Frittering Away Some Time........

I'm just going to throw a quick post together this week.  I had some fun and came up with a great recipe on the fly and wanted to get it posted to satisfy the promise that I would.

Saturday morning arrives without much fanfare and the plan is to clean house all day, cook some stuff, and generally have a productive day.  The Blueberry Banana Pancakes had just gotten done, I had just placed a nice sausage patty on my plate, and was moments away from dumping local honey over the whole thing when the call came in.

A friend of mine was supposed to do a cooking demonstration for my local Farmers Market but had to bail do to the flu so, in need of a cook, Terra calls and asks if I can fill in.  Not wanting to leave my friends in a lurch, I packed up a bunch of stuff including my camp stoves and away I went.  Driving into town gave me plenty of time to think about what I could do on such short notice and without knowing what was in at the Market, I was really without ideas.  As is most often times the case, Gina provides a stunning bit of wisdom on my way out the door.  "You're pressed for time.  Just do something simple like Curried Squash or something".  It was a stroke of brilliance because I had spent the night before tinkering with Fritters of various forms and consistencies and before you have to ask, yes I do just go into the kitchen to tinker sometimes and since we had BBQ chicken, I wanted a spicy fritter to go with my dinner.  Which is where we begin today.

As close as I can tell, fritters come in two forms.  Either deep fried in oil or done as a small, thick pancake.  For all of the recipes that are listed below, either preparation will work just fine.  Deep frying is pretty self explanatory.  For the "Pancake" method, just make sure there's about 1/4" of oil in the pan.  Also, make sure you use an oil with a high smoke point (the point at which it begins to burn). Lastly, the base recipe is always the same for me.  It's how you adjust it and what you add to it that makes the difference.

Fritter Base Recipe

1 1/2 cups Pastry Flour
1 1/2 cups Fine, Yellow Corn Meal
**This is where the adjustment comes in.  Depending on the recipe and what other ingredients you're using, you may wish for a more fluffy fritter and you would want to add more flour and reduce the corn meal.  For something like Hush Puppies, which are fritters, you would reverse that.**
1 tsp Baking Power
1-1 1/2 cups milk
1 Egg, beaten
1/2 tsp Sea Salt or more to taste

Sift dry ingredients together and work egg in with a fork until combined.  Add milk to the desired consistency.  Deep fry heaping tablespoon sized balls in 350 degree oil or pan fry until golden brown.

With this base recipe and a few adjustments as you desire, some rather interesting creations can come up.  For what I worked on over the past few days, I'll list my adjustments to the base recipe and the additional ingredients.  One thing to take note of would be that thinner the batter, the more fluffy they will be.  The batter should be just tight enough to hold together but not be formed into a ball.  To little liquid will result in fritters that are fit only to throw at squirrels invading your bird feeder.


Standard Hush Puppies

Ok, before I go even one keystroke further:  This is by no means the "End All, Be All" of Hush Puppy recipes because everyone and their brother in the South will be thinking "You left this out!" or "My Momma never did that!"  Take this as a base recipe and adjust at will or with whatever you heard should be in there.  Use less milk and add beer, Use more of one thing and less of another.  Just don't tell me I got it wrong because there is, obviously, no "Right" way to make them!

Base Recipe from above with 2 cups Corn Meal and 1 cup Pastry Flour
1/4 cup Vidalia Onion, finely diced
1/4 cup chopped Green Onions
1/4 cup Crispy Bacon Bits

Make batter as directed above, add other ingredients, and deep fry to a deep brown.  True Hush Puppies have to be deep fried.  Anything else is just, well, wrong.


Friday Night's Fritters (Spicy & Sweet Fritters)

Base Recipe with 2 1/2 cups Pastry Flour and 1/2 cup Corn Meal
1/3 cup Vidalia Onion, finely diced
1/4 cup crispy Bacon Bit or Pieces
2 cloves Garlic, finely diced
2 tbsp Bacon Fat
2-3 Cayenne Peppers, finely diced
1/4 cup chopped Green Onions
3 tbsp Organic Cane Sugar
4 tbsp Seriously Hot Hot Sauce
Honey to drizzle over Fritters

Saute onions and garlic in bacon fat until slightly browned (some don't care for the taste of singed garlic.  I do).  Add this, including the remaining bacon fat, and the rest of the ingredients to the batter.  Deep fry in oil to delicious perfection.  Drizzle with Honey to finish

These didn't come out as hot as I really wanted and I will revisit this with hotter ingredients in the future.  On that, you can bet.

Farmers Market Surprise Fritters (Curried Pear and Pepper Fritters)

Base recipe from above with 2 cups Pastry Flour and 1 cup Corn Meal and add an extra Egg
1/4 cup Yellow Onion, finely diced
3 cloves Garlic, finely diced
1/4 cup Sweet Red Pepper, finely diced
2 cups Cooking Pears, cut into roughly 1/2" cubes
1 tbsp Curry Powder
1/2 tsp Sea Salt
Pepper to taste

Saute onions, garlic, and peppers in olive oil just briefly to give them a bit of a head start, then add the pears.  Cook until pears just begin to soften and add the curry powder.  Make sure everything is well coated with curry, remove from heat, and let stand for a few minutes for the curry flavor to come out.  When cooled a bit add to the batter and blend well.  let stand a few more minutes then pan fry in 1/4" oil at 350 degrees to a deep brown.  You'll know you have the batter right if they come out about 3" in diameter and about 3/4" thick.

Take the above recipes and tinker.  Add apples, seafood (I'm working on a Scallop Fritter), or whatever your heart desires.  Salt them when they come out of cover them in powdered sugar.  This is one of those great Blank Canvas things that you can personalize and make all your own.

I might also like to add that, for some reason, a Good Port seems to make any fritter taste better.  At least that's how it seemed Friday night.  As always.......

Party Well, Eat Better,
Rob

Attack of the Killer Tomatoes

A Well Used Cauldron 

I've been waiting to use that title for a while now.  WKBD TV50 in Detroit used to play Godzilla movies every Saturday and as I got older I realized that the 50's was a decade of truly awful monster movies that had had redeeming value as being so absurd as to be comical.  And, to be perfectly honest, I think it was more the serious and operatic tone of the theme song which cannot be described.  You just have to hear it.  A story which really has nothing to do with this weeks installment except that I am taking full advantage of the Tomato Season while it's here and the title seems fitting as I have processed about 50 lbs. of tomatoes in the last 3 weeks.


I've explained that I've made about 2 gallons of Chili Sauce, and I am sorry but I will still not be letting that cat out of the bag.  Instead, I have two quick recipes and since I am cooking one of them as I write this and am a little pressed for time.


Before I forget, this is the last week of the West Georgia Locavore Challenge and Props go out to the Garry Farm for some seriously over ripe tomatoes that are perfect for what I'm writing about today as well as The Crager/Hager Farm for the Paste tomatoes, and Full Life Farms for some of the most beautiful and flavorful Roma Tomatoes I've ever tasted.


Tomato Paste and Conserva
Tomato Sauce
A Simple Meatball Recipe


Both of these recipes are from scratch so it would be well to explain the blanching of tomatoes, which is quite simple.  Set a large pot of water to boil with enough water to fully submerge your largest fruit and have a bowl full of ice water and an empty bowl large enough to hold all of the blanched tomatoes.  Simply submerge one or two tomatoes at a time in the boiling water until the skin begins to split, immediately dunk it in the ice bath to stop the cooking process, and place the cooled units in the extra bowl kept handy.  When ready, cut the top out and the rest of the meat should pop right out.  If not, it should be very easy to peel.  Also, boil the skins for a few in the juices from the bottom of the cold 'mater bowl.  That will dislodge any meat that might have clung to the inside of the skins.


To the seasoned cook, this may sound elementary but I know people that read this that may not have taken this route before and I always like to inform everyone of how to get the job done.


Tomato Paste and Conserva


A ton of recipes call for Tomato Paste and I always buy the stuff in the toothpaste style tube.  This year, I decided to make my own supply and, although I ended up with less than I thought, I still have a wonderful, flavorful Tomato Paste that beats the store bought stuff by far.


