tsp chopped garlic
handful chopped chives (optional--I just had them on hand)
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix eggs, cheese, veggies, and seasonings in a large bowl. Melt butter in an oven-safe skillet on the stove. Add egg mixture and cook for 3 minutes over medium heat. Place skillet in oven and bake for 10 minutes, or until eggs are just set.

oh, lawrence

2010-05-06T17:32:00.007-05:00

So this will be old news to Lawrence, Kansas residents. And it might be old news if you've been reading my blog for awhile, since I've posted about Dempsey's before. In any case, The Burger Stand at Dempsey's makes a great burger and fries.

Dempsey's was just a bar when we moved away from Kansas. Not a bad place to get a drink, but just a bar. When we went back for a visit last year, Dempsey's had brought in a chef to develop a menu and started getting what seems to be a lot more business. There are standards on the menu like the Kobe Burger (Matt's favorite), plus new selections occasionally (seasonally, maybe?). Matt got the Kobe again and I had a new one, the Fire Burger. Covered with habanero- cactus jam, my burger was surprising sweet and predictably spicy. Very good, but I'd try something new next time we go.

fire burger with habanero-cactus jam, avocado, & microgreens
poutine: fries with chunks of cheese & brown gravy

Yes, that is poutine in that basket. Dempsey's knows how to make some incredible sides as well as burgers, but the gravy on the poutine was overwhelmingly salty. Because of the gravy, the poutine didn't quite stand up to classics like the duck fat fries or truffle fries. It would be hard to choose between those two for my favorite fries there. Unfortunately, I neglected to photograph any other fries but my own. But take my word--they're amazing.

steak taco with chimichurri sauce & veggies
chicken taco with salsa verde, tomatillo sauce, & almonds
pork taco with mole rojo & pineapple pumpkin-seed salsa
(from left to right)

The crew that runs Dempsey's also opened a new Mexican place in Lawrence called Esquina. We ordered three tacos, all of which were creative and tasty, but none were standout. I preferred the chilaquiles (a favorite dish of mine anyway), which were topped with a fried egg instead of the scrambled that I'm used to. It also featured a thick white queso fundido plus queso fresco, which I thought was a very tasty addition. I also really enjoyed my taste of my friend's chicken enchiladas.

chilaquiles con huevos

chicken enchilada platter

Esquina has a considerably larger menu than what is posted online, including many special meat or enchilada platters. There were also some impressive-looking cocktails sitting at the bar when we walked in. I would definitely like to try Esquina again the next time we head south.

old school wisconsin

2010-05-05T19:21:00.005-05:00

On our way to Iowa and Kansas visiting over spring break, Matt and I stopped in Monroe, Wisconsin. On our first trip to the Mustard Museum (when it was still in Mount Horeb), we heard about the world-famous cheese sandwiches at Baumgartner's Cheese Store. I had envisioned drippy, toasty grilled cheese sandwiches featuring all manner of cheeses and dipped in the horseradish mustard that was sold at the Museum. In reality, the cheese sandwiches at Baumgartner's are...cheese...sandwiches. Rye bread. Cheese. Piece of butcher paper. Could any sandwich be more old school?

I ordered the Swiss sandwich and enjoyed the thick slice of locally-made cheese in the middle. I slathered half of the sandwich with the house horseradish mustard and the other half with a spicy honey mustard. I highly recommend the horseradish mustard--it takes the sandwich to a different level. The cup of chili was hearty and well-seasoned. Although we did not partake, the shop has a nice assortment of beers on tap and in bottles.

The decor in Baumgartner's added to the old Wisconsin flair. Crests hung prominently from the ceiling, representing Switzerland's counties. Apparently, employees at the shop toss a tack and a dollar at the (very high!) ceiling and get it to stick! There had to have been hundreds already. Every two years, they remove the dollars and donate them to a charity.

On our way back from our spring break trip, we stopped again to buy a couple of cheeses. We purchased an aged brick for Matt's grandpa and a piece of Hook's 5-year cheddar. Best sharp cheddar ever. This is a great little quaint stop if you're near Monroe!

decadence

2010-05-03T20:47:00.004-05:00

Pachamama's is a must when we're in Lawrence, despite its prohibitive pricing. Sometimes we've gone for just dessert or lunch. I've posted about Pachamama's before, but just a dessert. When we visited a few weeks ago, it was only our second full dinner (we forgot our camera at the first dinner). We enjoyed trying some different appetizers and entrees this time.

amuse bouche

The chef's amuse bouche, or first bite, was a poached pear wrapped in prosciutto and topped with truffle creme fraiche. I did not enjoy the combination of the spicy-sweet pear and the salty, chewy prosciutto. Not such a great start.

bone marrow crostini

Next was our appetizer. Matt had been interested for awhile in trying bone marrow. This small plate provided a good opportunity to taste marrow in a fairly non-threatening manner. Marrow, gorgonzola, avocado, and radish slices topped crusty baguette pieces. A carafe on the plate held a bit of truffle-scented honey. For those of you who don't know, marrow (the brown lumps in the photo above) is the most beefy, fatty, melt-in-your-mouth piece of a cow you've ever had. The richness of the gorgonzola was a welcome counter to the intense marrow and the avocado cooled everything off. I'm definitely glad I tried marrow in this dish--I'm not sure I could handle scraping marrow right out of the bone.

wood-fired local lamb sirloin with morel mushroom jus

My entree was a hit. The lamb was perfectly cooked, the sauce savory and rich, and the turnip gratin cheesy and velvety. I loved the peppery crust on the tender lamb. I only wish I would have had more room to finish the gratin.

morita chili-raspberry bbq duck breast with asadero fondue and griddle corn pudding

There's not much to say about Matt's entree. He wasn't blown away by it. The fatty layer between the skin and meat of the duck was not a texture that we enjoyed. Not a bad dish, but not our favorite.

