Categories

• Food Babble (6)
• Home Life (1)
• In the Fridge (2)
• Recipes (9)
• Reviews (13)
• Travel (1)
• Updates (1)
• Wine Babble (1)

The Map

View Larger

Archives

• April 2010
• March 2010
• February 2010
• November 2009

Search

Search for:

Meta

• Log in

Halibut Steaks Poached in Curried Coconut Milk with Golden Beets and Onions

April 19th, 2010

That’s quite a title, eh?

I’ve mentioned in previous posts that I’ve been trying to “Eat Primal,” and while it’s true that I haven’t had a single french fry, piece of bread, grain of rice or tortilla chip in about two weeks solid, I am not about to eat underwhelming food.

Tonight, for dinner, I knew two things: I had some golden beets in my fridge that needed to be cooked and I really was craving seafood of some description.  I had told myself that I would do something with the beets as a side but upon skimming through my cookbook, How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman, I was inspired to poach these halibut steaks with the beets and onions and all together.

I did not, however, have fish stock, as Mr. Bittman requested, nor did I really want to do the poaching with carrots and celery (I had some of those last night).  I did, however, have a whole mess of coconut milk, golden beets and onion.

So here’s what I made.  It’s really an amazing dish, surely deserving of a more illustrious night than a Monday, and sure to impress your friends.  It isn’t that difficult but will involve a bit of prep. You also will want to invest in a digital thermometer for this kind of cooking: if you overcook the fish, it will flat-out disintegrate.  Done gently, it is succulent and firm, with an amazing sweetness.

This is the one I own. Do yourself a favor and spend the $20 bucks. Your meat will thank you. Really.

Ingredients

• 2 halibut steaks, about 1.5″ to 2″ thick
• 1 can coconut milk
• 3 golden beets, diced
• 1 medium sized sweet onion, diced
• 1.5 teaspoons curry powder
• white wine
• coconut oil (or other cooking oil)
• sea salt

Tools

• Large skillet
• Casserole dish (enough to hold the steaks and plenty of liquid and veggies)
• Digital thermometer with cord

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350-deg F.
2. Dice your beets and onions to about 1/2″ cubes
3. Heat your oil in the skillet and add onions and beats, cooking until onion is translucent (don’t worry about those beets, they’ll get cooked through eventually).
4. Beets should start to share some of their color with the onions and there should be a decent fond forming on the bottom of the pan.  Deglaze with about 1/4-cup of white wine, scraping up the fond from the bottom of the pan.  Let the liquid cook away and get absorbed into the veggies.
5. While veggies are simmering, salt your halibut with a little of the sea salt (just a light dusting).
6. Now add your curry powder to the veggies and another 1/4 cup of the wine.  Add your can of coconut milk and stir, blending together. Bring liquid to a boil: the whole thing should now be a beautiful saffron color.
7. Turn the burner off under your coconut milk and veggies. Get out your casserole dish and ladle a few spoonfuls of liquid and veggies into the bottom.  Place your steaks on top of these veggies, then ladle the remaining liquid over the top.  You should have enough to just cover the steaks.  If they’re not covered completely, this is still okay.  Just make sure you ladle some liquid over the tops.
8. Place casserole dish in oven and skewer one of the steaks in it’s thickest part with your digital thermometer.  Set the timer to go off when the steaks reach 140-deg F.
   Note: If you don’t have a digital thermometer, shame on you, but the poaching will only take about 20 minutes.
9. When the timer goes off, remove the dish from the over and let it rest.  The temp will go up to about 145-deg F after it is removed from the oven.  This is “done” for fish and seafood. Any hotter than that you’re just doing the fish an injustice, not inconveniencing any parasites which already bit the dust around 140 or so.
10. Remove the steaks gently from the liquid with a spatula, spoon, tongs or all three: they will be slightly fragile! If you left the skin on the steaks you will want to remove it before plating (or you can eat it, too: I’m sure it’s tasty; I chose not to).
11. Place the steaks on a plate, add the veggies with a slotted spoon, then ladle enough liquid onto the plate to suit you.

Enjoy!  These are phenomenal: I’m getting hungry again just thinkin’ about ‘em.

Mock-aroni Pie

April 12th, 2010

Eating like a cavegirl is paying off: I’ve lost five pounds in about a week. It’s amazing that I’m eating so well and losing weight: I’m not hungry and I feel very healthy.  I have lots of energy and I’m happy in general. Today I had a serious craving for a snack but I called my sponsor and that craving went away (after I had a boiled egg as a snack instead).