12 lbs. Very ripe Paste or Roma Tomatoes, blanched
2 bay leaves,
2 tsp coarse Sea Salt
5-7 hours of your life you're not going to get back


Place all tomatoes in a heavy bottom pot large enough to hold all of the tomatoes and crush them up with your hands.  Add salt and bay leaves and simmer, covered, for about 30-45 minutes.  At this point, you're going to want to use either a blender or a stick blender (my choice) and blend the mixture to break up the meat of the tomatoes.  If you're using  a stand blender, pulse it instead of turning it on Puree.  The point here it is break up the meat to get it through a medium sieve while leaving the seeds behind.  The seeds will eventually cook out or you could puree them in but they leave a bitter, metallic taste behind that it the sure sign of someone who was in a hurry with their tomatoes.  Of course, the long, drawn out explanation above can be shortened with a food mill that has a medium screen on it.  However, I am much closer to being an Impoverished Chef as opposed to a Pampered one, a food mill hasn't been in the cards.


Once the puree has been sieved, return to the pot and turn on a medium setting and begin to reduce, stirring very often.  As it begin to reduce down and get thicker, turn the heat down and stir just as often.  This is more of a project of love than it is something you can check back on.  This is not a nappy day project.


After a few hours, it will begin to thicken more until the point where it can longer be stirred and simply "piles up" around the spoon as you try.  12 lbs of tomatoes should have yield you about 2-2 1/2 cups of super tomato concentrate. When cooled, you can either can it, place it in zip top bags and freeze it (my method), or you can place it in a sterilized jar while very hot and cover it with about 3/4" of olive oil.  I've tried this method before with other things and it seems to work really well for preserving high acid foods for long periods of time in the fridge.


Tomato Conserva


This is a semi-simple method to take your paste just a little farther.  Simply spread the paste on a cookie sheet and place in an over at around 200 degrees or lower and let dry/concentrate for another 30-60 minutes, of course, while watching it closely.  When the edges start to caramelize and turn a dark brown you're about done.  Again, storage is up to you.


Tomato Sauce (Marinara) 


Just my simple little recipe for a knock out Marinara.


20-25 large, very ripe Tomatoes, blanched
1 cup Carrot, finely diced
1 1/2 cups Sweet Onions, finely diced
1 1/2 cups Celery, finely diced
1 1/2 cups Green Pepper, finely diced
5-6 cloves Garlic, finely diced
1 cup Dry Red Wine
1 tsp each, Oregano, Thyme, Basil
1/2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
Sea Salt and Pepper to taste


Instead of breaking up the tomatoes with your hands, cut them in half and try to remove as much of the seeds and middle liquid as possible.  If a little bit of one or the other gets in the sauce, it's no biggie. Now you can break them up with your hands in the pot.  In a large skillet, saute all the aromatics (garlic, onions, pepper, and carrots) until translucent and the edges are just starting to turn brown.  Add this to the pot and simmer until thickened.  If your sauce doesn't really have that rich depth of tomato flavor, add about 2 tbsp of the paste that you just made.


This base recipe has a thousand and more variations.  Add browned ground beef, pork, or lamb (or all three) and simmer until the meat disappears and you have a simple Ragu.  Cook the base Marinara or the Ragu down until quite thick and you have a top notch pizza sauce.  One way or another, this little recipe can go far and if you make very large batches it will can or freeze well.


A Simple Meatball Recipe


I tinkered with meatballs for years and never could seem to get them right.  I either over handled them, didn't season them quite right, or they were dry, dry, dry.  However, by listening to a few people and repeated trial and error, and realizing that I could add fat (thereby adding moisture) into the recipe with Heavy Cream.  Tis is what I came up with.....


1 lb. Ground Beef
1 lb. Ground Pork
1/2 cup Italian Bread Crumbs
1/4 cup Heavy Cream
1/4 cup Sweet Onion, very finely diced
2 cloves Garlic, very finely diced
1 Egg (optional)
Sea Salt and Pepper to Taste


Start with .allowing the bread crumbs to soak in heavy cream until completely absorbed.  Saute the onions with salt and pepper until they just begin to brown and caramelize, remove from heat and allow to cool. Blend all the ingredients just until combined, being very careful not to over handle.  A


Form into 1 1/2" balls and brown in a frying pan, turning to brown as much of the meatball as possible.  Don't worry about cooking them all the way through.  You can either finish them in the over at about 325 degrees for 10-15 minutes, or do as I do and let them finish cooking in Marinara sauce.


To be honest, there have been some rather significant changes in my life this week and I have been very busy and lazy all at the same time.  Having said that, I really don't feel like going through the process of writing about homemade pasta.  I also don't feel like going through the motions of making homemade pasta, so I'll leave that for another post.


For now, I'm headed to the store to buy some pre-made pasta, eat some Italian for the night, and chill out.  Tomorrow comes a new day and there are many things to be done.  Watch out, Back Porch Spice is on the rise.  And always.........


Party Well, Eat Better,
Rob

A Fun Little Story Then Some Food

Google still hasn't fixed the background issue with the text.  Bear with me and my patches......

The Fun Little Story

I am a writer.  When a writer has a story inside then, they have to let it out.  Therefore, you may want to skip the first few paragraphs as it's just a story.  It has a moral and purpose, but if you want to cut to the chase, I completely understand.

You may remember from last weeks post, 24 Hours of Food, that I took a ton of time in the kitchen recreating an old recipe of my Grandmothers, who just turned 90 years old.  It's called Chili Sauce and, although it tastes nothing like chili, it was a huge part of my childhood and all of us kids still talk about it as if it were Gossamer, a mythical and unattainable goal.  Having succeeded, I asked Gina to get some good quality hot dogs for dinner.  After grilling some really tasty wings (there's a Blog Post for that) I added a few dogs to the fire, topped them with Chili Sauce and took a bite.

I almost cried it was so good.  It was an instant transport back to Fenton Rd. and eating Koegel Hot Dogs topped with a sauce that I hadn't tasted in almost 20 years.  I tried to explain it and even got Gina and Andrew (who never try anything) to taste it.  They were less than impressed but seeing that I could barely contain myself, Gina told me to call Grandma and tell her about it.  I didn't even finish my dinner and I was on the phone.  I told Grandma of the toil, the tasting, the adding, the tasting again, and the 5 hours I spent over the stove tending and cooing as if I were watching an infant child.

....and then I got to the Green Peppers.....

Though the story had, to this point, been filled with congratulatory comments, laughs, and chuckles of pride in my accomplishment, I had mentioned that one of the ingredients was finely diced Green Peppers.  Grandma said "Oh.  I would have never added Green Peppers to mine.  I don't care for the taste of Green Peppers".  Throughout the rest of the conversation the comments were a much more civilized version of "I'm glad you like it...even if it's not like mine".  Now, anyone else that had spent so much time pondering the aromas and flavors of such a condiment and spent countless hours tending to this attempt would have been crushed.  However, knowing Grandma, I finished the conversation, which was one of the best we've had in years, I told her I loved her, hung up the phone, and proceeded to laugh uncontrollably for the next 15 minutes.  I then called my Mother and told her the story as I tell it to you...and she laughed her butt off too.


There's a post I put up a few months back called Technique/Good Riddance in which I explained my passion for cooking and making double damn sure it's done right...First Time, Every Time.  I laughed because, although my love of food and eating great things came from my Father, I now understand where that anal retentive passion for perfection comes from. God Bless you, Grandma.  Your not so subtle way if kicking me in the ass has amounted to something.  Something really tasty.


Before this tale comes to an end I get on with this weeks recipes:  1) I have an all new recipe for Chili Sauce that is no less than a culinary masterpiece, even if it's not EXACTLY like Grandmas.  2)  I'll type the recipe out and take it with me in the casket.  You want it?  Get a shovel. 


Some Food


As I promised and signed my name to, the West Georgia Locavore Challenge is going until the end of July and I promised that I would buy and eat as much local as I could.  This is the easiest Challenge I've ever signed on for.


The Farmers Market visit was just awesome this week.  Thanks to Paul at Full Life Farms for the tomatoes, this weeks batch of Chili Sauce will go over without a hitch.  After that, Brian Hager and Wendy Crager supplied the Yard Long Beans, Garry Farms provided Blue, Red, an Purple Potatoes, and Hembree Lane Farm, a newcomer to The Cotton Mill Farmers Market, provided some exceptional young Green Beans. 