We've really enjoyed Pachamama's desserts before, though I've had varied luck. The first dessert I had there was my favorite dessert of all time: a dense yellow cake, drizzled with brown sugar sauce, topped with rhubarb compote, fromage blanc ice cream, and mint coulis. Nothing has ever been able to top that. I've ordered the molten brown sugar cake another time, and it just wasn't the same. Apparently they oscillate between my favorite cake and a drier, bundt-like cake with bits of brown sugar cooked in.

Anyway, I opted for the lemon creme blueberry-rhubarb napoleon. The lemon creme was incredibly fluffy and very tart. The almond tuile (basically almond brittle) was crispy and nutty and not-too-sweet. The house-made salted caramel almond ice cream was also delicious, but seemed to me like it was a separate dessert altogether. I'm still kicking myself for not ordering the dessert with the fromage blanc ice cream instead. In any case, it was good, but not my new favorite.

lemon creme blueberry-rhubarb napoleon

peanut butter and milk chocolate tart

Matt's dessert totally suited him. If you know him, then you can see that the title of the dish has Matt written all over it. Then get into the details: pretzel crust, banana flambe. Yes. Even the wildcard element, the banana-lime sorbet, meshed well with the overall flavor. Matt was a happy camper. I, on the other hand, would have just eaten the bananas. The tart was too chocolatey for my tastes.

There you have it. Can you believe two people put all that food in their bodies in one evening? Well, we did, and we'd do it again. The creative seasonal menu ensures that there will always be something to pique our interest.

confession

2010-04-24T12:46:00.005-05:00

I'll admit, Matt and I are one of those couples who check out restaurants based on drool-inducing shows on Food Network or Travel Channel. We went to Lucky's in Wrigleyville after we saw their french-fry-stuffed sandwiches on Man v. Food. Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives featured Cemitas Pueblas, so we drove to Chicago to try it.

Unfortunately, sometimes these features mar the authentic local flavor of the place by sending out-of-towners like us flocking to try it. Comet Cafe in Milwaukee is often too busy for people in the neighborhood to get in since the suburbanites saw Guy Fieri's visit.

On the other hand, these restaurants are getting this kind of publicity for some reason. And each place we've tried at a TV show's recommendation has not disappointed. So, a few weeks ago, we did it again. My parents and their friends were going to do some sight-seeing in Chicago with us, and they had the brilliant idea to head for one of Rick Bayless' restaurants. He has a veritable complex of eateries: the high-end Topolobampo, mid-range Frontera, and a lunch place, Xoco, with churros that smelled soooo good. Brunch at Frontera was all we could get reservations for, which was fine since that's where we had seen an amazing dish featured on Food Network's The Best Thing I Ever Ate.

carne asada a la Oaxaquena

Matt and I shared this rib steak, which was easily the most flavorful, tender steak I've ever had. The smoky and slightly spicy sauce made the perfectly-cooked meat so succulent. Fried plantains topped with a bit of queso fresco and crema rounded out the meal as Bananas Foster's more subtle cousin. The other plates at the table were also good, but in my opinion none held a candle to that steak.

tacos al carbon with duck

sapitos: gorditas with chorizo & plantains, scrambled eggs, and chicken and black bean mole

frothy Mexican hot chocolate

chocolate hazelnut tart

The entire meal, from the tasty limeade margarita and chips and salsa to the desserts, was perfectly enjoyable. I would return to try the new menu when it changes. We even got to see chef Rick Bayless himself, making his rounds in the kitchen. Thank you again, food television.

so-so

2010-04-20T20:26:00.009-05:00

I have a lot of fantastic food pics waiting in the wings. Before I unleash a stream of gushing upon you, I think I should clear something up and temper all that oncoming positivity with some reality. I've noticed that I may be fostering a perception that I either like everything I eat, or that I have spot-on taste in restaurants. The truth is that I just lack the motivation to post about meals that don't excite me. The food we eat is rarely downright bad, but sometimes it's merely mediocre. I also don't fancy myself a true food critic, so I don't always feel comfortable complaining about local restaurants. However, it's hard to trust the opinion of someone who likes everything, so to foster your confidence, here's an attempt at some negativity.

One so-so meal was our Valentine's Day dinner at El Dorado Grill on Williamson Street in Madison. The style is Southwestern, and the decor is fittingly and charmingly rustic. We expected good things from this member of the Food Fight family of restaurants, but were not blown away.

