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10 Legs in the Kitchen

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10 Legs in the Kitchen

Tag Archives: IFBC 2015

Humble Pie

25 Sunday Oct 2015

Posted by Stacey Bender in the kitchen

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Amy Pennington, Apple dumpling, IFBC 2015, Jess Thompson, Kathleen Flinn, Tom Douglas

FullSizeRender

When I was about to graduate from Cornish, I volunteered to head up the committee to organize the food for our BFA show.  Of course, my role was related to food, because in hind-sight, that was my real passion.  We had an extremely limited budget though, so I painstakingly got on the phone to companies around town to ask them to donate food for the event.  To my surprise, as hard as it was for me to actually bring myself to make the calls, I found it exhilarating!  I was, in-fact, pulling together an amazing menu through my efforts and loved the connections I was making to our local community.

The toughest phone call I made was to Marcella Rosene, Founder of Pasta & Co (now owned by Kurt Beecher Dammeier from Sugar Mountain Foods).  She was my idol.  Pasta & Co was the type of store I wanted someday, to own.  When I called her, she seemed so personable.  So friendly.  So real!  She did not donate her food but she gave us an amazing deal and personally came to the event to set it up on beautifully stark white platters with handwritten labels describing each dish.  It was so perfect!

Meeting her in-person was pivotal for me.  I was absolutely floating after the event and probably should have gone into event planning, catering, or something else, right then and there!  But I didn’t.  I went on to work in my chosen field of Commercial Interior Design at one of the largest architectural firms in the country, actually, the world.  Years into this job, I begin to long for a career involving food (which is why I moonlighted at Etta’s Seafood two days a week for Tom Douglas).

I wanted to reach out to Marcella once again, but this time on a personal quest.  I wanted to take her to lunch and ask her advise.  I wanted to know how she got started, what it would take for me to get started, and how hard the journey would be if I embarked on one.

I never did.  I was too afraid to pick up the phone, or simply, even send an email.

After the company sold, Marcella stayed on as a vital employee and continued to leave us all feel that she was still the owner.  I was secretly disappointed that it hadn’t been me that was fortunate (or wealthy enough) to be the one that had taken over the reins of her wildly successful food model.  I still didn’t call her or write.  Ugh.

Some twenty years later, I am still a designer and am still in love with the world of food, and still love shopping at/eating from Pasta & Co.  More recently, I have wanted to reach out to people like Molly Wizenberg, Kathleen Flinn, Amy Pennington and Jess Thompson, but for years, have been far too intimidated.

Me, intimidated, how ironic, since I have been told often that I, myself, am intimidating (me?)!

I am an introvert and while I might be loud sometimes and talkative (even a “fast talker”), I am happier huddled up in my kitchen with the other eight legs (Ginger and Buddy), a glass of wine, and my pots and pans, cooking.  The music is always on and Tom is usually hanging around fixing or cleaning something or conversing, a safe distance from under-foot. I talk about things I want to do and people I want to reach-out to, but never do.

This year at the International Food Blogger’s Conference, I actually met Kathleen Flinn, Jess Thompson and Amy Pennington (and still hope to meet Molly one day, but she wasn’t there, that I’m aware of).  I also listened to them speak their wisdom and I did, in-fact, hang on every word!  One of the big come-aways from this event, for me, was that the people we look up to or admire, are real people and are often quite approachable.  They too are passionate about what they do and are actually inclined to help others reach their goals as well; sometimes, all you have to do is ask.

Kathleen Flinn, author of “Burnt Toast Makes you Sing Good” and “The Sharper Your Knife, the Less you Cry”,  spoke about journalism writing.  She holds writing classes which you can find out about at her website. I sat in the front row but was caught off guard when she called on me.  I was completely unprepared to answer the simplest of questions “What is your Blog about”? (note to self – apologize for that!!!… and figure out a better answer).

