Proper Blokes' Sausage Fusilli

This is a great Jamie Oliver recipe we've made a few times with outstanding results. This is classic Jamie, simple and gutsy, with a good bit of spice thrown in. No precision to it at all and it only takes 20 minutes or so to throw together.

We had it with a superior Ruffino Chianti Superiore 2007. We're familiar with the Ruffino label, and have been quite happy with it in the past, but this was a cut above any we've tried. It has some nice, bold fruit running through it to counteract the spiciness of the pasta. Couldn't have been happier with this meal!

2.5 teaspoons fennel seeds
2 red chili, dried, crushed
olive oil
1 ⅓ pounds sausages, Italian and/or Cumberland (good-quality)
1 tablespoon dried oregano
⅓ cup white wine
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
500 g fusilli pasta, dried
1 pinch salt
1 pinch pepper
15 g butter, (a few knobs)
½ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, freshly grated
½ cup parsley, fresh, leaves only, chopped

Bash up the fennel seeds and chilies in a pestle and mortar (or spice grinder) until coarsely crushed, then put to one side. Heat a splash of olive oil in a heavy-bottomed frying pan. Squeeze the meat out of the sausage skins and put into the pan, really breaking it up using the back of the spoon. Fry for a few minutes until the meat starts to color and the fat has rendered slightly, then crush it once more so that it resembles coarse mince (ground meat). Add the bashed-up fennel seeds and cook on a medium heat for around 10 minutes until the meat becomes crisp, golden brown and slightly caramelized.

Stir in your oregano, then pour in the white wine and allow it to reduce by half. Add the lemon zest and juice. Turn the heat down to low while you cook your pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water. When the pasta has cooked to al dente, drain it in a colander, reserving some of the cooking water, and toss the pasta in with your sausage mixture. Coat the pasta in all the lovely flavors then add the butter, Parmesan and chopped parsley, and a few spoonfuls of the reserved pasta cooking water. This will give you a lovely loose, shiny sauce. Taste and check for seasoning, then serve immediately with a little extra grated Parmesan over the top.

Black Pepper and Molasses-Glazed Strip Steaks with Roasted Shallots

This was a simple, delicious steak recipe. The glaze is full of flavor, and amazingly, pairs well with A&W Root Beer. The shallots were a bit of an afterthought, and work out well; they became wonderfully soft and sweet from their time in the oven.

This is another one of those sauces you'd want to just take a spoon to, but don't! It would likely kill you from the caloric content.

GLAZE
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon ginger, peeled and grated
¼ cup dark rum
1 cup molasses
3 cups orange juice
3 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
kosher salt

STEAKS
2 x 6 ounce beef strip steaks
1 tablespoon olive oil
kosher salt

ROASTED SHALLOTS
8 shallot, peeled, head and tail end removed
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup chicken stock
salt and pepper

GLAZE
Heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until almost smoking, and cook the onion until soft, 4 to 5 minutes, Add the garlic and ginger root and cook an additional 2 minutes, Add the rum and reduce until completely dry. Add the molasses, orange juice, and pepper, season with salt, and cook until reduced to 1 cup, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool at room temperature, May be refrigerated, covered for 1 day; use at room temperature. Makes about 1 cup.

STRIP STEAKS
Preheat a gas or charcoal grill to medium. Brush the meat with olive oil and season with salt. Grill until well seared on one side, 4 minutes, turn over, and baste with the Molasses Glaze. Continue grilling for 3 minutes, turn over, baste, and grill for 2 to 3 minutes more (a total of 10 minutes), for medium rare. Let rest for 10 minutes; then slice into 8 steaks.

SHALLOTS
Heat the oil in a double-bottomed pan and place the shallots inside. The shallots should just cover the bottom of the pan, there should not be any free space, neither should they be on top of each other. Fry until colored on all sides and pour away the oil, then add the chicken stock. Simmer on the stove until the jus has reduced, then cover and place in the oven.

Braise until they are cooked well at 350°F, for approximately 45 minutes.

Parmesan Turkey Escalopes with Rocket Salad

Vanessa and I have really been watching what we eat lately, as our fitness push continues into 2010. The challenge now is how to prepare food which is both tasty and healthy, all within the confines of our tragically under-equipped kitchen here in Dahlgren.

Happy to say that things have worked out pretty well so far. This one here couldn't be simpler, and I'll go on record as saying that this ranks among the best things I have ever breaded and fried. The squeeze of lemon at the end is pretty yummy.

ESCALOPES
½ cup breadcrumbs
10 g Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 egg
flour, for dusting
200 g turkey escalopes
1 pinch salt
1 pinch pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pat butter
SALAD
100 g cherry tomatoes
50 g rocket
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 lemon, in wedges
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Put the breadcrumbs on a large plate or shallow bowl and mix the grated Parmesan, oregano, salt and pepper into the crumbs. Whisk the egg in a second shallow bowl. Measure off a large double fold of greaseproof paper. Lay one escalope in the middle of one half and fold the other half over the top. Use a rolling pin to bash the escalope gently but firmly until it is the thickness of a coin and more than double its original size.

Dust both sides with flour, shaking away any excess, and repeat the process with the second escalope. Dip the escalopes first in the egg and then in the breadcrumbs and leave to rest while you heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and the butter in a frying pan. When it's hot, lay out the escalopes in the pan and cook, adjusting the heat so nothing burns, for a 2 minutes a side until the egg has set, the crumbs turned golden and the meat is cooked through. Quickly quarter the tomatoes. Pile the rocket over the escalopes, scatter over the tomatoes and with the balsamic vinegar and remaining olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and serve lemon wedges.

Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Blackberry Barbecue Sauce and Parisian-Style Potato Salad

Through the course of the school I am attending right now, we have come to know Matt (and through a quick trip to Baton Rouge, came to know his wife Beth and their kids) and have become friends. Matt is from Louisiana and is into good food. When we went to visit him in Baton Rouge, they had bought Vanessa and I a massive cookbook on the history of food in Louisiana. This, in addition to being a great gift, intrigued me in that I had no credible books on the subject, and I am a fan of Cajun and Creole cuisine.

Matt came over last night to watch the NFC Championship Game. Matt was rooting for the Saints. I, naturally, was rooting for the Vikes. That is all I will say on the subject of football.

The important thing is, we ATE when he came over. He suggested this recipe out of the book he got us. Vanessa made her tried-and-true potato salad. The combination was wonderful. The pork was perfectly cooked to about 157F (not able to grill, I roasted it at 430F until the thermometer read 157F).

Really great, fruity flavors match so well with pork and it was a nice big hunk of it, too. Very juicy. And all very simple. Lots of just mixing stuff up in a bowl, really.

Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Blackberry Barbecue Sauce

PORK
2.5 pounds pork tenderloin
1 tablespoon garlic
2 tablespoons black pepper
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon mustard powder
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons paprika
½ teaspoon dried oregano

BLACKBERRY BARBECUE SAUCE
½ cup blackberry preserves
1 ½ cups ketchup
⅛ cup brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons Louisiana cane syrup
⅛ teaspoon cayenne
¼ teaspoon mustard powder
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
½ cup blackberries

PORK
In a small mixing bowl, combine all seasonings. Sprinkle tenderloin with mixture and rub in spices. Let rubbed meat sit at least 1 hour in refrigerator. Light grill. Cook tenderloin, turning once halfway through cooking process. When pork is almost done (reading about 145F), brush with barbecue sauce and continue to cook until it reads 157F. Remove when internal temperature reaches 157F for medium-rare.

SAUCE
In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients. Mix well. Brush sauce over grilled pork tenderloin, pork chops or ribs when they are almost cooked.

Parisian-Style Potato Salad

1.5 lb. new potatoes, red, if possible
3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons red bell pepper, roasted, finely chopped
2 tablespoons parsley, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil, extra-virgin
8 kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
4 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
2 garlic, minced
parsley, to garnish (optional)
anchovy fillets, whole (optional)

Place potatoes in a large saucepan, and cover with water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until tender; drain and cool slightly. Cut potatoes into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Combine potatoes, 2 tablespoons vinegar, salt, and pepper; toss gently. Let stand 5 minutes.

Combine 1 tablespoon vinegar, bell peppers, and remaining ingredients except parsley sprigs and whole anchovy fillets in a bowl; stir with a whisk. Pour over potatoes; toss gently to coat. Garnish with parsley sprigs and whole anchovy fillets, if desired. Serve at room temperature.

BLT with Parmesan and Poor-Man's Roasted Garlic Aioli

Vanessa's birthday was yesterday. In years past, with all of my arsenal of kitchen gadgets and phalanx of appliances, I usually liked to turn it out a bit and do something kind of difficult and complex, ya know... really put a good bit of effort into making something special.

Fans of the blog know that this year's kitchen set-up is a bit different. And while it is not quite Robinson Crusoe-esque, it is limited, and we are having to make do with just the essentials here.

When I asked Vanessa what she wanted, she said, simply, "I want a B.L.T." It was then that I knew, with so few ingredients, there would not be a margin for error. It HAD to be the best damn BLT anyone had ever made. Otherwise, I would risk sending the wrong signal. A dilapidated, soggy piece of crap sandwich just wasn't going to do.

Such a sandwich would say to my wife, "You are a soggy piece of crap, and this sandwich perfectly expresses what I think of you."

It started with making our own loaf of bread. If you do a search on this blog, you'll find our standard bread recipe. Here's the rub: NO MIXER. I had to do this the old-fashioned way, kneading by hand.

Then, instead of bacon, a fine prosciutto. Throw on some shards of Parmigiano-Reggiano toasted over the top. Some slices of fresh roma tomato. A scattering of arugula leaves. But perhaps the best part (or at least the key ingredient) was my homemade poor-man's aioli. Made with some garlic that I roasted in the oven with care and some fresh chopped oregano. It really brought the whole thing together. As much as I hate to endorse storebought sauces, this one did the trick.

She said it's the best BLT she ever had.

Mission Accomplished.

SANDWICH
4 slices bread
1 roma tomato, sliced
½ cup arugula
2 slices prosciutto, fried in a dry pan until crisp
20 g Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, cut into thin shards

POOR-MAN'S ROASTED GARLIC AIOLI
3 tablespoons *STOREBOUGHT* light mayo
2 clove garlic, roasted
2 teaspoons oregano, chopped
salt and black pepper, to taste

Preheat the broiler.

Brush the bread slices with olive oil. Place onto a cookie sheet and cook under the broiler until lightly golden brown. Flip the slices over and repeat. Remove the tray from the oven.

Cook the prosciutto in a non-stick frying pan for 3-4 minutes each side. Drain on paper towels. Set aside.

Leave one slice on the tray and take one off. Top the one on the tray with the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Cook under the broiler until the cheese is melted; don't let the bread burn, though.

On the other slice, put a dollop of mayo. Top with a torn up slice of prosciutto, some tomato slices and some arugula. Top with the cheesy slice of bread, fresh out of the oven. Serve with extra aioli for dipping.

AIOLI
Heat the oven to 450F. Put a few cloves of garlic into some foil with some olive oil and seal it up. Roast for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven, then squeeze out of the kins and chop up finely. Add it to the mayo with some chopped oregano and salt and pepper. Mix together and taste. Adjust the seasoning if necessary. Set aside.

Pork Tips in Red Chile Sauce (Asado de Puerco) with Rice

Vanessa and I have been on full-on healthy eating and intense workouts since arriving back here to Dahlgren. And while we have been watching our food intake rather closely, we are still able to churn out some pretty decent stuff, even with our somewhat limited kitchen set-up.

This is from the Los Barrios Cookbook, which is really a great, authentic Tex-Mex cookbook from a restaurant in San Antonio. We bought a ton of proteins (as we are going high protein for a month or so), and some pork chops were among them. Just whip up this sauce, et voila!

Nice, rich, deep flavors from the sauce along with some well-seasoned rice and a nice slab of pork. This went down a treat.

6 ancho chiles
2 cascabel chiles
10 garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon pepper
.8 kg (4 good-sized) pork chops, cut into bite-sized chunks
1 ½ cups water
1 bay leaf
1 cup rice, cooked
cumin, to taste
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
fresh oregano, chopped, to garnish

Put the chiles in a small saucepan, add water to cover, and bring to a boil. Boil until the chiles are softened. Drain and let cool briefly, then peel off the skins and remove the seeds. Transfer the chiles to a blender, add the garlic, and blend until smooth. Add the oregano, cumin, salt and pepper and blend to mix.

Heat a bit of oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chile puree and bay leaf, stir for a few minutes on high heat or until it has darkened a few shades. Add the water, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove the bay leaf before serving.

While the sauce is simmering, cook the pork. Get a pan going over high heat. Season each side of the pork with a bit of oil, salt and pepper. When the pan is hot, sear the pork off until browned, 3-4 minutes. Flip the pork over and cook some more, until just done. (When you push on the meat it should have some give, but spring back rather quickly.)

Cook the rice according to package directions. When done, season to taste with salt, pepper and cumin (oregano, too, if you like).

Put the rice on the plate, top with a pork chop, then some sauce. Sprinkle with fresh oregano.

My Get-Well Chicken Soup

Vanessa and I have returned to sunny Dahlgren and she brought her stupid cold with her. So I figured it was time to step up. This soup is guaranteed to make people feel better. It's like an elixir of sorts. No one knows (well, someone does - probably a doctor or something) why chicken soup is so great for colds. Maybe it's a simple a matter as having something that warms the soul.

3 carrots, peeled and cut in half
4 stalks celery, washed and cut in half
1 rutabega, washed and sliced in half
4 cloves garlic, peeled and cut in half
1 onion, peeled and cut in half
1 pinch ancho chile powder, plus more to taste
1 pinch cumin, plus more to taste
2 sprig bay leaf
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 pound chicken, quartered, with bones intact, including necks and giblets
½ cup small shell pasta, optional
extra-virgin olive oil, optional
coarse sea salt

Heat the olive oil over medium heat. When hot, add the vegetables, garlic, bay leaves, cumin, ancho chile powder and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Let these vegetables soften for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the vegetables from the pot with a slotted spoon and set aside in a bowl.

