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18Mar

My meat grinder has now been christened…

This article is from our new Blogger Cara, who sat 2 seats to my left at the GMU lecture on food safety. I wonder if she noticed that the guy in-between us who was eating peperoni pizza while watching Food, Inc., was turning green. Actually, it’s appropriate that I met Cara at that lecture and she grinds her own meat. 🙂

-JAY

————

Forgot to take pictures during the process, but it looked a whole lot like the above photo.

Today, after almost 4 months of ownership of the food grinder attachment for my stand mixer, I finally busted it out of hiding and gave it a whirl. I had been grocery shopping with my friend Michael at Whole Foods, when we came across a sale on beef shoulder. Michael is a chef *slash* kitchen experimenter extraordinaire, so he is always grinding things up just to put them right back together…among other things. To illustrate, the other day he made “soup dumplings.” To make these, you create a stock from scratch, freeze the stock into cubes, then cover them in dumpling dough and steam them until the stock heats up. Like soupy water-bed pillows. This is all just in his spare time.

So, back to the meat counter. Michael decides to pick up a pound of the beef shoulder and encourages me to do the same, knowing full well that I still have not used my brand new grinder. After letting the idea marinate for a bit, I picked up a pound as well. I’m a bit competitive and just couldn’t let him be the only one grinding his own meat this week! Let the adventure begin.

This was some beautiful meat. Well marbled, a perfect deep dark (non-dyed) red, and smelling sweetly of flesh. Time to grind! I pulled out the grinder, neglected to read the instructions, and slapped it right on the mixer. Mistake. There were two grinding attachments on there for storage, and one needed to be removed. After a bit of fumbling, I was ready to grind. I cubed the steak and carefully dropped a few cubes into the tube. Nothing. (Guess you really do need that little plunger that shoves the meat into the grinder.) Shove, shove, shove, and poof! Ground meat flowing freely out through the end of the attachment, dropping gently into the bowl below. I got a little giddy with a feeling of awesome accomplishment.
I briefly considered whether or not I should have seasoned the meat first, but then remembered this extremely scientific experiment, and decided I’d be better off waiting. When the grinding was complete, I seasoned the beef with salt, pepper, dried mustard, and a mesquite seasoning I had tucked away in the spice cabinet, worked it all together, and made four gorgeous patties. I couldn’t wait to try one so I fried one up in a pan with a touch of butter and…well…let’s just say I think it rivals Michael Landrum’s at Ray’s Hell Burger. Obviously it wasn’t grilled, but it did not lack in flavor or texture.

Let’s just say I don’t know if I can go back to pre-ground beef. And why should I? The grinder has now been christened and I get the feeling it’s ready for work.

Permalink Filed under: Ingredients Tags: burger, meat grinder 4 Comments
16Feb

Poblano-Ginger Yautia

I’ve been a bad füddie. I’ve been working too much and being extremely lazy and cooking easy, no-effort-required crap for dinner. Finally, I heard the cries of my angry cookware and downtrodden stomach, begging me to spare them another night of steamed vegetables with yet another baked yam. Admittedly, the lack of yams at the farmers market this week may have helped. So, inviting mystery and the one-armed-bandit of Googling for recipes back in to our hearts, it’s time for another episode of … Adventures in Cooking Random Things I Found at the Farmers Market!

Today’s journey begins with:

2 pink yautia
1 poblano
A large thumb-sized (ok, two thumbs) hunk of fresh ginger
Cream (I think I used about a half cup, but your guess is as good as mine)
Hon-dashi
Fish sauce
Sriracha.

These brave ingredients undoubtedly began life somewhere more picturesque than their end in my cheap crockery, but their destiny was, after all, deliciousness and not beauty. I am absolutely not writing the rest of this recipe like that. Clearly I need to watch less TNT, whose knowledge of Drama seems to be catching.

The professor was basically no help on recipes, except to say that yautia cooks like taro, so I just made this up based on what I had. Here’s the dish:

Slice the poblano and start it caramelizing. Peel and cut the yautia into chunks, and boil it in dashi until soft (about 15-20 minutes). While that’s going, dice about 3/4 of the ginger, adding most of it to the poblanos pan about 2/3 through caramelizing. Toss the rest into the boiling yautia.

When the caramelizing is done – if you’re clever, this will be just as the yautia is done too – add some cream to the pan of poblanos and ginger, removing it from direct heat (you want the cream to get warm and absorb the flavors, not cook or scald). Drain the yautia, reserving maybe a half cup of the liquid. Put the yautia into a bowl and pour the cream-poblano mixture over it. Mash.

