Chicken Tikka Masala with Saffron Rice Pulau

Chicken Tikka Masala, the chop suey of Indian cuisine.

Ah yes, that's right sadly: not actually of Indian origin, Chicken Tikka Masala is in fact a British creation. But incredibly tasty, I must say, and a nice introduction to the flavors and spices of India for the uninitiated. It is still right behind butter chicken and tandoori in my list of "favorite Indian dish". Even though it's not really Indian. Er, but you know what I mean. Whatever.

Essentially, it is a rich, tomato-based sauce mellowed with some cream and fragrant with garam masala, coriander, and cumin. Then you toss in chicken steeped in garlicky yogurt marinade. Good stuff. Chicken Tikka Masala is as comforting on a winter evening as any American beef stew; just serve over basmati rice with a side of naan. This version is good, but still missing "something" from what my local place can make. I'll keep tinkering, maybe add more heat or some cardamom. Until then, try this one...

Chicken Tikka Masala

(from Jamie's Dinners)

Ingredients:

6 cloves of garlic, peeled

3 in. fresh ginger, peeled

2 or 3 fresh red chilis, seeded

Olive oil

1 Tbsp. mustard seeds

1 Tbsp. paprika

2 tsp. ground cumin

2 tsp. ground coriander

3 Tbsp. garam masala, divided

Generous 3/4 c. plain yogurt

4 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into large chunks

1 Tbsp. butter

2 medium onions, sliced very thin

2 Tbsp. tomato purée

1/3 to 1/2 c. cashews or almonds, ground very fine in a food processor

Salt

1/2 c. heavy cream

Fresh cilantro, chopped

Limes

If you're using a mini-chopper, use it to finely mince the garlic, ginger, and chilis. Alternately, you can grate them on the smallest teeth of a grater, or chop with a knife.

Heat a splash of olive oil in a large skillet or sauté pan. Add the mustard seeds. When they begin to pop, remove from the heat immediately and add them to the garlic mixture (once mustard seeds start popping, they will pop all over the place, so watch carefully and remove from heat as soon as the first one goes "pop." Toss a lid on that sucker too, so you don't lose all the seeds!)

Add the paprika, cumin, coriander, and 2 Tbsp of the garam masala. Put half of this mix in a large bowl, add the yogurt, and stir in the chicken, making sure to coat all sides with the marinade. Let it sit for about a half-hour.

Melt the butter in the large saucepan and add the sliced onions and remaining half of the garlic-spice mixture. Cook gently for at least 15 minutes. Do not brown the onions; you're trying to soften them up and mellow the spices. Add the tomato puree, ground nuts, 2 1/2 cups of water, and 1/2 tsp of salt. Stir well and bring to a gentle boil. Let the sauce reduce and thicken slightly (about 5 minutes), then reduce heat to low.

Cook the marinated chicken on a grill or under the broiler, until just cooked through.

While the chicken is cooking, add the cream and remaining 1 Tbsp of garam masala to the sauce and bring it up to a boil, then add the chicken. Check the seasoning, adding salt or cayenne pepper if desired. Top the chicken with cilantro and squeeze lime juice over the top. Serve with basmati rice or Saffron Rice Pulau (below).

Saffron Rice Pulau

(from The Cookbook Critic)

Ingredients:

1/4 tsp. saffron threads

1/4 c. hot water

2 Tbsp. butter

2 cinnamon sticks

10 whole cloves

1 tsp. cumin seeds

2 c. basmati rice, rinsed well

1/3 c. raw cashews

Put the saffron threads in the hot water and set aside to steep until serving time.

Melt the butter over medium heat in a medium-sized saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. Add the cinnamon, cloves, and cumin seeds and stir, 1 minute. Drain the rice well, then add to the pot and stir-fry until the grains are coated and the rice begins to smell fragrant, about 3 minutes.

Add 3 cups water and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover. Cook until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Remove cinnamon sticks and cloves. Just before serving, pour in the saffron water and stir well to combine.

To garnish, roast the raw cashews in a 350 degree oven until light golden, about 8 to 10 minutes (watch carefully, nuts burn quickly). Top rice with nuts and serve alongside Chicken Tikka Masala.

Seared Venison Roast with a Blueberry Reduction, and Celery Root Mash

My Hubs is a hunter at heart, he doesn't get away to do it much anymore but when he does, we eat well for awhile. This winter he went deer hunting, and came back home with lots of venison for us to use: ground, cubed, and loins. The loin is the good stuff, and we're in for a treat when one of the loins is being thawed for dinner - that usually means we're making Venison with Blueberry Reduction.

Originally this came from an episode of Emeril on the Food Network, many many, like 3 apartments before we bought our home (and we lived in every apartment a good 2-3 years) - yeah, like that many years ago. I couldn't find the original on their site, only our chicken-scratch re-write we've been using for years, so that's what you're getting. Not quite sure how much we changed things up, but I will say this: it is very, very good.