On with the show......


I can't remember where I got the chicken but I know I got it at Farmers Fresh CSA some time ago and have had it frozen for a bit.  it's freakin' huge and it's natural.  That's all I need to know.  I get the grill ready with a batch of hot coals and, since I was a dope and accidentally threw my Apple Chips across the yard (don't ask how) I had to use a piece of oak wood I keep for the back porch fire pit.  And then I did this......


Slow Smoke Roasted Chicken


1 large Roasting Chicken
1 Fuji Apple cut into chunks
1 Vidalia or other Sweet Onion cut into chunks
Olive Oil
Coarse Sea Salt
Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
Granulated Garlic
Granulated Onion
Paprika
Butchers Twine

Start with rinsing the bird and patting it dry.  Toss the apple and onion chunks in olive oil, about 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp cracked pepper and stuff equal parts apples and onions into the cavity.   Whenever I stuff a bird for the grill, this is always what I use.  It imparts a certain sweetness to the meat and helps it stay very moist. Using a short length of butchers twine, tie the leg ends together to help keep the stuffing in.  Using another length, simply tie around the bird to keep the wings next to the body.  For those that aren't familiar with the term, this is Trussing.

Rub the entire bird with olive oil and season with coarse sea salt, cracked pepper, granulated garlic and onion, and a very light dusting of paprika.  Place on a piece of heavy duty aluminum foil large enough to hold some of the juices that will flow as the bird cooks.

At this point, it is up to you how fast you roast the bird.  However, I place it well away from the fire in the grill while simply laying a large piece of oak on the coals, closing the lid and letting it go until I hit an internal temperature of about 175 degrees, which takes about 3-4 hours.  When you hit whatever temp you like, carefully take the bird and the foil full of juices off the grill and wrap in enough heavy duty foil to go around the bird twice.  It will take some skill to get the juices in there as well but when you do, let the bird sit for about 15 minutes to finish cooking and to absorb some of the fine, smoky fats and drippings.  Sorry I didn't take a picture of this part.  It was getting late.

Needless to say, if you tent the bird and leave it longer in the pit, it will get more and more tender.  However, for those that aren't pit masters (and I truly am not) you have to dance a fine line between when the bird gets to fall apart tender and when it starts to dry out.  The onions and apples help to prevent this but there is always the chance of overdoing it.

Potatoes, Beans, and a Note About Salt

Gina does like green beans but the way she prefers to have them is sauteed with bacon, onions and potatoes.  I'm not going to type out a long, drawn out recipe for pan frying potatoes in bacon fat until golden brown and then adding onions and green beans and sauteing until they're done.  I will, however, offer this:

• When you add the green beans, do it over a high heat so that they get a few char marks on them.  It tastes great and looks great as well.
• I do green beans until they just begin to wilt and wrinkle because I like a little crunch.  However, do them the way you like.
• Don't add salt until put the beans on the serving platter.  It helps keep the beans crunchy, the salt is not going to penetrate that much anyway, and it makes a great presentation seeing the shiny beans with course grains of salt.
• When you do add salt, get creative.  I like to use Black Lava Salt because it looks great and has an interesting twang.  However, Pink Himalayan or Scottish Smoked both have wonderful flavors.  The point is, use some salt creativity to make them look great.
• Finally, if the season is right, you can find some of those great potatoes that are pink, blue, or purple all the way through.  Not only do they look really cool, they have great flavors that you wouldn't expect.

I'd like to take a minute and talk about salt.  I was under the impression, for years, that salt was salt.  Good, old fashioned Iodized Morton's was all I used because it was all I knew.  Then I started paying attention and realized that every salt from every region of the World in gloriously unique.  Pink Himalayan has a wonderfully mild flavor and actually has some health benefits.  Smoked Salt has been a favorite ever since I used it for the first time and figured out how to smoke it myself.  And so on and so forth.  If you're just using plain salt and you're happy with it, that's cool.  However, step outside the box and give some of the great salts from around the World a try.  I currently have six different salts next to my cook top.  Each with its own purpose.

Yard Long Beans...Confit

I've seen these at the Farmers Market and have been curious.  So I asked Wendy Crager, the Farmer who produced these, exactly how to cook them.  With that twisted little smile she gets sometimes, she said "Some Chefs braid them together and roast them".  I thought it was a fine idea and decided to do just that.  However, when I got home I tasted a bit of the fresh, uncooked bean and realized that there just wasn't a lot of flavor to this variety.  Nothing to do with it's growth or production, I know, because Wendy Crager and Brian Hager grow incredible produce.  Nonetheless, I had to do something to punch this bean up a bit and, whenever you're in a bind for flavor, Bacon Fat is always the Designated Hitter.

Confit is a term for immersing something in a substance to either preserve it or flavor it.  When the term comes up, it usually means something that has been slow cooked in some form of fat and that is precisely what I did.

3, 6, 9, or some other multiple of three Yard Long Beans

2 cups Bacon Fat

1 cup Olive Oil

8 whole Garlic cloves

10 black pepper corns, crushed

Butchers Twine

Start by placing all the fats, garlic, and pepper in a small sauce pan and setting it to the lowest heat possible.  You're flavoring the oil and the last thing you want this to taste like is burnt garlic.  Let this go until the garlic cloves are a golden brown.  Strain out the garlic and pepper and set aside for some other wonderful use.  I suggest whipping them into about 2 sticks of butter.

While you're waiting for the garlic to be done, tie together three beans and braid, being careful not to break them,  When you reach the bottom of the braid, tie off with more twine and trim excess bean from the end.  

When done, turn the fats back on the lowest heat possible, wind beans into coils to fit in the pot, and fully immerse then.  You may need a ramekin or something similar to weigh them down.  Allow to steep in the fats for about 30-40 minutes then turn off the heat and let them steep for another ten minutes.  When done, flash them on a VERY hot grill until some char marks begin to appear.  Finish with salt, as mentioned above, and enjoy.

It's hard to see the Yard Long's but they're there.

In the past year, I've really gotten away from being a fancy-ass and have stopped suggesting wines to go with what I serve up.  I thought it was a bit pretentious and I'm about good times and good food.  However, I'm about to make a suggestion that might seem snooty to some and is sure to piss off any wine buff who knows their stuff:  No matter what you're drinking with this meal, pour a small glass of high quality Port and have it handy.  Port is a dessert wine and meant to be enjoyed after a meal (if you read up on it, there's actually quite a bit of ceremony that goes along with it).  However, it's sweet and sturdy flavors just go so well everything I've presented here that I couldn't help but suggest it.

And after dinner, you can have another small glass of Port to stand on tradition.  Then, if you go outside for the after dinner stogie, you can take a small glass of Port with you.  When returning to the house after savoring your carcinogenic delight, have yet another glass of Port to cleanse the palate.   I think you know where this is going.  As Always...................

Party Well, Eat Better

Rob

24 Hours of Food

Please note that there is something up with Blogger and it keeps blanking out portions of what I write without much of an explanation.  Also, I'll warn you right up front:  This is possibly the longest post I've written in quite some time.  Buckle up.

Imagine Keifer Sutherland cooking and drinking too much instead of saving the World from this threat or that terrorist.  That's about how the last 24 hours have gone. It all started with an innocent visit to the Farmers Cupboard in Carrollton, GA and the purchase of some of the largest, most beautiful Chuck Eye Steaks I've ever seen.  It's always good to know the Butcher.

Gina and I used to hang out at the La Fiesta on Hwy 61 with some old friends on Fridays.  We would drink, eat, laugh like idiots, and just have a good time.  The tornado hit La Fiesta a few years ago, friends have moved away, and Mr. Vicente no longer makes the best Sangria in town (now that's a recipe I want) and as Gina and I are emailing as we do on Fridays, I mentioned how I've been kind of bored with the same old routine and how much I missed the "Old Days".  One phone call leads to another and all of a a sudden we're invited to our good friends Troy and Russells house (you will remember them from the post Backlash and the Invincible Drunk).  Off to Farmers Cupboard...again... I go to get some Chicken Sausage, Sweet Italian Sausage, Kalamata Olives, Green Olives, and a few other things not counting the stop I made there only a few hours earlier.  The Spontaneous Dinner Party was on and here were my contributions.