So over the weekend my mom and sister were in town visiting and we got to talking: this whole Eating Primal thing is fine, and it seems to be working for me, but can we use this newly found ambition to eat differently and think about food differently to find something else to apply it to? Perhaps, remaking a dish that we love into something more “healthful?”

So after much discussion we settled on a family favorite, a dish chock full of carbs and, by proxy, sugar: the Macaroni Pie. Cheese, noodles, more cheese, milk and eggs. It’s a simple dish but I was sure we could make it just as awesome, but with less sugar and carbs.

Enter spaghetti squash. As a stand-in for noodles, this beauty has been at this for ages, but I couldn’t find any overt references to any “macaroni” pie on the Internet.  My mom and I felt very pleased with how this little dish came out. It’s spectacular as a side, and even though it requires a bit of a time investment, it’s a special-occasion dish in my family anyway, so the little extra prep work is alright. And, I suppose, so are the savings on the carbs!

This stuff is insanely rich.  I suggest trying a few different kinds of cheeses to layer the flavors. I really enjoyed it using Parrano cheese and a raw cow’s milk sharp cheddar. Mmm!

Ingredients

Overall cooking and prep time, about 2 hours.

• 1 medium spaghetti squash
• 1.5 – 2 cups shredded cheese (i like sharp white cheddar!)
• 2. cups heavy cream
• 2 eggs
• butter (to grease the casserole dish)
• salt and pepper

Directions

1. To prepare the spaghetti squash, cut in half, lengthwise and scoop out seeds and membranes.
2. Preheat oven to 325-deg F.
3. Place cleaned squash cut side down on a tin-foil-lined baking sheet.  Prick the skin of the squash so some steam can escape and place into oven on baking sheet. Roast for 45 minutes.
4. While squash is roasting, grate cheese.
5. Once squash is roasted and you can handle touching it, use a fork to scrape the strands of the squash along its insides.  Place strands in a bowl and set aside.
6. Grease a deep casserole dish liberally with butter, all the way up the sides and all over the bottom.  Preheat over to 350-deg F.
7. Layer the squash and cheese in the greased casserole dish.  Squash on the bottom, then cheese, then squash, then cheese, then squash, then cheese.  Your last layer should be cheese.
8. Whisk together two eggs and the heavy cream.  Season this mixture with salt and pepper (about a half-teaspoon of each or less).  Pour this mixture over the layered cheese and squash.
   Note: When you tilt the dish, you should see a little liquid move to the edge.  If you don’t see any, you might want to top off the casserole with a little extra cream.
9. Place casserole into oven and bake for 40 minutes, checking regularly.  If the top starts to brown but the mixture is still jiggly, loosely tent tinfoil over the casserole and let it continue to bake.
10. When ready (could take up to an hour or more, depending on the depth of your casserole dish) the consistency should be firm with a little jiggle, a little looser than quiche.

Eating Like a Cavegirl

April 10th, 2010

For the last several days, I’ve been trying something: The Paleo Diet. Well, sort of. I could really call this The Bibi Diet, as my friend Bibi at work has been eating this way for about two years and looks fantastic. She’s also serving as a guru for a few of the ladies I work with and me in our forays into primal eating.

She started explaining how it works (eat only things that we’re evolutionarily designed to eat: meats, fresh veggies, fats, nuts and some fruits) and it seemed to be something I could get on board with. Oh by the way, bacon (sans nitrites) is encouraged. Score.

My attempts at eating this way have been bolstered partly by my struggle with my weight for all my life but also by my family’s predisposition for being overweight and getting diabetes. Eating this way puts your dietary sugar in very low numbers, daily, and the protein and fiber keep you satisfied.  Sounds like a winner to me.

I’ve been at it since this past Tuesday and I’ve already lost three pounds.  Who’s to say if that’s real weight that can stay gone or water weight, but I plan on sticking with it for a bit longer.  I can honestly say that I have not been hungry at all and the only craving I’ve had was during a few stressful days at work when I wanted a Diet Coke so bad I had to call one of my fellow cavegirls over to talk through the craving.

Tonight I’m making arctic char with a side of spaghetti squash au gratin (a recipe I’m trying to perfect for my dad since he loves mac-n-cheese but shouldn’t have too much of it). As an accompaniment we’ll have a red lettuce salad with fresh tomatoes and a lemon and shallot vinaigrette.

