Category Archives: the kitchen

lamb chop vs. Lamb Chop

10 Saturday Mar 2018

Posted by in family gatherings, the kitchen

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Sometimes, introducing someone new to the family can make tensions flare. Since introduction, the flames have tapered down, but haven’t fizzled out yet. So rather than worry about the sparks, we decided to light a candle instead. A birthday candle, that is.

Zoe came to visit about a month ago.  Yes, another sweet dog in a sad situation in need of a good home.  “Two is a couple, three is a crowd,” Tom said.  “Don’t bring another dog home.”

I didn’t listen.  A trait that doesn’t always work out well for me.

“She’s not staying,” I assured him.  “We are just watching her for a few days.”

Winston was very jealous.  He pouted.  He hid under the bed.

Ginger was very aloof.

But Zoe wanted to stay forever.  She showered Tom and I with kisses and love. So many kisses.

Winston wanted Zoe to go back to from wherever she came.  Harrumph.

Zoe tried to win him over with her charm.  She rubbed past him and tilted her rump up near his face.  Submissively, she rolled over and kicked up her feet in play.  She thought he was swell.

Nothing but pouts.  His once perky ears, flat as pancakes.

Then one day, Winston decided to play!  Soon they were romping and rolling and running around the couch.  On every completion of the race course, Winston would stop and keep looking to me for permission to continue; a big sloppy smile with tongue hanging out of his mouth.

There is some barking.  We are working on that.  There is tension, sometimes; like when Ginger blindly stumbles into Zoe, she attacks.  Or when it is time to lick the bones from the lamb chops . . .  Everyone is happily licking away; two lamb chops, three dogs, four hands . . . (insert dog fighting noises here) you can imagine those sounds.

What happened?  Who knows but two bones went in the trash immediately, one dog skulked off as one was lifted quickly out of harms way.  The third dog, Ginger, was clueless, where did everyone go?

Zoe has wiggled her way into our hearts though and Winston, albeit still a bit jealous, has found that it is kind of nice to have a spry gal pal that plays and loves.

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“Zoe, no bark!!!”

Welcome to your forever home Zoe and Happy 9th Birthday!

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“I like salmon cake!” No lamb for them tonight.

 

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LAMB CHOPS seared with dijon, garlic & herbs

Here’s the deal: I love lamb. Lamb chops, lamb roast, ground lamb . . .  I used to call Buddy “Lamb Chop” sometimes. He was so scrumptious and delectable. We used to kiss, kiss, kiss, kiss, kiss!  How we miss that kid.

He was also known as “Peanut”, so now that we have Zoe, I think “Pine Nut” seems to be a more appropriate fit for her, since she is half his size.

To make a tasty lamb chop, it can be as simple as sprinkling them with salt, then smothering the little chops in dijon, lemon juice, garlic and herbs.  A hot grill or skillet sears each side, leaving the middle cooked as rare as you prefer.

I use a scant 1/2 tsp of salt + 1 chopped garlic clove per pound of lamb. Pepper is free-flowing  from the grinder and a dab of Dijon mustard with a small handful of fresh herbs. Mint, thyme, rosemary, tarragon or parsley are all good choices.

Drizzle with olive oil, rub in the seasoning and let sit for an hour, covered at room temp.  On a heated grill or a very hot skillet, cook for a few minutes on each side, making sure they are browned nicely before turning them over.

This is wonderful served with al dente cooked green beans, tossed in cooked lentils, tucked over thick, roasted eggplant and a dollop of creme or a good-quality feta cheese.

Alternatively, you can roast a leg of lamb like I did here and serve it tossed in lentils and arugula, as I did here.  Still, roast the eggplant on the side and make the following sauce to drizzle over:

YOGURT SAUCE

This is a super-simple sauce.  All it takes is the best yogurt you can get, plus, cumin, coriander, grated parmesan and cucumber.  That said, I used a new yogurt that was AMAZEBALLS!!!  (called White Mountain Organic Bulgarian Yogurt from Austin, TX).

Mix together the ingredients below:

1/2 cup yogurt (see brand above, or use the best available to you)
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground corriander
1 TB finely grated parmesan
1 TB lemon juice
1 TB grated cucumber
Fresh ground pepper to taste

ROAST LAMB, ARUGULA, LENTIL SALAD

So, another way to slice this is by doing a nice salad of arugula and lentils topped with yogurt roasted lamb and roast eggplant.  Not so much a recipe a recipe as a way to serve some great things all together as a meal.  Improvise!

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“Nothing to see here.  Party on!”

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Pine Nut vs. Lamb Chop!

Club Paris: Filet Mignon – the best damn steak I’ve ever had

25 Sunday Feb 2018

Posted by in Reviews, the kitchen

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As you all must have guessed by now, I grew up in Anchorage, Alaska, where forty years ago still existed the myth that everyone was an Eskimo, ate whale blubber, owned a team of sled dogs and lived in an igloo.

Seriously, it was the number one question other children asked of me when my family and I vacationed in Hawaii or California.

“Do you live in an igloo?”

I was a little annoyed at their ignorance, but should probably have been more appalled at what they weren’t being taught in school.

There was not much of a downtown, not many noteworthy restaurants and if you wanted the latest in clothing or music you had to get it from the “Lower 48”.

We were always a few months behind the top 40’s on the radio and unless you considered plaid flannel or down parka’s a fashion statement, Alaska was certainly not the instigator of new trends.  Yet amazing how flannel and puffy jackets have made their way into our fashion “sense”?

Even so, there were a few restaurants that I came to love as a child and still cherish in memory as an adult.  The Lucky Wishbone, of course (that goes without say)!  Clinkendaggers, Mauzi’s, Sorrento’s, and the elusive Double Musky Inn (which I never ate at as a kid but imagined it to be the fancy place with a dark, moody interior, soft candle light and super good food; my imagination couldn’t have been more inaccurate, as I learned as an adult when I finally went).

Ahhhh, and then there was Paris!  Club Paris, that is.

Club Paris is a hole in the wall in the best sense, a 1950’s wood-paneled little place that introduced me to my first filet mignon, prime cut.

I remember my first visit; I went with my best friend’s family and was blown away by the flavor and texture of that steak.

That three inch high, perfectly cut, cooked and prepared piece of beef that tenderly slid into my mouth and melted like butter against my tongue.

The outside was brown-crusted but inside was bloody, juicy and rare.

Up until then I don’t think I had ever bitten into anything so incredible.

Although I remember the atmosphere being dark and smokey (and certainly smoke-filled it was at the time), feeling almost foreign to the types of places I frequented with my own family; I really can’t picture anything in my mind other than the actual piece of beef sitting on my plate and the flavor that lingers on my palette, even to this day.

I am not sure why I never went back, over so many visits, over so many years.

I wanted to.  I meant to.  I didn’t…

Until last year.  December 20, 2017 to be exact.

Mom took Tom and I to lunch after she and I received a much appreciated massage from a place located across the street.  It was still dark, but no longer smokey.

It had not ever been remodeled, I suspect.

Our waitress was likely the same one I had the first time I ate there 35 years prior!  She was not one to sugar-coat anything and was impatient with extraneous words.  Needless to say, I went from being called, “Hon” to not, in a hurry.

I got the steak sandwich.