Sausage Calabrese Skewers

1 lb Chicken Sausage
1 lb Sweet Italian Sausage
Handful of Kalamata Olives
Handful of Green Olives
Red Pepper Flakes
Dried Basil Flakes

Fry sausage as one normally would until done.  Place in the fridge until cool.  This is important as the sausage will not cut properly until the proteins can cool and bind.  Also, save the pan you used to fry as the drippings will be used in a minute.

When the sausage is cool, cut into medallions about 1/2 inch thick.  For the chicken sausage, alternate sausage and Kalamata Olives on a skewer until there are 4 of each on a skewer.  For the sweet Italian sausage do the same with he green olives until there are 4 of each on a skewer.  Grill until the olives are wilted and the sausage has some nice brown grill marks on it.  Sprinkle with red pepper flakes and dried basil as a finish.

**I just want to throw a word of caution in here:  If you have friends that invite you over to hang with their friends and their friends decide that Lemon Drops will be mixed by the quart, be very careful of where you tread.  Again, I'm just stating something here.**

So I talked to the Butcher at Farmers Cupboard, as mentioned, and asked that he call me when he got in some Chuck Eye Steaks.  If you read over a few of my past posts, you'll see that Chuck Eye Steaks rank way above Ribeye's in my book. They are a tender, marbled, and lovely cut of steak that costs half what a Ribeye does, its just as tender, and the really groovy part is that no one is paying attention to this cut yet as they are caught up in names and what other people say they should eat.  It's really easy to get your hands on them if you just ask.

Anyway, here's what I decided to do with them.

Bombastic Balsamic Steak

2 lbs. thick cut Chuck Eye Steaks (2 steaks, about 1 lb each) Cubed
1 cup Balsamic Vinegar
1/2 cup Organic Cane Juice Sugar
1 tsp fresh ground Black Pepper
1/2 tsp granulated Garlic
12 strips high quality Bacon
Salt, Pepper, Granulated Garlic for Steak Seasoning
Sausage drippings from before

Start by deglazing the sausage pan with a bit of water and boiling that down to a thick, sausage flavored mass that is just thin enough to pour.  Add the vinegar and reduce by half (reduce to 1/2 half cup).  Add sugar, pepper, and garlic and simmer until the flavors combine.  Fry off bacon until crisp and throw everything into a blender and puree until a fine, bacon flavored, sweet, Balsamic glaze is created.

Cut steak into 2" cubes and season with salt, pepper, and granulated garlic and let sit for just a few minutes to season.  Over medium coals, grill steak cubes to rare and immediately toss in the Balsamic mixture and return to the grill to set the flavors.  If there is any left over, coat it again and repeat until you reach a nice, medium rare finish on the steaks.

Getting Over It.

Yeah, so we decided to stay a little later than planned at out friends house and there were...maybe...one too many Lemon Drop Shots to be enjoyed.  It's cool.  I'll just set my alarm for "Way Early",  get up, and make everything happen......Yeah, Right.

The alarm goes off at 5:45am and I hit the "Go to Hell" button and what seemed like a few seconds later, Gina tells me it's 7:00am and for the first time in my life, I don't freak out, I get up, and proceed as if nothing is wrong...which, of course, it is because I'm behind schedule.

Paul and Terra Feather.  Cotton Mill Farmers Market Managers

Thinking that I'm going to be traveling light this time, I pack what gear I think I need and head off to the Cotton Mill Farmers Market.  It's funny, the sense of confidence you have when you leave knowing you've packed everything and then the complete turn around in your attitude when you realize you've forgotten key things and you can't go back for them.

After this, I have to admit, things ran almost like clockwork.  Since this was my last scheduled event for the year, I wanted to make a show of it by inviting a few friends out to play guitars and sing for the Market crowd.  Unfortunately, one cancelled and the other was late, but it's all good.  Terra Feather, who runs the Cotton Mill Farmers Market, invited a Bluegrass quartet out and they took over after a while.  Market friends all around, music in the air, fresh vegetables in abundance....and 5 pounds of dead animal just for me. I'd like to say I was spontaneous, but I had been planning this for weeks.

Beef & Lamb Gyros with Tzatziki Sauce


I have to open by saying that I enlisted the help of Shonna from Fire & Iron Bakery in Rockmart, GA for the pitas.  She whipped up 30 Pocket Pitas and did them for me at cost.  I also need to mention that this event was planned around the West Georgia Locavore Challenge, which I have talked about all month. The aim was to have everything possible come from with 50 miles of Carollton, GA.  With the exception of the wheat for the pitas and the spices in the meat, we did just that.  The names are mentioned with the ingredients.

Gyro Meat

3 lbs Grass fed Ground Beef (Dennis Farm of Alabama)
2 lbs. Lean, Local Lamb (Mugg Family Farm)
1 tsp each of the following:
     Marjoram
     Black Pepper
     White Pepper
     Allspice
     Cumin
     Oregano
1-2 tsp Sea Salt

Whats in the meat mixture is less important that how you process it.  This is one of the few recipes I will post where I'll say to remove as much fat as possible.  This is about the proteins and their ability to bind to one another.

Picture courtesy of Whole Grains & More

Cut all meats in 1" cubes and place in a food processor large enough to handle the quantity.  Grind all spices to a fine consistency and add to the meat.  Pulse several times until the cubes begin to disappear and then turn it on and let it run.  Grind until you reach the consistency of hotdog meat or close it.  You want to take this past the regular ground meat stage.  Use enough ground meat to fill a standard loaf pan half full.  There should be enough meat to do this twice.  Cover with foil and chill for about 10 minutes to let it "Rest".

Now, there are two methods you can use:  The first is to bake the loaf in a water bath for about 30 minutes at 350 until the loaf sets.  Or, you can VERY GENTLY heat the loaf pan on a stove top burner until the same thing happens.  Either way, once the loaf has set, place in a non stick pan and over medium low heat, continue to cook for about 15 minutes per side.  Also, you will want to place some form of weight on the loaf as it cooks to help get excess liquids out and to help it maintain its shape.  I used the loaf pan with a few heavy, ceramic dishes placed in it.

When fully cooked, wrap in foil and place in the fridge for about an hour or until its cooled almost completely.  This is going to allow the proteins to bind together making a loaf that will be easily sliced, which is exactly what you're after.  Using a meat slicer (I am lucky enough to have one) or a very sharp knife, slice as thin as possible.  Serve on a warm pita with thinly sliced Red Onions, Tomatoes, Feta Cheese, and.......

Tzatziki Sauce

So simple, I'm almost ashamed to post it.  However, you can't have Gyros without Tzatziki.

2 cups Plain Greek Yogurt (Atlanta Yogurt Company)
1/4 cup finely diced Cucumbers (The Garry Farm, Bowden, GA)
2 tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
1 tsp finely chopped Fresh Mint (Crager/Hager Farm)
1/2 tsp fresh Cracked Black Pepper
1/2 tsp Sea Salt

Mix all ingredients and let stand for about an hour before serving.  That's all there is to it.

A quick word about Yogurt:  Greek Style is all the rage right now because its thicker than standard yogurt and for the Tzatziki Sauce, you want thick yogurt as the cucumbers and the vinegar are going to thin it out a bit.  If Greek Style isn't available or you happen to have regular yogurt around, tie a cheese cloth over a large container, pour yogurt in the cloth, cover, and let stand overnight.  This will drain a good bit of the liquid away, leaving a nice, thick yogurt for sauce.

I returned home, exhausted, and took a quick nap.  As always, I woke up thinking of what I had in the kitchen.  As always happens, when someone does any cooking for the Cotton Mill Farmers Market, the vendors are very generous and they always give me plenty of good things.

Having fresh tomatoes, green and red peppers, and a few other things around including a fresh quantity of Merlot, I decided that after 25 years of living without my Grandmothers Chili Sauce, it was time to get to work.  Base recipe in my head, the smells and tastes of what I remember, and five hours of constantly stirring this delicate yet bold mixture rewarded me with a Chili Sauce that is almost, if not entirely, perfect in its portrayal of what Grandma used to make.  If you want that recipe, get a handful of friends, some large sticks and pipes, and a team of wild horses...because there's no way in Hell this recipe leaves me without a fight.