Place 1 gallon water and the chicken in a stockpot and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer gently, skimming regularly, until the broth is fragrant, for about 30 minutes. Take the carcass out and discard. Shred the chicken into small bite-sized shreds. While you are shredding the chicken, bring a pot of salted water to the boil (for the pasta), reduce the soup stock to low and put the reserved vegetables back in.

Add the shredded chicken back to the soup. Keep the heat low. When the pasta water is boiling. add the pasta and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Drain, and add to the pot. Add the parsley and stir through. Check the seasoning and adjust, if necessary. Ladle into bowls and serve.

Spicy Tuna Tartare with Blistered Serrano Hot Sauce and Avocado Relish

This is an old favorite that just keeps giving back. We ate this at Mesa Grill (Bobby Flay's NYC restaurant) back in 2006. He was kind enough to provide me the recipe and we have made it a few times since then.

Tartare is a beautiful thing whether its beef or seafood. If you are a bit squeamish about raw protein preparations, DON'T BE. But, if you insist on being a close-minded boring person (but have considered being an exciting, adventurous person), this is a wonderful introduction to the beauty of raw tuna. Lots of flavors going on here, nice spicy kick from the sauce which manages to be sweet and spicy at the same time. Citrusy avocado relish cools the whole thing down. The tuna is meaty and rich and has a nice zing to it, some saltiness from the capers, along with some smokiness from the chipotles (pronounced 'chee-POAT-lay' and NOT 'chip-OL-tee'. (Note: this annoys the hell out of me when people say it the wrong way)

Anyhow, the greatest thing about this dish is it's SIMPLICITY. There is almost no cooking. It's really just cutting things up and mixing them together. The cooking, such as it is, has you merely throwing some stuff in a pan in the oven for 15 minutes, then into a blender. That's it.

MAKE THIS NOW and use the best tuna you can find (sashimi-grade if you can find it)

TUNA TARTARE
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon pureed canned chipotles
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 lb. tuna, cut into 1/4" -dice
¼ cup capers, drained
¼ cup scallion, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons cilantro, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper

BLISTERED SERRANO HOT SAUCE
1 small red onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
10 serrano chiles, stem removed and cut in half
¼ cup canola oil, plus 2 T
Salt
½ cup rice vinegar
¼ cup cilantro, finely chopped
2 tablespoons honey

AVOCADO RELISH
1 large ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and finely diced
3 tablespoons red onion, finely chopped
juice of 1 lime
1 tablespoon canola oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons cilantro, finely chopped

TUNA TARTARE
Whisk together mustard, chipotle and oil in a medium bowl. Fold in the remaining ingredients until combined; season with salt and pepper.

BLISTERED SERRANO HOT SAUCE
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Combine onions and serranos in a small sauté pan, toss with 2 tablespoons of canola oil and season with salt. Roast in the oven until onions are soft and serranos are golden brown and blistered, approximately 15-20 minutes.

Transfer onions and serranos to a blender, add the vinegar, cilantro, honey and salt and blend until smooth. With the motor running, slowly add the remaining ¼ cup of oil and blend until emulsified.

AVOCADO RELISH
Gently combine all ingredients in a bowl.

Turkey Quesadillas with Sesame-Sweet Potato Mole Sauce

Normally, a good mole (pronounced 'MO-lay') takes a good hour or so to throw together. This came from a cookbook about pairing wine with food and the author cites Rick Bayless (god of Mexican cooking in America) as being the actual author of the mole recipe.

Aside from roasting the potatoes (which took 45 minutes at 440F), this is incredibly easy and quick to put together and the taste was out of this world. I seared off the turkey after having seasoned them with some salt, pepper, cumin and cayenne.

The fresh cilantro on top REALLY makes a difference and when I do this next time, I'll be sure to put a little more on it.

½ cup sesame seeds
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for oiling the pans and brushing the tortillas
2 medium onions, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, fresh or canned, roughly chopped
½ cup cilantro, chopped
½ cup parsley leaves, chopped
1 cup chicken or vegetable broth, plus more if necessary
2 large sweet potatoes, cooked, peeled and cut into chunks (about 1 1/2 cups)
kosher salt
12 flour tortillas
1 ½ cups turkey pieces (cooked chicken or pork may be substituted), cooked, bite-sized pieces
5 ounces Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheese, shredded

Place the sesame seeds in a small, heavy skillet and heat on medium, stirring, until browned and fragrant. Transfer to a small bowl to cool. Reserve 2 teaspoons of seeds for garnish.

In the same skillet, heat the oil on medium. Add the onions, garlic, and jalapeno and cook, stirring, until the onions are just soft, about 7 minutes.

Combine the sesame seeds minus the 2 reserved teaspoons, the onion mixture, cilantro, parsley, and 1 cup broth in a blender. Puree until very smooth. This may take several minutes. To test, rub a drop between two fingers. The mixture should be smooth, not gritty.

Add the cooked sweet potatoes and blend until the mixture is the consistency of applesauce, adding more broth if necessary. Add salt to taste. (The mole will keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container for several days.)

Preheat the oven to 400F. Place the mole in a medium saucepan over low heat and gently warm while you prepare the quesadillas.

Lightly oil 2 baking sheets, and place 3 tortillas on each. Distribute the turkey pieces and cheese evenly on the 6 tortillas, and top with the remaining 6 tortillas. Brush the tops lightly with oil and cover with foil. Bake for 6 minutes. Remove the foil, press down on the tops of the tortillas with the back of a spatula to compact the melting cheese, and bake until the tortillas begin to brown slightly, about 4 minutes longer. Serve immediately, topped with the warm mole sauce and a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds.

A Mexican Christmas

Vanessa's mom spent three days or so producing DOZENS of homemade tamales, which were wonderful. I made a traditional soup called menudo (no, not the hit boy band from Puerto Rico!), which is made with tripe, hominy and spices. It all went down really well.


Mama Trevino's Tamales

TAMALE MEAT MIXTURE
6-8 pound pork roast
5 pound chicken

SPICES AND SEASONINGS
½ cup corn oil
6 tablespoons Gibhartds chili powder
3 tablespoons garlic powder
3 tablespoons cumin
1 tablespoon black pepper
2 tablespoons salt

MASA
2 lbs. masa
3 tablespoons paprika
3 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
3 tablespoons Gibhardts Chili Powder
3 tablespoons garlic powder

CORN SHUCKS
several corn shucks

COOK THE MEATS
Start with the pork roast. Cut the roast into fist size chunks. Put the chunks into a pan, and cover with water. Boil for about 2 1/2 hours or until it becomes really tender. After the meat is really tender, take it out of the broth to cool (save the broth, you will need it for the masa!)
After the roast chunks are cool enough to handle easily, shred them with your fingers. Try to remove and discard the fat as you go. There is no need to throw a lot of fat into the tamales. If you have cooked the roast chunks thoroughly, it will be easy to shred into small pieces with your fingers.