It was basically a filet mignon with a slice of toast cut into a triangle set on the side, per our server’s recommendation, and was she right!

Yum!  This was the steak I remembered.  Three inches high, seared to perfection, dark crust and blood-rare inside.

I have never been to France, but, I will always have Club Paris!

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Pickled onion, courtesy of Irma Cardona-Edwards Enterprises International DBA, Irma Inc

FILET MIGNON WITH PICKLED ONION AND ROASTED TOMATO

I like a rare steak.  Very rare.  You can cook yours a little longer if you like, but I am going to keep mine rare.

My sister-in-law, Irma, has an impressive cellar closet filled with homemade pickled veg in her Alaskan kitchen.  She is also in the process of making her own wine.  I added her pickled onions to the steaks as an after thought, but one that worked out really well.  It was a nice accompaniment to the lushness of the steak.  Soon you will be able to buy them from Irma Inc (we hope) but until then, she offered to write up the recipe for you to try at home…stay tuned…I will be posting it soon.

INGREDIENTS

(2) 6-8oz center-cut prime filets of beef tenderloin, 2-3″ thick
1/2 tsp kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Grape seed oil for cooking the steak
2 TB unsalted butter
1 tsp chopped garlic

2 Kurabata tomatoes (or other smallish variety)
2 cloves garlic, peeled, left whole
Olive oil to drizzle on tomatoes, plus salt and pepper to taste

2 medium pickled onions (recipe to follow…soon)

PREPARE

1. Season the steak with salt and pepper at least an hour before cooking or earlier in the day.  They will want to rest outside of the fridge an hour before they are cooked.

2. Preheat the oven to 350 F

3. Cut a small circle of the core stem away from the top of each tomato and stuff in a garlic clove.  Season with salt, pepper and a drizzle of oil.

4. Roast the tomatoes for approximately 30 minutes, until tender and wrinkled but still plump with juices.  Set aside in a warming drawer until ready to serve.

5. Melt the butter with the garlic.

6. Heat a cast iron skillet until it is very hot.  Add a little grape seed oil and as soon as it is hot enough to rolling smoothly across the pan, add the filets.  Don’t move them for 2-5 minutes, keeping at a medium-high heat.

7. Once the bottom is nicely browned (which you can see by looking at the side), turn the filets over and let cook until another lovely crust forms.  This might be a total of 7-10 minutes.  Test by inserting a meat thermometer into the side horizontally.  Look for a temperature of 120-130F for rare and 135-140F for medium-rare.  Don’t forget that once you remove it from the heat, it will continue to cook while it rests.

8. Immediately pour over the melted butter and garlic, let it sizzle, then transfer it to a plate, along with the juices, to rest for a few minutes while getting the rest of the dinner plated.

TO SERVE:

On warm plates, place one roasted tomato and one filet.  Put one pickled onion on top of each filet, holding it in with a decorative pick (if desired).

Pour the steak juices over and if you like, drizzle each plate with some aged balsamic, or just the pan juices work too.

It would also be nice to roast some asparagus alongside during the second half of cooking the steak (after it is turned) and perhaps a few halved, roasted potatoes would serve well alongside too.

If you prefer, just toast some white bread, spread it with garlic butter and reserve your greens for a salad with blue cheese dressing instead.

There are no poor choices here.  As long as you cook a good steak!

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Where’s the beef?

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And in case you didn’t notice last week….  Hello!!!

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Yes, I’m talking to you!

 

Hello Refreshing Crab + Grapefruit & Avocado Endive Bites

17 Saturday Feb 2018

Posted by in the kitchen

≈ 9 Comments

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I need a refresh.

I need to be refreshed!

Takin’ a break from the heavy, with a little trip to the lighter side; let me give you the scoop:

I’m done saying goodbye for now. Too many goodbyes lately. It is time to say hello!

Hello grapefruit and avocado. Hello to blue cheese too. I’ll take the crab over being crabby.

But be sure to keep it on the light side though.

Who else loves finger food?

 

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Did someone say food?

CRAB + GRAPEFRUIT & AVOCADO ENDIVE BITES
makes approximately 16-20 pieces

Need an appetizer? Short on time? Look no further.

Fresh crab needs little more than a little citrus to play dress-up, but with a few extra moments, and the right accessories, you can have a platter of appetizers that will wow and impress; ready to go in 15 minutes or less, or your money back. Wait, did you give me any money?

The thing about crab, is that it should be about the crab. Avocado and grapefruit are the accessories. As with any good accessory, it must add color, texture and/or a little pizazz.

The thing about appetizers is that they should be easy to make, easy to eat and leave your palate refreshed, revived and ready for more.

The thing about this appetizer is it is versatile. Don’t feel like grapefruit, trade it in for an orange? Tired of avocado? Lose the grapefruit and try on some beets and apples instead. Feeling herbaceous? Mix in a some chopped herbs such as dill, tarragon, cilantro or thyme. Your’e one of those? Skip the cheese, whisk in a little more oil.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 lb fresh Dungeness crab, picked over for any shells

1 TB freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
2 TB freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 TB finely chopped shallot
1 tsp Dijon mustard
3 TB good quality olive oil
1/2 oz mild, creamy blue cheese, crumbled (approximately +/-)
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

1 green endive head
1 red endive head

A few grapefruit segments minus the skin, cut into small chunks
1/2 an avocado, skin removed, cut into dice

Micro green pea vines for garnish (if you can’t find, use another green herb or micro green garnish)

PREPARE

Don’t let the long list of steps fool you. Each task is quick and straight forward.

1.  I like to start by making sure the crab is clean and dry. Start by putting it in a bowl. If you shucked it yourself, make sure you pick away any brown stuff left over from cleaning. Using paper towels, squeeze out all the excess moisture.

2.  In a separate bowl, preferably glass or stainless, combine both citrus juices with the shallot. Add the mustard and stir to combine.

3.  Whisk in the oil.

4.  Add about 1/4 of the blue cheese crumbles and whisk to blend the cheese, smashing large pieces so they combine with the liquid. It is fine to have some chunks but they should be small. Taste, then add more of the blue cheese until it is blue enough for you. It should remain citrus-forward in flavor; remember, it is all about the crab. You will be stirring the remainder of the crumbles into the crab.

5.  Season the vinaigrette with salt and pepper to taste.

6.  Trim the ends of the endive heads and carefully remove each leaf, setting them out on a plate.

7.  Spoon a small amount of the vinaigrette onto each endive leaf then add the remaining vinaigrette to the crab mixture, tossing to coat well. Stir the rest of the blue cheese crumbles into the crab.

8.  Place a few pieces of avocado over each endive leaf then top with some crab mixture.

9.  Top each leaf with one or two avocado pieces and grapefruit chunks.

10.  Garnish each leaf with a micro green or herb sprig and transfer each one to a platter.

Voila!

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Why hello lil’ monkey!   Who are you?

Lamb Stuffed Cabbage (and an announcement)

19 Sunday Nov 2017

Posted by in Ginger + Winston (and Buddy too), the kitchen

≈ 4 Comments

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Some things last longer than others, it’s just the way life is.

Cabbage is heartier than lettuce.

Pickled vegetables last longer than fresh.

And we humans, live much longer than our beloved dogs.

