On holiday, across the pond and eating local

Long time no post, no excuse other than the usual. But now, I’m officially on holiday and I hopped over from a 2 week business trip in Basingstoke, UK to Belfast, Northern Ireland. We are staying with friends in their home. So it’s going to be some serious recharge time.
Lucky was able to escape early and flew into Dublin on Wednesday morning and bussed it up to Belfast. Since then she and Annemarie have been shuttling about having a grand time. Northern Ireland beware! Actually, more like Kieran and my credit card beware. Ha, just kidding.
To celebrate the start of our “official” holiday, we went to a fantastic local restaurant in downtown Belfast called Tedfords Restaurant. You can’t get any seafood fresher than this! Let’s just say we aren’t in cornfield country anymore!
The meal was fantastic. For a Starter I had smoked porkbelly with fried squid and a sweet potato foam. For my Main I had the sea breem which was served on a warm bean salad and garnished with a lemon foam. The fish was cooked perfectly, crispy skin outside, flaky moist inside. Yum! Lucky started with the seafood chowder and then had the Pan Roast Turbot & Scallops, crab crushed new potatoes, buttered asparagus, Hollandaise .
Today we are going to see what fun I can have with the local produce. It has been two weeks of eating out and too often at the hotel for my liking. Not bad, just miss having a little more control for what I can get. With that in mind as soon as I got off the plane, Kieran, Lucky and I hit the local farmers market. Lucky left me and Kieran to go fondle the produce, which I did with a vengeance. Fresh fish local meats, and plenty of fresh veg. I also found something called dulse. Which is fresh seaweed. It reminds me of japanese kombu, only this variety is smailler and “stringy”. It has the smell of the sea. I also got a smoked variety. After having a good look around, I picked up a monkfish tail, lemons, potatoes, asparagus, shallots, garlic, cherry tomatoes and the dulse. We plan to fireSo the menu for tonight is going to be :
Starter
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Roast garlic
roasted fennel
homemade tapenade
Crusty bread from a local baker

Main
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Grilled monkfish skewers
deconstructed sushi roll (sushi rice, smoked dulse, sesame seed)
Salad of asparagus, tomato with a warm bacon dressing

TV Debut : Chilis, Soups and Stews 09 March 2009

Here’s a quick draft of snips of my TV debut on PBS at WILL-TV for their special presentation, Chilis, Soups and Stews.  Thanks to Lisa over at Taste of Champaign who posted this opportunity on her blog.  I went ahead and submitted a couple of recipes.  WILL then took the recipes and made a cookbook and asked a number of submitters to come in and demo their recipes.  I was selected to demo the Mediterranean Spiced Creamy Cauliflower Soup.  The cookbooks were available during the show and still are available by phone or email to WILL.  This summer, the cookbooks are also going to be on sale at the Urbana Farmer’s Market at Lincoln Square Mall during Summer 2009.

Please note that this first shot at uploading caused some of the video to be out of sync with the audio.  It is fine in the source and the re-encode to .mp4, but when I uploaded to YouTube, I lost sync.  I’ll have to play around with it to see how to get this all working…

Chili Soups Stews dwain dixson Part1

Chili Soups Stews dwain dixson Part2

Chili Soups Stews dwain dixson Part3

Chili Soups Stews dwain dixson Part4

When it’s -30 below in Illinois (with wind chill), its has to be soup for dinner

It is about 13:00 in the afternoon and its a balmy -7 degrees according to accuweather.  Earlier this morning it registered -30 below with the wind chill.  Yeah, yeah, I don’t want to hear it from all of you people out there in sunny CA or AL!  The temperature made me think of the song, WHEN IT’S SPRINGTIME IN ALASKA (IT’S FORTY BELOW) by Tillman Franks / Johnny Horton , courtesy of Dad’s Johnny Horton album I heard as a kid.