Cover the chicken with water in a large pot, and boil for 2 hours, or until the chicken is done and tender. Take the chicken out of the broth and allow the chicken to cool. (Save the broth as well!) Remove and discard the skin. Take the chicken meat off the bones and shred them into very small filaments. Discard any large chunks of fat.

Combine both meats in very large pan, and mix together. Make sure that the meats are thoroughly combined and mixed well. Add the spices and seasonings by mixing the oil and seasonings in a small pan and warm on the stove. Do not cook the oil and seasonings mix, but just gently warm on the stove.

When the oil and seasonings mix is warm, pour over the meat and mix with your hands until it is completely distributed through the meat. It takes a good 10 minutes to get the mixture completely uniform.

The meat is now finished. You should put the meat in the refrigerator covered until ready to make the tamales. Put both the chicken broth and roast broth into the refrigerator as well. You will need the broths when you make the masa.

MAKE THE MASA
Start with 2 pounds of the masa flour. Now, skim the fat off the broth that you saved from the pork and chicken we made earlier. Throw the fat away, and save the broth. Warm the broth from the pork and chicken up. Don't get it hot, just nice and warm. Now put the masa in a large bowl. Add the dry spices to the masa and mix until it is completely incorporated. Mix well, as you don't want a clump of spices in a tamale. Now add 2 cups of corn oil to the masa mixture. After adding the oil, begin to slowly work in 2 quarts of the warm chicken/pork broth, about a cup at a time. Work the mixture with your hands to make dough. If it is too dry, add enough warm water to get it right for spreading. It should be about like thick peanut butter. If it is too thin add more masa; if it is too thick, add more broth or warm water. Thick peanut butter is the consistency you are trying for.

Soak the shucks in a sink full of warm water for about 2 hours. You will need to carefully separate them when they get soft. Try to not tear or damage the corn shucks. It is easier to make the tamales if the shucks are in one piece.

ASSEMBLE THE TAMALES
After the corn shucks are soft, take some of them out of the water, shake the water off, lay them on the counter on a towel.

Pick up a shuck, lay it across the palm of your hand with the small end toward your fingers. scoop up about 1/2 cup of the masa dough with a spatula, and then smear it on the shuck. Cover about left 2/3 of the shuck with masa, leave 1/3 on the right uncovered. Similarly, cover the bottom 2/3 of the shuck, and leave the top 1/3 uncovered. You need to leave the top and side uncovered so you can fold it up later. Now, go to the next shuck and do the same, laying them out on the counter as you put the masa on them. When you have covered 5-10 of the shucks with masa, it is time to add the meat. Take about 1 tablespoon of meat mixture, and lay it on the masa about 1 in from the left edge.

Starting on the left side (the side where the Masa dough goes all the way to the edge), roll the tamale all the way to the right edge. Now, fold the top of the shuck over like an envelope and lay tamale on the counter with the fold on the under side. Roll the next one the same until all your shucks with masa on them are rolled. Keep repeating this entire process until all the tamales are built. You will have about 4 dozen or more.

COOK THE TAMALES
You need a very large pot that has something in the bottom to keep the tamales out of the water while they steam. Add about 3 pints of water to the pot, then start stacking the tamales upright until full. The envelope end of the tamale will be on the bottom, the open end of the tamale should be on top. Continue to fill the pot. The tamales need to pack tight enough that they do not fall over and begin to unfold. Cover the pot, and bring the water to a boil and then reduce heat to medium-low and cook for at least 2 hours. Check water several times and add more if it is getting low, you DON’T want to boil it dry; add more water as you need to.

When done, take one tamale out and leave it on the counter for about 5 minutes to test. Unwrap it and it should be firm, with no raw masa. When done, remove all the tamales and let them cool on the counter, then put in bags for the freezer. If eating right away, serve hot with some hot sauce.
Red Chile Tripe Soup with Fresh Garnishes (Menudo Rojo)

MENUDO
2 lbs. beef tripe
1 tablespoon salt
1 large lime, juiced
1 medium pig's foot, split lengthwise (see Ingredients in Cook's Notes)
1 lb. marrow bones, cut in 1-inch cross sections
6 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
½ medium onion, chopped
2 teaspoons dried oregano
4 medium chiles cascabeles nortenos or California/New Mexico chiles, dried, stemmed, seeded and deveined
½ teaspoon cumin seeds, ground
1 teaspoon salt

FOR THE CONDIMENTS
2 small limes, quartered
½ cup onion, chopped
3 tablespoons dried oregano
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

TRIPE

Wash the tripe thoroughly in several changes of warm water. Place it in a large bowl, sprinkle with the 1 tablespoon salt and the lime juice; vigorously work the salt and lime into the tripe with a scrubbing motion. Let stand 30 minutes, then wash the tripe again in several changes of warm water. Slice the tripe into small pieces about 2 inches long and 1/2 inch wide. Place in a large kettle or stockpot, cover with several quarts of cold water, bring to a boil, then simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes. Pour into a colander set in the sink, let drain a minute, then return to the pan.

SIMMERING THE TRIPE
Add the cow's or pig's foot, the marrow bones and 3 quarts water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and skim off the foam that rises during the first few minutes of cooking. Add half the garlic to the pot along with the onion and oregano; partially cover and simmer until the tripe is very tender, 2 to 3 hours.

CHILE FLAVORING AND FINAL PREPARATION
When the tripe is nearly tender, heat a griddle or heavy skillet over medium. Tear the chiles into flat pieces and toast them a few at a time by laying them on the hot surface, pressing them flat with a metal spatula for several seconds, until they blister and color a little, then flipping them over and pressing down for a few seconds more. Place them in a small bowl, cover with boiling water, weight with a plate to keep them submerged, and soak 30 minutes.

Remove the cow's or pig's foot and all the marrow bones from the broth, then skim off any fat floating on top. If you wish, let the foot cool a little, then cut out and discard all the bone and cartilage, chop what remains into small pieces and return it to the pot.

Drain the chiles and place them in a blender jar with the remaining garlic and the ground cumin. Add 1/3 cup of the menudo broth, blend until smooth, then strain through a medium-mesh sieve into the pot. Season with salt, partially cover and simmer 30 minutes.

SERVING THE SOUP
When you are ready to serve, place the condiments in small bowls on the table. Serve large bowls of the steaming soup and pass the condiments for each guest to add to his or her liking.

VARIATION
Menudo with Hominy

Prepare (3/4 cup) dried field corn as Half-Cooked Hominy (or use a large can of hominy, drained, and you won't need to cook it beforehand). It using raw, simmer in 3 quarts water until nearly tender, about 3 hours. Add the blanched tripe, foot and bones, skim, add the flavorings, then cook slowly until the tripe is tender. Finish the soup as directed.

Spanish-Style Potato Omelette (Tortilla Espanola)

I would normally wait to post a blog until at least a few hours after making something. I have things to do, such as clearing the table off or doing dishes. Eventually, I'll get around to making the post...