I nuked my meat a bit longer (darn baby Robot ruins all my fun food adventures), but this is best when the meat is seared - venison is very delicate, it works best with the meat's texture and flavor to keep it rare in the center. The blueberry reduction is incredible, just barely sweet with plenty of tart and woodsy savory and oh my goodness - I could just cover everything and anything I eat in the stuff, if only it wasn't a bit too hands-on to make on a daily basis.

We usually have this with mashed potatoes, but this time we switched things up and did a celery root mash. Ooooh, so good. And healthier, for those watching their carbs! The celery root actually paired with the venison and blueberry reduction much better than potatoes did. So if you give this recipe a shot, go with the celery root mash for sure.


Seared Venison Roast with a Blueberry Reduction
(adapted from Emeril Legasse)

Ingredients:

1 venison loin , about 8 oz. (or, use 8-oz. venison chops)

Salt and pepper

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 Tbsp. finely diced shallots

1 tsp. minced garlic

1/2 c. crushed blueberries

5-6 juniper berries

1 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. chopped rosemary

1/4 c. balsamic vinegar

1/4 c. dry red wine

1/4 c. gin

1 c. beef demi-glace

1 Tbsp. chopped sage

1 Tbsp. cold butter

Lightly season the venison loin on all sides with salt and black pepper. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium high heat. When the oil starts to smoke, add the loin and sear for 3 minutes. Lower the heat to medium and turn the loin. For medium-rare, cook the loin for 2 to 3 minutes on each turn/side, until you've gone all the way around the loin. Transfer the loin to a plate and let rest, covered loosely with foil.

Return the skillet to medium-high heat. Add the shallots and garlic and cook, stirring for 1 minute. Add the blueberries, juniper berries, sugar, and rosemary and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the balsamic vinegar and red wine and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half, about 1 minute.

Add the gin, being careful of flames, and stir to deglaze the pan. (Alternately, remove the pan from the heat and ignite with a match.) When the flames die out, add the demi-glace and sage, and stir well.

Return the loin to the pan and cook to warm the meat through, about 1 minute. Add the cold butter, salt and cracked black pepper, to taste, and swirl to incorporate. Remove from the heat.

Celery Root Mash

(adapted from Chow)

Ingredients:

1 large Celeriac (celery root)
1 large Russet baking potato
2-3 Tablespoons Cream
2 Tablespoons Butter
1 Teaspoon Salt (+ more to taste)
Cracked Black Pepper to taste

Peel the celeriac root and wash any extra traces of dirt off. Wash the potatoes well. *Please note: we left the peels on for extra texture, but you can peel your potatoes if you like.

Cut the celeriac and potatoes into medium sized pieces. Put into a large cooking pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and then reduce head to a simmer. Cook until soft enough to mash, about 30–40 minutes. Drain and let sit covered in the same pot that you used to cook them in, for about 5 minutes to remove excess water.

Add cream, salt and then mash. I like to use a hand held masher as I dig texture in my mashed potatoes. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper. I love this side in its "pure state", but feel free to go nuts - lots of herbs would complement this well.

To plate, place 1/2 of the celery root mash on each of 2 large plates, and place 3-4 slices of loin on top of the mash. Pour the sauce over the chops and around the plates. Serve immediately.

Braised Chicken with Figs and Bay

It's fresh fig time, folks. Hit up that grocery or market and pick up a carton or two!

I love fresh figs; they remind me of grapes with lots of teeny strawberry seeds in them. I found this recipe after searching for something to use up the extra figs in our fridge before they went bad. Soooo good. And pretty healthy. I love this recipe because it's good for you, flavorful, and doesn't take a lot of cooking skills. Give it a shot if you have the time, because while an easy dish to pull off: the presentation is pretty stellar - you can definitely impress if you have a dinner party.

Braised Chicken with Figs and Bay

(adapted from Cooking Light, August 2000)

Ingredients:

6 chicken thighs
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
8 bay leaves
2 tsp. olive oil
1/4 c. water
1/2 c. sliced shallots
1/3 c. dry red wine
3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 tsp. honey
16 fresh figs, each cut in half lengthwise

Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Place 1 bay leaf on each chicken thigh. Heat oil in a heavy 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat.

Place chicken, bay leaf sides down, in pan. Cook 5 minutes or until browned. Turn chicken over; cook 3 minutes. Add water; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Remove chicken from pan. Add shallots; cook 2 minutes. Add chicken, wine, vinegar, and honey to pan; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes or until chicken is done.

Add figs; cover and simmer 5 minutes or until figs are tender.

Serve over rice or couscous.

Muffaletta Sandwiches

I remember seeing this recipe on Everyday Italian years ago (well, not like 80 years ago or anything, maybe more like a few). Anyhoo: it always stayed in my head, not only because it looked outrageously delicious, but because the presentation was kinda cool. What's not to love about slicing what looks like a normal round loaf and finding many layers of an awesome sandwich inside? My sister and babies were coming up for their annual visit, which included going to the Zoo. I was in charge of lunch, while my sister would bring snacks and drinks. Now that her babies are a bit older and they LOVE sour things, I figured this recipe would finally get used.