It should be a little dry right now, which is why you kept some of your dashi. To said reserved dashi, add a good bit of fish sauce and as much sriracha as you like. Also, mash your remaining ginger into the mix (I used a garlic press – you really want the juice!). Now, stir that into your mash to get the right texture…if it’s still too dry, you should have kept more dashi. Add diluted fish sauce instead. And probably more sriracha.

I will be the first to admit, it kinda looks like cat food, and by itself it’s not all that flavorful – unless you really went overboard on the fish sauce and sriracha. But the nice, subtle taste, served with a fried egg on top and a good sprinkle of soy sauce, is actually quite good. And, more importantly, I think it has real potential. Should I plan ahead at some point, this would be a really fantastic side for something powerfully-sauced, like steak-au-poivre or perhaps even a masaman curry. Or you could deep fry balls of the stuff to dip in spicy sauces…

-MAW

Permalink Filed under: Ingredients, Recipes Tags: adventures, pink, strange, yautia 1 Comment
11Jan

My new drink…

Attention: Friends, Romans, fellow alcohol lovers, I have a new signature drink. The Lychee-tini. Yes, I’ve typed that word and, amazingly, still have facial hair and testicles. My first, and we always remember our first, was recently, in Rehoboth Beach – a revelation. Something I have looked at and never taken seriously, like a Zac Efron movie, or my sister. There’s something about the sweet that, uh, give me one shot and it knocks me out for the rest of the night. I’m swimming the breaststroke in a lychee-tini pool, infinity and all!

I recently, and by this I mean Sunday, had 3 lychee-tinis at a bar in New York. This past weekend, I saw Ringo Starr, Angela Lansbury, and chatted up one of the many Billy Elliots -and yet the tini was my highlight. It was from Lure – at Prince and Mercer. Fresh lychee juice, gin, lime juice, and fresh cucumber puree. I drank them like an Amish man cuts corn: smooth, steady, and like I’ve been doing it since I was 13.

Run out and find one in D.C. and when you do, let me know!!!! I fear my new obsession will keep me locked inside with a collection of ingredients, perfecting my own personal private lychee heaven. For I know not where they live in the city….

AEK

Permalink Filed under: Drinks, Ingredients, Recipes, Restaurants Tags: alcohol, Drinks, Lychee, martinis 1 Comment
26Nov

Pre-Thanksgiving Hangover Braise

Summer’s been over a while, and my food habits had gotten lazy. I needed a jolt: some dish that could pull me back to caring about food enough to spend the time to cook it. Discovering YDFM‘s bloody fabulous unpasteurized Parmesan was a good start, but it mostly just lead to Alfredo comas and suspicious decisions involving grits. Fall, it seems, was wasted on me.

But then came October and, better yet, Oktoberfest. Having drunk myself…drunk…all month, I ended up finding myself with a couple leftover bottles of Paulaner’s delightful seasonal. For reasons best left to everyone’s imaginations (quiet, you!), I realized they’d probably not get consumed in time, so I decided to try something a bit strange with some veggies, also nearly past due: I braised them. In beer. And put Parmesan on top. It’s like a very, very bougie ratatouille, and was bloody delicious, and easy, and a nice way to slide out of fall. I plan to keep on making until I get sick of it, which may be never. And it’ll be a great accompaniment to my Thanksgiving spread.

Here’s the stuff:

Preheat your oven to 350 while you chop.

Fresh fennel, washed and cut into big bits (quarter the bulbs, etc)
Yellow onion, similarly cut
A couple handfuls diced carrot
A couple handfuls diced red bell pepper

And prep:
Kosher salt
Black pepper
Enough Paulaner Oktoberfest to cover the rest
Parmesan cheese (unpasteurized, though you could use pasteurized too, as long as it’s not from a green cylinder)

Put everything except the cheese into a baking dish, and bake, uncovered, for about 15 minutes (less if the beer is not cold). After that time, take the dish out of the oven, stir things around, and sprinkle some cheese over top of the veggies. Now crank up the oven up to 400 and put the dish back in for 8-10 minutes, until the veggies are cooked. If you’ve used the right amount of beer, the cheese will get all nice and melty and brown, but if you’ve used too much, it’ll just melt into the liquid, which isn’t as elegant but may also be very tasty.

Eat, preferably accompanied by the rest of that giant bloody beer you opened.

Bonus: sopping up the clearly excessive quantities of braising liquid with hearty Bavarian rye bread. For dessert. Or breakfast. Possibly with all that leftover turkey.