From IFCB’s 2015 Website Agenda:  “Hungry for Words: Journalism 101 for Food Bloggers” :  “Get a crash course from award-winning author and former journalist, Kathleen Flinn, in the fundamentals taught at J-school and exercised by working journalists. You’ll move from Who/What/When/Where/How/Why to methods for conducting successful research, working with the AP style guide and interview techniques. We’ll also cover the elements that define good explanatory journalism (which includes most food writing). Finally, the session will shift to some basic reporter tactics, including designing your own “beat,” developing sources, keeping a tickler file and developing an editorial calendar. Even if you’ve got a recipe-based blog, this jam-packed session is aimed to help you avoid embarrassing mistakes, organize your thinking and make your work feel more professional. Hopefully, it will also inspire you to reach beyond your comfort zone and look at old subjects with a new, more inquisitive perspective.”

Jess Thompson spoke at a session, author of the food blog Hog Wash and co-author (most recently for Renee Erickson’s book,  A Boat, A Whale & A Walrus).  I introduced myself after her talk.  I wish I had been more prolific in what I said (or at least been myself) because she is the type of person I would be friends with if I had gone to school with her.  She and I might have been best friends (if we had actually met).

From IFBC’s 2015  Website Agenda:  “(Writing): Honing the Craft “:  “No blog succeeds without good writing. Join award-winning food writer Jess Thomson (Hogwash) as she explores what makes personal narrative work, how she’s developed her voice, and where her own writing process starts. She’ll identify the tenets of good memoir, and lead a writing exercise that allows participants to put their new knowledge to use immediately. (View her presentation here).”

Amy Pennington, author, cook, farmer and all-around fancy, foot-loose food lover, wore many hats in marketing, working at and helping coordinate this (IFBC) event.  I was lucky enough to catch-up to her in the hall and introduce myself.  We have in common, personal tenures at Tom Douglas’ restaurant empire some many years past yet our paths never crossed back then.  She is very approachable and I hope to catch-up with her again in the future.

From Amy’s Website:  “OFFICIALLY: Amy Pennington is a cook, author, and urban farmer. She is the author of Urban Pantry: Tips and Recipes for a Thrifty, Sustainable and Seasonal Kitchen, Apartment Gardening, Apples from Harvest to Table AND Fresh Pantry – Learn to Love Your Vegetables, One Month at a Time. She is also the host of the PBS show Check, Please! Northwest. Pennington has been named one of Seattle Magazine’s 2013 Top 50 most powerful players in Seattle’s food scene and as a 2012 Bon Appetit Tastemaker. She has been featured in Bon Appetit, Wall Street Journal, the Huffington Post, GOOP.com, and Apartment Therapy. She runs GoGo Green Garden, an urban farming service specializing in organic edible gardens for homes and businesses. Pennington lives in Seattle.”

Well, let’s cook!

close up1

Humble (Apple) Pie – makes 4 individual pies

This is loosely adapted from Tom Douglas’ Apple Dumplings, a dessert he has had on his menu at Etta’s Seafood for years.  It is a long-time favorite of my Tom’s but one I do not often make (being a cook rather than a baker and all).  Mine is quite “humble” looking and yet, still extraordinary in taste.

Tom Douglas serves his with homemade cinnamon ice-cream and a maple sauce but it is just as fine with a good quality vanilla ice-cream or even just a dollop of creme fraiche.  Dusting the top with cinnamon is not a bad way to go either.  I use fresh figs rather than dates and use almost no sugar; it is sweet enough as it is with the apples.

INGREDIENTS

2 apples, cut in half lengthwise
2 fresh figs, stemmed
2 tsp butter
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp turbino sugar
A pinch of kosher salt
1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar
Lemon juice to drizzle

1/2 recipe (or more as needed) pastry dough: (You can use many number of recipes but basically, add 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour, 1 TB raw cane sugar, 1 tsp kosher salt, 2 sticks chilled butter to a food processor.  Process and then add ice water in 1 TB increments until it comes together.

The butter should be chilled and sliced smallish when added to the mix.  The mix in the processor will seem wobbly but when removed will mold together like a good wad of Playdo.  Divide in half and press each half into a circle.  Cover with wrap and chill for an hour before proceeding.

PREP

Chop the figs, butter, cinnamon and salt together on a chopping board.  Add the balsamic and mush together.

Scoop the middle of each apple half to remove the seeds and create a small “bowl”.