Since I have no desire to head to the grocery in this temp, dinner is going to be “creative”.   So soup, it’s what’s for dinner.  A quick review of the pantry showed some dried red kidney beans.  The bounty of the fridge showed zucchini, yellow squash, carrots, celery, parsley.  I have some tomato paste and beef  stock for a base.  The freezer reveals a smoked pork shank.  So I’m thinking, a vegetable soup kind of like a pasta e fagioli.  Since it looks like Italian night, I’ll bust out the bay leaf, oregano, thyme, and basil when I saute the fresh veg.  I’ll cook the pork shank with the beans and use the cooking liquid, and shredded pork in lieu of ground beef for the pasta e fagioli.  I probably won’t need all of the beans, so I’ll reserve some for another meal later in the week.

Well, that’s the plan.  I’ll let you know how it goes.  Beans are already soaking, and I’m getting ready to throw them in the dutch oven and put it in the oven on low.

Post dinner update.  Ummm, yum…  burp.  Here’s the recipe for the soup, with preferred and substituted items.

Pasta e Fagioli

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1 bag dried red kidney beans

1 med. shallot dry skin removed, split

2 cloves garlic – skins removed

1 smoked pork shank

2 bay leaves

6 cups water

4 tbsp Olive Oil

1 med. onion – fine dice

6 med cremini (mini-bella) mushrooms

2 carrots – peeled, and diced

2 stalks celery – diced

2 tbsp tomato paste

1 clove garlic – fine dice

2 zucchini – peeled, seeds removed and cut into .25 inch dice

2 yellow squash – peeled, seeds removed and cut into .25 inch dice

1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes

1 Tsp Oregano  *I was out of Oregano! so I substituted dried mint.

1 Tsp Thyme

1 Tsp Basil

2 cups beef stock

3 cups cooked pasta   *cat shaped pasta cool and  yummy, but not necessary!  Use what you have, elbows, farfalle, rotini…

4 cups pork stock – reserved from beans cooking liquid.

4 cups cooked red kidney beans

2 Tbsp Fresh Parsley,  reserving 1 tsp for garnish

Salt – to taste

Pepper – to taste

Sherry or Port to deglaze

Parmesan Cheese to taste for garnish

Place dried beans in a large bowl.  Cover by 2 inches with water.  Allow to soak at least four hours.  Pour off soaking liquid from the beans.  Beans should be rehydrated.  In a dutch oven over medium heat add 2 Tbsp olive oil.  Once oil is warm and fragrant, add shallot and garlic.  Season with salt and pepper.  Allow to cook for 1 – 2 min.  *No need to brown the shallot and garlic.  Add bay leaf and stir.  Add pork shank.  Allow to cook for 1 min.  Add rinsed beans and cover with water.  Place in 225 degree oven.  Allow to cook for 4 – 5 hours.  Beans are ready when the pork falls off the bone and beans are soft, but not mushy.

Remove pork shank to cutting board.  With knife and fork remove meat from bone.  Shred meat and set aside.  Reserve 4 cups cooking liquid and 4 cups cooked beans.

In a large sided pot, fill with water and season with salt until water tastes like sea water.  Bring to a boil.  Add pasta.  Cook until al dente.  Drain and reserve pasta.  Reserve a portion of cooking liquid in case it is needed for soup.

Simultaneously, in another large sided pot over medium heat add 2 tbsp olive oil.  Add onion and saute until translucent.  Add zucchini and yellow squash.   Season with salt, pepper.   Allow to cook for 1 – 2 min.  Add celery, carrot, mushrooms and herbs.  Allow to cook for 1 min stirring occasionally.   Add tomato paste to sauteing vegetables.  Allow paste to brown, then stirring to incorporate.  Add seasonings oregano, thyme, basil, parsley (reserving 1/2 cup for garnish) and garlic.  Cook for 1 min.  De glaze pan with sherry/ port.  Add diced tomato and let cook down for approximately 3 minutes.  Add beef stock and pork stock  and stir.  Add beans and shredded meat.  Stir and allow to come to a simmer.  Add cooked pasta.  Let cook until simmering.

Portion into bowls and garnish with parsley and Parmesan cheese.

Makes 10 servings.  I portioned into 2 medium containers and froze half.  Then put the bean (prepared ingredient) and other soup container into the fridge for later this week.