A few weeks after Buddy left this earth, we went to “the cabin” for the weekend; our first trip there without him smiling crazily in the back seat with his sister, or curled up comfortably on my lap.

Instead, his remains were in a beautiful wooden box as smooth as his once silky hair, yet so small it seemed unlikely he could fit inside. The box sat next to Ginger in their double wide “deluxe snoozer” that they traveled in on so many occasions in the past.

After a lovely, but very emotional weekend, on the way back home we stopped (as we always do) at Hunter Farms. As I was paying for my fresh produce, the Farmer’s daughter mentioned that my box of goods was much smaller than usual.

There were many wonderful things that would usually have ended up in my cart, like the blueberries I hadn’t even bothered to look for, fresh, plump, sweet; the ones Buddy loved to eat.

Or the nectarines that were so plentiful, it seemed too much trouble to choose which ones.

There was also a single head of cabbage, larger than any other I had ever seen. I almost picked it up, but passed it by instead.

I do love the cabbage from their garden. It is always the perfect cross of bitter and sweet, just as our last few months with Buddy had been.

After I finished checking out, her words compelled me to go back and claim the last cabbage. “That will be $1.00”, she said.

I used part of the cabbage to make a coleslaw flavored with apples which I paired with fresh halibut. I used it in a stir fry, as well as the base for my sesame-chicken salad. We used it on sandwiches instead of lettuce, tossed briefly in spiced crema for our tacos, and we ate some plain, sliced the way I used to slice it for Buddy.

Weeks had passed with not eating it at all but it was still there, crisp, sweet and ample enough to continue feeding us more. It had not browned nor gone limp. It remained with us reminding me of the cabin, the Farm and of Buddy.

A few nights later, I made lamb-stuffed cabbage for supper. It brought back memories of Buddy making large circles around the outside of the cabin. He used to walk all the way around from the gazebo in the back yard, over the gravel path, along one side and across the front drive that led him around to the other side, past the garden and back to us again.

This went on and on for upwards of an hour, nose pointed forward, with a serious face and without breaking his stride.

He did not stop to sniff things along the way, as Ginger surely would, nor did he squat or lift his leg to pee.

He was on a mission, yet I am still not sure what that mission was? The first time that he did this was the first time we had cabbage from Hunter Farms, a number of years ago.

So it is fitting that the dinner I served to introduce our new family member, Winston, to some close friends, was the stuffed cabbage. I used another cabbage I brought back from Hunter Farms three weeks ago. It too was still fresh, and continuing to nourish.

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We certainly hope Winston stays just as fresh, and stays a very long time.

We proudly introduce to you: Winston Bender: 12 lb, 6 oz

Winnie the Poo
Born January 1st, 2007

LAMB-STUFFED CABBAGE – serves 8

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The first version I made was with un-cooked, un-soaked, long-grain white rice.  I used

only 1 cup.  It was still a bit crunchy and didn’t fluff and vocalize loudly in the dish.  I can’t say it wasn’t tasty because, it was.  I just felt the absence of rice and wished the rice had been been more prevalent and soft.

This version replaces long-grain rice for short grains.  The short grains flew over from Italy to join the lamb as outsiders in what is actually a traditional Polish dish; hence the need to soak them for a bit in hot water to soften after their long journey.  The almonds and currents were party crashers as well.

INGREDIENTS
1 large head green cabbage
Salt and pepper to season
3 cups chicken broth
3 cups tomato sauce (I use my basic tomato sauce which I keep on hand, frozen but you can use jarred if you don’t want to go to the added effort)
Lamb mixture:
1 1/2 lbs ground lamb
1 3/4 cups Italian short grain rice (such as Carnaroli or Aborio), soaked in boiling water overnight or at least 1 hour
1/3 cup slivered almonds, crumbled by hand
3 TB dried currents
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp dry oregano
1/4 fresh-packed parsley, chopped
Vegetable mixture:
2 TB butter
2 TB olive oil
1/2 onion, diced
1 small leek, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 small jalapeño, chopped
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp Kosher salt
Garnish:
French or Sheep and Goats milk Feta, crumbled
Chopped fresh parsley

PREPARATION
1. I like to get the cabbage ready first but it can be done at anytime. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

2. To help make it easier to separate leaves, turn the cabbage over to expose the stem. With a long, thin knife, carve around the stem and dig it out as best you can (as if you are going after it with a cookie cutter).

3. Add the head of cabbage to the boiling water. The outer leaves will loosen first. Keep removing the leaves whole as they loosen. After several minutes the whole cabbage should be soft enough to have all leaves separate. Set the leaves aside.

4. In a saute pan, melt the butter and add the olive oil.

5. Add the onion, leek, jalepeño and red pepper. Cook over low heat until soft, approximately 10 minutes.

6. Add the 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp black pepper, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp Kosher salt.  Stir this in for a few minutes on low and then shut off the heat and let it come to room temperature.

7.  In a medium sized bowl, combine the ground lamb, drained rice, almonds, currents, salt, oregano, currents and parsley.  

8.  Add the vegetable mix to the lamb mix and stir to combine.

9.  Divide mixture into equal portions.  There will be approximately 1/2 cup per leaf of cabbage but will vary depending on size of leaves.  You can make small packets or large packets accordingly.  If you have some small and some large leaves, adjust portions accordingly.  You will need enough cabbage leaves to cover bottom of deep skillet and cover the top.

10.  Put one portion onto each leaf, adjusting quantity according to size of leaf, and roll them up, tucking in the sides.

11.  Layer the smaller or extraneous cabbage leaves over the bottom of a deep casserole and place the rolls on top, seam side down.

12.  Pour chicken stock and tomato sauce over rolls.

13.  Top with a layer of cabbage leaves and cover pot.

14.  Transfer to 350-degree oven and let cook for 1 1/2 hours.

15. When fork tender, Remove from oven and let sit a 1/2 hour before serving.

TO SERVE
On heated plates, spoon some tomato sauce down and top with one or two rolls (size and hunger-dependent).  Garnish with crumbled feta and chopped fresh parsley.

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Winston:  “I think I’m gonna like it here”!  Ginger:  “Good to have you aboard lil’ one.  You came to the right place for sure”.  And the new journey begins…

Potato, Po-taw-ta, Tomato, Tom-aw-ta

18 Sunday Jun 2017

Posted by in at the holidays, family gatherings, the kitchen

≈ 7 Comments

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There are, arguably, many ways to do or say anything; Point A to point B has many paths, and cooking basics are no exception.  Take for instance, “classic” potato salad.  It can vary drastically depending on where you live or how you were taught to prepare it.  Even “Mom’s Classic” potato salad will be different at Mr Roger’s house than it will be at the Casto residence.

With egg or without, celery or pickles, or cornichon perhaps?  Are there green onions?Mayonnaise versus Miracle Whip (yikes!).  One thing is for certain, potato salad is classic barbecue fare and even if it is not Tom’s favorite, it will always have a place at our table (albeit mostly in front of me).

Then, of course, there are the ribs.!  I can’t image a Memorial weekend or Fourth of July without them.  There are some people who are really serious about their ribs; I mean really seriously loyal; to their region, culture and craft-kind of rib-eating and making; serious business.  Usually it involves that perfect mix of spice, a particular cut of meat, a lot of smoke mixed with a low amount of heat, hangin’ out for a long period of time under cover.  Time can be our enemy, but it can also be our friend!