Not so today. I have forsaken everything else to get this message out to the masses. This is the best Spanish tortilla I have ever made. It is also the best one I have ever eaten. In Spain, or wherever. If you have olive oil, eggs, a potato and an onion you can be off to the races with this one.

I will add my normal Spanish food disclaimer and say that, yes, some smoked Spanish paprika brings this to a whole new level. MAKE THIS NOW.

2 ¼ cups Spanish extra-virgin olive oil
1 lb. Idaho potatoes, peeled, quartered, and thinly sliced (about 4 cups)
2 teaspoons salt
1 Spanish onion, peeled and sliced (about 1 cup)
6 large eggs

Heat 2 cups of the olive oil in a saute pan over a medium flame. You'll know the oil is hot enough for frying (275 degrees) when a chunk of potato dropped in the oil jumps a little. Once the oil is hot enough, add the potato slices and fry on both sides until they are lightly browned and the edges are slightly crisp. This should take 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and strain the potatoes, reserving the oil. Season the potatoes with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and set aside.

In another saute pan, heat all but 3 tablespoons of the reserved potato-cooking oil over a medium-low flame. Add the onion slices and cook until slightly browned, being careful not to burn them, around 8 minutes. Strain the onions and reserve.

Break the eggs into a mixing bowl and whisk them vigorously 3 or 4 times. The eggs should still keep much of their thick, gelatinous consistency. Add the potatoes and onions, plus the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, and whisk together. Add the 3 tablespoons of reserved potato-cooking oil to a 6-inch saute pan, and place over a medium flame. When the oil begins to smoke slightly, add the egg mixture to the pan. As you pour in the eggs, shake the pan vigorously for 10 or 15 seconds to make sure the-eggs come together. Then cook for 30 seconds without shaking. Lower the heat and continue to cook for a few minutes. Flip the tortilla when the edges are cooked but the center is still wobbly. Place a plate over the pan and invert the pan and plate together so the tortilla winds up on the plate, raw side down. If the pan looks dry, add the remaining 1/4 cup of fresh oil. Return the tortilla to the pan by sliding it back in, raw side down. Continue cooking for another 60 seconds. Serve immediately.

Spanish Tapas

We decided to keep it low-key for Christmas Eve, since it was just Vanessa, her mom and I for dinner. I had spent all day making a traditional Mexican classic (menudo) which we will be having Christmas day.

The great thing about tapas is that they aren't terribly complicated, you can make a bunch of them (so you have a lot of different flavors working) and they're amazing and delicious.

We went with garlic prawns (gambas al ajillo) using some fresh, raw gulf shrimp. Don't even DREAM of making this with out the smoked Spanish paprika, which brings a nifty smokiness to anything it is used it. Also, do NOT use frozen or, God forbid, pre-cooked shrimp. This dish really deserves the freshest shrimp you can find.

Also, we did Catalan-Style Tomato Bread (pan con tomate), which can be found on any menu in Spain, in any region, at any restaurant. You could also melt a strip of manchego cheese on top when you bake it (as the recipe implies), but this time we did it without.

Also, we had a quickly assembled plate of manchego cheese, membrillo paste, some Spanish-style chorizo picante and some olives infused with chile.

To drink, Vanessa makes a wonderful Sangria which uses a bunch of berries. This is the sangria we keep coming back to and it has NEVER failed us. You could also dump a bottle of Spanish Cava in there to get the fizz going!

Manchego Cheese with Catalan Tomato Bread
2 large ripe tomatoes (about 1/4 pound)
4 slices rustic sourdough bread, toasted
Spanish extra-virgin olive oil to taste
Salt to taste
4 slices (about 2 ounces) Manchego cheese

The traditional way
Cut the tomatoes in half. Rub the open face of the tomatoes into the toast until the flesh is absorbed. Throwaway the skin. Drizzle the tomato-rubbed bread with olive oil-be as liberal with the oil as you like. Season to taste with salt. Place a slice of cheese on top, drizzle with a little more oil, and serve.

The modern way
Cut the tomatoes in half. Place a grater over a large mixing bowl. Rub the open face of the tomatoes onto the grater until all the flesh is grated. Throwaway the skin. Add the olive oil to the grated tomato (be liberal). Season to taste with salt. Spoon the tomato-oil mixture onto the toast. Place a slice of cheese on top, drizzle with a little more oil, and serve.

Spanish Shrimp in Garlic Sauce (Gambas al Ajillo)
¾ lbs. fresh medium shrimp
coarse salt to taste
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
6 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 bay leaf
1 small hot dried red chili pepper, seeded and crumbled
¾ teaspoon sweet paprika
freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Devein the shrimp by cutting through the back with the shell still on. Spread them open, but leave the shell attached. Salt lightly and reserve.

Heat the oil in an 8-inch flameproof earthenware casserole over moderate heat until hot but not smoking. Stir in the garlic, bay leaf, and chili pepper, and cook, stirring, until the garlic just begins to turn golden. Immediately add the shrimp, paprika, and freshly ground black pepper; cook, stirring constantly, until the shrimp are just cooked through, being careful not to overcook.

Taste for seasoning, and sprinkle shrimp with coarse salt if desired. Discard the bay leaf, sprinkle with parsley, and serve very hot in the earthenware casserole, with crusty bread on the side.

Sangria
3 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons sugar
4 strawberries, quartered
½ cup raspberries
½ cup blueberries
½ cup blackberries
8 slices peeled orange
2-½ cups dry red wine
¾ cup orange juice
½ cup Grand Marnier or Amaretto
¾ cup sparkling water (or a bottle of Cava!)

Combine the water and sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove from heat and let cool.

Combine the fruit in a bowl. In a large pitcher, combine the sugar-water, wine, orange juice, and Grand Marnier. Add the fruit and stir gently to combine. (The sangria can be prepared ahead to this point and held in the refrigerator for up to 12 hours before serving.)

Just before serving, add the sparkling water to the pitcher. Serve the sangria in wineglasses.

Carrot and Cilantro Soup

This is one of Vanessa's favorite soups, and one she prepares rather well. She had high hopes of throwing this together last night, but wound up feeling dramatically under the weather. I picked up the slack and brought it home. Lovely, warm spices running through this. A good substitute for the spice mixture in here would be garam masala or, as I used, hot Madras curry powder (about 2 tablespoons).

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
800 g carrots, peeled, roughly chopped
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons paprika
1.25 liters chicken stock
½ cup yogurt, thick and natural
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan, add the onion and carrot and cook over low heat for 30 minutes.

Add the bay leaf and spices and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the stock, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 40 minutes, or until the carrot is tender. Cool slightly, then blend in batches in a food processor (or puree with a stick blender). Return to the saucepan and gently reheat. Season as necessary with salt and pepper.

Combine the coriander and yogurt in a bowl. Pour the soup into bowls and top with a dollop of the yogurt mixture. Garnish with fresh coriander.

Catfish with Fennel and Orange Salad

Vanessa and I went down to Edinburg, TX, which is about 15 minutes away from the Mexican border, to visit her Aunt Mary. Eventually, lunchtime came around and we really didn't have much of a plan together, so I offered to go grocery shopping to see what was good. We ran into some fresh Gulf catfish which looked suitable and I got to thinking about classic pairings with seafood: fennel and citrus.