Salad daze…

I haven’t posted in some time, so I thought I’d try to throw this one out there.  As quick to prepare as it is to write about.  Inspiration came from the usual… fridge cleaning.  I overbought for the New Years bash, go figure.  So I’m using up the “prepared ingredients” a.k.a leftovers.  I still need to come up with something for the cappicola wrapped dates.  Although, they may not last that long…  Sorry, no pretty picture this time, the salad didn’t last that long.

Pancetta Shrimp Mache Salad

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1/2 container mache blend – mache (lambs leaf lettuce, radiccio, frisee)

6 small cherry tomatoes – halved

4 brown mushrooms (mini-bella)

14 medium shimp – shelled, de-veined, washed and patted dry

1 piece thick sliced pancetta

kosher salt to taste

pepper to taste

In a small non-stick frying pan over medium to high heat render pancetta till crispy.  Pour off rendered oil into a small bowl, leaving about 2 tsp.   Pat dry pancetta and finely cut into small julienne then set aside.

Place shrimp in pan leaving room so they don’t touch.  *if you over-crowd the pan, the shrimp will not brown, instead the excess juices cause the shrimp to boil rather than sear.  After about 3 min or when shrimp are browned on one side, turn and brown the other side.  Remove from pan and reserve.  Proceed with second batch if necessary.

In a large bowl add mache blend, tomatoes, mushrooms.  Season salad greens to taste with kosher salt and pepper.  Toss with fingers to season mix.  Add dressing and toss with fingers untill all leaves are lightly coated.  Plate dressed greens on plate or bowl.   Place reserved shrimp around bowl and top with reserved pancetta as garnish.

Ceasar Dressing

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1 anchovy fillet *from anchovy packed in olive oil

1 small garlic clove – fine dice

1 egg yolk

1/2 lemon – juiced

1 small shallot

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

kosher salt to taste

black pepper to taste

sugar to taste

6 drops Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese – finely grated ( I used my micro-plane grater)

In a medium glass bowl add anchovy and garlic .  Add a pinch of salt on top of the anchovy.  Work anchovy fillet and garlic with a fork till a paste is formed.  Add egg yolk.  Using a whisk, mix until egg yolk becomes light yellow.  Add lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, sugar.  Whisk in seasonings.   Continuously whisk dressing as the olive oil is slowly introduced in a small stream.  The oil will begin to emulsify and thicken.  Whisk until desired thickness is attained.  Add Parmesan Cheese.  Taste and adjust seasonings.

For those concerned about uncooked egg yolk – caudle  the egg by placing for 1 min in boiling water, then quickly cooling in an ice bath.

Notes:  adjustments will have to be made based on lemon juice, seasonings and parmesan.  Be sure to taste.  I like my dressing to have a lightly creamy texture and taste with a lemony zing.  The sugar cuts the sourness of the lemon and the parmesan rounds out the flavor and fullness.

*unblushingly ripped from http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/good-eats/hail-caesar-salad-recipe/index.html

The Spice of Life

Spice_jars

I had mentioned a set of spice mixes in a previous post.  So, I thought I’d share a couple of other mixes I use.  Lucky and I inherited a set of little glass apothecary jars when we moved into the farm.  I’ve used these little guys extensively.  Note the lack of labels.  That usually means I have to double check by popping the top and taking a whiff.  Also, to make the mixes last longer, I’ve put them away into the cabinet, so UV light doesn’t accelerate the breakdown process.

I always seem to start with a base spice mix and then add to it.  The base mix has coriander, cumin, yellow mustard seed, black pepper.  I then add to them particular spices to reflect the particular dish or ethnic region.

Spice Mix technique

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Heat dry skillet on med high heat. Add whole spices. Roast until seeds start to pop or become fragrant. Remove to bowl and let cool. Place 1/3 of the mixture in grinder or quantity per grinder instructions in a clean coffee grinder. Grind on finest setting. Pass through fine sieve (shake, do not press). Return sieved portion back to grinder and regrind, re-sieve. Repeat for 3^rd time. Complete until all whole spice mix ground and sieved.

Not-So-Secret Everyday Spice mix

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Coriander 1 part

Cumin ½ part

Black Peppercorn ½ part

Dry mustard seed ½ part

Ancho Chili 3 whole dried (seeded, stemmed)

Hungarian Paprika (sweet) ¼ part

Follow Spice Mix technique for Coriander, Cumin, Black Peppercorn, Dry Mustard and Ancho Chili. Add Paprika. Mix thoroughly. Store in clean, dry, sealable container.