For those of us that just enjoy the succulent, meaty flavor of tender, tear-off-the-bone meat and are willing to forgo (or simply don’t have) the 18 hours, the proper tools, patience or know-how to do otherwise (a category that I am willing to be a part of), our ribs can be ‘fridge to fork in approximately 3 hours…or less!

They can be rubbed, par-boiled, marinated, or all three.  Grilled, broiled, smoked or baked.

Spicy, smokey, sweet.

Saucy, dry, meaty or lean.

Depending on your region, there is certainly, a predisposition for the proper method, spice and cut.  In my local region, which I consider to be wherever my dinner plate sits, I am happy to indulge myself, greedily, to any of the aforementioned methods and even some of the unmentioned ones.

I love ribs, period!  I have a special affection of the pig-provided kind.  Throw in a plate of potato salad, made using hard-cooked eggs (my only rule) and I am eating my own little happy meal.

When I am the cook, my go-to ribs are usually par-boiled in a flavorful liquid, then dry rubbed and slathered with home-made (or even bottled if tight on time) barbecue sauce.  This is all done usually hours, or days, before I plan to eat them because as they sit, they become even more flavorful.  This makes them a very forgiving treat.

They are slathered and stored on a foil-lined baking pan.  When we are nearing dinner time, I light a grill and sit the ribs out on the counter to come up to room temperature.  They take a 10 minute sauna in the grill with the lid down as the corn (yes, I usually have corn on the cob) cooks too.

After they are heated through, I remove them from the foil, move the corn to the top grate so they are not on direct heat and put the ribs, top down, on the hot, lower rack to brown.  When they have grill marks, I turn them over and brush with more sauce and let sit just a few minutes until I can get everything plated to eat.  More sauce on the side if you like, and Tom does!  It is hard to go wrong, as long as you don’t let them burn, too much, that is.

When I was young, my Mom’s go-to ribs were cooked solely in the oven, uncovered and slathered in peanut butter barbecue sauce (home-made).  They were often not on the bone, also known as country spareribs, which meant, more meat, less bone.  It was a recipe from my Great Grandma Brown.  I could eat piles of them!!

As they were cooking, I used to peak my head in the oven, willing the aroma to encompass me.  Mom would shout out for the oven to be kept closed, so the heat didn’t escape.

I waited and waited, enjoying every moment that I was able to drink in the smell.  I would peak into the oven with the oven light turned on.  I watched as they transformed from pale paisley to a rich, burnished brown.  The peanut butter wasn’t an overly obvious flavor but the depth and richness it offered permeated the meat.

Ironically, I don’t cook my ribs that way, even though if I did, I am sure I would be hooked once again.  Maybe if my Mom sees this, she will make them for me, next time she is in town?

Needless to say,  color me happy is what the (somewhat) recent weekend was about!  Heading off for a short visit with my in-laws during Memorial weekend, I was eagerly anticipating Lois’ ribs; the same she had made for us last year, adapted from Ree Drummand’s, “Spicy Chili Pork Ree-Yubs”.

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Sun-soaked, fresh-air delivered, we had come in from the waterfront after kayaking off Alderbrook Resort on the Hood Canal; even Buddy was in tow (of course).  Ginger, not being a water breed, stayed on shore with Grandma keeping guard of the lounge chairs (a very important task).

Two, or in our case, 3 hours in the oven are about the sweet-spot for these ribs that Lois made us on our return.  We passed our time well, back at the cabin, out in the gazebo, fireplace blazing, while munching on smoked trout-filled endive and deviled egg nosh.

It is now sometime between Memorial Day and the Fourth of July; more specifically, it is Father’s Day (Love to all our Dad’s…Kent (my Dad), Tom (Tom’s Dad), John & Bill (our other Dads), Mark, Scott and Jeff (our brothers who are also Dads)…and so on…Uncle Corky, Grandpa George, Tom C. (my Dad-in-law on my brother’s side) and Joe Gildner (our good friend and newly married-off-oldest daughter Dad) and Piotr (our good friend and a really good Dad)…

Oh, and a Happy Father’s Day to my love, the daddy of our furry kids (I’m talking to you, my Tom)!

On the menu tonight is, you guessed it:  Ribs, corn and potato salad.

Don’t worry, the potato salad isn’t for (my) Tom, it is for all you other Dad’s out there that actually enjoy a good potato salad!  Tom will be taken care of too, no worries there, for those of you that are worried.  He does alright.

So, rain or clouds be damn, fire up the grill and let’s get this party started!

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“Castoway’s” Classic Potato Salad – Courtesy of Lois (Bender) Casto

“2# potatoes (I used Russet, but have also used red, skinned ), 3 hard-boiled eggs, 3 rbs celery, 4 green onions.  Dressing: 1/2 cup mayo, 1-1/2 Tbsp white wine vinegar, 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard, salt and pepper to taste.  If too tart I add a sprnkle of granulated sugar.  I boil the potatoes whole, then peel and cube, but you can peel and cube before cooking too. Either works. It’s just a basic recipe.”

I will vouch for this one and basic as it is, the simplicity makes it delicious. Think of it as a little black dress; it can be gussied up, accessorized and taken out on the town or worn on it’s own, in which case, it will stand up for itself!

PS_King buddy

“It sure is nice to be King for a day; so glad I am a Prince!  Happy Father’s Day Dadfy!”

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“Oh Buddy, you are a Prince!  Of course that is only because I am a Princess.”

Lamb Belly Breakfast Pizza (slash) Gyro

18 Saturday Mar 2017

Posted by in the kitchen

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Imagine this:

You step outside your office into a crisp, rain-driven evening. A quick walk around the corner and through the cobbled square leaves you standing in front of a door, that once inside, is like a glimpse into past meets present; a fabulous butcher shop (slash) hip, industrial luncheonette. It is Friday night, so the bustling lunch has transitioned to the traditional tasks of cutting meat and doing business.  Stepping out of the rain as you remove the fashionable hat shielding the wet from your head, the cool air, all at once, turns warm and inviting, and better yet, dry!

There is a woman standing in front of the counter. She has dark hair pulled back into a ponytail and is wearing a Seattle-stylish outfit in gray and black, tall boots, smart hat and long tailored jacket with just enough sluff to be part of the casual, fun crowd. She is having a conversation with the tall, boyishly charming, young man who is behind the counter. He is slicing a beautifully marbled slab of beef into delicate, thin slices, effortlessly as if he is entertaining a guest at a dinner party. They know each other, you imagine, as their conversation is friendly and familiar.

The man briefly looks up and you are greeted, by name. You smile and turn to the women to ask her what she will be making with her slices of steak?  “Stir fry,” she says. “What is the cut of meat you are slicing?” the women asks the man.  “The Denver cut,” he replies. You had never heard of that cut prior to visiting Rain Shadow Meats but had considered buying it the week previous, settling on the thick rib-eye instead.

He wraps up the woman’s package and effortlessly begins preparing another as the conversation continues. You occupy yourself by eyeing the glass case, carefully assessing each plate of meat and pulling menus together in your head.

As the woman finishes up and pays for her packages, she finishes her story and tells the man that she will see him again soon. With that, she gathers up her goods and shoots you a quick smile before dashing out the door into the night.

