FoodB

Last night I made dinner. It's been pretty tough the last few weeks making dinner, what with our budget crisis and all. I wanted to break out of the funk we were in food wise and tried to make a fancy meal for the two of us. I'll split the two different items that I made into two posts so I can actually look like I am doing something with this website.

First was the side dish I made. I have never had it before and have always been curious. I am okay in the kitchen and have had more successes than failure recently, so I thought would try making risotto. Risotto can be considered a main dish in most cases, but I wanted it on the side so I would have a main dish in case this crashed and burned like it so easily could have. So for an Italian meal like Risotto I decided to try a Mario Batalli recipe. Here was the easiest one I found.

Risotto Milanese

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 teaspoon saffron threads
3 1/2 cups chicken stock, hot
2 cups arborio rice
1/2 cup white wine
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for sprinkling

1. In a 12 to 14-inch skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened and translucent but not browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile add the saffron to the stock, stirring to infuse. Once the onions are translucent add the rice and stir with a wooden spoon until toasted and opaque, 3 to 4 minutes.
2. Add the wine to the toasting rice, and then add a 4 to 6-ounce ladle of the saffron-infused stock and cook, stirring, until it is absorbed. Continue adding the stock a ladle at a time, waiting until the liquid is absorbed before adding more. Cook until the rice is tender and creamy and yet still a little al dente, about 15 minutes. Stir in the butter and cheese until well mixed. Portion risotto into 4 warmed serving plates, serving with extra cheese.

Cool thing about this dish was that all I needed to buy was chicken stock. I had already bought the arborio rice at Trader Joe's some time back with grand ideas in my head. Luckily the package was vacuum sealed because it took some time to get around to that original plan.

If you have never made risotto before I have to warn you that it is a pretty intense meal to make. Not that it was overly tricky in the making, there is just a lot of standing and stirring involved. So make sure and wear some sensible shoes before attempting this one.

At first taste, I wasn't overly impressed. It just tasted like mushy rice with some flavor. Some reason I couldn't stop eating it though. By the end of my portion I actually enjoyed it. This is probably going to out me as someone that know very little about food, but I kept thinking that it tasted like a grown up version of mac and cheese. There was no nuclear orange flavoring involved and the consistency of the rice was like a macaroni noodle when cooked right.

With a little effort and more testing, I think I can grow to really like risotto. All in all I think I did pretty well for a first try (I didn't burn anything and it was edible). That was the least of what I was hoping for.

Next post: Fish! Not something I am used to cooking.

Posted by Gordon at 10:38 AM | Permalink

Jenn made this recipe and it involved something that I refuse to eat. She really wanted to have it represented on this site, so she asked if she could write up the post on this one. Being as I didn't have to taste the salad, I am all for that compromise. So without further delay, here is my wife...

OK, so I am writing today's food blog, just because the recipe I found is really good, however Gordon's 3 evils are Pickles, Mustard and Mayo and this recipe has Mayo in it, so there is no way he would be eating this.

I wanted to find something fun and different to make for the 4th of July and I was watching Paula Dean one day on TV and she made this. I thought it looked real tasty so my mother and I made it one day, and it was just that! I decided to make it also for 4th of July and it was a hit and miss kind of a dish. Some people loved it and some people thought it was just OK and for those who hate Mayo; well, they didn't have any.

McCalls Plantation Shrimp Salad

2 lbs. Small Shrimp (You can use pre-cooked bag)
1 Tbsn. Old Bay Seasoning
1-cup medium grain Rice
1/2-cup Red Onion, chopped
Black Pepper
1-cup Mayonnaise
Salt to taste

1. Boil the Shrimp in water. Drain and set aside to cool. Season shrimp with Old Bay.
2. Boil rice according to package instructions and set aside to cool.
3. After the shrimp and rice have cooled, combine and add the red onion and pepper.
4. Stir in the mayonnaise and add salt to taste. Toss and Serve.

Chefs Note: It was brought to my attention on the show that when cooking with Mayo that a lot of salt usually needs to be added, so don't be shy with it.

I hope everyone had a great 4th of July, I know we did. Yet another year at Nate's house blowing up the neighborhood, it was quite a night.