-MAW

Permalink Filed under: Ingredients, Recipes Tags: beer, braise, Thanksgiving, vegetables, winter No Comments
21Jul

Summer Treat: Mamey

Before they appeared at my farmer’s market recently, I’d never seen a mamey in the US. Having had (and loved) them in other places, of course I had to buy one and see what I could make of it.

The times I’ve had mamey before it was usually in or on ice cream, or part of some elaborate fruit plate concoction. I had no intention of attempting to make ice cream, and I didn’t have any at home either. A fruit concoction was tempting, but living alone I knew that would lead to too much leftover growing tasteless in the fridge. And, it being Tuesday, an impromptu dinner party was unlikely. So it was to be a single-serving affair.

For those who’ve never had this amazing fruit: it looks like a small, gray football, and has gorgeous orange-pink flesh and a seed that’s toxic and wonderful for making insecticide. It tastes…like mamey. I’d almost describe it as a milder papaya, vaguely pumpkin-flavored with a hint of coconut, but that wouldn’t help anyone even if it was accurate. Trust me, it’s delicious. (But also trust: don’t eat the seed, or even the flesh that’s right next to it just to be safe…you don’t want to know what it does.)

I decided to could make something quick, delicious, and just weird enough to make me happy. What did I do? I cut up the mamey, sprinkled it with lime juice (not very much), and added sichuan peppers. Sweet, hot, and flavorful, this was a winning dessert that might even qualify as a healthy pre-gym snack.

-MAW

Permalink Filed under: Ingredients, Recipes Tags: mamey, summer, treat, tropical fruit No Comments
09Jun

The Other Hot Chocolate

When Hernan Cortez conquered Mexico in 1521, chocolate was introduced to Spain. The Spanish added sugar and cinnamon to the bitter drinking chocolate recipes of the Aztecs and Mayans. By the late 1600s, the British discovered the Spanish drink and began adding milk to the recipe, thus creating what would become the winter obsession of people worldwide for the next few centuries. By the mid 1700s, the industrial revolution afforded the technology to create solid chocolate bars.

Chocoholics everywhere are grateful for the evolution of chocolate. However, for the three centuries since the advent of the solid chocolate bar, an essential Aztec/Mayan ingredient has been largely absent: the chili pepper. Happily, for adventurous palates, in recent years, many of the finer chocolatiers have reintroduced the not so humble chili into specialty chocolate bars.

Click here to see my review of seven chili (and other hot pepper) flavored dark chocolates

By guest writer Carla Haus

Permalink Filed under: Etc, Ingredients Tags: chili pepper, chocolate, dark chocolate, hot chocolate, mexican chocolate 1 Comment
09Jun

Lavender. Sweet, sweet lavender!

What can’t you do with lavender?! There are the obvious conventional uses; as fodder for honeybees, as an essential oil for your incense burner, and the blossoms are all too familiar in potpourri assortments. But there are some other, less predictable uses. Sachet away!

I recently infused some vodka with lavender. Delicious. And for a party, I made a lemon cake drenched in lavender infused cream. What a hit! I stock up on the flowers any time I’m at my local co-op. It’s something unique to sprinkle on baked goods, and a surprising addition to various concoctions. Just Google “lavender recipes” and over 2.5 million entries will be available for your enjoyment.

I urge you to experiment with herbs in unconventional ways. And let me know what surprises you discover!

AEK

Permalink Filed under: Ingredients, Recipes Tags: herbs, lavender No Comments
21May

Wheat’s Sin: Living Gluten Free… and loving it?

By Guest Blogger Trish King

About four years ago, I found out that I am gluten intolerant: I have a severe sensitivity to the protein gluten, which is found in wheat, rye and barley. Discovering yourself to be gluten intolerant, you become very aware of what is in the food you eat: there is wheat, barley and rye in everything! It is in cereals, breads, and your favourite meat loaf at the local diner. It’s in your microwavable meal; it is also disguised as “modified food starch.”

Four years ago there was not much around when it comes buying gluten free foods; when you were hungry and on the run, there was no gluten-free McDonald’s to run to, only your own cries of “Great – what I am I going to eat now, there is wheat in everything!!!”

Well, a lot has changed over the last 4 years, as many people have become aware of Celiac Disease and gluten intolerance. We’re in luck these days, with plenty of companies who have made the change to make eating more pleasant for those with gluten intolerance. So you don’t need to let having Celiac or a gluten intolerance stop you from enjoying chewy breads, crunchy snacks or a great breakfast. All these products are made mostly from rice, corn, tapioca or potato flours, eggs, and milk. Here are some of my favorites…

I generally go to Whole Foods Market or Trader Joe’s for my all my Gluten-free pre-made and baking supplies. Whole Foods also has their own line of gluten-free breads – Sourdough, Prairie Bread, Prairie Raisin Bread and sandwich loaf.