Divide the fig mixture among each of the four apple halves; drizzle with lemon juice.

IMG_7302

Roll out the pastry dough into a square (if possible). Cut the square into quarters. Cover each apple with a square and wrap it to encase the whole apple.  You might need another piece to cover the bottom but just tuck and wrap creating as messy or as neat of a package as you like.

Slice a few air holes into the top and place on a baking sheet.  Sprinkle the tops with cinnamon and sugar.

Bake in a 400-degree, pre-heated oven for approximately 25 minutes or until the apple is cooked through and the crust is slightly golden.  Serve hot from the oven.  They can be kept refrigerated until you are ready to use and then re-heated before serving.  They also freeze well.

IMG_5108We like apples…and figs!

One!

28 Sunday Sep 2014

Posted by Stacey Bender in family gatherings, From the journals, the kitchen

≈ 15 Comments

Tags

cantaloupe sauce, Corn broth, Fall dinner, food, fresh shrimp spring rolls, IFBC 2014, IFBC 2015, massaged kale, pork belly, recipes, true cod

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The number of times I have gone to Europe.
The number of meals I have eaten which included beef tongue.
The number of times I have truly fallen in love.
ONE.
The number of years I have attended the International Food Bloggers Conference (IFBC 2014).
The number of years I have written this Blog.
One!
One special, overwhelming, fulfilling, challenging, and inspirational year!
One year ago today, Pete was sitting in our dining room, asking me what I wanted this to look like.  One day before, I had no idea what I was about to get into let alone know what it should look like (other than the header, which Pete designed for me earlier).  I would not have ever gotten past the thought of a space to write down my ideas about food without first, the journals that my husband Tom bought me, ritually, each time I filled one up, or second, without Pete saying, “Hey, do you want me to come over and just help you do this thing?”.  I can’t thank them enough!

And big thanks to all of you that actually read what I write.  A bigger thanks to those that actually leave comments and/or follow my blog (Simon, you were my first follower, thanks!).  Most of all I am just happy to have a place that I can escape to and write for a few minutes, or an hour, or a day.  One!  Without that time, I feel lost.  Without that writing, I would not have connected to all of the people that I have met through this blog.  I am so glad to have “met” each of you.  I wish I could meet you all in person, have you to dinner, or share a glass of wine over a leisurely lunch.  But we can pretend (unless you actually come over, then we can do some serious eating!).

I leave you with this, a dinner that we shared last night with my Mom and her opposite-sex-partner, John (very much part of the family too), before their departure back to Alaska (after fixing numerous household things in need of repair).  One trip, one meal, one year, is never enough (but they will be back for a special birthday in a month, I will keep writing for another year and I will attend, for my second time, the International Food Bloggers Conference, September 18-20, 2015, you too can register here).

One Summer down, Fall is back in the air, and this is the meal that we shared… and for Mom, my recipe for the pork belly + canteloupe sauce.  One course is never enough.  We had five.  A good number too, but too much to write. This is about, One (recipe).

A Fall Dinner for Mom and John 9/27/14

To start – Nibbles with cocktails
Fresh shrimp spring rolls with dipping sauces (nuac chom + nectarine sauce)
+
Fried shoyu tofu sticks + golden cow’s milk cheese & everything crackers (for the nibbler (ironically not me, my Mom))
1st
Roast beet + raw zucchini and mint stack with miso sauce and pickled ginger
2nd
True cod with corn, wild mushrooms, baby bok choy and shoyu corn broth
3rd
*Pork belly + scallop, massaged kale, cantaloupe sauce
To finish
Fig, apple and ricotta galette with carmel cashew-milk ice cream
+
Berry galette with Elleno’s lemon curd yogurt

PS_spring rollsFresh shrimp spring rolls with dipping sauces.

PS_beet stack 1Roast beet + raw zucchini and mint stack with miso sauce and pickled ginger.

PS_cod 2
True cod with corn, wild mushrooms, baby bok choy and shoyu corn broth.

PS_ TOMpork 2
Pork belly + scallop, massaged kale, cantaloupe sauce.

PS_pie
Berry galette with Elleno’s lemon curd yogurt (in the making).