Posted by Gordon at 02:06 PM | Permalink

Happy Birthday to me! One year, 83 posts and what do I have to show for it so far? Well, I must say that we are eating a lot better than when I started this site. We have about 20 new favorites that we have added to our rotation of meals, we have tried using different ingredients than the normal fare that we are used to, and we have a real appreciation of what goes into a good meal. So here's looking forward to the next year and hitting that elusive mark of 100 posts.

One Saturday night, after imbibing a few beers, I decided to watch an America's Test Kitchen that I had recorded earlier while Jenn was preparing dinner. They were doing the whole show on apple desserts and the lead off recipe was brown betty. In my "enlightened" state, I decided that we needed to make this recipe. Unfortunately, I was in no shape to drive and Jenn was busy, so this one had to be shelved until a later date. Well that date came when I went to the supermarket by myself on the weekend.

Skillet Apple Brown Betty

Bread Crumbs
4 large slices White Sandwich Bread (about 4 ounces), each slice torn into quarters
2 Tbsp. packed light Brown Sugar
3 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter, cut into 4 pieces

Apples
1/4-cup light Brown Sugar (1 3/4 ounces)
1/4 tsp. ground Ginger
1/4 tsp. ground Cinnamon
Pinch table Salt
3 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter
1 1/2 pounds Granny Smith Apples (about 3 medium), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 4 cups)
1 1/2 pounds Golden Delicious Apples (about 3 medium), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 4 cups)
1 1/4 cups Apple Cider
1-3 tsp. Lemon Juice from 1 lemon

1. For the bread crumbs: Pulse the bread, sugar, and butter in a food processor until coarsely ground, about four 1-second pulses. Transfer the crumbs to a 12-inch skillet; toast over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the crumbs are deep golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate; wipe out the skillet.
2. For the apples: Combine the sugar, spices, and salt in a small bowl. Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of the butter in the now-empty skillet over high heat; when the foaming subsides, stir in 4 cups of the apples and half of the sugar mixture. Distribute the apples in an even layer and cook, stirring two or three times, until medium brown, about 5 minutes; transfer to a medium bowl. Repeat with the remaining butter, apples, and sugar mixture, returning the first batch of apples to the skillet when second batch is done.
3. Add the apple cider and scrape the bottom and sides of the skillet with a wooden spoon to loosen the browned bits; cook until the apples are tender but not mushy and the liquid has reduced and is just beginning to thicken, 2 to 4 minutes.
4. Remove the skillet from the heat; stir in the lemon juice, if using, and 1/3 cup of the toasted bread crumbs. Using a wooden spoon, lightly flatten the apples into an even layer in the skillet and evenly sprinkle with the remaining toasted bread crumbs. Spoon the warm betty into individual bowls and serve with vanilla ice cream, if desired.

We liked this recipe but it needed a little more. I think that the next time we try this one that I will double up on the sugar mix for the apples and reserve that extra half for the end when the bread crumbs are added. I think that addition would make it feel a little more like dessert. Also, I couldn't find good cider so I had to by what was basically apple juice. If anybody knows where you can find real unfiltered cider, please please send me a line. All in all though, a pretty easy recipe and it only took about 20 minutes to make.

Posted by Gordon at 08:46 AM | Permalink

From everything I hear, it seems like people either love or hate sweet potatoes. I definitely fall into the later category. Mashed sweet potatoes is a favorite of mine and very simple to make.

So with that in mind, I asked Jenn to make up a batch of this here recipe that I saw Tyler Florence make on one of his many programs. They seemed simple enough and if successful, we would have another side dish to add to the ol' rolodex.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Honey Butter

4 yams, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling potatoes after cooked
1/4 cup honey
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Lay the sweet potatoes out in a single layer on a roasting tray. Drizzle the oil, honey, cinnamon, salt and pepper over the potatoes. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes in oven or until tender.
3. Take sweet potatoes out of the oven and transfer them to a serving platter. Drizzle with more extra-virgin olive oil.

Jenn and I agree that this recipe is just missing something. The flavor was okay, it just didn't really add much. I think we are going to have to stick to just mashing our yams until we come across another recipe to try.