Russ turns his smile to you and has already guessed as to what you will choose first. It is the steak sitting in the corner of the case, looking so enticing with it’s perfect coat of preserved lemon and parsley protecting the tender meat within. You have gotten this before and have come back more than once for more.

“It is the Denver cut this time,” he discloses, “not the ounglet” (the onglet is your favorite).

“I will take two” you reply.

“You won’t be disappointed.” he assures you, and you know you won’t be.

As you finish up your order and are about to check-out, you notice something you hadn’t seen before; lamb bacon. With breakfast in mind, you were going to ask for pork bacon but after a quick chat with Russ and then yourself, you decide you need to try the lamb bacon while it was in supply. Russ says they either have plenty or none; they make it in-house and when they run out, it can be awhile before they have more.

Russ says it starts out tasting of bacon then turns to a unique flavor instead.  It is essentially cured lamb belly, just as pork bacon comes from the belly of the pig. As he slices the six pieces requested, you are reminded of pancetta with the round form and swirling of fat and meat. Russ has a client that buys this to make gyros for dinner.  Carrying a bag filled with a dozen eggs, two thick-cut pork chops, steak, ground beef, the lamb belly, and a container of pickled onions, that is the last thought you have as you walk out the door.

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(…gyro, gyro, gyro).

As you fall asleep that night, lamb bacon invades your dreams and in the distance you can hear the echo of the word gyro (…gyro, gyro, gyro). The next morning as sit with your morning coffee, you begin to think about breakfast. Without hesitation, you go to the freezer, pull out some naan and begin mindlessly fixing a lamb belly bacon pizza / (slash) gyro.

Starts out like bacon, turns into something else.

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Lamb gyro (slash) breakfast pizza (serves 4)

This is an easy breakfast that is even easier if you use store-bought hummus, garlic sauce and romesco.  If you can’t find lamb bacon, substitute lamb sausage or ground lamb formed into oblongs, flavored with cumin, salt and pepper.  It starts out looking like a pizza, fold it up and you have a breakfast gyro.

INGREDIENTS

4 dime thick slices lamb bacon (lamb sausage or gyro meat if you can’t find the bacon)

4 pieces mini stone fired flatbread or naan

4 TB hummus (make your own or use your favorite purchased brand; I like Wholefoods brand)

2 TB Romesco sauce (make your own or purchase your favorite brand such as this)

Karam’s Lebanese Garlic sauce (It can be shipped within the United States, including Alaska and Hawaii)

4 eggs (salt, pepper for seasoning, butter for cooking)

Parsly for garnish

PREPARATION

  1.  Preheat oven to 400 degree F. Put the lamb bacon slices on a baking sheet and cook until slightly browned and cooked through, approximately 10 minutes. Set aside and keep warm.
  2. Put the flatbread in the oven to heat through. Keep an eye on them so they don’t burn. They should be soft, slightly browned and hot. Put them in a warming drawer, or wrap in slightly moistened paper towels to heat again in the microwave before plating. You could, alternatively, put them in the toaster just as you begin cooking the eggs.
  3. Heat a little butter in a skillet and fry the eggs to your liking (season with salt and pepper but go light on the salt as the bacon is salty too).
  4. As the eggs finish, put one flatbread on each of four plates. With a small rubber spatula or butter spoon, spread approximately 1/2 TB Romesco sauce over each, followed by 1 TB hummus over each.
  5. Put one slice of bacon over top of each flatbread and squirt some garlic sauce over top.

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6.  Top with an egg and garnish with some parsley. Eat it as a pizza or fold it over to make a gyro.

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That was tasty!  Time for a nap.

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Time for a spa day…

 

The house detective

18 Saturday Feb 2017

Posted by in the kitchen

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I am notorious for losing things.  Tom is notorious for retrieving them.  I’m not sure what set of genes is responsible for either of those skills, if losing (or finding) things, could, in fact, be classified as a skill.  I do know that without question, Tom is constantly following in my wake and finding the very things that I swear have been permanently lost (as I adamantly exclaim).

This is especially true when it comes to my keys.  I lose them, on (frequent) occasion.  They are always found straight away, by Tom, the “House Detective”; or, is it “Detective in the house!”  Or, perhaps, as Magnum PI, Season 6, Episode 4 is titled, “the Hotel Dick”. But Magnum would correct that and say…”Investigator”!

The latest episode of my key “disappearing act” came when Tom was out of town.  I spent the weekend inside, never leaving the house, doing my usual, um, well, tidying up in-Tom’s absence-thing-that-I-do when he is away.  I honestly hadn’t left the house; not once all weekend!  So, on Monday morning, when I woke up and could not find my car key (!!*), I was perplexed (?).  Needless to say, short of tearing the house apart, I looked everywhere! (*insert, multiple, swear words here)!

Upon Tom’s return, he had a few choice words to say as well since he was also unable to find the key.  Months went by (yes, months)!  In that time, I also managed to lock the spare car key in the car while at work.  I called the dealership to try and get them to  unlock it for me only to be told that they couldn’t.

To add serious injury to the whole lost-not-found key debacle, weeks later when Tom was out of town yet again, I went to start the car with the “spare key”, which happened to be the somewhat mangled key (since it had been in my possession mostly the last 10 years, yet the key I had lost was the “good key”), the key actually failed to start the car altogether.  As in, it was permanently broken (!!*).  No spare key to be had.  The dealership was not helpful in that, Mercedes does not allow another key to be made unless, both  the car and Owner are present in the service shop.  Given the current state of my car keys, this would require the car to be towed into the shop.

At an unsuspecting time, months later, Tom found my keys!!!!!! (?).  House Dick/Private Investigator extroirdinaire.  The keys, it turned out of course, were in my bag all along.  Well hidden, but…well, there they were n o t  i n  p l a i n  s i g h t.

He told me he had a premonition when he went into the bedroom and looked in my bags.  His little voice was saying, look in here (even though he already had). So, there we had it, mystery solved…until the next time.  Yes, it happened for the other car too, but we won’t go there…

I am not the house detective but I have become very good at detecting great new sources for food.  One of my favorite places to frequent on the infrequent occasion that I venture into the neighborhood of Pioneer Square during my work day, is Rain Shadow Meats.  They are a butcher shop but also one of the best places to grab a great lunch.  The vibe is casual, New York meat packing district cool with a high energy and a long wait during the noon hour and a slow, next-door-neighbor vibe, welcoming you in during the off-hours.  I buy most of my meat from them as well as fresh eggs, and the occasional condiment.

Friday night, along with my late-lunch sandwich that I took back to the office, in addition to other grocery necessities: two butterflied hanger steaks that had been lovingly marinated in salt, pepper, garlic, olive oil and preserved lemon. I served it next to a salad of fresh butter lettuce, sweet cherry tomatoes topped with my buttermilk blue cheese dressing.  To sop up the goodness, I grilled thick slices of Columbia City Bakery sourdough that I picked up at The London Plane, a mere few doors away from my office.  I prepared the bread kissed with olive oil, rubbed with fresh garlic and swathed in a swipe of Romesco sauce before smashing avocados over top.