Sounds like a decent way to eat, doesn’t it? I don’t really miss the starchy, sugary stuff at all. We’ll see how it goes.

First Times: Center Point Pit Barbecue

March 28th, 2010

After wrapping up an afternoon of disc golf at Sanders Ferry Park in Hendersonville, TN (during which, we lost a few discs to water hazards: boo!) we started back to Nashville and decided to stop at Center Point Pit Barbecue on the way home for dinner.

As I’ve told you before, I revere the pig in just about all of its iterations and after 19 holes of disc golf and working up quite an appetite, we really thought that some pork would hit the spot.

Center Point Pit Barbecue has been around for quite a while (founded in the 1960’s) and the walls of the restaurant are lined with autographs from Nashville celebrities.  The dining room is about what you would expect from a pit barbecue place (four-top tables, chairs, paper towel rolls in lieu of napkins, the obligatory special sauces) and it’s clean and the servers are friendly and the smell from the roast pork in the kitchen is just awesome.

We ordered a bloomin’ onion, breaded with cornmeal instead of beer batter, accompanied by “Yum Yum” sauce (a cajun ranch dressing of some variety) and our pulled pork plates with sides.  The sauces were good, though in spite of the earnest assertions printed on the labels for the sauces (“We Honestly Believe We Have The Best Barbecue Sauce In The World!”) I would give the edge to a few other places I’ve been. The pulled pork had great texture, but the flavor was a little more subtle than other places we’ve tried, perhaps owing to a lighter tasting wood used for the smoking.

Center Point is definitely worth a detour, but perhaps not worth a trip…unless you’re checking off every Barbecue place in the South or something, in which case, why haven’t you been there yet?

Find Center Point Pit Barbecue on Google Maps

Local Faves: Shipley Do-Nuts

March 26th, 2010

I have a confession to make: I have never actually been into a Shipley’s Do-Nuts myself.  I am, however, lucky enough to work in a place where Fridays are Donut Fridays and everyone takes a turn bringing them in. When it’s my week, I go for easy (and on the way) and have to hit up a Dunkin’ Donuts (which is good, but it ain’t Shipley’s).

When it’s his Friday, Jeremy, my friend and king of Donut Fridays, always brings Shipley’s to the office. Today he brought in about two dozen delectable donuts, and for that, I thank him.

Today, my donut was cinnamon-sugar and it was perfect, cakey magnificence.

Shipley’s is indigenous to the South, I believe, so if there’s one in the area where you are, it might be worth a special trip if you’re in the mood.

http://www.shipleydonuts.ws

A Foodie’s Weekend in the Northeast

March 22nd, 2010

Evan and I just got back from our long-weekend vacation in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. Primarily, we went up to witness magic in the making as Evan’s big brother, Andrew Zimmerman, an extremely talented chef in his own right and the executive chef at Sepia in Chicago, prepared dinner at The James Beard House in New York City.  Cooking a James Beard Foundation dinner is a supreme honor for a chef.  If you were a musician, it would be much akin to being invited to perform at Carnegie Hall.

In addition to that, we got to spend lots of time with friends and family, so I figure the best way to do this post is to give you all a rundown of the weekend, where we went and what we ate!  Enjoy.

Thursday: Red Bank, NJ & New York City, NY

After a very late flight, Evan and I slept in until very late in the morning. Combined with the time change (Central to Eastern) we didn’t surface until around 11 a.m. When we did finally stir, however, we were greeted by Annie, Evan’s mother’s delightfully cheerful Australian Shepherd. She is about a year old now, but still very much a pup and her enthusiasm (and the warm, wonderful weather) were infectious. So we grabbed the leash and our walking shoes and strolled into Red Bank, proper to get some lunch.

On Monmouth Street, we found Mister Pizza Slice, a tiny little pizzeria serving up the basics. Evan had two slices of cheese and I had one of pepperoni. The slices were thin, a little crispy, and the sauce and cheese were flavorful. These slices hit the spot, though Annie was a little peeved we didn’t share any with her.

That evening, we took the train into New York City to attend dinner at the James Beard House. We got in a little early, so we made a stop off at Gusto, an Italian restaurant and bar, for a drink.  We were ecstatic to find that Kumamoto oysters were in season and available. So we ordered a few of those and some glasses of wine.  Kumamotos are a rare pleasure and only available for a few weeks each spring. If you find yourself in a restaurant in mid to late March and they’re on the menu (and of course, if you like oysters) order some. You will find them firmly textured, not too goopy, and sweet: totally my favorite oyster.