Against the Grain, out of Vermont, claims to make the “Best Gluten free baguette in the world!” You can find these, among other things, at Lilit Café in Bethesda, Whole Foods, and Wegmans. Check with your local stores, as not all locations seem to have them.

Glutino’s Gluten-Free Pantry has a plethora of gluten free products to choose from, including cookies, crackers, bread sticks, cereal, and pretzels, and, when you’re craving something sweet, try Pamela’s has a great line for cakes, pancake mixes and pre-made cookies that really hit the spot.

Sweet Sin, a Baltimore-based bakery which has a line of wonderful gluten-free sandwich breads and pizza rounds. If you don’t live near there, you can get their stuff at the Whole Foods locations in Bethesda and Rockville, and at Lilit Café.

– TK

Permalink Filed under: Etc, Ingredients Tags: food, gluten, health, wheat No Comments
19May

A Day at the Races – Take 2

I apologize for another horse race, but I have been to the Preakness. It may be the last time this race is ever held in Maryland so it was with a smile that I lost money gambling, and more money drinking. The surprise this year was the absence of an infield filled with drunks. The “no outside alcohol inside” policy put a damper on the occasion – but pay I must, then pay I will. Aside from thinking the entire grandstand could collapse at any moment, I had a very enjoyable time. And I learned a thing or two: 1) Always bet on the favorite – they’re generally the favorite for a reason, and 2) the Preakness has a drink – the Black Eyed Susan.

And here I thought only the Kentucky Derby had the infamous Mint Julep. This exciting discovery led to one large and exciting question: what’s in the drink? Some websites suggest it contains vodka and rum, others suggest vodka and whiskey. Whatever it is, it’s delicious!

Does anyone know what the recipe is for the actual drink at the Preakness? My heart says whiskey but I’d love a second opinion!

– AEK

Permalink Filed under: Drinks, Ingredients, Travel Tags: black eyed susan, mint julep, preakness No Comments
07Mar

I juice, therefore I am.

By Guest Blogger Andrew Kohn.
I have a confession to make and it’s not a pretty one; I’ve fallen prey to the juicing craze. Once only reserved for the body-builder or new age hippie, juicing has now swept across America, picking up housewives in Salt Lake City, mixologists in New York City, and every Oprah watcher in-between. Isolated in my little kitchen, I thought I was immune to this tornado until the day I was re-gifted a juicer. No spinach, carrot, kale, or cranberry has been safe since.
But the real question is, why do I juice? Leafy greens produce about as much liquid as they look like they would, and you can only get so much out of a chunk of ginger. Sure, I could just use celery and cucumber, but I require flavor. Oprah’s green juice recipe isn’t too shabby, and if it’s good enough for Oprah…but I also need some variation. And undoubtedly, there’s some hidden team that produces the glass of juice to her majesty sans the mess that naturally follows a juicing session.
One problem is that doesn’t keep for long. Some pulp will invariably make it into the glass. Let it stand for a few minutes and the strata begin to appear. The stages of juicing are revealed – the actual liquid, the fine sediment that successfully navigated through the sieve, and the foamy vegetable meringue that rests like whipped cream on top of the entire concoction. Stir that baby up and take a sip. Delicious. Don’t stir it up – well, you’re re-paid for your lazy attitude. I will admit there is nothing lazy, however, about my juicing. Freshly prepared every morning, it’s not the smell of bacon that wakes up the house but the jarring buzz of parsley meeting a cruel fate.
You’re mission, if you choose to accept, is to juice. The machines can be reasonable – instead of a morning $3.50 latte, buy the juicer and feed it some veggies. They’re also staples at garage sales across the country – but don’t let that deter you. Those people were quitters! And you’re a winner! I bet you’ll feel better and maybe even shed a few extra pounds in the process. Experiment with different flavors and compost the leftover vegetable pulp. Fresh juice has numerous health benefits , including an increase in metabolism and a preventative against cancer and heart disease.
I freely admit I’ve bought into the craze, sipped the proverbial carrot-ade, and wonder where I’ll go next?! Hummus instead of mayonnaise? Gluten-free pumpkin seed toast instead of my English muffin? Carob chips instead of Hershey’s! Now let’s not get carried away. My bunker has been reinforced against those tornados and my pantry is fully stocked with provisions!
Do you know where to get some good juice in town? Please email a comment to dcfud.writers@gmail.com,and after a healthy inspection I’ll report back!

Permalink Filed under: Etc, Ingredients, Recipes No Comments

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