The wrinkle is that Aunt Mary's oven and stove don't work. All she has is one little plug-in electric hot plate burner, which produces a staggeringly low amount of heat.

Fans of the blog know of my recent trials in BOQ in Dahlgren (see previous post entitled: EXTREME Cooking) and know that I have been training up to make it work in less-than-ideal situations.

The pan simply did not get hot enough to put a good sear (or any real color at all) on the catfish. That said, it did cook through and tasted wonderful. The fennel + citrus + seafood combination overcame my equipment shortcomings just fine.

CATFISH WITH A FENNEL AND ORANGE SALAD

CATFISH
3 fillets of catfish, skinned and boned
olive oil
salt
lemon pepper

SALAD
olive oil
1 large shallot, minced
1 clove garlic, smashed
3 bulbs fennel, cored, sliced very thinly, small handful of fronds reserved
1 small bunch parsley, chopped
salt and pepper
2 oranges, peeled and segmented into supremes (google it!),
supremes set aside, juice squeezed out of what's left of the oranges and reserved

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. While it is getting hot, drizzle the catfish with olive oil, then season well with salt and lemon pepper.

Heat another skillet over medium heat. When hot, add a drizzle of olive oil and then the shallots and garlic. Saute, stirring occasionally, until the shallots have softened somewhat. Add the fennel and continue to saute until starting to soften up a bit. Reserve nine orange segments, and add the rest to the pan, along with the reserved orange juice, the parsley, some of the fennel fronds and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Saute for a few more minutes and adjust the seasoning as necessary. Take off the heat and set aside.

When you are ready to do the fish, put the fish in the other hot pan and let it cook for 3-4 minutes, until the fish has browned some. Watch the color of the fish change as it cooks from the bottom up. When the color has moved 2/3 the way up the fish, flip it over and cook for another 30 seconds or so, then remove from the heat.

Put some fennel and orange salad down on a plate. Top with the fish, then top each fish fillet with three orange segments and a bit of fennel fronds. Drizzle with olive oil and serve.

Chettiar Aubergine Curry

I saw this made when I attended a masterclass at Benares in London. The thing that struck me most about it was that, in the end, we're just talking about eggplant and potato. You wouldn't normally associate these thing with creating a sexy dish. This was totally satisfying and a real testament to what can be done with humble ingredients.

8-10 baby aubergines (eegplant), or use 2 large ones, diced
3 medium potatoes
salt
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
5cm cassia bark or cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
8 curry leaves
2 large onions, finely chopped
1.5 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
10 dried red chillies, crushed
3 tablespoons toasted coriander seeds, crushed
1 large tomato, cut into wedges
400 milliliters coconut milk
2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves

Cut the baby aubergines in half lengthways. Cut the potatoes into wedges and par-boil in salted water for 8-10 minutes, then drain.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a wok or kadhai and saute the cassia or cinnamon, fennel seeds and curry leaves for a minute or two until they crackle. Add the onions and garlic, and saute until the onions are softened and browned, then add the crushed chillies and coriander seeds and saute for 1-2 minutes.

Add the aubergines and potatoes, and cook for few minutes until the aubergines soften. Add the tomato, coconut milk, 100ml water and salt to taste. Bring to a simmer and cook gently for about 10 minutes until the vegetables are cooked and the sauce has thickened.

Scatter with chopped coriander leaves to serve.

Vanessa's Truck Stop Chili

Vanessa normally handles the cocktails and wine selection. She does this VERY well, and it's the perfect compliment to my contribution, which is normally the cooking. Since being in Dahlgren, Vanessa has embraced the inner cook and yesterday, spent six hours making this chili. The topper was serving this to guests in our little room.

The chili was amazing! Smoky, rich and spicy... but not so spicy as to not taste everything in it. We were supposed to eat it again later in the week, but we ended up killing it. Chalk another one up for one-pot cooking!

¼ pound bacon
3 lbs. trimmed beef brisket, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1 lb. onions, chopped
1-½ tablespoons ground cumin
3-½ tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons paprika, smoked if available
1 teaspoon ancho chile powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon salt
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1 can beef broth
1 can plum tomatoes in puree
1 dried chipotle chile

Cook the bacon in a large skillet until crisp. Remove the bacon and reserve.

Over high heat, brown the beef in the bacon drippings left in the skillet and set the meat aside. Over medium heat, saute the onions in the remaining drippings for 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly browned.

Toast the cumin in a small skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly for 1 minute or until fragrant.

Add the toasted cumin, chili powder, paprika, ancho chile powder, oregano, black pepper, thyme, salt, and garlic to the cooked onions and saute for 1 minute. Crumble in the bacon, add the beef broth, 1 cup water, tomatoes, chiles, and the beef. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover partially, and simmer for 3 hours or until the meat is very tender, adding water as needed to maintain the desired consistency.

Spicy Pasta

Vanessa normally gets to sit around in our room while I am at school all day, which I'm betting is a real treat. Well, she decided to get to work in the "kitchen" (see last post for the explanation of the quotes). There are many tomato-based pasta sauces, but if you break it down, there's a few ingredients which are constant. This pasta was wonderful and goes to show that no matter how crappy your cooking facilities are, YOU DON'T HAVE TO BREAK DOWN AND BUY RAGU OR SOME OTHER CRAP. You can make a superior sauce on your own, with minimal effort, and it will be 1 zillion times better than some storebought garbage which was put in the jar back during the Clinton administration.

The sauce was lovely and spicy, and got a nice hint of sweetness from using the San Marzano tomatoes, which are great and grow near Naples.

olive oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
2 teaspoons dried rosemary
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
1 large can (28 oz.) chopped San Marzano tomatoes (Cento is a good brand)
500g pasta
salt and pepper, to taste

Heat the oil over medium heat. When hot, add the garlic and onions and saute until soft and translucent, 5-7 minutes. Add the spices and stir through to combine. Add the tomatoes and bring to a boil over high heat. When it boils, turn the heat down to low and simmer, mostly covered with a lid, for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

When the sauce is almost done, cook up a package (500g) of the pasta of your choice in boiling salted water according to package directions. Take a 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water and add it to the sauce. Drain the rest of the pasta in a colander.

Put the pasta in the pot with the sauce. Season to taste with salt, pepper and spices. Serve with some grated Parmesan, or in our case, with some Parmesan that you cut very finely with a paring knife at an extreme angle to LOOK (sort of) like grated Parmesan.

No matter how you slice it, this was delicious.

EXTREME Cooking: Middle-of-Nowhere-Edition

Well... all good things must come to an end. Our 3+ year boondoggle, which included near-worldwide travel and living abroad, has finally truly come to an end. I am working again, albeit as a student, which has brought Vanessa and I to Dahlgren, Virginia. Look it up on Google Maps if you like. Go ahead and check out the satellite view, too, while you're at it so you can hopefully see just the kind of desolation we're dealing with out here.