Posted by Gordon at 09:37 AM | Permalink

I had this entry all nice and written up on Monday, and my browser crashed. Generally before I post I spell check it in Word and a few times that I have had a browser crash while writing an entry, I can just re-copy it from Word. For some reason I decided to close that as well without saving. Ugg.

In more completely unrelated site news, I am done with school. Well, that is, at least until next semester starts. I took my final on Tuesday for my intro to programming course. I'm pretty confident that I aced the class and I really enjoyed the course. Next semester I plan on taking 3 courses (C++, SQL and Unix) so I am going to enjoy the time off while I get it (BBQ here I come!)

Artichokes. Someone please explain these things to me.

When I was very young I had severe allergies and this really affected what I would eat as I grew up. I was allergic to most everything edible and I ended up eating a pretty basic diet of grains and meats. During that time I became very aware of the smell of foods and tended to avoid food that had very strong, distinct aroma's. This is why I have always avoided things such as salad dressing, chinese food and some of the most odorous vegetables.

That being said, artichokes were always something that I would avoid at all costs. I remember my parents steaming artichokes for themselves and the smell would just take over the house. I have a pretty strong nose so this left a big impression on me. For the longest time now, Jenn has been trying to get me to try artichokes and since I am usually involved in the menu creating process, it just wasn't going to happen. So the first week that Jenn does the menu all by herself, what is the lead-off hitter:

Steamed Whole Artichokes

4 sprigs Parsley
4 Garlic cloves
2 Bay Leaves
2 Lemons, cut in half
1/4 cup White Wine
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
1 quart Chicken Broth or water
Salt and Pepper, to taste
2 whole Artichokes

1. Put the parsley, garlic, bay leaves, lemons, wine, oil and broth in a large pot and bring to a simmer. Season the liquid with salt and pepper. In the meantime prepare the artichokes.
2. Wash artichokes under cold water. Using a heavy stainless steel knife, cut off the stems close to the base. Pull off the lower petals that are small and tough. Cut off the top inch of the artichoke and rub with half a lemon to preserve the green color. Alternatively, you may put the artichokes in acidulated water. If you wish, trim the thorny tips of the petals with kitchen shears.
3. Place the artichokes in the steaming liquid, bottom up. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes. The artichokes are done when a knife is inserted into the base and there is no resistance.
4. To eat, pull off a leaf and scrape the meat off the tender end with your front teeth. Dip the ends of the leaves in lemon juice and melted butter if desired. When you reach the center cone of purple prickly leaves, remove it. This is the choke that protects the heart. Now, scrape away the thistle fuzz covering the artichoke heart. The heart is the meatiest part of the artichoke. Steamed artichokes may be served hot or cold.

Ok, so all of those fears in my head were unfounded. I actually enjoyed the things once I was able to get one in my mouth. I didn't bother with the dipping sauce and just ate them straight ways. The leaves themselves are very odd to me and I don't think I really got the hang on that. The hearts though were really good. I mentioned to Jenn that I wouldn't mind having those as part of other recipes because they have a very simple flavor and would really be better as part of a bigger recipe.

So the artichoke didn't come alive and eat my brain like I thought it might. Maybe next time.

Posted by Gordon at 08:45 AM | Permalink

Two postings in one week. Must be some kind of land speed record.

As I said in the last post, we cooked Easter for our family last week. We used recipes that we have cooked before, because if it ain't broke.... One recipe that we have done before but have yet to post is the glazed carrots that I make. Carrots are one of those weird vegetable that I don't mind eating when I get them but I feel like they are very flavorless. I used to enjoy steamed carrots when I was younger but not so much anymore. This recipe adds a lot of flavor to carrots and makes them much more enjoyable to anyone eating them.

Glazed Carrots

1 pound medium carrots (about 6), peeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick on the bias (see illustration)
1/2 teaspoon table salt
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
2 teaspoons lemon juice
Ground black pepper

1. Bring carrots, salt, 1 tablespoon sugar, and chicken broth to boil, covered, in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until carrots are almost tender when poked with tip of paring knife, about 5 minutes.
2. Uncover, increase heat to high, and simmer rapidly, stirring occasionally, until liquid is reduced to about 2 tablespoons, 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Add butter and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar to skillet; toss carrots to coat and cook, stirring frequently, until carrots are completely tender and glaze is light gold, about 3 minutes.
4. Off heat, add lemon juice; toss to coat. Transfer carrots to serving dish, scraping glaze from pan. Season to taste with pepper and serve immediately.