The chips and salsa were tasty, though not as spicy as we'd usually prefer. The highlight of the meal came early, in the form of the priciest margarita I had tasted to date. I asked the very helpful server for a tequila suggestion (something in the lower price range for a beginner), since their list of 70+ tequila options was fairly intimidating. The tequilas ran from $5 - $10 per shot, and I opted to add another $2 to get the shot made into a margarita. I would absolutely return for margaritas and chips.

pasilla chile chicken enchiladas

I would most likely not go back to El Dorado for the food. While the drizzle of sauce over my enchiladas looked appealing, the flavor was sorely lacking. The chicken was dry and bland as were the beans. I would sooner take the saucier and more complex enchiladas in green sauce at the more casual Food Fight Southwestern joint, Tex Tubbs.

I also don't fancy myself a true food critic, so I don't always feel comfortable complaining about local restaurants. However, it's hard to trust the opinion of someone who likes everything, so to foster your confidence, here's an attempt at some negativity.

machaca pork chalupas

Matt ordered the machaca pork chalupas. The pork flavor was nice, but again the sides were unremarkable. The whole plate (and flavor) was obscured by the blanket of bland greens on top. The meal was capped off by a decent, but not amazing, piece of chocolate pecan pie. All in all, the food that we ordered at El Dorado was not worth our money. I might give it one more chance and try one of the entrees from the specialties section on the menu or for brunch.

chocolate pecan pie

6+ years later

2010-04-15T19:05:00.003-05:00

2003

2010

I promise I will get some food posts going soon. I have tons of great pictures from our trip to Kansas last week which I will put up as soon as I get a chance. Until then, I couldn't resist posting these similar lap polaroids.

1 chicken 3 ways: the final chapter

2010-03-11T17:44:00.004-06:00

Tonight, last week's chicken finished its journey in a pot of spring vegetable soup.

I made the stock for this soup earlier in the week. I'm enjoying this newly developed habit of making slow-cooker stock after finishing a chicken meal. Once we cleaned the chicken off all of the bones, I threw them into the crock pot with vegetables and water and let it go overnight. Then I chilled the stock, drained off the fat, and made a quick vegetable soup with it. My only issue with the soup was that the herbs I added were somewhat harsh. If I had better planned ahead, I would have thrown herb stems in while the stock was cooking. Always use herb stems only as the leaves get weird and gross.

All of these things are optional and can be adjusted to fit the recipe you'll be making with the stock. I always use onion, carrot, garlic, and peppercorns, then add some aromatics. For Asian cooking, I used pieces of ginger. For Mexican cooking, I put in cilantro stems. I like the suggestion from Nourishing Days to keep carrot, onion, and celery scraps in a bag in your refrigerator or freezer until it's time to make stock. I'm sure this could be vegetable broth if you wanted to leave out the chicken, though I've never tried it.

Chicken Stock
adapted from Nourishing Days

leftover chicken carcass (plus uncooked wings if you have them from a cut-up chicken)
1 large carrot or 2-3 small ones, peeled and trimmed
1-2 celery stalks or leftover tops, roughly chopped
1 small or 1/2 large onion, roughly chopped
peppercorns
4-6 garlic cloves, peeled
stems from herbs such as thyme, rosemary, parsley, sage, or marjoram (or whatever you have!)
1-2 tbsp of any vinegar (I used apple cider for this one, rice wine and plain white for others)
1-2 tsp kosher salt (optional, depending on what you'll make with the stock--don't salt if you'll be making risotto)

Dump everything in a small crock pot. Fill to the top with filtered water. It is suggested that you let it sit for an hour to allow the vinegar to extract minerals from the bones--I've been too impatient to wait quite that long. Then put the slow cooker on low. I've let mine go for 20-24 hours, which makes a pretty dark and strong stock. I've read that others only go for 8-12. I think you can do whatever's convenient for you. Let cool, strain out the solids, and refrigerate. When the fat has congealed on top, strain again to separate the fat and either use or freeze for later use.

Spring Vegetable Soup
adapted from Spring Chicken Soup in Real Simple, April 2007

homemade chicken broth (above)
1 large turnip or 4-6 baby turnips, scrubbed and cubed
4 carrots and 4 parsnips, peeled and sliced into coins
8 oz asparagus, sliced into 1-in pieces (I didn't have this)
10 oz frozen or fresh green beans
1 beefsteak tomato, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Heat chicken broth in soup pot until simmering. Add vegetables and simmer for 5-10 minutes, until vegetables are tender. Add salt and pepper as needed and serve with crusty bread.

another easy dinner

2010-03-10T19:31:00.005-06:00

Somehow when I'm menu planning, I can manage to fill one week with incredibly painstaking recipes and the next with very simple meals. I typically don't notice this trend until the groceries have been purchased and it's time to cook. It seems his week has been on the easy side. Here's a sandwich recipe that took us less than 20 minutes to whip up tonight.

These sandwiches are a more modest version of the super-sweet Monte Cristo which is typically topped with powdered sugar and raspberry jam (sometimes Matt fixes his that way still!). What makes these Monte Cristos is a french toast-style bread filled with some kind of meat and cheese.

