Archive | Food RSS feed for this section

Grilled Halibut with Fresh & Oven-Dried Tomato Salsa

13 Jul

As a nod to the 2010 World Cup Champions, I decided to grill up some halibut with throw in some Spanish flavors.  Okay, so I didn’t really watch any of the soccer matches except for the last hour of the finals.  And how unfortunate that that was the match I decided to catch.  I have sat through some real snoozer AYSO and club soccer matches… but come on, really.  On to happier things.

halibut-w

I was actually trying to use some of the sweet Oven-Dried Tomatoes that I had made.  There is a fresh and sun-dried tomato salsa recipe that I used to make when I was a personal chef.  The girls at “Camp Crazy” (that’s another story) used to love it. Anyway, I must have had Spain on the brain after the World Cup and thought I would Spanish it up a bit.  I infused some olive oil with saffron, garlic, thyme, and pimentón (smoked Spanish paprika).  The pimentón adds a wonderful slight smokiness which really compliments the grilled fish. I had a little left over, so I marinated the fish in it (actually, I drizzled it over the asparagus too).  ¡OLÉ!

Grilled Halibut with Fresh & Oven-Dried Tomato Salsa

Serves 4

Saffron Garlic Oil:
1/3 cup Spanish olive oil
1 medium pinch saffron threads
3 large garlic clove thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon pimentón (Spanish paprika), or regular paprika
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

4 halibut fillets, about 6-ounces each
3 Tablespoon sherry vinegar

Fresh & Oven-Dried Salsa:
1 cup red cherry or grape tomatoes
1 cup yellow cherry or grape tomatoes
1/4 cup roughly chopped oven-dried tomatoes (sun-dried packed in oil)
1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano
1 1/2 Tablespoons sherry vinegar
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Heat oil, saffron, and garlic in a small saucepan over medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes or until fragrant.  Remove from heat and stir in the pimentón, thyme leaves, and red pepper flakes. Set aside to cool.

Rinse halibut fillets with cold water. Pat dry with paper towels and place in a shallow bowl.  Stir saffron garlic oil then measure out 2 tablespoons of the oil and set aside. Stir 3 tablespoons sherry vinegar into the remaining oil and spoon over fish. Turn fish to coat and let marinate in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours, turning occasionally.

Quarter the cherry tomatoes (or cut in half if using grape tomatoes) and place in a medium bowl. Add the oven-dried tomatoes, oregano, vinegar, and remaining 2 tablespoons saffron garlic oil. Toss to combine and set aside covered in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

About 30 minutes before you are ready to grill, remove fish and salsa from refrigerator. Prepare your grill for direct cooking over medium heat. Brush and oil the grate well before you begin cooking. Remove from marinade and place the halibut skin-side up at a 45 degree angle (for nice grill marks) on the grill.  Cook for about 4 to 6 minutes per side depending on the thickness of the fillets.  The fish will be done when you can flake it easily with a fork.

Serve fish warm with Fresh & Oven-Dried Tomato Salsa and some grilled asparagus.  Pour yourself and nice glass fruity Rioja Tinto and enjoy!

Give this recipe a try(you won’t be disappointed) and let me know what you think. Peace.

Oven-Dried Tomatoes: Nature’s Candy

7 Jul

I recently finished a styling job and had 16-18 vine ripened tomatoes left over.  I didn’t want them to go to waste and I can only eat so much salsa!  Now mind you, the 1980′s totally ruined sun-dried tomatoes for me.  Seems it was either sun-dried tomatoes or cilantro on everything that decade (still a fan of cilantro).  I find the little suckers hard, dry and just kinda bleh.  Even after they’ve been reconstituted, they’re not so great; and the oil packed type are not much better.

I remember reading about oven drying tomatoes a few years back.  I thought if I could dry them to the point of just concentrating all that goodness without turning them to shoe leather, I might find them more appealing.  And were they ever! It takes a long time at very low temperatures to get them there, but so well-worth it!  The first batch Corey and I gobbled down before I remembered to take a picture.  So I gave it a go a few days ago just to get the picture.  This time however, I packed them in jelly jars with some garlic and fresh thyme then covered them with a really good olive oil. Since local tomatoes are in season, I would suggest running to the farmer’s market and try this yourself.

tomatoes in jar

Oven Dried Tomatoes

Ripe Tomatoes
Sea Salt

Preheat oven to 175°F or the lowest setting on your oven.  Place cooling racks over sheet pans.

blog1 Core tomatoes
and slice in half top to bottom.
blog2 Scoop out seeps
and membrane. Place on racks, cut side up, and lightly sprinkle with sea
salt.
blog3 Place in oven.
Leave oven door slightly cracked. Let tomatoes dry 10 to 16 hours.