Thank goodness, it was still archived on foodtv.com. I got it all prepped and made the night before, then did a quick slice before leaving to meet my sister at the Zoo in the morning. We stopped for lunch in the Lion Viewing Area, and I thought the sandwich was perfect. Her kids picked out the sandwich goodies from the bread, and then ate that separately. They even devoured it. A good sign that the recipe is a winner! I loved the tart vinegar/olive mixture with the meats and cheese. This is something I will definitely make again.

Um - a Nemmie Note: be sure to get a loaf that truly is only 3-4 inches tall, and if you can't find that then shave it down before hollowing it and filling. I bought a nice crusty loaf of sourdough from my favorite bakery, but it was terribly tall. Those sandwhiches were true Dagwoods, a wee bit hard to eat, especially at the Zoo when we had our laps and that was it, no table or plates to catch the goodies dropping out of our sandwich slices.

Muffaletta Sandwiches

(from FoodNetwork)

Ingredients:

1/4 c. red wine vinegar

2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

1 tsp. dried oregano

1/3 c. olive oil

10 large pitted green olives, chopped

1/3 c. pitted, chopped kalamata olives

1/4 c. chopped roasted red bell peppers

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 (1-lb.) round bread loaf, about 7 inches in diameter and 3 inches high

4 oz. thinly sliced ham 4 ounces thinly sliced mortadella

4 oz. thinly sliced salami

4 oz. sliced provolone

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

1 1/2 oz. arugula leaves

Whisk the first 3 ingredients in a large bowl to blend. Gradually blend in the oil. Stir in the olives and roasted peppers. Season the vinaigrette, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Cut the top 1-inch of the bread loaf. Set the top aside. Hollow out the bottom and top halves of the bread. Spread some of the olive and roasted pepper mix over the bread bottom and cut side of the bread top.

Layer the meats and cheeses in the bread bottom. Top with the onions, then the arugula. Spread the remaining olive and roasted pepper mix on top of the sandwich and carefully cover with the bread top.

You can serve the sandwich immediately or you can wrap the entire sandwich tightly in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator a day before serving.

Cut the sandwich into wedges and serve.

Capellini with Salmon and Lemon-Dill Sauce

This is more of a winter dish: it simmers down for a long time, making a thick, rich sauce. And keeps the room warm (not really something necessary in September in Kansas, but whatever). The sauce tastes so deeply of cream, with a hint of the lemon and dill. And in honestly, while rich, the sauce quotient is low so is just enough to coat the pasta and salmon (no puddles of sauce on the plate, hurrah!). Something I tried once and loved, so keep making even when the weather is more than warm outside.

Quick note: Gourmet piggy-backed this with a recipe for roasted salmon, recommending that you use the leftover salmon for this pasta recipe. I'll make it when I have salmon leftover from a meal, but more often than not I will just pop a few foil-wrapped fillets in the oven for 20 minutes. Works like a charm.

Capellini with Salmon and Lemon-Dill Sauce

(adapted from Gourmet, June 2005)

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 Tbsp. olive oil

3 c. reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 1/3 c. heavy cream

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 c. chopped fresh dill

1 1/2 tsp. finely grated fresh lemon zest

2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1/4 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper

2 c. flaked broiled salmon

10 oz. capellini (angel-hair pasta; about two thirds of a 1-lb box)

Cook onion in oil in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened (but not browned), about 6 minutes. Add broth, cream, and salt and boil over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until sauce is reduced to 2 cups, 40 to 50 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in dill, lemon zest and juice, and pepper. Reserve 1/2 cup sauce, then add salmon to saucepan and cook over moderately low heat until fish is just heated through, 2 to 3 minutes.

While fish is heating, cook pasta in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water until al dente.Reserve 1/2 cup pasta-cooking water, then drain pasta in a colander. Return pasta to pot, then toss with reserved sauce and cooking water. Serve pasta immediately with fish and sauce spooned over the top.

Corn on the Cobb Salad Wrap

This made a TON of food - I halved the recipe, and we still literally ate this for days. Days! Days of lunches and dinners both. Not like that is a bad thing: it was very, very good. Great as just a salad, and also fabulous as a wrap. So count it in as versatile as well :)

The only think I'd change: I'd grill the onions for the dressing a bit longer, so that they are good and carmelized. The flavor was totally lost in the blue cheese dressing; not that this 'problem' is necessarily terrible, mind you, but it did overpower the onions. Other than that, though, this was amazing. It's not often that I'd willingly eat the same thing for several days, but this definitely is an exception.

Thanks bunches to Drewie, once again, for a wonderful recipe!

Corn on the Cobb Salad Wrap

(from Food Network)

Ingredients:

2 whole skinless boneless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 lb.)

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 Tbsp. olive oil

6 slices prosciutto (or plain ole bacon)

2 ripe avocados

1/2 head romaine, rinsed, spun dry, and finely chopped (about 4 c.)