Turkey Monte Cristos
adapted from Family Circle
Makes 4 sandwiches

8 slices sourdough bread (the crustier the better!)
sliced turkey breast
4 slices muenster cheese
Dijon mustard
tomatoes (optional--we just happened to have some around)
arugula, basil, or spinach leaves
3 eggs
1 tbsp milk
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tbsp butter

Assemble the sandwiches with the mustard, turkey, tomatoes (if using), muenster, and greens. Beat the eggs in a bowl with the milk, nutmeg, and cayenne.

Heat 1 tbsp of the butter in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until bubbly. Quickly dip each side of the assembled sandwich in the egg mixture. Fry two sandwiches for a few minutes on each side, until brown and the egg is cooked and the cheese is beginning to melt. Transfer the sandwiches to a warm oven and turn the skillet down to medium heat. Cook the other two sandwiches. Serve with your favorite kettle chips. Easy!

*Note: If you'd like to make a more traditional Monte Cristo, leave off the mustard, add ham, dust with powdered sugar at the end, and serve with raspberry jam.

easiest dinner ever

2010-03-09T19:08:00.004-06:00

It seems I've been posting pretty involved meals lately. Often the quick 30-minute meals don't make it to the blog, I guess because they don't always seem that impressive. On the other hand, everyone needs quick and easy weekday meals, so here's a new one that we tried tonight. (I tend to say "we" because Matt almost always assists in the cooking process!)

This ravioli dish is hearty and flavorful, vegetarian, and can be easily halved as we did tonight.

Cheesy Toasted Ravioli with Pesto
from Cook's Country April/May 2010
Makes 4 servings

1 tbsp unsalted butter
2 (9-ounce) packages fresh cheese ravioli
1 c low-sodium chicken broth
1/3 c heavy cream (I used 2% milk because I don't like to have tons of cream sitting around)
1/4 c basil pesto, homemade or store-bought refrigerated
1/2 c crumbled goat cheese (we used goat feta)
3 plum tomatoes, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
Salt & pepper

Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat broiler (do as they say or your cheese won't brown--I tried to skip this). Melt butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat (if you use an oven-safe skillet you won't have to switch pans midway). Add ravioli and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Stir in the broth and cream and cook, covered until ravioli are nearly tender, about 3 minutes. Remove lid and continue to cook until sauce is slightly thickened and ravioli are completely tender, about 3 minutes.

Off heat, stir pesto and 1/4 cup cheese into pan with ravioli. Transfer to broiler-safe 1 1/2-quart casserole (unless you used that oven-safe pan in the beginning). Arrange tomatoes over ravioli and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and broil until surface is spotty brown, about 3 minutes. Serve warm with a salad.

1 chicken 3 ways: part 2

2010-03-08T21:15:00.009-06:00

Tonight we completed step two in the consumption of a small chicken that Matt purchased last week. This time the breasts were baked and then topped with a cherry caper chile sauce. Yes, I did just list all those things in one sauce. This is a mixture that you would think had a crisis of identity. Is it sweet? Salty? Briny? Spicy? Actually, it's all those things, and yet the flavors come together quite nicely.

Previous to today, I had only made this dish with boneless, skinless chicken breasts. If you can believe it, I wouldn't eat bone-in chicken only a few years ago. I endured a lot of teasing from Matt for complaining that chicken on the bone tastes "too chicken-y". With some concerted effort I've gotten over my issues and actually found that I prefer this recipe with the juicier bone-in chicken.

Chicken with Dried Cherries, Capers, and Chiles

from Simply Organic by Jesse Ziff Cool

1 tsp paprika (I used smoked)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 freshly ground black pepper
4 bone-in chicken breast halves, skin removed
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 c chicken broth
1/2 c dried cherries
2 tbsp capers
2 tbsp honey
1 tsp ground cumin
1 cinnamon stick, broken in half (I always leave this out!)
1-2 hot chile peppers, such as cayenne, red jalapeno, or habanero, seeded and minced

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. In a small bowl, combine the paprika, salt, and black pepper. Place the chicken in a large, shallow roasting pan. Brush with 1 tbsp of the oil and sprinkle with the paprika mixture. Roast for 45 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted in the thickest portion registers 180 degrees F and the juices run clear.

While the chicken is roasting, heat the remaining 1 tbsp oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook the onion for 5 minutes, or until soft. Add the broth, cherries, capers, honey, cumin, and cinnamon stick (if using). Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the cherries are plump and the sauce has thickened. Stir in the chile peppers.

When the chicken is cooked, for extra flavor, if desired, drain off the pan juices and stir them into the cherry sauce. Remove and discard the cinnamon stick before serving. Place the chicken on a serving platter and top with the sauce. Serve with saffron couscous.

*Note: I just made two chicken breasts for the two of us, but made the entire batch of cherry sauce since I like things saucy.

For dessert, we topped things off with apple goat cheese tarts.

perfect nachos

2010-03-07T19:34:00.007-06:00

Wow! This is my 100th post! It doesn't seem like it's been that many posts, but after a year of blogging I should probably have even more. Oh well.

With our burgers and nachos, this weekend would seem to be filled with "junk" food, but I'd like to think that we do these dishes in a more healthful (and most definitely more delicious) way than your Burger King or your Taco Bell. My parents are to thank for beginning a grand tradition of amazing nachos made at home on the weekend. This is one of those meals that is never exactly the same since I just make them from memory.