*Pork belly + scallop, massaged kale, cantaloupe sauce
Serves 4-6 people

It is best to get the pork belly with the skin on if you can; this time I did not but I prefer it that way (it keeps the fat from turning very black).   I learned the method of cooking pork belly from Tom Collicio’s book, “Think Like a Chef” and have experimented with many different cooking flavors, modifications ever since.  The pork belly is braised in a broth that then becomes the base of the sauce for the true cod (above) which I also used to flavor the beets, zucchini and fried tofu sticks.

The cantaloupe sauce helps cut the richness of the pork and the saltiness of the shoyu braise.  It smells of pumpkin as it cooks, and looks like butterscotch when done.  I make this sauce every Fall.  It is wonderful served with a meal of cranberry beans, pork loin and prosciutto, plus could easily be used to sauce everything from fish to fois gras.  Because I was pairing this with a shoyu-based braise, I changed out the typical Chardonnay in the sauce for sake, but either would work fine.  You can freeze leftovers in a Ziploc freezer bag or freezer-safe container.  Both the pork and the sauce can be made a day or two in advance, which makes it great for entertaining.

The kale was an afterthought because I felt we needed something green, I had some in the fridge, plus I felt it would lend a perfect balance of texture and flavor to the rest of the dish.  My favorite way to eat kale is a simple massage of olive oil, sea salt and lemon juice.  No cooking required; the heat from the pork and the sauce are all the heat that is needed.

INGREDIENTS (for the pork belly)

2 lbs pork belly, skin on if you can
Salt and pepper
1 celery stick, diced
3/4 cup onion, chopped
2 TB chopped garlic
3/4 cup corn broth
1/2 cup shoyu (I used Ohsawa organic Nama Shoyu.  Quality does make a difference but feel free to substitute for a soy sauce instead.  Please note that it might be saltier so do adjust according to taste.
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1/2 cup water

INGREDIENTS (for the cantaloupe sauce)

1 cup chopped onion (or shallot)
1/4 cup chopped fennel bulb (or a few fennel stems and fronds from the garden, chopped as I did this time; I had no fennel bulb)
1 TB butter for sauteing (or use olive oil)
3 TB L’Estornell Grenache varietal red wine vinegar (or another good quality red wine vinegar) (more as needed to season)
1 cup sake (or chardonnay)
2 to 2 1/2 cups large diced, peeled cantaloupe
A handful of fresh basil (optional)
1 TB red currant jelly (I forgot it last night but it does help to thicken the sauce)
1 TB demi-glace
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/8 cup heavy cream
Sea salt to taste

INGREDIENTS (to finish and serve)

Kale (approximately 1 leaf per person), rinsed, dried and stem removed
Olive oil, sea salt and lemon juice to taste

Fresh, dry-packed sea scallops (1 per person)
Olive oil, a knob of butter, sea salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice

Fennel fronds and flower for garnish (optional)

PREP & COOK (the pork)

Season the pork with sea salt and pepper

Pre-heat the oven to 350-degrees

In a hot pan, brown the pork, skin (or fat) side down (this might take 10-15 minutes over medium heat).  No oil is needed as there is plenty of fat that will come out of the pork.  Drain it off periodically if it splatters too much.  You will want to reserve about 1-2 TB for cooking the vegetables.  Transfer the pork to a plate.

In 1-2 TB pork fat, cook the celery, onion and garlic until soft.  This will take about 10 minutes more. Keep the heat low so as not to brown the vegetables.

Transfer the vegetables to a baking dish.  Top with the pork belly, skin (or fat) side up.

Combine the shoyu, rice wine vinegar and water in a small bowl (or measuring glass).  Pour enough of this mixture into the baking dish to come 1/2 to 3/4 the way up, but not cover the pork.  You will likely still have some liquid left which will be added later.

Cook, uncovered for 1 1/2 hours.  Check on the liquid and add more if needed.

Cook an additional hour, checking occasionally to be sure it is not burning or running out of liquid.  If it browns too much, you can cover it loosely with foil.  Add the rest of the liquid (if any).  You could use sake or water if needed.