Dahlgren is in the middle of nowhere. It was in the middle of nowhere the last time we were here in 2004, as well, so you can imagine how excited we were to come back. On the upside, we're less than an hour out of Washington DC (we'll be checking that out this weekend).

Meanwhile, we're staying in a Navy hotel of sorts. The room itself is actually pretty nice... it's a suite with a few rooms and plenty of room for the both of us and all of our stuff we brought with us. The rub is, our stay here will be nine weeks total (with a break for Christmas and New Year's). You might be asking yourself, "How the hell are you, unabashed foodies, going to survive out there with only a few Mom and Pop joints to eat at?"

Never fear. We have an enormous kitchen...
And loads of prep space....
So we decided that we were going to make this work. After all, I DID bring all of my spices with me. We have a fridge. I look at it as a challenge. The next few weeks (until late February) will chronicle our attempts at cooking in what is easily the most austere of kitchens. No oven. No blender. No water bath or immersion circulators. No food processors.

A two burner stove. One pot and a few skillets. Let's see what we can do.

Pan-Seared Ras-el-Hanout Rubbed Chicken Breasts with Spinach and a Balsamic Vinaigrette

CHICKEN
2 chicken breasts
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
3/4 tsp ras-el-hanout

VINAIGRETTE
3 parts olive oil
1 part balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

SALAD
3 large handfuls spinach, rinsed and patted dry
grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (if you're lucky enough to have a grater!)

For the chicken, combine all of the ingredients in a Ziploc bag and leave to marinade in the fridge for at least one hour. About 30 minutes before you want to cook, pull the chicken out and leave at room temperature.

Get a skillet going over high heat. When hot, place the chicken in the pan and cook for 5-7 minutes, until nice and golden brown. Flip over and cook for another 5 minutes. Turn the heat down and cover the skillet and allow the chicken to cook for another 3-5 minutes until just cooked through.

Get the chicken out of the pan and let rest while you make the dressing (by combining all of the ingredients in a bowl and stirring them up) and divide the spinach between two plates.

Cut the chicken across the grain on the bias and check for doneness. If not done, put back into the still hot pan for just a few seconds until done.

Put the chicken on the spinach and top with Parmesan and dressing to taste.

A Thanksgiving for the Space Age (Part II)

Well, as science predicted, the food turned out spectacularly. The turkey was super-moist and tasted of turkey. Easily the best turkey I've eaten. The stuffing was rich and flavorful. Vanessa's cranberry sauce rung a sharp, sweet note to counteract the richness of the meat. The gravy was amazing. I could go on, but you can just look for yourself.

Dessert was wholly my idea. I had help (by way of recipe) with the pumpkin cake portion. The rest of it was composed by me. I have to say that I was pleased with the wonderful, autumny flavors. Nice contrast of hot and cold, soft and crunchy.

Sous-Vide Thanksgiving Turkey, Sous-Vide Stuffing and Turkey Gravy

TURKEY STOCK
bones from the turkey carcass, chopped up into chunks
1 cup white wine
1 large onion, chopped
4-5 stalks celery, chopped
3 carrot, chopped
1 bay leaf
water, to cover

TURKEY
1 turkey
2 bunches sage
1 large bunch thyme
6 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 sticks butter, cut into 3 chunks each, divided use

STUFFING
275 g butter
350 g onion
240 g celery
4 cloves garlic
2 bay leaves
1 cup sage, packed, roughly chopped
2 loaves whole wheat bread, medium dice
4 large eggs
400 g TURKEY STOCK
21 g salt
27 turns black pepper mill
1 handful dried prunes, chopped
1/2 cup Armagnac or other brandy or cognac (optional, but HIGHLY recommended)

GRAVY
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
3 ladlefuls turkey stock
1 knob butter

TURKEY STOCK
Take the turkey carcass and bones that you butchered and place them in a super-hot pan with a bit of oil. Leave them alone. Try to burn them! Go ahead, Try! Whatever you do, don't shake the pan for at least 5 minutes. Wait until they brown, then move them around.

Deglaze the pan with wine... about a cup. Let the alcohol burn off and scrape the tasty bits off the bottom.

Meanwhile, you have cut up a good sized onion, 4 or 5 stalks of celery, some carrots, bay leaf, and sweat them in the pan briefly with the bones and wine. Then transfer all of that into a larger pot and cover with water. Let that simmer for the 3 hours that the turkey is cooking... or a bit longer. You want to reduce it by at least half. Strain through a chinois or fine mesh strainer and put in the fridge to cool.... I like to do that to remove the fat easily the next day, but you could also skim it off.

TURKEY
Heat a large pot of water to 170-175F.

Prepare two large freezer bags. Joint the turkey into 2 whole legs and two breast halves. Place the legs in one bag and the breasts in another. Add to each bag one small bunch of sage, 5-6 sprigs of thyme, 1 stick of butter and season generously with salt and pepper.

Place the freezer bags in the water and cook at 170-175F temperature for 2.5 to 3 hours, monitoring the water temperature, making sure it holds steady. Meanwhile, make the turkey stock.

When the time is up, remove the turkey from the bags into a bowl and wipe off excess fat. Place breasts and legs on a paper towel briefly to remove a bit of the fat. Get a pan ripping hot (smoking) with a bit of oil in the pan. Sear the sous-vide cooked turkey on there skin side down until golden brown. If your pan is hot enough this will happen faster than you think.... salt and pepper to taste. Slice breasts and present on platter. You now have tender, juicy turkey.

STUFFING
Sweat the butter, onion, celery, garlic, bay leaves and thyme together over medium heat for 8-10 minutes. Remove the bay leaves.

Dump the cooked onion and celery mix into a bowl with the bread, eggs, turkey stock, salt and pepper.

Now you have choices here... do you like it mushy with no big bits? get in there and work it with your hands. Like some crunchy bits and plan to broil or saute it at the last minute? then leave the bread a bit bigger. Like mushrooms? Cranberries? Add them now.

In either case, put it in a bag and into the water with the turkey... 2 to 3 hours. Remove from bag and either serve... or leave it in the fridge overnight and let it set up. Then slice and broil or saute to get it browned.


GRAVY
Make a roux... I do a simple butter and flour mix and cook it in a pan stirring constantly for 10 to 15 minutes -- a couple tablespoons of each should do it. After 10 minutes of cooking over high heat you want the consistency to be like sand in the beach when a wave comes up... if you draw a line in it with the back of your wooden spoon it should briefly leave a line then fill back in. Slowly it will turn brown... when it gets chestnut colored, it is time to add the stock.

If your roux is ripping hot, you will add cold stock... and watch out. This is the fireworks part. Stir vigorously adding a bit of stock... this will get super thick... add stock until you get a just slightly too watery consistency. Then simmer it down a bit until it thicken to your preferred consistency... add salt and pepper to taste. I strain mine through a mesh strainer once again just to make sure no lumps remain. I will sometimes add a bit of butter at the end as well just to give it a bit of sheen.