Today, I will relax, write some more, and have a hot dog topped with the only thing a hot dog needs.  Maybe I'll have more wine too.

Party Well, Eat Better
Rob

Getting it Wrong and Getting it Right

There's a quick recipe below.  I have a little something to say first.......

As you may or may not have noticed, I have mentioned that the West Georgia Locavore Challenge is underway.  Knowing that I have people all over the Country reading this Blog (I hope) you can find out more about it here: http://www.westgalocavore.com.  Take a minute to read over whats going on there and then read this:  http://grist.org/locavore/local-haterade-authors-say-locavores-do-more-harm-than-good/

If you don't feel like investing the time in reading those, let me sum up very quickly.  The West Georgia Locavores (and I include myself among them) believe in eating as much as possible of what is grown and produced locally.  However, Pierre Desrochers seems to think that trying to remain as "Local" as possible is actually more destructive than mass produced foods that come from all over the World and, among other things, increase the problems of Food Safety.  Umm...What?!?!?!  


Whether you agree with High Production Foods or not, whether you live Organically or not, you have to realize that not only are you getting top notch ingredients but your also supporting a Local Economy.  A great deal of the recipes I have posted for over a year call for Organic ingredients and the majority of what I list in my ingredients, I source as close to home as possible and of that, I talk to my "Suppliers" and look them in the eye every time I buy from them.  I say "Suppiliers" but I really should be saying friends.  Sure, some of them are a little more stuffy than others, but we all live for the same thing:  Local, organic, and really, REALLY, Good Food.  Not to mention, when you hear numbers about National Unemployment Rates, jobs created, etc. those aren't just numbers.  They are people and the money you spend at Farmers Markets keep people working and keep money in your Community.


If you haven't visited your local Farmers Market, you need to and you need to do it more than once.  You'll notice a lot of the same faces week to week and you'll also notice how committed these people are to doing what they love.  So committed, in fact, that they have dedicated their lives and fortunes to it.  I've gone into detail about how this effects the local economy (check out the post Political Food).  Take the time to check out the links provided and form your own opinion.


You do come here for recipes, so without further delay..........

All Things Teriyaki


So, during the West Georgia Locavore Challenge and since the July 4th holiday was upon us, I decided to grill, as most Americans do, but I had the chance to get my hands on some locally grown and organic Japanese Eggplant, Zucchini, Grass Fed Beef, and Free Range Chicken.  What to do wit hall of this came to me very easily:  Put it on skewers.


This done, I revert to my very basic knowledge of Teriyaki Sauce and I decide to wing it.  I knew there were a few basics of Teriyaki and I decided that adding what I thought was traditional ingredients would do the trick.  This is what I came up with:


Teriyaki 


1 bottle Soy Sauce
1/2 cup Organic Molasses
1/2 cup Honey
2 Tbsp. finely ground Black Pepper
2 Tbsp ground Fresh Ginger (please, PLEASE, use fresh Ginger)
1/2 cup Good Quality Spiced Rum
2 cups Ice
1 can Coca Cola



In a medium sauce pan, add Soy, Molasses, Honey, Black Pepper, and Ginger bringing it to a light simmer over medium heat, turn off, and let sit for at least 30 minutes.  Seperately, in a large glass, add Ice and pour Spiced Rum over it, add Coca Cola and give a slight stir.  Set off to the side and sip occasionally while you wait.  I told you I was going to tell you exactly what I did.


The benefit of this recipe is that it is easily expandable (including the Rum and Coke) and keeps for about a month in the fridge (unlike the Rum and Coke) and has all of the properties of being able to be canned and stored for extended periods..  


I let the meats sit in the Teriyaki for about an hour, which required another Rum and Coke, but you will find that the longer you let meats sit, the more tender they will be.  The veggies can take a short soak or even a quick toss and be just fine.  


For the benefit of hindsight, I decided to look up an online recipe or two when I was done.  Turned out to be quite close to what I had done and I even added a few things that weren't listed in most recipes.


I realize I haven't provided as much in the Recipe Realm as I usually do but I wanted to make a point about locally grown foods.  There are a ton of benefits to supporting your local farmers and the least of them is that you end up with very high quality ingredients for your table and your family.  I know I have a few Bloggers that follow me and I know at least one or two of them believe in cooking what's in season and what comes from nearby.  I you don't believe me, if you don't believe the cooks that I know that support this mindset, you at least have to realize that for tens of thousands of years, mankind only ate what was close enough to find, harvest, plant, or hunt.  25,000 years of Human Evolution have gotten you this far.  How much harm could you be doing to your local economy and yourself to continue that tradition?


As Always....
Party Well, Eat Better
Rob

I Come by it Honest

Only one recipe here. This is a tribute more than anything.

Perhaps the most valuable lesson I learned from John was not to give a damn what anyone thought and have a damn good time doing it.  He had a knack for cooking some insane food, some simplistic and cheap that got us through some hard times yet ended up being great ("You can't get a better bowl of Glop for a Nickel", he would say), while some was complicated and just as great, and he had a talent for a good time no matter where he was or what he was doing.  I hear that he had a Hell of a voice at one time and was a fine steel guitar player in his day but I know him as a hard working Dude that didn't feed you a stack of pancakes, he fed you one...and it was a big as the frying pan in which he made it.

Once, long ago and knowing his culinary prowess was keen, I thought I would throw him a curve and toss a recipe at him that I had just learned and see what he thought.  I was living in Western N.C. and a guy I worked with introduced me to Kilt Lettuce.  I told J.D. about it as I thought I was handing him something he had never heard of....

Kilt Lettuce

About 2 cups Iceberg Lettuce (this is about the only time I will suggest Iceberg.  Mark it on your calendar)
1/4 Sweet Onion, Finely diced
2-3 strips bacon, fried and finely chopped
1/2-1 tsp sugar
6-8 Tablespoons seriously hot bacon fat (Mmm, fat)

Cut the lettuce into 1 inch squares (roughly) and set side.  Saute onions in bacon fat on high for about 2-3 minutes on high heat.  Turn off heat and stir in the sugar for just a moment and then pour over lettuce.  Crumble bacon into bits, add, toss, and serve warm or cold.

I presented this recipe to J.D. and he tells me "Thats not right.  You have to throw some radishes in there", which told me he had obviously done this before.  By the way, he was right, so if you're using this recipe, don't forget them.  I'm not sure what I was thinking when I assumed I would pull one over on him but I failed to remember that this was the guy that put an electric frying pan in the middle of the dining room table filled with hot oil next to a platter of raw beef cut into 1 in. cubes and a slew of bamboo skewers.  There were condiments, herbs, and spices so that you might deep fry your own chunk of meat to your liking and dress it as you please.  That was probably the first time I thought about creativity with food.  Even though I had seen it a thousand times throughout my youth, I had never paid attention to what he did.

However, as I went on through life, discovered my passion for food and preparing food, I realized that J.D., My Dad, was the guy that shaped everything about what I do and why I do it.  Oddly enough, we didn't get along for quite some time.  But, as time wound on, I began to realize that there were two reasons for this.  Either he was a bastard to get along with...or we both were.  Turns out, it's the later and I realize that Hash-Slingin' Ol' Fart ain't half bad.

For every recipe I've posted here, for every meal I've served you, for every bit of advice I've given out, you need to thank John.  He set me on this path and showed me how to do it right,

More than ever, hang with your Dad, and.....
Party Well, Eat Better.  J.D. would, did, and does.
Rob Duve

And Now, for Something Completely Different......

Myself and Gina at the Cotton Mill Farmers Market

My favorite Monty Python line.  When you see the Radish recipe, you'll get it.

I try to do a few cooking demonstrations a year for whoever really wants me to show up.  As always, I had the opportunity to do one for my local Farmers Market and the great folks that not only show up to sell great, locally grown foods but also for the people that run it and the folks that come out to support their local farmers.  The rules of the game are to go round and get things from each or as many vendors as needed and create dishes or snacks with what you can find.  There are two great things about this:  1) It gives people a chance to see what they can do with what is at the market that week.  2) It gives a cook a chance to create some seriously odd and wonderful things.