Finally, it was time to make our way to the James Beard Foundation (situated in the four-story brownstone once owned by James Beard himself) for dinner. We were shown through the basement (which is almost completely kitchen) to the back garden for cocktails and hors d’oeuvres.

Andrew’s menu did not disappoint at all.  We were started off with foie gras croquettas (fried spheres of batter that contained a burst of foie gras); house-cured sardines with avocado, lemon and scallions (a delicious bite of spring); coppa di testa – head cheese with fava beans, pickles and mint (rolled together maki-style and skewered); shrimp and grits (served in one bite in a spoon with just enough grits, gravy and a single shrimp).

In addition to these yummies, cocktails were served: lovely bottles of Champagne Jean Vesselle Oeil de Perdrix Brut Rosé NV and a surprising, delicious drink: a rye posset (a mix of rye, date molasses, milk and spices, served with an old fashioned pearl, set with gelatin) concocted by bartender Joshua Pearson. After an hour and a half in the garden enjoying ourselves, everyone was shown to their tables and the meal began. Courses were as follows (and delicious):

1. English pea soup with ricotta, pea shoots and nasturtiums
   Wine: Movia Quattro Mani {toh-kai} Exto Gredic Vineyard, Goriska Brda 2008
2. Seared scallop with black pudding, celery and almond
   Wine: Condrieu, Saint Cosme 2008
3. Slow-cooked arctic char with rye gnocci, sauerkraut, mustard and apple
   Wine: Pinot Gris Clos St. Landelin, Rene Mure 2003
4. Rabbit in the style of porchetta, morels, asparagus and rabbit jus
   Wine: Anaba Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast 2007
5. Lamb loin with artichokes, white bean puree, and salsa verde
   Wine: Emilio Bulfon Piculit Neri delle Venezia Riserva 2007*
   (*Evan says: “Artichokes are impossibly difficult to pair with wine. This was an inspired pairing by wine director Scott Tyree.”)

My favorite of the evening was probably the rabbit, followed closely by the scallop with black pudding. The wine pairings formed an excellent harmony to the food. Dessert (by Pastry Chef, Cindy Schuman) was a light, sweet confection: lemon ricotta cream on a thyme biscuit with almond granola, served with Albino Rocca, Moscato d’Asti 2009 (a lovely dessert wine that complimented the sprightly lemon flavor perfectly).

After Q&A with Andrew and the staff, we were completely aglow with pride in his accomplishment. I know we will see big things from Andrew in the future and it will all be delicious!  We stumbled from the restaurant in a happy daze, full of food and wine, hailed a cab and headed back to Penn Station to catch our train back to Red Bank. It was a full and wonderful day.

Friday: Red Bank, NJ & New York City, NY

Evan and I got up a little earlier on Friday, played with Annie a bit in the yard, then headed to the train station to make our way back into the City with the intention of heading for the MoMA. We stopped at Juanito’s in Red Bank near the train station for a pastry and some coffee.  Juanito’s is a Mexican restaurant and bakery and they serve amazing pastries. Evan and I both had mini apple pies. Delicious!

In the city we started walking in the direction of the MoMA (Museum of Modern Art) from Penn Station. It was almost 30 city blocks! All that hoofing it worked up an appetite and we stopped at NY Thai Grill and Sushi Bar (directly behind the MoMA) for some Thai food. Evan’s Panang curry was pretty good, but my Pad Thai left something to be desired (See previous post about Pad Thai perfection). We also had some coconut bubble tea. I can admit that I don’t really know what those little balls in the tea really are (something like tapioca and carrageenan?) but it was pretty tasty; I preferred it to my Pad Thai, to be honest: I think it had too much sriracha sauce, I think: the whole thing was an odd PINK color.

The MoMA was a bust (a combination of the Tim Burton Exhibit and a Free Friday promotion by Target had the place packed to the ceiling) and it was impossible to enjoy any of the galleries. Everywhere we went, people were talking loudly about anything BUT ART. We decided to chalk up the money we’d paid (we missed the “free” part by about 45 minutes) and push on to other points of interest, specifically Tiffany & Co. and the wine store, Sherry-Lehmann Wines & Spirits.

After another few hours kicking around the city (and walking tons more blocks) we figured dinner was in order: the traffic was way too terrible to even entertain the idea of trying to find a cab back to Penn Station, so we figured we’d have dinner in the City and make our way to Les Halles, one of our favorites. We always try to make a pilgrimage to this popular French brasserie for their delicious American steaks cooked in the French style (read: the French know what they’re doing, but American beef is better than French beef).