1 c. cooked corn, heated or defrosted

1 bunch watercress

2 tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped

3 large hard-boiled eggs, separated and chopped

4 large flour tortillas

1 1/2 c. Grilled Onion Blue Cheese Dressing, recipe follows

Preheat a grill or grill pan. Season chicken breasts on both sides with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Grill for about 4 to 5 minutes on each side or until cooked through. Set aside to rest for 2 minutes and then cut into bite-size pieces.

In a skillet, cook the prosciutto over moderate heat until it is crisp; transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Break into bite-size pieces. Halve, pit, peel and cut the avocado into 1/2-inch pieces.

In a large salad bowl, toss together the romaine, corn, and watercress. Add the chicken, prosciutto, tomatoes, egg yolks and whites, and avocado. Pour Grilled Onion Blue Cheese Dressing over salad and toss well. Divide over tortillas and fold or roll up to make a sandwich wrap.

Grilled Onion Blue Cheese Dressing:

1 sweet white onion

2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 c. mayonnaise

1 c. sour cream

1 c. buttermilk

2 tsp. hot sauce (recommended: Tabasco)

1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

12 oz. blue cheese, crumbled

Preheat a grill or grill pan. Onions can be grilled utilizing a stove top grill pan or outside grill. Remove outer skin of the onion. Cut into 1/2-inch thick circles. Place in bowl and season with extra-virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper, to taste. Transfer onion to grill or grill pan and cook over medium-high heat until they have a transparent, caramelized color, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool, then cut into medium dice.

In mixing bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, buttermilk, hot sauce, and Worcestershire until well blended. Add blue cheese and mix well to incorporate throughout dressing. Fold in diced grilled onions. Check for seasoning. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Catfish Po' Boy

Cheap, easy, and good for you. Oh, and really really yummy. Can't beat that, can you? Thank goodness for Louisiana, folks.

I had Po' Boys on our Labor Day weekend menu well before Gustav reared its ugly head, but eating these after seeing its path on the news made for a good, filling, yet melancholy dinner. Thank goodness this hurricane was not another Katrina, but there was still a lot of damage. So to the people of Louisiana: you're in my thoughts and prayers, here's to a quick recovery. God bless.

Catfish Po' Boy

(from Cooking Light, October 2002)

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp. fat-free milk

1 lb. catfish fillets, cut into 2 1/2-inch pieces

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 c. yellow cornmeal

1 Tbsp. Cajun seasoning (such as McCormick)

2 tsp. vegetable oil

1 Tbsp. white wine vinegar

2 Tbsp. fat-free mayonnaise

1 Tbsp. fat-free sour cream

1 1/2 tsp. sugar

Dash of crushed red pepper

2 c. bagged broccoli coleslaw

4 kaiser buns (French bread if you want to be traditional!), split and toasted

Combine milk and catfish in a large bowl, tossing gently to coat. Remove fish from bowl; shake off excess milk. Sprinkle fish with salt. Combine cornmeal and Cajun seasoning in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add fish to bag. Seal and shake to coat.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add fish; cook 3 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.

While fish cooks, combine vinegar and next 4 ingredients (vinegar through pepper) in a medium bowl. Add broccoli coleslaw; toss well to coat. Spoon 1/2 cup slaw mixture onto bottom half of each roll. Arrange fish evenly over each serving, and top with top halves of rolls. I also doused the fish liberally with Tabasco sauce. Yum!

Salmon Rotini with Roasted Garlic and Lemon

Oh, for the love of garlic. This recipe was loaded with the stuff, so if you're not a fan, no need to read on.


What I love about this pasta is the sheer amount of garlic - not only roasted, smashed, and dissolved into the sauce - no, it also has chunks of that sweet, roasted bulb throughout as well.


Roasted garlic is such a different animal from its raw counterpoint - it is mellow and sweet, slightly caramelized, and adds such a fantastic buttery flavor to a dish. This recipe uses 2 heads of roasted garlic, so it is full of that toasted, warm flavor that is so much more subtle than raw garlic. The lemon gives a nice contrast, and the salmon plays second fiddle to the other flavors going on.

Salmon Rotini with Roasted Garlic and Lemon

(from Everyday Pasta, 2007)

Ingredients:

2 whole heads of garlic

2 Tbsp. olive oil

Salt and pepper

1 lb. rotini

1/2 c. Marsala or white wine

1 c. chicken broth

1 lb. salmon, cut into 1-in. cubes

1 Tbsp. minced fresh rosemary

2 Tbsp. olive oil

2 Tbsp. drained capers

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Cut the heads of garlic in half crosswise and place on a sheet of foil. Drizzle with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Fold the foil up and around the garlic, making sure it stays flat, and fold the edges to seal into a tight packet. Roast until soft, about 60 minutes. Let the garlic cool slightly, then squeeze the cloves out of the skin. Mash half of the roasted garlic cloves into a paste with the back of a knife. Set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still al dente, stirring occasionally, 8-10 minutes. Drain.