I used a wooden spoon handle to keep the oven door from closing all the way. The finished tomatoes will have shrunk considerably, but should still be fleshy.  Remove and peel skin from tomatoes.

These sweet, tender and moist tomatoes are fantastic on their own, but would be excellent in pasta or on toasted baguette slices spread with a soft goat cheese and topped with fresh chopped basil, a drizzle of olive oil, and freshly ground black pepper. Delicious!

If you like this post, please pass it on to a friend!
Peace.

Red, Black & Blue Burgers

1 Jul

I am trying to get over some issues I have with perfectionism… I KNOW, go figure! Every good food writer/blogger will tell you that you have to have a picture of the recipe you’re writing about. “Your a food stylist for chrissake” some might say. And I suppose if I was actually a PHOTOGRAPHER, I might see their point.  At any rate, there are a lot of recipes that I have been trying to get up on here for grilling season (actually before Father’s Day).  Here comes the perfectionism part, it would take me the better part of a day to get a shot I liked. I am willing to concede to the shitty pics, but I am swamped this week writing recipes and styling food for $$$ and do not have time to fuss with pics shitty or not.  Sorry, I’ll add the pic later.

burger1

The Red, Black and Blue Burger picture! YAY

With that said, this burger ROCKS and I want you to have it for your 4th of July grill. A couple notes: DO NOT that crappy pre-crumbled blue cheese in the grocery store; I love love love Pt. Reyes Blue from Cowgirl Creamery. The brioche buns are available at Trader Joe’s. Oh, and make the spice mix and onion jam the night before to save time.

Red, Black & Blue Burgers

1 recipe Blackening Spices
1 recipe Red Onion Jam
4 ounces GOOD QUALITY blue cheese, crumbled
2 tablespoons butter, softened
2 cups pinot noir
1 1/2 pounds ground chuck
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
1 egg
Sea salt
4 brioche buns
Butter lettuce
Tomatoes, thickly sliced
Dijon mustard

Blend the butter and blue cheese together with a fork. Lay a piece of plastic wrap over a dinner plate. Place four spoonfuls of the blue cheese onto the plate, loosely cover then smash into 3 to 3-1/2 inch disks. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes – they need to be cold and firm.

In a small saucepan over high heat, reduce the wine down to 1/2 cup. Remove from heat and cool.

In a medium mixing bowl, thoroughly mix the wine reduction, ground beef, breadcrumbs, and egg. Divide the mixture into eight equal portions and shape into round patties. Place disk blue cheese butter onto four of the patties and top each with another patty. Pinch the edges together firmly and re-shape into a round patty of even thickness. Season with salt and generously sprinkle/rub the Blackening Seasoning both sides of the burgers. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to cook.

Prepare your grill for direct cooking over high heat. Brush and oil the grate before you begin cooking. Place the burgers on the preheated grill and cook for about 5 minutes per side. Place the buns cut side down on the grill for 1 minute or so until toasted.

These burgers on that buttery brioche bun slathered with Red Onion Jam is DE-licious! Bump it up and add some thick sliced bacon and slices of ripe California avocados.

Work it out and let me know how they were!
Peace.

Grilling Primer: Basic Cooking Methods

21 Jun

Cook It Up!

In this final installment of the Grilling Primer, I’ll cover basic methods of cooking on a grill.  What you really need to know about your heat source is where it’s located and how hot it is.  In other words, direct vs. indirect cooking.  First let’s discuss temperature or how hot the fire is.