Taste Notes: Spice mix starts with round notes from Coriander and cumin, leading to sharp notes from black pepper and Ancho. Ancho chili dark smoky notes dominate finish with heat on the tongue from pepper and chili.

This is my everyday spice for chicken, fish, and steaks.

Pot Roast spice mix

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Coriander – 1 part

Cumin – ½ part

Black Pepper ½ part

Dry Mustard seed ½ part

Fenugreek (Methi*) 1 part

* Methi is the Indian term for Fenugreek

Prepare Pot Roast spice mix using spice mix technique.

Tasting notes: The aroma overall impression of spice mix is a subtle sweetness which combines nicely with the round buttery notes from the coriander and cumin. Black pepper provides a slight heat.

Game Spice

(taken from Elements of Taste p203 )

Coriander – 2 parts

Juniper berry – 1 part

Black Pepper 1 part

Allspice – 1/2 part

Cumin – 1/2 part

Tasting notes: The coriander provides a round base for the floral and spice notes of Juniper, Allspice, and Cumin. The pepper pushes everything forward with a subtle picante heat.

Recommendations: wild game, venison, duck or beef.

Fridge Cleaning Part deux: Shirmp Pasta

Ok.  I’ll admit it.  Things are getting a little slim in the fridge / freezer.  After Lucky’s arrival home from work today and the inevitable question, “What’s for dinner?”  Charmed quickly responded by with the witty response, “Uhhhhh….What do you want?”  Yeah, that’s the lively conversation at the ‘ol homestead.

After a quick glance through the freezer.  Pork Loin, nope takes too long for tonight… Chicken Breast, possible but not decided yet…. Then I spied the frozen shrimp, great for those needing a quick dinner.  In most cases, just a quick thaw in the microwave, peel, and decide how to prepare.  For me, usually, hot skillet, olive oil, salt, pepper, not-so-secret spice (more on that at a later date), and squeeze of lime, then finish with a little butter.  However, tonight, I’m making pasta!

So I knew I had shrimp and I wanted pasta, so now what? BTW – legal cheat on Fridge cleaning, since I’m making the rules.  I had picked up some carrots over the weekend to make sure I could have the bare basics of mirepoix. Mirepoix is a standard ratio of onions, carrots, and celery used in classical cooking. The ratio is 50% onion, 25% carrots, and 25% celery. Shrimp, mirepoix, and a little white wine – yeah, it’s pasta night!

Speaking of wine, I asked Lucky to search the wine cabinet for some buttery Chardonnay.  That usually means California beat-you-over-the-head-with-butter-on-a-stick Chardonnay.  Lucky grabbed 2004 Reserve Merryvale Carneros Chardonnay.

Whaaa?!?? I know, I can hear the shouting from here.  Yes, I cooked with this wine.  I snagged 1/2 a glass for the pasta, and enjoyed a glass with Lucky whilst I stewed and brewed.  Go ahead, shoot me.  So tonight, I cranked up the Rhapsody, via the Sonos, with a little Madeline Peyroux and started cooking.

Shrimp Pasta

===

2 slices Hickory Smoked Bacon (thick cut)

2 stalks Celery diced 1 medium onion diced

1 carrot diced

2 cloves garlic

Salt (to taste)

Black Pepper (to taste)

1 tsp. dry Thyme

1 tsp dry Dill

1.5 tbsp prepared Roux

15 large Shrimp, peeled, deveined

1 cup White Wine (preferrably Chardonnay with big butter note)

1 cu. peas (frozen)

2 cups Chicken Stock

8 0z. Angel Hair Pasta (about 1/2 a box)

0.25 cu. Sour Cream

In a large saute pan over medium heat cook bacon until crisp.  Remove bacon and set aside on paper towel to drain.

In a pot over high heat, cook angel hair pasta in salted water.  Pasta is done when al dente, as we are adding it to the sauce.