Nachos or tacos usually follow a few days behind burgers. One half of the ground bison makes 2 burgers, the other half seasoned taco meat. The meat just gets cooked over medium heat, then coated to taste with lots of chili powder and cumin, plus a little chipotle powder, garlic powder, and salt.

Preheat the oven on low (300-350) and line an oven-safe plate with tortilla chips. Stick with a ceramic plate if possible--we've warped a porcelain plate in the oven before. The best chips are hearty, heavy, coarse corn chips. We usually use local blue corn chips, because the restaurant-style chips I used this time got too soggy from all the toppings.

Dollop warmed refried or black beans (if you like) over the chips, then add some meat and shredded cheese. Warm in the oven right on the plates until the cheese is melted and remove with hot pads. Then comes the fun part--slathering the nachos with lots of whatever toppings you like.

My nachos were topped with homemade salsa (that recipe is for another post!), plain yogurt (in lieu of sour cream), jalapenos, and my "green" guacamole. I originally got the guacamole recipe somewhere that I've since forgotten, but it's easy enough to make from memory. Below is the very non-scientific recipe.

"Green" Guacamole

2-3 soft avocados, mashed
1-2 green onions, sliced into thin rounds
2-4 cloves garlic, finely minced
handful cilantro leaves and stems, roughly chopped
small can diced green chiles, drained
splash of lime juice and pinch of salt, to taste

Combine all ingredients and enjoy!

friday night burgers and fries

2010-03-05T20:02:00.011-06:00

One meal we keep coming back to is some variation on burgers with oven fries. Since spring seems to have come early in the midwest (cross your fingers that it stays), yesterday was the perfect day to dust off the grill and cook some bison patties. Yes, the actual, fiery, outdoor grill. Not the George Foreman. We topped the burgers with our go-to topping, chipotle caramelized onions. I'm not sure whether these are caramelized in the "right" way (see here for a tutorial), but they always turn out very well.

Chipotle Caramelized Onions
adapted from Food Network

1 large sweet onion, halved and thinly sliced
1/2 - 1 chipotle in adobo, finely chopped, or about 1 tsp dried chipotle chili powder (go easy--you can always add more later!)
1 tbsp garlic, finely chopped
1 tbsp vegetable or olive oil
1 tbsp beef broth, chicken broth, or water
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Place all ingredients in a medium saute pan and cook on medium, stirring occasionally, until caramelized and cooked down (about 30 minutes). If things begin to stick too much, add another tablespoon or two of water. These keep in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks.

bison burger with sharp cheddar, bacon, chipotle caramelized onions, and avocado

I also took the opportunity to try a new recipe for oven fries. The NY Times recipe involved preheating the pan in a very hot oven while preparing the mixture of sweet and red potatoes. This intrigued me. Could the hot pan make for crispier fries? I could not fit all of the potatoes into one pan and grabbed another at the last minute, thus unintentionally conducting a sort of experiment that compared a preheated pan to a pan at room temperature.

The results were varied. As I should have foreseen, the sugar in the sweet potatoes quickly caramelized and then scorched on the preheated pan (you can see some of them in the photo). They turned out better in the cool pan. On the other hand, I preferred the red potato wedges that crisped up in the preheated pan. I could have gotten the same effect in the cool pan if I left them in longer, but the high heat cuts the cooking time down from 40-45 minutes to 25-30. I would definitely recommend this method, but leave out the sweet potatoes.

Oven Fries
adapted from NYTimes.com
makes 4-6 servings

2 pounds waxy potatoes, such as red potatoes
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt or coarse sea salt

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil, shiny side up. Place in the oven while you prepare the potatoes. Cut the potatoes into wedges that are 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch thick at the thickest point and toss with the olive oil and salt.

Remove the hot pan from the oven, and add the potatoes to the pan in an even layer. Be sure they don't overlap or they won't crisp. They should sizzle. Return to the oven, and lower the heat to 450 degrees. Roast 25 minutes or until tender.

Remove the pan from the oven, and loosen the potatoes from the foil using an offset spatula. Return to the oven and cook for another five minutes. Serve at once, seasoned with more salt if desired.

1 chicken 3 ways: part 1

2010-03-04T19:20:00.006-06:00

It can be difficult to juggle local, sustainable, healthy, and affordable eating, so I like to set small, attainable goals for myself every few months. In the summer I began making preserves and freezing excess CSA vegetables.

My recent goal involves putting a face on my food by using locally-sourced meat. I have been using convenient boneless, skinless chicken breasts for too long. I have been wanting to use whole chickens, but was nervous about cooking whole chickens. I think it's time that I jump in with both feet and learn by trial and error.

Matt and I have been buying a small fresh chicken from our local butcher every other week or so. Then I cook the meat in some fashion and make broth from the bones. The chickens are much cheaper than boneless chicken breasts and the homemade broth also saves us a great deal of money.

This week we had the chicken parted into white and dark meat that I can make into two separate meals. Here's the first recipe that we made, using the thighs and legs. We've made this several times and it's always very tasty and the broccoli that I made for a side was hands down one of my favorite broccoli dishes ever.