Many cookbooks give pretty vague instructions regarding temperature when it comes to grilling (of course, not the books that I write!).  Words like hot, medium-hot, etc. are most often used in books on outdoor cooking referring to the temperature at the grate.  Sometimes you may get actual temperatures, or perhaps you come across the “hand method”.  The hand-method refers to the length of time you can hold your hand an inch or two above the cooking grate (count one-Mississippi, two-Mississippi, etc.).  Here is a comparison of the three methods:

Heat Level Temperature Hand Method
Hot 450° F to 500°F 2 seconds or less
Medium-Hot 400° F to 450°F 3 to 4 seconds
Medium 350° F to 400°F 4 to 5 seconds
Medium-Low 300° F to 350°F 6 to 8 seconds
Low Below 300° F More than 10 seconds

Side Note: using  this chart, you can now convert your outdoor cooking recipes to indoor cooking if for some reason you cannot cook outdoors.  Think grill pan or broiler. Boiler you say? Why yes, think of your broiler as an upside down grill!

This leads us to the next question – where does the heat come from?

Direct Heat Cooking
Direct heat cooking is pretty much Grilling 101.  You have heat, a grate over the heat, and food on the grate above the heat.  Usually the grill is uncovered.  This method is great for steaks, cut-up chicken, burgers, hot dogs, fish, vegetables – you get the idea. Basic backyard grilling — WOO HOO!

Indirect Heat Cooking
This method of cooking opens up a world you may have yet discover when cooking outdoors.  When cooking on a grill with indirect heat, the heat source, be it gas or charcoal, is off to the side and not directly under the food.  When you do this and close the grill cover, you are in a sense creating an oven.  This allows for longer and slower cooking. Meats, such as roasts, benefit greatly with this type of cooking.  They are allowed to cook through before the outside turns to cinder.  Additionally, indirect cooking allows you to bake on your grill. Did someone say grilled cookies?

To accomplish indirect cooking with a gas grill is fairly simple; light the grill leaving one burner turned off.  Put the food on the grate above the unlit burner.  Controlling temperature is a matter of turning the knobs to the desired level of heat.

For a charcoal grill, it is almost just as simple.  After you have lit your charcoal, instead of spreading the coals out in a single layer, divide them in half and pile on opposite sides of the grill (you will want about 20 to 25 briquettes in each pile).  If you love accessories (and I know you do if you love to grill), get yourself some charcoal baskets. Place a large drip pan (a foil baking pan) in the center of the two piles of coals, and put the cooking grate in place.  You are going to cook your food in the center of the grate over the drip pan.  Temperature control is handled by opening and closing the vents on the grill… the more oxygen that the coals get, the hotter they will burn.

The tricky part about indirect cooking on a charcoal grill is adding more fuel.  If you are going to be cooking something longer than 50 to 60 minutes, you’ll need to add more smoldering coals.  As I mentioned in part 2, Fuel & Fire, the best way to accomplish this is with a chimney starter.  The part of this that gets tricky is getting the lit charcoal onto the piles of dying charcoal. The pain-in-the-ass way to this is to remove the food and the grate then add to the piles of charcoal. That’s okay once in awhile.  The easiest way to do this is with a hinged grate to let you access the coals. If you use a kettle grill, Weber makes just this type of grate.

And there you have it!  You are now armed with the basic knowledge to get you cooking outdoors.  Don’t be intimidated by outdoor cooking.  After all, what other type of cooking requires you to have something delicious to drink while you cook?

Happy Grilling!

If you have enjoyed this Grilling Primer, please leave a comment and pass it on to a friend. Thanks!

Makin’ Bacon

9 Nov

Smoked Maple and Brown Sugar Bacon

I know it’s cliché, but I had to say it.  Bacon.  Bacon, bacon, bacon!  Who, with the exception of SOME vegetarians and those with certain religious predilections, doesn’t love bacon?  It’s the one thing most former carnivores cite as missing the most in their veggie filled diets.  I grew up in the era when my mom kept a can of bacon drippings in the refrigerator.  Not to preserve the sanctity of the plumbing, but to cook with.  Mmmmm, bacon!  Unfortunately, since passing the 40 year milestone, I have been warned by my doctor that my cholesterol is a bit on the high side and I have since adjusted my diet.  However, I still eat bacon once or twice a week and since my intake has been somewhat restricted, I want the very best bacon.  So I borrowed a copy of Charcuterie by Michael Ruhlman & Brian Polcyn from the Los Angeles Public Library, which if you didn’t know has one of the biggest cookery book collections around, to learn about curing bacon.