Meanwhile, combine the wine and chicken broth in a large, heavy skillet and bring to a simmer. Add the mashed roasted garlic and stir to dissolve. Simmer uncovered for 4 minutes, then add the salmon, cover, and simmer for 4 minutes longer. Remove from the heat and add the remaining whole roasted garlic cloves, the lemon zest and juice, rosemary, and cooked pasta. Stir to combine; add the olive oil, capers, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper. Stir once more. Serve immediately.

Pulled Pork

What is summer without a BBQ recipe, may I ask?

Hubs and I love us some good BBQ. Oh yes, this Wisconsinite has grown to love - and dare I say, crave? - a good smoked meat from time to time. Pulled pork is my favorite: smoked at a low heat for several hours, there is a nice deep smoke flavor to the moist meat that cannot be duplicated in any other way. I am partial to slathering it in vinegar-based sauces (yes, take away my KC-BBQ cred now, that's completely Carolina of me), but it is good topped with absolutely anything.



The Beer-Nerd-Formerly-Known-As-Hubs made this pork, I admit. I had nothing to do with the creation of it. He grabbed the recipe from his beloved copy of Beer Advocate, and while it took him all day, it was worth every second. Succulent and falling apart before we could even shred it properly, the pork rendered its fat to make a slightly crispy crust with soft, smoky meat inside. While messy (and really, what good BBQ isn't?), it was Bliss on a Bun with a nice cold cole slaw and some grilled veg.

Porter-brined Pork Shoulder
(from Beer Advocate, Vol. II(IV) )



Ingredients:
For the brine:
1 c. kosher salt
½ c. dry malt extract (DME; can be found at your local home-brewing shop)
¼ c. black strap molasses
2 Tbsp. black peppercorns, whole
8 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
5 bay leaves, torn
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 yellow onion, peeled and chopped
5 c. Porter-style beer
3 c. water
2 qts. ice

To finish:
6 lbs. pork shoulder or butt, bone-in or boneless
Charcoal
Firewood (apple, oak, or almond)
Wood chips, preferably apple, cherry, and pecan
Liquid smoke (optional)

Brining:
In a large pot over medium heat, add the salt, DME, molasses, peppercorns, garlic, bay, carrots, celery, onion, Porter, and water. Stir occasionally until the mixture comes to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the mixture sit for 10 minutes to infuse the flavors.

Add ice to chill the brine to approximately 40 F. Transfer the cooled brine to a large container that will hold both the brine and the displacement of liquid from the pork, placeing a plate or some other heavy waterproof item atop the shoulder, weighing it down so that it is completely submerged in the brine. Refrigerate for 48-72 hours. The general rule of thumb is to brine 12 hours per 1 pound of pork.

Remove the pork from the brine at least 12-24 hours before cooking, still keeping it cool in the refrigerator. This will help the meat form a pellicle, which helps the smoke stick to its surface. Remove the pork shoulder from the refrigerator once you start prepping the coals.

Smoking:
If you have a wood fire smoker, start with 2 lbs. of charcoal in the coal box. In separate medium-size bowls, add ¾ lb. of each type of wood chip, adding enough water to cover the chips. Let them soak for 30-45 minutes.

Once the coals start to show a light layer of white ash on the outside, place a medium-size log of firewood onto the coals and seal the hotbox. Place a water pan under the grill rack and the pork on top. This will help keep a moist environment for the pork. Adjust your air intake and the amount of coal to keep the temperature between 250-275F. Check the coals, adding more firewood periodically, usually every 45 minutes. The pork will cook for 8-10 hours at this temperature.

After 6 hours, it is time to start layering the smoke flavors. Start by adding the apple wood soaked chips, a small handful at a time, every 20 minutes for an hour. Next, add the cherry wood chips in the same fashion at the apple wood chips. Finally, add the pecan wood chips, following the same procedure. The cooking time should be about 9 hours at this point. Thereafter, any remaining wood chips can be mixed together and added every 20 minutes as before.

This technique adds extra layers of smoke, creating a “smoke ring”. Just under the skin, a true sign of good barbeque. The pork should be dark, almost black in color, and should nearly fall apart at the touch of a fork or knife. Remove the pork from the smoker and transfer it to a platter, letting it sit wrapped in foil for 20-30 minutes to redistribute the juices.

Serving:
Once the meat has cooked, rested, and curiosity and hunger have outweighed the idea of waiting any longer: pull the pork apart into thin strips. Serve in a large bowl. The pork may be served as is, or mixed with barbeque sauce. Some prefer to chope the meat into small chunks, others slice the meat like a roast. Whatever approach you use, do not trim the smoky crust that holds most of the smoke flavor. Mixing it into the pulled meat brings the flavor of barbeque to the dish.