We started with the Les Rillettes du Boucher (housemade shredded pork confit served with mustard and cornichons) and Frisée aux Lardons with a poached egg (a salad of frisée, tossed in a vinagrette along with roquefort cheese and big, succulent pieces of bacon). For mains, I had Onglet à l’Échalote (hanger steak with shallot sauce) and frites (literally, french fries) and Evan ordered Paleron, Sauce au Poive Vert (flat iron steak with green peppercorn sauce).  With dinner we had a bottle of Bandol (and I forget the year) but it was excellent.  After dinner, we stumbled back to Penn Station, happy to have earned our steak dinner after a walk of 80+ blocks during the day.

Saturday: Philadelphia, PA

We rolled out of bed at an even more decent hour Saturday morning, not wanting to miss any time with Evan’s mum (who was so graciously putting us up at her home in Red Bank). For breakfast, she made us bacon, egg and cheese sandwiches, along with Dunkin Donuts coffee.  Can’t go wrong!  We played in the yard for a bit with Annie (again: you gotta love dogs) and then headed to Philly.

Evan is a photographer and has two clients in Philly he owed a session, so we made our way to meet up with them.  We arrived around lunchtime, parked the car and got out to explore the Rittenhouse Square area. We were having dinner Saturday night with a family friend, Marc, and so we wanted to drop off the wine we’d purchased the night before with the restaurant (a BYOB establishment) in the same area. We couldn’t get anyone on the phone at the restaurant, so we took the wine and made our way through the neighborhood where we settled on lunch at Marathon on the Square nearby. The drive in had completely fried my nerves, so I had a Bloody Mary (not too spicy, heavy on the horseradish) and the shrimp and grits, Evan had a chicken sandwich and fries.

As a good Southern girl, I found much to be desired in what this restaurant called “grits:” the grits I know and love are smooth and creamy and seasoned by someone tasting them, not just calculating; grits can be finicky and need to be tasted and tested for texture!  These “grits” were grainy and not well-seasoned; I don’t think they had cooked them long enough, or maybe they hadn’t thought to use good quality grits. But I will say that I enjoyed the shrimp, which were very flavorful.  Evan’s sandwich disappeared quickly, so I’m guessing it was good.  From there, we headed to drop off the wine at the restaurant (we finally got ahold of the chef) and then to meet the clients.

After a full day of running around the city taking pictures, we headed back to the Rittenhouse Square neighborhood and had a drink at Snack Bar (where they make “Slammin’ Mojitos,” by the way) and then on to Caffe Casta Diva, an Italian place where we were meeting Evan’s godfather, Marc. Marc is always fun to hang out with and the food was a nice compliment to the company.  Caffe Casta Diva is intimate and comfortable and the menu seems seasonally inspired.  Bringing your own wine is encouraged and they do not charge a corking fee.  They also don’t take credit or debit cards, so make sure you head to the bank first.

We ordered lots of dishes to share: a few salads, some perfectly prepared, sauteed calamari with tomatoes and green peas, wild boar with pappardelle, scallops with saffron cream and spaghettini, Niman Ranch pork chop on the bone with nectarines and golden rasins.  All were good choices, with my favorite being the pork chop which was so flavorful.  The pastas are also all handmade and have a chewier, more pleasant texture than you get from a dried, box pasta. Awesome.  Dessert was a cannoli and cappuccino: a sweet ending to the First Day of Spring.

Sunday: Seabright, NJ & Red Bank, NJ

On our last day, Sunday morning, we headed to The Riverfront Cafe in Seabright, NJ with Evan’s mum. I was craving bagels and lox for some reason and while I’m not sure that was all this place specializes in, they certainly had it on the menu.  My smoked salmon was fine, though the lettuce, tomato and onion that accompanied it was warm and unappetizing.  I didn’t touch it and stuck to the bagel, cream cheese (which was on a fine temperature) and the salmon. Evan ordered potato pancakes with apple sauce, Evan’s mum had some poached eggs on toast.

After breakfast Evan’s mother and I whiled away many hours shopping around for makeup and clothes (Evan was in tow but not impressed) and got packed and ready to leave for the airport. Before we left, we had an early dinner at a local Five Guys in Red Bank, quite possibly the best hamburger in the nation.  But that’s a subject for another blog post altogether.