Using Charcuterie as a benchmark along with info from a few websites dedicated to the craft of charcuterie, I made my first attempt at curing bacon.  The obvious starting place for me was Maple and Brown Sugar Cured Bacon that I smoked with maple wood for some added sweet smoky delicious-ness.  BTW – curing your own bacon is EASY.  And if you don’t have a smoker or don’t want to smoke your bacon, then it is SUPER EASY.

Now I don’t own a smoker and before I invest in one and never use it again, as I am prone to do, I used my Weber kettle grill.  The kettle produced a perfect result, but you have to stay close-at-hand to keep the temperature constant – kind of a pain in the ass as it take around 4 hours to smoke.  To regulate the temperature of the grill, I used a digital meat/roast thermometer, the kind that you stick the meat with a probe that is connected by a cable to the readout on the outside of your oven.  I ran the probe all the way through an apple and placed it on the opposite side of the grill from the coals to check the internal temperature when the covered grill.  I’m going to buy a smoker.

Smoked Maple and Brown Sugar Bacon

4 to 5 pounds pork belly
2 cup kosher salt
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
Charcoal (optional)
Wood chunks or chips for smoking (optional)

Pork BellyRinse pork belly under cold water and pat dry with paper towels.  Cut into one or two smaller portions for easier handling, if desired.

maple and brown sugar cureCombine salt, sugar, and maple syrup.

Maple and Brown Sugar rubbed pork bellyRub over all sides of pork and place in large zip-top bags or fit snugly in a single-layer into a shallow pan that just fits.  Squeeze all the air you can from the bag and seal.  Place in the refrigerator and turn to redistribute the cure once a day for 7 to 9 days.

Remove cured belly from bag and rinse well under cold water for several minutes.  If you are not going to smoke the meat, preheat oven to 180°F, place belly on a rack over a baking sheet and bake until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 150°F.  If you are going to smoke the meat, place bacon on a rack over a baking sheet and refrigerate uncovered for 12 to 24 hours, this allows for the pellicle to form – something for the smoke to stick to.

smoking pork belly

Fire up the smoker and try to keep up temperature between 180°F and 200°F.  Smoke the belly until the internal temperature reaches 150°F; adding smoking chunks every hour or so.  Depending on the size of the belly, this will take between 3 and 5 hours.

smoked baconRemove from oven and let cool. You now have bacon!!! Slice off a few pieces, fry it up, and give it a try!  At this point, the bacon will keep one to two weeks wrapped in the refrigerator.  If you are not going to use it all right away, cut into desired portions, wrap tightly and freeze for three to four months.

Gelées and Gastriques and Glacés… OH MY!

15 Oct

Today I received an announcement for the re-opening of a restaurant here in L.A.  I was kind of excited to try it, but then I got to the part where they list the menu items designed to entice you… Fois Gras Terrine with Prosciutto, Black Fig Purée, Orange Gelée and Campari Gastrique. REALLY?!?  The first thing that came to my mind was that’s a lot of flavors I don’t want to experience together and I’m betting it could use an actual acid component to counter the melt-in-your-mouth, velvety, buttery deliciousness that is fois gras.  But I haven’t tasted the dish and it’s beside the point.  I read on and just about every dish on the menu included more gelées, glacées, purées, gastriques, and foams.  UGH!  BTW – this restaurant is a gastro-pub; not a fine dining restaurant.  Remember the the first couple seasons of Top Chef when every dish had a a damn foam on it?  Chances are 95% of the viewers had probably never had a foam on anything, except for a latte, and initially they were intriguing.  But didn’t you get tired of them?  Just a little aside: a foam is now being called “air”. WTF?!? Understandably, chef contestants are trying to impress the judges with their “cutting-edge” technique.  However, it now seems that every young chef and new restaurant feels the need to impress the FOODIOTS out there with ridiculous menu descriptions.  Don’t muck up my plate with unnecessary lumps of jelly and brush strokes of syrupy reductions just to prove you can.

I guess if you can’t dazzle your customers with culinary brilliance, baffle them with jellies, reductions, and glazes!

There, I said it!