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HANGER STEAK SALAD

serves 4

Hanger steak is one of the most tender cuts of meat from the cow, but can become tough if overcooked.  Until recently, it had not been readily available in the market yet could be found on menus in many restaurants.  Locally, I am able to source it from Whole Foods or Rainshadow Meats.  It is a deeply flavorful cut that cooks quickly and requires little adornment, but does benefit from a brief marinade.  It should be trimmed with membrane removed by the butcher, so be sure to ask.  If you live in/near Seattle and visit Rain Shadow Meats, they will be happy to butterfly and marinate the steak for you at one of their two locations.

I used butter lettuce last week for the salad but most recently used arugula, which I feel is a more elegant and spicy partner for the rich, juiciness of the steak and blends magically with the blue cheese dressing and the sweetness of the tomatoes.

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 lbs hanger steak, trimmed, membrane removed and butterflied

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp Kosher salt + freshly ground pepper (Rain Shadow uses their in-house made salt blend; I use my homemade seasoning salt blend by roasting 1 part salt to 1/2 part black pepper corn and 1/2 part coriander seeds, grind after roasting for 10-15 minutes at 350 degrees)

1 TB olive oil + more for sautéing

1/4 of a preserved lemon, finely chopped

1 TB chopped parsley

Buttermilk Blue Cheese Dressing (approximately 1/2 cup)

12 cherry tomates, cut in half

2 green onions, chopped

4 cups baby arugula, washed and dried thoroughly

Sea salt and pepper for seasoning salad

Lemon squeeze

PREPARATION

Combine the garlic, salt, pepper, olive oil and preserved lemon in a bowl.

Add the steak and gently rub the marinade into the steak with your hand.

Scatter the parsley overtop and let marinade, refrigerated, for at least 2 hours and up to 3 days.

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add enough olive oil to just coat the bottom of the pan.

Add the steaks and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side.  Flip the meat every 30 seconds after the first turn until the temperature reads 120 degrees.

Let rest on a plate while you prepare the salad.

To prepare the salad, toss the arugula with just enough dressing to lightly coat the leaves.  Season with sea salt and pepper.

Divide the salad among four plates and top with the tomatoes and green onions.

Drizzle some additional dressing over top.

Slice the steaks against the grain into 1/2″ pieces.  Divide them overtop of the arugula and squeeze some lemon over each plate.

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10 Legs in the Kitchen

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Ginger:  “Buddy, you didn’t find us some steak while you were up there watching?”

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“Gee, I should have shared with Ginger cuz’ a full belly sure makes me sleepy.”

Kitchen Therapy

23 Sunday Oct 2016

Posted by in the kitchen

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I believe things happen for a reason, good or bad.  Every decision we make becomes part of our story and that story, often has a deeper meaning.  I chose to get a dog my freshman year of college and that dog, Buffy, became such an integral part of my life that I wouldn’t know how to describe that middle part of my life without including her, just as Ginger and Buddy consume our story now.

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it was a long journey

Most of you know Buddy of course.  The scruffy little yorkie that came into our lives at the age of 10, as if he knew he was meant to be with us all along. I sometimes picture him ringing our doorbell with a hobo stick slapped across his back declaring that he’s finally come home. The powers that be brought him to us and then tried, several times, to take him back. Somehow, he has managed to beat the odds and remains a deeply entwined part of our lives today and for everyday in the foreseeable future (knock on wood).

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mommy and daddy, i’m home

Buddy, recently, has had a newly found appreciation for food.  He has never been one to turn down a meal, or a treat (I’d go as far as to say that this one is certainly motivated by food), but now when he eats, it is with his whole heart and he is taking in every flavor, texture and aroma. Buddy eats greedily but thoughtfully, offering gurgles and sound effects that mimic what maybe Snoopy or Woodstock might express or, more aptly, a human might make as they bite into a meticulously cooked meal, enhanced with only the skill and finesse of the worlds finest chef.

He is also experiencing the finer things in life, such as spa days (with bubble baths),  acupuncture sessions and deep massages every night from his daddy. We too are experiencing the finer things in life, such as more time with Buddy (and Ginger) and much more awareness of our mortality as well as theirs. We are embracing the future but enjoying the present with much more gratitude and self-awareness.  This is a choice we should all be making but is hard to see through all life’s craziness and stress.

So to combat the craziness and stress, I am headed to the kitchen where I will emerge happier, healthier and hopefully well-fed.

I choose  Kitchen therapy.

Our lives are busy.  But we still need to eat!  There are so many shortcuts available and it is easy to take them all, which includes eating prepared meals or eating out every day.

I usually feel better when I head into the kitchen and begin cooking…anything. Buddy and Ginger eagerly follow (these days, Buddy usually gets carried along). Then, Ginger sitting on her orange square and Buddy, either stumbling blindly underfoot or tucked in one arm as I work aptly with the other, anticipate the nibbles and bites they will get as the cooking noises and smells begin to permeate the air.

Chop, chop, chop, sizzle, sizzle… A rhythm begins to take hold and an easy, familiar dance begins to carry my stress away.

I taste what I am making. It is very important to taste. Buddy and Ginger are taste-testers too.

Music is playing.  Music must always be playing…
…and Tom is playing the music.  In the background, and in the foreground, chatting with song.

Last night it was our favorite chicken dish and tonight it will be a comfortably quick beef stew.  I know a stew need not be quick, but quick is what we needed, so into the pressure cooker it went.  It emerged an hour later, prep time and all, a fragrant, creamy and comforting meal that carried us away from a busy week and welcomed us into a cozy Fall weekend.

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SIMPLE BEEF STEW (flavored with balsamic, red wine and mascarpone) – serves 4

Stew always seems to taste better the next day, but with the addition of a little mascarpone and the help of a pressure cooker, this stew tastes as good day one as you might expect it to taste on day two. I am looking forward to days three and four, if it sticks around that long.

Even though it is simple, it feels more refined due to the size of the meat, veg and potato;  I usually keep them chunkier but decided to reduce all in size. Using leeks rather than onions and balsamic vinegar along with red wine, an aroma fills the room reminiscent of Italy or France. The mascarpone is stirred in to help thicken without extra time and lends a distinct creamy, sweet quality that might typically be heavier and more familiar.

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 lbs grass fed beef stew meat, cut into 1/2″ dice
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to season
A handful of semolina flour to dust the meat
1 large leak, cut in half horizontally, cleaned and diced
2-3 large cloves garlic, chopped
2 TB balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup diced potato (skin on is fine)
3 stalks celery, cleaned and diced
1/2 cup diced carrots
1 cup red wine
1 1/2 cups water
2 TB veal demi-glace

1/4 cup diced haricot vert / green beans
1- 1 1/2 cup diced potato (can be a mix of sweet potato and red or white potato)

2-3 TB chopped parsley
1-2 TB chopped rosemary and thyme combined (more or less is fine too)
1 TB Dijon mustard
1 good dollop mascarpone

PREP

1. Prepare all of your vegetables as instructed above so they are at the ready as you begin to cook.

2. Season the beef with about 1/2 tsp kosher salt and fresh ground pepper then dust it with semolina flour just to coat.

3. If you have an electric pressure cooker, turn it to brown and add about 2 TB olive oil to the pot. Brown the meat on all sides.

4. Add the leeks and garlic to the pot and continue to brown until the leeks begin to wilt slightly, about 5 minutes. Add the balsamic vinegar and stir.

5. Add the 1/4 cup diced potatoes, celery, carrots, red wine, water and demi-glace to the pot, stir and turn to high pressure for 15 minutes.