Over medium high heat, add onion and saute for 1-2 min.  Add celery, onion and season with salt and pepper.  Lower to medium heat and cook vegetables for 2 min until slightly browned.  Add garlic, thyme and dill.  Add roux and incorporate.  Add shrimp and cook for 1 min stirring once to ensure both sides of the shrimp are seared.  Add peas.  De glaze pan with wine.  The wine should form a thin sauce with the roux.  Add chicken stock and stir to incorporate.  Let the sauce return to a simmer. Add cooked angel hair pasta.  If the sauce needs thinned, add a little pasta water.  Turn off heat.  Add sour cream and stir to incorporate.

Plate pasta in individuals bowls and garnish with broken bits of reserved bacon.  Serve with wine used to de glaze.

Cheers -Charmed

Fridge Cleaning : Part 1 – Mediterranean Spiced Creamy Cauliflower Soup

Mediterranean Spiced_Creamy Cauliflower Soup

Once again it is refrigerator and pantry cleaning days at the old homestead.  Charmed has a problem.  Remember kids, the first step is admitting you have a problem.   You see, Charmed likes to go to the grocery when hungry.  This means many items make it into the cart which, at the time of purchase were “Oh, I could use this for…” become at home,  “I’ve got WHAT in the fridge?”  The pantry, even worse.  SO… Charmed sometimes forces himself to break out of the rut of the usual good things to make, and come up with new and um… interesting recipes.

On the chopping block the other night was a big ‘ol head of cauliflower needing to be used before an untimely demise.  Also in need of use was about 1/2 a carton of plain yogurt.

I’ve never associated cauliflower with Indian cooking, but I’ve now seen quite a few recipes.  Most seem to involve marinating or stir-frying the cauliflower with onion and Indian spices.  The spice mix, usually involves turmeric.  You know the spice that turns everything yellow.   Turmeric is pretty heavy handed, a little bit goes a long way.  The sauce used for the Indian recipe sometimes uses yogurt.  So here we have my basic inspiration for how to use my aging produce.  The problem is, I’m just not too much of a fan of turmeric, so I adapted it to use another spice mix.

I have many spice mixes sitting in the spice cabinet’s apothecary jars.  In this case, I grabbed two jars, one a mix of coriander, cumin, mustard, black pepper, fenugreek (methi).  This has a sweet note from the fenugreek and is my “Indian inspired” spice.  The other a mix of coriander, cumin, mustard, black pepper, and fennel seed.  This is my “Greek inspired” spice mix.

Since I was thinking “Greek” and yogurt, it set me up to make my simulated “greek yogurt”.   Greek yogurt is much thicker and has a much higher fat content.  In most cases, I can’t get “Greek yogurt” so instead, I take readily available “plain yogurt” and let it strain through a fine sieve or cheese cloth over a  bowl for a number of hours in the fridge.  This thickens the yogurt into a soft-cheese consistency.

So here’s what was on the menu the other night.

Mediterranean spiced Creamy Cauliflower Soup

—

1 head Cauliflower cut into florets

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp unsalted butter

1 med. size onion

2 cloves garlic

Salt (to taste)

White pepper (to taste)

3 tbsp.  Spice mix – 2 parts “Greek inspired” mix and 1 part “Indian inspired” mix

2 cups chicken stock

1.5 cups Yogurt (drained for at least 4 hours)

In a medium sized pot, boil cauliflower florets in water with mildly salted water.  Cook until cauliflower is very tender, approximately 30 min.  Drain florets and set aside.

In medium sized pot, melt butter over medium heat and add olive oil.  Add onions and garlic and cook on low to medium until softened.  Season to taste with salt and white pepper.  Raise heat to medium high and add cauliflower.  Add spice mixture.  Stir to coat cauliflower, and allow to cook 1 – 2 min.  Using a spatula, mash cauliflower.  Add chicken stock and stir to incorporate.   Allow soup to come to a simmer, stirring occasionally.

Remove from heat and use a stick blender or table-top blender and reduce to puree consistency.  Return to stove and heat soup on medium until hot, but not boiling.

Remove from heat and add yogurt.  Stir to incorporate yogurt.

Plate into individual bowls and garnish.