Food Truck Love:: Kogi Korean BBQ-To-Go

8 Oct

I’m not sure when I first heard of the Koji food truck, but I do remember having my interest piqued by the notion of Korean BBQ tacos.  What??   That’s right,  it sounds a little like far-fetched-fusion, but it works.  Koji combines two of my greatest loves… tacos+short ribs.  Add in the flavors of Korean BBQ and you get a little folded up piece of heaven to munch on.  Chef Roy “Papi”  Choi has created the perfect balance of sweet succulent Korean BBQ short ribs topped with a julienne of romaine lettuce and cabbage tossed in Korean chili-soy vinaigrette, cilantro-green onion-lime relish, and crushed sesame seeds all on a double-layer of fresh corn tortillas. YUM!  All for two bucks!  BTW – I took a picture with my shitty cell phone to entice your taste buds… Note: there is no picture.  You’ll just have to take my word for it or go to the Koji website to be enticed.  Koji also offers up tacos filled with Korean spicy pork, spicy BBQ chicken, and tofu for $2 a piece.  Also on the menu are $5 burritos with the same fillings mixed with hash browns, soft scrambled eggs, shredded cheddar and jack cheese and a few choice extras.  There is a Kimchi Quesadilla ($5) which I didn’t have, but plan on going back for tomorrow because I’m a sucker for fermented spicy cabbage.

Chef Roy also runs occasional specials like the Kimchi Pastrami Melt, which I did try.  Note: my shitty cell phone did manage to get a clear picture (below).  Kimchi and pastrami caramelized together topped with cheese, sweet persimmon slices, and spicy arugula  on rye bread slathered with sesame mayo, then pressed on the griddle panini-style.

Kimchi Pastrami Melt

Kimchi Pastrami Melt

The sandwich was good, but I don’t need to go back for it.  I will, however go back for those BBQ Short Rib Tacos again and again.

Koji Korean BBQ-To-Go has three trucks running around LA, so there is no need to miss out on this goodness.  You can find a weekly schedule of truck locations on their website www.kojibbq.com. And for you Twittering fools out there, you can follow Koji @kojibbq.

A Good News/Bad News First Posting

9 Apr

The Good News -I have joined the blogosphere. On second thought, is that really good news?  It has taken me forever to get a blog up and running – I’ve been tired people!  Let’s just say it has been a draining couple years.  However, after returning home from Denver and the IACP (International Association of Culinary Professionals) conference on Sunday I was re-invigorated and ready to jump back in the game.  The central theme of the conference was sustainability of food, farming, eco-systems, our planet.  I have been drinking that Kool-Aid since the 90′s when I had a small health food store in Dallas.  Finally, things are catching up – more to come on that later.

More Good News from some book publishers is that cookbook sales are up.  Optimistically, that means recipes, book ideas, and food styling should all be back in demand.  The big buzz of the conference was that we must have an online presence.  Facebook, blogging, vlogging, Twitter, social-networking, etc. – was everywhere.  Hell, you’d think Twitter and the iPhone were created with food writers in mind!

The Bad News – unfortunately, today I just learned we have not been able to sustain one of our own. After 20 years to the month, Ellen Rose is closing The Cook’s Library. Once a coveted stop for book signings on many cookbook author tours, the store like so many independent booksellers has fallen to the economy and online books sales.

The Cook's Library, Los Angeles CA

The Cook's Library, Los Angeles CA

The Cook’s Library been a great resource locally and nationally. When I was first starting my personal chef business a few years back, Ellen was very helpful in pointing me to books that would be compatible to my business. In the years that have followed, I have sat in that overstuffed sofa for hours researching recipes for projects, dinner parties, etc. (yes, I bought a lot of books too).  Now the store is half-empty with a clearance sale of 40% off new books and used books are $2.00 for hardcover or $1.00 for softcover.

While I was there Ellen was on the phone putting together the judges panel for the James Beard Foundation’s cookbook awards. Even with the closing of her store, Ellen is still working to promote the best cookbooks of the year. If you happen to be near 3rd and Orlando, be sure to stop in and congratulate Ellen on 20 great years.

The Cook’s Library 8373 W 3rd St Los Angeles, CA 90048 – (323) 655-3141

Newer Entries →

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 55 other followers