Italian White Bean, Pancetta, and Tortellini Soup

I have been kicking this post around for awhile. There have been so many other lovely little sweets and treats I've made, that the soup just seemed too boring. There this post sat, started but not finished, a recipe and a few pictures just waiting for me to finally describe it and get it up. So guess what, soup - today is your lucky day.

It was nice and brothy (so not too filling), but the cheese tortellinis made it hefty enough to satisfy. The Swiss chard ROCKED, not usually a fan but it's a great flavor in this soup. Not to mention, this recipe is terribly easy, and for being a soup recipe - it really didn't heat up the kitchen like I thought it would on a sticky, humid August day. So delicious too, it's almost a shame it's so easy to throw together!

Yay, soup post done! I have many more treats in store in the coming days, they are a bit more easy to blog about ;)

Italian White Bean, Pancetta, and Tortellini Soup

(from Everyday Pasta, 2007)

Ingredients:

3 Tbsp. olive oil

1/4 lb. pancetta, chopped (thick-cut bacon also works)

3 shallots (or, 1 small yellow onion), chopped

1 carrot, peeled and chopped

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1 (15 oz) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

1 bunch of Swiss chard, chopped

8 c. chicken broth

4 c. water

1/2 lb. fresh or frozen cheese tortellini

Salt and pepper

In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta, shallots/onion, and carrot and cook until the vegetables are soft and the pancetta is crisp, about 15 minutes. Add the garlic, beans, chicken broth and water and bring up to a boil over high heat. Toss in the Swiss chard and let it wilt, about 3 minutes.

Add the tortellini and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook until the tortellini are tender (about 4 minutes for fresh, 8 minutes for frozen). Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed.

Saffron Orzo with Shrimp

This dish seems a bit decedent, given the sheer amount of saffron in it. But: I had a small container of the stuff that was getting a bit long in the tooth, so using it up all at once wasn't an issue. It sounded so good, and I was on an orzo kick, so it was a perfect choice for a weekday meal.



My orzo was thick, for some reason the liquid I boiled the orzo in boiled down quickly, so that when the actual orzo was cooked there was a risotto-like texture to it. I loved the way it came out, though.

To me, the taste of saffron is one that is hard to describe; instead I'll try to just say how this overall dish came out: thick and creamy, slightly tart, fresh-tasting from the parsley, with a very heavy essence of saffron. Helpful, yeah. How would you describe that saffron flavor, anyway? Almost like licorice, sorta like rosewater, but musky. Maybe I should just say it tastes like the 70s, but in a good way ;) At any rate, this is a great little dish. Give it a shot.


Saffron Orzo with Shrimp
(from Everyday Pasta, 2007)





Ingredients:
4 c. reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 tsp. saffron threads
1 lb. orzo
6 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 c. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Juice of 1 lemon
3 tsp. salt
2 tsp. black pepper
1 lb. large shrimp, peeled and deveined

In a large pot, bring the chicken broth to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, bringing the broth to a simmer. Add the saffron, stir, and simmer until the saffron has bloomed, about 5 minutes.

Return the heat to medium and bring the stock to a boil, then add the orzo and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the orzo and transfer to a large bowl. Add 3 Tbsp. olive oil, the parsley, half the lemon juice, 2 tsp. salt, and 1 tsp. pepper. Combine thoroughly.

In a bowl, toss the shrimp with 1 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. pepper, and the remaining lemon juice. Heat the 3 Tbsp. olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp in a single layer and cook until the shrimp are just turning pink, about 2 minutes per side. Add the shrimp to the bowl with the orzo. Toss to combine and serve.

Chopped Salad Verde with Sweet Pea Vinaigrette

My Hubs is a beer nerd, it's true. He is one of those guys who, when his pint of microbrewed-fancy-schmancy-oddly-named beer is placed in front of him, he will hold it up to the light to look at the color and stuff. Then he carefully puts the glass back down on the table and smells it for awhile. Then he sips it, and tilts the glass to ogle the lacing. Then he scribbles furiously in his pocket beer journal. Oh, yes. He is one of those weirdos. And yet I married him anyway.

Due to this affliction of his, I am guaranteed a meal his favorite restaurant/brewery in town at least twice a month. And I'm not complaining, really - Free State Brewing Company has not only great beer, but awesome food as well. More often than not, I go for my most favoritest thing on their menu: the chopped salad verde.

I'm a chopped salad nut. This one is like my other favorite chopped salad, with lots of veggies and pasta, but this version also has this a great tangy-yet-slightly sweet vinaigrette along with huge chunks of avocado and a lovely Vella Jack cheese. Mmm, what a good salad. So imagine my delight when, the last time I ordered this salad, our waitress casually mentioned the recipe had been printed. Printed! Awesome! That means I can make it at home!

Make it at home I do, and will continue to do. A lot. It costs less than $10 that way, you see. ;) Plus, you'll have tons of leftovers with this recipe (well, if you usually cook for two; it'll serve 4-6). That is not a problem: this salad is even better the next day, after the flavors meld.