Garnish options

I garnised the soup with a few slices of grilled chicken breast using the same spice mixture and a drizzle of olive oil.

The importance of roux…

Light Brown / Peanut butter roux

Roux which although sounds like the english “rue”, as in “rue the day”, will never be considered an ill-fated time investment,  once you discover this wonderful two ingredient thickener.   Yes, sure it doesn’t create a clear sauce like corn starch or arrow root, but it can add that extra enhancement of flavor to the finished dish that has them licking their chops for more.

I think it is fantastic that such flavor can be derived from so little.  Oil and flour.  That’s it.  after that, it is simply preparation for color, and its linked flavors, with an understanding that the longer you cook it, the less it will thicken in the end.

Spend some time mastering this foundational building block for sauces.  There are many forms, white for cream sauce, brown / peanut butter for gravy, or brick for jumbalaya.  You need to know this.  This basic will make you a better cook.

I tend to make my roux in a separate pan, so I can control the exact color I desire.  Some recipes call for adding flour to searing meats or sauteing vegetables to create the roux.  However, in essence, it is oil, usually in the form of butter, and flour which make up this cornerstone.   If you are going for brick or really dark roux as called for in some cajun or creole recipes, consider cutting some or all of the butter with a higher smoking point oil, like canola or peanut.

Roux

4 tbsp unsalted butter

4 tbsp all purpose flour

In a small sauce pan, melt butter over medium high heat.  When foaming stops indicated by the lack of spitting, add flour.  Using a plastic whisk, combine melted butter and flour into a thick paste.  The roux will bubble and some of the butter will relax out of the paste.  Reduce the heat to medium and stir roux.  The heat will begin to cook out some of the structure of the paste.  Be careful to monitor the temperature of the stove, as the roux will begin to change colors and brown.  This can happen quite quickly, so be careful.  Continue to stir and monitor the roux.  When the color of the roux is about one color change above the desired depth of browning, remove from heat.  Stir the roux and set aside to cool.  The carry-over heat should continue to darken the roux to the desired color.

Finished roux has the consistency of wet sand, with a thin film of oil when tipped.

For general purposes, I tend to use light-brown roux.  It adds a nice little buttery creaminess and toast from the flour.  Add roux to pan juices or other liquids for a nice coating sauce.

Roux can be refrigerated in a sealed container for later use.

Hummus

Hummus_plate

Okay, here you go everyone.  I know you’ve all been waiting for it.  After many a request and promise, here is the not-so-secret recipe for my hummus.

I don’t know when I started making hummus, but it has always been a big hit.  I think it is something about the nutty, slightly bitter, garlicky paste mashed up against nice cool cucumber and sweet tomato on a warm pita, which when quickly consumed with salty olives and feta, really gets the stomach revving.  It is a great starter, but yes, we’ve made a meal of this many-a-time.  It is great for summer when you don’t want to fire up the grill.

The consistency of the hummus can be controlled by the introduction of more cooking liquid.  Since I usually serve as a spread, I tend to make the consistency a little thicker than traditional hummus.   Just remember to taste and adjust salt, garlic, lemon, and tahini to the proper taste.

My hummus has gone through a number of iterations resulting in something that is a little different than traditional hummus.  Seasoned salt for salt and sweet.  Sesame oil for a hint of smokiness, fresh thyme to drive the top note, and roasted garlic for sweet depth.  These are all my own additions.

Next version, I will probably try and use a food mill after cooking, this should result in an ultra-smooth version, whereas in the past, the hummus has been left a little chunky. We have also tried many flavored versions, inclusion of lebanese sumac for more bright notes, artichoke, roasted garlic.

Hummus with Tahini

3c garbanzo beans (*dried and soaked overnight)

1/4 tsp kosher salt

5 tbsp lemon juice

Zest of 1 lemon

3 tbsp tahini

1 fresh garlic clove

5 roasted garlic cloves

1 1/2 tsp cumin (*pan roasted and ground)

4 tbsp olive oil

1 1/2 tsp Lawry’s seasoned salt

1/4 tsp dark sesame oil

1 tsp fresh thyme

1/2 c. cooking liquid

1/3  tsp Hungarian paprika  *to garnish

Prepare dried garbanzo beans by soaking overnight until re-hydrated.  Pour off liquid and place beans in a medium sized pot.  Fill pot with plenty of water and add kosher salt.  Bring pot to a slow simmer skimming off any foam.  Allow beans to cook until a bean can be easily crushed against the side of the pot with a fork.  Approximately 1 1/2 to 3 hours.  Drain off cooking liquid, reserving at least 1 cup.