As I promised many people, here are the recipes I created just for the Cotton Mill Farmers Market starting from favorite to, well, lets just say, the least well received.  Please note that throughout this post, there are many, truly deserved Honorable Mentions.  On that subject:  Photos courtesy of Whole Grains & More.  Check them out on Facebook.

Strawberry Basil Sorbet

There are millions of jokes that start with "A Guy Walks into a Bar and..........."  There are very few that begin with "This guy buys a $5 ice cream maker at a yard sale, takes it to the Farmers Market for a demo and..."  I came with recipe in hand, I froze and equipped the machine, and it crapped out halfway through the process.  The good news is, you don't have to spend $5 at a yard sale on a piece of untested equipment before you make tasty things. **Strawberries courtesy of The Garry Farm and The Crager/Hager Farm.  Basil courtesy of Crager/Hager**

1 1/2-2 pints fresh Strawberries. tops removed
1/2 cup, packed fresh Basil Leaves
1 cup Organic Sugar
1 cup water
Juice and zest of 1/2 Lemon
Pinch of Sea Salt

Start by making a simple syrup of the sugar, water, lemon juice and zest, basil, and salt.  Bring up to a temperature just needed to dissolve the sugar.  Place in the refrigerator long enough to cool to room temp or below.  Strain the basil and zest out and add the strawberries.  Puree with an immersion blender, food processor, regular blender, or whatever you have to use to make a very fine puree.  At this point, some like to strain out the seeds for texture but I just leave them in.

Now, you can add this to an ice cream maker at this point, you can add this to the cheap ice cream maker you really thought you were getting a deal on (Fair Warning:  It might not work out.  I'm just sayin').  Or, you can place the final puree in the freezer for about an hour.  When it starts to freeze around the edges, just use a fork and mix it all back together and repeat this process until it freezes close to solid.  Scrape with a fork to fluff and its done.

Just as a side note, if your $5 yard sale find does decide to die in mid-operation, have some dry ice handy.  It saved my bacon in this case and everyone loved the sorbet.

Chevre and Pesto Mousse

Very simple and very tasty.  **Chevre courtesy of Capra Gia Goat Cheese.  Basil and Garlic Scapes courtesy of The Crager/Hager Farm.**

Tasty samples for Carroll Counties Finest.

1 cup Chevre (a type of goat cheese)
1/2 cup, pack Fresh Basil leaves (tops, if possible)
1-2 small Garlic Scapes (the unopened flower and stalk of the garlic plant)
Juice and zest of 1/2 Lemon
1/4 cup Olive Oil (give or take a little)
Sea Salt and Fresh Cracked Pepper to taste

In a small food processor, add all ingredients except the chevre and oil.  Pulse a few times then turn the processor on and drizzle in olive oil until you've reached your level of pesto consistency.  Add to the chevre and whip with a hand mixer until light and airy.  That's it.  Dirt Simple.

As a quick note about Mousse's:  Most creamy mousee's have to use gelatin or fats to give them structure at room temperature.  The wonderful lack of fat in goat cheese means that it doesn't melt.  If you are looking for a mousse recipe that is low fuss, no worries, and a sure fire winner, use a recipe that calls for chevre or goat cheese.

Melanie Skinner of Whole Grains & More

By the way, I would be remiss if I didn't mention that, for the Farmers Market, I served this mousse on whole grain crackers made by Melanie Skinner, the owner and mind behind Whole Grains & More.  If you are around the Carroll County, GA area, you need to try these crackers.  However, I wish you luck in getting your hands on some.  Melanie cannot make them fast enough as they fly off the shelves.  I'm not kidding either since I had to call a week in advance to make sure she would have some there.  Aside from this, Melanie is nothing short of a genius when it comes to healthy eating, allergen free foods, juices, and raw foods.

Chili and Cinnamon Candied Radishes

Yeah, I said Candied Radishes.  I know it sounds really odd but if you're a radish fan, you have to walk down this path.  It's tasty, it's funky, it catches people off guard, and it seriously easy to do.  Really, this recipe is so easy, I'm almost ashamed to post it.  **Radishes courtesy of Full Life Farms**

1 cup Radishes, thinly sliced
1/2 cup Organic Sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp. Chili Powder
1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
Pinch of Lemon Zest
Sea salt to taste

Bring all of the ingredients to a boil over medium high heat and cook until the radishes are just translucent.  Turn of and let steep for about 30 minutes for all of the flavors to come together and soak into the radishes.  With a food processor or an immersion blender, process into a rough puree.  Strain off remaining liquid and reduce the liquid over high heat to make a thick syrup, add back to the radishes, and you're done.

So, you've made Candied Radishes and now you step back and say "What the Devil do I do with this"?  Well, for starters, you can serve it on pieces of Chocolate Pound Cake (that in my case, was provided by The Garry Farm). However, I'm going to add a very special hot sauce that I keep hidden in the back of the cabinet (because there's only one guy in town that makes it and I treat it like gold) and then put it on hot dogs because it has that great Sauerkraut tang in the background.  There are a millions uses for this stuff and all of them are tasty.

To be sure, when people heard what it was, they usually looked at it really funny...until they tried it.  In the interest of honesty, there were two who didn't receive this well.  However, I'll take the other 40 peoples accolades instead.  No harm, no foul.

Melanie Drew, Blue Heron Art Studios

The last mention and shout out I have is for Melanie Drew, Owner and Artist in Residence at Blue Heron Art Studios.  A wonderful person, a seriously skilled artist, a good friend, and the person I rely on to bring platters, bowls, and all of the other pottery that makes my food look good.  No matter how many times I ask, she always has something on which to display my trade.  A HUGE thanks to her.

One more week of cooking adventures, one more week of Farmers Market fun, and another good time that I had just by being invited to show what I can do and what others can do with great local foods.

Oh, I almost forgot:  Since a good portion of my readers expect a tale that occasionally involves a cocktail or two, we came home and fried about 60 wings for the family (There's a Blog Post called "Wings Five Ways. Check it out) and a friend that stayed over with Andrew.  After many wings that were enjoyed with several fine Canadian beers, we took the remaining dry ice from the demo and had a little fun.  So as not to arm anyone with too much information with which they might damage themselves, lets just say that dry ice, two liter bottles, and a pellet gun make for some serious fun!

As Always, Party Well, Eat Better,
Rob

Revisiting a Pork Bomb

This is a Repost.  I'm posting it again for two reasons:  1)  This is what we had last night for a bunch of long lost family members.  2)  I drank way to much with the youngsters last night and just don't have it in me to hammer out a post.  Forgive me.  I'll be back on top soon.

So anyway, I had my niece and her girlfriend over for dinner and a few cocktails and resting in the fridge was a nice Pork Loin that I had left over from some chops I did earlier in the week.  Wondering what to do with it, Gina says "Wrap it in Bacon".  Ok, done.....now what to do.....?

Bourbon Bacon Loin Bomb

Soak a bunch of wood chips/chunks for about 2 hours, just to be ready.

2-4 lb. Pork Loin

6-7 whole strips of Bacon

Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder to taste

Season the loin to taste, wrap from end to end with bacon slices, and season again.  Wrap in several layers of foil and slow roast next to the coals (not over them) for about 4 hours.  The loin will be cooked at this point but it is no where near done.  Unwrap the loin, drain and save the drippings, apply the wet chips, and give the loin a heavy smoke for about an hour.  It will begin to dry the outside a little but that's going to get the bacon a bit crispy before the final step.

Bourbon Glaze
I used a store bourbon glaze and it wasn't half bad...except a bit spicy for the family.  I figured it couldn't be that hard to recreate and this is what I came up with.

1/2 pint Quality bourbon
1 cup Organic cane sugar
1/4 cup pecans, finely chopped
1 medium shallot, finely diced
1 clove garlic, finely diced
3 tbsp Organic butter, hold 2 tbsp in reserve
Salt and pepper to taste

Saute the shallot and garlic in 1 tbsp butter over medium heat until the edges just start to brown then add pecans to warm them up and get some of the flavors out.  Just about 30 seconds.