My Classy Palate (or) Amanda Sniffs Out the Expensive Stuff

March 13th, 2010

This past Thursday, we had the great pleasure of attending a wine tasting put on by Hoyt Hill of Village Wines here in Nashville, TN at F. Scott’s Restaurant.  What I knew going into the tasting was that we would be tasting Chateau Reignac (a wine from Bordeaux, France) against some of the first growths (Margaux, Lafite and Mouton) but what I didn’t know was that it was a blind tasting. Exciting, non?

Evan and I are very into French wine, but we tend to gravitate toward Burgundy as our region of choice.  In fact, when Evan and I first started learning about wine, I hated Bordeaux. Too tannic, too heavy: the wines felt like a punch in the mouth where the Burgundy wines (and especially my beloved Gevrey Chambertin) were unctuous and sensual and fragrant.  Over time I’ve learned to love Bordeaux for the things that it is over the things it is not, but that preference sticks with me. This preference, however, helped me this night.

So off we went with 60 of our closest friends to taste the wines of Chateau Reignac against three of the best-known wines of the region. At each seat were placed seven glasses, three of which, we were told, contained Chateau Margaux, Chateau Lafite-Rothschild and Chateau Mouton-Rothschild (none of which retail for less that $800US). The other four contained different selections of Chateau Reignac.  Before we started tasting, we were treated to a video about how Chateau Reignac performed in a similar tasting a few years back, paired against other amazing vintages of high-end, gone-off grape juice.

As the tasting began, we were instructed to sniff the wines carefully and try to decide which ones seemed the lightest so as to not overload our palates immediately.  I tasted through the wines before me in the order that seemed best, based on my nose.  After several minutes of swirling, tasting and slurping, I settled on my ratings.  The table discussed and we assigned aggregate scores to each of the wines before us.

Before the official results were announced and the truth about the wines’ identities were revealed, Evan and I wrote down on our sheets what we guessed the wines to be, mostly trying to figure out which ones were Margaux, Lafite and Mouton.

The one thing I knew was that I liked wine #5 the best. There was something elegant about it: sumptuous and fragrant.  It reminded me of Burgundy.  For this reason I was convinced that this one was Margaux.  I had heard that Margaux was this way: the iron fist in the velvet glove, the more feminine of the first growths, the most fragrant of all of them.  I wrote this on my score card, confidently and pointedly, sure in my choice.

As it turned out, I was right!  I picked Chateaux Margaux out of the ranks as my favorite and called it by name.  In fact, my ratings spoke for themselves better than my guesses did across the board.  Here’s how I ranked my wines (along with my tasting notes).

1. 2006 Chateau Margaux
   Silky and beautifully fragrant: great fruit.
2. 2006 Chateau Lafite-Rothschild
   Leather and dirt in the nose. Finish is sharp and acidic but fresh.
3. 2006 Chateau Mouton-Rothschild
   Good fruit and oak, smooth lovely finish.
4. 2005 Chateau Reignac
   Tannic and beefy but not too heavy. Slightly smoky and very fruity. Opened up beautifully, amazing with food.
5. 2006 Chateau Reignac
   Very alcoholic and hot. Tannins are strong, finish is bready.
6. 2006 Chateau Reignac Balthus
   Crazy tannins: OW.
7. 2005 Chateau Reignac Balthus
   Eh. Strong tannins, not much fruit, flat and minerally.

Afterwards, Evan decided that I simply have a taste for the expensive. But there was just something about that Chateau Margaux: it spoke to me in a way that the others did not.  In the end, we bought three bottles of the 2005 Chateau Reignac, which, after it had a chance to open up (and after I tasted it with a little bit of a water cracker) had an amazing complexity that I think will present beautifully with food: rich black cherry flavor and a spicy, wonderful smoky quality that I really liked.

Of the ones that faired poorly with me, they seemed tannic and heavy, but that’s not to say they won’t age well.  Evan’s second-favorite (after the Margaux which he also favored) was my second to least favorite, the 2006 Reignac Balthus. His opinion is that the wine is built enough to have great aging potential.

I enjoyed the tasting (and the dinner afterwards at F.Scott’s bar, a topic for a food post at some point). Someday when I am fabulously wealthy, I hope that Chateau Margaux can be a staple in our cellar.  We had a blast: Hoyt and Yves Vatelot threw a great party.

Cheers!

Chimichurri, Part 2

March 9th, 2010

So by the time we got dinner on the table, it was all I could do to get a single picture of a plate.  Any more than that, and I think Evan and our guests would have gone rabid.

