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

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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

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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

The local Mexican flavor

I like El Toro.

There.  I’ve said it.  It’s not a popular opinion, or so I have learned.  Charmed and I started to frequent the local location on Gilbert St. after it first opened.  We enjoyed the C-U locations and were thrilled to have them in Danville.  Why do we like ET?  Let me count the ways…

• Food is delivered hot AND with flavor / spice
• Margaritas actually have tequila in them that you can TASTE!
• Service is fast, friendly and attentive.
• Prices are reasonable and portions are generous

I thought I was somehow missing out on something…  I encountered friends the other day who were leaving ET and they told me that the only reason they were there was because they were meeting family.  Otherwise, they MUCH prefered La Potosina.  Okay.  I didn’t recall La Pot being all that, but perhaps they had changed.  I had an occasion last week to have a dinner meeting at La Pot.  Sadly, nothing has changed.

• Our server changed mid-meal
• My meal was cold and flavorless
• My margarita was very weak

The only other Mexican option is Buen Apetito in the former Sweetwaters location on North Vermilion.  It’s okay.  It was better when it was just the tiny hole-in-the-wall on Woodbury Street.  It had atmosphere and was cozy.  I thought the food tasted better.  When they moved / closed the Woodbury St. location the menu changed (my favorite enchilada dish was gone!) and it seemed more “Americanized.”

Maybe I don’t have taste.  I don’t know.  All I do know is that virtually every Sunday night you will find Charmed and I at El Toro with the $5.50 margarita special, perusing the menu for something we haven’t tried.  YUM!

Back from the dead….

Just in time for Halloween (my personal favorite holiday) I have taken a moment to reacquaint myself with my blog.  My absence is shameful.  My apologies for being lax.

Sadly, I can’t say I’ve eaten anything faboo recently to share.

Went to the wine tasting on the 18th to benefit Mills Breast Cancer Institute at Lincoln Square.  Good stuff.  Went with some friends, had a laugh or two and thankfully spent very little since the Lucky & Charmed cellar overfloweth.  I know there are plenty of you out there that will help me take care of that little problem.  If I ever get furniture to fill this barn, I’ll call.  Promise.

Last night went to Crane Alley after buying furniture. Had lackluster tempura vegetables (more like battered in the same thing the fish are) and decent beer.  It’s the ever-changing beer selection that keeps me coming there – that and the occasional “wow” special.  Had a frank discussion regarding religion with Charmed.  That NEVER happens.  That made up for the soggy veggies right there.

Tonight drove all the way to Buckley for a fundraising German dinner to benefit the Lutheran high school.  For buffet and a free-will donation, it rocked.  Was it on par with Aunt Minnie’s?  Notsomuch, but that’s not why I was there.  The beer bread was excellent, the potato salad pretty good (even though the nice but LOUD lady next to me thought it had too much vinegar) and the desserts tasty.

Now, about German desserts.  This is my pet peeve.  Really, really.  Repeat after me:  There is no such thing as German Chocolate Cake.  It’s German’s Chocolate Cake - it’s named after a man – not the country and it should never, ever, ever be found on a German menu.  Find me the naturally growing coconut in Germany and I’ll reconsider my stance.  Danke!

Otherwise, Crave in Danville is serving up really good microlot coffees that are roasted to specification of the buyers.  Good stuff.  Doesn’t taste burnt.  I swear the Holler Mountain blend that was in there a couple of weeks ago had cream in it even though I know it didn’t – it was that smooth.  It’s worth your time to investigate if your Danville travels bring you to West Fairchild St.  Don’t let the grocery store or the neighborhood scare you.  The espresso bar has been created as a little oasis of civility.  And it has free Wi-Fi so how can you go wrong?

New job is going well, new house is going well, and other than that…..I just can’t complain.

The kidlets are all well and really need to get back into Weekend Cat Blogging.  They read but have so much to share if the crazy lady with the opposable thumbs would just take some pictures.

Ahh, life!  Happy autumn everyone!   

Once Upon a Time….

….there was a girl who shared her culinary and dining experiences.

Then she got a new job.

Then her husband lost his office (but not his job!)

Then she committed to buy a new house.

And THAT, dear readers, is why I have been noticeably silent for the past month.  Please know that I read everyone’s blog updates (thank you Google Reader!) and keep up with the happenings here and elsewhere.  I will sincerely attempt to develop a more regular schedule soon.  Really.  I hope.  Probably.  Maybe? 

As a glimpse into my bizarre life, I’m sitting here listening to Barbra Streisand do a duet with Judy Garland in the 60s and I wish I had seen it.  *sigh*  I was born entirely too late. 

Food as an educational experience PART ONE

I recently had the opportunity to wander to the Windy City for a weekend of food education and fun.  Who wouldn’t go?  Thanks to a benefit auction for Gilda’s Club Chicago, I had two tickets in hand to the French Pastry School for a day.  WOO HOO!!!  (Another blog….hopefully soon….part two of this trip!)

I packed up my friend Brad and away we went!  First stop, our lovely hotel, the Palmer House Hilton.  Except….their power had been out and only recently partially restored.  The Grande Dame of Chicago was filled with squatters baking in the lobby sans A/C.  The staff was AMAZINGLY gracious and offered bottles of Evian and wet towels to attempt to cool the nerves of their guests.  Brad and I checked our luggage, decided that it was going to have to be our traveling clothes for dinner and we were off! 

We started by wandering the streets – State Street specifically – and shopping a bit as we wandered.  Soon it was time for our journey to dinner at The Backstage Bistro.

The Backstage Bistro is an extension of the Culinary Arts program at Illinois Institute of Art.  The restaurant is run by students and has been featured on Food Network.  You watch classes in session through the glass while your meal is prepared.  I can’t imagine what it must feel like knowing that people are watching your every move ASIDE from your instructor!

 

Essentially this means you should be able to get fine dining at a fraction of the price.  I wasn’t disappointed. 

Brad chose the stuffed pork chop because he wasn’t crazy about the sides for the other entree. 

 

Our slightly-shy server, Ramona, was VERY positive about the pork, so I hoped that he would enjoy it.  He did.

I thought the Pescado Veracruzana was more to my liking.  Red Snapper filet with tomatos and olives on a bed of pilaf with rice and corn. 

 

They recommended the Fife Zinfandel with this dish.  Zinfandel with fish?  Really?  Okay…..!  It was VERY tasty.  Fruity, soft and against the tomato and olive stood nicely.  Granted, at that point the fish was more texture than flavor, but that was just fine.

 We also received a dessert of chocolate “brulee” (their word – I would call it more mousse…no crispy top) and a brownie gratis.  YUM!!

I highly recommend that if you want tasty food at less than “upscale” dining prices, give these college kids a try if you find yourself wandering the Windy City with Central IL cash…..