Chevre-Stuffed Chicken Thighs with Roasted Broccoli
from Simply Organic by Jesse Ziff Cool

4 oz soft goat cheese, such as chevre
1/4 c currants or raisins (I always leave this out!)
2 tbsp dry bread crumbs
1 tbsp chopped fresh chives or 1 tsp dried
1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano or 1 tsp dried
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp mixed dried Italian herbs
1/2 tsp salt
8 chicken thighs

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

In a small bowl, combine the cheese, currants or raisins (if using), bread crumbs, chives, oregano, and pepper. In another bowl, combine the oil, Italian herbs, and salt.

Place the chicken on a rack in a roasting pan (we had good luck with a broiler pan). Lift the skin of each thigh and place one-eighth of the cheese mixture under the skin. Brush the skin with oil mixture.

Roast for 30 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted in thickest portion registers 170 degrees and the juices run clear.

Note: I only used the two thighs and two legs from the chicken, which was perfect for two of us. I halved the cheese mixture, but used the entire oil mixture.

lazy

2010-03-03T20:21:00.007-06:00

In the last month or so we've made it to two tasty Asian restaurants in Madison, one Korean and one Laotian. I'm tired and not in the mood to elaborate much. I'll let the photos speak for themselves.

New Seoul Korean Restaurant
2503 University Avenue
Madison, WI
(608) 238-3331

bibim bop with beef

fried chicken with spicy sauce

Lao Laan-Xang
1146 Williamson Street
Madison, WI
(608) 280-0104

garlic chicken with mushrooms

sum thom with fried chicken and sticky rice

2010-02-20T16:52:00.006-06:00

It's been a couple weeks since I've posted though I've had some good meals and good shopping lately. Two weeks back we had friends for a dinner of two dishes that we had never made before. Luckily, all went better than expected.

pork shoulder with chipotle orange barbecue sauce

caramelized apple skillet cake

Matt put together the barbecue pork in the slow cooker the night before. I've been nervous about the slow cooker after having made an extremely dry bison roast a few years back. That being said, this roast was perfect. After 24 hours on low, it was fall-apart tender and very flavorful. Matt usually doesn't like barbecue flavors, but we all enjoyed this unique combination of seasonings.

Pork Shoulder with Chipotle Orange Barbecue Sauce
from Simply Organic by Jesse Ziff Cool

1/2 c fresh orange juice (we used Simple Orange)
1/4 c honey
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 whole canned chipotle chile pepper, pureed or minced
1 tbsp vegetable or light olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp salt
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (we left this out)
1 pork shoulder or butt roast (4 to 5 pounds)
1 tbsp finely sliced green onions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees (if using the oven).

In a small bowl, combine the orange juice, honey, vinegar, mustard, chile pepper, oil, garlic, salt, cumin, and cinnamon (if using).

If using the slow cooker, put pork in cooker, coat with sauce, and cover with lid. Cook on low for 24 hours.

For oven roasting, put the pork in a roasting pan that can be easily covered and coat the pork complete with sauce. Cover with a lid or foil. Reduce oven to 200 degrees. Roast the pork, without opening the door, for 5 hours. Check to see if it is falling-apart tender, and if not, cover and roast for about 30 minutes longer, or until it is tender. Sprinkle green onions as a garnish. Serve with coleslaw on its own or slice/shred and eat on a bun.

For dessert I made an apple skillet cake, which I started after our friends had arrived. Be warned, it takes longer than you might think. We've been lucky enough to have local apples available at our co-op until mid-February, though they've been pretty soft in the last few weeks. That made them just right for making applesauce and this cake.

The batter under the apples is sweet and fluffy with a delightful crunch from a bit of cornmeal. Be sure to layer plenty of apple slices on the bottom of the skillet. At the blog where I grabbed this recipe, the outcome of too few apples was batter stuck to the bottom of the pan, making it difficult to remove. My cake did not get as brown as The Amateur Gourmet's, most likely because I didn't leave the sugar and butter mixture to bubble in the pan long enough. Still, the cake was delicious and I will definitely make it again.

Caramelized Apple Skillet Cake
From The Amateur Gourmet, originally from Karen DeMasco's The Craft of Baking
(click on the link for step-by-step photos)

1 cup sugar
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, very soft
2 tart baking apples, such as Mutsu or Granny Smith (I used whatever I could find!)
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, separated
3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons coarse yellow cornmeal or fine polenta
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup whole milk (2% worked for me)

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

In an 8-inch ovenproof skillet, preferably cast iron, combine 1/4 cup of the sugar with 2 tablespoons water, stirring to make sure all of the sugar is damp. Cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar turns a golden brown caramel, about 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in 2 tablespoons of the butter.

Peel, core, and using a mandoline or a sharp knife, cut the apples crosswise into 1/8-inch thick rings. Tightly shingle all of the apple rings over the caramel, starting around the outside of the skillet and working toward the center, overlapping the slices.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the remaining 3/4 cup sugar, the remaining 6 tablespoons butter, and the vanilla. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in the egg yolks, one at a time.