Chopped Salad Verde with Sweet Pea Vinaigrette

(from The Free State Brewing Company, printed in Shape magazine May 2008)

Ingredients:

For the dressing:
1/2 c. fresh or frozen sweet peas
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp. honey
1 clove roasted garlic
2 sprigs fresh parsley
2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 c. white wine vinegar
1/3 c. canola oil
1/4 c. water

For the salad:
1 c. dry pasta (baby shells or elbows)
2 ripe avocado chopped
4 oz. (about 4 c.) fresh spinach, chopped
2 oz. grated Vella Dry Jack Cheese (or a mild hard cheese)
2 ripe tomatoes, chopped
2 small carrots, julienne cut

Make the dressing:
Place all of the dressing ingredients except oil and water in a food processor and blend until well combined. (Alternatively, place the ingredients in a large, deep bowl and use an immersion blender.)

While pulsing the processor, slowly add oil to emulsify. Thin with water as needed to salad dressing consistency.

Cook pasta according to package directions. While pasta cooks, place all remaining ingredients in a mixing bowl. When pasta is cooked, drain, run under cold water to chill, and drain again. Add cooked chilled pasta and all of the vinaigrette to the bowl and toss gently to combine. Serve immediately.

Garlic Pork Chops With Sauvignon Beurre Blanc

Talk about easy - there are a scant 5 ingredients and about half an hour of work involved with this recipe. And still, it is my absolute favorite way to serve pork chops. If you are anything like me, you run out of fun ways to make pork chops. I hate breading and frying them. I like them with fruit (like apricots) or with a honey-mustard sauce. But that was about all I had in my repertoire until I found this recipe in my copy of Dean & DeLuca.

The pork chops end up still tender and juicy, the sauce is just the right concoction of tart (from the wine) and rich (from the few chunks of butter), yet still very light. And the garlic chips, all carmelized and crispy, are just right sprinkled on top. I love to serve this with smashed potatoes, then pour the beurre blanc sauce liberally over the potatoes as well.

Garlic Pork Chops with Sauvignon Beurre Blanc
(from Dean & DeLuca: The Food and Wine Cookbook, 2002)

Ingredients:

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

4 thick pork chops

2 Tbsp. virgin olive oil

8-10 cloves garlic, in crosswise slices

2 c. sauvignon blanc or other dry white wine

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

Salt and pepper pork chops on each side. In a large saute pan or skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat and saute garlic until golden brown. Using a slotted spoon, transfer garlic to a small bowl and set aside.

Put pork chops in hot pan, cover, and cook over medium-high heat until golden brown, 10-15 minutes per side, adding a tablespoon or two of wine to pan if it starts to smoke. Transfer to a plate and cover loosely with foil.

Add wine to pan and stir to scrape up any browned bits. Cook to reduce liquid by half. Reduce heat to low and add butter, stirring until melted. Turn off heat.

Place pork chops on warmed plates. Garnish liberally with garlic and drizzle with pan sauce. Pass any remaining sauce at the table. Serve with sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, riesling or gewürztraminer.

Shrimp Pad Thai

I am the type of girl that buys her pad thai sauce in a jar. Yup, it just always seemed like it would be a complicated thing to make from scratch. One afternoon, though, I was baking to my little heart's content (with Food Network on in the background), when a program came on where they were going to make pad thai and spring rolls. I was curious and kept it on - and lo and behold, it's not hard at all! So I decided to give it a shot; besides: the jarred sauce is always a bit on the sweet side, and I like the way my favorite restaurant makes it: tart, light on sauce, and dry.

This recipe is right on the money. Rice noodles are tossed in sauce with bean sprouts, scallions, lots of cilantro, egg, and shrimp. Not too sweet (instead nice and tart from the lime), with a lovely flavor in the background from the pungent soy and fish sauce, the spicy ginger/garlic. The sauce soaks into the rice noodles, making for a light meal. Bliss. I love a good pad thai, and this is it.

And best of all: for the cost of a jar of pad thai sauce, I was able to buy the fish sauce and rice wine vinegar. Which will provide many, many more meals of pad thai in this house.

Shrimp Pad Thai

(from Food Network)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Tbsp. vegetable oil, divided

1 Tbsp. garlic, minced

1 Tbsp. ginger, minced

16 large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 egg, lightly beaten

2 Tbsp. soy sauce

1 Tbsp. fish sauce

1 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar

1/2 tsp. red crushed pepper flakes

1 tsp. brown sugar

7 oz. rice noodles, soaked in warm water for 10 to 15 minutes then drained

1/2 c. bean sprouts

3-4 scallions, sliced

1 c. freshly chopped cilantro leaves

1 lime, zested and juiced

Chopped peanuts for garnish (optional)

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a wok or a large frying pan. Add the garlic and ginger, and saute until golden brown. Add the shrimp and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until pink, tossing from time to time. Remove and set aside in a bowl.

Heat 1/2 tablespoon of oil in the same pan and add the eggs. Stir to scramble the egg into small pieces, remove and set aside with the shrimp.