6. When the pressure releases and you can open the lid, add the rest of the ingredients and turn the pressure to high for 30 minutes.

7. When the pressure releases, stir, adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. If it is not thick enough, add a little more mascarpone. It should sit and simmer for at least 15 minutes or until you are ready to eat as it will continue to thicken and the flavors will meld together.

8. Serve in warm bowls with a crusty loaf of bread or a crostini. A simple salad does well to round out the meal.

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g’night Ginger, I wuv you too!

Operator, I’d like a German Oven Pancake please.

02 Sunday Oct 2016

Posted by in Breakfast/Brunch, Ginger + Buddy, the kitchen

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Do you remember the game Operator? It is now known as the telephone game (so I am told); a silly game that we used to play as kids where everyone sits around in a big circle (usually during a sleep-over or birthday party) and one person whispers something into the person’s ear next to them, and that person in turn, whispers the same thing into the next person’s ear, who then repeats it to the next person, and so on.  By the end of the circle, the last person is to repeat what they heard out loud.  The original statement might have started out saying, “Hey neighbor, your cat’s on our fence.”  But the last person to hear it might have heard, “Hey dummy, your elephant is in our backyard.” or some such nonsense.

The point is, as things get passed down, they get reinterpreted, mis-told or misunderstood.  The small details or misconceptions can end up having significant impacts on the final outcome.  I thought of that game this morning as I went to make brunch.  We were down in Hoodsport three weekends ago (as you already know), and my mother-in-law made a wonderful brunch.  It was a German Oven Pancake which came from the oven puffed-up and delicate.  We slathered it with a little butter then topped it with maple syrup (except silly Tom, who decided to make it savory by coating his in ground pepper).  We also had sausages and a plate of fresh fruit.  And mimosas, of course.  The pancake seemed almost crepe-like.  Oh and I do love a good crepe.  This was a good (crepe) pancake!

As we were leaving, Lois ran upstairs and copied the recipe for me, which she had  hand-written on a recipe card, copied from Tom’s cousin Karen.  I didn’t look at it but thanked her, folded it in half and tucked it into a magazine that I was planning to read on the road (home).

The following weekend, I decided I wanted to make the oven pancake for breakfast.  I pulled out the magazine (which I still haven’t read, because it had been in the trunk of our car) and unfolded the recipe.  The copy was very faint and difficult to read.  Tom sat in the daylight (aging eyes struggling), trying to decipher the writing, reading it off to me, stumbling over some of the words and I typed what he said (sic):

“German Oven Pancake – serves 2-4 (or is that a 6?)
1/2 cup flour, sifted, 3 slightly-beaten eggs, 1/2 cup milk, 2 tsp butter or margarine (what?!), melted, 1/4 tsp salt, something, something, confectioner sugar or lemon juice butter.

  1. Add flour to eggs, beating with rotary beater.  Stir in milk, melted butter and salt.  Thoroughly grease bakers joy baking dish pour into mold dish, bake at 450-degrees for 15-17 minutes.  It will get puffy.  Loosen at wide spatula.

     2.  Add butter to flour and eggs then add milk and salt.  Can pour over canadian bacon.”

Seriously, that looks better than what he said.  It mostly made sense, only because I had sat down to brunch with her as she explained that you could sprinkle confectioners sugar over the top, but she didn’t do that.  She also mentioned something about pouring it over Canadian bacon to make it savory.  Which, again, was not done.  If I had just taken the card and tried to follow the recipe, I would have had many more questions.  As it were, my only questions were these:

  1. Does this not use baking powder?
  2. What kind of dish do I bake it in?

I texted over those questions but was inpatient as I was in the thick of my execution and decided to Google, “German Oven Pancake” instead.  The first page that came up was from the Betty Crocker website.  Seeing that the only cookbook my husband, Tom, came to me with was a later edition of the original Betty Crocker cookbook that he had in college (and I don’t think ever used, but he claims Pete did), I suspected it was quite possible that Betty was the first person in the circle to kick-off our little game of Operator.

So it might have started out with Betty saying, “Operator, I’d like a German Oven Pancake, please.”  And I might have finished it by stating, “Operator, I’m a German with a Pancake to Please.”  Finally!  I’m ashamed to admit, it has taken me three tries.

German Oven Pancake (or so I am told)

Adapted from Lois (Bender) Casto via Karen (Bender) Lieberman, via Betty Crocker (maybe?)

Needless to say, my first attempt at this a few weekends ago was not a success.  I think it was because I used whole wheat flour since I did not have any all-purpose flour.  I used almond milk rather than cow’s milk, but it might also have been my choice of pan (Tom says sure, blame it on the pan).  I had not waited for my mother-in-law to respond to my email before heading into the kitchen.  Betty had told us to heat a cast iron skillet before pouring the batter in.  After I did this, I got the email from Lois telling me specifically not to use a hot pan.  I also decided to make it savory, using proscuitto.  Tom thinks it tasted more like a “real” whole wheat pancake.  Not what I had in mind, but edible.

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I treated it a bit like Margharita (not the best choice)

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The proscuitto was tasty.

The following weekend, I thought I might borrow a cup of all-purpose flour from my neighbor Piotr (who was away on job assignment; we were tending to his mail and his garbage).  Turned out he too was with whole wheat flour only (good boy).  So this time I used a cold pan, but still had the wrong flour.  Admmitablely, it looked prettier and (sort of) puffed up but it was a bit dense and not that great (BTW Piotr, your flour is stale).

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Puffy, yes.  Flour, a tad stale.

So now this time, I did use all-purpose flour, but had to use Greek yogurt (thinned with water) instead of milk (yup, you guessed it, I had no milk).  My cake did not bubble up, nor did it get pouffy, like a soufflé (as Lois’ did), but the flavor was spot on!  More eggy than cake-like, fluffy, light and a perfect partner for maple syrup, butter and sausage (and not appropriate for pepper).

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Ahhhh, success (even if the picture tells a different story).

Ingredients

1/2 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 cup milk
2 tsp butter, melted
1/2 tsp kosher salt

Prepare

Heat an oven to 450-degrees.

Butter a baking dish (preferably glass).

Whisk the milk, butter and salt into the eggs

Slowly, whisk in the flour being careful not to over-mix

Pour into the prepared baking dish and cook for 15-17 minutes.  It should puff up, but even if it doesn’t, it should still taste quite good.  Divide amongst four plates, put a dollop of butter on top and pour some warm maple syrup over.  Serve with fruit and breakfast sausage if desired.  A mimosa washes it down well (as often he case).

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Can I have some too?

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Anyone gonna’ eat that last bite?  I will, even if I’m about to lose a toof.  Did someone say toof fairy leaves treats?

 

 

 

Sweet Evolution

10 Saturday Sep 2016

Posted by in Reviews, the kitchen

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No, I’m not talking Darwin’s Theory stuff here but rather plum torte evolution; yet, evolution nonetheless.  A recipe.  A quite famous (and DEMANDED) recipe!  Not mine but one published by Marian Burros in The New York Times, circa 1983.

“It”, as will it be referred to from here (the plum torte recipe) started out as an idea (I speculate) and turned into an essential, a must have recipe!