Add the bourbon and sugar and reduce to about 1/3 or you develop a thin syrup.  Turn off the heat and let cool for about 5 minutes and whisk in the remaining 2 tbsp butter.  It's going to give the sauce a nice sheen and is the hammer on the flavor nail.  Puree the pecans into the sauce using either a standard blender or an immersion blender.  Strain out any large pieces with a sieve.

Just when the bacon is staring to crisp on the loin, baste with generous amounts of the glaze about 4 times over a half hour.  You may want to add some charcoal to get the heat up before you start.  Remove from heat and let it stand for about 15 minutes before you cut into it.  If you have some glaze left, you can add the drippings you held back to it, simmer for about ten minutes, and use as a finishing sauce.

This is one of those things that just happened.  I was seriously uptight over someone swiping my recipes and with a nudge from The Mrs., I put something on the table that was one of a kind, over the top, and a carnivores dream.  Of course, the therapy wasn't quite complete until we shared cocktails for family and friends before, during, and after the loin...well after the loin.

Party Well, Eat Better
Rob

Backlash and The Invincible Drunk / The 'Hooch Trip

There is nothing more to say than I am so freaking pumped up and absolutely wiped out, all at the same time. We were invited by friends to camp out and kayak the Chattahoochee River this weekend and it was a trial from the word Go.  I am burnt to a crisp, I'm spent, I can't believe that I'm actually writing...and I couldn't be happier.  I will also say that this may not be the pinnacle of my literary works.  My brain is as tired as I am so please forgive mt typo's.

This weekends Crew. Front row is Backlash and Terri.
Back row from left to right Troy, Ashley, Myself, Andrew,
Russell, and Gina

More than just a few recipes I come up with are created during the one week a year when Gina and Andrew go to New Orleans and I am left to buy as much wine as I like, cook all the things that I eat and they don't, and try new things because if they suck, no ones here to miss dinner.  This weeks tale will include one such recipe but I really have a tale to tell of good friends, new friends, good food, and one Hell of a good time.

Gina gets a hold of me while she's in NOLA and asks if I want to go kayaking and camping.  Of course the answer is "Yes" but I know she is going to roll in and were going to have to, quite literally, leave within minutes of her getting back off a 6 hour drive.  There's also the money aspect of it and things are a little tight so I put it on her:  If you think we can and you're up to it, we're there.  And so out story begins.

Friday April 8, 2012
While in the middle of her drive back, our good friend Russell and new friend Terri (you will remember her from the post "Silence of the Lamb...Literally") go to the campsite to get started setting up camp.  Terri will be our guide on this little adventure working for Timothy, the Outfitter.  After we finished the preliminaries, we all parted ways to get a few things out of the way in preparation for the weekends events.  I returned home to start pre-cooking a few things to make sure we didn't got without, food wise, over the weekend.

Now, at some point, firewood came into question and both Terri and Russell said they had plenty of firewood not far away and they would contract Timothy to help tow it in.  At this point, I will admit that a tired mind is forgetting the exact details, but I know that Russell had claimed to have tied a "Well Engineered Knot" to the wagon/wheelbarrow that was to tow the firewood in.  I also know that, upon arrival at the camp site, said wheelbarrow was no more and no less than missing.  Somewhere in the journey to the campsite, the cart containing the firewood went missing.  No clue as to where it parted ways, no idea of where to recover it, it was gone.  The last fact I have relating to this is that out of this melee, somehow, our outfitter Timothy earned the name "Backlash".

Gina ran in the door, we threw together some things while forgetting other and headed out the door.  A quick stop at SuperMegaEverthingEverDesiredForCheap Mart (I do feel dirty after the visit) and were off.  We arrived, hauled gear, and I got to cooking.

Shrimp and Grits with Smoked Speck Gravy
I've wanted to try this for a while and finally got around to it while they gang was out of town.

1-2 lbs Gulf Shrimp, peeled and deveined
8-10 slices Smoked Speck (a dry cured meat much like prosciutto)
2 cups Organic Grits (dry)
1 small Shallot, finely diced
2 cloves Garlic, finely diced
3-4 tbsp Cajun Seasoning
4 tbsp Roux (there's a Blog Post for that)
2 cups heavy cream
1-2 tsp Kitchen Bouquet of Gravy Master (caramel coloring)
2 cups water
Chopped Green Onions
Salt and Pepper to taste

Start by frying the Speck as you would bacon until its crispy, saving the remaining fat.  This step will add the same depth of flavor as when frying bacon.  When crispy, place in 2 cups of water and bring to a simmer.  This will create what is, essentially, a broth.  While that is simmering, add the shallots and garlic to the leftover fat and saute until translucent.  Try to avoid adding salt to the saute.  It does help break the aromatics down but the salt content of the Speck is quite high.  Wait until you're closer to the end to season.

Throw the shallots and garlic into the pot with the speck and puree with a stick blender or use a small food processor.  Either way, puree until smooth, bring to a mild simmer and add the roux.  When this begins to thicken, add the heavy cream until it reaches the gravy style consistency you desire and finish by adding the caramel coloring.  This adds the caramelized flavors that would come from a simple pan gravy using a deglaze or drippings.

At this point, I'm not going to insult your intelligence by telling you exactly how to cook the shrimp and grits..  Sprinkle the Cajun seasoning on the shrimp and saute in butter until done.  Cook the grits to your liking (some like them thicker, thinner, etc.). Plate a large scoop of grits, tops with gravy, then shrimp, then green onions.

Add wine, campfire smoke, and about 8 very unique personalities and you have one hell of a camp side meal.  In the interest of complete disclosure, I did the gravy at home before we left, but the rest was on site.

Saturday April 9, 2012
The day begins much as I expected it would:  Feeling as if I had been grazed by a large truck that tasted vaguely of red wine.  No matter, camp coffee, grilled ham and cheese sandwichs and leftovers for breakfast.  We had to be on the river around Noon and thats all we knew and thats all we cared about.

Joe and Inga

That morning, we had met a couple camping a few sites over.  Within minutes, Joe and Inga were fast friends and they ended up spending that Saturday river trip running with our crew.  Andrew had his fishing pole and Joe had one as well and by the time the day was coming to an end, they were ahead of the group and chatting away like they had known each other for years.  Terri showed up around 10:30am with a glass of Cabernet in hand trying to get everyone's plans coordinated and we were off shortly after that.

A day on the river makes a group hungry...and quite thirsty.  After everyone had run to town, home, the store, and all over the surrounding area for the last of the needed wine, beer, and ingredients, it was time to settle in for another huge meal and a night of laughs.  The red wine had been opened, a few beers displaced, and the camp stove came to life.

Chicken Marsala

There are a few ways to do this but here is my way.  It also should be noted that I could have added this or tweaked that but I want you to ask yourself this question:  When was the last time you went camping and had Chicken Marsala?

7 Chicken Breasts, pounded flat and cut across the grain into 2 pieces
2 cups Flour
2 tbsp Fine Sea Salt
1 tbsp fresh ground Black Pepper
1 tbsp Garlic Powder
2 cups sliced Portabella Mushrooms
1 medium shallot, finely diced
5 cloves Roasted Garlic
1 1/2 cups Marsala Wine
1 1/2 cups Heavy Cream
Olive oil and Butter for frying
Salt and Pepper to taste

In a large frying pan, add enough olive oil and butter (1 to 1) for frying.  Add salt, pepper, and garlic powder to the flour and dredge the breast pieces.  Shake to coat and leave to sit for just a moment.  Fry over medium high heat, adding oil and/or butter as needed, until golden brown and set aside.  As you end the frying process, there should be a good bit of flour in the bottom of the pan.  Just leave it there for now.

Add mushrooms, shallots, and garlic to the pan and saute until the aromatics are translucent and the mushrooms have wilted sufficiently.  When these are done, add another 2 tbsp of the dredge flour to the pan and stir in, allowing it to brown just a bit.  While the pan is still quite hot, pour in the Marsala and whisk very well to keep the lumps out.  When very thick, add heavy cream until it reaches your desired level of thickness.  Serve over pasta of your choosing, next to a fire, with 6-8 friends, after a day on the river.  I would be remiss if I didn't mention that Terri had roasted garlic and corn over the fire as well as having salad, sweet peppers, and just a general abundance of additions to the meal.  I would love to say that I took care of everything but the truth is, I did the main course and she had the rest.