Heat the remaining oil in the pan and add the soy sauce, fish sauce, rice wine, red pepper flakes, and brown sugar. Stir briefly, add the drained noodles, and cook for 5 minutes.

Add the bean sprouts, chopped scallions, and cilantro. Mix well and continue to cook until noodles are heated through. Season, if necessary, with a little more soy sauce or fish sauce, add shrimp and egg, then sprinkle in lime zest and juice. Serve while hot!

Orecchiette with Sausage, Cremini Mushrooms, and Peas

This made a fantastic Sunday meal, yet another from Giada DeLaurentiis (what can I say, the chick has great pasta recipes). I love any dish with lots of peas, this one also adding spicy sausage and earthy mushrooms, all stirred together with salty Parmesan cheese. Mmm.


It makes for a good summer recipe - good hot or cooled down a bit, comes together quickly, and no heavy sauce drowning all the ingredients.

Orecchiette with Sausage, Cremini Mushrooms, and Peas

(adapted from Giada DeLaurentiis' Everyday Italian, 2005)

Ingredients:
1/3 to 1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil

1 lb. ground Italian sausage, removed from casing

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

10 oz. cremini mushrooms, sliced

1 (10 oz.) package frozen peas, defrosted slightly

1 lb. (or so) dried orecchiette pasta

1/2 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

In a large pot, bring 6 quarts of salted water to a boil.

In a large saute pan over high heat, add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add sausage and sauté, breaking any large lumps, until golden brown (8-10 minutes). Remove meat from pan and set aside.

Add about 2 more Tbsp. olive oil to pan and heat. Add mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Saute until all the liquid from the mushrooms has evaporated, about 5-8 minutes. Add the peas and saute for another 2-3 minutes. Return the meat to the pan and cook until the flavors begin to meld (about 2 minutes). Remove from heat and set aside.

When the pot of water has come to a boil, add pasta and cook until al dente, about 9 minutes. Drain in a colander, reserving about 1/2 c. of the pasta water.

Return pasta to the pot and add the meat mixture. Combine thoroughly and gently cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, adding pasta water as needed to moisten. Drizzle in remaining olive oil into mixture. It is important to keep the mixture moistened (do not let it dry out); use more pasta water or olive oil as needed.

Check the seasoning. Turn off the heat and add the grated cheese. Stir well and serve in large bowl.

Calico Beans

These were the yum. And quick. And I almost burned the house down when I made them (note to self: turning the stovetop knob all the way to the left keeps the flame on, it does not turn off the burner). Good thing I caught the still-lit burner an hour later...

Calico Beans

(from Ali)

Ingredients:

1/2 lb. bacon, cut into pieces

1/2 large onion, chopped and cooked

1 lb ground beef, browned

1/3 c. ketchup

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. mustard

2 Tbsp. molasses

3/4 c. brown sugar

2 tsp. vinegar

1 tsp. liquid smoke

2 cans white beans

1 can butter beans (do not drain)

Cook onion and bacon in a skillet, then add all other ingredients together and mix in a large roaster. Bake for 40 minutes.

Tilapia and Tomatillos

Another recipe from a fellow blogger! I saw this little gem, and had to give it a shot. For one, it seemed to come together sooo quickly. And seemed healthy, and sounded yummy. An all-around win, right? I gotta say, it was pretty good. I wasn't terribly fond of the beer taste in it, but then again Hubs loved it. Could be because I used Sapporo, too, not exactly mildly flavored…
I loved that the fish stayed super-moist, though, and I loved the tomatillos in it. Cilantro, too, always makes for a good dish in my eyes. Worth another shot I think, maybe with a lighter light beer next time…

Tilapia with Tomatillos

(from Amy at Cape Cod Makeover)

Ingredients:
1 1/4 to 1 1/2 lb. tilapia (4 fillets)

Coarse salt

Ground pepper

1 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. sweet paprika

2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1 lime, halved

1/2 medium red onion, chopped

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped

2 or 3 large cloves garlic, finely chopped

8 to 10 tomatillos, husks peeled and diced

1/2 bottle of pale beer

3 Tbsp. chopped cilantro leaves, plus a few sprigs for garnish

Season fish with salt, pepper, cumin, and paprika. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium high heat.
Add 1 Tbsp. olive oil. Heat an ovenproof serving plate in a warm oven. Saute fish 3 minutes on each side, or until opaque. Squeeze the juice of 1/2 lime over the fish and carefully slide the fillets onto warm platter.

Cover the fish to keep it warm. Return pan to heat and add remaining 1 Tbsp. of oil. Over medium high heat, quickly saute the red onion, jalapeno and the garlic. Saute a minute or so, then add the diced tomatillos with seeds and juices. Season mixture with coarse salt and saute the mixture for about 5 minutes.

Add the beer and the juice of 1/2 lime and cilantro to the pan. Simmer sauce 5 minutes longer, then spoon hot sauce down over the fish filets. Garnish platter with a few extra sprigs of the cilantro.