“It”, became beloved and popular, for it’s spectacularnous (not technically a word, I know, but I do like to make up words, or Stacey-isms as Tom would call it) and yearned for as a nod to the end of Summer and the beginning of Fall.

“It”, was coveted and found to be genius!  Which, genius it was really, and still is (as all genius things are, which makes them, well, genius).

But…times move onward and forward.  As did “The New York Times”, who published this recipe for plum torte from Marian Burros every year beginning in 1983 and trying to end in 1989 when they decided to (gasp…) quit publishing “It”.  They dared to quit publishing said recipe for plum torte, telling readers that they best cut it out, laminate it and hang it on their fridge because if they lost it, they were on their own.  Ha!

I had a hard copy of the recipe folded and tucked into one of my journals for years.  It had stains and crumples and batter caked onto it’s face.

I have lost it, and found it, and lost it again.  But then, I never laminated it, nor put it on my fridge.

Now, I Google to find it each year.  How’s that for evolution?  Google that!  What would we do without the internet?!

If you are a person who reads about food, loves to think about and cook food, types in searches on Google about food, come plum season, you too, my friend, are sure to have read about the recipe here, or perhaps here. No?!!!! 

This torte is really a buttery (plum) cake.  It is as simple in its’ ingredients as it is simple in its’ steps for making. The plums transform from their raw, unassuming state into a puddle of inky jam pillowed by the buttery batter.  Mingled with cinnamon and sugar, they become fast friends at any dinner/breakfast or lunch party.

This year, as we were visiting my in-laws, at their Washington “cabin” in Hoodsport, sporting a bag of very ripe Italian plums from the farm down the road (our fave Hunter Farms), among other edibles, and I thought again about this (in)famous plum torte.

When we departed, I left my Mother-in-law, Lois, with the bag of plums, which were still taking up space in the fridge.  I also sent a link to the story, with recipe, for the famous plum torte.  On the way home (a 2 1/2 hour drive), I looked up the story again, to read for myself (having been absent on it for a few years).  This time, I also read an updated article from the Eating Well section of The New York Times published September 4, 1991.  It talks of others trying to make it healthier, but failing.  Not failing so much, as for it just not being the same.

In my young(er) years, I gave no thought to healthy eating.  More butter, meat, and sweets — bring it on!  Carbohydrate was not even part of my vocabulary, let alone something I felt should be cut out.  Whole grains were for hippies and tree huggers; I was completely content with my Wonder Bread, Ritz crackers and Nabisco Nilla Wafers.    Oh you know what I’m talking’ about.

Today, food production has become different as accessibility to new, and awareness of, better ingredients become more prevalent.  Thankfully, I have long ago, ditched Wonder Bread for artisan breads; sometimes whole grain, sometimes not.  I am not a stickler about eating only the healthiest things, but especially when I bake things, I am more mindful of the ingredients that I put into them.  I almost exclusively use whole wheat pastry flour.  Yes, it is slightly different, but it too produces a lovely cake.

I could go on…but I won’t.

At least for not too long.  I promise!

In the Eating Well article, ideas on change were thrown here and there.  Whole wheat.  Less butter.  Gaaasp…margarine instead.  Egg whites, less yolk.  Bananas!  No, seriously, bananas?!  Granted, I’ve talked about using avocado instead of butter before (much to Tom’s chagrin), but even that would not do here.

How can we do this better?   Perhaps we can and perhaps we can’t?  But we can do it healthier.  Of this I am sure!

I have done it, in-fact.  Yes, I have!  As I am sure, so have half of you.  The original recipe was genius.  It allowed many of us to produce a dessert so mind-blowingly good with such little effort that I would speculate, in the months of September and October, at least 20-30% of the Italian plums grown in the United States, still go into the original recipe, or some version there-of.

This healthier version might not be the same.  I am sure it tastes different.  It does, however, taste damn good!  Good to be eating fresh fruit good; even if the fruit has been cooked.  Butter is there, which makes it better and true to the roots.  Less butter.  More roots (from the grass from which the cows ate).  The sugar is unrefined and from coconuts.  Less sugar, more (plum) flavor, sweet!  

I am still a big fan of the Original.  I will never claim this is better.  But it is better for you and it tastes just as good (to me).  The texture is more crumbly, nuttier and more dense.  It has you thinking you are in Italy, sitting street-side, sipping wine in a lovely cafe after sketching some bridge, street or building in your tattered book.  Or writing endlessly about food in your journal.

5

Plum Torte (Adapted from Marian Burros version; updated for today’s healthier, modern lifestyle)

Okay Suzanne (AKA, Pug in the Kitchen), this one’s for you.  A healthy dessert we can all get behind, but only for the months of August and September, and perhaps part of October (because that is when the plums are available).  Enjoy for breakfast or dessert; even a mid-day snack or coffee break.  So many ways to enjoy this.  So little time.  Delightfully ripe plums available now in Farmer’s Markets and grocery stores (most) everywhere (at least in the United States).  Make this torte (cake) now and you will be making it forever more.  It will be a go-to thing, I’m sure!

INGREDIENTS

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour (all purpose if you stick to the original)
1 tsp baking powder
A pinch of kosher salt
1/2 cup unrefined coconut sugar (obviously cane sugar works too, but then itwill not have that “modern healthy lifestyle” vibe nor will it have the depth of nuttiness; unrefined white sugar will be more like the original but then, use 1 cup).
1 stick (1/2 cup) grass fed, unsalted butter, softened to room temperature (grass-fed cows produce healthier butter); you can use regular butter however.
20 ripe, Italian plums, cut in half, pits removed and discarded.  The original recipe calls for 24 but in the pan I use, I can’t squeeze them in.  This seems like a lot, but go with it because the results speak for themself.
a little lemon juice
1 *TB cinnamon  + a little sugar (to sprinkle over)

* the recipe published in the NYT had a mis-print calling for 1 TB cinnamon when in fact, it should have been 1 tsp. As someone who doesn’t often measure cinnamon anyway, I would naturally have put in closer to 1 TB. Do what feels right to you.

plums

PREP

I started, this year, by screwing up the first step.  Alas, it turned out nonetheless!  I accidentally put the sugar in with the flour, salt and baking powder.  It is suppose to be creamed into the butter.

Whoops.

What I did to undo?  I took a handful of the flour mixture and added that to the butter, whipped it to creamy, then added in the rest of the flour mixture, followed by the eggs.

What you should actually do to prep:

In a smaller bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.

In a larger bowl, cream the butter and sugar with a mixer.

Beat the flour mix into the butter mix.

Transfer batter to a buttered and floured spring-form pan (10″ to 11″ diameter).  If you don’t have one, use a regular cake pan (as I did; to remove, I just tipped over like a cake and invert).

raw batter

Bake, in a pre-heated, 350-degree oven, for 1 hour, or until a toothpick comes away clean.

Serve with a dollop of crème fraîche or a slice of creamy cheese.

g-awake-b-asleep

 Buddy:  Sugar plum fairies dance in my head…                                                                                   Ginger:  Did someone say cheese?  I like cheese!  I like solid ground too.

 

gb-kayak-1

Buddy:  Why did you wake me? I want some plum cake.                                                                            Ginger:  You are weird to like plums, mangos are better.                                                                    Buddy:  Am I dreaming?  I feel like we should be floating.

 

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Off we go!