These steaks are amazing, but you have to be good to the meat.  I don’t recommend cooking them to death, but I realize that some people just can’t do medium-rare.  That is, in my humble opinion, the best way to cook and eat a steak, but if you must kill it twice, well, it’s your meat.

You will need…

• half recipe of chimichurri for marinade (recipe here)
• 4 skirt steaks
• a very hot grill

Directions

1. On the morning of the day you want to eat your steaks, place them in a gallon Ziploc bag with the half recipe of chimichurri. Throw the bag back in the fridge to marinate for the rest of the day. (Recommend you marinate for at least an hour if you don’t have all day)
2. 30 minutes before going on the grill, remove the steaks from the fridge and allow them to rest on the counter. Remove the steaks to a plate to carry out to the grill; melted plastic is icky.
3. Get your grill good and hot (I’m talkin’ blue flames) and grill your steaks!  Medium-rare is maybe 2-3 minutes per side, tops, depending on how hot it is.  Check the thick part of one of the steaks to be sure.
4. Remove from grill a little before you think you need to: steaks will continue to cook for a few minutes after they come off the grill.

Presentation

1. Plate the steaks and top with more of the chimichurri. Believe me, you will want some of it included with every bite you take.
2. As a side, we usually go with yellow saffron rice.  I have a specific brand that I prefer (Vigo), but any yellow saffron rice will do.  To add extra flavor, I make the rice with chicken broth instead of water.  It makes a big difference in the flavor.
3. Top with more chimichurri.

Enjoy!

Chimichurri, Part 1

March 8th, 2010

Chimichurri is just about the most-requested dish for me to make for my husband, Evan. Since we started making it for ourselves, late last summer, it’s really become a crowd pleaser for our family and guests, too.

At first glance, chimichurri seems like a vinegary salsa, and that’s true, but the ratios are a little different.  Salsas are typically like, a 2-1 on the tomatoes: this is a little more even.  This is also one of those things I make where I couldn’t really tell you exactly what the exact amounts are for the ingredients, but I try to make a close approximation.

I got the recipe off one of the first Googlings (I am not sure that’s a word) for “chimichurri,” from Asado Argentina.  This recipe is just a tad different, as I’ve modified it for our tastes and for what I can usually find around.

You will also see that this is “Part 1.” As a general rule, I try to make the chimichurri at least a day in advance of when I want to eat it.  Tomorrow, we’re having some friends over and we’ll be grilling the steaks I will be marinating in this delicious slurry.

I could eat it with a spoon, but you can decide if you’re that much of a fanatic on your own. I will warn you, this stuff is addictive.

Ingredients

• 2-3 small sweet onions, minced
• 5-6 roma tomatoes, quartered, seeded and rough chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 5-6 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 bunch flat leaf parsley, rough chopped
• 1 Tbsp. sea salt
• 1 Tbsp. oregano
• 1 Tbsp. smoked paprika (you can also use regular; I just like the smoked stuff)
• 1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/8 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
• olive oil (and plenty of it)
• red wine vinegar (and plenty of it)
• water

Directions

1. I usually kick things off by prepping everything: I start with the onions, then the red bell pepper, then the tomatoes (which are the most time consuming).  Do yourself a favor and make sure you’re using a sharp knife: you don’t want to smash your tomatoes to death.  Deposit everything into the biggest glass or plastic bowl you have: NO METAL.
2. Add half the salt to the big three and stir together.
3. Then the parsley: rinse the bunch under the tap, shake off the excess water, then grab the top of the bunch in one hand and the base in the other and twist firmly.  What you should come away with is mostly the leaves on the top and a minimal amount of stem. Rough chop the top of the bunch.
4. Next, the garlic: I do this last because if you’re trying to use one cutting board, garlic makes everything stick! So save it for last.  Peel the garlic and smash the cloves with the side of your knife, then mince mince mince.
5. Finally the spices and the rest of the salt.  Stir it all together and let it rest for about 10 minutes to meld.  This’ll let the veggies absorb some of the dry seasonings.
6. As you start adding the liquids, here’s how you do it: add 1/4 cup red wine vinegar, 1/4 cup water, and 1/2 cup olive oil.  Stir.  Now add equal parts vinegar, water and oil until there’s a slight puddle on the top of your chimichurri.

And that’s it: you have made chimichurri. What is mostly prep work turns into something amazing that you can put on literally everything: meat, chicken, seafood: it’s all good.