In another bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. In three additions, add the flour mixture, alternating with the milk, to the butter mixture. Using a rubber spatula, scrape the batter into a large bowl.

Clean and dry the bowl of the electric mixer well. Add the egg whites and, using the whisk attachment on medium speed, beat to soft peaks, about 4 minutes. In three additions, fold the whites into the batter. Spread the batter evenly over the apples in the skillet.

Bake, rotating the skillet halfway through, until the cake is golden brown and firm to the touch, 45 to 50 minutes. Place the skillet on a wire rack and let it cool just until the cake is warm, about 30 minutes (we flipped and ate ours after only 10 minutes or so and it was just fine!). Then run a knife around the edge of the cake and invert it onto a plate. Serve warm or at room temperature.

The cake is best eaten the day it is baked but can be kept at room temperature, wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to 2 days.

vintage style

2010-02-06T11:02:00.004-06:00

This picture has nothing to do with anything, but isn't it great?

I came across a post about vintage style at Bertie's New Blog for Better Sewing. I really relate to her complaints about the expectations of vintage dressing. If I begin to wear vintage dresses, am I then obliged to style my hair in a certain way or to wear red lips every day?

I try to combine a few vintage pieces with modern ones or to mix clothing from several decades. I still wear the same hairstyle that I've had for years (partly because I'm too lazy to do 40s hair). My goal is to capture a vintage look or silhouette without looking like I'm in full costume. I do admire the girls who can pull off a more complete look, but it's not for me.

This is an old photo that I've posted before, but it's the best I could find that shows a combination of old and new that represents what I aim for.

top - American Apparel
scarf and skirt - thrifted
belt - a gift from Mom
tights - Target
shoes - Urban Outfitters

easy & hearty

2010-02-05T20:06:00.004-06:00

I definitely did not want to cook tonight, but since we try to save eating out for one day a week (and that day is tomorrow), I hunkered down and got cooking. Luckily I had ingredients on hand to make a very tasty, satisfying, and easy pasta recipe. It's so good when I'm tired, cold, and craving richly flavored, starch-heavy comfort food.

This makes a lot of pasta and sauce for only two of us, so I only made half a package of pasta and froze half of the sauce. That way, I'll have an even easier meal on hand in the future. By the way, this is vegan-friendly--unless, of course, you add the pancetta like I did.

Bucatini with Tomato Sauce
adapted from Rachel Ray Magazine

3 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 tsp finely chopped garlic
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
4 oz finely chopped pancetta (optional)
1/2 tsp red pepper flake (optional)
2 cups diced tomatoes (I just used a 32-oz can)
1 lb bucatini (or other long-cut pasta)

In a medium skillet, combine the olive oil, garlic, and parsley over medium-high heat. When the garlic sizzles, add the pancetta and red pepper (if using). Cook for about 1 minute, then add tomatoes. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has evaporated and the oil has begun to separate from the sauce. Put the water on to boil and cook the pasta according to the directions. Top the pasta with sauce and parmesan, if desired.

another brush with greatness

2010-02-01T20:04:00.009-06:00

before

after

Behold! Another recipe from Tom Colicchio's 'wichcraft cookbook. Many of the recipes in the book involve a complicated meat preparation in order to produce the sandwiches. I was initially intimidated by this, but then realized that the recipes make for two nights of meals: one where I cook the meat and eat it as the entree, the second when I use the leftover meat to make my sandwich. In a post on Serious Eats last week, I was reminded of a goal of mine: to make one large meat portion that will last for two or more meals. Stretching meat in this way is more economical, healthier, and more earth-friendly.

I made the short ribs Saturday evening (be ready to spend several hours near the kitchen) and then made the sandwiches Monday night for a quicker dinner. I couldn't imagine making the short ribs and the sandwich in one shot. This way worked much better.

The short ribs were served with very simple mashed red-skinned potatoes and the carrots that roasted with the meat. The mashed potato recipe is included below. Don't shy away from the horseradish in the sauce--I went on the light side and wished I had included the full amount for flavor. Also, for the sandwiches I didn't get around to pickling the vegetables, but I really wish I had. We just topped the sandwich with some thinly sliced radishes and carrots, but the tart quick-pickles would have really brightened the overall flavor. You'll need to make the veggies ahead, as they have to refrigerate for at least 24 hours. Maybe next time I'll make them while the meat braises.

Beer-Braised Beef Short Ribs with Pickled Vegetables, Aged Cheddar, and Horseradish

adapted from 'wichcraft by Tom Colicchio

1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 pound boneless short ribs, cut into 4 pieces (I used about 1 1/2 lbs with bones in, worked fine)
1/2 small carrot, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
2 cups brown ale (I used a winter ale that I had on hand)
2 sprigs fresh rosemary or a few shakes of dried rosemary leaves
1 tsp Kosher salt
1/2 tsp black peppercorns, roughly crushed
2 tbsp prepared horseradish
4 thick slices aged cheddar
1 cup pickled vegetables (recipe below)

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Add the oil to a large, heavy-bottomed, ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the meat and sear on all sides. (According to Smitten Kitchen, this step should not be rushed nor should the ribs be crowded. It should take between 15 and 45 minutes and can be done in two shifts if there's not enough room.) Remove the meat from the skillet and set aside. Add the carrot, onion, and garlic to the same skillet and saute until caramelized. Add the ale and deglaze. Place the meat back into the skillet and add the rosemary, salt, and pepper. Cover the skillet and transfer to the oven. Braise for about 2 1/2 hours, until fork tender. Remove and transfer the meat to a clean skillet. Keep oven on.