In other news, Jenn is out of town for the week. She and her mother are traveling to Oregon to check out some houses. Jennifer's parents are moving up there sometime in the next few weeks and Jenn took the opportunity to visit with some friends and split the cost of the trip. I had it all planned out that I was going to make a menu of all the stuff that she can't eat (mainly spicy foods) but that fell apart. Its tough coming home from work and trying to create something you have never eaten before. So I'm keeping it simple this week and eating like a true bachelor again. Lots of BBQ and lots of 2-5 ingredient meals. And yes ramen and mac n' cheese are on the list.

Posted by Gordon at 03:29 PM | Permalink

Don't know how it happened, but I finished all the work I had laid out for the day before lunch. That means that I am sitting here staring at my screen trying to look like I'm busy. Weird how it looks bad if you finish your work to quickly or to slowly.

So I might as well update this site. The following is a quick little side dish that Jennifer made a few months back that we enjoyed. I'm not very good at making side dishes because I end up getting distracted easily and forget to do a step or two on the main dish, so we usually go without. This one is pretty easy and different than the normal green beans/peas/broccoli/corn side dish that I grew up with as a kid.

Baked Fennel with Parmesan Cheese

2 lbs. Fennel Bulbs, washed & cut in half
4 Tbsn. of butter
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

1. Cook the fennel in a large pan of boiling water until soft but not mushy. Drain.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
3. Cut the fennel bulbs lengthwise into 4 to 6 pieces. Place them in a buttered baking dish and dot with butter. Sprinkle parmesan over the fennel.
4. Bake in hot oven until the cheese is golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Posted by Gordon at 02:14 PM | Permalink

This last week Jenn and I have been slacking in making a menu and actually going out and buying groceries. It all came to a head Monday when neither of us knew what to do for dinner and she ended up eating some bad rice and I ate hard boiled eggs. I guess inspiration comes and goes.

Last week I had mashed potatoes on the menu and Jenn decided to experiment a little with the recipe. The unfortunate thing was that she was also making pork chops (future post, I promise) and needed another baguette because the one we had could have been used to make bricks out of. So I had to run to the store and the potatoes which had already been cooked sat in the pot. Once I got back and she tried to mash the potatoes the result kind of looked like potato soup and we had to abandon the experiment.

So learning a valuable lesson that potatoes continue to take on water, she tried again on Sunday when we had some friends over. Here is the recipe she came up with:

Parmesan-Garlic Mashed Potatoes

2-1/2 lbs. Red Potatoes
1 Garlic Bulb
1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese
3 Tbsp Butter
3 Tbsp Heavy Cream

1. Take the cloves of garlic and remove the skin. Peel the potatoes.
2. Bring a pot of water to a boil and add potatoes and garlic cloves. Boil until the potatoes are soft and you can stick a fork through them.
3. Remove the pot from heat and drain into a colander.
4. Transfer the potatoes to a mixing bowl.
5. Add butter and use a blender to break the potatoes apart. Add the cream and continue to blend (you can add more depending on what kind of texture you want).
6. Add the parmesan cheese and lightly fold into the potatoes
7. Add salt to taste and serve.

I have to say that I really enjoyed these potatoes and I'm kinda pissed because it over shadowed my kabobs. That's what I get for trying to compete with someone that can kick the crap out of me cooking-wise. Another thing is that we have discovered how much better it is to grate your own parmesan cheese. We have always bought pre-shredded parmesan and never thought anything of it until the day I couldn't find it in the store and I bought a hunk of it and promised to grate it myself. I always thought parmesan was kind of bland until that night and will never buy pre-shredded stuff again.

On an aside, sorry about the lack of posts. I'm behind the gun right now at work and Battlestar Galatica season 2.5 came out on DVD so my free time seems to be becoming less and less. I've got about 3 or 4 posts rolling around in my head right now so I hope to get those out soon because I hate when things roll around in my head.

Posted by Gordon at 08:44 AM | Permalink