Place cooked garbanzo beans into a processor and pulse to break up or run cooked garbanzo beans through a food mill.  Place chooped bean paste into a mixer bowl.  Add lemon juice, tahini, roasted garlic, olive oil, seasoned salt, cumin, dark sesame oil, thyme and some of the cooking liquid.

Using the paddle in the mixer, turn mixer on low and allow to combine.  Steadily increase the speed of the mixer until mixture is whipped smooth.  Using a spatula, scrape down the sides to ensure uniform mixing.

Taste hummus.  The hummus should have a strong nutty forward with a nice citrus note and slight bitterness from the tahini in the mid-palate and a top note of herbaciousness of the thyme.  It finishes with notes of cumin and garlic.   Adjust texture if required, by adding more cooking liquid.

Place into container and rest in the refridgerator, this will allow the flavors to continue to combine.

Place hummus in serving dish and form a shallow depression with a spoon.  Add oilve oil to the depression.  Garnish with paprika.  Makes approximately 4 cups of finished hummus.

Serve hummus with greek style Pita or flat bread accomponied by cucumbers (seasoned with dill and olive oil), tomatoes (seasoned with salt, pepper, basil and olive oil) , avacado (seasoned with balsamic vinegar), olives, and good greek feta.

WCB: Egbert the Twitchy

Mina is the Queen of All She Surveys, and now I have a title as well….

I am officially:

Egbert the Twitchy

Started about a month ago.  I started flapping my ears and turning around to attempt to bite my side.  Sometimes my “events” were so violent that they caused me to attempt to run away from my “attacker.” Mom dragged me to the vet.  I hate the vet.  I hate people, period.  This was NOT fun.  They drew blood from me (and while they had me they cleaned my teeth and had the audacity to pull a fang!) and ran some tests.  Everything looked normal.  They were stumped.  I did enjoy the post-anesthesia loll about the house but in a couple days, I was back to twitching again.  So, my mother dragged me to the local University Veterinary Teaching Hospital.  Yeah, that was fun.  I nearly killed them.  Sans fangs.  They didn’t get to see nothing!  HA!  Serves them right.  So, my mother had to leave me there for me to be sedated – AGAIN! – and more blood drawn and an X-Ray taken.  My blood levels were all atrocious (Ya think?  It’s called STRESS!) and there were a few masses in my abdomen on the X-Ray which were aspirated.  Nothing conclusive.  They shaved my stomach for this!  To quote The Incredibles, “Not happy, Bob.  NOT happy.”. My head’s too small (no snide comments! I bite, REMEMBER??) for them to really see my brain inside my skull cavity, so they couldn’t tell if I had a mass pressing on my brain, causing this neuro-fun.  So, I was put on high-dose antibiotics for a week.  Horse pills!  Horrific!  Thank goodness my parents found “Pill Pockets” by Greenies!  Antibiotics didn’t do sic-em.  Just to make everyone crazy I just stopped eating.  Serves them right!  Mom called my local vet AGAIN….. she said that we needed to start Phenobarbital to stop the seizures and give me an appetite.  So now I’m on drugs.  Greeeeeat.  I’m floppy cat.  My back end doesn’t communicate with my front end.  I can’t jump.  I can barely walk and walking down stairs, well, it was embarrassing!  Mom called the vet AGAIN and she said to cut my dose in half after two weeks of drunk-walking.   It’s been three days on half-doses and already I’m perkier, less floppy and more communicative.  I still have some coordination issues, and my seizures are a little more pronounced than they were before but at least I’m not a zombie.

Anyone else EVER have this problem?  How do I fix it?  I’m only 5!  I’m too young for this nonsense!

Hope the rest of you Weekend Cat Bloggers are feeling better than I am.  BAH!

Crabbily,

EtT