Strain the braising liquid and discard the fat. In a bowl, combine the strained liquid and the horseradish, and pour over the meat in the new skillet. Over low heat, glaze the meat as the liquid reduces. Remove from the heat when the pot is almost dry.

Mashed Red-Skinned Potatoes

from epicurious.com

2 pound red potatoes
1 cup whole milk (I used 2%)
1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened

Cut potatoes (with skin) into 1-inch pieces, then generously cover with cold salted water (1 teaspoon salt for 5 cups water) in a large saucepan and simmer, partially covered, until potatoes are tender, 10 to 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat milk, butter, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a small saucepan over medium heat until butter is melted.

Drain potatoes well in a colander and return to pan. Mash with a potato masher, and, while hot, stir in milk mixture. Season with salt.

Cut the baguette into four pieces and slice each in half. Remove some of the bread from the top halves. Slice the meat and distribute one piece on each bottom half of bread. Spoon some of the liquid left in the skillet over the meat. Place the cheese on top of the meat and transfer to the oven together with the top slices of bread. Remove once the cheese is melted and the bread is toasted. Spread some horseradish on the top slices (optional, but recommended). On the bottom halves, top the cheese with the pickled vegetables. Close the sandwiches, cut into halves, and serve.

Pickled Vegetables

from 'wichcraft by Tom Colicchio

1 cup white wine vinegar
1 cup white wine
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp black peppercorns
5 star anise
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 bulb fennel, halved lengthwise and sliced (about 1 cup)
1/2 large carrot, sliced on the bias and cut in half (about 1 cup)
1 cup thinly sliced radishes
4 garlic cloves

In a saucepan, combine 2 cups water, the vinegar, wine, sugar, fennel seeds, coriander seeds, peppercorns, star anise, and salt and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, and pour into a large bowl containing the fennel, carrot, radishes, and garlic. Set aside and refrigerate for at least 24 hours. Keeps well if refrigerated in its liquid for up to 2 weeks.

a brush with greatness

2010-02-01T19:30:00.007-06:00

One day recently Matt brought home Tom Colicchio's cookbook from his sandwich joint, 'wichcraft. Seeing as we are both sandwich fans and Top Chef fans, it was a match made in heaven. And I feel like some of his incredible food knowledge may rub off on me if I make some of his recipes!

This past week I made two of the sandwiches and both were knock-outs. On the first, a roasted turkey sandwich, I cut corners a bit by using sliced deli turkey instead of roasting my own turkey breast. Can you believe that the grocery store was all out of whole turkey breasts? Next time (and there will be a next time) I will try to roast my own meat. Anyway, it was still delicious, so if you wanted a quicker meal, I would wholeheartedly recommend using some good-quality deli turkey.

The onion marmalade is delicious, similar to a caramelized onion jam I made to go with Thanksgiving leftovers, but with that great balsamic flavor. A few days after I made the onions, I found another use for the marmalade, Brunch Burgers from the Sticky, Gooey, Creamy, Chewy blog. Definitely on my "to make" list.

Roasted Turkey with Avocado, Bacon, Balsamic Onion Marmalade, and Mayonnaise

from 'wichcraft by Tom Colicchio

6 sage leaves
1 (3- to 4- pound) boneless turkey breast
2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
12 slices bacon
4 ciabatta rolls (I used slices of a country French sourdough loaf)
1/2 cup Balsamic Onion Marmalade (below)
1 ripe avocado, pitted, peeled, and sliced
4 tbsp mayonnaise

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Slide the sage leaves under the skin of the turkey breast and place the turkey on a sheet pan. Rub the skin with butter and season generously with salt and pepper. Roast the turkey with 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Baste the meat with its juices throughout. (Keep in mind that the meat will continue to cook even after it's removed from the oven, so be careful not to cook it too long.) Allow the meat to rest before slicing, or cool completely.

In a heavy skillet over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until golden brown and crisp on both sides. Transfer to paper towels to drain.

Slice the ciabatta rolls in half. Place the turkey slices on the bottom halves and top with the marmalade. Place the bottom and top halves of the rolls in the 350 degree oven and remove once the marmalade is heated through and the bread is toasted. Top the marmalade with the bacon, followed by the avocado. Evenly spread the mayonnaise on the top halves of the rolls. Close the sandwiches, cut into halves, and serve.

Balsamic Onion Marmalade

1 tbsp vegetable oil
4 medium onions, thinly sliced (about 8 cups)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup balsamic vinegar

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat until it slides easily across the pan. Add the onions, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes, until the onions are soft.

Add the sugar and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes, until the onions appear dry.

Add the vinegar and reduce the heat to low. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, for about 1 hour, until the onions are soft and dry.

Serve warm or at room temperature. Store the marmalade in the refrigerator. It will keep for several weeks.