Check back tomorrow to see how the skirt steaks turn out.

Recipe: Baines Family Chili

March 7th, 2010

Spring is allllmost here. Putting winter behind us means lots of my favorite foods will be out of place for weeknight dinners. Since that is the case, I think this may be my final batch of chili until next October.

Evan and I have been making chili together from his mom’s recipe for years, but lately I’ve really tried to make it our own, changing up the principles and adding different spices to please our palates.  There’s lots of things you’ll see included in the ingredients that are pretty standard to a pantry (cumin, cocoa powder, brown sugar) and some things that aren’t (Kentucky Bourbon, whole cumin seed, instant coffee) but if you acquire many of these ingredients, they keep forever and a day and they’re staples for which I’m sure you can find other uses.

Also it should be noted that I am making this batch in a Crock Pot Slow Cooker. You can also do this stovetop over really low heat for a few hours. In my experience, truly amazing chili needs at least four hours, but is perfectly passable with less.  Allow at least an hour for prep and initial cooking before you leave it unattended in whatever cooking method you choose.

Spring is officially here March 20, so you have a few weeks yet. Invite some friends over and give Winter a proper sendoff with this stuff.

Ingredients: Basics

• 2 lbs. thin-sliced top sirloin OR fajita beef (ask your butcher, he knows)
• 2 large red onions, chopped
• 10 cloves of garlic, minced (yes, I said 10: five to a pound of beef, I always say)
• 1 35 oz. can peeled tomatoes
• 1 28 oz. can tomato sauce
• 1 can dark red kidney beans
• 1/4 cup Kentucky Bourbon (or other whisky: I’ve also used rum to nice effect) - Optional
• olive oil
• sea salt (or table salt; whatever you have or prefer)

Ingredients: Spices

• 4 Tbsp. chili powder
• 1/4 tsp. ground cumin seed
• 1 tsp. whole cumin seed
• 1 tsp. whole fennel seed
• 3 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
• 1.5 Tbsp. packed brown sugar
• 2 tsp. instant coffee
• 1 tsp. cocoa powder
• 2 habaneros, minced

Directions: Part One

1. Get started by prepping your onions and garlic.
2. Cut the meat into thin strips (if it isn’t already) about 1/2″ wide. Salt meat liberally with sea salt.
3. Coat the bottom of a large skillet or stockpot with olive oil, heat over medium-high heat and add onions. Salt the onions and cook until semi-translucent. If using bourbon, add 1/4 cup to the pan and cook until the liquid is absorbed (another few minutes).
4. Remove about 2/3 of a cup of the onions to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge. The rest of the onions go into the Crock Pot.
5. Put a little more olive oil into the bottom of the pan, then lightly brown your meat along with all the minced garlic. Don’t cook it to death, just for five minutes or so. There should still be a fair bit of red showing, but you want to give it a decent sear. Put meat into Crock Pot along with the onions.
6. To the Crock Pot, add: the two cans of tomatoes and all of the spices on the above list.

Now I want to take a second to tell you that there is nothing at all to be afraid of in those two habaneros. If you want to reduce the number you use to one, or if you want to use jalapenos, or if you want to use nothing at all, that is certainly your choice. However, habaneros, when cooked in this way, impart a glorious, tropical flavor to the chili and if you make it with and then without, you will certainly miss them.

Just for those of you who are still deathly afraid of them, I’ve made a video for how to properly chop habaneros. As long as you don’t touch ‘em, you are in good shape. This will show you how.

Directions: Part Two

1. Now that you’ve got everything in the Crock Pot you may be asking yourself: what about those beans? And those onions I reserved? What will become of them?! Set yourself a timer for about 30 minutes short of when you want to eat this delectable chili.  That will be your signal to add the beans and onions. I wait to add those two things because I don’t want my beans mushy and I like a little nuance of texture to the onions in the chili.  You certainly don’t have to wait: go ahead and add it all in if you’re feelin’ froggy, but this is how I do it.
2. Once the chili has been cooking long enough to suit you (or until the smell of this stuff is driving you mad with hunger) give it a taste.  Make sure you get some of the meat in a bite, too, and decide if it needs more salt: if so, add a little at a time, always tasting, until you feel you’ve got it right.
3. Ladle the chili into bowls, serve with sour cream on the side (just in case the spiciness is too much for anyone, though in my opinion, this should be reasonably medium-spicy chili).

Enjoy!

« Older Entries