When the meal was complete, Russell's grand daughter (and our very good friends and all around great person) Ashley broke out a guitar and the night was well under way.  Unfortunately, Joe and Inga decided to pass out before dinner but the rest of the crew hung as long as they could.  One by one they players fell away and took to their beds.  When everything had shaken out, there were three left sitting around the fire and knowing they had too much:  Ashley, Myself, Terri....and Terri's $80 wine glass that goes everywhere with her.  Even to the woods.

Sunday April 10, 2012
After rolling around next to Gina for what seemed like half a day, I decided that coffee and some attempt at breakfast was probably a good idea.  I say "some attempt" because in all of our running the night before, everyone had forgotten to get breakfast makings.  Of course, by saying "everyone" I mean no one else knew they were supposed to get them and I was responsible for it.....and I stone. cold forgot.

As I get coffee moving I notice Russel sitting by his fire and I decide to join him.  He informs me that Tim (Backlash) and Terri have already run to town before anyone woke to get biscuits and coffee.  Knowing that Terri had been our river guide all day, had eaten a huge meal, and then was one of the last to leave the fire I told Russel "My God, the woman is the Invincible Drunk".  And so it came to pass that Russell and I have new Super Hero's who are in need of a comic book.  The River Guides, Backlash and the Invincible Drunk.

All day Sunday was spent on the river.  Terri leading the way and our little group stopping to snack from time to time and just generally having a blast.

As I mentioned, this post is about some good food but it's really about good friends we have, good friends we met over the weekend, and good times that don't have to involve a night out or an elaborate meal.  Sometimes, the best things come to us when we don't expect them and I hope everyone that reads this has the blessing that my extended family have.  We have the ability to laugh at each other, to take everyone for who they are, and to accept anyone into our lives who is the same way.

Party Well, Eat Better
Rob

The Silence of the Lamb...Seriously

I have to start by telling my friend and fellow Blogger, Joelle:  I'll get to the tag game shortly.  I have to mow the lawn today so I need to write quick!

We got a call from our friends that live in a secluded little neighborhood, on a lake, and back in the woods.  Terry the Midwife, the Neighbor Lady at the other end of the lake and of whom the best description would be "Wonderfully Eclectic", was going to have to move soon and wanted to put on a big spread for the nearby folks and it just so happened we were on the guest list as well.  The plan was to slaughter a young lamb and create many forms of tasty lamb creations.  I have to say that I really have no interest in slaughtering a lamb but would if it was the only way to get it to the table.  Therefore, the fact that Terry wanted to start from scratch...I mean REALLY from scratch, was no less than impressive.  However, she was unable to find dinners sacrificial component, and fell back on two legs of lamb.

We arrived on foot from Troy and Russell's house to find a beautifully set table with numerous cheeses, broken breads including chiabatta, whole wheat chiabatta, and a wonderful olive loaf that I suspect was baked by my friend Shonna at Fire & Iron Bakery.  To get to this table, one had to walk through the kitchen passing a much smaller arrangement of 8-10 bottles of wine and the wonderful smells of Lamb, Rosemary and Coriander Potatoes, and other wonderful smells.  Sitting on the back porch, overlooking the lake, laughing like hyenas at each other, and generally having a great time was only momentarily interrupted when Terry dropped the first course on the table.  Lamb Stew.   Now, having not asked her her recipe, I can only guess based on what I ate....and, of course, how I would do it.

Lamb Stew

1-2 lbs Leg of Lamb, diced large (save the bones)
1/4 cup rendered Lamb Fat
1 cup dry Red Wine
4 cups Water
1/2 cup diced Onion
3 cloves finely diced Garlic
1 lb fresh Green Beans
1 bag Frozen Peas
1 12oz. can chopped Tomatoes
Salt and Pepper to taste

In a roasting pan on the stove top, brown the seasoned lamb very well and remove from the pan. In the remaining fat, saute onions and garlic until translucent.  Depending on how I'm feeling, I might even brown the edges a little.  Deglaze the roasting pan with red wine, making sure to scrape all the tasty bits off the bottom, let simmer until reduced by half.  Add this to your soup pot, add the water and bones, and let simmer for about an hour, just to get the tasty goodness from the bones.  Remove bones and add the onions and garlic and let simmer to get the flavors combined and until the meat is tender..  Finally, add green vegetables and tomatoes and cook until the veggies are done.

Now, this is really a soup, not a stew but that can be remedied by taking some of the lamb fat and making a brown roux (there's a Blog Post for that) and whisking in some of the stock you've made until it has reached the desired level of thickness.

While looking at our surroundings, Gina and I realized that the quantity and quality of the antiques that filled the house were no less than stunning.  The bad news was that they weren't hers and she would have to leave them behind.  The beautifully carved Barristers Chair, the old woodworking tools, the shadow boxes, and so on would all be left behind for the next tenant.  A shame to be sure.

After a few more glasses of wine, many more laughs, and a few minutes of watching Andrew fishing off the end of the dock, I was summoned to the kitchen to lend my part to the next course.  As I entered the kitchen, an absolutely gorgeous Leg of Lamb was extracted from the oven in all of its roasted, brown, juicy goodness and set to rest for just a bit.

Roast Leg of Lamb

There are two trains of thought here and they only differ by one essential component:  The Leg Bone.  Leaving the bone in any roast will, of course, add flavor and richness but removing the bone one can decrease cooking time and allow for better temperature control, allowing you to select rare, medium, and so on with more ease.

Terry's Lag of Lamb had the bone in and was roasted at about 350 degrees and very simply with Essential Meat Spices: Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder...and that's all. What Terry ended up with was a leg that was just past Medium, incredibly juicy, with a crisp outer layer of fat, and a pan full of juices...and it could not have come out more perfect.  I couldn't tell you how long she roasted it but I can tell you that the internal temp was right around 140 degrees when it came out and rode the residual heat until it hit that perfect level of Done.

Having explained Terry's method, I would like to take a minute to go over how to prepare a proper Leg of Lamb and the instructions could not be more simple:  Any way you like.  Lamb is a unique flavor that can be enjoyed on a skewer over fire, stewed, roasted, grilled, sashimi style (tartar, that is), and so on.  It is very much one of those things that, if you like it, the only way to screw it up is to over cook it.  Terry used a very simple preparation that featured the taste of the meat.  Another way would be to bone the leg, butterfly it, marinate it in olive oil, parsley, garlic, and red onions over night, and grill until medium rare to medium, which is a classic Greek preparation.  A few other additions could be granulated onion/garlic, a little ginger, Montreal Steak Seasoning, and so on.  If you can grill a steak, you can grill a butterflied Leg of Lamb.

My skills in the carving department were called upon once the Leg had rested.  I carved my little heart out, placed the slices in a baking dish with the juices from the roasting pan, and then proceeded to break open the bone to extract the beautiful marrow that was waiting there for me.  I thought if it as my reward for the carving job but it turns out Terry very much liked it as well.

To the table it went.  It was dark outside, Andrew had been run off the dock by an impromptu rain shower, and we were staring down a table with Hummus, Tzatziki Sauce, Kalamata Olives, Breads, Wine, and more food than will be eaten in the next week.  Everyone had been eating for hours and it didn't help that Gina, Andrew, and Myself had stopped at a favorite Cajun place in Atlanta only a few hours before.  The end result was my being stuffed to the gills and so very happy that I was.  Terry had cooked all day and it came after spending the morning on the river with Troy and Russell, we all had plenty of wine, and we all left on foot, in the dark.  No less than great night of food.

The good news of the evening was that the neighbors were spared the sounds of a lamb fighting the final throws of life, and if you've ever heard it, you would know why Jamie Fosters character stole the lamb and ran off.  The other good news of the evening was that Terry's efforts did not go unnoticed (I mean, I'm writing about it, right?) and even Gina and Andrew even enjoyed themselves.  No small feat as they don't enjoy lamb.

Now, in closing, I will answer the two burning questions that I know everyone is snickering about:  1)  Yes, there were Fava Beans.  2)  No, there was no Chianti.

Party Well, Eat Better,
Rob