PS2_pork pan 2

3 hours is usually how long I leave my pork to cook.  It should be quite tender (the degree of tenderness will depend on the thickness of the pork and the ratio of fat to meat).  It will go back in the oven to finish later (if eating that night), or the next day (if doing in advance).

If you are doing this in advance, store the pork, in the baking pan with the liquid (and solids), covered and refrigerated until ready to use.

When you are ready to use (up to 8 hours in advance), transfer the pork to a plate.  Pick off obvious pieces of fat that have solidified in the liquid.  Strain the contents of the pan through a fine mesh strainer (or chinois) into a bowl and discard the solids.  Separate the oil from the liquid as best you can.  The liquid will likely be quite salty; this is okay. You should have about one cup of liquid.  Dilute with more corn broth (approximately 1/2 to 3/4 cup).  Taste for flavor and adjust accordingly.  It should be balanced in flavor now, not too salty, not too sweet.

Remove the skin from the pork (skip this step, obviously, if there was no skin to start). Cut the pork into 4-6 equal sized pieces. Score the fat.  Put it back into a baking pan with the liquid.  At this point, I went ahead and added a few tablespoons of that liquid to my sliced beets, zucchini and tofu. I “borrowed” more of the liquid when I went to cook my true cod.

In a 350-degree oven, cook (or re-warm) the pork until it is very tender and the fat is browned (but not burnt).  If you did not have skin on the pork, the skin will burn easier so you should keep checking in on it’s progress.  Allow 1/2 hour for this process but you can keep it in the oven for longer if you are serving other courses; just be sure to cover it or turn down the heat so as not to dry the pork out.

PREP & COOK (the cantaloupe sauce)

Heat a saute pan and melt a knob of butter.  Add the onion and fennel.  Cook until the onion is translucent, approximately 10 minutes.  Add the vinegar and cook a few minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated.

PS_close up sauce

Add the sake (or wine) and cantaloupe; continue simmering for approximately 20 minutes more or until the cantaloupe has softened and blended into the pan (another 20 minutes or so).

Strain the sauce through a chinois.  The liquid should be thin and bright.  You will likely have 1 1/2 cups.

PS2_top of chinois
The bowl in the front is my strained pork braising liquid.

PS_kitchen window 2

Put the liquid back to the sauce pan (wiped clean).  Add the basil (if using) and let steep for 1/2 an hour, no need to turn on the burner.  Remove and squeeze liquid from basil, discard basil.

Add the jelly, cayenne, demi-glace and cream.  Bring to a simmer and reduce until it is just thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, approximately 20 minutes (it will reduce by about 1/3).  Set aside and re-heat when ready to use.

FINISH & SERVE

While the pork is warming in the oven, prepare the kale.  Slice the leaves into pieces, drizzle over some olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and squeeze over a wedge of lemon. Gently massage the leaves to soften and distribute the flavors.  I think I might have even spooned over a bit of the shoyu corn broth (optional).  Set aside.

Rinse and pat dry the scallops (remove the muscle if it is still attached).  Score the top side with a small cross-hatch cut.  Season with salt and pepper.  Be sure the scallop is completely dry before putting them in the pan to produce a nice seared top.

Re-heat the cantaloupe sauce.  Check to be sure the pork is warmed through.

On individual plates, divide the kale.  If using fennel fronds and flowers, put them artfully on the plates too.

Heat a saute pan until hot.  Add just enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the pan.  When the oil is heated (enough to easily move about the pan), add the scallops, scored side down.  Do not touch them for at least 2 minutes.

When the scallops easily come away from the pan with a spatula without sticking, and they are nicely browned on the one side, throw in the knob of butter.  It should melt quickly.  Turn the scallops over.  In the 30 seconds after you turn the scallops, place one piece of pork on each plate.  Immediately squeeze in a lemon wedge and turn off the heat.  The scallops should be soft to the touch still (not rubbery), seared on the exterior and soft in the middle.

Quickly spoon the cantaloupe sauce onto each plate and immediately remove the scallops from the pan and place one on each plate.

PS_buddyOne bite!

PS_sleeping bagsTwo pups!

PS2_1110 legs!

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