Cranberry-Grand Marnier Sauce

1 pound cranberries
½ cup sugar, plus more to taste
½ cup water
3 tablespoons Grand Marnier, to taste

Combine the sugar and water in a saucepan over medium-high heat until the sugar dissolves and the syrup had bubbled some. Add the cranberries and cook until they begin to pop; reduce the heat the low, stirring regularly.

After the cranberries have cooked for a few minutes (most of them have popped), add the Grand Marnier and continue to stir and cook for a few more minutes. Taste for balance of tartness, sweetness and booziness.

Serve warm or cold.

"Pumpkin" Cake with Cinnamon-Vanilla Ice Cream, Pecan Tuile and Salted Bourbon-Caramel Sauce

CAKE
1 Kabocha or butternut squash
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus a little for the pan
½ vanilla bean
2 cups all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon baking powder
¾ cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1 ½ cups whole milk
1 ¾ cups heavy cream
3 extra-large egg
1 tablespoon honey

ICE CREAM
1 vanilla bean
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 cups whole milk
2 cups heavy cream
9 large egg yolks
1 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons

TUILE
15 g egg white
30 g ground pecans
25 g icing sugar
20 g flour
20 g butter, soft
crumbled pecans, to top

SAUCE
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup bourbon
1 splash heavy cream
1 teaspoon salt
1 knob butter

CAKE
Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Cut the squash in half lengthwise and place on a baking sheet, cut side up. (Don't remove the seeds yet; they give extra flavor.) Cover with foil, and roast about 1 hour, until very tender. Let cool 10 minutes, and then scoop out the seeds and discard them. Puree the warm squash through a ricer or food mill and measure out 1 1/2 cups. (You can reheat any leftover puree, season it with salt, pepper, and butter, and eat it for dinner!)

Turn the oven down to 350°F.

Cut a circle of parchment paper to fit the bottom of a 10-inch round cake pan. Brush the bottom of the pan with a little butter and then line it with the paper. Place the 8 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan. Slice the vanilla bean lengthwise down the center, and use a paring knife to scrape the seeds and pulp onto the butter. To make sure not to lose any of the seeds, run your vanilla-coated knife through the butter (don't use your fingers, because the seeds will stick to them). Add the vanilla pod to the pan, and cook the butter over medium heat 6 to 8 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally, until the butter browns and smells nutty. Remove the vanilla pod and discard.

Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, sugar, cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg into a large bowl. Add the salt. Make a well in the center. In another large bowl, whisk the reserved 1 1/2 cups squash puree, milk, 1/4 cup cream, eggs, and honey to combine. Pour the liquid into the well in the dry ingredients, and whisk until incorporated. Stir in the brown butter, scraping with a rubber spatula to make sure you get all the brown bits from the pan. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake 25 minutes, then remove the cake from the oven and sprinkle the streusel evenly over the top. Bake the cake another 45 minutes, until the topping is crisp and the cake has set. (The center of the cake will still be somewhat soft and won't pass the toothpick test.) Cool the cake on a rack for at least 15 minutes.

ICE CREAM
Split the vanilla bean in half lengthwise, and, using a paring knife, scrape
the seeds and pulp into a medium saucepan. Add the vanilla pod, cinnamon, milk, half of the sugar and cream, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Turn off the heat, cover, and allow the flavors to infuse about 30 minutes.
Return the mixture to the stove, and bring it back to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. When it boils, turn off the heat.


Whisk the egg yolks and remaining sugar together in a bowl. Whisk a few tablespoons of the warm cream mixture into the yolks to temper them. Slowly, add another 1/4 cup or so of the warm cream, whisking constantly. At this point you can add the rest of the cream mixture in a slow steady stream, whisking all the time. Pour the mixture back into the pot, and return it to the stove.


Cook the custard over medium heat 6 to 8 minutes, stirring frequently with
a rubber spatula, scraping the bottom and sides of the pan. The custard will
thicken, and when it's done it will coat the back of the spatula. Strain the mixture,
and chill at least 2 hours in the refrigerator. Process in an ice cream maker
according to the manufacturer's instructions.

TUILE
Mix all the ingredients together, add in the egg white and stir till smooth. Spread out the mass in any shape or size you wish, place some crushed pecans on top for some crunch, bake them for 6-8 minutes at 350°F and cool.

SAUCE
Put the sugar in a saucepan over medium heat and cook until the sugar dissolves and starts to bubble. Add a splash of bourbon and continue to cook until the caramel goes thick, then add the salt and cream. Stir to incorporate. Cook and when thickened, pull off the heat then add the butter and whisk in until melted and combined.

FINISH
Cut the cake into six equal squares. Put into a warm oven to reheat. Place on a cold plate and put a quenelle of ice cream opposite. Put one end of the tuile in the ice cream and rest the other end on the cake. Drizzle with sauce and serve.

A Thanksgiving for the Space Age (Part I)

Let me start off by saying that, honestly, I hate turkey. Of all of the birds, I find it the most tasteless, probably due to its ridiculously low fat content. No, I would rather eat ANY other bird before I would choose turkey. On top of its genetic flaws, most people don't know how to cook it properly, and thus, it turns out dried out. But everyone is polite about it and washes each bite down with some water or wine and trudge their way through the rest of it until they collapse later, over-sated.

Not that great things can't be done with turkey leftovers. My issue is with the connection to tradition which precludes actually cooking a piece of meat properly. I mean, if you had an oven big enough, would you put a whole cow in there and expect it to come out which each part of the animal perfectly done? Of course not. So it goes with turkey.

The problem is the difference in cooking time between breasts and legs. The doneness temperature of turkey is 170F. The problem with the oven is that you have to crank it way higher (probably 400F) to get the turkey to 170F. Surely, you see the room for error here.

What if you could cook something in a medium that stayed a constant 170F? What if you could find a way to harness all of the aromas and flavor (and add some much needed fat into the equation), and ensure none of this would be lost from the turkey?

The method is called 'sous vide' (pronounced 'soo-veyed' (where 'veyed' is pronounced like 'keyed')). It is a French method that means 'under vacuum'. The idea is, if you vacuum seal everything in a bag, and cook it in a medium (water) heated to a precise temperature, two important things happen:

1) No aroma, juice or any other flavor is lost to the pan or the air, it all stays contained within the meat itself because it has nowhere else to go.

2) You cannot overcook the meat because the water (if you monitor it) will not rise above 170F, the perfect doneness temperature for turkey. The turkey, submerged in the liquid and surrounded by this liquid, cannot go higher than 170F.

This thanksgiving is inspired by the cooking of Grant Achatz, award winning chef of Alinea (currently ranked #10 in the world) in Chicago. I am happy to say that Vanessa and I will be eating there Sunday night! We are looking forward to it. You can google 'grant achatz thanksgiving' and it should come up with two videos which will walk you through how he does it.

It's pretty simple:

-break the turkey down into parts
-put them in bags with butter herbs, salt and pepper
-seal them up
-the stuffing goes into a bag, too!
-cook everything in a pot (or pots) of water at 170F for 3 hours.
-briefly brown the turkey off in a hot pan to crisp the skin
-serve

The next post will show the recipes and how it all turned out. Looking forward to it!